# SONY NW-WM1Z / WM1A



## leylandi (May 23, 2017)

http://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/audio-signature-series

NW-WM1Z $3200
NW-WM1A $1200
MDR-Z1R $2300
TA-ZH1ES $2200

*Model Name NW-WM1Z *
Available colours : Gold
Chassis : Gold-plated Oxygen-Free Copper Chassis (Purity 99.96%)
Internal memory : 256GB
External memory : microSD
Display size/ Resolution : 4.0 inch、TFT colour LCD、FWVGA(854×480)
Compatible formats Music：MP3／WMA)／FLAC／LINEAR PCM / AAC / HE-ACC / APPLE LOSSLESS / AIFF / DSD
Audio Output : 4.4mm Balanced Standard Jack, 3.5mm Stereo Mini Jack
Internal Wiring : 4-wire Braided Cable Engineered with KIMBER KABLE®
Sound Register : Fine Sound Register
Output Power(JEITA 16Ω/mW) : Balanced standard-jack: 250mW+250mW , Stereo mini-jack: 60mW+60mW
Sound Settings Direct Source, 10band equaliser / tone control, DSEE HX, DC Phase Linearizer, Dynamic Normaliser
Battery life : Approx. 33hr (MP3 128kbps); 26 hr (FLAC 192kHz/24 bit); 15hr (DSD 2.8MHz/1bit); 11hr (DSD 11.2MHz/1bit)
Bluetooth Bluetooth® v 4.2 Profile: A2DP／AVRCP／OPP Codec: LDAC／SBC
NFC : Yes
Dimension : 72.9 × 124.2 × 19.9 mm
Weight : 455g
Included Accessories : Walkman NW-WM1Z, USB cable, leather case, wrist strap, startup guide, instruction manual

*Model Name NW-WM1A*
Available colours : Black
Chassis : Aluminum Chassis
Internal memory : 128GB
External memory : microSD
Display size/ Resolution : 4.0 inch、TFT colour LCD、FWVGA(854×480)
Compatible formats Music：MP3／WMA)／FLAC／LINEAR PCM / AAC / HE-ACC / APPLE LOSSLESS / AIFF / DSD
Audio Output : 4.4mm Balanced Standard Jack, 3.5mm Stereo Mini Jack
Internal Wiring : Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) Cable
Sound Register : MELF Register
Output Power(JEITA 16Ω/mW) : Balanced standard-jack: 250mW+250mW , Stereo mini-jack: 60mW+60mW
Sound Settings Direct Source, 10band equaliser / tone control, DSEE HX, DC Phase Linearizer, Dynamic Normaliser
Battery life : Approx. 33hr (MP3 128kbps); 26 hr (FLAC 192kHz/24 bit); 15hr (DSD 2.8MHz/1bit); 11hr (DSD 11.2MHz/1bit)
Bluetooth Bluetooth® v 4.2 Profile: A2DP／AVRCP／OPP Codec: LDAC／SBC
NFC : Yes
Dimension : 72.9 × 124.2 × 19.9 mm
Weight : 267g
Included Accessories : Walkman NW-WM1Z, USB cable, wrist strap, startup guide, instruction manual

*Model name MDR-Z1R *
Type Closed, dynamic (circum-aural)
Driver unit 70 mm, dome type (CCAW Voice Coil)
Sensitivity 100 dB/mW
Frequency response 4 Hz ～ 120,000 Hz
Impedance 64 Ω at 1 kHz
Power handling capacity 2,500 mW (IEC*)
Plug Gold-plated stereo mini plug for headphone cable, L-shaped gold plated balanced standard plug for balanced headphone cable
Weight(exclude cable） Approx. 385 g without cable
Supplied accessories Gold plated unimatch plug adapter (stereo 3.5mm to stereo 6.3mm) Headphone cable (approx. 3 m (118 1/8 in)), balanced connection headphone cable (approx.. 1.2m (47 1/4 in)) Hard case

*Model Name TA-ZH1ES *
Description Headphone Amplifier
Colour Black
Dimensions (wxhxd) 210 x 65 x 314 mm
Weight 4.4 kg
Connectivity Coaxial input, optical input, Line L/R input, Pre Out (fixed / variable) Walkman / Xperia port (front-side), USB B (rear)
Format compatibility DSD native up to 22.4MHz, DSD DoP up to 11.2MHz, PCM up to 32bit / 768 kHz - USB B, DSD native up to 11.2MHz, DSD DoP up to 5.6MHz, PCM up to 32bit / 384kHz - Walkman / Xperia port
Headphone output Balanced standard (4.4mm in diameter), 3 pole mini (balanced connection, 3.5mm in diameter) x 2, XLR (balanced 4 pin), Standard (6.3mm in diameter), Stereo mini (3.5mm in diameter)
Sound Settings DSD remastering, DSEE HX, DC Phase Linearizer,
Accessories Remote control, remote batteries, AC power cord, digital cable for Walkman, USB cable


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## leylandi

New Headphone & AMP !!!


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## Conext

So, Sony did silver on the ZX1 and black on the ZX2. I guess gold is the only logical evolution in color scheme.
  
 Boy that...that's blingy.


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## boomtube

CAN'T WAIT! Also very interested in the new amp they have coming out.


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## gerelmx1986

in the zx2  thread there is another pciture showing what seems to be a Open-back Z7 headphone?????


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## Dewan7825

Looks awesome.. really can't wait..


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## gerelmx1986

i want also to see it yeah


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## fish1050

2017 Year of Bluetooth HD
  
 It looks like HD bluetooth could become a big thing next year as Sony is set to license LDAC at a very reasonable cost to other vendors.  AptX is releasing their own HD bluetooth codec with products already mentioned including Philips Fidelio M1BT headphones.  The Sony MDR100ABN with noise canceling and LDAC coming as well.  No specs yet on APTX HD that I can find but is specifically mentions support for 96Khz/24 bit transmission. Here is a link if you are interested *https://www.aptx.com/aptx-hd*
  
 Not sure yet how I feel about bluetooth HD as LDAC does sound really good but is not good for battery life.  Even using LDAC standard the battery on my A17 drains fast.  I hope APTX HD is more efficient.  Sony is even talking about a headphoneless walkman device.  It will consist of a bluetooth enabled necklace with built in speakers projecting audio upwards toward your ears. I am sure it will use bluetooth LE 4.0 to save on battery life.  
  
 IFA starts up in about a week so we could see some interesting new products.  On another note Sony is supposedly changing their secretive ways and is looking to get more user feedback on future products either through listening sessions or even a beta testing program.  Sony accepting user input, what is the world coming to !!


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## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> 2017 Year of Bluetooth HD
> 
> It looks like HD bluetooth could become a big thing next year as Sony is set to license LDAC at a very reasonable cost to other vendors.  AptX is releasing their own HD bluetooth codec with products already mentioned including Philips Fidelio M1BT headphones.  The Sony MDR100ABN with noise canceling and LDAC coming as well.  No specs yet on APTX HD that I can find but is specifically mentions support for 96Khz/24 bit transmission. Here is a link if you are interested *https://www.aptx.com/aptx-hd*
> 
> ...


 
 That would be cool indeed, time to say bye bye to cables would be a reality for me


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## leylandi

Balanced!


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## goyete

Balanced! Wow wow wow!


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## gerelmx1986

I want it


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## ButtUglyJeff

gerelmx1986 said:


> I want it


 
  
 Don't get excited.  From Walkman Blog:
  
*"Update*: looks like that figure might be way too low, according to a user in the comments, the headphones may cost around 3000 USD, the Walkman 2000-3000 USD and the DAC up to 3000USD.  If these figures are correct then this will be easily the most expensive Walkman set up to date and out of range of the average Walkman audiophile."


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## goyete

buttuglyjeff said:


> Don't get excited.  From Walkman Blog:
> 
> *[COLOR=FF0000]"Update[/COLOR]*: looks like that figure might be way too low, according to a user in the comments, the headphones may cost around 3000 USD, the Walkman 2000-3000 USD and the DAC up to 3000USD.  If these figures are correct then this will be easily the most expensive Walkman set up to date and out of range of the average Walkman audiophile."



That's imposible. It would be a suicide for Sony...


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## goody

Sony will not sell a Dap that high ...just impossible for sony to do that it will be between the $600 - $900 mark guaranteed


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## purk

I think we are in for a super expensive Sony flagship Walkman. Even if it sounds better than the pha-3, there's no way that they can justify that price tag. Why do they want to be another AK, when they can put an end in that greedy firm by offering a better sounding product for half the price. Seriously, this will be bad for their image. I am on board with the price of their headphones and desktop amp however if their performance justify it.


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## nanaholic

purk said:


> I think we are in for a super expensive Sony flagship Walkman. Even if it sounds better than the pha-3, there's no way that they can justify that price tag. Why do they want to be another AK, when they can put an end in that greedy firm by offering a better sounding product for half the price. Seriously, this will be bad for their image. I am on board with the price of their headphones and desktop amp however if their performance justify it.


 
  
 Why wouldn't anyone want to be another AK?  That's like asking who doesn't want to be another Apple and instead they should be the next One Plus or Xiaomi.  Silly question - nobody hates large profit margins. 
  
 EDIT:　to be frank, Sony's ZX walkmans don't use many off the shelf parts - many of the electronics and technology is actually designed in house from the ground up - including all the DAC amp and filtering stages. While you may not think the performance is up to scratch and they are sort of reinventing the wheel, I personally respects them for the fact that they do everything from the ground up and think they have earn the right to ask for a higher price for their effort, much more so than other competitors which just source off the shelf DAC chips and just wraps it in a different shell.


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## ButtUglyJeff

nanaholic said:


> Why wouldn't anyone want to be another AK?  That's like asking who doesn't want to be another Apple and instead they should be the next One Plus or Xiaomi.  Silly question - nobody hates large profit margins.


 
  
 The sweet spot tends to be good not great profit, with good sales volume.  I think they hit that with most of their newer "high end" stuff...


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## nanaholic

buttuglyjeff said:


> The sweet spot tends to be good not great profit, with good sales volume.  I think they hit that with most of their newer "high end" stuff...


 
  
 That's traditionalist thinking - Apple's bucked that trend - Apple iPhones makes the most profit per device, AND they sell only good volume, but not great volume.  That's why everyone wants to be Apple, not just phones but pretty much every sector. 
  
 Obviously AK's sort of hit that point in the audiophile DAP market as well.....


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## gerelmx1986

There will be three walkmans released one is the A series, the cheap one, and two unde the NW-WM I think hope atleast one is priced like the zx2


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## leylandi

Yeah!


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## purk

nanaholic said:


> Why wouldn't anyone want to be another AK?  That's like asking who doesn't want to be another Apple and instead they should be the next One Plus or Xiaomi.  Silly question - nobody hates large profit margins.
> 
> EDIT:　to be frank, Sony's ZX walkmans don't use many off the shelf parts - many of the electronics and technology is actually designed in house from the ground up - including all the DAC amp and filtering stages. While you may not think the performance is up to scratch and they are sort of reinventing the wheel, I personally respects them for the fact that they do everything from the ground up and think they have earn the right to ask for a higher price for their effort, much more so than other competitors which just source off the shelf DAC chips and just wraps it in a different shell.


 
 You don't get my point.  It is good for them to make all the profits but very bad for us for getting less less for our money.  Sony was releasing flagship MD players every year back in the late 90s for 10 years.  All flagships (year after years) were priced relatively the same from one year to another while each new flagship continued to improve in both aspects of sound and function as well as features.  Why can't we go back to that?  Should I thank AK for this massive greed?  Heck NO!
  
 Sony is in a position to price their new flagship at $1500 and eliminating all "off-brand" all together.  Why not do that and take back all of their market share?  Pricing their new flagship DAP $3000 will do more harm than good.  I'm one of Sony biggest fan and I refuse to buy any DAP at that price.  A similar flagship headphones & amp/dac at that price are more reasonable.


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## gerelmx1986

I will get one because what if its the last one they relase


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## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> I will get one because what if its the last one they relase


 
 Go for it man.  Just don't compare it to a $1000 dac/amp desktop combo.


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## Cagin

You both made valid points. Sometimes I wonder what would A&K charge for an AK with App streaming, and battery for 30h flac, 15h dsd or streaming (iems or easier to drive cans).

If they release an improved zx2 with same battery potential with an updated Android, add a gb ram, lower cleaner noise floor, they can charge me what they want because they'll be beating absolutely all the other DAPs out there afaik: AK380, QP1R, LPG, X7, DPX1, OPUS#2, i5, DX200, AR M20, Plenues...et al

I just want a beast DAP to match whichever beast ciems I got. Portable slice of heaven


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## Sonyvores

So much fire on for some speculations ^^
Well as someone posted it earlier, it seems that there are 2 references which are.... WM1A and WM1Z...
If you're Sony followers you should know what A and especially what Z stands for...
So you can drive some conclusions on the products and price


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## purk

sonyvores said:


> So much fire on for some speculations ^^
> Well as someone posted it earlier, it seems that there are 2 references which are.... WM1A and WM1Z...
> If you're Sony followers you should know what A and especially what Z stands for...
> So you can drive some conclusions on the products and price


 
 We love Sony and that's why we care man.  We want you guys to release a well-priced flagship walkman that put a stop to Astell & Kern as a company.  I hope the top flagship will be priced at $2000 and not $3000.  You can get a GS-X MKII for that price man....and that's one of best dynamic amplifier in the last decade with a built quality to match.


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## warrior1975

purk I completely agree with your post. I love Sony, always have, always will. I grew up loving Sony, they were the best when I was a kid, but they kind of went away for a while. For me they made a comeback with the ZX1 and have continued their resurgence with various other items. 

I really hope they price their new DAP closer to the $2k or under, and not $3k. $3k is hard to swallow for a dap. I loved my zx2, it was the best dap I've ever owned in stock form. If it had a little more power, it would have been almost perfect. 

Sonyvores I hope the new dap will be Android based, and hopefully we can get root access. If I could root the zx2, I'd definitely buy it again. I listened to the zx2 with my favorite IEMS (tralucent plus 5) and it was magical. On a side note, I love Sony IEMS. I own the XB90ex, Z5, Ex800st, and the Ex1000. They are all amazing. My favorite from that group is the Ex800st. They are one of the best sounding IEMS I've ever heard, and at that price point, absolutely amazing. The XB90ex, best bang for your buck IEMS I've owned. They don't just sound great at their price, but they punch way more than their price. Ex1000 is a classic. The sound is amazing. They can take massive amounts of eq and you can turn them into basshead IEMS with some the cleanest sound I've ever heard, if not the cleanest. I <3 Sony!!!


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## Sonic Defender

gerelmx1986 said:


> That would be cool indeed, time to say bye bye to cables would be a reality for me


 
 I already did for portable use. Sold my DP-X1 and PM3 with balanced cable and just use my LG G3 and a good set of Bluetooth headphones. People who don't think current Bluetooth via Apt X is good enough for true quality listening are very mistaken in my opinion. Yes, I, as have many others, have been saying that wireless is absolutely in the near future the way things will be going. There should be no need for physical cables very soon, certainly within five years.


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## Sonyvores

purk By reading your various posts here and there, I can tell you do care for the brand


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## nanaholic

purk said:


> You don't get my point.  It is good for them to make all the profits but very bad for us for getting less less for our money.  Sony was releasing flagship MD players every year back in the late 90s for 10 years.  All flagships (year after years) were priced relatively the same from one year to another while each new flagship continued to improve in both aspects of sound and function as well as features.  Why can't we go back to that?  Should I thank AK for this massive greed?  Heck NO!
> 
> Sony is in a position to price their new flagship at $1500 and eliminating all "off-brand" all together.  Why not do that and take back all of their market share?  Pricing their new flagship DAP $3000 will do more harm than good.  I'm one of Sony biggest fan and I refuse to buy any DAP at that price.  A similar flagship headphones & amp/dac at that price are more reasonable.




No I get you point perfectly.

Except the electronic market -not just audio- has shown time and again that pricing strategy is nowhere as simple as "just undercut your most expensive comeptitor and offer similar or better performance". It simply doesn't work that way because consumers are not perfectly rational (especially audio where it is probably one of the least rational). No one is ever in any position to "off" the other cheap brands because some crazy business man is always willing to go below you, Samsung tried to do that and now makers such as Xaomi and One Plus ate Samsung's lunch from the bottom out of nowhere. In the audio world did Fiio ever offed anyone? No. FOTM and high performing Onkyo DPX1 dap didn't off the competition either, seriously just study the history.


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## Leviticus

sonyvores said:


> So much fire on for some speculations ^^
> Well as someone posted it earlier, it seems that there are 2 references which are.... WM1A and WM1Z...
> If you're Sony followers you should know what A and especially what Z stands for...
> So you can drive some conclusions on the products and price


 

 A is a reference to the A-series, whereas Z points toward the ZX DAPs. One of the main differences between the two series is the operating system.
 So we can choose between Android and Sony's own unique OS? That would be tremendous!
  
 Edit: My theory doesn't work since the ZX100 is not based on Android. But the Z-series, on the other hand, is based on Android. Man, I really loved my Z Walkman back in the days...


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## purk

leviticus said:


> A is a reference to the A-series, whereas Z points toward the ZX DAPs. One of the main differences between the two series is the operating system.
> So we can choose between Android and Sony's own unique OS? That would be tremendous!
> 
> Edit: My theory doesn't work since the ZX100 is not based on Android. But the Z-series, on the other hand, is based on Android. Man, I really loved my Z Walkman back in the days...


 
 ZX100 is non-andriod operating system.


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## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> leviticus said:
> 
> 
> > A is a reference to the A-series, whereas Z points toward the ZX DAPs. One of the main differences between the two series is the operating system.
> ...


 
 and still sounds pretty good but build was a total no-no


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## Sonyvores

Leviticus very interresting theory! But as you said it, it doesn't work here hehe

Well within Sony, Z and X always stand for high end / flagship model
=>Bravia X (XBR) and this IFA will bring back the top Bravia Z
=>Xperia Z and now Xperia X series
=>Walkman X then Walkman Z and Walkman ZX

Can you guys find what other audio products Sony released recently that also have A & Z equivalent?
If you do, you'll understand the logic of WM1A and WM1Z


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## warrior1975

So, it looks like $3k is the price. If it's Android based and better than the zx2, I'm getting it. Based on price, it must be better than the zx2, it absolutely has to be.


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## purk

warrior1975 said:


> So, it looks like $3k is the price. If it's Android based and better than the zx2, I'm getting it. Based on price, it must be better than the zx2, it absolutely has to be.


 
 I doubt that man.  I hope that's true.  How about a 1TB onboard for those precious hi-rez?


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## AUDIOBREEDER

I don't think I could ever enjoy buying a $2000 dap without worrying whether it could take a fall. Moreover customer service nowadays is risky when problems occur within the warranty if buying directly from the company.
For now I will continue to enjoy my Z1070


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## leylandi

New MDR-1000X














The 1000X appears to be part of the high end line of Sony headphones, High-Resolution Audio compatible along with active noise cancellation, the 1000X is packed with a lot of new technology. The headphones feature a personal NC Optimizer which tailors the noise-canceling performance perfectly for you. This is accomplished by the headphones optimizing the performance of noise cancelling by analyzing the shape of your head and wearing style. How exactly this happens is unknown to me, but I am sure Sony will explain it at IFA, or perhaps they will not. An ambient sound mode is included, there are 2 modes, I will let Sony explain the 2 modes.

Normal mode: you can hear the ambient sounds like you don’t wear the headphones.
Voice mode: you can notice voice and announcement around you with unnecessary noise cancellation.

Seems the voice mode cancels out the ambient noise like cars and random noise but permits sound to come through. The right unit features a touch sensor on its side; by covering and holding the entire surface of the touch sensor, the NC is turned off and the volume is turned down automatically. This permits one to hear any announcements and conversations quickly without the need to remove the headphones. Like most high end Sony headphones, the 1000X feature DSEE HX which upscales existing music to near high-resolution sound quality. In addition to SBC/AAC, aptX and LDAC codecs are supported for high quality bluetooth streaming, and with NFC, connections are quick and easy. The headphones swivel to fold into a compact shape for easy travel and storage. Playback time is 20 hours with NC on and 22 hours with NC off. Standby time with NC on is 34 hours and a 120 hours when the headset is turned off. The headset can also be used with a wired connection, NC on around 30 hours.


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## nofarewell

I hope you are right because I would def buy this one! 
 My concern is for physical buttons. I really do hope it will have them. 
 And Sony, please....please, add more voltage or power or whatever....spare power for nicer, richer performance! (Not if Sony players didn't sound warm, but still...)
 I am very much excited about this one.


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## gerelmx1986

nofarewell said:


> I hope you are right because I would def buy this one!
> My concern is for physical buttons. I really do hope it will have them.
> And Sony, please....please, add more voltage or power or whatever....spare power for nicer, richer performance! (Not if Sony players didn't sound warm, but still...)
> I am very much excited about this one.


 
 I am also excited about this one, saying bye bye to my zx100


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## warrior1975

purk said:


> I doubt that man.  I hope that's true.  How about a 1TB onboard for those precious hi-rez?




You don't think it will be better than the zx2?


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## nofarewell

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am also excited about this one, saying bye bye to my zx100


 
 Defo man...I hope the size will be OK as well. There's gonna be the new A series as well, if this is going to be too big and touchscreen, and if the price tag is going to be too big, I think I'll go for the new A30 series players. I hope they will be different than the A10/A20 series. I love the look of the NWZ-A829 for example, I'd love to see a new A series which is more similar to that one, with 64 or 128 GB of storage...


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## gerelmx1986

nofarewell said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I am also excited about this one, saying bye bye to my zx100
> ...


 

 well once you go to ZX range, (at least for me) you can't go lower again


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## Ascariss

leylandi said:


> New MDR-1000X


 
  
 I would appreciate that you don't just steal the info from my blog and paste it here without providing a source.


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## purk

warrior1975 said:


> You don't think it will be better than the zx2?


 
 I have no doubt that it will be better and if you have the fund to go for it, you should.  I just think that the money maybe better spend on a PHA-3 or a home setup.  If you absolute need to have the best portable DAP possible, I'm sure the WM1 will be one of that candidate.  I am speaking from experience that a dedicated desktop system can sound quite a good bit better at the same price point.


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## warrior1975

I agree, unfortunately most of my listening is spent being mobile. Even in my office, I float around. I have 2 offices that I use. One I share with my business partner and one that is exclusively mine, which I rarely ever use. I spend most of my time on my sales floor, sitting at a conference desk, overlooking my employees. I've wanted a real desktop setup for a while, just not sure how much I'll use it. At home, not really an option either right now.


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## leylandi

New flagship headphone!


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## warrior1975

Anymore info on that phone?


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## purk

I don't think the flagship will be closed design and not open as shown in that picture.


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## warrior1975

purk said:


> I don't think the flagship will be closed design and not open as shown in that picture.




You mean it will be closed?


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## gearofwar

goody said:


> Sony will not sell a Dap that high ...just impossible for sony to do that it will be between the $600 - $900 mark guaranteed


 
 Nope, if they sell it at that price, it's no different than ditching, disrupting their entire ZX line. With balance output , better design, I can only see it goes around at least $1500-2000. Someone mentioned it around that range seems to make sense. The market for audiophile is growing and Sony knows there would be people willing to spend for such price. (it's not uncommon price for high-end daps these days)


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## gerelmx1986

Remember when iPods used to cost $500 and people would buy them


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## nanaholic

My bet is that this will be at least AK320 level money.  
  
 Fact is there's no shortage of summit-fi buyers dropping big cash on the pricey AK380 despite all the noise about it being absurdly priced.  I've also seen and met many Sony Just Ear owners turning their nose on the ZX2 and instead buy AK flagships - all of which  (240/320/380) are more expensive than the ZX2. When you see photos of meets where 3 pairs of Just Ears are all coupled to AK players, and an entire community of your most high end/big spender portable customers where some 90% of them are using AK you just can't ignore that. Sony is aware of that situation and most definitely kicking themselves for losing what should be faithful owners to a rival company and all the associated halo effect and word of mouth marketing on their brand, with the insult that they were wrong to bet on some sane price/performance ratio and completely misjudged how big the audiophile desire to chase that last bit of perceived quality difference out of these devices - regardless of price - is.  Sony will pull no stops and will throw every last bit of their technological know-how (and marketing muscle) into this DAP to get people to say this DAP is better than AK in SQ and is equally luxurious (you don't discount luxurious goods - the higher price is actual a status symbol!) while worrying about prices later when the evidence of spending pattern is just so obvious and in their face.


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## warrior1975

nanaholic I think you are 100% correct. I know lots of people with money that buy things because they are more expensive, therefore are "better". I'm guilty of doing it myself as well. I bought the ak240 just for that reason alone. I couldn't hear a difference between that and the ak120ii at the time, but wanted the "best".


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## purk

Remember folks, you can buy a Headamp GS-X MKII for around $3000.  I used to own one and the look and build quality are out of this world good.  Of course, I understand that we have different priority.


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## nanaholic

The fact that this DAP is going to be announced in China tells me one thing - they are aiming this at the typical Asian head-fier market where most people don't spend a lot of time at home and their usual place of enjoying music is during commute on public transports, in the office, or at cafes. 
  
 So yeah, the fact that you can get a Headamp GS-X for 3 grand is completely moot because the priorities are different - because that's like telling someone they can get a kickass top of the line gaming desktop PC when what they want is a portable laptop.


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## purk

nanaholic said:


> The fact that this DAP is going to be announced in China tells me one thing - they are aiming this at the typical Asian head-fier market where most people don't spend a lot of time at home and their usual place of enjoying music is during commute on public transports, in the office, or at cafes.
> 
> So yeah, the fact that you can get a Headamp GS-X for 3 grand is completely moot because the priorities are different - because that's like telling someone they can get a kickass top of the line gaming desktop PC when what they want is a portable laptop.


 
 You don't get my point.  I said all along that we have different priorities.  But if one can get by with a lesser portable player and have a little desk space, you can build such a nice setup at home and no portable system will even come  close to that.  You should really read between the lines and I'm all for a new walkman too...just not the price.   Can you remember a top of the line Walkman that was priced at $400?  The NW-Z1060 was that..a good 4-5 years ago.


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## gerelmx1986

lets see what sony brings in the WM1 series if there would be two models under this lets wait and see pricing, bet one will be lowered pricing thn hte other


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

Boy Thursday can't get here soon enough.  Just end the speculation, so I can figure out if I can afford a Walkman or not...


----------



## purk

buttuglyjeff said:


> Boy Thursday can't get here soon enough.  Just end the speculation, so I can figure out if I can afford a Walkman or not...


 
 Man...I know right?  I'm hoping for 512GB total storage and native DSD playback and better sound quality as well as $1500 price tag.


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> buttuglyjeff said:
> 
> 
> > Boy Thursday can't get here soon enough.  Just end the speculation, so I can figure out if I can afford a Walkman or not...
> ...


 

  + microSD slot (or two)


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

I'm kinda hoping that the gold is a special edition/limited run ZX2 successor, and there's a regular black one that's also a ZX2 successor, but for the "lunchbox" guys...
  
 ...or I'll just finally get a ZX2, you know, after its cool to.


----------



## gerelmx1986

buttuglyjeff said:


> I'm kinda hoping that the gold is a special edition/limited run ZX2 successor, and there's a regular black one that's also a ZX2 successor, but for the "lunchbox" guys...
> 
> ...or I'll just finally get a ZX2, you know, after its cool to.


 

 Totally agree with you mate 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 lets see pricing, if the limied run is too high then i get the supposed other version in the WM1 series and if that one also too high then i get a zx2 for good


----------



## Cagin

*begs for 1 more leak pic to soothe the daily itch* 

The shape of the new one might also lean to the possibility of having the buttons on the left aside this time around. Or maybe divide the volume and power button on one side and the track control on the other. As a left handed I'm surprised the zx2 , the cowon plenue d and onkyo DP-X1 have all the buttons on the right side, meaning it's easier to use one handed with the left hand instead of the right hand with buttons on the left side.
Only rationale I'm thinking is because the wide majority of people uses their cell phone in their right hand and pocket leaving only the left hand and pocket available for DAPs?

Sorry for the digression


----------



## goldendarko

You guys think it will play TIDAL? That's a make or break point for me, even more so than price.


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

goldendarko said:


> You guys think it will play TIDAL? That's a make or break point for me, even more so than price.


 
  
 Only if its Android.  There isn't a single Sony component that supports any streaming services, unless it runs Android...


----------



## Jalo

nanaholic said:


> My bet is that this will be at least AK320 level money.
> 
> Fact is there's no shortage of summit-fi buyers dropping big cash on the pricey AK380 despite all the noise about it being absurdly priced.  I've also seen and met many Sony Just Ear owners turning their nose on the ZX2 and instead buy AK flagships - all of which  (240/320/380) are more expensive than the ZX2. When you see photos of meets where 3 pairs of Just Ears are all coupled to AK players, and an entire community of your most high end/big spender portable customers where some 90% of them are using AK you just can't ignore that. Sony is aware of that situation and most definitely kicking themselves for losing what should be faithful owners to a rival company and all the associated halo effect and word of mouth marketing on their brand, with the insult that they were wrong to bet on some sane price/performance ratio and completely misjudged how big the audiophile desire to chase that last bit of perceived quality difference out of these devices - regardless of price - is.  Sony will pull no stops and will throw every last bit of their technological know-how (and marketing muscle) into this DAP to get people to say this DAP is better than AK in SQ and is equally luxurious (you don't discount luxurious goods - the higher price is actual a status symbol!) while worrying about prices later when the evidence of spending pattern is just so obvious and in their face.


 
 You made some very good points.  As a hobby, uniqueness is important whether in cars, watches or audio or others.  Zx2 may sound good but it is perceived as a mass consumer product. I have the AK 380cu and I enjoyed not only it's sound but also the entire package of appeal.  I hope Sony will come out with something that does not disappoint. I fully understand on these forums many headfiers can care less about things like external appeals as long as it sounds good.  In Asia, however, people young or old are willing to spend incredible amount of money to get the best or one of a kind products. The things that young people in Asia are willing to do to get the latest iphones, Nike shoes, music players etc I cannot even talk about here.  That is why Sony use gold color for obvious reason, clearly they are not concern with the US market or the EU market.  If only this new walkman becomes successful in Asia, they will make more money than the the rest of the market.  We are just tagging along for the ride, so enjoy.


----------



## Sonic Defender

jalo said:


> , clearly they are not concern with the US market or the EU market.  If only this new walkman becomes successful in Asia, they will make more money than the the rest of the market.  We are just tagging along for the ride, so enjoy.


 
 Not quite, yes the Asian market is huge, but still a significant amount of that population base is poor. I have a feeling that if you added all the North American and European consumers who could afford this device up, it would be a big chunk of the total Asian pie, maybe even equal? That would be interesting to know, but don't kid yourself, western markets are still very significant. You think they don't care about California?


----------



## BartSimpson1976

maybe Sony should label it as "organic" or "vegan" or to boost sales in the Western Market?


----------



## Sonyvores

leylandi said:


> New flagship headphone!




I don't think so , it's better to use conditional if you don't know for sure


----------



## Sonic Defender

bartsimpson1976 said:


> maybe Sony should label it as "organic" or "vegan" or to boost sales in the Western Market?


 
 So some of us have a soft spot for living things, nothing wrong with that.


----------



## nanaholic

purk said:


> You don't get my point.  I said all along that we have different priorities.  But if one can get by with a lesser portable player and have a little desk space, you can build such a nice setup at home and no portable system will even come  close to that.  You should really read between the lines and I'm all for a new walkman too...just not the price.   Can you remember a top of the line Walkman that was priced at $400?  The NW-Z1060 was that..a good 4-5 years ago.


 
  
 No I get your point perfectly - hence my laptop/desktop gaming rig analogy.  You are exactly the same guy that comes up on PC forums when some company releases an ultra expensive gaming laptop and you go "why dude? for the money you could build an even awesomer desktop rig!!!!1111". So what that you can get a better desktop rig for the money? The point is the people which these products are aimed at probably don't WANT a desktop rig to begin with.
  
 Gaming laptops aims for a specific demograph - and so are these flagship audiophile DAPs.  The fact that you can buy a better desktop rig for the same money is not only about priorities, but almost irrelevant.


----------



## Woodlands

Images courtesy a Russian chat room:

http://player.ru/showthread.php?t=175149&s=68a1626e9c1c026ab4564daef8e80bf2


----------



## goldendarko

Think I saw an android button?


----------



## gearofwar

Now it has multicolor and becomes a brick too interesting.. 
  


goldendarko said:


> Think I saw an android button?


 
 Android button?


----------



## purk

Thanks for the image.  It looks very hefty which is a great sign.  I really hope it retains an Andriod operating system.


----------



## Leviticus

Are we seeing 2 or 3 different DAPs so far? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 (The bulky one doesn't look pocket-friendly to me, though. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)


----------



## nanaholic

Design of the black/brown looks a bit understated/conservative, while the photo doesn't seem to do the gold colour version much justice.
  
 Think they took the "no hump" criticism to heart - and instead opted for an overall thicker but flush/flat device.
  
 They kept the Walkman port - that's going to be controversial.  Completely understand where Sony's coming from (they have an ecosystem of accessories for that port) and doesn't matter what where you fall regarding cables and their effects, fact is people like to buy different digital cables. I think that would hurt them.


----------



## Mimouille

I hoper thicker means more powerful. This is what has always been lacking in Sony DAPs.


----------



## purk

nanaholic said:


> Design of the black/brown looks a bit understated/conservative, while the photo doesn't seem to do the gold colour version much justice.
> 
> Think they took the "no hump" criticism to heart - and instead opted for an overall thicker but flush/flat device.
> 
> They kept the Walkman port - that's going to be controversial.  Completely understand where Sony's coming from (they have an ecosystem of accessories for that port) and doesn't matter what where you fall regarding cables and their effects, fact is people like to buy different digital cables. I think that would hurt them.


 
 I'm actually glad that they are keeping the walkman port.  This way the unit will work with the BCR-WMH10 docking that I have (highly recommended to anyone by the way).  This dock allows my ZX2, ZX100, and ZX1 to work as a digital transport to my Yggy DAC.   Regarding the walkman digital cable, a few mfgs already offer them.  I, for once, own a silver walkman digital cable along with silver/gold versions.  
  


mimouille said:


> I hoper thicker means more powerful. This is what has always been lacking in Sony DAPs.


 
 I hope so too. More estate for a beefier amp section is a welcomed sign that's for sure.  Why such a big screen if it is supposed to be running a Sony Walkman OS and not Andriod?  Here hoping for a dual microSD slots!


----------



## jagwap

goldendarko said:


> Think I saw an android button?




I saw that...

Also a black-ish version. Now I'm interested. Never liked the timing on the A&K...


----------



## purk

Hoping for an Andriod version too!  It has gotta be given the size of the screen.    More driving power, better sound, dual microSD...that's all I need.


----------



## proedros

so there 3 new DAPs.....


----------



## jagwap

purk said:


> Hoping for an Andriod version too!  It has gotta be given the size of the screen.    More driving power, better sound, dual microSD...that's all I need.




Oh no.

We need android Nougat, with dual boot ios, 1Tb internal flash, and 6 micro SD. Don't forget 384kHz/32b ready with Dolby Atmos headphone and DTS-X hardwired in DSP, and of course MQA.

What I really want is an Xperia phone with a decent output and output level.


----------



## leylandi

Wowwww


----------



## purk

leylandi said:


> Wowwww




Wow...that's a good looking faceplate. That's a Dac too?


----------



## goyete

leylandi said:


> Wowwww



Someone wants my PHA-3???


----------



## leylandi

MDR-Z1R Headphone, NW-WM1Z walkman, TA-ZH1ES AMP!!!


----------



## Zakalwe

proedros said:


> so there 3 new DAPs.....




Aren't the dark ones the same device, just under different light conditions?


----------



## jagwap

So many leaks. 

It reminds me of "Yes Minister" 

"It one of those irregular verbs:

'I let slip, you leak, and he breaks the official secrets act. '"


----------



## musicday

The Walkman looks great..Just like Lotoo Paw Gold,solid built.


----------



## Blommen

Wow I love how that walkman looks!


----------



## jmills8

musicday said:


> The Walkman looks great..Just like Lotoo Paw Gold,solid built.


Just like it but hopefully better.


----------



## Whitigir

blommen said:


> Wow I love how that walkman looks!




Yeah, love it price too ! $3,000. I need more info on this DAC/Amp


----------



## leylandi

Ahhh!!


----------



## audioxxx

Looks like another master piece for the people needing power. For big power hungry headphones.


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

leylandi said:


> Ahhh!!


 
  
 Do you have a link for these images?  I keep getting "your IP is blacklisted"...


----------



## Whitigir

Oh, so the normal Walkman also come with Dual ports! Nice


----------



## musicday

Hopefully we get to see the full specification soon.
Hoping for up to DSD256 native playback, more then 10 h battery life, and Oled screen.


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> Hopefully we get to see the full specification soon.
> Hoping for up to DSD256 native playback, more then 10 h battery life, and Oled screen.




Screen doesn't matter, but I think people had been asking for DSD on these Walkman for a few years, plus Sony released turntable that convert vinyl to DSD directly. I double bet they can do DSD natively, and is very good at it as DSD is Sony own technology


----------



## leylandi

buttuglyjeff said:


> Do you have a link for these images?  I keep getting "your IP is blacklisted"...




Al amk evladi

http://player.ru/showthread.php?t=175149&page=2


----------



## deafdoorknob

leylandi said:


> Wowwww




that 3rd gold jack looks awfully like the new 4.4mm balanced jack

http://ohm-image.net/opinion/audiophile/trrrs-4-4mm-jeita-new-balanced-plug


----------



## leylandi

GOLD : WM1Z
 BLACK : WM1A


----------



## Whitigir

purk said:


> Wow...that's a good looking faceplate. That's a Dac too?




DAC/AMP . It is "ES" ! Line 

It has every connections it needs lol, 4.4mm, dual 3.5, XLR, single 3.5, and 1/8


----------



## Woodlands

On the 4.4mm...

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/canjam-rmaf-2014-showstopper-sonys-proposed-new-industry-standard-headphone-plugs#U0tGsWEMU2HO3FKQ.97


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## audionewbi

I dont particularly cabe about the DAP, we have reached a point where we have so many great sounding DAP and truly we cant reach the next level will we can find something beyond the current technology however what I am interested are the headphone and the DAC/AMP.


----------



## Sonic Defender

woodlands said:


> On the 4.4mm...
> 
> http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/canjam-rmaf-2014-showstopper-sonys-proposed-new-industry-standard-headphone-plugs#U0tGsWEMU2HO3FKQ.97
> 
> ...


 
 It would be nice to see a standard take and be supported well. As an aside, if Sony finally put some power behind this DAP, bravo, that was a wise decision. It will vindicate the position I and others have taken that any DAP needs to be more capable than an IEM specialist. I know all you ZX2 fans loved to say it had enough power, but it really didn't, it was quite underpowered for that price. Hopefully Sony did indeed beef this baby up. Maybe I will be able to finally have a high-end Sony DAP (as long as it isn't 3K).


----------



## jagwap

woodlands said:


> On the 4.4mm...
> 
> http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/canjam-rmaf-2014-showstopper-sonys-proposed-new-industry-standard-headphone-plugs#U0tGsWEMU2HO3FKQ.97
> 
> ...




Another fiddly connector I can melt with lead free solder, hurrah!


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> I dont particularly cabe about the DAP, we have reached a point where we have so many great sounding DAP and truly we cant reach the next level will we can find something beyond the current technology however what I am interested are the headphone and the DAC/AMP.




Agreed, and the DAC/amp+headphones will out you around $6,000. Cheap!


----------



## Conext

leylandi said:


> Ahhh!!


 
 It's nice to see that the "mere mortal" version will support both output jacks. And I like the design of the chassis. It sort of seems like a combination of the ZX1 and ZX2. It's black, like the ZX2, but appears to have a mostly "brushed" finish like the ZX1. And the buttons are not recessed as they are in the ZX2. I actually found that to be something of a detriment. For me, it was easier to feel which buttons were which when they were raised, like on the ZX1. In this case, it looks like the buttons are mostly flush, but the volume and play buttons have a "moat" around them. I imagine that'll make for a nice distinct difference that can be easily felt.
  
 The SD card door looked a LOT bigger than on the ZX2. So my hopes were up for a dual SD card slot. Looks like it's only one. Well, that's not a huge deal.
  
 Still WM-port, huh? Well...I guess if I get one, I can continue to use my Fiio L5 and L50 cables for analog output. I wonder if they'll increase the output volume...?
  
 Not really sure what the "Goldie" version could have over the "Mortal" version. Probably more internal storage and more power output.


----------



## musicday

Considering the thickness of this music player i want SD card and nothing else.
Also it may pack a bigger battery then before.They must know by now the real audiophile is not bothered by size, weight as long at it delivers wonderful sound and long battery life.


----------



## gerelmx1986

leylandi said:


> GOLD : WM1Z
> BLACK : WM1A


 

 Both will cost 3000?


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

gerelmx1986 said:


> Both will cost 3000?


 
  
 I think the black one is affordable.......lol, I can't believe I almost kept a straight face while typing that
  
 But seriously, the Gold is the uber $$$ model I believe.


----------



## gerelmx1986

DAMN is lIke WalkPorn here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 i am walking to it right now LOL


----------



## gerelmx1986

i suspend my plans for a new cellphone and save for this instead lol and get a pair of mdr-Z7 if for 20Kh more of the Z1R i buy z7


----------



## leylandi

GOOD


----------



## gerelmx1986

put  pic of the gold one but the black one looks sexier, BTW no info on specs yet?


----------



## proedros

leylandi said:


> GOOD


 
  
 DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGEN WALLET


----------



## audionewbi

whitigir said:


> Agreed, and the DAC/amp+headphones will out you around $6,000. Cheap!


 
 I guess we just have to wait and see.


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> put  pic of the gold one but the black one looks sexier, BTW no info on specs yet?



And it was only 3-4 months ago you really loved you NWZ-X100 ,now is for sale ))


----------



## goyete

More info:
  
 https://www.seeko.co.kr/zboard4/zboard.php?id=forum_etc2_1&no=152483


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > put  pic of the gold one but the black one looks sexier, BTW no info on specs yet?
> ...


 

 HAHAHAHA yes typical


----------



## JBond

I am very interested in MDR-Z1R Headphone. Very few japanese open-back headphones nowadays !


----------



## gerelmx1986

no news on the update of the XBA line?


----------



## astroid

I dont think FCC contains Wifi tests ? This would suggest Sony UI rather than android.


----------



## astroid

I noticed the MicroSD slot has Li-ion text in it, removable battery? Maybe gumstick that would be ace!


----------



## gearofwar

LOL why the 2.5mm balance output? i don't see anything new here except another AK's trend. Sony needs to come up with better tech and spec to justify buying or it will be just another AK320 - 380
 Does anyone think it will be able to drive LCD3 and HD800 at desktop lvl or QP1R?


----------



## musicday

IFA should start any time soon for Sony from now.Hope we get to see full technical specifications for this portable music player.
If it is at the top with others up there.


----------



## gearofwar

musicday said:


> IFA should start any time soon for Sony from now.Hope we get to see full technical specifications for this portable music player.
> If it is at the top with others up there.


 
 The chassis makes me think that this player will not handle massive load or pack a desktop lvl or powerful amp in it coz it will get overheated by that leather on the back.  It will be able to drive some low to mid gain cans nicely but for hard-to-drive cans that's when that big black box comes in..


----------



## astroid

If it has the usual Digital amp setup then no it wont have the power of the QP1R etc. If however they have put a decent DAC in it (and the thickness makes me think they might have) you will get more volume but less battery.
 Not sure the usual Digital Amp setup could do balanced?


----------



## Whitigir

It has 4.4 mm TRRS and not 2.5mm TRRS. Nothing from Sony will ever support 2.5mm trrs....dream on


----------



## gerelmx1986

I definitevely will jump the wahon if the blackie is priced 1500 at least 2000


----------



## purk

Hoping for $1500 or around that for the black one.  I will definitely buy it now.  Can't go for gold but I really love the look for the black one.  Oh dear, the first  ES headamp is quite striking too.  Man...my wallet!


----------



## Whitigir

purk said:


> Hoping for $1500 or around that for the black one.  I will definitely buy it now.  Can't go for gold but I really love the look for the black one.  Oh dear, the first  ES headamp is quite striking too.  Man...my wallet!




 Siny is out to get you, me, and the likes .....I must resist, but somehow these leaks make me drooling


----------



## alwass89

So let me get this straight. We are getting 2 new Walkman models, the NW-WM1Z which is the gold one, which is going to cost around $3,000 USD and the NW-WM1A which is the black one which is going to be more "affordable." I really hope that these will be made available in the US and that the cost of the WM1A will be more towards the ZX100 and not the ZX2.


----------



## willywill

I don't know the price but am ready to buy, i take the headphone 1st


----------



## astroid

I am super excited, was about to buy a QP1R but i am waiting to see how this one works out, just hope they have a decent DAC that has a dynamic range that covers Hi-Res , oh and native DSD (cant believe Sony is behind on that one?)


----------



## musicday

This thread is growing fast.But sadly no extra info yet.
The photos of the Walkman remind me of DX100 size and thickness


----------



## gerelmx1986

yes and zx2 forum has stalled now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 i also agree with purk 1500 I buy it anfd if no update to xba, then get z5 first


----------



## nanaholic

They were prioritizing battery life for the ZX2 so doing native DSD wasn't something they wanted to do.  That and combined with the low power output was how they get the whopping 30hrs+ playback time on the ZX2 for FLACs and 60hrs for mp3s.  Though I don't think they'll do it this time because obviously that was a big mistake in the eyes of audiophiles which would gladly sacrifice playback time for a bit more output juice. 
  
 EDIT: The story behind the killer battery life of the ZX2 was because Kaz Hirai wanted a walkman that lasted a cross atlantic flight, bad call on his part IMO because obviously he didn't get how most audiophiles think.


----------



## Whitigir

Sony had been pushing for Native DSD lately just as much as LDAC and all that good stuff. You better believe the rumor that the new Walkman is Native DSD.

Hell, even their new turn-table is Native DSD conversion directly, and they couldn't make enough to sell


----------



## gerelmx1986

me too I sell my ZX100 for $9000 (MXN) AND xba-a3 for 4500 MXN and i get the walkman + XBA-Z5 (or if updated xba)


----------



## willywill

astroid said:


> I am super excited, was about to buy a QP1R but i am waiting to see how this one works out, just hope they have a decent DAC that has a dynamic range that covers Hi-Res , oh and native DSD (cant believe Sony is behind on that one?)


 
 DAP's have weak output, a $100 Fiio DAC/AMP will have more power then any Sony Walkman, don't get to happy


----------



## jmills8

willywill said:


> DAP's have weak output, a $100 Fiio DAC/AMP will have more power then any Sony Walkman, don't get to happy


----------



## gerelmx1986

I only see one microSD slot hope memory is at least 256GB for the black version (or 128GB will be fine)


----------



## musicdragoon

From previous info it is not possible to go native DSD or balanced form S master, so don't know if they have re-invented a new S master or use the traditional DAC + amp approch? Hope the 1A is affordable and comes with a new Z5 successor


----------



## Replicant187

musicday said:


> Considering the thickness of this music player i want SD card and nothing else.
> Also it may pack a bigger battery then before.They must know by now the real audiophile is not bothered by size, weight as long at it delivers wonderful sound and long battery life.




well, it clearly says microSD so there's that.


----------



## Whitigir

musicdragoon said:


> From previous info it is not possible to go native DSD or balanced form S master, so don't know if they have re-invented a new S master or use the traditional DAC + amp approch? Hope the 1A is affordable and comes with a new Z5 successor




Remember, both S-master and DSD are Sony own technology...if anyone can do it, it would be Sony!!!


----------



## purk

Do a search on Sony str-da9000es if u really want to learn about the "S-Master Pro" technology. It is a worthwhile reading experience. Native DSD playback will be a huge plus. And lower output doesn't equate bad quality. The quality of those output are what make it count! 100mw per channel is plenty if they do it right. I honestly don't think Sony will release a DAP to drive 300 ohm headphones. I think they designed their DAP to work wonder with something in the 70 ohms range. Exciting news indeed!


----------



## Jalo

Well unless it comes with 512 gb internal storage, otherwise a micro SD slot is just average in today standard making the maximum storage of 512gb. Those hires and DSD formats will use up 512 gb easily. Also, I hope it has at least one type of digital out (optical, coax, or USB) otherwise, it will be like the Lotoo Paw Gold. It does look like it has a USB type C connector but whether it will have digital out remains to be seem. It needs to exceed AK 380 in features, sound quality, style, and spec, otherwise, I don't see anything special about it. I do like the new 4.4 SE/balance standards. Over at the 380 thread, there have been dream list thrown around for their next totl for next year, like oled screen, audio streaming, one TB of storage etc. We will find out in eight hours from now. But new totl product is always exciting.


----------



## purk

jalo said:


> Well unless it comes with 512 gb internal storage, otherwise a micro SD slot is just average in today standard making the maximum storage of 512gb. Those hires and DSD formats will use up 512 gb easily. Also, I hope it has at least one type of digital out (optical, coax, or USB) otherwise, it will be like the Lotoo Paw Gold. It does look like it has a USB type C connector but whether it will have digital out remains to be seem. It needs to exceed AK 380 in features, sound quality, style, and spec, otherwise, I don't see anything special about it. I do like the new 4.4 SE/balance standards. Over at the 380 thread, there have been dream list thrown around for their next totl for next year, like oled screen, audio streaming, one TB of storage etc. We will find out in eight hours from now. But new totl product is always exciting.


 
 The digital out is available via a WMport / optional accessory and the quality of the signal is quite a bit better than those from FiiO, iBasso, and AK that I have tried.  Optical out is always worst and coaxial and USB out is just as good depending on the the implementation.  Yes, I agree with the Lotoo Paw Gold.  I would have bought one if I can use it as a digital transport.


----------



## Jalo

purk said:


> The digital out is available via a WMport / optional accessory and the quality of the signal is quite a bit better than those from FiiO, iBasso, and AK that I have tried.  Optical out is always worst and coaxial and USB out is just as good depending on the the implementation.  Yes, I agree with the Lotoo Paw Gold.  I would have bought one if I can use it as a digital transport.



Thanks for the info on WMport. Agreed on optical out as it cannot DSD over optical on AK dap.


----------



## musicdragoon

The ES headphone amp have a DSD Re. LED... seems it can real time re-encode to DSD like the ES network player? Wonder if the WM1 also have this feature


----------



## Jalo

musicdragoon said:


> The ES headphone amp have a DSD Re. LED... seems it can real time re-encode to DSD like the ES network player? Wonder if the WM1 also have this feature




If Sony is going to implement DSD lets hope they do native DSD, I do not like any conversion at all. AK is still to beat in that regard with dual AKM Dac handling native DSD processing. With all the new daps that came out this past year, the bar is set pretty high for anyone to surpass all the top spec and features. Of cause, if anyone can do it, it will be Sony but they have to put their mind to it. If Sony wants to charge a premium and make a totl product they have to resist the urge to make a mass consumer product at the same time which is in their nature and that will ruin the intention of creating a totl product.


----------



## Conext

So, since Sony stamped "balanced" on this new DAP instead of "separate grounds", like the ZX2 has, does that mean we'll be getting something with two S-Master chips?
  
 Granted, I never followed its technical design in any detail, but I thought it was fundamentally different from other DAC chips out there—so much so that using two chips (one for each channel) as one might find using a Sabre DAC implementation for instance, just wasn't possible? Or maybe I'm confusing that with the way a D-class amp works? Maybe?


----------



## gerelmx1986

i dont care about DSD all my music is FLAC, aisde DSD intouces more errors than PCM is what i hav read


----------



## leylandi

New photos


----------



## goldendarko

No thanks. I've got the HA-1. More about the portable unit!


----------



## boomtube

I'm very interested in the new amp...I was on the verge of getting the Mass Kobo 404, but now I want to look into this a bit more.


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> i dont care about DSD all my music is FLAC, aisde DSD intouces more errors than PCM is what i hav read




The reason u are going DSD is to take the benefit of the available Hi-Rez catalog in sacd/DSD format. I actually have over 250 albums in DSD that I managed to rip from my PS3. Don't rule out good music however. Most hi-Rez flac and DSD are worthwhile because of better mastering.


----------



## gerelmx1986

WE WANT MORE PICS OF THE WALKMAN


----------



## Jalo

purk said:


> The reason u are going DSD is to take the benefit of the available Hi-Rez catalog in sacd/DSD format. I actually have over 250 albums in DSD that I managed to rip from my PS3. Don't rule out good music however. Most hi-Rez flac and DSD are worthwhile because of better mastering.




Totally agreed. In my experience with DSD and regardless of format strengths and weaknesses, they are usually much better mastered and carefully recorded and as a result the usual problems associate with standard formats are much better control like noise floor, dynamics, mic placement, sound staging etc. Btw, do you have a hard drive that I can buy? Just kidding


----------



## Cotnijoe

Looks like the person is using sony's new balanced jack in the photo!


----------



## gerelmx1986

cotnijoe said:


> Looks like the person is using sony's new balanced jack in the photo!


 
 Of course it's called marketing


----------



## Whitigir

OMG, that Z1R and the ES Amp. But I love that Amp more than anything. What will it be if I do Desktop gaming with it. Imagine the details and all that whuuuwaahahaha


----------



## Rob49

I love the look of all these new products, but i'm not going to be able to afford any.


----------



## leylandi

First spec
Mass (Walkman) 455g(16.1oz) 267g(9.5oz)
capacity 256GB 128GB
DSD "Media File format: DSF, DSDIFF
File extension: .dsf, .dff
Bit depth : 1 bit
Sampling frequency : 2.8224 MHz, 5.6448, 11.2896 MHz"
DSD 11.2896MHz/1bit Approx. 11 hours
New JEITA standard Φ4.4mm Stereo balanced headphone jack


----------



## willywill

rob49 said:


> I love the look of all these new products, but i'm not going to be able to afford any.


 
 Start saving, none of this stuff will be available for the next 2-3 months by the time this is out it will be the holidays ask your wife for a christmas gift don't have a wife ask your mom 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## goldendarko

leylandi said:


> First spec
> Mass (Walkman) 455g(16.1oz) 267g(9.5oz)
> capacity 256GB 128GB
> DSD "Media File format: DSF, DSDIFF
> ...


Where u get this?


----------



## takato14

I do not like the look of that headphone's driver. The voice coil looks quite small for such a large surface area and the magnetic circuit seems extremely lackluster. Of course, its not possible to see minute details such as voice coil distancing and magnetization pattern from a picture, but I really don't like how little magnet I'm seeing in there.

I'd love to see Sony put out another statement-level headphone, but for now I'm betting this will be a marginally, if at all better MDR-Z7 with similar weaknesses. Let's hope the pricing isn't insane...


----------



## Rob49

willywill said:


> Start saving, none of this stuff will be available for the next 2-3 months by the time this is out it will be the holidays ask your wife for a christmas gift don't have a wife ask your mom
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Not married & Mom no longer here.....the reason i can't buy anymore expensive gear is because my disability benefit was stopped & i have to appeal the decision.


----------



## cuiter23

The AMP looks amazing! Perhaps my next purchase if not exceedingly and irrationally expensive.
  
 However, I don't think it can replace the PHA-3 as it is much bigger and made for a permanent desktop set-up. PHA-3 is still my backpack warrior 
  
 I love that Sony still cares about us hardcore audio folks. I pray that they are not going to do anything foolish with the pricing. The portable audio industry is screwed up already as it is.


----------



## proedros

rob49 said:


> I love the look of all these new products, but i'm not going to be able to afford any.


 
  
 didn't you just get ZX2 ?  don't let this new toy syndrome get to you, enjoy your ZX2 - i have mine for 1 year now and still enjoy it / have not grown bored with it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 besides , it's a law that all these new products will turn here for sale a few months after their release date, in more logical prices 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 cheers


----------



## leylandi

goldendarko said:


> Where u get this?




http://player.ru/showthread.php?t=175149&page=3


----------



## astroid

11hrs dsd playback is pretty good, if it's native it beats the QP1R easy.


----------



## gerelmx1986

if they include sony walkman Os hope it is a revamped version 128GB is fine  for me and pop a 245GB microSD


----------



## musicday

What's with the weight?
455 gr?  Lotoo Paw Gold is 280 gr and already very heavy.


----------



## Rob49

proedros said:


> didn't you just get ZX2 ?  don't let this new toy syndrome get to you, enjoy your ZX2 - i have mine for 1 year now and still enjoy it / have not grown bored with it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yes, i have the ZX2, so at least i'm one of the fortunate one's & can still enjoy, for years to come. 
  
 I'm already envious of the balanced connection, though & native DSD, e.t.c.


----------



## proedros

rob49 said:


> Yes, i have the ZX2, so at least i'm one of the fortunate one's & can still enjoy, for years to come.
> 
> I'm already envious of the balanced connection, though & native DSD, e.t.c.


 
  
 if i remember correct you have low-tier iems , so better put your money there as zx2 is already a totl dap
  
 you will get a much bigger improvement in sonic enjoyment


----------



## Rob49

proedros said:


> if i remember correct you have low-tier iems , so better put your money there as zx2 is already a totl dap
> 
> you will get a much bigger improvement in sonic enjoyment


 
 I've never been able to tolerate iems, unfortunately.


----------



## Sonic Defender

rob49 said:


> I've never been able to tolerate iems, unfortunately.


 
 Nor I, I can't even get them to stay in my ear. Headphones are my game.


----------



## purk

rob49 said:


> Yes, i have the ZX2, so at least i'm one of the fortunate one's & can still enjoy, for years to come.
> 
> I'm already envious of the balanced connection, though & native DSD, e.t.c.


 
 Those are great features to have on the new Walkman.  Be able to play DSD natively will bump up the sound quality 5-10%.  Balance output will also yield more power.  A 100 mw per channel is all I need.


----------



## Rob49

sonic defender said:


> Nor I, I can't even get them to stay in my ear. Headphones are my game.


 
  
 I've always had the same problem.


----------



## gerelmx1986

rob49 said:


> sonic defender said:
> 
> 
> > Nor I, I can't even get them to stay in my ear. Headphones are my game.
> ...


 

 Hope i can sleep tonight


----------



## Rob49

I wonder if Sony are claiming anything unique, with the term, "One Sound Signature" ??


----------



## Dithyrambes

I am looking to buy a new sony but on the walls when to buy. If the sound isnt too different i would just get a zx2. It has to sound better than the chord mojo if im going to shell out nearly 2k though


----------



## Whitigir

rob49 said:


> I wonder if Sony are claiming anything unique, with the term, "One Sound Signature" ??




Yes, DSD technology was originally Sony, and now they are out to do "DSD Correctly and Properly" with all new products for Audio Enthusiasts community. Especially the new Walkman. 

Just as I mentioned above, Sony released turn table that can natively convert Vinyl into DSD, and they couldn't have made it fast enough to sell 

Lesson from the pass...Do Not Compete Against Sony in Media Department when they take it seriously

1/ Microsoft Failed with UltraDVD
2/ Microsoft Failed with Xbox

Now, Sony is back at High-resolution Audio that can be stored Digitally, and enjoyed with High-res capable devices, and DSD as well


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> I am looking to buy a new sony but on the walls when to buy. If the sound isnt too different i would just get a zx2. It has to sound better than the chord mojo if im going to shell out nearly 2k though




I am sorry to say this, but Mojo hardly measure up against Pha-3


----------



## Gosod

a very interesting thing!, I hope it will be loud enough!


----------



## musicday

Maybe Sony will get things right this time.Anybody has a clue about the power output of this portable music player?


----------



## Whitigir

Honestly, Sony had it done right with Zx2 and even Pha-3....they only limited and handicapped it in some instances ....and didn't market it well enough


----------



## gerelmx1986

hope they pak at least 150mW


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> hope they pak at least 150mW



At @32 ohm .


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

gerelmx1986 said:


> hope they pak at least 150mW


 
  
 All I want, is for it to be able to drive portable headphones.  But I guess if it could drive my Z7 balanced, I wouldn't complain....


----------



## Gosod

when it goes on sale?


----------



## gerelmx1986

perhaps october november?


----------



## Woodlands

It took 8-9 months for the NW-ZX100 to make its way to Canada after the IFA 2015 announcement. Which helps on these items from a savings perspective.


----------



## gerelmx1986

woodlands said:


> It took 8-9 months for the NW-ZX100 to make its way to Canada after the IFA 2015 announcement. Which helps on these items from a savings perspective.


 
 in mexico the MDR-Z7 took two years to come


----------



## Woodlands

Oh my. I thought we had it bad.


----------



## Whitigir

Lol, I think it took 6 months from IFA to reach the US on Zx2 and Z7


----------



## purk

whitigir said:


> Lol, I think it took 6 months from IFA to reach the US on Zx2 and Z7


 
 That was indeed quite sad.  All of us probably have to import from HK.


----------



## gearofwar

dithyrambes said:


> I am looking to buy a new sony but on the walls when to buy. If the sound isnt too different i would just get a zx2. It has to sound better than the chord mojo if im going to shell out nearly 2k though


 
 My Opus is already better than Mojo and ZX2 and currently for sales at fraction of the ZX2 price.


----------



## headfi19

goldendarko said:


> Where u get this?


 

 you can read here,thanks
http://player.ru/showthread.php?t=175149&page=3


----------



## audioxxx

proedros said:


> if i remember correct you have low-tier iems , so better put your money there as zx2 is already a totl dap
> 
> you will get a much bigger improvement in sonic enjoyment




I got a great surprise the first time I got my totl IEM's, they have made the best improvements yet, and really show what the zx2 can do. The differences are huge.(mid tear sensitive headphones/iem's can not do justice for the DAP)
 And it seems these new DAP's won't have to much to offer iem's, and the weight of them makes me glad I have a zx2 still for portability.


----------



## Whitigir

Now somebody mentioned the weight...455 Grams is almost 0.5 kG. Good to do fitness with ? Lol just kidding


----------



## Leviticus

whitigir said:


> Now somebody mentioned the weight...455 Grams is almost 0.5 kG. Good to do fitness with ? Lol just kidding


 
  
 If this translates into "one unique sound signature", I don't mind the weight.


----------



## Whitigir

leviticus said:


> If this translates into "one unique sound signature", I don't mind the weight.




Lol, only "signature". We are not getting there "unique" yet


----------



## Cagin

proedros said:


> didn't you just get ZX2 ?  don't let this new toy syndrome get to you, enjoy your ZX2 - i have mine for 1 year now and still enjoy it / have not grown bored with it
> 
> 
> besides , it's a law that all these new products will turn here for sale a few months after their release date, in more logical prices
> ...


yeah no I won't be selling the new one this time haha


----------



## Sonic Defender

leviticus said:


> If this translates into "one unique sound signature", I don't mind the weight.


 
 More battery weight for more amp I'll bet.


----------



## Cagin

Desktop amp headphone outputs from left to right:
XLR, 3.5mm SE, 6.3mm SE, 4.4mm Bal and the dual 3.5mm trs L+R for balanced like the PHA3
Hah no soup for you 2.5mm!


Yeah sure the gold one us a brick and the other one is no light weight either but this means Sony is confident enough about their sound quality so it won't need and amp stack.
And while I'm still preaching and pleading against 10h battery DAPs, 11hours on balanced dsd means I can reliably hope to get 15h balanced flac and maybe up to 20h on 3.5mm SE flac. That's is enough for me. Only thing remaining now is hopefully it has low gain for extra sensitive iems or just have some badass low noise floor because sadly the zx2 had an amazing battery but was very hissy.

As a previous zx2 owner I'm happy about the small changes to the buttons, will be even easier now (=faster)too navigate blindly from pocket. 

Would be a nice plus if the gold (or both) also scrolled a bit more smoothly but it's no deal breaker of course.

Opus#2 was my favorite DAP I was considering to upgrade to coming from the zx2 and DP-X1 (hadn't had chance to try the AR M20), but at €1600 the Opus#2 will now have a very hard time against the new black Sony


----------



## Mimouille

gearofwar said:


> My Opus is already better than Mojo and ZX2 and currently for sales at fraction of the ZX2 price.


Doesn't touch the Mojo IMO...


----------



## gerelmx1986

for me FLAC user I would grab the WM1A 128GB ufficient for me and a 256GB card, I know 256GB look damn temptin because with a 256GB micro you get 512GB total


----------



## warrior1975

Any more info on the OS? I have a nice opportunity to pick up zx2 at $550. Really tempted too.


----------



## gerelmx1986

warrior1975 said:


> Any more info on the OS? I have a nice opportunity to pick up zx2 at $550. Really tempted too.


 
  
 I want also to pick a Z5 IEM if there is no update on the XBA line


----------



## purk

warrior1975 said:


> Any more info on the OS? I have a nice opportunity to pick up zx2 at $550. Really tempted too.




I say go for it. That's dirt cheap for a great sounding player. It can serve as an excellent transport and streaming device.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Looking at the unit (pictures) I see no way of it being no more than $1800.. 
I love the all black version. The controls at the lower part of the unit may become troublesome as some cases came in with the ZX2.
Hopefully cables (4.4mm or whatever the right one is) will be available for the Z5 and Z7.
Kind of surprised they stuck will their wmport since the other company ditched the headphone port for size.
I have to agree the desktop amp looks like a thing of a beauty.


----------



## Jalo

Deleted


----------



## justrest

Looks really great. Hope it will come with Streaming.


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiobreeder said:


> Looking at the unit (pictures) I see no way of it being no more than $1800..
> I love the all black version. The controls at the lower part of the unit may become troublesome as some cases came in with the ZX2.
> *Hopefully cables (4.4mm or whatever the right one is) will be available for the Z5 and Z7*.
> Kind of surprised they stuck will their wmport since the other company ditched the headphone port for size.
> I have to agree the desktop amp looks like a thing of a beauty.


 
 Or an adapter dual TRS


----------



## Jalo

Well the product announcement has been going on for about an hour now in Beijing but where is the beef.  You guys that are in China or Beijing should be able to pick up some local news by now.  At least somebody should know the full spec by now.


----------



## bvng3540

http://sonyfan.vn/2016/08/loat-thiet-bi-am-thanh-moi-se-ra-mat-ngay-mai-tai-nghe-va-walkman-cao-cap-gia-3000-usd/


----------



## cuiter23

If any one of these new Sony flagships are going to cost $3000 then Sony has truly lost their mind.


----------



## jmills8

cuiter23 said:


> If any one of these new Sony flagships are going to cost $3000 then Sony has truly lost their mind.


 We have.


----------



## Raketen

cuiter23 said:


> If any one of these new Sony flagships are going to cost $3000 then Sony has truly lost their mind.




New stuff looks sweet, but I'm only barely starting to come to terms with the idea of a $1000 dap :blink:
Ah well, hopefully one of these will be "affordable", though the zx100 is fairly recent, guess they wouldn't want redundant option for that budget....


----------



## leylandi

MDR-1000X


----------



## Levanter

leylandi said:


> MDR-1000X


 
  
 Oooh that looks good, i should have waited a bit before jumping on the PXC-550...


----------



## emrelights1973

i think is more a urban look rather than hifi look, looks like that it is going to be competing with Bose rather then Meze....


----------



## Levanter

emrelights1973 said:


> i think is more a urban look rather than hifi look, looks like that it is going to be competing with Bose rather then Meze....


 
  
 That's a wireless ANC, those types usually don't cater to Hifi but frequent flyers who enjoy close to Hifi sound


----------



## emrelights1973

levanter said:


> That's a wireless ANC, those types usually don't cater to Hifi but frequent flyers who enjoy close to Hifi sound



Exactly my point!


----------



## astroid

1000x looks worse than the 100aap Imo, a bit too spivvy and executive for this head.


----------



## astroid

Just look at the guys wearing it, smug ****, looks like a banker who has just had his brothers missus.


----------



## jmills8

Celine Dion Headphones.


----------



## jagwap

jmills8 said:


> Celine Dion Headphones.




Why Celine Dion? Because they "will go on"?


----------



## cuiter23

I don't know why Sony came out with yet ANOTHER balanced configuration? Seems like a poor move on their part by not streamlining their products. Consistency is key in this game.


----------



## doublea71

astroid said:


> Just look at the guys wearing it, smug ****, looks like a banker who has just had his brothers missus.


 

 Talk about glass houses - judging by your picture, you must be the brother lol


----------



## nanaholic

cuiter23 said:


> I don't know why Sony came out with yet ANOTHER balanced configuration? Seems like a poor move on their part by not streamlining their products. Consistency is key in this game.


 
  
 Because there's no standard in balanced configuration in DAPs to begin with - the current 2.5mm is only popularised by AK players by hacking a previous connector that weren't designed for the purpose and others merely followed the market leader, it's not actually a proper standard.
  
 The 4.4mm plug proposed by Sony for pure audio application and is accepted by JETA as a proper industry accepted standard, it can be wired for both balanced and non-balanced connection due to its 5 pole configuration (L-/L+/R-/R+/GND), and is more sturdy than both 3.5mm and 2.5mm, because it does both SE and balance adaptors can be easily made, the GND pin also means you can connect it to any active equipment like amps as well. It will have some growing pains but it's a good and properly thought out standard - really hope it takes over.


----------



## cuiter23

nanaholic said:


> Because there's no standard in balanced configuration in DAPs to begin with - the current 2.5mm is only popularised by AK players by hacking a previous connector that weren't designed for the purpose and others merely followed the market leader, it's not actually a proper standard.
> 
> The 4.4mm plug proposed by Sony for pure audio application and is accepted by JETA as a proper industry accepted standard, it can be wired for both balanced and non-balanced connection due to its 5 pole configuration (L-/L+/R-/R+/GND), and is more sturdy than both 3.5mm and 2.5mm, because it does both SE and balance adaptors can be easily made, the GND pin also means you can connect it to any active equipment like amps as well. It will have some growing pains but it's a good and properly thought out standard - really hope it takes over.


 
  
 It is true that there is no universal standard balanced connections. However, I would have liked to see the player also support Sony's current L and R config. Oh well, can't win em all.


----------



## nanaholic

cuiter23 said:


> It is true that there is no universal standard balanced connections. However, I would have liked to see the player also support Sony's current L and R config. Oh well, can't win em all.


 
  
 Why? A single official cable easily fixes that. 4.4mm on one end and L/R 3.5mm on the other. Done.


----------



## leylandi

Balanced standart - jack:
 240mW + 240mW
 Stereo mini - jack:
 60mW + 60mW
  
 Price : 1200$ (black), 2000$ (gold)


----------



## jagwap

leylandi said:


> Balanced standart - jack:
> 
> 240mW + 240mW
> 
> ...




That's better than I expected on price. 

Any information as to what the gold one has that warrants the extra money? I assume it isn't made of gold, so memory, battery size?


----------



## nanaholic

jagwap said:


> That's better than I expected on price.
> 
> Any information as to what the gold one has that warrants the extra money? I assume it isn't made of gold, so memory, battery size?


 
  
 Doubt battery would be different, memory difference would be a good bet.
  
 Cynic in me thinks that black does DSD to PCM and native DSD is only reserved for gold version.


----------



## leylandi

black 128 gb, gold version 256 gb


----------



## joshuachew

Any other specs or details about the player?


----------



## Furiousipaduser

any idea on  the os? are they staying with android and if so what version


----------



## emrelights1973

Color being only difference ?


----------



## leylandi

joshuachew said:


> Any other specs or details about the player?


 
 IFA conference loading
  
https://webcast.promeas.com/webcasts/160901sony2/index.flexible.php


----------



## joshuachew

leylandi said:


> IFA conference loading
> 
> https://webcast.promeas.com/webcasts/160901sony2/index.flexible.php


my hotel wifi won't let me load it  do keep us updated here.


----------



## Whitigir

leylandi said:


> Balanced standart - jack:
> 
> 240mW + 240mW
> 
> ...




Wait....you are telling me that this new Walkman has a lot more power than Zx2 ? Almost as much as Pha-3 in balanced ? And the same power as Pha-3 in Single ended ?

Oh......great joy !

The gold is $2000 only ? Now a lot of people would jump on the band wagon, especially if it is Limited edition


----------



## pervysage

joshuachew said:


> my hotel wifi won't let me load it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 That link says the conference will begin tonight (only night for us of course) at 13:00 CET which is 5:00 AM PST and 8:00 AM EST.
  
  
 .... Hmm... stay up all night or what? I'm on vacation from work


----------



## Whitigir

I really want to know more about this 

 TA-ZH1ES

And as the specs stated above. It makes a whole lot of senses to sell Zx2+pha3 combo for the WM1 ? And he the desktop TA-ZH1ES too .... lOL


----------



## pervysage

pervysage said:


> That link says the conference will begin tonight (only night for us of course) at 13:00 CET which is 5:00 AM PST and 8:00 AM EST.
> 
> 
> .... Hmm... stay up all night or what? I'm on vacation from work


 
  
 Scratch that... I looked at some other sites and they are stating a start time of 12pm UK time, 1 pm Berlin time.... which is 4 AM PST/7 AM EST...
  
 Here is the "official" link of where to be at around start time.
  
 https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/blog-news-from-sony/ifa-2016/ba-p/2215288


----------



## Whitigir

4 more hours !!!

Oh My Ggggg! The price ! Look at the price !! I just Can not wait 

https://blog.sony.com/press/sony-expands-high-resolution-audio-line-with-new-portable-dacamplifier-and-es-series-integrated-stereo-amplifier/

Sony TA-A1ES Integrated Stereo Amplifier

Integrated stereo amplifier (80 Watts x 2)
Class-A operation with Smart Bias Control
Single Push-Pull Hi-Current Amplifier
Inputs include balanced (XLR x 1), unbalanced (RCA x 4), and (IR x 1)
Outputs include SP (IMP4~, 8~) and Headphone (High, Mid and Low Impedance)
Available in November for $1,999, in silver

*Sony TA-A1ES Integrated Stereo Amplifier* stereo amplifier is the latest offering in Sony’s Elevated Standard Series and has been specifically designed to complement the company’s new HAP-Z1ES reference standard Hi-Res Music Player.

More than three years in the making, the new A1ES stereo amplifier utilizes a frame/beam/base chassis that was originally developed for Sony’s acclaimed R-Series components. It delivers crisp, noiseless power performance. Employing FET input and buffer circuits that enhance performance, the amplifier’s optimum gain volume control combines electronic volume with a discrete buffer amplifier, allowing it to massively reduce gain error and produce sound quality superior to conventional volume controls.

The TA-A1ES has a power amp stage featuring Smart Bias Control for Class-A operation and Single Push-Pull Hi-Current Amplifier. It is designed with a single pair of transistors to eliminate variations in each channel at the source, as well as variation controlling emitter resistance, allowing the transistors to drive the speakers directly, for a more character-free sound quality. Sony’s proprietary toroidal transformer packs a 300VA rating, the highest in its class, as well as a capacitor delivering 24000μF per channel.


----------



## purk

whitigir said:


> 4 more hours !!!
> 
> Oh My Ggggg! The price ! Look at the price !! I just Can not wait
> 
> ...


 
 This has been out for over two years along with with the ES network player (HAP-Z1ES).  I actually had it and the headphone amp section does sound very good but as a stereo amplifier...it is quite stellar.  I would rate the amp section as being slightly better than PHA-3.  It has more power after all.


----------



## jagwap

leylandi said:


> black 128 gb, gold version 256 gb




That's a lot of money for 128GB extra and some gold paint. 

Maybe a dual slot micro sd as well on the gold one


----------



## Whitigir

purk said:


> This has been out for over two years along with with the ES network player (HAP-Z1ES).  I actually had it and the headphone amp section does sound very good but as a stereo amplifier...it is quite stellar.  I would rate the amp section as being slightly better than PHA-3.  It has more power after all.




Yes, so this new Desktop class headphones, and not the older model, should be sounding even better as it was made for headphones. The older model was made for speakers

TA-ZH1ES

As the older one was $1,999. This one will probably really be priced around 3K

The new Walkman with 250 mW per channel is WOW

All of a sudden, I think the new Walkman pricing is (reasonable)


----------



## cthomas

Subbed


----------



## Zakalwe

Nice of them to make the gold one more expensive. If it was the other way around, I would probably pay $800 extra just to avoid gold.


----------



## purk

Are we absolutely sure that it will have the 250 mw into 32 ohm in balanced mode?  I hope that I am not dreaming.


----------



## Leviticus

How much power does the ZX2 have?


----------



## Whitigir

purk said:


> Are we absolutely sure that it will have the 250 mw into 32 ohm in balanced mode?  I hope that I am not dreaming.




We will know for sure at 7:00 EST 

I think we are dreaming. Because this is bringing it dangerously close to Pha-3 territory lol


----------



## Whitigir

leviticus said:


> How much power does the ZX2 have?




15 mW


----------



## jagwap

whitigir said:


> 15 mW




I thought the ZX2 had 1Vrms out. If it does then 15mW implies a 14 ohm output impedance.


----------



## nanaholic

jagwap said:


> I thought the ZX2 had 1Vrms out. If it does then 15mW implies a 14 ohm output impedance.


 
  
 It's 15mW + 15mW into a 16 ohm load.


----------



## jmills8

whitigir said:


> Wait....you are telling me that this new Walkman has a lot more power than Zx2 ? Almost as much as Pha-3 in balanced ? And the same power as Pha-3 in Single ended ?
> 
> Oh......great joy !
> 
> The gold is $2000 only ? Now a lot of people would jump on the band wagon, especially if it is Limited edition


 Yes ONLY 2K. Seriously not too bad if compared to other daps. But why not have two SD slots ?


----------



## deafdoorknob

leylandi said:


> Balanced standart - jack:
> 
> 240mW + 240mW
> 
> ...




interesting ...

was at the local Jaben store shooting the breeze when the prices came in 

MDR Z1R, Black Z DAP and the desktop amp are all 2100$ US or thereabouts 

the Gold DAP is around 3000$ US. 

the chassis of the Gold DAP is made of copper, and the black from titanium/aluminium. 

I hope your pricing is more right than mine !


----------



## deafdoorknob

also Hong Kong head-fiers, Jaben HK will have demo units of the DAP and desktop amp tomorrow! please report your findings


----------



## Whitigir

deafdoorknob said:


> interesting ...
> 
> was at the local Jaben store shooting the breeze when the prices came in
> 
> ...




$2100 for desktop DAC/amp isn't bad.


----------



## Zakalwe

deafdoorknob said:


> the Gold DAP is around 3000$ US. the chassis are made from different materials with the gold being made in copper, and the black from titanium/aluminium.




Oooh, I am hopelessly addicted to titanium. The main reason I bought and still own a PCM-D1. Sony, Sony, why are you doing this to me?


----------



## goyete

I hope it works with Walkman OS, not Android please! And also USB 3.0...


----------



## musicday

The gold Walkman will compete nore directly with Lotoo Paw Gold, so let's wait and hear what people say about the sound quality.
So it is confirmed that the DSD playback is native,or is converted to PCM?
September 2016, finally a proper powerful music player from Sony


----------



## jagwap

deafdoorknob said:


> interesting ...
> 
> was at the local Jaben store shooting the breeze when the prices came in
> 
> ...




OK, copper explains the cost and weight difference.


----------



## deafdoorknob

musicday said:


> The gold Walkman will compete nore directly with Lotoo Paw Gold, so let's wait and hear what people say about the sound quality.
> So it is confirmed that the DSD playback is native,or is converted to PCM?
> September 2016, finally a proper powerful music player from Sony




I didn't ask further, upon knowing the prices but overhearing the two staff members, it's android based and native dsd decoding


----------



## jagwap

goyete said:


> I hope it works with Walkman OS, not Android please! And also USB 3.0...




But I want Android with wifi: direct streaming apps, podcast access, huge flexibility. Basically a PDA with a huge battery, and a killer DAC and headphone amp. 

Stick a sim card in there and it's my next phone


----------



## Mimouille

purk said:


> Are we absolutely sure that it will have the 250 mw into 32 ohm in balanced mode?  I hope that I am not dreaming.


 
 Does this mean it will have the same power as the Lotoo Paw Gold (500mW@ 32ohms)


----------



## nanaholic

So from the rumors and bread crum hints:
 * proper balanced output
 * powerful output, possibly no need for an external amp under most circumstances
 * high memory capacity
 * "exotic" material versions
 * no strange humps or sharp corners in the design
 * Sony's excellent touch screen interface with physical buttons
  
 If they throw in native DSD and a decent battery life, all the usual Walkman DSP options and they pretty much checked all the features that is needed for a proper AK flagship killer and fight them toe to toe in the luxury DAP segment, the rest will be up to the objective measurements and the subjective listening test.


----------



## goldendarko

Anroid for tidal and I'm in


----------



## musicday

Is this just a music player,or it can be used as USB DAC,to stream,internet?


----------



## seeteeyou

Demo will be available @ Sony's U Space in Beijing this Sunday from 11:00 to 18:00
  
 http://tieba.baidu.com/p/4761784197
  
 E05-8 Ceramics Third Street, 798 Art District, 4 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
  
 Text/Call 18500197625 to sign up.


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

I wonder with all the additional power, will the new Walkmans be noisier with sensitive in ears?


----------



## jagwap

buttuglyjeff said:


> I wonder with all the additional power, will the new Walkmans be noisier with sensitive in ears?




There may have been some innovation on the background noise, but balanced almost always adds 3 — 6dB of noise.


----------



## Mickice

Not a fan of the MDR-1000X, hopefully this model sticks with Bluetooth and we get to keep production of the simply stellar MDR-100AAP.
 Been rocking the Bordeaux Pink 100AAPs since launch, best time of my life.


----------



## proedros

https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/blog-news-from-sony/ifa-2016/ba-p/2215288


----------



## ToroFiestaSol

leylandi said:


> New flagship headphone!


 
  
 Anyone knows more about this? MDR-Z1R is flagship closed back and this...the flagship open back?


----------



## Sonyvores

it's live guys!
https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/blog-news-from-sony/ifa-2016/ba-p/2215288


----------



## leylandi

yess!!


----------



## leylandi




----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Looks like it's only one model not two?


----------



## leylandi

*Model Name**NW-WM1Z*Available coloursGoldInternal memory256GBExternal memorymicroSDDisplay size/ Resolution4.0 inch、TFT colour LCD、FWVGA(854×480)Compatible formatsMusic：MP3／WMA)／FLAC／LINEAR PCM / AAC / HE-ACC / APPLE LOSSLESS / AIFF / DSDSound SettingsDirect Source, 10band equaliser / tone control, DSEE HX, DC Phase Linearizer, Dynamic NormaliserBattery lifeApprox. 30 hours (FLAC 24bit/96kHz)BluetoothBluetooth® v 4.2 Profile: A2DP／AVRCP／OPP Codec: LDAC／SBCNFCYesOther functionsDisplay Lyrics, Sense Me TM ChannelsDimension (projecting parts not included)65.3 x 123 x 19.9 mmWeight455gIncluded AccessoriesWalkman NW-WM1Z, USB cable, leather case, wrist strap, startup guide, instruction manual
 
*Model Name**NW-WM1A*Available coloursBlackInternal memory128GBExternal memorymicroSDDisplay size/ Resolution4.0 inch、TFT colour LCD、FWVGA(854×480)Compatible formatsMusic：MP3／WMA)／FLAC／LINEAR PCM / AAC / HE-ACC / APPLE LOSSLESS / AIFF / DSDSound SettingsDirect Source, 10band equaliser / tone control, DSEE HX, DC Phase Linearizer, Dynamic NormaliserBattery lifeApprox. 30 hours (FLAC 24bit/96kHz)BluetoothBluetooth® v 4.2 Profile: A2DP／AVRCP／OPP Codec: LDAC／SBCNFCYesOther functionsDisplay Lyrics, Sense Me TM ChannelsDimension (projecting parts not included)53.8 x 119.5 x 14.8 mmWeight267gIncluded AccessoriesWalkman NW-WM1Z, USB cable, wrist strap, startup guide, instruction manual


----------



## leylandi

MDR-Z1R is priced at around €2200
 NW-WM1Z is priced at around €3300
 NW-WM1A is priced at around €1200
 TA-ZH1ES is priced at around €2000
 The Signature Series headphones and Walkman®’s will be available in store from October 2016. With the amplifier joining them from end of November.


----------



## nanaholic

http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/1/12736962/sony-walkman-gold-plated-3200-dollars-omg
  
 It's actually gold plated! HA!  
 They took that "luxury" bit right to heart.


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

Still no mention of an OS?


----------



## roguepp88

Hmmm, so what is the difference between WM1Z and WM1A other than the colour, storage and material?
 What warrants the increase in size?
  
 It looks the same to me...


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

Wow the weight difference is night and day.  There has to be some serious component upgrades to account for the weight difference...


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Some info here: http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/1/12736962/sony-walkman-gold-plated-3200-dollars-omg


----------



## nanaholic

Official product video
  
 EDIT: Native DSD confirmed in the video


----------



## leylandi

*Model **n**ame**MDR-Z1R*TypeClosed, dynamic (circum-aural)Driver unit70 mm, dome type (CCAW Voice Coil)Sensitivity100 dB/mWFrequency response4 Hz ～ 120,000 HzImpedance64 Ω at 1 kHzPower handling capacity2,500 mW (IEC*)PlugGold-plated stereo mini plug for headphone cable, L-shaped gold plated balanced standard plug for balanced headphone cableWeight(exclude cable）Approx. 385 g without cableSupplied accessoriesGold plated unimatch plug adapter (stereo 3.5mm to stereo 6.3mm) Headphone cable (approx. 3 m (118 1/8 in)), balanced connection headphone cable (approx.. 1.2m (47 1/4 in)) Hard case
  

*Model Name**TA-ZH1ES*DescriptionHeadphone AmplifierColourBlackDimensions(wxhxd) 210 x 65 x 314 mmWeight4.4 kgConnectivityCoaxial input, optical input, Line L/R input, Pre Out (fixed / variable) Walkman / Xperia port (front-side), USB B (rear)Format compatibilityDSD native up to 22.4MHz, DSD DoP up to 11.2MHz, PCM up to 32bit / 768 kHz - USB B, DSD native up to 11.2MHz, DSD DoP up to 5.6MHz, PCM up to 32bit / 384kHz - Walkman / Xperia portHeadphone outputBalanced standard (4.4mm in diameter), 3 pole mini (balanced connection, 3.5mm in diameter) x 2, XLR (balanced 4 pin), Standard (6.3mm in diameter), Stereo mini (3.5mm in diameter)Sound SettingsDSD remastering, DSEE HX, DC Phase Linearizer,AccessoriesRemote control, remote batteries, AC power cord, digital cable for Walkman, USB cable


----------



## leylandi

*Model **n**ame**MDR-1000X *TypeDynamic, closedDriver unit40mm, dome type(CCAW Voice Coil)Sensitivity103 dB/mW (when the power is on)98 dB/mW (when the power is off)Frequency response4 Hz ～ 40,000 HzImpedance46 Ω at 1 kHz (when the power is on)
 16 Ω at 1 kHz (when the power is off)BatteryDC3.7V : Built-in lithium-ion rechargeable batteryCharging timeApprox. 4 HoursUsage hoursContinuous music playback time : Max. 20 hours(NC ON), Max. 22 hours(NC OFF) continuous communication time : Max. 24 hours(NC ON), Max. 26 hours(NC OFF) Waiting Time : Max. 34 hours(NC ON), Max. 120 hours(NC OFF)Weight(exclude cable）Approx. 275gHeadphone cableApprox. 1.5m, silver-coated OFC strands, gold-plated stereo mini plugHeadphone cable plugGold-plated L-shaped stereo mini plugSupplied accessoriesMicro USB cable (approx. 50cm) Plug adaptor for in-flight use Headphone cable (approx. 1.5m) Carrying case


----------



## Leviticus

nanaholic said:


> Official product video
> 
> EDIT: Native DSD confirmed in the video




  
 Jesus...


----------



## deafdoorknob

leviticus said:


> Jesus...


 
 OFC copper chassis


----------



## nanaholic

So as expected, pretty much a direct answer to the AK380 - the cu version even.


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

Kimber cable internals.... impressive


----------



## Blommen

buttuglyjeff said:


> Kimber cable internals.... impressive




Yes, but is that in both versions though?


----------



## deafdoorknob

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PrU4uEw2GM


----------



## ToroFiestaSol

What about this one?


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

blommen said:


> Yes, but is that in both versions though?


 
  
 If I was a betting man, my money would be on no.  The price difference is large...


----------



## Zakalwe

buttuglyjeff said:


> Wow the weight difference is night and day. There has to be some serious component upgrades to account for the weight difference...




Copper weighs about twice as much as titanium per volume, and titanium again twice as much as aluminium. So if the WM1A is indeed ti/al as said above, that alone could make quite a difference compared to the copper WM1Z.


----------



## deafdoorknob

the desktop amp is LOVE


----------



## goyete

What OS in the Walkman??


----------



## deafdoorknob

Android


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

The price of the Z one is insane...
  
 If the A model is an improvement over ZX2, I can switch to it, but no way the Z...


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

deafdoorknob said:


> Android


 

 Is that confirmed?


----------



## goyete

deafdoorknob said:


> Android



Buff....


----------



## deafdoorknob

buttuglyjeff said:


> Is that confirmed?


 
 confirmed by the sales person at Jaben Hong Kong


----------



## deafdoorknob

http://www.head-fi.org/t/818847/the-official-sony-nw-wm1z-flagship-dap-live-from-ifa-2016#post_12830325


----------



## Zakalwe

Source

Is that Android or Sony's own OS?


----------



## Sonyvores

Internal of NW-MW1Z
  
 a bit more info here: http://www.sonyvores.fr/ifa-2016-nouveaux-walkman-haut-de-gamme-nw-wm1z-nw-wm1a/
  
 And it's not Android


----------



## bmichels

leylandi said:


> *Model Name**NW-WM1Z*Available coloursGoldInternal memory256GBExternal memorymicroSDDisplay size/ Resolution4.0 inch、TFT colour LCD、FWVGA(854×480)Compatible formatsMusic：MP3／WMA)／FLAC／LINEAR PCM / AAC / HE-ACC / APPLE LOSSLESS / AIFF / DSDSound SettingsDirect Source, 10band equaliser / tone control, DSEE HX, DC Phase Linearizer, Dynamic NormaliserBattery lifeApprox. 30 hours (FLAC 24bit/96kHz)BluetoothBluetooth® v 4.2 Profile: A2DP／AVRCP／OPP Codec: LDAC／SBCNFCYesOther functionsDisplay Lyrics, Sense Me TM ChannelsDimension (projecting parts not included)*65.3 x 123 x 19.9 mm*Weight455gIncluded AccessoriesWalkman NW-WM1Z, USB cable, leather case, wrist strap, startup guide, instruction manual
> 
> *Model Name**NW-WM1A*Available coloursBlackInternal memory128GBExternal memorymicroSDDisplay size/ Resolution4.0 inch、TFT colour LCD、FWVGA(854×480)Compatible formatsMusic：MP3／WMA)／FLAC／LINEAR PCM / AAC / HE-ACC / APPLE LOSSLESS / AIFF / DSDSound SettingsDirect Source, 10band equaliser / tone control, DSEE HX, DC Phase Linearizer, Dynamic NormaliserBattery lifeApprox. 30 hours (FLAC 24bit/96kHz)BluetoothBluetooth® v 4.2 Profile: A2DP／AVRCP／OPP Codec: LDAC／SBCNFCYesOther functionsDisplay Lyrics, Sense Me TM ChannelsDimension (projecting parts not included)*53.8 x 119.5 x 14.8 mm*Weight267gIncluded AccessoriesWalkman NW-WM1Z, USB cable, wrist strap, startup guide, instruction manual


 
  
 Do not understand the* size difference !*  apparently it is not only a matter of casing material and capacity ? or... a typo ?


----------



## Zakalwe

sonyvores said:


> And it's not Android




Excellent.


----------



## proedros

sonyvores said:


> Internal of NW-MW1Z
> 
> a bit more info here: http://www.sonyvores.fr/ifa-2016-nouveaux-walkman-haut-de-gamme-nw-wm1z-nw-wm1a/
> 
> And it's not Android


 
  
 you write
  
Price: € 1200 / £ 1000 
 Availability: NC

*Unfortunately, it's official, Sony ended the ZX series!*

 

 

but isn't wm1a  like zx2.2 ? and without any price increase ?

 i find this a very decent SONY gesture


----------



## cthomas

Judging by the power out of those Walkmans I'm guessing Sony's done with portable amp/DAC? No PHA-4 for me?


----------



## Blommen

What, no android? So no streaming capabilities? Well that kinda ruins it for me :mad:


----------



## Sonyvores

proedros said:


> you write
> 
> Price: € 1200 / £ 1000
> Availability: NC
> ...


 
 Yeah it's ZX2 replacement  but since it's not android base, it's not reallya true succesor 
 It's REALLY decent because it was not even supposed to have the balanced output at the beginning


----------



## fatghostslim

sonyvores said:


> Internal of NW-MW1Z
> 
> a bit more info here: http://www.sonyvores.fr/ifa-2016-nouveaux-walkman-haut-de-gamme-nw-wm1z-nw-wm1a/
> 
> And it's not Android


 

 On the website it says an advanced S-Master HX chip (New Version) for NW-1Z? Wow that's very impressive!


----------



## musicday

So they want to convince us cooper will sound better like AK380 did with the copper version, anyway we shall find out soon when someone will try it out.
 Looks like there is not Wifi for streaming nor USB DAC function. Purely for music. Also the black version as the gold one has the Kimber Kable internal for better noise isolation.


----------



## deafdoorknob

yes not android , no streaming sucks 

not android. - confirmed by this article :/

https://www.cool3c.com/article/110738
(use google translate)

and apologies for the misinformation earlier via Jaben bloke


----------



## Whitigir

Jesus...a Copper-Gold plated body and chassis


----------



## Sonyvores

who said it was copper????
 any source?


----------



## Whitigir

sonyvores said:


> who said it was copper????
> any source?




Your website  that gold Walkman is !


----------



## Replicant187

Sony says it's Android.

Software Operating System Android platform
System Requirements Mac OS® X (v10.6 or later), Microsoft Windows® 8, Windows Vista® (SP2 or later), Windows® 7 (SP1 or later)

http://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1z/specifications


----------



## Sonyvores

Thank you @Whitigir 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			











 
 ok joke's over...
  
 well if you guys look closely to circuit, 1A/1Z doesn't have same capacitors size and 1Z carries the new S Master HX amp version.
 1A carries ZX2 S Master HX


----------



## seeteeyou

Official MSRP is US$3,199 and here are some great pictures
  
 https://www.facebook.com/myear116/posts/1381978518496992


----------



## Conext

After a couple of product generations working with Android on their Walkmans, I'm willing to bet Sony wasn't going to throw that knowledge away.
  

  

 Judging purely on the "look and feel" of that screen shot, it's very reminiscent of Jellybean/Kitkat. So I'm wondering if perhaps the OS is actually based on Android 4.x, but is highly customized—to the point where it can't really be called Android anymore.
  
 Perhaps they got a good deal on more TI OMAP SoCs and didn't want to stigmatize buyers by putting "Android 4.2" on a brand new Walkman. So they customized the heck out of it so they could avoid calling it as such?
  
 Just a wild theory, mind you.


----------



## Replicant187

WM1Z - Android
WM1A - Sony original OS


----------



## Whitigir

replicant187 said:


> WM1Z - Android
> WM1A - Sony original OS




Are you kidding ? You meant the next android based Walkman is $3000 ? Holy.....better stick with Zx2 lol


----------



## musicday

So there is no WAV support, and the battery charging time is 7 hours according to the official specifications.


----------



## nanaholic

musicday said:


> So there is no WAV support, and the battery charging time is 7 hours according to the official specifications.


 
  
 Linear PCM is WAV


----------



## Replicant187

whitigir said:


> Are you kidding ? You meant the next android based Walkman is $3000 ? Holy.....better stick with Zx2 lol




at least that's what Sony UK says. 
http://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1a/specifications


----------



## Dithyrambes

Nonandroid on 1a is a dealbreaker


----------



## Blommen

dithyrambes said:


> Nonandroid on 1a is a dealbreaker




I agree.

I dont understand why they would do that.


----------



## seeteeyou

They only mentioned Bluetooth and NFC on both pages but no Wi-Fi whatsoever, what's so good about Android on WM1Z when we can't access neither streaming services nor DLNA servers?
  
 http://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1z/specifications
 http://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1a/specifications


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Sony always have to **** up something you know...
  
 Why the hell OS is different? Based on the insane price of 1Z, I was thinking maybe I could get the 1A to upgrade my ZX2, but hell no with that OS.


----------



## Caruryn

So the rumours prove once again true...a $3k+ dap from sony http://www.whathifi.com/news/sonys-new-nw-wm1z-eu3300-gold-plated-walkman
 Unless you live in California or Dubai it's time to stick with what you have as far as portable audio goes.This nonsense is getting more ridiculous each year,awaiting the $5000 iems this year too
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
 If you are that serious about audio for that money stick with desktop setups,at least you will get your moneys worth there unless you buy these $3k daps to impress the girls at pubs(there must be people like that).


----------



## fish1050

blommen said:


> I agree.
> 
> I dont understand why they would do that.


 
 The simple answer is to reduce cost and increase profit.


----------



## musicday

Still not convinced that the high end Walkman is better than Lotoo Paw Gold.


----------



## Blommen

fish1050 said:


> The simple answer is to reduce cost and increase profit.




But the could have made the ultimate, somewhat affordable, DAP!


----------



## Whitigir

Both of them has no Wifi capability....same screenshot on both......neither of them will use Android OS. It gotta be Walkman OS on both. You want android OS ? Go with Zx2


----------



## nanaholic

caruryn said:


> So the rumours prove once again true...a $3k+ dap from sony http://www.whathifi.com/news/sonys-new-nw-wm1z-eu3300-gold-plated-walkman
> Unless you live in California or Dubai it's time to stick with what you have as far as portable audio goes.This nonsense is getting more ridiculous each year,awaiting the $5000 iems this year too
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 They'll sell a tonne in China at the very least because Chinese loves them gold things, and Japan as Japan has a lot of AK380 owners that are ready to be convinced to change.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> They'll sell a tonne in China at the very least because Chinese loves them gold things, and Japan as Japan has a lot of AK380 owners that are ready to be convinced to change.




Yes! I agree


----------



## seeteeyou

Let's hope that Android on WM1Z won't be completely locked down or something, at least we could try Bluetooth tethering / USB tethering if they weren't doing anything to prevent access to Google Play
  
 https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/2812516?hl=en
  
 So far we've got no luck whatsoever with rooting ZX2 and most likely that's gonna be the same story for WM1Z
  
 http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/help/help-rooting-sony-walkman-nw-zx2-t3144286


----------



## fish1050

seeteeyou said:


> They only mentioned Bluetooth and NFC on both pages but no Wi-Fi whatsoever, what's so good about Android on WM1Z when we can't access neither streaming services nor DLNA servers?
> 
> http://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1z/specifications
> http://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1a/specifications


 
 This is the reality of Sony for 2016 and beyond, keep production costs low (skimp on features) and charge the highest price that consumers will pay. 
  
 Fiio and Pioneer can provide all the latest features on their newest DAP's for a fraction of the price that Sony wants for DAP's without these features.  I will be amazed if either of these DAP's are sold in Canada.


----------



## emrelights1973

so no tidal unless you gold? can it be that stupid of a move? no tidal no purchase!!! zx2 all the way


----------



## fish1050

whitigir said:


> Yes! I agree


 
 Clearly the gold plated version is for Asia and the black version is for all the markets outside of Asia.


----------



## fish1050

blommen said:


> But the could have made the ultimate, somewhat affordable, DAP!


 
 Sony can't afford to do that in their current debt position, they have a mandate for all Sony divisions to be highly profitable by 2018.  When making money is your only priority in producing products you can't afford to be affordable and you can't afford to innovate.


----------



## gerelmx1986

i will get the 1200 usd one


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

So AK releases a 3500USD DAP, and heck even 4000USD Copper version, so another corporation releases a unit which costs 3200...
  
 AK seriously fcked up the market.
  
 This gets more ridicilous every day.
  
 I don't fully blame Sony, because if you want to relaese a statement DAP, you can't put a price tag like 1000USD even if it sounds better than AK380. Because nowadays the statement is not the product itself, it's the price tag.
  
 So human psycology is like "OMG it's 3200USD so it'll sound amazingly good".
  
 I'll stick with my ZX2.


----------



## seeteeyou

emrelights1973 said:


> so no tidal unless you gold? can it be that stupid of a move? no tidal no purchase!!! zx2 all the way


 
  
 Right now the specs are still showing *Android platform* as follows, it's hard to tell whether they're "smart" enough to prevent us from installing any apps (e.g. Qobuz and Tidal etc.) from Google Play while access the Internet via Bluetooth tethering / USB tethering
  
 http://web.archive.org/web/20160901123045/http://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1z/specifications


----------



## nanaholic

virtu fortuna said:


> Because nowadays the statement is not the product itself, it's the price tag.


 
  
 This isn't anything new, look at cars for example.


----------



## proedros

the question now is whether wm1A sounds better than ZX2 , very curious to see some sonic comparisons 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 other than that , i don't see any advantages over ZX2 , right ?

 plus it does not have wifi etc (not that it matters to me , all my music are FLAC files)

 looks like ZX2 is fine for now


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> the question now is whether wm1A sounds better than ZX2 , very curious to see some sonic comparisons
> 
> other than that , i don't see any advantages over ZX2 , right ?
> 
> ...




Wrong, 1A has true "Balanced connection" as many people had been crying for  Zx2 only has "Separate Ground"


----------



## deafdoorknob

www.cnet.com/au/google-amp/news/sonys-high-end-personal-audio-range-is-suitably-nuts-hands-on/


----------



## audioxxx

Yes, it looks like a second hand zx2 will soon go up in price. As they become extinct. I'm sticking to mine as well.


----------



## Whitigir

audioxxx said:


> Yes, it looks like a second hand zx2 will soon go up in price. As they become extinct. I'm sticking to mine as well.




 Android Os


----------



## nanaholic

fish1050 said:


> Sony can't afford to do that in their current debt position, they have a mandate for all Sony divisions to be highly profitable by 2018.  When making money is your only priority in producing products you can't afford to be affordable and you can't afford to innovate.


 
  
 Matsuo-san disagrees with you though. He said that he couldn't see a "full out" product that actually respects the will of the engineers like the WM1Z being made by the old Sony - at best it would only be the WM1A being approved.
  
 https://twitter.com/bandai13/status/771316402871341056
  
 Sony people don't believe in streaming, I could see some of their engineers being religiously against that due to personal sound quality concerns.  Whether you agree with them is another story.


----------



## shockwaver

I'm confused. does native DSD playback can go with digital amp?


----------



## audioxxx

whitigir said:


> Android Os



Yeah, I don't understand this AK way if thinking, I'm almost a bit shocked


----------



## Whitigir

shockwaver said:


> I'm confused. does native DSD playback can go with digital amp?




What was the question ?
 DSD native in playing, and transporting too


----------



## leylandi




----------



## proedros

whitigir said:


> Wrong, 1A has true "Balanced connection" as many people had been crying for
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 looks like wm1a = improved zx200 , if you ask me
  
 for 1200$ , zx2 is fine (for now - those 2 words that send shivers to our wallets)


----------



## gerelmx1986

already have money pending from my funds, today i buy XBA.Z5


----------



## fish1050

deafdoorknob said:


> www.cnet.com/au/google-amp/news/sonys-high-end-personal-audio-range-is-suitably-nuts-hands-on/


 
 The NW-WM1A is replacing the ZX2 so enjoy your ZX2 while you can. Once you are ready to replace it Sony will have killed off their DAP division like they did with Vaio laptops and will soon do with their tablets and smart phones.
  
 Sony seems to be getting dumber while consumers are getting smarter, and the customer is always right.


----------



## gerelmx1986

LOVE SONY
  
  
*Music Searching Methods*
 All songs, Album, Artist, Genre, Release year, *Composer*, Playlists, Hi-Res, Recent transfers, Folder, SensMe Channels


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> i will get the 1200 usd one


 
 If Sony doesn't sell any then you won't be able to buy a used one


----------



## gerelmx1986

well new walkmnas include composer, maybe time to delete my composer playlist as it is cumbersome to update them every time i get a new albym or boxset


----------



## nanaholic

fish1050 said:


> The NW-WM1A is replacing the ZX2 so enjoy your ZX2 while you can. Once you are ready to replace it Sony will have killed off their DAP division like they did with Vaio laptops and will soon do with their tablets and smart phones.
> 
> Sony seems to be getting dumber while consumers are getting smarter, and the customer is always right.


 
  
 You mean dumb like they are actually making money?
 https://www.sony.co.jp/SonyInfo/IR/library/fr/16q1_sony.pdf
  
 Hint: page 7 - their video and audio department is highly profitable. They ain't selling it like Vaio, which had been unprofitable for many years.


----------



## XERO1

Quote:


replicant187 said:


> $3200 - WM1Z - Android
> $1200 - WM1A - Sony original OS


  
 Quote:


seeteeyou said:


> They only mentioned Bluetooth and NFC on both pages but  _*no Wi-Fi whatsoever*_, what's so good about Android on WM1Z when we can't access neither streaming services nor DLNA servers?


----------



## fish1050

nanaholic said:


> You mean dumb like they are actually making money?
> https://www.sony.co.jp/SonyInfo/IR/library/fr/16q1_sony.pdf
> 
> Hint: page 7 - their video and audio department is highly profitable. They ain't selling.


 
 The portable audio division is only holding it's own and Sony earns half its profits from its financial services division.  The only electronics division making real profit is the game console division.  Sony's financial earnings doesn't reflect how much debt they are carrying from so many down years.  They have to make huge profits now just to cover their debt load.  
  
 Don't go by Sony's own figures, check out some financial analysis sites to get the true picture on where Sony stands financially.  Don't forget earnings figures for this year won't include the new DAP's,  The real proof will come next year or 2018 once these DAP's and other products hit the market and start to sell, or not sell.  Talk to me then about Sony's profitability.
  
 As a consumer I only care about the products they make not their bottom line financially.  I am not going to buy a way overpriced Sony DAP just because they are turning a profit.  Based on the other posts on this forum it doesn't look like many others will either be buying these DAP's either.


----------



## musicdragoon

New info from japan site is DSD native applys for balanced output only, when connect with 3.5 mm DSD will convert to PCM as usual.
Seems they add separate DAC and extra to make native DSD and balanced work side by side with S Master HX?


----------



## Whitigir

fish1050 said:


> The portable audio division is only holding it's own and Sony earns half its profits from its financial services division.  The only electronics division making real profit is the game console division.  Sony's financial earnings doesn't reflect how much debt they are carrying from so many down years.  They have to make huge profits now just to cover their debt load.
> 
> Don't go by Sony's own figures, check out some financial analysis sites to get the true picture on where Sony stands financially.  Don't forget earnings figures for this year won't include the new DAP's,  The real proof will come next year or 2018 once these DAP's and other products hit the market and start to sell, or not sell.  Talk to me then about Sony's profitability.
> 
> As a consumer I only care about the products they make not their bottom line financially.  I am not going to buy a way overpriced Sony DAP just because they are turning a profit.  Based on the other posts on this forum it doesn't look like many others will either be buying these DAP's either.




You will be surprised at how much profit Sony Audio recording. Hint at "High-res" sticker, wherever you see it, Sony is making money


----------



## nanaholic

fish1050 said:


> The portable audio division is only holding it's own and Sony earns half its profits from its financial services division.  The only electronics division making real profit is the game console division.  Sony's financial earnings doesn't reflect how much debt they are carrying from so many down years.  They have to make huge profits now just to cover their debt load.
> 
> Don't go by Sony's own figures, check out some financial analysis sites to get the true picture on where Sony stands financially.  Don't forget earnings figures for this year won't include the new DAP's,  The real proof will come next year or 2018 once these DAP's and other products hit the market and start to sell, or not sell.  Talk to me then about Sony's profitability.
> 
> As a consumer I only care about the products they make not their bottom line financially.  I am not going to buy a way overpriced Sony DAP just because they are turning a profit.  Based on the other posts on this forum it doesn't look like many others will either be buying these DAP's either.


 
  
 It's an official report - you know people actually audit this stuff.
  
 The audio division is making money - that's a fact, and they are doing well with a large increase in revenue, so it's reasonable to expect the audio department being able to do more of its "own thing" rather than being put on a tight leash such as the mobile division, which is the department that is drowning.  This is confirmed by people who works there like Matsuo Bandai
  
 Whether you will buy their products or not is an entirely different matter and I have no desire to debate you there.  However using your own dislike of their products to imply that Sony's only doing this because they are trying to squeeze more profit as they are in financial trouble doesn't seem to be supported by any facts.


----------



## XERO1

musicdragoon said:


> New info from japan site is DSD native applys for balanced output only, when connect with 3.5 mm DSD will convert to PCM as usual.
> Seems they add separate DAC and extra to make native DSD and balanced work side by side with S Master HX?


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> You will be surprised at how much profit Sony Audio recording. Hint at "High-res" sticker, wherever you see it, Sony is making money


 
  
 Come on that's just trolling - the Hi-res sticker is endorsed by JEITA not Sony.


----------



## goody

IF anyone is selling their Sony NW ZX2 pls pm me i want to buy one


----------



## gearofwar

Just bought brand new QP1R , im good. Bet new Sony dap will ever able to drive LCD3 like QP1R....


----------



## Sound Eq

sorry to ask as I am getting confused are those daps android based or not


----------



## Whitigir

sound eq said:


> sorry to ask as I am getting confused are those daps android based or not




Sony OS, or Walkman Os


----------



## Sound Eq

whitigir said:


> Sony OS, or Walkman Os


 
 let me ask it this way any of the dap will have android on it


----------



## Whitigir

sound eq said:


> let me ask it this way any of the dap will have android on it




Doubtfully, unless a lot of people give them too much "Bixxing" and they change their mind.


----------



## musicday

Sony Walkman WM1Z better be Made in Japan at that high asking price


----------



## gerelmx1986

Purchased Z5


----------



## musicdragoon

sound eq said:


> let me ask it this way any of the dap will have android on it



The gold brick version have android OS :rolleyes:


----------



## willywill

That a big price gap bewteen the two model, WM1 is not that bad


----------



## Sound Eq

musicdragoon said:


> The gold brick version have android OS


 
 wow but that will cost 3000 USD
  
 well it seems that some companies after a while do opposite what is expected from them


----------



## mw7485

I Just don't get this. If these are the successors to the NW-ZX2, what features compel people to "upgrade"? I get the bling model - well, I understand the target market (and I'm most certainly not part of it), but I do not understand where they are going with the lesser model. Worse battery life, same memory, same micro sd card slot, worse connectivity, but - smaller size? There seems to be a distinct lack of coherence and progress in the Walkman product line up. I know its early days for these products, but this is looking more and more like an epic fail. I hope for Sony's sake these DAPs sound out of this world.....


----------



## Telacap99

New 4.4mm balanced plug, yup we need yet another standard...


----------



## Whitigir

4.4 true balanced out and Native DSD Output or playback capability


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> 4.4 true balanced out and Native DSD Output or playback capability


 

 Step 1 buy XBA-Z5
 step 2 buy WM1A and MDR-Z7
 Step 3 sell NWZX100 and XBA-A3


----------



## boomtube

Clarify something for me? 
  
 The difference between the 2 DAP's is housing material/WiFi-Bluetooth. 
  
 Internally the components are the same?


----------



## musicdragoon

sound eq said:


> wow but that will cost 3000 USD
> 
> well it seems that some companies after a while do opposite what is expected from them




They may wants to position this tier just like the AK 3xx series, no matter with android or not, just a pure Hi end DAP :rolleyes:

By the way, Onkyo also announced a prototype higher end DAP with android and 4.4 mm balanced by dual DAC. Many competitor in this maarket


----------



## gearofwar

I'm late to the thread . Has anyone seen it ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

boomtube said:


> Clarify something for me?
> 
> The difference between the 2 DAP's is housing material/WiFi-Bluetooth.
> 
> Internally the components are the same?


 
 more Power output for the gold one, more gigabyte count for the goldie


----------



## Whitigir

musicdragoon said:


> They may wants to position this tier just like the AK 3xx series, no matter with android or not, just a pure Hi end DAP :rolleyes:
> 
> By the way, Onkyo also announced a prototype higher end DAP with android and 4.4 mm balanced by dual DAC. Many competitor in this maarket




Depends though, Sony has it own unique Design. Onkyo is like many others, which is using off the shelves DAC such as Sabres, AKM, Burrbrown...etc...etc


----------



## boomtube

gerelmx1986 said:


> more Power output for the gold one, more gigabyte count for the goldie


 
 But everything else is essentially the same? I know there's claims that copper/gold improve sound...but the guts aside from storage/output are the same?


----------



## fish1050

nanaholic said:


> It's an official report - you know people actually audit this stuff.
> 
> The audio division is making money - that's a fact, and they are doing well with a large increase in revenue, so it's reasonable to expect the audio department being able to do more of its "own thing" rather than being put on a tight leash such as the mobile division, which is the department that is drowning.  This is confirmed by people who works there like Matsuo Bandai
> 
> Whether you will buy their products or not is an entirely different matter and I have no desire to debate you there.  However using your own dislike of their products to imply that Sony's only doing this because they are trying to squeeze more profit as they are in financial trouble doesn't seem to be supported by any facts.


 
 Okey, first off I don't dislike Sony, I currently own an A17 and a STRDN860 receiver and I like them both very much.  I got good deals on both and so far they have worked great for me.  I have owned and sold alot of Sony products over the years.  Some have been really good and worth the money.  Based on what I am reading about these new DAP's Sony has way overpriced them for what they have to offer.  
  
 According to some reports the WM1A is going to replace the ZX2. So you have a new 2016/2017 DAP that offers fewer features than the model it is replacing and with the same suggested price.
  
 Comparison ZX2 to WM1A
 Same  unit dimensions, same screen size and resolution, same battery life, same storage capacity, *NO ANDROID, NO WIRELESS*.  
  
 At first glance it appears all the changes Sony has made are cosmetic or a reduction in features.  I am willing to bet that the screen and the guts of the new WM1A are the same as or very close to the same as the ZX2.  Suggested retail price is the same.  Sony expects the consumer to pay the same price or more and get less.  All the changes are for pure profit, NO ANDROID, NO WIRELESS = LOWER PRODUCTION COST, SAME SELLING PRICE - LOWER PRODUCTION COST = HIGHER PROFIT.  
  
 As for your reference to Sony's financial report, this report is sent to every financial analysis firm and publication.  They not only go by the financial information provided by Sony but they also dig even deeper and take previous years reports into account to paint a true picture of where Sony stands financially.  Again I don't really care about Sony's overall financial situation I only care that they sell good quality products and reasonable prices. 
  


nanaholic said:


> Come on that's just trolling - the Hi-res sticker is endorsed by JEITA not Sony.


 
 Glad you mentioned this


----------



## tenedosian

I believe there seems to be some ups and downs for many people in Sony's strategy, but "WHAT IS THAT WEIGHT" is the most immediate question that comes to my mind. 
  
 Sony A25 - 66 gr
 Sony ZX100 - 145 gr
 Ibasso DX100 - 265 gr
 Astell & Kern Ak380 - 230 gr
 Sony ZX2 - 235 gr
  
 Sony WM1A - 267 gr
*Sony WM1Z - 455 gr*
  
Personally thinking of ZX2 as "a heavy device", this is plain gargantuan with it's weight. It even rivals some player + dac / amp combos on that aspect. 
  
You raised the bar too high this time Sony. 
  
Your new toys should better bring audio nirvana to our ears..!


----------



## musicday

Tera Player - 80 gr


----------



## nanaholic

fish1050 said:


> Okey, first off I don't dislike Sony, I currently own an A17 and a STRDN860 receiver and I like them both very much.  I got good deals on both and so far they have worked great for me.  I have owned and sold alot of Sony products over the years.  Some have been really good and worth the money.  Based on what I am reading about these new DAP's Sony has way overpriced them for what they have to offer.
> 
> According to some reports the WM1A is going to replace the ZX2. So you have a new 2016/2017 DAP that offers fewer features than the model it is replacing and with the same suggested price.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I'm not saying you hate Sony as a whole, I don't care about your product history with Sony but you are clearly unhappy with the new Walkman strategy and I'm just focusing on that alone.
  
 The WM1A does native DSD decoding, is most very likely going to have a higher power output (one of the biggest criticism of the ZX2) and has true balance instead of the separate ground in the ZX2. I don't see those as being fewer features than the ZX2.  In fact I see it as being geared more to what most audiophiles (at least in Asia region where streaming market is almost non-existent) want.  You don't like the lack of Android and wireless and see that as being less features, but that's not fact but a subjective opinion. There are others who don't actually like Android too because of how its API handles audio, to them the walkman OS build from the ground up for audio is actually a feature and not a cost cutting measure (plus I would bet money doing their own OS instead of using Android doesn't actually save them that much money - they have to keep a bunch of coders on salary).  There are others whom already said they have no need for wireless, and one could even argue a wireless radio adds noise internally which degrades the audio experience. So I urge you to rethink your position and stop pushing your own personal needs as fact and what ALL consumers want as well as saying that's how Sony is doing their products, when people from the inside had already said otherwise too.


----------



## headfi19

As a royal customer of Sony for many many years ,I am very sad to see Sony fails without far vision of music life


----------



## mw7485

whitigir said:


> 4.4 true balanced out and Native DSD Output or playback capability


 

 ...you've got me on the DSD stuff - and balanced output. But the price of these features in terms of what's missing is not good. And the feature set as a whole doesn't really differentiate it from the rest of the current market. Don't get me wrong, I really hope Sony makes a go of it, and that those who buy it are not disappointed. I just feel so much more could have gone into this. Ho hum.


----------



## fish1050

tenedosian said:


> I believe there seems to be some ups and downs for many people in Sony's strategy, but "WHAT IS THAT WEIGHT" is the most immediate question that comes to my mind.
> 
> Sony A25 - 66 gr
> Sony ZX100 - 145 gr
> ...


 
 The added weight is clearly due to the copper body instead of aluminum.  Sony appears to be focusing on making changes to eke out very small possibly imperceptible change to sound quality and forgetting that other features matter as well including the size, weight and portability.  I carry around a smart phone and sometimes a tablet and also carrying a DAP this big and heavy loses its appeal pretty quick regardless of how good it sounds.  This is a portable DAP after all and not a high end home audio product.  
  
 Don't get me wrong, I applaud Sony for wanting to make a great sounding DAP.  But I think they are getting carried away a little bit and neglecting other aspects of DAP design that matter. Especially if other manufacturers are offering these features at lower prices and still producing high sound quality.


----------



## drabbish

Do these play MQA!? Haha just trolled this entire thread.


----------



## deafdoorknob

fish1050 said:


> The added weight is clearly due to the copper body instead of aluminum.  Sony appears to be focusing on making changes to eke out very small possibly imperceptible change to sound quality and forgetting that other features matter as well including the size, weight and portability.  I carry around a smart phone and sometimes a tablet and also carrying a DAP this big and heavy loses its appeal pretty quick regardless of how good it sounds.  This is a portable DAP after all and not a high end home audio product.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, I applaud Sony for wanting to make a great sounding DAP.  But I think they are getting carried away a little bit and neglecting other aspects of DAP design that matter. Especially if other manufacturers are offering these features at lower prices and still producing high sound quality.




Rightly and wrongly, at this price and as part of the Signature ecosystem, it is clearly meant to be transportable first and portable second. as for it not being streaming or having wifi (which rules it out for me) is mostly fine to its domestic and East Asian markets where services like tidal and Spotify are less popular amongst the audiophile market than they are in NA and EU.


----------



## Mimouille

I hope people are not going to buy into the pure con that the casing material of the player changes the sound...like with the Ak380cu...if the sound is indeed different, either it is different internals, or it is Eq.

They are saying the copper material will give it the natural sound because many instruments use copper? Are you kidding me? This is the biggest BS I have ever heard, worst than cable burn in. Man these audio marketing guys really have no limit.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Any news if the come with an aapter for 4.4 balanced to dual 3.5mm TRS plugs?


----------



## bvng3540

mimouille said:


> I hope people are not going to buy into the pure con that the casing material of the player changes the sound...like with the Ak380cu...if the sound is indeed different, either it is different internals, or it is Eq.
> 
> They are saying the copper material will give it the natural sound because many instruments use copper? Are you kidding me? This is the biggest BS I have ever heard, worst than cable burn in. Man these audio marketing guys really have no limit.




I had said this before, manufacturers will ask or want what they want for their products as long as people willing to paid for it


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> I hope people are not going to buy into the pure con that the casing material of the player changes the sound...like with the Ak380cu...if the sound is indeed different, either it is different internals, or it is Eq.
> 
> They are saying the copper material will give it the natural sound because many instruments use copper? Are you kidding me? This is the biggest BS I have ever heard, worst than cable burn in. Man these audio marketing guys really have no limit.




Mwahahahaha !mthanks for the good laugh. That is marketing Bs for sure. But look closely into the gold version VS the Aluminum based version. I will list it out

1/ The newest Advanced S-Master HX as Opposed to S-Master HX in 1A which is also found on Zx2 

2/ Kimber cables internally VS Oxygen free Copper inside 1A or Zx2

3/ more TFT Capacitors vs OS-Con capacitors in 1A 

4/ better Films resistors VS 1A

The most important thing is the (Advanced S-Master HX) chip set inside the Gold Walkman....it is not the Copper-Gold chassis that bring the improvements........

Treat the marketing above as "sarcasm toward AK statement", and look at how beefy the Gold Walkman is built and the differences


----------



## Jalo

Sony WM1Z is 455 grams AK380cu is 370grams. This thing is a brick. It still only has a 10 band EQ and no PQ? What is the DAC inside the WM1Z? Thank you Sony, now the only way AK can one up on Sony is to come up with a solid silver case and oled screen. Paw Gold still has more power at 500mw per channel and it is still very addicting.I do like the 4.4 standard a lot it just look much more sturdy. Let's hope the sound will hold up when folks get to listen to it tomorrow at Jaben. Please compare to LPG and 380cu. May be the copper=to better do have some merit?


----------



## Mimouille

bvng3540 said:


> I had said this before, manufacturers will ask or want what they want for their products as long as people willing to paid for it


I am willing to pay for anything of there is an honest rational. If they day, it is 2k more because it is gold and pretty that is OK. Or if they say, it sounds better because it had better internals, ok. But not it sounds better because of the casing.


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

mimouille said:


> I am willing to pay for anything of there is an honest rational. If they day, it is 2k more because it is gold and pretty that is OK. Or if they say, it sounds better because it had better internals, ok. But not it sounds better because of the casing.


 
  
 When do you think you'll be able to audition these?  And will you try both the Z and A?


----------



## proedros

jalo said:


> Sony WM1Z is 455 grams AK380cu is 370grams. This thing is a brick. It still only has a 10 band EQ and no PQ? What is the DAC inside the WM1Z? Thank you Sony, now the only way AK can one up on Sony is to come up with a solid silver case and oled screen. Paw Gold still has more power at 500mw per channel and it is still very addicting.I do like the 4.4 standard a lot it just look much more sturdy. *Let's hope the sound will hold up when folks get to listen to it tomorrow at Jaben.* Please compare to LPG and 380cu. May be the copper=to better do have some merit?


 
  
 zx2 needed burn in , it would very funny if wm1a/z sound like **** due to being brand new 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 the only question that really matters (and which none of us has the slightest idea) is *how these sound ?*


----------



## fish1050

nanaholic said:


> I'm not saying you hate Sony as a whole, I don't care about your product history with Sony but you are clearly unhappy with the new Walkman strategy and I'm just focusing on that alone.
> 
> The WM1A does native DSD decoding, is most very likely going to have a higher power output (one of the biggest criticism of the ZX2) and has true balance instead of the separate ground in the ZX2. I don't see those as being fewer features than the ZX2.  In fact I see it as being geared more to what most audiophiles (at least in Asia region where streaming market is almost non-existent) want.  You don't like the lack of Android and wireless and see that as being less features, but that's not fact but a subjective opinion. There are others who don't actually like Android too because of how its API handles audio, to them the walkman OS build from the ground up for audio is actually a feature and not a cost cutting measure (plus I would bet money doing their own OS instead of using Android doesn't actually save them that much money - they have to keep a bunch of coders on salary).  There are others whom already said they have no need for wireless, and one could even argue a wireless radio adds noise internally which degrades the audio experience. So I urge you to rethink your position and stop pushing your own personal needs as fact and what ALL consumers want as well as saying that's how Sony is doing their products, when people from the inside had already said otherwise too.


 
 I personally have listened to DSD decoded audio, 24 bit HiRes flac files etc.. on $30,000.00 systems and can barely hear the difference over 16 bit flac files.  Alot of other people I know who work in audio feel the same way.  To me the trade off in file size with DSD makes no sense so not a feature I care about.
  
 As for wifi and android I don't actually use either on any device.  But when other manufacturers are making DAP's with these features for hundreds less than Sony without these features I question the value of the product.   I have heard the Fiio X7 and the newer Pioneer XDP-100R and both sound excellent.  I can get both in Toronto for around $900.00 vs probably $1400.00 or there abouts for the Sony.  I know that if I bought a device with wifi and android my wife would use it as she has it on her smartphone.  But she would strike me dead if I paid a thousand dollars plus just to have these features.
  
 So even if I wouldn't use the features all the time I think there would be times when they would be nice to have when I am traveling or visiting friends.  If I can get these features on a DAP that costs significantly less why not.  
  
 I understand this Sony DAP might make sense to you but I am not you and I offer a different perspective that others may or may not agree with.  If you feel it is a good product go ahead and buy it and I hope you enjoy it.  If there is a big drop in price on a ZX2 after this WM1A is released I might treat myself to one.  But not at its current price


----------



## dipal

Did Sony discuss about this coz this just cropped up on the Sony Asia website. 
A new portable PHA-2A headphone amp with balanced out! 

More details here:
https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/headphone-amplifiers/pha-2A


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> zx2 needed burn in , it would very funny if wm1a/z sound like **** due to being brand new
> 
> the only question that really matters (and which none of us has the slightest idea) is *how these sound ?*




I will buy either one at 50% used depreciation


----------



## proedros

whitigir said:


> I will buy either one at 50% used depreciation


 
  
  
 no buys until i am satisfied by the offered reviews and price of used ones for sale


----------



## Mimouille

buttuglyjeff said:


> When do you think you'll be able to audition these?  And will you try both the Z and A?


Well I could Sunday but won't have time.


----------



## nanaholic

fish1050 said:


> I personally have listened to DSD decoded audio, 24 bit HiRes flac files etc.. on $30,000.00 systems and can barely hear the difference over 16 bit flac files.  Alot of other people I know who work in audio feel the same way.  To me the trade off in file size with DSD makes no sense so not a feature I care about.
> 
> As for wifi and android I don't actually use either on any device.  But when other manufacturers are making DAP's with these features for hundreds less than Sony without these features I question the value of the product.   I have heard the Fiio X7 and the newer Pioneer XDP-100R and both sound excellent.  I can get both in Toronto for around $900.00 vs probably $1400.00 or there abouts for the Sony.  I know that if I bought a device with wifi and android my wife would use it as she has it on her smartphone.  But she would strike me dead if I paid a thousand dollars plus just to have these features.
> 
> ...


 
  
 So the tl;dr is that you are just proving my point - you have different needs and that this DAP doesn't meet your needs so you criticise it as being pointless and Sony losing their mind, when I'm saying that there are others who sees the features you want as pointless and the things that Sony focus on is what meets their needs - so entirely perspective and subjective and doesn't actually say anything about Sony wanting to be maximising profit while cutting cost.
  
 I have no plans to buy this DAP FWIW, but I'm eagerly waiting for a bunch of AK owners flogging off their AK380s for bargain prices to get the NW1Z so I can get a good deal on barely used equipment and what I think the AK380 is actually worth (less than 50% of the current sticker price).


----------



## fish1050

dipal said:


> Did Sony discuss about this coz this just cropped up on the Sony Asia website.
> A new portable PHA-2A headphone amp with balanced out!
> 
> More details here:
> https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/headphone-amplifiers/pha-2A


 
 IFA starts this weekend so I am sure if you wait until the weekend or early next week more info will be available


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

mimouille said:


> Well I could Sunday but won't have time.


 
  
 I just trust your ears, and in no hurry.  Thanks


----------



## mw7485

dipal said:


> Did Sony discuss about this coz this just cropped up on the Sony Asia website.
> A new portable PHA-2A headphone amp with balanced out!
> 
> More details here:
> https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/headphone-amplifiers/pha-2A


 

 ......ooohh err, that page has now vanished! 404 error.


----------



## dipal

mw7485 said:


> ......ooohh err, that page has now vanished! 404 error.


just verified. The link is working. Will try from a desktop once I get home.


----------



## fish1050

nanaholic said:


> So the tl;dr is that you are just proving my point - you have different needs and that this DAP doesn't meet your needs so you criticise it as being pointless and Sony losing their mind, when I'm saying that there are others who sees the features you want as pointless and the things that Sony focus on is what meets their needs - so entirely perspective and subjective and doesn't actually say anything about Sony wanting to be maximising profit while cutting cost.
> 
> I have no plans to buy this DAP FWIW, but I'm eagerly waiting for a bunch of AK owners flogging off their AK380s for bargain prices to get the NW1Z so I can get a good deal on barely used equipment.


 
 Notice how I said Sony is losing their mind, I never said anything about you or others who are interested in it.  Just my opinion and I am entitled to it so as long as I am not saying it about you why should you care!!


----------



## Whitigir

I will stick to my Pha-3 ATM and it ES9018S desktop class.


----------



## emrelights1973

mw7485 said:


> I Just don't get this. If these are the successors to the NW-ZX2, what features compel people to "upgrade"? I get the bling model - well, I understand the target market (and I'm most certainly not part of it), but I do not understand where they are going with the lesser model. Worse battery life, same memory, same micro sd card slot, worse connectivity, but - smaller size? There seems to be a distinct lack of coherence and progress in the Walkman product line up. I know its early days for these products, but this is looking more and more like an epic fail. I hope for Sony's sake these DAPs sound out of this world.....




Spot On! Where is the progress other than price tag and balanced option, which I have to spent money to enjoy it if it is good


----------



## nanaholic

fish1050 said:


> Notice how I said Sony is losing their mind, I never said anything about you or others who are interested in it.  Just my opinion and I am entitled to it so as long as I am not saying it about you why should you care!!


 
  
 Simple - because I don't think Sony is losing their mind and what they are doing is actually reflecting the wants of a fairly significant portion of the audiophile community (that may be very quiet and not represented at all on the internet forums), and thus observing what they are doing is actually interesting from a business/marketing perspective, while your needs are actually the fringe and may not represent where the market is.  If Sony's proven right, it shines a light on what comes in the next 2-3 years, and that's interesting too in guessing what sort of products will come from competitors.
  
 Note I'm not even saying I belong in that portion either.


----------



## mw7485

dipal said:


> just verified. The link is working. Will try from a desktop once I get home.


 
 The URL is valid. The page loads if you manually copy/paste the URL into a browser - its the link that's doing something odd!


----------



## dipal

Here's more info on the WM1A :
No android. Sony original OS. 
No WiFi, only Bluetooth and NFC
ONLY HIGH SPEED USB 2.0 (DISSAPOINTING) 
Full charge time - 7 hours 

https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1a/specifications


----------



## shockwaver

> We also developed a *new user interface*, adopting an *analog meter* to display volume level and a *spectrum analyzer* to display sound frequency. Even the scales of the volume meters are represented meticulously so that users can enjoy the premium sound quality visually, as well.


 
 beautiful!


----------



## Sonyvores

whitigir said:


> Mwahahahaha !mthanks for the good laugh. That is marketing Bs for sure. But look closely into the gold version VS the Aluminum based version. I will list it out
> 
> 1/ The newest Advanced S-Master HX as Opposed to S-Master HX in 1A which is also found on Zx2
> 
> ...


 
 Finally someone who is reading between the lines! claps claps!


----------



## goldendarko

So you can't streamTIDALwith either of these new devices? Why the hell not, it's 2016, people stream music now Sony. 

And what the F is up with the absurd price of the Gold one. Is Sony AK now?


----------



## cthomas

shockwaver said:


> beautiful!




Dang that's awesome. Any pics of the spectrum analyzer?


----------



## fish1050

nanaholic said:


> Simple - because I don't think Sony is losing their mind and what they are doing is actually reflecting the wants of a fairly significant portion of the audiophile community, and thus observing what they are doing is actually interesting, while your needs are actually the fringe and may not represent where the market is.
> 
> Note I'm not even saying I belong in that portion either.


 
 As someone who sold audiophile equipment and have many friends that still do the fairly significant statement for products in this price range is an overstatement in itself.  The sweet spot for DAP sales is between $300.00 and $600.00, about where iPods use to sit price wise. Once you get above $1000.00 the market share drops to about 5%.  Five percent of a niche market as small as portable DAP's is pretty small.  When I say niche I am comparing the size of the DAP market to the smartphone market.
  
 I would counter your argument and say that you are on the fringe and I am closer to the significant portion of the audiophile community.  Audiophile is such a mis-quoted term and it simply refers to someone who likes to listen to high quality music.  More expensive doesn't always equate to better sound quality.  I have sold alot of great sounding systems that sell for alot less.  If you take your time and match the components rather than just buying something expensive the results can be much more satisfying.
  
 Headphones will always make the biggest difference in what you hear from a portable device.  I would save hundreds or in this case thousands and buy a really good pair of headphones to go with a high quality DAP.


----------



## shockwaver

cthomas said:


> Dang that's awesome. Any pics of the spectrum analyzer?


 



> hits the U.S. in November.  http://www.pcworld.com/article/3114778/sonys-impressive-insane-new-walkman-debuts-at-ifa.html


----------



## nanaholic

fish1050 said:


> As someone who sold audiophile equipment and have many friends that still do the fairly significant statement for products in this price range is an overstatement in itself.  The sweet spot for DAP sales is between $300.00 and $600.00, about where iPods use to sit price wise. Once you get above $1000.00 the market share drops to about 5%.  Five percent of a niche market as small as portable DAP's is pretty small.  When I say niche I am comparing the size of the DAP market to the smartphone market.
> 
> I would counter your argument and say that you are on the fringe and I am closer to the significant portion of the audiophile community.  Audiophile is such a mis-quoted term and it simply refers to someone who likes to listen to high quality music.  More expensive doesn't always equate to better sound quality.  I have sold alot of great sounding systems that sell for alot less.  If you take your time and match the components rather than just buying something expensive the results can be much more satisfying.
> 
> Headphones will always make the biggest difference in what you hear from a portable device.  I would save hundreds or in this case thousands and buy a really good pair of headphones to go with a high quality DAP.


 
  
 You are confusing the issue - I'm not referring to price - I'm referring to the features.
  
 I don't think streaming is actually a main stream feature - I know it's popular in the states, but I also know for a fact that streaming market, especially HQ streaming, is non-existent in Asia.  And a lot of the quieter/older generation of people don't believe in streaming either for various reasons.
  
 That's why when I say you think Sony is crazy for omitting Android/WiFi as a cost cutting measure and is crazy because they don't know what the customers want, I'm saying they DO, especially because, you know, Sony's team is Japanese, so their needs and wants and target customer and sales data is naturally going to be aligned to that spectrum.
  
 You are making an awful lot of assumption on what type of consumer I am, when I've not said anything about my OWN preferences.  All my analysis is me putting myself in the shoes of Sony, nothing more nothing less.


----------



## Jogibaer

No Wi-Fi and too pricey in my opinion. Well I could afford it, but I don't want to spend this much money on a Walkman. I'm not using the Wi-Fi at my ZX1 very often, but it's sometimes pretty nice to have the possibility. My ZX1 will last for my ears for some more years I think.  BUT, the new model looks much better than the ZX2.


----------



## cthomas

shockwaver said:


>




Double dang. Is it sad I really just want this for the spectrum and vu's?


----------



## gerelmx1986

finally was time for a revamp on sony classic OS


----------



## proedros

nanaholic said:


> \


 
  
@nanaholic and @fish1050  no offense dudes , but can you take this in pm ?

 you are just debating/fighting completely out of the whole thread vibe and i believe that no one cares about your little argument
  
 take it somewhere private , please ?
  
 cheers


----------



## Whitigir

cthomas said:


> Double dang. Is it sad I really just want this for the spectrum and vu's?




Lol, hey...those are eyes candy to us. You are completely sane


----------



## gearofwar

I think i will buy ZX2 again after seeing this WM1....hmm


----------



## Sonic Defender

goldendarko said:


> So you can't streamTIDALwith either of these new devices? Why the hell not, it's 2016, people stream music now Sony.
> 
> And what the F is up with the absurd price of the Gold one. Is Sony AK now?


 
 Well, in all fairness, Sony has always offered upper-tier products in their home audio line well above the consumer products, this is that type of offering. I do agree, very expensive, but ultimately they are going for those who can afford it. Now in all fairness, if this does end up sounding stupidly good, and somebody really valued portability you can make a case for it. Not for me, too rich for my blood, I will spend this type of money on a desktop rig, but not portable, but only as my needs are not this right now.


----------



## gerelmx1986

for me WM1A fits perfectly because has all i want + composer view WOOOT i have classical music so it is important for me


----------



## shockwaver

http://mashable.com/2016/09/01/sony-nw-wm1z-high-res-walkman/


----------



## tienbasse

nanaholic said:


> You are confusing the issue - I'm not referring to price - I'm referring to the features.
> 
> I don't think streaming is actually a main stream feature - I know it's popular in the states, but I also know for a fact that streaming market, especially HQ streaming, is non-existent in Asia.  And a lot of the quieter/older generation of people don't believe in streaming either for various reasons.


 
 The piss poor state of 3G/4G mobile networks in many countries is enough to explain the low demand for HQ streaming.
 The US and Japan are exceptions.
 In the rest of the world, welcome to the reality of discontinuous mobile phone coverage.


----------



## Whitigir

Now, for those of you who wonder what Gold Version has on top of the Regular

The regular has only 4 FT-Capacitors , and the rest are OS-Con capacitors. IC cables are OFC




The Gold one has 9 FT-capacitors as opposed to 4 . Interconnected cables are KIMBER KABLE as opposed to OFC


----------



## fish1050

nanaholic said:


> You are confusing the issue - I'm not referring to price - I'm referring to the features.
> 
> I don't think streaming is actually a main stream feature - I know it's popular in the states, but I also know for a fact that streaming market, especially HQ streaming, is non-existent in Asia.  And a lot of the quieter/older generation of people don't believe in streaming either for various reasons.
> 
> ...


 
 Actually I'm talking about features at a certain price point and I guess all I am saying is for the price they want us to pay why not have these features and the ability to turn them off. Yes I live in, North America, Canada to be specific where streaming audio is popular and it is growing quickly in Europe as well.  Considering Europe and North America have about 1.1 to 1.2 billion people it is a pretty big market to kind of ignore.  
  
 I believe that the 1A would likely sell better in North America and if Sony offered a model for this part of the world that had wifi and android they could sell pretty well.  Middle to higher end DAP's sell very well in Toronto.  The ZX2 has always been available in Toronto but the ZX100 and A20 series have never been released in Canada and they just recently became available in the US.  I believe it is because of the wifi and android features that the ZX2 was offered here. 
  
 Fiio products are so available here and they sell really well including the X7 which has wifi and android.  I believe that Sony has focused so much on Asia that they forgot about North America where they use to be at the very top in Consumer Electronics.  
  
 If you felt I was coming at you personally I apologize, I always try to keep my comments as general as possible.


----------



## headfi19

fish1050 said:


> I personally have listened to DSD decoded audio, 24 bit HiRes flac files etc.. on $30,000.00 systems and can barely hear the difference over 16 bit flac files.  Alot of other people I know who work in audio feel the same way.  To me the trade off in file size with DSD makes no sense so not a feature I care about.
> 
> As for wifi and android I don't actually use either on any device.  But when other manufacturers are making DAP's with these features for hundreds less than Sony without these features I question the value of the product.   I have heard the Fiio X7 and the newer Pioneer XDP-100R and both sound excellent.  I can get both in Toronto for around $900.00 vs probably $1400.00 or there abouts for the Sony.  I know that if I bought a device with wifi and android my wife would use it as she has it on her smartphone.  But she would strike me dead if I paid a thousand dollars plus just to have these features.
> 
> ...


 
 good point on Android and WiFi ,even for firmware updates ? Come on Sony????????????


----------



## emrelights1973

No tidal no dap! İt is so damn stupid not to include tidal in the age of streaming, if a hifi brand like naim is adding tidal to its 7000£ streamer it means that tidal is hifi enough! You dont have to stream, i have like 50 albums stored in my zx2, discovered lots of new music and listen to old ones! İt is just a big mistake i can not beleive it! So no AK or Sony for me, ZX2 is just fine, but i would like to have a DAP similar output to mojo! İ want a mojo dap!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have my own FLAC library of 2600+ albums, more than 46000 tracks 755GB so i wont complain about the lack of streaming but that does not mean i will splurger on a 3 Grand just for a couple of differences, it takes me about 1 and a half years to listen to my music from compser A-Z


----------



## musicday

Various sites say different available times.
October,novemeber and now next year for the flagship gold model.Anyone has an official release time for UK?


----------



## davidcotton

musicday said:


> Various sites say different available times.
> October,novemeber and now next year for the flagship gold model.Anyone has an official release time for UK?


 

 Probably about 6 months after what you quoted!  Memory may be playing tricks on me, but didn't the last models launch around october, november time in the uk?  I'd imagine they would want them out before the Christmas market to maxmise profit.


----------



## headfi19

nanaholic said:


> So the tl;dr is that you are just proving my point - you have different needs and that this DAP doesn't meet your needs so you criticise it as being pointless and Sony losing their mind, when I'm saying that there are others who sees the features you want as pointless and the things that Sony focus on is what meets their needs - so entirely perspective and subjective and doesn't actually say anything about Sony wanting to be maximising profit while cutting cost.
> 
> I have no plans to buy this DAP FWIW, but I'm eagerly waiting for a bunch of AK owners flogging off their AK380s for bargain prices to get the NW1Z so I can get a good deal on barely used equipment and what I think the AK380 is actually worth (less than 50% of the current sticker price).


 
 still AK @50% off is not worth and  your point of view about potential market is only Asia does not justify either, because NA and UE is huge potential market and once they click they get huge success and revenue for example look at the Sony mobile sector ,they have beautiful ( waterproof and best camera in the world ) phones but they can not penetrate and sell here and thus they are going down in this particular division on the whole because even they are doing little well in Japan and China ,I hope you understand my point.


----------



## gerelmx1986

each DAP will get it's separate thread or this will be for both WM1A/Z?


----------



## pervysage

Sony lost a sale from me with the whole no WiFi/streaming thing. Seriously? At that price and the fact that it's 2016?


----------



## bmichels

So... no streaming !!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

years back people swore for their FLAC libraries, i am still one of those, with streaming, you often don't find rare albums


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am predicting the gold one won't sell as good as sony expects, cintrast the balck one perhaps will sell a bit better


----------



## Jalo

musicday said:


> Tera Player - 80 gr


 
 Tera Player - 80 gr and $10,000.00


----------



## fish1050

I won't debate the merits of the 1Z as I have said all that I can but I will offer a piece of advice to those who are considering it.
  
 After many years of selling audio products especially high end I have learned one thing, be patient and wait to purchase.  Sony obviously has a huge profit margin on the 1Z and the improvements over the 1A will not add that much to the production cost.  I would be shocked if the difference in production cost is more than $10.00 to $15.00 per unit if that.  Sony will also keep the early production runs small to drive up demand and keep prices high.
  
 If sales out of the gate are slow the price will drop, I have seen it many times.  This is a new price point for Sony on a DAP and if the market will not bear the price Sony will drop it.  My guess is Sony will try to have these on the shelves in time for Christmas possibly November in the US to catch Black Friday if they decide to offer it in North America.  There should be a pretty good profit margin for the retailer as well and they may drop the prices at Christmas even if Sony does not.  
  
 You could also see some firmware updates to fix issues or to add or activate certain features. Always better to have the factory do the firmware updates if possible.  Sony knows that this an impulse purchase for alot of people and they are counting on it for quick sales.  Make them wait and it could pay off for you in the long run financially


----------



## gerelmx1986

and it is strange that sony hasnt released a worthy update to the XBA lineup, I know they released two new XBA IEMS, but they seem sooo lack luster.
  
 Just strange i was expectig a XBA-Z5R 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 or XBA-Z9 LOL at 1000 or more US dollars, i have finally puleld the trigger on a nw pair of Z5 for now, hope they are my end game, bought because many say they sound similar to Z7 whose sound signature like after aucioning the Cans.


----------



## purk

I think I'm going to go get the 1A once it is available here state side.  No  doubt that the 1Z will sound better, but I'm not going to spend $3200 just to appreciate the difference in mobile setting.  As I've said many times, go for it if you have the mean and priority.  I prefer to spend $3200 on a desktop/home electrostatic amplifier instead.


----------



## deafdoorknob

exhibition floor impressions (in Japanese) 

http://www.phileweb.com/sp/news/d-av/201609/02/39471.html


----------



## goldendarko

purk said:


> I think I'm going to go get the 1A once it is available here state side.  No  doubt that the 1Z will sound better, but I'm not going to spend $3200 just to appreciate the difference in mobile setting.  As I've said many times, go for it if you have the mean and priority.  I prefer to spend $3200 on a desktop/home electrostatic amplifier instead.


Yeah I picked up my Studio Six amp for the same price as this DAP. CRAZY


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> I think I'm going to go get the 1A once it is available here state side.  No  doubt that the 1Z will sound better, but I'm not going to spend $3200 just to appreciate the difference in mobile setting.  As I've said many times, go for it if you have the mean and priority.  I prefer to spend $3200 on a desktop/home electrostatic amplifier instead.


 

 Exactly well said Purk, no doubt the 1Z will sound better or we can say slightly better? than his cheaper cousing, Just i wont go back to the A30 series


----------



## gerelmx1986

This DAPs are reflecting what happened with the Z5 / A3 lineup, lets see how they will sound, but i remember users reporting a 15% increase in SQ of the Z5 over the A3 (mainly soundstage) and yet these two were steep priced difference 360 US (origina MSRP) vs 700 US (yeah yeah one can argue because Z5 is magnesium casing)
  
 so wonderning how much % SQ increase there will be between WM1A VS WM1Z?


----------



## fish1050

purk said:


> I think I'm going to go get the 1A once it is available here state side.  No  doubt that the 1Z will sound better, but I'm not going to spend $3200 just to appreciate the difference in mobile setting.  As I've said many times, go for it if you have the mean and priority.  I prefer to spend $3200 on a desktop/home electrostatic amplifier instead.


 
 I agree with you completely, spend the money to get the best sound at home where you can appreciate it. Out and about the listening experience will never be as good.  You can always get better deals on amp/dac's then on a DAP.  You could get a really good amp/dac for less then $1000.00 and a really good pair of headphones and still have alot left over.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I got the Z5 not because it will sound better, but because i want a durable item, same i want an WM1A because the one-piece aluminum frame and not glued tops and bottoms like zx100
  
 hope for the price 1200 euro it is durable, and well, i dont have any hopes on replaceable battery nor a balanced adapter for the cables included in Z5/MDR-Z7 Box


----------



## Rob49

Is the WM1A native DSD too ?


----------



## Whitigir

Any $3200 desktop system will beat the 1Z in hundred of miles !!


----------



## Woodlands

Anyone notice this on Sony's site? Clicking on link just returns you to same NW-WM1Z page.


----------



## gerelmx1986

rob49 said:


> Is the WM1A native DSD too ?


 
 what i have read on sony UK yes it is


----------



## Whitigir

rob49 said:


> Is the WM1A native DSD too ?




It should, yes


----------



## Rob49

whitigir said:


> It should, yes


 
 Thanks, i just noticed on Sony's website. Briefly, what are the main differences between the two models ? Storage being one, by the looks of it ?
 ( Really tired, doing a benefits claim today, so struggling to read through, all the posts ! )


----------



## purk

rob49 said:


> Thanks, i just noticed on Sony's website. Briefly, what are the main differences between the two models ? Storage being one, by the looks of it ?
> ( Really tired, doing a benefits claim today, so struggling to read through, all the posts ! )


 
 Read it man.  It is fun.  Basically, $1200 vs. $3200, better parts & wiring, larger 256 GB on board vs. 128GB, higher quality PCB, OFC copper chassis vs. aluminum, and did mention black vs. gold ?


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

purk said:


> Read it man.  It is fun.  Basically, $1200 vs. $3200, better parts & wiring, larger 256 GB on board vs. 128GB, higher quality PCB, OFC copper chassis vs. aluminum, and did mention black vs. gold ?


 
  
 ...and a cool leather case


----------



## fish1050

purk said:


> I think I'm going to go get the 1A once it is available here state side.  No  doubt that the 1Z will sound better, but I'm not going to spend $3200 just to appreciate the difference in mobile setting.  As I've said many times, go for it if you have the mean and priority.  I prefer to spend $3200 on a desktop/home electrostatic amplifier instead.


 
 I agree with you completely, spend the money to get the best sound at home where you can appreciate it. Out and about the listening experience will never be as good.  You can always get better deals on amp/dac's then on a DAP.  You could get a really good amp/dac for less then $1000.00 and a really good pair of headphones and still have alot left over.  


gerelmx1986 said:


> Exactly well said Purk, no doubt the 1Z will sound better or we can say slightly better? than his cheaper cousing, Just i wont go back to the A30 series


 
 I just watched a short youtube video for the A30 series and the 1Z. I have to say the A30 looks to be a big step up from the A10/A20 series.  It is now a single solid piece of aluminum with the 3.1" higher resolution touch screen (same resolution as ZX100).  All of the buttons look to be aluminum as well. Not a fan of touch screens but it looks like a pretty decent layout.  Except for the lower built in memory size it looks similar to the ZX100 but smaller and with a wider and shorter form factor than the A10/A20 series.  This should allow it to stack better with external amps.  
  
 If Sony doesn't go to high on the price this could be a real winner and a nice compromise on the ZX100.  Looking forward to some reviews and pricing.  Battery life is pretty close the A10/A20 and may suffer a bit with the touchscreen.


----------



## Rob49

purk said:


> Read it man.  It is fun.  Basically, $1200 vs. $3200, better parts & wiring, larger 256 GB on board vs. 128GB, higher quality PCB, OFC copper chassis vs. aluminum, and did mention black vs. gold ?


 
 Man ! I suffer from severe M.E. / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.....but thanks for giving me some highlighted details....
  
 I think i'll wait for feedback on both, but i won't be able to buy any of them, so it will probably be pointless ! ? Even though, i've got a ZX2, i'm going to be so envious, of the people that buy one or the other.....or in @Whitigir  case, he'll probably have both.....the DAC & the headphones too !


----------



## gerelmx1986

rob49 said:


> purk said:
> 
> 
> > Read it man.  It is fun.  Basically, $1200 vs. $3200, better parts & wiring, larger 256 GB on board vs. 128GB, higher quality PCB, OFC copper chassis vs. aluminum, and did mention black vs. gold ?
> ...


 
 Yes lol lest wait for his comparison review


----------



## Whitigir

rob49 said:


> Man ! I suffer from severe M.E. / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.....but thanks for giving me some highlighted details....
> 
> I think i'll wait for feedback on both, but i won't be able to buy any of them, so it will probably be pointless ! ? Even though, i've got a ZX2, i'm going to be so envious, of the people that buy one or the other.....or in @Whitigir
> case, he'll probably have both.....the DAC & the headphones too ! :wink_face:




Lol...I am not all that "money tree in the back yard". Can you imagine if I have it, 1 leaf for $1. I will need to bend my back and collect $3200 leaves + $2100 leaves +$2300 leaves for the whole new Sony line up.

Let's just say I bend my back 3200 times to shell out and buy this 1Z gold Walkman. I would be hospitalized before I can even have it shipped to my house


----------



## gerelmx1986

Don't wory wallet its only 25000 MXN you have to bleed out 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (the price in pesos mexicanos for the WM1A according to google converter)


----------



## davidcotton

whitigir said:


> Lol...I am not all that "money tree in the back yard". Can you imagine if I have it, 1 leaf for $1. I will need to bend my back and collect $3200 leaves + $2100 leaves +$2300 leaves for the whole new Sony line up.
> 
> Let's just say I bend my back 3200 times to shell out and buy this 1Z gold Walkman. I would be hospitalized before I can even have it shipped to my house


 

 At least you would have something to listen to in hospital though!


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Rob49 i bet @Whitigir ill get his NW-WM1A and open it carefully and swap the OFC cables for pure silver cables


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Rob49
> i bet @Whitigir
> ill get his NW-WM1A and open it carefully and swap the OFC cables for pure silver cables




No need to , I could have done it to Zx2, but pha-3 answer all of my craving. Therefore, no need. I am sure better cables materials improve the sound as I witnessed enough


----------



## gerelmx1986

i am still undecided if i shall keep my 200GB card or get thse extra 56GB (34GB once formatted)


----------



## Sound Eq

i do not get it why the gold one which has android will not have wifi, paying so much and not being to have all wishes come true like tidal capability means a no to me


----------



## gerelmx1986

sound eq said:


> i do not get why the gold one which has android will not have wifi


 

 I think sony UK made a mistake, i think ealier there, sonyvores, told it is not android


----------



## Rob49

whitigir said:


> Lol...I am not all that "money tree in the back yard". Can you imagine if I have it, 1 leaf for $1. I will need to bend my back and collect $3200 leaves + $2100 leaves +$2300 leaves for the whole new Sony line up.
> 
> Let's just say I bend my back 3200 times to shell out and buy this 1Z gold Walkman. I would be hospitalized before I can even have it shipped to my house


 
 LOL.....You KNOW you're going to buy at least one !


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think sony UK made a mistake, i think ealier there, sonyvores, told it is not android




That is correct, neither will be using android at all


----------



## Rob49

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Rob49 i bet @Whitigir ill get his NW-WM1A and open it carefully and swap the OFC cables for pure silver cables


 
  
 Oh no !!! He's going to modify everything !!!


----------



## Whitigir

rob49 said:


> Oh no !!! He's going to modify everything !!! :bigsmile_face:




Lol, thank you for your loves guys !


----------



## Sound Eq

hmm no android, well I guess my interest compass is going south


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Rob49 i bet @Whitigir ill get his NW-WM1A and open it carefully and swap the OFC cables for pure silver cables


 
 Well from the looks of this new DAP getting it open could be a real nightmare so good luck with that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Having looked at the picture of the bottom this WM1Z it  has some ports I can't figure out.  There is that weird squared port that looks like it would take an odd shaped power plug,  Then there is the port above the WM-Port with a cover on it. almost the same size.  Perhaps some kind of new proprietary port for some other device to connect to.
  
 It would be cool if this is Sony's answer to a better LO option whereby plugging a cable into this port would allow connection of an external amp without having to mess with swapping cables into and out of the the WM-Port.  Of course knowing Sony it would be proprietary and have to be purchased separately at a high cost.
  
 Sony did mention separating the digital and analog components which could provide for a better LO setup.


----------



## purk

fish1050 said:


> Well from the looks of this new DAP getting it open could be a real nightmare so good luck with that
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 That port is for hand strap.


----------



## musicday

In this video the guy says the gold Walkman is also a recorder lol:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6pCUbxwrcM


----------



## musicday

So is USB charging only? 7 hours to fully charge?


----------



## Rob49

whitigir said:


> Lol, thank you for your loves guys !


 
  
 Will you be disabling the sound adjustment ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

rob49 said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > Lol, thank you for your loves guys !
> ...


 

 i forgot that one, LOL but ince it is not android he will have to find the usual sony os secret menu


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> i forgot that one, LOL but ince it is not android he will have to find the usual sony os secret menu




Yeah, they are usually, power, volume up, up, down, up, down, down, play and RR.... I am kidding . However, send me a unit, and I will discover all that is to have from it


----------



## Rob49

gerelmx1986 said:


> i forgot that one, LOL but ince it is not android he will have to find the usual sony os secret menu


 
  
 Forgetting that they're not android.....but i'm sure you'll find a better sound option ! ? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Joking aside, these new Sony toys look gorgeous !


----------



## Whitigir

rob49 said:


> Forgetting that they're not android.....but i'm sure you'll find a better sound option ! ? :wink_face:
> 
> Joking aside, these new Sony toys look gorgeous !




As soon as you said that, your wallet had taken a run to your wife for protection. Finally, we are glad that Sony is back to take the throne. Let's the games begin


----------



## gearofwar

So if WM1A is better than ZX2, i'm sold. Who cares for WM1Z?


----------



## proedros

whitigir said:


> As soon as you said that, your wallet had taken a run to your wife for protection. Finally, we are glad that Sony is back to take the *throne*. Let's the *games* begin


 
  
  
 someone is watching too much HBO


----------



## denis1976

Woooow if the NW-WM1Z is more than 3000 euros i have to sell all my daps to get it...


----------



## Rob49

whitigir said:


> As soon as you said that, your wallet had taken a run to your wife for protection. Finally, we are glad that Sony is back to take the throne. Let's the games begin


 
  
  
 No wife, thank the lord !......but at $3200,which apparently equates to £2.400, it is going to be just a dream !! They're are competing with the likes of AK, or at least taking that route. You can't blame them really. 
 I know some buyers knock Sony, but they've contributed so much to technology & will continue to do so ! I've supported their products, all my lifetime & will continue to do so. ( If i can find some money !! ? )


----------



## Zaroff

Apart from its merits, the price is ridiculous. I remember it was just a few years, not that long ago, when we all were rather stupefied when DAPs were above the $500 mark.
 Now it's $3200+ and we almost find it normal. That trend is silly. What's next? $6000? $10000?
  
 The pricing of these things is getting out of hand, really.


----------



## fish1050

whitigir said:


> That is correct, neither will be using android at all


 
 I have a theory about why they did not go with android
  
 While android is free (no license fee) for manufacturers to install, the services that would be accessed with android would have a license fee.  Google for example charges between $40,000.00 and $75,000.00 for a license for the manufacturer to access gmail and googleplay, gms and maps.  Also all devices that implement android have to be submitted for testing and must meet Googles standards or the manufacturer could be denied the license to use android.  The testing facilities charge thousands of dollars to test batches of a product and there are minimums for batch sizes.
  
 So Sony A) may not have passed the required testing, B) may not have produced enough units to meet the minimum testing limits  C) did not want to pay all the costs to implement android on a device with an unknown success rate.  Perhaps if the 1Z does sell well enough Sony could move to android in he future.


----------



## mtbfan101

Oh buddy...


----------



## audioxxx

zaroff said:


> Apart from its merits, the price is ridiculous. I remember it was just a few years, not that long ago, when we all were rather stupefied when DAPs were above the $500 mark.
> Now it's $3200+ and we almost find it normal. That trend is silly. What's next? $6000? $10000?
> 
> The pricing of these things is getting out of hand, really.




And for those in Europe a capped $3200+ price tag,  i find these prices I offensive personally,for a DAP that had a fixed battery, and has a limited life span, (are we expected to bin these golden DAP's when the battery dies?) Sony have glued these DAP's shut, and battery replacement's have not been discussed. 


Will any of these 1k+ DAP's be serviceably buy Sony, once the warranty is up?


----------



## Rob49

zaroff said:


> Apart from its merits, the price is ridiculous. I remember it was just a few years, not that long ago, when we all were rather stupefied when DAPs were above the $500 mark.
> Now it's $3200+ and we almost find it normal. That trend is silly. What's next? $6000? $10000?
> 
> The pricing of these things is getting out of hand, really.


 
  
  
 It is crazy & unjustified to price products like this. I only bought the ZX2, because it was less than £600, on Amazon deals. As much as i like it, i would have never paid the full retail price.


----------



## fish1050

gearofwar said:


> So if WM1A is better than ZX2, i'm sold. Who cares for WM1Z?


 
 Food for thought
  
 It appears from looking at the specs between the ZX2 and the WM1A that they are the same across the board at least externally.  Internally, same battery life, same built in storage and I am willing to bet if you audition them they will sound the same.
  
 The ZX2 is now Sony's only DAP with android and they have to pay to have all their devices tested to use android which costs thousands of dollars.  I am guessing that Sony does not sell enough ZX2's to justify the cost of testing for certification to use android so once the units still available are sold the ZX2 will be no more.  So the WM1A will likely replace the ZX2 and Sony will have no more android based DAP's.
  
 Also Sony will not want to produce a DAP with android and wifi when they have a much more expensive DAP that does not have android and wifi in the WM1Z.  The ZX2 would steal potential sales away from the WM1Z because it offers features the WM1Z does not for more than double the price.
  
 My advice is grab a ZX2 while you still can and keep it for as long as you can.  By the time you need to replace it the future of the WM1A and Z will be decided.


----------



## Whitigir

fish1050 said:


> Food for thought
> 
> It appears from looking at the specs between the ZX2 and the WM1A that they are the same across the board at least externally.  Internally, same battery life, same built in storage and I am willing to bet if you audition them they will sound the same.
> 
> ...




Excellent write up


----------



## purk

fish1050 said:


> Food for thought
> 
> It appears from looking at the specs between the ZX2 and the WM1A that they are the same across the board at least externally.  Internally, same battery life, same built in storage and I am willing to bet if you audition them they will sound the same.
> 
> ...


 
  
 If a DSD playback & transport is important to you, then the WM1A will have a merit over the ZX2.  I happen to have over 300 albums on DSD/SACD so it is nice to be able to play that natively which will likely improve the sound at or about 5-10% plus the effect of balance output.  So overall, I think the 1A will sound better than the ZX2 alone.  If you don't care for DSD and balanced output, the ZX2 is a better buy in my book.  If you have a wifi hard drive, you can even use the ZX2 to stream all of your music collection via its DLNA app.  Basically, the ZX2 can double as a digital transport to all of your music collection.  I also use it to download and listen to podcast.


----------



## Rob49

fish1050 said:


> The ZX2 is now Sony's only DAP with android and they have to pay to have all their devices tested to use android which costs thousands of dollars.


 
  
 Interesting, something i didn't know. Perhaps explains the high prices ? You would think that with no android fees, they could reduce prices, but at the end of the day, they're a money making business, like anyone else. So they're going to charge the highest they can.


----------



## Rob49

purk said:


> If a DSD playback & transport is important to you, then the WM1A will have a merit over the ZX2.  I happen to have over 300 albums on DSD/SACD so it is nice to be able to play that natively which will likely improve the sound at or about 5-10% plus the effect of balance output.  So overall, I think the 1A will sound better than the ZX2 alone.  If you don't care for DSD and balanced output, the ZX2 is a better buy in my book.  If you have a wifi hard drive, you can even use the ZX2 to stream all of your music collection via its DLNA app.  Basically, the ZX2 can double as a digital transport to all of your music collection.  I also use it to download and listen to podcast.


 
 Is that physical discs, @purk ? 300. If so how do you rip them, to transfer to a Walkman device ?


----------



## Cagin

shockwaver said:


> beautiful!


neat! I use the spectrum analyzer on the DP-X1 but it lags so bad it's not very useful. Good thing the Sony has a great battery so I can still get a long session while using the analyzer. I wonder if we can set the #bands like on foobar


----------



## purk

rob49 said:


> Is that physical discs, @purk ? 300. If so how do you rip them, to transfer to a Walkman device ?


 
 PS3 running custom firmware that is.  Now you can use Oppo and Pioneer Blu-ray player running modify firmware to do it as well.


----------



## Rob49

The advancement of technology ! My Sony mini disc players, were like the best thing imaginable to me, but now they sound like Sony cassette tapes, compared to these Hi Res audio products.
 How much more can audio technology evolve ??


----------



## Rob49

purk said:


> PS3 running custom firmware that is.  Now you can use Oppo and Pioneer Blu-ray player running modify firmware to do it as well.


 
  
 I haven't got a PS3, but do have a OPPO 93 player. Is that too old ? I wouldn't know what to do ? Don't want to digress from subject thread...


----------



## Whitigir

rob49 said:


> The advancement of technology ! My Sony mini disc players, were like the best thing imaginable to me, but now they sound like Sony cassette tapes, compared to these Hi Res audio products.
> How much more can audio technology evolve ??




Until a DAP cost $10,000 or so . Then we will have Ultra-High-Res


----------



## fish1050

audioxxx said:


> And for those in Europe a capped $3200+ price tag,  i find these prices I offensive personally,for a DAP that had a fixed battery, and has a limited life span, (are we expected to bin these golden DAP's when the battery dies?) Sony have glued these DAP's shut, and battery replacement's have not been discussed.
> 
> 
> Will any of these 1k+ DAP's be serviceably buy Sony, once the warranty is up?


 
 I went through the battery replacement scenario with my A17.
  
 My A17 came with a two year warranty and Sony recommends replacing the battery once the battery life drops below 50%.  At 20 months my battery life was close to 50% so I contacted Sony support.  I was told to ship in my unit with all the accessories (just the charging cable) to Sony Canada at my expense.  Sony was only about 40 miles away so it only cost me $19.00 CAN including insurance.  I shipped mine in and they returned what appears to be an unserviced almost new in the box unit, probably an in store return unit.
  
 So my advice to you is do not buy an imported unit as you will have to pay shipping both ways for any servicing and they will gouge you on return shipping. Just ask gerelmx about her experience with her ZX100.
  
 To maximize the life of your DAP I recommend getting at least a 1 year extended warranty which should cover one battery replacement and buy you a couple more years.  With any luck you will get a newer unit in replacement as Sony does not open their DAP's to replace batteries anymore.  I am guessing the warranty will be expensive but the alternative is having to replace the unit at your cost after a couple of years.
  
 Thanks for reminding me of another reason for not buying a super expensive DAP.  At that price the unit should come with a user replaceable battery or at least one free battery replacement. This whole battery replacement scam has become a nice source of revenue for manufacturers.  Charge for an extended warranty and hope the user forgets or the battery will die or get low enough to need replacing outside of the warranty. Recycle the old one, buy a new one and repeat.
  
 In my opinion never buy anything expensive that has a non user replaceable battery.


----------



## fish1050

purk said:


> That port is for hand strap.


 
 That makes sense


----------



## audioxxx

No problem, happy to help a fellow Head Fi member. 
And I agree a good reason to buy one locally, so you can even get the unit looked at in your local town.
 And I agree, I will never buy another expensive DAP (again), that I can not change the batteries in, without having to peel backs off,destroying the rear cover, then having no chance of finding the right cell .... (maybe Sony will sell you a replacement battery, maybe)


----------



## fish1050

purk said:


> If a DSD playback & transport is important to you, then the WM1A will have a merit over the ZX2.  I happen to have over 300 albums on DSD/SACD so it is nice to be able to play that natively which will likely improve the sound at or about 5-10% plus the effect of balance output.  So overall, I think the 1A will sound better than the ZX2 alone.  If you don't care for DSD and balanced output, the ZX2 is a better buy in my book.  If you have a wifi hard drive, you can even use the ZX2 to stream all of your music collection via its DLNA app.  Basically, the ZX2 can double as a digital transport to all of your music collection.  I also use it to download and listen to podcast.


 
 I always found DSD takes up way to much space in file size vs minimal if any audible improvement depending on equipment.  Yeah it would be a pain having to convert all of those albums so I definitely understand.


----------



## purk

audioxxx said:


> No problem, happy to help a fellow Head Fi member.
> And I agree a good reason to buy one locally, so you can even get the unit looked at in your local town.
> And I agree, I will never buy another expensive DAP (again), that I can not change the batteries in, without having to peel backs off,destroying the rear cover, then having no chance of finding the right cell .... (maybe Sony will sell you a replacement battery, maybe)


 
 Yes, that's one of the reason why I'm not to thrill about paying $3.2K for a DAP.  For that much money, it should come with at least 5 years warranty.


----------



## purk

fish1050 said:


> I always found DSD takes up way to much space in file size vs minimal if any audible improvement depending on equipment.  Yeah it would be a pain having to convert all of those albums so I definitely understand.


 
 Yes, that what is sad about DSD.  Converting DSD into FLAC also drop the sound quality by 5-10%.  So in the sense the 1A should sound better than the ZX2 by 10-15% thanks to a balanced output and native DSD playback.  Those AK240 owners are probably crying now with the released of the WM1A.


----------



## fish1050

audioxxx said:


> No problem, happy to help a fellow Head Fi member.
> And I agree a good reason to buy one locally, so you can even get the unit looked at in your local town.
> And I agree, I will never buy another expensive DAP (again), that I can not change the batteries in, without having to peel backs off,destroying the rear cover, then having no chance of finding the right cell .... (maybe Sony will sell you a replacement battery, maybe)


 
 You would probably destroy the unit just trying to open it so probably pointless even if you can get the battery.  Part of the whole non replaceable battery scam is the batteries that have compatible specs will still be the wrong size to fit inside and sold only to the manufacturers who have them custom sized.


----------



## Whitigir

fish1050 said:


> You would probably destroy the unit just trying to open it so probably pointless even if you can get the battery.  Part of the whole non replaceable battery scam is the batteries that have compatible specs will still be the wrong size to fit inside and sold only to the manufacturers who have them custom sized.




This  is so much right


----------



## purk

When will this be available again?  I need to save up the money and hand it over to Sony HK.


----------



## fish1050

rob49 said:


> I haven't got a PS3, but do have a OPPO 93 player. Is that too old ? I wouldn't know what to do ? Don't want to digress from subject thread...


 
  


purk said:


> Yes, that what is sad about DSD.  Converting DSD into FLAC also drop the sound quality by 5-10%.  So in the sense the 1A should sound better than the ZX2 by 10-15% thanks to a balanced output and native DSD playback.  Those AK240 owners are probably crying now with the released of the WM1A.


 
 Considering that FLAC is a lossless format I don't see how you would lose sound quality.  If ripped to 24 bit FLAC you should not lose any audio quality based on my experience.  Even at 16 bit FLAC it should be extremely hard to tell.  I did audio quality testing on a $30,000 home rig comparing DSD, 24 bit and 16 bit FLAC of the same music and found it almost impossible to tell a difference except and only on a few tracks and only a very tiny difference between DSD and 16 bit FLAC.  You wouldn't save much space with 24 bit FLAC but you also would not need DSD support.


----------



## echineko

musicday said:


> In this video the guy says the gold Walkman is also a recorder lol:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6pCUbxwrcM



Did anyone else notice in the video they were using a Sony cable to directly connect the Walkman to the TH-1AES amp? From the amp's specs list (below), apparently that's a USB B port for Walkman connections, so finally we have a WM port -> USB cable from Sony? No more clunky adaptor for digital output? 

www.sony.co.uk/electronics/audio-components/ta-zh1es/specifications

Really hope they start selling that soon!

Edit: Looks like it's USB-B >.< Oh well, at least it will work for some devices...


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> i forgot that one, LOL but ince it is not android he will have to find the usual sony os secret menu


 
 Yeah I think the passcode to the secret menu is in Japanese, translation (NO4U)


----------



## fish1050

purk said:


> When will this be available again?  I need to save up the money and hand it over to Sony HK.


 
 For what they are charging for the 1Z they should fly you to HK and hand it to you personally


----------



## musicday

So for those using the previous Sony flagship with the leather back.
Does it peel off or crack after a while?
Can it be removed? I don't like it personally.


----------



## purk

fish1050 said:


> Considering that FLAC is a lossless format I don't see how you would lose sound quality.  If ripped to 24 bit FLAC you should not lose any audio quality based on my experience.  Even at 16 bit FLAC it should be extremely hard to tell.  I did audio quality testing on a $30,000 home rig comparing DSD, 24 bit and 16 bit FLAC of the same music and found it almost impossible to tell a difference except and only on a few tracks and only a very tiny difference between DSD and 16 bit FLAC.  You wouldn't save much space with 24 bit FLAC but you also would not need DSD support.


 
 The fidelity went down when you convert DSD into Hirez flac.  It is well know and I can hear this out of my NW-ZX100 and JH13pro.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

All extra curricular purchases are being banned or suspended in my case. I have an outbreak of upgraditis in my head. 
I love that this comes in touchscreen and the form factor should complement my Zx2.


----------



## fish1050

purk said:


> The fidelity went down when you convert DSD into Hirez flac.  It is well know and I can hear this out of my NW-ZX100 and JH13pro.


 
 I guess my old ears aren't what they use to be cause I sure had a hard time telling a difference.  It could be the quality of the original master, the type of music etc.. and I am in my 50's now so my hearing isn't what it use to be.


----------



## AxelCloris

fish1050 said:


> Yeah I think the passcode to the secret menu is in Japanese, translation (NO4U)


 
  
 何？あなたは日本語のメニューがコミュニティを停止すると思いますか？


----------



## Conext

musicday said:


> So for those using the previous Sony flagship with the leather back.
> Does it peel off or crack after a while?
> Can it be removed? I don't like it personally.



It's a synthetic material. I've had my ZX2 for approximately 1.5 years, and I can detect no degradation of the material on the back side--no cracking or peeling.

It probably can be removed. But I suspect once gone, you would be left with a surface that is uglier than when you started. Plus, after its removed, it will likely slide around a lot more once placed on surfaces, and won't be able to fit into any fitted cases made for the DAP.


----------



## purk

fish1050 said:


> I guess my old ears aren't what they use to be cause I sure had a hard time telling a difference.  It could be the quality of the original master, the type of music etc.. and I am in my 50's now so my hearing isn't what it use to be.


 
 I'm sure that you can hear it as well.  Going from 24-176.4 to 24-88.2 is nearly indistinguishable.


----------



## fish1050

axelcloris said:


> 何？あなたは日本語のメニューがコミュニティを停止すると思いますか？


 
 I was only kidding, I guess I should have put a 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 face at the end, my bad


----------



## audioxxx

conext said:


> It's a synthetic material. I've had my ZX2 for approximately 1.5 years, and I can detect no degradation of the material on the back side--no cracking or peeling.
> 
> It probably can be removed. But I suspect once gone, you would be left with a surface that is uglier than when you started. Plus, after its removed, it will likely slide around a lot more once placed on surfaces, and won't be able to fit into any fitted cases made for the DAP.




To replace the battery one would have to take off this plastic cover, (and damage it in the process), so it should come as a item in a battery replacement kit in the future.


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> So for those using the previous Sony flagship with the leather back.
> Does it peel off or crack after a while?
> Can it be removed? I don't like it personally.


 
 Nope at least for my cheap zx100


----------



## Jalo

fish1050 said:


> Considering that FLAC is a lossless format I don't see how you would lose sound quality.  If ripped to 24 bit FLAC you should not lose any audio quality based on my experience.  Even at 16 bit FLAC it should be extremely hard to tell.  *I did audio quality testing on a $30,000 home rig comparing DSD, 24 bit and 16 bit FLAC of the same music and found it almost impossible to tell a difference *except and only on a few tracks and only a very tiny difference between DSD and 16 bit FLAC.  You wouldn't save much space with 24 bit FLAC but you also would not need DSD support.


 
 I have lossless (FLAC and WAV) for many years until recently (2 Years) I started to acquire and listen to DSD.  The thing in audio is if you are only testing/auditioning different audio formats regardless of the quality of equipment, you may not notice the difference but not because there is none.  The rationale is the same that people do not usually draw conclusion on equipment base on show audition and sometimes many reputable headfiers on these forum do not even draw any conclusion until they have owned or used a piece of equipment for a few months.  After couple of years of listening to DSD format, I can appreciate the improvement over FLAC and WAV.  The quality of recording is usually much better with DSD.  However, I am not saying redbook is always inferior to higher formats.  For instance, the Chord platform (DAVE, Hugo) can do redbook very well. All I can say is DSD can render a level of realism that is sometimes hard for standard format to achieve.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I heard redbook well presented on my zx100, time to ste up futher in build and SQ, zx100 was my first-bite to the ZX legend and now I want the WM1A legendary walkman


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> I. All I can say is DSD can render a level of realism that is sometimes hard for standard format to achieve.




This is exactly it, but You will need the level of experiences and awesome gears including cables to tell the differences


----------



## gearofwar

fish1050 said:


> Food for thought
> 
> It appears from looking at the specs between the ZX2 and the WM1A that they are the same across the board at least externally.  Internally, same battery life, same built in storage and I am willing to bet if you audition them they will sound the same.
> 
> ...


 
 I sold my zx2 last year, sorry....My onkyo beat it ....not going back. Even Mojo got sold (Check my profile)


----------



## headfi19

fish1050 said:


> I won't debate the merits of the 1Z as I have said all that I can but I will offer a piece of advice to those who are considering it.
> 
> After many years of selling audio products especially high end I have learned one thing, be patient and wait to purchase.  Sony obviously has a huge profit margin on the 1Z and the improvements over the 1A will not add that much to the production cost.  I would be shocked if the difference in production cost is more than $10.00 to $15.00 per unit if that.  Sony will also keep the early production runs small to drive up demand and keep prices high.
> 
> ...


 
 well and very wise advise and we have to teach greedy sony some practical lessons and thanks ,please keep in mind that if you wait and be patient then it will help everyone who has lot of resource and have not,please do not rush but be patient and help one another


----------



## purk

gearofwar said:


> I sold my zx2 last year, sorry....My onkyo beat it ....not going back. Even Mojo got sold (Check my profile)



If you don't care about the new Sony DAP, why bother posting?


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> gearofwar said:
> 
> 
> > I sold my zx2 last year, sorry....My onkyo beat it ....not going back. Even Mojo got sold (Check my profile)
> ...


 
 Yep good point


----------



## gearofwar

purk said:


> If you don't care about the new Sony DAP, why bother posting?


 
 Did i say I didn't bother with WM1A , please read back my post before attacking pls. 
  


gerelmx1986 said:


> Yep good point


 
 You two are being too funny, smell like Sony fanboys


----------



## gerelmx1986

One thing I admire from Pono engineers is the way how they implemented balanced with dual 3.5mm TRS sockets , just liked the brilliant idea of using it as balanced or as share your music with another person.
  
 why sony????? why you had to come with the "brilliant" idea of a new plug LOL


----------



## headfi19

whitigir said:


> Lol...I am not all that "money tree in the back yard". Can you imagine if I have it, 1 leaf for $1. I will need to bend my back and collect $3200 leaves + $2100 leaves +$2300 leaves for the whole new Sony line up.
> 
> Let's just say I bend my back 3200 times to shell out and buy this 1Z gold Walkman. I would be hospitalized before I can even have it shipped to my house


 
 what about very cheap $1200 leaves and you may not be hospitalized, have a fun,and thanks


----------



## gearofwar

gerelmx1986 said:


> One thing I admire from Pono engineers is the way how they implemented balanced with dual 3.5mm TRS sockets , just liked the brilliant idea of using it as balanced or as share your music with another person.
> 
> why sony????? why you had to come with the "brilliant" idea of a new plug LOL


 
 Because they are Sony. They have their own technology, they invented and innovated it. If you don't like, don't buy it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gearofwar said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I will buy it no matter if this new plug, I can count always with @Whitigir for a pure silver cable Adater to use with my new XBA-Z5 LOL poor whitigir and trolling him with his famous DIY silver mods


----------



## audionewbi

Native DSD is only possible via balance connection. Strange
  
 "DSD Native Playback requires a balanced connection"
  
 Source: https://www.sony.com.au/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1a?cpint=SG_PRODUCT_DETAILS_SEC-TOUT-PDP-MDR-Z1R-EN_GL-2016-08-M12-COMPLETESIGNATURE-TOUT03-NWWM1A
  
 Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page.


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> One thing I admire from Pono engineers is the way how they implemented balanced with dual 3.5mm TRS sockets , just liked the brilliant idea of using it as balanced or as share your music with another person.
> 
> why sony????? why you had to come with the "brilliant" idea of a new plug LOL


 
  
 Again it's not Sony - it's a JEITA defined, industry wide standard - other Japanese manufacturers will adopt it as well.  You'll very likely see them on the upcoming Onkyo and Pioneer DAPs (successors to the DPX1 etc).
  
 Their proposal for a 4.4mm 5 pole audio only plug is actually VERY sound and speaks with a lot of common sense to the engineer in me - I actually hope they succeed. Being for audio only means none of the mobile phone hack jobs pin layouts which led to the fragmentation with what we have right now. One plug that replaces both 3.5mm and 2.5mm will eventually save space on portable devices, properly specified pin lay outs so no more asking about whether it is AK or non-AK wiring, can be wired for both single-end and balanced configuration at the same time with the inclusion of a GND pin (so say if a GND is detected the jack may output a true line out for connecting to another amp is not out of the question), the jack is physically MUCH more sturdy (how many times have you read about failed 2.5mm/3.5mm jacks compared to say 6.3mm ones?), a bigger diameter and a longer plug so that short adapter plugs can be made (think those 3.5mm to 6.3mm short adopters but made into 3.5mm or 2.5mm versions).  The advantages are actually quite numerous. 
  
 The idea is brilliant, no sarcasm.


----------



## cthomas

Will the A30 Walkman also display the vu metres and equaliser if it's running Sony OS?


----------



## nanaholic

tienbasse said:


> The piss poor state of 3G/4G mobile networks in many countries is enough to explain the low demand for HQ streaming.
> The US and Japan are exceptions.
> In the rest of the world, welcome to the reality of discontinuous mobile phone coverage.


 
  
 I suspect that a lot of HQ streaming is done at home/office/cafe over WiFi in the US, hence the outcry about the lack of WiFi.
  
 However in Japan and Asia people rarely stay at home (they work too long), free WiFi is so uncommon in Japan that the government is worried about how it will affect tourists coming for the Olympic, and using office resources for private use is a huge cultural no-no in Japan (companies won't even let workers charge their phones using USB and often deal punishments for such usages) - which means the actual culture prevents streaming from ever taking taking off.  If you live in a culture like that, your customers' demand will reflect it - hence the Japanese and Asian market has nearly no demand for streaming, and this is then reflected in the product.
  
 That, and there's the group that thinks that including a radio chip inside the device sipping power and not "completely off" even in airplane mode could lead to degraded sonic performance.


----------



## nanaholic

headfi19 said:


> still AK @50% off is not worth and  your point of view about potential market is only Asia does not justify either, because NA and UE is huge potential market and once they click they get huge success and revenue for example look at the Sony mobile sector ,they have beautiful ( waterproof and best camera in the world ) phones but they can not penetrate and sell here and thus they are going down in this particular division on the whole because even they are doing little well in Japan and China ,I hope you understand my point.


 
  
 European market has been in a slump for recent years, NA head-fi market is smaller compared to Asia due to various cultural reasons.  I think targeting Asian with features that reflect that is actually perfectly justified from the business POV.  
  
 Sometimes Westerners have to accept that they aren't the centre of the world for once and see what it is like on the other side of the fence.


----------



## purk

nanaholic said:


> European market has been in a slump for recent years, *NA head-fi market is smaller compared to Asia due to various cultural reasons.*  I think targeting Asian with features that reflect that is actually perfectly justified from the business POV.
> 
> Sometimes Westerners have to accept that they aren't the centre of the world for once and see what it is like on the other side of the fence.


 
 I'm from SE (southeast asia) originally and I can see both side of the coins here.  However, this is a north american headphone forum so the member here will see thing a little bit differently than you are...so maybe you should understand their side of the coin too.  When living space is limited as well as most have to endure long commute on bus/train/public transint, portable listening is more important.  I have been there and done that too.  Cultural reasons?  Do explain.  I hope you will buy the WM1Z to prove your point. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  I will stick with my ZX2 or get the WM1A to go along with my PHA3.


----------



## Sonic Defender

So did Sony up the power in either of these DAPs? I can't seem to find any discussion of power. If I missed it my apology.


----------



## cthomas

sonic defender said:


> So did Sony up the power in either of these DAPs? I can't seem to find any discussion of power. If I missed it my apology.




It was posted few pages back. IIRC about 500mW through balanced.


----------



## Sonic Defender

cthomas said:


> It was posted few pages back. IIRC about 500mW through balanced.


 
 Well that is good news, so likely about half that from SE. That is respectable power for a DAP. I'm at this point more curious about the MDR-Z1R. Hopefully it will improve on the Z7s sub bass performance which did leave a little on the table considering they had a 70mm driver to work with.


----------



## purk

nanaholic said:


> I suspect that a lot of HQ streaming is done at home/office/cafe over WiFi in the US, hence the outcry about the lack of WiFi.
> 
> However in Japan and Asia people rarely stay at home (they work too long), free WiFi is so uncommon in Japan that the government is worried about how it will affect tourists coming for the Olympic, and using office resources for private use is a huge cultural no-no in Japan (companies won't even let workers charge their phones using USB and often deal punishments for such usages) - which means the actual culture prevents streaming from ever taking taking off.  If you live in a culture like that, your customers' demand will reflect it - hence the Japanese and Asian market has nearly no demand for streaming, and this is then reflected in the product.
> 
> That, and there's the group that thinks that including a radio chip inside the device sipping power and not "completely off" even in airplane mode could lead to degraded sonic performance.


 
 However, you can easily stream from any wireless hard drive if Wifi network is not available.  I always do that with my ZX2 and Seagate Wireless 2TB portable drive via a stock Sony DLNA app. The app allows streaming of lossless, hirez PCM in exception to DSD audio files.  With this feature, the ZX2 or ZX1 and the old F88X can play your entire music library.  Additionally, it can serve as an excellent digital transport feeding any USB DAC with the optional Sony Walkman BCR-NWH10 dock.  So having a wifi chip can be a deal breaker to a lot of people.
  
 Guys,
  
 Are we sure about the 500 mw per channel @ 32 ohm load?  I couldn't locate that spec any where.  I highly doubt that actually.  Going from 15 mw/channel to 500 mw/channel is pretty insanely good.


----------



## nanaholic

purk said:


> I'm from SE (southeast asia) originally and I can see both side of the coins here.  However, this is a north american headphone forum so the member here will see thing a little bit differently than you are...so maybe you should understand their side of the coin too.  When living space is limited as well as most have to endure long commute on bus/train/public transint, portable listening is more important.  I have been there and done that too.  Cultural reasons?  Do explain.  I hope you will buy the WM1Z to prove your point.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I've lived/studied/worked in both Asia and Western countries and I see both sides of the coin too and is merely explaining it to those who doesn't - hey I'm not the one complaining about the lack of WiFi/Android/Tidal support and say that Sony is crazy for not including these features. Try living in another country where these services aren't offered - you know how long I've waited for things like Netflix to go international and not limited to NA?  It seems to me that it's often the Westerners who takes things for granted and not looking at it from the other side and are crying the loudest when their needs aren't catered to for once.
  
 As you pointed out space is a big issue for why head-fi is more popular in Asia than in Western countries.  If you have a lot of room for your house and with a permitting working culture (ie you actually get to go home when clock strikes 5pm and your private off time is actually respected), then the idea of spending 3000 grand on a portable device is insane - I'd start building a desktop or even a shelf speaker setup instead and buy a nice comfy recliner to put in the study - heck I DID that when I was living in Australia, and at that time I had absolutely NO use for a DAP - let alone a high end one.  But if you start living in a shoebox such as in Japan/other Asian countries and can' afford to disturb your family and neighbours with speakers, and that your room is so tiny that you can't even make space for a table (like in Japan, many people use fold up tables and packs them away for sleep because bed space and work space is one and the same), your normal working hour is 9am to 9pm and you spend 90mins on the train commuting every day, then your option is only going to be some sort of endgame DAP and a nice pair of headphones/IEM.  These kinds of buying decision is completely culturally dictated, and a lot of people that haven't seen the world don't/can't sees it from this angle. 
  
 Again as I said I'm not planning to buy this DAP, I'm merely putting myself in Sony's shoes and explain how the target this product to those who don't "get" how these products are formed and marketed towards their intended audience.


----------



## leylandi

*NW-WM1Z*
 Available colours : Gold
 Chassis : Gold-plated Oxygen-Free Copper Chassis (Purity 99.96%)
 Internal memory : 256GB
 Internal Wiring : 4-wire Braided Cable Engineered with KIMBER KABLE®
 Weight : 455g

*NW-WM1A*
 Available colours : Black
 Chassis : Aluminum Chassis
 Internal memory : 128GB
 Internal Wiring : Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) Cable
 Weight : 267g


----------



## nanaholic

purk said:


> However, you can easily stream from any wireless hard drive if Wifi network is not available.  I always do that with my ZX2 and Seagate Wireless 2TB portable drive via a stock Sony DLNA app. The app allows streaming of lossless, hirez PCM in exception to DSD audio files.  With this feature, the ZX2 or ZX1 and the old F88X can play your entire music library.  Additionally, it can serve as an excellent digital transport feeding any USB DAC with the optional Sony Walkman BCR-NWH10 dock.  So having a wifi chip can be a deal breaker to a lot of people.


 
  
 Too complicated for Japanese people for starters. Japanese people are not very computer literate despite their hi-tech looking surface.  Most people don't even own a PC in Japan, and they actually sell hi-res music on memory cards in certain parts of Asia and other "loading services" (ie someone helps you load music into your device) - healthy enough to support a few publishers/shops. Also why do you think AK makes a CD ripper that rips directly to the DAP?  It actually addresses that segment of people whom aren't PC literate (almost unthinkable today, but you may be surprised how many there are out there). Again - different cultures dictates different needs and thus different features.
  
 I get streaming is a feature to US/Western market, but it's not really a feature in Asia.  Again there are people who thinks that yet another radio chip sitting inside the device can cause interference. It's all about different perspectives and which market they are targeting, and perhaps that they aren't targeting the Western market as much this time around.


----------



## purk

Actually, I think their target is the best sound possible in a DAP hence the omission of wifi as well Andriod.  More space means more room for bigger and more advance amplifier module.  I can't wait to get the WM1A actually.


----------



## Zakalwe

fish1050 said:


> Thanks for reminding me of another reason for not buying a super expensive DAP.  At that price the unit should come with a user replaceable battery or at least one free battery replacement. This whole battery replacement scam has become a nice source of revenue for manufacturers.  Charge for an extended warranty and hope the user forgets or the battery will die or get low enough to need replacing outside of the warranty. Recycle the old one, buy a new one and repeat.
> 
> In my opinion never buy anything expensive that has a non user replaceable battery.




Hmm, good point, and an ugly truth. Devices like these new Walkmans are priced and built(?) like future heirlooms, except for their achilles heel, the battery. To some degree that may even be ok - other expensive items like luxury watches or cars require regular service, too, where worn-out parts get replaced. If Sony provides that service at a reasonable cost for years to come, then I can live with that, even though I would prefer a user-replaceable bttery. But do we know they will?


----------



## purk

I hope Sony will step up and provide a battery replacement service for their high price DAPs too.  Of course, I'm not holding my breath.


----------



## audionewbi

@nanaholic First thanks alot for such insightful post. It really helps to educate us in terms of understanding where sony' thinking come from.
  
 I too belong to the Japanese way of life. While I am not Japanese nor do I belong to the same real-estate restriction however my lifestyle and how I listen to music forced me to be portable. I prefer for instance to listen to music in my balcony or if the moment is right I probably just get up in my home cloth and go for a walk. So while the more rational part of me tells me to look into the sonys new headphone and dac/amp but their higher end DAP is more suitable for me. 
  
 Thanks for your insightful post, learning about other cultures is always helpful.


----------



## nanaholic

http://www.phileweb.com/interview/article/201609/02/393.html
  
 Phileweb's impression and long interview on the development process of the WM1 series.  Point of note:
 * confirmed 60mW+60mW SE and 250mW+250mW balanced output - yes they aimed to eliminate the use of portable external amps.
 * because of the power it drives the 64ohm MDR-Z1R with ease
 * They pointed out in the article that yes Japan and Asia market is where portable players are the most popular - just as I've said
 * Compared to ZX series, WM series will aim for a more "analog(sic)" sounding tune - apparently that means less sharp/piercing and a more pleasant sound signature
 * They've had many users complain that they find Android useless on a DAP (HA!) - the interface too complicated and unresponsive, they have no need for installing apps and would rather the DAP be a pure DAP - so that's what they did
 * Not using Android lead to improved battery life - so even with the much more powerful amp module they still get 40hrs of 24bit/96kHz hi-res file playback


----------



## purk

nanaholic said:


> http://www.phileweb.com/interview/article/201609/02/393.html
> 
> Phileweb's impression and long interview on the development process of the WM1 series.  Point of note:
> * confirmed 60mW+60mW SE and 250mW+250mW balanced output - yes they aimed to eliminate the use of portable external amps.
> ...


 
 Thanks for confirming that.  250 mW / channel is indeed very impressive.  This has become a must buy now.  The WM1A for me now.  Wonder if it can come close to the PHA3?


----------



## Mimouille

I made a reservation to supposedly try it in Beijing Sunday...if I can make it, I will bring my SD card and SE5 Ultimate.


----------



## audionewbi

mimouille said:


> I made a reservation to supposedly try it in Beijing Sunday...if I can make it, I will bring my SD card and SE5 Ultimate.


 
 Can you also take your KSE1500 please?


----------



## Whitigir

cthomas said:


> It was posted few pages back. IIRC about 500mW through balanced.




Nvm, so if this is the confirmed number. It is almost as powerful as Pha-3....dang!


----------



## purk

whitigir said:


> Nvm, so if this is the confirmed number. It is almost as powerful as Pha-3....dang!


 
 250 mW per channel in balance mode dude.  That's great actually!


----------



## Whitigir

purk said:


> 250 mW per channel in balance mode dude.  That's great actually!




Man, Sony is killing me. You know I am a fan of easy to drive headphones. This is my wallet wailing to me. Now, would the new Walkman work as External DAC from a computer as well ? I need this confirmed....I can not read Japanese lol


----------



## purk

whitigir said:


> Man, Sony is killing me. You know I am a fan of easy to drive headphones. This is my wallet wailing to me. Now, would the new Walkman work as External DAC from a computer as well ? I need this confirmed....I can not read Japanese lol




You are day dreaming again on a DAC feature. S-Master pro doesn't have an analog output stage...how can it act as a DAC. You are dropping a ball here!


----------



## Mimouille

audionewbi said:


> Can you also take your KSE1500 please?


 
 Difficult..


----------



## Whitigir

purk said:


> You are day dreaming again on a DAC feature. S-Master pro doesn't have an analog output stage...how can it act as a DAC. You are dropping a ball here!




 nice to dream, because $3,200....did anyone see the interview video yet

[VIDEO]https://youtu.be/Y0v4Bx-9DJY[/VIDEO]


----------



## Whitigir

I need a reason..... hard to stay sensible with Sony new gears


----------



## cthomas

Holy crap! Just checked the Australian Sony website. The WM1A is only $1349 here! That's only $1000 USD and $300 less than we got the ZX2 for. Wasn't expecting that haha.

http://www.sony.com.au/electronics/walkman-digital-music-players/t/walkman


----------



## muzic4life

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&persist_app=1&v=NJOolmwYK_4


----------



## muzic4life

WM1A said to be 1k+
WM1Z - copper made with gold plated to be 3k+ (if 2k+ i think i might get one..if it sounds good ofcoz)


----------



## audionewbi

cthomas said:


> Holy crap! Just checked the Australian Sony website. The WM1A is only $1349 here! That's only $1000 USD and $300 less than we got the ZX2 for. Wasn't expecting that haha.
> 
> http://www.sony.com.au/electronics/walkman-digital-music-players/t/walkman


 
 Dont say it too loud, they might change their mind


----------



## cthomas

audionewbi said:


> Dont say it too loud, they might change their mind




Haha yeah, I'll shut up. Seems we get good prices for some Sony items. The PHA-3 has always been cheaper here for some reason. Checked the price of the new headphones, looks like they're cheaper here too. Still considering getting the Elear though they're $1600 here which is overpriced compared to the US $1K.


----------



## cthomas

whitigir said:


> Man, Sony is killing me. You know I am a fan of easy to drive headphones. This is my wallet wailing to me. Now, would the new Walkman work as External DAC from a computer as well ? I need this confirmed....I can not read Japanese lol




That would be very awesome! I wouldn't need a PHA-3 then, best of both worlds!


----------



## flinkenick

If I read correct they're going to use a funky 4.4 balanced jack? Did they mention the reasoning for that somewhere?


----------



## nanaholic

flinkenick said:


> If I read correct they're going to use a funky 4.4 balanced jack? Did they mention the reasoning for that somewhere?


 
  
 Short version - it's a better plug.
 Long version - it's a proper defined industry backed standard plug with agreed upon layout/pin outs and was designed for audio purpose alone that is designed to replace both 3.5mm and 2.5mm on audio players to reduce confusion and is capable of doing so on an electronics level. 2.5mm was never a proper balanced audio standard thus with different wiring/pin out depending on vendor (though AK wiring is dominating in the industry currently) and is really too fragile for constant plugging/unplugging of equipment.


----------



## denis1976

The "A" version will have the same output power of the "Z" version? If it has the same zx2 sound signature with more power will be awsome. .


----------



## flinkenick

nanaholic said:


> Short version - it's a better plug.
> Long version - it's a proper defined industry backed standard plug with agreed upon layout/pin outs and was designed for audio purpose alone that is designed to replace both 3.5mm and 2.5mm on audio players to reduce confusion and is capable of doing so on an electronics level. 2.5mm was never a proper balanced audio standard thus with different wiring/pin out depending on vendor (though AK wiring is dominating in the industry currently) and is really too fragile for constant plugging/unplugging of equipment.


 
 Thanks!
  
 So they're kinda saying this is the one, and all other manufacturers should follow in the future? Think the same arguments hold up for the 3.5 trrs vs 2.5, but that doesn't keep manufacturers from using 2.5 in line with AK. Just wish manufacturers would stick with some sort of standard, instead of adding an extra one to the equation :/


----------



## denis1976

whitigir said:


> Nvm, so if this is the confirmed number. It is almost as powerful as Pha-3....dang!


500 mw in the sony is 250mwx2 is not like pawgold 500mw per channel


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

purk said:


> Thanks for confirming that.  250 mW / channel is indeed very impressive.  This has become a must buy now.  The WM1A for me now.  Wonder if it can come close to the PHA3?


 
  
 I'm wondering how much a cable, with 4.4mm balanced, would cost for my Z7 now?  It would be cool if Sony added a new Kimber for that option.  But not holding my breath...
  
 I'm also wondering when cable manufacturers will be able to start offering this termination?  What good is a new "standard" if nobody can support it yet...


----------



## cthomas

denis1976 said:


> 500 mw in the sony is 250mwx2 is not like pawgold 500mw per channel




Sony PHA-3 is only 320mW per channel. So the new Walkman is almost as powerful as the PHA-3 is what he's saying.


----------



## mw7485

whitigir said:


> Man, Sony is killing me. You know I am a fan of easy to drive headphones. This is my wallet wailing to me. Now, would the new Walkman work as External DAC from a computer as well ? I need this confirmed....I can not read Japanese lol


 
 ...very last question in the video several posts back. The answer was initially yes - which was then "clarified" to a fairly resounding no!


----------



## musicday

I must admit that looks really nice professional better then AK line.I don't understand why don't implement OLED screen for a better viewing and battery experience. Also we need to see how this player perform in real life especially the heat problem.Does anyone know about battery capacity and if it can be user replaceable.Lotoo Paw Gold can do up to DSD 128, but Sony can DSD 256.


----------



## musicday

So it is in balanced mode 240 mW x 2 @16 ohm, that mean is 120 mW x 2 @32 ohm, not too powerful.. Won't be able to drive power hungry headphones like Lotoo Paw Gold .


----------



## denis1976

musicday said:


> So it is in balanced mode 240 mW x 2 @16 ohm, that mean is 120 mW x 2 @32 ohm, not too powerful.. Won't be able to drive power hungry headphones like Lotoo Paw Gold .


hello, in the paper 120mw is not much, but after i ear qp1r with 40mw on paper i believe in everything. ..of course is not my pawgold but make the full size phones play very well


----------



## denis1976

And i have a zx2 with 15mw and with iem's they are 15mw with balls man, the sound is very powerfull


----------



## Zakalwe

musicday said:


> I don't understand why don't implement OLED screen for a better viewing and battery experience.




I suppose Sony's decision may very well be driven simply by cost - they don't use OLED in their phones, and they will sell way less of these DAPs in comparison, so sourcing a suitable OLED screen may not be worth it. That being said, the hitherto unsolved OLED-problems of rapid aging and image burn-in are technical drawbacks that I appreciate to see avoided.


----------



## audioxxx

denis1976 said:


> And i have a zx2 with 15mw and with iem's they are 15mw with balls man, the sound is very powerfull




The sound from the zx2 is the most amazing thing I have heard from a DAP, (with iem's for me), how much better can it get seriously will this DAP even make a difference for IEM's? Lol

Try some Solar IEM's with your zx2, it's goto be some the best audio quality ever to have rattled ear drums. IMO




zakalwe said:


> I suppose Sony's decision may very well be driven simply by cost - they don't use OLED in their phones, and they will sell way less of these DAPs in comparison, so sourcing a suitable OLED screen may not be worth it. That being said, the hitherto unsolved OLED-problems of rapid aging and image burn-in are technical drawbacks that I appreciate to see avoided.



 Could have had a ship load of screens from an old cell phone model maybe (it didn't do too well and there's probably boxes of these), either way the screen doesn't stay on for long on my Walkman. So I'm not fussed as long as it's clear to read & colourful..


----------



## CraftyClown

Okay, so supposedly the main things the WM1A has over the ZX2 are native DSD playback and a true balanced output, however was the output on the ZX2 not to all intents and purposes balanced? I understand that technically it wasn't, but was the opinion not that with the TRRS connection it sounded the same?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonic Defenderthe 1A is 60mW per channel and the 1Z is 250mW


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

craftyclown said:


> Okay, so supposedly the main things the WM1A has over the ZX2 are native DSD playback and a true balanced output, however was the output on the ZX2 not to all intents and purposes balanced? I understand that technically it wasn't, but was the opinion not that with the TRRS connection it sounded the same?


 
  
 I think the power output difference will make a greater difference in overall sound more so then "balanced" vs "semi-balanced".  But I also wonder if the noise floor is higher...


----------



## Whitigir

flinkenick said:


> If I read correct they're going to use a funky 4.4 balanced jack? Did they mention the reasoning for that somewhere?




The reasons ? Durability and 5 poles vs 4 poles on the 2.5 or 3.5 TRRS. It is brilliant for sound quality reproduction on a single plug.


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sonic Defenderthe 1A is 60mW per channel and the 1Z is 250mW



Yes but @16 ohm not 32!


----------



## Muse Wanderer

I would be interested in the output impedance of these new DAPs, especially the WM-1A version.
  
 If it has the same ~2ohm output impedance as the ZX-2, with similar sound quality, then it is a winner in my books.
  
 Can't have any lower impedance on my crazy sensitive Campfire Audio Andromedas!


----------



## Whitigir

buttuglyjeff said:


> I think the power output difference will make a greater difference in overall sound more so then "balanced" vs "semi-balanced".  But I also wonder if the noise floor is higher...




If you wonder about noise floor, get anything with ESS Sabres Chip set. Nothing beats it on the market. Sony has Pha-3 with the top DAC 9018S

The newest one is 9038Pro


----------



## CraftyClown

buttuglyjeff said:


> I think the power output difference will make a greater difference in overall sound more so then "balanced" vs "semi-balanced".  But I also wonder if the noise floor is higher...


 

 ​So perhaps an advantage with some harder to drive headphones?
  
 I'll certainly have a listen to the W1MA but unless there's a notable improvement in sound quality I see no real reason to retire my ZX2 quite yet


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

whitigir said:


> If you wonder about noise floor, get anything with ESS Sabres Chip set. Nothing beats it on the market. Sony has Pha-3 with the top DAC 9018S
> 
> The newest one is 9038Pro


 
  
 I'm not worried so much, as just wondering.  I'm a headphone guy, not so much in ear.  But I will enjoy hearing real world impressions, instead of all the speculation here (which I am also guilty of)


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

craftyclown said:


> ​So perhaps an advantage with some harder to drive headphones?
> 
> I'll certainly have a listen to the W1MA but unless there's a notable improvement in sound quality I see no real reason to retire my ZX2 quite yet


 
  
 Good attitude.  Let your ears tell you, and not the folks with grand imaginations (present company included 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)


----------



## denis1976

audioxxx said:


> The sound from the zx2 is the most amazing thing I have heard from a DAP, (with iem's for me), how much better can it get seriously will this DAP even make a difference for IEM's? Lol
> 
> Try some Solar IEM's with your zx2, it's goto be some the best audio quality ever to have rattled ear drums. IMO
> Could have had a ship load of screens from an old cell phone model maybe (it didn't do too well and there's probably boxes of these), either way the screen doesn't stay on for long on my Walkman. So I'm not fussed as long as it's clear to read & colourful..


yes the sound of the zx2 with good iem's (ie800 in my case ) is simply fabulous


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > @Sonic Defenderthe 1A is 60mW per channel and the 1Z is 250mW
> ...


 
 Ok okay


----------



## gerelmx1986

Theres an album of the 1Z on the start page of head-fi, I didn't like the color for sure and well the port and strap hole are mismatched color, e.g. Black


----------



## audioxxx

denis1976 said:


> yes the sound of the zx2 with good iem's (ie800 in my case ) is simply fabulous



We need someone who has the zx2 and IEM's to do some comparison's, because I have no need for power for my tiny BA driver's.


----------



## musicday

So the USB charging takes 7 hours,must be a big battery inside.Wonder why they didn't use a 12 V charger instead like Lotoo did.


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> So the USB charging takes 7 hours,must be a big battery inside.Wonder why they didn't use a 12 V charger instead like Lotoo did.


 
 or you can leave it charging over night while you sleep


----------



## nanaholic

flinkenick said:


> Thanks!
> 
> So they're kinda saying this is the one, and all other manufacturers should follow in the future? Think the same arguments hold up for the 3.5 trrs vs 2.5, but that doesn't keep manufacturers from using 2.5 in line with AK. Just wish manufacturers would stick with some sort of standard, instead of adding an extra one to the equation :/


 
  
 Both 3.5 TRRS and 2.5 TRRS was developed for mobile phone usage (the extra pole for microphone line) and was reverse hacked back into balanced audio, the argument isn't exactly the same.  Plus with only 4 poles 3.5mm TRRS for balance will never work because it would cause many confusion when people plug in a non-balance cable and nothing happens.  
  
 4.4mm TRRRS is adopted by JEITA as a proper standard in Japan and the Japanese manufacturers all agreed to the standard, so at the very least Japanese products will use it and you'll see many products soon.  Sony's merely leading the charge.


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > So the USB charging takes 7 hours,must be a big battery inside.Wonder why they didn't use a 12 V charger instead like Lotoo did.
> ...



Also being slow charging may preserve the battery life span.
Viva la Mexico.Suerte.


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sonic Defenderthe 1A is 60mW per channel and the 1Z is 250mW




I think 60mW is the rating output of Single Ended, and 250mW is balanced . Substantial increase from Zx2 15mW


----------



## nanaholic

musicday said:


> Also being slow charging may preserve the battery life span.
> Viva la Mexico.Suerte.


 
  
 It also is able to playback 24bit/96kHz hi-res FLACs for 30 hours+, you won't be charging this thing nearly as often as most DAPs too, that's a huge feature.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> It also is able to playback 24bit/96kHz hi-res FLACs for 30 hours+, you won't be charging this thing nearly as often as most DAPs too, that's a huge feature.




That is twice longer than Zx2  . When you think they can not make it better....you get hooked back into the game


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lets clarify something.
  
 BOTH WM1Z and WM1A Have the NEW S-MASTER HX
  
 the A30 seris has the original S-master HX -- assume same included in ZX2 / ZX100


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > @Sonic Defenderthe 1A is 60mW per channel and the 1Z is 250mW
> ...


 

 Yes i also noted that is 4 times and 16 times the power of ZX2 and zx100


----------



## fish1050

jalo said:


> I have lossless (FLAC and WAV) for many years until recently (2 Years) I started to acquire and listen to DSD.  The thing in audio is if you are only testing/auditioning different audio formats regardless of the quality of equipment, you may not notice the difference but not because there is none.  The rationale is the same that people do not usually draw conclusion on equipment base on show audition and sometimes many reputable headfiers on these forum do not even draw any conclusion until they have owned or used a piece of equipment for a few months.  After couple of years of listening to DSD format, I can appreciate the improvement over FLAC and WAV.  The quality of recording is usually much better with DSD.  However, I am not saying redbook is always inferior to higher formats.  For instance, the Chord platform (DAVE, Hugo) can do redbook very well. All I can say is DSD can render a level of realism that is sometimes hard for standard format to achieve.


 
 Yeah I can buy that and on really good home system with terabytes of storage available it might be worth it.  But on portable DAP the differences would be subtler and with the limited storage space it is really to impractical given the file sizes.  If I was still in my 30's I would probably invest the time and money but at my age now it would be pointless.  I am happy with 16 bit flac and it is a much better format for portable audio, at least to me


----------



## fish1050

jalo said:


> I have lossless (FLAC and WAV) for many years until recently (2 Years) I started to acquire and listen to DSD.  The thing in audio is if you are only testing/auditioning different audio formats regardless of the quality of equipment, you may not notice the difference but not because there is none.  The rationale is the same that people do not usually draw conclusion on equipment base on show audition and sometimes many reputable headfiers on these forum do not even draw any conclusion until they have owned or used a piece of equipment for a few months.  After couple of years of listening to DSD format, I can appreciate the improvement over FLAC and WAV.  The quality of recording is usually much better with DSD.  However, I am not saying redbook is always inferior to higher formats.  For instance, the Chord platform (DAVE, Hugo) can do redbook very well. All I can say is DSD can render a level of realism that is sometimes hard for standard format to achieve.


 
 Yeah I can buy that and on really good home system with terabytes of storage available it might be worth it.  But on portable DAP the differences would be subtler and with the limited storage space it is really to impractical given the file sizes.  If I was still in my 30's I would probably invest the time and money but at my age now it would be pointless.  I am happy with 16 bit flac and it is a much better format for portable audio, at least to me


gearofwar said:


> I sold my zx2 last year, sorry....My onkyo beat it ....not going back. Even Mojo got sold (Check my profile)


 
 I can believe that and I have heard the Pioneer XDP-100R which is of course a slightly scaled back in features Onkyo (same company now).  If I was in the market to upgrade right now it would be the Pioneer.  I am not really into streaming audio so it might be overkill for me but it is an awesome DAP for the money


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> One thing I admire from Pono engineers is the way how they implemented balanced with dual 3.5mm TRS sockets , just liked the brilliant idea of using it as balanced or as share your music with another person.
> 
> why sony????? why you had to come with the "brilliant" idea of a new plug LOL


 
 The truth is on most consumer electronics (high end DAP's exclluded) is the profit margins are pretty small.  Manufacturers make alot more profit on accessories and having a proprietary cable means Sony gets guaranteed business when people lose them.  Of course now you can buy oem cables from other makers for a quarter the price


----------



## fish1050

nanaholic said:


> I suspect that a lot of HQ streaming is done at home/office/cafe over WiFi in the US, hence the outcry about the lack of WiFi.
> 
> However in Japan and Asia people rarely stay at home (they work too long), free WiFi is so uncommon in Japan that the government is worried about how it will affect tourists coming for the Olympic, and using office resources for private use is a huge cultural no-no in Japan (companies won't even let workers charge their phones using USB and often deal punishments for such usages) - which means the actual culture prevents streaming from ever taking taking off.  If you live in a culture like that, your customers' demand will reflect it - hence the Japanese and Asian market has nearly no demand for streaming, and this is then reflected in the product.
> 
> That, and there's the group that thinks that including a radio chip inside the device sipping power and not "completely off" even in airplane mode could lead to degraded sonic performance.


 
 I certainly understand that but given it is popular in parts of the world does it not make sense to make a world version with wifi and streaming to take advantage of those markets.  Sony use to be huge in North America and now they are an afterthought because they abandoned this market when it comes to DAP's at least.  The ZX100 and A20 series were just released in the US a couple of months ago and still not for sale in Canada.


----------



## fish1050

purk said:


> I'm from SE (southeast asia) originally and I can see both side of the coins here.  However, this is a north american headphone forum so the member here will see thing a little bit differently than you are...so maybe you should understand their side of the coin too.  When living space is limited as well as most have to endure long commute on bus/train/public transint, portable listening is more important.  I have been there and done that too.  Cultural reasons?  Do explain.  I hope you will buy the WM1Z to prove your point.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 There is a difference between not being the centre of the world and being ignored all together.  Apple and Dell are American companies but they certainly don't treat Asians like second class citizens so why should Sony treat us that way.  North Americans have disposable income so why would Sony not want to earn some of it?


----------



## fish1050

zakalwe said:


> Hmm, good point, and an ugly truth. Devices like these new Walkmans are priced and built(?) like future heirlooms, except for their achilles heel, the battery. To some degree that may even be ok - other expensive items like luxury watches or cars require regular service, too, where worn-out parts get replaced. If Sony provides that service at a reasonable cost for years to come, then I can live with that, even though I would prefer a user-replaceable bttery. But do we know they will?


 
 These units are sealed now and the only way to get future service from Sony is to pay for an extended warranty.  The more expensive the DAP the more the warranty costs so figure on $3200.00 DAP plus taxes, and an extended warranty and it now becomes closer to $4000.00
  
 The recommendation is now to replace the batteries when battery life drops below 50% of rated value. So figure on needing to replace the battery in roughly two years depenidng on usage.  DAP's come with a 1 year warranty so do the math.  A 1 year extended warranty could be long enough to cover 1 battery replacement and give you another 2 years at least or longer if you wait until the battery dies


----------



## fish1050

cthomas said:


> Holy crap! Just checked the Australian Sony website. The WM1A is only $1349 here! That's only $1000 USD and $300 less than we got the ZX2 for. Wasn't expecting that haha.
> 
> http://www.sony.com.au/electronics/walkman-digital-music-players/t/walkman


 
 Probably offering lower price now because the attention is high being at the IFA show.  If they get a lot of pre-orders expect the price to go up pretty quick


----------



## gerelmx1986

You can self-service your battery I bet i have seen sony glue is not strong, so you can peel the elather and then use some UHU Glue to reglue (no, just don't use super glue!)
  
 I´peeled the back of my then X1060, so i assume same applies for zx series and the new signature sound walkmen


----------



## fish1050

musicday said:


> So it is in balanced mode 240 mW x 2 @16 ohm, that mean is 120 mW x 2 @32 ohm, not too powerful.. Won't be able to drive power hungry headphones like Lotoo Paw Gold .


 
 Actually Sony's class D amps are much more efficient than the typical A/B amps found in other DAP's which lose power to heat. That should actually be plenty of power.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sony pages DON'T SAY it is @ 16 Ohm infact nothing about power output, don't knw where they got the figure if 16Ohm power output rating


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> You can self-service your battery I bet i have seen sony glue is not strong, so you can peel the elather and then use some UHU Glue to reglue (no, just don't use super glue!)
> 
> I´peeled the back of my then X1060, so i assume same applies for zx series and the new signature sound walkmen


 
 It is just opening the DAP it is finding a replacement battery with the right specs that will actually fit.  The fit being the biggest issue as these proper size batteries are not sold to the public


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> You can self-service your battery I bet i have seen sony glue is not strong, so you can peel the elather and then use some UHU Glue to reglue (no, just don't use super glue!)
> 
> I´peeled the back of my then X1060, so i assume same applies for zx series and the new signature sound walkmen


 
 To add to that, all Sony DAP's made after 2013 do not have user replaceable batteries anymore.  It was costing Sony to much in lost sales.


----------



## proedros

so anyone here going for the 1Z instead of the 1A ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > You can self-service your battery I bet i have seen sony glue is not strong, so you can peel the elather and then use some UHU Glue to reglue (no, just don't use super glue!)
> ...


 

 well if you have soldering skills....


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> well if you have soldering skills....


 
 I am an electronics engineer and I have the necessary skills but without a battery small enough to fit in battery space in the DAP my skills don't matter.  Theoretically you could wire in the battery internally, notch the case to run the wire outside the case and then strap the larger battery to the back of the unit. Make some kind of a water tight protective casing for the battery and you could have a user replaceable battery.
  
 It would make your DAP look pretty ugly but I guess it would be better than nothing.  I do know some people who have done that on cheaper DAP's.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > well if you have soldering skills....
> ...


 

 Yes or buy these powerbanks and use the supplied USB cable, i have one minipowerbank my previous employer gave me (only has a half charge capability for a decent sized xperia) sufficient to charge one time my ZX100 batt. to full


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes or buy these powerbanks and use the supplied USB cable, i have one minipowerbank my previous employer gave me (only has a half charge capability for a decent sized xperia) sufficient to charge one time my ZX100 batt. to full


 
 True but then you have to carry another device with you which makes the DAP less portable and get a fraction of the battery life.  I can see myself trying the external battery mod on my A17 once it is out of warranty at least.  The A10/A20 look much easier to open up than the new models.


----------



## Whitigir

I agreed about replacing the battery unit on these flagship Walkman.....


----------



## gerelmx1986

Will these have the dreaded european volume cap? or hope they have a disabable warning LOL, still rethinking wether to buy on my trip to germany or hold it until north america release or risk and import from AJ again


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> Will these have the dreaded european volume cap? or hope they have a disabable warning LOL, still rethinking wether to buy on my trip to germany or hold it until north america release or risk and import from AJ again


 
 No getting away from the European volume cap as it is the law and thus unavoidable.  What is so stupid is if they want to protect children's hearing you can buy special child safe headphones with a volume limiter instead of treating everyone like children.  I bought a pair for my niece when she got her first iPod and they work great.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Will these have the dreaded european volume cap? or hope they have a disabable warning LOL, still rethinking wether to buy on my trip to germany or hold it until north america release or risk and import from AJ again
> ...


 

 Thanks, will test it on Saturn GmbH , and perhaps buy it off amazon.com when released at states side or if i cannot import, typical from amazon US, then i get it from AJ


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Will these have the dreaded european volume cap? or hope they have a disabable warning LOL, still rethinking wether to buy on my trip to germany or hold it until north america release or risk and import from AJ again




Yes, European version will have "CAP" on both Z and A unit. The Japanese engineering team advise to buy the international version or any unit in other market which is Non-Cap.


----------



## proedros

whitigir said:


> *Yes, European version will have "CAP" on both Z and A unit.* The Japanese engineering team advise to buy the international version or any unit in other market which is Non-Cap.


 
  
 never buying again EU cap versions from sony


----------



## Sonic Defender

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Sonic Defenderthe 1A is 60mW per channel and the 1Z is 250mW


 
 Thanks mate, both a significant step up in power. Seems Sony listens to more than those who scream for battery life at the expense of power.


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Will these have the dreaded european volume cap? or hope they have a disabable warning LOL, still rethinking wether to buy on my trip to germany or hold it until north america release or risk and import from AJ again
> ...


 
 Thanks then either USA import or AJ import


----------



## gerelmx1986

sonic defender said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > @Sonic Defenderthe 1A is 60mW per channel and the 1Z is 250mW
> ...


 

 Yup 4 times the dreaded 15mW betetr for lowly (in terms of volume) mastered records of the 60's - 90's


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sony's Take on COMPLY foamies dubbed the "triple comfort erabuds" seem to be silicone mixed with foam material
  

  
 seem to be only included in the new XBA-Nx Lineup though


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks, will test it on Saturn GmbH , and perhaps buy it off amazon.com when released at states side or if i cannot import, typical from amazon US, then i get it from AJ


 
 You could try amazon worldwide, I have found items on that site that will ship to Canada that won't from amazon.com.


----------



## nc8000

fish1050 said:


> No getting away from the European volume cap as it is the law and thus unavoidable.  What is so stupid is if they want to protect children's hearing you can buy special child safe headphones with a volume limiter instead of treating everyone like children.  I bought a pair for my niece when she got her first iPod and they work great.




EU cap regulations are only for the pairing of a device AND it's included headphone. Since Sony does not include a headphone there is no regulation that they have to comply with


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks, will test it on Saturn GmbH , and perhaps buy it off amazon.com when released at states side or if i cannot import, typical from amazon US, then i get it from AJ


 
 If you are going to import maybe try contacting Sony about an extended warranty and see if they will cover for out of country purchase.  I have to say given my warranty experience with Sony Canada I won't import a Sony DAP and if they won't sell them in Canada I will buy something else available locally. Not worth the risk and hassle on an expensive item like a DAP.


----------



## fish1050

nc8000 said:


> EU cap regulations are only for the pairing of a device AND it's included headphone. Since Sony does not include a headphone there is no regulation that they have to comply with


 
 Thanks for the clarification, just another reason to be frustrated with Sony


----------



## purk

I wish Sony would listed the headphone output rating on their website.  I'm hoping for 250 mW per channel in balanced mode.  Man...my dream of owning a be all end all DAP is coming.  I sure wish that I can afford the 3K version.  Actually can, but its just not a sensible purchase since I can get a much better sound coming from a dedicated desktop rig.  I had the Paw Gold on loan and it was pretty impressive as a stand alone portable device.  However, it loose out to the Mojo & PHA-3.  I hope that the WM1A will be as good as the Paw Gold.


----------



## nc8000

fish1050 said:


> Thanks for the clarification, just another reason to be frustrated with Sony




Exactly


----------



## Conext

HA!
  
 So, this will probably effect very few of you, but I thought I'd point it out anyway.
  
 First, it looks like the 1Z can be pre-ordered at Amazon:
  
 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KL958RY?ie=UTF8&tag=sonyelect08-20
  
 Second, is something for those of you who happen to have a Discover card. Depending on what promotions they've offered you for the July-Sep time frame, you may already have a "5% cash back" when making purchases from Amazon.com.
  
 If so, that's effectively $160 dollars off the 1Z, if you buy it through Amazon with a Discover card. Doesn't take much sting out of the price, but it's better than nothing.


----------



## headfi19

nanaholic said:


> I've lived/studied/worked in both Asia and Western countries and I see both sides of the coin too and is merely explaining it to those who doesn't - hey I'm not the one complaining about the lack of WiFi/Android/Tidal support and say that Sony is crazy for not including these features. Try living in another country where these services aren't offered - you know how long I've waited for things like Netflix to go international and not limited to NA?  It seems to me that it's often the Westerners who takes things for granted and not looking at it from the other side and are crying the loudest when their needs aren't catered to for once.
> 
> As you pointed out space is a big issue for why head-fi is more popular in Asia than in Western countries.  If you have a lot of room for your house and with a permitting working culture (ie you actually get to go home when clock strikes 5pm and your private off time is actually respected), then the idea of spending 3000 grand on a portable device is insane - I'd start building a desktop or even a shelf speaker setup instead and buy a nice comfy recliner to put in the study - heck I DID that when I was living in Australia, and at that time I had absolutely NO use for a DAP - let alone a high end one.  But if you start living in a shoebox such as in Japan/other Asian countries and can' afford to disturb your family and neighbours with speakers, and that your room is so tiny that you can't even make space for a table (like in Japan, many people use fold up tables and packs them away for sleep because bed space and work space is one and the same), your normal working hour is 9am to 9pm and you spend 90mins on the train commuting every day, then your option is only going to be some sort of endgame DAP and a nice pair of headphones/IEM.  These kinds of buying decision is completely culturally dictated, and a lot of people that haven't seen the world don't/can't sees it from this angle.
> 
> Again as I said I'm not planning to buy this DAP, I'm merely putting myself in Sony's shoes and explain how the target this product to those who don't "get" how these products are formed and marketed towards their intended audience.


 
 Thanks but Sony fails big time not having far vision of importance of revolving technology period  ,what is the problem with sony to just include a wifi chip that may be helpful to everyone in the world that has access to wifi at least to stream their own collection from wireless portable HD(seagate 2TB) and access internet in a emergency situation ? even though I always use my ZX2 and DP-X1 in airplane mode and once in a while i look for updates of firmware and other apps so my point is sony has to look beyond their own small world otherwise they bury themselves deep and let them learn from Samsung and LG and of course Onkyo,good luck with your way of helping sony to go down to netherworld.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> fish1050 said:
> 
> 
> > No getting away from the European volume cap as it is the law and thus unavoidable.  What is so stupid is if they want to protect children's hearing you can buy special child safe headphones with a volume limiter instead of treating everyone like children.  I bought a pair for my niece when she got her first iPod and they work great.
> ...


 

 So these will sound louder than the A30 which has included earbuds i bet?


----------



## fish1050

conext said:


> HA!
> 
> So, this will probably effect very few of you, but I thought I'd point it out anyway.
> 
> ...


 
 Yeah according to information on the IFA site it is set to be released in October so Sony looks to be doing an early push.  Probably to take advantage of the buzz created by the IFA release and it is already listed with pricing on most Sony sites.  The A30 series is nowhere to be found just yet, probably to avoid taking sales away from the WM-1 DAP's


----------



## musicday

So the model sold in UK will have the volume cap? The only way is to import from Japan? It may cost lots in custom fees.


----------



## fish1050

headfi19 said:


> Thanks but Sony fails big time not having far vision of importance of revolving technology period  ,what is the problem with sony to just include a wifi chip that may be helpful to everyone in the world that has access to wifi at least to stream their own collection from wireless portable HD(seagate 2TB) and access internet in a emergency situation ? even though I always use my ZX2 and DP-X1 in airplane mode and once in a while i look for updates of firmware and other apps so my point is sony has to look beyond their own small world otherwise they bury themselves deep and let them learn from Samsung and LG and of course Onkyo,good luck with your way of helping sony to go down to netherworld.


 
 Sony only seems to care about Asia when it comes to their DAPs. The rest of us seem to be to advanced for Sony to comprehend with our new fangled wifi and streaming audio. You need to look elsewhere if you want current features. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Funny how Pioneer/Onkyo, and Fiio seem to get it but the company that invented portable audio has no clue. Sony will have like 5 different DAP's now, you think they could offer at least one with wifi if not android and streaming audio for their customers not living in Asia.


----------



## Zakalwe

fish1050 said:


> These units are sealed now and the only way to get future service from Sony is to pay for an extended warranty.  The more expensive the DAP the more the warranty costs so figure on $3200.00 DAP plus taxes, and an extended warranty and it now becomes closer to $4000.00
> 
> The recommendation is now to replace the batteries when battery life drops below 50% of rated value. So figure on needing to replace the battery in roughly two years depenidng on usage.  DAP's come with a 1 year warranty so do the math.  A 1 year extended warranty could be long enough to cover 1 battery replacement and give you another 2 years at least or longer if you wait until the battery dies




Hmm, sealed as in completely impossible to open up for repairs? Sony should be able top open them, if necessary by destroying that leather patch and putting on a new one afterwards. I don't see why one would have to have a warranty to get a battery replaced, as long as you are willing to pay for the work and the parts. Apple offers such battery replacements for devices that are many years old. Watch companies will fix watches that are decades out of warranty, as long as you pay. The question is whether Sony offers this, and for how long - if this is yet another proprietary battery size, they may no longer be making them in five or ten years, and NOS batteries will have degraded just by aging.

Wel, usually some cottage industry arises that allows you to keep your old gear working, but that should not be necessary if the manufacturer did their job.


----------



## leylandi

Buraya yazin lan


----------



## musicday

Yes will be great to know more about the battery inside,in case one is concerned.As for me i do not want to update every year and worry about battery life.The more often you charge the player the less battery life span.
Bigger battery= longer playback time= longer life for the battery.


----------



## fish1050

zakalwe said:


> Hmm, sealed as in completely impossible to open up for repairs? Sony should be able top open them, if necessary by destroying that leather patch and putting on a new one afterwards. I don't see why one would have to have a warranty to get a battery replaced, as long as you are willing to pay for the work and the parts. Apple offers such battery replacements for devices that are many years old. Watch companies will fix watches that are decades out of warranty, as long as you pay. The question is whether Sony offers this, and for how long - if this is yet another proprietary battery size, they may no longer be making them in five or ten years, and NOS batteries will have degraded just by aging.
> 
> Wel, usually some cottage industry arises that allows you to keep your old gear working, but that should not be necessary if the manufacturer did their job.


 
 Sure you can get out of service repairs including battery replacement but it will cost alot more than an extended warranty will.  Shipping alone will cost more than the extended warranty. Also typically with an extended warranty you will get a newer replacement unit as it is cheaper to ship a replacement than to pay someone to replace the battery.  Turn around time is much faster, mine was only 9 days.  My unit was 20 months old and kind of beat up and I got what looks like a new unit back in perfect condition. 
  
 With out of service warranty they will typically ship your unit oversees as it is to expensive to maintain service departments in every country. You of course will pay for everything and you will have to wait alot longer to get your unit back. Out of service repair for something like a battery replacement could cost you more than a 4 year extended warranty.  I think for my A17 it would have been like $85.00 including AHD coverage which covers accidental drop damage.  I was lucky and I got the 1 year extended warranty free.but I would have paid for it otherwise.
  
 The worst part is you have no idea what you are actually being charged for outside of the initial shipping.  With an extended warranty you get the piece of mind of not having to worry about it.


----------



## purk

I would think twice about importing the WM1A or WM1Z from Japan as the menu language will be Japanese only.  This is the case for the old A847, A867, as well as the ZX100JP.  Of course, if you can get your hand on an international version then English language should be one of the language option.  I would looking to buy the unit from HK than Japan.


----------



## Sonic Defender

@fish1050, I tend to agree with you where extended warranty is concerned. If it is a device you see yourself keeping for at least the full term covered by the extended warranty, and the plan isn't absolutely stupidly over-priced it makes sense. The cost of service can be very high so protection is important.


----------



## bmichels

NO internet streaming = NO NO for me ! 
   
 Come on Sony, Streaming is the future to discover new music (and then you still can download the one you really like to store for off-line playing )﻿


----------



## Sonic Defender

purk said:


> I would think twice about importing the WM1A or WM1Z from Japan as the menu language will be Japanese only.  This is the case for the old A847, A867, as well as the ZX100JP.  Of course, if you can get your hand on an international version then English language should be one of the language option.  I would looking to buy the unit from HK than Japan.


 
 I wonder if that is a concern anymore? Don't you think the DAPs will have full language support and the user simply selects their language?


----------



## fish1050

musicday said:


> Yes will be great to know more about the battery inside,in case one is concerned.As for me i do not want to update every year and worry about battery life.The more often you charge the player the less battery life span.
> Bigger battery= longer playback time= longer life for the battery.


 
 Especially since Sony recommends replacing the battery at 50% battery life.  It took my A17 less than two years to get to about 50%.


----------



## emrelights1973

nc8000 said:


> EU cap regulations are only for the pairing of a device AND it's included headphone. Since Sony does not include a headphone there is no regulation that they have to comply with



The part I don't get is which day have a volume cap other than Sony? They all sold in Europe! Anyone? So what the screw is wrong with Sony?


----------



## nc8000

emrelights1973 said:


> The part I don't get is which day have a volume cap other than Sony? They all sold in Europe! Anyone? So what the screw is wrong with Sony?




Yes Sony seems to be the only one with a volume cap. I have no idea why they do it


----------



## proedros

purk said:


> *I would think twice about importing the WM1A or WM1Z from Japan as the menu language will be Japanese only.  This is the case for the old A847, A867, as well as the ZX100JP. * Of course, if you can get your hand on an international version then English language should be one of the language option.  I would looking to buy the unit from HK than Japan.


 
  
  
 ZX2 has English menu.


----------



## gearofwar

purk said:


> I would think twice about importing the WM1A or WM1Z from Japan as the menu language will be Japanese only.  This is the case for the old A847, A867, as well as the ZX100JP.  Of course, if you can get your hand on an international version then English language should be one of the language option.  I would looking to buy the unit from HK than Japan.


 
 eh....my ZX2 was imported from Japan...and it's in English ... and it has no vol cap bs...and it's cheaper.....Warranty? wouldn't mind sending it back to the one who sold it to me for repair....done a couple of times with HDP R10.


----------



## fish1050

sonic defender said:


> I wonder if that is a concern anymore? Don't you think the DAPs will have full language support and the user simply selects their language?


 
 My A17 only came with english so no that isn't the case at all.  I actually remember a sales rep telling me they don't like to do it because it helps prevent units for one market being shipped to another country by a third party for black market sales.  Prices are typically much lower in Asia than say Canada so you could buy a bunch of units in Japan where cost is low and then ship to Canada and make a profit after marking it up.


----------



## fish1050

nc8000 said:


> Yes Sony seems to be the only one with a volume cap. I have no idea why they do it


 
 If the previous post is right about volume cap only applying to units shipped with headphones it makes sense.  Some Sony DAP's come with earbuds and Sony doesn't want to have to differentiate between units with volume caps and those without during production so they can choose which units they want to include earbuds with.


----------



## gerelmx1986

zx2 has english menu because it is android OS


----------



## gerelmx1986

some one mentioned to me about amazon worldwide, it is not the .com one?
  
 PS i want to see pictures of the revamped sony OS


----------



## leylandi

Yazin amk yazin


----------



## gerelmx1986

leylandi said:


> Yazin amk yazin


 
 Wie bitte?


----------



## purk

gearofwar said:


> eh....my ZX2 was imported from Japan...and it's in English ... and it has no vol cap bs...and it's cheaper.....Warranty? wouldn't mind sending it back to the one who sold it to me for repair....done a couple of times with HDP R10.


 
  
  


proedros said:


> ZX2 has English menu.


 
  
 B/c it has an Andriod OS.  I think Japanese market also sell the international version but those are tough to come by from what I understand unless you buy it at the Duty-Free shops.


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> some one mentioned to me about amazon worldwide, it is not the .com one?
> 
> PS i want to see pictures of the revamped sony OS


 
 I found it by typing amazon worldwide but you can google amazon global and it is accessed through amazon.com.  You can also type amazon global from amazon.com search. You can use an account setup on amazon.com or in my case amazon.ca to order products.  
  
 If the A30 series has the same OS I watched a youtube video on phileweb.com that show someone using the OS. The video is in Japanese but you can still see the user going through the OS


----------



## gerelmx1986

Thanks fish, definitively the os seems more modern and more streamlined, my wish granted revamped classic os


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sony made some of my wishes come true
  

Decent battery life w/FLAC
Nice power output beyond ****ty 15mW (60mw SE, 240mW balanced)
Nice Build
Revamped OS rather thn the old-school looking one
touch w/buttons like the X1000 series
Retain microSD
Decent memory (128GB fine for me)
some how ffordable price, 1200 euro seem pretty decent (i am not counting the Z price LOL)
Refined Board witht he supercap found in the ZX2, thus refined SQ
Composer search f.e Bach, Moxart, Beethoven etc.


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks fish, definitively the os seems more modern and more streamlined, my wish granted revamped classic os


 
 Your welcome, amazon global is great, I ordered a lamp that was not on amazon.ca and it shipped from The Netherlands with free shipping. It took a couple of weeks to get but is pretty nice and a great price.


----------



## proedros

fish1050 said:


> Your welcome, *amazon global* is great, I ordered a lamp that was not on amazon.ca and it shipped from The Netherlands with free shipping. It took a couple of weeks to get but is pretty nice and a great price.


 
  
  
 can you explain what this is ? i have an account at both amazon com/co uk , but being in Greece maybe this is helpful ?

 what's its purpose ?
  
 cheers


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> fish1050 said:
> 
> 
> > Your welcome, *amazon global* is great, I ordered a lamp that was not on amazon.ca and it shipped from The Netherlands with free shipping. It took a couple of weeks to get but is pretty nice and a great price.
> ...


 

 yes explain a bit better some doubt remains, i have three on amazon dot com  amazon deutschland and amaon mexico how do i setup my account to be global (I can sign in from the three amazons using my same account email)
  
 that emans my account is already global? the fact under one email i can sign in into three amazons to say so?


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> yes explain a bit better some doubt remains, i have three on amazon dot com  amazon deutschland and amaon mexico how do i setup my account to be global (I can sign in from the three amazons using my same account email)
> 
> that emans my account is already global? the fact under one email i can sign in into three amazons to say so?


 
 When you setup an amazon account on any amazon site you can sign in at amazon.com. Easiest thing to do is go to amazon.com not to any other amazon site. If prompted to go to your country site or amazon.com choose amazon.com
  
 If you type amazon global into the search you will get a drop down of search results. Choose *amazon global international shipping, * Once you are there you log into your amazon account from the same menu.  Any items that amazon ships internationally can be ordered from here.
  
 It has been a few months since I used it but it should be the same process.


----------



## Leviticus

What do the WM1 Walkmen actually sound like? I think that is the most important question hardly anyone dares to ask.


----------



## audionewbi

leviticus said:


> What do the WM1 Walkmen actually sound like? I think that is the most important question hardly anyone dares to ask.


Sure we can ask but how can anyone know ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

leviticus said:


> What do the WM1 Walkmen actually sound like? I think that is the most important question hardly anyone dares to ask.


 

 ask Jude the owner of head-fi, he has demoed it i think
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 , *he posted a video of the UI, some one using it*


----------



## Sonic Defender

audionewbi said:


> Sure we can ask but how can anyone know ?


 
 For sure, nowhere near enough users to give feedback yet. Once enough of the deep-pocket first adopters chime in we can get an idea as compared to say the ZX2 which I assume is the ruler many Sony fans will measure with.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I won't be first-adopting anymore


----------



## Whitigir

Send me a unit and i will compare for you guys


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

There are no production models in the wild correct?


----------



## Sonic Defender

gerelmx1986 said:


> I won't be first-adopting anymore


 
 May I ask why? Price, features or something else?


----------



## Jalo

48 pages and not a single sound impression.  There should be people attending IFA or auditions from Jaben stores in Asia.


----------



## nc8000

Maybe there are no units in the wild yet


----------



## audionewbi

If unit is preproduction unit the manufacturer normally place impression restrictions on those who hold it.


----------



## Whitigir

Alright, so this new desktop 
TA-ZH1ES

It is using AKM DAC inside

Look closely at the picture 

http://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/audio-components/ta-zh1es


----------



## gerelmx1986

sonic defender said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I won't be first-adopting anymore
> ...


 
 LOL, bad experiences, cough ZX100 Cough, had to take it to servicing, so to say, I will wait for the first batches to roll out LOL and wait for the first users to report errors, faults (schadenfreude)


----------



## fish1050

The 1Z is scheduled for release in October so they have to have units produced to meet that deadline and likely in transit.  I would guess the 1A would come soon after especially if they want to catch Black Friday in the US.  But then again this is Sony so common sense isn't likely at play here


----------



## tenedosian

nc8000 said:


> EU cap regulations are only for the pairing of a device AND it's included headphone. Since Sony does not include a headphone there is no regulation that they have to comply with




So how come EU ZX2 come with no earbuds and volume cap?


----------



## imac2much

whitigir said:


> Alright, so this new desktop
> TA-ZH1ES
> 
> It is using AKM DAC inside
> ...




This is exciting if true! I'm looking to upgrade from my Oppo HA-1 and I've heard good things about AKM DAC chips over the Sabre sound.


----------



## Whitigir

imac2much said:


> This is exciting if true! I'm looking to upgrade from my Oppo HA-1 and I've heard good things about AKM DAC chips over the Sabre sound.




Tell me more about AKM vs ESS  as I am very curious why Sony picked AKM for it top of the tier and first of it kind Desktop Headphone DAC/AMP


----------



## musicdragoon

whitigir said:


> Alright, so this new desktop
> TA-ZH1ES
> 
> It is using AKM DAC inside
> ...




From previous info when S master involved, no separate DAC is required, as S master will directly decode the source digital signal, and in this TA ZH1ES, they implement the S master and DSD remaster engine with a customized FPGA, adding the hybrid amp, I think this headphone amp and DAC is the most intresting product in the signatture series.
By the way, the chord Mojo also used FPGA to implement their own decorder.


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> imac2much said:
> 
> 
> > This is exciting if true! I'm looking to upgrade from my Oppo HA-1 and I've heard good things about AKM DAC chips over the Sabre sound.
> ...


 
  
 LOL no thread for the amp?


----------



## fish1050

tenedosian said:


> So how come EU ZX2 come with no earbuds and volume cap?


 
 Because Sony is clueless and they don't care about their customers outside of Asia. It was probably somehow cheaper just to do them all the same


----------



## nc8000

tenedosian said:


> So how come EU ZX2 come with no earbuds and volume cap?




As far as I know nobody have any idea why they did that. 

All personal music players sold in the EU after February 2013 are expected to have a default sound limit of 85dB.

The user can choose to override the limit so that the sound level can be increased up to maximum 100dB. If the user overrides the limit, warnings about the risks must be repeated every 20 hours of listening time.

These limits however only has any meaning when the impedance and sensetivity of a given headphone is known so therefore the dB level can only be measured for a player with a headphone and not for the player alone.


----------



## cthomas

gerelmx1986 said:


> LOL no thread for the amp?




http://www.head-fi.org/t/818848/the-official-sony-ta-zh1es-hi-res-headphone-amplifier-live-from-ifa-2016

Seems a bit dead though.


----------



## gerelmx1986

wondering if sony head has had the tought of adding a gain switch (low/med/hi) or (lo/hi), the fiio X3 I, I had had a software switch fro gain L/H


----------



## audionewbi

I've noticed one thing which most member seem to be have ignored so far, in the footprint the fine text expresses that native DSD is only possible when balance termination is used. While it is not a big deal for most to me it appears that sony is trying to push the new balance standard by forcing DSD playback only using that method. Unless there is a technical reason behind it, maybe?


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> I've noticed one thing which most member seem to be have ignored so far, in the footprint the fine text expresses that native DSD is only possible when balance termination is used. While it is not a big deal for most to me it appears that sony is trying to push the new balance standard by forcing DSD playback only using that method. Unless there is a technical reason behind it, maybe?


 
 ​
 I think is what you say that sony is trying to force the standard LOL


----------



## fish1050

Lots of good info on new DAPs here http://www.sonystyle.com.cn/products/media_player/nw_wm1a.htm
  
 site is in chinese but you can translate with google translate


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Apple is taking out the headphone jack and Sony has added a newer jack.
At the end who will win? I don't think most companies will mass produce 4.4mm headsets but cater to the lightening port headphones. 
Sony bringing out these expensive players to a format (dsd) that won't ever be mainstream because of its price and size per gb is a risk they are taking in today's economy.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> Lots of good info on new DAPs here http://www.sonystyle.com.cn/products/media_player/nw_wm1a.htm
> 
> site is in chinese but you can translate with google translate


 
  
  
 If google Translator could translate images :-D


----------



## AxelCloris

gerelmx1986 said:


> If google Translator could translate images :-D


 
  
 It can! You just have to use a smartphone.
  
 http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/14/7544919/google-translate-update-real-time-signs-conversations


----------



## echineko

gerelmx1986 said:


> If google Translator could translate images :-D



The majority of the info on that link isn't in images anyway.



audiobreeder said:


> Apple is taking out the headphone jack and Sony has added a newer jack.
> At the end who will win? I don't think most companies will mass produce 4.4mm headsets but cater to the lightening port headphones.



Which audiophile DAPs use the lightning connector today?



audionewbi said:


> I've noticed one thing which most member seem to be have ignored so far, in the footprint the fine text expresses that native DSD is only possible when balance termination is used.



Good catch, I missed that initially. So am I right in assuming it won't matter when using digital output from the new Walkman, DSD will still be processed natively also?


----------



## Mimouille

I don't care about DSD and even less about balance shut in this case the balance out is much more powerful by quite a margin. Only issue is that we don't know when cable makers will have the parts to do these balanced cables.


----------



## audionewbi

mimouille said:


> I don't care about DSD and even less about balance shut in this case the balance out is much more powerful by quite a margin. Only issue is that we don't know when cable makers will have the parts to do these balanced cables.


 
 A Japanese company already produced the plug a while ago, it is already available in market but understandably cable makers dont really care for now. So it is there it is matter of waiting to see if their is going to be a hype. So far it is only talk and it is hype that we need, none of that so far been made.


----------



## audionewbi

echineko said:


> Good catch, I missed that initially. So am I right in assuming it won't matter when using digital output from the new Walkman, DSD will still be processed natively also?


 
 So far only one DAP that does native DSD output, and that is DP-X1. Almost all DAPS out in the market do DSD over PCM. Having said that there isn't many DAC out there which accept Direct DSD. I really dont know if the current sony flagship will allow Direct DSD but DoP should be no issue, even the A30 allows DoP.


----------



## bvng3540

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/canjam-rmaf-2014-showstopper-sonys-proposed-new-industry-standard-headphone-plugs#vdrz3stp9kuK42EY.97
  
 took them 2 years to implemented the new plug


----------



## musicdragoon

gerelmx1986 said:


> wondering if sony head has had the tought of adding a gain switch (low/med/hi) or (lo/hi), the fiio X3 I, I had had a software switch fro gain L/H




http://www.phileweb.com/interview/article/201609/02/393_2.html
From Japan phile web, there is 2 level gain setting within menu, and WM1 can do DSD native out via WM port, but if set as DoP, only can output up to 5.6MHz. Analog line out via WM port is removed.


----------



## Gosod

this player has not yet come to light but the 49 pages of discussion - it's amazing!


----------



## Jalo

audionewbi said:


> So far only one DAP that does native DSD output, and that is DP-X1. Almost all DAPS out in the market do DSD over PCM. Having said that there isn't many DAC out there which accept Direct DSD. I really dont know if the current sony flagship will allow Direct DSD but DoP should be no issue, even the A30 allows DoP.




That is not true. My AK 240SS and AK380cu both can output native DSD up to DSD256 (11.2 MHz).


----------



## Gosod

jalo said:


> That is not true. My AK 240SS and AK380cu both can output native DSD up to DSD256 (11.2 MHz).


 
I can't hear the difference between dsd and conventional flac


----------



## audionewbi

jalo said:


> That is not true. My AK 240SS and AK380cu both can output native DSD up to DSD256 (11.2 MHz).



Methods to have dsd outputted is different. One way is DoP which AK uses which wraps dsd into pcm pockets, however technically it isn't pure dsd as pcm is involved.


----------



## seeteeyou

DoP isn't PCM | PS Audio
 http://www.psaudio.com/pauls-posts/dop-isnt-pcm/
  
 Native DSD versus DOP comparison
 http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/native-direct-stream-digital-versus-dsd-over-pcm-comparison-28488/
  
  
 11.2MHz is only good for analog output on AK380.
  
 Only 5.6MHz on digital output via micro USB as shown below
  
 http://www.iriver.jp/support/file_1256.php


----------



## Jalo

audionewbi said:


> Method of have dsd is outputted is different. One way is DoP which AK uses which wraps dsd into pcm pockets, however technically it isn't pure dsd as pcm is involved.




Please check AK website.

From the AK website AK 320 and AK 300 both use Dop, but AK 380 play back DSD natively up to DSD 256.

Lotoo Paw Gold also support DSD 5.6 playback natively.


----------



## seeteeyou

DoP (5.6MHz) on AK300/AK320/AK380 when we're going for *digital output* via micro USB
  
 http://www.iriver.jp/support/file_1254.php
 http://www.iriver.jp/support/file_1255.php
 http://www.iriver.jp/support/file_1256.php
  


> PCM:384kHz/32bit DoPSD128(5.6MHz/1bit)まで。(2016年7月現在)


 
  
  
 11.2MHz on AK380 for *digital input* via micro USB (USB Audio Class 2.0) and *analog output*.
  
  
 *No* DoP (11.2MHz) for *digital output* via micro USB yet.


----------



## muzic4life

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]I can't hear the difference between dsd and conventional flac[/COLOR]




I can hear the difference easily. Same album. Same song. Flac vs dsd. Eventhou is not really much. Dsd has more weight to it and better layering. Somehow..a little warmer too. But the most signifocant one is the weight of the sound. 

Between Flac16 and Flac24 i hardly spot any difference thou. 

Not all recording these differences easy to notice. Some albums, they almost the same, between flac/wav/dsd. But if i focused to the sound in quite environment, i still can hear the difference. 

Personally, i prefer to use wav/flac16/flac24, eventhou i have about 3.5TB on dsd alone but i seldom copy it into my player.


----------



## Jalo

jalo said:


> That is not true. My AK 240SS and AK380cu both can output native DSD up to DSD256 (11.2 MHz).




@Seeteeyou, you are right I meant to say play back and not output. 380 can playback DSD 256 natively on the player itself. USB output was only recently possible via a firmware upgrade (v1.25).


----------



## cthomas

muzic4life said:


> I can hear the difference easily. Same album. Same song. Flac vs dsd. Eventhou is not really much. Dsd has more weight to it and better layering. Somehow..a little warmer too. But the most signifocant one is the weight of the sound.
> 
> Between Flac16 and Flac24 i hardly spot any difference thou.
> 
> ...




Exactly this. DSD (to me) has much more of a natural/analogue sound. I honestly dont understand how people can't hear the difference. 24/16 bit I seriously can't hear any difference yet 24-192khz is the standard for most Dacs where DSD is made out to be a joke and companies like Schiit won't support it.

But I really don't get why Sony, the people trying to perpetuate DSD don't sell albums in DSD!


----------



## cthomas

muzic4life said:


> I can hear the difference easily. Same album. Same song. Flac vs dsd. Eventhou is not really much. Dsd has more weight to it and better layering. Somehow..a little warmer too. But the most signifocant one is the weight of the sound.
> 
> Between Flac16 and Flac24 i hardly spot any difference thou.
> 
> ...




Exactly this. DSD (to me) has much more of a natural/analogue sound. I honestly dont understand how people can't hear the difference. 24/16 bit I seriously can't hear any difference yet 24-192khz is the standard for most Dacs where DSD is made out to be a joke and companies like Schiit won't support it.

But I really don't get why Sony, the people trying to perpetuate DSD don't sell albums in DSD!


----------



## Whitigir

cthomas said:


> Exactly this. DSD (to me) has much more of a natural/analogue sound. I honestly dont understand how people can't hear the difference. 24/16 bit I seriously can't hear any difference yet 24-192khz is the standard for most Dacs where DSD is made out to be a joke and companies like Schiit won't support it.
> 
> But I really don't get why Sony, the people trying to perpetuate DSD don't sell albums in DSD!




They don't sell album in DSD, they do sell Vinyls, and the turn table which can convert your vinyls to DSD directly storing in your Walkman or computer 

What else can you ask for ? I agree about DSD sounding better. The ability to tell the differences depend on each person, so you can not blame others. The truth is that Sony knows DSD is better, so they are bringing it back to the game


----------



## cthomas

whitigir said:


> They don't sell album in DSD, they do sell Vinyls, and the turn table which can convert your vinyls to DSD directly storing in your Walkman or computer
> 
> What else can you ask for ? I agree about DSD sounding better. The ability to tell the differences depend on each person, so you can not blame others. The truth is that Sony knows DSD is better, so they are bringing it back to the game




Vinyl is fine for speakers but on HP's like my HD800's those crackles become distracting and annoying.


----------



## Sven2015

128 / 256 internal storage is too less for this price! Sorry, 512 GB min., but not 256 GB for 3200 bucks.


----------



## proedros

cthomas said:


> Vinyl is fine for speakers but on HP's like my HD800's *those crackles become distracting and annoying.*


 
  
  
 you obviously have not run into those elite rippers out there that rip for free and make all those 50$ hi-res editions sound like a robbery


----------



## cthomas

proedros said:


> you obviously have not run into those elite rippers out there that rip for free and make all those 50$ hi-res editions sound like a robbery




I don't own any vinyl so there'd be no point. But yeah I have heard a few decent rips out there, i figured it was more the quality of the record player itself.


----------



## proedros

cthomas said:


> *I don't own any vinyl so there'd be no point.* But yeah I have heard a few decent rips out there, i figured it was more the quality of the record player itself.


 
  
 i don't see yur point here - i don't own any vinyl as well , but i have over 1000 vinyl rips in my HD drives which have replaced most of my cd versions in my ZX2 dap
  
 again (and don't take it personally) you obviously have no idea how good a great vinyl rip sounds and how many of these amazing vinyl rips are out there (for the finding) done by people for free
  
 cheers


----------



## cthomas

proedros said:


> i don't see yur point here - i don't own any vinyl as well , but i have over 1000 vinyl rips in my HD drives which have replaced most of my cd versions in my ZX2 dap
> 
> again (and don't take it personally) you obviously have no idea how good a great vinyl rip sounds and how many of these amazing vinyl rips are out there (for the finding) done by people for free
> 
> cheers




I read that too quickly. I thought by elite rippers you meant some kind of software that fixes the popping issue when converting to digital. Didn't realise you meant the people ripping the vinyl. No offence taken, I told you I've heard some good vinyl rips but the majority I come across are poorly ripped. Care to share some good sources?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hope they have fixed the shifty line out low power, hope this time it outputs 1V at least


----------



## seeteeyou

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hope they have fixed the shifty line out low power, hope this time it outputs 1V at least


 
  
 Oh yeah, that's certainly "fixed" for good. LOL
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a/720#post_12835595
  


musicdragoon said:


> http://www.phileweb.com/interview/article/201609/02/393_2.html
> Analog line out via WM port is removed.


----------



## Whitigir

seeteeyou said:


> Oh yeah, that's certainly "fixed" for good. LOL
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a/720#post_12835595




Lol, that means no more analog line out for you from WM port, only digital  ....too much complains, be careful what you wish for


----------



## seeteeyou

Why don't we have a sneak peek at the Crystal Ball?
  
 Brand Spankin' New Features on WM2 Series - BALANCED analog line out @ whopping 4.0V via WM Port.
  
 "I'll be Back," 802.11ac said.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Well no line out but who cares now with this power output


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Well no line out but who cares now with this power output




You will see people complain, doesn't matter what, there is no perfect thing in the world


----------



## Sonic Defender

proedros said:


> i don't see yur point here - i don't own any vinyl as well , but i have over 1000 vinyl rips in my HD drives which have replaced most of my cd versions in my ZX2 dap
> 
> again (and don't take it personally) you obviously have no idea how good a great vinyl rip sounds and how many of these amazing vinyl rips are out there (for the finding) done by people for free
> 
> cheers


 
 Vinyl is far from perfect in any state and offers it's own compromises in sound quality. I grew up with vinyl and my brother to this day maintains a pretty solid vinyl rig (with still a huge chunk of our original collection from the 80s and 90s), but I don't get what all the fuss is about. Sure it can sound wonderful, so can digital, and I have heard some great vinyl rips and yes indeed the quality can be very, very good. Still, for me, given the genuine and significant amount of space and work one must go through to maintain a vinyl rig, the small benefits (if you hear them as benefits at all) for me are not worth it.
  
 So I'm like you, I don't bother with vinyl, but if a good vinyl rip is made available I have no issue including it in my collection either. I'm not sure vinyl ever sounds better in any state, but it certainly sounds great so not ripping on it either. You see what I did there, ripping on it ....


----------



## denis1976

it seems that the volume cap ghost is back...for me is all bull Shi....lets make things clear the zx2 has 15mw does anyone hopes that 15mw could drive power hungry full size cans to its best????does the no volume caped version do that???or the japan version has not 15mw but 150mw???i have a eu zx2 and it drives my ie800 at loud levels at 60% of the volume course...15mw.. I think given the power available we can not ask for more, some people says that the sound level in the japan version is 20% up...but and if the song that you ear in the eu version is 20% less loud in the recording level???


----------



## Sonic Defender

denis1976 said:


> it seems that the volume cap ghost is back...for me is all bull Shi....lets make things clear the zx2 has 15mw does anyone hopes that 15mw could drive power hungry full size cans to its best????does the no volume caped version do that???or the japan version has not 15mw but 150mw???i have a eu zx2 and it drives my ie800 at loud levels at 60% of the volume course...15mw.. I think given the power available we can not ask for more


 
 I don't think anybody thinks they should use power hungry headphones with the DAPs from Sony, but even reasonable enough loads could not reach loud volume levels with quieter masters so forget 70s, 80s and even some 90s material with full sized headphones if your preferred listening levels were around 80-90db. Now a 150mW could go quite a bit further than 15mW and it makes sense to up the power. Not everyone uses IEMs, and even among those who do, some IEMs are harder to drive and the users may still like to use their full sized headphones.
  
 In my mind once you are paying $1000 plus for a DAP, it should provide enough power to be reasonably flexible, and 15mW was just so short of any reasonable position where power was concerned, in my opinion. Obviously it wasn't just my opinion, Sony has provided more power so enough people spoke up and they noticed. Imagine asking people to spend $3000 on a DAP and trying to convince them that their 70ohm headphone wasn't reasonable to expect to use? Good luck selling that argument in this day and age when plenty of portable devices have some hefty power behind them, and sound great.
  
 If I misunderstood your point my apology, and in either case I hope you don't think I'm being harsh. I'm just so happy that it seems Sony expanded the potential customer base (from a power perspective anyway) that I'm always kind of a cheerleader for more power! Cheers.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I never use power hungry headphones due to past experienced I always use I'm or lower impedance ones


----------



## Sonic Defender

gerelmx1986 said:


> I never use power hungry headphones due to past experienced I always use I'm or lower impedance ones


 
 But let me ask, if you had a reasonable to drive full sized headphone that you liked, and you spent over $1000 on a DAP, wouldn't you prefer that it could drive the headphone at least fairly well? I'm not talking ear-splittingly loud, but to me 80db isn't loud, it is very comfortable.


----------



## Rob49

muzic4life said:


> I can hear the difference easily. Same album. Same song. Flac vs dsd. Eventhou is not really much. Dsd has more weight to it and better layering. Somehow..a little warmer too. But the most signifocant one is the weight of the sound.


 
  
 I can too, the difference is exactly as you describe.


----------



## Whitigir

Did somebody missed the idea ? Both 1A and 1Z were made to drive Z1R full side headphones with ease. But to honestly expect portable DAP a small device to have the power of a whole Desktop system is far from realistic. Let's be realistic here, and thank you


----------



## Sonic Defender

rob49 said:


> I can too, the difference is exactly as you describe.


 
 How do you know the DSD version isn't mastered a little louder? That is commonly done with re-masters and the extra volume is typically heard as sounding better, unless it is distorted. I'm just curious and I'm on the fence with the whole DSD debate.


----------



## Whitigir

sonic defender said:


> How do you know the DSD version isn't mastered a little louder? That is commonly done with re-masters and the extra volume is typically heard as sounding better, unless it is distorted. I'm just curious and I'm on the fence with the whole DSD debate.




It is very easy, you use the same DSD file, and you down convert it to PCM, the differences then can be heard.


----------



## Sonic Defender

whitigir said:


> Did somebody missed the idea ? Both 1A and 1Z were made to drive Z1R full side headphones with ease. But to honestly expect portable DAP a small device to have the power of a whole Desktop system is far from realistic. Let's be realistic here, and thank you


 
 I'm not sure if this is addressed at me, I don't think so, but just in case let me be clear, I completely agree with you that a DAP is not a desktop system, and there are limits. I was trying to frame my position in terms of reasonable expectations for a portable device, nothing more, nothing less.


----------



## Sonic Defender

whitigir said:


> It is very easy, you use the same DSD file, and you down convert it to PCM, the differences then can be heard.


 
 That would be interesting, but I don't think the OPs mentioned doing that so I am assuming they didn't.


----------



## Whitigir

sonic defender said:


> I'm not sure if this is addressed at me, I don't think so, but just in case let me be clear, I completely agree with you that a DAP is not a desktop system, and there are limits. I was trying to frame my position in terms of reasonable expectations for a portable device, nothing more, nothing less.




Both 1A/Z will have 250 mW per channel and that should be plenty of power coming from a DAP in comparison to other DAP. Sony had done well, so we have to give them the credit


----------



## Sonic Defender

whitigir said:


> Both 1A/Z will have 250 mW per channel and that should be plenty of power coming from a DAP in comparison to other DAP. Sony had done well, so we have to give them the credit


 
 Yes I know mate, and that is what I was saying, I was praising them for providing the extra power. I thought that my posts were clear? I'll have to be more careful.


----------



## gerelmx1986

sonic defender said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I never use power hungry headphones due to past experienced I always use I'm or lower impedance ones
> ...


yes


----------



## noplsestar

sonic defender said:


> Yes I know mate, and that is what I was saying, I was praising them for providing the extra power. I thought that my posts were clear? I'll have to be more careful.




The new Cowon Plenue S had 3Vrms. That is really good output and drives nearly all power hungry cans. So it seems it does work. 
Can anyone compare the PS with the new Sony conserning that?


----------



## cthomas

sonic defender said:


> How do you know the DSD version isn't mastered a little louder? That is commonly done with re-masters and the extra volume is typically heard as sounding better, unless it is distorted. I'm just curious and I'm on the fence with the whole DSD debate.




There's definitely a difference and it isn't to do with loudness at all. The overall sound is enhanced. As a previous poster described it sounds more weighted. In another term, the recording will sound fuller... Less digital, more analogue. 

I too was on the fence until I heard DSD and it wasn't a case of placebo. Explanation... I use an app called Audirvana on my mac. Hands down this is the best sounding app on Mac for music I've heard, the difference between ALAC in iTunes and ALAC/FLAC in Audirvana is night and day. I then downloaded some DSD files out of curiosity since I'd purchased the uda-1 and played them using the Sony Hi-Res player. Wow! This sounds incredible I thought, now I'll see how good they sound in Audirvana! I was pretty excited... Then I heard the DSD file through Audirvana but it wasn't as good. For a second I thought that this ridiculous Sony app sounded better than Audirvana. This was not the case as flac didn't sound as good in the Sony app. It was all pretty confusing until I realised the uda-1 was only compatible playing DSD using the Sony Hi-Res app and doesn't work with Audirvana. The files will play except it's converted to 32bit 176kHz. 

And that ladies and gentlemen is the story of how I discovered that DSD sounded better. And I wouldn't be using that rubbish Sony app unless I had to.


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

whitigir said:


> You will see people complain, doesn't matter what, there is no perfect thing in the world


 
  
 Well a beefy line out would be nice to send to a nice headphone amp.  But as long as I can send a digital out to my Metrum Musette, I'll be happy...


----------



## Sonic Defender

cthomas said:


> And that ladies and gentlemen is the story of how I discovered that DSD sounded better. And I wouldn't be using that rubbish Sony app unless I had to.


 
 Well, there are still alternative explanations that might explain this, but as I said, I'm on the fence so I have no idea if it is true or not that DSD sounds better. I'm hopeful mind you, why wouldn't we want better sound however we can get it right? Sadly I sold my only true DSD capable DAC the other day (iDSD Micro) so for now I can't really test directly. Thanks for your thoughts.


----------



## cthomas

Yes definitely, better sound should be welcomed. But honestly I think DSD is probably overkill on a dap due to capacity restraints. That and I truly believe it also depends on what headphones are being used. I couldn't tell any significant difference with my TH-X00's or SE846's but could with my HD800's.


----------



## denis1976

sonic defender said:


> I don't think anybody thinks they should use power hungry headphones with the DAPs from Sony, but even reasonable enough loads could not reach loud volume levels with quieter masters so forget 70s, 80s and even some 90s material with full sized headphones if your preferred listening levels were around 80-90db. Now a 150mW could go quite a bit further than 15mW and it makes sense to up the power. Not everyone uses IEMs, and even among those who do, some IEMs are harder to drive and the users may still like to use their full sized headphones.
> 
> In my mind once you are paying $1000 plus for a DAP, it should provide enough power to be reasonably flexible, and 15mW was just so short of any reasonable position where power was concerned, in my opinion. Obviously it wasn't just my opinion, Sony has provided more power so enough people spoke up and they noticed. Imagine asking people to spend $3000 on a DAP and trying to convince them that their 70ohm headphone wasn't reasonable to expect to use? Good luck selling that argument in this day and age when plenty of portable devices have some hefty power behind them, and sound great.
> 
> If I misunderstood your point my apology, and in either case I hope you don't think I'm being harsh. I'm just so happy that it seems Sony expanded the potential customer base (from a power perspective anyway) that I'm always kind of a cheerleader for more power! Cheers.


what i mean with my post is that 15mw caped or not caped is low power, and i think that at least in zx2 the volume cap is a myth and this ghost is arriving to on this new model that nobody has it yet, keep calm. ...


----------



## denis1976

denis1976 said:


> what i mean with my post is that 15mw caped or not caped is low power, and i think that at least in zx2 the volume cap is a myth and this ghost is arriving to on this new model that nobody has it yet, keep calm. ...


but the power is low but the SQ is high


----------



## gerelmx1986

I agree with sonic defender 15mW is too low


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> I agree with sonic defender 15mW is too low


yes is low , but i don't know if you ever heard the zx2 , they are 15mw but sounds (with the right iem's) powerfull


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> yes is low , but i don't know if you ever heard the zx2 , they are 15mw but sounds (with the right iem's) powerfull




It sounds acceptable on easy to drive headphones as Z7 as well, just not really satisfying


----------



## denis1976

whitigir said:


> It sounds acceptable on easy to drive headphones as Z7 as well, just not really satisfying


that's why i' am so excited with this new models, if it plays better than zx2 and with more power ....my God i'am going to sell all my Daps (maybe all less the Paw Gold)


----------



## Sonic Defender

denis1976 said:


> that's why i' am so excited with this new models, if it plays better than zx2 and with more power ....my God i'am going to sell all my Daps (maybe all less the Paw Gold)


 
 I would keep the Paw Gold as well, that sounds like a nice DAP and has lots of power.


----------



## Sonic Defender

denis1976 said:


> yes is low , but i don't know if you ever heard the zx2 , they are 15mw but sounds (with the right iem's) powerfull


 
 Yes mate, but we aren't all using IEMs, so from the headphone perspective 15mW is just not adequate across enough situations and headphones for an expensive DAP. While I know the DAP world is going crazy on pricing anything over $1000US in my mind should still be considered expensive.


----------



## denis1976

sonic defender said:


> I would keep the Paw Gold as well, that sounds like a nice DAP and has lots of power.


yes very nice , is a precision instrument...


----------



## cthomas

denis1976 said:


> yes very nice , is a precision instrument...




Looks like it's from the 80's though.


----------



## Replicant187

cthomas said:


> Looks like it's from the 80's though.




you say that as if it's a bad thing


----------



## proedros

we will probably reach 200 pages here before anyone gets to buy it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 ah SONY , you are such a brain-teaser to all us sick ones


----------



## cthomas

replicant187 said:


> you say that as if it's a bad thing




Not bad if you're living in the 70's


----------



## nc8000

denis1976 said:


> what i mean with my post is that 15mw caped or not caped is low power, and i think that at least in zx2 the volume cap is a myth and this ghost is arriving to on this new model that nobody has it yet, keep calm. ...




The volume cap on the EU ZX2 is certainly no myth or ghost but very real


----------



## proedros

Τhe EU ZX2 volume cap thing, is like having a pornstar wife that only lets you go down on her 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The JPN ZX2 is like getting all the positions you want without worrying (if you use iems at least, never used it with full HP)
  
  
 Hopefully WM1A/Z will have no such problems , but still i would rather buy a non-EU and be at peace


----------



## Sonic Defender

proedros said:


> Τhe EU ZX2 volume cap thing, is like having a pornstar wife that only lets you go down on her


 
 Dude, while funny and I know you're not trying to be offensive, I would remove that comment anyway. Some people will certainly not like it. Just a thought.


----------



## denis1976

nc8000 said:


> The volume cap on the EU ZX2 is certainly no myth or ghost but very real


how do you know ?


----------



## denis1976

cthomas said:


> Looks like it's from the 80's though.


looks from the 80's but sounds better than almost everything from 2016's


----------



## cthomas

denis1976 said:


> looks from the 80's but sounds better than almost everything from 2016's




I'm not debating the sound quality, just saying it's ugly AF.


----------



## denis1976

cthomas said:


> I'm not debating the sound quality, just saying it's ugly AF.


that's subjective


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> that's subjective




Totally agreed. I love how both of them look like , but my wallet disagree. IMO, AK look ugly


----------



## fish1050

DSD To Be Or Not To Be that is the question
  
 As someone who has been around long enough to hear and see every format and every piece of audio equipment invented including reel to reel and 8 Track let me say this.
  
 Everything has its place,  there is a place for DSD and that is on a home system where power and storage isn't an issue.  It hasn't been largely supported on portable devices because the files sizes are to big and it seriously affects battery life.  I noticed playing DSD files on the 1Z drops the battery life to around 11 hours.  Not great but doable on a DAP with over 30 hours of battery life.  But on most other DAP's including the A&K's that have much shorter battery life DSD takes the battery and runs it down to almost nothing.  That is why most DAP makers have not supported DSD including Sony until recently and it is their own format.  Until recently most DAP's didn't have powerful enough processing to handle DSD. Sony introduced DSD before the advent of portable audio. It was never intended to be a portable audio format.  So trying to force real world adoption of a format not intended for portable audio onto a portable audio device to me is just silly.  That is why FLAC and other lossless formats were created to provide the best high quality audio experience on a PORTABLE device with a battery.
  
 So instead of lamenting the state of DSD support on a DAP create a proper home setup to listen to your DSD audio where it was intended to be heard.  Banging your head against the wall and demanding better DSD support on a device not designed to use it is a pointless exercise.  Forcing manufacturers to try and support DSD is contributing to the skyrocketing prices on DAP's among other things.  Instead of providing a reasonableee


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

cthomas said:


> I'm not debating the sound quality, just saying it's ugly AF.


 
  
 I love the shape.  The gold ain't my style, but I'd get past that fast once I put it in a primo leather case...


----------



## fish1050

fish1050 said:


> DSD To Be Or Not To Be that is the question
> 
> As someone who has been around long enough to hear and see every format and every piece of audio equipment invented including reel to reel and 8 Track let me say this.
> 
> ...


 
 Sorry my computer froze before I could finish my previous post but you get the general idea of what I am saying


----------



## gerelmx1986

It is not ugly the black one is sexy, most Chinese daps look ugly and have terrible UI


----------



## nc8000

denis1976 said:


> how do you know ?




Both because my unit comes up with the warning every 20 hours and turns the volume down by itself and because I have tried a EU and a Japan unit side by side


----------



## Whitigir

fish1050 said:


> DSD To Be Or Not To Be that is the question
> 
> As someone who has been around long enough to hear and see every format and every piece of audio equipment invented including reel to reel and 8 Track let me say this.
> 
> ...




I disagree to a degree , I am glad we can have DSD on portable and by Sony. You can always play DSD from your Walkman toward any desktop amp and preamp it into your home large system.

You can listen straight out DSD form Walkman and having it plugged in at the same time, or on the go for 11 hours.

Now the above is a huge success in my eyes, and if anything the new Walkman is worth it to upgrade in my opinion would be :

1/ more power output 60mW single ended and 250mW per channel in balanced
2/ Native DSD by the headphones or the Digital output

I will absolutely upgrade it in the future down the road, but for now, my priority would be the top of the line and first of it kind desktop amp


----------



## proedros

denis1976 said:


> how do you know ?


 
  
  
 i own(ed) both EU(cap)  and JPN (no cap) versions of ZX2 
  
 JPN is 30-40% louder than the EU


----------



## Rei87

As a user in both high end IEMS and headphones, I stand behind sony's decision to deliberately keep the power output on the player low. Seriously, if you wanna play with headphones just strap a portable amp to the back. Player alone for the relatively lower impedence iems, and add an amp when you want to use your cans on the go. Trying to do both will just end up compromising sound quality on both ends, something which a player of this caliber should not be doing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

For me is good to have plenty of power so no other equipment in the chain


----------



## musicday

I think we should have only one thread about Sony NW-WM1Z Walkman.
Having two is confusing and hard to follow for many members.
Admin can you do anything about it?
Thank you.


----------



## fish1050

whitigir said:


> I disagree to a degree
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I am not saying you can't do DSD on a portable audio player but it was not intended to be used for portable devices as it predates it.  FLAC and other lossless formats were specifically created for portable audio devices so that is what I will use to get the best out of the experience.  In terms of storage space and battery life FLAC just makes more sense to me.  I am also not referring to the WM-1's specifically but to all DAP's in general.
  
 I do have to say putting DSD support on the A30 series given the limited storage options available makes no sense to me.  
  
 I say to each his own and if DSD on your DAP works for you go for it.  But I don't think it will ever be supported to the extent others seem to want on their portable devices.


----------



## fish1050

musicday said:


> I think we should have only one thread about Sony NW-WM1Z Walkman.
> Having two is confusing and hard to follow for many members.
> Admin can you do anything about it?
> Thank you.


 
 For now maybe users could state at the top of each post the model they are referring to until  the forum gets split for each unit separately


----------



## cthomas

musicday said:


> I think we should have only one thread about Sony NW-WM1Z Walkman.
> Having two is confusing and hard to follow for many members.
> Admin can you do anything about it?
> Thank you.




How is it confusing? They both have same OS, same output power, both function in the same exact way. Just different storage, colour and a few internal bits and materials differ that probably won't make any difference.


----------



## denis1976

nc8000 said:


> Both because my unit comes up with the warning every 20 hours and turns the volume down by itself and because I have tried a EU and a Japan unit side by side


ok , that only proves that you can play for 20 hours without the volume cap, after that warning you can play loud again


----------



## fish1050

cthomas said:


> How is it confusing? They both have same OS, same output power, both function in the same exact way. Just different storage, colour and a few internal bits and materials differ that probably won't make any difference.


 
 Right now it probably isn't but once people have them and start posting their reviews it would be nice to know which unit the are referring to.


----------



## nc8000

denis1976 said:


> ok , that only proves that you can play for 20 hours without the volume cap, after that warning you can play loud again




The EU unit never goes as loud as the Japan unit. There are 2 caps, one at nominally 85 dB and another at 100 dB (whatever those numbers mean when no headphone is there for reference). On EU unit you can never go over the 100 mark and you get bumped back to 85 with a warning every 20 hours. The Japan unit can go beyond the 100 mark. Disabling the sound enhancement app gives more volume at the start of the range so easier to avoid the warning as it relates to how far up the volume control goes.


----------



## proedros

denis1976 said:


> ok , that only proves that you can play for 20 hours without the volume cap, after that warning you can play loud again


 
  
 you are speculating, while at the same time people who owned both tell you how things are

 EU model simply lowers volume from say 80% to 50% every 20 hours , but the total volume output is 30-40% lower than the JPN model
  
 to get an idea again of what we are saying , i used to listen to my EU model on 60-80% of total volume power , when with the jpn model i listen to 30-50%
  
 so once more , EU is 30-40% less powerful loud-wise that the JPN model
  
 cheers


----------



## ahossam

Too bad there is no wifi...no matter how good its sound its mean nothing to me because my music collection is on streaming services, i guess i will stick to mojo + smartphone.


----------



## mw7485

buttuglyjeff said:


> I love the shape.  The gold ain't my style, but I'd get past that fast once I put it in a primo leather case...




There is a titanium grey version that has hardly any bling. One was sold on eBay yesterday. Looks a lot better without the bling IMHO - more like it means business.


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

mw7485 said:


> There is a titanium grey version that has hardly any bling. One was sold on eBay yesterday. Looks a lot better without the bling IMHO - more like it means business.


 
  
 Oh I know, and its also 1/3 the price.  Its the only one I could swing anyways...


----------



## Gosod

what they say about the price?


----------



## gerelmx1986

No new release of the infamous WMC-NWH10? I haven't checked


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

gerelmx1986 said:


> No new release of the infamous WMC-NWH10? I haven't checked


 
  
 Is it needed?
  
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE


----------



## gerelmx1986

ButtUglyJeff said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> Is it needed?
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE


 
 I tought sony had updated that cable with a smaller dongle or with no extra power consumption


----------



## bvng3540

This one can connect to mojo and hugo


----------



## emrelights1973

whitigir said:


> Did somebody missed the idea ? Both 1A and 1Z were made to drive Z1R full side headphones with ease. But to honestly expect portable DAP a small device to have the power of a whole Desktop system is far from realistic. Let's be realistic here, and thank you



Mojo!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Maybe it will drive full size cans like the Z7's (lower Ohmnage)


----------



## jagwap

sonic defender said:


> Vinyl is far from perfect in any state and offers it's own compromises in sound quality. I grew up with vinyl and my brother to this day maintains a pretty solid vinyl rig (with still a huge chunk of our original collection from the 80s and 90s), but I don't get what all the fuss is about. Sure it can sound wonderful, so can digital, and I have heard some great vinyl rips and yes indeed the quality can be very, very good. Still, for me, given the genuine and significant amount of space and work one must go through to maintain a vinyl rig, the small benefits (if you hear them as benefits at all) for me are not worth it.
> 
> So I'm like you, I don't bother with vinyl, but if a good vinyl rip is made available I have no issue including it in my collection either. I'm not sure vinyl ever sounds better in any state, but it certainly sounds great so not ripping on it either. You see what I did there, ripping on it ....


 

 It isn't necessarily that the vinyl format is better, although it has had over a hundred years of fine tuning, it is that the master used to press it is VERY often better.  The music industry has been compressing our favourite music for years: new music and remasters.  Even some SACD, HDtracks and similar are often forced to sell a compressed hi-res master by the misinformed music industry ejits.
  
 http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=radiohead&album=in+rainbows
  
 http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list/year/desc?artist=fleetwood+mac&album=rumours
  
 Shocking state of affairs, but quite often a vinyl rip is the most musically satisfying version available to us mortals who don't have access to the master tapes.  I am hoping MQA will help fix this.


----------



## shockwaver

http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/series/avt/1017915.html


----------



## echineko

Nice! Where were these pics taken, IFA?


----------



## walbum4262

shockwaver said:


>



Looks Like the copper version is slightly bigger


----------



## cthomas

walbum4262 said:


> Looks Like the copper version is slightly bigger




That can happen when you are closer to an object.


----------



## nc8000

walbum4262 said:


> Looks Like the copper version is slightly bigger




It is bigger according to the specs earlier in this thread


----------



## walbum4262

nc8000 said:


> It is bigger according to the specs earlier in this thread



Ah that's right good catchYou have an elephant brain Nc8000


----------



## phonomat

fish1050 said:


> For now maybe users could state at the top of each post the model they are referring to until  the forum gets split for each unit separately


 
  
  


cthomas said:


> How is it confusing? They both have same OS, same output power, both function in the same exact way. Just different storage, colour and a few internal bits and materials differ that probably won't make any difference.


 
  
 I think what was meant (and said, actually) was that it's confusing to have two threads on one topic (this and the "Official" one), which is indeed a bit tiresome.
  


leylandi said:


> Yazin amk yazin oteki konu ezilsin serefsiz herif.


 
  
 Okay, I don't know what it is you're doing there, but since it's fairly safe to assume that most people here don't understand what you're saying, my best guess is that you're trying to communicate with a specific person, in which case you might want to take it to PM. Thanks!


----------



## cthomas

nc8000 said:


> It is bigger according to the specs earlier in this thread




Nope, same physical size, different weight...

Size
Approx. 72.9 x 124.2 x 19.9mm

Weight
Approx. 455g
Approx. 267g

Those are 2 different pics. The 1Z is simply closer to the camera than the 1A in the pic above.

Edit: here's a side by side comparison...


----------



## Malthunder

cthomas said:


> How is it confusing? They both have same OS, same output power, both function in the same exact way. Just different storage, colour and a few internal bits and materials differ that probably won't make any difference.


 
  
 Different OS:
  
NW-WM1Z: Android platform
NW-WM1A: Sony original OS


----------



## cthomas

malthunder said:


> Different OS:
> 
> [COLOR=83838F]NW-WM1Z: [/COLOR][COLOR=83838F]Android platform[/COLOR]
> [COLOR=83838F]NW-WM1A: [/COLOR][COLOR=83838F]Sony original OS[/COLOR]




Well that's strange, does the 1Z have WiFi then?


----------



## denis1976

cthomas said:


> Nope, same physical size, different weight...
> 
> Size
> Approx. 72.9 x 124.2 x 19.9mm
> ...


both will have the same power output?


----------



## cthomas

denis1976 said:


> both will have the same power output?




Yes, according to the specs they will. They're on the first page of this thread.


----------



## Mimouille

Hey guys some impressions and pics from my audition this afternoon.
http://headpie.blogspot.jp/2016/09/sony-signature-series-wm1z-impressions.html?m=1


----------



## riverground

mimouille said:


> Hey guys some impressions and pics from my audition this afternoon.
> http://headpie.blogspot.jp/2016/09/sony-signature-series-wm1z-impressions.html?m=1




Thanks for the very promising first impressions man! Can't wait on trying this out myself. Hopefully soon...


----------



## nc8000

cthomas said:


> Nope, same physical size, different weight...
> 
> Size
> Approx. 72.9 x 124.2 x 19.9mm
> ...




Another post had different dimensions for them which did surprise me. 

Comparison between ZX2 and the new models


----------



## proedros

i have a feeling that SONY will make many wallets cry the next few months 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 as much as i love my ZX2 , i am starting to get the love bug for the 1A
  
 resistance is futile


----------



## ExpatinJapan

mimouille said:


> Hey guys some impressions and pics from my audition this afternoon.
> http://headpie.blogspot.jp/2016/09/sony-signature-series-wm1z-impressions.html?m=1


Nice impressions, thanks


----------



## CraftyClown

mimouille said:


> Hey guys some impressions and pics from my audition this afternoon.
> http://headpie.blogspot.jp/2016/09/sony-signature-series-wm1z-impressions.html?m=1


 

 ​Great first impressions @Mimouille 
  
 ​You've confirmed my worst fears! It's going to sound fantastic and I'm going to HAVE to buy it!


----------



## leylandi

mimouille said:


> Hey guys some impressions and pics from my audition this afternoon.
> http://headpie.blogspot.jp/2016/09/sony-signature-series-wm1z-impressions.html?m=1



Nice


----------



## Mimouille

Take with a punch of salt of course...just had 20mn


----------



## HamsterKing

Nice review headpie


----------



## Mimouille

I would love to hear if June hears it slightly warm or if it was just my hangover. By the way this is no review, just quick impressions.


----------



## audionewbi

The early impression on twitter also suggest a strong bass note presence, in a positive way for both models.


----------



## nico_g

mimouille said:


> Take with a punch of salt of course...just had 20mn


 
  
 Hello Mimouille,
 have you noticed some hiss with your iem ? But maybe it was in a too noisy environment...
 Thanks for your help.


----------



## Mimouille

nico_g said:


> Hello Mimouille,
> have you noticed some hiss with your iem ? But maybe it was in a too noisy environment...
> Thanks for your help.


I haven't but it is not a good indication, because my SE5 Ultimate never hiss whatever the source...


----------



## Whitigir

I hear that the Z is warmer and punchier with excellent quality for jazz instrumentals and acoustic where the A is more neutral


----------



## HamsterKing

mimouille said:


> I would love to hear if June hears it slightly warm or if it was just my hangover. By the way this is no review, just quick impressions.


 oops my bad I meant impression xD


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

nc8000 said:


> It is bigger according to the specs earlier in this thread


 
  
 Bummer, that means they can't share cases then...


----------



## gerelmx1986

if the 1A has no case we can wait for sony releasing it or for a dignis case


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

gerelmx1986 said:


> if the 1A has no case we can wait for sony releasing it or for a dignis case


 
  
 Dignis would be the way to go.  That sweet one Sony sells for the ZX2 costs a mint...


----------



## nc8000

buttuglyjeff said:


> Dignis would be the way to go.  That sweet one Sony sells for the ZX2 costs a mint...




Yes the Sony flip top is very expensive but worth it to me


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> buttuglyjeff said:
> 
> 
> > Dignis would be the way to go.  That sweet one Sony sells for the ZX2 costs a mint...
> ...


 

 ​I think yes especially if you want to avoid a scratch on the screen (hope is glass for this price).
  
 PS: did Minouille review also the 1A?, I think both will sound the same as he described the sound a bit like what I have heard from ZX2 users


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​I think yes especially if you want to avoid a scratch on the screen (hope is glass for this price).
> 
> PS: did Minouille review also the 1A?, I think both will sound the same as he described the sound a bit like what I have heard from ZX2 users


 
  
 He's not a "second tier DAP" kinda guy......


----------



## Mimouille

buttuglyjeff said:


> He's not a "second tier DAP" kinda guy......


Well the problem was more that they only demonstrated the WM1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mimouille said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif





> Well the problem was more that they only demonstrated the WM1Z


 
  
 Did you test the composer serach function if true it has it?


----------



## Mimouille

gerelmx1986 said:


> Did you test the composer serach function if true it has it?


no I didn't sorry.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Did you test the composer serach function if true it has it?
> ...


 
  
 No problem


----------



## leylandi

Devam...


----------



## goody

gerelmx1986 said:


> No problem


 
 which one are you buying gerelmx?..i am still liking my ZX100 i like the look of the A30 Series also


----------



## gerelmx1986

goody said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > No problem
> ...


 
 The NW-WM1A definitely... gold looks too flashy IMHO


----------



## goody

gerelmx1986 said:


> The NW-WM1A definitely... gold looks too flashy IMHO


 
 ok i looking at buying one as well but i will not buy the EU version that i know


----------



## denis1976

goody said:


> ok i looking at buying one as well but i will not buy the EU version that i know


how to do that? Buy a non EU version without customs problems?


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> goody said:
> 
> 
> > ok i looking at buying one as well but i will not buy the EU version that i know
> ...


 
 Well Mexican customs, in my case, are very lax, the just check for drugs or illegal items like f.e porn or hentai


----------



## goody

denis1976 said:


> how to do that? Buy a non EU version without customs problems?


 
 some retailers will mark the value down just send a message when you are about to buy..


----------



## goody

gerelmx1986 said:


> Well Mexican customs, in my case, are very lax, the just check for drugs or illegal items like f.e porn or hentai


 
 lol...hentai!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

goody said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Well Mexican customs, in my case, are very lax, the just check for drugs or illegal items like f.e porn or hentai
> ...


 
 LO​L, I have read stories about it, Customs confiscated my Hentai  LOL LOL or a friend of mine who bought a gym set from china and got it confiscated, never knew why


----------



## denis1976

Well if the Eu is caped and is so advance like the zx2 that knows how many dbs the headphones are playingi will have to buy non EU


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> Well if the Eu is caped and is so advance like the zx2 that knows how many dbs the headphones are playingi will have to buy non EU


 

 ​One question @denis1976 if I am a Mexican travelling to Germany, and order it from AccessoryJack (Honkong based) to my friends house while I am staying there in DE, can I tell the customs I am from mexico to get a bit less tax ?


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​One question @denis1976
> if I am a Mexican travelling to Germany, and order it from AccessoryJack (Honkong based) to my friends house while I am staying there in DE, can I tell the customs I am from mexico to get a bit less tax ?


all i know is that if i order from Japan to Portugal almost sure o pay at least 23% more expenses on customs


----------



## goody

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​One question @denis1976 if I am a Mexican travelling to Germany, and order it from AccessoryJack (Honkong based) to my friends house while I am staying there in DE, can I tell the customs I am from mexico to get a bit less tax ?


 
 No it will not work anything ordered outside EU will incur custom charges ..best way is to try and reduce value so you pay minimal if no customs.. Mexican customs like hentai


----------



## gerelmx1986

if it comes in November, may I get it in mexico to lower risk


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

gerelmx1986 said:


> if it comes in November, may I get it in mexico to lower risk


 
  
 You could mail yourself the packaging, and carry your new DAP home on the plane?


----------



## gerelmx1986

buttuglyjeff said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > if it comes in November, may I get it in mexico to lower risk
> ...


 
 yes great idea, did this with my XBA-H3 back then


----------



## gerelmx1986

Pricing setup in sony US website


----------



## goody

gerelmx1986 said:


> if it comes in November, may I get it in mexico to lower risk


 
 best bet is to get it in mexico EU customs are not Lax at all they are like sniffer dogs when it comes to customs LOL!!


----------



## goody

gerelmx1986 said:


> yes great idea, did this with my XBA-H3 back then


 
 if you order to germany you will still pay customs ..order it to mexico you wont pay like you say ..EU custom will charge you guaranteed


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yes or wait and like a vulture watch amazon Germany for availability , assuming they let me import a non EU one from their marketplace 3rd party sellers


----------



## leylandi

Page 60 coming


----------



## Majid Mute

wm1A vs zx2 which one better overall sound??


----------



## gerelmx1986

majid mute said:


> wm1A vs zx2 which one better overall sound??


 
 still not out so better wait


----------



## gerelmx1986

Just don't drop Gallium into your WM1A


----------



## goody

I am looking to see the diffrence in sound between the ZX100 and 1A .... The ZX100 has wonderful mids and a great bass very nice sound so i am waiting patiently for you sony fans to let me know


----------



## gerelmx1986

Approximate cost of WM1A for me, 11000 more what my ZX100 costed


----------



## Sonyvores

Here's a little video for you guys if you wanna check out the new walkman UI and option features. Sorry too busy to add english caption yet but since UI is set in english, it shouldn't be a major problem


----------



## Whitigir

sonyvores said:


> Here's a little video for you guys if you wanna check out the new walkman UI and option features. Sorry too busy to add english caption yet but since UI is set in english, it shouldn't be a major problem




That was an awesome video, and this new Walkman 1Z is looking so damn awesome!


----------



## audioxxx

whitigir said:


> That was an awesome video, and this new Walkman 1Z is looking so damn awesome!




It sure does look good, I am going to have to demo this Walkman.
I'm thinking does it really make big improvements for us IEM people.(after all we don't really need extra power for tiny IEM's)

It would be nice to have a side by side comparison with the zx2 done, has anyone who has both had a listen, is there obvious improvements?


----------



## gerelmx1986

is that paramtric EQ?


----------



## Whitigir

I am thinking about selling my Zx2+pha3 already ....... Damn it, must resist


----------



## Shure or bust

But is it really better than the zx1 ?


----------



## Whitigir

shure or bust said:


> But is it really better than the zx1 ?




Lol, what kinda question is that ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> shure or bust said:
> 
> 
> > But is it really better than the zx1 ?
> ...


 

 It is better than ZX1 and ZX100 for sure


----------



## gerelmx1986

Saving for wm1a


----------



## gerelmx1986

Don't know why the **** some of you whine for the lack of streaming and android. You shall look the positive side THAT SONY FINALLY LISTENED TO OUR PETITIONS
  

Power
decent battery life
Native DSD (I don't care)
nice intuitive UI
touch screen w/buttons
Composer View
  
 etc etc
  
 To be fair Spotify, beats music (or apple music) offer lower quality files AAC or mp3 at 320 kbps or lower pointeless to use such a powerhouse DAC. and the other side hi-fi streamers like Tidal and qobuz (I buy from this download once keep forever), is fine but in this world there are some countries, like mine f.e, where cellular data or even internet acess can be costly and prohibitive.
  
 I do have my own Library which is prob. 760GB in size so I don't care about streaming for this number one reason and number 2 cellular is expensive here.
  
 At least be thankful that sony added our wishes and broke the 15mW barrier


----------



## Whitigir

Ok, I am just saying 

1/ 250mW per channel for a 550mW in total from a Walkman is freaking insane

2/ 30 hours of playback on high resolution FLAC files , this is untouchable and unbeatable by anything else on the freaking market at the moment right now

3/ 10 hours of playing back Native DSD is freaking unbeatable and untouchable by anything else in the market..

What the hell are you guys complaining about


----------



## Leviticus

whitigir said:


> What the hell are you guys complaining about


 
  
 Ask my wallet...


----------



## nofarewell

gerelmx1986 said:


> Don't know why the **** some of you whine for the lack of streaming and android. You shall look the positive side THAT SONY FINALLY LISTENED TO OUR PETITIONS
> 
> 
> Power
> ...


 


 Totally! I'll try to save for the WM1A.
 I could not catch everything. The WM1A will be with Sony UI, right and the WM1Z will be Android based?
 Because this will make the decision more easier. I guess that brutal quality housing on the WM1Z affects the sound
 spectacularly but hell all the same, I won't have $3200 for it...


----------



## Leviticus

nofarewell said:


> Totally! I'll try to save for the WM1A.
> I could not catch everything. The WM1A will be with Sony UI, right and the WM1Z will be Android based?
> Because this will make the decision more easier. I guess that brutal quality housing on the WM1Z affects the sound
> spectacularly but hell all the same, I won't have $3200 for it...


 
  
 $3300


----------



## gerelmx1986

nofarewell said:


> Totally! I'll try to save for the WM1A.
> I could not catch everything. The WM1A will be with Sony UI, right and the WM1Z will be Android based?
> Because this will make the decision more easier. I guess that brutal quality housing on the WM1Z affects the sound
> spectacularly but hell all the same, I won't have $3200 for it...


 
 Nope, Both will be Sony Walkman OS UI


----------



## audioxxx

Ok the problem with streaming is it was there one moment and working fine on the previous model, and then taken off on the next model. 
 So people that have gotten used to streaming services have now got no options. Which to me is very strange, although I'm sure Sony will have there bizarre logic behind this bold move, I would have thought Wi-Fi is a standard thing in all Sony high end DAP's. I can understand people's problems with this bad decision.(not surprised tho, Sony do backwards things randomly)

For me and my iem's 15mw is fine, any more could be damaging to your long term hearing health (it was very well done on the zx2), although for full sized headphones and full balanced outputs update look very nice.


----------



## fish1050

audioxxx said:


> Ok the problem with streaming is it was there one moment and working fine on the previous model, and then taken off on the next model.
> So people that have gotten used to streaming services have now got no options. Which to me is very strange, although I'm sure Sony will have there bizarre logic behind this bold move, I would have thought Wi-Fi is a standard thing in all Sony high end DAP's. I can understand people's problems with this bad decision.(not surprised tho, Sony do backwards things randomly)
> 
> For me and my iem's 15mw is fine, any more could be damaging to your long term hearing health (it was very well done on the zx2), although for full sized headphones and full balanced outputs update look very nice.


 
 I suspect Sony decided against streaming and wifi because it costs more to add those features and Sony is all about profit.  Besides if Sony puts every feature possible on the first version of the DAP it leaves nothing to add when they release a newer version next year.  It is the inherent problem of working on yearly product cycle.  Especially on a device like a DAP where there are only so many features you can add before it becomes pointless.
  
 I mentioned previously that it costs thousands of dollars to license android features and all android devices have to go through certification.  Sony has no idea how well this DAP will sell so they may not want to invest in the android process until they are sure it will sell enough units.  With the 1A replacing the ZX2 Sony will not have any other DAPs with android so they can't leverage the cost of implementing android over multiple DAP's.  So bottom line it all comes down to cost and profit and if Sony manages to sell the 1Z without wifi and streaming it is a financial win for Sony.  Sony would need to have multiple DAP's with android or none at all to justify the cost.


----------



## harmonix

purk said:


> I have no doubt that it will be better and if you have the fund to go for it, you should.  I just think that the money maybe better spend on a PHA-3 or a home setup.  If you absolute need to have the best portable DAP possible, I'm sure the WM1 will be one of that candidate.  I am speaking from experience that a dedicated desktop system can sound quite a good bit better at the same price point.




A full size system in turn sounds way better than a desktop system. Just different form factors. Ultimately choices due to space, preferences for size and economic resources and time...


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

fish1050 said:


> I suspect Sony decided against streaming and wifi because it costs more to add those features and Sony is all about profit.  Besides if Sony puts every feature possible on the first version of the DAP it leaves nothing to add when they release a newer version next year.  It is the inherent problem of working on yearly product cycle.  Especially on a device like a DAP where there are only so many features you can add before it becomes pointless.
> 
> I mentioned previously that it costs thousands of dollars to license android features and all android devices have to go through certification.  Sony has no idea how well this DAP will sell so they may not want to invest in the android process until they are sure it will sell enough units.  With the 1A replacing the ZX2 Sony will not have any other DAPs with android so they can't leverage the cost of implementing android over multiple DAP's.  So bottom line it all comes down to cost and profit and if Sony manages to sell the 1Z without wifi and streaming it is a financial win for Sony.  Sony would need to have multiple DAP's with android or none at all to justify the cost.


 
  
  
 Not to mention listening to customers beg for Android updates, on a device for audio, and these updates wont even improve the audio experience...


----------



## gerelmx1986

What will be the mW output rating for Normal gain in SE and balanced? I know High gain will be 60mW and 240mW respectively


----------



## audioxxx

fish1050 said:


> I suspect Sony decided against streaming and wifi because it costs more to add those features and Sony is all about profit.  Besides if Sony puts every feature possible on the first version of the DAP it leaves nothing to add when they release a newer version next year.  It is the inherent problem of working on yearly product cycle.  Especially on a device like a DAP where there are only so many features you can add before it becomes pointless.
> 
> I mentioned previously that it costs thousands of dollars to license android features and all android devices have to go through certification.  Sony has no idea how well this DAP will sell so they may not want to invest in the android process until they are sure it will sell enough units.  With the 1A replacing the ZX2 Sony will not have any other DAPs with android so they can't leverage the cost of implementing android over multiple DAP's.  So bottom line it all comes down to cost and profit and if Sony manages to sell the 1Z without wifi and streaming it is a financial win for Sony.  Sony would need to have multiple DAP's with android or none at all to justify the cost.



I agree streaming audio doesn't help Sony sell records, so this will not fit into their business model, and extra costs to comply units could be a problem, although at these extreme prices, Sony wouldn't have to sell to many to recoup costs.
I think without Wi-Fi the 1a isn't really the zx2 replacement, and your right the 2a will indeed have the Wi-Fi as the logical upgrade path.
Just seems backward and short sighted to me.
 Although if the wm1z can outperform the zx2 in a big way and not some side up grade, this will be an interesting DAP that's for sure.


----------



## yakkosmurf

gerelmx1986 said:


> Nope, Both will be Sony Walkman OS UI




Sony's website says the WM1Z is Android OS.


----------



## gerelmx1986

yakkosmurf said:


> >
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
@Sonyvores confirmwd both are sony OS


----------



## yakkosmurf

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Sonyvores
> confirmwd both are sony OS


That would make more sense.


----------



## gerelmx1986

wondering where they buy these little jack plugs to protect your jack doubt there is one for 4.4mm and I have seen thse pluhs for the WM-port socket too


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Too early to say. If you directly plug in an easy to drive iem like xba-z5 it probably will sound 'slightly' different.
But adding balanced cables into the mix, will show some difference.
If you have hard driving iems/headphones, then there will be a significant difference.





shure or bust said:


> But is it really better than the zx1 ?


M


----------



## Rei87

audioxxx said:


> Ok the problem with streaming is it was there one moment and working fine on the previous model, and then taken off on the next model.
> So people that have gotten used to streaming services have now got no options. Which to me is very strange, although I'm sure Sony will have there bizarre logic behind this bold move, I would have thought Wi-Fi is a standard thing in all Sony high end DAP's. I can understand people's problems with this bad decision.(not surprised tho, Sony do backwards things randomly)
> 
> For me and my iem's 15mw is fine, any more could be damaging to your long term hearing health (it was very well done on the zx2), although for full sized headphones and full balanced outputs update look very nice.




The lack of streaming is simply because those people don't fall within their target audience. If you depend on streaming, you shouldn't be using this player


----------



## Whitigir

rei87 said:


> The lack of streaming is simply because those people don't fall within their target audience. If you depend on streaming, you shouldn't be using this player




Finally, somebody is speaking out the "truth". I totally agreed


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yes for streaming options
  
 ZX1
 ZX2
 Fiio X7
 any smartphone strapped to a DAC/Amp


----------



## fish1050

yakkosmurf said:


> Sony's website says the WM1Z is Android OS.


 
 It is possible that Sony was intending to implement android but the 1Z did not pass the google android certification process.  This could have forced Sony to switch to the Sony OS which could be why there seems to be confusion between whether it has android or the Sony OS


----------



## Whitigir

fish1050 said:


> It is possible that Sony was intending to implement android but the 1Z did not pass the google android certification process.  This could have forced Sony to switch to the Sony OS which could be why there seems to be confusion between whether it has android or the Sony OS




It was more likely to be a mistake listing the website . Again, no Android, only Walkman OS


----------



## fish1050

whitigir said:


> It was more likely to be a mistake listing the website
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Here is a crazy idea, Sony could come right out and say why they made the feature choices they did and we could stop speculating.


----------



## gerelmx1986

How good are Samsung EVO micro sd cards?


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> How good are Samsung EVO micro sd cards?




Pretty good, and just like any other cards. The best cards for music gotta come from Sony, but it is only 64 Gb for $185. Now, do u see why 1Z with 256gb cost so much


----------



## emrelights1973

rei87 said:


> The lack of streaming is simply because those people don't fall within their target audience. If you depend on streaming, you shouldn't be using this player



No it is not, i own zx2 and considering to buy new ones because of ability to drive headphones but streaming was a dealbreaker, so they might have misjudge all thing, if all hifi streamers are adding Tidal etc there is a demand for it, storing new albums in 2 minıtes and listen them offline is big but big part of my musical enjoyment, if you are a music fan this is a big plus, bigger than dsd etc! And i have 2TB flac/hi res in my NAS!


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > How good are Samsung EVO micro sd cards?
> ...


 
 Thanks planning on getting one Samsung EVO 256GB for my future WM1A


----------



## headfi19

whitigir said:


> Ok, I am just saying
> 
> 1/ 250mW per channel for a 550mW in total from a Walkman is freaking insane
> 
> ...


 
 remember sony  totally ignored the NA and UE people and now you are crying loud and all on a sudden you became blind and sheepish.Sony since they treated  you( us-Americans and Europians)as trash, so  not to think of them anymore and you all have to boycott them,and not support them  or move to other part of the world.


----------



## nanaholic

emrelights1973 said:


> No it is not, i own zx2 and considering to buy new ones because of ability to drive headphones but streaming was a dealbreaker, so they might have misjudge all thing, if all hifi streamers are adding Tidal etc there is a demand for it, storing new albums in 2 minıtes and listen them offline is big but big part of my musical enjoyment, if you are a music fan this is a big plus, bigger than dsd etc! And i have 2TB flac/hi res in my NAS!


 
  
 They didn't misjudge - streamers are not the target market because Sony's heard feedback from their customers about not wanting Android and the ability to install apps and simply want their DAP to be a straight forward music playing DAP.  Streaming is not a big market for East Asia but that's where the market is most vibrant for flagship DAPs - Sony's merely catering to this segment first.
  
 Another data point - AK players currently don't do tidal/whatever streaming either etc but they are held as the market leader in premium DAPs.  Think about that for a minute and realise that streaming may not be as big as you think it is.  Don't confuse your own needs as the entire need of the market.


----------



## seeteeyou

Actually we could stream Tidal just fine thanks to AK Connect


----------



## emrelights1973

nanaholic said:


> They didn't misjudge - streamers are not the target market because Sony's heard feedback from their customers about not wanting Android and the ability to install apps and simply want their DAP to be a straight forward music playing DAP.  Streaming is not a big market for East Asia but that's where the market is most vibrant for flagship DAPs - Sony's merely catering to this segment first.
> 
> Another data point - AK players currently don't do tidal/whatever streaming either etc but they are held as the market leader in premium DAPs.  Think about that for a minute and realise that streaming may not be as big as you think it is.  Don't confuse your own needs as the entire need of the market.




İ think they did big time, succes of zx2 was also fueled by streaming and AK players will get there soon because they have to and east asia might be big but on any worldwide product laumch you can not or should not discard europe/north america, they are the bigest markets as for per capita income, streaming is the future whatever you like it or not and you dont actually stream with zx2 just store it in your SD so it is not about wifi everywhere. Also as a smat company you can do both with 2 models one offering streaming other not, would you consider zx2 as a unsuccesfull product? Streaming is there to stay, so it is better to be get ready for it unless you are a old nokia user want its phone black and white only, i am sure there is a market that somewhere in the world but you dont see apple launching one!


----------



## fish1050

whitigir said:


> Pretty good, and just like any other cards. The best cards for music gotta come from Sony, but it is only 64 Gb for $185. Now, do u see why 1Z with 256gb cost so much


 
 Actually the Sony microsd cards are are among the most poorly rated and overpriced.  The Samsung EVO microsd cards are the top rated currently but top out at 128 GB for about $60.00 CAN on amazon
  
 Sandisk is right up their with Samsung EVO and the Sandisk Ultra which I use go for $52.99 for 128 GB CAN and $99.00 for 200 GB CAN on amazon.ca.  I have used a 128 GB Sandisk Ultra in my A17 for almost two years with new issues whatsover and both Samsung and Sandisks cards are top rated for read and write speeds.


----------



## nanaholic

emrelights1973 said:


> İ think they did big time, succes of zx2 was also fueled by streaming and AK players will get there soon because they have to and east asia might be big but on any worldwide product laumch you can not or should not discard europe/north america, they are the bigest markets as for per capita income, streaming is the future whatever you like it or not and you dont actually stream with zx2 just store it in your SD so it is not about wifi everywhere. Also as a smat company you can do both with 2 models one offering streaming other not, would you consider zx2 as a unsuccesfull product? Streaming is there to stay, so it is better to be get ready for it unless you are a old nokia user want its phone black and white only, i am sure there is a market that somewhere in the world but you dont see apple launching one!


 
  
 Per capita income doesn't mean the population will buy your product. From the data points it seems that portable Hi-fi is mainly an East Asian thing, so targeting Europe/NA even when they have money doesn't make much business sense, that's like trying to sell eco electric 2 seater city dwellers to the SUV crazed NA market - you've got to pick your market wisely - no product can be completely global with universal appeal.  
  
 Streaming may not be the future - because companies that do streaming are actually really struggling to make profits, they have users but aren't making money, that's not a good sign for the future of the market.  Just like everyone was betting on free ad supported video streaming is going to be the future income revenue about 10 years ago but that actually didn't happen. Sony had specifically said that the feedback of ZX1/2 users is that they don't like Android on it.  So while in the West the ZX2 may have gotten some sales due to Android, Sony's own data says otherwise and that was their choice.  Again since the East Asian market is where DAPs sells the most and Sony's gotten feedback in that way, just maybe consider that streaming may not be as big as you think it is.
  
 FWIW Sony's business is in BOTH streaming and downloads - they run their own music DL site in Japan, and they supply their music to streamers as well. Sony actually has a stake in Spotify of Japan - they "win" either way no matter how the customer chooses yet they still decided not to put in streaming.  I think they actually have more than enough numbers and data points to support their choice here.


----------



## fish1050

emrelights1973 said:


> İ think they did big time, succes of zx2 was also fueled by streaming and AK players will get there soon because they have to and east asia might be big but on any worldwide product laumch you can not or should not discard europe/north america, they are the bigest markets as for per capita income, streaming is the future whatever you like it or not and you dont actually stream with zx2 just store it in your SD so it is not about wifi everywhere. Also as a smat company you can do both with 2 models one offering streaming other not, would you consider zx2 as a unsuccesfull product? Streaming is there to stay, so it is better to be get ready for it unless you are a old nokia user want its phone black and white only, i am sure there is a market that somewhere in the world but you dont see apple launching one!


 
 I agree with this completely and I have tried out the Fiio X7 which has a dual android implementation so you can choose to use it with or without wifi activated. Turning wifi off saves battery life and the interchangeable amp modules are pretty cool.  It is readily available in Toronto for under $800.00 unlike the Sony DAP's which are completely absent right now.  It also happens to sound really good and if I really want a DAP with the option to use wifi the Fiio and the Onkyo/Pioneer DAP's would be the way to go for alot less than Sony's ZX2 and both the new DAP's without android and wifi.  
  
 Onkyo and Pioneer are also the only DAP's currently available that support MQA for HiRes streaming audio.
  
 If Sony thinks that their target customer does not want wifi then they would lose me and pretty much everyone I know including people in the audio sales industry.


----------



## CosmicHolyGhost

I actually really like the fact that this TOTL DAP will not have wifi. I only wish that they could remove bluetooth as well... But its fine....


----------



## fish1050

nanaholic said:


> Per capita income doesn't mean the population will buy your product. From the data points it seems that portable Hi-fi is mainly an East Asian thing, so targeting Europe/NA even when they have money doesn't make much business sense, that's like trying to sell eco electric 2 seater city dwellers to the SUV crazed NA market - you've got to pick your market wisely - no product can be completely global with universal appeal.
> 
> Streaming may not be the future - because companies that do streaming are actually really struggling to make profits, they have users but aren't making money, that's not a good sign for the future of the market.  Just like everyone was betting on free ad supported video streaming is going to be the future income revenue about 10 years ago but that actually didn't happen. Sony had specifically said that the feedback of ZX1/2 users is that they don't like Android on it.  So while in the West the ZX2 may have gotten some sales due to Android, Sony's own data says otherwise and that was their choice.  Again since the East Asian market is where DAPs sells the most and Sony's gotten feedback in that way, just maybe consider that streaming may not be as big as you think it is.
> 
> FWIW Sony's business is in BOTH streaming and downloads - they run their own music DL site in Japan, and they supply their music to streamers as well. Sony actually has a stake in Spotify of Japan - they "win" either way no matter how the customer chooses yet they still decided not to put in streaming.  I think they actually have more than enough numbers and data points to support their choice here.


 
 I have to disagree with that statement at least in Canada as the Sony A17 and ZX2 have sold very well in Canada and in Toronto particularly To the point where stock is often back ordered.  I have alot of friends in Toronto that sell high end audio and they get people in their stores all the time with A17's and ZX2's as well as the A&K and Fiio DAP's. 
  
 Sony looks at Canada with our small population and assume it is not an important market.  But I know for a fact that Canadians buy more high end DAP's per capita than the US does.  But when Sony looks at North America they only see the US and Canada gets the short end of the stick.


----------



## emrelights1973

nanaholic said:


> Per capita income doesn't mean the population will buy your product. From the data points it seems that portable Hi-fi is mainly an East Asian thing, so targeting Europe/NA even when they have money doesn't make much business sense, that's like trying to sell eco electric 2 seater city dwellers to the SUV crazed NA market - you've got to pick your market wisely - no product can be completely global with universal appeal.
> 
> Streaming may not be the future - because companies that do streaming are actually really struggling to make profits, they have users but aren't making money, that's not a good sign for the future of the market.  Just like everyone was betting on free ad supported video streaming is going to be the future income revenue about 10 years ago but that actually didn't happen. Sony had specifically said that the feedback of ZX1/2 users is that they don't like Android on it.  So while in the West the ZX2 may have gotten some sales due to Android, Sony's own data says otherwise and that was their choice.  Again since the East Asian market is where DAPs sells the most and Sony's gotten feedback in that way, just maybe consider that streaming may not be as big as you think it is.
> 
> FWIW Sony's business is in BOTH streaming and downloads - they run their own music DL site in Japan, and they supply their music to streamers as well. Sony actually has a stake in Spotify of Japan - they "win" either way no matter how the customer chooses yet they still decided not to put in streaming.  I think they actually have more than enough numbers and data points to support their choice here.



Per capita income will tell you a lot if you are selling 3200$ dap! İt is like selling Ferrari in Asia only, you may sell a lot, they would be popular but it is also stupid to discard the needs of the europe/north america! 
Streaming is the future there is no escaping from it, i am not saying the current bussines model is perfect but streaming is here to stay! Check netfix etc! 
Saying it wont survive it is just funny thats all.
And where do you get your DAP sales data according to continents? Where can i find it? İs ipod included? Pono? İt is a dap after all, think about if apple comes out with a new ipod where do you think DAP market will be? Asia? So AK might sell more in EAsia does not mean where the market is!!!


----------



## fish1050

cosmicholyghost said:


> I actually really like the fact that this TOTL DAP will not have wifi. I only wish that they could remove bluetooth as well... But its fine....


 
 Bluetooth doesn't require android and only affects battery life if you turn it on.  You can also transfer tracks to your Sony DAP via bluetooth so why would you not want to have it. Especially if the DAP will cost the same whether it has bluetooth or not?


----------



## fish1050

emrelights1973 said:


> Per capita income will tell you a lot if you are selling 3200$ dap! İt is like selling Ferrari in Asia only, you may sell a lot, they would be popular but it is also stupid to discard the needs of the europe/north america!
> Streaming is the future there is no escaping from it, i am not saying the current bussines model is perfect but streaming is here to stay! Check netfix etc!
> Saying it wont survive it is just funny thats all.
> And where do you get your DAP sales data according to continents? Where can i find it? İs ipod included? Pono? İt is a dap after all, think about if apple comes out with a new ipod where do you think DAP market will be? Asia? So AK might sell more in EAsia does not mean where the market is!!!


 
 Per capita income is alot more relevant for a $3200.00 DAP as countries with low per capita income can't afford to buy a $3200.00 DAP.


----------



## audioxxx

rei87 said:


> The lack of streaming is simply because those people don't fall within their target audience. If you depend on streaming, you shouldn't be using this player



Personally don't use streaming, however if you have a central server with all your music on it, it can be handy for transferring data as well.
It's not good look to stereotype people, there no right or wrong way.
But if it makes you feel better. Than so be it.


----------



## cthomas

Few pages back people were concerned with the battery replacement and saying they've had to replace a battery after only 2 years. This is really concerning and I'm wondering how many people are experiencing battery problems. 

My oldest DAP is a 12 year old iPod that gets left in my car charging all the time while connected to my HU, the battery still works fine, probably 90% as good as it was when new. My old iPhone 4 never had any problems with the battery. My ZX1 after about 3 years is still running strong.

So are these a few isolated incidents with just some batteries? If I buy the WM1A and the battery dies how much will Sony charge to replace it?


----------



## audioxxx

The Sony batteries are top quality, although they will only be as good as you treat them, discharging them constantly to 0% and charging to 100% every charge would most probably see the battery have a quick life. Again this is only speculation.
 And if you where to look after the battery, charge it when it's 20% and only charge to 90%, never store battery full, never let battery run to flat and then store it.
You could have your battery last for many years in a healthy state. Maybe

My concern is can the zx2 or wm1a/1z battery's be replaced out of warranty? 
And if so, what's the damage?


----------



## cthomas

audioxxx said:


> My concern is can the zx2 or wm1a/1z battery's be replaced out of warranty?
> And if so, what's the damage?




Yeah I'd like to know this too. Can anyone chime in here? From what people were saying earlier Sony didn't replace the battery under warranty, they just replaced the whole unit.


----------



## proedros

gerelmx1986 said:


> What will be the mW output rating for *Normal gain* in SE and balanced? I know *High gain* will be 60mW and 240mW respectively


 
  
 so there will be 2 gains in WM1A ?
  
  
*also , please no more social analysis on why there should/shouldn't be wifi in wm1a/z , this is SO BORING and gets the thread derailed*
  
 these daps shall come wifi-less , so get used to it and if you don't like it, go buy something else

 let's discuss about things more crucial than analyzing social groups all over the world who use/do not use tidal/spotify


----------



## fish1050

cthomas said:


> Few pages back people were concerned with the battery replacement and saying they've had to replace a battery after only 2 years. This is really concerning and I'm wondering how many people are experiencing battery problems.
> 
> My oldest DAP is a 12 year old iPod that gets left in my car charging all the time while connected to my HU, the battery still works fine, probably 90% as good as it was when new. My old iPhone 4 never had any problems with the battery. My ZX1 after about 3 years is still running strong.
> 
> So are these a few isolated incidents with just some batteries? If I buy the WM1A and the battery dies how much will Sony charge to replace it?


 
  
  


audioxxx said:


> The Sony batteries are top quality, although they will only be as good as you treat them, discharging them constantly to 0% and charging to 100% every charge would most probably see the battery have a quick life. Again this is only speculation.
> And if you where to look after the battery, charge it when it's 20% and only charge to 90%, never store battery full, never let battery run to flat and then store it.
> You could have your battery last for many years in a healthy state. Maybe
> 
> ...


 
 I am one of the people and I replaced my battery for two reasons. 1.  Because I had a 2 year warranty (1 year extended) warranty that was going to expire in a couple of months.  2.  Sony now recommends on their support site and manuals that batteries be replaced when battery life drops below 50% battery life per charge.  Mine was down to roughly 23 hours at 21 months of use, given the estimated battery life of between 30 to 50 hours for my A17 I went ahead and sent my A17 in for battery replacement with all tracks removed.  Sony actually sent me a new unit instead of replacing the battery.
  
 Given the wide battery life estimate of 30 to 50 hours is 50% battery life 25 hours, 15 hours, or somewhere in between like 20 hours?  The estimate is subjective depending on the files you listen to 16/24 bit FLAC and mp3. You could just use your DAP until it no longer charges.  The question becomes how short does the battery life have to get before the DAP becomes annoying to use because it has to be recharged frequently?
  
 There are two issues with lithium-ion batteries 1. Number of times the battery can be recharged? and 2. How long the battery lasts before needing recharging?  If you let the battery drain to 0% every time you will get between 300 to 500 recharges before the battery dies.  Of course letting the battery drain to 0% every time will shorten the battery life per charge more quickly.  The sweet spot seems to be around 70% of battery life per charge before recharging to maximize the number of recharges and prolonging the battery life per charge.  
  
 Now that my warranty is almost done I have started recharging my A17 when the meter gets to 1 bar.  It is recommended you let your battery discharge to 0% once a month or so to keep the battery meter calibrated.
  
 To make a long story short the whole battery life question is hard to answer and will depend on the individual user.  I listen to my A17 two to three hours per day and I probably could have gotten to just over 2 years of use on my a17 before getting to the 50% threshold.
  
 The good news is if you spring for an extra 1 year warranty (2 years total) you could send your DAP in for a new battery replacement just before the warranty expires.  Sony can't really question your battery life estimate because the battery life estimate on their DAP's is so wide.  If I keep my A17 I should get at least 4 years out of my DAP before the battery life starts to become an issue.
  
 My logic regarding out of warranty service is it will cost you more to send your DAP for battery replacement then to get an extra 1 year warranty.   Manufacturers don't like repairing and replacing batteries anymore because it costs to much to maintain repair departments in every country.  Because they can charge you for everything on out warranty service they will ship your unit out of country for the replacement.  You will pay for shipping both ways + insurance + the cost of the new battery (about $25.00) + labor.  A lot more than the cost of a 1 year extended warranty.


----------



## fish1050

proedros said:


> so there will be 2 gains in WM1A ?
> 
> 
> *also , please no more social analysis on why there should/shouldn't be wifi in wm1a/z , this is SO BORING and gets the thread derailed*
> ...


 
 If people want to talk about an issue they should be able to even if it is negative.  Otherwise it becomes a love fest and the forum becomes boring and pointless.


----------



## proedros

fish1050 said:


> If people want to talk about an issue they should be able to even if it is negative.  Otherwise it becomes a love fest and the forum becomes boring and pointless.


 
  
 i don't mind negativity , but i prefer relativity (to the wm1a)

 ok you want wifi , and sony does not - we get it.
  
 but seeing posts again and again rehashing the same soci-economic structures of the world as you try to tell us why sony should have implemented wifi , it's boring - and it's rather derailing to the thread.
  
 ok you want wifi but this is not a dap that offers it - plenty daps out there with wifi to choose from
  
 cheers


----------



## Metalsludge

Wow, the release of a new high-end DAP seems to bring up a lot of hotly debated issues about the industry as a whole - standards for balanced output, operating systems, streaming, the value of DSD etc. One can tell the industry is going through lots of changes at once. 
  
 Don't personally mind the lack of streaming or the choice of balanced connection or operating system as a deal breaker, but this does seem like another case where the highest end model costs way more than the next model down for little reason beyond exclusivity and metal type, and a few minor internals differences. Functionality is mostly the same, yet they want so much more money, that it feels suspicious. As such, I think I will steer clear of the bling version, and only keep the more sane model on my radar.
  
 We all have our own odd little needs though. I would like a warmer sounding DAP than the AK models that doesn't sacrifice too much clarity, and has lots of power. This new Sony model seems to have the power covered, but we don't have many impressions of the sound yet. I look forward to hearing more about how this thing's sound goes.


----------



## Zakalwe

proedros said:


> i don't mind negativity , but i prefer relativity (to the wm1a)
> 
> 
> ok you want wifi , and sony does not - we get it.
> ...




Well, if companies are to change their product planning, they need to hear loud complaints.  Personally I am happy the pendulum swung in my favour this time - button controls, no Android (on a DAP it feels like buying a cow when I want a glass of milk), no Wifi-shenanigans, just stripped down to the essentials and those hopefully done well. I would not buy the dream-DAP of the complainers, but I understand their frustration - I was frustrated about the previous DAPs, and I am glad that the whining of people like me was successful. So let the complainers complain, I say, maybe then the NW-WM2 will be more to their liking next year, and I can still enjoy my WM1.


----------



## muzic4life

I hope someone can give any impression on 1Z vs 1A. Hopefully soon 

I like the black color much better, but if 1Z's SQ wins by significant margin..then i would definitely consider the 1Z.


----------



## nanaholic

emrelights1973 said:


> Per capita income will tell you a lot if you are selling 3200$ dap! İt is like selling Ferrari in Asia only, you may sell a lot, they would be popular but it is also stupid to discard the needs of the europe/north america!
> Streaming is the future there is no escaping from it, i am not saying the current bussines model is perfect but streaming is here to stay! Check netfix etc!
> Saying it wont survive it is just funny thats all.
> And where do you get your DAP sales data according to continents? Where can i find it? İs ipod included? Pono? İt is a dap after all, think about if apple comes out with a new ipod where do you think DAP market will be? Asia? So AK might sell more in EAsia does not mean where the market is!!!


 
  
 No it actually doesn't tell you anything like that.  Per capita income only tells you buying power, but doesn't tell you the demand for the product.  Again look at the car example, NA market has good per capita income, but you can't sell them tiny 2 seater electric cars because there is no demand for it, but you can sure as heck sell them a lot of SUVs.  Flip that to Europe, are people buying 2 tonne SUVs in Europe, even with good captia income?  No - because the demand is dictated as much by the culture - not just money. Ever heard the joke about selling ice to Eskimos? Ergo, what is actually the demand for expensive flagship DAPs in Western markets?   
  
 As for market data:
 http://www.slideshare.net/AMASASIA/fi-amas03 < check page 7 of the slide - only the regions outside of US/EU is growing for headphone spending and is also the biggest revenue for the past years. One can certainly infer that portable audio is biggest in those area as well because headphones/portable audio equipment goes hand in hand. Thus again, that's where companies like Sony are targeting; the growing and bigger market which are regions *outside* of US/EU eg Asia.  See this is exactly how income per capita doesn't tell you whether the market will buy or not!
  
 Now that we've established that the Asia region is the biggest and the only growing market for portable equipment, the rest is easy to talk about (sorry for all the Japanese reports).
  
 http://www.jas-audio.or.jp/jas_cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/document20160427.pdf
 Page 5 - of all audio products 31% of the revenue actually comes from DAPs, with headphones following at 18%
 Page 27 - Domestically in Japan - biggest source of music is Youtube and CDs purchases, CD rentals.  Only 6% uses dedicated music streaming services in Japan.
 Page 29 - nearly 55% of users mainly listen to music during commuting 
  
 http://getnavi.jp/av-2/6395/
 Sony commands top position - 56% - of the portable player market in Japan. So it's safe to assume they know what their customers - at least in Japan - wants.
  
 http://www.phileweb.com/news/d-av/201607/20/39227.html
 Surprise! CD and vinyl revenue in Japan is growing YoY. (hence Sony's turntable which rips directly to DSD!)
  
 OTOH - services like Tidal and other streaming services aren't making money and is struggling to find a viable business model - basically still chasing after users and selling that to investors just like during the Dotcom bubble.
  
 So is it any mind blowing fact that makers like Sony aren't bothering to jump head first into the market where there is no money and a sustainable business model hasn't been found yet? The choices in the product seems pretty well backed by data to me.


----------



## chronograf86

fish1050 said:


> I suspect Sony decided against streaming and wifi because it costs more to add those features and Sony is all about profit.  Besides if Sony puts every feature possible on the first version of the DAP it leaves nothing to add when they release a newer version next year.  It is the inherent problem of working on yearly product cycle.  Especially on a device like a DAP where there are only so many features you can add before it becomes pointless.
> 
> I mentioned previously that it costs thousands of dollars to license android features and all android devices have to go through certification.  Sony has no idea how well this DAP will sell so they may not want to invest in the android process until they are sure it will sell enough units.  With the 1A replacing the ZX2 Sony will not have any other DAPs with android so they can't leverage the cost of implementing android over multiple DAP's.  So bottom line it all comes down to cost and profit and if Sony manages to sell the 1Z without wifi and streaming it is a financial win for Sony.  Sony would need to have multiple DAP's with android or none at all to justify the cost.


 
 What kind of license you're refering to? WiFi is a basic feature of Android OS


----------



## musicday

I realise that the Walkman being made of a solid chunk of copper the only way to get to the battery is to lift the glass front panel if one wants to source himself a similar battery right?


----------



## emrelights1973

nanaholic said:


> No it actually doesn't tell you anything like that.  Per capita income only tells you buying power, but doesn't tell you the demand for the product.  Again look at the car example, NA market has good per capita income, but you can't sell them tiny 2 seater electric cars because there is no demand for it, but you can sure as heck sell them a lot of SUVs.  Flip that to Europe, are people buying 2 tonne SUVs in Europe, even with good captia income?  No - because the demand is dictated as much by the culture - not just money. Ever heard the joke about selling ice to Eskimos? Ergo, what is actually the demand for expensive flagship DAPs in Western markets?
> 
> *It does tell you very much for DAPs, we are not talking about ice for eskimos here, where is the biggest hifi market? headphone market?  *
> 
> ...


----------



## proedros

has wm1a appeared on any EU sony sites ?


----------



## Rei87

audioxxx said:


> Personally don't use streaming, however if you have a central server with all your music on it, it can be handy for transferring data as well.
> It's not good look to stereotype people, there no right or wrong way.
> But if it makes you feel better. Than so be it.


 


 You do realize, that every single component in the player adds noise to the entire system. If they are going as far as to use solid copper for the chassis (grounding and shielding), kimble cable for the internal wiring (my 380CU uses ribbon wires for crying out loud), adopting a new standard for its added structural integrity, you would think that an extra antenna inside would be in essence contrary to the concept of the player. 

 The player is designed to do one thing; play music in its purest form, without all the unneeded bells and whistles to eliminate any signals or components that might contaminate the signal. Heck, this is a company that even sells a USD150 audiophile memory card that completely fails as a standard memory card outside audiophile use (it takes 20mins to load in 2gb of songs to put things in perspective). The screen is simply a UI necessity so that one doesnt smash the player on the floor in frustration (think HM801).

 So, if you want streaming, Sony is in essence saying that this is not the player that you are looking for, and rather unapologetic about the whole thing if I my add.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

proedros said:


> has wm1a appeared on any EU sony sites ?


 
 http://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1a?cpint=SG_PRODUCT_DETAILS_SEC-TOUT-PDP-NW-WM1Z-EN_GL-2016-08-M16-COMPLETESIGNATURE-TOUT03-NWWM1A


----------



## Kerouac

virtu fortuna said:


> http://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1a?cpint=SG_PRODUCT_DETAILS_SEC-TOUT-PDP-NW-WM1Z-EN_GL-2016-08-M16-COMPLETESIGNATURE-TOUT03-NWWM1A


 
  
 Thanks for sharing!
  
 Waiting for the new DX200 to arrive, but this one's also on my radar now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
Incorporating the ø4.4mm Balanced Standard Connection This made me smile...incorporating and standard in the same sentence.
 They mean the new standard?


----------



## Whitigir

rei87 said:


> You do realize, that every single component in the player adds noise to the entire system. If they are going as far as to use solid copper for the chassis (grounding and shielding), kimble cable for the internal wiring (my 380CU uses ribbon wires for crying out loud), adopting a new standard for its added structural integrity, you would think that an extra antenna inside would be in essence contrary to the concept of the player.
> 
> 
> The player is designed to do one thing; play music in its purest form, without all the unneeded bells and whistles to eliminate any signals or components that might contaminate the signal. Heck, this is a company that even sells a USD150 audiophile memory card that completely fails as a standard memory card outside audiophile use (it takes 20mins to load in 2gb of songs to put things in perspective). The screen is simply a UI necessity so that one doesnt smash the player on the floor in frustration (think HM801).
> ...




This is exactly it. Well speak


----------



## emrelights1973

whitigir said:


> This is exactly it. Well speak


 

 Then a 7500£ Naim NDS Streamer with double 555PS 12,000£ , a 19,500£ Naim NDS source is not designed for music? It is equipped with a 500£ power line with Audioquest Vodka etc.... 
  
  
 it has Tidal/Spotify added, no body defending Android but Streaming capabilities, if it can be done without android i am more than happy.....  
  
  
 ZX2 is good enough for the moment, if Sony is designed for East Asia, let them enjoy it, i won't....


----------



## johnston21

Can't imagine what the cost of a Somes case will be for these models knowing the large $'s for the ZX versions.


----------



## Sonic Defender

fish1050 said:


> Sony looks at Canada with our small population and assume it is not an important market.  But I know for a fact that Canadians buy more high end DAP's per capita than the US does.  But when Sony looks at North America they only see the US and Canada gets the short end of the stick.


 
 I will respectfully disagree here. Sony offers their products in Canadian dollars at par with the US price, unless I'm mistaken? If that is correct, we are benefitting greatly from being so close to the large US market. Not to mention, Canada is a 10th the size in terms of population and rather spread out population wise with some large distances to cover which effects the bottom line so if these points I'm making are true, we do okay with Sony.
  
 Edit: I just checked and the prices are higher here. Now I will say when I bought my A17, Z7 and PHA3 the prices were harmonized. Perhaps it was because they had been out for a while? Anyway it appears I was incorrect about harmonized prices, but they did appear to be harmonized before? Bummer.


----------



## audioxxx

rei87 said:


> You do realize, that every single component in the player adds noise to the entire system. If they are going as far as to use solid copper for the chassis (grounding and shielding), kimble cable for the internal wiring (my 380CU uses ribbon wires for crying out loud), adopting a new standard for its added structural integrity, you would think that an extra antenna inside would be in essence contrary to the concept of the player.
> 
> 
> The player is designed to do one thing; play music in its purest form, without all the unneeded bells and whistles to eliminate any signals or components that might contaminate the signal. Heck, this is a company that even sells a USD150 audiophile memory card that completely fails as a standard memory card outside audiophile use (it takes 20mins to load in 2gb of songs to put things in perspective). The screen is simply a UI necessity so that one doesnt smash the player on the floor in frustration (think HM801).
> ...



Hang on they have left Bluetooth on board?
Wouldn't Bluetooth create as much noise as wifi? They are very similar antenna, just different length.

Both radio options can be disabled on my zx2, so this is not a valid excuse to not include the Wi-Fi standard, I think another person summed it up before, they will include wifi on the next model. 
I would have wanted it for transferring music, that's all!

 So once disabled no noise could possibly be produced in normal usage just like I use the zx2, as a side note the zx2 makes no (extra) audible noise with wifi working, so it's been perfectly filtered out of of the audio path. 
So you are incorrect a disabled wifi chipset can not make any noise. It's not possible because it's switched off.


----------



## johnston21

The ZX2 remains priced the same in the US and in Canada, $1,199 a 34% savings in Canada @ current exchange-rates.

SONY US has their prices listed for the WM1 series where Canada does not yet.


----------



## Sonic Defender

johnston21 said:


> The ZX2 remains priced the same in the US and in Canada, $1,199 a 34% savings in Canada @ current exchange-rates.
> 
> SONY US has their prices listed for the WM1 series where Canada does not yet.


 
 I saw the new headphone is $2999.99 at Sony.ca where it is $2299.99 US on Sony.com I believe.


----------



## leylandi

yazın lan yazın o mk mun çocuğuna ekmek yok burda.


----------



## cthomas

leylandi said:


> yazın lan yazın o mk mun çocuğuna ekmek yok burda.




Google translation:

type man type that did not have bread to the children here mK


----------



## leylandi

before after


----------



## leylandi




----------



## audioxxx

cthomas said:


> Google translation:
> 
> type man type that did not have bread to the children here mK




Is this some sort of Sony saying?


----------



## cthomas

leylandi said:


> before after




Is the one on the left Paw Gold?


----------



## leylandi




----------



## leylandi




----------



## audioxxx

cthomas said:


> Is the one on the left Paw Gold?



Lol, no it was back at a time when arrogant sales pitches didn't run the hi-fi scene and try to control people's ideas. I think Sony had manners back then, and where number 1 in electronics at the time as a result as well.


----------



## Whitigir

leylandi said:


>




If I ever got sold to the 1Z, it would be caused by this picture


----------



## Whitigir

audioxxx said:


> Lol, no it was back at a time when arrogant sales pitches didn't run the hi-fi scene and try to control people's ideas. I think Sony had manners back then, and where number 1 in electronics at the time as a result as well.




Think about it, how  expensive would it be for a proper Gold plated Copper casing.

This is not a music player, it is something that you Bling Bling off  which happens to play Better music as well

I would get a 4 KG gold necklace chain and hook this player as the Pendant (need someone to Photoshop)


----------



## leylandi




----------



## Whitigir

Moarrr Please!


----------



## audioxxx

whitigir said:


> Think about it, how  expensive would it be for a proper Gold plated Copper casing.
> 
> This is not a music player, it is something that you Bling Bling off  which happens to play Better music as well
> 
> I would get a 4 KG gold necklace chain and hook this player as the Pendant (need someone to Photoshop)




I really like it I wish I didn't tho, it's the European heritage in me that likes this gold blingy thing, and I know I can't have it, that's the worst part. It's a pipe dream for me


----------



## cthomas

Can someone tell me what the numbers and bar in the top right corner are???


----------



## emrelights1973

cthomas said:


> Google translation:
> 
> What he meant is litlle different than saying, i dont what he meant by it though!
> 
> type man type that did not have bread to the children here mK


----------



## gerelmx1986

cthomas said:


> Can someone tell me what the numbers and bar in the top right corner are???


 

 maybe the volume


----------



## gerelmx1986

The 1Z looks too flashy, dont like it because it looks like a rappers sony walkman, you know they have all gold, gold teeth, gold cars LOL


----------



## Whitigir

Bluetooth signal strength bars!

Here presenting Golden Walkman 1Z, will u ma**y me ?


----------



## AxelCloris

gerelmx1986 said:


> maybe the volume


 
  
 Volume is my guess; the percentage and a visual representation.


----------



## Mimouille

gerelmx1986 said:


> maybe the volume


It is the volume.


----------



## audioxxx

leylandi said:


>



Looks like relays have been used to get rid of the start up woosh noise as the amplifier starts up.


----------



## cthomas

mimouille said:


> It is the volume.




Thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

axelcloris said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > maybe the volume
> ...


 

 in one of the many vids i saw some one i think @Sonyvores clicked that exact same icon and a volume dialog appeared and he set it to 71 and then lowered... wonder how many volume steps it has 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





, traditional walkman OS based walkmen had maximum 30 steps, for me it wass too big the step from one to other, hope this time is mroe smooth


----------



## gerelmx1986

audioxxx said:


> Looks like relays have been used to get rid of the start up woosh noise as the amplifier starts up.


 
 Let's see if these relays aren´t as LOUD as the ones in the fiio X3 (1ST GEN)


----------



## nofarewell

Sorry if I missed something else as well, but seems the ["only"] difference between the two players is the material of the chassis?


----------



## cthomas

Naked aluminium would've been a nice option...


----------



## proedros

C3P0 would buy this , in an instance 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  

  


leylandi said:


>


----------



## cthomas

nofarewell said:


> Sorry if I missed something else as well, but seems the ["only"] difference between the two players is the material of the chassis?




No there's a few differences like 256 vs 128gb. Internal bits.


----------



## audioxxx

gerelmx1986 said:


> The 1Z looks too flashy, dont like it because it looks like a rappers sony walkman, you know they have all gold, gold teeth, gold cars LOL



If it sounds as good as it looks, I must have it...



gerelmx1986 said:


> Let's see if these relays aren´t as LOUD as the ones in the fiio X3 (1ST GEN)




It won't be as noticeable due to the density of the case and it's behind the screen and battery as well.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I like the idea of the Silver colored one too, but sony is sony


----------



## cthomas

gerelmx1986 said:


> I like the idea of the Silver colored one too, but sony is sony




I'll just sand it back.


----------



## audioxxx

nofarewell said:


> Sorry if I missed something else as well, but seems the ["only"] difference between the two players is the material of the chassis?



The gold has balanced out as well with an updated dual DAC for true balanced apparently, as well as extra upgraded capacitors, I also read somewhere that it's also supposed to be Android operating system as well.


----------



## nofarewell

Thank You Guys! 

 The Android thing is contraversial, in fact it is listed in the official site but I've heard different opinions about it as well. One thing for sure, I'd rather buy a Sony UI device than anthing Android.


----------



## gerelmx1986

audioxxx said:


> The gold has balanced out as well with an updated dual DAC for true balanced apparently, as well as extra upgraded capacitors, I also read somewhere that it's also supposed to be Android operating system as well.


 
 I think both have the same Board, one S-master DAC, the 4,4mm balancedm sony OS,  the difference over the WM1A vs WM1Z is that the gold one has 256GB vs 128GB, the 1A has OSCON caps and the new FT caps vs the gold one has all FT capacitos, the gold one has a "fine sound register" and the 1A has  a MELF resistor.
  
 wonder what the fine sound register does
  
 or does audioxxx refers to balanced out via the WM´port dock?


----------



## nc8000

audioxxx said:


> The gold has balanced out as well with an updated dual DAC for true balanced apparently, as well as extra upgraded capacitors, I also read somewhere that it's also supposed to be Android operating system as well.




Both have balanced out


----------



## gerelmx1986

One thing no body has mentioned is that both now feature   5 mode DSEE HX: female vocal, male vocal, standard, Strings and percussion, a tone control  and DC-Phase linearizer for supposed more analogue amp sound as i have understood


----------



## audioxxx

nc8000 said:


> Both have balanced out



Yes but didn't the gold one also have an updated Sony DAC which uses dual DACs for balanced out?


----------



## nc8000

audioxxx said:


> Yes but didn't the gold one also have an updated Sony DAC which uses dual DACs for balanced out?




The gold should have a newer version of SMAX, cant remember if the DAC is also different


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think both have the NEW sony S MASTER HX  as both do native DSD


----------



## gerelmx1986

The FINE SOUND REGISTER is just a power distributor, i was thinking it was a sound register special component to the S mster LOL, to make it sound like a conert master piece


----------



## yakkosmurf

rei87 said:


> The lack of streaming is simply because those people don't fall within their target audience. If you depend on streaming, you shouldn't be using this player


 Completely agree. And it's okay not to be the target audience. I have a ZX1 and a pair of Z7s. I'm most intrigued by the ES headphone amp as I've been thinking of picking up a PHA3. I enjoy hi res files and use streaming to discover new music. So I want both. No shame in that


----------



## yakkosmurf

cthomas said:


> Naked aluminium would've been a nice option...


 Agreed. I guess that was reserved for the ZX1.


----------



## audioxxx

Yes the new version of the Smaster is in the the golden DAP, I believe it is the DAC in the unit that is designed to run with the class D amplifier, that is if Sony are still using the same crazy sounding class D amplifier technology. Which I believe they are with the huge battery runtimes specs. As class D brings exceptional power savings compared to others


----------



## gerelmx1986

Glad i held my breath till now, as i wanted to pick a ZX2 or a PONO but hell this baby looks waaaay better in paper


----------



## audioxxx

gerelmx1986 said:


> Glad i held my breath till now, as i wanted to pick a ZX2 or a PONO but hell this baby looks waaaay better in paper



With correct iem's the zx2 is one hell of DAP, I still love mine very much


----------



## nc8000

audioxxx said:


> With correct iem's the zx2 is one hell of DAP, I still love mine very much




Yep. I'm sticking with my ZX2 and not jumping on any of these new units


----------



## audioxxx

nc8000 said:


> Yep. I'm sticking with my ZX2 and not jumping on any of these new units



For the price you could get a second hand zx2 for now in mint condition second hand is crazy.
I bet the ZX2 go up in price once Sony stop producing it, especial with it being the only streaming capable support, with this sort of IEM super analog sound.


----------



## fish1050

chronograf86 said:


> What kind of license you're refering to? WiFi is a basic feature of Android OS


 
 First of it is android that has the licensing costs, installing android is free but accessing the services like goole search, maps, ems etc.. have licensing charges of between $45,000 to $70,000 per service.  Android has a certification process and every device that uses android has to be certified.  The labs that do the testing also charge thousands of dollars per batch.  A super high end DAP that won't sell as many units could add a fair amount to the selling cost to cover the licensing fees and testing.
  
 I think what is frustrating for some is you can implement wifi without android for at least streaming wireless for DLNA.


----------



## musicday

Now if Lotoo Paw Gold could play DSD 256 i would like it more then this.Hoping this Walkman doesn't get hot when playing 11.5 Mhz.


----------



## fish1050

musicday said:


> I realise that the Walkman being made of a solid chunk of copper the only way to get to the battery is to lift the glass front panel if one wants to source himself a similar battery right?


 
 I don't know about these Sony DAPs but other portable electronics the it is actually 3 total pieces.  The top, bottom and sides are one solid piece. The motherboard and either the top or bottom are another piece that slides into the into the middle solid piece and then the third piece is attached at the end after assembly.  For repair purposes the third piece can be removed to allow the motherboard to be slid out to access the components


----------



## fish1050

sonic defender said:


> I will respectfully disagree here. Sony offers their products in Canadian dollars at par with the US price, unless I'm mistaken? If that is correct, we are benefitting greatly from being so close to the large US market. Not to mention, Canada is a 10th the size in terms of population and rather spread out population wise with some large distances to cover which effects the bottom line so if these points I'm making are true, we do okay with Sony.
> 
> Edit: I just checked and the prices are higher here. Now I will say when I bought my A17, Z7 and PHA3 the prices were harmonized. Perhaps it was because they had been out for a while? Anyway it appears I was incorrect about harmonized prices, but they did appear to be harmonized before? Bummer.


 
 I am not talking about price I am talking about availability, try and find a Sony DAP, any model in stock in Canada right now is virtually impossible including current DAP's that have never been released here.  The only way to get the ZX100 and A20 series in Canada is through importing it and the prices are rediculously high.  Well over $1000.00 for a ZX100 even though Sony Canada shows MSRP of $799.00.
  
 That is what I mean by ignoring Canada, prices are irrelevant if you can't buy the device in the first place.


----------



## cthomas

https://fccid.io/AK8NWWM1A


----------



## fish1050

rei87 said:


> You do realize, that every single component in the player adds noise to the entire system. If they are going as far as to use solid copper for the chassis (grounding and shielding), kimble cable for the internal wiring (my 380CU uses ribbon wires for crying out loud), adopting a new standard for its added structural integrity, you would think that an extra antenna inside would be in essence contrary to the concept of the player.
> 
> The player is designed to do one thing; play music in its purest form, without all the unneeded bells and whistles to eliminate any signals or components that might contaminate the signal. Heck, this is a company that even sells a USD150 audiophile memory card that completely fails as a standard memory card outside audiophile use (it takes 20mins to load in 2gb of songs to put things in perspective). The screen is simply a UI necessity so that one doesnt smash the player on the floor in frustration (think HM801).
> 
> So, if you want streaming, Sony is in essence saying that this is not the player that you are looking for, and rather unapologetic about the whole thing if I my add.


 
 If noise is such a problem then why did Sony release the ZX2 with wifi and android in the first place?  How many people who bought the ZX2 have complained about excessive noise levels?. Properly implemented you can turn wifi and bluetooth of when not needed.  I have heard the Fiio X7 and both the Pioneer and now Onkyo DAP's and all I hear is pristine sound and no noise issues. These are relatively low powered portable devices here not high powered high end home systems.
  
 Sony already proved they can produce a high quality DAP with android and wifi so they could certainly do it again if they wanted to.


----------



## fish1050

zakalwe said:


> Well, if companies are to change their product planning, they need to hear loud complaints.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 My point exactly, Fiio and Xduoo among other manufacturers follow these forums and look at comments both positive and negative to get feedback.  The president on Fiio is on the forums frequently addressing peoples concerns and requesting feedback on future features.


----------



## cthomas

What Hifi? Review....

http://www.whathifi.com/sony/nw-wm1z/review


----------



## fish1050

johnston21 said:


> The ZX2 remains priced the same in the US and in Canada, $1,199 a 34% savings in Canada @ current exchange-rates.
> 
> SONY US has their prices listed for the WM1 series where Canada does not yet.


 
 Back to my point it isn't suggested pricing it is actual availability in Canada for purchase.  You can't pay the MSRP Canadian price if the product isn't available to buy.  Don't believe me go to Sony Canada, the ZX100 and A20 series have been listed as "Available Soon" for over a year.  To me that is a slap in the face to Canadian customers when they don't even give an eta for availability.   If you aren't going to sell it take it off the site so people can stop waiting and look elsewhere something else.


----------



## fish1050

proedros said:


> C3P0 would buy this , in an instance


 
 Maybe Sony could melt C3PO and use him for the casing.  At least Sony could then claim it does come with android.


----------



## fish1050

audioxxx said:


> If it sounds as good as it looks, I must have it...
> It won't be as noticeable due to the density of the case and it's behind the screen and battery as well.


 
 Yeah but rappers are all about Tidal streaming audio so the bling thing won't be enough to get them to buy one.


----------



## fish1050

cthomas said:


> I'll just sand it back.


 
 I guess you could always spray paint it, just take it to an automobile paint shop and they could do it up real nice.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> Maybe Sony could melt C3PO and use him for the casing.  At least Sony could then claim it does come with android.


 
 hahaha


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> cthomas said:
> 
> 
> > I'll just sand it back.
> ...


 

 I would paint mine demonic Red, viper green or electric blue


----------



## thatonenoob

gerelmx1986 said:


> I would paint mine demonic Red, viper green or electric blue


 
 Or in other words, red, green, or blue.


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> I would paint mine demonic Red, viper green or electric blue


 
 Yeah I would do it a nice deep blue to match my eyes, twinkle twinkle.


----------



## MooMooMoooo

The exploded view of the MDR-Z1R look very similar to the MDR-Z7.  They both share the 70mm aluminium coated liquid crystal polymer driver.  I think the MDR-Z1R has a magnesium dome.  The MDR-Z1R has the Fibonacci number grill but that sounds like a gimmick.  And instead of having a metal cup the MDR-Z1R has the resonance free housing, so it's bascially an open back headphone.  The MDR-Z1R and the MDR-Z7 are unmistakably cut from the same cloth and that's the problem.  The MDR-Z7 sound awful.  Someone called it the "Sony" sound.  The local audiophile shop ordered a whole bunch of the MDR-Z7's when they first came out then I noticed that they quietly disappeared from the display.  I got the distinct impression that they didn't sell well.  I purchased them as soon as they were out.  Then I promptly gave them away.  They were just awful.  I also purchased the XBZ-Z5 (those were so much better).  So given my bad experience with the MDR-Z7 I'm very hesitant about the $2,299.99 MDR-Z1R.  It's orders of magnitude more pricey but it looks like the MDR-Z7 with a few tweaks.
  
 I don't know what it is.  The right ingredients are there.  The drivers are massive.  The aluminium coated liquid crystal polymer driver is really clever for a light and rigid diaphragm.  The balanced silver coated oxygen free copper cables are there.  The headphone amps are there.  The advertised frequency response is phenomenal.  Yet when put together the headphones sound muffled and unpleasant.  In my opinion the only thing hi resolution about them is the "Hi-Res Audio" sticker that Sony sticks onto the products.
  
 Call me a sceptic but I've been burnt.  So it'll be very interesting to hear about how the MDR-Z1R stacks up against similar price point headphones.  There doesn't seem to be much improvement in design over the MDR-Z7.  The driver tech is practically the same.  A Fibonnaci grill isn't going to be enough.  Even the much cheaper Focal Elear might beat it.  How would it stack up against the Audeze's, HD800S, or the HE-1000?  Sony has priced the MDR-Z1R into that territory so it has big shoes to fill.


----------



## fish1050

I doubt anyone is ever going to say that these DAP's don't sound great.  But whathifi did mention one thing that I have to agree with.  For a $3200.00 DAP it should have come with a much higher quality screen. Even the Pioneer for under $1000.00 comes with a bigger HD screen (1280 x 720).  Yes you could argue it isn't needed but for that price it should still have it.
  
 I don't give whathifi much respect, they give everything at least 4 stars and most products 5 stars.  When innerfidelity and other critical review sites do a thorough review then I will take notice of what professional reviewers have to say.


----------



## cthomas

fish1050 said:


> Yeah I would do it a nice deep blue to match my eyes, twinkle twinkle.




Fluoro pink for me


----------



## cthomas

Some nice pics from Jude. Size comparison with ak380...

http://www.head-fi.org/g/i/1705805/a/1095658/sony-walkman-nw-wm1z-top-with-astell-kern-ak380/flat/1


----------



## gerelmx1986

moomoomoooo said:


> The exploded view of the MDR-Z1R look very similar to the MDR-Z7.  They both share the 70mm aluminium coated liquid crystal polymer driver.  I think the MDR-Z1R has a magnesium dome.  The MDR-Z1R has the Fibonacci number grill but that sounds like a gimmick.  And instead of having a metal cup the MDR-Z1R has the resonance free housing, so it's bascially an open back headphone.  The MDR-Z1R and the MDR-Z7 are unmistakably cut from the same cloth and that's the problem.  *The MDR-Z7 sound awful*.  Someone called it the "Sony" sound.  The local audiophile shop ordered a whole bunch of the MDR-Z7's when they first came out then I noticed that they quietly disappeared from the display.  I got the distinct impression that they didn't sell well.  I purchased them as soon as they were out.  Then I promptly gave them away.  They were just awful.  I also purchased the XBZ-Z5 (those were so much better).  So given my bad experience with the MDR-Z7 I'm very hesitant about the $2,299.99 MDR-Z1R.  It's orders of magnitude more pricey but it looks like the MDR-Z7 with a few tweaks.


 
 Did you burnt the Z7´s in or not? awful in what sense,? the ones i tested in the store sounded pretty darn good for my music tastes


----------



## cthomas

gerelmx1986 said:


> Did you burnt the Z7´s in or not? awful in what sense,? the ones i tested in the store sounded pretty darn good for my music tastes




Beats bass.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cthomas said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Did you burnt the Z7´s in or not? awful in what sense,? the ones i tested in the store sounded pretty darn good for my music tastes
> ...


 

 Are U kidding me? really? What?! for me the bass sounded pretty neutral ande only rumbled and went deep f.e with Organ music or bad mastered recordings


----------



## MooMooMoooo

cthomas said:


> Some nice pics from Jude. Size comparison with ak380...
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/g/i/1705805/a/1095658/sony-walkman-nw-wm1z-top-with-astell-kern-ak380/flat/1


 

 OMG, that's one of the reasons why I was turned off from buying a Sony "Hi-Res Audio" Walkman.  I recall looking into it very carefully once and then decided not to buy.  You can see that Sony is still using that awful proprietary Walkman cable.  Sony refuses to switch to micro USB or even USB Type-C.  The Astell & Kern uses micro USB.  Sony isn't the market leader but they're up to their old tricks with proprietary cables.  The cable that's included is short and you only get one of them so it's not convenient whereas micro USB cables are everywhere.  The proprietary cable also has a lot more wires in it than a USB cable so it's easier to damage inside as the cable flexes with use.  Then if you want to buy a propritary Walkman cable they charge you through the nose for it.  So after having doled out cold hard cash for a top of the line device Sony then rubs salt into the wound by gouging consumers for a proprietary cable.  It's such a frustrating thing about Sony products.  Their advertising and videos make the products appealing and I want to love them but then Sony gets up to its old tricks and I'll buy the Astell & Kern instead.  Yes, I would abandon the Sony because of the proprietary cable because it doesn't respect the consumer.  Only a market leader can shove a proprietary cable down the throats of consumers but it's like Sony is still living in the 80s when Walkmans ruled the world.


----------



## fish1050

moomoomoooo said:


> OMG, that's one of the reasons why I was turned off from buying a Sony "Hi-Res Audio" Walkman.  I recall looking into it very carefully once and then decided not to buy.  You can see that Sony is still using that awful proprietary Walkman cable.  Sony refuses to switch to micro USB or even USB Type-C.  The Astell & Kern uses micro USB.  Sony isn't the market leader but they're up to their old tricks with proprietary cables.  The cable that's included is short and you only get one of them so it's not convenient whereas micro USB cables are everywhere.  The proprietary cable also has a lot more wires in it than a USB cable so it's easier to damage inside as the cable flexes with use.  Then if you want to buy a propritary Walkman cable they charge you through the nose for it.  So after having doled out cold hard cash for a top of the line device Sony then rubs salt into the wound by gouging consumers for a proprietary cable.  It's such a frustrating thing about Sony products.  Their advertising and videos make the products appealing and I want to love them but then Sony gets up to its old tricks and I'll buy the Astell & Kern instead.  Yes, I would abandon the Sony because of the proprietary cable because it doesn't respect the consumer.  Only a market leader can shove a proprietary cable down the throats of consumers but it's like Sony is still living in the 80s when Walkmans ruled the world.


 
 Actually you can now buy the replacement Sony WM-Port cable on sites like amazon from third party vendors dirt cheap.  But yes I have to agree I hate the WM-Port cable as well.  I suspect Sony might have to use their own cable because of the internal design of the DAP as they amp and DAC sections are technically not separate


----------



## MooMooMoooo

gerelmx1986 said:


> Did you burnt the Z7´s in or not? awful in what sense,? the ones i tested in the store sounded pretty darn good for my music tastes


 

 I think it's a matter of taste.  The audio guy told me that it was the "Sony sound".  I didn't burn them in.  Burn in only helps to a certain degree.  The MDR-Z7's were just awful in my opinion.  Yes, they had bass and resolution.  However, when compared the Sennheisser HD800, HD800S, Audeze LCD-3, and HIFIMAN HE1000, the Sony MDR-Z7 sounded dull by comparison.  At first I just accepted it because of the MDR-Z7's price point was much lower than those higher up headphones.  When the MDR-Z7's were first out the HD800 was the current model and some commentators were speculating that it was a rival of the HD800 for resolution and soundstage.  There was no comparison.  They were clearly in different classes.  What was in the MDR-Z7's favour was the build quality.  It was gorgeous!  And that same build quality can be seen in the photos of the MDR-Z1R.  The headband leather was plush and soft.  The earpads were superbly comfortable.   The headband construction was metal and solid.  In comparison the Sennheisser heaphones feel cheap and plastic.  The cable inputs with the screw in connectors were gorgeous and thoughful.  The angling of the drivers inside the earcup was copying the HD800 and is common nowdays.
  
 My reservations about the MDR-Z1R is that they look very similar to the MDR-Z7 in design.  In particular, the driver technology is practically the same.  I doubt that a magnesium dome would make that much difference.  However, the MDR-Z1R is now priced to compete with the big boys in the market.  The MDR-Z1R better sound spectacular because it has a lot of stiff competition.  Especially with the Focal Elears which are at the $1,000 price point.  There is no substitute for experiencing the headphones so hopefully I'll have a chance to audition the MDR-Z1R's when they arrive.  Yet, like I said, I have been burnt so I'm going to be extra cautious about them.  For a $1,000 more I can get the Focal Utopia!  Frankly, when playing in the endgame space an extra $1,000 or so isn't going to make a big difference unless budget is a significant constraint.


----------



## gerelmx1986

moomoomoooo said:


> My reservations about the MDR-Z1R is that they look very similar to the MDR-Z7 in design.  In particular, the driver technology is practically the same.  I doubt that a magnesium dome would make that much difference.  However, the MDR-Z1R is now priced to compete with the big boys in the market.  The MDR-Z1R better sound spectacular because it has a lot of stiff competition.  Especially with the Focal Elears which are at the $1,000 price point.  There is no substitute for experiencing the headphones so hopefully I'll have a chance to audition the MDR-Z1R's when they arrive.  Yet, like I said, I have been burnt so I'm going to be extra cautious about them.  For a $1,000 more I can get the Focal Utopia!  Frankly, when playing in the endgame space an extra $1,000 or so isn't going to make a big difference unless budget is a significant constraint.


 
 What i don´t like from the MDR-Z1R is the paper cup "the acoustic filter" and the outer of the cups mad eof a mesh of stainless steel wire hmmm they don´t seem that durable


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> What i don´t like from the MDR-Z1R is the paper cup "the acoustic filter" and the outer of the cups mad eof a mesh of stainless steel wire hmmm they don´t seem that durable


 
 I sold alot of Sony headphones over the years and that has always been a criticism against Sony headphones.  Sony seems to use lower quality materials than alot of the other top headphone makers and they don't hold up as well over time.


----------



## MooMooMoooo

gerelmx1986 said:


> What i don´t like from the MDR-Z1R is the paper cup "the acoustic filter" and the outer of the cups mad eof a mesh of stainless steel wire hmmm they don´t seem that durable


 

 Agreed.  Wire mesh has a habit of making dents really obvious.  The domed shape of the mesh make them look like they're quite susceptable to bumps.  Most owners of a pair of headphones that cost that much are careful with them but bumps can easily happen.  So I suppose extra care needs to be taken.  Looking at the acoustic filter I'm a bit concerned about paper being used as an acousitc filter.  What if the humidity changes?  How would the moisture level in the paper acoustic filter affect the sound profile?  The industrial design of Sony is there.  They are a very handsome pair of headphones but I'm going to maintain a healthy scepticism of the sound until the reviews are in.  The MDR-Z1R don't appear to be that much different from the MDR-Z7...


----------



## gerelmx1986

moomoomoooo said:


> Agreed.  Wire mesh has a habit of making dents really obvious.  The domed shape of the mesh make them look like they're quite susceptable to bumps.  Most owners of a pair of headphones that cost that much are careful with them but bumps can easily happen.  So I suppose extra care needs to be taken.  Looking at the acoustic filter I'm a bit concerned about paper being used as an acousitc filter.  What if the humidity changes?  How would the moisture level in the paper acoustic filter affect the sound profile?  The industrial design of Sony is there.  They are a very handsome pair of headphones but I'm going to maintain a healthy scepticism of the sound until the reviews are in.  The MDR-Z1R don't appear to be that much different from the MDR-Z7...


 
 I will be getting the MDR-Z7 just because they are made of metal rather than a mesh and paper, seem more durable to minor bumps as you say, I will get them later, not now, already ordered the Z5´s


----------



## MooMooMoooo

fish1050 said:


> I sold alot of Sony headphones over the years and that has always been a criticism against Sony headphones.  Sony seems to use lower quality materials than alot of the other top headphone makers and they don't hold up as well over time.


 

 I don't know about the returns and certainly the cheaper Sony headphones are decidedly flimsy feeling.  However, the MDR-Z7 was very well built.  Very solid but not heavy.  The earcups looked like plastic but they were actually magnesium earcups painted black!  The leather used was luscious.  The foam was soft and comfortable.  The clamping pressure was just right.  The headband adjusted with solid satisfying clicks.  The cable connection and plug finish were excellent.  I cannot fault Sony on the build quality of the MDR-Z7.  The same applies to their IEM flagship which is the XBA-Z5.  Magnesium body.  Very solid.  However, when going down to the cheaper XBA-H3 the difference in build quality was obvoius.  Then when looking at the more mainstream Sony headphones there is plenty of plastic and they do feel very fragile.  So I think Sony does have a lot of cheap poor quality headphones but that's expected at that price point.  However, at least for the MDR-Z7 and XBA-Z5, both of which I purchased, I in all fairness cannot fault them for build quality.


----------



## MooMooMoooo

gerelmx1986 said:


> I will be getting the MDR-Z7 just because they are made of metal rather than a mesh and paper, seem more durable to minor bumps as you say, I will get them later, not now, already ordered the Z5´s


 

 I don't know why the Sony XBA-Z5's don't get the attention that they deserve.  I have also been keeping an eye out of the successor to the XBA-Z5 but haven't seen it yet.  The XBA-Z5's is the maturation of the XBA-H3.  The 1.6cm aluminium coated liquid crystal polymer dynamic driver gives it thumping and satisfying bass.  The tweeter balanced armature is made from magnesium for better high frequency performance and it has a new armature design.  Then it has a 'full range' balanced armature for the mids.  All of that is encased in a magnesium body for improved acoustic performance.  It could be that the XBA-Z5 isn't released in some markets and they are quite pricey for universal fit IEMs.  They aren't as transparent and spacious as open back headphones like the HE1000 but those are completely different categories.  However, the XBA-Z5 bass is just insane.  Big improvement on the XBA-H3 that was distorted and uncontrolled.  The Shures just don't compare with their attempts to get satisfying bass out of balanced armatures.  1.6cm dynamic driver for the bass is the winner.   I have kept the XBA-Z5's and I haven't given those away.
  
 To get the best performance out of the XBA-Z5 I suggest that you buy the Comply Foam Tips.  They are inexpensive and provide the tight audio coupling that you need to get excellent sound.  The included ear buds that come with the earphones have this foam thing inside the tips that helps to conform the tips to the ear canal.  However, the audio coupling is imperfect and the sound isn't as good as it can be.  Just try the Comply Foam Tips, it's a completely different experience.  The difference isn't small, it's a very big difference.


----------



## fish1050

moomoomoooo said:


> I don't know about the returns and certainly the cheaper Sony headphones are decidedly flimsy feeling.  However, the MDR-Z7 was very well built.  Very solid but not heavy.  The earcups looked like plastic but they were actually magnesium earcups painted black!  The leather used was luscious.  The foam was soft and comfortable.  The clamping pressure was just right.  The headband adjusted with solid satisfying clicks.  The cable connection and plug finish were excellent.  I cannot fault Sony on the build quality of the MDR-Z7.  The same applies to their IEM flagship which is the XBA-Z5.  Magnesium body.  Very solid.  However, when going down to the cheaper XBA-H3 the difference in build quality was obvoius.  Then when looking at the more mainstream Sony headphones there is plenty of plastic and they do feel very fragile.  So I think Sony does have a lot of cheap poor quality headphones but that's expected at that price point.  However, at least for the MDR-Z7 and XBA-Z5, both of which I purchased, I in all fairness cannot fault them for build quality.


 
 I am talking more in terms of long term use, most products in that price range look great at first but do they stand the test of time.  In all fairness I compare other headphones to the build quality of my B&W P5 S2's and there aren't many that will hold up to them side by side. Everything is metal, high grade aluminum and real thick leather.  Sony tends to use faux leather earpads and the leather wears out and fades over time, at least based on my previous experiences with them.


----------



## MooMooMoooo

fish1050 said:


> I am talking more in terms of long term use, most products in that price range look great at first but do they stand the test of time.  In all fairness I compare other headphones to the build quality of my B&W P5 S2's and there aren't many that will hold up to them side by side. Everything is metal, high grade aluminum and real thick leather.  Sony tends to use faux leather earpads and the leather wears out and fades over time, at least based on my previous experiences with them.


 

 So true.  I ran into these old pair of Sony headphones in a garage once.  They must have been from the 80s.  The faux leather earpads were flaked, cracked, and sticky.  Faux leather doesn't stand the test of time.  Maybe the MDR-Z7 and MDR-Z1R won't stand the test of time.  However, the MDR-Z7 is really solid.  I remember examining them carefully and I was very impressed.  I don't know what leather Sony used for the the MDR-Z7.  I looked it up but it doesn't say.  It's probably faux leather given the price point.  However, the MDR-Z1R uses sheepskin leather.  For that price point it'll be embarrassing if Sony used faux leather.  It's a premium product after all.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> I am talking more in terms of long term use, most products in that price range look great at first but do they stand the test of time.  In all fairness I compare other headphones to the build quality of my B&W P5 S2's and there aren't many that will hold up to them side by side. Everything is metal, high grade aluminum and real thick leather.  Sony tends to use faux leather earpads and the leather wears out and fades over time, at least based on my previous experiences with them.


 
  
 Agree My XBA-A3 seem a bit weird after just one year of use


----------



## fish1050

moomoomoooo said:


> So true.  I ran into these old pair of Sony headphones in a garage once.  They must have been from the 80s.  The faux leather earpads were flaked, cracked, and sticky.  Faux leather doesn't stand the test of time.  Maybe the MDR-Z7 and MDR-Z1R won't stand the test of time.  However, the MDR-Z7 is really solid.  I remember examining them carefully and I was very impressed.  I don't know what leather Sony used for the the MDR-Z7.  I looked it up but it doesn't say.  It's probably faux leather given the price point.  However, the MDR-Z1R uses sheepskin leather.  For that price point it'll be embarrassing if Sony used faux leather.  It's a premium product after all.


 
 It is my experience when headphone manufacturers use real leather for their earpads and headband they will mention it in the features section for the headphones. When they don't it is likely faux leather or some sort of pleather which is basically the same thing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

talking about leather  and pleather, is the back of the WM1 real or pleather?


----------



## chronograf86

fish1050 said:


> I doubt anyone is ever going to say that these DAP's don't sound great.  But whathifi did mention one thing that I have to agree with.  For a $3200.00 DAP it should have come with a much higher quality screen. Even the Pioneer for under $1000.00 comes with a bigger HD screen (1280 x 720).  Yes you could argue it isn't needed but for that price it should still have it.
> 
> I don't give whathifi much respect, they give everything at least 4 stars and most products 5 stars.  When innerfidelity and other critical review sites do a thorough review then I will take notice of what professional reviewers have to say.


 

 I think the reason is a battery performance. Bigger screen, more dpi -> higher battery use. I would prefer some average quality display if it will add a few hours to battery life.


----------



## Metalsludge

moomoomoooo said:


> My reservations about the MDR-Z1R is that they look very similar to the MDR-Z7 in design.  In particular, the driver technology is practically the same.  I doubt that a magnesium dome would make that much difference.  However, the MDR-Z1R is now priced to compete with the big boys in the market.  The MDR-Z1R better sound spectacular because it has a lot of stiff competition.  Especially with the Focal Elears which are at the $1,000 price point.  There is no substitute for experiencing the headphones so hopefully I'll have a chance to audition the MDR-Z1R's when they arrive.  Yet, like I said, I have been burnt so I'm going to be extra cautious about them.  For a $1,000 more I can get the Focal Utopia!  Frankly, when playing in the endgame space an extra $1,000 or so isn't going to make a big difference unless budget is a significant constraint.


 
  
 I enjoyed the Z7s, but I have the same hesitations. I could be totally wrong, and admit it. We won't know more until we get some sound impressions. But... I get this feeling like they just slightly reworked the Z7 and presented it at a much higher price, merely because they heard about these audiophile people who will pay it. At least the DAP seems to offer some more distinguishing features.


----------



## fish1050

chronograf86 said:


> I think the reason is a battery performance. Bigger screen, more dpi -> higher battery use. I would prefer some average quality display if it will add a few hours to battery life.


 
 The screen will make minimal difference on battery life and we are talking 800 x 480 to 1280 x 720 for the Pioneer.  It is just that on a really high end DAP a lower quality screen can diminish the quality feel.  Some smart phones have 4K displays now and I don't see battery life suffering that much so in this case there should be very little extra battery drain.


----------



## gerelmx1986

aside the screen, Hope this baby the WM1A sounds great, I bet it will destroy my ZX100 in every way including build


----------



## goyete

I had the Z7 nearly a year and I was happy with them, very comfortable and good sound until I bought the XBA-Z5. I quickly sold the Z7 becouse the Z5 are amazing, I have rediscovered a lot of sounds (for good and for bad) inside my songs that the Z7 didn't played.

I think, like other people in posts, that the Z1R seems an improvement of Z7 with an extortionate price.


----------



## goyete

Someone can check if the artist search searchs in the "album artist" field or simply in the"artist" field??


----------



## gerelmx1986

goyete said:


> Someone can check if the artist search searchs in the "album artist" field or simply in the"artist" field??


 

 Theres a video bt @Sonyvores showing the UI and you can now select the sort or seach, dont remmeber, by album or Main artist


----------



## headfi19

emrelights1973 said:


> Then a 7500£ Naim NDS Streamer with double 555PS 12,000£ , a 19,500£ Naim NDS source is not designed for music? It is equipped with a 500£ power line with Audioquest Vodka etc....
> 
> 
> it has Tidal/Spotify added, no body defending Android but Streaming capabilities, if it can be done without android i am more than happy.....
> ...


 
 well spoke, yes sony let them do away with thier own market ,no WIFI ????? are they in 2016???? what a backward thinking?


----------



## Sonyvores

Seems that there are some confusion thanks to marketing error...
 None of new walkman support Android.
  
 While waiting to have the real thing in your hands, here a few shots comparison 1A vs ZX2 & 1Z vs ZX2 =)
  

  
 more here: http://www.sonyvores.fr/ifa-2016-walkman-hi-res-audio-nw-mw1a-prise-en-main-vs-nw-zx2/
  

 more here: http://www.sonyvores.fr/ifa-2016-walkman-hi-res-audio-nw-mw1z-prise-en-main-vs-nw-zx2/


----------



## gerelmx1986

The new DAPs look more compact than the ZX2 but thicker too


----------



## Sonic Defender

headfi19 said:


> well spoke, yes sony let them do away with thier own market ,no WIFI ????? are they in 2016???? what a backward thinking?


 
 With all do respect to the head-fi member who started this whole WiFi isn't for the Asian marketplace, I can't simply assume that because this individual asserted this is the business reality in Asia that they are correct. This could just as easily be that Sony wanted a more dedicated audio player for all markets. I will admit I also don't get it, why not have WiFi, but until Sony is really fully discussing things we should consider there may have been some technical reason beyond "noise" that the opted to leave out WiFi. Personally I think it makes zero sense, but I'm willing to wait and see if Sony can present a solid business case for leaving it out.


----------



## Rei87

sonic defender said:


> With all do respect to the head-fi member who started this whole WiFi isn't for the Asian marketplace, I can't simply assume that because this individual asserted this is the business reality in Asia that they are correct. This could just as easily be that Sony wanted a more dedicated audio player for all markets. I will admit I also don't get it, why not have WiFi, but until Sony is really fully discussing things we should consider there may have been some technical reason beyond "noise" that the opted to leave out WiFi. Personally I think it makes zero sense, but I'm willing to wait and see if Sony can present a solid business case for leaving it out.


 


 I think that along the way, someone equated the Asian market with a lack of need for WiFi, which isnt exactly true. However, I personally think that Sony, or rather the dude dude leading the design team in the video, left out the WiFi by choice rather than oversight, and given his history within the industry, you can bet that it was a choice made to maximise sonic performance. 

 Sony, probably does not have a solid business case for leaving it out, as given the outrage and decision to boycott the product simply because they are unable to stream music onto a new USD3200 toy, but I, stand firmly with the designer's decision on this. Heck, I would rather he even leave out the bluetooth module and card reader slot as well, and have nothing but the bare minimum to play music to ensure complete purity of signal transmission. No one should be paying USD3200 for anything but the best in audio (abeit in portable form). Streaming, and all the other bells and whistles can be left to your daily drivers like your phones or ak70s tier players. This is a purist product, and should remain so.


----------



## Whitigir

rei87 said:


> I think that along the way, someone equated the Asian market with a lack of need for WiFi, which isnt exactly true. However, I personally think that Sony, or rather the dude dude leading the design team in the video, left out the WiFi by choice rather than oversight, and given his history within the industry, you can bet that it was a choice made to maximise sonic performance.
> 
> 
> Sony, probably does not have a solid business case for leaving it out, as given the outrage and decision to boycott the product simply because they are unable to stream music onto a new USD3200 toy, but I, stand firmly with the designer's decision on this. Heck, I would rather he even leave out the bluetooth module and card reader slot as well, and have nothing but the bare minimum to play music to ensure complete purity of signal transmission. No one should be paying USD3200 for anything but the best in audio (abeit in portable form). Streaming, and all the other bells and whistles can be left to your daily drivers like your phones or ak70s tier players. This is a purist product, and should remain so.




No, I am with you all the way. 

While having wireless capability such as NFC, Bluetooth or Wifi, they all do attract some sources of interferences and hence create noises. The reason why Sony went with Walkman OS was due to Android having too much apps running on the back ground, and putting too much strains and draining on the system and battery. Not only that, Android OS does not cater toward Audio quality as much as Walkman OS. Therefore, Wifi is not needed when switching to Walkman OS.

Ultimately, devices of this caliber should not have NFC or Bluetooth even. Why ? Because hardcore Audio enthusiast love their collections, and they do not seek for newer music being stream over the air. They would seek out the tracks they need to add into their collection. They know what they want and how they want it. Therefore, adding on these wireless antenna will only introduce in more potential of interference


----------



## emrelights1973

Hard core audio enthusiastic will buy a decent turn table as a source and listen at home then! 
Having a full Naim setup with 2000LPs and 3000Cds collected over years and as a last person on earth who still buy cds
Having a variety of headphones for home and outside use
Havimg a audio grade electric outlets with audio circuits 
Having a hard wired ethernet with switches and special cabling
I am not audio enthusiastic enough Becasue i use tidal at home and in the move, discovering new music constantly 
I am a music enthusiast not an audio one maybe, not listening same 25 album over and over agin with different equipment
Tidal is a god given dream to a music lover, able to stream decent quality music, huge collection and you can store it on your walkman! It is a dream come true with zx2 but not with new one


----------



## Whitigir

Yeah ? Those people u mentioned above are progressing toward to portable music as high quality portable music can offer a different experiences and unique. Therefore the new walkman is using everything high grade inside it, even the chasis and body casing or the internal wiring. Sony already has a good portable for streaming and that is Zx2, if u want more power, stack on a pha3. 

The new walkman aims to different folk yet again, and hence the reason why it is made as it is.


----------



## emrelights1973

whitigir said:


> No, I am with you all the way.
> 
> While having wireless capability such as NFC, Bluetooth or Wifi, they all do attract some sources of interferences and hence create noises. The reason why Sony went with Walkman OS was due to Android having too much apps running on the back ground, and putting too much strains and draining on the system and battery. Not only that, Android OS does not cater toward Audio quality as much as Walkman OS. Therefore, Wifi is not needed when switching to Walkman OS.
> 
> Ultimately, devices of this caliber should not have NFC or Bluetooth even. Why ? Because hardcore Audio enthusiast love their collections, and they do not seek for newer music being stream over the air. They would seek out the tracks they need to add into their collection. They know what they want and how they want it. Therefore, adding on these wireless antenna will only introduce in more potential of interference







whitigir said:


> Yeah ? Those people u mentioned above are progressing toward to portable music as high quality portable music can offer a different experiences and unique. Therefore the new walkman is using everything high grade inside it, even the chasis and body casing or the internal wiring. Sony already has a good portable for streaming and that is Zx2, if u want more power, stack on a pha3.
> 
> The new walkman aims to different folk yet again, and hence the reason why it is made as it is.



Hence the reason of the color choice maybe


----------



## gerelmx1986

26hr playback FLAC 192/24 seems nice better than fiio x3 only 7 hours lol and that with 16/44.1 FLAC, wonder how much play time for 16/44 flac on these walkmans?


----------



## cthomas

What ever happened to Microdia's 512gb micro sd? Was ready to be launched a year ago and just didn't happen.


----------



## ExpatinJapan

made me think of Goldmember


----------



## Rei87

emrelights1973 said:


> Hence the reason of the color choice maybe




I'm praying that gold was chosen for some obscure sonic.performance increase, not not because of its look. Gosh. I love the player's concept, but the aesthetic is appalling


----------



## echineko

rei87 said:


> I'm praying that gold was chosen for some obscure sonic.performance increase, not not because of its look. Gosh. I love the player's concept, but the aesthetic is appalling



Different strokes, etc etc. I remember there was some marketing material talking about its physical properties, conductivity, etc but don't think it went very much in depth.


----------



## emrelights1973

rei87 said:


> I'm praying that gold was chosen for some obscure sonic.performance increase, not not because of its look. Gosh. I love the player's concept, but the aesthetic is appalling



As another forum member put it perfectly if it was other way around black vs gold i am ready to pay the difference just to avoid it! But no tidal no walkman, also is Tidal implementation tided onlt with android?


----------



## shockwaver

I wonder how these would sound versus originals
  
 1. Z in aluminum body
 2. A in gold-plated copper body
 3. Z naked 
 4. A naked


----------



## leylandi

devam...


----------



## Sonic Defender

shockwaver said:


> I wonder how these would sound versus originals
> 
> 1. Z in aluminum body
> 2. A in gold-plated copper body
> ...


 
 If the components inside were the same, they would all sound the same.


----------



## fish1050

emrelights1973 said:


> Hard core audio enthusiastic will buy a decent turn table as a source and listen at home then!
> Having a full Naim setup with 2000LPs and 3000Cds collected over years and as a last person on earth who still buy cds
> Having a variety of headphones for home and outside use
> Havimg a audio grade electric outlets with audio circuits
> ...


 
 Excellent points and this is what I have tried to say, serious listening should be done at home in an ideal environment where the music can be appreciated.  Portable audio to me is more about the convenience of accessing music on the go and still have it sound really good.  Part of accessing music while mobile means not just what you have loaded on a DAP but the ability to get your hands on new music when you hear it.
  
  As an example I was out with some friends and we stopped at a bar to have a drink. This song called Turn It Around by a band I had never heard of called Lucius came on.  I immediately fell in love with this song and I wanted to have it.  My buddy who works in audio sales had his Pioneer XDP-100R and he let me use it to go online and downloaded the song so I could listen to it with his DAP and Hifiman HE400S headphones (Sounded amazing).  In that instant I missed not having the ability to do that myself.  
  
 So now I will be saving up to get a DAP that has android and wifi and continue to do my serious listening on my home system.  At this point the Pioneer looks to be my choice of DAP unless I get a good deal on the Onkyo model on boxing day.. In the meantime I will continue to listen to my A17.  I will also be able to stream music from the Pioneer or Onkyo to my home system.
  
 I know Sony has the ZX2 but I don't want to buy a DAP from a company that is abandoning that market. I can also get both the Pioneer and Onkyo locally for hundreds less than the ZX2.  The Pioneer has android 5.1.1 instead of the much older version of android on the ZX2. The Pioneer and Onkyo will be supported going forward unlike the ZX2.


----------



## Zakalwe

rei87 said:


> I'm praying that gold was chosen for some obscure sonic.performance increase, not not because of its look. Gosh. I love the player's concept, but the aesthetic is appalling




Yeah, it really makes you wonder. Gold does protect the copper underneath, which would otherwise tarnish rapidly, and I suspect many buyers might not be so fond of a steampunk look with green patina.  But copper eventually diffuses through the gold plating, thus the problem is merely delayed. Unless they used a nickel barrier inbetween, a common solution against diffusion, but then you have potential allergy problems. Besides, no matter how it is coated, it is a heavy object made of soft metals and intended for portable use, so it is likely to get dings and scratches breaking through the coating, taking you back to the tarnishing problem. The whole concept strikes me as so impractical for the intended use, I hope it really improves the sound to such a degree that it is worth the trouble.


----------



## fish1050

echineko said:


> Different strokes, etc etc. I remember there was some marketing material talking about its physical properties, conductivity, etc but don't think it went very much in depth.


 
 Yes gold is a very good conductor which is why most headphone jacks and some headphone connectors are gold plated.  I could see the audible benefits of using gold internally where conductivity is important.  I am having a hard time however seeing how a gold plated outer casing will have audible benefits. To me that has to be more about da bling than the listening.


----------



## echineko

fish1050 said:


> Yes gold is a very good conductor which is why most headphone jacks and some headphone connectors are gold plated.  I could see the audible benefits of using gold internally where conductivity is important.  I am having a hard time however seeing how a gold plated outer casing will have audible benefits. To me that has to be more about da bling than the listening.


 
 Haha yes, you have a point there. They could have kept the gold plating to the interior.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

I would like to warn you guys on something here. I've tested the Onkyo and also FiiO X7. When Wi-Fi is on, there's a noticable background noise on the X7 and you can do nothing about it. Whenever the Wi-Fi is on, it doesn't matter whether you're streaming or just listening your files with the built in music app, there's noise. It's annoying to me.
  
 And DP-X1. Well, there's also a hissing sound on that as well, when you streaming with Wi-Fİ. But I think maybe the problem on the Onkyo is somewhat different which is when you use another app instead of the stock music app, it starts hissing. Not sure which is the exact problem because I didn't have a chance to test for a long period, but the sure thing is those 2 DAP's have a background noise issue. 
  
 Never tested the Pioneer DAP, so can't say anything about that one.
  
 ZX2 is still the best DAP for me in terms of battery life and having no problems like hissing on Wİ-Fi and so on... I agree it's beginning to get old and Android version is JB, but it still runs fairly smooth and with the unrivalled battery time, it's still the number 1 to me.


----------



## fish1050

virtu fortuna said:


> I would like to warn you guys on something here. I've tested the Onkyo and also FiiO X7. When Wi-Fi is on, there's a noticable background noise on the X7 and you can do nothing about it. Whenever the Wi-Fi is on, it doesn't matter whether you're streaming or just listening your files with the built in music app, there's noise. It's annoying to me.
> 
> And DP-X1. Well, there's also a hissing sound on that as well, when you streaming with Wi-Fİ. But I think maybe the problem on the Onkyo is somewhat different which is when you use another app instead of the stock music app, it starts hissing. Not sure which is the exact problem because I didn't have a chance to test for a long period, but the sure thing is those 2 DAP's have a background noise issue.
> 
> ...


 
 To be honest for me it is more about the ability to download music on the go vs actually streaming internet audio.  I am picky about what I listen to and I listen to alot of different genres so internet streaming audio doesn't float my boat. I won't pay for streaming audio when I might only hear a song I like once every 10 songs or so.
  
 Pioneer/Onkyo: both have 32 GB internal storage and dual microsd card slots, support MQA for HiRes streaming audio (to be supported by Tidal and others). Rated at 75 mW per channel into 32 ohms (Onkyo 150 mW per channel balanced mode).  All better than the ZX2
  
 Approx 16 hours (96 kHz/24 bit,FLAC playback), not as good as the ZX2 but pretty good. I listen to mostly16 bit FLAC so I might be able to do slightly better than 16 hours.  Pioneer/Onkyo have better hardware and software across the board compared to the ZX2.
  
 By my estimates the only thing the ZX2 has over the Pioneer/Onkyo is better battery life.  I found the operation of the Pioneer/Onkyo DAP's were just as smooth if not slightly better than the ZX2. All for less money, at least in Canada.
  
 My other concern with the ZX2 is since it looks to be discontinued what do you do if it needs to be serviced out of warranty?  Sony could say sorry but that model is discontinued and we don't provide service anymore. Providing service for discontinued products is at Sony's discretion.  I would not want to end up with $1200.00 paper weight.


----------



## Stuff Jones

I wish sony would have made two version like this: one clunky high powered one for people who want to use hard to drive headphones portably (why?) and one small svelte lower powered version for people who use IEMs.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

fish1050 said:


> To be honest for me it is more about the ability to download music on the go vs actually streaming internet audio.  I am picky about what I listen to and I listen to alot of different genres so internet streaming audio doesn't float my boat. I won't pay for streaming audio when I might only hear a song I like once every 10 songs or so.
> 
> Pioneer/Onkyo: both have 32 GB internal storage and dual microsd card slots, support MQA for HiRes streaming audio (to be supported by Tidal and others). Rated at 75 mW per channel into 32 ohms (Onkyo 150 mW per channel balanced mode).  All better than the ZX2
> 
> ...


 
 Of course you can choose those DAP's based on their capabilities, price and basically they're fresher than ZX2.
  
 I just wanted to mention what I've experienced with X7 and DP-X1. It was annoying for me.
  
 Just a correction: ZX2 has 128GB memory so with 32GB they're not better than Sony. You have to purchase Micro SD cards but having 128GB onboard is very convenient.
  
 Another plus for them is you can use them as DAC's right?


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

Makes you wonder about the future of the ZX2, is it staying or going?


----------



## Whitigir

buttuglyjeff said:


> Makes you wonder about the future of the ZX2, is it staying or going?




Sony is starting to listen to the market. If you wanted the Zx2 to stay ? Just say so 

Anyways, the 1Z with gold look so awesome, and the technology behind it is even more awesome


----------



## audionewbi

I dont really want to call it listening, more like coping in a bad way.


----------



## regit

cthomas said:


> Naked aluminium would've been a nice option...




I would pay z1 price for this!


----------



## Whitigir

regit said:


> I would pay z1 price for this!




Hence they never made it


----------



## cthomas

regit said:


> I would pay z1 price for this!




1Z?


----------



## Rob49

To Wi-fi or not to wi-fi that is the question ! ?
  
 It doesn't bother me whether these new players have streaming capabilities or not, because i don't stream music. I have a ZX2, and i do like the fact, that you have the option to do other things with it, but i very rarely do. I bought it as a music player, not something to access the internet. ( I've downloaded one app, where i can control my Sony HAP-S1, which i find very useful, but other than that, i don't use it to access other stuff. )
 For me personally, i'm of an age, where i stick to what i know, what i'm use to. I always buy the physical CD. The only time i buy a download is when the music is not physically available. Even though my CD's are rarely played now, once purchased, ( I rip everything and transfer to devices. ) i could never not own the physical CD !
 I'm all for being able to access music on the internet, and it's great that you can access & discover music immediately, and music that you wouldn't have heard without the internet. ( The days when you only had the radio & record shops, to listen to music ! )
 Everyone's a different age, and that can influence your needs. The bottom line is, there's only one fact, and that is Sony have decided not to have all the bells & whistles, and purely concentrated on the best audio possible, hopefully ! So all the complaining /  disappointments for those that want other things, isn't going to change anything !!
 Just be thankful that companies like Sony continue to produce quality products & that consumers enjoy them !


----------



## musicday

I would like to see 4.4 mm to 3.5 mm adaptors so people can use it either way with the new Walkman.


----------



## gerelmx1986

stuff jones said:


> I wish sony would have made two version like this: one clunky high powered one for people who want to use hard to drive headphones portably (why?) and one small svelte lower powered version for people who use IEMs.


 

 and what about people who want both of the worlds 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





?


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> I would like to see 4.4 mm to 3.5 mm adaptors so people can use it either way with the new Walkman.


 

 yes or 4.4mm to dual 3.5mm TRS for XBA-Z5 users


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Can't wait to see the first review


----------



## headfi19

virtu fortuna said:


> I would like to warn you guys on something here. I've tested the Onkyo and also FiiO X7. When Wi-Fi is on, there's a noticable background noise on the X7 and you can do nothing about it. Whenever the Wi-Fi is on, it doesn't matter whether you're streaming or just listening your files with the built in music app, there's noise. It's annoying to me.
> 
> And DP-X1. Well, there's also a hissing sound on that as well, when you streaming with Wi-Fİ. But I think maybe the problem on the Onkyo is somewhat different which is when you use another app instead of the stock music app, it starts hissing. Not sure which is the exact problem because I didn't have a chance to test for a long period, but the sure thing is those 2 DAP's have a background noise issue.
> 
> ...


 
 you are wrong with Onkyo DP-X1 but I can not say about Fiio X7 because I do not have one but I use DP -X1 with balanced out JH Angie II and have black background and of course anything that have no noise at all when you use the DAP in airplane mode and wifi is a must have option in 2016 .I agree with you on  ZX2 and it is also good sounding without any noice even when the wifi is on,thanks


----------



## fish1050

virtu fortuna said:


> Of course you can choose those DAP's based on their capabilities, price and basically they're fresher than ZX2.
> 
> I just wanted to mention what I've experienced with X7 and DP-X1. It was annoying for me.
> 
> ...


 
 Okey so I buy two 128 GB microsd cards for $120.00 including tax (yes I can get them that cheap) and now I have 288 GB storage and it is still cheaper  than the ZX2. Or I can get two 200 GB microsd cards for 432 GB (confirmed XDP-100R can handle in specs) and cost about the same as the ZX2 by itself.  I can do this all day my friend.
  
 Outside of battery life there is nothing that the ZX2 can offer over the XDP-100R.


----------



## fish1050

whitigir said:


> Sony is starting to listen to the market. If you wanted the Zx2 to stay ? Just say so
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 The ZX2 will not stay as the WM-1A will be the same price and Sony won't have two DAP's at the same price point. Also if Sony wanted a DAP with android and wifi they would have included these on one of the two new DAP's at least as the ZX2 is getting outdated with a very old version of android.  Finally keeping both the ZX2 will take sales away from the 1A and my guess is Sony makes more profit on the 1A than the ZX2. So from a pure financial standpoint Sony will drop the 1A.


----------



## fish1050

fish1050 said:


> The ZX2 will not stay as the WM-1A will be the same price and Sony won't have two DAP's at the same price point. Also if Sony wanted a DAP with android and wifi they would have included these on one of the two new DAP's at least as the ZX2 is getting outdated with a very old version of android.  Finally keeping both the ZX2 will take sales away from the 1A and my guess is Sony makes more profit on the 1A than the ZX2. So from a pure financial standpoint Sony will drop the 1A.


 
 Sorry my bad meant to say drop the ZX2


----------



## nc8000

fish1050 said:


> Okey so I buy two 128 GB microsd cards for $120.00 including tax (yes I can get them that cheap) and now I have 288 GB storage and it is still cheaper  than the ZX2. Or I can get two 200 GB microsd cards for 432 GB (confirmed XDP-100R can handle in specs) and cost about the same as the ZX2 by itself.  I can do this all day my friend.
> 
> Outside of battery life there is nothing that the ZX2 can offer over the XDP-100R.




Unless one prefers the sound of the one over the other


----------



## gerelmx1986

@fish1050 there is strike out to correct your post 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 like this


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

headfi19 said:


> you are wrong with Onkyo DP-X1 but I can not say about Fiio X7 because I do not have one but I use DP -X1 with balanced out JH Angie II and have black background and of course anything that have no noise at all when you use the DAP in airplane mode and wifi is a must have option in 2016 .I agree with you on  ZX2 and it is also good sounding without any noice even when the wifi is on,thanks


 
 Well I personally tested the Onkyo with Spotify, and there was a very appearent hiss on silent parts of the tracks. I tried Wi-Fi closed, balanced out, changing the sound settings but the problem stayed there. Maybe it received an update? Not sure.
  
 Anyway I'm glad you're fine with your DAP.


----------



## Whitigir

Depends on how sensitive a person gears is, or how sensitive a person is or both. Be glad that you are happy with your, and unfortjnately, people who is not happy will have to keep on upgrading and spending more


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Depends on how sensitive a person gears is, or how sensitive a person is or both. Be glad that you are happy with your, and unfortjnately, people who is not happy will have to keep on upgrading and spending more


 

 I think true and maybe IEM designs now, i remmeber past sony DAPs and IEMs were prone to hiss like cobras... now with my A17 and now ZX100 and XBA-H3 and XBA-A3 no Hiss at all.
  
 n yes i sometimes get hiss but i recognze is the tape equiment used to record or something in the recording process


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

I am super curious on the noise floor on these two DAP, especially balanced.  If its noisy, all the wi-fi people will go bananas...


----------



## gerelmx1986

buttuglyjeff said:


> I am super curious on the noise floor on these two DAP, especially balanced.  If its noisy, all the wi-fi people will go bananas...


 

 Did some one measure the noise floor of ZX2? if yes, it was good or bad? Maybe 1A will have the same or improved Noise floor


----------



## musicday

Trying to figure out how heavy it will be to walk with this player @ 465 gr.
Looo Paw Gold is 280 gr and is not comfortable to walk with in the pocket.
However it has been officially announced that power output is for bala 250 mW @16 ohm for balanced and 60 mW @16 ohm for normal single ended.
Still weak compared with others but the most powerful Walkman yet.


----------



## Whitigir

It matters only of how the power is being delivered


----------



## proedros

whitigir said:


> It matters only of how the power is being delivered


----------



## cthomas




----------



## proedros

cthomas said:


>


 
  
 star wars / sony wise


----------



## noplsestar

musicday said:


> Trying to figure out how heavy it will be to walk with this player @ 465 gr.
> Looo Paw Gold is 280 gr and is not comfortable to walk with in the pocket.
> However it has been officially announced that power output is for bala 250 mW @16 ohm for balanced and 60 mW @16 ohm for normal single ended.
> Still weak compared with others but the most powerful Walkman yet.


 

 Can you tell me if the power output is even better than this DAP: http://www.cowonglobal.com/product_wide/PLENUES/product_page_4.php
 which has 3Vrms output?


----------



## musicday

Lotoo Paw Gold is the most powerful music player- 500 mW@32 ohm, however Chord Mojo does only "720 mW@8 ohm " but having the smallest distortion gets louder.Plenue S is more powerful than Sony but not as powerful as Lotoo, i believe.


----------



## hanes

Hi!
  
*I tried both players today at IFA in Berlin! *





  
 Just some quick impressions:
  
 - They might look very similar, but the two players differ quite a bit in weight and feel! The black 1A feels almost "light" in comparison, the gold 1Z feels super heavy and solid...you have to hold it in your hands to understand...amazing! Built quality of both for sure is absolutely outstanding!
  
 - I asked about the OS and have been told by the Sony staff that Android 5.0 is used for both players - but with a Walkman interface that actually does not allow any 3rd party apps. Actually I had a little discussion with the guy about whether it makes sense or not to use streaming services on a High Res Player. I felt his arguments were typical marketing ******** (sorry!), such as "Real Audiophiles are not interested in these ways of listening to music" ....... but he did not seem to have much knowledge about audio anyway and might just have memorized "his text" before the fair 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Just telling me "This walkman has a very minimalist approach" would have been better I think....
  
 - The interface itself was very clean and simple - almost no graphical elements. But not very stylish either....
  
 - Sound of the 1Z: That`s a difficult one! Since I could only listen to the material on the device, I could not directly compare to my own devices (DPX-1 and Mojo) with my own music.  At least I could use my own IE800 and also the provided MDR-Z1R. What I can tell after listening to it for about 10 minutes is that the device really seem to have a lot of driving power (to drive bigger headphones) and a very full bodied, warm but still very detailed sound. I`d say direction is similar to the ZX-2...with more impact and maybe a tad crisper in the highs...but that is almost impossible to tell without direct comparison. For sure it sounded absolutely great, but on the first listen I didn`t feel it sounds 2500 Euros better than other top players that already cost too much 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Which I don`t mean too negative towards sound quality ....just I feel recent DAPs somehow have reached the end of the flagpole in terms of pure output sq. 
 I think people who buy this device might buy it because they simply can afford it and fall in love with the way it looks and feels and the whole minimalistic concept.  
  
 But this are just some first impressions.....


----------



## proedros

hanes said:


> Hi!
> 
> I tried *both players* today at IFA in Berlin!
> 
> ...


 
  
 sound of 1A ?


----------



## hanes

proedros said:


> sound of 1A ?


 

 Listened to the 1A literally only for 3 minutes. Because one of the 1Z got free (people were lining up) and I quickly changed seats.
 I didn t feel there was a huge difference, maybe a bit more impact on the 1Z - but again, there is more time and direct comparison needed to tell 100%. Sorry.


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> sound of 1A ?


 
 +2


----------



## proedros

hanes said:


> Listened to the 1A literally only for 3 minutes. Because one of the 1Z got free (people were lining up) and I quickly changed seats.
> *I didn t feel there was a huge difference, maybe a bit more impact on the 1Z* - but again, there is more time and direct comparison needed to tell 100%. Sorry.


 
  
 just what i wanted to hear 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 thank you


----------



## gerelmx1986

Getting the 1A for sure, My bet wll be amazon USA or Accessory javk which has pricing a bit lower... f.e XBA-Z5 original price $699.99 Jacks price for me Including shipping FEDEX express priroity 534 USD
  
 ZX2 original price $1199.99 Jacks price 1069 USD


----------



## cthomas

gerelmx1986 said:


> Getting the 1A for sure, My bet wll be amazon USA or Accessory javk which has pricing a bit lower... f.e XBA-Z5 original price $699.99 Jacks price for me Including shipping FEDEX express priroity 534 USD
> 
> ZX2 original price $1199.99 Jacks price 1069 USD




Accessory jack prices are ridiculous for grey Imports.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cthomas said:


> Accessory jack prices are ridiculous for grey Imports.


 
 How ridicuous? i find them to be fine, and what is a grey import?


----------



## Zakalwe

zakalwe said:


> no Android (on a DAP it feels like buying a cow when I want a glass of milk)






hanes said:


> I asked about the OS and have been told by the Sony staff that Android 5.0 is used for both players - but with a Walkman interface that actually does not allow any 3rd party apps.




Meh, so I get a glass of milk attached to a big black box hiding a crippled cow that still eats and poops like a cow... okok, I'll stop with the stupid metaphors.


----------



## cthomas

gerelmx1986 said:


> How ridicuous? i find them to be fine, and what is a grey import?




Grey Imports are not covered with a manufacturer warranty so your Walkman will go to Hong Kong to be repaired. I wouldn't want someone other than Sony handling that kind of product if something went wrong. And all of their prices are way too high, you could potentially save the same amount by shopping around for a legit dealer or just asking for a deal. And then some of their prices are higher than legit sellers, for example I looked at their price for a pair of HD800's which were $1900AUD. I bought mine on sale for $1250AUD from a legit dealer on sale but they are no more than $1500 at any given time in Australia.


----------



## Zakalwe

cthomas said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > How ridicuous? i find them to be fine, and what is a grey import?
> ...




Don't AccessoryJack handle warranties by dealing with their local Sony? Generally I agree with avoiding grey imports. However, in some cases there may be good reasons to avoid the local product, such as the EU-capped versions, or when there is no local product at all for the foreseeable future. And since mighty Sony still operates like it's 1985 without global warranties and where Sony in country A has no clue about Sony products from country B, the best workaround is to find a dealership that can provide international sales and international warranty service, such as AJ. The experience may be a bit clunkier than what it could be if Sony did it right themselves, but they can't or won't. Places like AJ are kinda lika a modern GUI on top of the rusty old Sony business machine.


----------



## gerelmx1986

zakalwe said:


> Don't AccessoryJack handle warranties by dealing with their local Sony? Generally I agree with avoiding grey imports. However, in some cases there may be good reasons to avoid the local product, such as the EU-capped versions, or when there is no local product at all for the foreseeable future. And since mighty Sony still operates like it's 1985 without global warranties and where Sony in country A has no clue about Sony products from country B, the best workaround is to find a dealership that can provide international sales and international warranty service, such as AJ. The experience may be a bit clunkier than what it could be if Sony did it right themselves, but they can't or won't. Places like AJ are kinda lika a modern GUI on top of the rusty old Sony business machine.


 
 Yeap, AJ handles the warrabty with the local sony, I had already that experience with my ZX100, got it defective, sent it to AJ and AJ sent it to sony HK and then the way back


----------



## cthomas

zakalwe said:


> Don't AccessoryJack handle warranties by dealing with their local Sony? Generally I agree with avoiding grey imports. However, in some cases there may be good reasons to avoid the local product, such as the EU-capped versions, or when there is no local product at all for the foreseeable future. And since mighty Sony still operates like it's 1985 without global warranties and where Sony in country A has no clue about Sony products from country B, the best workaround is to find a dealership that can provide international sales and international warranty service, such as AJ. The experience may be a bit clunkier than what it could be if Sony did it right themselves, but they can't or won't. Places like AJ are kinda lika a modern GUI on top of the rusty old Sony business machine.




Yeah I've bought grey Imports but only if I'm saving a good amount, at least 30%. I'm just saying AJ prices are over the top for grey market stuff and some cases are more expensive than official dealers. I can't speak for Sony in Hong Kong but I know most companies will even refuse to repair an item that's out if warranty simply because it wasn't bought through official distribution lines.


----------



## gerelmx1986

hanes said:


> - They might look very similar, but the two players differ quite a bit in weight and feel! The black 1A feels almost "light" in comparison, the gold 1Z feels super heavy and solid...you have to hold it in your hands to understand...amazing! *Built quality of both for sure is absolutely outstanding*!


 
 Screen is Glass?


----------



## fish1050

nc8000 said:


> Unless one prefers the sound of the one over the other


 
 I have heard both and I find they both sound really good and very similar.  The Pioneer by virtue of having more power at hand seems to have a bit more impact.  Other then that sound wise it is a toss up between them.  At least with my ears and headphones


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> @fish1050 there is strike out to correct your post
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks I will do that next time


----------



## fish1050

musicday said:


> Trying to figure out how heavy it will be to walk with this player @ 465 gr.
> Looo Paw Gold is 280 gr and is not comfortable to walk with in the pocket.
> However it has been officially announced that power output is for bala 250 mW @16 ohm for balanced and 60 mW @16 ohm for normal single ended.
> Still weak compared with others but the most powerful Walkman yet.


 
 Well 465 grams is just over a pound so pretty darn heavy.  I guess you could also use it to do arm curls when you work out.  Hey Sony might have something here dumbbells that also play music pretty cool.


----------



## fish1050

zakalwe said:


> Don't AccessoryJack handle warranties by dealing with their local Sony? Generally I agree with avoiding grey imports. However, in some cases there may be good reasons to avoid the local product, such as the EU-capped versions, or when there is no local product at all for the foreseeable future. And since mighty Sony still operates like it's 1985 without global warranties and where Sony in country A has no clue about Sony products from country B, the best workaround is to find a dealership that can provide international sales and international warranty service, such as AJ. The experience may be a bit clunkier than what it could be if Sony did it right themselves, but they can't or won't. Places like AJ are kinda lika a modern GUI on top of the rusty old Sony business machine.


 
 Here is a link to Sony warranties for out of country purchases.  The gist of it is they will honor an international warranty if you buy it in the foreign country and then bring it home.  I don't think it covers imported products.  That is why gerelmx1986 got charged for shipping both ways even though her ZX100 was still under warranty.  So you need to be aware of this when importing especially on something as expensive as the 1Z.  God knows what they will charge for two way shipping plus shipping insurance on a $3200.00 DAP.  Saving some on the imported price could actually cost you more in the long run even for something as simple as a battery replacement
  
 https://www.sony-asia.com/section/warrantyinfo


----------



## gerelmx1986

No user manuals yet? I want to read the manual right now, yes even before I have the device


----------



## Whitigir

fish1050 said:


> Here is a link to Sony warranties for out of country purchases.  The gist of it is they will honor an international warranty if you buy it in the foreign country and then bring it home.  I don't think it covers imported products.  That is why gerelmx1986 got charged for shipping both ways even though her ZX100 was still under warranty.  So you need to be aware of this when importing especially on something as expensive as the 1Z.  God knows what they will charge for two way shipping plus shipping insurance on a $3200.00 DAP.  Saving some on the imported price could actually cost you more in the long run even for something as simple as a battery replacement
> 
> https://www.sony-asia.com/section/warrantyinfo




That is very true, and not to mention the potential of it being lost if you don't insure it to begin with


----------



## echineko

fish1050 said:


> That is why gerelmx1986 got charged for shipping both ways even though *her* ZX100 was still under warranty.\


 
 His


----------



## gerelmx1986

echineko said:


> fish1050 said:
> 
> 
> > That is why gerelmx1986 got charged for shipping both ways even though *her* ZX100 was still under warranty.\
> ...


 

  LO​L True I am a Guy not a lady


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> LO​L True I am a Guy not a lady


 
 My apologies, I think I referred to you as her a few times in the A10 series forum but I don't remember getting corrected.  Not sure where I got that idea, maybe because you seem pretty smart and we all know women are smarter than men.  At least that is what my wife keeps telling me.


----------



## bvng3540

fish1050 said:


> My apologies, I think I referred to you as her a few times in the A10 series forum but I don't remember getting corrected.  Not sure where I got that idea, maybe because you seem pretty smart and we all know women are smarter than men.  At least that is what my wife keeps telling me.


 
  
 if she a smart wife, she wouldn't let you buy neither of the Sony new DAP


----------



## gerelmx1986

bvng3540 said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> if she a smart wife, she wouldn't let you buy neither of the Sony new DAP


 

 LOL ​ yeah because he can apply the His & hers methodology (the wife always gets the cheapest one LOL A30 series and he gets the WM1A at least)


----------



## Sonic Defender

Quote: "The reason why Sony went with Walkman OS was due to Android having too much apps running on the back ground, and putting too much strains and draining on the system and battery."


>


 
 That doesn't add up at all. When I read in the ZX2 thread, which is Android people go on and on about the excellent battery life so how much of a concern could this actually be? Sorry, for some reason my quote had the wrong sentence in it. This is what I was responding to.


----------



## fish1050

bvng3540 said:


> if she a smart wife, she wouldn't let you buy neither of the Sony new DAP


 
 That is a given, basically if I wanted one of these DAP's she would need to get a deluxe trip to Paris.  She always gets the most expensive stuff because according to her, she is worth it.  God I love her so much... well most of the time.


----------



## Sonic Defender

gerelmx1986 said:


> LOL ​ yeah because he can apply the His & hers methodology (the wife always gets the cheapest one LOL A30 series and he gets the WM1A at least)


 
 Yes, but she gets to outlive him and perhaps spend all the money left over so she will still win!


----------



## fish1050

sonic defender said:


> Quote: "The reason why Sony went with Walkman OS was due to Android having too much apps running on the back ground, and putting too much strains and draining on the system and battery."
> That doesn't add up at all. When I read in the ZX2 thread, which is Android people go on and on about the excellent battery life so how much of a concern could this actually be? Sorry, for some reason my quote had the wrong sentence in it. This is what I was responding to.


 
 No one will ever understand Sonian logic so don't bother trying, it will only give you a headache


----------



## Sonic Defender

fish1050 said:


> No one will ever understand Sonian logic so don't bother trying, it will only give you a headache


 
 I have an ex-wife for that, I pray no audio company has that power.


----------



## fish1050

sonic defender said:


> Yes, but she gets to outlive him and perhaps spend all the money left over so she will still win!


 
 Actually I am planning on being cryogenically frozen just so she can't out live me.  Hopefully DAP's will have terabytes of storage by then and I can take all my music with me.


----------



## fish1050

sonic defender said:


> I have an ex-wife for that, I pray no audio company has that power.


 
 Well there is that one company named after a fruit, not Blackberry but a different fruit. The name escapes me right now.


----------



## nanaholic

sonic defender said:


> Quote: "The reason why Sony went with Walkman OS was due to Android having too much apps running on the back ground, and putting too much strains and draining on the system and battery."
> That doesn't add up at all. When I read in the ZX2 thread, which is Android people go on and on about the excellent battery life so how much of a concern could this actually be? Sorry, for some reason my quote had the wrong sentence in it. This is what I was responding to.


 
  
 Perhaps you missed the biggest criticism which is that the ZX2's output is woefully under-powered and is inadequate for anything but the most easiest to drive IEMs - so to compensate for the fact that Android draws too much power, they lowered the headphone output to a point where the ZX2's power level is often criticised for its below the average hi-end DAP output, that's where they squeezed out those extra hours (to meet their CEO Kaz Hirai's request that the ZX walkman must last an entire cross atlantic flight on one charge).  
  
 Now that the WM1A/Z outputs more power than the ZX2, they had to look for other ways to get that power out of a device that is roughly the same dimension, and abandoning Android was the decision, it's not really hard to understand.  And they achieved this - they quadtripled the headphone output on SE while keeping roughly the same playback time.  I'd say obviously Android's one battery hog there and the decision was obviously very sound (pun intended).


----------



## Stuff Jones

nanaholic said:


> Perhaps you missed the biggest criticism which is that the ZX2's output is woefully under-powered and is inadequate for anything but the most easiest to drive IEMs - so to compensate for the fact that Android draws too much power, they lowered the headphone output to a point where the ZX2's power level is often criticised for its below the average hi-end DAP output, that's where they squeezed out those extra hours (to meet their CEO Kaz Hirai's request that the ZX walkman must last an entire cross atlantic flight on one charge).
> 
> Now that the WM1A/Z outputs more power than the ZX2, they had to look for other ways to get that power out of a device that is roughly the same dimension, and abandoning Android was the decision, it's not really hard to understand.  And they achieved this - they quadtripled the headphone output on SE while keeping roughly the same playback time.  I'd say obviously Android's one battery hog there and the decision was obviously very sound (pun intended).


 
  
 It's great. The ZX2 is maybe the best dap for sensitive IEMs. So rather than getting a DAP that is a compromise on SQ by spreading itself too thin trying to please everyone, the ZX2 is great at one thing.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

nanaholic said:


> Perhaps you missed the biggest criticism which is that the ZX2's output is woefully under-powered and is inadequate for anything but the most easiest to drive IEMs - so to compensate for the fact that Android draws too much power, they lowered the headphone output to a point where the ZX2's power level is often criticised for its below the average hi-end DAP output, that's where they squeezed out those extra hours (to meet their CEO Kaz Hirai's request that the ZX walkman must last an entire cross atlantic flight on one charge).
> 
> Now that the WM1A/Z outputs more power than the ZX2, they had to look for other ways to get that power out of a device that is roughly the same dimension, and abandoning Android was the decision, it's not really hard to understand.  And they achieved this - they quadtripled the headphone output on SE while keeping roughly the same playback time.  I'd say obviously Android's one battery hog there and the decision was obviously very sound (pun intended).


 
 Makes sense, but maybe you already know, there's a small workaround in ZX2 to get rid of the low power output. When you disable sound adjusment app, the power increases significantly.
  
 I use my ZX2 this way, and battery time is the same. So I don't think the problem is the power output when they're trying to reach a long lasting battery.
  
 IMO dumping the Android system is to have a better sound quality.


----------



## nanaholic

virtu fortuna said:


> Makes sense, but maybe you already know, there's a small workaround in ZX2 to get rid of the low power output. When you disable sound adjusment app, the power increases significantly.
> 
> I use my ZX2 this way, and battery time is the same. So I don't think the problem is the power output when they're trying to reach a long lasting battery.
> 
> IMO dumping the Android system is to have a better sound quality.


 
  
 Disabling the European volume limit =/= increase in power output.
  
 Also no need to do an "IMO" guess to why they dumped Android - the interview done by phileweb with the walkman devs already said why:
 http://www.phileweb.com/interview/article/201609/02/393_4.html
 For those who don't read J:
 * Users complained the most about lag, slow powering up, and didn't find the need to run apps on their Walkman
 * They can upgrade the OS at their own pace - no need to go lock step with Android
 * Yes - power consumption was a major concern


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

nanaholic said:


> Disabling the European volume limit =/= increase in power output.


 
 Hmm. But I never understood why they limited the volume with a digital application? Makes no sense at all. With this way, the volume is sufficient enough for almost everything.


----------



## nanaholic

virtu fortuna said:


> Hmm. But I never understood why they limited the volume with a digital application? Makes no sense at all. With this way, the volume is sufficient enough for almost everything.


 
  
 Because it's a European requirement which doesn't apply in other regions - Japan most certainly don't have this volume cap requirement.  The Walkmans were designed for Japanese/Asian market first, so you tweak that to fit the European regulations, not the other around.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

nanaholic said:


> Because it's a European requirement which doesn't apply in other regions - Japan most certainly don't have this volume cap requirement.  The Walkmans were designed for Japanese/Asian market first, so you tweak that to fit the European regulations, not the other around.


 
 But what about other DAP's? A&K, FiiO etc. all are being sold in Europe. But they have more power than ZX2 with sound adjusment app enabled? I don't get this. Other brands don't have to do it?
  
 I bought my ZX2 when I was at Canada, so no European requirement, but it gives the same output as the other versions.


----------



## nc8000

virtu fortuna said:


> Hmm. But I never understood why they limited the volume with a digital application? Makes no sense at all. With this way, the volume is sufficient enough for almost everything.




Disabling the sound enhancements app does not increase the total volume available, it just gives more volume at the beginning of the range. The EU unit still has lower total volume than a non EU unit. The sound enhacement app lowers volume by a certain number of dB in order to have room for eq and other sound effects without clipping/distorting. DX50 and DX90 from iBasso did something similar when enabling eq (lowered volume by 8-12 dB).


----------



## nanaholic

virtu fortuna said:


> But what about other DAP's? A&K, FiiO etc. all are being sold in Europe. But they have more power than ZX2 with sound adjusment app enabled? I don't get this. Other brands don't have to do it?
> 
> I bought my ZX2 when I was at Canada, so no European requirement, but it gives the same output as the other versions.


 
  
 Technically they all have to do it - not doing it is against the law. How it is implemented on the other hand is up to the manufacturer.  Some may have just risk breaking the law and not do it at all, who knows, businesses are often ran like this anyway - break the law, pay later. *shrug*
  
 Also sometimes stock sold at different countries are from the same batch/lot, so even if you bought in Canada doesn't mean it wasn't from the lot that has volume limit in it.  For example the Hong Kong version of the Onkyo DP-X1 had the European volume cap build into the firmware (cannot be disabled) because it was assigned the same stock as Europe, unlike the Japanese version which doesn't have it. However Hong Kong has no laws mandating a volume cap like in Europe, so customers in Hong Kong took Onyko Hong Kong to consumer protection authority to have it removed and they won their case very quickly (for false advertising as the product was not performing as advertised), so Hong Kong version of DP-X1 with new firmware doesn't have volume cap anymore.  That's just how things works.


----------



## Zakalwe

virtu fortuna said:


> But what about other DAP's? A&K, FiiO etc. all are being sold in Europe. But they have more power than ZX2 with sound adjusment app enabled? I don't get this. Other brands don't have to do it?




Do they come with headphones in the box? If not, then strictly speaking there is no requirement for a cap - the regulation only sets a volume limit for a device together with the supplied headphones.

Also, other manufacturers sometimes choose different ways to implement this. Sandisk DAPs used to make the cap dependent on the country settings in the configuration, i.e. switch your DAP to something other than EU and you'd get the full volume. As far as I know Sony and Apple are the strictest in that they really "hard-code" the cap into the EU models. I am not sure if this is legally required, they may just be playing it safe.


----------



## emrelights1973

nanaholic said:


> Because it's a European requirement which doesn't apply in other regions - Japan most certainly don't have this volume cap requirement.  The Walkmans were designed for Japanese/Asian market first, so you tweak that to fit the European regulations, not the other around.



He we go again! DAP and Asian market!


----------



## nanaholic

emrelights1973 said:


> He we go again! DAP and Asian market!


 
  
 I've provided the data before, Asia is not only the biggest headphone/portable market but also the only growing market so naturally businesses will cater to them first.  Probably not a coincidence that the biggest DAP makers now are also all Asian companies (AK- Korean, Sony - Japan, Fiio/HiFiman - Chinese etc).  Just accept that the Western market for once is not a priority and move on ok?  The constant moaning about not being served is getting really tiring.


----------



## emrelights1973

and i reply it before that your data showing clearly that EU/USA are still biggest market, and outside EU/USA does not mean Asia - this is from your data -. Check it again...... it is maybe a fastest growing market and have a more interest in the new line of DAPs but still it is not the biggest market yet...
  
 And you don't consider iPod as a DAP? PONO? Who is the biggest DAP producer in the world? 
  
 All the walkman producers were Asian as well, did not make Asia as the biggest market....


----------



## muzic4life

proedros said:


> just what i wanted to hear
> 
> thank you




Also hoping the same here! Love the black much better than blink blink.

I do wish the black one came with 256gb also. Feel sorry knowing only use 128gb.


----------



## phonomat

fish1050 said:


> Thanks I will do that next time




You can also ...




fish1050 said:


> Well 465 grams is just over a pound so pretty darn heavy.  I guess you could also use it to do arm curls when you work out.  Hey Sony might have something here dumbbells that also play music pretty cool.





... quote several posts together by using the "Multi" button, so you don't have to make four posts of yours in a row. 




fish1050 said:


> My apologies, I think I referred to you as her a few times in the A10 series forum but I don't remember getting corrected.  Not sure where I got that idea, maybe because you seem pretty smart and we all know women are smarter than men.  At least that is what my wife keeps telling me.




Well, in that case, call me Stephanie!


----------



## Whitigir

Ok, again, Sony is a large company. So to play against the law or risk doing so would be stupid. Other companies are shrimps in sizes for comparison. It is an ancient saying "better safe than sorry"

You want non-capped ? Buy Japan version or international versions. Sony was not shy about disclosing this, and their engineering team even advised buying the International version instead.

Again, the 1Z and 1A are confirmed to be CAPPED for Europe


----------



## proedros

whitigir said:


> Ok, again, Sony is a large company. So to play against the law or risk doing so would be stupid. Other companies are shrimps in sizes for comparison. It is an ancient saying "better safe than sorry"
> 
> You want non-capped ? Buy Japan version or international versions. Sony was not shy about disclosing this, and their engineering team even advised buying the International version instead.
> 
> *Again, the 1Z and 1A are confirmed to be CAPPED for Europe*


 
  
 my plan = get a used non-EU 1A bought from here next spring/summer at a good, typical head-fi fs price


----------



## audionewbi

The early report of the headphone is not so positive but the report for the flagship consistently been positive and nothing has been mentioned of the A1. In most places A1 trial is not possible. 
  
 I just hope the sonic chances arent software related, in most cases it can be and no one of us can ever know.


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> The early report of the headphone is not so positive but the report for the flagship consistently been positive and nothing has been mentioned of the A1. In most places A1 trial is not possible.
> 
> I just hope the sonic chances arent software related, in most cases it can be and no one of us can ever know.




Dude, Sony doesn't sell A1 steak sauce . The 1A sound substantially different than 1Z. 
Sony is not AK, the sound differences comes from better internal. For example, all capacitors are FT capacitors which were developed by Sony since 3-4 years ago and 1A only has 50% Ft-Caps, the rest is OS-Cap


----------



## nc8000

whitigir said:


> Ok, again, Sony is a large company. So to play against the law or risk doing so would be stupid. Other companies are shrimps in sizes for comparison. It is an ancient saying "better safe than sorry"
> 
> You want non-capped ? Buy Japan version or international versions. Sony was not shy about disclosing this, and their engineering team even advised buying the International version instead.
> 
> Again, the 1Z and 1A are confirmed to be CAPPED for Europe




In which case they probably will not drive anything any better than ZX2 and all the new power will be wasted


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> In which case they probably will not drive anything any better than ZX2 and all the new power will be wasted




 yes, and gladly that they made it so clear prior to releasing.


----------



## Mimouille

audionewbi said:


> The early report of the headphone is not so positive but the report for the flagship consistently been positive and nothing has been mentioned of the A1. In most places A1 trial is not possible.
> 
> I just hope the sonic chances arent software related, in most cases it can be and no one of us can ever know.


 I am very tempted by the WM1Z as I said but hesitant as it did sound a bit warm overall. Today I went to a couple of shops in Shanghai, none had it of course, but trying the Ak380 again, is does seem to be more sparkly in the highs. I am now wondering which to get...because the WM1Z is more powerful with deeper bass and more engaging overall. The guy at one of the shops who had tried both preferred the Ak380 as he found the bass on the WM1Z slightly too present. Of course he had the Ak380 to sell so...


----------



## audionewbi

mimouille said:


> I am very tempted by the WM1Z as I said but hesitant as it did sound a bit warm overall. Today I went to a couple of shops in Shanghai, none had it of course, but trying the Ak380 again, is does seem to be more sparkly in the highs. I am now wondering which to get...because the WM1Z is more powerful with deeper bass and more engaging overall. The guy at one of the shops who had tried both preferred the Ak380 as he found the bass on the WM1Z slightly too present. Of course he had the Ak380 to sell so...


 
 I personally disliked the AK380, the sound wasnt for me. I am in the belief that if there was any progress to be made in portable audio it is to be made by taking a new approach. The same silicon chip will almost always sound the same in portable devices, no matter how well it is implemented. 
 Sony appears to have been taking the different approach for along time, their DSEE HX seems to be that new approach.


----------



## Sonic Defender

nanaholic said:


> - so to compensate for the fact that Android draws too much power, they lowered the headphone output


 
 How do you know that is true? Did Sony publically disclose this information or is this just speculation? And no I didn't miss the fact that the ZX2 was woefully underpowered, I made that point many times in the ZX2 thread which I'm sure annoyed all the ZX2 owners there. That was the reason, the only reason I might add, that I never bought the ZX2 despite literally having it in a shopping cart on a few occasions.


----------



## musicday

Has it be officially confirmed that the models sold in Europe will have the volume limiter?
We don't want that do we?


----------



## Zakalwe

musicday said:


> Has it be officially confirmed that the models sold in Europe will have the volume limiter?
> We don't want that do we?




I do not think it has been officially confirmed, but it is a very reasonable assumption, since all of Sony's DAPs for the EU have had the cap for ages. This was so even well before the current EU directive, back when only a few EU countries (or only one - France, I think?) had such laws in place. The old NW-HD1 had it. Minidisc-devices had it in their later years. It would be highly unusual if these new DAPs did not have it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Oh capped, then germany buying NEIN NEIN, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 will be getting then in amazon US or AJ


----------



## denis1976

musicday said:


> Has it be officially confirmed that the models sold in Europe will have the volume limiter?
> We don't want that do we?


i have a zx2 and i never understand how a 15mw device needs a limiter...he allready have a AVLS Limiter , now every one talks about 85 dbs 100dbs etc, does sony knows what type of headphones we will be playing with? For exemple a iem with 32 or 16 ohms and +- 120 db sensitive the zx2 will measure the dbs and cut the volume more???of course not...so this is pointless, big headphones with 15mw don't plays loud , with cap or uncaped


----------



## denis1976

For me what really matters is if the Dap plays well, and zx2 with the ie800 plays amazingly well, if the new models plays even better i will want to buy one , decaped or caped, of course i have a Lotoo paw gold and qp1r and ar-m2 , so for big cans i am served


----------



## goody

gerelmx1986 said:


> Oh capped, then germany buying NEIN NEIN,
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 yes gerelmx it will be capped do not buy it from EU the only one that was not capped was the NWZ X1060 i still have it very loud ...i have just sold my ZX100 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 now i am looking to see what to get the 1A appeals to me so does the A30.
     The A30 plays DSD now so i am wondering if the same circuitry for the ZX100 is in it


----------



## nanaholic

sonic defender said:


> How do you know that is true? Did Sony publically disclose this information or is this just speculation? And no I didn't miss the fact that the ZX2 was woefully underpowered, I made that point many times in the ZX2 thread which I'm sure annoyed all the ZX2 owners there. That was the reason, the only reason I might add, that I never bought the ZX2 despite literally having it in a shopping cart on a few occasions.


 
  
 The ZX1 also outputs 15mW+15mW, runs Android and has about half the battery time of the ZX2, but also uses a smaller battery due to the much slimmer chasis (Japanese users had calculated it to be under 1000mAH), while the ZX2 gets double the battery life with an industry person confirming that its battery capacity is double that of the ZX1 at 1880mAh - and it gets roughly double that of the running time of the ZX1.  So to get double the battery life such that the device meets the requirement of CEO Kaz's "must last a cross Atlantic flight on one charge", they put a bigger battery of double capacity in there and that's about it, is all pretty straight forward maths/engineering. Of course Sony's not going to tell you "well we didn't increase the power output of the headphone out to meet our CEO's request" because that would be extremely bad PR, but again if you look at the spec it's straight forward maths/engineering.
  
 Now that we know the WM1A/Z outputs 4 times as much power on SE in a body that is roughly the same as the ZX2 - battery tech certainly hasn't improved that much since the release of the ZX2 and we are already able to see the internal of the WM1A/Z already from all the photos and they haven't hollowed out all the components to put in the biggest battery in there, so the reduced power drain must be attributed to the things that did change even in light of the massive increase of power output.  Which means it's either the removal of the WiFi radio (unlikely - test conditions almost never turns on WiFi for DAPs) or the OS (very likely, since you can't turn off the OS).  So by logical deduction it's going to be the OS, there's almost no other way to get around this conclusion. 
  
 Plus it's no secret that Android is a battery hog in the IT world, and pretty much all the DAPs which runs on Android on the market now struggles with more than 10hrs playback time.  So it's pretty obvious what is to blame here.


----------



## goody

nanaholic said:


> The ZX1 also outputs 15mW+15mW, runs Android and has about half the battery time of the ZX2, but also uses a smaller battery due to the much slimmer chasis (Japanese users had calculated it to be under 1000mAH), while the ZX2 gets double the battery life with an industry person confirming that its battery capacity is double that of the ZX1 at 1880mAh - and it gets roughly double that of the running time of the ZX1.  So to get double the battery life such that the device meets the requirement of CEO Kaz's "must last a cross Atlantic flight on one charge", they put a bigger battery of double capacity in there and that's about it, is all pretty straight forward maths/engineering. Of course Sony's not going to tell you "well we didn't increase the power output of the headphone out to meet our CEO's request" because that would be extremely bad PR, but again if you look at the spec it's straight forward maths/engineering.
> 
> Now that we know the WM1A/Z outputs 4 times as much power on SE in a body that is roughly the same as the ZX2 - battery tech certainly hasn't improved that much since the release of the ZX2 and we are already able to see the internal of the WM1A/Z already from all the photos and they haven't hollowed out all the components to put in the biggest battery in there, so the reduced power drain must be attributed to the things that did change even in light of the massive increase of power output.  Which means it's either the removal of the WiFi radio (unlikely - test conditions almost never turns on WiFi for DAPs) or the OS (very likely, since you can't turn off the OS).  So by logical deduction it's going to be the OS, there's almost no other way to get around this conclusion.
> 
> Plus it's no secret that Android is a battery hog in the IT world, and pretty much all the DAPs which runs on Android on the market now struggles with more than 10hrs playback time.  So it's pretty obvious what is to blame here.


 
 You put it so succinctly ...Android is a big time battery drainer


----------



## gerelmx1986

Some here posted a blog entry to a japanese blog, i read it google-translated and the last page of the megapost it says THERE IS CONIDERABL DIFFERENCE IN SQ BETWEEN THE TWO MACHINES (WM1A and WM1Z)
  
 He says also WM1A sounds far superior than ZX2


----------



## Sonic Defender

goody said:


> You put it so succinctly ...Android is a big time battery drainer


 
 It is an operating system and devices consume power. Is the iOS much better in this respect? I'm asking as I don't use iOS. I do know that the newer Android versions are supposed to have much better battery management features so theoretically simply using a new Android version could have mitigated some of this.
  
 My only point wasn't really to question that Android's battery hit couldn't be a reasonable explanation for the OS change, my point was that it was presented pretty much factually when there are still other explanations that only Sony can really know.


----------



## Zakalwe

If the Sony guy that _hanes_ up there talked to is right about the WM1's SonyOS being a locked-down Android 5.0, then the battery situation gets a lot muddier...


----------



## goody

zakalwe said:


> If the Sony guy that _hanes_ up there talked to is right about the WM1's SonyOS being a locked-down Android 5.0, then the battery situation gets a lot muddier...


 
 I might be wrong but i doubt it is a locked down Android 5.0 , it just might be based on the elements of it ... I think  Sony have plenty of software employees to come up with something original..


----------



## gerelmx1986

goody said:


> I might be wrong but i doubt it is a locked down Android 5.0 , it just might be based on the elements of it ... I think  Sony have plenty of software employees to come up with something original..


 
 I agree what if the OS is Sony OS but originally and ceratively revamped icons and perhaps developed from scratch yet again to say so sony walman OS V2.0


----------



## gerelmx1986

My Z5 finally arrived here, not yet in my house but in customs, being sniffed and inspected fro illegal stuff like drugs or (gay) hentai 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 LOL LOL gotta love customs and make fun of them.
  
 The other day i was reading hy it is illegal to mail porn in mexico (even fedex and co prohibiti it) and the most silly reason EVER  because it damages the morale (perhaps of the agent who sees it LOL)


----------



## Romiros

Battery of wm1 is about 1800 mAh. We can see it on photo from IFA


----------



## gerelmx1986

romiros said:


> Battery of wm1 is about 1800 mAh. We can see it on photo from IFA


 
 where? shw it please 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, i thik ZX100 battery was even lower than that i think 800mAh dont really remember


----------



## musicday

Would like to read and see more reviews,videos of those walkmans and when will they be available for sale.
Will PriceJaoan have them, but how will know for sure it will have English language in the menu and not have the volume limiter.


----------



## Romiros

gerelmx1986 said:


> where? shw it please  , i thik ZX100 battery was even lower than that i think 800mAh dont really remember



On photo, where it was disassembled. In high resolution. On stand. Photo like this https://media.cool3c.com/files/media/s/o/n/y/1/3/2/sony132.jpg but better Q


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> Would like to read and see more reviews,videos of those walkmans and when will they be available for sale.
> Will PriceJaoan have them, but how will know for sure it will have English language in the menu and not have the volume limiter.


 

 How priceJapan handles warranty repairs? as iknow accessory jack does it for you (they send it to sony HK for repirs and then back to you)


----------



## goody

musicday said:


> Would like to read and see more reviews,videos of those walkmans and when will they be available for sale.
> Will PriceJaoan have them, but how will know for sure it will have English language in the menu and not have the volume limiter.


 
 Price japan will have them but it will be japanese language only...it will not have a volume limiter at all i know because i buy stuff from them all the time...send them an email if you have any querys ..


----------



## purk

goody said:


> Price japan will have them but it will be japanese language only...it will not have a volume limiter at all i know because i buy stuff from them all the time...send them an email if you have any querys ..


 
 This is correct.  If you want an English language support, I would go with HK retailer such as Accessory Jack.


----------



## Mimouille

gerelmx1986 said:


> Some here posted a blog entry to a japanese blog, i read it google-translated and the last page of the megapost it says THERE IS CONIDERABL DIFFERENCE IN SQ BETWEEN THE TWO MACHINES (WM1A and WM1Z)
> 
> He says also WM1A sounds far superior than ZX2


If one guy says it on a Japanese blog and we confirmed it with google translate, than it must be the truth!


----------



## nanaholic

sonic defender said:


> It is an operating system and devices consume power. Is the iOS much better in this respect? I'm asking as I don't use iOS. I do know that the newer Android versions are supposed to have much better battery management features so theoretically simply using a new Android version could have mitigated some of this.
> 
> My only point wasn't really to question that Android's battery hit couldn't be a reasonable explanation for the OS change, my point was that it was presented pretty much factually when there are still other explanations that only Sony can really know.


 
  
 iOS is in fact better - iPhones have tiny batteries compared to the Android counter parts and with a lot of optimization on Apple's part they get decent battery life. If iPhones has a battery capacity of Android flagships (greater than 2000mAh in most cases) they WILL outlast them in battery life. It's a fact of IT that the more general purpose the software is, the less optimized/less efficient it is - this is indeed factual. Android by default is a very general purpose piece of software that is designed to run on almost anything, which is why it is at its core a very inefficient piece of software.
  
 Also all the points about the Sony OS being more power efficient has been confirmed in this interview, which was pretty much released on the day of the announcement
 http://www.phileweb.com/interview/article/201609/02/393_4.html
  
 And no, the Sony OS is not a locked down version of Android. The interview specifically said it is home baked. As Sony has quite a bit of Linux experience as well as making Walkman software before Android was even a thing, I'd say when they say it is home baked it's home baked.


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> Some here posted a blog entry to a japanese blog, i read it google-translated and the last page of the megapost it says THERE IS CONIDERABL DIFFERENCE IN SQ BETWEEN THE TWO MACHINES (WM1A and WM1Z)
> 
> He says also WM1A sounds far superior than ZX2


 
  
 I've been talking to Just Ear's Matsuo-san (well gotta bug someone about getting those 4.4mm balance cables for my MH1s) and he also assured me that the WM1A and WM1Z sounds different.
  
 Though he actually recommends the WM1A because he said it's the more rounded machine in terms of balancing between SQ and everyday portability, and to only get the 1Z if sound quality is the only thing you care about.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> I've been talking to Just Ear's Matsuo-san (well gotta bug someone about getting those 4.4mm balance cables for my MH1s) and he also assured me that the WM1A and WM1Z sounds different.
> 
> Though he actually recommends the *WM1A because he said it's the more rounded machine in terms of balancing between SQ and everyday portability*, and to only get the 1Z if sound quality is the only thing you care about.


 
  
 Did he comment if the 1A sounds better than the ZX2? i want the 1A because color and less weight as he says and of course jump in SQ from my zx100


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> Did he comment if the 1A sounds better than the ZX2? i want the 1A because color and less weight as he says and of course jump in SQ from my zx100


 
  
 He said the WM1A is the best walkman to date.
  
 Though sound preference is pretty subjective, so YMMV. Plus he says people should listen to both and decide for themselves anyway, but personally he pushes the WM1A.


----------



## Caruryn

gerelmx1986 said:


> Some here posted a blog entry to a japanese blog, i read it google-translated and the last page of the megapost it says THERE IS CONIDERABL DIFFERENCE IN SQ BETWEEN THE TWO MACHINES (WM1A and WM1Z)
> 
> He says also WM1A sounds far superior than ZX2


 
 All this hyperbole is getting ridiculous,each time a new device pops up.In what way is it far superior,does it sound like a high priced desktop setup with immense soundstage and speaker like bass in a portable form?That's the only way it will sound far superior unless we are talking about headfones,in that case a phone like galaxy s6 will sound superior due to the paltry ZX2 amp.If it is a small improvement in sq vs ZX2 it will be well worth it especially due to the far superior amp,the biggest difference i suspect is going to come from the 4.4mm balanced output,let's wait for proper reviews ,ZX2 suffered greatly from inaccurate reviews (good and bad for different reasons),frankly apart from Whitigir's ZX2 review most other web reviews are irrelevant as they do not portray the full potential of ZX2's sound,no trrs,no disabling eq,stock ZX2 sound is very mediocre for a $1200 device.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> He said the WM1A is the best walkman to date.
> 
> Though sound preference is pretty subjective, so YMMV. Plus he says people should listen to both and decide for themselves anyway, but personally he pushes the WM1A.


 
 WOW thanks this just sounds WOW WOW
  
 My reasons for getting 1A
  

Price, 1500 cheaper thnan 1Z
Build quality for sure miles ahead of that of ZX100
SQ Ages ahead of any walkman or fiio or iPod i ever have heard to date
Weight can't imagine acrrying a ingot LOL
Not too "steal-me-at-gun-point" looks
Composer search
Touch screen for navi is better than pure D-pad navi IMHO
Monster Power, the most powerful walkman to date


----------



## musicday

So Accessory Jack is the best place to get it to have both the English language in the menu and no volume limiter right?
Hope we get to see some reviews soon.


----------



## regit

gerelmx1986 said:


> WOW thanks this just sounds WOW WOW
> 
> My reasons for getting 1A
> 
> ...




Conjectures? Best see and test it personally when it is available to the general public.


----------



## gerelmx1986

regit said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > WOW thanks this just sounds WOW WOW
> ...


 

 well i don't have a store to test, so my only choices amazon or AJ import


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> So Accessory Jack is the best place to get it to have both the English language in the menu and no volume limiter right?
> Hope we get to see some reviews soon.


 

 Yes, i have imported from them my ZX100 conform english and other languages such as español und Deutsch etcetera, and apparently no volume limit, thd thing gest pretty loud at vol. 11 already, for cans ike the MDR-Z7 (tested them) vol. 15 can be unberarable, sometimes i need to go to 26 of 30 (recording related)
  
 I also imported my XBA-Z5, I highly recommend AJ, they are fast and veru nice for customer service


----------



## denis1976

When does the "A" will be available?


----------



## fish1050

nanaholic said:


> I've provided the data before, Asia is not only the biggest headphone/portable market but also the only growing market so naturally businesses will cater to them first.  Probably not a coincidence that the biggest DAP makers now are also all Asian companies (AK- Korean, Sony - Japan, Fiio/HiFiman - Chinese etc).  Just accept that the Western market for once is not a priority and move on ok?  The constant moaning about not being served is getting really tiring.


 
 Yeah says the guy living in Asia, if you were living in any other part of the world you would not be happy either.  So stop telling us how we should feel about the state of things in our part of the world.


----------



## purk

fish1050 said:


> Yeah says the guy living in Asia, if you were living in any other part of the world you would not be happy either.  So stop telling us how we should feel about the state of things in our part of the world.


 
 His posts have been good but I agree with yours as well.  Plus, this is a North American forum after all and everyone is entitled to their opinion/preference.


----------



## fish1050

phonomat said:


> You can also ...
> ... quote several posts together by using the "Multi" button, so you don't have to make four posts of yours in a row.
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I do multipost sometimes but I also run my own business so I only jump on periodically.  Thus I typically only get on long enough to respond to one post at a time. Besides not all responses are related to multiple posts.
  
 Oh and I am only Stephanie on special occasions when I feel the urge to wear high heels and makeup. The rest of the time I am just plain old Stephen.


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> When does the "A" will be available?


 

 which "A" ? The A30 lol or the WM1A


----------



## fish1050

nanaholic said:


> The ZX1 also outputs 15mW+15mW, runs Android and has about half the battery time of the ZX2, but also uses a smaller battery due to the much slimmer chasis (Japanese users had calculated it to be under 1000mAH), while the ZX2 gets double the battery life with an industry person confirming that its battery capacity is double that of the ZX1 at 1880mAh - and it gets roughly double that of the running time of the ZX1.  So to get double the battery life such that the device meets the requirement of CEO Kaz's "must last a cross Atlantic flight on one charge", they put a bigger battery of double capacity in there and that's about it, is all pretty straight forward maths/engineering. Of course Sony's not going to tell you "well we didn't increase the power output of the headphone out to meet our CEO's request" because that would be extremely bad PR, but again if you look at the spec it's straight forward maths/engineering.
> 
> Now that we know the WM1A/Z outputs 4 times as much power on SE in a body that is roughly the same as the ZX2 - battery tech certainly hasn't improved that much since the release of the ZX2 and we are already able to see the internal of the WM1A/Z already from all the photos and they haven't hollowed out all the components to put in the biggest battery in there, so the reduced power drain must be attributed to the things that did change even in light of the massive increase of power output.  Which means it's either the removal of the WiFi radio (unlikely - test conditions almost never turns on WiFi for DAPs) or the OS (very likely, since you can't turn off the OS).  So by logical deduction it's going to be the OS, there's almost no other way to get around this conclusion.
> 
> Plus it's no secret that Android is a battery hog in the IT world, and pretty much all the DAPs which runs on Android on the market now struggles with more than 10hrs playback time.  So it's pretty obvious what is to blame here.


 
 Well Pioneer and Onkyo figured it out as they are both rated at 16 hours for 24 bit 96Khz FLAC files.  Most DAP makers customize android for their DAP's needs so some optimization is possible to improve battery life.  Power output on Pioneer/Onkyo  is rated at 75 mW per channel and 150 mW per channel balanced mode on the Onkyo.


----------



## fish1050

purk said:


> His posts have been good but I agree with yours as well.  Plus, this is a North American forum after all and everyone is entitled to their opinion/preference.


 
 Giving an opinion is one thing but telling others how they should feel about their situation when they have never experienced it themselves bugs me.


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> which "A" ? The A30 lol or the WM1A


the wm1A of course


----------



## gerelmx1986

Well, apple ditched the ubiqutuos 3.5mm Jack from their latest iPoophne... making headphones obsolete DAMN YOU APPLE, still love my Headphones tho


----------



## zachchen1996

mimouille said:


> I am very tempted by the WM1Z as I said but hesitant as it did sound a bit warm overall. Today I went to a couple of shops in Shanghai, none had it of course, but trying the Ak380 again, is does seem to be more sparkly in the highs. I am now wondering which to get...because the WM1Z is more powerful with _*deeper bass*_ and more engaging overall. The guy at one of the shops who had tried both preferred the Ak380 as he found the bass on the WM1Z slightly too present. Of course he had the Ak380 to sell so...


 

 ​I'm a basshead, so now I'm _definitely_ getting the WM1Z rather than AK380cu haha. xD
 (Not having to worry about copper oxidation and fragile 2.5mm plugs are pluses too)


----------



## gerelmx1986

zachchen1996 said:


> ​I'm a basshead, so now I'm _definitely_ getting the WM1Z rather than AK380cu haha. xD
> (Not having to worry about copper oxidation and fragile 2.5mm plugs are pluses too)


 
 I am getting the 1A, i am a Classical Music head


----------



## purk

I'm leaning toward getting the new headphones or ES amp instead.  My ZX2 + PHA3 serves me quite well actually.  I wonder if the 1Z can even come close to the ZX2 + PHA3 combo.


----------



## fish1050

Sony's choice to go with copper and gold plating on the 1Z could create issues with the long term longevity of the casing on the 1Z.  Firstly, gold is a soft metal and although it is gold plated the casing could tarnish over time much like gold plated jewelry does.  It could also be more scratch prone since gold is a soft metal.  Copper tends to be more dent prone than aluminum so if you drop the 1Z it is more likely the casing will get damaged.  I would say that a high quality case is a must for the 1Z and that the 1A casing should hold up better over time. Especially if you plan to use it outside.
  
 Probably why you don't see much copper or gold plated portable audio products.


----------



## purk

fish1050 said:


> Sony's choice to go with copper and gold plating on the 1Z could create issues with the long term longevity of the casing on the 1Z.  Firstly, gold is a soft metal and although it is gold plated the casing could tarnish over time much like gold plated jewelry does.  It could also be more scratch prone since gold is a soft metal.  Copper tends to be more dent prone than aluminum so if you drop the 1Z it is more likely the casing will get damaged.  I would say that a high quality case is a must for the 1Z and that the 1A casing should hold up better over time. Especially if you plan to use it outside.
> 
> Probably why you don't see much copper or gold plated portable audio products.


 
 I had the same thought, but you can use the 1Z as a weapon. Don't drop it on your foot though.


----------



## Rob49

All this speculation about the 1Z, but realistically how many of us are actually going to be able to afford one ???


----------



## fish1050

purk said:


> I had the same thought, but you can use the 1Z as a weapon. Don't drop it on your foot though.


 
 The weight of the 1Z coupled with the copper casing almost assures denting if dropped on a hard surface.  I would be interested to see how much drop testing Sony did with the 1Z if any at all.  If Sony still offers AHD (drop protection) on their extended warranties I would say it is a must to get it for the 1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

rob49 said:


> All this speculation about the 1Z, but realistically how many of us are actually going to be able to afford one ???


 

 me not 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 but yeah the "cheapie" 1A


----------



## Caruryn

rob49 said:


> All this speculation about the 1Z, but realistically how many of us are actually going to be able to afford one ???


 
 The smart move is to wait 7-8 months for the AK480 to appear around $6000 and the rich headfiers here to start dumping their 1Z like yesterday news for $2k at sale/trade forum.


----------



## purk

rob49 said:


> All this speculation about the 1Z, but realistically how many of us are actually going to be able to afford one ???


 
 According to  @ *nanaholic, * plentiful of buyers from Asian countries and small numbers from the West.  I actually agree with this.  It should be pretty popular for someone who demand the very best from portable device (due to space restrictions on their desktop) as well as the 1Z being used as a "status symbol" to them.  I think it will sell very well in HK and Japan but not so much in Korean given that the Korean will stick to their home brand Astell & Kern.


----------



## proedros

caruryn said:


> The smart move is to wait 7-8 months  and the  headfiers here to start selling their non-EU 1Α  for $700 at sale/trade forum.


 
  
 fixed


----------



## gerelmx1986

caruryn said:


> rob49 said:
> 
> 
> > All this speculation about the 1Z, but realistically how many of us are actually going to be able to afford one ???
> ...


 

 LOL true


----------



## purk

Or just wait for Sony to offer them as refurblished unit.  That's the best way to get the 1Z if you ask me with 30% discount.


----------



## musicday

The batteries used inside according to the photoslook pretty much like the old Nokia 1500 mHa ones used in E series phones.
Now if we can find an easy way to open the player we can replace them ourselves.


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> Or just wait for Sony to offer them as refurblished unit.  That's the best way to get the 1Z if you ask me with 30% discount.


 

 I have never trusted refurb units, maybe the stigma they were damaged once and then repaired or perhaps the Nasty spanish term for refurb RECONSTRUIDO (lit. reconstructed)


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have never trusted refurb units, maybe the stigma they were damaged once and then repaired or perhaps the Nasty spanish term for refurb RECONSTRUIDO (lit. reconstructed)


 
 Here it is just a returned item most of the time.  It still come with full warranty but maybe just 90-days from Sony.  You can also buy it as an open box unit from many online retailers here.  I really hope they have the 1A ready for me to try out soon.  I need to find the new TRRRS adapter however.


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:
			
		

> Here it is just a returned item most of the time.  It still come with full warranty but maybe just 90-days from Sony.  You can also buy it as an open box unit from many online retailers here.  I really hope they have the 1A ready for me to try out soon.*  I need to find the new TRRRS adapter *however.


 
  
 Yep or get an adapter to dual TRS by a cable company like PlusSound or our best friend DYI @Whitigir (he makes pure silver cables)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Tomorrow I  am expecting a ****ty Day LOL, sold my XBA-A3 already and my Z5 arrived to local FedEx office but too late , after courier had left, damn, using a pair of old iBuds for now


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have never trusted refurb units, maybe the stigma they were damaged once and then repaired or perhaps the Nasty spanish term for refurb RECONSTRUIDO (lit. reconstructed)


 
 I have actually owned a number of refurbished audio products.  Never had any issues and they usually come with a full warranty.  They have thoroughly tested before reissue unlike buying used where you have no idea what the condition really is.  I would buy refurbished over second hand any day.


----------



## fish1050

The best way to get the 1Z to sell, give one to each of the Kardashian twits and have them flash them on television.  Once the millions of mindless drones who watch that sludge see them they will snap them up like it was catnip.  Sony won't be able to keep them in stock.  That is your market for the 1Z, rich twits who buy it because it is shiny and gold and because some celebrity has one so they have have to have it to.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> The best way to get the 1Z to sell, give one to each of the Kardashian twits and have them flash them on television.  Once the millions of mindless drones who watch that sludge see them they will snap them up like it was catnip.  Sony won't be able to keep them in stock.  That is your market for the 1Z, rich twits who buy it because it is shiny and gold and because some celebrity has one so they have have to have it to.


 
 LOL I am a very concicious consumer I prefer to see Head-fi reviews and then jump the train, not because a celeb endorses it... think beats, celeb endorsed Crap


----------



## Mimouille

Pre-order price in China is 3600$...I might put this on hold.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> Pre-order price in China is 3600$...I might put this on hold.


 
 LOL LOL getthe 1A


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> Pre-order price in China is 3600$...I might put this on hold.




Lol! Rich people game


----------



## johnston21

Are you all sure of the "Crossing the Atlantic" comment or just repeating hear-say? With SONY USA Head-Office being located in NYC, I would guess that crossing the Pacific would be the quicker route to Japan...


----------



## nanaholic

johnston21 said:


> Are you all sure of the "Crossing the Atlantic" comment or just repeating hear-say? With SONY USA Head-Office being located in NYC, I wound guess that crossing the Pacific would be the quicker route to Japan...


 
  
 One would think Kaz also flies to Europe from NA, being the CEO and all that.


----------



## Mimouille

Wow, on top of the price, in China it will ship oh the 30th of November...


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> Wow, on top of the price, in China it will ship oh the 30th of November...


 
  ​
  
 Lets see when the 1A ships


----------



## fish1050

caruryn said:


> The smart move is to wait 7-8 months for the AK480 to appear around $6000 and the rich headfiers here to start dumping their 1Z like yesterday news for $2k at sale/trade forum.


 
 That kind of plays into an earlier post I made.  If everyone waits once the 1Z is released for several months you may not have to wait for sale or trade.  Sony might be forced to drop the price on their own if the 1Z does not sell well to start.
  
 So everyone should collude to force down the price by not buying right away and waiting several months.  That really is the only way for customers to gain any sense of control over the manufacturers.


----------



## Mimouille

mimouille said:


> Wow, on top of the price, in China it will ship oh the 30th of November...


 
  
  


gerelmx1986 said:


> ​
> 
> Lets see when the 1A ships


 
 Wait now it is saying the first of November...1A is the same.


----------



## Mimouille

mimouille said:


> Pre-order price in China is 3600$...I might put this on hold.


 
 And actually it is ONLY 3450$...


----------



## Metalsludge

fish1050 said:


> The best way to get the 1Z to sell, give one to each of the Kardashian twits and have them flash them on television.  Once the millions of mindless drones who watch that sludge see them they will snap them up like it was catnip.  Sony won't be able to keep them in stock.  That is your market for the 1Z, rich twits who buy it because it is shiny and gold and because some celebrity has one so they have have to have it to.


 
 When Victoria Beckham was given a rose gold Rolex Daytona by her husband, large and rose gold colored watches did indeed suddenly become popular among women and even girls in industry changing ways. The alloy, formerly called rose gold, came to be called "pink gold" more often as manufacturers caught on to the renewed appeal among female consumers. However, the vast majority of watches sold to such consumers were cheap knock off designs by Michael Kors and such, not actual gold watches or Rolex models. The look became popular, but not the watch that inspired it upon being worn by a celebrity.  
  
 So, on the one hand, the Kardashian approach could indeed help. But on the other, it's hard to say whether it would make the real Sony model popular, or just gold colored daps in general.


----------



## harmonix

emrelights1973 said:


> Then a 7500£ Naim NDS Streamer with double 555PS 12,000£ , a 19,500£ Naim NDS source is not designed for music? It is equipped with a 500£ power line with Audioquest Vodka etc....
> 
> 
> it has Tidal/Spotify added, no body defending Android but Streaming capabilities, if it can be done without android i am more than happy.....
> ...




You would need a portable ac generator to go with the naim. Try strapping that on to your wrist. All that internal and chassis shielding and in the naim is not weightless either... I would stick to the zx2. Perfectly fine player for streaming. 

What people are trying to say is wifi compromises sq. If you don't agree to that premise then its simple to agree not to agree...


----------



## emrelights1973

harmonix said:


> You would need a portable ac generator to go with the naim. Try strapping that on to your wrist. All that internal and chassis shielding and in the naim is not weightless either... I would stick to the zx2. Perfectly fine player for streaming.
> 
> What people are trying to say is wifi compromises sq. If you don't agree to that premise then its simple to agree not to agree...



Dont agree thus giving an example from a hifi! Also compare to other DAPs the golden one is not much different from generator powered naim! 
İ am sticking with my zx2 but feel sorry because i can not enjoy new daps from sony just because of this, i use tidal very often and like to discover music with my dap rahter do my hifi with my stereo kit or desktop amp
The world is becoming wifi/wireless so i dont get this step back from sony


----------



## harmonix

Agree to disagree. Wifi affects sq and needs to be controlled well. Devialet, D'Agostino, Jeff Rowlan and morr disagree with you. That's all the time I have for u.


----------



## nanaholic

All the Signature series equipment are going on general sale in Japan on 29th October. Sony Store in Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka will have demo units starting on the 9th, with the Ginza store getting them on the 24th.  
 http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1016917.html
  
 I'm interested in the new DC Phase Linearizer tech that is supposed to give you a more "analog sound" *sic* which doesn't seem to get much coverage, that looks like it would be an interesting read on how it actually works.


----------



## purk

That DC Phase Technology is nothing new actually.  I remember reading it from one of Sony's White Paper article regarding that technology which was utilized in their 2nd or 3rd generation S-Master Pro Home Theater amplifiers/receivers.
  
 I was right as this technology was first implemented on the Sony STR-DA9000ES ( mine die last year) as well as the DA7100ES.  
  
 https://docs.sony.com/release/strda9000es_twp.pdf
  
 Go to page 11 and check it out.


----------



## nanaholic

Nice paper.
  
 So it was something they have in their home component equipment but now miniaturized for portable use such that it plays well enough with battery consumption, plus they have new settings in the WM1.  That's fairly noteworthy in itself as tech miniaturization is often not easy.


----------



## purk

nanaholic said:


> Nice paper.
> 
> So it was something they have in their home component equipment but now miniaturized for portable use such that it plays well enough with battery consumption, plus they have new settings in the WM1.  That's fairly noteworthy in itself as tech miniaturization is often not easy.




Pretty much. Sony did this back with the X1060 Walkman and continue to refine that tech until now. I got interested in the Walkman again due to the S-master name alone. Of course, it sounds like that they are finally able to implement most if not all the technologies in the latest into the mobile version. Trust me it was a sad day when my str-da9000es died. It has a superb built quality both inside and out.


----------



## nanaholic

purk said:


> Pretty much. Sony did this back with the X1060 Walkman and continue to refine that tech until now. I got interested in the Walkman again due to the S-master name alone. Of course, it sounds like that they are finally able to implement most if not all the technologies in the latest into the mobile version. Trust me it was a sad day when my str-da9000es died. It has a superb built quality both inside and out.


 
  
 Sony's always stuck with the S-master in their walkman series citing the benefits of the all digital pathway in terms of SQ as well as the battery consumption benefits of doing most of the stuff in digital first before converting into analogue only at the last mile of the signal pathway. Recently having gotten to know and talk to these people and read a lot more on why they keep this tech the engineer in me respect them for holding onto that piece of tech and refining it instead of the all the other DAP makers which just seems to pick yet another flavour of the month ESS/AKM/Burr Brown/Wolfsen/Cirrus Logic chip, slap a heavily skinned Android on it and call it a day and aren't actually really adding anything new into the pool.


----------



## proedros

happy owner of zx2 , not using wifi/tidal/spotify etc
  
 was thinking of maybe trying P1 / idsd micro , but looks like i will keep this money for a WM1A down the road


----------



## purk

nanaholic said:


> Sony's always stuck with the S-master in their walkman series citing the benefits of the all digital pathway in terms of SQ as well as the battery consumption benefits of doing most of the stuff in digital first before converting into analogue only at the last mile of the signal pathway. Recently having gotten to know and talk to these people and read a lot more on why they keep this tech the engineer in me respect them for holding onto that piece of tech and refining it instead of the all the other DAP makers which just seems to pick yet another flavour of the month ESS/AKM/Burr Brown/Wolfsen/Cirrus Logic chip, slap a heavily skinned Android on it and call it a day and aren't actually really adding anything new into the pool.


 
 They are unique in that sense and I really wish them well.  Though I dislike their 3.2K price tag on the 1Z, part of me is very happy knowing that they are taking audio very serious again.


----------



## proedros

purk said:


> They are unique in that sense and I really wish them well.  Though I dislike their 3.2K price tag on the 1Z, part of me is very happy knowing that *they are taking audio very serious again.  *


 
  
  
 my respect for SONY is back again at a high level

 in fact, i just went ahead and bought these *2 great books about SONY* , 1 is centered on its founder and the other in the company

 these look to be great reading, so maybe someone else will want to check them out - and they are very cheap to buy at amazon
  
  
  
  
Made in Japan : Akio Morita and Sony  
 https://www.amazon.com/Made-Japan-Akio-Morita-Sony/dp/0006383424/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1473320677&sr=8-3&keywords=sony+morita
  
  
  
  
*Sony: A Private Life *


  
*Named one of the best business books of the year (by Fortune and Newsweek), SONY is the "intimate biography of one of the world's leading electronics giants" (San Francisco Chronicle) as well as one of the most fascinating and complex of all corporate stories.  "Richly detailed and revealing" (Wall Street Journal), the book examines both the outward successes and, as never before, the mysterious inner workings that have always characterized this company's top ranks. The result is "a different kind of business book, showing how personal relationships shaped one of the century's great global corporations" (Fortune).*
  
 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618126945/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ANHFDOMMXXZUV


----------



## Rob49

So with these new balanced Daps, you're going to need a new plug & balanced cable ? Will these be readily available ? I suspect not ! ( Noticed on the Sony MDR-1 thread that Sony have a new balanced cable with the new plug. )
 Then there's the added cost of all this. I wonder how different these new Daps will sound compared to ZX2 / TRRS ? ( Which i've never experienced myself. )


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

mimouille said:


> Wow, on top of the price, in China it will ship oh the 30th of November...


 
  
 Wow, that feels late.  Later then other parts of the world?
  
_edit - even the first of November seems late_


----------



## Mimouille

buttuglyjeff said:


> Wow, that feels late.  Later then other parts of the world?
> 
> _edit - even the first of November seems late_


My patience allows me for a max wait of....1 week


----------



## gerelmx1986

Not really i had two walkmans which didnt have S MASTER Chip the E507 (2004) and the A818 (2007)


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> All the Signature series equipment are going on general sale in Japan on 29th October. Sony Store in Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka will have demo units starting on the 9th, with the Ginza store getting them on the 24th.
> http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1016917.html
> 
> I'm interested in the new DC Phase Linearizer tech that is supposed to give you a more* "analog sound" *sic* *which doesn't seem to get much coverage, that looks like it would be an interesting read on how it actually works.


 
 mY x1060 (2009) had this nice analogue sound reminded me of vinyl and or Class A/B amps (like the one used in the fiio x3 I) But less warm yes nice analogue sound


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> mY x1060 (2009) had this nice analogue sound reminded me of vinyl and or Class A/B amps (like the one used in the fiio x3 I) But less warm yes nice analogue sound


 
  
 I just don't like the term because to me as a engineer it doesn't describe anything meaningful as all sounds are analogue - there's no such thing as a digital sound, thus describing sound as "analogue/digital" sounding doesn't make any sense to me.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > mY x1060 (2009) had this nice analogue sound reminded me of vinyl and or Class A/B amps (like the one used in the fiio x3 I) But less warm yes nice analogue s
> ...


----------



## gerelmx1986

For the dude who said the Z7 sounded like a pair of beats, these ****s ones made in Mexico sound like beats like hearing Haydn with a pillow in your head 
I am using these ****ty iems just because I sold my Xba-a3 and my XBA-Z5 are due for today night Arghh i want my Z5 why fedex why????


----------



## Telacap99

So Yodobashi in Japan is listing the 1Z at abt USD2920 and the 1A abt USD1100.


----------



## bvng3540

telacap99 said:


> So Yodobashi in Japan is listing the 1Z at abt USD2920 and the 1A abt USD1100.




Wow can we preorder it now?


----------



## gerelmx1986

cool, i want it bet J wil have it cheaper, yobadashi offer warranty longer than 1 Year?


----------



## Mimouille

telacap99 said:


> So Yodobashi in Japan is listing the 1Z at abt USD2920 and the 1A abt USD1100.


It is 323k which is 3150$.


----------



## musicday

We've been covering pretty much everything about this high end music player from Sony,but if the files transfer is as slow like on AK players,many will not be happy.
Lotoo Paw Gold can achieve 87 mbps tested by me with the right SDXC using USB 3.0


----------



## Telacap99

Can take out the 8% sales tax for foreigners


----------



## Telacap99

mimouille said:


> It is 323k which is 3150$.




Can take out the 8% sales tax for foreigners


----------



## Whitigir

How do you buy from Japan


----------



## phonomat

PriceJapan?


----------



## fish1050

nanaholic said:


> I just don't like the term because to me as a engineer it doesn't describe anything meaningful as all sounds are analogue - there's no such thing as a digital sound, thus describing sound as "analogue/digital" sounding doesn't make any sense to me.


 
 I see your point and I have an engineering background as well but most people who don't have a hard time expressing these details.  When someone says digital sounding I equate it to being brighter and sharper sounding and analog to being warmer and smoother sounding.  Any more then that and they need to expand on the description.


----------



## Madcat207

nanaholic said:


> I just don't like the term because to me as a engineer it doesn't describe anything meaningful as all sounds are analogue - there's no such thing as a digital sound, thus describing sound as "analogue/digital" sounding doesn't make any sense to me.


 
 It may not be what he meant exactly, but in my head, i think of the sound signature a record has.. pops, fuzz, warmth. Then think of a song completely mastered in a digital environment; it tends to be sterile, cooler, etc.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> nanaholic said:
> 
> 
> > I just don't like the term because to me as a engineer it doesn't describe anything meaningful as all sounds are analogue - there's no such thing as a digital sound, thus describing sound as "analogue/digital" sounding doesn't make any sense to me.
> ...


 

 i also have eng background and whne i talk about digital sound i often associate it with CD a and flac files and clean sounding record free of Hisssss buzzzzz crackle pop etc


----------



## fish1050

musicday said:


> We've been covering pretty much everything about this high end music player from Sony,but if the files transfer is as slow like on AK players,many will not be happy.
> Lotoo Paw Gold can achieve 87 mbps tested by me with the right SDXC using USB 3.0


 
 Most DAP's only have USB 2.0 at best as USB 3.0 requires faster processing and not universally supported.  All Sony DAP's for the last few years are USB 2.0 so connecting to a USB 3.0 port won't improve speed any.  You might try to find out what USB version A&K is using and it could have a less powerful processor.  Using MedioGo I get fast file transfers with my A17.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > We've been covering pretty much everything about this high end music player from Sony,but if the files transfer is as slow like on AK players,many will not be happy.
> ...


 
 Me too mediago trasnfers fast and for the MicroSD i use the bult-in slot of the sony VAIO which is USB 3.0 and i get even faster transfer to the microSD


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> i also have eng background and whne i talk about digital sound i often associate it with CD a and flac files and clean sounding record free of Hisssss buzzzzz crackle pop etc


 
 I actually find digital sounding to more hissy not in terms of noise but harshness or sibilance.  Most A/B amp DAP's have a warmer sound and can make CD rips sound less digital even though the source was digital.  Sony's DAP's are Class D digital so they will tend toward a more digital sound (cleaner sound) with most tracks even those ripped from vinyl.
  
 So terminology can very even between engineers depending on your background.  It would be nice if forums had a lexicon so it would be easier for people to be universal in their descriptions.  It would be much less confusing as people interpret terms differently based on knowledge level and background


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> I actually find digital sounding to more hissy not in terms of noise but harshness or sibilance.  Most A/B amp DAP's have a warmer sound and can make CD rips sound less digital even though the source was digital.  Sony's DAP's are Class D digital so they will tend toward a more digital sound (cleaner sound) with most tracks even those ripped from vinyl.
> 
> So terminology can very even between engineers depending on your background.  It would be nice if forums had a lexicon so it would be easier for people to be universal in their descriptions.  It would be much less confusing as people interpret terms differently based on knowledge level and background


 
 and does adding a tube amp between lets say a walkman and the headphones help it a bit sound more warmi'ish?


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> Me too mediago trasnfers fast and for the MicroSD i use the bult-in slot of the sony VAIO which is USB 3.0 and i get even faster transfer to the microSD


 
 USB 3.0 won't improve transfer speed if the port on the DAP is only USB 2.0, USB 3.0 will only transfer at USB 3.0 speeds if both the computer and the DAP have USB 3.0 compatible ports.  All file transfers to the Sony DAP will be at USB 2.0 speeds and well below the USB 2.0 top speed.  USB 2.0 maxes out at 480 megabits per second which is much faster than any DAP can handle anyway so going to a USB 3.0 port on a DAP is pointless.


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> and does adding a tube amp between lets say a walkman and the headphones help it a bit sound more warmi'ish?


 
 Yes tube amps can make music sound warmer.  Up until pretty recently a warmer thicker sound was always the goal of high end audio equipment and tube amps are a big part of that sound.  HiRes audio is now more associated with a leaner and cleaner sound and headphone technology is light years ahead of where it use to be.  You hear much more detail and clarity in modern headphones than ever before.
  
 I know you are into classical music and most people that I know that love classical music still prefer the warmer thicker sound to the leaner sound that is becoming more popular today. But I have heard breathtaking sounding classical music with modern headphones and warmer sounding hifi equipment, especially tube amps.  If you are able I highly recommend you try your ZX100 or whatever new DAP you get with a tube amp.  I think you will be blown away by how good it can sound.  
  
 The warmer thicker sound brings out the emotional elements of classical music so much better than a leaner cleaner sound does.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Me too mediago trasnfers fast and for the MicroSD i use the bult-in slot of the sony VAIO which is USB 3.0 and i get even faster transfer to the microSD
> ...


 

 LOL you didnt get my point at all, i know sony DAPs are USB 2.0 and slower than the slot fr cards thats built in my laptop chassis (that one is USB 3.0)
  
 I do transfer slow to the sony DAP because is USB 2.0, but take out the microSD card and place that on the adapter to use with the built in Laptop slot which seems to be USB 3.0 as i have trsnaferred the 183GB in two nd a half to three hours


----------



## gerelmx1986

For these who say that sony DAPS are USB 2.0 super slow 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 and use them with a micro SD card on it, I advice not to transfer the music to the micro SD plugged into your DAP, if possible, use a micro SD to regular SD card adapter and put that in your laptop slot (if it has one)
  
 Read your laptop specs to see if the Built-in SD card reader is USB 3 or not, my Vaio flip laptop has a USB 3.0 microSDXC compatible slot and it transfer pretty fast, i can see mediago transferring individual tracks at light peed
  
 i do fist transfer to the DAP which is usually slower (USB 2.0) to charge its battery,
  
 then after it has finished i do transfer to the microSD at light speed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Futer Idea for you to see
  
 USB 2.0 Walkman ZX100 takes to transfer the full 115GB 5 Hours
 USB 3.0 slot buil-in to sony VAIO laptop transfers all 183GB of the sandDisk microSd in 2.5 to 3 hours in AVG
  
 for media go to transfer super fast you must tell it to not autoconvert FLAC to mp3, that makes transfers even faster, search this forums for my thread walkman tips & tricks


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> For these who say that sony DAPS are USB 2.0 super slow
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I would advise some caution doing that if you are using MediaGo.  I was doing the music transfer as you suggested via card reader in my computer initially.  But over time I found that my MediaGo library on my computer got out of sync with the library on the DAP. Eventually MediaGo crashed big time and all my tracks on my A17 became unreadable.  I had to uninstall MediaGo then reinstall it and rebuild the library on my computer.  Then I had to reformat both the internal memory and my memory card in my A17 and slowly add tracks back onto my A17 through MediaGo to get everything back in sync.  Sony does recommend transferring tracks directly to the DAP to keep libraries in sync with MediaGo.
  
 If you just drag and drop tracks directly from Windows Explorer to your memory card without using an application like MediaGo or Windows Media Center you should be okey.  Without using an application you won't have to worry about keeping your application library synced with the DAP's library.


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> For these who say that sony DAPS are USB 2.0 super slow
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 My apologies, but again the microsd cards themselves have a speed rating, even really fast cards top out at under 100 mbps write speed.  Well below the speed rating for USB 2.0 max speed. Connecting the card reader to a USB 3.0 port vs a USB 2.0 port won't make the transfer any faster.  You don't need USB 3.0 ports to get the best microsd card write speed with a card reader. USB 2.0 will be more then adequate.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Finally thee, they sound wow wow out of the box, very detailed for an IEM


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Finally thee, they sound wow wow out of the box, very detailed for an IEM




Congratulation, you need 1Z now. Because 1A would be just a waste of money


----------



## musicday

Ok, so the gold is not plated direct on the copper body, apparently there is a in between layer of nickel for extra protection against oxidation and scratches making the thin layer of gold more resistant.
Has it been confirmed if the upper panel is glass or plastic?


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Congratulation, you need 1Z now. Because 1A would be just a waste of money


 
 LOL why that?  it isn't a warm IEM + warm dap like the 1Z = mega bassy iems LOL?
  
 id better get the 1A and if my zx100 drives them good, I bet both would drive these IEMS superb


----------



## AnakChan

bvng3540 said:


> Wow can we preorder it now?



On e-earphone it seems they are taking pre-orders for Oct 29th+ delivery.


----------



## nanaholic

Matsuo-san confirms on twitter that there are 4.4mm terminated MMCX cables for demoing the WM1 at the Osaka Sony Store, which are now on display as of today.

So I guess official cables should be available on launch, DIYers could easily re-terminate the headphone side plug end for their needs with the 4.4mm balance cable designed for the Z1R if they really couldn't wait. Question is when will plug makers start selling 4.4mm plugs, that's when we will see lots of aftermarket cables.


----------



## Whitigir

Z1R cables only come as stock ...otherwise u buy the Kimber Kables which is like $300 before even starting to mod...lol....while I couldn't wait for the new Walkman to land, I would bash my head against a wall without using 4.4mm balanced out. So I will just wait until everything is ready and do it all


----------



## Sinarca

So for 1A EU version 60/240 mW Vs 16 mW (ZX2) are not an improvement due to volume cap ?
1A will sound as loud  as ZX2 ?


----------



## Raketen

gerelmx1986 said:


> Finally thee, they sound wow wow out of the box, very detailed for an IEM




Nice almost got these myself recently. Bass heavy cans can be really fun for classical~


----------



## nc8000

sinarca said:


> So for 1A EU version 60/240 mW Vs 16 mW (ZX2) are not an improvement due to volume cap ?
> 1A will sound as loud  as ZX2 ?




That would be my guess but I really don't know


----------



## Sinarca

nc8000 said:


> That would be my guess but I really don't know




Absolutely import version for President ! ;


----------



## emrelights1973

sinarca said:


> So for 1A EU version 60/240 mW Vs 16 mW (ZX2) are not an improvement due to volume cap ?
> 1A will sound as loud  as ZX2 ?



the only volume caped DAP / DAC / AMP on planet!! So it is not EU it is Sony! 
Name me another device with volume cap because of EU regulation?


----------



## phonomat

fish1050 said:


> I actually find digital sounding to more hissy not in terms of noise but harshness or sibilance.  Most A/B amp DAP's have a warmer sound and can make CD rips sound less digital even though the source was digital.  Sony's DAP's are Class D digital so they will tend toward a more digital sound (cleaner sound) with most tracks even those ripped from vinyl.
> 
> So terminology can very even between engineers depending on your background.  *It would be nice if forums had a lexicon so it would be easier for people to be universal in their descriptions.  It would be much less confusing as people interpret terms differently based on knowledge level and background*




http://www.head-fi.org/a/describing-sound-a-glossary

http://www.head-fi.org/a/glossary-of-terms

http://www.head-fi.org/t/220770/describing-sound-a-glossary

For future reference ...


----------



## denis1976

Hello ,i contact the sony here in Portugal and i asked if the zx2 had any volume cap the answer was- "yes , the zx2 has AVLS" i think this means something...


----------



## musicday

AVLS- is very different from the volume cap.
AVLS can be selected or not and it mean Auto Volume Limiter System.
But the volume cap is permanent and cannot be unselected,or disabled.


----------



## Zakalwe

Frankly, I would not trust Sony Support to know such things. But maybe they have gotten better over the years.


----------



## denis1976

musicday said:


> AVLS- is very different from the volume cap.
> AVLS can be selected or not and it mean Auto Volume Limiter System.
> But the volume cap is permanent and cannot be unselected,or disabled.


yes i know , and in the guide book it says that in EU models every 20 hours of playing loud the volume is reduced, if the sony is caped whats the sense of it?if it is caped it wont play loud or loud enough to damage earing,i think that over this subject has been to much confusion


----------



## Zakalwe

denis1976 said:


> yes i know , and in the guide book it saus that in EU models every 20 hours of playing loud the volume is reduced, if the sony is caped whats the sense of it?if it is caped it wont play loud or loud enough to damage earing,i think that over this subject has been to much confusion




The rules work like this: _"Now all personal music players sold in the EU after February 2013 are expected to have a default sound limit of 85dB. The user can choose to override the limit so that the sound level can be increased up to maximum 100dB. If the user overrides the limit, warnings about the risks must be repeated every 20 hours of listening time."_ (Source)

DAPs without the EU cap may be able to go over 100dB, depending on their capabilities.

Given that the optional 20 hour increase is a bit difficult to implement, some EU player do not offer this, instead they are always limited to 85dB (such as SanDisks, but there you can permanently circumvent this by changing the region settings).


----------



## denis1976

zakalwe said:


> The rules work like this: _"Now all personal music players sold in the EU after February 2013 are expected to have a default sound limit of 85dB. The user can choose to override the limit so that the sound level can be increased up to maximum 100dB. If the user overrides the limit, warnings about the risks must be repeated every 20 hours of listening time."_ (Source)
> 
> DAPs without the EU cap may be able to go over 100dB, depending on their capabilities.
> 
> Given that the optional 20 hour increase is a bit difficult to implement, some EU player do not offer this, instead they are always limited to 85dB (such as SanDisks, but there you can permanently circumvent this by changing the region settings).


without knowing with what IEM the player will be playing theres no way to know if it is 85 90 100 120 dbs or the sony devices have the ability to guess it?


----------



## goody

My problem with EU caps is that for some reason it dulls the dynamism of the sound that is to my ears anyway...


----------



## Zakalwe

denis1976 said:


> without knowing with what IEM the player will be playing theres no way to know if it is 85 90 100 120 dbs or the sony devices have the ability to guess it?




I am having a hard time finding the actual 2013 EU standards themselves. But according to this page (if I read it right) it seems there are voltage limits for the DAP's headphone out which are assumed to correspond to effective decibel limits, regardless of headphone. (The EU probably does not mind if your personal headphones are even lower under that voltage...)

Also, it seems that according to the 2013 rules a DAP cannot circumvent the capping by not having any headphones in the package. It still needs to meet the voltage limit. That was different in the past, I was not aware of this.


----------



## Rob49

The bottom line is, that we can't do anything about the frustrating volume cap, that's in the hands of the powers that be......i don't see the regulation changing anytime soon !
It is silly, because it's not universal. An individual should have the choice as to whether they want to risk damaging their ears.....it's not like Sony are going to be inundated with consumers suing them for loss of hearing !!


----------



## alvinmate

I would have preferred rose gold to yellow gold plating..rose gold accents looks better with black much like the rose gold Noble k10u edition...


----------



## gerelmx1986

raketen said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Finally thee, they sound wow wow out of the box, very detailed for an IEM
> ...




Yes they Have BIG bass but it is controlled that is what amazed me instantly how well controlled the bass is, but the soundstage is pretty bif too, never noticed the reverb in these Decca recordings of LV beethoven piano sonatas (Vladimir Ashkenazy), what i love from Z5 is that i find they ound pretty organic


----------



## gerelmx1986

Tried peeking at accessoryJack t see if they had the new DAPs on pre-order and got Internal server error HTTP500


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> Tried peeking at accessoryJack t see if they had the new DAPs on pre-order and got Internal server error HTTP500



Was nada there when i looked yesterday.
Suerte mi amigo.


----------



## nanaholic

http://www.sony.jp/walkman/special/flagship/manufacturer/
  
 Dev team member interview is up.  Highly recommended reading if you understand Japanese.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> http://www.sony.jp/walkman/special/flagship/manufacturer/
> 
> Dev team member interview is up.  Highly recommended reading if you understand Japanese.




Can you do us all the favor and, translate please ?


----------



## Rob49

whitigir said:


> Can you do us all the favor and, translate please ?


 
  
 Google chrome translate, works for me.
  
 ....although, translation into English, leaves a lot to be desired !
  
 "Constraints to the development of the ZX models"
  
 "Lets make the Walkman, in pursuit of true high quality sound" - WM1
  
 "The jump up from the ZX series is large".


----------



## cthomas

Silver bezel???


----------



## gerelmx1986

It looks like they will have two colors for the A but as usual only Japan


----------



## jhlin09

You can control your Walkman with a remote control, very useful especially when keeping the walkman in your bag on the go.


----------



## Zakalwe

cthomas said:


> Silver bezel???




I think it is just a trick of the light.


----------



## nanaholic

I'll just summarise a few points from the interview which I personally found interesting and noteworthy:
 * There were constraints in developing the ZX series, which they didn't have in the WM series and was allowed to go "all out" for sound quality, this is part of the reason why they decided on the new naming scheme
 * The S-Master HX is completely new in the WM series and was redesigned from the chip level up and is newly fabricated. As they said if people were accusing them of cost saving in using such a design they would've just picked an off the shelf ready made chip which would've been much cheaper.
 * Their arguments against currently popular dual DAC implementation is that because unlike their approach of full digital pathway (until final output) is that it is done as a way to eliminate cross talk between the L and R channel when the signal is traveling in analogue form down the signal pathway, but because S-Master is fully digital they have no such concern (my note: actually sounds pretty legit from signal engineering POV)
 * The special 4.4mm jack used by the WM walkman is developed by Nippon DICS - it has two contact points (top and bottom) unlike normal jacks for the plug such that it has the advantage of reducing connection resistance as well as increasing reliablity.
 * They changed the rear panel (which acts as the ground for all the electronics) from stainless steel to a Corson copper alloy, citing the better conductivity of the alloy for increased sonic performance
 * The capacitor capacity is increased from 350mF to 500mF for better stability during discharge
 * They developed a new condenser and the number of condensers used is different between the 1A and 1Z, thus contributing to the sound difference
 * They build a DC regulator into the unit to purify the output voltage and remove noise
 * They kept the two clock setup (44.1kHz and 48kHz) - but used a bigger crystal/chip for better stability
 * The SE output and the Balance output audio circuitry sits on different sides of the PCB board to they don't interfere with each other
 * software UI is redesigned from ground up, with the player interface sitting as the home page and everything else pivots from there
 * 5 new DSHEE HX settings - standard/female vocal/male vocal/percussion/strings
 * 10 band EQ, 20 steps adjustment with 0.5dB per step
 * 120 step volume adjustment, twice that of ZX2, plus normal/high gain setting
 * the protruding "ear" at the top of the unit for the headphone jacks was designed to accomodate the BT antenna instead of making the unit taller.
 * they made the remote because they expect the weight of the unit means a lot of people will be having the unit in a bag instead of a pocket/carried


----------



## Gosod

this is almost like ibasso dx100


----------



## musicday

Interesting stuff,thank you for the translation.


----------



## musicdragoon

From the JP homepage, the review with music producer gives this comments:

If ZX2 = Full HD vision,
WM1A = 4K
WM1Z = 8K


----------



## audioxxx

Has anyone compared the Wm1 audio to the ZX2 when using sensitive multiple BA's IEM?

The Wm1 is actually priced cheaper in Australia than the ZX2, which I found surprising, especially if the wm1 sounds better with IEM's.


----------



## Gosod

musicdragoon said:


> From the JP homepage, the review with music producer gives this comments:
> 
> If ZX2 = Full HD vision,
> WM1A = 4K
> WM1Z = 8K


 
it will be on the Japanese versions?


----------



## musicday

That's a funny question.The guy was trying to explain about the sound quality of each Walkman with his own words.


----------



## Conext

nanaholic said:


> I'll just summarise a few points from the interview which I personally found interesting and noteworthy:
> * There were constraints in developing the ZX series, which they didn't have in the WM series and was allowed to go "all out" for sound quality, this is part of the reason why they decided on the new naming scheme



Does that just apply to the 1Z? Because the 1A and ZX2 are priced, essentially, the same. So I'm not sure how "all out" the 1A design could be compared to the ZX2.


----------



## nanaholic

conext said:


> Does that just apply to the 1Z? Because the 1A and ZX2 are priced, essentially, the same. So I'm not sure how "all out" the 1A design could be compared to the ZX2.


 
  
 They probably saved a chunk of money by not using Android and thus then able to use it somewhere else. Refer to a small event held before where they talk about the development of the ZX2:
  
 http://www.phileweb.com/news/audio/201507/21/16143.html
  
 「Android OSを採用してソフト開発費を安く上げているという誤解もあるが、ちゃんとGooglePlayを使えるAndroid端末を作るのには、莫大なコストがかかっているんです」という裏話も披露された。
  
 "There's a misconception that using Android OS leads to much cheaper development cost, but make an Android device that is able to use Google Play it costs a lot of money."  
  
 Note this is a common understanding from IT - when people refer to Android being free it only applies to the ASOP branch of Android which has nothing on it.  Phones which runs Google's apps must go through a bunch of certification and pay licensing fees to Google.


----------



## bmichels

nanaholic said:


> I'll just summarise a few points from the interview which I personally found interesting and noteworthy:
> * There were constraints in developing the ZX series, which they didn't have in the WM series and was allowed to go "all out" for sound quality, this is part of the reason why they decided on the new naming scheme
> * The S-Master HX is completely new in the WM series and was redesigned from the chip level up and is newly fabricated. As they said if people were accusing them of cost saving in using such a design they would've just picked an off the shelf ready made chip which would've been much cheaper.
> * Their arguments against currently popular dual DAC implementation is that because unlike their approach of full digital pathway (until final output) is that it is done as a way to eliminate cross talk between the L and R channel when the signal is traveling in analogue form down the signal pathway, but because S-Master is fully digital they have no such concern (my note: actually sounds pretty legit from signal engineering POV)
> ...


 
  
 thanks a lot for the translation.  I suppose they do not explain why NO Wifi and therefore NO Streaming !  May be they start to realize it was a mistake to forget streaming ?


----------



## nanaholic

bmichels said:


> thanks a lot for the translation.  I suppose they do not explain why NO Wifi and therefore NO Streaming !  May be they start to realize it was a mistake to forget streaming ?


 
  
 They've said it before elsewhere, such as the IFA2016 interviews given to phileweb - a lot of user feedback said they don't want to install apps on their Walkman.  So at least from the users buying Walkmans who gave them feedback they've spoken - they don't need streaming.


----------



## proedros

we still need to see some real comparisons between zx2 and 1a , but every day i get the gut feeling that 1a will be a fantastic dap for us who loved zx2 sound
  
 (saves money for 1a)


----------



## Conext

proedros said:


> we still need to see some real comparisons between zx2 and 1a , but every day i get the gut feeling that 1a will be a fantastic dap for us who loved zx2 sound
> 
> (saves money for 1a)



The 1A has my attention for one reason: Power.

If it can deliver a similar sound signature compared to the ZX2, but with a lot more power behind it (and retain a battery life that is head and shoulders above the likes of, well, every other DAP manufacturer), then it's definitely going to remain on my radar.


----------



## Leviticus

conext said:


> The 1A has my attention for one reason: Power.
> 
> If it can deliver a similar sound signature compared to the ZX2, but with a lot more power behind it (and retain a battery life that is head and shoulders above the likes of, well, every other DAP manufacturer), then it's definitely going to remain on my radar.


 

 If power is all you need, buy a decent headphone amplifier. More power and native DSD playback alone don't justify splashing out 1200 bucks on the new A1 to replace the ZX2. There has to be a sonic upgrade of sorts. The battery life of the ZX2 is already top-notch.


----------



## nanaholic

leviticus said:


> If power is all you need, buy a decent headphone amplifier. More power and native DSD playback alone don't justify splashing out 1200 bucks on the new A1 to replace the ZX2. There has to be a sonic upgrade of sorts. The battery life of the ZX2 is already top-notch.


 
  
 Some people don't like building a stack and that's worth upgrading for.


----------



## bmichels

nanaholic said:


> They've said it before elsewhere, such as the IFA2016 interviews given to phileweb - a lot of user feedback said they don't want to install apps on their Walkman.  So at least from the users buying Walkmans who gave them feedback they've spoken - they don't need streaming.


 
  
 Agree, myself I do not want to install app on my Walkman, but... I will love to have for example *Tidal Streaming integrated into the player* (just as it is integrated in ROON, and in the Aurender or LUMIN App)


----------



## gerelmx1986

I like the fact it was improved over ZX2


----------



## Replicant187

streaming is not a thing in Japan so i assume those feedbacks are from Japanese users.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Already sold my Walkman zx100


----------



## nanaholic

replicant187 said:


> streaming is not a thing in Japan so i assume those feedbacks are from Japanese users.


 
  
 Sounding like a broken record now but streaming is not a thing in Asia in general yet Asian region is where headphone sales is biggest in the world and is growing whereas Europe and NA is stagnated. That's the reason these flagship head-fi equipment aren't trying to appeal to the Western crowd because that's not where the money is.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> replicant187 said:
> 
> 
> > streaming is not a thing in Japan so i assume those feedbacks are from Japanese users.
> ...


I am also not into streaming


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am also not into streaming


 
  
 I don't stream either, streaming services simply doesn't offer the songs/artists I want to listen to. 
 But there's a difference between what one wants and whether his/her wants aligns with what the larger market demands.  I don't go around pretending that my wants represents the entire market, and it just happens that currently, the non-streamer's needs/wants happens to be the more lucrative market that is being catered to. No more and no less.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> I don't stream either, streaming services simply doesn't offer the songs/artists I want to listen to.
> But there's a difference between what one wants and whether his/her wants aligns with what the larger market demands.  I don't go around pretending that my wants represents the entire market, and it just happens that currently, the non-streamer's needs/wants happens to be the more lucrative market that is being catered to. No more and no less.




I don't stream either, and I agreed. I rather enjoy my collection


----------



## emrelights1973

bmichels said:


> Agree, myself I do not want to install app on my Walkman, but... I will love to have for example *Tidal Streaming integrated into the player* (just as it is integrated in ROON, and in the Aurender or LUMIN App)



Same users giving them feedback on betamax i guess! You dont need an app to integrate Tidal, i am not using any app with my Naim streamer so this is a ******** of argument


----------



## emrelights1973

nanaholic said:


> Sounding like a broken record now but streaming is not a thing in Asia in general yet Asian region is where headphone sales is biggest in the world and is growing whereas Europe and NA is stagnated. That's the reason these flagship head-fi equipment aren't trying to appeal to the Western crowd because that's not where the money is.



No they are not! You start to beilive what you think or hear as a fact, which is not the case from the data you linked in this topic, so i really can not understand how you can still saying the same thing, it was clear than usa/Eu is more than the rest of the world which is not only asia but canada south america australi africa etc! So please do not keep saying that, it might be fastest growing but is not the bigest market for headphones at all. Ok i get it asia is not into streaming but i am and i think many are, it is not just a walkman so is not my main hifi rig never will be, just to listen some music when i move thus "walkman" i do still want the best there is but the spirit is always convinience with movement


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> nanaholic said:
> 
> 
> > I don't stream either, streaming services simply doesn't offer the songs/artists I want to listen to.
> ...


and sometimes streaming does not offer out of print rare recordings that I have in my collection


----------



## Raketen

Not feelign strongly about, but do find it kind of funny... a few short years ago it would be "Streaming? ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww! not in my HiFi!" now its "No streaming? Sony are stuck in the past!". 

Technology moves too fast h34r:


----------



## nanaholic

emrelights1973 said:


> No they are not! You start to beilive what you think or hear as a fact, which is not the case from the data you linked in this topic, so i really can not understand how you can still saying the same thing, it was clear than usa/Eu is more than the rest of the world which is not only asia but canada south america australi africa etc! So please do not keep saying that, it might be fastest growing but is not the bigest market for headphones at all. Ok i get it asia is not into streaming but i am and i think many are, it is not just a walkman so is not my main hifi rig never will be, just to listen some music when i move thus "walkman"
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Sorry but it is.
  

  
 Headphone market size since 2011 projected to 2017:
 Green bit is rest of the world (safe to assume it is mostly Asia, as you probably don't need to factor in poor regions like South America and Africa)
 Orange is Europe
 Blue is USA (which is pretty much the entire NA market)
  
 Only green bit is growing, orange is stagnated, blue has tiny growth. Green is roughly equal to or larger than orange and blue combined, but factor in the growth from previous years it's indisputably the most important market.. So I'm not "believing" anything, that's exactly what the data says. Asia market is more important, fact.  I don't know why that is so hard for people like you to accept that Western market is not so important.
  
 Oceania market is tiny and never dictates product trends (I know, I come from there! we only get left overs from US/EU, in fact it's now common to lump Oceania as EU cos we matter so little yet our preference is close to EU), Tokyo alone has more people than the entire Australia and I'm willing to bet more people in Tokyo are into portable audio than Australia!


----------



## emrelights1973

nanaholic said:


> Sorry but it is.
> Sorry but your reading of the graph is based on your assımptions, canada,australia,new zealamd are not that small, mexico, south america is not that small, africa is not all poor, with all due respect to my fellow asians is not that rich also.
> So the data is there lets not make strange asaumptions that we can argue all day and night
> EU is not all europe also so you got other nations there as well, switzerland for example might compete with Tokyo so asia is not the rest of the world and is not that much richer to spend on hifi than than the rest of the world that is fact
> ...


----------



## proedros

guys , why not email sony about all the economic-social findings about wifi use ?

 wm1a/z are wifi-less , please get over it and let's talk about the players
  
 cheers


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

audioxxx said:


> Has anyone compared the Wm1 audio to the ZX2 when using sensitive multiple BA's IEM?
> 
> The Wm1 is actually priced cheaper in Australia than the ZX2, which I found surprising, especially if the wm1 sounds better with IEM's.


 
  
 There are no new Walkman in the wild yet.  Sony will just take the company line and say the 1A is an improvement over the ZX2.  You might need to wait till October to hear the truth on that...


----------



## JACONE

nanaholic said:


> I'll just summarise a few points from the interview which I personally found interesting and noteworthy:
> * There were constraints in developing the ZX series, which they didn't have in the WM series and was allowed to go "all out" for sound quality, this is part of the reason why they decided on the new naming scheme
> * The S-Master HX is completely new in the WM series and was redesigned from the chip level up and is newly fabricated. As they said if people were accusing them of cost saving in using such a design they would've just picked an off the shelf ready made chip which would've been much cheaper.
> * Their arguments against currently popular dual DAC implementation is that because unlike their approach of full digital pathway (until final output) is that it is done as a way to eliminate cross talk between the L and R channel when the signal is traveling in analogue form down the signal pathway, but because S-Master is fully digital they have no such concern (my note: actually sounds pretty legit from signal engineering POV)
> ...


 

 Good stuff! Thanks much for sharing!


----------



## Sonic Defender

nanaholic said:


> I don't stream either, streaming services simply doesn't offer the songs/artists I want to listen to.


 
 What do you listen to that you can't find via streaming services?


----------



## cthomas

proedros said:


> guys , why not email sony about all the economic-social findings about wifi use ?
> 
> 
> wm1a/z are wifi-less , please get over it and let's talk about the players
> ...




I couldn't agree more. If you want streaming obviously this is not the DAP for you. Nothing we can do about that.

Moving along from that subject and on to another... What are peoples thoughts of the aesthetics? Personally, I'm not a fan of the fake leather look on the rear. It looked good on the zx1 and zx2 but it's just not doing it for me on the new Walkmans. I still think the zx1 was the best looking DAP ever made by anyone but that's just me. 

I'm not really a fan of the dual HP outs on the top of the player either. I think it would look much better just having the balanced out but I understand why they need both. If my ZX1 had the same power as the wm1 and expandable storage I'd be in heaven, but I'm still contemplating if I really want to buy this Walkman. If it sounds better than the pha3 through balanced then I will consider it, but the only thing I'm loving about the Walkman from an aesthetic pov is those vu metre and eq graphics. But I'd definitely buy the 1a in a heartbeat if it came in naked aluminium and single output. I don't mind having to buy new cables.


----------



## Zakalwe

cthomas said:


> Moving along from that subject and on to another... What are peoples thoughts of the aesthetics? Personally, I'm not a fan of the fake leather look on the rear. It looked good on the zx1 and zx2 but it's just not doing it for me on the new Walkmans. I still think the zx1 was the best looking DAP ever made by anyone but that's just me.
> 
> I'm not really a fan of the dual HP outs on the top of the player either. I think it would look much better just having the balanced out but I understand why they need both. If my ZX1 had the same power as the wm1 and expandable storage I'd be in heaven, but I'm still contemplating if I really want to buy this Walkman. If it sounds better than the pha3 through balanced then I will consider it, but the only thing I'm loving about the Walkman from an aesthetic pov is those vu metre and eq graphics. But I'd definitely buy the 1a in a heartbeat if it came in naked aluminium and single output. I don't mind having to buy new cables.




The leather look is fine with me, but I would prefer some kind of maintenance hatch that was easy to open and to close. Seen from the front I am not a big fan of the "ears". I do not really buy the technical explanations of their necessity, I think Sony rather wanted to preserve a bit of the signature hump-design of the ZX-series, while getting rid of the impracticality of an uneven back. That being said, I like what this does to the look from the side with the buttons, especially on the black WM1A. It reminds me of the slightly curved, slightly angular black designs of the classic cassette Walkmans of the late 80s and early 90s, in particular the WM-DD9.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I like the looks too but IMHO right side has too many buttons


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I like the looks too but IMHO right side has too many buttons




Only as many as Zx2 ? Or am I missing something else


----------



## emrelights1973

cthomas said:


> I couldn't agree more. If you want streaming obviously this is not the DAP for you. Nothing we can do about that.
> 
> Moving along from that subject and on to another... What are peoples thoughts of the aesthetics? Personally, I'm not a fan of the fake leather look on the rear. It looked good on the zx1 and zx2 but it's just not doing it for me on the new Walkmans. I still think the zx1 was the best looking DAP ever made by anyone but that's just me.
> 
> I'm not really a fan of the dual HP outs on the top of the player either. I think it would look much better just having the balanced out but I understand why they need both. If my ZX1 had the same power as the wm1 and expandable storage I'd be in heaven, but I'm still contemplating if I really want to buy this Walkman. If it sounds better than the pha3 through balanced then I will consider it, but the only thing I'm loving about the Walkman from an aesthetic pov is those vu metre and eq graphics. But I'd definitely buy the 1a in a heartbeat if it came in naked aluminium and single output. I don't mind having to buy new cables.



Did you inform the Sony about the very valuable input about whatever you scribbled above? I am sure they are very interested with very original design ideas as aluminium etc, more than WiFi debate for sure
Or can we say "it is gold or black if you want another color just take your business elsewhere and leave us alone" 
Or would you consider this answer rude to someone's opinion, specially when it is yours


----------



## nc8000

whitigir said:


> Only as many as Zx2 ? Or am I missing something else




Yes the same as ZX2 and exactly the number that is needed to operate it


----------



## audioxxx

buttuglyjeff said:


> There are no new Walkman in the wild yet.  Sony will just take the company line and say the 1A is an improvement over the ZX2.  You might need to wait till October to hear the truth on that...



Yes I agree there are non in the wild, although what bothers me, or more interested than bothered I guess, is that people are listening to these walkmans and are not commenting on any improvements.
 I listen to my zx2 every day, if you have new something better to trial, I would note pretty quickly the sonic differences, especial if they where better, or is it there to similar to point out? 
I kind of hope this is the case, and I won't need to update. And I get to keep my Wi-Fi and android, lol.


----------



## emrelights1973

audioxxx said:


> Yes I agree there are non in the wild, although what bothers me, or more interested than bothered I guess, is that people are listening to these walkmans and are not commenting on any improvements.
> I listen to my zx2 every day, if you have new something better to trial, I would note pretty quickly the sonic differences, especial if they where better, or is it there to similar to point out?
> I kind of hope this is the case, and I won't need to update. And I get to keep my Wi-Fi and android, lol.



No all Asia us burning WiFi daps and getting new One! We needed to purify our golden daps zx2 + k10 + tidalis waiting for to go to head to head with new shiny golden boy


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I like the looks too but IMHO right side has too many buttons
> ...


they could have put the hold and the power buttons in the left side and the playback control as they are


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> they could have put the hold and the power buttons in the left side and the playback control as they are




Lol, now you are picking on the buttons arrangements ? Common, seriously.....it would cause a lot of confusion for Walkman folks.

They look perfectly just fine....the only thing that is not fine is the pricing


----------



## audioxxx

emrelights1973 said:


> No all Asia us burning WiFi daps and getting new One! We needed to purify our golden daps zx2 + k10 + tidalis waiting for to go to head to head with new shiny golden boy




Sony are sometimes very strange, (and go down a bad path on purpose for no good reason, there just Sony and they can make bad business decision after bad business decision, and in my opinion. Need to follow what the world needs very carefully right now, they are treading on egg shells right now.




 After all I'm actually quite surprised Sony didn't try to remove the micro SD on this new model as well. Lol 


 But at a time when Apple have dropped the headphone socket, and are pushing streaming services, this is pure craziness and utter aragance to remove any chance of adopting some streaming services. (Like shooting ones self in the foot) Apple are laughing about this right now Sony. Why not Cater for the average streaming service user, it wouldn't have hurt your product.

 Oh well some companies will never learn till it's too late. End of rant
I hope it's not too late for the Walkman, this will set it back for years now. IMO


----------



## phonomat

Well, you could also say that it's even crazier and more arrogant of Apple to drop the headphone socket.
  
 Yours truly,
 Cpt. Obvious


----------



## audioxxx

phonomat said:


> Well, you could also say that it's even crazier and more arrogant of Apple to drop the headphone socket.
> 
> Yours truly,
> Cpt. Obvious



Haha, I was busy about 24hrs ago doing that over in the fruit camp, however unfortunately Apple have the market buy the balls, and can also do crazy stuff without instant consequences,(people have been brain washed) But this will change everything with no 3.5mm socket, people might wake up LOL.


----------



## proedros

audioxxx said:


> Haha, I was busy about 24hrs ago doing that over in the fruit camp, however unfortunately Apple have the market buy the balls, and can also do crazy stuff without instant consequences,(people have been brain washed) But this will change everything with no 3.5mm socket, *people might wake up* LOL.


 
  
 unfortunately the matrix has won

 too many robot/batteries people all around us


----------



## phonomat

Yeah, I know. All too true, sadly.


----------



## gerelmx1986

If zx100 was a good source for my Z5 then the WM1A would do way better source. 

Now with my zx100 sold my phone struggles with the z5


----------



## fb24601

I am only using zx2 half volume to drive my k10u with single end. I really doubt if there is considerable upgrade with wm1a.....Especially when everything is fine with smooth control in zx2 and also it has superb playback time


----------



## bvng3540

fb24601 said:


> I am only using zx2 half volume to drive my k10u with single end. I really doubt if there is considerable upgrade with wm1a.....Especially when everything is fine with smooth control in zx2 and also it has superb playback time




Wow dude you need to have your hearing check, I can bearing pass the 10% volume on my zx2


----------



## Eroica4th

mimouille said:


> I hope people are not going to buy into the pure con that the casing material of the player changes the sound...like with the Ak380cu...if the sound is indeed different, either it is different internals, or it is Eq.
> 
> They are saying the copper material will give it the natural sound because many instruments use copper? Are you kidding me? This is the biggest BS I have ever heard, worst than cable burn in. Man these audio marketing guys really have no limit.





Hahahahah


----------



## gerelmx1986

bvng3540 said:


> fb24601 said:
> 
> 
> > I am only using zx2 half volume to drive my k10u with single end. I really doubt if there is considerable upgrade with wm1a.....Especially when everything is fine with smooth control in zx2 and also it has superb playback time
> ...


maybe his iems require more power to sound good


----------



## fb24601

bvng3540 said:


> Wow dude you need to have your hearing check, I can bearing pass the 10% volume on my zx2


 

 I can understand that, I usually listen to flac of CDs recorded in the 90's


----------



## fb24601

gerelmx1986 said:


> maybe his iems require more power to sound good


 

 Oh yea, the k10u - 10 drivers per side and also alloy cable draw more current, I can use lower volume with sd4


----------



## Sonic Defender

audioxxx said:


> Haha, I was busy about 24hrs ago doing that over in the fruit camp, however unfortunately Apple have the market buy the balls, and can also do crazy stuff without instant consequences,(people have been brain washed) But this will change everything with no 3.5mm socket, people might wake up LOL.


 
 Actually Apple has a much smaller share of the smartphone market than Android. They do however, have very dedicated fans who will blindly stay Apple regardless so they can push the envelope. I think for the foreseeable future Android is going to really dominate the marketplace.


----------



## Whitigir

sonic defender said:


> Actually Apple has a much smaller share of the smartphone market than Android. They do however, have very dedicated fans who will blindly stay Apple regardless so they can push the envelope. I think for the foreseeable future Android is going to really dominate the marketplace.




Look at how people already is saying it is an Inovation for removing the 3.5mm jack


----------



## Sonic Defender

whitigir said:


> Look at how people already is saying it is an Inovation for removing the 3.5mm jack


 
 I sort of agree, if there is a better alternative, somebody has to go first and see if they can bring the market along with them. It will be interesting to see, but I rather doubt the majority of iPhone users will really care as for them I suspect it is a phone more than a music player, but I'm speculating of course so who knows?


----------



## audioxxx

sonic defender said:


> Actually Apple has a much smaller share of the smartphone market than Android. They do however, have very dedicated fans who will blindly stay Apple regardless so they can push the envelope. I think for the foreseeable future Android is going to really dominate the marketplace.




Yes, Apple have priced their great looking stuff out of the reality of the 3rd world, and there's millions of people in these countries. 
There's lots of room for cheap Chinese based android devices to take over in these circumstances as well. As they are right now.

And this is what happened back in the old days when I was small boy. And had an Apple 2e computer it cost the bomb in the day, cheap no name PC's ruled computing. Very soon after that.

The cheap clones popped up every where overnight and Apple disappeared for a long time.
Looks like history is repeating itself for iPhone. IMO


----------



## Sonic Defender

audioxxx said:


> Yes, Apple have priced their great looking stuff out of the reality of the 3rd world, and there's millions of people in these countries.
> There's lots of room for cheap Chinese based android devices to take over in these circumstances as well. As they are right now.
> 
> And this is what happened back in the old days when I was small boy. And had an Apple 2e computer it cost the bomb in the day, cheap no name PC's ruled computing. Very soon after that.
> ...


 
 There is more to it than just price, but I agree price is the dominate factor. It matters that Android is really quite good and the hardware quality gap has closed.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Bet the new Walkman 1A will be of this color (approximation) look at the aluminum frame before the keyboard of the VAIO laptop


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Bet the new Walkman 1A will be of this color (approximation) look at the aluminum frame before the keyboard of the VAIO laptop




Can't stop thinking eh ?


----------



## Mmet

is it still made in Malaysia ? or would be made in Japan ? just asking


----------



## bvng3540

mmet said:


> is it still made in Malaysia ? or would be made in Japan ? just asking




For sure ALL will be made in Malaysia, except for the model one that is made in Japan


----------



## muzic4life

bvng3540 said:


> For sure ALL will be made in Malaysia, except for the model one that is made in Japan




What is model one? 1Z and 1A?


----------



## bvng3540

muzic4life said:


> What is model one? 1Z and 1A?




Yes, the one that was on displace


----------



## Subhakar

The new Sony Walkman:


----------



## Gibraltar

An interesting point from the engineer interviews I haven't seen noted here yet is that the lower quality capacitors in the 1A are only in the single ended circuit. The capacitors in the balanced signal path are the same audiophile ones on both models, so if you don't need single ended, the 1A had one less disadvantage.


----------



## proedros

gibraltar said:


> An interesting point from the engineer interviews I haven't seen noted here yet is that the lower quality capacitors in the 1A are only in the single ended circuit. *The capacitors in the balanced signal path are the same audiophile ones on both models,* so if you don't need single ended, the 1A had one less disadvantage.


 
  
  
 very nice
  
@Whitigir will be also very happy


----------



## noplsestar

gibraltar said:


> An interesting point from the engineer interviews I haven't seen noted here yet is that the lower quality capacitors in the 1A are only in the single ended circuit. The capacitors in the balanced signal path are the same audiophile ones on both models, so if you don't need single ended, the 1A had one less disadvantage.




That's fantastic. So the only difference (in balanced mode) would be no kimber cables, the smaller internal storage and the aluminium shell instead of gold/copper?


----------



## Leviticus

Are you guys planning on recabling your headphones because of the 4.4mm jack?


----------



## echineko

subhakar said:


> The new Sony Walkman:



Buttons? What? 



leviticus said:


> Are you guys planning on recabling your headphones because of the 4.4mm jack?



I don't actually have a balanced cable for full-sized headphones, might actually get one now. Might need to reterminate an IEM cable or two.


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> very nice
> 
> @Whitigir
> will be also very happy




Oh, I would be very happy. However, I need to confirm this before anything else ? Not sure if this is the case. I do know that the Z sounds much different than A when used in Balanced connection 4.4mm on Z1R.



leviticus said:


> Are you guys planning on recabling your headphones because of the 4.4mm jack?




If I bought 1A, I would just reterminate my cables....the thing is there is no 4.4 jacks being sold on the market....yet


----------



## Subhakar

echineko said:


> Buttons? What?
> I don't actually have a balanced cable for full-sized headphones, might actually get one now. Might need to reterminate an IEM cable or two.




Too many.


----------



## Gibraltar

whitigir said:


> Oh, I would be very happy. However, I need to confirm this before anything else ? Not sure if this is the case. I do know that the Z sounds much different than A when used in Balanced connection 4.4mm on Z1R.


 
  
 For your reference, this was stated here by one of the engineers that worked on electrical design. The relevant text is just above the photos of the two circuit boards. He states:
 "Actually the number of these (polymer) capacitors slightly differs between the WM1Z and WM1A. The circuit board's B face (balanced) has the same number, but the A face (unbalanced) on the WM1A has some OS-CON as well."
  
 Of course the caps aren't the only difference, and everything I've heard so far also indicates the two players sound pretty different.


----------



## echineko

subhakar said:


> Too many.



 

Still only two referenced in this thread, last time I checked


----------



## Whitigir

gibraltar said:


> For your reference, this was stated here by one of the engineers that worked on electrical design. The relevant text is just above the photos of the two circuit boards. He states:
> "Actually the number of these (polymer) capacitors slightly differs between the WM1Z and WM1A. The circuit board's B face (balanced) has the same number, but the A face (unbalanced) on the WM1A has some OS-CON as well."
> 
> Of course the caps aren't the only difference, and everything I've heard so far also indicates the two players sound pretty different.




Thanks for the link, and if my google translated correctly


----------



## fish1050

Apple is simply going away from 3.5 mm connected headphones to drum up more business.  Headphone sales are stagnant because once people get a pair they like they stick with them.  Take away the 3.5 mm jack and you force people to buy new headphones.
  
 Don't kid yourself into thinking Apples motives aren't purely profit driven.  Apple pulled out of the iPod market for the most part, tablet sales are flat and iphone sales are dropping along with profit.  Accessories like headphones have a higher profit margin than electronics do for the most part.  Apple is struggling to find new revenue streams and headphones are one of them.
  
 As for Sony's use of copper on the 1Z it is another marketing ploy to trick buyers into thinking it makes a sonic difference.  Aluminum goes for about $0.71/pound US current price, copper about $1.75/pound US. The 1Z weighs just over one pound so basically the copper casing adds about $1.04 to the cost of the 1Z over using aluminum on the 1A.  I have no idea how much gold plating Sony is using on the 1Z but again gold plating on the outside of the DAP will have no sonic benefits at all. You can buy 24 karat gold plating solutions for as little as $100.00 for 32 OZ (4800 sq inches) to the public so even less for Sony in large quantities. So gold plating not nearly as expensive as it looks. Nickel is about $4.00/pound and you won't need much on a device this small so lets say another $0.50.
  
 The marketing guys can try to spin it any way they want but it all comes down to justification for gouging Sony customers. Per 1Z unit $1.04 more for copper (over aluminum), maybe $0.50 for the layer of nickel and lets be generous and say 8 oz of gold plating per 1Z ($25.00).  I come up with $26.54 in added cost, lets round up to $30.00 to be safe over the casing for the 1A.  
  
 More expensive TF capacitors about $0.64 each vs about $0.30 for OSCON capacitors on the 1A  Again maybe a few bucks difference. So lets call it $35.00 for everything so far. Adding another 128 GB memory chip into the 1Z maybe another $30.00.  So even if my estimates are a little low at $65.00 lets call it $75.00 per unit higher production cost for the 1Z over the 1A.  That is an obscene amount of profit on the 1Z over the 1A even if you double my estimates.
  
 Still think the 1Z is worth the premium price?  At least be smart and wait a few months until the price comes down if you are still serious about it.


----------



## nanaholic

sonic defender said:


> What do you listen to that you can't find via streaming services?


 
  
 Japanese songs. 
  
 Either way if the songs I want to listen to is on streaming I wouldn't use it, my data allowance on mobile is too little to let me burn it to listen to music - something that a lot of people who advocate streaming don't seem to understand either. I'm not ready to upgrade a data plan just to listen to music - that's insane.  But I know for a fact that carriers often uses that as a baiting tactic to sell more expensive data plans.
  
 Streaming is merely one option - it's not the definite future.


----------



## nanaholic

fish1050 said:


> stuff


 
  
 Bill of material doesn't include things like manufacturing cost and R&D and salary to people. It's the most misleading way to evaluate cost. 
  
 Please don't fall into the same tech journalist trap of listing "BOM for this phone is 100 bucks so selling it for 200 is a ripoff!".


----------



## emrelights1973

nanaholic said:


> Japanese songs.
> 
> Either way if the songs I want to listen to is on streaming I wouldn't use it, my data allowance on mobile is too little to let me burn it to listen to music - something that a lot of people who advocate streaming don't seem to understand either. I'm not ready to upgrade a data plan just to listen to music - that's insane.  But I know for a fact that carriers often uses that as a baiting tactic to sell more expensive data plans.
> 
> Streaming is merely one option - it's not the definite future.



Which dap using your carrier Data? 
Do you know that you can download 100 album to your dap and listen them offline Right?


----------



## emrelights1973

nanaholic said:


> Bill of material doesn't include things like manufacturing cost and R&D and salary to people. It's the most misleading way to evaluate cost.
> 
> Please don't fall into the same tech journalist trap of listing "BOM for this phone is 100 bucks so selling it for 200 is a ripoff!".



Nobody said anything about the cost but the difference of gold vs black Walkmans
Both include all opex and capex in the pricing so in theory the only cost difference is the material
Not the total price, got It? But the difference between 2 models


----------



## gerelmx1986

I wouldn't call os con caps inferior as they ate Panasonic


----------



## nanaholic

emrelights1973 said:


> Which dap using your carrier Data?
> Do you know that you can download 100 album to your dap and listen them offline Right?


 
  
 My home internet connection is slow because I live in an old area with poor copper lines and no access to fast fibre - my home connection is slower than 3G, plus I don't stay at home much. 
 My work environment doesn't let me use WiFi for personal use (I work in a Japanese company so they have very strict rules).
  
 Maybe you need to understand people have different problems and priorities.


----------



## Whitigir

fish1050 said:


> Apple is simply going away from 3.5 mm connected headphones to drum up more business.  Headphone sales are stagnant because once people get a pair they like they stick with them.  Take away the 3.5 mm jack and you force people to buy new headphones.
> 
> Don't kid yourself into thinking Apples motives aren't purely profit driven.  Apple pulled out of the iPod market for the most part, tablet sales are flat and iphone sales are dropping along with profit.  Accessories like headphones have a higher profit margin than electronics do for the most part.  Apple is struggling to find new revenue streams and headphones are one of them.
> 
> ...




Dude, you can pay that much and all you got are separated non functioning components . Hell, you can even pay an engineer as much as $3,000 and supply all the above and he wouldn't even make a Player as good as 1Z or even close.

My point is that it is intel property, and such product will be priced accordingly to the R&D. No fool want to sell things overpriced in a free competition market, and no fools want to get under paid. Therefore, the only point I would agree with you is the market power and it decisive facts.

Remember, without Sony, there wouldn't be a 1Z.....and if there was no 1Z, you could never have paid enough to have it!!!!


----------



## nanaholic

emrelights1973 said:


> Nobody said anything about the cost but the difference of gold vs black Walkmans
> Both include all opex and capex in the pricing so in theory the only cost difference is the material
> Not the total price, got It? But the difference between 2 models


 
  
 No you don't get it.  Different materials may be different in how much it cost to manufacture and the cost in the manufacturing process, that's why listing BOM is completely misleading.


----------



## gerelmx1986

We don't care about Apple, if they will force people get new headphones they will make people get the earpods, airpods, beats solo 3 or power beats 

Those ain't quality headphones


----------



## emrelights1973

nanaholic said:


> My home internet connection is slow because I live in an old area with poor copper lines and no access to fast fibre - my home connection is slower than 3G, plus I don't stay at home much.
> My work environment doesn't let me use WiFi for personal use (I work in a Japanese company so they have very strict rules).
> 
> Maybe you need to understand people have different problems and priorities.



Sony I guess


----------



## gerelmx1986

The company I work with, software and IT services also does not allow WiFi to avoid leaking or stealing customers or intellectual property


----------



## emrelights1973

nanaholic said:


> No you don't get it.  Different materials may be different in how much it cost to manufacture and the cost in the manufacturing process, that's why listing BOM is completely misleading.





nanaholic said:


> No you don't get it.  Different materials may be different in how much it cost to manufacture and the cost in the manufacturing process, that's why listing BOM is completely misleading.



You need a mold that's all, once you have the mold silver Cooper alliminium is the cost of material
Cost difference of making similar items out of different material is the cost of material, and the profit margin on a luxury item, the junk of the price you paying is RnD, capex and sales marketing costs etc, so the difference between two models using similar but maybe so easy different material is just the cost of material that's all
You can make all titanium Walkman and the difference will be the cost of titanium and maybe a mold


----------



## Whitigir

emrelights1973 said:


> You need a mold that's all, once you have the mold silver Cooper alliminium is the cost of material
> Cost difference of making similar items out of different material is the cost of material, and the profit margin on a luxury item, the junk of the price you paying is RnD, capex and sales marketing costs etc, so the difference between two models using similar but maybe so easy different material is just the cost of material that's all
> You can make all titanium Walkman and the difference will be the cost of titanium and maybe a mold




Nope, the cost differences are the differences of both models. You can analyze the material differences all you want, but if Sony did not make a different product, you would not have a chance to buy it at any "price"


----------



## tienbasse

whitigir said:


> Nope, the cost differences are the differences of both models. You can analyze the material differences all you want, but if Sony did not make a different product, you would not have a chance to buy it at any "price"


 

 Completely agrees here.
  
 Given the high-end positioning of these models, we're talking small production scale and relatively large net margins.
 Discussions around manufacturing costs are pointless for "luxury" items such as those DAPs.
  
 Pricing is done PURELY based on market and what people are willing to pay for high-end items. Anything else is non-relevant.
 And since those forums are full of people willing to throw away a few thousand dollars based on non-measurable specs (SQ first, features last), prices are going up tremendously.
  
 Not that I'm not willing to pay a high price, but my choice is based strictly on specs and built quality, since any monkey can pick up high quality electronic components those days.
 SQ in those prices is purely a question of personal taste.


----------



## Leviticus

Has it been confirmed that the WM1 models are volume capped in Europe?


----------



## gerelmx1986

leviticus said:


> Has it been confirmed that the WM1 models are volume capped in Europe?


for secueity buy it on accessory jack or pricejapan


----------



## Mark2010

gerelmx1986 said:


> for secueity buy it on accessory jack or pricejapan


 

 Problem is if your buying it from Europe you risk getting hit with import charges.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

When is thw WM1a available and what is the price?
 I think im going to sell my Mojo, its too cumbersome to strap to a phone


----------



## denis1976

mark2010 said:


> Problem is if your buying it from Europe you risk getting hit with import charges.


 acessoryjack is not from europe the problem is if you buy from acessoryjack from Portugal like me ,the customs are fuc... bad...i think that i am going to make the pre order on Amazon from spain ut will be available to start selling at 18 of september (the nw-wm1a )


----------



## gerelmx1986

Estimated release of 1A is end of October


----------



## denis1976

I think that the volume cap in this model will be diferent...


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> Estimated release of 1A is end of October


Amazon.es the Nw-wm1a available at 18 september


----------



## denis1976

Is allready available to preorder


----------



## denis1976

The "Z" model is in october


----------



## gerelmx1986

Thanks for clarification


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks for clarification


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

denis1976 said:


> Amazon.es the Nw-wm1a available at 18 september


 
 Do you have a link?


----------



## denis1976

Next week i am going to preorder mine


----------



## denis1976

princeofegypt said:


> Do you have a link?


try this , make a google search with " sony nw-wm1z pre order " look for a site that is "digitaltrends" that talks about all the signture models of sony , and in the end of each product apears the option of amazon pre order , see if works


----------



## Leviticus

denis1976 said:


> try this , make a google search with " sony nw-wm1z pre order " look for a site that is "digitaltrends" that talks about all the signture models of sony , and in the end of each product apears the option of amazon pre order , see if works


----------



## Leviticus

amazon.de (Germany) is accepting pre-orders, too.
  
 https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01LHGLG3A/ref=twister_B01LQHVYMS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Will the European versions be volume capped?


----------



## phonomat

leviticus said:


> amazon.de (Germany) is accepting pre-orders, too.
> 
> https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01LHGLG3A/ref=twister_B01LQHVYMS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


 
  
 Hmmm, there's one seller who has it on preorder for €779,- (as opposed to 1199,- directly via Amazon). Can this be legit? For that price, I might just go for it. Never heard of them before, but the ratings seem alright.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

phonomat said:


> Hmmm, there's one seller who has it on preorder for €779,- (as opposed to 1199,- directly via Amazon). Can this be legit? For that price, I might just go for it. Never heard of them before, but the ratings seem alright.


 
 I was thinking the same thing, but is the player volume capped?


----------



## phonomat

Probably, yeah.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Might have to go with Price Japan


----------



## Mark2010

A seller on amazon is selling it for  779,00 Euro I'd seriously consider buying it at that price.
  
 https://www.amazon.de/gp/offer-listing/B01LHGLG3A/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new


----------



## phonomat

Is it worth that much to you to get it uncapped? I have to say I never really got all that fuss about the volume cap, was never a problem for me with my ZX-1. It's dangerous to listen too loud anyway, so I'm actually kind of grateful that they're protecting me from myself. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Really though, I never had the desire to listen louder than it got.


----------



## denis1976

The volume cap thing makes me think, uf with 15mw the cap to decap diference was +- 20% of volume , the 60 mw will be +-100% ?...this must be a joke, keep calm


----------



## phonomat

mark2010 said:


> A seller on amazon is selling it for  779,00 Euro I'd seriously consider buying it at that price.
> 
> https://www.amazon.de/gp/offer-listing/B01LHGLG3A/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new


 
  
 Lol, see four posts above yours.


----------



## Raketen

phonomat said:


> Is it worth that much to you to get it uncapped? I have to say I never really got all that fuss about the volume cap, was never a problem for me with my ZX-1. It's dangerous to listen to loud anyway, so I'm actually kind of grateful that they're protecting me from myself.   Really though, I never had the desire to listen louder than it got.




This opinion changes quickly with inefficient headphones! Volume caps are of necessity arbitrary, probably based on massively popular earpods or something, and because every headphone has different sensitivity they needlessly inhibit device performance. It would be different, even a useful feature I wouldn't mind having on every device, if they let you select a volume cap based on your headphone sensitivity or something, but as we all know people are incapable of such intelligent self determining behavior :tongue_smile: Though I have seen people say it is legally allowed to be disableable- Sony probably just taking no chances.


----------



## phonomat

Yeah, I thought about that, of course. Since I'd mostly use it with rather efficient IEMs, I guess it's not really an issue for me, but I can see it being a problem if you're trying to power your HE-6. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Still, people are acting like it's the end of the world, whereas I'd just pair it with a different headphone/IEM instead of jumping through all sorts of hoops and paying big bucks to avoid it. Put maybe that's just me. *shrug*


----------



## Raketen

phonomat said:


> Yeah, I thought about that, of course. Since I'd mostly use it with rather efficient IEMs, I guess it's not really an issue for me, but I can see it being a problem if you're trying to power your HE-6.   Still, people are acting like it's the end of the world, whereas I'd just pair it with a different headphone/IEM instead of jumping through all sorts of hoops and paying big bucks to avoid it. Put maybe that's just me. *shrug*




Certainly a valid perspective, though I think most prefer their DAP to be in service of headphones rather than the other way around, which is a selling point for a lot of audio nerd oriented DAPs.

Not to mention quieter recordings with a lot of dynamics like Classical genres. A17 struggled to get 'just right' volume w/ easy to drive HD25 or DT1350 at volume cap (though not quite up to the task even w/o cap) for rock and stuff, certain classical recordings were barely audible. There is the Dynamic Equalization ability, but could be a little frustrating, and no ReplayGain support either.


----------



## Sonic Defender

phonomat said:


> Is it worth that much to you to get it uncapped? I have to say I never really got all that fuss about the volume cap, was never a problem for me with my ZX-1. It's dangerous to listen too loud anyway, so I'm actually kind of grateful that they're protecting me from myself.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 You are lucky mate, any level under 80 decibels puts me to sleep.


----------



## phonomat

Yeah, I totally get where you're coming from. Normally, I don't like the government to tell me what to do, but I think the raised awareness and the acknowledgement of the dangers of listening too loud is actually a good thing. I have recently developed Tinnitus and I'd do quite a lot to turn back time and change a few things, which is why it makes me cringe if people act like the dreaded cap is the Antichrist or gives you cancer. Be safe, kids!


----------



## phonomat

sonic defender said:


> You are lucky mate, any level under 80 decibels puts me to sleep.


 
  
 Haha, I actually tested my listening level last night (with an app, nothing fancy, just to get the general ballpark), and it seems like my general listening is done at about 60 db. I turned it up to 80 once and had a quick listen, but it was louder than I was comfortable with, which actually made me glad.


----------



## Leviticus

phonomat said:


> Hmmm, there's one seller who has it on preorder for €779,- (as opposed to 1199,- directly via Amazon). Can this be legit? For that price, I might just go for it. Never heard of them before, but the ratings seem alright.


 
 The same seller is offering the WM1Z for €2199,-. When something is too good to be true, it ain't.


----------



## phonomat

Wha ... it's gone!


----------



## Whitigir

phonomat said:


> Wha ... it's gone! :eek:




Why so surprised ?


----------



## Leviticus

phonomat said:


> Wha ... it's gone!


 
 Calm down! The seller is full of **** and definitely not reputable. I tried to pre-order the WM1Z, knowing that I have the right to return the product and get reimbursed. (The German law protects online buyers very well) I couldn't finish my order because there was something wrong with the delivery address. No matter what address I chose, I couldn't complete my order. Although I live and study in Denmark, I chose the address of my parents' home in Germany. The email address the seller uses (ralf-markt@mail88a.com) does not exist. Yet I cannot explain how these rankings come about.


----------



## phonomat

Yeah, I thought that email address was strange.


----------



## goody

chill out guys be careful with the orders from non reputable sources ...there will be plenty of scams


----------



## Leviticus

phonomat said:


> Yeah, I thought that email address was strange.


 

 According to the seller, the company owning this online shop is http://www.gds-do.de. It's a German company that specialises in printing pamphlets, menus and what not. They also come up with marketing strategies for clients. I don't see how this is related to selling high-end audio gear on amazon. I actually mailed this company to ask whether or not they run this online shop. Something is definitely not right here.


----------



## Whitigir

Wow, people are seriously driven by the 1Z...in all aspects


----------



## proedros

well , amazon germany also has ZX2 at 900 euros


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> well , amazon germany also has ZX2 at 900 euros




My wife have me for free ! Talk about that


----------



## Leviticus

whitigir said:


> Wow, people are seriously driven by the 1Z...in all aspects


 

 If someone would offer you one with a €1300,- discount? Sounds like a real bargain to me. (Although bargain is not the best word to describe this offer )
  


proedros said:


> well , amazon germany also has ZX2 at 900 euros


 
 So? I bought the ZX2 from amazon germany for that price when it was released.


----------



## fish1050

The A30 series is starting to look like a much better deal to me. It has the new HX Master amp that the WM series has.  Power listed as 35 mW per chanel, same resolution touchscreen as the WM series.  It even has DSD support if that floats your boat. Still excellent battery life, smaller internal memory but with Samsung releasing 256 GB microsd cards and 200 GB cards dropping in price no big deal anymore.
  
 I think WM really means Waste of Money.  I am retiring to the land of common sense. Good luck with your purchases, I hope you don't regret it, I know I won't


----------



## goody

fish1050 said:


> The A30 series is starting to look like a much better deal to me. It has the new HX Master amp that the WM series has.  Power listed as 35 mW per chanel, same resolution touchscreen as the WM series.  It even has DSD support if that floats your boat. Still excellent battery life, smaller internal memory but with Samsung releasing 256 GB microsd cards and 200 GB cards dropping in price no big deal anymore.
> 
> I think WM really means Waste of Money.  I am retiring to the land of common sense. Good luck with your purchases, I hope you don't regret it, I know I won't


 
 Yeah the the A30 seems to be a good choice player no doubt but will it have the sound signature of the 1Z and 1A


----------



## gerelmx1986

goody said:


> fish1050 said:
> 
> 
> > The A30 series is starting to look like a much better deal to me. It has the new HX Master amp that the WM series has.  Power listed as 35 mW per chanel, same resolution touchscreen as the WM series.  It even has DSD support if that floats your boat. Still excellent battery life, smaller internal memory but with Samsung releasing 256 GB microsd cards and 200 GB cards dropping in price no big deal anymore.
> ...


bit the quality of the A30 looks like that of zx100


----------



## gerelmx1986

Weird accessoryjack hasn't it yet


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> Weird accessoryjack hasn't it yet



Too early i guess.


----------



## denis1976

musicday said:


> Too early i guess.


they are closed for holidays until 23 of september


----------



## gerelmx1986

Well I wait for early adopters lol report problems and will do the same for firmware updates


----------



## Mark2010

fish1050 said:


> The A30 series is starting to look like a much better deal to me. It has the new HX Master amp that the WM series has.  Power listed as 35 mW per chanel, same resolution touchscreen as the WM series.  It even has DSD support if that floats your boat. Still excellent battery life, smaller internal memory but with Samsung releasing 256 GB microsd cards and 200 GB cards dropping in price no big deal anymore.
> 
> I think WM really means Waste of Money.  I am retiring to the land of common sense. Good luck with your purchases, I hope you don't regret it, I know I won't


 
  
 As someone who owns both the A17 and the ZX100 I actually prefer the sound signature on the A17 to the ZX100.
  
 I'd imagine the WM series will sound at most maybe 10% better than the A30.
  
 It most likely won't be a night and day difference in sound quality.
  
 I agree that the A30 is probably much better value than the WM series also whatever player you buy will be obsolete after 2 years that is why I wouldn't want to spend much more than about 500 Euro on a DAP.


----------



## gerelmx1986

And I liked the sound of the zx100 more than that of the A17


----------



## Mark2010

gerelmx1986 said:


> And I liked the sound of the zx100 more than that of the A17


 

 I was expecting a night and day difference between the two players but to my ears the ZX100 was not a major step up.


----------



## denis1976

A30?????are you joking????


----------



## gerelmx1986

Don't know what headphones did Mark2010 use with both players, I used a pair of XBA-A3 when I had both. I cannot attest for Z5 as these fore are my new babies still burn in


----------



## fish1050

denis1976 said:


> A30?????are you joking????


 
 WM-1Z are you freaking kidding me!!!!!!!!!!!!.  See I can do it to and still have money left over buy food and stuff.


----------



## Mark2010

gerelmx1986 said:


> Don't know what headphones did @Mark2010 use with both players, I used a pair of XBA-A3 when I had both. I cannot attest for Z5 as these fore are my new babies still burn in


 
  
 The headphones I use most of the time are the Sennheiser MX500.


----------



## denis1976

fish1050 said:


> WM-1Z are you freaking kidding me!!!!!!!!!!!!.  See I can do it to and still have money left over buy food and stuff.:blink:


you right about the "z" is very expensive, but, must be very good to, but Sony is not pointing a gun in your head for you to buy one , or is it? When i ask if that was a joke what i was thinking about the "A" version, now coming here on a hi-end tread talking about a A30 is like somebody talking about a Mercedes class S and somebody says that a classe A is better


----------



## gerelmx1986

mark2010 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Don't know what headphones did [@=/u/134312/Mark2010]@Mark2010[/@] use with both players, I used a pair of XBA-A3 when I had both. I cannot attest for Z5 as these fore are my new babies still burn in
> ...


now I see, sennheiser "iBuds" mine are in-car triple driver perhaps that makes a difference in perceiving excuse me the redundancy differences


----------



## fish1050

denis1976 said:


> you right about the "z" is very expensive, but, must be very good to, but Sony is not pointing a gun in your head for you to buy one , or is it? When i ask if that was a joke what i was thinking about the "A" version, now coming here on a hi-end tread talking about a A30 is like somebody talking about a Mercedes class S and somebody says that a classe A is better


 
 Well they both play HiRes audio formats, the A30 series is made of aluminum, same resolution touchscreen, same version of S-Master HX amp.  Both support DSD and both have the same version of bluetooth.
  
 The A30 series and WM series are far similar than they are different, especially the 1A so to me the A30 has every right to be considered hi-end.  I never suggested the A series was better, but a better deal for the money, absolutely any day of the week.


----------



## Whitigir

fish1050 said:


> Well they both play HiRes audio formats, the A30 series is made of aluminum, same resolution touchscreen, same version of S-Master HX amp.  Both support DSD and both have the same version of bluetooth.
> 
> The A30 series and WM series are far similar than they are different, especially the 1A so to me the A30 has every right to be considered hi-end.  I never suggested the A series was better, but a better deal for the money, absolutely any day of the week.




You are mistaken ... The A30 uses the older generation SMaster and has not balanced out....WM uses the newest SMaster


----------



## Raketen

whitigir said:


> You are mistaken ... The A30 uses the older generation SMaster and has not balanced out....WM uses the newest SMaster




According to Sony page it features S-Master HX as well, but yes only single end afaik.
With the improved output looks like it may be a very good option.
Yaluen posted this helpful chart over in the A30 thread though obv I can't speak to it's accuracy:



yaluen said:


> No native DSD, seems that's only available on the NW-WM1A/Z.
> 
> Also the HP out is rated at *35mW* for the new NW-A30 series
> 
> ...


----------



## echineko

Boy this thread is really all over the place. Can't wait till people start getting these in their hands so I can hear read actual feedback.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Once you tried a zx series Walkman I cannot go back to a toy sounding A30 series


----------



## graffy1

gerelmx1986 said:


> Once you tried a zx series Walkman I cannot go back to a toy sounding A30 series


 
 cannot agree more


----------



## goody

The ZX100 to my ears is better than the A17 the mids and bass on the ZX100 is way better than the A17... The OSCON caps in the ZX100 makes the sound quite rich and detailed..


----------



## gerelmx1986

goody said:


> The ZX100 to my ears is better than the A17 the mids and bass on the ZX100 is way better than the A17... The OSCON caps in the ZX100 makes the sound quite rich and detailed..


 

 ZX100 is better at High frequencies tan A17 no audible distortion


----------



## FenderP

The new A35/6/7 is a major step up in terms of what is "in the box" vs. other A series. You have full side buttons, small but IMO nice looking size, the upgraded guts, better headphone output, DSD, etc. But it's not the same as the WM1x. For example, the new A has DSD support - but only 2.8224 MHz. One of the reasons I'm looking to move off of the ZX1 is that it also only supports 2.8. I have a few things at 5.6448 MHz which won't play on it.
  
 So if you don't do DSD and/or have nothing above 2.8224, the A may be a more than acceptable option.
  
 My $.02.


----------



## fish1050

whitigir said:


> You are mistaken ... The A30 uses the older generation SMaster and has not balanced out....WM uses the newest SMaster


 
  

 Not according to this information posted on the sonystyle web site, if you will notice is has the same S-Master HX as the WM series and 35 mW per channel.  It also has the lastest version of DSEE-HX also like the WM series.  
  
 As I said the A30 series has more in common with WM series than it has differences.


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> Once you tried a zx series Walkman I cannot go back to a toy sounding A30 series


 
 How can you say don't like the sound if you haven't heard the A35 yet?  
  


goody said:


> The ZX100 to my ears is better than the A17 the mids and bass on the ZX100 is way better than the A17... The OSCON caps in the ZX100 makes the sound quite rich and detailed..


 
 That is fine but until the A35 comes out you can't know how different or similar they will sound.


----------



## echineko

fish1050 said:


> That is fine but until the A35 comes out you can't know how different or similar they will sound.


 
 So are you getting the 1A or the 1Z?


----------



## FenderP

fish1050 said:


> Not according to this information posted on the sonystyle web site, if you will notice is has the same S-Master HX as the WM series and 35 mW per channel.  It also has the lastest version of DSEE-HX also like the WM series.
> 
> As I said the A30 series has more in common with WM series than it has differences.


 
  
 Agree they've got a somewhat common base, but as I point out above, it's not 1:1. There are some key differences between the A3x and the WM1A. It all depends what you need/want. I don't think the A3x will sound bad at all. I'm going to most likely get the WM1A, but for reasons I care about (like better DSD support for more than just DSD 2.8).


----------



## WCDchee

fish1050 said:


> Not according to this information posted on the sonystyle web site, if you will notice is has the same S-Master HX as the WM series and 35 mW per channel.  It also has the lastest version of DSEE-HX also like the WM series.
> 
> As I said the A30 series has more in common with WM series than it has differences.




It's actually been reported previously (either in the interviews or by the member who was tasked by Sony to cover the event or something) that the wm1A would be using the same s master chip as the zx2 while the 1Z would be using a new one.


----------



## fish1050

wcdchee said:


> It's actually been reported previously (either in the interviews or by the member who was tasked by Sony to cover the event or something) that the wm1A would be using the same s master chip as the zx2 while the 1Z would be using a new one.


 
 Actually it is my understanding that the updated S-Master HX chip is required for the higher power output of the A30 and WM series vs the earlier DAP's.  So if the higher power output on these DAP's is accurate they need to have the new S-Master HX chip.
  
 As for the whole A30 vs WM series debate I choose to wait and see some reviews on them before I declare the WM series worth the much higher cost.  As you all say it is all about the sound quality.  If the sound is relatively close then I would gladly save $700.00 to $800.00 on an A35 vs the 1A and roughly $2700.00 over the 1Z. Speculation is that the A30 series may be replacing the ZX100.  Sony runs on a 1 year product cycle so if there is a ZX200 coming there should have been some word of it at IFA 2016.  If the speculation is true I would expect the A30 series to sound at least as good as the ZX100 with more power.  I keep hearing how great the ZX100 is suppose to sound from others on the ZX100 forum so why not wait and see how the A30 series actually sounds before dismissing it?
  
 Nothing wrong with having an open mind until we have actual products we can audition.  I just have a hard time believing the 1Z will sound so much better than the A30 series to justify a $2700.00 premium, not to mention the decidedly less portable size and weight of the 1Z over the A30.  I would take the hundreds of dollars saved and buy the best pair of headphones I can get. Because headphones make the biggest difference in what you hear, certainly alot more than the difference between DAP's.


----------



## purk

My thought process is that not all "wattage" are equal.  You can have a beefier amp producing more watt but it may not be as clean and as good in term of quality.  For instance, all HT amps can just about do 100 watt per channel but none actually sound the same.  The ZX100 has a very good sound quality but I doubt that the A30 will better it given higher grade components are used inside the ZX100.


----------



## emrelights1973

fenderp said:


> The new A35/6/7 is a major step up in terms of what is "in the box" vs. other A series. You have full side buttons, small but IMO nice looking size, the upgraded guts, better headphone output, DSD, etc. But it's not the same as the WM1x. For example, the new A has DSD support - but only 2.8224 MHz. One of the reasons I'm looking to move off of the ZX1 is that it also only supports 2.8. I have a few things at 5.6448 MHz which won't play on it.
> 
> So if you don't do DSD and/or have nothing above 2.8224, the A may be a more than acceptable option.
> 
> My $.02.



The think I don't get it even at the low end models there is no tidal option, so it is not a audio purity issue but a commercial decision, onkyo started to look good


----------



## fish1050

purk said:


> My thought process is that not all "wattage" are equal.  You can have a beefier amp producing more watt but it may not be as clean and as good in term of quality.  For instance, all HT amps can just about do 100 watt per channel but none actually sound the same.  The ZX100 has a very good sound quality but I doubt that the A30 will better it given higher grade components are used inside the ZX100.


 
 Well actually current makes the biggest difference in the sound quality of an amp.  Current controls the drivers in your headphones and speakers.  The better the quality of the amplifier the more current it produces.  The sound quality and sound signature are largely controlled by the S-Master HX chip in the Sony DAP's.  The ZX100 has a newer chip than the A17 which contributes to sound improvement from the A17 to the ZX100.  The A30 series will have the brand new S-Master HX chip which is newer than the chip version in the ZX100. Somehow I doubt Sony would produce a lower quality amp chip for their newest DAP's than the older version on the previous DAP's.  Especially since the WM DAP's have the same S-Master HX chip found in the A30.  
  
 The new DAP's produce significantly more power which points to higher spec components being used.  The question will only be settled once an A/B test between the A30 series and ZX100 can be conducted.


----------



## echineko

fish1050 said:


> Well actually current makes the biggest difference in the sound quality of an amp.  Current controls the drivers in your headphones and speakers.  The better the quality of the amplifier the more current it produces.  The sound quality and sound signature are largely controlled by the S-Master HX chip in the Sony DAP's.  The ZX100 has a newer chip than the A17 which contributes to sound improvement from the A17 to the ZX100.  The A30 series will have the brand new S-Master HX chip which is newer than the chip version in the ZX100. Somehow I doubt Sony would produce a lower quality amp chip for their newest DAP's than the older version on the previous DAP's.  Especially since the WM DAP's have the same S-Master HX chip found in the A30.
> 
> The new DAP's produce significantly more power which points to higher spec components being used.  The question will only be settled once an A/B test between the A30 series and ZX100 can be conducted.


 
 So... basically all assumptions? Even though even the new WM1A which costs less doesn't have the new S-Master, the A30 is definitely including the newer version?


----------



## purk

fish1050 said:


> Well actually current makes the biggest difference in the sound quality of an amp.  Current controls the drivers in your headphones and speakers.  The better the quality of the amplifier the more current it produces.  The sound quality and sound signature are largely controlled by the S-Master HX chip in the Sony DAP's.  The ZX100 has a newer chip than the A17 which contributes to sound improvement from the A17 to the ZX100.  The A30 series will have the brand new S-Master HX chip which is newer than the chip version in the ZX100. Somehow I doubt Sony would produce a lower quality amp chip for their newest DAP's than the older version on the previous DAP's.  Especially since the WM DAP's have the same S-Master HX chip found in the A30.
> 
> The new DAP's produce significantly more power which points to higher spec components being used.  The question will only be settled once an A/B test between the A30 series and ZX100 can be conducted.


 
 It is depending what are you planning to drive with the DAP.  On paper, the ZX2's wimpy headamp output should be no match to something like FiiO X7.  However, there is no contest between the two for easier to drive loads such as CIEMs as well as the Sony MDR-CD3000 headphones.  For a more demanding loads, a beefier amp section will usually win given it has more driving power.  However, the ZX100 sports very very good parts and in some way nearly equal the ZX2 in single-end output.  I honestly don't think the A30 will take home the trophy based on the power rating alone.  Quality parts have proven to make a lot of audible difference in my book also.  Of course, the A30 could very well be a sweet spot on Sony line of DAP.


----------



## denis1976

echineko said:


> So... basically all assumptions? Even though even the new WM1A which costs less doesn't have the new S-Master, the A30 is definitely including the newer version?


the wm1A has the new s-master


----------



## Zakalwe

fish1050 said:


> The A30 series is starting to look like a much better deal to me. It has the new HX Master amp that the WM series has.  Power listed as 35 mW per chanel, same resolution touchscreen as the WM series.  It even has DSD support if that floats your boat. Still excellent battery life, smaller internal memory but with Samsung releasing 256 GB microsd cards and 200 GB cards dropping in price no big deal anymore.
> 
> I think WM really means Waste of Money.  I am retiring to the land of common sense. Good luck with your purchases, I hope you don't regret it, I know I won't




Hmm, thanks for pointing out tha A30 series - with all the hype around the WM1 I had not really paid attention to the A30. Indeed, those look nice. Still, I am stupidly nostalgic about Walkmans - a black chunk of Sony-plastic with MegaBass was my first "big" investment in 1987 - so I might just spring for a WM1 in a moment of weakness, just for the name and looks.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

zakalwe said:


> Hmm, thanks for pointing out tha A30 series - with all the hype around the WM1 I had not really paid attention to the A30. Indeed, those look nice. Still, I am stupidly nostalgic about Walkmans - a black chunk of Sony-plastic with MegaBass was my first "big" investment in 1987 - so I might just spring for a WM1 in a moment of weakness, just for the name and looks.


 
 Im in the same boat...LOL
  
 I think this will be my goto DAP...Been a mojo user, and while its nice its just too cumbersome for portable use in my opinion.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The A30 seems to be made of plastic


----------



## Zakalwe

gerelmx1986 said:


> The A30 seems to be made of plastic




Not necessarily a drawback, in particular on a portable device: light, flexible, does not dent, and scratches will hardly show if it is the right type of plastic. The use of aluminium on the WM1A is a bit disappointing, as it dents easily and looks terrible when scratched. While Apple has successfully cemented the public image of aluminium being a "premium" material, it is actually one of the cheapest options available, likely considerably cheaper than using some decent plastic would have been. Back in the day Sony often made its high-end portables of magnesium, steel or titanium, all of which outperform aluminium, albeit at a much higher cost. But now media will happily tout aluminium phones and such as feeling classy despite being made from the same white trash metal as soda cans, so I can see why manufacturers will not bother with actual premium materials any more. Uh, sorry for ranting.

(Now copper as on the WM1Z on the other hand is a lot more pricey. I have strong doubts regarding its practicality, as it combines the bad sides of aluminium with higher weight - but I cannot accuse Sony of being cheap here.)


----------



## gerelmx1986

zakalwe said:


> Not necessarily a drawback, in particular on a portable device: light, flexible, does not dent, and scratches will hardly show if it is the right type of plastic. *The use of aluminium on the WM1A is a bit disappointing*, as it dents easily and looks terrible when scratched. While *Apple has successfully cemented the public image of aluminium being a "premium" material, it is actually one of the cheapest options available*, likely considerably cheaper than using some decent plastic would have been. Back in the day Sony often made its high-end portables of magnesium, steel or titanium, all of which outperform aluminium, albeit at a much higher cost. But now media will happily tout aluminium phones and such as feeling classy despite being made from the same white trash metal as soda cans, so I can see why manufacturers will not bother with actual premium materials any more. Uh, sorry for ranting.
> 
> (Now copper as on the WM1Z on the other hand is a lot more pricey. I have strong doubts regarding its practicality, as it combines the bad sides of aluminium with higher weight - but I cannot accuse Sony of being cheap here.)


 
 Actually looks like anodized aluminum


----------



## Zakalwe

gerelmx1986 said:


> Actually looks like anodized aluminum




Certainly, but this is mostly for corrosion resistance, as raw aluminium can get etch marks from the oils of the hands, and it may leave stains on the fingers, too. But anodizing does not improve the strength of the aluminium, and it is very thin, so it scratches off easily and then it makes for a good contrast between the remaining black ano and the silvery aluminium. Take a look at some used iPhone 5 - aluminium with sharp edges and black anodizing - they often look like scratched up toy cars nowadays. Apple switched from black to a dark grey after that. It still scratches, but the contrast between the colours is less stark, so it is not as noticeable.

I guess I may sound like I am trying to disparage the WM1A - I'm still very much considering a WM1A, I am just a bit disappointed about the choice of materials. And it will probably live in some leather case anyway.


----------



## gerelmx1986

zakalwe said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Actually looks like anodized aluminum
> ...


 

 I have s ony VAIO laptop from 2014 and has aluminum cover and frame (bottom is plastic) and still looks like new, no single scratch,, I had a dell lappy made from magnesium and my error was to place it in a table which had sand (beah sand) and well got scratched nasty


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> The A30 seems to be made of plastic


 
 To be honest when I first read about the features on the A30 series, bigger higher quality touchscreen, more power and DSD support. Then my buddies in the audio trade mentioned early rumors of a full aluminum chassis I envisioned yet another $700.00 DAP from Sony.  If the tradeoff is a plastic body in place of aluminum to get the newer features and hopefully better sound quality then to me it is a worthwhile trade off and it makes the price reasonable.  If the plastic is high grade and it keeps the weight down then I am fine with it.  I never was a fan of the aluminum/plastic two piece design of the A10/A20 series case.  The solid one piece body of the A30 looks better to me.  With a rumored price of around $250.00 US for the A35 and the better features it is perfect for me to travel with.  My needs probably differ from you guys as I will use it primarily when traveling to and from work and business trips.  At home it will be used mostly for LDAC bluetooth streaming to my home system.
  
 Images have started to appear online for the Fiio X1 II with a new touch wheel and support for 256 GB microsd cards set to be released in October.  It looks really nice and if the A30 series does not make an appearance in Canada the new Fiio may get a look or I might wait for the X3 III to be released next year.  I am just pleased to see there are some reasonably priced DAP options coming down the pipe.  Plus my wife won't divorce me if I happen to treat myself to one unlike the WM series. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 When you are an old married guy like me the WM DAP's of the world aren't in the budget.  Cost benefit analysis becomes the main consideration and the A35 fits my needs and budget.


----------



## fish1050

zakalwe said:


> Not necessarily a drawback, in particular on a portable device: light, flexible, does not dent, and scratches will hardly show if it is the right type of plastic. The use of aluminium on the WM1A is a bit disappointing, as it dents easily and looks terrible when scratched. While Apple has successfully cemented the public image of aluminium being a "premium" material, it is actually one of the cheapest options available, likely considerably cheaper than using some decent plastic would have been. Back in the day Sony often made its high-end portables of magnesium, steel or titanium, all of which outperform aluminium, albeit at a much higher cost. But now media will happily tout aluminium phones and such as feeling classy despite being made from the same white trash metal as soda cans, so I can see why manufacturers will not bother with actual premium materials any more. Uh, sorry for ranting.
> 
> (Now copper as on the WM1Z on the other hand is a lot more pricey. I have strong doubts regarding its practicality, as it combines the bad sides of aluminium with higher weight - but I cannot accuse Sony of being cheap here.)


 
 Aluminum can often look cheap and the aluminum front piece on the A10/A20 series case is often mistakenly identified as plastic.  Brushed aluminum has a more premium look to it but the matte finished aluminum on the A10/A20 series looks cheap and plastic like.  I guess if you are going to make aluminum look like plastic then you might as well just use plastic


----------



## cthomas

Case + remote pics...


----------



## gerelmx1986

The case looks nice


----------



## cthomas

gerelmx1986 said:


> The case looks nice




100 bucks though. Daym!


----------



## gerelmx1986

cthomas said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > The case looks nice
> ...


 

 whoa! maybe a dignis case


----------



## cthomas

Yeah they're a bit more reasonable. Not really keen on a sony flip case anyways.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cthomas said:


> Yeah they're a bit more reasonable. Not really keen on a sony flip case anyways.


I like the flip case because you can protect the screen and still operate it fast


----------



## FenderP

Quote:


fish1050 said:


> To be honest when I first read about the features on the A30 series, bigger higher quality touchscreen, more power and DSD support. Then my buddies in the audio trade mentioned early rumors of a full aluminum chassis I envisioned yet another $700.00 DAP from Sony.  If the tradeoff is a plastic body in place of aluminum to get the newer features and hopefully better sound quality then to me it is a worthwhile trade off and it makes the price reasonable.  If the plastic is high grade and it keeps the weight down then I am fine with it.  I never was a fan of the aluminum/plastic two piece design of the A10/A20 series case.  The solid one piece body of the A30 looks better to me.  With a rumored price of around $250.00 US for the A35 and the better features it is perfect for me to travel with.  My needs probably differ from you guys as I will use it primarily when traveling to and from work and business trips.  At home it will be used mostly for LDAC bluetooth streaming to my home system.
> 
> Images have started to appear online for the Fiio X1 II with a new touch wheel and support for 256 GB microsd cards set to be released in October.  It looks really nice and if the A30 series does not make an appearance in Canada the new Fiio may get a look or I might wait for the X3 III to be released next year.  I am just pleased to see there are some reasonably priced DAP options coming down the pipe.  Plus my wife won't divorce me if I happen to treat myself to one unlike the WM series.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I only use a Walkman for travel; I don't use it at home. But as I mentioned earlier, the limitations of the ZX1 and how it supports DSD would rule out the A3x series as it's the same implementation (essentially).


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hope someone gets a WM1 series so the thread rails again to the players of WM1 series


----------



## echineko

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hope someone gets a WM1 series so the thread rails again to the players of WM1 series



I know right, endless justifications why someone ISN'T getting a WM1-series really serve no purpose here, I'm sure there's other threads for the A-series. 

Meanwhile, the WM1A will be on demo nearby on the 18th, looking forward to trying it and comparing it to my ZX2. No WM1Z, so no unnecessary temptation


----------



## gerelmx1986

echineko said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Hope someone gets a WM1 series so the thread rails again to the players of WM1 series
> ...


 

 Now i know the term effortless sound, My xba-z5 struggle to resolve and be at their best resolution, but my cellphone limist them and i can hear in some songs they try to shine but they can't (like hitting a brickwall obstacle), damn If i had no sold my ZX100 too early i would have been enjoying effortless sound right now


----------



## echineko

gerelmx1986 said:


> Now i know the term effortless sound, My xba-z5 struggle to resolve and be at their best resolution, but my cellphone limist them and i can hear in some songs they try to shine but they can't (like hitting a brickwall obstacle), damn If i had no sold my ZX100 too early i would have been enjoying effortless sound right now



Didn't you sell it to get the WM1A? How's that going? And I've not tried the XBA-Z5 in a while, they will have it there as well, might give that combo a go as wel.


----------



## gerelmx1986

echineko said:


> Didn't you sell it to get the WM1A? How's that going? And I've not tried the XBA-Z5 in a while, they will have it there as well, might give that combo a go as wel.


 
 Sold the XBA-A3 because plastic scratched  and i wanted to ty the Z5s, what i sold so far th get the WM1A is the zx100. Now have to be patient for the release, better they sound less resolving than nothing or worse if they sounded like beats or earpods
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, the DAC of the xperia m2 is not that bad but yah lacks in resolving matters


----------



## echineko

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sold the XBA-A3 because plastic scratched  and i wanted to ty the Z5s, what i sold so far th get the WM1A is the zx100. Now have to be patient for the release, better they sound less resolving than nothing or worse if they sounded like beats or earpods , the DAC of the xperia m2 is not that bad but yah lacks in resolving matters



Oh yeah, the XBA-N3AP is also going to be there, not really at the level of the Z5, but will try it for fun anyway with the new Walkman, along with my EX-800STs. And I know the feeling, having to wait for a new toy. But if it's not even released where you are, don't you think you sold the ZX100 a bit too soon? 

PS. might want to edit your signature, now that the for sale thread is closed


----------



## XERO1

1500 posts in 15 days!!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 This thread is cray!


----------



## phonomat

echineko said:


> Didn't you sell it to get the WM1A? How's that going? And I've not tried the XBA-Z5 in a while, they will have it there as well, might give that combo a go as wel.


 
  
 Please do, very interested in that combo as well, would be grateful for any impressions.


----------



## gerelmx1986

echineko said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Sold the XBA-A3 because plastic scratched  and i wanted to ty the Z5s, what i sold so far th get the WM1A is the zx100. Now have to be patient for the release, better they sound less resolving than nothing or worse if they sounded like beats or earpods , the DAC of the xperia m2 is not that bad but yah lacks in resolving matters
> ...


 
 Thaks for the reminder 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 totally forgot it XD
  


xero1 said:


> 1500 posts in 15 days!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 wow and it is not even released LOL, wait until it is released....


----------



## echineko

xero1 said:


> 1500 posts in 15 days!!  :eek:
> 
> This thread is cray!



Sure, when you have people showing up specifically to endlessly debate why they're NOT interested in getting the new Walkman, things can get out of hand


----------



## Conext

Just idly wondering...

If the balanced and SE circuitry are distinct and separate from each other, does that mean these DAPs will need to be "burned in" twice--once for balanced connections and once for SE?


----------



## fish1050

Just because I can't afford one of these devices doesn't mean I am not interested in it from an enthusiasts point of view.  I also come from the sales side of the business and I like to keep up with the new technology.  There is nothing wrong with giving a different perspective on things.  Also I am looking at it from a psychological point of view as it is interesting to see the justifications people use for buying what I feel are overpriced DAP's which will become expensive bricks once the battery dies.
  
 I am tapped into the industry and I can add additional information sometimes that others may not be privy to and I am happy to do so.  As a former salesman if I can help someone make an informed product purchase that gives me satisfaction.  At this point there are no WM's to post reviews on and you have 101 pages of largely speculation.  Nothing wrong with that as it leads to conversation which is what keeps these forums going.  Until you actually buy one of these maybe it is worthwhile looking at what else is available.


----------



## purk

xero1 said:


> 1500 posts in 15 days!!  :eek:
> 
> This thread is cray!




Pure Sony love, my friend! I now wish Aiwa, Sharp, Denon, and Pana are doing something new.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quote: 





purk said:


> Pure Sony love, my friend! I now wish Aiwa, Sharp, Denon, and Pana are doing something new.


 
 I have witnessed in years that before 2013 people never got so excited avout new walkmans but since 2013-2014 people get in the Hype train LOL and yeah i love the feeling
  
 What?! with windows 10 browser, still puts the smileys on top of page damn MS


----------



## Whitigir

Aiwa ? I had a lot of love for it back in the 90th as well


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Aiwa ? I had a lot of love for it back in the 90th as well


 

 I think aiwa was bought by sony


----------



## Sonic Defender

gerelmx1986 said:


> What?! with windows 10 browser, still puts the smileys on top of page damn MS


 
 That happens to me almost all the time. All I do is go and cut the smiley from the top of the page and paste it where it should go. Annoying, but it works.


----------



## gerelmx1986

sonic defender said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > What?! with windows 10 browser, still puts the smileys on top of page damn MS
> ...


 

 ​Thanks for the tip


----------



## Raketen

purk said:


> Pure Sony love, my friend! I now wish Aiwa, Sharp, Denon, and Pana are doing something new.




Denon have some new IEMs out, saw over on the Discoveries thread. Panasonic had some stuff earlier this year too... I guess not much in the way of portable audio electronics though.


----------



## nanaholic

Fitear's Suyama-san has declared on Twitter that he's buying a 1Z and gave high praise for the DAP. But then again, he could easily afford one just by selling a few more pairs of his customs. This is the kind of endorsement (paid for or not - depending on how cynical you are) which will lead to many sales. 
  
 While the debate here is still focusing on things like lack of streaming and the insane pricing - I honestly don't think the 1Z will lack customers, and they are seriously on track to sell quite a few in Japan alone.  I already know 3 people in Japan who put in a pre-order.


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> Fitear's Suyama-san has declared on Twitter that he's buying a 1Z and gave high praise for the DAP. But then again, he could easily afford one just by selling a few more pairs of his customs. This is the kind of endorsement (paid for or not - depending on how cynical you are) which will lead to many sales.
> 
> While the debate here is still focusing on things like lack of streaming and the insane pricing - I honestly don't think the 1Z will lack customers, and they are seriously on track to sell quite a few in Japan alone.  I already know 3 people in Japan who put in a pre-order.


Oh it will sell like hotcakes. I can imagine Suyama will like it, based on his star iems he like warm and smooth sound.

Once again the key question is, does the Z sound better than the A.


----------



## purk

nanaholic said:


> Fitear's Suyama-san has declared on Twitter that he's buying a 1Z and gave high praise for the DAP. But then again, he could easily afford one just by selling a few more pairs of his customs. This is the kind of endorsement (paid for or not - depending on how cynical you are) which will lead to many sales.
> 
> While the debate here is still focusing on things like lack of streaming and the insane pricing - I honestly don't think the 1Z will lack customers, and they are seriously on track to sell quite a few in Japan alone.  I already know 3 people in Japan who put in a pre-order.


 
 Sony probably likely to give him the 1Z for free.  All he has to do is to demo his earphones with the WM1Z and that's a free advertisement in itself for Sony.  Manufacturers do that all the time.


----------



## nanaholic

purk said:


> Sony probably likely to give him the 1Z for free.  All he has to do is to demo his earphones with the WM1Z and that's a free advertisement in itself for Sony.  Manufacturers do that all the time.


 
 Like I said - depends on how cynical you are, either Suyama-san is paid off somehow, or he genuinely likes the thing enough to buy it with his own money.
  
 Either way the net effect will still be a positive endorsement. The creator of the biggest custom IEM in Japan likes the 300k blingy gold DAP. PR win.


----------



## shockwaver

http://image.itmedia.co.jp/lifestyle/articles/1609/08/l_ts_wm08.jpg

 http://www.stereosound.co.jp/news/article/2016/09/08/news_160908_NW-WM1_03.jpg

 http://www.call-t.co.jp/blog/mt/bw_uploads/7413985680a3_10B85/DSC00008.jpg


----------



## Raketen

nanaholic said:


> Like I said - depends on how cynical you are, either Suyama-san is paid off somehow, or he genuinely likes the thing enough to buy it with his own money.
> 
> Either way the net effect will still be a positive endorsement. The creator of the biggest custom IEM in Japan likes the 300k blingy gold DAP. PR win.




His reputation seems better than that. I wonder if xDuoo paid him to put FitEar logo on x2 DAP. :rolleyes: h34r:


----------



## graffy1

shockwaver said:


> http://image.itmedia.co.jp/lifestyle/articles/1609/08/l_ts_wm08.jpg
> 
> http://www.stereosound.co.jp/news/article/2016/09/08/news_160908_NW-WM1_03.jpg
> 
> http://www.call-t.co.jp/blog/mt/bw_uploads/7413985680a3_10B85/DSC00008.jpg


 
 Kimber cable is marvelous!


----------



## audioxxx

That board and workmanship looks incredible, I want it..


----------



## proedros

mimouille said:


> Oh it will sell like hotcakes. I can imagine Suyama will like it, based on his star iems he like warm and smooth sound.
> 
> Once again the key question is, *how much better* does the Z sound than the A.


 
  
 the 1,000,0000 dollar question


----------



## denis1976

I have just pre ordered the nw-wm1a. ...


----------



## Rob49

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have witnessed in years that before 2013 people never got so excited avout new walkmans but since 2013-2014 people get in the Hype train LOL and yeah i love the feeling
> 
> What?! with windows 10 browser, still puts the smileys on top of page damn MS


 
  
 I had the same problem. Try Google Chrome. Are you using IE ?


----------



## nofarewell

Do you think the 1A will be in sale 10 months from now? Probably can't buy it until then and I am concerned...


----------



## Zakalwe

denis1976 said:


> I have just ordered the nw-wm1a. ...




Where did you order it?


----------



## denis1976

zakalwe said:


> Where did you order it?


Hello i pre ordered at Amazon it will available 18 of september and delivered between 21 and 23 of september


----------



## proedros

denis1976 said:


> Hello i pre ordered at Amazon it will available 18 of september and delivered between 21 and 23 of september


 
  
 link ? is it the EU version (volume cap) ?


----------



## nanaholic

raketen said:


> His reputation seems better than that. I wonder if xDuoo paid him to put FitEar logo on x2 DAP.


 
  
 That was a toy project - AFAIK Fitear never sold that DAP, it was a gift for people who ordered a pair of his customs at an headphone event.


----------



## denis1976

proedros said:


> link ? is it the EU version (volume cap) ?


is in my case the Amazon.es there search for sony nwmw1a caped or uncaped i don't know and don't mind about it, is for use on the move with iem' s the SQ is what matters to me, and if this is better than the zx2 i will like it very much


----------



## gerelmx1986

Wow earlier release date than expected


----------



## musicday

Is there any way to know about the volume cap before ordering? Is there an European country list who get it or not?


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> Is there any way to know about the volume cap before ordering? Is there an European country list who get it or not?


 

 I think is a mystery, maybe google can help out with the list


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think is a mystery, maybe google can help out with the list




I would expect every unit sold in an EU country to have the cap


----------



## Whitigir

My freaking ..... I don't even know what is to buy !! Sony is making it harder for me


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I think is a mystery, maybe google can help out with the list
> ...


 

 and this being original sony OS what i have red in past eyrs is impossible to remove the cap, however the new WM1 has a revamped OS so let's see what happens


----------



## proedros

if wm1a is 4 times louder than the zx2 , and the JPN zx2 was at least 30% louder than the EU ZX2
  
 then the EU version of wm1a in order to reach to the db levels of the EU zx2 should be at least 5 times less loud than the zx2 JPN version.....
  
 very curious about the vol cap


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> Oh it will sell like hotcakes. I can imagine Suyama will like it, based on his star iems he like warm and smooth sound.
> 
> Once again the key question is, does the Z sound better than the A.




They sound significantly different from one another.....how much better ? It is all upon taste and preferences. The facts are

1/ 1Z is the most expensive and the most premium Walkman up to date throughout the history. Sony may or may never do such thing again, and it may become a piece of timeless collection.

2/ 1A is cheaper and is using lower "Tier" components inside it stuffing. For people who witness the differences and improvements from different materials and components.....the 1A is inferior.

3/ Both are the most powerful Walkman yet, and is advertised to be able to drive full size headphones including the flagship Z1R.


----------



## proedros

whitigir said:


> *They sound significantly different from one another*.....how much better ? It is all upon taste and preferences. The facts are
> 
> 1/ 1Z is the most expensive and the most premium Walkman up to date throughout the history. Sony may or may never do such thing again, and it may become a piece of timeless collection.
> 
> ...


 
  
 you are speculating now , right ?

 btw , unless the sonic difference is like 50% (and it seems hard to me) , looks like 1a will be the bargain model and 1z will be the 'look i am rich and bought the gold one to show off' model

 30% difference is the minimum for me to justify paying almost 3 times more


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> you are speculating now , right ?
> 
> 
> btw , unless the sonic difference is like 50% (and it seems hard to me) , looks like 1a will be the bargain model and 1z will be the 'look i am rich and bought the gold one to show off' model
> ...




No, I have confirmations from someone reputable enough, and from reading bits and pieces in different places, forum all around the net.

Both A and Z sound signatures are very different, and it would be tastes and preferences to decide. I am having a hard time because I know better and higher grade components do improve the sound quality. I am not sold on the Copper gold chassis, but more into the internal components. It is freaking expensive though, but without Sony, it wouldn't exist.

There are no other players on the market like this 1Z. Even AK380 Copper doesn't use as good quality of internal cables and such....


----------



## echineko

proedros said:


> 30% difference is the minimum for me to *justify *paying almost 3 times more


 
 Yes, justify is the key word. The quality of the 1Z will stand on its own, for better or worse. But even if it is 50% better or more, everyone will have to decide for themselves if they can actually afford to go for it. Nothing wrong in deciding otherwise, these are totally non-essential products after all.
  
 Edit: I'm doing mental gymnastics trying to justify it to myself, not sure if I can pull that off, either


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> proedros said:
> 
> 
> > you are speculating now , right ?
> ...


 

 You can buy both 1A and 1Z, swap the boards, sell the 1Z with the 1A board for premium price because its gold


----------



## spkrs01

My good friend has pre ordered the Z for me at e-earphones today, for October 29th collection. Will be there for the Fujiya Show. that weekend.
  
 Will be great fun to compare with my 380Cu stack.
  
 Now the search for 4.4mm 5 pole plugs........


----------



## gerelmx1986

I bet the 1A will be 50-70% better in SQ than ZX100 as i have read in zx2 forum zx2 sounds betetr than zx100


----------



## echineko

spkrs01 said:


> Now the search for 4.4mm 5 pole plugs........


 
 There are none yet, from what I can see. Have asked several cable manufacturers as well, they can't even get stock of those new plugs yet. 
  
 (not even going to touch the AK part of this earlier 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )


----------



## bvng3540




----------



## gerelmx1986

bvng3540 said:


>


 
 it is not TRRRS otherwise measure it is correct at 4,4mm but to my eyes looks like 6.3mm


----------



## denis1976

I preorder the sony nw-wm1a because i don't have the money for the "z" version,and next year the nw-wm1z mk2 come out and the "z" buyers will by crying...with the "a" i will cry less


----------



## Whitigir

echineko said:


> Yes, justify is the key word. The quality of the 1Z will stand on its own, for better or worse. But even if it is 50% better or more, everyone will have to decide for themselves if they can actually afford to go for it. Nothing wrong in deciding otherwise, these are totally non-essential products after all.
> 
> Edit: I'm doing mental gymnastics trying to justify it to myself, not sure if I can pull that off, either




There are diminishing return on everything, and more so on the high quality audio. Of course the higher the material - the better. However, the key word is "Tunning". 

The 1Z is simply expressed by Sony engineers as an "all in call" and is an "all out" designed and engineered point. Sony usually has some restrictions applied as a company. The 1Z is the first of it kind that the engineer was told to go "all out".

This means, they expressed their utmost engineering , tuning, and perception of Sony sound in the utmost capability that they can. The 1z is the first of it kind that if you buy it, you are seeing and hearing things from Sony utmost technology and engineering perspective.

Like I said, they may decide to do it again, or they may not. Whatever the case to turn out to be

You either:

1/ Had been enjoying the best Walkman from the way the engineers see it. If they make another successor

2/ Will and have been owning the best and timeless piece of the Walkman in history. If they don't do an "all out" again

It is the SoNY 70th anniversary !!!


Trust me, I have been trying to convince myself to go for the desktop Amp.....or just stop....but the more I try to reason off, twice of it returned to me saying the 1Z is the one of a kind


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> echineko said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, justify is the key word. The quality of the 1Z will stand on its own, for better or worse. But even if it is 50% better or more, everyone will have to decide for themselves if they can actually afford to go for it. Nothing wrong in deciding otherwise, these are totally non-essential products after all.
> ...


 

 Also 1A is a masterpiece both are based on same sony signature series and sony 70th anniversary, i don't think OSCON caps are that inferior, and yes i wil be upgrading my XBA-Z5 and my future MDR-Z7 to the new TRRRS cable
  
 wonder how much money does whitigir makes per month, me as a software engieer  in mexico, udnerpaid i make less than an 1st world country engineer


----------



## Gibraltar

I'm a huge fan of Sony's flagship products from years gone by. In my experience when they decide to go all out they can make some truly outstanding equipment, but it doesn't happen very often. After reading everything I can find about this release it sounds like this may be one of those times. I'm really looking forward to checking out the headphones and desktop amp, but the DAP is a tough one. I'd love to just pick up the flagship, but unlike the other two it has a set lifespan that ends with the battery, so it's tough to justify the price. One issue with Sony is that they don't support products for more than a few years after production ends. I've experienced this first-hand trying to source parts for older equipment, even if I was willing to pay whatever they asked, they just didn't keep the parts in stock (and this was in Japan, and for a flagship product).


----------



## musicday

Has it been confirmed that there will be firmware updates for the walkmans? I cannot see videos of the settings yet.


----------



## Whitigir

Battery in these guys are known to last for more than 10 years, and considering you don't have to charge it too often as 30 hours on FLAC? I guess it takes even longer


----------



## gerelmx1986

to get the WM1Z i would have to work for 7 months and be a scrooge
 to get the WM1A i would have to work for 2 months and be a scrooge


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> Has it been confirmed that there will be firmware updates for the walkmans? I cannot see videos of the settings yet.




Why do u need updates ? For what ? Lol.....

Phone calls ?


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> to get the WM1Z i would have to work for 7 months and be a scrooge
> to get the WM1A i would have to work for 2 months and be a scrooge




What is the point of living if you don't get the best for your Hobby ? Why do you even go to work if not to support your hobby to the fullest ? . Food and shelter don't cost that much ya know ?

I mean, we are still lucky that it is all audio, there are people who dies sky diving or robe jumping ..... Even selfie pictures. In these cases, a few thousands is nothing


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Has it been confirmed that there will be firmware updates for the walkmans? I cannot see videos of the settings yet.
> ...


 

 usually sony makes its firmware RIGHT the FIRST TIME unlike A&K, fiio, shalling etc etc


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> usually sony makes its firmware RIGHT the FIRST TIME unlike A&K, fiio, shalling etc etc




Exactly, and especially Original Walkman OS


----------



## bvng3540

gerelmx1986 said:


> to get the WM1Z i would have to work for 7 months and be a scrooge
> to get the WM1A i would have to work for 2 months and be a scrooge




If you starve your family, you will cut the time in half, hehehe


----------



## gerelmx1986

bvng3540 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > to get the WM1Z i would have to work for 7 months and be a scrooge
> ...


 

 LOL evil plan haha, my german hubby wont like that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





, umm honey no christmas gift this year because umm my pockets were flattened by an expensive sony walkman


----------



## Gibraltar

whitigir said:


> Battery in these guys are known to last for more than 10 years, and considering you don't have to charge it too often as 30 hours on FLAC? I guess it takes even longer


 
  
 I haven't heard this before, was this stated anywhere in the marketing materials? I've had mixed experiences with LiPo batteries. My wireless mouse at work is still going after more than 8 years, albeit with greatly reduced capacity. I've never had a phone battery keep an acceptable charge for more than 2-3 years though.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gibraltar said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > Battery in these guys are known to last for more than 10 years, and considering you don't have to charge it too often as 30 hours on FLAC? I guess it takes even longer
> ...


 
 Agree thats the case with my current sony xperia M2 already dying
  
 My zx100 walkman battery was still going strong by the time i sold it


----------



## Whitigir

Corrected !


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> I recall Zx2 thread stating that the battery shall have at least *5000 cycles of life*. That is 5000 times of completely discharge and fully recharged, which doesn't happen that often. Modern devices usually stop the charges before it completely full. In the new Walkman you can even impose this limit for another 10%. Never charge more than 90%. So these cycles count when your completely drain out the battery.
> 
> I just calculated 33 hours play back, and mixed usage of all high quality files and balanced connection. Assuming it brings down to 24 hours = 1 full day. We have 365 days in a year. It takes 1 years to cycles 365 times. It takes 10 years for 3650 cycles ......again, 24 hours of music every day
> 
> It is all assuming, so it is safe to take it that these battery will last for about 10 years or even more.


 
 thats for the walkman battery? because normal cycles are 500


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> thats for the walkman battery? because normal cycles are 500:blink:




Lol, I mis-read extra 0... . Anyways, do we have any Zx1 that has battery dies out yet ?


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> to get the WM1Z i would have to work for 7 months and be a scrooge
> to get the WM1A i would have to work for 2 months and be a scrooge



Why not stop drinking alcohol forever,stop smoking if you do and never drink coffee again.
Like that you can save up for WM1Z.
The most i had in my life was 0.5L beer can 12 years ago.
I do not feel the need to drink.I can save money not drinking nor going to the pubs


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > thats for the walkman battery? because normal cycles are 500:blink:
> ...


 

 ooh i was thinking sony had developed a 70th anniversary MEGABattery LOL for their walkmans


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> thats for the walkman battery? because normal cycles are 500


 
  
  


whitigir said:


> Lol, I mis-read extra 0...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Typically you get 350 to 500 charges on a battery if you drain it 100% every time.  But the capacity per charge will drop quickly if you do that.  Sweet spot for optimal charges and maintaining capacity is around 70% drain before recharging.  Still need to discharge to 0% every month or so to keep the battery meter calibrated.  Also as I previously mentioned Sony recommends replacing the battery once capacity drops below 50%.  Listening 2 to 3 hours per day it took roughly 24 months for my A17 to drop to 50% capacity recharging primarily at 75% and battery saver setting turned on.  If you throw the DAP in a drawer for 8 years and turn it on the battery may still be good but capacity will be extremely low.
  
 Non-User replaceable batteries, and price are the two main reasons I don't buy expensive DAP's. As an aside a friend of mine who has a Fiio X3 II had a battery issue. They told him to take the unit back to where he bought it but the store went out of business. Fiio emailed him a video on how to replace the battery and told him where he could order a replacement.  You can bet Sony won't do that for their customers.


----------



## gerelmx1986

But fiio doesn't sound that good as sony  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 even the A17 sounds better than a fiio


----------



## echineko

fish1050 said:


> Typically you get 350 to 500 charges on a battery if you drain it 100% every time.  But the capacity per charge will drop quickly if you do that.  Sweet spot for optimal charges and maintaining capacity is around 70% drain before recharging.  Still need to discharge to 0% every month or so to keep the battery meter calibrated.  Also as I previously mentioned Sony recommends replacing the battery once capacity drops below 50%.  Listening 2 to 3 hours per day it took roughly 24 months for my A17 to drop to 50% capacity recharging primarily at 75% and battery saver setting turned on.  If you throw the DAP in a drawer for 8 years and turn it on the battery may still be good but capacity will be extremely low.
> 
> Non-User replaceable batteries, and price are the two main reasons I don't buy expensive DAP's. As an aside a friend of mine who has a Fiio X3 II had a battery issue. They told him to take the unit back to where he bought it but the store went out of business. Fiio emailed him a video on how to replace the battery and told him where he could order a replacement.  You can bet Sony won't do that for their customers.


 
 Haven't you repeatedly stated you would never get either of these, why do you still spam this thread? I didn't come here to read about FiiO, Onkyo, etc etc.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The things that turn me off from 1Z, price and the color choice... hmmm better geting the 1A, as i've read it sounds better than ZX2
  
 Wating for a review of 1A

Sound of 1A
if euro 1A curious about volume cap affecting SQ
comparison vs 1Z
comparison vs ZX2
 perhaps i will do the comprasion vs zx100 if by then my memory serves me well


----------



## Leviticus

gerelmx1986 said:


> The things that turn me off from 1Z, price and the color choice... hmmm better geting the 1A, as i've read it sounds better than ZX2
> 
> Wating for a review of 1A
> 
> ...


 

 I haven't heard of a comparison between the 1A and the ZX2. Are there any links? The way I see it, this is one of the most important questions.
  
 Btw, how much money are people paying  for a used ZX2 nowadays?


----------



## Mimouille

spkrs01 said:


> My good friend has pre ordered the Z for me at e-earphones today, for October 29th collection. Will be there for the Fujiya Show. that weekend.
> 
> Will be great fun to compare with my 380Cu stack.
> 
> Now the search for 4.4mm 5 pole plugs........


Funny that you did. Somehow the 1Z shares some of the character of the Plus5. Resolving, powerful, smooth highs.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> Funny that you did. Somehow the 1Z shares some of the character of the Plus5. *Resolving*, *powerful*, *smooth highs.*


 
 what i felt from the ZX100 + XBA-Z5 combo i had fro 1 day (still have the Z5 i wont be selling these)


----------



## headfi19

gerelmx1986 said:


> But fiio doesn't sound that good as sony
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 that is your prejudice and sheepishness of your typical fan boy of sony and I do like Sony but Fiio has its own merits


----------



## gerelmx1986

headfi19 said:


> that is your prejudice and sheepishness of your typical fan boy of sony and I do like Sony but Fiio has its own merits


 

 at least i am a sony sheep and not an iSheep 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  i say BAAAAAHHH in High-resolution DSD 22.5MHz


----------



## audioxxx

Fiio and Sony shouldn't be brought into the same sentence.(there's no comparisons). Well maybe for the Sony A series Walkman. Even then nah.

Besides I'm sick of random silly comments, seems like bad advertising to me, fiio should keep in their own specialty cheapfi (for the new comers)


----------



## purk

audioxxx said:


> Fiio and Sony shouldn't be brought into the same sentence.(there's no comparisons). Well maybe for the Sony A series Walkman. Even then nah.
> 
> Besides I'm sick of random silly comments, seems like bad advertising to me, fiio should keep in their own specialty cheapfi (for the new comers)


 
 I don't know man but I do like FiiO too.  The X7 is a very nice player and is a real bargain for the asking price.  I don't mind owning it myself but the minimal internal storage just doesn't do it for me.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Does american airlines sell producst like this on their shop catalogue? because i got a nice bonus gift from them 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




1000 miles


----------



## audioxxx

purk said:


> I don't know man but I do like FiiO too.  The X7 is a very nice player and is a real bargain for the asking price.  I don't mind owning it myself but the minimal internal storage just doesn't do it for me.



I'm sure it's great in some ways, but you couldn't compare it against Sony's high end offerings, the bugs alone in the software is enough to drive you insane, messing with the audio on firmware upgrades on my experience was the final straw. 
But it's true let's talk about Sony and not derail the thread with garbage Chinese DAPs


----------



## Whitigir

X7 biggest problem that drove me off was the noises that generate when wifi is on. I don't even think X7 battery will last as much to compete with Sony on the new Walkman though


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Does american airlines sell producst like this on their shop catalogue? because i got a nice bonus gift from them
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 at least can buy the WM1A, but still not sure if AA sells MP3 plyers and sony products to begin with


----------



## musicday

I heard on a preview on YouTube that the Walkman can do quad DSD, that is DSD512, but in the specifications says is DSD256 natively.
For example Lotoo Paw Gold can do DSD 128 5.6 mHz native.


----------



## audioxxx

whitigir said:


> X7 biggest problem that drove me off was the noises that generate when wifi is on. I don't even think X7 battery will last as much to compete with Sony on the new Walkman though




It's the all-round finish from hardware to the software, as well as decades of know-how, and development.
And some very clever people, but the decades of research is where they triumph.

When Sony put their head's to the task, the finished product is magical.

Especially when they get it right. 
These new Walkmans are a testimonial to these facts.


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> I heard on a preview on YouTube that the Walkman can do quad DSD, that is DSD512, but in the specifications says is DSD256 natively.
> For example Lotoo Paw Gold can do DSD 128 5.6 mHz native.




No, it does native Octa DSD


----------



## purk

audioxxx said:


> It's the all-round finish from hardware to the software, as well as decades of know-how, and development.
> And some very clever people, but the decades of research is where they triumph.
> 
> When Sony put their head's to the task, the finished product is magical.
> ...


 
 That sums it up.  They just produce a more complete player all around.  With the low power output addressed, the 1A and 1Z gotta be pretty amazing sound wise.


----------



## musicday

whitigir said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > I heard on a preview on YouTube that the Walkman can do quad DSD, that is DSD512, but in the specifications says is DSD256 natively.
> ...



Trying to be funny?


----------



## Mark2010

fish1050 said:


> Typically you get 350 to 500 charges on a battery if you drain it 100% every time.  But the capacity per charge will drop quickly if you do that.  Sweet spot for optimal charges and maintaining capacity is around 70% drain before recharging.  Still need to discharge to 0% every month or so to keep the battery meter calibrated.  Also as I previously mentioned Sony recommends replacing the battery once capacity drops below 50%.  Listening 2 to 3 hours per day it took roughly 24 months for my A17 to drop to 50% capacity recharging primarily at 75% and battery saver setting turned on.  If you throw the DAP in a drawer for 8 years and turn it on the battery may still be good but capacity will be extremely low.
> 
> Non-User replaceable batteries, and price are the two main reasons I don't buy expensive DAP's. As an aside a friend of mine who has a Fiio X3 II had a battery issue. They told him to take the unit back to where he bought it but the store went out of business. Fiio emailed him a video on how to replace the battery and told him where he could order a replacement.  You can bet Sony won't do that for their customers.


 
  
 Given the price of the 1Z its insane that you can't easily replace the battery.
  
 At the that price it should last 10 to 20 years.
  
 But it could become a paperweight in less than 5 years.


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> Trying to be funny?



DSD 11.2 MHz is Octa right ?

http://www.sony.com/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1z/specifications


----------



## yakkosmurf

whitigir said:


> Lol, I mis-read extra 0...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Mine started acting funny this past week.  It went fro 60% to zero instantaneously.  Repowered, showed 60%, then powered off.  Did a full charge, but have yet to test it out.  Debating if I want to get the PHA3 as planned or try a different Walkman...  Decisions...


----------



## Whitigir

yakkosmurf said:


> Mine started acting funny this past week.  It went fro 60% to zero instantaneously.  Repowered, showed 60%, then powered off.  Did a full charge, but have yet to test it out.  Debating if I want to get the PHA3 as planned or try a different Walkman...  Decisions...




Does it happen by itself or when you plugged in a cable ? Usually when a cables does so = bad cables. Otherwise, could be something wrong internally


----------



## gerelmx1986

yakkosmurf said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > Lol, I mis-read extra 0...
> ...


 

 Maybe you need to *recalibrate your battery * that ahppened with my cellphone from 50 to zero and shut down so i had no remedy to do a full charge and then a full discharge to reset the circuit


----------



## musicday

whitigir said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Trying to be funny?
> ...



There is not such thing as octa DSD.
DSD 11.2 MHz is 256 and DSD 512 is 22.4 Mhz.
Highest resolution is quad DSD 512.For example Chord Dave can playback DSD 512.


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> There is not such thing as octa DSD.
> DSD 11.2 MHz is 256 and DSD 512 is 22.4 Mhz.
> Highest resolution is quad DSD 512.For example Chord Dave can playback DSD 512.




I guess I threw the definition around recklessly


----------



## Leviticus

Octa DSD...What


----------



## gerelmx1986

leviticus said:


> Octa DSD...What


 

 i think it cannot play 22.4Mhz sony says up to 11.5MHz


----------



## yakkosmurf

whitigir said:


> Does it happen by itself or when you plugged in a cable ? Usually when a cables does so = bad cables. Otherwise, could be something wrong internally


 
 No, it works fine when plugged in.


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> leviticus said:
> 
> 
> > Octa DSD...What  h34r:
> ...



Yes it can play DSD256 11.2 Mhz maximum natively when in balanced mode.
I think their new headphone amplifier hybrid can play DSD512 22.4 Mhz.


----------



## yakkosmurf

gerelmx1986 said:


> Maybe you need to *recalibrate your battery * that ahppened with my cellphone from 50 to zero and shut down so i had no remedy to do a full charge and then a full discharge to reset the circuit


 
 I was in the process of doing that, but didn't have time to do a full discharge while the unit is playing.  So, it's just sitting in standby for now after a full charge.  I'll give it another cycle or two.  It's not the end of the world for me, as I pretty exclusively listen to it at my desk, so I can leave it plugged in if needed.  But, as a Li-Ion battery expert of sorts, I typically let it die before charging it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

yakkosmurf said:


> I was in the process of doing that, but didn't have time to do a full discharge while the unit is playing.  So, it's just sitting in standby for now after a full charge.  I'll give it another cycle or two.  It's not the end of the world for me, as I pretty exclusively listen to it at my desk, so* I can leave it plugged in if needed*.  But, as a Li-Ion battery expert of sorts, I typically let it die before charging it.


 
 Not wise to leave LI-IONs plugged in all the time, this can also affect their lifetime, i do unplug my vaio laptop or leave the BatteryCare to 80% or 50%


----------



## yakkosmurf

gerelmx1986 said:


> Not wise to leave LI-IONs plugged in all the time, this can also affect their lifetime, i do unplug my vaio laptop or leave the BatteryCare to 80% or 50%


 
 Yes, I'm well aware. I don't leave it plugged in all of the time, but I can still use the unit for 90% of my purposes if the battery doesn't function.


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> But fiio doesn't sound that good as sony
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Not the point I am trying to make here, some manufacturers like Fiio will allow users to replace their own batteries unlike Sony where you are locked down.  Fiio is releasing the X1 II in October and X3 III and X5 III next year.  Unlike all of you close minded Sony fanboys I prefer to actually hear the DAP's before I buy.  I will likely get a chance to audition the Sony DAP's and Fiio DAP's as I have friends in sales who will get to sample them when they make the rounds to retail stores.  I will listen first and then decide the best DAP for me.
  
 If the 1A had a replaceable battery my reluctance to buy one might soften upon auditioning one.  But since that won't likely be the case Sony may have lost a potential sale.  This is a sentiment shared by many of my friends who work in audio sales who could actually buy them at a significantly reduced wholesale price.  
  


echineko said:


> Haven't you repeatedly stated you would never get either of these, why do you still spam this thread? I didn't come here to read about FiiO, Onkyo, etc etc.


 
 Not spamming the thread just passing on information, there is a difference. If you are so sure these are the DAP's for you why should you care what information I post? Don't like my posts then don't read them.  The information I am posting is for people following this thread who aren't sure if this is the right DAP for them.
  
 Some others who have posted on this forum are weary of buying the 1Z and 1A because of the non replaceable battery.  I have had a chance to audition the Pioneer and Onkyo and will audition the Sony A30 and 1A and the new Fiio's when available and then make a decision on my next DAP.  A user replaceable battery will factor into my final decision on which DAP to buy along with other factors. Ultimately I will get the best sounding DAP for the money period, regardless of the manufacturer.
  
 If you guys all want to buy Sony DAP's forgoing all other options on the market from consideration go for it.  I prefer to actually shop around to get the best option possible for me.


----------



## audioxxx

purk said:


> That sums it up.  They just produce a more complete player all around.  With the low power output addressed, the 1A and 1Z gotta be pretty amazing sound wise.




I have a plan, if we all sit still in this initial purchase (because this thing is way over priced) and everyone waits till Sony kindly drop $1k of the price of the 1z.

(maybe spray it with silver paint as a way to drop the price of the golden 1z, happy a happy with black 1zb. Just don't do the gold dip) all I want is the updated electronic parts and cable updates, and new grounding technology. And perhaps drop in wifi, while I'm dreaming, LOL 

It may be a win for Sony on the extra sales world wide, due to higher demands, and a win for the client. I would buy one. If it could outperform the zx2 with IEM's, which it looks as if it's going to, by the look of it.

Just do it Sony....


----------



## headfi19

audioxxx said:


> I have a plan, if we all sit still in this initial purchase (because this thing is way over priced) and everyone waits till Sony kindly drop $1k of the price of the 1z.
> 
> (maybe spray it with silver paint as a way to drop the price of the golden 1z, happy a happy with black 1zb. Just don't do the gold dip) all I want is the updated electronic parts and cable updates, and new grounding technology. And perhaps drop in wifi, while I'm dreaming, LOL
> 
> ...


 
 I agree we all have to wait patiently and sony should give us a price break and it is truly over priced and Gold plating eventually does harm than good to sq in long run


----------



## audioxxx

headfi19 said:


> I agree we all have to wait patiently and sony should give us a price break and it is truly over priced and Gold plating eventually does harm than good to sq in long run




Don't know how the plating can harm sonic sound quality. It's an outer case. It's not going to matter what colour it is. 

I believe the Asian market love this appearance, and this is why it looks like this.

Me I want a black 1zB please. I don't like the gold.

 And if we put up with these prices, where the heck will this gouging cash from us helpless audioholics stop. The price keeps going up by over double every model.


----------



## Whitigir

I want it, but at the same time, I don't . The reason is because it will defeat the purpose....there is no balanced 4.4mm plugs available, unless Kimberkables which will be another $300


----------



## fish1050

For those of you who don't like my posts.
  
 This is not an Owner's Thread, this is an Information Gathering and Speculation thread.  That means these DAP's are subject not only to positive speculation but negative speculation as well.  These are not perfect DAP's by any means.  So many of you want to gush over the positives of these DAP's and dump on anyone that points out the shortcomings.
  
 I have not posted anything about these DAP's that is untrue based on information available.
  
 Potentially overpriced for what you get.  Yes
  
 Non user replaceable battery. Yes
  
 Other DAP's on the market with features these DAP's don't have for less money. Yes
  
 Large and less portable than other DAP's, especially the 1Z. Yes
  
 I will still audition the 1A if and when the opportunity presents itself and base my assessment on sound quality then and not before.  I have not doubt the 1A will be a very good sounding DAP but there are elements of this DAP that will also be taken into consideration.  If this DAP drops in price or a good deal can be found around Christmas time it might make it onto my list for consideration. Availability will be a major consideration and at this point it is unclear whether these Sony DAP's will be sold in Canada.
  
 There will be negatives about other DAP's I am considering as well.  My final decision will be based on thorough evaluations and not just a gut reaction.


----------



## fish1050

audioxxx said:


> Don't know how the plating can harm sonic sound quality. It's an outer case. It's not going to matter what colour it is.
> 
> I believe the Asian market love this appearance, and this is why it looks like this.
> 
> ...


 
 I don't think it is a case of the plating harming the sound. To me it is more about using it as one of the justification for charging a much higher price when it really does not improve sound quality.


----------



## audioxxx

whitigir said:


> I want it, but at the same time, I don't . The reason is because it will defeat the purpose....there is no balanced 4.4mm plugs available, unless Kimberkables which will be another $300




All the tooling for the 4.4mm plug will be commencing now I would think, and soon a flood of plugs will come from all the major plug manufacturers.

It's only a matter of time till you see them for sale as a 4.4 DIY plug.


----------



## nanaholic

Japan's Brise Audio has a prototype 2.5mm > 4.4mm converter plug already
 https://twitter.com/briseaudio/status/775273220383485952
  
 They don't know when a large stock of the 4.4mm plug will be shipping from the manufacturer yet, but they are hopeful that it will come before the release of the player.


----------



## fish1050

audioxxx said:


> All the tooling for the 4.4mm plug will be commencing now I would think, and soon a flood of plugs will come from all the major plug manufacturers.
> 
> It's only a matter of time till you see them for sale as a 4.4 DIY plug.


 
  
  


nanaholic said:


> Japan's Brise Audio has a prototype 2.5mm > 4.4mm converter plug already
> https://twitter.com/briseaudio/status/775273220383485952
> 
> They don't know when a large stock of the 4.4mm plug will be shipping from the manufacturer yet, but they are hopeful that it will come before the release of the player.


 
 At least the 4.4 mm plug will be an industry standard and not just another Sony proprietary connector like the WM-Port.


----------



## audioxxx

fish1050 said:


> I don't think it is a case of the plating harming the sound. To me it is more about using it as one of the justification for charging a much higher price when it really does not improve sound quality.




It's about the prestige in this case, something for that person that has everything.
A lot of people out there care more about looks more than anything, as sad as this sounds, it's true. This is fine with me.
Just have the same model with same updated sound characteristics, and hardware as 1z, spray it black, give it Wi-Fi/streaming...

And charge $1k less, and bingo, you have the next dream DAP...
The huge proportion of extra sales will make up for the lost quick profits. IMO


----------



## echineko

audioxxx said:


> It's about the prestige in this case, something for that person that has everything.
> A lot of people out there care more about looks more than anything, as sad as this sounds, it's true. This is fine with me.
> Just have the same model with same updated sound characteristics, and hardware as 1z, spray it black, give it Wi-Fi/streaming...
> 
> ...


 
 The looks are a bit unfortunate, yes. Would be nice if the exterior of the 1Z was a bit more understated. Even if I did get it, I'd need to hide that with a case of some sort.
  
 As for the Wifi, it's meant to be a high res playback device with no corners cut to achieve playback quality. Adding WiFi doesn't seem to really fit the brief, to me. Would have been nice, but I don't think it's been officially documented why they haven't gone this route.


----------



## echineko

> Originally Posted by *fish1050* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Not spamming the thread just passing on information, there is a difference. If you are so sure these are the DAP's for you why should you care what information I post? Don't like my posts then don't read them.  The information I am posting is for people following this thread who aren't sure if this is the right DAP for them.
> 
> ...


 
 Your "information" has been largely speculation without basis (given the fact these aren't even in the wild yet, reasonably there could be little basis to compare as well). Later on you seem to admit as much as well. As for your insistence on calling us "close-minded fanboys" for actually looking forward to a product we're excited about, for the most part due to our experience with its predecessor, I find that disingenuous at best. 
  
 I don't need to see the same points rehashed endlessly, especially by someone who's repeatedly stated these products aren't worth purchasing. At which point does that seem less a discussion and more beating a dead horse intentionally?


----------



## audioxxx

echineko said:


> The looks are a bit unfortunate, yes. Would be nice if the exterior of the 1Z was a bit more understated. Even if I did get it, I'd need to hide that with a case of some sort.
> 
> As for the Wifi, it's meant to be a high res playback device with no corners cut to achieve playback quality. Adding WiFi doesn't seem to really fit the brief, to me. Would have been nice, but I don't think it's been officially documented why they haven't gone this route.



The Wi-Fi is great for discovering new artists perhaps, or for me organising my music wirelessly, without having to plug into a central computer, or removing memory cards. 

And once disabled, Wi-Fi is harmless to the audio path, just like blue tooth.
So for the high price and the fact it's already in the previous high end Walkman, it's really stepping back, not forward buy discarding such an important technology.
I almost can not believe this is actually going on, but then I thought back in time and how Sony tried so hard to reject the micro SD standard as well.
 But to give it to your client's in the zx2, and then say to bad on the update, that's just nuts. I can see that streaming just won't suit Sony's business model, which is very poor decision, and narrow minded. And Sony shouldn't try to dictate, and go with the flow. 

They can not turn back time and technology.


----------



## echineko

audioxxx said:


> The Wi-Fi is great for discovering new artists perhaps, or for me organising my music wirelessly, without having to plug into a central computer, or removing memory cards.
> 
> And once disabled, Wi-Fi is harmless to the audio path, just like blue tooth.
> So for the high price and the fact it's already in the previous high end Walkman, it's really stepping back, not forward buy discarding such an important technology.
> ...


 
 Well, there is a difference between full fledged Android and a custom version (seeing as how they don't seem to even have a home screen anymore). I wish the team at Sony would address this question officially in some format, seems all we're left with at the moment is endless speculation.
  
 But yeah, there's many reasons that could have been at play, with the 1Z and it's focus purely on quality high-res playback, I can almost see leaving it out as unnecessary, but who really knows?
  
 As another manufacturer recently put it, maybe Sony just had the "courage" to leave it out


----------



## audioxxx

echineko said:


> Your "information" has been largely speculation without basis (given the fact these aren't even in the wild yet, reasonably there could be little basis to compare as well). Later on you seem to admit as much as well. As for your insistence on calling us "close-minded fanboys" for actually looking forward to a product we're excited about, for the most part due to our experience with its predecessor, I find that disingenuous at best.
> 
> I don't need to see the same points rehashed endlessly, especially by someone who's repeatedly stated these products aren't worth purchasing. At which point does that seem less a discussion and more beating a dead horse intentionally?




This is true, I don't mind being called names, but to me these DAP's if better than the zx2 will be a must have purchase, I cant get enough of my current Sony high end DAP. I won't be changing brands any time soon either.


----------



## fish1050

echineko said:


> Your "information" has been largely speculation without basis (given the fact these aren't even in the wild yet, reasonably there could be little basis to compare as well). Later on you seem to admit as much as well. As for your insistence on calling us "close-minded fanboys" for actually looking forward to a product we're excited about, for the most part due to our experience with its predecessor, I find that disingenuous at best.
> 
> I don't need to see the same points rehashed endlessly, especially by someone who's repeatedly stated these products aren't worth purchasing. At which point does that seem less a discussion and more beating a dead horse intentionally?


 
 90% of what people are posting at this point is SPECULATION.
  
 I have not posted anything about these DAP's that is untrue based on information available.
  
 Potentially overpriced for what you get.  Yes  NOTICE I SAID POTENTIALLY, NOT DEFINITELY 
  
 Non user replaceable battery. Yes IT IS NOT REPLACEABLE ALREADY STATED BY SONY FOR ALL DAPS RELEASED AFTER 2013
  
 Other DAP's on the market with features these DAP's don't have for less money. Yes PIONEER, ONKYO, FIIO ALL OFFERING FEATURES THESE DAP'S DON'T HAVE, COST LESS (WIFI, ANDROID, STREAMING AUDIO NOT ON SONY DAPS).  All these non Sony DAP's are priced under $1000.00 CAN and have wifi, android, and streaming audio. NOT SPECULATION
  
 Large and less portable than other DAP's, especially the 1Z. Yes 1Z WEIGHS OVER A POUND I would call that less portable 
  
 Beating a dead horse, this thread is at 108 pages without a product release, everything posted at this point is beating dead horses. I actually like horses so I would never beat them to death


----------



## phonomat

fish1050 said:


> 90% of what people are posting at this point is SPECULATION.
> 
> I have not posted anything about these DAP's that is untrue based on information available.
> 
> ...


*


You just did. Again. The poor creature is dead. As dead as it gets. Why can't you leave it be? Don't you have a heart?*


----------



## Zakalwe

phonomat said:


> You just did. Again. The poor creature is dead. As dead as it gets. Why can't you leave it be? Don't you have a heart?




Beating dead horses is a victimless crime, man! And if you beat them to pieces, they are easier to dispose of.


----------



## phonomat

Haha, this horse is all over the place. It'd take days to collect those pieces.


----------



## fish1050

phonomat said:


> You just did. Again. The poor creature is dead. As dead as it gets. Why can't you leave it be? Don't you have a heart?


 
 No what I did was respond to his accusation that information I have posted is all speculation without foundation.  Which in fact is not the case.
  
 If people are going to attack my integrity I will respond in kind.


----------



## fish1050

phonomat said:


> Haha, this horse is all over the place. It'd take days to collect those pieces.


 
 It is becoming a horse farm in here.


----------



## fish1050

phonomat said:


> You just did. Again. The poor creature is dead. As dead as it gets. Why can't you leave it be? Don't you have a heart?


 
 So exactly what have I posted that is now dead?  Cause if everything is dead then what is left to talk about?
  
 Honestly, tell me what else we can discuss that hasn't been brought up already and rehashed multiple times.  
  
 So global warming what are your thoughts on the matter, are we all doomed or what


----------



## musicday

Guys let's talk mainly about this Walkman and leave arguments and other topics.
No headfier been to IFA Berlin to play with it?


----------



## Gosod

gerelmx1986 said:


> I like the looks too but IMHO right side has too many buttons


 
you want to buy it?


----------



## Rob49

fish1050 said:


> 90% of what people are posting at this point is SPECULATION.
> 
> I have not posted anything about these DAP's that is untrue based on information available.


 
  
 Couldn't find your previous post....but i'll quote, "The information i am posting is for people following the thread who aren't sure if this is the right DAP for them".
  
 With all due respect, do you realise how that comes across ?
  
 ( a ) YOU don't actually own one.
  
 ( b ) NO ONE else owns one either.
  
 So yes it is speculation, so your above statement has no basis & is actually foolish, besides a little insulting......WHEN the Dap does come out, then i'm sure that people will be able to work out for themselves, if it's the right DAP for them !
  
 You're actually contradicting yourself.


----------



## fish1050

rob49 said:


> Couldn't find your previous post....but i'll quote, "The information i am posting is for people following the thread who aren't sure if this is the right DAP for them".
> 
> With all due respect, do you realise how that comes across ?
> 
> ...


 
 Well um the only information that I have mentioned as fact is what has been confirmed by sources.  I have friends in the business in both sales and repair who get information on products before they are released which they share with me.  I also confirm what I post from other internet sources.  Nothing I have posted is about this DAP specifically in terms of sound quality because I haven't heard it. But discussed as possible reference to other known DAP's as other's have also done.  I don't state anything as fact when it is supposition which is mostly what it is being posted on this thread at the moment.
  
 Yeah I do contradict myself sometimes when new information comes out that I was not privy to before from other sources or members of this forurm. I don't claim to know everything but I do know about stuff that other members may not.  I have an electronics engineering degree and a history in electronics sales so I understand the technical stuff pretty well.
  
 I don't insult other members of this forum so don't insult me just because you don't agree with what I have to say.  I welcome constructive comments from others but not insults. Maybe try to come up with an intelligent response next time if you can.


----------



## Rob49

fish1050 said:


> Well um the only information that I have mentioned as fact is what has been confirmed by sources.  I have friends in the business in both sales and repair who get information on products before they are released which they share with me.  I also confirm what I post from other internet sources.  Nothing I have posted is about this DAP specifically in terms of sound quality because I haven't heard it. But discussed as possible reference to other known DAP's as other's have also done.  I don't state anything as fact when it is supposition which is mostly what it is being posted on this thread at the moment.
> 
> Yeah I do contradict myself sometimes when new information comes out that I was not privy to before from other sources or members of this forurm. I don't claim to know everything but I do know about stuff that other members may not.  I have an electronics engineering degree and a history in electronics sales so I understand the technical stuff pretty well.
> 
> I don't insult other members of this forum so don't insult me just because you don't agree with what I have to say.  I welcome constructive comments from others but not insults. Maybe try to come up with an intelligent response next time if you can.


 
  
 ....and of course, you conveniently miss the point !


----------



## phonomat

fish1050 said:


> I don't insult other members of this forum so don't insult me just because you don't agree with what I have to say.  I welcome constructive comments from others but not insults. Maybe try to come up with an intelligent response next time if you can.




Just one little correction there: Rob49 said that your _post was foolish, which hardly qualifies as a personal insult. You, on the other hand, called people "all you close minded Sony fanboys", which is indeed a personal attack. It therefoe seems like you're the one insulting people while no one has actually insulted you (yet)._


----------



## fish1050

rob49 said:


> ....and of course, you conveniently miss the point !


 
  
 I find your comments pointless and insulting, nothing convenient about it.  
  
 Tell you what, I will ignore your comments and you can ignore mine.


----------



## chronograf86

" I have friends in the business in both sales and repair who get information on products before they are released which they share with me.  I also confirm what I post from other internet sources."
  
 The thread is full of passive-agressive s**t against Sony. You just keep repeating that you're in the business, you know the right people etc, but you didn't gave us any insiders information, nothing - "0" . You just keep demotivating people from buying the device. This is what you're doing


----------



## fish1050

phonomat said:


> Just one little correction there: Rob49 said that your _post was foolish, which hardly qualifies as a personal insult. You, on the other hand, called people "all you close minded Sony fanboys", which is indeed a personal attack. It therefoe seems like you're the one insulting people while no one has actually insulted you (yet)._


 
 Sony fanboys, referring to people who love Sony products. Kind of the definition of fanboy as I understand it and a general comment that does apply to some people on this thread but not directed to any one person specifically.  
  
 I'm a fanboy for B&W headphones among other things. I don't take it as an insult if it is true. 
  
 So you are trying to tell me if I responded to a specific post of yours and said, hey Phonomat that was a pretty foolish comment you wouldn't feel insulted?  What makes one persons post foolish and someone else's not?  All he had to say was I think you contradicted yourself and I would have explained my post (saying my post was foolish is not constructive).


----------



## Whitigir

I like the new Walkman, but the balanced 4.4mm (more power, native DSD. If using SE it converts to PCM) is really the improvement over the Zx2 and in trade for 0 wifi capability. However, Sony is selling the Walkman even before the Kimber Cables....it defeats the purposes of the new Walkman.

I do not understand this kind of marketing strategy

Also, why not make contacts for 3rd party to start making their own 4.4mm plugs before the big devices announcement ? Make no senses at all.

*edit*: it makes senses when Z1R the flagship headphones has this cables come stock . But it makes less senses when you want upgraded cables, and 0 senses when you have no interests into the new headphones


----------



## Rob49

chronograf86 said:


> " I have friends in the business in both sales and repair who get information on products before they are released which they share with me.  I also confirm what I post from other internet sources."
> 
> The thread is full of passive-agressive s**t against Sony. You just keep repeating that you're in the business, you know the right people etc, but you didn't gave us any insiders information, nothing - "0" . You just keep demotivating people from buying the device. This is what you're doing


 
  
  


chronograf86 said:


> " I have friends in the business in both sales and repair who get information on products before they are released which they share with me.  I also confirm what I post from other internet sources."
> 
> The thread is full of passive-agressive s**t against Sony. You just keep repeating that you're in the business, you know the right people etc, but you didn't gave us any insiders information, nothing - "0" . You just keep demotivating people from buying the device. This is what you're doing


 
  
 I think it's USE to be in the business ? It's just conceited to say, ( and silly, considering he doesn't own one. )  "The information i am posting is for people following this thread who aren't sure if this is the right DAP for them".
  
 ....and most of what is written is negativity, for a product that as yet to be released !
  
 Is this "information" coming from "insiders within Sony" ? ( Talk of digging a hole ! )


----------



## nc8000

fish1050 said:


> Sony fanboys, referring to people who love Sony products. Kind of the definition of fanboy as I understand it and a general comment that does apply to some people on this thread but not directed to any one person specifically.
> 
> I'm a fanboy for B&W headphones among other things. I don't take it as an insult if it is true.
> 
> So you are trying to tell me if I responded to a specific post of yours and said, hey Phonomat that was a pretty foolish comment you wouldn't feel insulted?  What makes one persons post foolish and someone else's not?  All he had to say was I think you contradicted yourself and I would have explained my post (saying my post was foolish is not constructive).




I think generally the term fanboy has a negative connotation meaning somebody who unquestioningly swallow anything a manufacturer puts out


----------



## Rob49

whitigir said:


> I like the new Walkman, but the balanced 4.4mm (more power, native DSD. If using SE it converts to PCM) is really the improvement over the Zx2 and in trade for 0 wifi capability. However, Sony is selling the Walkman even before the Kimber Cables....it defeats the purposes of the new Walkman.
> 
> I do not understand this kind of marketing strategy


 
  
 ....but isn't that kind of typical with Sony ! ?


----------



## Leviticus

whitigir said:


> I like the new Walkman, but the balanced 4.4mm (more power, native DSD. If using SE it converts to PCM) is really the improvement over the Zx2 and in trade for 0 wifi capability. However, Sony is selling the Walkman even before the Kimber Cables....it defeats the purposes of the new Walkman.
> 
> I do not understand this kind of marketing strategy
> 
> ...


 

 I wonder how much better it will sound when using the single-ended mode.


----------



## fish1050

chronograf86 said:


> " I have friends in the business in both sales and repair who get information on products before they are released which they share with me.  I also confirm what I post from other internet sources."
> 
> The thread is full of passive-agressive s**t against Sony. You just keep repeating that you're in the business, you know the right people etc, but you didn't gave us any insiders information, nothing - "0" . You just keep demotivating people from buying the device. This is what you're doing


 
 If you are so sure this is the DAP you want then I shouldn't be able to demotivate you.  If I can get you to change your mind simply by posting stuff in a forum then maybe you wanted it to be changed.  I'm just trying to get people to think about the potential shortcomings of these DAP's and that no DAP is perfect. There are other options to consider besides Sony.  
  
 The hardcore Sony fans (yes fanboys) will never change their minds no matter what I post and shouldn't care what I post.  It seems to me the people who don't like what I have to say on this thread may not be so sure this the best DAP to buy, otherwise why get so upset.  
  
 The WM units were just announced in Germany and I live in Canada so kind of hard to get insider information for products that were literally just announced.  Once samples make it to Canada (if they will be sold here) for sales people to try out and I get access to sales product information sheets then I will have specifics to post.  I have posted insider information as you call it on the other Sony forums once I get access to the product.


----------



## Rob49

fish1050 said:


> If you are so sure this is the DAP you want then I shouldn't be able to demotivate you.  If I can get you to change your mind simply by posting stuff in a forum then maybe you wanted it to be changed.  I'm just trying to get people to think about the potential shortcomings of these DAP's and that no DAP is perfect. There are other options to consider besides Sony.
> 
> The hardcore Sony fans (yes fanboys) will never change their minds no matter what I post and shouldn't care what I post.  It seems to me the people who don't like what I have to say on this thread may not be so sure this the best DAP to buy, otherwise why get so upset.
> 
> The WM units were just announced in Germany and I live in Canada so kind of hard to get insider information for products that were literally just announced.  Once samples make it to Canada (if they will be sold here) for sales people to try out and I get access to sales product information sheets then I will have specifics to post.  I have posted insider information as you call it on the other Sony forums once I get access to the product.


 
  
 We wait with baited breath.......


----------



## Brooko

*[Mod Comment]*
  
 I've received multiple flags about posts from this thread.  I'm now watching it.  There is a lot of off-topic accusations and counters, and to be quite frank there is fault on both sides.  Statements like this deserve the response they get.


> But fiio doesn't sound that good as sony
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I've left all the posts intact for now - but if I have to come back and cut them - I'll close the thread for a couple of days, and I'll also eject the troublemakers.  ALL the trouble makers.
  
 So - lets all be respectful of everyone's opinions - even if they are at odds with our own.  And this is a discussion thread, not an appreciation thread.
  
 No more please.


----------



## goody

Nice one brooko we all love sony here ...lets all enjoy the thread


----------



## vilhelm44

I'm looking forward to reading the reviews and hopefully trying them myself at some point. I'd like to see how they hold up to the Plenue S SQ-wise; this player never ceases to amaze me...and that's after having the Paw Gold, QPR1 and ZX2 amongst others. If the new Sony models are on par with Plenue SQ then may buy one for battery life. Though I'm not too sure about the 4.4 balanced jack, that might be a problem getting one for my Linum cables.


----------



## Gosod

he will play ape format?


----------



## emrelights1973

Leave the fish alone, go get a minidisc you Sony fan boys, pure audio no Streaming!


----------



## gerelmx1986

goody said:


> Nice one brooko we all love sony here ...lets all enjoy the thread


 
 Yes amd it is okay to mix some brands too but with moderation and only when comaring the actual product


----------



## gerelmx1986

gosod said:


> he will play ape format?


 

 APE is closed source, unlike FLAC which is open source, I always convert ape files to FLAC to ensure more compatibility. Flac is like the lossless version of mp3 (so popular format now)
  
 and answering your inquiry nope it wont play ape files


----------



## fish1050

nc8000 said:


> I think generally the term fanboy has a negative connotation meaning somebody who unquestioningly swallow anything a manufacturer puts out


 
 My apologies for the comment, clearly there seems to be different interpretations of what fanboy really means depending on where you are from.  I actually used the term fanboy because my friends and family call me it all the time.
  
 Amongst my peers it simply means you love a particular thing to excess. As an example, I don't follow sports as a rule but I am a fanboy for my Toronto sports teams.  


rob49 said:


> I think it's USE to be in the business ? It's just conceited to say, ( and silly, considering he doesn't own one. )  "The information i am posting is for people following this thread who aren't sure if this is the right DAP for them".
> 
> ....and most of what is written is negativity, for a product that as yet to be released !
> 
> Is this "information" coming from "insiders within Sony" ? ( Talk of digging a hole ! )


 
 Let me clarify,  I worked as a salesman at a high end audio retailer in Toronto for 15 years.  I left the business but still have 3 friends of mine who are still in sales.  The store I worked at had the largest repair department for electronics in Toronto.  I use to spend my breaks in the repair department and remained friends with one the repairmen, we also did home installations together.
  
 When we get together we talk tech and they let me know about new products that will be coming to market.  If I am interested in one of the products they will let me know when they get a sample to try out and I go to the store and try it out. I got to do this with the ZX100 and ZX2 even though I never owned either product.  The ZX100 has not actually been released in Canada but sales samples were made available.  I am a tech junkie and I read all the information I can find online from sites like innerfidelity that do in depth reviews of products with detailed test results.  
  
 The sales departments will get detailed product sheets that go much deeper in detail than what it is posted on the manufacturer websites.  For example, I got to read a detailed tech breakdown on the S-Master amp chip found in the A17.  I posted a readers digest version of the tech on the A10 series forum.  
  
 I had my friend who still does repairs try and source a replacement battery for my A17.  He confirmed to me that Sony had indeed made replacement batteries for DAP's produced after 2013 unavailable for sale to the public. He found batteries with the right specs but none that were small enough to fit.  I posted this information to the A10 series forum.  My hope is that sales samples for the WM DAP's will be made available some time before the end of the year.


----------



## goody

i like  your comments fish i find them quite insightful  ...Now hurry up sony and release the damn DAPS...Then the real conversation begins


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think i am a Hardcore Sony fan, i have iwned variouws products many of them listed on my profile here.
  
 I like sony because (despite some shobby quality issues recently) becaue they amke products durable , i had a trinitron WEGA TV that lasted 16 years.
  
 Their walkman has always sounded good, they have this sony house sound, warm (excluding ZX100 which departed a bit from traditional sony sound). I had a hiatus from walkmen from 2011-2014 (i was angry at only 16GB players here in mexico).
  
 I had an iPod classic which sounded neutral but had this some sort of sound that was lifeless and bland sounding even with lossless. then got the Fiio x3 which trumphed th eiPo in SQ and this was my very first DAP that got me in the WOW factor because soundstage. I just didnt want to trash fiio but had also a bad experience with them after my x3 failed and the dude who sold me it dissaperared of business leaving me with no support NO invoice so had to mail the fiio Guys many times until they acceded to give me a new unit, in that time i tought in sony quality and feel rather dumbed out for not buying a walkman.
  
 Yet the fiio sounded better than the previous generation walkmans (before 2014) and had a nice durable scratchless PLASTIC Screen (ahem sony what about you?) even with no case and no screen protection film.
  
 I have owned many sony ehadphones minly $20 cheapies and for that price they still sound good, i had also NC headphones that didnt sound good (sony) and recently the MDR-1R flop but now i believe in sony again with the MDR-Z7, XBA-Z5 and now these walkmas
  
 My cellphone is also a sony xperia XA bough it past saturday, nice phone, my old one was a sony xperia M2 (being used as DAP, not so great sounding as f.e a FiiO or an A17, we all know cellphone DACs suck)
  
 My PC has been a sony VAIO and i like it too is fast and doesnt heat, but yes this led me to question sony quality (took it twice to repair becaue faulty LCD)
  
 I didnt feel offended by fish comments about Us sony fans being closed minded, i just took it for granted


----------



## gerelmx1986

These issues i mentioned My Button fault of my ZX100, the twice repair of the LCD of my 2014 sony VAIO has led me to seriously question sonys workmaship and craftmanship, their quaity.
  
 Sony is NOT definitevly what it used to be in the early 90's with their proudly ITS A SONY slogan... hope these walkman and magnesium Z5 and Z7 are the rebirth of sony long-lasting quality
  
 The fiio x3 1st gen i had made of plastic with a small aluminym plate in the fromnt, but was BUILT LIKE A screwN TANK, the Headphones jacks were one of the tightiest i have ever used, micro USB nice gesture from fiio, the sound at the time i had it was exotic to me, yes i had typical sony house sound which is a bit warm... but this fiio had this special sound mmm musical perhaps and warm.
  
 My german friend was furious with the fiio UI i remember he said this screw*n thing doesn+t seem friendly ad unplugged it and threw it to  the floor, i was like Uh oh, i was going to rage against him and start a fight like on this forum but then i saw my fiio INTACT wow. regret selling it? YES. seriously doubt my zx100 would have survived a fit of rage floor drop
  
 Despite these issues of my sony products i still like sony and i resist changing brand. f.e getting an onkyo instead of a walkman


----------



## noplsestar

vilhelm44 said:


> I'm looking forward to reading the reviews and hopefully trying them myself at some point. I'd like to see how they hold up to the Plenue S SQ-wise; this player never ceases to amaze me...and that's after having the Paw Gold, QPR1 and ZX2 amongst others. If the new Sony models are on par with Plenue SQ then may buy one for battery life. Though I'm not too sure about the 4.4 balanced jack, that might be a problem getting one for my Linum cables.


 

 Would be great if you could compare the new Sony Walkman with the Plenue S as soon as you have the chance to listen to the 1Z and 1A! Because I´m also interested in the Plenue S because of the SQ. If the 1A would be as good SQ wise as the Plenue S I would buy the 1A for sure because of the battery life. If the 1A would be inferior I would stick to the Plenue S. (I definitely won´t buy the 1Z, because it´s too heavy for portable use)


----------



## vilhelm44

noplsestar said:


> Would be great if you could compare the new Sony Walkman with the Plenue S as soon as you have the chance to listen to the 1Z and 1A! Because I´m also interested in the Plenue S because of the SQ. If the 1A would be as good SQ wise as the Plenue S I would buy the 1A for sure because of the battery life. If the 1A would be inferior I would stick to the Plenue S. (I definitely won´t buy the 1Z, because it´s too heavy for portable use)



 


I will let you know when I get the chance to do so, not sure when that will be in the UK though. Hopefully soon . I will be surprised if it manages to surpass the SQ on the S but you never know.


----------



## Gosod

gerelmx1986 said:


> APE is closed source, unlike FLAC which is open source, I always convert ape files to FLAC to ensure more compatibility. Flac is like the lossless version of mp3 (so popular format now)
> 
> and answering your inquiry nope it wont play ape files


 
I would be interested to hear how the ape will play on the Sony.


----------



## goody

gerelmx1986 said:


> These issues i mentioned My Button fault of my ZX100, the twice repair of the LCD of my 2014 sony VAIO has led me to seriously question sonys workmaship and craftmanship, their quaity.
> 
> Sony is NOT definitevly what it used to be in the early 90's with their proudly ITS A SONY slogan... hope these walkman and magnesium Z5 and Z7 are the rebirth of sony long-lasting quality
> 
> ...


 
 I have sold my ZX100 and guess what i am listening to again...NWZ- X1060 nice and warm sound 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 with no bloody euro cap


----------



## Gosod

goody said:


> I have sold my ZX100 and guess what i am listening to again...NWZ- X1060 nice and warm sound
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
I liked x1060 I had my x1061.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gosod said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > APE is closed source, unlike FLAC which is open source, I always convert ape files to FLAC to ensure more compatibility. Flac is like the lossless version of mp3 (so popular format now)
> ...


 

 it wont play at all you will get a "Format Unsupported, connect to compliant device or software to transfer songs." message


----------



## xiayizju

That is great. When should we expect the price to go down? Right now, its MSRP is high ( Headphone $2300, Amp $2200, Walkman $3200) The SONY USA website showed we can pre order now in Amazon. I am really curious how low the price can be after a few months. Anyone know that? Thanks


----------



## musicday

xiayizju said:


> That is great. When should we expect the price to go down? Right now, its MSRP is high ( Headphone $2300, Amp $2200, Walkman $3200) The SONY USA website showed we can pre order now in Amazon. I am really curious how low the price can be after a few months. Anyone know that? Thanks



Not anytime soon if they are related prior to the 70 th anniversary.


----------



## Leviticus

Is there anyone here who will receive the 1A on September 18th?


----------



## gerelmx1986

leviticus said:


> Is there anyone here who will receive the 1A on September 18th?


 
 Amazon USA started preoders for 1Z but no 1A DANG!, damn and sony mexico (my country) dead silent no answer to my inquiry if they will bring it to mexico (i've lost all hope as non of the ZX was made available in MX)
  
 will check AJ until sept 23rd when they return from their holidays


----------



## denis1976

leviticus said:


> Is there anyone here who will receive the 1A on September 18th?


i will receive from 21 to 23 of september


----------



## purk

I thought that the 1A will be released in November.


----------



## Whitigir

purk said:


> I thought that the 1A will be released in November.




I thought so too, I think 1z is the one that is going to be released in October ? I don't know....but it doesn't matter, you still will not have 4.4 mm anyways


----------



## bvng3540

1Z on USA Amazon temporary out of stock, WTH


----------



## xiayizju

bvng3540 said:


> 1Z on USA Amazon temporary out of stock, WTH


 
 Yeah, what does that mean exactly? I read different sources of news, they said all three signature series products (no 1A DAP) will be released on November, but why does it show "Currently Unavailable"???


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> purk said:
> 
> 
> > I thought that the 1A will be released in November.
> ...


 

 ​You can still use 3.5mm


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> I thought so too, I think 1z is the one that is going to be released in October ? I don't know....but it doesn't matter, you still will not have 4.4 mm anyways


 
  
 Both 1A and 1Z are going on sale on the 29th of October in Japan, there's no time lag between them.
 http://www.phileweb.com/news/audio/201609/08/17703.html


----------



## FenderP

nanaholic said:


> Both 1A and 1Z are going on sale on the 29th of October in Japan, there's no time lag between them.
> http://www.phileweb.com/news/audio/201609/08/17703.html


 

 I already posted that date either in this thread or the other.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Both 1A and 1Z are going on sale on the 29th of October in Japan, there's no time lag between them.
> http://www.phileweb.com/news/audio/201609/08/17703.html




That means Sony US is probably getting it in November if early


----------



## FenderP

xiayizju said:


> Yeah, what does that mean exactly? I read different sources of news, they said all three signature series products (no 1A DAP) will be released on November, but why does it show "Currently Unavailable"???


 
  
 It is just the way they sometimes do preorders for hardware. I wouldn't read anything into it.


----------



## Rei87

Looking at the majority of the posts here, I can see why sometimes a large part of the community scoffs the many audio tweaks as unnecessary, when in fact the underlying fact is that their gear is simply unable to take advantage of those tweaks. 

 1) Use of the full copper chasis and kimber cables for the analog signals (and even digital) will result in real world changes. I have a friend who constantly mods his players, and a large part of this tweaks involves changing both the solder (and wire used) between parts. Heck, sometimes he spends weeks trying different permutations of solders and wires (copper, spc, silver, silver gold and gold plated silver) just to nudge the player towards the direction he wants the player to take. 

 2) The 4.4 jack, structurally, makes alot of sense, and its larger contact point is a bonus. Don't like the new headphone? Then just change the re-terminate your existing gear to 4.4 then by buying 4.4 plugs off the market. Is is that hard? Pick up a solder, learn to solder, or just pay someone to do it if you have the luxury of cash and access to a professional. I've reterminated/resoldered ALL the upgrade wires (DHC, toxic, plussound to name a few)  that I've bought because they usually scrimp on those parts (tell me a manufacturer besides PWaudio that insists on using furutech plugs and mundorf supreme silver gold solder). Yes, its an added expense, but it does make a difference that you can hear. 
 3) No WiFi for streaming? You dont need a 3kUSD music player to replay streamed songs ensure that nothing is lost; all the details were already lost even before the file data streamed into the player to begin with. WiFi for song transfer? Whats wrong with a good ole' wire when added components like a wifi antenna, even switched off,  in the chasis will inevitably have some small effect on the other components. 


 In a nutshell, if you are into this hobby, but find these minor changes unnecessary or unable to make a difference to you, then this is probably not the player that you are looking for. I am personally an AK person, but none the less the attention to details in this player intrigues me.


----------



## FenderP

xiayizju said:


> That is great. When should we expect the price to go down? Right now, its MSRP is high ( Headphone $2300, Amp $2200, Walkman $3200) The SONY USA website showed we can pre order now in Amazon. I am really curious how low the price can be after a few months. Anyone know that? Thanks


 
  
 Considering the list price of the ZX2 never dropped in the USA, I would say no time soon.


----------



## fish1050

bvng3540 said:


> 1Z on USA Amazon temporary out of stock, WTH


 
  
  


xiayizju said:


> Yeah, what does that mean exactly? I read different sources of news, they said all three signature series products (no 1A DAP) will be released on November, but why does it show "Currently Unavailable"???


 
 Knowing Amazon it means the the stock number has been added to the database and they are waiting on an official delivery date for inventory.  Once that is confirmed the status will likely change to an ETA.  They want to prime interest from customers early so there will be pre-orders once the ETA is confirmed and they start accepting official pre-orders.


----------



## fish1050

fenderp said:


> Considering the list price of the ZX2 never dropped in the USA, I would say no time soon.


 
 It is possible that it could be in stores by Black Friday (November 25th) in the USA, the biggest shopping period of the year and the best time for sale prices.  Although not an official holiday in Canada many Canadian retailers offer Black Friday sales to curb loss of sales from Canadians flocking to the US.


----------



## FenderP

fish1050 said:


> It is possible that it could be in stores by Black Friday (November 25th) in the USA, the biggest shopping period of the year and the best time for sale prices.  Although not an official holiday in Canada many Canadian retailers offer Black Friday sales to curb loss of sales from Canadians flocking to the US.


 
  
 Chances here are slim and none, especially given how _few _retailers in the USA will carry the WM1x. Those that will carry it are higher end, and a price break is unlikely. Think of pieces like the HAP-Z1ES which never get (or got) a break. In fact, the only place I've seen the ZX2 since its release is one Magnolia (in Best Buy) near me.


----------



## fish1050

fenderp said:


> Chances here are slim and none, especially given how _few _retailers in the USA will carry the WM1x. Those that will carry it are higher end, and a price break is unlikely. Think of pieces like the HAP-Z1ES which never get (or got) a break. In fact, the only place I've seen the ZX2 since its release is one Magnolia (in Best Buy) near me.


 
 Amazon.com has the 1Z already listed although not in stock yet.  From what I have read the 1Z is scheduled for October release and the 1A supposedly for November so never say never. It might be available from amazon.com as a Japanese import if not full US retail.  Sometimes products are released on amazon.com first before full release in retail stores.  When the ZX100 was finally released in the US it was for sale on amazon earlier then retail.
  
 If Sony is smart they should push to have at least some inventory for the US market to take advantage of Black Friday if they want to penetrate the North American market this year before Christmas.


----------



## Mimouille

rei87 said:


> Looking at the majority of the posts here, I can see why sometimes a large part of the community scoffs the many audio tweaks as unnecessary, when in fact the underlying fact is that their gear is simply unable to take advantage of those tweaks.
> 
> 1) Use of the full copper chasis and kimber cables for the analog signals (and even digital) will result in real world changes. I have a friend who constantly mods his players, and a large part of this tweaks involves changing both the solder (and wire used) between parts. Heck, sometimes he spends weeks trying different permutations of solders and wires (copper, spc, silver, silver gold and gold plated silver) just to nudge the player towards the direction he wants the player to take.
> 
> In a nutshell, if you are into this hobby, but find these minor changes unnecessary or unable to make a difference to you, then this is probably not the player that you are looking for. I am personally an AK person, but none the less the attention to details in this player intrigues me.


 
 I fail to see how you are demonstrating anything here.
  
 Besides being obnoxious and saying:

My friend modder and I think it makes real changes so it must be the truth
You can't hear the difference because your gear sucks
If you can't hear the difference because you are not audiophile enough
  
 So basically this is unsubstantiated, obnoxious and condescending, all the same post. I applaud the combo.


----------



## proedros

so EU is getting the 1A earlier than everyone , at september 17th ?
  
 is this correct ?


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> so EU is getting the 1A earlier than everyone , at september 17th ?
> 
> is this correct ?




I don't know who gets what when, but none of the new players are on amazon.uk yet


----------



## Leviticus

proedros said:


> so EU is getting the 1A earlier than everyone , at september 17th ?
> 
> is this correct ?


 

 It seems so...
  
 https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01LHGLG3A/ref=twister_B01LQHVYMS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## Leviticus

nc8000 said:


> I don't know who gets what when, but none of the new players are on amazon.uk yet


 
 https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=sony+nwwm1z&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Asony+nwwm1z
  
 Not true.


----------



## Zakalwe

rei87 said:


> 1) Use of the full copper chasis and kimber cables for the analog signals (and even digital) will result in real world changes




How exactly would the copper chassis have such an effect, if I may ask?


----------



## purk

zakalwe said:


> How exactly would the copper chassis have such an effect, if I may ask?


 
 Likely for best shielding thus lowering noise floor so the musical details will emerge from even blacker background.  That has been my experience but this maybe very very small audible difference.  Others feel free to chime in here.  Also grounding material can affect the sound too.


----------



## nc8000

leviticus said:


> https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=sony+nwwm1z&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Asony+nwwm1z
> 
> Not true.




OK. It does not turn up searching for Sony NW-WMZ1 or Sony Walkman, and the Black is also labeled Z with 256GB but with the lower price


----------



## Rob49

Anyone placed an order on Amazon U.K. for either ?


----------



## musicday

leviticus said:


> nc8000 said:
> 
> 
> > I don't know who gets what when, but none of the new players are on amazon.uk yet
> ...



Thank you for the link, but will it have the volume cap?
Is easy to pre order but sad if it will have the volume limiter.
We need to know what version it is.


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> OK. It does not turn up searching for Sony NW-WMZ1 or Sony Walkman, and the Black is also *labeled Z with 256GB but with the lower price*


 
  
  
 if you order for that price , *they will have to send a 1z at a 1a price ?*

 this.looks.interesting.


----------



## musicday

proedros said:


> nc8000 said:
> 
> 
> > OK. It does not turn up searching for Sony NW-WMZ1 or Sony Walkman, and the Black is also *labeled Z with 256GB but with the lower price*
> ...



That must be a mistake.
The black model comes only in 128 GB version.


----------



## proedros

musicday said:


> *That must be a mistake.*
> The black model comes only in 128 GB version.


 
  
 it is a mistake , but if they say 1Z and 256GB , you could have the transaction page print-screened and ask that you get sent a 256GB 1Z
  
 amazon would have to honor the agreement/stupid mistake
  
 worse case scenario , you get an 1A for the price of an 1A
  
 (but i am sure that amazon would sent you a 1Z if you complained about it)


----------



## phonomat

Haha, everyone get your orders ready! Alas, I guess it's more a case of "you get what you see" here. You can try it, but I'm afraid your future won't look golden.


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> it is a mistake , but if they say 1Z and 256GB , you could have the transaction page print-screened and ask that you get sent a 256GB 1Z
> 
> amazon would have to honor the agreement/stupid mistake




In Denmark we have the concept "in good faith" which means that you as a buyer must have no reason to believe that there is a mistake in the advertising in order for the seller to honour the offer.


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> In Denmark we have the concept "in good faith" which means that you as a buyer must have no reason to believe that there is a mistake in the advertising in order for the seller to honour the offer.


 
  
 well this is amazon  - you know, the same amazon that does not pay taxes and treats its working people like slaves

 so yeah , i won't have any guilt whatsever if i got an 1Z for the price of an 1A , mistake or no mistake


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> Thank you for the link, but will it have the volume cap?
> Is easy to pre order but sad if it will have the volume limiter.
> We need to know what version it is.




Yes, it will have the volume Cap!


----------



## denis1976

i am shure that a 60mw/250mw volume cap is diferent of a 15mw volume cap


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> i am shure that a 60mw/250mw volume cap is diferent of a 15mw volume cap




Imagine paying for a cake, and they let u have the box only ! Yeah


----------



## musicday

whitigir said:


> denis1976 said:
> 
> 
> > i am shure that a 60mw/250mw volume cap is diferent of a 15mw volume cap
> ...



But this is a very expensive cake.
For the price we pay for it in UK i don't want any volume cap.


----------



## Rob49

musicday said:


> But this is a very expensive cake.
> For the price we pay for it in UK i don't want any volume cap.


 
  
 No disrespect, but i don't know why people keep on about the volume cap. The fact is, there is one & you can't do anything about it !


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> well this is amazon  - you know, the same amazon that does not pay taxes and treats its working people like slaves
> 
> 
> so yeah , i won't have any guilt whatsever if i got an 1Z for the price of an 1A , mistake or no mistake




I must admit I'm very tempted to place an order and then see what happens


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> I must admit I'm very tempted to place an order and then see what happens


 
  
 worse case scenario = get 1a for the 1a price
 best case scenario = get 1z for the price of 1a
  
 win-win , imho


----------



## Rob49

proedros said:


> worse case scenario = get 1a for the 1a price
> best case scenario = get 1z for the price of 1a
> 
> win-win , imho


 
  
 It's just not going to happen !


----------



## proedros

rob49 said:


> It's just not going to happen !


 
  
 well the info page says *gold and 1z and 256gb*
  
 buy , get a screenshot of what it said when you bought it and in my opinion , you are done
  
 Sony NWWM*1Z* High Resolution Audio Walkman *256GB* Memory, Micro SD Card Slot, S Master HX engine Copper 4 Inch LED/LCD Multi-Touch Screen) *Gold* 


 
 by Sony


----------



## Rob49

proedros said:


> well the info page says *gold and 1z and 256gb*
> 
> buy , get a screenshot of what it said when you bought it and in my opinion , you are done
> 
> ...


 
  
 Believe you me, ( even though the description is wrong ) if you order the 1A, that's what you'll get ! Amazon, aren't that stupid, especially when there's two clearly defined prices, for both models, stated on their webpage !
  
 I would assume the description will be corrected very soon !


----------



## nc8000

The problem seems to be the way they have put it into the system. On the German site it has been put in as 2 different products each with only one option and correct prices and descriptions. On the UK site they have been entered as one product with one description and 2 options with different prices. I would love to get a Z for the A price but I don't believe they would ever ship that and I don't really want the A as my ZX2 is perfectly fine


----------



## denis1976

rob49 said:


> Believe you me, ( even though the description is wrong ) if you order the 1A, that's what you'll get ! Amazon, aren't that stupid, especially when there's two clearly defined prices, for both models, stated on their webpage !
> 
> I would assume the description will be corrected very soon !


i was hoping that no one notice...i order a "A" and receive a "Z" you folks blow everithing....


----------



## denis1976

What i am surprised is that so many people worried about the volume cap and the thing about it is that few people heard a nw-wm1a or nw-wm1z. ...first ear them take the conclusions folks...the ak380 as no cap and to drive hard phones


----------



## Rob49

denis1976 said:


> i was hoping that no one notice...i order a "A" and receive a "Z" you folks blow everithing....


 
  
 Just stating the obvious....if someone did send out a 1Z for a 1A....then some heads would roll....and they'd be looking for a new job !


----------



## proedros

rob49 said:


> Just stating the obvious....if someone did send out a 1Z for a 1A....then some heads would roll....and they'd be looking for a new job !


 
  
 i don't have the money to buy 1a or 1z, otherwise i would have put the order for the 1a described as 1z , and would send you a laughing selfie when i receive the 1Z paid as 1a 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 on a serious note , i have added it to my amazon cart and right before payment it says that i am getting 
  
  
[size=17px !important]Sony NWWM1Z High Resolution Audio Walkman 256GB Memory, Micro SD Card Slot, S Master HX engine Copper 4 Inch LED/LCD Multi-Touch Screen) Gold[/size] by Sony
  
  
*Sony NWWM1Z High Resolution Audio Walkman 256GB Memory, Micro SD Card Slot, S Master HX engine Copper 4 Inch LED/LCD Multi-Touch Screen) Gold*
  
  
  
*my 2 cents : if i wanted to buy 1z , i would have JUMPED on this opportunity/amazon slipup*
  
  
*1285 euros for a 1z ???????????????????????????????????????????????????*


----------



## musicday

proedros said:


> rob49 said:
> 
> 
> > Just stating the obvious....if someone did send out a 1Z for a 1A....then some heads would roll....and they'd be looking for a new job !
> ...



Okay okay, just to make you happy maybe this are the sample units from IFA


----------



## nc8000

Just for the heck of it I have now ordered it and this is my order confirmation. Let's see what happens now


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Just for the heck of it I have now ordered it and this is my order confirmation. Let's see what happens now


 

 Keep me update on volumecap performance buddy


----------



## Zakalwe

nc8000 said:


> Just for the heck of it I have now ordered it and this is my order confirmation. Let's see what happens now




Good luck!


----------



## Mimouille

nc8000 said:


> Just for the heck of it I have now ordered it and this is my order confirmation. Let's see what happens now


Below on the page the product reference is for the 1A.


----------



## gerelmx1986

if @nc8000 reports positive feedback despite EU vol. cap i buy it from Germany amazon, if amazon refuses to ship to mexico i ship to my husband (hes from Hamburg)


----------



## Rob49

proedros said:


> i don't have the money to buy 1a or 1z, otherwise i would have put the order for the 1a described as 1z , and would send you a laughing selfie when i receive the 1Z paid as 1a
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 It might say that, but if you had / could proceed with the order, you wouldn't be receiving a shiny gold DAP, costing nearly 3 grand !


----------



## musicday

Well done my friend.





nc8000 said:


> Just for the heck of it I have now ordered it and this is my order confirmation. Let's see what happens now



Well done my friend.


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> if @nc8000
> reports positive feedback despite EU vol. cap i buy it from Germany amazon, if amazon refuses to ship to mexico i ship to my husband (hes from Hamburg)



So you are a Sony lady fan?


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > if @nc8000
> ...


 

 Gay dude 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 and? lol so what, seeing the first adopters ordering... holding my breath until i turn blue


----------



## musicday

To make sure i fully understand this volume cap business.
In theory all the walkmans that are sold outside Japan will have it right?
I wish Sony UK will be more helpful,but there have been many times when i had to tell them about products they have never heard of.Poor knowledge if you ask me.
That happened to me in Sony Kingston few times.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Keep me update on volumecap performance buddy







zakalwe said:


> Good luck!




Well unless they actually do send me a Z I will almost certainly return it unopened and demand a full refund as I'm perfectly happy with my ZX2


----------



## musicday

nc8000 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Keep me update on volumecap performance buddy
> ...



Clever move.
+1


----------



## Leviticus

nc8000 said:


> Well unless they actually do send me a Z I will almost certainly return it unopened and demand a full refund as I'm perfectly happy with my ZX2


 

 Why not do a quick comparison between the A1 and the ZX2? You'll still get reimbursed by amazon and you would do the head-fi community a favor.


----------



## audioxxx

leviticus said:


> Why not do a quick comparison between the A1 and the ZX2? You'll still get reimbursed by amazon and you would do the head-fi community a favor.



It will need 200hrs burn in first before it sounds great, I would test it for sure while it's on your hands, would be great to know if it's better than the zx2.
 Don't you get 3 weeks to decide with Amazon?


----------



## nc8000

leviticus said:


> Why not do a quick comparison between the A1 and the ZX2? You'll still get reimbursed by amazon and you would do the head-fi community a favor.




We shall see, however if the ZX2 is anything to go by the new one should need 2-300 hours of burn-in before they can be compared. Also I would rather not break the shrink wrap since what I would complain about would be obvious without opening it.


----------



## vilhelm44

Well, I've ordered as well from Amazon UK and received an email confirmation saying I've ordered the 'Z' at the cheaper price. Got nothing to lose so why not try and can kick up a stink if they send me the 'A'. Got a delivery date of 20/09 so let's see what happens.


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> We shall see, however if the ZX2 is anything to go by the new one should need 2-300 hours of burn-in before they can be compared. Also I would rather not break the shrink wrap since what I would complain about would be obvious without opening it.


 
  
 i applaud your ballsy move to just say '**** it' and try this trick

 good luck again , even if they ship you a 1A feel good knowing that you jumped through the veil of 'oh no this will not happen they will send me a 1A' 
  
 cheers


----------



## proedros

@nc8000 , @vilhelm44 and whoever else goes for the 'get 1z at 1a price'

 if you do receive an 1Z at the price of 1A , remember who mentioned the glitch in the amazon matrix


----------



## gerelmx1986

if i got a 1Z instead of 1A i would not return it


----------



## JamesInLondon

Hi All;
  
 According to Amazon, mine is scheduled for delivery next Monday; I get back from Hong Kong on Wednesday and no matter which player arrives, I will do a comparison against my ZX-2.
  
 I am assuming that they will send me the A, but I will contact them and complain about the size of the internal memory, I have the order confirmation which specifically states 256gb internal memory; so let's see.
  
 I will be back here next week with some results........hopefully.
  
 Also, if they are available in the UK on Monday, then I will scour the stores here in HK to see if they also have them and do a price comparison.
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## vilhelm44

One thing I have noticed is that the 'Z' has a release date of 04/10 on Amazon UK so shouldn't be available for delivery next week.


----------



## nc8000

Yep, it will 99,99% certain be an A we get next week. The interesting thing will be how Amazon reacts when we complain


----------



## vilhelm44

nc8000 said:


> Yep, it will 99,99% certain be an A we get next week. The interesting thing will be how Amazon reacts when we complain



 


I suspect so too but as long as they don't don't cancel the sale between now and when it gets delivered, then we may have an argument.


----------



## phonomat

nc8000 said:


> Just for the heck of it I have now ordered it and this is my order confirmation. Let's see what happens now




Bravo, good Sir! I salute you! 
However the outcome, it will be good for another three pages of this thread. 




musicday said:


> To make sure i fully understand this volume cap business.
> *In theory all the walkmans that are sold outside Japan will have it right?
> I wish Sony UK will be more helpful,but there have been many times when i had to tell them about products they have never heard of.Poor knowledge if you ask me.
> That happened to me in Sony Kingston few times.*


*


I believe it's an EU thing.*


----------



## Rob49

vilhelm44 said:


> One thing I have noticed is that the 'Z' has a release date of 04/10 on Amazon UK so shouldn't be available for delivery next week.


 
  
 As i've stated earlier, there's two release dates, two different pictures & two different prices.....there's more chance of "the second coming of Christ", or finding that Elvis & M.J. are alive, than anyone receiving a 1Z !


----------



## Zakalwe

phonomat said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > To make sure i fully understand this volume cap business.
> ...


*


Indeed. Apart from the Japan models there are also the Asia-Pacific ones, the American ones and probably others too, all uncapped. 

As far as I know, in theory one could even sell uncapped models in some EU countries, as not all of them have such a law yet (an EU directive is not a law in itself, more like an order to the member states to create corresponding laws, and they may each take their time doing this). But with the EU being one big market, Sony plays it safe and caps them all.*


----------



## JamesInLondon

Hi All;
  
 If there are any on sale here in HK, I might just buy one and then compare it against the one I get from Amazon UK.
  
 As long as the HK one is not massively more expensive than the UK one, and recently that has been the case. There are a few Sony branded stores here, so I will give them a call tomorrow and see if they are expecting a drop and what is the price.
  
 Then I can do a 'free market' vs EU models comparison; should be interesting.
  
 Of course, if Amazon UK finish up sending me a Z after I kick up a stir, then there will be a 'free market' A on sale here in the near future.
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## gerelmx1986

hmm and amazon USA has no preorder of 1A, but anyays amazon says cannot be shipped to mexico


----------



## Rei87

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi All;
> 
> If there are any on sale here in HK, I might just buy one and then compare it against the one I get from Amazon UK.
> 
> ...


 
 I am rather tempted to follow suit. Altho since I have a 380CU, I dont really need the A version since the only thing that interests me is the Z version haha

 Edit: Sorry to burst your bubble, but if you read the product description, its labelled as the 1A, not the 1Z. So all sony will do, most likely, is just send u a refund.


----------



## JamesInLondon

rei87 said:


> I am rather tempted to follow suit. Altho since I have a 380CU, I dont really need the A version since the only thing that interests me is the Z version haha
> 
> Edit: Sorry to burst your bubble, but if you read the product description, its labelled as the 1A, not the 1Z. So all sony will do, most likely, is just send u a refund.


 

 My confirmation is below:
Sony NWWM1Z High Resolution Audio Walkman 256GB Memory, Micro SD Card Slot, S Master HX engine Copper 4 Inch LED/LCD Multi-Touch Screen) Gold
  
 I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, but that is pretty firm, IMHO.
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## nc8000

rei87 said:


> I am rather tempted to follow suit. Altho since I have a 380CU, I dont really need the A version since the only thing that interests me is the Z version haha
> 
> 
> Edit: Sorry to burst your bubble, but if you read the product description, its labelled as the 1A, not the 1Z. So all sony will do, most likely, is just send u a refund.




Yes that is also what I expect but just on the off chance that Amazon might take responsibility for their error .....


----------



## Rob49

jamesinlondon said:


> My confirmation is below:
> Sony NWWM1Z High Resolution Audio Walkman 256GB Memory, Micro SD Card Slot, S Master HX engine Copper 4 Inch LED/LCD Multi-Touch Screen) Gold
> 
> I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, but that is pretty firm, IMHO.
> ...


 
  
 Thought of going on "Judge Rinder"....mind you, his too busy dancing at the moment !!


----------



## echineko

nc8000 said:


> Yes that is also what I expect but just on the off chance that Amazon might take responsibility for their error .....



Well to be fair, Amazon have a history of honouring pricing mistakes. This is a product description error (though all the way through to payment confirmation), so who knows, really? I'm certainly rooting for you guys 

Edit: to be clear, I mean the guys who took a chance and bought one, not you personally


----------



## nanaholic

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi All;
> 
> If there are any on sale here in HK, I might just buy one and then compare it against the one I get from Amazon UK.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Sony HK had a press event today and the 1Z will go on sale in November for HKD$24,980.


----------



## proedros

rei87 said:


> Edit: Sorry to burst your bubble, but if you read the product description, its labelled as the 1A, not the 1Z. So all sony will do, most likely, is just send u a refund.


 
  
 well actually this is small print compared to the *product title*
  
 which says in big, bold letters *1z / 256gb / gold*
  
 so technically , if someone buys it and receives an *1a/128gb/black and has kept a printscreen of his order, *he has a case in favor of him* *






 
  
 if i were amazon , making billions , i would not want to anger customers buying 1500$ items , so i would probably give them what they thought they were getting 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
*edit :* only possibility i see , is amazon cancelling their orders , *before* they are dispatched
  
* *

*If an item's correct price is higher than our stated price, we will, at our discretion, either contact you for instructions before dispatching or cancel your order and notify you of such cancellation.*


----------



## gerelmx1986

yesterday had a dream i got an 1A with the 1Z board inside


----------



## Rob49

proedros said:


> well actually this is small print compared to the *product title*
> 
> which says in big, bold letters *1z / 256gb / gold*
> 
> ...


 
  
 You're trying very hard !


----------



## proedros

rob49 said:


> You're trying very hard !


 
  
 nah , i am just rooting for the good guys (the head-fiers)/ David against the Goliath (amazon)

 btw , 1a/z has moved from 8.809 to 3,150 in *Amazon Bestsellers Rank * Electronics 
  
3 more days of suspense


----------



## Rei87

my finger is one click away from buying it lol...should I...hmmm


----------



## gerelmx1986

rei87 said:


> my finger is one click away from buying it lol...should I...hmmm


 

 Buy it buy it buuuuyyyyyy iiittt


----------



## supermj

If you look at the photo's on Amazon for the one that's describes the the black 1Z, if you look where the sd card goes you will see where it says it's a WM1A.


----------



## Rei87

I noticed that too...the product description doesnt say that. In the fine print, it doesnt state that the memory size is different either. Its like advertising a lambo car, but you include a toyota in the same product page under a different model code.


----------



## Whitigir

Mean while, in the USA.....the 1Z is still currently not available in stock


----------



## emrelights1973

mimouille said:


> I fail to see how you are demonstrating anything here.
> 
> Besides being obnoxious and saying:
> 
> ...



With all the respect to reinstall the WiFi part is also a story, in a world of streamer used as dijital source for hifi this is just a story, so Dave and naim streamers are less hifi that a so you Walkmans? Give me a break please.... 3000 is a lot for Walkmans but I the real of hifi is nothing, so WiFi or streaming is not "hifi" enough is just a Story!


----------



## proedros

*Amazon Bestsellers Rank:* 1,722 in Electronics

 a few hours ago it was like 8,809

 looks like people have started buying it


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

I have ordered one too and it clearly states i have ordered the 1z...


----------



## gerelmx1986

what is the difference between separate grounds aka TRRS versus true balanced like this new 4.4mm plug? more sepration more 3D imaging, more micro details?
  
 thanks


----------



## Rei87

Just asking, but how is Amazon's return policy in a situation like this? Especially if you're not in the EU.


----------



## fish1050

For those hoping to get a 1Z for a 1A price I wouldn't hold your breath.  Your order will go through multiple stages before shipment including an order verification stage where it will be checked for errors. If amazon does not catch the error on the site before your order ships you will likely get an email apologizing for the error.  The order will likely be voided and you will be asked to re-order at the corrected price. 
  
 I do IT service for some companies that do online sales and this is the typical practice.  
  
 This is amazon not some local mom and pop operation here, they have thorough checks and balances to account for errors.  Even if they somehow completely screw this up and ship you the 1Z at the 1A price they will likely contact you and give you a choice. Return the 1Z free of charge or keep it and they will charge your credit card the price difference. Remember they have your credit card number so they can always recharge it for the price difference.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> For those hoping to get a 1Z for a 1A price I wouldn't hold your breath.  Your order will go through multiple stages before shipment including an order verification stage where it will be checked for errors. If amazon does not catch the error on the site before your order ships you will likely get an email apologizing for the error.  The order will likely be voided and you will be asked to re-order at the corrected price.
> 
> I do IT service for some companies that do online sales and this is the typical practice.
> 
> This is amazon not some local mom and pop operation here, they have thorough checks and balances to account for errors.  Even if they somehow completely screw this up and ship you the 1Z at the 1A price they will likely contact you and give you a choice. Return the 1Z free of charge or keep it and they will charge your credit card the price difference. Remember *they have your credit card number so they can always recharge it for the price difference.*


 
 You can go to the bank and cancel the card


----------



## Rei87

fish1050 said:


> For those hoping to get a 1Z for a 1A price I wouldn't hold your breath.  Your order will go through multiple stages before shipment including an order verification stage where it will be checked for errors. If amazon does not catch the error on the site before your order ships you will likely get an email apologizing for the error.  The order will likely be voided and you will be asked to re-order at the corrected price.
> 
> I do IT service for some companies that do online sales and this is the typical practice.
> 
> This is amazon not some local mom and pop operation here, they have thorough checks and balances to account for errors.  Even if they somehow completely screw this up and ship you the 1Z at the 1A price they will likely contact you and give you a choice. Return the 1Z free of charge or keep it and they will charge your credit card the price difference. Remember they have your credit card number so they can always recharge it for the price difference.


 



 Actually, no. At least for the last paragraph anyway. Amazon CANNOT charge you the product's price difference, and they cannot demand that you return it free of charge, both of which are clearly covered under the Distance selling regulation. If that was the case, Amazon could just ship you the 10k diamondquest HDMI cable, and then charge you for it should you not ship it back due to whatever reason.


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> You can go to the bank and cancel the card


 
 You could do that but then your account would be blacklisted and you may not be allowed to order from amazon in the future. They will get you one way or another buddy!!


----------



## Rei87

fish1050 said:


> You could do that but then your account would be blacklisted and you may not be allowed to order from amazon in the future. They will get you one way or another buddy!!


 


 Lol, the smart user would have created a brand new account, use a proxy address to receive the package, and a disposable card at the ready for this transaction!


----------



## proedros

i posted some posts before , something straight from the amazon rules
  
 let me paste it again 
  

*If an item's correct price is higher than our stated price, we will, at our discretion, either contact you for instructions before dispatching or cancel your order and notify you of such cancellation.*

  
*this is if they realize it , BEFORE shipping it to you*
  
so if they ship you a 1Z at a 1a price , well tough luck amazon* *


----------



## Rei87

Be realistic; there is absolutely NO WAY that amazon will ship the 1Z in 2 days time. What you can hope for tho, is that Amazon honors the price, asks for you to return the 1A, in return for the 1Z that they will ship to you come October.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Also if you get the 1A but the product description clearly states 1Z...Then what?


----------



## gerelmx1986

princeofegypt said:


> Also if you get the 1A but the product description clearly states 1Z...Then what?


 

 for me it loooks more a titling error than a pricing error


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > You can go to the bank and cancel the card
> ...


 

 damn i tought i could outsmart you in some way


----------



## Rei87

gerelmx1986 said:


> for me it loooks more a titling error than a pricing error


 


 Lol i think that everyone here knows that. The thing is, some of them are hoping that they could utilize the titling error to get themselves a 1Z at the price of a 1A. The product title is in essence indicative of the product sold.


----------



## EagleWings

Amazon's supply chain and operations is one of the best in the planet and, they would have multiple check points, before the item is loaded on to the truck. I don't know much about Sears' supply chain division. But I once ordered a Fiio X3ii on Sears for $100. They had listed it for $100 instead of $200. The item was boxed and and a shipping label must have been created because I received the 'Your Order has been shipped' email from them. But shortly after the email, I received a call and the person informed me of the situation and asked me, if I wanted to pay the extra $100 towards the deficit or, cancel the order altogether. If Sears is able to catch the error, I strongly doubt that Amazon would let something like this slip through. Especially $2000 a unit, and multiply that with so many orders, it would easily trigger a red alert in the accounting/sales department.


----------



## EagleWings

rei87 said:


> Actually, no. At least for the last paragraph anyway. Amazon CANNOT charge you the product's price difference, and they cannot demand that you return it free of charge, both of which are clearly covered under the Distance selling regulation. If that was the case, Amazon could just ship you the 10k diamondquest HDMI cable, and then charge you for it should you not ship it back due to whatever reason.


 
  
 Correct. Even if by a very-very-far-off chance, they do ship the 1Z, the moment it is delivered to you and you sign for the delivery, the item is legally yours, as you paid the full amount that was advertised on their website. They cannot simply charge your card without your authorization.
  
 Now the only option they'd be left with is, to call you and apologize for the inconvenience and request you to pay the difference of $2000, or request you to return the item for a refund of the amount you paid ($1200). And in the name of showing gratitude, they might even to an extent of offering a $50 or $100 Amazon Store credit , but that is just a drama to encourage you stronger to return it.
  
 But until the package is delivered to you, they can intercept it (seller privileges with the shipping companies) and redirect it back to Amazon. But after you receive the product, it is yours and no force on earth can part you from the item. Except someone who is stronger than you, who can beat you down and steal it from you 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## gerelmx1986

As expected I cannot be shipped to Mexico


----------



## Whitigir

rei87 said:


> Just asking, but how is Amazon's return policy in a situation like this? Especially if you're not in the EU.




Theoretically, they are different technologies. The few keys features are 

1/ 3.5 TRRS is additional separated grounds, it is more like a controlled ground where the grounds. In the Zx2, it is supposedly to provide better separations, more details and spatial staging.

2/ true balanced 4.4mm is supposed to provide more power, with each signal lines to be individually processed and amplified from the S-Master chip to the rest of it circuitry. It does what true balanced does, improved performances with much more power.


----------



## Rei87

^ that response lost me lol........


----------



## Whitigir

While the shipments could be held back and return to the seller, the item shipped is more likely to be a complete mistake without anyone has noticed it before. That is why it got shipped to you. So, as long as it is shipped out, you have a big fat chance to have it. But as things stand right now, your chance to have the 1Z mistakenly shipped to you at the price you bought is very slim.....but presented


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> rob49 said:
> 
> 
> > Just stating the obvious....if someone did send out a 1Z for a 1A....then some heads would roll....and they'd be looking for a new job !
> ...



You see a drop down list showing two colors and prices 



Select the gold one and price is update 
most likely a WM 1A is what you be getting


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Theoretically, they are different technologies. The few keys features are
> 
> 1/ 3.5 TRRS is additional separated grounds, it is more like a controlled ground where the grounds. In the Zx2, it is supposedly to provide better separations, more details and spatial staging.
> 
> 2/ true balanced 4.4mm is supposed to provide more power, with each signal lines to be individually processed and amplified from the S-Master chip to the rest of it circuitry. It does what true balanced does, improved performances with much more power.


 
 Thanks for info so basically the same 3D soundstage, micro details, spacing of TRRS but with added power WOOOOOOT


----------



## Rob49

fish1050 said:


> For those hoping to get a 1Z for a 1A price I wouldn't hold your breath.  Your order will go through multiple stages before shipment including an order verification stage where it will be checked for errors. If amazon does not catch the error on the site before your order ships you will likely get an email apologizing for the error.  The order will likely be voided and you will be asked to re-order at the corrected price.
> 
> I do IT service for some companies that do online sales and this is the typical practice.
> 
> This is amazon not some local mom and pop operation here, they have thorough checks and balances to account for errors.  Even if they somehow completely screw this up and ship you the 1Z at the 1A price they will likely contact you and give you a choice. Return the 1Z free of charge or keep it and they will charge your credit card the price difference. Remember they have your credit card number so they can always recharge it for the price difference.


 
  
 Totally agree. No disrespect, but i think some people are losing the plot !!


----------



## proedros

say, you enter a casino
  
 and someone hands you 100$ and tells you here take them and go bet on the 0, maybe you will win big
  
 if you don't win , what have you lost ? zero.nothing.nada.

 if you win , do you feel awesome ? of course you do.

 those of you , who took the money and gambled and said '**** yeah why not?' -  i like you.
  
 those of you who show fear, whine etc and refuse to gamble - well it's cool no love lost


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks for info so basically the same 3D soundstage, micro details, spacing of TRRS but with added power WOOOOOOT




Pretty much so, oh....and the most important point .... (Native DSD play back is available here only 4.4mm balanced)


----------



## fish1050

Well the 1Z is listed and priced correctly on the amazon.com site so the error isn't system wide for amazon.  If it was shipping right away then there might be a slim chance of it slipping through but these are pre-orders so I would guess they will catch the error in time.  Especially because the price discrepancy is huge it should be pretty obvious to spot for amazon.


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> say, you enter a casino
> 
> and someone hands you 100$ and tells you here take them and go bet on the 0, maybe you will win big
> 
> ...




I don't gamble...I save my money for my dearest "Walkman"


----------



## proedros

whitigir said:


> I don't gamble...I save my money for my dearest "Walkman"


 
  
 how can you gamble ? you are not in the casino , you are home typing to your computer 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 while people are buying 1Z/A and now it is *Amazon Bestsellers Rank:* *1,586 in Electronics *


----------



## nc8000

Oh I fully expect that what Amazon will send out to all next week is a black A since the Z is not available yet. I'm doing this mostly as an intellectual excercise to see how Amazon will handle this when people say this is not what the order confirmation stated. 

Under Danish law it is the sellers responsibillity to sell as advertised unless the price is so unreasonable that buyer had to know this was a fault. In this case the question will be if the buyer could find it a reasonabke price. It is £200 more than a ZX2 for a newer model with twice the storage. For an uneducated buyer that difference would probably be considered reasonable as they probably would have no expectation of the price difference being so much greater. Under EU law a seller has to abide by the laws of the customers country. 

We will see what happens.


----------



## fish1050

Nothing wrong with taking a shot at benefiting from amazon's error, just do it with very low expectations and you won't be disappointed.


----------



## fish1050

rei87 said:


> Lol, the smart user would have created a brand new account, use a proxy address to receive the package, and a disposable card at the ready for this transaction!


 
 Wow you have really gave this some thought, you must have done this before.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> *Oh I fully expect that what Amazon will send out to all next week is a black A since the Z is not available yet. I'm doing this mostly as an intellectual excercise to see how Amazon will handle this when people say this is not what the order confirmation stated.*
> 
> Under Danish law it is the sellers responsibillity to sell as advertised unless the price is so unreasonable that buyer had to know this was a fault. In this case the question will be if the buyer could find it a reasonabke price. It is £200 more than a ZX2 for a newer model with twice the storage. For an uneducated buyer that difference would probably be considered reasonable as they probably would have no expectation of the price difference being so much greater. Under EU law a seller has to abide by the laws of the customers country.
> 
> We will see what happens.


 
 Comparison comparison
  
 edit
  
 priceJapan and AccessoryJack still nothing


----------



## purk

Guys...I don't mind that those volume capped walkman going to be available in European countries first.  They can have fun with those handicapped units before us anytime.  We will wait our turn for non-cap units.


----------



## nc8000

fish1050 said:


> Nothing wrong with taking a shot at benefiting from amazon's error, just do it with very low expectations and you won't be disappointed.




I have virtually no expectation, am just curious to see how it pans out


----------



## Zakalwe

nc8000 said:


> Oh I fully expect that what Amazon will send out to all next week is a black A since the Z is not available yet. I'm doing this mostly as an intellectual excercise to see how Amazon will handle this when people say this is not what the order confirmation stated.
> 
> Under Danish law it is the sellers responsibillity to sell as advertised unless the price is so unreasonable that buyer had to know this was a fault. In this case the question will be if the buyer could find it a reasonabke price. It is £200 more than a ZX2 for a newer model with twice the storage. For an uneducated buyer that difference would probably be considered reasonable as they probably would have no expectation of the price difference being so much greater. Under EU law a seller has to abide by the laws of the customers country.
> 
> We will see what happens.




Keep in mind though that an Amazon order confirmation (at least in my experience) has fine print stating that it merely confirms Amazon having received your order, but that no binding contract has been established yet, since your order is only an offer by you to buy the product at the advertised price. Amazon will decide whether to accept your offer and to enter a contract when it is time to ship, and if they notice their mistake here, then they can simply choose not to accept your offer. They probably have a legion of lawyers making sure they are safe in such situations. Nevertheless, as I wrote before, I wish you good luck in this. Amazon does make mistakes, and they can be generous, so who knows.

(They once accidentally sent me two moderately expensive items when I had only ordered and paid one. I had no use for two and felt bad about this, so I talked to them, but it turned out to be really hard for their outsourced phone support to understand what had happened. In the end they asked me to send back one, which I did. And then two days later they refunded me for that one, although I never paid for it...)


----------



## Leviticus

purk said:


> Guys...I don't mind that those volume capped walkman going to be available in European countries first.  They can have fun with those handicapped units before us anytime.  We will wait our turn for non-cap units.


 

 Very generous of you.


----------



## EagleWings

proedros said:


> say, you enter a casino
> 
> and someone hands you 100$ and tells you here take them and go bet on the 0, maybe you will win big
> 
> ...


 
  
 For me it would be more than losing a gamble. More like being stood up by a girl that you have been wanting to go on a date with, for a very long time. When I ordered my X3ii for $100 with Sears, that was the max I could afford for a player back then. Then when I learnt that they spotted the mistake and I won't be able to get the X3ii (which I had longed to own) with the $$ I could afford, it really upset me. Then it happened again when Massdrop did a drop for AK100ii for $470. I was so excited and was so looking forward to it, but when they announced that, they won't be able to fulfill the drop, as something had gone wrong, I was upset once again. If I placed the order for 1Z for $1200, I know for sure, it would get my hopes high, after all I am just a normal human being and, ultimately it would only upset me once Amazon figures out the mistake and does not ship the 1Z. Not ready to be stood up again.
  
 If I have to go by your example, imagine you managed to convert the $100 to $20,000 by gambling, and your brain has already started making plans for the $20,000, (_probably a couple of TOTL Custom IEMs and a few TOTL portable players, if I know a bit about you_ 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ), but then in just one final gamble you lost everything.. You did not lose $100, but $19,900 and a dream that you built with it..
  
 I understand that was too much melodrama for an electronic device


----------



## phonomat

phonomat said:


> However the outcome, it will be good for another three pages of this thread.




Make that ten.


----------



## audioxxx

It's a little silly this whole Amazon stuff up, and probably the only way to sell a capped European model..

Almost a clever way to sell a capped Walkman, that would have had so few orders, considering the Japanese model isn't even available for order (or is it?) as they always get the gear first. 

I would never buy the capped version. Considering this Walkman is designed for full size headphones, with heaps of power, this could turn out a real lemon CAPPED..


----------



## ThisCharmingMan

gerelmx1986...
  
 Could you possibly stop turbo posting on this thread as you are ruining it for people who are coming here looking for information about the Sony NW-WM models.
  
 No-one here is interested in your dear diary entries which are totally irrelevant to this thread.
  
 We get it. You're excited about the new Walkmans. You don't need to post every hour about it.


----------



## fish1050

thischarmingman said:


> gerelmx1986...
> 
> Could you possibly stop turbo posting on this thread as you are ruining it for people who are coming here looking for information about the Sony NW-WM models.
> 
> ...


 
 You are the new guy on these forums and should show a little respect to those who have been here much longer and contributed something.
  
 Keep it civil please in future posts.


----------



## JamesInLondon

nanaholic said:


> Sony HK had a press event today and the 1Z will go on sale in November for HKD$24,980.


 

 Thanks; but did they mention when the 1A will be launched? I am now rather looking forward to the (slim) chance to do a test between the capped/non capped versions.
  
 Thanks
 James


----------



## Mark2010

audioxxx said:


> It's a little silly this whole Amazon stuff up, and probably the only way to sell a capped European model..
> 
> Almost a clever way to sell a capped Walkman, that would have had so few orders, considering the Japanese model isn't even available for order (or is it?) as they always get the gear first.
> 
> I would never buy the capped version. Considering this Walkman is designed for full size headphones, with heaps of power, this could turn out a real lemon CAPPED..


 
  
 Buying a capped version of this player would be like buying a Ferrari were the speed is limited to 70 MPH.
  
 It just wouldn't be right.
  
 At that sort of price level any compromise on performance is unacceptable in my opinion.


----------



## audioxxx

mark2010 said:


> Buying a capped version of this player would be like buying a Ferrari were the speed is limited to 70 MPH.
> 
> It just wouldn't be right.
> 
> At that sort of price level any compromise on performance is unacceptable in my opinion.



Very well put..

The worst part will be the disappointment when the (speed limiter) volume cap kicks in, and you just know that thing could have been a dream machine if it didn't automatically limit it's power.. 
And personally I can't handle all the cap questions bad reviews because of the cap, more impossible questions on how to remove the cap, all the cursing because of this foolish cap.

Don't do it to your self ( think this out clearly, you are not gambling) quit the order, and thank me later...


----------



## audiophilers

NW-WM1Z is $3200....holy crap
  
 I'm not a fan of gold color... do they offer this in gun metal color too?


----------



## audiophilers

An interesting little device... but surprisingly it doesn't come with a microSD card slot...


----------



## purk

I once bought the Sony A867 from a site in England and the volume cap is real.  Not only that it come with a weaker volume but the sound also suffer when it was directly compared to the US unit.  I will never buy the Euro Walkman ever again.


----------



## audiophilers

what's reason for European volume cap law? 
 I've never heard of it in US or Asia.


----------



## ThisCharmingMan

fish1050 said:


> You are the new guy on these forums and should show a little respect to those who have been here much longer and contributed something.
> 
> Keep it civil please in future posts.


 
  
 I wouldn't worry yourself about how long you think I've been around these forums.  Suffice to say it's long enough to indeed have respect for those who contribute something.


----------



## fish1050

thischarmingman said:


> I wouldn't worry yourself about how long you think I've been around these forums.  Suffice to say it's long enough to indeed have respect for those who contribute something.


 
 Not based on your previous post.


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiophilers said:


> An interesting little device... but surprisingly it doesn't come with a microSD card slot...


 

 it has one


----------



## fish1050

Hands On Review
  
 Whathifi has a Hands-On-Review of the WM-1Z for those who have not seen it yet.  http://www.whathifi.com/sony/nw-wm1z/review. 
  
 Not super indepth but it gives a decent evaluation.


----------



## fish1050

Actually there are quite a few sites evaluating the WM-1Z,
  
 Here is a list if you guys need something to pull you away from this forum, at least temporarily 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/5/12799652/sony-signature-walkman-z1r-headphones-ifa-2016
  
 https://recombu.com/mobile/article/hands-on-sony-walkman-nw-wm1z-review-mp3-player-signature#
  
 http://www.geek.com/news/new-gold-plated-walkman-weighs-a-pound-sells-for-3199-1669715/
  
 https://www.engadget.com/2016/09/02/sony-nw-wm1z-walkman/


----------



## nanaholic

jamesinlondon said:


> Thanks; but did they mention when the 1A will be launched? I am now rather looking forward to the (slim) chance to do a test between the capped/non capped versions.
> 
> Thanks
> James


 
  
 Simultaneous release in Hong Kong.  Actually all of the Signature series gear will be available at the same time apparently.


----------



## fish1050

Sony at CANJAM 2016
  
 Sony will be at the show *October 7-9,​**2016 in Colorado​*  
 This is the big show for showing off new headphones but lots of other products will be shown.  This could be the first chance to see the new Sony DAP's and other products in North America.  We should get some good hands-on-reviews from the show.


----------



## emrelights1973

I am quite dissapointing seeing my fellow headfiers rush to cash on a mistake by amazon, i am sure you will not complain here if some retailer profits by your mistake some day! Ethics please! 

Now a question abour volume caps, will 1a be more powerfull thsn zx2? Or what ever the ouyput power ir they capped at same level?


----------



## AnakChan

emrelights1973 said:


> I am quite dissapointing seeing my fellow headfiers rush to cash on a mistake by amazon, i am sure you will not complain here if some retailer profits by your mistake some day! Ethics please!
> 
> Now a question abour volume caps, will 1a be more powerfull thsn zx2? Or what ever the ouyput power ir they capped at same level?


 


 Hear, hear. Furthermore, should Amazon fulfills that mistake, anyone attempting to sell the DAP at a profit on Head-Fi will be dealt with accordingly. Proof of purchase price should be made readily available upon demand.
  
 Meanwhile, I've reserved a NW-WM1Z for a friend in e-earphone which is stated to be available 29th Oct. It seems at least in Japan, the NW-WM1A will be released on the same date. So it's interesting to see mid Sept and early Oct releases overseas.


----------



## audiophilers

NW-WM1A vs ZX2 ???
  
 The pricing is the same and their features and storage are the same..
  
 What's difference between WM1A and ZX2  besides looks?


----------



## purk

audiophilers said:


> NW-WM1A vs ZX2 ???
> 
> The pricing is the same and their features and storage are the same..
> 
> What's difference between WM1A and ZX2  besides looks?


 
 You should search this thread or visit Sony website.  It has been covered many times actually.  For short, one is Andriod based while another is Sony OS.  One has balanced output with beefier headphones out while another has weak but excellence output if you mainly want to drive CIEMs.


----------



## audiophilers

purk said:


> You should search this thread or visit Sony website.  It has been covered many times actually.  For short, one is Andriod based while another is Sony OS.  One has balanced output with beefier headphones out while another has weak but excellence output if you mainly want to drive CIEMs.


 
  
 I see that. Exterior design-wise, ZX2 is still better.
  
 Spec-wise, they appear the same. They have same 30 hour playing time, same format supports, same price, etc...
  
 Does WM1A sound better than ZX2 ? 
  
 Long time ago, I was considering ZX2 because someone told me it sounds better than AK240.


----------



## MarkTwain

audiophilers said:


> I see that. Exterior design-wise, ZX2 is still better.
> 
> Spec-wise, they appear the same. They have same 30 hour playing time, same format supports, same price, etc...
> 
> ...


 
  
 Based on most users, these are some basic beliefs/assumptions:
 - More Expensive in Price = Sounds Better
 - More DAC = Sounds Better
 - Dual DAC always sound better than Single DAC
 - Balanced always sound better than Single output
 - Newer DAP has better technology thus creates Better Sound
 - Higher power output = better sounding than lower output
  
 So if you have the similar beliefs/assumptions listed above, it is easy to find your ideal DAP. No need to do audition at all.


----------



## audiophilers

marktwain said:


> Based on most users, these are some basic beliefs/assumptions:
> - More Expensive in Price = Sounds Better
> - More DAC = Sounds Better
> - Dual DAC always sound better than Single DAC
> ...


 
  
 Well, ZX2 and WM1A both have the same DAC (burrBrown).
  
 They priced the same $1,120 USD. 
  
 I don't know if there's a significant difference between Android OS and Sony OS.
  
 and it's hard to tell ZX2 is an outdated DAP. Their size is about the same... as well as their weight.
  
  
  
 Is there anyone who listened to both?


----------



## purk

audiophilers said:


> Well, ZX2 and WM1A both have the same DAC (burrBrown).
> 
> They priced the same $1,120 USD.
> 
> ...


 
 They both use digital amp chip set with the WM1A having a higher power and newer module.  No DAC in both unit.  Sony OS should have better battery life.


----------



## Zakalwe

anakchan said:


> emrelights1973 said:
> 
> 
> > I am quite dissapointing seeing my fellow headfiers rush to cash on a mistake by amazon, i am sure you will not complain here if some retailer profits by your mistake some day! Ethics please!
> ...




Hmm, you two are hightlighting an interesting issue. And I think you are right, although I can understand those who jumped on the offer, as I can be morally flexible at times, too, and it is not ethics that kept me from ordering this one. However - and the following may sound like it is leading up to two wrongs making a right, but that is not my intention, so please bear with me - one should keep in mind that Amazon in Europe is one of the biggest tax avoiders. Similar to Apple (but in my understanding not quite as clumsily, which is why they are not the first in line in the current EU investigations) they are doing their best to exploit loopholes in national and international tax legislation, so that they can thrive in the societies that support them while shirking their responsibilities, funnelling away their profits to offshore tax havens. Now, that may not make it right to take things into your own hands and exploit Amazon's oversight. But, if we condemn those who try to exploit this mistaken Amazon offer for ethical reasons, then I think that for similar reasons we should also condemn those who post links to Amazon and those who buy anything at all from Amazon, and we should require that items sold on the forum were not originally purchased at Amazon. Supporting this company is at least as wrong as exploiting it.


----------



## Rei87

zakalwe said:


> Hmm, you two are hightlighting an interesting issue. And I think you are right, although I can understand those who jumped on the offer, as I can be morally flexible at times, too, and it is not ethics that kept me from ordering this one. However - and the following may sound like it is leading up to two wrongs making a right, but that is not my intention, so please bear with me - one should keep in mind that Amazon in Europe is one of the biggest tax avoiders. Similar to Apple (but in my understanding not quite as clumsily, which is why they are not the first in line in the current EU investigations) they are doing their best to exploit loopholes in national and international tax legislation, so that they can thrive in the societies that support them while shirking their responsibilities, funnelling away their profits to offshore tax havens. Now, that may not make it right to take things into your own hands and exploit Amazon's oversight. But, if we condemn those who try to exploit this mistaken Amazon offer for ethical reasons, then I think that for similar reasons we should also condemn those who post links to Amazon and those who buy anything at all from Amazon, and we should require that items sold on the forum were not originally purchased at Amazon. Supporting this company is at least as wrong as exploiting it.


 


 You are right, in that proof of purchase should always be provided to ensure the prevention of fraud. However, have you considered that the line to be drawn between what 'can' be sold, and what 'cannot' be sold is a very  arbitrary and gray line? These people did indeed legitimately pay for their player, abeit at a price beyond expectation, but still pay for it they did, and hence are the rightful owner of it in every way and aspect.

 So, lets say that we decide to deny these people the right to sell their player because they did not, according to your beliefs, pay the rightful market norm, and hence defrauded the system. By that logic, we should also deny anyone here who came into possession of their gear at a price that contrary to their market norm the right to sell their stuff here. So you bought a player for cheap off a a friend but now wish to offload it on the forum? Sorry! No can do. Did you win that shiny new player in your company's lucky draw? Oops, since you didnt pay for it, and dont have a receipt, you can't sell it. These people have, in essence, defrauded the original seller by paying less, and hence should not be allowed to resell it here. Does it sound ridiculous? Yes, it does. But this is the implication of the position taken here should you wish to use that logic to deny them the right to sell the player. 

 They legally own it, and legally have every right to do as they wish with it. The law exists, so that we dont exercise independent judgements of 'right and wrong' which is subjective and hence untrustworthy.


----------



## fish1050

European volume cap and why it exists.
  
 There has been alot of talk about the European volume cap which is set at 85 db and can be increased to 100 db for short periods.  85 db was chosen for the cap because studies have shown that listening to sound levels over 85 db for extended periods can damage the hairs in the inner ear which can lead to hearing loss.  Living in Canada we don't have that volume cap so I can't relate to the differences in volume.  
  
 To put this in perspective in the real world you would need to be exposed to constant volumes over 90 db (city traffic) for about 8 hours to suffer hearing loss for the average person. But you can listen to sounds at 85 db or lower almost indefinitely without suffering hearing loss. This explains why 85 db was specifically chosen. The recommended exposure level drops by half for every 5 db increase in loudness.  So for example at 100 db it drops to 2 hours.  I don't know about you but I almost never listen to music for more than 8 hours at a time so maybe 90 db would have been a more reasonable level.  A factor that has a big affect on volume of course is the headphone sensitivity which ranges from 80 to 125 SPL/mW or sometimes shown as db/V @ 1KHZ. 
  
So limiting the loudness at 85 db on an earphone with a sensitivity of only 80 db SPL/mW would likely not allow the headphones to reach a satisfying volume level.  On an earphone of 125 that would likely be to loud for most people.  So I guess the best solution is to buy your DAP and then order the most sensitive headphones possible to compensate for the cap.  Either that or get a headphone amplifier
  
It has been argued by some that it would be better to implement the cap in the iem/headphone so the manufacturer could design their headphones based on the specific market.  Headphones sold in the EU could be built with a higher sensitivity to compensate for the cap. Not sure how feasible that would be.


----------



## Zakalwe

rei87 said:


> You are right, in that proof of purchase should always be provided to ensure the prevention of fraud. However, have you considered that the line to be drawn between what 'can' be sold, and what 'cannot' be sold is a very  arbitrary and gray line? These people did indeed legitimately pay for their player, abeit at a price beyond expectation, but still pay for it they did, and hence are the rightful owner of it in every way and aspect.
> 
> 
> So, lets say that we decide to deny these people the right to sell their player because they did not, according to your beliefs, pay the rightful market norm, and hence defrauded the system. By that logic, we should also deny anyone here who came into possession of their gear at a price that contrary to their market norm the right to sell their stuff here. So you bought a player for cheap off a a friend but now wish to offload it on the forum? Sorry! No can do. Did you win that shiny new player in your company's lucky draw? Oops, since you didnt pay for it, and dont have a receipt, you can't sell it. These people have, in essence, defrauded the original seller by paying less, and hence should not be allowed to resell it here. Does it sound ridiculous? Yes, it does. But this is the implication of the position taken here should you wish to use that logic to deny them the right to sell the player.
> ...




Yes, I agree with you, actually. I do see the point about the ethical issues that the previous posters raised, too. But I felt that introducing such an ethics-based requirement for this particular case on the sales forum was a bit inconsistent, given that ethical concerns can be raised for many many more cases. So if one cares about ethics, one should not just single out one convenient case. Since the proposal or announcement to have such a requirement for NW-WM1Z-sales came from a moderator, rather than questioning moderation (which is a no-no in some forums, not really sure about here) I chose to go for a reductio-ad-absurdum argument - i.e. I see the ethical issue, but if we go ethical on this case, we should do this for all cases, and then we might as well close the sales forum.


----------



## fish1050

zakalwe said:


> Hmm, you two are hightlighting an interesting issue. And I think you are right, although I can understand those who jumped on the offer, as I can be morally flexible at times, too, and it is not ethics that kept me from ordering this one. However - and the following may sound like it is leading up to two wrongs making a right, but that is not my intention, so please bear with me - one should keep in mind that Amazon in Europe is one of the biggest tax avoiders. Similar to Apple (but in my understanding not quite as clumsily, which is why they are not the first in line in the current EU investigations) they are doing their best to exploit loopholes in national and international tax legislation, so that they can thrive in the societies that support them while shirking their responsibilities, funnelling away their profits to offshore tax havens. Now, that may not make it right to take things into your own hands and exploit Amazon's oversight. But, if we condemn those who try to exploit this mistaken Amazon offer for ethical reasons, then I think that for similar reasons we should also condemn those who post links to Amazon and those who buy anything at all from Amazon, and we should require that items sold on the forum were not originally purchased at Amazon. Supporting this company is at least as wrong as exploiting it.


 
  
  


rei87 said:


> You are right, in that proof of purchase should always be provided to ensure the prevention of fraud. However, have you considered that the line to be drawn between what 'can' be sold, and what 'cannot' be sold is a very  arbitrary and gray line? These people did indeed legitimately pay for their player, abeit at a price beyond expectation, but still pay for it they did, and hence are the rightful owner of it in every way and aspect.
> 
> So, lets say that we decide to deny these people the right to sell their player because they did not, according to your beliefs, pay the rightful market norm, and hence defrauded the system. By that logic, we should also deny anyone here who came into possession of their gear at a price that contrary to their market norm the right to sell their stuff here. So you bought a player for cheap off a a friend but now wish to offload it on the forum? Sorry! No can do. Did you win that shiny new player in your company's lucky draw? Oops, since you didnt pay for it, and dont have a receipt, you can't sell it. These people have, in essence, defrauded the original seller by paying less, and hence should not be allowed to resell it here. Does it sound ridiculous? Yes, it does. But this is the implication of the position taken here should you wish to use that logic to deny them the right to sell the player.
> 
> They legally own it, and legally have every right to do as they wish with it. The law exists, so that we dont exercise independent judgements of 'right and wrong' which is subjective and hence untrustworthy.


 
 Very interesting discussion here, for someone who follows a thread like this who knows what a DAP should be selling at would have to make a moral decision.  Do you buy at the lower price arguing it is the responsibility of amazon in this case to make sure the price is correct? Or is it equally the responsible for the buyer and the seller to conduct the transaction in good faith meaning neither side takes unfair advantage of the other.  I would guess the average consumer would argue the former and say it is amazon's fault for screwing up.  But for someone like me who owns their own business and enters into a contract with every client I would argue the latter and say we are equally responsible.
  
 Most manufacturers including Sony set a limit to how low a price a seller can price their product at.  If amazon for example in error sells the 1Z well below the set price.  Amazon contacts Sony for example and reports the error and gives them the serial numbers for the units sold at the incorrect price.  Sony in theory could deny the warranty when the purchaser tries to register it because the item was sold well below the lowest price limit invalidating the warranty.
  
 Probably an unlikely scenario but my paranoid nature would lead me to think this is a possibility and thus also lead me to not buying at the incorrect price.


----------



## audioxxx

Any one who thinks there going to be receiving a 1z for the price of a 1a is dreaming, You will have better luck with Santa I'm afraid.

And to make matters worse Amazon will be shipping you naughty kids a capped 1a...lol


----------



## denis1976

audioxxx said:


> Any one who thinks there going to be receiving a 1z for the price of a 1a is dreaming, You will have better luck with Santa I'm afraid.
> 
> And to make matters worse Amazon will be shipping you naughty kids a capped 1a...lol


 
 i am going to receive a 1a of course... people stop this cap or uncaped type of terrorism....
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 keep calm... if is caped i will buy a pair of headphones with 150 db1mw


----------



## audioxxx

denis1976 said:


> i am going to receive a 1a of course... people stop this cap or uncaped type of terrorism....:atsmile:  keep calm... if is caped i will buy a pair of headphones with 150 db1mw



Why buy a crippled device? It's not only the power and volume that suffers, it will be the overall dynamics as well, as the amplifier suffers from all sorts of changes, from what people have written about capped Walkman's. In the past.
Import it is your best option, cancel before it's too late
You have chosen some very harsh words to describe a person buying a crippled device, I don't think this appropriate language, if you choose to burn your money, don't call it anything but this.


----------



## JamesInLondon

audioxxx said:


> Any one who thinks there going to be receiving a 1z for the price of a 1a is dreaming, You will have better luck with Santa I'm afraid.
> 
> And to make matters worse Amazon will be shipping you naughty kids a capped 1a...lol


 

 Hi All;
  
 Actually, the worst that will happen is that I will be able to do a A/B test between my uncapped ZX2 and the capped 1A (after I have burned it in).
  
 Then I will have a chat with my friendly Amazon rep and explain how disappointed I am that I didn't get the gold 256gb device I ordered, they will offer to refund my money & I will return the gently used piece and someone will buy an 'open box' 1A shortly after and not have to bother about burning it in.
  
 And in a couple of months time, when all the brahouha has died down, I will pick up an uncapped version, either a 1Z or 1A (depending on how actual users report) next time I am in the US/HK/Singapore or Japan; all of which I should be visiting before the end of the year.
  
 Or, if the 1A sounds fabulous, capped or not, then I might just keep the damned thing!!
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## Zakalwe

Who knows, maybe someone eventually finds the right button combination to get into the service menu and disable the EU cap. It has happened before.


----------



## denis1976

audioxxx said:


> Why buy a crippled device? It's not only the power and volume that suffers, it will be the overall dynamics as well, as the amplifier suffers from all sorts of changes, from what people have written about capped Walkman's. In the past.
> Import it is your best option, cancel before it's too late
> You have chosen some very harsh words to describe a person buying a crippled device, I don't think this appropriate language, if you choose to burn your money, don't call it anything but this.


i had a caped ( every body says yes but i don't have evidences) zx2 and the sound with iem's was awsome...the 20% cap myth is awsome to...


----------



## audioxxx

denis1976 said:


> i had a caped ( every body says yes but i don't have evidences) zx2 and the sound with iem's was awsome...the 20% cap myth is awsome to...




You could cap a zx2 buy half it's power, and it's still would be a great sounding unit. I would agree with this.

With the 1a geared towards a high power output, for usage with full size open back headphones, I think it's a different case. 
(It's a power house) And the device won't be nearly as great as the full power version. IMO 
 Hey, I could be outrightly wrong. I hope I am, as well. 

Or hope/pray for a service menu hack as an alternative.

Just remembered, Sony had to remove the battery out of the ph3 to release it with power in EU.


----------



## denis1976

I have a Lotoopaw Gold with a great "CE" on the back and a Arm2 with that too and don't means any cap volume


----------



## audioxxx

denis1976 said:


> I have a Lotoopaw Gold with a great "CE" on the back and a Arm2 with that too and don't means any cap volume



Sony are different and comply with rules, they have millions of spare cash to pay for fines.
Lottoopaw on the other hand figure no headphones have been supplied, there for there's no cap needed.
And their right.

Sony are being very cautious by doing this and really don't have to cap anything, because no headphones are being supplied, so the hole cap idea is really crap in the first place. 
Because you can still plug in really sensitive headphones and blow your hearing even in a capped Sony DAP.


----------



## Rei87

W





jamesinlondon said:


> Hi All;
> 
> Actually, the worst that will happen is that I will be able to do a A/B test between my uncapped ZX2 and the capped 1A (after I have burned it in).
> 
> ...




Wasn't that the original idea? Altho kicking up a fuss and insisiting they honour the price and send a 1Z later is a possible option.


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## denis1976

When someone proves that an uncaped Japonese zx2 can drive a hifiman he 1000 properly , them i will begin to hate the "caps"


----------



## denis1976

audioxxx said:


> Sony are different and comply with rules, they have millions of spare cash to pay for fines.
> Lottoopaw on the other hand figure no headphones have been supplied, there for there's no cap needed.
> And their right.
> 
> ...


The AVLS should be enough...


----------



## Zakalwe

audioxxx said:


> denis1976 said:
> 
> 
> > I have a Lotoopaw Gold with a great "CE" on the back and a Arm2 with that too and don't means any cap volume
> ...




Actually, since 2013 the EU standard EN 50332 part 2 also requires caps on devices without supplied headphones.


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## gerelmx1986

Lets see whos next of european release


----------



## audioxxx

zakalwe said:


> Actually, since 2013 the EU standard EN 50332 part 2 also requires caps on devices without supplied headphones.



Good to know this, thanks


----------



## Whitigir

zakalwe said:


> Actually, since 2013 the EU standard EN 50332 part 2 also requires caps on devices without supplied headphones.




And to  I say this, Sony has confirmed on the European Walkman A and Z model alike is to be CAPPED, and if you do not want this handicap, you will buy it from other regions or import. This is not Sony fault.

Also, please be realistic, Portable Walkman is portable Walkman. If you want to compare a Walkman to a Desktop amp, I guess you would just call it "an end to desktop amp". Fortunately not, Sony released ES desktop amp. This means desktop will always have a better hand upon full size headphones. However, Walkman is very capable of driving sensitive headphones now as Z and A are being advertised to drive Z1R directly.

Be glad that Sony is progressing upward with their own technology and non of the "off the shelves" stuff , then charge an arm and leg for it.

Whoever complain about no Android on the new Walkman ? You can buy Zx2. The 1A and Z is the statement from Sony

Sony is Back, and the Walkman is "all Sony, very Sony". Period.

To top of the plate, there are plenty of people in Asia and Japan nervously waiting this 1Z. In their eyes, this 1Z will leave AK380 in dust in all form/performance/pricing  . Thanks Sony to release 1A also for 40% of the 1Z pricing


----------



## fish1050

whitigir said:


> And to
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 If I want a Sony DAP I will probably have to import it because Sony Corporate Canada who I just spoke to on the phone has no idea at all when or if any of the A20, A30, ZX100 or the WM series DAP's will be available in Canada.  All are listed as "Available Soon" and the ZX100 and A20 series have suggested prices listed but zero availability now and possibly ever.  The first person I spoke to actually asked me if I had checked any of the Sony stores in Canada for information.  All the Canadian stores were closed early last year and he had no idea.  I honestly don't know if I trust buying a product from Sony anymore if they are that clueless.


----------



## proedros

The EU ZX2 volume cap is NOT a myth , but a fact

 i own(ed) both EU and Japan Zx2 and , the Japan version is louder by a significant amount 
  
 how much ? let the numbers speak

 i listened to my flac files on the eu zx2 usually between 50-80% volume, i listen to the same flac files on the jpn zx2 usually between 30-50% volume

 do the maths , and decide what you want.

 In any case , if i buy the 1a, 98% it will be the non-eu version - i leave a 2% for the scenario where i find a eu version selling for something like 300 euros
  
 in that case yeah , i will buy the eu 1a, try it, sell it , and then wait for a japan 1a


----------



## purk

proedros said:


> The EU ZX2 volume cap is NOT a myth , but a fact
> 
> i own(ed) both EU and Japan Zx2 and , the Japan version is louder by a significant amount
> 
> ...


 
 How about the sound quality?  I went through something similar with earlier released walkman and the EU one did suffer some sound restriction compared to the Japanese & US ones too.  Thanks for confirming again.


----------



## denis1976

proedros said:


> The EU ZX2 volume cap is NOT a myth , but a fact
> 
> i own(ed) both EU and Japan Zx2 and , the Japan version is louder by a significant amount
> 
> ...


 
 i never heard my "capped" version at 80%...


----------



## Gibraltar

For EU people planning to import one of these DAPs, it's worth keeping in mind that the Japanese model will most likely only support Japanese UI. I haven't seen the latest Sony OS models, but older ones I've owned were all like that.


----------



## denis1976

denis1976 said:


> i never heard my "capped" version at 80%...


 
 and if i order a japan version and stops here in the customs is more 23% of tax plus customs handling....yes i do the maths it costs me arround 1600euros...screw**ck the cap and uncap what i want is that it plays better than my previous "caped" zx2 with the SAME iem`s


----------



## nc8000

denis1976 said:


> and if i order a japan version and stops here in the customs is more 23% of tax plus customs handling....yes i do the maths it costs me arround 1600euros...screw**ck the cap and uncap what i want is that it plays better than my previous "caped" zx2 with the SAME iem`s




Yep, to import to Denmark from outside EU I have to add 25% VAT, 2% import tax and $30 customs handling fee.


----------



## Whitigir

gibraltar said:


> For EU people planning to import one of these DAPs, it's worth keeping in mind that the Japanese model will most likely only support Japanese UI. I haven't seen the latest Sony OS models, but older ones I've owned were all like that.




I hear that the new Walkman OS supports English as well beside their regional languages. But it is better to make sure though


----------



## purk

denis1976 said:


> i never heard my "capped" version at 80%...


 
  
 That number is about right actually.  It was 4 or 5 click lower in volume level compared to the Japanese & US units.


gibraltar said:


> For EU people planning to import one of these DAPs, it's worth keeping in mind that the Japanese model will most likely only support Japanese UI. I haven't seen the latest Sony OS models, but older ones I've owned were all like that.


 
 This is true as well.  I would import from the US market instead.  Unless you can buy an international model from an airport or something.


----------



## denis1976

purk said:


> That number is about right actually.  It was 4 or 5 click lower in volume level compared to the Japanese & US units.
> This is true as well.  I would import from the US market instead.  Unless you can buy an international model from an airport or something.


 
 In Portugal 99% of what comes out of the EU countrys stops at customs , some times takes a month to be delivered, with huge taxes...so is not for 4 or 5 cliks that i am going to take that risk


----------



## cthomas

Will the Australian version have volume cap?


----------



## Whitigir

Funny, people really want streaming music. Sony is to offer their streaming services soon 

https://www.droidmen.com/sony-launches-now-music-streaming-service/

Will it work with 1Z or A ? Who knows ? I think it will because the new Walkman has Bluetooth connection


----------



## proedros

purk said:


> *How about the sound quality?  *I went through something similar with earlier released walkman and the EU one did suffer some sound restriction compared to the Japanese & US ones too.  Thanks for confirming again.


 
  
 to answer that objectively, i would have to A/B them simultaneously which i can't
  
 maybe the japan is more effortless as it never goes more than 50%, maybe it's not
  
 i am a ciem guy so if i had to live with the eu i would - thing is that i wanted to have a non-cap model so that i don't see the volume level reach 80-85%
  
  
 what's for sure , is that it feels better - *on a mental note *- to know that i never pass the 50% mark with the jpn model

 as for the customs thing , i agree that it is a bitch so i would never buy a japan version new and have to be slaughtered by customs taxes here in Greece
  
 that's why i bought my jpn zx2 used/like new from a EU seller , it also helps that the price was like 40% of what i would pay if i bought it new from Greece 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
*one last thing about the volume difference - it's not just 4-5 clicks more on the eu zx2, it would be more like 10-15 clicks more*
  
*cheers*


----------



## audioxxx

cthomas said:


> Will the Australian version have volume cap?




I have asked a Sony store manager and they don't think so, however don't know.
There are no laws I'm aware of that state Australia has a volume cap.

As well as no message that pops up and reduces the volume on my zx2 if left at high volumes for longer than 24hrs.
So I don't think AU have a cap.

I use my zx2 at just under half volume most days as well. Plenty power for me, and never find it lacking with iem's. So if the 1a is the same, it will have no cap.


----------



## phonomat

audioxxx said:


> Why buy a crippled device? *It's not only the power and volume that suffers, it will be the overall dynamics as well, as the amplifier suffers from all sorts of changes, from what people have written about capped Walkman's. In the past.
> Import it is your best option, cancel before it's too late
> You have chosen some very harsh words to describe a person buying a crippled device, I don't think this appropriate language, if you choose to burn your money, don't call it anything but this.*


*


Are you absolutely positive about that? Seems unlikely that Sony would compromise on sound quality (as opposed to sheer volume) just to be on the safe side.*


----------



## audioxxx

phonomat said:


> Are you absolutely positive about that? Seems unlikely that Sony would compromise on sound quality (as opposed to sheer volume) just to be on the safe side.



I have read it several times that people feel the cap has changed more than the volume, as far as the sound goes, and no I can't be sure of it, because I wouldn't buy a capped Walkman. 
However, if reducing the power had to be done no matter what, it's logical the sound will become affected, as it's now going outside the design parameters by being limited and reduced.


----------



## proedros

audioxxx said:


> *I have read it several times that people feel the cap has changed more than the volume, as far as the sound goes,* and no I can't be sure of it, because I wouldn't buy a capped Walkman.
> However, if reducing the power had to be done no matter what, it's logical the sound will become affected, as it's now going outside the design parameters by being limited and reduced.


 
  
 you insist on speculating , and in a negative way no less

 read again my post , a few posts back -unlike you i owned both cap/no vol cap versions and i did not perceive any changes in sound dynamics 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 and please stop being that negative through mere speculation - makes your post almost useless - if not malignant

 cheers


----------



## audioxxx

Take it as you wish.

If the sound was the same, you wasted a lot of time and effort, changing your zx2 over for no good reason, than a different spot on a volume dial, and then you forgot to tell everyone what a waste of time that was

Cheers


----------



## proedros

btw , i am also gonna buy a non-capped version of 1a , so we are on the same side
  
 yes sony SUCKS for implementing this bs vol cap , no question about it
  
 and your aussie zx2 is definitely a non capped version , from what you wrote 3-4 posts back so yu are fine 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 cheers


----------



## purk

I know that the sound *did* suffer on the WM-A867 walkman, but I can't confirm on the recent models regarding the volume cap may have adverse affect on sound quality.  I know better not to buy the EU unit after that.
  
 I wonder how would they put a volume limitation on a 200 mW/channel device.  15 mW/channel on  the ZX2 & ZX100 are already way too loud on my JH13pro as well as lower impedance phones.


----------



## nc8000

purk said:


> I know that the sound *did* suffer on the WM-A867 walkman, but I can't confirm on the recent models regarding the volume cap may have adverse affect on sound quality.  I know better not to buy the EU unit after that.
> 
> I wonder how would they put a volume limitation on a 200 mW/channel device.  15 mW/channel on  the ZX2 & ZX100 are already way too loud on my JH13pro as well as lower impedance phones.




You must listen loud then. I don't go over 20-25% on my EU ZX2 with JH13 before it gets unbeareable. 

Edit: Sorry, got your post the wrong way round


----------



## audioxxx

purk said:


> I know that the sound *did* suffer on the WM-A867 walkman, but I can't confirm on the recent models regarding the volume cap may have adverse affect on sound quality.  I know better not to buy the EU unit after that.
> 
> I wonder how would they put a volume limitation on a 200 mW/channel device.  15 mW/channel on  the ZX2 & ZX100 are already way too loud on my JH13pro as well as lower impedance phones.



This is my point the 15mw device needs capping, then by trying to cap a much more powerful 200mw device, well things are going to go really bad..

I can not paint this into a pretty picture for you, as much as you want me to @proedros.

And yes thank goodness our system hasn't wrecked the way portable audio is sold in AU.


----------



## purk

@audioxxx
  
 You have a point there.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have been there, i had my first sony walkman, bought it in USA an E-507 and it was so crippled that i had you se between 24/30 and 27/30 volumen to be listeneable


----------



## audioxxx

I was also thinking maybe they handled the balanced side differently, so they cap the 3.5mm appropriately, as always.
And the 4.4mm balanced left with more juice, for much harder to drive headphones.

But once again just a speculation, and time will reveal all.


----------



## phonomat

^^That would actually be _unlistenable to me. On my (capped, I assume) ZX1 coupled with the Meze 99 Classic, I listen at 15 to 18 clicks, which is plenty loud. Everything over 20 would be pretty much unbearable over an expended period of time. It's a total non-issue for me, the kind of thing that gets blown out of proportion by an unhealthy combination of audiophilia nervosa and your normal internet hysteria.  I dare you to max out one of these "crippled" devices and listen to one album that way. I know I couldn't. And if you can and do, you probably should be saved from yourself.  But I agree that everyone should be able to do to themselves what they want, so more power to you!
Of course, much depends on choice of headphone/earphone and even music, so there are a lot of variables, but this is a portable device after all --what kind of monster headphones are people going to drive with it?_


----------



## cthomas

audioxxx said:


> I have asked a Sony store manager and they don't think so, however don't know.
> There are no laws I'm aware of that state Australia has a volume cap.
> 
> As well as no message that pops up and reduces the volume on my zx2 if left at high volumes for longer than 24hrs.
> ...




Thanks mate, good to know. Was just worried about more power hungry headphones. Didn't want to have to import one especially considering the 1a is cheaper here than anywhere else it seems.


----------



## audioxxx

cthomas said:


> Thanks mate, good to know. Was just worried about more power hungry headphones. Didn't want to have to import one especially considering the 1a is cheaper here than anywhere else it seems.



I am curious about the 1a seeing the 1z is out of the question.
Also still feel that the zx2 is still a lovely DAP, that it should do me for a few years.
 But I also wouldn't mind trying the balanced 4.4mm standard and seeing if it actually sounds better. And the price is looking good. Almost makes up for stinging us on the $1600 zx2.


----------



## cthomas

audioxxx said:


> I am curious about the 1a seeing the 1z is out of the question.
> Also still feel that the zx2 is still a lovely DAP, that it should do me for a few years.
> But I also wouldn't mind trying the balanced 4.4mm standard and seeing if it actually sounds better. And the price is looking good. Almost makes up for stinging us on the $1600 zx2.




True the zx2 is very expensive. Never bought it only have the zx1 I bought through pricejapan, this thing definitely can't drive power hungry cans. As for the difference with balanced I'm sure it'll sound better. I used to own the pha-3 which I used through balanced with my SE846'S and it was incredible how good it sounded. Now I'm hoping someone can do a 1a/pha3 comparison. Still considering buying a pha-3 again.


----------



## audioxxx

There's a lot of positive stuff out there for the pha3, although the battery life and pure DSD should be enough to sway you, as well as portability, new plug standard and new type of high end cap. Although the Sony way if handling audio seems to sound more warmer, and not hot on the treble, which is what I like. Then the 1a should be very good, I like how it will power big open headphones. And small IEMs.


----------



## cthomas

Yeah it's definitely looking like the best choice. Zx1 has no sd card slot so I mainly use my Xperia which is very quiet. And when I had the pha3 on for more than an hour it would become very hot which isn't a good thing in Aus. I'm interested to see how the new dap compares considering they're different DAC's and 1a is slightly less powerful. But it's nice to have physical skip buttons unlike using my phone. And those vu meters and spectrum analyzer are frickin awesome.


----------



## fish1050

rei87 said:


> W
> Wasn't that the original idea? Altho kicking up a fuss and insisiting they honour the price and send a 1Z later is a possible option.


 
 Actually amazon might have figured it out,  out of curiosity I went to amazon UK and left an email requesting confirmation that they would ship to Canada and that I was interested in the WM1Z in black.  Their response was the black won't be available to order as it will not be in stock before the 1Z and may require a correction.  No specifics given on what that correction will be.


----------



## audioxxx

cthomas said:


> Yeah it's definitely looking like the best choice. Zx1 has no sd card slot so I mainly use my Xperia which is very quiet. And when I had the pha3 on for more than an hour it would become very hot which isn't a good thing in Aus. I'm interested to see how the new dap compares considering they're different DAC's and 1a is slightly less powerful. But it's nice to have physical skip buttons unlike using my phone. And those vu meters and spectrum analyzer are frickin awesome.



Yeah the excessive heat is no good and is the reason the battery goes flat so quickly. Heat is wasted battery.

Using class D gives super efficient power with no excessive heat generated, the zx2 runs completely at room temp no matter the usage, I would imagine with such good battery run times, the 1a will be the same super efficient running cold technology. Which is quite amazing in itself.


----------



## fish1050

whitigir said:


> Funny, people really want streaming music. Sony is to offer their streaming services soon
> 
> https://www.droidmen.com/sony-launches-now-music-streaming-service/
> 
> Will it work with 1Z or A ? Who knows ? I think it will because the new Walkman has Bluetooth connection


 
 Sony's home receivers (I have the STRDN860) support google cast, and wifi.  With google cast you stream the audio to your smart phone or table and then send it via wifi to the receiver to listen.  Since none of the DAP's will have google cast capability Sony will be relying on their smartphones and tablets for the streaming music service. Kind of a gamble as the future of their smartphones and tablets are in question. They may have to rely on other smartphone users to support their streaming service.  Just another curious decision for Sony moving away from DAP's with streaming services just when they are about to start their own streaming service.
  
 Maybe at some point Sony will release a stand alone product strictly for streaming audio via google cast to support their music service.  I guess they could have their streaming service stream directly to their home receivers.  Time will tell I guess


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will try an 1A because that circuitry seems nice and i want more power  lets see what the european users says about the capped units before i jump in and buy it in germany in december


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> I will try an 1A because that circuitry seems nice and i want more power  lets see what the european users says about the capped units before i jump in and buy it in germany in december


 
 So I am guessing you are interested in the 1A, because it isn't really clear from your posts...lol


----------



## proedros

fish1050 said:


> Actually amazon might have figured it out,  *out of curiosity I went to amazon UK and left an email requesting confirmation that they would ship to Canada and that I was interested in the WM1Z in black.  *Their response was the black won't be available to order as it will not be in stock before the 1Z and may require a correction.  No specifics given on what that correction will be.


 
  
 actually you may have tipped amazon off and ****ed all the people who bought it and hoped for getting a 1z instead
  
 curiosity killed (not the cat but) the 1A deal


----------



## phonomat

Well if you're afraid that someone blew your cover, then chances are you were up to no good in the first place, right? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 Also, there is no evidence that any cats or fishy (heh) deals were harmed during @fish1050's inquiry.


----------



## fish1050

proedros said:


> actually you may have tipped amazon off and ****ed all the people who bought it and hoped for getting a 1z instead
> 
> curiosity killed (not the cat but) the 1A deal


 
 You are deluded if you think you were ever going to get the deal  I simply wanted to confirm that amazon UK would ship to Canada should I ever wish to purchase something that amazon Canada does not offer.  Your lack of morality is your cross to bear, not mine.


----------



## vilhelm44

I think morality would come into it if it were a small company but we're talking about Amazon here, a corporate company who also happen to avoid paying their taxes. It's more opportunistic than anything else. I wouldn't say delusional either, do I think I'll get the 1Z? Probably not but there's no harm in trying.


----------



## proedros

vilhelm44 said:


> I think morality would come into it if it were a small company but we're talking about Amazon here, a corporate company who also happen to avoid paying their taxes. It's more opportunistic than anything else. I wouldn't say delusional either, do I think I'll get the 1Z? Probably not but there's no harm in trying.


 
  
 wow, another person with ''lack of morality'', i am shocked 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 hey maybe we should compare our crosses and see which one bears a bigger one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 on a serious note , i have not ordered this mispriced az but i sure do hope people get a 1Z on a 1a price 

 and i would not try to sabotage this for them , just because i am jealous or whatever other issues i have inside me
  
 good luck guys , one more day before shipment begins


----------



## fish1050

vilhelm44 said:


> I think morality would come into it if it were a small company but we're talking about Amazon here, a corporate company who also happen to avoid paying their taxes. It's more opportunistic than anything else. I wouldn't say delusional either, do I think I'll get the 1Z? Probably not but there's no harm in trying.


 
 There is no way of knowing if they were already aware of the problem before I got the reply. For all you know I could have been the 20th person who got a similar response. What is your size limit, how small does a company have to be before it becomes a moral question?  
  
 If you or anyone else on this forum wants the 1Z then pay the asking price like everyone else.  What makes you so special that you deserve to get a better deal, clearly it isn't your morality!


----------



## vilhelm44

My limit is companies who don't pay their taxes. Aside from that my morality will stay intact. How is the view from your high horse by the way? Is it a bit cloudy up there??


----------



## fish1050

This is starting to feel like the lord of the rings, the golden 1Z is "THE PRECIOUS" and a bunch of users a turning into golems.  
  
 I wonder if that was Sony's plan all along


----------



## vilhelm44

...and the name calling continues...very classy!


----------



## fish1050

vilhelm44 said:


> My limit is companies who don't pay their taxes. Aside from that my morality will stay intact. How is the view from your high horse by the way? Is it a bit cloudy up there??


 
 No it is crystal clear up hear, my conscience is clear, so no clouds. You see amazon as the giant corporation that avoids taxes.  I see amazon as thousands of people who are just trying to make a living and do pay their taxes.  I bet the amazon employee who made the mistake and posted the wrong information pays his taxes.  Do you


----------



## vilhelm44

Yes I do, thanks for asking.


----------



## fish1050

vilhelm44 said:


> ...and the name calling continues...very classy!


 
 Wow you really can't take a joke can you, lighten up already!


----------



## vilhelm44

I can as it goes as I have been laughing as I've posted. So all good


----------



## fish1050

vilhelm44 said:


> I can as it goes as I have been laughing as I've posted. So all good


 
 Glad to hear it, it is hard to convey context through straight text and it is easy for posts to be misinterpreted.


----------



## vilhelm44

Yeah, I know. Text is a tricky one, but no grieviances here


----------



## phonomat

vilhelm44 said:


> I think morality would come into it if it were a small company but we're talking about Amazon here, a corporate company who also happen to avoid paying their taxes. It's more opportunistic than anything else. I wouldn't say delusional either, do I think I'll get the 1Z? Probably not but there's no harm in trying.




No. Sorry, just no. Two wrongs don't make a right. Endy story.


----------



## vilhelm44

Well, if you say endy story then I guess you must be righty.


----------



## phonomat

Yuppy.


----------



## Mimouille

Besides the two ultra boring topics of the EU volume cap and the Amazon heist...among the few that have heard the WM1Z, did any have a chance to compare to the Ak380 or another top DAP? I listened to it but without my DAP with me to compare.


----------



## Jalo

mimouille said:


> Besides the two ultra boring topics of the EU volume cap and the Amazon heist...among the few that have heard the WM1Z, did any have a chance to compare to the Ak380 or another top DAP? I listened to it but without my DAP with me to compare.




Oh no not to AK380. It is to AK380cu, copper to copper, remember?   but you hit on two nails on the head, very good.


----------



## Mimouille

jalo said:


> Oh no not to AK380. It is to AK380cu, copper to copper, remember?   but you hit on two nails on the head, very good.


I would accept this comparison as well  but I am part of the skeptics who think the cu sounds the same as the regular one. Plus the CU tarnishes...

Anyways I want a sexy DAP and I am hesitating between Ak380, black or CU, and WM1Z. Or maybe just wait for the DX200, less of a wallet rape. Or what for. The AK480 or whatever.


----------



## vilhelm44

phonomat said:


> Yuppy.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I will try an 1A because that circuitry seems nice and i want more power  lets see what the european users says about the capped units before i jump in and buy it in germany in december
> ...


 

 ​Yes is the one my Budget allows


----------



## Leviticus

mimouille said:


> Besides the two ultra boring topics of the EU volume cap and the Amazon heist...among the few that have heard the WM1Z, did any have a chance to compare to the Ak380 or another top DAP? I listened to it but without my DAP with me to compare.


 

 Did you post your impressions of the WM1Z anywhere?


----------



## Jalo

mimouille said:


> I would accept this comparison as well  but I am part of the skeptics who think the cu sounds the same as the regular one. Plus the CU tarnishes...
> 
> Anyways I want a sexy DAP and I am hesitating between Ak380, black or CU, and WM1Z. Or maybe just wait for the DX200, less of a wallet rape. Or what for. The AK480 or whatever.



You are not a skeptic you just have not heard it enough. Anyway if I were you, I will hold my breath unit next year. By then AK, LPG should have their new totl dap out. I am still enamour by the LPG power amp section (500mv per channel) but hate their limitations (no digital out, poor UI etc). I love AK UI, their design and innovation but hate their customer relation. At this state, the Sony 1z is a bit too heavy, wish it has more amp power and memory. the 1z spec.is just catching up to current spec level. I really expect next year offerings will go up one more level. As of now, if I have to keep my 380cu forever, I will still be happy.


----------



## gerelmx1986

leviticus said:


> mimouille said:
> 
> 
> > Besides the two ultra boring topics of the EU volume cap and the Amazon heist...among the few that have heard the WM1Z, did any have a chance to compare to the Ak380 or another top DAP? I listened to it but without my DAP with me to compare.
> ...


 

 I think on headpie


----------



## Whitigir

If 1Z is anything like Zx2 with better soundstage, trebles ? It would be a killer. Oh, and do not forget the 250 hours agonizing burning in ...pwhew.....it can not get released soon enough


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> If 1Z is anything like Zx2 with better soundstage, trebles ? It would be a killer. Oh, and do not forget the 250 hours agonizing burning in
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I think 33h in FLAC high res is wonderful, i think it is the same figure for zx100? (i must check it), i dont think zx2 can achieve more tan two days of battery run time (with airplame mode ON) but yeah i bet ZX2 Has a bigger soundstage than zx100 (better for classical)


----------



## Sonic Defender

denis1976 said:


> i never heard my "capped" version at 80%...


 
 Corrected to say that you may like quieter playback levels mate, not everyone does so depending on the user the Cap is an issue. I say may as perhaps with a very easy to drive IEM the volume of the ZX2 could get loud enough with contemporary music.


----------



## nc8000

sonic defender said:


> Corrected to say that you may like quieter playback levels mate, not everyone does so depending on the user the Cap is an issue. I say may as perhaps with a very easy to drive IEM the volume of the ZX2 could get loud enough with contemporary music.




It certainly both depends on the user, the phone and the recording. If I were to go over 40% with either JH13 or Signature Pro I would be death


----------



## Mimouille

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think on headpie



Just first impressions : http://headpie.blogspot.com/2016/09/sony-signature-series-wm1z-impressions.html?m=1


----------



## fish1050

phonomat said:


> No. Sorry, just no. Two wrongs don't make a right. Endy story.


 
  
  


vilhelm44 said:


> Well, if you say endy story then I guess you must be righty.


 
  
  


phonomat said:


> Yuppy.


 
 You know your in trouble when users try to create their own language.  I've always been partial to Vulcan myself.


----------



## Sonic Defender

nc8000 said:


> It certainly both depends on the user, the phone and the recording. If I were to go over 40% with either JH13 or Signature Pro I would be death


 
 Makes sense. I used to have a 8200CD as well, it was my first USB DAC when I made the switch from dedicated CD players (Rega Apollo) to computer audio. Loved the Audiolab.


----------



## Whitigir

I like the Z more and more as I see impressions, thanks Mimouille. I like sound stage, thick, warmth, and this things hit every nails. How about better trebles energy, resolution and details ? That is the place I seek further from Zx2


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> I like the Z more and more as I see impressions, thanks Mimouille. I like sound stage, thick, warmth, and this things hit every nails. How about better trebles energy, resolution and details ? That is the place I seek further from Zx2


all good except treble energy. Jury's still out on this.


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> all good except treble energy. Jury's still out on this.




Were you using TRRS on 3.5 plug with ue5


----------



## nc8000

Interesting. The A is no longer on Amazon.uk, only the gold Z. My order is still there saying preparing to ship.


----------



## Rob49

nc8000 said:


> Interesting. The A is no longer on Amazon.uk, only the gold Z. My order is still there saying preparing to ship.


 
  
 Was just this second about to post that...it was showing yesterday.
  
 I guess they wouldn't state preparing for dispatch, if they hadn't got stock ?
  
 ( Sunday Sept 18th is an odd day for release...)


----------



## Leviticus

nc8000 said:


> Interesting. The A is no longer on Amazon.uk, only the gold Z. My order is still there saying preparing to ship


 
 It's not in stock on amazon.de either.


----------



## Whitigir

Here hoping for you to get it shipped with a 1Z. Because this is chump change to Amazon anyways


----------



## nc8000

Very odd indeed. On amazon.de the A is still showing but with no expected ship date. The Z is showing with the same 4th October ship date as it is on amazon.uk


----------



## Rob49

leviticus said:


> It's not in stock on amazon.de either.


 
  
 Quite frankly, i expected this to happen. The release date rang alarm bells for me.


----------



## proedros

well at least , our morality is now restored to its dignified level
  
 thank god - i was worried that amazon would collapse from this mispricing thing

 capitalism is restored, hip hip hurray


----------



## nc8000

Well my order has not been cancelled yet .....


----------



## denis1976

nc8000 said:


> Very odd indeed. On amazon.de the A is still showing but with no expected ship date. The Z is showing with the same 4th October ship date as it is on amazon.uk


is not odd the pre sale of the 1A ended today


----------



## denis1976

The pre order of 1Z ends at 4 of october


----------



## denis1976

Mine is only waiting to be shipped


----------



## denis1976

Delivery date 21 to 23 of september


----------



## denis1976

And the price has dropped since the pre order price...awsomemy invoice us allready made


----------



## denis1976

Detalles del pedido #404-0282466-6109129 
Imprime esta página para tus registros.

Pedido realizado: 13 de septiembre de 2016
Pedido Amazon.es número: 404-0282466-6109129
Total del pedido: EUR 1.167,97

Pendiente de envío

Productos comprados: Precio
1 de: Sony nwwm1z Audio de alta resolución Walkman (256 GB de memoria, ranura Micro SD, S Master HX Engine, cobre Carcasa 10,2 cm (4 pulgadas) pantalla LCD
Vendido por: Amazon EU S.a.r.L. 

Estado: Nuevo
EUR 1.158,80

Dirección de envío: 
Dinis Pereira
Rua Padre Andrade e Silva 339
porto, Gondomar 4420-240
Portugal

Velocidad de envío: 
Envío exprés 

Información de pago
Subtotal de producto(s): EUR 942,11
Envío: EUR 7,46
 -----
Total antes de impuestos: EUR 949,57
Impuestos: EUR 218,40
 -----
Total: EUR 1.167,97
 -----
Importe total: EUR 1.167,97
Método de pago: 
Visa / 4B / Euro6000 | Últimos dígitos: 9685 

Dirección de facturación:
americo dinis gandra pereira
rua padre andrade e silva 319
GONDOMAR, porto 4420-240
Portugal
Para ver el estado de tu pedido, vuelve a Resumen del pedido.

Atención: Esta no es una factura del IVA.


Condiciones de uso | Aviso de privacidad | Aviso legal © 2011-2015, Amazon.es, Inc.


----------



## proedros

denis1976 said:


> Detalles del pedido #404-0282466-6109129
> Imprime esta página para tus registros.
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 nice , let us know when/if they dispatch it


----------



## denis1976

Of course that is the 1A that they are sending, the picture is in black


----------



## proedros

denis1976 said:


> Of course that is the 1A that they are sending, the picture is in black


 
  
 well if i were a non-informed customer it would seem like you ordered 1Z and this is what you should receive in the end
  
 chances are though, that anyone who asks for 1Z at this price , will probably just get a refund


----------



## soundblast75

Don't be fooled by this Amazon date placing, they've done it before,i even called and they said its coming on time.But i am sure noone is getting it earlier than Japan release date


----------



## denis1976

soundblast75 said:


> Don't be fooled by this Amazon date placing, they've done it before,i even called and they said its coming on time.But i am sure noone is getting it earlier than Japan release date


keep calm....let's wait...


----------



## denis1976

denis1976 said:


> keep calm....let's wait...


by done it before don't means do ALLWAYS, if it was so no one would buy at Amazon


----------



## soundblast75

Called them again, not in stock, sorry to disappoint guys


----------



## Rob49

soundblast75 said:


> Called them again, not in stock, sorry to disappoint guys


 
  
 No surprise whatsoever ! They just wouldn't have a release date that falls on a Sunday.


----------



## nc8000

I'm just gonna let my order sit there and wait and see what happens


----------



## Rob49

nc8000 said:


> I'm just gonna let my order sit there and wait and see what happens


 
  
 Does it actually say, "Preparing for dispatch" ?


----------



## soundblast75

Yes,yes, preparing etc, mine should have been dispached today for delivery tomorrow..haha, i didn't think for a second that's the case..


----------



## Rob49

soundblast75 said:


> Yes,yes, preparing etc, mine should have been dispached today for delivery tomorrow..haha, i didn't think for a second that's the case..


 
  
 Well they can't prepare something they haven't got, but it still doesn't explain why it's not on their website ? It would say "temporarily out of stock".
  
 They told you on the phone it wasn't in stock ? Surely, they should have confirmed you won't be receiving your order then ??
  
 The mystery will soon be solved !


----------



## nc8000

rob49 said:


> Does it actually say, "Preparing for dispatch" ?


----------



## soundblast75

rob49 said:


> Well they can't prepare something they haven't got, but it still doesn't explain why it's not on their website ? It would say "temporarily out of stock".
> 
> They told you on the phone it wasn't in stock ? Surely, they should have confirmed you won't be receiving your order then ??
> 
> The mystery will soon be solved !



Its a preorder, no money taken, it will be delivered when available.
Japan can be your only point of reference here, its not like they are manufacturing a eu version quicker specifically for us desperados here


----------



## Rob49

"Dispatching soon", is very different to, "Preparing for dispatch". ( Even though it states "preparing", lower down. )


----------



## Leviticus

We Europeans had to wait a very long time for the ZX2 while it was already available in Asia. That almost drove me mental...


----------



## Leviticus

leviticus said:


> We Europeans had to wait a very long time for the ZX2 while it was already available in Asia. That almost drove me mental...


 
  
 Update: Amazon.de now says that the 1A will be ready for shipment within 1-3 months...
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 (Btw, I haven't pre-ordered it)
  
 Now the question is whether amazon had a few of the new Walkman in stock that will be shipped next week.


----------



## BartSimpson1976

Got an email from IT connect Singapore for the launch event on October 1st.


----------



## Rob49

bartsimpson1976 said:


> Got an email from IT connect Singapore for the launch event on October 1st.


 
  
 I think it's safe to say, that the 1Z will be available before the 1A & the rest of the world, won't receive it before Japan launch. ( Despite what's stated on Amazon websites. )


----------



## denis1976

leviticus said:


> Update: Amazon.de now says that the 1A will be ready for shipment within 1-3 months... (Btw, I haven't pre-ordered it)
> 
> Now the question is whether amazon had a few of the new Walkman in stock that will be shipped next week.


of course that's why the pre order period ended


----------



## Cecala

I'm glad they removed Android although I think due to a lack of info at this stage they did it because they did not upgrade the SOC.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> I'm glad they removed Android although I think due to a lack of info at this stage they did it because they did not upgrade the SOC.


 

 ​Maybe or the cost of hiring Android programmers, and testers as some posters said way before


----------



## gerelmx1986

leviticus said:


> leviticus said:
> 
> 
> > We Europeans had to wait a very long time for the ZX2 while it was already available in Asia. That almost drove me mental...
> ...


 

 Maybe they've got a batch and people got excited about it and now it has to dispatch it like it or not LOL


----------



## Sonic Defender

Yes, I think developers of DAPs, just look at the FiiO X7 are likely finding that while Android offers advantages, I'm speculating here, but it also seems to cause some significant integration issues. I can't blame Sony for walking away from Android if they did indeed find it to difficult to integrate well and maintain. I think the evidence from the ZX2, never an update, suggests just that.
  
 What I'm surprised at is that there is no other way to port in streaming services. I have to think that in the near future major streaming services can be used on DAPs that don't run Android, but again, I'm speculating  there.


----------



## JamesInLondon

rob49 said:


> Does it actually say, "Preparing for dispatch" ?


 

 Hi All;
  
 My order still says both "Arriving Tomorrow" and "Preparing for despatch"; but as it is already 15:25 in the UK, I don't somehow think that it it really going to be delivered on Monday.
  
 I awake just after midnight UK time (as I am in Hong Kong right now) and will be interested to see what it says then, because if it hasn't gone out by midnight, then there is no way it can be delivered to London on Monday.
  
 These are interesting times, let's just wait and see what happens.


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> Were you using TRRS on 3.5 plug with ue5


No that would be hard, where would I find such a cable?


----------



## JamesInLondon

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi All;
> 
> My order still says both "Arriving Tomorrow" and "Preparing for despatch"; but as it is already 15:25 in the UK, I don't somehow think that it it really going to be delivered on Monday.
> 
> ...


 

 Hi All;
  
 In the few minutes since posting, my order status has changed to 'Not yet despatched'; which I think means that it is ready to be shipped, but hasn't yet left the building. As an Amazon Prime member I get next day delivery, so it still says "Arriving Tomorrow".
  
 Interesting!!


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> No that would be hard, where would I find such a cable?




Damn, using SE and it impressed you that much ? Can't imagine TRRS or 4.4 true balanced out. Wow! Regarding your cables, there are a lot of people there in China to request for it ? Seeing you have the custom cables with all 8 cores, it would be very easy to reterminate


----------



## Rob49

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi All;
> 
> In the few minutes since posting, my order status has changed to 'Not yet despatched'; which I think means that it is ready to be shipped, but hasn't yet left the building. As an Amazon Prime member I get next day delivery, so it still says "Arriving Tomorrow".
> 
> Interesting!!


 
  
 Wouldn't it be easier to chat to them via their chat window, to see exactly what the status is ?


----------



## JamesInLondon

rob49 said:


> Wouldn't it be easier to chat to them via their chat window, to see exactly what the status is ?


 

 Hi Rob;
  
 I choose not to raise any 'ripples' of any kind on the surface.
  
 I want this to appear like any other order, so I choose to passively wait and see what happens.


----------



## Rob49

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi Rob;
> 
> I choose not to raise any 'ripples' of any kind on the surface.
> 
> I want this to appear like any other order, so I choose to passively wait and see what happens.


 
  
 .....still in the hope you're going to receive a 1Z, James ?? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 ( Zero chance. )
  
 I'm assuming they've removed the 1A details because they have realised their description mistake ?


----------



## Toolman

Just await the dreaded "Your order is cancelled" email from Amazon


----------



## Whitigir

To heck with the new 1Z+Z1R. I can blast away with Balanced TRRS silver cables from this rig....Zx2+SA5000 . Still remains the king of neutrality, trebles dynamic headphones . 5-100,000kHz response....wish I have those legendary R10 or Q10


----------



## Rei87

whitigir said:


> To heck with the new 1Z+Z1R. I can blast away with Balanced TRRS silver cables from this rig....Zx2+SA5000
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


 Lol...the ZX2 is anything but neutral...and the trebles on the ZX2 arent exactly its strong point either. 

 Look, I know that we all love our rigs, but its important to recognize that the new TOTL kids in the block do bring audible  enhancements above the old gen stuff, most of the times. Right now I'm jsut waiting for the upcoming 1Z unveiling to decide if it shd part ways with my 380CU for the sony player.


----------



## gerelmx1986

rei87 said:


> Lol...the ZX2 is anything but neutral...and the trebles on the ZX2 arent exactly its strong point either.
> 
> Look, I know that we all love our rigs, but its important to recognize that the new TOTL kids in the block do bring audible  enhancements above the old gen stuff, most of the times. Right now I'm jsut waiting for the upcoming 1Z unveiling* to decide if it shd part ways with my 380CU for the sony player.*


 
 I already parted ways with my ZX100


----------



## Whitigir

rei87 said:


> Lol...the ZX2 is anything but neutral...and the trebles on the ZX2 arent exactly its strong point either.
> 
> 
> Look, I know that we all love our rigs, but its important to recognize that the new TOTL kids in the block do bring audible  enhancements above the old gen stuff, most of the times. Right now I'm jsut waiting for the upcoming 1Z unveiling to decide if it shd part ways with my 380CU for the sony player.




I think you mis-understood what I am trying to say here lol


----------



## denis1976

rob49 said:


> .....still in the hope you're going to receive a 1Z, James ?? :wink_face:
> 
> ( Zero chance. )
> 
> I'm assuming they've removed the 1A details because they have realised their description mistake ?


they removed because the pre order period is ended...is it so hard to understand?


----------



## Gosod

whitigir said:


> Yes, it will have the volume Cap!


 
likely the Japanese version will have a volume limit.


----------



## Rob49

denis1976 said:


> they removed because the pre order period is ended...is it so hard to understand?


 
  
 Has your order dispatched yet ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????


----------



## denis1976

rob49 said:


> Has your order dispatched yet ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????


is yours?


----------



## Rob49

denis1976 said:


> is yours?


 
  
 No, not ordered one.


----------



## denis1976

rob49 said:


> No, note ordered one.


so why are you so worried about????????


----------



## Rob49

denis1976 said:


> so why are you so worried about????????


 
  
 Not worried about anything, are you ?


----------



## denis1976

rob49 said:


> Not worried about anything, are you ?


no


----------



## Gosod

and of course the Japanese version will be much more expensive European.


----------



## Whitigir

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]and of course the Japanese version will be much more expensive European.[/COLOR]




There is one on EBay going for $ 4500  grab it before it is gone !

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SONY-Digital-Audio-Hi-Res-Player-Walkman-256GB-WM1-Series-Gold-NW-WM1Z-N-/191971170129?hash=item2cb25f9751:g:U-oAAOSwmLlX2ZGJ


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will wait for accessoryJack prices are a bit lower and with lax mexican customs aaahhh no tax


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I will wait for accessoryJack prices are a bit lower and with lax mexican customs aaahhh no tax




Yeah, if you buy 1A it would be OK to risk it....but if you buy 1Z...better buy local because you are out 3-3.5k, you want warranty service A.S.A.P


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I will wait for accessoryJack prices are a bit lower and with lax mexican customs aaahhh no tax
> ...


 

 ​which one are you planning on buying? i 1A because Budget issues and sexy color


----------



## purk

whitigir said:


> There is one on EBay going for $ 4500  grab it before it is gone !
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/SONY-Digital-Audio-Hi-Res-Player-Walkman-256GB-WM1-Series-Gold-NW-WM1Z-N-/191971170129?hash=item2cb25f9751:g:U-oAAOSwmLlX2ZGJ




Whoever buy that Japan listing is a fool tho. Delivery date in November and English is likely not supported.


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​which one are you planning on buying? i 1A because Budget issues and sexy color




They are too expensive for my blood


----------



## Whitigir

purk said:


> Whoever buy that Japan listing is a fool tho. Delivery date in November and English is likely not supported.




Yeah, for that much money, you really want warranty services  too


----------



## Cagin

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]and of course the Japanese version will be much more expensive European.[/COLOR]


hmm I don't understand.on release the zx2 in Tokyo was around 800euros whereas in Belgium Sony BE still asked 1200euros for a capped unit.


----------



## leylandi

Devam


----------



## JamesInLondon

Hi All,

On the dot of midnight my order listing changed from "Arriving tomorrow" to "Arriving today", whilst the order status remained the same "Not yet despatched"

I doubt if anything will be arriving at all on Monday, and I wonder if anyone gets a delivery today.


----------



## soundblast75




----------



## gerelmx1986

Have you seen user manuals yet? I have been looking at sony sites and model not recognised or nothing found for manual


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> There is one on EBay going for $ 4500
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 It is more expensive than the normal 1Z so it must sound better ! I am buying it.


----------



## Cecala

mimouille said:


> It is more expensive than the normal 1Z so it must sound better ! I am buying it.


 

 Beat you to it, I purchased two to give me quadraphonic sound. When I receive them I also painting mine black.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> mimouille said:
> 
> 
> > It is more expensive than the normal 1Z so it must sound better ! I am buying it.
> ...


 

 ​It will give you inmersive sound experince, private concert hall


----------



## Cecala

hanes said:


> Hi!
> 
> *I tried both players today at IFA in Berlin! *
> 
> ...


 

 Excellent post and honest to a fault. You are correct and IMO opinion if anyone needs that sort of super High audio quality needs to be sitting in a chair and listening to their music not moving around in the real world were your attention should be to the surroundings(car, traffic, people etc.) and not concentrating on the sound quality alone. The Dap like the mobile phone has reached it's zenith with REAL innovation............ anything beyond now is a gimmick. To me any real progress should be them making these things smaller for the phone(Star Trek lapel size) and for the Dap at a lower cost. The cost of this thing is outrageous compared to what you get. I doubt very much if the sound quality is 10% better than the ZX2.


----------



## JamesInLondon

Hi All,

Between 4:00 & 5:00 UK time, my order status changed to "Not yet dispatched
Delivery estimate: We need a little more time to provide you with a good estimate. We'll notify you via e-mail as soon as we have an estimated delivery date."

As we thought, it was more than a little too good to be true, not just the promised 1Z/1A Screw up but the delivery date, also.

Stay tuned for further developments, most likely sometime in October 

James


----------



## FenderP

whitigir said:


> Yeah, for that much money, you really want warranty services
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I want ATRAC support, so I will probably buy the Japanese version.


----------



## audioxxx

Yeah, that's exactly what I'm waiting for a zx2 type quality sound, in a miniature form. 
I think my wallet will stay well closed till then.
As I struggle with the zx2 brick sometimes, and as an IEM user the 15mw is plentiful for my needs. So all that must be done is shrink this DAP.


----------



## proedros

soundblast75 said:


>


 
  
  
  you paid the 1A price, right ? 1000 pounds ?

 cause judging how in their mails amazon *refers to it as 1z gold* , i guess you have a legitimate shot when they send you a 1a to ask about taking it back and sending you a 1z


----------



## Toolman

No such thing...Amazon will just cancel your order and issue you a refund. I had experienced this type of product/pricing error several time buying photographic equipment (coincidentally they are also Sony LoL )


----------



## purk

audioxxx said:


> Yeah, that's exactly what I'm waiting for a zx2 type quality sound, in a miniature form.
> I think my wallet will stay well closed till then.
> As I struggle with the zx2 brick sometimes, and as an IEM user the 15mw is plentiful for my needs. So all that must be done is shrink this DAP.


 
 I am with you on this.  A high quality 15 mw is plenty for my custom IEMs requirement.


----------



## denis1976

Hello , i went in chat with Amazon and they confirmed that i am going to receiv a NW-WM1Z....what a F»?»»???»??K
 i think they are wrong , i allready receive a email confirming the delivery until friday...


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> Hello , i went in chat with Amazon and they confirmed that i am going to receiv a NW-WM1Z....what a F»?»»???»??K
> i think they are wrong , i allready receive a email confirming the delivery until friday...




Keep that hope up, but I think there is a mess within Amazon Eu.


----------



## Rob49

Sony U.K. just tweeted about the new headphones, signature range. Website says, RRP £1.700
  
 Tweeted to ask when the 1Z & 1A will be available, doubt whether i'll get a response ! ?


----------



## Whitigir

rob49 said:


> Sony U.K. just tweeted about the new headphones, signature range. Website says, RRP £1.700
> 
> Tweeted to ask when the 1Z & 1A will be available, doubt whether i'll get a response ! ?




Price drop already ?


----------



## fish1050

Bluetooth 4.2?
  
 It was reported in the A30 series thread that Sony was dropping support for Apt-X for the A30 series and the WM DAP's  The specifications for bluetooth for these DAP's simply lists bluetooth and NFC with no specific codecs mentioned
  
 I just did some research and found some interesting stuff on the future of bluetooth.  Sony's new SRS-ZR5 wireless speaker supports the latest Bluetooth spec version 4.2.  This new spec has alot of updates to it.  including low power direct internet connectivity capability, greater security and higher transmission speeds (650 kbps). It appears that Apt-X is not part of the new specification.  Whether it has been dropped all together or has been renamed is unclear. I would imagine that the new spec would be backward compatible with Apt-X given how many Apt-X codec supported devices there are.
  
 If the new SRS-ZR5 supports bluetooth 4.2 it would make sense that at least the WM-1A/1Z would support it as well.  If not on the initial release at least with a firmware update.  Sony is trying to license LDAC to other manufacturers so I don't know if that means with bluetooth 4.2 that LDAC will die at some point.  Standard Quality LDAC is 660 kbps and I get 909 kbps with High Quality LDAC.
  
 It should be interesting to see what the state of bluetooth is on the WM and A30 DAP's when they are released.


----------



## fish1050

denis1976 said:


> Hello , i went in chat with Amazon and they confirmed that i am going to receiv a NW-WM1Z....what a F»?»»???»??K
> i think they are wrong , i allready receive a email confirming the delivery until friday...


 
  
  


whitigir said:


> Keep that hope up, but I think there is a mess within Amazon Eu.


 
 I got bounced between amazon.com and amazon.co.uk each emailing me to contact the other regarding the 1A and 1Z confusion.  Amazon UK told me they forwarded my email to amazon.com and amazon.com then replied and told me to talk to amazon UK.  Typical buck passing from one to the other and no one able to give a straight answer.
  
 It appears that amazon uk at least thought that the 1Z came in two colors both gold and black. Instead of course black for the 1A and gold for the 1Z.  Amazon.com and Amazon's other sites are according to the email run completely separately which explains the confusion from one amazon site to another. 
  
 The removal of the 1A from the sites might mean they finally figured out the mistake.  Lack of communication between the web site management team and the order taking department might explain the confusion over the orders already placed and their shipping status.  I feel for those of you who got caught up in this mess.


----------



## denis1976

fish1050 said:


> I got bounced between amazon.com and amazon.co.uk each emailing me to contact the other regarding the 1A and 1Z confusion.  Amazon UK told me they forwarded my email to amazon.com and amazon.com then replied and told me to talk to amazon UK.  Typical buck passing from one to the other and no one able to give a straight answer.
> 
> It appears that amazon uk at least thought that the 1Z came in two colors both gold and black. Instead of course black for the 1A and gold for the 1Z.  Amazon.com and Amazon's other sites are according to the email run completely separately which explains the confusion from one amazon site to another.
> 
> The removal of the 1A from the sites might mean they finally figured out the mistake.  Lack of communication between the web site management team and the order taking department might explain the confusion over the orders already placed and their shipping status.  I feel for those of you who got caught up in this mess.


 
 That color confusion is not very reliable , if that was truth the 1z and the 1A should be sold at the same price, they don`t ,the 1A pre order (i am talking about this 100 times...) has ended thats why it don't appears in Amazon it ended  at 18 of september


----------



## denis1976

I had a chat with the Amazon.es saying that i am perfectly aware that my order is for the 1A to avoid delays, bur they insist ....your order is the 1Z thats what you will receive....i am not hoping that


----------



## denis1976

The email they send to me:

 Amazon.es 
Mi cuenta Amazon.es
Message From Customer Service
Hello Americo

Hope this e mail finds you well.

Further to your e-mail, I have checked your order 404-0282466-6109129 and I am glad to inform you that it has already entered its shipping process. As soon as your order is dispatched, we will send you a confirmation e-mail with the date, content and shipping method.

The estimated shipping date of your order is between this coming Wednesday and Friday. As soon as your order is dispatched, we will send you a confirmation e-mail with the date, content and shipping method.

You can check the status of your order in Your orders (Mis pedidos) in Amazon.es (www.amazon.es/mispedidos).

For more information on how we estimate your delivery date, please visit the following Help page:

www.amazon.es/fecha_estimada_entrega

I hope this information helps.

Thank you for shopping at Amazon.es.
Amazon.es


----------



## fish1050

denis1976 said:


> That color confusion is not very reliable , if that was truth the 1z and the 1A should be sold at the same price, they don`t ,the 1A pre order (i am talking about this 100 times...) has ended thats why it don't appears in Amazon it ended  at 18 of september


 
 Are you talking about amazon UK or a different amazon site?  I am specifically referring to the mix up on the amazon UK site for the nww1mz.
  
 I work with e-commerce sites through my company and I see these kinds of mistakes happen quite frequently.  If you or anyone wants to know how this stuff works and how mistakes like this happen I would be happy to explain it.


----------



## fish1050

denis1976 said:


> The email they send to me:
> 
> Amazon.es
> Mi cuenta Amazon.es
> ...


 
 Glad to hear it,  but for clarification I was referring to the mix-up on the amazon UK site specifically and not other amazon sites which don't seem to have the same issue.


----------



## denis1976

fish1050 said:


> Are you talking about amazon UK or a different amazon site?  I am specifically referring to the mix up on the amazon UK site for the nww1mz.
> 
> I work with e-commerce sites through my company and I see these kinds of mistakes happen quite frequently.  If you or anyone wants to know how this stuff works and how mistakes like this happen I would be happy to explain it.


aaaa ok sorry


----------



## Rob49

denis1976 said:


> That color confusion is not very reliable , if that was truth the 1z and the 1A should be sold at the same price, they don`t ,the 1A pre order (i am talking about this 100 times...) has ended thats why it don't appears in Amazon it ended  at 18 of september


 
  
 That's nonsense & you've got no evidence to support that, and it does not actually make any common sense, whatsoever.
  
 The reason it's been removed is because they're aware of their description mistake.
  
 ( When it comes back on, will you be claiming it's another "pre-order period" ?? )


----------



## Rob49

Had this response from Sony U.K. on Twitter......"availability will differ, it's best to contact your local Sony centre". ( They are clueless !!! )
  
 I sent a further message, asking if they will be available to buy online from themselves....


----------



## musicday

The question of life : People are still buying this? Tidal support is coming to AK3xx series in less than two months from now.
Nobody can't complain about streaming support now


----------



## denis1976

rob49 said:


> That's nonsense & you've got no evidence to support that, and it does not actually make any common sense, whatsoever.
> 
> The reason it's been removed is because they're aware of their description mistake.
> 
> ( When it comes back on, will you be claiming it's another "pre-order period" ?? )


they said since the begining , the pre order ends at 18 of september


----------



## BartSimpson1976

musicday said:


> The question of life : People are still buying this? Tidal support is coming to AK3xx series in less than two months from now.
> Nobody can't complain about streaming support now


 
  
 Question of life: People use this streaming nonsens? If your DAP has 256GB internal plus MicroSD-slot?


----------



## Rob49

denis1976 said:


> they said since the begining , the pre order ends at 18 of september


 
  
 Everything on Amazon is for pre-order.....that doesn't mean that the item is removed, when supposed release date arrives !!
  
 ( Unless, they've made a balls up....which in this case they have ! )


----------



## proedros

denis1976 said:


> I had a chat with the Amazon.es saying that i am perfectly aware that my order is for the 1A to avoid delays, *bur they insist ....your order is the 1Z* thats what you will receive....i am not hoping that


 
  
 so they offer you a 1z for the price of 1a , and you say no and keep on emailing them?
  
 stop emailing them man and thank your lucky stars that you will get a 1z so damn cheap


----------



## audioxxx

He hasn't got the 1z yet, don't count your chicks till they hatch.


----------



## denis1976

audioxxx said:


> He hasn't got it back the 1z yet, don't count your chicks till they hatch.


 
 Correct...but i am very happy to if i receive what i paid (the 1A)


----------



## audioxxx

denis1976 said:


> Correct...but i am very happy to if i receive what i paid (the 1A)



I would be happy with a 1a as well


----------



## gerelmx1986

@jude


> I can't say for certain if the NW-WM1Z is running Android or not. I'll ask.
> 
> For now, here's an observation: When I plug the NW-WM1Z's cable into my Mac, it does not bring up Android File Transfer on the Mac. *Instead, both the NW-WM1Z's internal storage and my 200GB microSD card show up as two drives in Finder.* I'm trying to think of any other known Android player we have here that does that, but (off the top of my head) I can't think of one at the moment.
> 
> I'm sorry I haven't said more about this player yet, but we've been swamped with CanJam @ RMAF organizing and planning. As much as I've been using it, though, there's a lot to say about it. I'll post soon with some quick minuses and pluses first impressions.


 
 Finally we won't need to switch from storage to sd card, and visceversa


----------



## gerelmx1986

bartsimpson1976 said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > The question of life : People are still buying this? Tidal support is coming to AK3xx series in less than two months from now.
> ...


 

 I don't, i have my massive 757GB Flac Library


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> I am with you on this.  A high quality 15 mw is plenty for my custom IEMs requirement.


 
 And you don't want to drive big cans?


----------



## Rob49

Sony U.K. just tweeted back saying both players should be available to buy next month, but don't have a date.


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> And you don't want to drive big cans?


 
 It is good enough to drive lower impedance phones but not enough compared to DAP with beefier headphones out.  Yes, it would be nice to be able to drive big cans however, I do have the PHA-3 for that and several home amps that can easily outclass any highend portable DAPs out there.  There are simply no real estate in any DAP to properly execute a true differential circuit as well as using good parts.  If you take a peak inside any $1000 home amp you will know why.  I still plan to get the 1A and will do a proper comparison to the PHA-3 & ZX2 combo.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will order the 256GB Samsung microSD before i get the player


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I will order the 256GB Samsung microSD before i get the player




Get the 1Z with 256gb on board


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Get the 1Z with 256gb on board


 

 ​LOL for that i need to rob a bank at gun point


----------



## cthomas

purk said:


> I still plan to get the 1A and will do a proper comparison to the PHA-3 & ZX2 combo.




Looking forward to this comparison!


----------



## cuiter23

The 1Z Gold edition should come with 2TB IMHO.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cuiter23 said:


> The 1Z Gold edition should come with 2TB IMHO.


 

 ​and the 1A with 512GB 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (BTW my library size is by now hitting the 760GB mark)


----------



## Rei87

gerelmx1986 said:


> I will order the 256GB Samsung microSD before i get the player


 


 Lol...if you're going to invest that much in the player, I'd recommend actually just going for the Sony Audiophile card. It offers a darker overall sound, but has one of the best resolution/sound focus out of all the memory cards that I've tried......


----------



## Whitigir

rei87 said:


> Lol...if you're going to invest that much in the player, I'd recommend actually just going for the Sony Audiophile card. It offers a darker overall sound, but has one of the best resolution/sound focus out of all the memory cards that I've tried......




$200 for 64gb ? Lol i think he wants storage...not just audio


----------



## gerelmx1986

rei87 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I will order the 256GB Samsung microSD before i get the player
> ...


 

 ​but is only 64GB meh and is pretty expensive compred to the 256GB and i doubt it really makes a a difference. I had a 200GB sanDisk with my ZX100 and no difference from internal memory


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> rei87 said:
> 
> 
> > Lol...if you're going to invest that much in the player, I'd recommend actually just going for the Sony Audiophile card. It offers a darker overall sound, but has one of the best resolution/sound focus out of all the memory cards that I've tried......
> ...


 

 ​I want both, storage and audio quality BUT 200 for 64GB What???!!! 200 USD si the cost of the new sammy 256GB, and the SQ is from the DAC & circuitry  not from an SD card


----------



## FenderP

cuiter23 said:


> The 1Z Gold edition should come with 2TB IMHO.


 
  
 And monkeys will fly from the sky, too. A 2TB SSD alone is $800. To get it smaller, etc., to fit in something like the WM1Z would be more than that. We're a long way from having that built in.


----------



## Luvdac

bartsimpson1976 said:


> Question of life: People use this streaming nonsens? If your DAP has 256GB internal plus MicroSD-slot?


 
  
  


gerelmx1986 said:


> I don't, i have my massive 757GB Flac Library


 
 I do, with my not yet large enough 3 TB library. If I really like what I'm listening to I download it into the AK300 player over wifi from my cloud connected hard drive. Plenty smart and helpful feature if you ask me. I think sony shot themselves in the foot with this one.


----------



## audioxxx

luvdac said:


> I do, with my not yet large enough 3 TB library. If I really like what I'm listening to I download it into the AK300 player over wifi from my cloud connected hard drive. Plenty smart and helpful feature if you ask me. I think sony shot themselves in the foot with this one.



+1


----------



## purk

fenderp said:


> And monkeys will fly from the sky, too. A 2TB SSD alone is $800. To get it smaller, etc., to fit in something like the WM1Z would be more than that. We're a long way from having that built in.




512GB onboard is do able tho.


----------



## Rei87

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​I want both, storage and audio quality BUT 200 for 64GB What???!!! 200 USD si the cost of the new sammy 256GB, and the SQ is from the DAC & circuitry  not from an SD card


 


 Well, I've tried switching memory cards, exact song file, volume match, and blind tests have been pretty spot on so.....
 believe what you will..........there is a reason why one person (not me) managed to convince 4 other ppl in my audio circle to jump onto the sony card, and the rest are waiting for a cheaper price to pop up before they too will jump on....


----------



## Whitigir

rei87 said:


> Well, I've tried switching memory cards, exact song file, volume match, and blind tests have been pretty spot on so.....
> 
> believe what you will..........there is a reason why one person (not me) managed to convince 4 other ppl in my audio circle to jump onto the sony card, and the rest are waiting for a cheaper price to pop up before they too will jump on....




Do u think 1z will slot 256gb of them aboard ?


----------



## FenderP

purk said:


> 512GB onboard is do able tho.


 
  
 That will be the next jump in a year or two. The top end of anything mobile (i.e. not laptops) right now is just _starting _to get 256GB internal. It'll be measured by phones, and right now the iPhone 7 is the first real major phone to get it. DAPs are a marginal market in comparison, so as soon as you see a 512GB phone, you'll see a 512GB DAP. It's not standard SSDs they're putting in these things.
  
 I wish I could justify the 1Z mainly on the 256GB alone, but I can't. That's a lot of scratch for something I just use while on a plane. I use my stereo at home.


----------



## Zakalwe

fenderp said:


> It's not standard SSDs they're putting in these things.




Yes, unfortunately not. Current SSD modules as used in some tablets and notebooks are smaller than the 1.8" hard drives that were used in the iPod Classic and similar DAPs of that time, and they are arguably higher performance than the chips they put into current DAPs. I bet a DAP with an M.2-slot would not have to be many millimetres thicker than one without. But then the manufacturers could not charge the fantasy-prices per GB that built-in memory has compared to SSDs. 

Also, there are SD-cards (non-micro). I see 512GB is not all that expensive nowadays, and they are still pretty small physically. Making a DAP with an SD card reader rather than microSD should be easy. Hmm, I still have a Nagra SD recorder somewhere - looks like my 512GB-DAP is just a card order away...


----------



## FenderP

zakalwe said:


> Yes, unfortunately not. Current SSD modules as used in some tablets and notebooks are smaller than the 1.8" hard drives that were used in the iPod Classic and similar DAPs of that time, and they are arguably higher performance than the chips they put into current DAPs. I bet a DAP with an M.2-slot would not have to be many millimetres thicker than one without. But then the manufacturers could not charge the fantasy-prices per GB that built-in memory has compared to SSDs.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 M.2 would be impractical in a DAP IMO Then we get into NVMe, non-NVMe, etc. Getting away from moving parts (i.e. a platter with heads) was a great leap forward, but the days of modular internal storage are gone. For mobile, microSD has become the standard. Heck, most laptops do not have a standard SD slot these days.


----------



## plakat

To me internal storage would only be relevant if it's far larger than micro sd cards since I prefer to be able to move music easily between devices. So I'd actually prefer a second card slot to more internal memory.

In other news my order at Amazon.de changed to say "on time" below the estimated delivery date (which is still sept 20.-21.) and "shipping soon" appeared at the green bar... that happened yesterday for both of my Sony related orders (a 1A and the MDR-1000X)


----------



## noplsestar

Looks like the only DAP that did it right was the Calyx M - 64 GB internal, plus SD card slot, plus micro SD Card slot. Right now that means around 800 GB of potential storage.


----------



## Whitigir

noplsestar said:


> Looks like the only DAP that did it right was the Calyx M - 64 GB internal, plus SD card slot, plus micro SD Card slot. Right now that means around 800 GB of potential storage.




Nope, sandisk just release 1Tb SD card


----------



## musicday

whitigir said:


> noplsestar said:
> 
> 
> > Looks like the only DAP that did it right was the Calyx M - 64 GB internal, plus SD card slot, plus micro SD Card slot. Right now that means around 800 GB of potential storage.
> ...



Is not really released,is just a prototype.
Is to be expected next year.


----------



## FenderP

plakat said:


> To me internal storage would only be relevant if it's far larger than micro sd cards since I prefer to be able to move music easily between devices. So I'd actually prefer a second card slot to more internal memory.
> 
> In other news my order at Amazon.de changed to say "on time" below the estimated delivery date (which is still sept 20.-21.) and "shipping soon" appeared at the green bar... that happened yesterday for both of my Sony related orders (a 1A and the MDR-1000X)


 
  
 The last time I did that I had a cassette-based system. That is not what I am looking to do here at all. I would prefer bigger internal memory and if no expansion, so be it. My main rig is my system at home. This is just for things like plane rides.


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> noplsestar said:
> 
> 
> > Looks like the only DAP that did it right was the Calyx M - 64 GB internal, plus SD card slot, plus micro SD Card slot. Right now that means around 800 GB of potential storage.
> ...


 
 and maybe next year or two 512GB micro SDs


----------



## gerelmx1986

back on track, have you seen user manuals f these walkmen yet?


----------



## fish1050

All this talk about storage on these DAP's, I read on one review that once you take into account loss of space for memory formatting and the operating system you are down to approximately 230 GB of available storage on the 1Z.  Not sure about the 1A but I would guess around 112 to 115 GB.  Since we are now seeing dual slots on $150.00 DAP's the least Sony could have done is provided two slots.  Especially since they are supporting DSD with its huge file sizes.
  
 It would be nice if the WM DAP's at least supported OTG so you could connect an external hard drive.  Especially on the 1Z which really isn't all that portable anyway.  Heck the 1Z is big enough that you could stack it with an external hard drive since it is more transportable than portable as others have stated.


----------



## fish1050

Are you still planning on getting the 1A or will you stick with your ZX100?


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> Are you still planning on getting the 1A or will you stick with your ZX100?


 
 I will get the 1A definitively, perhaps i will give the zx100 to my BF, but yeah thinking it may be cursed LOL i maybe selling it again, so the curse passes to another fella


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

With your hard drive headphones, I would have gone for the 1z and avoided all the clutter. 


whitigir said:


> To heck with the new 1Z+Z1R. I can blast away with Balanced TRRS silver cables from this rig....Zx2+SA5000 . Still remains the king of neutrality, trebles dynamic headphones . 5-100,000kHz response....wish I have those legendary R10 or Q10


----------



## xiayizju

Hi,
 I am wondering where you usually get the used audio products for discount price? Through this website or other sources?
 Sorry I am pretty new for this forum and any advice would be appreciable.
 Thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

xiayizju said:


> Hi,
> I am wondering where you usually get the used audio products for discount price? Through this website or other sources?
> Sorry I am pretty new for this forum and any advice would be appreciable.
> Thanks


 

 ​Can be from these fórums in the "for sale /trade fórums", eBay (caution), amazon "open box" ítems etc.


----------



## Sonic Defender

xiayizju said:


> Hi,
> I am wondering where you usually get the used audio products for discount price? Through this website or other sources?
> Sorry I am pretty new for this forum and any advice would be appreciable.
> Thanks


 
 It also depends on where you are located as some members here, and even sellers on Amazon, ebay etc don't sell to certain parts of the world for various reasons.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Seeing Sonic defender's female pic 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





​ made me remember Jack the Ripper LOL, and yeah time to confess hineous crimes against... electronics i have owned in the past
  
 Many ehadphones i have owned have suffered the smahsing death, beaten by a hammer to death until I rip them open and take their gust out to see whats inside them especially in novelty ones like BA drivers
  
 My walkmans A818, E507, X1060 yes X1060!!!! got drowned in wáter, then smahed to rip them open and see whats inside them, futher smashed to see whats inside the chips
  
 my IPod classic murdered with a magnet LOL
  
 fiio x3 survived by being sold, oppo ha-2 also sold and A17 sold too
  
 now setting my eyes on a new woman "WM1A"... if no body buys my ZX100 son, he will be Jack ripped <psycho music>.... it is somehow defective from "birth" (Factory issues)


----------



## gerelmx1986

For those who want to buy a 1Z or 1A, i was doing a small experiment in AccessoryJack (still not available in AJ)-
  
 The experiment consisted of grabbing the ZX2 which is similarly priced as the 1A, and switch the currencies AJ accepts
  

Australian Dollar AUD
Us Dollar USD
Honkong dollar HKD
Euro EUR
British pound sterling GBP
Canadian Dollar CAD
  
 Price varie between currencies of course but i used BASE currency USD which pricing is 1069.99 USD
  
 Started google money converter and that gave me something arround the 21211 mexican pesos... price variance between currencies was between 21030 MXN and 22300 MXN
  
  
 The cheapest currency to pay in AJ is Canadian dollar, followed by australian dollar and third comes USD... the most expensive is GBP and EUR
  
 so wise buying 1A or 1Z i will pay in CAD


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> fish1050 said:
> 
> 
> > Are you still planning on getting the 1A or will you stick with your ZX100?
> ...



Make sure your husband doesn't find out about your boyfriend if he reads this.
You just spilled the beans


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> Make sure your husband doesn't find out about your boyfriend if he reads this.
> You just spilled the beans


 
 LOL i have een europeans callt ehir BFs husbands even if not married yet so is the same dude i am talking about.
  
 BTW has anyone who ordered from amazon UK/DE got their players yet, i want to hear about impressions


----------



## musicday

Nobody got the players yet as the release time is end of October.


----------



## pietcux

musicday said:


> Nobody got the players yet as the release time is end of October.



Jude has it. You might want to check his list of gear recently used in his profile.


----------



## gerelmx1986

pietcux said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Nobody got the players yet as the release time is end of October.
> ...


 

 he has a loaner


----------



## musicday

pietcux said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Nobody got the players yet as the release time is end of October.
> ...



I am pretty sure that is not that final commercial version.


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> I am pretty sure that is not that final commercial version.




Exactly, it is a pre-production loaner unit. I think the final product will have more buffs. The pre-production unit is probably for show, press about sound signatures....but if the OS and the DSP changes in the software, then the final production run may varies too ?


----------



## ThisCharmingMan

gerelmx1986 said:


> Seeing Sonic defender's female pic
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Utterly irrelevant post of absolutely no use to anyone.
  
 Seriously dude, sort yourself out.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have seen videos of the User interface, while it looks super intuitive, still i will have to adjust to it being a "old sony os" user , seems the settings menu present in the old sony os version was moved to these screens when he swipes left and right and down.
  
 Also the UI doesn't seem to have a "Home screen" as the old sony OS, if some one can confirm the changes to the UI aisde from obvious new VU meter and spectogram screens, composer view
  
 Thanks


----------



## Sonic Defender

thischarmingman said:


> Utterly irrelevant post of absolutely no use to anyone.
> 
> Seriously dude, sort yourself out.


 
 I don't know, I think he is just trying to be funny and friendly. Sure, it has little to do with the thread topic, but I still don't see it as that big a deal. Now if there were constant posts that were way OT and useless, that is another story. We all deviate sometimes, that is normal in these communities, but I also do get it that some members just do not like OT and humourous posts, which is a fair position to take.


----------



## purk

I think he should donate his old and unwanted players to me rather than destroying them.  Seriously, donate to someone in need is a good thing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> I think he should donate his old and unwanted players to me rather than destroying them.  Seriously, donate to someone in need is a good thing.


 

 ​Yes only funny LOL i will attempt to sell it again but this time only europe that is friendly to shippers USA, Can, mexico (domestic), asia or australia


----------



## gerelmx1986

I saw a pic of WM1Z info screen and saw partially at least it is 230GB, my ZX100 128GB is 115.4GB
  
 doing some math and approximation
  
 128GB microSD formatted 119.1GB thats 0.93049 or 93.049% of usable space, the 200GB micro SD i had once formatted is 0.915 usable space or 183GB
  
 if we approximate thhis to 91.5% usable space then a 256GB is 234.2GB, then sony OS is taking 4GB space, same as zx100 128 format 119.1 sony os gobbles 4GB then remaining 115.4GB
  
 I think IMHO too heavy for a basic OS, even i think Android at 5GB is too heavy, wonder if they can optimize it to make it smaller or if they can use a ROM chip to store the OS and leave alone the NAND chip


----------



## denis1976

hello I have to apologize to all the headfiers that have tried to bring me to reason , when i , with all the facts that i had , believed that the Amazon.es not would make me look bad, but after two days saying in my order "envio aproximamente" that is translated "shipping soon" i contact by chat ( again) and now the answer was the oposit of two days ago, they don't have the sony for sale and didn't have the honesty of telling me,i don't know how much time will take to the sony Daps be on sale but maybe i will have time to have money for the 1Z ...but Amazon.es is fu^#^#@^ bad


----------



## BartSimpson1976

thischarmingman said:


> Utterly irrelevant post of absolutely no use to anyone.


 
  
 While not untrue I would rather prefer people to avoid lenghty full quotes (and very often even with ALL pictures) and then just adding a five word comment to it..


----------



## Wnuwk Siphon

thischarmingman said:


> Utterly irrelevant post of absolutely no use to anyone.
> 
> Seriously dude, sort yourself out.


 
  
 Charming


----------



## nc8000

denis1976 said:


> hello I have to apologize to all the headfiers that have tried to bring me to reason , when i , with all the facts that i had , believed that the Amazon.es not would make me look bad, but after two days saying in my order "envio aproximamente" that is translated "shipping soon" i contact by chat ( again) and now the answer was the oposit of two days ago, they don't have the sony for sale and didn't have the honesty of telling me,i don't know how much time will take to the sony Daps be on sale but maybe i will have time to have money for the 1Z ...but Amazon.es is fu^#^#@^ bad




Spain and UK don't show the A at all. Germany has it with an expected delivery between 1 and 3 months. All 3 have the Z with expected release date 4th October. 

I'm just leaving my order sitting quietly and seeing what will eventually happen


----------



## fish1050

thischarmingman said:


> Utterly irrelevant post of absolutely no use to anyone.
> 
> Seriously dude, sort yourself out.


 
 Wait, I thought I was the only one allowed to submit posts that are of no use to anyone.  Not sure if I want to share that privilege.


----------



## proedros

139 pages already
  
 we should make a poll/guess
  
 how many pages in , until the first user actually buys/listens to 1A/1Z


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> I saw a pic of WM1Z info screen and saw partially at least it is 230GB, my ZX100 128GB is 115.4GB
> 
> doing some math and approximation
> 
> ...


 
 The OS likely sits in its own hidden partition in system memory.  Some additional space could be reserved as a page file like a computer to speed up operation of the DAP.  No mention of how much operational ram is available in the DAP.


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> 139 pages already
> 
> we should make a poll/guess
> 
> how many pages in , until the first user actually buys/listens to 1A/1Z




Well we are several who have bought but Sony don't want to deliver yet


----------



## denis1976

Is there any oficial release date ?


----------



## phonomat

bartsimpson1976 said:


> While not untrue I would rather prefer people to avoid lenghty full quotes (and very often even with ALL pictures) and then just adding a five word comment to it..


 
  
 Lol, that is a pet peeve of mine as well!
  


wnuwk siphon said:


> Charming


 
  
 Dang, beat me to it!
  
 All of that notwithstanding, I think that @ThisCharmingMan also has a somewhat of a point there. @gerelmx1986, I'm sure you're a nice guy and would be really fun to hang out with, and I say this with the greatest respect for what you bring to this forum, but don't you think that sometimes you're oversharing a bit? I'd just wish that you would ask yourself more often if the whole of the head-fi community really needs to know what goes on in your private life at the moment or what thoughts on any given subject happen to go through your mind at any given time. Sometimes it really does feel a little like a public diary. On the other hand, this is an open forum and there's little we can do to stop you. I just think it's a matter of personal discretion. I must confess that I have sometimes been close to blocking you just to filter out the noise a little bit, but it would really be a shame because at other times you're a helpful member with a great knowledge of diverse Sony products who contributes valuable info. But just as often, it's merely noise. It really does not even bother me as much, because I've gotten used to just quickly scroll through threads and kind of filter out the unimportant stuff, but I can see how it would bother folks more, and it can be time-consuming if you're not a quick reader. So "Think before you post" is really all I want to say, and not just to you, but as a general guideline. Oh, and I'm fully aware that I've been posting lots of nonsense and lame jokes in this forum myself. I guess it's just at everyone's discretion to make sure the ratio does not go completely wonky. All that being said, good to have you here! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 <-- Mexican cerveza; you _do_ live in Mexico, right?
 (Just kidding.)


----------



## gerelmx1986

phonomat said:


> I guess it's just at everyone's discretion to make sure the ratio does not go completely wonky. All that being said, good to have you here!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 yes hehe live in mexico and food is yummy


----------



## JamesInLondon

denis1976 said:


> Is there any oficial release date ?


 

 I was in Hong Kong earlier this week and was told by several retailers that it is expected during the first week in October, both the 1A & the 1Z.
  
 So, obviously they received this information from Sony HK; as far as I know no other Sony distributor has given a firm delivery date.
  
 My gut feeling (which is worth exactly what you paid for it) is that European deliveries will be a few weeks after the HK/Japan/China drops.
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## denis1976

jamesinlondon said:


> I was in Hong Kong earlier this week and was told by several retailers that it is expected during the first week in October, both the 1A & the 1Z.
> 
> So, obviously they received this information from Sony HK; as far as I know no other Sony distributor has given a firm delivery date.
> 
> ...


 
 So if i order at Accessoryjack for exemple it will be available sooner, right?
 Thank you


----------



## gerelmx1986

jamesinlondon said:


> I was in Hong Kong earlier this week and was told by several retailers that it is expected during the first week in October, both the 1A & the 1Z.
> 
> So, obviously they received this information from Sony HK; as far as I know no other Sony distributor has given a firm delivery date.
> 
> ...


 
 Interesting... first week of october instead of 29th october... soo then september 23rd was then a pre-order period LOL and all the excitement we had


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> >
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Checked AJ yesterday still nothing, guess they will update their store fter they return from their holidays this staurday


----------



## denis1976

One thing i know ...Amazon never again...even if i have to pay customs taxes, is better spent money in customs taxes than in a psychiatrist


----------



## Zakalwe

phonomat said:


> I'd just wish that you would ask yourself more often if the whole of the head-fi community really needs to know what goes on in your private life at the moment or what thoughts on any given subject happen to go through your mind at any given time.




I need to know all of this. I store it in my database.


----------



## gerelmx1986

zakalwe said:


> phonomat said:
> 
> 
> > I'd just wish that you would ask yourself more often if the whole of the head-fi community really needs to know what goes on in your private life at the moment or what thoughts on any given subject happen to go through your mind at any given time.
> ...


 

 LOL my private life i private what i do with my hubby, family is private, but things about walkmans and so with my audio equipment yeah i can share here


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> One thing i know ...Amazon never again...even if i have to pay customs taxes, is better spent money in customs taxes than in a psychiatrist


 

 why? i have had positive experiences with amazon, even with returns


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> why? i have had positive experiences with amazon, even with returns


 
 Amazon didn't informe me about the impossibility of sending me the sony dap...i will be waiting forever ,this things should not happen


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> why? i have had positive experiences with amazon, even with returns


 
 Did you had a positive experience with Accessory jack?
 they are fast shipping ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > why? i have had positive experiences with amazon, even with returns
> ...


 

 Yes very positive experience with Accessory Jck, you can choose between Fedex and starndar snail mail, I always chose fedex, average transit time 10 busines days, however last time when i bought my XBA-Z5 transit time was super fast, only 5 days.
  
 as for warranty on my ZX100 also had a positive experience, they justa sked what was wrog with my player and to send it back to them (pet peeve i had to pay shipping from and to honkong/mexico) fast repair in less than a week


----------



## gerelmx1986

Oh forgot to tell @denis1976 use paypal with AccessoryJack, I have problems with their worldpay transaction component (my bank always cancels out the transaction), however if you choose paypal be wise and before pressing BUY, check the conversion options and if possible choose bank exchange rate (paypals exchange rate is way too inflated)


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes very positive experience with Accessory Jck, you can choose between Fedex and starndar snail mail, I always chose fedex, average transit time 10 busines days, however last time when i bought my XBA-Z5 transit time was super fast, only 5 days.
> 
> as for warranty on my ZX100 also had a positive experience, they justa sked what was wrog with my player and to send it back to them (pet peeve i had to pay shipping from and to honkong/mexico) fast repair in less than a week


 
 Did you had customs "troubles"?


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> Did you had customs "troubles"?


 
 No, as far i know mexican customs are very lax, The only time i had troubles was with my walkman being bumped back to mexico from Russia,
  
 for these tips better send me a PM, LOL because BROOKO is a vigilante 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 we don't want to get the sheep turn into a RAM and ram us, i had been rammed by brooko already he told me some of my post were off topic 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Didn't Brooko said so, he would be vigilating this thread because some fights a few posts back 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and after i told the stuff about Gosod and me i was his first Ramming victim hahaha


----------



## gerelmx1986

Recently had a MediaGo update notification, however the updated is not so relevant in sony webpage it says only fix/add is ability to play more Lossless/high-res formats (maybe the DSD11,2 and 24.6MHz) but in the UI didn't see a composer tab or view yet. I inmediately tought, well the new walkmans are due for release soon
  
 Update: Yup, added DSD 11.2MHz playback


----------



## fish1050

denis1976 said:


> Amazon didn't informe me about the impossibility of sending me the sony dap...i will be waiting forever ,this things should not happen


 
 Perhaps you are being to harsh on amazon, after all they post information based on what they hear from Sony.  It might be that Sony was to optimistic on their production and shipping estimates or there could have been delays.  God knows my experiences with Sony Canada bear this out, they are clueless when it comes to product availability in Canada.   
  
 I have always had positive experiences with my amazon purchases including products shipping from other countries


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> Recently had a MediaGo update notification, however the updated is not so relevant in sony webpage it says only fix/add is ability to play more Lossless/high-res formats (maybe the DSD11,2 and 24.6MHz) but in the UI didn't see a composer tab or view yet. I inmediately tought, well the new walkmans are due for release soon
> 
> Update: Yup, added DSD 11.2MHz playback


 
 A little off topic, my apologies but the update did improve reliability of the throw feature from MediaGo to Sony network connected devices.  My Sony receiver has a faster more reliable throw connection now through MediaGo.  Okay back on topic now!!


----------



## phonomat

gerelmx1986 said:


> No, as far i know mexican customs are very lax, The only time i had troubles was with my walkman being bumped back to mexico from Russia,
> 
> for these tips better send me a PM, LOL because BROOKO is a vigilante   we don't want to get the sheep turn into a RAM and ram us, i had been rammed by brooko already *he told me some of my post were off topic :bigsmile_face:
> 
> ...


*


No, you don't say! *


----------



## Whitigir

That means if Media Go is on the new Walkman, then it solves the streaming problems


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> That means if Media Go is on the new Walkman, then it solves the streaming problems


 
 If i understood you correct you are implying.
  
 MediaGo in PC, put it to stream to some device like sonos, Google Audio dongle chromecast, etc
 Use Bluetooth or LDAC in the WM1 series... voila! Pseudo streming of your own library (dunno if mediaGo has a store like f.e a spotify)...uuh oh forgot BT has no wifi range so its like well streaming only in the house (unless google dongle has wifi/cellllar/BT module)
  
 I pray for the 1A to drive my XBA-Z5 well, having my zx100 back and listening to it, i feel it is underpowered for the Z5 and yeah I wanna try the 1A in TRRRS with my Z5 to see if its true balanced blows you away


----------



## fish1050

whitigir said:


> That means if Media Go is on the new Walkman, then it solves the streaming problems


 
  
  


gerelmx1986 said:


> If i understood you correct you are implying.
> 
> MediaGo in PC, put it to stream to some device like sonos, Google Audio dongle chromecast, etc
> Use Bluetooth or LDAC in the WM1 series... voila! Pseudo streming of your own library (dunno if mediaGo has a store like f.e a spotify)...uuh oh forgot BT has no wifi range so its like well streaming only in the house (unless google dongle has wifi/cellllar/BT module)
> ...


 
 I had to think about your question for a bit.  Right now MediaGo Throw only works with a few Sony devices and they need to have either wifi or ethernet to sync and connect with MediaGo.  My STRDN860 and all the new Sony Receivers have ethernet and wifi and are compatible with Throw along with some other newer Sony devices.  To work it needs a fairly high speed connection so bluetooth would be to slow.  
  
 Currently Bluetooth 4.0 tops out at 650 kbps on new 4.0 compatible devices and LDAC at 909 kbps so they are way to slow.  Google cast from a Tablet or smartphone can stream to a Sony receiver over wifi but not bluetooth.
  
 There is a provision in the Bluetooth 4.0 and 4.2 specs for up to 24 mbps transmission speeds but I haven't found any reference to how or when those speeds can be achieved.  4.2 specs provides for low power direct bluetooth internet connectivity but again I have no idea how that would work.  But assuming bluetooth internet connectivity will become a reality in the near future maybe Sony is planning on using it to to support their new music service on the WM DAP's at some point.  That could be partially why they have moved away from wifi on their portable DAP's.  Only time will tell I guess.


----------



## Sonic Defender

fish1050 said:


> Wait, I thought I was the only one allowed to submit posts that are of no use to anyone.  Not sure if I want to share that privilege.


 
 Don't worry mate, your posts will always be of little use to anyone, nobody will take that from you.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I was looking more info about WM1A and found this on sony japan
  
 http://www.sony.jp/walkman/products/NW-WM1A/
  
 this image
  

 Roughly it says ZX100 fast clear vocals something like that (using google translate app)
 1A a touch of warmth and smotth for more musicality
 1Z reproduces finesse and natural air
  
 But if you note there is no ZX2 present


----------



## MarkTwain

gerelmx1986 said:


> I was looking more info about WM1A and found this on sony japan
> 
> http://www.sony.jp/walkman/products/NW-WM1A/
> 
> ...


 
  
 ZX2 will probably be discontinued, just like ZX1. The current discounted price of ZX2 in some stores carrying limited 1-2 sets should be bottom now before remaining stocks are all gone.
  
 Last batch of solid android-based player from Sony.


----------



## Whitigir

Exactly, Zx2 is android, and those 3 above is Walkman OS. We don't know if Android based devices will be discontinued. I think we have to wait for the future to answer that because from flagship to flagship release, it seems like 2 years and a couple months for new release, so we gives it another 2 years and see if perhaps android player will come back. I doubt it will because due to how much of a wreck Sony have to Go through before releasing new android OS and then battery issues.

The only real bad thing is that Walkman 1Z cost so much, and yet....it can not act as a stand alone DAC like AK or Cowon


----------



## echineko

Given that I don't see the ZX2 listed anymore at either the Japanese or US Sony sites, I think it's safe to say it's being discontinued. Still a great device, still love mine, so a little sad, yes.
  
 Onwards to the future, and non-Android Sony DAPs. Really looking forward to trying these 1A/1Z models in person and contrasting with my ZX2


----------



## nanaholic

http://www.phileweb.com/review/article/201609/23/2235.html
  
 Phileweb got their hands on both the 1Z and 1A loaner units and posted a detail review.


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> http://www.phileweb.com/review/article/201609/23/2235.html
> 
> Phileweb got their hands on both the 1Z and 1A loaner units and posted a detail review.


 
 They seem too say that the Z and A have different sound characters, but not necessarily different levels of performance no?


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> http://www.phileweb.com/review/article/201609/23/2235.html
> 
> Phileweb got their hands on both the 1Z and 1A loaner units and posted a detail review.




Thanks for the link



mimouille said:


> They seem too say that the Z and A have different sound characters, but not necessarily different levels of performance no?




They said both Z and A has distinctive differences in sound signature. I keep seeing the same impressions, so it must be correct as in A is more neutral where Z is warmer but more musical and have soul within the music. Especially this part where "Z creates studio like feeling".

I am always a fan of micro-dynamics and micro-energies. In the real world, any instruments has this characteristic of micro-energies. The same thing for vocal, and these energies are what I call Soul of the music. I think "Z" express these details better, hence many impressions keeps on stating that Z has more "Soul"


----------



## Leviticus

nanaholic said:


> http://www.phileweb.com/review/article/201609/23/2235.html
> 
> Phileweb got their hands on both the 1Z and 1A loaner units and posted a detail review.


 

 Can you translate?
  
 I used Google Translator, and here is what I was able to make of the review:

  


> - The WM1Z was designed to offer the best isolation a DAP can achieve
> - From a technological perspective, the 1Z differs greatly from the ZX2
> - The 1A is more like a ZX-model because of the aluminium chassis
> - The quality of the display of the WM-models cannot keep up with current smartphones
> ...


 
  
 The reviewer talks a lot about the sonic differences between the two players, but it's impossible to make much of it. We need native speakers for this.
 There is a great deal of information in that review, we only need someone to extract all the information.


----------



## goody

whitigir said:


> Thanks for the link
> They said both Z and A has distinctive differences in sound signature. I keep seeing the same impressions, so it must be correct as in A is more neutral where Z is warmer but more musical and have soul within the music. Especially this part where "Z creates studio like feeling".
> 
> I am always a fan of micro-dynamics and micro-energies. In the real world, any instruments has this characteristic of micro-energies. The same thing for vocal, and these energies are what I call Soul of the music. I think "Z" express these details better, hence many impressions keeps on stating that Z has more "Soul"


 
 Thats how the ZX2 sounds


----------



## Telacap99

Just got the opportunity to listen to both WM1s at the Justear office in Aoyama Tokyo, pairing them with the unfamiliar Just ear MH2 hybrid iems with unfamiliar Japanaese materials can only say they both sound great, would agree with the review that Nanaholic posted that the Z version does have different character like warmer vocals but some might prefer the neutrality from the A version. Pairing with the MH2 the bass is near perfect, fantastic control, fast with good extension, the 16.5mm dynamic driver is great.

Tried both with the Justear MH2 paired with Sony's new MMCX Kimber cable with the new 4.4mm connection. The plug is nice and robust, not as bulky as I thot it would be. They warned me that the interface may not be final for the engineering units but the interface is very smooth, more responsive than the AK ones. Too bad I cannot post pictures yet! Can't wait to try them again with my own iems and source materials.


----------



## nc8000

Just got an email from amazon uk esentially saying, sorry but we have no idea when we are going to ship any of these


----------



## nanaholic

telacap99 said:


> Just got the opportunity to listen to both WM1s at the Justear office in Aoyama Tokyo, pairing them with the unfamiliar Just ear MH2 hybrid iems with unfamiliar Japanaese materials can only say they both sound great, would agree with the review that Nanaholic posted that the Z version does have different character like warmer vocals but some might prefer the neutrality from the A version. Pairing with the MH2 the bass is near perfect, fantastic control, fast with good extension, the 16.5mm dynamic driver is great.
> 
> Tried both with the Justear MH2 paired with Sony's new MMCX Kimber cable with the new 4.4mm connection. The plug is nice and robust, not as bulky as I thot it would be. They warned me that the interface may not be final for the engineering units but the interface is very smooth, more responsive than the AK ones. Too bad I cannot post pictures yet! Can't wait to try them again with my own iems and source materials.


 
  
 Which MH2 tune did you use?  Listening, Monitoring or Club?


----------



## Telacap99

nanaholic said:


> Which MH2 tune did you use?  Listening, Monitoring or Club?




Matsuo san said flat tuning... The ones for tuning custom MH1


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Just got an email from amazon uk esentially saying, sorry but we have no idea when we are going to ship any of these


 

 Oh sad, i was too excited about hearing impressions hehe
  
 Hmmm, read the blog post in the japanese site using google translate... LOL now i ma sooo undecided which one to get. Both seem to have even huger soundstage than ZX2 even in SE... but he says 1Z is vastly different and more soundstage and soul into music...
  
 Woner if you put the 1Z circuit board in the 1A chassis, will it retan the natural sound it says it does?


----------



## cthomas

whitigir said:


> Thanks for the link
> They said both Z and A has distinctive differences in sound signature. I keep seeing the same impressions, so it must be correct as in A is more neutral where Z is warmer but more musical and have soul within the music. Especially this part where *"Z creates studio like feeling".*




Maybe this is set to default on the 1Z


----------



## Whitigir

goody said:


> Thats how the ZX2 sounds :wink_face:




I agree, the Zx2 sounds is just so good, and I really love it. There is only 2 main reasons that I would complain about, the trebles, and the power. Therefore, if Z is anything like Zx2 with better trebles and air up top, together with more expansive staging, it would be awesome.


----------



## Whitigir

cthomas said:


> Maybe this is set to default on the 1Z




That was a good laugh lol !


----------



## cthomas

whitigir said:


> That was a good laugh lol !




Haha, those effects are so useless.


----------



## Whitigir

cthomas said:


> Haha, those effects are so useless.




Lol, I remembered the first time I turned on Clear Audio + on Zx2....I was like Yuck.....this is clear audio to Sony ? What would muddy be like


----------



## nanaholic

Well I'm bored and felt like flexing my translating skills.  Note I did this on the fly, no proof reading.
  
 I'm not bothering with the USB DoP out and the other DSP settings impressions (nobody cares about those right?) - just the raw sound impressions.
  
 -start-
  
*What is the sound signature of the WM1Z and WM1A?*
  
 To check the sonic difference between the WM1Z and the WM1A, I prepared a pair of Sony’s XBA-Z5 as well as Sony’s official [4.4mm balance] cable MUC-M12SB1 which is terminated with MMCX connectors. Comparison is made between the 3.5mm unbalance connection and the 4.4mm balanced connection.
  
 Also for the unbalanced connection play back sound, a pair of Beyerdynamics T1 2nd was used to check the performance with high impedance headphones. In general all listening was done in “source direct” mode to check the base sound.
  
 Let’s begin with female vocals. Using aiko’s “motto”, the WM1A is able to reproduce the quality and the detail of the vocal very naturally.  There is no over-emphasis on the tone, and is able to convey the very lively emotion of the recording.
  
 The sense of resolution is very rich, and the conveying of the resolution is superior to the ZX2. There’s no sense of showy-ness (note: usually referring to being boomy in English, but I’m keeping the original term) in the sound, and is very solid and neutral. It’s a very good pairing if you want to just drink in the vocalist’s voice.
  
 For the WM1Z the flavour of the vocal is even more articulated.  The information is vastly greater than the WM1A, with each note being very rich. If you close your eyes it’s like even the warmth of the breathe is coming through. The centre of balance is lower and features is more chiselled.  The voice has gained body.
  
 The electric bass guitar’s bass is very three dimensional and full of energy. The strings are full and sparking. And the piano’s tone is also very rich. I was encapsulated by the energy in the recording studio.
  
 Next up is listening to Milos Karadaglic “Allegro con spirito” from the album Aranjuez. The soundstage of the WM1A is very deep. It is able to show the full depth of the stage. Inheriting the ZX2’s resolution and adding more body to the soft low end thus enhancing the overall texture.
  
 The tone of the live instruments is very natural, with wide dynamic range and very good contrast. There’s plenty of left over power from the bottom all the way to the top, conveying the powerful performance.
  
 Listening to the same track with the WM1Z I can focus even more accurately on the rhythm of the guitar. The instant the sound is produced a clear image forms in my mind, and then disappears into the pitch black silence. The elastic bass of the guitar has some stickiness to it.
  
 That’s probably because it is handling the power so well that you don’t feel there’s too much weight to it all. It has also emphasis the presence of each of the audio bands while maintaining great balance. The sound is very lively and real.
  
*How does the sound change in balanced connection?*
  
 Here we change to the balance connection. When the 4.4mm plug is inserted a moment later you can clearly hear a “click” from the unit as the relay circuitry switches inside. On the top left of the screen the “Balanced” icon is displayed to let you know that it has switched to balanced connection. There’s no special settings needed.
  
 Now the depth of the orchestra goes a further step. Milo’s finger as he strums the guitar strings is even more light and lively. The reproduction of the soft and transparency of gentle tones is very clear. It is like passing time by trading gaze with a beautiful woman.
  
 The WM1 series can natively playback 11.2MHz DSD files in balanced connection. I was surrounded by the 3-dimensional space of “Coco Rojo” from the album “Nullset” by duo guitarist unit The DUO.
  
 Comparing the balanced connection of WM1A with the WM1Z, it is clear the characteristic of the Z is in its rendering richness of the gentle tones, while the speed and sharpness is characteristic of the A. Capturing the essence of the sound but not adding any colouring to it, and is a very realistic sound. But even with that said it is full of musicality.
  
 Both model’s bass is very solid and controlled. It is often said that football player Lionel Messi’s dribbling skills is so good that “the ball is stuck to his feet”, the control of the bass and togetherness with the entire musical score of the WM1 series could be described as such. The accuracy, deepness and clarity is amazing. As such the music rhythm is even more light and lively, and time and again being captivated by the charming vocals of aiko.
  
 Now re-listening to the Beyerdynamic T1 2nd .  With a very high 600ohm impedance, if it can drive it properly you can enjoy a clear sound extension that is not found in other headphones.
 Most portable audio player lack power and without a headphone amp is not able to bring out the full potential of the T1. With the WM1, flipping the switch of gain setting to the “High Gain” setting, even the tough T1 2nd is driven effortlessly. aiko’s silky vocals is reproduced perfectly. 
  
 -end-
  
 Make of that what you will.


----------



## Whitigir

Holy hell, all i want to know is how powerful it can drive headphones. Kudos, I want it


----------



## goody

The high gain setting is certainly welcomed well done sony


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> Let’s begin with female vocals. Using aiko’s “motto”, the *WM1A is able to reproduce the quality and the detail of the vocal very naturally.  There is no over-emphasis *on the tone, and is able to convey the very lively emotion of the recording.
> 
> 
> Comparing the balanced connection of WM1A with the WM1Z, it is clear the characteristic of the Z is in its rendering richness of the gentle tones, *while the speed and sharpness is characteristic of the A. Capturing the essence of the sound but not adding any colouring to it, and is a very realistic sound. But even with that said it is full of musicality*.


 
 Thats what i am looking probably as my taste of music every head-fier here shall know.
  
 Warmness of 1Z hmmmm rethink... I had a fiio X3 first gen which conveyed a warm sounding playback, it self had the character of an A/B amplifier according to FiiO, but for my taste it was way too warm that removed finer detail.
  
 I want to get the 1Z but the color shuns me away and the pice is way out of my budget, so  i will conform ith an 1A, wish my budget was bigger


----------



## Leviticus

nanaholic said:


> -end-
> 
> Make of that what you will.


 
  
 Thank you very much, sir!
  
 Seems like I can sell both my ZX2 and the Fostex headphone amplifier.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Seems ZX100 is the new "Low ranger" of the series and 1A sits in the middle, possibly 1A is the "best of both worlds" a touch of warmness and musicality ith a touch of neutrality... seem it will be a good player despite 1Z being the TOP of the TOP
  
  
*PS: which of the two 1A or 1Z will have the vinil'esque sound of the X1060,a warm lush sound being not too warm?*


----------



## Whitigir

I think the Phileweb also mentioned that the Z has more resolutions ? Idk...need more high-end gears to impress on them


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> I think the Phileweb also mentioned that the Z has more resolutions ? Idk...need more high-end gears to impress on them


 
 I am feeling a nice warm neutral sound and nice subtle details, like hammers hitting the string of the piano, the violin bow finely rustling the strings of it... feeling inmersed in the music (recorded n a small theater in vienna i think) Haydn complete piano trios, Beaux arts trio. slight touch of reverb nice (not exaggerated just the right amount of it)
  
 This is a short description of ZX100 + XBA-Z5 (stock cable SE, stock tips in M size)... sooo if i pair my Z5 with the 1A... musical experience cubed...
  
 Z5 and zx100 can extract some juice from difficult music as i have noted, esp older/remastered records, however i feel the zx100 can't drive the Z5 effortlesslya nd fluidly as i tought it would, I sense a struggle esp when power SWINGS f.e in an orchestral dynamic range chages to super loud or softer, detail fails to get these minute micro-detailing in pianissimos. I have to cranck volume to get the pianissimos right


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am feeling a nice warm neutral sound and nice subtle details, like hammers hitting the string of the piano, the violin bow finely rustling the strings of it... feeling inmersed in the music (recorded n a small theater in vienna i think) Haydn complete piano trios, Beaux arts trio. slight touch of reverb nice (not exaggerated just the right amount of it)
> 
> This is a short description of ZX100 + XBA-Z5 (stock cable SE, stock tips in M size)... sooo if i pair my Z5 with the 1A... musical experience cubed...
> 
> Z5 and zx100 can extract some juice from difficult music as i have noted, esp older/remastered records, however i feel the zx100 can't drive the Z5 effortlesslya nd fluidly as i tought it would, I sense a struggle esp when power SWINGS f.e in an orchestral dynamic range chages to super loud or softer, detail fails to get these minute micro-detailing in pianissimos. I have to cranck volume to get the pianissimos right




lol, a toast to the more and powerful Walkman, the WM1 series.


----------



## Replicant187

nanaholic said:


> Well I'm bored and felt like flexing my translating skills.  Note I did this on the fly, no proof reading.




i'm Japanese and i can confirm you that it's a flawless translation.


----------



## Mimouille

The Phil web review sounds like a lot of poetic BS you could write on mushrooms.


----------



## proedros

thoughts emerging from reading  the translated article

 - 1Α is quite better than zx2

 - 1Α is neutral yet musical

 - i need to buy 1A


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> thoughts emerging from reading  the translated article
> 
> 
> - 1Α is quite better than zx2
> ...




Lol , no...you want 1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> The Phil web review sounds like a lot of poetic BS you could write on mushrooms.


 
 will WM1 series beat the mystic SQ of the Tera (player)? i wanna try he tera because the exotic DAC i never hear of R2R DAC


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> proedros said:
> 
> 
> > thoughts emerging from reading  the translated article
> ...


 

 LOL and i am undecided haha flower and start removing petals 1A...1Z...1A..1Z...1A


----------



## pietcux

nc8000 said:


> Spain and UK don't show the A at all. Germany has it with an expected delivery between 1 and 3 months. All 3 have the Z with expected release date 4th October.
> 
> I'm just leaving my order sitting quietly and seeing what will eventually happen



The A is due in 2017 guys. That is the info that the CNet article gave us.


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> mimouille said:
> 
> 
> > The Phil web review sounds like a lot of poetic BS you could write on mushrooms.
> ...



The Tera Player sounds organic,full , spacious, with a very black background.
Not even AK380 Cu didn't impressed me, but well I didn't hear the Gold Walkman, so is a waiting game.I would recommend that you get the Paw Gold if your budget is tight.


----------



## gerelmx1986

pietcux said:


> The A is due in 2017 guys. That is the info that the CNet article gave us.


 
 i don't trust CNet
  
 sony says the copper ingot is by far more difficult to CNC cutting than the aluminum.... i think sony says arround october 29 or so, lets wait for the canjam RMF to pass by and see


----------



## fish1050

Delays from Sony on product releases are very common.  I bought my A17 on October 24th when it was suppose to be in stock and it did not arrive until November 24th.  The same happened with my STRDN860 which arrived 5 weeks after I paid for it.  The same was true when I sold Sony products.
  
 Whatever date Sony gives for a product release add at least 30 days to it to be safe and you will be less likely to be disappointed by the delays.


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> i don't trust CNet
> 
> sony says the copper ingot is by far more difficult to CNC cutting than the aluminum.... i think sony says arround october 29 or so, lets wait for the canjam RMF to pass by and see


 
 Yes CNET needs to stick to computer product reviews,  I don't give much credence to their reviews on audio products.


----------



## nc8000

To be fair we don't know if it is Sony or Amazon themselves that have made up the dates. At least Amazon don't charge until they ship


----------



## proedros

hoping many EU guys buy the non-cap version , then moving on to sth better and selling it to us '2nd hand' people
  
 no way risking getting a 1000 euros dap from outside EU - customs will SLAUGHTER me


----------



## fish1050

nc8000 said:


> To be fair we don't know if it is Sony or Amazon themselves that have made up the dates. At least Amazon don't charge until they ship


 
 No, but having worked in retail sales, specifically electronics the retailers go off of the dates provided by the manufacturer.  Amazon wouldn't post any dates without clear indications from in this case Sony about product availability.  Amazon wants to avoid disappointing their customers if at all possible.


----------



## audionewbi

Reading about the performance of the 1Z it does maker me wonder whether with the extra real estate within the TA-ZH1ES what extra performance they were able to extract from their DSEE algorithm.
  
 My mentality is to start with ZH1ES and eventually go with A1 to complete the family.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

I have decided to get the 1A and Z1R headphones to complement each other.
  
 But I'll be keeping my ZX2/XBAZ5 & ZX2/PHA3/Z7 too.
  
 I would love to get the 1Z dap but it too much for the cheap gear I have


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiobreeder said:


> I have decided to get the 1A and Z1R headphones to complement each other.
> 
> But I'll be keeping my ZX2/XBAZ5 & ZX2/PHA3/Z7 too.
> 
> I would love to get the 1Z dap but it too much for the cheap gear I have


 

 ​I will get the 1A too and the MDR-Z7, already have the XBA-Z5


----------



## Rob49

audiobreeder said:


> I have decided to get the 1A and Z1R headphones to complement each other.
> 
> But I'll be keeping my ZX2/XBAZ5 & ZX2/PHA3/Z7 too.
> 
> I would love to get the 1Z dap but it too much for the cheap gear I have


 
  
 As much as i'd love a 1Z ( Wouldn't we all ! ) i don't think ANY Dap, can justify a nearly 3 Grand price tag !!


----------



## echineko

rob49 said:


> As much as i'd love a 1Z ( Wouldn't we all ! ) i don't think ANY Dap, can justify a nearly 3 Grand price tag !!



That's not been a problem for certain DAPs, so why would it be any different for Sony who actually have extensive R&D to throw behind their flagships?

I do agree prices are getting out of hand, how long till the first $10,000 flagship headphone/DAP/etc at this rate :mad:


----------



## Cecala

Anyone who purchases the z has too much money for their own good. The internals between the two players (memory notwithstanding) only differ in 1 or 2 cms max of Kimber cable (big deal) and a so called sound Register difference (another big deal).
 The review above was written after eating magic mushrooms, each to their own I know although there is no frigging way they can justify in this universe that massive price difference.


----------



## denis1976

This wait sucks...but sony know what is doing...what a marketing ...give us just a taste and them keep us waiting...i hope it be available soon...


----------



## denis1976

One thing that would like to know is how does the 1A compares to my Lotoo Paw Gold


----------



## CraftyClown

rob49 said:


> As much as i'd love a 1Z ( Wouldn't we all ! ) i don't think ANY Dap, can justify a nearly 3 Grand price tag !!


 
  
  


echineko said:


> That's not been a problem for certain DAPs, so why would it be any different for Sony who actually have extensive R&D to throw behind their flagships?
> 
> I do agree prices are getting out of hand, how long till the first $10,000 flagship headphone/DAP/etc at this rate


 
  
  


cecala said:


> Anyone who purchases the z has too much money for their own good. The internals between the two players (memory notwithstanding) only differ in 1 or 2 cms max of Kimber cable (big deal) and a so called sound Register difference (another big deal).
> The review above was written after eating magic mushrooms, each to their own I know although there is no frigging way they can justify in this universe that massive price difference.


 

 ​The thing is, we're all well aware of the fact this is a hobby where diminishing returns are the order of the day, once you reach a certain level. However that doesn't stop us wanting to experience music at the very highest level. It's the reason all of us on here have chronic upgradeitis! If not we'd all be sat here listening to Ipods etc.
  
 I can't justify the cost... but it doesn't mean I don't really want one


----------



## MarkTwain

This is the interesting world of audio, isn't it?

The higher the price, the better will be the perceived sound quality.

Most of us probably can't tell a difference if we did a blind test audition, but since it is so expensive, it must be that good.

Just buy what you can afford, as you are paying more for the built quality, the design, and probably some of the more expensive parts used. How much better is one DAP over another, is probably justified by who writes a better review of it.




cecala said:


> Anyone who purchases the z has too much money for their own good. The internals between the two players (memory notwithstanding) only differ in 1 or 2 cms max of Kimber cable (big deal) and a so called sound Register difference (another big deal).
> The review above was written after eating magic mushrooms, each to their own I know although there is no frigging way they can justify in this universe that massive price difference.


----------



## nc8000

This is no different to watches. A $10 watch will tell time practically as well if not better than a $10.000 or more hand made Swiss watch that certainly does not have materials that cost 1.000 times more but people still buy them. It is not just a matter of the main function of a thing but to many people just as much or more the feel of the thing, the pleasure of having/using/showing of a given product. You have to look at these uber expensive objects from a completely different perspective than just what they actually do


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> This is no different to watches. A $10 watch will tell time practically as well if not better than a $10.000 or more hand made Swiss watch that certainly does not have materials that cost 1.000 times more but people still buy them. It is not just a matter of the main function of a thing but to many people just as much or more the feel of the thing, the pleasure of having/using/showing of a given product. You have to look at these uber expensive objects from a completely different perspective than just what they actually do


 
  
 100% wrong analogy here

 this is like saying a 10$ aiwa walkman plays the same as the 1000$ zx2
  
 of course there are rich people who will buy a 3000$ dap as a way to show off - but still there are perceivable sonic changes , small or big as you move up the dap chain
  
 the only (partial) analogy i can see here is maybe with the noble ciems , where people pay an extra *1000$* for some cool-looking 'prestige' design that does not improve the SQ at all , but people buy because it looks good


----------



## Whitigir

So you guys are saying the reviewers who tell the differences between these gears are all "liars" in sum up ? Seriously ? And whoever said that just dis-credited his "enthusiasms worthy" on head-fi. Good to know though



proedros said:


> 100% wrong analogy here
> 
> 
> this is like saying a 10$ aiwa walkman plays the same as the 1000$ zx2
> ...




Exactly, I don't think people just want to buy 3-4K DAP to just simply showing off, but that could be also accounted for. It is all about their enthusiasm as they seek further the chain to find the things that they like. Of course the differences are there between the 2 players, heck, even playback software does have that too. We don't know what the differences are really, beside those disclosed technicals and marketing advertisements. However, without such DAP existed, there wouldn't be differences.

Also the diminishing return is real, and paying 3x the prices doesn't mean you gain 3x the performances. It just means that was the cost in R&D and the components being used.

In conclusion, if you are happy with 1A then you are, but you wouldn't have the 1Z sound signatures, period. Better, or worse, upon your personal preferences.


----------



## CraftyClown

proedros said:


> 100% wrong analogy here
> 
> this is like saying a 10$ aiwa walkman plays the same as the 1000$ zx2
> 
> ...


 

 Totally agree.
  
 I would be more than happy to own a device that was considered 'ugly' if it sounded beautiful.
  
 If it happens to look pretty then that is an added bonus, but I won't pay a penny more for the aesthetics.


----------



## musicday

nc8000 said:


> This is no different to watches. A $10 watch will tell time practically as well if not better than a $10.000 or more hand made Swiss watch that certainly does not have materials that cost 1.000 times more but people still buy them. It is not just a matter of the main function of a thing but to many people just as much or more the feel of the thing, the pleasure of having/using/showing of a given product. You have to look at these uber expensive objects from a completely different perspective than just what they actually do



Not always the case, as some companies with bigger experience in the watch making ,better value brand, reliability, and the material used to make the watch and how complicated the mechanism of the watch the higher the price in my opinion.
And as a last thing some brands keep way better resale value then others.


----------



## nc8000

I'm not saying there is no difference in sound, I'm just saying that actual performance difference is not the only parameter why people pay huge amounts for some things


----------



## JamesInLondon

Hi All;
  
 I think what is not being discussed here is that incremental costs raise rapidly once you get into the 95% plus area; it doesn't matter if you are talking about audio, wine, _haute cuisine_ or car performance.
  
 Going from 50% performance to 70% will cost very little, but the difference will be easily observed; whilst going from 97% to 98% may cost twice the money for almost an imperceptible difference.
  
 There are two ways to look at it; it is either a classic case of 'The Emperor's New Clothes' or evidence that humanity will always keep striving towards ever receding goals, but neverthless will keep trying.
  
 Each view is equally valid; but, noting the forum where we are, I would think that the majority here are in the latter group.
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## CraftyClown

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi All;
> 
> I think what is not being discussed here is that incremental costs raise rapidly once you get into the 95% plus area; it doesn't matter if you are talking about audio, wine, _haute cuisine_ or car performance.
> 
> ...


 

 ​Is that not exactly the point I was making? It's the law of diminishing returns.
  
 The thing is, even if they are diminished, there usually are some returns and as 'audiophiles' we are quite often enthralled by those tiny improvements.
  
 There's a reason this sites tag line has ended up as 'Welcome to Head-fi. Sorry about your wallet'


----------



## Rei87

craftyclown said:


> Totally agree.
> 
> I would be more than happy to own a device that was considered 'ugly' if it sounded beautiful.
> 
> If it happens to look pretty then that is an added bonus, but I won't pay a penny more for the aesthetics.




Sounds like my Lotoo paw gold lol...sounds good, horrible UI, and looks only the designer could love.

But, it sounds good


----------



## nc8000

craftyclown said:


> Totally agree.
> 
> I would be more than happy to own a device that was considered 'ugly' if it sounded beautiful.
> 
> If it happens to look pretty then that is an added bonus, but I won't pay a penny more for the aesthetics.




Many will, me included


----------



## Whitigir

The real exact reason why I love Sony OS on new Walkman is because it will not be altered like Android. We all know that Sony OS was developed for Music all Along. We are going to get the best Walkman yet


----------



## denis1976

rei87 said:


> Sounds like my Lotoo paw gold lol...sounds good, horrible UI, and looks only the designer could love.
> 
> But, it sounds good


yes Lotoo paw gold sounds very good, so did the Acoustic research ar-m2, now the million dollar question, will the "magic" that the zx2 has still remains in the 1A but with more power?or to have that sound signature with more power and more dynamic we have to go to the 1Z?


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> yes Lotoo paw gold sounds very good, so did the Acoustic research ar-m2, now the million dollar question, will the "magic" that the zx2 has still remains in the 1A but with more power?or to have that sound signature with more power and more dynamic we have to go to the 1Z?




Probably the Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

> Dear Gerardo,
> 
> Yes we will have it on sale soon. Waiting for Sony to confirm release
> date in Hong Kong.
> ...


 
  
  
 Accessory Jack confirmed my inquirí still they dont know the lrelease


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

That doesn't make any sense.
Sony probably put more work into the Zx2 to make it sound right to their ears because of android rather than 'sticking' their OS into their newer wm series.


whitigir said:


> The real exact reason why I love Sony OS on new Walkman is because it will not be altered like Android. We all know that Sony OS was developed for Music all Along. We are going to get the best Walkman yet


----------



## denis1976

whitigir said:


> Probably the Z


i asked to a intagram guy that posted a photo from the 1A if the 1a was clearly better than the zx2 i answer a big YES,but in this things of audio what is better for ones is worse for others....but i have faith in the 1A


----------



## purk

The real question is can the WMZ replace a mid priced desktop system. It has to sound better than the PHA-3 or Mojo in order to be worth while.


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> i asked to a intagram guy that posted a photo from the 1A if the 1a was clearly better than the zx2 i answer a big YES,but in this things of audio what is better for ones is worse for others....but i have faith in the 1A




That is correct, because we have preferences. However, the Z is supposed to be superiority tuned and designed compare to A.


----------



## Leviticus

whitigir said:


> That is correct, because we have preferences. However, the Z is supposed to be superiority tuned and designed compare to A.


 

 It better be.


----------



## Whitigir

leviticus said:


> It better be.




It will or will not be - again ...personal preferences. Sony designed it that way, and to "Sony" at least the Z is a superior version of the A. Of course as consumers, we all debate and argue for our own interestes. I have seen people taking Fostex 600 to be better than 900. Sure, to their preferences, but to Fostex, the 900 was designed and made to be superior.

We can put it simple, the people that like the Z better, they understand Sony, the people that don't ? They understand themselves.


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> leviticus said:
> 
> 
> > It better be.
> ...


 

 ​Like XBA-A3 VS XBA-Z5, Z5 is superior tan A3,a nd i say yes in construction and some sonics, but they share almost same DNA


----------



## denis1976

whitigir said:


> That is correct, because we have preferences. However, the Z is supposed to be superiority tuned and designed compare to A.


yes is got to be , but i am comparing 1a to zx2 no to 1z


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> yes is got to be , but i am comparing 1a to zx2 no to 1z




And that is why I am calling out to the 1Z. My logic goes like this, couple years ago, the Zx2 was "flagship". Now, the 1Z is "Flagship". Therefore, flagship to flagship, Zx2 successor is 1Z, period.

However, both A and Z shall be leaps of improvements over Zx2. I hear people calling out to 1A being Neutral, and Z being Warmer. The Zx2 is a warmer player, and many people agrees so. It is just very safe to assume Flagship to flagship and warmer to warmer, so 1Z is the successor.


----------



## denis1976

whitigir said:


> And that is why I am calling out to the 1Z. My logic goes like this, couple years ago, the Zx2 was "flagship". Now, the 1Z is "Flagship". Therefore, flagship to flagship, Zx2 successor is 1Z, period.
> 
> However, both A and Z shall be leaps of improvements over Zx2. I hear people calling out to 1A being Neutral, and Z being Warmer. The Zx2 is a warmer player, and many people agrees so. It is just very safe to assume Flagship to flagship and warmer to warmer, so 1Z is the successor.


yes i agree, that's one if the reasons that makes me wonder if is better wait to have money to buy the 1Z insted, because i got the paw gold that is an excelent technical and neutral Dap


----------



## gerelmx1986

1Z is for the wealthy LOL and 1A the flagship for the poor
  
 see them as two kinds of flagships, more like 1A is a cofñagship to the 1Z


----------



## MattTCG

gerelmx1986 said:


> 1Z is for the wealthy LOL and 1A the flagship for the poor
> 
> see them as two kinds of flagships, more like 1A is a cofñagship to the 1Z


 
  
 Well you can put me in the poor man's flagship category. My new customs (jh13prov2) are begging for a high end DAP. Plus I'd really like to grab a doc for the 1A and use this as my desktop source. My friend just got the 1z, he must be rich.


----------



## purk

matttcg said:


> Well you can put me in the poor man's flagship category. My new customs (jh13prov2) are begging for a high end DAP. Plus I'd really like to grab a doc for the 1A and use this as my desktop source. My friend just got the 1z, *he must be rich.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 More like very crazy to get it.  The Walkman bug strikes again!


----------



## musicday

Has it been confirmed yet if any of these two walkmans can work as usb DAC yet?


----------



## audioxxx

purk said:


> More like very crazy to get it.  The Walkman bug strikes again!



Mad as a mad hatter, I say. 
The biggest problem is where do you go from here, if people are accepting these sorts of prices. 

Well of course Sony will make a 2 and 3z, and charge $8k. And milk that as well, if there are any audio people with money left to burn at Head Fi.
Of coarse there are people that can can afford such expensive luxuries, and I guess they are not going to be complaining.
But I see it as wrong to put such a premium on something, that has no way such a value. IMO 
I guess we have AK and the likes of to thank for these amazingly overpriced DAP's.
 They have shown us that there are heaps of people out there with more money than sense.


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> Has it been confirmed yet if any of these two walkmans can work as usb DAC yet?




Walkman can not work as an external USB-DAC


----------



## musicday

whitigir said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Has it been confirmed yet if any of these two walkmans can work as usb DAC yet?
> ...



Ok, thank you.I was waiting for a change


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> Has it been confirmed yet if any of these two walkmans can work as usb DAC yet?


 

 ​Nope they don't work as USB DAC


----------



## gerelmx1986

matttcg said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > 1Z is for the wealthy LOL and 1A the flagship for the poor
> ...


 
 me too  but if the A i as a coflagship of the Z i wont be whining i cannot get the Z. i am happy at least can afford the A


----------



## krayzie

Dam I don't lurk around head-fi for a bit and then this happened.
  
 This is like a reboot of their Reference Series from the late 80's / early 90's.
  
 Resell a few pairs of Yeezys and you can afford this!!!
  
 Dam in Japan there's a trade-in program.
  
 http://www.sony.jp/walkman/store/special/signature/?s=pid=st_/walkman/products/NW-WM1A/walkman/_pur-bnr_signature


----------



## Cecala

whitigir said:


> And that is why I am calling out to the 1Z. My logic goes like this, couple years ago, the Zx2 was "flagship". Now, the 1Z is "Flagship". Therefore, flagship to flagship, Zx2 successor is 1Z, period.
> 
> *However, both A and Z shall be leaps of improvements over Zx2.* I hear people calling out to 1A being Neutral, and Z being Warmer. The Zx2 is a warmer player, and many people agrees so. It is just very safe to assume Flagship to flagship and warmer to warmer, so 1Z is the successor.


 
 Sorry chief, now your stretching it a bit too far. I will concede it will be a little better (or different) hardly 'leaps'. It's conclusions like these that fuel laughter at people who call themselves audiophiles and rightly so.


----------



## purk

krayzie said:


> Dam I don't lurk around head-fi for a bit and then this happened.
> 
> This is like a reboot of their Reference Series from the late 80's / early 90's.
> 
> ...





I welcome you back with open arm my friend. Yup, you were smart about staying away. Reall, you did.


----------



## Mimouille

purk said:


> The real question is can the WMZ replace a mid priced desktop system. It has to sound better than the PHA-3 or Mojo in order to be worth while.


 The Z and Mojo have very different sound sigs, the Mojo sounds much sharper and the Z much smoother,IMHO.


----------



## cthomas

Are we certain the battery is not replaceable? Just noticed a Phillips screw next to li-ion...


----------



## echineko

cthomas said:


> Are we certain the battery is not replaceable? Just noticed a Phillips screw next to li-ion...


 
 Yes, I was wondering why it said Li-ion (Lithium Ion, indicating battery) next to the microSD slot. Didn't see that screw placement in the promotional pics though, interesting.
  
 Edit: Once these start shipping, who's going to be brave enough to open it up and have a look (assuming it doesn't void the warranty)? Whitigir, perhaps?


----------



## krayzie

I wonder why they don't include the gold plated copper plate on the WM1A like they did on the ZX2.
  
 This reminds me of their WM-701C (Black Aluminum) and WM-701S (Sterling Silver Plated) variants from 1989 for Walkman 10th Anniversary. Just that this time they merged the WM-DD9 into it as well.
  
 2016 is Sony's 70th Anniversary I guess they needed to go out with a bang.


----------



## cthomas

echineko said:


> Yes, I was wondering why it said Li-ion (Lithium Ion, indicating battery) next to the microSD slot. Didn't see that screw placement in the promotional pics though, interesting.
> 
> Edit: Once these start shipping, who's going to be brave enough to open it up and have a look (assuming it doesn't void the warranty)? Whitigir, perhaps?




I'd assume if it were replaceable it would say in the manual. But I'd also assume opening the device would void the warranty. I suppose that wouldn't matter because when your battery actually dies then the standard warranty period would probably be over anyway.


----------



## cthomas

krayzie said:


> I wonder why they don't include the gold plated copper plate on the WM1A like they did on the ZX2.
> 
> This reminds me of their WM-701C (Black Aluminum) and WM-701S (Sterling Silver Plated) variants from 1989 for Walkman 10th Anniversary. Just that this time they merged the WM-DD9 into it as well.
> 
> 2016 is Sony's 70th Anniversary I guess they needed to go out with a bang.




1Z should be made of platinum for that price.


----------



## echineko

cthomas said:


> I'd assume if it were replaceable it would say in the manual. But I'd also assume opening the device would void the warranty. I suppose that wouldn't matter because when your battery actually dies then the standard warranty period would probably be over anyway.



Oh, the manuals are actually out now? The last time I tried looking for it, they weren't on the Sony website yet. Will have a look also 

And yes, probably a fair assumption about the warranty, and also battery life.



krayzie said:


> This reminds me of their WM-701C (Black Aluminum) and WM-701S (Sterling Silver Plated) variants from 1989 for Walkman 10th Anniversary.



I didn't even know about that silver plated Walkman model, what did they retail for back in the day? They look quite sharp, in a retro way.


----------



## cthomas

echineko said:


> Oh, the manuals are actually out now? The last time I tried looking for it, they weren't on the Sony website yet. Will have a look also
> 
> And yes, probably a fair assumption about the warranty, and also battery life.




There's this http://www.sony.com.au/support/product/NW-WM1A but isn't very detailed.

Edit. Click on manuals


----------



## krayzie

cthomas said:


> 1Z should be made of platinum for that price.


 
 But it can't cuz a platinum cased Grand Seiko for example is priced at 5 digits compare to the 4 digit priced stainless steel variant of the same watch.
  
 I think they should have just made a fully lined copper plated one-piece aluminum or titanium chassis instead, one variant only and incorporate the best bits inside. I feel that Sony is just trying to go after the hot Chinese cash also.
  
 I wonder which was the original design intent, 1Z or 1A.


----------



## cuiter23

Ehhhh no app support = no Tidal.....

Doesn't look like I will be getting either of the players


----------



## Zakalwe

nc8000 said:


> This is no different to watches. A $10 watch will tell time practically as well if not better than a $10.000 or more hand made Swiss watch that certainly does not have materials that cost 1.000 times more but people still buy them. It is not just a matter of the main function of a thing but to many people just as much or more the feel of the thing, the pleasure of having/using/showing of a given product. You have to look at these uber expensive objects from a completely different perspective than just what they actually do




I partially agree. However, having dabbled a bit in watches, in my experience watch enthusiasts are very much aware that a mechanical watch will not be anywhere as accurate as a digital one for a tiny fraction of the price. They still measure their watches, though, and for example try out different storage positions and temperatures to see where the watch loses or gains the least amount of time. Some of them even learn how to regulate their watch movements. On the other hand I have never encountered a watch enthusiast who would claim that watch A is more accurate than watch B based only on his personal sense of time rather than on measurements, whereas the audiophile equivalent is quite common. I also never encountered the idea that new watches require something like the audiophile concept of "burn-in" - while one might get lucky with some individual watch indeed becoming more accurate after a while, generally watches are regarded as wearing out rather than in. Also, when a watch after testing is known to have a certain performance, this is not taken to mean that other watches of the same model will have the same performance - at most the test shows that this model line can achieve that kind of performance, but each watch will have to be tested individually. (This is unlike the common phenomenon in audiophile circles where on the one hand it is believed that practically non-measurable "atomic scale" things like burn-in will have audible effects, while on the other hand believing that this is consistent over a model line, as if manufacturers worked with zero tolerances.)

In short, I feel watch enthusiasts are generally vastly more rational about their irrationality. They will gladly admit to paying money for brand and for the fun of owning complicated mechanisms, but when there is a claim of performance, it better be backed up by objective measurements.


----------



## Gosod

zakalwe said:


> I partially agree. However, having dabbled a bit in watches, in my experience watch enthusiasts are very much aware that a mechanical watch will not be anywhere as accurate as a digital one for a tiny fraction of the price. They still measure their watches, though, and for example try out different storage positions and temperatures to see where the watch loses or gains the least amount of time. Some of them even learn how to regulate their watch movements. On the other hand I have never encountered a watch enthusiast who would claim that watch A is more accurate than watch B based only on his personal sense of time rather than on measurements, whereas the audiophile equivalent is quite common. I also never encountered the idea that new watches require something like the audiophile concept of "burn-in" - while one might get lucky with some individual watch indeed becoming more accurate after a while, generally watches are regarded as wearing out rather than in. Also, when a watch after testing is known to have a certain performance, this is not taken to mean that other watches of the same model will have the same performance - at most the test shows that this model line can achieve that kind of performance, but each watch will have to be tested individually. (This is unlike the common phenomenon in audiophile circles where on the one hand it is believed that practically non-measurable "atomic scale" things like burn-in will have audible effects, while on the other hand believing that this is consistent over a model line, as if manufacturers worked with zero tolerances.)
> 
> In short, I feel watch enthusiasts are generally vastly more rational about their irrationality. They will gladly admit to paying money for brand and for the fun of owning complicated mechanisms, but when there is a claim of performance, it better be backed up by objective measurements.


 
you mean play time? and say that does not coincide with the time that indicates the manufacturer?


----------



## fish1050

denis1976 said:


> This wait sucks...but sony know what is doing...what a marketing ...give us just a taste and them keep us waiting...i hope it be available soon...


 
 If Sony wants to jerk its customers around then I say make them wait.  When the DAP's are finally released everyone hold off purchasing for a couple of months at least


----------



## Zakalwe

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]you mean play time? and say that does not coincide with the time that indicates the manufacturer?[/COLOR]




I was rather referring to sound quality, with accuracy being the main performance category of watches and sound quality being the main performance category of audio equipment, and thus the two having some equivalence. But I guess I could have been more clear.


----------



## Gosod

zakalwe said:


> I was rather referring to sound quality, with accuracy being the main performance category of watches and sound quality being the main performance category of audio equipment, and thus the two having some equivalence. But I guess I could have been more clear.


 
not one player Sony does not play as much as stated by the manufacturer. 
I mean hours of music playback.


----------



## fish1050

So lets forget the whole sonic differences between the 1A and 1Z for a minute and lets look at what you don't get from these DAP's that you do from other much cheaper DAP's. I am not talking wifi and streaming audio that has been beaten to death. I am talking about a second microsd card slot which are now found on some $150.00 DAP's. A proper LO and micro usb charging design like every other DAP on the market.  In line with that support for OTG to connect and external hard drive.  All of these things would improve the WM DAP's without affecting the sound quality.  Finally the ability to access both internal and microsd card storage on a computer at the same time like even $50.00 DAP's can do.
  
 I don't think that any of these are unreasonable features to ask for on such expensive DAP's when much cheaper DAP's have them.  
  
 As for the whole argument with the 1Z somehow being worth the extra $2000.00.  Those with the money who believe any perceived improvement in sound quality no matter how small justifies the premium will pay it no matter what the rest of us say.  So to quote a previous poster lets stop beating a dead horse and move on.  
  
 I can see that most of you intend on pairing whichever WM model you get with Sony iem's or headphones.  How about we try discussing what other headphones people plan to use with these DAP's. After all the headphones used will have a big impact on just how good these DAP's will ultimately sound.  Me personally I want to save up for a pair of Hifiman HE400S as my next go to headphones for home listening.  Any other takers here?


----------



## Gosod

fish1050 said:


> So lets forget the whole sonic differences between the 1A and 1Z for a minute and lets look at what you don't get from these DAP's that you do from other much cheaper DAP's. I am not talking wifi and streaming audio that has been beaten to death. I am talking about a second microsd card slot which are now found on some $150.00 DAP's. A proper LO and micro usb charging design like every other DAP on the market.  In line with that support for OTG to connect and external hard drive.  All of these things would improve the WM DAP's without affecting the sound quality.  Finally the ability to access both internal and microsd card storage on a computer at the same time like even $50.00 DAP's can do.
> 
> I don't think that any of these are unreasonable features to ask for on such expensive DAP's when much cheaper DAP's have them.
> 
> ...


 
personally, I don't expect new versions of the Sony, strong sound changes, and so we wait for the official reviews.


----------



## nc8000

It's been reported that on these new daps you can access both internal storage and microSD at the same time when connected to a computer. 

I intend to use JH13 and Signature Pro just as I do now with ZX2


----------



## cthomas

@fish1050

What are some good daps that offer dual sd? I'm considering getting a PHA3 to use as desktop/on the go. I use my Xperia z5 as it has more storage (with sd) than my ZX1 but I like physical skip buttons. Kinda disappointed with only 1 sd on the 1A.


----------



## CraftyClown

cthomas said:


> @fish1050
> 
> What are some good daps that offer dual sd? I'm considering getting a PHA3 to use as desktop/on the go. I use my Xperia z5 as it has more storage (with sd) than my ZX1 but I like physical skip buttons. Kinda disappointed with only 1 sd on the 1A.


 

 ​The QP1R has 2 micro SD slots and the Lotoo Paw gold, although only having 1 slot is full size sd, allowing up to 512gig in storage at present.


----------



## nanaholic

fish1050 said:


> So lets forget the whole sonic differences between the 1A and 1Z for a minute and lets look at what you don't get from these DAP's that you do from other much cheaper DAP's. I am not talking wifi and streaming audio that has been beaten to death. I am talking about a second microsd card slot which are now found on some $150.00 DAP's. A proper LO and micro usb charging design like every other DAP on the market.  In line with that support for OTG to connect and external hard drive.  All of these things would improve the WM DAP's without affecting the sound quality.  Finally the ability to access both internal and microsd card storage on a computer at the same time like even $50.00 DAP's can do.
> 
> I don't think that any of these are unreasonable features to ask for on such expensive DAP's when much cheaper DAP's have them.
> 
> ...


 
  
 DAPs which offers dual card slot then gimps on the internal storage - most DAPs which offers dual card slots only gives you 32GB (some only gives you 16 or even 8), so while you "gain" an extra card slot, you have to factor in buying at least another 100gb/200gb card to start matching the WM models.  I would call this merely a difference, not an advantage.  Personally, I'd go with more internal storage rather than buying more SD cards, especially considering that SD cards has a performance disadvantage to internal storage in most cases.
  
 Sony's WM port offers a long list of accessories like matching docks, speakers etc - again, merely a difference, not really an advantage.
  
 You keep saying about all these things of cheaper DAPs offering more features, whereas I only see differences in configuration each with its own trade offs.


----------



## CraftyClown

fish1050 said:


> So lets forget the whole sonic differences between the 1A and 1Z for a minute and lets look at what you don't get from these DAP's that you do from other much cheaper DAP's. I am not talking wifi and streaming audio that has been beaten to death. I am talking about a second microsd card slot which are now found on some $150.00 DAP's. A proper LO and micro usb charging design like every other DAP on the market.  In line with that support for OTG to connect and external hard drive.  All of these things would improve the WM DAP's without affecting the sound quality.  Finally the ability to access both internal and microsd card storage on a computer at the same time like even $50.00 DAP's can do.
> 
> I don't think that any of these are unreasonable features to ask for on such expensive DAP's when much cheaper DAP's have them.
> 
> ...


 

 ​I have no interest in the current Sony headphone line up and plan to use the Tralucent Ref1 toos and the Fostex TH-X00 Purple Hearts if and when I get the 1A


----------



## Whitigir

craftyclown said:


> ​I have no interest in the current Sony headphone line up and plan to use the Tralucent Ref1 toos and the Fostex TH-X00 Purple Hearts if and when I get the 1A




Lol, why are you here though ? Anyways, 256GB microSD is around $200, not to mention the Quality Memory as Sony introduced a while ago 64Gb for $200. Imagine 256GB of it


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> Lol, why are you here though ? Anyways, 256GB microSD is around $200, not to mention the Quality Memory as Sony introduced a while ago 64Gb for $200. Imagine 256GB of it



 


Why am I here? I thought this was a thread for the new Sony Walkman, (which I am very interested in) not their headphones. Or does one need to be a Sony fanboy to post here?


----------



## Whitigir

craftyclown said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > Lol, why are you here though ? Anyways, 256GB microSD is around $200, not to mention the Quality Memory as Sony introduced a while ago 64Gb for $200. Imagine 256GB of it
> ...




My bad, I skipped the "headphone" word when I saw you had no interest LOL. I don't know how good the Zx2 is in comparison to new WM Walkman , the Zx2 will be a collector piece as there won't be anymore of it


----------



## MattTCG

craftyclown said:


> ​The QP1R has 2 micro SD slots and the Lotoo Paw gold, although only having 1 slot is full size sd, allowing up to 512gig in storage at present.


 
  
 My trusty and quite ancient Fiio x5 (original) has two card slots and is able to drive my hd650 to reasonable levels. While having two slots on the wm1a would have been a bonus, I can live without it. I have only a few concerns.
  
 Will it, wm1a,  truly trump the zx2 in terms of sound quality? Earlier in the year I met up with a friend to do a mini roundup of DAPs. The qp1r and zx2 were IMO the best sounding players based on sonics. With the qp1r able to drive full sized headphones where the Sony simply could not. But the Sony still held my attention because of the beautiful sound presentation and elegant design. Next to the Sony, the qp1r seems clumsy and antiquated particularly with it's oafish click wheel. The Sony stayed on mind enough to bring me to purchase the wm1a when I had the opportunity. 
  
 Also I wish that the Sony had a replaceable battery and balanced out (I assume no for both). 
  
 Hopefully Sony will start shipping some product in October and we'll have these players before Halloween. If we're taking bets then I'll take last week of October.


----------



## nc8000

matttcg said:


> My trusty and quite ancient Fiio x5 (original) has two card slots and is able to drive my hd650 to reasonable levels. While having two slots on the wm1a would have been a bonus, I can live without it. I have only a few concerns.
> 
> Will it, wm1a,  truly trump the zx2 in terms of sound quality? Earlier in the year I met up with a friend to do a mini roundup of DAPs. The qp1r and zx2 were IMO the best sounding players based on sonics. With the qp1r able to drive full sized headphones where the Sony simply could not. But the Sony still held my attention because of the beautiful sound presentation and elegant design. Next to the Sony, the qp1r seems clumsy and antiquated particularly with it's oafish click wheel. The Sony stayed on mind enough to bring me to purchase the wm1a when I had the opportunity.
> 
> ...




The ZX2 has seperate ground giving many of the benefits of balanced. The new players apparently still have seperate ground on the 3,5 mm and full balanced on the 4,4 mm. No user replaceable battery on any of them though


----------



## goody

The UI on most of these cheap DAPS is buggy and horrible ...


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> My bad, I skipped the "headphone" word when I saw you had no interest LOL. I don't know how good the Zx2 is in comparison to new WM Walkman , the Zx2 will be a collector piece as there won't be anymore of it


 

 ​No worries 
  
 I think you may be right about the ZX2 becoming a collectors edition. There are a lot of people selling there's off cheap right now, in order to buy the 1a, but I have a feeling that the second hand price may rise again in a few months as the wifi/tidal functionality is still highly desirable to many people.


----------



## Mimouille

goody said:


> The UI on most of these cheap DAPS is buggy and horrible ...


what DAPs are you talking about?


----------



## MattTCG

mimouille said:


> what DAPs are you talking about?


 
  
 I think that he meant my cheap x5.


----------



## Mimouille

matttcg said:


> I think that he meant my cheap x5.


I was wondering, because the fiio daps are not that cheap and the UIs are just fine. And the aforementioned LPG and QPR1 are not cheap at all, even quite pricey. And their UIs are not buggy either. So I was wondering if it was not just a blanket statement.


----------



## Leviticus

craftyclown said:


> ​No worries
> 
> I think you may be right about the ZX2 becoming a collectors edition. There are a lot of people selling there's off cheap right now, in order to buy the 1a, but I have a feeling that the second hand price may rise again in a few months as the wifi/tidal functionality is still highly desirable to many people.


 
 I would only sell my ZX2 after having received and tested the WM1. I only sold my ZX1 after I had properly breaked in my ZX2. It's just to exciting to compare your newest toy with older gear.
  
 But there's no point in keeping the ZX2 when you want to have a WM1.


----------



## krayzie

echineko said:


> I didn't even know about that silver plated Walkman model, what did they retail for back in the day? They look quite sharp, in a retro way.


 
 I think they sold the silver plated one at Tiffany's in the 4 digits USD. Quite a large sum of money back then I would think.
  
 $3000+ for the 1Z would be ludicrous if they are still making them in Malaysia and not Japan.
  
 The lower left corner of the screen on my ZX2 has already developed a slight delamination under the glass so I'm not impressed with the build quality (it lives its life on a coffee table).
  
 You can probably change the battery on these Walkmans, just rip off the stick on leather pad at the rear to get at the screws.


----------



## nc8000

krayzie said:


> I think they sold the silver plated one at Tiffany's in the 4 digits USD. Quite a large sum of money back then I would think.






http://www.stereo2go.com/topic/sony-wm-701t-tiffanyandampco-edition?reply=286003431015607058


----------



## echineko

krayzie said:


> $3000+ for the 1Z would be ludicrous if they are still making them in Malaysia and not Japan.


 
 What's wrong with Malaysia?


----------



## krayzie

echineko said:


> What's wrong with Malaysia?


 
 Well Sony being a Japanese company celebrating its 70 years of heritage I just think it's befitting to at least assemble the flagship product in Japan. I mean why glorify the Taiyo plant assembly line all of a sudden for the Z1R but not for the Z7 when it came out.
  
 Then again I also don't understand why the new Acura NSX being the Honda flagship is fully designed, developed, and built in Ohio but I digress.


----------



## JamesInLondon

krayzie said:


> Well Sony being a Japanese company celebrating its 70 years of heritage I just think it's befitting to at least assemble the flagship product in Japan. I mean why glorify the Taiyo plant assembly line all of a sudden for the Z1R but not for the Z7 when it came out.
> 
> Then again I also don't understand why the new Acura NSX being the Honda flagship is fully designed, developed, and built in Ohio but I digress.


 

 It matters not where the unit is built, the design of the factory & the processes will have been done by Sony in Japan and therefore the final result will be pretty much the same as if it were built in any other Sony factory.
  
 As to why the NSX is being built in the US, it is because the majority of them will be sold there. It is the same reason that both Daimler Benz and BMW both build their SUVs in the US.
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## nanaholic

krayzie said:


> Well Sony being a Japanese company celebrating its 70 years of heritage I just think it's befitting to at least assemble the flagship product in Japan. I mean why glorify the Taiyo plant assembly line all of a sudden for the Z1R but not for the Z7 when it came out.


 
  
 Probably because the Z7 wasn't made at the Taiyo plant - Sony does have several plants in Japan too.  Also the Taiyo plant is quite special if you look it up - it's a factory that mainly employs people with disabilities.  I don't think it's so much glorifying but rather giving dignity and pride to people with disabilities and say they can take the responsibility to make the company's 70th anniversary flagship.  
  
 As for why Malaysia - Sony Malaysia had been making Sony's consumer electronic products for decades, whereas the Japanese plants are mainly set up for more quality control demanding semi-conductor type products and their fabrication.  It means the specialisation/tools/workers between the plants are actually quite different with little or no cross over.


----------



## goody

mimouille said:


> I was wondering, because the fiio daps are not that cheap and the UIs are just fine. And the aforementioned LPG and QPR1 are not cheap at all, even quite pricey. And their UIs are not buggy either. So I was wondering if it was not just a blanket statement.


 
 i had a FIIO x3 and it had some bugs and i didnt particularly like the UI but i am sure updates have been made to fix it ..this was a 2 years ago....That was my experience!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

goody said:


> mimouille said:
> 
> 
> > I was wondering, because the fiio daps are not that cheap and the UIs are just fine. And the aforementioned LPG and QPR1 are not cheap at all, even quite pricey. And their UIs are not buggy either. So I was wondering if it was not just a blanket statement.
> ...


 

 I agree i also had a fiio x3 and th e Buggy ui, mad eme so pissed off at times LOL and well my German friend threw it to the floor and said bad language lol this BLEEEEEEP thing is not BLEEEEEP friendly


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> It's been reported that on these new daps you can access both internal storage and microSD at the same time when connected to a computer.
> 
> I intend to use JH13 and Signature Pro just as I do now with ZX2


 

 Yes i saw that and is great because now you can transfer in paralell


----------



## gerelmx1986

cthomas said:


> Are we certain the battery is not replaceable? Just noticed a Phillips screw next to li-ion...


 
  
  


echineko said:


> Oh, the manuals are actually out now? The last time I tried looking for it, they weren't on the Sony website yet. Will have a look also
> 
> And yes, probably a fair assumption about the warranty, and also battery life.


 
 actually wondering the same thing, replaceable stick-battery?


----------



## Gibraltar

gerelmx1986 said:


> actually wondering the same thing, replaceable stick-battery?


 
  
 The battery is non-replaceable and custom designed with five leads, you can see the photo if you scroll down here:
 http://www.sony.jp/walkman/special/flagship/manufacturer/interview03.html
  
 My guess is there's some regulation in place that devices containing Li-Ion batteries must say so on the exterior.


----------



## fish1050

cthomas said:


> @fish1050
> 
> What are some good daps that offer dual sd? I'm considering getting a PHA3 to use as desktop/on the go. I use my Xperia z5 as it has more storage (with sd) than my ZX1 but I like physical skip buttons. Kinda disappointed with only 1 sd on the 1A.


 
 The cheapest I know of is the Xduoo X3 at around $150.00 and the Fiio X5 II along with the Pioneer XDP-100R and the Onkyo DP-X1  The Pioneer and Onkyo have 32 GB onboard plus the two slots so greater capacity than the 1Z and the alot more than the 1A for hundreds of dollars less.  
  


craftyclown said:


> ​The QP1R has 2 micro SD slots and the Lotoo Paw gold, although only having 1 slot is full size sd, allowing up to 512gig in storage at present.


 
  
  


nanaholic said:


> DAPs which offers dual card slot then gimps on the internal storage - most DAPs which offers dual card slots only gives you 32GB (some only gives you 16 or even 8), so while you "gain" an extra card slot, you have to factor in buying at least another 100gb/200gb card to start matching the WM models.  I would call this merely a difference, not an advantage.  Personally, I'd go with more internal storage rather than buying more SD cards, especially considering that SD cards has a performance disadvantage to internal storage in most cases.
> 
> Sony's WM port offers a long list of accessories like matching docks, speakers etc - again, merely a difference, not really an advantage.
> 
> You keep saying about all these things of cheaper DAPs offering more features, whereas I only see differences in configuration each with its own trade offs.


 
 Yes but they cost a lot less than both the 1Z and the 1A, for the premium Sony charges they should give you two slots.  It would also help Sony differentiate their WM DAP's from the comparable A&K models which will be their main competition over $1000.00. The A&K 380 has the same memory configuration as the 1Z, another memory card slot would have given 1Z anadvantage over the 380.
  
 How can having greater storage capacity not be an advantage, now you are grasping at straws.  The Pioneer and Onkyo will have a 160 GB greater storage capacity than the 1A for less money, sorry but in my book that is an advantage and a pretty big one at that.


----------



## Whitigir

Interesting read and I noticed 


even though A and Z has the same FT capacitors on balanced, which was being developed from Zx1 release until now, the A has different sound characteristic from the Z because of Resistors and tuning technique. The Z with the use of "F" resistors are able to get smoother Trebles 

So once again, the Z has different developments than the A.


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> I agree i also had a fiio x3 and th e Buggy ui, mad eme so pissed off at times LOL and well my German friend threw it to the floor and said bad language lol this BLEEEEEEP thing is not BLEEEEEP friendly


 
 Yes but have you tried the X3 II or the X5 II,  the UI especially the latest update is miles better than the original X3.  Sony's been doing the portable audio thing alot longer than all the other DAP makers so they should have the UI nailed after decades of experience.  For a fairer comparison you need to compare current models from Fiio


----------



## deafdoorknob

first detailed Japanese review 
(use google translate)

http://www.phileweb.com/sp/review/article/201609/23/2235.html


----------



## nanaholic

fish1050 said:


> The cheapest I know of is the Xduoo X3 at around $150.00 and the Fiio X5 II along with the Pioneer XDP-100R and the Onkyo DP-X1  The Pioneer and Onkyo have 32 GB onboard plus the two slots so greater capacity than the 1Z and the alot more than the 1A for hundreds of dollars less.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Because as I said the greater external storage capacity comes at a cost of performance - internal storage that is soldered directly onboard with direct connection to the controller is always better than going through an external card.  This is not grasping at straws - again only a difference.  Some people want performance, some people want storage, this is merely picking your own poison.  
  
 Again what you see as better features I'm only seeing a difference in configuration.  It seems to me that it is you whom are grasping at straws at every turn to put down the Sony DAPs.  Would Sony be better if they put in two slots - sure, but it's hardly a deal breaker considering the base model comes with 128GB.  I actually have a DP-X1 which has two slots, you know where all the music goes?  Into a single 128GB card.  Nothing is on the 32GB (almost too little to fit anything except the bare minimum music, but then it duplicates with music on the card which makes management more cumbersome) and the other slot has a dummy card in there to stop dust getting in.  Given the choice I'd rather have one giant pool of good fast internal storage plus one slot, rather than two slots + puny (almost useless) internal storage that is the norm of the cheaper DAPs.   But then again that's merely a choice in different configuration, neither is objectively better.


----------



## fish1050

nanaholic said:


> Because as I said the greater storage capacity comes at a cost of performance - internal storage that is soldered directly onboard with direct connection to the controller is always better than going through an external card.  This is not grasping at straws - again only a difference.  Some people want performance, some people want storage, this is merely picking your own poison.
> 
> Again what you see as better features I'm only seeing a difference in configuration.  It seems to me that it is you whom are grasping at straws at every turn to put down the Sony DAPs.  Would Sony be better if they put in two slots - sure, but it's hardly a deal breaker considering the base model comes with 128GB.  I actually have a DP-X1 which has two slots, you know where all the music goes?  Into a single 128GB card.  Nothing is on the 32GB (almost too little to fit anything except the bare minimum music, but then it duplicates which makes management more cumbersome) and the other slot has a dummy card in there to stop dust getting in.  Given the choice I'd rather have one giant poll of internal storage plus one slot, rather than two slots + puny (almost useless) internal storage that is the norm of the cheaper DAPs.   But then again that's merely a choice in different configuration, neither is objectively better.


 
 Well umm the WM DAP's have microsd card slots so won't that still affect the sound quality as you claim? I don't know about you but I think most people will be utilizing an external memory card if the DAP accepts them.
  
  As for being enough memory that really depends on how much music you want to  have access to, especially if you have DSD files which are huge. I happen to have almost 500 GB of music so yeah I would call the extra 160 GB for less money an advantage.  
  
 You can have your straws back now


----------



## nanaholic

fish1050 said:


> Well umm the WM DAP's have microsd card slots so won't that still affect the sound quality as you claim? I don't know about you but I think most people will be utilizing an external memory card if the DAP accepts them.
> 
> As for being enough memory that really depends on how much music you want to  have access to, especially if you have DSD files which are huge. I happen to have almost 500 GB of music so yeah I would call the extra 160 GB for less money an advantage.
> 
> You can have your straws back now


 
  
 It's not sound quality - it's read/write speed and general stability of internal storage is superior to that of external cards.  This is common knowledge for computer people.  If you don't know this then stop accusing people of grasping at straws.
  
 And thanks for illustrating my point - your usage means you want more expandable storage, mine means I want a faster and big pool of internal storage - again only a difference in choices, neither is superior.
  
 YOU can have your straws back now, since you seem to be always the one hording all the straws in this thread.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I do agree 128GB is nice and if it accepts 256GB or more is even nicier...
  
 Read write speeds? huh? you can put the SD card in an adapter and use the built in reader, at least my VAIO PC has a USB 3.0 SDXC reader


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> I do agree 128GB is nice and if it accepts 256GB or more is even nicier...
> 
> Read write speeds? huh? you can put the SD card in an adapter and use the built in reader, at least my VAIO PC has a USB 3.0 SDXC reader


 
  
 I'm referring to Internal storage always have faster speed and control than external cards to the CPU in the device because it has direct interface - that's why the performance when reading from the internal storage is always better and more stable than cards.
  
 EDIT: there's a study which shows depending on the OS that external storage can actually negatively impact overall system performance
 https://www.usenix.org/legacy/event/fast12/tech/full_papers/Kim.pdf


----------



## krayzie

nanaholic said:


> Probably because the Z7 wasn't made at the Taiyo plant - Sony does have several plants in Japan too.  Also the Taiyo plant is quite special if you look it up - it's a factory that mainly employs people with disabilities.  I don't think it's so much glorifying but rather giving dignity and pride to people with disabilities and say they can take the responsibility to make the company's 70th anniversary flagship.
> 
> As for why Malaysia - Sony Malaysia had been making Sony's consumer electronic products for decades, whereas the Japanese plants are mainly set up for more quality control demanding semi-conductor type products and their fabrication.  It means the specialisation/tools/workers between the plants are actually quite different with little or no cross over.


 
 I think they made / assembled the MDR-CD900ST and MDR-Z7 at the same plant.
  
 http://www.sony-taiyo.co.jp/
  
 I'm glad Sony still have some sort of electronics manufacturing in Japan and not just semiconductor fabs.
  
 They shifted the flagship model Walkman manufacturing from Japan to Malaysia when the WM-EX20 debuted in 1999. I guess I'm just unlucky to have come across some minor fault with the few top models I've bought new ever since.


----------



## johnston21

SONY Square (retail concept store) is now open @ 25 Madison Ave (11 Madison Ave street level) NYC. Hopefully we'll be able to demo the WM1 A/Z there once they are in the US.
  
http://www.sony.com/square-nyc/
http://www.digitaltrends.com/features/sony-space-nyc-shows-the-best-gadgets-of-today/


----------



## nanaholic

krayzie said:


> I think they made / assembled the MDR-CD900ST and MDR-Z7 at the same plant.
> 
> http://www.sony-taiyo.co.jp/
> 
> ...


 
  
 They show pictures of them but don't really say that's where they manufacture them - at least I can find no reference of that on the web.  Perhaps again they just want to emphasis and give more lime light to the factory and the workers there because they never gotten the recognition they deserved - considering the factory was setup in the 1978 but I've never seen proper PR given to such a special factory that mostly hires disabled people, but that's also normal as Japan's conservative culture don't really like to talk about disabled people in general so perhaps Sony sees that it may be time for them to take a step for these workers and do their bit for moving society forward.
  
 I believe it was Howard Stringer that pushed to move most of the consumer electronic production over there so Sony could pushed their product into a lower price bracket to win more marketshare and mindset - so Malaysia's taken the responsibility and most of the skill sets for consumer electronic production, but quality still never quite lived up to Japanese made as a result which is unfortunate.  In fact one could probably put a lot of blame for the tarnish of the Sony brand to that move.


----------



## fish1050

nanaholic said:


> It's not sound quality - it's read/write speed and general stability of internal storage is superior to that of external cards.  This is common knowledge for computer people.  If you don't know this then stop accusing people of grasping at straws.
> 
> And thanks for illustrating my point - your usage means you want more expandable storage, mine means I want a faster and big pool of internal storage - again only a difference in choices, neither is superior.
> 
> YOU can have your straws back now, since you seem to be always the one hording all the straws in this thread.


 
 When you say faster read/write are you referring to transferring speed when adding tracks to the DAP or accessing the tracks while playing music?  I personally don't notice any difference in either case with any of the DAP's I have owned and you are talking milliseconds or even nanoseconds of difference.  As to your claims about hearing a difference in audio quality internal vs external memory controller I don't hear any difference either way.  You must have ears like a bat if you can tell a difference. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 If internal memory controllers are superior to external memory controllers. Why would Sony put a microsd card slot on the WM DAP's if they are all about the sound quality?  As for me liking or not liking a DAP we are discussing one aspect of the WM DAP's vs other DAP's and nothing more in this case.
  
 The WM DAP's have advantages over other DAP's in certain areas like battery life.  But in terms of memory capacity there are other DAP's that offer more for less $ and that is the final straw in this case


----------



## Whitigir

fish1050 said:


> When you say faster read/write are you referring to transferring speed when adding tracks to the DAP or accessing the tracks while playing music?  I personally don't notice any difference in either case with any of the DAP's I have owned and you are talking milliseconds or even nanoseconds of difference.  As to your claims about hearing a difference in audio quality internal vs external memory controller I don't hear any difference either way.  You must have ears like a bat if you can tell a difference.
> 
> If internal memory controllers are superior to external memory controllers. Why would Sony put a microsd card slot on the WM DAP's if they are all about the sound quality?  As for me liking or not liking a DAP we are discussing one aspect of the WM DAP's vs other DAP's and nothing more in this case.
> 
> The WM DAP's have advantages over other DAP's in certain areas like battery life.  But in terms of memory capacity there are other DAP's that offer more for less $ and that is the final straw in this case




Ok, nothing is perfect. If you want other memory capacity, you can buy other DAP. I rather have Sony using and puting the most expensive 128/256 Gb on the WM than flimsy and cheap memory. The same as the memory slot reader.

Yes, memory card does affect sound quality, whether you can or not able to hear it is not up to my debate. Again, quality microSD by Sony is $200 for 64Gb


----------



## gerelmx1986

my two cents , 200 USD for 64GB no thanks, better 200 USD for 256GB


----------



## musicday

The question is,how difficult is to source a similar battery?


----------



## Leviticus

whitigir said:


> Ok, nothing is perfect. If you want other memory capacity, you can buy other DAP. I rather have Sony using and puting the most expensive 128/256 Gb on the WM than flimsy and cheap memory. The same as the memory slot reader.
> 
> Yes, memory card does affect sound quality, whether you can or not able to hear it is not up to my debate. Again, quality microSD by Sony is $200 for 64Gb


 

 Do we know that Sony uses "expensive memory" with the WM1 models?


----------



## krayzie

Humm this guy said that with the NW-WM1Z driving the MDR-Z1R, he needed to bump the volume upto 110 out of a scale of 120 to get adequate volume. I guess one will need to have high gain turned on.


----------



## gerelmx1986

krayzie said:


> Humm this guy said that with the NW-WM1Z driving the MDR-Z1R, he needed to bump the volume upto 110 out of a scale of 120 to get adequate volume. I guess one will need to have high gain turned on.


 
 whatis that the Z1R are less ohmnage than the MDR-Z7
  
 and these XBA-Z5 look too worn out, wonder the treatment they were given


----------



## audioxxx

musicday said:


> The question is,how difficult is to source a similar battery?




If a custom battery has been developed for this DAP, this may be an almost impossible task to find the correct cell. 
Which would leave you at the mercy of Sony, when and if the battery has died, if it's life cycle is over, and your out of warranty.
I'm not buying one for this specific reason.


----------



## Mimouille

Since so few have listened to this, we are not addressing the key issue here. I may be mistaken as my audition was brief, but, despite being very powerful and resolving, the WM1Z is really on the warm side, with smooth treble. If this is really the case, I don't see so many headfiers putting 3k into a player that is quite colored. At that price, people want reference sound. On the other hand, I might be mistaken, or maybe Eq or firmware will solve this.


----------



## nanaholic

fish1050 said:


> When you say faster read/write are you referring to transferring speed when adding tracks to the DAP or accessing the tracks while playing music?  I personally don't notice any difference in either case with any of the DAP's I have owned and you are talking milliseconds or even nanoseconds of difference.  As to your claims about hearing a difference in audio quality internal vs external memory controller I don't hear any difference either way.  You must have ears like a bat if you can tell a difference.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I've never talked about different sound quality regarding internal vs external.  You can take back your strawman.


----------



## nanaholic

leviticus said:


> Do we know that Sony uses "expensive memory" with the WM1 models?


 
  
 It doesn't matter - it's the interface that dictate the speed.  
  
 Just like USB3.0 can never be as fast as a SSD connected via SATA III.


----------



## emrelights1973

W





gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Nope they don't work as USB DAC



Why wait eagerly for a transport? Home use?


----------



## proedros

mimouille said:


> Since so few have listened to this, *we are not addressing the key issue here. I may be mistaken as my audition was brief, but, despite being very powerful and resolving, the WM1Z is really on the warm side, with smooth treble.* If this is really the case, I don't see so many headfiers putting 3k into a player that is quite colored. At that price, *people want reference sound*. On the other hand, I might be mistaken, or maybe Eq or firmware will solve this.


 
  
 1A , all the way (which is the neutral one)


----------



## purk

proedros said:


> 1A , all the way (which is the neutral one)


 
 I'm not sure it is that cut and dry.  Is the impression based on the leaner tonal balanced or warmish headphones?  That easily can change the perception of each player.  We really should wait for a careful review.  I personally would not be buying the 1Z blind.  For that insane of a price, it must compete head on with a good desktop rig to command such premium and work very well with various headphones in my collection.


----------



## Cecala

Looking at some of the videos these new Daps UI still looks slow, It might be a tad quicker than the ZX2 although I was expecting more, this to me at least without trying it myself further concretes my opinion that Sony has not updated the Soc.


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> my two cents , 200 USD for 64GB no thanks, better 200 USD for 256GB


 
 I don't know where he is seeing the 64 GB card for $200.00.  Sony has a 128 GB microsd card on the Sony.com site for 38.99 US and a 64 GB card for $34.99 US.  Sony's cards are not known for being high quality anyway especially compared to Samsung and Sandisk among others.


----------



## MarkTwain

I think he meant this special "premium sound" microSD card:

http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/19/8068465/sony-memory-card-premium-sound-sr-64hxa





fish1050 said:


> I don't know where he is seeing the 64 GB card for $200.00.  Sony has a 128 GB microsd card on the Sony.com site for 38.99 US and a 64 GB card for $34.99 US.  Sony's cards are not known for being high quality anyway especially compared to Samsung and Sandisk among others.


----------



## fish1050

nanaholic said:


> I've never talked about different sound quality regarding internal vs external.  You can take back your strawman.


 
 My bad, you seem to be all about sound quality so I guess I just assumed it would sound better.


----------



## fish1050

marktwain said:


> I think he meant this special "premium sound" microSD card:
> 
> http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/19/8068465/sony-memory-card-premium-sound-sr-64hxa


 
 Well the article doesn't exactly make a case for it being worth the money and even Sony isn't sure if there is a market for it.  Not exactly a ringing endorsement.  Maybe if Sony made it gold plated there would be a market for it.


----------



## echineko

fish1050 said:


> Well the article doesn't exactly make a case for it being worth the money and even Sony isn't sure if there is a market for it.  Not exactly a ringing endorsement.  Maybe if Sony made it gold plated there would be a market for it.



Considering the writer only reports that Sony will be launching it in Japan, and has not even set eyes on it in person, would you expect them to make a case for it either way?


----------



## MarkTwain

fish1050 said:


> Well the article doesn't exactly make a case for it being worth the money and even Sony isn't sure if there is a market for it.  Not exactly a ringing endorsement.  Maybe if Sony made it gold plated there would be a market for it.


 
  
 For all you know, there may be people waiting to buy it. Some audiophiles believes everything in the path effects sound - from DAC, Amp, battery, cables, etc. How can we miss out the SD Card? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Pretty sure if Sony were to sell this, there will be reviews stating that it sounds "warmer", or more "details", or probably, "shocking" soundstage.
  
 Maybe the connecting points of this "premium sound" microSD card are gold plated, or made of pure silver too?


----------



## Zakalwe

fish1050 said:


> marktwain said:
> 
> 
> > I think he meant this special "premium sound" microSD card:
> ...




Hehe. _"Media players only read the memory card sporadically, storing songs in their buffer and minimizing the cause for any related electrical noise."_ Indeed. I can hear some quiet blippidyblip when some of my DAPs access their microSD-card, but that ceases once the reading is done. If this temporary noise can be removed, great. But I am not sure whether it is the card itself or the card reader or something else in the player that makes the noise. It seems a better card would only help in the first case. Claims of constant sound improvement go into dubious territory, though. On the other hand, it would be easy to build a DAP that intentionally adds noise when anything but a "premium sound card" is used...


----------



## MattTCG

I know that some manufacturers have a company rep that supplies information to the HF community by making post on the thread for their products. Has Sony ever participated here?


----------



## Whitigir

Why should Sony do so ? They are not cheap company, does AK ever done so ?


----------



## Cecala

If you live in Melbourne Australia there is an Audio show held in late October. I will be attending and hope Sony will have these players on show.


----------



## nc8000

whitigir said:


> Why should Sony do so ? They are not cheap company, does AK ever done so ?




I doubt Sony would do anything like that and it would have required Sony to think about that long ago as the dap's preceed the microSD card. As far as I know Sony is the only company that both makes a line of dap's and memory cards so no other company would have the possibility to do such a thing


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> I doubt Sony would do anything like that and it would have required Sony to think about that long ago as the dap's preceed the microSD card. As far as I know Sony is the only company that both makes a line of dap's and memory cards so no other company would have the possibility to do such a thing




Not to mention Sony has their own proprietary system such as S-Master and so on. Sony doesn't use off the shelves and put together to make DAP. If you want to learn much about Sony products, you search for it on their sites with manuals and interviews and such.

This new S-Master chip was designed based on the old 9000ES a while ago, but this is a mobile version of it or so. I can not wait to see how the new Walkman will be like. It just can not come soon enough


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> It just can not come soon enough



I will be happy just having it in store nearby to audition in person, together with the new amp. Are you getting the 1A, then?


----------



## AnakChan

echineko said:


> I will be happy just having it in store nearby to audition in person...[deleted]


 
  
 Same here...(and no @MattTCG, Sony didn't ask me. In fact I initiated and asked and was lucky they were willing to accomodate me) :-


----------



## echineko

Nice dude. So, a private listening session? Did you post your impressions of it anywhere? Any comparison with the ZX2?
  
 Edit: Directed @AnakChan, of course. Btw, I keep wondering everytime I see your nick, it wouldn't happen to be Malay, would it?


----------



## musicday

The gold used to plate this Walkman i suppose is 24K. Is no where mentioned that.Lotoo admits they use 999.9 gold in their player,to plate the volume knob,power button and the non rotating navigation disk.


----------



## echineko

musicday said:


> The gold used to plate this Walkman i suppose is 24K.


 
 Was that actually in the marketing material? I've not seen a specific purity mentioned, personally. Maybe I just missed it?


----------



## JamesInLondon

musicday said:


> The gold used to plate this Walkman i suppose is 24K. Is no where mentioned that.Lotoo admits they use 999.9 gold in their player,to plate the volume knob,power button and the non rotating navigation disk.


 

 To the best of my knowledge you can only use pure (24k/99.99%) gold when plating any item.
  
 What I am more interested is how deep is the plating, how many microns, as this will indicate how easy it will be scratch it off & expose the copper surface. Also is it simple electro-plating or is it a Physical Vapour Deposition method?
  
 Right now, there is so much that we don't know.
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## echineko

jamesinlondon said:


> Right now, there is so much that we don't know.


 
 And probably never will. These sort of manufacturing minutia are usually not explained in detail, for various reasons. But yes, I'll spend some time looking at the marketing material later to see what's actually mentioned.
  
 .... not that I need to stare at those pics again


----------



## Whitigir

Gold plated can be done with 18k as much as 24k . However the 24k gold is also 4N gold which is 99.99%. Yes, the 1Z uses 24k gold


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yes hahaha, i saw the brushed black aluminum of the 1A and really like it


----------



## musicday

The gold is not applied straight on the copper,i think there is another layer in between to prevent scratches and the copper not to get tarnished over time.


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> 1A , all the way (which is the neutral one)


 
 and yet musical as they say on some reviews


----------



## AnakChan

anakchan said:


> Same here...(and no @MattTCG, Sony didn't ask me. In fact I initiated and asked and was lucky they were willing to accomodate me) :-


 


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






>


 
  


  
 As per my brief impressions of the MDR-Z1R, I reached out to Sony about 1.5 weeks ago 'cos I tried to go to their showroom but it was being relocated. It's open now actually as of 2 days ago in a new location in Ginza. But anyhow, I thought I'd leverage on my relationship with my Sony friend to see if I could listen to the new products in a more more manageable environment. It seems for those who go to the new Ginza showroom, folks have to line up and get only 2 mins worth of listening time.

 Anyhow I was lucky Sony was willing to accomodate me and gave me 1.5 hrs of their time after work hours to talk to me. In fact most of the time was talking so I would say my listening time was "managed" - not by Sony but by myself as  had quite a few questions to ask them about the headphones and player...especially when the 1Z lead designer/engineer was there!!
  
 So please don't expect this to be a full review of the sound of the NW-WM1Z, and this post isn't going to have much "structure" as one would expect of a review.
  
 As per the photos, the NW-WM1Z was CNC machined out of a 1.8kg solid block of oxygen-free copper (OFC) and by that was dense and heavy! It's gold plated although not stated to how thick. There was a practical purpose for the gold plating (and I forget if the word was "isolation" was mentioned but so was "lower resistance" for improved battery longevity but I did not question how). The chassis though provides grounding to the whole circuitry and I believe that's where the gold plating and OFC comes into play.
  
 Through my conversations with the Sony folks, the NW-WM1Z was the lead engineer's baby. He could design it to what he seemed best fit - it was the result of his vision. His idea of the perfect sound was naturally the ultimate goal and as such, an optimised Sony OS runs only the necessary kernel drivers and applications for audio, h/w components such as a "digital amp" which is a single DAC/Amp chip, collaboration with Kimber Kable for internal wiring, etc. The Wifi h/w components and drivers were also excluded out in favour of just dedicating and maximising what could be put in just to focus on sound quality. I'm sure some of you may not subscribe to that philosophy and may wish to have WiFi with streaming services but that was not on the agenda for this player.
  
 The battery life of the NW-WM1Z is claimed to be 30 hrs for 24/96, 26 hrs for 24/192, and about 15 hrs for DSD. There will be a Japanese only model for the local market (as you'd guess, Japanese language only), and an international model (which will support multiple languages). Aside from that, there are no differences between the local and international models.
  
 Now handling this NW-WM1Z is absolutely grand. It's like holding an exquisitely machined  expensive device in my hand. This thing feels seriously classy in the hand. It's solid, has a nicely textured surface, and feels like a million bucks. Buttons are solid and firm. The user interface to me at least feels quite fast. And yes it is lighter than my AK380Cu+ amp. However I think my Ak380Cu itself (without the amp) is lighter than the NW-WM1Z. The case also feels nice but I'm not certain how well it protects as a lot of the sides are exposed for button access. As for the 4.4mm socket and plug, it's a very solid feel. Why oh why didn't we have the 4.4mm the market earlier?
  
 As for the sound, and I'm going to be brief here 'cos as I mentioned earlier, I spent a lot of time talking instead. Bear in mind I'm coming from an AK380Cu sound, the NW-WM1Z to me seems to sound somewhat warmer. The NW-WM1Z (as with its MDR-Z1R headphone) has this warm, bass lush, analogue smooth kind of signature. At least to my ears from the brief listening, that was the impression I walked away with. In fact I asked the lead engineer if he was a vinyl listener.
  
 For now that's it, I probably won't speak more of the sound until I get a chance to listen to the NW-WM1Z again (which will probably be at the Fujiya Autumn festival in a month).


----------



## goody

Nice one AnakChan


----------



## denis1976

Has time goes by i am more in the 1Z Than in 1A i have a Lotoo paw gold , i feel that buying the 1A It is to walk to the side and not in front


----------



## purk

@AnakChan,
  
 Do you like the 1Z as much as your 380 + amp combo?  Do you find the balanced drive of the 1Z lacking or powerful enough?  Thanks.


----------



## Whitigir

Yeah, it is good to know that the Z was the primary design and the A is a toned down version. Also, I am glad that Sony went all out with the Z as they seem fit. Again, buying 1Z is like listening to music the way Sony lead engineers do. Enjoying 1Z is enjoying and understanding Sony, enjoying 1A more is Personal preferences and understanding 1 self .

Thanks Anak for the beautiful info


----------



## gerelmx1986

Wonder if 1Z or 1A has the same sound as the X1060


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wonder if 1Z or 1A has the same sound as the X1060


 
 You mean the same tonal balance?  I am sure that the 1Z is significantly better sounding despite sharing similar tonal balance to warrant the price.


----------



## purk

whitigir said:


> Yeah, it is good to know that the Z was the primary design and the A is a toned down version. Also, I am glad that Sony went all out with the Z as they seem fit. *Again, buying 1Z is like listening to music the way Sony lead engineers do.* Enjoying 1Z is enjoying and understanding Sony, enjoying 1A more is Personal preferences and understanding 1 self
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Well, I hope Sony's engineers are not tone deaf in that case.  I wish he/she has a platinum ears & hearing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

seems like 1A is best of oth worlds i f we take into the mix the ZX100 as seen in one graph i put earlier.
  
 ZX100 brighter sounding colder (my experiene too)
 1A neutral with a touch of warmth as some have said (and according to snoy japan website)
 1Z is the warmer one more "analoue" sounding
  
 zx100 as i have seen sony websites it will remain for some time i bet $700 "low tier flgship"
 1A mid-tier or perhaps cofagship of 1z, albeit diff tuning
 1z top end flagship or co flagship wth 1A albeit diff tuning


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> seems like 1A is best of oth worlds i f we take into the mix the ZX100 as seen in one graph i put earlier.
> 
> ZX100 brighter sounding colder (my experiene too)
> 1A neutral with a touch of warmth as some have said (and according to snoy japan website)
> ...


 
 The way I'm reading is the 1Z is an all out assault on portable DAP, while the 1A is a derived product from the 1Z.  I doubt it is all about the tuning.  I'm not sure if  you know of the Sony SCD-1 & SCD-777?  Basically, they were the first SACD mfged by Sony and shared many parts.  The SCD-1 is an all out product for SACD player while the 777ES is a sister model to it.  I used to have both and the SCD-1 is a classic til this day where as the 777ES is definitely a drop in term of performance.


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> The way I'm reading is the 1Z is an all out assault on portable DAP, while the 1A is a derived product from the 1Z.  I doubt it is all about the tuning.  I'm not sure if  you know of the Sony SCD-1 & SCD-777?  Basically, they were the first SACD mfged by Sony and shared many parts.  The SCD-1 is an all out product for SACD player while the 777ES is a sister model to it.  I used to have both and the SCD-1 is a classic til this day where as the 777ES is definitely a drop in term of performance.


 
 Yes i understand, but yeah 1A will perform waaaaaay better than ZX100 (if they say its betetr than ZX2)


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes i understand, but yeah 1A will perform waaaaaay better than ZX100 (if they say its betetr than ZX2)




Agreed, get the best to your afford


----------



## denis1976

I am going to get a 1Z ....GOD HELP ME....


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Agreed, get the best to your afford


 
 Now thinking it well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 save for the 1Z or get the 1A damn decisions.
  
 spme one here knows if the monthly payments without interest are only for crdit Cards or also work on debit cards ? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 i could get an 1z for 12 month no interest of 6700 pesos or 24 month of 670 approx or has to be a credit card ..


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> I am going to get a 1Z ....GOD HELP ME....




I am sorry about your wallet  and welcome to head-fi. God blessed


----------



## purk

Honestly, I would love the get the 1Z myself but the key question is how good is the 1Z by itself.  Can it best Sony's very own PHA-3?  I hope it betters than the PHA-3 to command that price.


----------



## echineko

purk said:


> Honestly, I would love the get the 1Z myself but the key question is how good is the 1Z by itself.  Can it best Sony's very own PHA-3?  I hope it betters than the PHA-3 to command that price.


 
 The good news is we're not too far away from the 1Z being available for people to audition/purchase in various markets. After the first useful impression/feedback by AnakChan earlier, things are finally starting to get on track.


----------



## AnakChan

purk said:


> @AnakChan,
> 
> Do you like the 1Z as much as your 380 + amp combo?  Do you find the balanced drive of the 1Z lacking or powerful enough?  Thanks.


 
  
 I didn't do as much side-by-side comparison as I would have liked. As I was talking to someone last week, I had intentions of going out to buy switcher to with dual SE 3.5mm input for the source and single 3.5mm output forthe headphones - but I didn't have time to buy one. Just as well I didn't, i was there for a listening session and Q&A rather than a comparison session.
  
 So by *feeling* (and again take this with a large grain of salt) I would have put the power in between the AK380 and the AK380+amp. Powerful enough for the MDR-Z1R 64 ohm headphone, and plenty for my MH335DW-SR. But I didn't have my T50RP nor spare pare of HE1Ks to test.


----------



## purk

anakchan said:


> I didn't do as much side-by-side comparison as I would have liked. As I was talking to someone last week, I had intentions of going out to buy switcher to with dual SE 3.5mm input for the source and single 3.5mm output forthe headphones - but I didn't have time to buy one. Just as well I didn't, i was there for a listening session and Q&A rather than a comparison session.
> 
> So by *feeling* (and again take this with a large grain of salt) I would have put the power in between the AK380 and the AK380+amp. Powerful enough for the MDR-Z1R 64 ohm headphone, and plenty for my MH335DW-SR. But I didn't have my T50RP nor spare pare of HE1Ks to test.


 
 Thanks!  The HE1K is out of a question IMO.  The HE1K really needs something powerful to drive them to their potential.  When will the 1Z be available in Japan?


----------



## musicday

If in the final version when this player reaches the mark we have very fast UI without any bugs, one can forget about no streaming.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 However seems like a competitive player and we can wait for others to tell how does it compare vs AK380cu and vs Lotoo Paw Gold.
 Hope soon we can get proper owner review.


----------



## Whitigir

purk said:


> Thanks!  The HE1K is out of a question IMO.  The HE1K really needs something powerful to drive them to their potential.  When will the 1Z be available in Japan?




The itches huh ? You better act fast


----------



## AnakChan

Proper owner review is likely to be post Oct 29th with RMAF/in-store/festival reviews in 2, 3.5, and 4 weeks' time (hopefully this answers @purk's question too). I think I've mentioned on my post earlier too is to expect no streaming - not only was the SonyOS optimised to cut out what was felt of a lower priority, but the h/w components for WiFi isn't integrated into the circuitry.


----------



## purk

musicday said:


> If in the final version when this player reaches the mark we have very fast UI without any bugs, one can forget about no streaming.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I hope the 1Z will be able to surpass the Lotoo Paw Gold.  The PG was excellent in all counts for portable DAP but it still doesn't quite measure up to the best of portable amp/dac combo such as the PHA-3 or even the Mojo.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think i will sell my violin, i nver used after studied IT and computer sciences, it coste 2000 USD, I was listening to some Bach violin sonatas when i inmediately tought of the abandoned violin and said B-I-N-G-O....
  
 so question, can one in HF for sale forums sell musical instruments?


----------



## Mython

anakchan said:


> .... The Wifi h/w components and drivers were also excluded out in favour of just dedicating and maximising what could be put in just to focus on sound quality. I'm sure some of you may not subscribe to that philosophy and may wish to have WiFi with streaming services but that was not on the agenda for this player.


 
  
  
 Well, at least they did _something_ right.
  
  
 Now, if only they'd also quit the obnoxious price-hiking and if only they'd quit using their awful S-Master chips, this might have been a potentially-relevant high-end DAP.
  
  
  
  


anakchan said:


> .... Why oh why didn't we have the 4.4mm the market earlier?


 
  
  
 I'm sure you know it was mentioned 18 months or so, ago, but I agree it's been a relatively long time coming. It could _easily_ have been implemented on the ZX2, but I feel Sony were just being lazy re-hashing the ZX1 into the ZX2 (in my opinion).
  
www.head-fi.org/t/742609/sony-nw-zx2-dap/705#post_11242435


----------



## Rei87

echineko said:


> The good news is we're not too far away from the 1Z being available for people to audition/purchase in various markets. After the first useful impression/feedback by AnakChan earlier, things are finally starting to get on track.


 


 I'll be demo-ing it in a couple of days; can't wait to test it against my CU. 
  
   





anakchan said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Probably the most satisfying part of this series of players. Like mentioned before, its a stripped down purist product with its explicit aim towards that of catering to those who would sacrifice everything for the best in portable music. If you do actually feel a need to listen to streamed music from tidal and whatever other sites you use, this is not the player for you. 

 So, its not that Sony forgot about streaming as some had suggested earlier, but that they intentionally left it out, because it compromises the final output. If only AK would follow suit, and change the internal wiring, remove the antenna, and just devote more of that efforts towards pushing the sound even further than they have.


----------



## Redcarmoose

denis1976 said:


> I am going to get a 1Z ....GOD HELP ME....





Lol!


----------



## purk

mython said:


> Well, at least they did _something_ right.
> 
> 
> Now, if only they'd also quit the obnoxious price-hiking and if only they'd quit using their awful S-Master chips, this might have been a potentially-relevant high-end DAP.
> ...




I agree with u on the price hiking but disagree with regarding to the s master chip. The S-Master is quite capable IMO and should be able to compete with any high end DAPs out there as long as they are able to produce more power. Heck, the zx2 nearly beat the QP1R head on as long as we just driving CIEMs or lower impedance phones.


----------



## emrelights1973

[quote name="Rei87" url="/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-flagship-hi-end-dap/2310#post



I'll be demo-ing it in a couple of days; can't wait to test it against my CU. 

 


Probably the most satisfying part of this series of players. Like mentioned before, its a stripped down purist product with its explicit aim towards that of catering to those who would sacrifice everything for the best in portable music. If you do actually feel a need to listen to streamed music from tidal and whatever other sites you use, this is not the player for you. 


So, its not that Sony forgot about streaming as some had suggested earlier, but that they intentionally left it out, because it compromises the final output. If only AK would follow suit, and change the internal wiring, remove the antenna, and just devote more of that efforts towards pushing the sound even further than they have. 
[/quote]

İt is like a brand new commercial ferrari without air-con, it is just stupid! 
İt may suit you if you live in Canada but not in Spain!


----------



## Decreate

Hope I can find somewhere to demo the 1z when I go to Japan in November...although I'm quite happy with the sound of my AK380cu+cu amp, I would really like to have something with a longer battery life.


----------



## Kiats

Look forward to your views Decreate, as a fellow 380Cu owner.


----------



## Kiats

AnakChan, thanks for your impressions. It does sound interesting...


----------



## Decreate

kiats said:


> Look forward to your views @Decreate, as a fellow 380Cu owner.


 
 Fellow 380Cu and tralucent iems owner


----------



## Kiats

Heheh! Indeed! Hence your impressions would be of great interest.


----------



## Sabre2

Yeah... looking forward to your impression too. No chance for me to test it locally yet


----------



## omegabiff89

Hey @Anakchan nice review, hope to hear more in-depth review on the nw-wm1z by you. The design and all looks ridiculously fancy, but the price is nasty 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




(USD 3K plus = RM14K-15K, you can buy a first hand car with that in Malaysia  hahahah).   
  
 But, If anyone in Malaysia is interested to try all the Sony signature line up (mdr-z1r, nw-wm1z, nw-wm1a and ta-zh1es) and others as well, Sony Malaysia is having media launch on of it on 6th October.
  
 Location and date is confirm. They're gonna publicly announce it somewhere around this week. But yeah,there's like 3 session ( i think), media, dealers (for sony store dealers outlets) and last session is public. 
  
 the location is here i believe: 
  
Metal Bees Production House



33, Jalan PJU 3/48, Sunway Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia


----------



## AnakChan

decreate said:


> Hope I can find somewhere to demo the 1z when I go to Japan in November...although I'm quite happy with the sound of my AK380cu+cu amp, I would really like to have something with a longer battery life.


 
  
 So the new Sony Ginza showroom has it already I believe although from what I've read in twitter, it's lining up and 2 min review only before passing the next person in queue. However late 2nd week of Oct, demo units should be available in other stores (in Tokyo only? In Japan?) for folks to demo. Bear in mind though as I mentioned in my post, local Japanese units would have Japanese-only language. The exported/international versions would have the multi-language.


----------



## nanaholic

mython said:


> Well, at least they did _something_ right.
> 
> 
> Now, if only they'd also quit the obnoxious price-hiking and if only they'd quit using their awful S-Master chips, this might have been a potentially-relevant high-end DAP.
> ...


 
  
 Can't disagree more about the S-Master - if the market wants another Saber EE/AKM/BurrBrown/Cirrus Logic DAP there are already PLENTY of choices around - let Sony with their own engineering strength make their own chip - the more choices the better.  Plus the S-Master implementation has a HUGE power advantage over the previously mentioned chips, as Sony keeps refining the sound performance of the S-Master implementation combined with its high energy efficiency (can you even name a DAP that can play DSD natively with 15 hour battery life when most DAPs now struggle to play FLACs for more than 10 hours?) it's a VERY desirable entry in the market that deserves a slice of the pie.  Real engineering effort like this should be given a proper chance and rewarded accordingly - not shunt for more "me too" off the shelf chip implementations that are already flooding the market.  
  
 As for the 4.4mm - I think Sony actually did the right thing here by submitting it to JEITA and had it made as a proper standard.  Sure they could release it earlier in the ZX2, but that would mean it would be laughed off as another Sony Proprietary Thing (TM) and its future would be a lot less bright than it is now - because while it is late now instead of early, at least there's a good possibility for the other Japanese makers to use it when people start asking and putting pressure on the other Japanese OEMs "hey guys why aren't you using the new standard?", when before it would've been easy for them to ignore it and say "we don't want to pay Sony the licensing fee".


----------



## AnakChan

[OT posts snipped]
  
 Can we please stay on topic?


----------



## emrelights1973

The point i am making is a very specialized toy and forgetting the needs of the big part
[Mod modified: OT removed]
Streaming is a must unless you are using russian web sites for your music!


----------



## nanaholic

emrelights1973 said:


> Streaming is a must unless you are using russian web sites for your music!


 
  
 I like how you are implying everyone not using streaming must be a pirate. Stay classy.
 I'm still buying music on CDs and legal download in low-res/hi-res from stores like iTunes, mora, e-onkyo just fine.  In fact the music I listen to aren't offered on streaming.


----------



## echineko

nanaholic said:


> I'm still buying music on CDs and legal download in low-res/hi-res from stores like iTunes, mora, e-onkyo just fine.  In fact the music I listen to aren't offered on streaming.


 
 I wish Mora would make it easier to buy stuff if you can't physically purchase their top-up cards in Japan. They still don't accept foreign credit cards right?


----------



## nanaholic

echineko said:


> I wish Mora would make it easier to buy stuff if you can't physically purchase their top-up cards in Japan. They still don't accept foreign credit cards right?


 
  
 It's hit and miss. They filter out some cards but not others.  I have several cards from different countries and from different financial institutions and some can be used with mora while others can't. I've yet to figure out what criteria they use to filter these overseas credit cards.


----------



## echineko

nanaholic said:


> It's hit and miss. They filter out some cards but not others.  I have several cards from different countries and some can be used with mora while others can't. I've yet to figure out what criteria they use to filter these overseas credit cards.


 
 Luckily I still have contacts in Japan, but I don't really like troubling them when I can avoid it, so I end up being very selective with OST purchases


----------



## nanaholic

echineko said:


> Luckily I still have contacts in Japan, but I don't really like troubling them when I can avoid it, so I end up being very selective with OST purchases


 
  
 An easy and very economical way is to buy the cards off Amazon JP and ship the card to your Japanese friend's address, then just have them send you a photo of the code. No need to pay middleman fees.


----------



## Decreate

anakchan said:


> So the new Sony Ginza showroom has it already I believe although from what I've read in twitter, it's lining up and 2 min review only before passing the next person in queue. However late 2nd week of Oct, demo units should be available in other stores (in Tokyo only? In Japan?) for folks to demo. Bear in mind though as I mentioned in my post, local Japanese units would have Japanese-only language. The exported/international versions would have the multi-language.


 
 Thanks for the info...I'm going to be in Tokyo for a few days. Hopefully I am able to arrive early on the first day and see if I can get to demo it then because I don't think I'm going to have much of my hearing left after spending a whole day at Knotfest on the day after.


----------



## T.W.G

what about the display? Did they choose high end components, too? Can you use your mobile walkman now when you are outside or is this another embarassing 50% finished product?

 ZX1, ZX2, X1060 etc. are all useless when you want to have a look at the display while outside in the sun. But my old Vaio pocket from Sony has a reflective display and is perfectly readable.

 I hope Sony learned...


----------



## Zakalwe

rei87 said:


> nanaholic said:
> 
> 
> > No they made a Porsche Carrera GT3 - which is a pure track car with no luxuries in it what so ever for people who want a pure track car.  Do you call Porsche stupid for making the Carrera GT3?
> ...




Personally I do not care about streaming and I am even kinda glad it is not there. But I do not think that those who criticize its omission are missing the point of the DAP. At the end of the day, streaming is another method of feeding data to the DAP. If omitting streaming makes the DAP more pure, would it not become even more pure if other feeding methods were taken away? Why have a microSD-slot? Why does it need mp3 and wma playback? Heck, why support anything but DSD? And similar questions can be asked about other aspects. Why does it need a fancy touch screen? Why does it still have a 3.5mm jack? Isn't that a bit like installing blinkers on a GT3 just because some folks insist on taking the car off the race track? Actually, I checked the GT3 now, and it does have blinkers. And a fancy touch screen, and an audio system, and leather interior... That car is loaded with comfy luxury stuff, because that is what the people who buy it want. Just like the WM1 has a lot of stuff merely for the sake of convenience. The people who want streaming only want one more convenience item added to that list.


----------



## echineko

decreate said:


> Thanks for the info...I'm going to be in Tokyo for a few days. Hopefully I am able to arrive early on the first day and see if I can get to demo it then because I don't think I'm going to have much of my hearing left after spending a whole day at Knotfest on the day after.


 
 OK. I only just learnt what Knotfest was. Ahh, if I were back in my college days where I still listened to Slipknot etc... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Edit: Also, Knotfest, but in Tokyo? Sounds awesome! Good luck with those ears.


----------



## nanaholic

zakalwe said:


> Personally I do not care about streaming and I am even kinda glad it is not there. But I do not think that those who criticize its omission are missing the point of the DAP. At the end of the day, streaming is another method of feeding data to the DAP. If omitting streaming makes the DAP more pure, would it not become even more pure if other feeding methods were taken away? Why have a microSD-slot? Why does it need mp3 and wma playback? Heck, why support anything but DSD? And similar questions can be asked about other aspects. Why does it need a fancy touch screen? Why does it still have a 3.5mm jack? Isn't that a bit like installing blinkers on a GT3 just because some folks insist on taking the car off the race track? Actually, I checked the GT3 now, and it does have blinkers. And a fancy touch screen, and an audio system, and leather interior... That car is loaded with comfy luxury stuff, because that is what the people who buy it want. Just like the WM1 has a lot of stuff merely for the sake of convenience. The people who want streaming only want one more convenience item added to that list.


 
  
 A lot of those are actually not that hard to answer.
 mp3 and wma are sold for a long time and was/is the de facto audio standard, so you want to support a standard.  Same for 3.5mm jack - many phones from low end all the way to flagship are still using 3.5mm jacks, again standard.  A touch screen is better for navigating a large music library - rockers and clickers for scrolling anything more than 100 items is a PIA.  Any audiophile is going to have A LOT more than 100 tracks on their DAP, thus it becomes a necessity rather than a luxury.  There's no standard for streaming - you have to support different companies by implementing their app, or you put in Android, which Sony has ruled out for various reasons already.  The argument for what's include and what isn't is not really as random as you are trying to imply.
  
 Why does the GT3 have blinkers?  Because it's also a road legal car.   You can't drive legally on the public road without blinkers.  
 The so call luxuries in the GT3 is completely lacking in comparison to say a Mercedes or BMW GT of the same price range. The target is completely different. Also the very first GT3 has no luxuries and they still release certain models which completely lacks them.  A lot of professional racers buys the minimum loaded version because they'll otherwise rip them out anyway.


----------



## musicday

t.w.g said:


> what about the display? Did they choose high end components, too? Can you use your mobile walkman now when you are outside or is this another embarassing 50% finished product?
> 
> 
> ZX1, ZX2, X1060 etc. are all useless when you want to have a look at the display while outside in the sun. But my old Vaio pocket from Sony has a reflective display and is perfectly readable.
> ...



The display is low quality from my understanding.Is LCD 4 inch 800 x 480 and cannot compete with the ones in mobile phones, even the cheaper ones.I wish they have used OLED at this price point.


----------



## Rei87

emrelights1973 said:


> The point i am making is a very specialized toy and forgetting the needs of the big part
> İ prefer a ferrari with aircon from sony!
> Streaming is a must unless you are using russian web sites for your music!


 
  
 Firstly, you are just contradicting yourself in the same sentence. "specialized toys" aren't, by its inherent design philosophy, aren't meant for 'the big part' to begin with. You want your streaming? Go use those mainstream players. The 1Z wasnt meant for you. 

 Secondly, streaming is hardly, a 'must', even if one isnt using 'russian websites'. And even if it is, the designer behind this has said that, in a nutshell, he isnt going to let your preferences compromise his pursuit for what he feels is the 'best sound', an approach which I agree with. The Terra player is one such example. Think of this as a Terra player that just happens to have a screen as well.


----------



## thanatosguan

musicday said:


> The display is low quality from my understanding.Is LCD 4 inch 800 x 480 and cannot compete with the ones in mobile phones, even the cheaper ones.I wish they have used OLED at this price point.


 
 Maybe there's some issue with display's electronic noise. Plus this is not an Xperia so doubtful they'd put some high-end display part into this.
  
 Personally I enjoy PCM-D1's monochromatic interface. It'd best if they implement a monochromatic touch interface but with same simplicity and speediness. The 1Z I handled was significantly slower than the ZX2. However, I heard all the current WM series Walkmans in circulation are with pre-production OS and there will be a new OS shipped with the players.


----------



## Rei87

echineko said:


> I wish Mora would make it easier to buy stuff if you can't physically purchase their top-up cards in Japan. They still don't accept foreign credit cards right?


 


 Use a VPN, its how I buy stuff from them.


----------



## Rei87

zakalwe said:


> Personally I do not care about streaming and I am even kinda glad it is not there. But I do not think that those who criticize its omission are missing the point of the DAP. At the end of the day, streaming is another method of feeding data to the DAP. If omitting streaming makes the DAP more pure, would it not become even more pure if other feeding methods were taken away? Why have a microSD-slot? Why does it need mp3 and wma playback? Heck, why support anything but DSD? And similar questions can be asked about other aspects. Why does it need a fancy touch screen? Why does it still have a 3.5mm jack? Isn't that a bit like installing blinkers on a GT3 just because some folks insist on taking the car off the race track? Actually, I checked the GT3 now, and it does have blinkers. And a fancy touch screen, and an audio system, and leather interior... That car is loaded with comfy luxury stuff, because that is what the people who buy it want. Just like the WM1 has a lot of stuff merely for the sake of convenience. The people who want streaming only want one more convenience item added to that list.


 


 Actually the SD card issue is a moot point, given that SONY does have an audiophile card for that expressed purpose. Now, if the 1Z however, did not have a screen, that would in itself invalidate the idea of a portable, on the go, player. 

 Wi-Fi streaming, isnt exactly 'on-to-go, if you, are actually, well, on-the-go and travelling.


----------



## AnakChan

t.w.g said:


> what about the display? Did they choose high end components, too? Can you use your mobile walkman now when you are outside or is this another embarassing 50% finished product?
> 
> ZX1, ZX2, X1060 etc. are all useless when you want to have a look at the display while outside in the sun. But my old Vaio pocket from Sony has a reflective display and is perfectly readable.
> 
> I hope Sony learned...


 
  
 I was indoors and it was in the evening so couldn't test under different lighting conditions. However I didn't have any issues on the display in using it. I had the ZX1 ages ago and didn't really run into too much trouble but having said that I probably used the play, FF, RW buttons more in my pocket.
  
 In fact aside from you mentioning display issues, I've not heard anyone else mention  - so not certain what you mean by whether you hope Sony has learnt? Out of curiosity, did you lodge an issue/complaint with their customer support?


----------



## emrelights1973

Yes it will get the market share as terra!

Sony is not terra!


----------



## Cecala

denis1976 said:


> I am going to get a 1Z ....GOD HELP ME....


 
 Nobody can help you if you think that some Kimber cable and a few resisters will transform a device into another level. These units share the same electronics except the two mentioned items, all Sony has done is twinker with the sound at a software level to give the Z a warmer edge.
 The biggest thing they did was add 2K to the price.
  


musicday said:


> The display is low quality from my understanding.Is LCD 4 inch 800 x 480 and cannot compete with the ones in mobile phones, even the cheaper ones.I wish they have used OLED at this price point.


 
 Yes, considering the price point one would think that a very high spec screen would and should have been used. Ah well, the follow up to these units in two years I'm sure will have it. New price..........$4000.... will have a platinum finish and promise to keep the evil bad sound devils away.
 Sony must be laughing their asses off in Tokyo.
  


thanatosguan said:


> Maybe there's some issue with display's electronic noise. Plus this is not an Xperia so doubtful they'd put some high-end display part into this.
> 
> Personally I enjoy PCM-D1's monochromatic interface. It'd best if they implement a monochromatic touch interface but with same simplicity and speediness. The 1Z I handled was significantly slower than the ZX2. However, I heard all the current WM series Walkmans in circulation are with pre-production OS and there will be a new OS shipped with the players.


 
 No, its called greed. Pure and simple. Sony is on par with Apple trying to squeeze every cent out of people.
 I remember a reviewer on Youtube (lachlan likes a thing) when the ZX1 was out, he volume matched his iPhone and the Sony and found no real difference in SQ between them.
 Sony has and will never release any details on the inner workings of their Dac and S master amp, this is very telling in my book.


----------



## Leviticus

> Sony has and will never release any details on the inner workings of their Dac and S master amp, this is very telling in my book.


 
  
 Companies usually refrain from sharing their secrects with everyone else..


----------



## Cecala

leviticus said:


> Companies usually refrain from sharing their secrects with everyone else..


 

 I'm referring to specs and design topology, lookup any Dac out there and you will find a plethora on info, not Sony. Sony is using an off the shelf part here or have modified it to some level, I'm sure of it.


----------



## thanatosguan

cecala said:


> Nobody can help you if you think that some Kimber cable and a few resisters will transform a device into another level. These units share the same electronics except the two mentioned items, all Sony has done is twinker with the sound at a software level to give the Z a warmer edge.
> The biggest thing they did was add 2K to the price.
> 
> Yes, considering the price point one would think that a very high spec screen would and should have been used. Ah well, the follow up to these units in two years I'm sure will have it. New price..........$4000.... will have a platinum finish and promise to keep the evil bad sound devils away.
> ...


 
  
 I'm all for calling out marketing BS. But I think your thinking is a step too far. Firstly, display noise is a real thing. Sure, maybe not seriously problematic on playback electronics like a Walkman or your AK380 Copper or what have you. But if you take a look at professional field recording equipments, color screen is a rarity, not to mention its problematic longevity and practicality in the film.
  
 Do you think heat-noise is also marketing bs so we should all start buying camcorders instead of professional 4K/8K recorders?
  
 No camera company ever has released their image processing chip's inner-workings, so they must all be just ramping up their prices with no solid grounds eh? Some of this are trade-secrets.
  
 Also ZX1/ZX2 definitely has WORSE output signal than an iPhone. So if you're saying they're at the same level of an iPhone... you're kidding yourself. Now, I'm talking specifically about its noise-floor. Measurements don't mean anything if taken out of context. ZX1/ZX2 sounds very good, but can appear bad in certain measurements. Can we disregard all other aspects of sound just because its noise-floor was unusually high?
  
 Edit: added some clarifications. Sorry if I appear rude. Just saying things should be put into context.


----------



## thanatosguan

cecala said:


> I'm referring to specs and design topology, lookup any Dac out there and you will find a plethora on info, not Sony. Sony is using an off the shelf part here or have modified it to some level, I'm sure of it.



 


Also their motto is "make believe"

What do you expect?


----------



## Cecala

thanatosguan said:


> I'm all for calling out marketing BS. But I think your thinking is a step too far. Firstly, display noise is a real thing. Sure, maybe not seriously problematic on playback electronics like a Walkman or your AK380 Copper or what have you. But if you take a look at professional field recording equipments, color screen is a rarity, not to mention its problematic longevity and practicality in the film.
> 
> Do you think heat-noise is also marketing bs so we should all start buying camcorders instead of professional 4K/8K recorders?
> 
> ...


 
 A:Your contradicting yourself here, so you don't think it's an issue? You bring up marketing BS, yes, we all to some extent believe it happens although people here think that by adding some Kimber cable and changing two resisters will conjure up some vastly superior mystical Dap that easily justifies the price difference. This is marketing BS on steroids.
  
 B: Graphic card companys release vast amounts of info on their chips and are protected by Copyright so it's not an issue. Sony releases zero info, period. Some reviewer should pull apart this Dap and take a look.
  
 C:I never brought up any measurements, the reviewer in question found on youtube and you can listen for yourself to verify used his ears only to judge the SQ, as it should be.
  
 D: Lastly You didn't appear rude at all, I take your comments as someone who has something to offer and says so, that's why were here. I'm just getting real sick of all the nonsense that's offered here from time to time.
 I would like to get some people here and perform a blind test. Compare these Daps to themselves to phones and I bet you that a high percentage could not tell the difference between these and a 1970's clock radio.


----------



## AnakChan

Anything that is not NW-WM1Z/A specific will be moved to the following thread over the next few hours.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/769832/companies-that-take-advantage-of-audio-enthusiasts/0_20

You are more than welcome to continue praisin/criticizing about the companies and or how much they charge, etc on that thread.

But hereforth please do not continue posting and polluting this product thread. There are subscribers who would like to source practical information about the product on this thread.

Persistence will be subjected to regular moderation rules.


----------



## Zakalwe

nanaholic said:


> A lot of those are actually not that hard to answer.
> mp3 and wma are sold for a long time and was/is the de facto audio standard, so you want to support a standard.  Same for 3.5mm jack - many phones from low end all the way to flagship are still using 3.5mm jacks, again standard.  A touch screen is better for navigating a large music library - rockers and clickers for scrolling anything more than 100 items is a PIA.  Any audiophile is going to have A LOT more than 100 tracks on their DAP, thus it becomes a necessity rather than a luxury.  There's no standard for streaming - you have to support different companies by implementing their app, or you put in Android, which Sony has ruled out for various reasons already.  The argument for what's include and what isn't is not really as random as you are trying to imply.




I can certainly see why Sony included what they did on the WM1, and I think other choices would have been silly or uneconomical. Nevertheless, from the perspective of "purity", none of the listed inclusions are necessities, they are extras added for convenience. The Tera-Player for example makes do without most of them. I would not spend a dollar on that DAP, because I like convenience, but it appears to work for some people. And why not actually, audiophiles used to get along with way less convenience - compared to handling big vinyl disks with five tracks per side, even the Tera-Player is downright luxurious. 



> Why does the GT3 have blinkers?  Because it's also a road legal car.   You can't drive legally on the public road without blinkers.




Sure. But if it was a "pure" track car, it would not carry around baggage only to make it road legal, because it would not be intended for the road. To be fair, Porsche seems to make pure racing versions, but from what I can tell they do not sell them, at least not in the way they normally sell cars (and they are not road legal for a lot more reasons than missing blinkers).


----------



## Mimouille

kiats said:


> AnakChan, thanks for your impressions. It does sound interesting...


Plus5 lovers will certainly love this one


----------



## Gibraltar

cecala said:


> I'm referring to specs and design topology, lookup any Dac out there and you will find a plethora on info, not Sony. Sony is using an off the shelf part here or have modified it to some level, I'm sure of it.




S-Master white paper:
https://docs.sony.com/release/ES_STR_05_Final.pdf

It may not be as technical as you would like, but it describes an interesting and unique topology that combines amplification and D/A conversion and would not work with an off the shelf DAC chip.


----------



## Kiats

mimouille said:


> Plus5 lovers will certainly love this one




Well, it will be an interesting combo. Let's see if there's as good synergy with the 1Z as there is with the 380Cu.


----------



## Mimouille

kiats said:


> Well, it will be an interesting combo. Let's see if there's as good synergy with the 1Z as there is with the 380Cu.


 
 I would say not. They sound alike, so the combo would be a little rich IMO. I would think the 1Z would make a neutral iem sound more like the Plus5.


----------



## thanatosguan

gibraltar said:


> S-Master white paper:
> https://docs.sony.com/release/ES_STR_05_Final.pdf
> 
> It may not be as technical as you would like, but it describes an interesting and unique topology that combines amplification and D/A conversion and would not work with an off the shelf DAC chip.


 
  
 From the Whitebook:
 "As a primary manufacturer of Large Scale Integrated circuits (LSIs), Sony has the freedom to pursue innovative thinking like S-Master Pro and then express this thinking in silicon. "
  
 This is really quite impressive, customizing chips can be a very costly effort. Sony has a penchant for such things and when it doesn't work, it burns a whole lot of money. Think Playstation's CELL chip.
  
 However, one of the major drawbacks of WM1 series, in my opinion, is the use of non-replaceable battery. I don't want to purchase an audio equipment of this level and then find myself out of battery component in a mere 3-4 years. Sony's line of PCM recorders avoid this by using AA batteries. Granted, variations between batteries can pose a serious issue to sound quality, but still I'd like Sony to make something of a durability deserving their reputation and proposition of creating "legendary" products(SCD-1 levels of durability). Maybe use some of that LSI magic to manage battery variations?
  
 One can dream.


----------



## Kiats

Density of sound would be nice. But of cos it all depends on what one wants.


----------



## Mimouille

kiats said:


> Density of sound would be nice. But of cos it all depends on what one wants.


 
 Clearly denser than AK380 or even LPG.


----------



## Decreate

kiats said:


> Well, it will be an interesting combo. Let's see if there's as good synergy with the 1Z as there is with the 380Cu.


 We need to get Gavin to take a trip to Tokyo.


----------



## nanaholic

zakalwe said:


> I can certainly see why Sony included what they did on the WM1, and I think other choices would have been silly or uneconomical. Nevertheless, from the perspective of "purity", none of the listed inclusions are necessities, they are extras added for convenience. The Tera-Player for example makes do without most of them. I would not spend a dollar on that DAP, because I like convenience, but it appears to work for some people. And why not actually, audiophiles used to get along with way less convenience - compared to handling big vinyl disks with five tracks per side, even the Tera-Player is downright luxurious.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I think you are almost arguing for argument's sake because we all understand implicitly that there's a fine but clear line between purity and going over-board that it becomes a burden.  For example not having a 3.5mm connection will be going overboard with throwing out stuff that it you are making your product almost unusable because 99% of headphones on the market won't be able to use it unless with some mods.  The Tera-player would be an example of going over-board that it alienates too many users.  But that's why we have so many different products, because each user's needs and wants are different and no single product can fit with everyone's needs, thus demanding every manufacturer to make The Same Thing defeats the purpose of having choices in the first place.
  
 As for the GT3 - the design philosophy and goal WAS as pure of a track car as you can get while ALSO being street legal - the owner is supposed to be able to drive the car to the track, race it, then drive it home, all without using a trailer or tow truck, that's exactly what it aimed to be and that's why it has those things on the car.  Ergo, for Sony's project head of WM1Z that's his philosophy of what a pure portable music device would be and that's the outcome. And obviously for the designer of the Tera-player their idea of "pure" is even further still. In the end, it's up to the consumer to find the product that aligns with their own philosophy and reward the markers with money (or not reward them).


----------



## Kiats

decreate said:


> We need to get Gavin to take a trip to Tokyo.




Heheh! Indeed...


----------



## Mimouille

decreate said:


> We need to get Gavin to take a trip to Tokyo.


 
 I would be surprised if he hadn't preordered one.


----------



## Kiats

mimouille said:


> Clearly denser than AK380 or even LPG.




Excellent news then. Perhaps we are edging ever closer to a DAP that can convey the amount of details and 3D sonic sig that desktop rigs can reproduce.


----------



## nanaholic

[Mod Edited: OT removed]
  
 This example is actually proving Sony's choices though - because they've said they've got user feedback that they don't want Android and apps from ZX1/ZX2 users.


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> I think you are almost arguing for argument's sake because we all understand implicitly that there's a fine but clear line between purity and going over-board that it becomes a burden.  For example not having a 3.5mm connection will be going overboard with throwing out stuff that it you are making your product almost unusable because 99% of headphones on the market won't be able to use it unless with some mods.  The Tera-player would be an example of going over-board that it alienates too many users.  But that's why we have so many different products, because each user's needs and wants are different and no single product can fit with everyone's needs, thus demanding every manufacturer to make The Same Thing defeats the purpose of having choices in the first place.
> 
> As for the GT3 - the design philosophy and goal WAS as pure of a track car as you can get while ALSO being street legal - the owner is supposed to be able to drive the car to the track, race it, then drive it home, all without using a trailer or tow truck, that's exactly what it aimed to be and that's why it has those things on the car.  Ergo, for Sony's project head of WM1Z that's his philosophy of what a pure portable music device would be and that's the outcome. And obviously for the designer of the Tera-player their idea of "pure" is even further still. In the end, it's up to the consumer to find the product that aligns with their own philosophy and reward the markers with money (or not reward them).




Exactly. Sony has produced what they want to offer the market and no arguing here that they are wrong and stupid and should have offered something different will change what the product is and cost so one either agrees and buys or one goes elsewhere


----------



## Mython

nanaholic said:


> mython said:
> 
> 
> > anakchan said:
> ...


 
  
  
 You're putting words into my mouth 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I never said anything at all about Sabre EE/AKM/BurrBrown/Cirrus Logic.
  
 I have two 20yr old D-777 PCDPs that (to my ears) sound better than an S-Master chip, by a long, long way. If the new chip actually does what it's supposed to (reproduce music realistically), then great, but, if it sounds anything like the previous iteration of the chip, then Sony should hang their heads in shame, and either go back to the drawing board or go back to their archives and use fundamentals they've reproduced great music with, in the past. To my ears, S-master sounds unbelievably artificial and contrived. I don't consider S-master to be particularly efficient, anyway - pathetic power output doesn't make it more efficient than a DAP with a shorter battery duration that kicks out 5x the power. It's not a fair comparison.
  
 I will concede that I'm happy to see Sony are finally increasing the power output. However, we will have to wait and see if the realism improves.


----------



## nanaholic

mython said:


> You're putting words into my mouth
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 The thing is if Sony is not to use S-Master, then the only other route they can go is an off the shelf DAC solution, which means going to pick one ready made from Sabre EE/AKM etc.
  
 Whether you consider S-master is efficient or not is irrelevant, the FACT is in the pudding that it is an efficient design.  Again, native DSD playback on their 250mW per channel balanced output (the non-balance output doesn't do DSD!) for 15 hrs is not "pathetic power output" and puts the competitors to shame as any other high end DAPs will be struggling to get 5 hours for native DSD.  Even if Sony exaggerated by 20% (as any manufacturers are likely to do) - over 10hrs native DSD playback for 250mW+250mW in that size package by ANY measure has to be energy efficient as no one else is able to match it currently.  That has to be counted in the favour of Sony.
  
 The sound however is going to be entirely subjective.  That I will never try to argue.


----------



## Mython

You do realise I was discussing the old S-master when I remarked upon pathetic power output? I then conceded that I'm happy to see Sony have increased it in the newer iteration.
  
  
  
 I still feel Sony used to produce great pocket audio devices in the 1990s, and have yet to better that sound quality in the 2010s (I have not held-on to 2 aging D-777s by accident), but charging huge prices seems to be their way of convincing themselves and a hardcore percentage of their diehard fans, otherwise.
  
  
 Sony have done better.
  
 Sony *can* do better,
  
 But _more expensive_ does *not *= better.
  
*Better* = better, and only _then_ will they have the justification to charge a bit more.


----------



## thanatosguan

mython said:


> You do realise I was discussing the old S-master when I remarked upon pathetic power output? I then conceded that I'm happy to see Sony have increased it in the newer iteration.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 It's always been the case with Sony: Been there, done that, and then they suddenly decide they won't do it again for some odd reason.


----------



## Zakalwe

nanaholic said:


> I think you are almost arguing for argument's sake because we all understand implicitly that there's a fine but clear line between purity and going over-board that it becomes a burden.  For example not having a 3.5mm connection will be going overboard with throwing out stuff that it you are making your product almost unusable because 99% of headphones on the market won't be able to use it unless with some mods.  The Tera-player would be an example of going over-board that it alienates too many users.  But that's why we have so many different products, because each user's needs and wants are different and no single product can fit with everyone's needs, thus demanding every manufacturer to make The Same Thing defeats the purpose of having choices in the first place.




I am arguing mostly just because I dislike that those who lament the absence of streaming get painted as unreasonable or not understanding the device. For example the comment I initially responded to (not yours) compared them to people who complain about a race car being unsuitable for grocery shopping. I have no use for streaming and thus I do not mind buying a device that lacks this feature, since it is useless to me. Nevertheless I can see that streaming is a valid use case for a DAP, including a high end DAP. I do not think it compares to grocery shopping, and I think that the critics have a reasonable complaint. Complaining will not change the WM1, and I think that we who like the design choices for the WM1 should be content (and relieved that Sony did not strip away features we happen to find essential), and we should not add insult to injury by ridiculing those who dislike the design choices made. Likewise I would hope that those who complain do so in a reasonable manner, without labelling non-streamers as customers of Russian pirates and the like. I mean, it may be true in my case, but let's not paint with a broad brush.


----------



## audioxxx

To me, I feel let down, I really like Sony, and have had a fetish for their portable audio, but I can't believe they cut their cash cow off. (Where's my Zx3, let's pretend this isn't happening, and please make me the DAP I am waiting for!

They have had great success at the advent of the zx1.
Then even better success with the premium zx2, and started to show us just how good things can sound on IEM'S or sensitive headphones.

 This thing has the world of options on board, streaming/Bluetooth/Wi-Fi streaming local network ready. You name it the zx2. Will do it (alright you got me no Apple streaming).
I can run other apps, although Sony will not allow direct access to their high res chipset. (like the v10 can do with 3rd party apps).

Why oh why change it, your on board software is great, but not including it on Android had doomed the business model. You can't tell me you couldn't have achieved the same audio on Android, I don't buy that bullsh-t.

Just as I don't buy the Wi-Fi antenna and switched off wifi chipset causing audio problems.
 This Is pure greed. Nothing more, 

The taste of early success has made Sony think they can push their earlier stance on technology, and this can not happen, displacing technology never steppes down.



No removable or replaceable batterie has just flogged it beyond belief, putting your own custom battery in has left nil options now. And the DAP will be a door stop at the end.


----------



## thanatosguan

audioxxx said:


> Why oh why change it, your on board software is great, but not including it on Android had doomed the business model. You can't tell me you couldn't have achieved the same audio on Android, I don't buy that bullsh-t.
> 
> Just as I don't buy the Wi-Fi antenna and switched off wifi chipset causing audio problems.
> This Is pure greed. Nothing more,
> ...


 
  
 Well... There are complaints of Sony's Walkman Android being too slow. In fact to a lot of people Android OS is a major issue of ZX2 AFAIK. Of course, your mileage may vary. Sony specifically said they changed the OS because they received a lot of complaints. They're operating on more information than you and I so they may be better informed in this occasion.
  
 I really don't like it they kept LDAC and all that stuff in.Why can't they just make a block of music player that stores a lot of music, has crazy battery life(no bluetooth, wifi, touchscreen and all that junk), and cram the Smaster and all that into it?
  
 Heck, they've done it before. And it also records. It's the PCM-D1. Then they stripped the amazing OS, and then they stripped the amazing washi display and the titanium chassis.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Wish some one did a side by side comparison of wm1a and wm1z


----------



## MattTCG

I admit that I'm new to the Sony camp. I haven't bought much from them outside of the ma900 and z7, both of which I sold. And now I'm back with Sony on the 1A.
  
 I've spend the past few years reviewing gear for a few different sites. I've had lot's of product come across my desk. And I'll say this about Sony and the new upcoming DAPS. One aspect of design that very difficult to identify and judge with any product is passion. True unabiding passion is a difficult ingredient to mix into your product. You either have it or you don't. When you spend time with a product you do know it though, clearly. It can be seen, felt and heard as you use the product. 
  
 I believe that Sony is passionate and that it will show in these new DAPS. Of course only time will tell. But I believe it enough to put down my hard earned cash on the 1A.


----------



## Zakalwe

thanatosguan said:


> Heck, they've done it before. And it also records. It's the PCM-D1. Then they stripped the amazing OS, and then they stripped the amazing washi display and the titanium chassis.




The PCM-D1 is a lovely machine and a piece of art, but I would hope that Sony has done more than only stripping a few features of it. Its user interface for playback is clunky, to say the least, and the only reason it may not appear that bad is because there are at most 8GB of space and WAV only, so there will never be all that many files to navigate through. It is also quite big. I am actually considering selling my D1 to free up cash for a WM1. One the one hand the D1 will likely be still as great in 20 years, when the WM1 has succumbed to battery rot. On the other hand my D1 mostly just sits in its box on a shelf, because it is just too cumbersome in practice, while the WM1 would see ample usage in its more limited life.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I never found the s master to sound artificial never.


----------



## pietcux

thanatosguan said:


> Well... There are complaints of Sony's Walkman Android being too slow. In fact to a lot of people Android OS is a major issue of ZX2 AFAIK. Of course, your mileage may vary. Sony specifically said they changed the OS because they received a lot of complaints. They're operating on more information than you and I so they may be better informed in this occasion.
> 
> I really don't like it they kept LDAC and all that stuff in.Why can't they just make a block of music player that stores a lot of music, has crazy battery life(no bluetooth, wifi, touchscreen and all that junk), and cram the Smaster and all that into it?
> 
> Heck, they've done it before. And it also records. It's the PCM-D1. Then they stripped the amazing OS, and then they stripped the amazing washi display and the titanium chassis.



I own the ZX1. I don't need a gui that is faster than me. I don't need streaming. I compared the ZX1 to the Pono and the Fiio X5ii. To my ears the ZX1 is slightly better sounding than the two competitors. I cannot see any sound deficits with the S-Master amp. The Fiio and the Pono gui was ages behind the Sony to me, so was the battery life. I am looking forward on replacing the ZX1 with a new Sony player, once it needs to be done. That's not this year and hopefully not in 2017.


----------



## audioxxx

thanatosguan said:


> Well... There are complaints of Sony's Walkman Android being too slow. In fact to a lot of people Android OS is a major issue of ZX2 AFAIK. Of course, your mileage may vary. Sony specifically said they changed the OS because they received a lot of complaints. They're operating on more information than you and I so they may be better informed in this occasion.
> 
> I really don't like it they kept LDAC and all that stuff in.Why can't they just make a block of music player that stores a lot of music, has crazy battery life(no bluetooth, wifi, touchscreen and all that junk), and cram the Smaster and all that into it?
> 
> Heck, they've done it before. And it also records. It's the PCM-D1. Then they stripped the amazing OS, and then they stripped the amazing washi display and the titanium chassis.



I also found it interesting the pcm-d1 also had native DSD if I remember correctly, and looked fantastic for its time, but staying on topic, by using a quicker processor, the 1z and 1a could have hummed along with any Version of Android, (and taken a few updates lol) it's not like there's no spare cash for faster CPU's,
The latest cheap as chips phones have them. 


gerelmx1986 said:


> Wish some one did a side by side comparison of wm1a and wm1z




Any day now there will be more reviews in abundance.
 I'm also interested in how much of an improvement this will be. (with the ballsy move I have the feeling these DAP's will sound magnificent) However I can not get to excited about them, I am only looking, on this round.


----------



## thanatosguan

zakalwe said:


> The PCM-D1 is a lovely machine and a piece of art, but I would hope that Sony has done more than only stripping a few features of it. Its user interface for playback is clunky, to say the least, and the only reason it may not appear that bad is because there are at most 8GB of space and WAV only, so there will never be all that many files to navigate through. It is also quite big. I am actually considering selling my D1 to free up cash for a WM1. One the one hand the D1 will likely be still as great in 20 years, when the WM1 has succumbed to battery rot. On the other hand my D1 mostly just sits in its box on a shelf, because it is just too cumbersome in practice, while the WM1 would see ample usage in its more limited life.


 
  
 http://www.sony.net/Fun/design/activity/product/pcm-d1_01.html
  
 You're talking about the animation, right? I agree, it looks very slow. They removed it in PCM-D50 / D100 and the operation feels very swift to me. I use D100 as my DAP and recorder when I'm practicing or attending a concert (good old bootlegging), they're big, but they can take a beating and last for a long time.
  
 Plus, the sound quality is superb (harsh, analytical, but very clear, which is what I want)
  
 -
  
  


gerelmx1986 said:


> Wish some one did a side by side comparison of wm1a and wm1z


  
 I did a brief comparison last weekend between them with the MDR-Z1R. The difference in sound is quite noticeable. Treble becomes harsher and there's some sibilance with the 1A. 1Z is warmer. This is all I have to say since I only briefly used the 1A while they were finding a charged 1Z for me. (Both are low on battery in the Sony Store... a lot of people were listening to them while waiting for the Playstation VR)
  
 Not that the 1A is worse than the 1Z. It's just less warm. In my brief time of listening this is all I have to say. I prefer both to my PCM-D100 (3.5mm out)+ MDR-Z1R which has crazy sibilance. Granted, PCM-D100 is not designed for use with full-size headphones and its distortion goes up a lot with higher volume.
  
 There's a lot of options in the settings. DSEE HX has modes for male vocal, female vocal, strings and etc. DC Phase Linearizer is there. I used Direct mode, which bypasses all the sound settings(which I vastly prefer).


----------



## gerelmx1986

Warmer sound mmm I had a fiio x3 and for me it was way too warm 

Better keep that violin and go for 1A, maybe xba-z5 helps tuning down that treble


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think differences are minimum between the two, if we do a proper blind test, sure on paper 1z looks better. 

But 

Kimber kable isn't the same kitty dressed differently than OFC litz copper 

I doubt OSCON are that inferior as whitigir says, if they were inferior then why did Sony chose those for ZX2? 

Fine sound register what a gimmick for a resistor same ad the melf one in the 1A

The warm vs neutral perhaps is a tuning hidden in the firmware of the s master chip 

I cannot justify 2.8 times the cost of 1A

Hars vs warm also depend on headphones as I have used xba-z5 and A3 clearly A3 is harsher than z5


----------



## thanatosguan

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think differences are minimum between the two, if we do a proper blind test, sure on paper 1z looks better.
> 
> But
> 
> ...




I doubt it's just a software setting. Warm doesn't mean it lacks treble, mind. I had a blast with the violin rendering of the Z1R 1Z combo.

And I prefer EX1000 to any of Sony's later offerings. In my opinion I have never met a better pair of IEM. I hope JustEar can maybe surpass it... When I have time to stay in Japan for a while.


----------



## Zakalwe

thanatosguan said:


> http://www.sony.net/Fun/design/activity/product/pcm-d1_01.html
> 
> You're talking about the animation, right? I agree, it looks very slow. They removed it in PCM-D50 / D100 and the operation feels very swift to me. I use D100 as my DAP and recorder when I'm practicing or attending a concert (good old bootlegging), they're big, but they can take a beating and last for a long time.
> 
> Plus, the sound quality is superb (harsh, analytical, but very clear, which is what I want)




It has been a while since I have actually used mine for a longer time. I don't think I was all that bothered by the animation, but the operation is awkward. The directory structure and names are fixed, so one needs to get used to searching in FOLDER01 or FOLDER02 etc., no album or artist names or the like. Internal memory and card memory are treated separately, with both having their own FOLDER01...FOLDER10 lists. Switching between memories means fiddling in the options menu.

And the memory cards are expensive and hard to find, and the ones with "large" capacity (4GB) need that flimsy adapter that breaks for no apparent reason. At least the adapters are cheap. 

Nevertheless, it is a beautiful device. Made in Japan, titanium. Every few months I play around with it a little and admire it, reminiscing about what Sony could build when they really wanted to. I hope the WM1 will be similar in that regard.


----------



## JamesInLondon

Hi All;
  
 I interview folks for a living and so rely on recording gear; over almost 30 years I have used used only two brands; Sony & Nagra. I never owned the D1, but the D50 was a piece of crap that died within 3 months of the warranty expiring. But other, much older Sony kit, like my little ICD-MX20 just keeps trucking on and lives with me wherever I go and when I have to do an interview it is the Nagra SD that I almost always use.
  
 In the background you can see my ZX2 sitting in the NWH10 cradle, feeding a pair of Little British Monitors; this is my office sound system and I hope that the 1A/Z will both fit into the cradle, when I finally get one.
  

  
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## T.W.G

anakchan said:


> I was indoors and it was in the evening so couldn't test under different lighting conditions. However I didn't have any issues on the display in using it. I had the ZX1 ages ago and didn't really run into too much trouble but having said that I probably used the play, FF, RW buttons more in my pocket.
> 
> In fact aside from you mentioning display issues, I've not heard anyone else mention  - so not certain what you mean by whether you hope Sony has learnt? Out of curiosity, did you lodge an issue/complaint with their customer support?


 

 I'm only referring to outdoor use. I've asked that in the ZX100 thread, too and there are enough people that can confirm the embarassing fact, that Sony walkman displays are useless outside when it's too bright!

 Take your ZX1 into the sun, set the display to maximum brightness and you still can't see what's going on. Unbelievable for a mobile device that's built to take with you... and embarassing because Sony showed it in the past that they know how to built suitable displays and their smartphones are working outdoors, too.

 For the OLED comments: I'm happy that they did NOT use an OLED display. I don't want a device with burn in problem from the display or a device that get's useless because the OLED is broken too fast.


----------



## Whitigir

The cradles shall fit the new 1A/Z just fine, and the same as the dongle digital out cables. I feel like a broken record to keep on saying that Sony does not use Software to alter the sound signature from 1A to 1Z.

The 1Z has beefier Digital circuitry due to more FT capacitors being used where the 1A uses OS-Con. FT capacitors were developed by "Sony alone" and it purposes of design = to achieve better power stability and more power delivery, the material used and researched were chosen after the years of development and research since the time Zx1 was released and only to have it mature and finished until now. The most Majestic about these Capacitors is the ability to stay purest to the sounds signals with clear vocal and natural timbres while having the most powerful power delivery for it size. In short, Power and superb sound quality were the reason these were developed.

The 1Z also uses "F resistors" and the letter F stands for Fine tuning. With the use of this F resistors, the Z were able to achieve the measurable higher frequency (trebles) which is better than 1A, and this is the most unique things about 1Z, it can reach higher and vividly presenting the details while being very smooth. 

The 1Z also utilize Kimber Kables which were specifically designed to work in the new Walkman, using high quality and purity Copper strands with larger sizes and braided. These cables were shown to be better than OFC.

The 1Z also utilize OFC Copper-gold plated casing and grounding pins on the chassis to the whole circuitry, this is where the 1A only get brushed aluminum. Therefore, the grounding pins on the chassis provides better resistivity, higher conductivity, and natural characteristic of Copper being used in Acoustic Analogy Circuitr. Hence, Sony stated that the Copper-Gold plated brings different and unique Acoustic properties.

Yeah, all of these above were confirmed from various sites, and with insider information as well.


----------



## gerelmx1986

My biggest question is why @Whitigir said earlier in this thread that OS-CON are inferior?
  
 I had an A17 walkman whih used POS-CAP and to my ears os-con do a better job so the s master ouputs a better signal, with less treble distortion if not gone entirely.


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> My biggest question is why @Whitigir
> said earlier in this thread that OS-CON are inferior?
> 
> I had an A17 walkman whih used POS-CAP and to my ears os-con do a better job so the s master ouputs a better signal, with less treble distortion if not gone entirely.




OS-Con are not inferior products over-all. It is actually top tier for audio performances, but Sony was not satisfied, so they decided to develop their own capacitors. OS-Con are "only inferior" to Sony "FTCap", which was developed for sound quality together with power delivery alone .


----------



## Leviticus

whitigir said:


> The cradles shall fit the new 1A/Z just fine, and the same as the dongle digital out cables. I feel like a broken record to keep on saying that Sony does not use Software to alter the sound signature from 1A to 1Z.
> 
> The 1Z has beefier Digital circuitry due to more FT capacitors being used where the 1A uses OS-Con. FT capacitors were developed by "Sony alone" and it purposes of design = to achieve better power stability and more power delivery, the material used and researched were chosen after the years of development and research since the time Zx1 was released and only to have it mature and finished until now. The most Majestic about these Capacitors is the ability to stay purest to the sounds signals with clear vocal and natural timbres while having the most powerful power delivery for it size. In short, Power and superb sound quality were the reason these were developed.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Isn't it true that the circuitry on both Walkmen is exactly the same in balanced mode?


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> OS-Con are not inferior products over-all. It is actually top tier for audio performances, but Sony was not satisfied, so they decided to develop their own capacitors. OS-Con are "only inferior" to Sony "FTCap", which was developed for sound quality alone


 
 Now i got it hehe  mis understanding 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I am listening to some brytn trios ( a cello with many strings) and i can feel my combo right now, a zx100 and z5 produces this natural smooth sound, nice neutral balanced sound withot falling into the lifeless region *cough* ipod *cough*.
  
 It has warmth and neutrality, i will get the 1A or the 1Z still thinking because construction of the frme is better, it won't dissasembl it self LOL, (maybe that affected the resale value of my zx100 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 had to reglue the top plastic and the leather thingy)


----------



## gerelmx1986

leviticus said:


> Isn't it true that the circuitry on both Walkmen is exactly the same in balanced mode?


 
 Looking at the fotos it seems like a solid YEAH, except fo the resistor i think LOL


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> The cradles shall fit the new 1A/Z just fine, and the same as the dongle digital out cables. I feel like a broken record to keep on saying that Sony does not use Software to alter the sound signature from 1A to 1Z.
> 
> The 1Z has beefier Digital circuitry due to more FT capacitors being used where the 1A uses OS-Con. FT capacitors were developed by "Sony alone" and it purposes of design = to achieve better power stability and more power delivery, the material used and researched were chosen after the years of development and research since the time Zx1 was released and only to have it mature and finished until now. The most Majestic about these Capacitors is the ability to stay purest to the sounds signals with clear vocal and natural timbres while having the most powerful power delivery for it size. In short, Power and superb sound quality were the reason these were developed.
> 
> ...


Confirmed from what sites? Sites repeating the marketing language of Sony? Of course they will achieve better performance with the Z. I doubt that it is detectable without very critical listening on perfectly mastered tracks in a quiet environment.


----------



## Whitigir

leviticus said:


> Isn't it true that the circuitry on both Walkmen is exactly the same in balanced mode?




That stands true, only the interconnect cables from the Board to the Jack plugs are different, 1A uses OFC and 1Z uses Kimber Kables. However, Walkman is different than other players in their design, using S-Master, which is called "direct Digital". This is a hybrid design that will be affected by the rest of the components inside the circuitry. You can see Sony making the same statement over and over again that Zx1 has this capacitors, and Zx2 has that many capacitors, then Zx100 has beefier capacitors....etc...etc. it is very true that better digital sections result in better over-all performances.

1Z utilizes FT Capacitors which is superior to OS-Cons in Power deliver and Audio performances in the Digital sections 

The Walkman Digital signals variations can be observed by using Walkman as a transport from "stock cables vs Dongle cables" there will be much obvious sound quality differences feeding external DAC. I observed it from using Zx2 and Pha-3


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> Confirmed from what sites? Sites repeating the marketing language of Sony? Of course they will achieve better performance with the Z. I doubt that it is detectable without very critical listening on perfectly mastered tracks in a quiet environment.


 
 I think you are right as i said do a proper blind test and I won't be able to tell difference


----------



## proedros

i say , make a thread 'whitigr vs gerelmx' and let them fight it out 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 we need people* reviewing/comparing *1A/1Z and not  *subjective* *speculations *
  
 hopefully soon


----------



## thanatosguan

whitigir said:


> That stands true, only the interconnect cables from the Board to the Jack plugs are different, 1A uses OFC and 1Z uses Kimber Kables. However, Walkman is different than other players in their design, using S-Master, which is called "direct Digital". This is a hybrid design that will be affected by the rest of the components inside the circuitry. You can see Sony making the same statement over and over again that Zx1 has this capacitors, and Zx2 has that many capacitors, then Zx100 has beefier capacitors....etc...etc. it is very true that better digital sections result in better over-all performances.
> 
> 1Z utilizes FT Capacitors which is superior to OS-Cons in Power deliver and Audio performances in the Digital sections
> 
> ...


 
 I can't say for certain because my time with the 1Z and 1A is limited... my mother, who was a concert soloist of Chinese mandolin, said something about 1Z has more details. Of course, take this with* HUUUUGE *caution because A) she has no prior experience with any headphone electronics, barring Walkman of early 80s, B) This is not a double-blind test, she knew she changed the device on hand.
  
 That being said the sensibilities of serious musicians often shock me. My professor can tell if an orchestra is tuned to sound darker or not easily. Not to mention the ineffable ability of concertmasters... to tune instruments on site...
  
 These things should be at your local Sony Stores or audio stores by now, if there is any. The ZH1ES is the one on a short leash, of the new Sony Signature trio... I heard there's only 2 in circulation for audition in mainland China.


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> i say , make a thread 'whitigr vs gerelmx' and let them fight it out
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 That's it paper specs or marketing may brainwash some people but meh, i will stop responding to these claims if they havent listened to it


----------



## Sinarca

whitigir said:


> The cradles shall fit the new 1A/Z just fine, and the same as the dongle digital out cables.





>





> ...And I hope 1A/Z will work with Fio L5 for an analog output, possibly much louder then ZX2


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> That's it paper specs or marketing may brainwash some people but meh, i will stop responding to these claims if they havent listened to it




I will beg to differ as I read and research into Sony marketing and their technology/development of these new Walkman, and together with anonymous source of insider confirmations. I express interestes and not brainwashed, I am a typical person of "sensible" consumer. The more I search and read/gather, the better it helps me on deciding which one for purchase. I am glad to share, and also glad not to. However way people chose it.

The differences signatures between the 2 A and Z needs no critical listening to "tell". A is similar to Solid state amp, and Z is similar to Tube amp kind of differences....but some people can not tell that either. So that is up to you to decide.

Once you are in doubt, do buy both


----------



## Whitigir

WM series has totally eliminated the Analog line out feature. No more line out


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

No. 1 topic on that thread should be how one disses about Zx2 vs Zx100. Summing up that Zx2 has 'inferior' internals as compared to the upcoming newer walkmans. While the other mentions zx100 should not be shipped to Russia as it is 'cursed' . And so on...

Back on topic, why hasn't the WM-A pre-order not started yet since WA-Z already ended on Amazon?


proedros said:


> i say , make a thread 'whitigr vs gerelmx' and let them fight it out
> 
> 
> we need people *reviewing/comparing* 1A/1Z and not  *subjective* *speculations *
> ...


----------



## JamesInLondon

audiobreeder said:


> Back on topic, why hasn't the WM-A pre-order not started yet since WA-Z already ended on Amazon?


 
 All I know is that my Amazon.co.uk order status still reads:
*"Not yet dispatched *
 Delivery estimate: We need a little more time to provide you with a good estimate. We'll notify you via e-mail as soon as we have an estimated delivery date"
  
 Believe me, as soon as someone actually gets their hands on one, you will be reading about it. Although I wonder how many will review it without waiting for the dreaded 'Burn-in'.
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## nc8000

audiobreeder said:


> No. 1 topic on that thread should be how one disses about Zx2 vs Zx100. Summing up that Zx2 has 'inferior' internals as compared to the upcoming newer walkmans. While the other mentions zx100 should not be shipped to Russia as it is 'cursed' . And so on...
> 
> Back on topic, why hasn't the WM-A pre-order not started yet since WA-Z already ended on Amazon?




The pre order for the Z is still active with estimated ship date 4th October but I don't believe that will happen. The A has completely vanished


----------



## emrelights1973

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think you are right as i said do a proper blind test and I won't be able to tell difference


 

 i smell like a pure marketing strategy, paint it gold add 100usd of extra etc. 
  
 it is almost sounds and looks like a gold apple watch.
  
 I hope i am wrong, i like my zx2 and z7 very much, i love the brand but i think they just did a bad move with this.
  
 pricing, lack of streaming even the design..... i hope it all goes well..
  
 and why do you need android for streaming ? is this the only way?


----------



## nc8000

emrelights1973 said:


> i smell like a pure marketing strategy, paint it gold add 100usd of extra etc.
> 
> it is almost sounds and looks like a gold apple watch.
> 
> ...




Android is the easy way for streaming as the service providers have the apps ready. To stream without Android either the dap manufaturer or the streaming providers need to develop special programs and no dap I know of has a big enough market for that to happen


----------



## emrelights1973

Naim is doing it, like many other hi end streamers, for Sony it must be easy...


----------



## thanatosguan

nc8000 said:


> Android is the easy way for streaming as the service providers have the apps ready. To stream without Android either the dap manufaturer or the streaming providers need to develop special programs and no dap I know of has a big enough market for that to happen


 
 I believe Tidal is coming to Astell & Kern players.
  
 Sony is pushing for downloadable Hi-res, it seems. Mora.jp is their partner.
  
 From wikipedia: "mora is operated by Label Gate Co., Ltd., a joint venture of 17 Japanese record companies including Sony Music Entertainment Japan, Avex Group, and Universal Music Japan.[4]"
  
 Personally music I own (whether CD or downloaded Hi-Res tracks) are all ripped/stored onto my computer and have hard backups... Majority of them can't be found on streaming services so why bother.


----------



## krayzie

Sony always come to a point when they will start taking away features as they progress on with upscaling for some reason.
  
 This NW-ZX2 -> NW-WM1A transition is very similar to CDP-557ESD -> CDP-X7ESD where they probably spent more money and effort on the former product even if their marketing material and pricing say otherwise.
  
 Sony has a history of flip flopping back and forth between 3rd party and proprietary electronic components over time with their audio gear. Of cuz marketing will always say the newest is the best.
  
 I think WM1Z is the true successor to the ZX2, the WM1A is just made as a lower price bracket alternative.


----------



## Whitigir

emrelights1973 said:


> Naim is doing it, like many other hi end streamers, for Sony it must be easy...




Sony will be providing "now Music" streaming app soon . I think it will be available for many OS including IOS, Android and Walkman ?


----------



## fish1050

mython said:


> You're putting words into my mouth
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 You need to understand that Sony's S-Master technology is unlike any other DAP on the market. It is a Class D digital amplifier design and thus is significantly more efficient than traditional A/B amplifier designs found in most other DAP's.  Much less power is lost due to heat in a Class D amplifier then a Class A or Class A/B design.  You can drive iem's and some headphones quite well from just the 15 mW output on the ZX2 for example vs needing more power output from a Class A/B to drive the same iem's or headphones to the same volume levels.  
  
 Class D amplifiers don't scale very well so yes it is harder to increase power output.  Sony seems to have overcome these limitations to some extent on the WM and to a lesser extent A30 series.  Good Class D amplifiers are much more difficult to design than more traditional A/B designs.  Sony's amp technology is a main reason why their DAP's have much better battery life than comparable DAP's.    
  
 I actually read a rather detailed explanation on the S-Master amplifier design in a sales brief for the A10 series back in 2014.  There is a review site that also covered it in detail, unfortunately I have not been able to locate it again.  I posted a layman's summary from the article early on in the A10 series forum.
  
 You can debate the audible merits of Sony's Class D S-Master design vs Class A/B or even Class A amplifiers (much rarer in portable DAP's).  In home equipment high end gear tends to have Class A amplifiers which generally have a much warmer sound.  It is a matter of taste as to what sounds better.  I will admit it took me awhile to get use to the cleaner and leaner sound of my A17 vs listening to warmer sounding home equipment.  
  
 I may not agree with all of Sony's design choices but they have done a very good job designing the S-Master HX.  If you prefer a warmer sound and are willing to sacrifice battery life there are plenty of other DAP's to choose from.


----------



## purk

mython said:


> You're putting words into my mouth
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I have the D777 too but I heavily preferred the ZX2.  To each his own really.  I love the D-E900/905 more than  the D777.


----------



## Subhakar

ZX-2
EX-1000
ZX1
Z1R
DSEE-X
S-Master HX
Z7
Z5
NWZ
ZX100


*What's with Sony and the letters Z and X and S?!! Some marketing wiz told them that Z,X,and S ooze some kind of eargasm when pronounced?!!*


----------



## Cecala

whitigir said:


> The cradles shall fit the new 1A/Z just fine, and the same as the dongle digital out cables. I feel like a broken record to keep on saying that Sony does not use Software to alter the sound signature from 1A to 1Z.
> 
> The 1Z has beefier Digital circuitry due to more FT capacitors being used where the 1A uses OS-Con. FT capacitors were developed by "Sony alone" and it purposes of design = to achieve better power stability and more power delivery, the material used and researched were chosen after the years of development and research since the time Zx1 was released and only to have it mature and finished until now. The most Majestic about these Capacitors is the ability to stay purest to the sounds signals with clear vocal and natural timbres while having the most powerful power delivery for it size. In short, Power and superb sound quality were the reason these were developed.
> 
> ...


 
  
  
  
 Please stop. What a headache, talk about BS, you should and probably do write the brochures for Sony and all the other Japanese Electronics manufacturers. Stop drinking the Cool aid.
 Only the Japanese and the English to a lesser extent utilize this marketing talk, the rest of the world don't.


----------



## krayzie

subhakar said:


> ZX-2
> EX-1000
> ZX1
> Z1R
> ...


 
 For Japanese products in general, Z stands for Zero or Zenith, which means they have hit a new plateau and can't do any better at this time (i.e. this is as best as it gets).
  
 For Sony in terms of suffix, 1 is usually reserve for the absolute flagship or a celebration model. I think in modern times, X stands for top of the line.
  
 Now the prefix denotes the type of product, e.g. NW stands for Network Walkman, MDR stands for Micro Dynamic Receiver.


----------



## Currawong

How about we just stick to saying that the 1Z has what Sony states are better components in it?


----------



## TienV1125

hi Head-Fi. 
  
 anyone have idea when WM1Z getting ship out in U.S? been reading all these post make me want to get it over with.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tienv1125 said:


> hi Head-Fi.
> 
> anyone have idea when WM1Z getting ship out in U.S? been reading all these post make me want to get it over with.


 

 ​as many dates have been given for Japan/asia/europe reléase i will say UNKNOWN as a default value


----------



## emrelights1973

whitigir said:


> Sony will be providing "now Music" streaming app soon . I think it will be available for many OS including IOS, Android and Walkman ?



Then what will be the face of all people talking stories about pure player, pure design etc?


----------



## Rei87

emrelights1973 said:


> Then what will be the face of all people talking stories about pure player, pure design etc?


 
 Abit impossible for the WM1Z, since it doesnt even have the hardware to support streaming.

 Frankly, it doesnt matter if Sony rolls out streaming for the mainstream models, because I know that that its kind of physically impossible for the WM1Z to utilize it. Its a purist product; and Sony seems pretty firm in that decision by not even allowing a software fix to give the WM1 series that option. 

 So, even when Sony does roll out their own streaming services, I wont really care. This product isnt meant for you to use to listen to streamed music from those...Tidal or whatever streaming service that is popular with the majority. Heck, even AK is rolling Tidal for the latest firmware for the 380, and rolled out USB DAC support on the previous firmware, but some people still refuse to switch firmware from the old gen ones because the older gens are a little more resolving in its presentation. Yes, they lose alot of capabilities; but their priority is music (while on the go), and nothing is worth sacrificing that. Heck, I know some people who listen to music only because it allows them to listen to their gear. unless they can find, at minimum, a lossless file, they will refuse to listen to the song because they find that it isnt worth it.


----------



## Zakalwe

rei87 said:


> Frankly, it doesnt matter if Sony rolls out streaming for the mainstream models, because I know that that its kind of physically impossible for the WM1Z to utilize it. Its a purist product; and Sony seems pretty firm in that decision by not even allowing a software fix to give the WM1 series that option.




Don't feel too safe - on phones Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are often handled by the same combo chip, using the same antenna. The WM1 has Bluetooth. Maybe Wi-Fi is in there, too, and Sony disabled it because they did not want to implement the functionalities in their SonyOS. Then it'd just be a software update away...


----------



## audionewbi

Some important information regarding the current Sony range, please use google translate: http://www.weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309404016687673396764


----------



## thanatosguan

audionewbi said:


> Some important information regarding the current Sony range, please use google translate: http://www.weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309404016687673396764


 
 Regarding WM1Z/1A


> *Q:* Why S-Master HX again?
> *A:* We just continued using the name. This chip is a completely new design that has way better signal to noise ratio. This allows higher power output with lower energy consumption.
> 
> _Interviewer's note: Also, this chip natively supports DSD decoding, analog high-power balanced output, digital DOP & DSD RAW output. It's a breakthrough in full digital amplification chip design._
> ...


 
 Also this interview confirmed Z1R is on the same level as MDR-R10 and Qualia 010. *SAME RANK. Rather exciting, isn't it?*


----------



## AnakChan

tienv1125 said:


> hi Head-Fi.
> 
> anyone have idea when WM1Z getting ship out in U.S? been reading all these post make me want to get it over with.


 
  
 I was told availability overseas in November (shipping from late Oct to the countries though). One of the reasons why I asked them about availability was due the Amazon late Sept/early Oct claims.
  


zakalwe said:


> Don't feel too safe - on phones Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are often handled by the same combo chip, using the same antenna. The WM1 has Bluetooth. Maybe Wi-Fi is in there, too, and Sony disabled it because they did not want to implement the functionalities in their SonyOS. Then it'd just be a software update away...


 
  
 I asked them explicitly if there was WiFi h/w that's not enabled and was told no WiFi circuitry in it at all. With the other information they've provided (which I cannot divulge here), I don't see any reason why they would lie to me about the WiFi circuitry. But at the end of my conversation with them, I did go through in detail what I can and what I cannot say in public.


----------



## Zakalwe

anakchan said:


> I asked them explicitly if there was WiFi h/w that's not enabled and was told no WiFi circuitry in it at all. With the other information they've provided (which I cannot divulge here), I don't see any reason why they would lie to me about the WiFi circuitry. But at the end of my conversation with them, I did go through in detail what I can and what I cannot say in public.




Nice, thanks!


----------



## Kiats

Thanks for the updates, AnakChan. Much appreciated!


----------



## gerelmx1986

More info popping out, let's see what can jam provides ud


----------



## Whitigir

You gotta be kidding...November with Amazon taking order on September ? Lol...the irony. Thanks for the info


----------



## Gosod

leviticus said:


> I would only sell my ZX2 after having received and tested the WM1. I only sold my ZX1 after I had properly breaked in my ZX2. It's just to exciting to compare your newest toy with older gear.
> 
> But there's no point in keeping the ZX2 when you want to have a WM1.


 
do not rush to sell the zx2 maybe he will like you more. and by the way waiting for your comparison.

 Edit:

 player already sale? where it the cheapest price?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Read the Chinese article, despite bad Spanish translation, I got some information that raised my eye brows, that is the DSD remaster engine in the WM1Z, wondering if wm1a will feature that too?


----------



## denis1976

I don't know but by the pictures in instagram at least some stores allready have it


----------



## Gosod

I do not understand what he is talking about Chinese art.


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> Read the Chinese article, despite bad Spanish translation, I got some information that raised my eye brows, that is the DSD remaster engine in the WM1Z, wondering if wm1a will feature that too?


 
 I think that only the signature series amplifier/dac do that


----------



## denis1976

The TA-ZH1ES


----------



## gerelmx1986

> Originally Posted by *denis1976* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I think that only the signature series amplifier/dac do that


 
  
  


denis1976 said:


> The TA-ZH1ES


 
 Maybe yes, obnly the amp does that, you know google sometimes misplaces verbs, sentences weird


----------



## Romiros

Good news) 1Z appeared in the store "doctorhead" in Moscow)
"В ДХ появился WM1Z. Быстренько опишу свои впечатления (вдруг кому интересно).
— Плеер нереально тяжелый и громоздкий. По сравнению с ним LPG просто фитоняша во всех смыслах. Даже не представляю как WM1Z можно носить в кармане джинсов... 
— О-очень приятно лежит в руке. Маешь вещь!
— Нижние кнопки (переключение треков и плей/пауза) несколько затруднительно нажимать, держа плеер в одной руке без перехвата, но не могу сказать, что критично.
— Золотой цвет матовый, довольно приятный (насколько приятен в принципе может быть золотой цвет у плеера).
— Усилитель в плеере слабый. Я слушал на Rhapsodio Solar (низкоомные многодрайверы) и громкость была в районе 100. В настройках режим усиления был включен, проверил. То есть, для многодрайверов вполне себе ОК, но для любимых S-мотиков точно нет. Неожиданно, да.
— Made in Malaysia. Не шучу. 
— Интерфейс довольно тормозной. Экран понравился.
— Звучание. Попробую провести аналогию с фотографией. Вот вы берете с классной зеркалки RAW и начинаете аккуратно его «проявлять», а потом, фигак, и Clarity +50, Saturation +50 и по контрасту жахнуть хорошенько. Для каких-то кадров результат будет интересным, но естественность пропадет. Так и тут. Звук показался мне несобранным, отстраненным, сверхдетальным, резковатым. Баса на Соларах было столько, что прям вспомнился Ментор... 
Возникло ощущение, что плееру решительно необходимо недельку прогреться, а потом опять обязательно заслушать. Например, тому же LPG это помогло."
Sounds like it has volume cap. ((


----------



## Whitigir

And what does it say ?


----------



## Romiros

Google translate, pls) generally


----------



## gerelmx1986

It seems to be that the TAZH1ES is the one which has the DSD remaster engine, Sony websites say nothing of that tech in the WM1Z nor the WM1A


----------



## musicday

Volume cap is not good, at least we can see the price on the Russian website.


----------



## Romiros

both of them have a small lag in interface. People says.


----------



## proedros

this thread is turning into a disjointed lsd trip


----------



## gerelmx1986

romiros said:


> both of them have a small lag in interface. People says.


 

 I don't care about the lag unless it sounds too good to be true


----------



## denis1976

The text talks where about volume cap
?


----------



## denis1976

When i get mine wm1Z i am going to turn off this subscription i am allready imagine posts "mine with headphones "y" plays song "x" at volume 90" and other" mine at 60 almost blow my ears" your's is caped mine is not eheheh


----------



## denis1976

This is nuts discussion


----------



## gerelmx1986

you can turn HIGH gain ON problem solved


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> you can turn HIGH gain ON problem solved :wink_face:


thats right


----------



## audionewbi

The more and more I read the less I am interested in the dap and more in the DAC/amp. It seems like an amazing deal.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Anyone know anything about the battery? Will it be the same or lower quality compared to zx2?
It looks like after warranty expires the only way to get into the player is through the screen.
I miss the days of replacing batteries and turning screws.


----------



## Romiros

High gain was ON.. battery- it's about 1900 mAh, as I saw on photo from IFA


----------



## denis1976

romiros said:


> High gain was ON..


my google translate must be malfuction


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Thanks. 





romiros said:


> High gain was ON.. battery- it's about 1900 mAh, as I saw on photo from IFA


----------



## denis1976

When i get mine i will see this all high or not high gain then i will give the news


----------



## denis1976

romiros said:


> High gain was ON.. battery- it's about 1900 mAh, as I saw on photo from IFA


Sony showed at IFA a caped version of 1z?? Woow Sony RESPECT


----------



## audioxxx

audiobreeder said:


> Anyone know anything about the battery? Will it be the same or lower quality compared to zx2?
> It looks like after warranty expires the only way to get into the player is through the screen.
> I miss the days of replacing batteries and turning screws.



Yeah, where is the logic in sealing shut a device with a battery that will fail?

And who in their right mind is going to spend thousands on a device that even if you do delaminate the screen to get to it and finally de-solder the battery, 
well you simply will not be able to purchase it because it won't be on the shelf,(that's because Sony invented it).

 Maybe, you can set a display up to show your friends, the pretty board layout behind a glass cabinet, with the gold parts layed out in front of the dead battery, lol


----------



## MarkTwain

audioxxx said:


> Yeah, where is the logic in sealing shut a device with a battery that will fail?
> 
> And who in their right mind is going to spend thousands on a device that even if you do delaminate the screen to get to it and finally de-solder the battery,
> well you simply will not be able to purchase it because it won't be on the shelf,(that's because Sony invented it).
> ...


 
  
 So that you will buy a new DAP when the battery fails one day? Probably a WM2Z?


----------



## Whitigir

marktwain said:


> So that you will buy a new DAP when the battery fails one day? Probably a WM2Z?




People who complained about battery usually don't keep it long enough


----------



## gerelmx1986

The way to Access the battery is via the leatherette, de-glue it and voila, screws


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> The way to Access the battery is via the leatherette, de-glue it and voila, screws




Agreed , but then...where to buy the battery pack ? Say now, to put away and use it later ?


----------



## audioxxx

marktwain said:


> So that you will buy a new DAP when the battery fails one day? Probably a WM2Z?




Well the way this pricing is going, the WM2Z, will need a small fortune, 

I'm guessing around $6.000 USD.

Seeing as I am actual upset at this attempt to cash grab.
And seal your asset up, by making it non serviceable.
Unfortunately, I Seriously doubt many will be sold, and the zx3 will make an appearance, as Sony realise their huge mistake . IMO


----------



## Cecala

romiros said:


> both of them have a small lag in interface. People says.


 

 Yes, you can see this in various videos, very disappointing. Although some early reviewers stated otherwise. We have to wait for a proper unbiased full review.


----------



## MarkTwain

audioxxx said:


> Well the way this pricing is going, the WM2Z, will need a small fortune,
> 
> I'm guessing around $6.000 USD.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Things will just go up, unlikely will come down. Especially when Sony see this thread of ready buyers waiting to spend.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

audioxxx said:


> Seeing as I am actual upset at this attempt to cash grab. And seal your asset up, by making it non serviceable.
> Unfortunately, I Seriously doubt many will be sold, and the zx3 will make an appearance, as Sony realise their huge mistake . IMO


 
  
 I'm pretty sure Sony doesn't expect many of the WM1Z to be sold, or at least comparatively, it will probably sell well with the AK380 type crowd and was just made as a statement product to compete in said market. Imo no one in their right mind should be buying a WM1Z or AK380... But whatever floats your boat.
  
 The WM1A is Sony's real contender, it will have most of the performance of the WM1Z and a more balanced sig, I won't be surprised if many even prefer WM1A over WM1Z.
  
 The TA-ZH1ES looks good too. Sony must be pretty happy with their new S Master HX design to go and design a desktop dac/amp around it, it get's my hopes up for the WM1A, I'm glad Sony decided to keep investing in digital amp tech, The WM1A is what I really wanted for the ZX2, now we are finally getting it at the same price so I can't complain.
 .


----------



## cthomas

Has Sony released their new 4.4mm cables yet? I'd be interested to see if they would fit the Focal Elear...


----------



## MarkTwain

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> I'm pretty sure Sony doesn't expect many of the WM1Z to be sold, or at least comparatively, it will probably sell well with the AK380 type crowd and was just made as a statement product to compete in said market. Imo no one in their right mind should be buying a WM1Z or AK380... But whatever floats your boat.
> 
> The WM1A is Sony's real contender, it will have most of the performance of the WM1Z and a more balanced sig, I won't be surprised if many even prefer WM1A over WM1Z.
> 
> The TA-ZH1ES looks good too.  I'm glad Sony decided to keep investing in digital amp tech, The WM1A is what I wanted for the ZX2, a comprehensive new design, now we are finally getting it at the same price so I can't complain.


 
  
 There will be buyers for WM1Z. Some will buy anything higher in price, as higher is better.


----------



## Mimouille

audionewbi said:


> The more and more I read the less I am interested in the dap and more in the DAC/amp. It seems like an amazing deal.


 
 What DAC/amp are we talking about? I thought it was just 2 DAPs, one desktop amp and one headphone?


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

mimouille said:


> What DAC/amp are we talking about? I thought it was just 2 DAPs, one desktop amp and one headphone?


 
  
 The desktop amp you are referring to is actually a dac/amp. The TA-ZH1ES, seems pretty sweet, can convert any music file into DSD 256 with FPGA, and does 40bit processing with 2x Analog devices DSP's.


----------



## audioxxx

marktwain said:


> Anything more will be similar approach as AK marketing style, changing exterior design, putting different metals, and include more DAC, etc. Some may "hear" a difference, while most will "see" a difference instead of hearing a difference.
> 
> I am sure WM1Z or perhaps a WM2Z will be good sounding DAP again, just a question of
> 
> BTW, Singapore launch event will have free bluetooth speaker or amp worth a few hundreds dollars to a thousand dollar if you pre-book the few new toys on launch. At least, it helps to justify the huge asking price.



We don't get these freebies, that would help the pain of the purchase, that's for sure.



t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> I'm pretty sure Sony doesn't expect many of the WM1Z to be sold, or at least comparatively, it will probably sell well with the AK380 type crowd and was just made as a statement product to compete in said market. Imo no one in their right mind should be buying a WM1Z or AK380... But whatever floats your boat.
> 
> The WM1A is Sony's real contender, it will have most of the performance of the WM1Z and a more balanced sig, I won't be surprised if many even prefer WM1A over WM1Z.
> 
> ...




Yeah, I think that desktop digital amp will be incredibly good, if it's a bigger improvement over these portable Walkmans which of coarse it will be, you might not get very far too get things done once hooked up to it.
(You might not get away from the desk) lol


Other problem will be going back to the portable might be a disappointment, that's why I probably don't want to hear better than what I have at this stage.


----------



## cthomas

There's also the PHA-2A which has 4.4mm balanced.


----------



## audioxxx

cthomas said:


> There's also the PHA-2A which has 4.4mm balanced.



Yeah, this could be a really good buy, I want one that's for sure.


----------



## Mimouille

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> The desktop amp you are referring to is actually a dac/amp. The TA-ZH1ES, seems pretty sweet, can convert any music file into DSD 256 with it's FPGA + 2x Analog devices DSP's.


 
 Thanks


----------



## Mimouille

cthomas said:


> There's also the PHA-2A which has 4.4mm balanced.


 
 I cannot find what chip it uses.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have new music waiting for the new WM1A walkman , 4 of these albums are 24-bit 2 in 96Khz, one in 88.2 and one in 176.4KHz, other is 16-bit 44.1


----------



## Rei87

audioxxx said:


> Well the way this pricing is going, the WM2Z, will need a small fortune,
> 
> I'm guessing around $6.000 USD.
> 
> ...


 


 Heys, given how the 380CU is rather well receive ddespite its exorbitant price tag (which makes me actually feel like the 1Z is rather value for money in comparison), I wouldnt bet on it lol.


----------



## krayzie

Reminds me of the SCD-1 and its purposely compromised twin the SCD-777ES.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

mimouille said:


> I cannot find what chip it uses.(PHA-2A)


 
  
 It doesn't use S Master HX, uses a normal dac, don't know which one, but will likely be PCM1795 based on PHA-2, the upgrade will be 2x TPA6120 for the amp like PHA-3, it's a give-away as they both have same spec for FR, 10hz-100khz, and same 8-600ohm rating.


----------



## Whitigir

rei87 said:


> Heys, given how the 380CU is rather well receive ddespite its exorbitant price tag (which makes me actually feel like the 1Z is rather value for money in comparison), I wouldnt bet on it lol.




Well, you forgot they both are too distinctively different

1Z no wifi, no video format, no android, the longest battery, no USB DAC

380 copper, android custom, video, wifi, streaming, not as long on battery, yes USB dac


----------



## BartSimpson1976

If you pre-order during the launching event in Singapore you will get free bluetooth headphones worth 499 SGD, so it should be the MDR-1ABT or the hear.on NC headphones.
  
 If you pre-order the new flagship headphones you will get a free PHA-3 amp.


----------



## Whitigir

bartsimpson1976 said:


> If you pre-order during the launching event in Singapore you will get free bluetooth headphones worth 499 SGD, so it should be the MDR-1ABT or the hear.on NC headphones.
> 
> If you pre-order the new flagship headphones you will get a free PHA-3 amp.




No special in the US ? Dang it! Unfair


----------



## MarkTwain

bartsimpson1976 said:


> If you pre-order during the launching event in Singapore you will get free bluetooth headphones worth 499 SGD, so it should be the MDR-1ABT or the hear.on NC headphones.
> 
> If you pre-order the new flagship headphones you will get a free PHA-3 amp.


 
  
 Yep.
  
 Pre-order a WM1A and get a free bluetooth speakers worth SGD 359.
  
 Pre-order a WM1Z and get a free bluetooth headset worth SGD 499.
  
 Pre-order a MDR-Z1R and get a free portable amp worth SGD 1,199.
  
 From the marketing perspective, it seems that they are expecting less people to buy the headset, thus giving away a more expensive gift?


----------



## shockwaver

NW-WM1Z will remain as the heaviest Walkman ever, forever.


----------



## audionewbi

How is that fair.....


----------



## Rei87

whitigir said:


> Well, you forgot they both are too distinctively different
> 
> 1Z no wifi, no video format, no android, the longest battery, no USB DAC
> 
> 380 copper, android custom, video, wifi, streaming, not as long on battery, yes USB dac


 


 Video? I'm pretty sure the CU does not have that, or what I'm hold in my hand is probably a CU savant. And streaming only came last month, after more than a year of its product cycle life. People started buying it even before then. Its about as android, as the Sony player is in terms of its functionality. 

 USB DAC would be the only stand out feature. But most only see that as a add-on. as opposed to a core feature of the product.

 Looks aside, they aren't really as different as you might think.


----------



## Whitigir

Oh, I thought android OS can do video as like Zx2, I didn't really read up on the Cu. Does Cu has replacable battery


----------



## cthomas

mimouille said:


> I cannot find what chip it uses.




There's not much info on it yet. I read somewhere it has 320mw per channel like the pha-3 but I doubt that's official. According to Sony website it weighs more than pha-3 and battery life is about the same, that's about as much as I know.


----------



## AnakChan

cecala said:


> Yes, you can see this in various videos, very disappointing. Although some early reviewers stated otherwise. We have to wait for a proper unbiased full review.


 
  
 Got the video links? I can tell ya wasn't my experience. Having said that, I was playing mostly with Sato-san's (the lead designer/engineer's) personal unit and noted that was f/w v1.0. Even the Marketing's staff unit was not at 1.0 but I didn't notice any lag in that unit either. Agreed that it's best wait till full production unit is out first before making any judgement calls.


----------



## gerelmx1986

anakchan said:


> cecala said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, you can see this in various videos, very disappointing. Although some early reviewers stated otherwise. We have to wait for a proper unbiased full review.
> ...


 

 ​Correct, I have seen worse UI lags on DAPs esp. a fiio x3 I took ages to load a full list of albums from a 128GB microSD (1 minute), 20 minutes to scan the card arrghhh. My iPod classic lagged with coverFlow pretty nasty


----------



## AnakChan

> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > The way to Access the battery is* via the leatherette, de-glue it and voila, screws*
> ...


 
  
 Actually, I don't believe so. I think you have to access it from the front. Take a look at the photos I put up earlier in the week.


----------



## nc8000

anakchan said:


> Actually, I don't believe so. I think you have to access it from the front. Take a look at the photos I put up earlier in the week.




Since the case for both is one solid lump the only access to the inside must be to remove the screen


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Since the case for both is one solid lump the only access to the inside must be to remove the screen




With both Zx2 and the new WM1 series, they can be accessed by peeling off the leather back, and unscrew, then voila, solder on the battery 

Believe it or not, the screen is isolated ontop of the chassis 



You can see this here, this is the leather back cover pulled off, and there is the main chassis and screws to access the battery

The problem is.....where to buy such battery ?


----------



## Rei87

whitigir said:


> Oh, I thought android OS can do video as like Zx2, I didn't really read up on the Cu. Does Cu has replacable battery


 


 No. The 380CU's only real advantage, as of 1 week ago, was streaming, and its ecosystem of accessories like the stereo recorder and CD ripper (which a large majority of the population does not use).


----------



## Whitigir

rei87 said:


> No. The 380CU's only real advantage, as of 1 week ago, was streaming, and its ecosystem of accessories like the stereo recorder and CD ripper (which a large majority of the population does not use).






anakchan said:


> Actually, I don't believe so. I think you have to access it from the front. Take a look at the photos I put up earlier in the week.




Thanks for your answers, and I see some people keep on crying about non-replaceable battery in new Walkman....it look easier to replace as I posted above, but where to buy it ? Will you keep it that long ? Or people just like picking negatives about Sony


----------



## AnakChan

whitigir said:


> Thanks for your answers, and I see some people keep on crying about non-replaceable battery in new Walkman....it look easier to replace as I posted above, but where to buy it ? Will you keep it that long ? Or people just like picking negatives about Sony


 
  
 I dunno....to me many products have non-replaceable battery (my iPhone/iPad for example?) and for all practical use case purposes for me personally, I change my DAP faster than the battery could wear out. Product evolution has changed exponentially that it's accustomed me at least (and I'm sure a fair number of you) to change/upgrade even before the original product has truly worn off.
  
 [Off Topic]
 I'd only start to cry and scream if compact->mirrorless->DSLR cameras came with non-replaceable batteries.
 [/Off Topic]


----------



## Whitigir

anakchan said:


> I dunno....to me many products have non-replaceable battery (my iPhone/iPad for example?) and for all practical use case purposes for me personally, I change my DAP faster than the battery could wear out. Product evolution has changed exponentially that it's accustomed me at least (and I'm sure a fair number of you) to change/upgrade even before the original product has truly worn off.
> 
> [Off Topic]
> I'd only start to cry and scream if compact->mirrorless->DSLR cameras came with non-replaceable batteries.
> [/Off Topic]




I agree about portable devices and non-removable battery. Sony did it best to allow easy access to the battery though, and as much as designing a closed shielding mechanism to keep it away from their class D circuitry.

thanks god, but I think you are giving someone the idea


----------



## fish1050

All this talk about the non-replaceable battery comes to this.  Sony recommends battery replacement at less than 50% battery life.  For most people it will be around two years so if you only plan to keep the DAP for a couple of years you are fine.  If you want to keep it longer then spring for a 1 year extended warranty and send the unit in for battery replacement just before the 2 years run out.  I did this with my Sony A17 and I actually got a new replacement unit as it costs to much to service these DAPs.
  
 I have no idea how much the extended warranty on the 1Z will be but if you want to keep it for a few years the extended warranty is the one way to go.  Theoretically with a 1 year extended warranty you could get at least 4 years out of the unit vs 2+ years maybe with a standard warranty.  The extended warranty would be cheaper than replacing the player every two years.
  
 The other option of course is once the battery dies run it off of A/C power and use it as a desktop player. The 1Z isn't really all that portable, more transportable to begin with and as long as you have access to a power outlet you are fine.


----------



## audioxxx

whitigir said:


> With both Zx2 and the new WM1 series, they can be accessed by peeling off the leather back, and unscrew, then voila, solder on the battery
> 
> Believe it or not, the screen is isolated ontop of the chassis
> 
> ...




There's no way to get the battery out the back

What's unbelievable is the non standard, impossible to find battery used, and the way it's been dug deep inside the unit.

It must be removed from the front, the screen must be removed.

The back seems to have part of the class D amplifier circuitry. And blue tooth antenna.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

Battery is removed from the back. Leather back comes off, undo 4 screws to take off metal battery cage, battery is sitting there on top of pcb. Anyone with soldering skill can replace it, uses 3.7v li-ion battery like every other dap and phone, just find a battery that fits, shouldn't be difficult. Or send to Sony to service it.
 There is nothing under the screen other than the chassis, completely isolating it from the pcb.


----------



## Cecala

>


 
  
 I do hope the build quality is not represented above.


----------



## audioxxx

I disagree, it's a solid block, how do you get the battery through a solid piece ?


----------



## Cecala

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Battery is removed from the back. Leather back comes off, undo 4 screws to take off metal battery cage, battery is sitting there on top of pcb. Anyone with soldering skill can replace it, uses 3.7v li-ion battery like every other dap and phone, just find a battery that fits, shouldn't be difficult. Or send to Sony to service it.
> There is nothing under the screen other than the chassis, completely isolating it from the pcb.
> 
> And look, even us WM1A peasants get a few of those "Fine Sound Register" resistors  WM1A gets 4 of them, WM1Z gets 10 of them (two on other side). No big deal, cost like 5c each lol.


 
  
 So much money, so little hardware. As is known the electronics are identical bar some resisters and cable.


----------



## fish1050

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Battery is removed from the back. Leather back comes off, undo 4 screws to take off metal battery cage, battery is sitting there on top of pcb. Anyone with soldering skill can replace it, uses 3.7v li-ion battery like every other dap and phone, just find a battery that fits, shouldn't be difficult. Or send to Sony to service it.
> There is nothing under the screen other than the chassis, completely isolating it from the pcb.
> 
> And look, even us WM1A peasants get a few of those "Fine Sound Register" resistors  WM1A gets 4 of them, WM1Z gets 10 of them (two on other side). No big deal, cost like 5c each lol.


 
 The issue isn't finding a replacement battery it is finding one that fits.  Sony is using non standard sized batteries which aren't being sold to the public.  Sony has stated that all their portable DAP's released after 2013 will not have user replaceable batteries.  I had a friend who works in audio equipment repair try to source replacement batteries for Sony DAP's.  He told me finding batteries with the right specs are easy but size is the issue.  He has taken some Sony DAP's apart and he cautions that unless you are pretty skilled and have the right tools you could easily damage these DAP's.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

audioxxx said:


> I disagree, it's a solid block, how do you get the battery through a solid piece ?


 
  
 Your not getting it, the screen goes on the top of the solid piece of chassis, a little slit allows the cable through, while the pcb then battery are shoved in through the open back, and the back is then closed with a piece of glued on leather.
  


cecala said:


> So much money, so little hardware. As is known the electronics are identical bar some resisters and cable.


 
  
 Well yeah, but the copper chassis would be quite pricey I suppose, I'd say $500-$750 being generous, but no where near worth the 1.8K extra their charging for WM1Z.


----------



## audioxxx

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Your not getting it, the screen goes on the top of the solid piece of chassis, a little slit allows the cable through, while the pcb then battery are shoved in through the open back, and covered with a piece of glued on leather.




Could be, that would be the logical way to build it.

 However I must have looked at the break down diagram wrong.

I hope you are correct..

Cheers


----------



## Cecala

anakchan said:


> Got the video links? I can tell ya wasn't my experience. Having said that, I was playing mostly with Sato-san's (the lead designer/engineer's) personal unit and noted that was f/w v1.0. Even the Marketing's staff unit was not at 1.0 but I didn't notice any lag in that unit either. Agreed that it's best wait till full production unit is out first before making any judgement calls.


 

 Various videos I've seen on Youtube at fairs show the unit no faster than the ZX2, a small gripe I have with that unit. It's the one thing I like about the new models is that they ditched Android. I prefer my music player exclusively plays music, simple and done right.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

audioxxx said:


> Could be, that would be the logical way to build it. However I must have looked at the break down diagram wrong. I hope you are correct.


 
  
 It's not up for interpretation, it's the only way it would fit together based on the picture showed, and it is how the zx1 and zx2 were assembled to boot.


----------



## audioxxx

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> It's not up for interpretation, it's the only way it would fit together based on the picture showed, and it is how the zx1 and zx2 were assembled to boot.



When you look at it, the build looks like it's done different to the zx2.
It seems the battery is under the screen on the wm1/wmz



anakchan said:


> Actually, I don't believe so. I think you have to access it from the front. Take a look at the photos I put up earlier in the week.


----------



## fish1050

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Your not getting it, the screen goes on the top of the solid piece of chassis, a little slit allows the cable through, while the pcb then battery are shoved in through the open back, and the back is then closed with a piece of glued on leather.
> 
> 
> Well yeah, but the copper chassis would be quite pricey I suppose, I'd say $500-$750 being generous, but no where near worth the 1.8K extra their charging for WM1Z.


 
 Not even close to that, the current market price for a pound of copper is $2.14 as the market is low for copper right now.  Forming it into the chassis will be somewhat costly but I think $500.00 would be to high


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

audioxxx said:


> When you look at it, the build looks like it's done different to the zx2.
> It seems the battery is under the screen on the wm1/wmz


 


anakchan said:


> Actually, I don't believe so. I think you have to access it from the front. Take a look at the photos I put up earlier in the week.


  

 *Sigh... Ok, take a look at the buttons on the side. If the screen were on top of the battery then the buttons would be on the left side of the dap. But the buttons are actually on the right, so the screen is on top of the chassis, like zx1 and zx2, you can even see the slit for the screen cable. Logic. Why would they change from the design of zx1/2 for an inferior design, answer: they wouldn't. Logic.
  



fish1050 said:


> Not even close to that, the current market price for a pound of copper is $2.14 as the market is low for copper right now.  Forming it into the chassis will be somewhat costly but I think $500.00 would be to high


 
  
 Yeah, which is why I'd never buy a WM1Z or AK380, because your not getting your moneys worth.


----------



## fish1050

Let's face it these DAP's are built like tanks now and the only thing likely to wear out is the battery.  If users could replace their own batteries people would be hanging onto these units for years.  Sony needs product turnover to keep selling these high end products and the only way to keep the cycle going is to make the batteries non-user replaceable.
  
 Realistically what more can Sony add in terms of features to the WM series DAP's, especially the 1Z?  Would you replace a $3000.00 DAP for a second microsd card slot or maybe a bit more power?  Sony will need some turnover on the 1Z to keep the product viable for years to come. So non-replaceable battery is one of the few ways to keep product turning over year after year.


----------



## AnakChan

I dunno about you guys but the removal battery isn't all that interesting. Could we move on?
  


cecala said:


> Various videos I've seen on Youtube at fairs show the unit no faster than the ZX2, a small gripe I have with that unit. It's the one thing I like about the new models is that they ditched Android. I prefer my music player exclusively plays music, simple and done right.


 
  
 Yeah, I wouldn't judge a model based on that one pre-prod unit. Wait till the final version comes out and re-evaluate.


----------



## BartSimpson1976

fish1050 said:


> The issue isn't finding a replacement battery it is finding one that fits.  Sony is using non standard sized batteries which aren't being sold to the public.


 
  
 They should have ordinary AAA-batteries in it!


----------



## FenderP

anakchan said:


> I dunno about you guys but the removal battery isn't all that interesting. Could we move on?


 
  
 Exactly. Most electronics don't have removable batteries. My ZX1 has been going strong for a few years with no loss in capacity. I have laptops that hold charges at 100% years after. This whole battery thing is a non-starter and something I don't get the obsession with.


----------



## nc8000

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> *Sigh. Ok, take a look at the buttons on the side. If the screen were on top of the battery then the buttons would be on the left side of the dap. But the buttons are actually on the right, so the screen is on top of the chassis, like zx1 and zx2.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Dang it, you're right. I allways just assumed that the screen was the lid to the box


----------



## Cecala

fish1050 said:


> Not even close to that, the current market price for a pound of copper is $2.14 as the market is low for copper right now.  Forming it into the chassis will be somewhat costly but I think $500.00 would be to high


 

 .......and judging by pictures of both bare units, the machining marks are identical (no total forming) therefore no real extra difficulty to cut (as far as I know) from the standard aluminum, not the marketing hype pushed by Sony and embraced by some.


----------



## nc8000

cecala said:


> .......and judging by pictures of both bare units, the machining marks are identical (no total forming) therefore no real extra difficulty to cut (as far as I know) from the standard aluminum, not the marketing hype pushed by Sony and embraced by some.




It probably runs more or less the same program but requires different cutter heads and longer time since copper is denser than aluminium


----------



## chronograf86

How many high-end players or smartphones got replaceable battery? The number is close to "0"


----------



## cthomas

Does anyone know if the balanced power would be sufficient to drive a Sennheiser HD650?


----------



## Zakalwe

chronograf86 said:


> How many high-end players or smartphones got replaceable battery? The number is close to "0"




Everyone pulling the same crap does not make it any better. Of course, it is bound to be a ubiquitous construction method, since it is very profitable to the manufacturers, while the drawbacks usually only affect the customer. Usually - I feel quite some Schadenfreude over Samsung's current debacle with the Note 7: millions of brand new high end smartphones heading for the dump because their faulty batteries had to be built in, and billions of market value lost for the company. I also like how this created wide-spread attention and consequences, for example shipping companies refusing to transport such devices, turning the recall into a logistical headache.

And with smartphones I still find it somewhat acceptable, since their hardware cannot support modern software after a few years, which eventually makes them unsafe to use for their intended purpose anyway, regardless of their battery state. But a DAP is not affected by that, it could be used for decades (like hifi-equipment used to be), if not for the battery.


----------



## fish1050

fenderp said:


> Exactly. Most electronics don't have removable batteries. My ZX1 has been going strong for a few years with no loss in capacity. I have laptops that hold charges at 100% years after. This whole battery thing is a non-starter and something I don't get the obsession with.


 
 Depends on how often you use it.  I don't generally stick my DAP's in a drawer for years between uses.  I use my A17 for 2 to 3 hours per day and the battery capacity dropped by almost 50% in 2 years (time before recharging).  Given Sony recommends battery replacement at 50% I got it a replaced at 21 months (replacement unit).  Have you ever actually tried to measure battery life decline or is this just a general guess on your part? I actually measured mine to see real world results.  Sony replaced my unit without questioning my claim on loss of battery life even though I owned it for less than two years.
  


chronograf86 said:


> How many high-end players or smartphones got replaceable battery? The number is close to "0"


 
 How many high-end players or smartphones cost over $1000.00 let alone $3200.00.  It is all relative,  I would plan on keep something that cost me $3200.00 for several years as I do with home equipment but thanks to the non-replaceable battery that isn't possible unless you want to use your DAP sparingly.  I don't want to ration out using my expensive player just to make it last.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

There is a reason why the battery is soldered, it reduces the resistance, believe it or not it will have an audible (albeit minor) effect on the sound. I prefer it soldered like the Sony's, with their large gauge wire. But I wouldn't mind easier access to the internals, having to get past a glued rear is a pain, give me screws...


----------



## AnakChan

Move on from the battery discussion guys. There's nothing 1Z specific about this topic.


----------



## Cecala

nc8000 said:


> It probably runs more or less the same program but requires different cutter heads and longer time since copper is denser than aluminium


 

 Copper is available in different densities, I suspect Sony would use the softer type due to it being lighter and cheaper and easier to work with, all speculation though on what Sony is doing.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

cecala said:


> Copper is available in different densities, I suspect Sony would use the softer type due to it being lighter and cheaper and easier to work with, all speculation though on what Sony is doing.


 
  
 WM1A is milled out of a 500g block of aluminium. WM1Z is milled out of a 1.8kg block of copper, using 99.96% oxygen free copper, probably isn't cheap to hire dwarves to hammer the oxygen out of the copper and whatnot.


----------



## thanatosguan

I suspect OFC copper would be more expensive than normal copper. Plus, this is mass-produced so it's not like buying a pound of copper from some local dealer and carving it into a chassis. Sure, buying in bulk reduces prices, but manufacturing costs could soar if the unit is in demand.
  
 "Mass" being the key here. What companies like Apple and Sony can do with materials is often impossible to lesser corporations without as much cash to go around with.
  
 Astell & Kern is owned by iRiver which is a subsidiary of SK Telecom, which itself is a part of SK Group, one of the biggest Chaebols in Korea.


----------



## Gibraltar

cecala said:


> Copper is available in different densities, I suspect Sony would use the softer type due to it being lighter and cheaper and easier to work with, all speculation though on what Sony is doing.




Didn't Sony say they used high purity copper for this case? Copper is an element, which by definition has only one possible density. Aside from that, softness and density are unrelated properties.

I do agree though that the difference in price is far larger than the actual difference in manufacturing cost. It's also an almost universal practice in hifi product lineups


----------



## Whitigir

Lol, it took T.R.A.N.C.E a little while to explain to you guys eh ? I couldn't explain it enough 

Yes, Sony did a very well done job to have the battery easily accessible while having it isolated from the class D amp section. The problem is to find the pack that fit. The reason why Sony did "soldered on" battery was because it was needed. If you moved it around on the go, assuming it is a Walkman and doing it purposes, any plugging mechanism will result in vibrations and that would be bad for audio.

Again, it is not hard to replace the battery, but where to buy it.



t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> There is a reason why the battery is soldered, it reduces the resistance, believe it or not it will have an audible (albeit minor) effect on the sound. I prefer it soldered like the Sony's, with their large gauge wire. But I wouldn't mind easier access to the internals, having to get past a glued rear is a pain, give me screws...




And this too, as this soldered on eliminate the 3rd terminals (plugs mechanism). I also preferred this as from my point of view, Sony did a "perfect job" on the "portable player"....Stability and purity of the power supplies



gibraltar said:


> Didn't Sony say they used high purity copper for this case? Copper is an element, which by definition has only one possible density. Aside from that, softness and density are unrelated properties.
> 
> I do agree though that the difference in price is far larger than the actual difference in manufacturing cost. It's also an almost universal practice in hifi product lineups




It is true that the same metal can have different density as how or what method it was cast and made. Sony did picked out the best for the audio quality and reliability (not financially, again, 1Z had no limitations in developments into productions). Sony did "tune and tweak" the 1Z primarily and differently than 1A by using different resistors and capacitors.

Again, let me ask you, try buying 1A, special order copper gold plated chassis, buy capacitors and Kimber Kables with new resistors and ask an engineer to modify your 1A to be 1Z....do you have any idea how difficult it is ? Or how hard it is to tune the sound performances ? Be that you can just copy the 1Z .... Let alone Sony tuned it out of "nothing"


----------



## MarkTwain

So interesting to find this thread going into design, battery, copper density, etc.
  
 No matter what materials Sony used, it is priced at the asking price, and just buy if you can afford it, or do an audition first before giving up your cash for it. Nothing could justify the costs, as long as you feel like buying it.
  
 It is a profitable business for Sony definitely, and there will be buyers buying WM1Z or WM1A, no matter whether it is overpriced or not, just as there are many buyers paying for the AK380 (or the whole series of AK which are all overpriced, except AK Jr).


----------



## H20Fidelity

marktwain said:


> So interesting to find this thread going into design, battery, copper density, etc.





Ooooh yeh, they're a lively bunch. Wait till they really get started.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

I'm pretty excited for the WM1A. They improved more than I though, just finished reading the Sony Jp site, a lot of improvements over ZX2 for WM1A. Better/bigger crystal oscillators, bigger super capacitor, directly wiring super capacitor to the output with cable, FT caps, Corson alloy cage, better power supply regulation (LDO's), better PLL, 5 wire battery, Pentaconn jack, native dsd, more power, balanced, better OS and a "source direct" mode, which I assume bypasses all software dsp, ridiculous that the ZX2 didn't have that and you had to manually abort the dsp from the app list every time...
  
 WM1A also has a gold/copper plate for digital grounding like the ZX2, but different materials used for rear cage grounding, Corson Alloy for WM1A while ZX2 was SUS Steel. According to Sony the differences in grounding are SUS; "Slightly weaken high frequency", Copper; "Good high and low frequency, warmer sound", but no idea how the Corson Alloy on WM1A/Z will affect sound. Can't wait for WM1A.


----------



## Whitigir

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> I'm pretty stoked for the WM1A. They improved more than I though, just finished reading the Sony Jp site, lot of improvements over ZX2. Better/bigger crystal oscillators, bigger super capacitor, directly wiring super capacitor to the output with cable, FT caps, Corson alloy cage, better power supply regulation (LDO's), better PLL, double LC coils, native dsd, more power, balanced and a "source direct" mode, which I assume bypasses all software dsp, ridiculous that the ZX2 didn't have that and you had to manually abort the dsp from the app list every time...
> 
> WM1A also has a gold/copper plate for digital grounding like the ZX2, so I'm kinda expecting similar sound sig between them, although different materials used for rear cage grounding, Corson Alloy for WM1A while ZX2 was SUS Steel. According to Sony the differences in grounding are SUS; "Slightly weaken high frequency", Copper; "Good high and low frequency, warmer sound", but no idea how the Corson Alloy on WM1A will affect sound, I'm excited for WM1A.




U have missed a lot of things on the 1Z, take your time, and they have different sound signatures very obviously. Not just the copper gold chassis alone, that won't be enough to make up the differences


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

whitigir said:


> U have missed a lot of things on the 1Z, take your time, and they have different sound signatures very obviously. Not just the copper gold chassis alone, that won't be enough to make up the differences


 
  
 I was talking about 1A vs ZX2, I don't really care about the 1Z, I was trying to say that ZX2 > 1A is a way bigger leap than ZX1 > ZX2 was, imo.


----------



## Mimouille

Hey guys, some new impressions and comparison. This is just how I hear it, just my opinion based on 45mn. Don't take it for granted, and don't yell at me, I have a bad temper and do martial arts.
  
 http://headpie.blogspot.jp/2016/09/sony-vmz1-vs-wm1a-vs-ak380-mimouille.html?m=1


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

mimouille said:


> Hey guys, some new impressions and comparison. This is just how I hear it, just my opinion based on 45mn. Don't take it for granted, and don't yell at me, I have a bad temper and do martial arts.
> 
> http://headpie.blogspot.jp/2016/09/sony-vmz1-vs-wm1a-s-ak380-mimouille.html?m=1


 
  
 Awesome that you declare 1Z the winner over AK380, and your thinking about getting a 1Z now. Damn. Interesting about the similar sigs of 1Z and 1A. I'm keen to get the 1A, it's all I need.


----------



## cthomas

Nice review, can't wait for balanced impressions


----------



## audionewbi

Considering the price gap I am sold on WM1A. I rather spend the extra on TA-ZH1ES and kimber kable for my mmcx iem.
  
 Thanks for your impression


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> Hey guys, some new impressions and comparison. This is just how I hear it, just my opinion based on 45mn. Don't take it for granted, and don't yell at me, I have a bad temper and do martial arts.
> 
> http://headpie.blogspot.jp/2016/09/sony-vmz1-vs-wm1a-vs-ak380-mimouille.html?m=1




Sony excels on balanced connection only, and it would only be fair when compare balanced 380 to balanced 4.4mm . We all know that AK excels in SE 

Thanks for your time and impressions. I am excited about the new Walkman. 35 hours FLAC for the win.

The use of TRRS also improve Walkman sounds....so excited that SE is holding ground against 380


----------



## Dithyrambes

Man Whitgir you are putting in some hype for me. I just got a zx2 with trrs cables because of your posts and now it has me wanting to further upgrade to a wm1a.......and this is coming from a mojo


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> Man Whitgir you are putting in some hype for me. I just got a zx2 with trrs cables because of your posts and now it has be wanting to further upgrade to a wm1a.......and this is coming from a mojo




Yeah, 1 A will be using that TRRS from Zx2 as well  until 4.4 is available


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> Hey guys, some new impressions and comparison. This is just how I hear it, just my opinion based on 45mn. Don't take it for granted, and don't yell at me, I have a bad temper and do martial arts.
> 
> http://headpie.blogspot.jp/2016/09/sony-vmz1-vs-wm1a-vs-ak380-mimouille.html?m=1


thanks for the impression


----------



## gerelmx1986

Putting cash for nothing my zx100 bad build but OK sound


----------



## Dithyrambes

whitigir said:


> Yeah, 1 A will be using that TRRS from Zx2 as well
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Do you have a 1A on preorder? I'm curious to hear your impressions. I might just go full portable and upgrade from zx2 if the difference in sq is big enough ><


----------



## Caruryn

whitigir said:


> Yeah, 1 A will be using that TRRS from Zx2 as well
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Obviously the 4.4 will offer better sound as true balanced connection and able to utilize the full mw of sony amp,the question is how much more improvement the trrs zx2 connection will be over se and if it will be able to utilize the better internals of 1A or 4.4 will be the biggest leap.Many here myself included love the sony house sound but all this  cable reterminating is getting frustrating unless you are a hardcore in this hobby like many here are.


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> Do you have a 1A on preorder? I'm curious to hear your impressions. I might just go full portable and upgrade from zx2 if the difference in sq is big enough ><




Possibly....I just don't get the "pre-order special offer" from Sony similar to Malaysia ....waiting for it. The TRRS on 3.5mm is utilizing the same circuitry design as Zx2, with better internals than Zx2 and newer s-Master chip set with 60x60W, it should be a real improvement. Of course, 4.4mm balanced is the best Sony can offer, Sony can only do Native DSD out of this port


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Mimouille


> Sonys are, in my opinion, much else obvious. I do not hear what some people are saying, where one is neutral and one is warm. I hear that the WM1A is SLIGHTLY less full bodied, slightly less warm, but only by a touch.


 
 Getting 1A then, seems 1Z is a rip-off, the cost comes from the Gold (24k) fairy dust


----------



## noplsestar

The differences between 1A and 1Z with single end should be higher than the differences between those two DAP´s in balanced mode, am I right? So if someone only wants to listen in balanced mode it would be better to buy the 1A (also in terms of portability)


----------



## Dithyrambes

1Z is just too ridiculosly priced. I think with the money you save getting the 1A, you could possibly get a new totl iem/headphone with a nice balanced 4.4 cable. Prob far more gain in sound quality ><


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

noplsestar said:


> The differences between 1A and 1Z with single end should be higher than the differences between those two DAP´s in balanced mode, am I right? So if someone only wants to listen in balanced mode it would be better to buy the 1A (also in terms of portability)


 
  
 No, why would you think that. The same differences would apply between 1A and 1Z for single ended and balanced.


----------



## gerelmx1986

dithyrambes said:


> 1Z is just too ridiculosly priced. I think with the money you save getting the 1A, you could possibly get a new totl iem/headphone with a nice balanced 4.4 cable. Prob far more gain in sound quality ><


 

 agree or a trip


----------



## noplsestar

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> No, why would you think that. The same differences would apply between 1A and 1Z for single ended and balanced.


 

 because of what whitigir posted in a reply to Leviticus. (And some posts earlier there was a link to a sony technician who confirmed that. So I reasoned, that the differences between SE and balanced are not even between the 1A and 1Z.
  
  


leviticus said:


> Isn't it true that the circuitry on both Walkmen is exactly the same in balanced mode?


 

 Whitigir: That stands true, only the interconnect cables from the Board to the Jack plugs are different, 1A uses OFC and 1Z uses Kimber Kables.
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-flagship-hi-end-dap/2385#post_12894233


----------



## Cecala

mimouille said:


> Hey guys, some new impressions and comparison. This is just how I hear it, just my opinion based on 45mn. Don't take it for granted, and don't yell at me, I have a bad temper and do martial arts.
> 
> http://headpie.blogspot.jp/2016/09/sony-vmz1-vs-wm1a-vs-ak380-mimouille.html?m=1


 

 This is what I have suspected all along. The differences between these players is alarmingly small, so small in fact that it comes down to your music tastes and preferences and lastly by how you hear. Judging by your conclusion getting the AK is an exercise in stupidity considering the 3 times price. The A1 is clearly to me the best all rounder vs cost. Feature set is also to be added in the decision process.
 One question for you, looking at the images the Z looks like it's buttons are made out of metal while the A look like plastic. Is this true and if not is the firmness the same?
  
 I also agree with others here about getting the A1 and a nice set of 4.4 balanced phones when available, better value.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

noplsestar said:


> The differences between 1A and 1Z with single end should be higher than the differences between those two DAP´s in balanced mode, am I right? So if someone only wants to listen in balanced mode it would be better to buy the 1A (also in terms of portability)


 


noplsestar said:


> because of what whitigir posted in a reply to Leviticus. (And some posts earlier there was a link to a sony technician who confirmed that. So I reasoned, that the differences between SE and balanced are not even between the 1A and 1Z.
> Whitigir: That stands true, only the interconnect cables from the Board to the Jack plugs are different, 1A uses OFC and 1Z uses Kimber Kables.
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-flagship-hi-end-dap/2385#post_12894233


 
  
 All the differences between 1A and 1Z are:
  
 Chassis/Grounding: 1Z: Copper/Gold, 1A: Aluminium
 Power Supply Capacitor: 1Z: 5x Sony FT,  1A: 5x Sanyo OS-CON
 Jack Wiring: 1Z: Kimber Kable, 1A: OFC 22AWG 
 Output Resistors: 1Z: 6x Fine Sound (copper), 1A: 6x MELF (metal film)
  
  
 All of these are equally attached to balanced and single ended and should equally affect balanced if taken at face value. The overall changes between 1A and 1Z but can't be anything other than a slight refinement. Without factoring the expensive chassis of 1Z the difference in hardware cost between 1A and 1Z is about $5.65. But sure, the 1Z will sound a bit better, if your happy to pay through the nose for it then by all means. I'm drawn to 1Z's golden brickness, but will still go for 1A as I'm sensible.


----------



## Whitigir

That is true that the 1Z has different FT capacitors on the digital and power board, but this change should remain the same across the board from SE to TRRS to Balanced....the only differences would be the efficiency.

SE is not as efficient TRS, when TRRS is more efficient, and balance has the best efficiency...therefore, the biggest change from Z to A can be heard via 4.4mm Balanced port quiet easily....and the differences should not be too much using SE as it is not as efficient as the others

That would be regardless if both balanced circuitry on Z and A has the same counts of FT capacitors, the efficiency here would net every different components into a huge lum sum and the change in audio will be "very obvious"


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> mimouille said:
> 
> 
> > Hey guys, some new impressions and comparison. This is just how I hear it, just my opinion based on 45mn. Don't take it for granted, and don't yell at me, I have a bad temper and do martial arts.
> ...


 

 I agree with you 100%, BTW the best way to determine if the buttons are metal or not (in the 1A) is to place the unit in a cold air conditioned room (not directly in the AC apparatus vent) and touch if they feel cold to the touch, they are metal


----------



## denis1976

You folks are forgeting one thing that is extremely important and is expensive and only comes with the 1Z.......................the leather case......


----------



## denis1976

Even after you read the Mimouille report you folks saying the 1A is best tchi tchit chi tcha tcha tcha , of course that the diference in price is not proporcional in the diference of the sound quality , but, this happens in all audio things , how many people bought a new amp or cd player that costs the double or the triple of what he had before just to listen 10% more of transparency of muscality,allmost everibody that has this passion, right? So don't say that the 1A is better , say is cheaper and sounds good and  i don't  have  money for 1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> You folks are forgeting one thing that is extremely important and is expensive and only comes with the 1Z.......................the leather case......


 

 I like the flip case sony showcases, i will get that one


----------



## Cecala

denis1976 said:


> Even after you read the Mimouille report you folks saying the 1A is best tchi tchit chi tcha tcha tcha , of course that the diference in price is not proporcional in the diference of the sound quality , but, this happens in all audio things , how many people bought a new amp or cd player that costs the double or the triple of what he had before just to listen 10% more of transparency of muscality,allmost everibody that has this passion, right? So don't say that the 1A is better , say is cheaper and sounds good and  i don't  have  money for 1Z


 

 I'm not buying a Ferrari to deliver the morning paper. The Z is not necessarily better although different. Mimouille has stated that the difference is tiny, far less than the 10% figure you used in your CD player example.


----------



## denis1976

cecala said:


> I'm not buying a Ferrari to deliver the morning paper. The Z is not necessarily better although different. Mimouille has stated that the difference is tiny, far less than the 10% figure you used in your CD player example.


 
 Ok double or triple to ear 1% better...


----------



## denis1976

Do you read the part  of the instrument separation and flesh and blooded? even compared to ak380? if that is not a diference for you them ....ok i will return to listen to an Ipod...


----------



## Cecala

denis1976 said:


> Ok double or triple to ear 1% better...


 

 I still stand by my Ferrari analogy. Paying three times to get 1% is your idea of better judgement?


----------



## denis1976

The ak380 costs more , don't?


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> Even after you read the Mimouille report you folks saying the 1A is best tchi tchit chi tcha tcha tcha , of course that the diference in price is not proporcional in the diference of the sound quality , but, this happens in all audio things , how many people bought a new amp or cd player that costs the double or the triple of what he had before just to listen 10% more of transparency of muscality,allmost everibody that has this passion, right? So don't say that the 1A is better , say is cheaper and sounds good and  i don't  have  money for 1Z




Awesome post



denis1976 said:


> Do you read the part  of the instrument separation and flesh and blooded? even compared to ak380? if that is not a diference for you them ....ok i will return to listen to an Ipod...




I agree totally


----------



## denis1976

cecala said:


> I still stand by my Ferrari analogy. Paying three times to get 1% is your idea of better judgement?


 
 i am not speaking of judgement i am talking about the reality of this "hobby"


----------



## Cecala

"Let us be clear, these are all great performers, and you really need to listen carefully to find one above the other."
  
 This is all you need to know. BTW I'm not telling you to buy one or the other, by all means buy a dozen of the 1Z or AK - your money.
 I'm too practical for my own good.


----------



## denis1976

This is the Holly GRail my friends


----------



## denis1976

cecala said:


> "Let us be clear, these are all great performers, and you really need to listen carefully to find one above the other."
> 
> This is all you need to know. BTW I'm not telling you to buy one or the other, by all means buy a dozen of the 1Z or AK - your money.
> I'm too practical for my own good.


 
 You know i am 40 years old i am in this audio thing since my 16 ...nothing is new for me


----------



## Cecala

denis1976 said:


> i am not speaking of judgement i am talking about the reality of this "hobby"


 

 No your not, you are stating that the Z or AK are clearly superior over the 1A, and according to the above review it isn't.


----------



## denis1976

cecala said:


> "Let us be clear, these are all great performers, and you really need to listen carefully to find one above the other."
> 
> This is all you need to know. BTW I'm not telling you to buy one or the other, by all means buy a dozen of the 1Z or AK - your money.
> I'm too practical for my own good.


 
 That's why i is buying the 1Z and not the 1A..........


----------



## Cecala

denis1976 said:


> You know i am 40 years old i am in this audio thing since my 16 ...nothing is new for me


 

 Same here age wise although there is something new now - More BS.


----------



## denis1976

denis1976 said:


> That's why i is buying the 1Z and not the 1A..........


 
 I am tired out of buying 2/3 Daps by year...i want the real thing


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> I am tired out of buying 2/3 Daps by year...i want the real thing




Not to mention our hearings will decline beyond 45 and further more every year thereafter. May as well enjoy the best when possible


----------



## Kiats

thanks for the updated impressions Mimouille. And congrats on your decision. Glad you may have finally laid that to rest and found your ultimate DAP.


----------



## Cecala

whitigir said:


> Not to mention our hearings will decline beyond 45 and further more every year thereafter. May as well enjoy the best when possible


 
 Yes, buy a turntable.


----------



## denis1976

cecala said:


> Yes, buy a turntable.


 
 Yes a 20000 euros one


----------



## audioxxx

Hmmmm, I'm getting old as well, I think I may need the 1A. 45 is around the corner.


----------



## denis1976

Or buy a TechDas Air Force One


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> "Let us be clear, these are all great performers, and you really need to listen carefully to find one above the other."
> 
> This is all you need to know. BTW I'm not telling you to buy one or the other, by all means buy a dozen of the 1Z or AK - your money.
> I'm too practical for my own good.


 

 I think all depends how one wants to spend his/her money and his/her tastes in sound signature and music genres


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> denis1976 said:
> 
> 
> > Ok double or triple to ear 1% better...
> ...


 

 agree why buy a lamborgini to use it in such a city like monterrey, mexico where there is stop-and-go traffic... if I did live in Germany whose super autobahns are another category then yeah i justify the spending (and if i had the money of course)


----------



## gerelmx1986

WM1Z like that boy who buys a lambo/ferri just to shw off i have big bucks....
 WM1A like that smart guy who buys a mercedes benz because he knows he tech invested on these cars... bet the labos and ferraris don't have autonomous driving, autoparking like mercedes do, nd yet the mercedes costs way less thana  ferrari


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> WM1Z like that boy who buys a lambo/ferri just to shw off i have big bucks....
> WM1A like that smart guy who buys a mercedes benz because he knows he tech invested on these cars... bet the labos and ferraris don't have autonomous driving, autoparking like mercedes do, nd yet the mercedes costs way less thana  ferrari


 
 If i buy a 1Z is not for show of , is for enjoying music , if i bought a 1A i will allways look for the 1Z and i want to walk ahead not for the corner, i have a  lotoo paw gold ...the 1A is short...if i buy a 1Z i will keep it very far from the eyes of others is not for put in the cofee table for show off


----------



## Cecala

gerelmx1986 said:


> WM1Z like that boy who buys a lambo/ferri just to shw off i have big bucks....
> WM1A like that smart guy who buys a mercedes benz because he knows he tech invested on these cars... bet the labos and ferraris don't have autonomous driving, autoparking like mercedes do, nd yet the mercedes costs way less thana  ferrari


 

 Denis1976 is a true audiophile, far more interested in the hardware than the music. No problem his money although he cherry picked from Mimouille's review.
  
These are my takings from his review:
  
"Now to the key part, I was having a hard time saying which one really had the edge."
 "However, this difference is also more a matter of what sound signature you prefer. Some could like the WM1A over the AK"
 "Let us be clear, these are all great performers, and you really need to listen carefully to find one above the other."
 "But now I am leaning towards getting the WMZ1, as it just so musical, realistic and lively."
  
 The last statement is most telling, he is LEANING towards the 1Z. His not 100% sure yet, maybe he needs to justify to himself spending all that extra money for that tiny 1% improvement.


----------



## Leviticus

cecala said:


> I'm not buying a Ferrari to deliver the morning paper. The Z is not necessarily better although different. Mimouille has stated that the difference is tiny, far less than the 10% figure you used in your CD player example.


 
 Mimouille's review can be interpreted in several ways, which is why it has caused this cumbersome debate we are having. The review is confusing and misleading in the sense that anyone who has already made up his mind about the 1Z (like you - no offense) will find some form of validation. He says that there are subtle differences in certain respects, but there are also big improvements in other departments (soundstage, layering and so on...). 
  
 Because of his time with all 3 DAPs, he came to the conclusion to buy the 1Z. Don't forget that.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> Denis1976 is a true audiophile, far more interested in the hardware than the music. No problem his money although he cherry picked from Mimouille's review.
> 
> These are my takings from his review:
> 
> ...


 
 I like how my music Sounds, as real as possible.. (i know nothing would beat live performances i have been there multiple times and yes there are crappy performances and good ones as do bad and good recordings)
  
 I once said i ws an audiophile but i am not interested in Graphs and weird numbers like impedance match and so on, sure is great to get some how a big picture ut to obsess with it meh.
  
 My ZX100 with my XBA-Z5 is giving me some nice results with Beethoven Symphonies (Karajan 1985-1987 DDD cycle) incredible naturalness of sound, I acknowledge the little zx100 can do nice in SE, my revious daps and IEM had this overbass emphasys in the kettle drums BOOM BOOM style of music instead of a crisp slam of the membrane. and subtle sounds.
  
 The only art i hate and has bothered me is the possibly defected unit i got, bad alignment of parts, that i must sell so low to get rid of it before fails on me.... Reason i am getting WM1A *solid construction*


----------



## denis1976

cecala said:


> Denis1976 is a true audiophile, far more interested in the hardware than the music. No problem his money although he cherry picked from Mimouille's review.
> 
> These are my takings from his review:
> 
> ...


 
 Your conclusions are fantastic.. i am a guy that likes to listen to full bodied with 3 d seperation and real tone ...this is hardware?my belly  is in pain of excess of laughing


----------



## Cecala

leviticus said:


> Mimouille's review can be interpreted in several ways, which is why it has caused this cumbersome debate we are having. The review is confusing and misleading in the sense that anyone who has already made up his mind about the 1Z (like you - no offense) will find some form validation. He says that there are subtle differences in certain some respects, but there are also big improvements in other departments (soundstage, layering and so on...).
> 
> Because of his time with all 3 DAPs, he came to the conclusion to buy the 1Z. Don't forget that.


 

 My mind was made up on cost vs value, even if the 1Z was 20% better I still regard it as poor value. The review was not confusing or misleading in any way to me. I thought the reviewer had chosen his words properly before execution. The reality is that most Daps sound the same, the only difference is that my preference will differ from your own.
 Also where did he use the word 'Big' in his review. You are hearing what you want to hear, like what I said to Denis1976 I say to you if you are adamant that this 1Z has descended from the Gods then put your money were your mouth is and buy one ............or two.


----------



## Zakalwe

gerelmx1986 said:


> WM1Z like that boy who buys a lambo/ferri just to shw off i have big bucks....
> WM1A like that smart guy who buys a mercedes benz because he knows he tech invested on these cars... bet the labos and ferraris don't have autonomous driving, autoparking like mercedes do, nd yet the mercedes costs way less thana  ferrari




Eh, you gotta try harder if you need to convince yourself that the WM1A is better than the WM1Z.  The two are too similar to compare to those cars. The 1A has nothing the 1Z does not have (well ok, it is lighter). The 1Z is better. Maybe the improvement is barely noticeable, maybe the only really measurable improvement is the additional memory, maybe the additional cost is exorbitant and unjustified and idiotic. But at the end of the day the 1Z is still better than the A1, even if it is just a tiny bit. If one cannot afford it (I can't), then one can go for the sour grapes approach, or one can be honest and accept the fact that one could not get the very best. I think the latter is healthier. 

Hey, you can get the 1A, that is still pretty damn cool, I envy you, since I'm not sure I will be able afford that - the house needs work, the car insurance needs to be paid, Christmas gifts need to be bought, priorities, priorities. Enjoy the 1A for what it is, it is still more exclusive than 99.999% of what else is out there.


----------



## denis1976

cecala said:


> My mind was made up on cost vs value, even if the 1Z was 20% better I still regard it as poor value. The review was not confusing or misleading in any way to me. I thought the reviewer had chosen his words properly before execution. The reality is that most Daps sound the same, the only difference is that my preference will differ from your own.
> Also where did he use the word 'Big' in his review. You are hearing what you want to hear, like what I said to Denis1976 I say to you if you are adamant that this 1Z has descended from the Gods then put your money were your mouth is and buy one ............or two.


 
 Maybe i buy a Tera player and offer to you


----------



## Cecala

denis1976 said:


> Your conclusions are fantastic.. i am a guy that likes to listen to full bodied with 3 d seperation and real tone ...this is hardware?my belly  is in pain of excess of laughing


 

 Denis1976, you and I are roughly in the same age group. do you think we can tell the difference in that 1-3%?


----------



## denis1976

cecala said:


> Denis1976, you and I are roughly in the same age group. do you think we can tell the difference in that 1-3%?


 
 Forget the 1A , lets see the ak380 that is more expensive that the 1Z , what do you think about 1% 3%5%....bla bla bla


----------



## gerelmx1986

zakalwe said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > WM1Z like that boy who buys a lambo/ferri just to shw off i have big bucks....
> ...


 
 DANG these times come, yes yes gifts for mom, dad, BF, buy train ticket to Hamburg, fine tune my americana irlines booking damn and i have a debt in Paypal LOL, so  will likely to postpone it unles AA lets me buy the 1A with the 1000 bonus miles i have


----------



## Cecala

denis1976 said:


> Forget the 1A , lets see the ak380 that is more expensive that the 1Z , what do you think about 1% 3%5%....bla bla bla


 

 I don't think about what I cannot hear. My hearing is not what it once was and so is yours if your honest, it cannot be. Having said that if I was 16 years of age and had a decent income I still would not buy the 1Z, the difference is too small.


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> cecala said:
> 
> 
> > Denis1976, you and I are roughly in the same age group. do you think we can tell the difference in that 1-3%?
> ...


 
 You say it all mate, expensive Bias, more $$$$ does not equl better, lesson i learnt and regret... A17 vs ZX100 (300 US vs 600 US) yes zx100 sounds slighty better than the A17 but the build of the zx100 lets toooo much to be desired, IMHO not worth the 600 I paid for it, perhaps 300 yeah


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> You say it all mate, expensive Bias, more $$$$ does not equl better, lesson i learnt and regret... A17 vs ZX100 (300 US vs 600 US) yes zx100 sounds slighty better than the A17 but the build of the zx100 lets toooo much to be desired, IMHO not worth the 600 I paid for it, perhaps 300 yeah


 
 Yes and i am not talking about the cooper version....that s more expensive and less performance


----------



## Cecala

denis1976 said:


> Yes and i am not talking about the cooper version....that s more expensive and less performance


 

 Are we even on the same page, what player are you referring to?


----------



## denis1976

cecala said:


> Are we even on the same page, what player are you referring to?


 
 i am refering to the ak380cu that costs more than 4000


----------



## Dithyrambes

I mean for all the 1A to 1Z analogies.....you realize you are paying over 1k for a player that only plays music and can't do anything else right? I know AK has been doing it for a while, but I mean I'm putting stuff into perspective. I remember buying 1st generation ipod for 300 and back then it felt like a huge stretch. Now we got people thinking 1k is ok for a DAP ><...which will only keep rising until no one buys it anymore. I mean guys we were like he1000 for 3k What? 3k for a headphone, and now we are going over for a handheld device. I'm sure sq can be better, but its costing a leg and an arm. I'm thinking of just buying a chord mojo again from amazon for $450. Feel like its the only thing I can consider fairly priced for sq ><


----------



## denis1976

dithyrambes said:


> I mean for all the 1A to 1Z analogies.....you realize you are paying over 1k for a player that only plays music and can't do anything else right? I know AK has been doing it for a while, but I mean I'm putting stuff into perspective. I remember buying 1st generation ipod for 300 and back then it felt like a huge stretch. Now we got people thinking 1k is ok for a DAP ><...which will only keep rising until no one buys it anymore. I mean guys we were like he1000 for 3k What? 3k for a headphone, and now we are going over for a handheld device. I'm sure sq can be better, but its costing a leg and an arm. I'm thinking of just buying a chord mojo again from amazon for $450. Feel like its the only thing I can consider fairly priced for sq ><


 
 Yes Mojo is great ,i have one


----------



## Cecala

denis1976 said:


> i am refering to the ak380cu that costs more than 4000


 

 It's now where I am almost 2 in the morning and I'm getting tired. In your previous posts you were saying that you wanted the 1Z because it had in your opinion far more body over the 1A, now you switched to AK? I need more context.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

People buying 1A should be happy it is 99% of a 1Z. People buying 1Z should be happy it's the best of the best. End of story.


----------



## Cecala

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> People buying 1A should be happy it is 99% of a 1Z. People buying 1Z should be happy it's the best of the best. End of story.


 

 99.9% of Z at double+ the cost.


----------



## denis1976

cecala said:


> It's now where I am almost 2 in the morning and I'm getting tired. In your previous posts you were saying that you wanted the 1Z because it had in you opinion far more body over the 1A, now you switched to AK? I need more context.


 
 i am saying that the 1Z is better than 1A ok nothing new... the price is bigger too, but the ak380cu is even more expensive than the 1z and Tera is more expensive than the 1Z and ak380 together so the sky is the limit


----------



## denis1976

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> People buying 1A should be happy it is 99% of a 1Z. People buying 1Z should be happy it's the best of the best. End of story.


 
 That's right


----------



## Cecala

denis1976 said:


> That's right


 

 I thought the ak380cu was the best of the best.


----------



## denis1976

cecala said:


> I thought the ak380cu was the best of the best.


 
 you tought wrong


----------



## Cecala

denis1976 said:


> you tought wrong


 

 I don't know if I tought wrong maybe I thought wrong.


----------



## denis1976

cecala said:


> I don't know if I tought wrong maybe I thought wrong.


 
 Have you ever heard a Tera Player?


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> 99.9% of Z at double+ the cost.


 
  
 Agree


denis1976 said:


> i am saying that the 1Z is better than 1A ok nothing new... the price is bigger too, but the ak380cu is even more expensive than the 1z and Tera is more expensive than the 1Z and ak380 together so the sky is the limit


 
 and why you then didn't get the tera player, because it is ugly looking? (i dont like the design at all, too industrial) sure it sound better but our ars re our judges and what sounds better for one, it may not sound nice to other


----------



## Cecala

denis1976 said:


> Have you ever heard a Tera


 
 Denis I am messing with you, have a good night because I am going to bed.


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> Agree
> and why you then didn't get the tera player, because it is ugly looking? (i dont like the design at all, too industrial) sure it sound better but our ars re our judges and what sounds better for one, it may not sound nice to other


 
 i had a Tera player


----------



## musicday

On a side note : the Tera Player helped me to save money for all the time i had it, over 3.5 years now.
It does play music as intended and it sounds the best and wonderful at least for me.


----------



## Caruryn

cecala said:


> Denis I am messing with you, have a good night because I am going to bed.


 
 So early?I'm just getting ready to go out for drinks and meet babes


----------



## denis1976

cecala said:


> Denis I am messing with you, have a good night because I am going to bed.


 
 Ok have a good  night


----------



## Leviticus

caruryn said:


> So early?I'm just getting ready to go out for drinks and meet babes


 
  
 There are these things called time zones...


----------



## Mimouille

cecala said:


> This is what I have suspected all along. The differences between these players is alarmingly small, so small in fact that it comes down to your music tastes and preferences and lastly by how you hear. Judging by your conclusion getting the AK is an exercise in stupidity considering the 3 times price. The A1 is clearly to me the best all rounder vs cost. Feature set is also to be added in the decision process.
> One question for you, looking at the images the Z looks like it's buttons are made out of metal while the A look like plastic. Is this true and if not is the firmness the same?
> 
> I also agree with others here about getting the A1 and a nice set of 4.4 balanced phones when available, better value.


Both have great build quality nothing to say, I think both buttons are metal but not sure.


----------



## gerelmx1986

> Both have great build quality nothing to say, I think both buttons are metal but not sure.




Nice to hear both have great build and better be that Because their asking pricr


----------



## Mimouille

denis1976 said:


> Even after you read the Mimouille report you folks saying the 1A is best tchi tchit chi tcha tcha tcha , of course that the diference in price is not proporcional in the diference of the sound quality , but, this happens in all audio things , how many people bought a new amp or cd player that costs the double or the triple of what he had before just to listen 10% more of transparency of muscality,allmost everibody that has this passion, right? So don't say that the 1A is better , say is cheaper and sounds good and  i don't  have  money for 1Z







cecala said:


> I'm not buying a Ferrari to deliver the morning paper. The Z is not necessarily better although different. Mimouille has stated that the difference is tiny, far less than the 10% figure you used in your CD player example.


Guys, bear in mind some of you could listen and feel completely differently. The guy at the shop prefers the Ak380 over the Sonys. I like the Ak380. I could buy it. I don't want to spend 6k so I won't buy both. I felt they the WM1Z was bringing something to the music, but I could have been dreaming. Reviews will come in and will differ. I know people who love the Ak380, others who feel it is lifeless.

Anyways, this hobby is always only partly rational, so if it makes you happy and you can afford it, buy what you want. Obviously having access to demos is a nice plus.


----------



## Mimouille

kiats said:


> thanks for the updated impressions Mimouille. And congrats on your decision. Glad you may have finally laid that to rest and found your ultimate DAP.


Ultimate I don't know. Appealing for sure


----------



## Mimouille

leviticus said:


> Mimouille's review can be interpreted in several ways, which is why it has caused this cumbersome debate we are having. The review is confusing and misleading in the sense that anyone who has already made up his mind about the 1Z (like you - no offense) will find some form of validation. He says that there are subtle differences in certain respects, but there are also big improvements in other departments (soundstage, layering and so on...).
> 
> Because of his time with all 3 DAPs, he came to the conclusion to buy the 1Z. Don't forget that.


Guys, this is not a review, impressions after only 45mn! Not the Holly Gospel. Of course it is nuanced. Difference are small, but can have a strong impact on you.


----------



## gerelmx1986

For me as Mimouille says a proper review is done in days (after burn in phase,)


----------



## FenderP

fish1050 said:


> Depends on how often you use it.  I don't generally stick my DAP's in a drawer for years between uses.  I use my A17 for 2 to 3 hours per day and the battery capacity dropped by almost 50% in 2 years (time before recharging).  Given Sony recommends battery replacement at 50% I got it a replaced at 21 months (replacement unit).  Have you ever actually tried to measure battery life decline or is this just a general guess on your part? I actually measured mine to see real world results.  Sony replaced my unit without questioning my claim on loss of battery life even though I owned it for less than two years.


 
  
 I use my laptop all the time. The Vaio Z Canvas I have I got in June of 2015 from Japan. It has a battery care function, I just have not really used it since I've been on the road. In 15 months, it has .9% battery wear measured via BatteryBar - and I use it way more than 2 - 3 hours a day. Granted, it's a bit apples and oranges here, but it's the same principle. I don't use any DAP as much as my laptop, but in all the years I've had electronics with some sort of Lithium Ion battery, I've never had one wear to the point it needed to be replaced. I'm not saying it doesn't happen - far from it. But with care, most things can last a good long time. Good for Sony for doing the right things for you here.


----------



## proedros

i unsubscribed from this thread and found peace of mind 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 1A seems like da bomb , hope many rich EU people buy the non-cap vesion once it comes out, then 3 months later get itchy about 1Z and sell 1A to us for a good discount

 cheers


----------



## Jalo

mimouille said:


> Guys, bear in mind some of you could listen and feel completely differently. The guy at the shop prefers the Ak380 over the Sonys. I like the Ak380. I could buy it. I don't want to spend 6k so I won't buy both. I felt they the WM1Z was bringing something to the music, but I could have been dreaming. Reviews will come in and will differ. I know people who love the Ak380, others who feel it is lifeless.
> 
> Anyways, this hobby is always only partly rational, so if it makes you happy and you can afford it, buy what you want. Obviously having access to demos is a nice plus.



hehehehe, Michael, Well, I was in Beijing yesterday and had my 380cu with me, I thought about letting you comparing copper to copper so you have a real comparison between the best of the best ). But since you have a "bad temper and knows martial art" I didn't want to be around when you find out the truth (thought you might like this. good job on the impression.


----------



## Mimouille

jalo said:


> hehehehe, Michael, Well, I was in Beijing yesterday and had my 380cu with me, I thought about letting you comparing copper to copper so you have a real comparison between the best of the best ). But since you have a "bad temper and knows martial art" I didn't want to be around when you find out the truth (thought you might like this. good job on the impression.


I am sure the copper sounds at least as good as stock, as I tried it, but not with my music. I would have bought it a while ago without the copper tarnish thingy. I am just too OCD.


----------



## emrelights1973

The ones who want to buy z1 and admit it now,they will buy it because it is GOLD! Shinny and expensive! İt is the best! İf you make your decision without testing them both this can be the only reason! İt is gold mannn!! İt is just a marketing gimmik! İf i dont see a guy telling the difference in a blind test in a 10/10 i wont believe otherwise! 
Pure dap by sony engineers, it is gold with a 1cm kimber cable!!! Give me a break! Who did the 1a sonys hr deprtment? Or same engineers!


----------



## MarkTwain

emrelights1973 said:


> The ones who want to buy z1 and admit it now,they will buy it because it is GOLD! Shinny and expensive! İt is the best! İf you make your decision without testing them both this can be the only reason! İt is gold mannn!! İt is just a marketing gimmik! İf i dont see a guy telling the difference in a blind test in a 10/10 i wont believe otherwise!
> Pure dap by sony engineers, it is gold with a 1cm kimber cable!!! Give me a break! Who did the 1a sonys hr deprtment? Or same engineers!


 
  
 Buy whatever that makes you happy. Most people will buy a DAP without serious audition anyway.
  
 After paying $3K for a DAP, you will be so delighted and proud of your purchase - the world's best DAP money can buy, and will start to look around for leather case, screen protectors, cables, accessories, etc. The rest of the time will be to snap photos and share your new toy in this forum, and "burning" in with white/pink/brown noise without serious listening, since it is still not at its best form. You have a few months of happiness and excitement, with or without a blind test to prove if there is a difference.
  
 After all the efforts, will you still bother to do a blind test to decide whether it sound the same as a $30 Sansa Clip?
  
 Just be happy with what you can afford and enjoy the journey!
  
 On a serious note, I am happy with my ZX2, though I can't actually hear much a difference between this and my iPhone6.


----------



## Toolman

Why all the hate in people who wanted to buy "the best" ? They can afford it, so just let it slide...no need for all the negativity, hatred and sounding all like a bunch of sour grapes. Maybe they just trust in Sony to produce something great and putting all their effort into making the 1Z?

 Not everyone who bought a Ferrari wants it for it's 200mph capability...just realised that there are people who worked hard and just appreciate the finer things...and can afford this damn thing.
  
 **just to be clear, tho I can afford it, the asking price for 1Z is just too rich for my blood at this time**


----------



## gerelmx1986

I burn my daps with my music I never use white noise


----------



## audionewbi

I have found some impression, once again need to translate. I find bing to do a better job in translation. 
 http://www.erji.net/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1947789


----------



## thanatosguan

audionewbi said:


> I have found some impression, once again need to translate. I find bing to do a better job in translation.
> http://www.erji.net/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1947789


 
 I'll do a brief translation then. This guy writes some lame and very distasteful jokes. I'll do a literal translation of his words just so you might decide for yourself if this impression is useful...


> *First off, the 1Z and the Bra headphone (yes this headphone really looks like a bra)*
> 
> The 1Z is really heavy. You might want to tighten your belt for this.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I really don't want to write more "bra" into this thread anymore so I'll stop here. The rest is mostly about Z1R. And the OS being laggy, most likely due to it being pre-production.
  
 I've done some listening with the 1Z and the 1A and I don't think it's as bad as he put it. I also didn't think the Z1R is as good as he's putting it so... I don't know what to say about this.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

I wonder if the units are properly burned in. I heard continuous obvious changes up to about 200 hours with the ZX1/2. These Sony's (Class D) daps are designed rather differently to other daps in that 4 of the capacitors actually form the amp output rather than just used as DC blocking capacitors or power supply capacitors like other daps, so burn in is _essential_ with Sony daps. _Maybe_ above the 1Z is more burned in than the 1A 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Wishful thinking maybe, but you never know, you can certainly tell he spent a lot more time with the 1Z, if that trend is widespread the 1A would be left un-burned in and would render the comparison useless. Sony do state in the manual to burn in their daps for at least 100 hours, so maybe the shop owners have done it, who knows. The way the above impressions describe the 1A as having a "muddy background" is a rather telling sign for lack of burn in from experience with ZX1/2.
  
 It's just hard for me to imagine the difference between 1Z and 1A being anything other than slight based on their respective hardware, maybe those extra FT caps in the 1Z have a greater effect than I would have thought, or maybe the 1A is just not burned in. Either way, I'm awesome. And I'm getting a WM1A.
 .


----------



## audioxxx

Exactly, no matter what anyone says about these DAP's, unless you know for sure they've been burnt in, and capacitors have been formed. 

You can't be sure the DAP's are ready for review. You think Sony would pre burn in these really expensive DAP's, wishful thinking. 
(It's also a great way to send up the z version) 
send out fully burnt in Z, while sending out brand new 1A versions that need burning in. Lol


----------



## Cecala

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> I wonder if the units are properly burned in. I heard continuous obvious changes up to about 200 hours with the ZX1/2. These Sony's (Class D) daps are designed rather differently to other daps in that 4 of the capacitors actually form the amp output rather than just used as DC blocking capacitors or power supply capacitors like other daps, so burn in is _essential_ with Sony daps. _Maybe_ above the 1Z is more burned in than the 1A
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I don't believe this fellow, the difference cannot be that great if their burned in. Sony's power specs for both players are the same, this person must have known that and then questioned the people who provided the units. If he didn't know this then I would place little faith in the review.


----------



## Whitigir

Well, some people love the best of the options when they can, and once they hear the differences, the inferior option is a "no go". This seem to be the case here. Just as what I expected, the differences between Z and A is more obvious and clear once the 4.4 is in uses.

Anyways, you buy what is best for you. The A&K 380 and Cu doesn't seem to show much differences because....it is only $500 in price, and different chassis, where as the Z and A is different tuning, components, chasis, all together with 2.5x the price over the 1A


----------



## thanatosguan

cecala said:


> I don't believe this fellow, the difference cannot be that great if their burned in. Sony's power specs for both players are the same, this person must have known that and then questioned the people who provided the units. If he didn't know this then I would place little faith in the review.


 
  
 1A and 1Z definitely have obvious sound differences... I can attest to that. And both units I listened to have been in use for at least 300+ hours.
  
 Whether you think it's software or gimmick, it's up to you. If you didn't like the gold cloak then just don't buy it.
  
 If they add another coat of black anodization on top of the gold plating and the OFC, i'd happily buy the 1Z and they can add another 500$ if the process is that complicated... Anything but gold.
  
 Note I'm not saying 1A is worse... definitely not a significant downgrade. That article I briefly translated, in my opinion, is of dubious credibility and bad taste.


----------



## chronograf86

fish1050 said:


> Depends on how often you use it.  I don't generally stick my DAP's in a drawer for years between uses.  I use my A17 for 2 to 3 hours per day and the battery capacity dropped by almost 50% in 2 years (time before recharging).  Given Sony recommends battery replacement at 50% I got it a replaced at 21 months (replacement unit).  Have you ever actually tried to measure battery life decline or is this just a general guess on your part? I actually measured mine to see real world results.  Sony replaced my unit without questioning my claim on loss of battery life even though I owned it for less than two years.
> 
> How many high-end players or smartphones cost over $1000.00 let alone $3200.00.  It is all relative,  I would plan on keep something that cost me $3200.00 for several years as I do with home equipment but thanks to the non-replaceable battery that isn't possible unless you want to use your DAP sparingly.  I don't want to ration out using my expensive player just to make it last.


 
  
 Your expectations don't give you the right to accuse the company in such a cheap markting tricks. For example, for me copper model is too heavy, according to your logic that gives me right say that sony made it so heavy because they will release lighter version in the future?


----------



## MarkTwain

Price of WM1Z is around 2.6x more than WM1A.

That is US$2000 more. It has to sound obviously better to justify the extra $2k?

Probably not 260% better, but should be at least 26% better?

Or they have tuned down the WM1A to make it sound much worse than WM1Z?

Wait a few days more, and hopefully you get to audition on both in the launch event to conclude yourself.


----------



## Leviticus

There is no point in discrediting every review that comes out in favor of the 1Z.


----------



## nc8000

leviticus said:


> There is no point in discrediting every review that comes out in favor of the 1Z.




Exactly. Every review is presumeably how the individul reviewer heard it and as such the truth for him. Might be a completely different experience for other people


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

whitigir said:


> The A&K 380 and Cu doesn't seem to show much differences because....it is only $500 in price, and different chassis, where as the Z and A is different tuning, components, chasis, all together with 2.5x the price over the 1A


 
  
 Defining the intrinsic value of audio products (or any product really) by it's price is a very bad idea, there are good and bad value products as I'm sure you've encountered.
  
 The facts are 1Z has a copper chassis and $5 swap of components still using the exact same circuit as WM1A. Sure it is certainly possible to obviously change the sound with just a $5 components swap,(a good example being opamps) but the actual quality of the circuit is still very similar. Knowing this I could never_ _convince myself to buy the 1Z. I'd bet even after hearing it my views wouldn't change, I have a history of being unimpressed with gear costing much over 1k, whether it is iem's, hp's or dap's, I always feel ripped off due to the steep decline in performance per dollar when you go past 1K for most audio products. For example my desktop dac, the NAD M51, I bought for half price (1K) when it was being discontinued, I love it, but I couldn't imagine myself being as happy with it at 2K even though it is better than DAC's in the 1K bracket, I don't think it should suddenly cost double for one step up and probably little in the way of extra cost on the manufacturers part.
  
 As for the 1Z, it is not so much of a step up so much as an extra 2k for a different "better" sound, in my eyes you are just paying for the rights to listen to that particular sound seeing as the majority of your money is not being spent on anything physical ($5 difference in hardware, 10 mins extra development time...). The same can be said for many audio products, for dap's AK are the worst offenders, your not paying for better (comparatively) your paying for the rights to have the next model number up printed on your dap as AK purposely gimp their cheaper models just to keep the expensive ones "better" (than what? Their own daps lol). Many are still stoked with their sound though, so;
  
 Basically it comes down to "beauty is in the eye(or ear) of the beholder". Buying a 1Z or an AK380 your largely not paying for the device or performance, your paying for the rights to own/listen to it's unique sound, like with "fine art", your not paying for the painting/hours taken to make, but rather paying excessively for the right to own/"admire" said work of unique "fine art". That is how I look at it. And just the same way I wouldn't buy an expensive painting I wouldn't buy an expensive dap. I'll stick to regular paintings and daps where I can actually see where my money's going.
  
 So, a spin on my previous comment to conclude, if your getting the 1A be happy it's 99% of a 1Z, if your getting the 1Z be happy its the best of "fine sound"


----------



## Whitigir

One can keep going on with how much the components is going to cost. I can give you all the components of 1Z for $500 buck and ask you to develop it, tune it, make it, and produce it....or just for the heck of it, for youreself.

You all are forgetting the point of R&D. My next example would be to modify 1A, do you think you can pay $200 and modify your 1A ? You are dreaming.

Again, different capacitors and resistors will require different tuning as each components changes will affect the sound quality. Everyone know that, heck...even cables


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> leviticus said:
> 
> 
> > There is no point in discrediting every review that comes out in favor of the 1Z.
> ...


 

 and some of these hi-fi reviewers are often biased, or get paid to endorse the premium bling bling stuff


----------



## gerelmx1986

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> I wonder if the units are properly burned in. I heard continuous obvious changes up to about 200 hours with the ZX1/2. These Sony's (Class D) daps are designed rather differently to other daps in that 4 of the capacitors actually form the amp output rather than just used as DC blocking capacitors or power supply capacitors like other daps, so burn in is _essential_ with Sony daps. _Maybe_ above the 1Z is more burned in than the 1A
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 THAT REVIEW is UTTER POINTLESS, he is bsically saying the ZX2 is a piece of crap... alll the inverse i've heard on the ZX2 thread here on head-fi... i just did fast forward reading speed


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> t.r.a.n.c.e. said:
> 
> 
> > It's just hard for me to imagine the difference between 1Z and 1A being anything other than slight based on their respective hardware, maybe those extra FT caps in the 1Z have a greater effect than I would have thought, or maybe the 1A is just not burned in. Either way, I'm awesome. And I'm getting a WM1A.
> ...


 
 He did LISTEN to J-POP or chinese pop on both..... Are there other genres isnt' it? Pop in english, germn, rock, r&b, jazz, hip hop, techno, electronic, rap, classical and many more


----------



## thanatosguan

whitigir said:


> One can keep going on with how much the components is going to cost. I can give you all the components of 1Z for $500 buck and ask you to develop it, tune it, make it, and produce it....or just for the heck of it, for youreself.
> 
> You all are forgetting the point of R&D. My next example would be to modify 1A, do you think you can pay $200 and modify your 1A ? You are dreaming.
> 
> Again, different capacitors and resistors will require different tuning as each components changes will affect the sound quality. Everyone know that, heck...even cables


 
 Hey, what is a Steinway Model D but some wood and steel? Probably only worth 500$ at your local lumber mill.


----------



## Cecala

leviticus said:


> There is no point in discrediting every review that comes out in favor of the 1Z.


 
  
   
 Thanatosguan who did the translation also said it's of dubious credibility and he's for the 1Z although he prefers his black.


----------



## goody

Damn i had a headache after reading the past 6 pages ....i cant stay away from this thread but its becoming a mess now ...can we all enjoy the impressions of the Daps and stop the irelevant BS come on guys !!


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

whitigir said:


> One can keep going on with how much the components is going to cost. I can give you all the components of 1Z for $500 buck and ask you to develop it, tune it, make it, and produce it....or just for the heck of it, for yourself.
> 
> You all are forgetting the point of R&D. My next example would be to modify 1A, do you think you can pay $200 and modify your 1A ? You are dreaming.
> 
> Again, different capacitors and resistors will require different tuning as each components changes will affect the sound quality. Everyone know that, heck...even cables


 
  
 My friend, I can personally guarantee you the 1Z only took 10 min longer to "Research & Develop" than the 1A did. And I'm also sure AK380 took no longer to R&D than the AK's before it, given each AK release happened within a 1 year window, yet each still got an unhealthy unjustifiable price hike, and the difference in manufacturing cost between their models, say AK300 and AK380, is rather minimal, the AK380 is just a cash cow, a profit machine, which could easily be sold at less than half the price, and many of the gimped lower AK models shouldn't even exist, they were only created to fill a synthetically designed price bracket. It is ridiculous. This sort of thing should not be supported.
  
 As you already know, there is only 4 simple changes to the 1Z over 1A, I will now give you the play by play of what happened at Sony HQ between lead designer Hiroaki Sato and his helper disciple:
  
 -R&D for Copper chassis: *Disciple*-" Oh noes Master, AK have an all copper dap". *Hiroaki*- "Oh yeah? We'll go all copper AND gold plate that ****". (But I'm sure Sony was going copper regardless of AK as they have been planning this since ZX1). 2 min "R&D" to switch out CNC bit for one to mill copper.
  
 -R&D for Jack wiring: *Disciple*-"Um Master, what should we do with all this spare Kimber Kable we have lying around?". *Hiroaki*- *Thinks about strangling disciple with kimber kable, eventually says "We use it in the 1Z genius, while the 1A can use good ole 22AWG OFC." 2 min "R&D".
  
 -R&D for Power supply capacitors: *Disciple*- "Master, we have these new FT caps from the lab guys!". *Hiroaki*- "Ok for 1A we will partially use FT caps to help secure it's performance above ZX2, we'll use FT caps for the amps(8x FT caps), but for the power supply we use tried and true OS-CON caps. For 1Z we'll use FT caps for the amps and power supply both, which will give 1Z an edge over 1A. *Disciple-*"You are so wise Master, But which capacitors should we change?" *Hiroaki*- *Glares at disciple, "_Idiot_ there are only 5 power supply capacitors, 5x FT caps for 1Z and 5x os-con caps for 1A. 2 min "R&D".
  
 -R&D for Output resistors: *Disciple*-"Master you know how we use "fine sound" resistors in some of our AV receivers?(Sony STR-DN1070)". *Hiroaki*- *Slaps disciple, "Tell me that sooner you swine, we can use these on the 1Z amp's output." *Disciple*-*Cowers with hands above head "But which resistors do we change Master". *Hiroaki*-*Barely controlling the impulse to get out his Kendo stick and beat the crap out of disciple finally says "There are 6 main resistors for single ended and balanced amp (2+4), so just change the 6 output resistors to "fine sound" resistors for the 1Z and have the 1A use 6 great MELF resistors. What I have to put up with ***..." *2 min "R&D"*
  
*The End*
 Based On a True Story (Probably) 
  
*Total R&D Time and Cost* of 1Z over 1A: <10 min, $5.65.
  
 Thus there is nothing in 1Z that would take any significant time to develop over the 1A as the changes are straight forward component swaps for higher performance parts that do the same thing, and these 4 changes alone must be responsible for any difference one hears between 1Z and 1A. These component swaps are indeed enough to obviously change the sound, anyone that is familiar with swapping capacitors and opamps will know that you can drastically change the sound, without actually changing performance technically.
  
  
 Now for actual R&D, engineering the circuit which both daps share, engineering the new FT caps and engineering the new S Master HX, would all need serious R&D time and cost, I see two scenarios:
  
 1. R&D costs of this venture are all accounted for in the price of 1A seeing as it makes use of all said developed tech, meaning the 1Z is just a cash cow (AK style).
 2. R&D costs of this venture are only accounted for between combined pricing of 1Z and 1A, making the 1A excellent value given it uses all said developed tech while being priced below singular profitability level, relying on 1Z to make up the profit margin. (Obviously this could be happening in various amounts, eg, half the profit on 1Z could be to comfortably cover margins in conjunction with all profit from 1A, while second half of 1Z profit is pure profit., etc. Either way it makes 1A good value comparatively. For 1Z you are clearly paying a large premium, that can not be justifiable in any objective way, but subjectively could be for some.


----------



## denis1976

Since the 1A will be the top selling device , is one for sale on ebay from a French guy, go get it


----------



## proedros

denis1976 said:


> Since the 1A will be the top selling device , is one for sale on ebay from a French guy, go get it


 
  
 he probably bought it from amazon france 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 bookmarking this thread here , will return in a few days to skim through 100 posts


----------



## gerelmx1986

With these prctices of overpricing the walkman, sony will end doing the same they did to VAIO, kill it... or they are commmiting suicide literally


----------



## BartSimpson1976

whitigir said:


> I can give you all the components of 1Z for $500 buck and ask you to develop it, tune it,


 
  
 What are you doing then with the 450$ you will still have left after buying all 1Z components?


----------



## gerelmx1986

They shall overprice their most sold product: the PS4 and games


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> With these prctices of overpricing the walkman, sony will end doing the same they did to VAIO, kill it... or they are commmiting suicide literally


 
 I don't know...a little bird told me that already there are many pre orders for the 1Z....


----------



## thanatosguan

denis1976 said:


> I don't know...a little bird told me that already there are many pre orders for the 1Z....


 
 I honestly don't see the point of bickering over the price of the 1Z. In my opinion it hits the sweet spot of many people I know and even I was tempted when listening to it.
  
 Despite the gold plating the build quality and design is quite stunning.
  
 And why are people not bickering over AK380Cu? IMO the entire AK brand is rebranded iRiver which, in my opinion, has few pedigree to back up their pricing.
  
 This thread could use some moderation. This kind of discussion could get ugly, quick.


----------



## fish1050

chronograf86 said:


> Your expectations don't give you the right to accuse the company in such a cheap markting tricks. For example, for me copper model is too heavy, according to your logic that gives me right say that sony made it so heavy because they will release lighter version in the future?


 
 What the heck are you going on about, my comments have nothing to do with marketing!!  
  
 I related my actual experience with battery life degredation on my Sony A17 and my warranty experience with Sony due to said battery life decline. I am not accusing Sony of anything, simply relating an actual experience.  The 50% battery life replacement figure from Sony is stated on the company web site and in the user manual for my A17. Never said it was a marketing stunt again simply information direct from Sony.  I simply did what Sony recommended and sent my unit in for battery replacement at the Sony recommended 50% battery life figure.  Sony honored my warranty claim and sent me a new unit, end of story.
  
 My belief in not spending thousands of dollars on a DAP that will only last a couple of years before the battery needs replacing is an opinion and again has nothing to do with marketing.
  
 Get your facts straight next time before you throw a hissy fit


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

thanatosguan said:


> I honestly don't see the point of bickering over the price of the 1Z. In my opinion it hits the sweet spot of many people I know and even I was tempted when listening to it.
> 
> And why are people not bickering over AK380Cu? IMO the entire AK brand is rebranded iRiver which, in my opinion, has few pedigree to back up their pricing.


 
  
 Honestly, I don't want to dissuade people from buying the 1Z, really just trying to help people who want to make an informed decision, while some people will decide purely with their ears with no other thought, both types of people can all hang in peace as long as we understand each other. I don't have anything against people buying the 1Z for the sound, this is head-fi after all.
  
 Oh and I'm currently banned from the AK380 thread because, you can guess why


----------



## purk

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Honestly, I don't want to dissuade people from buying the 1Z, really just trying to help people who want to make an informed decision, while some people will decide purely with their ears with no other thought, both types of people can all hang in peace as long as we understand each other. I don't have anything against people buying the 1Z for the sound, this is head-fi after all.
> 
> Oh and I'm currently banned from the AK380 thread because, you can guess why


 
 Well, I agree with you that the 1Z shouldn't be too expensive.  Maybe a better asking price for it is $2000 and not $3200.  In any event, I hope to hear it one day and decide for myself.  $3200 is very pricey and it will not be a night and day difference  from the 1A.  Don't forget about the extra 128 GB on-board memory.


----------



## emrelights1973

They are not launching z1 in Turkey so no problems for me
I was talking with the Sony shop about volume cap, do you think that there is a change that the balanced input won't be Capped? Or the new Walkman will be different than zx2 and have possibility to reboot the region ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> t.r.a.n.c.e. said:
> 
> 
> > Honestly, I don't want to dissuade people from buying the 1Z, really just trying to help people who want to make an informed decision, while some people will decide purely with their ears with no other thought, both types of people can all hang in peace as long as we understand each other. I don't have anything against people buying the 1Z for the sound, this is head-fi after all.
> ...


 

 agree with you both


----------



## purk

Based on my experience with various gears, I think the 1Z will be superior sound wise to the 1A.  To what degree is depending on each person.  However I do suspect that it is likely between 5-10% and not 1% difference that some may thought.  1% improvement....I doubt I can discern that but I do value nuance, 3-D soundstage, air, imaging, and most importantly an organic presentation/tone.  I think the 1Z is calling my name.  I have to resist the urge.  Damn you Sony....a portable DAP should not be more expensive than Schiit Flagship DAC!


----------



## fish1050

purk said:


> Based on my experience with various gears, I think the 1Z will be superior sound wise to the 1A.  To what degree is depending on each person.  However I do suspect that it is likely between 5-10% and not 1% difference that some may thought.  1% improvement....I doubt I can discern that but I do value nuance, 3-D soundstage, air, imaging, and most importantly an organic presentation/tone.  I think the 1Z is calling my name.  I have to resist the urge.  Damn you Sony....a portable DAP should not be more expensive than Schiit Flagship DAC!


 
 I don't think it is practical to try to break down differences in sound characteristics between DAP's in percentages. In this case the 1A and 1Z How do you decide what is a 10% vs a 5% vs a 1% difference in what you are hearing?  
  
 Based on the information available and what has been posted so far I would feel safe in saying that the 1Z should sound better than the 1A. But to say I think it will sound X% better isn't really practical and way to subjective.


----------



## Dithyrambes

I have zx2........I hope wm1a impressions come out so I can decide whether or not to sell everything and get a 1a. 1Z is out of my reach so I don't bother . I can't be part of the club that hears that difference ><


----------



## thanatosguan

dithyrambes said:


> I have zx2........I hope wm1a impressions come out so I can decide whether or not to sell everything and get a 1a. 1Z is out of my reach so I don't bother . I can't be part of the club that hears that difference ><


 
 Listening to it yourself might be a better option... Sound a very personal thing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

i will def. getting the 1A, the Z is out of my reach


----------



## musicday

If the 1Z Walkman turn out to sound that good then many AK owners will jump on this waggon.
At least Sony did something to the copper so it doesn't tarnish and same build quality, 256 GB internal and a lower price.


----------



## fish1050

I was just on amazon.ca and typed in sony nw in the search and the 1Z appeared in the search results.  But it was only for a $12.00 padded carry bag for the 1Z.


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> you can turn HIGH gain ON problem solved :wink_face:







fish1050 said:


> I was just on amazon.ca and typed in sony nw in the search and the 1Z appeared in the search results.  But it was only for a $12.00 padded carry bag for the 1Z.



Don't blink and wait too long.
Just order one


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> If the 1Z Walkman turn out to sound that good then many AK owners will jump on this waggon.
> At least Sony did something to the copper so it doesn't tarnish and same build quality, 256 GB internal and a lower price.




From what I understand, the comparison from 1Z was holding it 3.5mm SE to AK380 SE, that is pretty darn good. The 4.4mm balanced can only be much...much better


----------



## Leviticus

cecala said:


> Thanatosguan who did the translation also said it's of dubious credibility and he's for the 1Z although he prefers his black.


 
  
 I don't care about the credibility of some Japanese dude I have never heard of, I will not buy the 1A/1Z because of him. But I'm afraid that some here are just too eager to jump on the 1Z-bashing bandwagon because they do not approve of Sony's price policy. You were quick to raise questions about whether or not both Walkmen were properly burnt-in. Suggesting that Sony intentionally sends out "fresh-out-of-the-box" 1A units to create a stark contrast between the two players makes you sound like a conspiracist. It's only a matter of time until reputable sites release their reviews (I'm personally looking forward to Steven's review ("enjoythemusic"))


whitigir said:


> From what I understand, the comparison from 1Z was holding it 3.5mm SE to AK380 SE, that is pretty darn good. The 4.4mm balanced can only be much...much better


 
  
 Why is that? Did AK a sloppy job of implementing balanced sound technology into their TOPL Dap?


----------



## Whitigir

You will need to read up on AK380 balanced port and stuff. The reason why ? Is because Sony polished their 4.4mm port to be the best performer. See ? Native DSD and 250mwx2 only available with 4.4mm


----------



## musicday

Is 250 mW @ 16 ohm.
As the standard and everything is calculated @32 ohm is only 125 mW per channel.


----------



## gerelmx1986

LOL dont tell the power output is a bit low for 70-ohm future-purchase MDR-Z7


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> Is 250 mW @ 16 ohm.
> As the standard and everything is calculated @32 ohm is only 125 mW per channel.




Sony is a class D hybrid with proprietary coils, so that would be plenty....I drive Z7 out of Zx2 which has 15mw @ 16ohms. It isn't the best, but it gets 85% there....imagine 250mW.



gerelmx1986 said:


> LOL dont tell the power output is a bit low for 70-ohm future-purchase MDR-Z7




Now, as many should know that I modify my Z7 into a better headphones, all is by connecting it straight up to Zx2....that should be a healthy proof


----------



## purk

whitigir said:


> Sony is a class D hybrid with proprietary coils, so that would be plenty....I drive Z7 out of Zx2 which has 15mw @ 16ohms. It isn't the best, but it gets 85% there....imagine 250mW.
> *Now, as many should know that I modify my Z7 into a better headphones, all is by connecting it straight up to Zx2....that should be a healthy proof*


 
 I can second this.  His Z7 sounds much nicer than stock with much better bass response as well as better soundstage & imaging.  I heard his pair and did ask him  to mod my pair a week later.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

musicday said:


> If the 1Z Walkman turn out to sound that good then many AK owners will jump on this waggon.
> At least Sony did something to the copper so it doesn't tarnish and same build quality, 256 GB internal and a lower price.


 
  
 No doubt Sony is targeting AK380 market share with WM1Z. I hope they succeed. I'd rather see Sony leading the ridiculously overpriced dap segment than AK, because at least Sony doesn't have as much of a predatory business model, they don't go so far to cripple their lower models like AK. Sony gives us the WM1A which keeps all features and key hardware from WM1Z, while AK fans get the AK300 with crippled amp section and crippled digital processing with no native dsd (which also affects the quality of pcm playback). If I was into spending exorbitantly I'd easily go for WM1Z over AK380.


----------



## audioxxx

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> No doubt Sony is targeting AK380 market share with WM1Z. I hope they succeed. I'd rather see Sony leading the ridiculously overpriced dap segment than AK, because at least Sony doesn't have as much of a predatory business model, they don't go so far to cripple their lower models like AK. Sony gives us the WM1A which keeps all features and key hardware from WM1Z, while AK fans get the AK300 with crippled amp section and crippled digital processing with no native dsd (which also affects the quality of pcm playback).



 Sony design there boards, and a lot of major components from the ground up, (I don't think there's anything quite like this portable efficient classD technology coming from anyone else) 
What they don't have in the lab, they seem to buy the best components from other tech companies, they even help set the standards, and helped design some of them, if anyone deserved to build the best DAP that could easily be the best in its class. It would be Sony. 
The quality is to be admired as well, from the plugs to the switches, and the way it feels in your hand. (If it's anything like the zx2 quality)
 Sony deserve to lead the way, their work with audio has been going since I can remember. It should be very good to hear what's been done with pure native DSD and classD. 

Should sound fantastic.


----------



## gerelmx1986

audioxxx said:


> t.r.a.n.c.e. said:
> 
> 
> > No doubt Sony is targeting AK380 market share with WM1Z. I hope they succeed. I'd rather see Sony leading the ridiculously overpriced dap segment than AK, because at least Sony doesn't have as much of a predatory business model, they don't go so far to cripple their lower models like AK. Sony gives us the WM1A which keeps all features and key hardware from WM1Z, while AK fans get the AK300 with crippled amp section and crippled digital processing with no native dsd (which also affects the quality of pcm playback).
> ...


 

 ​THAT IS the R&D thhat whitigir said a couple of posts ago


----------



## audioxxx

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​THAT IS the R&D thhat whitigir said a couple of posts ago



Lol


----------



## Cecala

leviticus said:


> I don't care about the credibility of some Japanese dude I have never heard of, I will not buy the 1A/1Z because of him. But I'm afraid that some here are just too eager to jump on the 1Z-bashing bandwagon because they do not approve of Sony's price policy. You were quick to raise questions about whether or not both Walkmen were properly burnt-in. Suggesting that Sony intentionally sends out "fresh-out-of-the-box" 1A units to create a stark contrast between the two players makes you sound like a conspiracist. It's only a matter of time until reputable sites release their reviews (I'm personally looking forward to Steven's review ("enjoythemusic"))
> 
> Why is that? Did AK a sloppy job of implementing balanced sound technology into their TOPL Dap?


 
 Wrong person, it was Trance who raised the question not me.


----------



## gerelmx1986

audioxxx said:


> Lol


 
  hehe why LOL? if its the truth ,sony may get off the shelf SoC for the OS and system memory (128 or 256GB in this case) chips, some OS-CON caps. The rest, is their invention, the FT caps, the S-MASTER, the algortihm of DSEE HX etc, their board design... the casing design
  
 I doubt companieslike Fiio, A&K, Hifiman, Pioneer etc etc, use all of their R&D, they get most off the shelf like rock chips, Sabre or cirrus DACs, their only r&D can be the OS and case design LOL
  
 Despite ,y thinking that doesn't make me want to buy the 1Z... i'll go for 1A pricewise


----------



## echineko

gerelmx1986 said:


> hehe why LOL? if its the truth ,sony may get off the shelf SoC for the OS and system memory (128 or 256GB in this case) chips, some OS-CON caps. The rest, is their invention, the FT caps, the S-MASTER, the algortihm of DSEE HX etc, their board design... the casing design
> 
> I doubt companieslike Fiio, A&K, Hifiman, Pioneer etc etc, use all of their R&D, they get most off the shelf like rock chips, Sabre or cirrus DACs, their only r&D can be the OS and case design LOL
> 
> Despite ,y thinking that doesn't make me want to buy the 1Z... i'll go for 1A pricewise


 
 Yes, everyone needs to make the right choice based on budget, nothing wrong with that. It's disheartening  that so many of the actual enhancements/research made by Sony in developing tech you literally can't find anywhere else for these Walkman models is slagged off as being "worth only a few dollars".
  
 Sigh. But hey, on the flip side, these are so close to being out in the wild. No room for hype/trolling once people actually get to hear the real deal. The quality will either speak for itself... or not.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

whitigir said:


> Sony polished their 4.4mm port to be the best performer. See ? Native DSD and 250mwx2 only available with 4.4mm


 
  
 Native dsd being restricted to balanced reinforces that there is probably a different process implemented for balanced. Plus there is separate single ended and balanced circuit's, the one with two coils is single ended, the one with 4 coils is balanced.
  
 Balanced circuit circled below, 1Z on left, 1A on right- 1Z gets 4x "fine sound" resistors (little black things pictured) and 1A uses 4x MELFs (little brown things in right pic), like ZX2. Both 1Z and 1A use 4x FT caps for balanced.

  
  
 Single ended circuit circled below, 1Z on left, 1A on right. 1Z gets 2x "fine sound" resistors and 1A instead uses 2x MELFs. Both 1Z and 1A use 4x FT caps for single ended.
  
 The other 5 blue FT caps not circled are part of the power supply, these will instead be 5 purple os-con caps for the 1A as shown by pic on the right. That's the main hardware difference between 1Z and 1A and affects both amps, along with the other 3 changes the 1Z has (copper chassis, fine sound resistor, kimber kable) the 1Z is no doubt the best you can get for both single ended and balanced, while the 1A has been slightly cut down.
  
 Those of us getting the 1A should be pretty happy knowing the 1A can't be as far off in performance as the price would have you think though. Good job on Sony's part imo. Making a sweet flagship, and a sweet affordable version.
  
 The fact that Sony actually willingly release pics of their models says a lot, they are proud of what they have come up with for 1Z and 1A. You don't see AK releasing internal photo's of their daps.. and I know why, I've seen inside the AK240 and there is nothing remarkable in there whatsoever, it's like any old iriver, their price tag is a very bad joke.


----------



## Steven R. Rochli

leviticus said:


> It's only a matter of time until reputable sites release their reviews (I'm personally looking forward to Steven's review ("enjoythemusic"))
> 
> Why is that? Did AK a sloppy job of implementing balanced sound technology into their TOPL Dap?


 
  
 Wow, a most humble thanks and am simply a guy who hears and reports. Yes the Sony DAPs need 100 hours, which we already know. The headphone connector for balanced is interesting, as i never liked using a SMALLER connector for balanced (looking at your AK in a less than positive way). Copper chassis rose gold plated? Have asked AK to do exactly that three or four years ago *and at every show i see them at*.
  
 Will i review the new Sony unit. Only if they send it to me yet will do a hands-on review should it make an appearance at CanJam Denver (with Noble K10 and 64Audio / 1964 A12, plus perhaps the HUM CIEMs with Double Helix top-line all silver balanced cable and other cables).
  
 Pricing? GROW THE ____ UP GUYS!!!! Hi-tech doesn't come cheap. Then try shrinking this tech down, giving it extended batter life, etc. Add it proprietary chips and parts and.... Now tell me, who else can come close to doing that in the DAP world like Sony can? C'mon, name two manufacturers. Heck, Audio Note UK is spending VAST SUMS trying to get "better than Black Gate capacitors" in the marketplace and Peter Q of Audio Note is not one to skim on parts quality for their best gear (which costs 10x to 50x the price of the Sony unit).
  
 SO PLEASE STOP WHINING about the price. Thanks, *with love, hugs and kisses.* If you can't afford a top-end McLaren car (we're not talking Bugatti here or my fave of them all Pagani), a nice F-Type Jaguar R is quite impressive at 1/3 the cost... yet it aint no Pagani.
  
 Anywho, apologies if i sound a bit, well, direct. We're all looking forward to finding out more about any great new product, especially one from a major manufacturer such as Sony who truly can do seriously sick trick stuff no one else can. So....
  
 (The below said with some humor, smile guys, cuz we're LUCKY music lovers who are fortunate to even have such nice things)

 You ain't got no problems, Jules.
 I'm on the mf'er.
 Go back in there, chill them n___ers out and wait for The Wolf, who should be comin' directly.
  
 If I'm curt with you, it's because time is a factor. I think fast, I talk fast, and I need you guys to act fast if you want to get out of this. So pretty please, with sugar on top, wait for a few reviews.
  
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP4lrVIpbvo


----------



## BartSimpson1976

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> native dsd being restricted to balanced reinforces that there is probably a different process implemented for balanced


 
  
 They were thinking a lot how they can make people buy their new 4.4mm cables and headphones and that was their solution!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Steve is rich thats why he doesn't complain


----------



## castleofargh

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Yeah 60mW Single ended vs 250mW balanced means there is definitely something up, there must be a significantly different process going on in the S Master HX when there is that wide a gap, and native dsd being restricted to balanced reinforces that there is probably a different process implemented for balanced. Plus there is separate single ended and balanced circuit's, the one with two coils is single ended, the one with 4 coils is balanced.


 
 haven't looked into this DAP so maybe they do something special, or they don't, I won't even attempt to weight in on that. but about the power values, one of the typical stuff we seem to call balanced output has the effect of doubling the maximum voltage. which in itself could very much explain 4 times the power (P=U²/R). so again IDK if "something is up", but the difference in power alone does not necessarily mean shiit, aside from suggesting that using balanced headphones, we should be able to get 6db louder(twice the voltage).


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

^ True, I was thinking balanced was double the power, that's wrong, like you said, it usually doubles voltage not power. Still, dsd being restricted to balanced would mean either "something is up" or Sony are trying to sell balanced cables like Bart said lol.


----------



## Cecala

steven r. rochli said:


> Pricing? GROW THE ____ UP GUYS!!!! Hi-tech doesn't come cheap. Then try shrinking this tech down, giving it extended batter life, etc. Add it proprietary chips and parts and.... Now tell me, who else can come close to doing that in the DAP world like Sony can? C'mon, name two manufacturers. Heck, Audio Note UK is spending VAST SUMS trying to get "better than Black Gate capacitors" in the marketplace and Peter Q of Audio Note is not one to skim on parts quality for their best gear (which costs 10x to 50x the price of the Sony unit).
> 
> SO PLEASE STOP WHINING about the price. Thanks, *with love, hugs and kisses.* If you can't afford a top-end McLaren car (we're not talking Bugatti here or my fave of them all Pagani), a nice F-Type Jaguar R is quite impressive at 1/3 the cost... yet it aint no Pagani.


 
 Member of the trade opinion........ You mean like Apple marking up their phones by 700% as reported a few years back?


----------



## BartSimpson1976

steven r. rochli said:


> Hi-tech doesn't come cheap.


 
  
 True, but we are talking about a DAP here.


----------



## rushofblood

I wanted to love this. I really did. 

I'm sticking to my AK320. Will write a little more after the bustle of the demo event passes.


----------



## Rei87

Thoughts to come later!


----------



## purk

rei87 said:


> Thoughts to come later!


 
 It is available for purchase in Singapore already?  Please share with us your thoughts.


----------



## musicday

rei87 said:


> Thoughts to come later!



Is the Sony worth? How is the weight, can be out in the pocket and walk with?


----------



## Dithyrambes

For all the Sony os hype...all the youtube videos I've seen of its ui....it's the same speed as zx2


----------



## Replicant187

musicday said:


> Is the Sony worth? How is the weight, can be out in the pocket and walk with?




people are saying it's really really really heavy lol


----------



## Kerouac

replicant187 said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Is the Sony worth? How is the weight, can be out in the pocket and walk with?
> ...


 
  
 Maybe the premium priced WM1Z also comes with an extra luxury leather belt to hold up your pants for when it's in your pocket


----------



## nc8000

replicant187 said:


> people are saying it's really really really heavy lol




Weighs about a pound


----------



## musicday

replicant187 said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Is the Sony worth? How is the weight, can be out in the pocket and walk with?
> ...



I know about the weight but what does it compare to in real life being a small package?
Sony 1Z is 465 gr and Chord Hugo is 400 gr but is bigger so more comfortable to Carry around, and better weight distribution.


----------



## purk

kerouac said:


> Maybe the premium priced WM1Z also comes with an extra luxury leather belt to hold up your pants for when it's in your pocket


 
 I want a dent resistant chassis.  If I ever own the WM1Z, I would so afraid of dropping it.


----------



## Replicant187

musicday said:


> I know about the weight but what does it compare to in real life being a small package?
> Sony 1Z is 465 gr and Chord Hugo is 400 gr but is bigger so more comfortable to Carry around, and better weight distribution.




you can't carry around the demo unit so who knows but my friend said it felt way way heavier than expected so just expect the heaviest DAP you'll be ok lol


----------



## nc8000

I'll never use it portable but the same way I'm using ZX2 and before that dap or pcdp plus amp combos which is packed in luggage and then used at the hotel for my +100 nights each year and as bed side rig at home


----------



## Cecala

dithyrambes said:


> For all the Sony os hype...all the youtube videos I've seen of its ui....it's the same speed as zx2


 
  
 I raised this very point some pages ago although was told it was an earlier and not final software version, will wait and see.


t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> My friend, I can personally guarantee you the 1Z only took 10 min longer to "Research & Develop" than the 1A did. And I'm also sure AK380 took no longer to R&D than the AK's before it, given each AK release happened within a 1 year window, yet each still got an unhealthy price hike...
> 
> As you already know, there is only 4 simple changes to the 1Z over 1A, I will now give you the play by play of what happened at Sony HQ between lead designer Hiroaki Sato and his helper disciple:
> 
> ...


 
  
 This is a believe it or not, a very accurate rendition of what actually happens in real life. If people believe for one second that men in white coats at Sony are busy scarring around labs looking through microscopes or working out the isotopic notation for the isotope carbon-14, then you are deluding yourself or you work for the trade and have a vested interest.
  
 The truth is as pointed out already, the difference in parts amounts to absolutely no more than $10 (caps, resisters & Kimble). The remainder of that 2K is now leaning on the Copper block, Do I need to go on?
  
 Kudos Trance, well done.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

Btw, I've already explained that I have nothing against the 1Z, I only wanted to make sure that people understand that these very expensive daps from Sony or AK have artificially inflated prices that don't reflect the actual time or cost to develop, as such I previously compared them to "fine art" and paying a (big) premium for the very best a company has to offer, a notion to which I do not subscribe. The 1Z is the best dap Sony can possibly design, intentionally over priced to compete with other over priced daps like AK. While the 1A is a very slightly downgraded 1Z at a reasonable price point. That's all. I look forward to getting 1A myself, and envy those getting the 1Z. Capish


----------



## Cecala

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Btw, I've already explained that I have nothing against the 1Z, I only wanted to make sure that people understand that these very expensive daps from Sony or AK have artificially inflated prices that don't reflect the actual time or cost to develop, as such I previously compared them to "fine art" and paying a (big) premium for the very best a company has to offer, a notion to which I do not subscribe. The 1Z is the best dap Sony can possibly design, intentionally over priced to compete with other over priced daps like AK. While the 1A is a very slightly downgraded 1Z at a reasonable price point. That's all.


 

 No matter how many times you repeat yourself or how diplomatically you state your case, it will be lost on some.
 I am now wondering what ever Sony can muster up for their next Dap in 2 years time.


----------



## thanatosguan

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Btw, I've already explained that I have nothing against the 1Z, I only wanted to make sure that people understand that these very expensive daps from Sony or AK have artificially inflated prices that don't reflect the actual time or cost to develop, as such I previously compared them to "fine art" and paying a (big) premium for the very best a company has to offer, a notion to which I do not subscribe. The 1Z is the best dap Sony can possibly design, intentionally over priced to compete with other over priced daps like AK. While the 1A is a very slightly downgraded 1Z at a reasonable price point. That's all. I look forward to getting 1A myself, and envy those getting the 1Z. Capish


 
 You instantly discredit yourself when you compare fine art to something that has "artificially inflated prices that don't reflect the actual time or cost to develop"
  
 lol.


----------



## Mimouille

cecala said:


> I raised this very point some pages ago although was told it was an earlier and not final software version, will wait and see.
> 
> This is a believe it or not, a very accurate rendition of what actually happens in real life. If people believe for one second that men in white coats at Sony are busy scarring around labs looking through microscopes or working out the isotopic notation for the isotope carbon-14, then you are deluding yourself or you work for the trade and have a vested interest.
> 
> ...







t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Btw, I've already explained that I have nothing against the 1Z, I only wanted to make sure that people understand that these very expensive daps from Sony or AK have artificially inflated prices that don't reflect the actual time or cost to develop, as such I previously compared them to "fine art" and paying a (big) premium for the very best a company has to offer, a notion to which I do not subscribe. The 1Z is the best dap Sony can possibly design, intentionally over priced to compete with other over priced daps like AK. While the 1A is a very slightly downgraded 1Z at a reasonable price point. That's all. I look forward to getting 1A myself, and envy those getting the 1Z. Capish


Guys, when you a couch 2000$, it costs 800$ to the store selling it to you. And maybe 400 to build at most. Are they all criminals? This is the nature of every business with such a value chain.

But it is nice to have such business experts to enlighten us poor foolish consumers.


----------



## Toolman

Guys have no question in upgrading their handphone to the latest and most expensive on an annual basis, then complain about the price of DAP.

 How much do you think a 5-figure price-tagged LV, Gucci or a Hermes bag cost to manufacture? do you see the trend slowing down? this consumerism are nothing new so why all the hue and cry?

 * no way I'm gonna spend that sum of money on the 1Z myself just so we're clear


----------



## audionewbi

I think all this premature impression of the current walkman are unfair when in theory they only will sound their best when used in balance. I for one do not see the point of single ended users (those who will never used balance connector) to buy a balance source if they will never use it. There are arguably better single ended daps out there. 

 To me if I was to get this dap I will be making sure to use it at its best possible way and that would be its balance out. While the justification for single end to single ended impression is valid ultimately the important question is 'how good does it sound using the best possible setup it can offer?'


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

thanatosguan said:


> You instantly discredit yourself when you compare fine art to something that has "artificially inflated prices that don't reflect the actual time or cost to develop"


 
  
 Lets see you describe it better genius. Most supposed "fine art" has no great value in and of it self (to me), the price is artificially set based on the notion of it being a "masterpiece" etc, in the _eyes_ of a some (aka subjective). I would never pay big money for a famous painting, when I have an artist uncle that spits out paintings that look better than some of these supposed "masterpieces"...


----------



## shockwaver

if I burn in these models using only the balanced connection, does SE circuit need break-in time?


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

shockwaver said:


> if I burn in these models using only the balanced connection, does SE circuit need break-in time?


 
  
 I would say yes, seeing as the balanced and single ended circuit's are separate, aka separate capacitors to burn in.


----------



## shockwaver

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> I would say yes, seeing as the balanced and single ended circuit's are separate, aka separate capacitors to burn in.


 
 thank you. 
 whoa, then these models take months to break in completely under normal usage.


----------



## Cecala

mimouille said:


> Guys, when you a couch 2000$, it costs 800$ to the store selling it to you. And maybe 400 to build at most. Are they all criminals? This is the nature of every business with such a value chain.
> 
> But it is nice to have such business experts to enlighten us poor foolish consumers.


 
 You can crunch the numbers any which way it's still way overpriced or are you trying to justify your pending future purchase?
  


toolman said:


> Guys have no question in upgrading their handphone to the latest and most expensive on an annual basis, then complain about the price of DAP.
> 
> How much do you think a 5-figure price-tagged LV, Gucci or a Hermes bag cost to manufacture? do you see the trend slowing down? this consumerism are nothing new so why all the hue and cry?
> 
> * no way I'm gonna spend that sum of money on the 1Z myself just so we're clear


 
  
 I don't buy the latest and greatest every year, in fact I still own my ever pleasing JVC DX2000 bought in 2008 and despise mobile phones. Just because the plebs are buying Gucci or a Hermes bag and pay exorbitant sums it doesn't mean they do it because their informed, they do it to show off and make up for a lack of self esteem. Now I am not saying people here are buying the 1Z for the reason just stated although saying the cost is somehow justified is immoral.


----------



## Rei87

Ok...Just returned from a demo session of the 1Z, with a comparison against the 380CU. But before that, I thought that I shd start with some extracts from the conversation I had with the engineer behind this project with regards to the philosophy and design choices behind the player.

 From what i gathered, he said that the lack of a wifi/streaming feature was a deliberate choice, as this player was meant to reproduce music in its optimal form. Hence it was stripped of any and all unnecessary components that did not add to that goal as each additional component in the player casing would pollute the final output. So in his view, if you rely on streamed music, this is not the player for you. 

 Secondly, the choice to go with a pure copper chasis was because its use as a grounding point offered the the player the best sonic performance. Holding the player in your hand should not affect the sound, as the impedence between your hand and the player would be too high to to matter. 

 Third, why the choice to use Kimble cable for the internal wiring instead of, say, pure silver or even gold plated silver? It was interesting to note that both cables were the same , although they were sleeved using different material (and hence the different colour). His team went ahead with kimble pure copper cable (or was it SPC? not really sure due to my meager japanese proficiency), as it added the most body to the sound. They experimented with using pure silver (they said it made the sound too harsh), SPC and so on, and they found that copper for the jack wiring offered to them, the sound that was closest to their ideal. 

 Lastly, we talked about the power output from the 3.5 and 4.4mm. He admitted that the 4.4 was way more powerful (the aide said that the balanced was 4x more powerful, but I think I heard wrong). My follow up question was impedence matching, since CIEMS and headphones have very different power demands, but they insisted that the player was 'universal' in its application, and that BOTH CIEMS and headphones will be more than well served by the 1Z on both single and balanced. However, he did recommend that CIEMS stick to the single end side of the 1Z. 
  
  

  
  
  
  
 Ok, now for sonic impressions.

 I spent a good 15-20 mins demo-ing the unit, with side by side comparisons. The SD card in the Sony player was a Sony Audiophile card (64gb), paired with a DHC type 2 litz Fusion wire 8 wire (my reference cable, most people find it lifeless), using a Empire Ears Omega CIEM with a tweak made to emphasize resolution as opposed to the bass regions.
  
 Sonic characteristic (female vocal songs):

 I found the 1Z alot more full bodied in the mids and the lower bass regions. Vocals sounded more weighted, and powerful. The bass hit harder, and had more rumble. The 380CU sounded more reference, and even thin (if you could call the CU 'thin') in comparison to the 1Z. 

 Staging (live performance recordings):

 The 1Z had a slight edge in its spatial imaging, with the CU was more defined and focused in its presentation. If the 1Z made the song resemble a concert hall experience, the 380CU made it sound like a well engineered studio room. 

 Resolution and technicality.

 This is where the CU, overtakes the 1Z, much to my surprise. The CU was, hands down much more resolving than the 1Z. The bass texture was way less boomy and had very minimal bleed in the CU, while in the 1Z the lower bass was slightly boomy and spatially bled into different areas. Vocals, was also slightly unfocused and somehow struggled to extend as naturally as the CU. This made the 1Z, as strange as it sounds, sound a little unnatural and awkward. This, unfortunately, added a slight 'veil' to the sound, and made it sound a little muddy compared to the 380CU.


*CONCLUSION*

*Tl;DR*. The 1Z certainly is a flagship products that will appeal to a large majority of the market. Most people will find that full bodied, coloured sound extremely appealing and engaging. Coupled with its higher power output on the single and balanced end, it will serve a large majority of the audio community that straddles both iems and headphones very well. 

 However, as a person who only uses CIEMS, and intends to expand into a speaker set up, the 1Z offers little reason for me to shift over from my 380CU. The CU is simply more resolving when one uses sensitive CIEMS that responds to the smallest of changes and details, and I feel that for a flagship audiophile product such as this, this is one area that the 1Z cannot afford to fail in.


----------



## Kiats

Thanks for the notes, Rei87. Much appreciated. It may well be that the slight bass bloom will settle down after some time. We'll see. Thanks!


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

Sounds like burn in


----------



## Dithyrambes

@Rei87. Was your comparison done with all the Sony dsp turned off?


----------



## Rei87

Yes. Asked the staff to turn off the eq(if it was on),and the digital upscaler.


----------



## Whitigir

rei87 said:


> Yes. Asked the staff to turn off the eq(if it was on),and the digital upscaler.




Was you using TRRS on Single ended ? Had you tried balanced 4.4mm ? Again, I can not push this enough, But Sony devices "excels" in separated grounds and balanced. Coming from Zx2, I know it

Zx2 with TRRS vastly increase performances of separation, imagine, resolutions overall VS single ended.

Let me guess, your observation on resolution and resolving power told me that you only used "single ended" on the 1Z, because that is exactly what Zx2 single ended sound like


----------



## gerelmx1986

rei87 said:


> Ok...Just returned from a demo session of the 1Z, with a comparison against the 380CU. But before that, I thought that I shd start with some extracts from the conversation I had with the engineer behind this project with regards to the philosophy and design choices behind the player.
> 
> From what i gathered, he said that the lack of a wifi/streaming feature was a deliberate choice, as this player was meant to reproduce music in its optimal form. Hence it was stripped of any and all unnecessary components that did not add to that goal as each additional component in the player casing would pollute the final output. So in his view, if you rely on streamed music, this is not the player for you.
> 
> ...


 

 ​Again 1A is calling my name, come to the Dark (aluminum casing) side haaaaaaa! haaaaaaa! (darth vader breathing)


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> I think all this premature impression of the current walkman are unfair when in theory they only will sound their best when used in balance. I for one do not see the point of single ended users (those who will never used balance connector) to buy a balance source if they will never use it. There are arguably better single ended daps out there.
> 
> To me if I was to get this dap I will be making sure to use it at its best possible way and that would be its balance out. While the justification for single end to single ended impression is valid ultimately the important question is 'how good does it sound using the best possible setup it can offer?'


 

 ​Agree with you no more, if i would review my 1A when i have it, i would burn it for 250hr before putting final impressions


----------



## gerelmx1986

rushofblood said:


> I wanted to love this. I really did.
> 
> I'm sticking to my AK320. Will write a little more after the bustle of the demo event passes.


 
 Did you review the 1A also? how it does compre to the AK as they define as less warm tan 1Z (yeah for classical)


----------



## Rei87

I would love to review this again on the balanced, but the lack of a 4.4 made it rahter impossible. 

It was a comparison of single end to single end. And to add, my balanced sounds significantly better than my single end, so my 380CU was also similarly handicapped just as the 1Z was in this comparison. 

I agree that the 1Z may not be at its best, since sony players are rumoured to require a significant amount of burn in time. However the engineer assure me that the sound I heard on those units was more or less close to what they had in mind, so any changes post burn in shouldn't lead to too drastic a change


----------



## 284033

whitigir said:


> Was you using TRRS on Single ended ? Had you tried balanced 4.4mm ? Again, I can not push this enough, But Sony devices "excels" in separated grounds and balanced. Coming from Zx2, I know it
> 
> Zx2 with TRRS vastly increase performances of separation, imagine, resolutions overall VS single ended.
> 
> Let me guess, your observation on resolution and resolving power told me that you only used "single ended" on the 1Z, because that is exactly what Zx2 single ended sound like




How do you try 4.4mm balanced when adapters and cables are not readily commercially available?


----------



## Whitigir

kozato said:


> How do you try 4.4mm balanced when adapters and cables are not readily commercially available?




At least 3.5mm TRRS cables is available everywhere  . This is not balanced, it is separated ground.


----------



## Dithyrambes

I feel really annoyed with Sony actually. They give us balanced and gimp it by forcing you to use 4.4....which you can't use other than their headphone currently. They say Native DSD! but only on the 4.4 jack......but we advise you not use that with any earphones....use 3.5mm......and here I thought we were talking about a DAP for portability and not to lug around hd800's and he1000's. Then they even made their 3.5 TRRS making it annoying for people to have to recable for that.......I don't get their strategy. A 3.3k or even a 1.2k product esp a DAP should be easy to use and sound its best out of the box. You should be able to use all its features easily.....out of the box. All these proprietary things needed to even use a function is a PITA.


----------



## echineko

The 4.4mm balanced jack is not proprietary, it's an actual standard, as in not owned by Sony, and available for adoption by other manufacturers, compared to the pseudo balanced 3.5mm TRRS and balanced 2.5, it's a full implementation that Sony doesn't collect licensing fees on.


----------



## tf10charged

Material = 50usd
 know-how = 2000 usd.
  
  
  
 Quote:


t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> My friend, I can personally guarantee you the 1Z only took 10 min longer to "Research & Develop" than the 1A did. And I'm also sure AK380 took no longer to R&D than the AK's before it, given each AK release happened within a 1 year window, yet each still got an unhealthy price hike...
> 
> As you already know, there is only 4 simple changes to the 1Z over 1A, I will now give you the play by play of what happened at Sony HQ between lead designer Hiroaki Sato and his helper disciple:
> 
> ...


----------



## tf10charged

i always thought going for summit-fi means you spend more time & money for the last few percent of quality.
 if portability and convenience is everything, smartphone with their earbud should be the default choice. 
  
  
 Quote:


dithyrambes said:


> I feel really annoyed with Sony actually. They give us balanced and gimp it by forcing you to use 4.4....which you can't use other than their headphone currently. They say Native DSD! but only on the 4.4 jack......but we advise you not use that with any earphones....use 3.5mm......and here I thought we were talking about a DAP for portability and not to lug around hd800's and he1000's. Then they even made their 3.5 TRRS making it annoying for people to have to recable for that.......I don't get their strategy. A 3.3k or even a 1.2k product esp a DAP should be easy to use and sound its best out of the box. You should be able to use all its features easily.....out of the box. All these proprietary things needed to even use a function is a PITA.


----------



## Replicant187

dithyrambes said:


> I feel really annoyed with Sony actually. They give us balanced and gimp it by forcing you to use 4.4....which you can't use other than their headphone currently. They say Native DSD! but only on the 4.4 jack......but we advise you not use that with any earphones....use 3.5mm......and here I thought we were talking about a DAP for portability and not to lug around hd800's and he1000's. Then they even made their 3.5 TRRS making it annoying for people to have to recable for that.......I don't get their strategy. A 3.3k or even a 1.2k product esp a DAP should be easy to use and sound its best out of the box. You should be able to use all its features easily.....out of the box. All these proprietary things needed to even use a function is a PITA.




if anything Sony should be praised for using 4.4 especially when other Japanese companies like Onkyo is sticking with 2.5 even after JEITA standardized 4.4.


----------



## rushofblood

Having settled down from the very same event that the gentleman above also attended, I shall share a little more on my thoughts surrounding these players.
 
*If long bodies of text scare you, the bottom of the post has a summary.*
 
The first thing that one notes when they get a WM1 player in their hand is the design. Perhaps not as striking as AK's Light and Shadow motif, these players are nevertheless well designed; the gentle curves and tapers of the players sit very comfortably in the palm of the hand, and the buttons are massive and tactile. The WM1A is rather average in weight and feels similar to most of its contemporaries in the DAP market, while the WM1Z is just a brick. Massively heavy and rather loud (not a fan of gold at all); not to mention that there were already wear marks on the WM1Z that was presented to me, which throws the durability of the plating in question. (No doubt about how solid the chassis is though, you could use it to smash windows if you were rich and/or enough of a lunatic.)
 
Turning the players to plug in my IEMs in, I also noted the visible contact point near the top of the 3.5mm jack implying full support for 3.5mm TRRS connectors, throwing ZX2 users a bone. This was confirmed in the exploded view; look closely at the 3.5mm jack area and you'll see 4 contact points as opposed to the standard 3 for single ended stereo 3.5 connections.
 
ZX2 was my first taste of high-end DAPs, and while long gone from my collection, it holds a place in my heart as a fond memory as I waited for Sony to respond to the gauntlet AK had thrown at them with the AK3xx series. I will be making comparisons to both devices in areas I found noteworthy.
 
The immediate point that strikes you is that Sony has not made their card scanning any faster; it even feels slower than the ZX2, but take this with a pinch of salt as this is based on long-past memories. There is no option to bypass the card scanning as on an AK and to just use the folder view mode as the scanning process starts the instant an SD card is inserted into the slot. I waited perhaps 2-3 minutes before my SD card with just under 50GB of music was completely scanned by the player, and this process is also conducted upon the removal of an SD card.
 
Having only spent a total of 20 minutes with the WM1 players and most of the time being devoted to the Z, the user interface seemed intuitive enough, bearing many similarities to the ZX series user interface. Being that the interface is built around the playback screen as the center of the UI which branches out to other pages of the player through directional swipes, I only got to grips with this towards the end of my demo session, however it did seem more user-friendly than AK's nested menu system which can take some time to navigate for certain actions.
 
One odd point that was corroborated with my friends is that although the WM1A and the WM1Z use the same software, the WM1A was noticeably more stuttery and less smooth in UI operation than the WM1Z, and this was also confirmed in side-by-side operation. Rather strange, this may imply a weaker SoC in the WM1A?
 
Now, onto the audio impressions. Testing was done with my primary custom IEMs; the Jomo Samba and the Lime Ears Aether, both kitted with the PWAudio 1960s cable, one in single ended 3.5mm and the other in AK balanced 2.5mm. A wired adaptor was used to convert the 2.5mm cable to 3.5mm single ended for the purpose of comparisons. It has been more than a year since I've let go of my modded ZX2, and although it is clearly struggling to keep up in technicalities with the latest crop of DAPs, its euphonic signature still rings in my sonic memory, and I was eager to see how Sony has managed to improve upon their offerings at the highest end of the market.
 
While waiting for a WM1Z to free up, I was presented with the WM1A first. Having listened to my AK320 during my commute to the event location, the WM1A sounded a lot meatier in comparison, with a certain weight added to the sound which slowed down the sonic presentation vis-a-vis the AK. There was a clear comparative deficiency in the resolution and microdetailing, and the treble was markedly more polite and less present than the AK. The overall tonality appeared a touch more neutral and less coloured than the ZX2 while still retaining a whole lot of tonal body (it's still thick and slow sounding relative to the rest of the DAP market), with a healthy rumble in the bass which I did honestly feel shrouded the mids at times. All things considered, at a good 900SGD less than the AK320, I felt that the performance was maybe decent for its price point; losing out against the AK320 in technical performance while besting the AK300 (based on memory and comparisons of the 300 vs the 320) and sitting between both price-wise. Another thing that strikes instantly; the noise floor of the WM1A was a hell lot lower than the ZX2. My Sambas still picked up a clearly audible noise floor, but using similarly sensitive IEMs in the ZX2 would result in a noise floor at least 4-5 times as loud that would intrude into your music. The WM1A (and the Z, as I found out later) are about as noisy as a Questyle QP1R, which should serve most people well save those using very sensitive IEMs, with the noise floor largely disappearing once any music starts playing.
 
I wish I could write a little more about the WM1A as I'm sure that it is the one most of you guys are interested in, but a mere 3 minutes into my WM1A audition, I was interrupted by the friendly staff who handed me a WM1Z. After the glacial card scanning wait was over, I played the same song which was playing on the 1A right before my interruption, and instantly noted the much increased tonal body and richness in the sound, reminiscent of my old ZX2 which was modded by Mezzo Soprano to sound even sweeter and more resolving. Bass had the same rumble as the WM1A yet seemed to intrude less into the rest of the frequency ranges, and treble extension improved over the 1A while still retaining a slightly polite and laid back presentation. What shocked me, however, was the increase in resolution. Yes, it's more resolving than the 1A with a higher degree of microdetail, but the difference is small enough that I started questioning the huge price gulf between the two models; even the AK380Cu offers a bigger performance jump over the standard AK380 for its smaller increase in price (although I do realise that price and value comparisons are rather inane in this corner of the market). Recalling something from my ZX2, I dived into the menus and enabled the option that switches all the sound enhancements off, and the sound cleaned up and got a touch clearer and less veiled. (Regrettably, I did not get the chance to try this with the WM1A simply because I forgot...d'oh.) With that done, I did a swap comparison to my AK320 and the AK380 Black that one of my friends brought, and it soon became clear that the difference in signatures and presentation told the story; the WM1Z is a lot tonally richer than both the AKs, and does come very close to the level of detailing of the AKs...it's just presented in a rich and slightly more laid back and expansive staging such that you have strain slightly harder to pick small details out, contrasted against the more focused, intimate and energetic AK players which make it easier to pick out the tiniest details in your music. At the end of the day, the WM1Z does have a slightly less detailed sound, and the difference, to me at least, is not made up for by it's utterly luscious sound signature; the detail deficiency is not the largest but is yet noticeable and tips my scales back to the AK320. With that said, the player is a decent (if not clearly superior) alternative to the AKs and when compared to the AK380 at 1000SGD more may capture a certain portion of the market looking for a euphonic sound from their gear.
 
With my audition concluded and my mind made up, I shared my thoughts to the staff present and asked them about the units; the local pricing, which is surprisingly good compared to international prices, and about burn in. Ah, burn in. The contentious topic of many flame wars. As ex-ZX2 owners may know, Sony even instructs you to burn the player in the first time you power it up. With that, I do believe that burn in makes drastic improvements to every single part of the equipment chain, as my personal experience has indicated, and myself, together with a bunch of local enthusiasts here in Singapore, even have regular discussions on different methods and tracks used to burn devices, cables and transducers in. [A little bonus, one of the most useful and effective tracks for burn in is available for completely free (and completely legally) on the internet from its creators, Tara Labs...] The staff then told me that the WM1 players at the event were close to brand new and had very little to no run in time on them. This intrigues me as this indicates their distance from the peak of their performance...unfortunately, it doesn't intrigue me enough to sink the cash in for either player to determine how large that distance is for myself.
 
Just my rather long 2 cents. Massive props to Sony for hosting such an event, it was great fun even though I missed the chance to speak to Sony's engineers...
 
*TL;DR - WM1 physical design is ergonomic and well built. WM1Z is ******* heavy. Both players support 3.5mm TRRS. UI is intuitive (but more stuttery and less smooth on WM1A?), but SD card scan speeds are perhaps even slower than ZX2. Both players have the Sony thick and lush house sound, with WM1A being the more neutral of the two but still very bodied and WM1Z being technically better but not by a huge margin. Both have less apparent detail than comparable AK products, largely due to signature and presentation. WM1A IMO represents decent value with SG pricing between that of AK300 and AK320, which is a fair appraisal of its performance to me. WM1Z fails to wow for its price tag but offers a decent alternative to AK380 at 1000SGD less. All impressions are probably not final as both players were fresh and not burnt in, and past experience indicates huge differences in ZX2 post-burn.*


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

> Originally Posted by *Dithyrambes* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I feel really annoyed with Sony actually. They give us balanced and gimp it by forcing you to use 4.4....which you can't use other than their headphone currently. They say Native DSD! but only on the 4.4 jack......but we advise you not use that with any earphones....use 3.5mm......and here I thought we were talking about a DAP for portability and not to lug around hd800's and he1000's. Then they even made their 3.5 TRRS making it annoying for people to have to recable for that.......I don't get their strategy. A 3.3k or even a 1.2k product esp a DAP should be easy to use and sound its best out of the box. You should be able to use all its features easily.....out of the box. All these propriety things needed to even use a function is a PITA.


 
  
 Sony did the right thing by adopting the JEITA 4.4mm standard, as it is exactly that, a new industry standard, so from now on anyone that doesn't use it is in the wrong. Earphones will be fine out of the balanced output, they were only trying to say the single ended output will be powerful enough for any earphone. Nothing to complain about with their TRRS it's L, LG, RG, R.
   





tf10charged said:


> Material = 50usd
> know-how = 2000 usd.


 
  
 How very insightful of you.... Please don't quote huge comments, just quote the first line or something, use some know-how.
  
 And I was clearly talking about differences between 1A vs 1Z being straight swap upgrades, requiring zero "know-how". Did you not realise that after that huge paragraph? I was _not_ talking about the development of the base dap, only the difference between 1A and 1Z.
   





> Originally Posted by *rushofblood* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> The staff then told me that the WM1 players at the event were close to brand new and had very little to no run in time on them.
> Just my rather long 2 cents. Massive props to Sony for hosting such an event, it was great fun even though I missed the chance to speak to Sony's engineers...


 
  
 Interesting read. The take away being, most impressions we've had till now probably haven't been accurate due to lack of burn in.


----------



## Mimouille

cecala said:


> You can crunch the numbers any which way it's still way overpriced or are you trying to justify your pending future purchase?




No, I will probably buy it, maybe I'll buy two, one to use, and one just use as doorstop, and even then, I won't care the least about what you think. I have no issue pointing out overpriced stuff. I do it if I feel it is justified. But you don't have to ramble about it, and lecture people.

I can see by your limited answer that there is nothing much more to be had from you so I will ignore you from now on, and leave you further demonstrate aggressive bitterness alone.


----------



## Whitigir

Amazing, none of the reviews has any TRRS in use, yet.


----------



## Leviticus

rushofbloo said:
			
		

> Just my rather long 2 cents. Massive props to Sony for hosting such an event, it was great fun even though I missed the chance to speak to Sony's engineers...


 
 First of all, thank you very much for your first impression. I wonder why Sony only provided users with "out-of-the-box" models that were not burnt-in. There is a huge improvement in terms of sound quality with the ZX2 after the capacitors are fully charged. Out of the box, my ZX2 sounded almost the same as the ZX1. It remains to be seen how good the WM1 sounds in balanced mode after the device was breaked in.
  
 I think it's fair so say that all reviews based on "fresh" Walkmen are to a certain extent pointless - no offense!


----------



## rushofblood

whitigir said:


> Amazing, none of the reviews has any TRRS in use, yet.


 
 I would have loved to try it out with TRRS, but I neglected to bring my 2.5 TRRS to 3.5 TRRS adaptor cause I wasn't even aware that the WM1 players supported it until I held the player and looked at the jack; it wasn't made clear anywhere in the marketing collateral. Also, 3.5 TRRS is rare in most audio circles as 2.5mm TRRS has become ubiquitous in the long span of time before JEITA made 4.4mm a "standard", blame AK and other brands like Onkyo and ALO for this...
  
 As an aside, I did notice that they had an MMCX Kimber Kable with 4.4mm present at the event, but I don't have any MMCX IEMs, and I did try the Z1R headphone with 4.4mm out of the ES desktop amp, but that was a less than pleasant experience and this is the wrong thread in any case...


----------



## gerelmx1986

rushofblood said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 which one would you pick A or Z?


----------



## rushofblood

gerelmx1986 said:


>


 
 If cost is no object, the WM1Z is a superior choice, with better sound quality across the board (although its signature may be too rich for some). That said, I do think it is priced beyond what most will pay for a DAP, and the WM1A is still a option worthy of consideration for ZX2 owners looking for an upgrade as it clocks in at a price point which I feel reflects its performance well.


----------



## Whitigir

The differences is observable on 3.5 single ended. This differences would be "multiplied" by using TRRS and further more with 4.4mm Balanced. I would take up on Sony that 4.4mm will be superior due to the implementation of the new S-master and the only possibility to play native DSD at 4.4mm. Probably means it will use some more processing prowess ?

But I have witnessed enough that Sony has a soft heart for TRRS and balanced


----------



## Gosod

rushofblood said:


> If cost is no object, the WM1Z is a superior choice, with better sound quality across the board (although its signature may be too rich for some). That said, I do think it is priced beyond what most will pay for a DAP, and the WM1A is still a option worthy of consideration for ZX2 owners looking for an upgrade as it clocks in at a price point which I feel reflects its performance well.


 
It will be on Android?


----------



## gerelmx1986

gosod said:


> rushofblood said:
> 
> 
> > If cost is no object, the WM1Z is a superior choice, with better sound quality across the board (although its signature may be too rich for some). That said, I do think it is priced beyond what most will pay for a DAP, and the WM1A is still a option worthy of consideration for ZX2 owners looking for an upgrade as it clocks in at a price point which I feel reflects its performance well.
> ...


 

 ​No, sony original OS


----------



## nc8000

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]It will be on Android?[/COLOR]




ZX2 is Android (an old version), the new ones are not


----------



## noplsestar

If burn in is so important for Sony DAPs, and then they present their new flagship on a Sony event, you guys really think they did not burn them in? Sorry, but I just can't believe that! There is too much money for them at stake to "forget" to do a proper burn in. Maybe they do burn them in, but just tell everybody that they aren't, so that when the reviews are written and not as good as expected, you can always say "but they where not burned in yet" 
Don't know, maybe this thoughts are ********, but if I were to promote my new gear I would pay a hell lot of attention to making them sound as good as possible when presenting them to a new audience. I just can't believe that they know about it and don't care!


----------



## Subhakar

krayzie said:


> For Japanese products in general, Z stands for Zero or Zenith, which means they have hit a new plateau and can't do any better at this time (i.e. this is as best as it gets).
> 
> For Sony in terms of suffix, 1 is usually reserve for the absolute flagship or a celebration model. I think in modern times, X stands for top of the line.
> 
> Now the prefix denotes the type of product, e.g. NW stands for Network Walkman, MDR stands for Micro Dynamic Receiver.




Sounds very plausible. Thank you.


----------



## Cecala

mimouille said:


> No, I will probably buy it, maybe I'll buy two, one to use, and one just use as doorstop, and even then, I won't care the least about what you think. I have no issue pointing out overpriced stuff. I do it if I feel it is justified. But you don't have to ramble about it, and lecture people.
> 
> I can see by your limited answer that there is nothing much more to be had from you so I will ignore you from now on, and leave you further demonstrate aggressive bitterness alone.


 

 So..........no Christmas card this year. You need to relax no offence was meant. It's called tit for tat.


----------



## Gosod

nc8000 said:


> ZX2 is Android (an old version), the new ones are not


 
this is good, there is another problem, when I raise the volume 28-30 I notice that the sound changes as if the player lacks the power of hope with this new version everything will be different.


----------



## Cecala

> *TL;DR - WM1 physical design is ergonomic and well built. WM1Z is ******* heavy. Both players support 3.5mm TRRS. UI is intuitive (but more stuttery and less smooth on WM1A?), but SD card scan speeds are perhaps even slower than ZX2. Both players have the Sony thick and lush house sound, with WM1A being the more neutral of the two but still very bodied and WM1Z being technically better but not by a huge margin. Both have less apparent detail than comparable AK products, largely due to signature and presentation. WM1A IMO represents decent value with SG pricing between that of AK300 and AK320, which is a fair appraisal of its performance to me. WM1Z fails to wow for its price tag but offers a decent alternative to AK380 at 1000SGD less. All impressions are probably not final as both players were fresh and not burnt in, and past experience indicates huge differences in ZX2 post-burn.*


 
 We are receiving conflicting reports on the UI speed, some say it's fast and some together with yourself say otherwise, did you notice the software version? The card scanning feature is also troublesome, I still say the SOC has not been updated, hope to be proven wrong, although considering we are very close to a release date I'd say you most likely had the final product in hand.
 As a percentage, can you state if you can how much better the Z is over the A?


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> We are receiving conflicting reports on the UI speed, some say it's fast and some together with yourself say otherwise, did you notice the software version? The card scanning feature is also troublesome, I still say the SOC has not been updated, hope to be proven wrong, although considering we are very close to a release date I'd say you most likely had the final product in hand.
> As a percentage, can you state if you can how much better the Z is over the A?


 
 We are also receiveing conflicting sound quality views so better wait for a real proper user review


----------



## proedros

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


>





> *The fact that Sony actually willingly release pics of their models says a lot, they are proud of what they have come up with for 1Z and 1A.* You don't see AK releasing internal photo's of their daps.. and I know why, I've seen inside the AK240 and there is nothing remarkable in there whatsoever, it's like any old iriver, their price tag is a very bad joke.


 
  
  
 great insight there, i grew up with sony walkmans as a little kid back in the 80s , then moved to discman, then moved to minidisc, and always had a soft spot for their products and i am very glad to see them getting back in the ''portable music'' business with such excitement

 SONY deserves to inspire people again like many years ago 
  
 hope 1A sells like hot cake , become their stamp on those times
  
  
 ps : i am very happy with my ZX2 , but also super stoked to try 1A


----------



## purk

rushofblood said:


> If cost is no object, the WM1Z is a superior choice, with better sound quality across the board (although its signature may be too rich for some). That said, I do think it is priced beyond what most will pay for a DAP, and the WM1A is still a option worthy of consideration for ZX2 owners looking for an upgrade as it clocks in at a price point which I feel reflects its performance well.


 
 Thanks for your review.  It is sadden me that Sony still don't know how to market/show case their gear properly.  If the players require a 200-hour burn in then don't start the event until the units are properly burn in.  Second, they tout their players for an impressive balanced output.  Why not have 3 or 4 sets of balanced IEM cables (with various connections) for the attendee to try as well as 4.4 TRRS balanced adapter?  I have high hope with them but they continue to short change themselves with stuff like this.


----------



## Brooko

[Mod Comment]
  
 We keep getting flags on this thread. To do with posts which:
  - are consistently complaining about price - this is subjective.
  - when in debates, starting to attack people rather than debating the point
  - veering off topic
  - speculation from people who are just parroting what other people have said
  
 My issues as Moderator.  If I have to go back and prune every post which contravenes the posting guidelines, I'll be here for a few hours, and the thread could end up being cut to ribbons.
  
*So from this point onward - general warning:*

Keep it on topic please
Price is subjective (perception of value is individual) - can we just drop this line of comment please
If there are any more personal attacks, the party or parties engaging will be ejected from the thread for a while
If you have no intention of buying, havemn't heard it, and are here just to stir things up - please leave the thread.
If it continues, I'll lock it - and then everyone loses
  
 I will be monitoring from this point.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The Links to the WM1-series user manuals have been removed. Tried to look for them in sony-asia, sony USA, and nope


----------



## echineko

gerelmx1986 said:


> The Links to the WM1-series user manuals have been removed. Tried to look for them in sony-asia, sony USA, and nope


 
 I have never seen them work, actually. I've been looking for them periodically for a while now, and haven't seen a working link yet. You actually saw the full manuals before?


----------



## Kiats

rushofblood said:


> If cost is no object, the WM1Z is a superior choice, with better sound quality across the board (although its signature may be too rich for some). That said, I do think it is priced beyond what most will pay for a DAP, and the WM1A is still a option worthy of consideration for ZX2 owners looking for an upgrade as it clocks in at a price point which I feel reflects its performance well.




Thanks to you and Rei87 for your take on the DAPs. It's very helpful at this early stage.


----------



## Mimouille

I think many early reports will say...meeeh...these DAPs are not as detailed as AK DAPs or other such DAPs. This is what I felt at first, but it is totally different presentation. AK DAPs present the music is a thinner way that pushes details forward. The details are more obvious but not necessarily more present. I think it will be for each and everyone to chose what signature they prefer and moreover what pairs best with their iems.


----------



## audionewbi

I'll be worried if the early impressions indicate sound is detailed, sounds of such nature will be fatiguing long term.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> I think many early reports will say...meeeh...these DAPs are not as detailed as AK DAPs or other such DAPs. This is what I felt at first, but it is totally different presentation. AK DAPs present the music is a thinner way that pushes details forward. The details are more obvious but not necessarily more present. I think it will be for each and everyone to chose *what signature they prefer and moreover what pairs best with their iems.*


 

 ​exactly


----------



## jhlin09

rushofblood said:


> With my audition concluded and my mind made up, I shared my thoughts to the staff present and asked them about the units; the local pricing, which is surprisingly good compared to international prices, and about burn in. Ah, burn in. The contentious topic of many flame wars. As ex-ZX2 owners may know, Sony even instructs you to burn the player in the first time you power it up. With that, I do believe that burn in makes drastic improvements to every single part of the equipment chain, as my personal experience has indicated, and myself, together with a bunch of local enthusiasts here in Singapore, even have regular discussions on different methods and tracks used to burn devices, cables and transducers in. [A little bonus, one of the most useful and effective tracks for burn in is available for completely free (and completely legally) on the internet from its creators, Tara Labs...] The staff then told me that the WM1 players at the event were close to brand new and had very little to no run in time on them. This intrigues me as this indicates their distance from the peak of their performance...unfortunately, it doesn't intrigue me enough to sink the cash in for either player to determine how large that distance is for myself.
> 
> Just my rather long 2 cents. Massive props to Sony for hosting such an event, it was great fun even though I missed the chance to speak to Sony's engineers...
> 
> *TL;DR - WM1 physical design is ergonomic and well built. WM1Z is ******* heavy. Both players support 3.5mm TRRS. UI is intuitive (but more stuttery and less smooth on WM1A?), but SD card scan speeds are perhaps even slower than ZX2. Both players have the Sony thick and lush house sound, with WM1A being the more neutral of the two but still very bodied and WM1Z being technically better but not by a huge margin. Both have less apparent detail than comparable AK products, largely due to signature and presentation. WM1A IMO represents decent value with SG pricing between that of AK300 and AK320, which is a fair appraisal of its performance to me. WM1Z fails to wow for its price tag but offers a decent alternative to AK380 at 1000SGD less. All impressions are probably not final as both players were fresh and not burnt in, and past experience indicates huge differences in ZX2 post-burn.*


 


 Hi, what is the local pricing for the WM-1A?


----------



## BartSimpson1976

wow, full quote including pictures just to ask for the local price.


----------



## rushofblood

> AK DAPs present the music is a thinner way that pushes details forward. The details are more obvious but not necessarily more present. I think it will be for each and everyone to chose what signature they prefer and moreover what pairs best with their iems.


 
 I do agree with this sentiment and made it a point in my short impressions; it's not to say that WM1Z does not present the detail, it just does it in a more laid back manner which puts more onus on the listener to deliberately pick them out. I think that AK380/Cu and WM1Z have contrasting signatures that will appeal to different segments of the market.
  


purk said:


> If the players require a 200-hour burn in then don't start the event until the units are properly burn in.  Second, they tout their players for an impressive balanced output.  Why not have 3 or 4 sets of balanced IEM cables (with various connections) for the attendee to try as well as 4.4 TRRS balanced adapter?  I have high hope with them but they continue to short change themselves with stuff like this.


 


noplsestar said:


> If burn in is so important for Sony DAPs, and then they present their new flagship on a Sony event, you guys really think they did not burn them in? Sorry, but I just can't believe that! There is too much money for them at stake to "forget" to do a proper burn in. Maybe they do burn them in, but just tell everybody that they aren't, so that when the reviews are written and not as good as expected, you can always say "but they where not burned in yet"


 
 To be fair, this is par for the course for almost all new audio gear unveils...I wouldn't be surprised to find out that these units were rushed down from Japan with maybe 1 day to go to the event. I failed to clarify if the units present were considered to be final production, and they may be specially crafting small batches for such events...who knows? As for 4.4mm balanced, I don't think Sony would want to craft cables for connectors they don't use such as CIEM 2 pin, which is a shame seeing how much market potential there is for such cables in the early stages of 4.4mm rollout.
  
  
 Quote:


cecala said:


> We are receiving conflicting reports on the UI speed, some say it's fast and some together with yourself say otherwise, did you notice the software version? The card scanning feature is also troublesome, I still say the SOC has not been updated, hope to be proven wrong, although considering we are very close to a release date I'd say you most likely had the final product in hand.
> As a percentage, can you state if you can how much better the Z is over the A?



 I didn't check the software version, unfortunately. The Z is perhaps 15-20% better than the A in terms of sound quality, and I know that does not justify the cost increase for many; at the same time, Sony knows what they're doing with their price scheme as I do know people who consider the WM1Z a good deal in the face of the AK380, myself included...


----------



## jhlin09

bartsimpson1976 said:


> wow, full quote including pictures just to ask for the local price.


 
 My bad, haha!


----------



## gerelmx1986

rushofblood said:


> I do agree with this sentiment and made it a point in my short impressions; it's not to say that WM1Z does not present the detail, it just does it in a more laid back manner which puts more onus on the listener to deliberately pick them out. I think that AK380/Cu and WM1Z have contrasting signatures that will appeal to different segments of the market.


 
 First, don't know if you are into classical music (not modern classical, before XX century is the only i listen to), which player of the sony range 1A or 1Z will be suited for classical music, from orchestral to bigh chorus cantatas, to smaller chamber or soloist instrument Works, intimate madrigals f.e those by Gesualdo for 5 -voices.... thanks (have both 16 and 24-bit from 44.1 to 192KHz)
  
 I like details but not too reference level nor too warm (had a fiio x3 I and i found it to be too warm for me, but had an X1060 DAP too and despite being sony house sound warm, was lush and almost analogue) have a ZX100 right now but i feel it lacks some tonal body of warmth
  
 Thanks
  
 Hint: i am guessing 1A is my best shot based on my tastes


----------



## purk

rushofblood said:


> To be fair, this is par for the course for almost all new audio gear unveils...I wouldn't be surprised to find out that these units were rushed down from Japan with maybe 1 day to go to the event. I failed to clarify if the units present were considered to be final production, and they may be specially crafting small batches for such events...who knows? As for 4.4mm balanced, I don't think Sony would want to craft cables for connectors they don't use such as CIEM 2 pin, which is a shame seeing how much market potential there is for such cables in the early stages of 4.4mm rollout.


 
 If burn in is more crucial to their players compared to others, then they should have done that and it is to their benefits.  They can easily invest a grand for various type of CIEM cables and have them terminated with 4.4 balanced jack just to show case the surpeior balanced output.  These cables will likely pay for themselves given potential buyers may buy the player on spot.  I mean the biggest selling point to these two Walkmen is the sound from balanced output correct?  Also, they should also sell a balanced adaptor (4.4. balanced to 4 pin XLR) on a spot.  I sure hope that new balanced plug is available to a DIY community soon as I would love to listen to my full-size headphones from it.


----------



## rushofblood

gerelmx1986 said:


> First, don't know if you are into classical music (not modern classical, before XX century is the only i listen to), which player of the sony range 1A or 1Z will be suited for classical music, from orchestral to bigh chorus cantatas, to smaller chamber or soloist instrument Works, intimate madrigals f.e those by Gesualdo for 5 -voices.... thanks (have both 16 and 24-bit from 44.1 to 192KHz)
> 
> I like details but not too reference level nor too warm (had a fiio x3 I and i found it to be too warm for me, but had an X1060 DAP too and despite being sony house sound warm, was lush and almost analogue) have a ZX100 right now but i feel it lacks some tonal body of warmth
> 
> ...


 
 I don't listen to classical music at all; with that said, based on what you've written the WM1A is more up your alley, and you already seem to be leaning towards that anyway.
  


purk said:


> If burn in is more crucial to their players compared to others, then they should have done that and it is to their benefits.  They can easily invest a grand for various type of CIEM cables and have them terminated with 4.4 balanced jack just to show case the surpeior balanced output.  These cables will likely pay for themselves given potential buyers may buy the player on spot.  I mean the biggest selling point to these two Walkmen is the sound from balanced output correct?  Also, they should also sell a balanced adaptor (4.4. balanced to 4 pin XLR) on a spot.  I sure hope that new balanced plug is available to a DIY community soon as I would love to listen to my full-size headphones from it.


 
 Totally agree, although many burn in sceptics still exist and apparently even Sony doesn't seen to think that the WM1s need it all that much (based on @Rei87's conversation with their engineers). Yes, it would be good for the big, reputable plug brands like Oyaide and Furutech to jump on the 4.4mm bandwagon with high quality plugs...


----------



## Rei87

To be precise, the engineer did say that burn will help, but do not expect a world of difference. The base sound we heard then, probably won't deviate too much even after a year of use.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

rei87 said:


> To be precise, the engineer did say that burn will help, but do not expect a world of difference. The base sound we heard then, probably won't deviate too much even after a year of use.


 
  
 Doesn't really make sense to me though as these daps use the same charge pump circuit design as prior Sony's which relies on 4x polymer capacitors forming the output that would need break in, unless the new FT caps are somehow indifferent to that, it still doesn't explain for the 1A which uses a handful of OS-CON's in it's power supply that would need some_ _breaking in at least.
  
 I guess we'll wait and see if Sony prescribes burn in for this dap, if they do that guarantees there will be drastic changes as usual, because Sony wouldn't bother stating a controversial -Use for 100 hours to achieve desired sound- if it was going to have barely any effect.


----------



## Kiats

rei87 said:


> To be precise, the engineer did say that burn will help, but do not expect a world of difference. The base sound we heard then, probably won't deviate too much even after a year of use.




I would agree with that observation of the engineer: I don't think anyone should expect the fundamental sonic character to change with the accretion of time. Certain parts like the bass may tighten and perhaps the trebles may be less spiky, but the basic structure should remain.


----------



## Whitigir

The capacitors really need burn-in, and it brings a world differences. If those engineers who mentioned that need no burn-in or not much differences ? They don't deserve the tittle, or working with audio gears. Coming from Zx2 with only 7 OS-Con, it needed 250 hours and Sony stated 100 hours needed....coming from Pha-3 ? It needed 500 hours. I wouldn't be surprised if these A/Z needs around 350 hours at all. It is very real that Capacitors needs burn-in and even for other applications where accuracy is a must (from engineering perspective, leakage % is real, and when such accuracy is needed, the capacitors has to mature first). 

It is good to know that from Single ended and the Z has 15-20% improvements to the A....using TRRS or balanced should bring this number up to 30-35% ? Heck, that is significantly different. Thanks for the clarification and good impression. I am still waiting for a proper review from TRRS and or balanced 

Regarding what comes in the box ? I do not see why Sony had been using 3.5mm TRRS all a long, and not even include a 3.5mm TRRS to 4.4mm balanced adaptor......Sony marketing is sad....

*my real question* while being digital transport, Zx2 battery significantly reduced to around 6-7 hours, what about 1A/Z ? Especially with Native DSD processing .


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

whitigir said:


> It is good to know that from Single ended and the Z has 15-20% improvements to the A....using TRRS or balanced should bring this number up to 30-35% ? Heck, that is significantly different.


 


whitigir said:


> SE is not as efficient TRS, when TRRS is more efficient, and balance has the best efficiency...therefore, the biggest change from Z to A can be heard via 4.4mm Balanced port quiet easily....and the differences should not be too much using SE as it is not as efficient as the others
> 
> That would be regardless if both balanced circuitry on Z and A has the same counts of FT capacitors, the efficiency here would net every different components into a huge lum sum and the change in audio will be "very obvious"


 
  
 Firstly we haven't had concrete impressions on these daps yet (burn in/short event impressions), for there to be accurate percentages given, let alone percentage opinions being bs on their own. Plus your talking as if there is some huge bottle neck in the 1A, well there isn't, it uses a few less FT complemented by OS-CON, a few less Fine Sound complemented by MELF, and Al instead of Cu (but both use 2 Cu grounding plates). The bigger (yet still small) difference between these parts is tonality, while the actual quality difference is even smaller, the 1Z parts are fuller bodied, more acoustic and natural,(according to Sony engineers) possibly a bit more resolution overall, while the secondary 1A parts are more stark in tonality, think ZX2 tonality, but 1A is equally complemented by the 1Z parts to place 1A far closer to 1Z given the identical lay out and component use in key areas.
  
 It's already been mentioned by some that the tonality difference between 1A and 1Z is not as big as these changes make out to be, balanced output by nature might allow you to easier hear the slightly differing tonality between 1Z and 1A. The balanced 1Z will further refine and tame it's full-bodied/natural tonality, while 1A balanced will also refine it's less full bodied sound (yet still far more full bodied than most competing daps according to impressions), maybe balanced 1Z could subjectively overtake balanced 1A in some bs made up percent, but imo your kidding yourself if you think balanced 1Z will somehow leave balanced 1A in the dust. I'm not going to further argue with you on this as we are essentially talking fluff to each other, just wanted my opinion in the mix.
  
 What I'm not sure on is how Al and Cu chassis will affect the overall sound, if Cu does significantly drop the grounding resistance then I guess it could provide a certain overall improvement (for both single end/balanced), but it wouldn't get intensified in balanced though, as far as I'm aware single ended could benefit more from a drop in ground resistance than balanced.
  
 Just to be clear, everyone ditch AK and buy 1Z or 1A. Thank you.


----------



## Headzone

I hate it when people say something sounds "warm" like it was a good quality. To me it reminds of this kind of bloomy, mushing all the detail kind of "audiophile" sound.


----------



## fish1050

When it comes to the issue of burn in with electronic components everything is proportional.  On high end home equipment burn in can make a significant difference.  On portable device you typically have more IC based components and fewer more compact capacitors and resistors which should form quicker.
  
 I would think that burn in is more critical with headphones because of the drivers.  If you buy a DAP and a new set of headphones to go with it and you feel the sound improves with burn in I would wager the greater improvement in what you hear will come from the headphones vs the DAP.


----------



## fish1050

headzone said:


> I hate it when people say something sounds "warm" like it was a good quality. To me it reminds of this kind of bloomy, mushing all the detail kind of "audiophile" sound.


 
 Warmer sound was associated with higher end audio for a very long time and I am of that generation.  I see the merits of the more neutral cleaner sound more typical of today's audio products but  there are caveats. Warmer sounding equipment tends to be more forgiving to the lower quality compressed music we hear today.  It tends to smooth out the roughness where as the leaner sounding equipment is less forgiving and tends to highlight the lower quality of the track at least to me.


----------



## Mmet

I have an RSA Predator and that thing needs burning in like a hell !!! and takes a very long time too !! and had really weird moods from harsh and plain sound to a warm with very meaty and musical bass and sound quality !!! .. this is my first audio device that makes me believe in burning in an electronic device , caps and these things !
 then came my A10 ... and while no word on burning in that device in the internet  but it shows some signs of change too after a long period of usage not like the predators extreme mood swings but noticeable too from out of the box listening 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 so i know that burning in a device is real ... usually small changes sometimes big .. depends on the device and the person who use it


----------



## Whitigir

Review of the ES desktop amp and some mentions about 1Z. Surprisingly the guy praise 1Z is "value of money" and not just gold-plated gimmick
Need more accurate translation
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A//unwire.hk/2016/09/30/sony-ta-zh1es/review-2/


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

whitigir said:


> Review of the ES desktop amp and some mentions about 1Z. Surprisingly the guy praise 1Z is "value of money" and not just gold-plated gimmick
> Need more accurate translation
> https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A//unwire.hk/2016/09/30/sony-ta-zh1es/review-2/


 
  
 You misinterpreted that due to the misleading way the heading translates. The heading which mentions WM1Z and "value for money" is actually referring to the ZH1ES sounding more natural than WM1Z and being better value for money. The review also says ZH1ES sound signature falls between the two daps, neither as neutral as WM1A or as warm as WM1Z. It's not exactly surprising that the ZH1ES is better than the daps. What _is_ surprising is that WM1Z and AK380 cost more than a superior product like ZH1ES.


----------



## Whitigir

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> You misinterpreted that due to the misleading way the heading translates. The heading which mentions WM1Z and "value for money" is actually referring to the ZH1ES sounding more natural than WM1Z and being better value for money. The review also says [COLOR=333333]ZH1ES sound signature falls between the two daps, neither as "bland" as WM1A or as "thick" as WM1Z which was "a bit too tired" sounding. It's not exactly surprising that the ZH1ES is better than the daps. What _is_ surprising is that WM1Z and AK380 cost more than a superior product like ZH1ES.[/COLOR]




That is because "portability", can you carry the ES around listening on the go ? Nah...unless u also bring a transformer and a battery backpack as well. I would be happy just so long as the 1Z does better than zx2+pha3...hopefully.


----------



## Leviticus

I'm really intrigued by the desktop amplfier. Maybe I should stick to my ZX2 and buy the ES.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

whitigir said:


> That is because "portability", can you carry the ES around listening on the go ? Nah...unless u also bring a transformer and a battery backpack as well.


 
  
 Haha, but _no_. Portability is no reason to over price something, portable products are far cheaper to manufacture than desktop gear. Pricing should be based primarily on development costs and secondarily on competition, but when the competition is AK succeeding in the market with unreasonable pricing, it's a no brainer to follow suit to cash in, development cost ratio be damned, just up the price till the consumer's eyes water, then up it a tad more and bam that's your sweet-spot lol. I could work for AK.


----------



## corius

I thought the Moderator had asked people to stop discussing price? Four "prices" in four lines, not including the odd "cost", "cheaper" and "cash"


----------



## Whitigir

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Haha, but _no_. Portability is no reason to over price something, portable products are far cheaper to manufacture than desktop gear. Pricing should be based primarily on development costs and secondarily on competition, but when the competition is AK succeeding in the market with unreasonable pricing, it's a no brainer to follow suit to cash in, development cost ratio be damned, just up the price till the consumer's eyes water, then up it a tad more and bam that's your sweet-spot lol. I could work for AK.



.

Again, if you adore desktop gears that much, no body is stopping you. If you are not interested in portability and DAP ? Particularly Sony, there are plenty other threads to post on.

For now, we have to eat up what Sony is asking for their product on their own R&D according to our desire, until someone else could copy the same thing at the same quality and produce it for so cheap, like yourself for example, you seem to be good at analyzing materials and costs, you can copy it and sell at your price. I will fully support your stand and buy every new device you produce.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

^
 Actually there was ibasso DX50 at the time of AK100, I would take the ibasso. But I know what you mean, AK might have been the reason some of the other big players (re)entered the game.
  
 I already said I'm getting the 1A. I just think these discussions are healthy for the community perspective, but some people only want hype...


----------



## nc8000

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Actually there was ibasso DX50 at the time of AK100, I would take the ibasso. But I know what you mean, AK might have been the reason some of the other big players (re)entered the game.
> 
> I already said I'm getting the 1A. I just think these discussions are healthy for the community perspective, but some people only want hype...




Well Brooko (moderator) specifically asked for no more discussion involving pricing of theese daps and warned that people who continued that subject would be banned from the thread so he don't find the subject relevant and has the power to enforce his opinion


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

Well then get posting to bury these posts a few pages back so they don't see them :/ I'm going to sleep now anyway.


----------



## Whitigir

Forget it, I myself can not wait for the release of these big guys


----------



## Brooko

[Moderator Comment]
  
 Evidently a couple thought my warning (less than 24 hours ago) was just a joke or did not apply to them.  I can assure you, I am now reading every post in this this thread, and will do so until the "flagged" activity ceases.
  
 T.R.A.N.C.E. will now be taking a holiday from the thread for a while.  I would prefer not to have to continue active moderation - IE would prefer if everyone simply followed the rules.
  
*Refer my previous post* - for anyone who is unaware of what constitutes proper thread etiquette


----------



## Whitigir

brooko said:


> [Moderator Comment]
> 
> Evidently a couple thought my warning (less than 24 hours ago) was just a joke or did not apply to them.  I can assure you, I am now reading every post in this this thread, and will do so until the "flagged" activity ceases.
> 
> ...




Thank you ! Such a relieve. I had been waiting for something like the Z for so so long, and yet for the last month of it....it seems forever, oh my ghosts...the wait


----------



## Mmet

I waited for something like the 1A dedicated only to audio quality as a Walkman should be ... Unfortunately it passes the 1k $ hoped it was priced down that limit ... But if I can afford one will get it for sake of old days with my awesome sounding diskman ... Waiting money and most importantly a serious reviews and comparisons specially with dedicated dac- amps at that price bracket


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> When it comes to the issue of burn in with electronic components everything is proportional.  On high end home equipment burn in can make a significant difference.  On portable device you typically have more IC based components and fewer more compact capacitors and resistors which should form quicker.
> 
> I would think that burn in is more critical with headphones because of the drivers.  If you buy a DAP and a new set of headphones to go with it and you feel the sound improves with burn in I would wager the greater improvement in what you hear will come from the headphones vs the DAP.


 

 ​I did note Sonic changes when burning my ZX100, opening up more and more, don't remember for sure other details, but yep i Heard changes. With my HA-2 it was less evident, my A17 don't rmemeber for sure but i think yes i did note changes. with ehadphones i do note changes when i burned my Z5 and A3
  
 My A17 settled in 150h
 ZX100 settled in 200h
 A3 in 30h
 Z5 in 50h
 HA-2 forgot
 MDR-Z7 to be defined when i purchase these


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​I did note Sonic changes when burning my ZX100, opening up more and more, don't remember for sure other details, but yep i Heard changes. With my HA-2 it was less evident, my A17 don't rmemeber for sure but i think yes i did note changes. with ehadphones i do note changes when i burned my Z5 and A3
> 
> My A17 settled in 150h
> ZX100 settled in 200h
> ...


 
 Oh I agree I hear small sonic differences to,on DAP's though less so vs home equipment and headphones.  But I don't think portable DAP's need that much burn in to reach its optimal sound quality.  I got my B&W headphones and my A17 at the same time so they got broken in together.  The sound quality did improve with burn in but moreso from the headphones than the DAP.


----------



## gerelmx1986

rushofblood said:


> I don't listen to classical music at all; with that said, based on what you've written the WM1A is more up your alley, and you already seem to be leaning towards that anyway.


 
 Thanks a lot for your reply, oh well, dang... By what i have read, seems by the descriptions of the A and Z, seems the A covers more my listening style, a bit neutralish, with some warmth and tonal body to it, the teeble part doesn't worry me at all if they say despite being polite, it still has the resolution... (i am not that kind of classical music listener who thinks overemphazoed trebles are the way to go), yet noy saying i do like bassy sound... just don't like extremes (too bassy too warm too trebbly, too lifeless no no)
  
 Hope other users who had already demoed both or those who will attend the Canjam festival will kindly for me compare these players with classics or tell me from memory if one of the two is more worth for my listening skills.
  
 Sometimes i don't know how to describe sound character with the words f.e of @Brooko or other expert reviewers, and that0s my big flop so sorry if sometimes seem i contardict or sound ood, but i prefer err, don't know if correct term for balanced sound, (no, no reference level in the sense of trebblish like HD800!) Organic, natural, lush sound [?].
  
 My zx100 sounds way bright if paired with wrong IEM, my A3 made it sound brighty, harsh at times, not to say my MDR-1R didnt pair well with it, and that sony japan graphic representing the three amigos ZX100, 1A and 1Z, i could conclude the following despite having zero japanese knowledge
  
 zx100 was mastered for Pop music (possibly classical music if we take the sterotype of bright sound "HD800")
 1Z on the other corner of the boxing ring seems to be engineered to sound more (hate to use this term as sound is alreadya nalogue) "analogue" err warm, sounding player like  a zx2 or fiio x3
 in the middle 1A seems to be the mix (best of both worlds) of both sounds, neutral, with a warmth to add musicality...  like the x1060 ?
  
 I know in sonics the importan factors of final sound ouput being subjective as brooko says about pricing.. The circuit, YOUR HEADPHONES and the recording and to some extent the files (dont want to throw flame wars of FLAC vs MP3 here)


----------



## regit

1. I planned to buy 1A, I will therefore ridicule and downplay whatever differences there is between 1A and 1Z to justify my decision being the right one, even when I have not heard either of the player.

2. I planned to buy 1Z, I will therefore glorify and romanticise whatever differences there is between 1A and 1Z to justify my decision being the right one, even when I have not heard either of the player.

3. I planned to buy neither 1A nor 1Z, I will therefore ridicule the ability of the concerned company to design, produce and market a product that is keeping up with current trend in features and price point.... Even when I have not heard either of the player.

Did I miss anything thus far?

Edit: forgot to mention that I belong to group 1... Bring it on you 1Z huggers!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I remmeber posts back i think before brooko got on his nerves by the pricey discussion... some stated slow SD card scan speeds
  
 My ZX100 with full 128G storage and full micro SD 200G took to scan it all both memories about 5-10 minutes, which seems faster tan my ex-FiiO x3 1st gen. which took on a 128GB sd card + 8GB internal full... 24 minutes


----------



## echineko

regit said:


> 1. I planned to buy 1A, I will therefore ridicule and downplay whatever differences there is between 1A and 1Z to justify my decision being the right one, even when I have not heard either of the player.
> 
> 2. I planned to buy 1Z, I will therefore glorify and romanticise whatever differences there is between 1A and 1Z to justify my decision being the right one, even when I have not heard either of the player.
> 
> ...



Lulz! That's about an accurate summary so far, with the addition of

4. I've been lucky enough to actually listen to 1A and/or 1Z, and immediately get attacked for my opinions by people in categories 1,2 or 3 

Still, things are way more settled now, and more people are actually getting to hear these every week. Good times!


----------



## Cecala

echineko said:


> Lulz! That's about an accurate summary so far, with the addition of
> 
> 4. I've been lucky enough to actually listen to 1A and/or 1Z, and immediately get attacked for my opinions by people in categories 1,2 or 3
> 
> ...


 

 Very nice.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Amazon germany says the 1Z will be released on oktober 4... no words for 1A... hmmm I wanted to autogift one to my self as bday gift 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




​... if no A is released by them then i get as a self christmas gift From me To me


----------



## Cecala

gerelmx1986 said:


> Amazon germany says the 1Z will be released on oktober 4... no words for 1A... hmmm I wanted to autogift one to my self as bday gift
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Don't do it man, the first ones are always faulty.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> Don't do it man, the first ones are always faulty.


 
 Oh, thanks for my reminder LOL, i did this with the ZX100 and i got as you described, a faulty unit, better not get the story repeated with a $1K device


----------



## purk

Plus it is a capped unit.  You really should wait for the US or north american unit.


----------



## echineko

purk said:


> Plus it is a capped unit.  You really should wait for the US or north american unit.



So to be clear, this volume cap has been confirmed, and cannot be easily disabled? Anyone have a source on this?


----------



## AnakChan

echineko said:


> So to be clear, this volume cap has been confirmed, and cannot be easily disabled? Anyone have a source on this?


 

 I've just checked with the Sony lead NW-WM1Z/A designer/engineer, yes it does as it's required by EU law.

 They obviously can't say anything about it being disabled.


----------



## echineko

anakchan said:


> I've just checked with the Sony lead NW-WM1Z/A designer/engineer, yes it does as it's required by EU law.
> 
> 
> They obviously can't say anything about it being disabled.



That's.. unfortunate, to say the least. Any indication if there's any effect with regards to sound quality? I'm assuming no, but that's just speculation on my part.


----------



## Mimouille

regit said:


> 1. I planned to buy 1A, I will therefore ridicule and downplay whatever differences there is between 1A and 1Z to justify my decision being the right one, even when I have not heard either of the player.
> 
> 2. I planned to buy 1Z, I will therefore glorify and romanticise whatever differences there is between 1A and 1Z to justify my decision being the right one, even when I have not heard either of the player.
> 
> ...


I plan to buy the 1Z and therefore have long given up on rationalizating my purchase and trusting in my own mental health (that's me).


----------



## AnakChan

echineko said:


> That's.. unfortunate, to say the least. Any indication if there's any effect with regards to sound quality? I'm assuming no, but that's just speculation on my part.


 
  
 It's a fair question. I don't know if that has been discussed before (I don't read the threads as closely as I used to).
  
 I gather whatever method volume cap is put into the EU distributed NW-WM1Z would be the same that's been applied to past Walkman and other branded DAPs distributed to EU. If those didn't have any impact to FR shift, then I wouldn't expect any shift in the 1Z and 1A too.
  
 Anyhow, you shouldn't have to worry with your location...unless you plan to pick up a DAP from the EU?


----------



## echineko

anakchan said:


> It's a fair question. I don't know if that has been discussed before (I don't read the threads as closely as I used to).
> 
> I gather whatever method volume cap is put into the EU distributed NW-WM1Z would be the same that's been applied to past Walkman and other branded DAPs distributed to EU. If those didn't have any impact to FR shift, then I wouldn't expect any shift in the 1Z and 1A too.
> 
> Anyhow, you shouldn't have to worry with your location...unless you plan to pick up a DAP from the EU?



Well, the initial plan was to pick up a unit the next time I'm in Tokyo, but it seems the screen menus will now only be Japanese, which I can deal with, but no one else in my family will get 

So the next option would be Europe, as I know someone who travels there regularly (plus the VAT rebate would be a nice bonus). But now I'm a bit hesitant, unless there's no change in the sound. I use my current ZX2 almost exclusively with IEMs, and never had issues with volume, so I expect it to be the same.


----------



## Rei87

echineko said:


> Lulz! That's about an accurate summary so far, with the addition of
> 
> 4. I've been lucky enough to actually listen to 1A and/or 1Z, and immediately get attacked for my opinions by people in categories 1,2 or 3
> 
> ...


 


 5. I've been lucky enough to actually listen to both units, and immediately get attacked by people in category 1,2,3 &4.


----------



## purk

anakchan said:


> It's a fair question. I don't know if that has been discussed before (I don't read the threads as closely as I used to).
> 
> I gather whatever method volume cap is put into the EU distributed NW-WM1Z would be the same that's been applied to past Walkman and other branded DAPs distributed to EU. If those didn't have any impact to FR shift, then I wouldn't expect any shift in the 1Z and 1A too.
> 
> Anyhow, you shouldn't have to worry with your location...unless you plan to pick up a DAP from the EU?


 
 It did when I bought the A867 from England and then bought the US A865 to compare because the England unit just didn't sound right to my ears.  The A865 was definitely more dynamics sounding but that was nearly 3 generations ago.  I'm not sure if this still hold true today.  I certainly hope not.


----------



## proedros

i have been reading these *2 great books about SONY* , you can find them dirt cheap used/like new on amazon

  
 Sony: A Private Life Paperback – April 5, 2001 by John Nathan  

Named one of the best business books of the year (by Fortune and Newsweek), SONY is the "intimate biography of one of the world's leading electronics giants" (San Francisco Chronicle) as well as one of the most fascinating and complex of all corporate stories. Drawing on his unmatched expertise in Japanese culture and on unique, unlimited access to Sony's inner sanctum, John Nathan traces Sony's evolution from its inauspicious beginnings amid Tokyo's bomb-scarred ruins to its current worldwide success. "Richly detailed and revealing" (Wall Street Journal), the book examines both the outward successes and, as never before, the mysterious inner workings that have always characterized this company's top ranks. The result is "a different kind of business book, showing how personal relationships shaped one of the century's great global corporations" (Fortune).
  
*https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Private-Life-John-Nathan/dp/0618126945/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1475473848&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=sony+theprivate+life*


  
  
 Made in Japan  Paperback – October 1, 1987 

by Akio Morita (Author)

Akio Morita's autobiography provides an insight into the rise of Sony and the mind and methods of one of the world's most powerful and successful businessmen.
  
  
*https://www.amazon.com/Made-Japan-Plume-Akio-Morita/dp/0452259878/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1475473981&sr=8-3*


----------



## cthomas

gerelmx1986 said:


> I remmeber posts back i think before brooko got on his nerves by the pricey discussion... some stated slow SD card scan speeds
> 
> My ZX100 with full 128G storage and full micro SD 200G took to scan it all both memories about 5-10 minutes, which seems faster tan my ex-FiiO x3 1st gen. which took on a 128GB sd card + 8GB internal full... 24 minutes




Do you mean the first time you load music on to the Walkman? Or every time you turn on the Walkman?


----------



## Cecala

anakchan said:


> I've just checked with the Sony lead NW-WM1Z/A designer/engineer, yes it does as it's required by EU law.
> 
> They obviously can't say anything about it being disabled.


 

 Since you have access to this person are you able to ask if the Soc/Cpu has been updated?


----------



## AnakChan

cecala said:


> Since you have access to this person are you able to ask if the Soc/Cpu has been updated?


 
  
 I can ask but can't guarantee if he'll share, or if I can share if he shared with me :-

 Q1) What's Soc, and
 Q2) updated from what? Updated from ZX2?


----------



## Cecala

anakchan said:


> I can ask but can't guarantee if he'll share, or if I can share if he shared with me :-
> 
> Q1) What's Soc, and
> Q2) updated from what? Updated from ZX2?


 

 A system on chip (SOC) is an integrated circuit (IC) that integrates all components of a computer or other electronic system into a single chip.
 Essentially a CPU and yes updated from the ZX2. I ask because of the different opinions we're received with regards to UI speed. Sony did state they ditched Android because of lagging UI and slow startup/scanning on the ZX2. The SOC/CPU among other tasks handles these functions. I remember playing with a persons phone right at the time I bought my ZX2 and it was also a Sony and coincidentally also had the exact same version of Android. The only difference on the phone was it had a Snapdragon SOC and the speed was incredible. We're talking comparing a Copper mini to a Lambo.
 Thanks if you can ask and share here.


----------



## AnakChan

Ah ok, CPU. Out of curiosity does ZX2 SonyOS too or Android (I think it uses Android if it's the same as ZX1 which I used to own).

Which leads to how much value would the info provide of what CPU it uses if other variables are at play, such as :-

1) the OS is different
2) no information of what revision the SonyOS for every 1Z review with differing performances that's gone out there 

Sorry if I'm being picky but I want to make sure I'm not just randomly asking questions to the engineer annoying him along the way.


----------



## nc8000

anakchan said:


> Ah ok, CPU. Out of curiosity does ZX2 SonyOS too or Android (I think it uses Android if it's the same as ZX1 which I used to own).
> 
> Which leads to how much value would the info provide of what CPU it uses if other variables are at play, such as :-
> 
> ...




ZX2 is Android


----------



## Dithyrambes

Anak could you ask if it possible to kill the whole sound enhancement process and not just disable it? The sony zx2 sounds so different with just the sound adjustment disabled versus the whole process terminated from running. Since it isnt open android and closed on the 1a and 1z i wonder if it is at all possible


----------



## thanatosguan

dithyrambes said:


> Anak could you ask if it possible to kill the whole sound enhancement process and not just disable it? The sony zx2 sounds so different with just the sound adjustment disabled versus the whole process terminated from running. Since it isnt open android and closed on the 1a and 1z i wonder if it is at all possible


 
 There's Direct mode in the settings when I was fiddling with the 1Z/1A and switching it on creates tangible changes to the sound (presumably all the DSPs turning off)
  
 The description says it's a one step process to *disable *all sound settings.


----------



## nanaholic

FWIW the ZX1/ZX2 uses OMAP 4 Coretex-A9 dual core SoC made by Texas Instruments 
  
 http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/682328.html
  
 OMAP used to be better than Qualcomm's offerings, but Texas Instruments had pretty much pulled out of the SoC game, it wouldn't surprise me if Sony went for a low end and power efficient SnapDragon SoC like a SD200 or 400 series, which would be quite sufficient to run a very lean and optimized Linux based OS but would lag like crazy with the latest bloated Android builds.


----------



## Cecala

nanaholic said:


> FWIW the ZX1/ZX2 uses OMAP 4 Coretex-A9 dual core SoC made by Texas Instruments
> 
> http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/682328.html
> 
> OMAP used to be better than Qualcomm's offerings, but Texas Instruments had pretty much pulled out of the SoC game, it wouldn't surprise me if Sony went for a low end and power efficient SnapDragon SoC like a SD200 or 400 series, which would be quite sufficient to run a very lean and optimized Linux based OS but would lag like crazy with the latest bloated Android builds.


 

 Thanks for that although whatever their using in the current ZX2 offering it is very under powered and needs to be updated even if their using what Sony calls original OS.


----------



## nanaholic

cecala said:


> Thanks for that although whatever their using in the current ZX2 offering it is very under powered and needs to be updated even if their using what Sony calls original OS.


 
  
 Whether it is under-powered depends on the purpose of the OS.
  
 The ZX2 had a dual 2GHz A9 cores paired with 2GB of RAM - FWIW that spec running something lean like Windows Phone OS it flies like nothing and is faster than the equivalent Android.  For a pure music player you really don't need the current Quad/Octa core SD configuration with Big/small architecture which would just be a waste of battery life. Something more like Apple's fast dual core setup with excellent single thread performance is actually more optimal for specialised/non-multi-tasking environments.  
  
 EDIT: The iPhone runs on a dual core with 1 or 2G RAM configuration for years, and its single thread performance nearly always spanks flagship Androids from the same year and UX is always rated higher than Android.  Android by default is just an inefficient OS period and if you go Android it means you'll have to be prepared to throw lots of CPU power at the OS to compensate for its lack of efficiency.


----------



## Whitigir

Zx2 processing unit is sufficient, but android never is. That was the reason why I rather Sony stocked with Walkman OS, and guess what ? They do now with WM


----------



## cthomas

Performance wise, the 1A will out-do my Sony UDA-1... Maybe I don't even need a desktop amp/dac.


----------



## Whitigir

cthomas said:


> Performance wise, the 1A will out-do my Sony UDA-1... Maybe I don't even need a desktop amp/dac.




I dream of a portable player that can outdo Desktop system....


----------



## Cecala

nanaholic said:


> Whether it is under-powered depends on the purpose of the OS.
> 
> The ZX2 had a dual 2GHz A9 cores paired with 2GB of RAM - FWIW that spec running something lean like Windows Phone OS it flies like nothing and is faster than the equivalent Android.  For a pure music player you really don't need the current Quad/Octa core SD configuration with Big/small architecture which would just be a waste of battery life. Something more like Apple's fast dual core setup with excellent single thread performance is actually more optimal for specialised/non-multi-tasking environments.
> 
> EDIT: The iPhone runs on a dual core with 1 or 2G RAM configuration for years, and its single thread performance nearly always spanks flagship Androids from the same year and UX is always rated higher than Android.  Android by default is just an inefficient OS period and if you go Android it means you'll have to be prepared to throw lots of CPU power at the OS to compensate for its lack of efficiency.


 
 I hope the new Sony Original OS is lean and runs fast.
  


whitigir said:


> Zx2 processing unit is sufficient, but android never is. That was the reason why I rather Sony stocked with Walkman OS, and guess what ? They do now with WM


 
  
 Well OK.....considering the example I gave in a previous post, how is it the Sony phone ate through the very same version of Android which is on the ZX2............vastly more powerful Soc. I hope the 1A/Z have an updated variant.


----------



## MattTCG

whitigir said:


> I dream of a portable player that can outdo Desktop system....


 
  
 I'd be happy if the 1A can get me close in performance to a mid-fi desktop setup.


----------



## Whitigir

matttcg said:


> I'd be happy if the 1A can get me close in performance to a mid-fi desktop setup.




Zx2 and pha3 will replace a mid-tier desktop , so I am hoping A or Z will too


----------



## MattTCG

whitigir said:


> Zx2 and pha3 will replace a mid-tier desktop
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 True, but I have no plans to buy a pha3.


----------



## Cecala

Considering how heavy these units are now, I think we can safely call the 1A/Z a portable desktop Dap.


----------



## purk

cecala said:


> Considering how heavy these units are now, I think we can safely call the 1A/Z a portable desktop Dap.


 
 Just the 1Z that is too heavy.  1A is still very much pocket friendly.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cthomas said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I remmeber posts back i think before brooko got on his nerves by the pricey discussion... some stated slow SD card scan speeds
> ...


first time only. 
After that is instantaneous, even after adding (removing) some music


----------



## gerelmx1986

I remember in older Walkman players using Sony OS, there was a secret menu (service mode) that could be accessed with a combo of button presses. 

Don't remember if some one could disable the European volume cap on those


----------



## Zakalwe

gerelmx1986 said:


> I remember in older Walkman players using Sony OS, there was a secret menu (service mode) that could be accessed with a combo of button presses.
> 
> Don't remember if some one could disable the European volume cap on those




Indeed, you could - some of these combos were collected here: http://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.se/2011/01/service-menu-access.html
Seems to have gotten harder over the years. Also, there is the question of how closely these OS versions were related to the current ones. For example, the software running on some basic flash player with minimal display might hardly warrant the name "operating system". They were all Sony's software and thus "Sony OS" in a sense, but they might not have any code in common at all, so what worked on the past might not work today.


----------



## gerelmx1986

zakalwe said:


> Indeed, you could - some of these combos were collected here: http://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.se/2011/01/service-menu-access.html
> Seems to have gotten harder over the years. Also, there is the question of how closely these OS versions were related to the current ones. For example, the software running on some basic flash player with minimal display might hardly warrant the name "operating system". They were all Sony's software and thus "Sony OS" in a sense, but they might not have any code in common at all, so what worked on the past might not work today.


yes maybe this Sony new OS, is all different than the one in zx100 which maybe slightly different to the one in the A10/20


----------



## nanaholic

cecala said:


> Well OK.....considering the example I gave in a previous post, how is it the Sony phone ate through the very same version of Android which is on the ZX2............vastly more powerful Soc. I hope the 1A/Z have an updated variant.


 
  
 OTOH I don't think the phone would be able to play 60 hrs of mp3 even with all the radios off compared with the ZX2.
  
 However there's still something magical about Sony's claimed 15hrs of native DSD playback on their 250mW+250mW balanced output and 40 hrs of hi-res FLAC.  If all the technical choices they made (ditching Android and go their own OS, sticking with S-Master architecture, perhaps a sticking to a dual core low-powered SoC to run the leaner OS etc) is what adds up to this battery performance then I'm not going to challenge them for that decision but instead welcomes it with open arms.  One of the reasons I bought a DAP is so I don't have to run down my phone's battery, but now DAPs eat battery like a smartphone themselves (and almost heats up just as much - just try running an AK player and feel it warms up in the pocket) which means I'm plugging in two devices at the end of the day which kind of defeats the original purpose.


----------



## walbum4262

nanaholic said:


> OTOH I don't think the phone would be able to play 60 hrs of mp3 even with all the radios off compared with the ZX2.
> 
> However there's still something magical about Sony's claimed 15hrs of native DSD playback on their 250mW+250mW balanced output and 40 hrs of hi-res FLAC.  If all the technical choices they made (ditching Android and go their own OS, sticking with S-Master architecture, perhaps a sticking to a dual core low-powered SoC to run the leaner OS etc) is what adds up to this battery performance then I'm not going to challenge them for that decision but instead welcomes it with open arms.  One of the reasons I bought a DAP is so I don't have to run down my phone's battery, but now DAPs eat battery like a smartphone themselves (and almost heats up just as much - just try running an AK player and feel it warms up in the pocket) which means I'm plugging in two devices at the end of the day which kind of defeats the original purpose.




This is exactly why I love the zx2 battery time is incredible and it doesn't get warm


----------



## gerelmx1986

walbum4262 said:


> This is exactly why I love the zx2 battery time is incredible and it doesn't get warm



None of my Sony daps got warm, doubt t these new one would get any warm


----------



## Dithyrambes

thanatosguan said:


> There's Direct mode in the settings when I was fiddling with the 1Z/1A and switching it on creates tangible changes to the sound (presumably all the DSPs turning off)
> 
> The description says it's a one step process to *disable* all sound settings.


i think all listening should be done with this direct mode


----------



## gerelmx1986

There should be a EU volume disable option :biggrin:


----------



## corius

This is a bit off topic, but Onkyo/Pioneer have got around the EU cap by having a "variable line level" option.
  
 I guess their lawyers thought that that is just on the right side of the legislation. Maybe Sony could do something similar


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> None of my Sony daps got warm, doubt t these new one would get any warm


 
  
 Also less heat/warm operation environment and less charging cycle also means a much longer operational life for the Li ion battery - this is engineering fact.  With the extra option to not fully charge a battery in software the battery is likely to out last and holds more charges than most of the current "standard" DAPs on the market. I would expect the battery to at least have double the battery operational life span of standard DAPs before needing a swap (you are almost certainly going to charge this DAP half as much if not three times as often as other DAPs, the unit should be operating cooler, plus the OS has battery conditioning build into it).  And of course, this ends up being advantageous user features as a portable unit - less heat, less charging, longer play time are all user friendly/operational features.
  
 There are so many non-sound related technical advantages to going this way if you seriously think about it from an engineering POV.  The fact that Sony is covering the much less looked at angle in their DAP building is actually quite respectable, the device from an engineering POV is much more well rounded and researched piece of kit than what most people give it credit for compared to most TOTL DAPs if you just focus on comparing things like what sound chip it uses.


----------



## cthomas

gerelmx1986 said:


> first time only.
> After that is instantaneous, even after adding (removing) some music




Thanks for clarifying, not really an issue to worry about then.


----------



## nc8000

Amazon UK status has now changed to Unavailable, We don't know if or when this product will be available


----------



## JamesInLondon

nc8000 said:


> Amazon UK status has now changed to Unavailable, We don't know if or when this product will be available


 

 Whilst my Amazon order status still shows:
*"Not yet dispatched *
Delivery estimate: We need a little more time to provide you with a good estimate. We'll notify you via e-mail as soon as we have an estimated delivery date." 
  
Who knows anything, anymore??


----------



## Rob49

I know Amazon post estimated dates for products all the time, but i wish they would just post release dates when are actually confirmed !


----------



## gerelmx1986

Let's wait for the canjam and let's see if sony confirms a date

UPDATE 

Amazon Germany has also changed the estimated availability of the 1Z to 1 - 3 months


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> Let's wait for the canjam and let's see if sony confirms a date
> 
> UPDATE
> 
> Amazon Germany has also changed the estimated availability of the 1Z to 1 - 3 months


 
 Yes but that is for whom made the pre order or for whom order today?


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Let's wait for the canjam and let's see if sony confirms a date
> ...


I think this signals that the pre-order period ended


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think this signals that the pre-order period ended


 
 This means that who didn't pre ordered it now will have to wait 1 to 3 months....mine stays the same waits for shipping...i don't have any faith on Amazon...but i think is worth waiting...


----------



## Romiros

http://www.sony.com.hk/press/pdf/20160914_e.pdf prices for 4.4 mm balanced cable


----------



## Toolman

romiros said:


> http://www.sony.com.hk/press/pdf/20160914_e.pdf prices for 4.4 mm balanced cable


 

 Not too bad for a Kimber (I think?)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Availability November 2016 according to PDF


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Availability November 2016 according to PDF




Makes senses, I think A/Z will also only be available at that time for the USA as well....why does US always has the latest release date is beyond me


----------



## Rob49

Sorry to digress, but noticed the PHA-2A listed amongst the balanced cable info. Picture on Sony's website, but no info yet....i guess it may coincide with the release of all the new stuff ??


----------



## Whitigir

I would rather spend on Pha-3 instead of Pha2A . However, if it floats your boat, sure


----------



## gerelmx1986

Meanwhile I will be buying the Samsung 256 micro


----------



## Rob49

whitigir said:


> I would rather spend on Pha-3 instead of Pha2A
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Just intrigued.....for now.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Meanwhile I will be buying the Samsung 256 micro




Me too. Has had it on order at Amazon for over a month now


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Hope Sony makes those clear hard shell cases like for the Z1070 walkmans, as it has lasted much better than the clear hard cases that go with the apple phones.

Wondering whether to hold on now and buy it later next year when prices come down. 
(Don't want to make the same mistake where I bought the Z7 for $699 at time of launch, sold it for $20 less within a month, and then bought it again for $290 couple of months ago. Also waited patiently for the Zx2)


----------



## Mimouille

romiros said:


> http://www.sony.com.hk/press/pdf/20160914_e.pdf prices for 4.4 mm balanced cable


No 2-pin, this is going to be annoying, going to have to have an mmcx Modded...


----------



## rushofblood

Well, salvation is fast arriving in 3rd party 4.4mm plugs soon:


----------



## Gibraltar

rushofblood said:


> Well, salvation is fast arriving in 3rd party 4.4mm plugs soon:




Oyaide? Any word on when they will be available?


----------



## purk

Can't wait to get those plugs as well.


----------



## Whitigir

[OT Deleted]
 Now, anyone have 1Z in EU yet ? Wasn't it oct/4th for release


----------



## Subhakar

Any in-depth reviews from any part of the world on 1A in synergy with Z1R? 1Z is too big a dream for me to aim for.


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> Now, anyone have 1Z in EU yet ? Wasn't it oct/4th for release


 
 Haven't seen it anywhere, not even the official Sony stores in U.K. or Germany. I think Amazon got their estimates way off for that one.


----------



## Whitigir

echineko said:


> Haven't seen it anywhere, not even the official Sony stores in U.K. or Germany. I think Amazon got their estimates way off for that one.




A couple of Z1R is already in stock


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> A couple of Z1R is already in stock


 
 What? Where? Link please


----------



## nc8000

whitigir said:


> [OT Deleted]
> 
> Now, anyone have 1Z in EU yet ? Wasn't it oct/4th for release




They changed the status not available, we don't know if or when it will be available


----------



## gerelmx1986

gibraltar said:


> rushofblood said:
> 
> 
> > Well, salvation is fast arriving in 3rd party 4.4mm plugs soon:
> ...


wow hope they stock them fast


----------



## echineko

nc8000 said:


> They changed the status not available, we don't know if or when it will be available


 
  
 It'll definitely be available, no one seems to have any idea when, that's all >.< And that's the impression I got too, haven't seen them actually in stock anywhere. I'd be interested to see if anyone finds any retailers with them actually in stock.
  
 Best case, I'm hoping they somehow start showing up for sale next week. Worst case.... well, let's not go there


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > [OT Deleted]
> ...


if you read the pdf link they sent for those asking the price of the muc cables it says *November 2016*


----------



## AnakChan

gerelmx1986 said:


> if you read the pdf link they sent for those asking the price of the muc cables it says *November 2016*


 
  
 And this matches to what I reported earlier after I met to Sony Japan. They are being made now and a few lots have been reserved for Japanese sales to be put on shelves on Oct 29th and the rest are shipped globally for November release.

 I didn't get to ask them about firmware version though.


----------



## denis1976

The status in my Amazon pre order changed to "envio proximamente"...is my second experience with Amazon the first one was with the 1A now the 1z the first went very bad and i think that the second is going by the same way, the only diference is that i don't mind to wait for the 1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

anakchan said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > if you read the pdf link they sent for those asking the price of the muc cables it says *November 2016*
> ...


hope firmware is stable by then


----------



## denis1976

They are going to serve the shelves first than the solid pre orders and imediatly paid???good sales philosofy Sony))))


----------



## noplsestar

Do you know if the new Sony DAPs are MQA ready? (like Onkyo DPX-1)


----------



## gerelmx1986

noplsestar said:


> Do you know if the new Sony DAPs are MQA ready? (like Onkyo DPX-1)


no as MQA is not standard yet


----------



## denis1976

Oooooo and on the top of my amazon pre order says "a tiempo" in green letters ......i don't know if i should laugh or cry.....


----------



## denis1976

I just don't get a thing, how that french guy has one 1A for sale on ebay...


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> I just don't get a thing, how that french guy has one 1A for sale on ebay...


probably a faker


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> probably a faker


i don't think so he has excelent feedback


----------



## nc8000

denis1976 said:


> I just don't get a thing, how that french guy has one 1A for sale on ebay...




Must be fake, stolen demo or scam as no samples are in the wild yet


----------



## Rob49

denis1976 said:


> i don't think so he has excelent feedback


 
  
 That really doesn't mean anything.
  
 As previously posted, no one outside of Japan, is going to be able to buy one, until sometime in November


----------



## denis1976

rob49 said:


> That really doesn't mean anything.
> 
> As previously posted, no one outside of Japan, is going to be able to buy one, until sometime in November


Japan is a country with happy people...


----------



## gerelmx1986

rob49 said:


> denis1976 said:
> 
> 
> > i don't think so he has excelent feedback
> ...


not to mention that many scammers create multiple accounts to give vague 5-dtar ratings to the main account


----------



## denis1976

Sony sucks this is discrimination...


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> Sony sucks this is discrimination...




Sony is Zapan, so it release products in Zapan first only make senses


----------



## denis1976

whitigir said:


> Sony is Zapan, so it release products in Zapan first only make senses


Martinlogan is a USA and the distribuitor in Portugal receive the products when they are out , them the people in Malásya are very unhappy because is there that the Daps are made...


----------



## denis1976

Sony is making the thing hard to valorize even more the asking price...i think they are taking a shoot in the foot


----------



## denis1976

Because when i decided to spent more than 3000 euros on a Dap was a emotional and not rational decision , and has time goes by ,the rational part is getting stronger...


----------



## denis1976

Take long Sony take the time you want , maybe you are helping me


----------



## Whitigir

Well, life isn't easy when you are that emotional . People who loves the Z will keep on waiting "patiently", and saving money up as the days are counting down


----------



## denis1976

whitigir said:


> Well, life isn't easy when you are that emotional . People who loves the Z will keep on waiting "patiently", and saving money up as the days are counting down


yes thats what i mean sony is helping me , me and my wallet


----------



## denis1976

Believe me , my life would be harder if i bought a 1A and would allways be looking up to the 1Z ....yes that would be hard...


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will wait for accessory jack or Amazon USA release


----------



## fish1050

This is probably just my suspicious nature but it could be Sony announced early availability dates to see how much interest there would be for these DAP's from early pre-orders.  They can probably read the Asian market pretty well but the European and North American markets are kind of a crap shoot for them with their more expensive DAP's.


----------



## MarkTwain

fish1050 said:


> This is probably just my suspicious nature but it could be Sony announced early availability dates to see how much interest there would be for these DAP's from early pre-orders.  They can probably read the Asian market pretty well but the European and North American markets are kind of a crap shoot for them with their more expensive DAP's.


 
  
 I think so too, and likely that Asia will receive the 1st batch of both WM1Z and WM1A first. Heard that it is arriving very soon.


----------



## Cecala

fish1050 said:


> This is probably just my suspicious nature but it could be Sony announced early availability dates to see how much interest there would be for these DAP's from early pre-orders.  They can probably read the Asian market pretty well but the European and North American markets are kind of a crap shoot for them with their more expensive DAP's.


 

 Unlikely, with regards to the Z model, you are either in one of two camps, either your buying it or your not. I doubt there are people sitting on the fence with this golden baby. Sony already had the data on how many people have purchased the Ultra high end AK's. It was their decision long ago to make the Z based on this data.


----------



## gerelmx1986

MarkTwain said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> I think so too, and likely that Asia will receive the 1st batch of both WM1Z and WM1A first. Heard that it is arriving very soon.


 
 and they will get the defective units first


----------



## pietcux

echineko said:


> What? Where? Link please



Amazon Germany:

https://www.amazon.de/gp/aw/d/B01LD5GO7I/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅZÕÑ&qid=1475731656&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=mdr-z1r&dpPl=1&dpID=4195AR7Y10L&ref=plSrch


----------



## nanaholic

Went to the Ginza showroom and tried the entire Signature Series line up. Was able to borrow the official 4.4mm MMCX Kimber Kable and use it with my Just ear MH1. The cable is surprisingly flexible for the thickness, feels pretty good using it. All the WM1s are on v1.0 firmware. The UI is really good, it reminds me of the original cross bar UI of the PlayStations before they got too bloated. It's not ultra smooth like flagship smartphones yet not also laggy, sort of stuck in a weird in between. Though I think it is comparable to AK players. Probably some more brushing up can speed it up a bit more. Reading my microsd card with about 200 songs was pretty quick. Lots of steps in the volume adjustment which is really good too, the DSP effects are a lot more subtle compared to how I remembered them from the ZX1, it's good enough for some minor colouring/flavouring without sounding really artificial, may actually be useful this time around. In general I think they did a really good job with the software. 

I don't want to get into the how/why/what but the 1A and 1Z does sound different to my ears in the direct sound mode, and I actually prefer the 1A pairing with my MH1. 1Z sounds a bit lush with my already smooth custom tune MH1. YMMV.


----------



## MarkTwain

gerelmx1986 said:


> and they will get the defective units first




If you are lucky to get a defective unit, it does not matter when you get it, isn't it?

Have some confidence on the product that you are buying.


----------



## Cecala

nanaholic said:


> Went to the Ginza showroom and tried the entire Signature Series line up. Was able to borrow the official 4.4mm MMCX Kimber Kable and use it with my Just ear MH1. The cable is surprisingly flexible for the thickness, feels pretty good using it. All the WM1s are on v1.0 firmware. The UI is really good, it reminds me of the original cross bar UI of the PlayStations before they got too bloated. It's not ultra smooth like flagship smartphones yet not also laggy, sort of stuck in a weird in between. Though I think it is comparable to AK players. Probably some more brushing up can speed it up a bit more. Reading my microsd card with about 200 songs was pretty quick. Lots of steps in the volume adjustment which is really good too, the DSP effects are a lot more subtle compared to how I remembered them from the ZX1, it's good enough for some minor colouring/flavouring without sounding really artificial, may actually be useful this time around. In general I think they did a really good job with the software.
> 
> I don't want to get into the how/why/what but the 1A and 1Z does sound different to my ears in the direct sound mode, and I actually prefer the 1A pairing with my MH1. 1Z sounds a bit lush with my already smooth custom tune MH1. YMMV.


 

 This is generally what I'm expecting from full reviews when time. The UI speed is still a bit concerning.
 Thanks for the ultra mini review. This would be what the average person entering the store and giving a quick once over to the units would probably come to the same conclusions.


----------



## Rob49

nanaholic said:


> Went to the Ginza showroom and tried the entire Signature Series line up. Was able to borrow the official 4.4mm MMCX Kimber Kable and use it with my Just ear MH1. The cable is surprisingly flexible for the thickness, feels pretty good using it. All the WM1s are on v1.0 firmware. The UI is really good, it reminds me of the original cross bar UI of the PlayStations before they got too bloated. It's not ultra smooth like flagship smartphones yet not also laggy, sort of stuck in a weird in between. Though I think it is comparable to AK players. Probably some more brushing up can speed it up a bit more. Reading my microsd card with about 200 songs was pretty quick. Lots of steps in the volume adjustment which is really good too, the DSP effects are a lot more subtle compared to how I remembered them from the ZX1, it's good enough for some minor colouring/flavouring without sounding really artificial, may actually be useful this time around. In general I think they did a really good job with the software.
> 
> I don't want to get into the how/why/what but the 1A and 1Z does sound different to my ears in the direct sound mode, and I actually prefer the 1A pairing with my MH1. 1Z sounds a bit lush with my already smooth custom tune MH1. YMMV.


 
  
 What were your impressions of your listening with balanced connection ? Was it a significant step up in SQ ?


----------



## Whitigir

So a picture showing the 1Z has 1880 mAh battery and 6.9 Wh. Isn't the battery spec a bit weak ? Lotoo Pawgold is 22.4 Wh...which is 4x the capacity


----------



## Leviticus

nanaholic said:


> Went to the Ginza showroom and tried the entire Signature Series line up. Was able to borrow the official 4.4mm MMCX Kimber Kable and use it with my Just ear MH1. The cable is surprisingly flexible for the thickness, feels pretty good using it. All the WM1s are on v1.0 firmware. The UI is really good, it reminds me of the original cross bar UI of the PlayStations before they got too bloated. It's not ultra smooth like flagship smartphones yet not also laggy, sort of stuck in a weird in between. Though I think it is comparable to AK players. Probably some more brushing up can speed it up a bit more. Reading my microsd card with about 200 songs was pretty quick. Lots of steps in the volume adjustment which is really good too, the DSP effects are a lot more subtle compared to how I remembered them from the ZX1, it's good enough for some minor colouring/flavouring without sounding really artificial, may actually be useful this time around. In general I think they did a really good job with the software.
> 
> I don't want to get into the how/why/what but the 1A and 1Z does sound different to my ears in the direct sound mode, and I actually prefer the 1A pairing with my MH1. 1Z sounds a bit lush with my already smooth custom tune MH1. YMMV.


 
  
 Have you tested the desktop amp? How does it sound compared to the Walkman?


----------



## denis1976

This morning i receive the information from Amazon saying that i will have to wait nearly a month for my 1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> Went to the Ginza showroom and tried the entire Signature Series line up. Was able to borrow the official 4.4mm MMCX Kimber Kable and use it with my Just ear MH1. The cable is surprisingly flexible for the thickness, feels pretty good using it. All the WM1s are on v1.0 firmware. The UI is really good, it reminds me of the original cross bar UI of the PlayStations before they got too bloated. It's not ultra smooth like flagship smartphones yet not also laggy, sort of stuck in a weird in between. Though I think it is comparable to AK players. Probably some more brushing up can speed it up a bit more. Reading my microsd card with about 200 songs was pretty quick. Lots of steps in the volume adjustment which is really good too, the DSP effects are a lot more subtle compared to how I remembered them from the ZX1, it's good enough for some minor colouring/flavouring without sounding really artificial, may actually be useful this time around. In general I think they did a really good job with the software.
> 
> I don't want to get into the how/why/what but the 1A and 1Z does sound different to my ears in the direct sound mode, and I actually prefer the 1A pairing with my MH1. 1Z sounds a bit lush with my already smooth custom tune MH1. YMMV.




How does it sound balanced vs SE did you try some acoustic music or classic? Soundstage bigger than ZX1?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Those who have tried either, how does the heafphone jack feels? Tight or like zx100. I can insert remove headphones with little force


----------



## jhlin09

gerelmx1986 said:


> Those who have tried either, how does the heafphone jack feels? Tight or like zx100. I can insert remove headphones with little force


 


 It was adequately tight. You can't remove it with little force.


----------



## gerelmx1986

As nanaholic says, the 1A is my best choice due to my pairing (XBA-Z5) which have also smooth tuning, sweet tewble


----------



## jhlin09

Went to my local Sony Store for a demo. The WM-1Z is INSANELY heavy! It almost slipped off my hand twice during my time with it, perhaps due to its weight (or my small hands), and the WM-1A felt like a feather when both devices were held together. Those who would use the 1Z regularly outdoors do be careful with it, perhaps that is why a leather case is supplied with the 1Z but not the 1A. The UI was simple and easy to use, however it wasnt very smooth and there are noticeable lags. The sound signature of the 1Z was somewhat similar to the 1A, but at the same time I could pick up some differences between the two. I honestly expected more from the 1Z as it was more than twice the price of the 1A!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Again 1A says it is *best bang for your $$$€€€£££¥¥¥*


----------



## proedros

the only question is

 how much better 

 is 1A compared to ZX2 
  
 to justify 

 buying it


----------



## Zaroff

Agreed. 1A should be demonstratively better than ZX2, which is already an exceptional piece of kit. Not sure it will be that significant.


----------



## gerelmx1986

zaroff said:


> Agreed. 1A should be demonstratively better than ZX2, which is already an exceptional piece of kit. Not sure it will be that significant.


we can conclude if zx2 is excellent, then 1A will be more excellent. 

WM1A > ZX2 > ZX100, bye bye zx100 :biggrin:


----------



## purk

jhlin09 said:


> Went to my local Sony Store for a demo. The WM-1Z is INSANELY heavy! It almost slipped off my hand twice during my time with it, perhaps due to its weight (or my small hands), and the WM-1A felt like a feather when both devices were held together. Those who would use the 1Z regularly outdoors do be careful with it, perhaps that is why a leather case is supplied with the 1Z but not the 1A. The UI was simple and easy to use, however it wasnt very smooth and there are noticeable lags. The sound signature of the 1Z was somewhat similar to the 1A, but at the same time I could pick up some differences between the two. I honestly expected more from the 1Z as it was more than twice the price of the 1A!


 
 I think the difference will be more pronounced if the balanced output is engaged.  I agree with you that the 1A is a significantly better deal for the money.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Tomorrow is the start of the Canjam weekend, wonder if sony will provide both a WM1Z and a WM1A or just the Golden one


----------



## Sonic Defender

gerelmx1986 said:


> we can conclude if zx2 is excellent, then 1A will be more excellent.
> 
> WM1A > ZX2 > ZX100, bye bye zx100


 
 If you are trying to sell the ZX100, don't talk it down! Just a sales tip mate.


----------



## Cecala

purk said:


> I think the difference will be more pronounced if the balanced output is engaged.  I agree with you that the 1A is a significantly better deal for the money.


 

 Seriously people, if you are intending to purchase either of these two players then you must avail yourself of the balanced mode only, otherwise you are wasting the players potential and your money.
 We will await final reviews of course although I will go out on a limb here and say that the SQ in single mode between the ZX2 and 1A will be very small to non existent. Sony has put most of their effort in the balanced mode area.


----------



## AnakChan

cecala said:


> Seriously people, if you are intending to purchase either of these two players then you must avail yourself of the balanced mode only, otherwise you are wasting the players potential and your money.
> We will await final reviews of course although I will go out on a limb here and say that the SQ in single mode between the ZX2 and 1A will be very small to non existent. Sony has put most of their effort in the balanced mode area.


 
  
 Hmmm....I don't know if I agree to this. The above makes it sound like only the 1Z and 1A are unworthy in SE. I tried SE and Balanced (Sony had spare MMCX -> 4.4mm) and at least on my MH335DW-SR, the SE -> balanced was no more significant in change than on my AK380Cu.
  
 I'd beg to differ that the whole player is as worth it in SE as it is in balanced. I wouldn't say going from SE to balanced on the1Z would swing my vote.


----------



## jhlin09

cecala said:


> Seriously people, if you are intending to purchase either of these two players then you must avail yourself of the balanced mode only, otherwise you are wasting the players potential and your money.
> We will await final reviews of course although I will go out on a limb here and say that the SQ in single mode between the ZX2 and 1A will be very small to non existent. Sony has put most of their effort in the balanced mode area.




I have been a user of the ZX2 since its launch and I would just like to say that the Sound Signature of the WM-1A is different from the ZX2 in SE, especially in the lower end and its presentation. But that does not necessarily translate it be better, as it ultimately depends on the user.


----------



## Gibraltar

jhlin09 said:


> I have been a user of the ZX2 since its launch and I would just like to say that the Sound Signature of the WM-1A is different from the ZX2 in SE, especially in the lower end and its presentation. But that does not necessarily translate it be better, as it ultimately depends on the user.




Any chance you could elaborate a bit on the differences you heard?


----------



## nanaholic

leviticus said:


> Have you tested the desktop amp? How does it sound compared to the Walkman?




I did test the ES amp as well as the Z1R headphone. I have to agree with one of the previous review saying the ES sound sits somewhere in between the 1A and 1Z. It's not to say either is better/worse, just different. Also the power difference is quite noticeable when driving the Z1R with the ES compared to the WM1s for obvious reasons. If I was in the market to consolidate all my desktop rigs into one "do it all unit" that has all the right plugs and software features I would seriously consider the ES as one elegant table top box. 

As for the Z1R - I think it will divide the critics into two extremes. It' doesn't sound like a neutral phone to me so the usual HD800 crowd going for ruler flat FR will turn their nose on it. Which probably means the price will drop really quick too. 



gerelmx1986 said:


> How does it sound balanced vs SE did you try some acoustic music or classic? Soundstage bigger than ZX1?




I listened to a variety of songs of different genre, but no classical. Honestly I don't remember much of the ZX1 sound but I think in general the WM1 compares well to the AK380 that I'm using now.



gerelmx1986 said:


> Those who have tried either, how does the heafphone jack feels? Tight or like zx100. I can insert remove headphones with little force




It's a good plug, it's pretty tight. It's tighter than the 3.5mm side at least.


----------



## Cecala

anakchan said:


> Hmmm....I don't know if I agree to this. The above makes it sound like only the 1Z and 1A are unworthy in SE. I tried SE and Balanced (Sony had spare MMCX -> 4.4mm) and at least on my MH335DW-SR, the SE -> balanced was no more significant in change than on my AK380Cu.
> 
> I'd beg to differ that the whole player is as worth it in SE as it is in balanced. I wouldn't say going from SE to balanced on the1Z would swing my vote.


 
  
 Not unworthy although somewhat redundant considering the balanced route is technically more robust SQ wise.
 BTW, did you find an opportunity to ask your Sony 'friend' my question regards the SOC/CPU in the new players?


----------



## Cecala

jhlin09 said:


> Went to my local Sony Store for a demo. The WM-1Z is INSANELY heavy! It almost slipped off my hand twice during my time with it, perhaps due to its weight (or my small hands), and the WM-1A felt like a feather when both devices were held together. Those who would use the 1Z regularly outdoors do be careful with it, perhaps that is why a leather case is supplied with the 1Z but not the 1A. The UI was simple and easy to use, however it wasnt very smooth and there are noticeable lags. The sound signature of the 1Z was somewhat similar to the 1A, but at the same time I could pick up some differences between the two. I honestly expected more from the 1Z as it was more than twice the price of the 1A!


 
 Strange one for you: Can you tell me a bit about the buttons, were they the same on both players i.e. made out of metal/plastic and how firm did you need to press for them to activate.
 I'm a sucker for quality switches on stuff and Sony usually delivers due to their superior build quality on Daps.


----------



## Whitigir

Well, here is a good news that I keep seeing on the Z vs A. We all know that these Walkman are hybrid Class D technology. Then we know that the class D is very efficient with great capability. However, class D is very sensitive to the things around them, including EMI/RFI, materials, purity....etc....etc. Class D is very capable of "greatness" but in order to bring it out, it would be "very expensive". There are high-end class D amp for home system and they are ten of thousands dollars. All of them are aiming for the same final outcome, to have a class D that is so "pure, clean, lush, musical, yet alive"

What are we seeing here from 1Z vs 1A ? Much more polished components and attention, even the chassis and cables internally with better parts. Remember how picky class D is ? And each of the above components and part would hugely contribute into making the Z a superior device to the A. Now, if you ask about the final outcome ? I have seen the same reports over and over again, the Z is warmer, more lush, and lively than A. Isn't this related to the foundation and the core of Amplification in class D and the ultimate result that every engineer is chasing after ? To me, the 1Z for it being an expensive device, it is worth every penny

No doubt that the A is an insane amount of price/performance ratio, but we all have to look at the large picture in general. Both the FT capacitors, S-Master are Sony own R&D. What if Sony never released the A but only the Z ? Then we only have people who can, and or can not afford it. However, Sony decided to give the consumer some love and produce the A at an insane value. Hell, Sony didn't have to use FT cap on the 1A, it could all be OS-Con for example. For sure to the A owner, they don't have much to lose from the Z....however, if one is seeking for the utmost quality....he will have to keep on gazing at the Z and it shadows....and such is not a good feeling at all.

To my priority, I love portability more than desktop system. Therefore, the Z is worth every pennies. When comparing technologies to technologies, the AK380 copper is totally different than 1Z. From technology stand point, the 1Z has every hands on top of the 380 Copper.


----------



## noplsestar

But if you love portability then the 1Z is not the best, is it? I mean it's damn heavy. That's not portable at all IMO. Neither are the AK DAPs with the amp. 
I rather tend to the Cowon Plenue S, that also has great output power, is less heavy and is SQ wise nearly in the same league as AK's (with amp) and Sony's flagships.

Edit: AND is much much cheaper than 1Z and Ak380(with amp)


----------



## Whitigir

noplsestar said:


> But if you love portability then the 1Z is not the best, is it? I mean it's damn heavy. That's not portable at all IMO. Neither are the AK DAPs with the amp.
> I rather tend to the Cowon Plenue S, that also has great output power, is less heavy and is SQ wise nearly in the same league as AK's (with amp) and Sony's flagships.





The weight and it portability is to be determined, but I really don't think it is all that bad. I don't adore the 380 with amp stack on the go just because....1 more connection joint equal to 1 more sound degradation joint and unstablity or reliability all together. It wouldn't be fun if u drop the 380 and amp stack vs the 1Z, guess which one will prone to being the most damaged 

Originally I thought I could deal with Zx2 and pha3 stack...but ...not in reality. Therefore, 1Z is to be determined


----------



## MattTCG

whitigir said:


> The weight and it portability is to be determined, but I really don't think it is all that bad. I don't adore the 380 with amp stack on the go just because....1 more connection joint equal to 1 more sound degradation joint and unstablity or reliability all together. It wouldn't be fun if u drop the 380 and amp stack vs the 1Z, guess which one will prone to being the most damaged
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 How are the weight and portability "to be determined.?" We know the exact weight and it's very heavy. A few early reviews have already mentioned this, even saying that dropping it was a concern because of the heft. Personally, I would not call the 1Z a pocket player due to the weight but that will be up to the individual. The 1A however seems much more pocket friendly.


----------



## MarkTwain

whitigir said:


> The weight and it portability is to be determined, but I really don't think it is all that bad. I don't adore the 380 with amp stack on the go just because....1 more connection joint equal to 1 more sound degradation joint and unstablity or reliability all together. It wouldn't be fun if u drop the 380 and amp stack vs the 1Z, guess which one will prone to being the most damaged
> 
> Originally I thought I could deal with Zx2 and pha3 stack...but ...not in reality. Therefore, 1Z is to be determined





I think you have come to the conclusion. The Force Is Strong With This One.


----------



## jhlin09

whitigir said:


> The weight and it portability is to be determined, but I really don't think it is all that bad. I don't adore the 380 with amp stack on the go just because....1 more connection joint equal to 1 more sound degradation joint and unstablity or reliability all together. It wouldn't be fun if u drop the 380 and amp stack vs the 1Z, guess which one will prone to being the most damaged
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


 I once used the ZX2 and PHA-3 extensively outside before I sold the PHA-3. So out of curiosity I went on to carry the ZX2 + PHA-3 demo set which was available in store after I demo-ed the WM-1Z, and oh well it did feel lighter. I went on to search on the specifications and found out that the ZX2 + PHA-3 is actually slightly heavier than the WM-1Z by a few grams. So perhaps the WM-1Z felt heavier because the weight was compacted into a smaller volume.


----------



## Whitigir

Yes, I will give you that 1Z is more compact...so very easily slipped off your hand, but I do think it will be just perfect


----------



## gerelmx1986

I like feather-weight players like the 1A lol, i often carry  many things in my pockets and my pants end going down a bit, thanks to the belt


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > How does it sound balanced vs SE did you try some acoustic music or classic? Soundstage bigger than ZX1?
> ...


 
 So the 3.5mm feels less tight well at least the new 4.4 seems more sturdy design. I have never heard TRRS so i am hoping to hear great changes when i switch to balanced. I won't be buying sony expensive cables... instead will be asking @Whitigir for his DIY expertise to make a 4.4mm adapter to dual-3.5mm pigyail


----------



## Mimouille

Well I just pre-ordered on Sony China. They say delivery first of November. We'll see.


----------



## WCDchee

nanaholic said:


> I did test the ES amp as well as the Z1R headphone. I have to agree with one of the previous review saying the ES sound sits somewhere in between the 1A and 1Z. It's not to say either is better/worse, just different. Also the power difference is quite noticeable when driving the Z1R with the ES compared to the WM1s for obvious reasons. If I was in the market to consolidate all my desktop rigs into one "do it all unit" that has all the right plugs and software features I would seriously consider the ES as one elegant table top box.
> 
> As for the Z1R - I think it will divide the critics into two extremes. It' doesn't sound like a neutral phone to me so the usual HD800 crowd going for ruler flat FR will turn their nose on it. Which probably means the price will drop really quick too.
> I listened to a variety of songs of different genre, but no classical. Honestly I don't remember much of the ZX1 sound but I think in general the WM1 compares well to the AK380 that I'm using now.
> It's a good plug, it's pretty tight. It's tighter than the 3.5mm side at least.




Did you find balanced to be a lot better than the SE?


----------



## jhlin09

According to press release on Sony's website both 1Z and 1A will be released simultaneously in early November for most Asia Markets (i.e. Hong Kong, China, Japan, Singapore)

 Most countries outside Asia (i.e US, Canada) will have the 1Z released in November first while the 1A would be released early next year.


----------



## gerelmx1986

jhlin09 said:


> According to press release on Sony's website both 1Z and 1A will be released simultaneously in early November for most Asia Markets (i.e. Hong Kong, China, Japan, Singapore)
> 
> Most countries outside Asia (i.e US, Canada) will have the 1Z released in November first while the 1A would be released early next year.


 
 ODD Because alu is easier to CNC Mill than Cu (sony said this)


----------



## purk

jhlin09 said:


> According to press release on Sony's website both 1Z and 1A will be released simultaneously in early November for most Asia Markets (i.e. Hong Kong, China, Japan, Singapore)
> 
> Most countries outside Asia (i.e US, Canada) will have the 1Z released in November first while the 1A would be released early next year.


 
 Poor marketing for them.  The DAP market is hot and cold and they should really capitalize when there is a demand and the item is hot.  When Schiit audio has a press released, they have the unit for sale the next day.  For them to be successful again, they really should pay attention to the North American market.


----------



## jhlin09

purk said:


> Poor marketing for them.  The DAP market is hot and cold and they should really capitalize when there is a demand and the item is hot.  When Schiit audio has a press released, they have the unit for sale the next day.  For them to be successful again, they really should pay attention to the North American market.


 

 Not sure what Sony is doing in terms of their global marketing strategy. But you can see that Sony is really putting in some effort when it comes to pricing the WM 1A/1Z to suit the market of that particular country. For instance, the WM1A is ~15% cheaper in Australia and they dont carry the WM 1Z. Perhaps lesser demand for high-end DAPs in Australia? Hmm...


----------



## rushofblood

Okay, had another go with both players today with some friends...thought I'd address some questions I see floating around.
  
 Firstly, yes, both players have metal buttons.
  
 Now, both the WM1A and WM1Z I tried today were on firmware 1.0, and contrary to my previous report both seem to have the same responsiveness; which is to say still a wee bit slow for my liking. It's fairly smooth, but does take its time to transition between menus. Card scanning is perhaps faster than my previous audition but still measured in minutes.
  
 This time round, I did bring 2 adaptors for my 2.5mm cables; one in 3.5mm single ended and another in 3.5mm TRRS (pictured above) which are identical outside of the terminations. Trying both players with 3.5mm TRRS in the Direct Sound mode, the noise floor drops slightly, soundstage opens up and gains a greater sense of air and the resolution gets increased a noticeable amount compared to vanilla 3.5mm single ended. No chance to try 4.4mm balanced though, there wasn't a 4.4mm cable that I could use with the one MMCX IEM my friend brought along...
  
 I'm starting to wonder about the value proposition of the WM1Z, though. It's really lush. Really,* really* lush. It really does seem to be too thick, warm and slow sounding for the kind of music I enjoy the most (rock, metal and instrumentals), and pairing anything that isn't bright, fast and/or thin sounding would just result in a swamp-like thickness that isn't really all that pleasant IMO. My friends and I did agree that the WM1A is likely to be more palatable to most and a better match with most IEMs, with a more neutral and faster sounding signature that doesn't seem to lose out much in terms of technical performance with the WM1Z and did already make my bright and fast Jomo Samba sound quite lush and musical, just not to the cloyingly sweet degree of the WM1Z. Couple that with the black body and the lower price tag and it is the one of the two that I'd probably get even if I had unlimited disposable income (for those wondering, I'm likely to buy neither, and even if I somehow decide to move away from my AK320 for these I will not leave these Walkman players in their stock form as there is so much potential to be unlocked in a wire and solder swap modification).


----------



## gerelmx1986

rushofblood said:


> Okay, had another go with both players today with some friends...thought I'd address some questions I see floating around.
> 
> Firstly, yes, both players have metal buttons.
> 
> ...


 
 Thnaks for the impressions, basically you said instrumentals dont go well with 1Z and well my z5 dark iem, like you getting 1A for this. Nice buttons are metal too, *the HOLD switch is also metal?*


----------



## proedros

rushofblood said:


> My friends and I did agree that the WM1A is likely to be more palatable to most and a better match with most IEMs, with *a more neutral and faster sounding signature that doesn't seem to lose out much in terms of technical performance with the WM1Z and did already make my bright and fast Jomo Samba sound quite lush and musical*, just not to the cloyingly sweet degree of the WM1Z.


 
  
 fantastic


----------



## Whitigir

Man wires a upgrade is a PITA in the Walkmans period. AK uses ribbon cables in their 2.5mm TRRS Jack, and people already upgrading it


----------



## AnakChan

> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 May I request for you to consider rephrasing the above in orange then. That's why I said your statement makes the new players sound unworthy if used/demo-ed in SE only. On a separate note, if balanced is technically more robust SQ wise means "balanced is always better", I'd personally disagree with that too. To me it really all depends on what kind of ear/headphones you're driving. Granted I've yet to encounter balanced to be worse than single ended (which would then support your proposal "Why test in SE when there's balanced", but to me balanced would be on par to SE but scalable upwards to potentially better depending on headphones.
  
 i.e. SE would be the base standard. If one likes the player in SE mode then balanced could only be the same or better. On the other hand if the player exhibits vast differences in SE vs balance that demands to be listened to only balanced mode, then there are serious concerns deeming that player unworthy. I don't think the 1Z is that kind of player.
  
 About your 2nd question about the SOC/CPU, sorry I didn't ask as I don't see the worth of asking h/w questions when the OS is completely different as per my post below was alluding to. Sorry to be blunt but it's a meaningless question when there are other factors at play. I could get into different OS concepts, implementation, then versions, but that's a different topic altogether.
  


anakchan said:


> Ah ok, CPU. Out of curiosity does ZX2 SonyOS too or Android (I think it uses Android if it's the same as ZX1 which I used to own).
> 
> Which leads to how much value would the info provide of what CPU it uses if other variables are at play, such as :-
> 
> ...


----------



## gerelmx1986

> May I request for you to consider rephrasing the above in orange then. That's why I said your statement makes the new players sound unworthy if used/demo-ed in SE only. On a separate note, if balanced is technically more robust SQ wise means "balanced is always better", I'd personally disagree with that too. To me it really all depends on what kind of ear/headphones you're driving. Granted I've yet to encounter balanced to be worse than single ended (which would then support your proposal "Why test in SE when there's balanced", but to me balanced would be on par to SE but scalable upwards to potentially better depending on headphones.
> 
> i.e. SE would be the base standard. If one likes the player in SE mode then balanced could only be the same or better. On the other hand if the player exhibits vast differences in SE vs balance that demands to be listened to only balanced mode, then there are serious concerns deeming that player unworthy. I don't think the 1Z is that kind of player.


 
 I had a pair of Ultrasone HFI-780 Cans and they advertised this S-logic surround, i never experienced it, small soundstage.... I am at the departamento store, trying the last demo unit of MDR-Z7, driving them at 16/30 on my walkman ZX100 and i get this HUGE SOUNDSTAGE and it is Single End... it is also the recording well mastered 16/44.1 (Boccherini Quintets for Flute and Cello concertante World premiere Recordings, sony classical, 1997)
  
 so SE VS BAL like @AnakChan says has nothing to do the (normal stereo or balanced circuit ) players being better or worse... Z7 have also thr angled drivers, Ultrasones were totally closed cans 30mm i think, VS z7 70mm and semi-open and me pushing the dinamics by raising volumen on the ZX100


----------



## TienV1125

hi HeadFi.
  
 i got a email from Amazon saying that i can't pre-order my WM1Z. so they cancel my order. do any of you know any other way to pre-order?
  
 WFT?


----------



## gerelmx1986

tienv1125 said:


> hi HeadFi.
> 
> i got a email from Amazon saying that i can't pre-order my WM1Z. so they cancel my order. do any of you know any other way to pre-order?
> 
> WFT?


 

 ​Better wait until november


----------



## denis1976

tienv1125 said:


> hi HeadFi.
> 
> i got a email from Amazon saying that i can't pre-order my WM1Z. so they cancel my order. do any of you know any other way to pre-order?
> 
> WFT?


Amazon sucks...really SUCKS


----------



## denis1976

denis1976 said:


> Amazon sucks...really SUCKS


i allready canceled my order with them, they are playing with the costumers , puting products in pre order with delivery dates and never had the product in stock, fortunatly for them i don't like to loose time , otherwise i will put all the emails that i received for them teling me that everithing was fine and in time and take it to justice and maybe i would get a 1z for free.


----------



## denis1976

But them maybe Sony has the blame to, because the excuse that the Amazon.es gave me by chat is that the units that they received for the pre orders didn't pass the quality control and went back.....such a great liars


----------



## Dithyrambes

Well i laugh a bit because i went to the official sony website and you click where to buy...and it says preorder with amazon


----------



## nc8000

tienv1125 said:


> hi HeadFi.
> 
> i got a email from Amazon saying that i can't pre-order my WM1Z. so they cancel my order. do any of you know any other way to pre-order?
> 
> WFT?




My pre order has not yet been cancelled


----------



## Rob49

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Better wait until november


 
  
 The penny might drop, eventually !


----------



## Caruryn

If it were any other dap the early impressions would be kind of letdown but Walkman is a special kind of cookie coming from ZX2.Just like the OS-CON capacitors that needed 200h to settle down,i bet the more intricate internals of WM series would need that kind of burn in time or more,add in the 4.4mm balanced and we would see a different picture.Don't know if the 3rd step applies here since it's non android,like go to the settings and disable all eq,that had quite an impact on ZX2 making it more dynamically alive,dead neutral in tone  and boosting the bland highs of stock sound.
  
 Point is the walkman never sounds that good at stock or at expos but we'll know in a couple of months from headfiers here and certainly not from reviewers online if ZX2 tests are anything to go by.


----------



## Whitigir

Here is AK380 picture of ribbon cables to the socket plugs that I found in the thread. New Walkman A uses OFC cables, and Z uses KimberKables . However, upgrading the cables in the AK is much "easier" than the Walkman

Courtesy of AnakChan moderator . Also a pic of the battery pack....not user replacble either as it is soldered fix just like Walkman.


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> Here is AK380 picture of ribbon cables to the socket plugs that I found in the thread. New Walkman A uses OFC cables, and Z uses KimberKables
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 ​Audiophile torture porn


----------



## Dithyrambes

caruryn said:


> If it were any other dap the early impressions would be kind of letdown but Walkman is a special kind of cookie coming from ZX2.Just like the OS-CON capacitors that needed 200h to settle down,i bet the more intricate internals of WM series would need that kind of burn in time or more,add in the 4.4mm balanced and we would see a different picture.Don't know if the 3rd step applies here since it's non android,like go to the settings and disable all eq,that had quite an impact on ZX2 making it more dynamically alive,dead neutral in tone  and boosting the bland highs of stock sound.
> 
> Point is the walkman never sounds that good at stock or at expos but we'll know in a couple of months from headfiers here and certainly not from reviewers online if ZX2 tests are anything to go by.


there was a mention of direct mode on players that bypasses all dsp


----------



## echineko

caruryn said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I agree with this. Had a chance to test out the 1Z recently during a closed listening session here. The 1Z on display was not nearly close to being burnt in / settled the recommended 200 hours, and sounded a bit edgy to me. Coming from the ZX2, I've experienced firsthand how these components affect the sound, and go through some fluctuations before settling in.
  
 Even then, I got the impression that the 1Z was much richer in sound compared to the ZX2 and also my friend's AK380+amp (strings and bass especially sounded fuller, and carried more weight). It was a sound signature that was very pleasing to me (via my Noble Audio K10, the Sony MDR-Z1R and even my MDR-EX800ST). I understand this sort of "richer" sound isn't for everyone, certainly wasn't analytical and dry at all. But again, this demo unit was nowhere near settled.
  


dithyrambes said:


> there was a mention of direct mode on players that bypasses all dsp


  

 There's an option to disable all sound enhancements, but I thought it made it worse, given the current state of the 1Z at the time. Maybe after proper time to settle, it would be better.


----------



## Whitigir

Zx2 needed 200 hours where the spec sheet recommend 100....the Z is no doubt that will need 400 hours


----------



## proedros

well at least the non-EU version will hit the markets 2-3 months sooner than the EU , so this means that people inside EU with lots of cash and short on patience will buy this one
  
 and then, i expect some of these people selling their non-eu 1A around March and onward here 

 so in a way there is a walkman for every price

 the very rich ones get 1Z in November
 the modestly rich ones get 1A in November
 the not rich ones (like me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ) get a used 1A in April

  
 sony  has a walkman for every wallet


----------



## denis1976

proedros said:


> well at least the non-EU version will hit the markets 2-3 months sooner than the EU , so this means that people inside EU with lots of cash and short on patience will buy this one
> 
> and then, i expect some of these people selling their non-eu 1A around March and onward here
> 
> ...


nice theory but i think that is something wrong with it


----------



## Dithyrambes

echineko said:


> I agree with this. Had a chance to test out the 1Z recently during a closed listening session here. The 1Z on display was not nearly close to being burnt in / settled the recommended 200 hours, and sounded a bit edgy to me. Coming from the ZX2, I've experienced firsthand how these components affect the sound, and go through some fluctuations before settling in.
> 
> Even then, I got the impression that the 1Z was much richer in sound compared to the ZX2 and also my friend's AK380+amp (strings and bass especially sounded fuller, and carried more weight). It was a sound signature that was very pleasing to me (via my Noble Audio K10, the Sony MDR-Z1R and even my MDR-EX800ST). I understand this sort of "richer" sound isn't for everyone, certainly wasn't analytical and dry at all. But again, this demo unit was nowhere near settled.
> 
> There's an option to disable all sound enhancements, but I thought it made it worse, given the current state of the 1Z at the time. Maybe after proper time to settle, it would be better.


i believe you! I actually dont think sony zx2 sounds its best with all the sound adjustments off. Its strange. If you kill the whole process together the player sounds muffled with overbearing bass and recessed lower treble.if you however leave not the main application running but just leave the 20.0k application(dont know what its purpose is) running...the zx2 sounds like it should..neutral with no veil. Seems like we have no option like that with the 1a and 1z since it has sony os instead of android


----------



## echineko

dithyrambes said:


> i believe you! I actually dont think sony zx2 sounds its best with all the sound adjustments off. Its strange. If you kill the whole process together the player sounds muffled with overbearing bass and recessed lower treble.if you however leave not the main application running but just leave the 20.0k application(dont know what its purpose is) running...the zx2 sounds like it should..neutral with no veil. Seems like we have no option like that with the 1a and 1z since it has sony os instead of android



I did mess about with the menu a bit, there's an option to turn of the sound processing, but it seemed to be a single toggle, without lots of other options. Might have missed some of it as I was scanning through briefly. But as I said, didn't bother too much once I found out the unit was hardly used. 

What I did hear made me think there's lots of potential there, curious to know what 1Z owners will perceive after using it for a while.


----------



## Whitigir

The picture of 1Z sitting beside Zx2 , like and old poor man beside a super blond model...LOL


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think the WM1A will need about 300h burn in and add other 200 for the balanced circuit


----------



## Dithyrambes

whitigir said:


> The picture of 1Z sitting beside Zx2 , like and old poor man beside a super blond model...LOL


my poor zx2


----------



## gerelmx1986

Do any one know where I can buy these plastic headphones jack and wm port protectors to avoid dust and pocket debris from getting inside


----------



## Cagin

By chance I got a very close friend on vacation in Tokyo, Japan at the moment. Is the wm1a out in the stores or would it be in the few coming days? I won't get another golden opportunity like this to get a Japanese non volume capped unit for cheaper with no tax/customs. I'm not keen on preordering it through pricejapan after the DP-X1 situation. 
And would it even be possible for the stores like yodobashi, bic camera, e-earphone to sell international jp version units (just for the english UI)?


----------



## Cecala

gerelmx1986 said:


> Do any one know where I can buy these plastic headphones jack and wm port protectors to avoid dust and pocket debris from getting inside


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Do any one know where I can buy these plastic headphones jack and wm port protectors to avoid dust and pocket debris from getting inside




I bought a bag of assorted 1/8" plugs on eBay a few years ago. Don't know if anything exists for wm port


----------



## FenderP

cagin said:


> By chance I got a very close friend on vacation in Tokyo, Japan at the moment. Is the wm1a out in the stores or would it be in the few coming days? I won't get another golden opportunity like this to get a Japanese non volume capped unit for cheaper with no tax/customs. I'm not keen on preordering it through pricejapan after the DP-X1 situation.
> And would it even be possible for the stores like yodobashi, bic camera, e-earphone to sell international jp version units (just for the english UI)?


 

 It is being released 10/29, and the Japanese domestic version will most likely not have an English option. The stores that have the tax free side (including in the Sony building in Ginza) wouldn't have an international one yet anyway - those usually come after.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Do any one know where I can buy these plastic headphones jack and wm port protectors to avoid dust and pocket debris from getting inside


 

 ​hehe good thinking LOL, as long as it leaves no residue 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




m perhaps make one DYI from foam or other soft material


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​hehe good thinking LOL, as long as it leaves no residue :wink_face: m perhaps make one DYI from foam or other soft material




You are OCD on this....my zx2 is stiLl not going anywhere anytime soon after years going without those covers


----------



## Sonic Defender

fenderp said:


> It is being released 10/29, and the Japanese domestic version will most likely not have an English option. The stores that have the tax free side (including in the Sony building in Ginza) wouldn't have an international one yet anyway - those usually come after.


 
 I can't imagine a Japanese only language edition. The space required to support multiple language versions on every unit is inconsequential. It should just be a matter of switching the language preference. I could be wrong, but I can't imagine Sony doing otherwise.


----------



## echineko

sonic defender said:


> I can't imagine a Japanese only language edition. The space required to support multiple language versions on every unit is inconsequential. It should just be a matter of switching the language preference. I could be wrong, but I can't imagine Sony doing otherwise.


 
 Don't think it's a matter of whether it's possible, more like it might have been done intentionally for domestic units. I actually didn't spend too much time on the menu of the 1Z I tested, or I would have checked out the language options too. Will keep that in mind if when I go back for another listen.


----------



## Sonic Defender

echineko said:


> Don't think it's a matter of whether it's possible, more like it might have been done intentionally for domestic units. I actually didn't spend too much time on the menu of the 1Z I tested, or I would have checked out the language options too. Will keep that in mind if when I go back for another listen.


 
 Please do I would like to know, and as I said, I certainly could be mistaken. Cheers.


----------



## AnakChan

sonic defender said:


> I can't imagine a Japanese only language edition. The space required to support multiple language versions on every unit is inconsequential. It should just be a matter of switching the language preference. I could be wrong, but I can't imagine Sony doing otherwise.


 
  
 I've mentioned this in my impressions of the 1Z in post #2290 already. Sony will be releasing 2 versions  - local domestic market with Japanese-only language, and an international version that's multi-language support. This has been the standard practice of Sony (and Panasonic, etc.) for at least 10 years now.


----------



## Sonic Defender

anakchan said:


> I've mentioned this in my impressions of the 1Z in post #2290 already. Sony will be releasing 2 versions  - local domestic market with Japanese-only language, and an international version that's multi-language support. This has been the standard practice of Sony (and Panasonic, etc.) for at least 10 years now.


 
 There you go, I find that odd and seemingly an arbitrary type of thing, but in the face of evidence what can I say but my bad. Still can't imagine why ....


----------



## Mmet

whitigir said:


> The picture of 1Z sitting beside Zx2 , like and old poor man beside a super blond model...LOL



 actually I like the zx2 look more .. It looks mature unlike the 1Z


----------



## AnakChan

sonic defender said:


> There you go, I find that odd and seemingly an arbitrary type of thing, but in the face of evidence what can I say but my bad. Still can't imagine why ....


 
  
@echineko is correct in alluding that it's due to prevent grey market exports. Quite often with the domestic models the prices may eventually end up being less than the exported (I have no idea what sort of agreements Sony has with their international distributors on price control). But as in one example even locally in Japan, the domestic models are usually sold cheaper than their international "duty free" versions in Laox (chain store in Akihabara).
  
 [Side Note]
 Panasonic does the same with their Lumix cameras, etc. and I think some other brands do too. i.e. this isn't a unique practice.
 [/Side Note]


----------



## Sonic Defender

anakchan said:


> @echineko is correct in alluding that it's due to prevent grey market exports. Quite often with the domestic models the prices may eventually end up being less than the exported (I have no idea what sort of agreements Sony has with their international distributors on price control). But as in one example even locally in Japan, the domestic models are usually sold cheaper than their international "duty free" versions in Laox (chain store in Akihabara).
> 
> [Side Note]
> Panasonic does the same with their Lumix cameras, etc. and I think some other brands do too. i.e. this isn't a unique practice.
> [/Side Note]


 
 Interesting, and frankly I hadn't considered that aspect of things. Certainly makes sense in that context. Thanks for the insight.


----------



## Mimouille

anakchan said:


> I've mentioned this in my impressions of the 1Z in post #2290 already. Sony will be releasing 2 versions  - local domestic market with Japanese-only language, and an international version that's multi-language support. This has been the standard practice of Sony (and Panasonic, etc.) for at least 10 years now.


What is odd is that I bought the first batch of ZX1 directly from Japan and it was multi language.


----------



## Sonic Defender

mimouille said:


> What is odd is that I bought the first batch of ZX1 directly from Japan and it was multi language.


 
 The plot thickens.


----------



## FenderP

mimouille said:


> What is odd is that I bought the first batch of ZX1 directly from Japan and it was multi language.


 

 No, no it's not. As has been stated many times, the Android based ones (going back to the Z10x0) in Japan all had English and Japanese. English was a first in that case. All Sony OS Walkmans going back to the NW-HD1 have had Japanese only for their domestic version. Why is this so hard to comprehend? If for some reason Sony breaks tradition with the 1A/Z, it would be a first.
  
 EDIT: Also keep in mind the Japanese domestic versions (including the Android ones) still support ATRAC. That's another major difference for them, and one that still remains with the 1A/Z. So until Sony Japan drops ATRAC, there will always be at least two versions: one for the Japanese market, and one (with slight variants) for ROW. This is also a reason the firmware updates are not universal in some cases.


----------



## FenderP

sonic defender said:


> The plot thickens.


 

 Incorrect.


----------



## Sonic Defender

fenderp said:


> Why is this so hard to comprehend?


 
 Sounding a little flippant mate. What you say makes perfect sense, what with the difference between an Android DAP and Sony OS DAP, but that hadn't been discussed previously so I don't think we were having a hard time comprehending the information. Now that it has been presented, and thank you, it makes perfect sense now, I can totally understand the rationale.


----------



## Cecala

anakchan said:


> I've mentioned this in my impressions of the 1Z in post #2290 already. Sony will be releasing 2 versions  - local domestic market with Japanese-only language, and an international version that's multi-language support. This has been the standard practice of Sony (and Panasonic, etc.) for at least 10 years now.


 

 I bought my ZX2 from PriceJapan and I received a multi-language unit, are you saying they sold me the export version?
 Edit: I just saw the above post in regards to Android, ignore above.


----------



## Whitigir

Android OS had always been supporting multi language...Walkman OS is not....


----------



## FenderP

cecala said:


> I bought my ZX2 from PriceJapan and I received a multi-language unit, are you saying they sold me the export version?


 

 Read my response.


----------



## FenderP

sonic defender said:


> Sounding a little flippant mate. What you say makes perfect sense, what with the difference between an Android DAP and Sony OS DAP, but that hadn't been discussed previously so I don't think we were having a hard time comprehending the information. Now that it has been presented, and thank you, it makes perfect sense now, I can totally understand the rationale.


 

 It's come up in this thread and seemingly every single Sony Walkman thread for each new model _every single year_, so sorry if you think it came off snippy but this is an "asked and answered WAY too many times" question. This should be a sticky somewhere. When I was at the Sony Store in Ginza the day before the NW-Z1070 came out (and I think I posted here pics), I was pretty surprised it had English because I was used to buying the Japanese that didn't have it. It never really mattered to me;  I buy the Japanese for the ATRAC support anyway as some of my collection is still encoded with ATRAC3+. My newer stuff is all FLAC and/or hi-rez (DSD or FLAC).


----------



## gerelmx1986

mmet said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > The picture of 1Z sitting beside Zx2 , like and old poor man beside a super blond model...LOL
> ...


 

 ​what about WM1A 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





?


----------



## Mmet

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​what about WM1A
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 it has a better look


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Me too. With the bulging sides of the headphones ports... it looks like some rocket propulsion and it's going to take off


mmet said:


> actually I like the zx2 look more .. It looks mature unlike the 1Z


----------



## Mmet

audiobreeder said:


> Me too. With the bulging sides of the headphones ports... it looks like some rocket propulsion and it's going to take off


 
 YES  ... my ranking to the latest walkmans from the best looking : ZX-2 > ZX-1> A30 ( it is the most handsome and practical one despite all plastic body but i really like it ) > WM-1A >  1Z >>>>>>>ZX-100


----------



## gerelmx1986

My take on best looking ones:
  
 ZX2 > WM1A > ZX1 > A17 >WM1Z >ZX100


----------



## Zaroff

Agreed, the ZX2 is a class act. The 1Z... Er... I don't know. Not so much. The 1A is a fat black thing


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think the same story repeated it self with the WM1s as with the two famous XBAs in 2014.... XBA-A3 VS XBA-Z5, minimal difference but yeah i got the Z5 because i Can and because they're Premium 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
  
 1A vs 1Z minimal difference (according to some posters)... but i will get the WM1A because looks sexy and because I CAN'T get the WM1Z 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




​ anyways both are metal and premium


----------



## echineko

gerelmx1986 said:


> 1A vs 1Z minimal difference (according to some posters)... but i will get the WM1A because looks sexy and because I CAN'T get the WM1Z
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I didn't think it's minimal, and I also don't think anyone has heard it in its fully settled form yet. Probably best to revisit this in future once people have had it for a while.
  
 But yes, definitely make the best choice for yourself, despite what anyone else says.


----------



## WCDchee

echineko said:


> I didn't think it's minimal, and I also don't think anyone has heard it in its fully settled form yet. Probably best to revisit this in future once people have had it for a while.
> 
> But yes, definitely make the best choice for yourself, despite what anyone else says.




I've heard them SE and while the difference wasn't that minimal, it was not twice the price different.

That said, the 1z is noticeably lusher, hits harder and sounds more open. Noticeably does not mean significantly though


----------



## FenderP

wcdchee said:


> I've heard them SE and while the difference wasn't that minimal, it was not twice the price different.
> 
> That said, the 1z is noticeably lusher, hits harder and sounds more open. Noticeably does not mean significantly though


 
  
 Most people can't hear the difference between MP3 and uncompressed WAV, FLAC, etc., let alone hi-rez. Do you wonder why for some people the 1A/1Z is close?
  
 Like many other things in life, once you hit a certain point, the cost to get even 1% better starts to become an exponential curve.


----------



## harmonix

fenderp said:


> Most people can't hear the difference between MP3 and uncompressed WAV, FLAC, etc., let alone hi-rez. Do you wonder why for some people the 1A/1Z is close?
> 
> Like many other things in life, once you hit a certain point, the cost to get even 1% better starts to become an exponential curve.




Actually forget format compression. Most people can't hear the difference between compressed music and non. And this has nothing to do with being able to hear upper frequencies. If that were the case we should let dogs review equipment....


----------



## FenderP

harmonix said:


> Actually forget format compression. Most people can't hear the difference between compressed music and non. And this has nothing to do with being able to hear upper frequencies. If that were the case we should let dogs review equipment....


 
  
 This is also why some of the mainstream websites somewhat questioned/slammed the choice of SOny to release a $3200 DAP. "Isn't a phone good enough?" For most people yes, They don't understand the market for the high end DAPs such as AK (which has been at that price point longer); Sony's just more well known.
  
 The conversation for something like B&W's P9 which isn't even the most expensive headphone tends to go something like "WHy are these better than my white iBuds?"
  
 Most people need/want "good enough". We're not that crowd.


----------



## AnakChan

Some posts have been cleaned up. Despite FenderP's rather obnoxious way of wording posts, in content he is correct that the ZX1 is Android base vs the Sony OS which provides more customisation that Sony desires. Back to the way FenderP has posted, I have to say isn't this the pot calling the kettle black?
  
 Therefore -everyone- please consider how you choose to word your posts.


----------



## FenderP

anakchan said:


> he is correct that the ZX1 is Android base vs the Sony OS which provides more customisation that Sony desires.


 
  
 I don't think that's it and an over-simplifaction. UIs aside, the base functionality of the Android-based Z (and the one F that had it - I do wish they had taken that Walkman playing app which mimiced old school tape-based ones and put it on other Android Sony Walkmans) and the Sony-based OS have been pretty much the same give or take. The touchscreen integration first happened with the X10x0, but IIRC, people hated touch (ahead of its time, eh) and Sony went back to the button-based lines after before introducing touch on the Z. Now we've got touch back on the A and the 1A/1Z with the Sony OS, so to a degree, I'm not surprised at the reports of the touch-based UI being a bit laggy since the X was the last time they truly did touch with it.
  
 EDIT: And if you look at the app on Android that Sony provides for the HAP-S1 and HAP-Z1ES, it is basically the same as the one in the Z series, so that's a sunk cost and shared with the rest of the audio divison.
  
 I also look at the ZX100 as the proof of concept for the 1A/1Z (higher end guts, Sony OS). You can see that in other areas of what Sony did in the past (good example: look at the old Vaio Duo 11 and its successor, the Duo 13 the next year; night and day in may ways, but similar design language and common history).
  
 Google and Android are an iffy proposition. Look at the uproar around the Xperia Z3 series not getting 7.0 and then blaming it on lack of support for the chip (which is the reason), but that's a Google/vendor decision. Sony didn't make that. DAPs are not phones and usually not connected to the Internet, so the need to be tied to an underlying OS that requires security updates is a big undertaking. Another good example of this is Panasonic's DMC-CM1 phone/camera. It got updated to Android 5.0, not 6.0. It's another odd device in the same way to most DAPs are.
  
 The good news is that Sony does do firmware updates from time to time, so I'd expect to see some. If I was a betting man, I would think the next iteration would nail the speed of the UI with the beefier guts perfectly. None of this matters to me. I will most likely wind up with the 1A and have it for a few years.
  
 Sony made a _business _decision not to use Android. Technical aspects played into this choice, but at the end of the day, Sony's bean counters probably figured out for them and this use case, it's cheaper to support their own homegrown stuff. That's not always the case, but seems to be true here.


----------



## FenderP

There's something else at play in this high end market that caters to places like Japan having been there: living space is a premium. If you're an audiophile, having a massive rig (including requisite speakers, etc.) in some cases would consume where you are living. Having great sounding, smaller product makes a lot of sense if that is the market you are targeting (i.e. 1A or 1Z into the ES headphone amp with killer headphones).
  
 For me, my portable rig is for travel, not home. I have a nice enough rig (well, technically more than one) at home and have the space.
  
 So in this context, the 1Z is not so crazy when a big rig done well can be CRAZY money. Having a small rig that competes with one that costs tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars is not easy.


----------



## harmonix

fenderp said:


> There's something else at play in this high end market that caters to places like Japan having been there: living space is a premium. If you're an audiophile, having a massive rig (including requisite speakers, etc.) in some cases would consume where you are living. Having great sounding, smaller product makes a lot of sense if that is the market you are targeting (i.e. 1A or 1Z into the ES headphone amp with killer headphones).
> 
> For me, my portable rig is for travel, not home. I have a nice enough rig (well, technically more than one) at home and have the space.
> 
> So in this context, the 1Z is not so crazy when a big rig done well can be CRAZY money. Having a small rig that competes with one that costs tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars is not easy.




Well seems reasonable to me when the ak380 is 30% more. If people want to slam thois for being expensive then they should be even handed and slamm the ak380 as well?


----------



## FenderP

harmonix said:


> Well seems reasonable to me when the ak380 is 30% more. If people want to slam thois for being expensive then they should be even handed and slamm the ak380 as well?


 
  
 If only the world worked this way. Astell and Kern is not a household name (nor is iRiver). Sony is, so it's easy to say OMGLOLZ SONY RELEASED A $3200 MUSIC ONLY PLAYER from an outsider perspective. Just look at the title on the actual page vs. the url here: http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/5/12799652/sony-signature-walkman-z1r-headphones-ifa-2016
  
 The one thing I think Sony _did _miss on the 1A/1Z but would hopefully be easy to add later is MQA support. That's a software fix.
  
 I do applaud what Sony did here. I'm looking forward to the 1A when it's released. The fact we are at 200+ pages for an as-yet-to-be-released player says how much interest there is.


----------



## oldmate

fenderp said:


> There's something else at play in this high end market that caters to places like Japan having been there: living space is a premium. If you're an audiophile, having a massive rig (including requisite speakers, etc.) in some cases would consume where you are living. Having great sounding, smaller product makes a lot of sense if that is the market you are targeting (i.e. 1A or 1Z into the ES headphone amp with killer headphones).
> 
> For me, my portable rig is for travel, not home. I have a nice enough rig (well, technically more than one) at home and have the space.
> 
> So in this context, the 1Z is not so crazy when a big rig done well can be CRAZY money. Having a small rig that competes with one that costs tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars is not easy.


 
 Well, I've heard it all now. Sony's reason for their DAP's - living space in Japan!!


----------



## FenderP

oldmate said:


> Well, I've heard it all now. Sony's reason for their DAP's - living space in Japan!!


 
  
 I'm not saying that is the _only _reason. But it's not implausible. I've visited a friend a few times in Japan, and once we went to a friend of his. The apartment was the size of - and not exaggerating - maybe my kitchen. But he had a Hammond B3 and Leslie ... it's all about priority.
  
 Put another way: smaller laptops  like Panasonic's RZ can be more expensive than that cheapola one you can get at BestBuy. Making things smaller is expensive (the small but powerful laptops I've purchased from Japan over the past 10+ years prove that out). Back in the day, Sony's T line (which was ULV-bsaed) was technically less powerful than something like their Z/SZ/S line, but just as -if not more - expensive.
  
 The economics of high end audio come from a different school than mass market. Every manufacturer knows they're not going to sell as much product as an iPhone or Galaxy S. Yet, high end audio outside of DAPs have had this model for a long time. What makes a $10k speaker better than one that sells for $100? This new generation of folks getting away from physical product and who don't value physical product like CDs/SACDs/DVD-A/Blu-Ray Audio - along with people who live in apartments who want quality sound but not a big rig - are arguably the target market.
  
 I have no access to the numbers, but I would bet Sony sells more of this stuff in Asia than they do in North America and Europe combined. The complaining about no streaming vs. Sony's more "pure" approach here speaks to the fact in the Asian market, it's not a priorty. And truth be told, most streaming is lossy, so what's the point on a hi-rez player? I believe Sony wants to sell more in the rest of the world, but I don't think it's their primary market focus.


----------



## Toolman

oldmate said:


> Well, I've heard it all now. Sony's reason for their DAP's - living space in Japan!!


 
  
 Of course their main reason for their DAP is to make money, that's a given...but go live in countries such as Japan (in the bigger cities) and/or Hong Kong for some months then you'll understand the premium for having a smaller setups


----------



## WCDchee

fenderp said:


> I'm not saying that is the _only_ reason. But it's not implausible. I've visited a friend a few times in Japan, and once we went to a friend of his. The apartment was the size of - and not exaggerating - maybe my kitchen. But he had a Hammond B3 and Leslie ... it's all about priority.
> 
> Put another way: smaller laptops  like Panasonic's RZ can be more expensive than that cheapola one you can get at BestBuy. Making things smaller is expensive (the small but powerful laptops I've purchased from Japan over the past 10+ years prove that out). Back in the day, Sony's T line (which was ULV-bsaed) was technically less powerful than something like their Z/SZ/S line, but just as -if not more - expensive.
> 
> ...




You're absolutely right in that.

Head fi is a predominantly north american forum with some european involvement. However, if you talk to some of the manufacturers, you would realise that the Asian market is far more profitable. Just China and Japan alone would make up much larger markets than most of the western market combined, which is why very often head fiers cannot understand decisions like the lack of streaming, or lack of UI support in certain areas. Asians generally have a rather different way of listening to music than their American and European counterparts.


----------



## FenderP

wcdchee said:


> You're absolutely right in that.
> 
> Head fi is a predominantly north american forum with some european involvement. However, if you talk to some of the manufacturers, you would realise that the Asian market is far more profitable. Just China and Japan alone would make up much larger markets than most of the western market combined, which is why very often head fiers cannot understand decisions like the lack of streaming, or lack of UI support in certain areas. Asians generally have a rather different way of listening to music than their American and European counterparts.


 
  
 I think some folks' heads would explode if they ever got to Japan and went to Audio Union (either in Ochanomizu or Shinjuku) or one of the branches of Yodobashi where most of the headphones or DAPs from cheap to expensive are there to just try. You see some unusual stuff in Asia - usually color/finish variants, or some wacky aesthetics/designs/exclusives such as the Sony Sountina NSA-PF1 speaker. Magnolia at Best Buy is a joke compared to most places I've seen in Asia with much less retail space (discounting Yodobashi, of course ...).


----------



## Cecala

fenderp said:


> The good news is that Sony does do firmware updates from time to time, so I'd expect to see some. If I was a betting man, I would think the next iteration would nail the speed of the UI with the beefier guts perfectly.


 
 We shouldn't have to wait for the next iteration to get the speed right. We should have it with this model together with a superior screen or is the screen coming with the following model after the next one.


----------



## Whitigir

Very true, Asian people have a different way of enjoying music and things.


----------



## echineko

cecala said:


> We shouldn't have to wait for the next iteration to get the speed right. We should have it with this model together with a superior screen or is the screen coming with the following model after the next one.



What's wrong with the screen? It seemed to do the job just fine when I tried them. Granted it was indoors at night, is there something I missed?


----------



## FenderP

Quote:


echineko said:


> What's wrong with the screen? It seemed to do the job just fine when I tried them. Granted it was indoors at night, is there something I missed?


 
  
  


cecala said:


> We shouldn't have to wait for the next iteration to get the speed right. We should have it with this model together with a superior screen or is the screen coming with the following model after the next one.


 

 The screens on most of the Sony Walkman models, even the ones that can do video, have never been super hi-rez. Outside of maybe less power consumption with OLED, there's no point in something much better for a unit focused on audio. I see no issues here.
  
 As far as the speed, it could be as simple as a firmware update but with enough people playing with what seems to be 1.0 of this new version of the Sony OS, it is what it is. I think it's not going to be as big of a deal in the end, but for some it could be. A few ms here and there won't kill me.


----------



## echineko

fenderp said:


> Quote:
> 
> The screens on most of the Sony Walkman models, even the ones that can do video, have never been super hi-rez. Outside of maybe less power consumption with OLED, there's no point in something much better for a unit focused on audio. I see no issues here.


 
 Yeah, it's not like I'm going to be watching movies on it, and for menu screens etc, it looked just fine (as you can see from my pictures). I was wondering if there was actually something I was missing.


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> Very true, Asian people have a different way of enjoying music and things.


 
 Wow


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> Wow




Wow what ? I am speaking the truth, and instead of a huge essay, I just summed it up and in agreement with others in the previous post


----------



## FenderP

mimouille said:


> Wow


 

 I think what he means is that the market in Asia has different preferences which show up in different ways from tuning of speakers/headphones to how something looks. Different markets consume things differently in some cases. There's no controversy here.


----------



## echineko

fenderp said:


> I think what he means is that the market in Asia has different preferences which show up in different ways from tuning of speakers/headphones to how something looks.


 
 The looks thing, for sure. With audio (headphones) in particular, the Japanese market is very mature, and generally don't even tolerate minor imperfections/blemishes in products, their expectations are very high. Also, if you're familiar with the Japanese sneaker market, sometimes you see colour combinations that have no right to exist


----------



## FenderP

echineko said:


> The looks thing, for sure. With audio (headphones) in particular, the Japanese market is very mature, and generally don't even tolerate minor imperfections/blemishes in products, their expectations are very high. Also, if you're familiar with the Japanese sneaker market, sometimes you see colour combinations that have no right to exist


 

 The used stuff at the Audio Union in Shinjuku is a testament to that - everything is generally "factory fresh". Imprefections mean a much steeper discount.
  
 What, the 1000000 color combos of the Pentax Q a few years ago was aimed at the US market?


----------



## Whitigir

Well, seeing how Sony don't even have Representatives here in the Us, I don't think any of their portable music gears are aiming toward the US market. Most of my nephew younger guys in college don't even know about Walkman...they have no clue what a Walkman is....very few of them realize what it is when I bring up "iPod"


----------



## WCDchee

Y





fenderp said:


> The used stuff at the Audio Union in Shinjuku is a testament to that - everything is generally "factory fresh". Imprefections mean a much steeper discount.
> 
> What, the 1000000 color combos of the Pentax Q a few years ago was aimed at the US market?




Again you're right! Even Here in Singapore, a tiny country, we pretty much have everything you might want to try, every damn ciem brand that matters and everything in general, it's a small country that takes less Than an hour to traverse with good traffic but we have at least 7-8 dedicated head fi shops around. We don't have the crazy esoteric stuff like Japan does, but we pretty much have most things here. Even the Canjam here earlier this year had hardly anything new that singapore didn't already have, just a small handful of products we don't regularly get in Singapore


----------



## echineko

wcdchee said:


> Again you're right! Even Here in Singapore, a tiny country, we pretty much have everything you might want to try, every damn ciem brand that matters and everything in general, it's a small country that takes less Than an hour to traverse with good traffic but we have at least 7-8 dedicated head fi shops around. We don't have the crazy esoteric stuff like Japan does, but we pretty much have most things here. Even the Canjam here earlier this year had hardly anything new that singapore didn't already have, just a small handful of products we don't regularly get in Singapore


 
 To be fair, Singapore is a bit of an outlier in ASEAN, you guys have outsized buying power


----------



## WCDchee

echineko said:


> To be fair, Singapore is a bit of an outlier in ASEAN, you guys have outsized buying power




If you look a thing Japan they've got all that crazy stuff we don't have!


----------



## echineko

wcdchee said:


> If you look a thing Japan they've got all that crazy stuff we don't have!


 
 No one has all the stuff they got in Japan, anywhere 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 We have pretty much everything here too, but the truly TOTL stuff ($2000 and up) can be harder to audition. For this region, Singapore definitely has the best variety all the way to the high-end, followed by us, I'd say.
  


whitigir said:


> Well, seeing how *Sony don't even have Representatives here in the Us*, I don't think any of their portable music gears are aiming toward the US market. Most of my nephew younger guys in college don't even know about Walkman...they have no clue what a Walkman is....very few of them realize what it is when I bring up "iPod"


 
 What does this mean? Isn't there a Sony USA?


----------



## FenderP

echineko said:


> No one has all the stuff they got in Japan, anywhere
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Sony here is pretty much a joke. They lost the portable market share a long time ago, and once the Sony retail stores closed, finding something outside of consumer grade common stuff is nigh on impossible. I've seen the ZX2 once since it came out here. It's sad, really.
  
 So yes, Sony USA exists but you would think they didn't at times.


----------



## Whitigir

fenderp said:


> Sony here is pretty much a joke. They lost the portable market share a long time ago, and once the Sony retail stores closed, finding something outside of consumer grade common stuff is nigh on impossible. I've seen the ZX2 once since it came out here. It's sad, really.
> 
> So yes, Sony USA exists but you would think they didn't at times.




Nowadays with Us online business, it is not so hard to send unit out to the forums such as head-fi to get feedback and reviews, then people can Amazon the rest. It is just that Sony do not put the Us market in their marketing plan, and that is that


----------



## MarkTwain

nc8000 said:


> I bought a bag of assorted 1/8" plugs on eBay a few years ago. Don't know if anything exists for wm port




Yes there is a Sony WM port cover that can be ordered online. I ordered last week, and will share some photos when I received it from slow mail.


----------



## echineko

marktwain said:


> Yes there is a Sony WM port cover that can be ordered online. I ordered last week, and will share some photos when I received it from slow mail.



Link please


----------



## echineko

fenderp said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  


whitigir said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Nowadays with Us online business, it is not so hard to send unit out to the forums such as head-fi to get feedback and reviews, then people can Amazon the rest. It is just that Sony do not put the Us market in their marketing plan, and that is that


 
  
 I see. That's quite unfortunate, yes. As I tell some of my friends sometimes, we take for granted the variety we get locally, for this hobby. We tend to imagine options to audition/buy audiophile gear in the States (and elsewhere in the west) are the same as here, if not much better.


----------



## MarkTwain

It is the last day in Singapore for the pre-order promotion:

http://www.sony.com.sg/pressrelease/asset/615102/section/productpressreleases


----------



## echineko

marktwain said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Freebies are always good, yes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 So which one is yours, then?


----------



## jhlin09

Copied from the Google-Translated site of Sony Japan:

 For the WM-1A

accessoriesWalkman body (1), USB cable (1), wrist strap (1), WM-PORT cap (2) (* 1), headphone jack cap (stereo mini) (1) (* 2), headphone jack cap (balance standard) (1) (* 2), Operating instructions (1), Note / main specifications on the use of (1), warranty (one), ask for product registration (1) 

 * 1 attached to one Walkman body have been 
 * 2 Walkman has been attached to the main body 
 ※ headphones and microSD card in this product is not shipped
  
 Apparently they are supplying the caps for the WM-PORT, 3.5mm, 4.4mm jacks for the Japan models only - They didn't state it on my domestic sony site.

 And does anyone have an explanation for the smaller battery life on the WM-1A/1Z as compared to the ZX2? Given that they are not running Android anymore I thought they would have an improved battery life across. 

Sony WM1A/1ZSony ZX2[During music playback] ​​ ● MP3 128kbps ​​ about 33 hours ​​ ​ ● FLAC 96kHz / 24bit ​​ about 30 hours ​​ ​ ● FLAC 192kHz / 24bit ​​ about 26 hours ​​ ​ ● DSD 2.8224MHz / 1bit ​​ about 15 hours ​​ ​ ● DSD 5.6448MHz / 1bit ​​ about 13 hours ​[During music playback] ​​ ● MP3 128kbps ​​ about 60 hours ​ ​ ● linear PCM 1411kbps ​​ about 61 hours ​ ​ ● FLAC 96kHz / 24bit ​​ about 43 hours ​ ​ ● FLAC 192kHz / 24bit ​​ about 33 hours ​ ​ ● DSD 2.8224MHz / 1bit ​​ about 22 hours ​ ​ ● DSD 5.6448MHz / 1bit ​​ about 16 hours ​


----------



## jhlin09

marktwain said:


> It is the last day in Singapore for the pre-order promotion:
> 
> http://www.sony.com.sg/pressrelease/asset/615102/section/productpressreleases
> 
> ...


 

 Same here! I just ordered a WM-1A too, the Pre-order free gift is great~


----------



## Whitigir

jhlin09 said:


> Copied from the Google-Translated site of Sony Japan:
> 
> 
> For the WM-1A
> ...




A/Z is more powerful than zx2...4x


----------



## MarkTwain

echineko said:


> Freebies are always good, yes   So which one is yours, then?




Selling all the freebies....


----------



## MarkTwain

echineko said:


> Link please




Try this:
http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/nanos-sr/item/4969887676271/?s-id=borderless_recommend_item_en


----------



## echineko

marktwain said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 No kidding, that's quite flexible, yes. But just keep in mind the sound for the 1Z/1A won't settle for a while (personally, I believe the 1Z has lots of potential, just needs the time).
  


marktwain said:


> Try this:
> http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/nanos-sr/item/4969887676271/?s-id=borderless_recommend_item_en


 
 Thanks! As per the post above, looks like the new Walkman units come with the covers already, though


----------



## MarkTwain

Sold my covers. Same as those used for ZX2.


----------



## jhlin09

marktwain said:


> Japan sets will usually come with the port covers just like ZX2, but not international sets. Thus, I believe if you did not buy from Japan, it will not come with it.
> 
> Anyway, I will be receiving a set of 3, but probably won't need all 3. Happy to sell to someone if you are in Singapore.




Ill like one then


----------



## Toolman

jhlin09 said:


> marktwain said:
> 
> 
> > Japan sets will usually come with the port covers just like ZX2, but not international sets. Thus, I believe if you did not buy from Japan, it will not come with it.
> ...


 

 Count me in as well...


----------



## Cecala

echineko said:


> What's wrong with the screen? It seemed to do the job just fine when I tried them. Granted it was indoors at night, is there something I missed?


 

 Every time my friend at work shows me her new Samsung phone I think how dull and lifeless the ZX2 screen is, that's what s wrong with it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

marktwain said:


> nc8000 said:
> 
> 
> > I bought a bag of assorted 1/8" plugs on eBay a few years ago. Don't know if anything exists for wm port
> ...


 

 where?


----------



## nanaholic

cecala said:


> Every time my friend at work shows me her new Samsung phone I think how dull and lifeless the ZX2 screen is, that's what s wrong with it.




It's not a phone, you ain't gonna be doing smartphone stuff on a dap. A battery efficient and not significantly washed out screen is more than good enough.


----------



## echineko

cecala said:


> Every time my friend at work shows me her new Samsung phone I think how dull and lifeless the ZX2 screen is, that's what s wrong with it.



So... nothing really then, as far as DAP screens go? Especially one which is not meant to play any videos etc at all?

Edit: Let's rephrase this, which DAP has a screen that actually impressed you, then? That might be more useful for comparison.


----------



## gerelmx1986

marktwain said:


> echineko said:
> 
> 
> > No kidding, that's quite flexible, yes. But just keep in mind the sound for the 1Z/1A won't settle for a while (personally, I believe the 1Z has lots of potential, just needs the time).
> ...


 

 ​semme one set to emxico please i pay for the express ship


----------



## gerelmx1986

The screen quality for me is not  a big deal, it won't be playing videos


----------



## MarkTwain

gerelmx1986 said:


> where?


 
 Try this:
http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/nanos-sr/item/4969887676271/?s-id=borderless_recommend_item_en
  
 Just found this website, which sells cheaper than the set that I have ordered (costs me with delivery around S$30). So it is better that you order directly from this website since I will sell my spares for S$10 each to cover my own costs and will only deal by meeting as I don't sell stuff online.


----------



## hifihp

marktwain said:


> It is the last day in Singapore for the pre-order promotion:
> 
> http://www.sony.com.sg/pressrelease/asset/615102/section/productpressreleases


 
lol no point to preorder TA-ZH1ES.


----------



## Whitigir

In Singapore, does the Walkman have English supported ? Wonder if I can preorder there and have it shipped here to the US


----------



## Toolman

whitigir said:


> In Singapore, does the Walkman have English supported ? Wonder if I can preorder there and have it shipped here to the US


 

 I am sure that's the ONLY option available here


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> In Singapore, does the Walkman have English supported ? Wonder if I can preorder there and have it shipped here to the US


 

 My ZX100 has english it is from HongKong


----------



## Whitigir

Now, how do one pre-order form SG


----------



## jhlin09

whitigir said:


> Now, how do one pre-order form SG




Preorder has ended!


----------



## MarkTwain

whitigir said:


> Now, how do one pre-order form SG




No more pre-order, but it means stock is coming!


----------



## Cecala

echineko said:


> So... nothing really then, as far as DAP screens go? Especially one which is not meant to play any videos etc at all?
> 
> Edit: Let's rephrase this, which DAP has a screen that actually impressed you, then? That might be more useful for comparison.


 

 You seem to be taking this personally, I prefer a better screen that's all.The higher res provides a much sharper view of text plus the added benefit of having vibrant colour. To answer your question..... none. If Sony, Samsung, Apple etc. can supply better screens on their top tier phones which cost the same here in Oz as this Dap (1A) then they can provide said unit with one.
 Sony must have a boat load of these screens laying around somewhere and need to use them up.


----------



## echineko

cecala said:


> You seem to be taking this personally, I prefer a better screen that's all.The higher res provides a much sharper view of text plus the added benefit of having vibrant colour. To answer your question..... none. If Sony, Samsung, Apple etc. can supply better screens on their top tier phones which cost the same here in Oz as this Dap (1A) then they can provide said unit with one.
> Sony must have a boat load of these screens laying around somewhere and need to use them up.


 
 Nothing personal about it, I don't even own either of these yet. I'm just trying to inject some relevance into the discussion. If you said they're horrible because everyone else's DAP has a better screen, that makes sense. Failing that, isn't it comparing apples to oranges, in terms of use cases?
  
 And I do agree, Sony of all people should have no trouble sourcing higher quality screens. But are they really required, for simple menus and album art?


----------



## Cecala

echineko said:


> Nothing personal about it, I don't even own either of these yet. I'm just trying to inject some relevance into the discussion. If you said they're horrible because everyone else's DAP has a better screen, that makes sense. Failing that, isn't it comparing apples to oranges, in terms of use cases?
> 
> And I do agree, Sony of all people should have no trouble sourcing higher quality screens. But are they really required, for simple menus and album art?


 

 I see where your coming from although if just one player used a higher spec-ed screen all the others would follow. I don't want to get into cost again as this word is now verboten in this thread although this is an area were to me Sony annoys me, they should offer a better screen and a more powerful SOC. The early previews (with one exception) all state a slightly lagging UI, not acceptable in my opinion. This discussion has been here and there many times on Headfi although If I were to show you this Dap with a better screen and a more suitable SOC I guarantee that you would want it that way.


----------



## purk

cecala said:


> I see where your coming from although if just one player used a higher spec-ed screen all the others would follow. I don't want to get into cost again as this word is now verboten in this thread although this is an area were to me Sony annoys me, they should offer a better screen and a more powerful SOC. The early previews (with one exception) all state a slightly lagging UI, not acceptable in my opinion. This discussion has been here and there many times on Headfi although If I were to show you this Dap with a better screen and a more suitable SOC I guarantee that you would want it that way.


 
 I think in a way I kindda agree with you on the screen thing.  They already have much better screen that they can use from other Xperia line.  However, it maybe a matter of OS required.  I personally think that the Walkman OS is designed to work at the current resolution....so any higher resolution display may cause some scaling issues.


----------



## echineko

cecala said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> I see where your coming from although if just one player used a higher spec-ed screen all the others would follow. I don't want to get into cost again as this word is now verboten in this thread although this is an area were to me Sony annoys me, they should offer a better screen and a more powerful SOC. The early previews (with one exception) all state a slightly lagging UI, not acceptable in my opinion. This discussion has been here and there many times on Headfi although If I were to show you this Dap with a better screen and a more suitable SOC I guarantee that you would want it that way.


 
 Well, it's not a deal breaker to me, how's that? The screen being better would definitely be a nice bonus, but I don't think it affects the actual usability of either DAP as it stands. As for the UI, I didn't actually notice a stutter/lag while using it (compared to my ZX2 which definitely does stutter on occasion), it (to clarify, spent most of my time with the 1Z) seemed pretty responsive.
  
 But it's still early days yet, I expect once people have decent time with these units we'll get a more accurate concensus.


----------



## Mimouille

cecala said:


> I see where your coming from although if just one player used a higher spec-ed screen all the others would follow. I don't want to get into cost again as this word is now verboten in this thread although this is an area were to me Sony annoys me, they should offer a better screen and a more powerful SOC. The early previews (with one exception) all state a slightly lagging UI, not acceptable in my opinion. This discussion has been here and there many times on Headfi although If I were to show you this Dap with a better screen and a more suitable SOC I guarantee that you would want it that way.


 
 I don't really care about the screen quality, but I understand that at this price, some people expect the best. If it was not Sony, there would be the argument of sourcing power. Apple or Samsung order millions of screens so they can get the best at low price. But it should be the case for Sony. Another reason could be battery life. I would think brighter / better screens consume more and Sony always aim at long battery life in their DAPs.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> I don't really care about the screen quality, but I understand that at this price, some people expect the best. If it was not Sony, there would be the argument of sourcing power. Apple or Samsung order millions of screens so they can get the best at low price. But it should be the case for Sony. Another reason could be battery life. I would think brighter / better screens consume more and Sony always aim at long battery life in their DAPs.


 
 Agree and this dap is not a video player or photo viewer, so ita fine with the current resolution., The only issue would be if you take a picture of the screen of the dap too close to see the pixels


----------



## nanaholic

From my hands on experience the screen on the player is perfectly fine in colour and contrast to the naked eye. Also the lower resolution means that there is less pixel to drive which means less battery consumption as well as less demanding to the SoC which also means less power draw - all are excellent engineering reasons for a DAP. As long as a screen on a DAP is does nothing more than displaying the album cover in most usage then I see no reasons to care about how high quality the screen is, again I'll go for more battery life any day of the week, especially if you just dig into any modern smartphone OS and see that it is the screen that eats up the most power during operation.

Unless of course the oem cuts so much that the screen is garbage, like in the case of the Opus 1 with its extremely washed out colours, the WM1 screen is more than good enough.


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> From my hands on experience the screen on the player is perfectly fine in colour and contrast to the naked eye. Also the lower resolution means that there is less pixel to drive which means less battery consumption as well as less demanding to the SoC which also means less power draw - all are excellent engineering reasons for a DAP. As long as a screen on a DAP is does nothing more than displaying the album cover in most usage then I see no reasons to care about how high quality the screen is, again I'll go for more battery life any day of the week, especially if you just dig into any modern smartphone OS and see that it is the screen that eats up the most power during operation.
> 
> Unless of course the oem cuts so much that the screen is garbage, like in the case of the Opus 1 with its extremely washed out colours, the WM1 screen is more than good enough.


 
 I am still disappointed it doesn't have a 3D screen, some vibration sensors and a smell generator so I can experience my DSD albums in 5 dimensions.
  
 (for those who have a hard time decoding my intent, this IS a joke).


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> I am still disappointed it doesn't have a 3D screen, some vibration sensors and a smell generator so I can experience my DSD albums in 5 dimensions.
> 
> (for those who have a hard time decoding my intent, this IS a joke).


 
 LOL be careful not to put Odd sounds or body functions sounds DSD albums


----------



## nanaholic

The screen is fine.
It even renders complex kanji without messing up the strokes in the song title. If you are an English user you've got nothing to worry about.
Colour and contrast is good, as seen in how it renders the different shades of blue in the album cover instead of a blue blob. There's also no light bleeding at the edge and the screen blends right into the black bezel even with a "dark theme" where most of the elements are on a black background.

It's a good screen, maybe lacking pixel count and unknown brightness under sun light, but other than that, nothing more you can really ask for.

Edit: and the white is also white not yellow such as in poorer quality screens. So at least it looks to be calibrated correctly


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> The screen is fine.
> It even renders complex kanji without messing up the strokes in the song title. If you are an English user you've got nothing to worry about.
> Colour and contrast is good, as seen in how it renders the different shades of blue in the album cover instead of a blue blob. There's also no light bleeding at the edge and the screen blends right into the black bezel even with a "dark theme" where most of the elements are on a black background.
> 
> ...


 
 Certainly looks better tan the screen of my ZX100, better resolution and constrast and less messing with the letters


----------



## echineko

nanaholic said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yeah, I didn't find any problems with the screen either. Maybe some would like a higher resolution screen, but again, it's only going to be displaying menus and album art. Plus I like my current crazy battery life with the ZX2, wouldn't like to suddenly have to charge my DAP every 8 hours >.<


----------



## Cecala

nanaholic said:


>


 
 Who is that girl in the image, very beautiful. Album please.
  
 Next week we are holding a HiFi show here in Melbourne where I live, hopefully the Sony players will be there so I can steal (hear) them.


----------



## audiophilers

Is there any chance of seeing WM1A with 256GB storage?
  
 I'm not a big fan of gold....


----------



## Cecala

audiophilers said:


> Is there any chance of seeing WM1A with 256GB storage?
> 
> I'm not a big fan of gold....


 

 Come back in 2 years.


----------



## Mimouille

audiophilers said:


> Is there any chance of seeing WM1A with 256GB storage?
> 
> I'm not a big fan of gold....


 
 Or you could just


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiophilers said:


> Is there any chance of seeing WM1A with 256GB storage?
> 
> I'm not a big fan of gold....


 
 you can add a 256GB microSD card or adapter and add the future 1TB sanDisk Card


----------



## FenderP

audiophilers said:


> Is there any chance of seeing WM1A with 256GB storage?
> 
> I'm not a big fan of gold....


 
  
 If you want to pay $3200, sure  That's a big part of the cost differential that people don't bring up. Even without the Kimber cable if Sony ever offered a higher internal capacity DAP with the guts of the 1A, it'd be probably closer to, if not over, $2000.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fenderp said:


> If you want to pay $3200, sure  That's a big part of the cost differential that people don't bring up. Even without the Kimber cable if Sony ever offered a higher internal capacity DAP with the guts of the 1A, it' be probably closer to, if not over, $2000.


 
 128GB + 200GB for my zx100 loaded like 19800 FLAC files, sufficient for 4 - 6 month listening, i am about to finish what I loaded in March
  
 But yeah i know what you refer to 256 +256 = 512 that's 67% of my library (757GB library)


----------



## bflat

Just joined the thread to see if there have been anymore listening impressions, but I find the last couple pages to be about the quality of the screen? Am I missing an inside joke or maybe came to the wrong website?


----------



## gerelmx1986

bflat said:


> Just joined the thread to see if there have been anymore listening impressions, but I find the last couple pages to be about the quality of the screen? Am I missing an inside joke or maybe came to the wrong website?


 
 there are a couple of listen impressions pages back, you have to do fast rewind lol


----------



## Dithyrambes

bflat said:


> Just joined the thread to see if there have been anymore listening impressions, but I find the last couple pages to be about the quality of the screen? Am I missing an inside joke or maybe came to the wrong website?


 
 Simply no one owns the player yet and it is not released so we have people making initial impressions >< going to screen quality...they haven't upgraded from zx2 ><


----------



## gerelmx1986

I pass the screen quality as long as it sounds superbly Good


----------



## proedros

there should be a new ia/oz thread once the products begin to sell , this thread is a nightmare of zero actual information


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> there should be a new ia/oz thread once the products begin to sell , this thread is a nightmare of zero actual information




Blame on Sony...1 month after the announcement and nothing about the actual release date in the US....and nothing for the other markets as a product yet...hell....not even Tour unit for the press


----------



## gerelmx1986

only admins can delete threads maybe we can ask brooko for the favor


----------



## Dithyrambes

Anyone know if the WM1Z or WM1A are on display to try at the sony center in Potsdamer Platz in Berlin? I am going to Berlin Philharmonie for a concert so I will be right around the corner.


----------



## gerelmx1986

dithyrambes said:


> Anyone know if the WM1Z or WM1A are on display to try at the sony center in Potsdamer Platz in Berlin? I am going to Berlin Philharmonie for a concert so I will be right around the corner.


 

 ​I don't think so, reléase date is november


----------



## AnakChan

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​I don't think so, reléase date is november


 
  
 Other regions are getting demo units in their show room though so not certain why Berlin's showroom wouldn't get one? Granted Sony Centre business may be (* need to confirm) international rather than global.


----------



## Edric Li

gerelmx1986 said:


> I pass the screen quality as long as it sounds superbly Good


 
  
 Yep, as long as it can out-perform Hugo or Paw Gold.
  
 Question for anyone who got their hands on the unit:
 Is the UI friendly for music organized in folders?


----------



## Mimouille

edric li said:


> Yep, as long as it can out-perform Hugo or Paw Gold.
> 
> Question for anyone who got their hands on the unit:
> Is the UI friendly for music organized in folders?


 
 It sounds quite different from both. I wouldn't count on outperforming the Hugo, from my two auditions and owning the Hugo before.
  
 The WMZ1, is, to me, at the highest level when it comes to DAPs, up there with the LPG and AK380. It outperforms them in some areas IMO, such as imaging, but some people will prefer the AK380 or LPG sound as the WMZ1 sig is very special.
  
 However, even if I was not a fan of the Hugo sound, I don't think any DAP can beat it technically at this stage. I find even the Mojo beats most DAPs, so the Hugo...


----------



## zachchen1996

mimouille said:


> It sounds quite different from both. I wouldn't count on outperforming the Hugo, from my two auditions and owning the Hugo before.
> 
> The WMZ1, is, to me, at the highest level when it comes to DAPs, up there with the LPG and AK380. It outperforms them in some areas IMO, such as imaging, but some people will prefer the AK380 or LPG sound as the WMZ1 sig is very special.
> 
> However, even if I was not a fan of the Hugo sound, I don't think any DAP can beat it technically at this stage. I find even the Mojo beats most DAPs, so the Hugo...




Really? I had the Hugo when it first came out and sold it after a month due to it sounding so mediocre imo xP.
As long as the sq is a good bit better than the ZX2 while retaining a similar signature I'm sold.


----------



## Mimouille

zachchen1996 said:


> Really? I had the Hugo when it first came out and sold it after a month due to it sounding so mediocre imo xP.
> As long as the sq is a good bit better than the ZX2 while retaining a similar signature I'm sold.


 
 I didn't really enjoy the Hugo either, but this is more a matter of taste. I do like the Mojo.
  
 The sound is completely different from the ZX2, I find it better but you might not.


----------



## zachchen1996

mimouille said:


> I didn't really enjoy the Hugo either, but this is more a matter of taste. I do like the Mojo.
> 
> The sound is completely different from the ZX2, I find it better but you might not.




Guess I'll find out for myself when it's finally available for order here in the US haha.
But I also want to wait a bit to see if A&K is going to release a new flagship soon.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Just got an email back from Sony Centre in Berlin. They won't have it to try until November. Was hoping to give more input, but guess everyone has to wait until November. Until then the Zx2 and the Mojo will have to do ><.


----------



## MarkTwain

dithyrambes said:


> Just got an email back from Sony Centre in Berlin. They won't have it to try until November. Was hoping to give more input, but guess everyone has to wait until November. Until then the Zx2 and the Mojo will have to do ><.


 
  
 Better for you.... giving you time to upgrade your CIEM first? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I am enjoying my ZX2 with balanced out to my Z5, while waiting patiently for the WM1A/WM1Z (they already taken my money for the pre-order!).


----------



## nc8000

At least Amazon don't take the money until they ship


----------



## MarkTwain

nc8000 said:


> At least Amazon don't take the money until they ship


 
  
 Now you know why they are giving freebies here!


----------



## Gosod

I don't know the difference, I listened to DSD files and Flac CD, in my opinion the second sounds better, the first is not sufficient volume of sound.


----------



## jfoxlim

I am wondering when it will be available in Australia, need to find it out.


----------



## Gosod

jfoxlim said:


> I am wondering when it will be available in Australia, need to find it out.


 
if you just look on amazon


----------



## cthomas

jfoxlim said:


> I am wondering when it will be available in Australia, need to find it out.




Wing Li from Minidisc says mid October but he probably doesn't know for sure.


----------



## Leviticus

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/1016/Sony_NW_WM1Z_Review.htm
  
 Finally!


----------



## Whitigir

I don't know if I should not be excited or to be.....either ways thanks Steve for the impressions and the unit is still not burned in. However the attack and decay don't look too good


----------



## CraftyClown

leviticus said:


> http://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/1016/Sony_NW_WM1Z_Review.htm
> 
> Finally!


 
  
 Great write up as always from Steven


----------



## MattTCG

leviticus said:


> http://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/1016/Sony_NW_WM1Z_Review.htm
> 
> Finally!


 
  
 I appreciate that the reviewer offered some honest criticism when the new Sony fell short. I guess that I'll let the door open that there may be some improvement with break in, but a used zx2 is looking pretty attractive right now. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  And yeah yeah, there is always some potential for the balanced output to improve the sonics also.


----------



## Steven R. Rochli

whitigir said:


> I don't know if I should not be excited or to be.....either ways thanks Steve for the impressions and the unit is still not burned in. However the attack and decay don't look too good


 
  
 A most humble thanks and did my listening the LAST day of CanJam Denver hoping they'd have more hours. The rep did say any time you flash/reset the unit it resets the hours used on the settings menu, so if they had the unit in pre-production firmware yet flashed to final production firmware 1.0... yet who knows. The Sony rep said he's going to be sending me both new units (jumping for joy) and my bank account is ready 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  
  


craftyclown said:


> Great write up as always from Steven


 
  
 Thanks CraftyClown. Truly do appreciate it. FYI guys, i tend to approach reviewing more like an 'audio scientist' than a 'music lover' in some ways. Time was sooo limited, yet look fwd to having them here so there's more time for fun play  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  All work and no play make Steven....  
  
  
  
  


matttcg said:


> I appreciate that the reviewer offered some honest criticism when the new Sony fell short. I guess that I'll let the door open that there may be some improvement with break in, but a used zx2 is looking pretty attractive right now.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Agreed, the used Sony NW-ZX2 market should be v_ery interesting_ indeed. Especially for those who love streaming, using their NAS, or have a fave Android app to organize and playback their music files.
  
  
 Well guys, back to work as have the continue posting the Audio Engineering Society show report, get my RMAF / CanJam stuff going, plus waiting on Dave Hansen and Kemper Holt to send me their CanJam / RMAF reports and pics.
  
 What is it i typed earlier? Oh yeah....
  
 All work and no play make Steven....
  
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lQ_MjU4QHw
  
 PS: The vid above is prob what my wife and Muse Heather thinks of me  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 PPS: Maurice Washignton is going to send me CanJam London coverage to be posted soon. Hired someone *and paid them to do it* yet, well, they got paid and sent me Jack sh--.  So we're fixing that situation (thanks Maurice!!!).


----------



## Whitigir

Zx2 and pha-3 for portable and transportable sounds like a good deal. In used market both can be had for 1K or so.


----------



## MattTCG

whitigir said:


> *Zx2 and pha-3 for portable and transportable sounds like a good deal. In used market both can be had for 1K or so.*


 
  
 Hear this @purk  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. It's okay, you can say it. You told me so.


----------



## Caruryn

Very good impressions given the non burnt unit and lack of 4.4mm balanced cable as of yet.Just curious when you reviewed the ZX2 did you disable the sound adjustment(thus no access to any eq)on apps menu or were you just using the k10 in trrs mode?


----------



## Steven R. Rochli

caruryn said:


> Very good impressions given the non burnt unit and lack of 4.4mm balanced cable as of yet.Just curious when you reviewed the ZX2 did you disable the sound adjustment(thus no access to any eq)on apps menu or were you just using the k10 in trrs mode?


 
  
 Excellent question and did 'direct' on both and also with some EQ on both units depending on what i was analyzing. Used the Sony stock app on the ZX2 and not one of the two fave Android apps for library sort / sound customization. Noble K10 were TRRS so same cable both units as the new Sony also handles TRRS on the 'unbalanced' 3.5mm jack. Wish i had a 3.5mm to 4.4mm jack adapter yet no one had one, and Kimber Kable had a 4.4mm cable, yet was for a different end connection and not 2-pin/Noble.


----------



## CraftyClown

steven r. rochli said:


> Thanks CraftyClown. Truly do appreciate it. FYI guys, i tend to approach reviewing more like an 'audio scientist' than a 'music lover' in some ways. Time was sooo limited, yet look fwd to having them here so there's more time for fun play
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 No problem mate. It was actually your review for the Questyle QP1R that convinced me to jump ship from the ZX2 camp. Haven't looked back once 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Regarding the CanJam video let me know if you need any assistance with this. I actually filmed and edited the official 2014 event video (I run a video production company)


----------



## Steven R. Rochli

craftyclown said:


> No problem mate. It was actually your review for the Questyle QP1R that convinced me to jump ship from the ZX2 camp. Haven't looked back once
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 We'e doing text / pics, yet would be waaaaay cool to also embed a video via YouTube. FYI: Have pro vid via TriCaster upper line unit, Canon XA-25 field cams, Sony wireless pro mics, etc. here, plus the Sony A7rii does 4K yet haven't done much with it for video. Only so many hours in the day and all that so ALL help is ALWAYS appreciated mate. You can post vids to YouTube for me or send me the 4:4:4 4:4:2, etc files via Dropbox/whatever and i can easily add entry/exit vid segment and lower thirds.
  
 Here's something i did with Chad Kassem of Acoustic Sounds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVc66YWZBTo&list=PLyIkQ9sikmHxbwnX_YfXf5L3qLMCvnQjz


----------



## gerelmx1986

leviticus said:


> http://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/1016/Sony_NW_WM1Z_Review.htm
> 
> Finally!


 
 Greata official review is out


----------



## CraftyClown

steven r. rochli said:


> We'e doing text / pics, yet would be waaaaay cool to also embed a video via YouTube. FYI: Have pro vid via TriCaster upper line unit, Canon XA-25 field cams, Sony wireless pro mics, etc. here, plus the Sony A7rii does 4K yet haven't done much with it for video. Only so many hours in the day and all that so ALL help is ALWAYS appreciated mate. You can post vids to YouTube for me or send me the 4:4:4 4:4:2, etc files via Dropbox/whatever and i can easily add entry/exit vid segment and lower thirds.


 
  
 Ah sorry, didn't explain myself properly. I was offering help with the video editing if you needed any. I wasn't actually at this years event, so I have no footage of my own.
  
 Genuinely sorry to hear someone stiffed you after you'd paid them. Not cool!


----------



## Steven R. Rochli

craftyclown said:


> Ah sorry, didn't explain myself properly. I was offering help with the video editing if you needed any. I wasn't actually at this years event, so I have no footage of my own.
> 
> Genuinely sorry to hear someone stiffed you after you'd paid them. Not cool!


 
  
 Ahhh thanks for the VERY kind offer. And yeah, someone stiff me AND CanJam/Head-Fi. He seemed so very enthusiastic too. He also reserved some gear and got fitted for custom IEMs so i had to quickly contact manufacturers to have them cancel sending him anything.
  
 Can o' worms stuff, it happens and so very disappointed that a Head-FI'er $crewed us all. Good news is that we're 'fixing it' thanks to Maurice Washington.


----------



## CraftyClown

steven r. rochli said:


> Ahhh thanks for the VERY kind offer. And yeah, someone stiff me AND CanJam/Head-Fi. He seemed so very enthusiastic too. He also reserved some gear and got fitted for custom IEMs so i had to quickly contact manufacturers to have them cancel sending him anything.
> 
> Can o' worms stuff, it happens and so very disappointed that a Head-FI'er $crewed us all. Good news is that we're 'fixing it' thanks to Maurice Washington.


 
  
 Glad to hear it's sorted. 
  
@moedawg140 to the rescue


----------



## Gosod

leviticus said:


> http://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/1016/Sony_NW_WM1Z_Review.htm
> 
> Finally!


 
after viewing this link, the player was very interesting.


----------



## Edric Li

mimouille said:


> However, even if I was not a fan of the Hugo sound, I don't think any DAP can beat it technically at this stage. I find even the Mojo beats most DAPs, so the Hugo...


 
  
 I have to agree with you on this one. Hugo is to big to fit in a pocket. But the fact that I cannot find a reasonably-sized transport for the mojo is frustrating.


----------



## Mimouille

Guys, while this feedback is very interesting, and based on my experience, quite accurate, bear in mind he rightly puts a few caveats. 

It cannot be a review after 90mn, just detailed impressions. You need to spend a few weeks with a DAP to really review it IMO.

Once again, this is not against the writer who is very honest about everything, but wait a bit before definitive judgment....


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> Guys, while this feedback is very interesting, and based on my experience, quite accurate, bear in mind he rightly puts a few caveats.
> 
> *It cannot be a review after 90mn, just detailed impressions. You need to spend a few weeks with a DAP to really review it IMO*.
> 
> Once again, this is not against the writer who is very honest about everything, but wait a bit before definitive judgment....


 
 AGREE i spend with my IEMS, Cans DAPS at least a Month or 250h burn-in before review


----------



## Steven R. Rochli

Agreed guys, and we all know those caps take time to fully burn-in. i remember panicking a bit when the Sony NW-ZX2 turned 'ugly' with sound after buying it and at 20 hours or so. AT 50 hours it was better and at 100 she was pretty much there. Once Sony send me a unit i'll give her a listen cold out of the box, then at 20 hours, and again at 100. Also curious what the new $1199 unit sounds like too.
  
 It was good i had my long-term 'control' setup so then comparing the two was easy.


----------



## Leviticus

steven r. rochli said:


> Ahhh thanks for the VERY kind offer...


 
 Steven, after hearing the ZX2 for the first time you were very excited and couldn't wait to finally buy one of these. How are your feeling about the 1Z? Did you get the same sense of excitement after spending some time with the 1Z?


----------



## Whitigir

leviticus said:


> Steven, after hearing the ZX2 for the first time you were very excited and couldn't wait to finally buy one of these. How are your feeling about the 1Z? Did you get the same sense of excitement after spending some time with the 1Z?




Excellent question


----------



## gerelmx1986

If i am getting near-binaural feeling (this album in particular, XBA-Z5) from my zx100 SE, i bet using wm1A BALANCED will sound awesome


----------



## Steven R. Rochli

At that price, frankly, i tend to be a bit more cautious. Yeah yeah, go on and say i'm 'loaded' and my Bentley drop top is a daily driver, yet PLEASE keep in mind i've also lived out of a POS car and was homeless for many months too. Re-started life with literally 2 pennies to my name about 28 years ago. So yeah, $1199 is 'reasonable', yet at $3199 color me a bit more reserved for a portable media player.
  
 If you're an accuracy freak, the Questyle QP-1r is still the King for the mula. The FiiO can be perplexing as it is really impressive BUT you have to find the 'right' amp section that works best for your set-up(s).
  
 Yes i am excited about the new top-line Sony, yet call it a healthy dose of caution cuz at this price level.........
  
 Jamming to this right now 
  
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0unH11yjklE


----------



## gerelmx1986

The Z5 IEMs are the BEST IEMS at any price point IMO, they beat my coworkers IE80, they beg for the WM1A balanced circuit....


----------



## Whitigir

steven r. rochli said:


> At that price, frankly, i tend to be a bit more cautious. Yeah yeah, go on and say i'm 'loaded' and my Bentley drop top is a daily driver, yet PLEASE keep in mind i've also lived out of a POS car and was homeless for many months too. Re-started life with literally 2 pennies to my name about 28 years ago. So yeah, $1199 is 'reasonable', yet at $3199 color me a bit more reserved for a portable media player.
> 
> If you're an accuracy freak, the Questyle QP-1r is still the King for the mula. The FiiO can be perplexing as it is really impressive BUT you have to find the 'right' amp section that works best for your set-up(s).
> 
> ...




Excellent ! Very fair view on the unit ...the hype is dying in me lol. Thanks for the honest answer and feeling


----------



## musicdragoon

Tried WM1A with my own Z5 with the new kimber 4.4 balanced cable, sounds amazing and seems same level as PHA3, or even can outperform the PHA3 balanced.


----------



## purk

musicdragoon said:


> Tried WM1A with my own Z5 with the new kimber 4.4 balanced cable, sounds amazing and seems same level as PHA3, or even can outperform the PHA3 balanced.


 
 Very nice if that is true then the WM1A is a true Gem.  BTW, the weakest link in the PHA3 is the included USB cable.  Replace that cheap cable with something better will yield substantial improvement to the PHA-3.


----------



## Whitigir

musicdragoon said:


> Tried WM1A with my own Z5 with the new kimber 4.4 balanced cable, sounds amazing and seems same level as PHA3, or even can outperform the PHA3 balanced.




Are you serious ? That sounds like a killer . Thanks for the impressions


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicdragoon said:


> Tried WM1A with my own Z5 with the new kimber 4.4 balanced cable, sounds amazing and seems same level as PHA3, or even can outperform the PHA3 balanced.


 
 WOW getting one when AJ releases it


----------



## Kerouac

gerelmx1986 said:


> *The Z5 IEMs are the BEST IEMS at any price point IMO*, they beat my coworkers IE80, they beg for the WM1A balanced circuit....


 
  




 That's quite a statement 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I'll probably buy a new dap in some months, the upcoming WM1A and DX200 are on top of my shortlist atm


----------



## echineko

steven r. rochli said:


> Agreed guys, and we all know those caps take time to fully burn-in. i remember panicking a bit when the Sony NW-ZX2 turned 'ugly' with sound after buying it and at 20 hours or so. AT 50 hours it was better and at 100 she was pretty much there. Once Sony send me a unit i'll give her a listen cold out of the box, then at 20 hours, and again at 100. Also curious what the new $1199 unit sounds like too.


 
 With the change in the capacitors etc used in the 1Z, they've upped their recommended hours to 200 now, eh? But I went through the same panic with the ZX2, yes


----------



## gerelmx1986

echineko said:


> With the change in the capacitors etc used in the 1Z, they've upped their recommended hours to 200 now, eh? But I went through the same panic with the ZX2, yes


 
 Wonder if some dummy load will work to burn in, I have seen some DAP manufacturers sell you a burn-in cable witha  dummy load (resistor), i burn it aas i listen to it with my various headphones


----------



## Steven R. Rochli

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wonder if some dummy load will work to burn in, I have seen some DAP manufacturers sell you a burn-in cable witha  dummy load (resistor), i burn it aas i listen to it with my various headphones


 
  
 Just find some medium efficiency headphones imho as that way the load is not just a 'constant'. OPPO PM3 are great for this


----------



## gerelmx1986

steven r. rochli said:


> Just find some medium efficiency headphones imho as that way the load is not just a 'constant'. OPPO PM3 are great for this


 
 whata bout MDR-Z7 which are 70-ohm according to specs, XBA-Z5 my current ones are 32 ohm


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> whata bout MDR-Z7 which are 70-ohm according to specs, XBA-Z5 my current ones are 32 ohm




That would be excellent. To my knowledge, burning in is to let these electrical components memorize the current and voltage variations (load-deliveries) in itself (simplified term). So the more variations the current and voltage applied, the better well and all rounded they are burned in. Therefore any constant pink noise or white noises are not recommended to me, or resistor dummy load. They can not be much of a variation as headphones and music. Therefore, the best way to burn in is to let a headphone connected, and play music that you have in the library for the recommended hours and further more.


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicdragoon said:


> Tried WM1A with my own* Z5 with the new kimber 4.4 balanced cable*, sounds amazing and seems same level as PHA3, or even can outperform the PHA3 balanced.


 
 Do the new cables MMCX connectors allow the Buds to spin or they have the locking mechanism?


----------



## musicdragoon

gerelmx1986 said:


> Do the new cables MMCX connectors allow the Buds to spin or they have the locking mechanism?



I remember it is standard MMCX plug, I saw someone used it on non Sony IEM at the same event.


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicdragoon said:


> I remember it is standard MMCX plug, I saw someone used it on non Sony IEM at the same event.


 
 Thanks mate seems then has no lock mechanism, My stock cable for Z5 have this tiny protuberabces in the connector to allow it to sit still and don't spin arround damaging the connector


----------



## cthomas

musicdragoon said:


> Tried WM1A with my own Z5 with the new kimber 4.4 balanced cable, sounds amazing and seems same level as PHA3, or even can outperform the PHA3 balanced.




Would love to know if the same is true for full size HP's... If that slight loss of power matters at all? Someone who owns the PHA-3 pleeeease do an a-b (balanced vs balanced) when they get the 1A ;D


----------



## WCDchee

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks mate seems then has no lock mechanism, My stock cable for Z5 have this tiny protuberabces in the connector to allow it to sit still and don't spin arround damaging the connector




Did you compare the SE and balanced output? Are they vastly different to you?


----------



## MarkTwain

matttcg said:


> I appreciate that the reviewer offered some honest criticism when the new Sony fell short. I guess that I'll let the door open that there may be some improvement with break in, but a used zx2 is looking pretty attractive right now.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 No need to look for a used ZX2, as a brand new ZX2 is just as attractive.
  
 Price has dropped nicely in Asia and you can grab one less than USD900.
  
 Add on a Balanced Cable and TRRS 4-poles plug, and all the way!


----------



## noplsestar

Did you read that?
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/822365/2016-canjam-rmaf-impressions-denver/165#post_12927335


----------



## nc8000

After a lot of agonizing I decided to cancel my order with Amazon and stick with my very excelent ZX2. I just couldn't justify spending the money.


----------



## Dithyrambes

nc8000 said:


> After a lot of agonizing I decided to cancel my order with Amazon and stick with my very excelent ZX2. I just couldn't justify spending the money.


ich auch!


----------



## Mimouille

dithyrambes said:


> ich auch!


Ich nicht.


----------



## nanaholic

cecala said:


> Who is that girl in the image, very beautiful. Album please.




Artist name is Amamiya Sora, the album name is Various Blue.


----------



## Lan647

3000 bucks and no expandable storage? 256gb is all you get? 

Now THAT is funny.


----------



## Mimouille

There is expandable storage, what are you pointlessly ranting about.


----------



## nc8000

lan647 said:


> 3000 bucks and no expandable storage? 256gb is all you get?
> 
> Now THAT is funny.


----------



## Toolman

lan647 said:


> 3000 bucks and no expandable storage? 256gb is all you get?
> 
> Now THAT is funny.


----------



## Lan647

Oh well my bad then, sorry about that!  There just doesn't seem to be a word on it in Sony's marketing. It's not even included in the spec sheet.


----------



## CraftyClown

lan647 said:


> Oh well my bad then, sorry about that!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 lol. They tend to do that. They forgot to mention the ZX2 was TRRS compatible, which became a lovely easter egg for users to discover


----------



## gerelmx1986

it has expandable memory, both 1A and 1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

dithyrambes said:


> nc8000 said:
> 
> 
> > After a lot of agonizing I decided to cancel my order with Amazon and stick with my very excelent ZX2. I just couldn't justify spending the money.
> ...


 
 Ich nicht, ich habe keine Hi-end DAP von sony


----------



## Jackson 6

Du habst keine's?...meanwhile, back on the farm, my previous to A17 Sonykins, which had been consigned to my bottom drawer for over a year, came out with some stellar sounds yesterday, just on it's tod without a dac/amp, which it lacked the tech to take on board.


----------



## gerelmx1986

jackson 6 said:


> Du habst keine's?...meanwhile, back on the farm, my previous to A17 Sonykins, which had been consigned to my bottom drawer for over a year, came out with some stellar sounds yesterday, just on it's tod without a dac/amp, which it lacked the tech to take on board.


 
 I don't consider zx100 to be Hi-end, more of a mid-tier or intro to the flagships


----------



## Gosod

musicdragoon said:


> Tried WM1A with my own Z5 with the new kimber 4.4 balanced cable, sounds amazing and seems same level as PHA3, or even can outperform the PHA3 balanced.


 
you had the opportunity to compare Z5 and A3?
what do you think is better?


----------



## gerelmx1986

gosod said:


> you had the opportunity to compare Z5 and A3?
> what do you think is better?


 
 For me Z5 hands down (due to better build and is is not prone to paint peeling off like the A3), sound wise they are similar but Z5 is by far a bit more niccier inner resolution and huge soundstage


----------



## Gosod

gerelmx1986 said:


> For me Z5 hands down (due to better build and is is not prone to paint peeling off like the A3), sound wise they are similar but Z5 is by far a bit more niccier inner resolution and huge soundstage


 
I also think that they are similar, but there is a difference.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gosod said:


> I also think that they are similar, but there is a difference.


 
 I Had the A3 and now have the Z5
  
 in summary
  
 BASS: similar in both, sometimes but not all the times the Z5 can be bassy but has slightly deeper lows than A3
 MID: The A3 has fowarder mids than Z5 so A3 is a bit more "clear" but at the same time it can get harsh a thing the Z5 doesn't display, simply z5 have silky smooth mids
 HIGH: A3 again has fowarder highs and z5 has them recessed in the form of silky smooth fluid highs. A3 can be grainy and harsh, i got ringy ears after using A3 (fatigue)
  
 SOUNSTAGE: Hands down to Z5. sppeaker-like presentation, very enveloping and 3D. A3  is a bit more intimate and sounds smaller than the z5. same goes for SEPARATION better in z5, especially in orchestras or organ pipe clusters, i can distinguis instruments or pipes when orchestrated together on Z5
  
 MICRO-DETAILING (INNER RESOLUTION): again Z5 hands down it can pick up the most subtle details such aas faint reverb from small churches or soft sounding wood-flue pipes with A3 sometimes you miss details and order to get these to appear on A3 you must cranck volume higher than my licking


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sorry for the off-topic satisfying GOSOD's curiosity on these IEMs
  
 Back to track, wish sony had instead that dumbastic wrist strap hole, had put anothe microSD slot 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, hope card format on sony is still exFAT (it may be due to SDXC standard).
  
 and now i ahve my question, which would be better? a cable with a 4,4mm plug termination like the MUC series from sony or a Piggy tail terminated in 4,4mm in one end and in the other end dual3,5mm sockets?


----------



## Gosod

> Sorry for the off-topic satisfying GOSOD's curiosity on these IEMs


 
we have already done.


----------



## Cecala

nanaholic said:


> Artist name is Amamiya Sora, the album name is Various Blue.


 

 Thank you.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Stick a fork in me...


----------



## MattTCG

^^ you're done?


----------



## shockwaver

only for a short time; roughly 12~18 months. hehe
 new models coming out in 2017, 2018, or 2019!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

These walkmans are worth of keeping for years because A)they are the BEST walkmans TO DATE possibly killer DAPs and B) sony's 70th Birthday edition


----------



## JaRGoNzZ

hifiguy528 said:


> Stick a fork in me...




So how do you find them both.


----------



## purk

@HiFiGuy528
  
 Please do us a favor and give us some sort of details review.  I appreciate your unboxing video but a review of the WM1Z against the ZX2 or AK240 or AK380 will do us a lot of good.  Thank you in advance.


----------



## vilhelm44

I'd like to hear more about the 1A. They seem to be pushing the 1Z more but I doubt it'll be worth the extra money SQ wise.


----------



## denis1976

purk said:


> @HiFiGuy528
> 
> 
> Please do us a favor and give us some sort of details review.  I appreciate your unboxing video but a review of the WM1Z against the ZX2 or AK240 or AK380 will do us a lot of good.  Thank you in advance.


hello where is the unboxing video?


----------



## audionewbi

***k it, screw rationality and all that non-sense that is expected of my age bracket, I am getting the 1Z one way or another.


----------



## Mimouille

audionewbi said:


> ***k it, screw rationality and all that non-sense that is expected of my age bracket, I am getting the 1Z one way or another.


You go boy! Who needs to eat everyday anyways.


----------



## Dithyrambes

mimouille said:


> You go boy! Who needs to eat everyday anyways.


 
 I really laughed out loud at this comment hahahah


----------



## musicday

nc8000 said:


> After a lot of agonizing I decided to cancel my order with Amazon and stick with my very excelent ZX2. I just couldn't justify spending the money.



I am pleased to hear that.
I don't think it worth that much.
Enjoy what you have.


----------



## musicday

denis1976 said:


> purk said:
> 
> 
> > @HiFiGuy528
> ...



Yes, where?


----------



## Cecala

To people who have played with either of these Sony units can you sort music by directory as opposed to artist, album and so on?


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> To people who have played with either of these Sony units can you sort music by directory as opposed to artist, album and so on?


 
 I have seen videos and still has a Folder search


----------



## gerelmx1986

dithyrambes said:


> mimouille said:
> 
> 
> > You go boy! Who needs to eat everyday anyways.
> ...


 
 me too funny rich men LOL, when they have stomach pain because they haven't eaten for dayss they will regret


----------



## Dobrescu George

Is it normal for these DAPs to be quiet? Like... really low headphone volume?


----------



## nc8000

dobrescu george said:


> Is it normal for these DAPs to be quiet? Like... really low headphone volume?




ZX2 yes but these new ones should have a lot more power


----------



## Dobrescu George

nc8000 said:


> ZX2 yes but these new ones should have a lot more power


 
  
 NW-WM1Z 
  
 Man, are those names long ;_; 
  
 Tested one today, by mistake really, I was looking for another DAP, but this was on the test table, and was looking good. 
  
 Needed to crank the volume at 90-95% HG, to feel comfortable. Which was about the same as an Fiio X5ii at 80-90 / 120.
  
 Also, looked why it costs so much. Just for kicks. Seems it's gold plated.


----------



## Whitigir

dobrescu george said:


> NW-WM1Z
> 
> Man, are those names long ;_;
> 
> ...




Are you in Europe ? If you are, those are Capped, and Volume capped should still remains as silent and low volume as Zx2....seeing both models are capped


----------



## gerelmx1986

dobrescu george said:


> nc8000 said:
> 
> 
> > ZX2 yes but these new ones should have a lot more power
> ...


 
 The low volume is odd to me, because these should have plenty of power, were you using normal 3.5mm "legacy" stereo jack or the new BALANCED?
  
 I use on mine ZX100, same power as zx2 between 26% and 50% volume thats 8/30 to 15/30


----------



## Dobrescu George

whitigir said:


> Are you in Europe ? If you are, those are Capped, and Volume capped should still remains as silent and low volume as Zx2....seeing both models are capped


 
  


gerelmx1986 said:


> The low volume is odd to me, because these should have plenty of power, were you using normal 3.5mm "legacy" stereo jack or the new BALANCED?
> 
> I use on mine ZX100, same power as zx2 between 26% and 50% volume thats 8/30 to 15/30


 
  
  
 Europe - Romania. 
  
 High gain. 
  
 Tried disabling the volume limit from settings (I think?)
  
 And on stereo output, no balanced cables were used during any of the tests. Haven't even considered plugging unbalanced cables in the balanced jack, too afraid of what might happen to the headphones.


----------



## Whitigir

I don't think there is a way to disable the volume cap....the Walkman OS is like....super secured. I don't think Zx100 Capped was ever able to disable the volume Cap ? May want to check with Zx100 owners and see....but I doubt turning off the Cap is possible


----------



## denis1976

whitigir said:


> Are you in Europe ? If you are, those are Capped, and Volume capped should still remains as silent and low volume as Zx2....seeing both models are capped


if the confortable level on the Fiio x5 II (not caped) is closer 100 (high gain to??) the problem is not with caped or not ...maybe earing caped...


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> I don't think there is a way to disable the volume cap....the Walkman OS is like....super secured. I don't think Zx100 Capped was ever able to disable the volume Cap ? May want to check with Zx100 owners and see....but I doubt turning off the Cap is possible


 
  
 my zx100 is from HK, so no volume cap here


denis1976 said:


> if the confortable level on the Fiio x5 II (not caped) is closer 100 (high gain to??) the problem is not with caped or not ...maybe earing caped...


 
 I touhht the same as going past 15 even on bigger cans is uncomfortable for me (unless the cans have insane Ohms like above 100-ohm)


----------



## Dobrescu George

denis1976 said:


> if the confortable level on the Fiio x5 II (not caped) is closer 100 (high gain to??) the problem is not with caped or not ...maybe earing caped...


 
  
 Let's refrain from personal attacks, shall we? 
  
 100 - HG - with EQ enabled, most sliders all the way down. 
  


gerelmx1986 said:


> my zx100 is from HK, so no volume cap here
> I touhht the same as going past 15 even on bigger cans is uncomfortable for me (unless the cans have insane Ohms like above 100-ohm)


 
  
  
  
 Let's take a moment and accept that there are people who don't listen to the same music through the same headphones. Ultrasone dj one pro is a 64OHM headphone, and it eats a lot of volume before sounding good. 
  
 I don't listen to more than an hour in a row on that volume, after that my listening volume averages at ~70-50 on X5ii. But first hour of music is the rush hour.
  
 The question was if it is normal for the Sonys to be quiet. Would be good to know if this is because of the DAP or someone might had mistreated the demo unit.


----------



## Whitigir

I have observed over the time that Zx2 Euro Capped is actually Suck...and stupid. Also the interview with the engineers also disclosed that if anyone got bothered by the cap, the best way is to import the unit. So, again, if you are in Europe, your Walkman is capped, regardless of new WM series or ZX2, period.


----------



## Dobrescu George

whitigir said:


> I have observed over the time that Zx2 Euro Capped is actually Suck...and stupid. Also the interview with the engineers also disclosed that if anyone got bothered by the cap, the best way is to import the unit. So, again, if you are in Europe, your Walkman is capped, regardless of new WM series or ZX2, period.


 
  
 Good to know! 
  
 Thank you! 
  
  
  
 Well, apart from it being gold plated, which I don't care about one bit, the sound was... warm. Fluid, clear, warm, a bit dark. Organic. 
  
 Kinda like the audeze of DAPs. -> this is either good or bad, depends on if you want this. I personally prefer bright signatures, so it was not for me. Technically, it was an okay sound, and more and more headphones and DAPs do follow this sound, so maybe I'm the one with the unpopular tastes here.


----------



## denis1976

dobrescu george said:


> Let's refrain from personal attacks, shall we?
> 
> 100 - HG - with EQ enabled, most sliders all the way down.
> 
> ...


personal attacks ??? Come on...sorry if you tought that, you said comfortable, not loud levels at 90 more or less...sorry but for comfortable listening levels with high gain that is not normal...do you have very hard to drive headphones?


----------



## denis1976

Ok ultrasone...never heard ...maybe your earing is fine...


----------



## gerelmx1986

My case is strange don't know what can be causing my problem with my right ear
  
 I was born at 6months 1 week pregnancy (preemie) and well had a rough start in to life, surgeries, too much oxygen in the incubator provoked me total retinal detachment on left eye and well. since baby i am  blind in the left eye.
  
 Since kid i used to note my right ear had less "sensitivity" and now as an adult i hate it, i cannot hear well, is almost deaf... left ear hears perfectly fine. no problem with that.
  
 But right ear, i can hear bass notes (on bad headphones and sometimes on my z5), but since upgrading to high-res music playes and cans/IEMs, i think i am recovering some mids and highs sensitivity (sounds odd but yeah i can now hear a bit more on the beaten-up ear) but i must cranck volume so high to hear the mids and highs, so to void damaging my good ear i just leave my volumes as i have always used.
  
 Iknow sometimes sucks because i get the stereo effect so unbalanced that sounds very odd and often think my Z5s are going dead but they aren't as i have swapped buds so R-z5 is on my left ear (good) and L-Z5 is on the bad ear (right)... hope the L/R balance from the new sony help me a bit with my disability


----------



## nc8000

dobrescu george said:


> Let's refrain from personal attacks, shall we?
> 
> 100 - HG - with EQ enabled, most sliders all the way down.
> 
> ...




We certainly all hear things differently and have different preferences. My EU capped ZX2 with sound enhancements disabled never goes over 50% when driving my Sig Pro (not DJ), anything over that would be way too loud for me


----------



## Whitigir

dobrescu george said:


> Good to know!
> 
> Thank you!
> 
> ...




Not exactly, it is just the way these new modern market is moving. I am still jamming with SA5000 which is bright, and Ha1 which is also bright....with Silver USB cables which is also bright...hell...I love details and trebles lol.


----------



## proedros

noplsestar said:


> Did you read that?
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/822365/2016-canjam-rmaf-impressions-denver/165#post_12927335


 
  

*Walkman NW-WM1Z (Copper)*: WOW!!!! Nailed it!!!!! Finally another standalone DAP that does not need an amp – bonus, it last 30 hours per charge. While the Paw Gold had been my vote for the best DAP SQ ever, I think the WM1Z matches or surpasses it, with the WM1Z kicking its but in UI and capabilities. It seems to drive full sized HPs with power to boot with TOTL desktop SQ plus a 30 hour battery life and a world class UI. It ticks all the boxes strongly. Now my disclaimer – my Hidition CIEM is broken and I didn’t bring my full sized cans so I was stuck with an unfamiliar HP that may be driving some of this excitement. Did try an IEM that I had with me that I am not as intimate with and it sounded wonderful, but Sony did not have the typical lineup of CANs to test it with. Now this copper body makes the player weigh about 3 to 5 points – guessing not actually a real figure – which not everyone will like, but I love. It has the girth and the size that makes it useful and gives me confidence that I will not break it. BOTTOM LINE: if you are all about SQ – nailed it, if you are all about UI/ergonomics – nailed it if you can deal with the weight.
*Walkman NW-WM1A (Aluminum)*: Again - WOW!!!! Nailed it!!!!! However, this is a tougher call as the music was not all DSD like the copper and the supplied music seemed to be captured at low volume. At first I thought that the copper had a bigger amp, but not true, the only difference according to the Sony reps was the copper frame with provides better grounding and better premium cabling internally to take advantage of the better grounding – 4-wire braided Kimber kable®. Found a matching DSD song one both and played again and found the volume to be the same strong performance. While I like the copper weight better, the black aluminum is more my style and the performance seems to be pretty much the same to my ear. While the jury is out on the performance difference, I believe the price is supposed to be around $2400 vs. $1200 so the aluminum is what I would be buying.


----------



## Caruryn

nc8000 said:


> We certainly all hear things differently and have different preferences. My EU capped ZX2 with sound enhancements disabled never goes over 50% when driving my Sig Pro (not DJ), anything over that would be way too loud for me


 
 We've discussed this topic to death at the ZX2 thread,apart from different hearing which is the least issue here unless you like to listen ear splittingly  loud or silent,what matters is the juice each headfone/iem requires to reach sufficient,loud enough  volume.You know that 50% means nothing with sound adjustment disabled as the vol stops increasing at around 60%.He's got the ie800 which needs a lot of juice,around 55-60% with sound adjustment off or 90 -100% vol at stock regarding eu ZX2.Funnily enough it's the same with my old eu nw f805 which is 5mw as opposed to 15mw zx2,around 90% with ie800.The eu WM1Z with the 60/240mw is gonna reach 90% too,the amp becomes irrelevant with the cap.
  
 Ugh,the thought of someone unknowingly buying a $3200 device in Europe and won't be able to drive properly a dynamic iem,it will go down as the biggest travesty in music history.


----------



## musicday

Salut Dobrescu, unde in Romania ai ascultat la walkman?
Hello Dobrescu, where in Romania did you managed to listen to the Walkman?


----------



## gerelmx1986

caruryn said:


> Ugh,the thought of someone unknowingly buying a $3200 device in Europe and won't be able to drive properly a dynamic iem,it will go down as the biggest travesty in music history.


 
 That's why i choose USA or accessoryJack


----------



## Dobrescu George

caruryn said:


> We've discussed this topic to death at the ZX2 thread,apart from different hearing which is the least issue here unless you like to listen ear splittingly  loud or silent,what matters is the juice each headfone/iem requires to reach sufficient,loud enough  volume.You know that 50% means nothing with sound adjustment disabled as the vol stops increasing at around 60%.He's got the ie800 which needs a lot of juice,around 55-60% with sound adjustment off or 90 -100% vol at stock regarding eu ZX2.Funnily enough it's the same with my old eu nw f805 which is 5mw as opposed to 15mw zx2,around 90% with ie800.The eu WM1Z with the 60/240mw is gonna reach 90% too,the amp becomes irrelevant with the cap.
> 
> Ugh,the thought of someone unknowingly buying a $3200 device in Europe and won't be able to drive properly a dynamic iem,it will go down as the biggest travesty in music history.


 
  
  
 This made me smile
  
 Just tested it, was curious on how it sounds.
  
 It is definitively warm sounding. And ie800 need a TON of power! So does dj one pro. 
  
 When people see how small ie800 is, they think - a IEM. Well, yes it's a bloody hard to drive IEM. But I love it. 
   
  
 Quote:


whitigir said:


> Not exactly, it is just the way these new modern market is moving. I am still jamming with SA5000 which is bright, and Ha1 which is also bright....with Silver USB cables which is also bright...hell...I love details and trebles lol.


 
  
  
 I also love them treble details! I wish I had known this before buying my first set of equipments, just found out a year ago or so that I've been using the wrong setup for 6 years or so 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  


nc8000 said:


> We certainly all hear things differently and have different preferences. My EU capped ZX2 with sound enhancements disabled never goes over 50% when driving my Sig Pro (not DJ), anything over that would be way too loud for me


 
  
 From my knowledge and short experience(which is not great 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




), Sig Dj needs less power than dj one pro. And there's also the problem of music listened and listening habits. 
  
 Listening to metal / energic music calls for much more volume than say relaxing on an calm night with the questionably soothing music of Jill Tracy. 
  
 Most test tracks I use are Rammstein or even more energic, since I know them better and they expose the characteristics of sound faster for me. 
  
  


denis1976 said:


> personal attacks ??? Come on...sorry if you tought that, you said comfortable, not loud levels at 90 more or less...sorry but for comfortable listening levels with high gain that is not normal...do you have very hard to drive headphones?


 
  
  
 Sorry then... 
  
 Comfortable is a wrong statement on my side. It's not comfortable for me. It is loud 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
  
 But I like it being loud, as I don't listen to music for long on this volume. 
  
 I had to leave a metal festival because of this, the music was too loud, even with ear protection, it got me nauseous. 
  
 I'm not a loud head per se, just have hard to drive stuff and like loud music and energetic music. 
  
 I am a treble head though, so I do tend to crank the volume to get more treble sometimes, and decrease the mids, so hearing should be all good to go.


----------



## Dobrescu George

musicday said:


> Salut Dobrescu, unde in Romania ai ascultat la walkman?
> Hello Dobrescu, where in Romania did you managed to listen to the Walkman?


 
  
 PM sent XD. 
  
 All I can say is that I'm a happy customer of AVstore since they have a showroom where you can test headphones even for a few hours before buying something. 
  
 Totally worth to test something before buying it.


----------



## Zaroff

So, wait... Sorry for the possibly silly question, but: the Japanese DAPs, all in Japanese as far as UI goes, are not capped.
 Then, they have the rest of the world, with multilanguage UI. Do they dichotomize markets even then? As in, some specific capped units are reserved for Europe, the rest of them, multilanguage but non-capped for the rest of the world minus Japan? That seems like a huge headache. Do they usually do that for Walkman OS DAPs? Because if so, for us over there in Europe, it's as simple as importing from the US for example, or any non-EU country.
  
 Or, conversely, are ALL non-Japanese DAPs capped?


----------



## gerelmx1986

zaroff said:


> So, wait... Sorry for the possibly silly question, but: the Japanese DAPs, all in Japanese as far as UI goes, are not capped.
> Then, they have the rest of the world, with multilanguage UI. Do they dichotomize markets even then? As in, some specific capped units are reserved for Europe, the rest of them, multilanguage but non-capped for the rest of the world minus Japan? That seems like a huge headache. Do they usually do that for Walkman OS DAPs? Because if so, for us over there in Europe, it's as simple as importing from the US for example, or any non-EU country.
> 
> Or, conversely, are ALL non-Japanese DAPs capped?


 

 ​I have seen three versions
  
 A) JAPAN-ONLY only japanese languge
 B) EURO-capped multi-lang
 C) rest of the world UNCAPPED multi lang


----------



## echineko

zaroff said:


> So, wait... Sorry for the possibly silly question, but: the Japanese DAPs, all in Japanese as far as UI goes, are not capped.
> Then, they have the rest of the world, with multilanguage UI. Do they dichotomize markets even then? As in, some specific capped units are reserved for Europe, the rest of them, multilanguage but non-capped for the rest of the world minus Japan? That seems like a huge headache. Do they usually do that for Walkman OS DAPs? Because if so, for us over there in Europe, it's as simple as importing from the US for example, or any non-EU country.
> 
> Or, conversely, are ALL non-Japanese DAPs capped?



Let's be clear on a few things:

1. Only EU units are capped, rest of the world (Asia, US etc) aren't. 
2. Multi language DAPs (switchable from Japanese to English) are only available for Android-based series (ZX2, ZX1 etc), not Walkman OS DAPs (NW WM1A/Z), so all non-Japanese 1A/1Z series will be in English (as far as I know, never seen another language reported to date)

So depending what type of DAP you buy, and from which part of the world, it determines UI language(s) and volume cap.


----------



## FenderP

echineko said:


> Let's be clear on a few things:
> 
> 1. Only EU units are capped, rest of the world (Asia, US etc) aren't.
> 2. Multi language DAPs (switchable from Japanese to English) are only available for Android-based series (ZX2, ZX1 etc), not Walkman OS DAPs (NW WM1A/Z), so all non-Japanese 1A/1Z series will be in English (as far as I know, never seen another language reported to date)
> ...


 
  
 It also affects how you update. You can't take a Japanese Walkman update and apply it to, say, an EU or ROW one.


----------



## echineko

fenderp said:


> It also affects how you update. You can't take a Japanese Walkman update and apply it to, say, an EU or ROW one.


 
 Good point, I forgot that. Last time I updated my ZX2, I got Mora and a bunch of Japanese apps I don't have any use for


----------



## nanaholic

fenderp said:


> It also affects how you update. You can't take a Japanese Walkman update and apply it to, say, an EU or ROW one.


 
  
 Would be sneaky of Sony (but nice to end users) to allow that for the WM series, seeing they don't/can't do OTA updates this time so WM series updates must be downloaded off the official website first as an installation package before being applied to the units.  If Sony don't enforce any region/model checking and just let users flash any firmware version on the units they can claim they met the EU cap requirement for their product (as they are out of box) while also say they have no control over how the user uses their units thus getting around all the issues.


----------



## FenderP

nanaholic said:


> Would be sneaky of Sony (but nice to end users) to allow that for the WM series, seeing they don't/can't do OTA updates this time so WM series updates must be downloaded off the official website first as an installation package before being applied to the units.  If Sony don't enforce any region/model checking and just let users flash any firmware version on the units they can claim they met the EU cap requirement for their product (as they are out of box) while also say they have no control over how the user uses their units thus getting around all the issues.


 
  
 This isn't 100% true. For the Android ones, you could have it check for OTA updates via WiFi. It would detect the right one.


----------



## nanaholic

fenderp said:


> This isn't 100% true. For the Android ones, you could have it check for OTA updates via WiFi. It would detect the right one.


 
  
 Which is why I said the WM series - which isn't Android and don't have WiFi as we all know by now, which means updates must be downloaded separately by the user using a PC accessing some sort of support website.  100% true. 
  
 So the only catch with WM series updates is whether Sony enforces some sort of model check during installation. If they don't, then people won't have to worry about EU capped firmware of their EU units as they would be able to use whatever firmware they want.


----------



## FenderP

nanaholic said:


> Which is why I said the WM series - which isn't Android and don't have WiFi as we all know by now, which means updates must be downloaded separately by the user using a PC accessing some sort of support website.  100% true.
> 
> So the only catch with WM series updates is whether Sony enforces some sort of model check during installation. If they don't, then people won't have to worry about EU capped firmware of their EU units as they would be able to use whatever firmware they want.


 
  
 With Sony, to me it's always relative to me because for a long time, NW was Japan only after the early years of the HD1, 3, and 5. There would always be a letter after NW to designate it as ROW, so I lump the various to a degree as subsets (A, F, S, Z).
  
 As an adie, if you have the Japanese, you can also use x-App to update the Walkman when you transfer music IIRC. I never really did it that way much, even for the newer ones. Since I use x-App when transferring ATRAC, I'm just used to the overall interface (which is basically the old SonicStage).


----------



## nanaholic

fenderp said:


> With Sony, to me it's always relative to me because for a long time, NW was Japan only after the early years of the HD1, 3, and 5. There would always be a letter after NW to designate it as ROW, so I lump the various to a degree as subsets (A, F, S, Z).
> 
> As an adie, if you have the Japanese, you can also use x-App to update the Walkman when you transfer music IIRC. I never really did it that way much, even for the newer ones. Since I use x-App when transferring ATRAC, I'm just used to the overall interface (which is basically the old SonicStage).


 
  
 I think Sony have EOL most of their music management software, now it's only Media Go that gets maintained and updated with some level of regularity and is the recommended software for syncing music with Walkmans.  Although I'm pretty certain that Media Go doesn't handle device updates as well, it's not really smart enough to do that.
  
 Media Go is actually pretty dumb overall - it basically reads XML format configuration files located on the root directory of the device to identify what the unit is and what it is capable of for play back formats.  If you have access to the XML file structure you can fool it to think anything.  I basically fool Media Go to think my AK players are actually Sony ZX1s so it would do automatic syncing without transcoding which is what happens if you try connecting non-Sony players to it.


----------



## FenderP

nanaholic said:


> I think Sony have EOL most of their music management software, now it's only Media Go that gets maintained and updated with some level of regularity and is the recommended software for syncing music with Walkmans.  Although I'm pretty certain that Media Go doesn't handle device updates as well, it's not really smart enough to do that.
> 
> Media Go is actually pretty dumb overall - it basically reads XML format configuration files located on the root directory of the device to identify what the unit is and what it is capable of for play back formats.  If you have access to the XML file structure you can fool it to think anything.  I basically fool Media Go to think my AK players are actually Sony ZX1s so it would do automatic syncing without transcoding which is what happens if you try connecting non-Sony players to it.


 

 Not in Japan  x-App is alive and well and the only thing that supports ATRAC. For my hi-rez and FLAC, I just drag and drop.


----------



## nanaholic

fenderp said:


> Not in Japan  x-App is alive and well and the only thing that supports ATRAC. For my hi-rez and FLAC, I just drag and drop.


 
  
 Media Go supports non-protected ATRAC as well.
  
 EDIT: I should add that x-App doesn't support ZX series Walkmans, it would be interesting to see which piece of software the new Walkmans would use.  But if we go with the past then I'm betting they would point users to use Media Go for the WM walkmans.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> If you have access to the XML file structure* you can fool it to think anything.  I basically fool Media Go to think my AK players are actually Sony ZX1s *so it would do automatic syncing without transcoding which is what happens if you try connecting non-Sony players to it.


 
 How do you do that, i know what an XML file is, SW engineering here


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> How do you do that, i know what an XML file is, SW engineering here


 
  
 I'll send you the xml files later when I get home.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> I'll send you the xml files later when I get home.


 
 No problema, I already found them , so basically if i want to fool MediaGo my 256GB card is a walkman copy the XML into the SD card i bet


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> No problema, I already found them , so basically if i want to fool MediaGo my 256GB card is a walkman copy the XML into the SD card i bet


 
  
 yep


----------



## Gosod

hifiguy528 said:


> Stick a fork in me...


 
What do you prefer of these two players?


----------



## gerelmx1986

They have already in sony-asia the "user manual" such a tiny document of three pages i won't call it a user manual tho 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 , it includes a QR code to an advanced user manual but turns out it gives 404 page not found LOL


----------



## gerelmx1986

already ordered my 256GB card expected arrival october 28


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> already ordered my 256GB card expected arrival october 28



I've been using 512 GB SDXC 95 mbps in Lotoo Paw Gold for over a year now
I don't like micro sd.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

I never thought I would say this, but the artwork interface and the color of the AK beats out the Sony!
Regarding the sound I don't think I will ever know! 


hifiguy528 said:


> Stick a fork in me...


----------



## audionewbi

Just based on the pictures (which arent a fair indicators) the Sonys black background are more darker.


----------



## Sonyvores

I know the waiting is killing you guys so to fill up the frustration a bit, I did a lil unboxing:
It's in French but you guys know already most of it =) . Sorry, kinda busy with PlayStation VR launch right now but I will try to add captions later 




PS: We openned it already. A brand new unit should look like this BUT walkman will be wrapped in a thin plastic (like for smartphone) to protect it


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> Just based on the pictures (which arent a fair indicators) *the Sonys black background are more darker. *


 
 which background are you referring to? the display or the DAC/music background (Little hiss)?


----------



## briant4pres

god i want it so bad


----------



## Dobrescu George

Is it a good idea to make the DAP out of perfect electricity conductors? 
  
 Could it be affected by more interference / be subjected to more risk from static ? 
  
 Just thinking that having a device made out of cooper and gold does seem a bit exaggerated at first sight. 
  
 In another order of thoughts, this thing is heavy. it won't sit in your pockets, and will be pretty heavy for a side bag. Something to keep in mind if taking it outside for a walk.


----------



## audionewbi

gerelmx1986 said:


> which background are you referring to? the display or the DAC/music background (Little hiss)?


I meant the display quality appears to be better on Sony than AK.


----------



## bettyn

Are both of these DAPs balanced or just the hideously expensive one?


----------



## gerelmx1986

bettyn said:


> Are both of these DAPs balanced or just the hideously expensive one?


 

 BOTH


----------



## Dobrescu George

gerelmx1986 said:


> BOTH


 
  


bettyn said:


> Are both of these DAPs balanced or just the hideously expensive one?


 
  
 LOL. 
  
 Both are waaaay expensive. 
  
 If my understanding is right, Sony also makes the same DAP just without cooper and gold, and it's about 1/3 of the price. 
  
 As for AK, still haven't had one in hands so can't say anything about it.


----------



## bettyn

Terrific! Wonder when they'll be available here? Have heard maybe November, but dealer who told me that wasn't sure.


----------



## musicday

Beautiful design,and craftsmanship.It is not as thick as Lotoo Paw Gold, but the start up time took very long.
I bet there wasn't a micro sd card in there so the more music you have the slower will respond.
And that seem to be the final firmware for shipping.
Will there be any firmware updates on Sony website in the near future?
We don't know yet.And the battery can be accessed removing the screen or there are screws under the pleater on the back?


----------



## phonomat

dobrescu george said:


> LOL.
> 
> Both are waaaay expensive.
> 
> ...




I think the 1Z and 1A are what was meant.


----------



## vilhelm44

So are we Europeans stuck with having to buy one here as the Japanese units will have no English language option?


----------



## JamesInLondon

vilhelm44 said:


> So are we Europeans stuck with having to buy one here as the Japanese units will have no English language option?


 

 Not at all, buy a North American unit or one from HK/Singapore; there are plenty of online dealers based there who would be happy to ship to the UK, although you will have to pay the 20% VAT on import.


----------



## vilhelm44

jamesinlondon said:


> Not at all, buy a North American unit or one from HK/Singapore; there are plenty of online dealers based there who would be happy to ship to the UK, although you will have to pay the 20% VAT on import.


 
  
 Thanks James and these will have an English language option?  I'm sure someone mentioned in the thread that the Asian units will not have an English language option?  I could be mistaken.


----------



## JamesInLondon

vilhelm44 said:


> Thanks James and these will have an English language option?  I'm sure someone mentioned in the thread that the Asian units will not have an English language option?  I could be mistaken.


 

 Hi V;
  
 Japan Domestic Market units do not have language options but every export market will have English (whether or not they have other languages, I don't know).
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## vilhelm44

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi V;
> 
> Japan Domestic Market units do not have language options but every export market will have English (whether or not they have other languages, I don't know).
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks for the info James, much appreciated.


----------



## JamesInLondon

Hi All;
  
 Does anyone yet know if there will be adapters for 3.5mm balanced to the new 4.4mm balanced headphone sockets?
  
 I have SilverWidow silver cables for my Fostex 900mk II, from Toxic cables, terminated for my NW-ZX2; or am I going to have to send them back to have a new plug fitted?
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## audionewbi

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi All;
> 
> Does anyone yet know if there will be adapters for 3.5mm balanced to the new 4.4mm balanced headphone sockets?
> 
> ...


 
 Maybe this? https://twitter.com/briseaudio/status/787187964291915776


----------



## vilhelm44

audionewbi said:


> Maybe this? https://twitter.com/briseaudio/status/787187964291915776


 
  
 Cool!  I was going to ask this as well, thanks.  I've just emailed them for more info and costs to UK.


----------



## nc8000

I expect that before long most cable manufacturers will offer this, just as soon as the 4,4 plug becomes generally available


----------



## Whitigir

4.4 will soon be everywhere as Jeita is pushing it economically. After all, it is a very brilliant plug


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have a zx100 bought in honkong store AccessoryJack and has english bult-in as well spanish


----------



## gerelmx1986

phonomat said:


> dobrescu george said:
> 
> 
> > LOL.
> ...


 

 ​I consider the 1A to be "reasoneably priced" but the 1Z is a joke price


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​I consider the 1A to be "reasoneably priced" but the 1Z is a joke price




Lol, either you want it or not. It is an old saying, you pay for what you want. Let's be honest, non of us would like people to criticize our pricing on our own products, period.


----------



## Dobrescu George

whitigir said:


> Lol, either you want it or not. It is an old saying, you pay for what you want. Let's be honest, non of us would like people to criticize our pricing on our own products, period.


 
 Of course XD

 That won't make 700$ IEMs cheap either, regardless of if I own a pair or not. And I won't get off my ie800 any day soon, so not gonna complain about prices. 1Z is gold plated after all. Personal preference is towards black, so if it were made out of obsidian, or say vantablack or other really black materials, it would probably be an interesting choice for people liking black. 
  
 If it has the exact same sound as 1a, but the price is only for the premium, it's clear that some people will want that premium and pay for it, let's support free choice. 
  
 P.S. - Premium things are the cherry on the cake, let's just ensure they have really good quality and let's make sure everyone's happy with what they get in the end!


----------



## fish1050

nanaholic said:


> I think Sony have EOL most of their music management software, now it's only Media Go that gets maintained and updated with some level of regularity and is the recommended software for syncing music with Walkmans.  Although I'm pretty certain that Media Go doesn't handle device updates as well, it's not really smart enough to do that.
> 
> Media Go is actually pretty dumb overall - it basically reads XML format configuration files located on the root directory of the device to identify what the unit is and what it is capable of for play back formats.  If you have access to the XML file structure you can fool it to think anything.  I basically fool Media Go to think my AK players are actually Sony ZX1s so it would do automatic syncing without transcoding which is what happens if you try connecting non-Sony players to it.


 
 Actually MediaGo does handle device firmware updates.  I did 3 firmware updates on my A17 all through MediaGo which alerted me to the firmware updates being available.  Just acknowledge you want the updates and it downloads and installs them from within the program.  MediaGo also has the Throw feature so you can play your MediaGo music library on your computer and have it play via Wifi or ethernet to another Sony device, in my case my Sony Receiver.  I can also control MediaGo on my computer from my receivers remote control, so for instance if I press pause on the receiver remote MediaGo will pause playing the track.  If you have other Sony products that are compatible with MediaGo it can be a very cool application to use.


----------



## Gosod

this player has a test version?


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

I don't know how to say it but look how 'close to the face' the artwork and UI of the AK is compared to how far and laid back the Sony UI is. 
Not a big problem but u can see the difference. 





audionewbi said:


> Just based on the pictures (which arent a fair indicators) the Sonys black background are more darker.


----------



## Gosod

audiobreeder said:


> I don't know how to say it but look how 'close to the face' the artwork and UI of the AK is compared to how far and laid back the Sony UI is.
> Not a big problem but u can see the difference.


 
I don't like the outer shell of that player.


----------



## CraftyClown

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]I don't like the outer shell of that player.[/COLOR]


The AK?


----------



## gerelmx1986

gosod said:


> I don't like the outer shell of that player.


 
 AK or 1Z?


----------



## phonomat

Has to be AK.


----------



## MarkTwain

marktwain said:


> Yes there is a Sony WM port cover that can be ordered online. I ordered last week, and will share some photos when I received it from slow mail.




Just received this.. WM Port Covers. Very expensive purchase with the freight costs for just 3 small pieces of rubber:



But it fits perfectly!


----------



## denis1976

Hello , about the UE volume cap, is there someone who have HEARD one and can confirm that ? I don't mean theory s i mean really heard and checked, because i don't believe that Sony has made a walkman for UE people that don't will have the power (at least in balanced mode) to play with they new flagship headphones...and like i said about the zx2 , it makes no sense to have AVLS and volume cap


----------



## musicday

denis1976 said:


> Hello , about the UE volume cap, is there someone who have HEARD one and can confirm that ? I don't mean theory s i mean really heard and checked, because i don't believe that Sony has made a walkman for UE people that don't will have the power (at least in balanced mode) to play with they new flagship headphones...and like i said about the zx2 , it makes no sense to have AVLS and volume cap



You need to understand that the Auto Volume Limiter System can be turned on or off, to limit the volume, where the Volume Cap cannot be disabled.


----------



## denis1976

musicday said:


> You need to understand that the Auto Volume Limiter System can be turned on or off, to limit the volume, where the Volume Cap cannot be disabled.


i understand that , is not enough?i ask again does anyone heard one UE and one from Japan to prove that?a 1z or 1a of course


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think you need the secret code to enter the service menu


----------



## tienbasse

denis1976 said:


> Hello , about the UE volume cap, is there someone who have HEARD one and can confirm that ? I don't mean theory s i mean really heard and checked, because i don't believe that Sony has made a walkman for UE people that don't will have the power (at least in balanced mode) to play with they new flagship headphones...and like i said about the zx2 , it makes no sense to have AVLS and volume cap


 

 Because you think they care about sound quality for EU ?
 So far, Sony has slaughtered the output of EVERY DAP they have released (with a couple of exceptions) because EU (I should say France and a few other countries, because it's not really valid for the whole EU) wants a cap at 85dB.
  
 Sad thing is that the law doesn't specify how to measure the output and the impedance of connected headset, so this is just blind application of a silly rule.
 Most manufacturers execute this with some caution or as a software cap that can be removed, but Sony just doesn't care...


----------



## nc8000

The EU rule (and it is for all EU countries) specify 2 limits, 85dB that can be disabled (but has all sorts of nags and warnings when you go over) and 100dB that can not be disabled. The rule is for the device WITH the included headphone to have a baseline so Sony do not even have to do this as they don't include headphones.


----------



## denis1976

So...conclusion nobody heard so everything is theory and conclusions based on the previous zx2 UE ...


----------



## Dobrescu George

denis1976 said:


> So...conclusion nobody heard so everything is theory and conclusions based on the previous zx2 UE ...


 
  
 I heard it, it's waaaay to silent. 
  
 It is limited and everyone who heard the demo unit in EU thoguht that the volume is way too low. 
  
 It's not Sony's fault 100%, but it;s a problem when you use hard to drive headphones. A Major problem. 
  
 PRoblem is easily solved by importing though, but still..


----------



## denis1976

And even in my previous zx2 i heard my ie800 (who someone said a few posts ago that is hard to drive and i agree ...a little)and at 60% of the volume it was satisfying...so that thing of volume cap is (at least for me) not a problem


----------



## denis1976

dobrescu george said:


> I heard it, it's waaaay to silent.
> 
> It is limited and everyone who heard the demo unit in EU thoguht that the volume is way too low.
> 
> ...


yes ...hard to drive headphones in a device with 60mw at 16ohms is "normal" that wont plays loud is nothing to do with caps and uncaps if you try the same balanced (250mw) and sound low ...that is a problem a big problem


----------



## nc8000

denis1976 said:


> So...conclusion nobody heard so everything is theory and conclusions based on the previous zx2 UE ...




And as far as I know every other Sony dap for EU


----------



## gerelmx1986

The next week will be trying a 256GB card on the old Sony OS (zx100)


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> Hello , about the UE volume cap, is there someone who have HEARD one and can confirm that ? I don't mean theory s i mean really heard and checked, because i don't believe that Sony has made a walkman for UE people that don't will have the power (at least in balanced mode) to play with they new flagship headphones...and like i said about the zx2 , it makes no sense to have AVLS and volume cap




It is confirmed by Sony engineers, I had been beating this dead horse for too long.....the Euro WM walkman is volume Capped. You Can Not Disable it, The only way is to import it


----------



## Rei87

Having just heard the 1A, I must say that I find myself alot more impressed with the 1A as compared to the 1Z. At 1.5kSGD, the 1A had a 'Wow' factor that the 1Z simply did not have. Do keep in mind, that this is coming from a person who is using the CU as a reference point. While I am certainly not going to be trading my CU for a stock 1A anytime soon, I would however, see myself to be way more likely to be holding the 1A, as compared to the 1Z, if I did not already the CU.

 But, at 1.5k SGD for the 1A, I really dont think that there are many other players in the market that punches as well as it within its price bracket. And yes, surprisingly, using the 3.5TRRS does make a rather significant difference, compared to the normal single ended sound.


----------



## denis1976

whitigir said:


> It is confirmed by Sony engineers, I had been beating this dead horse for too long.....the Euro WM walkman is volume Capped. You Can Not Disable it, The only way is to import it


so in the UE version of the 1a and 1z it will be no diference between the normal and balanced output...sorry but is something missing in all that


----------



## vilhelm44

rei87 said:


> Having just heard the 1A, I must say that I find myself alot more impressed with the 1A as compared to the 1Z. At 1.5kSGD, the 1A had a 'Wow' factor that the 1Z simply did not have. Do keep in mind, that this is coming from a person who is using the CU as a reference point. While I am certainly not going to be trading my CU for a stock 1A anytime soon, I would however, see myself to be way more likely to be holding the 1A, as compared to the 1Z, if I did not already the CU.
> 
> But, at 1.5k SGD for the 1A, I really dont think that there are many other players in the market that punches as well as it within its price bracket. And yes, surprisingly, using the 3.5TRRS does make a rather significant difference, compared to the normal single ended sound.


 
  
 You can use 3.5 TRRS with this as well as 4.4 TRRS?


----------



## CraftyClown

vilhelm44 said:


> You can use 3.5 TRRS with this as well as 4.4 TRRS?


 
  
 Yes, the 3.5mm socket will accept TRS and TRRS


----------



## vilhelm44

craftyclown said:


> Yes, the 3.5mm socket will accept TRS and TRRS


 
  
 That's great news, thanks.


----------



## goody

rei87 said:


> Having just heard the 1A, I must say that I find myself alot more impressed with the 1A as compared to the 1Z. At 1.5kSGD, the 1A had a 'Wow' factor that the 1Z simply did not have. Do keep in mind, that this is coming from a person who is using the CU as a reference point. While I am certainly not going to be trading my CU for a stock 1A anytime soon, I would however, see myself to be way more likely to be holding the 1A, as compared to the 1Z, if I did not already the CU.
> 
> But, at 1.5k SGD for the 1A, I really dont think that there are many other players in the market that punches as well as it within its price bracket. And yes, surprisingly, using the 3.5TRRS does make a rather significant difference, compared to the normal single ended sound.


 
 is that the AK CU?


----------



## gerelmx1986

rei87 said:


> Having just heard the 1A, I must say that I find myself alot more impressed with the 1A as compared to the 1Z. At 1.5kSGD, the 1A had a 'Wow' factor that the 1Z simply did not have. Do keep in mind, that this is coming from a person who is using the CU as a reference point. While I am certainly not going to be trading my CU for a stock 1A anytime soon, I would however, see myself to be way more likely to be holding the 1A, as compared to the 1Z, if I did not already the CU.
> 
> But, at 1.5k SGD for the 1A, I really dont think that there are many other players in the market that punches as well as it within its price bracket. And yes, surprisingly, using the 3.5TRRS does make a rather significant difference, compared to the normal single ended sound.


 

 ​Seems 1A is a BARGAIN for 1.2K USD (24K MXN), just waiting for its release


----------



## gerelmx1986

vilhelm44 said:


> craftyclown said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, the 3.5mm socket will accept TRS and TRRS
> ...


 

 ​TRS, TRRS and the new 4.4mm is TRRRS


----------



## Rei87

goody said:


> is that the AK CU?


 
 yes. For now, at least,having cycled through a couple of so called 'TOTL' players (paw gold, dpx1, ak380black, 240, 240SS), I kind of see the AK copper player as the....gold standard.....pardon the irony lol.....

 For now, I cannot highly enough recommend the 1A as the player of choice for the price to performance ratio orientated audiophile.


----------



## Sonyvores

sonyvores said:


> I know the waiting is killing you guys so to fill up the frustration a bit, I did a lil unboxing:
> It's in French but you guys know already most of it =) . Sorry, kinda busy with PlayStation VR launch right now but I will try to add captions later
> 
> 
> ...


 
 ok caption added =)


----------



## purk

sonyvores said:


> ok caption added =)


 
 Can you give us a mini review between the 1A & 1Z?  Plenty of people would really appreciate that.


----------



## Mimouille

I still urge people to try for themselves as I had the opposite experience from Rei87...the 1A sounded good but the 1Z is audibly better...of course whether you want to put 3k is another issue.


----------



## Cecala

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​TRS, TRRS and the new 4.4mm is TRRRS


 

 So what your saying is, the more 'R's the better the sound quality. Well.....I'll just wait for the 40mm plug which would make it TRRRRRRRRRRRRRRS.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

That's a long boot up time knowing it doesn't have Android it and is loaded with Sony software. 





sonyvores said:


> ok caption added =)


----------



## Whitigir

audiobreeder said:


> That's a long boot up time knowing it doesn't have Android it and is loaded with Sony software.




Probably pre-production model....agreed about long boost time....reminded me of my 1995 Windows computer


----------



## gerelmx1986

Cecala said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> So what your saying is, the more 'R's the better the sound quality. Well.....I'll just wait for the 40mm plug which would make it TRRRRRRRRRRRRRRS.


 
 No. it is how sony designed it 5 pole plug for separate wires + GND to chassis


----------



## nanaholic

cecala said:


> So what your saying is, the more 'R's the better the sound quality. Well.....I'll just wait for the 40mm plug which would make it TRRRRRRRRRRRRRRS.


 
  
 T, R and S designates the different parts of the jack. T=tip, R=ring, S=sleeve.  TRS means 3 pins, TRRS means 4 pins, and TRRRS means 5 pins for wiring.
  
 TRS is standard stereo wiring configuration (L channel, R channel, common GND)
 TRRS for Sony is what is called "separate ground" configuration (L channel, R channel, L GND, R GND) - it's not the full push/pull configuration of full balance, but each channel has its own separate grounding. 
 The new TRRRS is full balance + GND (L+, R+, L-, R-, common GND).  This means that jack supports both balanced and non-balanced configuration. ie balance you wire up L+/R+/L-/R-, for SE you wire up L+, R+, GND etc
  
 There's actual engineering and electrical reasoning behind all the lettering, it's not just made up crap.


----------



## Cecala

gerelmx1986 said:


> No. it is how sony designed it 5 pole plug for separate wires + GND to chassis


 
  
  


nanaholic said:


> T, R and S designates the different parts of the jack. T=tip, R=ring, S=sleeve.  TRS means 3 pins, TRRS means 4 pins, and TRRRS means 5 pins for wiring.
> 
> TRS is standard stereo wiring configuration (L channel, R channel, common GND)
> TRRS for Sony is what is called "separate ground" configuration (L channel, R channel, L GND, R GND) - it's not the full push/pull configuration of full balance, but each channel has its own separate grounding.
> ...


 

 Lighten up people, it was a joke.


----------



## Mimouille

cecala said:


> Lighten up people, it was a joke.:etysmile:


No joking with audio.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Cecala





 wait for the year 2050 TRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRS


----------



## nanaholic

cecala said:


> Lighten up people, it was a joke.


 
  
 it's a superior standard that needs all the support it gets because currently the market "leader" doesn't support it and it has a steep uphill battle. That kind of "joke" doesn't really help raise awareness of a startup standard.  Being a tech guy I've seen so many superior standards fell to lesser options simply because of bad marketing and similar unintentional snide jokes on the internet.  I'd hate to see this one die for the same reason, seeing as there's some underground talked that Onkyo's going to sit this one out out of spite.


----------



## audioxxx

I would agree that this new plug ticks all the quality boxes, and needs to be adopted by all manufacturers, 

and also to have an agreed pin out for all as well, so it won't need rewiring between brands.
And can can be used on all DAP's.

This will be a great day.. one plug for all DAP's

You would think with all the problems Onkyo is having with their plugs, on their dpx1 they would welcome such a quality plug to market.


----------



## Cecala

nanaholic said:


> it's a superior standard that needs all the support it gets because currently the market "leader" doesn't support it and it has a steep uphill battle. That kind of "joke" doesn't really help raise awareness of a startup standard.  Being a tech guy I've seen so many superior standards fell to lesser options simply because of bad marketing and similar unintentional snide jokes on the internet.  I'd hate to see this one die for the same reason, seeing as there's some underground talked that Onkyo's going to sit this one out out of spite.


 

 I agree it's a superior standard and I'm for it 100%, I have not read any negative comments made here FWIW. The reason that some superior standards fall to the wayside is due more often than not to power struggles behind the scene and it's associated royalties cash grab than anything else (Sony notwithstanding here). Although to suggest as an example that VHS won over Beta because some character made a joke on a forum is pushing the proverbial cart up a very steep hill.


----------



## AnakChan

Move on from the TR(R)RS convo guys....and yes, lighten up. I'm a tech guy too and if I've learned to live with Microsoft, I've learnt to accept jokes too. I'm sure you can.


----------



## MarkTwain

mimouille said:


> I still urge people to try for themselves as I had the opposite experience from Rei87...the 1A sounded good but the 1Z is audibly better...of course whether you want to put 3k is another issue.




Just came back from a local Sony Store and tried out the WM1Z. They didn't have a WM1A there so can't compare it.

When holding the WM1Z, the first impression was: what a solid piece of GOLD! Very well built, even more sturdy than ZX2, and though I am not really a big fan for gold products, it does look exquisite and very very well made. Without a doubt, if I was unaware of the actual price and were to hold one, I would have guessed that it is going to be expensive.

Didn't see any 4.4mm cables there, and no casing to test too.

Store mentioned that stocks will only come in November though.


----------



## proedros

gerelmx1986 said:


> The next week will be trying a 256GB card on the old Sony OS (zx100)


 
  
 hey bro , why do you have to do so many irrelevant posts ? do you wantto feel part of the gang or something ?

 silence is golden , especially in a 200-page thread full of useless (on the 1a/1z matters) posts like these
  
 cheers


----------



## nobody7284

proedros said:


> hey bro , why do you have to do so many irrelevant posts ? do you wantto feel part of the gang or something ?
> 
> silence is golden , especially in a 200-page thread full of useless (on the 1a/1z matters) posts like these
> 
> cheers


 
 He is a hardcore supporter for his ZX100.... haha


----------



## gerelmx1986

nobody7284 said:


> He is a hardcore supporter for his ZX100.... haha


 
 Not really, i will damage it soon this week it is defected from factory so if i cannot sell it then destroy it as AJ warranty (well sony) expired last week


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Rei87 says he liked the 1A more than 1Z (neutralish) vs @Mimouille who prefers the darker 1Z
  
 isn't supposed that "audiophile standard" is neutral sound ... seems things are shifting to the Dark-side 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





... bassier headphones bassies DAPs maybe because music tendencies or people's tastes or blaming beats for the rise of bass tuning aside from that is clear a change in direction is coming and now darker sounding (warmer) is better than neutral.
  
 For me i prefer well balanced and neutral SQ a bit fun yes but not exaggerating
  
 Warm tuning is the new neutral


----------



## Mimouille

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Rei87
> says he liked the 1A more than 1Z (neutralish) vs @Mimouille
> who prefers the darker 1Z
> 
> ...




Wow so much false interpretation and false information in one post.

First of all, none of the Sony players are neutral, even neutralish. If you compare them to AK or even a Mojo, they are warm sounding. If the 1Z is warmer than the 1A (which is not clear to me), it is only very slightly.

Then my preference for the 1Z, if you bother to read my post, had nothing to do with tonality, but, to my ears, is because of the superior imaging and layering of the 1Z.

Please try to avoid rearranging people's word and destroying value.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Moving On... HAS ANYONE tried the TONE CONTROLS these three knobs with bass, mid and treble? what are they for? can you tune a certaiin song to sound less bassy or less bright? because i read on the sony manual you can't use both the tone controls and the EQ
  
 regarding mimoullie yes i read your post and noted something on layering and staging, but because many say 1z is warmer i suppose the shift in audiophile refernce sound (not only the sonys, but fiio AND OTHER BRANDS)


----------



## FenderP

mimouille said:


> First of all, none of the Sony players are neutral, even neutralish.


 
 This. Going back to the NW-HD1 and even the Vaio Pocket (which, to this day, is my favorite Sony DAP; it was buggy as hell and had crap battery life, though), Sony has what I deem a "house sound" - but it is FAR from neutral.


----------



## MarkTwain

gerelmx1986 said:


> Moving On... HAS ANYONE tried the TONE CONTROLS these three knobs with bass, mid and treble? what are they for? can you tune a certaiin song to sound less bassy or less bright? because i read on the sony manual you can't use both the tone controls and the EQ
> 
> regarding mimoullie yes i read your post and noted something on layering and staging, but because many say 1z is warmer i suppose the shift in audiophile refernce sound (not only the sonys, but fiio AND OTHER BRANDS)


----------



## gerelmx1986

who will test the tone controls? i want to know what they are for


----------



## Mimouille

gerelmx1986 said:


> Moving On... HAS ANYONE tried the TONE CONTROLS these three knobs with bass, mid and treble? what are they for? can you tune a certaiin song to sound less bassy or less bright? because i read on the sony manual you can't use both the tone controls and the EQ
> 
> regarding mimoullie yes i read your post and noted something on layering and staging, but because many say 1z is warmer i suppose the shift in audiophile refernce sound (not only the sonys, but fiio AND OTHER BRANDS)


I wish there was tone control on you


----------



## fzman

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Cecala
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 ah, the 'Pirate' Jack - Jack Sparrow, perhaps?


----------



## musicday

So much laugh to that


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> I wish there was tone control on you


 
 I have reported your post as offensive i wont be adding more fire on you


----------



## Mimouille

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have reported your post as offensive i wont be adding more fire on you


I reported you as Intellectually offensive, so we are even I guess...


----------



## gerelmx1986

I was reading on a blog post that the Buttons of the 1Z are made of metal, hope the same applies for 1A side buttons


----------



## purk

mimouille said:


> Wow so much false interpretation and false information in one post.
> 
> First of all, none of the Sony players are neutral, even neutralish. If you compare them to AK or even a Mojo, they are warm sounding. If the 1Z is warmer than the 1A (which is not clear to me), it is only very slightly.
> 
> ...


 
 That quality is the most difficult things to achieve in our hobby.  The superior imaging and layering of details create more realism to any musical performance.  This is true for headphones, DAP, and amp as well.


----------



## Mimouille

purk said:


> That quality is the most difficult things to achieve in our hobby.  The superior imaging and layering of details create more realism to any musical performance.  This is true for headphones, DAP, and amp as well.


It took me time to hear what was different, the clear positioning of the instruments depth wise, and the fullness of the sound are very impressive.


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> That quality is the most difficult things to achieve in our hobby.  *The superior imaging and layering of details create more realism to any musical performance. * This is true for headphones, DAP, and amp as well.


 
 I agree with that i have been to live concerts of Organ, Piano recitals and a full scale symphonic work as well piano concerti and yes we are constantly looking for that realism as close to the reality it self, something i experienced from a system dating as back as 1993 a Fischer audio is the only thing i have heard with such a realism so close to reality, second comes my XBA-Z5 but depends of recording it self


----------



## FenderP

gerelmx1986 said:


> who will test the tone controls? i want to know what they are for


 
  
 Why don't you fly somewhere Sony has them on demo and test one and report back?
  
 The reality: NO ONE OWNS A 1A/1Z YET. We're at over 220 pages and it hasn't been released _anywhere._ When it comes out in a few weeks in Asia (and specifically, Japan) we'll get more impressions. Anything posted with usage has been controlled and brief (CanJam, in a store, etc.).


----------



## musicday

The player is already available for sale in Romania at 3327 Eur at today's rate.
So much stuff can be bought with that money
EDIT: the player ia not in stock yet,but will be soon.
https://www.avstore.ro/playere-portabile/sony-walkman-nw-wm1z-seria-signature/


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> The player is *already available for sale in Romania at 3327 Eur *at today's rate.
> So much stuff can be bought with that money


 
 Go to a bank if you are nice guy aask for a Loan (or use your credit card with a 12-month no-interest plan) if you are mean rob the bank 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Additionally you can sell stuff you don't love anymore


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > The player is *already available for sale in Romania at 3327 Eur* at today's rate.
> ...



I have no desire to pay this much for this player,is not worth it in my opinion.
Lotoo Paw Gold for example is a much better solution at a more affordable price.


----------



## gerelmx1986

If we forget about SQ differences and pricing matters
  
 Clearly we have the best walkmans to date, sony did really brush-up their walkman for their 70th anniversary.
  

Build on both top notch even for buttons (metal made)
Power increase (if we forget it is at 16-ohm)
Balanced and TRRS included
decent memory built-in (1A) and nice quantity on the 1Z (256)
slot for expansion
new simple UI with the 6 basic tags browsing (i consider basic Tags, Artist, album, Title (song name), year, Genre and composer)
Tons of audio effects to fiddle with and tweak your sound preferences
  
 Sony did something very special this time, i think once of a lifetime release that with years will become precious posessions and valued. I think these walkman iteratiion is by far better (on paper) than the ZX2. ITS A LEGENDARY PRODUCT hence the name signature series?
  
 what else you can ask for guys? they are the best sei glücklich


----------



## Barra

musicday said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > musicday said:
> ...


 
 Don't forget about the WM1A at about $1200 in black aluminum. I lust after the copper 5 pound paper weight more - yes it is very very very heavy, but other than the file games at RMAF, side by side with the same file they sounded pretty much the same. The difference between the two are minimal with the copper being all about superior grounding and better wiring to take advantage of it, but on the go you may not be able to hear the difference as it was had to hear at a crowded RMAF. Not sure my ear is good enough to hear the difference at home in ideal conditions either.
  
 As a disclaimer, I was listening through an unfamiliar new sony MDR-Z1R HP as my CIEMs are out of commission and there were no other available familiar HP options. I did bring an IEM that I am reasonably familiar which sounded great too, but I am basing the power on the ability to dynamically drive the Sony HP to great volumes with great clarity and dynamics. Did not feel like I needed a stack with the Sony.
  
 Both Sony A/Z versions are stellar and match the Paw Gold in SQ and amplification. That is saying a lot as I felt the Paw Gold clearly stood far far ahead of all other available DAP that I have heard including the 380 - no doubt. Plus important to me is the ability to drive HPs and CIEMs without requiring an external amp to get full dynamics which was unique to the Paw Gold until Sony came along with the WM1Z/A. However, the Sony's add a fantastic AK level interface and 30 hour battery. The only thing that appears to be missing from the Sony is Wi-Fi which I only use on my AK100ii for firmware updates on occasion. That I will miss, but the Sony makes my AK100ii sound like junk so I will have to upgrade as I get around to it. Again, while I lust after the $3K copper, the $1200 aluminum is the one that I will likely get.


----------



## purk

musicday said:


> I have no desire to pay this much for this player,is not worth it in my opinion.
> *Lotoo Paw Gold for example is a much better solution at a more affordable price.*


 
 It is a nicer solution thanks to its awesome SD card expansion slot.  Honestly, I wish the Paw Gold can be used as a digital transport as well as having better UI & battery lfe.  At the end of the day my ZX2 + PHA3 combo does sound better and allow me to do more for about the same price as long as I buy used.  IMO, the WM1Z is only worth the money if you can get them used at or around $2K  At the asking price, one can easily have the ZX100+PHA3+Z7...HD800S.....to think of it.


----------



## tienbasse

Nice to see how much you can make people pay for a copper or a gold frame that brings absolutely nothing to the sound, if you see what I mean...
 Because the additional 128Gb memory certainly doesn't justify tripling the price (1A ==> 1Z).


----------



## Toolman

tienbasse said:


> Nice to see how much you can make people pay for a copper or a gold frame that brings absolutely nothing to the sound, if you see what I mean...
> Because the additional 128Gb memory certainly doesn't justify tripling the price (1A ==> 1Z).


 

 I totally understand what you mean...but this is consumerism at its best. It's the same when you buy a Ferrari...the carbon tubs, monocoque chassis etc brings absolutely nothing when you send you kids to school or pick up groceries from the hypermart to justify the 20x price premium over a Toyota?

 Do you think the croc skin to make a Hermes bags are worth the $100,000 premium over a "common" bags? Same logic...

 The premium (and the marginal performance improvement) that you pay for the 1Z is to cover the development cost. The deal to be had here are the 1A


----------



## gerelmx1986

toolman said:


> tienbasse said:
> 
> 
> > Nice to see how much you can make people pay for a copper or a gold frame that brings absolutely nothing to the sound, if you see what I mean...
> ...


 
 Agree on you both 100%


----------



## Zaroff

musicday said:


> The player is already available for sale in Romania at 3327 Eur at today's rate.


 
  
 Looks very much like a tentative preorder to me: "Details Stock: Ask a consultant"


----------



## gerelmx1986

This is what happens if you connect both a unbalanced Plug and a BALANCED plug at the same time. BALANCED takes the priority


----------



## bflat

All of you guys who want industry standardization for the new 4.4mm TRRS plug, remember to also ask for industry standard headphone connectors to whoever you try to influence towards a single industry standard. IEMs are not too bad with 2 primary connectors, but full size is all over the map.


----------



## Sonyvores

purk said:


> Can you give us a mini review between the 1A & 1Z?  Plenty of people would really appreciate that.




Well, I can't really give you back a review, both units are brand new and need some burn-in (plus I'm kinda busy with PlayStation VR launch right now). And I went through pre sample, IFA sample and now euro retails so it's better to wait a bit for a final exam  lol

Brieftly, 1A is kinda similar to ZX2 tonal balance and sound, just a bit more detailed and of course output is more powerfull (single end + balanced)
1Z is warmer than 1A, clarity and layering are a step up. 1Z brings classical & jazz (especially vocal) to a higher level than 1A.


----------



## gerelmx1986

sonyvores said:


> purk said:
> 
> 
> > Can you give us a mini review between the 1A & 1Z?  Plenty of people would really appreciate that.
> ...


 

 ​Thanks for the infor but what if some of us have already warm sounding Cans/iems? then 1A is the best choice i bet. 1Z looks tempting but color an dprice are a major turnoff, perhaps if i steal a 1Z and swap the board into an 1A chassis 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





​ or hoping sony makes a mix-up and puts an 1Z board inside an 1A chassis by accident


----------



## BartSimpson1976

Singapore prices revealed and they are surprisingly moderate as usually you get ripped off for (nearly) everything in Singapore, but compared to USD and Euro prices these are nice surprises:
  
  
 1Z goes for 3999 SGD (in EURO it costs 3299 which at current exchange rate would be slightly ober 5k SGD. So it is 1k cheaper than expected)
  
 1A goes for 1599 SGD


----------



## gerelmx1986

bartsimpson1976 said:


> Singapore prices revealed and they are surprisingly moderate as usually you get ripped off for (nearly) everything in Singapore, but compared to USD and Euro prices these are nice surprises:
> 
> 
> 1Z goes for 3999 SGD (in EURO it costs 3299 which at current exchange rate would be slightly ober 5k SGD. So it is 1k cheaper than expected)
> ...


 

 ​Thanks for info , checking from now and on until reléase.. AccessoryJack.. like an obsessed vulture looking for its dying prey


----------



## BartSimpson1976

sometimes there are very cheap flights. Recently it was possible to book return flight from Germany to Singapore and back for 500 EUR.
  
 So you can fly from Germany to Singapore, buy the uncapped 1Z here (at the Sony store in airport or in town), fly back to Germany and you still have spent less than by ordering a capped 1Z from amazon in Germany. How not to love globalization?


----------



## nanaholic

bartsimpson1976 said:


> Singapore prices revealed and they are surprisingly moderate as usually you get ripped off for (nearly) everything in Singapore, but compared to USD and Euro prices these are nice surprises:
> 
> 
> 1Z goes for 3999 SGD (in EURO it costs 3299 which at current exchange rate would be slightly ober 5k SGD. So it is 1k cheaper than expected)
> ...


 
  
 Those are better prices than Hong Kong, and Hong Kong has no import duties. 
  
 Only consolation is Sony HK is doing a promotion where if you reserve any of the Signature Series gear you get 30% off on the purchase of the new 4.4mm cables. A package deal for WM1A + the MMCX 4.4mm balanced kimber kable for roughly 1400USD is sort of tempting.


----------



## BartSimpson1976

and of course you have to "forget" to declare your new 1Z to customs when returning to EU....


----------



## Toolman

bartsimpson1976 said:


> and of course you have to "forget" to declare your new 1Z to customs when returning to EU....


 

 Nope...first you are buying it from a Duty Free store plus also you'll be busy burning it in and using it on your flight home, so it is technically a "used" item  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  LoL


----------



## BartSimpson1976

Doesn't make a difference. You are by far exceeding of the value of what you are allowed to bring in. Whether you used it on the flight home doesn't matter. Legally you would be required to pay VAT for it when bringing it into Germany (or EU).


----------



## Toolman

If you would noticed this was merely a tongue in cheek comment. Wasn't being serious in any sense


----------



## BartSimpson1976

assumed so - just wanted to make sure so that not anybody who gets caught at airport will refer to me...


----------



## Rei87

bartsimpson1976 said:


> assumed so - just wanted to make sure so that not anybody who gets caught at airport will refer to me...


 

 lol one reason why you travel would be to buy stuff without having to waste money on the tax......just open it, use it, or just ship the box back ahead of your return if youre worried lol


----------



## Rei87

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Thanks for the infor but what if some of us have already warm sounding Cans/iems? then 1A is the best choice i bet. 1Z looks tempting but color an dprice are a major turnoff, perhaps if i steal a 1Z and swap the board into an 1A chassis
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


 I would still buy the 1A, open the player, mod the caps and wires, and voila, a almost 1Z player at half the price. If you want to go a step further, you can even CNC a 1Z chasis for less than the difference in price.


----------



## BartSimpson1976

rei87 said:


> ......just open it, use it, or just ship the box back ahead of your return if youre worried lol


 
  
 All legally irrelevant. In worst case if you can't proof that you were in posession of the device before you left EU you would need to pay VAT for it when entering EU.
 It usually won't get that far and you will get away with  it, but theoretically it could...Depends how nasty the guys at customs are....


----------



## Dithyrambes

rei87 said:


> lol one reason why you travel would be to buy stuff without having to waste money on the tax......just open it, use it, or just ship the box back ahead of your return if youre worried lol


 
 ? Why not just have the device in your backpack and have the packaging and box inside your carry-on? I mean the box isn't gigantic so ><


----------



## WCDchee

bartsimpson1976 said:


> All legally irrelevant. In worst case if you can't proof that you were in posession of the device before you left EU you would need to pay VAT for it when entering EU.
> It usually won't get that far and you will get away with  it, but theoretically it could...Depends how nasty the guys at customs are....




But that means you have to bring your receipt for every single piece of clothing and every bag and item You bring overseas! Nobody does that and I think it is safe to assume that they're not going to ask you for proof of purchase I feel it's open and you're using using it.


----------



## BartSimpson1976

wcdchee said:


> But that means you have to bring your receipt for every single piece of clothing and every bag and item You bring overseas!


 
  
 Theoretically that is case to be on the safe side. But these customs guys usually know their "suspects" and what to look for at which 
 arriving flight. But if you are arriving from Asia and have 2 laptops or an ususual amount of electronic gadgets with you they will ask questions. If you are arriving from USA and have 10 pairs of newly looking Levis jeans they will also not believe that you had them in your luggage already on departure,
  
 But all that is only what is theroretically possible in worst case.
 I had approx a hundred intercontinental flights in the last 10 years and my luggage was checked by customs exactly zero times!
  
 But I don't want to derail the thread. Come to CanJam Singapore next year and buy a 1Z here!


----------



## rushofblood

Okay, I'm writing this to retract all my previous comments on the WM1Z. 



I dropped by my local Sony store to try the WM1A again as some friends had been asking me about it. Having done that, I gave the WM1Z a spin too cause it was just sitting there, and I thought why not...

My god, WM1Z after run in is a totally different beast. This particular unit, as seen in the photo, has had 110 hours of run in (and not even proper burn in, mind you, just music) and sounds miles ahead of what it was like at the launch event. The midrange bloat and slowness is totally gone, replaced with gobs and gobs of resolution and richness that makes female vocals utterly sweet without being overly thick, while gaining a huge amount of transient speed and deep rumbly bass that doesn't overwhelm the rest of the sound as it was prone to while fresh. In local parlance, I'm utterly poisoned. I'm very sure that my AK320 cannot replicate certain things I heard on the WM1Z (a complete reversal of my original stance). Dear Lord, I must find some way to finance one. 

In comparison, the WM1A at the store has only had half the run in time and just sounds comparatively (and very obviously) inferior to the Z. I'm going to visit the store again tomorrow to confirm my findings in a second listen...


----------



## echineko

That's encouraging. The unit I got to try at launch here sounded very new and not settled, but I unfortunately missed this screen entirely. Will make sure to take note of the total play time if I get to test another anytime soon.


----------



## Whitigir

rushofblood said:


> Okay, I'm writing this to retract all my previous comments on the WM1Z.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




You are using the TRRS adaptor to your balanced plugs, correct ? As I expected, TRRS should provide better sound quality just as Zx2 does


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

So my earlier theory about the impressions of 1A vs 1Z being possibly skewed to 1Z due to 1Z being more frequented thus burned in was correct.
  

  
 I'm back


----------



## nanaholic

It's a good thing then that all the units at the Ginza store is way past Sony's recommended burn in time when I tried them.


----------



## echineko

nanaholic said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Grr, so jealous


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

nanaholic said:


> It's a good thing then that all the units at the Ginza store is way past Sony's recommended burn in time when I tried them.


 
  
 Just to remind others, you preferred the 1A over 1Z, ironically paired with Sony's own flagship XJE-MH1.
  
 Like I was preaching before, the difference in SQ between them should be far less dramatic than the bling differential suggests, the greater difference should lie in their tonality due to analog component selection and chassis impedance, it will also have _some_ bearing for SQ, but the bigger and rather more audible change would be the tonality; 1A-neutral, 1Z-natural, as has been noted by you, some other impressions, and even hinted by Sony engineers.
  
 drops mic


----------



## gerelmx1986

dithyrambes said:


> ? Why not just have the device in your backpack and have the packaging and box inside your carry-on? I mean the box isn't gigantic so ><


 
 Did that same thing with my XBA-H3 hwne i got them from germany two years ago


----------



## musicday

Wonderful that you can actually see for how long time the unit has been used.
Something only seen in Nokia phones.
Now when you buy a used unit you will know for how long exactly it has been used.


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> Wonderful that you can actually see for how long time the unit has been used.
> Something only seen in Nokia phones.
> Now when you buy a used unit you will know for how long exactly it has been used.


 
 wonder if that counter can be reset or if it only displays the time before connecting to a pc for file transfer/charging


----------



## Gosod

how many MB is it output power?


----------



## gerelmx1986

gosod said:


> how many MB is it output power?


 
 3.5mm jack includes TRRS 60mW per channel. BALANCED Circuit 240mW per channel, well if you buy an uncapped unit (outside EU)
  
 by contrast ZX2 nad 100 have 15mW per channel, A10 series had only 10mW per channel, i think X1060 had just 5mW per channel


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> 3.5mm jack includes TRRS 60mW per channel. BALANCED Circuit 240mW per channel, well if you buy an uncapped unit (outside EU)
> 
> by contrast ZX2 nad 100 have 15mW per channel, A10 series had only 10mW per channel, i think X1060 had just 5mW per channel


 
 I think that caped or uncaped the power is the same, the "caped" zx2 had 15mw the same i think that the cap is on voltage, but who heard the ue version of the 1A said that it has more power than the zx2, so ,no worries...and there goes down the toilet that theory that some had that says that the new walkman because the UE cap would not be playing louder than the UE zx2


----------



## Gibraltar

I went to demo the Sony products tonight. The Sony Store in Mongkok has a really nice little room set aside for the demo, with a sofa and a thick glass door that blocks almost all the noise from outside:
  

  
 On the downside though, they only allow 30 minute reservations and someone had booked the slot right after me, so I didn't have much time for impressions. This was the first day they allowed demos, so the units were totally not broken in. Keeping that in mind, here are my impressions:
  
 - Both DAPs were using the 1.0 firmware, and were more laggy than my ZX1. Not enough that it bothered me, but there was probably a 200ms delay between doing anything and the response.
 - The 1Z feels incredibly solid and expensive in your hand. Picking up the 1A after that feels like holding a hollow shell 
 - I can confirm the HK version has many UI languages available. Finding the menu to change the language when the UI is in Chinese is a challenge though 
 - The headphones sounded great straight out of the DAPs, enough so that I stopped using the desktop amp after the first few tracks.
 - For casual listening (say any time you're not 100% focused on the music) both DAPs sounded effectively the same. I would be happy with either of them! I'm sure differences would emerge with more careful listening/comparison but I didn't have time.
 - Across all genres of music I tried the players performed well. Timbre was accurate, imaging was excellent with good spacial queues, and the overall character was natural and not harsh at all.
  
 As an aside, I also quite liked the new headphones. I thought they paired very nicely with the players, and I didn't find the bass too strong or the highs rolled off too much at all (it should be noted though that they only earphones I have right now are MH335SR, which are also considered bassy and rolled off...user burn in??). They sounded very, very nice for any type acoustic music I played. They were not quite as great for metal, but still performed well. I want to demo some more but I might pick these up!


----------



## gerelmx1986

gibraltar said:


> I went to demo the Sony products tonight. The Sony Store in Mongkok has a really nice little room set aside for the demo, with a sofa and a thick glass door that blocks almost all the noise from outside:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Try booking the last slot before the store closes so you have the most time


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> Try booking the last slot before the store closes so you have the most time


 
  
 Over staying past closing hour is a sure way to make staff hate you.


----------



## Gosod

denis1976 said:


> I think that caped or uncaped the power is the same, the "caped" zx2 had 15mw the same i think that the cap is on voltage, but who heard the ue version of the 1A said that it has more power than the zx2, so ,no worries...and there goes down the toilet that theory that some had that says that the new walkman because the UE cap would not be playing louder than the UE zx2


 
I think zx100 is the same *mb* as the a10.


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> It's a good thing then that all the units at the Ginza store is way past Sony's recommended burn in time when I tried them.




Seems you get a bit more usable storage compared to ZX2 where 113GB are available


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> Over staying past closing hour is a sure way to make staff hate you.


 
 No no i didnt meant to over stay, i thought the last slot can last till the store closes f.e. 1 hour or more


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Seems you get a bit more usable storage compared to ZX2 where 113GB are available


 
 yes not bad for losing 1.3GB from zx100 (115.4GB)


----------



## Dithyrambes

Did you not read they allow 30 minute reservations?


----------



## nanaholic

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> And just to remind everyone, you preferred the 1A to 1Z, ironically with Sony's own flagship XJE-MH1.




There's nothing ironic about it.

My MH1 was custom tuned when fed mainly from a neutral source (Onkyo DP-X1) - with the aim to get a female vocal focus sound with smoothness already dialled into the phones and a quick but withheld (some would even say bass lite) bass. It's a very coloured tune but voiced to my EXACT liking such that if I couple it with any other sources that are voiced differently enough from my personal acceptable variance it will definitely affect my preference of the entire chain. As such when paired with the 1Z I just found the resulting sound is too north of what I would consider acceptable in vocal smoothness for a lot of fast pop songs, though pure vocal and acoustic was certainly addictive but then the chain would be too skewed towards a tiny portion of my music collection. Instead the 1A was the one that would play well with everything in my collection when coupled with my custom tuned MH1. It's just a personal preference and nothing to do with which one is superior than the other.

I'm just in a special position compared to the majority of the people here because if I have my MH1 and a memory card of the exact same files/playlist I used for tuning my MH1 I know preciously what I need to look for in the voicing of the other components of the audio chain to get back to my "perfect sound" as the knowledge I have with how my MH1 should sound is going to be a lot more intimate than most with their gear.


----------



## gerelmx1986

So nanaholic says te 1A is an all-rounder?


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> So nanaholic says te 1A is an all-rounder?


 
  
 No - it's the all-rounder for me if I pair it with my custom tuned MH1.  This is extremely personal as I already coloured my MH1 to exactly how I like it when I got it made so I require a source that doesn't add more/too much sound variance to it.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> No - it's the all-rounder for me if I pair it with my custom tuned MH1.  This is extremely personal as I already coloured my MH1 to exactly how I like it when I got it made so I require a source that doesn't add more/too much sound variance to it.




In a short sentence, 1A is neutral and 0 coloring vs 1Z is more coloring  ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

The from of the walkmans reminds me of 1990s casette walkmans. specially this


----------



## Leviticus

I'm spending some days home in good old Germany, but I forgot to bring my charging device for my tube headphone amplifier. My god, the ZX2 is so weak... . Even my TH900 aren't driven sufficiently.


----------



## Whitigir

leviticus said:


> I'm spending some days home in good old Germany, but I forgot to bring my charging device for my tube headphone amplifier. My god, the ZX2 is so weak... . Even my TH900 aren't driven sufficiently.  :rolleyes:




Lol, full size headphones will show it struggles, going balanced will help. But the 900 scales well with bigger amp ....1Z/A will do much better for sure


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> In a short sentence, 1A is neutral and 0 coloring vs 1Z is more coloring
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I wouldn't say the 1A has zero colouring, just that the 1Z adds something to the vocals that I found too lush *when paired with my already smooth and lush MH1*. The instruments sounds fine on both of them, just the vocals, so I'm suspecting something is happening in the mid band in the 1Z that's not in the 1A, but it doesn't necessarily mean 1A is more neutral either, just different. But that's just my speculation and until someone posts some frequency sweep my speculation is just that, speculation.
  
 Flip it around, if you have cold and analytical phones you may very well find the 1Z much more musical than the 1A. So definitely a very big YMMV.


----------



## bettyn

Does anyone have an idea when the 1A will be available in the U. S. I'm hearing November, but my dealer has heard nothing so far.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Theorically on second half november


----------



## Cecala

nc8000 said:


> Seems you get a bit more usable storage compared to ZX2 where 113GB are available


 

 No Android.


----------



## nanaholic

In related news, Brisaudio's line up of aftermarket 4.4mm terminated balanced cables (standard 2 pin/MMCX/Fitear connectors) as well as assorted converter cables (AK 2.5mm TRRS to 4.4mm and Sony TRRS 3.5mm to 4.4mm) are said to be on sale on the 29th of this month, which makes them just in time for the release of the walkmans.
  
 http://www.phileweb.com/news/audio/201610/18/17926.html
  
 Looks like the 4.4mm plug production is full steam ahead so hopefully DIY parts will be available soon too.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> In related news, Brisaudio's line up of aftermarket 4.4mm terminated balanced cables (standard 2 pin/MMCX/Fitear connectors) as well as assorted converter cables (AK 2.5mm TRRS to 4.4mm and Sony TRRS 3.5mm to 4.4mm) are said to be on sale on the 29th of this month, which makes them just in time for the release of the walkmans.
> 
> http://www.phileweb.com/news/audio/201610/18/17926.html
> 
> Looks like the 4.4mm plug production is full steam ahead so hopefully DIY parts will be available soon too.


 
 That's Great news


----------



## denis1976

Hello ,does anyone knows how is possible the price that the 1Z is on selling on Amazon.de? and 11 available?????


----------



## Rob49

denis1976 said:


> Hello ,does anyone knows how is possible the price that the 1Z is on selling on Amazon.de? and 11 available?????


 
  
 Only one way to find out !


----------



## denis1976

rob49 said:


> Only one way to find out !


 
 yes ...is buying


----------



## denis1976

denis1976 said:


> yes ...is buying


 
 unfortunatly it wont ships to Portugal


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> Hello ,does anyone knows how is possible the price that the 1Z is on selling on Amazon.de? and 11 available?????




Holy Cow ! Merely $1900 USD only ?....is it the Capped Version then ?


----------



## denis1976

whitigir said:


> Holy Cow ! Merely $1900 USD only ?....is it the Capped Version then ?


 
 yes ...is price capped


----------



## phonomat

Oh my, what do I do, what do I do? I always thought this does not interest my anyway because of its weight alone (and the price, of course), but €1714, 70 instead of €3299,00 ... hm ... it IS tempting ... What do I do, what do I do ...

Edit: Hm, the seller, Berevita, has exactly ONE rating (but at least it's five stars, lol).

Edit II: Something doesn't add up. Checked out their website, and they exclusively sell alcoholic beverages. Searching for "sony" on their site yielded no results. Maybe they had a little too much of their own spirits ...


----------



## gerelmx1986

nice pricing indeed but well it is not released let see who gets scammed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 i won't take the risk


----------



## denis1976

phonomat said:


> Oh my, what do I do, what do I do? I always thought this does not interest my anyway because of its weight alone (and the price, of course), but €1714, 70 instead of €3299,00 ... hm ... it IS tempting ... What do I do, what do I do ...
> 
> Edit: Hm, the seller, Berevita, has exactly ONE rating (but at least it's five stars, lol).


 
 Maybe this is the guy who bought the 1z that didn't past the quality control of Amazon.es


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> phonomat said:
> 
> 
> > Oh my, what do I do, what do I do? I always thought this does not interest my anyway because of its weight alone (and the price, of course), but €1714, 70 instead of €3299,00 ... hm ... it IS tempting ... What do I do, what do I do ...
> ...


 
 looks tempting shipping not in mexico but well i have a german friend  but as i said better wait for AJ to out them in november uncapped + trusty source + great customer service


----------



## phonomat

Maybe I'll give them a ring tomorrow. This is strange enough to have me intrigued ...


----------



## Leviticus

Don't get greedy fellow head-fiers, this is just another fake seller trying to steal your audiophile money. It's a funny coincidence that the seller claims to be located in Germany's northernmost town, Flensburg. This is only a 35-minute drive from where I live.
  
 There have been numerous shops trying to sell the 1Z for ridiculously low prices on amazon.de, all of them (the sellers, not the 1Zs) disappeared like a fart in the wind. Some of them admittedly had thousands of positive reviews, but you could tell that they were scammers. I actually tried to order one from one of the sellers. I couldn't place the order because amazon wouldn't let me. I assume amazon has mechanisms in place to prevent these shops from selling you products.
  
 I checked, and this time I could place an order with Berevita. But...nah!


----------



## Leviticus

Let me just clarify: Vinsajten.com is a legitimate shop. But I assume that someone uses their business details to set up a fake amazon shop. Get in touch in vinsajten if you want.


----------



## gerelmx1986

leviticus said:


> Don't get greedy fellow head-fiers, this is just another fake seller trying to steal your audiophile money. It's a funny coincidence that the seller claims to be located in Germany's northernmost town, Flensburg. This is only a 35-minute drive from where I live.
> 
> There have been numerous shops trying to sell the 1Z for ridiculously low prices on amazon.de, all of them (the sellers, not the 1Zs) disappeared like a fart in the wind. Some of them admittedly had thousands of positive reviews, but you could tell that they were scammers. I actually tried to order one from one of the sellers. I couldn't place the order because amazon wouldn't let me. I assume amazon has mechanisms in place to prevent these shops from selling you products.
> 
> I checked, and this time I could place an order with Berevita. But...nah!


 
 exactly you don't fool a computer engineer so easily


----------



## johnston21

johnston21 said:


> SONY Square (retail concept store) is now open @ 25 Madison Ave (11 Madison Ave street level) NYC. Hopefully we'll be able to demo the WM1 A/Z there once they are in the US.
> 
> http://www.sony.com/square-nyc/
> http://www.digitaltrends.com/features/sony-space-nyc-shows-the-best-gadgets-of-today/


 
  
 Finally got through to Sony Square on the phone to inquire if they will be demoing the 1Z / 1A.
  
 I think I speak English pretty well, but you would not know it from the challenged individual SONY associate on the other end of the line.
  
 Had to ask the question in several different ways, and took a while to get an answer, but the bottom line is they don't (currently) anticipate having these items available for demo. Too bad for USA.


----------



## purk

johnston21 said:


> Finally got through to Sony Square on the phone to inquire if they will be demoing the 1Z / 1A.
> 
> I think I speak English pretty well, but you would not know it from the challenged individual SONY associate on the other end of the line.
> 
> Had to ask the question in several different ways, and took a while to get an answer, but the bottom line is they don't (currently) anticipate having these items available for demo. *Too bad for USA.*


 
 Nah....it is just too bad for  Sony for not knowing any better.


----------



## Jackson 6

There is no way i would buy anything like this online, when the darn engineers said it wouldn't,or rather the whole set, won't be available until mid november, and all the known 'tube reviewers are at trade shows only. Granted some lucky peeps have got the 'phones early, but that's all. If you can't do that, then get 'em from the official sony website.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

I think there was enough import of the ZX2 from Japan. Sony surely has an eye for how many units are being imported which is why I think the ZX2 has never come down in price from Sony US website.
I don't think Sony wants to deal with returns so they anticipate more on the import. 





purk said:


> Nah....it is just too bad for  Sony for not knowing any better.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Also they probably 'may' have a limit on the 1Z to the US and keep the 1A at the same price so long as there is a steady import of units to the US.


----------



## purk

You can import the ZX2 due to an Andriod OS but not the 1Z & 1A due to the native walkman OS w/o English language option.


----------



## FenderP

purk said:


> You can import the ZX2 due to an Andriod OS but not the 1Z & 1A due to the native walkman OS w/o English language option.


 

 This needs to be a sticky. It'll only come up a few hundred more times


----------



## Gosod

leviticus said:


> I'm spending some days home in good old Germany, but I forgot to bring my charging device for my tube headphone amplifier. My god, the ZX2 is so weak... . Even my TH900 aren't driven sufficiently.


 
and now you gonna listen to him?


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> You can import the ZX2 due to an Andriod OS but not the 1Z & 1A due to the native walkman OS w/o English language option.


 
 in theory you can import it , assuming you know Japanese


----------



## Dobrescu George

gerelmx1986 said:


> in theory you can import it , assuming you know Japanese


 
  
 This regulation on sound volume is really annoying... 
  
 It's not like they reduced the volume of street noise, with about 70-80 db of street noise, and they want music to stay low... 
  
 Just saying, it ain't worth anything 
  
 On the other hand, at max volume, 1Z is able to be loud enough, but it's max volume, and the test was not done with the hardest to drive headphones... So buying from Japan is really important for this DAP. 
  
 Though, they don't have ENG as meny language if imported?


----------



## Whitigir

dobrescu george said:


> This regulation on sound volume is really annoying...
> 
> It's not like they reduced the volume of street noise, with about 70-80 db of street noise, and they want music to stay low...
> 
> ...




Buy from Singapore or Malaysia region, or USA


----------



## gerelmx1986

dobrescu george said:


> This regulation on sound volume is really annoying...
> 
> It's not like they reduced the volume of street noise, with about 70-80 db of street noise, and they want music to stay low...
> 
> ...


 
 I recommend you Accessoryjack.com they are from honkong and ship very fast (i got a zx100 to test and yep it has english). as for paying use paypal (my card gets rejected there by the bank securty system)


----------



## denis1976

dobrescu george said:


> This regulation on sound volume is really annoying...
> 
> It's not like they reduced the volume of street noise, with about 70-80 db of street noise, and they want music to stay low...
> 
> ...


hello in SE or Balanced?


----------



## Cecala

I'm going to the annual Melbourne Hifi show today and hoping Sony will have these new players on hand so I can have a little look. I probably wont bother having a listen as the show environment is the worst avenue to judge SQ. See what happens..........


----------



## cthomas

cecala said:


> I'm going to the annual Melbourne Hifi show today and hoping Sony will have these new players on hand so I can have a little look. I probably wont bother having a listen as the show environment is the worst avenue to judge SQ. See what happens..........




Why do you Melbournites have all the good audiophile shops/shows! Do I have to move down there simply to test audiophile gear? FML.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Already got the card 256GB Samsung 238.4GB once formatted 




8.96GB of hi-res flacs in 2"minutes using laptop card reader impressive! Speds!!!

so have confidence it will work on the new sony OS NW-A30 and NW-WM1 series

if the 1Z is with OS 234GB so the OS steals 4GB


----------



## Cecala

cthomas said:


> Why do you Melbournites have all the good audiophile shops/shows! Do I have to move down there simply to test audiophile gear? FML.


 

 I don't know about 'all the good audiophile shops/shows', for many years we in Melbourne were neglected and then only the odd show was in Sydney. Today what we have is a down cast event compared to the shows in the ninety's... they were something truly special. As for shops we have some although the real mecca as everybody knows for Hifi/electronics is Asia. I would move there just for them...........and noodles.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Is faster than SanDisk 200GB card as I took 2.5 hours to transfer 179GB of lossless music



Updatr

Walkman zx100 os took this time to scan the 179GB 7 minutes 46 seconds 77ms


----------



## cthomas

cecala said:


> I don't know about 'all the good audiophile shops/shows', for many years we in Melbourne were neglected and then only the odd show was in Sydney. Today what we have is a down cast event compared to the shows in the ninety's... they were something truly special. As for shops we have some although the real mecca as everybody knows for Hifi/electronics is Asia. I would move there just for them...........and noodles.




Still, it's something. Just not fair places like A2A and Minidisc are all down in Sydney and Melbourne. Brisbane has a couple of places that demo a few high end HP's but nothing special. I feel like there's a good opportunity for someone to take advantage of the lack of competition up here.

Anyway, get yourself a "cone of silence" and let us know what that Walkman sound like


----------



## Mimouille

Well Sony China called me to say I would receive my WMZ1 next week, and some other product that comes with it later (certainly the bluetooth thingy, as if I give a crap). I am boiling with impatience.


----------



## MarkTwain

mimouille said:


> Well Sony China called me to say I would receive my WMZ1 next week, and some other product that comes with it later (certainly the bluetooth thingy, as if I give a crap). I am boiling with impatience.


 
  
 Haha... cancelled my order, so no need to wait patiently. Realised better upgrade my IEM for more obvious improvements.


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> Well Sony China called me to say I would receive my WMZ1 next week, and some other product that comes with it later (certainly the bluetooth thingy, as if I give a crap). I am boiling with impatience.




Congratulations! Keep us updated


----------



## denis1976

mimouille said:


> Well Sony China called me to say I would receive my WMZ1 next week, and some other product that comes with it later (certainly the bluetooth thingy, as if I give a crap). I am boiling with impatience.


Great news


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> Congratulations! Keep us updated


 
 Well of course, it is the only reason I buy expensive stuff, to brag about it on headfi and make others miserable. You will know all the details of my happiness


----------



## denis1976

mimouille said:


> Well of course, it is the only reason I buy expensive stuff, to brag about it on headfi and make others miserable. You will know all the details of my happiness


 that's right


----------



## Cecala

cthomas said:


> Still, it's something. Just not fair places like A2A and Minidisc are all down in Sydney and Melbourne. Brisbane has a couple of places that demo a few high end HP's but nothing special. I feel like there's a good opportunity for someone to take advantage of the lack of competition up here.
> 
> Anyway, get yourself a "cone of silence" and let us know what that Walkman sound like


 
 I went to the show and of course straight to the Sony/AK/etc & headphone area which was impressive. A darkly lit and atmospheric area filled with all sorts of goodies. Woo valve amps were present together with the luscious Blue Hawaii super amp for electrostatics. Also present were much of the TOTL phones from other manufacturers which need not concern us at this point. Now...if you plan to purchase the 1A, under no circumstances touch the 1Z, it feels like a toy compared to it's golden brother. Both are very well made and sit comfortably in the hand. The rep went to pains to tell me the firmware was not final so to explain the slowness of the UI, which it was but not so much. I tried to access the system area to see although it seemed to be locked. The 1Z was connected to the TA-ZH1ES amp and then to the MDR-Z1R phones. The 1A only had the 3 tracks which are standard on all walkmans while the 1Z had a smorgasbord of material to choose from. The sound was very nice through the Sony phones although I found these to be bass oriented and not to my liking. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying they're bad just they contained a tad too much bass for my ears. I could not compare the 1Z to the 1A due to no real music material available on the 1A and the 1Z connected to the amp, pity. The amps dac was being used and not the DAP's, the 1Z was only supplying the ones and zeros.
 I heard some guy asking the rep were to get Flac files and he responded by saying that his friend supplies him with some. I suspect neither of these two people are aware that Flac files are derived from ripping their CDs. The rep was asked lots of questions from two guys beside me about the various Sony gear and he read them lines from the brochure. A brochure I was given by this same man and a very nice one at that....the brochure that was, although he was nice too.
 The highlight of the show to me was not the Sony stuff but a certain Floor-stander I plan on buying in the not to distant future. Wow, unfortunately headgear can never compare to what floor-standers can do, but as they say, that's a story for another time.


----------



## Jalo

mimouille said:


> Well of course, it is the only reason I buy expensive stuff, to brag about it on headfi and make others miserable. You will know all the details of my happiness




Ain't that true, but you have to spent 3k+ to get that and I only spent 1K+ on the Vega to get the same treatment


----------



## gerelmx1986

Congrats waiting for review


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> cthomas said:
> 
> 
> > Still, it's something. Just not fair places like A2A and Minidisc are all down in Sydney and Melbourne. Brisbane has a couple of places that demo a few high end HP's but nothing special. I feel like there's a good opportunity for someone to take advantage of the lack of competition up here.
> ...


which one you liked most 1a or 1z as you said 1z sonic wise was pointless


----------



## corius

gerelmx1986 said:


> which one you liked most 1a or 1z as you said 1z sonic wise was pointless


 
 I'm sorry, but someone has to tell you this so that you don't experience "buyer's regret"
  
 The 1z will sound better than the 1a.
 The 1z will feel better than the 1a.
 The 1z will be better than the 1a.
 Everyone will know that the 1z is better than the 1a.
  
 Now, for a lot of people the 1a will be preferable because it is more "cost effective" in their view. However, I foretell a lifetime of disappointment for you, knowing that you have "second best"


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> which one you liked most 1a or 1z as you said 1z sonic wise was pointless




He couldn't compare them due to limited music on the 1a and the amp connected to the 1z.

Not sure where he said the 1z was sonically pointless??


----------



## riotgrrl

corius said:


> I'm sorry, but someone has to tell you this so that you don't experience "buyer's regret"
> 
> The 1z will sound better than the 1a.
> The 1z will feel better than the 1a.
> ...




I don't think it's even going to get to that point. He owns the ZX100 and clearly maxxed out on that. I would take him more seriously if he at least owned the ZX2. As it is, I strongly suspect that much of his talk on this thread is pure fantasy. 

Which is good for him.


----------



## Mimouille

corius said:


> I'm sorry, but someone has to tell you this so that you don't experience "buyer's regret"
> 
> The 1z will sound better than the 1a.
> The 1z will feel better than the 1a.
> ...


The rule is easy. Whatever I buy is the best.


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> The rule is easy. Whatever I buy is the best.




And the engineers who engineered the products know what is best, how to price them. If one simply looking for excuses from Personal preferences to justify his/her purchase, the person is doing something very wrong here. The key word is personal preferences Vs Engineereing Point of view.

Now, I am not saying that they are the best of everything because they are engineered, I am saying, the same brand, the similar products chain will have the same engineering point of view. It is the same thing as trying to justify a Honda VS an Acura, or a Toyota Vs Lexus.....don't forget, there is also marketing team involved as well.

Does that satisfy your answer ? Now, how much do you think it worth, or you make a purchase at, that is totally up to you


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> And the engineers who engineered the products know what is best, how to price them. If one simply looking for excuses from Personal preferences to justify his/her purchase, the person is doing something very wrong here. The key word is personal preferences Vs Engineereing Point of view.
> 
> Now, I am not saying that they are the best of everything because they are engineered, I am saying, the same brand, the similar products chain will have the same engineering point of view. It is the same thing as trying to justify a Honda VS an Acura, or a Toyota Vs Lexus.....don't forget, there is also marketing team involved as well.
> 
> Does that satisfy your answer ? Now, how much do you think it worth, or you make a purchase at, that is totally up to you


I was just kidding.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I already completed the step #1 micro SD card purchase


----------



## riotgrrl

gerelmx1986 said:


> I already completed the step #1 micro SD card purchase




And therein lies my point.

Congratulations on your purchase which is of course a natural precursor for dropping 2k on a walkman.

This is my prediction... You will have endless posts on this thread for the next few months, including some very tenuous links to the ZX100. You will um and ah, you will speculate again about whether to buy the gold version and in the end you will, at best, buy a second hand ZX2.

Then the aforementioned buyers remorse will kick in and, similar to the ZX100 thread, you will file endless complaints about something you feel isn't up to scratch.

I'm going to state here, on record, that 12 months from now you will own neither the WM1Z or the WM1A. 

Feel free to prove me wrong.

Lots of love x


----------



## Zakalwe

riotgrrl said:


> This is my prediction...




Hehe, you may be right. 

I have to say, though, that this kind of mindset seems to be well adapted to the common hype cycle of hifi-products, i.e.

Phase 1: device X is announced, manufacturer's vague promises are treated as gospel, X will be the best thing ever.
Phase 2: first reviews appear, X is indeed the best thing ever, and its little flaw F won't be noticeable to anyone, really.
Phase 3: X is released and in the hands of happy users, it is the best thing ever, and quite right, flaw F is hardly noticeable and does not matter anyway.
Phase 4: successor Y is announced, manufacturer says it will be the best thing ever - maybe they even fixed that slightly annoying flaw F of X?
Phase 5: first reviews of Y appear, it will be the best thing ever and they fixed that annoying flaw F in X - owners quickly dump their X on the used market.
Phase 6: X spends many years in that sad second-rate state, treated without care - it does not deserve more anyway, being crippled by that horrible flaw F, what was the manufacturer thinking? Until...
Phase 7: Rediscovery - surviving X are rare and exclusive now, flaw F was always unjustly overblown, and really, that build quality, they just don't make them like X any more.

So stay negative about the new device and then buy it used in phase 5, then keep staying negative (but treat it well) until it becomes a legend in phase 7, and then you have the very best for little money.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I really want the 1z but limited budget is the issue, being smart 1A is the minimum loss if the potential flagship comes in, 2 years


----------



## Zakalwe

gerelmx1986 said:


> I really want the 1z but limited budget is the issue, being smart 1A is the minimum loss if the potential flagship comes in, 2 years




My initial ecstasy has passed, and I do not feel like I can afford either of them now. I can easily wait a few years and see how they work out in the long term. Besides, I just got a Sansa e280 - a V2 version, those are the rare ones, hard to find.  And replaceable battery - they really don't make'em like that any more.  

But I keep following this thread, it is nice to see Sony getting back on track, and I hope people will be happy with these new Walkmans. And maybe some day I will have one, too.


----------



## riotgrrl

gerelmx1986 said:


> I wo t buy a zx2 because it is obsolete now and I hate Android, buyers. Remorse yes because my zx is detected from factory
> 
> You imply I don't have e the money. Lol I have it by overpromotinh my skills in interviews to get more money and some fraud like they payed me double by accident and kept the extra money




Your post seems hurried and makes little sense but good luck with it.


----------



## riotgrrl

zakalwe said:


> Hehe, you may be right.
> 
> I have to say, though, that this kind of mindset seems to be well adapted to the common hype cycle of hifi-products, i.e.
> 
> ...




Very good!


----------



## Barra

Preparation for Sony A vs. Z SQ Auditions Please learn from my mistake at RMAF and be prepared for a proper audition when given the golden opportunity. So far, I haven't read about anyone that has done a proper side by side given the Sony booth setup which is intentional using tactics employed by AK as well to protect the margin of their higher priced models. The quick answer, yes the Z is truly better than the A from a lustful perspective when you hold both in the hand and see the premium wiring demo, but may not have better perceivable SQ. The Z also has 256gb vs. A's 128gb of storage. The AB is merely an economic question, especially if you cannot hear a difference.
  
*To be properly prepared*:

*Bring your own HPs/CIEMs*: Bring your own favorite full sized and CIEM to the event with both balanced and SE cables. The new Sony flagship HP is unfamiliar so not a proper testing HP. The new Sony MDR-Z1R HP may be responsible for much of the WOW I was experiencing. The only way to know is to use a familiar HP, and unlike the other booths, Sony does not provide other HP options for testing. My Hidition NT6pro was taken out of commission right before RMAF so I missed my chance. However, the Sony feels like it has enough AMP to truly be a one piece DAP that can drive a full sized correctly. Again, I don't know how easy the MDR-Z1R is to drive compared to my LCD2, HD700, or HEX.
*Bring your own Music x2: *Bring two identical *MicroSD *cards filled with your familiar music. Had the opportunity to do a proper side by side AB, but the Z had premium DSD music and the A had lessor music that was captured at low volume giving the appearance that the Z model had both a better SQ and AMP. However, I was able to find the same DSD on both through some searching which when AB'd, I could not tell the difference between the A and the Z. Before that, the A required me to turn the volume all the way up given the state of the files. And the typical pop file in the A library are not captured like the DSD files on the Z that are recorded to wow giving the appearance that the Z has premium SQ. Don't be fooled, use your own MicroSD cards and music.
*Sony TA-ZH1ES AMP*: Again, don't be fooled by the A/Z > TA > MDR-Z1R setup. The amp is merely there to keep the DAP charged and the DAP can be easily unplugged to be used directly. The host will return it to that configuration after you are done to keep the DAP charged. The MDR HP has a balanced plug that fits the DAP's balanced output. Make sure to hear the DAP by itself, as I could not hear an advantage to using the TA at all, and, well.... a DAP is a DAP and you want to know what it can do by itself, not with the TA.
*4.4mm Balanced vs. SE*: Sony has a new balanced setup requiring an adapter. None were available at RMAF, but I heard that they are now in good supply. Check for an adapter at the booth to try the balanced option with your own HPs. I did not have the ability to try both balanced and SE from a single HP to judge the implementation. Would love to know how they compare - is balanced double the power?
*Long Distance Booths*: At RMAF there were two booths, a premium with just the Z and higher priced Sony gear, and a second booth that had both Z and A and other lower priced gear. I got to spend more time with the Z at the less crowded premium booth but got some good time to AB both at the more crowded CANJAM booth. Just know that there may be other options at an event.
*Japanese*: The RMAF Sony Reps were straight from Japan with little English. They were great, enthusiastic, and attentive, but there is a language barrier when asking about the product or adapters. If i was properly prepared, I may have brought a translator or translation book with words like adapter flagged.
  
 Again, if you can afford it just get the Z as it makes the A feel like a toy when holding both. The premium wiring looks great in the Z demo. Also the gold is not as gaudy as it appears when you hold it in person. If you are looking for the better deal, I cannot hear a SQ difference when listening to the same song on both. I would like to be able to justify the copper, but I know that I want at least to own the aluminum. It is on the SQ and amp level of the Gold Paw or better which in IMO nobody had come close to before, but with a AK/Sony level UI and aesthetics. All this with a 30 hour battery, WOW - Sony nailed it!!!


----------



## nanaholic

barra said:


> Again, if you can afford it just get the Z as it makes the A feel like a toy when holding both. The premium wiring looks great in the Z demo. Also the gold is not as gaudy as it appears when you hold it in person. If you are looking for the better deal, I cannot hear a SQ difference when listening to the same song on both. I would like to be able to justify the copper, but I know that I want at least to own the aluminum. It is on the SQ and amp level of the Gold Paw or better which in IMO nobody had come close to before, but with a AK/Sony level UI and aesthetics. All this with a 30 hour battery, WOW - Sony nailed it!!!


 
  
 Another combination that I haven't seen mentioned much is for a little more money of the 1Z is buy the 1A and the Z1R. You'll get a lot more toys to play with.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The part of bring your micro SD make sure it is ex-fat formatted


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> The part of bring your micro SD make sure it is ex-fat formatted


 
 Actually that's a good recommendation.  Sony will only work on ex-fat formatted card.  For instance, some earlier AK models will only work on Fat32 only.


----------



## nc8000

purk said:


> Actually that's a good recommendation.  Sony will only work on ex-fat formatted card.  For instance, some earlier AK models will only work on Fat32 only.




Yes. The only time in over a year my ZX2 has been rebooted was when it was fed a fat32 card which crashed the machine and rebooted it


----------



## bflat

It's always best to format the card in your Android device so you know it's 100% compatible and will also let you know if there are any other problems.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Actually i think is better to format your SD in a sony walkman from 2015 onwards


----------



## gerelmx1986

I agree with 
@Barra (for those who claim 1Z is Godly good) *BRING YOUR OWN MUSIC and HEADPHONES *You are familiar with, otherwise you will be fooled.
  
 as he (she) says i will also gett eh 1A better deal $ to performace ratio and looking on the good intended side... both have *almost* the exact same harware (just for the wring, more FT-caps and a "fine sound" register and chassis), the rest is the same... same DAC, same JACKs, same power and battery circuit, same supercap, same board substrate, same touch screen.
  
 when i get a new dap i delete the included music 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 i don't think Jude, or the dude from inner fidelity or Steve from enjoy the music never test DAPs with unknown music/Headphones, that they may use test tones and other lab-sounds that's another story


----------



## gerelmx1986

I only like android on a cellphone (what it was originally Intended to... Replace Symbian os) Android on a dap is like you have useless Google bloat 

That's why I don't like zx2, otherwise it would be good sans android

That Google bloat steals space and chugs battery


----------



## Mimouille

gerelmx1986 said:


> LOL you're funny seriously I was trying to give an advice based on my experience with SD card enabled walkmen (necause @Mimouille
> said the WM1Z didn't accept his A&K player formatted-card)


Yes my card might have been fat32, so try exfat. Otherwise I just asked them to transfer my files on the player...but in China they are very arranging with such things. Won't be the same in more crowded venues.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quote: 





mimouille said:


> Yes my card might have been fat32, so try exfat. Otherwise I just asked them to transfer my files on the player...but in China they are very arranging with such things. Won't be the same in more crowded venues.


 
 And try putting your music in a folder called *MUSIC*​ i(how i have seen walkman OS to work, if files aren't in that "MUSIC" folder they wont show-up in the library view just in files explorer) this is because some walkman have photo and video viewers
  
 MEDIAGO is where sony software stores some info about the device
 RECEIVED is for Bluetooh shared files
 default-capability.xml i think is the file @nanaholic mentioned that you can mod to trick your SD card is a walkman 
 the last files ending in .fil extension really don't know what they for
  
 But if you plan to do windows explorer drag 'n drop just add a new folder called MUSIC  and put all the FLACs (or mp3s) in there


----------



## gerelmx1986

I acknowledge i sometimes do dumb posts like the gadget ripper post i did but most of the times i try to give also helpful info like my walkman tricks and tips thread or resolving advice here like f.e mimoullie with his SD card issue, but trolls suck bad and well sometimes we have a bad day with the GF or at work.
  
 I sometimes too go with the flow and try to summarize my mental image how a certain DAP sounds without hearing it my self, so i apologize for derailing mimoullies Word earlier in a couple of posts back, toe ach his own hearing capabilities and tastes (and look tastes too)
  
 so peace here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 i know i have irked poedros and others but trolling like this riotgrrl is what drives me NUTS


----------



## gerelmx1986

SURPRISE help guide is up all you need is to go there http://www.sony-asia.com/support/product/nw-wm1a and select the MANUALS tab and download either fo the two PDF manuals and SCAN the QR code



Happy early-bird reading


----------



## echineko

Here's the actual link as well, for those who don't want to bother with scanning the QR code:

helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/h_ww/index.html


----------



## cthomas

cecala said:


> I went to the show and of course straight to the Sony/AK/etc & headphone area which was impressive. A darkly lit and atmospheric area filled with all sorts of goodies. Woo valve amps were present together with the luscious Blue Hawaii super amp for electrostatics. Also present were much of the TOTL phones from other manufacturers which need not concern us at this point. Now...if you plan to purchase the 1A, under no circumstances touch the 1Z, it feels like a toy compared to it's golden brother. Both are very well made and sit comfortably in the hand. The rep went to pains to tell me the firmware was not final so to explain the slowness of the UI, which it was but not so much. I tried to access the system area to see although it seemed to be locked. The 1Z was connected to the TA-ZH1ES amp and then to the MDR-Z1R phones. The 1A only had the 3 tracks which are standard on all walkmans while the 1Z had a smorgasbord of material to choose from. The sound was very nice through the Sony phones although I found these to be bass oriented and not to my liking. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying they're bad just they contained a tad too much bass for my ears. I could not compare the 1Z to the 1A due to no real music material available on the 1A and the 1Z connected to the amp, pity. The amps dac was being used and not the DAP's, the 1Z was only supplying the ones and zeros.
> I heard some guy asking the rep were to get Flac files and he responded by saying that his friend supplies him with some. I suspect neither of these two people are aware that Flac files are derived from ripping their CDs. The rep was asked lots of questions from two guys beside me about the various Sony gear and he read them lines from the brochure. A brochure I was given by this same man and a very nice one at that....the brochure that was, although he was nice too.
> The highlight of the show to me was not the Sony stuff but a certain Floor-stander I plan on buying in the not to distant future. Wow, unfortunately headgear can never compare to what floor-standers can do, but as they say, that's a story for another time.




That's just a bit funny. Typical Sony doesn't know anything about their own products, nothing new haha! Yeah that a shame you couldn't just listen to the daps by themselves. Any chance you asked for a release date over here?


----------



## shockwaver

From the manual http://download.sony-asia.com/consumer/IM/4593854411.pdf: 
 Notes for using Walkman
 Note for battery • To prevent battery deterioration, charge the battery at least once every six months.
  
 What?


----------



## MarkTwain

shockwaver said:


> From the manual http://download.sony-asia.com/consumer/IM/4593854411.pdf:
> Notes for using Walkman
> Note for battery • To prevent battery deterioration, charge the battery at least once every six months.
> 
> What?




I think it refers to equipment to be charged at least once every 6 months if you are not using it for a Long time.


----------



## gerelmx1986

shockwaver said:


> From the manual http://download.sony-asia.com/consumer/IM/4593854411.pdf:
> Notes for using Walkman
> Note for battery • To prevent battery deterioration, charge the battery at least once every six months.
> 
> What?


 

 I was meant if you store it and don't use it during a long-term period... because Lithium-ion batteries self-discharge over time and if the cut-off voltaje is reached (arround 3.2V if i remember) the battery enters in protection mode and becpmes useless


----------



## gerelmx1986

Well guys I've read the Guide, my eyes devoured it
  
 A couple of things i noted very INTERESTING and that SONY FINALLY LISTENED TO ALL OF OUR REQUESTS *almost* for some i bet:
  
 A) you can manage playlists in the walkman Now!!!!!, not just bookmarks
 B) You can delete songs, or folders or albums from the walkman now too
 C) the EQ looks like kind like parametric
 D)you can customize the library screen and hide ítems you don't like f.e (hiding composers view or sensme channels view)
 E) in the WM1Z the available space is 230.60GB (my Sammy is 238.60GB) why it is eating so much space? in contrast WM1A is 114.15GB not that much decrease from ZX100
 F)during USB connection to pc YOU CAN NOW SELECT  DATA TRANSFER & CHARGE (you cannot use the walkman)/ CHARGE ONLY from PC and being able to USE THE WALKMAN
 G) Brightness levels has been increased in steps number 0-100 VS 1-5 in ZX100
 H) to prevent LOUD volume-surprises when connecting to balanced 4.4mm the walkman will automatically lower the volume
 I) it has Keyboard (to search your library)
 J) screen will remain off now and to turn it on during playback you must press the power button once (like xperia cellphones)


----------



## proedros

barra said:


> *If you are looking for the better deal, I cannot hear a SQ difference when listening to the same song on both*. I would like to be able to justify the copper, but I know that I want at least to own the aluminum. *It is on the SQ and amp level of the Gold Paw or better which in IMO nobody had come close to before, but with a AK/Sony level UI and aesthetics. All this with a 30 hour battery, WOW - Sony nailed it!!!*


 
  
 i am ready for the non-capped 1A (bought used/like new from here , in 6-8 months from now for 600 euros 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 )


----------



## denis1976

If the sony nw-wm1a has an amplifier with SQ on par with the Lotoopaw gold, that confirms my thoughts in the last days....the nw-wm1z and the ak380 copper are very expensive...truth they are ...but they are from other championship, the diference in price is justify??? Who knows...


----------



## denis1976

With this i am not saying that the nw-wm1a is not a great dap, if it is on par with the Lotoopaw gold is great for sure, the pawgold for the price is the best i heard with no doubt


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> If the sony nw-wm1a has an amplifier with SQ on par with the Lotoopaw gold, that confirms my thoughts in the last days....the nw-wm1z and the ak380 copper are very expensive...truth they are ...but they are from other championship, the diference in price is justify??? Who knows...


 

 It is not just the SQ is the functionality, wow super now thtat you can delete songs on the go, créate OTG playlists wow wow and finally able to just charge the walkman and use it while charging BIG BONUS
  
 EDIT SURPRISE
  
*​Walkman NW-A30 series Does not have a DIRECT mode*
  
*​SUrprise NO. 2 while Reading the NW-A30 guide what the hell?! is there also a Korean volumen cap just like the EU volumen Cap?! *




  


> Volume operation (Only for countries/areas complying with European and Korean Directives


 
 FINAL SURPRISE still doing this?! *File Sizes Larger tan 4GB cannot be playedback


----------



## thanatosguan

gerelmx1986 said:


> *​Walkman NW-A30 series Does not have a DIRECT mode*


 
  
 Do you mean the Direct mode where WM1 turns off all the DSPs? You can manually turn them off, this is just a UX improvement over earlier models.
  
 If by direct you mean direct or native support of DSD decoding, then no, A30 doesn't have DSD native capabilities, they first convert DSD to PCM and then decode the high-grade PCM conversion product.
  
*WM1 natively supports DSD. If you have direct DSD to SACD or file recording, this device will maximize your theoretical SQ gains.*
  
 But honestly I doubt anybody's going to have a problem with DSD quantization noise since it's mostly ultrasonic and filtered.


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> FINAL SURPRISE still doing this?! *File Sizes Larger tan 4GB cannot be playedback




That's a limitation of the Fat file system. Nothing to do with Sony. Not sure when you would ever have an audio file larger than 4gig though?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quote: 





craftyclown said:


> That's a limitation of the Fat file system. Nothing to do with Sony. Not sure when you would ever have an audio file larger than 4gig though?


 
 mmm... perhaps a DSD all in one file and sampling of 11.2MHz? a 32 bit 384KHz wave? I was also wondering the same thing who will have anyways such a huge audio file?
  
 My largest file is 393 MB 24/96 FLAC


----------



## gerelmx1986

thanatosguan said:


> Do you mean the Direct mode where WM1 turns off all the DSPs? You can manually turn them off, this is just a UX improvement over earlier models.
> 
> If by direct you mean direct or native support of DSD decoding, then no, A30 doesn't have DSD native capabilities, they first convert DSD to PCM and then decode the high-grade PCM conversion product.
> 
> ...


 
 Yeah i meant the direct mode that disables all the DSPs but i tought well these can be turned on and off manually too


----------



## Cecala

cthomas said:


> That's just a bit funny. Typical Sony doesn't know anything about their own products, nothing new haha! Yeah that a shame you couldn't just listen to the daps by themselves. Any chance you asked for a release date over here?


 

 I was told 4 weeks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> I was told 4 weeks.


 
 Four weeks for what? reléase to Sales? and if sales, where australia or in general?


----------



## Cecala

gerelmx1986 said:


> Four weeks for what? reléase to Sales? and if sales, where australia or in general?


 

 Oz land.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Four weeks for what? reléase to Sales? and if sales, where australia or in general?
> ...


 

 Cool, too bad sony Mexico doesn't think on us mexicans we also like Hi-res audio


----------



## shockwaver

http://tecstaff.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2016-10-20_NW-WM1-review


----------



## nanaholic

shockwaver said:


> http://tecstaff.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2016-10-20_NW-WM1-review


 
  
 For those who don't read Japanese - the reviewer said the walkman comes with port covers in the package.  I knew the ZX1 came with the WM port covers, but going the extra mile to have covers for the headphone jack too is pretty thorough.
  
 EDIT: Also the reviewer tested transfer speed of the port - it takes half the time to transfer 25GB/165 files of music compared to the ZX2 and ZX100


----------



## harmonix

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​TRS, TRRS and the new 4.4mm is TRRRS




Hi point of clarification. If I had a 3.5 trrs balanced iem. That means sticking it in the 3.5 slot will give me balanced output?
Or I need a 3.5 to 4.4 converter ?


----------



## purk

harmonix said:


> Hi point of clarification. If I had a 3.5 trrs balanced iem. That means sticking it in the 3.5 slot will give me balanced output?
> Or I need a 3.5 to 4.4 converter ?


 
 You will need a converter.


----------



## harmonix

purk said:


> You will need a converter.



Ok thought so... thanks!


----------



## nc8000

harmonix said:


> Hi point of clarification. If I had a 3.5 trrs balanced iem. That means sticking it in the 3.5 slot will give me balanced output?
> Or I need a 3.5 to 4.4 converter ?




Trrs in the 3,5 plug will give you pseudo balanced (seperate ground) like on the ZX2. For fully balanced you need to go to the 4,4


----------



## purk

nc8000 said:


> Trrs in the 3,5 plug will give you pseudo balanced (seperate ground) like on the ZX2. For fully balanced you need to go to the 4,4


 
 Not true.  TRRS is balanced.  The ZX2 just doesn't have a balanced signal.  I believe Hifiman uses 3.5 TRRS plug for their balanced signal on the 901.


----------



## nc8000

purk said:


> Not true.  TRRS is balanced.  The ZX2 just doesn't have a balanced signal.  I believe Hifiman uses 3.5 TRRS plug for their balanced signal on the 901.




Is the 3,5 trrs on the new players also fully balanced ?
I thought it was seperate ground only like on ZX2 and that only the 4,4 was fully balanced.


----------



## echineko

nc8000 said:


> Is the 3,5 trrs on the new players also fully balanced ?
> I thought it was seperate ground only like on ZX2 and that only the 4,4 was fully balanced.



The 3.5mm on the 1Z is the same as on the ZX2, yes. Your existing cables made for 3.5mm TRRS on the ZX2 will work the same way on the 1A/1Z. For the full balanced out, you will need to use the 4.4mm jack


----------



## gerelmx1986

harmonix said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > ​TRS, TRRS and the new 4.4mm is TRRRS
> ...


the 3,5mm jack has pseudo balanced TRRS


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> For those who don't read Japanese - the reviewer said* the walkman comes with port covers in the package*.  I knew the ZX1 came with the WM port covers, but going the extra mile to have covers for the headphone jack too is pretty thorough.
> 
> EDIT: Also the reviewer tested transfer speed of the port - it takes half the time to transfer 25GB/165 files of music compared to the ZX2 and ZX100


 
 ARRGHHHHH again japanese models get more stuff i have always wanted a WM-port cover or a Jack cover not fair! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 The speed seems impressive so judging it must be the full speed USB 2.0 arround 14-18MB/s (in Windows progress dialog)
  
perhaps @nanaholic knows this head-fi user from japan called something like doppingminer or dopa-miner? who sells stuff from japan ​ Found he is *dopaminer*


----------



## purk

nc8000 said:


> Is the 3,5 trrs on the new players also fully balanced ?
> I thought it was seperate ground only like on ZX2 and that only the 4,4 was fully balanced.


 
 3.5 TRRS on the unit is not a true balanced.  But the plug itself is balanced so one only need to make 3.5 TRRS to 4.4 TRRRS adapter to work with the new balanced socket.


----------



## echineko

Meanwhile, there's still no news about availability for the new Walkman models in the US / UK, correct? I've heard the 1Z will be the first model to arrive here somewhere towards December, but not even a pre-order yet as of now.


----------



## gerelmx1986

echineko said:


> Meanwhile, there's still no news about availability for the new Walkman models in the US / UK, correct? I've heard the 1Z will be the first model to arrive here somewhere towards December, but not even a pre-order yet as of now.


 

 November is the reléase date somewhere arround first of november to first half of the upcoming month, *Sony Japan says reléase date for them is on 29th october so this upcoming weekend*


----------



## Jalo

Frankly, this thread was started on 7/29.  Four months later there is still no product available to customers. This is a hobby and the manufacturer is teasing with consumer's emotion. It is borderline on cruelty or psychological punishment. I am really getting tired of this kind of business practice.  ALO and Campfire was a real fresh breath in this industry.  The date Jude put up his video on the Vega, Dorado and Lyra II, the next day I ordered the Vega and the next day I am hearing what Jude was ranting about. If Sony is not willing, or capable or ready to deliver the product to the consumer public, they should just shut up and work on their product until they are ready. Campfire Audio by any mean is a much much smaller company than Sony yet they are willing and able to put up the resource to R&D the product and to manufacture the product prior to announcement, Sony should be able to do so. Campfire deserves my support.


----------



## Mimouille

Guys, do you know if this cables are Sony proprietary MMCX or standards?
  
 MUC-M12SB1
  
 http://www.sony.com.hk/press/pdf/20160914_e.pdf


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> Guys, do you know if this cables are Sony proprietary MMCX or standards?
> 
> MUC-M12SB1
> 
> http://www.sony.com.hk/press/pdf/20160914_e.pdf


 

 STANDARD. heard some one on these thread he paired it with his pr her CIEMs


----------



## nanaholic

jalo said:


> Frankly, this thread was started on 7/29.  Four months later there is still no product available to customers. This is a hobby and the manufacturer is teasing with consumer's emotion. It is borderline on cruelty or psychological punishment. I am really getting tired of this kind of business practice.  ALO and Campfire was a real fresh breath in this industry.  The date Jude put up his video on the Vega, Dorado and Lyra II, the next day I ordered the Vega and the next day I am hearing what Jude was ranting about. If Sony is not willing, or capable or ready to deliver the product to the consumer public, they should just shut up and work on their product until they are ready. Campfire Audio by any mean is a much much smaller company than Sony yet they are willing and able to put up the resource to R&D the product and to manufacture the product prior to announcement, Sony should be able to do so. Campfire deserves my support.


 
  
 Those were all speculations using various leak sources to piece together the full picture.  The official announcement of the Signature Series is really just a little over a month ago in Berlin and they've been handing out demo units pretty frequently to various media outlets in the Asia region (yeah too bad for you EU and NA guys), that's hardly what I would call not capable for a launch that is much bigger and in more countries than your boutique audio makers.


----------



## Mimouille

gerelmx1986 said:


> STANDARD. heard some one on these thread he paired it with his pr her CIEMs


 
 Do you have the link, because the only one I saw, he paired it with his SONY CIEM. Thanks


----------



## Jalo

nanaholic said:


> Those were all speculations using various leak sources to piece together the full picture.  The official announcement of the Signature Series is really just a little over a month ago in Berlin and they've been handing out demo units pretty frequently to various media outlets in the Asia region (yeah too bad for you EU and NA guys), that's hardly what I would call not capable for a launch that is much bigger and in more countries than your boutique audio makers.




Please go to post #1 of this thread. It was announced on Sony.uk with proper link, spec. and pictures. It looks official to me unless Sony.Uk is not considered as an official source.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

Sony's burn in recommendation screen on a Japanese unit. 200 hours recommended for each output, 400 hours total. Get Burning.


----------



## nanaholic

jalo said:


> Please go to post #1 of this thread. It was announced on Sony.uk with proper link, spec. and pictures. It looks official to me unless Sony.Uk is not considered as an official source.


 
  
 The first post was edited after the Berlin announcement to include all the official information.  You can even see the date of modification right at the bottom - 14th September, like I said, the official announcement to release is really just a little over a month.
  
 When the thread first started none of those information were there, people were working off rumors.  Just go read the post on the first page below first post - people didn't even believe the rumoured 3000USD pricing, or that they thought the Z1R was open back and not closed back, or that there would be a 1A on top of the 1Z etc, and those posts were dated late August.


----------



## Cecala

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Sony's burn in recommendation screen on a Japanese unit. 200 hours recommended for each output, 400 hours total. Get Burning.


 

 We need the player before we can burn. Anyway I will cover myself by burning 200hrs per capacitor. That way it'll be nice and toasty when finished.


----------



## Toolman

I offer FREE burning in process...preference given to 1Z and Z1R only  

 PM me for details & shipping address


----------



## audionewbi

mimouille said:


> Do you have the link, because the only one I saw, he paired it with his SONY CIEM. Thanks


 
 https://twitter.com/demiochan02/status/790120964323287041


----------



## Mimouille

audionewbi said:


> https://twitter.com/demiochan02/status/790120964323287041


 
 Thank you!


----------



## CraftyClown

Does anyone know when UK Sony stores might start demoing?


----------



## Brooko

[Mod Comment]
  
 Please - no more debates, no more arguments.  Use the block feature if you want to avoid reading a certain member's posts.  I've just culled another 20 or so posts. Next time I have to do this, I might just leave the thread locked for good ......
  
 No-one wants that.


----------



## Steven R. Rochli

mimouille said:


> Do you have the link, because the only one I saw, he paired it with his SONY CIEM. Thanks


 
  
 Standard TRRS as paird it with Noble K10 using Double Helix top-line balanced silver cable.
  
 See review at www.EnjoyTheMusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/1016/Sony_NW_WM1Z_Review.htm


----------



## Sonyvores

I have  a great news for you guys! Sony Japan is planning to have 1A/1Z international version at Sony Store in Japan (will be available post domestic launch of 29 Oct)
 Which means, duty free, english language and international waranty!


----------



## Zaroff

sonyvores said:


> I have  a great news for you guys! Sony Japan is planning to have 1A/1Z international version at Sony Store in Japan (will be available post domestic launch of 29 Oct)
> Which means, duty free, english language and international waranty!


 
  
 No volume cap?


----------



## Mimouille

steven r. rochli said:


> Standard TRRS as paird it with Noble K10 using Double Helix top-line balanced silver cable.
> 
> See review at www.EnjoyTheMusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/1016/Sony_NW_WM1Z_Review.htm


thank you but I misunderstand your meaning. I was asking if the Sony 4.4 balances mmcx is compatible with other mmcx iems. Apparently it is.


----------



## purk

sonyvores said:


> I have  a great news for you guys! Sony Japan is planning to have 1A/1Z international version at Sony Store in Japan (will be available post domestic launch of 29 Oct)
> Which means, duty free, english language and international waranty!


 
 That's a good news.  Any idea on when the US units will be available?  Sony is officially killing its own hype now.


----------



## Sonyvores

purk said:


> That's a good news.  Any idea on when the US units will be available?  Sony is officially killing its own hype now.




Sorry, I don't know but.. It would be logical that Sony USA launches them very close (before or after) CES 2017 otherwise they won't have anything big to show off for audio protable


----------



## purk

sonyvores said:


> Sorry, I don't know but.. It would be logical that Sony USA launches them very close (before or after) CES 2017 otherwise they won't have anything big to show off for audio protable


 
 I hope they will launch it soon.  The wait is killing me.


----------



## JamesInLondon

Heard from the nice folks at Amazon UK today; the email is below, but the subtext that I glean from it is that they would like me to cancel my order.
  
_Hello,

 We're still trying to obtain the following item you ordered on September 15 2016 (Order# ).

   "Sony NWWM1Z High Resolution Audio Walkman 256GB Memory, Micro SD Card Slot, S Master HX engine Copper 4 Inch LED/LCD Multi-Touch Screen) Gold"

 We're awaiting a revised estimate from our supplier, and will email you as soon as we receive this information.

 If you'd prefer to cancel the item, please visit Your Account on the link below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/css/order/edit.html?ie=UTF8&useCase=cancel&orderID=

 One of our aims is to provide a convenient and efficient service but in this case, we've fallen short. Please accept our sincere apologies.

 You haven't been charged for these items. We don't charge your payment card until just before your parcel is dispatched, at which time we'll send you an e-mail to confirm the payment details, estimated delivery date, contents and method of delivery.

 If the order won't arrive by the time you need it, you can cancel the order or an individual item from your order by visiting Your Account, and viewing the order details. As long as the item hasn't entered the dispatch process, you'll be able to cancel it.

 We hope to see you again soon.

Amazon.co.uk_


----------



## denis1976

jamesinlondon said:


> Heard from the nice folks at Amazon UK today; the email is below, but the subtext that I glean from it is that they would like me to cancel my order.
> 
> _Hello,
> 
> ...



i tell again and again ...Amazon sucks really SUCKS


----------



## Jackson 6

I agree. I was mean't to be sent an item by a third party seller which was on their sideline and was told 'it couldn't be posted'. No refund or anything. Goodbye for ever amacrap.co.uk.


----------



## purk

denis1976 said:


> i tell again and again ...Amazon sucks really SUCKS


 
 I think it's Sony and not Amazon's fault.


----------



## Cecala

denis1976 said:


> i tell again and again ...Amazon sucks really SUCKS


 

 Amazon has consistently been good to me, I doubt they make promises in order to simply snatch sales. It's more a case of force majeure.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Can the players come already? They need to make them available right after announcement. Quite stupid with people waiting. I'm waiting to buy but in need of a dap currently ><.


----------



## CraftyClown

dithyrambes said:


> Can the players come already? They need to make them available right after announcement. Quite stupid with people waiting. I'm waiting to buy but in need of a dap currently ><.


 
  
 Just enough time for the QP1R to weasel it's way into your life


----------



## Dithyrambes

craftyclown said:


> Just enough time for the QP1R to weasel it's way into your life


I sold my zx2...having sound withdrawal problems


----------



## CraftyClown

dithyrambes said:


> I sold my zx2...having sound withdrawal problems


 

 ​Come to the dark side Dithy... We will care for your every need


----------



## echineko

On a more serious note, isn't the 1Z launching first in the States? If people are waiting for the 1A, I expect it to take a while more, correct?


----------



## Mimouille

My 1Z has been shipped apparently...


----------



## audioxxx

mimouille said:


> My 1Z has been shipped apparently...




Woohoo, 

Almost time to pop some bubbly, and buy some steel capped boots, just in case you drop this DAP on your foot..


----------



## musicday

audioxxx said:


> mimouille said:
> 
> 
> > My 1Z has been shipped apparently...
> ...



Having lunch in London now time now is 13:25 and your comments made me laugh


----------



## audioxxx

musicday said:


> Having lunch in London now time now is 13:25 and your comments made me laugh




Making people happy makes me happy..

It's 11:37pm in Melbourne, nearly bed time, kicking back with wireless p7 and the zx2, and I'm really happy being wire free, I feel like that cable was holding me back or something.

But the way these DAP's are going with weight PPE (personal protection equipment) like work boots, will be a must to handle them.

And security to watch your back if you pull it out in public.


----------



## CraftyClown

audioxxx said:


> Making people happy makes me happy..
> 
> It's 11:37am in Melbourne, nearly bed time, kicking back with wireless p7 and the zx2, and I'm really happy being wire free, I feel like that cable was holding me back or something.
> 
> ...


 

 ​Unless you're incredibly lazy, then I presume you meant 11.37pm?


----------



## audioxxx

craftyclown said:


> ​Unless you're incredibly lazy, then I presume you meant 11.37pm?



A bit lazy, you got me there, yes I'll fix that, working on it, thanks..


----------



## CraftyClown

audioxxx said:


> A bit lazy, you got me there, yes I'll fix that, working on it, thanks..


 

 ​Shame, sounded like my kind of life. Up at 8am... back to bed by half 11


----------



## audioxxx

craftyclown said:


> ​Shame, sounded like my kind of life. Up at 8am... back to bed by half 11



You would never afford this golden DAP then, I would have to work a lot harder to buy it now.
 But even if you could live like that, it would become very boring quickly. 

And life is too short to be wasted on over sleeping, unfortunately.


----------



## Mimouille

audioxxx said:


> Woohoo,
> 
> Almost time to pop some bubbly, and buy some steel capped boots, just in case you drop this DAP on your foot..


I would gladly sacrifice my foot if it avoids the DAP breaking on the ground


----------



## Telacap99

Less than a week I shld be able to receive this golden beauty....


----------



## Whitigir

There you go . We definitely need real life feedback....we don't get enough


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

WM-1Z release is so late, I wonder if WM-1Z2 will be released next year


----------



## denis1976

audiobreeder said:


> WM-1Z release is so late, I wonder if WM-1Z2 will be released next year


here we go on another fantasy ride...


----------



## purk

audiobreeder said:


> WM-1Z release is so late, I wonder if WM-1Z2 will be released next year


 
 Could be at CES 2017!  I really hope that Sony doesn't get creative and released the Signature products for North American Market at CES.  That would be a total dumb move!


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Just sayin'.
 Quote:


denis1976 said:


> here we go on another fantasy ride...


 
  
 Not sure if thats the case. Sony had it available through Amazon. I dont know whats the status on those orders.
 But you could be right but thats almost 3 months for CES and then maybe 5 months for its official release.


purk said:


> Could be at CES 2017!  I really hope that Sony doesn't get creative and released the Signature products for North American Market at CES.  That would be a total dumb move!


----------



## Kamil21

Another Japanese review to decipher...

http://translate.google.com/translate?langpair=auto|en-GB&u=http%3A%2F%2Fsatouchi.com%2Fsonypro%2Fwalkman%2Fwm_review.html


----------



## FenderP

I truly don't understand "it's late" and "why is it taking so long to release?" comments. The 1A/Z were announced in September and (albeit not in every territory) are coming out in October. Compared to the way many companies work and even the way Sony used to, this is far from unacceptable. We don't need things on shelves  the next day after announcement.
  
 You want slow to market? Check out the Nikon DL cameras.


----------



## purk

fenderp said:


> I truly don't understand "it's late" and "why is it taking so long to release?" comments. The 1A/Z were announced in September and (albeit not in every territory) are coming out in October. Compared to the way many companies work and even the way Sony used to, this is far from unacceptable. We don't need things on shelves  the next day after announcement.
> 
> You want slow to market? Check out the Nikon DL cameras.


 
 Well....I think we are spoiled by Schiit gears.


----------



## nanaholic

purk said:


> Well....I think we are spoiled by Schiit gears.


 
  
 No we are just spoiled by the internet which gives us information that previously we don't get. 
 Also Schiit gears aren't nearly as complicated nor as big of a brand as the Walkmans here (hardly anyone is going to fish FCC compliance test data for Schiit vs a new piece of Sony gear, thus leading to the rumours and leaks), nor do they involve multi-territory branches all coordinating big marketing and launch events. The scale is simply different and not really worth comparing.


----------



## Kamil21

nanaholic said:


> No we are just spoiled by the internet which gives us information that previously we don't get.
> Also Schiit gears aren't nearly as complicated nor as big of a brand as the Walkmans here (hardly anyone is going to fish FCC compliance test data for Schiit vs a new piece of Sony gear, thus leading to the rumours and leaks), nor do they involve multi-territory branches all coordinating big marketing and launch events. The scale is simply different and not really worth comparing.




Absolutely. As I understand it, Sony has underestimated demand for these products. Being Signature, they can't simply shift manufacturing to China to deal with the volumes. Neither can they put you, the end customer on a queue like Schiit can. With Sony, t's the retailers and distributors who are put on a queue and none of them dare risk giving a delivery date until their stock has been shipped out by Sony.


----------



## Mimouille

I think I am getting carried away.


----------



## Kamil21




----------



## echineko

mimouille said:


> I think I am getting carried away.


 
 Someone's having a great Wednesday 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Heh, awesome dude. Have fun settling it in, keep us updated with your impressions as well!


----------



## Cecala

mimouille said:


> I think I am getting carried away.


 
 Pictures or it didn't happen.


----------



## Mimouille

echineko said:


> Someone's having a great Wednesday
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks. Will do for sure !
  


cecala said:


> Pictures or it didn't happen.


 
 I am not home yet ! Still at work for 4 hours !


----------



## nanaholic

http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000107464
  
 Japan's E-earphone now has 4.4mm DIY plugs on listing.  
 First batch for 29th release is already sold out though but they are taking pre-orders for second batch.


----------



## purk

@Mimouille
  
 On the behalf of all of us, enjoy the lengthy break-in period.


----------



## Whitigir

Damn man, that is awesome  how come you get so lucky!


----------



## musicday

Happy listening Michael,i am hoping this music player is exactly what you were hoping ( dreaming )


----------



## denis1976

mimouille said:


> I think I am getting carried away.


 
 Great news


----------



## Whitigir

Well, 3 more days and it is released in Japan. Yet we have no news regarding USA release, preorder, or tour.....


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000107464
> 
> Japan's E-earphone now has 4.4mm DIY plugs on listing.
> First batch for 29th release is already sold out though but they are taking pre-orders for second batch.


 
 I already ordered the Sony MMCX cable to try balanced with EM9 and 846.


----------



## Dithyrambes

I dunno why sony doesn't introduce a dac function at 3.3k....I loved my zx2 but it couldn't be an all in one because no dac functionality and weak amp section. They addressed power output with balanced but couldn't add usb dac functionality. Else I would sell everything and just get one of these.


----------



## Simon T

Hi everyone,
  
I am re-posting my post from the other thread on the Sony WM1Z, hope it hasn't been posted here yet and that it is useful...
  
 I don't think it has been posted here before, but the following is an interview with the team behind the WM1Z/1A:
  
 http://www.sony.jp/walkman/special/flagship/manufacturer/index.html
  
 Interesting read, touching on the concept, engineering, software and design. 
  
 There is a section stating that the WM1Z chasis is cut from a 1.8kg oxigen free copper block... and it made me wonder, whether it is the main reason for the huge price difference between the WM1Z and the WM1A 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Cheers


----------



## nanaholic

mimouille said:


> I already ordered the Sony MMCX cable to try balanced with EM9 and 846.


 
  
 Well the DIY plug is more for people who wants to either make their own cables/converter or re-terminate.  Also knowing that availability is beginning will hopefully also mean more selections in terms of aftermarket accessories.
  
 When 4.4mm becomes more common on devices I would probably buy some DIY plugs and re-terminate my pair of T1 and ED8 myself.


----------



## Decreate

Hope I'll be able to find a 2.5mm  to 4.4mm converter when I go to Tokyo next month...


----------



## nanaholic

simon t said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I am re-posting my post from the other thread on the Sony WM1Z, hope it hasn't been posted here yet and that it is useful...
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 I've posted it before and have included some key points in the post below:
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-flagship-hi-end-dap/1305#post_12852841
  
 Regarding the chassis, it's interesting to note that Sony has been experimenting with building the chassis with different materials since the ZX1 as that's where they began using the chassis as a ground.  They've been showing off the other prototypes recently in various events in Japan and letting people listen to them, probably in a bid to sway some opinions both regarding its effects and that they were in fact doing this before AK popularising it and they aren't just doing this now in a cheap bid to copy AK:
 https://twitter.com/Kuroyagi8888/status/789802674858389504
  
 You can clearly see various ZX1 and ZX2s with different material chassis in that box.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

dithyrambes said:


> weak amp section.



No problems with the Z5 regarding the amp section of ZX2.


----------



## Mimouille

And here it is...looks beautiful. Filling it up and will say more tomorrow.


----------



## denis1976

mimouille said:


> And here it is...looks beautiful. Filling it up and will say more tomorrow.


 
 Great really GREAT looking congratulations


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Congrats man. Did that come with the port covers?
Keep your doors


----------



## echineko

Looks awesome, yes. What will you be running the 1Z with initially, *Mimouille?*


----------



## Mimouille

audiobreeder said:


> Congrats man. Did that come with the port covers?
> Keep your doors


Thanks, and no. 




echineko said:


> Looks awesome, yes. What will you be running the 1Z with initially, *Mimouille?*




All my iems, but my SE5 at first as I am on a trip with both for a few days. 




denis1976 said:


> Great really GREAT looking congratulations


 Thanks!


----------



## nanaholic

mimouille said:


> Thanks, and no.


 
  
 Hmm, so international version gets the leather case but no port covers while the Japanese version gets port covers but no case.  Seeing the case cost 9800yen I suppose the international version is a better deal.


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> Hmm, so international version gets the leather case but no port covers while the Japanese version gets port covers but no case.  Seeing the case cost 9800yen I suppose the international version is a better deal.


I am not sure whether I will use the case. I usually prefer naked players, carried inside a hard pouch. Now to find the right pouch...


----------



## nanaholic

mimouille said:


> I am not sure whether I will use the case. I usually prefer naked players, carried inside a hard pouch. Now to find the right pouch...


 
  
 I'll probably keep it in the case if it were for me - wouldn't want the gold coating to scratch off or anything least it leads to oxidation of the copper underneath.
  
 Seeing that supposedly the Z is selling really good according to several Japanese sources, I'd think accessory makers will start flocking to make cases/pouch/shells for it as people would want their precious protected.  A clear shell would be an insanely popular accessory I would think - keeps it protected while still able to show off the gold colour.


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> I'll probably keep it in the case if it were for me - wouldn't want the gold coating to scratch off or anything least it leads to oxidation of the copper underneath.
> 
> Seeing that supposedly the Z is selling really good according to several Japanese sources, I'd think accessory makers will start flocking to make cases/pouch/shells for it as people would want their precious protected.  A clear shell would be an insanely popular accessory I would think - keeps it protected while still able to show off the gold colour.


 I usually take good care so not worried. I will use that :https://store.moleskine.com/fra/en-gb/accessories/hard-pouches/journey-hard-pouch-small/p1010?ic=WYvDMQ%3D%3D and wait for what Dignis comes out with...


----------



## nanaholic

Completely related - Media Go just received an update to ver 3.2 adding support to the new A30 and WM1 walkmans.


----------



## Whitigir

Awesome ! Yeah, Media Go will support WM as I suspected. On another note, the earliest I could get from Signature series is Z1R . Laugh at me, but I drive it from Zx2 TRRS lol.


----------



## Rob49

Congrats @Mimouille
  
 I can't wait to hear your thoughts....even though i'll never be able to afford one !


----------



## musicday

Is this the Japanese version with English language? Hopefully other places on Europe will get the version without the volume cap.After paying all that money you want to have free volume control
Looking forward to see how it compares woth Lotoo Paw Gold, but Sony may be superior even in the normal, where balanced could have us for a big surprise.
Can you share the transfer speed for files when connected to the laptop? Thanks.I hope is not as slow as AK380 is.


----------



## denis1976

musicday said:


> Is this the Japanese version with English language? Hopefully other places on Europe will get the version without the volume cap.After paying all that money you want to have free volume control
> Looking forward to see how it compares woth Lotoo Paw Gold, but Sony may be superior even in the normal, where balanced could have us for a big surprise.
> Can you share the transfer speed for files when connected to the laptop? Thanks.I hope is not as slow as AK380 is.


strange....my ak380cu is very fast...


----------



## Kiats

Congrats Mike! Enjoy!


----------



## Cecala

mimouille said:


> And here it is...looks beautiful. Filling it up and will say more tomorrow.


 
 Is that a scratch I see?


----------



## musicday

cecala said:


> mimouille said:
> 
> 
> > And here it is...looks beautiful. Filling it up and will say more tomorrow.
> ...



Must be the screen protector that comes applied.


----------



## AnakChan

whitigir said:


> Well, 3 more days and it is released in Japan. Yet we have no news regarding USA release, preorder, or tour.....


 
  
 No, if you have reserved, it's available from today :-
 http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000103019&search=Nw-WM1Z&sort=
  


musicday said:


> Is this the Japanese version with English language? Hopefully other places on Europe will get the version without the volume cap.After paying all that money you want to have free volume control
> Looking forward to see how it compares woth Lotoo Paw Gold, but Sony may be superior even in the normal, where balanced could have us for a big surprise.
> Can you share the transfer speed for files when connected to the laptop? Thanks.I hope is not as slow as AK380 is.


 
  
 As mentioned before, no English language with Japanese version, and Eu will get volume capped version.
  
 Didn't try transfer speeds but GUI performance and microSD Card reads/ejects, the AK380 is fast compared to NW-WM1Z. I wrote a little bit about in the AK380 thread. Yes so I'm revising my original thoughts of the NW-WM1Z performance. I do with it was a little faster - not so much about the GUI 'cos that doesn't bother me much, but for the card insert/eject/reads.


----------



## Edric Li

rob49 said:


> Congrats @Mimouille
> 
> I can't wait to hear your thoughts....even though i'll never be able to afford one !


 
  
 WM1Z vs LPG is all I ask for


----------



## Mimouille

rob49 said:


> Congrats @Mimouille
> 
> 
> I can't wait to hear your thoughts....even though i'll never be able to afford one !




Thank you, will share them as they come, mostly on the other thread I think. 




musicday said:


> Is this the Japanese version with English language? Hopefully other places on Europe will get the version without the volume cap.After paying all that money you want to have free volume control
> Looking forward to see how it compares woth Lotoo Paw Gold, but Sony may be superior even in the normal, where balanced could have us for a big surprise.
> Can you share the transfer speed for files when connected to the laptop? Thanks.I hope is not as slow as AK380 is.



 It is international version with English included and no volume cap. 50g transferred in one hour, but could be faster as my laptop is very old and has no USB 3.



kiats said:


> Congrats Mike! Enjoy!




Thanks, I am, sure you will like this too. 



cecala said:


> Is that a scratch I see?




Was on the plastic film thank God. 




edric li said:


> WM1Z vs LPG is all I ask for




Will compare after burn in. But the WM1Z is fuller for sure.


----------



## musicday

But even if your laptop had USB 3.0 port will not make much of a difference as the Walkman is USB 2.0 ..
But when using the LPG with the right card in a USB 3.0 laptop port the speed was incredible, 87 mbps in my case.
Let's see if they will address the above issues quickly.


----------



## purk

musicday said:


> But even if your laptop had USB 3.0 port will not make much of a difference as the Walkman is USB 2.0 ..
> But when using the LPG with the right card in a USB 3.0 laptop port the speed was incredible, 87 mbps in my case.
> Let's see if they will address the above issues quickly.


 
 That would require them reinventing the WMport to be USB 3 compliance.  You can get by with a faster microSD card however.  My Samsung Evo 256gb can get up to 60-70  mbps too.  
  
 That's one of the reason why I absolutely love the Paw Gold.  Transfer speed, SD card, and a great sound.  Of course, the lack of digital transport output was a deal breaker for me.


----------



## Sinarca

knowing Japanese:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HF79oHgpO0


----------



## Wnuwk Siphon

mimouille said:


> Thanks. Will do for sure !
> 
> I am not home yet ! Still at work for 4 hours !


 
  
 Hehe that one might just be a little bit _too _excited about your new toy...


----------



## audioxxx

mimouille said:


> Thank you, will share them as they come, mostly on the other thread I think.
> It is international version with English included and no volume cap. 50g transferred in one hour, but could be faster as my laptop is very old and has no USB 3.
> Thanks, I am, sure you will like this too.
> Was on the plastic film thank God.
> Will compare after burn in. But the WM1Z is fuller for sure.




I'd put a screen protector on it ASAP, if I had one.

It might turn really ugly at about 40hrs if it's anything like it's little streaming sibling, the zx2 and start blossoming say about 100hrs.
Congratulations..

Lol, the clock....


----------



## Kiats

Thanks, Mike! I'm sure I will. I hope to get mine next week, customs clearance permitting


----------



## Whitigir

audioxxx said:


> I'd put a screen protector on it ASAP, if I had one.
> 
> It might turn really ugly at about 40hrs if it's anything like it's little streaming sibling, the zx2 and start blossoming say about 100hrs.
> Congratulations..
> ...




Lol, and drop it on a concrete edges next day ? Yeah, your screen is not broken or scratches for sure, but the copper gold would have some printed arts on it. The worse thing than buying a new player is the burn-in period ... Lol


----------



## audioxxx

whitigir said:


> Lol, and drop it on a concrete edges next day ? Yeah, your screen is not broken or scratches for sure, but the copper gold would have some printed arts on it. The worse thing than buying a new player is the burn-in period ... Lol




You would have to baby this Walkman and treat it with extreme care, it will be easy to put a mark/dint on its soft metals, I think the pouch is a good idea, and control it using a Bluetooth remote.

Yeah the burn in would seem to take forever. Especially 200hrs for each socket.


----------



## Big Kev

I just contacted my local Sony Centre about the WM1A and received the following reply:
  
 "Thank you for your enquiry.
  
 This item is available on special order at the moment and it is priced at £1024.99.
  
 Delivery normally takes 3-5 working days."
  
 Tempting I must admit.


----------



## denis1976

sinarca said:


> knowing Japanese:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HF79oHgpO0


does anyone knows what is saying?


----------



## Jalo

Mike, does it come with any screen protector? If I were you I'll get my hands on some Gorrila Glass.


----------



## Cecala

denis1976 said:


> does anyone knows what is saying?


 

 I just watched some of this video and I also would like a translation as it looks very interesting, he does a comparison with the ZX2 to the 1A.


----------



## nanaholic

http://www.kumitatelab.com/4.4mm5polecable/
  
 More aftermarket cables terminated with 4.4mm plug


----------



## Cecala

nanaholic said:


> http://www.kumitatelab.com/4.4mm5polecable/
> 
> More aftermarket cables terminated with 4.4mm plug


 

 That plug looks massive. Did a conversion to my currency: 28,000Y = $350AU, they can keep it.


----------



## nanaholic

cecala said:


> That plug looks massive. Did a conversion to my currency: 28,000Y = $350AU, they can keep it.


 
  
 The 4.4mm is a fair bit bigger than a 3.5mm, which is what lends to its physical toughness.
  
 These cables are pretty expensive, which actually makes the official Sony Kimber Kables cheap in comparison.  But I personally would just wait for DIY plugs to re-terminate old cables laying around the house instead.


----------



## corius

cecala said:


> That plug looks massive.


 
  
 It's so big I'd be worried that the huge distance between rings and tip might lead to unacceptable phase delays!


----------



## nanaholic

denis1976 said:


> does anyone knows what is saying?


 
  
 Yeah I do, but it's nothing worth talking about.
  
 Guy is the owner of a Sony dealer shop, he's just basically flogging the new gears.


----------



## Mimouille

wnuwk siphon said:


> Hehe that one might just be a little bit _too_ excited about your new toy...




Seems about right. 




audioxxx said:


> I'd put a screen protector on it ASAP, if I had one.




Not sure, as I have it in the case. 




kiats said:


> Thanks, Mike! I'm sure I will. I hope to get mine next week, customs clearance permitting



Cant wait to hear your thoughts. 



jalo said:


> Mike, does it come with any screen protector? If I were you I'll get my hands on some Gorrila Glass.



No protector, but the case covers the screen. 



nanaholic said:


> http://www.kumitatelab.com/4.4mm5polecable/
> 
> More aftermarket cables terminated with 4.4mm plug



Cool will check that.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Alright you people....I contacted the Sony store in nyc. They have the w1ma in Stock, though not on display. You can buy one in store, but can't have it shipped.


----------



## Jazzi

dithyrambes said:


> Alright you people....I contacted the Sony store in nyc. They have the w1ma in Stock, though not on display. You can buy one in store, but can't have it shipped.


 

 That's an interesting sales technique.


----------



## Dithyrambes

dithyrambes said:


> Alright you people....I contacted the Sony store in nyc. They have the w1ma in Stock, though not on display. You can buy one in store, but can't have it shipped.


 
 Well the new sony store in NYC is their headquarters for US. LOL I'm tempted to buy it but, I think I'll just stick with upgrading iems first.


----------



## denis1976

What the f $#&#^#^ck is happening with Amazon today by morning the nwwm1z will be available at 4th of november now is wait from 1 to 3 months again...does sony wants to destroy Amazon?


----------



## Cecala

denis1976 said:


> What the f $#&#^#^ck is happening with Amazon today by morning the nwwm1z will be available at 4th of november now is wait from 1 to 3 months again...does sony wants to destroy Amazon?


 

 You have far to many characters in ''f $#&#^#^ck'', you need to revise so we can all better understand what your saying.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

He meant "fruit snack"
What were you thinking? 


cecala said:


> You have far to many characters in ''f $#&#^#^ck'', you need to revise so we can all better understand what your saying.:blink:


----------



## denis1976

audiobreeder said:


> He meant "fruit snack"
> What were you thinking?


hello i am thinking that everyone is getting nuts...


----------



## nc8000

denis1976 said:


> What the f $#&#^#^ck is happening with Amazon today by morning the nwwm1z will be available at 4th of november now is wait from 1 to 3 months again...does sony wants to destroy Amazon?




I expect the current allocation that was available for 4th November sold during the morning and they then have to wait fir the next lot


----------



## denis1976

nc8000 said:


> I expect the current allocation that was available for 4th November sold during the morning and they then have to wait fir the next lot


yes maybe...in Amazon.es says that the model is not found...and yesterday was 4 november too...


----------



## proedros

so , the japan model has no english language and the eu model has volume cap ?
  
 that means that for us english speaking/no cap wanting people , we need the non japan/eu model ?


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> so , the japan model has no english language and the eu model has volume cap ?
> 
> that means that for us english speaking/no cap wanting people , we need the non japan/eu model ?




Yes we need the international version


----------



## denis1976

I think i have found a way of turn off the Volume Cap, when i got my 1Z from UE i will go to the time zone of the clock and will choose japan hour and them the 1Z thinks  ...wait a minute this guy is Japonese...and miracle the volume cap is OFF....what about that?


----------



## nc8000

denis1976 said:


> I think i have found a way of turn off the Volume Cap, when i got my 1Z from UE i will go to the time zone of the clock and will choose japan hour and them the 1Z thinks  ...wait a minute this guy is Japonese...and miracle the volume cap is OFF....what about that?




Very unlikely


----------



## denis1976

nc8000 said:


> Very unlikely


 
 I was not talking for real...by the way on Amazon.de is the 1Z for 2144 euros is that for real?


----------



## denis1976

denis1976 said:


> I was not talking for real...by the way on Amazon.de is the 1Z for 2144 euros is that for real?


 
 And Pufffff its gone....people are shameless


----------



## denis1976

denis1976 said:


> And Pufffff its gone....people are shameless


 
 and is on again...this thing is awsome


----------



## Sinarca

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVGCryCqUWk


----------



## musicday

sinarca said:


> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVGCryCqUWk



Best unboxing I ever seen, not.
I would like to see the GUI more than an unboxing..If this is really lagging imagine how slow will be once you have 512 gb filled up.


----------



## nanaholic

musicday said:


> Best unboxing I ever seen, not.
> I would like to see the GUI more than an unboxing..If this is really lagging imagine how slow will be once you have 512 gb filled up.


 
  
 Everyone's too busy burning in those caps to make unboxing videos. 
  
 Though so far nobody really complained about lagging of the UI, most believe it is plenty acceptable and is on par with previous ZX walkmans.


----------



## JamesInLondon

Hi All;
  
 Another email from Amazon.co.uk; it reads as follows
  
_Hello,_
_Please be advised that we have a revised delivery date for the items you ordered on September 15 2016 _
  
  _ "Sony NW-WM1A High-Resolution Audio Walkman"
     Estimated arrival date: November 04 2016 - November 05 2016_
  
 Although my order page still says
  
_Sony NWWM1Z High Resolution Audio Walkman 256GB Memory, Micro SD Card Slot, S Master HZ engine Copper 4 Inch LED/LCD_
_Multi-Touch Screen Gold_
  
_Sold by: Amazon EU S.a.r.L. _
  
_£986.84 _
  
 I wonder what will arrive next week.
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## musicday

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi All;
> 
> Another email from Amazon.co.uk; it reads as follows
> 
> ...



The aluminium Walkman of course!
Amazon is not good at description sometimes but they will put the right thing inside for the price you paid.


----------



## CraftyClown

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi All;
> 
> Another email from Amazon.co.uk; it reads as follows
> 
> ...




As Musicday said, you will definitely receive the 1a. If I was you though, I would make a small complaint after you receive the device as you were initially promised a gold 1z. You may end up being sent a £20 voucher for the inconvenience, if you agree to keep the lesser device and accept their error.


----------



## denis1976

This tread is getting really great...when no one had the Dap to assess, it was comments about everything, now that there are already those who have it, no one says anything ...


----------



## audionewbi

Ideally I love to own the 1Z but the local retail price of 4200 AUD does make me think really hard about it. On the plus side it is a Sony UI, it has 256 GB internal hard drive and it has amazing battery life. It also does not use the same over-used off the shelf DAC chip and actually try to do things differently, there is some sort of innovation right?
 On the negative, will it is heavy and as experience tells me anything heavier than my Ak120 I would not take out in regular basis. 

 On the other hand I can get the 1A, use the extra price difference to alter the sound by using various cables. Since the key difference, beside the housing (which will be impossible to mod) the usage of internal wiring and resistor will leave room to many modders to do their magic. I have faith internal wiring and resistor changes will yield far more result than the casing. 
 On the negative I am assuming this dap will be popular enough for modders to pay attention to mod it. Not to mention I am assuming that the casing has no final impact on sound.
  
 The biggest negative for both is its current size, non of them will be small enough for me to put in my front pocket shirt. And also 1300 AUD is far easier to swallow than 4200 AUD.


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> Ideally I love to own the 1Z but the local retail price of 4200 AUD does make me think really hard about it. On the plus side it is a Sony UI, it has 256 GB internal hard drive and it has amazing battery life. It also does not use the same over-used off the shelf DAC chip and actually try to do things differently, there is some sort of innovation right?
> 
> On the negative, will it is heavy and as experience tells me anything heavier than my Ak120 I would not take out in regular basis.
> 
> ...




Sony stuff is very hard to work on, and especially Walkman where everything is so cramped in and securely installed. There was a guy who modded his Zx2 internal wirings and he also broke the 4th pins which would allow separate ground to use TRRS. I think he found the part to fix it later on.

So, case in point, the new Walkman will be hell to work on, and dont even think about the resistors or cap replacement, they are also hell to work on. Giving that you can buy all the parts.

I am so sure that after parts, and labor performed on the 1A to mimic the 1Z, and let say the copper casing is not important, you are still going to pay a hefty price. Now, the bonus is that by the time people perform mods on the 1A, the used 1Z probably fall down to cheaper pricing. If you know what I mean


----------



## Zaroff

whitigir said:


> Sdont even think about the resistors or cap replacement, they are also hell to work on. Giving that you can buy all the parts.


 
  
 Yep, and I seem to remember reading somewhere that Sony custom-made those caps found in the Z, so good luck with finding those...


----------



## audionewbi

The caps on both model are the same, the resistor however isn't.


----------



## nanaholic

audionewbi said:


> The caps on both model are the same, the resistor however isn't.


 
  
 The number of caps used in the models are different though.


----------



## audionewbi

nanaholic said:


> The number of caps used in the models are different though.


 
 I think they are both the same, the key difference from what I have read so far is the usage of different resistor on 1z uses Sony own home made resistor vs the so called naked resistor which are still highly regarded, in the 1A model.
 Below we can see that the two model have the same number of resistors:
*Source:* http://ascii.jp/elem/000/001/225/1225223/
  
 Picture on the left WM1Z, right WM1

  
 As we can see on the pictures above the cap numbers the identical however picture below for those with good eye can see the resistors used are different:
  
 Left: WM1z model using the Sony "fine sound" resistors, Right: the regular resistors used in the WM1A model.


----------



## nanaholic

audionewbi said:


> I think they are both the same, the key difference from what I have read so far is the usage of different resistor on 1z uses Sony own home made resistor vs the so called naked resistor which are still highly regarded, in the 1A model.
> Below we can see that the two model have the same number of resistors:
> *Source:* http://ascii.jp/elem/000/001/225/1225223/
> 
> ...


 
  
 It's the same for the balanced circuit but different for the unbalanced circuit:
 http://www.sony.jp/walkman/special/flagship/manufacturer/interview04.html
  
 You can see they use more of the new blue caps in the 1Z than the 1A for the unbalanced side.


----------



## nanaholic

audionewbi said:


> It also does not use the same over-used off the shelf DAC chip and actually try to do things differently, there is some sort of innovation right?


 
  
 Yeah, the more I read about the new walkmans and their development the more the engineer in me appreciate all the effort they put into making a genuinely new piece of hardware instead of just slapping another DAC chip onto the board and calling it a day. Any engineer worth their salt can read a data sheet from the maker and wire up a chip and having it put out a signal in a day's work, but to build a completely new one from the ground up is an entirely different level of complexity, so while people say these DAPs are expensive I'm thinking they actually have more value than most of the other DAPs out there and probably even has a thinner profit margin compared to DAPs on the same price range.  It's a shame that most of these interviews and reading materials aren't available in any languages besides Japanese, else reading it would change a lot of people's mind about Sony's overall strategy and pricing. 
  
 Although the real proof in the pudding is whether they sound good or not, but Sony definitely gets A+ for effort alone compared to pretty much all other DAPs on the market right now.


----------



## purk

nanaholic said:


> Yeah, the more I read about the new walkmans and their development the more the engineer in me appreciate all the effort they put into making a genuinely new piece of hardware instead of just slapping another DAC chip onto the board and calling it a day. Any engineer worth their salt can read a data sheet from the maker and wire up a chip and having it put out a signal in a day's work, but to build a completely new one from the ground up is an entirely different level of complexity, so while people say these DAPs are expensive I'm thinking they actually have more value than most of the other DAPs out there and probably even has a thinner profit margin compared to DAPs on the same price range.  It's a shame that most of these interviews and reading materials aren't available in any languages besides Japanese, else reading it would change a lot of people's mind about Sony's overall strategy and pricing.
> 
> *Although the real proof in the pudding is whether they sound good or not, but Sony definitely gets A+ for effort alone compared to pretty much all other DAPs on the market right now.*


 
 No I'm all in with you on this but first they need to be available for folks to purchase too.  Sony USA...we want to buy them.  Also, there is nothing wrong about selling it direct.


----------



## audionewbi

nanaholic said:


> Yeah, the more I read about the new walkmans and their development the more the engineer in me appreciate all the effort they put into making a genuinely new piece of hardware instead of just slapping another DAC chip onto the board and calling it a day. Any engineer worth their salt can read a data sheet from the maker and wire up a chip and having it put out a signal in a day's work, but to build a completely new one from the ground up is an entirely different level of complexity, so while people say these DAPs are expensive I'm thinking they actually have more value than most of the other DAPs out there and probably even has a thinner profit margin compared to DAPs on the same price range.  It's a shame that most of these interviews and reading materials aren't available in any languages besides Japanese, else reading it would change a lot of people's mind about Sony's overall strategy and pricing.
> 
> Although the real proof in the pudding is whether they sound good or not, but Sony definitely gets A+ for effort alone compared to pretty much all other DAPs on the market right now.


 
 Thanks for the link on your previous post, I have read it already and as I a typing this I have coldplay music in the background, tea brewing and I will re-read the sony link again.

 I am certainly sold on the 1A, however now it is matter of hearing the 1Z and deciding on whether it is worth it for me. If I could sale all my current sources perhaps it would make things easier, I really hate to buy another one and not to enjoy it as much as I thought I would. 
 Surprisingly bing translate does the job fine, it is not perfect but the information is a lot more than what we find on Sony Australia site.


----------



## nanaholic

audionewbi said:


> Thanks for the link on your previous post, I have read it already and as I a typing this I have coldplay music in the background, tea brewing and I will re-read the sony link again.
> 
> I am certainly sold on the 1A, however now it is matter of hearing the 1Z and deciding on whether it is worth it for me. If I could sale all my current sources perhaps it would make things easier, I really hate to buy another one and not to enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
> Surprisingly bing translate does the job fine, it is not perfect but the information is a lot more than what we find on Sony Australia site.


 
  
 I can understand where you are coming from.  I think most people can't go wrong with the 1A, it's an easy to justify piece of nice kit amongst today's DAP offerings but the 1Z definitely needs much more convincing.  
  
 Since I'm multi-lingual I enjoy read the different sites (mainly English, Japanese and Chinese) for information, but everything just pales compare to the Japanese side of things. That Japanese interview with the team members should've been translated into all other major languages and posted on their sites. It's so rich full of insight into the development of the everything (not just walkman but S-Master etc) and it's a truly missed PR opportunity, with today's "everything can be copied quick and cheap in China" mentality the major differentiation of any electronic products is about attention to details (the crazier the better in fact) and in-house R&D doing things that no one else has done before, I don't know what the marketing people are thinking by not telling that side of the story.


----------



## purk

nanaholic said:


> I can understand where you are coming from.  I think most people can't go wrong with the 1A, it's an easy to justify piece of nice kit amongst today's DAP offerings but the 1Z definitely needs much more convincing.
> 
> Since I'm multi-lingual I enjoy read the different sites (mainly English, Japanese and Chinese) for information, but everything just pales compare to the Japanese side of things. That Japanese interview with the team members should've been translated into all other major languages and posted on their sites. It's so rich full of insight into the development of the everything (not just walkman but S-Master etc) and it's a truly missed PR opportunity, with today's "everything can be copied quick and cheap in China" mentality the major differentiation of any electronic products is about attention to details (the crazier the better in fact) and in-house R&D doing things that no one else has done before, I don't know what the marketing people are thinking by not telling that side of the story.


 
 From my source, the 1Z was the only product in the signature line that was not being compromised by any budgetary restriction.  Basically, there goal is to make the best sounding walkman possible and the WM1Z is that result..


----------



## audionewbi

When you put it this way I sense this will be one of those product that will look at a decade from now when good sound became mainstream, the temptation increase by each post.


----------



## purk

audionewbi said:


> When you put it this way I sense this will be one of those product that will look at a decade from now when good sound became mainstream, the temptation increase by each post.


 
 When I have mine, I really hope that it will be able to measure up to any desktop DAC/Amp combo unit under a grand.  I hope they succeed really so I can sell off my work rig and just use the 1Z.  I think the real test if they can better the PHA3.


----------



## Mimouille

Still a bit less than 162 hours to go...


----------



## audionewbi

Would you say it is a keeper so far?


----------



## Whitigir

purk said:


> When I have mine, I really hope that it will be able to measure up to any desktop DAC/Amp combo unit under a grand.  I hope they succeed really so I can sell off my work rig and just use the 1Z.  I think the real test if they can better the PHA3.




Well, if it can replace Pha-3, we will have a winner . I am hoping to see some real world experiences and or review on the 1Z soon....it is couple days away to November


----------



## nanaholic

purk said:


> From my source, the 1Z was the only product in the signature line that was not being compromised by any budgetary restriction.  Basically, there goal is to make the best sounding walkman possible and the WM1Z is that result..


 
  
 Just ear's Matsuo-san had said as much when he said he couldn't see the WM1Z being made by the old Sony and that the WM1Z project completely respected the will of the engineers, while the WM1A was more the logical evolution from the ZX2 in many way.


----------



## audionewbi

I've seen him post pictures of his CIEM with Z1, by the way has anyone asked him how does his tune his own personal IEM? I like to know what his taste is like.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Just ear's Matsuo-san had said as much when he said he couldn't see the WM1Z being made by the old Sony and that the WM1Z project completely respected the will of the engineers, while the WM1A was more the logical evolution from the ZX2 in many way.




Yes, that is very true as I said before, the 1Z is no doubt, the best Walkman to date. I think the uses of exclusive components and in house designs with special tuning behind it are all very Unique, and pricing aside. The 1A is like a little sibling which would never be out if the 1Z was not born by Sony. So all in all, it is a very good decision from Sony to have a very affordable 1A, and then highly priced 1Z.

In my opinion, the new Walkman either A or Z will do wonder, because class D technology has 99% efficiency ! Theoretically, And most specially was mentioned that the new Walkman had upped the Voltage rail to be almost 2X as strong than on the Zx2 to achieve better power delivery. This voltage rail is not even found in the Pha-3. I have read multiple forums, bits and pieces around, as much as they are conflicting one another, I still think that the 1Z will perform away from Pha-3 by these 2 reasons

1/ Class D efficiency
2/ Higher Voltage rail

Once again, Balanced output is the only possible way to get Native DSD playback. I also have no doubt that Balanced out is the best the new WM Walkman line has to offer in both : audio quality and hardware capability, period.

I had been running my Zx2 with many headphones, and I would not believe that the Zx2 only offer 15mW per channel. By using TRRS connection only, the Zx2 surprised me, so the efficiency of class D technology from Sony is true together with excellent performances. I can even say that the Z1R headphones also got driven very well by Zx2. Of course, the Zx2 is lacking something (the control and finesses) from my comparable HA-1 desktop setup, but hey....again, it is 15mW per channel. Imagine being 60mW or 250mW


----------



## musicday

So to make sure i got this right: so in the balanced mode not only the player goes louder but can do up to DSD 256 decoding natively, where in the single mode will do only only DSD 128 natively right? Will it play DSD 256 in single mode but converted to PCM? Thanks.


----------



## nanaholic

audionewbi said:


> I've seen him post pictures of his CIEM with Z1, by the way has anyone asked him how does his tune his own personal IEM? I like to know what his taste is like.


 
  
 That's a very good question, I'm gonna try to keep this in mind and ask him that next time I meet him.


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> So to make sure i got this right: so in the balanced mode not only the player goes louder but can do up to DSD 256 decoding natively, where in the single mode will do only only DSD 128 natively right? Will it play DSD 256 in single mode but converted to PCM? Thanks.




I never get any confirmation on Native DSD play by using 3.5mm socket. I do know it uses TRRS like Zx2 here, and Sony confirmed 4.4mm to be doing DSD Natively


----------



## Cecala

mimouille said:


> Still a bit less than 162 hours to go...


 

 I thought it didn't have Bluetooth, what's that in the bottom?


----------



## Whitigir

cecala said:


> I thought it didn't have Bluetooth, what's that in the bottom?




What have u been following ? It always had Bluetooth, it just doesn't have Wi-fi. People who complains about streaming, Sony is working on their own Streaming service with true high-res encoding and all the good stuff, and once it is available, you can use it with Bluetooth too


----------



## Mimouille

audionewbi said:


> Would you say it is a keeper so far?


Yes. For sure. Already sounds incredible before burn in.


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> Yes. For sure. Already sounds incredible before burn in.




Hell, for $3,200 plus tax...I would just keep it alone for my pride to be able to afford such fancy device...until new toy pop up 

J/k, I appreciate the input, and this is driving me crazy because......nothing is released in the states Yet!


----------



## nanaholic

musicday said:


> So to make sure i got this right: so in the balanced mode not only the player goes louder but can do up to DSD 256 decoding natively, where in the single mode will do only only DSD 128 natively right? Will it play DSD 256 in single mode but converted to PCM? Thanks.


 
  
 For SE all DSD gets converted into PCM, no native DSD for SE at all.  The supported DSD bit depth and bit rate is the same for both outputs.


----------



## Jalo

nanaholic said:


> That Japanese interview with the team members should've been translated into all other major languages and posted on their sites. It's so rich full of insight into the development of the everything (not just walkman but S-Master etc) and it's a truly missed PR opportunity, with today's "everything can be copied quick and cheap in China" mentality the major differentiation of any electronic products is about attention to details (the crazier the better in fact) and in-house R&D doing things that no one else has done before, I don't know what the marketing people are thinking by not telling that side of the story.




Is it a long interview? Do you think you can translate it for the forum and us headfiers? If you can that will most appreciated.i am extremely interested.


----------



## svinaik

Folks, A real life question. How would you choose to go on the following 2 scenarios which are almost equal on the money side of the equation. 
  
 1. WM-1Z alone
 2. WM-1A + ZH1ES
  
 I know that none of the answers are wrong but just curious how this community will vote.
  
 Thanks much for your responses.


----------



## Whitigir

svinaik said:


> Folks, A real life question. How would you choose to go on the following 2 scenarios which are almost equal on the money side of the equation.
> 
> 1. WM-1Z alone
> 2. WM-1A + ZH1ES
> ...




I personally would do just 1/ WM1Z. The reason is because I value "portability". Of course the ES will be a good amp as it is a desktop setup. But even to wear a backpack and have a battery + converter to portably listening to it on the go.....still going to be impossible.

Portability and the freedom to walk all around the house, or carry it to and from work - the most valuable feature to me personally


----------



## Dithyrambes

I think option 2. Wm1a will sound amazing and I find it really hard to focus on sq when moving around with a lot of noise. Portable listening is always different than when you actually focus at home in silence for critical listening. The desktop amp has more power and there habe been reports it sounds better than wm1z. So you get the best of of both worlds


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> I think option 2. Wm1a will sound amazing and I find it really hard to focus on sq when moving around with a lot of noise. Portable listening is always different than when you actually focus at home in silence for critical listening. The desktop amp has more power and there habe been reports it sounds better than wm1z. So you get the best of of both worlds




You forget that MDR-Z1R isolate "very, Very well"


----------



## purk

I think I would go with option 2.  Greater flexibility and a big amp should better than WM1Z.  However, if you value portability then the 1Z should be your ticket.


----------



## Dithyrambes

I dunno where you would use it though? Nyc subway? Perhaps the train or flight? So not ideal with lots of people, air noise outside, have to watch out for people/cars...and you are walking around with a 3.3k walkman with bulky headphones on the head? I've been traveling a lot but rarely had time to actually focus on pure sound quality while on the go. Usually when I'm moving around its to a rehearsal or something that requires attention so it's not focused like when you are sitting down to listen and not hear music.


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> I dunno where you would use it though? Nyc subway? Perhaps the train or flight? So not ideal with lots of people, air noise outside, have to watch out for people/cars...and you are walking around with a 3.3k walkman with bulky headphones on the head? I've been traveling a lot but rarely had time to actually focus on pure sound quality while on the go. Usually when I'm moving around its to a rehearsal or something that requires attention so it's not focused like when you are sitting down to listen and not hear music.




Like I said, the ability to walk around the house with 1Z+Z1R or settled down with Z1R and movies on IPad....moving from rooms to rooms ? Unless, every time you would plug/unplug, and carry the ES amp around with you. 

So, to me, I would do 1Z and Z1R. 

Portability doesn't have to be walking at 12:00 am in NYC subway .....no...portability to me is around the house, and carrying it from/to work. That is good enough


----------



## nanaholic

svinaik said:


> Folks, A real life question. How would you choose to go on the following 2 scenarios which are almost equal on the money side of the equation.
> 
> 1. WM-1Z alone
> 2. WM-1A + ZH1ES
> ...


 
  
 It will depend a lot on usage and sound preference.
  
 I think it is worth reminding people that the ZH1ES is not just an amp but really a full source+amp component. If one doesn't have a good desktop rig and/or is thinking about replacing an old rig with the latest device which supports all the fancy recording formats (like 384kHz PCM and native 11.2MHz DSD etc) and all the right headphone jacks, then option 2's value proposition is pretty tempting because you'll have both a very good mobile DAP and what should be a good future proof compact desktop rig. This is also provided you like the sound signature of the gears - which is more on the analytical side of things. However if you want something warm/lush and you love tube amps, then I don't think option 2 is going to make you happy at all because it simply won't give you that sound you want. In that case you'll be going option 1.
  
 I was thinking about something like option 2 before to either consolidate/replace my current desktop source of Audiolab M-Dac and Woo Audio WA2, but then I read the ZH1ES doesn't support multi-voltage and I know I'll miss my Woo amp + T1 combo so I killed that idea. Now I'm sort of thinking whether the 1Z would pair well with the T1 if I re-terminate it with the new 4.4mm balance plug so that I can use the more powerful output of the walkman as well as leveraging the native DSD playback.
  


dithyrambes said:


> I think option 2. Wm1a will sound amazing and I find it really hard to focus on sq when moving around with a lot of noise. Portable listening is always different than when you actually focus at home in silence for critical listening. The desktop amp has more power and there habe been reports it sounds better than wm1z. So you get the best of of both worlds


 
  
  
 I don't think the comparison is valid because if you can read all the interviews you would gather that the Sony's Signature line are deliberately all designed with different sound signature and neither is better than the other but rather a subjective preference.  The 1A is designed to sound more like the evolution of Walkmans of the digital age - going for sharp analytically cold clarity and quickness, while the 1Z is tuned for more richness and warmth for people who may prefer a touch of tube-like flavour.  The ES amp sits right in the middle of the two, it's probably the one with the most reference class type of transparent sound.  So which piece of gear you like will totally depend on what sound signature you prefer.


----------



## Whitigir

And what exactly is Z1R ?


----------



## svinaik

Folks.. The 2 scenarios (WM-1Z only or WM 1A + ZH 1ES) discussion generated very valuable insights. Looking at my personal needs and preferences, I have decided to go with option 2 . Now next one my list is the ZH 1ES and finally the 1A will arrive as I sequence my budgets.
  
 One of the reason for me to pick option 2 was that desktop amp gives me not only the power, upscaling and various connection options but will allow me to put my Oppo PM1 to a better use case via the balances connection (XLR).
  
 I am also committed to not going way beyond my affordability which is already being tested with Z1R (Acquired), ZH 1ES ( to be acquired) and finally the WM-1A to be acquired next year.
  
 Thank you all for sharing your points of views and they were all very insightful and helped me tremendously.
  
 You are truly a great team..


----------



## purk

Btw, if you decide to go with option 2...there are so many great choices on desktop DAC/Amp in the market.  2.2k can get you a really great sound.  The ZH1ES is more of an unproven product to me given is a companion amp to the Z1R.  Voicing between these component are very important.  Again, 2.2K can get you a very stellar deal on the market.  Sony is killing themselves by not having enough rig to show off here in the States.  
  
 Will you be buying the Z1R or do you already have any particular headphones in mind?


----------



## audionewbi

To me option two is much more tempting. To say the least the extra real estate of the larger chassis can arguably allow for more implementation. However yes it is an unproven. 
I am still hoping a positive result with hd800s.


----------



## musicday

nanaholic said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > So to make sure i got this right: so in the balanced mode not only the player goes louder but can do up to DSD 256 decoding natively, where in the single mode will do only only DSD 128 natively right? Will it play DSD 256 in single mode but converted to PCM? Thanks.
> ...



Thanks,apreciated.
Seems like the one single cable for the future is 4.4 mm balanced, maybe phones will come with it too.
Have anyone tried this Walkman with Ether C Flow?


----------



## echineko

audionewbi said:


> To me option two is much more tempting. To say the least the extra real estate of the larger chassis can arguably allow for more implementation. However yes it is an unproven.
> I am still hoping a positive result with hd800s.



From my brief audition of that particular combo (ZH1ES + 800S), they seemed to work together very well. If anything, it seemed to emphasise the detail retrieval even more, and was a very cohesive sound. Of course there was no chance of testing the new balanced output with the 800S at the time, but I imagine that would be even better. It made me seriously consider a future ZH1ES for many of the same reasons stated a few posts back.


----------



## Whitigir

echineko said:


> From my brief audition of that particular combo (ZH1ES + 800S), they seemed to work together very well. If anything, it seemed to emphasise the detail retrieval even more, and was a very cohesive sound. Of course there was no chance of testing the new balanced output with the 800S at the time, but I imagine that would be even better. It made me seriously consider a future ZH1ES for many of the same reasons stated a few posts back.




Is that so ? How does ES compare with others ?


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> Is that so ? How does ES compare with others ?



Well, I brought my 800S to a Sony event to try with the amp, so there weren't others for me to do a direct comparison with. Once some dealers start getting it in stock, that will be easier to test. But for my needs (small footprint, relatively affordable price compared to some TOTL amps), the ZH1ES did very well. I'm interested


----------



## Whitigir

Lol, for 2K, I would say that is pretty high-end pricing as far as desktop


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> Lol, for 2K, I would say that is pretty high-end pricing as far as desktop



Remember our discussion earlier about variations in pricing? I'm waiting to see where the ZH1ES lands, once it's announced here  And yes, even $2k can be low, when you look at TOTL desktop amp prices.


----------



## TienV1125

OMG all these new Electronic devices. My Macbook Air just die so now the question is New Macbook Pro or WM1Z????? oh the trouble of modern life


----------



## Whitigir

tienv1125 said:


> OMG all these new Electronic devices. My Macbook Air just die so now the question is New Macbook Pro or WM1Z????? oh the trouble of modern life




Get one, then another later. Decide upon priority


----------



## bettyn

whitigir said:


> Get one, then another later. Decide upon priority


 
 Welcome to my world. I want this player, too, but my husband keeps stealing my computer because his is broken and he is too cheap to replace it.. I, however, will be expected to cough up the $$$$ I was saving for my Sony to purchase another laptop. I do not think this is fair.


----------



## Cecala

whitigir said:


> What have u been following ? It always had Bluetooth, it just doesn't have Wi-fi. People who complains about streaming, Sony is working on their own Streaming service with true high-res encoding and all the good stuff, and once it is available, you can use it with Bluetooth too


 
 Well...I must have missed that memo, then again I don't have the complete Sony brochure.


----------



## cthomas

I also don't know what to do... Schiit Jotunheim amp + Modi Multibit or 1A Walkman? I don't necessarily need portability but I would appreciate it.


----------



## echineko

cthomas said:


> I also don't know what to do... Schiit Jotunheim amp + Modi Multibit or 1A Walkman? I don't necessarily need portability but I would appreciate it.



Seems like you've answered your own question, eh? You could possibly output from the Walkman to another desktop amp down the road, but the Schiit stack, great as it is, will never fit in a pocket or small bag when you're out.


----------



## proedros

bettyn said:


> Welcome to my world. I want this player, too, but my husband keeps stealing my computer because his is broken and *he is too cheap to replace it*.. I, however, *will be expected to cough up the $$$$ I was saving for my Sony to purchase another laptop.* I do not think this is fair.


 
  
 divorce seems the only option here.


----------



## CraftyClown

proedros said:


> divorce seems the only option here.




LOL. If in doubt, chuck him out


----------



## svinaik

Hi Purk, Thanks for the advice. I have already purchased the MDR- Z1R. I was in Tokyo recently and did extended listening to Z1R, new DAPS, ES AMP in various configurations. Since headphones were lot cheaper in Japan versus the listed price in the US (Tax Free in Japan + 5% VISA discount at Yodobashi), I started with them first. 
  
 DAPS are fantastic too and my impressions of the ES were also very favorable but as you know that I do not have extensive experience with many other, and probably better, desktop DAC / AMPs. Sony seems to have done a great job overall. Will keep posting as I go through the journey .
  
 Best


----------



## Mimouille

So received a few gifts from Sony. 


A small and pretty nice remote control. 


And the most useless and heavy gift ever, a Sony vintage walkman collector calendar.


----------



## H20Fidelity

The remote control is pretty cool @Mimouille especially if you can adjust volume/tracks when the Walkman is inside a bag or similar.


----------



## Mimouille

h20fidelity said:


> The remote control is pretty cool @Mimouille
> especially if you can adjust volume/tracks when the Walkman is inside a bag or similar.


Yeah, plus it comes with a shirt clip and a string to put around your neck or whatever.


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> Yeah, plus it comes with a shirt clip and a string to put around your neck or whatever.




String and clip it onto your Z1R, or whatever headphones cables to walk around with 

Nah, kidding. I think it is best used for when u docked the 1Z and listening to an amp on your couch and u don't want to be bothered to standup and reach for it ...


----------



## Cecala

Mimouille,
 What's the UI like lag wise, are you happy and is it any faster compered to the ZX2?


----------



## Mimouille

cecala said:


> Mimouille,
> What's the UI like lag wise, are you happy and is it any faster compered to the ZX2?


Never really used the ZX2, but there is no lag at this stage. Please not I don't use the SD card.


----------



## FenderP

svinaik said:


> Hi Purk, Thanks for the advice. I have already purchased the MDR- Z1R. I was in Tokyo recently and did extended listening to Z1R, new DAPS, ES AMP in various configurations. Since headphones were lot cheaper in Japan versus the listed price in the US (Tax Free in Japan + 5% VISA discount at Yodobashi), I started with them first.
> 
> DAPS are fantastic too and my impressions of the ES were also very favorable but as you know that I do not have extensive experience with many other, and probably better, desktop DAC / AMPs. Sony seems to have done a great job overall. Will keep posting as I go through the journey .
> 
> Best


 

 Did you get the Japanese version and go to the tax free area or the export version? I'm assuming you went to Akihabara or Shinjuku.
  
 I'm debating on waiting until I'm in either Hong Kong or Tokyo. Sadly, the Yen is back about parity with the USD. It was nice when we basically got about a 20% discount not so long ago ...


----------



## Telacap99

Just picked up my 1Z a few hours ago, so far a lovely piece of gold brick, using drive the Campfire Vega and Lyra 2, the Sony seems to have have ample power to drive them really well. Looking forward to use it to drive more iems. Interface speed wise, I hope the scrolling speed can be improved via a future firmware update, its noticeably slower ( not a lot) than AK380 or Plenue S.


----------



## nanaholic

Screw it, you only live once.
 I actually reserved the 1A but asked to listened to both again and decided to go for the 1Z instead. Not happy the pre-order Sony Kimber Kables didn't come in on time.  I'll just have to run in the SE first then.


----------



## denis1976

nanaholic said:


> Screw it, you only live once.
> I actually reserved the 1A but asked to listened to both again and decided to go for the 1Z instead. Not happy the pre-order Sony Kimber Kables didn't come in on time.  I'll just have to run in the SE first then.


 
 Great player, congrats


----------



## bettyn

proedros said:


> divorce seems the only option here.


 
 Yep.


----------



## Telacap99

nanaholic said:


> Screw it, you only live once.
> I actually reserved the 1A but asked to listened to both again and decided to go for the 1Z instead. Not happy the pre-order Sony Kimber Kables didn't come in on time.  I'll just have to run in the SE first then.




How do you like it so far?


----------



## Rob49

nanaholic said:


> Screw it, you only live once.
> I actually reserved the 1A but asked to listened to both again and decided to go for the 1Z instead. Not happy the pre-order Sony Kimber Kables didn't come in on time.  I'll just have to run in the SE first then.


 
  
 Congrats. Looking forward to your thoughts....enjoy !!


----------



## svinaik

Fender P. I went to the Shinjuku store . Even with the yen @104 or so,still a good deal versus US. I just showed my passport for the tax free price and then got 5% discount for using Visa card.


----------



## FenderP

svinaik said:


> Fender P. I went to the Shinjuku store . Even with the yen @104 or so,still a good deal versus US. I just showed my passport for the tax free price and then got 5% discount for using Visa card.


 
  
 Nice. Chances are I'll wait since I want ATRAC support, and don't mind having the Japanese language version of the OS. IIRC, Japan has an 8% consumption tax going up to 10% in April next year.
  
 As an aside, I do love Yodobashi (both big branches). BIC Camera is also good.


----------



## Big Kev

I placed an order for the WM1A on Sunday and the price has now dropped on Amazon.co.uk to £924.22, if anyone is interested.   If you've placed an order with the higher price, just contact them and they'll cancel the dearer order.


----------



## nanaholic

telacap99 said:


> How do you like it so far?


 
  
 It doesn't sound like what I heard from a properly run in player at the Ginza store - the lush/warm vocal is not there yet, and the highs can get a bit piercing even with my MH1 which is already toned down, so I don't think it's worth commenting at the moment.


----------



## Rob49

big kev said:


> I placed an order for the WM1A on Sunday and the price has now dropped on Amazon.co.uk to £924.22, if anyone is interested.   If you've placed an order with the higher price, just contact them and they'll cancel the dearer order.


 
  
 Does it not bother you about the volume cap ? ( My biggest disappointment with my ZX2 is the volume cap. )


----------



## denis1976

rob49 said:


> Does it not bother you about the volume cap ? ( My biggest disappointment with my ZX2 is the volume cap. )


 
 The volume cap in the new models is not at the same level of the zx2


----------



## Rob49

denis1976 said:


> The volume cap in the new models is not at the same level of the zx2


 
  
 Oh, i forgot that fact, still be interesting to see, when people receive their new players...


----------



## Jalo

telacap99 said:


> Just picked up my 1Z a few hours ago, so far a lovely piece of gold brick, using drive the Campfire Vega and Lyra 2, the Sony seems to have have ample power to drive them really well. Looking forward to use it to drive more iems. Interface speed wise, I hope the scrolling speed can be improved via a future firmware update, its noticeably slower ( not a lot) than AK380 or Plenue S.


 
 I am very interested the 1Z and Vega combo.  Please let me know if that combo is too warm in term of sq.  I understand the Vega scale very well with a lot of power. Thanks.


----------



## echineko

denis1976 said:


> The volume cap in the new models is not at the same level of the zx2


 
 What are you basing this on? I might have missed something along the way, but I was not aware of this.


----------



## denis1976

rob49 said:


> Oh, i forgot that fact, still be interesting to see, when people receive their new players...


 
 If they use iem in the SE and big phones in the balanced i think that will do just fine...think with me, if the volume cap was like the zx2 it will be pointless the SE and balanced outputs...and imagine that sony when capped the zx2 the phones that where used to measure the 80 to 100 dbs had 100db of sensitivity , now Sony made the same thing with a 90 db headphone....know what i mean?


----------



## denis1976

My statement has a solid fundation, buy one and find out...


----------



## Dobrescu George

Why everyone turned so aggressive? 
  
 The volume cap is AWFUL! 
  
 Do not buy this thing if you need volume. I told you so. This is the message that can be said. Every single person who tested it around was shocked at how quiet it was, and not everybody listens to death metal or to bleeding edge volumes. this is mostly an advice, Don't buy it if you listen louder than direct conversations, because with certain headphones and in certain combinations it won't get louder than conversations. It's mostly a warning. I don't think I could live with the volume cap, even at max, but I own rather hard to drive headphones and IEMs, so let's not judge things based on my advice! I'm just saying that some of us need volume - for those of us - at least listen before buying - to know if it's loud enough for you - or buy from Japan (I don't dislike the volume thingy, it's a problem with many DAPs - not necessarily anyone's fault - but it's annoying. Even my Xiaomi phone has volume cap on global ver, and the workaround is not always fun)
  
 And let's stop being aggressive, this is a friendly place!


----------



## denis1976

dobrescu george said:


> Why everyone turned so aggressive?
> 
> The volume cap is AWFUL!
> 
> ...


yes, this is paradise my friends, yes volume cap is terrible, but more terrible is people that see everything that is not like they think and takes like being aggressive, i am going to say again without being aggressive, my beloved friends the volume cap exists but my dears my dears friends , is not at the same level has the zx2 , so if you want to wast money by buying from japan and china and pay the taxes , go ahead my dear friends!but them don't cry...peace and love to the world☺


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> Screw it, you only live once.
> I actually reserved the 1A but asked to listened to both again and decided to go for the 1Z instead. Not happy the pre-order Sony Kimber Kables didn't come in on time.  I'll just have to run in the SE first then.


Congratulations, what did you like more in the Z. I am also getting frustrated with the cable order...


----------



## nanaholic

mimouille said:


> Congratulations, what did you like more in the Z.


 
  
 The vocals. I love female vocals so when a nice ballad comes up on the Z it's just so sweet.
  
 I plugged in my Edition 8 into the Z last night to run it overnight and also gave it a quick listen and the bass drums hits in my songs really thumps hard, like chest thumping hard. But it's also very quick bass. Was really surprised by that.


----------



## Cecala

telacap99 said:


> Just picked up my 1Z a few hours ago, so far a lovely piece of gold brick, using drive the Campfire Vega and Lyra 2, the Sony seems to have have ample power to drive them really well. Looking forward to use it to drive more iems. Interface speed wise, I hope the scrolling speed can be improved via a future firmware update, its noticeably slower ( not a lot) than AK380 or Plenue S.


 
 Bloody hell, some people are simply swimming in it.


----------



## Dobrescu George

denis1976 said:


> yes, this is paradise my friends, yes volume cap is terrible, but more terrible is people that see everything that is not like they think and takes like being aggressive, i am going to say again without being aggressive, my beloved friends the volume cap exists but my dears my dears friends , is not at the same level has the zx2 , so if you want to wast money by buying from japan and china and pay the taxes , go ahead my dear friends!but them don't cry...peace and love to the world☺


 
  
 It was considerably quiet for me - and all people I know. If all of them are so quiet - then they will work for some - but not for everyone. Kinda like how every single device works for some people and for some it does not.


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> The vocals. I love female vocals so when a nice ballad comes up on the Z it's just so sweet.
> 
> I plugged in my Edition 8 into the Z last night to run it overnight and also gave it a quick listen and the bass drums hits in my songs really thumps hard, like chest thumping hard. But it's also very quick bass. Was really surprised by that.


 
 Nice...I wonder if the bass will be slighlty less punchy as it settles.
  


cecala said:


> Bloody hell, some people are simply swimming in it.


 
 Well they didn't steal it, so get over it. Such comments are absolutely useless.


----------



## nanaholic

mimouille said:


> Nice...I wonder if the bass will be slighlty less punchy as it settles.


 
  
 I've been following Japanese reports of running in, most say the bass gets tighter while treble extension and sparkle increases at about half way point (80-90) hours.  Will see if that is the case.
  
 I don't dislike that kick though for the rock and upbeat songs, it was loads of fun, was just surprised because I don't get that sort of kick from the Ed 8 from other players in my possession, and it's only running out of the SE. The power delivery of this walkman is the real deal, people who finds the ZX series weak would be happily surprised.


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> I've been following Japanese reports of running in, most say the bass gets tighter while treble extension and sparkle increases at about half way point (80-90) hours.  Will see if that is the case.
> 
> I don't dislike that kick though for the rock and upbeat songs, it was loads of fun, was just surprised because I don't get that sort of kick from the Ed 8 from other players in my possession, and it's only running out of the SE. The power delivery of this walkman is the real deal, people who finds the ZX series weak would be happily surprised.


 
 Mine is reaching 70-80, we shall see! Power is what I was looking for, so far only the LPG really had that.


----------



## purk

cecala said:


> Bloody hell, some people are simply swimming in it.


 
 I'm sure we will land these DAPs before you guys!  Of course, it is November and there is no good news insight.


----------



## Cecala

purk said:


> I'm sure we will land these DAPs before you guys!  Of course, it is November and there is no good news insight.


 

 At the recent Hifi show I attended, I was told late November.


----------



## Telacap99

jalo said:


> I am very interested the 1Z and Vega combo.  Please let me know if that combo is too warm in term of sq.  I understand the Vega scale very well with a lot of power. Thanks.


 
 Well after running in the unit for close to 24hours, the bass seems to be a bit more punchy than I would like with the Vega, but have to run pass the 100 hours to see...


----------



## purk

cecala said:


> At the recent Hifi show I attended, I was told late November.


 
 Well, I'm sure it will be ready before x'mas holidays.  I hope late November will be the date for us too.  The good news is that some Asian countries will soon have them in stock and other regions will have likely have their quotas feel afterward.  I hope to try the 1A & 1Z side by side soon.  Let's keep our hopes up!  At least, US & Australia won't have to deal with the dreadful volume caps.


----------



## Telacap99

BTW for current 1Z users, are you able to turn the unit completely off while charging? Seems like the unit will always restart when plugged in...


----------



## roguepp88

I want to ask, its possible to change the language of the Jap version 1A/1Z to English right? Its not critical to get the international version I guess if I stop by Japan


----------



## Mimouille

telacap99 said:


> BTW for current 1Z users, are you able to turn the unit completely off while charging? Seems like the unit will always restart when plugged in...


 
 Same for me, but I only tried on a computer, not a wall charger.
  


roguepp88 said:


> I want to ask, its possible to change the language of the Jap version 1A/1Z to English right? Its not critical to get the international version I guess if I stop by Japan


 
  
 No. Only Japanese.


----------



## Telacap99

mimouille said:


> Same for me, but I only tried on a computer, not a wall charger.
> 
> 
> No. Only Japanese.


 
 I think the same no matter what the power source is....


----------



## Mimouille

telacap99 said:


> I think the same no matter what the power source is....


 
 I was thinking if you connect only to power, not data, it might be different. Because when connecting to a computer, it automatically sets as "USB Mass Storage".


----------



## JamesInLondon

Definitely getting closer, Amazon now says
  
_Arriving 2 Nov - 4 Nov _
_Preparing for Dispatch _
  
 Still describes the 1Z but has the 1A pricing
 Will let you know
  
 Good lucl
 James


----------



## Telacap99

mimouille said:


> I was thinking if you connect only to power, not data, it might be different. Because when connecting to a computer, it automatically sets as "USB Mass Storage".


 
 I just tried using an external battery, the same it reboots...


----------



## corius

purk said:


> .... At least, US & Australia won't have to deal with the dreadful volume caps.


 
  
 Hi,
  
 I'm interested in buying a UK WM1A from Amazon.
  
 Can you tell me what headphones you tested the Volume Capped 1A with please? Did you find the volume "dreadful" with all of them, or were some easier to drive?


----------



## purk

corius said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm interested in buying a UK WM1A from Amazon.
> 
> Can you tell me what headphones you tested the Volume Capped 1A with please? Did you find the volume "dreadful" with all of them, or were some easier to drive?


 
 Someone in Romania just went and tried the WM1A and he simply said that the volume is low compared to the spec rating.  I would audition it first and not buy it blind.


----------



## AnakChan

The past 2 pages of posts about the EU Cap has been moved to a new thread which can be found in The EU Volume Cap discussion thread. There is nothing NW-WM1Z/NW-WM1A specific in the posts therefore please post general EU Cap discussions over there.
  
 If for some reason the NW-WM1Z and NW-WM1A have _different_ values/measurement cap from other volume capped devices, those posts can be put here but only if the specs there has been validated/proved  - no speculation posts. Further "truth" in one's mind does not make it true - stats please.


----------



## Mimouille

anakchan said:


> The past 2 pages of posts about the EU Cap has been moved to a new thread which can be found in The EU Volume Cap discussion thread. There is nothing NW-WM1Z/NW-WM1A specific in the posts therefore please post general EU Cap discussions over there.
> 
> If for some reason the NW-WM1Z and NW-WM1A have _different_ values/measurement cap from other volume capped devices, those posts can be put here but only if the specs there has been validated/proved  - no speculation posts. Further "truth" in one's mind does not make it true - stats please.


 
 Don't worry, I will settle the debate once and for all, I actually found the infamous EU VOLUME CAP.


----------



## Takuya Kousaka

The 1Z runs android, its a default android behaviour to turn on the device once power is connected
 And it looks like sony didn't add any offline charging support, so it boots up normally


----------



## FenderP

takuya kousaka said:


> The 1Z runs android, its a default android behaviour to turn on the device once power is connected
> And it looks like sony didn't add any offline charging support, so it boots up normally





No, it does not. Neither the 1A or Z run Android. They have the Sony OS.

[Mod modified post, please respond respectfully]


----------



## Takuya Kousaka

fenderp said:


> No, it does not. Neither the 1A or Z run Android. They have the Sony OS. Please stop perpetuating the myth.


 
 Its heavily customized, but the underlying system on Z is android, sony listed it there. the boot up behavior is totally different on 1Z and 1A
  
 1A is turned on out of the box, the default behavior on sony's os
  
 but the 1Z Require user to manually turn it on, and on the first power on, the screen dims when halfway on the boot up process. another proof of android


----------



## nanaholic

takuya kousaka said:


> The 1Z runs android, its a default android behaviour to turn on the device once power is connected
> And it looks like sony didn't add any offline charging support, so it boots up normally


 
  
 Plugging in power and turning the device on is a very simple procedure that is not limited to Android.  For example Windows Phone/Mobile does the same thing and obviously there is zero chance that system run Android at all - it's just a very simple programming logic and you cannot make the conclusion base on this behaviour, else I can also say the WM1Z runs on Windows 10 kernel (which would be really stupid conclusion, but I'm using the same logic).   
  
 Also Sony has said *multiple* times that the WM1 series doesn't run Android on multiple different occasions whether it is interviews or official spec: 
 http://www.phileweb.com/interview/article/201609/02/393_3.html
 http://www.sony.com/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1z/specifications


----------



## Takuya Kousaka

nanaholic said:


> Plugging in power and turning the device on is a very simple procedure that is not limited to Android.  For example Windows Phone/Mobile does the same thing and obviously there is zero chance that system run Android at all - it's just a very simple programming logic and you cannot make the conclusion base on this behaviour, else I can also say the WM1Z runs on Windows 10 kernel (which would be really stupid conclusion, but I'm using the same logic).
> 
> Also Sony has said *multiple* times that the WM1 series doesn't run Android on multiple different occasions whether it is interviews or official spec:
> http://www.phileweb.com/interview/article/201609/02/393_3.html
> http://www.sony.com/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1z/specifications


 
 My bad then


----------



## artpiggo

I don't know if this thread is a good place for me to ask a question.
  
 Anyway, is there going to have 2.5 mm AK to 4.4 mm balance adapter cable for using the balanced output from this sony DAP. Or it is just for exclusive sony headphone only?
  
 Thank you.


----------



## AnakChan

There are makers like Brise Audio who will make 2.5mm TRRS to 4.4mm. Other makers will follow suit very soon I'm sure.

The one I tried were made by Sony @ their labs a few weeks back.


----------



## Toolman

So far Brise Audio seems to be the only one doing an adapter for 4.4mm TRRS...looking forward to seeing someone (e.g. Furutech) doing a quality short adapter


----------



## Mimouille

anakchan said:


> There are makers like Brise Audio who will make 2.5mm TRRS to 4.4mm. Other makers will follow suit very soon I'm sure.
> 
> The one I tried were made by Sony @ their labs a few weeks back.


 
 What I don't understand is what their 4,4 => 3.5 does. It says female 3.5. Is it 3.5 balanced TRRS. It does not seem so. So they plug SE into balanced?


----------



## nanaholic

mimouille said:


> What I don't understand is what their 4,4 => 3.5 does. It says female 3.5. Is it 3.5 balanced TRRS. It does not seem so. So they plug SE into balanced?


 
  
 It actually is what you think it is - it converts the Sony pin out for separate ground 3.5mm TRRS connection that was introduced by the ZX2 to the new 4.4mm plug. There are some aftermarket cables with 3.5mm Sony pin out sold in Japan so I'm pretty sure there's good demand for it especially amongst what would be Sony fans upgrading from a ZX2 to the new WM1 series that would most likely have a few of these cables lying around.


----------



## Decreate

Hope I can find the 2.5 ->4.4 adaptor at e earphones when I go to Tokyo on the 5th Nov


----------



## artpiggo

Does anyone have the drawing of 5 pole 4.4 mm? I just don't understand how they make adapter from 4 pole TRRS to 5 pole 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 or one pole is just a dummy pole.


----------



## nanaholic

decreate said:


> Hope I can find the 2.5 ->4.4 adaptor at e earphones when I go to Tokyo on the 5th Nov


 
  
 Chances may be slim, but I've read that e-earphone is getting shipments of the DIY plugs again soon so maybe grab one of those and get a converter cable custom made yourself may be a very viable alternative. 
  
 In fact if you see them buy a bunch, I'll definitely be interested to buy one off you that way too.


----------



## nanaholic

artpiggo said:


> Does anyone have the drawing of 5 pole 4.4 mm? I just don't understand how they make adapter from 4 pole TRRS to 5 pole
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 The sleeve is for ground, doesn't have to be wired up.


----------



## Gibraltar

e-earphone had no 4.4 adapters or DIY parts available as of last Saturday. I asked at Oyaide as well and they said they are working on their own versions but no ETA yet. They are not planning to stock 3rd party parts.


----------



## AnakChan

http://www.ndics.com seem to supply the Pentaconn 4.4mm as per Japanese blog http://fixerhpa.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-325.html and the price seems to be around the ¥5800 (~USD$55.85). Not cheap for sure.


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> It actually is what you think it is - it converts the Sony pin out for separate ground 3.5mm TRRS connection that was introduced by the ZX2 to the new 4.4mm plug. There are some aftermarket cables with 3.5mm Sony pin out sold in Japan so I'm pretty sure there's good demand for it especially amongst what would be Sony fans upgrading from a ZX2 to the new WM1 series that would most likely have a few of these cables lying around.


 
 Thanks, completely useless for me.


----------



## Toolman

decreate said:


> Hope I can find the 2.5 ->4.4 adaptor at e earphones when I go to Tokyo on the 5th Nov


 

 Please do keep me informed. Will be in Tokyo middle of November. Cheers...


----------



## JamesInLondon

Hi All,
  
 My unit ships today, for delivery tomorrow; then tomorrow evening I will place identical cards bearing identical music into my US spec (ie uncapped) ZX2 and my EU spec (capped) new unit; I will then listen to just one track on each.
  
 I will start with my Fostex TH900mkII with Toxic silver cables & balanced plug, then my Noble K10 (using the same cables).
  
 Then I will report here, although, of course my new unit (still don't know which I am getting, although I assume it will be the 1A) will not be burned in and I don't really know how this affects the volume.
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## Whitigir

anakchan said:


> http://www.ndics.com seem to supply the Pentaconn 4.4mm as per Japanese blog http://fixerhpa.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-325.html and the price seems to be around the [COLOR=222222]¥5800 (~USD$55.85). Not cheap for sure.[/COLOR]




Do you know how I could start an order with them ?  thanks


----------



## AnakChan

whitigir said:


> Do you know how I could start an order with them ?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I'm trying to search that. So far no luck online so when I get back to Tokyo after my holiday I may walk around the parts stores in Akihabara to see who will stock them.


----------



## CraftyClown

Guys, there is a shiny new thread dedicated to the volume cap, so let's keep this one to impressions  

http://www.head-fi.org/t/824572/the-eu-volume-cap-discussion/0_100


----------



## Zakalwe

craftyclown said:


> Guys, there is a shiny new thread dedicated to the volume cap, so let's keep this one to impressions
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/824572/the-eu-volume-cap-discussion/0_100




I agree that this is not the right place for lengthy discussions about the details of the capping regulations and the like. However, I also agree with *emrelights1973* that the cap should not be omitted entirely from this thread. The cap might have a drastic influence on the listening experience compared to an uncapped version, and it is important to keep this in mind when reading impressions.


----------



## CraftyClown

zakalwe said:


> I agree that this is not the right place for lengthy discussions about the details of the capping regulations and the like. However, I also agree with *emrelights1973* that the cap should not be omitted entirely from this thread. The cap might have a drastic influence on the listening experience compared to an uncapped version, and it is important to keep this in mind when reading impressions.




The problem is that the EU version is not yet available so it is all theoretical at this stage. Perhaps once we know how much of a problem it really is, the discussion will be better placed here?


----------



## Zakalwe

craftyclown said:


> The problem is that the EU version is not yet available so it is all theoretical at this stage. Perhaps once we know how much of a problem it really is, the discussion will be better placed here?




Fair enough.


----------



## thatonenoob

Here's a quick unboxing for the the headphones and the player!  The amp is unfortunately missing.


----------



## Dobrescu George

craftyclown said:


> The problem is that the EU version is not yet available so it is all theoretical at this stage. Perhaps once we know how much of a problem it really is, the discussion will be better placed here?


 
  
 Hey! 

 The volume cap is real and I heard it! 
  
 [Sorry, Mods] 
  
 If we dismiss it entirely - people might have buyer's remorse justified only by volume of listening being too low. If it's possible to avoid that by simply ordering a non capped version - at least put this on sticky somewhere. It is present in many of today's device - but we should have like a list somewhere with the audio enthusiastic devices affected, like... for people who own hard to drive headphones or such. 
  
 [Back on thread]
  
 At the same time, from my testing, I'm not sure we can really mod the software, seemed pretty particular when I tested it, but haven't run very in depth analysis of it either. 
  
 Since the unit I heard had some burn in, I can only talk about it after having some burn in, but to me the sound was very detailed and smooth. Like HD650 is...


----------



## emrelights1973

I did buy zx2 with z7 based on comments in headfi, to sadly find out that my zx2 is far away driving z7! Then i foud out about EU CAP, then i tried mdr 1a, eventhat one is not good! So i stick with iems only! 
Imagine that i do same with gold one and new headphone spending 5000$! 
So EU cap is part of Sony but Sony only! Can you buy AK or Fiio in EU? Are they capped? Is you iphone caped? Mojo? Pioneer? Onkyo? 
I really dont get it a separate cap topic or name it sony walkman buyers inEU, beware of volume cap topic 
Your gold one wont drive any decent headphone topic!


----------



## tienbasse

emrelights1973 said:


> So EU cap is part of Sony but Sony only! Can you buy AK or Fiio in EU? Are they capped? Is you iphone caped? Mojo? Pioneer? Onkyo?


 
 Sony: yes and not really removable except in some very specific old DAPs
 AK: no
 FiiO: no
 iPhone: yes
 Mojo: no (not a player)
 Pioneer/Onkyo: yes, but usually soft cap that can be circumvented (not always)
  
 I'll stop there but indeed, people should find a way to audition these Sony DAPS with their most hungry headphones/iems before breaking the wallet. At least it's possible to get refunded on Amazon.


----------



## Whitigir

emrelights1973 said:


> I did buy zx2 with z7 based on comments in headfi, to sadly find out that my zx2 is far away driving z7! Then i foud out about EU CAP, then i tried mdr 1a, eventhat one is not good! So i stick with iems only!
> Imagine that i do same with gold one and new headphone spending 5000$!
> So EU cap is part of Sony but Sony only! Can you buy AK or Fiio in EU? Are they capped? Is you iphone caped? Mojo? Pioneer? Onkyo?
> I really dont get it a separate cap topic or name it sony walkman buyers inEU, beware of volume cap topic
> Your gold one wont drive any decent headphone topic!




Yes, you got your point. Because after all, only Sony takes their Walkman with this issue into .... Another class of it own...lol


----------



## Dobrescu George

emrelights1973 said:


> I did buy zx2 with z7 based on comments in headfi, to sadly find out that my zx2 is far away driving z7! Then i foud out about EU CAP, then i tried mdr 1a, eventhat one is not good! So i stick with iems only!
> Imagine that i do same with gold one and new headphone spending 5000$!
> So EU cap is part of Sony but Sony only! Can you buy AK or Fiio in EU? Are they capped? Is you iphone caped? Mojo? Pioneer? Onkyo?
> I really dont get it a separate cap topic or name it sony walkman buyers inEU, beware of volume cap topic
> Your gold one wont drive any decent headphone topic!


 
  
 Kinda my feelings - but this will get removed. 
  
 Well - they also make uncapped versions of the same device - so it should be okay or okayish, depending on how you see things. 
  
 Though - yeah - spending 5000$ on a setup based on comments and NOT knowing about the volume cap and resulting in a setup that won't work is a rather bitter pain. And it's even worse when the same company makes the DAP and the headphones and you want to stick with the company because you like the sound - but you didn't know that buying the same product from somewhere else would actually solve the problem. 
  
  

  
  
  
 At any rate, the product isn't bad by any means. 
  
 Just - moping this under the rug could do more bad in the long run - than it's wanted. 
  
 What I don't get is why. No other audio producers really forces this on his customers, and the technical ability of the product is seemingly good...


----------



## Whitigir

Sony is a giant, and one misstep, then they go down hard...very hard.


----------



## Cecala

whitigir said:


> Sony is a giant, and one misstep, then they go down hard...very hard.


----------



## Cecala

thatonenoob said:


> Here's a quick unboxing for the the headphones and the player!  The amp is unfortunately missing.





 I like this video although can see that 75% of the cost of the headphones went into the case.


----------



## thatonenoob

cecala said:


> I like this video although can see that 75% of the cost of the headphones went into the case.


 
 Hahaha...it's all about that leather.


----------



## Whitigir

thatonenoob said:


> Hahaha...it's all about that leather.




The Z1R is not only good to listen to, it is also good to rub it tit cups , and smell it at the same time!

UuuhhhhmmmmMmmmmMm, that authentic and expensive Leathers


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> it is also good to rub it tit cups , and smell it at the same time!
> 
> UuuhhhhmmmmMmmmmMm,


 
  
 Excuse me, what?????
  
 I feel like I just stepped into the wrong forum!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I made a discovery while being out (as punishment by brooko 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)
  
 WM1A also has Fine-sound resistors but only 4
  
 Look at the pic enlarged
  

  
 so WM1A has 4 fine sound and 6 MELF resistor and 1Z has 10 fine sound and 0 melf


----------



## gerelmx1986

Also while being let out to "take a breath" i (pre)ordered mine. They seem not to be carrying the WM1Z nor the headphones (Z1R) nor the amp... maybe sony hong-kong policies? or maybe customers showed more interest in the A?
  

 Checked today accessoryJack as it is out of stock already 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 did ii snatched the last WM1A from their pre-order batch? maybe


----------



## Sonyvores

gerelmx1986 said:


> I made a discovery while being out (as punishment by brooko  )
> 
> WM1A also has Fine-sound resistors but only 4
> 
> ...




You could have saved yourself some times by paying a little more attention about what others members say... It's been spotted for a month already


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> Also while being let out to "take a breath" i (pre)ordered mine. They seem not to be carrying the WM1Z nor the headphones (Z1R) nor the amp... maybe sony hong-kong policies? or maybe customers showed more interest in the A?
> 
> 
> Checked today accessoryJack as it is out of stock already
> ...


 
  
  
 He's baaaaaaaack! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Congrats on the new toy dude. I'm sure you're gonna love it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

craftyclown said:


> He's baaaaaaaack!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Sure i would love it, who don't love their 1Z's already? My order is still processing, so no delivery estimate. I noted *while ordering it the page showed Back-order within 14 days *wondering if it will be shipped soon or until mid-november.
  
 My wallet is crying ca$h 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 24,025 mexican pesos, the most expensive audio stuff ever bought 13,000 more expensive than my old zx


----------



## Kerouac

gerelmx1986 said:


> Also while being let out to "take a breath" i (pre)ordered mine.


 
  
 Nice! Looking forward to your (and others) WM1A impressions 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


craftyclown said:


> He's baaaaaaaack!


 
  
 I already had the feeling this thread had slowed down somewhat over the past few days. Well, time to buckle up I guess


----------



## musicday

I will give it between 3-5 months from now until some will decide to sell his gold Walkman.Who does agree?


----------



## echineko

musicday said:


> I will give it between 3-5 months from now until some will decide to sell his gold Walkman.Who does agree?



You could say that about pretty much anything, though. It's human nature, no?


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> I will give it between 3-5 months from now until some will decide to sell his gold Walkman.Who does agree?




It will be sold from China an Asia first...3-5 months is when the Us will get their first unit


----------



## musicday

echineko said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > I will give it between 3-5 months from now until some will decide to sell his gold Walkman.Who does agree?
> ...



No ,not true.There are things in life that people usually don't sale them at all, and i am not talking about sentimental reasons.
For UK who want to order the Walkman with the volume cap the last place left is Amazon.com once realised? I can predict lots of taxes


----------



## Gosod

gerelmx1986 said:


> Also while being let out to "take a breath" i (pre)ordered mine. They seem not to be carrying the WM1Z nor the headphones (Z1R) nor the amp... maybe sony hong-kong policies? or maybe customers showed more interest in the A?
> 
> 
> Checked today accessoryJack as it is out of stock already
> ...


 
don't understand the price depends on the amount of memory?


----------



## gerelmx1986

gosod said:


> don't understand the price depends on the amount of memory?


 
 Yes and No 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Yes because well is 128GB and 1Z is 256GB. and No because well sony's slightly different implementation of audio architecture on both players (and the gold dust in 1Z
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




), casing material, in the pics A30 is plastic vs alu on the A vs copper in 1Z


----------



## Gosod

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes and No
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
it is better to buy with minimum memory and there will add micro SD.
it will be cheaper than to overpay for a player.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gosod said:


> it is better to buy with minimum memory and there will add micro SD.
> it will be cheaper than to overpay for a player.


 
 Yes could be especially with 256GB cards already alavilable, but there's one thing most often overlooked, Profits margins what sony "wins" with every sale


----------



## Gosod

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes could be especially with 256GB cards already alavilable, but there's one thing most often overlooked, Profits margins what sony "wins" with every sale


 
in my case they will lose.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have a question, can the "User guide" and the "Guide to Good quality sound" be uninstalled from the OS or they deinstall after learning to use it/ after 200-hour burn-iin? or in worst case they are forever and ever embedded?


----------



## Cecala

musicday said:


> I will give it between 3-5 months from now until some will decide to sell his gold Walkman.Who does agree?


 

 I'm interested in the resale value which IMHO will not be good. In two years time when the replacement Daps be available, the standard base storage might be 256GB for the new '1A' causing the value of the current 1Z to sink like a brick in water. It's the price you pay for the top model, perceived better SQ, extra memory and bling factor. Caveat emptor.


----------



## MarkTwain

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sure i would love it, who don't love their 1Z's already? My order is still processing, so no delivery estimate. I noted *while ordering it the page showed Back-order within 14 days *wondering if it will be shipped soon or until mid-november.
> 
> My wallet is crying ca$h
> 
> ...


 
  
 Will your wallet be crying louder later on to realise that it sounds 99.99% similar to an iPhone?
  
 Hahaha.... Hope you receive your new toy soon!


----------



## AnakChan

cecala said:


> I'm interested in the resale value which IMHO will not be good. In two years time when the replacement Daps be available, the standard base storage might be 256GB for the new '1A' causing the value of the current 1Z to sink like a brick in water. It's the price you pay for the top model, perceived better SQ, extra memory and bling factor. Caveat emptor.



Here you go used from e-earphone (not a link as I'm sure it'll sell quick, so a screenshot instead). Note this is JP language only :-


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

I think resale will be bad because none of these walkmans have replaceable battery. Years from now it will be a nice relic of a paperweight. 
I feel at this price point (over $500) all portable electronics should have some sort of replaceable battery. It's a shame we pay so high for something we can't fix.
Even if you buy a Lamborghini one can order parts for something gone wrong.





cecala said:


> I'm interested in the resale value which IMHO will not be good. In two years time when the replacement Daps be available, the standard base storage might be 256GB for the new '1A' causing the value of the current 1Z to sink like a brick in water. It's the price you pay for the top model, perceived better SQ, extra memory and bling factor. Caveat emptor.


----------



## nanaholic

audiobreeder said:


> I think resale will be bad because none of these walkmans have replaceable battery. Years from now it will be a nice relic of a paperweight.
> I feel at this price point (over $500) all portable electronics should have some sort of replaceable battery. It's a shame we pay so high for something we can't fix.
> Even if you buy a Lamborghini one can order parts for something gone wrong.


 
  
 Haha yeah hardly anyone cares about replaceable batteries anymore in electronic gadgets.  It's simply not a "thing" that consumers worry about, just look at smartphones and expensive laptops or AK players - most don't have replaceable batteries.
  
 Also they are replaceable by Sony.  It says in the manual if the battery performance degrades you can contact the Sony Care Centres to get them replaced, which is like pretty much how all other electronic gadgets with non-user replaceable batteries are handled. 
  
 And no, it's quite known that modern cars now are so locked down that most parts aren't user replaceable.  Some luxury cars (Audis I believe) even have computers software which even detects tempering from non-authorized services and the only thing a user can do is pretty much just check the dip stick for oil levels. The fact is for most people who has that kind of money to spend, they don't want to get their hands dirty and rather just pay money to have the issue sorted. People who tinker are a very small minority of enthusiasts (I tinker and is handy with a soldering iron cos I'm an engineering grad, but I also know I don't represent the majority in any way at all)


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

^ If you have a lambhorghini you dont order parts, you take it in to get serviced. Same with this dap, Sony will be able to replace the battery for you years from now, after 5 or so years it may not be exactly the same battery as stock, but it matters not. For example, if ZX2 parts go out of production, they can still replace ZX2 battery with WM1 battery etc, when it comes to batteries there is always a way.


----------



## jmills8

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> ^ If you have a lambhorghini you dont order parts, you take it in to get serviced. Same with this dap, Sony will be able to replace the battery for you years from now, after 5 or so years it may not be exactly the same battery as stock, but it matters not. For example, if ZX2 parts go out of production, they can still replace ZX2 battery with WM1 battery etc, when it comes to batteries there is always a way.


 Or after two years get another.


----------



## gerelmx1986

MarkTwain said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> Will your wallet be crying louder later on to realise that it sounds 99.99% similar to an iPhone?
> 
> Hahaha.... Hope you receive your new toy son!


 


>


 
 Actually it costs a lot like a new iPhone 7 i think 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but sounds way better, due to better hardware (in the sense of audio hardware)


----------



## Mimouille

What is the point of talking about resale value in two or three years? Do you guys have any idea what the market will be like in two or three years? If you buy a 1Z or A, keep it for 3 years at least, and enjoy great music all this time then it is worth it. If you are considering resale value the next year as a major argument, then don't buy TOTL audio material in the current market. Don't buy a DAP, don't buy CIEMs, etc. 

But most of all, a few people on this thread seem to have no interest in these DAPs except to communicate bitterness and promise doom, disappointment, and waste of money to anyone who buys them.

And don't get me started on the battery...my Ipod classic is 10 years old and just showing signs of weaker battery. And if it does fail, send it back to Sony, will certainly costs a hundred bucks or so. I would happily pay these hundred bucks for you just to avoid listening to this OLD non replaceable battery rant for the millionth time.

Guys get a life. Or even better, get a DAP that makes sense for you and go talk on that thread.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> What is the point of talking about resale value in two or three years? Do you guys have any idea what the market will be like in two or three years? If you buy a 1Z or A, keep it for 3 years at least, and enjoy great music all this time then it is worth it. If you are considering resale value the next year as a major argument, then don't buy TOTL audio material in the current market. Don't buy a DAP, don't buy CIEMs, etc.
> 
> But most of all, a few people on this thread seem to have no interest in these DAPs except to communicate bitterness and promise doom, disappointment, and waste of money to anyone who buys them.
> 
> ...


 

 ​Agree with you, I'll be keeping mine as long as i Can, ten years perhaps, this Price range is not for buy a new dap every year or two heck even three or four


----------



## Cecala

anakchan said:


> Here you go used from e-earphone (not a link as I'm sure it'll sell quick, so a screenshot instead). Note this is JP language only :-


 

 I was referring down the road. The battery question is moot as pointed out, it will be replaceable for many years. The replacement Daps will be superior causing the price of the old (1Z) to drop substantially. I would never buy something like the 1Z short of winning Tatts.


----------



## MarkTwain

gerelmx1986 said:


> Actually it costs a lot like a new iPhone 7 i think
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 It may look better than iPhone 7 (subjective) and hardware listing seems better, but it may not necessarily sound better. Only when you try it and probably listen with blind tests with your own ears to decide whether it is indeed better.
  
 I like my ZX2, but I can't hear any differences between this or my iPhone6 with a blind test done.
  
 Some have better ears to hear small differences, but most of us don't have this special abilities.


----------



## unknownguardian

mimouille said:


> What is the point of talking about resale value in two or three years? Do you guys have any idea what the market will be like in two or three years? If you buy a 1Z or A, keep it for 3 years at least, and enjoy great music all this time then it is worth it. If you are considering resale value the next year as a major argument, then don't buy TOTL audio material in the current market. Don't buy a DAP, don't buy CIEMs, etc.
> 
> But most of all, a few people on this thread seem to have no interest in these DAPs except to communicate bitterness and promise doom, disappointment, and waste of money to anyone who buys them.
> 
> ...



I had already preordered a WM1A but am still bitter because the wait for it to be released in Singapore is so long (was expecting it to be around the same time as Japan/China) and darn, I ain't like Michael who can afford a 1Z. LOL.


----------



## cazone

For those who are up to resale value, 
Buy vintage hi-fi gear. 
Get a audio research SP6B and you are good


----------



## Decreate

Maybe after 10-20 years the DAP would be considered a valuable antique and be worth 10x more.


----------



## likearake

Any reports on whether this hisses less than the ZX2?


----------



## Mimouille

unknownguardian said:


> I had already preordered a WM1A but am still bitter because the wait for it to be released in Singapore is so long (was expecting it to be around the same time as Japan/China) and darn, I ain't like Michael who can afford a 1Z. LOL.


I was not talking about you, I didnt notice you said anything in that area. The discussion on who can / can't afford what is no really productive IMHO.


----------



## unknownguardian

mimouille said:


> I was not talking about you, I didnt notice you said anything in that area. The discussion on who can / can't afford what is no really productive IMHO.



I'm just trying hard to troll LOL.

but back to topic both players are amazing. and the differences between them are much greater than what I had expected initially, which led me to wonder whether are they tuned to sound differently or is it really due to the internal differences.


----------



## nanaholic

unknownguardian said:


> I'm just trying hard to troll LOL.
> 
> but back to topic both players are amazing. and the differences between them are much greater than what I had expected initially, which led me to wonder whether are they tuned to sound differently or is it really due to the internal differences.


 
  
 They are tuned differently for sure - the team members have made that very public. The tl;dr version is that they clearly wanted the two Walkmans to sound different since the product conception stage, and as such during the tuning process to achieve that goal it lead to the difference in the internals like different resistors and capacitors used.


----------



## unknownguardian

nanaholic said:


> They are tuned differently for sure - the team members have made that very public. The tl;dr version is that they clearly wanted the two Walkmans to sound different since the product conception stage, and as such during the tuning process to achieve that goal it lead to the difference in the internals like different resistors and capacitors used.



I see. Thanks for clarifications.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

unknownguardian said:


> but back to topic both players are amazing. and the differences between them are much greater than what I had expected initially, which led me to wonder whether are they tuned to sound differently or is it really due to the internal differences.


 
  
 Switching components and tuning often mean the same thing, obviously there may be some resistance changes etc to accommodate different components which encompasses tuning. You shouldn't be surprised that switching a few components can change sound drastically, you and I both own a QA360LE, we know it sounds like a completely different dap to the regular QA360, yet you literally cannot tell them apart from looking at their insides, as the only thing that has changed is a few identical looking voltage regulator LDO's and resistance values, but sound has morphed completely.
  
 Objectively your not actually changing performance much, as all high quality components perform roughly on par, rather we are relying on component swaps and tuning to alter the sound sig which can sound subjectively better or worse.
  
 Sony created the 1Z first, it's their be all end all sound that their prepared to charge 3.2k for, then they just switched a few of it's components and you get the 1A, objective performance will be similar, but sound may be appreciably different. I'm content springing for the objective high performance to cost ratio of 1A, but subjective value based on sound is another thing entirely, making 1Z justifiable to those interested in it's top dog sound.
  
 Capacitors: *1Z: *13x Sony FT,  *1A:* 8x Sony FT, 5x Sanyo OS-CON
 Resistors: *1Z:* 10x Fine Sound, *1A:* 4x Fine Sound, 6x MELF
 Chassis/Ground: *1Z:* Copper, *1A:* Aluminium
 Jack Wiring: *1Z:* Kimber Kable, *1A:* OFC 22AWG


----------



## nanaholic

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Sony created the 1Z first, it's their be all end all sound that their prepared to charge 3.2k for, then they just switched a few of it's components and you get the 1A.


 
  
 That's actually not what happened - the WM1A and 1Z were developed in parallel with the specific aim that they were to sound different from the very beginning.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

nanaholic said:


> That's actually not what happened - the WM1A and 1Z were developed in parallel with the specific aim that they were to sound different from the very beginning.


 
  
 Bottom line is a shared architecture was singularly developed, then using this architecture they differentiated two daps by using a few different components mentioned above. The order of event's makes no difference to the end product, the list of differences between the daps tells you everything you need to know about development.


----------



## Whitigir

What size is the Kimber Kables in the 1z ?


----------



## nanaholic

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Bottom line is a shared architecture was singularly developed, then using this architecture they differentiated two daps by using a few different components mentioned above. The order of event's makes no difference to the end product, the list of differences between the daps tells you everything you need to know.


 
  
 The order of events makes all the difference in the world, especially the way you originally worded it to imply the WM1A is a cost down version of the WM1Z, which it isn't. If anything, it would seem the WM1A was the one that was completed first, and the WM1Z was the one that came after, especially if you read how they had more difficulty making the 1Z than the 1A.
  
 The list of difference between the DAPs actually doesn't tell you everything you need to know.


----------



## Sonyvores

nanaholic said:


> That's actually not what happened - the WM1A and 1Z were developed in parallel with the specific aim that they were to sound different from the very beginning.


 
 No, Trance is right the actual 1A is just a variant from 1Z.
  
 Nanaholic you are kind of right but it only concerns the 1rst 1A version that did't carry the balanced output that we dropped in the middle of the run


----------



## nanaholic

sonyvores said:


> No, Trance is right the actual 1A is just a variant from 1Z.
> 
> Nanaholic you are kind of right but it only concerns the 1rst 1A version that did't carry the balanced output that we dropped in the middle of the run


 
  
 Interesting information, because that's not what the members interview implies.
  
 http://www.sony.jp/walkman/special/flagship/manufacturer/index.html
  
 One could also argue that the 1Z is a variant of the 1A too.


----------



## Sonyvores

nanaholic said:


> One could also argue that the 1Z is a variant of the 1A too


 
  
 It's impossible for 1Z to be a variant of 1A as original 1A doesn't have balanced output and as a consequence also had a sightly different design


----------



## nanaholic

I didn't really want to promise anything in the beginning but I took a shot at translating the Member's Interview on the Sony JP site. I really wanted to hold off until I finish but all these speculations are creeping into the discussion and I know this interview helps clear a few things (and supports my case, well because I'm really quoting from this interview).  
  
 The translation stops at the 5th tab which is Software, I'm leaving the Design section for the time being because it doesn't really contribute much to the current discussion.  It's bloody long and took a lot of time but the information is invaluable, so I appreciate if people would actually read it instead of just speculating further.
  


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Page 1 (Released from restrains/Concept)
 The result of having freedom to pursuit real high quality sound, birth of the outstanding Walkman
 [size=7pt]       * [/size]Most people were predicting the next model to be NW-ZX3, what led to the development of the WM1 series?
 Urushihara Teruhiko [Product Planning]
 Although the ZX series (NW-ZX1/ZX2/ZX100) are the models which pursuit sound quality in the Walkman line up, it’s also a fact that there are restrictions during their developments.  Then we start from that point of what if there is no limit in the pursuit of “making a Walkman that truly strives for the best sound”, and that became the WM1 series.
 The result of having complete freedom in development to pursuit quality in both hardware and software is that the style of this model is somewhat disjointed from the ZX series and became a model that improved far more.
 [size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]       *[/size]So because it isn’t an extension of the ZX series, this is reflected in the “WM1 series” naming scheme.
 Urushihara Teruhiko [Product Planning]
 Thinking about the brand of Walkman, we really wanted to put the word “Walkman” into the model number.  Although this isn’t back to basics, we really wanted to make a Walkman that is better than all the previous walkmans, and this feeling is reflected in the naming of the WM1 series.
  
      [size=7pt] * [/size]Please tell us more about the intention of having two models - WM1Z and the WM1A.
 Urushihara Teruhiko [Product Planning]
 Cutting into the chase about the circumstances, it all started from “In the end, the sound preference is different for each individual”.
 For example, of course some will have to preference for “quick and sharp sound” which is the strong point of previous walkmans, on the other hard there are people who prefers “an elegant and gentle sound”. Considering that both cannot be mixed together, we developed the project with the stance that the user could “Choose the sound you like from these two models”.
 [size=7pt]    [/size]
 [size=7pt]       *[/size]Then please tell us the positioning of the two models
 Urushihara Teruhiko [Product Planning]
 The positioning became clear as the project progressed during the sound tuning stage. WM1Z is able to more naturally reproduce the acoustic area compared to the WM1A so it has a wider range of expression, thus it became the top of the line model.
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 Although we said just then that “the style of this model is somewhat disjointed from the ZX series”, speaking frankly without fear of any misunderstanding, the WM1A can also be said to be the proper evolution model of the ZX2. This is because it takes a lot of the same basic audio technology from the ZX2. Even then, due to the new chassis and the full digital amp, the jump is large enough that it doesn’t inherit the naming scheme of the ZX series.
 [size=7pt]        [/size]
 [size=7pt]       *[/size]So the WM1Z is even more….
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 When we push further from that point I think is how we reached the WM1Z. This is what it is like to develop without concern for things like cost, raw materials and parts. It’s almost to the point that one would question whether it is okay to go that far for sound quality, and in the end it really became a model where the brakes are off and everything was done according to the will of the engineers.
 [size=7pt]     [/size]
 [size=7pt]       *[/size]Including the WM1 series Sony has created 3 flagship items in the “Signature Series”. Is there some common concept for sound amongst them?
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 The other items are a stereo headphone (MDR-Z1R) and a headphone amp (TA-ZH1ES), and the goal which this “Signature Series” aims for is the “reproduction of micro sonic” from the moment when a performance starts till the end of complete silence.  And of course the WM1 series also keeps this theme in mind during development.
  
  
 Page 2 (The one and only amp/S-Master HX)
 Completely renewal of “S-Master HX”. The unique heart which faithfully reproduces micro sonic.
 [size=7pt]   [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]When it comes to sound reproduction of the WM1 series, which part evolved the most?
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 The biggest point this time is that the “S-Master HX” is completely new. Sony developed inhouse a completely new full digital amp in the form of a semiconductor chip (CXD3778GF) for specially for Walkman use, and it can be said is the main reason for the big jump from the ZX series. In essences what changed is the support of balance output, DSD native (balance mode only) playback up to 11.2MHz, and Linear PCM playback up to 384kHz/32bit.
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]There seems to be some overt persistence in the full digital amp.
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 We believe that there exist sounds that can only be heard with the full digital amp “S-Master”. On top of that, I think we can say with pride that Sony is the only maker which makes such a high sound quality full digital amp in portable audio. Because the unique point of “S-Master” is that it is an amp that uses no feedback, using this method even the faint sound of the input can be reproduced faithfully without being buried by the other sounds. In other words, the ability to faithfully reproduce even the faintest sound in the recording as the artist intended to convey is why we are so dedicated to the full digital amp.  Sometimes we hear people say “Walkmans uses digital amp is a measure to reduce cost and reduce battery consumption”, but that is a misconception, the full digital amp of Walkman is a device that we developed via many trials and errors for the purpose of reaching the sound quality we strive for. If we are concerned about cutting cost then we would have used a general purpose amp device (laughs).
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]Is there are merit of full digital amp in balance output?
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 In the world of high end portable audio, I think “dual DAC” has become the keyword when it comes to balance output. But why is there a need for dual DAC – that’s because if you use a normal analogue amp with two DACs, if you don’t physically separate the electrical signals by making separate circuits, the L channel and R channel will interfere and result in crosstalk. On the other hand, the balance output of a full digital amp cannot interfere with each other, if you let me make a bullish statement, it is in a completely different world compared to dual DACs coupled with analogue amps.
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 In electrical circuits which use DAC and analogue amps, there are a few situations where the L channel and the R channel and other analogue signal had to be placed next to each other on the circuit board. Compare to his in the case of the full digital amp “S-Master” because the signal is digital until final output to the headphone, the chance of crosstalk occurring is reduced to the minimum.
  
 -[size=7pt]       *[/size]Because of the renewal of “S-Master HX”, the headphone output has also increased.
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 That’s right. Because we redesigned everything from the semi-conductor level up, and thanks to the evolution of the interior of the semi-conductor we successfully increased the power output. We achieved 60mW+60mW (16ohm) for unbalanced output and 250mW + 250mW (16ohm) for balanced output, so with balanced output you can drive high impedance headphones with the unit itself.
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]         *[/size]The balanced connection headphone jack uses the new 4.4mm standard
        Sato Asaake [project leader]
       Currently in the portable audio world the type of headphone jacks are all over the place… in fact there are 4 types in use right now. Recently the usage of 2.5mm has increased, but Sony’s portable amp PHA-3 uses 2 x 3.5mm. We had many very serious internal discussions of whether to continue to use 2 x 3.5mm or introduce something else.
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]        * [/size]What was the deciding factor in using the new standard?
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 Around that time we received information that JEITA is to consolidate and propose a new standard, also one of our partner is in the processing of developing new devices based on this new standard, so we put the prototype of the 4.4mm headphone jack into a ZX2 and tested it.
 The surprising result was that the transparency and the extension was changed just by changing the plug and jack, and that undeniable fact became the deciding factor. On top of that, an industry wide standard would convenience the end user as well, so we headed towards using the 4.4mm.
 -[size=7pt]        [/size]
 [size=7pt]         *[/size]Please tell us more about the specific advantages of the 4.4mm
 Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
 Compared to the current balance compatible plugs it is mechanically stronger, on top of which because of being able to secure more sectional surface area the resistance is also reduced to the minimum.  Also to prevent incidents where the small plug when pushed too far can break and parts of it would be left inside the jack, and also L-shaped plugs can be made unlike 2 x 3.5mm.
  
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 There is one point which I want to stress here – it is that just by using the new 4.4mm standard the sound quality doesn’t improve.  I touched upon this earlier – the jack that we use this time is from our partner Nippon DICS named “Pentaconn”, it’s not that the standard makes the difference, but that it is this specially developed jack that causes the difference.
 -[size=7pt]          [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]For example, where is the difference?
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 A little bit of back story, the “Pentaconn” actually has implemented a few things which we proposed as possible areas of improvements during our search for the right jacks for the ZX series. In the beginning the prototype had not implemented the requests, and during the development phase of the WM1 series when we put the jack into our prototypes, the jack itself also improved along the way.
 For example, when we wanted to test the jack which is made from special copper alloy plated with gold on the outside and with a undercoating made from special non-magnetic material, Nipphon DICS will make several different prototypes for us, and Sony tests each one and then decides on the final spec.
 -[size=7pt]         [/size]
 [size=7pt]         *[/size]Is the any other special quantities for the  “Pentaconn”?
 Yoshioka Katsuma [electrical design]
 For the common 3.5mm connection, for each of the 3 connections (L+/R+/GND) of the plug there is only 1 point of contact in the jack. However in the “Pentaconn” each connection (L+/L-/R+/R-) there are 2 points of contact. The point of contact in the jack is made into a C shape, and both sides of the plug are in contact.
  
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 Because there are 2 points of contact, so even if one side of the jack becomes lose the problem of bad contact would still not occur, also the decrease in surface contact resistance helps the sound quality. The design and its advantages are usually not seen in portable audio jacks where the main focus is on miniaturization.
  
  
 Page 3 (Improving the sound via the chassis/Architecture I)
 The forbidden oxygen free copper (OFC).  The reality that stands in front of the ideal material.
 -[size=7pt]         [/size]
 [size=7pt]           *[/size]Please tell us about the focal point of the WM1A which is milled out of solid block of aluminium
 Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
 The basic thinking is the same as the ZX2. Milling the chassis from a solid block of high purity aluminium and then putting on it a gold plated copper plate to achieve both toughness rigidity and reduce impedance, also to stablise the ground.
 The improvement for this time, although it is the same for the WM1Z, is that one of the copper plate was changed from Tough-Pitch Copper (TPC) to high purity OFC.  Another plate’s thickness and size was increased, both resulted in the lowering of impedance.
 -[size=7pt]         [/size]
 [size=7pt]           *[/size]The rear panel is also the common improvement point for the WM1 series too
 Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
 That is correct. It is changed from the stainless steel of the ZX2 to a Ni-Cu-Si type alloy.  Although this is the first time we use this, but because the main component of the alloy is copper it is able to maintain a high level of conductivity while also having the necessary rigidity it is an invaluable material.  Compared to stainless steel the conductivity is about 20 times better, so of course the sound quality improved.
  
  Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 Although the audio signal doesn’t go through this part, but the more we persisted the more the sound changed. This is the newest version of the “using the chassis as a ground” method that we have used since the ZX1.
 -[size=7pt]        [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]Let’s move on to the WM1Z chassis. Please tell us about process which led to the use of OFC.
 Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
 Ever since the development of the ZX2 we have thought about trying to make the chassis out of OFC while testing out aluminium of different purity.
  
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 Copper is a dense and low resistance material, if you only think about sound quality it can be said to be the ideal material. In actuality when developing the ZX1 we tested making the chasis out of brass, but because the treble didn’t sound good so we gave up on the idea. However if we didn’t stumble when trying to search for the right balance between the weight of the material and its resistance, we probably wouldn’t have looked at copper.
  
 Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
 For portable audio application, we had to take into consideration about things such as cost and weight, so at that time we had no plans to mass product it at all and only made it as an experiment to study the effects it had on sound. Though deep in our heart we thought it would be nice if we had a chance to make it into an actual product 3 to 4 years down the line.
  
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 When actually listening to it, it is exceptionally good.  Even so, when the mechanical design thought that we wouldn’t be so reckless to use OFC and assumed the prototype was going to be made using TFC I got angry and said “Of course we are using OFC!” (laughs).
 Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
 Because there are several places to source OFC in Japan, even though it’s made as a prototype, in the end we really just wanted to use the best material we got our hands on.
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]What difference does it make when using copper of different purity?
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 From our experiment with the aluminium chassis of the ZX series, we know that the higher the purity the better effect it has on the sound quality. This is the same with other material, when the purity goes down there’s a tiny increase in the resistance, and that tiny difference has an effect on the sound.
  
 Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
 Even when the specification says the value is the same, and when you measure the resistance between the two there’s very little difference, I think there’s a great difference when listening.
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]So that ZX2 prototype now sees the light of the day as the OFC chassis of the WM1Z.
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 Actually when we decided to go with OFC, we haven’t been able to secure a place which can mass produce it. However for us, having understood the excellent sound quality via the ZX2 prototype, we really pushed the mechanical design team to try to make it into an actual product.
  
 Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
 Actually during the phase of productization, there’s a new pressure which risen from the thought of whether is really suitable from the view point of mechanical design (laughs). Because copper is a material that is heavy and soft, the thought of dropping it….
  
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 Especially regarding strength the schedule was decided in many stages, there were many tests done in the back where it felt like “If the test is cleared by this point it should be okay”.
  
 Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
 Structural wise it does use the frame structure of the ZX2 chassis, instead it is a very solid structure shaped like a bath tube where the entire area is increased, which is how we solved the problem of reinforcement. Also the thickness increase also helped. This is like a by-product due to balanced connection, but together with the unbalanced connection with large coils and others parts being placed on both sides of the circuit the thickness of the enclosure was increased to accommodate, which made it possible to secure the necessary strength.
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]Was it difficult to mill OFC?
 Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
 Material of high purity has increase sticky-ness to them, which means more resistance during cutting. As a result it is very difficult to cut, and the cutting blade becomes unusable very quickly. This time we had to worry about the weight too. Before cutting the OFC block weights about 1.8kg.
  
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 Because the copper is roughly 3.1 times more heavy the aluminium, if we cut it like aluminium then the chassis becomes too heavy.  If we make it lighter, then the strength wasn’t enough. Speaking from the stand point of factors to strive for in portable audio, these were difficult and completely opposite properties from the norm.
  
 Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
 From there we searched for the best balance between things such as how to cut it and what kind of cutting blades to use, in the end it takes 1.5 times more time to cut than aluminium.
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]What is the purpose of adding a plating of copper/tin/zinc alloy between the OFC chassis and the gold plating?
 Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
 If you directly plate gold onto copper, no matter how careful there would be tiny holes in it. For portable audio of course you would be carry it outside and touch it with your fingers, in that high moisture environment these holes will result in corrosion, that’s why there is a need to plate a primer layer in between.
 Usually the primer layer is done with nickel because it looks very good, however due to the magnetism of nickel it has a negative effect on the sound, as this time put sound quality first thus we chose the copper/tin/zinc alloy due to its magnetic free property. To get a good finish with this type of plating requires very high quality of the material and the plating process and is a very difficult technique, but for the quality of the sound we didn’t give way.
 -[size=7pt]        [/size]
 [size=7pt]       *[/size]Let’s talk about the parts used in the power supply and audio line. First the “electric double layer capacitor” in the power supply, it has increased capacity compared to the one in ZX2.
 Yoshioka Katsuma [electrical design]
 In was increased from 350mF to 500mF. Due to this when the power supply generates large variation waves the electric supply capability is also increased, furthermore the power supply is more stable. As the capacity is increased the charging time is also increased. As such to reach full capacity it takes roughly 220 seconds, so from the moment of powering on till that point the sound is not perfect.
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]Due to the increase, it helps in times such as when the bass hits hard
 Yoshioka Katsuma [electrical design]
 That’s correct. In those cases where there is a sudden large power discharge, it is able to provide a more accurate signal and thus one can really feel the difference.
  
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 Not only that, but the S/N is also improved.
 Yoshioka Katsuma [electrical design]
 On top of that, we placed two large FET in parallel to the switch which charges the capacitor, so to have even less resistance when charging and discharging.
 ·[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]       *[/size]“the large battery pack”, where is there 5 cables?
 Yoshioka Katsuma [electrical design]
 This is developed specially for the WM1 series, we put in an extra cable each for red (+) and black (-). Because the soldering points increased it made work difficult for the mechanical design, but thanks to this the resistance was also decreased by half, power supply capacity was increased.
  
 Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
 It was real burden. Saying “We increased it to 5 cables” so lightly…. and usually only after it was already done (laughs).
 *Was there any work put into the protection circuit board?
  
 Yoshioka Katsuma [electrical design]
 We doubled the through holes on the PCB. A through hole is a plated hole that goes from the top surface of the PCB to the bottom surface, when there is more through holes the current can flow more easily.
  
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 Thanks to all these little improvements around the battery, the transparency of vocal and music instruments increased, the speed when the sound starts is also increased, I think the dedication of the mechanical design is greatly rewarded (laugh).
  
  
 Page 4 (The ultimate high quality sound design/Architecture II)
 Employing key parts that was the result of 3 years of dedication. Building the bridge to the desired sound
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]In the place where “OS-CON” were found in the ZX series are the “newly developed macromolecule condensers”.
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 I really want to say this is the substitution that was made specially for the Walkman. When the development of the ZX1 was finished, we finished this part with a partner’s sound design team when co-developing a desktop amp, and when we received the prototypes we check the sound, it took 3 years of brushing it up together with that team.
 The transparency and extension of vocals, power are all combined here, so till the very end we requested to make the tiniest adjustments all in the name of the best quality, it’s a part where a lot of heart is put into it.
  
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 One of the sound we aimed for was for reproduction of natural and acoustic sound was a great match with this condenser.
  
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 It really is a great match with the new “S-Master HX”, I can’t imagine not having this part.
  
 Yoshioka Katsuma [electrical design]
 In fact the number of this type of condenser used in the WM1A and the WM1Z is different. On the B side (balanced) the numbers are the same, but in the WM1A’s A side (unbalanced) several “OS-CON” is used.
  
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 As the sound differs due to the chassis, and as said in the beginning of the interview the concept of the products is that the sound of the WM1Z and the WM1A shall be different, thus during the process of tuning the number of condenser differed.
 (OS-CON is a registered trademark of Panasonic)
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]“Super low noise LDO Regulator”, this part is very large.
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 It’s roughly the same size as the new “S-Master HX” chip (CXD3778GF).
  
 Yoshioka Katsuma [electrical design]
 Usually the ones used are about 1mm in size, but this time we used three 5mm ones. The cost increased significantly, but because of the excellent ability to remove noise we didn’t hesitate in using them.
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]Specifically what role do they play?
 Yoshioka Katsuma [electrical design]
 For example when you need 5 volts of electricity, first you must get about 7 volts from the battery and in switched-mode power supply. After that the regulatory removes the noise and reduce it to 5 volts.
 -[size=7pt]        [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]So in other words it purifies the power?
 Yoshioka Katsuma [electrical design]
 That’s correct. We deliberately increase the voltage from 4 volts to 7 volts, then aim to decrease it to 5 volts and during the process remove the noise from the switched-mode power supply as well. When the number of times voltage change is increased it uses up electricity and has some impact on the battery life, but we prioritised the sound quality first.
 -[size=7pt]        [/size]
 [size=7pt]       *[/size]The “large coil” used in the balance output LC filter, what effect does it have on the sound?
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 From the 7mm size of the ZX2 we increased the gauge of the coil wire so it became even bigger. Because of this there is an increase in power output and the resolution for the entire frequency range is increased.
  
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 Not only it is the case for this coil, but also the previously mentioned headphone jack and condenser too, they are all parts that were made since the ZX series with great help from our parts partner.  Although we can’t say they are just for Walkman use, but thanks to them there’s an increase of parts for us to strive for sound quality in the walkmans.
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]For the muting circuit of the balance output there are two “relays” with great presence
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 It’s a mechanical relay that is opened with magnets when muting sound, and when sound is played it is shut with a click.
  
 Yoshioka Katsuma [electrical design]
 It’s a switch to prevent noises from being transmitted into the ear at times such as when power is switched on, it’s controlled by software and is triggered frequently.
  
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 Previously we use larger than usual transistors for this purpose, but in listening the sound quality difference was vast. It’s large and close in size to the one used in PHA-3 and again caused trouble for the mechanical design, but in prioritising the sound quality of the balance output we pushed for its usage.
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]What’s the purpose of using “large high sound quality resistors” in the WM1Z?
 This is a part that is used in desktop home audio products, and during development I listened to it and really wanted to use them in the WM1Z. They use non-magnetic copper plating so the sound is very faithful. The WM1Z’s soft, extended and glittery sound came out exactly as intended.
 ·[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]The 2 clocks (48kHz/44.1kHz) also both increased in size
 Yoshioka Katsuma [electrical design]
 Previously the size was 3.2mm by 2.5mm, this time it is increased to 5.0mm by 3.2mm. Inside this chip is a crystal and IC, but due to the increase in space it became possible to make a layout such that it is difficult to be affected by IC noise, thus resulting in an oscillator with lower phase noise. Also the oscillation frequency is doubled to match the new “S-Master HX”.
 ·[size=7pt]        [/size]
 [size=7pt]       *[/size]The audio block and digital block is cleanly separated
 Yoshioka Katsuma [electrical design]
 To prevent effects from digital noise from things such as the CPU and memory, the audio block is placed at the top and digital block is placed at the bottom, on top of which the unbalance (A side) and balance circuit (B side) is also separated completely by placing them on different side of the board.
 ·[size=7pt]      [/size]
 [size=7pt]       *[/size]It is said that analogue output is removed
 Yoshioka Katsuma [electrical design]
 Analogue line out/line in no longer goes through the WM-Port. If we are passing an analogue signal then the digital block must contain a ground for analogue use, and because this influences the sound quality so we removed it completely this time.
 ·[size=7pt]     
 *[/size]The WM1Z uses cables internally that was co-developed with Kimber Kable
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 When Sony collaborated with Kimber Kable to develop headphone cables, a Braid cable of size that could be used as internal wiring for Walkman was also developed, so for the WM1Z we used them for both the balanced and unbalanced output.
 By this, from the amp to the headphone jack, and if you connect the headphone cable which is sold separately, then the entire length of the circuit all the way to the ear are Braid cables.
 ·[size=7pt]        
 *[/size]What effect does this cable have on the sound of the WM1Z?
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 The characteristics of sound with Braid structure that is unique to “Engineered with KIMBER KABLE” cables couples exceptionally well with the WM1Z. For example, since the impedance is flat all the way up to high frequency range, the merit is that it can reproduce very good reverbs and reverberation sounds.
 ·[size=7pt]        [/size]
 *What is the reaction of Kimber Kable?
 Urushihara Teruhiko [Product Planning]
 When I went to America and showed them the internals and let them listen to the sound, the people of Kimber Kable was very pleased with the cables making way into the player itself.
  
 Sato Asaake [project leader]
 I went as well, and everyone was excited with comments such as “The sound quality is amazing!” and “You really went for it!”, even the floor shook a little.
  
  
 Page 5 (Breakthrough UI/Software)
 The UI is pictured from the image of listening in the room. “seeing the sound” and “analogue feel” were also big themes
 ·[size=7pt]       
 *[/size]The software also changed drastically. Please tell us the concept for this time
 Harada Kazu [software design]
 Up until now the walkmans had 2 software platforms - “A series type” and “Android type”, but as said in the beginning during the product planning, this time software design was also made with no constraints and lots of freedom. The first thing that was decided was the framework of the UI. As you know there are various functions in a Walkman, and after many discussions with everyone on how to provide these functions to the customer and what type of experience they should have, the concept of “making the playback screen the main screen” was born.
 -[size=7pt]        
 *[/size]So you put the playback screen in the centre, and put everything else around it?
 Harada Kazu [software design]
 Again, unlike previous Walkman there is no need to go back to the Home screen, the Playback screen is main screen and is placed in the centre. The is the major premise.
 From there, when I try to picture what situation I would be experiencing this Playback screen, the image of “sitting on the sofa in the room listening to music” appeared in my mind.
 Next is picturing the situation of choosing the content. Although it’s rare now, “picking a CD from the rack”, the image of getting up from the sofa to get a CD was the image, and so “Library Top” was placed above.
 Then, what sort of situation would customizing the sound be like. Here there’s no movement and the image of “controlling in the hand” is why “sound setting” is placed below.
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]       *[/size]So the top and bottom screen is decided, how about left and right?
 This time is to picture the situation of checking the track list of the album currently in play. Here I image it like “taking a glimpse of the CD case” so the “Playlist” is placed on the left side.
 Then, I thought about what should be placed on the right side, when thinking about that I remembered old mini component systems where I could program my own playlist, the situation is like “putting your favourite item on the side table”, so I made the right side the “Bookmark List”.
 In summary, there is a sofa in the middle “Playback screen”, above that is the CD rack “Library Top”, below is the panel which controls the machine “Sound Settings”, the CD case “Play List” and the side table “Bookmark List” is on both sides within reach of the hands, that’s the image I pictured and put into the UI.
 -[size=7pt]       
 *[/size]There’re now 5 modes for “DSEE HX” which up samples normal music to hi-resolution
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 This is something our team requested from the software team. You can choose from standard/female vocal/male vocal/percussion/strings, for example “female vocal” makes the treble extension more sparkly.
 Previously “DSEE HX” was positioned for compressed sources, but when applied to CD sources it really makes them sound like a hi-res, so we really hope users would try and use these modes.
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]        *[/size]It’s happy to be able to see that improvement.
 Harada Kazu [software design]
 We added a spectrum analyser similar to old components with a graphic equalizer. When you turn on “DSEE HX” and change the “Playback screen”, on the right side of the spectrum analyser is a part labelled “High” where you can see the effects. Also we added an analogue level meter that is like the VU meters on amps, “visualizing the sound” is a theme this time, and being able to see music with eyes is something new which we persisted in the UI.
 -[size=7pt]       
 *[/size]The equalizer was also improved.
 Harada Kazu [software design]
 We increased it from 5 bands to 10 bands (31Hz~16000Hz). This time each band covers exactly one octave, and with 20 steps (-10.0~+10.0) with each step of making 0.5dB adjustments, we think the users can make settings that is even closer to their taste.
  
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 It’s also worth noting that by making upward and downward adjustment on the slide, the graph is now displayed as a curve too.
  
 -[size=7pt]       *[/size]What sort of function does the “DC phase linearizer” perform?
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 This feature is something that we have looked into since 3 years ago, and we were finally able to put it in this time. Basically, it is to make the low range phase behave more like traditional amps.
 As for why is this feature needed, it is because Walkman’s full digital amp “S-Master HX” (CXD3778GF) does not have a coupling condenser like traditional analogue amps.
 The coupling condenser is a part to cut off DC components and very low frequency signals, but it also affects the phase of low frequencies. Depending on the content the presences of a coupling condenser makes a difference, in other words the difference is felt in the phase difference in the low range, and this is the effect when using the “DC phase linearizer”.
 -[size=7pt]       [/size]
 [size=7pt]       *[/size]So is it something that is instantly noticeable when engaged?
 Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
 It’s not a difference that would floor you, but when something that works well with “DC phase linearizer” it will make you think “Oh that’s right, that’s the bass punch I wanted.”, and once you get used to it it will surprise you.  Also there are 6 different phase modes (A/B pattern x High/Standard/Low) to choose from. Please try them out.
 -[size=7pt]      [/size]
 [size=7pt]       *[/size]There’s a significant increase in the volume adjustment steps
 Harada Kazu [software design]
 We doubled it from the ZX2 and it is now 120 steps. Furthermore you can now set the gain (Normal/High), so changing the gain depending on the headphone and earphones being used will now make it even easier to finely adjust the volume.
  
 -[size=7pt]      * [/size]It seems that “Analogue feel” is the keyword for the software this time
 Harada Kazu [software design]
 That is true. I had a strong desire to represent the worldview of audio equipment from the past. For example just now we were discussing the experience of the volume changing knob for one. When you touch the volume bar at the top of the Playback screen it will show the volume changing knob, if you touch it with your fingers you can change the volume. We also prepared a tone control knob interface as well.


----------



## nanaholic

sonyvores said:


> It's impossible for 1Z to be a variant of 1A as original 1A doesn't have balanced output and as a consequence also had a sightly different design


 
  
 It's hard for me to believe that without some proof. Refer to my post above.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

Thanks for the interview translation, there is some interesting info in there. It didn't change my outlook on my previous comments, but it has given me a new appreciation for the WM1 series. I can admit that the 1Z is the one to get if money is no object, but otherwise 1A is easily better value, and makes other daps look cheap in comparison. I love looking at the circuits of these daps, so much going on. Click original size and gawk at the details.


----------



## Sonyvores

Whoa thanks for your hard work, might have taken you some times! Sony and members here will greatly appreciate it
  
 But for (current)  NW-WM1A, unlike me you don't know the whole story .


----------



## Gibraltar

sonyvores said:


> Whoa thanks for your hard work, might have taken you some times! Sony and members here will greatly appreciate it
> 
> But for (current)  NW-WM1A, unlike me you don't know the whole story .



Any chance you could share that story with the rest of us?


----------



## Whitigir

gibraltar said:


> Any chance you could share that story with the rest of us?




I believe he already implied that the 1Z was the original development, then 1A was a piece of candy that Sony is treating their customers. Therefore, priority, the 1Z is the real ground breaking device, the 1A was a down grade from the Z. Just as much as I observe from his wording. He strongly implied that the 1A did not even have balanced out in the development.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

^ He was implying that Sony was considering gimping 1A, like removing balanced, or starting off with a gimped architecture, which would be a very AK like move given that AK gimp the architecture in each successive lower model for no apparent reason other than to create synthetic price tiers of performance, yuck.
  
 I'm glad Sony came to their senses and scraped that idea, instead giving us the 1A and 1Z that can truly be called brothers. Sony will get my business, AK won't.


----------



## JamesInLondon

Hi All;
  
 My new walkman just arrived, and, as expected it is a 1A, not the 1Z.
  
 It fits (almost) into the BCR-NWH10 cradle, it flops backwards a bit, but it charges via the connector.
  
 I have to go out now, so I will leave it on charge and after I return this evening, I will do some very unscientific back to back tests against my NW-ZX2.
  
 I will include images, once Photobucket returns.
  
 Thanks
 James


----------



## Whitigir

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi All;
> 
> My new walkman just arrived, and, as expected it is a 1A, not the 1Z.
> 
> ...




Wait, can you confirm if it doesn't have High-low gain ? And what about volume cap ? Do you hear the Alert beep when u turn up the volume ? Thanks


----------



## musicday

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi All;
> 
> My new walkman just arrived, and, as expected it is a 1A, not the 1Z.
> 
> ...



What did i said to you? Now you can sell it and save for the gold model


----------



## Mimouille

Ladies and gentlemen, we are going balanced.


----------



## unknownguardian

mimouille said:


> Ladies and gentlemen, we are going balanced.



Congrats! Finally the full set up.


----------



## nanaholic

sonyvores said:


> Whoa thanks for your hard work, might have taken you some times! Sony and members here will greatly appreciate it
> 
> But for (current)  NW-WM1A, unlike me you don't know the whole story .


 
  
 Well I'd love to hear the story if you could share.   As said before I think Sony is missing out on all the good PR they could have easily gotten by not sharing these development stories in other languages, which really separates them from other DAP makers out there (again, there's no complexity in following the spec sheet and wire up a DAC chip you pick off a bin, unlike making it from scratch from the silicon level and making your very own components from the ground up).  Fact is translating that piece makes me appreciate the 1Z so much more every time I handle it and I really feel like I'm sharing the enthusiasm and passion of the team.  I get none of that from other makers.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Those mmcx connectors?


----------



## gerelmx1986

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi All;
> 
> My new walkman just arrived, and, as expected it is a 1A, not the 1Z.
> 
> ...


 
 Yes photos of it agter we seen many gold pics already


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## gerelmx1986

sonyvores said:


> It's impossible for 1Z to be a variant of 1A as *original 1A doesn't have balanced output and as a consequence also had a sightly different design*


 
 That's past not present


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> I didn't really want to promise anything in the beginning but I took a shot at translating the Member's Interview on the Sony JP site. I really wanted to hold off until I finish but all these speculations are creeping into the discussion and I know this interview helps clear a few things (and supports my case, well because I'm really quoting from this interview).
> 
> The translation stops at the 5th tab which is Software, I'm leaving the Design section for the time being because it doesn't really contribute much to the current discussion.  It's bloody long and took a lot of time but the information is invaluable, so I appreciate if people would actually read it instead of just speculating further.


 
 Great job with the translation and many thanks for the info 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 we can now know why 1Z is expensive, all the R&D effort involved and the milling making of the case is very difficult as well the choice the best components for them


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Great job with the translation and many thanks for the info   we can now know why 1Z is expensive, all the R&D effort involved and the milling making of the case is very difficult as well the choice the best components for them




That had been discussed since the first day of it reveal..common man....that is not news.


----------



## Mimouille

dithyrambes said:


> Those mmcx connectors?


Yes this is the only iem cable available right now with 4.4 balanced except some stuff on the Japanese market.


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> Yes this is the only iem cable available right now with 4.4 balanced except some stuff on the Japanese market.




Now, burn in !! Lol


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> Now, burn in !! Lol


I will but man it sounds great here and now.


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> I will but man it sounds great here and now.




I thought you were busy  LOL. Finally, it got to you eh ? I always listen to my stuff while burning in. The best observations and privilege that only come from buying brand new...not always a good thing though


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> I thought you were busy  LOL. Finally, it got to you eh ? I always listen to my stuff while burning in. The best observations and privilege that only come from buying brand new...not always a good thing though


Well among being very busy I had a business trip, perfect to listen. I returned to find this delivered and listen 45 seconds before going out again


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> I thought you were busy
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I do listen to my new toys while burning in, like to hear each change going on, why leave it abandoned playing 24/7 test tones? when you can enjoy  the fun ride


----------



## kubig123

if you consider that is made out of high quality cooper, it might be worth more than somethings in 20 years.


----------



## Kiats

Joyous late night with Sandy Lam.


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> if you consider that is made out of high quality cooper, it might be worth more than somethings in 20 years.




In this case, I know it is...but 20 years...the battery would already be gone...and we would be powering things with farts instead....lol


----------



## thatonenoob

whitigir said:


> In this case, I know it is...but 20 years...the battery would already be gone...and we would be powering things with farts instead....lol


 
 Japanese patient's fart sparked a fire that left her injured...*here*.


----------



## Gosod

> My wallet is crying ca$h
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
you have a big purse since you killed Zx100.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gosod said:


> you have a big purse since you killed Zx100.


 
 pockets 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 men don't use purses or hand-bags only ladies 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 PS: the wait is killing me, seein the order in PROCESSING status kills me lol


----------



## Gosod

gerelmx1986 said:


> pockets
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
you had to leave your zx100.
 to postpone the death penalty until a new Sony..


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> That had been discussed since the first day of it reveal..common man....that is not news.


 
  
 Most people never could or bothered to try read the source of that information, and the English resources for the Walkmans (or the entire Signature Series for that matter) is absolutely horrible. The non-Japanese marketing people were slacking off or being prevented from getting these information in old fashion Japanese company bureaucracy.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Due to the removal of line-out capabilities so if we want to use it in the car stereo or feed it to a pre-amp module we shall use the headphones socket then... is there a TRRS to RCA cables out there?


----------



## noplsestar

mimouille said:


> I will but man it sounds great here and now.




With what IEMs are you listening?


----------



## Big Kev

Just got my WM1A, but can't find a screen protector or case (even silicone) for it.  Anyone found any?
  
 I've offloaded my ZX2 and can't find the measurement of the front panel, to see if the ZX2 would do, could someone help me out with this?

 Cheers


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> Due to the removal of line-out capabilities so if we want to use it in the car stereo or feed it to a pre-amp module we shall use the headphones socket then... is there a TRRS to RCA cables out there?


 
 Make your own.  A regular TRS to RCA will accomplish the same thing.


----------



## JamesInLondon

Hi All;
  
 My 1A is going back to Amazon.co.uk, I am sorry but there is no way I could live with the annoying beep and the on screen warning when listening at only moderate volume.
  
 Compared to my US Spec ZX2, it is probably 20 or 25% quieter.
  
 Fortunately I will be in the US a couple of times in the next six weeks & will pick up an uncapped 1Z soon.
  
 If you can live with the volume cap, keep an eye on Amazon.co.uk as there will be an open box one for sale on there soon.
  
 I have done a reboxing series of images & will post them once Photobucket gets back on line.
  
 Sorry
 James


----------



## denis1976

But in balanced to?it has high and low gain?


----------



## CraftyClown

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi All;
> 
> My 1A is going back to Amazon.co.uk, I am sorry but there is no way I could live with the annoying beep and the on screen warning when listening at only moderate volume.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Yikes! So there we have it. Our first Euro owner has confirmed it can't be lived with.
  
 Not the end of the world as the International version is easily obtainable


----------



## proedros

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi All;
> 
> My 1A is going back to Amazon.co.uk, I am sorry but there is no way I could live with the annoying beep and the on screen warning when listening at only moderate volume.
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 so it's slightly louder than the EU ZX2 (i find my JPN ZX2 to be 30-40% louder than the EU ZX2) but still too quite for a 1200 euro DAP

 thanx for the feedback , i am 100% convinced not to go for the EU 1a , will wait for the international edition

 cheers


----------



## Rob49

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi All;
> 
> My 1A is going back to Amazon.co.uk, I am sorry but there is no way I could live with the annoying beep and the on screen warning when listening at only moderate volume.
> 
> ...


 
  
 With all due respect, James, going by your posts over the time, i always thought you would be returning it. ( & possibly, you strongly knew that yourself ? )
  
 I wouldn't part with my ZX2, but my biggest disappointment is the volume cap, i'm glad i purchased it via Amazon deals, i would have been even more disappointed if i had paid the full price for it !


----------



## Big Kev

I've only just thrown some music on there and only listened to one song, but I only came across the warning once and have been able to change the volume up and down without it coming up again.  Does this occur a lot, or only when you first turn the player on James?
  
 Using my 64 Audio U12's, I had the volume at 100 out of the 120 max and that was loud enough for me.  I'll try the Zeus and K10U's over the weekend.
  
 I can confirm that my 3.5mm TRRS cable does work as well.


----------



## Rob49

big kev said:


> I've only just thrown some music on there and only listened to one song, but I only came across the warning once and have been able to change the volume up and down without it coming up again.  Does this occur a lot, or only when you first turn the player on James?
> 
> Using my 64 Audio U12's, I had the volume at 100 out of the 120 max and that was loud enough for me.  I'll try the Zeus and K10U's over the weekend.
> 
> I can confirm that my 3.5mm TRRS cable does work as well.


 
  
 Wouldn't the warning, dip in sound, be the same as the ZX2, regards how often it comes on ? Which isn't that frequent.
  
 Would you say the volume level is the same as the ZX2 ?


----------



## johnston21

Prices are now posted on SONY Canada, though not yet available. 1Z @ $4,000 and the 1A @ $1,500, approx 30% more than SONY USA which isn't too bad considering the current exchange-rate is +35%.


----------



## gerelmx1986

big kev said:


> Just got my WM1A, but can't find a screen protector or case (even silicone) for it.  Anyone found any?
> 
> I've offloaded my ZX2 and can't find the measurement of the front panel, to see if the ZX2 would do, could someone help me out with this?
> 
> Cheers


 
 an official case is sold by sony japan, but lets wait for dignis


----------



## Big Kev

rob49 said:


> Wouldn't the warning, dip in sound, be the same as the ZX2, regards how often it comes on ? Which isn't that frequent.
> 
> Would you say the volume level is the same as the ZX2 ?


 
 My ZX2 was the Japanese version, so no dip in sound and I can't ever remember this happening with any DAP that I've had.
  
 I would say it's a bit quieter than the ZX2 though, as I'm sure that I didn't have to push the volume to near the limit on that.


----------



## Rob49

big kev said:


> My ZX2 was the Japanese version, so no dip in sound and I can't ever remember this happening with any DAP that I've had.
> 
> I would say it's a bit quieter than the ZX2 though, as I'm sure that I didn't have to push the volume to near the limit on that.


 
  
 Sorry, i assumed you had the E.U. ZX2. The warning doesn't happen too often. I'm sure someone posted the time period ?


----------



## Jalo

​@Nanaholic, want to say thank you very much for the translation. I can see there is a lot of work that went into it. I really enjoyed reading it. It is so nice to read from the perspective of the developers. For the effort that the development team put into the making of the 1Z I say the price is well worth it. I find the discussion on the effect of the copper case on the sound very interesting as on the 380cu thread, people who claim the cu version sounds better were ridiculed for saying crazy things and now hearing it from the developer's mouth really bring some sense of reality into it. It sounds like there are a lot of improvements aiming at reducing noise, how is it in real life? Does it translate into a clean and quiet sq? Thanks again.


----------



## Mimouille

noplsestar said:


> With what IEMs are you listening?


On the balanced cable I tried only S-EM9.


----------



## AnakChan

Generic discussions about the Sony Volume Cap has been moved to "The EU Volume Cap discussion" thread.

Again, if the topic is specific to the NW-WM1Z/A's volume cap such has JamesInLondon's experience that the volume cap is too low for his liking, that's more than welcome in this thread, or if the topic is the NW-WM1Z/A's volume cap is more restrictive or less restrictive than other Sony DAPs', or if it's a review of the NW-WM1Z/A's volume cap with a specific headphone in comparison to a normal uncapped NW-WM1Z/A, those topics are more than welcome here.

If it's a generic of why Sony has a volume cap, or why Sony doesn't contest, or what other brands have a volume cap, those kinds of topics can be in "The EU Volume Cap discussion" The EU Volume Cap discussionthread.


----------



## Decreate

Just been down to e earphones and the 4.4mm adapters and plugs are all out of stock...soonest they would get a restock is December


----------



## echineko

decreate said:


> Just been down to e earphones and the 4.4mm adapters and plugs are all out of stock...soonest they would get a restock is December



On the plus side, given the demand, it will probably encourage more third party manufacturers to get into the market, should be a nett positive in the longer run. Sucks for those who need it now though


----------



## Dithyrambes

For those who heard the zx2 and habe the wm1a....could you comment if there is a sonic difference? I just tried this qp1r and was disappointed so I'm going back to the sony house sound. On the fence what to purchase. Wm1z too far off a stretch


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> For those who heard the zx2 and habe the wm1a....could you comment if there is a sonic difference? I just tried this qp1r and was disappointed so I'm going back to the sony house sound. On the fence what to purchase. Wm1z too far off a stretch




I have an answer for you. According to Sony, WM series is an improvement . Until I can get mine...lol


----------



## svinaik

Hi Dithyrambes
  
 I have the ZX2 and had the opportunity to listen to the WM1A in Tokyo recently.  With my limited session on the WM1A, I would say that they are definitely an upgrade to the ZX2. Sonically in the similar arena but the AMP / Balanced improvements did make the sound more airy, open and clean.
  
 I wish I could be more detailed but just to share my summary impression, I am going for the new ones (not sure about the 1A or 1Z yet) but without getting rid of ZX2. ZX2 will be more on the run use and have the Android benefit of streaming if I ever need. 1Z is my desire but will be very happy with 1A also.


----------



## Dithyrambes

I'm sure the W1ma sounds good. Of course there will be an improvement, but I just wanted clarification of the magnitude of the difference. Its just financially I'm on the ropes because.....someone offered a mint zx2 for 500 Dollars. I think its a steal so I'm taking it for now, but then the thought of the W1MA creeped in. Going to the Sony Store and getting WM1a is $1200 plus 8 percent New York sales tax is about 1300 dollars. Then for the andromedas I would try to have to get hands on the 4.4mm kimber kable for mmcx. That's around 200 or so? So we are talking 1500 Dollars vs 500 Dollars. Of course there is the law of diminishing returns but for me almost 3x the price for like 3% difference is a bit harsh. That's why I'm trying more detailed impressions from people who have heard both so I can make an informed decision. If the difference is most definitely noticeable like going ZX2 SE to TRRS, I wouldn't mind spending the extra money.


----------



## audionewbi

Considering the only way to get the full features of the 1Z/1A, which is support for DSD (for those who happen to have it), I dont see the point of going single ended.


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> Considering the only way to get the full features of the 1Z/1A, which is support for DSD (for those who happen to have it), I dont see the point of going single ended.




Exactly it!


----------



## Dithyrambes

Alright guys! Have fun with your new toys! I will just be getting a zx2, and using the rest of the money to get a Schiit gungnir multibit. Think its a better use of funds. Enjoy!


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> Considering the only way to get the full features of the 1Z/1A, which is support for DSD (for those who happen to have it), I dont see the point of going single ended.


 

 Agree but until we get these 4.4mm jacks we should use TRRS as minimum


----------



## Nomax

Does anybody know the Vrms of sony's DAP?
Strong enough to drive HD800S/HE1000 at loud levels?
My Ak380 without Amp can not,with amp its perfect

REGARDS NOMAX


----------



## nc8000

nomax said:


> Does anybody know the Vrms of sony's DAP?
> Strong enough to drive HD800S/HE1000 at loud levels?
> My Ak380 without Amp can not,with amp its perfect
> 
> REGARDS NOMAX




60 from 3,5 mm and 250 from 4,4


----------



## Nomax

nc8000 said:


> 60 from 3,5 mm and 250 from 4,4




Thanks but i want know the VRMS not the MW into 16 ohm

NOMAX


----------



## nanaholic

nc8000 said:


> 60 from 3,5 mm and 250 from 4,4


 
  
 He said Vrms not mW.
  
 You can use a converter to yield the results:
 60mW @ 16ohm gives 0.98 Vrms
 250mW @ 16ohm gives 2.0Vrms
  
 Note that AK's official spec sheets shows their power output with no load, so a direct comparison can't be made at all. However someone did measure the AK380 with a 32ohm load before:
 http://www.avhub.com.au/product-reviews/sound-image/astellkern-ak380-portable-music-playerdac-review-414055
  


> *ON THE BENCH*
> Into our 32-ohm test load the AK380’s output was a healthy 50mW


 
  
 So the SE of the Sony is weaker for 60mW @ 16ohm, but the balance output would beat the pants off the AK380 standalone even if you assume less than perfect conversion (eg 250mW divided by 2 is 125mW, even if you assume 10-20% loss that's still 100mW which is double that of the AK380).


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> He said Vrms not mW.
> 
> You can use a converter to yield the results:
> 60mW @ 16ohm gives 0.98 Vrms
> ...




Excellent information, and not to mention as a class D technology with it efficiency


----------



## Nomax

nanaholic said:


> He said Vrms not mW.
> 
> You can use a converter to yield the results:
> 60mW @ 16ohm gives 0.98 Vrms
> ...





Thanks a lot from Austria.......i was hoping that this SONY DAP can drive all my OVER EARS(HD800S/HE1000)without optinal Amp,,,,,,my AK380 COPPER alone is also not strong enough....but with the AK AMP its enough Power and sounds Perfekt




NOMAX


----------



## thatonenoob

I'll measure it folks don't worry.  Give me a wee bit of time to get situated...still reelimg from z1r review.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nomax said:


> nanaholic said:
> 
> 
> > He said Vrms not mW.
> ...


 
 why not try lower Ohmnage cans with higher sensitivity


----------



## nanaholic

thatonenoob said:


> I'll measure it folks don't worry.  Give me a wee bit of time to get situated...still reelimg from z1r review.


 
  
 Would you happen to have AK gear to measure/direct comparison?  Cos the AK spec sheet is pretty useless in that regard as all their measuring condition is no load....


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> why not try lower Ohmnage cans with higher sensitivity




Doesn't matter, Utopia is lower ohms and higher sensitivity. The power delivery from a source is much different than the loudness at max volume.


----------



## musicday

Nomax if you are mainly after power and sound quality obviously get a Lotoo Paw Gold : 500 mW @ 32 ohm. Definitely will drive all your headphones.


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> Nomax if you are mainly after power and sound quality obviously get a Lotoo Paw Gold : 500 mW @ 32 ohm. Definitely will drive all your headphones.




Isn't LPG Class A amplification ? And the battery won't even come close to Walkman WM. Class A efficiency is only 30%, and class D is 90%...hell...if done right....100%. That means if we are talking efficiency alone, the 250mW per channel could be multiplied by 3X times to class A. Logically would be 750mW per channel from WM Walkman in comparison to class A .

Class D wiki

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class-D_amplifier

Class A

http://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/amplifier/amp_5.html


----------



## proedros

dithyrambes said:


> For those who heard the zx2 and habe the wm1a....could you comment if there is a sonic difference? *I just tried this qp1r and was disappointed* so I'm going back to the sony house sound. On the fence what to purchase. Wm1z too far off a stretch


 
  
 how so ? i had the impression that qp1r sounds great , but i am very happy with the battery/functionality of zx2 so i am staying put for now

 if it ain't broke don't change it

 that is , until i can listen to 1A


----------



## musicday

whitigir said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Nomax if you are mainly after power and sound quality obviously get a Lotoo Paw Gold : 500 mW @ 32 ohm. Definitely will drive all your headphones.
> ...



If you listen to DSD 256 especially in balanced mode on the WM series Walkmans battery life will not be longer then 15 hours, an maybe shorter if you go full volume.The Paw Gold is the only one that can deliver the promised playback time at full volume on DSD 5.6 MHz.


----------



## Nomax

So i will get the Dap from my Friend at Sony tomorrow for few weeks.......i will try it.....i mean for 3300 Euros,a Dap should have enough power to drive all Headphones EASY!!!!!Yes K812/Utopia i think its no problem,but HD800S&HE1000 will be be a Problem......same Problem with my AK380 COPPER.....but with the Copper Amp its great,i can drive all Over Ears

I will report you on Monday or Tuesady....is it worth or not worth the money

NOMAX


----------



## nc8000

nomax said:


> Thanks but i want know the VRMS not the MW into 16 ohm
> 
> NOMAX




Ah. Don't know that one


----------



## purk

nomax said:


> So i will get the Dap from my Friend at Sony tomorrow for few weeks.......i will try it.....i mean for 3300 Euros,a Dap should have enough power to drive all Headphones EASY!!!!!Yes K812/Utopia i think its no problem,but HD800S&HE1000 will be be a Problem......same Problem with my AK380 COPPER.....but with the Copper Amp its great,i can drive all Over Ears
> 
> I will report you on Monday or Tuesady....is it worth or not worth the money
> 
> NOMAX




Unless it has the Euro capped.


----------



## Kiats

Listening to the 1Z, on the Tralucent Plus5/Uber Too cable combo. Thoroughly enjoyable even at this early stage. And out of the SE output. Excellent rich and textured sonics. Pushes the boundaries of what is possible with the small form factor. 

I only have one question: what are the requirements for album art? About 10% of my album art doesn't seem to display. 

Mike, any thoughts on this? Seeing that you've been playing with it longer.


----------



## gerelmx1986

kiats said:


> Listening to the 1Z, on the Tralucent Plus5/Uber Too cable combo. Thoroughly enjoyable even at this early stage. And out of the SE output. Excellent rich and textured sonics. Pushes the boundaries of what is possible with the small form factor.
> 
> I only have one question: what are the requirements for album art? About 10% of my album art doesn't seem to display.
> 
> Mike, any thoughts on this? Seeing that you've been playing with it longer.


 

 Check my walkman tips and tricks thread to convert th epics to JPEG or reconvert progressive jpegs to baseline ones
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/759006/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks


----------



## rushofblood

kiats said:


> Listening to the 1Z, on the Tralucent Plus5/Uber Too cable combo. Thoroughly enjoyable even at this early stage. And out of the SE output. Excellent rich and textured sonics. Pushes the boundaries of what is possible with the small form factor.




Hey Kiats, how are you finding the WM1Z against your AK380Cu? Would like to know what you think.


----------



## Kiats

gerelmx1986 said:


> Check my walkman tips and tricks thread to convert th epics to JPEG or reconvert progressive jpegs to baseline ones
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/759006/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks




Thanks! I'll try embedding.


----------



## nanaholic

musicday said:


> If you listen to DSD 256 especially in balanced mode on the WM series Walkmans battery life will not be longer then 15 hours, an maybe shorter if you go full volume.The Paw Gold is the only one that can deliver the promised playback time at full volume on DSD 5.6 MHz.


 
  
 What's the playback time for the Paw Gold?  It only says 11 hours on the site but nothing about format or load, whereas Sony does indeed say 13 hours for native DSD on balance with a 16ohm load in direct source mode.  
  
 That and the Paw Gold has a 6000mAh battery, the Sony only has a 1800mAh battery.  Tech wise, Sony wins whereas Paw Gold feels more like a brute force approach.


----------



## Kiats

rushofblood said:


> Hey Kiats, how are you finding the WM1Z against your AK380Cu? Would like to know what you think.




It's early days yet. But similar sonics. At this early stage, AK380CU seems to have wider soundstage and more air. But as I always maintain, that's typical of AK DAPs. But the flip side is it's thinner sounding. Whereas the 1Z sounds a tad denser and deeper. 

Of course, it's only been a few hours in.  Aso take it with a pinch of salt. 

If the Q is whether one is going away: I don't think so. Sufficiently different to me. Besides, the 1Z's battery life means it will likely follow me on my travels.


----------



## harmonix

cecala said:


> I'm interested in the resale value which IMHO will not be good. In two years time when the replacement Daps be available, the standard base storage might be 256GB for the new '1A' causing the value of the current 1Z to sink like a brick in water. It's the price you pay for the top model, perceived better SQ, extra memory and bling factor. Caveat emptor.




It is a well known fact that digital equipment only goes down in value over time. Unless it's some rare bird with both secret sauce and limited production. Not the case here, not for AK not for most things...


----------



## harmonix

musicday said:


> If you listen to DSD 256 especially in balanced mode on the WM series Walkmans battery life will not be longer then 15 hours, an maybe shorter if you go full volume.The Paw Gold is the only one that can deliver the promised playback time at full volume on DSD 5.6 MHz.




Not to be a wise guy but are you quoting from empirical evidence (ie you've got one and have tested) or from guessing?


----------



## harmonix

dithyrambes said:


> I'm sure the W1ma sounds good. Of course there will be an improvement, but I just wanted clarification of the magnitude of the difference. Its just financially I'm on the ropes because.....someone offered a mint zx2 for 500 Dollars. I think its a steal so I'm taking it for now, but then the thought of the W1MA creeped in. Going to the Sony Store and getting WM1a is $1200 plus 8 percent New York sales tax is about 1300 dollars. Then for the andromedas I would try to have to get hands on the 4.4mm kimber kable for mmcx. That's around 200 or so? So we are talking 1500 Dollars vs 500 Dollars. Of course there is the law of diminishing returns but for me almost 3x the price for like 3% difference is a bit harsh. That's why I'm trying more detailed impressions from people who have heard both so I can make an informed decision. If the difference is most definitely noticeable like going ZX2 SE to TRRS, I wouldn't mind spending the extra money.




Advice if you choose to listen. Never ever let this hobby put you into a situation where you are on the ropes financially...


----------



## nc8000

harmonix said:


> Not to be a wise guy but are you quoting from empirical evidence (ie you've got one and have tested) or from guessing?




That number is from Sony's specs as I remember


----------



## musicday

harmonix said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > If you listen to DSD 256 especially in balanced mode on the WM series Walkmans battery life will not be longer then 15 hours, an maybe shorter if you go full volume.The Paw Gold is the only one that can deliver the promised playback time at full volume on DSD 5.6 MHz.
> ...



Yes had more then one and test it myself.Read on the Lotoo China website about the internal clock that measures the battery left in real time.It is very precise so what's it says in the screen is how much you have left according to your sample rate .
As soon the class A amplifier is on takes lot if energy.
If the player was wicker the battery life would have lasted a very long time.
They focused on power and detailed punchy sound.


----------



## denis1976

musicday said:


> Yes had more then one and test it myself.Read on the Lotoo China website about the internal clock that measures the battery left in real time.It is very precise so what's it says in the screen is how much you have left according to your sample rate .
> As soon the class A amplifier is on takes lot if energy.
> If the player was wicker the battery life would have lasted a very long time.
> They focused on power and detailed punchy sound.


sorry musicday but the clock that the Lotoo talks in the specs the atomic level clock is to reduce jitter is have nothing to do with the precise battery life...


----------



## denis1976

kiats said:


> It's early days yet. But similar sonics. At this early stage, AK380CU seems to have wider soundstage and more air. But as I always maintain, that's typical of AK DAPs. But the flip side is it's thinner sounding. Whereas the 1Z sounds a tad denser and deeper.
> 
> Of course, it's only been a few hours in.  Aso take it with a pinch of salt.
> 
> If the Q is whether one is going away: I don't think so. Sufficiently different to me. Besides, the 1Z's battery life means it will likely follow me on my travels.


hello, are ypu saying that the 1Z is even denser than the ak380 copper? I don't know if it is from the latest firmware but my ak has a more thicker sound than the LPG in vocals and instruments if the 1Z is even more thick...my God...thats thick....


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> Yes had more then one and test it myself.Read on the Lotoo China website about the internal clock that measures the battery left in real time.It is very precise so what's it says in the screen is how much you have left according to your sample rate .
> As soon the class A amplifier is on takes lot if energy.
> If the player was wicker the battery life would have lasted a very long time.
> They focused on power and detailed punchy sound.




You still don't get it...your LPG is everything behind on technology for portable device compare to 1Z and even 1A.

1/ Class A efficiency is poop compare to class D
2/ LPG had never had "BALANCED" for Christ sake 
3/ LPG has no digital Out
4/ LPG has less play time in comparison to WM series, and it is fact....

So, I am sorry, but according to Facts check, you should sell your LPG and move on to 1A if you can't afford 1Z. It is everything better.


----------



## Kerouac

kiats said:


> I only have one question: what are the requirements for album art? About 10% of my album art doesn't seem to display.


 
  
 This reminds me of when I copied all my files from my P1 to my DX100. Lots of album art didn't show up, while the same art showed up on my other daps without a problem. Just renaming the album art files from folder(.jpg) into cover(.jpg) fixed that issue on the DX100 => you might give it a shot...


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> You still don't get it...your LPG is everything behind on technology for portable device compare to 1Z and even 1A.
> 
> 1/ Class A efficiency is poop compare to class D
> 2/ LPG had never had "BALANCED" for Christ sake
> ...




Man you are getting a bit overexcited here. Unless you have heard and compared, this does not mean much. 

The LPG is still very much in the game soundwise and is half the size of the Sonys. I am still not sure that I will sell it. Balanced is only better in some instances. For example, I prefer the Mojo single ended to all AK DAPs balanced except the Ak380.

I do feel the 1Z has an edge over the LPG, but not night and day either, and I wouldn't be so sure the 1A has an edge. When I tried it, it wasn't obvious.


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> You still don't get it...your LPG is everything behind on technology for portable device compare to 1Z and even 1A.
> 
> 1/ Class A efficiency is poop compare to class D
> 2/ LPG had never had "BALANCED" for Christ sake
> ...




All four of those points may well be facts, but they certainly aren't enough to base the purchase of a high end DAP on. 

I know you are excited to hear the new Sony devices, but trashing the Paw Gold to make your point seems a little unnecessary.


----------



## WCDchee

Don't really understand what the fuss is about when comparing the law gold and the Sony.

I've heard both extensively. Does the paw Gold sound better? Possibly, and yes probably. To me at least it's more powerful, resolving and transparent. The amp section is more powerful regardless of architecture, to my ears better than that of the Sony's. It's also a heck lot cheaper as some have pointed out.

BUT, it is also true that the Sony is way prettier, handles way nicer, and makes me happier using it. It also lasts way longer, and I'd love to take it out and use it. Putting the paw gold on the table? Not so.

They're pretty much completely different. The only similarity is that they're DAPs 

That said, the Sony is too expensive for me, and I could not afford it. What a pity


----------



## Whitigir

Ok, I will make my point again. I don't trash LPG, I Only speak the facts. Do I mention anything about the Pricing ? No. It is up to you to do so. I was simply listing out the facts. Sound quality wise ? Up to you to decide. 

I make many decisions based on facts, and not only just personal preferences. If I did then I would be happy with Porta Pro and IPod.


I am sorry, but, The only one ? Lol...



musicday said:


> If you listen to DSD 256 especially in balanced mode on the WM series Walkmans battery life will not be longer then 15 hours, an maybe shorter if you go full volume.The Paw Gold is the only one that can deliver the promised playback time at full volume on DSD 5.6 MHz.


----------



## tienbasse

A galore of judgemental comments ("better", "has an edge"...), when all there is in reality is: a sound signature which can be more or less to your personal liking, and features you need or you don't need (capacity, connectivity, autonomy...).
  
 At this pricepoint, nothing is or sounds really bad, unless manufacturers made a massive mistake somewhere.
 People should stop talking in superlatives, this is getting nowhere.
 If you want to compare, please test and be more specific about differences.
  
 "Best, better and bad" should disappear from reviews once or for all. They only serve easy food to marketing folks to sell you spec sheets and not proof of performance, as they do lately in this business. In other any areas, R&D folks like me would be required to produce actual performance and safety data so marketing can actually sell.
  
 Wonder why prices are going up that fast in this market ? Because people are not sold performance but just the easy "try it, you'll see", so they lose all sense of critic and logic when they pay a huge premium because they're just asked to "believe".
 I'm confident they can sell us the next DAP at 6000$ with easy customers like this.


----------



## Whitigir

tienbasse said:


> .
> 
> Wonder why prices are going up that fast in this market ? Because people are not sold performance but just the easy "try it, you'll see", so they lose all sense of critic and logic when they pay a huge premium because they're just asked to "believe".
> I'm confident they can sell us the next DAP at 6000$ with easy customers like this.




This is the present market, and it is so true. I have seen Utopia being called "the best", then HM1000 V2 as well....lol....

A $6000 DAP is possible in the future ...I am afraid


----------



## Whitigir

And that was why I listed the facts where 1Z is better in comparisons to LPG...I never even mentioned about sound quality wise




tienbasse said:


> A galore of judgemental comments ("better", "has an edge"...), when all there is in reality is: a sound signature which can be more or less to your personal liking, and features you need or you don't need (capacity, connectivity, autonomy...).
> 
> At this pricepoint, nothing is or sounds really bad, unless manufacturers made a massive mistake somewhere.
> People should stop talking in superlatives, this is getting nowhere.
> If you want to compare, please test and be more specific about differences.






whitigir said:


> You still don't get it...your LPG is everything behind on technology for portable device compare to 1Z and even 1A.
> 
> 1/ Class A efficiency is poop compare to class D
> 2/ LPG had never had "BALANCED" for Christ sake
> ...


----------



## Kiats

denis1976 said:


> hello, are ypu saying that the 1Z is even denser than the ak380 copper? I don't know if it is from the latest firmware but my ak has a more thicker sound than the LPG in vocals and instruments if the 1Z is even more thick...my God...thats thick....




Hahah! I did caution it's early days yet. However, it doesn't detract from the layering and details available at this stage. Will keep you guys posted.


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> And that was why I listed the facts where 1Z is better in comparisons to LPG...I never even mentioned about sound quality wise


 
  
 The problem is you are doing exactly what tienbasse is talking about Whitigir.
  
 Your closing comment was 'you should sell your LPG and move on to 1A if you can't afford 1Z. It is everything better.'
  
 Unless you have done some extensive testing of the three devices, then this is a crazy comment to make.
  
 Please try to remember that as a senior member on Head-fi, prospective new DAP buyers may take your comments very seriously and could even base part of their purchase decision upon it.


----------



## denis1976

I am getting very frustrated with this tread...the only thing i read is volume caps , that is better than Lotoo or worst...people that are returning them even without the burning phase...and no one shares the evolution, the diference between a "green " 1A or 1Z and the evolution of it until the burning is made i think that was a very good discussion subject...and the 1A vs the zx2 for exemple ...yes in MINE point of view that is a good tread...


----------



## denis1976

At the end of more than 250 pages no one knows how the 1z/1a sounds like...please proud owners share your impressions


----------



## denis1976

One thing is for shure, i will receive a 1A next tuesday and i will share my thoughts in this tread ,sound wise, and has i had both zx2 and lpg in the past i will do the comparison


----------



## CraftyClown

denis1976 said:


> One thing is for shure, i will receive a 1A next tuesday and i will share my thoughts in this tread ,sound wise, and has i had both zx2 and lpg in the past i will do the comparison


 
  
 I look forward to reading your impressions Dinis


----------



## Whitigir

craftyclown said:


> The problem is you are doing exactly what tienbasse is talking about Whitigir.
> 
> Your closing comment was 'you should sell your LPG and move on to 1A if you can't afford 1Z. It is everything better.'
> 
> ...




I was wrong to listed the facts that WM is better than LPG , and call it out ? Well ok, it seems I can't even read the specs and look out for features. My apologies then, and did I mention about Sound quality wise the WM was better ? Where ? Since when do member need to extensively have all units to compare about features and spec wises ?

My strong comment was specially aimed toward the person I quoted, just because he mentioned that LPG has better play time and is more accurate in it listing than WM series. It was straight out wrong, so I listed a couple more facts for him to enjoy. Because of that my strong comment was aiming toward him and specs and features between the two DAP.

I need to go back to school and take reading/writing class again.


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> I was wrong to listed the facts that WM is better than LPG , and call it out ? Well ok, it seems I can't even read the specs and look out for features. My apologies then, and did I mention about Sound quality wise the WM was better ? Where ? Since when do member need to extensively have all units to compare about features and spec wises ?


 
  
 I was just pointing out that anyone can state facts and claim that makes the device better, for example;
  
 1. The UI is far quicker on the Paw gold
 2. The Paw gold is smaller and significantly lighter
 3. The Paw gold has a parametric equalizer
 4. The Paw gold is just over half the price
 5. The Paw gold has a larger potential capacity, due to the use of full sized SD cards
  
 Does that mean all 1Z owners should sell theirs and buy a Paw gold? probably not.


----------



## Bengkia369

Sony flagship dap made in Japan or China?


----------



## Whitigir

bengkia369 said:


> Sony flagship dap made in Japan or China?




Neither, they are made in Malaysia


----------



## Toolman

whitigir said:


> bengkia369 said:
> 
> 
> > Sony flagship dap made in Japan or China?
> ...


 

 That's a shame...for such premium product, we would have hoped they are Japanese made but alas even their high end photographic gears are made in Thailand nowadays so this is not at all surprising


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> One thing is for shure, i will receive a 1A next tuesday and i will share my thoughts in this tread ,sound wise, and has i had both zx2 and lpg in the past i will do the comparison


 

 Looking forward to them


----------



## Romiros

Where we can buy wm1a with international shipping now? Non capped version with english lang. Maybe asian online shop?


----------



## gerelmx1986

romiros said:


> Where we can buy wm1a with international shipping now? Non capped version with english lang. Maybe asian online shop?


 

 got mine from http://accessoryjack.com, still don't ship yet! (and it is out of stock already)
  
 edit
  
 I have asked them if there's a possibility that my order will ship before december 1, let's see what they answer


----------



## Romiros

It's strange because the player in stock in Asia now.  why online stores dont sell it? In Russia its too expensive.. About 1600 doll


----------



## gerelmx1986

romiros said:


> It's strange because the player in stock in Asia now.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 ​I snatched it because they (accessoryJack) contacted me about a mini pre-order of two days, I had asked them previously if they wouls handle the WM1A and if when would be in stock
  
 For me is strange because when the ZX100 came out, they had it almost inmediately in stock and when i ordered it, it shipped within a week.
  
 Hope i get it before 12/01 as i travel to germany for leisure, as I promised my german friend i would share some of my music


----------



## thatonenoob

Just a prelim folks but output impedance seems to clock out at 0.94 and 0.92 respectively.  So around 1 if we're trying to be conservative.


----------



## Kiats

Listening to some Korean jazz by Min Chae on the 1Z with the FitEar 335/Tralucent Uber Too cable. 

Excellent stuff: those of you who are familiar with this singer will know she has dreamy and slightly husky vocals and her albums are well recorded. The timbre of the strings are spot on and there's a nice natural resonance and then decay when the guitar is plucked. There's a lovely sense of space. The cymbals have realistic decay. There's also a satisfying 3D roundness to the drums. 

All in all a very enthralling listen.


----------



## Whitigir

thatonenoob said:


> Just a prelim folks but output impedance seems to clock out at 0.94 and 0.92 respectively.  So around 1 if we're trying to be conservative.




Thank you, this is great



kiats said:


> Listening to some Korean jazz by Min Chae on the 1Z with the FitEar 335/Tralucent Uber Too cable.
> 
> Excellent stuff: those of you who are familiar with this singer will know she has dreamy and slightly husky vocals and her albums are well recorded. The timbre of the strings are spot on and there's a nice natural resonance and then decay when the guitar is plucked. There's a lovely sense of space. The cymbals have realistic decay. There's also a satisfying 3D roundness to the drums.
> 
> All in all a very enthralling listen.




Nice! Spaciousness, 3D and roundness, those are awesome 

Thanks


----------



## Jalo

kiats said:


> It's early days yet. But similar sonics. At this early stage, AK380CU seems to have wider soundstage and more air. But as I always maintain, that's typical of AK DAPs. But the flip side is it's thinner sounding. Whereas the 1Z sounds a tad denser and deeper.
> 
> Of course, it's only been a few hours in.  Aso take it with a pinch of salt.
> 
> If the Q is whether one is going away: I don't think so. Sufficiently different to me. Besides, the 1Z's battery life means it will likely follow me on my travels.




Kiat, thanks for the early comparison on the two, please keep it coming as I value impression from someone that has owned the Cu for awhile and knows it's sound characteristic. I will most likely pick up the 1Z also soon. I also wonder did you try to use different phone to change the sound slightly? For instance, I have both the Vega and Andro, one is thicker sounding and the other is thinner. So if you pair the Andro with the 1z and the Vega with the cu, will that bring that aspect closer together? I listened to the Utopia a month ago when I was in HK with my CU, it is ok but I can see clearly it needs more power, I am just curious can the 1Z drives the Utopia to it decent potential? How about the Fibass, will the 1Z provide warmer and thicker sound to the Fibass?


----------



## gerelmx1986

thatonenoob said:


> Just a prelim folks but output impedance seems to clock out at 0.94 and 0.92 respectively.  So around 1 if we're trying to be conservative.


 

 ​For both models or just the Z or just the A?


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> You still don't get it...your LPG is everything behind on technology for portable device compare to 1Z and even 1A.
> 
> 1/ Class A efficiency is poop compare to class D
> 2/ LPG had never had "BALANCED" for Christ sake
> ...




I agree with the above points, they are all true. But I can tell you I am still resisting urges to pick up a LPG. I think it is one of a kind dap in that it has the most power (500 mah/ch) and solid built.


----------



## thatonenoob

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​For both models or just the Z or just the A?


 
 Both models.  0.94 for the z and 0.92 for the A.  The 0.02 difference is more or less negligible.


----------



## CraftyClown

thatonenoob said:


> Both models.  0.94 for the z and 0.92 for the A.  The 0.02 difference is more or less negligible.


 
  
 We're audiophiles... Nothing is negligible!!!


----------



## thatonenoob

craftyclown said:


> We're audiophiles... Nothing is negligible!!!


 
 If it makes you feel better you can chalk it up to me being a seriously lazy.  I'll measure again just to confirm for my final review.  Now I sleep.


----------



## gerelmx1986

thatonenoob said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > ​For both models or just the Z or just the A?
> ...


 

 Whoa so the A has a bit lower impedance wow i can't believe it, but lets see final results


----------



## CraftyClown

thatonenoob said:


> If it makes you feel better you can chalk it up to me being a seriously lazy.  I'll measure again just to confirm for my final review.  Now I sleep.


 
  
 Ha ha, obviously I was massively kidding!


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> Whoa so the A has a bit lower impedance wow i can't believe it, but lets see final results


 
 I hope you're joking too???


----------



## proedros

curious what's the ratio of 1z/1a buyers in here , so far (and in the coming weeks too)
  
 looks like people are buying 1z (or is it because 1a has not been available yet?)


----------



## Romiros

1a is available)


----------



## gerelmx1986

craftyclown said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Whoa so the A has a bit lower impedance wow i can't believe it, but lets see final results
> ...


 

 of course i am


----------



## musicday

On the Sony UK website i can see the price of the gold Walkman but not really the availability and so.
I suppose is too early to find a place to get the non cap international version with English language.
Is there a way to know which has the cap and which doesn't without turning the unit on? Writing on the box or similar?
Probably i will buy one due to the great sound output and long battery life.Maybe Christmas is coming earlier this year
So just to clarify will there be firmware updates in the future? Thanks.


----------



## Romiros

I think a warning about the loud sound which appears when you increase volume will indicate capped one


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> On the Sony UK website i can see the price of the gold Walkman but not really the availability and so.
> I suppose is too early to find a place to get the non cap international version with English language.
> Is there a way to know which has the cap and which doesn't without turning the unit on? Writing on the box or similar?
> Probably i will buy one due to the great sound output and long battery life.Maybe Christmas is coming earlier this year
> So just to clarify will there be firmware updates in the future? Thanks.


 

 the european walkmans on the  left side have a CE logo, thats a sureway to confirm its euro


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> the european walkmans on the  left side have a CE logo, thats a sureway to confirm its euro




That is exactly it...CE


----------



## denis1976

I think that the UE version don't have gain control


----------



## denis1976

Does anyone confirm that the non UE has it? And how impactfull it is?


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> Does anyone confirm that the non UE has it? And how impactfull it is?


 

 It shall have it on the menú screenn of playback


----------



## musicday

Every bit of information about the gold Walkman is much appreciated.We in UK don't have access to it for now to try it,feel the player and so on.Yes is a shame that is not made in Japan as some other things, very well built.
I remember a friend having a Panasonic CRT tv that was made by Panasonic Matsu****a Japan and lasted 20 years,only the remote stopped working from all the dust inside and drops.
They may have same standards/quality control but i won't be fooled.Whats made in Japan is always superior.
Try to hold in your a Panasonic Lumix GH4 and you will see what I mean.
The Tera Player is made in Germany and i am proud about it.
The origin country is always the best after a certain price given when a product is made. Just my own personal opinion


----------



## Kiats

jalo said:


> Kiat, thanks for the early comparison on the two, please keep it coming as I value impression from someone that has owned the Cu for awhile and knows it's sound characteristic. I will most likely pick up the 1Z also soon. I also wonder did you try to use different phone to change the sound slightly? For instance, I have both the Vega and Andro, one is thicker sounding and the other is thinner. So if you pair the Andro with the 1z and the Vega with the cu, will that bring that aspect closer together? I listened to the Utopia a month ago when I was in HK with my CU, it is ok but I can see clearly it needs more power, I am just curious can the 1Z drives the Utopia to it decent potential? How about the Fibass, will the 1Z provide warmer and thicker sound to the Fibass?




Thanks! What I had done was to swap between the Plus5, 1plus2.2, Ref1 Too and FitEar 335. As you would expect from a good source, while not fundamentally changing the sonic sig of the iems, the 1Z did give them a nice lift. 

Haven't tried the fibass with the 1Z yet. As for a full sized can like Utopia, I don't actually listen to full sized cans off DAPs as I tend to use them with my desktop rig.


----------



## Kiats

whitigir said:


> Thank you, this is great
> Nice! Spaciousness, 3D and roundness, those are awesome
> 
> Thanks




No worries. It is a very aeductive sonic sig. once you start listening, it is very difficult to put it down...


----------



## Kiats

jalo I forgot: I also tried the ACS Encore and the Final Audio Lab 2. Enjoyable too!


----------



## Jalo

kiats said:


> jalo I forgot: I also tried the ACS Encore and the Final Audio Lab 2. Enjoyable too!




Thanks, so you finally received your lab2, wish I can hear it with the 1Z.


----------



## ChiAki

Hey guys! Just bought the WM1A at Fujiya-Avic yesterday.
  
 Am I late to the party? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
  
  
 Jokes aside. Does anyone know if 3rd party manufacturers are going to make cases for these players? I really don't want to buy the flip-up case made by Sony themselves so...


----------



## gerelmx1986

chiaki said:


> Hey guys! Just bought the WM1A at Fujiya-Avic yesterday.
> 
> Am I late to the party?
> 
> ...


 

 ​They gave you an estimated shipping date? asking this because i got my WM1A from accessoryJack but still not shipped and i saw like "back-order wothin 14 days"


----------



## ChiAki

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​They gave you an estimated shipping date? asking this because i got my WM1A from accessoryJack but still not shipped and i saw like "back-order wothin 14 days"




I live in Tokyo so I just picked it up locally.


----------



## echineko

chiaki said:


> Does anyone know if 3rd party manufacturers are going to make cases for these players? I really don't want to buy the flip-up case made by Sony themselves so...:confused_face_2:



The answer is definitely yes, and especially in Tokyo, you will be able to pick them up easily. The only question is how long before they start appearing on the market, I'm sure some manufacturers are busy getting them out already. 

Also, congrats on the new 1A!


----------



## Jazzi

chiaki said:


> Hey guys! Just bought the WM1A at Fujiya-Avic yesterday.
> 
> Am I late to the party?
> 
> ...


 

 If you're lucky, Dignis will produce one.


----------



## ChiAki

jazzi said:


> If you're lucky, Dignis will produce one.


 
 Dignis is exactly the company that I look forward to producing the case. I loved their products on my AKs in the past.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Arround mid-november tentative shipdate for my WM1A order, hope it arrives before december first
  
Dear Gerardo,

 I think yes, Sony told me our order will take around 2 weeks to come. Should be around mid Nov.

 Regards,
 Johnny

  

```
from the wired to the wireless.
```


```
[url=http://www.accessoryjack.com/][u][color=#0000ff]www.AccessoryJack.com[/color][/u][/url]
```


----------



## Jazzi

chiaki said:


> Dignis is exactly the company that I look forward to producing the case. I loved their products on my AKs in the past.


 

 I have a Dignis on my LPG and one on the AK380/amp and they're both very well done.  You should also look into the Aesopica line that a guy in Korea makes by hand (at least for the AK380).  They're on the expensive side, but very well crafted out of a great grade of leather.


----------



## jmills8

Why hide a good looking dap? If so then who cares about looks if one is going to cover it up with a case?


----------



## FenderP

chiaki said:


> Hey guys! Just bought the WM1A at Fujiya-Avic yesterday.




The one in Nakano? Love that place...


----------



## ChiAki

jmills8 said:


> Why hide a good looking dap? If so then who cares about looks if one is going to cover it up with a case?




It's exactly because of the fact that it's a beautiful DAP that one would want to protect it with a case in order to preserve its beauty.


----------



## Mimouille

jmills8 said:


> Why hide a good looking dap? If so then who cares about looks if one is going to cover it up with a case?


 
 To avoid from nicking it all over I suppose. Especially the 1z is ultra heavy, you could drop it easily. I am not a huge fan of the sony case either.


----------



## ChiAki

fenderp said:


> The one in Nakano? Love that place...




Yeah. But it's nothing too fancy compared to e-earphone though. Fujiya only get their name worth when they host events.


----------



## jmills8

chiaki said:


> It's exactly because of the fact that it's a beautiful DAP that one would want to protect it with a case in order to preserve its beauty.


 Thanks, guess its like a Burka for pretty daps.


----------



## Decreate

On my way to Fujiya Avic to see if there is any luck in getting a 2.5mm to 4.4mm adapter


----------



## Rei87

mimouille said:


> To avoid from nicking it all over I suppose. Especially the 1z is ultra heavy, you could drop it easily. I am not a huge fan of the sony case either.




Or, to maintain some semblance of its original value when reselling it for the next toy.


----------



## ChiAki

rei87 said:


> Or, to maintain some semblance of its original value when reselling it for the next toy.




Very true ^^


----------



## Mimouille

rei87 said:


> Or, to maintain some semblance of its original value when reselling it for the next toy.


I will never sell it, this is my final rig.

Just kidding.


----------



## Kiats

decreate said:


> On my way to Fujiya Avic to see if there is any luck in getting a 2.5mm to 4.4mm adapter




Keep us posted!


----------



## Decreate

kiats said:


> Keep us posted!


 No luck, all sold out


----------



## nanaholic

Got home and was greeted by a little accessory package that I ordered from Japan. 
  

  
 The official remote, the official WM-Port to micro-USB converter, and a tempered glass screen protector (already applied in the photo)
 The remote is an awesome accessory that I've been dying to get my hands on, especially when the 1Z stays in my messenger bag when I commute.  
  
  

  
 A very high quality protector for 1000yen IMO, very high transparency, easy to apply, doesn't affect touch response at all and finger prints don't stick. Good stuff.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Got home and was greeted by a little accessory package that I ordered from Japan.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Does it affect sound quality ?  . What is that WM port converter model please


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> Does it affect sound quality ?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 The port converter model is WMP-NWM10 and was 980yen.  There are third party ones that are about half the price if you look for them.


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> The port converter model is WMP-NWM10 and was 980yen.  There are third party ones that are about half the price if you look for them.


The remote was a gift in China (but the player was more expensive). It is quite cool. I ordered the adapter as well


----------



## nanaholic

mimouille said:


> The remote was a gift in China (but the player was more expensive). It is quite cool. I ordered the adapter as well


 
  
 Unfortunately Sony HK wasn't going to stock the remote any time soon (actually they've got no Walkman accessories to speak of), can't wait for them forever (still waiting on the Kimber Kable).


----------



## Whitigir

Kimber Kables ? Did you guys see this ?

http://www.head-fi.org/t/794373/sony-mdr-z7-upgrades-and-mods-thread/180#post_12990582

http://www.erji.net/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1955341&extra=page%3D1




Extra solder joints that is sloppy....I have doubt if it is authentic...but ...who knows


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> Kimber Kables ? Did you guys see this ?
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/794373/sony-mdr-z7-upgrades-and-mods-thread/180#post_12990582
> 
> ...


I have a Kimber Cable and neither the cable nor the jack look like that.


----------



## ledzep

Heads up for anyone interested the 1A is on UK Amazon at £809 at the moment !


----------



## Jalo

nanaholic said:


> Got home and was greeted by a little accessory package that I ordered from Japan.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Is that made by Gorrila Glass? It looks beautiful. I have a spare Gorilla Glass for my 380cu, do you know the size of your screen protector? The remote looks real fun but I thought it is included with the purchase.

Never mind about the remote, I posted this message before I got to Mim's post.


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> Heads up for anyone interested the 1A is on UK Amazon at £809 at the moment !




Yeah which is UK version...volume capped, or a handicapped walkman


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> I have a Kimber Cable and neither the cable nor the jack look like that.




Your is mmcx version for in ears, correct ? The above is for z1r and z7


----------



## Gibraltar

mimouille said:


> I have a Kimber Cable and neither the cable nor the jack look like that.




The headphone end Jacks look just like my kimber cable, as does the junction cover. It actually wouldn't surprise me if they were constructed this way since it would be much easier to mass produce long rolls of 8 stand and long rolls of 4 strand and solder them together than to individually weave each cable.


----------



## Dithyrambes

whitigir said:


> Yeah which is UK version...volume capped, or a handicapped walkman


 
 I was tempted especially if you import to us, you only have to pay 710 pounds or 880 USD, which is a steal imo.....but you are buying it knowing it is capped  The additional power was one of the main features of the walkman ><. Would pay 300 more for full features though if you are spending that much $


----------



## Dithyrambes

I googled some stuff called Sony Destination Tool to remove volume cap? Possibility of working with the new sonys?


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> Your is mmcx version for in ears, correct ? The above is for z1r and z7







gibraltar said:


> The headphone end Jacks look just like my kimber cable, as does the junction cover. It actually wouldn't surprise me if they were constructed this way since it would be much easier to mass produce long rolls of 8 stand and long rolls of 4 strand and solder them together than to individually weave each cable.


Yes mine is the iem version. Anyways to me, as long as it sounds good...


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic where did you get the tempered glass?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Wonder if the remote can be used to control a Walkman in a backpack? it is a Bluetooth device?


----------



## nanaholic

jalo said:


> Is that made by Gorrila Glass? It looks beautiful. I have a spare Gorilla Glass for my 380cu, do you know the size of your screen protector? The remote looks real fun but I thought it is included with the purchase.
> 
> Never mind about the remote, I posted this message before I got to Mim's post.


 
  
 The ak380 screen protector won't fit, the walkman has a much taller screen


----------



## ledzep

whitigir said:


> Yeah which is UK version...volume capped, or a handicapped walkman




True , guess it depends on what your going to pair with it , for me it's 64audio U12's and with 16bit FLAC and 24 bit FLAC and DSD it's loud enough at 70/75 for me and at 95/100 on my B+W P9's so I'm sorted and if there's eventually a removal tool even better. I agree it is rather pathetic that they cap some audio in the EU and not just a warning on db levels, did crank it up to 120 and it's way too loud to listen to so in theory I could still damage my ears !


----------



## denis1976

ledzep said:


> True , guess it depends on what your going to pair with it , for me it's 64audio U12's and with 16bit FLAC and 24 bit FLAC and DSD it's loud enough at 70/75 for me and at 95/100 on my B+W P9's so I'm sorted and if there's eventually a removal tool even better. I agree it is rather pathetic that they cap some audio in the EU and not just a warning on db levels, did crank it up to 120 and it's way too loud to listen to so in theory I could still damage my ears !


it seems that this post served to calm the volume of the prophets of doom cap...


----------



## Dithyrambes

I mean had an eu zx2 and i listened at around 3-5% volume..like 8 percent max. But you can't really use it as a line out for speakers because it was crippled. Sold it because of that and if balanced is capped..it's no better than trrs pseudo balanced.


----------



## Fsilva

Guy´s i was able to score a WM1A at a ridiculous price from a seller at amazon uk (i mean a REAL ridiculous price that i could not say no to it) i know it is the capped version. At the moment i´m using a ZX100 uncapped version with my Earsonics EM32 and i listen with volume levels between 6 and 10. My question is will i "suffer" with the capped WM1A version or will it be enough to drive my Earsonics?


----------



## Dithyrambes

fsilva said:


> Guy´s i was able to score a WM1A at a ridiculous price from a seller at amazon uk (i mean a REAL ridiculous price that i could not say no to it) i know it is the capped version. At the moment i´m using a ZX100 uncapped version with my Earsonics EM32 and i listen with volume levels between 6 and 10. My question is will i "suffer" with the capped WM1A version or will it be enough to drive my Earsonics?


 
 Iem will not be a problem at all


----------



## Big Kev

ledzep said:


> True , guess it depends on what your going to pair with it , for me it's 64audio U12's and with 16bit FLAC and 24 bit FLAC and DSD it's loud enough at 70/75 for me and at 95/100 on my B+W P9's so I'm sorted and if there's eventually a removal tool even better. I agree it is rather pathetic that they cap some audio in the EU and not just a warning on db levels, did crank it up to 120 and it's way too loud to listen to so in theory I could still damage my ears !


 
 Well I tried the WM1A with my 64 Audio U12's today, with 24 bit FLAC and DSD and had to have the volume at 100 to cut out the traffic noise and the volume cap has knocked it down to 75 a couple of times.   
  
 I've had to have the volume at 100 with my Zeus CIEM and Noble K10U's as well, when out and about.


----------



## Fsilva

big kev said:


> Well I tried the WM1A with my 64 Audio U12's today, with 24 bit FLAC and DSD and had to have the volume at 100 to cut out the traffic noise and the volume cap has knocked it down to 75 a couple of times.
> 
> I've had to have the volume at 100 with my Zeus CIEM and Noble K10U's as well, when out and about.


 
 At 100?? Damn is the capped version so weak that one has to listen to is so loudly? I´m used to 10 (maximum sometimes 12) on my non capped ZX100


----------



## Fsilva

So you mean that with my EM 32´s i will be able to enjoy the WM1A at the same volumes i´m use to listen with the ZX100?


----------



## Dithyrambes

fsilva said:


> So you mean that with my EM 32´s i will be able to enjoy the WM1A at the same volumes i´m use to listen with the ZX100?


 
 It'll be fine....just don't think about driving anything outside of CIEMS though.


----------



## Fsilva

dithyrambes said:


> It'll be fine....just don't think about driving anything outside of CIEMS though.


 
 Thanks! I´m quite satisfied with my EM32´s so i guess i´m not worried.
 Will leave some impressions once i receive the WM1A since i´m gonna be using them while they are "burning in"


----------



## Big Kev

fsilva said:


> So you mean that with my EM 32´s i will be able to enjoy the WM1A at the same volumes i´m use to listen with the ZX100?


 
 I can't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to drive them mate.
  
 To me, I could hear the traffic at 75 and the sound was lacking, so had to whack it up to 100 to cut out the traffic and give the sound more body.
  
 I find the sound, right out of the box, rather lacking, when compared to my old ZX2 and I'm returning mine as well.
  
 The UI though, is a major improvement for me.


----------



## Dithyrambes

big kev said:


> I can't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to drive them mate.
> 
> To me, I could hear the traffic at 75 and the sound was lacking, so had to whack it up to 100 to cut out the traffic and give the sound more body.
> 
> ...


 
  
 How long is the return period? Just asking because they recommended caps to be burn in quite a while, and it might change. Still 100 to cut out traffic does not sound like a good thing from a dap


----------



## gerelmx1986

fsilva said:


> At 100?? Damn is the capped version so weak that one has to listen to is so loudly? I´m used to 10 (maximum sometimes 12) on my non capped ZX100


 
 Me too i cant listen past 12


----------



## gerelmx1986

dithyrambes said:


> How long is the return period? Just asking because they recommended caps to be burn in quite a while, and it might change. Still 100 to cut out traffic does not sound like a good thing from a dap


 
 30-days on amazon other stores, don't know, accessoryJack says they don't accept returns unless defected


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> Me too i cant listen past 12


 
 Well it isn't all about the volume.  Beefier amp will always sound better due to more headroom.  Things just sound more powerful and dynamics at even lower volume.  Again, we are not talking about volume here.  If the Euro 1A & 1Z are capped at ZX2 level, then what's the point of buying the Euro 1A & 1Z walkman.  You are basically have a handicapped unit.  The point of getting into the 1A & 1Z is the ability to do balanced and drive more difficult loads.


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> Well it isn't all about the volume.  Beefier amp will always sound better due to more headroom.  Things just sound more powerful and dynamics at even lower volume.  Again, we are not talking about volume here.  If the Euro 1A & 1Z are capped at ZX2 level, then what's the point of buying the Euro 1A & 1Z walkman.  You are basically have a handicapped unit.  The point of getting into the 1A & 1Z is the ability to do balanced and drive more difficult loads.


 
 Yes i know well driven vs under driven phones been there


----------



## Fsilva

Well i´m gonna keep my ZX100 just in case...
 If i´d be able to run the WM1A at around the same volume as the ZX100 and if i notice a good improvement on the SQ i will keep it and sell the ZX100.
 Guy´s thanks for the feedback!


----------



## denis1976

Just to remind that the feedbacks are without even maybe 10 % of the burning process...my zx2 with 10% of burning didn' t play THAT well...i think that play loud or very loud and playing well are totally diferent things...one man once said -the most importante watt is the first one...


----------



## Big Kev

dithyrambes said:


> How long is the return period? Just asking because they recommended caps to be burn in quite a while, and it might change. Still 100 to cut out traffic does not sound like a good thing from a dap


 
 Amazon are pretty good like that, so there shouldn't be any problems with returning it.

 I'd be interested to hear how loud others have theirs at.


----------



## denis1976

Theres one thing very curious about the volume position ,in most of the instagram pictures of the 1a the volume is 90/96/100 and are non caped versions...what about that?


----------



## Nomax

TO ALL MY FRIENDS and FOLLOWERS in EUROPE......MY ONLY WORDS ABOUT THIS DAP FROM SONY.......FORGET IT......NO POWER FOR OVER EARS=NO FUN=NOT WORTH THE MONEY

and i was hoping in this case that this Player would have been better than their Headphone MDR-Z1R

REAGRDS NOMAX


----------



## jmills8

fsilva said:


> So you mean that with my EM 32´s i will be able to enjoy the WM1A at the same volumes i´m use to listen with the ZX100?


zx100 it ONLY goes to 20. On my Dynamic Driver iems I had it at 20 and it was not enough so I added an amp. Same with the zx2 but zx2 sounded slightly stronger.


----------



## bvng3540

I am about to buy the 1a, any one know where I can buy an adaptor for the 4.4mm to 3.5mm?


----------



## Fsilva

jmills8 said:


> zx100 it ONLY goes to 20. On my Dynamic Driver iems I had it at 20 and it was not enough so I added an amp. Same with the zx2 but zx2 sounded slightly stronger.


 
 My ZX100 goes till 30!! And as i´ve said i only listen between 6 and 10 (12 when i had the RHA T20)


----------



## jmills8

fsilva said:


> My ZX100 goes till 30!! And as i´ve said i only listen between 6 and 10 (12 when i had the RHA T20)


weird mine was bought in HK. Either way I attached an amp.


----------



## Fsilva

jmills8 said:


> weird mine was bought in HK. Either way I attached an amp.


----------



## jmills8

fsilva said:


>


your Asian version non capped ?


----------



## Fsilva

Affirmative! Bought it 2nd handed from an head-fier member


----------



## gerelmx1986

nomax said:


> TO ALL MY FRIENDS and FOLLOWERS in EUROPE......MY ONLY WORDS ABOUT THIS DAP FROM SONY.......FORGET IT......NO POWER FOR OVER EARS=NO FUN=NOT WORTH THE MONEY
> 
> and i was hoping in this case that this Player would have been better than their Headphone MDR-Z1R
> 
> REAGRDS NOMAX


 

 ​Where you got it ? europe or outside eu?


----------



## gerelmx1986

fsilva said:


> jmills8 said:
> 
> 
> > weird mine was bought in HK. Either way I attached an amp.


 
 I have three particular songs where i have to pushto the max 30/30 because they were recorded so low


----------



## Fsilva

I never needed to push mine more than 12. You guy´s should be more careful, or are you guy´s attempting to develop an early case of hearing loss


----------



## jmills8

fsilva said:


> I never needed to push mine more than 12. You guy´s should be more careful, or are you guy´s attempting to develop an early case of hearing loss :basshead:


What, what ?


----------



## bvng3540

fsilva said:


> I never needed to push mine more than 12. You guy´s should be more careful, or are you guy´s attempting to develop an early case of hearing loss


 

 12 you on the verge of hearing loss yourself my friend, for my i can barely pass 3


----------



## Fsilva

Sorry but i think i´m speaking to much about the ZX100 when this topic is about the NW-WM1Z and 1A and i don´t want to go to more off topic, so that´s it to me is more than enough to listen with the ZX100 between 6-8 during night time, and during the day outside between 8 and 10. Once i get the WM1A (EU capped version) i will leave my impressions.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Both WM1A and Z have a volumen in the scale of 0 to 120  the equivalent would be between 24 and 50 on the WM1-series i bet on normal gain... when i get my Honkong 1A will corroborate


----------



## Jalo

Can both 3.5 and 4.4 headphone out be on simultaneously?


----------



## gerelmx1986

jalo said:


> Can both 3.5 and 4.4 headphone out be on simultaneously?


 

 Nope, balanced takes priority


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> @nanaholic where did you get the tempered glass?


 
  
 Amazon Japan


----------



## ledzep

big kev said:


> Well I tried the WM1A with my 64 Audio U12's today, with 24 bit FLAC and DSD and had to have the volume at 100 to cut out the traffic noise and the volume cap has knocked it down to 75 a couple of times.
> 
> I've had to have the volume at 100 with my Zeus CIEM and Noble K10U's as well, when out and about.





Should have been more specific with the listening surroundings, I was sat at home with the TV on so a difference in back ground noise to Big Kev's. For me better isolation is the key to cutting out the externals coupled with more sensitive headphones with the "capped" players to make them a viable purchase. I agree if your wanting to drive bigger phones then the Asian version is the way to go, what people don't realise is we all listen to the music above what your eardrum is ok with and I'm living proof as after years of Zeppelin and Floyd I've developed a slight touch of tinnitus and trust me you don't want that ! Plus the fact that it's a portable so I use portable headphones when I want to drive my bigger phones I'm sat at home plugged into my main system in a comfortable arm chair feet up with a beer. 
Still disagree with EU law on volume levels though and it should be optional the volume cap on/off.


----------



## proedros

*amazon.uk has 1A for just 810 pounds.*... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 volume-cap version though, if only it was the international edition 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
  
 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LHGLG3A/ref=dra_a_rv_ss_hn_xx_P3115_100?tag=dradisplay0bb-21&ascsubtag=552a0d394b781409a959d36d35feb320_S


----------



## jmills8

ledzep said:


> Should have been more specific with the listening surroundings, I was sat at home with the TV on so a difference in back ground noise to Big Kev's. For me better isolation is the key to cutting out the externals coupled with more sensitive headphones with the "capped" players to make them a viable purchase. I agree if your wanting to drive bigger phones then the Asian version is the way to go, what people don't realise is we all listen to the music above what your eardrum is ok with and I'm living proof as after years of Zeppelin and Floyd I've developed a slight touch of tinnitus and trust me you don't want that ! Plus the fact that it's a portable so I use portable headphones when I want to drive my bigger phones I'm sat at home plugged into my main system in a comfortable arm chair feet up with a beer.
> Still disagree with EU law on volume levels though and it should be optional the volume cap on/off.


 Have that for thirty years, Im fifty.


----------



## musicday

nomax said:


> TO ALL MY FRIENDS and FOLLOWERS in EUROPE......MY ONLY WORDS ABOUT THIS DAP FROM SONY.......FORGET IT......NO POWER FOR OVER EARS=NO FUN=NOT WORTH THE MONEY
> 
> and i was hoping in this case that this Player would have been better than their Headphone MDR-Z1R
> 
> REAGRDS NOMAX



We appreciate your help my Friend but you need yo give us more details.
Did you listen to a capped/non capped model? What earphones/headphones did you used?
Was the Walkman burned in at least 200 hours and so?
We need to know exactly what you didn't like about it.


----------



## cthomas

musicday said:


> We appreciate your help my Friend but you need yo give us more details.
> Did you listen to a capped/non capped model? What earphones/headphones did you used?
> Was the Walkman burned in at least 200 hours and so?
> We need to know exactly what you didn't like about it.




Also was this balanced or SE? Still curious if this can drive 300ohm cans like HD650.


----------



## denis1976

I think that sony had made a mistake on the zx100 specs maybe is no 15mw+15mw ,is 1500mw x2 ...if in the scale 1 to 30 , 10 is so loud...not even my prevous lotoo Paw gold had that scale sensitivity


----------



## bvng3540

proedros said:


> *amazon.uk has 1A for just 810 pounds.*... :eek:
> 
> volume-cap version though, if only it was the international edition :rolleyes:
> 
> ...




I'm in US how do I buy it and is there any fee added for them to ship to US?


----------



## ledzep

Going off the capped topic slightly , it's the first Walkman I've had since the cassette version , some of you will obviously know this but can you get line out from the 1A/1Z with the bottom / docking connector and any links to leads would be appreciated, might just be a nice match with my RSA blackbird.


----------



## Antihippy

So are there any impressions of the 1a vs zx2?


----------



## nanaholic

ledzep said:


> Going off the capped topic slightly , it's the first Walkman I've had since the cassette version , some of you will obviously know this but can you get line out from the 1A/1Z with the bottom / docking connector and any links to leads would be appreciated, might just be a nice match with my RSA blackbird.


 
  
 No. Line out is removed from WM1 due to design constraints.


----------



## likearake

Can it do USB Audio output to external DAC?


----------



## denis1976

likearake said:


> Can it do USB Audio output to external DAC?


 
 yes


----------



## Fabi

I have tried once an EU capped WM1Z. 
Unfortunately on SE, power is weak, I plugged even my low impedance earphones, I have to set the volume at max. 
On balanced, I tried their new headphone, not enough power, too congested. Btw, their new desktop Dac/amp sounds very analytical, that pairs better with their new cans. 
I was told balanced output is 6x more powerful. And it was no more LO via usb, only as transport via usb. 
The main asset would be its balanced output which is very well built inside but you'll need 4.4mm plugs. 
Even the sony official advised me to prefer the non-capped version from Asia to have more power. 

Besides, on SQ, the WM1Z is one the best soundings daps I've ever heard (901s+balanced card, LPG, plenue S, qp1r, ak380), it has a wide, detailed, delicate sound and tubesque warmth.
I think it's the new king of daps for balanced iems  with its long-lasting playtime, micro sd slot, UI and connectivity.
But you need a huge pocket and the wallet has to be full and it's not my case.


----------



## jmills8

fabi said:


> I have tried once an EU capped WM1Z.
> Unfortunately on SE, power is weak, I plugged even my low impedance earphones, I have to set the volume at max.
> On balanced, I tried their new headphone, not enough power, too congested. Btw, their new desktop Dac/amp sounds very analytical, that pairs better with their new cans.
> I was told balanced output is 6x more powerful. And it was no more LO via usb, only as transport via usb.
> ...


 So if your dap didnt have the volume cap it would be perfect ?


----------



## Fabi

Well, if my wallet was full of cash, that would be the one I'd buy purely on my SQ preference and as a standalone dap, although for my use the weight and no LO would be an issue for me. But I've never tried AK380+amp..


----------



## denis1976

There are lots of negative things about the UE version...but two things in the UE are better , to keep us from being deaf (those who are not yet), and if the normal batery last 30 hours the batery on the UE version should last 60 or 90 hours


----------



## ttt123

On the subject of volume on the WM1A, there is a setting for High Gain.  In Settings/Output Settings/High Gain Output: You can select Stereo Mini Jack and Balanced Standard Jack to have High Gain.  I was trying the WM1A in the store, comparing with the WM1Z, and noticed that I was going to volume of 110 on the WM1A, while the WM1Z was only around 70, so checked the settings, and the WM1Z had the High Gain on, and the WM1A had the High Gain off.  So I turned it on, and the two were then more similar in volume setting.


----------



## Whitigir

ttt123 said:


> On the subject of volume on the WM1A, there is a setting for High Gain.  In Settings/Output Settings/High Gain Output: You can select Stereo Mini Jack and Balanced Standard Jack to have High Gain.  I was trying the WM1A in the store, comparing with the WM1Z, and noticed that I was going to volume of 110 on the WM1A, while the WM1Z was only around 70, so checked the settings, and the WM1Z had the High Gain on, and the WM1A had the High Gain off.  So I turned it on, and the two were then more similar in volume setting.




I believe EU capped Walkman do not have this option.

Direct quote : high-gain feature.

 (The menu item is only available on models sold in certain countries or areas.)

http://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001154052.html

Look around for it in here 

http://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001154740.html


----------



## JamesInLondon

HI All;
  
 Here are my thoughts on the 1A
  

  
 Here it is charging in the cradle I bought for my ZX2, it isn't exactly a secure fit but is does charge, although I never tested the digital output.
  
 Once charged, I first tried it with my Noble K10s, fitted with Black Widow silver cables from Toxic cables, terminated in a TRRS plug; I had formatted 2 micro sd cards with identical tracks and put one in each player; the first track was "Breathe (2AM)" by Anna Nalick; in all honesty my aging ears couldn't ascertain any difference between the two machines. Then I listened to Springsteen's "Backstreets" and the drums and sax were certainly more forward on the 1A; I was impressed and decided to switch the cables from the K10s to my Fostex TH 900 Mk IIs and the same track was suddenly dull and almost distant, so I turned up the volume and after two presses on the + button, I heard a beep and the warning flashed on to the screen. I dismissed it, but even at full volume I hated the sound. So I switched to the ZX2 (US spec) and immediately it sounded better, and I made the decision to return the unit, after having had it for less than 10 hours.
  
 So, yes, I didn't give it time to 'burn in' but, whilst the sound signature of the ZX2 changed after a while, the volume never did; so I don't feel that I was too hasty.
  

  
  

  
 I will be in the US soon & will pick up a US (uncapped) 1Z when I am there.
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## Fabi

whitigir said:


> I believe EU capped Walkman do not have this option.
> 
> Direct quote : high-gain feature.
> 
> ...



Actually on the EU version I've tried, there was 2 settings of gain, it was set on the higher gain, on SE and max volume, just enough to enjoy sensitive and low impedance earphones. That's why SE on EU version would be kind of useless.


----------



## ledzep

nanaholic said:


> No. Line out is removed from WM1 due to design constraints.




So what's the dock for ?


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> So what's the dock for ?




Digital out playing and charging together and never run out of battery


----------



## nanaholic

ledzep said:


> So what's the dock for ?


 
  
 The large dock was released for the ZX series so it supports both analogue line out and digital out (and charging). For the WM1 it is compatible with digital out only since the analogue line is not present.


----------



## Dobrescu George

nomax said:


> TO ALL MY FRIENDS and FOLLOWERS in EUROPE......MY ONLY WORDS ABOUT THIS DAP FROM SONY.......FORGET IT......NO POWER FOR OVER EARS=NO FUN=NOT WORTH THE MONEY
> 
> and i was hoping in this case that this Player would have been better than their Headphone MDR-Z1R
> 
> REAGRDS NOMAX


  
  
 Did you also had a shock when it sounded too quiet with any headphone you tried? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





\
  
 Ie800 are in ears, yet it wasn't able to drive them well. Ie800 need a ton of power. Ie800 are some nice IEMs. 

  
  
 Quote:


musicday said:


> We appreciate your help my Friend but you need yo give us more details.
> Did you listen to a capped/non capped model? What earphones/headphones did you used?
> Was the Walkman burned in at least 200 hours and so?
> We need to know exactly what you didn't like about it.


 
  
 I guess that it confirms my warning. It's a nice DAP but with anything harder to drive, like say an Ultrasone Dj one Pro or a HD650 or over the ear headphones like AKG K550, the power isn't nearly enough to drive them well. 
  
 The volume capped version couldn't drive Sennheiser ie800 anywhere near decent levels, and this is what everybody is trying to warn others about. 
  
 A fiio X5ii drives all headphones much better than the volume capped version.


----------



## Whitigir

fabi said:


> Actually on the EU version I've tried, there was 2 settings of gain, it was set on the higher gain, on SE and max volume, just enough to enjoy sensitive and low impedance earphones. That's why SE on EU version would be kind of useless.




Thanks for confirmation, append Walkman is still useless anyways.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Lol sony shot itself in the foot ><. Too bad no sony rep comes here to read the comments due to being a mega corporation.


----------



## denis1976

I will test my 1A with the Flare R2 Pro that have a very low sensitivity...hard test to begin...


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> Lol sony shot itself in the foot ><. Too bad no sony rep comes here to read the comments due to being a mega corporation.




Sony had been doing that for a while, you are late to the game  . Sonyvores is Sony member of the trade, not sure if he represents anything


----------



## Kiats

Enjoying the 1Z with the FitEar 435/Uber cable this evening. The 435 is probably the most neutral IEM from FitEar. It is lovely as the sonic character of the 1Z shines through nicely: rich, textured and nuanced. Good soundstage because it's the 435.


----------



## ledzep

whitigir said:


> Digital out playing and charging together and never run out of battery



Thanks


----------



## ledzep

nanaholic said:


> The large dock was released for the ZX series so it supports both analogue line out and digital out (and charging). For the WM1 it is compatible with digital out only since the analogue line is not present.



Thanks


----------



## proedros

antihippy said:


> So are there any impressions of the 1a vs zx2?


 
  
 +1


----------



## proedros

kiats said:


> Enjoying the 1Z with the *FitEar 435*/Uber cable this evening. The 435 is probably the most neutral IEM from FitEar. It is lovely as the sonic character of the 1Z shines through nicely: rich, textured and nuanced. Good soundstage because it's the 435.


 
  
 i really wanna try this ciem , but i know it's almost impossible to get it , not being in Japan

 ah the disease is strong


----------



## gerelmx1986

dobrescu george said:


> nomax said:
> 
> 
> > TO ALL MY FRIENDS and FOLLOWERS in EUROPE......MY ONLY WORDS ABOUT THIS DAP FROM SONY.......FORGET IT......NO POWER FOR OVER EARS=NO FUN=NOT WORTH THE MONEY
> ...


 
 That's why i prefer to risk paying import tax adand use accessoryJack (though i have never been charged import tax from asia)


----------



## denis1976

Arrived


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Not much with 1A. Either keep the Zx2 or get the 1Z or wait for the next model 





dithyrambes said:


> For those who heard the zx2 and habe the wm1a....could you comment if there is a sonic difference? I just tried this qp1r and was disappointed so I'm going back to the sony house sound. On the fence what to purchase. Wm1z too far off a stretch


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Isn't that version the 'b grade' version?





gerelmx1986 said:


> That's why i prefer to risk paying import tax adand use accessoryJack (though i have never been charged import tax from asia)


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiobreeder said:


> Isn't that version the 'b grade' version?


 
 How B-grade? you meant japanese? No, it is asia-pacific (international) version  (hong kong based store) has english and no vol. cap


----------



## Bill Wang

Hey guys, I didnt know the volume cap until I saw this post (thank you guys) but I saw the wm1a in UK dropped, around $880 dollars so I purchased right away even i know it has the cap  the price was just so good you know.  Well, it has not shipped yet and I am still able to cancel the item. I am currently live in nyc now will go back to china soon, in china wm1a is around $1050.  So do you guys think I should cancel it and buy the asian uncapped version or this one? and I have chinese uncapped version zx1, i feel like my hearing is pretty good, and I actually turned on the volume cap on my zx1(it has avls volume cap and its optional),and I listen to kinda low volume too. my headphone and earphones are mdr1a, ckr10, ck90pro.   just wanna ask how bad is the volume cap on eu version wm1a is it really that terrible. please give me some advice thanks


----------



## denis1976

Ok after half an hour of listen, first impressions , not has romantic has zx2 , good stage , good detail, more LPG type of sound than zx2, power wise with the Flare 90 to 100 more than enough, with the ie800 will be less because they have more sensitivity, great UI and build quality, i don't know how you folks are listening to it , i am with direct source "on" , i respect but don't understand all the negative things, i will keep update with the burn hours


----------



## Bill Wang

u talking about 1a right   is it capped?


----------



## denis1976

bill wang said:


> u talking about 1a right   is it capped?


i think so , is got the CE in the side


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> bill wang said:
> 
> 
> > u talking about 1a right   is it capped?
> ...


 
 yes definitevly capped, got the CE, you're doomed (with hungry cans)


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> yes definitevly capped, got the CE, you're doomed (with hungry cans)


that don't worries me , the sound with iems has body and good bass even at low volumes, thats what i like


----------



## musicday

Imagine this: one pays full price for either the aluminium or the gold Walkman without knowing about the volume cap,and when take it home is got a big surprise.
I would not even pay 100 USD for a capped Walkman.This is sad. Apparently only Sony does it.


----------



## Jalo

musicday said:


> Imagine this: one pays full price for either the aluminium or the gold Walkman without knowing about the volume cap,and when take it home is got a big surprise.
> I would not even pay 100 USD for a capped Walkman.This is sad. Apparently only Sony does it.


 
 So true.  And think about what will that do to the resale value further down the road when you want to sell the capped version.  Who is going to buy it when they can buy an uncapped version.


----------



## denis1976

musicday said:


> Imagine this: one pays full price for either the aluminium or the gold Walkman without knowing about the volume cap,and when take it home is got a big surprise.
> I would not even pay 100 USD for a capped Walkman.This is sad. Apparently only Sony does it.


Loudness and SQ are diferent things i am very excited about earing this in balanced...if loudness was so important no one would buy a Tera player...


----------



## Fsilva

denis1976 said:


> Arrived


 
  
 Is it the capped version? Do you find it weak in terms of soundwise, volume, ect?


----------



## denis1976

For my iems it plays (even caped ) louder and , most important stronger than the Tera my friend


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> For my iems it plays (even caped ) louder and , most important stronger than the Tera my friend


 
 better than the famed Tera wow


----------



## denis1976

fsilva said:


> Is it the capped version? Do you find it weak in terms of soundwise, volume, ect?


like i said i don't use to listen to extremely high levels , i don't want to damage the one thing that gives me such a pleasure , that is earing...with the Flare iems that should have a sens arround 96 to 100 dbs top, the volume at 100 is to loud for me in 99% of the music that i have, and from that to 120 the volume gives a big jump, but what i am enjoying is that the sound is thick and the bass has very good punch, ok hard headphones will be diferent , but even uncaped 60mw into 16 ohms wount do miracles, the answer to me is on the balanced jack...and yes is got that warning at volume 75 (1st time) so its "caped"


----------



## Fsilva

I feel you. I also like to protect my ears. Still trying to sort out somethings with the guy who is selling the WM1A, once all is sorted out i will proceed with the purchase! Thanks for the feedback my fellow countryman!


----------



## purk

denis1976 said:


> like i said i don't use to listen to extremely high levels , i don't want to damage the one thing that gives me such a pleasure , that is earing...with the Flare iems that should have a sens arround 96 to 100 dbs top, the volume at 100 is to loud for me in 99% of the music that i have, and from that to 120 the volume gives a big jump, but what i am enjoying is that the sound is thick and the bass has very good punch, ok hard headphones will be diferent , but even uncaped 60mw into 16 ohms wount do miracles, the answer to me is on the balanced jack...and yes is got that warning at volume 75 (1st time) so its "caped"


 
 If you are happy then it should really not matter.  I for one what a DAP with more power so that I can listen to the Z7 or my HD800 without the need of additional amplification.


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> If you are happy then it should really not matter.  I for one what a DAP with more power so that I can listen to the Z7 or my HD800 without the need of additional amplification.


 
 Reason i bought mine from hong kong, despite the wait i am sure i will be happy with ti driving my MDR-Z7s (will be mine in three weeks)


----------



## Whitigir

purk said:


> If you are happy then it should really not matter.  I for one what a DAP with more power so that I can listen to the Z7 or my HD800 without the need of additional amplification.




I do too, and it is the point of the new WM series. Everything is designed and dedicated toward headphones and quality audio performances.


----------



## musicday

denis1976 said:


> For my iems it plays (even caped ) louder and , most important stronger than the Tera my friend



I bet you can't even listen half way with my Tera Player with Tralucent Ref1 Too or Plus5 or other compatible IEM.
I am extremely happy with the Tera Player.Another thing will be, can you keep it for 4 years from now,or you will sell it in few months when a new player is out? Probably not as your Walkman will become very lagging and slow but Tera will be blazing fast like in the first day.
Is ther a point to mention about fatigue sound and other things?
Happy listening


----------



## Bill Wang

Ok, but i mean the capped one you can still turn up the volume right?  it just has a warning  besides that nothing different..


----------



## nc8000

bill wang said:


> Ok, but i mean the capped one you can still turn up the volume right?  it just has a warning  besides that nothing different..




It has the warning plus the absolute max is a lot less than the uncapped


----------



## Bill Wang

all right so it's definitely not worth it  even its much cheaper.....I think i am gonna cancel my order


----------



## Whitigir

bill wang said:


> all right so it's definitely not worth it  even its much cheaper.....I think i am gonna cancel my order




I don't think that it is. In my opinion, it defeats 1/2 the purposes of improvements from Zx2.


----------



## Bill Wang

oh u r the one who bought from uk amazon and left the comment, so i really don't know what to do now   should I cancel the capped wm1a or  maybe wait until it arrives and listen   even I dont like it i can return   but i mean most people are saying capped version is terrible so maybe i should just cancel it   less trouble    what do u think?


----------



## Dobrescu George

bill wang said:


> all right so it's definitely not worth it  even its much cheaper.....I think i am gonna cancel my order


 
  
 Let's put it this way: It's a risk. I'm a loud listener by default and I listen to loud music. At absolute max volume it was barely enough to satsify me. 
  
 But if you're a really quiet listener, it might be enough. 
  
 You can risk or not. 
  
 Like buying a product locally. I can buy a product locally and have insurance, or save a few money and buy it from outside and have a questionable amount of insurance, especially shipping costs. 
  
 You might fall in love with HD600 or HD650 or Audeze headphones or ie800 IEMs or something hard to drive and be unsatisfied with the max volume, and at this price, that's quite sad. 
  
 The device is still good, and for most part you can use it and enjoy it. The sound is very coherent and on the warm side with the non capped version, and the soundstage is good, details are ok. But some cans are just built to be more juice friendly, and if the device is going to weight a healthy weight, might as well drive those headphones.


----------



## purk

bill wang said:


> all right so it's definitely not worth it  even its much cheaper.....I think i am gonna cancel my order


 
  
  


whitigir said:


> I don't think that it is. In my opinion, it defeats 1/2 the purposes of improvements from Zx2.


 
 To me, the appeal of getting into the 1A or 1Z is the ability to drive more difficult loads such as the Z7 or HD800 or even the HE1000.  A portable device that may supplant some mid-grade desktop gears out there.  Plus the ZX2 has more features.  If you intend only to use CIEMs only, then it should not matter to you.


----------



## Whitigir

bill wang said:


> oh u r the one who bought from uk amazon and left the comment, so i really don't know what to do now   should I cancel the capped wm1a or  maybe wait until it arrives and listen   even I dont like it i can return   but i mean most people are saying capped version is terrible so maybe i should just cancel it   less trouble    what do u think?




I would rather wait for non capped version. Even used market would still keep it pricing better than any EU capped unit. You are getting what you paid for.


----------



## ckZA

Evening folks. Been looking for a dap since the X7 and decided to go for the A1. Was eyeing the DP-X1 and the A1 and decided on the A1 since I need battery time galore.
  
 Have three silly questions:
  
 1.) Buying from HK or Japan I assume this will be the non capped ones right?
 2.) If I buy from HK or Japan, will it be possible to change the language to Engrish? Feel silly for asking.
  
 Thanks in advance!


----------



## purk

whitigir said:


> I would rather wait for non capped version. Even used market would still keep it pricing better than any EU capped unit. You are getting what you paid for.


 
 Yup, agreed.  I experienced the EU capped unit before and I sold it immediately afterward.  The ability to drive full-size phones is a great thing to have and those are the biggest selling point of the 1A & 1Z.


----------



## Bill Wang

thanks for ur advice,  u r right  I think it won't be worth it to spend this much money on a capped one, and i might want to drive those hard ones even I dont have those for now


----------



## Bill Wang

thx i'll cancel my order now!!


----------



## denis1976

musicday said:


> I bet you can't even listen half way with my Tera Player with Tralucent Ref1 Too or Plus5 or other compatible IEM.
> I am extremely happy with the Tera Player.Another thing will be, can you keep it for 4 years from now,or you will sell it in few months when a new player is out? Probably not as your Walkman will become very lagging and slow but Tera will be blazing fast like in the first day.
> Is ther a point to mention about fatigue sound and other things?
> Happy listening


your tera must be turbo charged, don't forget that a had one in the past and sold it...


----------



## Bill Wang

sorry can i ask one more question? I also purchased the sony zr7 speaker on Uk amazon the price was also cheaper than elsewhere  and I asked the customer service  he told me unlike wm1a this speaker doesn't have volume cap.  do you know anything about it?


----------



## musicday

bill wang said:


> thx i'll cancel my order now!!



If i were you i will do so right away.Not worth it in my opinion.


----------



## Bengkia369

Some have hearing problems I guess, I have no issues with capped version


----------



## Zaroff

bengkia369 said:


> Some have hearing problems I guess, I have no issues with capped version


 
  
 Some want to drive something harder than sensitive IEMs, I guess?


----------



## Whitigir

bengkia369 said:


> Some have hearing problems I guess, I have no issues with capped version




Wait, you are in Singapore and you bought a capped version ? Imported from U.K. ? That is awesome lol....and yeah, we all have hearing problems when it come to a weak dap VS hard to drive headphones such as Zx2 and HD800


----------



## gerelmx1986

ckza said:


> Evening folks. Been looking for a dap since the X7 and decided to go for the A1. Was eyeing the DP-X1 and the A1 and decided on the A1 since I need battery time galore.
> 
> Have three silly questions:
> 
> ...


 
 1)right non-capped

 2)Japan models are japanese-only, HK supports english so better go with hong kong one, I bought a zx100  ayear ago and it had engl.


----------



## musicday

Yes but the AccessoryJack won't sell the gold model,many are interested in that one only including me


----------



## denis1976

Last news ie800 caped 1A volume 80....good


----------



## denis1976

And yes my caped 1A plays louder and stronger than my previous caped zx2 in SE imagine in balanced...


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> Last news ie800 caped 1A volume 80....good


 
  
  


denis1976 said:


> And yes my caped 1A plays louder and stronger than my previous caped zx2 in SE imagine in balanced...


 
 Imagine the Hong kong version non-capped must be superb


----------



## audionewbi

I'll be happy with z1 if it pairs with hd800s in balance form.


----------



## denis1976

I think that the diference between the caped and non caped version is not the volume cap but the absence of the high gain selector


----------



## musicday

denis1976 said:


> I think that the diference between the caped and non caped version is not the volume cap but the absence of the high gain selector



The difference between the two should be the caped model should be sold with a solution for the user to remove the limiter at his own risk,etc.
Exactly like releasing the bootloader on mobile phones to allow root to be performed,UI modified and so on.


----------



## nc8000

musicday said:


> The difference between the two should be the caped model should be sold with a solution for the user to remove the limiter at his own risk,etc.
> Exactly like releasing the bootloader on mobile phones to allow root to be performed,UI modified and so on.




Yes it should but EU law does not allow that


----------



## Dobrescu George

nc8000 said:


> Yes it should but EU law does not allow that


 
  
 We have to stop buying the capped units until EU law changes. 
  
 There is no other way around it!!!


----------



## Dobrescu George

bengkia369 said:


> Some have hearing problems I guess, I have no issues with capped version


 
  
 Here's an anime girl listening music to ease you up. No flaming in here please. 
  

  
  
 Metal people listen to loud metal music, if you're a classical people it's cool, I have my moments of classical, jazz, cabaret and such, but there are people who need power. 
  
 Also, try plugging in a full sized hard to drive headphone before making this statement. Like a HD800 or a HD650 or an LCD2 or an LCD4 or even an ultrasone Dj one pro headphone. 
  
 Don't assume that it'll be okay for absolutely everybody - and don't give advice that it's okay to be volume capped on other's people money. 
  
 There are thousand of headphones returned to shops because the person buying didn't have anything to drive it with, let's be real, there are headphones that sound magical out of a smartphone and headphones that need juice. 
  
 WM1Z can drive well enough anything bellow AKg K550. It can drive most in ears, (probably the only one it can't is ie800), and half of headphones out there. It fares well, from this standpoint.


----------



## purk

audionewbi said:


> I'll be happy with z1 if it pairs with hd800s in balance form.


 
 That's my goal as well and the QP1R & LPG are able to pull that off but I hope that the Z can do even more wonder.


----------



## gerelmx1986

dobrescu george said:


> WM1Z can drive well enough anything bellow AKg K550. It can drive most in ears, (probably the only one it can't is ie800), and half of headphones out there. It fares well, from this standpoint.


 
 AKG 550 are 32-ohm impedance according to the site, Z7 are 70-ohm, sennheirser HD800 are more ohmnage than z7 so also wondering how the 1A/Z will fare with these


----------



## Fsilva

I´m a metal guy and i listen to it in moderate volumes! But i understand your point. The issue with the capped versions seems to be with hungrier headphones, iems, etc


----------



## Dobrescu George

fsilva said:


> I´m a metal guy and i listen to it in moderate volumes! But i understand your point. The issue with the capped versions seems to be with hungrier headphones, iems, etc


 
  
 Yeah, with easy to drive, it can be up to ears bleeding levels. And the number of hard to drive headphnes and IEMs is not that high. But they are the most chosen by most audio enthusiasts due to their specific sound.


----------



## harmonix

dobrescu george said:


> I guess that it confirms my warning. It's a nice DAP but with anything harder to drive, like say an Ultrasone Dj one Pro or a HD650 or over the ear headphones like AKG K550, the power isn't nearly enough to drive them well.
> 
> The volume capped version couldn't drive Sennheiser ie800 anywhere near decent levels, and this is what everybody is trying to warn others about.
> 
> A fiio X5ii drives all headphones much better than the volume capped version.




Did you set to hi-gain? Yes folks there is a hi gain switch. It will bump it up by about 25-30 volume steps to my ears.


----------



## echineko

harmonix said:


> Did you set to hi-gain? Yes folks there is a hi gain switch. It will bump it up by about 25-30 volume steps to my ears.



Not according to the documentation? Which switch are you referring to?

helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001154029.html


----------



## ChiAki

Well it's not exactly a hardware switch. It's imbedded inside the menu for output settings.


----------



## echineko

chiaki said:


> Well it's not exactly a hardware switch. It's imbedded inside the menu for output settings.



Ahh, interesting. You'd think they'd make stuff like that more obvious


----------



## Jackson 6

The Senn's roll at 300 ohms, and have aways needed a full scale amp.


----------



## Jalo

purk said:


> That's my goal as well and the QP1R & LPG are able to pull that off but I hope that the Z can do even more wonder.



I think you are the one that made the point that it is not about loudness and volume, two daps can give you the same level of loudness but the one with more power will give you better sound with more body, dynamics etc. It is about better sound and that is what most of us are paying for with this dap. Furthermore, with more and more DD iems coming out like the Campfire Vega, even iems now can use a lot more power to shine. For the amount that we pay for, I hate to be limited to only listen to sensitive and easy to drive phone and If I decide to upgrade to something requiring more power then I may run into problems with my dap.


----------



## gerelmx1986

chiaki said:


> Well it's not exactly a hardware switch. It's imbedded inside the menu for output settings.


 
 and do you know if the hong Kong versión has the gain settings option?


----------



## Fsilva

A couple of days ago i´ve found a 2nd handed WM1A for sale at amazon.co.uk and i made an offer to the seller, for my surprise the seller agreed with my offer and he emailed informing that he would ask amazon to send me the details so that i could proceed with the payment. So this afternoon i receive the following email from "amazon" informing me to transfer the money in order for them to ship the WM1A to me.
 Well this email does not seem legit to me, there are some misspelling errors on the email, i do not recognize the email address where it was originated from, and also i never bought nothing from amazon were i had to transfer money to a bank account.
  
 Sorry for the maybe "dumb" question but is this email legit?
  
 I´ve already contacted amazon.co.uk using their chat service and i was informed that i would be receiving an email from their support team, but nothing until now.
  
 Also the WM1A had "disappeared" from amazon´s website and i could not find anything from the "seller"
 I´m sorry for the off-topic but i just don´t want to be scammed and the price seems to good to be true


----------



## Whitigir

Don't be scammed, those tricks are as old as a dead horse...so please, stop beating on it  unless u want to suffer it rotten smell


----------



## bvng3540

fsilva said:


> A couple of days ago i´ve found a 2nd handed WM1A for sale at amazon.co.uk and i made an offer to the seller, for my surprise the seller agreed with my offer and he emailed informing that he would ask amazon to send me the details so that i could proceed with the payment. So this afternoon i receive the following email from "amazon" informing me to transfer the money in order for them to ship the WM1A to me.
> Well this email does not seem legit to me, there are some misspelling errors on the email, i do not recognize the email address where it was originated from, and also i never bought nothing from amazon were i had to transfer money to a bank account.
> 
> Sorry for the maybe "dumb" question but is this email legit?
> ...


 
  
 for $500 pounds, seem like fraud to me, anything that seem too be good to be true, ALWAYS FRAUD


----------



## gerelmx1986

fsilva said:


> A couple of days ago i´ve found a 2nd handed WM1A for sale at amazon.co.uk and i made an offer to the seller, for my surprise the seller agreed with my offer and he emailed informing that he would ask amazon to send me the details so that i could proceed with the payment. So this afternoon i receive the following email from "amazon" informing me to transfer the money in order for them to ship the WM1A to me.
> Well this email does not seem legit to me, there are some misspelling errors on the email, i do not recognize the email address where it was originated from, and also i never bought nothing from amazon were i had to transfer money to a bank account.
> 
> Sorry for the maybe "dumb" question but is this email legit?
> ...


 

 Amazon never has sent me a payment reques per email, that's a major RED FLAG. I usually click add to cart and the check-out an d pay with my card


----------



## Fsilva

That´s what i thought, but the original price was more than 800GBP and since it was on amazon it seemed real, i just decided to contact the seller and offer 500€ since on the details he mentioned it was a demo unit that they had in stock. It was a long shot, after a day the guy replied back to me accepting my offer...


----------



## Fsilva

Well the dream is for now over, no WM1A for me and this issue was reported to amazon.co.uk. Damn i was happy thinking i was able to score a good deal!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quote: 





fsilva said:


> Well the dream is for now over, no WM1A for me and this issue was reported to amazon.co.uk. Damn i was happy thinking i was able to score a good deal!


 

 ​As a note I am a Software engineer, and well LOL  i fell into a trap like this , there was this email on my inbox that i had won some american Airlines trips to germany and I learned the hard way after a virus killed my Windows 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Fortunately was just the Windows and not my bank account
  
 Amazon, american Airlines, Aeroméxico, accessoryJack, sony, *every e-commerce website you mention after paying on the site, they will send an email confirming your order*, never an email with details for payments. *amazon in particular has 3rd party seller ratings... always look at those ratings and HOW MANY USERS HAVE RATED THEM*
  
 i Paid full Price with accessoryJack and got my email of confirmation


----------



## Fsilva

I know, the thing is that i saw the advertised 2nd handed WM1A last Sunday at Amazon.co.uk and with all the details and stuff, and i contacted the seller. On Monday he replied back to me saying that he accepts my offer and will reserverthe item for me and will contact amazon to setup a new deal with my offer. And when this afternoon i received this email i suspected to be a fraud because i had never paid something through amazon like that...well i was not harmed and i had not loose any money, just lost my high hopes on scoring what seemed to be a good deal!


----------



## ChiAki

gerelmx1986 said:


> and do you know if the hong Kong versión has the gain settings option?


 
 I have no clue. Sorry.


----------



## Decreate

gerelmx1986 said:


> and do you know if the hong Kong versión has the gain settings option?


 It does.


----------



## gerelmx1986

decreate said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > and do you know if the hong Kong versión has the gain settings option?
> ...


 

 ​Thanks woohooo, hope by next week AJ ships my order, damn i can't wait any longer


----------



## jhlin09

Listened to it for a day SE and via Direct Source feature on the Walkman (No EQ). I am pairing this with my K10s. I must say the music presentation is different from that of the ZX2. The soundstage is more rounded, spacious and forward as compared to the ZX2. Smooth sounding and more detailed than the ZX2, I could effortlessly pick up the minute details in the track. I am 150% satisfied with the WM1A


----------



## gerelmx1986

jhlin09 said:


> Listened to it for a day SE and via Direct Source feature on the Walkman (No EQ). I am pairing this with my K10s. I must say the music presentation is different from that of the ZX2. The soundstage is more rounded, spacious and forward as compared to the ZX2. Smooth sounding and more detailed than the ZX2, I could effortlessly pick up the minute details in the track. I am 150% satisfied with the WM1A


 

 how is a rounded soundstage? please explain, tnx, you mean more enveloping 3D-ness more tan just "front-row" presentation?


----------



## cthomas

jhlin09 said:


> Listened to it for a day SE and via Direct Source feature on the Walkman (No EQ). I am pairing this with my K10s. I must say the music presentation is different from that of the ZX2. The soundstage is more rounded, spacious and forward as compared to the ZX2. Smooth sounding and more detailed than the ZX2, I could effortlessly pick up the minute details in the track. I am 150% satisfied with the WM1A




What's included in the box? I'm guessing no case but do you get port covers or a screen protector. Also, congrats!


----------



## unknownguardian

jhlin09 said:


> Listened to it for a day SE and via Direct Source feature on the Walkman (No EQ). I am pairing this with my K10s. I must say the music presentation is different from that of the ZX2. The soundstage is more rounded, spacious and forward as compared to the ZX2. Smooth sounding and more detailed than the ZX2, I could effortlessly pick up the minute details in the track. I am 150% satisfied with the WM1A




you gotten yours locally in singapore?


----------



## Cagin

musicday said:


> Imagine this: one pays full price for either the aluminium or the gold Walkman without knowing about the volume cap,and when take it home is got a big surprise.
> I would not even pay 100 USD for a capped Walkman.This is sad. Apparently only Sony does it.


 
 Yeah,
 And the Sony ZX2 (capped) is still sold for 1200euros here in Belgium...
 Got mine 830eur from Japan, resold 500 here.
  
 My father's in Rammstein, Germany at the moment, I'm just trying my luck, asked him if they might either at the AAFES BX there.
 Otherwise I'll get one by Accessory Jack I guess. I'm still burned by PriceJapan&DP-X1, but I would go with them again, or any other grey importer, if they can offer extended warranty service.
  
 IIRC, someone had said Sony centre in Tokyo would have the international version with 3 year warranty after the intial JPN local unit launch. Sony Centre doesn't sell worldwide by chance? 
  
 ps: for those following the 'fluid' live development of the elections, well if the USD falls, might be cheaper to get a non capped 1A or 1Z from the US instead of Asia x-D


----------



## gerelmx1986

Cagin said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah,
> And the Sony ZX2 (capped) is still sold for 1200euros here in Belgium...
> Got mine 830eur from Japan, resold 500 here.
> 
> ...


 
 German WM1s would be also capped, be careful!
  
 The japan local unit is japanese-only no chance of english (only the tourist one, available only in japanese sony stores)
  
 Advice get the AJ one


----------



## Cagin

gerelmx1986 said:


> German WM1s would be also cappedbe careful!


 
 Yeah of course if they do happen to have it, I'd ask if it has a CE on the box. I'm hoping it'd be a US unit, being the Air Force's Exchange trading post. It's a long shot by a wide margin but hope is the last to die hey.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Cagin said:
			
		

> *ps: for those following the 'fluid' live development of the elections, well if the USD falls*, might be cheaper to get a non capped 1A or 1Z from the US instead of Asia x-D


 
 The Mexican peso already tumbled and fell HARD bought my USD for foodies in Miami airport  at 18.75 pesos per USD and my WM1A got charged at 19.something pesos per USD and now is at nearly 21 pesos


----------



## jhlin09

cthomas said:


> What's included in the box? I'm guessing no case but do you get port covers or a screen protector. Also, congrats!




Only the WM-port cable and a strap is provided with the WM1A. I purchased a matte screen protector (applied in the picture) and the port covers separately. Only the Japaese models are supplied with the port covers.



gerelmx1986 said:


> how is a rounded soundstage? please explain, tnx, you mean more enveloping 3D-ness more tan just "front-row" presentation?




I've owned the ZX2 since its release, and Im confident to say WM1A's soundstage is definitely more expansive (but not overly separated). On some tracks, I could hear the background instruments more clearly than the ZX2. 



unknownguardian said:


> you gotten yours locally in singapore?




Yes, through preorder. It will only be oficially released next week in SG.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Does 1Z and 1A offer USB input to use as a DAC/amp?


----------



## nanaholic

hifiguy528 said:


> Does 1Z and 1A offer USB input to use as a DAC/amp?


 
  
 No.


----------



## audionewbi

purk said:


> That's my goal as well and the QP1R & LPG are able to pull that off but I hope that the Z can do even more wonder.


 
 If I do happen to get it before you I will surely report back but most likely not, as I still have to get the 4.4mm balance cable for HD800s.


----------



## denis1976

dobrescu george said:


> Here's an anime girl listening music to ease you up. No flaming in here please.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


hello , the 1A/1Z can't drive the ie800? Sorry but you must have a fake ones, or you don't know what drive is, this is an absurd...


----------



## denis1976

I agree with in part with you, because the ie800 are not the easy to drive , the sensitivity specs of 125db are for 1 volt not for 1 mw that gives more or less 110 to 115 db in to 1mw, but even so my 1A drives them very well with good stage bass and not strident sound


----------



## nanaholic

denis1976 said:


> I agree with in part with you, because the ie800 are not the easy to drive , the sensitivity specs of 125db are for 1 volt not for 1 mw that gives more or less 110 to 115 db in to 1mw, but even so my 1A drives them very well with good stage bass and not strident sound


 
  
 The ie800 has an impedance of 16ohms according to the spec sheet.  The WM1 SE outputs 60mW into a 16ohm load, do an actual maths conversion it should give near 1Vrms, so the full 125db should be reached......
  
 Plus if you recable it to run off the balance output I would see no reason the WM1 won't drive the ie800 to make you go deaf.....
  
 Not really seeing how the WM1 would be insufficient to drive the ie800 going off the spec sheet....


----------



## bvng3540

I don't see why most people here have a problem with the volumes, most must be deaf or something, I owned zx2 and zx100 and can't barely pass 3 and I work in a very noisy environment


----------



## musicday

bvng3540 said:


> I don't see why most people here have a problem with the volumes, most must be deaf or something, I owned zx2 and zx100 and can't barely pass 3 and I work in a very noisy environment



Is not really about the volume,is about what you get for your money and obviously out there being capped and non capped versions people prefer the non capped,not to mention about the pop up message warning you etc.
Very few buy the capped version and they do that not realising.


----------



## nanaholic

Let the burning begin on the other side


----------



## ckZA

I kinda stalled when I was about to place my order for the A1 on the Sony Hong Kong store - the purchase in non refundable and I also don't know if they have stock (bit pressed for time - 2x business trips coming up so I would like to get it to me next week).
  
 I can ship from a few places, Hong Kong and Singapore included. *Are there some good online shops in these countries that I can buy it from?* This way I can ask for stock and also double check the version they selling.
  
 Thanks in advance!


----------



## unknownguardian

nanaholic said:


> Let the burning begin on the other side



Nice! How's the flexibility/stiffness of the cable?


----------



## nanaholic

unknownguardian said:


> Nice! How's the flexibility/stiffness of the cable?


 
  
 It's a deceivingly flexible cable despite its looks, but I already knew that since they let me try it out in September at the Sony Ginza store which is why I had no hesitation in buying it right away instead of waiting for third party ones.


----------



## Cecala

nanaholic said:


> Let the burning begin on the other side


 

 I have to applaud Sony for their designs over the years. The current 1A/Z are a prime example, very beautiful and functional in practice, especially the 1Z. The Gold colour in person is very nice and tastefully executed. The side buttons are also masterfully done. This Dap belongs in the New York Museum of Modern art.
 .


----------



## echineko

Here's a question I've not considered before, the new WM series no longer have a digital line out, am I right? So the only way to use them with something like a Hugo (as I do currently with my ZX2 sometimes) would be via the 3.5mm output? Or is that even possible?

Anyone tried this with their WM series and the Hugo/Mojo?


----------



## Dobrescu George

denis1976 said:


> hello , the 1A/1Z can't drive the ie800? Sorry but you must have a fake ones, or you don't know what drive is, this is an absurd...


 
  
 Well, my ie800 was exchanged by Sennheiser official 3 times, so no question about them being fake. 
  
 Yeah, 1Z was able to drive them, but not properly. 
  
 There is a difference between raw volume and good sound. Ie800 needs more power than any other IEM I tested to date... 
  
 EDIT::: 1Z is too quiet, it doesn't mean I turned it all the way to it's max possible volume using ie800, that would had been too loud. But ie800 scales very well with better source and more power. There is a difference in the articulation of each note with ie800 when there is not enough juice, even though the volume is enough. Even my capped phone can drive ie800 to being too loud, doesn't mean it drives ie800 well...


----------



## Whitigir

dobrescu george said:


> Well, my ie800 was exchanged by Sennheiser official 3 times, so no question about them being fake.
> 
> Yeah, 1Z was able to drive them, but not properly.
> 
> There is a difference between raw volume and good sound. Ie800 needs more power than any other IEM I tested to date...




1Z capped ? Or non capped ? Please be clear.


----------



## Dobrescu George

whitigir said:


> 1Z capped ? Or non capped ? Please be clear.


 
  
 Capped. I haven't heard the non capped version, sorry... 
  
 EDIT ::: The sound was good, but there is a specific sound when there is not enough power in the capped versions. Simply put, it's not about volume, it's about control.


----------



## Whitigir

dobrescu george said:


> Capped. I haven't heard the non capped version, sorry...




No worry, I thought so. The non capped was advertised to be able to drive full size headphones with high gain on by Sony. Given the Z1R a very easy to drive headphones, but at the least the 800 won't be. A problem


----------



## denis1976

dobrescu george said:


> Well, my ie800 was exchanged by Sennheiser official 3 times, so no question about them being fake.
> 
> Yeah, 1Z was able to drive them, but not properly.
> 
> ...


there you go , when i say that drives the ie800 very well i say that the sound is balanced with good stage and good bass , loud even the fiio x5 would do , but the sound is thin and he treble is peaky, so for me the 1A drives the ie800 way better than the x5 , i am not talking about loudness


----------



## CraftyClown

dobrescu george said:


> Capped. I haven't heard the non capped version, sorry...
> 
> EDIT ::: The sound was good, but there is a specific sound when there is not enough power in the capped versions. Simply put, it's not about volume, it's about control.


 

 ​Sorry, can you explain what you mean by this? If there is enough power to drive them to a suitable volume, how does control come in to it?


----------



## Dobrescu George

To qute myself. My phone is a bad capped phone. It sounds awful. I know it can't drive ie800 nor ultrasone dj one pro. It doesn't meet the power nor the voltage requirments to drive them. 
  
 But the sound can be loud enough to cause a headache and to cause ultrasone dj one pro to literally vibrate over my head at max volume. 
  
 1Z capped was extremely quiet compared to other DAPs at similar % of their maxed volumes (Say Fiio x5 at 80% of max volume was considerably louder, and extremely clear compared to 1z at the same volume, which was clear but quiet), but the power was literally not enough to offer the control over the headphones that other DAPs have. 
  


craftyclown said:


> ​Sorry, can you explain what you mean by this? If there is enough power to drive them to a suitable volume, how does control come in to it?


 
  
 Because it doesn't control the bass - where the bass is too slow / decays badly / is not tight enough, and the treble is rolled off. The sound is lazy and not 
  


denis1976 said:


> there you go , when i say that drives the ie800 very well i say that the sound is balanced with good stage and good bass , loud even the fiio x5 would do , but the sound is thin and he treble is peaky, so for me the 1A drives the ie800 way better than the x5 , i am not talking about loudness


  

 This is the thing, I like X5ii + ie800 combo more because the treble has more life to it and the sound is tighter. I hate when the sound is bloated and when the treble is rolled off. 
  
 Maybe we all have such different tastes that we can only trust our own ears and tastes.
  
  
  
  
 Where do I take my tastes in music? Live performance. Please don't tell me how live cymbals sound like and that treble is smooth live. It's like someone screeching nails on a blackboard, and anything smoother is just lazy and cheap for me. I grown up surrounded by bands and live music, when music is smooth, when bass is not tight, it's lazy. 
  
 And 70% of people prefer this type of smooth, relaxing, beautiful, melodic sound. Why? Because it's reminiscient of old music. A lot of the old music was recorded very poorly and people loved it like that. That doesn't make that music neither well recorded nor natural sounding. Just bad recorded. Yeah, flame me, jump on me, flag my posts, but whoever was part of a band knows what a cymbal hit is and how it should sound. I'm not angry or anything nor am I flaming anyone, just saying all I find is lazy sound. It's smooth, it's relaxing, but its so very far from the sound that should be. Now this is a problem when you listen to say metal like La dispute, Protest the Hero, Metallica, Amon Amarth, Attila, Eskimo Callboy, The Offspring, NoFx, Sirenia, Sonata Arctica, Haggard, and the list goes on.
  
 Some of these you will consider horrible loud bands, but their sound is actually true to what music sounds like and the sound I love. Dulling their sound makes them way less enjoyable... 
  
 On every single headphone, amp, DAC, DAP out there I bump the treble by 5-12db by default, while with Fiio x5ii + ie800, it is perfect with no EQ. So yeah, besides a smooth signature, 1z capped was not able to deliver the energy and control of bass and treble, the sound was... loose. It moved the driver, but the overall tension over the driver was bad. Let me explain: Enough power will keep the driver under strain, make the driver not only stay in place, but also make the driver move exact amounts, while not enough power moves the driver all the way, but with far less precision, and as such, some details are lost. 
  
 There is literally no need to take my advice or answer me, or consider my opinion true. You know best what you are looking for, this is why I always judge things from a perspective where I describe sound as it is, avoiding words such as good or bad. 1z capped was smooth, soundstage was small, stereo space and separation was average, treble was rolled off, bass was enough, but not extremely tight, dynamic range was very good, details were good. Compared, X5ii had slightly larger soundstage, much better defined 3D space, considerably instrument separation and insanely better treble and bass control, bass was tighter and treble was much more exact, realistic, alive, energetic. 
  
 But maybe not everyone wants this, so again, no better or worse, just different flavors.


----------



## CraftyClown

dobrescu george said:


> To qute myself. My phone is a bad capped phone. It sounds awful. I know it can't drive ie800 nor ultrasone dj one pro. It doesn't meet the power nor the voltage requirments to drive them.
> 
> But the sound can be loud enough to cause a headache and to cause ultrasone dj one pro to literally vibrate over my head at max volume.
> 
> ...


 

 ​I'm sorry George, but the whole 'headphone scaling' thing is an audiophile magical myth, typically based around placebo, expectation bias and volume mismatching.
  
 If you have enough power to sufficiently drive a heaphone to acceptable listening levels (allowing for some headroom, ie not at 100%) then you are fine. There can be other issues, such as an impedance mismatch, although in this case I believe the wm1a has a sufficiently low impedance.
  
 I'm not sure what you think it is you're hearing (or not hearing) but it has nothing to do with the power of the wm1a.


----------



## jmills8

Maybe the capped version should cost less than the uncapped cause one is getting less.


----------



## Gibraltar

echineko said:


> Here's a question I've not considered before, the new WM series no longer have a digital line out, am I right? So the only way to use them with something like a Hugo (as I do currently with my ZX2 sometimes) would be via the 3.5mm output? Or is that even possible?
> 
> Anyone tried this with their WM series and the Hugo/Mojo?


 
  
 The WM series still supports digital out with the WM Port to USB adapter. Analogue line out is the one that was removed from the new models.


----------



## echineko

gibraltar said:


> The WM series still supports digital out with the WM Port to USB adapter. Analogue line out is the one that was removed from the new models.



Ahh, ok. Thanks for the info!


----------



## ttt123

HK WM1A burn in notes: Got it Monday and have been burning in.  Listening to it also whenever get a chance, and letting it run continuously the rest of the time.
 - 25 hours - worrying a little.  Sound is not involving, sterile.  Everything playing just is not that interesting.  Starting to think, what if the end result is that it is not as involving as the ZX2, which I have already sold?
 - 50 hours - OK, sounding a lot better, and enjoying what I am hearing.  Like Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah, and Strange Fruit.  Never heard Strange Fruit before, but it came up on random play, and made me take notice.
  
 Burn in continuously or rest in between?  My personal belief/preference is to burn in continuously.  
 Reasons are:
 1. Most industrial equipment is run continuously.  Telephone equipment is never turned off.  Whenever there is a scheduled or unscheduled power down, that is when equipment failures are likely to occur.
     Power up/down creates power spikes/transients/noise as the power circuits and regulators and filters charge up, so this is the most failure prone time for equipment.
 2. Properly designed and cooled equipment does not need a rest.  It does not matter materially whether it is idling/standby or playing, as it is on and drawing power in either state.  See item 1 as to why frequent power up/downs are not desirable.
 3. Running in continuously keeps the voltage/current flowing in the circuit, through the connections/outputs, etc.  This conditions everything continuously, without interruptions in between.  In the Audio hobby, every time a speaker or interconnect, or power cable is disturbed, it takes time for it to "settle/burn in" again.  So just as with the physical connections, keeping it powered up continuously and playing continuously has advantages.  PS Audio has observed this in their equipment, and removes the power switch so that the equipment is never turned off.
  
 So that's my belief for burn in methodology.  As always, do what you believe in.  If you don't believe in burn in, then don't do it.  And if you do, then by all means burn in.  The world will not end, either way.  As long as each is happy, is all that matters.
  
 A note on connector problems on my K10s.  The TRRS connector went wonky on the Whiplash Twag v3 cable that I was using on the K10, as the heat shrink worked loose, and the cable movement had started to short the solder connections in the 3.5mm plug.  So I switched back to the original cable that came with the K10, with a TRS plug.  Didn't like the sound from the ZX2.  Soundstage, and a richness to the notes was missing.  A bit sterile, and not involving.  Switched to an older cable with TRRS plug.  Better, but still not what I remembered how music could/should sound.  So the difference in this setup was only the cable, and the K10 really did not sound like it was worth spending the money on.
  
 Eventually, got the Whiplash reterminated, and switched the K10 back.  OK, better, but as I was now burning in a new WM1A, again, the setup was not good sounding.
  
 So to conclude:
 1. I think the WM1A will be a worthwhile upgrade from the ZX2.  Of course, trying out the WM1Z, I had this urge to cancel the WM1A and just order the WM1Z.  But common sense reasserted itself.  I'm still at the point where I can justify the cost of the WM1A, but cannot justify the WM1Z.  Though there are moments when I want to just go ahead and order the 1Z.
 2. The headphone cable makes a major difference.  Without the Whiplash, I would not know what the K10 is capable of, and it would be handicapped.  The same with the TRRS connector.  So in combination, a Whiplash (or equivalent) with TRRS plug, on something like the K10, produces pretty amazing sound.  And removing each component drops it down to something that is still very good, but not magical.  And of course, my standard disclaimer, for those that don't believe in cables.  Do as you believe, and are happy with.  This is a finicky hobby, and there is room for multiple beliefs.  No need to start an Inquisition to enforce compliance, and save the souls of the disbelievers.  Or the believers.  Each can be happy in their belief, and in the ignorance of the other camp.


----------



## gerelmx1986

echineko said:


> Here's a question I've not considered before, the new WM series no longer have a digital line out, am I right? So the only way to use them with something like a Hugo (as I do currently with my ZX2 sometimes) would be via the 3.5mm output? Or is that even possible?
> 
> Anyone tried this with their WM series and the Hugo/Mojo?


 
 Digital out remains there
 Analogue out removed


----------



## gerelmx1986

jhlin09 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > how is a rounded soundstage? please explain, tnx, you mean more enveloping 3D-ness more tan just "front-row" presentation?
> ...


 
 Thnaks, that's great


----------



## Whitigir

Much truth and facts ! Thanks for the impression above


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> Let the burning begin on the other side


I'm roughly at 120/60


----------



## nanaholic

mimouille said:


> I'm roughly at 120/60


 
  2/90 for me. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I'm suspecting the SE will remain at 90 for a long time.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> mimouille said:
> 
> 
> > I'm roughly at 120/60
> ...


 
 I suspect my BAL will remain zero for quite a time, until i recover financially i will order plusSound piggy-tail adapter 2x TRRS and 4.4mm to dual 3.5mm females so i can use with the cables of Z5 & z7 
  
 Yes i want to take the juice of the new balanced and the TRRS and stop being TRS 
  
 Was thinking of getting a fiio L25 line-out cable... glad i didn't


----------



## ledzep

Any thoughts on this as a purchase for my U12's / 1A combo 
http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000107282/


----------



## kubig123

ledzep said:


> Any thoughts on this as a purchase for my U12's / 1A combo
> http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000107282/


 

 i need one of this badly!!!
  
 i wonder when we will get the first plugs in the US.


----------



## tienbasse

ttt123 said:


> So to conclude:
> 1. I think the WM1A will be a worthwhile upgrade from the ZX2.  Of course, trying out the WM1Z, I had this urge to cancel the WM1A and just order the WM1Z.  But common sense reasserted itself.  I'm still at the point where I can justify the cost of the WM1A, but cannot justify the WM1Z.  Though there are moments when I want to just go ahead and order the 1Z.
> 2. The headphone cable makes a major difference.  Without the Whiplash, I would not know what the K10 is capable of, and it would be handicapped.  The same with the TRRS connector.  So in combination, a Whiplash (or equivalent) with TRRS plug, on something like the K10, produces pretty amazing sound.  And removing each component drops it down to something that is still very good, but not magical.  And of course, my standard disclaimer, for those that don't believe in cables.  Do as you believe, and are happy with.  This is a finicky hobby, and there is room for multiple beliefs.  No need to start an Inquisition to enforce compliance, and save the souls of the disbelievers.  Or the believers.  Each can be happy in their belief, and in the ignorance of the other camp.


 
 Thank you for your impressions.
 And it's good to see that there are still a few people here with enough common sense to question the value of the huge premium requested for the 1Z.


----------



## ledzep

kubig123 said:


> i need one of this badly!!!
> 
> i wonder when we will get the first plugs in the US.




You can get the plugs by themselves from that site and make your own I guess, bought before from them quite fast shipping times.


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> You can get the plugs by themselves from that site and make your own I guess, bought before from them quite fast shipping times.




Is only pre-order, due date is unknown


----------



## davidcotton

Amazon uk have the wm1a for preorder at £803 if any one is interested.  Amazon themselves, so I imagine if you find the uk cap too much you can always return it.


----------



## squirrelman

I've pretty much made up my mind I want to get a WM1A to pair with my JH Audio JH16V2 ciem's which are being made right now.  I have to admit that I'm really tempted by the amazon.co.uk price right now, after removing VAT it comes to around $400 less than the Hong Kong version for me.  That is a huge difference in price, Its have of an ALO CV5 for instance.
  
 I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts on if for me it might be worth it if all I'm going to drive is sensitive IEM's, and then put the savings towards an ALO audio CV5 amp to go with it?


----------



## nc8000

squirrelman said:


> I've pretty much made up my mind I want to get a WM1A to pair with my JH Audio JH16V2 ciem's which are being made right now.  I have to admit that I'm really tempted by the amazon.co.uk price right now, after removing VAT it comes to around $400 less than the Hong Kong version for me.  That is a huge difference in price, Its have of an ALO CV5 for instance.
> 
> I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts on if for me it might be worth it if all I'm going to drive is sensitive IEM's, and then put the savings towards an ALO audio CV5 amp to go with it?




My EU capped ZX2 certainly drives my original JH13 extremely well


----------



## Mimouille

A guy on the French forums was saying that with the MSR7 he can barely hear at max volume with the capped version of the 1Z. I don't know if he is reading this and would care to complete, but he decided to send it back and get the uncapped. Otherwise he said it is the best sounding player he has heard.


----------



## bvng3540

how do we find out which models of the 1A or 1Z capped or uncapped, i saw 1A selling on Ebay and the seller is from HK, keep asking him this question, but he can't seem to get it, thanks.


----------



## Dithyrambes

bvng3540 said:


> how do we find out which models of the 1A or 1Z capped or uncapped, i saw 1A selling on Ebay and the seller is from HK, keep asking him this question, but he can't seem to get it, thanks.


 
 The box and the model...If it has CE on the back it means its capped


----------



## bvng3540

dithyrambes said:


> The box and the model...If it has CE on the back it means its capped


 
 great thanks
  

  
 so this 1Z is capped?


----------



## Dithyrambes

bvng3540 said:


> great thanks
> 
> 
> 
> so this 1Z is capped?


 
 the one next to the trash can...on the right...its ******* capped


----------



## gerelmx1986

This CE...


----------



## productred

bvng3540 said:


> how do we find out which models of the 1A or 1Z capped or uncapped, i saw 1A selling on Ebay and the seller is from HK, keep asking him this question, but he can't seem to get it, thanks.


 
  
 Sellers in HK would have no idea about the volume cap since all those sold in HK are Asia version with no volume cap, and the volume cap is never meant to be something the public or normal sellers would be aware of.
  
 But of course EBay sellers may have his own channel of supplies and we could never know the source of his supplies unless he is willing to tell, which is unlikely.


----------



## bvng3540

productred said:


> Sellers in HK would have no idea about the volume cap since all those sold in HK are Asia version with no volume cap, and the volume cap is never meant to be something the public or normal sellers would be aware of.
> 
> But of course EBay sellers may have his own channel of supplies and we could never know the source of his supplies unless he is willing to tell, which is unlikely.




I had asked the seller to take the picture of the back of the box


----------



## productred

bvng3540 said:


> I had asked the seller to take the picture of the back of the box


 
  
 I see.
  
 Just checked - my box just said "E" in place of "CEW". So good luck with you hunt =P


----------



## bvng3540

seller response with picture

 is this 1A model capped or uncapped?


----------



## Gibraltar

bvng3540 said:
			
		

> is this 1A model capped or uncapped?




This is the Chinese model so it will not be capped.


----------



## nanaholic

Firmware version 1.01 is out.  
 http://www.sony.jp/walkman/update/WM1.html
  
 No new features but just a stability improvement firmware.  I downloaded it and wanted to see whether the firmware are region separated but it doesn't seem to be (at least for this one), my WM1Z successfully goes to 1.01 while still retaining all the non-Japanese language options, so this firmware didn't magically turn my Asian unit into a Japanese one lol.  Well too bad for EU people hoping for a way to get around the volume cap via a firmware flash - not here, yet.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Firmware version 1.01 is out.
> http://www.sony.jp/walkman/update/WM1.html
> 
> No new features but just a stability improvement firmware.  I downloaded it and wanted to see whether the firmware are region separated but it doesn't seem to be (at least for this one), my WM1Z successfully goes to 1.01 while still retaining all the non-Japanese language options, so this firmware didn't magically turn my Asian unit into a Japanese one lol.  Well too bad for EU people hoping for a way to get around the volume cap via a firmware flash - not here, yet.




I honestly do not think Sony will release firmware to remove it. That would be a lawsuit right there . Unless some people hack it


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> I honestly do not think Sony will release firmware to remove it. That would be a lawsuit right there
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I don't think the lawyers can stop end users from installing a different firmware on a piece of equipment they own and put the blame on Sony.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> I don't think the lawyers can stop end users from installing a different firmware on a piece of equipment they own and put the blame on Sony.




I see what you mean now, that firmware was Internationally supported, and European unit can try to find out if the cap is removed ! Awesome, someone try it please, quick


----------



## Dithyrambes

bvng3540 said:


> seller response with picture
> 
> 
> 
> is this 1A model capped or uncapped?


uncapped!


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> Firmware version 1.01 is out.
> http://www.sony.jp/walkman/update/WM1.html


 
 Faster UI, no more lags? fast boot or still 30s?, also the composer view remains?


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> Faster UI, no more lags? fast boot or still 30s?, also the composer view remains?


 
  
 I don't find the UI lagging, it's comparable to AK players.
  
 Also out of the 100+ hrs of using the player now I've only ever booted it *once* - that's when I took it out of the box.  When the player goes to sleep and you press the power button to wake it up it is instant - unlike AK players where it goes full shut down and you have to reboot it.  So to me the initial boot time is completely irrelevant even if it takes 2 minutes or 5. Plus the battery life on this player is insane, I've never managed to run it down completely yet, and that includes leaving it on overnight burning in those caps - even playing FLACs on repeat I would find the player with a full bar the next morning when I wake up without putting it on a charger at all.


----------



## Dobrescu George

nanaholic said:


> I don't find the UI lagging, it's comparable to AK players.
> 
> Also out of the 100+ hrs of using the player now I've only ever booted it *once* - that's when I took it out of the box.  When the player goes to sleep and you press the power button to wake it up it is instant - unlike AK players where it goes full shut down and you have to reboot it.  So to me the initial boot time is completely irrelevant even if it takes 2 minutes or 5. Plus the battery life on this player is insane, I've never managed to run it down completely yet, and that includes leaving it on overnight burning in those caps - even playing FLACs on repeat I would find the player with a full bar the next morning when I wake up without putting it on a charger at all.


 
  
 The UI was at a similar level of speed with most DAPs indeed. 
  
 Wish people would make a custom UI that is faster like they did on FiiO X5 series, though it might not be as simple since I'm not sure we have access to Sony FW or if it's as simple to edit the FW.


----------



## Whitigir

X7 is android based  kinda different


----------



## denis1976

Hello please if is not asking to much can someone tell me one thing? In the uncapped version of the 1A/Z  when the AVLS is "on" where(1/120) does the volume "stops"?
 Thank you


----------



## musicday

At least the people at Sony been looking listening to us and released a firmware upgrade straight away.
Looking forward to improvements and new features added
For sale on Amazon.uk price £ 2231 and looks like it will drop some more in the next coming months,but unfortunately this must be the capped version:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-NW-WM1Z-High-Resolution-Walkman-Chassis/dp/B01LHGLALI


----------



## gerelmx1986

Amazon USA has it for $1400 (the WM1A) and apparently ships international. I paid $1270 from accessoryJack not bad


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Amazon USA has it for $1400 (the WM1A) and apparently ships international. I paid $1270 from accessoryJack not bad




That is not Amazon as the retailer, that is 3rd party


----------



## purk

Wonder why it takes Sony so long to have the Signature products available in North American market.  Sorry....I want one bad and wish it is here already.


----------



## Whitigir

purk said:


> Wonder what it takes Sony so long to have the Signature products available in North American market.  Sorry....I want one bad and wish it is here already.




Because Trump! Lol, I am kidding. It seems marketing is not Sony strong point


----------



## JamesInLondon

purk said:


> Wonder what it takes Sony so long to have the Signature products available in North American market.  Sorry....I want one bad and wish it is here already.


 

 Hi P;
  
 I haven't worked in the Consumer Electronics business for over 30 years but I currently write about the luxury industry and US retailers in that field are almost always the last to be supplied. This is because when a new product is 'dropped', the importer needs enough to supply at least one to each of their retailers. Obviously it is easier to supply every dealer in Denmark (for example) than every dealer in the US. Meaning that the US doesn't normally get product until the factories have ramped up production rates, usually a month or so after the start of production.
  
 For example when Rolex released their long awaited Deep Sea watch, the first dealers to get it were in The Phillipines and it took another 4 months before US agents had them in their windows.
  
 As I said, no longer in the Consumer Electronics business, but this is my guess/opinion & worth exactly what you paid for it.
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## purk

jamesinlondon said:


> Hi P;
> 
> I haven't worked in the Consumer Electronics business for over 30 years but I currently write about the luxury industry and US retailers in that field are almost always the last to be supplied. This is because when a new product is 'dropped', the importer needs enough to supply at least one to each of their retailers. Obviously it is easier to supply every dealer in Denmark (for example) than every dealer in the US. Meaning that the US doesn't normally get product until the factories have ramped up production rates, usually a month or so after the start of production.
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks for your explanation.  However, a few years ago we used to be the one who gets them first or one of the first to get it.  Not that I'm not satisfied but I sure want to blow my money on something else or other brands instead.  Yes, yes...I do understand that this is the first world problem here.


----------



## tenedosian

Just wanted to say hi : )


----------



## audionewbi

Hello


----------



## Dobrescu George

whitigir said:


> X7 is android based
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 X1, X3K, X5 and X5ii all got custom UIs and even I made a few. 
  
 Not for x7, since Android is considerably harder to mod. 
  
 I don't know yet if Sony is based on Android or not, because if it isn't, we might try to open the FW files and tweak some things here and there, get better performance.


----------



## Whitigir

dobrescu george said:


> X1, X3K, X5 and X5ii all got custom UIs and even I made a few.
> 
> Not for x7, since Android is considerably harder to mod.
> 
> I don't know yet if Sony is based on Android or not, because if it isn't, we might try to open the FW files and tweak some things here and there, get better performance.




Please do, Sony is not based on Android, but based on Sony original Walkman OS. It would be awesome if u could uncap the European version


----------



## gerelmx1986

tenedosian said:


> Just wanted to say hi : )


 
 will you compare them all?


----------



## purk

tenedosian said:


> Just wanted to say hi : )


 
 Three volume capped Walkmen?  That's a rare sighting.


----------



## tenedosian

Yes, they're all volume capped Turkish units (as Turkey is tied with Sony EU) and I will compare them all in a few weeks time : )
  
 At the first moment I held WM1Z in my hand for the first time, I considered the possiblity that Sony is tricking us to sell 400 gr of mercury inside a fancy box. It is as heavy as a Slayer song.
  
 And A35 has such a nice feel to it.
  
 In terms of industrial design, I think A35 is miles ahead of the A10 / A20 series which sometimes resemble like an "exquisite" piece of Soviet industrial art : )
  
_(*Note *: I got the units just an hour ago and only WM1A had some power in its battery. So I gave a brief listen to it with the four songs it had in its internal memory._
  
_My initial impression for 1A is that, it has a more forward sound than ZX2, accompanied by a quite neutral, slightly warm presentation with the "promise" of rendering great detail in songs. I'll see what happens after I load my songs.)_


----------



## purk

tenedosian said:


> Yes, they're all volume capped Turkish units (as Turkey is tied with Sony EU) and I will compare them all in a few weeks time : )
> 
> At the first moment I held WM1Z in my hand for the first time, I considered the possiblity that Sony is tricking us to sell 400 gr of mercury inside a fancy box. It is as heavy as a Slayer song.
> 
> ...


 
 Capped or not, we would really appreciate your impressions.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tenedosian said:


> Yes, they're all volume capped Turkish units (as Turkey is tied with Sony EU) and I will compare them all in a few weeks time : )
> 
> At the first moment I held WM1Z in my hand for the first time, I considered the possiblity that Sony is tricking us to sell 400 gr of mercury inside a fancy box. It is as heavy as a Slayer song.
> 
> ...


 
 You got them as a loaner program or you bought them all?


----------



## tenedosian

gerelmx1986 said:


> You got them as a loaner program or you bought them all?


 
 Got them from Sony Turkey for reviewing purposes.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tenedosian said:


> Got them from Sony Turkey for reviewing purposes.


 
 Betting the A35 won't sound as good as the WM1s (lack of beefy caps)
  
 I am sure capped or not, the SQ of the WM1s will slay the ZX100 and possibly ZX2 
  
 saw on amazon UK and DE that they're being released on this saturday (Nov. 12), assume my 1A will be shipped from hong kong next week (hope it arrives to me on time before december!!!)


----------



## Whitigir

I hope custom won't steal it this time lol....

Anyways, the WM is top of the line from Sony with 1Z being the flagship. What senses would it be if the A series can be better ?

Oh no!! My HA-1 is Capped


----------



## musicday

The question is when can we order/try the uncapped gold model in UK?
The supply is very limited at the moment and the ones available are mainly 95% volume capped. I have to admit that the battery life is class leading,even if the player is not as powerful as others.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Is there any difference between the pseudo balanced and balanced 4.4 in terms of sound quality outside of DSD and more power?


----------



## gerelmx1986

dithyrambes said:


> Is there any difference between the pseudo balanced and balanced 4.4 in terms of sound quality outside of DSD and more power?


 
 I also want to know this one too, good question, difference in SQ besides power and  native DSD between 3.5mm TRRS VS balanced 4.4 TRRRS?


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> Is there any difference between the pseudo balanced and balanced 4.4 in terms of sound quality outside of DSD and more power?




No idea until I could try it, but Onkyo DP-X1 had something similar, and it is called ACG or Active Cotrolled Grounds. It means all of the Ground returns are controlled to 0, and it's could be said that this technology is similar to TRRS separated grounds just like Sony Zx2 or WM series. Again, please don't call it Pseudo Balanced, it is Separated grounds.

According to Onkyo, ACG provides more Depth, details, and resolutions. According to my personal experiences with this DP-X1, it was true. It even provides better imagines and microscopic details than Balanced from Onkyo.

How would it differe on Sony ? I wouldn't know until I get my hand on it . Pictures and quotes from Onkyo




It supports the balanced output by 2.5 mm 4 pole terminal, and it is possible to select general "BTL drive" and Onkyo proprietary "ACG (active control GND) drive". "ACG drive" is a special type of balanced drive that specializes in keeping the ideal GND without fluctuation by actively driving the GND using the amplification capability of the COLD side amplifier. For ordinary unbalanced drive, not only high separation performance but also power-up obtained by balance drive is used for "stability" strengthening, very clear and realistic sound can be obtained.

Special bonus, Onkyo newer versoin DPX1-A, uses FT capacitors similar to WM series (8 counts). Ok, lets go back to the topic of WM series


----------



## Kiats

nanaholic said:


> Firmware version 1.01 is out.
> http://www.sony.jp/walkman/update/WM1.html
> 
> No new features but just a stability improvement firmware.  I downloaded it and wanted to see whether the firmware are region separated but it doesn't seem to be (at least for this one), my WM1Z successfully goes to 1.01 while still retaining all the non-Japanese language options, so this firmware didn't magically turn my Asian unit into a Japanese one lol.  Well too bad for EU people hoping for a way to get around the volume cap via a firmware flash - not here, yet.




Nanaholic, I tried to update the FW last night but whilst the Sony did have a display that it was preparing to update, it then goes into the mass storage screen. And then nothing happens. Not quite sure what I'm doing wrong... what should the screen look like? Thanks!


----------



## gerelmx1986

kiats said:


> Nanaholic, I tried to update the FW last night but whilst the Sony did have a display that it was preparing to update, it then goes into the mass storage screen. And then nothing happens. Not quite sure what I'm doing wrong... what should the screen look like? Thanks!


 
 did you had at least 200MB free in the internal storage?
 did you removed the microSD card to use only internal memory?


----------



## ledzep

Can anyone confirm this is a reputable seller and is this price correct as in it's around  £80 ?
 https://jaben.com.my/collections/sony/products/muc-m12sb1


----------



## echineko

ledzep said:


> Can anyone confirm this is a reputable seller and is this price correct as in it's around  £80 ?
> https://jaben.com.my/collections/sony/products/muc-m12sb1


 
 They're a regional seller in ASEAN/China, and that is in fact the domestic price here (Malaysia).
  
 FYI:
  
 https://store.sony.com.my/productlisting.aspx?catid=377
  
 Of course the local Sony store doesn't sell overseas, seems to be out of stock too.
  
 Edit: Those are Sony IEM cables though, before buying better make sure they will work with what you intend to use them with.


----------



## ledzep

echineko said:


> They're a regional seller in ASEAN/China, and that is in fact the domestic price here (Malaysia).
> 
> FYI:
> 
> ...


 

 Z5 iems, so they will sell and ship to UK ? When you say domestic price does that mean its only that price in Malay' and i will be paying more getting it shipped to UK, dont mean shipping and import tax.


----------



## denis1976

the begin of the war!!!its not hard to know who is winning


----------



## echineko

ledzep said:


> Z5 iems, so they will sell and ship to UK ? When you say domestic price does that mean its only that price in Malay' and i will be paying more getting it shipped to UK, dont mean shipping and import tax.


 
 I'm assuming it should be compatible with the Z5, but I don't own that IEM or cable.
  
 I just mean that's what it sells for here. It will be the same for you as well, assuming they ship to the UK. Funnily enough, I've never bought anything from them, I do most of my shopping from the US or Japan


----------



## ledzep

echineko said:


> I'm assuming it should be compatible with the Z5, but I don't own that IEM or cable.
> 
> I just mean that's what it sells for here. It will be the same for you as well, assuming they ship to the UK. Funnily enough, I've never bought anything from them, I do most of my shopping from the US or Japan


 
 Yeah its compat' with XBA-Z5/N3/N1/A3/A2/H3/H2/300 £200 on fleabay !! Looks like a purchase, thanks for clarification.


----------



## nanaholic

kiats said:


> Nanaholic, I tried to update the FW last night but whilst the Sony did have a display that it was preparing to update, it then goes into the mass storage screen. And then nothing happens. Not quite sure what I'm doing wrong... what should the screen look like? Thanks!


 
  
 If it runs the Walkman should display a different animation showing it is updating.  As poster above said check if you have enough free space on the internal storage.


----------



## audionewbi

denis1976 said:


> the begin of the war!!!its not hard to know who is winning



Which is......


----------



## Kiats

nanaholic said:


> If it runs the Walkman should display a different animation showing it is updating.  As poster above said check if you have enough free space on the internal storage.




Thanks guys. I have more than 250MB of memory left... maybe I'll try dismounting the sd card and see if that makes a difference...


----------



## Mimouille

kiats said:


> Thanks guys. I have more than 250MB of memory left... maybe I'll try dismounting the sd card and see if that makes a difference...


Are you sure you are not trying to install the firmware on the AK380cu?


----------



## Kiats

mimouille said:


> Are you sure you are not trying to install the firmware on the AK380cu?




Haha! That would be OTA and would come with streaming...


----------



## denis1976

audionewbi said:


> Which is......


the ak380cu of course, i would kill myself if was not that way, but with 50 hours of burn, the 1A is sounding awsome , comparing to the ak380 copper, the copper is more organic the stage is more open and more thick, but that magic that i loved on the zx2 sound is coming ,is coming with more dynamic and scale, i am loving it to


----------



## ledzep

Anyone tried the MDRZ1R's with the 1A&1Z capped / uncapped yet ?, is there enough power from the daps or is it amp time ?


----------



## rushofblood

One thing I'm really curious about is how the balanced compares vis-a-vis the single ended output. @nanaholic any thoughts?


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> audionewbi said:
> 
> 
> > Which is......
> ...


 
 maybe because the A&K is uncapped and the WM1A is capped is the A&K "superior", i find this a bit unfair comparo


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> maybe because the A&K is uncapped and the WM1A is capped is the A&K "superior", i find this a bit unfair comparo


 
  
 Why is it an unfair comparison? As long as you volume match a comparison shouldn't be a problem


----------



## cthomas

PHA-3 balanced vs 1A/1Z balanced... Anyone doing a comparison soon?


----------



## gerelmx1986

craftyclown said:


> Why is it an unfair comparison? As long as you volume match a comparison shouldn't be a problem


 
 does not the vol. cap cripples the DAP's sound or just the volume isnt enough?


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> does not the vol. cap cripples the DAP's sound or just the volume isnt enough?


 
  
 As far as I know it's just an automated volume limiting system to prevent hearing damage. There's no reason it should effect SQ.


----------



## gerelmx1986

craftyclown said:


> As far as I know it's just an automated volume limiting system to prevent hearing damage. There's no reason it should effect SQ.


 
 Thanks, meanwhile waiting for accessory Jack shipment confirmation email 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 still nothing has changed


----------



## Rei87

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks, meanwhile waiting for accessory Jack shipment confirmation email
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I'm hoping to pick up one for myself when in Japan....heh...

 A 2.5 to 4.4 connector will be most useful


----------



## kubig123

Can someone suggest a screen protector for the WM1Z?
Possibly in the US.

Thanks


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> Can someone suggest a screen protector for the WM1Z?
> Possibly in the US.
> 
> Thanks




Wait, u get your US 1Z already ?


----------



## Dithyrambes

Probably sony store!


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> Probably sony store!




Nah, my uncle came in and ask for it. They didn't even know what it was ....had to tell them the Newest Walkman that is Signature series ....lol....Sony


----------



## gerelmx1986

kubig123 said:


> Can someone suggest a screen protector for the WM1Z?
> Possibly in the US.
> 
> Thanks


 
 what i would do, get an iphone or ipad screen protecto and cut it to screen dimensions of 1Z


----------



## kubig123

whitigir said:


> Wait, u get your US 1Z already ?




No, I ordered from Amazon UK.

Amazon Japan sell one but cannot have it shipped to the US


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> what i would do, get an iphone or ipad screen protecto and cut it to screen dimensions of 1Z :wink_face:




Sound good, cut it with a dremel, and round up the edges too. Perfect fit.





kubig123 said:


> No, I ordered from Amazon UK.
> 
> Amazon Japan sell one but cannot have it shipped to the US




Good to know, so your is Volume Capped


----------



## kubig123

whitigir said:


> Sound good, cut it with a dremel, and round up the edges too. Perfect fit.
> Good to know, so your is Volume Capped




I have to say that I'm satisfied with the volume, more than enough for my customart 8.2 and is loud enough even with the sennheiser ie800.
This wit the 3.5mm plug

I'll try the balanced exit with the mdrz1r this week while I'm flying to Europe.


----------



## ledzep

kubig123 said:


> I have to say that I'm satisfied with the volume, more than enough for my customart 8.2 and is loud enough even with the sennheiser ie800.
> This wit the 3.5mm plug
> 
> I'll try the balanced exit with the mdrz1r this week while I'm flying to Europe.



Keep us posted on the balanced / z1r combo. 
I got these protectors from Germany via fleabay 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262648872212 
Bargain ! I just stumped up £100 for the official case but £20 for the official screen protector er.... no !


----------



## audionewbi

In Australia the 1Z is a limited release and most likely after that it will not be officially released on their site. Price is 4399 AUD and it is just too much money for me to justify.
 On the other hand I still not yet fully sure if 1A is an upgrade to my LPG.


----------



## Rei87

audionewbi said:


> In Australia the 1Z is a limited release and most likely after that it will not be officially released on their site. Price is 4399 AUD and it is just too much money for me to justify.
> On the other hand I still not yet fully sure if 1A is an upgrade to my LPG.




Get it from Singapore. Its 3999 sgd here, and you would still get a tax refund.


----------



## Whitigir

rei87 said:


> Get it from Singapore. Its 3999 sgd here, and you would still get a tax refund.




How do you buy from Singapore ?


----------



## fish1050

audionewbi said:


> In Australia the 1Z is a limited release and most likely after that it will not be officially released on their site. Price is 4399 AUD and it is just too much money for me to justify.
> On the other hand I still not yet fully sure if 1A is an upgrade to my LPG.


 
 Sony is like the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld, they put their products on all of their web sites so we can see them.  But then they make it a pain in the butt to actually purchase them.  NO WALKMAN FOR YOU!!
  
 If you aren't going to make them available in Canada or other countries then don't put them on the Canadian or other sites you !#@%!.  All you are doing is chasing away potential customers.
  
 I am so fed up with this that I will probably never buy another Sony product.


----------



## fish1050

whitigir said:


> How do you buy from Singapore ?


 
 Has anyone considering buying these DAP's imported confirmed with Sony that they will honor the warranty on an imported DAP?  I for one would not entertain purchasing something this expensive without assurances of warranty coverage.
  
 What if the unit is damaged in transit to you,  what is your recourse?
  
 I would certainly want these questions answered before buying one.


----------



## Whitigir

fish1050 said:


> Has anyone considering buying these DAP's imported confirmed with Sony that they will honor the warranty on an imported DAP?  I for one would not entertain purchasing something this expensive without assurances of warranty coverage.
> 
> What if the unit is damaged in transit to you,  what is your recourse?
> 
> I would certainly want these questions answered before buying one.




Damaged in transit is the shipping courier faults, you would contact the seller who shipped it to make insurance claims, and if losses occurred, it would incurred to the seller/shipper only. The same as stolen merchandises. The seller would have to refund you, or send you another unit.

Dead on arrival, would be 100% return to the seller for replacement. Some would allow you to simply return and make the option to get replacement or cancel the order for full refund.

Dead after a few months of uses and still in warranty, you are in deep muds. You will need to contact the seller, the shop that sold you the unit. Cross your fingers for them to respond, you would pay your shipping from your country to the seller country, wait for the seller to put your unit into warranty, wait for it to come back, and you pay shipping for your fixed item to get back to you.

So, all in all, the conclusion is that Sony only do work on the products by regions. You could have it fixed within the USA, but you would need to pay both shippings, and services+parts fees. Because to Sony, your warranty on this particular product is not existed within it regions. Unless you bought it from within your regions, then Sony would be fully responsible for everything.

How did I know ? Because I had several Xperia phones unlocked and bought off eBay, I know. Sony customer services also suck big time, whenever I called in, I would wanted to punch someone in the face, because they answer by the book, if it is not in their book, they wouldn't know how to answer.


----------



## audionewbi

whitigir said:


> How do you buy from Singapore ?


 
 i think you have to fly and do it that way. Funny enough the duty and gst to import one from US will be how much it would cost me to just to fly to Singapore, might as well.


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> i think you have to fly and do it that way. Funny enough the duty and gst to import one from US will be how much it would cost me to just to fly to Singapore, might as well.




Lol, that is true. Flying there for a trip and grab your player is still cheaper, more fun and efficient than buying the thing in the USA....I blame Trump....just kidding.


----------



## audionewbi

whitigir said:


> Lol, that is true. Flying there for a trip and grab your player is still cheaper, more fun and efficient than buying the thing in the USA....I blame Trump....just kidding.


 
 I wish I could blame trupm, I blame the Australian Liberal party in my case


----------



## gerelmx1986

fish1050 said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > How do you buy from Singapore ?
> ...


 
 I already did with XBA-Z5, mt WM1A (still not shipped) and mt zx100
  
 mt zx100 did need repairs under warranty, accessoryJack accedded to repair it and they sent it to sony HK, the bad: i had to pay shipping both ways and yet again went defected (reason for killing it later)


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> maybe because the A&K is uncapped and the WM1A is capped is the A&K "superior", i find this a bit unfair comparo


this has nothing to do with cap and uncap , please don't go that way , the 1a is absolutly capable of playing loud , i ear both at the same volume level is unfair because they from diferent championship ,from diferent leagues don't even think that the uncaped 1a that you are waiting will plays has the ak380 copper does because it wont, if we where talking about the 1z ...thats another story...


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

gerelmx1986 said:


> I already did with XBA-Z5, mt WM1A (still not shipped) and mt zx100
> 
> mt zx100 did need repairs under warranty, accessoryJack accedded to repair it and they sent it to sony HK, the bad: i had to pay shipping both ways and yet again went defected (reason for killing it later)


 
 Why would you buy a WM again, if you had experience with the zx100? Thats the problem with gray or black market... whatever its called.
  
 Hope your WM will last longer than a year


----------



## Cagin

Couldn't find any Sony 1A/1Z on Jaben Singapore (store.jaben.com). Jaben is reliable and known. Is there another audio store that ships worldwide there? The 1Z comes down to 2600euros, now that would be mroe doable for me ^^


----------



## nobody7284

cagin said:


> Couldn't find any Sony 1A/1Z on Jaben Singapore (store.jaben.com). Jaben is reliable and known. Is there another audio store that ships worldwide there? The 1Z comes down to 2600euros, now that would be mroe doable for me ^^


 
 Stereo, Connect-IT can pre-order.


----------



## audionewbi

Add in import taxes it works out in certain cases more.

I am this close in ordering one of the new Walkman, walked into the Sony kiosk to see the prices but their system crushed as soon as he was looking the prices up.

Was it a sign, I am not the religious kind but some would argue it was.


----------



## echineko

audionewbi said:


> Add in import taxes it works out in certain cases more.



This. I was always under the impression it didn't make sense for Europeans to order stuff from Asia, even putting aside warranty questions, because of how strict the import duties and regulations were. Won't they just slap on the 20% or whatever the VAT is when the items arrive?

It's also the first time I can recall it being even cheaper to buy the WM models and the rest of the signature series here (Malaysia) than anywhere else I've seen, even the ZX2 wasn't cheaper locally, despite being manufactured here.

Edit: fixed some typos


----------



## audionewbi

The kimber Kable is certainly cheaper in Malaysia than rest of the world, I think it is due to the current Sony product been made in Malaysia .


----------



## Kiats

audionewbi said:


> The kimber Kable is certainly cheaper in Malaysia than rest of the world, I think it is due to the current Sony product been made in Malaysia .




I must have missed this. Are the Kimble Kable IEM Cables out in the market?


----------



## audionewbi

kiats said:


> I must have missed this. Are the Kimble Kable IEM Cables out in the market?


I got excited and ordered two of these without even having the dap.
https://jaben.com.my/products/muc-m12sb1


----------



## Kiats

audionewbi said:


> i think you have to fly and do it that way. Funny enough the duty and gst to import one from US will be how much it would cost me to just to fly to Singapore, might as well.




Haha! If you do, please let the Singapore head-fiers know.


----------



## Kiats

audionewbi said:


> I got excited and ordered two of these without even having the dap.
> https://jaben.com.my/products/muc-m12sb1




Ooh.... I could use these with the Final Audio Lab2...


----------



## cthomas

audiobreeder said:


> Why would you buy a WM again, if you had experience with the zx100? Thats the problem with gray or black market... whatever its called.
> 
> Hope your WM will last longer than a year




Yes I don't understand this either. I only risk buying grey market if I'm saving a lot of money. The irony is that AJ prices are usually normal RRP and in some cases even above RRP. I looked at the 1A on AJ and it's $300 more than a legit one through Sony Australia. I don't understand why so many people bother with this company.


----------



## audionewbi

kiats said:


> Haha! If you do, please let the Singapore head-fiers know.



Hope one day I will, can't wait.

I just got a good deal for my 1A model, couldn't resist.


----------



## Kiats

audionewbi said:


> Hope one day I will, can't wait.
> 
> I just got a good deal for my 1A model, couldn't resist.




Indeed! Look forward to it. Hopefully I won't be in some strange hotel in a strange land.

Cool! Look forward to your impressions.


----------



## unknownguardian

audionewbi said:


> I got excited and ordered two of these without even having the dap.
> https://jaben.com.my/products/muc-m12sb1



actually I am thinking whether did they post the information wrongly because the price of that is same as the old m12sm2 (but they used the m12sb1 on the page for sm2 as well)

nonetheless shall wait for you to report back further findings.

but as of now I can only find that china are selling the sony 4.4mm kimber cable cheaper than japan.


----------



## Mimouille

audionewbi said:


> In Australia the 1Z is a limited release and most likely after that it will not be officially released on their site. Price is 4399 AUD and it is just too much money for me to justify.
> On the other hand I still not yet fully sure if 1A is an upgrade to my LPG.


I don't think it necessarily is.


----------



## Mimouille

kiats said:


> I must have missed this. Are the Kimble Kable IEM Cables out in the market?


 You mean these?


----------



## gerelmx1986

they look so cool i want rhose cables


----------



## Kiats

mimouille said:


> You mean these?




Haha! But so far only one type of connectors. Mike, did you pick it up within china? I'll be in Hangzhou and Shanghai in a couple of weeks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cthomas said:


> audiobreeder said:
> 
> 
> > Why would you buy a WM again, if you had experience with the zx100? Thats the problem with gray or black market... whatever its called.
> ...


 
 F.e. when amazon says "this ítem cannot be shipped to mexico"...


----------



## echineko

unknownguardian said:


> actually I am thinking whether did they post the information wrongly because the price of that is same as the old m12sm2 (but they used the m12sb1 on the page for sm2 as well)
> 
> nonetheless shall wait for you to report back further findings.
> 
> but as of now I can only find that china are selling the sony 4.4mm kimber cable cheaper than japan.


 
 No, that is the price here (Malaysia, as I mentioned in my earlier post below). It's probably going to get cheaper as our great leader continues to screw things up for everyone, and adversely affect our currency. Although I suppose they could revise the price upwards if that continues to happen.
  
 Also, it didn't matter that the ZX2 was manufactured in Malaysia, it used to retail for less in Tokyo and other places (that's why I got mine there when I was in town). But for the Signature Series, I've not seen anywhere else (US, UK, AU, SG, JP) selling them at retail for less. As I said, thanks to our currency woes right now.
  


echineko said:


> They're a regional seller in ASEAN/China, and that is in fact the domestic price here (Malaysia).
> 
> FYI:
> 
> ...


----------



## audionewbi

unknownguardian said:


> actually I am thinking whether did they post the information wrongly because the price of that is same as the old m12sm2 (but they used the m12sb1 on the page for sm2 as well)
> 
> nonetheless shall wait for you to report back further findings.
> 
> but as of now I can only find that china are selling the sony 4.4mm kimber cable cheaper than japan.


 
 The price isnt wrong, Sony MY also has the same price: http://www.sony.com.my/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-m12sb1


----------



## unknownguardian

echineko said:


> No, that is the price here (Malaysia, as I mentioned in my earlier post (below). It's probably going to get cheaper as our great leader continues to screw things up for everyone, and adversely affect our currency. Although I suppose they could revise the price upwards if that continues to happen.
> 
> Also, it didn't matter that the ZX2 was manufactured in Malaysia, it used to retail for less in Tokyo and other places (that's why I got mine there when I was in town). But for the Signature Series, I've not seen anywhere else (US, UK, AU, SG, JP) selling them at retail for less. As I said, thanks to our currency woes right now.


 
 Wow. That's really a steal!


kiats said:


> Haha! But so far only one type of connectors. Mike, did you pick it up within china? I'll be in Hangzhou and Shanghai in a couple of weeks.


 
 As of now, I think Brise Audio and Kumitate Lab (both from Japan) are the only two companies besides SONY offering aftermarket 4.4mm cables. Brise Audio offers FITEAR, 2pin and MMCX connectors. Maybe you can check it out if you happens to go Japan anytime soon.


----------



## audionewbi

mimouille said:


> I don't think it necessarily is.


 
 I couldnt wait for 1Z, it is heavily pack ordered and there is no clear indication on when we will get it, if we (Australian market) does get it as officially it isn't announced. 
 It leaves me enough money to purchase the portaphile NOK. 
  
 With that, I shall end my 2016.


----------



## cthomas

gerelmx1986 said:


> F.e. when amazon says "this ítem cannot be shipped to mexico"...




Seems like a lot of people buy from them though, not just Mexicans.

In Australia there is a service called "ShipTo" through Aus Post which means I can get a local US address and have it shipped there if someone doesn't offer international shipping. I just pay for shipping to Australia once it's arrived there. Are you sure there are no services like this in Mexico? Might be worth having a look for next time you buy something.


----------



## audionewbi

Less than an hour of play, so far it has surpass my expectation. To put it in perspective it does make my onkyo dpx1, calyx M and AK120. Certainly it sounds to me humble ears better than the ZX1, with ZX-2 to me it is better as I find ZX-2 and not intimate at all.
  
 I was not a fan of either the ZX1 and 2, from early listen.
  
 Edit: The bass note, the lower region which makes and breaks many deals to my ears using the low Im04, 14 ohm, is very tight and nicely extended. I at times struggle to enjoy the Im04 with LPG but with WM1A so far, very good!


----------



## Jalo

mimouille said:


> You mean these?



Those cables look very stiff.


----------



## nanaholic

jalo said:


> Those cables look very stiff.


 
  
 They are not stiff at all despite their thickness.  My Fitear cables are much stiffer in comparison.


----------



## audionewbi

Alright going to sign out and listen and let the honeymoon period end. Before signing out I like to say to me LPG is the ultimate reference player and nothing will ever replace it. Now that doesn't make it the ideal player for music playback, it is bruitally revealing and honest and with poor UI it is the reason why I rarely use it as something that I use to zone out into the music. WM1A to me is not that, and to me that is a great thing, it is made for music without too much distraction. 
  
 For instance for those who have the song "The Partitas" which is one of the songs uploaded on WM1A, listening via single ended out via 1A (ignoring the actual note tonality of pinao which isnt quiet far as 1a isn't fully burned in) the movement of the chair is far more obvious on LPG whereas with 1A it is present but it doesnt stand out. Tonality the LPG piano key has a more vibrant attack but as I said a)1A is new and b)1A strength is balance out which is something I cant test still I have the cable.
  
 All and all those who have the 1A coming, at least the uncapped version should be very happy and at the same time unhappy, why? It does make you wonder about the 1z, doesnt it?


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> Alright going to sign out and listen and let the honeymoon period end. Before signing out I like to say to me LPG is the ultimate reference player and nothing will ever replace it. Now that doesn't make it the ideal player for music playback, it is bruitally revealing and honest and with poor UI it is the reason why I rarely use it as something that I use to zone out into the music. WM1A to me is not that, and to me that is a great thing, it is made for music without too much distraction.
> 
> For instance for those who have the song "The Partitas" which is one of the songs uploaded on WM1A, listening via single ended out via 1A (ignoring the actual note tonality of pinao which isnt quiet far as 1a isn't fully burned in) the movement of the chair is far more obvious on LPG whereas with 1A it is present but it doesnt stand out. Tonality the LPG piano key has a more vibrant attack but as I said a)1A is new and b)1A strength is balance out which is something I cant test still I have the cable.
> 
> All and all those who have the 1A coming, at least the uncapped version should be very happy and at the same time unhappy, why? It does make you wonder about the 1z, doesnt it?


 

 ​which partitas the ones for Keyboard or the ones for Violin(JS Bach)?


----------



## audionewbi

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​which partitas the ones for Keyboard or the ones for Violin(JS Bach)?


 
 keyboard, it is one of the song in this album series, sadly the meta data for the sony file is missing so I cant pin-point it. I will buy this album for sure and report back later.
  
 http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Sony/88843036822


----------



## nanaholic

rushofblood said:


> One thing I'm really curious about is how the balanced compares vis-a-vis the single ended output. @nanaholic any thoughts?


 
  
 I've only clocked about 30 hours on the balance compared to 90 hours on the SE, but the most obvious difference is instrument separation.


----------



## Mimouille

kiats said:


> Haha! But so far only one type of connectors. Mike, did you pick it up within china? I'll be in Hangzhou and Shanghai in a couple of weeks.


I ordered on taobao but they had very little stock...you need to check.


----------



## audionewbi

Jaben just got back to me, they have their stock due next week.


----------



## Kiats

audionewbi said:


> Jaben just got back to me, they have their stock due next week.




Excellent! I just reached out to JabenSG and Claire will suss it out for me. Anyway, I'll be in KL in a couple of weeks and there's a Jaben store near my hotel.


----------



## Antihippy

Is the Australian stock uncapped?


----------



## audionewbi

antihippy said:


> Is the Australian stock uncapped?


 
 appears to be.


----------



## Antihippy

That's good to know. Thank you.


----------



## echineko

kiats said:


> Excellent! I just reached out to JabenSG and Claire will suss it out for me. Anyway, I'll be in KL in a couple of weeks and there's a Jaben store near my hotel.


 
 I'm assuming you mean the one near the Hilton/Le Meridien. Better call them first and check on stock, if you plan to pick up anything on the spot.


----------



## Kiats

echineko said:


> I'm assuming you mean the one near the Hilton/Le Meridien. Better call them first and check on stock, if you plan to pick up anything on the spot.




No worries. Thanks! I would get Claire to make sure before I stroll across.


----------



## noplsestar

audionewbi said:


> Less than an hour of play, so far it has surpass my expectation. To put it in perspective it does make my onkyo dpx1, calyx M and AK120. Certainly it sounds to me humble ears better than the ZX1, with ZX-2 to me it is better as I find ZX-2 and not intimate at all.
> 
> I was not a fan of either the ZX1 and 2, from early listen.
> 
> Edit: The bass note, the lower region which makes and breaks many deals to my ears using the low Im04, 14 ohm, is very tight and nicely extended. I at times struggle to enjoy the Im04 with LPG but with WM1A so far, very good!




What do you mean with "it does make calyx m etc."? You mean it is on the same level?


----------



## audionewbi

noplsestar said:


> What do you mean with "it does make calyx m etc."? You mean it is on the same level?


 
 To me it bests them. From my point of view 1A mades daps of such nature just outdated and no longer relevant. 
 I am about to put my dpx1 for sale, need to take some pictures of it. I never liked how dpx1 sounded with most of my gears, just sterile. It has a great USB out but just sterile and lacks the musicality I hear in 1A.


----------



## rushofblood

nanaholic said:


> I've only clocked about 30 hours on the balance compared to 90 hours on the SE, but the most obvious difference is instrument separation.



Great to know, thanks. What about resolution, and is the noise floor higher for sensitive IEMs on the balanced output?


----------



## nanaholic

rushofblood said:


> Great to know, thanks. What about resolution, and is the noise floor higher for sensitive IEMs on the balanced output?


 
  
 Both sound pitch black to me, I think they've already reached the point where the noise floor is so low that it is inaudible.


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> To me it bests them. From my point of view 1A mades daps of such nature just outdated and no longer relevant.
> 
> I am about to put my dpx1 for sale, need to take some pictures of it. I never liked how dpx1 sounded with most of my gears, just sterile. It has a great USB out but just sterile and lacks the musicality I hear in 1A.




Dp-x1 was always sterile vs my Zx2 . No doubt abou 1A/Z being musical. Thanks for the impression


----------



## tenedosian

I am currently having some out-of-the-box listening with the above gear. (For anyone asking, the ones at the bottom from left to right are A35, A16 and Hifiman SuperMini)
 
I am using Grado HF-1 modded with Turbulent Labs Hydra Go cable. These cans are - as expected from a mid-range Grado - are fun sounding with a transparent presentation. However, they are only *moderately *resolving records, and they do not present instruments with a meaty body that especially some reference headphones are capable of. (like a relatively cheap Audio Technica R70X)
The sound of HF-1 is definitely *not *analytical, so does not reveal the true potential of these players.
 
I had some A-B testing among various players, and even through Grado's, the difference between the low-tier Sony's and WM series is obvious.
 
My two years old Japanese A16 sounds obsolete compared even to A35, and the difference grows with WM series as expected.
 
I am going to write more on the differences between A16 and A35 in the A30 series thread, however I can talk a bit of them compared to WM series.
 
I am currently using "WM series" on purpose, since these two players rise a class up from the rest, including ZX1.
 
A16, the worst of the bunch, simply sounds highly veiled and unrealistic compared to WM series which do present a *very *clear sound with percievably more realistic instrumental depiction.
 
The area between the instruments in the sound of WM series Walkman's is successfully bordered with good channel separation and is filled with air, whereas in A16 the separation is not that clear, causing congestion especially in some more complex musical passages.
 
The soundstage is more laid-back in A16, and the instrument size is quite smaller. They lack body. However, in terms of the size of the soundstage, A16 still keeps on doing a good job.
 
In fact, all the Sony players here do a decent job in presenting a well-sized soundstage.
 
I didn't give much listen to A35, but at first look A35 seems to present a similar presentation to WM series (which I think is a good thing). It has a more forward sound than A16 with better separation and more pinpoint imaging. Yet, it simply lacks especially the performance of WM series in upper frequencies.
 
ZX1 on the other hand is also quite away from WM series, despite being a relatively clear sounding player itself. WM series simply have more body to sound and instruments, more detail, and more crisp, lifelike sound.
 
Over a decade I've listened to dozens of portable players, and I believe that "accurate" ambient detail is one of the main characteristics that set the upper class players apart from the rest.
 
There are players with somewhat boosted treble sections (like Ibasso DX90) which produces a sense of ambient detail, however mostly leading to some side effects in their sounds, like DX90 to sound -even very slightly- artificial.
 
Maybe this is one of the crucial differences between WM players here and the others. WM1A and 1Z present you with plenty of ambient detail ; the echoes in a studio record, back-side conversations that slipped into the record, or the talks between the crowd in live recordings. And these detail are presented very naturally ; they sound like real, not some digital simulation.
 
And despite the case that the players are in the baby steps of burn-in at the moment, I think this is also the very part that WM1Z shows its superiority over its cheaper sibling 1A.
 
1A sounds very detailed in upper registers and in "the ambient detail" section, but the detail as well as the instruments are presented more naturally with 1Z. I believe this difference would go up once you use more resolving cans, especially some sensitive iem / ciems. But, even with a mid-rier Grado there is difference right now, yes.
 
And for ones who may be curious, I used ZX2 for a couple of months last year, and 1A seems to be technically superior to it if I remember correctly. I published a very detailed review of Sony players on a Turkish site last year, and as far as I remember, the difference between A16 and ZX2 was not _that dramatic _compared to the one between A16 and 1A. However, my advice is to take this comment with a grain of salt _*for the moment. *_
 
(By the way, I must say WM players (especially 1Z) sounded a tad bit brighter from what I expected.)
 
And though my 1A and 1Z are capped, they provide enough listening levels (with direct sound mode) with 32 ohm / 98dB Grado's. They *can *sound plenty loud with iem's of high SPL.


----------



## audionewbi

The benefit of 1Z is sounding good in the single ended option, however I have a very strong feeling once things go balance the gap between the two will be too small for anyone to pass a blind test with a statistically significant result.

 However I do know copper is an excellent EMI shielding element and I am a believer in a proper shielding. I have a friend who designed two cables using a relatively cheap OFC cable. One heavily shielded and other not, the sound on the shielded was wider, smoother than the non shielded which sounded brighter and noticeably narrower sounding. 
  
 This made me wonder why case makers dont use copper sheet for shielding? I mean for a small market like head-fi heavy cases with implemented copper EMI shields will sale well, this can essentially turn the 1A into the 1Z.


----------



## audionewbi

Here are the two thing I wished 1A had:
  
 1) *UI:* Give me Tile browsing, the same way I can do with my A16 walkman, or better give me something like the ZX2. 
  
 2) *More memory: *I know I know , they have to make their flagship product stand out else whats the point but honestly if 1A had 256 GB and as a result sold for 300 AUD more I would still buy it. 
  
 But beside this two I dont see any other need I want. 

 PS: Issues relating to FW upgrade can be OS related. If you own a mac with the latest OS the current FW is not supported. Also the only way to get your microSD card to work is you have to format it using the walkman itself. So dont do what I did and waste an hour uploading files which it cant read


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Guys, so where can you buy an unacpped 1a from right now?


----------



## denis1976

princeofegypt said:


> Guys, so where can you buy an unacpped 1a from right now?


hello , from ebay, if you can handle the custom fees and taxes, other option is buy a caped one that for almost all iems is more than enough, and with the money that you saved by not paying taxes you buy the new amp the pha 2a and you got the hungry big headphones solved


----------



## denis1976

But if you live in Japan or other Asia country ,you are allowed by Sony to became deaf, no problem...


----------



## audionewbi

denis1976 said:


> hello , from ebay, if you can handle the custom fees and taxes, other option is buy a caped one that for almost all iems is more than enough, and with the money that you saved by not paying taxes you buy the new amp the pha 2a and you got the hungry big headphones solved



The pha 2a uses regular dac, it isnt the same as the current Walkman.


----------



## echineko

So has anyone tried the firmware update to a capped WM series unit yet? Does it change anything, regarding the volume cap?


----------



## jmills8

denis1976 said:


> But if you live in Japan or other Asia country ,you are allowed by Sony to became deaf, no problem...


If your concern is to keep your ears as a baby then best not use an iem period. Use a headphone for one hour per day at low volume. Even doing that you will lose upper freq by the age of 25.


----------



## denis1976

jmills8 said:


> If your concern is to keep your ears as a baby then best not use an iem period. Use a headphone for one hour per day at low volume. Even doing that tou will lose upper freq by the age of 25.


i prefer to use a iem with good seal at low volumes , but thanks for the advise, and i use the ie800 that plus having a great sound they are open, so the pressure in the ear drum is very low


----------



## denis1976

denis1976 said:


> Hello please if is not asking to much can someone tell me one thing? In the uncapped version of the 1A/Z  when the AVLS is "on" where(1/120) does the volume "stops"?
> Thank you


please...no one?


----------



## denis1976

echineko said:


> So has anyone tried the firmware update to a capped WM series unit yet? Does it change anything, regarding the volume cap?


hello i allready have the new firmware on mine , the high gain selector still gonebut tou can be sure earing the ie800 at 100 volume is not very healthy for your ears ...


----------



## Whitigir

jmills8 said:


> If your concern is to keep your ears as a baby then best not use an iem period. Use a headphone for one hour per day at low volume. Even doing that tou will lose upper freq by the age of 25.




You will lose your hearings, it doesn't matter what. It will get worse as time goes by


----------



## denis1976

audionewbi said:


> The pha 2a uses regular dac, it isnt the same as the current Walkman.


the signature top amp dac does not use the daps design too, the pha 2a has the balanced 4.4mm too and theres a picture of a wise man listen to a nw-wm1a with a pha 2a and has very happy face


----------



## Jalo

tenedosian said:


> (By the way, I must say WM players (especially 1Z) sounded a tad bit brighter from what I expected.)




In the beginning the impressions of the 1z is that it is on the warm side and now it is "a tad bit brighter". Which is which?


----------



## Whitigir

Let's it burn . According to the engineer, the 1Z is able to tip the scale of trebles while still is very smooth where the 1A can not


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> Let's it burn . According to the engineer, the 1Z is able to tip the scale of trebles while still is very smooth where the 1A can not




Well the burning process doesn't change everything. It may tighten up the sound or smooth out some edges but it will not change the sound signature from warm to bright. Besides some the the early impressions were given without burning in also.


----------



## rushofblood

jalo said:


> In the beginning the impressions of the 1z is that it is on the warm side and now it is "a tad bit brighter". Which is which?


 
 In my admittedly limited experience with the 1Z, it sounds very thick and slow when new. About 100 hours of run in later (as per the last demo unit I tried), I found the sound to be a lot leaner and faster with details being pushed out more prominently which may provide the impression of a brighter sound.


----------



## nanaholic

jmills8 said:


> If your concern is to keep your ears as a baby then best not use an iem period. Use a headphone for one hour per day at low volume. Even doing that you will lose upper freq by the age of 25.


 
  
 It's actually the opposite - because headphone has wave energy lost due to the extra distance between the driver and the eardrums, most people unconsciously turns up the volume to compensate for the lost of detail in the music and thus ends up listening at a louder volume than they would with IEMs.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> It's actually the opposite - because headphone has wave energy lost due to the extra distance between the driver and the eardrums, most people unconsciously turns up the volume to compensate for the lost of detail in the music and thus ends up listening at a louder volume than they would with IEMs.




Yeah, and that is why to my ears, headphones are more enjoyable than IEMS , not to mention soundstage and presentation


----------



## Jalo

rushofblood said:


> In my admittedly limited experience with the 1Z, it sounds very thick and slow when new. About 100 hours of run in later (as per the last demo unit I tried), I found the sound to be a lot leaner and faster with details being pushed out more prominently which may provide the impression of a brighter sound.




Well the reviewer stated that the wms are not fully burn in.


----------



## nanaholic

https://twitter.com/flubber777/status/795561207939768321
  
 Nice case, would buy but still just a prototype for the time being.


----------



## denis1976

Now with 70 hours ....


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

nanaholic said:


> Got home and was greeted by a little accessory package that I ordered from Japan.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Please could you give the link for the screen protector? Thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> https://twitter.com/flubber777/status/795561207939768321
> 
> Nice case, would buy but still just a prototype for the time being.


 
 Looks way better tan the sony one fior sure


----------



## gerelmx1986

princeofegypt said:


> Guys, so where can you buy an unacpped 1a from right now?


 

 ​As i have repeated over and over (with english or not?) then accessoryJack, if you can read Japanese then priceJapan, amazon US has one thrid party seller sold fpr 1400


----------



## denis1976

Does only Briseaudio sells the 3.5mm trrs to 4.4mm trrs conversion cable?


----------



## gerelmx1986

tenedosian said:


> I am currently having some out-of-the-box listening with the above gear. (For anyone asking, the ones at the bottom from left to right are A35, A16 and Hifiman SuperMini)
> 
> I am using Grado HF-1 modded with Turbulent Labs Hydra Go cable. These cans are - as expected from a mid-range Grado - are fun sounding with a transparent presentation. However, they are only *moderately *resolving records, and they do not present instruments with a meaty body that especially some reference headphones are capable of. (like a relatively cheap Audio Technica R70X)
> The sound of HF-1 is definitely *not *analytical, so does not reveal the true potential of these players.
> ...


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > ​which partitas the ones for Keyboard or the ones for Violin(JS Bach)?
> ...


 

 ​Nice I have never Heard the Partitas on the piano, only on their intended original instrument: the Harpsichord, my dad has one in 24-bit of these partitas on the harpsichord i would ask him  for it


----------



## nanaholic

princeofegypt said:


> Please could you give the link for the screen protector? Thanks


 
 https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B01M725624/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## pat9486

Can anyone give me a fair comparison of the WM1A and the LPG


----------



## ttt123

denis1976 said:


> Hello please if is not asking to much can someone tell me one thing? In the uncapped version of the 1A/Z  when the AVLS is "on" where(1/120) does the volume "stops"?
> Thank you


 
 WM1A, HK version
 - High Gain: off
 - AVLS (Volume Limit) : on
 Volume stops at 068


----------



## pat9486

unknownguardian said:


> actually I am thinking whether did they post the information wrongly because the price of that is same as the old m12sm2 (but they used the m12sb1 on the page for sm2 as well)
> 
> nonetheless shall wait for you to report back further findings.
> 
> but as of now I can only find that china are selling the sony 4.4mm kimber cable cheaper than japan.


 
 Do you know what the MUC-M12SM2 ​cable looks like since they used the same photo as the B1 cable. I am assuming it is MMCX with 3.5mm TRS jack


----------



## denis1976

ttt123 said:


> WM1A, HK version
> - High Gain: off
> - AVLS (Volume Limit) : on
> Volume stops at 068


ok thank you very much


----------



## gerelmx1986

pat9486 said:


> unknownguardian said:
> 
> 
> > actually I am thinking whether did they post the information wrongly because the price of that is same as the old m12sm2 (but they used the m12sb1 on the page for sm2 as well)
> ...


 

 Yup they are MMCX standard connector and has the 4.4mm TRRRS Jack
  
 hope they start selling them in europe esp. amazon germany


----------



## tenedosian

jalo said:


> In the beginning the impressions of the 1z is that it is on the warm side and now it is "a tad bit brighter". Which is which?


 
 1) As the brand itself suggests : "It is a Sony", so you may expect the player to be a bit on the warm side. Walkman's *usually *tend to sound like that. 
  
 2) "Warmth" and "brightness" do not contradict each other ; in fact Grado headphones are known to be both warm and bright at the same time. 1Z seems to me to be "*quite"* neutral with a hint of warmth, and a little bit of brightness. 
  
 I wrote my previous review for offering *a brief insight* to people, about the out-of-the-box performances of the new Sony players. And I have no doubt that some of my comments may evolve over time following burn-in. However, I can easily say that, for example, the snare drum sounded brighter on 1Z than both A16 and ZX1 on multiple recordings at the moment. 
  
 (And by the way, if A35 develops just a bit more following burn-in, I believe it can be a beautiful price / performance champion of its price level together with 1A. I am trying hard to keep my patience and refrain myself from saying "Well done Sony!" right now.)


----------



## gerelmx1986

tenedosian said:


> 1) As the brand itself suggests : "It is a Sony", so you may expect the player to be a bit on the warm side. Walkman's *usually *tend to sound like that.
> 
> 2) "Warmth" and "brightness" do not contradict each other ; in fact Grado headphones are known to be both warm and bright at the same time. *1Z seems to me to be "quite" neutral with a hint of warmth, and a little bit of brightness.*
> 
> ...


 
 is the WM1A also neutral as 1Z, it is more brighter or less?


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Any comparisons between ZX2+PHA3 vs WM-A?


----------



## Jalo

tenedosian said:


> 1) As the brand itself suggests : "It is a Sony", so you may expect the player to be a bit on the warm side. Walkman's *usually *tend to sound like that.
> 
> 2) "Warmth" and "brightness" do not contradict each other ; in fact Grado headphones are known to be both warm and bright at the same time. 1Z seems to me to be "*quite"* neutral with a hint of warmth, and a little bit of brightness.
> 
> ...


 
 Well I want to make sure you know I wasn't trying to be critical of your impressions.  I was just trying to clarify or understand what you mean.  I fully understand that you are offering a brief insight while the daps are going through burning and that your opinions may change later.  I wasn't holding you to these initial impressions at all.  In fact I appreciate that you are willing to share.  I guess its just that sometimes warm to me is synonymous with being soft or dark and being bright is sometimes described as sparkle with high treble energy.


----------



## ttt123

ttt123 said:


> WM1A, HK version
> - High Gain: off
> - AVLS (Volume Limit) : on
> Volume stops at 068


 
 Forgot to specify that this is on firmware 1.01


----------



## gerelmx1986

ttt123 said:


> ttt123 said:
> 
> 
> > WM1A, HK version
> ...


 

 ​one question @ttt123 the composer search is still available on FW 1.01?


----------



## ttt123

yes, it's still there.


----------



## audionewbi

Maybe I am getting emotional, i am trying my best to listen to 1A critically but I just can't. I think if Sony keeps on building on the WM walkman line the future for portable audio is very bright. I havent had such music session since I bought the KSE1500. 

 For those who wonder what I am using to listen with WM1A I am using the Radius TWF41 and Ortofon eq8s.


----------



## echineko

audionewbi said:


> Maybe I am getting emotional, i am trying my best to listen to 1A critically but I just can't. I think if Sony keeps on building on the WM walkman line the future for portable audio is very bright. I havent had such music session since I bought the KSE1500.
> 
> For those who wonder what I am using to listen with WM1A I am using the Radius TWF41 and Ortofon eq8s.


 
 Nice, good to hear such positive feedback. How long have you been using the 1A so far?


----------



## jmills8

audionewbi said:


> Maybe I am getting emotional, i am trying my best to listen to 1A critically but I just can't. I think if Sony keeps on building on the WM walkman line the future for portable audio is very bright. I havent had such music session since I bought the KSE1500.
> 
> 
> For those who wonder what I am using to listen with WM1A I am using the Radius TWF41 and Ortofon eq8s.


 Over all sound which is best: WM1A, KSE1500 , Hugo, LPG ?


----------



## audionewbi

echineko said:


> Nice, good to hear such positive feedback. How long have you been using the 1A so far?


 
  
 The devices itself has 21 hours of but I had probably listen to it for half of that. 


jmills8 said:


> Over all sound which is best: WM1A, KSE1500 , Hugo, LPG ?


 
 KSE1500 is an electrostatic gear which can scale up. I tend to like it with warmer DAC which so far I havent found yet. Best is such a relative work, I believe all thing can sound best under the right condition, find the right Synergy and you are set. 
  
 LPG will remain my reference, great for DSD and it pairs great with anything when the recording is dynamic and not bright. However for everyday relaxing use it requires rolled-off high gears to reduce fatigue. 
 I havent had a chance to compare it again HUGO in more depth but to my ears 1A is very similar to HUGO. 1A vocal sounds more forward, which to me is good, it is forward just enough. 1A to my ears is better tuned than Mojo. 

 1A is about the only DAP so far that I dont have the craving to add in an amp or use it as a source for my desktop dac/amp. Honestly so far everytime I listen I just loss track of time in music. 
  
 Of course the natural question that now has rooted in my mind "how much better is wm1z"? Most likely I will not get the 1z unless I can get one for around $2000 but I am truly hopeful of the next generation of Walkman. These are good times we live in, good times!


----------



## harmonix

mimouille said:


> A guy on the French forums was saying that with the MSR7 he can barely hear at max volume with the capped version of the 1Z. I don't know if he is reading this and would care to complete, but he decided to send it back and get the uncapped. Otherwise he said it is the best sounding player he has heard.




Wow. What kind of headphones are those? More and more I'm realizing people are listening to music too loud and compressed at that. To them 85db is barely audible. Really?!! Talk about hearing impairment.


----------



## echineko

audionewbi said:


> The devices itself has 21 hours of but I had probably listen to it for half of that.


 
 Nice, still a long way to go, before it's fully settled, then. I'm curious about something, there's 2 separate circuits for the balanced and SE outputs, am I right? So does that mean the burn-in process is separate for both? Could be a silly question I know, but I seem to remember there being separate circuits for SE and 4.4mm balanced.
  
 I'm still saving up for a 1Z, but yeah... that's not gonna happen soon, I don't think


----------



## cthomas

I'm sick of hearing how loud the capped versions aren't. Would prefer to know how loud the uncapped version is. As in, can it drive 300ohm HP's at all?


----------



## audionewbi

I think all the complain is purely related to single ended option. I'm willing to say even the capped one will sound plenty loud on balance out. 
 But they are still valid concerns as on my uncapped model there are certain cases where I went over the capped model limit.


----------



## pat9486

audionewbi said:


> The devices itself has 21 hours of but I had probably listen to it for half of that.
> KSE1500 is an electrostatic gear which can scale up. I tend to like it with warmer DAC which so far I havent found yet. Best is such a relative work, I believe all thing can sound best under the right condition, find the right Synergy and you are set.
> 
> LPG will remain my reference, great for DSD and it pairs great with anything when the recording is dynamic and not bright. However for everyday relaxing use it requires rolled-off high gears to reduce fatigue.
> ...


 

 ​2 weeks ago I placed and order for the WM1A+4.4mm Kimber MMCX cable and CF vega iems....upon reflection I changed it to the LPG+Bispa MMCX cable and CF vega. Having not listened to either players do you think I made a good choice? I do own a ZX2 and AK240 and found myself always going back to the AK240 because I found it more clinical in its presentation.The only thing I do not like about the AK240 is the battery life which is one of the things that attracted me to the ZX2 originally.
  
 On another topic, as anyone come across a 12V/1A 2.1mm pin DC to USB adapter. I would like to charge the LPG via a powerbank when I am on the go.


----------



## audionewbi

pat9486 said:


> ​2 weeks ago I placed and order for the WM1A+4.4mm Kimber MMCX cable and CF vega iems....upon reflection I changed it to the LPG+Bispa MMCX cable and CF vega. Having not listened to either players do you think I made a good choice? I do own a ZX2 and AK240 and found myself always going back to the AK240 because I found it more clinical in its presentation.The only thing I do not like about the AK240 is the battery life which is one of the things that attracted me to the ZX2 originally.
> 
> On another topic, as anyone come across a 12V/1A 2.1mm pin DC to USB adapter. I would like to charge the LPG via a powerbank when I am on the go.


 
 To me LPG will always remain one of the sound that will never be outdate. I havent listened to Vega so I cannot tell whether that pairing will work but as far as sound alone goes LPG is very capable and from reviews Vega should pair just fine with LPG. 

 The reason why I couldnt settle for LPG is due to UI. I dislike folder browsing due to my extensive music collection. Since you like a more clinical sound I suspect LPG is more suitable as its warmth is done right in regard of having a reference sound which isnt sterile. 
  
 Hope that answers your question.


----------



## pat9486

Thank you for your insight


----------



## jmills8

pat9486 said:


> Thank you for your insight


Jaben?


----------



## Cecala

audionewbi said:


> To me LPG will always remain one of the sound that will never be outdate. I havent listened to Vega so I cannot tell whether that pairing will work but as far as sound alone goes LPG is very capable and from reviews Vega should pair just fine with LPG.
> 
> The reason why I couldnt settle for LPG is due to UI. I dislike folder browsing due to my extensive music collection. Since you like a more clinical sound I suspect LPG is more suitable as its warmth is done right in regard of having a reference sound which isnt sterile.
> 
> Hope that answers your question.


 
 It's funny you dislike folder browsing because it's what I prefer. Does the Sony allow this mode of function?


----------



## denis1976

harmonix said:


> Wow. What kind of headphones are those? More and more I'm realizing people are listening to music too loud and compressed at that. To them 85db is barely audible. Really?!! Talk about hearing impairment.


yes there are many deaf people, mine 1A caped even allows me to ear music with my he400i that have 93db and 35 ohms, i am not saying that takes them to the limit but is very pleasant to ear with body and stage and good level (of course more than 100 on the volume )my previous caped zx2 didn't do that


----------



## audionewbi

cecala said:


> It's funny you dislike folder browsing because it's what I prefer. Does the Sony allow this mode of function?


yes it does no problem.


----------



## denis1976

cthomas said:


> I'm sick of hearing how loud the capped versions aren't. Would prefer to know how loud the uncapped version is. As in, can it drive 300ohm HP's at all?


my friend in SE with a 300 omhs HP you can be sure that caped and uncaped with 60 mw in to 16 ohms available it will be short...now balanced maybe will do ...


----------



## pat9486

jmills8 said:


> Jaben?


 

 ​Yeah...HK


----------



## mw7485

pat9486 said:


> On another topic, as anyone come across a 12V/1A 2.1mm pin DC to USB adapter. I would like to charge the LPG via a powerbank when I am on the go.


 
  
 Never seen a 12V USB powerbank, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. You may laugh but .... have you tried looking at the myriad of pocketable 12V car jump starters sold by the likes of Amazon? They are 12 volt, often come with a huge variety of tips and adators, usually have pretty startling storage capacity - and they're handy for their orginal intended purpose in a pinch as well!


----------



## cthomas

denis1976 said:


> my friend in SE with a 300 omhs HP you can be sure that caped and uncaped with 60 mw in to 16 ohms available it will be short...now balanced maybe will do ...




Yeah hoping balanced had a bit more beef.


----------



## Jalo

pat9486 said:


> ​2 weeks ago I placed and order for the WM1A+4.4mm Kimber MMCX cable and CF vega iems....upon reflection I changed it to the LPG+Bispa MMCX cable and CF vega. Having not listened to either players do you think I made a good choice? I do own a ZX2 and AK240 and found myself always going back to the AK240 because I found it more clinical in its presentation.The only thing I do not like about the AK240 is the battery life which is one of the things that attracted me to the ZX2 originally.
> 
> On another topic, as anyone come across a 12V/1A 2.1mm pin DC to USB adapter. I would like to charge the LPG via a powerbank when I am on the go.




Well the Vega will be a good match with the LPG and the 240. With the LPG because of its power, and Vega loves a lot of power. With the 240 because of its clinical sound. You should terminate the Vega in 2.5 balance for the 240 and then get an adaptor to 3.5 for the LPG. You are going to like it a lot. Get some MQS or DSD materials and you are in Heaven. I love the DSD album Pure by Lily Chan. 

By the way, does Jaben HK has the Wm1z for demo? Also, why weren't you able to listen to or demo the LPG and 1a at Jaben?


----------



## Jalo

Does anyone know what kind of cable is the 4.4 Kimber Mmcx? Is it 6n7/n silver, occ copper, spc? Litz? How many cores? Construction etc? Sound signature, warm? Transparent?


----------



## pat9486

jalo said:


> Well the Vega will be a good match with the LPG and the 240. With the LPG because of its power, and Vega loves a lot of power. With the 240 because of its clinical sound. You should terminate the Vega in 2.5 balance for the 240 and then get an adaptor to 3.5 for the LPG. You are going to like it a lot. Get some MQS or DSD materials and you are in Heaven. I love the DSD album Pure by Lily Chan.
> 
> By the way, does Jaben HK has the Wm1z for demo? Also, why weren't you able to listen to or demo the LPG and 1a at Jaben?


 

 ​Jaben HK has the WM1Z on demo, you should visit their FB page for details....I live in Brunei so I am not exactly local....I do goto HK from time to time, but haven't recently. I have been following the developments of the WM series closely since Sony's announcements but decided in the end to with an LPG. It would be good if they came with a refresh of the LPG, its probably about time.
  
 Yeah I am trying to source some soundtrack music on DSD to test the LPG....it should be delivered tomorrow.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

tenedosian said:


> 1) As the brand itself suggests : "It is a Sony", so you may expect the player to be a bit on the warm side. Walkman's *usually *tend to sound like that.
> 
> 2) "Warmth" and "brightness" do not contradict each other ; in fact Grado headphones are known to be both warm and bright at the same time. 1Z seems to me to be "*quite"* neutral with a hint of warmth, and a little bit of brightness.
> 
> ...


 
 I'm sorry but I think you have some misconceptions about these things.
  
 I've read your review on Turkish site (I think last year or so) and just as these comments from you, I didn't agree on it as well.
  
 Warm and bright, as far as sound explanations concerned, are the two opposites and yeah, they DO contradict each other. Grado headphones are nowhere near considered as "warm" headphones. They're cold, thin and have lots of treble and they're mostly too unrealistic. That's why you say 1Z is a tad brighter because you've been testing it with a Grado. Well, maybe because Grados are excessively bright? Grado is not a good start for a detailed sound test for a DAP in the first place. It's not a reference sound signature. You should try those DAP's with some good reference equipment, because your comments don't make sense to me, such as *"the difference between A16 and ZX2 was not that dramatic"*. Sorry but couldn't disagree more.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> It's funny you dislike folder browsing because it's what I prefer. Does the Sony allow this mode of function?


 
 Yes it does in one picture of the UI it shows it


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> echineko said:
> 
> 
> > Nice, good to hear such positive feedback. How long have you been using the 1A so far?
> ...


 

 ​WOW Very impressive, so I nailed it with my purchase and well, the wait


----------



## tenedosian

virtu fortuna said:


> I'm sorry but I think you have some misconceptions about these things.
> 
> I've read your review on Turkish site (I think last year or so) and just as these comments from you, I didn't agree on it as well.
> 
> Warm and bright, as far as sound explanations concerned, are the two opposites and yeah, they DO contradict each other. Grado headphones are nowhere near considered as "warm" headphones. They're cold, thin and have lots of treble and they're mostly too unrealistic. That's why you say 1Z is a tad brighter because you've been testing it with a Grado. Well, maybe because Grados are excessively bright? Grado is not a good start for a detailed sound test for a DAP in the first place. It's not a reference sound signature. You should try those DAP's with some good reference equipment, because your comments don't make sense to me, such as *"the difference between A16 and ZX2 was not that dramatic"*. Sorry but couldn't disagree more.


 
 My aim is to use the devices, and try to describe as accurate as possible "what people *may *find" when they give them a try themselves. So far, from the feedbacks given to me, I think I've done a pretty consistent job on that. People frequently tell me that their findings mostly match with the ones in my reviews. 
  
 And it is *not *possible to describe a devices sound character with a relative accuracy level without having some command over the terminology. Thus, I believe my terminology is plausible for many people, though not for all. 
  
 If you don't find Grado's *generally* warm, then that's your opinion, your "finding". But in a situation where even the maker of these headphones describe their sound as "warm", I think you should check your own terminology. 
  
*"That's why you say 1Z is a tad brighter because you've been testing it with a Grado."*
  
 Don't you think that I *might *have the wits to take this factor into account? : )
 I am not testing 1Z with my Grado, and other players with another headphone. So that makes them quite equal. A16 sounds bright coupled with Grado HF-1, and 1Z sounds *brighter* with the same setup. That should give a clue. 
  
 Let me state more carefully, I don't mean that 1Z is a bright sounding player *for now*, just that it is a bit brighter than what I expected (I expected a somewhat darker presentation from comments I believe, my bad & sorry), and it sounds brighter _*compared *_to A16. 
  
*"because your comments don't make sense to me, such as "the difference between A16 and ZX2 was not that dramatic"*
  
 I didn't say the difference was not dramatic, I said "*not THAT" dramatic. *
 From my memory, the gap in resolution seems to be bigger between 1A and A16 than that of ZX2 and A16. Please read posts more carefully and try to keep up with the nuances. 
  
 I believe you are definitely correct that using a Grado is possibly not the best way of understanding the sound character of a device (due being very colorful itself) but it's transparent presentation (especially in mid section) tells you a great deal about the potential of a player. 
  
 Besides, I have the chance to access many headphones (from AKG, Sennheiser, Oppo, Audio Technica etc.) and that means that in a week or two I am planning to write some impressions of these players matched with those headphones. (Sorry iem / ciem people, but I currently lack the confidence to write trustworthy opinions on Walkman's coupled with those gear.)
  
 It is a bit ironic that my volume-capped Sony players should probably suit iems better and they're possibly not the ultimate editor's choice for headphones, but I believe I can contribute on the matching of sound signatures at least.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@tenedosian is the WM1A even more "bright" than the 1Z or you say it is more neutral player but with a hint of musicality?


----------



## tenedosian

I should do some A-B among them again, but I can say that their sound signatures look pretty close.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tenedosian said:


> I should do some A-B among them again, but I can say that their sound signatures look pretty close.


 

 ​Thanks for the info


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

tenedosian said:


> My aim is to use the devices, and try to describe as accurate as possible "what people *may *find" when they give them a try themselves. So far, from the feedbacks given to me, I think I've done a pretty consistent job on that. People frequently tell me that their findings mostly match with the ones in my reviews.
> 
> And it is *not *possible to describe a devices sound character with a relative accuracy level without having some command over the terminology. Thus, I believe my terminology is plausible for many people, though not for all.
> 
> ...


 
 Ok I get you.
  
 But just because people say their findings matches with your descriptions, you cannot say that you described them accurately. That depends on those people's experience and their own descriptions, and their ears. And believe me this happens usually: Someone says that headphone is too bright and somebody else agrees, but actually they're both wrong. In terms of myself, I didn't agree with that review of yours for example. The biggest one was about the Velvet (Earsonics). Lots of people said it was one of the best Universals, but it's nowhere near the best. They're all wrong. Right?
  
 I simply think your terminology is totally wrong. But just do it your own way I don't really care. But I care about the people who maybe gonna accept these comments as facts or can make purchases based on that. There's a lot of money at stake. Makers can say a lot of things about their products, but that's also isn't necessarily true. I think you should've already known about this fact but it seems you haven't. 
  
 A16 is a veiled DAP, so of course 1Z should be brighter with all that detail and seperation etc.. If you wanna know my direct opinion, I think you should get rid of all those Grado's when you want to start to test DAP's. Simple as that. 
  
 No it's THAT dramatic between A16 and ZX2. The difference is "night and day". You could've said; "the difference between A16 and 1A is even more dramatic". That would've been accurate. Most people will use these DAP's with IEM's, so I think you should try some high caliber IEM's as well, if you have the chance. If not, maybe I can send some, feel free to ask.


----------



## gerelmx1986

virtu fortuna said:


> Someone says that headphone is too bright and somebody else agrees, but actually they're both wrong. In terms of myself, I didn't agree with that review of yours for example.


 
 Many people say MDR-Z7 are dark sounding... for me is lean- sounding but not too lean to be considered neutral.. and yeah i find them as tested in a noisy environment to fit classical music .
  
 so, this ifght over the grados is a bit like if we were fighting  i find Z7 neutral, and other says Noooo i don't they're dark and bassy


----------



## Jalo

This is getting very interesting if we cannot even use the same language and terminology with the same meaning, how are we communicating on here. When I use sibilance, dark, warm, bright, natural, neutral, soft, tight, transparent, or clean, I expect it to be understood to be within certain range of meaning.


----------



## nanaholic

jalo said:


> This is getting very interesting if we cannot even use the same language and terminology with the same meaning, how are we communicating on here. When I use sibilance, dark, warm, bright, natural, neutral, soft, tight, transparent, or clean, I expect it to be understood to be within certain range of meaning.


 
  
 the problem is that those terms are usually relative.
 Without measurements and going by untrained ears alone, what one finds bright might be another person's neutral etc.


----------



## Dithyrambes

On a different note, could someone do a comparison between the Mojo and the WM1A or WM1Z for people who have heard both. I know there are lots of AK380 comparisons, but would like to not use relativity and have them directly compared. I know its not fair because one is a dac/amp and other is a dap, which is much more complex. Though at the end of the day, its about SQ, and I feel like the price to performance ratio for all products are getting very good. I know capped UK version is wtvr, but it could have been had for an amazing deal at around 880-900 usd. Seems like a steal but just checked Chord Mojo prices today and a new mojo can be had for 386 Dollars, which brings the question of value in the audiophile market.


----------



## Jalo

nanaholic said:


> the problem is that those terms are usually relative.
> Without measurements and going by untrained ears alone, what one finds bright might be another person's neutral etc.




Totally agree what I didn't expect is that the meaning can be diametrically opposite. When I say bright, I can accept more bright or less bright. That is relative, but not warm becomes bright.


----------



## CraftyClown

virtu fortuna said:


> Ok I get you.
> 
> But just because people say their findings matches with your descriptions, you cannot say that you described them accurately. That depends on those people's experience and their own descriptions, and their ears. And believe me this happens usually: Someone says that headphone is too bright and somebody else agrees, but actually they're both wrong. In terms of myself, I didn't agree with that review of yours for example. The biggest one was about the Velvet (Earsonics). Lots of people said it was one of the best Universals, but it's nowhere near the best. They're all wrong. Right?
> 
> ...


 
  
 With the greatest of respect Tenedosian is entitled to describe these devices as he hears them. You seem quick to point out where he is wrong and you are right however why should I be more inclined to trust your ears over his?
  
 I must confess I am incredibly dubious when anyone says he hears night and day differences between any daps, unless one of them has a high output impedance that is messing with the headphones. Is this what you are suggesting with one on the Sony devices?
  
 I also don't understand why he can't use any half decent set of headphones when comparing DAPs? Providing he is consistent with the same pair used on all devices then there shouldn't be an issue.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Can i use the muc-m12sb1 with the sony mdr-ex1000?


----------



## gerelmx1986

princeofegypt said:


> Can i use the muc-m12sb1 with the sony mdr-ex1000?


 

 mmm NO, the "MMCX" of the ex1000 is longer


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

gerelmx1986 said:


> mmm NO, the "MMCX" of the ex1000 is longer


 
  
 Is there a kimber balanced cable that i can use?


----------



## gerelmx1986

princeofegypt said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > mmm NO, the "MMCX" of the ex1000 is longer
> ...


 

 You'll need to make a DIY-approach on this one


----------



## cthomas

Wonder if anyone will make an angled TRRRS jack.


----------



## Whitigir

cthomas said:


> Wonder if anyone will make an angled TRRRS jack.




Lol, Sony did for Z1R . Kimber cables too ?

Anyways, these jacks are not even on the market yet .....as long as it is on the market, I can make whatever angle I want....even if 45 degree angle LoL...


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

craftyclown said:


> With the greatest of respect Tenedosian is entitled to describe these devices as he hears them. You seem quick to point out where he is wrong and you are right however why should I be more inclined to trust your ears over his?
> 
> I must confess I am incredibly dubious when anyone says he hears night and day differences between any daps, unless one of them has a high output impedance that is messing with the headphones. Is this what you are suggesting with one on the Sony devices?
> 
> I also don't understand why he can't use any half decent set of headphones when comparing DAPs? Providing he is consistent with the same pair used on all devices then there shouldn't be an issue.


 
 If using the same pair of headphones on all of them is enough, than he can test these DAP's with Apple Earpods too. There shouldn't be any problem. I think you didn't understand what I was saying. I say, Grado headphones can't be considered as accurate when it comes to test serious DAP's. Because they're colored, some models are amazingly bright and fully unrealistic. They're designed to please and enjoy the music, not for accurate reproduction. So every DAP can sound bright to you when you use Grado headphones. Even the most dark sounding one. So the impressions he gave out is not credential.
  
 In my opinion one should wait some 3-4 weeks before giving out some impressions, especially when an equipment is not fully available everywhere in the market. I write reviews on Headfonia and when my friends ask about an equipment which is just arrived on my hands, I save my opinions until the actual review and don't state long impressions. Because first impressions usually are not trustworthy. I just say 1-2 words and save my opinion until the review.
  
 I know him from his review on Turkish forum and in my opinion he was wrong at most points in there. And I think he's making the same mistakes and actually he's rushing onto it. He wants to be fast about it because these DAP's are at hands of a few people right now and he wants to take some credit here. He needs to wait  and test them more before posting long impressions.


----------



## CraftyClown

virtu fortuna said:


> If using the same pair of headphones on all of them is enough, than he can test these DAP's with Apple Earpods too. There shouldn't be any problem. I think you didn't understand what I was saying. I say, Grado headphones can't be considered as accurate when it comes to test serious DAP's. Because they're colored, some models are amazingly bright and fully unrealistic. They're designed to please and enjoy the music, not for accurate reproduction. So every DAP can sound bright to you when you use Grado headphones. Even the most dark sounding one. So the impressions he gave out is not credential.
> 
> In my opinion one should wait some 3-4 weeks before giving out some impressions, especially when an equipment is not fully available everywhere in the market. I write reviews on Headfonia and when my friends ask about an equipment which is just arrived on my hands, I save my opinions until the actual review and don't state long impressions. Because first impressions usually are not trustworthy. I just say 1-2 words and save my opinion until the review.
> 
> I know him from his review on Turkish forum and in my opinion he was wrong at most points in there. And I think he's making the same mistakes and actually he's rushing onto it. He wants to be fast about it because these DAP's are at hands of a few people right now and he wants to take some credit here. He needs to wait  and test them more before posting long impressions.


 
  
 He is reviewing the DAP not the headphones. Providing he uses the same headphones for all his reviews, then it doesn't matter what he uses along as he is familiar with the signature and how each different DAP affects it. 
  
 How do you know how much of his day he is spending reviewing these DAPs? Just because you wait 3 to 4 weeks to release a review, I don't know how much of that time you spent with them either? Besides this isn't his review, he said they were his out of the box impressions. Is he not entitled to share them with us?
  
 It seems like you have something against this guy. Just because you don't agree with his impressions, doesn't mean he is wrong and you are right as you seem to be publicly stating.
  
 For the record I don't necessarily agree with his impressions either, but he is entitled to them, just as you are to yours.


----------



## audionewbi

dithyrambes said:


> On a different note, could someone do a comparison between the Mojo and the WM1A or WM1Z for people who have heard both. I know there are lots of AK380 comparisons, but would like to not use relativity and have them directly compared. I know its not fair because one is a dac/amp and other is a dap, which is much more complex. Though at the end of the day, its about SQ, and I feel like the price to performance ratio for all products are getting very good. I know capped UK version is wtvr, but it could have been had for an amazing deal at around 880-900 usd. Seems like a steal but just checked Chord Mojo prices today and a new mojo can be had for 386 Dollars, which brings the question of value in the audiophile market.



Bear in mind my 1A is not fully burned and I am using it via its single ended which isn't occupying it's full potential. 
Mojo is considerably warmer and mids are thicker. Layering for most will appear more superior on mojo on first listen but to me that is its weakness. Mojo has too much of a distinctive sound signature of its own and as a result no matter what you feed into it the sound that comes out to my ears has altered by mojo own sound. This is why I like my chord hugo more and to me 1A is closer to hugo in regard of dealing with files and mastering. It is a little more forgiving than hugo but not to the point mojo is.

It is a musically tuned player when direct sounds is used (Sonys own dsp) and with direct sound turned off it can be quite a neutral sound however not to the point hugo/Lpg is.
Think of it as er4b vs er4s vs er4p. Lpg is the er4b, hugo is the er4s and a1 is the er4p ( sorry if you don't know what they are, they are etyomtic iem).


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> Bear in mind my 1A is not fully burned and I am using it via its single ended which isn't occupying it's full potential.
> Mojo is considerably warmer and mids are thicker. Layering for most will appear more superior on mojo on first listen but to me that is its weakness. Mojo has too much of a distinctive sound signature of its own and as a result no matter what you feed into it the sound that comes out to my ears has altered by mojo own sound. This is why I like my chord hugo more and to me 1A is closer to hugo in regard of dealing with files and mastering. It is a little more forgiving than hugo but not to the point mojo is.
> 
> It is a musically tuned player when* direct sounds *is used (Sonys own dsp) and with direct sound turned off it can be quite a neutral sound however not to the point hugo/Lpg is.
> Think of it as er4b vs er4s vs er4p. Lpg is the er4b, hugo is the er4s and a1 is the er4p ( sorry if you don't know what they are, they are etyomtic iem).


 
 I tought Direct Source was  a quick ON/OFF switch to disable all DSPs at once


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I tought Direct Source was  a quick ON/OFF switch to disable all DSPs at once




You are correct, Direct Sound mode is the mode that By-pass all Software enhancement, and purely "Hardware" sound quality only....therefore, the original sound of the Walkman WM, and no EQ for you


----------



## audionewbi

gerelmx1986 said:


> I tought Direct Source was  a quick ON/OFF switch to disable all DSPs at once



Now you have many way to tuned your sound when direct sound is turned one, you have more control, you'll be silly not to. It really helps when the album mastered wrong. It is more than just EQ, I am still learning them all. I mostly use DC phase linearizer.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quote: 





audionewbi said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I tought Direct Source was  a quick ON/OFF switch to disable all DSPs at once
> ...


 

 ​You mentioned in  aprevious post about the álbum Partitas i saw it on qobuz as 24/96 PCM, the walkman is one-track demo or the whole álbum? My Fiio x3 I, had a whole álbum sampler of chesky's records Binaural sampler i kept some of the songs from that álbum
  
 But as partitas got this 24/96 since last year

  
 Soud great out of my laptop "mediocre DAC"  (many details and a vast spacious stage), so i will load this to my WM1A and lets see, also loaded to my sd card many 24-bitters (arround 12 albums) and rest 16-bits.
  
 EDIT FOUND SOMETHING IN THE USER GUIDE
  

 This means if we reset the walkman to factory default, the sample songs and guides, installers will come back again?, has anyone tested this? Maybe a reason why WM1Z has a heavier OS image (more sample songs)?


----------



## Sinarca

On Amazon.it there are two wm1Z used for about 600 Euro !!?? How is it possible ??!!


----------



## nc8000

sinarca said:


> On Amazon.it there are two wm1Z used for about 600 Euro !!?? How is it possible ??!!




Scam


----------



## CraftyClown

sinarca said:


> On Amazon.it there are two wm1Z used for about 600 Euro !!?? How is it possible ??!!


 
  
  


nc8000 said:


> Scam


 
  
 There are so many of these marketplace scams right now. It's getting quite ridiculous!


----------



## Jalo

craftyclown said:


> He is reviewing the DAP not the headphones. Providing he uses the same headphones for all his reviews, then it doesn't matter what he uses along as he is familiar with the signature and how each different DAP affects it.
> 
> How do you know how much of his day he is spending reviewing these DAPs? Just because you wait 3 to 4 weeks to release a review, I don't know how much of that time you spent with them either? Besides this isn't his review, he said they were his out of the box impressions. Is he not entitled to share them with us?
> 
> ...




Rei87 just did a ltitle study over at the AK380 thread (Post 6944) that I thought was very interesting and I think worth taking a look. Using a colored phone is not impossible but it does raise some questions.


----------



## noplsestar

jalo said:


> Rei87 just did a ltitle study over at the AK380 thread (Post 6944) that I thought was very interesting and I think worth taking a look. Using a colored phone is not impossible but it does raise some questions.




Interesting discussion over there at the AK 380 thread. Thanks for the hint. So let's assume I would buy the new Vega IEM's that are said to be musical (compared to the Andromeda), then the 1A would be the better choice (especially for my wallet), whereas for the Andros the 1Z would be more logical.


----------



## CraftyClown

jalo said:


> Rei87 just did a ltitle study over at the AK380 thread (Post 6944) that I thought was very interesting and I think worth taking a look. Using a colored phone is not impossible but it does raise some questions.


 
  
 That was a great read. I've asked if he'd consider repeating the test which is cheeky I know, but if he gets similar results I would definitely be convinced.
  
 I'm personally a believer in very little if any differences in sound quality between DAPs, providing they have low output impedance. Just this afternoon I spent several hours comparing a volume matched QP1R and Plenue S and could not hear a single difference. I used Etymotic ER4 SRs.


----------



## garetjax1

Just put a deposit down on the 1z.
  
 Couple of questions for everyone:
  
 - Are there any JH Siren Series owners out there who are buying the 1z/1a, and if so, are you looking to have a balanced cable made? If so, from who? It looks like Double Helix is an option but at a 3-6 month wait.
  
 - Does the unit come with a screen protector? (According to the official release thread, the only supplied accessory is a case)
  
 - Are there any Mac Owners out there with either unit, and if so, how are you synching music? I was going to see if Dapper works - if anyone can give me a heads up on whether that is viable or not that would be greatly appreciated...
  
 Thanks!


----------



## Whitigir

garetjax1 said:


> Just put a deposit down on the 1z.
> 
> Couple of questions for everyone:
> 
> ...




Where did you do so ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Meanwhile AJ told me a Little update, sony HK is shipping to them the batch of walkmans for the preoder customers (me among these)


----------



## audionewbi

craftyclown said:


> That was a great read. I've asked if he'd consider repeating the test which is cheeky I know, but if he gets similar results I would definitely be convinced.
> 
> I'm personally a believer in very little if any differences in sound quality between DAPs, providing they have low output impedance. Just this afternoon I spent several hours comparing a volume matched QP1R and Plenue S and could not hear a single difference. I used Etymotic ER4 SRs.



Best test is to use something you know will scale up with source. I feel Dita truth, ex1000 and ortofon eq8 great for testing hiss, soundstage and bass.


----------



## Jalo

noplsestar said:


> Interesting discussion over there at the AK 380 thread. Thanks for the hint. So let's assume I would buy the new Vega IEM's that are said to be musical (compared to the Andromeda), then the 1A would be the better choice (especially for my wallet), whereas for the Andros the 1Z would be more logical.


 
 Personally I don"t think you will go wrong with the Vega especially pairing it with the 1A from what I read.  Please report back here after you acquire the combo.  Love to hear your feedback.
  
 PS:  even though the Vega is a musical DD iems, it is also a very transparent and resolving iem and you will hear everything that is records in the music and more, that is why the Vega is so immersive.  Enjoy.


----------



## Jalo

craftyclown said:


> That was a great read. I've asked if he'd consider repeating the test which is cheeky I know, but if he gets similar results I would definitely be convinced.
> 
> *I'm personally a believer in very little if any differences in sound quality between DAPs*, providing they have low output impedance. Just this afternoon I spent several hours comparing a volume matched QP1R and Plenue S and could not hear a single difference. I used Etymotic ER4 SRs.


 
 I do not know Rei personally but from what he wrote he sounds like someone that has good experience in doing research.
  
 I wish I am like you (i.e. a nonbeliever in daps differences) for that will save me a lot of money and pain. Think about the price difference between the 380cu and AK70, or the 1A and 1Z. 
  
 I have heard great many things about the QP1R and the Plenue S, may be they are just on even ground. But then again you should be able to notice some differences between your dap QP1R and let say a smart phone.  If you still think they sound alike after impedance matching then more power to you.  
  
 Yes, over at the 380 thread, we've been arguing whether the copper version actually sounds better than the regular version and of course I am in the copper sounds better camp. I actually referenced the interview   translated by Nanaholic with the Sony Wm developers to show that copper to them does make a difference in the sound.  Etymotic is a good phone and the ER4s was my first iem.  I wish it has more bass though.


----------



## CraftyClown

jalo said:


> I do not know Rei personally but from what he wrote he sounds like someone that has good experience in doing research.
> 
> I wish I am like you (i.e. a nonbeliever in daps differences) for that will save me a lot of money and pain. Think about the price difference between the 380cu and AK70, or the 1A and 1Z.
> 
> ...




I'm not insinuating Rei didn't do the test properly, just that a further round would be definitive. 

I'm also not claiming there are not audible differences between some DAPs, just that there are far, far fewer than some people seem to claim. Nearly all modern DAPs are designed with a completely flat FR and providing they have a low output impedance, which again most do, should remain flat even with multi BA loads. So that only leaves things like low level hissing that very sensitive IEMs may pick up that can change the sound. 

You hear lots of people taking about night and day differences between DAPs and certain DAP makers having a house sound and sounding very warm or very bright, but if you think about it, it's incredibly unlikely. Why would they not all be trying to produce a reference, same as source sound? We buy different headphones to get a different sound, not different DAPs.


----------



## nanaholic

craftyclown said:


> Why would they not all be trying to produce a reference, same as source sound? We buy different headphones to get a different sound, not different DAPs.


 
  
 This part is really quite easy to answer - because they want you to buy their DAPs and not someone else's DAP, and a tiny bit of colouring is an easy point of differentiation when it comes to selling their gear. 
  
 If you extend the logic of your argument further - every headphone maker should be producing a reference flat FR headphone, and everyone should be using equalizer to get their desired sound, not buy different headphones.  But obviously nobody actually does that either.


----------



## CraftyClown

nanaholic said:


> This part is really quite easy to answer - because they want you to buy their DAPs and not someone else's DAP, and a tiny bit of colouring is an easy point of differentiation when it comes to selling their gear.
> 
> If you extend the logic of your argument further - every headphone maker should be producing a reference flat FR headphone, and everyone should be using equalizer to get their desired sound, not buy different headphones.  But obviously nobody actually does that either.




I suggest you take a trip over to the sound science forum and look at the thread on FR measurements taken from DAPs. Spoiler alert... They're flat  

I can understand a DSP being used by a DAP maker. Sony for example adds their own effects with the option to turn them off and listen direct source, however the hardware itself will most likely have a flat FR..


----------



## Cecala

craftyclown said:


> I'm not insinuating Rei didn't do the test properly, just that a further round would be definitive.
> 
> I'm also not claiming there are not audible differences between some DAPs, just that there are far, far fewer than some people seem to claim. Nearly all modern DAPs are designed with a completely flat FR and providing they have a low output impedance, which again most do, should remain flat even with multi BA loads. So that only leaves things like low level hissing that very sensitive IEMs may pick up that can change the sound.
> 
> You hear lots of people taking about night and day differences between DAPs and certain DAP makers having a house sound and sounding very warm or very bright, but if you think about it, it's incredibly unlikely. Why would they not all be trying to produce a reference, same as source sound? We buy different headphones to get a different sound, not different DAPs.


 
 Be careful CC, if this classified top secret (obtained through Wikileaks) bit of info your disseminating ever leaks out then more than half of this forum will be closed.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

craftyclown said:


> I'm also not claiming there are not audible differences between some DAPs, just that there are far, far fewer than some people seem to claim. Nearly all modern DAPs are designed with a completely flat FR...


 
  
 It is very true that when volume matching and blind testing sources the differences become much, much harder to hear to the point of being indiscernible in most cases, but there is still subtle differences between sources, even between volume matched, same impedance, flat FR sources, it's just that those differences are subtle enough to not be important in reality, as proven by volume matched blind testing.
  
_But_ when not blind testing, some of us hear those subtle differences, but then our brains amplify those subtle differences with all kinds of bias, making the subtle differences seem a lot bigger and more important than they actually are, and forming a "sound sig" we hear from the dap. In reality a sensible person with less bias would be happy with the sound of any adequate source, and there are indeed people like that out there, but most of us on head-fi aren't, our bias rule us.
  
 The problem is that we can't actually turn off our bias. For example when I listen to QA360LE I'm greeted with a bassy sound sig, and if I blind test the QA360LE with another dap and conclude that for all intents and purposes they sound the same, when I go back to subjective listening with QA360LE I'm still hearing it as sounding bassy and in need of certain pairing, in other words, my brain has gone back to amplifying the subtle differences that are in reality not important in the slightest, thus the endless audiophool journey begins/continues.
  
 I'm envious of those that don't have these bias' and are rightly so completely happy with music from their phone or whatever, but alas I cannot join their ranks no matter how I wish, for whichever path I take it always leads to Sony WM1.


----------



## nanaholic

craftyclown said:


> I suggest you take a trip over to the sound science forum and look at the thread on FR measurements taken from DAPs. Spoiler alert... They're flat
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Spoiler alert: I don't have to because I already know and read them - whether a DAP measures flat with no load is actually irrelevant because the real point of concern is  what happens to the FR when a load is actually connected to the DAP, and that is not only not so predictable you'll also have to think whether it is intentional behaviour or not.
  
 Also I don't think anyone knows for sure whether the WM1 are actually FR flat and how it performs under load - at least I haven't seen any plots.  And that it would be jumping to conclusion that they didn't design certain FR behaviours under load, especially considering they are very open about the different tuning of the WM1 series (they seem to suggest quite heavily that they check both measurements and also tune by ear).


----------



## walbum4262

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> It is very true that when volume matching and blind testing sources the differences become much, much harder to hear to the point of being indiscernible in most cases, but there is still subtle differences between sources, even between volume matched, same impedance, flat FR sources, it's just that those differences are subtle enough to not be important in reality, as proven by volume matched blind testing.
> 
> _But_ when not blind testing, some of us hear those subtle differences, but then our brains amplify those subtle differences with all kinds of bias, making the subtle differences seem a lot bigger and more important than they actually are, and forming a "sound sig" we hear from the dap. In reality a sensible person with less bias would be happy with the sound of any adequate source, and there are indeed people like that out there, but most of us on head-fi aren't, our bias rule us.
> 
> ...



 I'm 100% in agreement with what you wrote here, it takes a strong mind to look away from the bias one can have. And hold back emptying your wallet ones more a new toy come on the market


----------



## Whitigir

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> It is very true that when volume matching and blind testing sources the differences become much, much harder to hear to the point of being indiscernible in most cases, but there is still subtle differences between sources, even between volume matched, same impedance, flat FR sources, it's just that those differences are subtle enough to not be important in reality, as proven by volume matched blind testing.
> 
> _But_ when not blind testing, some of us hear those subtle differences, but then our brains amplify those subtle differences with all kinds of bias, making the subtle differences seem a lot bigger and more important than they actually are, and forming a "sound sig" we hear from the dap. In reality a sensible person with less bias would be happy with the sound of any adequate source, and there are indeed people like that out there, but most of us on head-fi aren't, our bias rule us.
> 
> ...




Great post ! The people who mind no differences and bias in audio perhap will have something else that they do.. hence it is all called Hobby. Some people have no problem staring and buying and reading and being so much enthusiasm into "a purse, or pair of boots".....some would do in "gambling"....photography.....racing.....creating...inventing.....sexualim...drugs......etc...etc.

We are all simply being here because of....Sound.

If anyone who tells me that keeping on with headphones and IEMS would bring deafness....well...the good news is that we will all eventually be deaf....regardless. Just a little earlier or later. Therefore , just like everything else.....be responsiveness to your hobby


----------



## CraftyClown

cecala said:


> Be careful CC, if this classified top secret (obtained through Wikileaks) bit of info your disseminating ever leaks out then more than half of this forum will be closed.


 
  
 Fairplay. I'll get my coat and scuttle back to the sound science forums 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> It is very true that when volume matching and blind testing sources the differences become much, much harder to hear to the point of being indiscernible in most cases, but there is still subtle differences between sources, even between volume matched, same impedance, flat FR sources, it's just that those differences are subtle enough to not be important in reality, as proven by volume matched blind testing.
> 
> _But_ when not blind testing, some of us hear those subtle differences, but then our brains amplify those subtle differences with all kinds of bias, making the subtle differences seem a lot bigger and more important than they actually are, and forming a "sound sig" we hear from the dap. In reality a sensible person with less bias would be happy with the sound of any adequate source, and there are indeed people like that out there, but most of us on head-fi aren't, our bias rule us.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Now this comment makes perfect sense. I am just as much affected by those biases, which is why I'm here in the first place 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




​ I get concerned however when I see people banging on about night and day differences and trashing the sound quality of one DAP as compared to another, when in reality as you correctly pointed out, these differences are usually subtle at best and in many cases inaudible. Expectation bias plays merry havoc with our poor little brains.   
  


nanaholic said:


> Spoiler alert: I don't have to because I already know and read them - whether a DAP measures flat with no load is actually irrelevant because the real point of concern is  what happens to the FR when a load is actually connected to the DAP, and that is not only not so predictable you'll also have to think whether it is intentional behaviour or not.
> 
> Also I don't think anyone knows for sure whether the WM1 are actually FR flat and how it performs under load - at least I haven't seen any plots.  And that it would be jumping to conclusion that they didn't design certain FR behaviours under load, especially considering they are very open about the different tuning of the WM1 series (they seem to suggest quite heavily that they check both measurements and also tune by ear).


 
  
 I was actually talking about DAPs with multi BA loads and there is no way high impedance output is intentional in that scenario, as different IEMs can react wildly depending on the impedance. The AK100 was a great example of Astell and Kern getting that very wrong.
  
 In the sound science forum there is currently a thread that contains FR graphs with and without multi BA loads.
  
 I also said the Sony devices will 'most likely' have a flat FR response. They may not, but I would be very surprised.
  
 Put it this way. If all of these DAP makers were intentionally colouring the sound of their devices, why wouldn't they mention it in their marketing? If you look they are actually very careful to use words like; accurate, realistic, faithful, natural, authentic, reference and true. Most of them also take the trouble to mention how accurate they are in getting close to the desired flat FR, getting numbers as low as 20Hz-20kHz (+-0.1dB)
  
 As I said at the beginning, I'm not claiming there are no SQ differences, I'm just saying that if there are any, they're usually very small and not always audible.


----------



## Jalo

craftyclown said:


> I'm not insinuating Rei didn't do the test properly, just that a further round would be definitive.
> 
> I'm also not claiming there are not audible differences between some DAPs, just that there are far, far fewer than some people seem to claim.* Nearly all modern DAPs are designed with a completely flat FR and providing they have a low output impedance, which again most do, should remain flat even with multi BA loads. *So that only leaves things like low level hissing that very sensitive IEMs may pick up that can change the sound.
> 
> You hear lots of people taking about night and day differences between DAPs and certain DAP makers having a house sound and sounding very warm or very bright, but if you think about it, it's incredibly unlikely. Why would they not all be trying to produce a reference, same as source sound? We buy different headphones to get a different sound, not different DAPs.


 
 Forget about differences between daps, my Vega and Andromeda sound entirely difference playing the same song on the same DAP and you cannot get any more similar FR from the same Dap right? But they are so different that I can tell them apart in 10 seconds.  Music is not defined strictly by FR, just because two DAPs or two IEMs have the same FR do not mean that they sound the same. The same song with the same musical notes if sung by two artists they will technically have the same notes but different interpretation will render that song a complete different feel to it. I find a discussion of the differences between daps reducing down to only FR too one dimensional and hardly capture the intended purpose of a dap. Do you attend a classical concert merely by measuring its volume level and decide whether this concert is the same as the last one merely because they recorded the same volume levels?


----------



## nanaholic

craftyclown said:


> Put it this way. If all of these DAP makers were intentionally colouring the sound of their devices, why wouldn't they mention it in their marketing? If you look they are actually very careful to use words like; accurate, realistic, faithful, natural, authentic, reference and true.


 
  
 Put it this way - even for phones that we know are FAR from neutral, they use the same marketing speech/wordings too.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

walbum4262 said:


> I'm 100% in agreement with what you wrote here, it takes a strong mind to look away from the bias one can have. And hold back emptying your wallet ones more a new toy come on the market


 
  
 Yes, it would indeed be better to restrain oneself in the face of pointless spending, but that's no fun! I'm getting WM1A, I'm sure it will sound mind-bendingly good 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 For most of us on head-fi our bias works to pointlessly amplify subtle differences, that is our reality, we hear what we hear, thus it becomes justifiable to buy WM1A because it will bring us enjoyment that we cannot get from other means, the sound sigs we hear are a reality shared by many, and the fact that many of us are hearing the same things imo shows that our bias is not delusional, just fanciful.
  
 Of course one could just put it down to expectation bias, I'm not about to try prove otherwise.
  
 The mind is complex beyond our current comprehension, the only sure thing gleaned from this discussion is that none of us can claim to know what we are talking about


----------



## CraftyClown

jalo said:


> Forget about differences between daps, my Vega and Andromeda sound entirely difference playing the same song on the same DAP and you cannot get any more similar FR from the same Dap right? But they are so different that I can tell them apart in 10 seconds.  Music is not defined strictly by FR, just because two DAPs or two IEMs have the same FR do not mean that they sound the same. The same song with the same musical notes if sung by two artists they will technically have the same notes but different interpretation will render that song a complete different feel to it. I find a discussion of the differences between daps reducing down to only FR too one dimensional and hardly capture the intended purpose of a dap. Do you attend a classical concert merely by measuring its volume level and decide whether this concert is the same as the last one merely because they recorded the same volume levels?


 
  
 I'm not claiming music is defined by FR, that's no what this is about. Besides, I like a good bit of bass myself, which I won't get with a completely flat FR.
  
 I'm just pointing out that any sound differences between DAPs tend to be massively blown out of proportion.
  
 I'm starting to feel like I've prodded a wasps nest this morning


----------



## Cecala

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Yes, it would indeed be better to restrain oneself in the face of pointless spending, but that's no fun! I'm getting WM1A, I'm sure it will sound mind-bendingly good
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 ...............and don't forget those so called subtle differences some people amplify or try to, if their not happy to cover up for a bad purchase.


----------



## Cecala

craftyclown said:


> I'm not claiming music is defined by FR, that's no what this is about. Besides, I like a good bit of bass myself, which I won't get with a completely flat FR.
> 
> I'm just pointing out that any sound differences between DAPs tend to be massively blown out of proportion.
> 
> I'm starting to feel like I've prodded a wasps nest this morning


 
 No, what you're done is smacked truth or reality right into people's faces, and about time too.


----------



## CraftyClown

nanaholic said:


> Put it this way - even for phones that we know are FAR from neutral, they use the same marketing speech/wordings too.


 

 ​Ha ha, how very true


----------



## jagwap

There's some great debating going on here.
  
 Bias is real even when the differences are not.  Absolutely.
  
 But to say two devices sound the same because their frequency responses are flat is glossing over a lot.  Other factors are significant, particularly when loaded: output impedance, jitter, power supply loading/modulation/layout/noise, distortion and its type and modulation, phase response, layout, RF noise.
  
 Most DAPs and phones have a single voltage rail, so they either have capacitors on the headphone output (thankfully rare since Cirrus logic started supplying the ipod classic with its DAC) or they need a charge pumps to make a negative rail.  This is not a good power supply. Balanced output removes the need for this, but rarely does, but adds more output impedance, noise, potential distortion.
  
 It's not that simple guys.  There is very little that is simple in portable audio, and portable audio is the simplest field in audio.


----------



## Jalo

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> It is very true that when volume matching and blind testing sources the differences become much, much harder to hear to the point of being indiscernible in most cases, but there is still subtle differences between sources, even between volume matched, same impedance, flat FR sources, it's just that those differences are subtle enough to not be important in reality, as proven by volume matched blind testing.
> 
> _But_ when not blind testing, some of us hear those subtle differences, *but then our brains amplify those subtle differences with all kinds of bias,* *making the subtle differences seem a lot bigger and more important than they actually are, and forming a "sound sig" we hear from the dap*. I*n reality a sensible person with less bias would be happy with the sound of any adequate source,* and there are indeed people like that out there, but most of us on head-fi aren't, *our bias rule us*.
> 
> ...


 
  
 First of all, "our brains do not amplify those subtle differences with all kinds of bias" Our brains merely pay attention to certain information that they received and our attention is driven by perception and our perception is driven by individual differences made up by our cognitive and emotional repertoire, experiences and needs.  These individual differences are what you call "all kind of bias" but they are not bias in the generic sense. Just because you like classical music do not make you bias it merely means that you prefer classical music and that classical music satisfy certain needs.  All music do to us is arousing a certain emotional responses otherwise they are just sounds. That is why most of us only listen to ten to twenty percent of our music library and skip the rest. To state a person's individual differences as bias is a bit over reach as we are all different from each other.


----------



## audionewbi

In my case my only bias is I am ultra critical of Daps with higher price tag. 

Best in audio is relative, we all like different sounds.

My bias tells me if you put 1A and Lpg front of me and if I knew nothing about anything I'll pick a1 due to it been more modern. Lpg is for those who know their music well and get a kick out of hearing subtle things that Lpg allows them to hear.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

jalo said:


> First of all, "our brains do not amplify those subtle differences with all kinds of bias" Our brains merely pay attention to certain information that they received and our attention is driven by perception and our perception is driven by individual differences made up by our cognitive and emotional repertoire, experiences and needs.  These individual differences are what you call "all kind of bias" but they are not bias in the generic sense. Just because you like classical music do not make you bias it merely means that you prefer classical music and that classical music satisfy certain needs.  All music do to us is arousing a certain emotional responses otherwise they are just sounds. That is why most of us only listen to ten to twenty percent of our music library and skip the rest. To state a person's individual differences as bias is a bit over reach as we are all different from each other.


 
  
 Yes, what I meant by bias essentially encompasses how our individual minds work, imo it is just semantics to argue about this though, I basically agree with you. We each have different realities, these dap purchases can be justifiable in our individual realities, but not so for other people's, etc.


----------



## Jalo

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Yes, what I meant by bias essentially encompasses how our individual minds work, it basically is just semantics to argue about this though, I basically agree with you.


 
 No problem, its just that bias has a negative connotation like the word prejudice.  We wouldn't want to call each other prejudice or do we?  Furthermore it is  more accurate in that music actually serve to evoke a state of emotion that our brains need otherwise they are just noise. But we are all good.


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> In my case my only bias is I am ultra critical of Daps with higher price tag.
> 
> Best in audio is relative, we all like different sounds.
> 
> My bias tells me if you put 1A and Lpg front of me and if I knew nothing about anything I'll pick a1 due to it been more modern. Lpg is for those who know their music well and get a kick out of hearing subtle things that Lpg allows them to hear.




Then again, if you can not tell the differences, why would you be here and wasting your money ? Then again, an experienced brain is different than a 0 experiences. The same as "telling the differences between pictures" in a blind test. You wouldn't be able to tell the first few times, then once you realized it....it is just there as always....because it is facts.....not tricks by brains.

But if you love wasting money on something you can not tell the differences, it is your problem and not the world problems


----------



## audionewbi

whitigir said:


> Then again, if you can not tell the differences, why would you be here and wasting your money ?



Like all hobbyist if you spend long enough time in the hobby the subtle things that remain hidden for other will stand out for you.


----------



## Mimouille

I think we are pointlessly arguing because it depends what you put behind words.

Today I compared my SE5 Ultimate on the LPG and the WM1Z. The difference is very small in the sense that if you let a 100 people listen, they will not hear the difference. For me the difference is small BUT it matters quite a lot as it impacts my pleasure and my will to listen to one or the other. Is it worth having both players if you are not insane? Not really...


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> Like all hobbyist if you spend long enough time in the hobby the subtle things that remain hidden for other will stand out for you.




Exactly ! It is like everything out there in the real world. Participated, and real experiences go a long the way. That is our nature, we learn, we adapt. Example of martial artists, everyone can practice martial art, and leave all nature talents and gift to be equal for both A and B. If A practiced everyday and even fighting through life/death situations and survive, VS, B who only practice 1 hour a day....the outcome will become very obvious.

You would be surprised by how subtles differences could result in Life/Death outcome. Therefore, subtles differences in audio world would also stand out, just as long As you are much more experienced.


Let's be real, if you can not hear the differences ? You are AudioNewbie, period.


----------



## CraftyClown

jagwap said:


> There's some great debating going on here.
> 
> Bias is real even when the differences are not.  Absolutely.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I'm certainly not saying FR is the be all and end all and I did factor output impedance in as well if you read my earlier posts, but when you take those two out of the equation, the other possible causes of sound alteration are unlikely to cause the kinds of night and day differences some people preach.


----------



## Jalo

mimouille said:


> Today I compared my SE5 Ultimate on the LPG and the WM1Z. The difference is very small in the sense that if you let a 100 people listen, they will not hear the difference. For me the difference is small BUT it matters quite a lot as it impacts my pleasure and my will to listen to one or the other.* Is it worth having both players if you are not insane? Not really...*


 
  
 Hahahaha, now we know we are not here in a forum, we are all in an asylum


----------



## Whitigir

FR is going in 500-1k incremental....audio frequency is Sin waves....and all Sin waves have it cycled energies, and peak energies. The same FR in that large scale of incremental could be interpreted differently by Warmth Or Bright, just depend on the way the Sin Waves really are produced.

IMO, FR only give confirmations on sound signature as a whole. The differences between gears are much more sophisticated than that.

If we all can only hear from 100hz and 500hz or 500hz and 1khz and skip everything in between....we would be Deaf, period.

Remember, FR are Tools, and tools are human creations....if yours a human but only relying on your world, you are as much a tool as well....because without creations there wouldn't be tools....luckily Sound and audio is not tools...it is the universe and nature, we only manipulate it.


----------



## Mimouille

jalo said:


> Hahahaha, now we know we are not here in a forum, we are all in an asylum


Well obviously, I just bought a 3k player and I am asking myself if NEED to keep the 1.5k one and the Tera player that I use once every two months...


----------



## CraftyClown

mimouille said:


> I think we are pointlessly arguing because it depends what you put behind words.
> 
> Today I compared my SE5 Ultimate on the LPG and the WM1Z. The difference is very small in the sense that if you let a 100 people listen, they will not hear the difference. For me the difference is small BUT it matters quite a lot as it impacts my pleasure and my will to listen to one or the other. Is it worth having both players if you are not insane? Not really...


 
  


audionewbi said:


> Like all hobbyist if you spend long enough time in the hobby the subtle things that remain hidden for other will stand out for you.


 

 ​Again, I agree wholeheartedly with both of you because you are being realistic. You hear small and subtle differences that make a difference to you and enhance your listening pleasure.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

mimouille said:


> I think we are pointlessly arguing because it depends what you put behind words.
> 
> Today I compared my SE5 Ultimate on the LPG and the WM1Z. The difference is very small in the sense that if you let a 100 people listen, they will not hear the difference. For me the difference is small BUT it matters quite a lot as it impacts my pleasure and my will to listen to one or the other. Is it worth having both players if you are not insane? Not really...


 
  
 Exactly, those arguing that the differences are slight enough to not warrant the need for an audio forum, are correct. Likewise those arguing that the differences are meaningful enough in our particular reality to warrant spending thousands are also correct, but should probably seek mental help*
  
 *from head-fi in regards to deciding their next dap purchase.


----------



## CraftyClown

mimouille said:


> Well obviously, I just bought a 3k player and I am asking myself if NEED to keep the 1.5k one and the Tera player that I use once every two months...


 

 ​Don't worry Michael. I'm patiently waiting in the wings to take the LPG off your hands once it starts gathering dust


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> FR is going in 500-1k incremental....audio frequency is Sin waves....and all Sin waves have it cycled energies, and peak energies. The same FR in that large scale of incremental could be interpreted differently by Warmth Or Bright, just depend on the way the Sin Waves really are produced.
> 
> IMO, FR only give confirmations on sound signature as a whole. The differences between gears are much more sophisticated than that.
> 
> ...


 

 ​I have literally no idea what you are talking about


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> Exactly ! It is like everything out there in the real world. Participated, and real experiences go a long the way. That is our nature, we learn, we adapt. Example of martial artists, everyone can practice martial art, and leave all nature talents and gift to be equal for both A and B. If A practiced everyday and even fighting through life/death situations and survive, VS, B who only practice 1 hour a day....the outcome will become very obvious.
> 
> You would be surprised by how s*ubtles differences* could result in Life/Death outcome. Therefore, *subtles differences* in audio world would also stand out, just as long As you are much more experienced.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hahahahahahaha, one thing we did learn after the human genome project in the late 90s is that the difference between human and animal (like pigs or dogs) may really be only two or three percents. We audiophiles have been accused of spending insane amount of money to go after that last two or three percents of sound quality. Well think about it, the difference between the last two to three percents may be mean whether you are listening to a Sony 1A/Z or you are being kept in a cage and will you want to make sure that you get the last two to three percent right?


----------



## riotgrrl

gerelmx1986 said:


> Many people say MDR-Z7 are dark sounding... for me is lean- sounding but not too lean to be considered neutral.. and yeah i find them as tested in a noisy environment to fit classical music .
> 
> so, this ifght over the grados is a bit like if we were fighting  i find Z7 neutral, and other says Noooo i don't they're dark and bassy




You've never owned the Z7. You've maybe had a short listening test. So I would advise anyone reading his opinion to take it with a large pinch of salt.


----------



## Jalo

mimouille said:


> Well obviously, I just bought a 3k player and I am asking myself if NEED to keep the 1.5k one and the Tera player that I use once every two months...


 
  
  
 Hehehe if it will help your sanity, I can take the LPG or even the Terra Player (didn't know you have that) off you hand, I'll even pay shipping


----------



## CraftyClown

riotgrrl said:


> You've never owned the Z7. You've maybe had a short listening test. So I would advise anyone reading his opinion to take it with a large pinch of salt.


 

 ​Are you trying to wind him up and get him banned again


----------



## CraftyClown

jalo said:


> Hehehe if it will help your sanity, I can take the LPG or even the Terra Player (didn't know you have that) off you hand, I'll even pay shipping


 

 ​Too late mate. I've already bagsied it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 The reality is we'll probably need to pry it from Michael's cold dead fingers


----------



## Jalo

craftyclown said:


> ​Too late mate. I've already bagsied it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Haha, remember you and Michael are the one that advocate no sound differences among the 1Z, LPG or the Tera Player? wouldn't it make sense that the LPG and/or the Tera player go to someone that can appreciate the differences?


----------



## CraftyClown

jalo said:


> Haha, remember you and Michael are the one that advocate no sound differences among the 1Z, LPG or the Tera Player? wouldn't it make sense that the LPG and/or the Tera player go to someone that can appreciate the differences?


 

 ​lol. No, we're advocating subtle differences 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I'm a recovering audiophile... but I'm not cured yet!


----------



## Whitigir

craftyclown said:


> ​Are you trying to wind him up and get him banned again




Lol, this romance relationship had been going on for a while eh ?


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> Lol, this romance relationship had been going on for a while eh ?


 
  
 I remember riotgrrl managing to push him over the edge last time, which lead to this threads famous quiet period


----------



## Jalo

craftyclown said:


> ​lol. No, we're advocating subtle differences
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Welcome to AA (audiophile anonymous) then but you are hopeless if you can only hear subtle differences  Well I'm signing to catch couple of hours of sleep before getting up to catch a flight.


----------



## CraftyClown

jalo said:


> Welcome to AA (audiophile anonymous) then but you are hopeless if you can only hear subtle differences  Well I'm signing to catch couple of hours of sleep before getting up to catch a flight.


 

 ​You've got it the wrong way around. If I can only hear subtle differences then I'm almost cured! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Safe travels mate


----------



## nanaholic

https://twitter.com/Higuchi77/status/797724245388234753
  
 Another case prototype from Japan.
  
 Don't think third party cases would be an issue from the looks of things.


----------



## kms108

I've been away from here for a while, had the chance to try out the 1Z and 1A, all I can say it's a big improvement over my ZX2 in sound quality, although the volume level has been said is higher than the ZX2 , I don't think it's much different. Not really liking the size, to square and big, was thinking of picking one up on my visit to japan if I have extra cash, otherwise I will just stick with my ZX2 which I still really like.
  
 Just a side note, has anyone tested both the 1Z and 1A, TBH, apart from the color and weight I can't really tell the differences in sound quality.


----------



## musicday

craftyclown said:


> mimouille said:
> 
> 
> > Well obviously, I just bought a 3k player and I am asking myself if NEED to keep the 1.5k one and the Tera player that I use once every two months...
> ...



Hey Crafty, what happened to your LPG, few days ago you said you ordered one, unless you spent the money at the pub


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> https://twitter.com/Higuchi77/status/797724245388234753
> 
> Another case prototype from Japan.
> 
> Don't think third party cases would be an issue from the looks of things.




Nice find, but I would love to get a case that has a strap on, so I can fix my angled plug in place and in the pocket


----------



## tenedosian

Training + sensitivity in hearing is also an important parameter. We are talking of the differences in the sound of DAP's, and differences in hearing is at least on the same level of importance.
  
 Ten years ago, I remember ripping my lossless files to mp3 with bitrates varying over 320kbps to 128kbps for testing. And with the eras hugely ancient setup (standard pc soundcard + logitech x530 speakers) I was even able to tell some jumps of 32kbps of musical information (like 160kbps to 192kbps) with a generalizable accuracy through Winamp and random playing of files. (Though I remember having problems with differentiating among 192kbps and 224kbps)
  
 In 2005, I bought my first mp3 Walkman with built-in memory (NW-E407). It has 1 GB capacity, thus I had to experiment extensively on compression to have the most number of songs carried with the device. On E407 coupled with Sennheiser PX200, I also was able to tell relatively small differences among bitrates. E407 was poor on measurements (low SNR, very hissy and lots of crosstalk), yet it had an honest sound character.
  
 However, in 2009 I used a Cowon I-Audio7 for a while, and I was surprised to fail in telling between even 192kbps and 320kbps mp3 in many occasions with the same headphones. Even flac's did not best the 128 kbps mp3 rip of the same records by a dramatic margin.
  
 That was the era when different DAP producers (like Cowon, Sony, Creative and even Philips) began mentioning some gimmicks to "raise the sound quality of compressed files to CD level".
  
 I was quite doubtful of that claim at that time ; and rather than raising the sound quality (through upconversion or some other "beneficial" algorithms), I _*felt like*_ these devices were masking some frequencies lost with compression in order the record to sound less flawed and more "CD-like".
  
 For escaping from the degrading effects of compression in music files, you apply another kind of compression. A bit ironic...
  
 From that time on, in many players I've used (that are evidently superior than Sony E407), I observed masking & filtering (of especially high frequencies) making it harder to take a grasp of the real quality of the record itself.
  
 This is one of the things that I begin to like about WM series Walkman's. They are quite honest in telling you the flaws of recordings. Especially in higher frequencies, they give you lots of info concerning the place, the studio or the hall where the music piece is recorded. One should be hell of a braveheart to use these devices with compressed music files.


----------



## jagwap

whitigir said:


> Nice find, but I would love to get a case that has a strap on, so I can fix my angled plug in place and in the pocket


 

 Must...Resist...Innuendo...Comment...


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> In my case my only bias is I am ultra critical of Daps with higher price tag.
> 
> Best in audio is relative, we all like different sounds.
> 
> My bias tells me if you put 1A and Lpg front of me and if I knew nothing about anything I'll pick a1 due to it been more modern. Lpg is for those who know their music well and get a kick out of hearing subtle things that Lpg allows them to hear.


 
  
  


mimouille said:


> I think we are pointlessly arguing because it depends what you put behind words.
> 
> Today I compared my SE5 Ultimate on the LPG and the WM1Z. The difference is very small in the sense that if you let a 100 people listen, they will not hear the difference. For me the difference is small BUT it matters quite a lot as it impacts my pleasure and my will to listen to one or the other. Is it worth having both players if you are not insane? Not really...


 
 I do hear differences even between a 24/96 and a CD flac, both on a zx100 and an A17 as tenedosian says this one is obsolete sonding
  


mimouille said:


> Well obviously, I just bought a 3k player and I am asking myself if NEED to keep the 1.5k one and the Tera player that I use once every two months...


 
 I sell my gear i don't like anymore 
  


nanaholic said:


> https://twitter.com/Higuchi77/status/797724245388234753
> 
> Another case prototype from Japan.
> 
> Don't think third party cases would be an issue from the looks of things.


 
  
  
 Nice case


----------



## gerelmx1986

tenedosian said:


> Training + sensitivity in hearing is also an important parameter. We are talking of the differences in the sound of DAP's, and differences in hearing is at least on the same level of importance.
> 
> Ten years ago, I remember ripping my lossless files to mp3 with bitrates varying over 320kbps to 128kbps for testing. And with the eras hugely ancient setup (standard pc soundcard + logitech x530 speakers) I was even able to tell some jumps of 32kbps of musical information (like 160kbps to 192kbps) with a generalizable accuracy through Winamp and random playing of files. (Though I remember having problems with differentiating among 192kbps and 224kbps)
> 
> ...


 
 Had a similar experience to yours, I had my first mp3 walkman back in 2005 an NW-E507 1GB.. yes as you say hissy and low SNR. then i got a walkman A818 which had this DSEE to "transform mp3 to CD quality", i used this thing of DSEE  and never realized how bad mp3 can be (specially if you re-compress an mp3 yet again in lossy) I was a believer in that times that if i had a 96 kbps mp3 file i could up the quality by reconverting to 192kbps.
  
 Then got this iPod classic and hell the "192 kbps" mp3 file (in reality it was 96k) sounded so hrrid many artifacts (what you call defects) and had to rerip all my CDs to FLAC since then, I haven't looked back at lossy not even at spotify.
  
 Bare minimum for me NOW 16/44.1KHz lossless


----------



## gerelmx1986

craftyclown said:


> riotgrrl said:
> 
> 
> > You've never owned the Z7. You've maybe had a short listening test. So I would advise anyone reading his opinion to take it with a large pinch of salt. *Yes i acknowledge I don't own the Z7s YET, but i will in 3 weeks and a half, and yes i did some short demos in stores (noisy environments) I acknowledge that*
> ...


 
 I Won't be feeding the troll


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> Bare minimum for me NOW 16/44.1KHz lossless


 
  
 This is my minimum and maximum. Makes life much easier


----------



## gerelmx1986

Some person asked if sony makes different HARDWARE for walkmans outside japan.
  
 Answer No. not even the software, it would be too costly for sony to make different OS and different HW for each region of the world. As many had read my profile know i am a software engineer.
 All OSes have special variables called environment or Global variables as their name implies they're used across all the OS screens and areas, they usually don't change (some can such as BT_STATUS or BRIGHTNESS_LVL)
  
 But lets say the volume cap and japanese-only menus... would be more easier for sony to do an IF...THEN ELSE check on the ScreenReder() or whatever section to disable the menus tha aren't japanese if a var called REGION is set to JPN f.e. same for volume cap if the region is set to EURO, KOR it would trigger something to lower the dB


----------



## H20Fidelity

mimouille said:


> Well obviously, I just bought a 3k player and I am asking myself if NEED to keep the 1.5k one and the Tera player that I use once every two months...


 
  
 3 players is the sweet spot, practiced and proven. I give this advice free of charge.


----------



## CraftyClown

Quote:


jagwap said:


> Must...Resist...Innuendo...Comment...



  
 LOL. Whitigir is the king of audiophile innuendo. Check out this gem....
  
  
 Quote:


whitigir said:


> it is also good to rub it tit cups , and smell it at the same time!
> 
> UuuhhhhmmmmMmmmmMm,


----------



## cthomas

whitigir said:


> Nice find, but I would love to get a case that has a strap on, so I can fix my angled plug in place and in the pocket







jagwap said:


> Must...Resist...Innuendo...Comment...




Lol


----------



## CraftyClown

h20fidelity said:


> 3 players is the sweet spot, practiced and proven. I give this advice free of charge.


 
  
 Well of course. It's the holy trinity


----------



## Mimouille

h20fidelity said:


> 3 players is the sweet spot, practiced and proven. I give this advice free of charge.


I also have the Mojo stack...man I need to sell!


----------



## Jalo

The biggest myth about the ascension of bit rates from mp3 to lossless to hires to dsd is bit rate itself.  I love hires and DSD materials but not only because of its higher bit rates but also because of the much better than average mastering and recording.  I find normally with DSD or hires materials, recordings are usually better controlled, mike placement, sound image, volume/line level/voltage etc are better established. You don't usually get the careless mistakes that are more frequently encountered at CD level recordings.  In general, hires and DSD recordings are usually created for audiophiles and  resulting in better everything than just bit rate.


----------



## Jalo

mimouille said:


> I also have the Mojo stack...man I need to sell!


 
  
 You and me, I have the Mojo plus the Hugo.  How come I have never heard you talked about the Tera Player in every sentence like Musicday


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Is this out in Japan yet?


----------



## musicday

jalo said:


> mimouille said:
> 
> 
> > I also have the Mojo stack...man I need to sell!
> ...



Maybe he doesn't like it as much as i do


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiobreeder said:


> Is this out in Japan yet?


 
 yes since october 29


----------



## mw7485

jagwap said:


> Must...Resist...Innuendo...Comment...


 
  
 ...don't do it - just give in to your inner self. Resistance is futile!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I can't wait for tenedosian's futher impressions


----------



## proedros

h20fidelity said:


> 3 *ciems *is the sweet spot, practiced and proven. I give this advice free of charge.


 
  
  
 fixed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
  
 btw i have been using only zx2 since 09/2015 and i am fine

 now ciems , this is another story


----------



## Mimouille

jalo said:


> You and me, I have the Mojo plus the Hugo.  How come I have never heard you talked about the Tera Player in every sentence like Musicday


 
 Well I like it, otherwise wouldn't keep it. But it works ONLY with my SE5, and the fact that you cannot pause the music is not convenient at work.


----------



## baconcow

First off, sorry if I butcher any of the audiophile understanding here, as I am quite new to the game.
  
 I am getting the Sennheiser HD 6xx's and was wondering what I would need with the WM1A? Would I need a portable amp (like the Sony PHA-3, or similar) or could I get a cable that allows me to take advantage of the extra juice from the 4.4mm balanced output? I don't mind carrying around an additional portable amp with it, but not if it is unnecessary. I have a passed-down pair of HD 600's, but did not have proper gear to drive them properly until around the time that one of the drivers became damaged.
  
 Also, does which DAC or amp is used if the WM1A is used with another DAC/amp or amp?
  
 I hope this machine doesn't take too long to come to Canada.


----------



## Spektykles

Hi, just a newbie here, and was very interesting on new Sony Signature setup.
 Can anyone suggest that I should use the WM1Z straight or via new new TA-ZH1ES? Sound signature diiference? The headphone i use is Fostex TH900. Thanks in advanced
 Eye-watering pic for you 
 http://i.imgur.com/vDWdvSe.jpg


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Unfortunately there was no unit to test at the Sony Center I visited. There was 1 unit in a closed package..
  
 Damn.. Need to wait more for testing and comparison with ZX2.


----------



## Mimouille

spektykles said:


> Hi, just a newbie here, and was very interesting on new Sony Signature setup.
> 
> Can anyone suggest that I should use the WM1Z straight or via new new TA-ZH1ES? Sound signature diiference? The headphone i use is Fostex TH900. Thanks in advanced
> Eye-watering pic for you
> ...


----------



## Leviticus

spektykles said:


> Hi, just a newbie here, and was very interesting on new Sony Signature setup.
> Can anyone suggest that I should use the WM1Z straight or via new new TA-ZH1ES? Sound signature diiference? The headphone i use is Fostex TH900. Thanks in advanced
> Eye-watering pic for you
> http://i.imgur.com/vDWdvSe.jpg


 
  
 Welcome to head-fi! On behalf of the rest of the community, let me express our apologies for your wallet. The ZH1E plus the WM1Z....damn!


----------



## Fabi

spektykles said:


> Hi, just a newbie here, and was very interesting on new Sony Signature setup.
> Can anyone suggest that I should use the WM1Z straight or via new new TA-ZH1ES? Sound signature diiference? The headphone i use is Fostex TH900. Thanks in advanced
> Eye-watering pic for you
> http://i.imgur.com/vDWdvSe.jpg


 
 I can just say that the new Dac/amp TA-ZH1ES sounds analytical, maybe like Chord Hugo, which is different from 1Z.


----------



## Whitigir

fabi said:


> I can just say that the new Dac/amp TA-ZH1ES sounds analytical, maybe like Chord Hugo, which is different from 1Z.




Are you sure it is burned in ?


----------



## Fabi

whitigir said:


> Are you sure it is burned in ?


 
 Not sure at all lol. Tbh, I don't know how many hours that unit had when I auditioned it...
 All three may be quite new, so you can take it with a pinch of salt.
 But it made the balanced Z1R sound lean and neutral. On 1Z, Z1R sounded warm with emphasis in the lows.
  
 Have you tried it?


----------



## Whitigir

fabi said:


> Not sure at all lol. Tbh, I don't know how many hours that unit had when I auditioned it...
> All three may be quite new, so you can take it with a pinch of salt.
> But it made the balanced Z1R sound lean and neutral. On 1Z, Z1R sounded warm with emphasis in the lows.
> 
> Have you tried it?




I actually did not, and not sure if I ever would get the chance to do so . I was just wondering. My only desktop right now is HA-1.


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> I actually did not, and not sure if I ever would get the chance to do so
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 why not settle with the 1A 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




?


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> why not settle with the 1A  ?




Lol, the new DP-X1A ? Sure...it is only $700 or so


----------



## goyete

Hello, for anyone that has the NW-WM1A or NW-WM1A. I would like to know if when you search by artist the unit search in the "album artist" or the "artist" field of the FLAC, DSD, M4A files. The Sony Media Go doesn't have an option to select or search by the "album artist" so it's very difficult to handle music by artist.
  
 I think the best way to search music by artist is to order the music by artist searching in the album artist field like iOS or other players.
  
 Another question, if you have a microSD inserted, how the media go handles both memories (internal + SD). In the ZX2 you had to select what memory you want to use. Here in the WM1A/Z how it owrks, Media Go view one memory of 256 Gb??
  
 Thanks!!


----------



## productred

I had the privilege to live a couple of weeks with a 1Z while also trying the 1A on and off.
  
 In the end I decided to part with the 1Z and got a 1A.
  
 AFAIK their circuitory is almost identical (someone would certainly disagree) with just a few resistors apart - the 1A uses Panasonic ones while the 1Z uses Sony's own ones. And needless to say the shell and the internal wiring are different.
  
 On sound they are more similar than different, with the 1Z sounding somewhat warmer, soundstage a bit wider but the layering is more fuzzy. Euphonic is usually attached to this style of tuning. The 1A is very similar, with less soundstage but more focused positioning and layering. Both exhibits a tremendous dynamic range and excellent transcients that previously only exists in home systems.
  
 The deal breaker for me about the 1Z is that it is ridiculously heavy - heavier than the AK380 copper but less than the copper amp combo. The weight of the 1A makes it truly portable and even pocketable despite its size.
  
 Playing with the DSP functions - I suspected I'd just use the "direct" option and skip all those, but turned out they are pretty sweet and impressive.


----------



## Decreate

Apparently there is one cable shop here in Hong Kong called Labkable that has an iem cable with the 4.4mm plug but its only available with their HKD9000 Pandora cable...  -_-"
 https://www.facebook.com/Labkable/posts/1137582626327384:0


----------



## shockwaver

So, 1z sounds lusher, warmer and airier than 1a?


----------



## Gosod

shockwaver said:


> So, 1z sounds lusher, warmer and airier than 1a?


 
I am also interested in this question.


----------



## jhlin09

For those who regularly use their WM1A/1Z on the go can consider purchasing the RMT-NWS20 bluetooth remote control. This is especially handy as you do not need take the Walkman out of your bag when traveling just to change the music/ adjust the volume!


----------



## kms108

jhlin09 said:


> For those who regularly use their WM1A/1Z on the go can consider purchasing the RMT-NWS20 bluetooth remote control. This is especially handy as you do not need take the Walkman out of your bag when traveling just to change the music/ adjust the volume!


 
  
  
 Do you know if this will work with the ZX2.


----------



## jhlin09

kms108 said:


> Do you know if this will work with the ZX2.


 


 It only works with the A3X and WM series Walkmans!


----------



## kms108

jhlin09 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Do you know if this will work with the ZX2.
> ...


 
  
  
 Thanks, I was hoping it would work with my ZX2 if I dont get the 1A


----------



## gerelmx1986

productred said:


> I had the privilege to live a couple of weeks with a 1Z while also trying the 1A on and off.
> 
> In the end I decided to part with the 1Z and got a 1A.
> 
> ...


 
 thanks nice impressions, did you tried balanced?


----------



## gerelmx1986

jhlin09 said:


> For those who regularly use their WM1A/1Z on the go can consider purchasing the RMT-NWS20 bluetooth remote control. This is especially handy as you do not need take the Walkman out of your bag when traveling just to change the music/ adjust the volume!


 
 They sell it in europe yet? EDIT: especially in Germany thnks


----------



## Gosod

jhlin09 said:


> For those who regularly use their WM1A/1Z on the go can consider purchasing the RMT-NWS20 bluetooth remote control. This is especially handy as you do not need take the Walkman out of your bag when traveling just to change the music/ adjust the volume!


 
ago passed cd/mp3 walkvman.


----------



## Jalo

jhlin09 said:


> For those who regularly use their WM1A/1Z on the go can consider purchasing the RMT-NWS20 bluetooth remote control. This is especially handy as you do not need take the Walkman out of your bag when traveling just to change the music/ adjust the volume!


 
 Will turning on the bluetooth remote control has any negative impact on the sound?


----------



## cthomas

Th





kms108 said:


> Thanks, I was hoping it would work with my ZX2 if I dont get the 1A




This might work with zx2 since it's android based...

http://www.sonymobile.com/global-en/products/accessories/remote-and-handset-brh10/


----------



## ttt123

I meant to post this on the 1A/1Z thread, but posted instead on the ZX2 thread.  It is relevant to both, but more relevant to the 1A/1Z thread.
  
 HK WM1A - 200+ hours - update.  Firmware 1.01, K10/Whiplash TWag v3 / TRRS 3.5mm plug.
  
 From the comparison at the store, listening with the Z5 to the same tracks on the 1A and the 1Z.
 - WM1A/Z - I have the same impression as the Sony engineers description of the SQ.
 - Compared to ZX2 - More detailed and open.  It's like the ZX2 is like looking through water that is clear, until you compare to water in the Caribean, where it looks like there is no water, it is so clear.  The 1A is like the water in the Caribean.
 - Bass is more solid.  
 - More details, which may give the impression of better high frequencies.  The sound is not tiring.
 - 1Z/1A sound is similar.  But the 1Z has more detail.  Example is on voice, the 1A sounds detailled and clear.  Switch to the 1Z, and there is a rasp in the voice that was on the 1A, but you did not notice because it is low and almost buried, until you listen for it.  But on the 1Z, you notice it right away.  So while very small differences, the 1Z is recovering more micro detail, which is what provides the positioning cues, and space in a recording.
 What I heard was a more immediate and involving sound for vocals.  Yes, you can say it is a very small difference for a large amount of price difference, but with the right setup (IEM/cable/plug), that small difference grabs you in a way that the 1A does not.  Yes, if I could afford it, I would get the 1Z.  As it is, I will enjoy the 1A and try not to listen to the 1Z, to keep the upgrade urge in abeyance.
  
 How does the 1A sound compared to the ZX2?  I believe it is a significant improvement.  Again, they are small differences, and depending on your system synergy, you may hear very little difference.  But the difference/capability is there, if your setup can resolve it.  What this points out is that if you take your IEM/Headphone to the store and try the 1A/1Z, and you hear no, or little difference, then you don't need to upgrade.  If you do upgrade, then it would only make sense if you also upgraded IEM/Headphone/cable. 
  
 My impression is subjective.  I random play through 7k+ songs on the player, mostly FLAC, a good portion of it is hi-res, mixed with some MP3.  Music is just about all genres.
 I like the setup with the ZX2 and now with the WM1A, and Noble K10,  where the system is able to make all the various music, and  bit rates, sound good.  What I look for is whether the music is involving, or boring.  If I find myself skipping to the next track on most music, which I did when I first got the 1A, then it is not what I am looking for.  After 200+ hours, I'm finding that songs that I did not particularly like on the ZX2, I am listening to on the 1A.  And it seems to have more of what has been described as PRAT, that ability to get your foot tapping to the music.  Jazz and Classical come through very well.
  
 So no double blind, and not even switching back and forth between the ZX2 and the WM1A, comparing similar tracks.  ( Don't have the ZX2 anymore, so cannot directly compare anymore. )
 I've also spent too much time in this audio hobby, comparing snippets of music, listening for the speed of the drum note, the decay, the separation/detail of the instruments, the harmonics of a violin.
 In the end, all the details are just a means to a whole, and the final goal is whether the system delivers music, or just  a sequence of notes/sounds.  If a system is able to deliver most music that to you is enjoyable, and draws you temporarily into the artist's world, and communicates some of the emotion of the music, then it is getting closer to what I want.  Some systems are resolving, but not necessarily musical.
  
 So that's my feeling at 200+ hours.  It's a relief that I feel the 1A is more musical and a step up from the ZX2, so I don't have to agonize about getting rid of a good player, and winding up with something that was not as musical, which is what I was afraid of, as there was no way to tell if the 1A sound when it was new, would progress to a musical player, after a proper burn in.
  
 I did go through the above regret when I replaced the AK100 with the Calyx M.  The M was beautiful on some songs, but overall, I found it not that involving for too many songs.  And the 4+ hours battery life became to great a negative, as you had to constantly charge it, and if using it for longer periods of time in a day, you would find yourself with a dead player too often.  So I sold the Calyx M at a significant loss, and replaced with the ZX2.
  
 And I know that this update on the 1A will not be enough for many people, who are looking for more detailed comparisons, so just take this as my contribution of a subjective impression, listening to music.  And not trying to compare specific aspects of music.  I'm fine that this may not be relevant to many people, and I would agree that more specific details are needed.  Which I am sure will show up.


----------



## ttt123

goyete said:


> Hello, for anyone that has the NW-WM1A or NW-WM1A. I would like to know if when you search by artist the unit search in the "album artist" or the "artist" field of the FLAC, DSD, M4A files. The Sony Media Go doesn't have an option to select or search by the "album artist" so it's very difficult to handle music by artist.
> 
> I think the best way to search music by artist is to order the music by artist searching in the album artist field like iOS or other players.
> 
> ...


 
 The 1A shows both sources under my computer, when plugged into a PC, the internal as Walkman, and the SD, at the same time.  No need to select which memory.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@ttt123  did you get yours with AccessoryJack or sony directly?


----------



## jhlin09

jalo said:


> Will turning on the bluetooth remote control has any negative impact on the sound?


 

 I do not hear any audible difference. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			






gerelmx1986 said:


> They sell it in europe yet? EDIT: especially in Germany thnks


 

 They don't even stock in locally (yet) in the case of Singapore even when the Walkmans are already released, so I doubt so.


----------



## jhlin09

ttt123 said:


> From the comparison at the store, listening with the Z5 to the same tracks on the 1A and the 1Z.
> - WM1A/Z - I have the same impression as the Sony engineers description of the SQ.
> - Compared to ZX2 - More detailed and open.  It's like the ZX2 is like looking through water that is clear, until you compare to water in the Caribean, where it looks like there is no water, it is so clear.  The 1A is like the water in the Caribean.
> - Bass is more solid.
> ...


 

 I've used the WM1A regularly for the past week and I have to agree with your review 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 

 On a side note, I realized that the duration of audio played in the system settings menu increases even when no IEM/Headphone is plugged into the Walkman, when forgotten to pause the music when the Walkman is not in use. In such instances, does this duration of audio constitute to the burning in duration of the device?


----------



## gerelmx1986

jhlin09 said:


> I've used the WM1A regularly for the past week and I have to agree with your review
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Playing with no headphones = NO load so i think this is not a proper burn


----------



## jhlin09

gerelmx1986 said:


> Playing with no headphones = NO load so i think this is not a proper burn


 


 Well if that's the case, I suppose burn-in timing for the demo units are inaccurate as a result.


----------



## ttt123

gerelmx1986 said:


> @ttt123  did you get yours with AccessoryJack or sony directly?


 
 No, in HK, I am lucky enough to have most products sold in the local stores, and very quickly, as we are close to the source, and also HK is a pretty important Hi End market.  I just walked into the store at Wanchai Computer mall, and 3 out of the 4 stores had both the 1A and 1Z in stock.  And was able to get it with a discount from MSRP.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The shipments of WM1A's to accessoryJack has been delayed, thus my order


----------



## Cecala

productred said:


> I had the privilege to live a couple of weeks with a 1Z while also trying the 1A on and off......................


 


ttt123 said:


> I meant to post this on the 1A/1Z thread, but posted instead on the ZX2 thread.  It is relevant to both, but more relevant to the 1A/1Z thread.......................


 
 Thanks both for an honest appraisal. As noted by others the difference is quite small between the 'brothers' although to some note-worthy and worth the trip to Z1 land. It's good to see that a connection to the PC allows both memory bands to be seen at once. This was/is such a bore on the ZX2 to switch between the two when uploading.
 Can you comment on the UI lag/speed + startup scan times. The Z1 is very heavy and I myself could not carry that thing around all day although in a home environment no problem.


----------



## ttt123

cecala said:


> Thanks both for an honest appraisal. As noted by others the difference is quite small between the 'brothers' although to some not-worthy and worth the trip to Z1 land. It's good to see that a connection to the PC allows both memory bands to be seen at once. This was/is such a bore on the ZX2 to switch between the two when uploading.
> Can you comment on the UI lag/speed + startup scan times. The Z1 is very heavy and I myself could not carry that thing around all day although in a home environment no problem.


 
 Scan time for 230GB = 35 secs.  Plugged into PC, disconnected, and then timed the time it took to finish the database scan and show the Playing screen.  No changes were made to the memories while plugged into the PC.  No additions, deletions, or moves.  So this would be representative of a start up scan with no changes.  I expect if there are changes, the start up scan would be longer, and that would depend on the size and number of changes.  But those will be infrequent, while the normal start up scan speed is useful to know, as that is what the user will face most of the time.
  
 The UI speed is fine, to go between screens, etc.  I don't have any impression, positive or negative, coming from the ZX2
  
 Negatives:
 1. Cannot add to a playlist from both memories.  Get a warning that the playlist can only add from one, or the other.  i.e. adding a song from internal memory, and then adding a song from micro SD will fail.  It wants the playlist to be all from the same memory source.  This is an unexpected and backward step.
 2. However, can add songs from either memory to a Bookmark list
 3. Adding to either a Playlist or a Bookmark takes a long time
     - Bookmark - 8 secs.  Though the Bookmark list also shows the album cover, which is one of the extra things that takes longer to process, I guess
     - Playlist     - 5 secs
 4. Erasing a Playlist takes a long time, probably 8+ secs.  Worse is that it stops playing the song partially into the delete, and the UI is locked up for about 4+ secs.  I had a lot of automatically created Playlists from the ZX2, and found this when I went to delete them on the 1A.
  
 So the most serious from the list above is the time it takes to store a Playlist or Bookmark entry.  The UI is stuck until it finishes.  If the behaviour was that it took awhile and did it in the background, and allowed you to keep using the interface, that would have been a proper implementation.
  
 So far, this is what I have noticed.


----------



## Cecala

ttt123 said:


> Scan time for 230GB = 35 secs.  Plugged into PC, disconnected, and then timed the time it took to finish the database scan and show the Playing screen.  No changes were made to the memories while plugged into the PC.  No additions, deletions, or moves.  So this would be representative of a start up scan with no changes.  I expect if there are changes, the start up scan would be longer, and that would depend on the size and number of changes.  But those will be infrequent, while the normal start up scan speed is useful to know, as that is what the user will face most of the time.
> 
> The UI speed is fine, to go between screens, etc.  I don't have any impression, positive or negative, coming from the ZX2
> Your saying no speed increase? I would describe ZX2 as slow to a mild pain.
> ...


 
 Thanks for the timings.


----------



## ttt123

I did not have a problem with the ZX2 user speed.  Of course, my main usage is the playing screen, bookmark, etc., and I found that the UI speed was fine.
  
 On the 1A, doing similar things, stoking right/left/top/bottom from the Play screen, response is immediate.  Selecting a song, etc, there is no lag that I notice.
  
 So the main usage on the 1A, playing songs, etc., the GUI speed is fine.


----------



## Blommen

How are the eq capabilities of these daps? I like to use an amp with my Fiio X7 and add bass with it, can the Sony add similar bass via software eq? Amp in question is headstage 5tx.


----------



## noplsestar

There have been many comparisons between WM1 series and LPG. Are there any with Cowon Plenus S (which is from price perspective somewhere in between WM1A and 1Z) ... also sound quality wise?


----------



## jmills8

blommen said:


> How are the eq capabilities of these daps? I like to use an amp with my Fiio X7 and add bass with it, can the Sony add similar bass via software eq? Amp in question is headstage 5tx.


 Seems the people who bought these daps listens to Asian Female vocals or Classical music. Another prefers to listen to it at low volume so it wont cause any down the road hearing loss.


----------



## nanaholic

blommen said:


> How are the eq capabilities of these daps? I like to use an amp with my Fiio X7 and add bass with it, can the Sony add similar bass via software eq? Amp in question is headstage 5tx.


 
  
 There's a 10 band and a tri-band equalizer to choose from. The 10 band equalizer each band covers one octave and adjustment can be made in 0.5dB steps.  The tri-band equalizer is only divided into bass/mid/treble to mimic old mini-component system controls.  You can definitely customise and boost the bass region.


----------



## jmills8

nanaholic said:


> There's a 10 band and a tri-band equalizer to choose from. The 10 band equalizer each band covers one octave and adjustment can be made in 0.5dB steps.  The tri-band equalizer is only divided into bass/mid/treble to mimic old mini-component system controls.  You can definitely customise and boost the bass region.


So what are YOUR eq settings ?


----------



## jhlin09

Ill lead a balanced life from now on then


----------



## productred

ttt123 said:


> I meant to post this on the 1A/1Z thread, but posted instead on the ZX2 thread.  It is relevant to both, but more relevant to the 1A/1Z thread.
> 
> HK WM1A - 200+ hours - update.  Firmware 1.01, K10/Whiplash TWag v3 / TRRS 3.5mm plug.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I think the resolving power of the 1A and the 1Z are equal..............the 1A is a tad more transparent and a tad flatter tuned, while the response of 1Z is just a bit more sculpted - meaning some details may sound more obvious on the 1Z if it is within the more highlighted frequency range. The 1Z sounded unworldly with some "audiophile" mastered vocal recordings, but I prefer the 1A's transparent and flatter presentation with Classical. There are instances when the micro details in timber of strings and the brassiness of brass seems more generously and realistically presented with the 1A - while the 1Z maintains its lush and euphonic appeal.
  
 All that said, I gotta repeat they are more similar than different and these differences are really subtle.


----------



## nanaholic

jmills8 said:


> So what are YOUR eq settings ?


 
  
 Direct source 95% of the time. But that's because my MH1 are already FR tuned perfectly to my taste. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 As long as the source is FR relatively flat it will be good enough FR wise for me (which most of the high end gear would be), the rest is about other things like instrument separation, micro detail, power control and note attack/decay which aren't so much FR related.


----------



## jmills8

nanaholic said:


> Direct source 95% of the time. But that's because my MH1 are already FR tuned perfectly to my taste.
> As long as the source is FR relatively flat it will be good enough FR wise for me (which most of the high end gear would be), the rest is about other things like instrument separation, micro detail, power control and note attack/decay which aren't so much FR related.


ooo, then need to find out from a user who listens to some types of music that requires a bit of EQ.


----------



## Mimouille

jhlin09 said:


> Ill lead a balanced life from now on then
> 
> 
> [COLOR=FF4400]
> [/COLOR]


 Where did you get the 2-pin cable? Is it DIY?


----------



## nanaholic

jmills8 said:


> ooo, then need to find out from a user who listens to some types of music that requires a bit of EQ.


 
  
 Well if it's any reassurance I did try the EQ which seems pretty good in general - the adjustment is pretty fine and easy to use and the effects of each band seems to be accurate and confined unlike poorly implemented EQ which tends to have a over-arching effect on the entire spectrum.


----------



## jmills8

nanaholic said:


> Well if it's any reassurance I did try the EQ which seems pretty good in general - the adjustment is pretty fine and easy to use and the effects of each band seems to be accurate and confined unlike poorly implemented EQ which tends to have a over-arching effect on the entire spectrum.


 Thxs.


----------



## Cecala

productred said:


> I think the resolving power of the 1A and the 1Z are equal..............the 1A is a tad more transparent and a tad flatter tuned, while the response of 1Z is just a bit more sculpted - meaning some details may sound more obvious on the 1Z if it is within the more highlighted frequency range. The 1Z sounded unworldly with some "audiophile" mastered vocal recordings, but I prefer the 1A's transparent and flatter presentation with Classical. There are instances when the micro details in timber of strings and the brassiness of brass seems more generously and realistically presented with the 1A - while the 1Z maintains its lush and euphonic appeal.
> 
> All that said, I gotta repeat they are more similar than different and these differences are really subtle.


 
 Sounds like Sony played around with the DSP settings to give it a 'different' sound (like I've stated before), differentiate it from the 1A.


----------



## Bengkia369

This Sony flagship 1Z can fight with Chord Hugo refined sound or even more sublime?!


----------



## kms108

It seems like sony is getting many support for it's new 4.4mm connector, I visited a local store today, they already have a few japanese brand iem with the new 4.4mm plug, these are not custom cable, but out of the box.


----------



## Cecala

kms108 said:


> It seems like sony is getting many support for it's new 4.4mm connector, I visited a local store today, they already have a few japanese brand iem with the new 4.4mm plug, these are not custom cable, but out of the box.


 

 Sony is a big player in this field and will receive the appropriate support from third party suppliers. Once a second player enters the field with this socket on their DAP, the cable and iem market will explode, just give it some more time.


----------



## kms108

cecala said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > It seems like sony is getting many support for it's new 4.4mm connector, I visited a local store today, they already have a few japanese brand iem with the new 4.4mm plug, these are not custom cable, but out of the box.
> ...


 

 i'm sure many mid to high end player from sony will start to support this new 4.4mm connector, I  will probably pickup a 1A on my visit to japan.


----------



## gerelmx1986

productred said:


> I think the resolving power of the 1A and the 1Z are equal..............the 1A is a tad more transparent and a tad flatter tuned, while the response of 1Z is just a bit more sculpted - meaning some details may sound more obvious on the 1Z if it is within the more highlighted frequency range. The 1Z sounded unworldly with some "audiophile" mastered vocal recordings, but I prefer *the 1A's transparent and flatter presentation with Classical. There are instances when the micro details in timber of strings and the brassiness of brass seems more generously and realistically presented with the 1A* - while the 1Z maintains its lush and euphonic appeal.
> 
> All that said, I gotta repeat they are more similar than different and these differences are really subtle.


 
 I knew the 1A would make my best fit becayse my taste is only Classical


----------



## nanaholic

kms108 said:


> It seems like sony is getting many support for it's new 4.4mm connector, I visited a local store today, they already have a few japanese brand iem with the new 4.4mm plug, these are not custom cable, but out of the box.


 
  
 It's not Sony's plug in the first place, it's JETA's adopted standard - which means the entire Japanese audio industry is behind it, Sony's just the first to put products accepting it on market.
  
 Plus the fact that the 1Z is getting so much buzz now as a highly desirable - if not THE most desirable - TOTL DAP right now that was previously mostly occupied by AK flagship players like the 380 also helps the adoption a lot.  In fact the only issue really is Onkyo/Pioneer who didn't adopt the 4.4mm plug for their latest DAPs, else the momentum would've been even stronger.


----------



## kms108

nanaholic said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > It seems like sony is getting many support for it's new 4.4mm connector, I visited a local store today, they already have a few japanese brand iem with the new 4.4mm plug, these are not custom cable, but out of the box.
> ...


 

 Thanks for letting me know, i'm considering getting the 1A, but playing with the unit, seems like there is quite a lag in the OS.


----------



## Whitigir

Right now, there is not even enough supplies for 4.4mm female and male connectors  sad


----------



## Mimouille

I have noticed a small bug in the firmware of the 1Z. I follow the number of hours played to follow burn in, it is an option in the settings. But for some reasons sometimes when you restart the player, this number of hours can go back.

Anyways by my count I am at 160 hours single ended and 130 balanced. I will soon stop.


----------



## Cecala

mimouille said:


> I have noticed a small bug in the firmware of the 1Z. I follow the number of hours played to follow burn in, it is an option in the settings. But for some reasons sometimes when you restart the player, this number of hours can go back.
> 
> Anyways by my count I am at 160 hours single ended and 130 balanced. I will soon stop.


 

 It's called daylight saving.


----------



## Mimouille

cecala said:


> It's called daylight saving.


Well not very efficient when it's 20 hours back


----------



## Cecala

Does the player count all time the unit is on or only when music is been played?


----------



## Mimouille

cecala said:


> Does the player count all time the unit is on or only when music is been played?


Only music played. It clocked at 278 and I restarted and clocked 258.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cecala said:


> Does the player count all time the unit is on or only when music is been played?


 
 I think just the music playback time, if you see pics of the UI it says Total Audio Playback time i think


----------



## Kerouac

mimouille said:


> Only music played. It clocked at 278 and I restarted and clocked 258.


 
  
 Recently some member posted about the Note 7: It's a phone and a lighter!
 Well, maybe the WM1Z is a dap and a time machine


----------



## Jalo

Is the S master chip the same for both 1a and 1z?


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

1Z is cheaper on Amazon Japan. But shipping via 3rd party and customs could bring it a few more hundred dollars.
My initial wanting of 1A has died as I am now more inclined to the gold bar


----------



## gerelmx1986

jalo said:


> Is the S master chip the same for both 1a and 1z?


 
 yes same s-master


----------



## gerelmx1986

I've noticed there are initial impressions but little pictures. I will put lots of pics as usual when I receive mine (if i have the time and if it arrives by end of november)


----------



## Blommen

nanaholic said:


> There's a 10 band and a tri-band equalizer to choose from. The 10 band equalizer each band covers one octave and adjustment can be made in 0.5dB steps.  The tri-band equalizer is only divided into bass/mid/treble to mimic old mini-component system controls.  You can definitely customise and boost the bass region.




Thanks for answering Can you tell me what the max db increase is per band?


----------



## ChiAki

I'm getting an adapter soon for my MDR-EX1000 to convert the EX plug into a MMCX (the XBA-Z5 is just not to my liking... I just... I can't.). Will be getting a balanced cable soon for my EX1000 
  
 Still can't decide if I should go with the Sony-made Kimber Kable or the one from Brise Audio though


----------



## ledzep

on its way ..... slight problem
  
  

 Damm 2 pin !
  


 sorted.
 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shure-Westone-MMCX-to-Westone-Translucent-Noble-Audio-2-Pin-IEM-adapter/182220565074?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D38661%26meid%3Dfd2996025a01461cbd640ed750cbb260%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D112193217518


----------



## jhlin09

ledzep said:


> on its way ..... slight problem
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Why not just change the pins itself? I've got mine changed to 2-pins so I dont have to use the adapter.


----------



## bvng3540

That look beautiful, how much did you paid for that cable with the 2 pins and where you buy it from? Thanks


----------



## nanaholic

blommen said:


> Thanks for answering Can you tell me what the max db increase is per band?


 
  
 10dB in either direction in 0.5dB increments.


----------



## productred

cecala said:


> Sounds like Sony played around with the DSP settings to give it a 'different' sound (like I've stated before), differentiate it from the 1A.


 
  
 I tends to think the main hardward difference i.e. the "fine sound" cap of Sony in Z vs the various Panasonic caps in A that made the difference. I have played with both machines with DSP on and completely off and the tiny bit of difference in presentation remains.
  
 Need I repeat - the difference is really subtle and you have to listen hard extensively and AB with xxxxloads of different stuff to hear it.


----------



## productred

gerelmx1986 said:


> I knew the 1A would make my best fit becayse my taste is only Classical


 
  
 Depends on your taste really. I repeat the difference is subtle. But if you are after the Concertgebouw or Gewandhaus feel then the Z have loads of that to offer - to me it is the best gear so far to present music in a concert hall-like way. If you are, like me, prefers a more monitor-like and dead accurate presentation of tones and timbres then I feel A is the choice.


----------



## ttt123

productred said:


> I tends to think the main hardward difference i.e. the "fine sound" cap of Sony in Z vs the various Panasonic caps in A that made the difference. I have played with both machines with DSP on and completely off and the tiny bit of difference in presentation remains.
> 
> Need I repeat - the difference is really subtle and you have to listen hard extensively and AB with xxxxloads of different stuff to hear it.


 
 The caps are certainly one factor.  I think there are many other factors, including the case, shielding, electromagnetic interaction, wiring, etc., etc.  
  
 The Kimber twisted wire instead of OFC wire connecting the headphone is one obvious difference that Sony highlighted.  
  
 I had an experience where I replaced the the wires connecting the pre-amp and amp section of a tube amplifier.  Swapped in Cardas single core flat wire.  That single change of a few inches of wires resulted in an SQ change in bass and overall resolution.  I use this just as an example of how the many changes that Sony did between the 1Z and 1A will result in a cumulative difference, and it is not possible to point to any single change as the reason for the difference.  The 1Z has enough changes that it has been extensively tweaked, and the overall SQ difference, and price, needs to be viewed as a system, and I think that is the best way to look at it.  You may agree the difference is significant to yourself, and worth the difference in price.  Or not.  It is a subjective personal choice.
  
 There are many examples of manufacturers or stores offering modded versions of a product.  Audio Note comes to mind, where the Ongaku amplifier is available with solid silver interconnect wires, silver foil caps, and silver wire wound transformers.  All custom made by Audio Note Japan.  The circuitry is the same, just the component quality and material taken to the extreme.  Does all this make a difference?  It certainly does.  Am I willing to pay the price?  That is a moot point, as I cannot afford it.  I guess that saying about expensive toys is true:  "If you have to ask how much it costs, then you cannot afford it"!


----------



## likearake

I got a WM1A yesterday but it didn't read my 200gb micro SD card that I had been using in other players.
  
 Is there any tips on format or can the player format it so that it can read correctly?
  
 It went through the building database screen but then ended up without finding songs.


----------



## echineko

jhlin09 said:


> Why not just change the pins itself? I've got mine changed to 2-pins so I dont have to use the adapter.



How did you get it changed, and how much did it cost?


----------



## nanaholic

likearake said:


> I got a WM1A yesterday but it didn't read my 200gb micro SD card that I had been using in other players.
> 
> Is there any tips on format or can the player format it so that it can read correctly?
> 
> It went through the building database screen but then ended up without finding songs.


 
  
 Try formating the card in the player.
 Also music files must be placed in the "music" folder.


----------



## ttt123

likearake said:


> I got a WM1A yesterday but it didn't read my 200gb micro SD card that I had been using in other players.
> 
> Is there any tips on format or can the player format it so that it can read correctly?
> 
> It went through the building database screen but then ended up without finding songs.


 
 I moved a Sandisk 200GB card over from the ZX2 with no problems.  It is formatted as exFAT.  Did you format the card in the player, as that is a general recommendation?


----------



## nc8000

likearake said:


> I got a WM1A yesterday but it didn't read my 200gb micro SD card that I had been using in other players.
> 
> Is there any tips on format or can the player format it so that it can read correctly?
> 
> It went through the building database screen but then ended up without finding songs.




I seem to remember that like on the ZX2 your music has to be in a music folder in the root of the card


----------



## likearake

Thanks guys, I will try those two tips and I suspect that will work! Didn't know about the music folder thing either.


----------



## gerelmx1986

likearake said:


> I got a WM1A yesterday but it didn't read my 200gb micro SD card that I had been using in other players.
> 
> Is there any tips on format or can the player format it so that it can read correctly?
> 
> It went through the building database screen but then ended up without finding songs.


 

 ​check this  http://www.head-fi.org/t/759006/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks/15#post_11413520


----------



## gerelmx1986

productred said:


> Depends on your taste really. I repeat the difference is subtle. But if you are after the Concertgebouw or Gewandhaus feel then the Z have loads of that to offer - to me it is the best gear so far to present music in a concert hall-like way. If you are, like me, prefers a more monitor-like and dead accurate presentation of tones and timbres then I feel A is the choice.


 
 So the staging is super small  on the 1A? or like pro-speakers big?


----------



## productred

gerelmx1986 said:


> So the staging is super small  on the 1A? or like pro-speakers big?


 
  
 Definitely not small


----------



## gerelmx1986

productred said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > So the staging is super small  on the 1A? or like pro-speakers big?
> ...


 

 ​also depends on the recordings I bet, i have materials most from the 80's, 90's early 2000's older stuff sometimes sounds bad (bad master ore bad recording) but newer 2010 onwards tends to be fairly well mastered especially 24-bits


----------



## ledzep

jhlin09 said:


> Why not just change the pins itself? I've got mine changed to 2-pins so I dont have to use the adapter.




I would if I didn't have the 846's & Z5's to run off the cable as well, nice looking custom job on yours though.


----------



## Bengkia369

If I buy a cheaper 1A and remove all the Panasonic capacitors and replace with Sony ones. And all the wirings replaced with Kimber Kable, will it makes my 1A sounds like TOTL 1Z? !


----------



## nanaholic

bengkia369 said:


> If I buy a cheaper 1A and remove all the Panasonic capacitors and replace with Sony ones. And all the wirings replaced with Kimber Kable, will it makes my 1A sounds like TOTL 1A?!


 
  
 No because you'll need to replace the normal resistors to the high grade Sony resistors as well.


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> No because you'll need to replace the normal resistors to the high grade Sony resistors as well.




And machine a copper case


----------



## likearake

Gotta say, the 1A is quite heavy. The 1Z must be something!


----------



## jhlin09

likearake said:


> Gotta say, the 1A is quite heavy. The 1Z must be something!


 


 Carry the 1Z for a few minutes or so, then carry the 1A


----------



## shockwaver

Is the inside of the copper chassis gold-plated, too?
 ah, right. it is.


----------



## musicday

shockwaver said:


> Is the inside of the copper chassis gold-plated, too?



Yes everything is gold plated but we don't know if 18 K or 24.


----------



## Bengkia369

Will the Gold plating fade away with everyday use?


----------



## mata

The 4.4mm cable still not yet available in Hong Kong.


----------



## Whitigir

bengkia369 said:


> Will the Gold plating fade away with everyday use?




As long as you don't have your cat lick it everyday for 20 years, it won't


----------



## nanaholic

mata said:


> The 4.4mm cable still not yet available in Hong Kong.


 
  
 You have to go to the Sony Store to reserve one, they aren't distributing stock to the other shops.


----------



## mata

nanaholic said:


> You have to go to the Sony Store to reserve one, they aren't distributing stock to the other shops.



I went to the cs and already got a reference number for the 30% off offer, but nobody yet calls me


----------



## nanaholic

mata said:


> I went to the cs and already got a reference number for the 30% off offer, but nobody yet calls me


 
  
 Sony Store don't call you they just text you via SMS.  Maybe check if you missed a message or something.  Else just wait it took a little over a week for me to get mine and I was the first batch of orders.


----------



## mata

nanaholic said:


> Sony Store don't call you they just text you via SMS.  Maybe check if you missed a message or something.  Else just wait it took a little over a week for me to get mine and I was the first batch of orders.



I have been waiting for the call and sms. I may go again in person next week. Thanks mate.


----------



## mata

mata said:


> I have been waiting for the call and sms. I may go again in person next week. Thanks mate.



By the way, I purchased mine 1A in local store and not from sony store so may need to wait for another batch.


----------



## nanaholic

mata said:


> By the way, I purchased mine 1A in local store and not from sony store so may need to wait for another batch.


 
  
 Same for me, actually when I went to the Store they don't even seem to know they have the 30% off offer lol.  I was worried when the staff was going around in circles.


----------



## mata

nanaholic said:


> Same for me, actually when I went to the Store they don't even seem to know they have the 30% off offer lol.  I was worried when the staff was going around in circles.



Actually, local store had a little discount of the player. Hope there will be soon a 4.4mm cable for 2 pin connector.


----------



## Dithyrambes

30% off? Damn...I should go to sony store today in nyc


----------



## mata

dithyrambes said:


> 30% off? Damn...I should go to sony store today in nyc



For the 4.4mm cable only


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> bengkia369 said:
> 
> 
> > If I buy a cheaper 1A and remove all the Panasonic capacitors and replace with Sony ones. And all the wirings replaced with Kimber Kable, will it makes my 1A sounds like TOTL 1A?!
> ...


 
 And these components are so small to solder by hand 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


likearake said:


> Gotta say, the 1A is quite heavy. The 1Z must be something!


 
 I expect it to be heavier then my old one
  


mata said:


> By the way, I purchased mine 1A in local store and not from sony store so may need to wait for another batch.


 
 Same fort me i have been waiting for three weeks for sony to dispatch AJ, and i am getting really annoyed


----------



## mata

gerelmx1986 said:


> And these components are so small to solder by hand
> 
> I expect it to be heavier then my old one
> 
> Same fort me i have been waiting for three weeks for sony to dispatch AJ, and i am getting really annoyed



I bought a um martian for the 3.5mm while waiting for the 4.4mm. Actually, I don't know any good mmcx iems to use apart from my se846.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mata said:


> I bought a um martian for the 3.5mm while waiting for the 4.4mm. Actually, I don't know any good mmcx iems to use apart from my se846.


 
 I have the XBA-Z5 from sony themselves and they're superb


----------



## mata

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have the XBA-Z5 from sony themselves and they're superb



I like the sound but the wearing is not comfortable for me.


----------



## musicday

mata said:


> The 4.4mm cable still not yet available in Hong Kong.



Your name in Romanian language means mother


----------



## mata

musicday said:


> Your name in Romanian language means mother



Its a spaniah lastname.


----------



## jmills8

mata said:


> Its a spaniah lastname.


 mata means Kill it. Matador is the killer.


----------



## musicday

Actually the right spelling for mother in Romanian language is Măta.
However is nice to see you all from around the world on the forum.


----------



## rushofblood

Ah yes, there's something I haven't seen much feedback on; how does the battery life of these players stack up against Sony's claimed 26 hours on 24/192 FLAC?


----------



## nanaholic

rushofblood said:


> Ah yes, there's something I haven't seen much feedback on; how does the battery life of these players stack up against Sony's claimed 26 hours on 24/192 FLAC?


 
  
 The claim definitely has grounds.  
 I've had a couple of nights where I just leave the player off plug on repeat on some mix of 48kHz and 96kHz hi-res flacs for burning in the balance output on about 40 clicks on the volume (of the possible 120 - so about third volume), next morning when I wake up (about 7 hours later) it dropped 1 bar out of the 4. Took it to work and had it playing for another few hours and when I got home, still got 2 bars left!  The battery is insane for this DAP.  No other DAPs from another maker can match this. 
  
 After I'm done burning in the caps, I suspect I'd only need to charge it once a week with my normal usage, compared to every other day for other DAPs.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> rushofblood said:
> 
> 
> > Ah yes, there's something I haven't seen much feedback on; how does the battery life of these players stack up against Sony's claimed 26 hours on 24/192 FLAC?
> ...


 
 this is typical from sony, very good battery life. like you i used to charge my zx100 once every week


----------



## Mimouille

mata said:


> I bought a um martian for the 3.5mm while waiting for the 4.4mm. Actually, I don't know any good mmcx iems to use apart from my se846.


S-EM9, Andromeda and other Campfire Audio iems, etc.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mata said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Your name in Romanian language means mother
> ...


 
 Yes spanish last name, but the word it self can mean either a slang for planta (plants vegetable life) and the imperative of the present tense of matar Kill! for  Tú or present indicative for el/ella mata (he/she kills) as  @jmills8 is correct


----------



## gerelmx1986

Regarding the issue with sony logistics in regards to shipping WM1A batch to accessoryJack. Hope my family members can help me out and pick my fedex WM1A delivery for me and store it for me until I arrive back from Germany ARRRGHHHHHHH
  
 perhaps i can tell dad to burn it in for me  haha


----------



## Spektykles

Nice setup


----------



## audionewbi

I am still looking forward to getting a balance cable made for the HD800.


----------



## ChiAki

The WM1A can't drive the HD800 well, even in balanced mode. Please do give up before you spend more useless cash.


----------



## gerelmx1986

chiaki said:


> The WM1A can't drive the HD800 well, even in balanced mode. Please do give up before you spend more useless cash.


 
 Hi can you do a short comparison between WM1A and iPod cllassic?


----------



## Whitigir

chiaki said:


> The WM1A can't drive the HD800 well, even in balanced mode. Please do give up before you spend more useless cash.




Are you talking about capped or non capped ? Specifically Europe version or international


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> chiaki said:
> 
> 
> > The WM1A can't drive the HD800 well, even in balanced mode. Please do give up before you spend more useless cash.
> ...


 
 remember its 250mW @ 16ohm an these senns are like 300 ohms


----------



## tenedosian

rushofblood said:


> Ah yes, there's something I haven't seen much feedback on; how does the battery life of these players stack up against Sony's claimed 26 hours on 24/192 FLAC?


 
 In my experience, leaving WM players for burn-in via single-ended / 98 volume (over 120) / direct sound mode with mixed records (usually 16 & 24 bit .flac) their batteries last something like 25 hours.
  
 A35 in the same situation (no sound enhancements enabled) gives a bit more playing time, at around 30 hours.
  
 Lithium-ion batteries sometimes need a few more charges to reach their maximum potential. So these values may vary slightly.
  
 By the way, (though this _*also*_ might be related with volume-cap) I don't feel the slightest bit of warmth on either of the WM players even after 20 hours of continuous play.
  
 Such a jaw-dropping efficiency.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tenedosian said:


> I don't feel the slightest bit of warmth on either of the WM players even after 20 hours of continuous play.
> 
> Such a jaw-dropping efficiency.


 
 The only time i note slight warming of a walkman player is when charging & transferring data to internal memory or SD card


----------



## ChiAki

The main reason for the low heat dispersion is mostly due to the design of the amplifier. The fact that S-Master is strictly a digital amp contributes greatly to good battery life and low heat dispersion on these Walkmans (or Walk-men?)

Look at the ZX2 for example. When Sony actually puts a legit beefy battery into it, battery life really shines. The drop of battery life with the WM1A/Z is due to that Sony changed this version of S-Master HX into a digital-analog hybrid amp (which, as well documented on most sites, also pushed its output power further than ever before).

Food for thoughts


----------



## Bengkia369

Will this Sony flagship 1Z able to fight with Chord Hugo in terms of sound quality?!


----------



## nanaholic

chiaki said:


> The main reason for the low heat dispersion is mostly due to the design of the amplifier. The fact that S-Master is strictly a digital amp contributes greatly to good battery life and low heat dispersion on these Walkmans (or Walk-men?)
> 
> Look at the ZX2 for example. When Sony actually puts a legit beefy battery into it, battery life really shines. The drop of battery life with the WM1A/Z is due to that Sony changed this version of S-Master HX into a digital-analog hybrid amp (which, as well documented on most sites, also pushed its output power further than ever before).
> 
> Food for thoughts


 
  
 The WM1 does not have a hybrid design - that's the desktop amp 1ES. 
 What's interesting is that the ZX2 and WM1 battery capacity is actually the same at around 1820mAh. The fact that the WM1 now has way more power is really what's leading to the reduction of play time. If you turn on all the other DSP effects like DSEE and DC phase linearizer the play time decreases further (as said by Sony too). But if going "metal vs metal" - it's really the power output difference.


----------



## ChiAki

nanaholic said:


> The WM1 does not have a hybrid design - that's the desktop amp 1ES.
> What's interesting is that the ZX2 and WM1 battery capacity is actually the same at around 1820mAh. The fact that the WM1 now has way more power is really what's leading to the reduction of play time. If you turn on all the other DSP effects like DSEE and DC phase linearizer the play time decreases further (as said by Sony too). But if going "metal vs metal" - it's really the power output difference.




You're right. I thought of the CXD3778GF as an analog component, and after double checking I found that I was wrong.

Sorry for the misleading info guys


----------



## ChiAki

bengkia369 said:


> Will this Sony flagship 1Z able to fight with Chord Hugo in terms of sound quality?!




No.


----------



## jmills8

chiaki said:


> No.


 more portable


----------



## nanaholic

https://twitter.com/dignis_jp/status/799840112636874752
  
 Prototype Dignis case for WM1 series


----------



## Whitigir

The 250 mW these Walkman has is efficiently class D amp which has 90% efficiency vs class A amp which typically is 30-50% efficiency and the rest is converted to heat.

So these new Walkman at the least is as strong if not stronger than LPG in balanced connection of 4.4mm. Will that be enough to dive HD800 ? I don't think so.....the HD800 is the most picky and hard to drive Dynamic headphones that I have seen from many inputs......the reason why I do not want to touch it 

But again, those answers would better be answered by reputable and experienced people only


----------



## bmoura

bengkia369 said:


> Will this Sony flagship 1Z able to fight with Chord Hugo in terms of sound quality?!


 

 Depends on what mode you use the 1Z in.  In balanced mode with the 1Z, you get Native DSD playback up to DSD 256 while the Hugo does a DSD to PCM conversion.
 Not surprising that in balanced mode the 1Z is quite a sonic performer!


----------



## bmoura

chiaki said:


> No.


 

 There's no fight.  The 1Z sounds better in balanced mode.


----------



## ChiAki

Ok. Wtv you say, man. Respek


----------



## AnakChan

Dignis Case for the new Sony DAP from Dignis' Twitter :-


----------



## audionewbi

Looks amazing but give me a screen shield, like sonys own offical case.


----------



## nanaholic

audionewbi said:


> Looks amazing but give me a screen shield, like sonys own offical case.


 
  
 There's already another Japanese maker that is making a wallet type case that opens side ways.
  
 Looks like choices for WM1 would be plentiful.


----------



## audionewbi

nanaholic said:


> There's already another Japanese maker that is making a wallet type case that opens side ways.
> 
> Looks like choices for WM1 would be plentiful.


 
 I have my eyes on this case maker
 https://twitter.com/flubber777/status/795561207939768321


----------



## musicday

Fantastic looking than Dignis case, only i wishes that the Walkman logo not to be seen,so no cut was needed there.


----------



## H20Fidelity

anakchan said:


> Dignis Case for the new Sony DAP from Dignis' Twitter :-


 
  
 Nice touch with the whipping strap! I wonder what they were thinking there.


----------



## jhlin09

anakchan said:


> Dignis Case for the new Sony DAP from Dignis' Twitter :-


 


 This is a nice case, the cut out for the Walkman Logo isnt necessary though~


----------



## Decreate

Just out of curiosity, does anyone use the strap that was included with the dap?


----------



## AnakChan

h20fidelity said:


> Nice touch with the whipping strap! I wonder what they were thinking there.


 
  
 Now there's a lot one could do with a "whipping" strap .


----------



## ttt123

decreate said:


> Just out of curiosity, does anyone use the strap that was included with the dap?


 
 I tried it, but it does not have a small strap to shorten the loop, and lock the strap onto your hand.  So I switched to one made for a camera, which I can adjust to lock onto the wrist.  It feels more secure, and I cans top worrying about it slipping out of my hand and dropping onto the floor.  What I want is to get a hard plastic shell case, so I can put a phone ring attachment on.  I use this on the ZX2, and with it, I don't worry about dropping it, and I no longer have to grip it tight, as the ring secures it.  The ring works well for phones, and for the 1 lb correction 1/2 lb  ZX2 or WM1A, it makes holding it very secure, without needing to continually grip it with a tight grip.  And it functions as a stand also.  I highly recommend the ring.


----------



## audionewbi

So after doing bit of reading and watching unboxing of the new walkman model I notice that models sold in Japan comes with dust port for the headphone and WM-port but the overseas models dont. That is a bit of a let down and Sony should have not taken the cheap route for the overseas releases.


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> So after doing bit of reading and watching unboxing of the new walkman model I notice that models sold in Japan comes with dust port for the headphone and WM-port but the overseas models dont. That is a bit of a let down and Sony should have not taken the cheap route for the overseas releases.




Sony does a lot of dumb things lol....want me to spell out for you ?

1/ Amazon US is the US and the globe online largest retailer, and they have no stocking for Us market, not even put up pre-order on Amazon 

2/ Us market is the largest consumer market on the world, and they chose to release their products to U.K. And Europe before Japan and Asia, and then US market last

3/ Worse yet ? They don't even have the signature products for US market in Thanks giving and Christmas holiday yet....their is 0 information regarding these on any advertisements in the Us market, people don't even know it existences....Sony center in NYC representatives did not even know what a Walkman WM1A was....

4/ Worse of the worse ? All the pricing on other markets are cheaper than Us market MSRP, and yet....the US market while being branded as the most expensive MSRP .....have to get the release of the products last when compare to the worlds.

Then the little things ? Zx2 had 3.5mm TRRS, and while they have 3.5mm TRRS in WM1A/Z, together with 4.4 balanced, why in the hell did they not at the least include an Adapter 4.4mm male and 3.5 TRRS female ? 

So don't even mention about the plastic piece for port cover.....it is nothing


----------



## Sonyvores

cthomas said:


> Th
> This might work with zx2 since it's android based...
> 
> http://www.sonymobile.com/global-en/products/accessories/remote-and-handset-brh10/




No, BRH10 is not compatible with Walkman. But if you really want a remote, smartwatch2 can substitute


----------



## gerelmx1986

Dignis case looks amazing but I prefer sony own case


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

chiaki said:


> I'm getting an adapter soon for my MDR-EX1000 to convert the EX plug into a MMCX (the XBA-Z5 is just not to my liking... I just... I can't.). Will be getting a balanced cable soon for my EX1000
> 
> Still can't decide if I should go with the Sony-made Kimber Kable or the one from Brise Audio though


 
  
 What adapter you getting, as i have the EX1000 too


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> The 250 mW these Walkman has is efficiently class D amp which has 90% efficiency vs class A amp which typically is 30-50% efficiency and the rest is converted to heat.
> 
> So these new Walkman at the least is as strong if not stronger than LPG in balanced connection of 4.4mm. Will that be enough to dive HD800 ? I don't think so.....the HD800 is the most picky and hard to drive Dynamic headphones that I have seen from many inputs......the reason why I do not want to touch it
> 
> But again, those answers would better be answered by reputable and experienced people only




Anyone feel free to correct me if I am wrong on this. As I understand the reason that class A amp is not efficient mainly because of it's always on push/pull design. In other words, class A amp is always ready and 100% on regardless if there is a load and as a result power is used whether it is playing music or not. It is in that sense that it is not efficient. It is not that when it is playing a load only part of the power is available.


----------



## Bengkia369

How long does this player takes to fully burned in and sounds at its best?


----------



## echineko

bengkia369 said:


> How long does this player takes to fully burned in and sounds at its best?


 
 The 1Z has 200 hours stated by Sony, I believe the 1A is less, but didn't check it. What model were you specifically curious about?


----------



## Bengkia369

echineko said:


> The 1Z has 200 hours stated by Sony, I believe the 1A is less, but didn't check it. What model were you specifically curious about?




1A cos 1Z is too costly out of reach for me.


----------



## jhlin09

echineko said:


> The 1Z has 200 hours stated by Sony, I believe the 1A is less, but didn't check it. What model were you specifically curious about?




I believe both models are 200 hours, thats what the guide in my WM1A stated.


----------



## nanaholic

echineko said:


> The 1Z has 200 hours stated by Sony, I believe the 1A is less, but didn't check it. What model were you specifically curious about?


 
  
 It's the same burn in time because the 1A also has some of the new capacitors that requires 200 hours of burn in, but the 1A just has less of them than the 1Z in numbers.


----------



## echineko

nanaholic said:


> It's the same burn in time because the 1A also has some of the new capacitors that requires 200 hours of burn in, but the 1A just has less of them than the 1Z in numbers.


 
 I see, I never actually looked at the 1A very long, other than some brief comparisons, didn't look at the 'guide to quality sound' part of the menu.


----------



## Jalo

bmoura said:


> There's no fight.  The 1Z sounds better in balanced mode.




Just want to know if you actually compared the two in SE mode as well as in balance mode to the Hugo or is it just based on spec comparison?


----------



## Bengkia369

The Sony Kimber Kable MMCX for IEMs is it possible to have a adaptor to my AK240 running balance? 
I wanna use this Kimber Kable for my JVC HA-FW02. 
Thanks.


----------



## nanaholic

bengkia369 said:


> The Sony Kimber Kable MMCX for IEMs is it possible to have a adaptor to my AK240 running balance?
> I wanna use this Kimber Kable for my JVC HA-FW02.
> Thanks.


 
  
 It's theoretically entirely possible, but no one has made one yet.  You'd have to buy the female 4.4mm jack and make your own. 
  
 http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000107563&search=pentaconn&sort=


----------



## gerelmx1986

bengkia369 said:


> How long does this player takes to fully burned in and sounds at its best?


 

 ​200 Hours for each circuit 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





, so 200 for balanced and 200 for SE


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​200 Hours for each circuit  , so 200 for balanced and 200 for SE




Single used 4 Ft caps and need 200 hours. Balanced used 8 FT caps....so it needs 400 hours . Together to be 600 hours

And if it is what it was to the Zx2, the recommended burn-in only was 100 hours and it needed 200 hours realistically....so 2x times the recommended.

Then we are looking into 1200 hours for all circuits to properly burn in


----------



## thatonenoob

Review inbound in just a couple of days!


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Guys where can i buy a non capped english version 1a from please?


----------



## Dithyrambes

princeofegypt said:


> Guys where can i buy a non capped english version 1a from please?


no one knows except Hong Kong lol


----------



## Toolman

princeofegypt said:


> Guys where can i buy a non capped english version 1a from please?


 

 Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia (?)


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

toolman said:


> Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia (?)


 
 I meant online?


----------



## bond007

princeofegypt said:


> I meant online?



accessory jack or ebay


----------



## musicday

bond007 said:


> princeofegypt said:
> 
> 
> > I meant online?
> ...



And the gold model with English language and without the volume cap in Europe?


----------



## gerelmx1986

thatonenoob said:


> Review inbound in just a couple of days!


 
 waiting for it


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> Single used 4 Ft caps and need 200 hours. Balanced used 8 FT caps....so it needs 400 hours . Together to be 600 hours
> 
> And if it is what it was to the Zx2, the recommended burn-in only was 100 hours and it needed 200 hours realistically....so 2x times the recommended.
> 
> Then we are looking into 1200 hours for all circuits to properly burn in



I remember I asked this some time back, but didn't get a reply, so it's confirmed that both balanced and SE need separate burn in times, as they have separate circuits now? I mean, for reals, no joking


----------



## bond007

musicday said:


> And the gold model with English language and without the volume cap in Europe?



Try contact the accessory jack through email they might be able to get you one because they are based in hongkong and its available locally but they are not selling it on their site for some reason.


----------



## nc8000

musicday said:


> And the gold model with English language and without the volume cap in Europe?




You can not buy uncapped units within EU except second hand or possibly grey imports


----------



## ledzep

princeofegypt said:


> Guys where can i buy a non capped english version 1a from please?


 
 https://jaben.com.my/collections/sony/products/nw-wm1a
  
 Got my 4.4mm / 2x3.5mm & mmcx kimbers on order from here, nice set of guys very helpful. try emailing then with any questions, info@jaben.com.my


----------



## gerelmx1986

wish AJ also sold cables.. sight


----------



## audionewbi

ledzep said:


> https://jaben.com.my/collections/sony/products/nw-wm1a
> 
> Got my 4.4mm / 2x3.5mm & mmcx kimbers on order from here, nice set of guys very helpful. try emailing then with any questions, info@jaben.com.my


 
 I hope i get mine soon, they are heavily sold out.


----------



## kiralsj

Can't agree more.
 I asked on Sony America community last week about WM1A and WM1Z, all what they replied was "all information will be posted on the product page" and I think it has been saying Available soon for about 2 months? Really don't know what they are thinking or planning. They are having less earnings not because they are having some poor products but the way they are trying to sell their products, just in my opinion since I always think they have some great products.


----------



## kiralsj

whitigir said:


> Sony does a lot of dumb things lol....want me to spell out for you ?
> 
> 1/ Amazon US is the US and the globe online largest retailer, and they have no stocking for Us market, not even put up pre-order on Amazon
> 
> ...


 
 Can't agree more.
 I asked on Sony America community last week about WM1A and WM1Z, all what they replied was "all information will be posted on the product page" and I think it has been saying Available soon for about 2 months? Really don't know what they are thinking or planning. They are having less earnings not because they are having some poor products but the way they are trying to sell their products, just in my opinion since I always think they have some great products.


----------



## audiophilers

Can Sony release a gun metal color version of NW-WM1Z? 
  
 I'm not a big fan of gold... it looks outdated.


----------



## Mimouille

audiophilers said:


> Can Sony release a gun metal color version of NW-WM1Z?
> 
> I'm not a big fan of gold... it looks outdated.


Hum I am sure Sony are reading this and will oblige. Because that is what large companies do.


----------



## audiophilers

mimouille said:


> Hum I am sure Sony are reading this and will oblige. Because that is what large companies do.


 
  
  
 Gold color is fail in 2016... maybe it was better in 1970.
  
 Look at AK240 Gold.
  
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Astell-Kern-AK240-Limited-Edition-Mastering-Quality-Sound-Dual-DAC-Gold-/311683875655?hash=item4891ce8347:g:Mv8AAOSwFc5Xv1G9
  
 iRiver failed to sell many copies of Gold AK240... so now they're tossing it for $1299 brand new. Even with 50% discount, people still don't buy it. 
  
 Gun metal version of WM1Z would be great.... perhaps with two microSD slots.


----------



## FenderP

kiralsj said:


> Can't agree more.
> I asked on Sony America community last week about WM1A and WM1Z, all what they replied was "all information will be posted on the product page" and I think it has been saying Available soon for about 2 months? Really don't know what they are thinking or planning. They are having less earnings not because they are having some poor products but the way they are trying to sell their products, just in my opinion since I always think they have some great products.


 
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/818847/the-official-sony-nw-wm1z-nw-wm1a-flagship-dap-live-from-ifa-2016/630#post_13014503


----------



## FenderP

audiophilers said:


> Gold color is fail in 2016... maybe it was better in 1970.
> 
> Look at AK240 Gold.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I'm sure they'll get right on it just for you.


----------



## nanaholic

audiophilers said:


> Can Sony release a gun metal color version of NW-WM1Z?
> 
> I'm not a big fan of gold... it looks outdated.


 
  
 The gold plating has a purpose, it's not done just for looks.  The reason they used gold is both because it protects the copper as well as gold having very little magnetism in it so it doesn't interfere with the sound. As such they won't release another colour.


----------



## purk

Many WM1As are now available on ebay from country such as Korea.  Still, the price is higher than list.  Let's us hope that the US version will be available and ready to ship soon.


----------



## ttt123

audiophilers said:


> Gold color is fail in 2016... maybe it was better in 1970.
> 
> Look at AK240 Gold.
> 
> ...


 
 Fully agree with the wish that it is available in other than gold (even though I have no plans to buy it at the moment), and with 2 micro SD slots on the 1Z *and *the 1A .
 But I am thankful that the 1A does have 128GB internal and one micro SD slot.  Wish for more, always, but 128GB + a 200GB card is workable, and something that I accepted when I bought it.
 Other colors, I have never worried that much about.  Can always put a case on, and it provides protection and covers the unwanted color.
  
 There is a temptation to ask for customization, but this then opens the door to an infinite number of preferences and requests.  This will increase the cost, and shift scarce resources
 to cosmetic goals, without improving the primary function of the DAP, which is to reproduce music as well as it can.  So this is a "would be nice" wish, which is unlikely to be met.
  
 Think of what Henry Ford said about customer's requests for different colors for the Model T car.  "They can have any color they like, as long as it is black"!


----------



## audiophilers

ttt123 said:


> Fully agree with the wish that it is available in other than gold (even though I have no plans to buy it at the moment), and with 2 micro SD slots on the 1Z *and *the 1A .
> But I am thankful that the 1A does have 128GB internal and one micro SD slot.  Wish for more, always, but 128GB + a 200GB card is workable, and something that I accepted when I bought it.
> Other colors, I have never worried that much about.  Can always put a case on, and it provides protection and covers the unwanted color.
> 
> ...


 
  
  
  
 1A's black color is good... it doesn't look old-fashioned.. 
 but do you guys really like a gold device? I think it's a big fail for Sony to choose gold color......


----------



## nanaholic

audiophilers said:


> 1A's black color is good... it doesn't look old-fashioned..
> but do you guys really like a gold device? I think it's a big fail for Sony to choose gold color......


 
  
 As said, the gold plating serves a practical purpose.  They choose it for getting better sound due to gold having nearly no magnetism so it doesn't interfere with the sound, while also protect the copper below from oxidation, as stated by the engineers themselves.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

nanaholic said:


> As said, the gold plating serves a practical purpose.  They choose it for getting better sound due to gold having nearly no magnetism so it doesn't interfere with the sound, while also protect the copper below from oxidation, as stated by the engineers themselves.


 
  
 But they could have also plated it in silver which has even better properties than gold, but would still look quite blingy, lol.


----------



## nanaholic

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> But they could have also plated it in silver which has even better properties than gold, but would still look quite blingy, lol.


 
  
 Silver oxidises, making it poor choice for plating. That's why silver wear goes brown if you don't take care of it.
  
 Gold is the right choice because it has minimum magnetism AND doesn't oxidise easily.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

^
 True enough.


----------



## audiophilers

nanaholic said:


> As said, the gold plating serves a practical purpose.  They choose it for getting better sound due to gold having nearly no magnetism so it doesn't interfere with the sound, while also protect the copper below from oxidation, as stated by the engineers themselves.


 
  
 Carrying a gold device like that is just awful in western world. I urge Sony to release a revised black or gun-metal version of 1A.


----------



## nanaholic

audiophilers said:


> Carrying a gold device like that is just awful in western world. I urge Sony to release a revised black or gun-metal version of 1A.


 
  
 Get a case then.  The engineers have specifically stated that the choice of material has a practical purpose, it's not bling for bling's sake.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Get a case then.  The engineers have specifically stated that the choice of material has a practical purpose, it's not bling for bling's sake.




Many people think the 1Z is all about bling bling, and even people who had been here long enough and followed the thread long enough think so too....I don't know why but they are all around us


----------



## Mimouille

audiophilers said:


> Carrying a gold device like that is just awful in western world. I urge Sony to release a revised black or gun-metal version of 1A.


Well if you urge them it is different. I talked to their design engineer and the entire team is now full throttle on this new project.


----------



## audiophilers

mimouille said:


> Well if you urge them it is different. I talked to their design engineer and the entire team is now full throttle on this new project.


 
 Great.. please do so. Ask Sony's CEO to stop manufacturing an old-fashioned gold device like that !!!!
  
 That is socially awkward...


----------



## musicday

At least I think that you get more for your money then going the AK route.And the Walkman looks really nice with a touch of gold.


----------



## tienbasse

nanaholic said:


> Get a case then.  The engineers have specifically stated that the choice of material has a practical purpose, it's not bling for bling's sake.


 

 It is. Asia is mostly bling bling land, and there are 2 dozens of non magnetic metals they could have used instead of gold (chess the periodic table of elements).
 Moreover gold is a relatively soft metal so in terms of protection for copper, so it is not much more practical than copper beside the lack of oxidation.
  
 Seriously, it is obvious that it is part of the marketing plan to justify a 2000$ premium over the 1A, because an additional 128Gb, a few capacitors and some nice cabling was't enough. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 It doesn't make the DAP bad, it is just esthetically debatable.


----------



## nanaholic

tienbasse said:


> It is. Asia is mostly bling bling land, and there are 2 dozens of non magnetic metals they could have used instead of gold (chess the periodic table of elements).
> Moreover gold is a relatively soft metal so in terms of protection for copper, so it is not much more practical than copper beside the lack of oxidation.
> 
> Seriously, it is obvious that it is part of the marketing plan to justify a 2000$ premium over the 1A, because an additional 128Gb, a few capacitors and some nice cabling was't enough.
> ...




Sorry but it isn't. Just read the interview I translated. 

Plus the gold plating of the 1Z is not shiny gold that Asians like (as in the Ak240 gold). You are just projecting here.


----------



## jmills8

Whats the big deal of looks? I dont look at any of my gear. For me its mostly about the sound. Also it seems most end up putting a case on it so that hides the look. In my case my dap will mostly be in my pocket.


----------



## Rei87

audiophilers said:


> Can Sony release a gun metal color version of NW-WM1Z?
> 
> I'm not a big fan of gold... it looks outdated.


 
  why not just do it yourself? Get a third party to strip the player, replate the chasis to any colour you want, and you instantly have a player that not only matches your exact specifications, but is also unique to you.


----------



## Mimouille

tienbasse said:


> It is. Asia is mostly bling bling land, and there are 2 dozens of non magnetic metals they could have used instead of gold (chess the periodic table of elements).
> Moreover gold is a relatively soft metal so in terms of protection for copper, so it is not much more practical than copper beside the lack of oxidation.
> 
> Seriously, it is obvious that it is part of the marketing plan to justify a 2000$ premium over the 1A, because an additional 128Gb, a few capacitors and some nice cabling was't enough.
> ...


Please stop with Asia is like this and Asia is like that. It is a continent with as varied cultures as other continent, maybe more so. Japan certainly cannot be reduced to bling bling land.


----------



## denis1976

The 1z has a Gold "bath" don't know how much microns it has,but the value if the bath is low for sure...where i go to get the gold "bath" in my busines a piece with the 1z size max 15 euros for a "bath"


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiophilers said:


> 1A's black color is good... it doesn't look old-fashioned..
> but do you guys really like a gold device? I think it's a big fail for Sony to choose gold color......


 
 Reason I got mine the 1A because the color classic! i  would feel insecure flashing a Gold DAP in mexico


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiophilers said:


> Can Sony release a gun metal color version of NW-WM1Z?
> 
> I'm not a big fan of gold... it looks outdated.


 

 1) Buy both an WM1Z and a WM1A
 2) Use a hair dryer or heat gun to soften the back leatherrette glue
 3)peel the leatherette off , from both devices
 4)uso two tables if posible and start unscrewing the boards on both, removing them carefully
 5)swap the 1Z board in the 1A chassis and the 1A board in the 1Z chassis
 6)redo the screws and use a heat-glue gun to re attach the leatherettes
 7)sell off the "WM1A" gold edition on ebay
  
 I bet doing the board swap from Cu to alu would alter the sound slightly


----------



## ttt123

gerelmx1986 said:


> 1) Buy both an WM1Z and a WM1A
> 2) Use a hair dryer or heat gun to soften the back leatherrette glue
> 3)peel the leatherette off , from both devices
> 4)uso two tables if posible and start unscrewing the boards on both, removing them carefully
> ...


 
 No need, No need.  The simplest solution is usually the best and there are much simpler and cheaper ways.
 1. black magic marker
 2. black tape.  There is nice wide 3M tape that would go over the gold very nicely.  The other advantage is that you could get an infinite variety.  i.e. carbon fibre look tape.
  
 If there was enough interest, somebody could fill this niche demand by creating custom appliques with your choice of colors.  Pre- sized to the proper shape, with cutouts for the buttons.  Just peel and stick on....
  
 And this would follow the time honored practice of war photographers, who tape their expensive Leica cameras so the reflections do not attract spotters to direct the artillery at you.  And people do not look at your Leica with avarice in mind, as it can feed their family for 6 months.


----------



## audiophilers

gerelmx1986 said:


> Reason I got mine the 1A because the color classic! i  would feel insecure flashing a Gold DAP in mexico


 
 I would feel the same. 
 I would not carry a gold item at night.... it's a big fail for Sony's engineers. We need a dark grey or gun metal color version. 256GB internal storage is good... better sound quality is welcome... I can pay more $$ for that. but full gold exterior makes me won't purchase it.


----------



## JamesInLondon

Hi All;
  
 Has no-one noticed that the 1Z comes with a case in the box, and it covers almost all of the metal parts of the player, leaving just the screen visible.
  
 So you won't need to look at the bare metal, if it offends you so much.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ttt123 said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif No need, No need.  The simplest solution is usually the best and there are much simpler and cheaper ways.
> 1. black magic marker
> 2. black tape.  There is nice wide 3M tape that would go over the gold very nicely.  The other advantage is that you could get an infinite variety.  i.e. carbon fibre look tape.
> 
> ...


 
 Or a Paint gun and high quality black Paint, some masking tape to cober the ports and screen (like they do when painting a car or an aircraft livery)... 128GB is fine, now that i have a 256GB microSD from sammy


----------



## Mimouille

On a more interesting note than color. Has Sony ever mentioned if the WM1Z or A ever have USB DAC function?


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> On a more interesting note than color. Has Sony ever mentioned if the WM1Z or A ever have USB DAC function?


 

 No as far i know they have never implemented USB DAC function.. it sucks because yeah like you i always wanted to use my walkman as USB dac


----------



## noplsestar

jmills8 said:


> Whats the big deal of looks? I dont look at any of my gear. For me its mostly about the sound. Also it seems most end up putting a case on it so that hides the look. In my case my dap will mostly be in my pocket.




Do you have the 1Z? When yes, can you really walk around with it in your pocket without problems? Would be interrested to hear what you think ...


----------



## nanaholic

noplsestar said:


> Do you have the 1Z? When yes, can you really walk around with it in your pocket without problems? Would be interrested to hear what you think ...


 
  
 I've tried with my suit trousers - it's doable, just make sure you're wearing a belt and it's tighten. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 It's really just a bit heavier than two smartphones in your pocket, you could experiment with that and see how that goes.


----------



## audionewbi

Is there any benefit in using trrs for the 3.5 mm plug?


----------



## Blommen

Yeah, the reason for me not buying the 1z is the gold color, I would have bought one for each genre of music I listen to but now I won't because of the color. /s


----------



## corius

blommen said:


> Yeah, the reason for me not buying the 1z is the gold color, I would have bought one for each genre of music I listen to but now I won't because of the color. /s


 
  
 Please !!! Some people will think you are being serious and not having a joke !
  
 I can see hundreds of threads about "Country Music has ruined my DAP for playing Jazz" or "Sony Capacitors are destroyed if you play hip-hop on your garage DAP"


----------



## Cecala

Some people here seriously need to go out and buy the 1A/Z right now or any DAP for that matter, stop arguing over the colour of this thing..... What's next, the stitching on the case?


----------



## ledzep

This has probably been answered somewhere down the line but I cannot be bothered scrolling through all the pages, can anyone tell me how much different the volume is between the single and balanced out. E.g. The volume on the single end at 85 = ? On the balanced.


----------



## Mimouille

noplsestar said:


> Do you have the 1Z? When yes, can you really walk around with it in your pocket without problems? Would be interrested to hear what you think ...


Best option is inside suit pocket. But a bit heavy.


----------



## audionewbi

Small camera bag can help too, reminds me of minidisc/ disc man era.


----------



## nanaholic

ledzep said:


> This has probably been answered somewhere down the line but I cannot be bothered scrolling through all the pages, can anyone tell me how much different the volume is between the single and balanced out. E.g. The volume on the single end at 85 = ? On the balanced.


 
  
 Er nobody can tell you because the loudness will depend on what phones you are using because each phone has different loudness level even at same input power.


----------



## jmills8

noplsestar said:


> Do you have the 1Z? When yes, can you really walk around with it in your pocket without problems? Would be interrested to hear what you think ...


Well I walk 3 hrs with the Hugo in my pocket with no problem.☺


----------



## productred

ledzep said:


> This has probably been answered somewhere down the line but I cannot be bothered scrolling through all the pages, can anyone tell me how much different the volume is between the single and balanced out. E.g. The volume on the single end at 85 = ? On the balanced.


 
  
 The difference in volume is way less than you'd have thought, but the difference in SQ is immediately obvious. It is the power which is doubled after all, not current, and the change in volume depends very much on the phones you r using. In general probably those high impedance cans would experience a bigger difference in volume than your usual iem/ciem.
  
 For one I only turned down a few notches of volume when I pairs my 1Z/1A with my Z5.
  
 AS A BIG SIDE NOTE my Z5 had been collecting dust in my drawer for months (the last time I swung it out was to test it on my AK380 copper comby - forgettable experience) but holy crap the 1A (in balanced mode) turns it into a serious top drawer world beater / asskicker. Sony must have lost their mind to develop their flagship iem that needs a 120mW per side to even sound right (and O it sounds so darn right now with that sort of power.............)


----------



## productred

mimouille said:


> Best option is inside suit pocket. But a bit heavy.



Trust me I've tried. Not just a bit heavy but hella heavy. 1A is what I called a bit heavy but I've learnt to accept this sort of heavy. Suit-pocket-worthiness is one big reason why I sold my 1Z and switched to 1A.


----------



## jmills8




----------



## Dithyrambes

mimouille said:


> On a more interesting note than color. Has Sony ever mentioned if the WM1Z or A ever have USB DAC function?


 
 This is what makes me a bit mad about the zx2 and new sony products. For the sound you get, its only within its closed ecosystem. So when I want to watch a movie, music video, etc, I can't. I hope the WM1Z/WM1A has better line out than the sony zx2. Iems ZX2 was great, but for line output to even amplified speakers...it was pretty poor.


----------



## nanaholic

audionewbi said:


> Is there any benefit in using trrs for the 3.5 mm plug?


 
  
 You get a separate ground for left and right channel which means left and right channel are then completely separate, which theoretically means less chance of cross channel interference.


----------



## Decreate

ttt123 said:


> No need, No need.  The simplest solution is usually the best and there are much simpler and cheaper ways.
> 1. black magic marker
> 2. black tape.  There is nice wide 3M tape that would go over the gold very nicely.  The other advantage is that you could get an infinite variety.  i.e. carbon fibre look tape.
> 
> ...


 wouldn't this be like what Slickwraps and Dbrand have available for mobile phones?


----------



## ttt123

decreate said:


> wouldn't this be like what Slickwraps and Dbrand have available for mobile phones?


 
 My suggestion was tongue in cheek, but I was aware that this exact thing had been done for various devices.  For the Resmed CPAP machine, and for some Sony cameras, like the RX100,  is what I had seen.  Your Slickwraps/Dbrand is the same thing, and it is very easy for these companies to just input the different dimensions for a device like the WM1A into their production machine, and produce a custom wrap for any device.
  
 So thinking about it, if the different skins were available at a reasonable price, it is a pretty good idea.  Not just to get rid of a particular color, but to provide a  different look and feel.  It could also enhance the grip (not as slippery) and provide some protection against scratches.  How about a matte black, or a clear skin?  Or a gold one for those who would like a gold WM1A?
  
 Probably all it would take is for a representative from a large user base (like Head-Fi) to make the request to one of these companies, and it would happen.  After all, there are minimal tooling expenses, aside from getting a detailled one dimension layout for the skins.


----------



## cthomas

productred said:


> The difference in volume is way less than you'd have thought, but the difference in SQ is immediately obvious. It is the power which is doubled after all, not current, and the change in volume depends very much on the phones you r using. In general probably those high impedance cans would experience a bigger difference in volume than your usual iem/ciem.




Interesting. I bought the Sony PHA-3 which has balanced output - 640mw vs 200mw for SE. Using my Shure SE846 through balanced connection I can max out the volume on certain tracks with high dynamic range which surprised me as there's not much difference in volume between SE and balanced.

I also use a pair of HD650's (300ohm) but only through the SE because I haven't made a balanced cable for them yet, I usually have to crank these right up to get some decent volume. 

So since the 650's are high impedance cans it's possible to notice a bigger difference in volume using balanced vs SE?


----------



## jmills8

cthomas said:


> Interesting. I bought the Sony PHA-3 which has balanced output - 640mw vs 200mw for SE. Using my Shure SE846 through balanced connection I can max out the volume on certain tracks with high dynamic range which surprised me as there's not much difference in volume between SE and balanced.
> 
> I also use a pair of HD650's (300ohm) but only through the SE because I haven't made a balanced cable for them yet, I usually have to crank these right up to get some decent volume.
> 
> So since the 650's are high impedance cans it's possible to notice a bigger difference in volume using balanced vs SE?


 why not just convert the PHA-3 into a dap?


----------



## productred

cthomas said:


> Interesting. I bought the Sony PHA-3 which has balanced output - 640mw vs 200mw for SE. Using my Shure SE846 through balanced connection I can max out the volume on certain tracks with high dynamic range which surprised me as there's not much difference in volume between SE and balanced.
> 
> I also use a pair of HD650's (300ohm) but only through the SE because I haven't made a balanced cable for them yet, I usually have to crank these right up to get some decent volume.
> 
> So since the 650's are high impedance cans it's possible to notice a bigger difference in volume using balanced vs SE?


 
  
 Unfortunately I'm no scientific guy nor techie so I can only say that seems to be the case in my limited experience and seems to make sense to me. Please feel free to share more and digress~


----------



## Mimouille

productred said:


> Trust me I've tried. Not just a bit heavy but hella heavy. 1A is what I called a bit heavy but I've learnt to accept this sort of heavy. Suit-pocket-worthiness is one big reason why I sold my 1Z and switched to 1A.




I have huge muscles so I'm fine.


----------



## thatonenoob

productred said:


> Unfortunately I'm no scientific guy nor techie so I can only say that seems to be the case in my limited experience and seems to make sense to me. Please feel free to share more and digress~




Here is a good primer.

Here's the numbers.

Balanced output max is 1.962 V. With the 15 ohm load this gives approx. 247 mW. Measured at 1khz.

I cannot remember the SE breakdown off the top of my head but its something closer to 57 mW into 15 ohms.


----------



## Whitigir

thatonenoob said:


> Here is a good primer.
> 
> Here's the numbers.
> 
> ...




Did you try with a 70 ohms load ? Because Sony said they have it powerful enough for full size cans.

Btw, I think pha-3 balanced is only 375 mW per channel


----------



## cthomas

jmills8 said:


> why not just convert the PHA-3 into a dap?




I'm using it as both til I can afford an upgrade.


----------



## cthomas

productred said:


> Unfortunately I'm no scientific guy nor techie so I can only say that seems to be the case in my limited experience and seems to make sense to me. Please feel free to share more and digress~




There's a few people with the same setup. I'll see what they say.


----------



## gerelmx1986

productred said:


> ledzep said:
> 
> 
> > This has probably been answered somewhere down the line but I cannot be bothered scrolling through all the pages, can anyone tell me how much different the volume is between the single and balanced out. E.g. The volume on the single end at 85 = ? On the balanced.
> ...


that's great I also have xba-z5


----------



## mata

The battery drains fast when in high gain.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mata said:


> The battery drains fast when in high gain.


did you ran tests versus normal gains?


----------



## mata

Normal gain is fine, but once turn it to high gain, the battery bar drops.  Maybe I used to the excellence ZX2 battery life.


----------



## mata

gerelmx1986 said:


> did you ran tests versus normal gains?


 
 My player is like 25 hours, but I charged it several times already.


----------



## musicday

Has the mystery about changing the battery in this Walkman been solved?
Will Sony replace it after the warranty runs out? How much will it cost?


----------



## Mimouille

musicday said:


> Has the mystery about changing the battery in this Walkman been solved?
> Will Sony replace it after the warranty runs out? How much will it cost?


Man people are asking that on every DAP thread and never buying the DAPs...


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> Man people are asking that on every DAP thread and never buying the DAPs...




Because people who buys it usually move onto newer stuff as soon as it comes out...hence keeping it for 10 years is probably not in their concern


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> Because people who buys it usually move onto newer stuff as soon as it comes out...hence keeping it for 10 years is probably not in their concern


Yes, and who plans what the service will be like in 10 years. Dude with Trump and global warming, we might all be dead.


----------



## musicday

mimouille said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Has the mystery about changing the battery in this Walkman been solved?
> ...



Spending all that money on a music player that i don't even know if the battery can be replaced is not for me.Rather get a nice watch.
Sony should be more direct to the customers about the battery replacement.


----------



## jmills8

musicday said:


> Spending all that money on a music player that i don't even know if the battery can be replaced is not for me.Rather get a nice watch.
> Sony should be more direct to the customers about the battery replacement.


A watch ? Really, a Watch? My cellphone keeps better time than your watch. Plus your sort of watch has a three year battery.


----------



## musicday

jmills8 said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Spending all that money on a music player that i don't even know if the battery can be replaced is not for me.Rather get a nice watch.
> ...



I am talking about a real diver's watch.
That is a proper investment


----------



## nanaholic

musicday said:


> I am talking about a real diver's watch.
> That is a proper investment


 
  
 LOL no, the kind of watch you can buy at this price range is now not going to be an investment.  At best they'll hold their numeric value, but inflation would certainly eat away all of its monetary value.  My father just tried to value his Rolex from 30 years ago, they gave him the exact same amount as he bought it 30 years ago, but of course 4000 dollars 30 years ago is a lot of money, but 4000 dollars now is not much, so in effect he lost a fair bit of money. 
  
 A dress watch is now only good for sentimental value, unless you buy 100k+ watches filled with diamonds and gems and such.


----------



## gerelmx1986

jmills8 said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Spending all that money on a music player that i don't even know if the battery can be replaced is not for me.Rather get a nice watch.
> ...


lol my Casio watch has a 12 years old battery


----------



## jmills8

musicday said:


> I am talking about a real diver's watch.
> That is a proper investment




Buy this if you want to buy something.


----------



## phonomat

Wow, lookit all those 1Z's! Good stuff! Which store is that?


----------



## purk

musicday said:


> Spending all that money on a music player that i don't even know if the battery can be replaced is not for me.Rather get a nice watch.
> Sony should be more direct to the customers about the battery replacement.


 
 This is true.  For a player of this pricetag, Sony should actually warrant it for 5 years and provide parts and repair service up to 10 years IMO.  For some 3.2K is nothing but play money but for others this is a big deal.  IMO, Sony should make an exception and stand by their flagship products for at least 5 years.


----------



## Dithyrambes

purk said:


> This is true.  For a player of this pricetag, Sony should actually warrant it for 5 years and provide parts and repair service up to 10 years IMO.  For some 3.2K is nothing but play money but for others this is a big deal.  IMO, Sony should make an exception and stand by their flagship products for at least 5 years.


if they do they cant make money off the next generation. Im sure they hold back on features to add to the next iteration. Lol


----------



## purk

dithyrambes said:


> *if they do they cant make money off the next generation. Im sure they hold back on features to add to the next iteration. Lol*


 
 I know what you mean but I'm just so afraid about our wallet.  What they can do it up the internal storage to 512GB. That will do the trick. Still the replaceable battery issue is quite valid IMO.


----------



## Gosod

purk said:


> This is true.  For a player of this pricetag, Sony should actually warrant it for 5 years and provide parts and repair service up to 10 years IMO.  For some 3.2K is nothing but play money but for others this is a big deal.  IMO, Sony should make an exception and stand by their flagship products for at least 5 years.


 
I have long enjoyed the players from the Sony films, they don't need a warranty because the products from Sony is a high quality.


----------



## Dithyrambes

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]I have long enjoyed the players from the Sony films, they don't need a warranty because the products from Sony is a high quality.[/COLOR]


i like sony stuff too just it comes with a lot of proprietary accessories to maximize benefits and comes with weird quirks. Take the sony a7ii r for example


----------



## Gosod

dithyrambes said:


> i like sony stuff too just it comes with a lot of proprietary accessories to maximize benefits and comes with weird quirks. Take the sony a7ii r for example


 
they think more about the monetary benefits than about the listener.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I also love sony products but yeah they think like Apple only propietary to $$$$$$$$$$$


----------



## purk

gosod said:


> I have long enjoyed the players from the Sony films, they don't need a warranty because the products from Sony is a high quality.


 
 It hurts more when the player is $3200 though.  Then again, I still want one.


----------



## ledzep

whitigir said:


> Digital out playing and charging together and never run out of battery


 
 So from the digital out on the WM port you get DSD/PCM etc and it could be fed into the Sony PHA-2A Premium Portable USB DAC and get native DSD from the 4.4mm balanced out ?


----------



## Mimouille

Some comparisons to LPG that I gave someone in PM:

"Hello,

The WM1Z is huge jump in terms of UI. In terms of sound I'm not sure what burn in brought honestly, but no radical change. It seems the sound opens up but it is hard to say.

Overall soundwise it is a different flavor from the LPG. It is wider sounding for sure, and thus airier, while retaining good depth of stage and layering. The LPG gives a stronger impression of depth and density of sound, while the WM1Z has more width and clarity, but still a full sound, unlike the Ak380. Both are very detailed and resolving. With some phones, details will stand out more thanks to airiness on the WM1Z. 

The jury is still not out on my preference for each iem. The WM1Z while being more on the slightly warm side, is a bit less "biased" in its presentation. LPG could be more engaging in some instances. 

Bear in mind I could only use the WM1Z single ended in most cases, except with the S-EM9 where the WM1Z is better balanced than the LPG single ended. With the 846 the jury's still out.

On the SE5 Ultimate, both are very good and bring different things, I can't wait to try balanced.

On the KSE1500 I like both but haven't compared honestly.

The key advantages of the Sony are more width and airiness while keeping fullness (it is even fuller then the LPG), and a much better UI.

The key advantages of the LPG are a faster UI, a much smaller size and weight (really), and this powerful engaging sound. I also like the fact the simplicity of not needing to go balanced. Multiple cables annoy me to no end.

Also, I am dearly waiting for the dignis case on the WM1Z because I hate the flip case included."


----------



## JamesInLondon

musicday said:


> I am talking about a real diver's watch.
> That is a proper investment


 

 Hi All,
  
 I write about the watch business and the rest of the luxury industry, & have done so for a quarter century. Let me tell you that NO watch at this price level is any kind of investment, you buy a watch because you love it and if it holds its value or even increases a little over the years, then consider it a bonus.
  
 You buy a DAP for the same reason you buy a watch or a car, to perform a specific function; you can buy a Hyundai, a Swatch or listen to your music on your phone; but if you make the choice and have the funds you can buy a Mercedes, an Urban Jurgensen or a 1Z; either because they make you feel better about yourself or you can appreciate the slight differences/benefits. We all make choices in our own lives about how we spend our discretionary income and there is no right answer
  
 Good Luck
 James


----------



## fish1050

musicday said:


> Has the mystery about changing the battery in this Walkman been solved?
> Will Sony replace it after the warranty runs out? How much will it cost?


 
 Having done battery warranty service with Sony I can tell you that yes they will do out of warranty replacement.  As to the cost it will be steep as you will have to ship the unit to Sony, and pay for insurance on your unit on top of the shipping.  Once Sony has it there will be a big markup for the battery (I was told around $25.00 US), plus labor.  Then Sony will ship it back to you and charge you for the shipping and the return insurance and don't be surprised if Sony jacks that up to to make money.  You would probably be halfway to paying for a new 1A at that point.  
  
 If I was considering the 1Z which I am not I would ask myself.  How long do I really need this DAP to last to make it worthwhile purchasing?   Once you figure that out find out how much it would cost to buy an extended warranty to cover it for that length of time.    For example lets say at least 5 years, given that Sony recommends replacing the battery once battery life drops below 50% I would say you would be safe with a 3 year extended warranty.  Send your unit in for battery replacement based on the 50% recommendation (that is what I did for my A17, they sent me a new unit) before your warranty expires.  Then you should easily get 5+ years out of your unit without a significant loss of battery life.   It would also be significantly cheaper than trying to get a battery replacement out of warranty
  


mimouille said:


> Man people are asking that on every DAP thread and never buying the DAPs...


 
 That is because for most people paying hundreds or in this case thousands of dollars for something that will become an expensive paperweight in maybe 3 years is a big concern.  Lets say you get 4 years out of a 1Z before the battery is useless.  If you amortize the 1Z at $3200.00 over 4 years that works out to $800.00 per year.  You could buy a new high quality DAP every year from Pioneer/Onkyo or another manufacturer for $800.00 per year.  I for one can think of more important things I could spend $800.00 a year on.
  


whitigir said:


> Because people who buys it usually move onto newer stuff as soon as it comes out...hence keeping it for 10 years is probably not in their concern


 
 Ten years, you won't get anywhere close to 10 years out of a battery powered DAP.  Sony and every other manufacturer will make sure of that.  The way I see it if they won't allow us to replace the batteries ourselves then they should give us the ability to disengage the battery once it dies or battery life drops so low as to be useless.  At least then we could still run the DAP's plugged into an outlet for power and not have to worry about the batteries overheating.   The 1Z really isn't all that portable anyway so I could see using it as a home or transportable unit once the battery becomes useless.
  
 My first DAP was a Cowon D2 and that thing lasted me 8 years before it finally crapped out.  My second was the Cowon C2 and that thing was useless in less than two years.  Cowon figured out as every other DAP maker has that to stay in the market you need repeat purchases.  You need consumers to replace their units every 2 or 3 years max to stay viable in such a niche market like the DAP market.  Especially now that there are so many more companies to compete with.  That is why I will never buy a $3200.00 DAP.  How do you think Apple became the dominant player in the DAP market for so long? They figured out how to force consumers to constantly buy new units (no expandable memory), constantly adding new features.  There are only so many new features you can add to a DAP and everyone now offers expandable memory.  Why do you think Apple has pretty much abandoned this market.
  
 So how do you force consumers to constantly upgrade once you run out of new features and offer expandable memory, non-replaceable batteries of course.  Once you come to that realization you see how pointless it is to buy expensive DAPs unless you have crazy money to burn.


----------



## Mimouille

fish1050

I never had a DAP battery die on me, expect an Ipod classic and it took 10 years.


----------



## fish1050

mimouille said:


> @fish1050
> 
> I never had a DAP battery die on me, expect an Ipod classic and it took 10 years.


 
 How long ago was that?   Apple didn't have to design their units for short battery life, they forced consumers to upgrade to get new features and more memory.  How big is Apple in the DAP market now?
  
 Batteries don't have to die to become useless, they simply have to drop in terms of battery life to the point they become useless.  My A17 battery life dropped to about 50% in just under 2 years.  That is why Sony honored my warranty for a battery replacement.  Why do you think Sony never questioned my claim on battery life?  Because they knew based on battery life projections that their DAP's could lose that much battery life with regular use in 2 years.  Sony sent me the replacement unit 7 days after I shipped them my old unit.  I guarantee they did not take the time to load 30 to 50 hours of music onto my old unit and then let run for 20 to 25 hours to test my claim.  They simply accepted based on projections that my claim was legitimate.
  
 Batteries are designed to have a shorter lifespan than even just a few years ago.  I guarantee you that any DAP you bought within the last 3 years will not have a battery that lasts close to that long.  Why do you think there is no longer a consumer audio repair market.  Because it is cheaper to simply replace the unit than to fix it.  Why did Sony give me a new A17 instead of replacing the battery on my original unit.  Because it was cheaper.  Everything is made to be disposable and no company in today's market will stay in business if there products last for 10 years especially one as small as the DAP market.  Look at the television market now, LCD and plasma televisions were rated to last for 60,000 hours.  New 4K televisions are projected to last maybe 10,000 hours and OLED less then that.  Nothing is made to last anymore.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> @fish1050
> 
> I never had a DAP battery die on me, expect an Ipod classic and it took 10 years.


 

 me neither, only laptop batteries and cellphone batteries


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

What about your zx100? 
When is your 1z coming?





gerelmx1986 said:


> me neither, only laptop batteries and cellphone batteries


----------



## productred

musicday said:


> Spending all that money on a music player that i don't even know if the battery can be replaced is not for me.Rather get a nice watch.
> Sony should be more direct to the customers about the battery replacement.


 
  
 Maybe the next flagship from AK Sony & Co will replace the Li battery with rotors, hairspring and balance wheel connected to a generator, and ppl gotta literally ROCK when listening to keep it going. No more issues with battery replacement then Lol    Joking but still scary to think how many zerosssss AK or Sony would charge you for sth like that.
  
 TBH Never got a battery replacement for any DAPs (except my iPod classic) since when the battery dies it's always time for it to retire......maybe sell it for cheap to electronic enthuasists for a dissection. Casual listeners would care about the battery but head-fiers could never resist the temptations of a newer machine and the death of the battery is just too good an excuse to pass.


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiobreeder said:


> What about your zx100?
> When is your 1z coming?


 
 I don't know when will my 1A come, seems like sony HK is having logistics issues with AJ damn and next week thursday i leave town for a trip


----------



## squirrelman

Right now my 1A has started burning in.  I ordered it from Hong Kong on eBay last Wednesday evening, and it came via DHL today.  I only have an old pair of Hifiman RE-400 since my JH Audio CEIM are still being made, but I will say that the little bit I listened too so far sounds better than I've heard the RE-400 on any other player including the AK240.
  
 I have to say I really like the build quality on the 1A, I think it feels nice than the AK240.  I can't put my finger on it but it seems a lot more solid.  Also if anyone needs a pouch for it, it fits in the Timbuk2 3 way phone case (I have the size L).  Does anyone know any stores that have the official Sony screen protector and ships to the US?


----------



## bvng3540

squirrelman said:


> Right now my 1A has started burning in.  I ordered it from Hong Kong on eBay last Wednesday evening, and it came via DHL today.  I only have an old pair of Hifiman RE-400 since my JH Audio CEIM are still being made, but I will say that the little bit I listened too so far sounds better than I've heard the RE-400 on any other player including the AK240.
> 
> I have to say I really like the build quality on the 1A, I think it feels nice than the AK240.  I can't put my finger on it but it seems a lot more solid.  Also if anyone needs a pouch for it, it fits in the Timbuk2 3 way phone case (I have the size L).  Does anyone know any stores that have the official Sony screen protector and ships to the US?




I was thinking of buying 1A from that eBay seller, how long does it take for the unit to arrive in the States?


----------



## ttt123

fish1050 said:


> How long ago was that?   Apple didn't have to design their units for short battery life, they forced consumers to upgrade to get new features and more memory.  How big is Apple in the DAP market now?
> 
> Batteries don't have to die to become useless, they simply have to drop in terms of battery life to the point they become useless.  My A17 battery life dropped to about 50% in just under 2 years.  That is why Sony honored my warranty for a battery replacement.  Why do you think Sony never questioned my claim on battery life?  Because they knew based on battery life projections that their DAP's could lose that much battery life with regular use in 2 years.  Sony sent me the replacement unit 7 days after I shipped them my old unit.  I guarantee they did not take the time to load 30 to 50 hours of music onto my old unit and then let run for 20 to 25 hours to test my claim.  They simply accepted based on projections that my claim was legitimate.
> 
> Batteries are designed to have a shorter lifespan than even just a few years ago.  I guarantee you that any DAP you bought within the last 3 years will not have a battery that lasts close to that long.  Why do you think there is no longer a consumer audio repair market.  Because it is cheaper to simply replace the unit than to fix it.  Why did Sony give me a new A17 instead of replacing the battery on my original unit.  Because it was cheaper.  Everything is made to be disposable and no company in today's market will stay in business if there products last for 10 years especially one as small as the DAP market.  Look at the television market now, LCD and plasma televisions were rated to last for 60,000 hours.  New 4K televisions are projected to last maybe 10,000 hours and OLED less then that.  Nothing is made to last anymore.


 
 I'm in general agreement that things are no longer made to last, and that is a conscious decision by many manufacturers.  I have seen specific design omissions that have no explanation except that they were left out on purpose.  
  
 Totally agree with wishing that there was a longer warranty, designs were more practical, and looked after the consumers wallet. 
  
 But the fact that we have things like sealed DAPs and iPhones, is because we have given permission for the industry to do so, by buying them.
  
 On a separate note, I have found that all these sealed devices have created many after market repair shops who can easily take apart and replace batteries, etc., for a more reasonable price than the vendor.  In HK, there are many choices, so I don't really worry about that.  I would think that this is true for most places in the world also?  More or less, anyways.


----------



## Bengkia369

squirrelman said:


> Right now my 1A has started burning in.  I ordered it from Hong Kong on eBay last Wednesday evening, and it came via DHL today.  I only have an old pair of Hifiman RE-400 since my JH Audio CEIM are still being made, but I will say that the little bit I listened too so far sounds better than I've heard the RE-400 on any other player including the AK240.
> 
> I have to say I really like the build quality on the 1A, I think it feels nice than the AK240.  I can't put my finger on it but it seems a lot more solid.  Also if anyone needs a pouch for it, it fits in the Timbuk2 3 way phone case (I have the size L).  Does anyone know any stores that have the official Sony screen protector and ships to the US?




No doubt about the built quality of Sony flagship products, even ZX2 is very solid.


----------



## squirrelman

bvng3540 said:


> I was thinking of buying 1A from that eBay seller, how long does it take for the unit to arrive in the States?


 
  
 I bought from wsz0304 who has them for $1275 shipped, I have no interest other than so far being a happy customer.  I ordered them Wednesday night 11/16 and I received them today via DHL.  I messaged the seller before I purchased to make sure they were in stock not being pre-sold, and I got a nice quick response.  Communication was fast and friendly, so all in all I'm happy.


----------



## Cecala

fish1050 said:


> Having done battery warranty service with Sony I can tell you that yes they will do out of warranty replacement.  As to the cost it will be steep as you will have to ship the unit to Sony, and pay for insurance on your unit on top of the shipping.  Once Sony has it there will be a big markup for the battery (I was told around $25.00 US), plus labor.  Then Sony will ship it back to you and charge you for the shipping and the return insurance and don't be surprised if Sony jacks that up to to make money.  You would probably be halfway to paying for a new 1A at that point.


 
 You need to explain your mystery mathematics here. How does a battery costing $25.00US as you've stipulated + shipping and insurance both ways equate to half the 1A which amounts to $650-700? Sounds like justification to me.


----------



## Cecala

mimouille said:


> Some comparisons to LPG that I gave someone in PM:
> 
> "Hello,
> 
> The WM1Z is huge jump in terms of UI. In terms of sound I'm not sure what burn in brought honestly, but no radical change. It seems the sound opens up but it is hard to say.





> There are quite a few people who believe 'burning in' to be a myth. As for myself I'm on the fence when it comes to hardware, speakers on the other hand, massive.
> 
> Overall soundwise it is a different flavor from the LPG. It is wider sounding for sure, and thus airier, while retaining good depth of stage and layering. The LPG gives a stronger impression of depth and density of sound, while the WM1Z has more width and clarity, but still a full sound, unlike the Ak380. Both are very detailed and resolving. With some phones, details will stand out more thanks to airiness on the WM1Z.
> 
> ...





> Any regrets therefore on acquiring the 1Z?
> 
> Also, I am dearly waiting for the dignis case on the WM1Z because I hate the flip case included."


----------



## Mimouille

so far no regrets, but I want a convenient case to be happy.


----------



## ledzep

ledzep said:


> So from the digital out on the WM port you get DSD/PCM etc and it could be fed into the Sony PHA-2A Premium Portable USB DAC and get native DSD from the 4.4mm balanced out ?




Anyone ? Or can anyone tell me exactly what you get from the WM port now that the line out has been removed.


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> Anyone ? Or can anyone tell me exactly what you get from the WM port now that the line out has been removed.




Charging, and digital transport or digital playback which you will need external DAC/amp to play music.


----------



## ledzep

So I can get a dsd output from it and feed it into the new pha2a ?


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> So I can get a dsd output from it and feed it into the new pha2a ?




Yes, or anything that has DAC/amp for the matter. Line out could also be used if analog amplification is your thing from the headphones jacks


----------



## ledzep

That would be like double amping though ? 
& thanks for your reply earlier


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> That would be like double amping though ?
> & thanks for your reply earlier




Don't worry about that. I have no problem using it this way in Onkyo DP-X1 line out from the headphones jack, and when selecting line out mode, the volume is maxed out. I would think Sony would already put some thought into this removing line out from WM port. However, a sure thing is that you can always use it as a transport


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> That would be like double amping though ?
> & thanks for your reply earlier


 
 for line-out i would ne using the 3.5mm socket


----------



## ledzep

True , from what I remember when I had the AK120 titan that did the same thing 3.5mm optical or the analog line out was volume set to max, thanks to you both for the advise.


----------



## Jalo

mimouille said:


> so far no regrets, but I want a convenient case to be happy.




Mim you've got to be honest with yourself and use the words of Frank Sinatra and say "regrets I had a few but then again too few to mention"


----------



## Mimouille

jalo said:


> Mim you've got to be honest with yourself and use the words of Frank Sinatra and say "regrets I had a few but then again too few to mention"


Or the words of Edith Piaf...nooonnnnn, rrrrien de rien, nooooon, je ne regrette rieeen.


----------



## musicday

mimouille said:


> jalo said:
> 
> 
> > Mim you've got to be honest with yourself and use the words of Frank Sinatra and say "regrets I had a few but then again too few to mention"
> ...



Or i did it my way...
If you like it more then your LPG that's something.


----------



## Mimouille

musicday said:


> Or i did it my way...
> If you like it more then your LPG that's something.


I didn't say I like it more than my LPG, or at least I don't think I did.


----------



## Jalo

mimouille said:


> I didn't say I like it more than my LPG, or at least I don't think I did.


 
 Mim if you pay twice the price and are not sure you like it more than the LPG that is tragedy. I sense sentiment of regret.  Another song came to mind "Torn between two lovers (1Z & LPG), feeling like a fool, loving both of you is breaking all the rules".  But I've got your back and am here to the rescue and am willing to take the 1Z off your hand and even am willing to pay you 50%
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





that is what friends are for


----------



## purk

mimouille said:


> I didn't say I like it more than my LPG, or at least I don't think I did.


 
 The real test for the LPG &  WM1Z is likely how each DAP handle a full-size top-end headphones.  I hope I will get my WM1Z soon.


----------



## gerelmx1986

jalo said:


> mimouille said:
> 
> 
> > I didn't say I like it more than my LPG, or at least I don't think I did.
> ...


 

 ROFLMAO and ia m still waiting for my love (WM1A)


----------



## imparanoic

http://www.sony.jp/walkman/products/RMT-NWS20/
  
 new product, works on nw-zx100, remote control, but only in Japan
  
 works, on these product
  

NW-WM1Z
 
NW-WM1A
 
NW-ZX100
 
NW-A30 series
 
NW-S10 / NW-S10K series
 
NW-WS610 Series
 
NW-WS410 Series


----------



## jmills8

jalo said:


> Mim if you pay twice the price and are not sure you like it more than the LPG that is tragedy. I sense sentiment of regret.  Another song came to mind "Torn between two lovers (1Z & LPG), feeling like a fool, loving both of you is breaking all the rules".  But I've got your back and am here to the rescue and am willing to take the 1Z off your hand and even am willing to pay you 50%:atsmile: that is what friends are for


"torn between two lovers" basically means she banging both guys and she is overthinking the situation.


----------



## nanaholic

imparanoic said:


> http://www.sony.jp/walkman/products/RMT-NWS20/
> 
> new product, works on nw-zx100, remote control, but only in Japan
> 
> ...


 
  
 I believe @*Mimouille* got the remote as a gift from Sony China. I got one too but I had to order it from Japan.
  
 The remote is awesome and a must buy if you are using the 1Z.  In the interview they said they designed the remote for the 1Z because they knew with the weight the player is very likely going to be sitting in some sort of shoulder or sling bag when a person is out and about, so a remote will add a level of user friendliness to it. They were absolutely right about that.


----------



## imparanoic

nanaholic said:


> I believe @*Mimouille* got the remote as a gift from Sony China. I got one too but I had to order it from Japan.
> 
> The remote is awesome and a must buy if you are using the 1Z.  In the interview they said they designed the remote for the 1Z because they knew with the weight the player is very likely going to be sitting in some sort of shoulder or sling bag when a person is out and about, so a remote will add a level of user friendliness to it. They were absolutely right about that.


 
 i think the another aspect is listen at home via ldac while the walkman is located a different location while you're on a sofa or bed, etc
  
 the fact that WM1a or even worse the really heavy WM1z is not really that portable due to size and weight, this could very useful


----------



## nanaholic

imparanoic said:


> i think the another aspect is listen at home via ldac while the walkman is located a different location while you're on a sofa or bed, etc
> 
> the fact that WM1a or even worse the really heavy WM1z is not really that portable due to size and weight, this could very useful


 
  
 LDAC enabled devices usually has remote control built in, so that's not really an issue. I have the Sony LDAC bluetooh cable MUC-M2BT1 and that has remote control on it (it also sounds really good, much better than aptX, due to the much higher bandwidth). 
  
 The 1Z is actually very portable - just not the most pocketable (but still doable as long as you don't wear baggy pants). For as long as I have my 1Z now (2 weeks) I've been commuting with it to work nearly everyday and it lives in my bag, while using the remote clipped to the shoulder strap.


----------



## gerelmx1986

imparanoic said:


> i think the another aspect is listen at home via ldac while the walkman is located a different location while you're on a sofa or bed, etc
> 
> *the fact that WM1a or even worse the really heavy WM1z is not really that portable due to size and weight, this could very useful*


 
 or for those moments you are super lazy and don't want to get up from bed


----------



## jhlin09

nanaholic said:


> I believe @*Mimouille* got the remote as a gift from Sony China. I got one too but I had to order it from Japan.
> 
> The remote is awesome and a must buy if you are using the 1Z.  In the interview they said they designed the remote for the 1Z because they knew with the weight the player is very likely going to be sitting in some sort of shoulder or sling bag when a person is out and about, so a remote will add a level of user friendliness to it. They were absolutely right about that.




It is definitely is extremely convinient. At times when I'm travelling and walking all I need to do is to press the buttons on the remote to adjust the volume or skip some tracks on my playlist. Better than having to keep taking the walkman out from my bag and risk dropping it on the go.


----------



## fish1050

cecala said:


> You need to explain your mystery mathematics here. How does a battery costing $25.00US as you've stipulated + shipping and insurance both ways equate to half the 1A which amounts to $650-700? Sounds like justification to me.


 
 Talk to gerelmx about his warranty experience on his imported ZX100.  It cost him $150.00 for in warranty service on his ZX100.  
  
 The 1Z is about 4 x the price of the ZX100 so figure 4 x the insurance both ways.  
 The 1Z is heavier so shipping will cost more.  
 Sony will charge labor for the battery swap out of warranty, add the cost of the battery.  
 Then add the return shipping from Sony and maybe a handling charge.    
  
 The only costs you will know for sure are your original shipping charge and what you paid for insurance.  Every other cost after that is unknown.  How much does Sony charge for labor,  how much will the insurance cost be shipping from Sony, does Sony charge a handling and repackaging fee for shipping?  Once Sony has your unit if you want it back you have to pay whatever Sony charges you for the whole out of warranty service.  Does Sony make a profit on out of warranty service, I would say yes.
  
 Maybe 1/2 of 1A is a little high and I said it more for dramatic affect but it will cost you a few hundred dollars.   This was also based on a worst case scenario where someone say lived in North America and had to ship the unit to somewhere in Asia.  Did they have to ship it to the seller in Asia and then they shipped it to Sony increasing the shipping cost?  Warranty service on an imported Sony product is murky enough, but out of warranty service on an imported product god knows what to expect.
  
 The problem with out of warranty service is Sony can charge you whatever they want and you will have no idea if you are being overcharged. I always try to get an extended warranty on portable electronic items over a few hundred dollars.  That way I can avoid the unknown costs associated with out of warranty service


----------



## imparanoic

how does the nw-wm1a sound much better than your destoyed nw-zx100?


----------



## 463782

Hello, this is my first post on Head-Fi. Although I never posted (or even had an account), I spent countless hours reading and learning on this forum. Thanks for all the contributors!
  
 I just received my NW-WM1Z today. I managed to get one on Amazon US for $2990.
  
 There is no much to say so far since I am still discovering the differences and subtleties from my NW-ZX2.
 Regardless of the walkman, the biggest challenge so far has been to get used to over-ear headphones vs. my CIEMs. Is it because of this fundamental change that I feel the NW-WM1Z is not as loud as I thought? I need to set the volume to 85 or 90 (Balanced) to feel like I am getting somewhere. Is it only me?
  
 On another note, is there an easy way to know where this player comes from (Japan, South Korea, etc...)? It is trickier than I thought since the box includes Japanese, English, Korean, Chinese, etc... I would post a picture but I currently don't have permissions to do so.


----------



## jmills8

lexomil said:


> Hello, this is my first post on Head-Fi. Although I never posted (or even had an account), I spent countless hours reading and learning on this forum. Thanks for all the contributors!
> 
> I just received my NW-WM1Z today. I managed to get one on Amazon US for $2990.
> 
> ...


You actually learn from all the reading ? I bet you just learned much more after buying it.


----------



## Telacap99

Finally got the Sony Kimber dual 3.5 to 4.4 cable to use my 1Z with Technics T700 cans, all I can say is, its a great system...


----------



## 463782

I did learn while reading some posts.
However, I agree with you. There are no comments that can change what my ears perceive. I feel like it really comes down to the music you listen to. I mostly listen to alternative rock, rock, etc... and so far the sound is "unsettling" depending on the album I listen to. Some sound really great while others are really flat. I try to set realistic expectations regardless of the cost of the equipment. There are so many variables that a perfect experience is most likely impossible to achieve at all times. So far, I am pretty pleased with Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited.


----------



## H20Fidelity

Minidisc in Australia will be stocking the Sony flagship Walkman soon.
  
 This means those who cannot afford one can still demo and experience it to some extent.


----------



## nanaholic

lexomil said:


> and so far the sound is "unsettling" depending on the album I listen to. Some sound really great while others are really flat.


 
  
 If you hold all other aspect constant (ie player, headphone, volume, source format etc), then the most logical conclusion is that's probably the mastering of the song showing through. 
  
 There's a lot of focus on things like equipment and file format etc, but not much on the mastering of the song. A poorly mastered song will still sound like crap on high end equipment and recording format (sometimes even worse sounding, because revealing equipment reveals flaws which lesser equipment could be masking you from).


----------



## Whitigir

I agreed with that above statement


----------



## denis1976

lexomil said:


> Hello, this is my first post on Head-Fi. Although I never posted (or even had an account), I spent countless hours reading and learning on this forum. Thanks for all the contributors!
> 
> I just received my NW-WM1Z today. I managed to get one on Amazon US for $2990.
> 
> ...


hello 85 / 90 balanced in high gain?


----------



## echineko

denis1976 said:


> hello 85 / 90 balanced in high gain?


 
 Good question, I keep forgetting about the gain setting.


----------



## Whitigir

I can't even see WM Walkman listed on Amazon US...beside some random sellers.....how is someone buying for $2990 ?


----------



## Cecala

fish1050 said:


> Talk to gerelmx about his warranty experience on his imported ZX100.  It cost him $150.00 for in warranty service on his ZX100.
> 
> The 1Z is about 4 x the price of the ZX100 so figure 4 x the insurance both ways.
> The 1Z is heavier so shipping will cost more.
> ...


 
 Your post has little merit beyond getting notice. You ascended to half the cost of the 1A to now as little as a couple of hundred dollars. Sony like all Japanese companys will look after their customers otherwise it makes no sense to keep these batteries or spare parts in general on hand.
  


lexomil said:


> Hello, this is my first post on Head-Fi. Although I never posted (or even had an account), I spent countless hours reading and learning on this forum. Thanks for all the contributors!
> 
> I just received my NW-WM1Z today. I managed to get one on Amazon US for $2990.
> 
> ...


 
 Welcome aboard and right to the top of the tree with the 1Z, now you have nowhere to go.............until the DX200 comes out, maybe.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

> Originally Posted by *Cecala* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> Welcome aboard and right to the top of the tree with the 1Z, now you have nowhere to go.............until the DX200 comes out, maybe.


 
  
 Nah, DX200 is largely an X7 with frills... and it's still ugly.


----------



## CraftyClown

lexomil said:


> Hello, this is my first post on Head-Fi. Although I never posted (or even had an account), I spent countless hours reading and learning on this forum. Thanks for all the contributors!
> 
> I just received my NW-WM1Z today. I managed to get one on Amazon US for $2990.
> 
> ...







denis1976 said:


> hello 85 / 90 balanced in high gain?







echineko said:


> Good question, I keep forgetting about the gain setting.




More importantly, what headphones are you trying to drive? 

Oh and welcome to Head-Fi. I would say sorry about your wallet, but it looks like you've already discovered that the hard way


----------



## bmoura

whitigir said:


> I can't even see WM Walkman listed on Amazon US...beside some random sellers.....how is someone buying for $2990 ?


 

 I don't see any used Walkman 1Z offers on Amazon.  But they are showing 4 places to buy the 1Z new.  Not familiar with any of them. 
  

  
 https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B01LRQZS8Y/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=new


----------



## kms108

I must say I'm too lazy to read through all 320 pages, but read the first few, and something like 270 and up.
  
 I have a few things to point out and replies for those who has the 1A.
  
 Read through the page, and someone has mentioned about the volume cap is not on the asian version, Hong Kong to be precise, can anyone actuall confirm this, does this mean I don't need to buy the 1A from japan during my visit.
  
 About the battery replacement, using third party service has the risk of not getting a original battery, OEM battery for sony product is not easy to come by especially for a product at this price and is not a mainstream  item. On the side note, 1A and 1Z purchased from sony japan, and I think through online does come with a 3 year warranty, or 6000 yen for 6 years, there are option for a full coverage including accidental damage and water damage 6000 yen for 3 years and 12000 for 6years. and yes this is for japan only, and they they don't have service like mail service.
  
 In japan for a replacement battery, it's a walking in service and should cost about 7800 yen = Tax approximate USD 70 + tax(current price for the ZX 1 and ZX2), so those who need to replace a battery and do visit japan often can consider this option.
  
 For those who has mentioned about mail in service, do note that this is a international forum, most asian countries don't have this service, but a walkin service, so it does work out cheaper for us, walk in to a service center and drop the unit off, and collect a few hours later or next day.
  
 With all that said, need some advice for someone who lives in Japan.
  
 I have a ZX2, will be visiting japan mid of 2017, although I will pickup a 1A, I need to have my ZX2 repaired, I will need a new display change, part of the glass and LCD panel, the glue has been separated, if i'm to drop this off at this location 
  
 TOKYO
 Sony Service Station Akihabara
 3-1-2 Ueno Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-0005
 Japan
 Phone: 03-5818-0521
  
 Do anyone know if they can have this done in a day or two, may be a few days, or within a 7-9 day stay, and I don't really know japanese so I can read all the information, and whiles I have my ZX2 repaired, is it best to have them replace my battery, I have had my ZX2 for less than 1/ 1/2 years and the battery is seems alright.
  
 Cost for the display is about 15000 yen and battery is 7800 yen + tax, money is no issue, but I rather have this done in japan rather than Sony Hong Kong, Sony Hong Kong is useless.


----------



## Jalo

cecala said:


> Welcome aboard and right to the top of the tree with the 1Z, now you have nowhere to go.............until the DX200 comes out, maybe.




No the next totl daps to wait for are the AK480 or the LPD (Lotoo Paw Diamond) D


----------



## musicday

jalo said:


> cecala said:
> 
> 
> > Welcome aboard and right to the top of the tree with the 1Z, now you have nowhere to go.............until the DX200 comes out, maybe.
> ...



I would say LPP ( Lotoo Paw Platinum )


----------



## Mimouille

musicday said:


> I would say LPP ( Lotoo Paw Platinum )




Paw Platinum already exists, just a color change.


----------



## 463782

denis1976 said:


> hello 85 / 90 balanced in high gain?


 

 Thanks! I read about it and totally forgot to enable it on the settings. It is much better. I now listen at 65 and it is plenty of sound for me.


----------



## 463782

whitigir said:


> I can't even see WM Walkman listed on Amazon US...beside some random sellers.....how is someone buying for $2990 ?


 

 I guess I was lucky. I've been visiting Sony US (with Amazon link) multiple times a day since the announcement was made by Sony. After my initial pre-order on Amazon got canceled, some sellers from Asia started to offer the NW-WM1Z at outrageous prices ($4000 - $8500). Suddenly, a seller with over 95% positive reviews offered one for $2990. It was out of state so Amazon didn't charge me taxes and it was shipped via Prime.
 I also picked up an MDR-Z1R from Amazon UK for $1750 (2-day shipping with International Prime).


----------



## 463782

bmoura said:


> I don't see any used Walkman 1Z offers on Amazon.  But they are showing 4 places to buy the 1Z new.  Not familiar with any of them.
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B01LRQZS8Y/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=new


 
  
 I bought mine from BuyWise Corp.. I guess they adapt to competition and demand. Their initial offer was $3800 (similar to Japanese resellers) than they dropped it to $2990 and now MSRP.


----------



## 463782

bmoura said:


> I don't see any used Walkman 1Z offers on Amazon.  But they are showing 4 places to buy the 1Z new.  Not familiar with any of them.


 
  
 I bought mine from BuyWise Corp. (first on your list). I guess they adapt to competition and demand. Their first offer was $3800 (similar to Japanese resellers) than they suddenly dropped it to $2990.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> A poorly mastered song will still sound like crap on high end equipment and recording format (sometimes even worse sounding, because revealing equipment reveals flaws which lesser equipment could be masking you from).


 
 I can attest that poorly mastered or recorded = sound like poop, you don't need 8 more bits to make it high-res


----------



## gerelmx1986

imparanoic said:


> how does the nw-wm1a sound much better than your destoyed nw-zx100?


 
 I have been waiting to be dispatched i am getting pissed-off by the wait


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> imparanoic said:
> 
> 
> > how does the nw-wm1a sound much better than your destoyed nw-zx100?
> ...



Get your money back and order from somewhere else.Not worth the wait IMHO.


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> Get your money back and order from somewhere else.Not worth the wait IMHO.


 
 I have seen sellers from japan in amazon, that mean they will have only J... :/ will look at ebay and take the risk


----------



## 463782

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have seen sellers from japan in amazon, that mean they will have only J... :/ will look at ebay and take the risk


 

 You should look on Amazon US if BuyWise Corp. offers the NW-WM1A. I bought from them (NW-WM1Z) and it had English.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@musicday Thanks for the tip of getting money back but....  !"#$%&/!!!! Accesory Jack STORE POLICIES 
  
Top
Order Cancellation

Once your order is submitted for processing, it cannot be cancelled. screw screw screw


----------



## Gosod

purk said:


> It hurts more when the player is $3200 though.  Then again, I still want one.


 
but if such a price - then surely, the big risk.


----------



## Whitigir

lexomil said:


> I bought mine from BuyWise Corp. (first on your list). I guess they adapt to competition and demand. Their first offer was $3800 (similar to Japanese resellers) than they suddenly dropped it to $2990.




That is good buy, so this is also either international version or....overseas ? That is good to know. How long did it take to arrive


----------



## thatonenoob

In the spirit of all the Star Wars hype...choose a side.


----------



## Gosod

what's the word on black Friday? should we expect a larger discount?


----------



## 463782

whitigir said:


> That is good buy, so this is also either international version or....overseas ? That is good to know. How long did it take to arrive


 

 It took two days. It was shipped directly by Amazon and I am a Prime member.
 I have a picture of the package I received but since I am a new member I cannot post a picture.


----------



## garetjax1

lexomil said:


> I bought mine from BuyWise Corp. (first on your list). I guess they adapt to competition and demand. Their first offer was $3800 (similar to Japanese resellers) than they suddenly dropped it to $2990.


 
  
 I wonder if BuyWise would be considered grey market or not, if purchased via Amazon US...


----------



## 463782

garetjax1 said:


> I wonder if BuyWise would be considered grey market or not, if purchased via Amazon US...


 

 I would guess so... The model I received includes the following on the box (in Japanese and English): "This set is only for tourists, and is not designed for use in Japan. Please do not use this set in Japan."
 I believe an international warranty is available for this kind of items but it would have required some paperwork to be completed while in Asia. At least, I remember reading something along those lines in this thread.


----------



## gerelmx1986

thatonenoob said:


> In the spirit of all the Star Wars hype...choose a side.


 
 i already chose the dark side :/


----------



## Gosod

the one who already bought this player, do you think it is worth the money?


----------



## garetjax1

lexomil said:


> I would guess so... The model I received includes the following on the box (in Japanese and English): "This set is only for tourists, and is not designed for use in Japan. Please do not use this set in Japan."
> I believe an international warranty is available for this kind of items but it would have required some paperwork to be completed while in Asia. At least, I remember reading something along those lines in this thread.


 
  
 Ah gotcha - thanks for the quick response! Enjoy the new purchase! Extremely envious 
  
 I hope to get mine next week...


----------



## Gosod

garetjax1 said:


> Ah gotcha - thanks for the quick response! Enjoy the new purchase! Extremely envious
> 
> I hope to get mine next week...


 
and let not forget to write how this new player better than previous models.


----------



## garetjax1

Hehe, I sincerely hope so! I've had a string of DAPS and associated transportable gear (Cypher Labs Solo, HM 901, Altmann Terra, Sony NW-ZX1 with PHA-2, Aurender Flow, Chord Hugo, AK240, Chord Mojo, etc.) that just never fully satisfied me in terms of SQ - the closet I've come so far is Hugo + IPhone but couldn't carry all of my music that way, and the battery life was also an issue (I travel a lot).
  
 That said the Hugo has incredible SQ - I tried the Mojo but returned it.


----------



## Gosod

> NW-ZX1 with PHA-2


 
is it really impossible to just use the zx1 without pha 2?


----------



## garetjax1

Not sure what you mean - is it technically possible? Sure... I honestly didn't keep that stack very long. I hated the SQ - very digital and sterile sounding... Much prefer the sound of something like the Atlmann Tera which has an R2R DAC, however the impedance was an issue for my IEMs.


----------



## garetjax1

Oh, I also hate android as a DAP interface which is why I got rid of it as well..


----------



## Gosod

garetjax1 said:


> Not sure what you mean - is it technically possible? Sure... I honestly didn't keep that stack very long. I hated the SQ - very digital and sterile sounding... Much prefer the sound of something like the Atlmann Tera which has an R2R DAC, however the impedance was an issue for my IEMs.


 
I mean, you use the pha-2 because you are missing the power of sound?


----------



## garetjax1

I think if you are using IEMs you can get by without it but I don't recall it having the oomph to drive full-size cans (of course this also depends on which kinds). It was several years ago, so my memory is hazy.


----------



## nanaholic

gosod said:


> the one who already bought this player, do you think it is worth the money?


 
  
 Having owned it for about 3 weeks now and finally pass that magical 200hr time on the balanced side, I'm thinking yes.  But it's not just because it sounds good (though to be honest, this DAP wows me more than the AK380), but rather it's the most complete package for me. I love the UI (I don't like skinned Android, or running an app on top of Android), I think the ergonomic is great (that HOLD button! So many DAPs don't get it, and the giant physical buttons, not the tiny dots on most DAPs), it's got insane battery life (yes it will go for 20+hrs) and it doesn't warm up like other DAPs so it won't burn your crouch if you put it in your pocket.  Even the screen is good (the colour and contrast is better than the AK players, only the 720p DP-X1 screen matches in terms of colour and contrast from my experience).  It's just overall a player that reeks quality. Plus I really feel the love of the engineers being poured into this machine by pretty much doing everything from scratch - that includes building new chips and components all just for this machine, so I also feel like I'm rewarding their effort in doing things differently from the rest.       
  
 Give me another couple of weeks to run in the SE side as well and I'll probably be putting up some old gears and DAPs up for sale, this is pretty much as good as it gets for me.


----------



## musicday

garetjax1 said:


> Not sure what you mean - is it technically possible? Sure... I honestly didn't keep that stack very long. I hated the SQ - very digital and sterile sounding... Much prefer the sound of something like the Atlmann Tera which has an R2R DAC, however the impedance was an issue for my IEMs.



The Tera Player is a fantastic music player and if i didn't had one and i cared about the sound quality i would have bought one at the current price.
At least will last a very long time.Nearly 4 years had mine now and i use it nearly everyday and battery life is 12-15 depending on headphones used.
Try it with Tralucent Ref1 and you will be amazed.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Having owned it for about 3 weeks now and finally pass that magical 200hr time on the balanced side, I'm thinking yes.  But it's not just because it sounds good (though to be honest, this DAP wows me more than the AK380), but rather it's the most complete package for me. I love the UI (I don't like skinned Android, or running an app on top of Android), I think the ergonomic is great (that HOLD button! So many DAPs don't get it, and the giant physical buttons, not the tiny dots on most DAPs), it's got insane battery life (yes it will go for 20+hrs) and it doesn't warm up like other DAPs so it won't burn your crouch if you put it in your pocket.  Even the screen is good (the colour and contrast is better than the AK players, only the 720p DP-X1 screen matches in terms of colour and contrast from my experience).  It's just overall a player that reeks quality. Plus I really feel the love of the engineers being poured into this machine by pretty much doing everything from scratch - that includes building new chips and components all just for this machine, so I also feel like I'm rewarding their effort in doing things differently from the rest.
> 
> Give me another couple of weeks to run in the SE side as well and I'll probably be putting up some old gears and DAPs up for sale, this is pretty much as good as it gets for me.




Tell me this please...how is this 1Z doing in the lower trebles ? One of those thing where Zx2 doesn't do too well  sigh...


----------



## Dithyrambes

whitigir said:


> Tell me this please...how is this 1Z doing in the lower trebles ? One of those thing where Zx2 doesn't do too well  sigh...


it does if you used the setting i sent you


----------



## audionewbi

I've passed the 200 hour mark on the single ended side. However a trusted member of trade who owns the z1 said he heard audible changes up till 400 hour. He is an ex Sony headphone engineer who now happily sell tea and his own IEM .


----------



## garetjax1

musicday said:


> The Tera Player is a fantastic music player and if i didn't had one and i cared about the sound quality i would have bought one at the current price.
> At least will last a very long time.Nearly 4 years had mine now and i use it nearly everyday and battery life is 12-15 depending on headphones used.
> Try it with Tralucent Ref1 and you will be amazed.


 
  
 Thanks for the advice Musicday - I sold mine some years ago. I had the JH3a/JH16s then, and now have the Laylas, so no interest in trying to buy headphones that sound good with the Tera. It is a great player, but doesn't play well with types of gear I like. I did specifically ask Charles whether he would lower the impedance for my particular tera, but he refused. I paid 1k for mine, but even at that price, I didn't want a compromised solution. I couldn't imagine paying 3-10k for something that wasn't perfect in every regard, and while I loved the Tera, it definitely had shortcomings that couldn't be ignored.
  
 Charles can either choose to compete on volume (via price) or cater to a niche market - his current path/strategy doesn't seem viable IMO but I don't want to hijack this thread further.


----------



## musicday

Would like a gold Walkman but quite hard to decide without trying one myself.Still hard to import to UK a non capped model without paying additional fees.


----------



## denis1976

musicday said:


> Would like a gold Walkman but quite hard to decide without trying one myself.Still hard to import to UK a non capped model without paying additional fees.


hello if the loudness available in Tera player i more than enough for you, you don't need a uncaped version, even in single ended


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> I've passed the 200 hour mark on the single ended side. However a trusted member of trade who owns the z1 said he heard audible changes up till 400 hour. He is an ex Sony headphone engineer who now happily sales tea and his own IEM .




I had been saying that for a while...Zx2 needed 250 hours where it states only 100 hours. No doubt the 1Z would finish settling down at 500 hours or so...per side


----------



## Cecala

jalo said:


> No the next totl daps to wait for are the AK480 or the LPD (Lotoo Paw Diamond)


 
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/712487/april-fools-astell-kern-ak480-music-player
 I have found no info on the Lotoo Paw Diamond, provide link(s) please.
  


musicday said:


> I would say LPP ( Lotoo Paw Platinum )


 
 Yes, mere colour difference.


----------



## tenedosian

I believe WM1Z also contributes to a persons social life as well.
  
 No, no, not about the "bling-bling" looks.
  
 After taking the player with me outside on several occasions, I start to feel that my arms are becoming stronger each day, my biceps and flexors gaining in mass, my deltoid muscles becoming rounder, and I feel like my shoulders are getting wider only by playing some lossless files on my WM1Z.
  
 WM1Z must be the Schwarzenegger of the whole DAP world.
   
Ladies find me more attractive now.

  
 Thank you Sony.


----------



## Cecala

tenedosian said:


> I believe WM1Z also contributes to a persons social life as well.
> 
> No, no, not about the "bling-bling" looks.
> 
> ...


 
 This makes sense due to the sheer weight of the1Z, this DAP because of it's immense density has properties of strong gravitational effects i.e. black hole and thus attracts everything towards it. Even light is bent and directed towards it.


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:
			
		

> *nanaholic *





> Having owned it for about 3 weeks now and finally pass that magical 200hr time on the balanced side, I'm thinking yes. But it's not just because it sounds good (though to be honest, this DAP wows me more than the AK380), but rather it's the most complete package for me. I love the UI (I don't like skinned Android, or running an app on top of Android), I think the ergonomic is great (that HOLD button! So many DAPs don't get it, and the giant physical buttons, not the tiny dots on most DAPs), it's got insane battery life (yes it will go for 20+hrs) and it doesn't warm up like other DAPs so it won't burn your crouch if you put it in your pocket. Even the screen is good (the colour and contrast is better than the AK players, only the 720p DP-X1 screen matches in terms of colour and contrast from my experience). It's just overall a player that reeks quality. Plus I really feel the love of the engineers being poured into this machine by pretty much doing everything from scratch - that includes building new chips and components all just for this machine, so I also feel like I'm rewarding their effort in doing things differently from the rest. Give me another couple of weeks to run in the SE side as well and I'll probably be putting up some old gears and DAPs up for sale, this is pretty much as good as it gets for me.


  



audionewbi said:


> I've passed the 200 hour mark on the single ended side. However a trusted member of trade who owns the z1 said he heard audible changes up till 400 hour. He is an ex Sony headphone engineer who now happily sales tea and his own IEM .


 
  
 I am roughly at 200 on single ended and 170 on balanced and I agree with nana. This player is the full package. It sounds great, is easy to use, battery last long, it sounds good with everything. If it was USB DAC, I would sell the Mojo. I am keeping the LPG because it is much smaller, and I just love the LPG for life.
  
 Once again my only issue in ergonomics so far is that I don't really like flip cases. So I am waiting on the Dignis case to have a Dignis case + pouch (Borsa).
  
 Of course it is very heavy, but I think that is ok for me, more or less.
  
 The pairing with the Prophile 8 is out of this world, can't wait to have 2-pin 4.4 cables to test it balanced.


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> Tell me this please...how is this 1Z doing in the lower trebles ? One of those thing where Zx2 doesn't do too well
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 It sounds fine to me.  Then again I've only heard the ZX2 once and that was upon launch, no idea what the ZX2 did/didn't do well at.


----------



## Cagin

How's the hissing on either? 1A / 1Z in regards to the ZX2? Anyone with sensitive iems ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I saw on amazon the offer for wm1a will start november 28, and WM1Z in amazon germany november 30..... lets see when my 1A ships for GOOD


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

I almost added to cart the 1Z when I saw it at 5 remaining. But seeing it costs $100 more, I took a deep breathe. One more remaining.


----------



## Paddlebash

I live in Singapore, is there anyway I can help the good people here get the Walkmans sold in singapore, shipped to your countries? 
From my knowledge, it's all uncapped and certain countries fall within the limited manufacturer's warranty for Sony's walkman.


----------



## Cecala

mimouille said:


> I am roughly at 200 on single ended and 170 on balanced and I agree with nana. This player is the full package. It sounds great, is easy to use, battery last long, it sounds good with everything. If it was USB DAC, I would sell the Mojo. I am keeping the LPG because it is much smaller, and I just love the LPG for life.
> 
> Once again my only issue in ergonomics so far is that I don't really like flip cases. So I am waiting on the Dignis case to have a Dignis case + pouch (Borsa).
> 
> ...


 
 Better than the Zeus you had?


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I saw on amazon the offer for wm1a will start november 28, and WM1Z in amazon germany november 30..... lets see when my 1A ships for GOOD




It seems AJ offered you the 1A international version, which you would get warranty anywhere, and as I understand it, the International version is the latest to be released. Don't rush it, sometimes a few weeks waiting will worth a lot more in the end


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> It seems AJ offered you the 1A international version, which you would get warranty anywhere, and as I understand it, the International version is the latest to be released. Don't rush it, sometimes a few weeks waiting will worth a lot more in the end


 
 Yes that would be cool if the warranty is valid anywhere, very well worth the wait


----------



## Mimouille

cecala said:


> Better than the Zeus you had?


Well I would need to compare side by side. But the fit is better, which helps.


----------



## echineko

paddlebash said:


> I live in Singapore, is there anyway I can help the good people here get the Walkmans sold in singapore, shipped to your countries?
> From my knowledge, it's all uncapped and certain countries fall within the limited manufacturer's warranty for Sony's walkman.


 
 Jaben's already got that handled, and it's cheaper to buy from the Malaysian store anyway 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Edit: The second part about that warranty is interesting though, from my understanding Sony's warranties are only for the country of purchase, even if you buy it in Japan directly. Any documentation to support what you say?


----------



## Paddlebash

I am aware that all dap falls under their personal audio category. Hope this helps our fellow mates take the leap! The documentation is from a Sony Centre in Singapore.


----------



## FenderP

echineko said:


> Jaben's already got that handled, and it's cheaper to buy from the Malaysian store anyway
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 They usually are, unless you buy the export version. Some countries may have exceptions.


----------



## AnakChan

fenderp said:


> They usually are, unless you buy the export version. Some countries may have exceptions.


 
  
 NW-WM1A/Z from Japan, I'm guessing little chance there'll be support overseas. Hey, maybe that's a way to "internationalise" the Japanese model and get full language support!


----------



## echineko

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






> I am aware that all dap falls under their personal audio category. Hope this helps our fellow mates take the leap! The documentation is from a Sony Centre in Singapore.


 
  


 The second picture is kinda blur, got a link? And some bros have already gone the Jaben route, it really is cheaper here than anywhere else I've seen. Would be interesting to know if that tourist warranty card stuff is offered outside of Sony stores. I'll message my contact in Sony here and ask as well.


----------



## hydesg

I just got my wm1a... anyone using it with sony xba a3 ? I need to play it at almost max volume like 110 to be loud enough, is this normal ? Using the single ended output jack haha. This is the asian version with no volume cap.


----------



## jmills8

hydesg said:


> I just got my wm1a... anyone using it with sony xba a3 ? I need to play it at almost max volume like 110 to be loud enough, is this normal ? Using the single ended output jack haha. This is the asian version with no volume cap.


 Yikes


----------



## Paddlebash

Echineko (Is that...like a funky cat?) I don't have a link for it so sorry!! 

Hydesg, I just tried it at the sony store with their 1a and the xba-a3, I cannot go beyond 90 without my ears getting too uncomfortable with how loud it gets. I was playing Norah Jones' I turned your picture to the wall.


----------



## jmills8

paddlebash said:


> Echineko (Is that...like a funky cat?) I don't have a link for it so sorry!!
> 
> Hydesg, I just tried it at the sony store with their 1a and the xba-a3, I cannot go beyond 90 without my ears getting too uncomfortable with how loud it gets. I was playing Norah Jones' I turned your picture to the wall.


No, OMG Norah Jones.


----------



## thatonenoob

hydesg said:


> I just got my wm1a... anyone using it with sony xba a3 ? I need to play it at almost max volume like 110 to be loud enough, is this normal ? Using the single ended output jack haha. This is the asian version with no volume cap.




Have you turned on the high gain in the settings. Max output not counting distortion is 60mw into 15 ohms.


----------



## Mmet

thatonenoob said:


> Have you turned on the high gain in the settings. Max output not counting distortion is 60mw into 15 ohms.



per channel


----------



## hydesg

Hmm i havent updated the firmware yet though. 
I am listening to the stock tracks in the player as i have not loaded any music in the player. 

Sucks if the volume is so low



paddlebash said:


> Echineko (Is that...like a funky cat?) I don't have a link for it so sorry!!
> 
> Hydesg, I just tried it at the sony store with their 1a and the xba-a3, I cannot go beyond 90 without my ears getting too uncomfortable with how loud it gets. I was playing Norah Jones' I turned your picture to the wall.


----------



## nanaholic

hydesg said:


> I just got my wm1a... anyone using it with sony xba a3 ? I need to play it at almost max volume like 110 to be loud enough, is this normal ? Using the single ended output jack haha. This is the asian version with no volume cap.


 
  
 No, not normal at all. With my hybrid customs which has air vents I use about 60 clicks on low gain in noisy environment, indoors I can go down to even 50. Even considering that you don't get as good of a seal with universals tips I can't imagine you'll need more than 70-80 clicks with a pair of phones that's only rated to be about 16ohms impedance and 108db sensitivity.  I'll test it out with another pair of phones (even crappy throw away ones included in smartphones) if I were you.


----------



## hydesg

nanaholic said:


> No, not normal at all. With my hybrid customs which has air vents I use about 60 clicks on low gain in noisy environment, indoors I can go down to even 50. Even considering that you don't get as good of a seal with universals tips I can't imagine you'll need more than 70-80 clicks with a pair of phones that's only rated to be about 16ohms impedance and 108db sensitivity.  I'll test it out with another pair of phones (even crappy throw away ones included in smartphones) if I were you.


 
 thanks.
 or could it be a problem with the wm1a on-board amplifier?


----------



## Fabi

tenedosian said:


> I believe WM1Z also contributes to a persons social life as well.
> 
> No, no, not about the "bling-bling" looks.
> 
> ...


Sony: "make.believe"


----------



## kms108

For those who needs to know, Sony does not really offer a international warranty, you only get warranty from the country you get the item from, this is the official unit, and not referring to gray import, for example, you buy a US unit from uk store, Sony does not warrant this, there is a few exception like Hong kong, that a Official Unit from Hong Kong is also valid in macau and I think also China, This I will have to confirm.
  
 Second, if you buy a oversea unit from Sony Japan, they will issue a oversea warranty card for repair in 53 countries, from what I know, this oversea service is only available if you have the oversea warranty card, and is purchased in japan sony center in the duty free section, the duty free section only has limited product, and lucky the 1A and 1Z is available as a duty free item, and don't mistaken the 1A and 1Z sold in the duty free section of the sony center, is not the japanese version, which is also sold in the same place, and you cannot request a japanese unit and have a oversea warranty.
  
 The warranty card is accepted worldwide in any official service center within the stated 53 countries.
  
  http://www.sony.jp/store/retail/tourist/english/index.html
  
 Whiles all this is being said, other countries might have similar service, you have to check this out, all I know is you can purchase a duty free item from sony japan and have service from Hong Kong, but not the other way around.
  
 Forgot to point out, Sony Japan only offers a mail in service for locals and also walk in service, so if yours is a japanese unit and have a japanese receipt, and you have friends or your seller is located in japan, you can always mail in you unit and have them to do all the work for you.





  
 Something I need to point out, and hopefully someone can answer it, as I cannot find the answer, If I'm to purchase a 1A not from the sony directly, would I be able to get a oversea warranty card if I visit the sony store. hopefully someone knows the answer.
  
 Hope this helps clear up some questionsbeing asked.


----------



## gerelmx1986

hydesg said:


> Hmm i havent updated the firmware yet though.
> I am listening to the stock tracks in the player as i have not loaded any music in the player.
> 
> Sucks if the volume is so low
> ...


 
 didnt you have a korean version? korean ones have the korean volume cap according to user guide


----------



## mata

gerelmx1986 said:


> didnt you have a korean version? korean ones have the korean volume cap according to user guide



I tried my xba h3, way low in volume. I needed high gain 80+ to match my um martian low gain 58. My 1A play fine with my se846 and noble dulce bass.


----------



## hydesg

Wat iems do u guys use with your wm1a?


----------



## gerelmx1986

hydesg said:


> Wat iems do u guys use with your wm1a?


 
 i am planning on use mine with XBA-Z5


----------



## ledzep

hydesg said:


> Wat iems do u guys use with your wm1a?



XBA -Z5's / 64Audio U12's on balanced.


----------



## thatonenoob

Completed the review *here.  *Enjoy and have a great thanksgiving folks!


----------



## Whitigir

look like LPG has better sound quality than WM1Z. I can not believe Sony would release a 2X pricing player with balanced to lose out this battle....but great review


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> look like LPG has better sound quality than WM1Z. I can not believe Sony would release a 2X pricing player with balanced to lose out this battle....but great review


 
 but LPG UI sucks


----------



## patsycollins

Sony gold NW-WM1Z list for $3200 here in Boston but on Amazon UK it's *£1,717.62​* or about $2219 with standard shipping to the USA.
 Besides no US warranty, is the OS different?  I mean, both would be in English would it not?
  
 Since the power is USB charging, the UK version should work in the USA as well.  Can someone confirm?
 Thanks


----------



## fish1050

kms108 said:


> For those who needs to know, Sony does not really offer a international warranty, you only get warranty from the country you get the item from, this is the official unit, and not referring to gray import, for example, you buy a US unit from uk store, Sony does not warrant this, there is a few exception like Hong kong, that a Official Unit from Hong Kong is also valid in macau and I think also China, This I will have to confirm.
> 
> Second, if you buy a oversea unit from Sony Japan, they will issue a oversea warranty card for repair in 53 countries, from what I know, this oversea service is only available if you have the oversea warranty card, and is purchased in japan sony center in the duty free section, the duty free section only has limited product, and lucky the 1A and 1Z is available as a duty free item, and don't mistaken the 1A and 1Z sold in the duty free section of the sony center, is not the japanese version, which is also sold in the same place, and you cannot request a japanese unit and have a oversea warranty.
> 
> ...


 
 I have been making this point all along about lack of warranty coverage on imported Sony DAP's but no one seems to get it.   I am not going to spend $1000 to $3000 DAP without proper warranty coverage.  Taking a flyer on a $300.00 DAP is one thing but spending that much on a DAP with no warranty coverage is nuts.  Just because it costs as much as used car doesn't mean a 1Z can't have issues requiring repair.  I certainly would want drop coverage on a 1LB DAP as it its sure to get dented at the very least if dropped on a hard surface.
  
 If I wanted to take a gamble like that I would go to Vegas.  I would at least wait to buy until it is available in my area of the world.


----------



## 463782

patsycollins said:


> Sony gold NW-WM1Z list for $3200 here in Boston but on Amazon UK it's *£1,717.62​* or about $2219 with standard shipping to the USA.
> Besides no US warranty, is the OS different?  I mean, both would be in English would it not?
> 
> Since the power is USB charging, the UK version should work in the USA as well.  Can someone confirm?
> Thanks


 

 It's much cheaper but the volume will be capped to comply with European regulations. That's probably why these players on Amazon UK haven't sold out. Who knows a patch might be released by Sony to comply with Brexit.


----------



## tienbasse

lexomil said:


> It's much cheaper but the volume will be capped to comply with European regulations. That's probably why these players on Amazon UK haven't sold out. Who knows a patch might be released by Sony to comply with Brexit.


 

 I laughed sorry.
 It was just launched and the normal price is about 3800$ when you live in EU and include about 20% VAT.
  
 The capping is a VERY secondary reason.


----------



## 463782

Are you sure? I thought I heard Farage mentioning that he is tired of not being able to ****** up his ears where and when he wants. BTW, this is just for the sake of laughing. I'm not trying to bring any politics to this thread.
  
 On another note, do you guys know when I will be able to post pictures and links? I don't have permissions since I just joined Head-Fi. I took a picture of my NW-WM1Z that I purchased on Amazon US via a reseller and I was wondering where it came from. The box has Japanese, Korean, French, English, etc...


----------



## Whitigir

If the LPG is better than WM1Z. I would rather go with LPG as you dont need to use the 4.4 balanced cables for nothing. At least SE will be provided everywhere though


----------



## kms108

lexomil said:


> Are you sure? I thought I heard Farage mentioning that he is tired of not being able to ****** up his ears where and when he wants. BTW, this is just for the sake of laughing. I'm not trying to bring any politics to this thread.
> 
> On another note, do you guys know when I will be able to post pictures and links? I don't have permissions since I just joined Head-Fi. I took a picture of my NW-WM1Z that I purchased on Amazon US via a reseller and I was wondering where it came from. The box has Japanese, Korean, French, English, etc...


 

 Sony, made in malasyia.


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> If the LPG is better than WM1Z. I would rather go with LPG as you dont need to use the 4.4 balanced cables for nothing. At least SE will be provided everywhere though


 

 Kind of silly, asking about this, hear alot about this LPG, what is it.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Never mid I found out what it is, kind of ugly, and looks like those china made one.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> Kind of silly, asking about this, hear alot about this LPG, what is it.
> 
> Never mid I found out what it is, kind of ugly, and looks like those china made one.




Lol, it is China made, and the comparison from LPG to WM1Z came in both directions. Some said 1Z is better and some said it is not.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The sony is better, seems more pocketable and better UI


----------



## kms108

LPG seems too flashy with all those buttons, and parts sticking out, I prefer the sony, simply, basic and smooth looking.


----------



## Whitigir

I still don't believe a Balanced configuration from Sony would be out performances by a single ended implementation from a China company. I have tried the Pha-3 and also had a second confirmation from a very reputable friend to be said that Pha-3 Balanced was superior to LPG in term of soundstage, layering, and presentation. That to me proved when Sony is serious about Balanced connection, they don't just do it for for "because". Especially when we are talking about "signature series" where these products were meant for the 7th anniversary, and also "top of the line" flagship from Sony. 

So I need more details in this LPG and 1Z comparisons. Were it done with what headphones ? Were it done with Balanced connection from WM1Z ? Or was it a simple TRS SE from WM1Z to VS LPG SE. I guess this was made by the later, and if so, a confirmation and clarification would clean up the situation.


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> The sony is better, seems more pocketable and better UI



Sony gold Walkman is 465 gr Lotoo Paw Gold is 280 gr.
Sony has a better UI because you can see the album art and search by composer and so? Ha ha, wait until you have 512 GB full of music inside and tell us about the boot up time and so.


----------



## gerelmx1986

kms108 said:


> LPG seems too flashy with all those buttons, and parts sticking out, I prefer the sony, simply, basic and smooth looking.


 
 agree and i have never had a lagging walkman not even with both memories full


----------



## proedros

thatonenoob said:


> Completed the review *here.  *Enjoy and have a great thanksgiving folks!


 
  
 thanx for the review , and for including 1a in there 
  
*may i ask how many hours were your 1a/1z burned in ?*

 speaking of 1a, the bold parts make me feel good about buying it (1z is too expensive anyway)
  
  
*the difference between the two players frankly isn’t huge –the NW-WM1Z sound wise is not so much a direct upgrade as it is a variation on the NW-WM1A’s existing signature.  *This may perhaps be cause for consternation, so I will attempt to explain this in greater detail.  To start, we begin with a baseline examination of the sonic characteristics of the WM1A.  *Of the two, the WM1A is the more balanced player, with a good mix of detail retrieval, dynamics, and staging.  The NW1A’s reproduction of bass is fast and punchy with good extension.  It is cleaner and the perceived decay is spot on. Midrange has a clarity of sound and upper end is articulate and pristine.  However, there is a subjective grain in this frequency band that provides a slight edge to the player's otherwise smooth presentation of sound.  Overall, it is a transparent player with slight forwardness.*
 
 The WM1Z features a richer signature with an enhanced bass section.  I hesitate to make this comparison –but the WM1Z is sort of like a MDR-Z1R in DAP form (also one of the reasons why I do indeed prefer the WM1A-Z1R pairing). The bass is fuller with more body and a slightly slower decay, and once again the ever so subtle diffuseness makes a return.  *Midrange sounds marginally more recessed, and doesn't have the same certainty as that of the WM1A.  It's just not as clear nor as powerful**.  Upper end extension is more or less on equal footing, with similar levels of articulation and a generally crisp texture.  In some ways, the diffuseness that is sometimes present on the WM1Z weakens the textural quality of the DAP’s sound, and reduces perceived detail retrieval at times. Both players feature good soundstage and spectacular imaging, with the latter easily being among the top in its class. *

  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
 looks like 1a owners will bw happy with it


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> thatonenoob said:
> 
> 
> > Completed the review *here.  *Enjoy and have a great thanksgiving folks!
> ...


 
 yes what not so happy isthe screw*n long wait


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > LPG seems too flashy with all those buttons, and parts sticking out, I prefer the sony, simply, basic and smooth looking.
> ...



Did you see the video review? That UI is slow,very disappointed.
Hopefully a firmware update can fix it.


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> Did you see the video review? That UI is slow,very disappointed.
> Hopefully a firmware update can fix it.




Was this a preproduction unit ? Who knows ? But to me, that wasn't slow at all. I will soon find out the quality of the new Walkman myself, but from all reputable sources, WM Walkman should be worthy of TOTL products


----------



## gerelmx1986

i am sure my 1A will arrive when i am in germany so i will have a schrodingers dilemma I want to go back to mexico (ASAP to get my WM1A 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) and at the same time i don¿t want to leave germany


----------



## jmills8

kms108 said:


> Kind of silly, asking about this, hear alot about this LPG, what is it.
> 
> Never mid I found out what it is, kind of ugly, and looks like those china made one.


Totally agree but in hand its tiny, UI is fast and easy, great sound especially if you want details over being musical. Solid build.


----------



## Whitigir

Here is another comparison between 1A and 1Z with lot of pictures...but google translation may suck it

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=https%3A//www.cool3c.com/article/113707


----------



## proedros

whitigir said:


> Here is another comparison between 1A and 1Z with lot of pictures...but *google translation may suck it*
> 
> https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=https%3A//www.cool3c.com/article/113707


 
  
 got a headache trying to read it
  
  i guess the day that google translate has really nailed it ,will be the day that skynet computer will be attacking us


----------



## thatonenoob

proedros said:


> thanx for the review , and for including 1a in there
> 
> *may i ask how many hours were your 1a/1z burned in ?*
> 
> ...


 
 I've burnt both players in for close to 260 hours if I remember correctly...yes, not 200 hours per channel as some suggest, but it shouldn't take that long for the player to start arriving at a competitive level (will it be slightly better? - perhaps.  Will it be better to the point of outresolving the competition- nope).  Truly one of the tightest review schedules I've run and I would've loved to spend more time with them at any rate.


----------



## nanaholic

musicday said:


> Sony gold Walkman is 465 gr Lotoo Paw Gold is 280 gr.
> Sony has a better UI because you can see the album art and search by composer and so? Ha ha, wait until you have 512 GB full of music inside and tell us about the boot up time and so.


 
  
 You don't have to tolerant boot up time for the Sony because of the efficient build and the custom in house OS such that it doesn't need to go into a deep sleep or power off state unlike Android base players to conserve energy, the player just goes to a light sleep mode and when you press the power button it comes on instantly.  With 3 weeks of ownership I've only booted the Sony *once* - that's when I took it out of the box.  And because the machine never goes off it doesn't rebuild the media database every time it comes on - only when you put media into the DAP. This is another UI/UX win for Sony over other players actually.


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> If the LPG is better than WM1Z. I would rather go with LPG as you dont need to use the 4.4 balanced cables for nothing. At least SE will be provided everywhere though




It is not because one person prefers the LPG sound that it is better. Don't get over excited, try for yourself. It will greatly depend on pairing. 




kms108 said:


> Kind of silly, asking about this, hear alot about this LPG, what is it.
> 
> Never mid I found out what it is, kind of ugly, and looks like those china made one.




China makes everything, including your iPhone. The LPG has the best build of ANY DAP, it is indestructible. Ugly is just a matter of taste. 



gerelmx1986 said:


> The sony is better, seems more pocketable and better UI




The Sony has a better UI but the LPG UI is faster, and the Sony is definitely NOT more pocketable, it is nearly TWICE the size if the LPG. 

Guys, all in all please try to splurt out counter truth like some recently elected president.


----------



## Cecala

"..........to perceive a lot of the differences described above, a concentrated listening effort was required.  As I have mentioned in the past, the differences between DAPs when described in reviews may seem rather significant............ the gap between most decently performing players is easily closed by environmental conditions.  Between ToTL players, these differences are even less obvious, and we are really nitpicking in certain situations.  Then again, at $3,999 SGD, nitpicking is most certainly in order for a product like the NW-WM1Z.."
  
Thanks for a rather extensive and final review. I found the above statements the most telling for me and confirmed what I already know. The differences are very small between the Sony players and that a certain level of very high quality sound exists between all TOTL DAPS, the only real difference been their house signature and feature set.
The SOC in the Sony player has not been upgraded and I'm sure is the very same unit contained in the ZX2. Anyone who believes that their happy with the UI speed is fine although any modern phone will kill the Sony UI as the difference is nasty.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> You don't have to tolerant boot up time for the Sony because of the efficient build and the custom in house OS such that it doesn't need to go into a deep sleep or power off state unlike Android base players to conserve energy, the player just goes to a light sleep mode and when you press the power button it comes on instantly.  With 3 weeks of ownership I've only booted the Sony *once* - that's when I took it out of the box.  And because the machine never goes off it doesn't rebuild the media database every time it comes on - only when you put media into the DAP. This is another UI/UX win for Sony over other players actually.


 
 I tought they had removed the light sleep behaviour form old sony OS


----------



## nanaholic

cecala said:


> Anyone who believes that their happy with the UI speed is fine although any modern phone will kill the Sony UI as the difference is nasty.


 
  
 UI and UX aren't so simple as to be purely defined by its response speed.
  
 I have the latest smartphones (I use a iPhone 7 and a Xperia X Performance), and I can tell you there is no music app UI design that is as well thought out as the Sony OS right now in terms of just pure music play back. The touch response may be slower on the Sony OS, but that's just one tiny part of the entire measurement of UI/UX and they don't "kill" the Sony OS.


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> I tought they had removed the light sleep behaviour form old sony OS


 
 I'm pretty sure there's some sort of light sleep feature in the OS if the player is left in standby and not doing anything for a long period of time, but it's so quick compared to normal screen on/off that it's barely noticeable - maybe like half a second of time (or could be just me imagining things cos the difference is so tiny).  It's not nearly as important to pay any attention to unlike deep sleep or complete power off modes in other players though because for those you do need to tolerate long boot up times. It's actually one of the most frustrating things I've found with Android based AK players - seeing that spinning AK logo when the machine turned itself off, however if you don't let it sleep the player also loses a few % of battery even if you just let it sit there doing nothing, thus decreasing the already not-so-long playback time.  This kind of tiny every day stuff adds to the entire user experience that's not easily reflected in non-ownership reviews.


----------



## Cecala

nanaholic said:


> UI and UX aren't so simple.
> 
> I have the latest smartphones (I use a iPhone 7 and a Xperia X Performance), and I can tell you there is no music app UI design that is as well thought out as the Sony OS right now in terms of just pure music play back. The touch response may be slower on the Sony OS, but that's just one tiny part of the entire measurement of UI/UX and they don't "kill" the Sony OS.


 

 Your reaching. I never spoke about the music app UI design of the Sony only regards it's speed. I do agree it looks fantastic for it's intended purpose, after all it's a music player, although again, we are talking purely about speed. When I had the ZX2 I happened to come across a Sony phone which had the very same version of Android as the ZX2 on board and I can tell you that the difference in speed was staggering. It's the main reason I sold my unit. And yes it did kill the Sony(s) on speed.


----------



## nanaholic

cecala said:


> Your reaching. I never spoke about the music app UI design of the Sony only regards it's speed. I do agree it looks fantastic for it's intended purpose, after all it's a music player, although again, we are talking purely about speed. When I had the ZX2 I happened to come across a Sony phone which had the very same version of Android as the ZX2 on board and I can tell you that the difference in speed was staggering. It's the main reason I sold my unit. And yes it did kill the Sony(s) on speed.


 
  
 I'm not reaching - when you use words like UI being "killed" then you simply cannot just comment on speed alone.  UI means user interface - which by its definition is a combination of MANY things.
  
 Again neither UI nor UX is simply a measurement of response speed - it's a complex mix of many different things such as icongraphy, gestures (in a touch base UI), navigation, button placement etc.  Speed is only but one component, and yes, the WM1 does loses out in that department, but it more than makes up for it in the other parts.  If you want to say the speed is slow say that, don't mix it with a well defined term like UI.
  
 And BTW I've owned a ZX1 before, yes it's "smoother" but the actual navigation is not as good as the WM1 due to its "app on vanilla Android" design, just dealing with the random back button behaviour (an inherit design quirk in Android as that back button behaviour is context based) already killed any joy from the response speed of using it.


----------



## Cecala

O.K. to clarify I mean GUI speed, although by my choice of words you would know what I meant. No problem.


----------



## gerelmx1986

If you want to see avery laggy UI try a fiio x3 first gen


----------



## jmills8

gerelmx1986 said:


> If you want to see avery laggy UI try a fiio x3 first gen


You talking about a $100 dap that with new FW does not lag to the Sony?


----------



## gerelmx1986

jmills8 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > If you want to see avery laggy UI try a fiio x3 first gen
> ...


 

 if you fill a 128GB microSD card + the 8GB you get it super slow to build songs / albums / artists lists


----------



## ttt123

cecala said:


> O.K. to clarify I mean GUI speed, although by my choice of words you would know what I meant. No problem.


 
 I echo Nanaholic's comments on the UI speed.  I answered a similar question that I did not find the WM1A (or the ZX2) UI slow.  To put that into context with this current discussion, it played music smoothly, which is what I want for 99% of the time, so I never felt that the UI bothered me.  At the same time, I also never compared it to a phone UI, as they are different devices serving different functions.  So subjectively, I am fine with the WM1A/ZX2 UI/speed, and I do not perceive any lag in response.
  
 I did note that the 4+ seconds it took to enter a bookmark/playlist entry, the 4+ seconds to erase a playlist and interrupting the song playing, the fact that a playlist entry can only be from either the internal memory, or the SD card, but not both, these are things I find are are much more of a fault with the implementation.  As erasing Playlists is done infrequently, I rank it as an irritant, and not a major fault.  The other ones, I live with.  And hope that a future firmware will fix it.
  
 Overall, I consider what I have found to be more irritants and not deal breakers, for my particular priorities, of which playing music well is the top, and overriding priority.  After all, this is a DAP for music.
  
 Other people may want more, like playing movies, photos, web browsing,  etc.  Personally, the phone does all the other things fine, and I don't need that on the small screen of the DAP, but to each their own.  Everybody has different priorities.  And we all vote with our decision to buy, or not to buy.  The answer seems simple.  If there are things, no matter how small or large, that you absolutely cannot stand about a product, then do not buy it.  There is no need to justify to anybody.  We are all guilty of bias to a greater or smaller extent.  There are choices that I make that other people do not agree with, and there are choices that other people make that I do not agree with.  But that is all irrelevant, as long as we do not impact other people's enjoyment with our choices.
  
 More to worry about are the things we have no control over, and that impact us, like the recent U.S. election......


----------



## jmills8

gerelmx1986 said:


> if you fill a 128GB microSD card + the 8GB you get it super slow to build songs / albums / artists lists


128 gig card is too big for that $100n 64 gig the dap is faster than AK daps.yeah its not a Sony and its not $2000 or 3000.


----------



## oldmate

jmills8 said:


> jalo said:
> 
> 
> > Mim if you pay twice the price and are not sure you like it more than the LPG that is tragedy. I sense sentiment of regret.  Another song came to mind "Torn between two lovers (1Z & LPG), feeling like a fool, loving both of you is breaking all the rules".  But I've got your back and am here to the rescue and am willing to take the 1Z off your hand and even am willing to pay you 50%
> ...


 
 Never in the history of Head.Fi or mankind for that matter has there ever been a person in more dire need to get laid than you my friend. Your comments regarding women are bordering on the misogynistic.
  
 In the likely event that you do not know what that means;
  
A person who dislikes, despises, or is strongly prejudiced against women.
 
"a bachelor and renowned misogynist"


----------



## jmills8

oldmate said:


> Never in the history of Head.Fi or mankind for that matter has there ever been a person in more dire need to get laid than you my friend. Your comments regarding women are bordering on the misogynistic.
> 
> In the likely event that you do not know what that means;
> 
> ...


Well its what she sung. Plus her interview on her situation.

https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=_Fv-vyJq_Gk


----------



## patsycollins

jmills8 said:


> 128 gig card is too big for that $100n 64 gig the dap is faster than AK daps.yeah its not a Sony and its not $2000 or 3000.


 
  
 Are those 100% silver cables by *Lavricables?*
*For which headphone?*


----------



## jmills8

patsycollins said:


> Are those 100% silver cables by [COLOR=6A6A6A]*Lavricables?*[/COLOR]
> [COLOR=6A6A6A]*For which headphone?*[/COLOR]


with the original X3 any 3.5 inter connector will work with the Mojo. That iem cable is a pure Silver from Japan. Iem is Aurisonics 2.5.

Phone to Mojo I use Labkable Silver OTG.


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> The sony is better, seems more pocketable and better UI


but always a BUT , the LPG sounds better


----------



## nc8000

denis1976 said:


> but always a BUT , the LPG sounds better




Only if the person likes that LPG sound better. At this level you can not objectively say one sounds better


----------



## denis1976

nc8000 said:


> Only if the person likes that LPG sound better. At this level you can not objectively say one sounds better


yes you are right in this price range is no better or worst is just diferent sound signatures,for me the great advantage is the power output of the LPG and that is not subjective, is real , yes the stage in the Sony is wider, but the LPG is more pinpoint...2 diferent points of view...but none of the two can reach the AK380CU the sound of the 380 copper is like the sony married the LPG...


----------



## denis1976

And by the way...that thing about class D and class A amp is going in the wrong way...i think that LPG is not class A but if it was 500mw un class A are real 500mw the power dissipation is in power consumption not in musical power thats why the sony has such a long life battery class d is more energy eficient is normal to see in home audio class a amp that have 30 w rms and draws 300 or more watts of electrical consumption, so what i want to say with all this bla bla bla is that 500mw in lotoo are 500mw and 60mw or 250mw in sony are 250mw and 60mw ....oooo and heat dissipation ....very vey hot....


----------



## Gibraltar

lexomil said:


> On another note, do you guys know when I will be able to post pictures and links? I don't have permissions since I just joined Head-Fi. I took a picture of my NW-WM1Z that I purchased on Amazon US via a reseller and I was wondering where it came from. The box has Japanese, Korean, French, English, etc...




Based on the text you quoted earlier from the front of the box, your unit is the "tourist" version that can be purchased from duty free shops in Japan. This also explains having so many languages in the box. Presumably it should be the same as the non-capped international version. 

I'm curious, which accessories came in the box?


----------



## MarkTwain

Sound more important or UI more important for you?

If UI more important, go for iPhone will do?



gerelmx1986 said:


> but LPG UI sucks


----------



## kms108

marktwain said:


> Sound more important or UI more important for you?
> 
> If UI more important, go for iPhone will do?
> 
> ...


 

 My concern is the music playback, as long as it plays music fine without lag, i'm ok, slow UI isn't a problem for me.


----------



## kms108

gibraltar said:


> lexomil said:
> 
> 
> > On another note, do you guys know when I will be able to post pictures and links? I don't have permissions since I just joined Head-Fi. I took a picture of my NW-WM1Z that I purchased on Amazon US via a reseller and I was wondering where it came from. The box has Japanese, Korean, French, English, etc...
> ...


 
  
 Do you mean that unit is the one you purchase from the sony show room duty free section, can you confirm it's not capped just like the official japanese version.
  
 How do you check if the unit is capped or not.
  
 Another point, if i'm to get the official japanese version will I get chinese, japanese, english and korean display, ui in english is ok, just need the player to display those language for track names and lyrics.
  
  
 thanks


----------



## Gibraltar

kms108 said:


> Do you mean that unit is the one you purchase from the sony show room duty free section, can you confirm it's not capped just like the official japanese version.
> 
> How do you check if the unit is capped or not.
> 
> Another point, if i'm to get the official japanese version will I get chinese, japanese, english and korean display, ui in english is ok, just need the player to display those language for track names and lyrics.



Yes, the version sold in the show room and other shops that carry the Sony tourist models. I can't confirm the volume cap issue, maybe lexomil could check his manual.

The official Japanese version UI is ONLY Japanese. I'm sure it can display track names in various languages.


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> yes you are right in this price range is no better or worst is just diferent sound signatures,for me the great advantage is the power output of the LPG and that is not subjective, is real , yes the stage in the Sony is wider, but the LPG is more pinpoint...2 diferent points of view...but none of the two can reach the AK380CU the sound of the 380 copper is like the sony married the LPG...




Nice! I love a good amount of soundstaging, musicality and soulful, with warmth. I think the 1Z will be what I had been asking and waiting for from Sony


----------



## nanaholic

marktwain said:


> Sound more important or UI more important for you?
> 
> If UI more important, go for iPhone will do?


 
  
 Why do I have to choose one over the other? Why can I not have both?
  
 If I'm paying the money, I want BOTH to be good. And if a company comes out with a product that does well in both, I reward them with my money.  It's not a difficult concept.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Why do I have to choose one over the other? Why can I not have both?
> 
> If I'm paying the money, I want BOTH to be good. And if a company comes out with a product that does well in both, I reward them with my money.  It's not a difficult concept.




True enough, but somehow I do not see the UI is lagging at all ? Weird...and I am not the kind of guy that is 70 years old either....I grow up playing Nintendo


----------



## nanaholic

https://twitter.com/dignis_jp/status/799912221371342849
  
 Looks like Dignis got the message - they won't leave an opening for the Walkman logo for the final product.


----------



## gerelmx1986

marktwain said:


> Sound more important or UI more important for you?
> 
> If UI more important, go for iPhone will do?
> 
> ...


 
 sound but i am a sony fan, proof of that i bought a sony alpha 5000 camera to replace my dead coolpix


----------



## gerelmx1986

AccessoryJack update: WM1A will be delivered on monday, when are you leaving mexico? Please let us know, i can send it via fedex on tuesday ....
  
 **** i leave on thursday december 1 at 8:45AM
  
 is there an super duper ultra mega urgent Fedex option ?


----------



## musicday

nanaholic said:


> https://twitter.com/dignis_jp/status/799912221371342849
> 
> Looks like Dignis got the message - they won't leave an opening for the Walkman logo for the final product.



Was about the time.


----------



## Gibraltar

gerelmx1986 said:


> AccessoryJack update: WM1A will be delivered on monday, when are you leaving mexico? Please let us know, i can send it via fedex on tuesday ....
> 
> **** i leave on thursday december 1 at 8:45AM
> 
> is there an super duper ultra mega urgent Fedex option ?


 
  
 Fedex has next day service if you're willing to pay


----------



## jmills8

gibraltar said:


> Fedex has next day service if you're willing to pay


 Hong Kong to Mexico with DHL 2 days.


----------



## 463782

gibraltar said:


> Based on the text you quoted earlier from the front of the box, your unit is the "tourist" version that can be purchased from duty free shops in Japan. This also explains having so many languages in the box. Presumably it should be the same as the non-capped international version.
> 
> I'm curious, which accessories came in the box?


 

 Thanks Gibraltar. This is also written on the box: "TRA - Registered No: ER47920/16 & Dealer No: DA0096946/12".
  
 In addition to the NW-WM1Z, the following was included in the box:
 - Wrist Strap
 - USB Cable
 - Leather Carrying Case
 - Quick Start Guide in English, French, German, Korean and Chinese.
 - Instruction Manual in English, Russian, Chinese, Korean and Arabic.
  
 Both documents refer to the following link: rd1.sony.net/help/dmp/nwwm1/h_ww/ and there is no CE logo anywhere to be found.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gibraltar said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > AccessoryJack update: WM1A will be delivered on monday, when are you leaving mexico? Please let us know, i can send it via fedex on tuesday ....
> ...


 
 nice i will ask them for this


----------



## kms108

lexomil said:


> gibraltar said:
> 
> 
> > Based on the text you quoted earlier from the front of the box, your unit is the "tourist" version that can be purchased from duty free shops in Japan. This also explains having so many languages in the box. Presumably it should be the same as the non-capped international version.
> ...


 
  
  
 Thanks, do you know if this unit has the volume caps, I was hoping it came with the wm port and socket plug that is found on the japanese version, also what language is selectable for the UI.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> Thanks, do you know if this unit has the caps, I was hoping it came with the wm port and socket plug that is found on the japanese version, also what language is selectable for the UI.




I think the only version that has the ubit cap is the one from Europe. Otherwise theh are regional and Asia as a region will offer english, except Japan version which has no english...but then...nothing is volume capped. This cap is applied toward european only


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks, do you know if this unit has the caps, I was hoping it came with the wm port and socket plug that is found on the japanese version, also what language is selectable for the UI.
> ...


 

 The hong kong version of the ZX1 and ZX2 both have the voloume caps, so I would expect the WM 1A also have it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

kms108 said:


> *The hong kong version of *the ZX1 and ZX2 both have the voloume caps, so I would expect the *WM 1A* also have it.


 
 AccessoryJack states No volume cap and english menus and it is HK version for the WM1A, my experience with zx100 from AJ was very nice, i used volume 08/30 on my hongkong zx100 HONKONG DOES NOT HAVE VOLUME CAP only EU and Korea


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> The hong kong version of the ZX1 and ZX2 both have the voloume caps, so I would expect the WM 1A also have it.




Are you sure ? Was it confirmed by Sony ? That means we have a few members here who bought the HK versions in their country also has it volume capped ?

Nevermind, i talked to Sony rep and he said HK Zx2 never capped


----------



## PCheung

Hi there! New to this forum and bought the WM-1Z on launch, pairing with MDR-Z1R and Campfire andromeda. 
  
 Btw, just want to ask if other 1A/Z owner notice a "click" sound while switching songs and connect in balance?
 sound of the relay working? I'm not sure if defect or not...  
  
 Thanks!


----------



## kms108

I spoken to some iem and Hi end dap dealers, they have test most of these player, and say the ZX 2 does have the volume cap, thats why I got mine from japan, and I was hoping to also get the 1A from japan.
  
 @*lexomil* 
  
 Seem like japan has two versions available, japan version and tourist version, if the japan version has japan ui only, seems like the tourist version is a better option.


----------



## Whitigir

pcheung said:


> Hi there! New to this forum and bought the WM-1Z on launch, pairing with MDR-Z1R and Campfire andromeda.
> 
> Btw, just want to ask if other 1A/Z owner notice a "click" sound while switching songs and connect in balance?
> sound of the relay working? I'm not sure if defect or not...
> ...




Relay working is normal. No need to freak out. In fact, we have to appreciate Sony for doing so...the potential of damaging the headphones without relays


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> AccessoryJack update: WM1A will be delivered on monday, when are you leaving mexico? Please let us know, i can send it via fedex on tuesday ....
> 
> **** i leave on thursday december 1 at 8:45AM
> 
> is there an super duper ultra mega urgent Fedex option ?




Maybe I'm missing something here, but... Why don't you ask them to send it to your boyfriend's place in Germany? That way it will be waiting for you when you arrive


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > *The hong kong version of *the ZX1 and ZX2 both have the voloume caps, so I would expect the *WM 1A* also have it.
> ...


 

 I know the EU  and korea version does, as they are very strict with safety regulation, please let me know when you get yours, and the box should state HK version, do update us.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> I spoken to some iem and Hi end dap dealers, they have test most of these player, and say the ZX 2 does have the volume cap, thats why I got mine from japan, and I was hoping to also get the 1A from japan.
> 
> @*lexomil*
> 
> Seem like japan has two versions available, japan version and tourist version, if the japan version has japan ui only, seems like the tourist version is a better option.




Nope, Zx2 hongkong was never volume capped. I got it confirmed by Sony Rep, a very reputable and knowledgable one. Tourist version is great as it has warranty accross many countries.


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > I spoken to some iem and Hi end dap dealers, they have test most of these player, and say the ZX 2 does have the volume cap, thats why I got mine from japan, and I was hoping to also get the 1A from japan.
> ...


 

 apparently the tourist version is available in japan only, I will probably pick one up during my visit, just need to make sure if all is correct, the yen has been good recently, then we get tax free, should be cheaper now, but I do wist the japanes version have a english UI, I like the extra headphone socket and wm port rubber caps.


----------



## gerelmx1986

kms108 said:


> I know the EU  and korea version does, as they are very strict with safety regulation, please let me know when you get yours, and the box should state HK version, do update us.


 
 Hope get mine before thrusday... on december 1. I must be at the airport at 5:45AM for international flight check-in


----------



## ttt123

kms108 said:


> The hong kong version of the ZX1 and ZX2 both have the voloume caps, so I would expect the WM 1A also have it.


 
 I had the HK ZX2, and now have the HK WM1A.  There is no volume cap for HK devices.  Never heard of any, never ran into anything with volume cap.  Your source is mistaken.
  
 From the manual: http://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001154052.html 
  
Volume operation (Only for countries/areas complying with European Directives) The alarm (beep) and warning [Check the volume level] are intended to protect your ears. They occur when you initially turn the volume up to a harmful level. You can cancel the alarm and warning by tapping [OK] on the alert dialog.
Note 
You can turn up the volume after you cancel the alarm and warning.
After the initial warning, the alarm and warning will repeat every 20 cumulative hours that the volume is set to a level that is harmful to your ears. When this happens, the volume will turn down automatically.
 Protect your ears in the following ways:
Turn off the Walkman and take a break.
Turn down the volume.

The alarm will not sound when there is an active Bluetooth connection.


----------



## kms108

ttt123 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > The hong kong version of the ZX1 and ZX2 both have the voloume caps, so I would expect the WM 1A also have it.
> ...


 

 Thanks for letting me know, do you get the pop up about volume too high.


----------



## PCheung

Using the Hong Kong version WM-1Z and no pop up about the volume too high, also with high gain option.
  


whitigir said:


> Relay working is normal. No need to freak out. In fact, we have to appreciate Sony for doing so...the potential of damaging the headphones without relays


  
 Thanks a lot!


----------



## ttt123

kms108 said:


> Thanks for letting me know, do you get the pop up about volume too high.


 
 Just to verify, I turned the volume up to about 105 out of 120 on the volume control.  I could uncomfortably destroy my ears without any warning.  This is also without the high gain enabled.  I also have an AVLS setting that I can activate in settings, which limits it to about 68, if enabled.  I guess this is the manual option for those people who want the EU mandated volume protection, which you can turn on if you want.


----------



## 463782

nanaholic said:


> https://twitter.com/dignis_jp/status/799912221371342849
> 
> Looks like Dignis got the message - they won't leave an opening for the Walkman logo for the final product.


 

 That's awesome news! I really didn't like the opening. I'll definitely keep an eye on it.
 I can't stand the one that came with the NW-WM1Z. It is not practical and the lack of opening for the WM-Port baffles me. I was hoping for Sony to announce an additional case sold separately like they did with the CKL-NWZX2 for the NW-ZX2. I really liked it...


----------



## 463782

kms108 said:


> Thanks, do you know if this unit has the volume caps, I was hoping it came with the wm port and socket plug that is found on the japanese version, also what language is selectable for the UI.


 
  
 I don't know for sure. I believe it is not capped. I am using an MDR-Z1R (balanced cable) with the volume at 75 (Gain ON) and it is plenty loud for me. If I set the volume around 90, it becomes uncomfortable quickly.
 I guess we would need someone who has the same equipment but knows for sure that his/her unit is capped in order to compare.
  
 In regards to languages available for the UI, I can't remember all of them but there were plenty (Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, etc.). I can check later this afternoon if there is a specific language you are looking for. When I was prompted to select a language, the default one selected was English.


----------



## squirrelman

Does anyone know of any stores that have the 4.4mm balanced connectors in stock for making cables?


----------



## echineko

lexomil said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Look at the side of the unit, where the HOLD button is. There should be a marking for the standards authorization body for your particular Walkman's region next to the Sony Corporation info and the "Made in Malaysia" tag. In Europe (the only volume capped region), it will say CE, and look like this:
  
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CE_marking
  
 That should be clear enough, you can share a pic of your unit too. EDIT: when you're actually able to


----------



## 463782

echineko said:


> Look at the side of the unit, where the HOLD button is. There should be a marking for the standards authorization body for your particular Walkman's region next to the Sony Corporation info and the "Made in Malaysia" tag. In Europe (the only volume capped region), it will say CE, and look like this:
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CE_marking
> 
> That should be clear enough, you can share a pic of your unit too. EDIT: when you're actually able to


 

 Thanks! I'm pretty sure it is the Japanese model reserved for tourists while in Japan.
 I thought I read somewhere that the Korean model was also capped.
  
 I guess I am now officially allowed to post pictures.


----------



## 463782

I don't understand... The firmware 1.01 is available but the install is not compatible with macOS Sierra (10.12). This is not cool...
 Am I missing much by not updating the walkman?


----------



## hydesg

lexomil said:


> Thanks! I'm pretty sure it is the Japanese model reserved for tourists while in Japan.
> I thought I read somewhere that the Korean model was also capped.
> 
> 
> I guess I am now officially allowed to post pictures.




Mine has the korean words. Bought from singapore. Means mine is korean ?


----------



## Whitigir

I don't even think Korea version of Walkman are volume capped...please, the volume cap is a disaster....only speak of it when it is Confirmed. . I wil, try and ask again tomorrow to see, but so far, the only volume capped Walkman is from European only with CE marking. Also, the Tourist version was meant for International uses, i never heard of such tourist version that comes with volume Capped.....

In another word....stop spreading the volume capped panic....it so far only happen in Europe Walkman just exactly what echineko said


----------



## PCheung

hydesg said:


> Mine has the korean words. Bought from singapore. Means mine is korean ?


 
 Mine also has the Korean words, guess all Asian version are the same
 (except Japan ver with Japanese menu only and ATRAC support)
 but don't think it is capped as the European one.
  


lexomil said:


> I don't understand... The firmware 1.01 is available but the install is not compatible with macOS Sierra (10.12). This is not cool...
> Am I missing much by not updating the walkman?


 
  
 UI speed improvements, smoother and quicker response than 1.00
 Specially while playing DSD & 24bit FLAC files


----------



## Whitigir

Is it really ATRAC support with Japan version ? How about Japan Tourist version ?


----------



## PCheung

whitigir said:


> Is it really ATRAC support with Japan version ? How about Japan Tourist version ?


 
 Yes, exclusive features of Japan version 
 http://www.sony.jp/walkman/products/NW-WM1Z/spec.html
  
 Sony has been doing this "exclusive" for Japan market a few years already
  
*信号圧縮形式（音声圧縮形式）*
MP3 *1/WMA *2/*ATRAC*/*ATRAC Advanced Lossless*/
リニアPCM（WAV） *3/AAC *4/HE-AAC *5/FLAC *6/
Apple Lossless *6/AIFF *3/DSD（DSF, DSDIFFフォーマット対応） *7
  
 Not sure but I guess the Japan Tourist version is the same as Asia version just with a different packing and international warranty card


----------



## vilhelm44

Has anyone from the UK ordered from Jaben or Accesory Jack? Just wondering if they are willing to mark down customs form?


----------



## Whitigir

vilhelm44 said:


> Has anyone from the UK ordered from Jaben or Accesory Jack? Just wondering if they are willing to mark down customs form?




You do know what marking it down will be all but in your risk ? It may be taken away by customs, or returned to merchandise....why would you be spending so much to risk it


----------



## vilhelm44

whitigir said:


> You do know what marking it down will be all but in your risk ? It may be taken away by customs, or returned to merchandise....why would you be spending so much to risk it




I know it's a risk but have before many times with PriceJapan and it's been fine.


----------



## ledzep

vilhelm44 said:


> Has anyone from the UK ordered from Jaben or Accesory Jack? Just wondering if they are willing to mark down customs form?



Jaben are doing it for me on cables


----------



## gerelmx1986

In my case they put as gift for the customs when my Zx100. came back from repairs


----------



## FenderP

PCheung said:
			
		

> Not sure but I guess the Japan Tourist version is the same as Asia version just with a different packing and international warranty card




Correct. ATRAC is only on the Japanese domestic model. The overseas model is like ROW.


----------



## kms108

ATRAC has been dead out of japan, but somehow japan has continued to support it in all there hi end walkman like the ZX1, ZX2, Zx100 and the current 1A and 1Z, it's sony invention, may be they want to preserve it.


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> I don't even think Korea version of Walkman are volume capped...please, the volume cap is a disaster....only speak of it when it is Confirmed. . I wil, try and ask again tomorrow to see, but so far, the only volume capped Walkman is from European only with CE marking. Also, the Tourist version was meant for International uses, i never heard of such tourist version that comes with volume Capped.....
> 
> In another word....stop spreading the volume capped panic....it so far only happen in Europe Walkman just exactly what echineko said


 
 It's hard to say about the tourist version, the use and warranty is supported in 16 countries within europe, it probably still have to meet the safety regulation laid down for use within europe, so either way it's best if you confirm this.
  
 My inital purchase was the japanese version, as it will be the cheapest, but it's japanese ui, I will have to confirm this in japan after playing around with this during my visit, then it's the tourist version, if it's volume capped, then it's back to the Hong Kong Version, it will cost more, but at least I do have extra yen to spend in Japan for not get the 1A on holiday.


----------



## nc8000

kms108 said:


> It's hard to say about the tourist version, the use and warranty is supported in 16 countries within europe, it probably still have to meet the safety regulation laid down for use within europe, so either way it's best if you confirm this.
> 
> My inital purchase was the japanese version, as it will be the cheapest, but it's japanese ui, I will have to confirm this in japan after playing around with this during my visit, then it's the tourist version, if it's volume capped, then it's back to the Hong Kong Version, it will cost more, but at least I do have extra yen to spend in Japan for not get the 1A on holiday.




It is not a question of where you intend to use the device that matters but rather where the device is sold. If sold in EU it will be the capped version


----------



## gerelmx1986

I always wondered if atrac advanced lossless can be converted to wave and then to FLAC with dbpowerAmp


----------



## kms108

nc8000 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > It's hard to say about the tourist version, the use and warranty is supported in 16 countries within europe, it probably still have to meet the safety regulation laid down for use within europe, so either way it's best if you confirm this.
> ...


 

 If what you say is correct, then it will be the tourist version I will be getting.


----------



## nanaholic

So I just sold my AK380 (which I bought second hand) today with near no lost on what I paid for it, owned it for about 3 months but I'm certain I don't need it anymore because I've realised I prefer the WM1Z as an overall package much more.  In terms of sound the SE is almost comparable with the AK being more neutral and a bit more resolving but in balance the WM1Z pulls out ahead in note attacks, power delivery and overall fun, I suppose if I buy the AK amp for the AK380 then it could be a different story but I'm just not interested in stacking, even with how tidy the amp combo for the AK is.  Deep down I think I liked the AK380 but never really loved it, the overall product didn't really do anything that really wowed me unlike the Sony (as I'm also biased towards the engineering story behind the WM1 Walkmans). It's not always about the sound because nobody is entirely rational, and in the end the 1Z as a product just happens to be the one that appeals to my heart more.


----------



## 463782

kms108 said:


> If what you say is correct, then it will be the tourist version I will be getting.


 

 I have the tourist version and there is no CE logo to be found.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> So I just sold my AK380 (which I bought second hand) today with near no lost on what I paid for it, owned it for about 3 months but I'm certain I don't need it anymore because I've realised I prefer the WM1Z as an overall package much more.  In terms of sound the SE is almost comparable with the AK being more neutral and a bit more resolving but in balance the WM1Z pulls out ahead in note attacks, power delivery and overall fun, I suppose if I buy the AK amp for the AK380 then it could be a different story but I'm just not interested in stacking, even with how tidy the amp combo for the AK is.  Deep down I think I liked the AK380 but never really loved it, the overall product didn't really do anything that really wowed me unlike the Sony (as I'm also biased towards the engineering story behind the WM1 Walkmans). It's not always about the sound because nobody is entirely rational, and in the end the 1Z as a product just happens to be the one that appeals to my heart more.




Good to hear... I hope 1Z will last for a while and the battery as well.


----------



## kubig123

whitigir said:


> You do know what marking it down will be all but in your risk ? It may be taken away by customs, or returned to merchandise....why would you be spending so much to risk it


 

 I ordered my WM1Z from Amazon UK, yes it's capped but I save $1,000 compare to the US MSRP, no risk at all, Amazon already included shipping and taxes during the checkout process, it was shipped overnight.
  
 it's worth doing it with the WM1Z but not with the WM1A, there is no real saving for that novel if you buy it in US.


----------



## musicday

kubig123 said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > You do know what marking it down will be all but in your risk ? It may be taken away by customs, or returned to merchandise....why would you be spending so much to risk it
> ...



Rather have no Walkman then a capped one - just my opinion.
But congratulations and let us know how you like it once you receive it.


----------



## flipper203

just to be sure, if we get the WMZ in europe, it's capped, and if we import it from Japan in europe, we pay tax and the warranty won't be working? Am I true?


----------



## pCollins

Is the current cenelec eu volume cap at 99db? Wouldn't that be more than sufficient?



musicday said:


> Rather have no Walkman then a capped one - just my opinion.
> But congratulations and let us know how you like it once you receive it.


----------



## Whitigir

flipper203 said:


> just to be sure, if we get the WMZ in europe, it's capped, and if we import it from Japan in europe, we pay tax and the warranty won't be working? Am I true?




Warranty will work if you buy Tourist versions. As much as i know, the tourist versions has 2, one is Japan and another is Asia. These are non capped and will have warranty accross many countries including usa and uk


----------



## flipper203

Ok, thks, I guess it has already been discussed but what are the main differences between A and Z models ?


----------



## 463782

flipper203 said:


> Ok, thks, I guess it has already been discussed but what are the main differences between A and Z models ?


 

 I would highly recommend you to read a great review here made by thatonenoob.
 It might help you decide which model is best for you.


----------



## Whitigir

Z has More FT capacitors with F sound resistors and ofc copper goldplated chassis and kimberkable inside. It was confirmed that the Z was the original developer and the A is a downgraded version for the common folk.


----------



## FenderP

kms108 said:


> ATRAC has been dead out of japan, but somehow japan has continued to support it in all there hi end walkman like the ZX1, ZX2, Zx100 and the current 1A and 1Z, it's sony invention, may be they want to preserve it.


 
  
 SOny killed it in the SonicStage days outside of Japan. Remember the MD lasted a long time, and it was an option. Sony's x-Application (the successor to SonicStage) is alive and well in Japan. ATRAC is/was the only way sans FLAC or WAV (and possibly AIFF) to get gapless on the Japanese models, so there's that. I still have quite a bit of ATRAC music and still use x-APP to load music sometimes. So it all depends - part of me wants the Japanese version, but as more of my library shifts to hi-rez and/or FLAC, the need for ATRAC and owning a Japanese Walkman becomes less over time.


----------



## flipper203

lexomil said:


> I would highly recommend you to read a great review here made by thatonenoob.
> It might help you decide which model is best for you.than


 
 thanks, I had a llok at it. The difference is not that big in terms of sound. What about paired with Zeus ? Any hiss issue?


----------



## Whitigir

flipper203 said:


> thanks, I had a llok at it. The difference is not that big in terms of sound. What about paired with Zeus ? Any hiss issue?




You would be surprised by how much differences there are , but then....again, it depends on your point of view. Let me put this straight...if the differences were not by much then the engineers would be very bad to begin with...and if they were, then these devices would be bad from the beginning.

So...would i trust sony engineers over some reviewers ? You bet.

In the end, it is how you view the prices and performances of these two...i urge you to audit them out clearly if u could. But if pricing is already a factor, the A will be already your choices, and to convience one self that the cheaper version has 95% performances of the more expensive one is ok. Sometimes...5% can make it or break it. So it is all up to you to personally decide and make that call.


----------



## gerelmx1986

flipper203 said:


> just to be sure, if we get the WMZ in europe, it's capped, and if we import it from Japan in europe, we pay tax and the warranty won't be working? Am I true?


 

 ​I did import a ZX100 from HK to mexico (no tax YAY) and warranty worled as man-in-the-middle


----------



## boomtube

So eager to read more impressions on the differences between 1A and 1Z. If some of the characteristics of 1Z can be had in the 1A by adding an amp, I might go that route.


----------



## pCollins

Can someone with an EU WM1Z (recent edition) verify that the volume cap is now user adjustable. Up to 100db?


----------



## AnakChan

Now I have to say this Dignis case alone makes getting the NW-WM1A/Z worthy. Photo taken from Dignis' Twitter


----------



## hydesg

boomtube said:


> So eager to read more impressions on the differences between 1A and 1Z. If some of the characteristics of 1Z can be had in the 1A by adding an amp, I might go that route.


 
  
 u can get the sony desktop amp and headphone to pair it with the 1A.
 i heard that combo and it was heavenly


----------



## unknownguardian

anakchan said:


> Now I have to say this Dignis case alone makes getting the NW-WM1A/Z worthy. Photo taken from Dignis' twitter



I was intrigued by this case as well. But doubt it will be on regular sales.


----------



## audionewbi

I was comparing my WM1A with calyx M and while in large I like the 1A I couldn't happen to notice when paired with the SW01 the 1A was noticeably less dynamic than calyx M. I am cure things will change once I go balance but that was quiet a surprise to me.


----------



## Romiros

My friends, where to buy balanced cable for mdr-1A MUC-S12SB1 with international delivery? I can't find(


----------



## Cecala

nanaholic said:


> So I just sold my AK380 (which I bought second hand) today with near no lost on what I paid for it, owned it for about 3 months but I'm certain I don't need it anymore because I've realised I prefer the WM1Z as an overall package much more.  In terms of sound the SE is almost comparable with the AK being more neutral and a bit more resolving but in balance the WM1Z pulls out ahead in note attacks, power delivery and overall fun, I suppose if I buy the AK amp for the AK380 then it could be a different story but I'm just not interested in stacking, even with how tidy the amp combo for the AK is.  Deep down I think I liked the AK380 but never really loved it, the overall product didn't really do anything that really wowed me unlike the Sony (as I'm also biased towards the engineering story behind the WM1 Walkmans). It's not always about the sound because nobody is entirely rational, and in the end the 1Z as a product just happens to be the one that appeals to my heart more.


 
 You're not admitting here live that your an audiophile are you, more into machine than sound?
  


anakchan said:


> Now I have to say this Dignis case alone makes getting the NW-WM1A/Z worthy. Photo taken from Dignis' twitter


 
 This looks very cool, Dignis do make some quality cases I have to admit.


----------



## hydesg

Anyone paired it with andromeda? How is it


----------



## AnakChan

BTW, just read on Twitter that Fujiya has some stock of the Pentaconn plugs.


----------



## nanaholic

cecala said:


> You're not admitting here live that your an audiophile are you, more into machine than sound?


 
  
 No I'm being a realists.  
 The fact is when you get to this level of equipment the supposed technical and sound differences is usually so tiny (or non-existent) that it's actually the opposite - those who make up BS reasoning how one device sounds "night and day difference" over the other to justify the purchase are the ones whom are fooling themselves.  On the other hand I know exactly what I'm looking for - I'm looking for a complete package where sound/build quality/usability are all weight out and contributes to the final decision of my purchase, rather than chasing for the mystical "sound difference".  As such when I'm buying equipment, it's almost always the "other factors" which swings the purchase, rather than sound, because the difference is usually either very tiny or completely subjective that there's no objective reasoning to justify the purchase.


----------



## thatonenoob

I'm a fashionphile. I would never buy the abyss over the th900 hehehe.


----------



## Decreate

anakchan said:


> Now I have to say this Dignis case alone makes getting the NW-WM1A/Z worthy. Photo taken from Dignis' twitter


 
 Brings back memories of the good old days...


----------



## Decreate

anakchan said:


> BTW, just read on Twitter that Fujiya has some stock of the Pentaconn plugs.


 
 It's times like these that I wish I had more time & $$$ to travel...


----------



## CraftyClown

nanaholic said:


> No I'm being a realists.
> The fact is when you get to this level of equipment the supposed technical and sound differences is usually so tiny (or non-existent) that it's actually the opposite - those who make up BS reasoning how one device sounds "night and day difference" over the other to justify the purchase are the ones whom are fooling themselves.  On the other hand I know exactly what I'm looking for - I'm looking for a complete package where sound/build quality/usability are all weight out and contributes to the final decision of my purchase, rather than chasing for the mystical "sound difference".  As such when I'm buying equipment, it's almost always the "other factors" which swings the purchase, rather than sound, because the difference is usually either very tiny or completely subjective that there's no objective reasoning to justify the purchase.




Quite simply the most sensible post i've read on this thread so far.


----------



## Chefano

I really love my ZX2, most of the time its paired with my 846.
 Does anybody know how they compare against ZX2?
  
 Cheers!


----------



## Cecala

craftyclown said:


> Quite simply the most sensible post i've read on this thread so far.


 

 Good to see some honesty here from time to time.


----------



## flipper203

any hiss issue with the WM1A?


----------



## jmills8

flipper203 said:


> any hiss issue with the WM1A?


wouldnt that depend on the iem you will use?


----------



## flipper203

jmills8 said:


> wouldnt that depend on the iem you will use?



Yep on sensitive iem like zeus r


----------



## kms108

romiros said:


> My friends, where to buy balanced cable for mdr-1A MUC-S12SB1 with international delivery? I can't find(


 

 You can try amazon, ebay or pricejapan.


----------



## Whitigir

Now, where do we buy F-resistors ? I know we can buy MELF...but F ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

anakchan said:


> Now I have to say this Dignis case alone makes getting the NW-WM1A/Z worthy. Photo taken from Dignis' Twitter


cool case lol so theievs don't steal your WM1  as it looks like an obsolete device


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Now, where do we buy F-resistors ? I know we can buy MELF...but F ?


I think they are Sony custom made so far


----------



## Whitigir

I think I really dig that blue case  when is it available ?


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think they are Sony custom made so far




This means that there is 0 way to modify 1A to become 1Z ....dang it


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> I think I really dig that blue case
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 It's a draw prize, won't be available for sale.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> It's a draw prize, won't be available for sale.




Oh...common, how do I enter for the chance


----------



## nanaholic

http://www.sony-asia.com/support/download/615790/product/nw-wm1a
  
 Firmware v1.02 is out.  Since this version seems to be targeting bugs related to Chinese language it came out in Asian region before Japan.


----------



## riotgrrl

craftyclown said:


> Maybe I'm missing something here, but... Why don't you ask them to send it to your boyfriend's place in Germany? That way it will be waiting for you when you arrive




It won't be the only package waiting for him when he arrives.


----------



## CraftyClown

riotgrrl said:


> It won't be the only package waiting for him when he arrives.




lol


----------



## Cagin

jmills8 said:


> wouldnt that depend on the iem you will use?


 
 it ain't the iems that are hissy, using sensitive iems reveal those noisy daps.
  
 This question was asked before, the only answer I got was from a pm from Kozato (MusicSanctuary store in Singapore).


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



"The 1A and 1Z are both much quieter than the ZX2, but compared to the DP-X1 or Astell&Kern players, they still have a noticeable noise floor.

 So with the Zeus R, you might experience some hissing."


 Mim can't help as he had a demo Zeus before he got the 1Z.
  
 Neither 1A or 1Z hit the stores in Belgium so I can't try with my own Zeus R.


----------



## Whitigir

Then why even bother buying 1A or especially 1Z ? Just buy a DP-x1 (A) and call it a day. Or 380 copper. From sacrificing WIfi capability and still can not beat those two in what you need for your IEMS.

Also, I had been waiting for a review from Jude for a while regarding the WM players too...anyone have any ideas ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> http://www.sony-asia.com/support/download/615790/product/nw-wm1a
> 
> Firmware v1.02 is out.  Since this version seems to be targeting bugs related to Chinese language it came out in Asian region before Japan.


improves only Chinese lang bugs or also perf issues?


----------



## goyete

nanaholic said:


> UI and UX aren't so simple as to be purely defined by its response speed.
> 
> I have the latest smartphones (I use a iPhone 7 and a Xperia X Performance), and I can tell you there is no music app UI design that is as well thought out as the Sony OS right now in terms of just pure music play back. The touch response may be slower on the Sony OS, but that's just one tiny part of the entire measurement of UI/UX and they don't "kill" the Sony OS.



Are you sure? The Sony OS reads the "Artist Album" field of the files or only the "Artist"??? I don't doubt that musically is ok but the software must be better (the UI of the stock music player of iOS is much better to use and search).


----------



## thatonenoob

gerelmx1986 said:


> cool case lol so theievs don't steal your WM1  as it looks like an obsolete device




I'm pretty sure the old walkman has a faster and more responsive UI than the new ones.


----------



## nanaholic

thatonenoob said:


> I'm pretty sure the old walkman has a faster and more responsive UI than the new ones.


 
  
 Wait till you try skipping a song.


----------



## nanaholic

goyete said:


> Are you sure? The Sony OS reads the "Artist Album" field of the files or only the "Artist"??? I don't doubt that musically is ok but the software must be better (the UI of the stock music player of iOS is much better to use and search).


 
  
 Yeah I'm pretty sure.
  
 Firstly the Sony OS lets you sort by either artist or album artist - there's a toggle in the options menu. Also the stock music player of iOS is better in some ways and worse in others.  It's much better in text search (which strangely the Sony player doesn't offer yet), but music related options like equalizer settings are non-existent in iOS and this is where the Sony OS clearly wins.  Also because iOS music player suffers from feature bloat (mostly related to things like Cloud and Apple's own music subscription features) which is a common trapping for software which becomes too complex for its own good, so the Sony OS is also able to nail the basics better because they are only focusing on the core elements.  Also the Sony OS is more tailored for one hand use, whereas a lot of the options for iOS player requires reaching to the top - for example when creating or editing a playlist the "playlist" and "edit" buttons are right at the top for iOS, requiring you to reach for it with another hand, doubly so if you happen to use the Plus models, etc.  Newer models uses force touch to mitigate this issue, but you're out of luck if you don't have that feature on your older phone, and it's not easily user discoverable.
  
 Again, UI is VERY complex, it's never a clear case of one "killing" the other at this level of competition.


----------



## MarkTwain

Same thoughts when I auditioned the WM1A and compared it to the Calyx M with my Layla 2. Prefer the Calyx M vs WM1A SE. 



audionewbi said:


> I was comparing my WM1A with calyx M and while in large I like the 1A I couldn't happen to notice when paired with the SW01 the 1A was noticeably less dynamic than calyx M. I am cure things will change once I go balance but that was quiet a surprise to me.


----------



## productred

marktwain said:


> Same thoughts when I auditioned the WM1A and compared it to the Calyx M with my Layla 2. Prefer the Calyx M vs WM1A SE.


 
  
 Calyx M still has the most "powerful" and juicy 3.5mm output out there. BIG CAVEAT:  your iem have to be able to cope with its extreme low output impedance or you need an adaptor with extra resistance, but with that its on level ground with others.
  
 I have sold my Calyx M even before they released the official impedance adaptor. Can't stand the extra hassle. But yeah if it works fine with your earphones, it will work wonders. And you probably dun need to bother about balanced output/2.5/4.4/blah blah blah.
  
 To me WM1A SE is preferable to other standalone SE outputs bar the Valoq (a draw) and the Calyx (win or loss depends on cans used).


----------



## goyete

nanaholic said:


> Yeah I'm pretty sure.
> 
> Firstly the Sony OS lets you sort by either artist or album artist - there's a toggle in the options menu. Also the stock music player of iOS is better in some ways and worse in others.  It's much better in text search (which strangely the Sony player doesn't offer yet), but music related options like equalizer settings are non-existent in iOS and this is where the Sony OS clearly wins.  Also because iOS music player suffers from feature bloat (mostly related to things like Cloud and Apple's own music subscription features) which is a common trapping for software which becomes too complex for its own good, so the Sony OS is also able to nail the basics better because they are only focusing on the core elements.  Also the Sony OS is more tailored for one hand use, whereas a lot of the options for iOS player requires reaching to the top - for example when creating or editing a playlist the "playlist" and "edit" buttons are right at the top for iOS, requiring you to reach for it with another hand, doubly so if you happen to use the Plus models, etc.  Newer models uses force touch to mitigate this issue, but you're out of luck if you don't have that feature on your older phone, and it's not easily user discoverable.
> 
> Again, UI is VERY complex, it's never a clear case of one "killing" the other at this level of competition.


 
 I didn't know this option you are pointing of selecting "Artist field" or "Album Artist field"... I asked this question in several fourm without responses... I have read the user guide and it nothing says about this option. Also, the Media Go doesn't offer the option to order by "album artist". What version of WM1 do you have, Asia Pacific, USA or european with volume cap?? Could you post an image of this option for people, I think that's an valuable option that people must know! Thanks, now I'm thinking in buying it.


----------



## productred

goyete said:


> Are you sure? The Sony OS reads the "Artist Album" field of the files or only the "Artist"??? I don't doubt that musically is ok but the software must be better (the UI of the stock music player of iOS is much better to use and search).


 
  
 Actually.................Sony OS reads both and let you choose which to use for sorting and display. AK has the best UI before Sony but even the 380 got no such option.
  
 Response speed of the Sony OS is in fact very impressive. I'm spoilt by the jawdropping response speed of iOS for years but among DAPs the response speed of Sony OS is only second to AK. And I own /have owned Onkyo, Valoq, Calyx M, AK100-380, Hifiman etc. and tried virtually everything on the market. OS speed aside the Sony UI is somehow even more intuitive than the already great AK UI.


----------



## jmills8

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1161558703929776&id=440242392728081&__tn__=%2As

Labkable.


----------



## nanaholic

goyete said:


> I didn't know this option you are pointing of selecting "Artist field" or "Album Artist field"... I asked this question in several fourm without responses... I have read the user guide and it nothing says about this option. Also, the Media Go doesn't offer the option to order by "album artist". What version of WM1 do you have, Asia Pacific, USA or european with volume cap?? Could you post an image of this option for people, I think that's an valuable option that people must know! Thanks, now I'm thinking in buying it.


 

  
 You can sort by album artist in media go as well - you have to first enable the "album artist" column, then just click on it to make it sort by album artist.  Plus Media Go groups by album artists by default anyway....


----------



## flipper203

to use only with IEM, is the output power of the capped version a problem ?


----------



## denis1976

flipper203 said:


> to use only with IEM, is the output power of the capped version a problem ?


hello , i think that if the Iem has a reasonable sensitivity (100db +-) it wont be any problem


----------



## flipper203

I am using Zeus R and Vega and A6 si a sensivity (if I am not wrong) around 100dB


----------



## Mimouille

flipper203 said:


> I am using Zeus R and Vega and A6 si a sensivity (if I am not wrong) around 100dB


 
 Interesting, do you get any hiss on Zeus R?


----------



## flipper203

mimouille said:


> Interesting, do you get any hiss on Zeus R?


 
 I don't own a sony DAP for the moment, but as there is a nice promotion on a french site, I am hesitating to buy one (The A model, Z is too expensive).


----------



## Mimouille

flipper203 said:


> I don't own a sony DAP for the moment, but as there is a nice promotion on a french site, I am hesitating to buy one (The A model, Z is too expensive).


 
 Honestly don't buy the volume cap one.


----------



## Jalo

What are the digital out options for either WM? I think only micro USB via WM port right? There are no optical or coax out that I know of. Also how is line out done? Through the 3.5 headphone out?


----------



## thatonenoob

nanaholic said:


> Wait till you try skipping a song.


 
 Oh trust me I have 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.  I love the joyous wait as you attempt to open up the folder browser.


----------



## gerelmx1986

jalo said:


> What are the digital out options for either WM? I think only micro USB via WM port right? There are no optical or coax out that I know of. Also how is line out done? Through the 3.5 headphone out?


 
 yes only digital USB out, no coaxial nor optical


----------



## nanaholic

thatonenoob said:


> Oh trust me I have
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## CraftyClown

nanaholic said:


>


 

 ​Ah those were the days.
  
 Even back then I was on the slippery audiophile slope. I would only buy metal tapes for my recordings


----------



## Whitigir

craftyclown said:


> ​Ah those were the days.
> 
> Even back then I was on the slippery audiophile slope. I would only buy metal tapes for my recordings




Was it made by pure OFC copper and gold plated ?


----------



## Mmet

Quote: 





craftyclown said:


> ​Ah those were the days.
> 
> Even back then I was on the slippery audiophile slope. I would only buy metal tapes for my recordings


----------



## pCollins

Did Sony announce a docking unit for the WM1Z?



gerelmx1986 said:


> yes only digital USB out, no coaxial nor optical


----------



## gerelmx1986

pcollins said:


> Did Sony announce a docking unit for the WM1Z?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 i don't know for this one, perhaps the dock used for zx2 fits with WM1A/Z


----------



## pCollins

That would be great. How much thicker is the WM1Z vs ZX2?



gerelmx1986 said:


> i don't know for this one, perhaps the dock used for zx2 fits with WM1A/Z


----------



## JamesInLondon

gerelmx1986 said:


> i don't know for this one, perhaps the dock used for zx2 fits with WM1A/Z


 

 Hi All;
  
 The 1A fits rather loosely and whilst the dock does charge the WMIA, I didn't bother to try the output as I returned the capped 1A within a matter of hours.


----------



## pCollins

At what level was the 1A capped at? Was there an audible beep when you exceed?



jamesinlondon said:


> Hi All;
> 
> The 1A fits rather loosely and whilst the dock does charge the WMIA, I didn't bother to try the output as I returned the capped 1A within a matter of hours.


----------



## fish1050

cecala said:


> Your post has little merit beyond getting notice. You ascended to half the cost of the 1A to now as little as a couple of hundred dollars. Sony like all Japanese companys will look after their customers otherwise it makes no sense to keep these batteries or spare parts in general on hand.
> 
> Welcome aboard and right to the top of the tree with the 1Z, now you have nowhere to go.............until the DX200 comes out, maybe.


 
 You say a couple of hundred dollars I say $400 to $500 for out of warranty service from Sony on something as expensive as a 1Z.  I never said Sony would not have the parts available I said that it will be expensive to get these parts replaced out of warranty.  There are no local repair shops anymore for portable audio products.  You will have to ship it in to get it serviced,  you will need to pay for insurance, labor, and parts.
  
 You over estimate how much Sony supports out of warranty products.  Fifteen years of selling Sony products showed me that. They want you to buy new products, not service old ones and will make you pay to get that service.  
  
 If you feel that has no relevance then you better hope you never need out of service battery replacement or repairs. Caveat emptor!


----------



## Whitigir

Sony actually suck in servicing even a product that is within warranty. You pay all the shipping fees....warranty will be covering parts and labor only.....the last time I had problem with a China company, Oppo, it was flawless and as the product was within warranty, I did not need to pay a dime for anything. The only thing I paid was "down time" sitting st home waiting for it to come back as a healthy device to me.

I am afraid the 1Z would fall under the same category, given it being signature product and the most expensive walkman to date


----------



## tenedosian

The MDR-Z1R arrived a couple of hours ago, and I immediately put 1Z to burn-in in balanced after a brief listen with the above 3 players (the little gem in the right is Hifiman's SuperMini).
  
 Despite sounding a bit sharp on the treble section on Z1R, I can locate some differences between 1A and 1Z.
  
 I chose tracks that have natural dynamic range (uncompressed) or that contain plenty of information on the upper frequencies.
  
 In _Les Ondes Orientales_ from Dhafer Youssef, the oud of Youssef is rendered with more accuracy in 1Z and sounds more organic compared to 1A. Besides, 1Z shows its advantage on, say, the ride cymbal on the record, displaying it in a slightly more crisp way and richer in micro detail. Very nice treble extension on 1Z.
  
 In _Take Away My Pain_ from Dream Theater's album _Once In A Livetime _there is a distinguishing acoustic guitar part in the intro. The portrayal of the acoustic guitar of John Petrucci here also shows the more realistic treble section of 1Z against 1A sounding more crisp, brighter (naturally coloured) and more accurate.
  
 The "colour" that 1Z gives the acoustic instruments (compared to more neutral 1A) happens to be a positive thing on these songs.
  
 In balanced connection, the difference I've heard right now between 1Z and 1A (in pre-burn-in) is quite small ; but it is definitely there, yes.
  
 However, in these songs the differences between Hifiman SuperMini (which I rate as a valuable player among cheaper players) and WM series players are *very* obvious. The rolled-off treble section of SuperMini simply sounds uninformative in the upper registers, making the player fail in the realistic portrayal of instruments.
  
 I'll do more comparisons in the following weeks throwing in more cans from different brands.


----------



## Whitigir

How much is that hifiman....lol


----------



## denis1976

tenedosian said:


> The MDR-Z1R arrived a couple of hours ago, and I immediately put 1Z to burn-in in balanced after a brief listen with the above 3 players (the little gem in the right is Hifiman's SuperMini).
> 
> Despite sounding a bit sharp on the treble section on Z1R, I can locate differences between 1A and 1Z.
> 
> ...


hello , in balanced mode still caped or plays louder?


----------



## Whitigir

Will this do anything to the WM series ?
http://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/service-menu-access.html


----------



## tenedosian

It is still capped in balanced (logically) and it has similar sound output to single-ended. 
  
 If you own an A10 - A20 series walkman, I can say that the sound output of these devices at max volume is _*close*_ to step 24-25 over 30. 
  
 In case one says "I'm already happy with 25 / 30 volume on A17 as max, and I never exceed it", than volume cap may not bother you that much. Yet, in any case it is annoying for sure.


----------



## Whitigir

There is something to be called a "headroom" . Better have it and don't need it....rather than...


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Will this do anything to the WM series ?
> http://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/service-menu-access.html


 
 I think is trial and error 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 if you are willing to do all the permutations


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> How much is that hifiman....lol


 
 perhaps at the same league as a A30 walkman?


----------



## 463782

I just purchased the MUC-B20SB1 (Sony/Kimber Kable balanced cable) on Amazon JP via Buyee (a Tenso company) for $260.23.
 The price included Buyee's fee ($5). Have you had a chance to try them out? Are they reliable?
 The overall price seemed decent to me.


----------



## olddude

whitigir said:


> Sony actually suck in servicing even a product that is within warranty. You pay all the shipping fees....warranty will be covering parts and labor only.....*the last time I had problem with a China company, Oppo, it was flawless and as the product was within warranty*, I did not need to pay a dime for anything. The only thing I paid was "down time" sitting st home waiting for it to come back as a healthy device to me.
> 
> I am afraid the 1Z would fall under the same category, given it being signature product and the most expensive walkman to date


 
 Oppo has fantastic customer service, even when your device is out of warranty.  Pricey units, but the quality is there and customer satisfaction is something Oppo seems to cherish.  If you ship to them, they fix and ship out often the same day the item arrives.  Out of warranty repair costs are often minimal.  
  
 Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.


----------



## nanaholic

lexomil said:


> I just purchased the MUC-B20SB1 (Sony/Kimber Kable balanced cable) on Amazon JP via Buyee (a Tenso company) for $260.23.
> The price included Buyee's fee ($5). Have you had a chance to try them out? Are they reliable?
> The overall price seemed decent to me.


 
  
 Buyee is pretty trustworthy.  Also never lost a package from Tenso either.


----------



## gerelmx1986

MY WM1A HAS BEEN FINALLY SHIPPED, sadly it arrives the day i Go damn


----------



## rcl5555

I just received my NW-WM1a today.  I have not played with it much, but so far I am very pleased with it.  Does anyone know where I can order a balanced adapter to go from the 4.4 mm balanced output to headphones with a 2.5 mm male balanced connector?  I am in the US.


----------



## kubig123

rcl5555 said:


> I just received my NW-WM1a today.  I have not played with it much, but so far I am very pleased with it.  Does anyone know where I can order a balanced adapter to go from the 4.4 mm balanced output to headphones with a 2.5 mm male balanced connector?  I am in the US.


 

 Beat Audio announced that the availability of the 4.4mm plug in a week or so.
  
 https://www.facebook.com/BeatAudioLab


----------



## jmills8

kubig123 said:


> Beat Audio announced that the availability of the 4.4mm plug in a week or so.
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/BeatAudioLab


Labkable aswell.


----------



## robiceli

This may sound silly but how does the 1Z sound compared to the A10/20 series? 
 Is there a big difference sq wise?


----------



## thatonenoob

gerelmx1986 said:


> MY WM1A HAS BEEN FINALLY SHIPPED, sadly it arrives the day i Go damn


 
 Any chance to bump the flight forward?


----------



## Cecala

fish1050 said:


> You say a couple of hundred dollars I say $400 to $500 for out of warranty service from Sony on something as expensive as a 1Z.  I never said Sony would not have the parts available I said that it will be expensive to get these parts replaced out of warranty.  There are no local repair shops anymore for portable audio products.  You will have to ship it in to get it serviced,  you will need to pay for insurance, labor, and parts.
> 
> You over estimate how much Sony supports out of warranty products.  Fifteen years of selling Sony products showed me that. They want you to buy new products, not service old ones and will make you pay to get that service.
> 
> If you feel that has no relevance then you better hope you never need out of service battery replacement or repairs. Caveat emptor!


 

 I never said $200, YOU DID, don't invert stuff. Re-read your last posts on this matter. The battery used in the 1A/Z will still be available in years to come or at least a derivative. The local repair shop probably has gone as you have pointed out although they still exist somewhere if only you look hard enough. You are not bound by law to use Sony. It's a simple matter of buying the battery and soldering two wires. How many people here who own the 1Z will have it as their main to go player in three years time? I feel confident in saying virtually no one. Ever had somebody here say that their found their dream system and will now no longer linger on this forum. Never happened and will never happen. People here are chasing that elusive carrot that keeps moving and isn't a carrot at all. Buy a player and enjoy the music.....remember the music!! I would never buy the 1Z as the SQ is too close to it's brother and in my opinion not worth it, but that's me. Other people see it differently and that's cool too. If you feel the battery or Sony is the issue then move on to another brand. Fiio and the soon to be released DX200 have models which allow battery swapping on the fly.


----------



## gerelmx1986

robiceli said:


> This may sound silly but how does the 1Z sound compared to the A10/20 series?
> Is there a big difference sq wise?


 
 tenedosian already said


----------



## gerelmx1986

thatonenoob said:


> Any chance to bump the flight forward?


 
 No sadly nope, american airlines will slap me with a $300 schedule changes


----------



## Whitigir

Merry Xmas to me


----------



## pCollins

Congratulations. 
Country of origin? Store?
Just checked amazon  still out of stock and price increased again Third hike in past week. 




whitigir said:


> Merry Xmas to me


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Merry Xmas to me


 
 Lucky dude, haha


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Lucky dude, haha




Lol, I paid ways too much for it


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Lucky dude, haha
> ...


 
 AJ used Fedex international priority (2-day) i tought they had next day LOL


----------



## pCollins

@whitigir

Is that the dock for ZX2?


----------



## gerelmx1986

pcollins said:


> @whitigir
> 
> Is that the dock for ZX2?


 
 yes


----------



## Whitigir

pcollins said:


> @whitigir
> 
> Is that the dock for ZX2?




Yes sir !


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Whitigir what are you doing to your ZX2? dump it (sell)?


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Whitigir
> what are you doing to your ZX2? dump it (sell)?




Compare it to WM1Z first  then we will see.

Right in with her "born to be paired" gentle man


----------



## garetjax1

whitigir said:


> Merry Xmas to me


 
 Congrats! Is there a screen protector already applied? Trying to decide if i need to order some separately from my order.


----------



## Whitigir

garetjax1 said:


> Congrats! Is there a screen protector already applied? Trying to decide if i need to order some separately from my order.




There is no SP included, I would have to buy it off Amazon or so. Will do it soon enough


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Compare it to WM1Z first
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 any out-of-the-box impressions?


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> any out-of-the-box impressions?




I think I will burn in the digital parts first by using as digital transport. Then we will see. That bass is very special though, and it definitely sound similarly warm as Zx2.

Oh, and that Ui is responsive. It is not slow at all.


----------



## garetjax1

whitigir said:


> There is no SP included, I would have to buy it off Amazon or so. Will do it soon enough


 
  
 Thanks for letting me know ... Ugh, disappointing, but not surprising. Apple has set a precedent for a la carte everything, to the consumer's detriment.


----------



## Whitigir

The SE 3.5mm is actually powerful too, and not only the Balanced out. It is probably because Z1R is too easy to drive ? In Balanced, I needed 75 out of 120, then 3.5 TRRS I needed 95 out of 120. Yeah, it is good in both.

If you only use easy to drive headphones, it is ok to use 3.5mm TRRS  in the mean while waiting for 4.4mm.

Matte body of Gold color which helps the Good color to be deeper, darker and look much better in person than in the picture. It is not shiny and bling bling like the pictures show. An eyes candy pieces for sure


----------



## Dithyrambes

whitigir said:


> Merry Xmas to me


oh snap...time for the review to come!


----------



## Dithyrambes

Whitigir let us know when you finish getting the signature trio kkkk


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> Whitigir let us know when you finish getting the signature trio kkkk




I am done...unless Sony send me a free Amp roflmao . My best X-Mas so far


----------



## denis1976

whitigir said:


> The SE 3.5mm is actually powerful too, and not only the Balanced out. It is probably because Z1R is too easy to drive ? In Balanced, I needed 75 out of 120, then 3.5 TRRS I needed 95 out of 120. Yeah, it is good in both.
> 
> If you only use easy to drive headphones, it is ok to use 3.5mm TRRS  in the mean while waiting for 4.4mm.
> 
> Matte body of Gold color which helps the Good color to be deeper, darker and look much better in person than in the picture. It is not shiny and bling bling like the pictures show. An eyes candy pieces for sure


hello , congratulations, the volume you say is with high gain on?


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> hello , congratulations, the volume you say is with high gain on?




Oh yes, it is with high gain on. My apologize, WM1Z carried me away lol....

Now back to burning in. I will burn in the digital S-Master first before I start on those analog capacitors. So I will be using it as digital transport first for a couple days 




However, in transport mode...my HA1 remote do not work with controlling WM1Z

The Dock for Zx2 will work awesomely with WM1Z. It sit flush and tight.




Also, my Tourist version has 14 languages on it . English was the default one


----------



## denis1976

whitigir said:


> Oh yes, it is with high gain on. My apologize, WM1Z carried me away lol....
> 
> Now back to burning in. I will burn in the digital S-Master first before I start on those analog capacitors. So I will be using it as digital transport first for a couple days
> 
> ...


maybe i am wrong and if i am i apologize, but i think that if you don't plug any headphone into the 1z the capacitor burning will not be well made , because the amplifier is not working when you plug into the digital out


----------



## kms108

garetjax1 said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > Merry Xmas to me
> ...


 
 You should try to get the official one, very expensive and I think it's made of sapphire crystal, model number is CC-OCG-028 cost is 12800 yen + tax.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> You should try to get the official one, very expensive and I think it's made of sapphire crystal, model number is CC-OCG-028 cost is 12800 yen + tax.




Really ? What is the name of it ...found it. Damn ! I gotta get it. Thank you !

http://pur.store.sony.jp/acc3/products/acc3_walkman_sheet/CC-OCG-028_product/



denis1976 said:


> maybe i am wrong and if i am i apologize, but i think that if you don't plug any headphone into the 1z the capacitor burning will not be well made , because the amplifier is not working when you plug into the digital out




You are correct, my theory is that Sony uses some capacitors for Digital power supply toward the digital section of the WM1Z, and then it get fed into the analog class D amplifier which uses more capacitors. Everything electric will have some leakage, and this leakage tolerances will only settled down with "burn-in". Therefore even the DAC and digital sections of the WM1Z would have it too. I will try to burn in this section first and wait until it finished settling down, then feed it into the capacitors in the analog sections to burn in again .

But again, it is just a player, and you can do whatever fit lol


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> denis1976 said:
> 
> 
> > hello , congratulations, the volume you say is with high gain on?
> ...


 
 Does anyone know why the 1A or 1Z is all labelled in korea, looking at your photo. yours is the tourist version from japan, but the box and label on the unit is korean, even the ZX2 is the same.
  
 I popped into the Hong Kong sony center yesterday, to play the 1A and 1Z, both is also labelled in korean and I checked some details on it, this is the official Hong Kong Version out of the box used from a display unit, so the staff say, 13 selectable UI language including chinese traditional/simplified, korean, japanese, english and others, and 4 typing language including Japanese, english and chinese traditional/simplifed.
  
 And no CE markings, the label on the unit 1A is printed whiles the 1Z is a sticker.
  
 Can you check the above detail if it's the same on your's, as I will probably pickup the tourist version in japan during my visit.


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > You should try to get the official one, very expensive and I think it's made of sapphire crystal, model number is CC-OCG-028 cost is 12800 yen + tax.
> ...


 
  
 I won't bother about rushing with the burn in, just use the unit as normal, you will soon reach your goal.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> I won't bother about rushing with the burn in, just use the unit as normal, you will soon reach your goal.




That is my idea, but I will be using it as digital transport first to burn in the digital S-Master chipset first before its signals get fed into the internal class D amp for headphones output. Therefore I am using it as we speak in Digital transport mode 

Regarding the 1Z Tourist versions with Korean or Japanese. I hear someone stated that his was printed with Japanese, and I think this is the Japanese Tourist model where you can only buy it within Japan, and the rest of the Asia Tourist model is defaulted with Korean printed on. There should be no differences between the 2 models though.


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > I won't bother about rushing with the burn in, just use the unit as normal, you will soon reach your goal.
> ...


 

 yours have a sticker on the unit, by looking at the photo and it's in korean, this is the same with the hong kong version, the 1A is actually printed on the unit, may be sony doesn't want to ruin the finish, just a guess, and your is a japanese version?


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> yours have a sticker on the unit, by looking at the photo and it's in korean, this is the same with the hong kong version, the 1A is actually printed on the unit, may be sony doesn't want to ruin the finish, just a guess, and your is a japanese version?




It is Asia version and not a Japan version. Yeah, why would they be printing onto my Gold finish . The gold look so good in person with Matted finish


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > yours have a sticker on the unit, by looking at the photo and it's in korean, this is the same with the hong kong version, the 1A is actually printed on the unit, may be sony doesn't want to ruin the finish, just a guess, and your is a japanese version?
> ...


 

 May be you should request sony to make a real gold version. with Credit Suisse engraved on it, thats even better.


----------



## garetjax1

kms108 said:


> You should try to get the official one, very expensive and I think it's made of sapphire crystal, model number is CC-OCG-028 cost is 12800 yen + tax.


 
  
 Thanks for pointing that out - yikes, expensive indeed! I wonder how long it would take to ship state-side...


----------



## Whitigir

garetjax1 said:


> Thanks for pointing that out - yikes, expensive indeed! I wonder how long it would take to ship state-side...




And where to buy it lol


----------



## kms108

garetjax1 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > You should try to get the official one, very expensive and I think it's made of sapphire crystal, model number is CC-OCG-028 cost is 12800 yen + tax.
> ...


 

 it wouldn't be available official out of japan, you need to have a agent to ship them for you, many available like http://buyee.jp/


----------



## Whitigir

Lol...WM1Z won't count Digital transport playing time into Audio played time....what in the world.


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Lol...WM1Z won't count Digital transport playing time into Audio played time....what in the world.


 
 i bet because electronic stuff like a chip doesn't get affected by burn-in like caps ir resistors do


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> i bet because electronic stuff like a chip doesn't get affected by burn-in like caps ir resistors do




Yeah...forget it...going to do straight Z1R and balanced cables for burn in...lol


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Yeah...forget it...going to do straight Z1R and balanced cables for burn in...lol


 
 will you burn only Balance or also the SE/TRRS?


----------



## SoLame

whitigir said:


> There is no SP included, I would have to buy it off Amazon or so. Will do it soon enough


 
 ZX2 and WM1z screens same exact dimension? thanks


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> will you burn only Balance or also the SE/TRRS?




I will have to do both, but balanced primarily now



solame said:


> ZX2 and WM1z screens same exact dimension? thanks




No, 

Zx2: 2.5x5.5 or so
WM1Z: 2.30x5.20 or so in inches


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> I will have to do both, but balanced primarily now


 
 I see they delivered 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The good news is you can charge it and play at the same time, and once full, you can just leave it running even when you can't listen for over a day, you'll be done almost in no time
  
 EDIT: Also, I was wondering if you saw any information about their DC Phase Linearizer option? I didn't really find much info on this


----------



## Whitigir

echineko said:


> I see they delivered   The good news is you can charge it and play at the same time, and once full, you can just leave it running even when you can't listen for over a day, you'll be done almost in no time




No rush ...I love witnessing the changed. Out of the box at 0:00...and it was all about that bass but trebles was like ???? Where are you ??? Lol, especially the lower trebles and micro details....it made me panick for a bit. But 2 hours later and she is showing herself.

I am sure 400 hours or so would be Golden


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> No rush
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 You're going for 400 instead of 200, now? Is that per circuit, 800 total? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And you might consider getting a new dynamic driver IEM that requires burn-in as well, kill two birds with one stone, etc. Also, did you see the second question? I only thought of it after posting, heh.


----------



## Whitigir

echineko said:


> You're going for 400 instead of 200, now? Is that per circuit, 800 total?   And you might consider getting a new dynamic driver IEM that requires burn-in as well, kill two birds with one stone, etc. Also, did you see the second question? I only thought of it after posting, heh.




Yeah, I think the 1Z will need around that 400 hours. My pha-3 needed 550 hours in balanced connection. It has similar counts of capacitors...lol. Plus, Zx2 stated 100 hours where it needed 250 hours. So it is safe to x2 the recommended hours (200). I just roughly estimated 400 hours or so.

I have turned off everything and checked direct source mode. I will play around with effects after the burn-in


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> I have turned off everything and checked direct source mode. I will play around with effects after the burn-in


 
 Yes, that was my thinking as well. No need to decide based on SQ that's still settling. If the ZX2 is any indicator, I will end up preferring the sound processing that Sony provides once it's settled, heh.


----------



## Whitigir

echineko said:


> Yes, that was my thinking as well. No need to decide based on SQ that's still settling. If the ZX2 is any indicator, I will end up preferring the sound processing that Sony provides once it's settled, heh.




This gold is so good looking, and totally is stunning in person. This Deep Matte Gold is too awesome. The weight is awesome and not heavy as people thought it out to be. I guess we had been spoiled by the Iphones and those slim phones too much. 

Now, if I could get a good screen protector


----------



## Fabi

whitigir said:


> This gold is so good looking, and totally is stunning in person. This Deep Matte Gold is too awesome. The weight is awesome and not heavy as people thought it out to be. I guess we had been spoiled by the Iphones and those slim phones too much.
> 
> Now, if I could get a good screen protector



Congrats for your purchase, man, a classy gold bar


----------



## Cagin

whitigir said:


> Then why even bother buying 1A or especially 1Z ? Just buy a DP-x1 (A) and call it a day. Or 380 copper. From sacrificing WIfi capability and still can not beat those two in what you need for your IEMS.
> 
> Also, I had been waiting for a review from Jude for a while regarding the WM players too...anyone have any ideas ?


 
 I bother because I've been waiting for the best DAP for a while now.
 I believe I was still consistent with posting record on either 1A/1Z threads and on the DP-X1 + ZX2.
 I'm after the best portable solution, top SQ with iems, including non distracting hiss with my currently best available iem.
 The price doesn't matter, I want the best of ultra portability. DAP + iem.
 DP-X1B one I own currently is disqualified because it's a battery hog. The A won't see a penny from me as I refuse to beta test Onkyo's stuff anymore after the shameful jack issues. The A doesn't have any more battery duration than the old one.
 Consequently the AK380 and any other A&K were already off my radar as they last even less than the DP-X1. Same as the LPG.
 LPG has a great snappy UI true, but it's still takes time to scroll through folders.
 QP1R while has the displayed list page jump button still doesn't quite reach the speed of a touch scroll bar.
  
 Ever since the 1A and 1Z were announced I had been waiting for them, I may not have posted as much as y'all.
 I'm not after collecting daps and iems, I rather sell off my Cowon Plenue D and DP-X1 to just keep one ideal dap. I don't think I'm being unfair when I also demand that Sony improves on the speed of the UI at those prices.
  
 Back on topic, in the Empire thread, a fellow head-fier said that there were no hiss at all with the Zeus XR Adel and the Sony WM1Z 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Did anyone manage to get a nice deal on either Sony models for Black Friday - Cyber Monday? I couldn't find any ^^


----------



## musicday

Is there any website that sells the non capped version internationally?
Price Japan and accessory jack don't have it.


----------



## Whitigir

I don't even see a hint of lag in my WM1Z. I can confirm that the background is much cleaner than Zx2 and the noisy is not observable by me.

Also, the screen quality is much better on WM1Z than Zx2 



fabi said:


> Congrats for your purchase, man, a classy gold bar




Thank you! Keeping this a secret from my ...lol


----------



## Whitigir

Burning the couples in right within their own beautiful and Cozy Home! I even closed the door for their own privacy


----------



## gerelmx1986

My ZX100 requiered about 250hr to complete burn in


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> I don't even see a hint of lag in my WM1Z. I can confirm that the background is much cleaner than Zx2 and the noisy is not observable by me.
> 
> Also, the screen quality is much better on WM1Z than Zx2
> 
> ...


 
 It wasn't really a lag, just a slow os, but that was before the current update which fixed it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

My WM1A lands in Memphis in 3 hours (if i am tracking the right FDX flight LOL) and tomorrow a trip of 3 hours to mexico hope customs release it and gets delivered tomorrow


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> Is there any website that sells the non capped version internationally?
> Price Japan and accessory jack don't have it.


 

 currently AJ has it on back-order but they shipped the pre-orders mine is on the way


----------



## gerelmx1986

What does @nanaholic recommends me? install FW 1.01 then 1.02 or skip 1.01 and install FW1.02 directly


----------



## rushofblood

musicday said:


> Is there any website that sells the non capped version internationally?
> Price Japan and accessory jack don't have it.



I've got one on preorder from my favourite local store, Music Sanctuary! Overheard Kozato and his staff mentioning something about free international shipping so I assume they're going to open up sales to the rest of the world.


----------



## PCheung

gerelmx1986 said:


> What does @nanaholic
> recommends me? install FW 1.01 then 1.02 or skip 1.01 and install FW1.02 directly




Just use media go to install 1.02 should be fine.


----------



## Jazzi

Amazon (US) now has them listed at $3,299 (USD) and offering Prime shipping.  
  
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LRQZS8Y/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> What does @nanaholic recommends me? install FW 1.01 then 1.02 or skip 1.01 and install FW1.02 directly


 
  
 Obviously I did 1.01 > 1.02, though according to the support page 1.02 supports all versions so a direct install should be fine.


----------



## bvng3540

Ebay user name gzs1001 has it for $3190 or best offer


----------



## purk

jazzi said:


> Amazon (US) now has them listed at $3,299 (USD) and offering Prime shipping.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LRQZS8Y/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=


 
 Nice to see that they are showing up.  Mine should be here in couple of weeks.  Still a long long time for a portable nirvana.


----------



## Whitigir

purk said:


> Nice to see that they are showing up.  Mine should be here in couple of weeks.  Still a long long time for a portable nirvana.




Yeah, but that isn't sold by Amazon...it is fulfilled though


----------



## kms108

So you know, a cheap case available from china, they do international shipping, but it's in chinese, or you can use a agent, or aliexpress, ebay or amazon.
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.1.lgd6ub&id=542493732706&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail


----------



## Romiros

And how to buy this one? http://wagnus.exblog.jp/24957519/ 4.4 mm 5 pole jack! About 20 dollars


----------



## echineko

romiros said:


> And how to buy this one? http://wagnus.exblog.jp/24957519/ 4.4 mm 5 pole jack! About 20 dollars



Don't think you can buy it from them separately. If I understood correctly, it's an announcement about the 4.4mm jack they will be using in their cables (Wagnus is a cable manufacturer). 

My Japanese isn't the best, someone like nanaholic would be able to confirm.


----------



## kms108

romiros said:


> And how to buy this one? http://wagnus.exblog.jp/24957519/ 4.4 mm 5 pole jack! About 20 dollars


 

 They have a email, contact them.


----------



## Gibraltar

romiros said:


> And how to buy this one? http://wagnus.exblog.jp/24957519/ 4.4 mm 5 pole jack! About 20 dollars




Looks like this isn't for sale on its own, it's a $20 option on Wagnus cables.


----------



## kms108

Give it some time, it's only been released, and many places are starting to have them, few more week, or a month, you will see them everywhere.
  
 So that you know it, this is available in china now at USD 0.15USD each, may not be the best quality.
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.107.H947LH&id=540805652183&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  

  
 I will be going to china next week, I can see what is available, if anyone is interested, do let me know, I will only go for some acceptable quality ones, probable cost a few dollar, not including shipping.


----------



## gerelmx1986

pcheung said:


> Just use media go to install 1.02 should be fine.


 
  
  


nanaholic said:


> Obviously I did 1.01 > 1.02, though according to the support page 1.02 supports all versions so a direct install should be fine.


 
 Thank you guys, mine has arrived to the customs in mexico


----------



## musicday

Will send an email to accessory jack and check when the gold model will be available.


----------



## Whitigir

20 hours in, and I have to say that this is so damn good in the bass departments. On floor kick drums, these guys are in real life can deliver super deep bass slam and it decays. I literally meant it, this was one of the attribute from Z1R itself and combined with the WM1Z, this bass has a unique characteristic that I have not heard from anything else....not Zx2, not Oppo Ha-1, not Pha-3, not DP-X1...not Mojo...Not micro IdSD.......nothing that I have came across since this hobby began for me...different cables would introduce different colorations and such.....but the funny micro distortions remains. This deep bass distortion always ate a part of my heart, and I disliked it....in fact, I almost gave up and thought it was the track itself, or the recording.

Now, of course having the 3k DAP in my hand, I put it up to challenge.

This is a summed up about this bass unique attribute 

" So Damn Deep bass, and So Damn Clean"!!!!!! No grains, no funny micro-distortions !!!

Vividly presenting, powerful, slamming down and fading out, rumbling and vibrating.....a total realistic slam on grand drums. The first time ever that I experiences this from portable and headphones. These super deep bass were never observed by me on large stereo systems. I only knew it presenting because I attended many live concert, and my relatives used to play instruments. I also love live performances in restaurants and places whenever I can. The only time I could experiences this "grand Slam" is from live concert with expensive ticket and being hosted in a stadium...in some cases, the loudness could blow me away, and or live instruments only.

Yes, this bass is unique, and realistic. 

I observed this from both the modified SA5000 and Z1R in balanced connection.

The first time ever that I felt so satisfied following this Grandbass without grains, or distortions !

Love it!!

By the way, 20 hours of continuously playing music and is being charged and playing at the same time for over an hour now.....it is still Cool to the touch, not a "hint" of warmth or heat coming of the player. My apologize if someone was looking to warm their hand with the player during the winter ? Another unique thing about Walkman, and in this particular case, the WM1Z. My Esther M1-Pro here would be so warmed up after being charged for 20 minutes without playing anything at all....LOL! And many others


----------



## gerelmx1986

report us @Whitigir  at which time it starts to sound "weird"


----------



## gerelmx1986

asked fedex via email if they can speed customs and ship it by today because i have a trip tomorrow LOL


----------



## PCheung

whitigir said:


> By the way, 20 hours of continuously playing music and is being charged and playing at the same time for over an hour now.....it is still Cool to the touch, not a "hint" of warmth or heat coming of the player. My apologize if someone was looking to warm their hand with the player during the winter ? Another unique thing about Walkman, and in this particular case, the WM1Z. My Esther M1-Pro here would be so warmed up after being charged for 20 minutes without playing anything at all....LOL! And many others


 
  
 I'm also very impressed by the low heat emission of WM-1Z
 One day I let it played some 5.6MHz DSD files 8 hours straight with balance out 
 and the machine is still cool with 1/4 battery left 
  
 Very very impressive, as my AK240 will become ridiculously hot and died out in 2-3 hours


----------



## nanaholic

pcheung said:


> I'm also very impressed by the low heat emission of WM-1Z
> One day I let it played some 5.6MHz DSD files 8 hours straight with balance out
> and the machine is still cool with 1/4 battery left
> 
> Very very impressive, as my AK240 will become ridiculously hot and died out in 2-3 hours


 
  
 That's the technical advantage of Sony showing through.
 After all they took part in development and commercialisation of the DSD format, and electronically they design their own silicon to do the decoding work.  No other DAP vendor out there can claim to have this kind of understanding so Sony are in a unique position to do a lot of optimization work to make things work in the best and most efficient way.


----------



## Whitigir

A quick note to those who are using WM1A/Z. There is a Relay built-in and it Only Works when you Plug and unplug at the Player Sockets. It does not work when you Plugs, unplugs at your Headphones Sockets, unlike Pha-3.

Therefore, attention must be paid. Only do this as sequence 

1/ plugged in your cables at the headphones
2/ And then plugged in your headphones and cables into the Players.

If you need to swap headphones

1/ unplug at the players, then swap your headphones
2/ repeat the aboe steps.

Have fun


----------



## musicday

whitigir said:


> A quick note to those who are using WM1A/Z. There is a Relay built-in and it Only Works when you Plug and unplug at the Player Sockets. It does not work when you Plugs, unplugs at your Headphones Sockets, unlike Pha-3.
> 
> Therefore, attention must be paid. Only do this as sequence
> 
> ...



Will it drive headphones like Ether C Flow properly?
I guess not.


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> Will it drive headphones like Ether C Flow properly?
> I guess not.




I don't have that headphones, so I can not comment on it . Z1R and SA5000 are fine


----------



## Steven R. Rochli

Drives the OPPO PM-3 quite well.... if that helps. Still prefer CIEMs personally (in no particular order, Noble K10, HUM Ref, 64Audio A12, JH Audio Roxanne, etc.).


----------



## audionewbi

Hum pristine pairing with wm1a is great with the condition that the recording used also on the good mastering side. Else I find that pairing too analytical. 

I've reach the 400 hour on single ended side and I will set down over this weekend and tabulate all my IEM pairing and perhaps write a very quick impression on wm1a.


----------



## Whitigir

So much rushing ^_^ ? It is enjoyable to listen as it changes ? I think so.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mine still stuck in customs damn it


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> mine still stuck in customs damn it




I wouldn't surprised if only an empty box come to your address while you are away and when your protected windows expired.....you are done for good....Worse case scenarios. Ever thought about how to deal with it ?

I am sure someone is googling key words "Sony NW-WM1A". Then later something is on eBay ....lol


----------



## musicday

whitigir said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > mine still stuck in customs damn it
> ...



Is not nice to laugh at him now that he doesn't have the player yet in his hand while you are enjoying yours.
Yours can always break down quicker than his


----------



## Bengkia369

Most users reported burn in sounds better and better, is there such thing whereby burn in actually becoming sounding worse?


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> Is not nice to laugh at him now that he doesn't have the player yet in his hand while you are enjoying yours.
> Yours can always break down quicker than his




Yeah, well, in fact I wasn't laughing because he doesn't have his player, but I was trying to warn him of potential issues so he could think of a solution if it turned out to be true.

Probably a year ago he had custom stealing his Z7 , the box came but it was a book inside, I believe, and it took him a long while before everything got solved. Mexico customs is notorious...



bengkia369 said:


> Most users reported burn in sounds better and better, is there such thing whereby burn in actually becoming sounding worse?




Unlikely, because the manufacturers developed it, and so they already did all research on liability, burning in, tolerances, leakages....etc...etc....within their R&D and Engineering departments. Unless, we are talking about a "kickstarter" products which was put together by freshly college graduated...


----------



## vilhelm44

Has anyone used the players with Etymotic ER-4XR earphones?


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > gerelmx1986 said:
> ...


arrived at FedEx but says delivery exception, arrived at station when no courier dispatch


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> arrived at FedEx but says delivery exception, arrived at station when no courier dispatch




Put it on hold, and get it sorted out early tomorrow morning, go pick it up before the trip...


----------



## Whitigir

TRRS line out on 3.5mm 
Direct source 
High gain
85 volume
Balanced into home stereo



This is so goooood...needs burnin though


----------



## Cecala

vilhelm44 said:


> Has anyone used the players with Etymotic ER-4XR earphones?


 

 I think this question has been asked before and never answered. From what I've read about these on the Etymotic thread they should sound great with the 1A/Z, especially the Z as it has slightly thicker sound.


----------



## audionewbi

400 hours had reached and as a result i begun pairing my IEM/headphone with WM1A. I always start with old favourite. ER4S, EX-1000 and CK100Pro. Plugged in the EX-1000, everything stock as the after market cable I bought is terminated with 2.5mm finish. Played some of my favourite albums, always seem to start with The Chopin Project Album by Alice Sara Ott and Ólafur Arnalds. As I am typing this it is the third time I have listen to this album from start to finish, and moments ago when I got up from my bed I wondered why on earth I had scattered all my IEM on my table, I was lost so much in music that I had forgotten about it.

 I have no idea why on earth Sony stopped working on EX-1000. In terms of wideness and depth of soundstage, microdetail extraction this pairing to me is a 10/10.


----------



## productred

audionewbi said:


> 400 hours had reached and as a result i begun pairing my IEM/headphone with WM1A. I always start with old favourite. ER4S, EX-1000 and CK100Pro. Plugged in the EX-1000, everything stock as the after market cable I bought is terminated with 2.5mm finish. Played some of my favourite albums, always seem to start with The Chopin Project Album by Alice Sara Ott and Ólafur Arnalds. As I am typing this it is the third time I have listen to this album from start to finish, and moments ago when I got up from my bed I wondered why on earth I had scattered all my IEM on my table, I was lost so much in music that I had forgotten about it.
> 
> I have no idea why on earth Sony stopped working on EX-1000. In terms of wideness and depth of soundstage, microdetail extraction this pairing to me is a 10/10.


 
  
 I've tried the 1A with the EX-1000 for a short while and love it. But if you are into that Sony-ness you really have to get to try the 1A with the Z5.........the only approved (by me) evolution of the EX-1000 but way to much a hassle to deal with than the EX-1000. The 1A is like its long lost bro.


----------



## Kerouac

Just noticed this and maybe interesting for EU buyers: http://www.advancedmp3players.co.uk/
 10% discount (2 days left) on a new WM1A = £900 instead of £1K
  
 It's probably the capped version, but no import taxes and low shipping costs


----------



## audionewbi

productred said:


> I've tried the 1A with the EX-1000 for a short while and love it. But if you are into that Sony-ness you really have to get to try the 1A with the Z5.........the only approved (by me) evolution of the EX-1000 but way to much a hassle to deal with than the EX-1000. The 1A is like its long lost bro.


 
 I just can't believe how good these two pair, the color, the sound. I use the DC-phase, I finally can hear its impact clearly.


----------



## musicday

kerouac said:


> Just noticed this and maybe interesting for EU buyers: http://www.advancedmp3players.co.uk/
> 10% discount (2 days left) on a new WM1A = £900 instead of £1K
> 
> It's probably the capped version, but no import taxes and low shipping costs :rolleyes:



Don't think is worth it especially if is the capped version.I have noticed that the prices drop on these walkmans slowly slowly.


----------



## Kerouac

musicday said:


> Don't think is worth it especially if is the capped version.I have noticed that the prices drop on these walkmans slowly slowly.


 
  
 Yeah, you might be right there and I'm not buying it myself atm as I will also wait untill the DX200 (for comparison with the WM1A) has been released.
 But I thought maybe somebody else in EU would be interested...


----------



## nanaholic

audionewbi said:


> I have no idea why on earth Sony stopped working on EX-1000. In terms of wideness and depth of soundstage, microdetail extraction this pairing to me is a 10/10.




Because Matsuo-san started his Just ear project.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Because Matsuo-san started his Just ear project.




That will be a reason for me to visit Japan later in the future LoL, but probably not


----------



## gerelmx1986

Walkman did not make it


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Walkman did not make it




Flyman did make it though, have a safe trip


----------



## PCheung

nanaholic said:


> Because Matsuo-san started his Just ear project.


 
  
 Ordered my XJE-MH2 Listening model last month 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Ahhhhh... 4 months of waiting....
 Estimate late January


----------



## PCheung

https://twitter.com/dignis_jp/status/803955520834895872
  
 According to dignis's twitter
 the WM-1A/Z case will be available in brown, red, blue and black.
  
 https://twitter.com/dignis_jp/status/804229526385373186
 Also, a bling bling golden case was scraped in prototype stage


----------



## garetjax1

pcheung said:


> https://twitter.com/dignis_jp/status/803955520834895872
> 
> According to dignis's twitter
> the WM-1A/Z case will be available in brown, red, blue and black.
> ...


 
  
 Thanks for the updates and translation! I would definitely like to get one when it becomes available... does either post say anything on timeframe?


----------



## PCheung

garetjax1 said:


> Thanks for the updates and translation! I would definitely like to get one when it becomes available... does either post say anything on timeframe?


 
 https://twitter.com/dignis_jp/status/804164608088907780
  
 Targeting release within year 2016 in Japan market


----------



## garetjax1

Um, do you mean 2017?


----------



## PCheung

garetjax1 said:


> Um, do you mean 2017?


 
 Sorry, typo.
 2016.
  
 The original is "we are working hard and hope we can release within this year"


----------



## garetjax1

Ah, hehe, okay - that is great news... Thank you!!!


----------



## PCheung

Welcome! 
 but only 30 days left and 2017 is coming....
  
 really hope I can buy myself a dignis case as Xmas present


----------



## Whitigir

1Z owners thread here. Hope to see many many more there 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/827575/sony-nw-wm1z-owner-and-impressions#post_13052865


----------



## kms108

TBH I haven't hear people talk about the WM port, what do you think about it, I kind of hate using it, even for my ZX2 when buying it, it did made me think twice, back then I'd rather they used a micro USB, and for the 1A and 1Z, I'd prefer the USB type C, it is the age of the type C whiles the micro USB will slowly fade.
  
 Just like my ZX2, it makes me carry a extra cable or a micro USB to WM port adapter around if it is needed, lucky the long playing times makes up for that and hopefully the 1A would last me about a week in between charge just like my current ZX 2.


----------



## Whitigir

WM Port is actually genius. There are so much potentials, and the port is very stable which put reliability into the next level Vs micro USB or USB port. Even the core of the pins terminals were custom made by Sony to be much thicker, and denser as I already opened up stock OEM vs China Made WM port.

I was originally disliked it, but now I Adore it.


----------



## nanaholic

pcheung said:


> Ordered my XJE-MH2 Listening model last month
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Congrats!  The listening model is pretty sweet sounding and is the tune that I preferred out of the 3 preset sounds of the MH2 line up.


----------



## Whitigir

This bass from the 1Z is so good....I can not describe it enough. The first time coming back to my FLAC favorite "Unbreak My heart." Thank you Sony, I can clearly hear the Floor kick drum and it Slam, decay, inner energies density munch better than I ever did


----------



## gerelmx1986

Meanwhile in my house 

 Aarrghhhh


----------



## Kerouac

gerelmx1986 said:


> Meanwhile in my house


 
  
 A WM1A box with a mexican book inside?
 (edit: oh wait, you added an actual dap pic)
  
 Now, the rest of your holiday you'll probably spend thinking about the moment that you can finally try this dap


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Maybe the next models. I'm kinda surprised that they went with the wm port whereas their cheaper models have micro USB. 





kms108 said:


> TBH I haven't hear people talk about the WM port, what do you think about it, I kind of hate using it, even for my ZX2 when buying it, it did made me think twice, back then I'd rather they used a micro USB, and for the 1A and 1Z, I'd prefer the USB type C, it is the age of the type C whiles the micro USB will slowly fade.
> 
> Just like my ZX2, it makes me carry a extra cable or a micro USB to WM port adapter around if it is needed, lucky the long playing times makes up for that and hopefully the 1A would last me about a week in between charge just like my current ZX 2.




At least it reached one in one piece and not one peso.


gerelmx1986 said:


> Meanwhile in my house
> 
> Aarrghhhh


----------



## kms108

audiobreeder said:


> Maybe the next models. I'm kinda surprised that they went with the wm port whereas their cheaper models have micro USB.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Do you mean the NW-A37, A36 or A35, they are still WM ports.
  
 Something like this is a alternation to the cheaper WM with AK4452 chipset.


----------



## kms108




----------



## flipper203

whoch website do you recomend to import in europe the non capped version of the 1A?


----------



## kms108

flipper203 said:


> whoch website do you recomend to import in europe the non capped version of the 1A?


 

 Try AJ, pricejapan, ebay or amazon. Best to ask before you place a order.


----------



## Mmet

gerelmx1986 said:


> Meanwhile in my house
> 
> Aarrghhhh


 
 Damn man !! this is cruel


----------



## squirrelman

I got in on the Audeze B-Stock sale for the LCD-2 so I decided to see how they did through my WM1A (with about 140hrs on the single ended) and they are much better than I expected honestly.  I have sound at about 95 +/- a few on high gain and honestly I'm quite happy with the sound, i'm pretty impressed.  It's not quite as good as my Lampizator Euforia into MicroZOTL but it isn't that far off.  The more I use my WM1A the more I like it, it's sounding better and better all the time.  Every time I pick it up it makes me think of the Leica M7 I used to own, man I miss that camera...


----------



## Fsilva

Music Sanctuary is also an option and they don´t charge for shipping! I´m think i will order one from them!


----------



## Whitigir

4.4mm line out to Balanced input home stereo


----------



## Cecala

gerelmx1986 said:


> Meanwhile in my house
> 
> Aarrghhhh


 

 OH Man, didn't you hear..............ZX3 just announced.


----------



## kms108

cecala said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Meanwhile in my house
> ...


 
 any info.


----------



## Cecala

kms108 said:


> any info.


 

 As soon as Sony posts it.


----------



## pCollins

cecala said:


> OH Man, didn't you hear..............ZX3 just announced.


 
  
 Is this a hoax or s joke?


----------



## pCollins

squirrelman said:


> I got in on the Audeze B-Stock sale for the LCD-2 so I decided to see how they did through my WM1A (with about 140hrs on the single ended) and they are much better than I expected honestly.  I have sound at about 95 +/- a few on high gain and honestly I'm quite happy with the sound, i'm pretty impressed.  It's not quite as good as my Lampizator Euforia into MicroZOTL but it isn't that far off.  The more I use my WM1A the more I like it, it's sounding better and better all the time.  Every time I pick it up it makes me think of the Leica M7 I used to own, man I miss that camera...


 
  
 would a volume-cap unit be able to reach 95?


----------



## Whitigir

squirrelman said:


> I got in on the Audeze B-Stock sale for the LCD-2 so I decided to see how they did through my WM1A (with about 140hrs on the single ended) and they are much better than I expected honestly.  I have sound at about 95 +/- a few on high gain and honestly I'm quite happy with the sound, i'm pretty impressed.  It's not quite as good as my Lampizator Euforia into MicroZOTL but it isn't that far off.  The more I use my WM1A the more I like it, it's sounding better and better all the time.  Every time I pick it up it makes me think of the Leica M7 I used to own, man I miss that camera...




They will continue to improve until 450 hours or so. Single-ended will not do it justice, seriously and literally. At least do yourself a favor and buy TRRS 3.5 cables, or wait until you can find the 4.4mm balanced.


----------



## hydesg

the se jack can take trrs 3.5mm cable?


----------



## rcl5555

I have an NW-WM1a.  It does not display cover art for a few of my DSD and AIFF files.  All of the files come from HDTracks or from Acoustic Sounds.  The cover art displayed correctly on my DP-X1 and in JRiver Music Center.  Does anyone know how I can fix this?


----------



## ttt123

gerelmx1986 said:


> Meanwhile in my house
> 
> Aarrghhhh


 
  
 Well, if you can get somebody to turn it on and start playing the songs that it comes with, on repeat, plugged into power, and any earphone plugged in, you'll be able to get some burn in started, so you are just being disciplined in not touching it while it burns in.  The enforced wait removes temptation, and makes the eventual enjoyment that much greater.  All part of a larger plan.


----------



## PCheung

rcl5555 said:


> I have an NW-WM1a.  It does not display cover art for a few of my DSD and AIFF files.  All of the files come from HDTracks or from Acoustic Sounds.  The cover art displayed correctly on my DP-X1 and in JRiver Music Center.  Does anyone know how I can fix this?




The file extension of DSD files are .dff ?

My walkman won't work well with .dff as no cover art and tags （but my AK240 works)
so I did use the TEAC's TASCAM Hi-Res Editor for a quick convert to .dsf
http://tascam-ca.com/product/hi-res_editor/

for the aiff files, maybe you can try to use the Media Go to wipe out the cover art then add it again
also delete the file in your walkman and use Media Go to import again 

Hope it helps


----------



## rcl5555

Thanks for your reply.  The files are dsf.  What is really odd is the most of the dsf files display the artwork correctly, but one album does not display it.  But when I look at that same album in JRiver the artwork displays.


----------



## squirrelman

whitigir said:


> They will continue to improve until 450 hours or so. Single-ended will not do it justice, seriously and literally. At least do yourself a favor and buy TRRS 3.5 cables, or wait until you can find the 4.4mm balanced.


 
  
 I didn't expect single ended to sound as good as it did, so I can only imagine the balanced will sound pretty good actually.  I don't plan on listening to the LCD-2 through the WM1A too often (I'm waiting for my CIEM's to be delivered still), but once the 4.4mm balanced cables are available at cable makers I'll probably pick one up for them.


----------



## blazinblazin

Anyone can give impression for Andromeda on WM1A?


----------



## hydesg

blazinblazin said:


> Anyone can give impression for Andromeda on WM1A?




U buying the wm1a?
Bring your andro to sony at 313 to try


----------



## gerelmx1986

kms108 said:


> cecala said:
> 
> 
> > gerelmx1986 said:
> ...


my flight got canceled the pilot said we have an electrical problem and we waited like 50 minutes at the tarmac and then we had to disembark, making things worse I had to pay the hotel room because they didn't reach an agreement with air Berlin


----------



## Fabi

Sorry for you man


----------



## riotgrrl

Oh dear. Hope your bf isn't too upset.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Today I must be at ticketing hall at 11am and the flight shall depart at 14:30 today, I will go earlier as we are like 300 pissed passengers


----------



## PCheung

rcl5555 said:


> Thanks for your reply.  The files are dsf.  What is really odd is the most of the dsf files display the artwork correctly, but one album does not display it.  But when I look at that same album in JRiver the artwork displays.


 
   

 Any luck using the Media Go?
  

  
 Add your music folder directory to Media Go so you can edit the album art and sync with your walkman.
  

  
 Be sure to un-tick this option in the advance tab if you are using other software to organize your library.
  
  Quote:


nanaholic said:


> Congrats!  The listening model is pretty sweet sounding and is the tune that I preferred out of the 3 preset sounds of the MH2 line up.


 
  
 Thanks! 
 I tried both 3 of them and listening model seems better with most of the songs I have, mostly anime song and PC game theme from I'VE sound and elements garden.
 Monitor model is good specially while I listen to songs performed by Suara or Lia, but still lack that "dynamic feel" and soundstage I had with the listening model.
  
 Can't wait to pair it with WM-1Z


----------



## nanaholic

pcheung said:


> Thanks!
> I tried both 3 of them and listening model seems better with most of the songs I have, mostly anime song and PC game theme from I'VE sound and elements garden.
> Monitor model is good specially while I listen to songs performed by Suara or Lia, but still lack that "dynamic feel" and soundstage I had with the listening model.
> 
> Can't wait to pair it with WM-1Z


 
  
 LOL I've Sound, oldie. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Just ear is taking orders for the specially tuned for WM1 model XJE-WM1 starting today, if only you waited a little bit more.


----------



## echineko

nanaholic said:


> LOL I've Sound, oldie.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 What are the prices expected to be for that? And I assume you'd have to walk in to the Aoyama store in Tokyo to place an order?


----------



## nanaholic

echineko said:


> What are the prices expected to be for that? And I assume you'd have to walk in to the Aoyama store in Tokyo to place an order?


 
  
 https://ers-sony.secure.force.com/SEvent/pageEventDetailEVT?e=a2O5F000000w4ipUAA&p=%E9%8A%80%E5%BA%A7
 You'll have to get the impression done at Tokyo Hearing Center at Aoyama, then place the order at the Sony Ginza store.
  
 Currently seems to be a very limited run.  Also as this is fix tuned model so it's cheaper than the MH1 full custom, but still at 250,000yen.


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> Today I must be at ticketing hall at 11am and the flight shall depart at 14:30 today, I will go earlier as we are like 300 pissed passengers


 
  
 Can you get the 1a sent to the hotel? It could become a silver lining to this little cloud


----------



## PCheung

nanaholic said:


> LOL I've Sound, oldie.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I'VE Sound 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 15 years has passed and their first album "regret" is still my all time favorite. 
  
 Yep... If the WM1 release a bit earlier or I visit Japan a bit later, will try out the WM1 tuning model for sure 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  


nanaholic said:


> https://ers-sony.secure.force.com/SEvent/pageEventDetailEVT?e=a2O5F000000w4ipUAA&p=%E9%8A%80%E5%BA%A7
> You'll have to get the impression done at Tokyo Hearing Center at Aoyama, then place the order at the Sony Ginza store.
> 
> Currently seems to be a very limited run.  Also as this is fix tuned model so it's cheaper than the MH1 full custom, but still at 250,000yen.


 
  
 Seems like a very limited release as they only taking order during 16-18/Dec
 almost impossible for foreigners to have one of those limited edition...


----------



## echineko

nanaholic said:


> https://ers-sony.secure.force.com/SEvent/pageEventDetailEVT?e=a2O5F000000w4ipUAA&p=%E9%8A%80%E5%BA%A7
> You'll have to get the impression done at Tokyo Hearing Center at Aoyama, then place the order at the Sony Ginza store.
> 
> Currently seems to be a very limited run.  Also as this is fix tuned model so it's cheaper than the MH1 full custom, but still at 250,000yen.


 
 Thanks, I'll consider it the next time I'm in town. I'm actually more keen on it for being a fixed tuning model, vs the fully custom model, because I'm a bit uneasy about having so much input in the final voicing of such a premium IEM. I'm not a sound engineer, I prefer to leave it to the professionals 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I'd be curious to give it a try the next time I'm in Tokyo, I expect they would have demo units available to test at Aoyama? Hope the run isn't over by the time I visit (either December or March next year, currently).


----------



## nanaholic

echineko said:


> Thanks, I'll consider it the next time I'm in town. I'm actually more keen on it for being a fixed tuning model, vs the fully custom model, because I'm a bit uneasy about having so much input in the final voicing of such a premium IEM. I'm not a sound engineer, I prefer to leave it to the professionals
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Unlike the UE PRM series where it is more of a DIY approach, Matsuo-san guides you through the entire tuning process. You tell him what you like, he'll dial it in for you, until you tell him you are satisfied.  So it is leaving it to the professionals.   (BTW, Matsuo-san headed and tuned the EX-1000 project which someone mentioned earlier.)


----------



## PCheung

echineko said:


> Thanks, I'll consider it the next time I'm in town. I'm actually more keen on it for being a fixed tuning model, vs the fully custom model, because I'm a bit uneasy about having so much input in the final voicing of such a premium IEM. I'm not a sound engineer, I prefer to leave it to the professionals
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 The WM-1 edition demo units available in Sony Ginza store only I believe.
  
 Hearing center in Aoyama only have the 3 basic model (monitor, listening, club) demo available.
 Be sure to take reservation by e-mail a month beforehand if you want to have impression.


----------



## kms108

nanaholic said:


> echineko said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks, I'll consider it the next time I'm in town. I'm actually more keen on it for being a fixed tuning model, vs the fully custom model, because I'm a bit uneasy about having so much input in the final voicing of such a premium IEM. I'm not a sound engineer, I prefer to leave it to the professionals
> ...


 

 Do you know how long the process will take from a test to having the final iem to take home.


----------



## PCheung

kms108 said:


> Do you know how long the process will take from a test to having the final iem to take home.


 
  
 Estimated delivery time around 4 months, told by the staff last month.


----------



## kms108

pcheung said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Do you know how long the process will take from a test to having the final iem to take home.
> ...


 

 Thanks, I was expecting about a week or two, not for me i'm only there for 9 days, is this also for the custom ones.


----------



## PCheung

kms108 said:


> Thanks, I was expecting about a week or two, not for me i'm only there for 9 days, is this also for the custom ones.


 
  
 Yes, and custom ones can visit their store for final fine tuning while you pickup your baby.
  
 For preset model, you can ask them to mail it to some forwarding service like Tenso or jshopper.


----------



## nanaholic

kms108 said:


> Thanks, I was expecting about a week or two, not for me i'm only there for 9 days, is this also for the custom ones.


 
  
 All Just ear are customs.  The only difference is whether you are getting the fixed sound version (MH2 series, or a number of the limited run tunes), or the full custom MH1.


----------



## kms108

pcheung said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks, I was expecting about a week or two, not for me i'm only there for 9 days, is this also for the custom ones.
> ...


 

 Their store, do you mean the sony show room or they have a dedicated just ear store. I will have to check this out, many iem don't work with me, they just fall out, ones like EX 700, the current H3, Z5 and the new XBA is a no go, thats why I only have the XBA 3, XBA 300, EX600, EX800 and I will picking up a pair of EX1000.


----------



## PCheung

kms108 said:


> Their store, do you mean the sony show room or they have a dedicated just ear store. I will have to check this out, many iem don't work with me, they just fall out, ones like EX 700, the current H3, Z5 and the new XBA is a no go, thats why I only have the XBA 3, XBA 300, EX600, EX800 and I will picking up a pair of EX1000.


 
  
 The "Tokyo Hearing Care Center" in Aoyama 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
 they are the only justear store in Japan.
  
 Some Sony store has demo unit but you still need to go to Aoyama for impression.


----------



## echineko

nanaholic said:


> Unlike the UE PRM series where it is more of a DIY approach, Matsuo-san guides you through the entire tuning process. You tell him what you like, he'll dial it in for you, until you tell him you are satisfied.  So it is leaving it to the professionals.   (BTW, Matsuo-san headed and tuned the EX-1000 project which someone mentioned earlier.)



Yeah, I've read about the process, more like I don't trust myself to get the best result  But yeah, I'd much rather go with a pre tuned model that I like. 



pcheung said:


> The WM-1 edition demo units available in Sony Ginza store only I believe.
> 
> Hearing center in Aoyama only have the 3 basic model (monitor, listening, club) demo available.
> Be sure to take reservation by e-mail a month beforehand if you want to have impression.




Thanks, I'll keep the reservation requirement in mind, I hadn't thought it was necessary until you mentioned it. How long ahead did you need to book your session?


----------



## Whitigir

Calling all WM1Z owners to this thread , join the summit fi already guys 

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/newestpost/827575


----------



## PCheung

echineko said:


> Thanks, I'll keep the reservation requirement in mind, I hadn't thought it was necessary until you mentioned it. How long ahead did you need to book your session?


 
  
 I booked a month ahead.
  
 Fill in the form in the following link and ask for a reservation with time, date and model number you are going to order,
 they will confirm you the day after.
  
 Btw, be sure to *write in Japanese* as they may reject your reservation if you can't speak Japanese. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 https://tokyohearing.jp/contact/


----------



## echineko

pcheung said:


> I booked a month ahead.
> 
> Fill in the form in the following link and ask for a reservation with time, date and model number you are going to order,
> they will confirm you the day after.
> ...


 
 Thanks! That part about Japanese is a bit worrying though, might have to ask a friend to accompany me >.<


----------



## kms108

pcheung said:


> echineko said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks, I'll keep the reservation requirement in mind, I hadn't thought it was necessary until you mentioned it. How long ahead did you need to book your session?
> ...


 

 Thanks for the information, I will consider it once it get nearer to my visit date to japan.
  
 I would like to confirm this. I fill this form to arrange a date and time for a test, they will pass me the results/or some other detail, i then take this to sony ginza and pay, then provide a tenso shipping address.
  
 Or if i consider the XJE-MH2, can I buy that at the tokyo hearing care center there and then.
  
 Do you know the cost of the MH2, also I see on just ear site, only ginza site does not provide a display model for testing, the other two locations has a test sample.


----------



## proedros

is this the just ears thread ? glad  i found it

 (pm guys , that's what we have them for)


----------



## PCheung

kms108 said:


> Thanks for the information, I will consider it once it get nearer to my visit date to japan.
> 
> I would like to confirm this. I fill this form to arrange a date and time for a test, they will pass me the results/or some other detail, i then take this to sony ginza and pay, then provide a tenso shipping address.
> 
> ...


 
  
 From my understanding, the WM1Z tuning model (XJE-MHWM1) is an "event only" item, which you need to have the impression done at the Tokyo Hearing Care Center beforehand. So fill out the form and state that you want to order XJE-MHWM1, go to Aoyama for your impression. Later you attend the event held at Ginza Sony store from 16th to 18th Dec, make the payment and provide a Tenso address should be fine.
 If you want to try the demo of XJE-MHWM1, just go to the Ginza Sony store and no reservation needed. Demo just available starting from 28th Nov.
  
 If you consider XJE-MH1 and MH2, just fill in the form with day, time and model number you wish to order.
 You will have your impression and tuning (if order MH1) all done at the same day.
 If you want to try the demo of XJE-MH2 (available in 3 kind of preset tuning), just go to the Tokyo Hearing Care Center in Aoyama and no reservation needed. 
  
 Cost of the XJE-MH2 is YEN 200,000 with impression fee of YEN 9,000. then adding the sales tax total YEN 225,720 
  
 Sample also available in nagoya and osaka, but only available for order while event.
  


proedros said:


> is this the just ears thread ? glad  i found it
> 
> (pm guys , that's what we have them for)


 
 Oops, sorry.


----------



## fish1050

cecala said:


> I never said $200, YOU DID, don't invert stuff. Re-read your last posts on this matter. The battery used in the 1A/Z will still be available in years to come or at least a derivative. The local repair shop probably has gone as you have pointed out although they still exist somewhere if only you look hard enough. You are not bound by law to use Sony. It's a simple matter of buying the battery and soldering two wires. How many people here who own the 1Z will have it as their main to go player in three years time? I feel confident in saying virtually no one. Ever had somebody here say that their found their dream system and will now no longer linger on this forum. Never happened and will never happen. People here are chasing that elusive carrot that keeps moving and isn't a carrot at all. Buy a player and enjoy the music.....remember the music!! I would never buy the 1Z as the SQ is too close to it's brother and in my opinion not worth it, but that's me. Other people see it differently and that's cool too. If you feel the battery or Sony is the issue then move on to another brand. Fiio and the soon to be released DX200 have models which allow battery swapping on the fly.


 
 Your response was a couple hundred dollar, last time I checked a couple hundred is $200.00 chucklehead.  I also never said that Sony won't have the parts I only said it will cost several hundred dollars to get an out of warranty battery replacement and that is my only point.  I speak from 15 years of experience in the field selling Sony products and you are going on supposition alone.
  
 I have no problem spending money on high quality audio products but only where it makes sense.  I will spend $3200.00 on home equipment where I can listen to music in a pristine environment.  I will not spend $3200.00 on something battery powered.  Your $3200.00 before tax and shipping DAP will eventually need a new battery.  So you will continue to incur costs for as long as you own your unit not to mention the risk of damage if you drop a 1LB DAP.  My $3200.00 investment in home audio equipment will serve me alot longer with no future costs incurred.  
  
 Nothing wrong with having a little common sense.


----------



## Whitigir

Nope, if I can find the battery pack, I can have the job done in 10 minutes


----------



## fish1050

whitigir said:


> Nope, if I can find the battery pack, I can have the job done in 10 minutes


 
 So have you actually opened one of these WM DAP's in 10 minutes without damaging it to prove your boast?   Can you post a video on youtube showing how you opened one of these WM Daps in 10 minutes without damaging it?  Because I would love to see it.
  
 Even if you do manage to get it open good luck finding the battery pack that will fit with the correct specs.


----------



## echineko

proedros said:


> is this the just ears thread ? glad  i found it
> 
> (pm guys , that's what we have them for)



Considering these are a Justears model made specifically for the WM1A/Z, what's the problem? I think it's as relevant as any cables or accessories we discuss as well. I know I might be interested in getting one, but don't know if I can make it in time.


----------



## KK-android

Hi guys.

Do you know how to take screenshot by our WM1Z/A ?
I got 1 screen shot in my root folder, but how happen??

i don know...

i tried push [power button] + [Vorume up] or something, but couldnt any take screen shot.

If you guys knows how to take screen shot , plz let me know.

thank you.


----------



## echineko

kk-android said:


> Hi guys.
> 
> Do you know how to take screenshot by our WM1Z/A ?
> I got 1 screen shot in my root folder, but how happen??
> ...



Interesting, I never thought to try it. Will let you know if I figure it out by accident 

Also I was looking up the premium gold faceplate to see what it looked like, think I stumbled on your unboxing video


----------



## Cecala

fish1050 said:


> Talk to gerelmx about his warranty experience on his imported ZX100.  It cost him $150.00 for in warranty service on his ZX100.
> 
> The 1Z is about 4 x the price of the ZX100 so figure 4 x the insurance both ways.
> The 1Z is heavier so shipping will cost more.
> ...


 
  
 Your above statement in red so you can see it. You also state that you inflated it for dramatic affect so don't think of pulling the old semantic maneuver.


fish1050 said:


> Your response was a couple hundred dollar, last time I checked a couple hundred is $200.00 chucklehead.  I also never said that Sony won't have the parts I only said it will cost several hundred dollars to get an out of warranty battery replacement and that is my only point.  I speak from 15 years of experience in the field selling Sony products and you are going on supposition alone.
> 
> I have no problem spending money on high quality audio products but only where it makes sense.  I will spend $3200.00 on home equipment where I can listen to music in a pristine environment.  I will not spend $3200.00 on something battery powered.  Your $3200.00 before tax and shipping DAP will eventually need a new battery.  So you will continue to incur costs for as long as you own your unit not to mention the risk of damage if you drop a 1LB DAP.  My $3200.00 investment in home audio equipment will serve me alot longer with no future costs incurred.
> 
> Nothing wrong with having a little common sense.


 
 You seem fixated on platforms, if you don't like the so called future costs of portability then don't buy the Sony 1A/Z or any Dap for that matter, simple. The same way if you don't like the future (and current) costs of running a car then take public transport. It's horses for courses although to suggest that it's a matter of ''having a little common sense'' is incorrect and disrespectful to those who think otherwise not to mention have different needs to yours. We get it, you don't like the cost of these things, no need to lecture people about it. Move on and I do just fine without the name calling.


----------



## Cecala

gerelmx1986 said:


> my flight got canceled the pilot said we have an electrical problem and we waited like 50 minutes at the tarmac and then we had to disembark, making things worse I had to pay the hotel room because they didn't reach an agreement with air Berlin


 
 This is pilot code for he forgot his headphones at home.


----------



## Fabaaroan

Hi i just bought a WM1A (european version) to compare with the opus 2 in a review. 
I know it s a ridiculous excuse .

And I want to know where I could buy the sony balanced cable for my iems. (Andromeda and the new CA's iems).

By the way absolutly no problem with the volume. I listen around 40 and 60.


----------



## denis1976

fabaaroan said:


> Hi i just bought a WM1A (european version) to compare with the opus 2 in a review.
> I know it s a ridiculous excuse .
> 
> And I want to know where I could buy the sony balanced cable for my iems. (Andromeda and the new CA's iems).
> ...


hello 40 and 60? What iems you have?


----------



## echineko

fabaaroan said:


> Hi i just bought a WM1A (european version) to compare with the opus 2 in a review.
> I know it s a ridiculous excuse .
> 
> And I want to know where I could buy the sony balanced cable for my iems. (Andromeda and the new CA's iems).
> ...



I tried the Sony Kimber balanced 4.4mm IEM cable with the first gen Lyra, it didn't seem to work properly (only got sound out of one channel instead of both ears), even though they fit perfectly. I tried swapping back and forth with other Sony IEMs (don't know the model, it was a display unit) and there was no issue. I have messaged CA about it as well to ask them if there's any known issues with the new 4.4mm balanced cable, no news yet, will let you know if I hear anything. Will also be going back to try the newer CA models including Vega and Dorado next week, will also do another test and update. 

Right now I'd say don't buy the cable blind, test it out first if you get a chance.


----------



## Brooko

Mod Comment
  
@Cecala
@fish1050
  
 I've just had you back and forths flagged.  May I suggest that both of you cool it or take it to PM?  I don't want to have to come back to clean up the thread (again).


----------



## hydesg

Just bought my andro. Will post thoughts after listening it with my wm1a


----------



## svinaik

Dear Fellows,
  
 For those who are in Japan, can you please let me know if the International versions of 1Z or 1A now available in Japan?. I have travel coming up in March to Tokyo / Osaka and very anxious to buy the new Walkman in Japan.
  
 I had already picked up the Z1R on my previous travel to Tokyo in October and loving every bit of the experience.
  
 Last piece in the story, (TA-ZH 1ES) will be bought once it is released in the US as there is no price incentive to buy in Japan.
  
 Then I can rest in Sony heaven...until the next incarnation....
  
 Best


----------



## AnakChan

International models of Sony products can be found in stores like Laox in Akihabara. The Sony store in Ginza (still there, new building) should have an international section too.

However despite getting duty free (bring your passport), the intl model prices aren't the same as domestic.


----------



## kms108

anakchan said:


> International models of Sony products can be found in stores like Laox in Akihabara. The Sony store in Ginza (still there, new building) should have an international section too.
> 
> However despite getting duty free (bring your passport), the intl model prices aren't the same as domestic.


 

 Isn't the tourist version available from the sony show room only, so you are saying that some large stores like laox or bic camera also sell the touriest version, are they priced the same.
  
 Do you know if BIC camera still accept or have the tokyo metro 1-3 days ticket as a 6% discount, then tax free on top, I had this for my ZX 2.
  
 Another question, do you know if the sony three year warranty apply to the tourist version, is this three year warranty for online purchase from sony store online or does it apply to purchase in store/show room.
  
 Sorry for all the questions, I too will visit Japan mid 2017, so I would like to get all the information before hand.


----------



## AnakChan

kms108 said:


> isn't the tourist version available from the sony show room only, so you are saying that some large stores like laox or bic camera also sell the touriest version, are they priced the say.
> 
> Do you know if BIC camera still accept or have the tokyo metro 1-3 days ticket as a 6% discount, then tax free on top, I had this for my ZX 2.


I didn't say BIC. Although you can get tax free, it's likely the domestic Japanese language-only model.

That's why I specifically said LAOX.


----------



## kms108

anakchan said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > isn't the tourist version available from the sony show room only, so you are saying that some large stores like laox or bic camera also sell the touriest version, are they priced the say.
> ...


 

 I know, i'm mainly referring to those large electronic store in Akihabara, i like to shop around, just wondering if they all supply the japanese version as well as the tourist version.


----------



## Gibraltar

kms108 said:


> Isn't the tourist version available from the sony show room only, so you are saying that some large stores like laox or bic camera also sell the touriest version, are they priced the same.
> 
> Do you know if BIC camera still accept or have the tokyo metro 1-3 days ticket as a 6% discount, then tax free on top, I had this for my ZX 2.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Yodobashi Akiba definitely has a tourist model section, but no idea if they stock these players there. In the past I've seen Sony cameras there.
  
 I haven't heard about a Tokyo metro ticket discount, but both Yodobashi and Bic camera give you an extra 5% discount if you use a foreign Visa or Union Pay card to pay.
  
 Not sure about the warranty.


----------



## Fabaaroan

denis1976 said:


> hello 40 and 60? What iems you have?




Empire ears, Andromeda Lyra 2 Dorado vega.
I will try with my sem9


----------



## Fabaaroan

echineko said:


> I tried the Sony Kimber balanced 4.4mm IEM cable with the first gen Lyra, it didn't seem to work properly (only got sound out of one channel instead of both ears), even though they fit perfectly. I tried swapping back and forth with other Sony IEMs (don't know the model, it was a display unit) and there was no issue. I have messaged CA about it as well to ask them if there's any known issues with the new 4.4mm balanced cable, no news yet, will let you know if I hear anything. Will also be going back to try the newer CA models including Vega and Dorado next week, will also do another test and update.
> 
> Right now I'd say don't buy the cable blind, test it out first if you get a chance.




Thanks I will wait.



hydesg said:


> Just bought my andro. Will post thoughts after listening it with my wm1a




You will enjoy this combo.


----------



## kms108

gibraltar said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Isn't the tourist version available from the sony show room only, so you are saying that some large stores like laox or bic camera also sell the touriest version, are they priced the same.
> ...


 

 Previously in BIC camera or softmap you can just just show them your metro 1-3 day pass and you get a extra 6-7% discount, then with your passport you also get Tax free, apart from this, regular discount coupons can be found on facebook bic camera.


----------



## kms108

Has anyone got the Beyerdynamic Xelento the upgrade of the AK T8iE, Just wondering what it will sound like with the 1A.


----------



## hydesg

this is damm good even before breaking in.
 how long should i break it in for?
 200hours?


----------



## Dithyrambes

hydesg said:


> this is damm good even before breaking in.
> how long should i break it in for?
> 200hours?


 
 And this man is not even using the 3.5 TRRS! yes andro was amazing with zx2 so I don't see why it wouldn't be with the wm1a ><


----------



## hydesg

it is so freaking amazing with the wm1a haha
  
 the kind that lets you zone out when you are listening to music


----------



## Bengkia369

hydesg said:


> it is so freaking amazing with the wm1a haha
> 
> the kind that lets you zone out when you are listening to music




Don't worry about breaking in since you already love the sound quality, it will only get better and better! 
Cheers and enjoy!


----------



## Fabaaroan

hydesg said:


> this is damm good even before breaking in.
> how long should i break it in for?
> 200hours?




I told you.


----------



## Whitigir

More like 450 hours , and for God sake....these Sony isn't at it best with 3.5 Single ended.....use 
1/ TRRS 
2/ 4.4mm balanced


----------



## hydesg

whitigir said:


> More like 450 hours
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 hehe, i am waiting for the right 4.4mm cables to come


----------



## denis1976

fabaaroan said:


> Empire ears, Andromeda Lyra 2 Dorado vega.
> I will try with my sem9


are you sure is the caped version?


----------



## Caruryn

whitigir said:


> More like 450 hours
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Enjoy your new dap Whitigir,may it serve you well and  long,or at least until you splurge for  the next $5000 walkman.So in order to get the full advantage of WM1Z you just need to buy the 4.4mm balanced cable apart from lengthy burn in or have  you tried  to disable any eq or sound setting as well ?


----------



## Whitigir

caruryn said:


> Enjoy your new dap Whitigir,may it serve you well and  long,or at least until you splurge for  the next $5000 walkman.So in order to get the full advantage of WM1Z you just need to buy the 4.4mm balanced cable apart from lengthy burn in or have  you tried  to disable any eq or sound setting as well ?




Thank you! And there is a mode for this. I also made sure everything else is unchecked before ticking it too


And I already have 4.4mm cables


----------



## svinaik

anakchan said:


> International models of Sony products can be found in stores like Laox in Akihabara. The Sony store in Ginza (still there, new building) should have an international section too.
> 
> However despite getting duty free (bring your passport), the intl model prices aren't the same as domestic.


 

 HI AnakChan., Would you by any chance know the price of International version ?. Also I bought my Z1R at Yodobashi in Shinjuku and they were offering a 5% discount for VISA card in addition to the Tax Free. (Thanks for reminder on bringing the passport).


----------



## axax

Can anyone compare wm1a and zx2 sound quality ?


----------



## Fabaaroan

denis1976 said:


> are you sure is the caped version?




Absolutly
The andromeda and the empire ears iems are very sensitive. No need extra power.
The vega lyra 2 and dorado need a little more. But there is enough juice with the european version for iems..
That s why I bought the european version.


----------



## proedros

axax said:


> Can anyone compare wm1a and zx2 sound quality ?


 
  
 +1


----------



## denis1976

axax said:


> Can anyone compare wm1a and zx2 sound quality ?


the wm1A is less "romantic" more dynamic and detailed with more power and lively sound,thats my opinion


----------



## Dithyrambes

denis1976 said:


> the wm1A is less "romantic" more dynamic and detailed with more power and lively sound,thats my opinion


oh no...is the decay still long with microdynamics and nuances?


----------



## denis1976

dithyrambes said:


> oh no...is the decay still long with microdynamics and nuances?


the sound is faster but with good detail more thanthe zx2 for me is a step up


----------



## flipper203

just ordered the Sony NW-WM1A, will be my first sony walkman after the K7 one !!! long time ago. I should get it in more than a week !!! 
 About the balanced cable, where can we get one and when?


----------



## flipper203

whitigir said:


> They will continue to improve until 450 hours or so. Single-ended will not do it justice, seriously and literally. At least do yourself a favor and buy TRRS 3.5 cables, or wait until you can find the 4.4mm balanced.


 
 was looking for balanced info on this thread and saw this post. What does it mean ? That the 3.5 outuput is also balanced ? and working with a 3.5 balanced cable like one for Hifiman?


----------



## Whitigir

flipper203 said:


> was looking for balanced info on this thread and saw this post. What does it mean ? That the 3.5 outuput is also balanced ? and working with a 3.5 balanced cable like one for Hifiman?




It is Separated grounding, and it works with Hifiman-man balanced cables style, yes. True balanced is the 4.4mm


----------



## flipper203

ok so why do you recomend to use this kind of cable ? Because separated grounding is better for sound quality of the DAP?


----------



## Whitigir

flipper203 said:


> ok so why do you recomend to use this kind of cable ? Because separated grounding is better for sound quality of the DAP?




Yes, the same as Zx2.


----------



## Cecala

hydesg said:


> Just bought my andro. Will post thoughts after listening it with my wm1a


 

 I am also interested in these, please post everything when ready.


----------



## kaushama

1.Whats is the real hardware difference between Z and A? So far what I have read shows it has following 

Chassis: Z > Gold plated copper, A > Aluminum
Few caps 
Headphone out: Z > Kimber wiring, A > OFC Copper wiring

any other differences?

Any real world comparison between Z vs A?

Because it boils down to the fact whether value of additional 2000$ translates into worthy performance?

2. Any comparison between ZX2 and A? 

ZX2 has additional capabilities of internet ready for streaming services. Its android with capabilities to support other music apps. It has small form factor. But if A beats ZX2 hands down I guess A would be the sweet spot in these players for many of us.


----------



## hydesg

kaushama said:


> 1.Whats is the real hardware difference between Z and A? So far what I have read shows it has following
> 
> Chassis: Z > Gold plated copper, A > Aluminum
> Few caps
> ...




The A beats the zx2 hands down!
No comparison


----------



## audionewbi

I hope Sony releases a new tile browsing UI features.


----------



## hydesg

Inwonder when those dignis case for wm would be released


----------



## PCheung

hydesg said:


> Inwonder when those dignis case for wm would be released




Very soon as they replied on twitter yesterday.

and they just uploaded the photo of red and brown case with packing box.

https://twitter.com/dignis_jp/status/804606294820671488?s=09


----------



## Cecala

audionewbi said:


> I hope Sony releases a new tile browsing UI features.


 

 I doubt very much if Sony will add features, only correct bug fixes.


----------



## musicday

pcheung said:


> hydesg said:
> 
> 
> > Inwonder when those dignis case for wm would be released
> ...



That's a very nice leather case.Hope they will be available around the globe not like the one for Lotoo Paw Gold which was pretty limited.


----------



## ttt123

whitigir said:


> More like 450 hours
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Update: WM1A (firmware 1.02) ->Whiplash TWag V3  TRRS (3.5mm)-> K10U
 - 450 hours: I thought it was pretty good, and was thinking there would be no further changes.  Some songs were musical and involving.  i.e. You stop what you are doing, and just pay attention.  Involuntarily.  I figured that the songs that were not so involving had faults in the recording/mixing process.  But all in all, the setup was producing music that I was enjoying.  There was something missing, though, as I thought the ZX2 had the ability to make guitar and piano so rich with details, that a simple guitar/piano melody was able to communicate something that pulled you into the music and made you forget whatever else you were doing.  And the ZX2 was doing this on most music, more so than the 1A at the moment.
  
 -550 hours: This seems to be a magical point, as what I thought was missing at 450 hours, seems to all pull together at 550 hours.  The richness/involvement that I was looking for with guitar is now there.  As good as the ZX2, but with more detail and sound stage.  A well recorded Chinese singer (Tong Li) that I thought was good on the ZX2, but was actually getting bored with, on the 1A, the instruments and voice were like I was hearing them for the first time, and realized how good they were.  And not boring!  Barbara Streisand singing Memories, I was enjoying, and realized just how good she was.  Never did before.  I thought she was overrated, when I listened before, and wondered what people saw in her.
  
 So other users can keep an ear out for the 550 hour mark, to see if they corrobate the same findings.  And don't judge the 1A prematurely.  
 My evaluation method, I am not doing any detailed comparisons of specific pieces of music.   I am just listening whenever I get the chance, which is mostly when commuting to/from work.  And I am consciously not listening critically to specific sections of specific tracks, but just listening to music as it comes up.  Not very scientific, and very subjective, but that's what I've decided to do nowadays.  If the setup serves up music I enjoy, I am happy. 
  
 Note: I also reterminated the TRRS 3.5mm with a new Nakamura plug, just after I got the 1A, as the old TRRS plug was starting to short out, so that is another factor.  Other than that, the K10/Whiplash cable is the same that I was using on the ZX2, so any differences I observe, should be due to the change from ZX2 to WM1A


----------



## Whitigir

ttt123 said:


> Update: WM1A (firmware 1.02) ->Whiplash TWag V3  TRRS (3.5mm)-> K10U
> - 450 hours: I thought it was pretty good, and was thinking there would be no further changes.  Some songs were musical and involving.  i.e. You stop what you are doing, and just pay attention.  Involuntarily.  I figured that the songs that were not so involving had faults in the recording/mixing process.  But all in all, the setup was producing music that I was enjoying.  There was something missing, though, as I thought the ZX2 had the ability to make guitar and piano so rich with details, that a simple guitar/piano melody was able to communicate something that pulled you into the music and made you forget whatever else you were doing.  And the ZX2 was doing this on most music, more so than the 1A at the moment.
> 
> -550 hours: This seems to be a magical point, as what I thought was missing at 450 hours, seems to all pull together at 550 hours.  The richness/involvement that I was looking for with guitar is now there.  As good as the ZX2, but with more detail and sound stage.  A well recorded Chinese singer (Tong Li) that I thought was good on the ZX2, but was actually getting bored with, on the 1A, the instruments and voice were like I was hearing them for the first time, and realized how good they were.  And not boring!  Barbara Streisand singing Memories, I was enjoying, and realized just how good she was.  Never did before.  I thought she was overrated, when I listened before, and wondered what people saw in her.
> ...




Exactly what I had been saying for a while...500 hours...in this case 550 hours lol. Good observation and confirmations, thanks you. Also, I am damn glad that you are testing and observing with TRRS....so tired of people doing it on 3.5mm SE and called it out to be this bad and that not good....

4.4mm Balanced should be another awesome feature that the 1A offer. Wm1A IS TREMENDOUS in value


----------



## blazinblazin

Finally i have became a proud owner of WM1A


----------



## Whitigir

Congratulations! Now. Burn-burn-burn


----------



## flipper203

Did anyone observe hiss with zeus or other EE iem?


----------



## PCheung

Just back from my Sunday window shopping and wow,
 found this "Sony signature series" corner at one local headphone store 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  

  
 Demonstrating the MDR-Z1R Headphone, TA-ZH1ES Amp, PS-HX500 turntable
 and of cause the WM-1A and 1Z walkman we all love.
  
 I wish I can own them all someday


----------



## svinaik

whitigir said:


> Congratulations! Now. Burn-burn-burn


 
 One question, Does "Burning" needs to be done in a one long run or regular use over the 1-2 months yields the same results ??. Just curious as I have not really followed the "Burn" routine in my ZX-2 but will make sure that I do the right thing when I get my hands on 1A or 1Z (1A / 1Z Depends upon the year end bonus and financial state of mind at that time 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)


----------



## Whitigir

svinaik said:


> One question, Does "Burning" needs to be done in a one long run or regular use over the 1-2 months yields the same results ??. Just curious as I have not really followed the "Burn" routine in my ZX-2 but will make sure that I do the right thing when I get my hands on 1A or 1Z (1A / 1Z Depends upon the year end bonus and financial state of mind at that time :confused_face_2: )




Just plugg in a headphones, doesn't matter which kind, play your music, and preferably your library. You can choose to let it do it continuously, or sessions. That is entirely up to you, and IMO, as long as you don't just use those pink and white noises, you are fine


----------



## Jalo

pcheung said:


> Just back from my Sunday window shopping and wow,
> found this "Sony signature series" corner at one local headphone store
> 
> [COLOR=FF4400]
> ...




Which store is that?


----------



## PCheung

jalo said:


> Which store is that?


 
 The Jaben HK


----------



## Cagin

flipper203 said:


> Did anyone observe hiss with zeus or other EE iem?


 
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/786335/empire-ears-adel-discussion-impressions-formerly-earwerkz/4635#post_13044995
  
 Good news hey


----------



## kms108

pcheung said:


> jalo said:
> 
> 
> > Which store is that?
> ...


 

 Where abouts in hong kong.


----------



## ttt123

http://www.jaben.com.hk/?page_id=23
  
 Jaben Hong Kong 杰本香港
 地址 :
 香港九龍旺角西洋菜街南14-24號榮華大樓2字樓24室(山東街入口)
 Address :
 (Shantung Street Entry) Room 24, 2/F, Wing Wah Building, 14-24 Sai Yueng Choi Street South, Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong
 Business Hours :
 星期一至日:12:00-22:00
 Monday to Sunday :12:00 – 22:00
 TEL :
 (852) 2304 3108
 Email :
 info@jaben.com.hk


----------



## pCollins

What is the model number for the premium Sony Kimber 4-ring balanced cable for the WM1Z?
  
 FYI
 Amazon Uk price on the WM1Z jumped to £2,141.91 today


----------



## nanaholic

pcollins said:


> What is the model number for the premium Sony Kimber 4-ring balanced cable for the WM1Z?


 
  
 It's actually 5 ring.
  
 There's a bunch of them:
 MUC-S12SB1 - single 3.5mm TRRS on the other end for headphones with a 3.5mm single entry such as MDR-1A
 MUC-B20SB1 - dual 3.5mm TRS for headphones with dual 3.5mm entries eg Z1R, Z7
 MUC-M12SB1 - dual MMCX connectors
  
 The model numbers looks like a mess upon first inspection, but analyzing them further along with previous Sony cables seems to give the following code designation: 
 MUC > cable item 
 S - single 3.5mm entry balanced
 B - dual 3.5mm entry balanced
 M - MMCX
 12 - 1.2m
 20 - 2.0m
 SB1 - single 4.4mm balanced terminated 
  
 So if you want 4.4mm look for the SB1 at the end.


----------



## pCollins

nanaholic said:


> It's actually 5 ring.
> 
> There's a bunch of them:
> MUC-S12SB1 - single 3.5mm TRRS on the other end for headphones with a 3.5mm single entry such as MDR-1A
> ...


 
  
 Would the last one, http://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-m12sb1
 work with Z1R?


----------



## PCheung

pcollins said:


> Would the last one, http://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-m12sb1
> work with Z1R?


 
  
 No, this one "MUC-B20SB1" work with MDR-Z1R
 http://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-b20sb1
  
 M12SB1 is for earphone with MMCX connector


----------



## pCollins

pcheung said:


> No, this one "MUC-B20SB1" work with MDR-Z1R
> http://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-b20sb1
> 
> M12SB1 is for earphone with MMCX connector


 
  
 Where can I order this one online?


----------



## PCheung

pcollins said:


> Where can I order this one online?




Sorry no idea. 
I got mine reserved by the store.


----------



## gerelmx1986

When I arrive at Mexico I will take pics of my WM1A


----------



## phonomat

Thank you for letting us know.


----------



## pCollins

pcheung said:


> Sorry no idea.
> I got mine reserved by the store.




Pardon. What store is this?


----------



## Bengkia369

Is this Sony 1A & 1Z sounds superior compared to my AK240?! 
How does it also comparing to Chord Hugo and Mojo?!


----------



## blazinblazin

bengkia369 said:


> Is this Sony 1A & 1Z sounds superior compared to my AK240?!
> How does it also comparing to Chord Hugo and Mojo?!


 
  
 Go Sony store try those players


----------



## JackDiesel

bengkia369 said:


> Is this Sony 1A & 1Z sounds superior compared to my AK240?!
> How does it also comparing to Chord Hugo and Mojo?!




I think my DAP search has come down to the 1A or the AK240 as well. On top of everything else they both have a nice dock. iBasso DX200 was in the running until I read they are throwing the USB port on top.


----------



## PCheung

pcollins said:


> Pardon. What store is this?




The Jaben HK again.

I purchased the 1Z there so they are happy to make a reservation for me.


----------



## blazinblazin




----------



## imparanoic

question:
  
 do think you can tell the difference between lossless flac and mp3 320kps (both from original or good sources) on your nw-wm1a ( or z) and preferred earphones/headphones? 
  
 do you think the difference are only noticeable on high end products like this walkman/digital audio players?


----------



## productred

blazinblazin said:


>


 
  
 Exactly my to-go setup today, bar the ref 8.


----------



## blazinblazin

imparanoic said:


> question:
> 
> do think you can tell the difference between lossless flac and mp3 320kps (both from original or good sources) on your nw-wm1a ( or z) and preferred earphones/headphones?
> 
> do you think the difference are only noticeable on high end products like this walkman/digital audio players?


 
  
 For me it will be all in the Mastering of the music.
  
 If your Mastering is good even 320kps sounds good.
  
 FLAC and 320kps to me not very big difference but DSD compared to flac and MP3 has a bigger difference.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Got the MDR-Z7 and they sound similar to the xba-z5 which I love,, I cannot wait to get my Walkman


----------



## PCheung

blazinblazin said:


>




Nice! Is that the reference 8 cable?
How's the difference compare with the stock litz cable?


----------



## blazinblazin

pcheung said:


> Nice! Is that the reference 8 cable?
> How's the difference compare with the stock litz cable?


 

 Yes Reference 8 cable.
  
 Ref 8 sounds more fuller and more power/kicks.
  
 Litz is more laid back and relaxing.
  
 Ref 8 sounds more Live feeling than Litz.


----------



## Jalo

blazinblazin said:


> Yes Reference 8 cable.
> 
> Ref 8 sounds more fuller and more power/kicks.
> 
> ...




How is the treble on the 1a, is it bright? Too bright?


----------



## blazinblazin

jalo said:


> How is the treble on the 1a, is it bright? Too bright?


 

 To me even with Andromeda the treble sparkles but with no sibilant.


----------



## hydesg

Blazin. Gonna get the ref 8 reterminated for 4.4?


----------



## blazinblazin

hydesg said:


> Blazin. Gonna get the ref 8 reterminated for 4.4?




I will wait for ALO to have that plug or stay with this.


----------



## echineko

blazinblazin said:


> I will wait for ALO to have that plug or stay with this.


 
 I've been talking to them, don't count on that happening anytime soon. I'm hoping the Sony x Kimber cable will work, but my previous test with the first gen Lyra seems to say otherwise.


----------



## hydesg

echineko said:


> I've been talking to them, don't count on that happening anytime soon. I'm hoping the Sony x Kimber cable will work, but my previous test with the first gen Lyra seems to say otherwise.


 
 i will be getting mine sometime this week.
 i hope that the sony m12sb1 cable will work with the andros


----------



## Decreate

Just got a notice from Sony saying that the Kimber iem cable I reserved will be ready for collection tomorrow. Should I change the mmcx connectors to 2 pin connectors and use them with my Tralucent Plus5 or should I just remove the 4.4mm connector from the cable and have it attached to the uber cable which I currently use my Tralucent Plus5?


----------



## Kiats

Congrats! Decisions decisions...


----------



## PCheung

hydesg said:


> i will be getting mine sometime this week.
> i hope that the sony m12sb1 cable will work with the andros


 
  
 I have my Andromeda with M12SB1 and no problem at all. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  
  


blazinblazin said:


> Yes Reference 8 cable.
> 
> Ref 8 sounds more fuller and more power/kicks.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks! Just if the reference 8 has a 4.4mm plug option


----------



## Mimouille

Just received my silicone case from taobao, happily surprised...cost me around 12 bucks and the case looks good though very slightly loose on the sides, and it comes with a glass screen protector, which I won't put because I hate applying those things.

Plus it comes with two jack protectors they fit seamlessly in the case.

This will do nicely until I get a Dignis.


----------



## kms108

mimouille said:


> Just received my silicone case from taobao, happily surprised...cost me around 12 bucks and the case looks good though very slightly loose on the sides, and it comes with a glass screen protector, which I won't put because I hate applying those things.
> 
> Plus it comes with two jack protectors they fit seamlessly in the case.
> 
> This will do nicely until I get a Dignis.


 
 Yep, I saw those on taobao, I was going to hold out till mid 2017 to get them, thats when I will visit japan to get my 1A, apparently the trip to japan got delayed to October, by then or around that time 2A or something else will probably be release, i'll wait and see.


----------



## hydesg

pcheung said:


> I have my Andromeda with M12SB1 and no problem at all. :wink_face:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Nice. How does the m12sb1 sound compared to the litz cable?


----------



## PCheung

hydesg said:


> Nice. How does the m12sb1 sound compared to the litz cable?


 
  
 Sorry I can't compare coz I replaced the litz cable's 3.5mm plug to 2.5mm trrs for my AK240 
 just unable to do a fair test as I can't test them with the same source. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Although I feel like the M12SB1 bass are more powerful, vocal more up front and more lively overall
 than my litz cable + 240 set up 
 but I do suspect those difference are due to different sound signature between Sony and AK, not the cable itself.


----------



## gerelmx1986

My headphones


----------



## PCheung

https://twitter.com/dignis_jp/status/805336879373520896
  
 Just some more photos from dignis
 and now the case named "MADIS"


----------



## 463782

pcheung said:


> No, this one "MUC-B20SB1" work with MDR-Z1R
> http://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-b20sb1
> 
> M12SB1 is for earphone with MMCX connector


 
  
 Where can I order this one online? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 _ _ _ _ _


  
 I ordered mine on Amazon JP via Buyee. I should receive it this week.


----------



## pCollins

lexomil said:


> Where can I order this one online?
> _ _ _ _ _
> 
> 
> ...




Do they have WM1Z in stock?


----------



## 463782

pcollins said:


> Do they have WM1Z in stock?


 

 I'm not sure I understand your question. Do you mean "is the WM1Z is available on Amazon JP?"?  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Buyee purchases on Amazon JP on your behalf and then ships it to you. For the Sony MUC-B20SB1, they charged me $30 ($10 commission and $20 shipping) on top of the retail price.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Went to Saturn in Hamburg to buy a SD card for my alpha 5000, and asked if they had Walkman and they didn't have the WM1 series in Stock


----------



## Meck

gerelmx1986 said:


> Went to Saturn in Hamburg to buy a SD card for my alpha 5000, and asked if they had Walkman and they didn't have the WM1 series in Stock


 
  
 Media Markt selling WM1 in Germany ....thats what I now


----------



## Whitigir

WM1Z as a dedicated high quality Analog source into large home stereo system...gotta milk it all out


----------



## Whitigir

To those who wonder about D.C. Phase linearizer. This is document from Desktop ES amp DA1000. The one in WM Walkman shall be similar 

http://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/442593/sony-str-da1000es.html?page=11


----------



## hydesg

Do u put your wm1z at max volume ? When u connect it to your hifi ?




whitigir said:


> WM1Z as a dedicated high quality Analog source into large home stereo system...gotta milk it all out


----------



## Mimouille

pcheung said:


> https://twitter.com/dignis_jp/status/805336879373520896
> 
> Just some more photos from dignis
> and now the case named "MADIS"


 
 It is named *MIDAS*, not MADIS, like* king MIDAS*, a king known in Greek mythology for *transforming everything he touched into gold*. But I doubt if you put a WM1A into the case it will turn into a WM1Z...
  
 Some other pictures...I like the blue grey one


----------



## blazinblazin

mimouille said:


> It is named *MIDAS*, not MADIS, like* king MIDAS*, a king known in Greek mythology for *transforming everything he touched into gold*. But I doubt if you put a WM1A into the case it will turn into a WM1Z...
> 
> Some other pictures...I like the blue grey one


 
  
  
 Where to get the case?


----------



## Whitigir

hydesg said:


> Do u put your wm1z at max volume ? When u connect it to your hifi ?




No, my hifi amp has 2 input options. One is higher load abd one is lower mode. When i use these new xlr adaptor i used low Z input. So from balanced to this inputs only needed 45-50 on high gain. In high Z input, i needed 75-80.


----------



## echineko

blazinblazin said:


> Where to get the case?



Don't think it's available for purchase yet, but probably will be soon. Didn't even see it on the Dignis website yet.


----------



## Whitigir

The pictures above had all these connected at 4.4mm Balanced. Where do we get these DIY jacks ?


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> The pictures above had all these connected at 4.4mm Balanced. Where do we get these DIY jacks ?


 
  
 Those are the NDICS Pentaconn DIY jacks.  E-earphones had them but they get snapped up in an instant and had been on back order since forever.


----------



## PCheung

mimouille said:


> It is named *MIDAS*, not MADIS, like *king MIDAS*, a king known in Greek mythology for *transforming everything he touched into gold*. But I doubt if you put a WM1A into the case it will turn into a WM1Z...
> 
> Some other pictures...I like the blue grey one



Oops, typo.
I like the blue one but seems brown and black match with 1Z better...



blazinblazin said:


> Where to get the case?




Just wait a little bit longer


----------



## audionewbi

Beside cosmetic protection that case has no other practical use. I rather have a case with screen protection.


----------



## nanaholic

audionewbi said:


> Beside cosmetic protection that case has no other practical use. I rather have a case with screen protection.


 
  
 https://twitter.com/iriver_Lyumo/status/805940443280076802
 MITER case


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> To those who wonder about D.C. Phase linearizer. This is document from Desktop ES amp DA1000. The one in WM Walkman shall be similar
> 
> http://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/442593/sony-str-da1000es.html?page=11


 
 Hey, thanks! I'd been looking for that for a while now, will read.
  


nanaholic said:


> Those are the NDICS Pentaconn DIY jacks.  E-earphones had them but they get snapped up in an instant and had been on back order since forever.


 
 Yup, the E-earphones listing seems to be sold out:
  
 http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000108564/022/
  
 While I was there, I came across this relatively unknown (to me anyway) product by a company called Acoustune which somehow uses the 4.4mm balanced jack:
  
 http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000110206/ct2308/
  
  
 This is interesting, because on the Japanese home page for NDICS, there's a mention about them signing a distributorship agreement in 2015 with Acoustune for amplifiers and earphones in Japan:
  
 http://www.ndics.com/index.html
  
  
 Coincidental, no?


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> To those who wonder about D.C. Phase linearizer. This is document from Desktop ES amp DA1000. The one in WM Walkman shall be similar
> 
> http://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/442593/sony-str-da1000es.html?page=11


 
 So it looks like Sony went with the second implementation (with 7 positions) in the WM series? Could you tell much difference when using it, either with your Z1R or home theatre? I found it very subtle, not sure I could really pick out the changes.


----------



## nanaholic

echineko said:


> While I was there, I came across this relatively unknown (to me anyway) product by a company called Acoustune which somehow uses the 4.4mm balanced jack:
> 
> http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000110206/ct2308/
> 
> ...


 
  
 Not really, since the basic 4.4mm jack design is an open and license free standard where anyone is free to make a mould and start pumping them out, that's the whole point of making it a standard. The reason NDICS is first to market is because they developed and designed the basic design of the jack and worked closely with Sony on the WM1 series, so they had planned a launch of their plugs and jacks to go with the WM1 launch.
  
 The story I could piece together from all the official interviews was that NDICS made the jack and managed to sell its sonic and physical advantages to Sony and Sony was completely ready to include it in its products (as in the WM1 engineer interview), and just about the same time JEITA was looking to standardise balance connection in portable audio equipment, so NDICS and Sony took the 4.4mm jack to JEITA and convinced them to consider it as a possible standards candidate (Sony learnt its lessons regarding using proprietary things!), then JEITA got sold on it and convinced the other OEM makers of its merits and then it was finalised, and that process in itself took something like 18 months (in typical Japanese fashion to get agreement from every participating member) and that announcement was made April this year. Most OEMs obviously took a wait-and-see approach as nobody else besides Sony and NDICS had any horses in the race nor believe it would over take the market leader AK 2.5mm connection overnight (probably the biggest reason neither Onkyo nor Pioneer's new DAP uses it), which leaves a huge vacuum in the current supply of these 4.4mm parts. To NDICS though they bet big but obviously now everything is paying off as they are now selling as fast as they produce.
  
 Also why NDICS is happy to let the 4.4mm jack/plug be taken as a license free JEITA standard is because they also have the Pentaconn design - where they made several technical improvements to the basic design and those bits are patented (for example, the Pentaconn jack used in the WM1 series which has a U shaped contact plate instead of the traditional single ball point contact is a patented design of NDICS/Pentaconn), this allows them to sell 4.4mm products that are of known higher quality and charge a much higher price as a result. It's some very fine business play by NDICS.


----------



## echineko

nanaholic said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Interesting, thanks for that. Looks like it's a good bit of business, while having actual merits for the rest of us.
  
 Edit: For those who haven't seen it, NDIC's press release on the Pentaconn:
  
 http://www.ndics.com/products/pentaconn_english.pdf


----------



## Whitigir

echineko said:


> So it looks like Sony went with the second implementation (with 7 positions) in the WM series? Could you tell much difference when using it, either with your Z1R or home theatre? I found it very subtle, not sure I could really pick out the changes.




It is very subtles, yes, and it depends on setup , but right now my priority is burning in and these options are fun to play with but not for serious observation yet


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> It is very subtles, yes, and it depends on setup , but right now my priority is burning in and these options are fun to play with but not for serious observation yet


 
 Good point. My balanced cables only arrive later this week


----------



## blazinblazin

What volume do you guys listen at?
  
 In quiet office I listen at 15/120 while when outside I listen at 60/120.


----------



## kaushama

My NW-WM1A is ordered and I am getting Westone W80 too. I have already got W60 and ZX2. Would do some comparisons!


----------



## PCheung

blazinblazin said:


> What volume do you guys listen at?
> 
> In quiet office I listen at 15/120 while when outside I listen at 60/120.


 
  
 With Andromeda usually 30 and Z1R usually around 60, 4.4 balance side.
  
 if Z1R connect with 3.5mm usually 80.


----------



## productred

blazinblazin said:


> What volume do you guys listen at?
> 
> In quiet office I listen at 15/120 while when outside I listen at 60/120.


 
  
 With Andromeda 60 SE
 With Vega 70 Balanced
  
 Both on low gain


----------



## audionewbi

Reaching the 500 mark. I cant hear much difference with the midrange and upper frequencies but with the low freq I can hear the bass speed as increased, it somehow appears to be more prominent in regard of impact. All the sound enhancement is off and IEM used for burning and listening are the EX-1000 and T8iE MKII.


----------



## kms108

audionewbi said:


> Reaching the 500 mark. I cant hear much difference with the midrange and upper frequencies but with the low freq I can hear the bass speed as increased, it somehow appears to be more prominent in regard of impact. All the sound enhancement is off and IEM used for burning and listening are the EX-1000 and T8iE MKII.


 

 How is the T8iE MKII with the wm1,  i'm considering the Xelento!, the new version.


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> What volume do you guys listen at?
> 
> In quiet office I listen at 15/120 while when outside I listen at 60/120.


15?! Wow


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> 15?! Wow




Yeah, I thought so. I use Z1R in balanced and high gain....I can not use it below 70, and gotta be comfortably only around 70-80. But volume that you guys listen too is not important, but more importantly.....How many bought it to use with MP3


----------



## hydesg

Just got my m12sb1. Both channels work nicely!


----------



## audionewbi

kms108 said:


> How is the T8iE MKII with the wm1,  i'm considering the [COLOR=0066CC]Xelento!, the new version.[/COLOR]


I like this combo but till I try balance can't say for certain,


----------



## Whitigir

hydesg said:


> Just got my m12sb1. Both channels work nicely!




It should, because it is stocking from Sony


----------



## Decreate

So begins the burning in process all over again...


----------



## hydesg

whitigir said:


> It should, because it is stocking from Sony




The cable seems more bassy, but the mids seems abit fuzzy now.
Maybe needs burn in


----------



## Whitigir

decreate said:


> So begins the burning in process all over again...




If I am not mistaken ... 4.4mm into 3.5 TRRS ? Where do you buy those male and female 4.4 ? Seems like you modified Sony stock Kimber cables


----------



## Decreate

You're right, its a modified Sony Kimber cable. I had a shop here in HK install a 2.5mm female into the cable.


----------



## Whitigir

decreate said:


> You're right, its a modified Sony Kimber cable. I had a shop here in HK install a 2.5mm female into the cable.




God damn....expensive cables to be splicing and modifying off LOL..... I would rather wait for the Jacks and the socket availability . But I totally admired your result


----------



## Decreate

whitigir said:


> God damn....expensive cables to be splicing and modifying off LOL..... I would rather wait for the Jacks and the socket availability . But I totally admired your result



If I had to pay full price for the cable then I wouldn't have done it, but when I bought the wm1z from the Sony shop, I got a HK$1000 coupon and ordering the cable from their website gave me a 15% discount as well.


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Yeah, I thought so. I use Z1R in balanced and high gain....I can not use it below 70, and gotta be comfortably only around 70-80. But volume that you guys listen too is not important, but more importantly.....How many bought it to use with MP3


 I use mine with FLAC, bare minimum 16/44.1


----------



## hydesg

After 200 hours on single ended i now have balanced cables.
Do i need to burn in another 200 hours on the balanced side for the sound to be decent?
Must say the added thickness on the balanced side is fairly enjoyable


----------



## PCheung

hydesg said:


> After 200 hours on single ended i now have balanced cables.
> Do i need to burn in another 200 hours on the balanced side for the sound to be decent?
> Must say the added thickness on the balanced side is fairly enjoyable


 
 Yep another 200 hours, at least.


----------



## hydesg

pcheung said:


> Yep another 200 hours, at least.




Here we go again...

Its ok to leave the player on right. It has never been off since i got it haha


----------



## Decreate

hydesg said:


> Here we go again...
> 
> Its ok to leave the player on right. It has never been off since i got it haha


 
 I've left mine on since the day I bought it and right now I'm also burning in the balanced side of it as well.


----------



## Whitigir

It is ok to leave it on  and keep it charging, check the battery protection too! But it would be safer if you let it rest a couple hours here and there. Part of the aging process is due to the changes in electrical components which also generate heats. These Walkman may not generate much heats, but if you keep it continuously running, these components will be set into that temperature and aged by it, then when you turned it off and started again, it may ....start to age again...until it stops. 

So I do recommend to have it on for a few hours, turn it off for a few hours during the day no you can leave it on overnight. It would do better when it has the chance to rest to cooled itself and working again.


----------



## Gosod

Very different from the Zx2?


----------



## Whitigir

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]Very different from the Zx2?[/COLOR]



They are very similar, no big differences on heat generated or battery life. I was talking deep into the electrical components itself


----------



## Gosod

whitigir said:


> They are very similar, no big differences on heat generated or battery life. I was talking deep into the electrical components itself


 
in that case, why did they released this new version, it is not clear, you say that sonically they are almost identical?


----------



## Whitigir

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]in that case, why did they released this new version, it is not clear, you say that sonically they are almost identical?[/COLOR]




I never said that...I think you misunderstood my points, I was saying the battery life and the heat generated from the new players are the same as Zx2. 

Previously I was talking about "burn-in" process, and I never had any intentions to compare Zx2 vs WM1Z...Yet. Your question was short and general, so I answered in assumption that you asked about the burn-in process which I talked about previously.


----------



## unknownguardian

Balanced cable arrives along with new ciem. Time to burn in both the player and the iem.


----------



## cthomas

@Whitigir

How's the 1Z balanced compared to PHA-3? Interested in volume/loudness and audio quality.


----------



## ledzep

unknownguardian said:


> Balanced cable arrives along with new ciem. Time to burn in both the player and the iem.




Nice looking cable , where did you purchase that from ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yeah nice cable


----------



## unknownguardian

Its the Erde cable from Kumitate Lab. And they do ship internationally even for cable orders.
  
 http://www.kumitatelab.com/4.4mm5polecable/


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

I've been following the thread frequently since the release. As of now, from several comments, I've figured out that the new WM-1A is more technical sounding than ZX2. Is that true? I mean, is it clearly technically superior or is it just a notch better? 
  
 I can raplace my ZX2 with it, but then again I use streaming. So it must be much better to replace and lose the streaming capability at the same time.


----------



## flipper203

unknownguardian said:


> Its the Erde cable from Kumitate Lab. And they do ship internationally even for cable orders.
> 
> http://www.kumitatelab.com/4.4mm5polecable/


 
 interesting, I might get one for the vega. Is it the only 4.4mm cable available ?


----------



## hydesg

To me its a very worthy upgrade. Have compared to the zx2 and pha3




virtu fortuna said:


> I've been following the thread frequently since the release. As of now, from several comments, I've figured out that the new WM-1A is more technical sounding than ZX2. Is that true? I mean, is it clearly technically superior or is it just a notch better?
> 
> I can raplace my ZX2 with it, but then again I use streaming. So it must be much better to replace and lose the streaming capability at the same time.


----------



## unknownguardian

flipper203 said:


> interesting, I might get one for the vega. Is it the only 4.4mm cable available ?



If you are asking about the cables from the company (Kumitate Lab), they offer Erde (OCC pure copper), Licht or Blau (both silver plated copper).

If you are asking for other options beside these cable, there's the sony MUC-M12SB1 kimber cable and also the Brise Audio UPG001 cable as of now.


----------



## Mimouille

unknownguardian said:


> If you are asking about the cables from the company (Kumitate Lab), they offer Erde (OCC pure copper), Licht or Blau (both silver plated copper).
> 
> If you are asking for other options beside these cable, there's the sony MUC-M12SB1 kimber cable and also the Brise Audio UPG001 cable as of now.


And as I stated several times, BeatAudio...available normally these days, should get mine next weekr


----------



## unknownguardian

mimouille said:


> And as I stated several times, BeatAudio...available normally these days, should get mine next weekr



Yea. Other cable makers like beat audio and labkable should have their 4.4mm cable ready soon as well as the japanese manufacturer had start shipping out the 4.4mm plug last week.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

hydesg said:


> To me its a very worthy upgrade. Have compared to the zx2 and pha3


 
 Thanks for the info. What's the biggest and most obvious difference?


----------



## hydesg

Anyone hear clicking sound using the balanced output when the song switches from dsd to mp3?


----------



## Whitigir

hydesg said:


> Anyone hear clicking sound using the balanced output when the song switches from dsd to mp3?




That is normal, and that is the relay working. It was there to protect the headphones socket which in turns protect the headphones


----------



## nanaholic

hydesg said:


> Anyone hear clicking sound using the balanced output when the song switches from dsd to mp3?


 
  
 If it's clicking from the machine it's normal.
  
 They put in a mechanical relay in there to protect the circuitry from the loud audio pops and cracks when the circuitry engages/disengages, so every time it triggers it makes a audible clicking noise.


----------



## hydesg

nanaholic said:


> If it's clicking from the machine it's normal.
> 
> They put in a mechanical relay in there to protect the circuitry from the loud audio pops and cracks when the circuitry engages/disengages, so every time it triggers it makes a audible clicking noise.




Thanks haha


----------



## ledzep

hydesg said:


> Anyone hear clicking sound using the balanced output when the song switches from dsd to mp3?



It's not the clicking that bothers me it's the drop from DSD to MP3


----------



## mata

Jaben hk has 4.4mm cable in stock but Sony store hasn't notified me since a month ago. They promised 30% off if purchase of the wm1a.


----------



## mata




----------



## mata

mata said:


>



How long should I wait for Sony?


----------



## nanaholic

hydesg said:


> Thanks haha


 
  
 A few of the Sony engineers on the WM1 team have old-man fetishes since they are from the analogue era where a lot of the stuff are mechanically operated and makes mechanical noises when you flip a switch or something. They like that throw back as well as the tactile feedback and designed it in there (absolutely no reason they can't put a silent electrical relay in there).  Same with the analogue metre that you can engage in the playback screen when they already have the multi-band visualizer.  No particular purpose except they just like it that way but one can argue it also gives the device some unique character.


----------



## Bengkia369

Does these Sony DAP have good synergy with FAD FI-BA-SS?!


----------



## pngbb

Dear all, this is my first post in Head-Fi.  I bought 1Z two weeks ago from my local Sony Store.  I didn't buy the Sony Kimber balanced cable.  So, I am waiting a good balanced cable right now... Hope I could find one soon


----------



## Whitigir

pngbb said:


> Dear all, this is my first post in Head-Fi.  I bought 1Z two weeks ago from my local Sony Store.  I didn't buy the Sony Kimber balanced cable.  So, I am waiting a good balanced cable right now... Hope I could find one soon




If that is the case, we will see you here  

http://www.head-fi.org/t/827575/sony-nw-wm1z-owner-and-impressions#post_13052865


----------



## nanaholic

pngbb said:


> Dear all, this is my first post in Head-Fi.  I bought 1Z two weeks ago from my local Sony Store.  I didn't buy the Sony Kimber balanced cable.  So, I am waiting a good balanced cable right now... Hope I could find one soon


 
  
 Congrats! Go read my full translation of the development team interview there, I think it would make you appreciate what you bought a fair bit more. 
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/827575/sony-nw-wm1z-owner-and-impressions/15#post_13068909


----------



## 463782

I received the Sony MUC-B20SB1 today. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I am extremely pleased with my experience with Buyee (http://buyee.jp). They ordered it on Amazon JP on my behalf and then delivered it to me (US) in less than 8 days. It was extremely simple to signup and link my PayPal account. I will definitely used them again in the future.
 I ended up paying $240 for the cable and $24 for Buyee's fee + shipping.


----------



## Whitigir

lexomil said:


> I received the Sony MUC-B20SB1 today.
> 
> I am extremely pleased with my experience with Buyee (http://buyee.jp). They ordered it on Amazon JP on my behalf and then delivered it to me (US) in less than 8 days. It was extremely simple to signup and link my PayPal account. I will definitely used them again in the future.
> I ended up paying $240 for the cable and $24 for Buyee's fee + shipping.




Congratulations, how does it secure on MDRZ1F when screwed in ? Does the bottom of the body get to rotate easily inside it socket ? I know the stock cables once plugged and secured on screwing in, there is nothing that could roll around


----------



## 463782

whitigir said:


> Congratulations, how does it secure on MDRZ1F when screwed in ? Does the bottom of the body get to rotate easily inside it socket ? I know the stock cables once plugged and secured on screwing in, there is nothing that could roll around


 
  
 Thanks! It is extremely secure. It works the exact same way as the cable that came with the MDR-Z1R.


----------



## 463782

“Gonna have to give Buyee another go, I was confused by navigation, how to find a 1Z/1A”
  
@Cagin - Once you signed up and linked a PayPal account, you can download a software compatible with Safari, Internet Explorer, Chrome or FireFox. Then, it can''t get easier. You browse Amazon JP for the product you want to buy and then click on Buyee's plugin added by the software to your browser. It will redirect you to their site with the item on a cart.
  
 I know my explanation can get confusing. Let me know if you need help.


----------



## Whitigir

Comparison between 1A and 1Z by google mess up translation 

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A//sonyshop-ones.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2016-09-21


----------



## riotgrrl

Did gerbil1986 buy the gold version?


----------



## pngbb

whitigir said:


> If that is the case, we will see you here
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Oh, there is a 1Z owner thread~  OK, see you there~  I think 1Z, 1A and A30 series are selling well in my country, but only a few discussions on these DAPs in the local forum/discussion group... strange.  Anyway, it is better to share our thoughts here, meeting the head-fi lovers from all around the world


----------



## pngbb

nanaholic said:


> Congrats! Go read my full translation of the development team interview there, I think it would make you appreciate what you bought a fair bit more.
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/827575/sony-nw-wm1z-owner-and-impressions/15#post_13068909


 

 thx, nanaholic~  I'm from HK too.  I always love Sony Walkman.  Actually I and other 5 1A & 1Z owners met the development team last night in CWB Sony Store.


----------



## nanaholic

pngbb said:


> thx, nanaholic~  I'm from HK too.  I always love Sony Walkman.  Actually I and other 5 1A & 1Z owners met the development team last night in CWB Sony Store.


 
  
 I read about the event somewhere else but never got the invitation - probably because I didn't buy the Walkman from Sony but from another store. Out of interest did the entire team came or just some of them?  Would love to meet Sato Hiroaki-san again if he came (met him last time in Japan when I was ordering my Just ears).


----------



## likearake

Not very impressed with the official Sony 4.4mm MMCX cable. Has probably the worst memory and microphonics of any IEM cable I've ever used.


----------



## Decreate

nanaholic said:


> I read about the event somewhere else but never got the invitation - probably because I didn't buy the Walkman from Sony but from another store. Out of interest did the entire team came or just some of them?  Would love to meet Sato Hiroaki-san again if he came (met him last time in Japan when I was ordering my Just ears).


 I got my wm1z from the Sony shop in cwb but I didn't get an invitation either, so I'm guessing it had nothing to do with where the item was bought.


----------



## Decreate

likearake said:


> Not very impressed with the official Sony 4.4mm MMCX cable. Has probably the worst memory and microphonics of any IEM cable I've ever used.


 You can always do what I did and that's to convert it into an adapter so you could use your own cable with it.


----------



## Mimouille

likearake said:


> Not very impressed with the official Sony 4.4mm MMCX cable. Has probably the worst memory and microphonics of any IEM cable I've ever used.


 
 I disagree...I have it right hear and, even though it is thick, I find it quite flexible, do not have an ounce of microphonics with my S-EM9.


----------



## likearake

mimouille said:


> I disagree...I have it right hear and, even though it is thick, I find it quite flexible, do not have an ounce of microphonics with my S-EM9.


 
  
 Well I'm finding it a pain, certainly much more resistance in the cables than the others I have (Campfire Litz cable, Fidue balanced cable, UE900 cables).
  
 Maybe you are used to nice, super thick fancy expensive cables? Haha.


----------



## Mimouille

likearake said:


> Well I'm finding it a pain, certainly much more resistance in the cables than the others I have (Campfire Litz cable, Fidue balanced cable, UE900 cables).
> 
> Maybe you are used to nice, super thick fancy expensive cables? Haha.


 
 I didn't say you are wrong, only that I disagree  I am indeed using a few thick cables. But I have the ultra thin Linum SuperBax, which is more flexible and thin of course, but will tangle very easily.


----------



## Mimouille

likearake said:


> Well I'm finding it a pain, certainly much more resistance in the cables than the others I have (Campfire Litz cable, Fidue balanced cable, UE900 cables).
> 
> Maybe you are used to nice, super thick fancy expensive cables? Haha.


 
 I didn't say you are wrong, only that I disagree  I am indeed using a few thick cables. But I have the ultra thin Linum SuperBax, which is more flexible and thin of course, but will tangle very easily.


----------



## hydesg

Agree with mimi
Sony cable doesnt nt get tangled easily like canpfires litz cable


----------



## phonomat

riotgrrl said:


> Did gerbil1986 buy the gold version?




Nah. But I'm sure you and everyone else will hear _all the details soon. All we have to do is stay tuned ..._


----------



## audionewbi

I have now passed the 500 hour and I will now begin listening without having burnin bias. Now that I have had enough headphone with the WM1A what impresses me the most about it is that it remains neutral without giving up on musicality (dpx1 is sterile and fairly we can say neutral). If I ever miss some warmth the DC phase setting gives me very positive alteration in sound.
  
 The last time I was this impressed about a source was when I got the HUGO. To me 1A and HUGO sonically are in the same group.


----------



## Mimouille

I spent the day listening to S-EM9 balanced out of the WM1Z...what a beautiful combination. It really makes the earsonics shine so much. Musical, detailed, great imaging. Love it.


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> I spent the day listening to S-EM9 balanced out of the WM1Z...what a beautiful combination. It really makes the earsonics shine so much. Musical, detailed, great imaging. Love it.




Did you ever do a comparison to your 380 Copper ?


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> Did you ever do a comparison to your 380 Copper ?


I never had one. Just tried briefly.


----------



## PCheung

mimouille said:


> I spent the day listening to S-EM9 balanced out of the WM1Z...what a beautiful combination. It really makes the earsonics shine so much. Musical, detailed, great imaging. Love it.




I do think SEM9 matches AK380 better specially on vocal and soundstage. 

Don't have a chance to compare it with balance out though.


----------



## Mimouille

pcheung said:


> I do think SEM9 matches AK380 better specially on vocal and soundstage.
> 
> Don't have a chance to compare it with ballance out though.


AK380 lacks the depth of the WM1Z in my opinion. Beautiful detail and clarity but no depth.


----------



## denis1976

mimouille said:


> AK380 lacks the depth of the WM1Z in my opinion. Beautiful detail and clarity but no depth.


maybe the normal ak380 the copper has more depth than the LPG


----------



## Mimouille

denis1976 said:


> maybe the normal ak380 the copper has more depth than the LPG


Not that I heard.


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> AK380 lacks the depth of the WM1Z in my opinion. Beautiful detail and clarity but no depth.




I agree with WM1Z having that "depth" and not only so, it has that Vivid energies, density, details within it as well


----------



## AnakChan

I think the best to hear from one who owns both, & have used both extensively. Demos of even up to an hr may give an idea but won't be as conclusive owning both for extended periods of time.

I, for example have a rather opposite view where to me, the 4 different NW-WM1Zs (the designer's, Jude's, Fujiya Oct show's, & e-earphone's shop) I've heard felt a little closed soundstage width-wise compared to my AK380Cu+amp (but I do grant it has the greater depth). And even then I'm not ready to say the AK380Cu triumphs over the NW-WM1Z.

But the experience has tamed down my "urgency" to own one.

Just my 2 yen worth.


----------



## Mimouille

anakchan said:


> I think the best to hear from one who owns both, & have used both extensively. Demos of even up to an hr may give an idea but won't be as conclusive owning both for extended periods of time.
> 
> I, for example have a rather opposite view where to me, the 4 different NW-WM1Zs (the designer's, Jude's, Fujiya Oct show's, & e-earphone's shop) I've heard felt a little closed soundstage width-wise compared to my AK380Cu+amp (but I do grant it has the greater depth). And even then I'm not ready to say the AK380Cu triumphs over the NW-WM1Z.
> 
> ...


Plus we sometimes all mean different things. The Sony has a fuller sound, to my ears then the AK, so it can sound less airy, and thus less wide, but the thickness giving an impression of depth. It all depends what one values at this level...


----------



## denis1976

mimouille said:


> Not that I heard.


maybe is the latest firmware that sounds diferent, i am listening to both on the Dali 2 cd and ak380 has more body than LPG , but i still love the LPG


----------



## Mimouille

denis1976 said:


> maybe is the latest firmware that sounds diferent, i am listening to both on the Dali 2 cd and ak380 has more body than LPG , but i still love the LPG


Maybe it is my old ears


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> Plus we sometimes all mean different things. The Sony has a fuller sound, to my ears then the AK, so it can sound less airy, and thus less wide, but the thickness giving an impression of depth. It all depends what one values at this level...




Again, I agree with this totally.


----------



## musicday

Whitigir- didn't last long did it?
For sale 
Reason?
Edited 2 minutes later:
Used to be like you until I discovered the Tera Player.


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> Whitigir- didn't last long did it?
> For sale
> Reason?




Lol, it last long. Reason is because I also want the Desktop Amp, in which....if I want it ASAP, I need to place the special order for all 3 pieces.


----------



## Dithyrambes

whitigir said:


> Lol, it last long. Reason is because I also want the Desktop Amp, in which....if I want it ASAP, I need to place the special order for all 3 pieces.


lol I saw that coming kkkk


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> lol I saw that coming kkkk




 you are evil. My hobby is also evil


----------



## musicday

musicday said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > dithyrambes said:
> ...



You may want to try out Zishan DSD player my friend.It does DSD 256 natively and cost only 150 USD. You will have lots of bread left,and i didn't mention that it can take 256 GB card and is very powerful twice as Sony 500 mW!!!


----------



## musicday

musicday said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > dithyrambes said:
> ...



Intro for Zishan DSD player...


----------



## jdhore

Has anyone been able to find out...Is the WM1Z running Android or no?


----------



## flipper203

I'll receive my WM1A on tuesday, just can't wait!! hope it will make my vega and zeus shine!!


----------



## Whitigir

jdhore said:


> Has anyone been able to find out...Is the WM1Z running Android or no?




Neither 1A nor 1Z is running android OS. It is Sony OS


----------



## fish1050

gerelmx1986 said:


> I already did with XBA-Z5, mt WM1A (still not shipped) and mt zx100
> 
> mt zx100 did need repairs under warranty, accessoryJack accedded to repair it and they sent it to sony HK, the bad: i had to pay shipping both ways and yet again went defected (reason for killing it later)


 
 My point exactly, my A17 purchased in Canada and sent under warranty to Sony for battery replacement cost me $19.00 CDN.  It was a a 10 day turn around from shipping to Sony to having a replacement in my hand.  That is why I want a warranty vs buying an import without one.  God knows what it would have cost me if I had to send my unit out of country for the battery replacement and not under warrantly


----------



## KK-android

kk-android said:


> Hi guys.
> 
> Do you know how to take screenshot by our WM1Z/A ?
> I got 1 screen shot in my root folder, but how happen??
> ...





Guys, I got how to take a screenshot of WM1Z/A at last. 

display off, Volume+ ⇒　Volume-　⇒　Power(long press Until display on)


Cheers!!


----------



## bettyn

Any word on when these players will be available in the USA?


----------



## Jazzi

bettyn said:


> Any word on when these players will be available in the USA?


 

 I guess it depends on what you mean by "available."  You can buy them from Amazon (US) now for $3,199.  The seller is Buywise, and it qualifies for 2-day Prime shipping.  However, I believe it's the Japanese version, and would require you to ship it back to Japan for service/warranty.  I haven't heard/read anything about when a US version would be available.  Several places are taking pre-orders.


----------



## echineko

kk-android said:


> Guys, I got how to take a screenshot of WM1Z/A at last.
> 
> display off, Volume+ ⇒　Volume-　⇒　Power(long press Until display on)
> 
> ...


 
 Nice one!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Cool trick of the Screenshot


----------



## ChiAki

Anyone a fan of the good old MDR-EX1000? I know I am! Not to trash the XBA-Z5 here but I just can't make myself to fall in love with the Z5 no matter how many times I've tried.
  
 I got my friend to make an adapter for me to have the EX1000 accept MMCX-plug cables.
  
 It's just a little add-on that literally doesn't destroy the pair of earphones themselves. Now I can finally enjoy some balanced goodness with my EX1000! 
  
  
  



  
 I took a listen of the Brise Audio 4.4mm Balanced cable (MMCX) as well as the one Sony made in collaboration with Kimber Kable for the XBA-Z5.
  
 Both have very different characteristics in their respective sound signatures.
  
 Still haven't decided which one I should buy


----------



## audionewbi

^i love to buy a pair of such adapters. 
 Also I find Brise audio sound as good as a copper cable can get. They use high quality copper cable and the magic is in their shielding.


----------



## ledzep

Put me down for a pair of those adaptors too, seen others but they look very neat handy work, anymore takers ? This could be a new crowd funder  Put me down for £50 !


----------



## 463782

jazzi said:


> I guess it depends on what you mean by "available."  You can buy them from Amazon (US) now for $3,199.  The seller is Buywise, and it qualifies for 2-day Prime shipping.  However, I believe it's the Japanese version, and would require you to ship it back to Japan for service/warranty.  I haven't heard/read anything about when a US version would be available.  Several places are taking pre-orders.


 
  
 I bought mine from BuyWise on Amazon US and it is the Japanese tourist version (all languages available).
 I don't know how Sony's products registration webpage works but I had no issue registering my serial number on the US website.


----------



## Whitigir

lexomil said:


> I bought mine from BuyWise on Amazon US and it is the Japanese tourist version (all languages available).
> I don't know how Sony's products registration webpage works but I had no issue registering my serial number on the US website.




That is because your is "international version" ! And Japan version only has Japanese


----------



## nanaholic

kk-android said:


> Guys, I got how to take a screenshot of WM1Z/A at last.
> 
> display off, Volume+ ⇒　Volume-　⇒　Power(long press Until display on)
> 
> ...


 
  
 I tried it with screen on it still works.  
 Trick is long press at the end you must hold for about 2~3 seconds, just until the power off prompt pops up.


----------



## 463782

whitigir said:


> That is because your is "international version" ! And Japan version only has Japanese


 
  
 You are correct. I was simply responding to Jazzi's comment:
  
_"I guess it depends on what you mean by "available."  You can buy them from Amazon (US) now for $3,199.  The seller is Buywise, and it qualifies for 2-day Prime shipping.  However, I believe it's the Japanese version, and would require you to ship it back to Japan for service/warranty.  I haven't heard/read anything about when a US version would be available.  Several places are taking pre-orders."_
  
 I thought he meant that the device being sold by BuyWise was a regular Japanese model. In regards to the warranty, I wanted to point out that I was able to register my tourist device on Sony's US website. I will call Sony's support to ask if they will warranty my device locally.


----------



## 463782

whitigir said:


> That is because your is "international version" ! And Japan version only has Japanese


 
  
 You are correct. I was simply responding to Jazzi's comment:
  
_"I guess it depends on what you mean by "available."  You can buy them from Amazon (US) now for $3,199.  The seller is Buywise, and it qualifies for 2-day Prime shipping.  However, I believe it's the Japanese version, and would require you to ship it back to Japan for service/warranty.  I haven't heard/read anything about when a US version would be available.  Several places are taking pre-orders."_
  
 I thought he meant that the device being sold by BuyWise was a regular Japanese model. In regards to the warranty, I wanted to point out that I was able to register my Japanese tourist device on Sony's US website. I will call Sony's support to ask if they will honor a warranty locally.


----------



## kms108

lexomil said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > That is because your is "international version" ! And Japan version only has Japanese
> ...


 
  
  
http://www.sony.jp/products/overseas/contents/info.html#info02


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> http://www.sony.jp/products/overseas/contents/info.html#info02




Excellent information


----------



## kms108

chiaki said:


> Anyone a fan of the good old MDR-EX1000? I know I am! Not to trash the XBA-Z5 here but I just can't make myself to fall in love with the Z5 no matter how many times I've tried.
> 
> I got my friend to make an adapter for me to have the EX1000 accept MMCX-plug cables.
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Many of us are long time supporter of the classic EX monitor series, please see if you able to have more of these adapters available.


----------



## Jazzi

whitigir said:


> Excellent information


 

 Is that information specific to the VAIO?  In a couple of places the VAIO is specifically mentioned.


----------



## Jazzi

lexomil said:


> I bought mine from BuyWise on Amazon US and it is the Japanese tourist version (all languages available).
> I don't know how Sony's products registration webpage works but I had no issue registering my serial number on the US website.


 

 lexomil:
  
 So, is that the capped, or non-capped version?


----------



## 463782

jazzi said:


> lexomil:
> 
> So, is that the capped, or non-capped version?




It is not. I have been listening to music most of the day and I couldn't keep it at 80 for more than a few songs. I never got any warning message either.
BuyWise was extremely responsive and told me (in writing) that if the model they sold to me via Amazon was not the one I was looking for (I mentioned about the capped version), I could always return it to Amazon free of charge.


----------



## Decreate

...and today this little converter cable arrived


----------



## Jazzi

lexomil said:


> It is not. I have been listening to music most of the day and I couldn't keep it at 80 for more than a few songs. I never got any warning message either.
> BuyWise was extremely responsive and told me (in writing) that if the model they sold to me via Amazon was not the one I was looking for (I mentioned about the capped version), I could always return it to Amazon free of charge.


 

 Thanks, lexomil.  I've hesitated because that listing on Amazon confuses me.  For example, in the comments is posted:
  
*"Warranty is valid only in Japan. That is, you need to send back to Japan to repair under warranty."*
  
yet, others here say it is covered by international warranty.


----------



## tangents

Is that 2.5 female?
  
 Quote:


decreate said:


> ...and today this little converter cable arrived


----------



## Decreate

Yes it is.
  
 http://briseaudio.jp/portable/product/conv/upg001convto544.html


----------



## nanaholic

decreate said:


> ...and today this little converter cable arrived


 
  
 Er you have to be careful with that converter cable, the female jack isn't put together properly (the L- line is in contact with the metal casing) so if the female jack touch the chassis it short circuits.
  
 http://briseaudio.jp/store/_src/3761/img20161207182156399027.jpg


----------



## Decreate

Thanks, just found out about it when I looked at the website hahaha....guess I should be OK because I always have the case on the dap.


----------



## echineko

jazzi said:


> Is that information specific to the VAIO?  In a couple of places the VAIO is specifically mentioned.



No. if you click on the "Products" tab on the same page, there's a list of all different types of overseas products Sony makes, including the Walkman.

Edit: Really, some very good info. Thanks kms108 Whoops, wrong credit for a bit


----------



## nanaholic

decreate said:


> Thanks, just found out about it when I looked at the website hahaha....guess I should be OK because I always have the case on the dap.




They are doing exchanges but too bothersome if not in Japan, so I put some heat tubing around mine instead.


----------



## Decreate

nanaholic said:


> They are doing exchanges but too bothersome if not in Japan, so I put some heat tubing around mine instead.


 
 I was thinking of using duct tape...but where can I get the heat tubing you mentioned?


----------



## kms108

Before anyone gets overly excited about warranty for overseas models, Sony Japan specify that you have to the international warranty card, it should come within the box, if not you will have to contact your seller and have them to get it for you.


Thanks to all for gaving me the reps.


----------



## nanaholic

decreate said:


> I was thinking of using duct tape...but where can I get the heat tubing you mentioned?


 
  
 Apliu Street in Sham Shui Po.


----------



## Decreate

nanaholic said:


> Apliu Street in Sham Shui Po.


 
 Ok， thanks.


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> They are doing exchanges but too bothersome if not in Japan, so I put some heat tubing around mine instead.


Do they do only balanced to balanced or also female 4.4 to male 3.5 SE?


----------



## nanaholic

mimouille said:


> Do they do only balanced to balanced or also female 4.4 to male 3.5 SE?


 
  
 Only 4.4mm male > 2.5mm/3.5mmTRRS female balance to balance.


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> Only 4.4mm male > 2.5mm/3.5mmTRRS female balance to balance.


OK thanks, don't need that.


----------



## ttt123

nanaholic said:


> They are doing exchanges but too bothersome if not in Japan, so I put some heat tubing around mine instead.


 
 Another alternative that I use is clear fingernail lacquer.  Apply a coating on bare contacts.  Multiple coatings if you want it thicker, and let it dry between coats.  It works well for situations where there is light contact, and no constant abrasion involved.  And you have difficulties getting  the heat shrink over the contacts.  Can also put a layer on the inside of the metal plug sleeve, so that there is a clear layer of lacquer insulation there also.  (there are many uses for lacquer, once you start thinking about it) 
  
 Heat shrink is the best, if you can slide it over the wires before putting the connectors on, and then slide it down and heat it up.  For an assembled cable, it is sometimes difficult to slide a small heat shrink tube over the plug.  And the large tube may not shrink enough when heated, if you are forced to use a large heat shrink tube.  For this adapter cable, from the picture, it looks like the female plug is small enough to slide a heat shrink tube over it.
  
 The big advantage of lacquer is that it does not take any extra space, and is easy to apply, and can be found cheaply anywhere.  Add a small piece of electrical tape while the lacquer is wet, for added insulation and abrasion resistance.
  
 I also put it on the screws fastening the wire in AC plugs, to stop them from vibrating loose over time.  Not as good as Loctite, but better than not putting anything on.


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> OK thanks, don't need that.




I need to source these 4.4mm plugs...Damn it . I am looking to do some 4.4 to female 3.5 TRRS myself. 



nanaholic said:


> Er you have to be careful with that converter cable, the female jack isn't put together properly (the L- line is in contact with the metal casing) so if the female jack touch the chassis it short circuits.
> 
> http://briseaudio.jp/store/_src/3761/img20161207182156399027.jpg




Now, to be safe, you can cover the Female sockets in Sugru ? Why not


----------



## nanaholic

ttt123 said:


> Another alternative that I use is clear fingernail lacquer.  Apply a coating on bare contacts.  Multiple coatings if you want it thicker, and let it dry between coats.  It works well for situations where there is light contact, and no constant abrasion involved.  And you have difficulties getting  the heat shrink over the contacts.  Can also put a layer on the inside of the metal plug sleeve, so that there is a clear layer of lacquer insulation there also.  (there are many uses for lacquer, once you start thinking about it)
> 
> Heat shrink is the best, if you can slide it over the wires before putting the connectors on, and then slide it down and heat it up.  For an assembled cable, it is sometimes difficult to slide a small heat shrink tube over the plug.  And the large tube may not shrink enough when heated, if you are forced to use a large heat shrink tube.  For this adapter cable, from the picture, it looks like the female plug is small enough to slide a heat shrink tube over it.
> 
> ...


 
  
 There are various types of heat shrink with different shrink factors and diameters.  Most common is 2:1 (shrinks into half the size) but you can also find them in shrink factors of 3:1 and 4:1 as well.  I have some left overs from making cables so it was easy.


----------



## kms108

jazzi said:


> lexomil said:
> 
> 
> > It is not. I have been listening to music most of the day and I couldn't keep it at 80 for more than a few songs. I never got any warning message either.
> ...


 

 This all depends on if you have the official japanese version or the tourist version, the seller says this so that they don't need to take responsibility.


----------



## pngbb

nanaholic said:


> I read about the event somewhere else but never got the invitation - probably because I didn't buy the Walkman from Sony but from another store. Out of interest did the entire team came or just some of them?  Would love to meet Sato Hiroaki-san again if he came (met him last time in Japan when I was ordering my Just ears).


 
 Have you registered your player and/or became the member of My Sony? I bought it from MK Sony Store, the staff there help me to register the 1Z and upgrade my My Sony membership grade to "Prestige".  Only both Sato-sans, the development team leader and the marketing manager came to HK.  All of them are very nice~


----------



## hydesg

Anyone tried running their hd800 with the wm1a?


----------



## Whitigir

hydesg said:


> Anyone tried running their hd800 with the wm1a?




Unless DIY plugs come out, otherwise ....I doubt it lol


----------



## hydesg

whitigir said:


> Unless DIY plugs come out, otherwise ....I doubt it lol





Haha ok, 
Sigh my andro with wm1a!sounds better than my yggdrasil plus hd800 and cma800r


----------



## kms108

This is in chinese, does anyone know what mod this does.
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=2013.1.20141002.4.t1gEoW&scm=1007.10009.60083.100200300000004&id=542636364105&pvid=01161b1a-bae1-4edc-a7e0-f1fe912fdb3a


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> This is in chinese, does anyone know what mod this does.
> 
> https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=2013.1.20141002.4.t1gEoW&scm=1007.10009.60083.100200300000004&id=542636364105&pvid=01161b1a-bae1-4edc-a7e0-f1fe912fdb3a




Where in the world are you seeing these stuff ? Lol it got removed


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > This is in chinese, does anyone know what mod this does.
> ...


 

 China www.taobao.cn do you know what it is.


----------



## PCheung

kms108 said:


> China www.taobao.cn do you know what it is.


 
  
 "Legend Blue Sony/索尼 NW-WM1A/Z 黑磚/金磚 MOD 平衡 Z1R"
 translate to English means 
 Legend Blue Sony/Sony NW-WM1A/Z Black Brick/Gold Brick MOD Balance Z1R
  
 Black Brick/Gold Brick is the nickname of 1A/1Z in Chinese 
  
 Guess it does something to mod the machine and achieve better sound for Z1R?
 Although the pages is censorship with the warning "As your country law or our platform terms, this item is currently not available"


----------



## Whitigir

pcheung said:


> "Legend Blue Sony/索尼 NW-WM1A/Z 黑磚/金磚 MOD 平衡 Z1R"
> translate to English means
> Legend Blue Sony/Sony NW-WM1A/Z Black Brick/Gold Brick MOD Balance Z1R
> 
> ...




Assuming that was true, you know what ? If Sony doesn't know what does well with Z1R and WM1A/Z ? I doubt any armature do ....LOL!


----------



## gerelmx1986

jazzi said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > Excellent information
> ...


which vaio?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Do long titles scroll or get truncated? F. E. Classical music works


----------



## flipper203

I am looking for a 2.5ttrs to 4.4mm balanced adaptor. Is it possible to find one?


----------



## ChiAki

I'm assuming that Chinese mod basically just modifies the cables inside WM1A to match that of the WM1Z. 

After all, when it comes to the balanced output part of the circuits and condensers used, both models have the same stuff albeit the WM1Z uses Kimber Kable for its inner wiring. Differences between WM1A and WM1Z mainly show in the unbalanced part of the innards due to the fact that more higher quality condensers are implemented in the WM1Z. 

So it's assumed that by modifying the wiring, the WM1A will sound as close to the WM1Z as it can get (under balanced output, of course) without changing its chassis completely to that of copper.


----------



## Whitigir

chiaki said:


> I'm assuming that Chinese mod basically just modifies the cables inside WM1A to match that of the WM1Z.
> 
> After all, when it comes to the balanced output part of the circuits and condensers used, both models have the same stuff albeit the WM1Z uses Kimber Kable for its inner wiring. Differences between WM1A and WM1Z mainly show in the unbalanced part of the innards due to the fact that more higher quality condensers are implemented in the WM1Z.
> 
> So it's assumed that by modifying the wiring, the WM1A will sound as close to the WM1Z as it can get (under balanced output, of course) without changing its chassis completely to that of copper.




Not really, the main tune differences here (balanced) would be "F" Resistors. It makes senses because even if you use the same capacitors, but different Resistors, you would then get different sound performances.

But nice spot on the mod


----------



## ChiAki

whitigir said:


> Not really, the main tune differences here (balanced) would be "F" Resistors. It makes senses because even if you use the same capacitors, but different Resistors, you would then get different sound performances.
> 
> But nice spot on the mod


 
 Resistors are the same in balanced tho 
  
 As read in the interview on Sony's official site & Personally confirmed with Sony engineers too 
  

  
 And by Nanahita pointing this out in  #3619


----------



## kms108

chiaki said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > Not really, the main tune differences here (balanced) would be "F" Resistors. It makes senses because even if you use the same capacitors, but different Resistors, you would then get different sound performances.
> ...


 
 What I don't like about these two walkman, and with many years of technology, i'm sure Sony can do away with that single fly wire, although you are not really mean't to see it, but it kind of put you off.


----------



## ChiAki

Hey c'mon, it's not the first time a big company charges an overpriced price-tag for a premium version of its product 
  
 Plus, it'd be really hard to replicate that copper chassis too. Scratch that, actually, nearly impossible to copy 100%. Also, we wouldn't know what kind of solder Sony used to wire those Kimber goodness onto the WM1Z. As most of us know, soldering kinda sorta matters.
  
 Nevertheless, I truly envy the WM1Z owners for getting the best sound quality possible even under unbalanced mode! As a WM1A owner I had to spend extra money to truly make use of the full potential of those new resistors!


----------



## Whitigir

chiaki said:


> Resistors are the same in balanced tho
> 
> As read in the interview on Sony's official site & Personally confirmed with Sony engineers too
> 
> ...




You are confused, the same thing in Balanced is Capacitors. They both use FT Capacitors for balanced out and the OS-Capacitors are for digital and single ended on the 1A where the 1Z also use FT Capacitors.

The Resistor is different, the 1A has 6 main MELF Resistors and the 1Z has 6 main F-Resistors which stands for Fine sound tuning.


----------



## audionewbi

Because of WM1A i ended up buying a windows laptop and boy Am I glad I did. Media go is an amazing piece of software. The purpose of Media Go is two fold. First to scan files Temp for SenseMe playlist, the feature that made me a Sony walkman fanboy. And second Gracenote amazing database, you can now update tag and save them. Before Media Go use to update the tags but dont save it in the actual file but in its own internal database. It was great till you wanted to use a different device and than all the metadata was missing.
  
 Try it guy, it is amazing!


----------



## ChiAki

whitigir said:


> You are confused, the same thing in Balanced is Capacitors. They both use FT Capacitors for balanced out and the OS-Capacitors are for digital and single ended on the 1A where the 1Z also use FT Capacitors.
> 
> The Resistor is different, the 1A has 6 main MELF Resistors and the 1Z has 6 main F-Resistors which stands for Fine sound tuning.


 
  
 OMG you're totally right!


----------



## ChiAki

audionewbi said:


> Because of WM1A i ended up buying a windows laptop and boy Am I glad I did. Media go is an amazing piece of software. The purpose of Media Go is two fold. First to scan files Temp for SenseMe playlist, the feature that made me a Sony walkman fanboy. And second Gracenote amazing database, you can now update tag and save them. Before Media Go use to update the tags but dont save it in the actual file but in its own internal database. It was great till you wanted to use a different device and than all the metadata was missing.
> 
> Try it guy, it is amazing!


 
  
 I hear you!
  
 Keep preaching, my friend.


----------



## AnakChan

So it looks Bispa will release their 4.4mm plugs tomorrow to the consumers (info from e-earphone store) and at a much more reasonable price of ¥1800++ as opposed to the current Pentaconn which costs approx ¥5800. The Bispa will be gold plated.


----------



## proedros

if you are fine with the volume cap , *amazon uk has the 1A model for 788 pounds*


----------



## Whitigir

anakchan said:


> So it looks Bispa will release their 4.4mm plugs tomorrow to the consumers (info from e-earphone store) and at a much more reasonable price of ¥1800++ as opposed to the current Pentaconn which costs approx ¥5800. The Bispa will be gold plated.




I really want the current Pentaconn. .... don't know where to get it yet ...lol. But that is excellent information, and is good to know more people is coming aboard. I can not wait to see what will Furutech have in mind.


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> if you are fine with the volume cap , *amazon uk has the 1A model for 788 pounds*




You had been eyeing it, why don't you do it .


----------



## Dithyrambes

Damn what a good price....and I only listen on andromedas.....so should be enough power. Only issue is I don't think I could probably tell the difference when I'm running around in the subway, running to places for rehearsals and such. I don't think portable listening is even ideal for me, so I'm moving more towards transportable gear ><.


----------



## proedros

whitigir said:


> You had been eyeing it, why don't you do it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 i may be eyeing a used/like new 1a , no-volume-cap version next spring for sale here around 700 euros

 but this one ? 1000 euros for a capped 1a ? nope.


----------



## Dithyrambes

proedros said:


> i may be eyeing a used/like new 1a , no-volume-cap version next spring for sale here around 700 euros
> 
> 
> but this one ? 1000 euros for a capped 1a ? nope.


ich auch


----------



## phonomat

Just some impressions after a little over three weeks of real-world use:
  
 I had a ZX1 before, still have it in fact (kids, you won’t remember, but at my time, the ZX1 was a very well-regarded audio player. That was roughly at the dawn of the CD age), and there are some notable differences in handling these units, so perhaps this might be of some use for any oldtimers (this hobby is _so_ FOTM) like me who are still thinking about making the jump. Since most of the impressions so far have been focusing on sound differences, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the "secondary" qualities, so to speak. (Also, let’s be honest, these things all sound more or less the same, don't they. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) Also, I’m currently burning the unit in on my head, so who knows what will happen. (I still have to laugh saying/typing this. I’m really _burning_ this thing _in_, because Sony wants me to, lol. What have I become! I have never heard the sound of any player (or headphone, for that matter) change over time, and I don’t expect to hear any changes with this one, but if I do, I will duly report.)
  
 I have decided to go for the WM1A in favor of a WM1Z mainly because of four factors:
  

Sound. As I said, there are certainly no major differences to be expected, but I thought it best to err on the side of caution: What I have gathered from earlier impressions is that differences are very small, but the WM1Z is supposed to sound even warmer than the 1A, which is not desirable to me. I say "even warmer", because if there is a difference in sound as opposed to my ZX1, then I would say that the 1A sounds a little warmer and, well, fuzzier. I’m not yet sure what to think of that, and would certainly not want to see it extended. There were also reports stating that if there is an area where the 1Z actually sounds "better" or more resolving, it is with vocals. Since I almost exclusively listen to either electronic or instrumental classical music, I decided that factor was negligible.
Looks (yes, I’m one of those who find the gold tacky. Much like those highly appraised dignis cases, I think it looks terribly "old" and uncool.)
Weight. This was a huuuge, probably the most important deciding factor for me. When I first had the 1A (yes, the 1_A_) in hand, I was surprised, shocked, appalled at its size and weight. These things are huge! Really, today’s Walkmans are not that much smaller than their 80’s counterparts. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 In all seriousness though, this thing is about three smartphones high and just as long if you count your headphone's plug. Together with the weight, this almost defies the purpose of a portable unit in my eyes. A portable dap as I see it should be a companion for all walks of life and be able to keep up with me on all sorts of activities, no matter if I’m going to the gym, running, hiking, skiiing or whatever. While the size just can’t be helped, there was no way that I would have put up with an even heavier unit. The way I see it, the 1Z is transportable at best. Sorry, but a Walkman that I can’t walk around with in my sweatpants just ain’t a proper Walkman for me. Lying in bed with the 1A on my chest, it already feels just a little heavier than what would be comfortable. The 1Z would probably suffocate me in my sleep, lol.
Price. With all of this factored in, paying not more, but _much_ more than what I needed to pay for a 1A was out of the question. I consider the 1A the better deal by far. But just _how_ good indeed? Read on.
  
 As stated above, initial impressions were not very favourable. Comparing it with my ZX1, the new dap felt so huge and akwardly heavy, it really was like technological progress had been reversed. I‘m stressing this point to help others make an informed decision, because just looking at the pictures, I would never have guessed how tall and especially deep (and obviously how freakin' heavy) this thing really is.
  
 Also, I like the buttons on the ZX1 _so_ much better. The 1A’s buttons don’t protrude from the casing, which makes them much harder to locate in the dark or in your pocket. While finding the right button on the ZX1 worked very intuitively for me right from the start, the only buttons that are easy to find on the 1A are those with those little dots on it. So Volume + is easy, but to find Volume - I have to find Volume + first and then keep very carefully feeling, fondling and fiddling around until I’m sure I’ve found it. Certainly not quick and easy. It sounds like a small issue, but I find it quite detrimental to the all-around experience. In fact, the superior look and feel of the ZX1 was what let me refrain from buying a ZX2 or ZX100. What I do appreciate is the lock function. Ironically, with the recessed buttons it seems less necessary. than before. The ZX1’s elevated button in conjunction with the lock switch would have been a winning combination IMHO.
  
 What I really _hate_ and consider a terrible design flaw though, is that the headphone sockets are located at the top of the unit as opposed to the bottom as with all the predecessors. While I appreciate the option to go balanced, having to plug in at the top is very unfortunate indeed. Holding the unit in hand the right way around, the cable is unnecessarily shortened by over 15 cm. Plus it always seems to get in the way when operating the buttons, obstructing them, getting caught between your fingers and so on. Very aggravating, but the worst thing is that when you carry the unit in your pocket, you will want to insert it bottom first to avoid the cable to get bent. Doing this, however, will let you end up with the controls upside down and on the wrong side, making it virtually impossible to operate the unit in your pocket with ease -- the reason why there were outer buttons in the first place! I guess the remote control will take care of that, but having to pay extra for a remote control (for a portable unit at that!) is more than annoying. In any case, depending on which way you turn the unit, you either end up with a shortened cable that gets in the way of things or the buttons on the wrong side.
  
 It takes ages to switch the unit on, you have to hold the power button down for multiple seconds. (The smallest click was sufficient with the ZX1.) After that, power-up time seems reasonable. There is no noticable lag in the UI, certainly not to a bothersome degree. Upgrading to firmware versions 1.01 and 1.02 consecutively worked like a breeze.
  
 UI functions very intuitively. Allocation of the different feature screens as explained in the interview translated by @nanaholic(thanks again!) earlier in this thread is easily comprehensible and a charm to use.
  
 For me, personally, the 120 volume steps are too much though. Again, I have to hold the Volume +/- buttons down far longer than what feels comfortable to achieve an actual difference in volume. One quick push of the button does almost nothing, and to really hear a noticeable difference in volume, you will either have to push the button like twenty times or hold it down for seconds. Again, it might not seem like a big issue, but it makes use just that much more of a hassle when what you want is a unit that you can interact intuitively without really thinking about it.
  
 Like with the ZX1, I have never really found out why the cover artwork of any ripped CDs won’t be displayed. I now have the 1A’s display set to show the spectrum analyzer, which is a welcome new feature, but it still bothers me a bit. Also, I do miss the clock function. While the time can be set, I never see it displayed anywhere. Am I missing something?
  
 I’m very thankful for the addition of tone controls for Bass, Mids and Treble as opposed to only having the 10-band equalizer. Kudos to Sony for that, even if they’re not very easy to use via touchscreen. Somehow, the virtual potentiometers keep slipping from my grip and I end up having to grab them over and over again.
  
 The upscaling function doesn’t do very much for me. Haven’t tried it with mp3’s, cause I don’t listen to the format. With redbook material, I find the effect pretty negligible. Same with the DC phase thing -- very subtle effect, but I seem to prefer type A High or B High with my choice of music. Hard to tell the difference between A and B though, to be honest.
  
 Luckily for all you people, I can’t think of much more for the moment, but that’s probably enough nitpicking anyway. I have to say that, while I don’t really have much buyer’s regret (well maybe a tiny little bit), so far this experience has made me appreciate even more what an ingenious little device the original ZX1 really was. Apart from sacrificing Android, the form factor and most of the interaction with the device was ahead at the time IMHO. Since I haven’t done any serious comparison soundwise as of yet (I’m actually waiting until _burn-in_ is finished, ROFLMAO!), I can’t really comment on that (not unimportant) point, but if you would prefer using Android and a light little device with great sound, you might actually be able to pick up a ZX1 for a very reasonable price nowadays. Just sayin‘. I will admit, though, that it certainly feels good to own part of Sony’s top game (the Z1R is currently burning in with the 1A, lol),  and I bet I’ll be just as nostalgic when I’ll have my WM3A in a couple of years.


----------



## davidcotton

dithyrambes said:


> ich auch


 

 I suppose with amazon you can try it to see if the volume is enough.  If it isn't then you can always return it hassle free.
  
 I wish that I hadn't seen that post though.  Already have to cough up for a new graphics card (integrated just doesn't cut it for me).


----------



## PCheung

phonomat said:


> It takes ages to switch the unit on, you have to hold the power button down for multiple seconds. (The smallest click was sufficient with the ZX1.) After that, power-up time seems reasonable. There is no noticable lag in the UI, certainly not to a bothersome degree. Upgrading to firmware versions 1.01 and 1.02 consecutively worked like a breeze.
> 
> For me, personally, the 120 volume steps are too much though. Again, I have to hold the Volume +/- buttons down far longer than what feels comfortable to achieve an actual difference in volume. One quick push of the button does almost nothing, and to really hear a noticeable difference in volume, you will either have to push the button like twenty times or hold it down for seconds. Again, it might not seem like a big issue, but it makes use just that much more of a hassle when what you want is a unit that you can interact intuitively without really thinking about it.


 
  
 Just for your info
  
 Try touch the upper side of the screen will pop up a virtual dial for volume.
  

  

  
  
  
 And I found the second time I boot up my machine (not awake from sleep) it take less time to build its database, still I prefer let it stay in sleep mode always.


----------



## phonomat

Hey, cool, thanks! Now that I see it, it actually looks kind of familiar, so maybe I did know about this and only forgot. Anyway, I'll use it exclusively from now on! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 The database building is okay with me, I'm used to that, I'm more obsessed with how long you have to press the power button down. But yeah, you're right, probably best to just leave it one.


----------



## Whitigir

I also noticed, WM Walkman take much longer to charge 7-8 hours, where as the Zx2 took only 4-5 hours for full charge


----------



## nanaholic

phonomat said:


> Like with the ZX1, I have never really found out why the cover artwork of any ripped CDs won’t be displayed.


 
  
 Depends on what program you use to rip CDs.
 If you use Media Go, it will most certainly work - the program will even fetch covers automatically. If it doesn't find one just grab one and drop it in.


----------



## phonomat

Hm, the second MediaGo recommendation in a day. I always sort of dismissed it as unnecessary, but I guess I'll have to give it a try now. Thanks!


----------



## nanaholic

The thing is even though there is sort of a standard for writing tags and embedding artwork into music files, not all programs adheres to it.  Since MediaGo and the Walkmans are designed to work together, the combination is fairly flawless.


----------



## Mimouille

I use mp3tag and all my tags and covers appear flawlessly.


----------



## blazinblazin

whitigir said:


> I also noticed, WM Walkman take much longer to charge 7-8 hours, where as the Zx2 took only 4-5 hours for full charge




Actually it charges faster than that.
I used my Samsung phone USB charger. Probably 1/2 or 1/3 the time of 7hours


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> I use mp3tag and all my tags and covers appear flawlessly.




I use the same thing, and it is excellent. I can do all cover art and etc...whatever


----------



## FenderP

I auditioned the 1A and 1Z while in Hong Kong this past week. I'm not sure why people say the differences are minimal. Taking the color and extra 256GB aside, I could hear easily that the 1A and 1Z were, yes, similar but also very different.
  
 I tried it at one of the Sony stores (TST) as well as at Jaben. First, I'd like to say that besides Tokyo, Hong Kong is a great place for headphones and portable audio. There really aren't stores like what exist in those two places here in the US. While listening, I used songs I was familiar with already loaded and were in lossless; I didn't bring my own SD card.
  
 The first difference is that the 1Z seems more efficient. I could listen to the 1Z at a much lower volume. The 1A would need to be much higher to have equivalent output. I was using ideal conditions - the 1A/Z with the Z1R and a balanced cable.  This was true in both places I auditioned and the volume differences were exactly the same. It was not a close number - like 45 vs 75.
  
 I know sound is subjective, and terms like "warm", "air", and such are thrown out (not just for these players, but in general). The way I'd describe the 1Z is that it just effortlessly played the music. Soundstage was similar, and certainly they shared many similar qualities, but the 1Z had a depth that really gave it a 3D sound for lack of a better term. The 1A sounded really good - don't get me wrong - but was just more 2D/flat in comparison. I wouldn't say clinical. Things like vocals and bass had much more impact and sounded much more natural on the 1Z; the bass had good extension at the bottom and nice mid-bass as well.
  
 The 1Z really is heavy - you can feel the difference vs. the 1A. I think you'd do some damage to yourself if you dropped it on a foot! 
  
 I also listened to the 1Z via the Z1HES and man, that is a killer combo. If I had limited apartment space and couldn't have a good rig with speakers (even if smaller), I'd dump my money in that and some good headphones (like the Z1R).
  
 Having said all of that, at the end of the day, I will still probably get the 1A when I go to Japan next month. Since I only use my Walkman when traveling, I have a hard time justifying the 1Z. If money were no object? 1Z all day, every day. To put it in comparison: I just found a factory refurbished HAP-Z1ES for $1,000 US. I can't justify spending much more for a portable rig. I would worry more I would lose or forget the 1Z than it would be stolen since people care more about phones these days, not DAPs. If I had a daily commute/would use it every day, maybe I'd look at the 1Z. Granted, when used 1Zs pop up in Japan, it's about the equivalent of $2,200 US which is certainly cheaper but still not something I'd want to spend.at the moment.
  
 Just my $.02. Both are great players, and if I had not auditioned the 1Z, I would still think the 1A is an improvement over my existing ZX1, especially in terms of battery life. My ZX1 has great battery life for lossy but unfortunately now that I listen to more hi-rez stuff, it's ... lacking there. It's also a few years old at this point and the tech in the 1A/Z is so much better there.


----------



## Whitigir

I agree, from the engineering stand point, there is no way that they can justify the pricing differences due to the different sound signature alone. Well. A few hundred more is ok, but not a thousand more or so....the WM1Z gotta be capable of what the 1A does, and some more to justify the cost and the engineering RD that went into it.

The only thing would hold people back from buying 1Z will ultimately be the pricing factor, and that is as much to that I agree. Many folks would have a hard time swallowing a DAP price that cost just as much as a top tier mid-if desktop setup


----------



## FenderP

whitigir said:


> I agree, from the engineering stand point, there is no way that they can justify the pricing differences due to the different sound signature alone. Well. A few hundred more is ok, but not a thousand more or so....the WM1Z gotta be capable of what the 1A does, and some more to justify the cost and the engineering RD that went into it.
> 
> The only thing would hold people back from buying 1Z will ultimately be the pricing factor, and that is as much to that I agree. Many folks would have a hard time swallowing a DAP price that cost just as much as a top tier mid-if desktop setup


 
  
 Let's not discount the 256GB vs. the 128GB, not just the audio guts. The extra internal memory is anther few hundred dollars. A 256GB iPhone is $849 US, and keep in mind it's probably only that cheap because Apple buys it in such bulk. Outside of Japan, Sony does not offer a 64GB version of the A30 probably due to price. So higher internal storage capacity is going to factor into price here.
  
 I think the sound and effortless way the 1Z handled things is great, but for _my _usage, it doesn't make sense at basically 3x the cost. I could justify it as I said if I had some difference circumstances.
  
 I said this to someone else, but I think the 1Z is an aspirational piece. At $1999 US it'd be almost a no brainer, even $2499 I could see. Yes, it's newer than said HAP-Z1ES but when your portable is more expensive than your top of the line home player ...


----------



## vilhelm44

I've had the WM1A tourist version now since Wednesday and let it burn in for nearly 100 hours, using it with Cosmic Ears CE6P. I must say this certainly sounds a lot more open and balanced than the ZX2. You can hear everything with crystal clear clarity and it really pulls you in...very detailed but not dry, it's an extremely musical DAP.

The bass hits hard and gives the music a nice bit of body and the highs shimmer very nicely. Vocals are nicely detailed and engaging, it's one of those DAPs you never want to put down. Sony have done an amazing job here. You've got a sexy looking machine with an amazing battery life and sound to die for! This is all from SE too, as I can't try the balanced connection yet.


----------



## Dithyrambes

whitigir said:


> I agree, from the engineering stand point, there is no way that they can justify the pricing differences due to the different sound signature alone. Well. A few hundred more is ok, but not a thousand more or so....the WM1Z gotta be capable of what the 1A does, and some more to justify the cost and the engineering RD that went into it.
> 
> The only thing would hold people back from buying 1Z will ultimately be the pricing factor, and that is as much to that I agree. Many folks would have a hard time swallowing a DAP price that cost just as much as a top tier mid-if desktop setup


 
 3,300 is midfi? That's a totl setup with a yggy and a balanced amp Lol....or even a chord hugo(or wtvr totl dac for 1.2k...even ifi idsd BL) and a ALO CDM(I can almost 100% guarantee this will sound better than WM1Z)...in conjunction(for a transportable setup)...unless portability is absolutely needed....... everything is priced too high....including the wm1a. I don't understand......the pricing and need for the dap at this price range. As much as I liked the sony and the zx2(paid 500 for it...reasonable)......the unit they provide is too limited for the price. No dac functionality, wifi/streaming, and sure it plays music and you can go balanced.....but still probably won't be enough to drive very hard to drive totl cans to their full potential.....which are usually open back so you can't really take them anywhere either(you aren't gonna walk around with an hd800 or he1000 anywhere)....doesn't change the fact you don't have streaming have to update your library constantly. Let not forget it doesn't best(like blow away) another dap called the LPG that came out several years ago, which I find comparable to lets say an IFI micro iDSD.

 I don't get what the niche is with 1k+ daps. When I'm walking around with the city during my busy schedule, I even find listening to the zx2 difficult and though i can tell the sq is good.....its usually not the first consideration of my mind as I am busy getting somewhere. When I'm sitting in trains or airplanes....the background noise is very loud and also there are air pressure changes. I'm usually too tired to listen to music anyways.

 Which leads to say.....hearing can be done on the move, but listening....you need a quiet place to at least sit down and relax to enjoy. The totl headphones need it(so what's the point of balanced in a portable player). Sure I know people say they like to move around the house when listening....Just get a transportable setup and listen around the house. You can stack a mojo and alo cdm...and walk around the house no problem with your cans. 
  
 The only consideration is for people who want to listen on the go with iems(which I state....is hard to critically listen...and no need for extra power), and if so fine....but paying over 1k.....even 3.3k for this type of listening i find is a ridiculous in my point of view.
  
 The Walkman doesn't even serve as a good line out to 2 channel speakers and gets easily bested by dacs such as the mojo(only $380...can't say its hyped at all with that type of pricing) or Geekout v2+ infinity. 
  
 I've said enough, but yeah...I will wait until next year to see if the price of the wm1a or even the 1z comes down to something reasonable(aka less the 1k..like 700-800max).
  
 I find the industry really sickening these days. TBH as much hype every iem gets....at the end of the day....an iem is an iem...it sounds different but the amount people hype it.....the differences i find very minimal..its an iem...you will never get as much soundstage as a headphone yet alone the last octave of air so why bother?....yet you have empire ears pricing iems at near 3k and 1964 ears pricing iems over 3k.  All these totl headphones going in the 3-4k range....still can't say they wipe a $700 modded hd800 to the floor...either...so YMMV.
  
 My rant is done, but yes.......you can invest 3.3k in anything to get pretty totl(even nikon d810 plus nice lens)...and if you spend it on desktop or transportable gear.....you get far far better returns in sq. Everything in this industry is getting overpriced.


----------



## Fsilva

Anyone bought the WM1A (euro-capped) version?


----------



## Whitigir

Alo CDM is how much power output ? I know Balanced last barely 6 hours. Wm1z with 250mW per channel @ 16 ohm load last 11 hours on native DSD and FLAC files alone would be 30 hours ....no stacking needed. All in one player, because you have to keep in mind, having a DAP with a powerful amplifier will need stacking

Alo CDM only provide 125mW into 32 ohms in balanced mode. How do you think it could possibly out perform the WM1Z/A ? Again, heat dissipation issue, and barely last 6 hours, also need stacking...
https://www.aloaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/CDM-Manual-Final.pdf
Wm1Z/A is an all in one device that is powerful enough to drive headphones without stacking and last for A full day on a single charge running FLAC. It does native DSD up to 11.2 and CDM ain't gonna do that much....given I don't even know where to find those DSD files lol.... 

Of course when talking about Top Mid-tier desktop system, there isn't any comparison. So, the price is hardly justified for WM1Z. You think top tier desktop can be obtained for 3K ? Think again


----------



## phonomat

whitigir said:


> I agree, from the engineering stand point, there is no way that they can justify the pricing differences due to the different sound signature alone. Well. A few hundred more is ok, but not a thousand more or so....the WM1Z gotta be capable of what the 1A does, and some more to justify the cost and the engineering RD that went into it.





> *Well, last time I checked, copper and gold were a bit more expensive than aluminium.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> The only thing would hold people back from buying 1Z will ultimately be the pricing factor, and that is as much to that I agree. Many folks would have a hard time swallowing a DAP price that cost just as much as a top tier mid-if desktop setup





> *That's not true, well certainly not for me, and I'd consider myself people. I literally have zero interest in lugging around a gold bar. As I said, I find the 1A too heavy as is. This isn't a minor issue, it's one of the key factors when buying a portable unit.*


 
  
  


fenderp said:


> Let's not discount the 256GB vs. the 128GB, not just the audio guts. The extra internal memory is anther few hundred dollars. A 256GB iPhone is $849 US, and keep in mind it's probably only that cheap because Apple buys it in such bulk. Outside of Japan, Sony does not offer a 64GB version of the A30 probably due to price. So higher internal storage capacity is going to factor into price here.
> 
> I think the sound and effortless way the 1Z handled things is great, but for _my _usage, it doesn't make sense at basically 3x the cost. I could justify it as I said if I had some difference circumstances.
> 
> I said this to someone else, but I think the 1Z is an aspirational piece. At $1999 US it'd be almost a no brainer, even $2499 I could see. Yes, it's newer than said HAP-Z1ES but when your portable is more expensive than your top of the line home player ...


 
  
 I just quickly googled it, and a 128 GB card is €11,89 atm.


----------



## FenderP

phonomat said:


> I just quickly googled it, and a 128 GB card is €11,89 atm.


 
  
 YOu do realize that an SD card != memory chips on a motherboard or in an SSD, right? I can get a 256GB SD card - what is your point? More internal memory is better AND preferred.
  
 I do agree that the 1Z is noticeably heavier as I pointed out, so for some it will be a dealbreaker.


----------



## Dithyrambes

whitigir said:


> Alo CDM is how much power output ? I know Balanced last barely 6 hours. Wm1z with 250mW per channel @ 16 ohm load last 11 hours on native DSD and FLAC files alone would be 30 hours ....no stacking needed. All in one player, because you have to keep in mind, having a DAP with a powerful amplifier will need stacking
> 
> Alo CDM only provide 125mW into 32 ohms in balanced mode. How do you think it could possibly out perform the WM1Z/A ? Again, heat dissipation issue, and barely last 6 hours, also need stacking...
> https://www.aloaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/CDM-Manual-Final.pdf
> ...


you are viewing from portable perspective.....all those are good for daps. If you read my point....its better to invest in transportable gear. Last time i checked ygggy with ragnorak amp wasnt top mid tier.....alo cdm pocket thing...again i said unless you need portable.....just go transportable or desktop. Point again..portability..i cant see why we need 1k plus daps because its hard to critically listen in moving/noisy environments. Why would you buy a dap only to use it in the house with headphones that need a quiet environment. Last time i checked most of those nice sounding headphones were open back....so why do i need a days worth of battery and 250mw out with a pita new incompatible hard to attain balanced plug if i need a quiet place to listen? My point is if you need all that stuff for that cost great! Sony is the one. But 3.3k invested elsewhere will lead to sq that you can use better outside of iems, where you as an audiophile will listen anyways.


----------



## Whitigir

Fair enough, and....hence Sony made Z1R headphones  lol. I do agree that pricing for audio gears are getting ridiculous


----------



## audionewbi

nanaholic said:


> Depends on what program you use to rip CDs.
> If you use Media Go, it will most certainly work - the program will even fetch covers automatically. If it doesn't find one just grab one and drop it in.


 
  
  


phonomat said:


> Hm, the second MediaGo recommendation in a day. I always sort of dismissed it as unnecessary, but I guess I'll have to give it a try now. Thanks!


 
 I dont like to rip CD using media Go and I am still learning it, it has a few bug regarding tagging files, specially hi-res files while it is trying to to build its own database but honestly it is quiet a nice program and sadly is a must if you like to use the Sense Me playlist maker on your walkman.


----------



## rcoleman1

Hey guys. Can someone tell me the latest firmware version for the WM1A and how to update correctly? A link would be great. Thanks in advance!


----------



## blazinblazin

rcoleman1 said:


> Hey guys. Can someone tell me the latest firmware version for the WM1A and how to update correctly? A link would be great. Thanks in advance!




1.02 

Go to SONY webpage. 
Choose Support. 
Choose WM1A/Z. 
Choose your OS your PC is using.
Download the Upgrade file.
Plug in WM1A/Z to PC via USB.
Double click on the downloaded file, follow the instructions and complete the update.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Hmm what if you update with different region update...no volume cap?


----------



## nanaholic

dithyrambes said:


> you are viewing from portable perspective.....all those are good for daps. If you read my point....its better to invest in transportable gear. Last time i checked ygggy with ragnorak amp wasnt top mid tier.....alo cdm pocket thing...again i said unless you need portable.....just go transportable or desktop. Point again..portability..i cant see why we need 1k plus daps because its hard to critically listen in moving/noisy environments. Why would you buy a dap only to use it in the house with headphones that need a quiet environment. Last time i checked most of those nice sounding headphones were open back....so why do i need a days worth of battery and 250mw out with a pita new incompatible hard to attain balanced plug if i need a quiet place to listen? My point is if you need all that stuff for that cost great! Sony is the one. But 3.3k invested elsewhere will lead to sq that you can use better outside of iems, where you as an audiophile will listen anyways.


 
  
 OTOH you are only looking at things from pure technical merits but ignoring other factors, you must realise that not everyone has the same usage requirements.
 I have a good desktop rig (look at my sig), but you know the number of times I use it? Maybe once a week for a couple of hours at best.  OTOH I have a total of 90min commute everyday on public transport to and from work and during that time I always listen to my WM1Z+Just Ear combo, so my portable rig IS my main rig, since my purchase of the WM1Z about 6 weeks ago I've probably already gotten way more usage out of it than my good desktop rig for the entire year that if you actually do an analysis my "investment" (no such thing on equipment that only depreciates - desktop/portable or what not) was better on portable than my transportable/desktop - it's not always about technical merits but rather usage. In fact now I think I'll try to sell my entire desktop rig and my high-impedance headphones like the T1 and just focus on obtaining sub-100ohm phones that sounds great out of the WM1Z or a Mojo connected to my laptop.


----------



## nanaholic

audionewbi said:


> I dont like to rip CD using media Go and I am still learning it, it has a few bug regarding tagging files, specially hi-res files while it is trying to to build its own database but honestly it is quiet a nice program and sadly is a must if you like to use the Sense Me playlist maker on your walkman.


 
  
 What kind of bugs have you encountered?  I don't think I've encountered any so far.
 The only issue is that on Media Go's tagging is somehow not as accurate as iTune's, even though both uses Gracenote, so sometimes you might end up with the wrong tags.


----------



## Mimouille

fenderp said:


> I know sound is subjective, and terms like "warm", "air", and such are thrown out (not just for these players, but in general). The way I'd describe the 1Z is that it just effortlessly played the music. Soundstage was similar, and certainly they shared many similar qualities, *but the 1Z had a depth that really gave it a 3D sound for lack of a better term. The 1A sounded really good - don't get me wrong - but was just more 2D/flat in comparison.* I wouldn't say clinical. Things like vocals and bass had much more impact and sounded much more natural on the 1Z; the bass had good extension at the bottom and nice mid-bass as well.


 
 This is exactly what I heard and the reason why I bought the 1Z. It is quite subtle but if you focus on it you can hear it clearly, and few / no DAPs have this quality.


----------



## blazinblazin

But when you combo an IEM with large soundstage like Campfire Audio Andromeda with WM1A is another story~


----------



## Mimouille

blazinblazin said:


> But when you combo an IEM with large soundstage like Campfire Audio Andromeda with WM1A is another story~


 
 By large you mean wide or deep. Depth and layering / 3D feeling are quite particular.


----------



## productred

mimouille said:


> This is exactly what I heard and the reason why I bought the 1Z. It is quite subtle but if you focus on it you can hear it clearly, and few / no DAPs have this quality.


 
  
  


blazinblazin said:


> But when you combo an IEM like Campfire Audio Andromeda with WM1A is another story~


 
  
  


fenderp said:


> I auditioned the 1A and 1Z while in Hong Kong this past week. I'm not sure why people say the differences are minimal. Taking the color and extra 256GB aside, I could hear easily that the 1A and 1Z were, yes, similar but also very different.
> 
> I tried it at one of the Sony stores (TST) as well as at Jaben. First, I'd like to say that besides Tokyo, Hong Kong is a great place for headphones and portable audio. There really aren't stores like what exist in those two places here in the US. While listening, I used songs I was familiar with already loaded and were in lossless; I didn't bring my own SD card.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Having owned both (purchased with own monies) I'd say what you guys find beneficial on the 1Z is exactly the reason why I prefer the 1A. Both sounds phenomenal, but being a musician myself the very vast "3D" sound on the 1Z is a bit too much, a bit too far from what would give me a real life sonic experience. This is one of the rare occasions when I actually experience "too much air" on a piece of gear. Besides the effect on the sense of space, the timbre on some instruments are not quite there on the 1Z when the grains and grit are needed for a complete experience. Don't get me wrong, the details are all there on either, but it is the presentation that counts here. On the other hand the timbre on 1A is so far always spot-on, and the sense of space is exemplary and wholly believable.
  
 Of course the weight is still one of the factors why I let go of my Z and not regretting that a bit.


----------



## Mimouille

productred said:


> Having owned both (purchased with own monies) I'd say what you guys find beneficial on the 1Z is exactly the reason why I prefer the 1A. Both sounds phenomenal, but being a musician myself the very vast "3D" sound on the 1Z is a bit too much, a bit too far from what would give me a real life sonic experience. This is one of the rare occasions when I actually experience "too much air" on a piece of gear. Besides the effect on the sense of space, the timbre on some instruments are not quite there on the 1Z when the grains and grit are needed for a complete experience. Don't get me wrong, the details are all there on either, but it is the presentation that counts here. On the other hand the timbre on 1A is so far always spot-on, and the sense of space is exemplary and wholly believable.
> 
> Of course the weight is still one of the factors why I let go of my Z and not regretting that a bit.


I agree on the weight, and also I find them both too large.


----------



## blazinblazin

I don't think they are too large compared to cellphone, but just thick.
  
 But I give it to them since, its still thinner than my X5II + E12A and have the kind of power I wanted.
  
 Oh and the long battery life.
  
 That's why I bought it.


----------



## FenderP

mimouille said:


> I agree on the weight, and also I find them both too large.


 
  
 I would call them both "chunky", but the 1Z is more "beefy" due to the added weight.


----------



## FenderP

productred said:


> Having owned both (purchased with own monies) I'd say what you guys find beneficial on the 1Z is exactly the reason why I prefer the 1A. Both sounds phenomenal, but being a musician myself the very vast "3D" sound on the 1Z is a bit too much, a bit too far from what would give me a real life sonic experience. This is one of the rare occasions when I actually experience "too much air" on a piece of gear. Besides the effect on the sense of space, the timbre on some instruments are not quite there on the 1Z when the grains and grit are needed for a complete experience. Don't get me wrong, the details are all there on either, but it is the presentation that counts here. On the other hand the timbre on 1A is so far always spot-on, and the sense of space is exemplary and wholly believable.
> 
> Of course the weight is still one of the factors why I let go of my Z and not regretting that a bit.


 
  
  


mimouille said:


> This is exactly what I heard and the reason why I bought the 1Z. It is quite subtle but if you focus on it you can hear it clearly, and few / no DAPs have this quality.


 
  
 I am a musician, and while I listen to rock and play it, my main thing is jazz. The 1Z is definitely better there and had a lot of detail. The 1Z had a better balance of mid and low bass to me - impact but accuracy. I would disagree on the timbre. I don't need to reproduce a Yamaha NS-10, studio kind of sound. I didn't think there was too much air at all and it felt way more realistic to me than the 1A. The 1A felt more closed in to me but not in a horrible way, but this is why there are different strokes for different folks. Like I said, I'll most likely wind up with the 1A since this is just a travel thing for me and $3k+ on that just isn't something I will spend right now. I'm not independently wealthy.


----------



## productred

fenderp said:


> I am a musician, and while I listen to rock and play it, my main thing is jazz. The 1Z is definitely better there and had a lot of detail. The 1Z had a better balance of mid and low bass to me - impact but accuracy. I would disagree on the timbre. I don't need to reproduce a Yamaha NS-10, studio kind of sound. I didn't think there was too much air at all and it felt way more realistic to me than the 1A. The 1A felt more closed in to me but not in a horrible way, but this is why there are different strokes for different folks. Like I said, I'll most likely wind up with the 1A since this is just a travel thing for me and $3k+ on that just isn't something I will spend right now. I'm not independently wealthy.


 
  
 Yes it is very much down to personal preference I guess..............it's not too unlike the case of the AK380 siblings. The Cu is priced well above the other versions, and while I own it (not any other versions) I sometimes find myself craving for the tiny bit more focused and gritty sound of the normal or the black versions. Maybe this experience too prompted me to keep the 1A while let go of the 1Z. I love the 1Z too, and the one word I'd like to describe it (and again very rare among portable gears) is "effortless", but I forced myself to be a tiny bit more rational and promised to inner self not to keep both so gotta make this difficult decision. I'm still very positive on the timbre being more realistically rendered on the 1A, and I found the deep bass in the 1A more impactful and accurate (this is another subtle but funny note I made regarding the 1Z - I found on numerous occasions its bass, especially lower bass, seems to be a bit, um, delayed? definitely not a good description but I can't find better words for now. That made the bass sound fatter than it should, reverb more than it should and not hitting exactly at the moment it should hit - very subtle but noticeable to me), but then again YMMV. None of these are deal breakers in any way, and I can definitely see people liking that more.
  
 And on the size.............I think they probably need more clearing for chunkier "reservoir" parts? Without the leather case I find the size very pocket-friendly. With the case it is marginally pocketable.


----------



## audionewbi

nanaholic said:


> What kind of bugs have you encountered?  I don't think I've encountered any so far.
> The only issue is that on Media Go's tagging is somehow not as accurate as iTune's, even though both uses Gracenote, so sometimes you might end up with the wrong tags.


 
 I noticed for dsf file sometimes an error occurs where the tags can be saved. When I right click and select "explore containing folder I can see a new file added right beside the file which failed to have its tags saved.


----------



## nanaholic

audionewbi said:


> I noticed for dsf file sometimes an error occurs where the tags can be saved. When I right click and select "explore containing folder I can see a new file added right beside the file which failed to have its tags saved.


 
  
 Can't say I've encountered that issue at all with dsf files, all of mine are tagged with no issues (have a hundred or so).  I'd think it might be a corrupted file issue rather than the software itself?


----------



## ChiAki

Picked up my cable from Brise Audio today!


----------



## PCheung

Release day and price of Dignis case will announce within this week (for Japan market?)

https://twitter.com/dignis_Official/status/808182554020847616?s=09


----------



## phonomat

fenderp said:


> YOu do realize that an SD card != memory chips on a motherboard or in an SSD, right? I can get a 256GB SD card - *what is your point? More internal memory is better AND preferred.
> 
> I do agree that the 1Z is noticeably heavier as I pointed out, so for some it will be a dealbreaker.
> *


*


My point is that memory is superdupercheap these days (and getting cheaper by the minute), so, yeah, for me it won't go a very long way in explaining a difference of almost 2000 bucks.

My unit has a slot, I pop in a 256 GB card, end of story. My music collection is huge and always growing; I'll never be able to fit everything into a portable device (well, not for some time, at least), and I'll always update and swap files, it's actually part of the fun for me. Sure, more internal memory is preferable, but to which price?*


----------



## hydesg

duplicated post


----------



## hydesg

Heres my current setup. Wm1a and andro


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> phonomat said:
> 
> 
> > Like with the ZX1, I have never really found out why the cover artwork of any ripped CDs won’t be displayed.
> ...


 

 I use dbpowerAmp for accuRip and bit-perfect rips to flac


----------



## gerelmx1986

chiaki said:


> Picked up my cable from Brise Audio today!


 

 I wait for plusSound xables


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> rcoleman1 said:
> 
> 
> > Hey guys. Can someone tell me the latest firmware version for the WM1A and how to update correctly? A link would be great. Thanks in advance!
> ...


 
 You can alzó update with mediaGo


----------



## Dithyrambes

hydesg said:


> Heres my current setup. Wm1a and andro


 
 All that for a 320kbps mp3


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> All that for a 320kbps mp3




I was thinking about who is going to do it first....Lol...


----------



## tangents

It's not the size of the bits, it's how you play them ...


----------



## hydesg

Haha i have 128kpbs in the player also. Max is 2.8mhz dsd


----------



## nanaholic

dithyrambes said:


> All that for a 320kbps mp3


 
  
 what's the problem?  I've obtained mp3s and aac files legally that are from a better master than the CD version. In fact with things like Mastered for iTunes the lossy compressed version are sometimes better than the lossless CD version because there is less dynamic compression and less clipping for the digital downloads than the master for the CD as they actually have a stricter guideline for master submission. 
  
 The file format isn't the problem - it's what you get inside it that counts. Given a choice between an mp3 that is from a master that is mixed correctly or a CD that's mixed hot and dynamically compressed, I'll take the mp3 in a heart beat rather than the lossless version.


----------



## kaushama

I have got NW-WM1A and Westone W80 today. Listening to them through TRRS single ended Moon audio Black Dragon IEM cable. I have ZX2 and Westone W60 to compare. 
And waiting for Kumitate Labs 4.4mm 5pole Balanced Silver Plated OFC Licht cable. Lots of comparisons to do.


----------



## TokenGesture

Will these accept a 200gb Micro SD card?


----------



## SoLame

kaushama said:


> I have got NW-WM1A and Westone W80 today. Listening to them through TRRS single ended Moon audio Black Dragon IEM cable. I have ZX2 and Westone W60 to compare.
> And waiting for Kumitate Labs 4.4mm 5pole Balanced Silver Plated OFC Licht cable. Lots of comparisons to do.


 
 I'd like to see a photo or two of Kumitate Lab's Licht cable with the new 4.4mm plug.
 Are you getting the right-angle one or straight plug? They offered the straight plug in the beginning, but I noticed that they had removed it from the options. Thanks...


----------



## Whitigir

It takes up to 256gb


----------



## kaushama

solame said:


> I'd like to see a photo or two of Kumitate Lab's Licht cable with the new 4.4mm plug.
> Are you getting the right-angle one or straight plug? They offered the straight plug in the beginning, but I noticed that they had removed it from the options. Thanks...




I am getting the right angle version. But I am confused whether to get Licht or Erde for my Westone W80????! Kumitate first recommended Erde, which is Pure OFC.

According to them,



> Evaluation on the sound of cable received from customers is as follows.
> ・Licht is emphasized Mid Range Sound
> ・Blau is emphasized Base Sound & High Sound
> ・Erde is Wider & Separated Sound.




But the W80 ships AlO reference 8 which is a hybrid Silver plated OFC cable. 
Later They recommended Licht but I wonder it would be more aggressive and forward for W80??!!:rolleyes:


----------



## Whitigir

What exactly materials are according to those name ?


----------



## kaushama

・Licht
http://www.kumitatelab.com/licht/
・Blau
http://www.kumitatelab.com/blau/
・Erde
http://www.kumitatelab.com/erde/


----------



## Whitigir

I still don't get it...lol...OFC ? I can't read Japanese


----------



## unknownguardian

whitigir said:


> I still don't get it...lol...OFC ? I can't read Japanese



Licht and blau are both silver plated ofc (oxygen free copper) whereas erde is pure copper ofc (occ - Ohno Continuous Casting, a manufacturing process)


----------



## Whitigir

I see, thanks for the translation. IME and IMO, I don't like silver plated copper. It doesn't matter how thick the plating are, just in general, SPC bring harshness into the sound edges. Now, Pure copper with OCC is different. I have tried all 3 kind of Ultrapure Copper, Ultrapure Silver, Ultrapure Silver-gold wires, and when it comes to Ultrapure, the wires gotta be at the least 7N to qualify.

UPOCC copper has the warmth, smoothness, details, air, and darker trebles but warmer and deeper bass overall
UPOCC silver has the faster bass, more details, faster decay, better air and soundstage, brighter trebles. Overall it brings more transparency, air, sparkling trebles. Some trebles could be too bright
UPOCC silver-gold it brings a hybrid of both, deep bass, and punchy bass of copper with speed of silver, transparency, more treble sparkles, more details, more air, brighter than copper and yet not too bright like silver.

I just want to share whatever my findings is worth to you. Btw, Oyaide is good stuff


----------



## unknownguardian

Thanks for sharing your knowledge to us!


----------



## Fsilva

Well i decided to buy a WM1A from Amazon UK since the price was "acceptable"...
 So how can i use my Silver Poison Toxic Cable in balance mode? Any sort of adapter that i can buy?


----------



## PLUSSOUND

gerelmx1986 said:


> I wait for plusSound xables


 

 Thank you. We will have them very soon!


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> I see, thanks for the translation. IME and IMO, I don't like silver plated copper. It doesn't matter how thick the plating are, just in general, SPC bring harshness into the sound edges. Now, Pure copper with OCC is different. I have tried all 3 kind of Ultrapure Copper, Ultrapure Silver, Ultrapure Silver-gold wires, and when it comes to Ultrapure, the wires gotta be at the least 7N to qualify.
> 
> UPOCC copper has the warmth, smoothness, details, air, and darker trebles but warmer and deeper bass overall
> UPOCC silver has the faster bass, more details, faster decay, better air and soundstage, brighter trebles. Overall it brings more transparency, air, sparkling trebles. Some trebles could be too bright
> ...




Good description of various cable characteristics. Do not like SPC also.


----------



## flipper203

I received my brand new Sony WM1A and after a quick test on jack garrat music, well, with Vega, it hits a lot in the bass departement !!


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> I see, thanks for the translation. IME and IMO, I don't like silver plated copper. It doesn't matter how thick the plating are, just in general, SPC bring harshness into the sound edges. Now, Pure copper with OCC is different. I have tried all 3 kind of Ultrapure Copper, Ultrapure Silver, Ultrapure Silver-gold wires, and when it comes to Ultrapure, the wires gotta be at the least 7N to qualify.



Hasn't OCC been discontinued for several years now? FEC (Furukawa Electric Co) was the only company that made it, under license by professor Ohno, I believe they have switched to PCUHD (pure copper ultra high draw, IIRC). Unless they're sticking with the OCC name to not confuse customers.

Edit: these are the only links I could find, so I doubt they've restarted manufacturing OCC, if anyone knows better, please chime in

https://www.furukawa.co.jp/en/release/2013/ene_130304.html

https://www.furukawa.co.jp/en/release/2014/ene_140617.html


----------



## Whitigir

echineko said:


> Hasn't OCC been discontinued for several years now? FEC (Furukawa Electric Co) was the only company that made it, under license by professor Ohno, I believe they have switched to PCUHD (pure copper ultra high draw, IIRC). Unless they're sticking with the OCC name to not confuse customers.
> 
> Edit: these are the only links I could find, so I doubt they've restarted manufacturing OCC, if anyone knows better, please chime in
> 
> ...




That would need a new thread from you . But yeah, the above were as much I could tell a part from different wires materials and characteristics.


----------



## dwong

Can WM1A EU volume capped version drive the Campfire Vega okay? Am wondering as the current price on Amazon UK ie a bit cheaper for the EU version than the 1199$ NA version when it is released.


----------



## flipper203

apparently yes, @davidmolliere is using a caped version if I remeber well and it works like a charm


----------



## ledzep

dwong said:


> Can WM1A EU volume capped version drive the Campfire Vega okay? Am wondering as the current price on Amazon UK ie a bit cheaper for the EU version than the 1199$ NA version when it is released.




You want to keep an eye on the prices on Amazon they go up and down all the time, I paid £809 2 weeks ago from the UK site and on the subject of it's a "capped one" its driving my U12's, Z5's, EX1000's and Z7's with ease, for the rest of my phones if needed I've got the new PHA2A coming from Jaben MY add this to the 1A price and it's still under the cost of getting a Import one into good old rip off Britain .


----------



## Fsilva

I just payed *£787.13 ​*this morning for a WM1A at Amazon UK, it was the lowest price i´ve seen at Amazon since they start selling them.


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> I see, thanks for the translation. IME and IMO, I don't like silver plated copper. It doesn't matter how thick the plating are, just in general, SPC bring harshness into the sound edges. Now, Pure copper with OCC is different. I have tried all 3 kind of Ultrapure Copper, Ultrapure Silver, Ultrapure Silver-gold wires, and when it comes to Ultrapure, the wires gotta be at the least 7N to qualify.
> 
> UPOCC copper has the warmth, smoothness, details, air, and darker trebles but warmer and deeper bass overall
> UPOCC silver has the faster bass, more details, faster decay, better air and soundstage, brighter trebles. Overall it brings more transparency, air, sparkling trebles. Some trebles could be too bright
> ...




Copper is warm, silver is bright and gold is a mix...makes no sense whatsoever technically. It depends on the resistance in the cable and how your iem reacts to it.

Besides 7N is often a myth:http://www.doublehelixcables.com/store/index.php?main_page=page&id=11


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> That would need a new thread from you
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 It's OK, I'm not that big into cable materials, more important to me is balanced vs unbalanced, and any differences that can be heard. Luckily the WM1 series, like the ZX2 before it, do indeed benefit noticeably  from going balanced


----------



## ledzep

fsilva said:


> I just payed [COLOR=333333]*£787.13 *[/COLOR]​this morning for a WM1A at Amazon UK, it was the lowest price i´ve seen at Amazon since they start selling them.




You want to cancel that and re order it's just dropped to £761


----------



## bvng3540

ledzep said:


> You want to cancel that and re order it's just dropped to £761




I'm in USA can I order that


----------



## ledzep

bvng3540 said:


> I'm in USA can I order that




You can always try


----------



## musicday

Sandisk 256 GB micro sd 95mbps brand new sealed, cheap if anyone is interested.UK only.
 Thanks.


----------



## Fsilva

ledzep said:


> You want to cancel that and re order it's just dropped to £761


 
 That was the price they were asking when i ordered them, the rest of the amount that i paid was for shipping.


----------



## ChiAki

Sounded horrible (bass became too boomy) but nevertheless interesting to hear what AK+Sony would sound like under balanced output


----------



## ledzep

musicday said:


> Sandisk 256 GB micro sd 95mbps brand new sealed, cheap if anyone is interested.UK only.
> Thanks.




What you after £


----------



## Cagin

Is there any non-capped 1A/1Z owner that tried pairing with an Ether C (Flow)? Can the new Walkman drive one well without need for an amp?
I implanted the idea of getting that as my first can, but if it's not efficient enough I might as well jump on th much cheaper capped U.K. Amazon deal and enjoy them on my Zeus R ciems.


----------



## musicday

ledzep said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Sandisk 256 GB micro sd 95mbps brand new sealed, cheap if anyone is interested.UK only.
> ...



PM sent.


----------



## davidmolliere

Yes indeed I am usually between 65 and 85 volume with the Vega on WM1A out of single ended (waiting in 4.4mm balanced cable availability)


----------



## TokenGesture

Does the UK version of the 1A have a high gain option?


----------



## denis1976

tokengesture said:


> Does the UK version of the 1A have a high gain option?


 
 If is the capped one,no.


----------



## svinaik

Folks, A few question on the Volume Cap..
  
 At what level of the "Non Capped version" is the volume cap applied to the "Capped Walkman". Is it say top 20%?, 30%? or more. The reason for asking is that I usually take my non capped ZX-2 to somewhere between 60%-80% of max volume (depending upon the music) and if the "Capped Walkman" still gives me the Max that I listen to, I may be good to save few bucks. ??

 Also, is there any other sound quality differences in the range that is available in the Capped version ?
  
 For my headphones, I have easy to Drive B&O H8 for the traveling need, PM-1 for "out of home" use and now Z1R for the Home use.
  
 If required, I also have the Oppo HA-2 to support.

 Sincerely appreciate the candid response.
  
 Best


----------



## musicday

Is the gold model without the volume cap anywhere to be found in Europe to buy without having to import from Japan or USA yet?


----------



## echineko

davidmolliere said:


> Yes indeed I am usually between 65 and 85 volume with the Vega on WM1A out of single ended (waiting in 4.4mm balanced cable availability)


 
 So I tried a few of the new CA lineup with the Sony / Kimber balanced 4.4mm IEM cable, and it works fine. Might want to get that, if you're looking for a balanced 4.4mm cable.
  

  
 Apparently the problem I had earlier with the Lyra mk1 was down to a problematic demo unit.


----------



## echineko

musicday said:


> Is the gold model without the volume cap anywhere to be found in Europe to buy without having to import from Japan or USA yet?


 
 I don't think they sell the international tourist versions outside Japan, so the answer would be no.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will listen to flac only


----------



## Gosod

whitigir said:


> I never said that...I think you misunderstood my points, I was saying the battery life and the heat generated from the new players are the same as Zx2.
> 
> Previously I was talking about "burn-in" process, and I never had any intentions to compare Zx2 vs WM1Z...Yet. Your question was short and general, so I answered in assumption that you asked about the burn-in process which I talked about previously.


 
Yes, this is me and wondered, thanks for the reply!


----------



## Barra

cagin said:


> Is there any non-capped 1A/1Z owner that tried pairing with an Ether C (Flow)? Can the new Walkman drive one well without need for an amp?
> I implanted the idea of getting that as my first can, but if it's not efficient enough I might as well jump on th much cheaper capped U.K. Amazon deal and enjoy them on my Zeus R ciems.



That would be interesting to try. The flow is very sensitive to source. Sounds great with anything but but is WOW with the right source.


----------



## rcoleman1

How can you tell for sure if you have a "volume capped" WM1A?


----------



## Whitigir

rcoleman1 said:


> How can you tell for sure if you have a "volume capped" WM1A?




As long as it was sold in Europe from a retailer "new". Or if it has any "CE" logo on it label or back of the box. It has no gain setting


----------



## PLUSSOUND

davidmolliere said:


> Yes indeed I am usually between 65 and 85 volume with the Vega on WM1A out of single ended (waiting in 4.4mm balanced cable availability)


 

 We will have the 4.4mm plugs for our cables available soon.


----------



## kubig123

whitigir said:


> As long as it was sold in Europe from a retailer "new". Or if it has any "CE" logo on it label or back of the box. It has no gain setting


 

 And the volume will go up to 100 instead of 120 of an capped version.


----------



## Dithyrambes

kubig123 said:


> And the volume will go up to 100 instead of 120 of an capped version.


 
 does this mean single ended is not that much weaker? Didn't habe a prob with capped wm1a...hmm thinking ><


----------



## rcoleman1

rcoleman1 said:


> How can you tell for sure if you have a "volume capped" WM1A?


 

 Thanks for the feedback guys.


----------



## echineko

denis1976 said:


> If is the capped one,no.



Does anyone have a pic of this gain selection menu? Would like to know what it says


----------



## Whitigir




----------



## ArrancarV

Will the NW-WM1A be an upgrade to the DP-X1? Christmas is near and am planning for a new DAP


----------



## blazinblazin

Got a Glass screen protector and a temporary silicon case for WM1A till Dignis case is available.


----------



## gerelmx1986

rcoleman1 said:


> How can you tell for sure if you have a "volume capped" WM1A?


I think there's a search this thread


----------



## flipper203

blazinblazin said:


> Got a Glass screen protector and a temporary silicon case for WM1A till Dignis case is available.


 
 where did you get both?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Better to get one before a scratch says hi!!!


----------



## blazinblazin

flipper203 said:


> where did you get both?


 
  
 From a shop in China. It does screen protectors and Silicon case for Walkman models.
 I would say case a bit on the soft side. but the fitting is good comes with dust cover for the the 2 ports.
  
 Silicon Case. Free Glass Screen Protector (not sure if it is tempered glass) and a strap.
 https://world.taobao.com/item/542493732706.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a312a.7700846.0.0.bZcW83&_u=enc4he3000b


----------



## echineko

blazinblazin said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Nice! Seems like it would do the job nicely for a while.


----------



## Fsilva

I´ve ordered a screen protector for the WM1A from amazon.de but no luck finding a case yet. I think i will wait for Dignis to release the leather ones.


----------



## JNOISE JA

hi
  i cant decide, between (chord mojo & sony nw-wm1a)
 with due attention to i have campfire andromeda

 Andromeda is because it has low impedance,
 which one is better?
 To have less hiss.
  
  
 You are a good source to know that Andromeda produce better sound and hiss less cause?
 Among the players or Amp/DACs
 My budget is $ 1,200
  
  
 Except idsd portability is important because for me.
  
 AK Are all models are good?
 I'm just looking for quality audio without the hiss from Andromeda


----------



## xrb936

Guys, where I can buy a WM1Z w/o EU volume cap?
 I am in US.
 I tried to buy one on Amazon JP, however I realized that the system language of Japan version is Japanese......
 Any ideas?
 Like, where I can buy a Asia tourist version?


----------



## Whitigir

xrb936 said:


> Guys, where I can buy a WM1Z w/o EU volume cap?
> I am in US.
> I tried to buy one on Amazon JP, however I realized that the system language of Japan version is Japanese......
> Any ideas?
> Like, where I can buy a Asia tourist version?




Why don't you wait for USA version ? It shouldn't be too long from now


----------



## Dithyrambes

jnoise ja said:


> hi
> i cant decide, between (chord mojo & sony nw-wm1a)
> with due attention to i have campfire andromeda
> 
> ...


wm1a! All the way. Don't go for that qp1r crap...God it sounds bad with andromedas compared to even zx2


----------



## xrb936

whitigir said:


> Why don't you wait for USA version ? It shouldn't be too long from now


 
 The price will be terrible. $3199 plus tax.The difference of the price is a MDR-Z7.


----------



## GhstInTheMachne

Question: can you stream Bluetooth to the NW-WM1Z and use it as a headphone amp/DAC?


----------



## blazinblazin

xrb936 said:


> The price will be terrible. $3199 plus tax.The difference of the price is a MDR-Z7.




Did you try to source from online shops in Singapore or Malaysia? Might have good deals.


----------



## ChiAki

The DIGNIS case for the WM1A/WM1Z is now listed at e-earphone for pre-order.
  
 I'll be getting mine during Portable Festival on this weekend


----------



## echineko

chiaki said:


> The DIGNIS case for the WM1A/WM1Z is now listed at e-earphone for pre-order.
> 
> I'll be getting mine during Portable Festival on this weekend


 
 Do you have a link? I couldn't seem to find it on their site. Thanks!
  
 *also yet another reason I miss Tokyo, all these events


----------



## ChiAki

echineko said:


> Do you have a link? I couldn't seem to find it on their site. Thanks!
> 
> *also yet another reason I miss Tokyo, all these events


 
 http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000112004&search=dignis&sort=
  
 There are four versions


----------



## xrb936

blazinblazin said:


> Did you try to source from online shops in Singapore or Malaysia? Might have good deals.




Nope! Do you have any suggestions? Could you please pm me a link? I have totally no idea where should go.


----------



## davidmolliere

arrancarv said:


> Will the NW-WM1A be an upgrade to the DP-X1? Christmas is near and am planning for a new DAP


 
  
 Yes it will be and a big one, I made the jump 3 weeks ago and never looked back, I am stunned at how good the WM1A is and that's singled ended WM1A vs DP-X1 balanced! Also that's volume capped WM1A vs japanese version of DP-X1. 
  
 The WM1A is full bodied, timbre and texture are just simply miles beter in my book and the layers and layers of depth...


----------



## Whitigir

Even ZX2 was far and away from dp-x1 in my preferences


----------



## Bengkia369

whitigir said:


> Even ZX2 was far and away from dp-x1 in my preferences




DP-X1 is nothing special to me, too artificial sounding and edgy. 
A good DAP to me are Ak380cu, AK240ss, Latoo Paw Gold & Cowon Plenue 1.


----------



## gonzfi

This might be a stupid question but can this DAP 'output' Bluetooth? Ie can it be used with a wireless Bluetooth speaker or car audio system via Bluetooth?


----------



## PCheung

gonzfi said:


> This might be a stupid question but can this DAP 'output' Bluetooth? Ie can it be used with a wireless Bluetooth speaker or car audio system via Bluetooth?




1A / 1Z does have Bluetooth but only with SBC and LDAC codec (LDAC is sony own format)
Missing the Aptx codec that many BT device already support for better transmission .


----------



## blazinblazin

I used it on my Creative iRoar GO.
It works well.


----------



## Fsilva

My baby is here!


----------



## blazinblazin

Beautiful isn't it?


----------



## gonzfi

pcheung said:


> 1A / 1Z does have Bluetooth but only with SBC and LDAC codec (LDAC is sony own format)
> Missing the Aptx codec that many BT device already support for better transmission .



Can Aptx be added through firmware or is it a hardware thing?


----------



## musicday

Sandisk micro sd 256 GB @ £115 only today.


----------



## Whitigir

gonzfi said:


> Can Aptx be added through firmware or is it a hardware thing?




It is a codec that will need to be purchased separately for licensing by Sony, why would they do it lol. The main reason for them to do this is LDAC which is in house technology which also make it unique to others on the market as well. They had the plan to make LDAC more readily available .... but whatever happened to that plan.


----------



## phonomat

musicday said:


> Sandisk micro sd 256 GB @ £115 only today.




This thread has more commercial breaks than a LORD OF THE RINGS triple-feature on tv.


----------



## musicday

phonomat said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Sandisk micro sd 256 GB @ £115 only today.
> ...


Sure has


----------



## flipper203

is there a sort of burnin with the WM1A. I feel for the moment that the bass section is really important on this player, but less than at the begining....is it normal?


----------



## Whitigir

flipper203 said:


> is there a sort of burnin with the WM1A. I feel for the moment that the bass section is really important on this player, but less than at the begining....is it normal?




That is totally normal. It will keep on changing as you go, and until 400-500 hours as reported


----------



## blazinblazin

flipper203 said:


> is there a sort of burnin with the WM1A. I feel for the moment that the bass section is really important on this player, but less than at the begining....is it normal?




Yup the burn in changes the sound quite a bit
Overall more power. Better bass, smoother mids, smoother highs (not so piercing) than when i first got the player.

Probably that's why need to burn in 200hrs.

I felt initially lacks a bit power, mids was overwhelm by the bass, a bit sharp highs.

But now all are in the right place after burning.


----------



## Fsilva

It´s a bit bulkier than i expected 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 and also heavier when compared with my ZX100.
 But indeed it is beautiful.
 It´s still charging and then i will have to transfer all my music from the ZX100 to the WM1A. I reckon that tonight everything will be prepared so that i can start enjoying the perks of the most expensive
 Dap i had bought, and hopefully the last since i´m really not interested on getting his heavier brother (WM1Z).


----------



## ledzep

Anyone for a capped bargain ?
  
 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B01LHGLG3A/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used


----------



## Dithyrambes

Would be a real bargain if they can ship it to the US but for warehouse deals they cant, so it comes about the same minus vat with a new unit. So tempted by capped unit as I only want to use them with andromedas ><, but just can't imagine paying for a gimped product which affects resale value as well.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Think sony is pretty dumb for missing the holiday shopping season here in the US..........by not making it available here ><


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> Think sony is pretty dumb for missing the holiday shopping season here in the US..........by not making it available here ><




They are not dumb, they are just being Sony ! Lol


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> It is a codec that will need to be purchased separately for licensing by Sony, why would they do it lol. The main reason for them to do this is LDAC which is in house technology which also make it unique to others on the market as well. They had the plan to make LDAC more readily available .... but whatever happened to that plan.


 
  
 Elecom has released a BT speaker that uses LDAC recently.
 http://www.elecom.co.jp/news/201612/lbt-sphr01avbk/
  
 I'm 99% sure the lack of LDAC products is just a lack of interest in OEM licensing from Sony because they aren't really a market leader.
 Aptx is a different story ever since Qualcomm acquired the tech - I'm guessing Qualcomm gives it out for free/practically free when an OEM decides to make any device that uses their Snap Dragon SoC, hence the seemingly exploding support of APTX in modern devices because Qualcomm has a huge slice of the ARM SoC market.


----------



## nanaholic

dithyrambes said:


> Think sony is pretty dumb for missing the holiday shopping season here in the US..........by not making it available here ><


 
  
 They aren't dumb - the fact is the Asia market is currently the biggest and the only growing high spending headphone audio market in the world - both Europe and US has been in decline in the past years to the point where Asia itself is now a bigger market than both Europe and US combined.  Priortising stock allocation to the biggest market is anything but dumb. Plus it's not like Asia hasn't caught on with the whole holiday spending season thing, the commercialisation of Christmas and buying gifts in December is pretty much a world wide thing now.


----------



## Fsilva

Anyone got error code -60004 when trying to update the sw on the WM1A? 
 I keep on getting that error message. I´ve downloaded the latest update from sony uk website, also tried downloading from the Portuguese website but i keep getting the same error message.
 I´m using a Macbook.


----------



## phonomat

Might be a dumb question, but have you made sure to download the iOS version?

Edit: Sorry, meant OS X, of course.


----------



## PCheung

fsilva said:


> Anyone got error code -60004 when trying to update the sw on the WM1A?
> I keep on getting that error message. I´ve downloaded the latest update from sony uk website, also tried downloading from the Portuguese website but i keep getting the same error message.
> I´m using a Macbook.




The latest Mac OSX 10.12?

The FW update program is not supporting OSX 10.12 yet.


----------



## davidmolliere

Indeed that's why I didn't update yet, hope they will


----------



## Fsilva

pcheung said:


> The latest Mac OSX 10.12?
> 
> The FW update program is not supporting OSX 10.12 yet.


 
 Thanks! Let´s hope they fix this soon so that i can update it.


----------



## kubig123

fsilva said:


> Thanks! Let´s hope they fix this soon so that i can update it.


 

 I installed OSX 10.11 on an external drive and run the FW update from there.
  
 It could be me, but I have a feeling it will take long time for Sony to fix the issue with 10.12.


----------



## gonzfi

Has anyone tried a Beyer T5P gen 2 with the NW WM1A? I'm interested to know if it has the power to drive it sufficiently...


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Elecom has released a BT speaker that uses LDAC recently.
> http://www.elecom.co.jp/news/201612/lbt-sphr01avbk/
> 
> I'm 99% sure the lack of LDAC products is just a lack of interest in OEM licensing from Sony because they aren't really a market leader.
> Aptx is a different story ever since Qualcomm acquired the tech - I'm guessing Qualcomm gives it out for free/practically free when an OEM decides to make any device that uses their Snap Dragon SoC, hence the seemingly exploding support of APTX in modern devices because Qualcomm has a huge slice of the ARM SoC market.




This is so true ! Asia market is huge in portable high quality gears and high quality audio overall in general. US market had been following much iPod ...too bad, now Apple is not doing anymore audiophiles stuff....now we are starving


----------



## JNOISE JA

I cant decide, between (chord mojo & sony nw-wm1a)
 with due attention to i have campfire andromeda

 Andromeda is because it has low impedance,
 which one is better?
 To have less hiss.
  
  
   You are a good source to know that Andromeda produce better sound and hiss less cause?
 Among the players or Amp/DACs
 My budget is $ 1,200
  
  

 Except idsd portability is important because for me.

  
 AK Are all models are good? 
 I'm just looking for quality audio without the hiss from Andromeda


----------



## Whitigir

I don't have andromeda , but I heard 380 Copper did well ? Not sure about Walkman 1Z/a


----------



## blazinblazin

No hiss for Andromeda on WM1A

Unless your audio files comes with hiss or else i experience no hiss with WM1A.


----------



## echineko

No hiss with any of the new CA IEMs on the WM1Z either, and they work with the Sony / Kimber balanced IEM cable too


----------



## boomtube

The difference in price between the 2 models of due to larger memory, copper/gold chassis, kimber cable and better capacitors?


----------



## Whitigir

And resistors


----------



## Fsilva

kubig123 said:


> I installed OSX 10.11 on an external drive and run the FW update from there.
> 
> It could be me, but I have a feeling it will take long time for Sony to fix the issue with 10.12.


 
 Thanks for the tip! Guess i will that too.


----------



## Fsilva

Well i have to say that i really don´t understand about all the fuss around the capped version.
 I´ve got one "capped" WM1A and straight out of the box this thing sounds amazing!!
 With my Earsonics EM32 i´m listening in single mode around 45 and it´s loud enough.
 I don´t use Headphones, i prefer CIEM´s so i´m really happy that i did not spend any money on importing an Asian version...paying taxes...waiting several weeks...and since the WM1A´s are being selled for cheap at amazon.uk i´m really, really glad that i bought one!
 Just my 2 cents!
  
 Had to lower the volume to 32...someone said the uncapped version was not loud enough??


----------



## bvng3540

fsilva said:


> Well i have to say that i really don´t understand about all the fuss around the capped version.
> I´ve got one "capped" WM1A and straight out of the box this thing sounds amazing!!
> With my Earsonics EM32 i´m listening in single mode around 45 and it´s loud enough.
> I don´t use Headphones, i prefer CIEM´s so i´m really happy that i did not spend any money on importing an Asian version...paying taxes...waiting several weeks...and since the WM1A´s are being selled for cheap at amazon.uk i´m really, really glad that i bought one!
> Just my 2 cents!




Totally agreed with you, only deaf person need a uncapped version


----------



## ChiAki

379 pages now and most of the people are still talking about capped and uncapped players. Geez...


----------



## Dithyrambes

Anyone own both the ALO CDM and the wm1a? looking for comparisons as I am tempted to get a wm1a ><


----------



## Mimouille

There are three threads on this. Could we keep only two at most...please moderators.


----------



## Fsilva

chiaki said:


> 379 pages now and most of the people are still talking about capped and uncapped players. Geez...


 
 IMO is better to have more people sharing the experiences with the EU version for those who are afraid on getting the "uncapped" version.
 Also in Europe we have 2 years of warranty. So if i can help someone who is undecided on getting EU versions i guess i will keep this "discussion" alive


----------



## bvng3540

fsilva said:


> IMO is better to have more people sharing the experiences with the EU version for those who are afraid on getting the "uncapped" version.
> Also in Europe we have 2 years of warranty. So if i can help someone who is undecided on getting EU versions i guess i will keep this "discussion" alive




Can you help me purchase the 1a from amazon there


----------



## Fsilva

bvng3540 said:


> Can you help me purchase the 1a from amazon there


 
 Just go to Amazon website and order one


----------



## bvng3540

fsilva said:


> Just go to Amazon website and order one :wink_face:




I'm in States


----------



## Fsilva

bvng3540 said:


> I'm in States


 
 Don´t they ship to the USA? Don´t forget you will have to pay for import taxes...Why not just wait until they get released in the USA. They will be available within the next weeks


----------



## bvng3540

fsilva said:


> Don´t they ship to the USA? Don´t forget you will have to pay for import taxes...Why not just wait until they get released in the USA. They will be available within the next weeks




I guess I have to wait then


----------



## xrb936

bvng3540 said:


> I guess I have to wait then




I believe that there is no import tax. For EU version shipping to US. I bought a EU version on Amazon UK, great shipping, great price and nothing else. However, it didn't surprise me so much. So I bought another 1Z in USA. Sony will officially release it next week in USA. You can try some stores to check with them.


----------



## GhstInTheMachne

I'm still on the initial 200 hours of run in time, but this far in, I can't believe the resolution I am hearing.  I've listened to both the balanced output and the single ended outputs, and they are both sublime.


----------



## echineko

xrb936 said:


> I believe that there is no import tax. For EU version shipping to US. I bought a EU version on Amazon UK, great shipping, great price and nothing else. However, it didn't surprise me so much. So I bought another 1Z in USA. Sony will officially release it next week in USA. You can try some stores to check with them.


 
 Yeah, I heard from Whitigir as well there's no import tax in the States (which kinda sucks, cause over here we get taxed to heck). Also the reason why not many people from here buy from the European divisions of Amazon, for some reason, they seem to auto-calculate and include the import duties when you check out (unlike Amazon USA), and that amount can be scary.
  
 I had to be adventurous


----------



## echineko

ghstinthemachne said:


> I'm still on the initial 200 hours of run in time, but this far in, I can't believe the resolution I am hearing.  I've listed to both the balanced output and the single ended outputs, and they are both sublime.


 
 Sounds about right, yes


----------



## Cagin

Scary how fast the Amazon shipping process is. Mine is already here in Belgium and it says I'm getting it delivered at my home today Friday.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

jnoise ja said:


> I cant decide, between (chord mojo & sony nw-wm1a)
> with due attention to i have campfire andromeda
> 
> 
> ...




I have chord mojo about a year and half and got Andromeda around a month. 

I just got wm1a today. 

Sony blows away mojo. I think Sony is at least 20% better, maybe more in term of sound. 

Andri on mojo is excellent, on Sony it's phenomenal. This is end game set.


----------



## Bengkia369

hamhamhamsta said:


> I have chord mojo about a year and half and got Andromeda around a month.
> 
> I just got wm1a today.
> 
> ...




Wm1a win the Mojo?! That's a very bold statement! 
Even Latoo Paw Gold, Ak380cu is no match compared to Mojo. Personally yet to try wm1a yet, got to try it one fine day then!


----------



## Mimouille

bengkia369 said:


> Wm1a win the Mojo?! That's a very bold statement!
> Even Latoo Paw Gold, Ak380cu is no match compared to Mojo. Personally yet to try wm1a yet, got to try it one fine day then!


I prefer LPG over Mojo no contest...just a matter of taste and pairing.


----------



## likearake

bengkia369 said:


> Wm1a win the Mojo?! That's a very bold statement!
> Even Latoo Paw Gold, Ak380cu is no match compared to Mojo. Personally yet to try wm1a yet, got to try it one fine day then!




With Andromeda I agree. WM1A is definitely a superior pairing.


----------



## Bengkia369

likearake said:


> With Andromeda I agree. WM1A is definitely a superior pairing.




Might be just a synergy thing. 
My flagship FAD FI-BA-SS don't sounds good on my AK240 but it sound sublime on Mojo.


----------



## ChiAki

I tried out the Vega this morning (both balanced and unbalanced). Quite an interesting little piece of IEM. Bassy with good thump and impact but not too overwhelming. Trebles are a bit lacking, though.


----------



## jmills8

chiaki said:


> I tried out the Vega this morning (both balanced and unbalanced). Quite an interesting little piece of IEM. Bassy with good thump and impact but not too overwhelming. Trebles are a bit lacking, though.


 Treble is lacking? You want to hear glass break throughout each song ?


----------



## blazinblazin

bengkia369 said:


> Might be just a synergy thing.
> My flagship FAD FI-BA-SS don't sounds good on my AK240 but it sound sublime on Mojo.


 

 I think maybe you should give WM1A, Vega and Andromeda a try


----------



## gerelmx1986

fsilva said:


> My baby is here!


lol still in Germany (having a great time of courde) and craving for my WM1A


----------



## gerelmx1986

fsilva said:


> It´s a bit bulkier than i expected   and also heavier when compared with my ZX100.
> But indeed it is beautiful.
> It´s still charging and then i will have to transfer all my music from the ZX100 to the WM1A. I reckon that tonight everything will be prepared so that i can start enjoying the perks of the most expensive
> Dap i had bought, and hopefully the last since i´m really not interested on getting his heavier brother (WM1Z).


I will load like 18GB OF new music from my friend CDs


----------



## officeboy20

Did anyone try to compare the WM1Z with Sony PCM D100 or Plenue S? Thanks


----------



## davidmolliere

chiaki said:


> I tried out the Vega this morning (both balanced and unbalanced). Quite an interesting little piece of IEM. Bassy with good thump and impact but not too overwhelming. Trebles are a bit lacking, though.


 
  
 Was the unit fully burnt in ? It does matter with the Vega, never had an IEM that went through so many changes...
 I really wouldn't peg the Vega has lacking in the treble department, but granted I am no treble head
  
 What difference did you make of balanced vs singled ended?
 So you ran Vega + *MUC*-S12SB1?


----------



## CobraVerde

I finally got to hear the WM1Z today paired with my 335DW-SRs. For me balanced was much more engaging than the SE. I was really impressed my the warm but detailed presentation. I would say it's a bit better than my Hugo.


----------



## Bengkia369

cobraverde said:


> I finally got to hear the WM1Z today paired with my 335DW-SRs. For me balanced was much more engaging than the SE. I was really impressed my the warm but detailed presentation. I would say it [bold] a bit better than my Hugo.[/bold]




That's a super bold statement lol


----------



## blazinblazin

The reviews looks good for both WM1A and WM1Z.


----------



## ChiAki

davidmolliere said:


> Was the unit fully burnt in ? It does matter with the Vega, never had an IEM that went through so many changes...
> I really wouldn't peg the Vega has lacking in the treble department, but granted I am no treble head
> 
> What difference did you make of balanced vs singled ended?
> So you ran Vega + *MUC*-S12SB1?


 
 Yes they were fully burnt in. 
  
 I ran Vega through both the Kimber Kable balanced cable made by Sony and the Brise Audio balanced cable.
 The difference wasn't night and day, though, which I found quite surprising as most other IEMs I tried out may sound drastically different balanced vs single ended.


----------



## kms108

Has anyone tried the WM1A with the beyerdynamic Xelento, I've tried the Xelento instore with the LG V20 it's a good IEM, will consider getting this next month.


----------



## ChiAki

I'm interested in Xelento too. There hasn't been any announcement in Japan of this little IEM.
  
 I'm starting to think it's something aimed at the Chinese market.


----------



## kms108

Something I need to ask, many members is comparing the WM1 with the mojo, isn't this not a fair comparision, one is a DAP, whiles the other is just a DAC.


----------



## Bengkia369

blazinblazin said:


> The reviews looks good for both WM1A and WM1Z.




New items all sounds sublime @ headfi. 
All older items like Sony ZX2, AK240 nowadays nobody bothered to mention anymore. 
New toys are always fun to play with.


----------



## kms108

chiaki said:


> I'm interested in Xelento too. There hasn't been any announcement in Japan of this little IEM.
> 
> I'm starting to think it's something aimed at the Chinese market.


 
 They say it's a feburary release worldwide for the Xelento remote, but in asian we have the Xelento wired, i'm not interested in the remote, it will affect the SQ.


----------



## Cagin

Just got it now, right before noon! Shipping box was sealed in Amazon prime tape but I don't have Amazon prime afaik.
I got a full on cold/flu so the burn in phase mix gonna be funny hehe


----------



## blazinblazin

bengkia369 said:


> New items all sounds sublime @ headfi.
> All older items like Sony ZX2, AK240 nowadays nobody bothered to mention anymore.
> New toys are always fun to play with.




ZX2 still people mention with WM1A


----------



## PCheung

http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/product/midas-sony-nw-wm1-leather-case/133/?cate_no=1&display_group=2
  
 Great news for those waiting for the dignis case, they are just available for order !!
  
 Price USD 90 / pc
 hand strap + USD 22
  
 Just ordered mine


----------



## soundify

nanaholic said:


> They aren't dumb - the fact is the Asia market is currently the biggest and the only growing high spending headphone audio market in the world - both Europe and US has been in decline in the past years to the point where Asia itself is now a bigger market than both Europe and US combined.  Priortising stock allocation to the biggest market is anything but dumb. Plus it's not like Asia hasn't caught on with the whole holiday spending season thing, the commercialisation of Christmas and buying gifts in December is pretty much a world wide thing now.




For real? I love such insights.


----------



## kubig123

pcheung said:


> http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/product/midas-sony-nw-wm1-leather-case/133/?cate_no=1&display_group=2
> 
> Great news for those waiting for the dignis case, they are just available for order !!
> 
> ...


 

 Thank you pal!
 just ordered mine.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Red leathered case? I know some may like it but I never search for dingos case none of them are to my liking.
Why can't someone make a semi hard or hard case like for the iPhones. 





pcheung said:


> http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/product/midas-sony-nw-wm1-leather-case/133/?cate_no=1&display_group=2
> 
> Great news for those waiting for the dignis case, they are just available for order !!
> 
> ...


----------



## nanaholic

soundify said:


> For real? I love such insights.


 
  
 For real, I've posted the graph in this thread before:
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/815841/lightbox/post/12853747/id/1712147
  
 If you need more evidence look at the new in ear flagship Beyerdynamic Xeleto - it's already released to market in Asia for a couple of months now but not available to Western markets. The actions of these companies (highly prioritizing the Asian region) more than speaks for themselves.


----------



## PCheung

audiobreeder said:


> Red leathered case? I know some may like it but I never search for dingos case none of them are to my liking.
> Why can't someone make a semi hard or hard case like for the iPhones.




My guess is hard to secure a profit if mass producing a hard case with small user base, so nobody doing it.

Anyway, I ordered the brown one seems fit the 1Z better than the red and blue . =p


----------



## nanaholic

pcheung said:


> My guess is hard to secure a profit if mass producing a hard case with small user base, so nobody doing it.
> 
> Anyway, I ordered the brown one seems fit the 1Z better than the red and blue . =p


 
  
 Also you can't ask for a higher price for a plastic case compared to good leather.  
  
 I actually think the red looks pretty good but went for blue.  Brown cases don't age that well with usage (experience with AK380 case).


----------



## ledzep

pcheung said:


> http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/product/midas-sony-nw-wm1-leather-case/133/?cate_no=1&display_group=2
> 
> Great news for those waiting for the dignis case, they are just available for order !!
> 
> ...




Thanks for the link, I always go for blue or black with Dignis so a change this time I thought. Got a black Dignis on the PHA-2 amp so I think the red will look good with it, need to let the femanine side out once in a while I think.


----------



## Bengkia369

A dark brown leather case would goes really well with Gold bar WM1Z.


----------



## Whitigir

bengkia369 said:


> A dark brown leather case would goes really well with Gold bar WM1Z.




Yes, I would love it, but damn that shipping is like 31$...so much money lol


----------



## bvng3540

whitigir said:


> Yes, I would love it, but damn that shipping is like 31$...so much money lol




Come on dude you willing to paid for a $3k dap but hesitate to pay $31 shipping


----------



## Whitigir

bvng3540 said:


> Come on dude you willing to paid for a $3k dap but hesitate to pay $31 shipping




I don't see why not ? LOL


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> I don't see why not ? LOL



Priorities, lulz  Maybe if the case improved the SQ in some way, then you'd do it, no?


----------



## Whitigir

echineko said:


> Priorities, lulz  Maybe if the case improved the SQ in some way, then you'd do it, no?




If, then yeah, but it is hard justifying 30% of the item value is in shipping lol


----------



## echineko

bengkia369 said:


> That's a super bold statement lol



Not really. I own a Hugo that I used to pair with my ZX2, seriously considered using it with my home setup when I received the 1Z. Not that it matters now, but yeah, I can understand.


----------



## warrior1975

echineko said:


> Priorities, lulz  Maybe if the case improved the SQ in some way, then you'd do it, no?




In a certain AK thread, the case does alter the SQ... So you never know.


----------



## echineko

warrior1975 said:


> In a certain AK thread, the case does alter the SQ... So you never know.



I was actually alluding to that in a rather oblique way, lulz. Good thing we don't need such mental gymnastics with the 1Z, even without a case it still sounds awesome. Not that I'd recommend anyone use it outside the home in such a way


----------



## Whitigir

warrior1975 said:


> In a certain AK thread, the case does alter the SQ... So you never know.




The brand itself affected the sound quality enough . There is no need for 1Z to use any case to alter the sound. However, licking it and covering it in saliva will increase conductivity and lower resistance which in turn will result in better sound quality.

Nah, it was a mockery. I love 1Z the way it is


----------



## Fsilva

Well i guess to pay 90$ for a Dignis Leather Case plus another 30$ for shipping, and maybe import taxes is not in my plans. So i guess i will go custom, just found a guy that creates custom dap cases so i just sent him an email to see if he is able to do one for my WM1A


----------



## Mimouille

fsilva said:


> Well i guess to pay 90$ for a Dignis Leather Case plus another 30$ for shipping, and maybe import taxes is not in my plans. So i guess i will go custom, just found a guy that creates custom dap cases so i just sent him an email to see if he is able to do one for my WM1A


who is that guy? Where from? Thanks


----------



## Fsilva

mimouille said:


> who is that guy? Where from? Thanks


 
 Valentin from Ukrain.
 I´m gonna leave the link for his page. Hope there is no issue with the mods or something like that...
  
 https://www.etsy.com/pt/shop/VALENTINUM?campaign_label=custom_buyer_requested&utm_source=transactional&utm_campaign=custom_buyer_requested_32724745_0&utm_medium=email&utm_content=&email_sent=1481938818&euid=ViiQ_odPvhrc7EYghgNjFABUhdhn&eaid=82360800541&x_eaid=ba8b317caa


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> Also you can't ask for a higher price for a plastic case compared to good leather.
> 
> I actually think the red looks pretty good but went for blue.  Brown cases don't age that well with usage (experience with AK380 case).


I went with blue as well. Shipping is less "only" 16$ to China but I could have waited for a week or two for it to be on taobao because I might get hit by customs.


----------



## Fsilva

mimouille said:


> I went with blue as well. Shipping is less "only" 16$ to China but I could have waited for a week or two for it to be on taobao because I might get hit by customs.


 
 No way i´m gonna pay so much for a case...Damn not even my leather wallet cost that much...
 Also in Portugal custom authorities like to make you wait, when i bought my ZX100 from the USA i had to wait 1 month for custom authorities to release it...it´s just ridiculous
 So i prefer to pay Valentin, if he is willing to make one for me, for sure it will be faster, cheaper and since is lives in Europe no taxes!


----------



## garetjax1

mimouille said:


> I went with blue as well. Shipping is less "only" 16$ to China but I could have waited for a week or two for it to be on taobao because I might get hit by customs.


 
  
 Me too... The black case looks awesome, but thought it would be nice to try something different...


----------



## garetjax1

Anyone have any ideas for a single transport case for Laylas + NW-WM? I am constantly getting on and off planes and would like to be able to pack my portable listening gear into a single case quickly. Was going to start looking at pelican cases with foam cut-outs. Weight and size are a concern as this would be going into a backpack that is already stuffed.


----------



## Jazzi

bengkia369 said:


> Wm1a win the Mojo?! That's a very bold statement!
> Even Latoo Paw Gold, Ak380cu is no match compared to Mojo. Personally yet to try wm1a yet, got to try it one fine day then!


 

 Into the Christmas nog a little early?


----------



## Mimouille

garetjax1 said:


> Anyone have any ideas for a single transport case for Laylas + NW-WM? I am constantly getting on and off planes and would like to be able to pack my portable listening gear into a single case quickly. Was going to start looking at pelican cases with foam cut-outs. Weight and size are a concern as this would be going into a backpack that is already stuffed.


It depends how hard you want the case. I use a Moleskine Journey Hard Pouch Small, it fits the WM1Z with a care, and small iems. Not sure it would fit the Layla. 

https://store.moleskine.com/usa/en-us/Accessories/Hard-Pouches/C245


----------



## HiFiGuy528




----------



## Jalo

@Hifiguy, Where did you order your 1z?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

jalo said:


> @Hifiguy, Where did you order your 1z?


 
  
 My work, Woo Audio is an authorized Sony Signature Series reseller. The WM we get is the U.S. version, no volume cap.


----------



## Jalo

hifiguy528 said:


> My work, Woo Audio is an authorized Sony Signature Series reseller. The WM we get is the U.S. version, no volume cap.



Do you carry any 4.4 cable and/or adapters?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

jalo said:


> Do you carry any 4.4 cable and/or adapters?


 
  
 They are not available to U.S. resellers yet, but we will when it becomes available.


----------



## Jalo

Has anyone purchased the 2.5 to 4.4 mm adaptor from Brise Audio yet? It is announced on their website but no details.


----------



## Whitigir

hifiguy528 said:


> My work, Woo Audio is an authorized Sony Signature Series reseller. The WM we get is the U.S. version, no volume cap.




Nice, that means you already have all sony signature in stock ?


----------



## Decreate

jalo said:


> Has anyone purchased the 2.5 to 4.4 mm adaptor from Brise Audio yet? It is announced on their website but no details.



I have one and really like it.


----------



## PCheung

jalo said:


> Has anyone purchased the 2.5 to 4.4 mm adaptor from Brise Audio yet? It is announced on their website but no details.




Available for purchase on their online store.

I would like to order one, but they marked that delivery time for new order will be delay to February. So I decided to wait for more option.


----------



## goyete

mimouille said:


> You mean these?




Are this cord confortable? It seems to be so rigid to use in the ear. I'd use it with a XBA-Z5. Thank you! Any photo of the ears with them in it???


----------



## nanaholic

goyete said:


> Are this cord confortable? It seems to be so rigid to use in the ear. I'd use it with a XBA-Z5. Thank you! Any photo of the ears with them in it???


 
  
 The official Kimber Kables are VERY flexible with nearly no memory - even though it is very thick.  It's actually a deceptively comfortable cable.


----------



## goyete

nanaholic said:


> The official Kimber Kables are VERY flexible with nearly no memory - even though it is very thick.  It's actually a deceptively comfortable cable.



Thank you for the impressions, I haven't found any image in Google with a person using this cable.


----------



## musicday

I like Kimber Kable, heard the Ether C Flow with it and was fantastic both build quality and sound.
Wonder if the Sony Walkman is powerful enough in balanced mode to drive them properly.


----------



## Jalo

So the 3.5 can accommodate two formats? The standard 3.5 SE plug and the 3.5 TRRS plug (the one used in Hifiman daps)?


----------



## Rei87

jalo said:


> So the 3.5 can accommodate two formats? The standard 3.5 SE plug and the 3.5 TRRS plug (the one used in Hifiman daps)?




Yes. Tried and tested.


----------



## Whitigir

Lol, I kept hearing the same question about 3.5mm TRRS....It is tested and I confirmed it so many many times. Use hifiman style and or Zx2 style


----------



## Jalo

rei87 said:


> Yes. Tried and tested.



Thanks but only either the 3.5 or the 4.4 works one at a time, they don't play both at the same time like the Hugo or the Mojo?


----------



## musicday

Anywhere in London where I can see this gold Walkman and try it, even the capped model?
I want to have a closer look, then i will know how powerful the non capped model really is


----------



## nanaholic

goyete said:


> Thank you for the impressions, I haven't found any image in Google with a person using this cable.


 
  

  
 It's so flexible that it just wraps around my ear without any memory wire holding the shape like most other aftermarket cables.


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> Thanks but only either the 3.5 or the 4.4 works one at a time, they don't play both at the same time like the Hugo or the Mojo?




4.4 mm is the priority, and always will be if both sockets is connected. The WM is single output unit only, it does not support both headphones at the same time


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> 4.4 mm is the priority, and always will be if both sockets is connected. The WM is single output unit only, it does not support both headphones at the same time



Thanks, I am going to have a very golden Christmas so please bear with me for asking questions that have been posted here before. What is the output for the 3.5, I know the 4.4 is 250 mw at 32 ohm load?


----------



## nanaholic

jalo said:


> Thanks, I am going to have a very golden Christmas so please bear with me for asking questions that have been posted here before. What is the output for the 3.5, I know the 4.4 is 250 mw at 32 ohm load?


 
  
 60mW @ 16ohm for 3.5mm
 250mw @ 16ohm for 4.4mm


----------



## Jalo

nanaholic said:


> 60mW @ 16ohm for 3.5mm
> 250mw @ 16ohm for 4.4mm




Thanks, that is an awesome looking iem and nice looking Mmcx connector.


----------



## Mimouille

goyete said:


> Are this cord confortable? It seems to be so rigid to use in the ear. I'd use it with a XBA-Z5. Thank you! Any photo of the ears with them in it???


Very comfortable, really no issue.


----------



## Fsilva

cagin said:


> Just got it now, right before noon! Shipping box was sealed in Amazon prime tape but I don't have Amazon prime afaik.
> I got a full on cold/flu so the burn in phase mix gonna be funny hehe


 
 Mine also came in a shipping box sealed with the Amazon prime tape, maybe that that´s why it only took 2 days for you and i to receive the unit.


----------



## boomtube

I'm at a fork in the road...either go full regard and get the 1Z or get the Paw Gold and wait for 1Z prices to come down.


----------



## Whitigir

boomtube said:


> I'm at a fork in the road...either go full regard and get the 1Z or get the Paw Gold and wait for 1Z prices to come down.




In my experiences, go direct, because taking junctions would only make it more expensive in the end ...unless pricing was never a factor


----------



## Jalo

boomtube said:


> I'm at a fork in the road...either go full regard and get the 1Z or get the Paw Gold and wait for 1Z prices to come down.




Rule number one is never buy anything you cannot afford or have to stretch. and if you are in the position to do either, go straight to the 1z, you won't regret it.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

He says " to get the paw gold and wait for prices of 1z to come down "
You would probably loose money buy the time you sell the paw gold and get the 1z which would probably take next time this year to see any sort of discounts.


----------



## goyete

nanaholic said:


> It's so flexible that it just wraps around my ear without any memory wire holding the shape like most other aftermarket cables.



Thank you!


----------



## AnakChan

I've managed to borrow Jude's 1Z for the night and wrote my brief thoughts about it over the AK380 thread:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/763752/astell-kern-ak380/7160_20#post_13096860

In short to me sonically either player are satisfying depending on preferences. For non-sonic the 1Z is more practical whilst the AK380Cu+amp is more capable (to drive a wider variety of power hungry headphones).


----------



## JNOISE JA

hi

 please guide me

 If you are wondering Andromeda My Mojo with good sound quality gives me
 And hiss not
 Mojo is definitely my selection.
 One person suggested to me that I use with Mojo, ifi iematch
 My smart phone is the Nexus 5.
 But I do not know what the result of Mojo.
 My next option is a music player.
 And between model ak300, ak320,NW-WM1A,Qp1r,Opus#1,Opus#2

 And according to a number of comments I think NW-WM1A
 A better option.

 http://www.head-fi.org/products/sony-digital-audio-player-walkman-nw-wm1a-b-black
 http://avprogear.com/top-10-best-portable-music-players-for-audiophiles/

 My budget is $ 1,500
 Now do you think technically it's true?


----------



## audionewbi

I havent listened to anything else since WM1A arrival. I also had a chance to listen to a fresh 1Z unit (no burnin). So no point comparing it, but honestly 1A is a bargain and I really believe if a store had ALL the current high end daps in the market for demo and a buyer had time to listen to all of them 1A will stand out in its price bracket and it will certainly beat half of the much higher DAPS if not 90% of them.
  
 The pairing with the Sony MDR EX1000 is so good that I will get a balance cable made for it, regardless of the how expansive it is going to be turn out to be.
  
 I am looking forward to two things next year, 300 GB MicroSD and planar IEM. 

 I predict next year will be a quiet year for head-fi gears, not we will see a shortage of new product been released, no. Matter of fact the new releases will be at least double of what it was this year. It will be quiet in the sense that the buyers are becoming smart, and products like WM1A will force the market to either innovate or fall behind.

 WM1A to me no doubt the DAP of the year and regardless of the category of product, the head-fi gear of the year.It is such a shame head-fi doesnt have such voting system where we can nominate and vote for our beloved gears. @jude


----------



## Mimouille

anakchan said:


> I've managed to borrow Jude's 1Z for the night and wrote my brief thoughts about it over the AK380 thread:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/763752/astell-kern-ak380/7160_20#post_13096860
> 
> In short to me sonically either player are satisfying depending on preferences. For non-sonic the 1Z is more practical whilst the AK380Cu+amp is more capable (to drive a wider variety of power hungry headphones).


But why compare WM1Z versus stack and not CU alone?


----------



## dwong

Anyone have a picture of how the WM1A fits in the Moleskin Small Shell case? Planning on picking up one of these to carry around with a set of IEMs, as they cost less than the cost of shipping alone for the Midas leather cases.


----------



## Mimouille

dwong said:


> Anyone have a picture of how the WM1A fits in the Moleskin Small Shell case? Planning on picking up one of these to carry around with a set of IEMs, as they cost less than the cost of shipping alone for the Midas leather cases.


 This is the Moleskine Journey Hard Case Small.


----------



## blazinblazin

mimouille said:


> This is the Moleskine Journey Hard Case Small.




That's actually a good fit.


----------



## dwong

mimouille said:


> This is the Moleskine Journey Hard Case Small.





> That looks great, perhaps too good a fit. Is there any room left in there for IEMs as well?


----------



## AnakChan

mimouille said:


> But why compare WM1Z versus stack and not CU alone?


Cos to me the AK380Cu+amp is just one unit & I hardly ever separate the two.


----------



## Mimouille

I don't put iems, you can fit small iems on top, but not Laylas or Prophile 8 or the like.


----------



## Mimouille

anakchan said:


> Cos to me the AK380Cu+amp is just one unit & I hardly ever separate the two.




You think they have grown attached to each other and now it would be cruel


----------



## turbo87

Is that the dignis blue case for the wm1 series in the picture?


----------



## Mimouille

turbo87 said:


> Is that the dignis blue case for the wm1 series in the picture?


I suppose you mean my picture, so no, I haven't received the Dignis yet. This is a silicone case bought on taobao.


----------



## blazinblazin

Enjoying and burning in over a cup of coffee.


----------



## audionewbi

I just plugged the XBA-4 which I havent listen to in over 2 years. From memory I liked everything from the XBA-4 but the treble which was too metallic and splashy to the point that I just couldn't enjoy the music. Either my ears has gone deaf, or my memory of the xba-4 is wrong but the pairing with wm1a is just very good to the point that I am questioning the synergy with ex-1000 over this.

 However I noticed volume wise the xba-4 needs to be in high 90 in order to sound decent.


----------



## AnakChan

mimouille said:


> I suppose you mean my picture, so no, I haven't received the Dignis yet. This is a silicone case bought on taobao.


The Dignis Midas case looks like this :-



I missed the blue which was far left so only the black, red (sold out), & brown left.


----------



## Mimouille

anakchan said:


> The Dignis Midas case looks like this :-
> 
> 
> 
> I missed the blue which was far left so only the black, red (sold out), & brown left.


Cool, I ordered the blue online.


----------



## blazinblazin

mimouille said:


> Cool, I ordered the blue online.




Me too


----------



## gerelmx1986

garetjax1 said:


> Anyone have any ideas for a single transport case for Laylas + NW-WM? I am constantly getting on and off planes and would like to be able to pack my portable listening gear into a single case quickly. Was going to start looking at pelican cases with foam cut-outs. Weight and size are a concern as this would be going into a backpack that is already stuffed.


maybe you can get a small camera bag like the one I got for my alpha 5000


----------



## gerelmx1986

anakchan said:


> mimouille said:
> 
> 
> > I suppose you mean my picture, so no, I haven't received the Dignis yet. This is a silicone case bought on taobao.
> ...


they all look hoof


----------



## echineko

gerelmx1986 said:


> they all look hoof



I'm assuming you meant to say good  And AnakChan, that would be the display area at E earphones, correct? Looks like they're out of red, for now.


----------



## AnakChan

echineko said:


> I'm assuming you meant to say good  And AnakChan, that would be the display area at E earphones, correct? Looks like they're out of red, for now.


Correct. Was helping someone pick up a case (ended up with brown).


----------



## kms108

anakchan said:


> echineko said:
> 
> 
> > I'm assuming you meant to say good
> ...


 
 Where is this place in tokyo.


----------



## kms108

I've been search through taobao, many 4.4mm plug are showing up starting from USD 20 each, there are also 4.4 to 2.5 and 4.4 to 3.5 cables available at USD 50, those living in hong kong, china, macau and other asian countries can get them directly, other countries can use a agent.
  
 It seems like many more will show up in the coming weeks.
  
  
 4.4 adapter cables
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.144.OFKfRr&id=543383574338&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
 4.4mm plugs
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.98.OFKfRr&id=540805652183&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.75.OFKfRr&id=543088023385&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail


----------



## AnakChan

kms108 said:


> Where is this place in tokyo.


 
  
 As @echineko correctly assumed, it's in e-earphone in Akihabara. Mind you 11 hrs later, I don't know if they still will have any available but no harm in going up to ask.
  


kms108 said:


> I've been search through taobao, many 4.4mm plug are showing up starting from USD 20 each, there are also 4.4 to 2.5 and 4.4 to 3.5 cables available at USD 50, those living in hong kong, china, macau and other asian countries can get them directly, other countries can use a agent.
> 
> It seems like many more will show up in the coming weeks.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Oyaide, Bispa are starting to make the 4.4mm plugs now for approx $14.50 -> $16.50 which is much more reasonable than the Pentaconn $45 ones. The only thing that does bug me is that the plugs are long. What would be nice if the makers would come up with the 90° that Sony uses.


----------



## Whitigir

anakchan said:


> As @echineko
> correctly assumed, it's in e-earphone in Akihabara. Mind you 11 hrs later, I don't know if they still will have any available but no harm in going up to ask.
> 
> 
> Oyaide, Bispa are starting to make the 4.4mm plugs now for approx $14.50 -> $16.50 which is much more reasonable than the Pentaconn $45 ones. The only thing that does bug me is that the plugs are long. What would be nice if the makers would come up with the 90[COLOR=222222]° that Sony uses.[/COLOR]




Wait...Oyaide 3.5mm was even more pricing than that lol...we are probably talking about cheapest of their line ? How about Furutech  can't wait for them


----------



## Jalo

What is the best screen cover for the 1z? I am looking for glass.


----------



## flipper203

Does a standard 3.5 cable can become a 4.4mm balanced with adaptor or it will only work with balanced cable at the beginning


----------



## kms108

anakchan said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Where is this place in tokyo.
> ...


 
 I'm not in a rush for a case, just wanted the address beforehand during my visit to tokyo, but if it's only a temporary location, no need.
  
 Agree on that if they have these plugs in a L shape, this cable looks ok http://www.kumitatelab.com/4.4mm5polecable/  and it does have a L shape plug, probably my next IEM is the Xelento, and the cable is very thin and soft, and to put over your ears, you don't notice it's there, unlike many customs one, im' considering the cable above from kumitatelab, but don't want it to be hard, may be I can pick up the AK cables that was made for the T8IE with the 2.5mm and it's a balanced cable and put a 4.4mm plug on it.


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> anakchan said:
> 
> 
> > As @echineko
> ...


 

 Hold back, prices are dropping and more are coming out.


----------



## kms108

jalo said:


> What is the best screen cover for the 1z? I am looking for glass.


 

 Check Sony japan site, they have one made from sapphire crystal, not cheap.


----------



## AnakChan

whitigir said:


> Wait...Oyaide 3.5mm was even more pricing than that lol...we are probably talking about cheapest of their line ? How about Furutech
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 So their 4.4mm isn't in the Oyaide packaging. At first I thought it was Oyaide was reselling a Chinese brand but talking to them today at the e-earphone show, they said it was theirs.
  
 Oyaide :-

  
 Bispa :-



 Pentaconn (there's actually 2 types but the store only had 1) :-

  
 Comparison between the Pentacoon & Bispa :-

  
  


jalo said:


> What is the best screen cover for the 1z? I am looking for glass.


 
  
 e-earphone didn't have glass ones but they did have one that was slightly thicker perspex and 2 other film ones. The original Sony one is film.
  


flipper203 said:


> Does a standard 3.5 cable can become a 4.4mm balanced with adaptor or it will only work with balanced cable at the beginning


 
  
 I think it's generally not recommend to go from balanced output (from the DAP or Amp) to single ended on the headphone side. But single ended output (from the DAP or Amp) to a balanced connector on the headphone side is ok. I've not understood it correctly but it could potentially damage some component (headphone side? amp side?).


----------



## kms108

anakchan said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > Wait...Oyaide 3.5mm was even more pricing than that lol...we are probably talking about cheapest of their line ? How about Furutech
> ...


 
 It's hard to believe what Oyaide said, many of them all says it's theirs, and there are so many on the market, even in china, the same design is all over taobao, i'll just wait for more to show up and prices will get cheaper.


----------



## echineko

kms108 said:


> I'm not in a rush for a case, just wanted the address beforehand during my visit to tokyo, but if it's only a temporary location, no need.


 
 It's the main E-earphones shop in Akihabara, I believe 4th floor of the building (the CIEM lab is downstairs). Once you enter the huge showroom with all sorts of gear, there are glass display cabinets on the left that showcase various Dignis cases (and some others brands). It most definitely is not a temporary area 
  
 I believe what Anakchan meant was he's not sure about the availability, and they're certainly selling fast. Indeed they already sold out of the red model I wanted when I enquired with them earlier today, I placed an order for the next shipment that's apparently arriving next week. Some of the colours are also not in stock yet, first shipments are expected to be around the same time.


----------



## kms108

echineko said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > I'm not in a rush for a case, just wanted the address beforehand during my visit to tokyo, but if it's only a temporary location, no need.
> ...


 

 My visit to tokyo has been pushed back to october, so I will pick up the WM1A and a case in october, who know, there might even be a new model by then.


----------



## Whitigir

I want that pentaconn !


----------



## Jalo

kms108 said:


> Check Sony japan site, they have one made from sapphire crystal, not cheap.




I want one, help.


----------



## kms108

jalo said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Check Sony japan site, they have one made from sapphire crystal, not cheap.
> ...


 
http://pur.store.sony.jp/acc3/products/acc3_walkman_sheet/CC-OCG-028_product/?s_rcmd=rt_recent_products_AR


----------



## Whitigir

They don't ship it overseas


----------



## kms108

use a agent to make the purchase.


----------



## AnakChan

kms108 said:


> It's hard to believe what Oyaide said, many of them all says it's theirs, and there are so many on the market, even in china, the same design is all over taobao, i'll just wait for more to show up and prices will get cheaper.



That was why I said "...reselling a *Chinese brand* ..."
Instead of saying "Chinese *make*". 

Cos it still could be an Oyaide brand but made in China. I chose my words carefully there, mate .


----------



## ttt123

flipper203 said:


> Does a standard 3.5 cable can become a 4.4mm balanced with adaptor or it will only work with balanced cable at the beginning


 
 I believe your question is whether an IEM cable with a TRS plug can be connected via an adapter cable to the 4.4mm balanced output from the WM1A/Z ?
  
 Depending on what your are trying to achieve:
 1. Will this make it balanced output from the DAP to the earphone?  I believe the answer is no, as balanced output needs 4 wires for L+ / L- and R+ / R- .  Your TRS plug to the IEM only has 3 wires, L+, R+, and combined L-/R-
 So there does not seem to be any point in doing this, as you are not getting the benefits of a balanced out.  
 2. Would you get a signal to the earphones?  Probably, but take that as a guess, as I have no practical experience doing this.  
 Also,  you would need to get the adapter configured for: Male 4.4mm TRRS to female 3.5mm TRS, which means you could not use this adapter for a 3.5mm TRRS for balanced, but would need to get another adapter made for the 3.5mm TRRS 
 The extra work and cost make this super unattractive.  The only logical use of an adapter is to convert an IEM cable that is already 3.5mm TRRS to 4.4mm TRRS, thus being able to use the 4.4mm balanced output without rewiring the IEM cable to a 4.4mm plug.
  
 2. Would using the 4.4mm from 3.5mm TRS see extra power delivered from the 4.4mm output?  Would the balanced output drive the higher power into the TRS connection, even with the ground signals combined?  Don't know what would happen, and I suspect this is an area that is not worth investigating. Somebody else with knowledge experience would need to pipe in, if this is an area of interest to people.
  
 Added some nice schematics from:
 https://www.headphone.com/pages/balanced-headphones-guide 
 (see the site for much more details)
  
 TRS





  
 TRRS Balanced


----------



## flipper203

I want to buy a nice cable for my 2pins iem and was wondering which type to take if I want to us it on the Sony with balanced output with an adapter. The thing is my current daps are shozy alien hm 901s and mojo. So buying a 3.5mm balanced cable and an adapter would be OK if I understand well. Will then need 2 adaptors for 3.5 ttrs to 3.5 se and 3.5ttrs to 4.4 balanced if it exists 
Don't know if it's a good choice


----------



## ttt123

flipper203 said:


> I want to buy a nice cable for my 2pins iem and was wondering which type to take if I want to us it on the Sony with balanced output with an adapter. The thing is my current daps are shozy alien hm 901s and mojo. So buying a 3.5mm balanced cable and an adapter would be OK if I understand well. Will then need 2 adaptors for 3.5 ttrs to 3.5 se and 3.5ttrs to 4.4 balanced if it exists
> Don't know if it's a good choice


 
  
 Sorry, read your needs again.  You want to keep TRS for the other DAPs.  I think you need a new cable just for the Sony 4.4mm.
  
 Trying to use the same cable for a DAP needing TRS, and another DAP needing TRRS, is not possible.
 Unless you really want to go to the trouble of reterminating the current cables to 3.5mm TRRS plug, then getting 2 adapters,
 - adapter 1: 3.5mm female TRRS to 3.5mm male TRS for use on the DAPs that only have TRS out
 - adapter 2: 3.5mm female TRRS to 4.4mm TRRS balanced, for use on DAPs that have 4.4mm balanced out
  
  
 ********************************************************************************************
 Only need female 3.5mm TRRS to male 4.4mm TRRS.  Not worth the effort to convert 3.5mm TRS.  
  
 Other options are to:
 1. reterminate the 3.5mm TRS plug with a 3.5mm TRRS
   a. add the adapter cable.  But this only makes sense if you have other DAPs that could use 3.5mm TRRS.  As you are talking about a 3.5mm TRS cable, then you do not have a need for a 3.5mm TRRS, so use option 2
 2. reterminate the 3.5mm TRS plug with a 4.4mm balanced plug.
 3. get a new cable, terminated with 4.4mm balanced.  Doing away with the extra adapter cable should be the best option.  Simpler, straight path connection.


----------



## nanaholic

flipper203 said:


> I want to buy a nice cable for my 2pins iem and was wondering which type to take if I want to us it on the Sony with balanced output with an adapter. The thing is my current daps are shozy alien hm 901s and mojo. So buying a 3.5mm balanced cable and an adapter would be OK if I understand well. Will then need 2 adaptors for 3.5 ttrs to 3.5 se and 3.5ttrs to 4.4 balanced if it exists
> Don't know if it's a good choice


 
  
 If you already have a 3.5mm TRRS balance cable (HiFiman/Sony pin configuration) then the most economical way is just get the Brise Audio converter cable.
 http://briseaudio.jp/store/product/portable/upg001convto544.html
  
 This means you can use the same cable for both 3.5mm and 4.4mm on the Walkman without changing and just use the converter plug.


----------



## rcoleman1

Has anyone heard the Shure SE846 with the WM1A? Just curious...any thoughts?


----------



## garetjax1

gerelmx1986 said:


> maybe you can get a small camera bag like the one I got for my alpha 5000


 
  
 Yah, that is a good idea - definitely need to shop around... I was hoping one of the Bellroy cases would fit the 1z plus accessories...
  
 So hard to window shop stuff like this anymore, with most inventory being online only.


----------



## garetjax1

mimouille said:


> It depends how hard you want the case. I use a Moleskine Journey Hard Pouch Small, it fits the WM1Z with a care, and small iems. Not sure it would fit the Layla.
> 
> https://store.moleskine.com/usa/en-us/Accessories/Hard-Pouches/C245


 
  
 Ah, thank you! I'll definitely check that out... I just need something to protect the 1z when it is in my backpack - I'm usually careful about not slamming my backpack or gear, but with frequent travel you always have to worry about the people around you, so looking for something that will absorb shocks.


----------



## flipper203

nanaholic said:


> If you already have a 3.5mm TRRS balance cable (HiFiman/Sony pin configuration) then the most economical way is just get the Brise Audio converter cable.
> http://briseaudio.jp/store/product/portable/upg001convto544.html
> 
> This means you can use the same cable for both 3.5mm and 4.4mm on the Walkman without changing and just use the converter plug.


 
 yep I'll do that for the moment, just have to find a way to buy this converter and ship it to france
 Thanks @ttt123 for your help and you explaination.


----------



## svinaik

nanaholic said:


> If you already have a 3.5mm TRRS balance cable (HiFiman/Sony pin configuration) then the most economical way is just get the Brise Audio converter cable.
> http://briseaudio.jp/store/product/portable/upg001convto544.html
> 
> This means you can use the same cable for both 3.5mm and 4.4mm on the Walkman without changing and just use the converter plug.


 

 Hi Nanaholic
  
 Can you please recommend a store in Tokyo / Osaka where I can purchase this converter cable. I will be in Japan in March and would like to get it in person. Buying online is a bit of process as I do not understand the Japanese.
  
 Thanks much


----------



## goyete

Is there any online store to get the tourist version without volume cap? Thanks!


----------



## Fsilva

Good news for those who have Toxic Cables, Frank just confirm me that he will have 4.4mm plugs within the next weeks. 
The plugs will only be used to reterminate Toxic Cables, or to be used on new orders


----------



## nanaholic

svinaik said:


> Hi Nanaholic
> 
> Can you please recommend a store in Tokyo / Osaka where I can purchase this converter cable. I will be in Japan in March and would like to get it in person. Buying online is a bit of process as I do not understand the Japanese.
> 
> Thanks much


 
  
 If you look at the front page Brise Audio seems to be taking direct orders from outside of Japan now (http://briseaudio.jp/index.html).  Shoot them an email and see what they can do for you.
  
 Else I think e-earphone at Akiba would be the best bet, though they may not necessarily stock that particular converter cable.


----------



## Jalo

Well I tried at the above Brise audio link and even though they say they will sell worldwide but their contact form are mostly in Japanese and after filling out the info, it does not send.


----------



## nanaholic

jalo said:


> Well I tried at the above Brise audio link and even though they say they will sell worldwide but their contact form are mostly in Japanese and after filling out the info, it does not send.


 
  
 If you really can't wait then use a proxy buying service then, like Buyee.


----------



## squirrelman

I just noticed jaben.com.my has the MUC-M12SB1 so I grabbed one since they are at a great price.  I got it to use with my incoming Fitear Togo 334, so I can grab one of the fitear to mmcx adapters around to use these or ideally find someone to re-terminate them to fitear connectors.  Anyone know anywhere who offers to re-terminate cables, as this isn't something I could do myself.


----------



## AnakChan

squirrelman said:


> I just noticed jaben.com.my has the MUC-M12SB1 so I grabbed one since they are at a great price.  I got it to use with my incoming Fitear Togo 334, so I can grab one of the fitear to mmcx adapters around to use these or ideally find someone to re-terminate them to fitear connectors.  Anyone know anywhere who offers to re-terminate cables, as this isn't something I could do myself.


 
  
 (Sorry no the same cable but you'll get the idea) I didn't re-terminate but I did pick up a rather expensive hand made adapter :-
  

  
  
 It marginally adds to the little more to the cable length.


----------



## squirrelman

anakchan said:


> I didn't re-terminate but I did pick up a rather expensive hand made adapter :-
> 
> 
> 
> It marginally adds to the little more to the cable length.


 
  
 Is that basically one of these?


----------



## AnakChan

squirrelman said:


> Is that basically one of these?


 
  
 I updated the pix to be little clearer but yes. Wow the one you found was about 40% cheaper than what I paid.


----------



## squirrelman

anakchan said:


> I updated the pix to be little clearer but yes. Wow the one you found was about 40% cheaper than what I paid.


 
 Haha just saw that thank you.  eBay actually has some for even cheaper than that, just $25 but the shipping seems to be via slow boat from Hong Kong.


----------



## audionewbi

squirrelman said:


> I just noticed jaben.com.my has the MUC-M12SB1 so I grabbed one since they are at a great price.  I got it to use with my incoming Fitear Togo 334, so I can grab one of the fitear to mmcx adapters around to use these or ideally find someone to re-terminate them to fitear connectors.  Anyone know anywhere who offers to re-terminate cables, as this isn't something I could do myself.



Can I ask when did you order?


----------



## squirrelman

I ordered it about a half an hour ago from here


----------



## audionewbi

squirrelman said:


> I ordered it about a half an hour ago from here


I've ordered a while ago from them , still hoping they can ship me befor Xmas.


----------



## nanaholic

squirrelman said:


> Is that basically one of these?


 
  
 Wow I'm so gonna order these when I get home.  I'd like to try my MH335DW with the Sony mmcx terminated BT receiver and the Sony Kimber Kable.


----------



## nanaholic

squirrelman said:


> Haha just saw that thank you.  eBay actually has some for even cheaper than that, just $25 but the shipping seems to be via slow boat from Hong Kong.


 
  
 Can you PM me the link to the $25 one?  I can't seem to find them on eBay.


----------



## chungjun

For those of you who previously owns a WiFi enable DAP, wondering how much changes do you adopt moving from a WiFi enable DAP to WM1A/Z or how has this affect / change your listening habit or what adjustment do you find yourself doing? E.g. do you listen on another media (e.g. phone or PC from sources like TIDAL, Spotify) then consolidate and download or load the collection via SD Card?
  
 Also, for the above adjustment (i.e. WiFi to manual loading), from the scale of 1 to 10 (10 being best experience), how would you rate the effort required (i.e. convenience of WiFi) vs sound quality or the overall enjoyment / practical use of WM1A/Z?
  
 Any input appreciated thanks...


----------



## flipper203

audionewbi said:


> I've ordered a while ago from them , still hoping they can ship me befor Xmas.


 
 sold out now :'(


----------



## nanaholic

chungjun said:


> For those of you who previously owns a WiFi enable DAP, wondering how much changes do you adopt moving from a WiFi enable DAP to WM1A/Z or how has this affect / change your listening habit or what adjustment do you find yourself doing? E.g. do you listen on another media (e.g. phone or PC from sources like TIDAL, Spotify) then consolidate and download or load the collection via SD Card?
> 
> Also, for the above adjustment (i.e. WiFi to manual loading), from the scale of 1 to 10 (10 being best experience), how would you rate the effort required (i.e. convenience of WiFi) vs sound quality or the overall enjoyment / practical use of WM1A/Z?
> 
> Any input appreciated thanks...


 
  
 None for me as I never use any streaming services - I rip from my huge and still growing CD collection or purchase digital downloads, all my previously WiFi enabled DAPs were always put in Airplane mode to conserve battery and reduce possible interference, I only enable WiFi when I need to do an OTA update.
  
 So in conclusion - not having WiFi for DAP had always been a non-issue for me. Considering my first mp3 player was a Gen 2 click wheel iPod which didn't have WiFi either my listening habit arguably was never once changed with WiFi.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yeah I meant good looking cases  and the pentaconn wow


----------



## DevilofLife

squirrelman said:


> Haha just saw that thank you.  eBay actually has some for even cheaper than that, just $25 but the shipping seems to be via slow boat from Hong Kong.




Can you please provide the ebay links for it

Thanks


----------



## squirrelman

Wow guess I was tired last night, the $25 are just 2 ping to fitear.  The one I linked is the only mmcx to fitear that I see.


----------



## goyete

Someone can tell me if it's possible to buy an Wm1A tourist version online please??


----------



## musicday

goyete said:


> Someone can tell me if it's possible to buy an Wm1A tourist version online please??



Is not possible.You have to ask the seller if is a capped or not model.
You will never see advertised in their if it is or not.Make sure it doesn't say CE on the side of the player.


----------



## garetjax1

Has anyone found a US seller of the sapphire protector?


----------



## Whitigir

garetjax1 said:


> Has anyone found a US seller of the sapphire protector?




I am afraid it is not officially Sony products, but more like a 3rd party products that is being sold on Sony website in Japan....so, I doubt we will see it, unless this guy is listing it onto Us sites


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> garetjax1 said:
> 
> 
> > Has anyone found a US seller of the sapphire protector?
> ...


 

 If it's sold on sony's site, i'm sure sony approve of it, but it's one of the most expensive protector on the market, as for the post above your's, a agent is needed to make the purchase. But unlike a phone protector where a phone is constantly being used, there is less chance of scratching the WM1A/Z screen is minimal, so a normal glass protector is a better choice, and a fraction of the cost.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

I 'think' the one Selling on Amazon is the tourist version but it's $200 more than original price.


goyete said:


> Someone can tell me if it's possible to buy an Wm1A tourist version online please??


----------



## HiFiGuy528

The eagle has landed... email us for more info.


----------



## Mimouille

hifiguy528 said:


> The eagle has landed... email us for more info.


 
 If eagles were this dense I doubt they would fly


----------



## garetjax1

kms108 said:


> If it's sold on sony's site, i'm sure sony approve of it, but it's one of the most expensive protector on the market, as for the post above your's, a agent is needed to make the purchase. But unlike a phone protector where a phone is constantly being used, there is less chance of scratching the WM1A/Z screen is minimal, so a normal glass protector is a better choice, and a fraction of the cost.


 
  
 It appears to be sold on the sony japan site - someone kindly shared the item number from an earlier post: CC-OCG-028. I haven't seen it yet on sony US, ebay, or amazon, but keeping an eye out for it.
  
 Agreed with your comment about scratching being less of a risk. That said, I don't mind paying for the sapphire one after having owned a few watches with sapphire crystal and not having issues with scratches. All of my cheap screen protectors don't seem to last that long.


----------



## Gibraltar

garetjax1 said:


> It appears to be sold on the sony japan site - someone kindly shared the item number from an earlier post: CC-OCG-028. I haven't seen it yet on sony US, ebay, or amazon, but keeping an eye out for it.
> 
> Agreed with your comment about scratching being less of a risk. That said, I don't mind paying for the sapphire one after having owned a few watches with sapphire crystal and not having issues with scratches. All of my cheap screen protectors don't seem to last that long.




The Sony website currently lists it as unavailable, and there's no mention of it anywhere on the manufacturers website either (they still list one for the ZX2 though). Seems even in Japan there's no way to buy this right now.


----------



## garetjax1

gibraltar said:


> The Sony website currently lists it as unavailable, and there's no mention of it anywhere on the manufacturers website either (they still list one for the ZX2 though). Seems even in Japan there's no way to buy this right now.


 
  
 Ah gotcha - I took a quick glance at it on the japan site but didn't try to add to cart or anything... hopefully it gets released soon. In the meantime, I'll probably measure the screen and head to the local best buy and look for a close fit to tide me over.


----------



## kaushama

I bought this and its quite nice.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B01M725624/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## Decreate

Just got an email saying that my Dignis case has shipped.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am undecided if having mine naked or not


----------



## kms108

garetjax1 said:


> gibraltar said:
> 
> 
> > The Sony website currently lists it as unavailable, and there's no mention of it anywhere on the manufacturers website either (they still list one for the ZX2 though). Seems even in Japan there's no way to buy this right now.
> ...


 

 I think they only released it to test the market, the rest of their glass protector are just tempered glass, and seeing sony site, they have stopped production. You can see its very expensive, something like USD 110 for just a glass protector.


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am undecided if having mine naked or not


 

 Bubble wrapped, the best protection you can have and water resistant, very cheap.


----------



## ledzep

decreate said:


> Just got an email saying that my Dignis case has shipped.




Yeah me too, that stunning red one.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> Bubble wrapped, the best protection you can have and water resistant, very cheap.




True that, but you will need to use the headphones ports..so no real water proof. However, you can use it as dampener too, and in sonically performances, dampened = better performances


----------



## Decreate

ledzep said:


> Yeah me too, that stunning red one.



I'm gonna be back in black.


----------



## warrior1975

I took the plunge finally. Ordered the Sony NW-WM1Z. I should have either Thursday or Friday. Hope it's worth the money... Or close to it.


----------



## Whitigir

warrior1975 said:


> I took the plunge finally. Ordered the Sony NW-WM1Z. I should have either Thursday or Friday. Hope it's worth the money... Or close to it.




Nothing sounds close to $3200 in my opinion ...that is Gold nuggets sound


----------



## warrior1975

Lol... Agreed. Hence my "close to it" comment. If it sounds better than the Zx2, as in noticeably better, I will be happy. I'm not getting my hopes up though.


----------



## hydesg

warrior1975 said:


> Lol... Agreed. Hence my "close to it" comment. If it sounds better than the Zx2, as in noticeably better, I will be happy. I'm not getting my hopes up though.




If it doesnt?


----------



## Dithyrambes

Then he just returns it.....not very hard LOL


----------



## garetjax1

For the Mac OS owners out there, how are you synching or planning on synching your music to your 1Z / 1A? Is anyone planning on using Dapper? If anyone has it successfully working, let me know what settings you are using. I hope to get my DAP tomorrow so should be able to report some findings as well.


----------



## warrior1975

hydesg said:


> If it doesnt?




Please see response below. 



dithyrambes said:


> Then he just returns it.....not very hard LOL




Great minds think alike.


----------



## goody

anakchan said:


> (Sorry no the same cable but you'll get the idea) I didn't re-terminate but I did pick up a rather expensive hand made adapter :-
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 what bluetooth sony model is that if i may ask


----------



## AnakChan

goody said:


> what bluetooth sony model is that if i may ask


 

 This is the MUC-M2BT1. It's for MMCX earphones but with adapters, open to any really. Don't have the NW-WM1Z to try it with but if I did, it'll do LDAC.


----------



## Decreate

anakchan said:


> This is the MUC-M2BT1. It's for MMCX earphones but with adapters, open to any really. Don't have the NW-WM1Z to try it with but if I did, it'll do LDAC.


 Is that something one can wear while working out at the gym and how does it sound when compared to using an actual cable?


----------



## AnakChan

decreate said:


> Is that something one can wear while working out at the gym and how does it sound when compared to using an actual cable?


 
  
 I don't go to the gym anymore but the MUC-M2BT1 in the gym? Sure! But not the NW-WM1Z as it'll surely pull my gym pants down!


----------



## xrb936

Do you guys know where I can buy a case for it?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Two weeks until I return to Mexico  but also  because my WM1A


----------



## PCheung

anakchan said:


> This is the MUC-M2BT1. It's for MMCX earphones but with adapters, open to any really. Don't have the NW-WM1Z to try it with but if I did, it'll do LDAC.




The MUC-M2BT1 can connect to 2 device simultaneously, so you can listen to your music and standby for calls, also NFC function for quick pairing.

BUT, the WM1Z and M2BT1 just won't work after phone call. Music will keep jamming or fast forwarding while it automatically switch back to WM1Z. Consider that my M2BT1, Xperia X performance and ZX100 walkman works flawlessly with phone calls and auto switching, I don't think it works that well on WM1Z.

Of cause if you don't need that call function that's another story .


----------



## Decreate

anakchan said:


> I don't go to the gym anymore but the MUC-M2BT1 in the gym? Sure! But not the NW-WM1Z as it'll surely pull my gym pants down!


 Thanks but what about the sound when compared to an actual cable? I'm actually of thinking of putting the wm1z in a waist pouch like I did with the ak380.


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> Then he just returns it.....not very hard LOL




Dude ! 500 each side hours burn in would net you over 30 days return window, period.


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> dithyrambes said:
> 
> 
> > Then he just returns it.....not very hard LOL
> ...


maybe he meant sell it


----------



## audioxxx

anakchan said:


> I don't go to the gym anymore but the MUC-M2BT1 in the gym? Sure! But not the NW-WM1Z as it'll surely pull my gym pants down!



Would you say that it will compete with as a zx2 type of sound quality, in ldac, or nothing like it? 

Thanks in advanced.

I have my eye on it at the moment, and am going to make the most mmcx to pin converter, connector, when the parts arrive.


----------



## Jalo

Two days until I receive my 1Z. Is the WM port to micro USB cable included for copying songs to the 1z? does anyone knows the road map for the next micro SD card? Will it be in the next year?


----------



## warrior1975

Mine is coming tomorrow. Probably won't sleep tonight. Lol


----------



## Jalo

warrior1975 said:


> Mine is coming tomorrow. Probably won't sleep tonight. Lol



Don't you also have the Vega? We should find couple of songs that we both have and compare notes then I'll know your taste regarding treble, bass, etc.


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> Two days until I receive my 1Z. Is the WM port to micro USB cable included for copying songs to the 1z? does anyone knows the road map for the next micro SD card? Will it be in the next year?




There is USB to WM cable inside, and there is a thread for 1Z owner


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> There is USB to WM cable inside, and there is a thread for 1Z owner



Sorry for asking simple question like that.


----------



## warrior1975

jalo said:


> Don't you also have the Vega? We should find couple of songs that we both have and compare notes then I'll know your taste regarding treble, bass, etc.




Yes sir, I do. I won't have it back for a few more weeks. It's on tour.

Let's do that for sure. I want to hear what you think of this vs the ak380 too.


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> Dude ! 500 each side hours burn in would net you over 30 days return window, period.




I thought is has always been 200 hours per side, when did it become 500 hours?


----------



## Sabre2

warrior1975 said:


> Mine is coming tomorrow. Probably won't sleep tonight. Lol


 
 Wow Warrior, new toy


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> I thought is has always been 200 hours per side, when did it become 500 hours?




From other people reporting, and Sony typically shorten the real time of burn-in. Zx2 needed 250 hours, and they indicated 100 hours, so that is 2.0-2.5x  as much. Now, 1Z states 200 hours, and that means st least 400 hours each


----------



## goody

anakchan said:


> This is the MUC-M2BT1. It's for MMCX earphones but with adapters, open to any really. Don't have the NW-WM1Z to try it with but if I did, it'll do LDAC.


 
 Thanks


----------



## warrior1975

sabre2 said:


> Wow Warrior, new toy




Yes, can't wait. I feel like a child at Christmas... Especially with Christmas being so damn close. 

400 hours of burn in? Jesus, that's a lot of burn in. I'll probably do what I normally do. Listen as it burns in.


----------



## Sabre2

warrior1975 said:


> Yes, can't wait. I feel like a child at Christmas... Especially with Christmas being so damn close.
> 
> 400 hours of burn in? Jesus, that's a lot of burn in. I'll probably do what I normally do. Listen as it burns in.


 
 hehe... Enjoy bro...it came in just in time for you 
 Do share your thought


----------



## Jalo

warrior1975 said:


> Yes sir, I do. I won't have it back for a few more weeks. It's on tour.
> 
> Let's do that for sure. I want to hear what you think of this vs the ak380 too.




By Friday of this week I should have all of the following stallions in my stable at the same time.

Sony WM1Z
AK 380CU
RWAK 240SS
LPG Diana Edition

I know many of you have listened to some or all of them at one time or another but as you know comparing from memory is really a problem. I am thinking of selecting two or three songs to specifically compare and contrast them with. Any good suggestions? In fact, it will be really fun to find a good reviewer to compare them also. Who has the golden ears?

Also, if you can only keep two, which two will you take?


----------



## Sabre2

Hmzz... party time for Jalo


----------



## Dithyrambes

jalo said:


> By Friday of this week I should have all of the following stallions in my stable at the same time.
> 
> Sony WM1Z
> AK 380CU
> ...


 
 would keep either sony or ak380cu and spend the rest on transducers or desktop gear...LOl..wouldn't keep two.


----------



## tenedosian

I can recommend a few songs / albums for reviewing. They are properly mastered with good dynamic range, and rich in acoustic data apparent with a resolving equipment.
  
 1) Dhafer Youssef - Les Ondes Orientales (Abu Nawas Rhapsody - 2010)
 Great record for treble extension test with lots of ambient detail.
  
 2) Sting - Nothing Like The Sun (album - 1987, not remasters or recent issues)
 Beautiful album & beautiful mastering with no popular "loudness" procedure applied. Songs of various musical genres & dozens of instruments.
  
 3) Gidon Kremer - Hommage A Piazzolla (album - 1996)
 A neat and properly mastered record, suitable for taking a look at the noise floor.
  
 4) Al Di Meola - Libertango (World Sinfonia III - 2000)
 Great song for soundstage, imaging, layering and instrument separation test.


----------



## warrior1975

Jalo Very nice selection of daps. Definitely want to hear your thoughts of the Z vs the ak380. I've never heard the LPG Diana, hut heard the regular, which I absolutely loved.


----------



## Jalo

dithyrambes said:


> would keep either sony or ak380cu and spend the rest on transducers or desktop gear...LOl..wouldn't keep two.




My understanding is that the1Z is a meatier, warmer sound whereas the 380CU has a finer, airier sound and I like both of the sound signature depending on my mood. It is kind of like my Vega and Andro both great iems but different flavour.

They just called and actually will be shipping out today on next day service. I will get it one day earlier. Wow.


----------



## Jalo

tenedosian said:


> I can recommend a few songs / albums for reviewing. They are properly mastered with good dynamic range, and rich in acoustic data apparent with a resolving equipment.
> 
> 1) Dhafer Youssef - Les Ondes Orientales (Abu Nawas Rhapsody - 2010)
> Great record for treble extension test with lots of ambient detail.
> ...




Thanks, 1, 2, and 4 sound particularly good.


----------



## Sound Eq

jalo said:


> My understanding is that the1Z is a meatier, warmer sound whereas the 380CU has a finer, airier sound and I like both of the sound signature depending on my mood. It is kind of like my Vega and Andro both great iems but different flavour.
> 
> They just called and actually will be shipping out today on next day service. I will get it one day earlier. Wow.


 
 wow, on another note did u also buy the andromeda


----------



## Jalo

sound eq said:


> wow, on another note did u also buy the andromeda




Yes, I have both the Vega and Andromeda. The andromeda is particularly clean and transparent and should be able to tell the difference among the various daps. I actuall like my other iem, Fibass, not much bass but the mid is the most transparent phone I have and it will reveal any minute difference in the mid range in any dap whereas I like the layering with the Vega. So I may use each phone for a particular test as each of them excell in one or two particular areas.


----------



## Sound Eq

jalo said:


> Yes, I have both the Vega and Andromeda. The andromeda is particularly clean and transparent and should be able to tell the difference among the various daps. I actuall like my other iem, Fibass, not much bass but the mid is the most transparent phone I have and it will reveal any minute difference in the mid range in any dap whereas I like the layering with the Vega. So I may use each phone for a particular test as each of them excell in one or two particular areas.


 
 great gear and i am curious which dap you will end up liking most
  
 what music genres you listen to most?


----------



## Jalo

sound eq said:


> great gear and i am curious which dap you will end up liking most
> 
> what music genres you listen to most?




I have many tastes when it comes to music. Great vocal, choral, pop, some jazz, some rock, selective classical, I play classical guitar, so classical guitar. I mostly will end up with at least two daps.


----------



## Whitigir

That is true when it comes to Walkman , they have meatier and slower decay with closer presentations Vs DAC implemented players such as AK and so on. Depends on your taste, but I would keep both 380cu and the 1Z


----------



## Sound Eq

jalo said:


> I have many tastes when it comes to music. Great vocal, choral, pop, some jazz, some rock, selective classical, I play classical guitar, so classical guitar. I mostly will end up with at least two daps.


 
 well i had the ak380 and amp so I wonder how you will compare both.
  
 until now the best sound i get in a portable format is from chord mojo, yes its not a dap but its really a great source


----------



## warrior1975

Cowon S for me. I'm looking forward to comparing the Z with my S. If I like the S more, I save 3k, so I won't complain. 

Just received notification they just picked up my Z, I won't receive until Friday. Damn UPS and the holidays.


----------



## Fabi

warrior1975 said:


> Cowon S for me. I'm looking forward to comparing the Z with my S. If I like the S more, I save 3k, so I won't complain.


 
 Although they sound different, for you I bet on the Z


----------



## Whitigir

I am blasting Opus 2 and ...man .... this thing is darn good. It is totally different than 1Z though, but very enjoyable none the less. Plus thing is that it has the "true DAC function" that works out of everything.


----------



## warrior1975

fabi said:


> Although they sound different, for you I bet on the Z




Half of me wants the Z to sound better, the other half says no. Lol. I want the $!!!


----------



## Sound Eq

whitigir said:


> I am blasting Opus 2 and ...man .... this thing is darn good. It is totally different than 1Z though, but very enjoyable none the less. Plus thing is that it has the "true DAC function" that works out of everything.


 
 in what way is the dap so great
  
 do 3rd party apps have full access to the dac?
  
 i think it will be interesting to read comparisons between wm1z and opus 2


----------



## Whitigir

sound eq said:


> in what way is the dap so great
> 
> do 3rd party apps have full access to the dac?
> 
> i think it will be interesting to read comparisons between wm1z and opus 2




Neutrality, Air, clarity, transparency, practicality as a standalone DAC. So far no bugs from other apps yet. I plan on doing some quality USB cables for both android and iOS to observe further. IOS though will need camera kit


----------



## Jalo

sound eq said:


> well i had the ak380 and amp so I wonder how you will compare both.
> 
> until now the best sound i get in a portable format is from chord mojo, yes its not a dap but its really a great source


 
 I have both the Mojo and Hugo.  You cannot beat the Mojo in terms of price to value ratio.  But I prefer the Hugo.  Having said that, the new crop of daps are catching up pretty fast and furious. I am just enjoying the different sound signature of the different daps.  The next one to look out for is clearly the DX200.


----------



## Sound Eq

jalo said:


> I have both the Mojo and Hugo.  You cannot beat the Mojo in terms of price to value ratio.  But I prefer the Hugo.  Having said that, the new crop of daps are catching up pretty fast and furious. I am just enjoying the different sound signature of the different daps.  The next one to look out for is clearly the DX200.


 
 dx200 is a buy for me and maybe wm1z


----------



## Dithyrambes

whitigir said:


> That is true when it comes to Walkman , they have meatier and slower decay with closer presentations Vs DAC implemented players such as AK and so on. Depends on your taste, but I would keep both 380cu and the 1Z


 
  
 This is what i love about the sony daps....slow decay gives room and space for nuance. the sound is also slightly more cohesive for me ><. Time for you to let us know how that s master on the amp sounds compared to the 1Z. If it has the same decay...it'll be an instant buy Lol.


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> This is what i love about the sony daps....slow decay gives room and space for nuance. the sound is also slightly more cohesive for me ><. Time for you to let us know how that s master on the amp sounds compared to the 1Z. If it has the same decay...it'll be an instant buy Lol.




I love it too , it is exactly why Sony seems to be more musical


----------



## Jalo

I learned one more difference between the 1Z and 1A.  Apparently the 1Z has a different and better SDK before the signal reached the S Master Chip.


----------



## Whitigir

What is SDK ? Lol


----------



## xrb936

So I have two good information today, first is I can get my 1Z tomorrow as my Christmas gift. Second is Apple finally shipped out my customs Macbook Pro! Also probably get it before Christmas! Ha!


----------



## kaushama

jalo said:


> I learned one more difference between the 1Z and 1A.  Apparently the 1Z has a different and better SDK before the signal reached the S Master Chip.




In which case someone would make a custom ROM for A? Of course made out of Z firmware!


----------



## warrior1975

kaushama said:


> In which case someone would make a custom ROM for A? Of course made out of Z firmware!




Clever!! Lol


----------



## hydesg

Just got my case.


----------



## hydesg

Another shot


----------



## mrrayray

Really nice Dignis case!!!
 What is the model for the van nuys pouch?


----------



## unknownguardian

My dignis case has came as well


----------



## evo6889

nice! does it get dirt easily?


----------



## blazinblazin

Here comes my balanced cable and case.


----------



## riotgrrl

gerelmx1986 said:


> Two weeks until I return to Mexico  but also  because my WM1A




Two weeks? No wonder you are so down, you'll be riding sidesaddle by then.


----------



## Decreate

pcheung said:


> The MUC-M2BT1 can connect to 2 device simultaneously, so you can listen to your music and standby for calls, also NFC function for quick pairing.
> 
> BUT, the WM1Z and M2BT1 just won't work after phone call. Music will keep jamming or fast forwarding while it automatically switch back to WM1Z. Consider that my M2BT1, Xperia X performance and ZX100 walkman works flawlessly with phone calls and auto switching, I don't think it works that well on WM1Z.
> 
> Of cause if you don't need that call function that's another story .


 
 I got the M2BT1 today and I think LDAC does sound slightly better than SBC but I was getting a lot of interference while I was walking around the streets. Eventually had to switch to SBC...


----------



## PCheung

decreate said:


> I got the M2BT1 today and I think LDAC does sound slightly better than SBC but I was getting a lot of interference while I was walking around the streets. Eventually had to switch to SBC...


 
 Sorry to hear that. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Tried the LDAC connection preferred mode already?


----------



## Decreate

pcheung said:


> Sorry to hear that.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I initially tried the LDAC - Sound Quality Preferred mode and the interference I was getting in the streets was quite severe where the sound would just come out all garbled every minute or so. I then switched to LDAC - Connection Preferred mode and instead of the garbled mess I got drop outs every minute or so. I eventually switched to SBC - Sound Quality Preferred mode and found the connection to be very stable.


----------



## Jalo

hydesg said:


> Another shot




Is this red or brown?


----------



## Jalo

Hey guys, I should have my 1Z in a few hours and be able to find out for myself. But a quick question while I am waiting to those of you that have heard the 380 and the 1Z. I have been getting conflicting reports from different people. Some say, at least two to three, that the 1Z is better than the 380 by a long shot, while others say that it is only slightly better in some areas. Personal bias and motivation aside, the impressions shouldn't be that far apart right? What do you say?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sdk is software e development kit

I also have many good masters for classical


----------



## echineko

jalo said:


> Hey guys, I should have my 1Z in a few hours and be able to find out for myself. But a quick question while I am waiting to those of you that have heard the 380 and the 1Z. I have been getting conflicting reports from different people. Some say, at least two to three, that the 1Z is better than the 380 by a long shot, while others say that it is only slightly better in some areas. Personal bias and motivation aside, the impressions shouldn't be that far apart right? What do you say?


 
 I found the 380+amp to be lifeless and thin compared to the 1Z. It's really detailed and clear, but still very rich and enjoyable. It's really a matter of preference, if you're like me you'd probably think the difference was huge. Although a friend of mine I loaned the 1Z to felt the same, and he's had the 380 + amp for a while.


----------



## Mimouille

jalo said:


> Hey guys, I should have my 1Z in a few hours and be able to find out for myself. But a quick question while I am waiting to those of you that have heard the 380 and the 1Z. I have been getting conflicting reports from different people. Some say, at least two to three, that the 1Z is better than the 380 by a long shot, while others say that it is only slightly better in some areas. Personal bias and motivation aside, the impressions shouldn't be that far apart right? What do you say?


It really depends what people value in a DAP. To me, those who prefer the AK by quite a margin are those who value very "obvious" performance, in terms of clarity and detail. The Sony sounds fuller, more powerful, with more depth, more natural IMO. The AK has more air, sounds thiner, maybe a bit more width. I would say they are both top players, but then taste and synergy will come into play. To me, those who say one is miles above the other are fans of hyperbole...


----------



## Jalo

Thanks guys for the comments. You know I have been running into this term "thin" a bit lately. And when the word thin is used in most context, it carries a negative connotation suggesting that it is striden or sterile or cold and not full or supple. I am reminded the different between the Vega and the Andromeda or the Stax 009 vs something like a LCD2,3,4 or the HE6. But for those that like the 380, or the Andro or swear that the Stax009 is the best there is will describe them as refine, airy, detail etc. Are we just introjeting our bias or preference into sound so when we like/have the 1Z and we call ithe 380 thin and lifeless and when we have/like the 380 we call it refine and airy? 

I am excited to hear the 1Z and since I have both units I can eliminate the psychological barrier of unbalance view for not having one or the other.


----------



## warrior1975

I'd definitely prefer the Z from the sounds of it. Thin sounding is not my cup of tea at all.


----------



## garetjax1

For those of you who ordered the Midas case with shipping to the US, how long did it take, approximately?


----------



## Jalo

Well the 1Z is in my hand now. So beautiful. I am such a sucker for all things beautiful. I can see definitely need a Dignis case. black or Red?


----------



## tienbasse

mimouille said:


> It really depends what people value in a DAP. To me, those who prefer the AK by quite a margin are those who value very "obvious" performance, in terms of clarity and detail. The Sony sounds fuller, more powerful, with more depth, more natural IMO. The AK has more air, sounds thiner, maybe a bit more width. I would say they are both top players, but then taste and synergy will come into play. To me, those who say one is miles above the other are fans of hyperbole...


 

 Thank you for bringing some people back to planet Earth.
 In this pricerange, it's a matter of taste entirely, unless manufacturers really **cked up.
 People should keep their observations to qualitative ones, using superlatives doesn't help.


----------



## Sound Eq

jalo said:


> Thanks guys for the comments. You know I have been running into this term "thin" a bit lately. And when the word thin is used in most context, it carries a negative connotation suggesting that it is striden or sterile or cold and not full or supple. I am reminded the different between the Vega and the Andromeda or the Stax 009 vs something like a LCD2,3,4 or the HE6. But for those that like the 380, or the Andro or swear that the Stax009 is the best there is will describe them as refine, airy, detail etc. Are we just introjeting our bias or preference into sound so when we like/have the 1Z and we call ithe 380 thin and lifeless and when we have/like the 380 we call it refine and airy?
> 
> I am excited to hear the 1Z and since I have both units I can eliminate the psychological barrier of unbalance view for not having one or the other.


 
 well i did not find the ak380 and amp thin sounding, the mids were great, bass wise it was abit lacking with headphones but with iems it was good but not for bass lovers. But the mids were even better than mojo and the sound is so natural. It was the only dap that sounded better without eq. While all other daps without eq sounded sterile to me and thin and that includes cowon and fiio x7. Cowon plenue s and m2 without dsp sound the worst ever without the dsp, but with dsp a total different story.
 I wished that ak does have the same dsp as cowon that would be an ultimate player


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> Well the 1Z is in my hand now. So beautiful. I am such a sucker for all things beautiful. I can see definitely need a Dignis case. black or Red?




Go blue or brown


----------



## Jalo

tienbasse said:


> Thank you for bringing some people back to planet Earth.




Somebody please help, I am still floating toward Venus


----------



## Jalo

How does one make the 1Z to reread the SD card and bring the songs from the SD card into the unit? I put an SD card into the unit and start the 1Z, it says creating database but I still cannot see the music in any view, folder, artist, album etc.


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> How does one make the 1Z to reread the SD card and bring the songs from the SD card into the unit? I put an SD card into the unit and start the 1Z, it says creating database but I still cannot see the music in any view, folder, artist, album etc.




You need to move all folders and sound tracks into Music folder in the internal memory or SDcard. Anywhere beside Music folder, it will never read


----------



## Decreate

jalo said:


> How does one make the 1Z to reread the SD card and bring the songs from the SD card into the unit? I put an SD card into the unit and start the 1Z, it says creating database but I still cannot see the music in any view, folder, artist, album etc.



The files need to be put into a folder named Music.


----------



## Jalo

Thanks. I was just thinking about that. So, you need a music folder in the internal memory and one in the SD card?


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> Thanks. I was just thinking about that. So, you need a music folder in the internal memory and one in the SD card?




They are already in there, just need to arrange the files into it


----------



## Barra

jalo said:


> Thanks guys for the comments. You know I have been running into this term "thin" a bit lately. And when the word thin is used in most context, it carries a negative connotation suggesting that it is striden or sterile or cold and not full or supple. I am reminded the different between the Vega and the Andromeda or the Stax 009 vs something like a LCD2,3,4 or the HE6. But for those that like the 380, or the Andro or swear that the Stax009 is the best there is will describe them as refine, airy, detail etc. Are we just introjeting our bias or preference into sound so when we like/have the 1Z and we call ithe 380 thin and lifeless and when we have/like the 380 we call it refine and airy?
> 
> I am excited to hear the 1Z and since I have both units I can eliminate the psychological barrier of unbalance view for not having one or the other.


 
 The Z and the 380 are both TOTL SQ. However the problem with comparing the two is that the 380 amp implementation is flawed like most DAPs almost requiring an external amp to sound its best. Therefore, depending on the external amp used, the 380 signature can be all over the place. When paired with my cheap but magical BH2 amp, the 380 is anything but thin and the signature becomes rich. 
  
 That being said, I consider the Z to be the superior TOTL DAP as it doesn't need an amp to sound its best. Plus, I like the Z's greater texturing and dynamics which draw me into the music more - but that is my bias. However, those that primarily listen to classical may like the 380's airier signature and further back presentation more. 
  
 So the answer is - it depends.


----------



## garetjax1

Peeps, just a quick note to let you know that Dapper works like a charm for synching music with the 1Z (and storage card). Will post settings later tonight...
  
 I am working with the Dapper team to get a profile created, but at first blush, there isn't much to it.


----------



## blazinblazin

This sounds amazing~


----------



## hydesg

blazinblazin said:


> This sounds amazing~




You didnt use the strain relief tht comes with the cable ? The l shaped thingy


----------



## blazinblazin

hydesg said:


> You didnt use the strain relief tht comes with the cable ? The l shaped thingy


 

 I just open up and use the cable. I have not see what's included inside the box yet.
  
 I should go back and check.


----------



## Rei87

barra said:


> The Z and the 380 are both TOTL SQ. However the problem with comparing the two is that the 380 amp implementation is flawed like most DAPs almost requiring an external amp to sound its best. Therefore, depending on the external amp used, the 380 signature can be all over the place. When paired with my cheap but magical BH2 amp, the 380 is anything but thin and the signature becomes rich.
> 
> That being said, I consider the Z to be the superior TOTL DAP as it doesn't need an amp to sound its best. Plus, I like the Z's greater texturing and dynamics which draw me into the music more - but that is my bias. However, those that primarily listen to classical may like the 380's airier signature and further back presentation more.
> 
> So the answer is - it depends.


 


 the 380's amp isnt flawed, if you use nothing but CIEMS that are very easily driven. Personally, I've used the 1Z balanced out, and the sheer output ruins the sound for the CIEM. On the balanced output, it sounded like the entire soundstage was compressed into a bowl around your head and had a ear muff on it to boot. 

 Frankly, while I do admit that the amp section of the 380 is heavily crippled due to the mutiple buffers, that actually turned out for the best. I sincerely believe that its better to tune down for the sensitive gears, and then just let the user play with amps should they wish to run cans or dynamics. I can get the vega to sound good on a 380 by simply strapping on an amp, but there is nothing I can do to get a zues to sound marginally good on the 1Z without using an impedence filter that, that cripples the sound signature and details, as opposed to an amp that usually (good amps) only makes it better.  
  
 At any rate, I  have both to play with anyway, and I will still say that hands down, the CU is heads and shoulders above the 1Z, if you value clarity and reproduction. Go for the 1Z if you want to simply 'enjoy' the music, and arent too particular about missing details in the song. Note tho, that with the 380 I can get colour the source through the use of an amp (like the kojo brass) to achieve a similar lushness, but with the 1Z you cant regain the lost details as the source itself is muddy in comparison.


----------



## Decreate

jalo said:


> Thanks. I was just thinking about that. So, you need a music folder in the internal memory and one in the SD card?



The music folder is present in the internal memory and needs to be created in the sd card.


----------



## kubig123

decreate said:


> The music folder is present in the internal memory and needs to be created in the sd card.


 

 If you format the sd card from the wm1z directly, it automatically create the music folder.


----------



## blazinblazin

rei87 said:


> the 380's amp isnt flawed, if you use nothing but CIEMS that are very easily driven. Personally, I've used the 1Z balanced out, and the sheer output ruins the sound for the CIEM. On the balanced output, it sounded like the entire soundstage was compressed into a bowl around your head and had a ear muff on it to boot.
> 
> Frankly, while I do admit that the amp section of the 380 is heavily crippled due to the mutiple buffers, that actually turned out for the best. I sincerely believe that its better to tune down for the sensitive gears, and then just let the user play with amps should they wish to run cans or dynamics. I can get the vega to sound good on a 380 by simply strapping on an amp, but there is nothing I can do to get a zues to sound marginally good on the 1Z without using an impedence filter that, that cripples the sound signature and details, as opposed to an amp that usually (good amps) only makes it better.
> 
> At any rate, I  have both to play with anyway, and I will still say that hands down, the CU is heads and shoulders above the 1Z, if you value clarity and reproduction. Go for the 1Z if you want to simply 'enjoy' the music, and arent too particular about missing details in the song. Note tho, that with the 380 I can get colour the source through the use of an amp (like the kojo brass) to achieve a similar lushness, but with the 1Z you cant regain the lost details as the source itself is muddy in comparison.


 
  
 Do that adapter with your IEM gives you a comparable sound to just using a direct 4.4mm balanced cable?


----------



## lopes

I've just ventured into the wonderful world of Hi-Res music and Sony DAPs, and am loving every high-fidelity moment of it! Forgive me if this has been asked, but how does the WM1A compare to the ZX2? I just bought an open bought ZX2 and it's incredible, even with modest headphones for now. But I've also got a WM1A on order, and am curious what to expect in similarities and differences in SQ. Thanks in advance!


----------



## blazinblazin

lopes said:


> I've just ventured into the wonderful world of Hi-Res music and Sony DAPs, and am loving every high-fidelity moment of it! Forgive me if this has been asked, but how does the WM1A compare to the ZX2? I just bought an open bought ZX2 and it's incredible, even with modest headphones for now. But I've also got a WM1A on order, and am curious what to expect in similarities and differences in SQ. Thanks in advance!


 
  
 If will get more incredible after burn in.


----------



## lopes

The ZX2? I've read up on that in its thread and am looking forward to experiencing it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. Is the WM1A a worthwhile (and money worth spent) upgrade?


----------



## Rei87

blazinblazin said:


> Do that adapter with your IEM gives you a comparable sound to just using a direct 4.4mm balanced cable?


 


 On a different adapter using the same wire configuration (2.5 to 3.5 TRRS), the difference in sound from a 3.5 direct is apparent, but minimal. So I do have a base idea of how the sound will change as a result of the adapter, and the loss of performance goes beyond what can be attributed to the adapter. Of course, the plug used here is not the same as my other adapter, but I dont wish to dive into another argument of plugs/wires making a difference in sound. 

 As to the second question of why I did not wish to use the 4.4mm direct, that is because after what I heard today, I see little reason that would compel me to leave AK's sonic ecosystem. I have no wish to re-terminate all my wires for a player that lacks resolution in comparison and will probably see little use outside .....actually I probably wont use it much at all come to think of it.


----------



## blazinblazin

Then do you think your comparison is accurate?


----------



## Mimouille

blazinblazin said:


> This sounds amazing~


Is the Andromeda completely without hiss on this setup?


----------



## blazinblazin

mimouille said:


> Is the Andromeda completely without hiss on this setup?



No hiss and smooth sounding.


----------



## Mimouille

rei87 said:


> the 380's amp isnt flawed, if you use nothing but CIEMS that are very easily driven. Personally, I've used the 1Z balanced out, and the sheer output ruins the sound for the CIEM. On the balanced output, it sounded like the entire soundstage was compressed into a bowl around your head and had a ear muff on it to boot.
> 
> 
> Frankly, while I do admit that the amp section of the 380 is heavily crippled due to the mutiple buffers, that actually turned out for the best. I sincerely believe that its better to tune down for the sensitive gears, and then just let the user play with amps should they wish to run cans or dynamics. I can get the vega to sound good on a 380 by simply strapping on an amp, but there is nothing I can do to get a zues to sound marginally good on the 1Z without using an impedence filter that, that cripples the sound signature and details, as opposed to an amp that usually (good amps) only makes it better.
> ...


Is the Zeus full of hiss on the 1Z again...that would be the iems fault, it hisses with everything except AK DAPs, but the latter have anemic amps. The Zeus hissed even on the ALO TX which is made for iems.

As for the 1Z lacking details compared to the AK, well we will have to disagree on this, I find it just as detailed, detailed are presented in a different way. Obviously muddied is a term I don't even understand in this instance. If you listen to the P8 for instance, every breath on the the track can be heard in the 1Z. Also I really don't see how the balanced sounds muffled...maybe depends on the pairing.

I do think the CU has the edge on clarity, but to me it is more a matter if tuning than performance.


----------



## erictioh

im planning to buy wm1a, however just noticed that it doesnt has a true line out.

fine, people were suggesting using 3.5mm trrs, but i thought trrs only happen in the 4.4mm balanced output right? what is 3.5mm trrs then ?

what will be the diff if i connect 3.5mm vs 4.4mm to my car amp ? 

if not what are the are the ways we can use to connect to car amp ?


----------



## nanaholic

erictioh said:


> im planning to buy wm1a, however just noticed that it doesnt has a true line out.
> 
> fine, people were suggesting using 3.5mm trrs, but i thought trrs only happen in the 4.4mm balanced output right? what is 3.5mm trrs then ?
> 
> ...


 
  
 The 3.5mm TRRS is just separate grounding pins for the L and R channels, it's not full balance circuit.  A normal 3.5mm TRS will plug in just fine.  Your car amp most likely will only take single end connections, so it doesn't really matter whether you connect to 3.5mm or 4.4mm as even if you use 4.4mm you'll need a converter which changes the connection back to single end anyway.
  
 FWIW all the Ts/Rs/Ss just means available pins for connection, it doesn't mean it is actually a balanced circuit or not.


----------



## nanaholic

mimouille said:


> As for the 1Z lacking details compared to the AK, well we will have to disagree on this, I find it just as detailed, detailed are presented in a different way. Obviously muddied is a term I don't even understand in this instance.


 
  
 When I still had my AK380 and was comparing it directly with the 1Z it was obvious that the 380 was just leaner sounding, while the 1Z had a much punchier low end (not boomy or louder, just punchier) which will naturally draw your attention in, but if you pull yourself out and focus on the individual instruments the level of detail is so similar that I would say is pretty much exactly the same.  
  
 I don't get how the 1Z could be said to be muddied/compressed comment either, I'm just guessing the volume was just too loud so maybe turn it down a notch.


----------



## Rei87

mimouille said:


> Is the Zeus full of hiss on the 1Z again...that would be the iems fault, it hisses with everything except AK DAPs, but the latter have anemic amps. The Zeus hissed even on the ALO TX which is made for iems.
> 
> As for the 1Z lacking details compared to the AK, well we will have to disagree on this, I find it just as detailed, detailed are presented in a different way. Obviously muddied is a term I don't even understand in this instance. If you listen to the P8 for instance, every breath on the the track can be heard in the 1Z. Also I really don't see how the balanced sounds muffled...maybe depends on the pairing.
> 
> I do think the CU has the edge on clarity, but to me it is more a matter if tuning than performance.


 


 Yes, so too is a microscope more detailed than a pair of glass because of coating treatment than actual hardware advantage.

 Altho, I find it rather strange that you would feel that the 1Z was tuned to be less resolving that it could be, as intentionally handicapping their flagship product would seem a rather questionable route to take. How I personally see it, is that Sony chose to tune it to the best they could for this 'analogue/lush' sound, a thrust I can see and appreciate. However, something had to give, and Sony felt that absolute resolution was something they could sacrifice, even as I disagree, but that is my personal view. 

 I do think that the 1Z sounds good, if not I wouldnt bother playing with one. But I also recognize that it has its flaws compared to the 380. The 380 has the absolute edge in clarity and resolution, and has a noise floor so low that it doesnt hiss with anything I throw at it. The 1Z however, has more power, and I would use it should I need to go with cans while being on the go. 

 The problem, however, is that I could solve the AK's 'anemic output' as you so succinctly described it, by strapping on an amp. I can't however, retrieve the lost details on the 1Z. Its a problem with the source signal itself, as opposed to the output power. 

 And to me, resolution goes beyond just 'hearing every breath'. Resolution, is when I not only hear every breath, but it has to be crystal clear and cleanly separated, each breath's articulation crystal clear and transparent and easily discerned from the supporting music. An analogy would I like to use would be akin to that of staring into a glass window as opposed to staring at it through a frosted glass panel. In the later, I can still see the necessary details, but it lacks the clarity afforded by a clean window. The 1Z, gives me an experience akin to that of a frosted glass panel.  So, the 1Z does reproduce each note, but it lacks that transparency which I expect of a DAP commanding its price. Its not a matter of it being lean sounding or sterile, as passing the CU through musical amps (CV5, kojo, woo8) instantly gives it that oomph that I suspect most ppl in the western community favors, without losing the resolution and details. But, the 1Z, lacks the resolution to complement its musicality, at least, not for a 3k player.  

 In fact, I do feel that the 1A, for whatever reason, has the edge over the 1Z, and I would strongly recommend people to buy the 1A instead, if not for the 128gb memory.


----------



## Whitigir

Walkman from Zx2 to WM1Z, in my opinion, both share similar traits. Slower decay, meatier body, closer and more intimidating field and staging, warmer tonality with analogue like sound. The 1Z from the engineers were intended to be more warmth with speed that is slower and the edges textures to be rounder than 1A, and this was by design. According to Sony, sounds is preferences, and digital as oppose to analogue had always been a debate, so we have 1A and 1Z. Both of them sounds that much different, but again, they are both Walkman with the similar traits. 

In my opinions, when it comes to this level of performances, it is all about personal preferences. Hell, why don't people keep both an AK and a Walkman ? Why ? Because 1Z is the best of what Walkman shall be as it had always been developed and tuned for more analogue like sound. AK is the summit and or references point of DAC implemented Dap with more digital like sound. IMO, 1A is trying to slow in the between, and when something is trying to stay in the between, it is never a good idea, because that only indicated a "so so performances that neither satisfy nor disappointments. 

Hence IMO, I recommend 1Z if you love Walkman. Then if you also love digital and solid state like signature, AK. End of story.


----------



## blazinblazin

Actually if you enjoy one of them so much why keep both.
  
 Just sell of the one you using less, focus on one and only sound you like.


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> Hell, why don't people keep both an AK and a Walkman ?


 
  
 For me the level of sonic performance is too similar for me to warrant keeping both.  More ever the standalone AK380 (no amp modules) doesn't have enough good extra features over the Walkman to warrant keeping, whereas standalone Walkman has a lot more advantages than the AK in terms of battery life, running extremely cool and stronger power output on balance.  I don't want to have to spend another 500 dollars for the amp module to make the AK380 "complete", so selling it and putting the money back into the "trust fund for the next toy" (I'm thinking another full size headphone such as the Z1R or a HD800S, or the eventual new Just ear CIEM, which will all surely yield more sonic differences than a different TOTL DAP) was the much better and logical choice for me.


----------



## Rei87

blazinblazin said:


> Actually if you enjoy one of them so much why keep both.
> 
> Just sell of the one you using less, focus on one and only sound you like.


 


 Its not that rare that people own BOTH CU and 1Z; I know of another individual who owns both.  

 Like I said, I dont dislike it. I just find it inferior in 80% of the circumstances I face, and equivalent to in the other 20%. There is a difference heh. Its a nice player to have when you need a player to bang around yet still sounds better than a Fiio....

 That said, I agree that the AK amp unit is a joke. Which is why i enchew stand alone amps over the integrated AK amp.


----------



## DevilofLife

Adding amp to any portable player is just a joke the player is already big enough as is why add anything to make it bigger.

To me buying the KSE1500 will provide more detail and clarity than buying the sony or ak players


----------



## audionewbi

Got my balance cables just before the break. I will spend the first few days burning in the balance section and casually enjoy the music. After I will try all my mmcx IEM and test their balance performance. Normally I find balance makes a big difference for headphone and dynamic IEM, with BA IEM the effect tend to be negative.

 I also bough the XBA N3, looking forward to see how this new Sony hybrid pairs with the WM1A. (Hoping part of Sony JustEar might have trickled down to this hybrid?)


----------



## Mimouille

rei87 said:


> Yes, so too is a microscope more detailed than a pair of glass because of coating treatment than actual hardware advantage.
> 
> 
> Dude, listen to yourself. So are you saying that Sony intentionally tuned the 1Z to be LESS resolving than it could be? That would be a really strange business approach to take.
> ...


I understand perfectly what you are saying, I just disagree because I hear things differently. You seem to consider your ears as the absolute measurement instrument, and you might be right. I just don't hear the same. Or maybe just don't value the same things in music. It's all OK.


----------



## erictioh

Thanks for the information. Anyone who has tried the lineout can tell about the experience ? Was it good quality ? Because i will buy the unit mainly for lineout purpose to use in CAR, if the lineout isn't that good, i might choose other brand.


----------



## Whitigir

erictioh said:


> Thanks for the information. Anyone who has tried the lineout can tell about the experience ? Was it good quality ? Because i will buy the unit mainly for lineout purpose to use in CAR, if the lineout isn't that good, i might choose other brand.




Line out is excellent from both headphones ports


----------



## PCheung

So, my dignis case also arrived.


----------



## Whitigir

Nice and brownies. If shipping was free


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> This sounds amazing~


WM1A?


----------



## audionewbi

UPDATE: T8iE MKII paired with the Kimber cable on the low-gain alters the sound by making the sound incredibly smaller sounding (soundstage wise). It just shows on gears which dont require much balance isn't going to make things any better.


----------



## PCheung

whitigir said:


> Nice and brownies. If shipping was free




Very good quality and nicely made. The tone matches 1Z just right.
Much better then the Sony case come with my 1Z.

Luckily me and my friend can order together which save some shipping cost.
Average USD 8 per case ship to Hong kong ^^


----------



## blazinblazin

gerelmx1986 said:


> WM1A?




Yes WM1A.

I would say Sony's 8 braided Kimber Kable is not bad at all.


----------



## ledzep

When you need that bit more ......


----------



## Whitigir

You meant to say pha2 is more powerful than WM1A ? I guess sticking with pha3 is better eh ?


----------



## CosmicHolyGhost

my modest 1A.... loving it so far


----------



## Whitigir

cosmicholyghost said:


> my modest 1A.... loving it so far




How big is your hole in the wallet now ?


----------



## CosmicHolyGhost

whitigir said:


> How big is your hole in the wallet now ?


 
 Not too big because I have exercised restraint to not go for the 1Z (even though it is sonically better, richer sound like how a good hifi should sound)... lol.. may the force be with you, too


----------



## ledzep

whitigir said:


> You meant to say pha2 is more powerful than WM1A ? I guess sticking with pha3 is better eh ?


 

 Low gain no , med gain till 12 o'clock same as full on the 1A after that and high gain it drives my T1's and alpha primes with ease and the Z5's and 7's start to sound top notch too, the U12's and EX1000's only need the dap on balanced to have the same sparkle.


----------



## Isloo

ledzep said:


> When you need that bit more ......




How does the sound of the Pha 2a compare to the wm1a?


----------



## ledzep

isloo said:


> How does the sound of the Pha 2a compare to the wm1a?


 
 At the moment its got a slightly brighter sound but its only had 24 hours on it and my 1A has had 400+ , will report back when i've given it a few more hundred hours.


----------



## Isloo

ledzep said:


> At the moment its got a slightly brighter sound but its only had 24 hours on it and my 1A has had 400+ , will report back when i've given it a few more hundred hours.




Thanks for the initial impression. Look forward to hearing your thoughts after you've had a chance to put some hours on it.


----------



## ledzep

isloo said:


> Thanks for the initial impression. Look forward to hearing your thoughts after you've had a chance to put some hours on it.


 
 2 whole weeks off work now, so time to listen to some classic stuff.


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> Low gain no , med gain till 12 o'clock same as full on the 1A after that and high gain it drives my T1's and alpha primes with ease and the Z5's and 7's start to sound top notch too, the U12's and EX1000's only need the dap on balanced to have the same sparkle.




Your 1A has no highgain ? Eu capped ?


----------



## ledzep

whitigir said:


> Your 1A has no highgain ? Eu capped ?



Correctamundo


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> Correctamundo




I see, my apologize. In this case, you shall be able to enjoy your Walkman and pha2 as both carry different sound signatures . Good stack! Remember to get a good WM digital out cables


----------



## ledzep

whitigir said:


> I see, my apologize. In this case, you shall be able to enjoy your Walkman and pha2 as both carry different sound signatures . Good stack! Remember to get a good WM digital out cables



Got the stock one with the PHA , any others you recomend ?


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> Got the stock one with the PHA , any others you recomend ?




Care to share the picture ? I don't know what come in the new Pha 2. I do know the pha-3 had pretty common one and I don't recommend it


----------



## ledzep

Standard again I guess ?


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> Standard again I guess ?




You bet ! Sony is pretty bad for stock accessory lol...the only correct one I see so far is from the new Desktop Amp stock accessory. But I recommend you to buy this WMC-NWH10.


----------



## goyete

decreate said:


> I got the M2BT1 today and I think LDAC does sound slightly better than SBC but I was getting a lot of interference while I was walking around the streets. Eventually had to switch to SBC...



I have MUC-M2BT1 with Z5 and I used it with ZX2. I didn't hear any difference between LDAC and SBC. But in LDAC in the street it stop audio playback a lot, not in SBC.


----------



## ledzep

whitigir said:


> You bet ! Sony is pretty bad for stock accessory lol...the only correct one I see so far is from the new Desktop Amp stock accessory. But I recommend you to buy this WMC-NWH10.




Connect it up to the PHA with another USB to micro ? What's the benefit apart from it looks a bit more solidly built or would a custom made one be a better option ?


----------



## goyete

ledzep said:


> Low gain no , med gain till 12 o'clock same as full on the 1A after that and high gain it drives my T1's and alpha primes with ease and the Z5's and 7's start to sound top notch too, the U12's and EX1000's only need the dap on balanced to have the same sparkle.



Sorry, I don't understand well your words. You have a WM1A capped true? How does it works with XBA-Z5? I have them and I'm thinking in buying here in Spain the WM1A to use with it (in balanced). The output power is enough to listening music at home correctly?? Thanks!


----------



## warrior1975

My Z is out for delivery... I pray ups comes early today, like they did yesterday. Otherwise it will be a long day for me.


----------



## musicday

Can anyone confirm that the Walkman is powerful enough to drive the Ether C Flow properly in balanced mode?


----------



## ledzep

goyete said:


> Sorry, I don't understand well your words. You have a WM1A capped true? How does it works with XBA-Z5? I have them and I'm thinking in buying here in Spain the WM1A to use with it (in balanced). The output power is enough to listening music at home correctly?? Thanks!



In single end depending on your source files flac, dsd hi res stuff and the recording quality it's anything from 80 to 105 on the volume , on balanced there's a touch more headroom around 65 to 90 for the same level of volume they sound great. Used my EX 1000 on the single end and they sounded fantastic now just waiting for my balanced custom cable for them to turn up soon.
Sorry yes it's capped


----------



## ledzep

Any other good alternatives to the WMC-NWH10 as in regards to connecting up the 1A to the PHA 2 ?


----------



## warrior1975

Santa just arrived!! 



This device is beautiful!! Heavy as hell though. Kind of shocking the weight. 

Of course, it doesn't recognize my SD card.


----------



## ledzep

warrior1975 said:


> Santa just arrived!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I had to re format with player and reload too


----------



## warrior1975

Good to know, thanks. Pain in the... I'm transferring music to the memory for now, I want to hear it. Was quick, 10bg was transferred in maybe 5 minutes.


----------



## erictioh

Anyone has tried samsung evo (Orange color) 32 and 64 GB card on it ? mine both doesn't work.
  
 However another 128 GB samsung evo (red color newer version card) works.


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> Any other good alternatives to the WMC-NWH10 as in regards to connecting up the 1A to the PHA 2 ?




Unless you go upgraded and modified version of it, then I am afraid not. Because this dongles has audio circuitry built into it. Standard cables don't have it


----------



## warrior1975

I have the evo too. Didn't work, 64gb. Have to reformat it, see if it works.


----------



## erictioh

warrior1975 said:


> I have the evo too. Didn't work, 64gb. Have to reformat it, see if it works.


 
 Its not format issue, system cannot detect the card at all. It is very picky


----------



## ledzep

erictioh said:


> Anyone has tried samsung evo (Orange color) 32 and 64 GB card on it ? mine both doesn't work.
> 
> However another 128 GB samsung evo (red color newer version card) works.




Sandisk class 10 128/ 200/ 256 GB work fine I know.


----------



## Whitigir

Here is why I said the correct accessory, and recommended the dongles.


----------



## erictioh

To praise, the internal memory is good which can achieve 28 MB/s of write.


----------



## ledzep

whitigir said:


> Unless you go upgraded and modified version of it, then I am afraid not. Because this dongles has audio circuitry built into it. Standard cables don't have it



Ok , so what's the best way to connect it into the PHA ? USB or micro USB and is this just a standard cable ? I take it the peg next to the micro plug my stock cable is just to give it a bit more stability and not for grounding purposes , thanks for any help.


----------



## warrior1975

erictioh said:


> Its not format issue, system cannot detect the card at all. It is very picky :blink:




Really? So weird. I didn't plan on using that card anyway... But still.


----------



## Jalo

Reading my Samsung 256 Gb no problem after putting music in the Music folder at the root level.

Couple of quick questions:

1 is there ia feature to choose gapless?

2 is there anymore information at the little battery icon other than the icon itself? My LPG can choose to show percent of battery left or hours/minutes left at the battery icon and is accurate to the tee.

I fill up all 512 Gb of music and still have music needed to load. 512 gb uSD where are you?

Driving my Vega from 3.5 HO w/o high gain I am almost at 80%. Needed to use high gain and probably will do well from balance Ho.

When you choose high gain from the high gain manuel how many +db is added?

What is the difference between bookmark and playlist?

Is there a specific setting to chooses line out? Or is it automatically recognise? 

Worked till 3:00 am this morning organising songs folders. Out of 512 Gb, I have over 300 Gb of DSD and Hires music so only about 7000 songs were loaded. But the battery lasted only 5 hours or so throughout the loading and playing process.

Thanks for helping a new 1z owner.


----------



## Jalo

Driving my Ultrsonic Edition 8 on high gain at 115/120. (shelly Lynne, DSD 5.6, I only want to be with you or Norah Jones, come away with me, 24/192). Needs balance HO. Regular 3.5 HO with 60 mw is just not enough. How do you guys do it with EU capped?

On my HD800 on high gain at 120/120 out of 3.5mm HO sound beautiful but can use more juice.


----------



## purk

I have something special coming in today as well.  Well...it is more a trio than one item.  Can't wait for the UPS truck to show up.  Thanks Jason...you are winning our votes lately.  For such an expensive, I would stay away from an unauthorized dealer.  An authorized dealer with warranty is a must IMO.


----------



## Whitigir

Merry Xmas guys. Special thanks to Jason and ThesourceAV as a dealer. The first time I am going through such in a long time . Totally recommended


----------



## Mmet

any body had,have onkyo dpx1 to compare 1A with ? ... interested in clarity and resolution between both


----------



## Jalo

purk said:


> I have something special coming in today as well.  Well...it is more a trio than one item.  Can't wait for the UPS truck to show up.  Thanks Jason...you are winning our votes lately.  For such an expensive, I would stay away from an unauthorized dealer.  An authorized dealer with warranty is a must IMO.




Congrats, did you dive into the black hole and bought the whole signature series? Yes, Jason is awesome and agreed with the warranty. Originally was going to buy it from Asian store for a few hundred bucks cheaper but talked with Jason and he won me over.


----------



## Dithyrambes

whitigir said:


> Merry Xmas guys. Special thanks to Jason and ThesourceAV as a dealer. The first time I am going through such in a long time . Totally recommended


oh snapppppp...the dream came true...including the amp lol


----------



## turbo87

whitigir said:


> Merry Xmas guys. Special thanks to Jason and ThesourceAV as a dealer. The first time I am going through such in a long time . Totally recommended




Welcome back again


----------



## warrior1975

Anyone know if it's possible to search for a song by typing name in?


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> When you need that bit more ......


do the xba-z5 spin with those new mmcx connectors?


----------



## ledzep

gerelmx1986 said:


> do the xba-z5 spin with those new mmcx connectors?



You can move them if you twist them but no spinning , you get a set of rubber collar things to put over the ends as well to angle the cables and they fit flush to the connectors.


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> oh snapppppp...the dream came true...including the amp lol




Yes! It is so dang awesome 



turbo87 said:


> Welcome back again




Thank you! Honestly, I had been missing my Z1R too much...too much!


----------



## audionewbi

ledzep said:


> In single end depending on your source files flac, dsd hi res stuff and the recording quality it's anything from 80 to 105 on the volume , on balanced there's a touch more headroom around 65 to 90 for the same level of volume they sound great. Used my EX 1000 on the single end and they sounded fantastic now just waiting for my balanced custom cable for them to turn up soon.
> Sorry yes it's capped


 
 Can I ask where did you place your order for your EX 1000 custom cable?


----------



## Rob49

whitigir said:


> Merry Xmas guys. Special thanks to Jason and ThesourceAV as a dealer. The first time I am going through such in a long time
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I said you would buy EVERYTHING !!!


----------



## Rob49

ledzep said:


> When you need that bit more ......


 
  
  
 How are you finding the new PHA-2A ?


----------



## bflat

whitigir said:


> Merry Xmas guys. Special thanks to Jason and ThesourceAV as a dealer. The first time I am going through such in a long time
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Oh you shouldn't have! I will PM my address so you can send these to me. Thanks!
  
 LOL congrats! This reminds me of that Floyd Mayweather pic with him holding something like $50K in cash.


----------



## ledzep

rob49 said:


> How are you finding the new PHA-2A ?



Early days, needs a lot more burning in but initial impressions are great. Played chesky records Macy Grey's album and I swear she was singing in the room next to me. 
Nice piece of kit it is, back in love with Sony after a few years in the wilderness.


----------



## Rob49

ledzep said:


> Early days, needs a lot more burning in but initial impressions are great. Played chesky records Macy Grey's album and I swear she was singing in the room next to me.
> Nice piece of kit it is, back in love with Sony after a few years in the wilderness.


 
  
 Thanks for the feedback. I'm tempted to buy one, when they're readily available in the U.K. Are you using the balanced connection ?


----------



## ledzep

audionewbi said:


> Can I ask where did you place your order for your EX 1000 custom cable?




Masao Kamikodai at E4UA is the guy who's doing it for me. You can email him ifoifo@gmail.com as he does adaptors too so you can use the Balanced mmcx kimber cable too.


----------



## ledzep

rob49 said:


> Thanks for the feedback. I'm tempted to buy one, when they're readily available in the U.K. Are you using the balanced connection ?




Yeah the mmcx kimber on my Z5's and just waiting for the balanced kimber for my Z7's now. Jaben MY is your best option for one IMO..


----------



## tangents

Looks like *plusSound* is offering 4.4mm as an option on their cables and custom adapters:
  


plussound said:


> Due to great demand, you can now order custom cables and adapters with our designed PS 4.4mm TRRRS (5-pole) plugs for Sony NW-WM1A/NW-WM1Z Digital Audio Players. Specs for plug include anodized aluminum shell, high conductive base metal, and cryogenically treated for optimal durability and reliability. Orders begin shipping in February.
> 
> www.plussoundaudio.com​  ​


----------



## goyete

ledzep said:


> In single end depending on your source files flac, dsd hi res stuff and the recording quality it's anything from 80 to 105 on the volume , on balanced there's a touch more headroom around 65 to 90 for the same level of volume they sound great. Used my EX 1000 on the single end and they sounded fantastic now just waiting for my balanced custom cable for them to turn up soon.
> Sorry yes it's capped



Thank you!


----------



## tenedosian

I am curious about the technical measurements of the new Sony players. (Yet I do not have the equipment to make a RMAA test right now.)
  
 Do you guys know a RMAA (I didn't find any through googling) posted, or does anyone here have a plan to do so?


----------



## Rob49

ledzep said:


> Yeah the mmcx kimber on my Z5's and just waiting for the balanced kimber for my Z7's now. Jaben MY is your best option for one IMO..


 
  
 Thanks, i'll check them out...


----------



## audionewbi

ledzep said:


> Masao Kamikodai at E4UA is the guy who's doing it for me. You can email him ifoifo@gmail.com as he does adaptors too so you can use the Balanced mmcx kimber cable too.


 
 I have ordered few cables via him but sadly the one I wanted he couldnt make. Sort of couldnt fully get my point across.


----------



## ledzep

audionewbi said:


> I have ordered few cables via him but sadly the one I wanted he couldnt make. Sort of couldnt fully get my point across.




I did struggle with the translation a bit myself but got there in the end with a little help from google.


----------



## kms108

audionewbi said:


> ledzep said:
> 
> 
> > In single end depending on your source files flac, dsd hi res stuff and the recording quality it's anything from 80 to 105 on the volume , on balanced there's a touch more headroom around 65 to 90 for the same level of volume they sound great. Used my EX 1000 on the single end and they sounded fantastic now just waiting for my balanced custom cable for them to turn up soon.
> ...


 




 I have these then you get the whole MMCX range of cables on the market, and not limited to EXK cables or EX custom made ones, these are resin, but copper is also available.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > do the xba-z5 spin with those new mmcx connectors?
> ...


thanks for the info, will consider one balanced for z5 and other for z7


----------



## gerelmx1986

tangents said:


> Looks like *plusSound* is offering 4.4mm as an option on their cables and custom adapters:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


hope they ship to Mexico


----------



## PLUSSOUND

gerelmx1986 said:


> hope they ship to Mexico


 

 Si podemos. (Yes, we can.)


----------



## rcoleman1

Trying again...has anyone heard the Shure SE846 with the WM1A? Just curious...any thoughts?


----------



## jmills8

rcoleman1 said:


> Trying again...has anyone heard the Shure SE846 with the WM1A? Just curious...any thoughts?


I dont think anybody will say its not a good pairing. By the way they might love it but you might disagree after you experience it.


----------



## audionewbi

kms108 said:


> I have these then you get the whole MMCX range of cables on the market, and not limited to EXK cables or EX custom made ones, these are resin, but copper is also available.


 
 How does one order one of these?


----------



## warrior1975

Out for my evening stroll. Decided to take the gold brick. This damn thing is heavy!! Approaching ~10 hours of burn in. Sounding good.


----------



## Sound Eq

can i ask i read or watch on some youtube that the mw1a has more bass than wm1z is that correct info 
  
 what is sound difference between the wm1z and wm1a


----------



## warrior1975

I thought I read the Z is warmer somewhere. Other than that not too sure.


----------



## Sound Eq

warrior1975 said:


> I thought I read the Z is warmer somewhere. Other than that not too sure.


 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95MJ0QJfMys&t=17s
  
 is that review a good one to tell the difference


----------



## warrior1975

You linked back to your post bro. Lol

Nvm. You ninja fixed.


----------



## erictioh

No specific setting for line out, treat it like your phone when connecting to your AMP (where you will hit the vol to max). Same thing, however the difference is it sounded exactly like true line out (no hiss, no noise, no distortion).
  
 Beware not to spoil your ear when you connect back earphone 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  (Tune down the vol manually).


----------



## warrior1975

I'm about to order this case in black. Also want a screen protector, anyone know which would be better? I prefer a clear shiny one. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/s/ref=is_s?k=Sony+nw-wm1z+accessories+


----------



## Mimouille

Blue was a good choice.


----------



## goyete

Someone here users a WM1A with balanced cable, XBA-Z5 and EU version (volume capped) please??


----------



## ledzep

goyete said:


> Someone here users a WM1A with balanced cable, XBA-Z5 and EU version (volume capped) please??



Yes ?


----------



## goyete

ledzep said:


> Yes ?



Is the volume high enough to hearing music?? In which volume do you usually hears music?? I think it has until 120 level true? In Amazon.uk someone says that EU versions doesn't have High Gain option, is it true? Clicking the high gain Option increases the volume.

Usually the CD flac is at higher volume than DSD files. I remember that I had the ZX2 and the Titanic DSD filed (SACYR rip) and the mission OST in DSD sounds a little silence for me hearing them in the street with the z5.

I'm thinking in buying the wm1a. I have the option to buy here in Spain for 600 eur (discounting taxes) or in accessory jack or similar for more than 1000 eur.

That's my dude!


----------



## erictioh

What is the DAC uses inside WM1A/Z ? Or does it uses implementation like mojo and hugo ?


----------



## Whitigir

erictioh said:


> What is the DAC uses inside WM1A/Z ? Or does it uses implementation like mojo and hugo ?




S-Master HX with the newest version and together with class D amplification


----------



## ledzep

goyete said:


> Is the volume high enough to hearing music?? In which volume do you usually hears music?? I think it has until 120 level true? In Amazon.uk someone says that EU versions doesn't have High Gain option, is it true? Clicking the high gain Option increases the volume.
> 
> Usually the CD flac is at higher volume than DSD files. I remember that I had the ZX2 and the Titanic DSD filed (SACYR rip) and the mission OST in DSD sounds a little silence for me hearing them in the street with the z5.
> 
> ...




It depends on what iem's or headphones your using sensativity wise , Z5 usually between 80 - 105 . Yes it goes up to 120 and no high gain option, there is an option to add another 3db of gain on the dsd settings to bring it up to the levels of pcm. 

I bought the EU one (I live in the UK) for a bargain price and it works with all my iems perfectly so the cap is not an issue for me so when out and about it's sorted portable wise, for the rest of my headphones when at home I've bought the PHA2 to make sure I've got enough to drive anything I want. Basically for the 1A and PHA2 and the 2 balanced kimber cables for my Z5:s and my Z7's it worked out about the same price as getting the uncapped version alone with import duties taxes handling fees, so in my eyes I've got the best of both worlds for a steal.


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> erictioh said:
> 
> 
> > What is the DAC uses inside WM1A/Z ? Or does it uses implementation like mojo and hugo ?
> ...


yes Sony own development


----------



## gerelmx1986

plussound said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > hope they ship to Mexico
> ...


thanks I will definitely look at two pairs of piggy tails 4.4 and normal 3.5 trrs


----------



## kms108

audionewbi said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > I have these then you get the whole MMCX range of cables on the market, and not limited to EXK cables or EX custom made ones, these are resin, but copper is also available.
> ...


 

 I got it from Taobao, unless you live in china or someother asian countries, you have to get a friend to buy it, or use a agent or a forwarding company to help with the purchase.


----------



## mata

2.5mm to 4.4mm


----------



## Rob49

gerelmx1986 said:


> yes Sony own development


 
  
 Have you received your WM1A  ? @gerelmx1986


----------



## kms108

rob49 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > yes Sony own development
> ...


 

 Yep he has, but they are distances away about 2 week before they can reunite.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





, by then WM2A is out


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> Yep he has, but they are distances away about 2 week before they can reunite. , by then WM2A is out




More like WM1A Stainless Steel version


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Yep he has, but they are distances away about 2 week before they can reunite.
> ...


 

 No a copper version, wait, it's already out.


----------



## Dithyrambes

mata said:


> 2.5mm to 4.4mm


where did you get that adapter?


----------



## mata

dithyrambes said:


> where did you get that adapter?


----------



## Whitigir

mata said:


>




Guys, for adapter. I honestly advise you to do a short piggy tail. This is for more flexibility rather than stacking a plug a top an adapter and into the sockets. One mishap and the plying force would be enough to do some damage.


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> mata said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


 
 Yes I agree, the plug can get so long and cause damage if you accidental put too much force, a extension cable is a better option.


----------



## Jalo

mata said:


>



Do they have a short piggy tail adaptor?


----------



## mata

jalo said:


> Do they have a short piggy tail adaptor?


----------



## erictioh

how many maH is wm1a battery?


----------



## Jalo

mata said:


>




Thank you Mata. That is exactly what I want. Now I need to find some kind soul to get that for me from HK Jaben.


----------



## Whitigir

erictioh said:


> how many maH is wm1a battery?




1800


----------



## Decreate

jalo said:


> Thank you Mata. That is exactly what I want. Now I need to find some kind soul to get that for me from HK Jaben.


 
 This can be bought directly from the Brise Audio site in Japan.


----------



## gerelmx1986

rob49 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > yes Sony own development
> ...


yes have it but I am still in Germany


----------



## gerelmx1986

kms108 said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > kms108 said:
> ...


haha just the upcoming week is my last full week


----------



## erictioh

1800 Mah battery can allow playback of 24 bit FLAC up to 30 hours is really so special to me. I think all the DAP i had Fiio X5ii, X3ii, qp1r has much higher capacity battery and is not possible to even reach 10 hours by playing the same content.


----------



## ledzep

Wanting a digital out cable from my W1A to PHA 2A rather than the stock and the WMC-NWH10 if possible as I don't want to be adding more cables into the chain looking for a modded WMC-NWH10 or custom job like the music heaven, any help or anyone point me in the direction of someone who does make them would be welcome.


----------



## warrior1975

warrior1975 said:


> Anyone know if it's possible to search for a song by typing name in?




Anyone? That's the one thing I'd really miss...


----------



## mata

decreate said:


> This can be bought directly from the Brise Audio site in Japan.



Yes, I found it online. Don't think Jaben HK has it. But I saw Brise mmcx 4.4mm cable on Hong Kong local store.


----------



## Dithyrambes

mata said:


> Yes, I found it online. Don't think Jaben HK has it. But I saw Brise mmcx 4.4mm cable on Hong Kong local store.


 
 I tried to order from Brise online, but it require a japanese address.....I can't seem to put my US address there ><


----------



## Jalo

dithyrambes said:


> I tried to order from Brise online, but it require a japanese address.....I can't seem to put my US address there ><



Same problem. Very interesting. On their website under world wide sale, they say they will sell world wide and takes credit card and PayPal but once you get inside, it is all Japanese. I tried to type in all the info and hit confirm but it won't send.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Sent them a message. Hopefully they'll get back to me.


----------



## kms108

jalo said:


> dithyrambes said:
> 
> 
> > I tried to order from Brise online, but it require a japanese address.....I can't seem to put my US address there ><
> ...


 
 google translate works ok, that's what I use for non English site.


----------



## Decreate

dithyrambes said:


> I tried to order from Brise online, but it require a japanese address.....I can't seem to put my US address there ><


 You could always use sites like buyee which was how I got mine before they started saying they would accept international orders.


----------



## gerelmx1986

warrior1975 said:


> warrior1975 said:
> 
> 
> > Anyone know if it's possible to search for a song by typing name in?
> ...


I saw on ui pics it has a keyboard bit haven't really tried bin in Deutschland jetzt, but I promise arriving home I tell you


----------



## audionewbi

I am trying to understand how the Sony MUC-M12SB1 sounds like. It is to my ears lacks transparency and slightly boomy in bass. It is either that or my WM1A balance isn't quiet there (under 200 hour) or worst case that is how the balance side of the WM1A sounds like! 

 I doubt the later is true as I find the single ended output of the WM1A more that what I could have hoped it would be. I will update you guys as I progress in the burnin of the caps on the balance side.


----------



## fzman

jalo said:


> Thanks guys for the comments. You know I have been running into this term "thin" a bit lately. And when the word thin is used in most context, it carries a negative connotation suggesting that it is striden or sterile or cold and not full or supple. I am reminded the different between the Vega and the Andromeda or the Stax 009 vs something like a LCD2,3,4 or the HE6. But for those that like the 380, or the Andro or swear that the Stax009 is the best there is will describe them as refine, airy, detail etc. Are we just introjeting our bias or preference into sound so when we like/have the 1Z and we call ithe 380 thin and lifeless and when we have/like the 380 we call it refine and airy?
> 
> I am excited to hear the 1Z and since I have both units I can eliminate the psychological barrier of unbalance view for not having one or the other.


 
  
 I think there are two things going on in that kind of situation.  One of them has to do with salience-if you remove some of the stimulii, the remaining ones capture your attention more easily.  That is, with less content or focus on the lower frequencies, the higher ones seem more present.   Second, and for me this is a big one--  "thin" _compared to what?   _I think that many folks here are searching for gear that alters the sound of their recordings to their preferences.   I think that's perfectly fine, btw.  But, if that's the case, then call it "thinner than I wish it was"-because the gear could actually be telling you that the recording is thin. I think that people who listen to so-called "acoustic" music have a very different take on this kind of thing.  Kinda like the difference between arguing about what a historical figure really looked like, vs. a fictional one. "That's not what Superman's voice really sounded like!"  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Happy Holidays to one and all!


----------



## nanaholic

tenedosian said:


> I am curious about the technical measurements of the new Sony players. (Yet I do not have the equipment to make a RMAA test right now.)
> 
> Do you guys know a RMAA (I didn't find any through googling) posted, or does anyone here have a plan to do so?


 
  
 http://pmrreviews.com/?p=1193
  
 Not measured by RMAA, but it is measurement.


----------



## blazinblazin

audionewbi said:


> I am trying to understand how the Sony MUC-M12SB1 sounds like. It is to my ears lacks transparency and slightly boomy in bass. It is either that or my WM1A balance isn't quiet there (under 200 hour) or worst case that is how the balance side of the WM1A sounds like!
> 
> 
> I doubt the later is true as I find the single ended output of the WM1A more that what I could have hoped it would be. I will update you guys as I progress in the burnin of the caps on the balance side.




I am using the cable with Andromeda.

To me not actually boomy. 
It has a really smooth sound.
It just has this room filling type of sound. Especially lows.

I still able to hear details.

The highs still sparkles with this copper cable. Interesting.

And this cable need more power to drive than my other ALO cables. I need to up around 10 more steps in volume.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Alright you guys did it. Sold the ALO CDM and ordered an WM1A. I'm away on vacation and traveling, so I will get it to it around Jan. 5. Brise Audio sent an email back saying they are backed up on orders, so they ship until february. I guess I'll have to grab the pentaconn 4.4 to 2.5mm adapter from Jaben. If anyone else knows another source for adapters where I can get a pigtail, let me know. I choose iem cable over adapter because i have a 2.5mm to dual XLR to my studio monitors.


----------



## kms108

dithyrambes said:


> Alright you guys did it. Sold the ALO CDM and ordered an WM1A. I'm away on vacation and traveling, so I will get it to it around Jan. 5. Brise Audio sent an email back saying they are backed up on orders, so they ship until february. I guess I'll have to grab the pentaconn 4.4 to 2.5mm adapter from Jaben. If anyone else knows another source for adapters where I can get a pigtail, let me know. I choose iem cable over adapter because i have a 2.5mm to dual XLR to my studio monitors.


 
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.196.MD4Lox&id=543411700055&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.58.MD4Lox&id=543599666601&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.13.MD4Lox&id=543399652824&cm_id=140105335569ed55e27b&abbucket=4
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.28.MD4Lox&id=543383574338&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.143.MD4Lox&id=543682871722&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
 you need a agent to help purchase this and they have various types, or you can have them custome made, and yes the site is in chinese.


----------



## proedros

so how much better is wm1a *soundwise* compared to the *zx2* ?

 is it a worthy upgrade ?


----------



## bvng3540

kms108 said:


> https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.196.MD4Lox&id=543411700055&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
> 
> https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.58.MD4Lox&id=543599666601&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
> 
> ...




If you in the States get it from Plussound it is available now


----------



## warrior1975

I'm ordering a new cable from them tomorrow. They won't ship with 4.4 until February unfortunately.


----------



## Mimouille

warrior1975 said:


> I'm ordering a new cable from them tomorrow. They won't ship with 4.4 until February unfortunately.


I am hoping to get my two 4.4 cables from Beat Audio in the coming days, they are finalizing their own plug.


----------



## flipper203

Waiting for one from them too... Can t wait to plug the vega on the wm1a


----------



## Blommen

flipper203 said:


> Waiting for one from them too... Can t wait to plug the vega on the wm1a




Interested in this pairing, keep us updated pleease


----------



## Leviticus

proedros said:


> so how much better is wm1a *soundwise* compared to the *zx2* ?
> 
> is it a worthy upgrade ?


 

 Haven't been active here lately, would love someone to answer your question!


----------



## kaushama

jalo said:


> Same problem. Very interesting. On their website under world wide sale, they say they will sell world wide and takes credit card and PayPal but once you get inside, it is all Japanese. I tried to type in all the info and hit confirm but it won't send.




Read this using google translate.

http://briseaudio.jp/en/portable/orderen.html


----------



## AnakChan

kaushama said:


> Read this using google translate.
> 
> http://briseaudio.jp/en/portable/orderen.html


 
  
 Just write in their contacts tab instead: http://www.briseaudio.jp/contact.html

 They take a bit of time to read/reply in English but they will get back to you. I've been talking to them that way and at the shows.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

So almost 5 months have passed since the release, but amazingly(!), the units are still not widely available... And here in Turkey, there's no unit to demo, only a few units in closed boxes. When I asked about this, they said it was going to be available to demo on February!!
  
 WOW!
  
 Sony really sucks on these things. 5 months!


----------



## blazinblazin

I think cause the demand is still high


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

blazinblazin said:


> I think cause the demand is still high


 
 Believe me demand is not high in Turkey for these kind of things. They simply suck my friend. How hard is to put a demo unit to the store? I'm not even asking for 1Z, I just expect a demo 1A unit to be available on at least one Sony Center in Istanbul, but no...


----------



## bmoura

dithyrambes said:


> Alright you guys did it. Sold the ALO CDM and ordered an WM1A. I'm away on vacation and traveling, so I will get it to it around Jan. 5. Brise Audio sent an email back saying they are backed up on orders, so they ship until february. I guess I'll have to grab the pentaconn 4.4 to 2.5mm adapter from Jaben. If anyone else knows another source for adapters where I can get a pigtail, let me know. I choose iem cable over adapter because i have a 2.5mm to dual XLR to my studio monitors.


 

 Where is the Pentaconn 4.4 to 2.5mm adapter on the Jaben web store?  Didn't see it there and was unable to find the adapter with their search option.


----------



## gerelmx1986

virtu fortuna said:


> blazinblazin said:
> 
> 
> > I think cause the demand is still high
> ...


seems like Turkey is like Mexico, they won't even release these in my country, I ma in Germany right now, but because I ma enjoying other things here I haven't had the time to look for a demo (PS my WM1A is waiting for me in mwxicp)


----------



## bmoura

bvng3540 said:


> If you in the States get it from Plussound it is available now


 

 Which Plussound cable did you order with the Pentaconn connector?  Looks like they have several cable families on the web site.


----------



## gerelmx1986

bmoura said:


> bvng3540 said:
> 
> 
> > If you in the States get it from Plussound it is available now
> ...


I saw that too and I need a special one with the male 4.4mm or 3.5mm Trrs with dual 3.5mm TRS female


----------



## bmoura

gerelmx1986 said:


> I saw that too and I need a special one with the male 4.4mm or 3.5mm Trrs with dual 3.5mm TRS female


 

 Plussound has a 20% Off Christmas Sale that goes through the end of the year sale.  So this may be the time to check with them on special cables and adapters for the new Walkman DAPs.
 http://plussoundaudio.com/


----------



## Kiats

bmoura said:


> Where is the Pentaconn 4.4 to 2.5mm adapter on the Jaben web store?  Didn't see it there and was unable to find the adapter with their search option.




https://www.facebook.com/JabenHK/posts/1318742671479518

There you go.


----------



## bmoura

kiats said:


> https://www.facebook.com/JabenHK/posts/1318742671479518
> 
> There you go.


 

 That shows the photo of the adapter.  But no link to JadenHK web site to order one.


----------



## flipper203

do they have 4.4 mm to 3.5 mm adapter in store ?


----------



## bmoura

flipper203 said:


> do they have 4.4 mm to 3.5 mm adapter in store ?


 

 Could be the case.  Available at the JadenHK store in person, but not available to purchase online.


----------



## Dithyrambes

bmoura said:


> Could be the case.  Available at the JadenHK store in person, but not available to purchase online.


 
 You can email them and they can send it to you after in 2 days. Its not listed but they do have it!


----------



## bmoura

dithyrambes said:


> You can email them and they can send it to you after in 2 days. Its not listed but they do have it!


 
 Thanks for the tip.  I'll drop them an email.


----------



## garetjax1

Calling all Mac Users who own the 1z/1a - were you able to successfully update your device with the latest firmware? My device isn't detected when the installer asks me to connect.
  
 In other news, it looks like Dapper can't handle synching playlists from Itunes (Dapper wants to append 'Music' folder to the path of the files in the playlist) - will verify with developer this week hopefully.


----------



## lopes

How does one update the firmware on a Mac? I'm hoping to get one of these soon and would like to do so to be up to date. Do you have any links that would direct me to it?


----------



## lopes

How does one update the firmware on a Mac? I'm hoping to get one of these soon and would like to do so to be up to date. Do you have any links that would direct me to it?


----------



## garetjax1

lopes said:


> How does one update the firmware on a Mac? I'm hoping to get one of these soon and would like to do so to be up to date. Do you have any links that would direct me to it?


 
  
 Sorry, not much in the way of the documentation to share... the firmware can be found here.


----------



## garetjax1

lopes said:


> How does one update the firmware on a Mac? I'm hoping to get one of these soon and would like to do so to be up to date. Do you have any links that would direct me to it?


 
  
 Sorry, not much in the way of the documentation to share... the firmware can be found here.


----------



## warrior1975

My Z hooks up fine to both my MacBook and my iMac.


----------



## garetjax1

warrior1975 said:


> My Z hooks up fine to both my MacBook and my iMac.


 
  
 Mine hooks up fine, it is just that it fails to be detected during the firmware update... Have you tried updating yours?
  
 Thanks for chiming in!


----------



## tangents

Are you on OS 10.12? I think I've read in this thread that 10.12 is currently not supported, but should work on 10.11.


----------



## lopes

That's exactly what I was looking for, thanks! Will the 1Z firmware work on the 1A? They're 1A page says support information is coming soon.


----------



## warrior1975

garetjax1 said:


> Mine hooks up fine, it is just that it fails to be detected during the firmware update... Have you tried updating yours?
> 
> Thanks for chiming in!




No, not yet. IIRC there was nothing important in the changelog, which is why I didn't try.

I'm on 10.12.1. But haven't tried the update yet.

But you guys are right, it says it's not compatible with OS 10.12


----------



## garetjax1

tangents said:


> Are you on OS 10.12? I think I've read in this thread that 10.12 is currently not supported, but should work on 10.11.


 
  
 Ah, I am - thanks for that! I must have missed that, so thanks for letting me know - I am on 10.12.


----------



## garetjax1

warrior1975 said:


> No, not yet. IIRC there was nothing important in the changelog, which is why I didn't try.
> 
> I'm on 10.12.1. But haven't tried the update yet.
> 
> But you guys are right, it says it's not compatible with OS 10.12


 
  
 I could have sworn someone said the .02 release was a bit faster, but to your point, I didn't see anything about that in the release notes...


----------



## warrior1975

I don't find the minor lag to be bothersome at all, but if the new FW is faster, I won't complain.


----------



## garetjax1

warrior1975 said:


> I don't find the minor lag to be bothersome at all, but if the new FW is faster, I won't complain.


 
  
 How much music do you have on yours? I'm at about 240gb / 450 lossless albums, and the lag is pretty noticeable, especially when switching from the track view back to list view.
  
 I'm sure it will be addressed, so not too worried about it. I do like the stark simplicity of the UI. My only burning want is the ability to queue music (play now - i.e. add to top of queue), add to end of queue), and save that queue as a playlist.


----------



## warrior1975

I have approximately 150gb. I'm sure that's a factor. I took a video of the UI in action too, for those that are curious. 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/01owx08f7dibit0/AAD_Nty6BrCNwCigdXNKlXqya?dl=0

I also want to add, there could be more speed with the hw buttons as well. It's not slow, but could be more responsive, especially at this price.


----------



## garetjax1

Ah, gotcha... Hmm, maybe I will try to take a video of mine as well. It is definitely laggy in places.
  
 I wonder how we can best get feedback to the OS team. Maybe start a feature request / enhancement thread?


----------



## warrior1975

I have no idea, but that's a good place to start. I'd love to see a search function with a keyboard. Sometimes I want to hear a specific song and can't remember the exact title, especially of my edm.

I have another small complaint, has to do with the case. If I put my phone on top if the case, the stupid magnet closes my phone screen. I do it often when I'm outside walking, if I need to hold the phone with 2 hands. Driving me crazy. I really despise this case. Have a new one on order from Amazon.

Not getting that case, I never hit place order, now they are sold out. Fml... Searching everywhere... No luck. So stupid I am!!


----------



## Decreate

warrior1975 said:


> I have no idea, but that's a good place to start. I'd love to see a search function with a keyboard. Sometimes I want to hear a specific song and can't remember the exact title, especially of my edm.
> 
> I have another small complaint, has to do with the case. If I put my phone on top if the case, the stupid magnet closes my phone screen. I do it often when I'm outside walking, if I need to hold the phone with 2 hands. Driving me crazy. I really despise this case. Have a new one on order from Amazon.
> 
> Not getting that case, I never hit place order, now they are sold out. Fml... Searching everywhere... No luck. So stupid I am!!


 
 The lag is noticeable with me as well...by the way why not get the Dignis case? It doesn't have a magnet and looks quite nice as well.


----------



## warrior1975

Not sure where to get it. Overseas I'm assuming. Never did one if those forwarding services.


----------



## tangents

You can order direct from their site: http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/
  
 I don't have a WM1x (yet?) but I ordered my Mojo case from them. Took 5 business days to get to Toronto, Canada via EMS shipping.


----------



## warrior1975

Awesome, thank you very much!!


----------



## PCheung

If you have VM on your Mac, you can try install MediaGo and run the update by it.
One of my friends is a Mac user and he told me it works.


----------



## goyete

Can someone confirm me if the Asia Pacific version of the WM1A from AJ for expample includes spanish languages please??? Thank you!


----------



## ttt123

goyete said:


> Can someone confirm me if the Asia Pacific version of the WM1A from AJ for expample includes spanish languages please??? Thank you!


 
 My HK stock model has "espanol" in the language selection.


----------



## goyete

ttt123 said:


> My HK stock model has "espanol" in the language selection.



Thank you!


----------



## goyete

ttt123 said:


> My HK stock model has "espanol" in the language selection.



Did you buy it at AJ?


----------



## jmills8

goyete said:


> Did you buy it at AJ?


I thought AJ is for internet buyers (not for people living in HK).


----------



## ttt123

Bought at a local HK store, DMA audio.  http://www.dma-audio.com/


----------



## PCheung

Brise audio announced another "high-end model" 4.4 balance to 2.5 / 3.5 converter using their MURAKUMO cable.
  
 Price is YEN 37,000 (without tax), almost USD 360 with tax 
 that's one very expensive converter 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 http://www.phileweb.com/news/audio/201612/26/18210.html
  

  
 Rhodium plated 4.4mm plug and gold plated TRRS socket


----------



## Whitigir

pcheung said:


> Brise audio announced another "high-end model" 4.4 balance to 2.5 / 3.5 converter using their MURAKUMO cable.
> 
> Price is YEN 37,000 (without tax), almost USD 360 with tax
> that's one very expensive converter :eek:
> ...




Over rated. The concept is nothing new, and I can DIY a much better and cheaper than that , but whatever they can sell eh ?


----------



## huyendep

The WM1A is under my radar and i have some inquiries.
 1. Does the 3.5mm support balanced?
 2. How does the WM1A compare to ZX2 when driving IEMs only?
  
 Pardon me if these were already answered, i searched but did not found.


----------



## Whitigir

huyendep said:


> The WM1A is under my radar and i have some inquiries.
> 1. Does the 3.5mm support balanced?
> 2. How does the WM1A compare to ZX2 when driving IEMs only?
> 
> Pardon me if these were already answered, i searched but did not found.




First of all EU unit is volume capped

1/ no, it supports 3.5mm TRRS (separated grounds). It is the same as Zx2, so this is not Balanced. The only Balanced out is 4.4mm and is engraved onto the unit itself

2/ not sure about 1A, but 1Z is an improvements over Zx2 if you can afford it, and it does has meticulous bass


----------



## purk

whitigir said:


> Over rated. The concept is nothing new, and I can DIY a much better and cheaper than that
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Just learn how to do some DIY people.  I'm with Whitigir here.  I just reterminated my Z1R's 4.4 mm with 4-pin XLR and now I can use all my balanced phones with the WM-1Z.


----------



## cranesky

I just got my Z for several days and really love it.
One issue: does anyone feel that firmware 1.0 sounds better than 1.02? How can I roll back to firmware 1.0? lol


----------



## huyendep

Thank you very much. I may only look at the 1A. I'm not familiar with the ZX2 hence I had to search for the pseudo-balanced Sony jack. I always thought it was as same as the balanced out in DP-X1 and AKs.


----------



## Acemcl

I just got the NW-WM1A and was looking to get a couple of cables to take advantage of the balanced output. I have the following HPs:

1. Focal Utopia
2. Campfire Audio Vega

Any recommendations other than Kimber?


----------



## warrior1975

cranesky said:


> I just got my Z for several days and really love it.
> One issue: does anyone feel that firmware 1.0 sounds better than 1.02? How can I roll back to firmware 1.0? lol




Really? What's the difference you hear? I don't think we can go back.


----------



## ross1974

As many are asking about how the 1A compares to the ZX2, and as an owner of the ZX1, ZX2 and now the 1A, I thought I would write my impressions.
  
 For the purpose of my comparison I am using the AKG 3003s (although I have also compared them with my Roxannes CIEM) mainly because I consider them to be a very neutral sounding, transparent IEM, and by that I mean that it does not colour, add or subtract much to the signature of the DAP (or the recording for that matter). And while I am on the AKG subject , I think I should mention that not only do I consider the 3003s to be one of the most balanced, neutral, but at the same time rich and musical IEMs I have ever heard, but more importantly they match with all 3 Sonys very very well. It has been said many times that the match of the DAP and the IEM is at least as important as the components themselves and I would highly recommend listening to the 1A with the AKGs, the results are stunning.
  
 Back to the ZX1, ZX2, 1A comparison:
  
 When I first bought the ZX1, I thought it was a good but not great first try from Sony at making a hi-end DAP.
 The main card it brought to the table was its resolution, with a lot of detail, and impressive instrument separation.
 On the other hand, it its quest to impress with the amount of detail, I thought it was somewhat dry, lacking in richness of timbre.
 It was also a bit grainy in its mids and when sound got more complicated it had trouble coping. It seemed to do better with simpler pieces of music, acoustic, voices or classical.
  
 The ZX2 is another step forward, I would say quite audible.
 Bass is improved (but sometimes can get a bit bloated), the mids are clearer and less grainy and treble is smoother in a way only very high quality components can achieve. Imaging is also improved and there is definitely a wider space that the ZX2 creates in front of the listener (I think there is a little bit of DSP effect going on there in that the sound instantly feels bigger).
 But the one single difference that sets the ZX2 apart from the ZX1 is the pure fun of its sound. While the ZX1 can sound emotionless and dry sometimes the ZX2 achieves this rare effect where one gets immersed in the music in a very fun kind of way. It was the first DAP that gave me the same kind of emotional experience I get from my Focal speakers.
  
 On to the 1A. To be honest I wasn't expecting much. I had read that it is quite neutral compared to the 1Z and probably the existence of its golden big brother made the 1A seem like a small evolution of the ZX2. My hearing impressions are that the improvement from the ZX2 to the 1A that Sony achieved is bigger that the step between the ZX1 and ZX2. And it is not in one or the other area, but in every single aspect of the sound. Its bass is, to me at least, perfect, just the right amount, never bloated, never overwhelming, always right, you hear the notes very clearly, you hear the bass, as in the organ, rather than the bass as in the frequency range if that makes any sense.
 The mids are clearer than the ZX2, no grain whatsoever, very smooth and musical, effortless is the word I would use - in fact that is the word I would use for the 1A's sound overall. The treble I think has even better extension and is even smoother, never sibilant or harsh.
 I believe the "Direct Sound" feature brings a new edge to the pureness of the sound here, going back and forth between ZX2 and 1A I can hear the DSP doing its thing on the ZX2, and a very natural, effortless high quality sound on the 1A, pure hi-end in my opinion. And while I have not heard the 1Z and cannot compare, regarding it's "warmer" sound as often reported, I can say that to my ears the 1A sounds just about right, the right amount of richness and depth/decay to the sound. It remains a very entertaining sound, maybe a touch less lively than the ZX2 but quite right, very enjoyable.
  
 All of these impressions are made using the non-balanced output, so comparable.
 A last word on volume.
 Mine is the capped version and I can never hear it at max volume for more than 5 minutes.
 I have trouble understanding all this fuss about the capped/non capped issue.
 Hearing being our most precious "component" in this hobby, and the one thing we can't replace or buy, I would consider the capped version's max volume the limit of "safe" volume meaning that more than that, for long listening sessions can surely cause damage to one's hearing in the long term.


----------



## warrior1975

For me, buying the uncapped version, would be to have the best option available. That would be the uncapped version. I have some hard to drive iems and it also opens the door for additional headphones. Why buy something that is limited in any way? It would only hurt resale value and doesn't cost anything extra.


----------



## purk

warrior1975 said:


> For me, buying the uncapped version, would be to have the best option available. That would be the uncapped version. I have some hard to drive iems and it also opens the door for additional headphones. Why buy something that is limited in any way? It would only hurt resale value and doesn't cost anything extra.


 
 Totally agreed.  The WM-1Z  can handle the HD800 just fine without the need for additional amplification.  Of course, the HD800 will continue sound better out of desktop amp but the 1Z's ability to drive the HD800 is also impressive.


----------



## warrior1975

I haven't even tried my headphones on it yet. I'm going to go listen to my Th900s and my hd650s now.


----------



## purk

warrior1975 said:


> I haven't even tried my headphones on it yet. I'm going to go listen to my Th900s and my hd650s now.


 
 Please do and report back.  I'm only at 80 hours or so mark.  Still a long way before the Balanced Break-in is complete.  I couldn't to wait for the 4.4 mm adapter so I made one from my Z1R's cable.  Now I can run all of my balanced headphones from the 1Z.


----------



## warrior1975

Nice. I'm jelly... Completely useless when it comes to diy.


----------



## purk

warrior1975 said:


> Nice. I'm jelly... Completely useless when it comes to diy.


 
 Not that difficult actually.  How do you like the 1Z so far?  It is trailing the PHA-3 currently.


----------



## warrior1975

I really enjoy it. I haven't compared it to my Cowon S yet, which is my gold standard. Overall, I'm impressed with the sound. I've even managed to enjoy it in direct mode, which is something I've never been able to do with any other dap, ever. It sounds amazing in direct mode. I've logged ~70 hours so far.

You prefer the pha3?

If you wouldn't mind, please share the differences and what/why you prefer the pha3.


----------



## purk

warrior1975 said:


> I really enjoy it. I haven't compared it to my Cowon S yet, which is my gold standard. Overall, I'm impressed with the sound. I've even managed to enjoy it in direct mode, which is something I've never been able to do with any other dap, ever. It sounds amazing in direct mode. I've logged ~70 hours so far.
> 
> You prefer the pha3?


 
 So far, the PHA3 just has more enveloping soundstage that goes deeper and just as wide.  Bass also has a little more textured as well.  Still a long way before the 1Z will mature...has to give it the time to mature.


----------



## Whitigir

400-500 hours is horribly long LOL


----------



## warrior1975

Lol... Yes, it really is. Have you guys heard any difference yet? I really don't know.


----------



## Sound Eq

warrior1975 said:


> Lol... Yes, it really is. Have you guys heard any difference yet? I really don't know.


 
 man i never ever heard any difference after burning in an iem , dac, or amp what so ever so I am always surprised by burn in posts


----------



## shockwaver

2 questions
1. About playing a DSD album - do you hear a pop noise when the next song commences?
2. About displaying lyrics/text - how to tag ?
Thank you


----------



## warrior1975

sound eq said:


> man i never ever heard any difference after burning in an iem , dac, or amp what so ever so I am always surprised by burn in posts




I have a very bad memory when it comes to audio... I'm utterly amazed when people hear a difference between firmware updates, burn in, etc.


----------



## Sound Eq

warrior1975 said:


> I have a very bad memory when it comes to audio... I'm utterly amazed when people hear a difference between firmware updates, burn in, etc.


 
 the only time when i heard a difference between firmwares it was only with ak 380 dap and fiio x7 dap new beta firmwares, but i never heard any difference with burn at all


----------



## purk

sound eq said:


> man i never ever heard any difference after burning in an iem , dac, or amp what so ever so I am always surprised by burn in posts


 
 It is stated by Sony.  Generally I don't hear big difference just the sound become more open.


----------



## ledzep

shockwaver said:


> 2 questions
> 1. About playing a DSD album - do you hear a pop noise when the next song commences?
> 2. About displaying lyrics/text - how to tag ?
> Thank you


 

 1. No
 2. has to be dsf and i use mp3tag


----------



## Whitigir

People can't even tell the differences from cables to cable , don't feel bad...lol


----------



## Sound Eq

whitigir said:


> People can't even tell the differences from cables to cable
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 besides this what is your fav dap that you heard up till now


----------



## Whitigir

sound eq said:


> besides this what is your fav dap that you heard up till now




Opus 2 . It is very addictive with Z1R


----------



## bmoura

dithyrambes said:


> You can email them and they can send it to you after in 2 days. Its not listed but they do have it!


 

 That worked fine.
  
 Derek at Jaden HK game me the details, I ordered the 4.4mm converters for the 3.5mm TRS and 1/4" TRS jacks and they should be here by week's end.
 Very responsive and speedy service.  Looking forward to the adapters for the 1Z !


----------



## flipper203

Where did you get the email address?


----------



## purk

bmoura said:


> That worked fine.
> 
> Derek at Jaden HK game me the details, I ordered the 4.4mm converters for the 3.5mm TRS and 1/4" TRS jacks and they should be here by week's end.
> Very responsive and speedy service.  Looking forward to the adapters for the 1Z !


 
 How much did it cost you?  Thanks.


----------



## bmoura

purk said:


> How much did it cost you?  Thanks.


 

 $172 for both via PayPal including shipping.


----------



## echineko

bmoura said:


> That worked fine.
> 
> Derek at Jaden HK game me the details, I ordered the 4.4mm converters for the 3.5mm TRS and 1/4" TRS jacks and they should be here by week's end.
> Very responsive and speedy service.  Looking forward to the adapters for the 1Z !



So if I'm understanding you correctly, the adapters will enable you to use a balanced 4.4mm TRRRS terminated cable with regular 3.5mm and 1/4" jacks on other equipment?


----------



## bmoura

echineko said:


> So if I'm understanding you correctly, the adapters will enable you to use a balanced 4.4mm TRRRS terminated cable with regular 3.5mm and 1/4" jacks on other equipment?


 

 The adapters let you use 3.5mm and 1/4" jacks in a 4.4 TRRS input.


----------



## purk

bmoura said:


> $172 for both via PayPal including shipping.


 
 Thanks.  I will just wait until for the 4.4 mm plug to be available and make my own.


----------



## bvng3540

purk said:


> Thanks.  I will just wait until for the 4.4 mm plug to be available and make my own.


 
 http://www.lunashops.com/search.php?encode=YTo0OntzOjg6ImtleXdvcmRzIjtzOjU6IjQuNG1tIjtzOjE6IngiO3M6MToiMCI7czoxOiJ5IjtzOjE6IjAiO3M6MTg6InNlYXJjaF9lbmNvZGVfdGltZSI7aToxNDgyODg1MTc0O30=
  
 there are 2 plugs to choose from


----------



## nanaholic

shockwaver said:


> 2 questions
> 1. About playing a DSD album - do you hear a pop noise when the next song commences?
> 2. About displaying lyrics/text - how to tag ?
> Thank you


 
  
 2. for any file formats which support lyrics you can tag them in Media Go.


----------



## CosmicHolyGhost

Quad DSD plays fine on 1A... just fyi


----------



## ttt123

bmoura said:


> That worked fine.
> 
> Derek at Jaden HK game me the details, I ordered the 4.4mm converters for the 3.5mm TRS and 1/4" TRS jacks and they should be here by week's end.
> Very responsive and speedy service.  Looking forward to the adapters for the 1Z !


 
 This means the 4.4mm balanced plug to the DAP will be 4 wires (L+ and L-, and R+ and R-) and the female TRS will have the GRDs (L- and R-) for both channels combined to convert it back to 3 wire (L+, R+ and combined L-/R- ).  
  
 So the advantage would be that you get the higher power output available from the balanced 4.4mm out.  
  
 BUT, you will not be getting balanced drive to the headphone/IEM, as this configuration does not provide discrete 2 wires for each channel.  There is also a caution I have read about, that combining the separate GRDs on the output of a Balanced amp may cause crosstalk or noise, depending on how it affects the balanced amps, which were designed to be totally separate from each other.  My guess is that  most likely, it will work without excessive noise, as a careful designer will have checked for this situation.  But no guarantees.
  
 So as long as you are aware that you will not be getting Balanced to the headphone/IEM with the adapter above..........
  
 The optimum use of an adapter is to go from a headphone/IEM with 3.5mm or 2.5mm TRRS wiring/plug to an adapter to convert to a 4.4mm balanced plug.  So 4 discrete wires all the way from amp to headphone/IEM.
  
 Any store providing an adapter for 4 wire to 3 wire should clarify the above to the purchaser, so that there are no surprises.
  
 One common use of an adapter is to convert from 4 wire headphone/IEM to 3 wire for devices that only have a TRS output.
 I currently have bought and made a 3.5mm TRS male plug to female 3.5mm TRRS, so I can use my current IEM wired with a TRRS plug, in other DAPs or iPhone, that only have a TRS output.


----------



## nanaholic

Er, you should NEVER make a converter that converts 3 wire SE TRS connection to 4 wire balanced TRRS connection - because that means the ground pin will be bridging the L-/R- and currents will be flowing both ways!  
  
 You only go from balance to SE, NEVER the other way around.  You are going to destroy your equipment. People who make this adaptor for you are idiots.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Er, you should NEVER make a converter that converts 3 wire SE TRS connection to 4 wire balanced TRRS connection - because that means the ground pin will be bridging the L-/R- and currents will be flowing both ways!
> 
> You only go from balance to SE, NEVER the other way around.  You are going to destroy your equipment. People who make this adaptor for you are idiots.




I second this ! Didn't want to get into another debate, but this is it. Especially for the new SMaster


----------



## echineko

Yeah, I thought I was understanding something incorrectly, that's why I asked for clarification earlier. Even without any risks from an electrical standpoint, I'd always believed that you gain nothing going from SE to balanced, as in the signal separation etc that you'd be looking for balanced doesn't work when it's originally SE. 

Glad others chimed in to clarify


----------



## nanaholic

http://briseaudio.jp/portable/dc/caution01.html
  
 For those who don't understand why 3.5mm TRS to balance (2.5mm or 4.4mm) is a BAD idea just by words. Brise Audio has the current flow diagram right at the bottom explaining it.
  
 Essentially you will be *short circuiting* the L-/R- outputs because the GND sleeve of the plug bridges the two pin outs of the separate channel circuits, even if by lucky you don't destroy the circuit this means he L-/R- signals are essentially mixing, so from the audio/sound quality POV you are making some VERY bad channel crosstalk, why would you want that?
  
 Again the shop people making this adaptor for those who want it are idiots - or are greedy bastards that don't give a crap and just want that quick easy money for bashing together a custom cable.


----------



## PCheung

Don't the 4.4 mm has a ground for unbalance connection?


----------



## Whitigir

pcheung said:


> Don't the 4.4 mm has a ground for unbalance connection?




No, not at all. In balanced configurations, Ground usually means Shield to the ground. The Sleeve on 4.4mm is this shield to ground connections...there is no signals traveling through it.

New S-Master can only be playing native DSD through 4.4mm due to the internal architecture that allow separated channels for separated processing and a whole more other complicated stuff. If you short either signals together, you are Techincally and Literally creating a "short Circuit". There had never been a Short circuit that is good.....it is a damn nightmare in electrical devices.

Say if you are lucky enough that you don't destroy it at the moment the short happen, you will eventually overheat the S-Master itself, and eventually destroy your player. Period.

In Bridged Mode from home stereo, it needs a special switch to allow it to happen.....and of course when you bridge it here without nothing, you are killing it. Before doing this, try to breathe under water and see if you can breathe like "fishes" do ? Without gears


----------



## nanaholic

pcheung said:


> Don't the 4.4 mm has a ground for unbalance connection?


 
  
 There's a pin for it in the specification but it's not wired in the 1A/1Z.


----------



## Whitigir

Lol this soundstage coming from WM1Z is so scary....it improves at around 90 hours >.<. Wow....before the 90 hours it was so weird and brought me a panic attack....in any case guys, Sony states 200 hours to burn in. Please allow your unit to get that burn in


----------



## blazinblazin

WM1A is about 70hrs. 150hrs and 200hrs i also noticed some changes.

But 4.4mm is godly.


----------



## Whitigir

blazinblazin said:


> WM1A is about 70hrs. 150hrs and 200hrs i also noticed some changes.
> 
> But 4.4mm is godly.




Yes, 4.4mm is the best WM1A/Z can offer


----------



## davidmolliere

blazinblazin said:


> WM1A is about 70hrs. 150hrs and 200hrs i also noticed some changes.
> 
> But 4.4mm is godly.


 
  
 I find single ended pretty amazing already, I should receive the SONY MUC-M12SB1 next week, we'll see I can't imagine it getting even better


----------



## Whitigir

davidmolliere said:


> [CONTENTEMBED=/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-flagship-hi-end-dap/6195#post_13123021 layout=inline]Quote:
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted by *blazinblazin* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> ...




You will need burn-in before all that amazing experiences lol


----------



## Mimouille

I finally received my 4.4 balanced cable from Beat Audio, and the SE5 Ultimate sounds heavenly (no kidding). Just had a few minutes as I have the whole family home, but still...plus the Best Audio plugs seem quite nice.


----------



## Whitigir

The best plug to you = ? What materials ...just curious


----------



## blazinblazin

davidmolliere said:


> [CONTENTEMBED=/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-flagship-hi-end-dap/6195#post_13123021 layout=inline]Quote:
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted by *blazinblazin* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> ...




I burnt in single end for 200hrs.
But once i plugged in 4.4mm with Sony Kimber Kable, my thought was... i should have done that earlier.


----------



## davidmolliere

whitigir said:


> You will need burn-in before all that amazing experiences lol


  
 Well I am around 250 hours burn in now on my WM1A 

  
 Quote:


blazinblazin said:


> I burnt in single end for 200hrs.
> But once i plugged in 4.4mm with Sony Kimber Kable, my thought was... i should have done that earlier.


 
  
 Ah ah now I am impatient!
 I really have trouble seeing how it could yet improve drastically, this is potentially mind blowing it's already hard to put the WM1A / Vega combo down


----------



## blazinblazin

davidmolliere said:


> Ah ah now I am impatient!
> I really have trouble seeing how it could yet improve drastically, this is potentially mind blowing it's already hard to put the WM1A / Vega combo down




Mine was WM1A/Andro combo.

What the 4.4mm port and Kimber improve is depth.
I was using single end with Ref8 cable on WM1A, i found it give width. The drum and cymbals was so far a part that it sounds like the drumset is very long/wide.

But 4.4mm port and Kimber give u the depth in front of you. And more room filling background compared to Ref8 on single end. The drum sounds more in front of you


----------



## bvng3540

mimouille said:


> I finally received my 4.4 balanced cable from Beat Audio, and the SE5 Ultimate sounds heavenly (no kidding). Just had a few minutes as I have the whole family home, but still...plus the Best Audio plugs seem quite nice.




$1k+ cable?


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> The best plug to you = ? What materials ...just curious



I am not a cable ayatollah...these plugs seem good quality. I suppose the jacks are gold plated.



bvng3540 said:


> $1k+ cable?




Full price they cost a pretty penny. I have some special conditions as I am a very old and faithful customer.


----------



## davidmolliere

blazinblazin said:


> Mine was WM1A/Andro combo.
> 
> What the 4.4mm port and Kimber improve is depth.
> I was using single end with Ref8 cable on WM1A, i found it give width. The drum and cymbals was so far a part that it sounds like the drumset is very long/wide.
> ...


 
  
 Thanks, exciting prospect, I'll post my impressions when I get it


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> I am not a cable ayatollah...these plugs seem good quality. I suppose the jacks are gold plated.
> Full price they cost a pretty penny. I have some special conditions as I am a very old and faithful customer.




I can not wait until I have my 4.4 plugs ready....Damnnnnn too long lol


----------



## Acemcl

whitigir said:


> I can not wait until I have my 4.4 plugs ready....Damnnnnn too long lol



 


where are you getting the 4.4mm cable for the WM1A? not looking to spend more than a few hundred bucks (so Beat and Kimber are out).


----------



## mrrayray

So I am officially broke now.
JH Layla, wm1z, the dignis case and the Labkable Pandora with 4.4mm balanced plug I purchased today!
Perfect combo to go


----------



## Mimouille

acemcl said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > I can not wait until I have my 4.4 plugs ready....Damnnnnn too long lol
> ...




Beat Audio starts at 199.



mrrayray said:


> So I am officially broke now.
> JH Layla, wm1z, the dignis case and the Labkable Pandora with 4.4mm balanced plug I purchased today!
> Perfect combo to go


 How is the combo with the Layla?


----------



## Eric Smith

Oh boy, never mind. All this info is confusing at times.


----------



## purk

eric smith said:


> So would it be wise to hold out for this player to hit the states instead of purchasing one of the previous models?


 
 I think Jason @ Thesource AV has several of them.  Unless you can get a significant saving, buying one from a US authorized dealer will be better idea in case a $3.2K player needs a service.  The one on Amazon only come with 30 day money back/warranty.


----------



## Eric Smith

I'll be trying to get an $1199 version


----------



## bmoura

purk said:


> I think Jason @ Thesource AV has several of them.  Unless you can get a significant saving, buying one from a US authorized dealer will be better idea in case a $3.2K player needs a service.  The one on Amazon only come with 30 day money back/warranty.


 

 Received my Walkman 1Z from Wayne at The Source AV with UPS 1 Day Shipping.  Definitely recommend The Source AV.


----------



## Fsilva

New *2.5mm TRRS​*and* ​**4.4mm TRRRS​*plugs are now available at Toxic Cables.
 Frank told me that these plugs would be only available for Toxic Cables owners who want their cables to be re-terminated.
 My cable will be sent tomorrow to the UK to get one of these new babies!


----------



## echineko

mrrayray said:


> So I am officially broke now.
> JH Layla, wm1z, the dignis case and the Labkable Pandora with 4.4mm balanced plug I purchased today!
> Perfect combo to go



What is the price you paid for that cable? I notice they don't explicitly state it on the website


----------



## blazinblazin

acemcl said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > I can not wait until I have my 4.4 plugs ready....Damnnnnn too long lol
> ...




Kimber is not out.
Look for it in Jaben Malaysia website. You will be surprise. But wait for restock.


----------



## purk

fsilva said:


> New *2.5mm TRRS​*and* ​**4.4mm TRRRS​*plugs are now available at Toxic Cables.
> Frank told me that these plugs would be only available for Toxic Cables owners who want their cables to be re-terminated.
> My cable will be sent tomorrow to the UK to get one of these new babies!


 
 Will just have to wait...again..


----------



## Fsilva

purk said:


> Will just have to wait...again..


 
 Indeed...and it will be at least 2 weeks..Damn


----------



## lopes

Proud new owner of a WM1A! Got it off of Amazon, and seems to be the Japanese Tourist version I think? Using the unbalanced headphone jack I have the volume cranked to about 90 with a set of AKG K551 (the "best" headphones I have over Apple Earbuds, haha)...is this normal? I don't think this model is volume capped because I'm not getting any warnings, and the box or unit doesn't have the CE logo anywhere on it....
  
 Also, can anyone recommend a good pair of balanced headphones, preferably under $1000, that I can swap out the cable for something balanced from Moon-Audio or the like?


----------



## kaushama

As far as converters concerned only logical way of configuration should be 4.4mm Balanced > 3.5mm TRRS (Sony Pseudobalnced).


----------



## purk

kaushama said:


> As far as converters concerned only logical way of configuration should be 4.4mm Balanced > 3.5mm TRRS (Sony Pseudobalnced).


 
 Yep.  All I want is a well-priced male 4.4 mm balanced plug to be available.  I'm not interested in spending $200 for adapter.  Wonder if  Norne Audio will these 4.4 mm balanced jack soon.


----------



## tangents

Effect Audio has 4.4mm connectors and adapters:
  
 http://www.effectaudio.com/earphones-accessories/accessories.html
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/787717/effect-audio-cables-thread/210#post_13122463


----------



## purk

tangents said:


> Effect Audio has 4.4mm connectors and adapters:
> 
> http://www.effectaudio.com/earphones-accessories/accessories.html
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/787717/effect-audio-cables-thread/210#post_13122463


 
 Thanks....I will likely order one.


----------



## mrrayray

mimouille said:


> Beat Audio starts at 199.
> How is the combo with the Layla?




If you ask me, amazing!

I am a musician and my goal of purchasing portable gear is to listen to “real” music just like I listen to them live on-the-go.

I haven't compared the layla to other earphones but i think together they satisfies me with the ability to recreate music as real as possible.


----------



## Rei87

tangents said:


> Effect Audio has 4.4mm connectors and adapters:
> 
> http://www.effectaudio.com/earphones-accessories/accessories.html
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/787717/effect-audio-cables-thread/210#post_13122463


 


 Interesting....Ive been trying to get a hold of more pentacon plugs for the 1Z since it seems to be in very short supply, even in Japan.

 But I have my concerns about the adapter design as mentioned here.
  
 What killed the 2.5mm socket on the previous DPX1 on the onkyo was the extended use of a ultra short adapter of this exact design. When I plugged my wire plug (also the typical straight jack) into the socket, the length of the full stack (adapter + wire plug) formed a lever that exerted large torque on the socket which greatly stressed and quickly broke the socket 
  

  
 Of course, the 1Z has a much better build quality. But after that experience, I now kind of shun ultra short connectors in favor of a wired adapter like the one I now use.

  
 Of course, there will be a slight sound degredation compared to a direct connection. Is it audible? I do not know, but i suspect that it will be minimal and non-apaprent unless one actively searches for it while having a second player to use as reference. But because I utilize iem cable grade wires (I actually bought a full length iem silver gold wire from one of the iem cable brands here to chop up for this explicit purpose) on par with that of the kimbre wires used in the player itself, it shouldnt be too much of a trade off for that peace of mind when using the adapter while on the go. After all, it is a portable player that I hope to use while mobile, and if sony feels that said wires are good enough to be used in the wire, I'd be happy using it outside too and feel safe about protecting the socket. 
  
  
 Note: I just find it a really weird product to make, since most people who have actually used such a product would rarely go back given the potential issues such a extended stack would cause. It is a pity tho, that untill the 4.4 becomes mainstream, it will probably make more financial sense to use an adapter as opposed to re-terminating all your existing cables to 4.4. I'm going to keep my cables as 2.5mm for now, and will use my above adapter for when I do need to use the 1Z. Plus, the 4.4 pentacon plug isnt cheap either; its around 5k yen, which makes for around 40-50 USD per piece


----------



## mrrayray

echineko said:


> What is the price you paid for that cable? I notice they don't explicitly state it on the website




I got it at around 1100USD (with a slight discount of the official price)


----------



## Tanjiro

mrrayray said:


> I got it at around 1100USD (with a slight discount of the official price)




Wow! U$1100 for a cable!!!


----------



## Acemcl

Just got the NW-WM1A today and after the first listen ( for about a couple of hours) am a bit underwhelmed. I used the focal Utopia HP's with the Sony but the sound def didn't do it for me and I went back to the A&K240 with the focal. Hoping that I can burn in the WM1A over the next few days and get the sound quality improvement that others have experienced. 

In both cases I was listening to Steven Wilson's Hand Cannot Erase which is a fantastic album...


----------



## Dithyrambes

acemcl said:


> Just got the NW-WM1A today and after the first listen ( for about a couple of hours) am a bit underwhelmed. I used the focal Utopia HP's with the Sony but the sound def didn't do it for me and I went back to the A&K240 with the focal. Hoping that I can burn in the WM1A over the next few days and get the sound quality improvement that others have experienced.
> 
> In both cases I was listening to Steven Wilson's Hand Cannot Erase which is a fantastic album...


i know the usual response would be...use the balanced...its better...but tbh im not sure sony players scale well outside of iems. Using the zx2 amplified did not scale well into my studio setup, wheras dac/amps like the chord mojo and go v2+ did admirably well. Never tried headphones but ymmv


----------



## mrrayray

ikr! the last upgrade of the combo, i promised......
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





moneypls said:


> Wow! U$1100 for a cable!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I did hear differences while burning in my DAPs zx100 A17. Sound becomes more open, sometimes sound may go weird but then get godly, fe overwhelming bass or recessed highs. 

Next Tuesday u am back to. Mexico


----------



## Mimouille

mrrayray said:


> If you ask me, amazing!
> 
> I am a musician and my goal of purchasing portable gear is to listen to “real” music just like I listen to them live on-the-go.
> 
> I haven't compared the layla to other earphones but i think together they satisfies me with the ability to recreate music as real as possible.


Thanks, they are a bit steep though but I was impressed by them technically.


----------



## bvng3540

Sound amazing right out of the box, pair with EE ZEUS XIV and YY PRO AUDIO TUCANA


----------



## Kerouac

bvng3540 said:


> Sound amazing right out of the box, pair with EE ZEUS XIV and YY PRO AUDIO TUCANA


 
  
 Nice! I've got a Zeus XR + Tucana cable coming in 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 No hiss and enough power from WM1A with this combination?


----------



## davidmolliere

davidmolliere said:


> blazinblazin said:
> 
> 
> > WM1A is about 70hrs. 150hrs and 200hrs i also noticed some changes.
> ...


 
  
 Duh, the eBay seller says there are issues with Sony delivering the items to them, I won't get it after all... where can I get those?


----------



## bvng3540

kerouac said:


> Nice! I've got a Zeus XR + Tucana cable coming in :rolleyes:
> No hiss and enough power from WM1A with this combination?




No hiss what so ever, talk about power, as you know the volume on 1a can max out at 120, I can barely go past 8


----------



## Kerouac

bvng3540 said:


> No hiss what so ever, talk about power, as you know the volume on 1a can max out at 120, I can barely go past 8


 
  
 Thanks! But eeeh....didn't you mean 80 instead of 8?


----------



## blazinblazin

davidmolliere said:


> Duh, the eBay seller says there are issues with Sony delivering the items to them, I won't get it after all... where can I get those?


 

 I got it here but it is out of stock currently.

https://jaben.com.my/collections/sony/products/muc-m12sb1?variant=31462742086


----------



## bvng3540

kerouac said:


> Thanks! But eeeh....didn't you mean 80 instead of 8? :blink:




No I do mean 8 maxed I can go is may be 10


----------



## flipper203

@davidmolliere you can order at beat audio they have the connector or plussound audio too


----------



## listen4joy

as far as i know , sony products have high quality i imagine sony playaers SQ  are par with the to p along with ak380, questyle qp1r, lotto and others...  but at this prices i  prefer to wait for ibasso dx200 at 800+ price bracket that will give top players a fight in more sane prices.


----------



## kms108

davidmolliere said:


> davidmolliere said:
> 
> 
> > blazinblazin said:
> ...


 

 I hate those seller, you order from them, they place a order with the company, next time ask if they have them in stock, otherwise look elsewhere.


----------



## Mimouille

kerouac said:


> Nice! I've got a Zeus XR + Tucana cable coming in :rolleyes:
> No hiss and enough power from WM1A with this combination?


 Are these YY cables any good? Never heard of them and noticed they go up to 1.2k!


----------



## Kerouac

mimouille said:


> Are these YY cables any good? Never heard of them and noticed they go up to 1.2k!


 
  
 Well, I picked up my Tucana from @jmills8. I think he demoed them all in HK and bought some himself.
 On their site it seems like they still have a 50% off discount atm.
 http://yypa.hk/
  
 Btw, haven't heard it yet, expect it to arrive at the end of next week.


----------



## Mimouille

kerouac said:


> Well, I picked up my Tucana from @jmills8
> . I think he demoed them all in HK and bought some himself.
> On their site it seems like they still have a 50% off discount atm.
> http://yypa.hk/
> ...


Thanks.


----------



## CraftyClown

A quick question for you, my fine feathered friends;

Is the EQ on the WM series parametric or standard multi band? 

Cheers m' dears


----------



## warrior1975

It seems like it's PEQ, but you can't adjust it like most. No settings for q or anything else, but when you move the sliders it looks like a PEQ. Maybe semi PEQ?


----------



## audionewbi

One thing that I do not understand is how 1A cannot do native DSD on single ended. I still havent sat down and try to hear the difference when switching between single ended and 4.4mm balance for DSD, if I was to take a guess it might be just a slight marketing BS. 
  
 What do you guys think? For those who have started to listen to your daps critically can you hear a difference?


----------



## Dithyrambes

I think its a deliberate choice to force all users to adapt the 4.4 balanced output.....


----------



## AnakChan

dithyrambes said:


> I think its a deliberate choice to force all users to adapt the 4.4 balanced output.....


 
  
 I won't say "force" but IMHO definitely hurdling the community towards that direction - the other hint is the 250mW balanced vs 60mW SE. Now not that I would complain 'cos the 4.4mm standard is rather nice (and easier to solder!). I just do wish :-

 1) more right angled 4.4mm availability
 2) round 4.4mm female sockets for 4.4mm -> 3.5mm/6.3mm SE adapters


----------



## Dithyrambes

Pretty much forcing.....because of the added power, audio quality, DSD processing........which owner of the WM1A esp...WM1Z would bother not using the 4.4 to unlock the full potential of their dap after paying a premium price? Also lack of 4.4m "hurdles" users to buy the kimber cable asap...


----------



## AnakChan

dithyrambes said:


> Pretty much forcing.....because of the added power, audio quality, DSD processing........which owner of the WM1A esp...WM1Z would bother not using the 4.4 to unlock the full potential of their dap after paying a premium price? Also lack of 4.4m "hurdles" users to buy the kimber cable asap...


 

 I guess we'll have a different definition of "force". To me if Sony were "forcing" then there would only be one socket -  4.4mm....no 3.5mm option.


----------



## CosmicHolyGhost

I was not sold on the 1A until Jaben let me listened to it with my Fitear c435 and they lent me the Fitear 006 cable and the 2.5>4.4 adapter to try out the balance output. With the 3.5mm output, the difference/improvement over my Sony PCM D100 recorder was not big enough for me to fork out the extra cash to upgrade my DAP for the 10 minutes commute to work...Now, I dont know when I can finish the burn in.the 1A...............lol


----------



## goyete

I have order the NW-WM1A with the MUC-M12SB1 and now is travelling to my home... I'm waiting it anxious!!


----------



## goyete

One question about the user interface of the walkman, is it possible to modify the stars of a song trough the walkman and then sync it with Media Go when connected? Thanks!


----------



## bvng3540

pcheung said:


> So, my dignis case also arrived.




Where did you buy that case, can you post the link thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

craftyclown said:


> A quick question for you, my fine feathered friends;
> 
> Is the EQ on the WM series parametric or standard multi band?
> 
> Cheers m' dears


looks like PEQ but has limited bands so it is a bit deceiving


----------



## PCheung

bvng3540 said:


> Where did you buy that case, can you post the link thanks




Sure, here you go 

http://mobile--shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/product/midas-sony-nw-wm1-leather-case/133/?cate_no=1&display_group=2


----------



## bvng3540

pcheung said:


> Sure, here you go
> 
> http://mobile--shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/product/midas-sony-nw-wm1-leather-case/133/?cate_no=1&display_group=2




Thanks, how long does it take to reach the States?


----------



## PCheung

bvng3540 said:


> Thanks, how long does it take to reach the States?


 
  
 They take around 2 days to confirm your payment and ship by EMS another 2-3 days.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will buy some balanced cables from. PLUSSOUND, and for a case bubble wrap foam  (kidding)


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> Pretty much forcing.....because of the added power, audio quality, DSD processing........which owner of the WM1A esp...WM1Z would bother not using the 4.4 to unlock the full potential of their dap after paying a premium price? Also lack of 4.4m "hurdles" users to buy the kimber cable asap...




....? Balanced always have more power, it is just technical fact. Be glad that the new portable S-master can do native DSD. Zx2 can not. How do they do it ? Why only balanced ? You need to learn more into circuitry and study about Smaster and DSD files with their Mhz rate


----------



## vilhelm44

kerouac said:


> Well, I picked up my Tucana from @jmills8. I think he demoed them all in HK and bought some himself.
> On their site it seems like they still have a 50% off discount atm.
> http://yypa.hk/
> 
> Btw, haven't heard it yet, expect it to arrive at the end of next week.



 


Thanks for the heads up. I've just ordered the Lyra cable with 4.4 plug. That's a great deal with the 50% off and Arthur is a good guy to deal with.


----------



## Sound Eq

mimouille said:


> Are these YY cables any good? Never heard of them and noticed they go up to 1.2k!


 
 i have the tucana and saturn, the tucana is simply a great cable, honestly everyone who sees that cable is impressed and sound wise its as their description


----------



## Mimouille

sound eq said:


> i have the tucana and saturn, the tucana is simply a great cable, honestly everyone who sees that cable is impressed and sound wise its as their description


Thanks.


----------



## Jalo

I tried to add songs to playlist on my 1Z and 30 percent of the time I get this message "cannot add songs from both system storage and the SD card to the same playlist" . First of all, I don't think I have those songs in both my system memory and on the SD card. What should I do? I never have this problem on my 380CU with the same setup.


----------



## flipper203

kerouac said:


> Well, I picked up my Tucana from @jmills8
> . I think he demoed them all in HK and bought some himself.
> On their site it seems like they still have a 50% off discount atm.
> http://yypa.hk/
> ...



What's the difference between the tuncana and storm?


----------



## PCheung

jalo said:


> I tried to add songs to playlist on my 1Z and 30 percent of the time I get this message "cannot add songs from both system storage and the SD card to the same playlist" . First of all, I don't think I have those songs in both my system memory and on the SD card. What should I do? I never have this problem on my 380CU with the same setup.


 
  
 Try use the "add to bookmark" function in stead of playlist if your wish to make a list including songs from both system memory and SD card.
  
 If you must us a playlist, only add songs either from system memory or SD card, they can't mix. That's the Sony OS limitation different to AK's android based system.


----------



## CraftyClown

pcheung said:


> Try use the "add to bookmark" function in stead of playlist if your wish to make a list including songs from both system memory and SD card.
> 
> If you must us a playlist, only add songs either from system memory or SD card, they can't mix. That's the Sony OS limitation different to AK's android based system.




Urghh, what a horrible limitation. Unlikely, but I hope that can be fixed with a firmware update.


----------



## bvng3540

Is there a chart or pictures showing how to solder wires to the 4.4mm plug?


----------



## EagleWings

bvng3540 said:


> Is there a chart or pictures showing how to solder wires to the 4.4mm plug?


 
  
 If you were asking about the terminations:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-flagship-hi-end-dap/3720#post_12978371


----------



## bvng3540

eaglewings said:


> If you were asking about the terminations:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-flagship-hi-end-dap/3720#post_12978371




Thanks that what I am looking for


----------



## purk

bvng3540 said:


> Thanks that what I am looking for


 
 Which plug did you purchase and how long did it take for it to get?


----------



## bvng3540

purk said:


> Which plug did you purchase and how long did it take for it to get?






Luna shop, should be here 2 weeks or less $15 shipped


----------



## CraftyClown

Well I appear to have found myself back on the Sony train! 
  
 I just bought a WM1A off of Amazon warehouse for £695. Volume capped of course, but for that price I thought it worth at least testing out with my current phones.
  
 It is a bit of a gamble as my current fave IEMs are the Ety ER4 SR + XR which are 45 ohms. Has anyone here tried them with a volume capped Sony?


----------



## warrior1975

Welcome back bro!! Hope you enjoy it.


----------



## CraftyClown

warrior1975 said:


> Welcome back bro!! Hope you enjoy it.


 
  
 I'm pretty certain I will 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 How are you enjoying the 1Z?


----------



## Dithyrambes

LOL Crafty was the LPG train not enough for you? We have been hopping on the same trains.....LOL ZX2, Qp1R and I guess soon the Wm1a.


----------



## CraftyClown

dithyrambes said:


> LOL Crafty was the LPG train not enough for you? We have been hopping on the same trains.....LOL ZX2, Qp1R and I guess soon the Wm1a.


 
  
 lol, I know mate 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 The LPG is amazeballs, but I'm thinking the WM1A looks to be the value king here (in audiophile terms at least, as all of this gear is way overpriced!) 
  
 The first thing I plan to do is turn off all effects and DSP and do a side by side sound comparison of the two devices. If I don't hear any significant differences then the LPG may well be up for sale.


----------



## Acemcl

The WM1A with the Utopia is an incredible pairing.... the clarity and response is top notch... even coming from the A&K 240, I'm hearing new details which blew me away.... now just need to finish burning in the WM1A. Has anyone else tried this pairing? I'm trying to understand if it's worth getting a HP amplifier.


----------



## purk

acemcl said:


> The WM1A with the Utopia is an incredible pairing.... the clarity and response is top notch... even coming from the A&K 240, I'm hearing new details which blew me away.... now just need to finish burning in the WM1A. Has anyone else tried this pairing? I'm trying to understand if it's worth getting a HP amplifier.


 
  
 As great as the WM1A & WM1Z, a dedicated headphone amplifier will yield considerable amount of improvement.  The WM1Z at the end of the burn in period will likely be on par if not slightly better than the PHA3 in  balanced mode soundwise.  Still, it is quite a bit away from a top-end desktop amplifier such as the GS-X MKII or even the Sony very own TA-ZH1ES.


----------



## warrior1975

craftyclown said:


> I'm pretty certain I will
> 
> How are you enjoying the 1Z?




I'm enjoying it for sure. Still afraid to do a direct ab with my Cowon S though. It's a great dap. Sounds amazing, especially without eq which I rarely tolerate. In that sense it's definitely special to me.


----------



## audionewbi

Listening to HUGO and WM1A, I still slightly prefer the HUGO (cant say why, perhaps personal bias) but to me they are both cut from the cloth, so to speak. They sound too similar than different. And to me that is a big achievement on Sonys end!


----------



## Sound Eq

warrior1975 said:


> I'm enjoying it for sure. Still afraid to do a direct ab with my Cowon S though. It's a great dap. Sounds amazing, especially without eq which I rarely tolerate. In that sense it's definitely special to me.


 
 why without eq does eq make it sound less amazing which reminds me of ak380 which sounded better without eq


----------



## warrior1975

It doesn't sound better without eq... I said it sounds great without eq, which never is something I experience. I still prefer with eq, but, even without its a great sounding dap.


----------



## superotaku

audionewbi said:


> Listening to HUGO and WM1A, I still slightly prefer the HUGO (cant say why, perhaps personal bias) but to me they are both cut from the cloth, so to speak. They sound too similar than different. And to me that is a big achievement on Sonys end!




Interesting thoughts. Are you using the Z1Rs? I just picked them up in Tokyo and they are amazing. Sony has managed to keep musicality and fun but not sacrifice clarity. I currently own the HD800 and PS1000e and have owned the T1s and LCD3 Fazor along with a whole pile of various level phones.

I'm running the Z1Rs out of the Hugo through my MacBook Pro using Audirvana Plus 2 and am impressed, but am wondering if I'm missing synergy by not utilizing the balanced connection and a Sony made device. My guess is I'm not missing much but the OCD side of me can't stop wondering!!!

I might end up selling all my other phones and just have Sony kit. I'm that impressed.


----------



## ArrancarV

davidmolliere said:


> Yes it will be and a big one, I made the jump 3 weeks ago and never looked back, I am stunned at how good the WM1A is and that's singled ended WM1A vs DP-X1 balanced! Also that's volume capped WM1A vs japanese version of DP-X1.
> 
> The WM1A is full bodied, timbre and texture are just simply miles beter in my book and the layers and layers of depth...


 
  
 Thanks for your input @davidmolliere! A new DAP this way comes


----------



## audionewbi

superotaku said:


> Interesting thoughts. Are you using the Z1Rs? I just picked them up in Tokyo and they are amazing. Sony has managed to keep musicality and fun but not sacrifice clarity. I currently own the HD800 and PS1000e and have owned the T1s and LCD3 Fazor along with a whole pile of various level phones.
> 
> I'm running the Z1Rs out of the Hugo through my MacBook Pro using Audirvana Plus 2 and am impressed, but am wondering if I'm missing synergy by not utilizing the balanced connection and a Sony made device. My guess is I'm not missing much but the OCD side of me can't stop wondering!!!
> 
> I might end up selling all my other phones and just have Sony kit. I'm that impressed.


 
 I do not own the Z1R and  I have no plan to buy one, yet. I use a variety of gears to test my gear. These are the gears I mostly used:

Kaede II 
XBA-N3: Great bass and pairs nicely with 1A for modern music and most genera to be honest. Maybe lacks the width to suit classical music. 
Dita Truth
ER4S
JVC HA-SW01
JVC HA-FW01 (Single ended and balance)
ATH IM04
Sony MDR-EX1000 (the pairing with WM1A is far better than HUGO and as a result I ended up ordering a custom cable from PW-audio)
  
 I enjoy the bass presentation of WM1A for my FW01 far more than HUGO. HUGO perhaps wins on instrument placement and overall resolution but Sony isn't that far behind.
  
 I am actually in the process of selling my daps ans amps and just staying with HUGO, LPG and WM1A. If the Sony 4.4mm becomes mainstream I will sale all my gears and stay loyal to this movement as it simply works!
  
 I will be more than happy to stay with EX-1000 and WM1A if I had to decide between all my gears. I haven't decided on how well WM1A pairs with KSE1500, perhaps hugo wins this one but I like what I hear from wm1a single ended output.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

sound eq said:


> i have the tucana and saturn, the tucana is simply a great cable, honestly everyone who sees that cable is impressed and sound wise its as their description




Is tucana terminated 4.4?

How is it compared to Sony own Kimber 4.4 cable


----------



## lopes

hamhamhamsta said:


> Is tucana terminated 4.4?
> 
> How is it compared to Sony own Kimber 4.4 cable




I'm curious to know how well they fit over the ear too, they look awfully thick.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Kimber cable with Andromeda sounds amazing. Even jvc 850 sounds very good on wm1a balanced. I'm just wondering if it's the balanced or actually Kimber cable making them sounds so good. It's so far ahead of Alo reference 8, at least for jvc. Maybe better cable can produce even better sound NBC


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Lol NBC, it's dumb swipe on my phone.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

I'm using high gain on balanced.


----------



## Whitigir

purk said:


> As great as the WM1A & WM1Z, a dedicated headphone amplifier will yield considerable amount of improvement.  The WM1Z at the end of the burn in period will likely be on par if not slightly better than the PHA3 in  balanced mode soundwise.  Still, it is quite a bit away from a top-end desktop amplifier such as the GS-X MKII or even the Sony very own TA-ZH1ES.




I second this, and IMO, the 1Z does sound better than Pha-3 in lower trebles but with warmer signature and a more intimidating soundstage with vocal being more upfront. From preferences, I would agree that 1Z would be on the same par with pha-3 in general. For my own preferences, the 1Z is better as it has better lower trebles, and it requires no stacking. Ultimately, the TA-Zh1ES triumph them all as it is a high-end desktop equipment which is worth every penny. 

If 1A is worth it value tremendously, then the TA amp also is that for the retailed price.


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> Listening to HUGO and WM1A, I still slightly prefer the HUGO (cant say why, perhaps personal bias) but to me they are both cut from the cloth, so to speak. They sound too similar than different. And to me that is a big achievement on Sonys end!


wow that great, Wednesday shall be listening for mine


----------



## Whitigir

davidmolliere said:


> Yes it will be and a big one, I made the jump 3 weeks ago and never looked back, I am stunned at how good the WM1A is and that's singled ended WM1A vs DP-X1 balanced! Also that's volume capped WM1A vs japanese version of DP-X1.
> 
> The WM1A is full bodied, timbre and texture are just simply miles beter in my book and the layers and layers of depth...




I never liked DP-X1 from the beginning. I am very open minded, and as far as this hobby go, I do realize that there is the different between more analog sounding (tube like) or digital sounding (solid states). Of course in each signatures, there are bad and there are worse, then there is something of good quality. IMO, DP-X1 was not good for digital type of sounding, the Opus 2 is ways better. The Zx2 is good for more analog tuned signatures, but it power is low, and it lacks some resolutions at the lower trebles with the back ground not as clean. So, no doubt the 1A sounds much better, supposedly it is the alternative version of 1Z.

I would say if someone love the sound of Zx2 and want an upgrade, the 1A is definitely it successor and is on par with Pha-3 just as much as 1Z in balanced mode. However, if someone is seeking that extra warmth and tubes like ? The 1Z will have that. Expensive, of course, but if it requires no stacking ? Why not. The only downside is that neither 1A or 1Z can be used as External DAC. Under this situation, I would call 1A being tremendous value in comparison the 1Z, the 1A prices is just as much as Zx2 as you get more audio dedicated performances, you lose the wifi and android capability.....1Z is still priced too high IMO for what it offers, it performances is no doubt top tier (preferences aside), but 1Z is only aiming toward those who either want to be at the top of the productions line, or enjoy the ability of it luxury or both. In the end, people can chose to buy a High Lander from Toyota or an Rx350 from Lexus 

Also, to those who had been wondering, the engineers from Sony states that 1A is Zx2 direct successor but the company had chosen to stick with Walkman Os instead for better battery, upgradability, and sound performances, and so the name is WM and no longer ZX. Knowing Sony, Zx2 is probably the last of it ZX line with android OS. They also states that the 1A is approaching the Solid states signature as oppose to 1Z which is toward the Tube warmth. There, you have it


----------



## blazinblazin

hamhamhamsta said:


> Kimber cable with Andromeda sounds amazing. Even jvc 850 sounds very good on wm1a balanced. I'm just wondering if it's the balanced or actually Kimber cable making them sounds so good. It's so far ahead of Alo reference 8, at least for jvc. Maybe better cable can produce even better sound NBC


 
  
 I would say clarity wise Kimber is a bit lesser than ALO Ref8 but not far. 
  
 Kimber has a more coherent sound with it's filling background but still have plenty clarity and sparks in highs. Very full sounding. More depth in front.
  
 My 3.5mm Ref8 Andro WM1A combo makes the whole drum set sounds so wide... it felt funny.


----------



## purk

whitigir said:


> *I second this, and IMO, the 1Z does sound better than Pha-3 in lower trebles but with warmer signature and a more intimidating soundstage with vocal being more upfront.* From preferences, I would agree that 1Z would be on the same par with pha-3 in general. For my own preferences, the 1Z is better as it has better lower trebles, and it requires no stacking. Ultimately, the TA-Zh1ES triumph them all as it is a high-end desktop equipment which is worth every penny.
> 
> If 1A is worth it value tremendously, then the TA amp also is that for the retailed price.


 
 I agree with this as well but the PHA3 to my ears does sound warmer than the 1Z (using your silver/gold cable).  Of course, I still have 60 or so hours before the balanced break in period will hit the 200 hrs mark.  Hopefully, the soundstage will continue to improve....but I already begin to prefer the 1Z greater usability and all-day-long battery life.  That is just complete awesome in my book.  Plus, you can do an EQ on  the fly as well.  Bravo Sony!
  
*BTW, just found out that the NW-WM1Z can digital out DSD signal into the PHA3 and my Oppo HA-1 too....I'm happy as a ever!  Finally, a portable DSD digital transport is available upon us.  Great job Sony!*


----------



## mrrayray

acemcl said:


> The WM1A with the Utopia is an incredible pairing.... the clarity and response is top notch... even coming from the A&K 240, I'm hearing new details which blew me away.... now just need to finish burning in the WM1A. Has anyone else tried this pairing? I'm trying to understand if it's worth getting a HP amplifier.


 
 I also came from AK240, was listening to both 1A and 1Z  and I thought if I bought the 1A and would end up picking the 1Z after a while, might as well jump straight to the gold, and so did I


----------



## musicday

DX200 is going to be released in two days. 
Let's see if can shake Sony's ground.


----------



## superotaku

audionewbi said:


> I do not own the Z1R and  I have no plan to buy one, yet. I use a variety of gears to test my gear. These are the gears I mostly used:
> 
> Kaede II
> XBA-N3: Great bass and pairs nicely with 1A for modern music and most genera to be honest. Maybe lacks the width to suit classical music.
> ...


 

 Thanks for the detailed info!  I'm thinking I'll just stick with the Hugo as it's more versatile (I would have to sell it to purchase the WM1A).  
  
 I have to say it's awesome to see Sony making such high quality products once again because there was so much crap for so many years.  I still remember fondly when Sony was king and I saved a huge chunk of my high school part time job funds to purchase a 27" Trinitron in the mid-90s...it was amazing.  If you're into photography I can't recommend their mirrorless system enough!


----------



## Jalo

How is 1z driving Utopia compare to 1Z driving Z1R, both in balance 4.4? Has anyone compared to that?


----------



## jamato8

Are there any current comparisons of the WM1Z and the WM1A? 
  
 It seems the 1A is still one hundred over suggested retail on Amazon in the US.


----------



## FenderP

jamato8 said:


> Are there any current comparisons of the WM1Z and the WM1A?
> 
> It seems the 1A is still one hundred over suggested retail on Amazon in the US.


 
  
 Plenty in this thread.
  
 And the US version is not out yet. The one on Amazon is the imported one.


----------



## Acemcl

mrrayray said:


> I also came from AK240, was listening to both 1A and 1Z  and I thought if I bought the 1A and would end up picking the 1Z after a while, might as well jump straight to the gold, and so did I :happy_face1:




Good for you! That is some setup.....did you notice a big enough difference between the 1A and 1Z?


----------



## warrior1975

So, I finally went back to my Cowon S after using the Z non stop. I hear an immediate difference in the sound. The Z definitely has more warmth, a more analog sound to it. It sounds more natural to me. It's firmly noticeable too. I didn't think I'd be saying this... I truly loved my S... But the Z is different, noticeably different. All in a good way.


----------



## Dithyrambes

warrior1975 said:


> So, I finally went back to my Cowon S after using the Z non stop. I hear an immediate difference in the sound. The Z definitely has more warmth, a more analog sound to it. It sounds more natural to me. It's firmly noticeable too. I didn't think I'd be saying this... I truly loved my S... But the Z is different, noticeably different. All in a good way.


 
 I think its because you got used to the Sony Sound. Its great you like the Z more but I don't really believe its the best way to compare. You get used to a certain house sound and you keep listening for certain aspects of that sound you like in other devices...they may perform just as well but might just be different. If you like the sony house sound more, its the right choice to stick with it. For example some people love the Chord house sound. Some find it too thin and too hifi. Some people swear by the Schiit house sound, while some think Yggy sounds like glass shards...and thin. It all depends on your taste. I don't necessary take sides. Enjoy your WM1Z.


----------



## tangents

warrior1975 said:


> So, I finally went back to my Cowon S after using the Z non stop. I hear an immediate difference in the sound. The Z definitely has more warmth, a more analog sound to it. It sounds more natural to me. It's firmly noticeable too. I didn't think I'd be saying this... I truly loved my S... But the Z is different, noticeably different. All in a good way.


 
  
 Interested to hear your thoughts on how the UI's compare in terms of performance, usability, and feature set.


----------



## Whitigir

Plenue S can be used as standalone DAC, 1Z can be used as 11.2 MHz native DSD digital transport


----------



## warrior1975

dithyrambes said:


> I think its because you got used to the Sony Sound. Its great you like the Z more but I don't really believe its the best way to compare. You get used to a certain house sound and you keep listening for certain aspects of that sound you like in other devices...they may perform just as well but might just be different. If you like the sony house sound more, its the right choice to stick with it. For example some people love the Chord house sound. Some find it too thin and too hifi. Some people swear by the Schiit house sound, while some think Yggy sounds like glass shards...and thin. It all depends on your taste. I don't necessary take sides. Enjoy your WM1Z.




Thanks bro, I definitely will. 

I'm regards to your comments, that's not usually how I compare. I normally prefer to ab things, but in this instance the differences were so noticeable I was a bit taken back. Normally I don't year that much of a difference.

I will do some direct comparisons at some point though as that's my preferred method. 




tangents said:


> Interested to hear your thoughts on how the UI's compare in terms of performance, usability, and feature set.




The Cowon S is better hands down on UI and performance. I don't use standalone dacs or worry much about dsd. Just on the UI, the S is superior. It's faster, easier to use, and my biggest gripe on the Z, there is a manual search function on the S.

** Damn Sony and their stupid proprietary cable... Forgot my cable at my office, had to waste an hour going there and back to get it. Ordered 2 more of them from Amazon so I don't have to worry about this again. 2nd time I've done this.


----------



## turbo87

warrior1975 said:


> Thanks bro, I definitely will.
> 
> I'm regards to your comments, that's not usually how I compare. I normally prefer to ab things, but in this instance the differences were so noticeable I was a bit taken back. Normally I don't year that much of a difference.
> 
> ...


 

 Also, I am assuming you are listening to your 1Z in SE mode. You Should try it in the balanced mode also


----------



## warrior1975

Yes, unfortunately se. Waiting on balanced cables.


----------



## Tanjiro

Hi all, first of all, Happy New Year! 
I definitely will purchase a WM1A once it's available in N America. I have a question. Should I get the MUC-M12SB1 now, or waiting for other 4.4mm balanced cable? Thanks for any input.


----------



## blazinblazin

I would say just get the Sony 4.4mm Kimber while hunting your next cable.

You will have a feel on how SONY would like you to hear music.

Pretty good to me actually. It's 8 wire braided copper cable.


----------



## audionewbi

This year market will be fully saturated with 4.4mm cable.


----------



## CraftyClown

Am I correct in thinking replaygain is not supported on the WM1A/Z?


----------



## echineko

craftyclown said:


> Am I correct in thinking replaygain is not supported on the WM1A/Z?



Is this option what you mean?


----------



## CraftyClown

echineko said:


> Is this option what you mean?


 
  
 Thanks but no. Replaygain adds gain tags to flac files with an 89db peak. Essentially is makes all of your music play comfortably at around the same volume. Sadly only some DAPs support it.


----------



## echineko

craftyclown said:


> Thanks but no. Replaygain adds gain tags to flac files with an 89db peak. Essentially is makes all of your music play comfortably at around the same volume. Sadly only some DAPs support it.


 
 I seem to remember coming across something like that, to normalize the playback volume of different files. Can't remember which section it was under though, because I know it didn't interest me


----------



## Whitigir

echineko said:


> I seem to remember coming across something like that, to normalize the playback volume of different files. Can't remember which section it was under though, because I know it didn't interest me




Dynamic normalizer mode


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> Dynamic normalizer mode


 
  
 Thanks Whitigir, good to know. Now I come to think of it, I believe the ZX2 had a similar setting.
  
 So two more questions then... Does this normalizer still work when the device is in direct sound mode? and has anyone tried using the normalizer yet?
  
 Cheers


----------



## warrior1975

I don't believe you can enable it in direct mode. I did briefly. IIRC, it made it slightly louder.


----------



## jamato8

fenderp said:


> Plenty in this thread.
> 
> And the US version is not out yet. The one on Amazon is the imported one.


 

 Searched, haven't found them, direct comparisons.


----------



## blazinblazin

craftyclown said:


> Thanks Whitigir, good to know. Now I come to think of it, I believe the ZX2 had a similar setting.
> 
> So two more questions then... Does this normalizer still work when the device is in direct sound mode? and has anyone tried using the normalizer yet?
> 
> Cheers


 
 No it don't work on Direct sound mode as it is viewed as altered sound. Direct sound mode off all alterations to the music including normalizer.
  
 On a 2nd thought you can disable all other options and just use Normalizer only, which is i think equivalent.
  
 You have 4 options in Non-Direct mode, 1) upscaling to high res, 2) Adjust bass to sound more analog or tube-like, 3) Dynamic Normalizer, 4) EQ


----------



## audionewbi

Now that  am fully convinced by 1A the thoughts of wondering how much better the 1Z can be is slowly poisoning my mind. All I know 1A will make all other dap maker to either price their daps sensibly or they will face loosing a large portion of their market to 1A. Only if Sony knew how to market their products like some brands.....


----------



## Kiats

audionewbi said:


> Now that  am fully convinced by 1A the thoughts of wondering how much better the 1Z can be is slowly poisoning my mind. All I know 1A will make all other dap maker to either price their daps sensibly or they will face loosing a large portion of their market to 1A. Only if Sony knew how to market their products like some brands.....




Yup. The 1Z is quite something else. Been listening to music through the 4.4 mm balanced out. I now even travel without the LPG...


----------



## tenedosian

Dynamic normalizer is a common feature in Sony Walkman's.
  
 And the one implemented in WM1Z & WM1A *may* sometimes increase the track volume in playback, but in other times it may decrease (or not affect at all) in order to equalize them in a certain loudness level.
  
 The direct mode in WM Series Walkman's disable dynamic normalizer, too.


----------



## audionewbi

kiats said:


> Yup. The 1Z is quite something else. Been listening to music through the 4.4 mm balanced out. I now even travel without the LPG...


 
 I was afraid someone would say that.


----------



## audionewbi

For the fun of it I have started converting some files to DSD256 and uploaded to 1A. If you guys have time please try to do and report back if you guys interested.


----------



## aj05hi

Hi all, so I picked up WM1A for half price from Amazon (warehouse deal) can't wait for it to arrive.


----------



## Mimouille

kiats said:


> Yup. The 1Z is quite something else. Been listening to music through the 4.4 mm balanced out. I now even travel without the LPG...


The SE5 Ultimate is incredible out of the Z balanced...but for instance the Prophile-8 still has a nicer flavor on the LPG.


----------



## erictioh

When i hit direct source = OFF (without turning on any 1 of the 4 features under it), i noticed the sound already turn bad, such as some sibilant starts to occur and some slight distortion on bass. Turning direct source = ON immediate have the audio quality back to normal.
  
 I think there are some bug behind which it has triggered "something" when i just set off the direct source? Or someone can enlighten me how this is implemented in the player ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Dynamic normalizer doesn't works for me  on all wslkmans I have had (ha went tried the 1A yet) it appears to not work atvall


----------



## davidcotton

aj05hi said:


> Hi all, so I picked up WM1A for half price from Amazon (warehouse deal) can't wait for it to arrive.


 

 Lucky you.  Wonder what you will make of the eu cap though?


----------



## aj05hi

davidcotton said:


> Lucky you.  Wonder what you will make of the eu cap though?




Yeah was aware of the cap but the deal was too good to pass up. Should be powerful enough for my Zeus/Layla/K10.


----------



## davidcotton

aj05hi said:


> Yeah was aware of the cap but the deal was too good to pass up. Should be powerful enough for my Zeus/Layla/K10.


 

 I'll have to keep an eye out, not listed right now


----------



## CraftyClown

aj05hi said:


> Yeah was aware of the cap but the deal was too good to pass up. Should be powerful enough for my Zeus/Layla/K10.







davidcotton said:


> I'll have to keep an eye out, not listed right now




I think AJ and I grabbed the last two. At that price it seems worth a punt and we can always return it if the volume cap is unbearable


----------



## aj05hi

davidcotton said:


> I'll have to keep an eye out, not listed right now




Yeah was the only one listed so I snapped it up, good luck.


----------



## aj05hi

craftyclown said:


> I think AJ and I grabbed the last two. At that price it seems worth a punt and we can always return it if the volume cap is unbearable




Exactly


----------



## lopes

blazinblazin said:


> I would say just get the Sony 4.4mm Kimber while hunting your next cable.
> 
> You will have a feel on how SONY would like you to hear music.
> 
> Pretty good to me actually. It's 8 wire braided copper cable.


 

 What are kind of connectors are on the headphone end of that cable? Wondering what else it would be compatible with.


----------



## blazinblazin

lopes said:


> What are kind of connectors are on the headphone end of that cable? Wondering what else it would be compatible with.



I am using the MMCX connector


----------



## kms108

Anyone knows if the 4.4mm connector wiring is standard with all company who uses it, or can they just rewire them to there liking, I seen the MUC-M12SB1 cable really cheap, and since i don't have the WM1A yet, I was think of purchasing this cable first, and in case I don't get the WM1A, I can use it with other DAP in the near future, and has anyone tried the MUC-M12SB1 on the EX1000, EX800 or EX600.


----------



## FenderP

kms108 said:


> Anyone knows if the 4.4mm connector wiring is standard with all company who uses it, or can they just rewire them to there liking, I seen the MUC-M12SB1 cable really cheap, and since i don't have the WM1A yet, I was think of purchasing this cable first, and in case I don't get the WM1A, I can use it with other DAP in the near future, and has anyone tried the MUC-M12SB1 on the EX1000, EX800 or EX600.


 
  
 The Sony IEMs you have do not have that connection on the M12SB1 where it plus into the IEM, so it won't work. You'll need a custom made cable like this http://www.plussoundaudio.com/customcables/inearmonitor.html to have a 4.4mm end that works with the EX600/800/1000/7550. So it has nothing to do with the 4.4 end, and everything to do with the other.


----------



## kms108

fenderp said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Anyone knows if the 4.4mm connector wiring is standard with all company who uses it, or can they just rewire them to there liking, I seen the MUC-M12SB1 cable really cheap, and since i don't have the WM1A yet, I was think of purchasing this cable first, and in case I don't get the WM1A, I can use it with other DAP in the near future, and has anyone tried the MUC-M12SB1 on the EX1000, EX800 or EX600.
> ...


 

 I have custom adapters to support mmcx, they are available if search well.


----------



## FenderP

kms108 said:


> I have custom adapters to support mmcx, they are available if search well.


 
  
 You didn't say you had any adapters, so I'm still not wrong. You left out a crucial detail. Going straight, it's not going to work. Since you have those adapters, then the cable should work since it's for MMCX.


----------



## kms108

fenderp said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > I have custom adapters to support mmcx, they are available if search well.
> ...


 

 I'm not blaming you, i know a few here that has there EX series custom made to support MMCX, just want to know what the SQ is like and will different DAP rewire their balance differently or is there a standard to follow.


----------



## FenderP

kms108 said:


> I'm not blaming you, i know a few here that has there EX series custom made to support MMCX, just want to know what the SQ is like and will different DAP rewire their balance differently or is there a standard to follow.


 
  
 Plenty of 4.4mm impressions in this thread.
  
 The goal with 4.4mm the way Sony did it was to make it the standard, but it remains to be seen if other manufacturers will implement it the same way when/if they do 4.4.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Half price? I probably have to wait till 2018 for such a deal


aj05hi said:


> Hi all, so I picked up WM1A for half price from Amazon (warehouse deal) can't wait for it to arrive.


----------



## ross1974

Happy New Year everyone!
Would love to hear more impressions on the 1A/1Z and Z1R pairing.
Anyone?


----------



## erictioh

If wm1a 3.5mm supports TRRS, then i can plug in hifiman balance 3.5mm on the WM1A and it should sound as normal 3.5mm TRS plug ?


----------



## Dithyrambes

erictioh said:


> If wm1a 3.5mm supports TRRS, then i can plug in hifiman balance 3.5mm on the WM1A and it should sound as normal 3.5mm TRS plug ?


 
 yes...It'll actually sound better than regular trs, because the ground would be seperated. I assume though the truly balanced 4.4 will sound even better.


----------



## erictioh

Actually i don't have the hifiman 3.5MM headphone. I modified my 3.5MM TRS into 3.5MM TRRS by cutting the wire and re-solder.
  
 The result is "something wrong". Both drivers has sound but bass kicked on one side right side only, stereo effect is just congested.. Anyone has experience on this ? I have double check on all the connection that i'm doing it L+ R+ L- R- (left most is the tip of the jack)


----------



## ttt123

erictioh said:


> Actually i don't have the hifiman 3.5MM headphone. I modified my 3.5MM TRS into 3.5MM TRRS by cutting the wire and re-solder.
> 
> The result is "something wrong". Both drivers has sound but bass kicked on one side right side only, stereo effect is just congested.. Anyone has experience on this ? I have double check on all the connection that i'm doing it L+ R+ L- R- (left most is the tip of the jack)


 
 As a rewiring was done, that is the first thing to suspect.  Check with a multimeter for shorts between the wires.  It is very easy to get shorts from the soldering, or bare wire.


----------



## purk

erictioh said:


> Actually i don't have the hifiman 3.5MM headphone. I modified my 3.5MM TRS into 3.5MM TRRS by cutting the wire and re-solder.
> 
> The result is "something wrong". Both drivers has sound but bass kicked on one side right side only, stereo effect is just congested.. Anyone has experience on this ? I have double check on all the connection that i'm doing it L+ R+ L- R- (left most is the tip of the jack)


 
 out of phase.  recheck the wiring and terminal again.


----------



## echineko

Guys, unless I'm mistaken, someone shared a link to purchase port covers for the 1Z/1A, does anyone have the link?


----------



## erictioh

i have checked with multi-meter no short circuit. After desolder and restrain and removed those tiny fibers within the wire chuck and then re-solder, it sounded balance already (left and right are equal and vocal and bass hits in the middle), so i guess is some wire not properly touching the plug and creating high resistance.
  
 However i still find it weird and not nice to listen. I do not know how to explain.
  
 How do we check which wire goes to which driver ? Because from the original TRS plug the 2 ground cables are soldered together, so it could be a possibility i have inverted the L- and R-


----------



## kms108

erictioh said:


> i have checked with multi-meter no short circuit. After desolder and restrain and removed those tiny fibers within the wire chuck and then re-solder, it sounded balance already (left and right are equal and vocal and bass hits in the middle), so i guess is some wire not properly touching the plug and creating high resistance.
> 
> However i still find it weird and not nice to listen. I do not know how to explain.
> 
> How do we check which wire goes to which driver ? Because from the original TRS plug the 2 ground cables are soldered together, so it could be a possibility i have inverted the L- and R-


 

 Asuming you modify a 3.5mm TRS cable, it seems it's not possible to get TRRS, the problem is the Y section, the wiring should be R, L and two Ground from driver to the plug, in other word, four direct cables, just the same as a balanced one, in a normal 3.5 TRS, both left and right (4 wires in total) connects to the Y section to form 3 wires R, L and ground, in a TRRS configuration 4 cables reaches the plug . Hope my explination is easy to understand.


----------



## Whitigir

The only way to be sure is to open up the headphones and look into it driver back.


----------



## kms108

echineko said:


> Guys, unless I'm mistaken, someone shared a link to purchase port covers for the 1Z/1A, does anyone have the link?


 
  


echineko said:


> Guys, unless I'm mistaken, someone shared a link to purchase port covers for the 1Z/1A, does anyone have the link?


 

 Do you mean the WM port, I think the two main company that has them are benks from china and Sanwa from japan, both made in china, although I think the Benks one is better quality.


----------



## blazinblazin

What MicroSD cards are compatible with WM1A? 
  
 I tried to insert my Sandisk mSD card from my Fiio X5II to WM1A, but it won't work.


----------



## warrior1975

San disk works on mine, although I had to reformat it.


----------



## blazinblazin

warrior1975 said:


> San disk works on mine, although I had to reformat it.


 
  
 Probably i will try to get a new Sandisk mSD.
  
 My Sandisk msd was reformatted by my X5II.


----------



## erictioh

My IEM has 4 cables after the Y, i have tested the 2 negative is not connected in the Y.


----------



## ttt123

erictioh said:


> i have checked with multi-meter no short circuit. After desolder and restrain and removed those tiny fibers within the wire chuck and then re-solder, it sounded balance already (left and right are equal and vocal and bass hits in the middle), so i guess is some wire not properly touching the plug and creating high resistance.
> 
> However i still find it weird and not nice to listen. I do not know how to explain.
> 
> How do we check which wire goes to which driver ? Because from the original TRS plug the 2 ground cables are soldered together, so it could be a possibility i have inverted the L- and R-


 
 If the cable is terminated in a 2 pin CM connector, or any other detachable cable arrangement, then just do continuity with a meter from the connector pin to the wires at the plug. (unplug the connector from the IEM).   Identify them before soldering, otherwise, how can you know which wire to connect to which contact on the Plug?  So identify left and right + and -, and label them, before starting to solder.
  
 If the cable is not detachable from the earphone, then again use a meter on the Continuity, or Ohm scale, and put the 2 meter probes onto a pair of wires.  Say black meter probe on a Grd wire, and then the red probe on each of the + wires, one at a time.  When you have the meter probes on a pair going to the earphone, you will hear a sound from that earphone, as you touch it momentarily, as the voltage used by the meter for resistance measurement will drive the earphone in one direction (DC voltage).  You will hear a sound each time you touch the probe to the wire.    That will identify the right or left earphone.  The color of the wire will tell you which is GRD.
  
 If it is a removable connector at the earphone, look up for that type of connector which pin is +  (more needed for CM 2 pin arrangement than the other connector types.  And of course make sure both sides are wired the same, so they are in phase.


----------



## Gosod

I was able to listen to it, and the first that I did not like they changed the EQ, it was not convenient for me, they made it too big, it is not convenient to wear off to use it on the street!


----------



## CraftyClown

gosod said:


> I was able to listen to it, and the first that I did not like they changed the EQ, it was not convenient for me, they made it too big, it is not convenient to wear off to use it on the street!


 
  
 EQ too big?


----------



## Gosod

craftyclown said:


> EQ too big?


 
no player is too big!
the EQ I didn't like!


----------



## warrior1975

craftyclown said:


> EQ too big?




LMAO. At first glance, I thought the same. 

I don't find it too big, but it's definitely on the heavy side. I'm out walking with it now, and I definitely miss my much lighter Cowon. Not enough to ditch the Sony though. I did manage to ditch work though. Holiday and all... Left a few hours early today. Good way to start the new year.


----------



## flipper203

just received my beat audio cable, in 4.4mm, can't wait to test it tomorrow.....I'll have to burn in the balanced output now !!!


----------



## Cagin

blazinblazin said:


> What MicroSD cards are compatible with WM1A?
> 
> I tried to insert my Sandisk mSD card from my Fiio X5II to WM1A, but it won't work.


fiio reads root folder without trouble, but make sure all the music is under "/music" folder if you want Sony to be able to read it


----------



## blazinblazin

cagin said:


> fiio reads root folder without trouble, but make sure all the music is under "/music" folder if you want Sony to be able to read it


 
 Mine is always in music folder even for microSD in Fiio. But it just won't read


----------



## warrior1975

Did you format it with your Sony?


----------



## echineko

blazinblazin said:


> Mine is always in music folder even for microSD in Fiio. But it just won't read :blink:



FiiO uses FAT32 to format the microSD cards, if I remember correctly. The Walkman OS likely uses a different file system, so it's not readable. Just format it via the Walkman as mentioned, that should solve everything.


----------



## turbo87

Guys, what kind of battery life are you getting with the 1a and 1z. Anywhere near the 30 hour quoted for flacs?


----------



## blazinblazin

Quote:



warrior1975 said:


> Did you format it with your Sony?


 
  
 Nope. I just want to see if the card Fomatted by Fiio works on Sony.
  
  


echineko said:


> FiiO uses FAT32 to format the microSD cards, if I remember correctly. The Walkman OS likely uses a different file system, so it's not readable. Just format it via the Walkman as mentioned, that should solve everything.


 
  
 Probably that's why.


----------



## bvng3540

turbo87 said:


> Guys, what kind of battery life are you getting with the 1a and 1z. Anywhere near the 30 hour quoted for flacs?




I got 24 hrs for my 1a


----------



## echineko

bvng3540 said:


> I got 24 hrs for my 1a



Is that with high gain?


----------



## bvng3540

echineko said:


> Is that with high gain?




Yes


----------



## erictioh

Thanks all for the useful feedback. I have solved the issue by simply swapping R+ with R-. Now my 3.5MM plug supports 4 poles, when my 4.4MM plug reached i will make a 4.4MM male to 3.5MM (4 poles) female to join with my earphone. This way i don't hard wire my earphone to 4.4MM plug but able to use it for other players too.


----------



## turbo87

bvng3540 said:


> I got 24 hrs for my 1a




Is that with direct source or with special sound settings on. Balanced or SE. And what level of volume?


----------



## bvng3540

On high gain, se and direct source, volume is at 8-12, that is 8-12 and not 80-120


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Happy new year to everyone.
 Where can i buy a wm1a from, uncapped with english menus?
  
 many thanks


----------



## nvtdien

wm1a can use mircoSD card 256GB  is not ??


----------



## CraftyClown

nvtdien said:


> wm1a can use mircoSD card 256GB  is not ??


 
  
 Yes it can


----------



## CosmicHolyGhost

I got a co-worker to buy that sony usb OTG thing for my 1A walkman, can it be used an an OTG storage or its purely used to connect to external usb dac?


----------



## turbo87

bvng3540 said:


> On high gain, se and direct source, volume is at 8-12, that is 8-12 and not 80-120


 

 Really 8-12 on volume? No wonder you are getting 24 hours


----------



## Dithyrambes

turbo87 said:


> Really 8-12 on volume? No wonder you are getting 24 hours


 
 i listen 1 or 2 notches up on the andros on the zx2, so I assume he listens on ultra low levels like me ><. can't imagine going past 20 percent really


----------



## warrior1975

I am not sure how many hours I get on a full charge, I do know it's a lot. Are you guys using the charging cap at 90%? I am... Not sure why I am as I'm sure I'll sell this long before battery issues arise.


----------



## turbo87

warrior1975 said:


> I am not sure how many hours I get on a full charge, I do know it's a lot. Are you guys using the charging cap at 90%? I am... Not sure why I am as I'm sure I'll sell this long before battery issues arise.


 

 Yes, I am using the 90% charging cap. Do you have any of the sound settings turned on? Also what volume level? In my case, I am getting around 15 hours with sound settings turned on and mixture of Balanced and SE. But mostly SE. Seems low to me. But I am going to try with sound setting turned off and only SE for the next round,


----------



## warrior1975

I use eq only. Only se and around 50 in volume. Iems only. I'd say I'm getting about the same as a guesstimate.


----------



## musicday

Take this:
USB flash drive 2 TB
Otg anyone?
:https://www.google.co.uk/search?ei=JvFrWP6OB4eFgAaa05WYCw&q=ces+2017&oq=ces&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.1.1.0i131i67k1j0i67k1l2j0i46i67k1j46i67k1.1609.2091.0.3764.4.3.0.1.1.0.453.891.0j1j1j0j1.3.0....0...1.1.64.mobile-gws-serp..1.3.629.3..41j0i131k1.eJxFUhoGWb4


----------



## audionewbi

cosmicholyghost said:


> I got a co-worker to buy that sony usb OTG thing for my 1A walkman, can it be used an an OTG storage or its purely used to connect to external usb dac?


Yes it can


----------



## FenderP

Finally got my Japanese 1A today. I waited and found what I was willing to pay for it. Mine was used and didn't come with the box but it was super cheap. Bless the Japanese for discounting when things are incomplete and may have a small ding. It works just fine. Now to charge it and load it up with music.


----------



## warrior1975

Nice bro, congrats! Welcome to the family!!


----------



## CraftyClown

Has anyone had issues with sd cards showing up?
  
 My WM1A doesn't detect my Sandisk ultra 200gig at all. It shows up fine on plenty of other devices, just not the Sony. 
  
 I have a 64gig and a 128gig that work ok, but just not the 200.


----------



## turbo87

did you format it inside the player? i have the sandisk 200gig, which was not recognized initially , until I formatted it in the player. Now it works fine.


----------



## CraftyClown

turbo87 said:


> did you format it inside the player? i have the sandisk 200gig, which was not recognized initially , until I formatted it in the player. Now it works fine.


 
  
 I can't format it in the player, as the player doesn't even see it.


----------



## purk

craftyclown said:


> I can't format it in the player, as the player doesn't even see it.


 
 Format outside of the player as "exFat" and it should work.


----------



## CraftyClown

purk said:


> Format outside of the player as "exFat" and it should work.


 
  
 Nope. That was the first thing I tried.
  
 It's very peculiar, because it works in all other devices I've tried it in and other cards work fine in the Sony player, so the problem isn't at that end.
  
 Scratching my head.


----------



## purk

craftyclown said:


> Nope. That was the first thing I tried.
> 
> It's very peculiar, because it works in all other devices I've tried it in and other cards work fine in the Sony player, so the problem isn't at that end.
> 
> Scratching my head.


 
 How about exfat and create a "music" folder and placing the files inside the folder?


----------



## bvng3540

How do I make the album photo show on my 1a as a displace thanks


----------



## warrior1975

I have a San disk 200gb and it worked. When you insert it, does it do anything? (that sounds so bad)... My Samsung SD car it didn't recognize at all either.


----------



## CraftyClown

purk said:


> How about exfat and create a "music" folder and placing the files inside the folder?


 
  
 I tried adding a music folder, but still nothing at all.
  


warrior1975 said:


> I have a San disk 200gb and it worked. When you insert it, does it do anything? (that sounds so bad)... My Samsung SD car it didn't recognize at all either.


 
  
 Yeah it's pretty weird. I just tried the 200gig card from my girlfriend's Shanling M1 and it doesn't see that either 
  
 The reader isn't broken because it sees 64gig and 128gig cards, just not the 200s
  
 What the hell is going on?


----------



## purk

craftyclown said:


> I tried adding a music folder, but still nothing at all.
> 
> 
> Yeah it's pretty weird. I just tried the 200gig card from my girlfriend's Shanling M1 and it doesn't see that either
> ...


 
 Could it be your card?  I have Samsung 256 GB in it and it works fine on me.


----------



## warrior1975

Definitely weird. I know it doesn't recognize it, but did you check the menu to see if you can format it? Mine originally said it was corrupt or unreadable or some nonsense, but I was able to format it anyway.


----------



## CraftyClown

purk said:


> Could it be your card?  I have Samsung 256 GB in it and it works fine on me.


 
  
 Well I thought so, until I tried another 200gig card and it couldn't see that either.
  
 Mine is the European version. Has anyone else with the Euro version tried a 200gig card?


----------



## CraftyClown

warrior1975 said:


> Definitely weird. I know it doesn't recognize it, but did you check the menu to see if you can format it? Mine originally said it was corrupt or unreadable or some nonsense, but I was able to format it anyway.


 
  
 If you try selecting format, it just says there is no SD card inserted


----------



## warrior1975

That sucks. Is there a local store you can go to to try to format the SD card in their player? Obviously something wrong here... Or maybe reformat to whatever Sony requires via pc?


----------



## CraftyClown

blazinblazin said:


> Mine is always in music folder even for microSD in Fiio. But it just won't read


 
  
  
 Hey dude, did you ever get your card to read? Was it the 200gig by any chance?
  
 Which version of the WM1A do you have?


----------



## CraftyClown

warrior1975 said:


> That sucks. Is there a local store you can go to to try to format the SD card in their player? Obviously something wrong here... Or maybe reformat to whatever Sony requires via pc?


 
  
 I don't think that's the problem mate. The player should be able to at least detect a card, even if it can't write to it.
  
 For some reason my device doesn't appear to detect anything above 128gig
  
 This is serious donkey balls!


----------



## warrior1975

I agree with you, 100%. Just trying to possibly narrow it down a little. Either way, it seems like a problem with the player. Sorry bro, very unfortunate.


----------



## SoLame

craftyclown said:


> I don't think that's the problem mate. The player should be able to at least detect a card, even if it can't write to it.
> 
> For some reason my device doesn't appear to detect anything above 128gig
> 
> This is serious donkey balls!


 
 Just a thought: did you try to Mount/Unmount SD Card?


----------



## CraftyClown

warrior1975 said:


> I agree with you, 100%. Just trying to possibly narrow it down a little. Either way, it seems like a problem with the player. Sorry bro, very unfortunate.


 
  
 Thanks for trying mate. It's a real puzzler


----------



## echineko

craftyclown said:


> I don't think that's the problem mate. The player should be able to at least detect a card, even if it can't write to it.
> 
> For some reason my device doesn't appear to detect anything above 128gig
> 
> This is serious donkey balls!



I had a new Sandisk lying about that I hadn't used yet, it was a 200Gb one too, tried it after reading your posts. No problems at all. 

I'm curious, just a silly question, but you have inserted it the right way? Sometimes we slip up on the tiniest detail  Even when the SD card isn't mounted, it should still be able to reformat it (just tried it on mine, works even after being umounted). I'm wondering if you need to reseat the card again.


----------



## doofalb

cosmicholyghost said:


> I got a co-worker to buy that sony usb OTG thing for my 1A walkman, can it be used an an OTG storage or its purely used to connect to external usb dac?


 
 I'm interested in the USB OTG thing, what's the part #?


----------



## CraftyClown

echineko said:


> I had a new Sandisk lying about that I hadn't used yet, it was a 200Gb one too, tried it after reading your posts. No problems at all.
> 
> I'm curious, just a silly question, but you have inserted it the right way? Sometimes we slip up on the tiniest detail
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Yeah, sadly it's not that. I genuinely wish it was human error


----------



## rcoleman1

craftyclown said:


> Yeah, sadly it's not that. I genuinely wish it was human error


 

 I had the same problem with my 200GB Sandisk mSD card at first. I just kept ejecting it and reinserting it while it was connected via USB and then after about 10-15 times it detected it and it's been fine ever since. Hope this helps.


----------



## CraftyClown

rcoleman1 said:


> I had the same problem with my 200GB Sandisk mSD card at first. I just kept ejecting it and reinserting it while it was connected via USB and then after about 10-15 times it detected it and it's been fine ever since. Hope this helps.


 
  
 Really? That's not right is it.
  
 I can't think why it would only be the 200gig cards that would be affected though. Any other card works immediately.


----------



## blazinblazin

craftyclown said:


> Hey dude, did you ever get your card to read? Was it the 200gig by any chance?
> 
> Which version of the WM1A do you have?



Nope never even detect lol
It was fine with all my Fiio players and pc. 64GB Sandisk card.

My WM1A is from Singapore so should be international version


----------



## CraftyClown

blazinblazin said:


> Nope never even detect lol
> It was fine with all my Fiio players and pc. 64GB Sandisk card.
> 
> My WM1A is from Singapore so should be international version


 
  
 Same problem I'm having by the looks of it. 
  
 When I insert the card the orange light flashes once and then twice, followed by nothing. If I insert any other cards the device carries on flashing and the card is detected.
  
 I would put it down to the card, if it wasn't for the fact that both 200gig cards I tried did the same thing.
  
 This is so damn annoying


----------



## echineko

It seems both of you are having problems with cards that were earlier formatted for usage on other devices. Mine was new and unused (200 Gb Sandisk), it was detected and worked just fine. The thing to do might be to find a way to format your microSD into the exFAT filesystem before inserting it into the Walkman, you should be able to do this on a PC.
  
 Try that first and get back to us, right now I don't think either the microSD card or Walkman is at fault.
  
 EDIT: I think this should be fairly obvious, but just in case, reformatting the microSD card will wipe out everything that's currently on it


----------



## CraftyClown

echineko said:


> It seems both of you are having problems with cards that were earlier formatted for usage on other devices. Mine was new and unused (200 Gb Sandisk), it was detected and worked just fine. The thing to do might be to find a way to format your microSD into the exFAT filesystem before inserting it into the Walkman, you should be able to do this on a PC.
> 
> Try that first and get back to us, right now I don't think either the microSD card or Walkman is at fault.
> 
> EDIT: I think this should be fairly obvious, but just in case, reformatting the microSD card will wipe out everything that's currently on it




I did format it on a PC. I think I mentioned it earlier in the thread. The issue isn't a formatting one, as the device doesn't detect the card at all. Even if it had the wrong file system, you should be able to format from within the Sony device. Besides, all of my other cards work fine, despite not being brand new.


----------



## blazinblazin

What card are you all using?

While i do a research before i get a new card.


----------



## kubig123

I'm on the market for a new iem.
  
 I was considering the Campfire Vega or the Andromeda.
  
 Any suggestion?


----------



## blazinblazin

kubig123 said:


> I'm on the market for a new iem.
> 
> I was considering the Campfire Vega or the Andromeda.
> 
> Any suggestion?




You like Bass type or Highs type?

Bass probably go for Vega, Highs go for Andro.

Best if you can give both a test.


----------



## CosmicHolyGhost

doofalb said:


> I'm interested in the USB OTG thing, what's the part #?


 
Sony WMC-NWH10   
 A co-worker got these two for me from Yodabashi.. note that I wont be able to test until next week to confirm.


----------



## Whitigir

I like that case, where do I find it


----------



## echineko

Quote:


whitigir said:


> I like that case, where do I find it


 
  
 http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000113179/ct2848/
  
 Looks like they have the leather case in a few colours too. Maybe use one of those Japan shopping sites to get it, if you really like it?
  


craftyclown said:


> I did format it on a PC. I think I mentioned it earlier in the thread. The issue isn't a formatting one, as the device doesn't detect the card at all. Even if it had the wrong file system, you should be able to format from within the Sony device. Besides, all of my other cards work fine, despite not being brand new.


 
  
 That's a pretty odd case, then. If you've ruled out the usual suspects, might be time to have it looked at?
  
 Edit: To be precise and not overlook anything, what options did you choose when performing the reformat?


----------



## ttt123

craftyclown said:


> I did format it on a PC. I think I mentioned it earlier in the thread. The issue isn't a formatting one, as the device doesn't detect the card at all. Even if it had the wrong file system, you should be able to format from within the Sony device. Besides, all of my other cards work fine, despite not being brand new.


 
 I have a Sandisk 200GB, which was originally formatted in the ZX2, and I just moved it over to the 1A, no problem.  For your problem, time to do the following troubleshooting steps:  
  
 1. Settings/Device Settings has a RESET/FORMAT option.  Try that.  Backup the music on your internal memory first, and remove any SD card, before doing the Reset/Format/Restore to Factory Configuration
 2.  Try re-installing the Firmware, as that will reset everything. Try the reformat after the firmware, if no luck with the firmware install
  
 The above steps are to try to reinitialize the OS, and all parameters.  Sometimes, a Restore to Factory is needed, even after a firmware restore.  For Router 3rd party firmware flashing, this was the case, to erase/reset all the semi permanent memory that was being used by the OS.
  
 Try the above, as there is nothing to lose, and it is pretty quick.  With PCs, and most/all devices, these are the last resort, and also one of the first things that should be done  if strange problems that do not make any sense occur, before taking the step of hardware replacement.


----------



## PCheung

How about factory reset your walkman with SD card mounted 

Or did you reboot your machine?
Maybe some problem while creating database on boot


----------



## bvng3540

I had mine 200gb formatted in the zx100 and work fine on mine 1a, I think people that their cards not working because those cards are fake


----------



## rcl5555

In case anyone is interested, Surf Cables has the 4.4 mm plugs in stock and can custom make a cable for you.  I ordered one yesterday afternoon and it shipped today.  I have purchased from them before and they offer great quality cables at a very reasonable prices and have excellent service.  There website is https://www.surfcables.com.


----------



## purk

rcl5555 said:


> In case anyone is interested, Surf Cables has the 4.4 mm plugs in stock and can custom make a cable for you.  I ordered one yesterday afternoon and it shipped today.  I have purchased from them before and they offer great quality cables at a very reasonable prices and have excellent service.  There website is https://www.surfcables.com.


 
 Do you have to contact them or click on a 4.4 mm link some where on their site?


----------



## doofalb

cosmicholyghost said:


> Sony WMC-NWH10
> A co-worker got these two for me from Yodabashi.. note that I wont be able to test until next week to confirm.


 
  
 Thanks! Let us know how it goes...


----------



## Mimouille

cosmicholyghost said:


> Sony WMC-NWH10
> 
> 
> A co-worker got these two for me from Yodabashi.. note that I wont be able to test until next week to confirm.


does the case open sideways or like the stock case？Can you please show a pic?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yeah baby yeaaaahhhh 


Arrived from Deutschland, I am sad because my boyfriend 


Initial impressions with few minutes, sound godly awesome, better than zx100, soundstage is huge


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yeah baby yeaaaahhhh
> 
> 
> Arrived from Deutschland, I am sad because my boyfriend
> ...




Wait till you try balanced 4.4mm


----------



## blazinblazin

Yeah the 4.4mm is the star.
  
 I burn in 200 hours on 3.5mm then switch to 4.4mm and wowed myself.
  
 Then now I started to burn 4.4mm 150hrs mark, man this is more wow then the 1st time I plug into the 4.4mm.


----------



## CosmicHolyGhost

mimouille said:


> does the case open sideways or like the stock case？Can you please show a pic?


----------



## Mimouille

Thanks, the ergonomics look great, I am not a fan of the grain of the leather but that is just taste.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Pics and impressions coming later, must pretty up the new music files I got from friend


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> Pics and impressions coming later, must pretty up the new music files I got from friend


 
  
 Worth the wait Gerardo?


----------



## gerelmx1986

craftyclown said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Pics and impressions coming later, must pretty up the new music files I got from friend
> ...


yes worth the 2 month wait, simply out of the box, for 28 minutes of playing in normal 3.5 stereo jack, sounds superb, like nothing I heard before!!, the weight is heavier than zx100, but feels nice in hands. 

Makes the zx100 sound cheap , in New year heard the Beethoven 9th symphony live, so I will load my HV Karajan album tonit

I noted a difference of 20 to 30 steps less in volume using high vs normal hain


----------



## CraftyClown

echineko said:


> That's a pretty odd case, then. If you've ruled out the usual suspects, might be time to have it looked at?
> 
> Edit: To be precise and not overlook anything, what options did you choose when performing the reformat?


 
  
 ExFat default settings on a windows 10 machine
  


ttt123 said:


> I have a Sandisk 200GB, which was originally formatted in the ZX2, and I just moved it over to the 1A, no problem.  For your problem, time to do the following troubleshooting steps:
> 
> 1. Settings/Device Settings has a RESET/FORMAT option.  Try that.  Backup the music on your internal memory first, and remove any SD card, before doing the Reset/Format/Restore to Factory Configuration
> 2.  Try re-installing the Firmware, as that will reset everything. Try the reformat after the firmware, if no luck with the firmware install
> ...


 
  
  


pcheung said:


> How about factory reset your walkman with SD card mounted
> 
> Or did you reboot your machine?
> Maybe some problem while creating database on boot


 
  
 I tried all of the above, including updating to the newest firmware, factory resetting and rebuilding the database. Sadly no joy.
  
  


bvng3540 said:


> I had mine 200gb formatted in the zx100 and work fine on mine 1a, I think people that their cards not working because those cards are fake


 
  
 Nope. Both 200 gig cards were purchased from Amazon direct and I have tested them in an android app that confirms whether cards are genuine or not.
  
  
  
 I'm tempted to order in a 256gig card, just to see whether the issue is with cards above 128gig or specifically the 200gig cards.


----------



## ledzep

craftyclown said:


> ExFat default settings on a windows 10 machine
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I have 3 sandisk 200gb cards all formatted with the player all work ok


----------



## CraftyClown

ledzep said:


> I have 3 sandisk 200gb cards all formatted with the player all work ok


 
  
  
 Yeah, weird isn't it?
  
 I can't see the logic behind this. If the player was at fault, I don't see why it would read all my other cards and if the cards were at fault, I don't know why they'd work in all my other devices.
  
 It's a really frustrating problem.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have a 256GB Evo Samsung, has been formatted in zx100, though, I haven't tested on 1A yet as I need to move my trip backups to pc


----------



## Bengkia369

Anyone here compared a WM1A with the Opus #2?


----------



## warrior1975

CraftyClown Rich, maybe it has something to do. With its partition? I remember reading somewhere that formatting the SD card won't change its partition


----------



## CraftyClown

warrior1975 said:


> @CraftyClown Rich, maybe it has something to do. With its partition? I remember reading somewhere that formatting the SD card won't change its partition


 
  
 I've not given up yet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I've just found a 128 gig card from my old QP1R that can't be read either. I need to do some more experimenting me thinks.


----------



## Bengkia369

Will get hold a WM1A to do a head to head listen with my Opus #2.


----------



## ledzep

Very nice indeed


----------



## ttt123

craftyclown said:


> ExFat default settings on a windows 10 machine
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I'm not sure what your Android tester does, but I have used this Windows program.
  
 Long shot, but this  H2testw tester will test usb or memory card for fake memory cards that have the TOC (Table Of Contents)  altered to make the card look bigger than it really is.  I bought some  USB memory that was doing this, and it was hard to detect.  This tester does a repetitive write/read over the whole card, and determines what the actual size of the card is by writing to it, and not from what the internal TOC is saying.  I had done a test write/read, but not over the whole card, and thought that was enough to verify a good card.  It was not.  Formats also respond like normal.  In short, it looked like a card of the stated capacity, but it was not.
  
 For a 200GB card, it will take quite a while for the tester to fill it up.
  
 A quicker test is just to copy to it, close to it's capacity, and check that all the files look OK, can be read, etc.
  
 Fake memory cards overwrite the earlier files on the card, and their filetype does not look right, and you cannot read them.  From your symptoms, it is a possibility that the Sony is detecting something about the cards that the other players are not, and never finishes initializing the card.
  
 http://www.download3k.com/Install-H2testw.html


----------



## TokenGesture

I had a similar problem with a 200gb Sandisk card which was not recognised by the 1A. In the end I reformatted in another older Sony Walkman I had to hand and then the 1A recognised it.


----------



## Gibraltar

*WM1A vs WM1Z Comparison

I recently spent several hours A-B testing the 1A and 1Z and thought I'd share my observations. All testing was done with my Fitear MH335DW SRs. The units were set to direct mode with low gain. I tested three different pairs of units for just over an hour each:

Shop 1: Firmware 1.0, 1A 71 hours, 1Z 36 hours
Shop 2: Firmware 1.01, 1A 139 hours, 1Z 83 hours
Shop 3. Firmware 1.02, 1A 105 hours, 1Z 132 hours

These were all store demo units so I can't say how many hours went into balanced vs. single ended use. I did the majority of my listening on the 3.5 single ended output, but Shop 3 had a 4.4->2.5 adapter available so I did some listening in balanced mode there.

First of all, some general observations that apply to both units.

These units have noticeable input lag specifically on the playback controls (play, pause, skip, etc). This did not impact UI navigation, which was quick and painless. Under normal conditions the lag didn't bother me, but a couple use cases were disruptive. Play and pause both lagged up to 500ms or so. The pause lag was particularly annoying when trying to pause the music at specific points for A-B comparisons. The other case that bothered me was whenever I clicked the wrong track or skipped forward or back by accident. It was impossible to correct quickly and I was often left uncertain if my input had registered.

Fortunately the lag seems to have decreased a bit with firmware 1.02, so hopefully Sony will continue to work on this.

Next I'll discuss balanced vs unbalanced operation. I had to use a different cable for balanced testing so that could have some impact, but hopefully not a large one. The main differences I noticed when switching to balanced was a lower noise floor (totally silent!) and much greater channel separation. The overall character of the sound did not change, but balanced was an obvious improvement even with IEMs.

There have been a lot of comments already on the overall sound signature of these DAPs so my impressions will focus on the differences I heard. I will say though that these are both excellent DAPs with involving, dynamic sound and I would be very happy living with either of them.

During my listening sessions I queued up the same track on both players and switched back and forth, eventually playing through the full track on each. I jotted down my immediate impressions as I went. I then went back to focus on specific points of interest. Below is the track list along with my notes on each.

Diana Krall - Love Me Like a Man
Album : The Girl In The Other Room
DSD64
1A: Clear sound, more emphasis on leading edges and hence a more 'toe tapping', exciting sound. 'S' sounds stand out more in vocals 
1Z: Less emphasis on 's' sounds, more relaxed feeling, details I noticed on the 1A went unnoticed here.
On this song I preferred the 1A as I felt it better conveyed the drive and rhythm of the song.

Diana Krall - Departure Bay 
Album : The Girl In The Other Room
DSD64
1A: This song also had a strong sense of clarity in both vocals and instruments. The singer's breathing was also more apparent.
1Z: The 1Z made the track feel more intimate. Room ambience was much more apparent, especially in the vocals. Emphasis was on tonality over detail.
The 1Z pulled ahead on this track, conveying the emotion in the singer's voice beautifully.

Cowboy Junkies - Supernatural
Album: The Nomad Series Volume 4 - Demons
FLAC 16/44
1A: Airy sounding, string plucks sound great, more forward sound, imaging is pinpoint sharp.
1Z: Natural, relaxed, sense of ambience is great, more smoothly distributed soundstage.
I enjoyed both players on this track, so I won't pick a winner here.

Dvořák: Symphony No. 9, From the New World, 1st movement 
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by István Kertész
DSD64
1A: The horn section stood out more on the 1A. It also presented an overall more powerful presentation.
1Z: The strings were a strong point of the 1Z, where they had an excellent sense of tone and resonance. The soundstage was equivalent in width and depth to the 1A but sounded more coherent with the different instruments flowing into one another.
I'll give this one to the 1Z, but on the condition that I'd want to use a higher volume setting vs the 1A to achieve the proper sense of scale.

Saint-Saëns - Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso Op. 28
Your Lie In April Soundtrack
FLAC 24/96
1A: Pure tone, sense of accuracy, better drive and excitement. Light and prancing violin. The breathing of the violinist was more obvious vs the 1Z.
1Z: full bodied sound, excellent hall ambience and reverberation, can hear the wood of the violin. Emphasis on tone over air.
I enjoyed both players on this track, but I'll give a slight edge to the 1A. It delivers better on the excitement of the piece and on the nuances of the bow work here.

Amon Amarth - Twilight of the Thunder God 
Album: Twilight of the Thunder God 
MP3 320 Kbps
I didn't take detailed notes for this track. Based on the above results though I expected the 1A to win here. Interestingly though the 1Z held its own, losing nothing to the 1A. I expect it would also be a bit less fatiguing in long listening sessions.

So the question now is which one to buy...and I'm still not sure I've made a decision. It's hard to rationally justify the price premium of the 1Z, but it does do some great things with acoustic music and has a wonderfully luxurious feel. I think based on sound alone though many people will actually prefer the 1A. It has a more versatile signature and will appeal to people that like accuracy and detail. In return for its great ambience and tone the 1Z tends to remove the excitement and drive from some songs. 

Hope some people will find this useful!*


----------



## CraftyClown

Cracked it!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 It seems like the new Sony WM devices are very fussy when it comes to the formatting of cards.
  
 Three of my cards; 1 x 128gig card and 2 x 200gig cards would not work, whatever way I tried formatting them on several different Windows 10 machines.
  
 I did a bit of research and came across some software from the SD association, who advice using a dedicated formatting tool for SD cards rather than OS formatting.
  
 Long story short I downloaded the software, used it on all three cards and they all now work perfectly.
  
 Here's a link if anyone else is struggling with an SD card that can't be recognised
  
 https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/index.html


----------



## ledzep

Just the 4.4 kimber for the Z7's and the 4.4 puresound for the EX1000's and I've covered all my bases.


----------



## kms108

craftyclown said:


> Cracked it!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 SD formatter is a official software made for all memory cards which meets the SD specifications, built in format software on a window OS is useless and in most case does not work well.


----------



## nvtdien

use 4.4->2.5 adapter or sony MUC-M12SB1 Kimber Kable 4.4mm, these different sound different, should choose which one is best


----------



## CraftyClown

kms108 said:


> SD formatter is a official software made for all memory cards which meets the SD specifications, built in format software on a window OS is useless and in most case does not work well.


 
  
 Where were you with this info when I was pulling my hair out yesterday? lol


----------



## kms108

craftyclown said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > SD formatter is a official software made for all memory cards which meets the SD specifications, built in format software on a window OS is useless and in most case does not work well.
> ...


 

 Apparently, when I got to this site, you have already sorted it out, I'm always on my phone, but hate using it to type, so I needed to get to a PC to do this.


----------



## rcl5555

Here is the link to order the cables: https://www.surfcables.com/collections/cables/products/sony-4-4mm-balanced-connectors-for-nw-wm1z-nw-wm1a-etc


----------



## phonomat

gibraltar said:


> *WM1A vs WM1Z Comparison
> *


*


Thank you for these great impressions, Gibraltar. Looks like further confirmation that I made the right choice with the 1A for my needs.*


----------



## CraftyClown

kms108 said:


> Apparently, when I got to this site, you have already sorted it out, I'm always on my phone, but hate using it to type, so I needed to get to a PC to do this.


 
  
 No worries. I was only teasing you


----------



## bvng3540

rcl5555 said:


> Here is the link to order the cables: https://www.surfcables.com/collections/cables/products/sony-4-4mm-balanced-connectors-for-nw-wm1z-nw-wm1a-etc




Does it take months to get when order?


----------



## warrior1975

Glad you finally got it sorted bro. Now enjoy your new device!!


----------



## vilhelm44

bvng3540 said:


> Does it take months to get when order?


 
  
 I ordered a cable with 4.4 plug last week from YY Pro Audio and it's already in the post. Pretty speedy service.


----------



## vilhelm44

I got delivery of my Inear Prophile-8 yesterday and have to say that they are a fantastic pairing with the WM1A is SE. Soundstage is superb and it's brought out more details and nuances to the music. The dynamics are superb, very airy and also sounds nicely balanced even with the small bass boost.  Can't wait to hear these in balanced mode.
  
 I love my CE6Ps but the Prophile-8 makes them sound slightly veiled and congested.


----------



## flipper203

vilhelm44 said:


> I ordered a cable with 4.4 plug last week from YY Pro Audio and it's already in the post. Pretty speedy service.


 
 same here, impressive how fast it was processed


----------



## rcl5555

It shgipped the day after I ordered it.


----------



## vilhelm44

flipper203 said:


> same here, impressive how fast it was processed


 
  
  


rcl5555 said:


> It shgipped the day after I ordered it.


 
  
 Which cable did you guys go for?


----------



## flipper203

Tucana in 4.4 and 2pins for my zeus and wm1a!


----------



## echineko

craftyclown said:


> No worries. I was only teasing you


 
 So turns out it was a formatting problem after all, just a lot more obscure than imagined 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Enjoy, mate!
  
 Edit: I feel like someone should make your solution a reference post or something, I bet there's going to be more people with similar problems down the road.


----------



## vilhelm44

flipper203 said:


> Tucana in 4.4 and 2pins for my zeus and wm1a!


 
  
 Cool, I nearly went for that too but opted for Lyra in the end after Arthur from YY recommended it.


----------



## CraftyClown

vilhelm44 said:


> I got delivery of my Inear Prophile-8 yesterday and have to say that they are a fantastic pairing with the WM1A is SE. Soundstage is superb and it's brought out more details and nuances to the music. The dynamics are superb, very airy and also sounds nicely balanced even with the small bass boost.  Can't wait to hear these in balanced mode.
> 
> I love my CE6Ps but the Prophile-8 makes them sound slightly veiled and congested.


 
  
 Congrats Bill. They are fantastic IEMs and I'm pleased to hear they pair well with the WM1A.
  


echineko said:


> So turns out it was a formatting problem after all, just a lot more obscure than imagined
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I know! I'm just relieved it was easily sortable in the end and didn't cost me either a. any more money, or b. any time without my new device  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  


warrior1975 said:


> Glad you finally got it sorted bro. Now enjoy your new device!!


 
  
 Cheers mate. Time to put in some quality listening now


----------



## Whitigir

Has anyone tried to compare between 4.4mm vs 3.5mm TRRS yet ? I am trying to do so over Z1R headphones


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Whitigir

Finally eh ? Lol


----------



## gerelmx1986

yeah baby yeah creating the DB finally after prettying music


The DB Build was fast prob 5 to 7 mins, my 256GB card succeded with no problems


----------



## Muvieguy

If I already have my flac files of my music organized in folders on my mac how do I go about placing the album artwork in the folders to transfer to a DAP?


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## nanaholic

muvieguy said:


> If I already have my flac files of my music organized in folders on my mac how do I go about placing the album artwork in the folders to transfer to a DAP?


 
  
 Just use a tool to embedded the artwork into the flac file itself.


----------



## Muvieguy

nanaholic said:


> Just use a tool to embedded the artwork into the flac file itself.


What tool should I use? Also do I just find the artwork and drop it in the folder containing the files for the album?


----------



## Mimouille

muvieguy said:


> What tool should I use? Also do I just find the artwork and drop it in the folder containing the files for the album?


mp3tag works perfectly. For all my DAPs


----------



## gerelmx1986

If you can, you should stick to the DIRECT SOURCE, nice SQ with it ON


----------



## productred

muvieguy said:


> What tool should I use? Also do I just find the artwork and drop it in the folder containing the files for the album?


 
  
 No the player won't do it for you. No player could do that. You have to work on it yourself thru a "tool" which means any program that can help you tag your music files. Since you are using mac the simplest tool might as well be none other than iTunes (I find iTunes to be pretty reliable for that purpose, there are tons of other programs that could do the job)


----------



## Tanjiro

Has anyone compared MUC-M12SB1 and Kumitate Lab 4.4 balanced cable?


----------



## kubig123

productred said:


> No the player won't do it for you. No player could do that. You have to work on it yourself thru a "tool" which means any program that can help you tag your music files. Since you are using mac the simplest tool might as well be none other than iTunes (I find iTunes to be pretty reliable for that purpose, there are tons of other programs that could do the job)


 

 I use Swinsian for HD tracks and iTunes when I import cds on my mac.


----------



## nanaholic

productred said:


> No the player won't do it for you. No player could do that. You have to work on it yourself thru a "tool" which means any program that can help you tag your music files. Since you are using mac the simplest tool might as well be none other than iTunes (I find iTunes to be pretty reliable for that purpose, there are tons of other programs that could do the job)


 
  
 iTunes doesn't do FLACs though.
  
 Maybe something like Foobar.  Not sure what exactly is on offer for OSX.


----------



## Bengkia369

Anyone using WM1A feel bad in the heart as it's not the flagship WM1Z, I think I will feel this way.


----------



## productred

nanaholic said:


> iTunes doesn't do FLACs though.
> 
> Maybe something like Foobar.  Not sure what exactly is on offer for OSX.


 
  
iTunes do FLACs fine, I do FLACs on it all the time. My rips are mainly inFLAC, AIFF and occasionally ALAC etc and no issues whatsoever with these (FLACs need plugin to work tho).


----------



## tangents

nanaholic said:


> iTunes doesn't do FLACs though.
> 
> Maybe something like Foobar.  Not sure what exactly is on offer for OSX.


 
  
 On Mac I use Metadatics


----------



## gerelmx1986

i feel a bit of lag not synchrinized the button click and lags to react a bit, i am updating right now to the latest wit media Go
  
 EDIT Finished updating device, feels more reponsive to button presses


----------



## nanaholic

productred said:


> iTunes do FLACs fine, I do FLACs on it all the time. My rips are mainly inFLAC, AIFF and occasionally ALAC etc and no issues whatsoever with these.


 
  
 iTunes doesn't do FLACs and never had. If you can do FLACs in iTunes you probably have some plugin or external program installed, or those files aren't actually flacs.


----------



## productred

nanaholic said:


> iTunes doesn't do FLACs and never had. If you can do FLACs in iTunes you probably have some plugin or external program installed, or those files aren't actually flacs.


 
  
 U are so right there, can't believe I forgot mine was plugged-in. Have been doing AIFFs in the past year or so so probably forgot the basics.


----------



## Muvieguy

Thanks everyone for all the help I am going to try metadatics


----------



## Muvieguy

I am very new to headfi so please bare with me, I am coming from loudspeakers and just recently purchased my first rig and a couple pair of headphones so I am trying to figure out how to properly set up my music.


----------



## blazinblazin

bengkia369 said:


> Anyone using WM1A feel bad in the heart as it's not the flagship WM1Z, I think I will feel this way.


 
  
 Both are flagship at difference price tag and quality electronics. People just buy what they can afford and which ones are the one that is most value for money for them.
  
 I think with Sony WM1 series, compared to other premium brands, Sony WM1 series more pocket friendly and value for money and makes the other brand seems overpriced.
  
 WM1A targets the overall audiophile market.
  
 WM1Z targets the more premium users.
  
 Most important thing both sounds very good.
  
 Also the Audio chip is in-house, while other players will not be able to get their hands on this chip.


----------



## gerelmx1986

bengkia369 said:


> Anyone using WM1A feel bad in the heart as it's not the flagship WM1Z, I think I will feel this way.


 

 ​I love my 1A: )
  
 i dont feel bad at all


----------



## nanaholic

productred said:


> U are so right there, can't believe I forgot mine was plugged-in. Have been doing AIFFs in the past year or so so probably forgot the basics.


 
  
 No worries. 
 I really wish iTunes/iOS would handle flacs, would make life of organising music much easier. Even though the WM1 walkmans supports Apple Lossless I don't want to go that way because you never know which turn Apple will take once it decides the desktop market is no longer important to their bottom line. It's a good thing Media Go on Windows is actually very good, I can't imagine what it is like on OSX territory when iTunes pretty is the best offering already.


----------



## cranesky

Got my Dignis leather case for 1z lol, slim and light, navy blue, beautiful!


----------



## Bengkia369

cranesky said:


> Got my Dignis leather case for 1z lol, slim and light, navy blue, beautiful!




Very nice!!!


----------



## T1000

bengkia369 said:


> Anyone using WM1A feel bad in the heart as it's not the flagship WM1Z, I think I will feel this way.


 
 ...not at all, i heard both and i prefer the WM1A. I like the WM1A so much, i sold my AK380cu + AMP for it. Clarity, details, power & soul, everything is there. The WM1Z is different, i didn´t like the sound sig, missing details, not my cup of tea.


----------



## productred

t1000 said:


> ...not at all, i heard both and i prefer the WM1A. I like the WM1A so much, i sold my AK380cu + AMP for it. Clarity, details, power & soul, everything is there. The WM1Z is different, i didn´t like the sound sig, missing details, not my cup of tea.


 
  
 Well said, almost same case here: bought both when released, also prefer the 1A, also found 1Z missing details (still at a good level tho) and the sound sig not my cuppa tea, also sold my AK380cu+AMP to make way for it, and sold 1Z in the end (the weight of 1Z is one serious deal breaker).


----------



## blazinblazin

cranesky said:


> Got my Dignis leather case for 1z lol, slim and light, navy blue, beautiful!


 

 I using the same color case on my 1A~


----------



## Mimouille

productred said:


> Well said, almost same case here: bought both when released, also prefer the 1A, also found 1Z missing details (still at a good level tho) and the sound sig not my cuppa tea, also sold my AK380cu+AMP to make way for it, and sold 1Z in the end (the weight of 1Z is one serious deal breaker).


 
 I certainly don't hear the 1Z missing details.


----------



## purk

cranesky said:


> Got my Dignis leather case for 1z lol, slim and light, navy blue, beautiful!


 
 Do you prefer the Dignis over the stock case?  I'm thinking about getting one too.  How much was it and any link to where I can place an order?


----------



## Mimouille

purk said:


> Do you prefer the Dignis over the stock case?  I'm thinking about getting one too.  How much was it and any link to where I can place an order?


I prefer the Dignis by far, I think the vertical flap on the stock case is not convenient. Plus the dignis has better leather. Buy it directly on their site.


----------



## Gosod

craftyclown said:


> Has anyone had issues with sd cards showing up?
> 
> My WM1A doesn't detect my Sandisk ultra 200gig at all. It shows up fine on plenty of other devices, just not the Sony.
> 
> I have a 64gig and a 128gig that work ok, but just not the 200.


 
maybe your micro SD is the problem, try to format it on your WM1A .


----------



## phonomat

t1000 said:


> ...not at all, i heard both and i prefer the WM1A. I like the WM1A so much, i sold my AK380cu + AMP for it. Clarity, details, power & soul, everything is there. The WM1Z is different, i didn´t like the sound sig, missing details, not my cup of tea.




Same. The 1A is actually the superior product for my use case. Don't need the bling, and the weight of the 1Z was just the last coffin nail.


----------



## Gosod

phonomat said:


> Same. The 1A is actually the superior product for my use case. Don't need the bling, and the weight of the 1Z was just the last coffin nail.


 
In your opinion 1Z is much better than the Zx2?


----------



## nofarewell

I am terribly sorry for the lack of knowledge, I neglected this thread for a long time, so my question might be obvious.
 First, I gladly read that the 1A is not far behind the 1Z as I plan to buy it, I could not afford the 1Z yet. My question is, 
 does the 1Z can drive on ears as well? Not too much, but 45-65 impedance earphones? On paper I could cofirm it
 but I need the views from experienced users. Thanks


----------



## Gosod

nofarewell said:


> I am terribly sorry for the lack of knowledge, I neglected this thread for a long time, so my question might be obvious.
> First, I gladly read that the 1A is not far behind the 1Z as I plan to buy it, I could not afford the 1Z yet. My question is,
> does the 1Z can drive on ears as well? Not too much, but 45-65 impedance earphones? On paper I could cofirm it
> but I need the views from experienced users. Thanks


 
you will have to listen to it, because our advice might not fit you each perceives the sound as he likes.


----------



## nofarewell

gosod said:


> you will have to listen to it, because our advice might not fit you each perceives the sound as he likes.


 
 I understand, but it's rather the capability to drive them, which is a bit different than the SQ itself; my main question is basically
 about driving power.


----------



## nanaholic

nofarewell said:


> I am terribly sorry for the lack of knowledge, I neglected this thread for a long time, so my question might be obvious.
> First, I gladly read that the 1A is not far behind the 1Z as I plan to buy it, I could not afford the 1Z yet. My question is,
> does the 1Z can drive on ears as well? Not too much, but 45-65 impedance earphones? On paper I could cofirm it
> but I need the views from experienced users. Thanks


 
  
 Yes it will, especially on the balanced output.
 The Sony Signature flagship over head earphone Z1R is 64ohms and sounds fantastic on the WM1 walkmans, only needs about 50 clicks on high gain.


----------



## Gosod

nofarewell said:


> I understand, but it's rather the capability to drive them, which is a bit different than the SQ itself; my main question is basically
> about driving power.


 
perhaps this is the case.


----------



## nofarewell

nanaholic said:


> Yes it will, especially on the balanced output.
> The Sony Signature flagship over head earphone Z1R is 64ohms and sounds fantastic on the WM1 walkmans, only needs about 50 clicks on high gain.


 
 Thanks very much  I have oldschool sony cans like the MDR-51, MDR-62, MDR-M44, MDR-64. Can't wait to order the 1A.


----------



## GoDiSLoVe

I don't always post photos of my gear, but hell  I guess this one is worth it.
 I had no plans of buying wm1z and/or z1r.  I was planning to get a portable hifi player but that was it.
 That was it - until i tried it... 
 When the sales guy was unlocking wm1z i was telling him "no need, thats out of my budget"
 right... 
  
 I literally got the goosebumps when i first tried it. 
 Of course, I wanted to make sure that it's not a one or two time thing.  So I've tried them 4-5 times in 3 different places during last week.
 I couldn't stop thinking about it at some point so i decided to spoil myself 
  
 No need for a detailed review, there are great ones in this thread already.
 My quick impressions are: 

 z1r is an  amazing headphone.  It's really difficult to believe it's a closed headphone.  If i did a blind test i could swear it's an open headphone.  And it's very comfy to wear for long hours.  It's extremely detailed and really warm.  So you can listen to Norah Jones or your smooth jazz for 24h straight 
 
 wm1z is a luxury item  To be honest, i don't like the color and the weight.  But.... it's just out of this world.  I was doing A/B testing with wm1a, trying to convince myself there is not a huge difference.  I failed miserably, because there is a huge difference.   I am not saying wm1a is a bad player.  it's freaking awesome! i would get it in a heartbeat.  But than again -like i said- wm1z is just another league. 
  
 I guess I need a higher post count to upload photos.  So I uploaded them here: http://imgur.com/a/A19GC


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> cranesky said:
> 
> 
> > Got my Dignis leather case for 1z lol, slim and light, navy blue, beautiful!
> ...


 in order for that Dignis case gets the same color as 1Z, paint it with gold and yellow color


----------



## gerelmx1986

Continuing on with my burn-in process at 3hr 30 minutes. 

Xba-z5 on normal gain I need 50 of 120, MDR-Z7 need between 70~95 also on normal gain. 

I like that now you can delete songs on the go, but wish you could also delete entire albums instead of one by one song


----------



## phonomat

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]In your opinion 1Z is much better than the Zx2?[/COLOR]




Sorry, I have neither. Happy ZX1 and 1A owner.


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> Continuing on with my burn-in process at 3hr 30 minutes.
> 
> Xba-z5 on normal gain I need 50 of 120, MDR-Z7 need between 70~95 also on normal gain.
> 
> I like that now you can delete songs on the go, but wish you could also delete entire albums instead of one by one song


 
  
 You can delete entire folders in folder view, so if your files are nicely organised it shouldn't be difficult.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Continuing on with my burn-in process at 3hr 30 minutes.
> ...


thanks for the tip cheers


----------



## echineko

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]In your opinion 1Z is much better than the Zx2?[/COLOR]



I still have both right now, and i think it's a clear step up. The resolution is stunning and the depth/richness of instruments on good tracks is noticeable. I also happen to prefer it much more over the 1A, but I agree it's a different tonality, might not be everyone's cup of tea.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The amount of details that the direct source provided is so stunning, the soundstage is big and yet for me is natural conveyed, as productredhas said the Z gives concert hall experience, but I betvibwouod be overwhelmed by it, both my z5 and 7 pair well, only that now I need to find a good seal on my right ear bud z5. 

The instrument air nice, listening to new music, Vivaldi concerti per due violini /Amandine Beyer (2016 Harmonie mundi), the harpsichord is clearly heard even with the orchestra playing. This is only with 4:30 hours of play time. 

PS my dad doesn't like my new toy , he says is too fat and heavy as hell lol


----------



## echineko

gerelmx1986 said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yes, I'm appreciating direct source mode a lot too, I find myself favouring it so far, though there's still time for mine to be settled (at around the 60 hour mark now). With good transducers, the 1Z sounds really stunning, even with just my (heavily modded) TH-900 I'm loving the sound, next will be potentially the Z1R. Once my unit is settled in, I might start playing about with the sound effects, but for now the direct source sound is fantastic already out of the balanced output.
  
 Also, ask your dad to try the 1Z, if he says your 1A is too heavy


----------



## Whitigir

I don't know why but it seems to me the TRRS 3.5mm on the 1Z sounds so damn good


----------



## kubig123

moneypls said:


> Has anyone compared MUC-M12SB1 and Kumitate Lab 4.4 balanced cable?


 

 I just received the Kumitate 4.4, the cables are really thin and very light, very different from the MS12SB1. acoustically I cannot compare them since I ordered mine with 2 Pins.


----------



## unknownguardian

kubig123 said:


> I just received the Kumitate 4.4, the cables are really thin and very light, very different from the MS12SB1. acoustically I cannot compare them since I ordered mine with 2 Pins.




The kumitate cable looks great with your iem. Clean and white.


----------



## psikey

If anyone in UK is after one then just noticed Amazon have a "used-very good condition" WM1A for a big reduction at £694.19.  Was still available as I posted (was tempted but need streaming support too).
  
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B01LHGLG3A/ref=sr_1_9_olp?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1483629694&sr=1-9&keywords=sony+Walkman&condition=used


----------



## CraftyClown

psikey said:


> If anyone in UK is after one then just noticed Amazon have a "used-very good condition" WM1A for a big reduction at £694.19.  Was still available as I posted (was tempted but need streaming support too).
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B01LHGLG3A/ref=sr_1_9_olp?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1483629694&sr=1-9&keywords=sony+Walkman&condition=used


 
  
 It's a great deal! I got mine this way and despite the volume cap which essentially just means no high gain setting, it's a total steal.
  
 I'm currently using my Etymotic ER4-XRs with it and they aren't the most sensitive of IEMs, but despite this my comfortable listening level is about 105 out of 120


----------



## kms108

unknownguardian said:


> kubig123 said:
> 
> 
> > I just received the Kumitate 4.4, the cables are really thin and very light, very different from the MS12SB1. acoustically I cannot compare them since I ordered mine with 2 Pins.
> ...


 

 You can get them in different colors, although most of them are the silver plated, there is one color which uses a different cable. You can check out the site here.
  
http://www.kumitatelab.com/4.4mm5polecable/?sl=en


----------



## warrior1975

My case was delivered this morning. 



Nice case, I like it a lot. Delivered quick as hell.


----------



## Sound Eq

warrior1975 said:


> My case was delivered this morning.
> 
> 
> 
> Nice case, I like it a lot. Delivered quick as hell.


 
 nice case. is your cowon plenue s getting retired now after getting wm1z


----------



## kms108

kubig123 said:


> moneypls said:
> 
> 
> > Has anyone compared MUC-M12SB1 and Kumitate Lab 4.4 balanced cable?
> ...


 

 Are the cables flexible, I will need one that is thin and very flexible and what is the shipping cost from japan.


----------



## kubig123

kms108 said:


> Are the cables flexible, I will need one that is thin and very flexible.


 

 yes they are.
  
 But not as thin as the linum and they don't tangle as much as these last ones, it was always something that drove me crazy.


----------



## kms108

kubig123 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Are the cables flexible, I will need one that is thin and very flexible.
> ...


 

 How about if compared to the AK Beyerdynamic T8ie, I will be getting the Xelento in the next few days, but it will depends if I can pickup a special phone from china, when I get the Xelento i was thinking of getting the 2.5mm cable that comes with the T8ie as the Xelento doesn't come with one. then mod it for a 4.4mm, I like this Kumitate Lab 4.4 balanced cable, it probably the only custom one that has a right angle plug.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vol. 120 Low gain was a bit low for car stereo input... next trip i-ll try with High gain, hope it does not distort


----------



## turbo87

warrior1975 said:


> My case was delivered this morning.
> 
> 
> 
> Nice case, I like it a lot. Delivered quick as hell.


 

 Better be for the $30 shipping they charge


----------



## warrior1975

Lol. Good point.


----------



## bana

As I read with envy the comments on the 1A and 1Z, is there an official US release date?


----------



## Whitigir

bana said:


> As I read with envy the comments on the 1A and 1Z, is there an official US release date?




WM1Z is officially released in the USA and I recommend the Source AV for it. I am not sure about 1A, may want to contact them and find out


----------



## ross1974

Being an owner of the 1A I had the chance to listen and compare with the 1Z today. I heard extremely similar sound, maybe slightly warmer a tad more bass and a tad better timbre in some instruments but I am talking less than 5% difference. Just my opinion.


----------



## kubig123

kms108 said:


> How about if compared to the AK Beyerdynamic T8ie, I will be getting the Xelento in the next few days, but it will depends if I can pickup a special phone from china, when I get the Xelento i was thinking of getting the 2.5mm cable that comes with the T8ie as the Xelento doesn't come with one. then mod it for a 4.4mm, I like this Kumitate Lab 4.4 balanced cable, it probably the only custom one that has a right angle plug.


 

 Don't have the T8ie so I cannot compared the cable.
  
 The good thing of the M12SB1 is that you can find it very cheap on Jaben and it doesn't have any heat shrink/memory wire therefore I can use it with other earphones such as the JVC FX1200 (even if the cable add quite some weight on the phones)
  
 ​I bought the Kumitate in particular for the right angle cable, more compact that the straight one and it's very convenient when you travel.


----------



## purk

whitigir said:


> WM1Z is officially released in the USA and I recommend the Source AV for it. I am not sure about 1A, may want to contact them and find out


 
 I recommend the Source AV as well.  For such an expensive DAP, a warranty is a must IMO.


----------



## warrior1975

I bought mine from Audio Advice, very happy with them.


----------



## bana

Only pre-order at Audio Advice.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ross1974 said:


> Being an owner of the 1A I had the chance to listen and compare with the 1Z today. I heard extremely similar sound, maybe slightly warmer a tad more bass and a tad better timbre in some instruments but I am talking less than 5% difference. Just my opinion.


 so I made a good choice with WM1A then


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> so I made a good choice with WM1A then


 
 No....the owners of 1Z just made choices.


----------



## CraftyClown

@nanaholic any chance you could link to that fantastic interview with the Sony team you so kindly translated a few months back?
  
 I never got around to reading it at the time.


----------



## Whitigir

craftyclown said:


> @nanaholic
> any chance you could link to that fantastic interview with the Sony team you so kindly translated a few months back?
> 
> I never got around to reading it at the time.




Here, I had it linked in one of my thread

http://www.head-fi.org/t/827575/sony-nw-wm1z-owner-and-impressions#post_13052865


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> Here, I had it linked in one of my thread
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/827575/sony-nw-wm1z-owner-and-impressions#post_13052865


 
  
 Cheers Whitigir


----------



## flipper203

just after a quick test, the Zeus R on balanced mode with a tucana cable from YY Audio pro, larger soundstage, better bass impact / definition, quite impressive!
 Do you know if a 4.4mm to 3.5 standard output adapter exists ? (L shapped if possible)


----------



## Tanjiro

kubig123 said:


> I just received the Kumitate 4.4, the cables are really thin and very light, very different from the MS12SB1. acoustically I cannot compare them since I ordered mine with 2 Pins.



Hi kubig123, just wonder would there be any difficulty to hold the IEMs in place with M12SB1? The cable looks so thick.


----------



## CraftyClown

Quick question about balanced cables boys and girls; Is their any value to having a cable directly re-terminated with a 4.4mm plug as opposed to a 3.5mm TRRS + a 3.5mm to 4.4mm adapter? Or would it effectively be the same?


----------



## flipper203

it may depend on the adapter quality . Don't know if it can affect sound quality


----------



## CraftyClown

flipper203 said:


> it may depend on the adapter quality . Don't know if it can affect sound quality


 
  
 I was thinking about the technical benefits rather than the quality of the adapter.
  
 I've seen a lot of people mentioning using adapters and I'm wondering whether I should do that or wait and get a 4.4mm jack instead.
  
 For that matter is there much value to using the 4.4mm balanced output rather than the 3.5mm TRRS? Apart from the native DSD playback, what other gains are there?


----------



## kms108

kubig123 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > How about if compared to the AK Beyerdynamic T8ie, I will be getting the Xelento in the next few days, but it will depends if I can pickup a special phone from china, when I get the Xelento i was thinking of getting the 2.5mm cable that comes with the T8ie as the Xelento doesn't come with one. then mod it for a 4.4mm, I like this Kumitate Lab 4.4 balanced cable, it probably the only custom one that has a right angle plug.
> ...


 

 I can get the sony cable for HKD 1480 which is below the sony's price.
  
  


kubig123 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > How about if compared to the AK Beyerdynamic T8ie, I will be getting the Xelento in the next few days, but it will depends if I can pickup a special phone from china, when I get the Xelento i was thinking of getting the 2.5mm cable that comes with the T8ie as the Xelento doesn't come with one. then mod it for a 4.4mm, I like this Kumitate Lab 4.4 balanced cable, it probably the only custom one that has a right angle plug.
> ...


 
  
  


moneypls said:


> kubig123 said:
> 
> 
> > I just received the Kumitate 4.4, the cables are really thin and very light, very different from the MS12SB1. acoustically I cannot compare them since I ordered mine with 2 Pins.
> ...


 

 It looks thick, but it's very flexible.


----------



## flipper203

After a quick test in balanced mode with zeus r it sounds better but the cable is different too so don't know if it is due to the cable or balanced output. I would say balanced output as the difference is big rather than the cable quality. It may affect the sound but not at this level for me. That's why I d like to have an adapter too to compare the outputs and different daps with the same cable


----------



## bflat

General question - does the WM1A/Z have balanced line out option?


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> General question - does the WM1A/Z have balanced line out option?




Line out can "only" be possible from the headphone sockets. Luckily, there is no hum or hiss....and that is when I connect it to 1600W stereo system...go figure..


----------



## warrior1975

CraftyClown I believe using the 4.4 jack you get the higher power. I'm not sure if you get additional power using the 3.5mm jack as trrs.


----------



## Whitigir

warrior1975 said:


> CraftyClown I believe using the 4.4 jack you get the higher power. I'm not sure if you get additional power using the 3.5mm jack as trrs.




TRRS is Separated grounding. It is not balanced, so it won't provide additional power . However, it still sound excellent


----------



## bflat

whitigir said:


> TRRS is Separated grounding. It is not balanced, so it won't provide additional power
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 thanks for the clarification and also on line out. This would mean that the 4.4mm balanced out is 2x the voltage swing of the 3.5mm output which equates to a +6 dB increase in volume.
  
 Sony must know I'm thinking about this because I just got another email promotion from them for a Sony credit card. If I decide to get the card, the benefit will be $100 statement credit, $160 to spend in the Sony Store and no interest until Nov 2017.
  
 I hope to get an audition in my neck of the woods soon.


----------



## CraftyClown

Can any one who has the capped EU version of the device and has also tested the balanced out, tell me if there is a volume difference between the balanced out and the single ended out?


----------



## kubig123

kms108 said:


> I can get the sony cable for HKD 1480 which is below the sony's price.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I got mine for RM389.00 MYR, approx $90 plus shipping, a very good deal.​


----------



## warrior1975

bflat Lol, Sony definitely was bro. They emailed me and told me to tell you to get their new dap.


----------



## kubig123

moneypls said:


> Hi kubig123, just wonder would there be any difficulty to hold the IEMs in place with M12SB1? The cable looks so thick.


 

 it's very flexible an di don't have any problem using it with the 846, while being quite heavy I have to changed the tips of my FX1200 since with the silicon ones the fitting was not ideal, too flimsy.
  
 ​I'm using now the Comply' foam ones and are perfect in the office.


----------



## CraftyClown

kms108 said:


> I can get the sony cable for HKD 1480 which is below the sony's price.


 
  
  


kubig123 said:


> I got mine for RM389.00 MYR, approx $90 plus shipping, a very good deal.​


 
  
  
 Guys, where exactly can we order the official 4.4mm terminated cables from?


----------



## CraftyClown

I'm also struggling to find the bluetooth remote. I can only find it on Ebay right now
  
 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-RMT-NWS20-Remote-control-for-WM1-Series-NW-WM1A-NW-WM1Z-/222318504039?hash=item33c3372867
  
 Anyone else have sources for it?


----------



## kubig123

craftyclown said:


> Guys, where exactly can we order the official 4.4mm terminated cables from?


 
 here is where I ordered mine
 https://jaben.com.my


----------



## AnakChan

craftyclown said:


> I was thinking about the technical benefits rather than the quality of the adapter.
> 
> I've seen a lot of people mentioning using adapters and I'm wondering whether I should do that or wait and get a 4.4mm jack instead.
> 
> For that matter is there much value to using the 4.4mm balanced output rather than the 3.5mm TRRS? Apart from the native DSD playback, what other gains are there?


 

 From a practical perspective, I think a 2.5mm terminated using an adapter to 4.4mm has greater flexibility than a 4.4mm terminated cable. There are more offerings of 2.5mm -> whatever (e.g. 3.5mm TRS, mini-XLR, mini-Hirose, etc.). Sure the same thing could be done for the 4.4mm however :-

 1) as of today, those options are much more limited
 2) the current 4.4mm socket is square, meaning size of 4.4mm -> whatever is going to be big
  
 So really depends on whether you're dedicating that cable for the Sony only. Once the 4.4mm options are more widely available (implemented in other branded products, or someone comes up with a slimmer 4.4mm socket, etc.) then the decision would be easier to make.


----------



## blazinblazin

kubig123 said:


> here is where I ordered mine
> https://jaben.com.my


 

 I recommend this also~ but it's out of stock most of the time.
  
 Need some luck to get it.
  
 The last time someone posted here with stock, within 1/2 a day the stock all gone.


----------



## echineko

blazinblazin said:


> I recommend this also~ but it's out of stock most of the time.
> 
> Need some luck to get it.
> 
> The last time someone posted here with stock, within 1/2 a day the stock all gone.



We have the lowest retail prices for any region here, thanks in large part to our devalued currency, and this dealer's online store delivers internationally, so it's not hard to see why that is. 

I'm curious how many units of the cables they have moved so far


----------



## CraftyClown

anakchan said:


> From a practical perspective, I think a 2.5mm terminated using an adapter to 4.4mm has greater flexibility than a 4.4mm terminated cable. There are more offerings of 2.5mm -> whatever (e.g. 3.5mm TRS, mini-XLR, mini-Hirose, etc.). Sure the same thing could be done for the 4.4mm however :-
> 
> 1) as of today, those options are much more limited
> 2) the current 4.4mm socket is square, meaning size of 4.4mm -> whatever is going to be big
> ...


 
  
 Thanks Sean, that makes a lot of sense.
  


kubig123 said:


> here is where I ordered mine
> https://jaben.com.my


 
  
  


blazinblazin said:


> I recommend this also~ but it's out of stock most of the time.
> 
> Need some luck to get it.
> 
> The last time someone posted here with stock, within 1/2 a day the stock all gone.


 
  
 Cheers fellas. Is that a standard mmcx connector on the headphone end?


----------



## kubig123

craftyclown said:


> Thanks Sean, that makes a lot of sense.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 that's correct.


----------



## blazinblazin

echineko said:


> We have the lowest retail prices for any region here, thanks in large part to our devalued currency, and this dealer's online store delivers internationally, so it's not hard to see why that is.
> 
> I'm curious how many units of the cables they have moved so far


 

 I am glad to get this cable at 1/3 the retail price.
  
 It's very value for money at that price for a 8 wire braided Kimber Kable


----------



## Mimouille

anakchan said:


> From a practical perspective, I think a 2.5mm terminated using an adapter to 4.4mm has greater flexibility than a 4.4mm terminated cable. There are more offerings of 2.5mm -> whatever (e.g. 3.5mm TRS, mini-XLR, mini-Hirose, etc.). Sure the same thing could be done for the 4.4mm however :-
> 
> 
> 1) as of today, those options are much more limited
> ...


I agree with this, but do you have the same effect technically if you do that? Because the 2.5 has less points of connection so are you not degrading something here? (I have no clue what I am talking about just asking).


----------



## kubig123

flipper203 said:


> just after a quick test, the Zeus R on balanced mode with a tucana cable from YY Audio pro, larger soundstage, better bass impact / definition, quite impressive!
> Do you know if a 4.4mm to 3.5 standard output adapter exists ? (L shapped if possible)


 

 how is the tuscana cable, is it comfortable? 
 I have another 8 wire cable and I don't like it, especially around the ear.


----------



## warrior1975

I've always wondered if the adapters degraded the SQ somehow as well. Maybe I should ask in the objectivest forum, they probably know.


----------



## CosmicHolyGhost

adapter is not cool just like how safe sex is boring


----------



## AnakChan

mimouille said:


> I agree with this, but do you have the same effect technically if you do that? Because the 2.5 has less points of connection so are you not degrading something here? (I have no clue what I am talking about just asking).


 
  
 Just clarifying, you're talking about 4.4mm's 5-points of contact vs 2.5mm's 4 points of contact? If you're talking about the number of contacts, well I'm sure @CraftyClown's balanced cable has only 4 groups of wires (L+, L-, R+, R-)  running through it (i.e. no 5th ground/earth wire in the cable). So the 5th point won't be used anyway.
  
 OTOH, if you're talking about size of surface area, I don't believe the socket would be leveraging on the available surface area as the contact points are literally springy points of contact rather than surface-area-of-contact in which case direct 4.4mm vs 2.5mm (or 3.5mm) -> 4.4mm isn't going to improve sonics. If anything, the type of coating (gold plated, vs rhodium, etc.) is probably going to matter more. This is my opinion only - w.r.t sonics. Someone do feel free to correct if my understanding is wrong.
  
 As such, my recommendations to him was more on practical flexibility of (re)use of the cable for other DAPs/Amps.
  
 P.S. Side note, I'm asking Hiroaki-san if the ground of the 4.4mm is implemented on the 1Z or not. I can see the ground being implemented in their desktop TA-ZH1ES but grounding onto mobile/portable chassis?


----------



## ttt123

warrior1975 said:


> I've always wondered if the adapters degraded the SQ somehow as well. Maybe I should ask in the objectivest forum, they probably know.


 
 A good general rule of thumb is to keep everything as simple as possible.  The shortest path with the fewest interconnections is always best.  Every connector adds/changes something.  Just the known factors, like type and amount of material, strength and surface area of contact point, etc., When you look at the contact area of a jack/plug, it is often miniscule, with a point contact, and the contact pressure is often very low, so any added connectors multiply these weak connections, and the varying types of materials that the electrical connection is flowing through.  Contaminated contacts, oxidation, etc., are another constant and changing factor.
  
 If you are only looking at a resistance measurement across the contact, it may be very low and electrically look perfect, but that is not a guarantee that the SQ will be unaffected.  i.e. If you were to chain 50 plug/connectors together, and they measured a suitable low resistance, would there be an impact on the sound?  Theoretically(from an audiophile perspective), you would expect there to be, though electrically, there should not be.  Would a pure silver cable sound better than a 5 cents per foot hardware store wire?  Some people believe yes, some no.  It all depends on what your own belief is, and what you personally hear.......
  
 I guess the best way is to try and see if you are happy with it.


----------



## ttt123

anakchan said:


> Just clarifying, you're talking about 4.4mm's 5-points of contact vs 2.5mm's 4 points of contact? If you're talking about the number of contacts, well I'm sure @CraftyClown's balanced cable has only 4 groups of wires (L+, L-, R+, R-)  running through it (i.e. no 5th ground/earth wire in the cable). So the 5th point won't be used anyway.
> 
> OTOH, if you're talking about size of surface area, I don't believe the socket would be leveraging on the available surface area as the contact points are literally springy points of contact rather than surface-area-of-contact in which case direct 4.4mm vs 2.5mm (or 3.5mm) -> 4.4mm isn't going to improve sonics. If anything, the type of coating (gold plated, vs rhodium, etc.) is probably going to matter more. This is my opinion only - w.r.t sonics. Someone do feel free to correct if my understanding is wrong.
> 
> ...


 
 One advantage of the 4.4mm plug over the others, is that each of the 4 contacts uses a double spring contact point, versus a single contact point on others.  So the expectation is that the contact area is doubled to 2 points, and the contact pressure is higher, as the larger size should allow a more robust implementation.  So it will provide a better mechanical connection.  Also more stable (electrically and mechanically) if the wire/plug is moved, when carrying it around.


----------



## nanaholic

anakchan said:


> Just clarifying, you're talking about 4.4mm's 5-points of contact vs 2.5mm's 4 points of contact? If you're talking about the number of contacts, well I'm sure @CraftyClown's balanced cable has only 4 groups of wires (L+, L-, R+, R-)  running through it (i.e. no 5th ground/earth wire in the cable). So the 5th point won't be used anyway.
> 
> OTOH, if you're talking about size of surface area, I don't believe the socket would be leveraging on the available surface area as the contact points are literally springy points of contact rather than surface-area-of-contact in which case direct 4.4mm vs 2.5mm (or 3.5mm) -> 4.4mm isn't going to improve sonics. If anything, the type of coating (gold plated, vs rhodium, etc.) is probably going to matter more. This is my opinion only - w.r.t sonics. Someone do feel free to correct if my understanding is wrong.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Actually it's known and heavily advertised by NDICS themselves that the Pentaconn female jacks used in the WM1 series has two points of contacts per pin/pole, unlike traditional single contact point per pin/pole used in common female jacks.  They patented the U-shaped contact plate design AFAIK, and it is this difference which allows them to patent and trademark the "Pentaconn" design and name while also having the "normal" 4.4mm design be adopted as an open and license free JEITA standard.  Supposedly this "two contact per pin/pole" design allows them to reduce contact resistance.
  
 You can see they advertise this in their brochure
 http://www.ndics.com/products/pentaconn_japanese.pdf
 http://www.ndics.com/products/pentaconn_english.pdf
  
 And they demoed how the Pentaconn jack is able to reduce contact resistance (and even further when they change the coating/construction material) compoared to other jacks as reported by Japanese blogger fixer:
http://fixerhpa.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-325.html?sp
  
 It's interesting also that they compared the resistance of 4.4mm Pentaconn female jack resistance to 3.5mm and 2.5mm jacks.
  
 So speaking from a pure technical POV - if you use a 2.5mm to 4.4mm adaptor, it's very likely you are adding a small amount of resistance/impedance into the circuit due to the design of 2.5mm plugs and jacks on the market, which would make it less ideal than re-terminating to a direct 4.4mm plug if the usage scenario is to pair it with a WM1 Walkman with Pentaconn jacks.  How much this increase in resistance/impedance alters the SQ though is another story.


----------



## bvng3540

Great price


----------



## AnakChan

Cheers for the correction, didn't know about the dual points of contact per pole rather than single - despite me having that actual hardcopy of that pamphlet, shows to you that I actually didn't read it!
  
 About adapters vs direct/continuous, agreed on that too. However the cost will be the flexibility. That cable will be dedicated for the Sony 4.4mm for now, as opposed to using currently-available adapters, the cable still has flexibility for use with other DAPs/Amps.
  
 Meanwhile, I've not heard back from Sony - anyone knows if the 5th earth/ground pole is actually implemented in the 1Z/1A?


----------



## nanaholic

anakchan said:


> Cheers for the correction, didn't know about the dual points of contact per pole rather than single - despite me having that actual hardcopy of that pamphlet, shows to you that I actually didn't read it!
> 
> About adapters vs direct/continuous, agreed on that too. However the cost will be the flexibility. That cable will be dedicated for the Sony 4.4mm for now, as opposed to using currently-available adapters, the cable still has flexibility for use with other DAPs/Amps.
> 
> Meanwhile, I've not heard back from Sony - anyone knows if the 5th earth/ground pole is actually implemented in the 1Z/1A?


 
  
 Totally agree on flexibility - currently a 2.5mm to 4.4mm will give the best flexibility.  I think it only makes sense to re-terminate all your cables to 4.4mm if you 1) only have a WM1 as portable source and b) if also bought the Signature desktop amp, then yeah just go ahead and redo everything.  
  
 Fixer mentioned in the same post that the GND pin is not implemented, not sure how reliable that piece of info is though. Though from all the parts break down Sony displays for the WM1 it does look like they only connected two dual-braided (so 4 wires total) Kimber for the 4.4mm jacks on the 1Z, so I'm guessing the GND is not wired too.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I think it is wired to the chassis of the device


----------



## Mimouille

anakchan said:


> Just clarifying, you're talking about 4.4mm's 5-points of contact vs 2.5mm's 4 points of contact? If you're talking about the number of contacts, well I'm sure @CraftyClown
> 's balanced cable has only 4 groups of wires (L+, L-, R+, R-)  running through it (i.e. no 5th ground/earth wire in the cable). So the 5th point won't be used anyway.
> 
> OTOH, if you're talking about size of surface area, I don't believe the socket would be leveraging on the available surface area as the contact points are literally springy points of contact rather than surface-area-of-contact in which case direct 4.4mm vs 2.5mm (or 3.5mm) -> 4.4mm isn't going to improve sonics. If anything, the type of coating (gold plated, vs rhodium, etc.) is probably going to matter more. This is my opinion only - w.r.t sonics. Someone do feel free to correct if my understanding is wrong.
> ...


I was talking about the first point. Do the 4.4 cables have 5 wires? In which case would using a single 4.4 cable be better than using a 2.5 terminated cable with a 2.5 to 4.4 adapter?

Anyways, to make it more simple, I just ordered Dita's awesome plug, which offers 3.5 and 2.5 and should soon have a 4.4 jack.


----------



## flipper203

kubig123 said:


> how is the tuscana cable, is it comfortable?
> I have another 8 wire cable and I don't like it, especially around the ear.



I ll test more today but the cable is heavier than my other cables and more thick but it is seems comfortable around the ear


----------



## HiFiGuy528

craftyclown said:


> I'm also struggling to find the bluetooth remote. I can only find it on Ebay right now
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-RMT-NWS20-Remote-control-for-WM1-Series-NW-WM1A-NW-WM1Z-/222318504039?hash=item33c3372867
> 
> Anyone else have sources for it?


 
  
 Remote runs on BT which means the radio has to be ON all the time which may effect the sound of the gold WM. I am not so sure about this feature...
  
 I would love a Kimber Kable 4mm balanced --> dual 3-pin XLR cable. Use my gold WM as source for my balanced hp amplifier. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  Don't steal my idea people!


----------



## ttt123

mimouille said:


> I was talking about the first point. Do the 4.4 cables have 5 wires? In which case would using a single 4.4 cable be better than using a 2.5 terminated cable with a 2.5 to 4.4 adapter?
> 
> Anyways, to make it more simple, I just ordered Dita's awesome plug, which offers 3.5 and 2.5 and should soon have a 4.4 jack.


 
 4.4 cable (M12SB1, for instance) only has 4 wires.  The Sony/Kimber cable has 8 wires, doubling up 2 wires for each connection.  There can only be 4 connections, actually, because the headphone end only has 2 connections per side.


----------



## ledzep

Don't know if there is any extra or just to fulfill back orders but they are on the way !


----------



## erictioh

nanaholic said:


> You can delete entire folders in folder view, so if your files are nicely organised it shouldn't be difficult.




my use case of song deletion cannot be achieved in wm1a. normally has a lot of song in a list to listen to, then expect to hit delete when a particular song sucks. to do this i havve to go all the way up to folder view to find back the song to delete which is too troublesome


----------



## Gosod

you buy this expensive player so tell me is he actually plays for the money?


----------



## Mimouille

ttt123 said:


> 4.4 cable (M12SB1, for instance) only has 4 wires.  The Sony/Kimber cable has 8 wires, doubling up 2 wires for each connection.  There can only be 4 connections, actually, because the headphone end only has 2 connections per side.


The MUC-M12SB1 is the Sony Kimber cable, so I don't know what other cable you are talking about.


----------



## Whitigir

Hmm ? Did some one just asked for this . I already tried it, and it is excellent. Wm1z using 4.4 as line out has no hiss or hum. The adaptors take any of Sony Z7 and Z1R cables into XLR 3. Using female Rhodium plated over silver and XLR 3 with Rhodium plated over silver and over gold with inner wires being solid core UPOCC silver, can't get any better than that


----------



## PCheung

mimouille said:


> The MUC-M12SB1 is the Sony Kimber cable, so I don't know what other cable you are talking about.


 
  
 The Sony Kimber MUC-B20SB1 (4.4 plug copper cable for MDR-Z1R / Z7) I assume.


----------



## Mimouille

pcheung said:


> The Sony Kimber MUC-B20SB1 (4.4 plug copper cable for MDR-Z1R / Z7) I assume.




The other MUC I mentioned also has 8 wires.


----------



## ttt123

mimouille said:


> The MUC-M12SB1 is the Sony Kimber cable, so I don't know what other cable you are talking about.


 
 I am referring to the Sony Kimber cable, which I have.  Any other IEM cable you look at will be similar, as each IEM earphone only has 2 wires per side. (4 total for both sides)
  
 Cables for full size headphones may have varying  plugs, but the same will hold true.  Each earphone channel will only have 2 wires, 4 total for both Left and Right.
  
 To clarify the terminology I am using, I am not discriminating on how many wires are in the cable, but am only looking at the electrical requirement.  The M12, or the M20 Kimber both have 8 wire cables, but they are combined together so that there are 4 paths, 2 for Left, and 2 for right.  Similarly, Whiplash uses 4 wire cable, and 8 (or more) wire cables.  But the end result is still only 2 paths for right, and 2 paths for left.  I considered getting the M20, but was afraid that it would be too hard to solder 2 large wires onto each CM connector pin.  For the M12SB1, the 2 copper wires are twisted together and soldered onto one pin, and the 2 white wires are twisted together and soldered onto the other CM pin.


----------



## proedros

@Mimouille , any more thoughts on the DX200 sound-wise ?
  
 i was almost set on getting 1A sometime later this year , but your initial impressions on the DX200 put me to a halt

 if dx200 can keep up with LPG and 1Z at less than 1000$ , then this should be a great DAP
  
 please do share your impressions here as you burn in your new DX200


----------



## kms108

kubig123 said:


> craftyclown said:
> 
> 
> > Guys, where exactly can we order the official 4.4mm terminated cables from?
> ...


 

 it's so cheap, do they send to hong kong, I haven't got mine yet, and if they are this cheap, i can wait till they get stock.


----------



## Cagin

Hmm if I'm understanding this correctly, if I have an 8 conductor balanced cable 2.5mm TRRS, ideally I'd want to use a Pentaconn plug to reterminate my cable to 4.4mm TRRRS for two solder contact points for the tips and rings?
Pentaconns are gold plated at the moment right? No Rhodium plated ones?
Are the other plug makers like Oyaide, Furutech, Eidolic allowed to make plugs with dual solder contact points or is it a Pentaconn exclusivity?


----------



## kms108

craftyclown said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > I can get the sony cable for HKD 1480 which is below the sony's price.
> ...


 

 I haven't got it yet, but asked the price, it's a local store, and no online and mail order, the place kubig123 is cheaper, consider that place.


----------



## Mimouille

ttt123 said:


> I am referring to the Sony Kimber cable, which I have.  Any other IEM cable you look at will be similar, as each IEM earphone only has 2 wires per side. (4 total for both sides)
> 
> Cables for full size headphones may have varying  plugs, but the same will hold true.  Each earphone channel will only have 2 wires, 4 total for both Left and Right.
> 
> To clarify the terminology I am using, I am not discriminating on how many wires are in the cable, but am only looking at the electrical requirement.  The M12, or the M20 Kimber both have 8 wire cables, but they are combined together so that there are 4 paths, 2 for Left, and 2 for right.  Similarly, Whiplash uses 4 wire cable, and 8 (or more) wire cables.  But the end result is still only 2 paths for right, and 2 paths for left.  I considered getting the M20, but was afraid that it would be too hard to solder 2 large wires onto each CM connector pin.  For the M12SB1, the 2 copper wires are twisted together and soldered onto one pin, and the 2 white wires are twisted together and soldered onto the other CM pin.


I still don't understand, both the M12SB1 and M20 are Sony Kimber cables. So the one you have is another Sony Kimber cable? Which is it?


----------



## ttt123

mimouille said:


> I still don't understand, both the M12SB1 and M20 are Sony Kimber cables. So the one you have is another Sony Kimber cable? Which is it?


 
 I have a Sony M12SB1 Kimber cable.  There is only one, and it comes with 4.4mm Pentaconn on the jack end, and MMCX IEM connector on the other end.  I had a shop cut off the MMCX and solder an Oyaide CM connector onto the IEM end.  Apologies as I forgot to mention that.
  
 Regarding the 4.4mm Pentaconn 2 contact points, that is not solder points, but the spring contacts on the female 4.4mm plug side.  This provides 2 contact points for each of the 4 contact areas ( on the male Pentaconn jack.


----------



## Mimouille

ttt123 said:


> I have a Sony M12SB1 Kimber cable.  There is only one, and it comes with 4.4mm Pentaconn on the jack end, and MMCX IEM connector on the other end.  I had a shop cut off the MMCX and solder an Oyaide CM connector onto the IEM end.  Apologies as I forgot to mention that.
> 
> Regarding the 4.4mm Pentaconn 2 contact points, that is not solder points, but the spring contacts on the female 4.4mm plug side.  This provides 2 contact points for each of the 4 contact areas ( on the male Pentaconn jack.


Thanks for the explanation. Yes I have this one too, but unmodded. I have another 4.4 8 braid cable from Beat Audio, I wonder how their did the connections inside. They did mention it required more work then ordinary cables.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gosod said:


> you buy this expensive player so tell me is he actually plays for the money?


yes for. Me is worth that 23.6k Mexican pesos and the two month wait, it has a smooth warm signature yet detailed


----------



## gerelmx1986

During the day I leave my Walkman on, and during night I turn it off completely, do these WM1 have a standby feature when being on in pause with screen off?


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> During the day I leave my Walkman on, and during night I turn it off completely, do these WM1 have a standby feature when being on in pause with screen off?


 

 I like to know this as well, my ZX 2 runs on android, and it's left on all the time without powering down, over 25 days before charge, since this is not android, should it be powered off, or just pause.


----------



## ttt123

mimouille said:


> Thanks for the explanation. Yes I have this one too, but unmodded. I have another 4.4 8 braid cable from Beat Audio, I wonder how their did the connections inside. They did mention it required more work then ordinary cables.


 
 They all have to do something similar.  There are 4 contacts on the Jack end, which takes 4 wires, or multiples of wires.  There are 2 contacts at the IEM earphone end, 2 contacts for each side (Left and Right) for a total of 4.  So whatever is in between has to solder onto those 4 contacts at each end. 
  
 The Jack contact soldering is a bugger.  Look at the small round solder area on the jack, and if using an 8 wire cable, imagine trying to solder 2 x 24gauge wires onto each of those small contacts.  
  
 And on the CM end, there are 2 small pins to solder onto.  Soldering 2  24ga wires onto each pin is not easy.  I looked long and hard at the M20  8 wire cable, which looks to be about 24ga for each wire, and decided not to try, but went with the smaller wire gauge 8 wire M12SB1


----------



## AnakChan

cagin said:


> Hmm if I'm understanding this correctly, if I have an 8 conductor balanced cable 2.5mm TRRS, ideally I'd want to use a Pentaconn plug to reterminate my cable to 4.4mm TRRRS for two solder contact points for the tips and rings?
> Pentaconns are gold plated at the moment right? No Rhodium plated ones?
> Are the other plug makers like Oyaide, Furutech, Eidolic allowed to make plugs with dual solder contact points or is it a Pentaconn exclusivity?


 
  
 There are (will be) rhodium plated Pentaconns.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I was fiddling between the screens, standard display cover art, then comes spectrum analyzer I know this si to see the frequency content on each band, and finally comes the analogue level meter display. *can some one explain what is (was) the purpose of an analogue (VU) level meter? And why some people call them VU meters? *


----------



## AnakChan

nanaholic said:


> Fixer mentioned in the same post that the GND pin is not implemented, not sure how reliable that piece of info is though. Though from all the parts break down Sony displays for the WM1 it does look like they only connected two dual-braided (so 4 wires total) Kimber for the 4.4mm jacks on the 1Z, so I'm guessing the GND is not wired too.


 
  
 Confirmed with Sony that in the 1Z, the earth isn't used or wired to anything (incl chassis). The TA-ZH1ES desktop amp though does leverage/wire the ground connector.


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> I was fiddling between the screens, standard display cover art, then comes spectrum analyzer I know this si to see the frequency content on each band, and finally comes the analogue level meter display. *can some one explain what is (was) the purpose of an analogue (VU) level meter? And why some people call them VU meters? *


 
  
 VU stands for Volume Unit, so as the naming implies it measures the volume of the particular frequency that it is to display.
  
 As for why the mimicking of analgoue meters - the UI designer simply wanted it that way:
 Pasting from my translation of the member interview:
  
 * It seems that “Analogue feel” is the keyword for the software this time
  
 Harada Kazu [software design]
 That is true. I had a strong desire to represent the worldview of audio equipment from the past. For example just now we were discussing the experience of the volume changing knob for one. When you touch the volume bar at the top of the Playback screen it will show the volume changing knob, if you touch it with your fingers you can change the volume. We also prepared a tone control knob interface as well.  
  
 Harada Kazu [software design]
 We added a spectrum analyser similar to old components with a graphic equalizer. When you turn on “DSEE HX” and change the “Playback screen”, on the right side of the spectrum analyser is a part labelled “High” where you can see the effects. Also we added an analogue level meter that is like the VU meters on amps, “visualizing the sound” is a theme this time, and being able to see music with eyes is something new which we persisted in the UI.


----------



## goyete

Hello, I have received my unit WM1A this morning with the MUC-M12SB1 and I want to comment some things:
  
 - I bought it in AJ and it's the international version, no volume cap, with the high gain option and it has several languages (including spanish).
 - If I had bought it in Spain, it would have cost about the 60% of the price I have paid but I think it's essential not to have volume cap (for me). If I were bought the EU version I would have made a mistake (for my use).
 - I'm going to use it with MUC-M12SB1 and XBA-Z5 (32 ohm),  without the high gain option and actually flac music the volume is high enough of course, it's easy to hear music around 70-80 volume (of 120).
 - For me the problem is hearing some DSD files that are recorded so low (The Mission OST for example). I like to hear music realtively high to hear low details (without shatter my ears of course). I have put the high gain on and I can hear these DSD files without problem at 100-110 and for me is perfect.
  
 The MUC-M12SB1 is fantastic well built but maybe it's too rigid for me. I was used to the MUC-M2Bt1 and the balanced cable for the PHA-3 and I think they are more confortable but I'm still getting used to the new cable.


----------



## Whitigir

All this talk about Pentaconn and I can not find it anywhere  it is so sad


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> All this talk about Pentaconn and I can not find it anywhere
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Don't worry, give it another few weeks, they are starting to roll out and getting cheaper, may be later on you can even buy them from your corner store
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> All this talk about Pentaconn and I can not find it anywhere
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Looks like e-earphone in Japan has them in stock:
 http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000107464&search=4.4&sort=


----------



## Whitigir

That is something I can not buy . Google translate is messed up


----------



## HiFiGuy528

whitigir said:


> Hmm ? Did some one just asked for this
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Brilliant! Glad to hear it works well. Now I need to get me a Kimber Kable version. 
  
 Hey everyone, is there a slim fit leather case for gold WM?


----------



## CraftyClown

hifiguy528 said:


> Brilliant! Glad to hear it works well. Now I need to get me a Kimber Kable version.
> 
> Hey everyone, is there a slim fit leather case for gold WM?


 
  
 Any good for you?
  
 http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/product/midas-sony-nw-wm1-leather-case/133/?cate_no=1&display_group=2


----------



## HiFiGuy528

craftyclown said:


> Any good for you?
> 
> http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/product/midas-sony-nw-wm1-leather-case/133/?cate_no=1&display_group=2


 
  
 Thank YOU!!!


----------



## CraftyClown

hifiguy528 said:


> Thank YOU!!!


 
  
 No problem. I ordered the Blue one yesterday and it was dispatched within about an hour. Brilliant service.


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> That is something I can not buy
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Send the page to a proxy buying service such as Buyee they'll handle it for you.


----------



## warrior1975

craftyclown said:


> Any good for you?
> 
> http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/product/midas-sony-nw-wm1-leather-case/133/?cate_no=1&display_group=2




That's the one I purchased, excellent case.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Where are the screenshots saved? and how one knows it took a screenshot? tried the trick of vol +, vol -, power (long press( but the screen didnt turn on
  
 shall the two volumen buttons be pressed simultaneously or in a sequence of + --> -  --> power?


----------



## CraftyClown

warrior1975 said:


> That's the one I purchased, excellent case.


 
  
 I love Dignis cases. They are really classy.
  
 What colour did you go for Rich?


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> Where are the screenshots saved? and how one knows it took a screenshot? tried the trick of vol =, vol -, power (long press( but the screen didnt turn on


 
  
 lol. I forgot someone mentioned you could take screenshots.
  
 I literally have no idea why you would need that functionality though


----------



## gerelmx1986

craftyclown said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Where are the screenshots saved? and how one knows it took a screenshot? tried the trick of vol =, vol -, power (long press( but the screen didnt turn on
> ...


 

 ​easy way, take your camera, put the walkman, turn its screen on, press the camera sutter button


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​easy way, take your camera, put the walkman, turn its screen on, press the camera sutter button


 
  
 lol. I'm not asking how you do it... I'm asking why would you want to do it?


----------



## gerelmx1986

craftyclown said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > ​easy way, take your camera, put the walkman, turn its screen on, press the camera sutter button
> ...


 

 ​Just to post pictures of what i am listening to, in the classical music discusión forums


----------



## mrrayray

craftyclown said:


> I love Dignis cases. They are really classy.
> 
> What colour did you go for Rich?


 
 I also bought a Dignis blue case for my Z!! Speedy delivery and excellent service! Liking the case so much


----------



## warrior1975

craftyclown said:


> I love Dignis cases. They are really classy.
> 
> What colour did you go for Rich?




Navy Blue ftw Rich!! I was tempted with the black, but wanted something a little different. You?


----------



## turbo87

Your guys with the dignis case, how are you planning on covering the screen? With a screen protector or naked? is the screen made of gorilla glass? any good source for a screen protector?


----------



## CraftyClown

warrior1975 said:


> Navy Blue ftw Rich!! I was tempted with the black, but wanted something a little different. You?


 
  
 Same bro, same. Classy af  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


turbo87 said:


> Your guys with the dignis case, how are you planning on covering the screen? With a screen protector or naked? is the screen made of gorilla glass? any good source for a screen protector?


 
  
 Personally I have started using liquid nano coatings on all my devices. I had it on my QP1R and it's currently on my Samsung Galaxy S7. It applies super easily and I haven't had even the hint of a micro scratch despite throwing my devices in pockets with keys etc.
  
 This stuff was a true revelation to me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0178AURT8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## warrior1975

Nice, just 2ipe it on? Even I can't screw that up.


----------



## CraftyClown

warrior1975 said:


> Nice, just 2ipe it on? Even I can't screw that up.


 
  
 Exactly! I hate those plastic and glass screens you have to apply and you always end up with little bubbles however hard you try.
  
 This stuff you wipe on and then 15 minutes later you buff it and you're done!
  
 Simples


----------



## bflat

another general question:
  
 Can you pair the Sony with a smartphone via bluetooth so that you can get notified of incoming calls? The AK DAPs feature this.


----------



## mrrayray

turbo87 said:


> Your guys with the dignis case, how are you planning on covering the screen? With a screen protector or naked? is the screen made of gorilla glass? any good source for a screen protector?


 
 I bought a tempered glass screen protector from a local store (not gorilla glass i think) for ard 20USD


----------



## mrrayray

craftyclown said:


> Exactly! I hate those plastic and glass screens you have to apply and you always end up with little bubbles however hard you try.
> 
> This stuff you wipe on and then 15 minutes later you buff it and you're done!
> 
> Simples


 
 the sales person did that for me when I bought the protector. they are experienced!


----------



## goyete

bflat said:


> another general question:
> 
> Can you pair the Sony with a smartphone via bluetooth so that you can get notified of incoming calls? The AK DAPs feature this.



It would be nice!


----------



## Whitigir

goyete said:


> It would be nice!




Bluetooth only function is to stream music from WM player into your Bluetooth receiver, oh and the remote


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> Bluetooth only function is to stream music from WM player into your Bluetooth receiver, oh and the remote


 
  
 Do you have the remote yet Whitigir? I may purchase one this week.


----------



## turbo87

craftyclown said:


> Same bro, same. Classy af
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Wow, I have never heard of this thing. Any US source for this stuff? Looks like the company is  based in UK and Amazon won't ship to US.


----------



## tangents

turbo87 said:


> Wow, I have never heard of this thing. Any US source for this stuff? Looks like the company is  based in UK and Amazon won't ship to US.


 
  
 It's on Amazon.com as well


----------



## turbo87

Perfect. Thank you.


----------



## ledzep

Finding this a better match than my Z5's anyone else tried out the 1000's


----------



## hamhamhamsta

ledzep said:


> Finding this a better match than my Z5's anyone else tried out the 1000's




I'm thinking of buying ex1000 but we told that it's not mmcx connection. It's som3ilder Sony proprietary connection? How can I attach it to Kimber mmcx cable?


----------



## kms108

hamhamhamsta said:


> ledzep said:
> 
> 
> > Finding this a better match than my Z5's anyone else tried out the 1000's
> ...


 

 You have two options, reterminated the cable or get one of these, but you have to search high for it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am fiddling with high gain on the SE Jack WOW nice bump in volumen and love the damn representation of the ambience, a church for sure, and this nice Lute music by Francesco da Milano


----------



## kms108

ledzep said:


> Finding this a better match than my Z5's anyone else tried out the 1000's


 
 Is this the original EX1000 cable for the sony, but reterminated, or a custom cable.


----------



## gerelmx1986

After nearly 20hr burn-in in SE i think this wil be my end game rig


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> After nearly 20hr burn-in in SE i think this wil be my end game rig


 
  
 No such thing


----------



## gerelmx1986

The rip i am hearing is new master so good , i can feel i am there in that church and the lutenist near me, 2014 is the reléase date.. some newer masters don't benefit from DSEE HX, can't hear that much difference vs Direct source ON


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> Is this the original EX1000 cable for the sony, but reterminated, or a custom cable.




Bought a new Japanese stock one and got it reterminated while I wait for this .....


----------



## flipper203

nice one !


----------



## gerelmx1986

It Works!!!!! will put it on my walkman tips and tricks guide. So there is how to take a screenshot
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/759006/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks/45#post_13148863


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> It Works!!!!! will put it on my walkman tips and tricks guide. So there is how to take a screenshot
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/759006/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks/45#post_13148863


 
  
 What works?


----------



## warrior1975

ledzep said:


> Finding this a better match than my Z5's anyone else tried out the 1000's




I have them, but they are out on loaner. I'll let you know when I get then back. 



gerelmx1986 said:


> It Works!!!!! will put it on my walkman tips and tricks guide. So there is how to take a screenshot
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/759006/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks/45#post_13148863




Great thread bro!! 

CraftyClown screenshot.


----------



## Whitigir

250 hours, and the trebles gains much more sparkles with the bass and sub bass considerably tightened, there are more room for trebles extensions to play out. The senses of vertically rendering and depth of stage is getting much better than from Open-box. I can not wait for it to get to 500 hours . The string instruments is melting my heart with the full timbres and full plays with accuracy of energies delivered across the whole body and into microenergies variation from the vibrator technique. This microenergies variations into vibrator for vocal and string plays are just so damn vivid and high resolution.....it just melt my heart


----------



## bvng3540

Mp3tag only work with MP3 files, any one know a software that will work for flac files, thanks


----------



## CraftyClown

bvng3540 said:


> Mp3tag only work with MP3 files, any one know a software that will work for flac files, thanks


 
  
 I am literally sat here now tagging my flac files with mp3tag


----------



## bvng3540

craftyclown said:


> I am literally sat here now tagging my flac files with mp3tag




That weird, the program did let me add album art, but when play the album art not show as display


----------



## CraftyClown

bvng3540 said:


> That weird, the program did let me add album art, but when play the album art not show as display


 
  
 What format was the artwork? also what size?


----------



## bvng3540

craftyclown said:


> What format was the artwork? also what size?




Jpg 800 x 680


----------



## CraftyClown

bvng3540 said:


> Jpg 800 x 680


 
  
 That should work, although some devices do prefer closer to 500 x 500
  
 Was the artwork definitely saved to the tags after you added it?


----------



## ledzep

bvng3540 said:


> Mp3tag only work with MP3 files, any one know a software that will work for flac files, thanks



Tags all my stuff dsf, flac etc i tend to stick to JPEG 500x500 res too then it always works across a selection of daps as some only display 500 max.


----------



## bvng3540

craftyclown said:


> That should work, although some devices do prefer closer to 500 x 500
> 
> 
> 
> Was the artwork definitely saved to the tags after you added it?




Yes, I will try to skrink it down to 500x500 hope it work thanks


----------



## ledzep

bvng3540 said:


> Yes, I will try to skrink it down to 500x500 hope it work thanks



Open it in paint and resize unless you Google album art which tends to be 500x


----------



## gerelmx1986

> >
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 See my thread walkman tips and tricks, perhaps your JPEG is a progressive type i stick with 800x800 or even 950x950 and Works fine


----------



## Mimouille

bvng3540 said:


> Mp3tag only work with MP3 files, any one know a software that will work for flac files, thanks


I have 220g of perfect tagged files with artwork thanks to mp3 tag. I also have the cover as cover.jpg in all folders because some of my DAPs require it.


----------



## Jalo

Just went to CES with my 1Z in my pocket. First stop is Chord and Audeze. I tried the brand new Hugo 2 which double the original Hugo in tap length with over 800 mw feeding from an AK 380. I pulled out my 1Z which has about 250 hours of SE burn in and fortunately was able to find the same songs from both system. The Hugo 2 with it additional amp power has a much warmer sound signature. What surprised me is how similar the two systems sound. I wouldn't want to prematurely render any judgement other than saying based on brief show audition, the two systems sound very similar in sound signature. I can further say without extended critical listening it will be difficult to hea re the difference.

Second stop is at the Kimble Kable. I was able to try out the Z1R with the new pure silver Kimble Axio AG 16 cores cable ($4,000.00) using my 1Z balance out. My volume pot is all the way to 105 from 4.4 balance out. The cable is very beautiful and sound very clean, quiet, and tight. I want one real bad.


----------



## bvng3540

jalo said:


> Just went to CES with my 1Z in my pocket. First stop is Chord and Audeze. I tried the brand new Hugo 2 which double the original Hugo in tap length with over 800 mw feeding from an AK 380. I pulled out my 1Z which has about 250 hours of SE burn in and fortunately was able to find the same songs from both system. The Hugo 2 with it additional amp power has a much warmer sound signature. What surprised me is how similar the two systems sound. I wouldn't want to prematurely render any judgement other than saying based on brief show audition, the two systems sound very similar in sound signature. I can further say without extended critical listening it will be difficult to hea re the difference.
> 
> Second stop is at the Kimble Kable. I was able to try out the Z1R with the new pure silver Kimble Axio AG 16 cores cable ($4,000.00) using my 1Z balance out. My volume pot is all the way to 105 from 4.4 balance out. The cable is very beautiful and sound very clean, quiet, and tight. I want one real bad.




If you want it, go for it bud, it only $4k


----------



## gerelmx1986

WOW My 1A, depicts a nice imaging for rather a "boxy-studio-sounding"album, very very enveloping, hearing nicely separated the two cembali on L and R channels but not hard-panned at all


----------



## Jalo

bvng3540 said:


> If you want it, go for it bud, it only $4k




Just for that I am going to get one  not. How can I tell people that the most expensive component in my audio chain is the cable, forget ordinary folks, even you guys will think I have a mental disorder, but then I already knew that


----------



## Jalo

I already told Anakchan that this sites is going crazy. You press submit once and get posted twice. Moderator where are you.


----------



## Jalo

gerelmx1986 said:


> WOW My 1A, depicts a nice imaging for rather a "boxy-studio-sounding"album, very very enveloping, hearing nicely separated the two cembali on L and R channels but not hard-panned at all




Hehe, that only means that your brain hasn't been burn in.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I meant by Hard-panning te fact some records are made with this exaggerated stereo image too wide L and R separation that actially sounds odd, no i am not saying binaural
  
 That volume at 67 , Low Gain with MDR-Z7


----------



## Jalo

gerelmx1986 said:


> I meant by Hard-panning te fact some records are made with this exaggerated stereo image too wide L and R separation that actially sounds odd, no i am not saying binaural
> 
> That volume at 67 , Low Gain with MDR-Z7



I was just joking. Too late to be serious after CES.


----------



## Gosod

whitigir said:


> Hmm ? Did some one just asked for this
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
how do you like the sound?


----------



## Cagin

Oh joy! Mad props to the French guys over at Tellement Nomade forum. They managed to get an EU volume capped model unlocked. Getting the High Gain setting too.
It's way over my IT skills despite a somewhat clear instructions. It's very fresh so give it some time until a nice easy tutorial.


----------



## Gosod

cagin said:


> Oh joy! Mad props to the French guys over at Tellement Nomade forum. They managed to get an EU volume capped model unlocked. Getting the High Gain setting too.
> It's way over my IT skills despite a somewhat clear instructions. It's very fresh so give it some time until a nice easy tutorial.


 
are you an engineer?


----------



## echineko

cagin said:


> Oh joy! Mad props to the French guys over at Tellement Nomade forum. They managed to get an EU volume capped model unlocked. Getting the High Gain setting too.
> It's way over my IT skills despite a somewhat clear instructions. It's very fresh so give it some time until a nice easy tutorial.



I saw that, pretty interesting. But it involves running a terminal into the Walkman OS and compiling a tool and executing some commands as a privileged user, most people would not want or mess with that, and of course there probably is a warranty implication. 

As you say, probably safer to wait and see how the feedback is


----------



## Blommen

cagin said:


> Oh joy! Mad props to the French guys over at Tellement Nomade forum. They managed to get an EU volume capped model unlocked. Getting the High Gain setting too.
> It's way over my IT skills despite a somewhat clear instructions. It's very fresh so give it some time until a nice easy tutorial.




Very interesting, could you link this? Or pm me with the link?


----------



## CraftyClown

cagin said:


> Oh joy! Mad props to the French guys over at Tellement Nomade forum. They managed to get an EU volume capped model unlocked. Getting the High Gain setting too.
> It's way over my IT skills despite a somewhat clear instructions. It's very fresh so give it some time until a nice easy tutorial.




You've made my day


----------



## kms108

ledzep said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Is this the original EX1000 cable for the sony, but reterminated, or a custom cable.
> ...




Do you know how they reterminated the original cable to balanced, the plug sections should only have jave 3 wires strands, you need 4 wire strands for balanced.


----------



## Zakalwe

blommen said:


> cagin said:
> 
> 
> > Oh joy! Mad props to the French guys over at Tellement Nomade forum. They managed to get an EU volume capped model unlocked. Getting the High Gain setting too.
> ...




I think it is this: https://www.tellementnomade.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=15978&sid=8c3f91e79693e4f73e8f32eed8996c61

My French is rudimentary, but it looks promising, and not too involved. Though it would be great if someone with a better grasp of the language could provide a rundown.


----------



## CraftyClown

zakalwe said:


> I think it is this: https://www.tellementnomade.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=15978&sid=8c3f91e79693e4f73e8f32eed8996c61
> 
> My French is rudimentary, but it looks promising, and not too involved. Though it would be great if someone with a better grasp of the language could provide a rundown.




That is it, I've just been reading it. Google does a pretty good translation of the site. 

It appears one user called Sharp has made it work by following instructions given to him. He has removed the volume nag as well as adding the high gain function


----------



## CraftyClown

I'm going to try it later today. 

Wish me luck


----------



## Blommen

craftyclown said:


> I'm going to try it later today.
> 
> Wish me luck


 
 Good luck man.


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> Do you know how they reterminated the original cable to balanced, the plug sections should only have jave 3 wires strands, you need 4 wire strands for balanced.


 

 There are 4 strands L R and 2 ground on the EX 1000 3.5mm trs the 2 ground become part of L+L-R+R- , the 5th connection in the trrrs plug (S) not being wire up but just grounded to the players housing , so you have L+L-R+R- hence balanced if that makes sense to you, If i'm wrong someome can correct me.


----------



## ledzep

craftyclown said:


> I'm going to try it later today.
> 
> Wish me luck


 


 If it goes **** up i'll pledge £20 to the new player fund !


----------



## ledzep

Tonight's bedtime read


----------



## kms108

ledzep said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Do you know how they reterminated the original cable to balanced, the plug sections should only have jave 3 wires strands, you need 4 wire strands for balanced.
> ...


 

 Is that so, most unbalanced cable has two cables from each driver R+ and ground, L+ and ground, 4 wires in total, and where the 4 wires meet at the Y section, the two ground is usually wired together to form one, adding the R+ and L+, making it 3 cables to the 3.5 plug.
  
 So if you are saying it has 4 in total, that will be great, I have 3 spare cables,1 ex600 and 2 ex1000, thats not incuding those already attached to the ear piece. Then I can have them rewired as well.


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> Is that so, most unbalanced cable has two cables from each driver R+ and ground, L+ and ground, 4 wires in total, and where the 4 wires meet at the Y section, the two ground is usually wired together to form one, adding the R+ and L+, making it 3 cables to the 3.5 plug.
> 
> So if you are saying it has 4 in total, that will be great, I have 3 spare cables,1 ex600 and 2 ex1000, thats not incuding those already attached to the ear piece. Then I can have them rewired as well.




I will double check with the guy who did the job before you start cutting up cables, if I find my meter I will test pins as well. I'm going on info I was given.


----------



## kms108

ledzep said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Is that so, most unbalanced cable has two cables from each driver R+ and ground, L+ and ground, 4 wires in total, and where the 4 wires meet at the Y section, the two ground is usually wired together to form one, adding the R+ and L+, making it 3 cables to the 3.5 plug.
> ...


 

 Thanks.


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> Just went to CES with my 1Z in my pocket. First stop is Chord and Audeze. I tried the brand new Hugo 2 which double the original Hugo in tap length with over 800 mw feeding from an AK 380. I pulled out my 1Z which has about 250 hours of SE burn in and fortunately was able to find the same songs from both system. The Hugo 2 with it additional amp power has a much warmer sound signature. What surprised me is how similar the two systems sound. I wouldn't want to prematurely render any judgement other than saying based on brief show audition, the two systems sound very similar in sound signature. I can further say without extended critical listening it will be difficult to hea re the difference.
> 
> Second stop is at the Kimble Kable. I was able to try out the Z1R with the new pure silver Kimble Axio AG 16 cores cable ($4,000.00) using my 1Z balance out. My volume pot is all the way to 105 from 4.4 balance out. The cable is very beautiful and sound very clean, quiet, and tight. I want one real bad.




So, not only Sony, but everyone is heading into the direction of warmer sound. Silver cables do sound like you described. I will be making a silver-gold for myself which is best in sound quality when I have my hand on 4.4mm....only that it cost 1/10 of Kimber silver cables


----------



## PCheung

Kimber Axios Ag cable look so sexy but cost USD 4,000? Even expensive than the Z1R itself?
 Hell no...


----------



## Whitigir

pcheung said:


> Kimber Axios Ag cable look so sexy but cost USD 4,000? Even expensive than the Z1R itself?
> Hell no...




It may be worth it , like the sound quality is out of this world you know


----------



## Blommen

whitigir said:


> It may be worth it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 It's not though, I mean if this was your last ever headphones and you wanted to squezze every single drop of performance out of your endgame headphones then down the line it would be worth it. But this is head-fi/gear-rotation-fi so no, not worth it.


----------



## Bengkia369

Anyone tried to solder higher quality parts and wires onto their WM1A yet?!


----------



## Whitigir

bengkia369 said:


> Anyone tried to solder higher quality parts and wires onto their WM1A yet?!




If you could fine a Service manual to open up the port


----------



## gerelmx1986

bengkia369 said:


> Anyone tried to solder higher quality parts and wires onto their WM1A yet?!


maybe until warranty expires  I enabled hi-gain and wow amazes. Me the details go even further

I want to ask Whitigir when he encountered the Walkman 1z or his zx2 weird phase of changes, I am at 20:00 burn in


----------



## Bengkia369

gerelmx1986 said:


> maybe until warranty expires  I enabled hi-gain and wow amazes. Me the details go even further




Think that would be damn fun!


----------



## goyete

Is possible than Sony didn't include a search function for album / songs in the WM1A/WM1Z?? I don't find it.


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> maybe until warranty expires  I enabled hi-gain and wow amazes. Me the details go even further
> 
> I want to ask Whitigir when he encountered the Walkman 1z or his zx2 weird phase of changes, I am at 20:00 burn in




Yes, improvements is found from 10 hours, 20 hours, 75 hours, 170 hours, 250 hours . I am siting at 275 hours now, no further changes yet. The main improvements are from 75 hours 160 hours and 250 hours. I believe it will take up to 500 hours or so to completely burn in the first side, the secondary side would need additional 200 hours. Therefore, I am a long way until burn in is done


----------



## PCheung

whitigir said:


> It may be worth it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Buy myself a TA-ZH1ES, WM-1A and a cable around $1,000 seems like a better investment than a Kimber Ag cable


----------



## rcl5555

I received my cables from Surf yesterday and they are of very high quality and sound great.  The balanced output really makes a difference, particularly with DSD files.


----------



## Whitigir

pcheung said:


> Buy myself a TA-ZH1ES, WM-1A and a cable around $1,000 seems like a better investment than a Kimber Ag cable :rolleyes:




In case you ave all of the above....then you would want that cables . Anyways, balanced is the star of the show for sure. Don't forget that TRRS 3.5mm though. It is Also awesome in a different way


----------



## rcl5555

I have a WM1a and for a few albums the album art is not displaying.  It has nothing to do with the file type, and the album art for these files show up on my Mac and also show up when I examine it in my tagging software.  Does anyone know how I can fix this?


----------



## gerelmx1986

rcl5555 said:


> I have a WM1a and for a few albums the album art is not displaying.  It has nothing to do with the file type, and the album art for these files show up on my Mac and also show up when I examine it in my tagging software.  Does anyone know how I can fix this?


 

 ​Check the thread sony walkman tips and tricls, your álbum muste be progressive jpg instead of standard baseline mode


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 The US will not get WM1A apparently judging by what i read on the Servicing manual, there is no US location zip for WM1A and mexico like always nothing, fortunately i got mine from AJ 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Running XBA-Z5 H gain find them to not sound boomy as they used to be with ZX100, simply they sound spectacular with my WM1A and ye 1A is warmer tan zx100


----------



## CraftyClown

Soooooo, I decided to be the little guinea pig this afternoon for you guys, particularly those in the EU and with with volume capped Walkmans.
  
 Guess who now has a high gain setting, and no longer has a 'turn down your volume' nag every 20 hours?
  
 Meeeeeeeeeeeeee!


----------



## bvng3540

craftyclown said:


> Soooooo, I decided to be the little guinea pig this afternoon for you guys, particularly those in the EU and with with volume capped Walkmans.
> 
> Guess who now has a high gain setting, and no longer has a 'turn down your volume' nag every 20 hours?
> 
> Meeeeeeeeeeeeee!




Damn dude you must have a hearing loss problem, for you to turn it up that high


----------



## gerelmx1986

craftyclown said:


> Soooooo, I decided to be the little guinea pig this afternoon for you guys, particularly those in the EU and with with volume capped Walkmans.
> 
> Guess who now has a high gain setting, and no longer has a 'turn down your volume' nag every 20 hours?
> 
> Meeeeeeeeeeeeee!


 
 Cool, welcome to anonymous Hackers club


----------



## CraftyClown

bvng3540 said:


> Damn dude you must have a hearing loss problem, for you to turn it up that high


 
  
 lol. I wasn't even listening there, plus they aren't the easiest to drive headphones.
  
 The screen grab is just proof of the volume cap no longer existing.
  
 If you can find a cheap EU walkman out there, grab it up quickly! These things area about to become the bargain of the century


----------



## ttt123

Congratulations!  This will make a lot of EU owners happy.  There have been such low expectations that it would ever be possible to remove the volume limit, that it is that much sweeter that you have been able to verify that it works.


----------



## CraftyClown

ttt123 said:


> Congratulations!  This will make a lot of EU owners happy.  There have been such low expectations that it would ever be possible to remove the volume limit, that it is that much sweeter that you have been able to verify that it works.


 
  
 The sweetest thing is that they were selling the EU versions for near enough half price after Xmas as loads of people sent them back to Amazon because of the volume cap.
  
 £690 for this little beauty is a proper bargain.


----------



## bvng3540

craftyclown said:


> lol. I wasn't even listening there, plus they aren't the easiest to drive headphones.
> 
> The screen grab is just proof of the volume cap no longer existing.
> 
> If you can find a cheap EU walkman out there, grab it up quickly! These things area about to become the bargain of the century




To me capped or uncapped don't matter much, since my maxed volume on my 1a is 12,


----------



## CraftyClown

bvng3540 said:


> To me capped or uncapped don't matter much, since my maxed volume on my 1a is 12,


 
  
 I challenge you to try that with some 300 ohm Sennheisers


----------



## Fsilva

craftyclown said:


> Soooooo, I decided to be the little guinea pig this afternoon for you guys, particularly those in the EU and with with volume capped Walkmans.
> 
> Guess who now has a high gain setting, and no longer has a 'turn down your volume' nag every 20 hours?
> 
> ...


----------



## Sound Eq

craftyclown said:


> Soooooo, I decided to be the little guinea pig this afternoon for you guys, particularly those in the EU and with with volume capped Walkmans.
> 
> Guess who now has a high gain setting, and no longer has a 'turn down your volume' nag every 20 hours?
> 
> Meeeeeeeeeeeeee!


 
 can u please share by pm how to do that


----------



## CraftyClown

fsilva said:


>





> Can you please share the "how to" details either by pm or at the forum so that i can also try


 
  
  


sound eq said:


> can u please share by pm how to do that


 
  
 I'm going to link a full guide fellas. Just give me a little while as I've promised the lovely guys on the Rockbox IRC channel that I would let them finalise everything first.
  
 Worry not, it is literally being written as we speak 
  
 It is super simple and can now be done from command prompt on a windows machine. The whole thing takes about 10 seconds!
  
 You will need to factory reset your device once done, so if you have any music on the system storage you want to backup, I would do that now.


----------



## Sound Eq

craftyclown said:


> I'm going to link a full guide fellas. Just give me a little while as I've promised the lovely guys on the Rockbox IRC channel that I would let them finalise everything first.
> 
> Worry not, it is literally being written as we speak
> 
> ...


 
 thanks so much


----------



## Whitigir

I hope it is as simple as up up down down left right left right ABAB select


----------



## Fsilva

Damn...I don´t have a Windows PC nor access to a VM...
 Also in future OS updates will we have to run the commands to disable the volume cap?


----------



## Sound Eq

now from where can i buy the wm1a for the great deals u guys mention as i can not find anywhere
  
 also i have a question so if you remove the volume cap from european version will it be as powerful as the non european version


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> I hope it is as simple as up up down down left right left right ABAB select


 
  
 Sadly not. It does involve a computer and following some instructions, but it is incredibly easy
  
  


fsilva said:


> Damn...I don´t have a Windows PC nor access to a VM...
> Also in future OS updates will we have to run the commands to disable the volume cap?


 
  
 It's super straight forward. So much so that if you could just access a friends laptop for 5 minutes you will be done
  
  


sound eq said:


> now from where can i buy the wm1a for the great deals u guys mention as i can not find anywhere


 
  
 I'd say keep an eye on Amazon.uk or any of the other EU variants as people keep sending them back and not many of them will check here for a solution first
  
  
  
  
 I've also just fund out that it is apparantly possible to change the Japanese language version to a Multi language version too


----------



## CraftyClown

fsilva said:


> Also in future OS updates will we have to run the commands to disable the volume cap?


 
  
 Quite possibly, however no one is sure yet. It may be that once it has been changed future updates will take their cues from the existing firmware. Let's keep our fingers and toes crossed.


----------



## Fsilva

Thank you Sony for allowing us EU to buy for so cheap this units, and also to be able to hack them!!
 Please do not remove this options like you did in the past with the fat versions of the PS3 that we were able to install Linux


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Hope this beats the ZX2


----------



## Whitigir

audiobreeder said:


> Hope this beats the ZX2




It beats Zx2 black and blue and black and blue...over and over again...then cooked it until it is Gold in color


----------



## Sound Eq

guys help me out finding a european wm1a  with great deals


----------



## CraftyClown

sound eq said:


> guys help me out finding a european wm1a  with great deals


 
  
 Patience mate. They keep popping up on Amazon


----------



## Rob49

craftyclown said:


> I'm going to link a full guide fellas. Just give me a little while as I've promised the lovely guys on the Rockbox IRC channel that I would let them finalise everything first.
> 
> Worry not, it is literally being written as we speak
> 
> ...


 
  
 I assume you can apply this to a ZX2 ???


----------



## Sound Eq

craftyclown said:


> Patience mate. They keep popping up on Amazon


 
 man patience is not my friend 
  
 can you just inform me after you remove the cap does it become as powerful as the non european version
  
 dam there was a wm1z for 2000 USD on the sale forum as it was european, wish i grabbed that had i known this is possible, i am sure the guy who bought it is now having a huge smile if he reads this thread


----------



## CraftyClown

rob49 said:


> I assume you can apply this to a ZX2 ???


 
  
 I'm afraid not. This solution only works on Sony firmware, not android


----------



## CraftyClown

sound eq said:


> can you just inform me after you remove the cap does it become as powerful as the non european version


 
  
 When you do this hack.... It is the non EU version


----------



## Rob49

craftyclown said:


> I'm afraid not. This solution only works on Sony firmware, not android


 
  
 Thought that would be the case. Oh well !


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiobreeder said:


> Hope this beats the ZX2


mine beats my ex-zx100 hatd


----------



## davidcotton

craftyclown said:


> Patience mate. They keep popping up on Amazon


 

 There was one there today.  £690.00  Had it in my basket but couldn't pull the trigger.  For some reason spending nearly £700 and not having a new product just seems wrong to me.  Maybe it was the "may come reboxed" comment that put me off?!?


----------



## CraftyClown

davidcotton said:


> There was one there today.  £690.00  Had it in my basket but couldn't pull the trigger.  For some reason spending nearly £700 and not having a new product just seems wrong to me.  Maybe it was the "may come reboxed" comment that put me off?!?


 
  
 With mine you could see the box had been opened, but the device was in perfect condition and even had the plastic coating on.
  
 For a £600 discount it seems like a bargain to me


----------



## Sound Eq

craftyclown said:


> With mine you could see the box had been opened, but the device was in perfect condition and even had the plastic coating on.
> 
> For a £600 discount it seems like a bargain to me


 
 does amazon uk warehouse ship outside uk


----------



## davidcotton

craftyclown said:


> With mine you could see the box had been opened, but the device was in perfect condition and even had the plastic coating on.
> 
> For a £600 discount it seems like a bargain to me


 

 Main reason I'm holding on is that I have a £50 sainsbury's voucher that I can swop for an amazon one.  Just got to wait until they come back in stock.  Got some more vouchers from christmas as well 
  
 How easy was it on a scale of one - ten?


----------



## CraftyClown

sound eq said:


> does amazon uk warehouse ship outside uk


 
  
 I believe it does yes
  


davidcotton said:


> Main reason I'm holding on is that I have a £50 sainsbury's voucher that I can swop for an amazon one.  Just got to wait until they come back in stock.  Got some more vouchers from christmas as well
> 
> How easy was it on a scale of one - ten?


 
  
 Have you used command prompt on a PC before? If yes then 1, it's super easy. If not then 2 as you will have to read some instructions, but still super easy


----------



## TokenGesture

Any way to do it from a Mac?


----------



## CraftyClown

tokengesture said:


> Any way to do it from a Mac?


 
  
 I think you will need to either run a virtual windows or linux environment


----------



## CraftyClown

Ok boys and girls, so here we go then:
  
https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Changing_destination_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation
  
 Please use some common sense before attempting this. It's perfectly safe providing you follow the simple instructions, however please be careful and if you aren't sure about any of these instructions feel free to ask questions first.
  
  
 I used the Russian code E2 on my device and it is working perfectly. If in any doubt I would advise using this code.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Wondering if this hack also Works for example if you buy a japanese model and want english menú


----------



## Whitigir

craftyclown said:


> Ok boys and girls, so here we go then:
> 
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Changing_destination_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation
> 
> ...




That is awesome ! Thanks !


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wondering if this hack also Works for example if you buy a japanese model and want english menú


 
  
 I posted a little earlier, yes this does work.


----------



## FenderP

craftyclown said:


> I posted a little earlier, yes this does work.


 
  
 But I guess you would lose ATRAC compatibiltiy if you're using music formatted with it since you're effectively changing the region.


----------



## CraftyClown

fenderp said:


> But I guess you would lose ATRAC compatibiltiy if you're using music formatted with it since you're effectively changing the region.


 
  
Correct. The extra features that come with that regional firmware would be lost when changing to a multi language version.
  
 I've just been informed that the ATRAC compatibility may remain, even after the language has been changed to English. It remains with the A850 at least.
  
 As this is reversable in will be interesting to find out. Anyone here with the Japanese model willing to find out?


----------



## Tanjiro

craftyclown said:


> Ok boys and girls, so here we go then:
> 
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Changing_destination_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation
> 
> ...



Oh man! You make me attempt to get an EU version RIGHT NOW!!!!  Still no word when 1A will be available in N America...


----------



## FenderP

craftyclown said:


> Correct. The extra features that come with that regional firmware would be lost when changing to a multi language version.
> 
> I've just been informed that the ATRAC compatibility may remain, even after the language has been changed to English. It remains with the A850 at least.
> 
> As this is reversable in will be interesting to find out. Anyone here with the Japanese model willing to find out?


 
  
 All of my Walkmans are Japanese, but I am not going to try this even though I still use some ATRAC.


----------



## FenderP

moneypls said:


> Still no word when 1A will be available in N America...


 
  
 Based on the service manual, it looks like Canada and USA will only be getting the 1Z.


----------



## CraftyClown

fenderp said:


> All of my Walkmans are Japanese, but I am not going to try this even though I still use some ATRAC.


 
  
 Fair enough. Doesn't sound like you really need it.
  


fenderp said:


> Based on the service manual, it looks like Canada and USA will only be getting the 1Z.


 
  
 That is very strange. I wonder why that might be?


----------



## Tanjiro

fenderp said:


> Based on the service manual, it looks like Canada and USA will only be getting the 1Z.



Are you kidding me?  That's ridiculous!!!


----------



## FenderP

craftyclown said:


> Fair enough. Doesn't sound like you really need it.
> 
> 
> That is very strange. I wonder why that might be?


 
  
  


moneypls said:


> Are you kidding me?  That's ridiculous!!!


 
  
 Looks like they're making a marketing/sales decision. You can see it plan as day in the manual which is up on the Rockbox site for the NW project. TSAVJason said it was coming later in Q1 2017, but that manual says otherwise.


----------



## FenderP

Here's the relevant bits. No other real way to interpret.


----------



## echineko

craftyclown said:


> Quite possibly, however no one is sure yet. It may be that once it has been changed future updates will take their cues from the existing firmware. Let's keep our fingers and toes crossed.


 
 My guess would be they might disable this workaround in a future firmware (assuming they see this as voiding the warranty, etc). In that scenario, all current units would be able to still disable the volume limit, but new units with a more recent firmware may no longer able to. I also think once enabled, it's not likely to revert with future updates, seems like they're just going off internal region settings when installing firmware.
  
 Still, I'm glad this worked for you, and without much incident it seems 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The only question remaining is the effect on warranty, though I'm sure it's still worthwhile for many to do this


----------



## echineko

fenderp said:


> Here's the relevant bits. No other real way to interpret.


 
 Certainly does seem that way for now, but these things tend to also be updated, eh? That's why there's a version number on the front, it may be that the 1A just isn't being released yet, and in a future release of this service manual it will be included for US / Canada markets.


----------



## CraftyClown

echineko said:


> My guess would be they might disable this workaround in a future firmware (assuming they see this as voiding the warranty, etc). In that scenario, all current units would be able to still disable the volume limit, but new units with a more recent firmware may no longer able to. I also think once enabled, it's not likely to revert with future updates, seems like they're just going off internal region settings when installing firmware.
> 
> Still, I'm glad this worked for you, and without much incident it seems
> 
> ...


 
  
 Well the great thing is it's fully reversable.
  
 I'm not sure Sony will worry about preventing it either. They only set the limitation to abide by EU laws, which they have done. It's not their fault if someone manages to bypass it.


----------



## echineko

craftyclown said:


> Well the great thing is it's fully reversable.
> 
> *I'm not sure Sony will worry about preventing it either. *They only set the limitation to abide by EU laws, which they have done. It's not their fault if someone manages to bypass it.


 
 I'm certainly hoping they see it this way too, would be great if they threw their European fans a bone and closed one eye to this workaround. Technically all EU devices still meet the regulation requirements during sale, let people do what they want at their own risk once it's purchased


----------



## FenderP

echineko said:


> Certainly does seem that way for now, but these things tend to also be updated, eh? That's why there's a version number on the front, it may be that the 1A just isn't being released yet, and in a future release of this service manual it will be included for US / Canada markets.


 
  
 Agree it could change, but for the time being, this is the story. We'll see if TSAVJason is right and the 1A comes in March(ish) to North America.
  
 Having said that, because Sony is essentially non-existent in the consumer space for portables and these are being sold via higher end stereo dealers, in some way it makes sense to sell the 1Z. That said, Natural Sound is near me and they sell equipment from affordable to I could never afford it. In most other countries, you can walk into places other than specialty shops and pick one of these up, so having both a lower and a higher priced option seems like a better idea to Sony's sales folks.
  
 EDIT: Anecdotal evidence - the only places I ever saw the US version of the ZX2 were on Amazon or once at one of the Magnolia stores in a Best Buy that actually had the higher end stuff (those higher end store-within-a-stores are rare; most have fairly run of the mill stuff).


----------



## gerelmx1986

moneypls said:


> fenderp said:
> 
> 
> > Based on the service manual, it looks like Canada and USA will only be getting the 1Z.
> ...


 

 Saw that too and Mexico wil get NONE Lol but i got mine from AJ


----------



## FenderP

Just some early battery life numbers based on what I've seen so far:
 Although not a huge believer, I'm following the burn in time. I'm not on the road for awhile, so just doing it as I'm doing other things and am up to about 94 hours. For one day I basically unplugged it and let the 1A do its thing. I have a mixture of 2.8 (single rate) DSF files along with FLAC (44.1/16, 48/24, 96/24, and 192/24). It died somewhere between 23 and 24 hours which is amazing. My ZX1 could never last that long playing basically only hi-rez (I have very little 44.1/16 on here).
  
 It'll be interesting in a year or two to see how Sony will try to top the 1A/Z. If MQA does take off, they can easily add that via a firmware update, so I don't see that as a major upgrade.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fenderp said:


> Just some early battery life numbers based on what I've seen so far:
> Although not a huge believer, I'm following the burn in time. I'm not on the road for awhile, so just doing it as I'm doing other things and am up to about 94 hours. For one day I basically unplugged it and let the 1A do its thing. I have a mixture of 2.8 (single rate) DSF files along with FLAC (44.1/16, 48/24, 96/24, and 192/24). It died somewhere between 23 and 24 hours which is amazing. My ZX1 could never last that long playing basically only hi-rez (I have very little 44.1/16 on here).
> 
> It'll be interesting in a year or two to see how Sony will try to top the 1A/Z. If MQA does take off, they can easily add that via a firmware update, so I don't see that as a major upgrade.


 

 ​my first carge with battery care ON died at 18 hours, will try battery care off


----------



## Whitigir

Where do people find these service manuals so fast ?


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> Where do people find these service manuals so fast ?


 
  
 They were released by the same guys who discovered the volume hack


----------



## bflat

Question on playlists - can I import M3U playlists? and if so does the track path need to be specified between internal and SD card storage?
  
 On AK DAPs, both internal and SD card tracks are seen under one Music directory so M3U playlist files can be imported without modification. Onkyo DP-X1 on the other hand treats each of the 2 SD cards as separate volumes so you have to specify the volume or make sure the tracks on a given playlist all reside on the same SD card.
  
 Another quick question - any cable maker have a right angled 4.4mm balanced plug?


----------



## echineko

bflat said:
			
		

> .
> Another quick question - any cable maker have a right angled 4.4mm balanced plug?



I've only seen Kumitate Labs from Japan so far with right angle 4.4mm balanced, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time. For the time being::

www.kumitatelab.com/4.4mm5polecable/


----------



## gerelmx1986

Nice emotion with female voices in the Mitridate opera of Mozart


----------



## Dithyrambes

Damn respect to gerelmx LOL....a classical music nut! happy to hear since I am a classically trained cellist Lol.


----------



## turbo87

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​my first carge with battery care ON died at 18 hours, will try battery care off




I got 30 hours with battery care on. This is with SE, normal gain and volume around 60 to 75. Playing Flac files only. I am really impressed. None of my DAPs have lasted this long.


----------



## FenderP

turbo87 said:


> I got 30 hours with battery care on. This is with SE, normal gain and volume around 60 to 75. Playing Flac files only. I am really impressed. None of my DAPs have lasted this long.


 
  
 Mainly 44.1/16 I assume.


----------



## turbo87

Correct.


----------



## gerelmx1986

turbo87 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > ​my first carge with battery care ON died at 18 hours, will try battery care off
> ...


 

 ​maybe because i fiddled a lot with screen this times, still getting to know my player


----------



## aj05hi

craftyclown said:


> Ok boys and girls, so here we go then:
> 
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Changing_destination_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation
> 
> ...


 

 Does this presents you with the 'high gain' setting in the menu or just uncaps the volume? I have done this (used E2) but cannot see high gain in the menu unless I have misunderstood something?


----------



## gerelmx1986

There is no VTP Surround sound option, well i can live with that but wish they had included some reverb or crossfeed option


----------



## CraftyClown

aj05hi said:


> Does this presents you with the 'high gain' setting in the menu or just uncaps the volume? I have done this (used E2) but cannot see high gain in the menu unless I have misunderstood something?




Yes you should have high gain in output settings. 

Did you remember to factory reset your device?


----------



## Drifterxny

You don't need to factory reset, just simply restart the player after the change, at least that's what I did. Thanks for posting this workaround!


----------



## CraftyClown

drifterxny said:


> You don't need to factory reset, just simply restart the player after the change, at least that's what I did. Thanks for posting this workaround!




Great! and you now have the high gain option as well?


----------



## aj05hi

craftyclown said:


> Yes you should have high gain in output settings.
> 
> Did you remember to factory reset your device?




Not reset but I did restart but still no option? I will try reset now.

Just to double check that the command should be E2 off?


----------



## aj05hi

Excellent did a reset and have high gain now


----------



## CraftyClown

aj05hi said:


> Excellent did a reset and have high gain now




Awesome


----------



## davidcotton

So would there be any chance of using this method on the upcoming a30?  Really don't want to spend that much on an mp3 player (real world economics and use come in to it tbh).  Torn between importing from aj and waiting a month and getting it off amazon.


----------



## Whitigir

So when you have the volume uncapped, do you realize loudness improvements ?


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> So when you have the volume uncapped, do you realize loudness improvements ?




I think there is a small boost to the maximum volume. More importantly though there is the high gain option and no more periodic (every 20 hours) volume reduction.


----------



## CraftyClown

davidcotton said:


> So would there be any chance of using this method on the upcoming a30?  Really don't want to spend that much on an mp3 player (real world economics and use come in to it tbh).  Torn between importing from aj and waiting a month and getting it off amazon.




I would say most probably yes. It's highly unlikely that Sony will worry about this as they have fulfilled their requirement of adding a volume cap. There is no reason for them to do anything differently, which is good for us


----------



## nvtdien

anyone compare 1A vs DX200 ?


----------



## ledzep

Only one fleabay 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182413856847


----------



## Sound Eq

ledzep said:


> Only one fleabay
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182413856847


 
 i am hunting for the better warehouse uk amazon priced catches
  
 and i know my luck which means it will not appear anytime soon on warehouse uk amazon
  
 i should have bought the wm1z for 2000 usd on second hand for sale forum that was european


----------



## ledzep

sound eq said:


> i am hunting for the better warehouse uk amazon priced catches
> 
> and i know my luck which means it will not appear anytime soon on warehouse uk amazon
> 
> i should have bought the wm1z for 2000 usd on second hand for sale forum that was european



Fingers crossed for you , glad I bought a new one at £800 and 2 warehouse ones at £658 ( which were mint condition) for friends who now owe me a drink or three


----------



## proedros

this 'turn your EU 1a into non-eu' hacking thing is great , as there will be no more waiting for a non-eu version to appear here FS , like i did with the zx2
  
 bookmarked the hacking page for future use
  
@CraftyClown great find


----------



## Sinarca

Nothing for ZX2 Eu ? It has a firmware, too.


----------



## proedros

gibraltar said:


> WM1A vs WM1Z Comparison
> 
> I recently spent several hours A-B testing the 1A and 1Z and thought I'd share my observations. All testing was done with my Fitear MH335DW SRs. The units were set to direct mode with low gain. I tested three different pairs of units for just over an hour each:
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 great impressions , the more i read about 1a/1z , the more i am convince that 1a is the one for me sound-wise and also as the definite better 'bang-for-buck' dap (limited budget is also a huge factor here as well)


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

where can i buy an uncapped wm1a from?
 i tried contacting calvin at music sanctuary but he only responded a few times then i did not hear back. poor customer service.
  
 anyone else?


----------



## Sound Eq

great comaprison above between 1a and 1z, however i would liked to know simply would the bass be way less in 1a than 1z, as bass is important to me


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> Is that so, most unbalanced cable has two cables from each driver R+ and ground, L+ and ground, 4 wires in total, and where the 4 wires meet at the Y section, the two ground is usually wired together to form one, adding the R+ and L+, making it 3 cables to the 3.5 plug.
> 
> So if you are saying it has 4 in total, that will be great, I have 3 spare cables,1 ex600 and 2 ex1000, thats not incuding those already attached to the ear piece. Then I can have them rewired as well.



Can confirm it's got 4 separate strands,the grey socket (left) is on the tip and the first ring and the red (right) is on the third and fourth ring,that's on the Japanese EX1000 cable probably same on the US model but I know the Japanese model has a better quality set of cables than the US one.


----------



## gerelmx1986

princeofegypt said:


> where can i buy an uncapped wm1a from?
> i tried contacting calvin at music sanctuary but he only responded a few times then i did not hear back. poor customer service.
> 
> anyone else?


accessory jack


----------



## gerelmx1986

The Screenshot sequence is an Easter egg or it comes in the user guide?


----------



## CraftyClown

proedros said:


> this 'turn your EU 1a into non-eu' hacking thing is great , as there will be no more waiting for a non-eu version to appear here FS , like i did with the zx2
> 
> bookmarked the hacking page for future use
> 
> ...




No worries mate, just glad to help  



sinarca said:


> Nothing for ZX2 Eu ? It has a firmware, too.




I'm afraid the ZX2 will not be possible with this hack. Tests were done yesterday, however the Android firmware does not respond in the same way as the Sony one. Sorry about that. 



princeofegypt said:


> where can i buy an uncapped wm1a from?
> i tried contacting calvin at music sanctuary but he only responded a few times then i did not hear back. poor customer service.
> 
> anyone else?




With this new hack you'll no longer need an un-capped device. 10 seconds in front of a PC and all the devices are the same


----------



## Whitigir

The WM1Z does not show it potentials until 250 hours and more....mark my words


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> The WM1Z does not show it potentials until 250 hours and more....mark my words


 

 ​Reaching right now 29:44 hours and sounds smooth yet musical as i like. To contrast i really didn't like the Signature of the ZX100, way too revealing and lacking emotion conveyance like the WM1A does. WM1A has beautiful emotional convetance esp with vocal Works and chamber works. THE MDR-Z7 subbass really screwn DEEEP!!!!! wow deeper than zx100


----------



## blazinblazin

70+hrs there should be a change.

Even at 200+ hours it's still changing.


----------



## ledzep

First WM1A capped sorted then...........
  


 This Sunday is going from excellent to cosmic, time for the old Z7's to pop their 4.4mm kimber cherry.
 Wife thinks i've lost it, as she puts it " you do know you can go deaf  and they look and nice shiny do the wires"


----------



## HiFiGuy528

ledzep said:


> This Sunday is going for excellent to cosmic, time for the old Z7's to pop their 4.4mm kimber cherry.
> Wife thinks i've lost it, as she puts it " *you do know you can go deaf  *and they look and nice shiny do the wires"


 
  
 You can choke from eating... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Congrats! keep us posted on how the 1A sounds.
  
 I'm rockin' 1Z + PHA-3 + Z5 running all balanced. The weak point here is the WM cable to PHA-3. There should be a Sony / Kimber version.


----------



## Whitigir

I think 1Z is better than Pha-3 out of balanced connections , except it isn't a stand alone DAC. No need to be stacking. The only stack that is worthy would be 1Z+TA ....




Wm1Z, the best portable digital transport also. Native DSD into TA  and pha3


----------



## ledzep

hifiguy528 said:


> You can choke from eating...
> 
> Congrats! keep us posted on how the 1A sounds.
> 
> I'm rockin' 1Z + PHA-3 + Z5 running all balanced. The weak point here is the WM cable to PHA-3. There should be a Sony / Kimber version.




Running mine through on the new PHA2A on 4.4 balanced output the digtal out cables not much better on that so I've sprung for this


----------



## ledzep

whitigir said:


> I think 1Z is better than Pha-3 out of balanced connections , except it isn't a stand alone DAC. No need to be stacking. The only stack that is worthy would be 1Z+TA ....
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Loving the back drop sets it off nice


----------



## proedros

ledzep said:


> Loving the back drop sets it off nice


 
  
@Whitigir has a towel handy to wipe off his tears of bliss


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> @Whitigir
> has a towel handy to wipe off his tears of bliss




Together with whenever my wife feel like slapping me in the face


----------



## proedros

whitigir said:


> Together with whenever my wife feel like slapping me in the face


 
  
 the receipts have been burned , so you are safe


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> This Sunday is going for excellent to cosmic, time for the old Z7's to pop their 4.4mm kimber cherry.
> *Wife thinks i've lost it*, as she puts it " you do know you can go deaf  and they look and nice shiny do the wires"


 
 LOL fortunately my Husband has the same tastes for me and he is happy i got a nice quality DAP


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> LOL fortunately my Husband has the same tastes for me and he is happy i got a nice quality DAP


 
  
 You have a husband??!!!!
  
 What does the boyfriend think about all of this??


----------



## Fabi

proedros said:


> @Whitigir has a towel handy to wipe off his tears of *bliss *


 
 I would rather call this, eargasm 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
 Nice setup @Whitigir


----------



## Rob49

proedros said:


> @Whitigir has a towel handy to wipe off his tears of bliss


 
  
 I did wonder, how your sentence was going to end !! ?....mind you, the way he goes on, it could very well be true !!


----------



## proedros

rob49 said:


> I did wonder, how your sentence was going to end !! ?....mind you, the way he goes on, it could very well be true !!


 
  
 i decided to go for the non-indecent scenario


----------



## gerelmx1986

craftyclown said:


> You have a husband??!!!!
> 
> What does the boyfriend think about all of this??


 
 Now my BF and I call us hubbies 
  
 BTW I think the sony loses the playlist position if you have it playing music, press the power button to turn it off and then turn back it on a starts again in track 01
  
 EDIT>>>>> Tried pausing the song and then turning it off and turning back ON and again loses position and starts in track 01 
  
 Will attempt to do a DB rebuild and see what happens, it is not a big deal, just a minor annoyance, because before it did remember the position it's kinda odd
  
 EDIT 2>>>>> after performing DB Rebuild seems to be working somehow intermittent, the second time i turned it off afte DB rebuild it didnmt remember, but thrid and fouth time seem to be ok


----------



## ledzep

Let the iem battle commence !


----------



## warrior1975

Which iems are those? I see Sony. That makes me smile.


----------



## ledzep

warrior1975 said:


> Which iems are those? I see Sony. That makes me smile.



Z5'S & EX1000's


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think the best soution to the Bug as for now would be to not turn it off completely during day so it stays remembering track position and if turning it off better to write down the track position


----------



## gerelmx1986

Starting to hear more changes and weird phases now but more BEAUTIFUL changes as sound opening up more and more and more details! still warm smooth sounding


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Starting to hear more changes and weird phases now but more BEAUTIFUL changes as sound opening up more and more and more details! still warm smooth sounding




Yeah, the WM series does seem to go through obvious changes...wait til 250 hours


----------



## purk

At 300 hours now on balanced section.  Time for a little 1Z vs PHA-3 duel!


----------



## echineko

ledzep said:


> Running mine through on the new PHA2A on 4.4 balanced output the digtal out cables not much better on that so I've sprung for this



I tried that at a local dealer, I noticed it had a negative impact on head stage vs the stock Sony adapter and a decent USB cable (I was using the ALO green line), try it and elf me know what you think. Ended up not getting it for that reason.


----------



## ledzep

echineko said:


> I tried that at a local dealer, I noticed it had a negative impact on head stage vs the stock Sony adapter and a decent USB cable (I was using the ALO green line), try it and elf me know what you think. Ended up not getting it for that reason.



Yeah unfortunately there's not a lot to choose from on the connection scene bought a Sony WMC-NWH10 as a back up just in case it turns out to be no better than the stock that came with the PHA, does puzzle me why they haven't released a better one as someone commented a kimber would be nice.


----------



## audionewbi

ledzep said:


> Let the iem battle commence !



How is the 2a? I was thinking of getting for dpx1 and using dpx1 upsampling feature have a dedicated DSD128 setup.


----------



## ledzep

audionewbi said:


> How is the 2a? I was thinking of getting for dpx1 and using dpx1 upsampling feature have a dedicated DSD128 setup.



Early days I'm still only on about 60 hours burn in balanced at the moment but so far so good if it burns in as nice as the 1A has I might get the Z1R's as well, I'm glad I kept the Z7's now when I had them running off my AK380 they really were disappointing but they really come to life with the 1A / PHA2A.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> audionewbi said:
> 
> 
> > How is the 2a? I was thinking of getting for dpx1 and using dpx1 upsampling feature have a dedicated DSD128 setup.
> ...


 

 ​Same i can say for my XBA-Z5 they sucked a bit with ZX100 but now they shine (with SE) on the 1A, MDR-Z7 sucked on my laptop mediocre DAC and they sound great with 1A, gotta get some balanced cables from plussound but girst let me find a job


----------



## ledzep

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Same i can say for my XBA-Z5 they sucked a bit with ZX100 but now they shine (with SE) on the 1A, MDR-Z7 sucked on my laptop mediocre DAC and they sound great with 1A, gotta get some balanced cables from plussound but girst let me find a job



Yeah the Z5 were a bit disappointing too with the AK but these too have come to life with the Sony set up , the EX1000 however can do no wrong in my opinion with most players, yeah I know isolation wise they ain't great but bang on some audiotechnica xbuds and I get just the right amount of bass and isolation etc to make them one of my all time favourite iems ( and I've had a s**t load ) still have love for the 64audio U's there my all day work ones.


----------



## Bengkia369

ledzep said:


> Yeah the Z5 were a bit disappointing too with the AK but these too have come to life with the Sony set up , the EX1000 however can do no wrong in my opinion with most players, yeah I know isolation wise they ain't great but bang on some audiotechnica xbuds and I get just the right amount of bass and isolation etc to make them one of my all time favourite iems ( and I've had a s**t load ) still have love for the 64audio U's there my all day work ones.




My AK240 had the same problem with my JVC HA-FW02 too, the sound become V shaped as bass is more prominent than the mids. I think due to the fact AK240 is not driven those high demanding iems well enough.


----------



## ledzep

bengkia369 said:


> My AK240 had the same problem with my JVC HA-FW02 too, the sound become V shaped as bass is more prominent than the mids. I think due to the fact AK240 is not driven those high demanding iems well enough.



Had a 240 for about a fortnight just didn't sound right to me was super disappointed after I sold my RWA titan 120 to fund it. This audio nirvana that we all seek is a dirty not to mention expensive habit.... Don't get me started on my vinyl habits (records before you get the wrong idea)


----------



## gerelmx1986

The sound at 35 hours is great, still changing however but holy wow, the Harpsichord never sounded that realistic , never noted on my ZX100 this thing (Wood rubbing another Wood screeching briefly, asume some parts of the instrument) and the air it produces and separation and holographic soundstage is just addicting.
  
 This Black brick of aluminum able to replicate all the nuances of an instrument as old as 1638!!!! is just mind-blowing, how the sound deccays with such a natural response esp the bass section of the instrument whyen  a key is left depressed, the fact all notes don-t get just tangled up but all come to play and float arround you with many many details for SE is damn good
  
 EDIT: feeling already curious about BALANCED i think one of the best SE i have ever heard as now, sight still far from the potential 400+ burn in hours


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> Let the iem battle commence !


 
 Where did you got those plastic covers for the jacks of WM1A?


----------



## ledzep

gerelmx1986 said:


> Where did you got those plastic covers for the jacks of WM1A?



I looked high and low for something for the balanced port, 3.5mm just a standard rubber dust cap for mobile phones but the 4.4mm i actually bought these and slightly trimmed a bit off with a scalpel (only about 0.5 of a mm for a snug fit) 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191817693046

I'm sure you find some at your local hardware store.

Actually just looked they are off a petrol remote controlled car.


----------



## 284033

princeofegypt said:


> where can i buy an uncapped wm1a from?
> i tried contacting calvin at music sanctuary but he only responded a few times then i did not hear back. poor customer service.
> 
> anyone else?


 
 Apologies, I did not get a reply mail from you. PM sent.
  
 To all, we recommend the patronage of other stores as we are not carrying the WM1 products due to a licensing issue; we will only be carrying the balanced adaptors for these products.


----------



## CraftyClown

kozato said:


> Apologies, I did not get a reply mail from you. PM sent.
> 
> To all, we recommend the patronage of other stores as we are not carrying the WM1 products due to a licensing issue; we will only be carrying the balanced adaptors for these products.




Is that an official balanced adapter? 2.5mm to 4.4mm?


----------



## blazinblazin

gerelmx1986 said:


> EDIT: feeling already curious about BALANCED i think one of the best SE i have ever heard as now, sight still far from the potential 400+ burn in hours


 
  
 Balanced will be another world 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Even after 200hrs of burn in on SE, Balanced without burn in still wow me.


----------



## Tanjiro

Hi guys, FYI. Just got an email from Jaben and they have the M12SB1 in stock!


----------



## blazinblazin

moneypls said:


> Hi guys, FYI. Just got an email from Jaben and they have the M12SB1 in stock!


 
  
  
 Yup up on site already~ For those who wants it, please act quick.
  
https://jaben.com.my/collections/sony/products/muc-m12sb1?variant=31462742086


----------



## CraftyClown

moneypls said:


> Hi guys, FYI. Just got an email from Jaben and they have the M12SB1 in stock!




Cheers for the heads up. I've just ordered one


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

I have to say WM1A is sounds kinda slow on dance tracks. :sneezing_face:


----------



## jugglingsoot

The PRaT seems to improve at around 485 hours.


----------



## kms108

Me too i got the cable for 469 rm send to hong kong, its a shame, i dont have thr wm1a yet, getting it from japan around october.
 Might be buying the beyerdynamic Xelento today.


----------



## unknownguardian

Never knew how many hours my WM1A has burned in because the unit run time keep decreasing/resetting to a certain value whenever I switch off the unit.


----------



## audionewbi

I am having a hard time with FW01 when paired with 1A using the balance out. It just doesnt sound right. I couldnt make sense of it. I swapped out the cable to the stock cable and went single ended, the midrange came back alive! I have no other 4.4mm cable to compare things with, there is only one way to look at it for me, the balance cable isn't the right pair for FW01.


----------



## audionewbi

unknownguardian said:


> Never knew how many hours my WM1A has burned in because the unit run time keep decreasing/resetting to a certain value whenever I switch off the unit.


 
 yea, I noticed this too. My unit has been on over two weeks and all it has shown me is I have burned my unit for 208 hours.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

^ It's quite possible it's the cable, I've had some iems sound completely disperse and vague when going to a larger gauge cable.


----------



## audionewbi

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> ^ It's quite possible it's the cable, I've had some iems sound completely disperse and vague when going to a larger gauge cable.


 
 What I notice is when I go from stock to kimber the sound becomes more forward and I loss a lot of detail in bass and lower end impact. it should be other way around. I love the WM1A single ended, i was expecting a lot better performance than what I currently hear from the 4.4mm out.


----------



## kms108

Just realize i also got a email from jaben about stock, i too sent a email when they will get stock, this was3 days ago. He replied to me about 5 minutes ago and say the sony cables should reach them in 2-3 days direct from Sony and he will dispatch them ASAP.


----------



## blazinblazin

audionewbi said:


> What I notice is when I go from stock to kimber the sound becomes more forward and I loss a lot of detail in bass and lower end impact. it should be other way around. I love the WM1A single ended, i was expecting a lot better performance than what I currently hear from the 4.4mm out.


 
 Yup it will lose some detail using Balanced Kimber Kable.
  
 My experience is detail lost but not actually lost, it's there I can still hear it, just that it was pushed further away from me.
 I gain a bigger soundstage in the front. More room filling background.
  
 My volume compared to SE I need to increase 10 more bars. instead of 60, I need to increase to 70
  
 After burn in, balanced port and cable, some of the details came back, the impact gets stronger.
  
 SE was using ALO Reference 8 cable + CA Andromeda.
 Balanced was using Kimber Kable + CA Andromeda.


----------



## Jalo

audionewbi said:


> What I notice is when I go from stock to kimber the sound becomes more forward and I loss a lot of detail in bass and lower end impact. it should be other way around. I love the WM1A single ended, i was expecting a lot better performance than what I currently hear from the 4.4mm out.



Which Kimber cable do you have? Is it their standard copper cable they made for Sony?


----------



## audionewbi

jalo said:


> Which Kimber cable do you have? Is it their standard copper cable they made for Sony?


 
 The one Sony sales, they sourced kimber to make them.


----------



## Mimouille

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> ^ It's quite possible it's the cable, I've had some iems sound completely disperse and vague when going to a larger gauge cable.




So larger gauge is dispersed and thinner gauge is focused? Does the signal get diluted in all these cable threads


----------



## gerelmx1986

unknownguardian said:


> Never knew how many hours my WM1A has burned in because the unit run time keep decreasing/resetting to a certain value whenever I switch off the unit.


 

 ​Mine wuth FW1.02 does not do that but it loses track position whennever turn it off


----------



## Jalo

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Mine wuth FW1.02 does not do that but it loses track position whennever turn it off



Well one time at around 47 hours the Sony restarted itself and I lost my total hour so now I just have to add 47 hours to whatever hour I have, it is now at 250 hours.

I am also disappointed with the battery information with only an icon. My LPG can display percent remains or time remains down to the seconds, very accurate.


----------



## blazinblazin

I lost about 50hrs cause of a dsd file error. I deleted that folder afterwards as the file cause my 1A to hang.

I think the hours will be recorded only when you pause then shutdown.


----------



## Jalo

blazinblazin said:


> Yup it will lose some detail using Balanced Kimber Kable.
> 
> My experience is detail lost but not actually lost, it's there I can still hear it, just that it was pushed further away from me.
> I gain a bigger soundstage in the front. More room filling background.
> ...




It is the copper. Copper always placed a limit on detail retrieval. That is why I only use purest silver for all my cables except in rare occasion like my HD800.


----------



## blazinblazin

jalo said:


> It is the copper. Copper always placed a limit on detail retrieval. That is why I only use purest silver for all my cables except in rare occasion like my HD800.




I am waiting for a pure silver cable with balanced plug.


----------



## Jalo

blazinblazin said:


> I lost about 50hrs cause of a dsd file error. I deleted that folder afterwards as the file cause my 1A to hang.
> 
> I think the hours will be recorded only when you pause then shutdown.



I also noticed a few times of an error message that says incompatible file format and the player will skip to the next track. I do not know quite what to make of it as I thought the Sony should be able to play all formats. It happens to my LPG also. But my AK 380CU never once have any problem playing anything from my 512 Gb library.


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> It is the copper. Copper always placed a limit on detail retrieval. That is why I only use purest silver for all my cables except in rare occasion like my HD800.




Not the copper itself. I believe these Kimber are made by OFC copper. Ultra pure copper is different than OFC . I agree the OFC loses in detail for retrieval but not UPOCC. Silver is great but it could be bright though. However, WM1Z will make good use of silver wires 





blazinblazin said:


> I am waiting for a pure silver cable with balanced plug.




I am only waiting for my Balanced plugs


----------



## Jalo

blazinblazin said:


> I am waiting for a pure silver cable with balanced plug.




Yea, in fact I am contacting Kimber today to see if they are willing to make me an adaptor 4.4 to 2.5 with their new 16 cores Axios AG.


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> Yea, in fact I am contacting Kimber today to see if they are willing to make me an adaptor 4.4 to 2.5 with their new 16 cores Axios AG.




They will for $2000 if you are paying


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> Not the copper itself. I believe these Kimber are made by OFC copper. Ultra pure copper is different than OFC . I agree the OFC loses in detail for retrieval but not UPOCC. Silver is great but it could be bright though. However, WM1Z will make good use of silver wires
> I am only waiting for my Balanced plugs




I will have to disagree with you regarding the upocc. To me all copper regardless processing placed a limitation on detail retrieval. With regard to silver, only low grade silver will give you that brightness. I listened to the Kimber Axois AG, the Therium 8 silver Litz and Crystal silver cable, I own two and soon to be three, they do not sound bright. Just clean, clear and smooth details. But let's don't be off track too much onto cable.


----------



## Whitigir

I agree with silver quality regarding brightness , have to agree to disagree regarding UPOCC. Yeah Therium is great cables. By the way, why don't you buy Axious silver and ask your dealer to Splice and add adaptor with plugs ? If you are going to pay for ultra premium cables anyways


----------



## gerelmx1986

jalo said:


> blazinblazin said:
> 
> 
> > I lost about 50hrs cause of a dsd file error. I deleted that folder afterwards as the file cause my 1A to hang.
> ...


 

 It only Plays FLAC, ALAC, WAVE, AIFF DSD (DSF amd DFF) MP3 nad AAC


----------



## Jalo

gerelmx1986 said:


> It only Plays FLAC, ALAC, WAVE, AIFF DSD (DSF amd DFF) MP3 nad AAC



I believe that is all I have except hires and DSD. I will pay attention to the format next time when it happens.


----------



## echineko

jalo said:


> I believe that is all I have except hires and DSD. I will pay attention to the format next time when it happens.



I have noticed issues on some DSD files, when the same track is encoded to dual DSD from my SACD, it works fine. Not sure what is the limit for the Walkman, but I would wager you're hitting the same problem.

Edit: Just saw you mentioned except DSD, can't really help then


----------



## Jalo

Just ordered. 4.4 to 2.5 six inches Kimber Axios AG adaptor. Will have it this week. Received 10 percent off from CES show. I can upgrade to future Axios cable with fifty percent of my cost and they will allow me to keep the adaptor also. They claimed this is the best adaptor that I can find.


----------



## purk

jalo said:


> Just ordered. 4.4 to 2.5 six inches Kimber Axios AG adaptor. Will have it this week. Received 10 percent off from CES show. I can upgrade to future Axios cable with fifty percent of my cost and they will allow me to keep the adaptor also. They claimed this is the best adaptor that I can find.


 
 How much did it cost you?


----------



## flipper203

jalo said:


> Just ordered. 4.4 to 2.5 six inches Kimber Axios AG adaptor. Will have it this week. Received 10 percent off from CES show. I can upgrade to future Axios cable with fifty percent of my cost and they will allow me to keep the adaptor also. They claimed this is the best adaptor that I can find.


 
 4.4 female to 2.5 male or the other way around ?


----------



## audionewbi

jalo said:


> It is the copper. Copper always placed a limit on detail retrieval. That is why I only use purest silver for all my cables except in rare occasion like my HD800.



Try the hum pristine cable, not all copper cable are the same.


----------



## bflat

purk said:


> How much did it cost you?


 

 If it's Kimber, I'm guessing north of $500.


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> If it's Kimber, I'm guessing north of $500.




Probably more, because it is Axios 16 cores of pure silver , and that 50% coupon 



audionewbi said:


> Try the hum pristine cable, not all copper cable are the same.




Like I said, UPOCC or Ultra Pure copper is different than OFC copper. I agreed with bad grade Silver to sound bright and harsh, and so it is the same as OFC copper which has a lot of impurity and it loses detail retrieval.

I make countless of cables for my own interests, and I gotta tell you that UPOCC offers full body, details, open soundstage but warmth for the sound signatures.

So I have to agree that not all Copper is the same


----------



## Jalo

purk said:


> How much did it cost you?


 
 One time I was looking at a Ferrari and was asking how many miles does it get per gallon, I was told if I have to ask I probably can't afford it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Just teasing. It is about $880.00.  Mine doesn't have the black conductor.  There are 16 conductors and each conductor has about 40 ultra high pure silver wires, not litz without coating.  I was told by the developer of this cable that the dialetric materials will not turn black or yellow.


----------



## Jalo

flipper203 said:


> 4.4 female to 2.5 male or the other way around ?


 
 4.4 male to 2.5 female.


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> 4.4 male to 2.5 female.




You can use the coupon to buy silver Axios which is 4K to 50% off = 2k ? Good deal


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> You can use the coupon to buy silver Axios which is 4K to 50% off = 2k ? Good deal


 
 No, I can upgrade to a Axios AG and they will give me 50% off what I paid for this adapter plus allowing me to keep the adapter.


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> No, I can upgrade to a Axios AG and they will give me 50% off what I paid for this adapter plus allowing me to keep the adapter.




And did you get 16 cores on your adaptor ?


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> And did you get 16 cores on your adaptor ?


 
 Of course, anything less will not match me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 It looks like a piece of jewelry and sounds like angel singing


----------



## purk

jalo said:


> One time I was looking at a Ferrari and was asking how many miles does it get per gallon, I was told if I have to ask I probably can't afford it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 You are absolute correct.  I can't afford both the Ferrari as well as that adapter.  However, I do have some decent gears of my own.  
  
 BTW, thanks for disclose the price and that's one beautiful cable.


----------



## Jalo

purk said:


> You are absolute correct.  I can't afford both the Ferrari as well as that adapter.  However, I do have some decent gears of my own.


 
 I was just joking and really was not directed at you. Just using your post to make a joke, sorry about that.  I am sure you are a wonderful human beings with kind heart inside and that is what counts, right? Like my mom told me when you find a gal, make sure she has good inside temperament and value, so I told her, inside I can change it is the outside that I can't. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I am so vain and a sucker of all pretty things I can't help it


----------



## gerelmx1986

i will go for plussound


----------



## Jalo

gerelmx1986 said:


> i will go for plussound


 
 Yea but I will have to wait till sometimes in February and who knows by the time I receive my adapter may even be in March. I don't have the level of patience that you have. I want to start listening to my 1Z in balance and I want it NOW


----------



## flipper203

Go for beat audio cable it is well made and sounds good


----------



## squirrelman

Has anyone gotten the MUC-M12SB1 cable and had trouble with the MMCX connectors not fitting tightly?  I got the cable and was able to insert it as normal once my IEMs, then took it out to listen to them with the stock single ended cable again, now I can't get them back in.  They don't give that solid click when pushing them in.  I have tried the cable now those IEMs and a set of adapters that I just got, and it is doing the same on both.  In both the IEMs and the adapters, the other MMCX cables I have fit just fine.


----------



## ledzep

Mine are plugged into the Z5's and are solid and click into place.


----------



## blazinblazin

Mine works ok.
  
 Is there a huge resistance when you pull out the MUC-M12SB1 ?
  
 I not sure if your have damaged the MMCX plug after the first try.
  
 I see people just pull the MMCX to force it out.
 For me I will turn till a portion where the plug has a weaker connection, with a minimum force you can detach the cable from the IEM.
  
 Correction: I actually tested and its very easy to pull out for the MUC-M12SB1 cable but mine still clicks into place.


----------



## ledzep

squirrelman said:


> Has anyone gotten the MUC-M12SB1 cable and had trouble with the MMCX connectors not fitting tightly?  I got the cable and was able to insert it as normal once my IEMs, then took it out to listen to them with the stock single ended cable again, now I can't get them back in.  They don't give that solid click when pushing them in.  I have tried the cable now those IEMs and a set of adapters that I just got, and it is doing the same on both.  In both the IEMs and the adapters, the other MMCX cables I have fit just fine.



What are you plugging them into ?


----------



## audionewbi

squirrelman said:


> Has anyone gotten the MUC-M12SB1 cable and had trouble with the MMCX connectors not fitting tightly?  I got the cable and was able to insert it as normal once my IEMs, then took it out to listen to them with the stock single ended cable again, now I can't get them back in.  They don't give that solid click when pushing them in.  I have tried the cable now those IEMs and a set of adapters that I just got, and it is doing the same on both.  In both the IEMs and the adapters, the other MMCX cables I have fit just fine.


Well same issue with mine and also for me the jacket on the connector came loss.


----------



## ledzep

jalo said:


> One time I was looking at a Ferrari and was asking how many miles does it get per gallon, I was told if I have to ask I probably can't afford it   Just teasing. It is about $880.00.  Mine doesn't have the black conductor.  There are 16 conductors and each conductor has about 40 ultra high pure silver wires, not litz without coating.  I was told by the developer of this cable that the dialetric materials will not turn black or yellow.




I heard the Rock wants a word with you !


----------



## squirrelman

ledzep said:


> What are you plugging them into ?


 
 Campfire Andromeda and then Fitear to MMCX adapters.  The connectors still work, they just don't really feel like they are making a very tight fit like other cables do.  I was planning on selling the Andromeda anyways since my JH 16V2 are finally coming in tomorrow after about 2 and half months!


----------



## 284033

craftyclown said:


> Is that an official balanced adapter? 2.5mm to 4.4mm?




As far as our knowledge takes us there is no official Sony balanced adaptor for 4.4mm. Ours are fully configurable.


----------



## Muvieguy

jalo said:


> No, I can upgrade to a Axios AG and they will give me 50% off what I paid for this adapter plus allowing me to keep the adapter.


What coupon am I missing something?


----------



## blazinblazin

kozato said:


> As far as our knowledge takes us there is no official Sony balanced adaptor for 4.4mm. Ours are fully configurable.


 
  
 Will you be selling any cables with 4.4mm plug? I am interested to test some if available.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am planning to get mine as 4.4mm Male to dual 3.5mm female sockets, one for MDR-Z7 and other for XBA-Z5 or maybe one 4.4 to 3.5mm females amd one TRRS male to 3.5mm females


----------



## Jalo

muvieguy said:


> What coupon am I missing something?


 
 There is no coupon.


----------



## Muvieguy

Well damn!!!


----------



## 284033

blazinblazin said:


> Will you be selling any cables with 4.4mm plug? I am interested to test some if available.



PM sent.


----------



## Cagin

My intitial impressions about the WM1A (CEW2 / EU volume capped version from Amazon UK).
  
 Had taken hand notes after my first day. Realized I had forgotten to post about it. I had such an ambivalent feeling at the beginning. 
 I was considering returning it to Amazon. I was pretty confident I wouldn't get an issue with volume power driving my supra sensitive Empire Zeus R ciems on a capped WM1.
 Yet me and my dad were a bit taken aback at the volume output. He tried it on his Trinity Delta, had to pump it to 90-100, me was between 65-85 on my ZeusR.
 My fear was comfirmed that I most likely wouldn't be able to use this with the Ether C Flow I had my eyes on for 2017. And there was that lacking and lagging UI, more on that below.
  
  

  
Physical Design
 It fits much better in my hand than the DP-X1. The Onkyo is too wide to me for 1 handed use. I prefer the WM1 for pocket use by FAR. Sure it's as thick as a Dignis cased DP-X1,
 but the Sony is narrower, easier to reach in pockets to navigate blindly, and the button design is great enhancement over the ZX2. The 2 dots braille-like dots (Vol+ and Play/Pause) make it so easy to use. Because of the curved shape of the headphone outputs chassis and the 2 dots, I always know what to press quickly. I do hope the Dignis case has that embossed impression. With the DP-X1 which the buttons and volume dial weren't friendly at all in the first place for pocket use, were further hampered by the streamlined Dignis case.
 The weight of the WM1A has that same reassuring feeling that the ZX2 had, same as the LPG. I don't find the WM1A heavy personally. But it's no go for gym use, that's the job for a Cowon Plenue D.
  
  

  
  
  

  

  
User Interface
  
 I'll go straight to it, WM1A is more expensive than the ZX2 yes? It got rid of Android OS too. I'd expect it to be smoother and faster than the ZX2.
 But what I surely didn't expect is the regression in the fast scroll bar!
 Say you use Artist library mode, you have the quick scroll bar when you hold the right side, you'll get a box in the middle of screen which dynamically tells you which A-Z letter height you're scrolling in. Normal right? But you can hold steady as much as you like, it won't show you in the back the list. It will only start to display the Artists/Groups once you release your thumb. The ZX2 did show the list in the back while A-Z scrolling. Sure it wasn't as smooth and snappy as the DP-X1 but it did do it. The Onkyo took it even further by displaying the First word dynamically as you fast scrolled (in Artist library mode anyway; only A-Z letters in storage folder mode).
 It gets worse when you're going into Folder Browsing mode. Because here, the WM1A won't even show anything when you hold the fast scroll bar. No A-Z letter. You just have to wing it blind and release your finger to see where you are in your mSD card or device storage.
 All this is crippled when you take into account the display lag. It takes 750ms - 1s to display after finger release for content stored onto the onboard 128GB flash storage which is fine by me, but it takes 1.5s - 2s for content on my 200GB Sandisk.
 Play/Pause, Prev Track, Next track have a 1.5-2s delay, it's fine by me.
  
 Now the good aspect of the UI, the new Sony's approach centered around music only is very nice. The cross swipe is indeed intuitive and efficient.
 It's possible to create playlists, add to them, delete songs or folders from within. You can speed up to response by pressing on the return icon to get rid of the prompt box after each step.
  
 The spectrum analyzer isn't slow, so it's useful (the one on the DP-X1 is weird on that aspect, it had a ton of bands, but it wasn't in sync to be useful. The one in Foobar2000 is so smooth, fast and helpful. I wonder if Sony could maybe instead of keeping the 11 current bands, get rid of the High band and reduce the width of the bands, make the numbers more readable. Or replace the High on the right and add a <50Hz band. I imagine they put that High band just for DSD people, didn't they? The 16KHz band is enough for me.
 Another suggestion would be to instead pressing on the toolbox icon and having to scroll down to show lyrics or change the playscreen to Spectrum Analyzer or VU Meter if you could get to those by just swiping to the left (where Bookmark list currently shows up).
  
 You can edit what you want displayed on the Home top swipe, that's pretty neat for quicker access.
  
 Transfer speed is on par, 28-32MB/s. I wonder if Sony would ditch its proprietary connector and give us USB-C 3.1 gen2 one day or just a USB 3.0...
  

  
Battery
  
 Using the same winning sauce as the ZX2. Very very pleased. 
 It's always on, it feels as it's not even draining juice when in that idle sleep screen display off. I leave it like that, battery icon hasn't budge one bit even after a full day of non usage.
 Ought to be the gold standard of all the flagship DAPs out there, 20h on flac or bust.
  
  
Sound
  
 Using Empire Zeus R ciems +  3.5mm TRS stock Empire SPC quad braided cable:
 First things first. I do hear hiss when plugged in and on pause. With music playing I don't discern it, unless it's a in quiet solo piana session. So I'm very relieved. Pairing the Zeus ain't easy for sure.
 Immediately notice how the WM1A is warmer than the DP-X1. Punchy bass. Drum kicks are felt which is funny cuz it's just iems. 
 I admit I wasn't expecting this much slam. I remember using the EQ  on the ZX2, playing around the Clear Bass. No such thing needed here. Totally enjoying the combo Zeus-R/WM1A.
 I love the technical aspect of the WM1A, how it effortlessly separates the instruments and voice layers, and when combined with this pronounced decay played through the Zeus-R which is known for that makes a wonderful experience.
 I'm truly enjoying immersing myself in how the sounds decay in the presented soundstage. Great depth and height. Something I find amazing is how balanced it is. The DP-X1 can sound cold and sterile at times. The WM1A ain't a bright DAP, yet it gives such room that when cymbals and chimes are given light, it's tingle delight.
  
 And the best thing? This is single ended 3.5mm TRS ! I'm very curious what awaits me once I get back my 4.4mm balanced 8 conductor Norne Therium reterminated cable.
  
*Ending thought:*
*The WM1A I got off Amazon UK for 764 quids and which is now set to E2 Asia/Australia/NZ/Tourist region with uncapped volume and High Gain has such power, with a beautifully deep sound quality, great sturdy yet elegant chassis with 20+hours on FLAC. That's a keeper alright.*


----------



## Cagin

Utmost thanks to @CraftyClown , LudovicJacques from Rockbox.org, lebellium and Sharp from TellementNomade forums. Thanks to these gentlemen my WM1A is has an even better sound and a LOT more power on tap. From 65-85 down to 35-45 on HG.
  
 It does indeed take less than a 30seconds to get a whole different device. It's all explained clearly on:
 https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Changing_destination_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation
  
 Here are the only 3 lines I had to do after I had downloaded that software tool. And mind you, only the second one is required, the other are for device info. Once you set it to your desired regional/destination code, take your WM1A back in your hand, go to Toolbox icon > Settings > Device Settings > Reset/Format > Reset All Settings. Let it reboot. Enjoy your High Gain and uncapped sound.


> scsitool-nwz-v4.exe G: dest_tool get
> Model: NW-WM1A
> Series: NW-WM1 Series
> Destination: CEW2 (103)
> ...


 
  
 I had initially planned to not do this until I tried my luck by going to the Sony Station for Belgium (listed here https://www.sony.jp/products/overseas/contents/info.html#info01 )
 Still gonna try to go there this week. I want an explanation from them. It's unjust how big a difference it is. The MDR-Z1R wouldn't even work with a capped EU WM1... that ain't right, it's incoherent.
 ps: Of course I'll omit the workaround trick sources.


----------



## Mimouille

French people are so wonderful. We amaze me all the time


----------



## Stealer

Having missing album arts on a uSD card that was formatted by ZX2.
 All the music files are tagged using Mp3tag tool.
 All the media are mostly flac and 24bits flac files..
  
 Can the Sony Media Go App use to format/initialise a uSD card?
 If not, I think Sony shld use this app tp perform this task so eliminating the inserting/ejecting of the card at the player side.


----------



## Fabi

True, so amazing people. I second that.


----------



## Bengkia369

This WM1Z is no joke man, tried it today using my JVC HA-FW02. It's damn good even AK380CU with amp can't beat the SQ of WM1Z!


----------



## blazinblazin

bengkia369 said:


> This WM1Z is no joke man, tried it today using my JVC HA-FW02. It's damn good even AK380CU with amp can't beat the SQ of WM1Z!


 
 Wait till you try the balanced.
  
 Do the place happened to be Sim Lim Square SONY?


----------



## Bengkia369

blazinblazin said:


> Wait till you try the balanced.
> 
> Do the place happened to be Sim Lim Square SONY?




Yeah Sls Sony Center. 
Nope, cos I don't have any balance cable for my iems but I tried Sony MDR1Z bal on WM1Z Super nice!


----------



## denis1976

bengkia369 said:


> This WM1Z is no joke man, tried it today using my JVC HA-FW02. It's damn good even AK380CU with amp can't beat the SQ of WM1Z!


maybe is a senergy factor, i don't believe that the 1z is better than the ak380 copper plus amp with full size headphones in balanced mode


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> maybe is a senergy factor, i don't believe that the 1z is better than the ak380 copper plus amp with full size headphones in balanced mode




Did you compare or hear them both ?


----------



## Bengkia369

whitigir said:


> Did you compare or hear them both ?




I tried AK380CU with amp before, compared to WM1Z, still perfer the SQ of WM1Z.


----------



## denis1976

bengkia369 said:


> I tried AK380CU with amp before, compared to WM1Z, still perfer the SQ of WM1Z.


that only works if it compares at the same time...memory is tricky


----------



## Bengkia369

denis1976 said:


> that only works if it compares at the same time...memory is tricky




Nope don't have a Ak380cu with me when I tried the WM1Z.


----------



## Whitigir

So my next question is If Kimber Cables made for Sony is OFC...then the Kimber Cables in the 1Z must also be OFC ? Then what different does it made from the regular OFC on 1A ? Lol


----------



## Bengkia369

whitigir said:


> So my next question is If Kimber Cables made for Sony is OFC...then the Kimber Cables in the 1Z must also be OFC ? Then what different does it made from the regular OFC on 1A ? Lol




Sony own cable is not OFC, it's silver plated copper.


----------



## Whitigir

bengkia369 said:


> Sony own cable is not OFC, it's silver plated copper.




They have many, but I am talking about the Kimber cables designed for Sony as an upgrade accessory to Z1R or Z7. It seems many website to advertise these being OFC cables.

The inner wires on the WM1A is told to be OFC from the engineers. So the only differences here would be Kimber VS Sony own OFC, and then Braided vs No-braid


----------



## Fsilva

For those who are still looking for a tempered glass screen protector for the WM1A/WM1Z i´ve found this one:
  
 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BROTECT-AirGlass-Flexible-Glass-Screen-Protector-for-Sony-Walkman-NW-WM1A-/351950142081
  
 http://www.protectionfilms24.com/products/screen-protectors/article-selection.html?geraeteklasse=103&marke=Sony&modell=30994
  
 I had already bought one of their protectors for my previous ZX100 last summer and no complaints whatsoever.
  
 Also tomorrow i will be getting my leather custom protective case in military green that i ordered from a local leathersmith.
 Good alternative for those who refuse to pay 99$ plus 30$ in for shipping to Dignis!
 I will post some pics once i get it


----------



## Jalo

denis1976 said:


> that only works if it compares at the same time...memory is tricky




That is very true. According to one study, auditory memory is only good for twenty seconds. Even though you have owned something for years, if you do not compare at the same time, you just cannot be sure.


----------



## gerelmx1986

So this of OFC sony is tricking into buying the 1Z  lols maybe th eonly difference is the extra fine sound resistors and the FT caps lol


----------



## Mimouille

jalo said:


> That is very true. According to one study, auditory memory is only good for twenty seconds. Even though you have owned something for years, if you do not compare at the same time, you just cannot be sure.


 Which mean that is IMPOSSIBLE to claim to hear changes from burn in.


----------



## ttt123

whitigir said:


> They have many, but I am talking about the Kimber cables designed for Sony as an upgrade accessory to Z1R or Z7. It seems many website to advertise these being OFC cables.
> 
> The inner wires on the WM1A is told to be OFC from the engineers. So the only differences here would be Kimber VS Sony own OFC, and then Braided vs No-braid


 
 Makes you wonder what the SQ would be like if you were to open it up, and replace the headphone Kimber wires with pure silver wire......


----------



## Whitigir

ttt123 said:


> Makes you wonder what the SQ would be like if you were to open it up, and replace the headphone Kimber wires with pure silver wire......




No...man...just ....no...roflmao don't tempt me


----------



## CraftyClown

mimouille said:


> Which mean that is IMPOSSIBLE to claim to hear changes from burn in.


 
  
 Favourite comment of the day and so, so true


----------



## gerelmx1986

stealer said:


> Having missing album arts on a uSD card that was formatted by ZX2.
> All the music files are tagged using Mp3tag tool.
> All the media are mostly flac and 24bits flac files..
> 
> ...


 

 Progressive type jpeg or non jpg check thread sony walkman tips and tricks


----------



## Jalo

mimouille said:


> Which mean that is IMPOSSIBLE to claim to hear changes from burn in.



In a way that is true, but that knowledge can come from comparisons between a burn in and an unburn in device at the same time, or when the differences are large enough to notice without critical listening like the Vega or vicariously from consensus of large number of observations. That is why I kept my 380cu while I have the 1Z, sometimes when I compare two devices, I will choose a certain passages of the same piece of only 10 to 20 seconds and go back and forth three to four times to make sure I hear the same things. Sometimes I am surprised how fast auditory images fading from my consciousness.


----------



## ttt123

mimouille said:


> Which mean that is IMPOSSIBLE to claim to hear changes from burn in.


 
 Hmmmm....well, in that case, if burn in is in the mind, the only logical next step is to imagine the WM1Z in my mind also.  And while I am at it, I'll also imagine the best IEM and Headphone, AND cables.  Now I am just ecstatic with the sound I am imagining!  This would save so much money and create so much happiness, if we can re-engineer the mind and bypass the physical world.  I only wish this were possible.....


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> maybe is a senergy factor, i don't believe that the 1z is better than the ak380 copper plus amp with full size headphones in balanced mode


 
 Maybe you wanted ti say I don't believe 1Z is better than 1A in SE or BAL mode


----------



## Mimouille

jalo said:


> In a way that is true, but that knowledge can come from comparisons between a burn in and an unburn in device at the same time, or when the differences are large enough to notice without critical listening like the Vega or vicariously from consensus of large number of observations. That is why I kept my 380cu while I have the 1Z, sometimes when I compare two devices, I will choose a certain passages of the same piece of only 10 to 20 seconds and go back and forth three to four times to make sure I hear the same things. Sometimes I am surprised how fast auditory images fading from my consciousness.


This is how I tested WM1Z vs WM1A vs. AK380 before purchase.


----------



## Jalo

ttt123 said:


> Makes you wonder what the SQ would be like if you were to open it up, and replace the headphone Kimber wires with pure silver wire......



While I was at CES last Friday talking to the Kimber rep, I believe his name is Lonny. I was told that the wire that is used in the WM1Z is the Axios AG, the one that anyone can buy for 4k


----------



## Jalo

mimouille said:


> This is how I tested WM1Z vs WM1A vs. AK380 before purchase.



Hehehe, Michael that is why your wife gets mad at you every 20 seconds because you can never remember things she asks you to do . I'll try to dig up that study for reference.


----------



## Bengkia369

WM1Z is so good that after hearing it, I decided to pull a trigger and buy it. 
However, I already got a AK240 and Opus #2 and will buy the Chord Poly module to attach to my Mojo as I already pre-ordered it from my favorite audio store in Singapore. 
Hence, I got no extra cash to spend on a WM1Z. 

End of my story!


----------



## Mimouille

jalo said:


> Hehehe, Michael that is why your wife gets mad at you every 20 seconds because you can never remember things she asks you to do . I'll try to dig up that study for reference.


OH no it's even easier than that, my wife talks at very low volume and I have selective deafness.


----------



## Jalo

mimouille said:


> This is how I tested WM1Z vs WM1A vs. AK380 before purchase.




One more thing is that when comparing audio gears especially with complicated devices like dap sometimes even I have access to two devices at the same time, I am afraid to draw conclusion mainly because I do not feel like I own the sound of the new device yet. For instance with the 1Z and the 380CU, I have used the 380Cu for the past year on a weekly basis but the 1Z I have owned it for only a few weeks I really cannot say I have acquire the sound signature of the 1Z yet.


----------



## Mimouille

jalo said:


> One more thing is that when comparing audio gears especially with complicated devices like dap sometimes even I have access to two devices at the same time, I am afraid to draw conclusion mainly because I do not feel like I own the sound of the new device yet. For instance with the 1Z and the 380CU, I have used the 380Cu for the past year on a weekly basis but the 1Z I have owned it for only a few weeks I really cannot say I have acquire the sound signature of the 1Z yet.


Yeah that I why I need to buy everything, just to be sure


----------



## hamhamhamsta

mimouille said:


> OH no it's even easier than that, my wife talks at very low volume and I have selective deafness.




Lol, poop Mim


----------



## hamhamhamsta

mimouille said:


> Yeah that I why I need to buy everything, just to be sure




I meant poor Mimm; stupid auto-correct!


----------



## Mimouille

hamhamhamsta said:


> Lol, poop Mim


Thanks, but I already went 15mn ago.


----------



## Jalo

hamhamhamsta said:


> I meant poor Mimm; stupid auto-correct!



No that is why he bought all these iems and daps just to see which one can drown out his wife's voice better otherwise why would he needs to be the first one to buy the DX200. When he already has the 1Z


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> Hehehe, Michael that is why your wife gets mad at you every 20 seconds because you can never remember things she asks you to do . I'll try to dig up that study for reference.




Who told you that ? He probably have no idea, I would pull out a website and show it to him. Kimber cables inside as Copper!


----------



## Jalo

mimouille said:


> Thanks, but I already went 15mn ago.




You really don't need to let us know your person hygiene schedule.


----------



## Mimouille

jalo said:


> You really don't need to let us know your person hygiene schedule.


 Well since I had the WM1Z with me I thought it was still related to the topic.


----------



## Jalo

Here is the link to the study on auditory memory.

http://www.yamahaproaudio.com/global/en/training_support/selftraining/audio_quality/chapter4/02_audio_universe/

Where it says in the seventh paragraph, "The maximum time that humans can remember detailed audio signals in their short term aural activity image memory (echoic memory) is reported to be 20 seconds by Georg Sperling(*4L"


----------



## CraftyClown

The only way to truly compare devices is with a switcher box and an SPL meter.
  
 I play a test tone on the devices and then I use the SPL meter to ensure both devices are set to EXACTLY the same volume. I then cue up the same track and try my best to play them at the same time. I then use the switcher to cut backwards and forwards between both devices.
  
 Guess what?
  
 I can't hear a bloody difference!!
  
 Now I would never claim to have amazing hearing but I am doing this fairly methodically using a number of test tracks that I am familiar with. 
  
 I am sure there are people out there with incredibly sensitive hearing who can hear micro details that most of us can't, however I am surprised at how many of those same people with blessed ears seem to be on head-fi and even more surprised that they can hear these differences without any real system for doing so.
  
 But what do I know?


----------



## CraftyClown

jalo said:


> Here is the link to the study on auditory memory.
> 
> http://www.yamahaproaudio.com/global/en/training_support/selftraining/audio_quality/chapter4/02_audio_universe/
> 
> Where it says in the seventh paragraph, "The maximum time that humans can remember detailed audio signals in their short term aural activity image memory (echoic memory) is reported to be 20 seconds by Georg Sperling(*4L"


 
  
 Great read


----------



## blazinblazin

But if you used a player for a long time and have some particular songs you have impression on. After you changed a new player, when it comes to a particular song, you will surely notice something different from what you used to listen to.?


----------



## Bengkia369

blazinblazin said:


> But if you used a player for a long time and have some particular songs you have impression on. After you changed a new player, when it comes to a particular song, you will surely notice something different from what you used to listen to.?




Yes, very obvious difference. 
Same like you change to other iem after you too used to a certain iem sound signature.


----------



## CraftyClown

blazinblazin said:


> But if you used a player for a long time and have some particular songs you have impression on. After you changed a new player, when it comes to a particular song, you will surely notice something different from what you used to listen to.?


 
  
 But the problem is, as was just pointed out, our audio memory is at the most 20 seconds.
  
 Add to that variables like volume. The slightest increase in volume can be incredibly misleading, as it can totally change your perception of that sound.
  
 It's worth testing as I described using an SPL meter and a switcher box. It's an incredibly eye opening experience


----------



## Jalo

blazinblazin said:


> But if you used a player for a long time and have some particular songs you have impression on. After you changed a new player, when it comes to a particular song, you will surely notice something different from what you used to listen to.?




Well we are talking "detail audio signal". But when the difference is large enough like between an apple earbud and the Andromeda, there is no need for echoic memory.


----------



## CraftyClown

bengkia369 said:


> Yes, very obvious difference.
> Same like you change to other iem after you too used to a certain iem sound signature.


 
  
 I have to disagree. Transducers are completely different. They are known to measure differently, most of the time intentionally.
  
 Most DAPS measure completely flat, therefore any differences that exist outside of EQing or intentional effects, will be incredibly subtle, if at all.


----------



## Bengkia369

craftyclown said:


> I have to disagree. Transducers are completely different. They are known to measure differently, most of the time intentionally.
> 
> 
> Most DAPS measure completely flat, therefore any differences that exist outside of EQing or intentional effects, will be incredibly subtle, if at all.




I have to disagree. You can do the following test as what I did. It's really a common sense thing, like what you said all DAPs sounds flat and the same, why would someone buy a Ak380cu while you can buy a Fiio X1 and it sounds the same?! 
Using my JVC HA-FW02 iem as a reference, I tested it on AK240 and Opus #2, on both units the sound of both DAPs sounds very different, difference so great that you don't even need a golden ears to hear the difference. 
On AK240, the bass is very pronounced and mids became recessed V shaped sound. 
On Opus #2, sound is balanced with lesser soundstage and more focused mids.


----------



## CraftyClown

bengkia369 said:


> Using my JVC HA-FW02 iem as a reference, I tested it on AK240 and Opus #2, on both units the sound of both DAPs sounds very different, difference so great that you don't even need a golden ears to hear the difference.
> On AK240, the bass is very pronounced and mids became recessed V shaped sound.
> On Opus #2, sound is balanced with lesser soundstage and more focused mids.


 
  
 Ok and were all EQ and effects settings switched off?
  
 and did you accurately volume match them both with a meter?
  
 How did you quickly switch between the devices to compare tracks?


----------



## Jalo

Here is a response I gave in PM to another wonderful headfier who asked about the difference between 1Z and 380CU.

""I did a little comparison and try to write down my thoughts as I listen to them.

Below auditions are with CF Vega (Fully burn in-300 hrs) and volume match subjectively on both CU and 1Z, the 1Z has 210 hours of burn in and I have the CU since March of this year.

1. Jheena Lodwich's Perhaps Love both 16/44.1kHz

CU--Very musical, sounds refine with an airy feel. Similar sound stage to 1Z.
Wm1z--Very musical, sounds slightly warmer and thus feels a little more full body. Otherwise very similar to CU.

2. Jheena Lodwich's A Groovy Kind of Love (Best Audiophile Voices Vol 5) both 16/44.1kHz, the first ten seconds with the 12 single double bass notes, very easy to compare between two devices

CU--Ever so slightly brighter, I can hear/feel air in notes, seems slightly tighter. Very Musical.
WM1Z--A touch warmer, also very musical with body.

3. Eva Cassidy, Nightbird, Autumn Leaves, 16/44.1kHz

CU--Very clean presentation of Eva, emotion comes through very well.
WM1Z--Very very similar to CU, similar sound stage, the only slight difference is the tone of the voice. The 1Z because of the slightly warmer voice can at times come across with that slightly husky or sexy overtone.

4. George Michael, Ladies and Gentleman, Careless Whisper, and Don't let the sun go down on me,16/44.1kHz

CU and Wm1Z are very very similar on both of these songs with a very very slight + toward the 1Z for a tiny little bit more natural or organic but both are very musical and immersive.

5. Sade, The Best of Sade, Smooth Operator, 16/44.1 kHz

CU--Bass impact is very similar to the 1Z. The CU can capture the ambiance atmospheric nuisances a little better than the 1Z, otherwise they are very similar. 
WM1Z--still maintaining that slightly husky tone. Sound presentation very similar to CU.

6. Sarah McLachlan, Mirrorball, The Complete Concert, Angel, 16/44.1 kHz

CU--Very musical and immersive. They are actually more similar than different.
WM1Z--Very Organic, capturing the emotion in the voice very well.

In short, they are both totl and very high level performers. I can totally be happy with either one. They are actually more similar than different, almost 80% similar. The major difference in sound is more airy with the CU, more husky/sexy tone (voice sounds slightly warmer, thicker) with the 1Z. The advantage of the 1Z is that with the 4.4 mm HO is can drive HD800 and other fullsize cans, but with CU amp, you probably can do the same. The 1Z does give you a little more option to play with the sound but the CU has better PQ, finer control. They are both very very similar, you may prefer one or the other depending on your sound preference. But I think the urge to try the Sony may finally pull you over. But once I have both, they are very similar. If I must assign a percentage of preference now, I will say 54% for the Sony and 46% for the CU. But then again, after awhile I wanted to go back to the CU to enjoy a little more air. My honest feeling.""


----------



## Whitigir

So...CU is and meant CU+Amplifier ?


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> So...CU is and meant CU+Amplifier ?




No it was just Cu without amp and 1Z 3.5 SE.


----------



## Bengkia369

craftyclown said:


> Ok and were all EQ and effects settings switched off?
> 
> and did you accurately volume match them both with a meter?
> 
> How did you quickly switch between the devices to compare tracks?




EQ off, I adjust volume to the same to my ears. I don't use a meter as I don't have one. Play around with the volume on my AK240 yet I cannot reproduce the type of sound my Opus #2 balanced sound, bass is super pronounced on AK240. 
Different DAPs does sounds different, I believe many would believe and testify what I said.


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> No it was just Cu without amp and 1Z 3.5 SE.




So...you compared CU SE to 1Z SE ? Or Balanced AK to 1Z SE ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

jalo said:


> mimouille said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks, but I already went 15mn ago.
> ...


 

 Yes thats gross LOL


----------



## CraftyClown

bengkia369 said:


> I have to disagree. You can do the following test as what I did. It's really a common sense thing, like what you said all DAPs sounds flat and the same, why would someone buy a Ak380cu while you can buy a Fiio X1 and it sounds the same?!


 
  
 I didn't say all DAPs sound flat. I said most DAPs measure flat. They are two very different things.


----------



## blazinblazin

Sometimes it's better to believe in what you heard and your preference.

Measurements are just measurements, theories are just theories.

I believe some of the factors does not comes out just by short term listening and comparing.

There are some factors that only appears during long term listening. 

Maybe some minor vibrations or tune or pitch might also cause some difference.

Not only use your ears to compare but feel the music.

Some things just can't be explained and measured.

Some might give you emotions or a nostalgic feeling to the song but others just can't reach that level that give you that kind of emotions and enjoyment.


----------



## Jalo

One more point about the state of the art on totl dap. The Sony came out almost a year after the CU and almost two years after 380 releases and yet I would say the gain is rather small if you can even call that. Most of the differences are more side grades and sound preferences UI differences and not actual sound upgrade. This is just go to show it is really not easy to have leaps and bounds advances for the next totl dap. As I posted in the Hugo 2 thread, the difference between the Hugo 2 and 1Z is also very small to my brief impression. Until some breakthrough technology comes along, I doubt much change is going to be materialised.


----------



## Whitigir

I said this countless of times. Human, they create, invent "tools". They don't only rely on "tools". If human had been relying only on "tools", then we are still pushing stick and stone.

Measurements are "tools", period.


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> So...you compared CU SE to 1Z SE ? Or Balanced AK to 1Z SE ?



CU SE to 1Z SE.


----------



## Whitigir

Never mind, I see . Yeah, that would be fair comparison. But there are 2 major things that people need to understand.

AK380 is excellent in SE, because Balanced has bad internal ribbon wirings. Hence Redwine modifications.

WM1Z is so so on SE, the real SE is the TRRS (Separated grounds). Then Walkman does best in balanced mode.

To truly compare, you should be comparing a CU from Balanced redwine modified to a stock Balanced WM1Z

Given those conditions, it would be impossible....lol


----------



## goyete

A photo of the WM1A/Z5/MUC-M12SB1 with my favorite gadgets!


----------



## blazinblazin

For IEM do you guys prefer to feel the vibrations caused by your IEM?

For my Andromeda, i only use stock silicon tips. Cause it's open and no blockage to the sound coming direct out of the bore. The silicon tip tube is shallow also. I can feel vibrations of every string and drum vibration to my ear. Which i actually enjoy.


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> Never mind, I see . Yeah, that would be fair comparison. But there are 2 major things that people need to understand.
> 
> AK380 is excellent in SE, because Balanced has bad internal ribbon wirings. Hence Redwine modifications.
> 
> ...



That may be true but unfortunately I do not have access to 4.4 out at the moment. And as you said, there is really not Much difference to me between SE and Balance on the 380 and I will not RW mod my 380 given my experience with my 240SS. Future comparisons will have to address those comparison settings but for now this is just one data point to add to the eventual concensus.


----------



## gerelmx1986

goyete said:


> A photo of the WM1A/Z5/MUC-M12SB1 with my favorite gadgets!


 
 where did you got the cable?


----------



## PCheung

blazinblazin said:


> For IEM do you guys prefer to feel the vibrations caused by your IEM?
> 
> For my Andromeda, i only use stock silicon tips. Cause it's open and no blockage to the sound coming direct out of the bore. The silicon tip tube is shallow also. I can feel vibrations of every string and drum vibration to my ear. Which i actually enjoy.


 
  
 You can try out the spinfit eartip which has better isolation than the stock one, works very well with my andromeda.


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> For IEM do you guys prefer to feel the vibrations caused by your IEM?
> 
> For my Andromeda, i only use stock silicon tips. Cause it's open and no blockage to the sound coming direct out of the bore. The silicon tip tube is shallow also. I can feel vibrations of every string and drum vibration to my ear. Which i actually enjoy.


 
 I enjoy that too


----------



## blazinblazin

goyete said:


> A photo of the WM1A/Z5/MUC-M12SB1 with my favorite gadgets!




Are you enjoying the Balanced sound too?


----------



## blazinblazin

pcheung said:


> You can try out the spinfit eartip which has better isolation than the stock one, works very well with my andromeda.




I tried that not bad but still prefer the stock tips more.


----------



## Fsilva

Finally i was able to get an hold of a Windows based Pc and run the commands to uncap my capped WM1A.
 I have to say this has been one of the easiest ways of "hacking" a device.
 Immediately after i´ve run the commands and after restarting the unit (no need to go back to factory settings) the HO option was available to enable.
 Once enabled and has expected, i noticed a significant increase on the volume (was listening around 55 in LO, had to step down the volume to 24).
 I´m still listening in single mode since my cable is still with Toxic Cables to be reterminated for the new 4.4mm plugs.
 Also i can´t stress enough to say that i´m really happy that i bought a "capped" unit for less than 800pounds and decided not to pay more for an imported one!!


----------



## CraftyClown

fsilva said:


> Finally i was able to get an hold of a Windows based Pc and run the commands to uncap my capped WM1A.
> I have to say this has been one of the easiest ways of "hacking" a device.
> Immediately after i´ve run the commands and after restarting the unit (no need to go back to factory settings) the HO option was available to enable.
> Once enabled and has expected, i noticed a significant increase on the volume (was listening around 55 in LO, had to step down the volume to 24).
> ...


 
  
 Deal of the century


----------



## Fsilva

craftyclown said:


> Deal of the century


 
 Totally agree!! And even better for those who bought the amazon wharehouse deal units.
 Unfortunately when those deals popped up at Amazon i was already with my unit.
 Well at least we did not payed full price, plus shipping, plus VAT and etc, etc 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Also thank you so much for posting the hack here on the forum!!!


----------



## CraftyClown

fsilva said:


> Totally agree!! And even better for those who bought the amazon wharehouse deal units.
> Unfortunately when those deals popped up at Amazon i was already with my unit.
> Well at least we did not payed full price, plus shipping, plus VAT and etc, etc
> 
> ...


 
  
 No problem. I was happy to be one of the first guinea pigs.
  
 I was also one of the lucky ones who got an Amazon warehouse deal, so I feel extra blessed right about now


----------



## goyete

gerelmx1986 said:


> where did you got the cable?



I bought the WM1A in AJ and also the cable. He hasn't it listened in his Web but he bought it in a local sony store for me (for about 250 USD) to use the same shipping.


----------



## mrrayray

blazinblazin said:


> Sometimes it's better to believe in what you heard and your preference.
> 
> Measurements are just measurements, theories are just theories.
> 
> ...


 
 Best comment of the century, imo


----------



## goyete

blazinblazin said:


> Are you enjoying the Balanced sound too?



Of course!! It's an incredible well built cable except the adapters (I'm using it without them with the Z5 without problem). The sound perfect and clear!


----------



## gerelmx1986

goyete said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > where did you got the cable?
> ...


 

 Thanks, got my WM1A from them too, i think for Balanced i will go the PlusSound route


----------



## proedros

craftyclown said:


> Deal of the century


 
  
 i saw a refurbished 1a on amazon some weeks ago for *576 *pounds....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 if only i had known this hacking thing back then 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 oh well , i expect some used 1a to start popping here in 3-4 months for 600-700 euros so yeah we are good


----------



## CraftyClown

proedros said:


> i saw a refurbished 1a on amazon some weeks ago for *576 *pounds....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Haha, that really is a crazy price. I can't believe how quick people were to give up on the EU devices.
  
 Oh well... Our gain


----------



## Whitigir

350 hours burned in....wooooot! Still a while more to go lol. That TRRS 3.5 also need burn-in  woooo!


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> 350 hours burned in....wooooot! Still a while more to go lol. That TRRS 3.5 also need burn-in  woooo!



Isn't 350 well settled? What're you aiming for? Mines only at 140 now


----------



## Whitigir

echineko said:


> Isn't 350 well settled? What're you aiming for? Mines only at 140 now




At least 400 hours ..my Zx2 got Sony recommended for 100 hours, and only settled at 200-250 hours. So, 400-500 hours here


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> At least 400 hours
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 That's some interesting logic. Surely the engineers at Sony based their 200 hour estimate on some kind of testing.
  
 Unless you know something we don't?


----------



## bvng3540

My 1a is at 150 hrs and it sounded very good already, some song that were on my zx100 and I skipped most of the time now it sounded so good on 1a I listen all the way thru the song


----------



## kms108

Forget the 1A, those living in Hong Kong I seen a second hand 1Z sell for HKD 19800 (normal price HKD 24980) approximate USD 2553 (normal priced USD 3220), if interested, just let me know.


----------



## Cagin

kms108 said:


> Forget the 1A, those living in Hong Kong I seen a second hand 1Z sell for HKD 19800 (normal price HKD 24980) approximate USD 2553 (normal priced USD 3220), if interested, just let me know.


would be funny if those EU WM1Z return to Amazon for 2K >:-]]


----------



## Frank Jackson

A friend of mine just got the wm1z and balanced cable from surfcables.

https://www.surfcables.com/collections/cables/products/sony-4-4mm-balanced-connectors-for-nw-wm1z-nw-wm1a-etc

Sounds incredible on the oppo pm2.


----------



## bvng3540

frank jackson said:


> A friend of mine just got the wm1z and balanced cable from surfcables.
> 
> https://www.surfcables.com/collections/cables/products/sony-4-4mm-balanced-connectors-for-nw-wm1z-nw-wm1a-etc
> 
> Sounds incredible on the oppo pm2.




Even though they are not very popular amongst cable maker but their turnaround time is amazing, 3-4 days max, not like 1-2 months for other cable maker that charged 2-3 times more


----------



## ledzep

cagin said:


> would be funny if those EU WM1Z return to Amazon for 2K >:-]]




2 weeks ago there was one on UK Amazon for £1650 so it's worth setting up alerts on your app


----------



## gerelmx1986

echineko said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > 350 hours burned in....wooooot! Still a while more to go lol. That TRRS 3.5 also need burn-in  woooo!
> ...


mine on 54:34


----------



## purk

My 1Z is at or around 330 hours on balanced.  It is definitely did get a little better and now can beat the PHA-3 with the supplied digital cable.  With an upgrade digital cable,the PHA3 is still ahead.


----------



## CraftyClown

I'm up to about 110 hours on single ended now. I'm still waiting for Jaben to send out my balanced cable.


----------



## Fsilva

Only 50h on SE on my side. I prefer to listen to it "normally" and not leave it playing while i´m not using it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fsilva said:


> Only 50h on SE on my side. I prefer to listen to it "normally" and not leave it playing while i´m not using it.


me too, u burn as I listen to it(to the music of course)


----------



## ttt123

I've been listening to the 4.4mm Sony/Kimber M12SB1 reterminated to CM.  Burned in for 200 hours on balanced.  It's pretty good, but when I compare with the 3.5mm Whiplash Twag v3 TRRS, the Whiplash communicates emotion better, and voices and guitar notes have better detail and "air".  This is to be expected, as I think the Whiplash is a "good" silver cable, almost double the price, so the M12SB1 is holding it's own quite well.
  
 So my next step is to get a 4.4 male to 3.5 female TRRS adapter, so I can compare the same cable on 4.4mm blanaced, versus 3.5mm TRRS output from the WM1A.  I'd like to try this, before considering re-terminating the current one to 4.4mm.  Need some confirmation that it is the right choice.
  
 I now have 4.4mm plugs from Lunashops (they delivered in 4 days), but need to find some silver wire to make the adapter.
  
 Any HK users interested in an M12SB1 terminated to CM (Oyaide connector), PM me.


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> me too, u burn as I listen to it(to the music of course)


 
 take too long not to leave it running on the side man.  at your rate it will be months.


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > me too, u burn as I listen to it(to the music of course)
> ...


but because it costed me a kidney  I will keep for a long time and more if it is the Sony with composer listing, not risking on selling it after 2 years


----------



## mscott58

Have seen people getting 4.4mm TRRRS cables from Surf and Luna. Anyone know of any other potential sources for cables, or just the 4.4mm Pentaconn plugs? Would love to source a handful ASAP. Cheers


----------



## ttt123

gerelmx1986 said:


> me too, u burn as I listen to it(to the music of course)


 
 Aside from the fact that it is faster to burn in continuously, by just leaving it running all the time, there is one other consideration for burning in continuously.  Warranty period.
 If there is any mechanical or electronic weakness, I would like it to happen early in the ownership, while it is under warranty.  I believe that running it continuously has a better chance of allowing any problems to surface, early in the warranty period, where it can go in for service under warranty.  That is just one thought, though, as turning it off and on every time you put it away is also another way to stress a device.  The act of powering down/up is the most stress on any device, so if you do that daily, or multiple times daily, that is another way to stress it.  
  
 Theoretically, doing both would create the most stress.  i.e. power down/up daily, and also leave it running continuously after each power down/up.  Though I am just leaving it run continuously myself.
 I have 1352 hours on my WM1A.  1152 hours on 3.5mm TRRS, and 200 hours on 4.4mm Balanced.
  
 I guess some people would prefer to have a device on as seldom as possible, believing that to be the easiest on a machine, and that would make it last longer.  My work experience leads me to believe the opposite, thus I run mine continuously.


----------



## Whitigir

I run mine too continuously with rest in between so the components can cool down before getting worked up again . It still takes a long time...don't know how it would be possible to just do a couple hours a day ..lol


----------



## purk

I'm at 350 hours on balanced and like 1 hour or less in single-end.  Priority people!


----------



## Stealer

echineko said:


> Guys, unless I'm mistaken, someone shared a link to purchase port covers for the 1Z/1A, does anyone have the link?


 
  So is there a link where i can get these 3.5mm, 4.4mm and WM port covers/caps/plugs ?


----------



## SabreToothBunny

I'd be surprised if the WM1Z returns for less than £2K again... but then Amazon UK has some very unusual fluctuations in its pricing so anything can happen. A lot of the time, ordering from Amazon feels less like online shopping and far more like waiting for something to 'beamed down' from The Mothership. 

The easiest way to get a pricing update is to set up an alert through CamelCamelCamel, which is the Amazon tracking site for those who have not used it. The site also has the pricing history and the cheapest the WM1Z has been is £1902.05. This is the link for the WM1Z:
http://uk.camelcamelcamel.com/Sony-NW-WM1Z-High-Resolution-Walkman-Multi-Touch/product/B01LHGLALI?context=browse
At the top, above the graph, add your 'desired price' and Email then hit 'Start Tracking'. You'll get an alert when the desired price is met or exceeded. The site seems to scrape prices at least hourly so you shouldn't miss a 'deal' unless you miss the email notification.
This is the link for the WM1A for those looking at that:
http://uk.camelcamelcamel.com/Sony-NW-WM1A-High-Resolution-Aluminium-Multi-Touch/product/B01LHGLG3A?context=browse
Here Amazon Warehouse deals actually come up under 'Third Party' so you'll need to set up alerts on that line instead.

On a side note *I very much have to thank Cagin, Zakalwe and CraftyClown* for their posts about the EU Cap mod because my unit was literally boxed up and awaiting a returns label to be generated by Amazon when I came across that post. 

So I had a post-New Year meet up with a friend who has purchased the WM1A (warehouse deal) and I had a very brief comparison a couple of days ago. I had only brought a few IEMs with me but both WM1s are interesting units because certainly for thicker sounding IEMs I personally find the WM1A to pair slightly better in terms of a little clarity while taking a noticeable step back in terms of depth and layering. No idea how much his WM1A had been used, being a warehouse deal, but I'd have to speculate less than my WM1Z and highs were slightly more easily discerned. Presentation seemed a touch more airy while also being flatter. The WM1Z does not sound slower in any way nor any less resolute, just heavier in its presentation, warmer sounding with a liquid mid presentation and noticeably warmer signature. Certainly the WM1Z has a more emotive 'rounded' analog sound... and this is where I'll digress because I wanted to be sociable and didn't spend much more time drawing comparisons. Those were my initial takeaways from a brief comparison.

_I apologise as at this point I'm going to veer off topic but there are some curious debates on this thread with the last one about a 20 second audio memory probably being the most unusual I've read in quite some time and in some ways reminds me of the old 'Goldfish Memory' factoid. I respect that for some that might be true. Nevertheless I read what was being referred to and some of the interpretation on this thread is not what I took away from it. My take is that there is a difference between remembering an entire sound spectrum and picking out key signatures in the way a source portrays music... otherwise the debate about whether the WM1Z is worth the extra is a mute point and everyone would do well to purchase the WM1A and save themselves a 'pretty penny'. I'd speculate that the majority of us purchasing either of the WM1 line already have something to compare them to and there are clear differences between most players, whatever level being pitched at, whether it is seemingly 5% or 50%.
Perception is reality, it's unique to each individual... and by that I don't just mean how our brains are interpreting what our senses feed it but what we 'choose' to believe; whether that be clouding judgement via confirmation bias or appeasing any guilt we may feel about an investment. It's more than just being mindful of the law of diminishing returns but being aware that everyone has different preferences, setups and 'ears'. Sure, at a certain level a 5% difference seems like very little. Synergy remains important and 5% difference somewhere compounded onto the weakness or strengths of a particular transducer is far more powerful as the sum of its whole than its parts... and that if, for example, one may value instrumental accuracy above all else, it then becomes a very different exercise to a 5-50% difference and is more a case of 'pass' or 'fail'.

20 second memory aside I never under-estimate my long-term memory's ability to cloud my judgement nor the variety in other people's tastes. 
We can learn to love almost anything provided our preferences are met to begin with. I have long been of the opinion that the audio game is not like most usual purchases and should be viewed more holistically like a relationship than believing you can go out there and get precisely what you want no matter what your budget or tastes. To that end my key cautions for an audio purchase is very similar to aspects of my advice for those seeking a partner:
 - What is best for others does not mean best for us; Synergy with what we are working with is FAR more important
 - Work within your budget because more expensive doesn't equate to better, especially where personal preference has more weighting
 - Be prepared to compromise for things to work because it is sometimes more rewarding than a no compromise approach
 - Don't slap 'them' about like an ape! Treat 'them' with care and they will reward you for a long time 
The crux is sometimes there is no better... just different. This is where the parallels part ways; I'm no polygamist however I do use different audio setups for different genres or preferences._
Ignorance really is bliss and it's important to learn to be happy with what we have or can afford and not suddenly believe what we own is somehow devalued because we 'believe' something out there is better despite never trying it eg. the WM1Z is always better than the WM1A when in my opinion, despite it's shared lineage, it's presentation is more easily highlighted by its differences than being an evolution of shared similarities.
Unless we're sure we're sacrificing, always remember why we fell in love with what we cherish. Fundamentally it's the music which has the power to move us, not the equipment we listen to it on.

Anyhow, back on topic, my slightly premature and thus relatively conservative impressions of the WM1Z (my unit isn't fully burnt in) are in the WM1Z impressions thread and begin here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/827575/sony-nw-wm1z-owner-and-impressions/60#post_13163033


----------



## TokenGesture

A friend is going to do the uncapping mod for me on my 1A. I will be without it for a week for logistics reasons but its worth it - the capped version is really crippled I think.  I think ~I would have returned it otherwise.


----------



## Fsilva

gerelmx1986 said:


> me too, u burn as I listen to it(to the music of course)


 
 Yup, that´s the way i do it. Don´t want to stress the battery too much, and don´t want to wear the batery to fast. No idea how much power cycles do these bateries withstand


----------



## phonomat

ttt123 said:


> Aside from the fact that it is faster to burn in continuously, by just leaving it running all the time, there is one other consideration for burning in continuously.  Warranty period.
> If there is any mechanical or electronic weakness, I would like it to happen early in the ownership, while it is under warranty.  I believe that running it continuously has a better chance of allowing any problems to surface, early in the warranty period, where it can go in for service under warranty.  That is just one thought, though, as turning it off and on every time you put it away is also another way to stress a device.  The act of powering down/up is the most stress on any device, so if you do that daily, or multiple times daily, that is another way to stress it.
> 
> Theoretically, doing both would create the most stress.  i.e. power down/up daily, and also leave it running continuously after each power down/up.  Though I am just leaving it run continuously myself.
> ...




Let me get this straight: You let your unit play _all the time? Day and night? Even after some potential "burn-in" would be done?_


----------



## Bengkia369

Will these Sony WM1A and WM1Z get warm or not after long hours of play back?!


----------



## soundblast75

Even tho i am sure in month or so there'll be a few £600-700 units on amazon uk that can be now uncapped 
I couldn't wait and instead of getting dx200 from Headfoniaks(amazing service, can't recommend them high enough) jumped on the opportunity of two 1A units available right away from AJ, it'll be here on Fri morning, im super excited, i also ordered the deep blue Dignis and screen protectors.

Could someone kind enough recommend some ballanced cables and 4.4 adapters one can have in eu?


----------



## proedros

ttt123 said:


> I've been listening to the 4.4mm Sony/Kimber M12SB1 reterminated to CM.  Burned in for 200 hours on balanced.  It's pretty good, but when I compare with the 3.5mm Whiplash Twag v3 TRRS, the Whiplash communicates emotion better, and voices and guitar notes have better detail and "air".  This is to be expected, as I think the Whiplash is a "good" silver cable, almost double the price, so the M12SB1 is holding it's own quite well.
> 
> *So my next step is to get a 4.4 male to 3.5 female TRRS adapter*, so I can compare the same cable on 4.4mm blanaced, versus 3.5mm TRRS output from the WM1A.  I'd like to try this, before considering re-terminating the current one to 4.4mm.  Need some confirmation that it is the right choice.


 
  
 are such adapters available ?

 also have twagv3 in zx2 trrs mode , amazing cable indeed


----------



## mrrayray

bengkia369 said:


> Will these Sony WM1A and WM1Z get warm or not after long hours of play back?!


 
 Mine didn't get warm after hours of listening to even quad DSD music.


----------



## kms108

proedros said:


> ttt123 said:
> 
> 
> > I've been listening to the 4.4mm Sony/Kimber M12SB1 reterminated to CM.  Burned in for 200 hours on balanced.  It's pretty good, but when I compare with the 3.5mm Whiplash Twag v3 TRRS, the Whiplash communicates emotion better, and voices and guitar notes have better detail and "air".  This is to be expected, as I think the Whiplash is a "good" silver cable, almost double the price, so the M12SB1 is holding it's own quite well.
> ...


 

 There are plenty, many in taobao, but you have a problem getting it, you can try jaben HK, and other custom cables online store, there are many link with in the thread, you probably have to search for them.


----------



## audionewbi

I am over the 1000 hour, not to brag  570 hours single ended and will keep on burning in the balance till I hit the 1000 hour.


----------



## audionewbi

bengkia369 said:


> Will these Sony WM1A and WM1Z get warm or not after long hours of play back?!


 
 nope


----------



## Bengkia369

mrrayray said:


> Mine didn't get warm after hours of listening to even quad DSD music.




That's great, my AK240 and Opus #2 get warm even playing 16bit 44.1khz.


----------



## jmills8

audionewbi said:


> I am over the 1000 hour, not to brag  570 hours single ended and will keep on burning in the balance till I hit the 1000 hour.


All this Burning is for the dap to get more open sounding and less warm and conjested ?


----------



## audionewbi

jmills8 said:


> All this Burning is for the dap to get more open sounding and less warm and conjested ?


 
 It had it burning somewhere in my room and I sort of forgot about it ever since I got my balance cable. I am the sort of guy who will not enjoy the gear till all things around it is sorted. Plan is to let it keep burning till I have a respectable after market cable in my hand. So for now I am just letting it run to eliminate any chances of device not been fully burned in once my good cable arrives.


----------



## soundblast75

Warming up for 1A


----------



## ttt123

phonomat said:


> Let me get this straight: You let your unit play _all the time? Day and night? Even after some potential "burn-in" would be done?_


 
 I have so far, though the intention is not to do that forever. It's more from falling into the initial burn in procedure of plugging it in when I get home, and putting the IEM into drawer, still playing,  closing the drawer so it does not bother anybody, and then unplugging it in the morning, using it/running it in all day, etc. and then repeating plugging it in when I got home.  Before I knew it, the hours had reached a 1000 hours.  
  
 It has been discussed previously that Sony's recommendation of 200 hours is a conservative number, and there may be a gain from more hours.  The experience with the ZX2 is that there were gains at about double the recommended hours, thus a guestimate for the WM1x of 400 hours (double the recommendation) was at the back of my mind.  I have an earlier post on finding that there was a significant improvement in sound stage and detail at around 500-550 hours, which I had not expected.  Though I don't really expect more major changes, I do think that continual usage will settle it in just that little bit more.  And it can't hurt it.
  
 It's just a mindset that I believe in letting it get run in, and I don't worry about it running too long, and I don't believe that there is a finite amount of hours that I am using up.  The converse, where I think running it in more is good for it.
  
 Of course, for people who are worried that running it when not using it is using up its lifetime, like using up the hours of a life, then by all means, don't do what I do.  Do what your are comfortable with.


----------



## flipper203

how do you know so precisely the burn in time ?


----------



## ttt123

flipper203 said:


> how do you know so precisely the burn in time ?


 
 Settings/Unit Information and it shows under Audio Played.


----------



## flipper203

ok, I have 101h played, but no detail about SE / balanced. I thought I used it more.....


----------



## phonomat

ttt123 said:


> I have so far, though the intention is not to do that forever. It's more from falling into the initial burn in procedure of plugging it in when I get home, and putting the IEM into drawer, still playing,  closing the drawer so it does not bother anybody, and then unplugging it in the morning, using it/running it in all day, etc. and then repeating plugging it in when I got home.  Before I knew it, the hours had reached a 1000 hours.
> 
> It has been discussed previously that Sony's recommendation of 200 hours is a conservative number, and there may be a gain from more hours.  The experience with the ZX2 is that there were gains at about double the recommended hours, thus a guestimate for the WM1x of 400 hours (double the recommendation) was at the back of my mind.  I have an earlier post on finding that there was a significant improvement in sound stage and detail at around 500-550 hours, which I had not expected.  Though I don't really expect more major changes, I do think that continual usage will settle it in just that little bit more.  And it can't hurt it.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks, I was just curious, and that sounds a lot more sensible. Believe it or not, I'd actually be more concerned about this from an economical/environmental perspective. Depending on how you're inclined, you could probably light the whole of Manhattan or just directly melt a couple dozen glaciers with all the juice "needed" for (or rather "wasted" on? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





) the "burn-in" done on this site alone ... but I know saying that in _this_ specific environment will only make me sound like a tree-huggin' hippie, so I'll just say "carry on" instead.


----------



## nanaholic

phonomat said:


> Thanks, I was just curious, and that sounds a lot more sensible. Believe it or not, I'd actually be more concerned about this from an economical/environmental perspective. Depending on how you're inclined, you could probably light the whole of Manhattan or just directly melt a couple dozen glaciers with all the juice "needed" for (or rather "wasted" on?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Not really an issue with the WM1.  Remember this baby runs on a tiny 1800mAh battery and gets 30-40hrs of continuous playback time, it's easily way more efficient than the smartphone in your pocket that you probably charge twice a day.


----------



## ttt123

phonomat said:


> Thanks, I was just curious, and that sounds a lot more sensible. Believe it or not, I'd actually be more concerned about this from an economical/environmental perspective. Depending on how you're inclined, you could probably light the whole of Manhattan or just directly melt a couple dozen glaciers with all the juice "needed" for (or rather "wasted" on?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Well, everything is relative 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  As Nanaholic has commented, the WM1x power usage is very small, though I take your point that every little bit counts, and conservation is a mindset, and not restricted to deciding how much energy needlessly used is not a waste.  Though whether what we are doing is needful or not, I'm afraid even the people on this forum may have violent disagreements on the "need".  
  
 Now, just to be clear, I am of the firm opinion that there is an absolute need to keep the electrons flowing in the WM1A, as there is a very short life'ed sentient species inhabiting the circuit board, and their civilization depends on me keeping the power flowing without cessation......
  
 Think of it another way.  Everybody on this forum has music reproduction as their addiction and hobby, and we are quietly fondling our DAPS, cables and IEMs and headphones, and not out drinking, or driving cars with massive carbon footprints. (though we COULD be drinking at the same time....)  Think of how much more energy we could be wasting doing other things, if not for our benign affliction.


----------



## Mimouille

I recommend at least 10 000 hours of burn in to reach the full potential. I heard day and night changes between 9985 hours and 10 000. Anything less and the 1Z sounds like pig farts honestly.


----------



## ttt123

mimouille said:


> I recommend at least 10 000 hours of burn in to reach the full potential. I heard day and night changes between 9985 hours and 10 000. Anything less and the 1Z sounds like pig farts honestly.


 
 I'll be watching for that number.  Also, 10,000 is a very auspicious number in the East, so definitely something to aim for.  "Banzai" means 10,000 years, FYI.
  
 If you have a recording of pig farts, as I am lacking that auditory knowledge?


----------



## Mimouille

ttt123 said:


> I'll be watching for that number.  Also, 10,000 is a very auspicious number in the East, so definitely something to aim for.  "Banzai" means 10,000 years, FYI.
> 
> If you have a recording of pig farts, as I am lacking that auditory knowledge?


Just listen to any music before 10k and that is what you will get...unbearable.


----------



## phonomat

nanaholic said:


> Not really an issue with the WM1.  Remember this baby runs on a tiny 1800mAh battery and gets 30-40hrs of continuous playback time, it's easily way more efficient than the smartphone in your pocket that you probably charge twice a day.


 
  
 I'm on _once_ a day currently (S7 edge), but just 'cause I constantly read this site on my phone. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  


ttt123 said:


> Well, everything is relative
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Now _that_ makes sense! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


mimouille said:


> I recommend at least 10 000 hours of burn in to reach the full potential. I heard day and night changes between 9985 hours and 10 000. Anything less and the 1Z sounds like pig farts honestly.


 
  
 That's the spirit! Although a pity for those who burn it in on their heads.


----------



## mscott58

ttt123 said:


> If you have a recording of pig farts, as I am lacking that auditory knowledge?


 
  
 Of course the internet has that!
  
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rE-L2s_44E


----------



## Rob49

mimouille said:


> I recommend at least 10 000 hours of burn in to reach the full potential. I heard day and night changes between 9985 hours and 10 000. Anything less and the 1Z sounds like pig farts honestly.


 
  
 So 40 + days, to hear it at it's best ? ( If that is it's full potential ? )
  
 I've had a ZX2 for 14 months, and i don't know if there's any obvious difference in all this time ? ( Obviously, i don't know how many listening hours there has been ?? )
  
 I'm still a little sceptical about "burn in" and the number of hours that people quote. Where does it end ? Someone stating you need 20.000 hours "burn in" ??


----------



## Mimouille

rob49 said:


> So 40 + days, to hear it at it's best ? ( If that is it's full potential ? )
> 
> I've had a ZX2 for 14 months, and i don't know if there's any obvious difference in all this time ? ( Obviously, i don't know how many listening hours there has been ?? )
> 
> I'm still a little sceptical about "burn in" and the number of hours that people quote. Where does it end ? Someone stating you need 20.000 hours "burn in" ??


I was kidding, I did the 200 recommended by Sony and I'm done.


----------



## haiku

rob49 said:


> So 40 + days, to hear it at it's best ? ( If that is it's full potential ? )
> 
> I've had a ZX2 for 14 months, and i don't know if there's any obvious difference in all this time ? ( Obviously, i don't know how many listening hours there has been ?? )
> 
> I'm still a little sceptical about "burn in" and the number of hours that people quote. Where does it end ? Someone stating you need 20.000 hours "burn in" ??


 
  

 A lot of veils need to be lifted, yo!


----------



## Whitigir

Sigh...h..hhh SA5000 balanced is too good with WM1Z lol


----------



## ledzep

A nice welcome after a hard day's work .....


----------



## purk

whitigir said:


> Sigh...h..hhh SA5000 balanced is too good with WM1Z lol


 
 Better than your precious Z1R?


----------



## ledzep

Abracadabra ! Jaben Maylasia !


----------



## purk

rob49 said:


> So 40 + days, to hear it at it's best ? ( If that is it's full potential ? )
> 
> I've had a ZX2 for 14 months, and i don't know if there's any obvious difference in all this time ? ( Obviously, i don't know how many listening hours there has been ?? )
> 
> I'm still a little sceptical about "burn in" and the number of hours that people quote. Where does it end ? Someone stating you need 20.000 hours "burn in" ??


 
 I  think the burn in is real.  For instance, I prefer the sound of my ZX2 over the 1Z single-end output currently.  My 1Z single-end output has less than  an hour of play time.


----------



## Rob49

mimouille said:


> I was kidding, I did the 200 recommended by Sony and I'm done.


 
  
 I was actually going to ask if you were joking.....but decided you were being serious !


----------



## Rob49

purk said:


> I  think the burn in is real.  For instance, I prefer the sound of my ZX2 over the 1Z single-end output currently.  My 1Z single-end output has less than  an hour of play time.


 
  
 I would assume that there is such a thing as "burn in", it's the hours that get quoted & i'm even more dubious about leaving a player "run" without listening. How can you know differences, without constantly listening.
 Throughout my listening experiences, i often think, "This doesn't sound so good today, or this sounds great today". I think that's got more to do with a possible combination of things, rather than "burn in" ?


----------



## kms108

Jaben is sold out of the M12SB1 Cable again, i'm sure many of us has picked one up.


----------



## gerelmx1986

My fiio x3 got hot even with 16/44.1, my dap WM1A doesn't get warm at all


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> rob49 said:
> 
> 
> > So 40 + days, to hear it at it's best ? ( If that is it's full potential ? )
> ...


I prefer the single end of my WM1A more than any SE I have heard before


----------



## Stephen George

any chance some kind soul could post screenshots of the menus in english to help those testing a jap version?


----------



## davidcotton

Don't suppose the Sony plays m4b files natively does it. Got a lot of audiobooks in that format. Failing that how well does the bookmark system work?

Thanks.


----------



## Rob49

WM-1A presently £758.46p on Amazon U.K.
  
 Anyone know if this has been the lowest price, so far ?


----------



## CraftyClown

rob49 said:


> WM-1A presently £758.46p on Amazon U.K.
> 
> Anyone know if this has been the lowest price, so far ?


 
  
 I think I paid £685 for mine. Amazon Warehouse that is


----------



## mscott58

rob49 said:


> WM-1A presently £758.46p on Amazon U.K.
> 
> Anyone know if this has been the lowest price, so far ?


 
 With shipping and such it comes to only $812 in the US!


----------



## CraftyClown

rob49 said:


> WM-1A presently £758.46p on Amazon U.K.
> 
> Anyone know if this has been the lowest price, so far ?


 
  
 Wow! Just checked and that's not a warehouse return either!
  
 It seems they have dropped the price due to the amount of returns.
  
 Snap that s**t right up!


----------



## Whitigir

Wow the price!


----------



## ledzep

Lowest new I've seen and I've checked it most days for a friend.


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> Wow the price!


 
  
 I know, right?
  
 I can only imagine Amazon stocked heavily on it and the volume cap has massively affected sales and caused many refunds. Sony have probably agreed to let Amazon sell them off cheap due to this.
  
 I'm almost tempted to buy another one. One for each ear


----------



## Rob49

craftyclown said:


> I know, right?
> 
> I can only imagine Amazon stocked heavily on it and the volume cap has massively affected sales and caused many refunds. Sony have probably agreed to let Amazon sell them off cheap due to this.
> 
> I'm almost tempted to buy another one. One for each ear


 
  
 ....and with your link, ( Which i briefly opened & don't understand ! ) to remove the volume cap, perhaps this is the time to take advantage of this price ?


----------



## davidcotton

According to camelcamelcamel lowest it's been is £720.  Could swear I've seen it as low as £700 but maybe not.


----------



## CraftyClown

rob49 said:


> ....and with your link, ( Which i briefly opened & don't understand ! ) to remove the volume cap, perhaps this is the time to take advantage of this price ?


 
  
 Yes, definitely!
  
 It looks far more complicated than it actually is. Let me know when if you pick one up and I will be happy to talk you through the procedure


----------



## CraftyClown

davidcotton said:


> According to camelcamelcamel lowest it's been is £720.  Could swear I've seen it as low as £700 but maybe not.


 
  
 Were they Amazon warehouse prices though?


----------



## davidcotton

craftyclown said:


> Were they Amazon warehouse prices though?


 

 Couldn't say now.
  
 How does the bookmarking system work on the wm1a (did ask above)?  Got some audiobooks that I may have to convert.
  
 Thanks


----------



## CraftyClown

davidcotton said:


> Couldn't say now.
> 
> How does the bookmarking system work on the wm1a (did ask above)?  Got some audiobooks that I may have to convert.
> 
> Thanks


 
  
 Sorry David, I honestly don't know


----------



## davidcotton

Fair enough  
  
 Think I've said before that even with the price drops £700 is still a bit too far above my comfort zone anyway.  Just nice to think "what if" at times


----------



## mscott58

Grabbed one for s****-and-giggles. Came out to £632.05 after taking the VAT off. Not bad for a new unit directly from Amazon!
  
 I also have a 1Z inbound, so will be able to do some head-to-head testing. Fun!
  
 Cheers


----------



## Rob49

craftyclown said:


> Yes, definitely!
> 
> It looks far more complicated than it actually is. Let me know when if you pick one up and I will be happy to talk you through the procedure


 
  
 Thanks, i definitely would need that help !! I wish i hadn't bought my capped ZX2, just over 12 months ago, via Amazon deals.


----------



## CraftyClown

davidcotton said:


> Fair enough
> 
> Think I've said before that even with the price drops £700 is still a bit too far above my comfort zone anyway.  Just nice to think "what if" at times


 
  
 Well at least you know the price can only go down now


----------



## soundblast75

I grabbed one from Amazon too, so i have a 1A coming tomorrow for £760inc delivery and one coming on frid from AJ that is £300more, so considering i can uncap it, i asked AJ if i can refuse the Fedx back for refund or get a better price


----------



## ttt123

rob49 said:


> I would assume that there is such a thing as "burn in", it's the hours that get quoted & i'm even more dubious about leaving a player "run" without listening. How can you know differences, without constantly listening.
> Throughout my listening experiences, i often think, "This doesn't sound so good today, or this sounds great today". I think that's got more to do with a possible combination of things, rather than "burn in" ?


 
 You are absolutely correct that there are many factors in addition to burn in.  Could be your mood, the weather, a good nights sleep, noise polution higher, etc.  Burn in is just one item in a long list of items that we try to get correct.  I believe in it.  Many people do not.  And it is not worth arguing about, as neither side can convince the other side, so the best we can do is to agree to disagree.
  
 The answer is very simple, though.  Burn in, or don't burn in, is up to your personal choice.  How many hours is also up to your belief and experience.  If you have not previously experienced any gains from burn in, then you can decide with confidence not to bother, as there is no point for you to do something that has no benefit, and in which you do not believe.  
  
 We all make our individual choices, and this will cover many different ways of doing things.  Which is good.  vive la différence


----------



## Rob49

ttt123 said:


> You are absolutely correct that there are many factors in addition to burn in.  Could be your mood, the weather, a good nights sleep, noise polution higher, etc.  Burn in is just one item in a long list of items that we try to get correct.  I believe in it.  Many people do not.  And it is not worth arguing about, as neither side can convince the other side, so the best we can do is to agree to disagree.
> 
> The answer is very simple, though.  Burn in, or don't burn in, is up to your personal choice.  How many hours is also up to your belief and experience.  If you have not previously experienced any gains from burn in, then you can decide with confidence not to bother, as there is no point for you to do something that has no benefit, and in which you do not believe.
> 
> We all make our individual choices, and this will cover many different ways of doing things.  Which is good.  vive la différence


 
  
 I don't disbelieve it, i'm just not sure if i've experienced it ! ?


----------



## Mimouille

ttt123 said:


> You are absolutely correct that there are many factors in addition to burn in.  Could be your mood, the weather, a good nights sleep, noise polution higher, etc.  Burn in is just one item in a long list of items that we try to get correct.  I believe in it.  Many people do not.  And it is not worth arguing about, as neither side can convince the other side, so the best we can do is to agree to disagree.
> 
> The answer is very simple, though.  Burn in, or don't burn in, is up to your personal choice.  How many hours is also up to your belief and experience.  If you have not previously experienced any gains from burn in, then you can decide with confidence not to bother, as there is no point for you to do something that has no benefit, and in which you do not believe.
> 
> We all make our individual choices, and this will cover many different ways of doing things.  Which is good.  vive la différence


Wow, you mean if you believe in burn in you should do it, and if you don't, you shouldn't? Well, I think we should give up the burn in discussion because we are really getting on thought provoking grounds here and I am not sure I can handle going so far into the recesses of the mind. Especially if we start speaking French.


----------



## ttt123

davidcotton said:


> Don't suppose the Sony plays m4b files natively does it. Got a lot of audiobooks in that format. Failing that how well does the bookmark system work?
> 
> Thanks.


 
 From the manual: 
 Supported Formats MP3, WMA, FLAC, Linear PCM, AAC, HE-AAC, Apple Lossless, AIFF,
 DSD Native (up to 11.2MHz)
  
 There is the option for a Bookmark List, or a Playlist, both of which just adds the song to the list.  If you are asking whether a bookmark can be entered against a location in an audiobook file, I don't belief that capability exists.
  
  
 Here is the online manual:  http://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/h_ww/index.html


----------



## gerelmx1986

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


  
 Quote: 





stephen george said:


> any chance some kind soul could post screenshots of the menus in english to help those testing a jap version?


----------



## Sound Eq

mscott58 said:


> Grabbed one for s****-and-giggles. Came out to £632.05 after taking the VAT off. Not bad for a new unit directly from Amazon!
> 
> I also have a 1Z inbound, so will be able to do some head-to-head testing. Fun!
> 
> Cheers


 
 for gods sake how did get one why did i not get a notification that there is a unit for sale from amazon warehouse , dam my bad luck


----------



## CraftyClown

Gerardo what are you doing to me? lol
  
 Perhaps spoiler tags are in order so we don't all need to scroll through 6 billion photos


----------



## CraftyClown

Has anyone managed to get SensMe working? On the Zx2 it could be activated within the device, however with the WM1 series is seems you need to use Media Go.
  
 The problem is Media Go only seems to generate SensMe data for my music library and not the music already on the device. What gives?
  
 Has anyone sussed this strangeness out yet?


----------



## CraftyClown

stephen george said:


> any chance some kind soul could post screenshots of the menus in english to help those testing a jap version?


 
  
 Stephen, have you considered switching the device to English?
  
 https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Changing_destination_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation


----------



## phonomat

craftyclown said:


> Gerardo what are you doing to me? lol
> 
> Perhaps spoiler tags are in order so we don't all need to scroll through 6 billion photos




Thank you for this kind suggestion.


----------



## ttt123

mimouille said:


> Wow, you mean if you believe in burn in you should do it, and if you don't, you shouldn't? Well, I think we should give up the burn in discussion because we are really getting on thought provoking grounds here and I am not sure I can handle going so far into the recesses of the mind. Especially if we start speaking French.


 
 You seriously have difficulties with the statement that each person should decide what they want to do?


----------



## CraftyClown

ttt123 said:


> You seriously have difficulties with the statement that each person should decide what they want to do?


 
  
 He's most definitely teasing you


----------



## gerelmx1986

craftyclown said:


> Gerardo what are you doing to me? lol
> 
> Perhaps spoiler tags are in order so we don't all need to scroll through 6 billion photos


 

 ​Fixed, sometimes Edge web browser sucks, switched to IE and worked


----------



## GREYH0UND

craftyclown said:


> I know, right?
> 
> I can only imagine Amazon stocked heavily on it and the volume cap has massively affected sales and caused many refunds. Sony have probably agreed to let Amazon sell them off cheap due to this.
> 
> I'm almost tempted to buy another one. One for each ear



Why has it had many refunds?
I m in the market for a dap...


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Fixed, sometimes Edge web browser sucks, switched to IE and worked


 
  
 Nice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


greyh0und said:


> Why has it had many refunds?
> I m in the market for a dap...


 
  
 The EU version has a volume cap and no high gain option which makes it only really suitable for  IEMs and easier to drive headphones.
  
 This is the reason it has probably had so many returns, however over the weekend an incredibly simple hack was discovered that changes the region code of the device and adds back the high gain settings, whilst simultaneously removing the volume cap.
  
 If you can pick up one of the heavily discounted WM1As and apply the hack then you will be getting a very good deal.


----------



## Fsilva

Military green leather case rocks!


----------



## gerelmx1986

After a week of using my WM1A i must say I love the sound of the SE and makes me curious about balanced or TRRS, second I feel 1A is the most powerful walkman to date ever, thanks to H-gain, nice smooth volumen stepping of 120 steps VS the 30 of in the past that felt sudden increase in volume
  
 While the UI is superb, love that cross swipe pattern, brilliant idea, absolutely love the idea of including a thing is rarely seen nowadays on DAPs, the Composer listing. Love the ui but the software has some downsides, and have high hopes sony will promptly fix the lagging issues, both touch-tapping and hardware-buttons press takes a bit too long to react. Loses track position on turning it OFF.
  
 The source direct is a brilliant idea from sony, an one-go disable-all effects, absolutely loved the idea, fiddle with the EQ and to be honest is the first time i see an EQ that actually Works. didn't Heard that much a difference between  the DC phase linearizer settings, the Dynamic normailzer makes all LOUD
  
 Too bad that in folder browser  (also not present in reléase year, however that is no prob) there is no A-Z popup like in the rest of the Listings, love the idea you can delete whole folders (albums) and individual songs on the GO, créate laylists on the Go is great too.
  
 The heft of the 1A is significant compared to the weight of ZX100 and I actually like it, feels rock solid on my hands, however i feel so uneasy on a shirt pocket, better on a pants pocket or a bag, the SD card slot cover is the best i have seen on a walkman, my ZX100 and A17 had difficulties inserting the SD card due to being obtrusive parts.
  
 Despite feeling cold to the touch,really I like it is made from a single machined aluminum block unlike zx100 plastic top and bottom faces that started separating.
  
 Like the idea of the screen remaining off even when pressing buttons and sliding the HOLD switch, minimal waste of battery.
  
 The USB transfer THANK GOD sony you finally increased speed to fast rates, my previous walkmans incl. A17 copied at 2-4 MB/s, ZX100 copied at 4-10MB/s AVG 8MB/s, and now this 1A copies at full spec USB 2.0 so 25 MB/s
  
 sound commenst come after burnin


----------



## davidcotton

sound eq said:


> for gods sake how did get one why did i not get a notification that there is a unit for sale from amazon warehouse , dam my bad luck


 

 Probably because it is amazon themselves brand new, and not a warehouse return.  If you are still interested it is still listed.


----------



## warrior1975

ttt123 said:


> You seriously have difficulties with the statement that each person should decide what they want to do?




Michael isn't that bright.


----------



## CraftyClown

So has no one played with SensMe yet?


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> After a week of using my WM1A i must say I love the sound of the SE and makes me curious about balanced or TRRS, second I feel 1A is the most powerful walkman to date ever, thanks to H-gain, nice smooth volumen stepping of 120 steps VS the 30 of in the past that felt sudden increase in volume
> 
> While the UI is superb, love that cross swipe pattern, brilliant idea, absolutely love the idea of including a thing is rarely seen nowadays on DAPs, the Composer listing. Love the ui but the software has some downsides, and have high hopes sony will promptly fix the lagging issues, both touch-tapping and hardware-buttons press takes a bit too long to react. Loses track position on turning it OFF.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I can't stress that enough.  I'm glad that they've improved upon that sluggish transferring speed.


----------



## Stephen George

craftyclown said:


> Stephen, have you considered switching the device to English?
> 
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Changing_destination_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation


 
 whoa, i knew i came to the right place
  
 but where is the cmd to set the language? looking through it right now and it's greek to me


----------



## Stephen George

craftyclown said:


> So has no one played with SensMe yet?


 
 this seems to be the same feature on the HAP device also, don't always agree with the choices, but it is a slick idea


----------



## CraftyClown

stephen george said:


> this seems to be the same feature on the HAP device also, don't always agree with the choices, but it is a slick idea


 
  
 I just wish I could get it to work!


----------



## Stephen George

craftyclown said:


> Stephen, have you considered switching the device to English?


 
  
  
   trying this now, but now to figure out how to reset it


----------



## CraftyClown

stephen george said:


> trying this now, but now to figure out how to reset it


 
  
 Some people suggest a factory reset isn't always necessary.
  
 Have you tried a hard reset by holding down the power button for more than 8 seconds?


----------



## Stephen George

craftyclown said:


> Some people suggest a factory reset isn't always necessary.
> 
> Have you tried a hard reset by holding down the power button for more than 8 seconds?


 
  
  
   i figured out how to reset using the service manual (i think)
  
 it did change the destination to U, but not the language


----------



## Stephen George

stephen george said:


> i figured out how to reset using the service manual (i think)
> 
> it did change the destination to U, but not the language


 
 DUDE, where do I send a case of beer to you!?!?!?!?
  
 language changed!!!!!


----------



## GREYH0UND

craftyclown said:


> Nice
> 
> 
> The EU version has a volume cap and no high gain option which makes it only really suitable for  IEMs and easier to drive headphones.
> ...



Man i wanted to w8 for fiio x5iii but you are murdering my wallet...

Is the dap a solid improvement over an x7?


----------



## CraftyClown

stephen george said:


> DUDE, where do I send a case of beer to you!?!?!?!?
> 
> language changed!!!!!


 
  
 Brilliant!  Really pleased you cracked it mate


----------



## CraftyClown

greyh0und said:


> Man i wanted to w8 for fiio x5iii but you are murdering my wallet...
> 
> Is the dap a solid improvement over an x7?


 
  
 I've not actually heard the X7, but this is a mighty fine DAP and at this price, you can't really go wrong


----------



## Cagin

fsilva said:


> Military green leather case rocks!


could you post a picture from above, headphone output side, does your case cover the sides?




[COLOR=FF00AA][/COLOR]





mimouille said:


> I recommend at least 10 000 hours of burn in to reach the full potential. I heard day and night changes between 9985 hours and 10 000. Anything less and the 1Z sounds like pig farts honestly.



Good thing I'm a Buddhist then uh, I get to come back each time and enjoy each veil being lifted with each shroud lain. And eventually when I get to quit Samsara and attain enlightenment as a Buddha, I'll instead become a bodhisattva to come back and help others...(and listen to my uber burned in Wm1a). All this in an age where probably everything would be binaurally recorded and streamed in peta bit per second telepathically


----------



## GREYH0UND

craftyclown said:


> I've not actually heard the X7, but this is a mighty fine DAP and at this price, you can't really go wrong



Does sony sell a charging/dock station for this player to connect it with a pc?


----------



## goyete

I have noticed a strange behavior of my WM1A. I'm hearing The Mission OST in DSD 2.8 MHz. If I hear it normally (no random) all is ok, when a song finish and then it starts the next (in order) there is no "click" sound at the start of the new song. If I hear the songs with the random option activated, every new song (after finish the previous song) makes a "click sound" at the start. Can someone confirm this behavior with DSD??


----------



## gerelmx1986

goyete said:


> I have noticed a strange behavior of my WM1A. I'm hearing The Mission OST in DSD 2.8 MHz. If I hear it normally (no random) all is ok, when a song finish and then it starts the next (in order) there is no "click" sound at the start of the new song. If I hear the songs with the random option activated, every new song (after finish the previous song) makes a "click sound" at the start. Can someone confirm this behavior with DSD??


 

 ​Maybe gapless playback, you played in order so track #1>2>3>4>etc and now you play shuffle 3>1>7>2>4>etc that's why... i have many classical albums with gapless and they work fine in lineal mode but not in shuffle


----------



## Tanjiro

EU version WM1A is £632 but the import fee is £335!!!! Have to wait for N America version... >_<


----------



## goyete

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Maybe gapless playback, you played in order so track #1>2>3>4>etc and now you play shuffle 3>1>7>2>4>etc that's why... i have many classical albums with gapless and they work fine in lineal mode but not in shuffle




I think gapless playback is not the problem, I have checked that this "click" only happens with DSD. Now I'm hearing some files in ALAC in random mode and no click never (even in random mode).

This "click" never would appear in an audiophile item like this becouse this sound isn't recorded in the song (independent of the playback mode).


----------



## Tanjiro

EU ver WM1A is £632 but the import fee is £335!!! Have to wait for N America version...


----------



## echineko

moneypls said:


> EU ver WM1A is £632 but the import fee is £335!!! Have to wait for N America version...



You could raise a case with them if the estimated import duties are way above what's the actual amount paid when it arrives. Assuming you have the official receipts and supporting documentation, it should not be a problem. That's what I did previously, at least. Of course, you do have to pay the full amount in advance. 

I take it their tax duties estimate is way above what is actually charged normally?


----------



## gerelmx1986

goyete said:


> I think gapless playback is not the problem, I have checked that this "click" only happens with DSD. Now I'm hearing some files in ALAC in random mode and no click never (even in random mode).
> 
> This "click" never would appear in an audiophile item like this becouse this sound isn't recorded in the song (independent of the playback mode).


 
 I meant if you tracks have continuos play, dont know how to describe it but i have Buxtehude La Capricciosa Variations BuxWV 250 and some times the gap is Split in the middle of tracks so tracks start before the variation X ends, so to speack variation Y has part of previos variation X and if i play the flac continuos there is no click sound, undless i play these random i hear a disruption
  
 same with my Variations Goldberg álbum with peirre Hantai has splitting between var 2, var 3 and var 4 and others  so imust hear them sequential to avoid interruptions


----------



## goyete

gerelmx1986 said:


> I meant if you tracks have continuos play, dont know how to describe it but i have Buxtehude La Capricciosa Variations BuxWV 250 and some times the gap is Split in the middle of tracks so tracks start before the variation X ends, so to speack variation Y has part of previos variation X and if i play the flac continuos there is no click sound, undless i play these random i hear a disruption
> 
> same with my Variations Goldberg álbum with peirre Hantai has splitting between var 2, var 3 and var 4 and others  so imust hear them sequential to avoid interruptions



I know what you say but no, that's not the problem. Each song is independent, the final of the song is without sound. It's not a disc like Tubular Bells II that is continuously in sound between songs.


----------



## Tanjiro

echineko said:


> You could raise a case with them if the estimated import duties are way above what's the actual amount paid when it arrives. Assuming you have the official receipts and supporting documentation, it should not be a problem. That's what I did previously, at least. Of course, you do have to pay the full amount in advance.
> 
> I take it their tax duties estimate is way above what is actually charged normally?




Thx. Amazon.uk will refund the difference in 60 days, if there is any. However, it's not worth it to pay full amount now for an EU version


----------



## turbo87

greyh0und said:


> Does sony sell a charging/dock station for this player to connect it with a pc?


 

 I believe you can use the ZX2 dock with the WM1x DAPs. You can find them Ebay.


----------



## goyete

I made some checks. I add the first DSD track to a new list. Then I add the second DSD track to the same list.

Then play the list (with the two songs). If play it normal (no random) there is no click. If you play with random mode there is click on the start of each song (also 1>2 and 2>1).


----------



## gerelmx1986

moneypls said:


> EU ver WM1A is £632 but the import fee is £335!!! Have to wait for N America version...


 

 try accessoryJack


----------



## flipper203

Where do you find it at this price? 
Did anyone try the Bluetooth remote control?


----------



## Jalo

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Maybe gapless playback, you played in order so track #1>2>3>4>etc and now you play shuffle 3>1>7>2>4>etc that's why... i have many classical albums with gapless and they work fine in lineal mode but not in shuffle


 
 Where do you select gapless in the manual?


----------



## GREYH0UND

flipper203 said:


> Where do you find it at this price?
> Did anyone try the Bluetooth remote control?



It s the price minus the 20% tax
635×1.2=758.4


----------



## Jazzi

mscott58 said:


> Grabbed one for s****-and-giggles. Came out to £632.05 after taking the VAT off. Not bad for a new unit directly from Amazon!
> 
> I also have a 1Z inbound, so will be able to do some head-to-head testing. Fun!
> 
> Cheers


 

 Same here.  For that price, I couldn't resist.  Mine is slated for delivery to the US next Monday.  Looking forward to comparing with the LPG and AK380/amp.  Now, to unravel the whole new cable w/4.4 or some of those adapters I've read mentioned.


----------



## Mimouille

ttt123 said:


> You seriously have difficulties with the statement that each person should decide what they want to do?


No, I just find it so obvious and have read it so many times that I find it useless.


----------



## audionewbi

craftyclown said:


> Has anyone managed to get SensMe working? On the Zx2 it could be activated within the device, however with the WM1 series is seems you need to use Media Go.
> 
> The problem is Media Go only seems to generate SensMe data for my music library and not the music already on the device. What gives?
> 
> Has anyone sussed this strangeness out yet?



You have to sync them again so the tempo detail are sent to the device.


----------



## Fsilva

cagin said:


> could you post a picture from above, headphone output side, does your case cover the sides?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 As you can see by the pics unfortunately the holes are not correctly centered with the buttons...this was my fault since i did not want to leave the WM1A so that the correct measurements could be taken before drilling the holes onto the leather. 
  

  

  

  
 I will have to go back to the shop for him to see what can be done.


----------



## CraftyClown

audionewbi said:


> You have to sync them again so the tempo detail are sent to the device.




Ah I see. It necessitates using Media Go to sync your library then. I had been adding my music manually up until now. Cheers. I'll have another look at that tomorrow then.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

I'm running 1Z Walkman via USB out to WA7 Fireflies (2nd gen) to play DSD music in full resolution.


----------



## Stealer

My new adaptor 4.4mm to 3.5mm TRRS female socket, cable-tied to relieve stress on cable at the 4.4mm plug.
  

 maybe should get some sugru to settle this..


----------



## mscott58

jazzi said:


> Same here.  For that price, I couldn't resist.  Mine is slated for delivery to the US next Monday.  Looking forward to comparing with the LPG and AK380/amp.  Now, to unravel the whole new cable w/4.4 or some of those adapters I've read mentioned.




Surf Cables has the various 4.4mm cables/adapters/plugs in stock and without the long wait from China like Luna, etc. 

https://www.surfcables.com/products/sony-4-4mm-balanced-connectors-for-nw-wm1z-nw-wm1a-etc?variant=32848530819

Cheers


----------



## FortisFlyer75

I have been trying to scour these threads searching for volume cap removal for WM1A, only reason I ask is I see Amazon in UK have the EU volume capped model for only £758 at the moment and tempted to pull trigger as I see an Amazon reviewer mention there is now a removal tool but could not find it here or on Google anything concrete or definitive showing this is the case. 
  
 If any WM1A owners have used the removal tool or know it actually does exist/ work with it would be grateful as normally would of dismissed buying this been EU model but see what the guy said on Amazon pricked my wallet a little. 
  
 Any clarification would be appreciated, did try page one for any stickys on this but nothing.  
  
 Would love to get the gold one where you need deep pockets but no where in UK does finance on this which is my only viable route to the Gold model at the moment so if anyone knows if there is a finance option from somewhere for the WM1Z I'm all ears as noticed Sony Centre on line do not do finance anymore where they used to even though Sony Pro site does!  
  
 Otherwise I will sit tight and maybe for first time look at something like the A&R M20 for sound just alone is good and affordable with no volume cap. 
  
 Thanks in advance for any live saving answers on volume removal tool for these two new Walkmans....


----------



## AnakChan

fortisflyer75 said:


> I have been trying to scour these threads searching for volume cap removal for WM1A, only reason I ask is I see Amazon in UK have the EU volume capped model for only £758 at the moment and tempted to pull trigger as I see an Amazon reviewer mention there is now a removal tool but could not find it here or on Google anything concrete or definitive showing this is the case.
> 
> If any WM1A owners have used the removal tool or know it actually does exist/ work with it would be grateful as normally would of dismissed buying this been EU model but see what the guy said on Amazon pricked my wallet a little.
> 
> ...


 
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/818847/the-official-sony-nw-wm1z-nw-wm1a-flagship-dap-live-from-ifa-2016/870#post_13165136


----------



## Fsilva

fortisflyer75 said:


> I have been trying to scour these threads searching for volume cap removal for WM1A, only reason I ask is I see Amazon in UK have the EU volume capped model for only £758 at the moment and tempted to pull trigger as I see an Amazon reviewer mention there is now a removal tool but could not find it here or on Google anything concrete or definitive showing this is the case.
> 
> If any WM1A owners have used the removal tool or know it actually does exist/ work with it would be grateful as normally would of dismissed buying this been EU model but see what the guy said on Amazon pricked my wallet a little.
> 
> ...


 
  
 The link has been posted here at the forum several times! There´s a search tool in upper right corner that is very useful...just saying... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Changing_destination_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation


----------



## CraftyClown

fortisflyer75 said:


> I have been trying to scour these threads searching for volume cap removal for WM1A, only reason I ask is I see Amazon in UK have the EU volume capped model for only £758 at the moment and tempted to pull trigger as I see an Amazon reviewer mention there is now a removal tool but could not find it here or on Google anything concrete or definitive showing this is the case.
> 
> If any WM1A owners have used the removal tool or know it actually does exist/ work with it would be grateful as normally would of dismissed buying this been EU model but see what the guy said on Amazon pricked my wallet a little.
> 
> ...




PM me if you need any help mate. Gotta look after my White Hart Lane loving brethren


----------



## Mimouille

fsilva said:


> As you can see by the pics unfortunately the holes are not correctly centered with the buttons...this was my fault since i did not want to leave the WM1A so that the correct measurements could be taken before drilling the holes onto the leather.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Trust me, I know the cost for the Dignis is high, but you will never get a good result this way, I tried with other players.


----------



## Fsilva

mimouille said:


> Trust me, I know the cost for the Dignis is high, but you will never get a good result this way, I tried with other players.


 
 Trust me, i will get there without paying 130$ 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Not even a pair of good skate shoes cost me that much, and i refuse to pay that for a case.


----------



## Rei87

fsilva said:


> Trust me, i will get there without paying 130$
> Not even a pair of good skate shoes cost me that much, and i refuse to pay that for a case.




You're actually paying for the leather, the craftsmanship and manhours. 
But to be fair, I do agree that dignis does have some strange leather choices for their products. I have a custom made leather shell cordovan case for my 380 on the way which set me back 170usd, but the durbility is totally worth it. Shell Cordovan, is the same leather used in leather shoes, and will survive any beating you dish at the case. The stock and upgrade dignis cases, tends to favor the less durable, but still rather expensive leather, which is weird for a product designed to.protect a player from daily wear.


----------



## AnakChan

> fsilva said:
> 
> 
> > Trust me, i will get there without paying 130$
> ...


 
  
 My thoughts....having some kinda case/protection is better than none - so good job with your (DIY?) case.
  
 As for Dignis, I actually don't like Dignis cases....but I love to buy them. Yes I have a love hate relationship with Dignis. The love: they are very beautifully made cases I have to say. Their workmanship is (almost) impeccable. They're more a dress for the DAP than a case for the DAP. The hate: the beautifully supple leather is so easily bruised since the AK100 days. An in that way, it is literally more an expensive dress than a protection outer layer (DG vs Levis??).
  
 P.S. I'm not a DG fan


----------



## FortisFlyer75

anakchan said:


> fortisflyer75 said:
> 
> 
> > I have been trying to scour these threads searching for volume cap removal for WM1A, only reason I ask is I see Amazon in UK have the EU volume capped model for only £758 at the moment and tempted to pull trigger as I see an Amazon reviewer mention there is now a removal tool but could not find it here or on Google anything concrete or definitive showing this is the case.
> ...


 
 Thankyou ever so much for direction there ; ) 
  


fsilva said:


> fortisflyer75 said:
> 
> 
> > I have been trying to scour these threads searching for volume cap removal for WM1A, only reason I ask is I see Amazon in UK have the EU volume capped model for only £758 at the moment and tempted to pull trigger as I see an Amazon reviewer mention there is now a removal tool but could not find it here or on Google anything concrete or definitive showing this is the case.
> ...


 
 For some reason I am having issues wit my browser and that search function here on Head-fi is not working properly or does not respond at times!? Thats Chrome for you! 
  
 I know that is probably the case been already posted on here but I have not been on these threads until now due to lost hope of buying a EU model because of volume cap and when you see an Amazon price slash of 25% it always seems when you are scouring the pages for it you never find it!  
  
 Although I will have to hold fire as I promised someone I would buy something been waiting while on now possibly so might have to hold fire until that is done and hope Amazon hold their prices. 
  
  
  


craftyclown said:


> fortisflyer75 said:
> 
> 
> > I have been trying to scour these threads searching for volume cap removal for WM1A, only reason I ask is I see Amazon in UK have the EU volume capped model for only £758 at the moment and tempted to pull trigger as I see an Amazon reviewer mention there is now a removal tool but could not find it here or on Google anything concrete or definitive showing this is the case.
> ...


 
 Cheers bud, please don't make public our team we support, this is the only website I do not get any abuse on! (yet!) lol 
  
 Like I said to Ssilva above I may have to hold fire anyway at the moment but is very tempting to pull the trigger at that price and knowing the volume can be disabled on this one like previous Walkmans would mean I know would look at getting one in time anyway.  
  
 Would love that Gold one but cost the weight of a bar of gold in itself! 
  
 Will PM you in next 24 hours probably anyway then regarding this if okay....
  
 Despite last seasons last leg collapse in Prem have you still got a nose bleed as well?


----------



## Mimouille

fsilva said:


> Trust me, i will get there without paying 130$
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
 Then just get a silicone case. 10$, got mine on taoabo. but sure can be gotten elsewhere.
  
 Quote:


mimouille said:


>


----------



## blazinblazin

Yup, i got that silicon case from Taobao too.
Its a nice silicon case and comes with a glass screen protector and strap in a package.

But now i am using a deep blue Dignis case with the pouch below in blue.


----------



## gerelmx1986

jalo said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > ​Maybe gapless playback, you played in order so track #1>2>3>4>etc and now you play shuffle 3>1>7>2>4>etc that's why... i have many classical albums with gapless and they work fine in lineal mode but not in shuffle
> ...


 

 ​Gapless only Works with lossless


----------



## mscott58

Only 8 1A's left at Amazon U.K.!


----------



## Dithyrambes

message craftyclown or look at his posts. There is the explanation on how to do it there. https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Changing_destination_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation


----------



## FenderP

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Gapless only Works with lossless


 
  
 You do realize DSD is lossless, right? He's talking about playing things on shuffle and getting the click. The gapless/sequential plays fine.


----------



## Jalo

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Gapless only Works with lossless


 
 Well I only have lossless file besides DSD and Hires.  Just want to know does WM1 play in gapless by default or is it something I have to select from manual because I have not seen any manual choice for gapless selection.


----------



## FenderP

jalo said:


> Well I only have lossless file besides DSD and Hires.  Just want to know does WM1 play in gapless by default or is it something I have to select from manual because I have not seen any manual choice for gapless selection.


 
  
 Yes, with lossless codecs and on the Japanese model, ATRAC, it is gapless.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fenderp said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > ​Gapless only Works with lossless
> ...


 

 ​Yes i know DSD is lossless


----------



## gerelmx1986

WOW nearly 70h burn-in and hell the sound satge is big wow, love it and the naturalness of the deccay of reverb tails and notes is very convincing even for 16/44.1.
  
 Using my Z5 on Hi-gain wow i get this concert hall experience sooo natural I LOVE MY 1A, is a KEEPER


----------



## Jazzi

mscott58 said:


> Surf Cables has the various 4.4mm cables/adapters/plugs in stock and without the long wait from China like Luna, etc.
> 
> https://www.surfcables.com/products/sony-4-4mm-balanced-connectors-for-nw-wm1z-nw-wm1a-etc?variant=32848530819
> 
> Cheers


 

 Thanks.  I'm tempted to order from them just because I'll receive it quickly, but my previous experience was not a good one.  The wire they used for a previous order was the stiffest wire I've ever had.  I've sent them an email.  Maybe I'll have a better feel for it after I get a reply.  Thanks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Will I replace my WM1A next year... NO WAY!!!! Listening to Brahms Violin Concerto Op. 77 Just just wow, the resonances of the violin and the hall acoustics super, so big and  natural, the dynamic range WOW, and each section is Heard clearly.
  
 Second movement starts with an Oboe and then the Horns start to appear very very piano but i can hear them without cranking the volumen more, i knoew inmediately they were Horns. The expressivity of the violin makes me tears in my eyes a sound i have never epected from my WM1A given comments of being Bland and inferior to 1Z... IT HAS NO HINT OF INFERIORITY AT ALL 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 actually i am being left more often with this face 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.... Literally rediscovering my music!!!! wow wow tracks i used to skip on my ZX100 or leave them abandoned now giving them a 2nd chance... those cellos right now, you can feel the distance and the reverb from the hall heck like if i was sitting in 3rd to 1st row WOW.
  
 I wanted to get a ZX2 glad I didn't 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




​ this is single end non-TRRS at 68 hours so what @Whitigir says about changes with nurn in at certain timespan is TRUE my 1A has grown on me, after being left a bit disappointed in the "weird phase" now is spectacular MDR-Z7 on LOW GAIN Vol. 80
  
 I started hearing these upcoming changes with organ music yesterday night more open sound


----------



## Dithyrambes

Lol will be joining you soon? Who's playing brahms? always gotta watch out for that minor 7th drop which makes me scream johannes. Lol


----------



## mscott58

2 hours and 15 minutes after the last posting and Amazon.co.uk is saying they're down to only 5 NW-WM1A's left!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

dithyrambes said:


> Lol will be joining you soon? Who's playing brahms? always gotta watch out for that minor 7th drop which makes me scream johannes. Lol


 

 Trust me is a very good Walkman, wow man, you gotta have listen  to one


----------



## jmills8

gerelmx1986 said:


> Will I replace my WM1A next year... NO WAY!!!! Listening to Brahms Violin Concerto Op. 77 Just just wow, the resonances of the violin and the hall acoustics super, so big and  natural, the dynamic range WOW, and each section is Heard clearly.
> 
> Second movement starts with an Oboe and then the Horns start to appear very very piano but i can hear them without cranking the volumen more, i knoew inmediately they were Horns. The expressivity of the violin makes me tears in my eyes a sound i have never epected from my WM1A given comments of being Bland and inferior to 1Z... IT HAS NO HINT OF INFERIORITY AT ALL
> 
> ...


Dejavu


----------



## gerelmx1986

jmills8 said:


> Dejavu


 
 Referring to ZX100? nah ZX100 was good but not *NATURAL as 1A*


----------



## Whitigir

stealer said:


> My new adaptor 4.4mm to 3.5mm TRRS female socket, cable-tied to relieve stress on cable at the 4.4mm plug.
> 
> 
> 
> maybe should get some sugru to settle this..




Nice, where do u get the 4.4 from


----------



## echineko

fortisflyer75 said:


> Cheers bud, please don't make public our team we support, this is the only website I do not get any abuse on! (yet!) lol



I was going to ask, how did he manage to deduce that about you, I didn't see any obvious reference to Tottenham anywhere 

But it's all good, eh? Cheers, mate


----------



## jmills8

gerelmx1986 said:


> Referring to ZX100? nah ZX100 was good but not *NATURAL as 1A*


back then it was as good as you thought good was and now again and in a year.


----------



## nogi replicant

Can't get the 1A in Australia yet, eta is unknown. I need to buy a Dap now as I killed my calyx m this week. 

Tried the gold z version which is available. Sounded very nice - but too expensive, too heavy, and too gold. 

Wish I could get the 1a but can't wait indefinitely so will have to prob go with something else.


----------



## Jazzi

Open to suggestions:
  
 I have 5 3.5 SE cables and I one 2.5 (AK Balanced) cable.  All are used with Empire Ears (2-pin) CIEMs.
  
 What would you suggest would be the easiest/least expensive way to get to balanced on the WM1A?  
  
 I live in the U.S.
  
 Thanks,


----------



## Mimouille

jazzi said:


> Open to suggestions:
> 
> I have 5 3.5 SE cables and I one 2.5 (AK Balanced) cable.  All are used with Empire Ears (2-pin) CIEMs.
> 
> ...


Get one of your 3.5 cables and have it terminated in 4.4. Or get a 2.5 to 4.4 adapter but I am not a fan of adapters.


----------



## GREYH0UND

mscott58 said:


> 2 hours and 15 minutes after the last posting and Amazon.co.uk is saying they're down to only 5 NW-WM1A's left!!!



Well i ended up buying the 12th

My monkey loves you guys


----------



## Fsilva

I´m not a fan of paying 130$ for "just a case"
 The leather from my case is premium aswell and the case only cost me 10€ (work hours included, leather, etc, etc)
 Proper adjustments would be made so it can compete with the Dignis overpriced ones!


----------



## soundblast75

craftyclown said:


> PM me if you need any help mate. Gotta look after my White Hart Lane loving brethren



May i join the club guys, prob tonight or tomorrow. Amazon one arriving today, but still waiting to hear from accessory Jack about return/money back of Asian midel arriving tomorrow


----------



## Whitigir

soundblast75 said:


> May i join the club guys, prob tonight or tomorrow. Amazon one arriving today, but still waiting to hear from accessory Jack about return/money back of Asian midel arriving tomorrow




Welcome to the club 


fsilva said:


> I´m not a fan of paying 130$ for "just a case"
> The leather from my case is premium aswell and the case only cost me 10€ (work hours included, leather, etc, etc)
> Proper adjustments would be made so it can compete with the Dignis overpriced ones!




The case pricing isn't bad to me. However, the shipping is absurd....$33 just for shipping a small case


----------



## CraftyClown

soundblast75 said:


> May i join the club guys, prob tonight or tomorrow. Amazon one arriving today, but still waiting to hear from accessory Jack about return/money back of Asian midel arriving tomorrow


 
  
 Dude, I thought you'd given up your DAP quest


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> Welcome to the club
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I've just been charged an extra £33 on top for customs fees!! Urggghhhhhh


----------



## Fsilva

craftyclown said:


> I've just been charged an extra £33 on top for customs fees!! Urggghhhhhh


 
 So you ended up paying more than 150€ for "just a case"? Damn!! You guys must be all rich


----------



## psikey

Decent reduction again on new ones at Amazon UK £758 but only 3 left
  
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LHGLG3A/ref=dra_a_ms_hp_hn_xx_P3115_100?tag=dradisplay0bb-21&ascsubtag=2bde9b72108d94045cdab2448778af99_S&th=1


----------



## soundblast75

craftyclown said:


> I've just been charged an extra £33 on top for customs fees!! Urggghhhhhh  :mad:



Im in that boat too, waiting for mine prob next week, after i paid £150 tax for Vega(after them declaring less☠️) 
Now i know what charge to expect at least, i avoid any korean, Japanese purchases, but that Walkman deserves the very best


----------



## soundblast75

psikey said:


> Decent reduction again on new ones at Amazon UK £758 but only 3 left
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LHGLG3A/ref=dra_a_ms_hp_hn_xx_P3115_100?tag=dradisplay0bb-21&ascsubtag=2bde9b72108d94045cdab2448778af99_S&th=1



Dude, keep up with thread


----------



## soundblast75

fsilva said:


> So you ended up paying more than 150€ for "just a case"? Damn!! You guys must be all rich



Thats what my colleagues prob think of me


----------



## TokenGesture

So having been travelling with the 1A for a week or so I finally listened back to the mojo with my Z1R and boy, it put the W1A in the shade.  Much fuller more involving sound.  I'm hoping this is down to my having a capped 1A and will improve with the mod.  Can any one reassure me cf the Z1R and mojo v uncapped 1A ?


----------



## jmills8

tokengesture said:


> So having been travelling with the 1A for a week or so I finally listened back to the mojo with my Z1R and boy, it put the W1A in the shade.  Much fuller more involving sound.  I'm hoping this is down to my having a capped 1A and will improve with the mod.  Can any one reassure me cf the Z1R and mojo v uncapped 1A ?


Agree.


----------



## CraftyClown

tokengesture said:


> So having been travelling with the 1A for a week or so I finally listened back to the mojo with my Z1R and boy, it put the W1A in the shade.  Much fuller more involving sound.  I'm hoping this is down to my having a capped 1A and will improve with the mod.  Can any one reassure me cf the Z1R and mojo v uncapped 1A ?


 
  
 The cap is purely a volume modification


----------



## Jazzi

mimouille said:


> Get one of your 3.5 cables and have it terminated in 4.4. Or get a 2.5 to 4.4 adapter but I am not a fan of adapters.


 

 Thanks, Mim.  Didn't know an SE cable could be terminated to a balanced connector (among other things).


----------



## psikey

tokengesture said:


> So having been travelling with the 1A for a week or so I finally listened back to the mojo with my Z1R and boy, it put the W1A in the shade.  Much fuller more involving sound.  I'm hoping this is down to my having a capped 1A and will improve with the mod.  Can any one reassure me cf the Z1R and mojo v uncapped 1A ?


 
  
 So the SQ of Mojo is still better than the 1A ?? If so, is there any DAP that is better or as good as Mojo SQ?
  
  
 Cheers


----------



## Mimouille

jazzi said:


> Thanks, Mim.  Didn't know an SE cable could be terminated to a balanced connector (among other things).


 Well I had some SE 3.5 reterminated to 2.5 balanced or 4.4 balanced. Beat Audio do mine because they do a good job and are in China.


----------



## mscott58

jazzi said:


> Thanks, Mim.  Didn't know an SE cable could be terminated to a balanced connector (among other things).


 
 Yeah, this is often possible with cables. The way to tell is if there are 4 (or even sometimes 8) wires coming into the plug (although sometimes the wires are hidden inside the cable and you can't see them). The + and - wires for both R and L need to be separate at the plug for it to be reterminated as balanced. For SE cables the R- and L- are connected (your TRS has three signals: R+, L+ and shared -), and you just need to be able to separate them for a TRRS or 4-pin XLR (or whatever other balanced connection) so that you have R+, R-, L+ and L-. 
  
 Here's a good picture showing what I'm trying to describe above:
  

  
 Please note that there is *not *a standard for how balanced cables are wired, so please make sure you double check! Also the Sony 4.4mm plug actually has 5 connection points versus four, being a TRRRS versus TRRS. Confusing right!?!
  
 Here's what I believe the Sony 4.4mm pin-outs to be:
  

  
  
 Cheers


----------



## blazinblazin

Found this online, Not sure if its correct


----------



## kubig123

finally got the B20SB1 cable, love the quality!!!


----------



## blazinblazin

tokengesture said:


> So having been travelling with the 1A for a week or so I finally listened back to the mojo with my Z1R and boy, it put the W1A in the shade.  Much fuller more involving sound.  I'm hoping this is down to my having a capped 1A and will improve with the mod.  Can any one reassure me cf the Z1R and mojo v uncapped 1A ?




Have you used 1A balanced?


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> finally got the B20SB1 cable, love the quality!!!




Do me a favor please, take a screen shot of the detailed details about the wires materials. I want to know if it is OFC or UPOCC or Litz type. Thanks


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> Do me a favor please, take a screen shot of the detailed details about the wires materials. I want to know if it is OFC or UPOCC or Litz type. Thanks


 
  
 It's OFC
  
 http://www.sony.com.my/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-b20sb1/specifications


----------



## Whitigir

craftyclown said:


> It's OFC
> 
> http://www.sony.com.my/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-b20sb1/specifications




Yeah, I have seen it being listed as OFC from website. I just want the box confirmations . But that sucks...I will stick with stock cables, until I can make my own.


----------



## kubig123

It's OFC, I'll send you a picture shortly.


----------



## TokenGesture

blazinblazin said:


> Have you used 1A balanced?


 

 I have - but definitely still burning it in.


----------



## kubig123

kubig123 said:


> It's OFC, I'll send you a picture shortly.


----------



## Dithyrambes

I wouldn't really expect burn in to drastically change the sound. Just subtle things here and there, but the basic sound will be there. You don't expect your car after break in to suddenly have way better handling and better acceleration. Sure it can relax from tightness. If you are using balanced already...that's not a good telling sign for wm1a. You habe to evaluate more on specific aspects which you feel missing. Putting something something in the shade means you vastly prefer something in many aspects over the other and that's fine. Don't really think burn in subtle changes will make the unit completely different. Also appreciate the non abx testing because you got acclimated to the sound before comparing to your previous reference. There is no right or wrong. Just your ears and personal enjoyment


----------



## gerelmx1986

dithyrambes said:


> I wouldn't really expect burn in to drastically change the sound. Just subtle things here and there, but the basic sound will be there. You don't expect your car after break in to suddenly have way better handling and better acceleration. Sure it can relax from tightness. If you are using balanced already...that's not a good telling sign for wm1a. You habe to evaluate more on specific aspects which you feel missing. Putting something something in the shade means you vastly prefer something in many aspects over the other and that's fine. Don't really think burn in subtle changes will make the unit completely different. Also appreciate the non abx testing because you got acclimated to the sound before comparing to your previous reference. There is no right or wrong. Just your ears and personal enjoyment


 

 Agree it changes only subtle things such as more opnenness


----------



## gerelmx1986

jmills8 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Referring to ZX100? nah ZX100 was good but not *NATURAL as 1A*
> ...


 

 ​This hobby is about that


----------



## FenderP

The reality is that the sound you like is subjective, not objective. Having heard the 1Z, I loved the way it sounded. But in no way am I bummed out that I got the 1A instead. The 1A is a big improvement over my ZX1, and  not just in SQ . Now that I've had some time with the 1A and I've let it burn in, the word I would use to describe the sound is "involving" or possibly "engaging" with a nice tonal palatte from top to bottom. That's a true compliment to how the 1A serves up the music. It doesn't hurt that I got the 1A cheap, either


----------



## mscott58

Stock at Amazon UK on the 1A looked to go down to 3 or 4, and now is back up to 15, and the price is still the same. Interesting...
  
 Oh, and I confirmed with a US AD that the price will be $1200, and hopefully the 1A will be for sale in the US in a few weeks. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## obileye obiyemi

psikey said:


> So the SQ of Mojo is still better than the 1A ?? If so, is there any DAP that is better or as good as Mojo SQ?
> 
> 
> Cheers


 
 +1


----------



## Sound Eq

obileye obiyemi said:


> +1


 
 I as well would like to know how wm1a compares to mojo, although both are not in the same category


----------



## mscott58

obileye obiyemi said:


> +1


 
 ?
  
 Does the "+1" refer to also wanting to know the answer to the question or agreeing with the point that someone likes the Mojo SQ better than the 1A?


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> WOW nearly 70h burn-in and hell the sound satge is big wow, love it and the naturalness of the deccay of reverb tails and notes is very convincing even for 16/44.1.
> 
> Using my Z5 on Hi-gain wow i get this concert hall experience sooo natural I LOVE MY 1A, is a KEEPER



I am quite sure you said same thing about your previous Walkman!!!


----------



## obileye obiyemi

To wanting to know the answer


----------



## soundblast75

I am afraid i have to say something negative now. 
Accessoryjack.com has responded saying 
We don't process refund in these cases. 
I haven't received the unit yet and was asking if i can send it back right away for a refund. 
I have used them more than 5 times and while its save id like to WARN everyone here that you have no protection or change if mind, returning unopened items etc and prob it's similar case with Warranty issues!


----------



## Whitigir

soundblast75 said:


> I am afraid i have to say something negative now.
> Accessoryjack.com has responded saying
> We don't process refund in these cases.
> I haven't received the unit yet and was asking if i can send it back right away for a refund.
> I have used them more than 5 times and while its save id like to WARN everyone here that you have no protection or change if mind, returning unopened items etc and prob it's similar case with Warranty issues!




It is common for other countries beside US and EU countries to practices this way of doing business. They will not accept return unless it was dead on arrival, but then it would only be an Exchange. If the product needs warranty, then they will help with processing it. In some rare circumstances where a DOA unit needed shipping fees and so on, they will allow "return for refund" because spending money on shipping 4 times is not worth it, and then the wait time in between.


----------



## Whitigir

jmills8 said:


> I believe in burn in but the devices that were truely amazing did sound amazing out of the box.




Depends, my Zx2 took 250 hours to sound great compared to out of the box. My Opus 2 impressed me out of the box and only 100 hours or so to settled with some harsh edges and done....my WM1Z keep on changing it performances here and there....and I am at 350 hours....so...I am tired of it lol...


----------



## jmills8

whitigir said:


> Depends, my Zx2 took 250 hours to sound great compared to out of the box. My Opus 2 impressed me out of the box and only 100 hours or so to settled with some harsh edges and done....my WM1Z keep on changing it performances here and there....and I am at 350 hours....so...I am tired of it lol...


go for a run then jump in a pool then get out and throw a football.


----------



## Sound Eq

whitigir said:


> Depends, my Zx2 took 250 hours to sound great compared to out of the box. My Opus 2 impressed me out of the box and only 100 hours or so to settled with some harsh edges and done....my WM1Z keep on changing it performances here and there....and I am at 350 hours....so...I am tired of it lol...


 
 does this make you happy for upcoming change or not or are u worried it will change to not your liking
  
 i for one never ever heard any burn in effect in all my devices what so ever, but i never has a sony dap
  
 i wonder which is the best dap you heard


----------



## soundblast75

Comparison time?


----------



## Whitigir

sound eq said:


> does this make you happy for upcoming change or not or are u worried it will change to not your liking
> 
> i for one never ever heard any burn in effect in all my devices what so ever, but i never has a sony dap
> 
> i wonder which is the best dap you heard





I don't know how to respond . 1Z is worrisome out of the box, and that I couldn't believe it is 3K player...out of the box...LOL. As it burn-in, it shows it potentials at 175 hours, and then ocean of details and harshness to follow...etc...very strange, but it is telling me that it will get better.

I don't think there would ever be the "best DAP". However, I do love the sound from desktop amplifier in the signature series, the Ta-ZH1ES. I will wait for until 1Z is done settling down before I do some comparisons later


----------



## musicday

Now that we can do the hack removing the volume cap,what is the cheapest place to get the 1Z?


----------



## Sound Eq

whitigir said:


> I don't know how to respond
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 did u ever own a cowon to compare


----------



## Whitigir

Amazon U.K. I think


----------



## gerelmx1986

soundblast75 said:


> Comparison time?


 
 which dap is that one in the right of the 1A?


----------



## Whitigir

sound eq said:


> did u ever own a cowon to compare




Nope, only Opus 2


----------



## soundblast75

gerelmx1986 said:


> which dap is that one in the right of the 1A?



The Pioneer XDP300
Obviously the Sony is gonna sound much better in some 200 hours, but even now the sound signatures are evident. Sony is tidier and more focused in its presentation, xdp300 is flater, wider less bassy tho not lacking at all, just the Sony is so super powerful in that respect, Vega is gonna blast my ears with deeeep sweeeet bassss
The 1A is definitely superior, so it should be, the Pioneer has amazing value, it is very high end sound, make, features, 
But Sony is better!


----------



## gerelmx1986

soundblast75 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > which dap is that one in the right of the 1A?
> ...


 
 I Knew You would say just that


----------



## FortisFlyer75

echineko said:


> fortisflyer75 said:
> 
> 
> > Cheers bud, please don't make public our team we support, this is the only website I do not get any abuse on! (yet!) lol
> ...


 
 We already know each other from previous Walkman model threads but he mentioned our beloved stadium which will soon be demolished to make way for best new stadium in the country with probably new Sony Jumbotrons in place!  
  
 It's all good at the moment because they are 3rd! how long that will last who knows!


----------



## tenedosian

tokengesture said:


> So having been travelling with the 1A for a week or so I finally listened back to the mojo with my Z1R and boy, it put the W1A in the shade.  Much fuller more involving sound.  I'm hoping this is down to my having a capped 1A and will improve with the mod.  Can any one reassure me cf the Z1R and mojo v uncapped 1A ?


 
 Did you set them to similar loudness levels?
  
 I tried first capped A35, 1A and 1Z (the latter two on SE and balanced) with Sony Z1R and was not impressed much.
  
 In post-90s "loud" recordings it was "just ok", but the volume cap strip you away from any over-average volume levels on both SE and balanced. No good.
  
 However, with uncapping, things do change considerably as you may expect.
  
 I'm passing WM players here, even A35 with its 35mW x 2 output (over 16 ohm) suffices to drive Z1R to relatively high levels of volume. WM players on the other side easily take the output to deafening levels on balanced with their high gain mode (that appear after uncapping).
  
 I liked Z1R with 1A, and a bit more with 1Z as with 1Z, the sound was simply richer and more lively with a beautiful coloration. Both present wonderful bass, especially bone-rattling on electronic music. I might have heard the most impressive bass kick from a portable setup.
  
 However, through 1A the treble of Z1R *may *sound a bit sharp and fatiguing for some people. As far as I remember, Mojo's treble response was smoother compared to 1A. So it again _*"might"*_ be a better match for Z1R. But consider those comments as mere speculation, since I don't have Mojo with me right now.
  
 WM Walkmans sound good with Z1R in different genres of music, but I can assure you in one thing, that any person will be impressed from these combos through listening to electronic music.


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> My apologies, but I got fed up with people who doesn't believe burn-in this and that while it is "fact". I am also tired of burning-in my devices. I wished burn-in was not real, but it is, and this agonizing burning-in is just so tiresome. Then some people would pop in and make fun of "burn-in"




You're burnt out from all the burning in 



fortisflyer75 said:


> We already know each other from previous Walkman model threads but he mentioned our beloved stadium which will soon be demolished to make way for best new stadium in the country with probably new Sony Jumbotrons in place!
> 
> It's all good at the moment because they are 3rd! how long that will last who knows!




It'll only last until we're 2nd


----------



## Whitigir

Yeah, perhaps I am burn-out from the burn-in Roflmao


----------



## klove4252

This might be a weird question, but my Balanced Kimber Cable just came in and I am trying to decide on if it would be better with the Vega or Andromeda with the 1Z. Does anyone have any opinion or preference?


----------



## psikey

No one prepared to answer the Mojo vs WM1Z sound quality question.
  
 It is a genuine question. I had the ZX2 and only sold because I enjoyed the Mojo SQ even more. Been interested in this new Sony but not if its worse or only same as Mojo and seen others say that the WM1Z doesn't sound much different to the ZX2. The price reduction has me tempted!


----------



## Whitigir

psikey said:


> No one prepared to answer the Mojo vs WM1Z sound quality question.
> 
> It is a genuine question. I had the ZX2 and only sold because I enjoyed the Mojo SQ even more. Been interested in this new Sony but not if its worse or only same as Mojo and seen others say that the WM1Z doesn't sound much different to the ZX2. The price reduction has me tempted!




lol......honestly, I don't want to be rude, harsh, but whoever stated that "Wm1z is not much different than Zx2"...I think that someone is in the wrong hobby


----------



## gerelmx1986

Now i know why is so damn good The RCA red seal CD i am listening to, Brahms/Bruch violin concertos... Remastered in 24/96 and RCA or whoever did the remaster and downsampling to CD did it damn Good to preserve the finest details even on the CD downsample and the factor the 1A is extracting the last drop of juice to it


----------



## psikey

whitigir said:


> lol......honestly, I don't want to be rude, harsh, but whoever stated that "Wm1z is not much different than Zx2"...I think that someone is in the wrong hobby


 
  
 I didn't say it ! I'd be buying from Amazon without even seeing one.
  
 If you've had the Mojo can you comment? Further back someone said he'd been on a trip with his WM1Z and when he got home listened to the Mojo again with the expensive sony headphones and implied the WM1Z was lacking compared to Mojo. Not here to cause trouble, just is the Sony DAP comparable or better than the Mojo SQ ?


----------



## Jazzi

mscott58 said:


> Yeah, this is often possible with cables. The way to tell is if there are 4 (or even sometimes 8) wires coming into the plug (although sometimes the wires are hidden inside the cable and you can't see them). The + and - wires for both R and L need to be separate at the plug for it to be reterminated as balanced. For SE cables the R- and L- are connected (your TRS has three signals: R+, L+ and shared -), and you just need to be able to separate them for a TRRS or 4-pin XLR (or whatever other balanced connection) so that you have R+, R-, L+ and L-.
> 
> Here's a good picture showing what I'm trying to describe above:
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks, @mscott58.  I'll have to get a plug and try to reterminate without blowing anything up.


----------



## Tanjiro

psikey said:


> I didn't say it ! I'd be buying from Amazon without even seeing one.
> 
> If you've had the Mojo can you comment? Further back someone said he'd been on a trip with his WM1Z and when he got home listened to the Mojo again with the expensive sony headphones and implied the WM1Z was lacking compared to Mojo. Not here to cause trouble, just is the Sony DAP comparable or better than the Mojo SQ ?



I believe that person was comparing WM1A, not WM1Z, and Mojo. Pls correct me if I am wrong


----------



## Jalo

klove4252 said:


> This might be a weird question, but my Balanced Kimber Cable just came in and I am trying to decide on if it would be better with the Vega or Andromeda with the 1Z. Does anyone have any opinion or preference?




Which Kimber cable is that? Copper or silver? I thought you have both the Vega and Andro, but It really depends on your preference. I like them both, depending on my mood. These days I probably reach for the Vega more.


----------



## CraftyClown

jalo said:


> Which Kimber cable is that? Copper or silver? I thought you have both the Vega and Andro, but It really depends on your preference. I like them both, depending on my mood. These days I probably reach got the Vega more.


 
  
 Wait, what?
  
 There are both copper and silver Kimber Kables?


----------



## Jalo

craftyclown said:


> Wait, what?
> 
> There are both copper and silver Kimber Kables?



Of course, if you have enough money, you can even have a gold cable


----------



## echineko

craftyclown said:


> Wait, what?
> 
> There are both copper and silver Kimber Kables?



The Sony x Kimber cables are only copper, but Kimber themselves make various versions of their Axios cables etc


----------



## CraftyClown

jalo said:


> Of course, if you have enough money, you can even have a gold cable


 
  
 Ah no worries. For a second I thought you were talking about the official Sony Kimber Kables.
  
 Carry on... as you were


----------



## CraftyClown

echineko said:


> The Sony x Kimber cables are only copper, but Kimber themselves make various versions of their Axios cables etc


 
  
 Yeah, remembered that just after I posted


----------



## Whitigir

I do know Copper gold plated wires or silver gold plated wires exist, but how it perform is .....still a question to me


----------



## psikey

Ok I give up. Will have to try and demo one somewhere.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk


----------



## soundblast75

Guys, please, whats the latest 1A firmware and where to get it, Asian Sony? Thanks


----------



## CraftyClown

soundblast75 said:


> Guys, please, whats the latest 1A firmware and where to get it, Asian Sony? Thanks


 
  
 It's 1.02 mate, but I think if you connect to Media Go on your puter, it should offer to update


----------



## nogi replicant

Can anyone who has experience with the 1A and the Cowan Plenue S please provide some comparative comments? Thanks


----------



## soundblast75

craftyclown said:


> It's 1.02 mate, but I think if you connect to Media Go on your puter, it should offer to update



Thanks, do i need to have Media Go tho?


----------



## gerelmx1986

soundblast75 said:


> craftyclown said:
> 
> 
> > It's 1.02 mate, but I think if you connect to Media Go on your puter, it should offer to update
> ...


 

 Not necessarily, you can download direct from sony (where you bought it) sony-asia.com


----------



## TokenGesture

Just received the balanced Surf cables cable referred to on here a few pages back. Suddenly my sen6 are playing nicely with the 1A. Pleased and thanks to whoever posted the link to the cable


----------



## Fsilva

@Mimouille where can i find that silicone protective case you mentioned? Can´t seem to find it anywhere at 10$ And it can come in handy to grab one for that price.


----------



## Whitigir

Finally, just checked into my 1Z and she is 400+ hours Yayyyyy. Time to unleash the "beast", and try this EQ.

It EQ so well ! So responsive

Pairing with Z1R and this EQ is so satisfying 

-2, 0, -1, 0, -1, 0, +1, +1, +1

DSEE HX : String
D.C. phase linearizer: Off
Dynamic normalizer: On.


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Finally, just checked into my 1Z and she is 400+ hours Yayyyyy. Time to unleash the "beast", and try this EQ.
> 
> It EQ so well ! So responsive


 

 what will you do to your ZX2?


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> what will you do to your ZX2?




I do this


----------



## echineko

psikey said:


> I didn't say it ! I'd be buying from Amazon without even seeing one.
> 
> If you've had the Mojo can you comment? Further back someone said he'd been on a trip with his WM1Z and when he got home listened to the Mojo again with the expensive sony headphones and implied the WM1Z was lacking compared to Mojo. Not here to cause trouble, just is the Sony DAP comparable or better than the Mojo SQ ?



First of all, you should be aware there is no objective "better" in this hobby. If there was just one simple metric for SQ that could be universally measured, it would make things easier for everyone and end countless debates. As it is, what we have left are preferences and auditory faculties, which doesn't really translate very well for different people. I'd never buy something blind just based off reviews for exactly this reason. 

Regarding your specific question, I do not own a Mojo, but I do own a Hugo, that I used together with my previous ZX2 to play full sized headphones. Since receiving my 1Z, I've tried pairing it similarly, and contrasted with using full sized headphones via the 4.4mm balanced output. Suffice to say, the Hugo has been left at home for some time now, and I'm even considering selling it


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> D.C. phase linearizer: Off
> Dynamic normalizer: On.



Do you actually feel there's much difference with the phase lineariser, after so much burn in? I didn't really notice a lot right now, and was curious if that changes over time.


----------



## Whitigir

Sounds like it is time to buy Hugo II hehehehe


----------



## CraftyClown

echineko said:


> Do you actually feel there's much difference with the phase lineariser, after so much burn in? I didn't really notice a lot right now, and was curious if that changes over time.


 
  
 I'm still a bit confused as to what the lineariser is doing in technical terms. Can anyone shed a light?


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> Sounds like it is time to buy Hugo II hehehehe



I'm "coincidentally" hoping to demo it at Canjam NYC, not considering buying it at all, just a random, totally unrelated thing 



craftyclown said:


> I'm still a bit confused as to what the lineariser is doing in technical terms. Can anyone shed a light?



I didn't find any info on the implementation for the new Walkman models, but there is this link that was posted earlier about the concept behind it from an older Sony product:

www.manualsdir.com/manuals/442593/sony-str-da1000es.html?page=11


----------



## gerelmx1986

I also didnt note that much difference with DC-phase linearizer


----------



## AnakChan

Readers/Subscribers,
  
 I've deleted approx 10 posts about burn-in as a concept. That is almost always end up being controversial with split sides on believers and eventually is an Off Topic discussion. Please talk about that in the Sound Science section.

 Posts reporting hands-on experience on burn-in of the DAP itself ("100 hrs on my 1Z", "10 mins on my 1A") can remain but posts about the belief/concept of burn will be deleted.


----------



## Whitigir

echineko said:


> Do you actually feel there's much difference with the phase lineariser, after so much burn in? I didn't really notice a lot right now, and was curious if that changes over time.




I am not sure yet, I will check it and analyzing it more tomorrow


----------



## gerelmx1986

The XBA-Z5 sound damn spacious wow even more tan Z7s!!! Using 24/88.2KHz Qobuz download, and using the foam-filled tips
  
@Whitigir I agree with you, the EQ of the WM1 is so responsive and frankly is the first EQ on a walkman i feel it actually works


----------



## CraftyClown

echineko said:


> I'm "coincidentally" hoping to demo it at Canjam NYC, not considering buying it at all, just a random, totally unrelated thing
> I didn't find any info on the implementation for the new Walkman models, but there is this link that was posted earlier about the concept behind it from an older Sony product:
> 
> www.manualsdir.com/manuals/442593/sony-str-da1000es.html?page=11




Thanks for digging that out mate


----------



## Jalo

gerelmx1986 said:


> The XBA-Z5 sound damn spacious wow even more tan Z7s!!! Using 24/88.2KHz Qobuz download, and using the foam-filled tips
> 
> @Whitigir I agree with you, the EQ of the WM1 is so responsive and frankly is the first EQ on a walkman i feel it actually works


 
 I wish the resolution of the EQ is better on the walkman.  I like the one on the AK better.


----------



## Stealer

whitigir said:


> Nice, where do u get the 4.4 from


 
 Someone posted a toaboa link and I picked it from there.


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> stealer said:
> 
> 
> > My new adaptor 4.4mm to 3.5mm TRRS female socket, cable-tied to relieve stress on cable at the 4.4mm plug.
> ...


 
 If you need a link, let me know, in taobao, there is like over 10-12 different type extension cable (pigtail) or just a adapter.


----------



## klove4252

jalo said:


> Which Kimber cable is that? Copper or silver? I thought you have both the Vega and Andro, but It really depends on your preference. I like them both, depending on my mood. These days I probably reach for the Vega more.




I have the Sony Copper one. I do have both the Vega and Andro, but only the one Cable. I currently put the Kimber on my Andro and use a Alo Ref8 with the Vega. I was just curious if anyone finds the Kimber and Andro paring better than a Kimber/ Vega pairing.


----------



## mscott58

kms108 said:


> If you need a link, let me know, in taobao, there is like over 10-12 different type extension cable (pigtail) or just a adapter.




Links to any of the accessories in Taobao and similar would be greatly appreciated!


----------



## blazinblazin

klove4252 said:


> I have the Sony Copper one. I do have both the Vega and Andro, but only the one Cable. I currently put the Kimber on my Andro and use a Alo Ref8 with the Vega. I was just curious if anyone finds the Kimber and Andro paring better than a Kimber/ Vega pairing.


 

 I don't have a Vega but I did enjoy the 4.4mm Kimber and Andro pairing more than the original Litz cable or Andro+Ref8 on 3.5mm WM1A .
  
 But obviously some details gets less audible comparing Ref8 to Kimber but the trade-in is a more background room filling sound.
  
 Kimber similar to Ref 8 do give the same type of kicking power to Andro.
  
 Surprisingly the sparkles remains using Kimber.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Found an Use to L/R Balance: to balance an off-center recording, works like a charm, no more panned to the left


----------



## LinkPro

Just got the 1A and now burning it in. Got 30 hrs on it so far. Got a chance to try the 1Z as well, but I found it too heavy and couldn't tell much of a difference in SQ.
  
 I am listening to it with the . Clarity, bass extension and instrument separation are all there. Fast drum fills are more audible than ever. The vocals are all over my face if the recording means it. There is also a Male/Female Vocal mode in DSEE HX to make it that much more prominent. I would've liked a more spacious soundstage but the 600 is hardly something with a wide soundstage to begin with, so no complaints.
  
 Interestingly, Sony's own MDR-Z7 pairs very well with the 1A, while I have not like the Z7 plugged into anything else. With the 1A the mid bass is tamed a bit and the soundstage is huge (for closed cans at least). I'll be on a trip to Japan soon and hopefully can demo the Z7 and the Z1R side by side using the 1A. The Z7 has come down to roughly $450 over there so it's easier to justify its flaws.


----------



## gerelmx1986

linkpro said:


> Just got the 1A and now burning it in. Got 30 hrs on it so far. Got a chance to try the 1Z as well, but I found it too heavy and couldn't tell much of a difference in SQ.
> 
> I am listening to it with the . Clarity, bass extension and instrument separation are all there. Fast drum fills are more audible than ever. The vocals are all over my face if the recording means it. There is also a Male/Female Vocal mode in DSEE HX to make it that much more prominent. I would've liked a more spacious soundstage but the 600 is hardly something with a wide soundstage to begin with, so no complaints.
> 
> Interestingly, Sony's own MDR-Z7 pairs very well with the 1A, while I have not like the Z7 plugged into anything else. With the 1A the mid bass is tamed a bit and the soundstage is huge (for closed cans at least). I'll be on a trip to Japan soon and hopefully can demo the Z7 and the Z1R side by side using the 1A. The Z7 has come down to roughly $450 over there so it's easier to justify its flaws.


 

 Try XBA-Z5  Very nice and big soundstage and superb instrument separation (mine has reached 80 hours)


----------



## Mimouille

gerelmx1986 said:


> Try XBA-Z5  Very nice and big soundstage and superb instrument separation (mine has reached 80 hours)


 
 I can't really tell from your posts, but, do you like the Z5


----------



## productred

gerelmx1986 said:


> Try XBA-Z5  Very nice and big soundstage and superb instrument separation (mine has reached 80 hours)


 
  
  


mimouille said:


> I can't really tell from your posts, but, do you like the Z5


 
  
 Agree with gerelmx1986 in the context of pairing with the 1A.
  
 Basically I dun like the Z5 paired with anything else, but with the 1A/1Z it's almost too good to be true. Big soundstage and superb separation yes, but also with a organic and moderately focused vocal range and lots of air. Paired with anything else the mids are rather thin-sounding, but with the 1A/1Z especially when balanced it certainly hits the sweetspot.


----------



## jmills8

productred said:


> Agree with gerelmx1986 in the context of pairing with the 1A.
> 
> Basically I dun like the Z5 paired with anything else, but with the 1A/1Z it's almost too good to be true. Big soundstage and superb separation yes, but also with a organic and moderately focused vocal range and lots of air. Paired with anything else the mids are rather thin-sounding, but with the 1A/1Z especially when balanced it certainly hits the sweetspot.


so on a hugo the z5 eill sound bad? What about 380CU/Amp ?


----------



## productred

jmills8 said:


> so on a hugo the z5 eill sound bad? What about 380CU/Amp ?


 
  
 TBH haven't tried on the hugo so maybe you could try for yourself.
  
 With the 380Cu/Amp balanced, the bass is a bit wooly and overwhelming at times while the mids are kinda thin. Haven't try that on SE.


----------



## soundblast75

echineko said:


> First of all, you should be aware there is no objective "better" in this hobby. If there was just one simple metric for SQ that could be universally measured, it would make things easier for everyone and end countless debates. As it is, what we have left are preferences and auditory faculties, which doesn't really translate very well for different people. I'd never buy something blind just based off reviews for exactly this reason.
> 
> Regarding your specific question, I do not own a Mojo, but I do own a Hugo, that I used together with my previous ZX2 to play full sized headphones. Since receiving my 1Z, I've tried pairing it similarly, and contrasted with using full sized headphones via the 4.4mm balanced output. Suffice to say, the Hugo has been left at home for some time now, and I'm even considering selling it



Well said sir plus i am happy to hear not everyone here thinks Chord is some sort of criteria of how sound should be done. To this ear Mojo is a pretty flat and lacking depth and 3d unit and whilst Hugo is better,i would take anything by Meridian any day for any price instead ..


----------



## soundblast75

mimouille said:


> I can't really tell from your posts, but, do you like the Z5



I am gonna have to take my dusty Z5s out now


----------



## jmills8

productred said:


> TBH haven't tried on the hugo so maybe you could try for yourself.
> 
> With the 380Cu/Amp balanced, the bass is a bit wooly and overwhelming at times while the mids are kinda thin. Haven't try that on SE.


have.


----------



## soundblast75

So, are Surf Cables any good,i like the price and will prob be tempted to get a new balanced for my Sony. 
Are there other not ultra expensive far Asian options for us in EU,thanks.


----------



## nanaholic

echineko said:


> First of all, you should be aware there is no objective "better" in this hobby.


 
  
 There are certainly objective "better" in this hobby.  Signal to noise ratio, background hiss and crosstalk are objective measurements, same with output impedance and output power of a DAP etc. 
  
 What one mustn't be confused by is that objective facts are still interpreted by subjective preferences, for example the HD800 has a ruler flat FR that's objectively better than a lot of other phones on the market because it doesn't colour the sound, or that lossless compression is objectively better than lossy, or that solid state amps are more accurate than tubes etc. HOWEVER, individual taste may actually prefer colouring their sound, that's the subjective bit, but it doesn't alter the fact that there is still objectivity in the hobby, and people really should learn to not confuse the two (on both sides of the fence too, mind you). For a personal example I fully acknowledge that HD800 is objectively a very competent dynamic headphone and probably one of the best there is, but subjectively I hate the sound of the HD800 which is also the reason that I'll never buy a pair.  That's the difference.  And via studying the FR of the HD800 I also found out that my subjective preference for sound signature is something that has a slight bass bump (hence leading to my purchase of phones like the T1 and the K812), and this helps tremendously in how I interpret objective data to aid my choices in the future.  So I think it's actually essential that people learn to interpret these kinds of objective data, not as a "the number shows this" end-all argument's sake, but as a personal guide in assisting themselves in choosing equipment that fits their own taste, because let's face it, you need some point of reference to make these decisions, and just going by forum posts of completely subjective descriptions is not going to cut it.


----------



## echineko

soundblast75 said:


> Well said sir plus i am happy to hear not everyone here thinks Chord is some sort of criteria of how sound should be done. To this ear Mojo is a pretty flat and lacking depth and 3d unit and whilst Hugo is better,i would take anything by Meridian any day for any price instead ..


 
 Well they certainly are very capable products, that's for sure. I was also surprised I no longer felt the need to have a Hugo around, to be honest. But that's the way it's turned out, which certainly makes it easier for me, especially when out and about. I am curious about the Hugo 2, but will reserve comment till I've actually had a chance to try it.
  
  


nanaholic said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Fair enough point, but what I was getting at is the perceived personal enjoyment of a product doesn't rely on simple metrics, measurements etc. I've never been able to guess how much I would enjoy a set of cans just by going off a spec sheet. But perhaps in concert with the specs, filtered through personal preference, there could be something substantial to compare.
  
 Personally, and maybe I'm just a simple guy, nothing beats actually spending some quality time with the equipment, and finding out how much they suit me (especially during longer listening sessions). I've often been surprised when looking at the specs later on and comparing with what I already have and love.


----------



## phonomat

nvm


----------



## soundblast75

If there's anything missing like a golden Walkman feel free to send me one


----------



## kms108

mscott58 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > If you need a link, let me know, in taobao, there is like over 10-12 different type extension cable (pigtail) or just a adapter.
> ...


 
 Here you got, these are all pigtail, haven't listed any adapters.
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=5706.1529727.a31f1.11.qDrgFD&scm=1007.11502.21311.100200300000000&id=543383574338&pvid=a0766f36-556b-4693-b6dc-6da3f46c2743
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=2013.1.20141002.4.7wqJwA&scm=1007.10009.70205.100200300000001&id=543599666601&pvid=07535d20-a791-4122-a220-1ff02ae3de1d
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=5706.1529727.a31f2.23.qDrgFD&scm=1007.11502.21311.100200300000000&id=543423754610&pvid=a0766f36-556b-4693-b6dc-6da3f46c2743
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=5706.1529727.a31f2.9.qDrgFD&scm=1007.11502.21311.100200300000000&id=543729463424&pvid=a0766f36-556b-4693-b6dc-6da3f46c2743
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=2013.1.20141001.3.HBy3Kc&id=543703734998&scm=1007.10115.70237.100200300000000&pvid=22eca296-7fe3-4df3-b066-bdc742ddb456&idnum=0
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.58.5SWKmW&id=543873047730&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.294.5SWKmW&id=543926798686&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.281.5SWKmW&id=543411700055&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.174.5SWKmW&id=544278190952&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.180.5SWKmW&id=544295163782&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.81.5SWKmW&id=544052639253&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.48.5SWKmW&id=543918417328&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail


----------



## ledzep

gerelmx1986 said:


> Try XBA-Z5  Very nice and big soundstage and superb instrument separation (mine has reached 80 hours)




I agree they are a perfect match as is the EX1000 on balanced


----------



## mscott58

Thanks @kms108! Any chance you could also include some links to the cases on TaoBao for the 1Z/1A? Cheers


----------



## kms108

mscott58 said:


> Thanks @kms108! Any chance you could also include some links to the cases on TaoBao for the 1Z/1A? Cheers


 
 All different cases available for wm1a/1z
  
  
https://2.taobao.com/item.htm?id=542364622724&spm=a230r.1.14.11.Coq9jI&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.135.Coq9jI&id=544385310002&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.161.Coq9jI&id=544398705206&ns=1&abbucket=4
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.242.Coq9jI&id=544399763889&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.232.Coq9jI&id=544403451162&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=2013.1.w4004-15017350904.20.5iOQZF&id=544200554924
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=2013.1.20141002.3.fGcftT&scm=1007.10009.70205.100200300000001&id=544167680338&pvid=999a2035-9194-4339-8898-a9bb0be35c75
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.29.Coq9jI&id=527220260515&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.81.Coq9jI&id=542493732706&ns=1&abbucket=4#detail


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Guys im about to buy a uk wm1a, can the volume cap definitely be removed on this please?
  
 Thanks


----------



## echineko

princeofegypt said:


> Guys im about to buy a uk wm1a, can the volume cap definitely be removed on this please?
> 
> Thanks



Yes, several have already done so and posted on this thread too.


----------



## mscott58

princeofegypt said:


> Guys im about to buy a uk wm1a, can the volume cap definitely be removed on this please?
> 
> Thanks


 
 Here you go!
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-flagship-hi-end-dap/6765
  
 (and only look to be 2 left in stock on Amazon.co.uk - although they say more are on the way, but never know when the price might go back up)


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Thanks guys.
 i have the MDR-EX1000. Would these benefit from a balanced cable, if so which one at a reasonable price?


----------



## goody

only 1 left now ...quick question guys i have a ZX2 can anyone tell me the difference in sound between the 1A and ZX2 Thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

productred said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Try XBA-Z5  Very nice and big soundstage and superb instrument separation (mine has reached 80 hours)
> ...


I think same applies for MDR-Z7, for those I need H gain


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Anyone have any experience with the 1a and mdrex1000 please?
  
 Thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

Some one commented on the thread Sony walkman tips and tricks an issue with their dsf  tags being displayes as UNKNOWN and MediaGo giving an error while writing to the tags
  
 Make sure you don[t have APE tags there, sony walkmans won't read ape tags, for that you need to use  a tagging program like mp3Tag and look for options of tagging to disable APE tag writing, remove the tags, and re-tag the files with their appropiate tag format
  
 mp3 -- IDV3
 FLAC i think it as its own flac tags or vorbis comments?
 AAC & ALAC - MP4 tags
 DSD really dunno what format of tags they use
 WAVE and AIFF  those were not meant to be tagged so not sure really


----------



## Lemieux66

Hi, first post here on Head-Fi.

I'm very new to a lot of these portable devices and have a question.

I've just ordered a NW-WM1A from Amazon UK (seems I dithered and the last one went before I could buy it! Doh)

How does the player connect to outboard DACs e.g. Hugo/Mojo? I notice it has a proprietary connector called Walkman connector so wondered if anyone could explain this and how it works physically with Sony and non-Sony DACs.

I used to own a Hugo so might get one again for use with the WM1A but just need some clarification.

It's all pretty new to me having been solely a CD and vinyl user for years, although I do use the Bandcamp app with my iPhone, so look forward to using the Sony with FLAC downloads from there. I do love my Leben CS300XS and LCD3 though, so have some experience there


----------



## gerelmx1986

lemieux66 said:


> Hi, first post here on Head-Fi.
> 
> I'm very new to a lot of these portable devices and have a question.
> 
> ...


 

 ​Sony has its own cable called  WMC-NWH10
  
  
  
 Ripping CD to flac i recommend for Windows dbPoweramp and mac XLD lossless decoder for mac


----------



## Lemieux66

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Sony has its own cable called  WMC-NWH10
> 
> Ripping CD to flac i recommend for Windows dbPoweramp and mac XLD lossless decoder for mac




Thanks! I'll look that cable up. I assume I can simply use adaptors to plug it into whatever dac I have.

A friend helped me download dBpoweramp last year and also Foobar2000 (for use with Hugo but I think that was a trial?). Anyway, I can't play FLAC tracks on my PC laptop anymore so it must've been a limited trial version.

I'll look into ripping CDs with dBpoweramp later tonight.

Sorry I've gone a bit off topic here.


----------



## GREYH0UND

guys i wanted to ask is it's possible to connect the 1A to a pc ad use it as a dac


----------



## Dithyrambes

No you can't


----------



## ledzep

princeofegypt said:


> Anyone have any experience with the 1a and mdrex1000 please?
> 
> Thanks




Yeah got mine on 4.4mm , excellent sound signature


----------



## jamato8

Was your Sony dap sent with a dead battery that required a charge before it would turn on?


----------



## Stephen George

craftyclown said:


> Correct. The extra features that come with that regional firmware would be lost when changing to a multi language version.
> 
> I've just been informed that the ATRAC compatibility may remain, even after the language has been changed to English. It remains with the A850 at least.
> 
> As this is reversable in will be interesting to find out. Anyone here with the Japanese model willing to find out?


 
 dunno if anyone responded...but i can, am looking for some atrac files to test, a bit elusive


----------



## GREYH0UND

jamato8 said:


> Was your Sony dap sent with a dead battery that required a charge before it would turn on?


 
 yes


----------



## jamato8

greyh0und said:


> yes


 

 Thank you. 
  
 So where do people get the manual for this? I went to Sony and the manual is the same as in the box, with no real information.


----------



## Stephen George

this base can be used for the 1z also?


----------



## SoLame

@jamato8... I downloaded a copy of Help Guide from Sony US website: https://docs.sony.com/release//Help_4593855111.pdf. It contains more info about the WM1 player.


----------



## tangents

solame said:


> @jamato8... I downloaded a copy of Help Guide from Sony US website: https://docs.sony.com/release//Help_4593855111.pdf. It contains more info about the WM1 player.


 
  
 Thanks for the link


----------



## jamato8

solame said:


> @jamato8... I downloaded a copy of Help Guide from Sony US website: https://docs.sony.com/release//Help_4593855111.pdf. It contains more info about the WM1 player.


 

 Thanks. I searched on line but kept getting the simple one that doesn't say much that comes with the dap. I am surprised that for the price, Sony doesn't even provide a case for this and a printed manual or something that quickly points you to where a manual is. 
  
  
 Does FAT32 work on the Sony? I read in the instructions that you are supposed to format the card in the player, which is crazy. I never had issues with the ZX2. So far I have tried one card and it didn't work (I think it is Exfat). 
  
 Edit: The Fat32 worked.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

ledzep said:


> Yeah got mine on 4.4mm , excellent sound signature


 
 What cable have you got?


----------



## ledzep

princeofegypt said:


> What cable have you got?



Got a Japanese stock cable re terminated while I wait for my Plusound one


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

ledzep said:


> Got a Japanese stock cable re terminated while I wait for my Plusound one


 
 Which plusound cable are you going for?


----------



## gerelmx1986

greyh0und said:


> jamato8 said:
> 
> 
> > Was your Sony dap sent with a dead battery that required a charge before it would turn on?
> ...


 

 Mine came with charge


----------



## Lemieux66

Probably a stupid noob question, but regarding this EU volume cap problem - does it still happen when using the W1A with an external DAC? I would guess not but clarification would be appreciated.

Also, would I be able to use my LCD-3 with this player with the cap in place? Would the sound be loud enough?


----------



## soundblast75

Jeeezzz the Z5 rocks my world with 1A, wow, really didn't expect that, was goona sell emm


----------



## gerelmx1986

soundblast75 said:


> Jeeezzz the Z5 rocks my world with 1A, wow, really didn't expect that, was goona sell emm


 

 tell me your impressions


----------



## ledzep

princeofegypt said:


> Which plusound cable are you going for?



X8 series


----------



## ledzep

lemieux66 said:


> Probably a stupid noob question, but regarding this EU volume cap problem - does it still happen when using the W1A with an external DAC? I would guess not but clarification would be appreciated.
> 
> Also, would I be able to use my LCD-3 with this player with the cap in place? Would the sound be loud enough?



No, using the WMC-NWH10 it's digital USB audio only, not sure about your 3's a friend tried his 2's on my player and it drives them with ease.


----------



## gerelmx1986

XBA-Z5 sing with 24 bit masters, + WM1A, the WM1A knows how to extract the juice even from lowly 16/44... but 24-bit is just wow
  
 Charpentier Messe et Tedeu a Huit Voix /Le Concert Spirituel 24/176.4Khz ashtonishing details, testing with Z7s


----------



## Dithyrambes

fudge....stop juicing it up....I get mine tuesday Lol ><


----------



## mscott58

First hour into the 1Z and it's sounding really friggin' awesome, even straight out of the box. Controls my Vega's with real authority and gives the best separation and emotion I've heard out of them to date. No critical listening yet, just immersing myself to start, but good stuff!
  
 The 1A will have a hard show to follow when it gets here on Monday from the UK and has to go under the hacking knife.
  
 Cheers 
  
 PS - All listening has been done SE as my 4.4mm adapter doesn't come until Monday.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> XBA-Z5 sing with 24 bit masters, + WM1A, the WM1A knows how to extract the juice even from lowly 16/44... but 24-bit is just wow
> 
> Charpentier Messe et Tedeu a Huit Voix /Le Concert Spirituel 24/176.4Khz ashtonishing details, testing with Z7s


 

 ​Z7 fared OK but not as WOWing as Z5s... that was until i ticked HIGH GAIN output and wow, def. Z7 need high gain to rock nice


----------



## audionewbi

Listening again to my 1A, this time the purpose was to aim to listen as if I am writing a review. So far I like single ended far more than balance out. As I stated before I will blame the kimber kable till I have a different cable to test it.

 What I notice on 1A is improved soundstage, much wider and bass is more detailed. Improved layering and soundstage basically is what 1A has over 4.4 connection.


----------



## erictioh

audionewbi said:


> Listening again to my 1A, this time the purpose was to aim to listen as if I am writing a review. So far I like single ended far more than balance out. As I stated before I will blame the kimber kable till I have a different cable to test it.
> 
> 
> What I notice on 1A is improved soundstage, much wider and bass is more detailed. Improved layering and soundstage basically is what 1A has over 4.4 connection.


perhaps you have burned in 3.5 mm until pretty good and sudden change to 4.4mm which is not burn in yet giving you the feel of un smooth and not so nice?


----------



## audionewbi

erictioh said:


> perhaps you have burned in 3.5 mm until pretty good and sudden change to 4.4mm which is not burn in yet giving you the feel of un smooth and not so nice?



I have more hours on 4.4 than 3.3 mm. I noticed certain items sound better on 4.4mm but all my IEM sound great on 3.3mm.


----------



## blazinblazin

Actually 4.4mm with Kimber will be still smoother than 3.5mm with 200hrs of burnt in from my experience.
  
 Just the details will decrease, soundstage wise, it will become not so wide but it goes deep in the front.
  
 Also Kimber Kable need a bit more power in volume.
  
 My setup is [ALO 3.5mm Ref 8 + Andromeda] -> [4.4mm Kimber Kable + Andromeda]
  
 I am at 250hrs mark on my 4.4mm Kimber, I would say everything clears up, details still a bit lacking/or i should say softer/not as audible compare to ALO. The sparkle is still good with Kimber Kable from the start.
  
 I will probably looking for a 4.4mm Silver cable.


----------



## davidcotton

Price drop on amazon uk by a £10.00 but not in stock until next week.


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Z7 fared OK but not as WOWing as Z5s... that was until i ticked HIGH GAIN output and wow, def. Z7 need high gain to rock nice


 
 I found the same out when I tried both out of the PHA3.  The Z5 in balanced actually beat out my old JH13pro before.  Time to go balanced man...you won't regret this.


----------



## soundblast75

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Z7 fared OK but not as WOWing as Z5s... that was until i ticked HIGH GAIN output and wow, def. Z7 need high gain to rock nice



Not surprised, Z7 were just a pleasant set, but really not enough for its price. I have to find time for a Z5 vs Vega, but lets also give 1A some 100 hours at least, been playing non stop, must be on over 20 now...
Im also getting AT ath r70x which are insanly great value, amazing cans and paired great with a non capped 1A.


----------



## gonzfi

Do these players give balanced out through a 3.5mm trrs or is it just the 4.4 jack?


----------



## Jalo

​Listening to the 1Z in balance 4.4 seriously for the first time as I just received my Kimber 16 cores Axios AG, picture to follow later. Only about 10 hours into burning but wow the difference is big from 3.5 SE out. The sound is cleaner, more open up, more airy, and authoritative. The resolutions and layering increased as i can hear an artist's interpretation and idiosyncrasies very clear through emotional accentuation. Second and third harmonics are also clearer. Complex and fast passages are clearly resolved and presented. I have a feeling the balance sound is what the Sony team intended to create originally when they say they have a sound in mind. Very musical and immersive. Very much in vivo experience, Ces la vie Ces la mor.


----------



## blazinblazin

gonzfi said:


> Do these players give balanced out through a 3.5mm trrs or is it just the 4.4 jack?




Only 4.4mm is balanced.

The reason the 3.5mm support TRRS cause SONY have iem that have TRRS plugs. So they make their players compatible to those iems but not balanced.


----------



## blazinblazin

jalo said:


> Listening to the 1Z in balance 4.4 seriously for the first time as I just received my Kimber 16 cores Axios AG, picture to follow later. Only about 10 hours into burning but wow the difference is big from 3.5 SE out. The sound is cleaner, more open up, more airy, and authoritative. The resolutions and layering increased as i can hear an artist's interpretation and idiosyncrasies very clear through emotional accentuation. Second and third harmonics are also clearer. Complex and fast passages are clearly resolved and presented. I have a feeling the balance sound is what the Sony team intended to create originally when they say they have a sound in mind. Very musical and immersive.




I never go back to 3.5mm anymore.


----------



## Jalo

blazinblazin said:


> I never go back to 3.5mm anymore.




Yes, I am deluding and asking myself why are the singers all singing TO ME  not even sex can keep me up at 4:00 am in the morning yet I am listening to the 1Z, I need to check with my therapist


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> Yes, I am deluding and asking myself why are the singers all singing TO ME  not even sex can keep me up at 4:00 am in the morning yet I am listening to the 1Z, I need to check with my therapist




Not the singers, but your Axios Kimber cables do. It is not even your WM1Z that does it . I am jealous


----------



## goody

davidcotton said:


> Price drop on amazon uk by a £10.00 but not in stock until next week.


 
 yep i just cant bring myself to spend that kinda money i will have to sell my ZX2 first  ..lol...are you getting it ?


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> Not the singers, but your Axios Kimber cables do. It is not even your WM1Z that does it . I am jealous




Wait till you see my pic, you will go insane. When a woman whisper in my ear, her words go to my brain but her breath and inflexion go to my heart and her suggestion can even go lower and my 1Z balance is capturing all


----------



## Whitigir

I am already jawdrop and speechless here, being stunned like a Frog under light beams ! Yeah, 4.4mm is the best WM series can offer. I will need to find myself this plugs before I can start making my cables , but nothing is going to beat your Axios for sure


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > ​Z7 fared OK but not as WOWing as Z5s... that was until i ticked HIGH GAIN output and wow, def. Z7 need high gain to rock nice
> ...


yes I will try balance out


----------



## Jalo

With my Vega, I notice on my 1Z, balance + high gain is absolutely needed to create the magic. It is not just volume or loudness, the higher voltage from the high gain is causing the dynamic to fully present herself at ease.


----------



## davidcotton

goody said:


> yep i just cant bring myself to spend that kinda money i will have to sell my ZX2 first  ..lol...are you getting it ?


 

 Same as you I suspect.  Head says "**** it go for it, Heart (and wallet) scream noooooo!


----------



## ledzep

whitigir said:


> I do this




Will that dock take a 1A with a dignis case on so I can run digital USB out to my pha2a ?


----------



## Whitigir

To anyone that wonder how the DC phase linearizer feel like ? It is rather strange. There are 6 modes

Type A (low, standard, high)
Type B (Low, standard, high)

Low: shift the phase toward the sub-bass. It is not exactly the sub bass that got boosted, but it feel like the energy and dynamic density is shifted toward the emphasis of sub-bass

Standard: similar effect, but is spread out to all bass spectrum instead of focusing in low

High: my most non-favor effect, still the same effect, but the shift is focusing into upper bass or even more into lower mid spectrum bass rather than the bass alone.

Type A: it feel like the bass is widely spread out in a spherical field of rendering. Easier to listen to and more general with all kind of genres.

Type B: it feel like the bass is spread from further away but pinpointed focuses toward the audiences. It results in a much more pin-point focuses onto vocal. Say, if you observe and look ahead, the bass is spread out around and behind the singer and each drum set is arranged into you from that far away with the singer stand closer to you. This is excellent for Jazz and some Ballads

My favorite effects now is 

D.C. Phase linerizatoin: Type A, Low
DSEE HX: String. This focuses more into mid spectrum especially upper mid and into lower trebles...I love it for my main genres

. I hope it is useful....otherwise, just Direct Source for the heck of it. The WM Walkman is Excellent in DSP and EQ. It would be a waste to not use it


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> Will that dock take a 1A with a dignis case on so I can run digital USB out to my pha2a ?




It takes my WM1Z in stock case. It has 3 different type of shimmers. Wm1Z with case does not use any shimmer at all


----------



## ledzep

ledzep said:


> Will that dock take a 1A with a dignis case on so I can run digital USB out to my pha2a ?




Anyone got one to let go ?


----------



## ledzep

whitigir said:


> It takes my WM1Z in stock case. It has 3 different type of shimmers. Wm1Z with case does not use any shimmer at all




Tight fit or bit of space to get it in and out ? Don't want to force my beloved red dignis (case) into it and is it just a standard USB to whatever your connecting it to, in my case the PHA micro input or do I have to chain in my wm conversion cable ?


----------



## soundblast75

whitigir said:


> To anyone that wonder how the DC phase linearizer feel like ? It is rather strange. There are 6 modes
> 
> Type A (low, standard, high)
> Type B (Low, standard, high)
> ...




Super useful dude, thanks, was really wondering about these, i mostly settle on A standard, but thought it varies with different headphones /iems.


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> To anyone that wonder how the DC phase linearizer feel like ? It is rather strange. There are 6 modes
> 
> Type A (low, standard, high)
> Type B (Low, standard, high)
> ...


 

 With your settings Type A LOW DSEEHX Strings i have a catedral feeling on the Z7 with certain albums, cool


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

What case and screen protector are guys using?


----------



## soundblast75

princeofegypt said:


> What case and screen protector are guys using?



This, 2 in pack, very good. 
Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/351950373443


----------



## Aliv3

Has anyone compared wma1 to the ibasso dx200?


----------



## musicday

jalo said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > Not the singers, but your Axios Kimber cables do. It is not even your WM1Z that does it . I am jealous
> ...



Is this 16 core solid Axios silver cable? Looking forward to see photos of it and hear how it compares with copper one.
Can you or anyone tried the gold Walkman with Ether C Flow? Wondering if it has enough power to drive them properly balanced or single ended.Thanks Jalo.


----------



## gerelmx1986

princeofegypt said:


> What case and screen protector are guys using?


 

 using mine naked


----------



## Jalo

Here is to you Whitigir, here is my Kimber Axios AG 16 cores 4.4 to 2.5 adapter guarded by her majesty's 007, the Bond's personal carry the PPKS. Just so no one is coming to take the Axios away 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  

  

  
 These are objects that will usually evoke strong emotional reaction. The 4.4 connector is genuine Pentaconn connector and the shell is replaced by the hand crafted precious Ebony wood giving the silver cable a stark contrast...Ebony and Ivory, live together in perfect harmony.....
  

  
 Please also notice the end caps on both ends are hand made with 35 years old cured precious Ebony wood by Kimber master craftsman and both connectors are then set in place with precious resins. I don't have a macro lens to capture the beautiful sparkle on the silver cable but the dielectric is made of a new type of biocompound that does not change color.  The sound of this cable....hmm...what sound? there is no sound, just pure bliss from 4.4 out.  
  

  
 Serial Number?  001.  This is Kimber's first Axios adapter custom made for yours truly. produce
 The braiding, I was given a lesson on the special braiding.  Apparently, the braiding is carefully done by interlacing a negative and a positive conductor intertwine in an orthogonal angle to produce a certain organic sound
  
 And also for you Jason Lord, eyes only.


----------



## Dithyrambes

I'm sorry but even if you believe in cables....your cable to your earphones aren't the same material so....I don't see the point. Had I not read your description, all I would have thought was...it looks like a snake. Lol


----------



## Jalo

dithyrambes said:


> I'm sorry but even if you believe in cables....your cable to your earphones aren't the same material so....I don't see the point. Had I not read your description, all I would have thought was...it looks like a snake. Lol


 
 Yep, its an eight inch snake without skin and meat.  Oh, the cable, the cable to the earphones, yes don't even let me start on that. But people say it is hard to reproduce the right piano sound with dap/iem, but I can even hear the Steinway signature from my 1Z setup.  I have some rare cables that Kimber is willing to allow me to trade in for one of their Axios. We will see.


----------



## mscott58

jalo said:


> Yep, its an eight inch snake without skin and meat.  Oh, the cable, the cable to the earphones, yes don't even let me start on that. But people say it is hard to reproduce the right piano sound with dap/iem, but I can even hear the Steinway signature from my 1Z setup.  I have some rare cables that Kimber is willing to allow me to trade in for one of their Axios. We will see.




Jalo - Looks great. Dare I ask how much? Sorry if you've already mentioned it. Cheers


----------



## hamhamhamsta

jalo said:


> Here is to you Whitigir, here is my Kimber Axios AG 16 cores 4.4 to 2.5 adapter guarded by her majesty's 007, the Bond's personal carry the PPKS. Just so no one is coming to take the Axios away
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Oh man, you ate gonna invite serious envy. Luckily you have PPK on hand lol. 

Anyway, ehem, how much did you pay for 4.4 to 2.5 mm cable and where to get it?


----------



## Lemieux66

So what do you plug the Kimber cable into that has a 2.5mm input?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have reached 100h LOL


----------



## mscott58

hamhamhamsta said:


> Oh man, you ate gonna invite serious envy. Luckily you have PPK on hand lol.
> 
> Anyway, ehem, how much did you pay for 4.4 to 2.5 mm cable and where to get it?




Not to be too picky, but it's a PPK/S, so it has a longer grip but the same barrel as the PPK. Assume it's the 380 version? My dad had one. Nice piece and actually was used by various military/government groups back in the day...


----------



## gearofwar

Hi guys, would anyone here help make a detailed comparison between wm1a and qp1r ? Thanks in advance


----------



## Lemieux66

lemieux66 said:


> So what do you plug the Kimber cable into that has a 2.5mm input?




I can't work out what this cable is for. Anyone know?


----------



## echineko

lemieux66 said:


> I can't work out what this cable is for. Anyone know?



I would guess he's coming to the 1Z from AK players previously, hence the 2.5 to 4.4 adapter.


----------



## tangents

lemieux66 said:


> I can't work out what this cable is for. Anyone know?


 
  
 It's an adapter to allow IEM cables terminated with 2.5mm balanced plugs to be used with WM1's 4.4mm balanced jack.


----------



## Lemieux66

echineko said:


> I would guess he's coming to the 1Z from AK players previously, hence the 2.5 to 4.4 adapter.




Ah I see. So he's plugging headphones into the 2.5mm socket. Couldn't tell it was a socket as the pics were quite dark.

Would undoubtedly be much cheaper and more practical to simply use a solid 4.4 - 2.5 adaptor plug, if one exists...

My experience with Kimber is that their cables - although well made - are not very flexible so that setup might be best used at home (or on a plane) where you won't need to move about too much.

Should be receiving my WM1A on Monday but I don't have any adaptors to use yet. I'll have to make do with my B&O H6 until I can get an adaptor for my LCD3. Other than that I'm not sure how I could connect the new player to a dac but it should be easy to see how once I get the box open.


----------



## echineko

lemieux66 said:


> Other than that I'm not sure how I could connect the new player to a dac but it should be easy to see how once I get the box open.



If you mean you'd like to send a digital signal from the player to an external non-Sony DAC, you will need to get one of these:

www.sony.jp/walkman/products/WMC-NWH10/

From there you can use any compatible USB cable to connect to your DAC.

Edit: there is also a compatible dock that you could get, I suppose.


----------



## kubig123

jalo said:


> Here is to you Whitigir, here is my Kimber Axios AG 16 cores 4.4 to 2.5 adapter guarded by her majesty's 007, the Bond's personal carry the PPKS. Just so no one is coming to take the Axios away
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 this is a piece of art, the craftsmanship is amazing!!!


----------



## Semuapunmau

If anyone is interested in buying a 4.4mm male to 2.5mm female adapter for your balanced cable you can check out PW Audio. Solid built.

I tested it yesterday and ordered one by contacting them on their Facebook page and PayPal. HKD480 + shipping. My friend received his from order to hand in 2 weeks. 

Tried loading the photo but can't upload any image here...you can check it out on their Facebook page.


----------



## GREYH0UND

guys now that i have the wm1a i need a good pair of iem
 i was considering 
 ibasso it03 250£
 westone um pro 30 270£
 es3  350£
 xba z5 420£
  
 i was thinking about the es3 more than to the others as i m not sure that the z5 are worth the extra cash


----------



## gerelmx1986

greyh0und said:


> guys now that i have the wm1a i need a good pair of iem
> i was considering
> ibasso it03 250£
> westone um pro 30 270£
> ...


 

 ​I do consider the Z5 to be very capable IEM, very good, it even beats the Z7s (not by a big margin but yeah it does)


----------



## Stephen George

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​I do consider the Z5 to be very capable IEM, very good, it even beats the Z7s (not by a big margin but yeah it does)


 
 would you also need this cable?
  
 http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/NEOACS-68107


----------



## stenog

greyh0und said:


> guys now that i have the wm1a i need a good pair of iem
> i was considering
> ibasso it03 250£
> westone um pro 30 270£
> ...




You got one of the best daps available at the moment. May i suggest aiming a little higher, this is headfi and sorry for your wallet . 

Empire ears Zeus
Campfire Vega
In ear Prophile-8

Or take a look at this thread for inspiration 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/826876/ranking-the-stars-flinkenicks-flagship-16-iem-shootout/0_20


----------



## jmills8

stenog said:


> You got one of the best daps available at the moment. May i suggest aiming a little higher, this is headfi and sorry for your wallet .
> 
> Empire ears Zeus
> Campfire Vega
> ...


Each are completely different.


----------



## mscott58

Amazon UK is now listing the 1A's as "Temporarily out of stock". Guess too many of us took them up on the deal! Cheers


----------



## stenog

jmills8 said:


> Each are completely different.



That was the point! Only meant as inspiration


----------



## gerelmx1986

stephen george said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > ​I do consider the Z5 to be very capable IEM, very good, it even beats the Z7s (not by a big margin but yeah it does)
> ...


 

 ​I am currently using single-Ended and they sound damn good, I bet that cable would push them further to a refined level i have enever Heard before


----------



## Jalo

musicday said:


> Is this 16 core solid Axios silver cable? Looking forward to see photos of it and hear how it compares with copper one.
> Can you or anyone tried the gold Walkman with Ether C Flow? Wondering if it has enough power to drive them properly balanced or single ended.Thanks Jalo.




There are 16 cores and each conductor consists of 40 pure silver wires, not Litz and uncoated. I am a silver person, on rare occasion I will use good copper like my HD800 to tame the hot treble, otherwise I just enjoy the clean sound of silver. I believe the 1Z balance can drive the Ether C Flow well but not the SE.


----------



## tangents

mscott58 said:


> Amazon UK is now listing the 1A's as "Temporarily out of stock". Guess too many of us took them up on the deal! Cheers


 
  
 Mine's in Philadelphia right now


----------



## Jalo

mscott58 said:


> Jalo - Looks great. Dare I ask how much? Sorry if you've already mentioned it. Cheers




I answered that a few pages back but I don't feel I should publish that again. If you are serious please PM me.


----------



## Jalo

lemieux66 said:


> I can't work out what this cable is for. Anyone know?




Well it is an adapter for use with existing balance cables that has the 2.5 mm balance connector termination. The 2.5 mm balance connectors is a popular format for many daps like the AK players, DX1P and others. I have five daps and If I reterminate all my cables to 4.4 format, I will not be able to listen to my other daps hence the 4.4 to 2.5 adapter.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I want a gun like @Jalo one esp when living in mexico...


----------



## Jalo

lemieux66 said:


> Would undoubtedly be much cheaper and more practical to simply use a solid 4.4 - 2.5 adaptor plug, if one exists...
> 
> My experience with Kimber is that their cables - although well made - are not very flexible so that setup might be best used at home (or on a plane) where you won't need to move about too much..




Even if a solid 4.4 -2.5 adapter exists, it is highly discourage for use because it is so long and it can bust the 4.4 output very easily with any small accident. It is much more safe to use a pigtail.

Some Kimber cables are stiff but not the Axios line. Even with 16 cores, it is a very soft and pliable cable


----------



## purk

jalo said:


> Here is to you Whitigir, here is my Kimber Axios AG 16 cores 4.4 to 2.5 adapter guarded by her majesty's 007, the Bond's personal carry the PPKS. Just so no one is coming to take the Axios away
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Not to be out done by your super highend cable, I finally made a 3.5 mm TRRS female to 4.4 mm male adapter/cable of my own.  I made it using a 5-inch left over Headphone Lounge Silver Reference cable and a new $20 Effect Audio 4.4 mm male jack.  The female 3.5 mm TRRS was picked up off Ebay for around $15 but said to be of an "audiophile grade".  No doubt yours will sound better...however, I'm equally proud of my hard work and a great sounding adapter.  My Z1R is now reterminated with 3.5 male TRRS cable...so I can go from SE to Balanced easily.  BTW, I auditioned the copper version of the Axios before and it was a really good cable.  
  

  
 Buying the 1Z left my wallet fairing deflated, so I cut my own screen protector film too.  Actually, I'm waiting for the glass version to be available on amazon...so this will be good for the interim.


----------



## Jalo

gerelmx1986 said:


> I want a gun like @Jalo one esp when living in mexico...



You will live longer without one guarantee  or just smile if smile can kill.


----------



## Jalo

purk said:


> Not to be out done by your super highend cable, I finally made a 3.5 mm TRRS female to 4.4 mm male adapter/cable of my own.  I made it using a 5-inch left over Headphone Lounge Silver Reference cable and a new $20 Effect Audio 4.4 mm male jack.  The female 3.5 mm TRRS was picked up off Ebay for around $15 but said to be of an "audiophile grade".  No doubt yours will sound better...however, I'm equally proud of my hard work and a great sounding adapter.  My Z1R is now reterminated with 3.5 male TRRS cable...so I can go from SE to Balanced easily.  BTW, I auditioned the copper version of the Axios before and it was a really good cable.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Purk, no one can out do you. Just look at your headphone inventory, the R10 bass heavy, last time I saw one in HK Jaben was going for 10K and that was like 8 years ago. Good taste for using silver reference. I didn't know you can go from SE to balance but I guess the TRRS is really not SE. I listened to the Z1R last week in Vegas CES show at the Kimber show room. The Z1R was wired by a full 16 cores Axios Silver cable and I was able to run it directly from my 1Z. Very good sound not bad at all. But I am considering picking up a pair of Utopia now and make a full cable for it. Well we will see after my audition.


----------



## mscott58

jalo said:


> I answered that a few pages back but I don't feel I should publish that again. If you are serious please PM me.




No worries at all. I got my lazy butt up and found the post. Very nice piece of gear! Cheers


----------



## purk

jalo said:


> Purk, no one can out do you. Just look at your headphone inventory, the R10 bass heavy, last time I saw one in HK Jaben was going for 10K and that was like 8 years ago. Good taste for using silver reference. I didn't know you can go from SE to balance but I guess the TRRS is really not SE. I listened to the Z1R last week in Vegas CES show at the Kimber show room. The Z1R was wired by a full 16 cores Axios Silver cable and I was able to run it directly from my 1Z. Very good sound not bad at all. But I am considering picking up a pair of Utopia now and make a full cable for it. Well we will see after my audition.


 
 3.5 TRRS is actually balanced because it has L+, L-, R+, R- just like any balanced connection out there including the 2.5 mm TRRS cable on your AK players.  However, the Sony circuit utilized for SE using TRRS plug is only pseudo balanced (separate left & right grounds)....so it is a SE with Sony SE output but can act in balanced on the Hifiman 901S player.  I'm actually waiting for the 4.4 mm female TRRS plug to be available.
  
 I auditioned the Axios before and it sounds great on my HD800 but the workmanship is definitely the very best in the business.


----------



## kms108

jalo said:


> Here is to you Whitigir, here is my Kimber Axios AG 16 cores 4.4 to 2.5 adapter guarded by her majesty's 007, the Bond's personal carry the PPKS. Just so no one is coming to take the Axios away
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 This is what I call a art of audiophile, if I were you, don't use it, serial number 001, you want to seal it and preserve it, probably cost a fortune in years to come.


----------



## erictioh

In WM1A where is the tone control ? i can only find 10 band equalizer.


----------



## PCheung

erictioh said:


> In WM1A where is the tone control ? i can only find 10 band equalizer.




At the 10 band eq page , click the toolbox logo at the bottom to select the tone control


----------



## Bengkia369

Sony WM1Z / 1A goes super well with JVC HA-FW02 woodies, really sounds awesome! 
I do not have the Sony DAPs but these 2 Sony flagships are the bomb!


----------



## Whitigir

bengkia369 said:


> Sony WM1Z / 1A goes super well with JVC HA-FW02 woodies, really sounds awesome!
> I do not have the Sony DAPs but these 2 Sony flagships are the bomb!




Are you using Balanced with your Jvc as well ?


----------



## Bengkia369

whitigir said:


> Are you using Balanced with your Jvc as well ?




Not balance out, it really sounds awesome. 
I was there at Sony Center, the kind sales person Leon let me test the 2 Sony flagship DAPs and there are other customers as well. I let them test my JVC on the WM1Z demo, and all agreed it sounds really great!


----------



## Whitigir

It uses mmcx right ? Kimber probably has that cable for the WM1z . You need to try it


----------



## Bengkia369

whitigir said:


> It uses mmcx right ? Kimber probably has that cable for the WM1z . You need to try it




I'm using a Sony SPC MMCX 3.5mm to test, no money to buy Kimble.


----------



## PCheung

And it cost 10 times the JVC inear headphones


----------



## erictioh

can wm1a digital out to mojo ?


----------



## Bengkia369

erictioh said:


> can wm1a digital out to mojo ?




Yes using a Sony WM cable.


----------



## GREYH0UND

I wish i could spend that much..

As it is now 420 for the z5 is pushing it..
Any suggestion <400£?


----------



## kms108

Those who as ordered the MUC-M12SB1 from Jaben, have you received your ordered yet, or has it been posted, I ordered on the 9th, but hasn't seen the details change yet.


----------



## blazinblazin

bengkia369 said:


> Not balance out, it really sounds awesome.
> I was there at Sony Center, the kind sales person Leon let me test the 2 Sony flagship DAPs and there are other customers as well. I let them test my JVC on the WM1Z demo, and all agreed it sounds really great!




Yeah, i bought from him. He help me use laptop to transfer songs in the unit, so i can test.

I think the 2 units there have not burn in that much yet.
Have you check the hrs both units have burn in?

Balanced will be another world.


----------



## blazinblazin

bengkia369 said:


> I'm using a Sony SPC MMCX 3.5mm to test, no money to buy Kimble.




4.4mm Jaben MY selling it at 1/3 of SG price nia.


----------



## kms108

blazinblazin said:


> bengkia369 said:
> 
> 
> > I'm using a Sony SPC MMCX 3.5mm to test, no money to buy Kimble.
> ...


 

 Yep, and over half the price at what hong kong is selling, this includes the shipping cost as well.


----------



## Bengkia369

blazinblazin said:


> 4.4mm Jaben MY selling it at 1/3 of SG price nia.




Problem is I don't have a Sony dap, I'm using a AK240 and Opus #2 both using 2.5mm balance out.


----------



## gearofwar

Sorry to stir things here up a bit for Sony fanboys. Unfortunately, Wm1a doesn't sound better than qp1r or having more powerful output driving cans even using balance output. For the asking price is not a good deal here. Someone might want to look at what DX200 gives instead.


----------



## Tanjiro

kms108 said:


> Those who as ordered the MUC-M12SB1 from Jaben, have you received your ordered yet, or has it been posted, I ordered on the 9th, but hasn't seen the details change yet.



Heard nothing yet. I already sent a follow-up email to Jaben last Friday.


----------



## kms108

bengkia369 said:


> blazinblazin said:
> 
> 
> > 4.4mm Jaben MY selling it at 1/3 of SG price nia.
> ...


 

 I don't as well, just got the cable in advance, it's too cheap to miss, and in the near future many DAP will support the 4.4mm.


----------



## Bengkia369

gearofwar said:


> Sorry to stir things here up a bit for Sony fanboys. Unfortunately, Wm1a doesn't sound better than qp1r or having more powerful output driving cans even using balance output. For the asking price is not a good deal here. Someone might want to look at what DX200 gives instead.




I heard horror stories from Chinese forums about Dx200 user interface and firmware bugs.
I rather go for either a Sony WM1A or Opus #2 to be honest.


----------



## kms108

moneypls said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Those who as ordered the MUC-M12SB1 from Jaben, have you received your ordered yet, or has it been posted, I ordered on the 9th, but hasn't seen the details change yet.
> ...


 

 When I placed the order on the 9th, they say sony will send the iem to them in 2-3 days.


----------



## gearofwar

bengkia369 said:


> I heard horror stories from Chinese forums about Dx200 user interface and firmware bugs.
> I rather go for either a Sony WM1A or Opus #2 to be honest.


 
 It just was released recently just a few weeks ago unlike Sony daps, don't you consider it will be fixed by firmware update?


----------



## blazinblazin

gearofwar said:


> Sorry to stir things here up a bit for Sony fanboys. Unfortunately, Wm1a doesn't sound better than qp1r or having more powerful output driving cans even using balance output. For the asking price is not a good deal here. Someone might want to look at what DX200 gives instead.




Not sure who are Sony fanboys here. 
I bet people here are just normal audiophiles that likes the sound of WM1A/Z.

There are people who have a few DAPs here. There are people who switch from other DAPs to WM1A/Z here. There are new owners.

To be honest, SONY have been sleeping on audio till recent years. I don't think that's enough to created any fanboys.


----------



## nanaholic

gearofwar said:


> Sorry to stir things here up a bit for Sony fanboys. Unfortunately, Wm1a doesn't sound better than qp1r or having more powerful output driving cans even using balance output. For the asking price is not a good deal here. Someone might want to look at what DX200 gives instead.


 
  
 The WM1A is objectively more powerful according to the specs which is also verified, QP1R only claims 40mW @ 32ohms on high gain, the 1A trounces it there by loads.
  
 Whether you think it sounds good is entirely subjective and not an objective fact.


----------



## gearofwar

blazinblazin said:


> Not sure who are Sony fanboys here.
> I bet people here are just normal audiophiles that likes the sound of WM1A/Z.
> 
> There are people who have a few DAPs here. There are people who switch from other DAPs to WM1A/Z here
> ...


 
 You must've not been to previous ZX2 thread..Do you say Sony ddin't make any audiophile daps before this? 
  


nanaholic said:


> The WM1A is objectively more powerful according to the specs which is also verified, QP1R only claims 40mW @ 32ohms on high gain, the 1A trounces it there by loads.
> 
> Whether you think it sounds good is entirely subjective and not an objective fact.


 
 QP1R uses Current-mode amping which is not common in any dap products. You might see the number on paper is even lower than that of AK70 but it drives everything efficiently. Give it a try instead of reading specifications will do it a justice.


----------



## kms108

gearofwar said:


> blazinblazin said:
> 
> 
> > Not sure who are Sony fanboys here.
> ...


 
*blazinblazin is correct on this, it has only been recent years, audiophile dap only started with the ZX 1, ZX 2 and now the WM 1, forget the low end hi res player and xperia phones that supports Hi res.*


----------



## mscott58

I'm definitely not a Sony fan-boy, in fact I haven't liked a Sony audio product in many, many years. However, I do very much enjoy the 1Z. And I have heard the QP1R, the AK380, the LPG and many others, and currently the 1Z is my favorite (and it only has about 30 hours on it, so still settling in). Will have a 1A tomorrow to start playing with and will see how the 1A stacks up against it's bigger (or at least much more expensive) brother. Is it worth it for you? Will you like the SQ? Up to you, but I would say it is definitely worth giving these new Sony DAP's a listen. Cheers


----------



## nvtdien

OS of wm1a/z touch very slow


----------



## kms108

nvtdien said:


> OS of wm1a/z touch very slow


 

 Not really slow, you are just used to a fast android/ios OS.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I think it's ok, most important is the SQ, and not the OS speed, thats mine opinion.


----------



## mscott58

Yeah, there's a bit of a lag in the OS when you select something, but it's maybe half a second. It doesn't bother me and kind of reminds me of cabinets and such with slow-closing hinges. It may not happen as fast, but it's smooth and flows well. And if that's the worst ding on a new products OS then I'm good. Everything else in my experience is flawless. Cheers


----------



## Sound Eq

mscott58 said:


> I'm definitely not a Sony fan-boy, in fact I haven't liked a Sony audio product in many, many years. However, I do very much enjoy the 1Z. And I have heard the QP1R, the AK380, the LPG and many others, and currently the 1Z is my favorite (and it only has about 30 hours on it, so still settling in). Will have a 1A tomorrow to start playing with and will see how the 1A stacks up against it's bigger (or at least much more expensive) brother. Is it worth it for you? Will you like the SQ? Up to you, but I would say it is definitely worth giving these new Sony DAP's a listen. Cheers


 
 can u share how 1a compares to 1z


----------



## Whitigir

Current amp mode ? Lol...i dont think sony is going to tell you what their amplification technology is beside Class D. But i can tell you this much that using juicy Capacitors, if they dont have powerful current, i dont know whatelse does...dont even tell me it uses Op Amp...because it never does. Your current amplification technology could be brought to other DAP that uses opamps but not a strong argument against Sony Walkman and it configurations period. Beside Power is Power, and class D is well known for it efficiency. Also, who else is better at Direct Digital into class D like Sony ? None

Remember, Walkman WM also uses multiple Coils in their circuitry beside Capacitors....and if coils is not one of those powerful amplification components...what else is ?


----------



## proedros

someone should do a *dx200/wm1a* commparison


----------



## nanaholic

gearofwar said:


> QP1R uses Current-mode amping which is not common in any dap products. You might see the number on paper is even lower than that of AK70 but it drives everything efficiently. Give it a try instead of reading specifications will do it a justice.


 
  
 That's not how the numbers work, you are just twisting stuff to support your claim.
  
 40mW into a 32ohm load is 40mW into a 32ohm load, 250mW into a 16ohm load is 250mW into a 16ohm load.  It's as simple as that.  Efficiency is only about how much power at the battery was need to get to that 40mW or 250mW eg does it need 80mW of power from the source and loses that to get 40mW of pure power into the load which would make it 50% efficient etc.  Nothing else is relevant to the discussion when the power is measured at the very output. Objectively the 1A is more powerful, period.


----------



## Mimouille

gearofwar said:


> Sorry to stir things here up a bit for Sony fanboys. Unfortunately, Wm1a doesn't sound better than qp1r or having more powerful output driving cans even using balance output. For the asking price is not a good deal here. Someone might want to look at what DX200 gives instead.



 As you know I have the LPG, WM1Z, DX200 and Mojo. The WM1Z and DX200 both sound excellent but present very different approaches to sound. The Sony is much smoother and more analog sounding while remaining all the details, and with incredible depth and layering. The DX200 is more airy and analytical sounding, whole still musical, but really different. Pairing will play a huge part, and taste as well. 



bengkia369 said:


> I heard horror stories from Chinese forums about Dx200 user interface and firmware bugs.
> I rather go for either a Sony WM1A or Opus #2 to be honest.




The Chinese forums are full of fake crap. The DX200 works almost perfectly, the bugs are very minor and ibasso has already out out two updates.


----------



## blazinblazin

gearofwar said:


> You must've not been to previous ZX2 thread..Do you say Sony ddin't make any audiophile daps before this?


 
  
 Yes they do, During that period, most are probably having other brand players, those who have the money will probably go for AK players, LPG, QP1R.
  
 Do you think your comparison is fair?
 Do other people use same gears as you?
 Have the WM1A unit you used to test been burnt in fully? Have both players burn in as much as each other?
 Have you tried SE and Balanced of each player?
 Have you max out each unit's potential before giving comparison and conclusion?
  
 Do you have the same sound preference as the people here?


----------



## Bengkia369

Dx200 I never heard it myself so no comments about the sound quality compared to Sony WM1Z and WM1A. 
Questyle Q1r is definitely not the same league as the new Sony flagship DAPs to be honest, it's mid level only comparable to Fiio X7 etc. Q1r User interface sucks (forget to mention that, the stupid wheels really makes me pissed) Sony flagship DAPs is easily on par with AK380 level, no joke this shows how committed this time Sony management and engineers are! 
No, I'm not a Sony fan boy and I don't even own any Sony WM1Z or WM1A. Just my honest opinions here.


----------



## Lemieux66

Anyone have an idea whether the WM1A/Z player will work sending DSD via the front-mounted USB 2.0 socket in Sony's AV receiver range e.g. STR-DN860? It could be really simply just using the charging cable the player comes with.

I've found the av receiver's manual and it lists a few Sony DAPs (at time of writing - 2015) that will work and it also states the USB input accepts DSD. So it may well work.

Is it best to contact Sony directly with this sort of question?


----------



## Audio Addict

lemieux66 said:


> Anyone have an idea whether the WM1A/Z player will work sending DSD via the front-mounted USB 2.0 socket in Sony's AV receiver range e.g. STR-DN860? It could be really simply just using the charging cable the player comes with.
> 
> I've found the av receiver's manual and it lists a few Sony DAPs (at time of writing - 2015) that will work and it also states the USB input accepts DSD. So it may well work.
> 
> Is it best to contact Sony directly with this sort of question?




If you purchased through a dealer, they would be where I asked. With a device at this price you are entitled to good customer service.


----------



## Whitigir

Theoretically, power, voltage, and current are relatively connected in the equation. However, technically speaking, the current is not dependent on "load" as much as voltage. For applications where the loads are varied greatly, say electric car motor, or especially headphones or speaker amplification, current is more desirable. Operational amp Chips can swing voltage fast and efficient, but current is slower to respond even if you can supply it by designing your work around it. Direct Solid States are more desirable or discrete amplification.


Quest Style advertising Current amplification as a mean to indicate that it is "less" depending on "loads". But I can tell you that from what I know, Sony Walkman is even more efficient and ways Less depending on "loads". This is the reason why I am saying WM series, the 260 mW per channel is better than you would think it is....the keyword here is "Load"

So, in a senses, Quest Style is still ways lower in power than WM, period. Now that is taking "efficiency" of both QS and Sony as being the same, which QS is not.

Also, why I think TA is an excellent piece of technology for it values....generally, the more efficient, the more sensitive, the more noises an amplification and it processor can be observed in such system where "power" is needed. The TA has excellent power output on High gain and Balanced out, still achieving excellent performances, and no Noises. This marks yet another milestone from Sony statement. Sony is back, and will be stronger. Trust me when I say this, S-master and great design of class D amplification will almost "eliminate" the Load dependency on different Headphones that is picky on whether "voltage or Current" amplification design.

In another word, TA-ZH1ES should be able to take care and drive many headphones to it utmost quality, theoretically speaking....just I don't have all different kinds to confirm to you


----------



## proedros

mimouille said:


> As you know I have the LPG, WM1Z, DX200 and Mojo. The WM1Z and DX200 both sound excellent but present very different approaches to sound. The Sony is much smoother and more analog sounding while remaining all the details, and with incredible depth and layering. The DX200 is more airy and analytical sounding, whole still musical, but really different. Pairing will play a huge part, and taste as well.


 
  
 is dx200 of 1z-level  in sound quality ? it seems to have a 1a sound signature , bu if it is as good as 1z it seems perfect....


----------



## Jalo

I was talking to my dealer where I purchase my 1Z from. I was asking the voltage setting for the High gain or power output of the high gain. I know the balance out put is 250 mw at 32 ohm, does anyone know how much more power out put is for the balance high gian? I find the high gain on balance out drives my Vega so much better even on the same loudness level.


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> is dx200 of 1z-level  in sound quality ? it seems to have a 1a sound signature , bu if it is as good as 1z it seems perfect....




I won't be Biased here, but theoretically speaking "components quality" plays a huge role in audio devices. An example I can give you is that my HA-1, while being a discrete device with great design inside, it holds no candles to TA-ZH1ES. Even cables, and wires materials, geometry, it will effect your sound quality....otherwise we wouldn't have any options to upgrade cables. You already witness and observed this.

So, to answer your question ? Cost of DX200 is relatively low, yet, dual ESS9028 Pro DAC probably is the most expensive component inside this player. I can tell you that, theoretically speaking, from material quality, the 1Z is superior, and so should the performances. However, whether it is observable, or audiable ?....need real life comparison


----------



## Bengkia369

whitigir said:


> I won't be Biased here, but theoretically speaking "components quality" plays a huge role in audio devices. An example I can give you is that my HA-1, while being a discrete device with great design inside, it holds no candles to TA-ZH1ES. Even cables, and wires materials, geometry, it will effect your sound quality....otherwise we wouldn't have any options to upgrade cables. You already witness and observed this.
> 
> So, to answer your question ? Cost of DX200 is relatively low, yet, dual ESS9028 Pro DAC probably is the most expensive component inside this player. I can tell you that, theoretically speaking, from material quality, the 1Z is superior, and so should the performances. However, whether it is observable, or audiable ?....need real life comparison




Ess9028? Ibasso cut cost?! Why they don't use Ess9018km?


----------



## Sound Eq

i would not expect the wm1z to be comparable to dx200 as wm1z seems to be superior no doubt, but i am curious about wm1a vs dx200


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quote: 





erictioh said:


> In WM1A where is the tone control ? i can only find 10 band equalizer.


 
 Yeah under the EQ click the Toolbox icon (Settings) and then tap Tone control, and to actívate back the EQ do the same in the Tone control display and Tap Equalizer
  
  


jalo said:


> You will live longer without one guarantee
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 LOL yes haha


----------



## Whitigir

bengkia369 said:


> Ess9028? Ibasso cut cost?! Why they don't use Ess9018km?




Easy, the DAC is the main components, and so it is the main marketing points. For example, people would think ESS9018K2M x2 inside the Opus 2 is inferior to DX200 dual ESs9028pro. It is true that on paper, the 9018K2m is inferior. But can you use the DAC alone to play music  ? This is the grey spaces.

I can tell you that many people would deem Opus 2 being an inferior player from this alone , and they don't have to say it out loud either.


----------



## Whitigir

sound eq said:


> i would not expect the wm1z to be comparable to dx200 as wm1z seems to be superior no doubt, but i am curious about wm1a vs dx200




Wm1A is a tremendous price/performances piece of device. It only skim out on a few cheaper Capacitors and inner wires, a few resistors...which may be worth $500 to be exaggerating, and then that Copper gold plated chassis for another $500 or so ? Even at 1k, the WM1Z most expensive price point IMO should be $2,700 and not $3,200. So speaking of this exaggeration on components and pricing, the rest of the components on the board inside WM1A is already worth of $1,200....let alone you can buy for $800 from Amazon U.K. As reported . However, for being a luxury piece of art, the WM1Z can deserve that extra $500 , because in the end, without Sony doing it, we wouldn't have WM1Z

Keep in mind, DX200 can function as a stand alone DAC, how fluidly ? Idk, but that would be useful feature, and WM1A can not, but can be a very high end transport that natively do Digital out upto 5.8 MHz or 11.2 ?


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> Wm1A is a tremendous price/performances piece of device. It only skim out on a few cheaper Capacitors and inner wires, a few resistors...which may be worth $500 to be exaggerating, and then that Copper gold plated chassis for another $500 or so ? Even at 1k, the WM1Z most expensive price point IMO should be $2,700 and not $3,200. So speaking of this exaggeration on components and pricing, the rest of the components on the board inside WM1A is already worth of $1,200....let alone you can buy for $800 from Amazon U.K. As reported . However, for being a luxury piece of art, the WM1Z can deserve that extra $500 , because in the end, without Sony doing it, we wouldn't have WM1Z
> 
> Keep in mind, DX200 can function as a stand alone DAC, how fluidly ? Idk, but that would be useful feature, and WM1A can not, but can be a very high end transportable that natively do Digital out upto 5.8 MHz or 11.2 ?



Hate to be off track, but if I am Ibasso, I will wait for 6-8 more months and use the latest Sabre DAC 9038 and further refine their software. I fully think AK will use the latest AKM 4497 DAC for their next release. Otherwise, it will be hard to compete with Sony. They will be DOA when they release their next totl. With competition it is very fun time now for us consumer.


----------



## Sound Eq

whitigir said:


> Wm1A is a tremendous price/performances piece of device. It only skim out on a few cheaper Capacitors and inner wires, a few resistors...which may be worth $500 to be exaggerating, and then that Copper gold plated chassis for another $500 or so ? Even at 1k, the WM1Z most expensive price point IMO should be $2,700 and not $3,200. So speaking of this exaggeration on components and pricing, the rest of the components on the board inside WM1A is already worth of $1,200....let alone you can buy for $800 from Amazon U.K. As reported
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 thanks for all this
  
 i am more after how do they compare in sound and other functionalities like EQ as Eq is upmost importance to me.


----------



## gerelmx1986

i like that WM1 are non-Android, when i listened to an Android Phone.. then came notifications BUZZ BUZZ, bling! tiing! ARRGHHH


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> Theoretically, power, voltage, and current are relatively connected in the equation. However, technically speaking, the current is not dependent on "load" as much as voltage. For applications where the loads are varied greatly, say electric car motor, or especially headphones or speaker amplification, current is more desirable. Operational amp Chips can swing voltage fast and efficient, but current is slower to respond even if you can supply it by designing your work around it. Direct Solid States are more desirable or discrete amplification.
> 
> 
> Quest Style advertising Current amplification as a mean to indicate that it is "less" depending on "loads". But I can tell you that from what I know, Sony Walkman is even more efficient and ways Less depending on "loads". This is the reason why I am saying WM series, the 260 mW per channel is better than you would think it is....the keyword here is "Load"
> ...


 
  
 Remember from high school physics:
 V (voltage) = I (current) * R (resistance)
 I = V / R
  
 Same difference, just re-arranged, all variables are proportionally related. 
  
 Also 
  
 P (power) = V * I
  
 Quest Style advertising current amplification is just that - advertising, when it's measured at the very tail end of the chain it doesn't matter how they got there, the numeric results speaks for themselves, less output power is less output power period, and by extension it is due to either less voltage, less current, or both.  Considering that both DAPs were measured at putting out 2 Vrms, the QP1 is actually objectively putting out less current than the 1A/1Z, so the whole thing about current amplification being more efficient or needed to be consider is, to put it bluntly, BS.
  
 Again as I said before in a previous post, people need to understand and learn to separate the objective fact with their subjective preference.  There is nothing wrong and shameful in subjectively preferring a product that measures objectively worse, because sound preferences by its very definition is completely subjective.  However twisting objective facts around with voodoo wording to make the product you like appear "objectively better" is not helpful and damaging to the hobby. 

 I mean what's so difficult in saying "the 1A may output more power but I prefer the sound of the QP1"?  It's equivalent to saying "A Nissan GTR maybe faster than a BMW M3 but I just prefer the BMW". Nobody can objectively challenge that kind of opinion, but now in making up BS facts about QP1 being more powerful and calling others Sony fanboy, that person only makes themselves appear like a fool, troll and hater.


----------



## Whitigir

sound eq said:


> thanks for all this
> 
> i am more after how do they compare in sound and other functionalities like EQ as Eq is upmost importance to me.




Speaking of EQ ? WM1Z is ways better than Opus #2 already. The only player so far that is worthy of EQ IMHO


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Remember from high school physics:
> V (voltage) = I (current) * R (resistance)
> I = V / R
> 
> ...




The current and voltage is different and can be compared to Water. Voltage is Volumetric, and Current is Pressure...or just Current. A high current can kill you while at relatively low voltage, and but high voltage with relatively low current won't ....let's not talk about those thousand volts here. However, without enough volumetric, Current wouldn't result in anything either. So they are both very co-dependent, though in the end it could be said that Current react faster to changes than voltage does. Say pouring water from bottles to bottles (current) or just simply let it drains bottles to bottles with less pouring forces (voltage). It is whether speed of the changes in paces or the volumetric to get the end result

So in a senses, current is always more important when Load variables is the main role of the device, and in this case, audio equipments. Still, power is power, just different ways of marketing (agreed). There is no way that a 60mW can equal to 260mw, period.

I agree with the rest of the post


----------



## gearofwar

whitigir said:


> Current amp mode ? Lol...i dont think sony is going to tell you what their amplification technology is beside Class D. But i can tell you this much that using juicy Capacitors, if they dont have powerful current, i dont know whatelse does...dont even tell me it uses Op Amp...because it never does. Your current amplification technology could be brought to other DAP that uses opamps but not a strong argument against Sony Walkman and it configurations period. Beside Power is Power, and class D is well known for it efficiency. Also, who else is better at Direct Digital into class D like Sony ? None
> 
> Remember, Walkman WM also uses multiple Coils in their circuitry beside Capacitors....and if coils is not one of those powerful amplification components...what else is ?



I have someone who owns both 1z and qp1r and qp1r comes out more powerful even with 1z on balance. Sorry but your speculation despite not even owning qp1r doesnt make any senses. And im looking at someone who only owns Sony products here even with headphones, you might qualify for true Sony fanboy here.


----------



## Whitigir

Yeah, sometimes there are always things that defy physics and sciences, and that is how us human progress to further technology. It is awesome to hear QP1R is one of this "phenomenal". 60mW is much more powerful than 260mW is truly "defying"


----------



## gerelmx1986

gearofwar said:


> you might qualify for true Sony fanboy here.


 
 Me too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 WARNING: AccessoryJack appears to be Hacked (overtaken), every click on a link results on bogus pop-ups, enforce caution when buying


----------



## goody

whitigir said:


> Speaking of EQ ? WM1Z is ways better than Opus #2 already. The only player so far that is worthy of EQ IMHO


 
 hi whitigir if i remember you have a ZX2 can you briefly tell me the difference in sound between the ZX2 and 1A ...i dont like bright sounding DAPS any hint of that with the 1A ..Thanks in advance


----------



## Dithyrambes

I'm not really sure if anybody has driven an he1000 from a sony wm1a or wm1z.....I have my doubts it can power it well, but will try when the wm1a gets here. I know the qp1r can......though I don't enjoy the sound. Same with the Mojo. I know my ALO CDM can and it has 145mW into 50 ohms.....so dismissing a qp1r without having heard it is........not appropriate...makes one a fan boy really. Also you talk of class D efficiency but I really don't think class D 250mw, compared to class A 250mW will be so different.


----------



## Whitigir

goody said:


> hi whitigir if i remember you have a ZX2 can you briefly tell me the difference in sound between the ZX2 and 1A ...i dont like bright sounding DAPS any hint of that with the 1A ..Thanks in advance




I only have 1Z and Zx2, but I can tell you that 1Z is warmer and more smooth than Zx2 while having better details retrieval. Also, Zx2 is not a bright DAP either


----------



## SabreToothBunny

dithyrambes said:


> I'm not really sure if anybody has driven an he1000 from a sony wm1a or wm1z.....I have my doubts it can power it well, but will try when the wm1a gets here. I know the qp1r can......though I don't enjoy the sound. Same with the Mojo. I know my ALO CDM can and it has [COLOR=444444]145mW into 50 ohms.....so dismissing a qp1r without having heard it is........not appropriate...makes one a fan boy really. Also you talk of class D efficiency but I really don't think class D 250mw, compared to class A 250mW will be so different. [/COLOR]




I have the Questyle QP1r, WM1Z and tried them with my HE1000 while making early comparisons... speculation and debate aside, however you cut it, the QP1r can drive the HE1000 though it really is pushing the unit on high gain and there's little headroom there. As for the WM1Z, it doesn't come close to that power output level and can't drive the HE1000 properly.
Approximating the volume levels, the WM1Z on max volume, high gain is about equal to the QP1r max volume on its medium gain. Both units on high gain, I'd say the WM1Z is capable of about 80% the power of the QP1r... but nevertheless I'd suggest these questions are academic because realistically, while it's nice to have, I doubt the majority of people purchasing these units will be looking to primarily pair it with something that hard to drive or impractical. It would seem more useful for bragging rites than anything.

As for the the QP1r sound... this is subjective but my personal opinion is that it is most definitely NOT mid-fi territory. I did make brief comparisons on the WM1Z impressions page but it's not as simple as saying that one is superior to the other... the synergy and what is being paired with will be a far more defining than each unit on their own. For the most part the WM1Z/A units are far warmer in their presentations and the QP1r is more airy and for the most part faster sounding with a slightly tighter less impactful low frequency response. Detail retrieval is exceptionally good on the QP1r but both units have excellent soundstage (width and layering) capabilities. The QP1r is slightly more analytical, a little dryer and I much prefer it paired with denser, heavier sounding headphones and IEMs eg. Audeze LCD-X, JH Audio Layla, Angie and Earsonic Velvets all of which have quite emphasized bass regions even with their 'tuning' dials right down.
The WM1Z, on the other hand, has a heavier dense sound which pairs well with clearer faster IEMs. Because of the thickness of the presentation in the mids, I quite like the pairing with more V-shaped IEMs/headphones such as the Fostex TH900, Kennerton Odin, Rhapsodio Galaxy & Solar.
The QP1r does have a very poor jog wheel though. The other main reason I keep mine around is that it is a far better and more practical transport being exceptionally clean (cleaner than the WM1Z) used as a line-out and also having optical out. It is a far more pocket friendly DAP, the downside being that battery life is far lower than the WM1 offerings. For now the QP1r is permanently tethered to a Fostex HP-V1 for a transportable hybrid tube rig. They pair nicely and stack well. The WM1z makes for quite an over bassy pairing there.

There is no end game DAP out there, just different choices depending on preferences and limitations.


----------



## Whitigir

Single ended WM1Z ? Isn't single ended WM1Z has 60mW also ?


----------



## SabreToothBunny

whitigir said:


> Single ended WM1Z ?




Sorry, yes, this is from the single ended output of WM1z.... so balanced will be a different story, I'm sure.
Currently waiting for my Pentaconn connectors to come through, I have my wires... but it's an awful lot of braiding.

I should probably add that my unit is an EU version which has since been uncapped and even when it was capped I was able to drive everything, out of single-ended, which I'd consider practical... in fact the only 'practical' headphone I was surprised to find it had trouble with was the Audeze Sine (which it turns out is harder to drive than an LCD-X) but clearly that's fine now. 
Uncapped, it's able to drive a fair few of my planars except for ones I'd never consider using it with because they belong on desktops (HE1000 included in that list)... this is why I'd suggest the power debate is a little academic because frankly the WM1 series has plenty of headroom with pretty much anything someone wants to pair it with.
It's like having a 200mph car and living in an area with a speed limit of 70.

That said, my only power worry is that the WM1Z might not have the power to drive the Unique Melody me.1 or Audeze LCD i3 when they become available but... I'll find out as and when.


----------



## Sound Eq

has the Unique Melody me.1 been released, and does it require more than what sony daps can offer in power


----------



## SabreToothBunny

sound eq said:


> has the Unique Melody me.1 been released, and does it require more than what sony daps can offer in power




The ME.1 made its debut at the Akihabara Audio Festival, Tokyo last month. A friend who was visiting there said his AK380cu+amp module were really being taxed driving it... hence why I'm not sure about whether the WM1Z will have enough power. That said his listening habits are very different to mine and I'm a pretty quiet listener compared to his ear bleeding levels. Personally I think he's deaf.

The WM1Z is amongst the most analogue sounding of my DAPs (bar one, the M1Pro which was designed to emulate vintage gear) and it pairs nicely with most planar headphones I've tried. I would very much like to have at least one planar IEM in the collection as the only ones I've heard so far have been disappointing (OBravo) or near completely open (Audeze iSine). The ME.1 appears to be more semi-open (perforated plate)... I don't know the full design but in principle it can still have dual magnetic stators either side of the diaphragm but with a little more isolation than the Audeze IEMs, which would be nice for outdoor use.

It will be making it's Western debut at Canjam NY in less than a month so I guess we'll find out more details about power and implementation then... it could be power requirements might change prior to official release. As for pricing, Unique Melody have stated it will be less than $1k on release.


----------



## goody

whitigir said:


> I only have 1Z and Zx2, but I can tell you that 1Z is warmer and more smooth than Zx2 while having better details retrieval. Also, Zx2 is not a bright DAP either


 
 yes thats why i like the ZX2 i like warm daps...thanks for the reply


----------



## obileye obiyemi

sabretoothbunny said:


> I have the Questyle QP1r, WM1Z and tried them with my HE1000 while making early comparisons... speculation and debate aside, however you cut it, the QP1r can drive the HE1000 though it really is pushing the unit on high gain and there's little headroom there. As for the WM1Z, it doesn't come close to that power output level and can't drive the HE1000 properly.
> Approximating the volume levels, the WM1Z on max volume, high gain is about equal to the QP1r max volume on its medium gain. Both units on high gain, I'd say the WM1Z is capable of about 80% the power of the QP1r... but nevertheless I'd suggest these questions are academic because realistically, while it's nice to have, I doubt the majority of people purchasing these units will be looking to primarily pair it with something that hard to drive or impractical. It would seem more useful for bragging rites than anything.
> 
> As for the the QP1r sound... this is subjective but my personal opinion is that it is most definitely NOT mid-fi territory. I did make brief comparisons on the WM1Z impressions page but it's not as simple as saying that one is superior to the other... the synergy and what is being paired with will be a far more defining than each unit on their own. For the most part the WM1Z/A units are far warmer in their presentations and the QP1r is more airy and for the most part faster sounding with a slightly tighter less impactful low frequency response. Detail retrieval is exceptionally good on the QP1r but both units have excellent soundstage (width and layering) capabilities. The QP1r is slightly more analytical, a little dryer and I much prefer it paired with denser, heavier sounding headphones and IEMs eg. Audeze LCD-X, JH Audio Layla, Angie and Earsonic Velvets all of which have quite emphasized bass regions even with their 'tuning' dials right down.
> ...


 
 Thank you for this info    very helpful indeed!!


----------



## soundblast75

sabretoothbunny said:


> I have the Questyle QP1r, WM1Z and tried them with my HE1000 while making early comparisons... speculation and debate aside, however you cut it, the QP1r can drive the HE1000 though it really is pushing the unit on high gain and there's little headroom there. As for the WM1Z, it doesn't come close to that power output level and can't drive the HE1000 properly.
> Approximating the volume levels, the WM1Z on max volume, high gain is about equal to the QP1r max volume on its medium gain. Both units on high gain, I'd say the WM1Z is capable of about 80% the power of the QP1r... but nevertheless I'd suggest these questions are academic because realistically, while it's nice to have, I doubt the majority of people purchasing these units will be looking to primarily pair it with something that hard to drive or impractical. It would seem more useful for bragging rites than anything.
> 
> As for the the QP1r sound... this is subjective but my personal opinion is that it is most definitely NOT mid-fi territory. I did make brief comparisons on the WM1Z impressions page but it's not as simple as saying that one is superior to the other... the synergy and what is being paired with will be a far more defining than each unit on their own. For the most part the WM1Z/A units are far warmer in their presentations and the QP1r is more airy and for the most part faster sounding with a slightly tighter less impactful low frequency response. Detail retrieval is exceptionally good on the QP1r but both units have excellent soundstage (width and layering) capabilities. The QP1r is slightly more analytical, a little dryer and I much prefer it paired with denser, heavier sounding headphones and IEMs eg. Audeze LCD-X, JH Audio Layla, Angie and Earsonic Velvets all of which have quite emphasized bass regions even with their 'tuning' dials right down.
> ...




Thats probably the most grown up post I've read here, thank you


----------



## Whitigir

Time to start burning in this Single Ended with TRRS cables and Z1R. Nothing special, only Pure Solid silver cores cables into Z1R


----------



## Lemieux66

Have to say the gold 1Z looks beautiful, my more economical 1A arrives tomorrow - can't wait!

Unlike most here I've not really got much into file-based music in the past so I'll have to start virtually from scratch, ripping CDs and working out how to put the MP3 and FLAC files I have from Bandcamp downloads onto the new Sony player.

It's a huge task to rip a whole CD collection but the Sony looked like such a cool device that it's given me the impetus to move forward from just using physical media. I hope it's not too complicated to start putting some music on it.

Will be using my B&O H6 until a 6.3-3.5 adaptor arrives for my LCD3. If I like the LCD3 sound, can anyone recommend some earbuds for use with the NW-WM1A?


----------



## mscott58

lemieux66 said:


> Have to say the gold 1Z looks beautiful, my more economical 1A arrives tomorrow - can't wait!
> 
> Unlike most here I've not really got much into file-based music in the past so I'll have to start virtually from scratch, ripping CDs and working out how to put the MP3 and FLAC files I have from Bandcamp downloads onto the new Sony player.
> 
> ...


 
 You can also outsource the ripping process! I did it with over 300 CD's a while back and used this service - http://www.musicshifter.com/
  
 Cheers


----------



## Lemieux66

Wow, that actually looks very good. Shame it's US-based, as I'm in the U.K. I'll have a look for a UK-based firm.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I did all my self and took me like 3 Months to rip my Entire CD collection to FLAC


----------



## echineko

The one plus of doing the ripping / conversion yourself is you get to reacquaint yourself with the music, and maybe find out if your tastes have changed since first acquiring those CDs etc. No one said it has to be a race, take your time and enjoy the process eh?
  
 Edit: I happen to be doing something similar right now, and other than those tracks I know I love, I tend to dump an entire album into the 1Z and take my time going through tracks I'm less familiar with, quite fun 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 The folder views for the 1A/1Z really make this convenient too


----------



## gerelmx1986

I did my (re)ripping in 2012 after decided that mp3 sucks and decided to switch to FLAC 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




​ Ps i just copied Tags fro m mp3s to FLACs using mp3Tag/
  
 I just checked how much for nearly 3000 CDs (i dont have that amouht of phydical CDs, mostly is downloads now what i have like 3000 FLAC ambums) and was a whopping 1500 USD ouch! a bit more than the the cost of a WM1A.
  
 Other advantage of soing it yourself i you use dbPowerAMP CD ripper with accuRip you can set the CD drive speed to a morea ccurate rip


----------



## FortisFlyer75

I puled the trigger in the end and had it since Friday night but not had chance to hear it much or had time to read this mammoth thread to find out everything.  
  
 So far with quickly downloading approx 300 of my ripped songs from my 300 ripped tracks in flac on my laptop which transfers the fastest I've ever seen tracks download to any walkman so far which is nice. 
  
 So first quick thoughts bearing in mind I have a ZX1 and  never jumped to the ZX2 for some reason and first thing notice is Wow, the bass kicks like I've never heard a Walkman running flat before!
  
  I had to check it didn't come with EQ turned on.  Lacking a sense of the mids not been forward enough and sounding recessed which was a little shocking but run it in for last two days playing when not using and now in bed with my JH16Pros with Bax cable and it does sound like the mids have appeared a bit more than Friday night and imaging is immense on this machine! 
  
 So I take it without having time to read this mega thread at the moment not until next week sometime there is a certain amount of burn in for the WM1A? 
  
 If it continues like this I think I will like it as my worry was or is the mids staying recessed which is something I am not used to with my Sony's throughout time.


----------



## echineko

fortisflyer75 said:


> So I take it without having time to read this mega thread at the moment not until next week sometime there is a certain amount of burn in for the WM1A?


 
 Good job on the 1A, hope you will enjoy it as you get to know it better. As for the burn in, the recommended amount from Sony is 100 hours for the 1A, I believe (someone will correct me if I'm wrong), but some believe you should go a bit beyond that to let it fully settle. It's a start, in any case.
  
 Edit: It should also be pointed out that there are 2 difference circuits for balanced and SE, so theoretically both will need to settle / burn in. If possible just start with the 4.4mm balanced output, even with the 1A it should be a clear step up in SQ, plus the additional driving power it provides.


----------



## mscott58

The battery on the 1Z is pretty flipping amazing. I've had it playing all day and after 20 hours or so it's only down to half charge. Impressive!


----------



## AnakChan

whitigir said:


> Time to start burning in this Single Ended with TRRS cables and Z1R. Nothing special, only Pure Solid silver cores cables into Z1R
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
  
 Not picking your post specifically but the general posts about burning in SE vs balanced.
  
 May I ask, when 1Z owners are burning in 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm SE separately, exactly what are they burning in? It it just the cables or are they referring to the circuity within the 1Z? If it's the cables, I understand in which case it's just a general cable burn-in topic.
  
 However if it's the circuitry within the 1Z, exactly what portion of the circuitry are they thinking they're burning in? I would expect the S-Master HX digital amp portion for the balanced and SE the same - just wires that split to the the different 4.4mm balanced socket and 3.5mm SE socket. Therefore if one has already spent that 200+ hrs burning in that in balanced portion, the only part that is not burnt in would be short wiring to the SE socket. Would that little short segment benefit *greatly *from burning in?


----------



## Whitigir

anakchan said:


> Not picking your post specifically but the general posts about burning in SE vs balanced.
> 
> May I ask, when 1Z owners are burning in 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm SE separately, exactly what are they burning in? It it just the cables or are they referring to the circuity within the 1Z? If it's the cables, I understand in which case it's just a general cable burn-in topic.
> 
> However if it's the circuitry within the 1Z, exactly what portion of the circuitry are they thinking they're burning in? I would expect the S-Master HX digital amp portion for the balanced and SE the same - just wires that split to the the different 4.4mm balanced socket and 3.5mm SE socket. Therefore if one has already spent that 200+ hrs burning in that in balanced portion, the only part that is not burnt in would be short wiring to the SE socket. Would that little short segment benefit *greatly* from burning in?




 I do not know specific of how the balanced circuitry is being configured away from SE. I only know that the engineers from Sony confirmed that both WM1A and Z has the same balanced out and the count of FT Capacitors VS the SE where the 1A is using some OS Capacitors in place of FT Capacitors. So there are some Capacitors to be burning in as well, and may not be as long as balanced out ?


----------



## productred

anakchan said:


> Not picking your post specifically but the general posts about burning in SE vs balanced.
> 
> May I ask, when 1Z owners are burning in 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm SE separately, exactly what are they burning in? It it just the cables or are they referring to the circuity within the 1Z? If it's the cables, I understand in which case it's just a general cable burn-in topic.
> 
> However if it's the circuitry within the 1Z, exactly what portion of the circuitry are they thinking they're burning in? I would expect the S-Master HX digital amp portion for the balanced and SE the same - just wires that split to the the different 4.4mm balanced socket and 3.5mm SE socket. Therefore if one has already spent that 200+ hrs burning in that in balanced portion, the only part that is not burnt in would be short wiring to the SE socket. Would that little short segment benefit *greatly *from burning in?


 
  
 Interesting point.
  
 I may be wrong, not the resident techie by any stretch of imagination, but I think from pix and diagrams it seems that Sony had, unlike AK or Venturecraft, had completely independent circuitory for SE and balanced beyond the DAC part.
  
 My layman's understanding -
 AK (except AK70): dual DAC, each DAC leading into independent amp sections - SE using one of those two routes while Balanced using both
 Valoq: single DAC, DAC leading into 2 independent amp sections - one for L and one for R. SE just merge the channels after signal leaving amp sections while Balanced using both amped output as it is
 Sony: single DAC (I believe), leading into 2 independent amp modules - one stereo for SE, the other with 2 amp sections for L and R respectively for Balanced
  
 Again I may be wrong (or very wrong) so I stand being corrected.


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

anakchan said:


> Not picking your post specifically but the general posts about burning in SE vs balanced.
> 
> May I ask, when 1Z owners are burning in 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm SE separately, exactly what are they burning in? It it just the cables or are they referring to the circuity within the 1Z? If it's the cables, I understand in which case it's just a general cable burn-in topic.
> 
> However if it's the circuitry within the 1Z, exactly what portion of the circuitry are they thinking they're burning in? I would expect the S-Master HX digital amp portion for the balanced and SE the same - just wires that split to the the different 4.4mm balanced socket and 3.5mm SE socket. Therefore if one has already spent that 200+ hrs burning in that in balanced portion, the only part that is not burnt in would be short wiring to the SE socket. Would that little short segment benefit *greatly *from burning in?


 
  
 No it is not just different wiring between balanced and single ended. The separate burn in is specifically for the separate FT Capacitors and Inductor's used for single ended and balanced output formation, in both 1Z and 1A. The S-master chip is less affected by burn in than the capacitors (although it would still benefit from some burn in).
  
 In below picture:
  
 RED is the Single ended circuitry
 GREEN is the Balanced circuitry
 PINK is the S-Master circuitry (shared by single ended and balanced)
 YELLOW is the Power supply circuitry (shared by single ended and balanced)
 And the rest of pcb is populated by digital circuitry, cpu, storage, wifi etc.


----------



## gerelmx1986

anakchan said:


> May I ask, when 1Z owners are burning in 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm SE separately, exactly what are they burning in? It it just the cables or are they referring to the circuity within the 1Z? If it's the cables, I understand in which case it's just a general cable burn-in topic.


  


 The circuit


----------



## Whitigir

So power supplied is better in WM1Z than WM1A. The inductor coils are more on the balanced and single ended is less while both A and Z has the exact same amplification circuitry ? Only different Capacitors ?


----------



## drjigarn

Has anyone tried the Miter case?


----------



## blazinblazin

I have a question that bothers me.
  
 By using a smaller 2.5mm to 4.4mm adapter.
  
 2.5mm has a smaller contact surface than 4.4mm plug.
  
 Will the Walkman be sending less power to the 2.5mm balanced?
 Will the power sent by the Walkman bottleneck cause of the smaller contact surface of balanced plug?
  
 Will using a direct 4.4mm cable better?


----------



## purk

blazinblazin said:


> I have a question that bothers me.
> 
> By using a smaller 2.5mm to 4.4mm adapter.
> 
> ...


 
 Using a direct 4.4 mm cable better due to two (2) contact points as well as being a larger contact points.  I don't understand why AK decided to go with the 2.5 mm balanced jack either when they could have easily used a little more robust 3.5 mm TRRS jack.  I'm sure it is about avoiding confusion and such.


----------



## SabreToothBunny

blazinblazin said:


> I have a question that bothers me.
> 
> By using a smaller 2.5mm to 4.4mm adapter.
> 
> ...




Yes, agreed; it is likely A&K went with the 2.5mm design to avoid confusion but I'm sure to also differentiate themselves in the market. I think they've done well to make it so well adopted as a standard but like the Pentaconn standard, now means that new cables are required and personally I think there are enough standards now.

With respect to the 2.5mm vs 4.4mm surface area, the surface area of the plug is larger, yes, but the female socket these plugs go into only makes contact via a small completely flat corrogated point so the actual area being conducted through is unlikely to be very different between socket sizes. Besides, with a 2-pin or MMCX IEM cable the surface area at the plug end is magnitudes larger than at the pins. If you've messed around with multimeters to work out the resistance and calculate impedances of loads, you tend to find the resistances are minimal for the socket contacts unless something is seriously wrong.

With cabling, we'll ignore topology and assume that the conductors have a decent structure (ie. less molecular dislocations in the crystal lattice structure). The detrimental factor is the quality of the soldering inside the cable itself. For one thing having exotic conductors for the wires & termination is all fine but it is very much undermined if the conducting material being used to solder these metals is of a poor quality or worse still, has issues like a cold-solder joint.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Dear Friends,
  
 Just received my WM1A. how do i burn in? Do i just leave it playing?
 What is the correct process please?
  
 Many thanks


----------



## denis1976

princeofegypt said:


> Dear Friends,
> 
> Just received my WM1A. how do i burn in? Do i just leave it playing?
> What is the correct process please?
> ...


hello ,yes i leave mine playing even when i am not listening to it, the volume or musical preference does not matter...


----------



## jmills8

denis1976 said:


> hello ,yes i leave mine playing even when i am not listening to it, the volume or musical preference does not matter...


I only use Celine Dions music to burn my players.


----------



## Caruryn

jmills8 said:


> I only use Celine Dions music to burn my players.


 
 Just put Bieber/Ariana Grande,it will be in flames in a few hours.


----------



## Whitigir

caruryn said:


> Just put Bieber/Ariana Grande,it will be in flames in a few hours.




Lol...seriously?


----------



## Caruryn

whitigir said:


> Lol...seriously?


 
 That's the gangsta way,you save on those 400h you wasted.


----------



## gerelmx1986

princeofegypt said:


> Dear Friends,
> 
> Just received my WM1A. how do i burn in? Do i just leave it playing?
> What is the correct process please?
> ...


I play music while burning it in, normal, I never leave it 24/7


----------



## kms108

moneypls said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Those who as ordered the MUC-M12SB1 from Jaben, have you received your ordered yet, or has it been posted, I ordered on the 9th, but hasn't seen the details change yet.
> ...


 

 I got a email from them, and a fedx tracking number, they will send it out tmr.


----------



## jmills8

caruryn said:


> Just put Bieber/Ariana Grande,it will be in flames in a few hours.


All three and Krall in the same boat.


----------



## gerelmx1986

jmills8 said:


> denis1976 said:
> 
> 
> > hello ,yes i leave mine playing even when i am not listening to it, the volume or musical preference does not matter...
> ...







caruryn said:


> jmills8 said:
> 
> 
> > I only use Celine Dions music to burn my players.
> ...


 for the Bieber in fact like Whitigir SERIOUSLY?! your DAP circuitry will short circuit lol , I only play classical music , I put Heinrich Ignaz von Biber (baroque composer) which sounds and is written almost similar to the famous boy of today


----------



## Stephen George

lemieux66 said:


> Will be using my B&O H6 until a 6.3-3.5 adaptor arrives for my LCD3. If I like the LCD3 sound, can anyone recommend some earbuds for use with the NW-WM1A?


 
  
  
 you're going to find that just about anything sounds extraordinary hooked up to it
  
 i have tried the gamut of buds picked up over the years, from the best (IE800s) to the kind of lowly klipsch x12i to BT buds, jaybirdf5, bragi headphone, all pure ear candy..like listening to everything all over again


----------



## Stephen George

sabretoothbunny said:


> Yes, agreed; it is likely A&K went with the 2.5mm design to avoid confusion


 
 i have the earlier model, ak120 and even though i used the headphone port a million times, having that second hole the same exact size throws you off, especially if "under the influence"


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

It does not recognise my sd card with music on it, im guessing i need to format in the sony and transfer over?


----------



## CraftyClown

kms108 said:


> I got a email from them, and a fedx tracking number, they will send it out tmr.




Yep, same here 



princeofegypt said:


> It does not recognise my sd card with music on it, im guessing i need to format in the sony and transfer over?




Try putting all of your music in a folder called MUSIC first. The Sony DAP is expecting to find it there.


----------



## goyete

I hear music trough balanced mode and BT with a MUC-M2BT1. I have checked that the counter sometimes only counts music trough the balanced mode, not via BT. And now while I'm writing these lines it is counting trough BT. Maybe a bug?? Also I have checked that the hours counting isn't well recorded. Yesterday I had about 20 hours and now it appears only 11.


----------



## Stephen George

princeofegypt said:


> It does not recognise my sd card with music on it, im guessing i need to format in the sony and transfer over?


 
 mine was a 256 formatted with ext4 and sitting in my ak240 and just moved it over and it picked everything up (as mentioned, all music in folder named MUSIC)


----------



## Stephen George

audionewbi said:


> Because of WM1A i ended up buying a windows laptop and boy Am I glad I did. Media go is an amazing piece of software. The purpose of Media Go is two fold. First to scan files Temp for SenseMe playlist, the feature that made me a Sony walkman fanboy. And second Gracenote amazing database, you can now update tag and save them. Before Media Go use to update the tags but dont save it in the actual file but in its own internal database. It was great till you wanted to use a different device and than all the metadata was missing.
> 
> Try it guy, it is amazing!


 
  
  
 i had a card with existing music on it that was fully recognized, but no senseme data
 there was a message to use media go which i installed, but it won't monitor a removable disc so i had to "sync" it to my laptop which meant it copied all 240GB worth of files out 
 it then spent over 17 hours "analyzing" them for sensme 
 the log reported it was complete after a day
  
 but still no sensme data on the 1z (only the built in songs)
  
 must be doing something wrong, can anyone enlighten me?
  
 seems like another kludgy media manager
  
 meanwhile on my HAP the senseme is built in ...as you drag and drop, the meta data is updated on the fly


----------



## gerelmx1986

My card was formatted with a Sony zx100 which uses EXFAT and put the music on a folder called MUSIC


----------



## jamato8

purk said:


> Using a direct 4.4 mm cable better due to two (2) contact points as well as being a larger contact points.  I don't understand why AK decided to go with the 2.5 mm balanced jack either when they could have easily used a little more robust 3.5 mm TRRS jack.  I'm sure it is about avoiding confusion and such.


 
 I would agree, to avoid confusion but I also agree that 3.5mm TRRS should have been the minimum for both structural strength and crosstalk. I do like the 4.4 as being more robust and still being small enough for a portable unit. And then Xin was the first to put a standard 1/4 plug in a portable. That was cool in the Reference Amp. 
  


princeofegypt said:


> Dear Friends,
> 
> Just received my WM1A. how do i burn in? Do i just leave it playing?
> What is the correct process please?
> ...


 
 I burn in 24/7 using music that varies a lot and turn off every day or so for a couple of hours. I have found caps etc., to form faster if you cut out the current, allow for a discharge and cooling down and then recharge. That is my experience and what Ray of RSA used to advise.


----------



## jamato8

princeofegypt said:


> It does not recognise my sd card with music on it, im guessing i need to format in the sony and transfer over?


 

 I found that one of my cards would not work in the Sony but luckily a 200gb card that is full and formatted in Fat32 works fine. The exfat wouldn't but seems like it should (it works in the ZX2 but not the A1, not sure why).


----------



## SabreToothBunny

princeofegypt said:


> Dear Friends,
> 
> Just received my WM1A. how do i burn in? Do i just leave it playing?
> What is the correct process please?
> ...




Just in case it's being overlooked; your amplifier needs to be under load for burn in of the output of the circuit to occur while playing ie. connected to your IEMs/headphones otherwise there's no completed circuit and thus no current working through the components on the output stage for burn-in to occur. Additionally this is why, if making the switch from the 3.5mm to 4.4mm (or possibly vice-versa), burn-in will start again from zero hours once you make the switch to using the different output; different circuit being utilised/activated. 
This is particularly ideal if you also have new headphones/IEMs to pair. There are headphones, (Pioneer Master 1 is the longest I've encountered) which takes an audio lifetime to reach their optimum point.

Circuit wise, I don't tend to find integrated op-amps benefit much from burn in but discrete components (capacitors or discrete op-amps/buffers) certainly take time to settle.
That said I'm also an advocate for listening through the burn-in process but if being left to play I'd definitely recommend listening in for a few hours, from time to time, as there's certainly an element of brain burn-in which has to occur and can make for an extremely compelling change in the perceived signature. It's one of the reasons that I think auditioning equipment without extended listening time can be difficult to form a proper impression.


----------



## mscott58

Ding, dong the deal is dead!
  
 Amazon UK NW-WM1A price is now up to £1000 and also it's listed at "This item does not ship to the United States". 
  
 I'm guessing that Sony got wind of those of us who grabbed the deal from the US and wasn't happy. 
  
 https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Electronics-Photo/Sony-NW-WM1A-High-Resolution-Audio-Walkman/B01LHGLG3A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484261453&sr=8-1&keywords=sony+nwwm1a
  
 Cheers


----------



## SabreToothBunny

mscott58 said:


> Ding, dong the deal is dead!
> 
> Amazon UK NW-WM1A price is now up to £1000 and also it's listed at "This item does not ship to the United States".
> 
> ...




Don't worry, it's not a policy change on Amazon UK as I'm going to assume the WM1Z listing doesn't have that notification.
Keep an eye on the listing or use UK.CamelCamelCamel.com to monitor the price, it will drop again but at the minute the last batch of stock has sold out and Amazon UK don't appear to have listed another preorder arrangement for themselves. Perhaps they haven't had a stock update yet.

The reason the units are showing as '... does not ship to the United States' is because that listing is not for Amazon's stock; it's AdvancedMP3Players' (a UK based company) being sold on their behalf by Amazon.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Guys i really would like to buy this, does it ship to the UK because i cant get past the confirmation page or am i missing something?
  
 https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B01M725624/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2S58WNBEFMQSB


----------



## rookie2009

princeofegypt said:


> Guys i really would like to buy this, does it ship to the UK because i cant get past the confirmation page or am i missing something?
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B01M725624/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2S58WNBEFMQSB


 

 You can always try using a forward service like Buyee if you really want that particular item


----------



## kubig123

princeofegypt said:


> Guys i really would like to buy this, does it ship to the UK because i cant get past the confirmation page or am i missing something?
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B01M725624/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2S58WNBEFMQSB


 

 I used Buyee and it worked fine, but it's going to be quite expensive if you add the Buyee fees and shipping costs


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

kubig123 said:


> I used Buyee and it worked fine, but it's going to be quite expensive if you add the Buyee fees and shipping costs


 
  
 Any other way?


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Just tried to uncap my player that i bough from amazon uk, and interestingly i get this when i run the tool?
  
 Model: NW-WM1A
 Series: NW-WM1 Series
 Destination: CEW2 (103)
 Sound pressure: 0 (off)
  
 looka like its already been messed about with?


----------



## kubig123

princeofegypt said:


> Any other way?


 

 did you try on Ebay?
 Shipping is usually cheaper there.


----------



## Sound Eq

i do not get it, now the price of wm1a at amazon uk is back at 1000 GBP
  
 how come this huge fluctuations in pricing, yesterday it was about 780 GBP or even less


----------



## kubig123

sound eq said:


> i do not get it, now the price of wm1a at amazon uk is back at 1000 GBP
> 
> how come this huge fluctuations in pricing, yesterday it was about 780 GBP or even less


 
 check the seller.
  
 this is not amazon uk, but a 3rd party that sell it overprice.


----------



## mscott58

craftyclown said:


> Ok boys and girls, so here we go then:
> 
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Changing_destination_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation
> 
> ...


 
 Worked like a charm! Just unlocked my UK sourced 1A and was very simple to do. Now to get down to burning it in a bit so I can start comparing the 1A to the 1Z. Cheers and thanks


----------



## mscott58

kubig123 said:


> check the seller.
> 
> this is not amazon uk, but a 3rd party that sell it overprice.


 
 Actually, if you click on the "Other sellers" button it shows that Amazon UK has also taken it up to 1000 GBP, although they are sold out. Cheers


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

mscott58 said:


> Worked like a charm! Just unlocked my UK sourced 1A and was very simple to do. Now to get down to burning it in a bit so I can start comparing the 1A to the 1Z. Cheers and thanks


 
  
 Hmmm was your sound pressure 0 or 1 to begin with?


----------



## SabreToothBunny

princeofegypt said:


> Guys i really would like to buy this, does it ship to the UK because i cant get past the confirmation page or am i missing something?
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B01M725624/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2S58WNBEFMQSB




Unless there's a particularly compelling reason you want that specific screen protector, the Ebay Seller (2x hi-gloss screen protectors) that CraftyClown suggested to you a few pages back also sells tempered glass screen protectors. I ended up placing an order on the strength of *Fsilva*'s post here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-flagship-hi-end-dap/6930#post_13160089
Quality and feel is top-notch and comparing the specs to your Amazon JP listing, looks pretty much the same. The price is less than half that of the JP listing and it's free delivery, 4 days Germany to UK.

When you come to install, it does help to do the work in somewhere like the bathroom; run hot water in the bath for a minute or so and the moisture in the air will minimise the amount of dust you have to contend with.


----------



## mscott58

princeofegypt said:


> Hmmm was your sound pressure 0 or 1 to begin with?


 
 It was actually 0, but there wasn't an option for the high gain output. Cheers


----------



## proedros

nice to see more people getting the 1a , would love *some comparisons with the zx2 *
  
 i was also eyeing DX200 but just heard that it uses the AK balanced mode , so it is no more a buying option for me as all my cables are sony trrs terminated so 1a seems like the only possible dap upgrade for me atm


----------



## jamato8

proedros said:


> nice to see more people getting the 1a , would love *some comparisons with the zx2 *
> 
> i was also eyeing DX200 but just heard that it uses the AK balanced mode , so it is no more a buying option for me as all my cables are sony trrs terminated so 1a seems like the only possible dap upgrade for me atm


 

 The 1A is more dynamic, more transparent, not as warm and more open sounding compared to the ZX2. You obviously have much more power with the 1A and this would help in many areas but I also think they worked harder on the 1A/1Z circuitry and put out an all new machine with a higher musical standard.


----------



## proedros

jamato8 said:


> The 1A is more dynamic, more transparent, not as warm and more open sounding compared to the ZX2. You obviously have much more power with the 1A and this would help in many areas but I also think they worked harder on the 1A/1Z circuitry and put out an all new machine with a higher musical standard.


 
  
 thanx man , very helpful impressions - sounds like 1a is an improved dx80 (which sounds more airy than zx2)

 you are one of the nicest and most helpful guys in here btw (i remember you from the dx90 thread) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 so , would you say that 1A is a definite  upgrade to the ZX2 , worth getting and moving up higher to that never-ending stairway of sonic bliss ?


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

why does it always create a databse everytime you insert or remove an sd card...very annoying!


----------



## Whitigir

princeofegypt said:


> why does it always create a databse everytime you insert or remove an sd card...very annoying!




Do you chew on foods every time you insert it ? Lol.....I rather it automatically create database than having to manually selected it


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

whitigir said:


> Do you chew on foods every time you insert it ? Lol.....I rather it automatically create database than having to manually selected it


 
  AK or Onkyo dont do that...


----------



## jamato8

proedros said:


> thanx man , very helpful impressions - sounds like 1a is an improved dx80 (which sounds more airy than zx2)
> 
> you are one of the nicest and most helpful guys in here btw (i remember you from the dx90 thread)
> 
> ...


 

 Thank you. Talk to my wife, maybe she will like me better. lol (kidding we get along, most of the time). 
  
 Yes, it is an upgrade. I stopped listening to the ZX2. I like it but the DX80 has a little something more. The 1A is very good and the battery still seems to last forever. There is a little lag that I hope they can get rid of with a FW update. Sometimes 1 to 2 seconds, which doesn't sound like much but when you are going from one song to another album or going to the album page there is that momentary wait, and we want it now! lol I imagine the sound will keep the 1A going for some time on the market unless Sony people convinces people to buy the latest and greatest but I know from having a number of very good daps, this will be at the very top for some time.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Some one know for how many seconds I must press the power button when taking a Screenshot? I have the problem that all my Screenshots come with the pop-up of turn the player off/restart 

Thanks


----------



## Tanjiro

mscott58 said:


> Worked like a charm! Just unlocked my UK sourced 1A and was very simple to do. Now to get down to burning it in a bit so I can start comparing the 1A to the 1Z. Cheers and thanks



Did you update firmware before uncap it?


----------



## Sarnia

sound eq said:


> i do not get it, now the price of wm1a at amazon uk is back at 1000 GBP
> 
> how come this huge fluctuations in pricing, yesterday it was about 780 GBP or even less


 
 When Amazon UK run out of stock the price always seems to jump back to at or near the recommended retail price. It's just the pricing algorithm. The reason it's gone to £1,000 is because Advanced MP3 Players are selling at that price. If Amazon list it as pre-order rather than out of stock then it seems to keep the lower price, like with the Z1R.
  
 I see that they now have one in stock and the price has stayed at £1,000. I'm sure it'll drop again when Amazon's pricing algorithm decides to for who know what reason.


----------



## mscott58

craftyclown said:


> Cracked it!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
@CraftyClown - You're a genius once again! Was having issues with an old mircroSD card I found and was trying to use on the 1Z and 1A and nothing was working, then I remembered there had been such a discussion here a while back and sure enough, the SD formatting program worked! Cheers and thanks


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Guys can i tell how many hours on the unit?


----------



## mscott58

moneypls said:


> Did you update firmware before uncap it?


 
 Yep! Firmware 1.02 installed and volume cap removed/high gain output added. Was really easy! Cheers


----------



## mscott58

princeofegypt said:


> Guys can i tell how many hours on the unit?


 
 Choose "settings" and then scroll all the way to the bottom to "unit information" and it shows "audio played". Cheers


----------



## Lemieux66

My 1A arrived a few hours ago from Amazon UK.

Media Go software is really good - I'm terrible with computers yet I've managed to do everything I've wanted to with it. It found all my old iTunes ALAC files I'd forgotten about from 6 years ago which was a nice surprise. I assume ALAC is a suitable codec to use, it's like FLAC isn't it?

Not worried about burn in either, just enjoying the music! It sounds great, even with my modest B&O H5. Can't wait to try my LCD3.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

mscott58 said:


> Choose "settings" and then scroll all the way to the bottom to "unit information" and it shows "audio played". Cheers


 
 Will this counter be reset if you reset the unit?


----------



## mscott58

princeofegypt said:


> Will this counter be reset if you reset the unit?


 
 Let's see! Just hit "reset all settings", and now it's resetting (nice it tells you that your music won't be deleted)...
  
 Coming back on now with funky waving line screen...
  
 Creating the database...
  
 Now were' back!
  
 Checking unit information...
  
 Nope, still shows the same amount of time in the "audio played" field. 
  
 Cheers 
  
 PS - Not sure what would happen if you select "restore to factory configuration" as that will delete all your music, and while I like to be useful here, I don't feel like reloading the whole device!


----------



## davidcotton

lemieux66 said:


> My 1A arrived a few hours ago from Amazon UK.
> 
> Media Go software is really good - I'm terrible with computers yet I've managed to do everything I've wanted to with it. It found all my old iTunes ALAC files I'd forgotten about from 6 years ago which was a nice surprise. I assume ALAC is a suitable codec to use, it's like FLAC isn't it?
> 
> Not worried about burn in either, just enjoying the music! It sounds great, even with my modest B&O H5. Can't wait to try my LCD3.




Alac will be fine, but probably won't have artwork attached. You will need to use a program called mp3tag to embed the artwork that way. Good news is that once done they should show up on any player you use. If you haven't already, you will need to create a folder called music on the sd card and put all directories in that one for the Sony to see it.


----------



## Tanjiro

What's going on here?! My 1A supposed to be arrived today. When I checked with the provided tracking # on UPS. My 1A is now back to UK?!! It was in US last Friday...


----------



## Whitigir

moneypls said:


> What's going on here?! My 1A supposed to be arrived today. When I checked with the provided tracking # on UPS. My 1A is now back to UK?!! It was in US last Friday...




Custom issues ?


----------



## Lemieux66

davidcotton said:


> Alac will be fine, but probably won't have artwork attached. You will need to use a program called mp3tag to embed the artwork that way. Good news is that once done they should show up on any player you use. If you haven't already, you will need to create a folder called music on the sd card and put all directories in that one for the Sony to see it.




Well somehow 95% of the ALAC files seem to have full cover art and other meta data already, iTunes found them years ago automatically.

I'm not using an SD card yet, just the Sony's own internal memory. I'll be sure to follow your advice when I do though, thanks for the tip.


----------



## Tanjiro

whitigir said:


> Custom issues ?



Never come across a scenario like this before. I really have no clue whether Amazon.uk will dispatch my 1A again...


----------



## gerelmx1986

lemieux66 said:


> My 1A arrived a few hours ago from Amazon UK.
> 
> Media Go software is really good - I'm terrible with computers yet I've managed to do everything I've wanted to with it. It found all my old iTunes ALAC files I'd forgotten about from 6 years ago which was a nice surprise. I assume ALAC is a suitable codec to use, it's like FLAC isn't it?
> 
> Not worried about burn in either, just enjoying the music! It sounds great, even with my modest B&O H5. Can't wait to try my LCD3.


 

 I had a similar issue when i sold my zx100 to a russian guy, i got it back LOL, cusoms issues


----------



## Tanjiro

gerelmx1986 said:


> I had a similar issue when i sold my zx100 to a russian guy, i got it back LOL, cusoms issues



I am speechless now...


----------



## Lemieux66

After a few hours of plain-sailing I've now run into problems with Media Go and the WM1A 

It won't recognise when a CD is loaded into the disc drive anymore and won't recognise when the WM1A is connected as a USB mass storage device. It seems to only acknowledge a CD is in the drive if I pre-load the CD before launching Media Go but then the player is not being recognised so I can't put anymore music onto it until I sort this out. Keeps saying Media Go has not closed down properly the last few times and suggests I delete the entire media library. I thought sounded a bit drastic TBH.

It says it should work with Windows 7, so don't know why this is happening. Anyway, gone midnight so I'll look into it tomorrow.


----------



## gerelmx1986

My WM1A restarted and los 4 hours i had 123:19 and now displays 119:19


----------



## mscott58

moneypls said:


> What's going on here?! My 1A supposed to be arrived today. When I checked with the provided tracking # on UPS. My 1A is now back to UK?!! It was in US last Friday...




I've had that happen before, where it jumped around in showing the location. And was due to customs issues. Hope the same is true for you!


----------



## tangents

Mine arrived a couple of hours ago with a dead battery. Charging it now, but it won't turn off while charging. When I disconnect the USB I can turn it off successfully.
  
 Shark proofed it, unlocked high-gain mode, then flashed the firmware from 1.00 to 1.02


----------



## gerelmx1986

​Some Paganini Chamber music, Woed by the opened-up sound


----------



## Dithyrambes

> So far, i have to say I feel a bit lukewarm about the WM1A.....I know people will say I'm crazy but I think 1Z should be better.
> 
> Compared to the ZX2, its a lot of energetic and you notice the expanded soundstage and extended treble.
> 
> ...





>





> I know I'm nitpicking......sounds really amazing.........just trying to give a good comparison since I was a ZX2 lover.
> 
> All listening was done on TRRS 3.5mm single ended without volume cap, in Direct Mode.





>





> Listening through my ALO CDM.......just have to say.....sounds just wonderful.....I really wished CDM didn't add anything, but it does ><.


----------



## soundblast75

mscott58 said:


> Choose "settings" and then scroll all the way to the bottom to "unit information" and it shows "audio played". Cheers



Mine just went from 78h back to 57 without me resetting anything.. Hmm
Also, some embedded artwork showing on my other daps wouldn't show on Sony, not many, but not sure why..


----------



## goody

dithyrambes said:


> > So far, i have to say I feel a bit lukewarm about the WM1A.....I know people will say I'm crazy but I think 1Z should be better.
> >
> > Compared to the ZX2, its a lot of energetic and you notice the expanded soundstage and extended treble.
> >
> ...


 
 hmmm interesting so you think it sounds brighter?...i love my warm lush sound it sounds similar to the Hongkong ZX100 i had some time ago


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Dithyrambes I don't note the  Trebble to be grainy at all or edgy, that was actually what i Heard on the ZX100 and the switcht to a warmer player first was odd to me, but now i like the sound, more analogue and natural, the soundstage depends on the record, if your álbum shows a tremendous soundstage then it displays as it was recorded, because now listening to that pagannini and is a chamber work recorded on a smaller hall tan your typisches konzertsaal
  
 Also the bass impact depends on record and more on the Headphones paiting, with my Z7 i get slamming bass with cellos and double bass, organs also Z5 even more than Z7


----------



## blazinblazin

Dithyrambes I would say just go for a Sony 4.4mm Kimber


----------



## gerelmx1986

Perhaps Dithy must give more time to burn it in, mine started again sounding odd it has 125 Hr still far from the 400 hr predicted by whit, despite that already note a change in opennes of the soundstage


----------



## Dithyrambes

I will keep burning it in...see if it changes. Just the problem is i am comparing it to a ALO CDM with Mullard tubes and its not even close unfortunately. Soundstage is pretty big, but not close to i guess a hybrid tube amp. I know different categories, but I'm working with pure sq. I will say though it is probably the best dap I have heard so far....so hats off to Sony.


----------



## gerelmx1986

dithyrambes said:


> I will keep burning it in...see if it changes. Just the problem is i am comparing it to a ALO CDM with Mullard tubes and its not even close unfortunately. Soundstage is pretty big, but not close to i guess a hybrid tube amp. I know different categories, but I'm working with pure sq. I will say though it is probably the best dap I have heard so far....so hats off to Sony.


 

 Mine sounded right now with a lack of bass, problema solved, switched tips of Z5 from M foam filled to L foam-filled tips and now i get the oproper seal and bass impact i want, is very odd because before the XBA-A3 the sony tips that fitted my canals were the médium (green) ones, now i need to get the L (Blue) ones with foam
  
 some one here has the new triple comfort sony tips and i want to ask him or her where di he/she got them, easier route would be switch to comply foamies


----------



## Jazzi

mscott58 said:


> Yep! Firmware 1.02 installed and volume cap removed/high gain output added. Was really easy! Cheers


 

 Got mine today, too.  I don't think the order matters much.  I removed the volume cap at 1.0 and then upgraded the firmware.  And agree, it was really easy.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Well its not a matter of fit for me.....because the CDM kicks like a mule with the exact same tips, and I remember the ZX2 having better driver control and impact...anyways....gonna burn it in overnight and listen tomorrow to see if there are changes . It is really is a great dap....can recommend it as an upgrade to the ZX2(though might differ on taste), the QP1R, and AK320.....but i think purk was correct. Shouldn't expect more than a PHA3 ><.
  
 I also don't think andros sound good on hi gain on SE....it kills the soundstage and air...makes it very dry and dull....YMMV
  
 Wow I should upgrade to 1.02 Lol brb


----------



## Jazzi

lemieux66 said:


> My 1A arrived a few hours ago from Amazon UK.
> 
> Media Go software is really good - I'm terrible with computers yet I've managed to do everything I've wanted to with it. It found all my old iTunes ALAC files I'd forgotten about from 6 years ago which was a nice surprise. I assume ALAC is a suitable codec to use, it's like FLAC isn't it?
> 
> Not worried about burn in either, just enjoying the music! It sounds great, even with my modest B&O H5. Can't wait to try my LCD3.


 

 So far I haven't figured out the need for MediaGo.  I'm able to drag folders from my server on both my Windows and Mac computers.  If I'm able to do that, is there any reason to use MediaGo?


----------



## gerelmx1986

jazzi said:


> So far I haven't figured out the need for MediaGo.  I'm able to drag folders from my server on both my Windows and Mac computers.  If I'm able to do that, is there any reason to use MediaGo?


 
  I use it to keep my music well organized (Tagged) more tan other thing


----------



## boomtube

So the 1A is closer to neutral in it's signature, ...and the 1Z is warmer? Which signature is closer to Paw Gold in it's overall tone?


----------



## gerelmx1986

​With 24-bit sounds awesome, Viola da gamba (cousing of the Cello @Dithyrambes


----------



## Jalo

@Gerelmx, how can you listen on SE at 46?  With Yo Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott's Paris La Belle Epoque, I am at 100 on high gain on Balance with my Vega.  If you can listen through your 300 classical CDs, my hats off to you, you must be a very patience person.  There are so many passages in classical music I have to skip before I jump out of my skin.


----------



## jmills8

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​With 24-bit sounds awesome, Viola da gamba (cousing of the Cello @Dithyrambes


Look at that guy with a wig. Thats hotttata!


----------



## Mimouille

Finally all plugs protected  And yes I already scratched the Dignis.


----------



## echineko

mimouille said:


> Finally all plugs protected  And yes I already scratched the Dignis.



Where did you get that from, do you have a link?


----------



## SabreToothBunny

dithyrambes said:


> The player doesn't sound as lush or musical anymore...it sounds a bit more analytical...
> 
> The treble though more extended sounds a bit grainy and crispy....There is much less bass quantity in comparison, especially to the ZX2, as it its a more brighter tuning than a warm analog tuning. Its more towards QP1R signature than the ZX2...
> 
> The soundstage does seem bigger, but also for me it feels odd. It was wider but didn't have much depth. What I would prefer for a real bigger soundstage is if there was more screen room and everything scaled according to the screen space, giving a more natural presentation.




Taken select quotes from the above: I can't say in comparison directly to the QP1R or ZX2 but when I had a brief comparison of my friends WM1A to my WM1Z the brighter less analogue signiature and lack of depth were immediately apparent. This was what I said a week ago about the two:



sabretoothbunny said:


> So I had a post-New Year meet up with a friend who has purchased the WM1A (warehouse deal) and I had a very brief comparison... both WM1s are interesting units because certainly for thicker sounding IEMs I personally find the WM1A to pair slightly *better in terms of a little clarity while taking a noticeable step back in terms of depth and layering*... highs were slightly more easily discerned. *Presentation seemed a touch more airy while also being flatter. The WM1Z does not sound slower in any way nor any less resolute, just heavier in its presentation, warmer sounding with a liquid mid presentation and noticeably warmer signature. Certainly the WM1Z has a more emotive 'rounded' analog sound*... and this is where I'll digress because I wanted to be sociable and didn't spend much more time drawing comparisons. Those were my initial takeaways from a brief comparison.




You'll definitely need to give it a little more time to burn-in and yourself to get used to the signiature though. My friend is doing the 'leave it play 24hrs' thang and has said to me that he's found the presentation to settle nicely, now he's added a good 100hrs on (plus it was an Amazon return with some hours already).


----------



## SabreToothBunny

boomtube said:


> So the 1A is closer to neutral in it's signature, ...and the 1Z is warmer? Which signature is closer to Paw Gold in it's overall tone?




I didn't have my LPG with me to compare directly to the WM1A but I can be pretty confident in saying it sounds closer to the WM1Z in tonality than the WM1A. LPG is the main 'other' player which I compare to the WM1Z in terms of 'that' level of sound quality with a warm but resolute presentation.
There are some differences between the two but the the things which are similar are also the differences I noted above when comparing the WM1A to the WM1Z;
 - Both LPG & WM1Z have superb depth, resolution and layering capabilities
 - Both LPG & WM1Z err on the side of a warmer SQ with an extremely textured, palpable bass response
 - Both LPG & WM1Z have a somewhat analogue sound signiature albeit the WM1Z noticeably warmer
 - WM1Z has much wider soundstaging capabilities with the LPG being narrower. It's the one Achilles heel of the LPG 
 - WM1Z has a heavier presentation with a big 'thickness' to its sound while still maintaining its width
 - WM1Z has even more thickness in its mids. Male vocals have more gravitas and there is a little more emotion in female presentation
 - The LPG has more easily discernable highs which make it seem more detail - the WM1Z doesn't have less detail, it's just its 'thickness' means there's more to process
 - The LPG has the slightly more visceral, upfront aggressive presentation

Comparing LPG, WM1Z and QP1R... if you take the QP1R to be the most analytical and the WM1Z to be the most analogue sounding, the LPG sits somewhere between the two, leaning a smidge closer to the WM1Z's warmer presentation.
The WM1Z never gives me simblance even with the harshest recording and is also the most forgiving of the three with poor recordings.


----------



## jmills8

sabretoothbunny said:


> I didn't have my LPG with me to compare directly to the WM1A but I can be pretty confident in saying it sounds closer to the WM1Z in tonality than the WM1A. LPG is the main 'other' player which I compare to the WM1Z in terms of 'that' level of sound quality with a warm but resolute presentation.
> There are some differences between the two but the the things which are similar are also the differences I noted above when comparing the WM1A to the WM1Z;
> - Both LPG & WM1Z have superb depth, resolution and layering capabilities
> - Both LPG & WM1Z err on the side of a warmer SQ with an extremely textured, palpable bass response
> ...


 So which dap errs to the cold side?


----------



## Mimouille

echineko said:


> Where did you get that from, do you have a link?


 
 Got it on taobao, but I am sure if you look for WM port dust protector on google you can find one on ebay


----------



## Mimouille

sabretoothbunny said:


> - Both LPG & WM1Z have superb depth, resolution and layering capabilities
> - Both LPG & WM1Z err on the side of a warmer SQ with an extremely textured, palpable bass response
> - Both LPG & WM1Z have a somewhat analogue sound signiature albeit the WM1Z noticeably warmer
> - WM1Z has much wider soundstaging capabilities with the LPG being narrower. It's the one Achilles heel of the LPG
> ...


 
  
 I agree with all of the above, owning both, with a few comments:

I don't find LPG so analog sounding, it is less smooth than the Sony to me
The LPG is narrower but has incredible depth the foundation of the sound is very solid
LPG is clearly less thick in the mids


----------



## SabreToothBunny

jmills8 said:


> So which dap errs to the cold side?




Hmm... Astell & Kern AKXX0(?) Replace X with numbers at random with scattergun.

I'll probably display my ignorance here and possibly I should link a glossary of terms as I use them in case they differ from what others mean but I tend to think of 'warm' to mean good body to their presentation, especially below 200Hz, large, richer, weightier sounding with 'sweeter' highs. I tend to think of 'cold' as sacrificing musicality and body for a thinner sound.
To me the QP1R is relatively flat but still with a touch of emphasis in its bass presentation and plenty of extension 'on top'. LPG is warmer with chunkier bass and the WM1Z is the warmest heaviest sounding. Not sure if I own a 'cold' DAP as I tend to steer away from that signiature.

One of the difficulties is it's a bit relative and dependant on gear/pairings and the only components I own which I'd consider flat are on my desktop setups. The best portable gear is still behind the best desktops... though I know this is relative. Most portable gear sounds coloured in one way or another to my ears... hmm, aside from the Shure KSE1500. That's about as frequency flat, neutral in signiature as portable gets.


----------



## TokenGesture

Is anyone using the 1A with the MDR 100X?  Am I right to be thinking the sound over LDAC Bluetooth is better than it has any right to be, or do I need to send back my Headfi membership card? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I assume the Headphone is acting as DAC so I'm thinking it is placebo BUT I remember Jude saying something about how the combination really sings, so I'm wondering why that might be?


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Guys is this normal? The plastic ring around the balanced jack seems to be off centre...


----------



## denis1976

princeofegypt said:


> Guys is this normal? The plastic ring around the balanced jack seems to be off centre...


yes its normal


----------



## Lemieux66

Someone on the previous page said they weren't sure what Media Go is for and that they just drag and drop the files.

I've barely used a computer in the last few years as I've been using an iPad (big mistake - it's hard to remember even pretty basic 'how to use a computer' stuff now!).

I've found Media Go really good because it's found all my music from all over my computer and when you put a CD in it recognises it and it's all on one screen to put it into the Sony.

So if I want to use the method the other poster used, how can I put music on the Sony without using Media Go? Can't see how I'd be able to rip a CD on FLAC without Media Go. Tried the other night and it wouldn't get the cover art for a start.


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> yes its normal




Yeah, it is normal . Hey denis, why selling 380Cu already


----------



## jmills8

whitigir said:


> Yeah, it is normal . Hey denis, why selling 380Cu already


 cause the Sony is aaa lot better?


----------



## Bengkia369

mimouille said:


> Finally all plugs protected  And yes I already scratched the Dignis.




Dignis leather case very easy to get scratches, my Opus #2 case already had many scratches but giving it more character, I love it!


----------



## mscott58

Anyone have the Miter case?


----------



## Tanjiro

jazzi said:


> Got mine today, too.  I don't think the order matters much.  I removed the volume cap at 1.0 and then upgraded the firmware.  And agree, it was really easy.



For those of you who have updated firmware of your 1A from Amazon.uk. Did u download the firmware for Sony.uk or Sony.eu? Thanks in advance.


----------



## Lemieux66

moneypls said:


> For those of you who have updated firmware of your 1A from Amazon.uk. Did u download the firmware for Sony.uk or Sony.eu? Thanks in advance.




I got mine from Amazon UK but don't know which site it was updated from. Should there be a concern over this? Surely software 1.02 is the same wherever you get it from as it's the same version name?


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Guys what is the best case to buy right now? are the choices limited to the sony leather case and dignis case?


----------



## AnakChan

princeofegypt said:


> Guys what is the best case to buy right now? are the choices limited to the sony leather case and dignis case?


 
  
 Sony, Dignis Midas, Miter, Musashino Label, unknown brand silicone case and I'm sure there's others.


----------



## Lemieux66

anakchan said:


> Sony, Dignis Midas, Miter, Musashino Label, unknown brand silicone case and I'm sure lots more others.




Ooh where can I get a silicon case please?


----------



## AnakChan

lemieux66 said:


> Ooh where can I get a silicon case please?


 

 I don't know overseas. In Japan they're easily found on Rakuten :-

 http://item.rakuten.co.jp/blade/nw-wm1z-b31-t61207/
  
 And I'm sure these prices are much more than if bought from China.


----------



## GREYH0UND

denis1976 said:


> yes its normal


 

 mine has a tiny little  bit of play between the black insertion ring and the gold ring in the 3.5 jack hole
 is it normal?


----------



## Rei87

There are some leather artisans who might have, and I wouldnt be surprised,started working on a custom case for the 1Z. Its what I got for my CU, when the standard issue or aftermarket forbid just wasn't cutting it for me.

I recently ordered a shell Cordovan case even though I already have a aesopica one, and my friend a pull up leather for his CU. So if any of you guys are looking for something with more character for your 1Z, you should really try asking around in leather shops or sites. These people, don't advertise their products in mainstream audio sites, but they really are the gems worth hunting down for that little extra oomph


----------



## musicday

whitigir said:


> denis1976 said:
> 
> 
> > yes its normal
> ...



The best of the best of the best


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> The best of the best of the best




I have no problem with someone claiming of something for being the best of the best. My question would be "for how long?"


----------



## Whitigir

greyh0und said:


> mine has a tiny little  bit of play between the black insertion ring and the gold ring in the 3.5 jack hole
> is it normal?




Yes, this is normal, just don't play with this plays


----------



## mscott58

rei87 said:


> There are some leather artisans who might have, and I wouldnt be surprised,started working on a custom case for the 1Z. Its what I got for my CU, when the standard issue or aftermarket forbid just wasn't cutting it for me.
> 
> I recently ordered a shell Cordovan case even though I already have a aesopica one, and my friend a pull up leather for his CU. So if any of you guys are looking for something with more character for your 1Z, you should really try asking around in leather shops or sites. These people, don't advertise their products in mainstream audio sites, but they really are the gems worth hunting down for that little extra oomph




Would love a good shell cordovan case for my 1Z! Love that leather, even if it does come from a horses rear-end. Have shell cordovan shoes and had a custom strap made for my Apple Watch. Any makers names to share? Cheers


----------



## mscott58

whitigir said:


> I have no problem with someone claiming of something for being the best of the best. My question would be "for how long?"




Exactly!


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

anakchan said:


> Sony, Dignis Midas, Miter, Musashino Label, unknown brand silicone case and I'm sure there's others.




What's the most luxurious leather case out there that offers great protection too?


----------



## GREYH0UND

after much thinking i was considering getting a pair of Focal Elear for this player...what do you think?


----------



## gerelmx1986

princeofegypt said:


> Guys is this normal? The plastic ring around the balanced jack seems to be off centre...


seems normal


----------



## Dithyrambes

Let the player burn overnight.......Just listened to Daft Punk's Random Access Memories on my commute....I've never felt so tired listening to this album before. Just the PRAT and toe tapping factor are at a minimum. Still burning it in continuously, while working. Hope it gets better ><.


----------



## gerelmx1986

dithyrambes said:


> Let the player burn overnight.......Just listened to Daft Punk's Random Access Memories on my commute....I've never felt so tired listening to this album before. Just the PRAT and toe tapping factor are at a minimum. Still burning it in continuously, while working. Hope it gets better ><.


 

 ​Perhaps it is good for Classical and /or Jazz


----------



## Dithyrambes

Changing the beat to Keith Jarrett for now


----------



## Fsilva

Local leather artisan all the way! My green army leather case was sent to be readjusted. Version 2 will be in my hands within a couple of days!
 And i also ordered a new one to Valentin a leather artisan from Ukrain who also have done several leather cases for several other DAP´s
 You guy´s keep paying 130€ to Dignis for a case that would cost no more than 50€....


----------



## denis1976

musicday said:


> The best of the best of the best


yes faaaaarrrrrrrr best than your Tera my friend...don't forget...i sokd my Tera to


----------



## denis1976

whitigir said:


> Yeah, it is normal . Hey denis, why selling 380Cu already


everytime i listen to it i give up the selling...is really the best of the best...i am going to give up


----------



## musicday

denis1976 said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > The best of the best of the best
> ...



If my Tera Player wasn't good enough for me,I wouldn't have kept it for 4 years and use it for more then 10000 hours now.
Let's see if you can use your AK380 that long,but i doubt as you are already selling it lol.


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> If my Tera Player wasn't good enough for me, I wouldn't have kept it for 4 years and use it for more then 3000 hours.




3000 hours man ? My WM1Z is barely burned in at 500 hours


----------



## denis1976

musicday said:


> If my Tera Player wasn't good enough for me,I wouldn't have kept it for 4 years and use it for more then 10000 hours now.
> Let's see if you can use your AK380 that long,but i doubt as you are already selling it lol.


yes the Tera is good enough for YOU but sucks for ME....even the Sony 1A is overall better


----------



## musicday

We all have different sound signature types and that's fine with me.As for me i don't really like touch screen music players but i am willing to try DX200 as I started with DX100 more or less.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Despite all the software minor hiccups, I like the sound of the WM1A too


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> Despite all the software minor hiccups, I like the sound of the WM1A too


the sound of the 1A is very good, for the price is one of the best i ever heard, the stage is great the detail is very good and has that magic in sound that i found in the zx2 maybe not has romantic but has more dynamic and scale, the ak380cu is another league, don't know if it is better or worse than the 1Z but is more organic and dense sound with a bass extension that makes you go wooooowww


----------



## proedros

dithyrambes said:


> > So far, i have to say I feel a bit lukewarm about the WM1A.....I know people will say I'm crazy but I think 1Z should be better.
> >
> > Compared to the ZX2, its a lot of energetic and you notice the expanded soundstage and extended treble.
> >
> ...


 
  
 please let us know once you have 200 hours with it


----------



## ledzep

fsilva said:


> Local leather artisan all the way! My green army leather case was sent to be readjusted. Version 2 will be in my hands within a couple of days!
> And i also ordered a new one to Valentin a leather artisan from Ukrain who also have done several leather cases for several other DAP´s
> You guy´s keep paying 130€ to Dignis for a case that would cost no more than 50€....




Think mines the overall winner for protection and security not to mention damm stylish !


----------



## gerelmx1986

@goody Maybe riht it has the sound of the ZX100 but with an added extra Warmenss and i think that, the warmness makes it sound so organic and lush, it sounds better tan zx100 is true, lets see how gets after 400h


----------



## Jazzi

lemieux66 said:


> Someone on the previous page said they weren't sure what Media Go is for and that they just drag and drop the files.
> 
> I've barely used a computer in the last few years as I've been using an iPad (big mistake - it's hard to remember even pretty basic 'how to use a computer' stuff now!).
> 
> ...


 

@Lemieux66, that was me.  I guess it's just different strokes.  All of my Flac files are in one directory on my Synology server, so I already know where all my files are.  I don't need an app to find them.  As for ripping CDs and tagging files, I've been using Xrecode for about a year now and it works great.  I have a couple of files that Sony doesn't display the artwork for, but not many.  I'll try to get that figured out today.
  
http://xrecode.com


----------



## jugglingsoot

dithyrambes said:


> Let the player burn overnight.......Just listened to Daft Punk's Random Access Memories on my commute....I've never felt so tired listening to this album before. Just the PRAT and toe tapping factor are at a minimum. Still burning it in continuously, while working. Hope it gets better ><.




I experienced the exact same thing. It was only after 300hrs of burn in that I found myself wondering about not sending it back, and 500hrs before the improvement in PRaT stopped the music sounding rather turgid and uninvolving.


----------



## Dithyrambes

I really don't know.....i guess sony was wise in putting the burn in time for 200 hrs....because right now I'm having quite a miserable time. I think gerel is having a better time cause he's using a DD driver that is perhaps more on the thicker side. For the Andros that are already so airy, I feel like the ZX2's darker sound is a better match than the WM1A.


----------



## Fsilva

ledzep said:


> Think mines the overall winner for protection and security not to mention damm stylish !


 
 ahahahaha


----------



## Jazzi

dithyrambes said:


> I really don't know.....i guess sony was wise in putting the burn in time for 200 hrs....because right now I'm having quite a miserable time. I think gerel is having a better time cause he's using a DD driver that is perhaps more on the thicker side. For the Andros that are already so airy, I feel like the ZX2's darker sound is a better match than the WM1A.


 

 I think it has a lot to do with the synergy with the IEM of choice.  I'm nowhere near close to the recommended burn-in time, but already the WM1A sounds great with my Empire Ears Zeus CIEM.  I bought the WM1A because of the great price on Amazon.Uk, thinking I could always sell it and recoup my money, but after just 1 day, I'm afraid it's a keeper (and I'll likely sell one of my other DAPS).
  
 If you've got other IEMS, try them out and see if they're a better match for the Sony.


----------



## ledzep

echineko said:


> I tried that at a local dealer, I noticed it had a negative impact on head stage vs the stock Sony adapter and a decent USB cable (I was using the ALO green line), try it and elf me know what you think. Ended up not getting it for that reason.





Stock very neutral amp just sounds like player with a bit more drive 


Custom bit more lively and a hint more analogue warmth to it 


My favourite by a mile clear and precise eventhing sounds bang on, makes the Z5's earn their keep glad I bought them now.


----------



## Sound Eq

with all respect when i see people still stacking totl daps to use with iems, that does not sit with me well, and questions about the whole dap starts to arise


----------



## gerelmx1986

dithyrambes said:


> I really don't know.....i guess sony was wise in putting the burn in time for 200 hrs....because right now I'm having quite a miserable time. I think gerel is having a better time cause he's using a DD driver that is perhaps more on the thicker side. For the Andros that are already so airy, I feel like the ZX2's darker sound is a better match than the WM1A.


I think match is the correct word, yes my z5 and z7 ate dark sounding


----------



## ledzep

sound eq said:


> with all respect when i see people still stacking totl daps to use with iems, that does not sit with me well, and questions about the whole dap starts to arise




Probably a bad example using the iem's, as I actually don't use the stack with them or the other iem's I have really just wanted to see how I could push them with a bit more drive of the amp in balanced , iems are my out and about phones and work totally fine with the dap especially now it's been decapitated , I got the amp for my Z7's and but mostly my alpha prime's and T1's etc which definatley need the amp IMO.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Really enjoying my system. Christmas present to myself. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Look forward to my Kimber Kable 4.4mm upgrade cable to arrive on Friday.


----------



## Dithyrambes

sound eq said:


> with all respect when i see people still stacking totl daps to use with iems, that does not sit with me well, and questions about the whole dap starts to arise


Well As Much I Hate To be the one adding an amp....It sounds better through the alo cdm than without...so if you are home...why not?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I once had a stack and found to be bulky and messy, Nw-A17 + oppo HA2 o ended scratching the Walkman screen which was plastic to begin with, and the improvement was minimal with XBA-A3. 

Now with z7 I use high gain at 60-80 or low gain at 80-90


----------



## jamato8

dithyrambes said:


> Well As Much I Hate To be the one adding an amp....It sounds better through the alo cdm than without...so if you are home...why not?


 

 I think it depends upon what you are using to listen with. With the IT03 it does excellent. The 1A also does well with my Utopia but a more powerful clean amp brings out more of the sound but the Sony doesn't sound bad at all and has depth and layering.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I can tell @Dithyrambes 1A is Warm, it sits in the middle of ZX100 and 1Z, I feel sometimes a bit overwhelmed by the bass (already Dark DD /DD-BA) but most of times is fine, i don't want to say i am that overwhelmed, just bass so impactful and runbly something i wasnt really used to. Still presents tons of details and layering of the music notes.
  
 ZX100 was brighter for me IMHO, the bass was boomy because underdriven but was more bright player, the problema i had with MDR-1R super bright i had to sell them for goodI am also using
  
 Direct source ON, perhaps you can try EQíng yours to see if you like it, i did EQ mine with an overwhelming álbum, had to turn the bass down


----------



## mscott58

Have been doing some direct comparisons of the 1A and 1Z, using same volume, same song, same headphones, etc. Only difference at this point is that the 1A has ~20 hours on it while the 1Z has ~80 hours (got the 1Z ~3 days before the 1A). Here's some of my early thoughts. (Note: all listening so far is SE with the Vegas - my 4.4mm to 2.5mm adapter is awaiting me at home but unfortunately I'm gone all week). 
  

  
 NW-WM1Z: 
 - Heavy! But feels so freakin' solid. Luckily I don't run around with this one pound brick in my pocket. 
 - The sound is an unusual combination of more analog smoothness with a good level of detail retrieval. It's hard to describe, but very easy to listen to. Very musical and engaging. 
 - Wider sound-stage than the 1A (and more consistent) 
 - Pairs really well with my Campfire Audio Vega's. The 1Z controls the Vega's with real authority. They're both power hitters and they mesh well together. 
 - Authoritative and well controlled bass. 
 - Never any distracting harshness. 
 - Preferred over my AK100/Mojo/CV5 stack. Finally a DAP that I can say that about! Looks like it's time to push the trusty stack off of reference duty. Also, the stack in total weighs about the same as the 1Z, so won't take that much getting used to the weight. 
 - Just noticed in looking at the above picture that the tone of the displays is a bit different! Not a SQ thing, but hadn't noticed the color-warmth difference. 
 - The included case is pretty cool, and I like having the flap that covers the screen for protection. Might want to get one like that opens like a book rather than a flip phone. Unfortunately we have very few choices here in the US, and my trip to HK has been pushed back a month (drat!). 
  
 NW-WM1A:
 - Lighter! 9.4 oz versus 16.1oz! The 1A is only around 60% of the weight of the 1Z, but it really feels like half or less. 
 - UI and such works exactly the same (well, once it was changed the 1A from the EU limitations it came with ). 
 - Not as resolving in some ways, but more in others. More of a "cool" or "analytical" presentation than the 1Z, but in some ways is also a bit more veiled in some passages. I find female vocals to come across really clearly (almost too clear) but piano sounds a bit veiled. 
 - More of a "solid-state" sound to the 1Z's more "tube/analog-like" sound - as in analytical versus a bit warmer. 
 - Might pair better with different IEMs than the Vegas. 
  
 Shared thoughts on both the 1A and 1Z:
 - Construction is top-notch, best I've ever seen in a DAP. Sony did it right. I love the leather on the back as it let's you set it down softly on surfaces.
 - Cool to have SE and balanced outputs and not have to worry about plugging the wrong cable in (sorry LHL - it's a risk!). 
 - The UI is really smooth. The ~1/2-1 second delay is a bit annoying, but once you get used to it I find it not really bothering me anymore. The structure of the screens and menus and such is pretty intuitive.
 - I like the 4-way swiping you can do from the "playing now" screen, as well as the four "go-to" buttons on the bottom of the touch screen. They're not really buttons, per-se, but the four selections are the same in any screen. 
 - The charging is really quick using my Anker 20000 mAh battery, and the battery lasts really long - well over a day in my experience with SE. Compared to my AK100/Mojo/CV5 stack this is forever. 
  
 TL;DR - For me NW-WM1Z>>NW-WM1A, although still have to burn both in and then try out the 4.4mm balanced output. Can only dream of what the 1Z will sound like with a good balanced cable and fully settled in. The 1Z displaces my AK100/Mojo/CV5 stack as my new portable reference. As such, the ~3x price difference is worth it for me, but as another hobby-member told me the other day, I'm crazy. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Cheers


----------



## Muvieguy

hifiguy528 said:


> Really enjoying my system. Christmas present to myself.
> 
> Look forward to my Kimber Kable 4.4mm upgrade cable to arrive on Friday.


What kind of mat is that on top the server?


----------



## jamato8

mscott58 said:


> Have been doing some direct comparisons of the 1A and 1Z, using same volume, same song, same headphones, etc. Only difference at this point is that the 1A has ~20 hours on it while the 1Z has ~80 hours (got the 1Z ~3 days before the 1A). Here's some of my early thoughts. (Note: all listening so far is SE with the Vegas - my 4.4mm to 2.5mm adapter is awaiting me at home but unfortunately I'm gone all week).


 
 Nice comparison. The only thing that I can see is that the 1A will needs many more hours as I heard changes that needed to happen with more than 20 hours of use. I would imagine you will compare them at 200 or 300 hours?


----------



## mscott58

jamato8 said:


> Nice comparison. The only thing that I can see is that the 1A will needs many more hours as I heard changes that needed to happen with more than 20 hours of use. I would imagine you will compare them at 200 or 300 hours?


 
 Of course! And by then with balanced vs. SE as well. Cheers


----------



## kms108

ledzep said:


> echineko said:
> 
> 
> > I tried that at a local dealer, I noticed it had a negative impact on head stage vs the stock Sony adapter and a decent USB cable (I was using the ALO green line), try it and elf me know what you think. Ended up not getting it for that reason.
> ...


 

 I have that digital cable since the ZX 2 times, totally new and I might not even use it, got it when I purchased the ZX 2 in Japan, it's just lying around now.


----------



## kms108

muvieguy said:


> hifiguy528 said:
> 
> 
> > Really enjoying my system. Christmas present to myself.
> ...


 

 I think it's just a foam mat, you can purchase them from supermarket and some household store and similar places, this is the case in Hong Kong.


----------



## tangents

Wondering if anyone is experiencing character display issues? For example my WM1A doesn't display o-umlaut correctly — "Löffler" is displayed as "Lo¨ffler".
  
 EDIT: fixed it


----------



## Lemieux66

tangents said:


> Wondering if anyone is experiencing character display issues? For example my WM1A doesn't display o-umlaut correctly — "Löffler" is displayed as "Lo¨ffler".




I have Röyksopp's Melody AM album on my WM1A and the ö is correctly shown.

I also have several albums with Japanese, Chinese and Korean characters and they're all showing up correctly.

Could be a Gracenote problem?


----------



## tangents

lemieux66 said:


> I have Röyksopp's Melody AM album on my WM1A and the ö is correctly shown.
> 
> I also have several albums with Japanese, Chinese and Korean characters and they're all showing up correctly.
> 
> Could be a Gracenote problem?


 
  
 Thanks — it was a "me" problem  I copy-pasted the wrong entity.


----------



## Jazzi

Question on the Audio Played display.  People have referred to the hours played on SE and on Balanced, but on my unit I can only find one entry for Audio Played, which is the total of Balanced and SE hours.  Where do I find the display for SE hours and Balanced hours individually?


----------



## blazinblazin

jazzi said:


> Question on the Audio Played display.  People have referred to the hours played on SE and on Balanced, but on my unit I can only find one entry for Audio Played, which is the total of Balanced and SE hours.  Where do I find the display for SE hours and Balanced hours individually?




There isn't.
It's manual

We just take note on the hours we are on BL or SE according to the total hours played.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Lol Holy crap!.....ok Whitigir you win....this thing is already a different beast at 20hrs. Treble has settled down....Subbass is back....bass texture is really good.....like really good. Its a keeper . Driver control is much better too.....Finally getting that grip! Expecting more with more burn in.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Fiddling with the tone control reduced bit more clarity ed bass to - 4 and mid and high to +2


----------



## echineko

dithyrambes said:


> Lol Holy crap!.....ok Whitigir you win....this thing is already a different beast at 20hrs. Treble has settled down....Subbass is back....bass texture is really good.....like really good. Its a keeper . Driver control is much better too.....Finally getting that grip! Expecting more with more burn in.


 
 Lulz, I was surprised you were the only one who didn't seem to enjoy it so far. Just wait till it's properly settled, it will get weird once or twice along the way too. And balanced, that's another step up


----------



## gerelmx1986

echineko said:


> dithyrambes said:
> 
> 
> > Lol Holy crap!.....ok Whitigir you win....this thing is already a different beast at 20hrs. Treble has settled down....Subbass is back....bass texture is really good.....like really good. Its a keeper . Driver control is much better too.....Finally getting that grip! Expecting more with more burn in.
> ...


reason I modified the tone controls until burn in period ends, to get it a bit more clear


----------



## blazinblazin

I am still looking to have a good 4.4mm terminated cable. Any recommendation?

Looking at effect audio, Dita cable if the 4.4mm is available.


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> Lol Holy crap!.....ok Whitigir you win....this thing is already a different beast at 20hrs. Treble has settled down....Subbass is back....bass texture is really good.....like really good. Its a keeper . Driver control is much better too.....Finally getting that grip! Expecting more with more burn in.




Lol  as long as you are enjoying it, that is all that matter


----------



## Dithyrambes

Its like thank the rockbox team and CraftyClown for trying too! Got such a good price on the device, the dx200 was not even worth considering.


----------



## gerelmx1986

dithyrambes said:


> Lol Holy crap!.....ok Whitigir you win....this thing is already a different beast at 20hrs. Treble has settled down....Subbass is back....bass texture is really good.....like really good. Its a keeper . Driver control is much better too.....Finally getting that grip! Expecting more with more burn in.


 

 ​HAHAHA mine sounding weirdo again too unclear and veiled bassier like hell, so tone control to the rescure BASS -4 MID +2 HIGH +2


----------



## Jazzi

blazinblazin said:


> There isn't.
> It's manual
> 
> We just take note on the hours we are on BL or SE according to the total hours played.


 

 Ahh, okay, thanks blazin.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Tone control config for classical (according to my ears) during weird phase of burn in


----------



## Jazzi

Just ordered this from Taobao.  SLK 2.5 to 4.4.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am reaching a conclusión: the EQ/Tone control is Hardware processing by DAC and not by the CPU like in zx100, due to the highly responsive nature of the sound changes. Never Heard an eq that actually worked so damn realistic and well


----------



## Dithyrambes

jazzi said:


> Just ordered this from Taobao.  Silk 2.5 to 4.4.


 
 Link? I need a 4.4 to 2.5 adapter. ><


----------



## Jazzi

dithyrambes said:


> Link? I need a 4.4 to 2.5 adapter. ><


 

 Oops, should have included it in the original post.
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=544064282926&ft=t&toSite=main 
  
 I used http://taobaofocus.com for agent.


----------



## kms108

Finally got delivery of my sony balanced cable from jaben Malaysia.


----------



## kms108

dithyrambes said:


> jazzi said:
> 
> 
> > Just ordered this from Taobao.  Silk 2.5 to 4.4.
> ...



 




What you need to do is goto the chinese site www.taobao.cn and use the word wm1a and search , everything for the wm1a will come out then copy and paste the link for exact details.


----------



## Kerouac

dithyrambes said:


> Lol Holy crap!.....ok Whitigir you win....this thing is already a different beast at 20hrs. Treble has settled down....Subbass is back....bass texture is really good.....like really good. Its a keeper . Driver control is much better too.....Finally getting that grip! Expecting more with more burn in.


 
  
 Damn....just when I thought I had an excuse to not get interested in this dap


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Silly question guys currently I'm just leaving the unit playing overnight continuously without headphones in. Is this this the correct way to burn in or do I need to plug in headphones?


----------



## jmills8

I just demoed the 1Z and boy its a wonderful sounding dap! So Analog sounding, beautiful Timbre and detailed. Hefty dap and so well built. This only happens every ten years. Sound goes deep with no hiss and enough power to push my hybrid iem.


----------



## nanaholic

princeofegypt said:


> Silly question guys currently I'm just leaving the unit playing overnight continuously without headphones in. Is this this the correct way to burn in or do I need to plug in headphones?


 
  
 You need to plug something in, you can turn down the volume to really low, but you need something plugged in.
  
 If you don't plug something in the audio circuitry is in fact not electrically complete, so the capacitors aren't actually doing anything because they aren't discharging into any significant load


----------



## purk

blazinblazin said:


> I am still looking to have a good 4.4mm terminated cable. Any recommendation?
> 
> Looking at effect audio, Dita cable if the 4.4mm is available.


 
 they are very responsive.  i bought the 4.4 mm plug from them and receive them promptly.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

And there I was thinking wooo already burned in 50 hours! Lol


----------



## Jazzi

nanaholic said:


> You need to plug something in, you can turn down the volume to really low, but you need something plugged in.
> 
> If you don't plug something in the audio circuitry is in fact not electrically complete, so the capacitors aren't actually doing anything because they aren't discharging into any significant load


 

 I'm using the iBasso burn-in cable in the SE.


----------



## Hellblader777

Hi guys! I just joined headfi and this is my first post. Officially part of the Sony family. Time to find some 4.4 cables!


----------



## echineko

hellblader777 said:


> Hi guys! I just joined headfi and this is my first post. Officially part of the Sony family. Time to find some 4.4 cables!


 
 Nice! Is that the 335 DW I see? And I'm sure they go together really well with the 1A. There's a few Fitear-compatible 4.4mm cables already in the Japanese market (try checking E-earphones), but personally I believe Fitear themselves will address this sometime this year.
  
 Also, is that from the Kimi no Na Wa OST?


----------



## TokenGesture

Glad to say I hooked up the Z1R balanced again last night and at max volume (capped) it was sounding much much better.  Aaaand relax


----------



## GREYH0UND

hellblader777 said:


> Hi guys! I just joined headfi and this is my first post. Officially part of the Sony family. Time to find some 4.4 cables!



I m on the same boat...good luck with that lol


----------



## aj05hi

Let the burn in commence


----------



## phonomat

tangents said:


> Wondering if anyone is experiencing character display issues? For example my WM1A doesn't display o-umlaut correctly — "Löffler" is displayed as "Lo¨ffler".
> 
> EDIT: fixed it




Christian Löffler?


----------



## wolfmobil

Hello, I am new to the forum.I just got the Sony NW-WM1A and it looks and sounds great. I noticed a clicking sound that comes from the DAP when it switches between different resolutions. Is it normal? I am using balanced out.


----------



## CosmicHolyGhost

wolfmobil said:


> Hello, I am new to the forum.I just got the Sony NW-WM1A and it looks and sounds great. I noticed a clicking sound that comes from the DAP when it switches between different resolutions. Is it normal? I am using balanced out.


happens on mine too


----------



## ledzep

aj05hi said:


> Let the burn in commence




That's mighty fine looking case you have there


----------



## ledzep

wolfmobil said:


> Hello, I am new to the forum.I just got the Sony NW-WM1A and it looks and sounds great. I noticed a clicking sound that comes from the DAP when it switches between different resolutions. Is it normal? I am using balanced out.




Normal , does it on my 1A and my HAP-Z1ES


----------



## aj05hi

ledzep said:


> That's mighty fine looking case you have there




Cheers, that's Dignis on Sony and Pelican 1010 on Zeus.


----------



## nanaholic

wolfmobil said:


> Hello, I am new to the forum.I just got the Sony NW-WM1A and it looks and sounds great. I noticed a clicking sound that comes from the DAP when it switches between different resolutions. Is it normal? I am using balanced out.


 
  
 It's normal - it's because the engineers used a magnetically operated mechanical switch to act as the output muting circuit (which prevents loud pops and noise being pump into the headphone when the machine switches modes etc) instead of the usual electronic transistor which they claim affects the sound quality.


----------



## erictioh

dithyrambes said:


> [COLOR=000000]So far, i have to say I feel a bit lukewarm about the WM1A.....I know people will say I'm crazy but I think 1Z should be better.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


3.5mm and you felt sound infront of your face ? 4.4mm will make the sound inside your face then


----------



## blazinblazin

If you use SONY 4.4mm Kimber Kable. 
  
 You will get depth infront but width will shrink a bit.


----------



## wolfmobil

Thank you for clarifying it!


----------



## wolfmobil

nanaholic said:


> It's normal - it's because the engineers used a magnetically operated mechanical switch to act as the output muting circuit (which prevents loud pops and noise being pump into the headphone when the machine switches modes etc) instead of the usual electronic transistor which they claim affects the sound quality.


 

 Thank you for clarification!


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Dear friends,
  
 I have the MDR-EX1000...what 4.4mm balanced cable do you recommend please?
  
 Also what is the quality of the dignis case?


----------



## CraftyClown

Looks like it's time to start burning again


----------



## kms108

princeofegypt said:


> Dear friends,
> 
> I have the MDR-EX1000...what 4.4mm balanced cable do you recommend please?
> 
> Also what is the quality of the dignis case?


 
 There is no cable for the EX1000 to support balanced, you have to mod the cable.
  
 1 change the EXK plug to MMCX
  
 2 purchase a cutom made one
  
 3 change the 3.5 plug to a 4.4 mm
  
 Someone in this forum has had his cable mod from the 3.5mm plug to 4.4mm, he has confirmed the cable has 4 strands from top to bottom which supports balanced.


----------



## CraftyClown

princeofegypt said:


> Dear friends,
> 
> I have the MDR-EX1000...what 4.4mm balanced cable do you recommend please?
> 
> Also what is the quality of the dignis case?


 
  
 The Dignis cases are beautifully made and fit so well they look like part of the device. I highly recommend them


----------



## blazinblazin

craftyclown said:


> Looks like it's time to start burning again


 
  
 Gratz~ How's your first impression of the Balanced vs Single Ended?


----------



## kms108

craftyclown said:


> Looks like it's time to start burning again


 

 So you have received your cable, I got it today, too bad I don't have a WM1A yet.


----------



## CraftyClown

blazinblazin said:


> Gratz~ How's your first impression of the Balanced vs Single Ended?


 
  
 Well in the 60 seconds I've been listening since receiving the cable I'm going to say I can't hear a difference


----------



## CraftyClown

kms108 said:


> So you have received your cable, I got it today, too bad I don't have a WM1A yet.


 
  
 Haha, at least you're ready to go


----------



## kms108

craftyclown said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > So you have received your cable, I got it today, too bad I don't have a WM1A yet.
> ...


 
 well it is cheap, thats what matter.


----------



## tangents

phonomat said:


> Christian Löffler?


 
  
 Yup 
  
 Copied a few of his albums to my WM1A – his name displayed incorrectly on some of them. It was probably a character encoding issue.


----------



## phonomat

Nice! I like his earlier works, but haven't checked out MARE yet.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The cable @CraftyClown has looks very cool cheers mate


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> The cable @CraftyClown has looks very cool cheers mate


 
  
 Thanks mate.
  
 I'm not a believer in the magical properties of cables, I also don't believe the differences between single ended and balanced are as pronounced as some would say, however I think this is an excellent cable.
  
 It is well built with sturdy connectors and is also nice and flexible. It also comes with a shirt clip, which is a nice addition.
  
 Most importantly it only cost me £70


----------



## Dithyrambes

well in any case you need the 4.4 to get native dsd anyhow ><.


----------



## CraftyClown

dithyrambes said:


> well in any case you need the 4.4 to get native dsd anyhow ><.


 
  
 lol. Actually I converted all of my DSDs to 44.1khz 16bit FLAC files after doing listening tests and discovering I couldn't spot which was which.
  
 I love SACDs because of the excellent re-masters they usually contain, rather than the format itself.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Urgh time to wait for jaben my to restock on the kimber kables ><.


----------



## Stephen George

echineko said:


> Where did you get that from, do you have a link?


 
 if you are talking about the usb port plug, mine came with 2 of them (a spare in a bag)


----------



## kms108

dithyrambes said:


> Urgh time to wait for jaben my to restock on the kimber kables ><.


 

 It's best to email them and tell them to notify you when stock is available, that way you won't miss the chance to make the purchase, that's what I did.


----------



## Stephen George

princeofegypt said:


> Also what is the quality of the dignis case?


 
  
  
  dignis is superb
 fits like a glove, very thin, well stitched
 ordered from us and it was here in a week
  
 one downside is it is soft and marks easily
  
 I got the dark blue one


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

stephen george said:


> dignis is superb
> fits like a glove, very thin, well stitched
> ordered from us and it was here in a week
> 
> ...


 
  
 Nice...
 Im thinking of getting the vivid strong red one


----------



## musicday

I assume once the device unlocked to have high gain and higher power output that will not affect the device at all with future updates am i correct?
I like what i have read about the gold Walkman so far except the weight but i am more inclined towards the DX200 not because is cheaper but being able to be used as a USB DAC make it a one in all solution.
Anyway looking forward to read more about the two once someone have them and spent more time together.
For the prediction guys: are we going to see a price drop for the gold Walkman on Amazon anytime soon like it happened to the aluminium version?
By the way i am interested only in the gold model.


----------



## turbo87

stephen george said:


> dignis is superb
> fits like a glove, very thin, well stitched
> *ordered from us and it was here in a week*
> 
> ...


 
  
 Where is US did you order it from?


----------



## Stephen George

turbo87 said:


> Where is US did you order it from?


 
 i meant from within us 
  
 i used the korean site with translate but realized later there's an eng language site
  
 shipping was $30 but it was sent with expedited air..it spent more time in the post office than in korea


----------



## musicday

Hey Crafty, since you don't answer your PMs anymore do you think you have some time in a morning to come my way so i can listen to your Walkman for a bit?
Thanks.


----------



## Dithyrambes

kms108 said:


> It's best to email them and tell them to notify you when stock is available, that way you won't miss the chance to make the purchase, that's what I did.


 
 How long did you have to wait until restock?


----------



## Tanjiro

craftyclown said:


> Looks like it's time to start burning again



I will get mine tomorrow


----------



## CraftyClown

musicday said:


> Hey Crafty, since you don't answer your PMs anymore do you think you have some time in a morning to come my way so i can listen to your Walkman for a bit?
> Thanks.


 
  
 Haha, I do answer them. I'm just super busy at the mo and I chat to a lot of people on here so they build up a bit sometimes when I have loads of work on.
  
 I've just dug out the PM you sent me and to answer your questions; Yes I think these DAPs can drive full sized headphones. I was listening to my HD650s yesterday on low gain at about 90 out of 120 on the volume. I've not tried the Ether C Flows with the Sony DAP yet, only with my old QP1R.
  
 As to how I like the WM1A compared to the Lotoo Paw Gold, I don't hear any obvious sound quality difference between the two devices, so it comes down to things like UI which is better on the Sony and also the battery life which is considerably better. The Paw Gold wins out for storage however. Ultimately and the real decider for me was cost, with the WM1A coming in at half the price of the Paw gold, buying from Amazon warehouse.
  
 As I mentioned I'm super busy at the moment so I wouldn't have time to get over to South London, but you're more than welcome to come East if you want to try it out. You can pop over to my office most days of the week. Just give me a heads up first.


----------



## CraftyClown

dithyrambes said:


> How long did you have to wait until restock?


 
  
 I think they keep re-stocking but they seem to sell out within hours of getting them back in. That's certainly what happened when I ordered mine last week.


----------



## audionewbi

Looks what's coming in the mail for me! Thanks to PW audio I will enjoy my ex1000 in its full glory.


----------



## squirrelman

audionewbi said:


> Looks what's coming in the mail for me! Thanks to PW audio I will enjoy my ex1000 in its full glory.


 
  
  
 Looks gorgeous, which of their cables did you get?  I just ordered a No. 5 with 8 threads for my JH16V2, can't wait to get it.


----------



## Jazzi

squirrelman said:


> Looks gorgeous, which of their cables did you get?  I just ordered a No. 5 with 8 threads for my JH16V2, can't wait to get it.


 
 I got the No. 5 about 2 weeks ago (SE),  It's a great cable that I'm sure you'll like.  Silver is a little bright for my tastes.  I prefer the sound of copper.  Good luck!


----------



## gerelmx1986

craftyclown said:


> dithyrambes said:
> 
> 
> > well in any case you need the 4.4 to get native dsd anyhow ><.
> ...


I donwsampme to 24/88.2


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

audionewbi said:


> Looks what's coming in the mail for me! Thanks to PW audio I will enjoy my ex1000 in its full glory.


 
  
 Which cable and how much? Is it 4.4mm balanced?


----------



## davidcotton

No guarantees but I seem to remember something about "being back in stock around the 23" or there abouts.  Obviously keep checking because it might pop up again before then.


----------



## Lemieux66

Is it ok to run the WM1A into my integrated amp via a 3.5mm - 2 RCA cable?

I had the Sony's volume up to 119/120 and the Leben CS300XS volume around 12 o'clock with my LCD-3. Does that seem ok?


----------



## kms108

dithyrambes said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > It's best to email them and tell them to notify you when stock is available, that way you won't miss the chance to make the purchase, that's what I did.
> ...


 
 I think I emailed them on the 1st, then they notify me on the 9th, thats when I placed a order. They replied within a hour and say Sony will send out stock, and they will receive them within 2-3 days, I got another reply from Jaben and fedex on the 15th, item will be shipped out on the 16th, got it on the 18th. And now it will be a few months before I get the WM1A.


----------



## Whitigir

lemieux66 said:


> Is it ok to run the WM1A into my integrated amp via a 3.5mm - 2 RCA cable?
> 
> I had the Sony's volume up to 119/120 and the Leben CS300XS volume around 12 o'clock with my LCD-3. Does that seem ok?




I have run both from 4.4 to XLR and 3.5 to XLR pre-in on my Amp of 1600W. Turned the volume all the way 100% max without music playing, and no hiss, no hum.

Yes, both ports can be used as line outs


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> I donwsampme to 24/88.2


 
 I leave all mine in DSF formats.  I noticed a slight drop in quality going from DSD to 24/88.2.


----------



## mscott58

What was the case that was pictured a while back that had a cover that opened like a book? Would like to see some options of cases for the NW-WM1A/Z that have covers for the screen built in - like the one that comes with the 1Z, but opening from the side. Names and links greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!


----------



## Tanjiro

My 1A finally arrived. I am now one of the proud owners of WM1A.
But it comes with a dead battery though...


----------



## Whitigir

moneypls said:


> My 1A finally arrived. I am now one of the proud owners of WM1A.
> But it comes with a dead battery though...




Congratulations! My 1z never came with a dead battery lol


----------



## Tanjiro

whitigir said:


> Congratulations! My 1z never came with a dead battery lol



Thanks.
After went back and forth between US and UK numerous times. My 1A was freezing cold when I took it out from the box. lol


----------



## proedros

craftyclown said:


> *As to how I like the WM1A compared to the Lotoo Paw Gold, I don't hear any obvious sound quality difference between the two devices*, so it comes down to things like UI which is better on the Sony and also the battery life which is considerably better. The Paw Gold wins out for storage however. Ultimately and the real decider for me was cost, with the WM1A coming in at half the price of the Paw gold, buying from Amazon warehouse.
> 
> As I mentioned I'm super busy at the moment so I wouldn't have time to get over to South London, but you're more than welcome to come East if you want to try it out. You can pop over to my office most days of the week. Just give me a heads up first.


 
  
  
 the (+) points for WM1A just keep adding up 

 should be my next DAP ,  especially now that i will not be selling my Athenas ( = no need to get new ciems)


----------



## audionewbi

princeofegypt said:


> Which cable and how much? Is it 4.4mm balanced?


PW audio No.5 cable, 8 braid. For exact price best to contact him and I got a bundle deal with few other cables.


----------



## Stephen George

anybody have any experience with the bluetooth remote rmt-nws20
  
 the 1z doesn't seem to find it (yet the ak240 does, although it doesn't work with it)
  
 could it be region locked?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am so busy now comparing the new Mozart 225 edition vs the Phillips (keeping notable performances only). But have been exercising my 1A internal storage moving files in and out


----------



## CraftyClown

stephen george said:


> anybody have any experience with the bluetooth remote rmt-nws20
> 
> the 1z doesn't seem to find it (yet the ak240 does, although it doesn't work with it)
> 
> could it be region locked?




Where did you get yours from Stephen?


----------



## echineko

stephen george said:


> anybody have any experience with the bluetooth remote rmt-nws20
> 
> the 1z doesn't seem to find it (yet the ak240 does, although it doesn't work with it)
> 
> could it be region locked?


 
 Mine should be arriving today, I'll let you know after I receive it.


----------



## garetjax1

echineko said:


> Mine should be arriving today, I'll let you know after I receive it.


 
 It would be awesome if you could use your smart watch as the remote... has anyone tried pairing with an apple watch, etc.?


----------



## Stephen George

anyone looking for an inexpensive belt solution, this fits very snug and while walking does not interfere with bt
  
 i got mine from ebay
  
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEATHER-CASE-HOLSTER-BELT-CLIP-POUCH-FOR-SAMSUNG-GALAXY-S5-S6-EDGE-HYBRID-ARMOR-/390889821173?hash=item5b02d953f5


----------



## Stephen George

craftyclown said:


> Where did you get yours from Stephen?


 
 ebay (japan)


----------



## nanaholic

stephen george said:


> anybody have any experience with the bluetooth remote rmt-nws20
> 
> the 1z doesn't seem to find it (yet the ak240 does, although it doesn't work with it)
> 
> could it be region locked?


 
  
 I use it every day with no problems and I imported my remote from Japan.
  
 I dunno, try rebooting your 1Z, then turn on all the bluetooth connections. Make sure you follow the pairing instructions to the letter as well.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> stephen george said:
> 
> 
> > anybody have any experience with the bluetooth remote rmt-nws20
> ...


 

 ​There is a short cut for bluetooth remote in the settings screen in the circles for brightness and BT audio


----------



## squirrelman

audionewbi said:


> PW audio No.5 cable, 8 braid. For exact price best to contact him and I got a bundle deal with few other cables.


 
  
 I ordered the exact same cable from Music Sanctuary in Singapore, I just got mine with JH siren series connectors and bass pod.  You can find the PW audio No. 5 cable on their website with the option for 4 or 8 braid.


----------



## Stephen George

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​There is a short cut for bluetooth remote in the settings screen in the circles for brightness and BT audio


 
  
  
  yes...but have to be paired first


----------



## Stephen George

nanaholic said:


> I use it every day with no problems and I imported my remote from Japan.
> 
> I dunno, try rebooting your 1Z, then turn on all the bluetooth connections. Make sure you follow the pairing instructions to the letter as well.


 
 i did that
  
 hold + or play on the remote and it flashes red/blue
  
 turn on bluetooth on the 1z and scan, it just times out (and bt works as i have used it earpieces...meanwhile other devices see RMT-NWS20
  
 and your 1z?  i reset the region using the tool (figured that was how to get the eng menu)
  
 looking for another battery, maybe it's weak


----------



## nanaholic

stephen george said:


> i did that
> 
> hold + or play on the remote and it flashes red/blue
> 
> ...


 
  
 Mine is non-Japanese Asian model, so I doubt it is region locked.
  
 Are you using the "remote control" setting on the 1Z? Audio device pairing and remote pairing is separate. Also maybe move away from possible interference from the other devices.


----------



## Bengkia369

Can my AK240 or Opus #2 use the Sony remote?!


----------



## Stephen George

nanaholic said:


> Are you using the "remote control" setting on the 1Z? Audio device pairing and remote pairing is separate. Also maybe move away from possible interference from the other devices.


 
 must not be
  
 where is remote pairing? going through the help manual now 
  
 i see in the help manual "remote settings" but with a caveat "only available in certain regions"
  
 i set mine to US, must be it? needs to be changed?


----------



## nanaholic

stephen george said:


> must not be
> 
> where is remote pairing? going through the help manual now
> 
> ...


 
  
 yeah under "settings" there's "remote settings", tap inside should give you option to pair with the remote
  
 Did you do the uncap hack? Try another region I guess, maybe pick the Asian and non-Japanese ones, you get English there and no cap


----------



## echineko

stephen george said:


> must not be
> 
> where is remote pairing? going through the help manual now
> 
> ...


 
 So like I mentioned, I just received mine today. Initially I had a problem pairing as well, but I figured it out.
  
 First, you need to make sure you're at the Remote Control Settings menu, as mentioned above:
  

  
 Then you need to make sure the Hold button isn't turned on, on the remote. This was my problem, and why the remote didn't pair initially. (if the button is pushed up, HOLD is engaged, make sure this isn't the case).
  
 Finally, from the Remote Control Settings menu, just click "Add Remote". Press any button on the remote (Play, Volume + etc), and it should automatically pick it up and pair.
  
 Took me a while to figure out (my remote is Japanese, and my reading comprehension isn't as good as some here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





), but it works


----------



## Stephen George

nanaholic said:


> yeah under "settings" there's "remote settings", tap inside should give you option to pair with the remote
> 
> Did you do the uncap hack? Try another region I guess, maybe pick the Asian and non-Japanese ones, you get English there and no cap


 
  
  
 that was exactly it, thanks and to clown as he was the one to point me to that scsitool
  
 i set it to E and now remote settings are showing
  
 appreciate you mentioning that menu choice


----------



## echineko

stephen george said:


> that was exactly it, thanks and to clown as he was the one to point me to that scsitool
> 
> i set it to E and now remote settings are showing
> 
> appreciate you mentioning that menu choice


 
 Ah, a hack setting causing problems. Good to know it's sorted eh?


----------



## Stephen George

echineko said:


> First, you need to make sure you're at the Remote Control Settings menu, as mentioned above:


 
 mine was set to U, i guess US owners won't be getting remote access
  
 after the change (and reset) adding the remote took seconds
  
 granted the remote is obscenely overpriced but really handy when you are walking and the player is stashed safely
  
 found that all my BT headsets work more or less flawlessly on the belt as long as you keep your head more or less forward--move to look sideways and it gets choppy
  
 thanks again to you and the others for your response!


----------



## echineko

stephen george said:


> thanks again to you and the others for your response!


 
 No worries eh? Just glad it worked out. Surprising about the US region and remote option, I'm guessing it will be added in a later update.


----------



## Stephen George

echineko said:


> No worries eh? Just glad it worked out. Surprising about the US region and remote option, I'm guessing it will be added in a later update.


 
  
  
 truly
  
 they are taking their sweet time releasing it here in the us
  
 i did go to the us sony site and registered this via serial and receipt and it was accepted


----------



## nanaholic

echineko said:


> No worries eh? Just glad it worked out. Surprising about the US region and remote option, I'm guessing it will be added in a later update.


 
  
 Maybe not.
  
 If the option wasn't there to begin with I'm guessing it has something to do with FCC wireless device regulations and certification, perhaps Sony don't expect to sell that many units of the remote in the states and forgo certification and took the option out to cover their legal bases.


----------



## goyete

Is it possible to buy / order a balanced cable 4.4 mm for EX1000?? Where?? Thanks!


----------



## kampongkid

goyete said:


> Is it possible to buy / order a balanced cable 4.4 mm for EX1000?? Where?? Thanks!




I've only seen it as a drop down option at plussound and beataudio, but I'm sure anyone will do it if you reach out.


----------



## echineko

nanaholic said:


> Maybe not.
> 
> If the option wasn't there to begin with I'm guessing it has something to do with FCC wireless device regulations and certification, perhaps Sony don't expect to sell that many units of the remote in the states and forgo certification and took the option out to cover their legal bases.



It's possible, of course. I would certainly hope that it's just temporary while they pursue whatever necessary certifications required and add it as a future firmware update for the US region. 

But you're right, realistically there's not really a significant market for the remote, I don't think. They may just decide it's not worth the effort.


----------



## Whitigir

Does anyone know what sizes of wires inside the WM1A or Z ? 22 AWG or 24 ? Something like that ? About those who asked if the sockets is playing side to side when you move it around. It is ok because these sockets are wired to the board and not direct on the board, so u won't damage anything


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

^ Wires are 22AWG inside 1A.


----------



## Whitigir

Thank you! Good to know


----------



## Lemieux66

My EU WM1A does not have the remote option on the menu shown in the photo above. Sounds like it depends what region your player is set too whether you have the remote option or not.

I've seen the docking cradle that works as a digital transport and you can't buy that in the UK either.

It's frustrating - it would be so cool to use the WM1A as my main digital source in my hi-if system.


----------



## Whitigir

lemieux66 said:


> My EU WM1A does not have the remote option on the menu shown in the photo above. Sounds like it depends what region your player is set too whether you have the remote option or not.
> 
> I've seen the docking cradle that works as a digital transport and you can't buy that in the UK either.
> 
> It's frustrating - it would be so cool to use the WM1A as my main digital source in my hi-if system.




EBay it, the A and Z is the best digital transport ATM


----------



## Lemieux66

whitigir said:


> EBay it, the A and Z is the best digital transport ATM




Yes, just been looking at the dock on eBay UK - many on sale from Japan. Also the remote is easily available too.

I think I'll buy the dock but the remote seems to need the region hack which looked pretty daunting to do (as someone with limited computer skills).

If I get the dock, I notice it has a USB 2.0 output socket for audio like my laptop has. Do I have to connect the dock to a DAC with a USB B socket (like most full size DACs e.g. dCS) or can I easily use adaptors and use it with eg. a Hugo?


----------



## kms108

Japan and tourist version both have support for the remote.


----------



## Bengkia369

whitigir said:


> EBay it, the A and Z is the best digital transport ATM




Why is this so? 
Any dap with digital out can be a good transport.


----------



## Stephen George

goyete said:


> Is it possible to buy / order a balanced cable 4.4 mm for EX1000?? Where?? Thanks!


 
 moon audio is making 4.4 cables now
  
 https://www.moon-audio.com/


----------



## kms108




----------



## denis1976

lemieux66 said:


> My EU WM1A does not have the remote option on the menu shown in the photo above. Sounds like it depends what region your player is set too whether you have the remote option or not.
> 
> I've seen the docking cradle that works as a digital transport and you can't buy that in the UK either.
> 
> It's frustrating - it would be so cool to use the WM1A as my main digital source in my hi-if system.


you allready decaped it?


----------



## Lemieux66

denis1976 said:


> you allready decaped it?




No, it's a standard stock EU model. Volume cap is still in place.

There's also no option for Remote in the settings menu.

Sorry for asking so many obvious noob questions in this thread but we all have to start somewhere!


----------



## Whitigir

bengkia369 said:


> Why is this so?
> Any dap with digital out can be a good transport.




Digital out ? Depends on what you are talking about, for example Opus can only do optical and it is limited for what it can do. Smartphones ? Sure, some can do native DSD 2.8 MHz out, but their built is smartphones and some cheap, underpowered DAC inside.

Now, the WM1A and WM1Z can do 5.8 MHz DSD out. You know it, everything inside 1A or 1Z are dedicated to sound quality alone. I don't have 11.2 MHz DSD files, as I would like to know if it could do this much Native DSD output. Sound performances ? My 1Z is better than my laptop, smartphones, and even Zx2


----------



## Whitigir

stephen george said:


> moon audio is making 4.4 cables now
> 
> https://www.moon-audio.com/




Yay, thank you, now I can make DIY versions


----------



## Stephen George

> I think I'll buy the dock but the remote seems to need the region hack which looked pretty daunting to do (as someone with limited computer skills).


 
  
  
 it's really not that involved, but yes, knowledge of command prompt, OS and having a PC a must
 but very quick and simple and we really need to thank this person who has maintained this archive since the first digital walkmans were released (and thankfully sony followed the same command structure on these high end ones!)
  
 grab the tool
 grab the batch file (https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/pub/Main/SonyNWDestTool/open_cmd_here.bat)
 unzip both in the same place
 open folder where you put them (like even on your desktop) and dbl click on the open_cmd_here.bat
  
 basically all you have to type and i spaced it out so you can see the parts, when actually using it, only *1* space between elements
  
 A               B                     C           D        E          F
 file.exe wherewalkmanis:  dest_tool    set   REGION    ON/OFF
  
 A=tool name, the default was scsitool-nwz-v6.exe, you can name it ANYTHING
 B=when you connect walkman it'll appear as this drive in "my computer" (click start-->then computer and note the drive letter, WALKMAN H
 C=this has to be typed exactly DEST_TOOL as it is a built-in command for the tool
 D=again, SET has to be typed exactly
 E=region is set by a letter or letters and when the walkman is reset, functionality will be determined by the region, in my case, originally got it from japan "J" and set it to US, when reset I had an option to change the language which was not there when it was set to "J", i did not realize it also (when set to U, did not have the setting for the remote), by setting it to "E" (ASIA/AUSTRALIA/NZ Tourist) I got both english language and the remote setting, changing it takes a second! It does require a nondestructive reset which does take several minutes
 F=capping on or off and this had to be typed each time or the command will fail
  
 If you want to see what your walkman is set to currently, SAME COMMAND except change the SET to GET and leave off part E and F
  
 file.exe wherewalkmanis: dest_tool GET
  
 This tool looks like it may be handy for FW updates to come, gives you full ownership of the device!


----------



## Stephen George

echineko said:


> It's possible, of course. I would certainly hope that it's just temporary while they pursue whatever necessary certifications required and add it as a future firmware update for the US region.
> 
> But you're right, realistically there's not really a significant market for the remote, I don't think. They may just decide it's not worth the effort.


 
  
 $65 for the tiniest piece of plastic is a crazy marketing idea, but considering you are talking about people plunking down several mortgage payments for something like this, maybe they got it wrong
  
 for truly mobile use, when the device is secured and out of sight, this is going to be fricking handy
  
 i also like the remote has separate pairing, we'll see..have the BT for A&K and it's not that great, although 1/3 of the price


----------



## Stephen George

lemieux66 said:


> I've seen the docking cradle that works as a digital transport and you can't buy that in the UK either.
> 
> It's frustrating


 
 region locking stuff IS and sony seems to love it, from DVDs to blurays etc, VERY frustrating for the consumer
  
 that cradle is widely available on ebay and direct, i passed as I won't use it in an anchored way, and only usb out, also whether it fits well using a case
  
 if that cradle had an optical out, would have been worth it


----------



## Lemieux66

Thank you for the above post. It's indeed a great thing for the community that this info is being maintained.

Maybe one day I'll take a deep breathe and attempt the hack!


----------



## aj05hi

Does anyone know if line out is supported by WM1A?


----------



## nanaholic

aj05hi said:


> Does anyone know if line out is supported by WM1A?


 
  
 No, analogue line out via WM Port not supported in WM1 series.


----------



## CraftyClown

lemieux66 said:


> Thank you for the above post. It's indeed a great thing for the community that this info is being maintained.
> 
> Maybe one day I'll take a deep breathe and attempt the hack!




Where are you based? If you're anywhere near London I'd be happy to meet up and do the hack for you. If takes about 10 seconds


----------



## Whitigir

Analog is possible as lineout from headphones port


----------



## kms108

stephen george said:


> echineko said:
> 
> 
> > It's possible, of course. I would certainly hope that it's just temporary while they pursue whatever necessary certifications required and add it as a future firmware update for the US region.
> ...


 

 For those who has access to taobao can get it for USD 32.


----------



## blazinblazin

whitigir said:


> Digital out ? Depends on what you are talking about, for example Opus can only do optical and it is limited for what it can do. Smartphones ? Sure, some can do native DSD 2.8 MHz out, but their built is smartphones and some cheap, underpowered DAC inside.
> 
> Now, the WM1A and WM1Z can do 5.8 MHz DSD out. You know it, everything inside 1A or 1Z are dedicated to sound quality alone. I don't have 11.2 MHz DSD files, as I would like to know if it could do this much Native DSD output. Sound performances ? My 1Z is better than my laptop, smartphones, and even Zx2




Quad DSD. Yes it does that smoothly like all other files. 

I have 11.2MHz songs which is about 1GB each.


----------



## Whitigir

blazinblazin said:


> Quad DSD. Yes it does that smoothly like all other files.
> 
> I have 11.2MHz songs which is about 1GB each.




Digital out ?


----------



## blazinblazin

whitigir said:


> Digital out ?




Only Analog


----------



## Lemieux66

craftyclown said:


> Where are you based? If you're anywhere near London I'd be happy to meet up and do the hack for you. If takes about 10 seconds




Unfortunately, I'm based in the Midlands. Very kind offer though, much appreciated.


----------



## CraftyClown

lemieux66 said:


> Unfortunately, I'm based in the Midlands. Very kind offer though, much appreciated.




No worries. Id be more than happy to talk you through the process via pm if that would help? It's actually a lot easier than it first seems


----------



## JamesKH

Where can I get some 4.4MM for my Focal Elears?


----------



## Lemieux66

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/pub/Main/SonyNWDestTool/open_cmd_here.bat

Just typed in the above and the website says it does not exist...


----------



## Lemieux66

lemieux66 said:


> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/pub/Main/SonyNWDestTool/open_cmd_here.bat
> 
> Just typed in the above and the website says it does not exist...




https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Changing_destination_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation

Tried this instead and seems to have taken me to a quite complicated page. I'll check the earlier post to see if I can do it from here.


----------



## gerelmx1986

analogue thru heaphones port at high gain recommended


----------



## CraftyClown

lemieux66 said:


> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Changing_destination_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation
> 
> Tried this instead and seems to have taken me to a quite complicated page. I'll check the earlier post to see if I can do it from here.


 
  
 I've just PM'd you Gregg


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am busy with the Mozart 225 edition comparison vs the Phillips one, so i am leaving my 1a burn alone connected to my Z5s i left it playing overnight with the EQ ON and by morning wakeup today it had half battery
  
 so experiemnt no. 2 using source direct ON now and see


----------



## Whitigir

jameskh said:


> Where can I get some 4.4MM for my Focal Elears?




Go to moon audio and request it


----------



## Stephen George

kms108 said:


> For those who has access to taobao can get it for USD 32.


 
 that's great price...shipping was free (and expedited) on ebay, would imagine after shipping that price might be closer to $65, no?


----------



## Stephen George

craftyclown said:


> Where are you based? If you're anywhere near London I'd be happy to meet up and do the hack for you. If takes about 10 seconds


 
 i thought the same thing unfortunately, across the water


----------



## Stephen George

lemieux66 said:


> Thank you for the above post. It's indeed a great thing for the community that this info is being maintained.
> 
> Maybe one day I'll take a deep breathe and attempt the hack!


 
 the remote is worth it if you take it with you, especially the 1z...don't want to hold it
  
 i can skype ya and show you
  
 you have to have a PC though, hopefully running win7 or higher


----------



## kms108

stephen george said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > For those who has access to taobao can get it for USD 32.
> ...


 

 Sorry my quoted price was wrong, did a wrong conversion, itshould be about USD 36, but shipping to hong Kong or within parts of asian like macau, free shipping for china, or people who has access to taobao should cost no more that USD 44.


----------



## Stephen George

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​There is a short cut for bluetooth remote in the settings screen in the circles for brightness and BT audio


 
  
  
 there's now one for the remote, also!


----------



## Lemieux66

stephen george said:


> the remote is worth it if you take it with you, especially the 1z...don't want to hold it
> 
> i can skype ya and show you
> 
> you have to have a PC though, hopefully running win7 or higher




Thanks! I have a laptop with Windows 7 Home Premium on it.

The guy earlier in the thread has PM'd me and is going to take me through it later tonight


----------



## Stephen George

lemieux66 said:


> Thanks! I have a laptop with Windows 7 Home Premium on it.
> 
> The guy earlier in the thread has PM'd me and is going to take me through it later tonight


 
 here's a link for some "command line" basics (not to try and confuse you)
  
 Kinda surprised somebody with some apps skills didn't already create "GUI" interface for this took
  
 here's the link
  
 http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/a-beginners-guide-to-the-windows-command-line/


----------



## JamesKH

Any drawbacks going with adapter system in terms of impact to sound quality (amp connection is switchable).  Of course non-contiguous flow is never good but can't imagine I'd be able to hear it.


----------



## Whitigir

jameskh said:


> Any drawbacks going with adapter system in terms of impact to sound quality (amp connection is switchable).  Of course non-contiguous flow is never good but can't imagine I'd be able to hear it.




If you believe you can't hear it, then you won't hear it.


----------



## Tanjiro

Hi all, sorry for a noob question. Is there any external charger for WM1A, or it must be charged via PC USB port? Thanks.


----------



## jamato8

moneypls said:


> Hi all, sorry for a noob question. Is there any external charger for WM1A, or it must be charged via PC USB port? Thanks.


 

 You can use any USB charger. I use one that put out 2 amps so whatever I am charging takes what it wants. I prefer this to having to use an adapter specifically made for a dap as that is a hassle.


----------



## Lemieux66

I've used Media Go for 99% of my file transfers so far, but just found out by accident that I could simply use 'send to' and put music files directly onto the Sony. So I just sent 3 old MP3 albums this way...

...Then after removing the player from USB the albums were nowhere to be found on the player. I thought there must be a mistake so I copied the MP3 albums into a folder that I know Media Go searches for music and tried to copy them to the Sony that way. They wouldn't copy because it said 'the music is already on the device'. Anyone know what's gone wrong and how I can fix it?


----------



## CraftyClown

lemieux66 said:


> I've used Media Go for 99% of my file transfers so far, but just found out by accident that I could simply use 'send to' and put music files directly onto the Sony. So I just sent 3 old MP3 albums this way...
> 
> ...Then after removing the player from USB the albums were nowhere to be found on the player. I thought there must be a mistake so I copied the MP3 albums into a folder that I know Media Go searches for music and tried to copy them to the Sony that way. They wouldn't copy because it said 'the music is already on the device'. Anyone know what's gone wrong and how I can fix it?




All music needs to be contained within the MUSIC folder on the Sony DAP for them to be recognised. I imagine the music is on the DAP, but not necessarily in the correct folder.


----------



## Lemieux66

craftyclown said:


> All music needs to be contained within the MUSIC folder on the Sony DAP for them to be recognised. I imagine the music is on the DAP, but not necessarily in the correct folder.




Oh s***

Can I move them to the Music folder?

UPDATE:

Just found the Walkmam in My computer and indeed you're right, I can see the offending albums are in the wrong place.

Exciting this stuff! Haha


----------



## Whitigir

moneypls said:


> Hi all, sorry for a noob question. Is there any external charger for WM1A, or it must be charged via PC USB port? Thanks.




The cradle will charge it up while having the function to do digital out too


----------



## Tanjiro

whitigir said:


> The cradle will charge it up while having the function to do digital out too



I don't have the cradle unfortunately...


----------



## gerelmx1986

My 1A has clocked 152 hours, not listened to it until finish with Mozart  media go has 3 form f sending files, drag an drop to the left panel on the device, the send to, via the secret menu to avoid converting (thus making transfer faster) and a fourth way is via Playlist


----------



## Lemieux66

Just got my EU model WM1A uncapped with the help of a very helpful forum member CraftyClown! Delighted!


----------



## kampongkid

gerelmx1986 said:


> via the secret menu to avoid converting




First I've seen mention of this. Drag and drop or other methods convert the files? I hadn't noticed, but I've only had mine for a couple days now.


----------



## soundblast75

whitigir said:


> Analog is possible as lineout from headphones port[/quote - -


----------



## soundblast75

soundblast75 said:


> __didn't read carefully


----------



## Tanjiro

lemieux66 said:


> Just got my EU model WM1A uncapped with the help of a very helpful forum member CraftyClown! Delighted!




Congrats! @CraftyClown has contributed a lot to all EU version owners!


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Upgraded my gold Walkman to "Hi-Res Audio" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Looks good?


----------



## Whitigir

Lol...that sticker ! Nice!


----------



## Jazzi

stephen george said:


> truly
> 
> they are taking their sweet time releasing it here in the us
> 
> i did go to the us sony site and registered this via serial and receipt and it was accepted


 

 Stephen, are you saying you were able to register one you bought and imported from another country and was able to register it on Sony US?


----------



## Jazzi

jamato8 said:


> You can use any USB charger. I use one that put out 2 amps so whatever I am charging takes what it wants. I prefer this to having to use an adapter specifically made for a dap as that is a hassle.


 

 I really wish they would have utilized micro usb rather than Sony proprietary.  One less cable is always a good thing.


----------



## Whitigir

jazzi said:


> I really wish they would have utilized micro usb rather than Sony proprietary.  One less cable is always a good thing.




WM port were designed by Sony to be Audiophile grade from the ground up sir! I modified many cables from Sony stock, the Pins are thick cores and gold plated through and through. It is also large and stable enough to not come off and damage the motherboard easily.

Micro USB is flimsy, too small to get a good quality pins terminals on it to do Digital output for audio quality and so on....be happy of how Dedicated Sony is with audio gears


----------



## Jazzi

whitigir said:


> WM port were designed by Sony to be Audiophile grade from the ground up sir! I modified many cables from Sony stock, the Pins are thick cores and gold plated through and through. It is also large and stable enough to not come off and damage the motherboard easily.
> 
> Micro USB is flimsy, too small to get a good quality pins terminals on it to do Digital output for audio quality and so on....be happy of how Dedicated Sony is with audio gears


 

 Digital output?  I wasn't aware you could use the cable for digital output.  I use mine to transfer files and charge the unit.  Ahh, I guess you're talking about using it with a dock, which I don't have.  Thanks for the info, though.  I hadn't thought of it in terms of compatibility with the dock.


----------



## drjigarn

jazzi said:


> I really wish they would have utilized micro usb rather than Sony proprietary.  One less cable is always a good thing.



I hate micro USB ports, they usually end up having problems, but the convenience is undeniable. That's why I bought the Sony adapter that allows you to charge using micro USB, which will stay in my portable kit. While for home I got the dock. This WM1A deal has made me spend so much on accessories lol. I should receive my player tomorrow, so excited!


----------



## Jazzi

drjigarn said:


> I hate micro USB ports, they usually end up having problems, but the convenience is undeniable. That's why I bought the Sony adapter that allows you to charge using micro USB, which will stay in my portable kit. While for home I got the dock. This WM1A deal has made me spend so much on accessories lol. I should receive my player tomorrow, so excited!


 

 I guess everyone has different experiences.  My AK380 utilizes micro usb, and I've never had a problem.  Of course, YMMV, and apparently does.


----------



## drjigarn

jazzi said:


> I guess everyone has different experiences.  My AK380 utilizes micro usb, and I've never had a problem.  Of course, YMMV, and apparently does.



I've had too many bad experiences with micro USB, I really like USB C.


----------



## Tanjiro

Wow!!! The Balanced cable sounds a HUGE difference to me. I will never go back to SE for sure.:rofl::rofl::rofl:


----------



## Jazzi

moneypls said:


> Wow!!! The Balanced cable makes a HUGE difference to me. I will never go back to SE for sure.:rofl::rofl::rofl:


 

 Glad to hear that.  On first trial, I didn't see much difference.  I'm going to finish the burn-in for SE first, then go back to balanced and hopefully see a big advantage.


----------



## Tanjiro

jazzi said:


> Glad to hear that.  On first trial, I didn't see much difference.  I'm going to finish the burn-in for SE first, then go back to balanced and hopefully see a big advantage.



My SE only burnt in about 17.5 hrs and I already noticed a bit improvement. From now on, all the way for Balanced burn in


----------



## Stephen George

jazzi said:


> Stephen, are you saying you were able to register one you bought and imported from another country and was able to register it on Sony US?


 
 yes, you have to provide a receipt and "other" is a valid way to purchase, the receipt was clearly from japan


----------



## Jazzi

stephen george said:


> yes, you have to provide a receipt and "other" is a valid way to purchase, the receipt was clearly from japan
> 
> it's only a year and i guess with the build quality, it's gonna last long enough


 

 Thanks.  I'll give it a shot.


----------



## soundblast75

Doeas anybody know why the Walkmans do not display some embedded artwork, its really such a waste of time


----------



## Whitigir

jazzi said:


> Digital output?  I wasn't aware you could use the cable for digital output.  I use mine to transfer files and charge the unit.  Ahh, I guess you're talking about using it with a dock, which I don't have.  Thanks for the info, though.  I hadn't thought of it in terms of compatibility with the dock.




You can buy OTG Walkman cables to digital out as well. Normally the USB to Walkman supplied is for sync and charge only.


----------



## Stephen George

jazzi said:


> Thanks.  I'll give it a shot.


 
 absolutely, it's only a year and with this build, it'll go quick
  
 fill out form with serial number and upload jpg/pdf receipt
  
 here's what you should see in your email
  
 Thank you for registering your NWWM1Z Premium Walkman® with High-Resolution Audio (NW-WM1Z).
 Here’s a summary:
 Product model #: NWWM1Z
 Serial #: XXXXXX <---YOUR SERIAL NUMBER
 Purchase location: Other (received as a gift),
 Purchase date: 2017-01-11


----------



## nanaholic

soundblast75 said:


> Doeas anybody know why the Walkmans do not display some embedded artwork, its really such a waste of time


 
  
 I really haven't encountered this issue before even with 3000+ tracks in my Walkman, not sure what people are doing.  But I would suggest try not to use any images that are too large, a good rule of thumb is artwork no larger than 500 x 500 pixel in either jpg or png format should work. 
  
 Also formats like wav and dff can't embedded artwork.


----------



## AnakChan

Sorry to ask some basic charging questions again. Last night I hooked up the 1Z to my iMac and left it copying my Music overnight. In the morning, I noticed that I had a bar left in the battery - i.e. it wasn't charging whilst it was in USB storage storage mode for copying.

 This morning, I had it plugged straight to a 1A wall-USB charger and it was charging the battery.....and all 4 bars were scrolling indicating it was charging :-

 1) It looks like when charging, the 1Z is always on - i.e. it can't be switched off, and have it charging in off-mode
 2) about 2 hrs later it jumped to FULL. I was expecting to see the bars to turn solid one by one to indicate progress of charge but it just seemed to have gone from all flashing bars to FULL after 2 hrs.

 Are the two above normal? If so, then esp for #2, how does one see the progress of the charge?


----------



## tangents

anakchan said:


> 1) It looks like when charging, the 1Z is always on - i.e. it can't be switched off, and have it charging in off-mode
> 2) about 2 hrs later it jumped to FULL. I was expecting to see the bars to turn solid one by one to indicate progress of charge but it just seemed to have gone from all flashing bars to FULL after 2 hrs.


 
  
 I've noticed the same (both 1 and 2) with my 1A.


----------



## Whitigir

My cradles charges it while the screen is off, and my iPad adapter do the same. The bars always rolling to indicate charge, no real way to see battery %


----------



## Mimouille

jazzi said:


> Digital output?  I wasn't aware you could use the cable for digital output.  I use mine to transfer files and charge the unit.  Ahh, I guess you're talking about using it with a dock, which I don't have.  Thanks for the info, though.  I hadn't thought of it in terms of compatibility with the dock.


 
 I just bought this...problem solved.


----------



## AnakChan

whitigir said:


> *My cradles charges it while the screen is off, and my iPad adapter do the same.* The bars always rolling to indicate charge, no real way to see battery %


 

 Nope, wasn't referring to screensaver. Was referring to like switching off it off, and charging. I guess by default plugging in the base, it'll charge and power on - so follows the iPhone behaviour I guess.
  


mimouille said:


> I just bought this...problem solved.


 
  
 I had that...I got rid of most of my WM stuff when I sold my ZX1...now kicking that I have to re-buy all these adapters again!


----------



## Mimouille

anakchan said:


> I had that...I got rid of most of my WM stuff when I sold my ZX1...now kicking that I have to re-buy all these adapters again!


 
 I hear you, this is why now I am keeping my cables and not selling them all when I sell a DAP...you never know what your next DAP is


----------



## GREYH0UND

jameskh said:


> Where can I get some 4.4MM for my Focal Elears?


 
 hi, i was thinking about getting the elears, what can you tell me about this combo?
  
 ps: how is the sound leak?


----------



## Whitigir

greyh0und said:


> hi, i was thinking about getting the elears, what can you tell me about this combo?
> 
> ps: how is the sound leak?




Elear is open HP right ? It should be leaking a good amount


----------



## AnakChan

> cagin said:
> 
> 
> > Hmm if I'm understanding this correctly, if I have an 8 conductor balanced cable 2.5mm TRRS, ideally I'd want to use a Pentaconn plug to reterminate my cable to 4.4mm TRRRS for two solder contact points for the tips and rings?
> ...


 
  
 I lied....there will be Rhodium 4.4mm plugs made in Japan but -_*not*_- by Pentaconn.


----------



## GREYH0UND

whitigir said:


> Elear is open HP right ? It should be leaking a good amount


 
 yes i know...i think that i was just being delusional because i really like them but i need something that i can use outside too.
  
 i m scouting for some nice closed headphones but the more i look the more open back hp i find
  
 beyerdynamic t5p v2 seems the only option i could find but i m not 100% sure


----------



## Jalo

Just to confirm the WM port and the include cable (WM to USB) can only do charging and files transfer.  It does not output digit signal to a DAC like Hugo, right? And it doesn't have any other function?


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> Just to confirm the WM port and the include cable (WM to USB) can only do charging and files transfer.  It does not output digit signal to a DAC like Hugo, right? And it doesn't have any other function?




That is correct, you would need OTG cables to output digital from WM port, or buy the dock, or the Dongle


----------



## Stephen George

lemieux66 said:


> Just got my EU model WM1A uncapped with the help of a very helpful forum member CraftyClown! Delighted!


 
 told you it was easy


----------



## nogi replicant

I demo'd the 1z with Andromeda's the other day. Very nice combination to my ears.


----------



## CosmicHolyGhost

when you are charging the unit, you can no longer switch it off... i guess its normal... battery life is so awesome that i rarely need to charge the unit


----------



## AnakChan

cosmicholyghost said:


> when you are charging the unit, you can no longer switch it off... i guess its normal... battery life is so awesome that i rarely need to charge the unit


 

 I drained mine almost flat copying my files from my iMac to it (3 hrs copy and the other 3 hrs idle but I was sleeping overnight). But I guess that's not a regular thing to do such mass copying so not a big deal.


----------



## Decreate

anakchan said:


> I drained mine almost flat copying my files from my iMac to it (3 hrs copy and the other 3 hrs idle but I was sleeping overnight). But I guess that's not a regular thing to do such mass copying so not a big deal.


 
 Shouldn't it also be charging while the files were being copied over via the cable?


----------



## AnakChan

decreate said:


> Shouldn't it also be charging while the files were being copied over via the cable?


 
  
 That was what I was expecting but I guess it didn't last night. Was surprised to see 1 bar left when I woke up this morning (was fully charged last night).

 One of the reason why I've been asking so many questions these past few hrs as I'm unfamiliar with the day-to-day operation of this despite having heard it many times at the shop, Sony lab, borrowed Jude's, etc. If there's something wrong with mine then I'd like to get it addressed quickly.


----------



## Jazzi

mimouille said:


> I just bought this...problem solved.


 

 Mim:
  
 Source?


----------



## echineko

blazinblazin said:


> Quad DSD. Yes it does that smoothly like all other files.
> 
> I have 11.2MHz songs which is about 1GB each.



Hey, i haven't been following the thread in a while, but I wanted to ask ,where do you acquire quad DSD (DSD512, right?) files from? Which online marketplace has those?


----------



## drjigarn

jazzi said:


> Mim:
> 
> Source?




I got it from here 
http://m.ebay.ca/itm/New-SONY-Walkman-Micro-USB-Plug-Adapter-WMP-NWM10-BM-Japan-/322234368248?txnId=1702584503011


----------



## Jazzi

drjigarn said:


> I got it from here
> http://m.ebay.ca/itm/New-SONY-Walkman-Micro-USB-Plug-Adapter-WMP-NWM10-BM-Japan-/322234368248?txnId=1702584503011


 

 Thanks, drjigarn.  Just ordered one.


----------



## bvng3540

jalo said:


> Just to confirm the WM port and the include cable (WM to USB) can only do charging and files transfer.  It does not output digit signal to a DAC like Hugo, right? And it doesn't have any other function?




For you wm1 to work with hugo or mojo you need the one that has the chip in it see picture
Only this one work with hugo and mojo



This on will not work with hugo and mojo and only work with pha2, pha3


----------



## blazinblazin

echineko said:


> Hey, i haven't been following the thread in a while, but I wanted to ask ,where do you acquire quad DSD (DSD512, right?) files from? Which online marketplace has those?


 
  
 Quad DSD is DSD256
 Octuple DSD is DSD512
  
 I only buy Japanese songs, I got mine from OTOTOY.
  
 Not many companies do Quad DSD.
 Too space consuming. Not many would want to use 1GB for 1 song.


----------



## SabreToothBunny

anakchan said:


> 1) It looks like when charging, the 1Z is always on - i.e. it can't be switched off, and have it charging in off-mode
> 2) about 2 hrs later it jumped to FULL. I was expecting to see the bars to turn solid one by one to indicate progress of charge but it just seemed to have gone from all flashing bars to FULL after 2 hrs.
> Are the two above normal? If so, then esp for #2, how does one see the progress of the charge?




I've never watched my WM1Z's battery indicator to guage progress except the very first time I plugged my unit in... I have the 'Battery Care' option enabled so that it doesn't charge past 90% and I've noticed that the 'missing' 10% isn't registered by the indicator rendering it a tad inaccurate.
1) There isn't a way to turn the unit off when charging
2) On an Intelligent Charge 2A mains charger my unit charges from empty to full in a shade over 2hrs. I've had two WM1Zs and they both charge this quickly. 
To guage progress, I don't rely on the progress bar, I look at the red LED indicator (between the power and volume up buttons) which turns off when charging is complete.

I've looked everywhere under settings and there's nowhere which gives an accurate percentage of battery levels, which would have been nice.
For 'Standby Time' I went away over Christmas through to the first week of this month and forgot to turn my unit off (not playing) after a couple of hours play the day before. When I returned some three and a half weeks later, my unit had the 'low battery' indicator displayed. That's pretty good going but would like an auto-power off feature when not in use for long periods in order to conserve battery.


----------



## echineko

blazinblazin said:


> Quad DSD is DSD256
> Octuple DSD is DSD512
> 
> I only buy Japanese songs, I got mine from OTOTOY.
> ...


 
 I see, I see. Actually I've got a Ototoy account too, but haven't checked it out in a while, since way before I got my 1Z. I'll go back and check it out later, didn't really look at their DSD section last time


----------



## blazinblazin

echineko said:


> I see, I see. Actually I've got a Ototoy account too, but haven't checked it out in a while, since way before I got my 1Z. I'll go back and check it out later, didn't really look at their DSD section last time




Suara's songs are nice.


----------



## Jalo

bvng3540 said:


> For you wm1 to work with hugo or mojo you need the one that has the chip in it see picture
> Only this one work with hugo and mojo
> 
> 
> ...




Thanks for the info. Where do you find the above items? Also, once the signals is extracted out of the unit why is it matter where they go? Pha2, pha3, Hugo, Mojo or any DAC that accept digital signals? And do you know if the full signal is extracted or only limited to certain level of DSD?


----------



## phonomat

soundblast75 said:


> Doeas anybody know why the Walkmans do not display some embedded artwork, its really such a waste of time:angry_face:




Indeed. No matter what I try, MediaGo or no MediaGo, it just won't work in areliable fashion. Every software player I have shows the artwork, it even displays in MediaGo, but as soon as the files are transferred to the Walkman -- poof, gone! _So annoying.

Edit: Format is .jpg and files are definitely not too large, btw._


----------



## SabreToothBunny

phonomat said:


> Indeed. No matter what I try, MediaGo or no MediaGo, it just won't work in areliable fashion. Every software player I have shows the artwork, it even displays in MediaGo, but as soon as the files are transferred to the Walkman -- poof, gone! _So annoying.
> 
> Edit: Format is .jpg and files are definitely not too large, btw._


_


Just a shot in the dark but find an 'offending track':
1. Use MP3Tag and load the track
2. Extract the album art from the track (also make sure there's only 1 image loaded to the track, not more)
3. Remove the album art from the track and 'save'
4. Rename the previously extracted art to something like 'cover.jpg' or 'folder.jpg' in its extracted folder
5. 'Add' the newly name album art to the blank track and 'save'

Load the music again and see what that does._


----------



## ledzep

jalo said:


> Thanks for the info. Where do you find the above items? Also, once the signals is extracted out of the unit why is it matter where they go? Pha2, pha3, Hugo, Mojo or any DAC that accept digital signals? And do you know if the full signal is extracted or only limited to certain level of DSD?




I have this combination , 




cannot speak for the other DAC/amps but my PHA2A takes the digital out from the WM1A whatever it is Dsd / pcm etc and I get the same output via the balanced 4.4mm on the PHA2A and on the 3.5mm output the Dsd is down converted to 24/192 pcm just like the WM1A's SE if that makes sense to you.


----------



## aj05hi

My iDsd BL works as well with all signals but my mojo doesn't.


----------



## Whitigir

That is because u are already using the Dongle with ur idsd


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

Is there any TRRS 3.5mm to 4.4mm adapter's for sale anywhere?


----------



## aj05hi

whitigir said:


> That is because u are already using the Dongle with ur idsd




I have a different otg cable for my mojo that does not work (similar to the one below) but after reading a post from @bvng3540 it appears that my cable does not have a chip in it needed to work.


----------



## JamesKH

That's correct - because open back, there is leakage.  How much you're willing to tolerate is individual preference.  For me, it's not a big deal.  As far as the 4,4mm, still waiting and will post my impressions once I've had ample time to listen.


----------



## Whitigir

aj05hi said:


> I have a different otg cable for my mojo that does not work (similar to the one below) but after reading a post from @bvng3540 it appears that my cable does not have a chip in it needed to work.




That is correct, I had been pointing this out too many times. The one with chip inside is and or have to be modified from OEM Sony dongles. It not only does offer ID chip but also extra processing prowess for Digital audio quality, in a senses it sounds much better than your typical wires (those that supplied inside the box of Sony Amplifier). Once modified, you can use this dongles with anything whether it checks or doesn't check ID


----------



## aj05hi

Thanks, do you know who can I contact to get one as my usual contacts at effect/plus audio etc are coming empty?


----------



## gerelmx1986

anakchan said:


> Sorry to ask some basic charging questions again. Last night I hooked up the 1Z to my iMac and left it copying my Music overnight. In the morning, I noticed that I had a bar left in the battery - i.e. it wasn't charging whilst it was in USB storage storage mode for copying.
> 
> This morning, I had it plugged straight to a 1A wall-USB charger and it was charging the battery.....and all 4 bars were scrolling indicating it was charging :-
> 
> ...


 

 it supossedly stops charging after FULL, and yes the charging is always ON


----------



## gerelmx1986

Ddid the experiemtn of leaving it playing all the night with no DSPs like EQ etc so source direct ON and the battery has only one bar missing, conclusión the DSPs chug on he battery pretty fast


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Ddid the experiemtn of leaving it playing all the night with no DSPs like EQ etc so source direct ON and the battery has only one bar missing, conclusión the DSPs chug on he battery pretty fast




Yes, very fast indeed. I did it with balanced mode and it barely last 11-12 hours....Barely*


----------



## phonomat

sabretoothbunny said:


> Just a shot in the dark but find an 'offending track':
> 1. Use MP3Tag and load the track
> 2. Extract the album art from the track (also make sure there's only 1 image loaded to the track, not more)
> 3. Remove the album art from the track and 'save'
> ...




Thanks a lot, I'll try that.


----------



## Jazzi

phonomat said:


> Indeed. No matter what I try, MediaGo or no MediaGo, it just won't work in areliable fashion. Every software player I have shows the artwork, it even displays in MediaGo, but as soon as the files are transferred to the Walkman -- poof, gone! _So annoying.
> 
> Edit: Format is .jpg and files are definitely not too large, btw._


 

 I had a few albums that wouldn't display on the Sony, too.  A little over the top, maybe, but I converted my flac files to wav, then re-converted to flac.  After that process, the artwork showed up on the WM1A -- on all but one album.  YMMV.


----------



## Whitigir

I need my 4.4mm Plugs....Now!

Hybrid Configurations with OCC copper / SPC OCC copper and cotton cores for flexibility: inspired by Sony Z1R stock cables


----------



## echineko

blazinblazin said:


> Suara's songs are nice.



Ended up going with some instrumental music (acoustic guitars), sounds really good, yes


----------



## purk

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> Is there any TRRS 3.5mm to 4.4mm adapter's for sale anywhere?


 
  
  
 I think surfcable.com can make you one.  I made my own and it wasn't too bad.  I grab the 3.5 TRRS female off from ebay and ordered the 4.4 mm from Effect Audio.


----------



## bvng3540

purk said:


> I think surfcable.com can make you one.  I made my own and it wasn't too bad.  I grab the 3.5 TRRS female off from ebay and ordered the 4.4 mm from Effect Audio.
> 
> [COLOR=FF4400]
> [/COLOR]




Why don't you made for member that needed, cable maker always charged an arms and legs for it and took forever


----------



## Whitigir

bvng3540 said:


> Why don't you made for member that needed, cable maker always charged an arms and legs for it and took forever




They may take forever, but they don't cost an arms and legs if you order commonly used wires, maybe more expensive but still reasonable. Us DIY folks may help, but we don't typically make commonly used wires, and more like using exquisite materials, and they are not cheap either, cheaper than 3rd party but expensive enough to be out of reach of common folks.

In a senses, it is better to buy affordable Adapter from vendors, unless you want exquisite cables materials, then seek toward DIY folks.

Speaking as a DIY myself


----------



## proedros

any *zx2 owners who upgraded to wm1a* , how much better is wm1a ?

 thanx


----------



## bvng3540

proedros said:


> any *zx2 owners who upgraded to wm1a* , how much better is wm1a ?
> 
> 
> thanx




At least 10 times better, this is my personal opinion and to my ears


----------



## purk

bvng3540 said:


> Why don't you made for member that needed, cable maker always charged an arms and legs for it and took forever


 
 Time and I don't have parts on hand...and It still going to be a tad pricey.  If you learn how to make your own, you will never pay someone arms and legs ever again to make you a cables or conversion adapters.


----------



## proedros

bvng3540 said:


> At least *10 times better*, this is my personal opinion and to my ears


 
  
 that good ? wow , i am very happy with zx2 so i think that 1a will make me go dancing naked on the streets 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 damn , must resist the urge to buy one now


----------



## bvng3540

proedros said:


> that good ? wow , i am very happy with zx2 so i think that 1a will make me go dancing naked on the streets
> 
> damn , must resist the urge to buy one now




1a will make you dancing naked with FAT LADY on the street


----------



## loveholic

Oh boy, I just read about the whole volume cap thing in Europe. I have a WM1A from amazon UK being delivered today, but don't wanna mess with it. Anyone want it for the price I paid for?


----------



## proedros

bvng3540 said:


> 1a will make you dancing naked with FAT LADY on the street


 
  
 is this 10x better on SE or just balanced ?


----------



## CraftyClown

proedros said:


> that good ? wow , i am very happy with zx2 so i think that 1a will make me go dancing naked on the streets
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Sorry mate, I hate to be the voice of reason but the WM1A is not 10 times better than the ZX2.
  
 There are massively diminishing returns when it comes to TOTL DAPS and that is the case here. 
  
 Unless you have disposable cash right now or you wanted to upgrade anyway then you will be fine sticking with your ZX2.
  
 Please be aware of the hype train


----------



## CraftyClown

loveholic said:


> Oh boy, I just read about the whole volume cap thing in Europe. I have a WM1A from amazon UK being delivered today, but don't wanna mess with it. Anyone want it for the price I paid for?


 
  
 I can talk you through the hack, it takes about 30 seconds.
  
 I promise you it is dead easy


----------



## bvng3540

craftyclown said:


> Sorry mate, I hate to be the voice of reason but the WM1A is not 10 times better than the ZX2.
> 
> There are massively diminishing returns when it comes to TOTL DAPS and that is the case here.
> 
> ...




Let me make this CLEAR I STATED TO MY OPINION AND MY EARS That doesn't mean that it applies to EVERYONE


----------



## CraftyClown

bvng3540 said:


> Let me make this CLEAR I STATED TO MY OPINION AND MY EARS That doesn't mean that it applies to EVERYONE


 
  
 That's fine, but in my opinion and to my ears it isn't ten times better.


----------



## Whitigir

craftyclown said:


> That's fine, but in my opinion and to my ears it isn't ten times better.




To my wallet, it is not better, save your money


----------



## echineko

After using the remote for a while, I do prefer it over having to pull out the 1Z, especially when at work and having it discreetly tucked away in my laptop bag etc. Just wish there was a way to unlock the screen via the remote for those occasions I want to browse for a specific track, but there is no power button equivalent right now.


----------



## Kerouac

craftyclown said:


> That's fine, but in my opinion and to my ears it isn't ten times better.


 
  
 I bet ya', even if you would tell @proedros that WM1A is twice as good as ZX2...
 he would be out there in the streets within 10 minutes


----------



## proedros

Quote


kerouac said:


> I bet ya', even if you would tell @proedros that WM1A is twice as good as ZX2...
> he would be out there in the streets within 10 minutes


 
  
 well zx2 is great , only reason i would like to get 1a is that i have a gut feeling it would pair great with my athenas 

 but for now we stay put (or don't we?)


----------



## echineko

proedros said:


> well zx2 is great , only reason i would like to get 1a is that i have a gut feeling it would pair great with my athenas
> 
> but for now we stay put (or don't we?)


 
 Do yourself a favor, don't try the 1Z. I made that mistake, and it cost me


----------



## bvng3540

whitigir said:


> To my wallet, it is not better, save your money


Every one entitled to their opinions, also no one forcing you to buy it if you don't think it worth it


----------



## Whitigir

bvng3540 said:


> Every one entitled to their opinions, also no one forcing you to buy it if you don't think it worth it




Lol, yeah, I don't buy it because I bought 1Z and to my ears, the wm1Z is 20x times better than Zx2 ....jokes aside, the WM1Z is pretty good and is better than Zx2 for sure


----------



## bvng3540

whitigir said:


> Lol, yeah, I don't buy it because I bought 1Z and to my ears, the wm1Z is 20x times better than Zx2 ....jokes aside, the WM1Z is pretty good and is better than Zx2 for sure




Totally agree with you bought the 1a, then demoed 1z sold 1a bought 1z


----------



## Whitigir

bvng3540 said:


> Totally agree with you bought the 1a, then demoed 1z sold 1a bought 1z




Great choices for sure


----------



## Dithyrambes

loveholic said:


> Oh boy, I just read about the whole volume cap thing in Europe. I have a WM1A from amazon UK being delivered today, but don't wanna mess with it. Anyone want it for the price I paid for?


 
 dude you can uncap it


----------



## Dithyrambes

The 1A isn't 10x better....but at 659 pounds....a steal.....zx2 sounded great. I would say like 15-20% better....which in my books is def an upgrade


----------



## gerelmx1986

Maybe WM1A is 10x better tan ZX100 and zx1
  
 BTW left mine burning two days straihght non stop and now clocks 174 hours and sounds awesome in direct source


----------



## tangents

After ~72 hours of burn-in, my 1A is sounding fuller and livelier than it did at hour zero (maybe it's just my brain adjusting).
  
 But this sluggish UI is ... . ...


----------



## Mimouille

Benks in China are making a flexible plastic case. Their stuff is usually good quality.


----------



## squirrelman

mimouille said:


> Benks in China are making a flexible plastic case. Their stuff is usually good quality.


 
  
 Ooh that looks pretty awesome!


----------



## Jazzi

gerelmx1986 said:


> Maybe WM1A is 10x better tan ZX100 and zx1
> 
> BTW left mine burning two days straihght non stop and now clocks 174 hours and sounds awesome in direct source


 

 Damn!  How many hours in a day in Mexico?


----------



## bvng3540

jazzi said:


> Damn!  How many hours in a day in Mexico? :eek:




Am not good at math but 174 divide by 2 equal to 87 hrs a day


----------



## blazinblazin

tangents said:


> After ~72 hours of burn-in, my 1A is sounding fuller and livelier than it did at hour zero (maybe it's just my brain adjusting).
> 
> But this sluggish UI is ... . ...



Maybe your speed not adjusted to the sluggish UI yet :X


----------



## Stephen George

echineko said:


> Do yourself a favor, don't try the 1Z. I made that mistake, and it cost me


 
 kinda scary how good everything sounds though, lowly BT headsets like beoplay h5, bragi dash/headphone,  jaybirds, even crappy mp3s, once u go 1z you never look back


----------



## echineko

And speaking of my 1Z, considering the upcoming festivities...


----------



## Jazzi

stephen george said:


> absolutely, it's only a year and with this build, it'll go quick
> 
> fill out form with serial number and upload jpg/pdf receipt
> 
> ...


 

 For some strange reason it wouldn't process it last night, but tried again tonight and went off without a hitch.  Thanks, again.


----------



## robiceli

proedros said:


> any *zx2 owners who upgraded to wm1a* , how much better is wm1a ?
> 
> thanx


 
 I had the chance to test the 1a and the zx2 at a sony center shop (I have a friend who works there so I could listen and compare them for about an hour or so) and to my ears, they didn't sound different at all. The only difference I noticed was a louder sounding device, which was the wm1a. Both daps were EU capped by the way.
  
 I used my Z5's for sound comparison.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

After 60 hours burn in with my MDR-EX1000 only one conclusion to make...Stunning!
 Played Thriller DSD 2.8Mhz...
 My goodness...This unit sings!!!
  
 I had the AK240SS before this, the Sony trounces it. Currently using the EX's single ended, i can only imagine them in balanced.


----------



## soundblast75

phonomat said:


> Indeed. No matter what I try, MediaGo or no MediaGo, it just won't work in areliable fashion. Every software player I have shows the artwork, it even displays in MediaGo, but as soon as the files are transferred to the Walkman -- poof, gone! _So annoying.
> 
> Edit: Format is .jpg and files are definitely not too large, btw._


_


Exactly, i have bith Linux and Windows, i am also a maniac when it comes to tagging, if i ever find out what it is I'll share, but one thing is clear, Sony will not address it

On a better note, The Dignis case is very expensive and it will scratch easily, but when it comes to quality and beauty there's no alternative.!_


----------



## Decreate

soundblast75 said:


> Exactly, i have bith Linux and Windows, i am also a maniac when it comes to tagging, if i ever find out what it is I'll share, but one thing is clear, Sony will not address it
> 
> On a better note, The Dignis case is very expensive and it will scratch easily, but when it comes to quality and beauty there's no alternative.!


 
 Just make sure that the jpg file itself is saved using the baseline option instead of the progressive option. I've had to open up a couple of the jpg files using photoshop just to re-save them using the baseline option to make them work on the WM1Z.


----------



## blazinblazin

princeofegypt said:


> After 60 hours burn in with my MDR-EX1000 only one conclusion to make...Stunning!
> Played Thriller DSD 2.8Mhz...
> My goodness...This unit sings!!!
> 
> I had the AK240SS before this, the Sony trounces it. Currently using the EX's single ended, i can only imagine them in balanced.



If it don't sings please sent your faulty unit for repair~ 

You can't imagine them in balanced as they are out of your imagination 

Its totally a different world~


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

blazinblazin said:


> If it don't sings please sent your faulty unit for repair~
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Any recommendations for a 4.4mm balanced that will do the EX1000 justice?


----------



## soundblast75

decreate said:


> Just make sure that the jpg file itself is saved using the baseline option instead of the progressive option. I've had to open up a couple of the jpg files using photoshop just to re-save them using the baseline option to make them work on the WM1Z.



Oh, id hate saving jpeg inside the folders now,and why do most artworks work without that.. 
I don't know much about the baseline and progressive one,is this photoshop, i don't use one


----------



## Decreate

soundblast75 said:


> Oh, id hate saving jpeg inside the folders now,and why do most artworks work without that..
> I don't know much about the baseline and progressive one,is this photoshop, i don't use one


 
 Don't have to save the jpg inside the folders, just have to make sure that the jpgs used for the tagging are saved under the baseline option. I'm actually unsure as to whether this option is available in other photo editing software as I have only ever used Photoshop.


----------



## Stephen George

drjigarn said:


> Has anyone tried the Miter case?


 
  
  
 don't think i would consider it
  
 bought one for the AK240, half the price of the standard leather case, very nice flat folding stand
 however, noticeably thinner leather and the corner of the AK is exposed
  
 i just looked at the miter for the 1z and again, the bottom right corner of the device is exposed....


----------



## blazinblazin

princeofegypt said:


> Any recommendations for a 4.4mm balanced that will do the EX1000 justice?



Even Sony's MMCX Kimble Kable was pretty good. Just that you need to get adapter for EX1000.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

blazinblazin said:


> Even Sony's MMCX Kimble Kable was pretty good. Just that you need to get adapter for EX1000.


 
  
 Where can i get the kimber cable and adapter from please?


----------



## blazinblazin

princeofegypt said:


> Where can i get the kimber cable and adapter from please?



Cable get from jaben.com.my

Adapter i am not sure but someone posted this in this thread months ago


ledzep said:


> Masao Kamikodai at E4UA is the guy who's doing it for me. You can email him ifoifo@gmail.com as he does adaptors too so you can use the Balanced mmcx kimber cable too.


----------



## goody

craftyclown said:


> Sorry mate, I hate to be the voice of reason but the WM1A is not 10 times better than the ZX2.
> 
> There are massively diminishing returns when it comes to TOTL DAPS and that is the case here.
> 
> ...


 
 Crafty will it be ok if i meet you sometime so i can have a listen to your WM1A  i will bring my ZX2 along just to compare ..i live in london as well...i am not a west ham or spurs fan though


----------



## goyete

blazinblazin said:


> Even Sony's MMCX Kimble Kable was pretty good. Just that you need to get adapter for EX1000.



Where can I get those adapters please??


----------



## gerelmx1986

soundblast75 said:


> decreate said:
> 
> 
> > Just make sure that the jpg file itself is saved using the baseline option instead of the progressive option. I've had to open up a couple of the jpg files using photoshop just to re-save them using the baseline option to make them work on the WM1Z.
> ...


see my thread Walkman tips and trocks

basically this


----------



## rookie2009

goyete said:


> Where can I get those adapters please??


 

 I'm not sure where @blazinblazin got those adapters,I am sure he will chime in but I seen @flinkenick got some adapters from Rhapsodio...maybe they would do the job...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Photo courtesy of @flinkenick


----------



## soundblast75

gerelmx1986 said:


> see my thread Walkman tips and trocks
> 
> basically this



Oh,thanks dude, i don't think tagging software has that tho, i use mp3tag on Windows and some others on Linux


----------



## gerelmx1986

soundblast75 said:


> Oh,thanks dude, i don't think tagging software has that tho, i use mp3tag on Windows and some others on Linux


 
 Actually the screenshot is Photoshop CS 6, i also use mp3Tag for bath editing and artwork embedding


----------



## soundblast75

gerelmx1986 said:


> Actually the screenshot is Photoshop CS 6, i also use mp3Tag for bath editing and artwork embedding



Yeah, don't know if it has some specific options for artwork embedding, point is its the same software,same resolution say 500x500,most ok, some dont show. Only new thing i tried was to find the artwork in mp3tag itself rather than getting one via Google search, shouldn't make a difference, but some 10 albums done in one go like that all show it


----------



## ledzep

princeofegypt said:


> After 60 hours burn in with my MDR-EX1000 only one conclusion to make...Stunning!
> Played Thriller DSD 2.8Mhz...
> My goodness...This unit sings!!!
> 
> I had the AK240SS before this, the Sony trounces it. Currently using the EX's single ended, i can only imagine them in balanced.




They sound excellent in balanced a worthy upgrade cable is a must


----------



## kms108

blazinblazin said:


> princeofegypt said:
> 
> 
> > Any recommendations for a 4.4mm balanced that will do the EX1000 justice?
> ...




Yep, I also tried the kimble kable with the XBA 300, EX800 and the beyerdynamic Xelento, there is a great improvement in SQ.


----------



## gerelmx1986

soundblast75 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Actually the screenshot is Photoshop CS 6, i also use mp3Tag for bath editing and artwork embedding
> ...


 

 ​I love mp3ta Handy especially the Replace function f,e to remove dumb information from some songs  Piano concertó No. 27 - Cadenzas by Robert Levin - :... to just trim the cadenzas by bla bla bla part in Speedy fashion


----------



## ledzep

soundblast75 said:


> Yeah, don't know if it has some specific options for artwork embedding, point is its the same software,same resolution say 500x500,most ok, some dont show. Only new thing i tried was to find the artwork in mp3tag itself rather than getting one via Google search, shouldn't make a difference, but some 10 albums done in one go like that all show it



Just thought id stick my 2 cents worth in on the album art thing, all I do is open the picture of the album be it from Google or album art.org etc with paint and resize it to 500x500 and save as JPEG , I've tagged over 2000 albums with that method and mp3tag and everything works perfect.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

kms108 said:


> Yep, I also tried the kimble kable with the XBA 300, EX800 and the beyerdynamic Xelento, there is a great improvement in SQ.


 
 Jaben out of stock


----------



## kms108

princeofegypt said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Yep, I also tried the kimble kable with the XBA 300, EX800 and the beyerdynamic Xelento, there is a great improvement in SQ.
> ...



 



Why wouldn't it, it's probably the cheapest place to get the cable on earth, send them a email and ask them to notify you when they have stock, once stock is available, they go quickly, thats why i got it first even though I don't have the WM1A.


----------



## Whitigir

Finally my 4.4 Pentaconn is here. And this new snake was born ...Yah, very flexible


----------



## herijgonzalez

Any SONY NW-WM1Z owner located in NYC? Want to try it before I sell AK380.


----------



## davidmolliere

Sorry if this has been posted before I haven't kept track of the thread but PDF of Service Manual for the 1Z/1A lebellium posted on a french forum : 
 https://goo.gl/Zw8m8Q


----------



## Whitigir

Wm1Z with Z1R and stock cables ....Suck! Now I understand why there were such a mix impression coming from WM1Z. Those who were able to at least audition WM1Z with Kimber cables would have positive impressions, and those who did with stock cables would have negative impressions !

In my case, stock Z1R 4.4mm cables Suck! With Wm1Z. Bass was booming, soundstage is narrowed in the inner circles, and so some subtlest details got suppressed. Now with this cables, it opened up, better soundstage, better bass dynamics and controls, and better subtles details.

For a moment I was comparing between opus #2 and WM1Z using my Z1R. However, the differences were the cables I made for Opus #2, and while WM1Z was stuck with stock 4.4mm cables. In these moments, I always found Opus #2 to have better soundstage and better balanced with better finesses. Now, I will be putting up a fair fight between these 2 devices, but now I am loving WM1Z more: can not beat this soundstage, the smoothness, the analog musicality all together. Opus #2 only advantage here is being more Balanced than WM1Z which is more into analog feeling but surprisingly not lacking any details.

It is sad to say but owning WM1Z, you are owning a "beast" of a portable device. However, it comes leashed from the manufacturer, and if you want to "unleash the beast". Do buy better Upgraded cables, and use Balanced out 4.4mm

Think about it though, WM1Z was built on every premium parts and components available ATM, why would you want to stick with the cheap stock cables ? Unleash it ! Because the premium quality of WM1Z built, it scales very crazy with upgraded cables


----------



## Stephen George

ledzep said:


> Just thought id stick my 2 cents worth in on the album art thing, all I do is open the picture of the album be it from Google or album art.org etc with paint and resize it to 500x500 and save as JPEG , I've tagged over 2000 albums with that method and mp3tag and everything works perfect.


 
  
  
 been using *tag and rename* for eons
  
 it'll find the screenart for you in your browser and you can drag and drop
 it'll automagically resize perfectly
 does a million things and well


----------



## soundblast75

stephen george said:


> been using *tag and rename* for eons
> 
> it'll find the screenart for you in your browser and you can drag and drop
> it'll automagically resize perfectly
> does a million things and well



I'll try it, many thanks for the tip


----------



## Stealer

I had used both Tag&Rename and Mp3Tag apps but personally still prefer Mp3Tag.
 As for album arts not displaying is due to the images itself.
 I had found that about 30% of my collection (so far) are unable to show up on Sony WM1a player, but have no problem with displaying in MediaGo, JR center, Sony ZX2 and Onkyo DP-X1.
  
 And i think Sony shld at least improve on this with the future firmware upgrade... 
 Funny thing is, I do enjoy looking at the album arts when I am listening to the music..
 think they are a piece of arts, so album arts are definitly importance to me..IMO
  
 rgds


----------



## Whitigir

Man, if I was Sony, I would display WM1Z demo with high quality adaptors on the side. Even if they were not to include it in the box for the product. Demo unit a need to let people fully expose it potentials 

A/ 2.5mm TRRS to 4.4mm 
B/ 3.5mm TRRS to 4.4mm 

By this, people can audition the system with their good cables, just because stock cables suck so bad  . It is as bad as that it would break or make the deal decision kind of impact


----------



## AnakChan

whitigir said:


> Man, if I was Sony, I would display WM1Z demo with high quality adaptors on the side. Even if they were not to include it in the box for the product. Demo unit a need to let people fully expose it potentials
> 
> A/ 2.5mm TRRS to 4.4mm
> B/ 3.5mm TRRS to 4.4mm
> ...


 


 Sony can't unless it's their own cables. Otherwise they'll be demonstrating preferences to certain 3rd party adapter makers. However their displays in resellers are already doing that :-
  
 (from e-earphone's twitter)



 Note 3.5mm TRRS doesn't seem as popular as the 2.5mm TRRS so probably won't find as many 3.5mm TRRS -> 4.4mm balanced out there. As mentioned, probably harder for Sony to do so at their own stores however you could ask your local independent reseller to do as what e-earphone's done above.


----------



## Whitigir

anakchan said:


> Sony can't unless it's their own cables. Otherwise they'll be demonstrating preferences to certain 3rd party adapter makers. However their displays in resellers are already doing that :-
> 
> (from e-earphone's twitter)
> 
> ...




Very very true ! And man, I am glad to see the 4.4mm Pentaconn being more available now. Btw Anakchan, is there a way to physically distinguish the lower-end Pentaconn vs the higher-end that uses Copper base metal one ? Thank you


----------



## jamato8

anakchan said:


> Sony can't unless it's their own cables. Otherwise they'll be demonstrating preferences to certain 3rd party adapter makers. However their displays in resellers are already doing that :-
> 
> (from e-earphone's twitter)
> 
> ...


 
 Didn't Sony show a preference by stating what internal wiring they use in the 1Z? There are many wire manufactures out there.


----------



## jamato8

whitigir said:


> Very very true ! And man, I am glad to see the 4.4mm Pentaconn being more available now. Btw Anakchan, is there a way to physically distinguish the lower-end Pentaconn vs the higher-end that uses Copper base metal one ? Thank you


 

 I have gotten some 4.4 TRRRS and some of the more expensive are still using steel for the center pin/conductor! So even if those are primarily copper, you have steel in the signal path. I got some directly from China that are none magnetic and very well made. You just never know. Furutech makes some of the best stuff but they don't have any 4.4 yet and even most of their plugs aren't copper.


----------



## Whitigir

jamato8 said:


> I have gotten some 4.4 TRRRS and some of the more expensive are still using steel for the center pin/conductor! So even if those are primarily copper, you have steel in the signal path. I got some directly from China that are none magnetic and very well made. You just never know. Furutech makes some of the best stuff but they don't have any 4.4 yet and even most of their plugs aren't copper.




No, Pentaconn disclosed that their higher-end version use Pure OFC base metal and gold-plated. I think Anakchan linked it here before. Though, I agree about common plugs that is being used by common manufacturers, and cheaper pricing plugs


----------



## echineko

herijgonzalez said:


> Any SONY NW-WM1Z owner located in NYC? Want to try it before I sell AK380.



Didn't see this addressed, but Canjam NYC is coming up soon, eh? You can try the 1Z and entire Sony Signature lineup there


----------



## jamato8

whitigir said:


> No, Pentaconn disclosed that their higher-end version use Pure OFC base metal and gold-plated. I think Anakchan linked it here before. Though, I agree about common plugs that is being used by common manufacturers, and cheaper pricing plugs


 

 I didn't mean there weren't any being made out of copper but try to find some that is the issue. All in time, like most things audiophile. :^)


----------



## herijgonzalez

Trying to back out of a business trip i have scheduled that weekend. Hopefully I can attend. Thanks.


----------



## Whitigir

jamato8 said:


> I didn't mean there weren't any being made out of copper but try to find some that is the issue. All in time, like most things audiophile. :^)




Agreed, and most often very expensive, Furutech for example


----------



## AnakChan

whitigir said:


> Very very true ! And man, I am glad to see the 4.4mm Pentaconn being more available now. Btw Anakchan, is there a way to physically distinguish the lower-end Pentaconn vs the higher-end that uses Copper base metal one ? Thank you


 
  
 I've not tried. My Sony NW setup with Brise cables are all new (literally talking about 3-4 days old and my WM1Z is only on it's 38 hr of burn in (same with my Brise cable)
  


jamato8 said:


> Didn't Sony show a preference by stating what internal wiring they use in the 1Z? There are many wire manufactures out there.


 
  
 There's a diff in a collaboration with a cable maker in the manufacturing of the DAP vs using a 3rd party maker adapter in demo displays. Further note that I believe "officially" the cables are termed something along the lines of "Sony Cables Engineered in collaboration with Kimber Kables" rather than just "Kimber Kables in Sony player".


----------



## nogi replicant

echineko said:


> Didn't see this addressed, but Canjam NYC is coming up soon, eh? You can try the 1Z and entire Sony Signature lineup there



Def try it before you sell the 380. I demo'd the 380 and the 1z side by side last week and overall I preferred and bought the 380. Both sound incredible but I slightly preferred the sound of the 380 and def prefer the portable ergonomics and design of the 380 - for my needs anyway.


----------



## echineko

nogi replicant said:


> Def try it before you sell the 380. I demo'd the 380 and the 1z side by side last week and overall I preferred and bought the 380. Both sound incredible but I slightly preferred the sound of the 380 and def prefer the portable ergonomics and design of the 380 - for my needs anyway.



That 1Z wasn't burnt in, then  Kidding aside, this is a 1A/1Z thread, so it's obvious what people prefer here, but I agree that it's important to make the best choice for yourself. I also tried both before committing to the 1Z, and I'd take the 1Z over the 380+amp any day. 'Course my wallet would have preferred that I not have tried anything...

Edit: One thing I'd add, try the 1Z via the balanced output. It's a noticeable improvement over the SE output


----------



## nogi replicant

I really really like them both.


----------



## echineko

nogi replicant said:


> I really really like them both.



I feel really bad for your wallet, then


----------



## nogi replicant

echineko said:


> I feel really bad for your wallet, then




Agreed.


----------



## Whitigir

nogi replicant said:


> Def try it before you sell the 380. I demo'd the 380 and the 1z side by side last week and overall I preferred and bought the 380. Both sound incredible but I slightly preferred the sound of the 380 and def prefer the portable ergonomics and design of the 380 - for my needs anyway.




Ok, care to clarify something ? How did you compare them both ?

Balanced to balanced ?upgraded cables to upgraded cables ? Or were it the case of typically balanced & upgraded cables AK VS WM1Z stock cables ?

Honestly, the Wm1z really needs an upgrade cables and balanced 4.4mm to sound it best. I have been there and done that


----------



## nogi replicant

whitigir said:


> Ok, care to clarify something ? How did you compare them both ?
> 
> Balanced to balanced ?upgraded cables to upgraded cables ? Or were it the case of typically balanced & upgraded cables AK VS WM1Z stock cables ?
> 
> Honestly, the Wm1z really needs an upgrade cables and balanced 4.4mm to sound it best. I have been there and done that




SE on both. Using my own gear - K10's with PW Audio No 5 cable and Katana with PW Audio 1960's 2 wire cable.


----------



## Whitigir

nogi replicant said:


> SE on both. Using my own gear - K10's with PW Audio No 5 cable and Katana with PW Audio 1960's 2 wire cable.




Ok, then I will be fair and say this. AK380 built has excellent SE, however the WM1Z was built around the balanced out 4.4mm. The proof is that AK380 uses Ribbon cables to internally connecting to it main board (only the external AK amp got it directly on board, in another word, the best AK balanced out needs Amp). Then WM1Z can only do native DSD in balanced 4.4mm and the best of WM1Z is balanced 4.4mm.

SE from Walkman even Zx2 was not that great, but using it with Separated grounds or even 3.5 mm TRRS would be the main design of Walkman SE, so by using standard 3.5mm SE, you are comparing the worse of Walkman into the best of AK380 SE, AK380 can only be better with balanced out from the external-amp.

Trust me, go try an AK380+amp and balanced out, then try WM1Z with upgraded cables from 4.4mm, and see for yourself. When I compare products, I usually compare each best performances to another best performances.


----------



## AnakChan

nogi replicant said:


> SE on both. Using my own gear - K10's with PW Audio No 5 cable and Katana with PW Audio 1960's 2 wire cable.


 
  
 Agreed with Nogi to definitely spend more time comparing (sonics and non sonics perspective). From my experience a tough call...almost every single time I've tried the 1Z from late Sept till now I feel the AK380Cu (can't speak much about the std AK380) has a more reference-y sound and the 1Z seems to have a smaller soundstage and a little warmer. At least IMHO there are more pros than cons for the AK380Cu than for the 1Z :-
  

more referency than the 1Z
airier and wider soundstage
2.5mm is more common than 4.4mm
less disparity between the 2.5mm balanced and 3.5mm SE. To me on the 1Z the fact that it shines on 4.4mm and "just getting by" on 3.5mm SE is not a positive point for the 1Z (this isn't just power difference between balanced and SE, but DSD support between balanced and SE too).
AK380Cu alone is lighter and more compact (although more "edgey" in the hand but not really an issue in the hand)
faster UI
std microUSB connector
  
 Despite this, I still bought the 1Z last week and the question remains if I'll keep both or if I'll get rid of one. But the reasons for buying the 1Z
  

battery life (this deserves a 2 pointer ++)
4.4mm is easier to solder than 2.5mm for DIY cables (not an issue if you don't , but I'm trying to make my own Utopia cables)
I'm probably bored of referency sound and like something "meatier" and prepared to sacrifice a little soundstage for it
more oomph in balanced compared to the AK380Cu standalone...naturally AK380Cu with amp will outdo the 1Z, however the AK380Cu+amp is then heavier than the 1Z
  
 So bottom line, I ended up getting the 1Z pretty much mostly (but not solely) for non-sonic reasons but for more practical reasons (esp the battery life and the ease of soldering of 4.4mm). If I end up keeping both DAPs, I think it'll almost be inevitable that that the 1Z will spend more time with the Utopia, and the AK380Cu more time with out-and-about IEMs.


----------



## nogi replicant

whitigir said:


> Ok, then I will be fair and say this. AK380 built has excellent SE, however the WM1Z was built around the balanced out 4.4mm. The proof is that AK380 uses Ribbon cables to internally connecting to it main board (only the external AK amp got it directly on board, in another word, the best AK balanced out needs Amp). Then WM1Z can only do native DSD in balanced 4.4mm and the best of WM1Z is balanced 4.4mm.
> 
> SE from Walkman even Zx2 was not that great, but using it with Separated grounds or even 3.5 mm TRRS would be the main design of Walkman SE, so by using standard 3.5mm SE, you are comparing the worse of Walkman into the best of AK380 SE, AK380 can only be better with balanced out from the external-amp.
> 
> Trust me, go try an AK380+amp and balanced out, then try WM1Z with upgraded cables from 4.4mm, and see for yourself. When I compare products, I usually compare each best performances to another best performances.




I unfortunately didn't have the opportunity to test either of them balanced. I did get the amp also for the 380 though - thrown in for free. My decision was influenced by factors beyond just sonics however, i like the UI on both, I like the physical design of both with a slight edge (pardon the pun) to the 380. Not a fan of the gold colour of the 1z but a case fixes that. The huge positive for the Sony's outside of sonics is the battery life, however the main turnoff for the 1z was the weight. Inevitably I will drop the dap and I feel with the weight of the 1z that could be catastrophic, so no deal. 

Here in Australia there are no 1A's to demo so I was also cautious about buying the 1z without having heard the 1a to compare. When the 1A becomes available here I will probably pick that up for the great battery and balanced performance etc and potentially get a 1z down the line. If I like the usability of the 1a.


----------



## jamato8

anakchan said:


> There's a diff in a collaboration with a cable maker in the manufacturing of the DAP vs using a 3rd party maker adapter in demo displays. Further note that I believe "officially" the cables are termed something along the lines of "Sony Cables Engineered in collaboration with Kimber Kables" rather than just "Kimber Kables in Sony player".


 
 Point taken.


----------



## drjigarn

A question for WM1A owners..

Does the 3.5 mm jack wiggle while connected? 

I received my WM1A day before yesterday, the unit is perfect except this little thing that I noticed. Is it normal?


----------



## jamato8

drjigarn said:


> A question for WM1A owners..
> 
> Does the 3.5 mm jack wiggle while connected?
> 
> I received my WM1A day before yesterday, the unit is perfect except this little thing that I noticed. Is it normal?


 

 Mine will move side to side, if that is what you mean. It moves more than a couple of my other players. I hadn't noticed until you asked this, thanks. lol


----------



## GREYH0UND

drjigarn said:


> A question for WM1A owners..
> 
> Does the 3.5 mm jack wiggle while connected?
> 
> I received my WM1A day before yesterday, the unit is perfect except this little thing that I noticed. Is it normal?



Mine does the same


----------



## blazinblazin

Oftenly i see people like to come out with conclusion after just testing Sony 3.5mm but they never tested the 4.4mm.

Then they will give comment like X is better than WM1. 

1) The problem is WM1 needs burn in. 
2) 4.4mm is the best it could offer.

I would rather Sony do aways with the 3.5mm and just leaves 4.4mm and support it with different kind of adapters.


----------



## gerelmx1986

drjigarn said:


> A question for WM1A owners..
> 
> Does the 3.5 mm jack wiggle while connected?
> 
> I received my WM1A day before yesterday, the unit is perfect except this little thing that I noticed. Is it normal?


 

 mine does this too


----------



## nogi replicant

blazinblazin said:


> Oftenly i see people like to come out with conclusion after just testing Sony 3.5mm but they never tested the 4.4mm.
> 
> Then they will give comment like X is better than WM1.
> 
> ...




They should package it with adapters if it is essential and the SE is really that bad compared to balanced.


----------



## erictioh

jamato8 said:


> Mine will move side to side, if that is what you mean. It moves more than a couple of my other players. I hadn't noticed until you asked this, thanks. lol


mine too. 4.4 wiggle more than 3.5. qp1r is perfectly sitted but not wm1a


----------



## Mimouille

anakchan said:


> Agreed with Nogi to definitely spend more time comparing (sonics and non sonics perspective). From my experience a tough call...almost every single time I've tried the 1Z from late Sept till now I feel the AK380Cu (can't speak much about the std AK380) has a more reference-y sound and the 1Z seems to have a smaller soundstage and a little warmer. At least IMHO there are more pros than cons for the AK380Cu than for the 1Z :-
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sell the CU and get a DX200 for a more reference sound at much lower price.


----------



## soundblast75

gerelmx1986 said:


> mine does this too



Hah guys, comme on
One day when im selling it, someone will want me to reduce price:rofl:


----------



## soundblast75

2 other things other than artwork issues i don't like about new Sony range. 
Resets time music played all the time after connecting to pc or charging etc.
Doesn't remember bookmark list.


----------



## phonomat

stealer said:


> I had used both Tag&Rename and Mp3Tag apps but personally still prefer Mp3Tag.
> As for album arts not displaying is due to the images itself.
> I had found that about 30% of my collection (so far) are unable to show up on Sony WM1a player, but have no problem with displaying in MediaGo, JR center, Sony ZX2 and Onkyo DP-X1.
> 
> ...




Yeah, me too, little things like that make me happy. 
Have you ever found out what sets these 30 % apart from the rest of the pics?


----------



## T.W.G

Is the WM1Z / WM1A finally real highend in ALL terms of the device or did they again install a display that is worse than an 80$ smarthpones display? Can you read it in the sun or is it a big black / golden brick like the Sony ZX1 and ZX2?

 Is the interface still laggy while scrolling through your tracks? On the first videos I saw the interface lagged too much for such a high end device.


----------



## purk

anakchan said:


> Agreed with Nogi to definitely spend more time comparing (sonics and non sonics perspective). From my experience a tough call...almost every single time I've tried the 1Z from late Sept till now I feel the AK380Cu (can't speak much about the std AK380) has a more reference-y sound and the 1Z seems to have a smaller soundstage and a little warmer. At least IMHO there are more pros than cons for the AK380Cu than for the 1Z :-
> 
> 
> more referency than the 1Z
> ...


 
 You may enjoy the 1Z a great deal better once the burn in process is completed.  i compared a new and broken in 1Z units last week and the improvement is very discernible.  the broken unit is more effortless sounding with noticeably much better depth into the soundstage and there are noticeably more details in the lower bass region as well.  i personally dont find the 1Z to be overly warmed, in fact just a touch warmer than neutral.  I also think that Sony put more effort in balanced than SE output.  DSD is converted into PCM on SE but remained in pure DSD in balanced.  4.4mm over 2.5mm all the way.


----------



## AnakChan

purk said:


> You may enjoy the 1Z a great deal better once the burn in process is completed.  i compared a new and broken in 1Z units last week and the improvement is very discernible.  the broken unit is more effortless sounding with noticeably much better depth into the soundstage and there are noticeably more details in the lower bass region as well.  i personally dont find the 1Z to be overly warmed, in fact just a touch warmer than neutral.  I also think that Sony put more effort in balanced than SE output.  DSD is converted into PCM on SE but remained in pure DSD in balanced.  4.4mm over 2.5mm all the way.


 
  
 I didn't wanna mention too much about burn-in 'cos in the cases I tested the 1Z back in Sept/Oct & Dec, they were the Sony designer's, show demos, and Jude's and I'm sure they've been well burnt in. Further more, at least in my opinion (folks are more than welcome to oppose my thoughts), I don't think burn in should be so severe that it'll make/break one's decision in buying a product. Otherwise fresh demos on shelves would be a major disservice to the product. Personally I don't think I've come across any DAP that's change so dramatically different new vs burnt in that it'll sway a potential buyer's decision from not buying to buying.
  
 Anyhow for -me- I now have both the 1Z and the AK380Cu.


----------



## purk

anakchan said:


> I didn't wanna mention too much about burn-in 'cos in the cases I tested the 1Z back in Sept/Oct & Dec, they were the Sony designer's, show demos, and Jude's and I'm sure they've been well burnt in. Further more, at least in my opinion (folks are more than welcome to oppose my thoughts), I don't think burn in should be so severe that it'll make/break one's decision in buying a product. Otherwise fresh demos on shelves would be a major disservice to the product. Personally I don't think I've come across any DAP that's change so dramatically different new vs burnt in that it'll sway a potential buyer's decision from not buying to buying.
> 
> Anyhow for -me- I now have both the 1Z and the AK380Cu.


 
 I actually have two 1Zs and definitely not intentionally wanting to buy both, however, my earlier preorder unit (3 months delay) finally came in last week.  Thanks to USPS poor handling of my package, i had no choice but to check the operation and the condition of the unit....so I used that opportunity to compare the older and new units.  So this little test was done side by side.  Of course, i will have to place the newer unit on sale next week.


----------



## AnakChan

purk said:


> I actually have two 1Zs and definitely not intentionally wanting to buy both, however, my earlier preorder unit (3 months delay) finally came in last week.  Thanks to USPS poor handling of my package, i had no choice but to check the operation and the condition of the unit....so I used that opportunity to compare the older and new units.  So this little test was done side by side.  Of course, i will have to place the newer unit on sale next week.


 

 Nice...lovely USPS . I can only thank for the efficiency and reliability of Japanese Post.
  
 I have no doubt there are differences between new and burnt in, but as per formerly stated, I don't think burn-in should be so severe that it's a deal breaker for a potential sale. Anyhow, my earlier recommendation post in #7946 was based on demo "burnt in" units of 1Z rather than new.


----------



## Whitigir

anakchan said:


> Nice...lovely USPS . I can only thank for the efficiency and reliability of Japanese Post.
> 
> I have no doubt there are differences between new and burnt in, but as per formerly stated, I don't think burn-in should be so severe that it's a deal breaker for a potential sale. Anyhow, my earlier recommendation post in #7946 was based on demo "burnt in" units of 1Z rather than new.




Make sure you are using Wm1z with upgraded cables and from 4.4mm balanced. It makes a huge different rather than stock z1r 4.4 cables or SE. I had been there, done that, and I was not happy, seriously


----------



## jmills8

whitigir said:


> Make sure you are using Wm1z with upgraded cables and from 4.4mm balanced. It makes a huge different rather than stock z1r 4.4 cables or SE. I had been there, done that, and I was not happy, seriously


 Say this 10X everyday and all will be well. ☺


----------



## Whitigir

Here is a review and impression of WM1Z, thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed it

http://www.head-fi.org/products/sony-digital-audio-player-walkman-nw-wm1z-n-gold/reviews/17881


----------



## blazinblazin

Very nice review.

So far WM1 is the only players i saw that ask the owner to burn in 200hrs before use.


----------



## soundify

whitigir said:


> Make sure you are using Wm1z with upgraded cables and from 4.4mm balanced. It makes a huge different rather than stock z1r 4.4 cables or SE. I had been there, done that, and I was not happy, seriously




I'm confused. You always praise wm1z and the mdr zr1. Now you are saying you were not happy seriously?

In terms of percentage, how much of an improvement is upgraded cables? Based on your last post, it seems that it's at least 100% better? But this does not sound logical at all.


----------



## Whitigir

soundify said:


> I'm confused. You always praise wm1z and the mdr zr1. Now you are saying you were not happy seriously?
> 
> In terms of percentage, how much of an improvement is upgraded cables? Based on your last post, it seems that it's at least 100% better? But this does not sound logical at all.




I was happy when comparing stock cables to stock cables onto my Opus 2, and they were both in the same league. When I upgraded my Opus 2 cables, it pulled clearly ahead, and I was very disappointed with WM1Z (stock z1r cables). I almost look into selling it and or buy another headphones, kind of feeling. Until I could upgrade my cables, then WM1Z shows it superiority over Opus 2

In my review I mentioned, the internal wiring on these Walkman is 21-22 AWG in sizes, the stock cables from Z1R is about 26-28 AWG in sizes. Now, it is more logical for you to see why cables would improve the sounds quality.

It is noticeably different from when you go with upgraded cables to stock cables in comparison. How much %, I can not tell you. But it could make or break the deal, especially if you come from another system that is already maxed out with cables


----------



## blazinblazin

Depends on a lot of factors. Cable improvement might totally changed the example IEM from laid back to aggressive sounding. 

Some cable design even able to increase the power and speed of the sound while fetching more details.


----------



## Whitigir

blazinblazin said:


> Depends on a lot of factors. Cable improvement might totally changed the example IEM from laid back to aggressive sounding.
> 
> Some even able to increase the power and speed of the sound.




I know cables have many factors sir, as I Do it myself. I am just throwing physical specs here as you seem to be suspicious of how cables can change wm1Z performance so obviously judging from my experiences. Here is another physical specs to you, since you seem to demand it. This should be the job of those 3rd party cables makers and vendors. But since I am here to help people to get the best for their gears audio performances

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

According to this chart, 22 AWG is rated at 7 Amp, for raw specs. This is what inside the WM1A/Z, and the capacitors in these Walkman is rated 6.3 Amp each. 

Notice that 28 AWG ? 1.4 amp, and 26 AWG as 2.2 amp. It is not even close to what the WM Walkman can put out

Metallurgy and materials aside, sir, I totally understand it myself. These are the physical aspects that you should not ignore


----------



## blazinblazin

I am explaining to soundify, not you.


----------



## Whitigir

blazinblazin said:


> I am explaining to soundify, not you.




I see  well, I explained those physical details above. Yes, there are many factors in a cables design, and from my own experiences, the cables is very important in the chains when it is in portable players where everything is so scared. The effects of the cables is less pronounced on larger stereo systems and or more powerful amplifier. It will still scale and show improvements, but the best observations I have seen is from Portable player. The WM1Z does benefit a lot from a good cables, just from physical and raw spec alone.

Simple example is that, a huge portion of steak will make it harder for you to judge how it is tasted because everything is plentiful VS a very tiny portion of steak, everything will counts . So the larger and more powerful amplifier or system will have plenty of power to overcome your cables and make the differences less pronounced, where as in little portable, everything will count


----------



## gerelmx1986

purk said:


> I actually have two 1Zs and definitely not intentionally wanting to buy both, however, my earlier preorder unit (3 months delay) finally came in last week.  Thanks to USPS poor handling of my package, i had no choice but to check the operation and the condition of the unit....so I used that opportunity to compare the older and new units.  So this little test was done side by side.  Of course, i will have to place the newer unit on sale next week.


 
 Purk is right, my Unit WM1A is sounding better and better, clocking nearly 200hr, i can say it became cristal clear and meaty, it is no longer veiled sounding as it did at 150-160hr.
  
 I left it burn for hours, including two days (48 hours) because i was busy categorizing and checking what Works sounded (or already have on my colelction) better between the Phillips Mozart edition and the new Mozart complete edition AKA Mozart 225,
  
 So for the Tagging work and transfer to hard-drives etc, i decided to listen to my WM1A with 190 hours burn in and soundes incredibly clear and meaty at the same time (DIRECT on), before i got busy with Mozart it had like 160 hours and sounded so veiled, and bassy as hell with DIRECT set to on, so I EQéd with the tone control to BASS -4, MIDDLE +3 TREBLE +2.
  
 also noted the stage got more spehrical no longer like @Dithyrambes described it, which amazed me wow


----------



## Dithyrambes

I finally got my micronuances back.....I don't think anything can really match the sony.....esp ess sabre chips god. Just that sustain....inner detail. Its really something I've heard on the sony zx2 and wm1a. Chord mojo just sounds clean..........Geekout v2+ clean too....just the decay is too fast. Now if decay is even slower on the wm1z....I think i'm doomed. Might have to go for it Lol >< lol


----------



## echineko

dithyrambes said:


> I finally got my micronuances back.....I don't think anything can really match the sony.....esp ess sabre chips god. Just that sustain....inner detail. Its really something I've heard on the sony zx2 and wm1a. Chord mojo just sounds clean..........Geekout v2+ clean too....just the decay is too fast. Now if decay is even slower on the wm1z....I think i'm doomed. Might have to go for it Lol >< lol



I think it is, and yes I was doomed, since I first heard the 1Z  Good luck!

On another note, I had the chance to spend some quality time with the Utopia over the weekend, and I must say, I'm a believer. The best part was it sounded fantastic just out of my 1Z, without using my Hugo in between. At 80 ohms impedance, I guess it's not hard to understand why, but I really didn't need to hear that. My wallet quietly trembles


----------



## Dithyrambes

echineko said:


> I think it is, and yes I was doomed, since I first heard the 1Z
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 give me your email ech via pm. I'll send you this track. My god.....the inner nuances......of her voice....I listen on my other gear.....missing so much of those emotions.....**** sony....why couldn't they just offer 1Z at 1.2k Lol.


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> give me your email ech via pm. I'll send you this track. My god.....the inner nuances......of her voice....I listen on my other gear.....missing so much of those emotions.....**** sony....why couldn't they just offer 1Z at 1.2k Lol.




Because it sounds so good. Quoted "Fang !"

Well, to be fair with you, the WM1Z is built with the most premium parts in the audiophile world.

I don't want to repeat what is already disclosed and posted for so many time , but yeah, WM1Z is a very surprising device.


----------



## Lemieux66

Having put about 100 CDs on my WM1A, I've found that a few of them are playing with high amounts of distortion mixed in with the usual music. The CDs themselves play fine on my CD player. I've tried re-ripping one of them and the same thing happened again.

Could this be a fault with the 1A or with my laptop's disc drive when ripping the discs?

I don't know much about Gracenote but surely if the laser is reading them incorrectly and adding distortion, then how is the Gracenote software able to recognise the signal?

This is all a bit beyond my understating. Can anyone tell me whether I need to return my WM1A as faulty or whether I just need a new disc drive - or maybe a third option?

Currently the player is working perfectly playing Keith Jarrett at the Bluenote '94 with no problems.


----------



## Whitigir

lemieux66 said:


> Having put about 100 CDs on my WM1A, I've found that a few of them are playing with gross distortion mixed in with the usual music. The CDs themselves play fine on my CD player. I've tried re-ripping one of them and the same thing happened again.
> 
> Could this be a fault with the 1A or with my laptop's disc drive when ripping the discs?
> 
> ...




It is your system that record and stores the Data. You need a better system that has better power distribution and hard drive. During this process, the Data could be loss and there results in your distortions


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> It is your system that record and stores the Data. You need a better system that has better power distribution and hard drive. During this process, the Data could be loss and there results in your distortions


 
  
 Woah there! 
  
 How on earth have you just diagnosed he needs a better system that has better power distribution and hard drive??
  
 There are a million and one things that could be wrong that don't involve him having to buy a new computer!


----------



## Lemieux66

whitigir said:


> It is your system that record and stores the Data. You need a better system that has better power distribution and hard drive. During this process, the Data could be loss and there results in your distortions




So you think it's not the laser? Coincidentally, my Pioneer SACD player is away for repair currently with pretty much identical sound quality issues which have been diagnosed as a laser problem.

It seems to me that if the distortions were caused for reasons you've stated that wouldn't explain how the issue was repeated when the CD was re-ripped.


----------



## Lemieux66

craftyclown said:


> Woah there!
> 
> How on earth have you just diagnosed he needs a better system that has better power distribution and hard drive??
> 
> There are a million and one things that could be wrong that don't involve him having to buy a new computer!




Yes, it did seem a rather eyebrow-raising response...


----------



## CraftyClown

lemieux66 said:


> Yes, it did seem a rather eyebrow-raising response...


 
  
 How bad is the distortion? Can you share a sample?


----------



## Lemieux66

craftyclown said:


> How bad is the distortion? Can you share a sample?




It's huge distortion like the music has been put through an electric guitar distortion pedal.

I haven't deleted the albums from the player yet so I suppose I could somehow do a sample.

Can I record my speakers playing the sound and post the sound recording here?


----------



## Whitigir

craftyclown said:


> Woah there!
> 
> How on earth have you just diagnosed he needs a better system that has better power distribution and hard drive??
> 
> There are a million and one things that could be wrong that don't involve him having to buy a new computer!




Yeah, it is true that I don't know about his system, I only share what I came across before. Anyways, there are millions reason for it like you said, have fun finding out


----------



## CraftyClown

lemieux66 said:


> It's huge distortion like the music has been put through an electric guitar distortion pedal.
> 
> I haven't deleted the albums from the player yet so I suppose I could somehow do a sample.
> 
> Can I record my speakers playing the sound and post the sound recording here?


 
  
 So the distortion is only on a few of the CDs and it affects all of the tracks on said CD?


----------



## Lemieux66

craftyclown said:


> So the distortion is only on a few of the CDs and it affects all of the tracks on said CD?




Exactly - 6 out of c100 discs. And I even re-ripped one (Greendale - Neil Young) and it was just the same.


----------



## CraftyClown

Could you WeTransfer me one of the distorting tracks?


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> Because it sounds so good. Quoted "Fang !"


 
 Lulz! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  


dithyrambes said:


> give me your email ech via pm.


 
 PM sent!


----------



## Stealer

phonomat said:


> Yeah, me too, little things like that make me happy.
> Have you ever found out what sets these 30 % apart from the rest of the pics?


 
 For those images, they were converted from progressive to baseline jpg as mentioned by Gerelmx1986.
 see Gerelmx1986's Sony Walkman Tips and Trick.
 However, i dont have photshop so I used a program called Irfanview to convert it.
 now all the images appeared in my WM1a
http://kb.tourwriter.com/converting-jpeg-images-using-irfanview
  
 rgds


----------



## blazinblazin

There's no way the player read the pic from the folder the file is in right?


----------



## gerelmx1986

lemieux66 said:


> Having put about 100 CDs on my WM1A, I've found that a few of them are playing with high amounts of distortion mixed in with the usual music. The CDs themselves play fine on my CD player. I've tried re-ripping one of them and the same thing happened again.
> 
> Could this be a fault with the 1A or with my laptop's disc drive when ripping the discs?
> 
> ...


 

 ​That happened to me once I ripped some CDs... turns out it was my Disc Drive gone bad, because i re-ripped them on my dad's computer and they worked fine


----------



## gerelmx1986

Literally rediscovering music, wow sounds i never Heard before.. i never caught this very very quiet rythmic drumming from Michael Haydn's symphony No. 33, P. 24: Adagietto.. WOW
  
 the wma 1A realice the microdetails very darn Good (for me that i never owned a zx2 like @Dithyrambes ), the dynamics for soft and Loud passages, the instruments, stage, microdetial, very natural
  
 196Hr burn in now. I wasn't paying that much attention to the symphony until i Heard that rythmic drumming so soft and caught my attention and focused on it  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 is more resolving tan the zx100,  has a bigger soundstage, has a more rounded bass impact which I like (nice touch of warmness to the unusual zx1/100 signature, like a cup of hot cofee in a cold Winter adds warmth to you). The symphonies sound damn good (well recorded one of course) like being live there
  
 can't wait to reach 400 hours, so @purk or @Whitigir tell me when did you stopped hearing changes in the sound-signature?


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Literally rediscovering music, wow sounds i never Heard before.. i never caught this very very quiet rythmic drumming from Michael Haydn's symphony No. 33, P. 24: Adagietto.. WOW
> 
> the wma 1A realice the microdetails very darn Good (for me that i never owned a zx2 like @Dithyrambes
> ), the dynamics for soft and Loud passages, the instruments, stage, microdetial, very natural
> ...




Around 500 hours or so  for balanced 4.4mm


----------



## purk

whitigir said:


> Around 500 hours or so
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 You know what...that's about right.  My 1Z was trailing the PHA-3 until it reached 500 hours or so.  I think mine has a little more hours on balanced that @ Whitigir and it is around 550 hours or so now.  I'm doing a SE burn in and only have about 100 hours or so.


----------



## Jazzi

lemieux66 said:


> Exactly - 6 out of c100 discs. And I even re-ripped one (Greendale - Neil Young) and it was just the same.


 

 Damaged discs?


----------



## Tanjiro

purk said:


> You know what...that's about right.  My 1Z was trailing the PHA-3 until it reached 500 hours or so.  I think mine has a little more hours on balanced that @ Whitigir and it is around 550 hours or so now.  I'm doing a SE burn in and only have about 100 hours or so.



500 hrs?!!!! A long way to go for my 1A. It just hit 72 hrs of burn-in time and I already pleased with the sound.


----------



## audionewbi

Guys I highly recommend anyone who can to try to pair the XBA-N3 with A1 in balance format. It it to me poor mans CF Vega!


----------



## AnakChan

anakchan said:


> From a practical perspective, I think a 2.5mm terminated using an adapter to 4.4mm has greater flexibility than a 4.4mm terminated cable. There are more offerings of 2.5mm -> whatever (e.g. 3.5mm TRS, mini-XLR, mini-Hirose, etc.). Sure the same thing could be done for the 4.4mm however :-
> 
> 1) as of today, those options are much more limited
> *2) the current 4.4mm socket is square, meaning size of 4.4mm -> whatever is going to be big*
> ...


 

 Finally, we may get some decent sized 4.4mm female sockets. i.e. we may find more decently sized 4.4mm -> 2.5mm or 3.5mm SE, etc.

 (courtesy of e-earphone Twitter)


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

So if i understand correctly, to burn in balanced mode i would need to connect 4.4mm headphones to the balanced socket?
 Im currently burning in se mode!


----------



## CraftyClown

goody said:


> Crafty will it be ok if i meet you sometime so i can have a listen to your WM1A  i will bring my ZX2 along just to compare ..i live in london as well...i am not a west ham or spurs fan though


 
  
 Sorry Goody, almost missed this!
  
 Yes you would be more than welcome to come and have a listen/compare to your ZX2
  
 Where are you based? I live and work very close to Haggerston station. If you don't know it, it's not far from Shoreditch/Old street area.
  
 Oh and I forgive you for not not being a Spurs fan


----------



## CraftyClown

princeofegypt said:


> So if i understand correctly, to burn in balanced mode i would need to connect 4.4mm headphones to the balanced socket?
> Im currently burning in se mode!


 
  
 That is correct sir


----------



## CraftyClown

moneypls said:


> 500 hrs?!!!! A long way to go for my 1A. It just hit 72 hrs of burn-in time and I already pleased with the sound.


 
  
 I wouldn't worry too much about getting it that far, after all Sony themselves only suggest 200 hours to fully burn it in.
  
 Besides, without having two devices, one burnt in and one not and then playing the same track on each, how would you hear a difference?


----------



## kms108

Just spotted these at a local shop, didn't ask the price.


----------



## Tanjiro

craftyclown said:


> I wouldn't worry too much about getting it that far, after all Sony themselves only suggest 200 hours to fully burn it in.
> 
> Besides, without having two devices, one burnt in and one not and then playing the same track on each, how would you hear a difference?



lol . Almost half way thru of the 200 hrs burn-in


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> Just spotted these at a local shop, didn't ask the price.




Dang! Rhodium Plated ? Nice, but what base materials ...Rhodium on brass is the worse


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Just spotted these at a local shop, didn't ask the price.
> ...


 

 I'll ask in the next few days when I pass by, but most connectors are brass base.
  
 I have a question, unrelated, Have you used final audio cables, I have this one in mine as it fits my Xelento pretty well, as it has a small head, cost is about USD 256.


----------



## Whitigir

I don't use other vendor cables , can not help you there


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> I don't use other vendor cables
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks.


----------



## JamesKH

Started the burn-in process with WM1A.  At 50 hours, sounds a little veiled with Focal Elears, clearer on the TH900 MK2 (naturally).


----------



## gerelmx1986

jameskh said:


> Started the burn-in process with WM1A.  At 50 hours, sounds a little veiled with Focal Elears, clearer on the TH900 MK2 (naturally).


 

 wait until 200h


----------



## JamesKH

Thanks for the confirmation.  Looking forward to that magical 200h mark.  Amazing player as is...even more so when it's in full bloom.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I may know the reason behind the plugs (both 3.5 and 4.4mm) wiggling, because both plugs aren't soldered to the circuit board directly. They have cables running from them to the board.
  
 I think is btter this as I feel they are more tolerant to stress as they are suspended and freely move, unlike a plug that's soldered into the board can't really move as it is "glued" to the board and it can break over time


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I may know the reason behind the plugs (both 3.5 and 4.4mm) wiggling, because both plugs aren't soldered to the circuit board directly. They have cables running from them to the board.
> 
> I think is btter this as I feel they are more tolerant to stress as they are suspended and freely move, unlike a plug that's soldered into the board can't really move as it is "glued" to the board and it can break over time




I already stated that a few posts back . The sockets on Walkman is wired to the main board and not directly soldered on. It can move and wiggles, but there is nothing to worry about


----------



## Lemieux66

Seem to have partially solved my distortion problem I've been having with a few CDs I've put on my WM1A.

The computer is the problem - the files play with distortion when playing from the PC to my Bluetooth receiver. So I can now rule out the Sony as the problem.

Guess I'll have to get a new offboard disc drive for my laptop.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone


----------



## Whitigir

lemieux66 said:


> Seem to have partially solved my distortion problem I've been having with a few CDs I've put on my WM1A.
> 
> The computer is the problem - the files play with distortion when playing from the PC to my Bluetooth receiver. So I can now rule out the Sony as the problem.
> 
> ...




Congratulations, you finally found it out of the millions things that could go wrong . That was quick btw


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Be careful with aftermarket 4.4mm balanced cables and adapters. We don't know the amplifier circuit design. Improper wiring may damage the circuit.


----------



## nanaholic

hifiguy528 said:


> Be careful with aftermarket 4.4mm balanced cables and adapters. We don't know the amplifier circuit design. Improper wiring may damage the circuit.


 
  
 But we do know the pin outs for certain - that's the beauty of being a proper industry backed standard.
  

 If your balance to balance converter or headphone cable doesn't test out like that, go get a refund. 
 If someone tries to sell you a SE to balance converter, he's trying to rob you.


----------



## Lemieux66

Much has been written here about the balanced output the new Sony players have and it sounds impressive, I'd love to hear it. However, looking on the Sony site there's very little information about which of their products carry this connector (apart from the new Signature headphones) or where to buy headphones or cables that are 'balanced ready'.

I've seen a lot of reference to buying connectors from third-party manufacturers and (I assume) doing a DIY job to get the desired result.

This all seems a bit unsatisfactory for a premium product to have to go rooting around the internet trying to find the right accessories by word of mouth.

Can't I just buy a pair of good headphones with balanced connection? Maybe from Sony themselves even?

And what about decently-priced ready-made cables that work with some mainstream / well-known headphones like LCD3?


----------



## Whitigir

lemieux66 said:


> Much has been written here about the balanced output the new Sony players have and it sounds impressive, I'd love to hear it. However, looking on the Sony site there's very little information about which of their products carry this connector (apart from the new Signature headphones) or where to buy headphones or cables that are 'balanced ready'.
> 
> I've seen a lot of reference to buying connectors from third-party manufacturers and (I assume) doing a DIY job to get the desired result.
> 
> ...




Kimber cables by Sony can be purchased, and you want premium cables ? Search for Kimber Silver Axios cables for 4.4mm. I don't know how you can get any more premium than this. Beside that, as always, you can buy it from custom cables vendors, or helps from any DIY friends.

From Sony headphones MDR-Z1R

Decently priced would be Kimber regular balanced cables for Sony.

LCD-3 is not Sony, so to blame this on Sony is not fair, you need to contact Audeze and seek their helps....isn't LCD-3 a premium as well ? Please don't blame everything on Sony. They make the player, they don't make the cables for other manufacturers , they make cables for their headphones and their players, they are not obligated to make cables for other headphones manufacturers.


----------



## nanaholic

lemieux66 said:


> Much has been written here about the balanced output the new Sony players have and it sounds impressive, I'd love to hear it. However, looking on the Sony site there's very little information about which of their products carry this connector (apart from the new Signature headphones) or where to buy headphones or cables that are 'balanced ready'.
> 
> I've seen a lot of reference to buying connectors from third-party manufacturers and (I assume) doing a DIY job to get the desired result.
> 
> ...


 
  
 The new PHA2 amp also has the 4.4mm output.  And of course every Signature Series product supports 4.4mm connection.
  
 You can get a bunch of Sony Kimber Kables that are balance ready that are terimanted in MMCX or 3.5mm connectors to the headphone.
  
 Some non-Sony phones are already being sold with 4.4mm options like Oriolus
 http://www.oriolus.jp/72621.html
  
 Japan's CIEM maker Canal works offers 4.4mm balance cable as an option.
  
 Braise Audio makes a bunch of converters and aftermarket cables. etc and e-earphone even has a category for 4.4mm cables on its own
 http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopbrand/ct2977
  
 And lastly, you can buy them from the Chinese ebay - Taobao, which also has 4.4mm aftermarket cables in spades. 
  
 You have to keep in mind the 4.4mm jack is only something that's only released for a couple of months and limited in that the standard is mainly derived in Japan and the supply of the plugs are only just beginning to ramp up and slowing trickling into the Western market.  If you read Japanese or Chinese, your options are actually pretty big.


----------



## Paddlebash

I remembered watching a video on the 4.4mm, managed to find it. (so glad my mind wasn't gaslighting me.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VtXeVGyb5A

 Enjoy guys!


----------



## Lemieux66

whitigir said:


> Kimber cables by Sony can be purchased, and you want premium cables ? Search for Kimber Silver Axios cables for 4.4mm. I don't know how you can get any more premium than this. Beside that, as always, you can buy it from custom cables vendors, or helps from any DIY friends.
> 
> From Sony headphones MDR-Z1R
> 
> ...




I'm not particularly having a big dig at Sony, clearly they expect or anticipate consumers will use the 1A/Z with the MDR-Z1R as it's (afaik) the only headphone they make with the 4.4mm connector. That's their prerogative as the manufacturer. However, it would've been great if they'd made a pair of smaller portable use 'phones with balanced operation to offer a choice at launch. Maybe soon we'll see these appear too.

I've seen a PDF here that showed three different Kimber/Sony cables that are available but I'm not aware that they can be used with anything other than the MDR-Z1R in the Sony range. No idea where they're for sale either.

I wasn't aware that the new connector was so new - that explains the lack of information and available product.

As for the LCD3, it's just a well known high-end headphone so I thought it would be suitable for someone to make a balanced cable for it. As the connector is so new, I guess these things will take time.


----------



## Whitigir

MDR Z1R has the same connector plugs of 3.5mm as the MDR-Z7


----------



## blazinblazin

Lemieux66 Actually what you want to know are all in this thread.


----------



## nanaholic

lemieux66 said:


> I'm not particularly having a big dig at Sony, clearly they expect or anticipate consumers will use the 1A/Z with the MDR-Z1R as it's (afaik) the only headphone they make with the 4.4mm connector. That's their prerogative as the manufacturer. However, it would've been great if they'd made a pair of smaller portable use 'phones with balanced operation to offer a choice at launch. Maybe soon we'll see these appear too.
> 
> I've seen a PDF here that showed three different Kimber/Sony cables that are available but I'm not aware that they can be used with anything other than the MDR-Z1R in the Sony range. No idea where they're for sale either.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Of the 3 Sony Kimber Kables, one is terminated with dual 3.5mm connectors for use with phones like the Z1R and the Z7.  Another is terminated with a single TRRS 3.5mm for some of those mid-range single entry Sony headphones. The last is terminated with MMCX, which is compatible with all Sony in ear monitors that are released since the XBA series all the way to Sony's custom IEM brand Just ear phones, and of course being MMCX it is actually compatible with lots of phones on the market such as Shure and Westone IEMs too.
  
 Sony's cable line up actually covers pretty much their entire range of headphones with detachable cables across a broad range of price points.


----------



## Lemieux66

whitigir said:


> MDR Z1R has the same connector plugs of 3.5mm as the MDR-Z7






blazinblazin said:


> Lemieux66 Actually what you want to know are all in this thread.






nanaholic said:


> Of the 3 Sony Kimber Kables, one is terminated with dual 3.5mm connectors for use with phones like the Z1R and the Z7.  Another is terminated with a single TRRS 3.5mm for some of those mid-range single entry Sony headphones. The last is terminated with MMCX, which is compatible with all Sony in ear monitors that are released since the XBA series all the way to Sony's custom IEM brand Just ear phones, and of course being MMCX it is actually compatible with lots of phones on the market such as Shure and Westone IEMs too.
> 
> Sony's cable line up actually covers pretty much their entire range of headphones with detachable cables across a broad range of price points.




Thanks for the tips. Just been looking at Google images of the Sony/Kimber cables and it does look as if many headphones have the right connectors for this cable! I didn't know they'd become so standardised.

So although it's not explicitly mentioned on the Sony site, the 4.4mm balanced cable can actually be used with a wide range of headphones - Sony or otherwise.

Thanks for explaining the different names and uses of the capsule connectors, I wasn't sure what they meant before.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Yeah so balanced is better. Never going back to single ended. It comes with the typical improvements of balanced. Like more resolution, tightening of bass, super razorsharp imaging, and expanded soundstage. The only problem with going non balanced to balanced is, because everything is so clear, it tends to give a sensation of lost body and heft. The haziness isn't there anymore, along with that bloomy bass. If you go back to SE, you'll hear those things, but in a negative way. The sound is just cloudly and slightly veiled, with slight haziness. This again........is where I wonder....if Sony WM1Z is just the perfect match..........urgh. that longer decay will help in balanced, along with the more bassy tonality to give it more body. WM1A is seriously dead neutral, but musical, but definitely can't call it lush or warm. Its not thin so its great...but yeah seems WM1Z is the holy grail. Lol. Any way you can get the rockbox dudes to find a way to get the SDK from the WM1Z and flash it to the WM1A? I seriously feel that is more of the difference than the actual materials. @CraftyClown


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> Yeah so balanced is better. Never going back to single ended. It comes with the typical improvements of balanced. Like more resolution, tightening of bass, super razorsharp imaging, and expanded soundstage. The only problem with going non balanced to balanced is, because everything is so clear, it tends to give a sensation of lost body and heft. The haziness isn't there anymore, along with that bloomy bass. If you go back to SE, you'll hear those things, but in a negative way. The sound is just cloudly and slightly veiled, with slight haziness. This again........is where I wonder....if Sony WM1Z is just the perfect match..........urgh. that longer decay will help in balanced, along with the more bassy tonality to give it more body. WM1A is seriously dead neutral, but musical, but definitely can't call it lush or warm. Its not thin so its great...but yeah seems WM1Z is the holy grail. Lol. Any way you can get the rockbox dudes to find a way to get the SDK from the WM1Z and flash it to the WM1A? I seriously feel that is more of the difference than the actual materials. @CraftyClown




Don't go try out WM1Z...it is going to hurt your wallet in a satisfying way


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> Don't go try out WM1Z...it is going to hurt your wallet in a satisfying way



And for you I have to add don't try the Focal Utopia with the 1Z via balanced


----------



## Whitigir

echineko said:


> And for you I have to add don't try the Focal Utopia with the 1Z via balanced




 good one sir! Good one.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I agree with @Dithyrambes the 1A is neutral but it is not DEAD neutral, that is the iPod classic, the 1A is neutral with a dash of warmth and musicality thats why i like it
  
 It comes to each signature preferences, some would like the 1Z form a warm sound and others the 1A for a neutralish sound. It also depends on headphones match, IMHO i think the Z7 esp the Z5 benefit from WM1A.
  
 I get many microdetials from the neutral signatures but yes i was tired of ZX100 "too neutral" signature, i don't like extremes also not too warm, Seems the 1A fitted my ring-finger well nott too dead neutral nor too warm just right amouth of warmth
  
 Maybe dithy prefers 1Z due to its bass oriented music preferences (also seems the trend in classical esp re-masters)


----------



## proedros

the more i read your post guys, the more i am settling on buying soon the 1A 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
*anyone here that uses 1A with any of these ciems , NT6 or EE Athena ? *


----------



## gerelmx1986

My other special walkman i had was the x series back in 2009 the ti,es where it only played wav as lossless... it had a special sound, a warmth i never Heard before. i rarely listened to vinyls on older equipment on my life but its sound reminded of that
  
 Because i don't recall the sig very well anymore... i cannot tell if the 1A inherits these traits, seems like so


----------



## Tawek

It's true I sold my zx2 (UE) and i want to sell my lpg 
I prefer Sony nwz x1061 + spiral ear5 utl over zx2 and lpg . X1061 it's sound beautyfull best for me ...


----------



## phonomat

dithyrambes said:


> Yeah so balanced is better. Never going back to single ended. It comes with the typical improvements of balanced. Like more resolution, tightening of bass, super razorsharp imaging, and expanded soundstage. The only problem with going non balanced to balanced is, because everything is so clear, it tends to give a sensation of lost body and heft. The haziness isn't there anymore, along with that bloomy bass. If you go back to SE, you'll hear those things, but in a negative way. The sound is just cloudly and slightly veiled, with slight haziness. This again........is where I wonder....if Sony WM1Z is just the perfect match..........urgh. that longer decay will help in balanced, along with the more bassy tonality to give it more body. WM1A is seriously dead neutral, but musical, but definitely can't call it lush or warm. Its not thin so its great...but yeah seems WM1Z is the holy grail. Lol. Any way you can get the rockbox dudes to find a way to get the SDK from the WM1Z and flash it to the WM1A? I seriously feel that is more of the difference than the actual materials. @CraftyClown




Wouldn't the most logical way be to go with the more neutral source and do the "fine tuning" via headphone/IEM though? Seems more versatile to me that way.


----------



## Lemieux66

phonomat said:


> Wouldn't the most logical way be to go with the more neutral source and do the "fine tuning" via headphone/IEM though? Seems more versatile to me that way.




Transducers always have distortion of orders of magnitude higher than stable solid-state electronics, so that's already how it is pretty much.

However, once you've chosen your speakers / headphones, the little differences can be very important...


----------



## CraftyClown

phonomat said:


> Wouldn't the most logical way be to go with the more neutral source and do the "fine tuning" via headphone/IEM though? Seems more versatile to me that way.


 
  
 Totally agreed. Neutral source, preferably one with low impedance, then headphones for preferred signature, followed by EQ for tweaking if required.


----------



## mscott58

Getting there with burn-in. 



1Z is shown here, with ~180 of the hours via SE. Just got a 4.4mm cable so ~20 hours in balanced. Really liking this DAP so far! My 1A is about 75 hours behind, so waiting until it gets more time to do any deep comparisons. 

Cheers


----------



## sarnhelen

Moon Audio provides the balanced 4.4mm for their cables, including the Silver Dragon connector cable I use – fortunately, as I now have connectors for both the NW-WM1A balanced and the Mytek Brooklyn balanced. 
  
 btw, I haven't ploughed back through all the comments, but if there's still a question around this, I bought my NW-WM1A from Amazon (US) and it registered fine on the US Sony site, and has the high output option enabled.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I must say One of the BIGGEST LET-DOWNS FROM WM1A/Z is the Keyboard that is virtually useless, I expected that by including a kbd you could do a TEXT SEARCH f.e Piano sonata or KV 331 or Gran Partita Serenade etc
  
 But no, they keyboard solely purpose is to give a title to on-the-go playlists


----------



## sarnhelen

What keyboard?


----------



## gerelmx1986

sarnhelen said:


> What keyboard?


 

 If you select add to new playlist a keyboard pop out
  
 edit sony mexico began showing the product page for WM1A and I already have mine 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 oops


----------



## bvng3540

sarnhelen said:


> Moon Audio provides the balanced 4.4mm for their cables, including the Silver Dragon connector cable I use – fortunately, as I now have connectors for both the NW-WM1A balanced and the Mytek Brooklyn balanced.
> 
> btw, I haven't ploughed back through all the comments, but if there's still a question around this, I bought my NW-WM1A from Amazon (US) and it registered fine on the US Sony site, and has the high output option enabled.




Moon audio suck, I NEVER GET A RESPONSE from them EVERY TIME I contact them


----------



## sarnhelen

That's deeply weird. I've been buying things from them for several years, often ask questions and receive almost immediate and always helpful responses from Drew.


----------



## Dithyrambes

I already love my andromedas so I don't think i will go for another transducer. I am gonna keep the WM1A for sure. Just always wondering about the difference because I never heard the 1Z. So far on balanced this thing is a monster. I actually like balance of frequencies very much after more burn in. Also I hardly use any of the sound adjustment software, but the player responds very well too eq, and to DC phase.....what's your preferred one? I only tried type A low, but Don't really know the difference between that and type B.


----------



## squirrelman

bvng3540 said:


> Moon audio suck, I NEVER GET A RESPONSE from them EVERY TIME I contact them


 
  
 I second this, I ordered my JH audio CEIMs through them (since they had the 16V2 for less than JH for a while) and when I asked for an update (since it had already been quite a wait) I was told they can't get updates.  Once I finally got them (around 8 weeks after they got my impressions) I talked to a wonderfully helpful lady from JH directly while getting signed up for their JH Crew, and she mentioned that was false that Drew could have gotten an update for me.  So I was going to order a silver dragon from Moon Audio, instead I went elsewhere after I found that out.  It left a bitter taste in my mouth.


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> I already love my andromedas so I don't think i will go for another transducer. I am gonna keep the WM1A for sure. Just always wondering about the difference because I never heard the 1Z. So far on balanced this thing is a monster. I actually like balance of frequencies very much after more burn in. Also I hardly use any of the sound adjustment software, but the player responds very well too eq, and to DC phase.....what's your preferred one? I only tried type A low, but Don't really know the difference between that and type B.




Here is what I observed 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-flagship-hi-end-dap/7335#post_13173188


----------



## mscott58

Just realized that the mobile app didn't post the pic I tried to include in my earlier note. Anyway, have passed the mythical 200 hour point, mostly in SE. Really impressed with almost everything about this DAP. Much more to come later. Cheers


----------



## gerelmx1986

mscott58 said:


> Just realized that the mobile app didn't post the pic I tried to include in my earlier note. Anyway, have passed the mythical 200 hour point, mostly in SE. Really impressed with almost everything about this DAP. Much more to come later. Cheers


add 4 hour more to my figure


----------



## Dithyrambes

except you actually listened during the entire burn in Gerel ><. Just tried some sound adjustment plugins....I actually would never turn on any sq adjustment software....the sound quality actually degrades quite a lot. From my end...not recommended.


----------



## gerelmx1986

dithyrambes said:


> except you actually listened during the entire burn in Gerel ><. Just tried some sound adjustment plugins....I actually would never turn on any sq adjustment software....the sound quality actually degrades quite a lot. From my end...not recommended.


 

 ​Yes I have turned the DSP off, only turned them on for a while I still prefer the direct ON


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Yes I have turned the DSP off, only turned them on for a while I still prefer the direct ON




Direct source is always preferable . However Wm1z is excellent in sound DSP. I couldn't stand the stock cables to Z1R , the only time I would use DSP. Since new cables, direct source all the way


----------



## mscott58

whitigir said:


> Direct source is always preferable . However Wm1z is excellent in sound DSP. I couldn't stand the stock cables to Z1R , the only time I would use DSP. Since new cables, direct source all the way




Yep, direct is the way!


----------



## drjigarn

Does anyone use Sensme? The only reason I transferred using Media Go was to try sensme, but it messes up my folders and folder browsing is something I do a lot.


----------



## gerelmx1986

drjigarn said:


> Does anyone use Sensme? The only reason I transferred using Media Go was to try sensme, but it messes up my folders and folder browsing is something I do a lot.


 

 ​Yes media Go transfers by Artist based on the folder names i have seen. I once tried MusicBee and lets me customize my folder structure for transfers like MUSIC\[COMPOSER]\[ALBUM]\[TRACK] - [TITLE]


----------



## PinkyPowers

How's the driving power of these compared to something like the Cayin i5?

I own the AK120ii, and I want my next DAP to have a beefy amp section. I was impressed by the new Cayin.


----------



## Mimouille

Hey guys, these are the new 4.4 jacks from Beat Audio (http://www.beataudiocables.com/). Think they look nice.


----------



## mscott58

mimouille said:


> Hey guys, these are the new 4.4 jacks from Beat Audio (http://www.beataudiocables.com/). Think they look nice.




Any idea about their construction/materials? Cheers


----------



## GREYH0UND

mimouille said:


> Hey guys, these are the new 4.4 jacks from Beat Audio (http://www.beataudiocables.com/). Think they look nice.


 
 What?
 800$ for a cable?
 really What?


----------



## drjigarn

mimouille said:


> Hey guys, these are the new 4.4 jacks from Beat Audio (http://www.beataudiocables.com/). Think they look nice.


 
  
  
 I placed an order with them last week. Hope they get shipped out soon.


----------



## echineko

greyh0und said:


> What?
> 800$ for a cable?
> really What?



.... you know there are much more expensive cables, right? Also, their headphone cable starts at $1899


----------



## drjigarn

greyh0und said:


> What?
> 800$ for a cable?
> really What?


 
 There are cheaper options available from them and others, you get much more expensive ones from other sellers too. Cables are available in wide variety of price range. Nothing to be surprised about.


----------



## Mimouille

greyh0und said:


> What?
> 800$ for a cable?
> really What?


 
 From what I hear (and this has to be confirmed), there is not international law obliging you to buy the 799$ model. They have 199$ cables.
  
 Their cables have excellent finish, make a lot of other cable makers seem very DIY in comparisons. But I don't care, I have no stake, just a satisfied client.


----------



## drjigarn

mimouille said:


> From what I hear (and this has to be confirmed), there is not international law obliging you to buy the 799$ model. They have 199$ cables.
> 
> Their cables have excellent finish, make a lot of other cable makers seem very DIY in comparisons. But I don't care, I have no stake, just a satisfied client.




Can you tell me how long they usually take to ship the cable?

Thanks


----------



## audionewbi

I hope this isnt an off topic post but I had to share this video:


----------



## Mimouille

drjigarn said:


> Can you tell me how long they usually take to ship the cable?
> 
> Thanks


 
 Pretty fast, but apparently the 4.4 requires more work. In my experience, never took more than two weeks.


----------



## nanaholic

pinkypowers said:


> How's the driving power of these compared to something like the Cayin i5?
> 
> I own the AK120ii, and I want my next DAP to have a beefy amp section. I was impressed by the new Cayin.


 
  
 Cayin i5 outputs 190mW per channel @ 32ohms while the WM1 outputs 250mW per channel @ 16ohms for the balanced output.  Assume a perfect linear relationship the WM1 should be putting out something like 125mW @ 32ohms (best case assumption, but most likely less) .
  
 This should put the Cayin ahead of the WM1 in terms of raw power, but both would still be ahead compared to the usual AK suspects which usually only measures in the lower end of the double digits. I know the AK380 outputs 50mW @ 32ohms and that was with the renewed more powerful amp stage compared to the older 1 series and 240.


----------



## drjigarn

mimouille said:


> Pretty fast, but apparently the 4.4 requires more work. In my experience, never took more than two weeks.




Thanks! I ordered the cable on 14th so hopefully it should be shipped by the end of this week.


----------



## purk

nanaholic said:


> Cayin i5 outputs 190mW per channel @ 32ohms while the WM1 outputs 250mW per channel @ 16ohms for the balanced output.  Assume a perfect linear relationship the WM1 should be putting out something like 125mW @ 32ohms (best case assumption, but most likely less) .
> 
> *This should put the Cayin ahead of the WM1 in terms of raw power*, but both would still be ahead compared to the usual AK suspects which usually only measures in the lower end of the double digits. I know the AK380 outputs 50mW @ 32ohms and that was with the renewed more powerful amp stage compared to the older 1 series and 240.


 
  
 Power rating is not the end of the story however.  Parts utilized in the circuit as well as the quality of the circuit board can usually differentiate good from great sound, IMO.  For what's it worth, I am satisfied with the sound and volume level of my HD800 out of the 1Z in balanced output.  Yes, the HD800 will sound quite a bit better from a SuSy Dynahi or GS-X MKII but I do reach out to the HD800 & 1Z quite a lot when I'm on the move around house for example.


----------



## jmills8

nanaholic said:


> Cayin i5 outputs 190mW per channel @ 32ohms while the WM1 outputs 250mW per channel @ 16ohms for the balanced output.  Assume a perfect linear relationship the WM1 should be putting out something like 125mW @ 32ohms (best case assumption, but most likely less) .
> 
> This should put the Cayin ahead of the WM1 in terms of raw power, but both would still be ahead compared to the usual AK suspects which usually only measures in the lower end of the double digits. I know the AK380 outputs 50mW @ 32ohms and that was with the renewed more powerful amp stage compared to the older 1 series and 240.


Basically balance just gets more power. If no balance then get a real amp.


----------



## Fsilva

Finally!!


----------



## Fsilva

Very enjoyable listening 113hours in SE, but now its finally time to start enjoying the wonders of Balanced Mode.


----------



## goody

craftyclown said:


> Sorry Goody, almost missed this!
> 
> Yes you would be more than welcome to come and have a listen/compare to your ZX2
> 
> ...


 
 hey crafty i am in tottenham hale very near to the spurs ground 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




...i know the Haggerston station well we can meet up anywhere around there no problem ...i am going on holiday so i will pm you in a week or 2 when i get back cheers !!


----------



## CraftyClown

goody said:


> hey crafty i am in tottenham hale very near to the spurs ground
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Nice, not far at all. Let me know when you get back and we'll sort something out.
  
 Enjoy your hols.


----------



## sarnhelen

So it does! You're right that a search option would be a great feature in a future firmware update.


----------



## sarnhelen

This is answering 

gerelmx1986 regarding the pop-up keyboard in NW-WM1A. Haven't go the hang of this yet..


----------



## gerelmx1986

sarnhelen said:


> This is answering
> 
> gerelmx1986 regarding the pop-up keyboard in NW-WM1A. Haven't go the hang of this yet..


 

 Yes agree with the keyboard text search would great having nearly 20,000 lossless files or 1500 albums on it is no fun scrolling endlessly trying to find álbum or track x


----------



## Lemieux66

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes agree with the keyboard text search would great having nearly 20,000 lossless files or 1500 albums on it is no fun scrolling endlessly trying to find álbum or track x




Can you really fit 20,000 lossless tracks on 128GB?

I've got about 1500 tracks - mostly CD rips in FLAC - and have used almost half the unit's storage.


----------



## gerelmx1986

lemieux66 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Yes agree with the keyboard text search would great having nearly 20,000 lossless files or 1500 albums on it is no fun scrolling endlessly trying to find álbum or track x
> ...


 

 well 128GB + 256GB microSD and take into account that classical music pieces are often shorter than usual pop songs, exceptions apply of course f.e have a track that last 39 minutes


----------



## Lemieux66

gerelmx1986 said:


> well 128GB + 256GB microSD and take into account that classical music pieces are often shorter than usual pop songs, exceptions apply of course f.e have a track that last 39 minutes




Ahh yes, if you add in the SD card memory too it must be around the figure you suggest.


----------



## cyclone0417

Hi all. First time here. How can I get access to upload images?


----------



## Fsilva

WOW!!!
  
 After 5h listening in balanced mode i´m in awe!! This player is really amazing, and once you start using it in balanced mode it is another new level! Forget what you heard in single mode! Has many have stated in this thread this player was designed to be used in balanced mode! I can´t even believe that this is only get better after 200h or 500h...The soundstage has improved, the bass has become more defined/controlled/perceptible, the 3D effect has also improved, and so on..and so on....and so on....
  
 Most of the music i´ve listened during this first 5hours in balanced mode were in Flac 16/44 (genres listened - death metal/stoner/chill out) and i had to decrease the volume to 20 (in SE during the day i listened at 30).
  
 I also truly believe that you get the most out of this player with a good silver cable (for those who are not bass heads, like myself) since the sound signature is already "roundy" and "bassy" the silver cable helps to keep the bass more controlled and perceptible.


----------



## Whitigir

Curious about the whole setup from Sony signatures ? Here is my impressions. TA impression will be up later. Hope you guys enjoy it 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/829770/new-sony-signature-personal-audio-ecosystem-us-exclusive#post_13202469


----------



## Tanjiro

fsilva said:


> I also truly believe that you get the most out of this player with a good silver cable (for those who are not bass heads, like myself) since the sound signature is already "roundy" and "bassy" the silver cable helps to keep the bass more controlled and perceptible.



Any recommendations for a good silver cable? I am new to this hobby


----------



## Whitigir

fsilva said:


> WOW!!!
> 
> After 5h listening in balanced mode i´m in awe!! This player is really amazing, and once you start using it in balanced mode it is another new level! Forget what you heard in single mode! Has many have stated in this thread this player was designed to be used in balanced mode! I can´t even believe that this is only get better after 200h or 500h...The soundstage has improved, the bass has become more defined/controlled/perceptible, the 3D effect has also improved, and so on..and so on....and so on....
> 
> ...




Yes, totally, and I am thinking about making some Silver-gold wires for myself. My complete system will benefit from it greatly


----------



## phonomat

cyclone0417 said:


> Hi all. First time here. How can I get access to upload images?




You just need a couple more posts -- ten's the number methinks.


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> fsilva said:
> 
> 
> > WOW!!!
> ...


 

 I might be getting a final audio cable, its silver coated OFC for my Xelento, would you think it will benefit over the stock cable which is also silver coated copper, not sure if it's OFC, cost is about USD 256.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> I might be getting a final audio cable, its silver coated OFC for my Xelento, would you think it will benefit over the stock cable which is also silver coated copper, not sure if it's OFC, cost is about USD 256.




From my own experiences, I dislike OFC Silverplated wires. The only configurations that I found it to be of great performance would be hybrid and similar to the Z1R stock cables. Never go full SPC, it is harsh, and very edgy. If you want to save money, always go for hybrid Copper/SPC. It is the best for cost to performances ratio. The best would be pure Silver or pure copper, and pure silver with 1% gold. I can not praise enough this silver-gold materials, but it is very expensive, and very worth it. Especially for Z1R, the most ideal materials would have to be pure silver and silver-gold. Unless you love the bass and warmth, but want more controls out of it, go for pure copper


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > I might be getting a final audio cable, its silver coated OFC for my Xelento, would you think it will benefit over the stock cable which is also silver coated copper, not sure if it's OFC, cost is about USD 256.
> ...


 

 I like my music to have clean sharp vocal, sound to be natural with standard bass, not a cable to boost up the bass, the reason for the final cable as it looks good with the Xelento, the connection head is small so I need a cable with a small MMCX head, found a custon cable alot cheaper, but the cable is really really thin.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

whitigir said:


> From my own experiences, I dislike OFC Silverplated wires. The only configurations that I found it to be of great performance would be hybrid and similar to the Z1R stock cables. Never go full SPC, it is harsh, and very edgy. If you want to save money, always go for hybrid Copper/SPC. It is the best for cost to performances ratio. The best would be pure Silver or pure copper, and pure silver with 1% gold. I can not praise enough this silver-gold materials, but it is very expensive, and very worth it. Especially for Z1R, the most ideal materials would have to be pure silver and silver-gold. Unless you love the bass and warmth, but want more controls out of it, go for pure copper


 
 I have the EX1000's and im trying to find a balanced cable that gives great sound...But cant seem to find any.
 Any recommendations please?


----------



## kms108

princeofegypt said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > From my own experiences, I dislike OFC Silverplated wires. The only configurations that I found it to be of great performance would be hybrid and similar to the Z1R stock cables. Never go full SPC, it is harsh, and very edgy. If you want to save money, always go for hybrid Copper/SPC. It is the best for cost to performances ratio. The best would be pure Silver or pure copper, and pure silver with 1% gold. I can not praise enough this silver-gold materials, but it is very expensive, and very worth it. Especially for Z1R, the most ideal materials would have to be pure silver and silver-gold. Unless you love the bass and warmth, but want more controls out of it, go for pure copper
> ...


 

 I have the Sony Kimber Kable tried it on my EX800, a great improvement over the stock.


----------



## mscott58

I'm quite partial to the ALO Reference 8 cable, which is an OFC/SPC hybrid 8-wire braid. 
  
 https://www.aloaudio.com/shop/reference-8-iem/
  
 Ken has also just ordered a number of 4.4mm connectors so should (hopefully) be able to make those to order soon. I personally sourced a 4.4mm plug and had Ken make it into a Reference for me (as a favor, so not sure if he'd want more people doing that!). Here's a picture:
  

  
 Great stuff! Now working on my burn of the balanced section (about 30 hours in). 
  
 Cheers


----------



## TenderTendon

My WM1A just arrived from Amazon US. It was purchased from seller "BuyWise Corp" and fulfilled by Amazon. It arrived in 1 day, even though I selected free 2 day shipping. I must be very close to a distribution center. The destination tool and the etched label confirm that what I received is a "E / Tourist" destination model. My initial impression is simply WOW! Very detailed with a warm (analog, if I dare say) sound to it. Dead silent background. Single ended (I don't have any 4.4mm balanced cables yet) is enough to drive the SE846's to near painful levels. If this player has the balls to drive the HD800S well (balanced of course), it will be an end all player for me. I haven't been this impressed with a piece of gear in a very long time.


----------



## mscott58

tendertendon said:


> My WM1A just arrived from Amazon US. It was purchased from seller "BuyWise Corp" and fulfilled by Amazon. It arrived in 1 day, even though I selected free 2 day shipping. I must be very close to a distribution center. The destination tool and the etched label confirm that what I received is a "E / Tourist" destination model. My initial impression is simply WOW! Very detailed with a warm (analog, if I dare say) sound to it. Dead silent background. Single ended (I don't have any 4.4mm balanced cables yet) is enough to drive the SE846's to near painful levels. If this player has the balls to drive the HD800S well (balanced of course), it will be an end all player for me. I haven't been this impressed with a piece of gear in a very long time.


 
 If you like the 1A and think it sounds analog-like, whatever you do you must not listen to the 1Z...as there is no coming back. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 This message sent to you by your wallet.


----------



## Tanjiro

tendertendon said:


> My WM1A just arrived from Amazon US. It was purchased from seller "BuyWise Corp" and fulfilled by Amazon. It arrived in 1 day, even though I selected free 2 day shipping. I must be very close to a distribution center. The destination tool and the etched label confirm that what I received is a "E / Tourist" destination model. My initial impression is simply WOW! Very detailed with a warm (analog, if I dare say) sound to it. Dead silent background. Single ended (I don't have any 4.4mm balanced cables yet) is enough to drive the SE846's to near painful levels. If this player has the balls to drive the HD800S well (balanced of course), it will be an end all player for me. I haven't been this impressed with a piece of gear in a very long time.



Switch to balanced out then you would have another BIG WOW


----------



## TenderTendon

mscott58 said:


> If you like the 1A and think it sounds analog-like, whatever you do you must not listen to the 1Z...as there is no coming back.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I believe it. Unfortunately out of my budget and I prefer the black over the gold.


----------



## TenderTendon

moneypls said:


> Switch to balanced out then you would have another BIG WOW


 
 I'm working on it!


----------



## Whitigir

tendertendon said:


> I believe it. Unfortunately out of my budget and I prefer the black over the gold.




I actually did and thought Gold would be too much bling. However, Wm1z look stunning in person .


----------



## mscott58

whitigir said:


> I actually did and thought Gold would be too much bling. However, Wm1z look stunning in person
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yep, and with the included case you only see the edges of the gold anyway. However, the thing is heavy, ~2x the weight of the 1A. 
  
 Also it looks so professionally constructed. I was used to my AK100/Mojo/CV5 stack, with all the connectors between them, and people on airplanes looked at me a bit weird, wondering what exactly it was. With the 1Z there's no doubt it's not something that's going to go boom. It's also kind of fun to tell people it's a Walkman.


----------



## cyclone0417

phonomat said:


> You just need a couple more posts -- ten's the number methinks.


  

  
 Thanks. Will try to get there


----------



## flipper203

the 1Z is too heavy for nomad use!


----------



## Jazzi

mscott58 said:


> If you like the 1A and think it sounds analog-like, whatever you do you must not listen to the 1Z...as there is no coming back.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Damn it! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I sense my wallet trying to get free from my pocket. (At least I hope that's my wallet).


----------



## Whitigir

It gets better when you tell people that it is a $3,200 Walkman


----------



## mscott58

jazzi said:


> Damn it!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Not touching that one...


----------



## Fsilva

moneypls said:


> Any recommendations for a good silver cable? I am new to this hobby


 
 I´m using the Silver Poison from Toxic Cables UK and i´m pretty satisfied with it. Cannot recommend other cables since i´m really happy with this one and don´t intend to spend money on other cables.


----------



## Fsilva

whitigir said:


> Yes, totally, and I am thinking about making some Silver-gold wires for myself. My complete system will benefit from it greatly


 
 Update us once you have them. I´m sure you will be pretty satisfied with that combo!


----------



## gerelmx1986

when i land on a job i will ask @whitigir for some cables 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 esp apentaconn to dual 3.5mm females


----------



## Fsilva

kms108 said:


> I might be getting a final audio cable, its silver coated OFC for my Xelento, would you think it will benefit over the stock cable which is also silver coated copper, not sure if it's OFC, cost is about USD 256.


 
 Sorry but i cannot comment about cables i haven´t tried yet.


----------



## Fsilva

Volume level is now at 5 and it still feels loud and i can still feel the punch and "air" from every kickdrum!


----------



## bvng3540

Has anyone used surfcable on their wm, if so how does it sound and how the cable feel thanks


----------



## jmills8

fsilva said:


> Volume level is now at 5 and it still feels loud and i can still feel the punch and "air" from every kickdrum!


Wow 5! Are you crazy? Damn protect tour hearing man! Wished to hear what you hearing.


----------



## Fsilva

jmills8 said:


> Wow 5! Are you crazy? Damn protect tour hearing man! Wished to hear what you hearing.


 
 That´s exactly what i´m doing, protecting my touring ears ahahaha


----------



## mscott58

whitigir said:


> It gets better when you tell people that it is a $3,200 Walkman




Exactly, although I tend to leave that part out. Cheers


----------



## Tanjiro

jmills8 said:


> Wow 5! Are you crazy? Damn protect tour hearing man! Wished to hear what you hearing.



5?!!!! I listen at 50 with balanced out:rofl:


----------



## Jazzi

bvng3540 said:


> Has anyone used surfcable on their wm, if so how does it sound and how the cable feel thanks


 

 I bought one from surfcable.  It's the thinnest wire I've ever seen.  I was originally disappointed with the sound, but now that I've added a few more burn-in hours, it's not bad at all.  I bought it primarily because it was something I could get my hands on quickly and they didn't disappoint -- probably about 3-4 days after ordering.  Nondescript connectors, flexible wire.  I'll certainly get a better cable with 4.4plug at some point, but for now, the surfcable serves the purpose.


----------



## Stephen George

for those wanting the sony/kimber cable (MMCX) fast in the us, it's more expensive, but they got it to me in 2 days...
  
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/SONY-MUC-M12SB1-1-2M-BALANCED-STANDARD-PLUG-for-XBA-Z5-N3-N1-A3-A2-H3-H2-300-/112193217518?hash=item1a1f3ca3ee:g:Yy8AAOSw4GVYG-qY


----------



## Jazzi

stephen george said:


> for those wanting the sony/kimber cable (MMCX) fast in the us, it's more expensive, but they got it to me in 2 days...
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/SONY-MUC-M12SB1-1-2M-BALANCED-STANDARD-PLUG-for-XBA-Z5-N3-N1-A3-A2-H3-H2-300-/112193217518?hash=item1a1f3ca3ee:g:Yy8AAOSw4GVYG-qY


 

 Wish they'd do one with 2-pin connector.


----------



## bvng3540

mscott58 said:


> Exactly, although I tend to leave that part out. Cheers




Just bought the 1z for close to $2800, Zeus XIV $2100 YY pro Tucana $550 dignis case $120 my friend told me I am CRAZY, said his home system cost less than that


----------



## gerelmx1986

fsilva said:


> jmills8 said:
> 
> 
> > Wow 5! Are you crazy? Damn protect tour hearing man! Wished to hear what you hearing.
> ...


 
 i listen on SE at 40 to XBA-Z5


----------



## SoLame

gerelmx1986 said:


> i listen on SE at 40 to XBA-Z5


 
 Go balanced and you may be able to reduce that number to 20 - 25. It's that efficient.


----------



## tangents

I already listen @ 15-20 on SE


----------



## Whitigir

tangents said:


> I already listen @ 15-20 on SE :blink:




Holy hell, batman with bat ears and spider senses ! I admire you


----------



## bvng3540

whitigir said:


> Holy hell, batman with bat ears and spider senses ! I admire you




When I had my 1a on SE is 8-12


----------



## jmills8

Thats like driving 45 MPH in a 55 MPH lane.


----------



## gerelmx1986

when i like a song so much or wnat to explore more of my WM1A i push vol. to 100 (MDR-Z7 of xourse)


----------



## mscott58

With my Vega's I tend to listen in the 85-95 range, and sometimes 100, especially when I really want to parse out details (or drown out crying babies on planes). Cheers


----------



## Bengkia369

fsilva said:


> Volume level is now at 5 and it still feels loud and i can still feel the punch and "air" from every kickdrum!




What case you using? Seems like it does not fix your DAP properly.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

jmills8 said:


> Thats like driving 45 MPH in a 55 MPH lane.




That's like driving 5 mph in 55 meh freeway!


----------



## PinkyPowers

One should never drive on a "meh" freeway. Only awesome ones.


----------



## Audio Addict

https://goo.gl/photos/7gTTeiTuScZuKyK28

The full Sony Signature Series ecosystem will be at the Chicago meet this Saturday, the 28th courtesy of The Source AV. I get to have some quiet this week with it.


----------



## Whitigir

audio addict said:


> https://goo.gl/photos/7gTTeiTuScZuKyK28
> 
> The full Sony Signature Series ecosystem will be at the Chicago meet this Saturday, the 28th courtesy of The Source AV. I get to have some quiet this week with it.




Nice ! You will love it


----------



## Dithyrambes

I also listen max 10 with classical music lol...people save your hearing lolll


----------



## gerelmx1986

Jamming to some Paganini Caprices Loving this WM1A


----------



## Whitigir

dithyrambes said:


> I also listen max 10 with classical music lol...people save your hearing lolll




Your hearing started being degraded since the day you came out of the womb....and it applies to every human being ...hell, I can't listen to a thing on Z1R and from balanced outport any lower than 65...unless 2-3 am, then I can do 25-30


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> Your hearing started being degraded since the day you came out of the womb....and it applies to every human being
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Sure but it doesn't hurt to baby your hearing. Our life expectancy is much longer now, may as well take care of it while you can which may mean the difference between wearing hearing aid at 80 instead of 70, which would translate into 10 more years of enjoying music.


----------



## jmills8

nanaholic said:


> Sure but it doesn't hurt to baby your hearing. Our life expectancy is much longer now, may as well take care of it while you can which may mean the difference between wearing hearing aid at 80 instead of 70, which would translate into 10 more years of enjoying music.


Live is now.


----------



## mscott58

What are you all saying?!? Type louder!!!


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Sure but it doesn't hurt to baby your hearing. Our life expectancy is much longer now, may as well take care of it while you can which may mean the difference between wearing hearing aid at 80 instead of 70, which would translate into 10 more years of enjoying music.





jmills8 said:


> Live is now.




Agreed, either enjoy it now rather than saving 10 years with music that I can not even hear well enough  who knows what come tomorrow


----------



## warrior1975

Guys protect your hearing. I have tinnitus and it's extremely annoying. Of course I acquired it from blasting music too loud. Too many years spent inside clubs in NYC when I was young, dumb, and full of... Now I'm just dumb.


----------



## gerelmx1986

i am listening now 52  MDR-Z7 SE


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Jmills, what is the best cable you have? Is crystal cable the best?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Ugh, so quiet. I hear crickets here. I guess everyone is enjoying their wm1z/wm1a


----------



## jmills8

hamhamhamsta said:


> Jmills, what is the best cable you have? Is crystal cable the best?


Its a nice one, but it depends on what sound signature you are after.


----------



## purk

hamhamhamsta said:


> Ugh, so quiet. I hear crickets here. I guess everyone is enjoying their wm1z/wm1a


 
 Yup, immensely!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

I have All Ref 8 3.5 trs. I really like the sound signature, it's crystal clear sound. But I want something similar with more dynamics, and even more clarity and separation. 

If money is not object, maybe up to around 600 to 1k, what recommendation you have? Give me a few 

How is YY tucana if it's with 4.4?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Alo Ref 8...


----------



## hamhamhamsta

I'm using it with Andromeda.


----------



## Whitigir

hamhamhamsta said:


> I have All Ref 8 3.5 trs. I really like the sound signature, it's crystal clear sound. But I want something similar with more dynamics, and even more clarity and separation.
> 
> If money is not object, maybe up to around 600 to 1k, what recommendation you have? Give me a few
> 
> How is YY tucana if it's with 4.4?




Money is no objective? Go for Kimber Axios, I know it is by Sony from Kimber. I can not judge it performances since I never heard of it, but it is for your price range





hamhamhamsta said:


> I'm using it with Andromeda.






hamhamhamsta said:


> I'm using it with Andromeda.


 Never mind, you will need a cable for in ear buds


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Haha, 16 braids Kimber cable with iem. I don't think it will work.


----------



## bvng3540

I ordered 4.4mm to 3.5mm trrs but all my IEM cable are 3.5mm trs, do I still get the full potential of the balanced out?
Or should I get 4.4mm to 3.5mm trs, thanks


----------



## Sound Eq

warrior1975 said:


> Guys protect your hearing. I have tinnitus and it's extremely annoying. Of course I acquired it from blasting music too loud. Too many years spent inside clubs in NYC when I was young, dumb, and full of... Now I'm just dumb.


 
 we need a cure bro, my tinnitus is very very mild and its annoying at times, and i am now more careful than before, that is why i am so eagerly awaiting the arrival of my empire ears zeus xr adel,
  
 on that note, I wonder if the zeus will be hiss free on wm1a or not


----------



## CosmicHolyGhost

just wanna sing the praise of hearing zero interference by placing your phone next to the walkman.. such uninterrupted music enjoyment is just awesome..


----------



## kms108

fsilva said:


> moneypls said:
> 
> 
> > Any recommendations for a good silver cable? I am new to this hobby
> ...


 
 You are correct none of us are like whitigir, one or two cable is enough, we don't have extra cash for all those cables that whitigir has, he's crazy.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I only want a good cable for the Xelento, as the stock cable is crap and is sometimes loose, Jaben HK even say it's loose, but since it hasn't had a problem yet, there is no way to return it digipower, hk sole distribution agent, and I still have 2 years warranty to cover that if anything does go wrong. Tried a mixture of different cable, but the Final one, that is supplied with the Lab 2 (final's most expensive cable, fits my Xelento pretty well, tight fit and good looks to match with excellent sound, without those extra bass, since it's silver plated OFC.
  
 On a side note, saw someone in Jaben HK yesterday with the WM1Z with the Sony justear and custom cable, a rather expensive setup.


----------



## Tanjiro

Does anyone know if WM1A equips with Gorilla Glass?


----------



## kms108

moneypls said:


> Does anyone know if WM1A equips with Gorilla Glass?


 

 I don't think they do, Sony doesn't even specify it for there xperia phones.


----------



## Whitigir

I admit, I am a cables maniac, and even so I am still surprised myself that there is a huge different into upgrading the cables on the WM1Z to my Z1R vs stock cables...


----------



## Lemieux66

I'm now using the WM1A into my LCD-3 with the standard cable and a 6.3 - 3.5 adaptor. Seems to drive them ok. Listening on high-gain mode at 50-70 volume there's plenty of power. Would love to try a 4.4 with the LCD-3 though.


----------



## gerelmx1986

moneypls said:


> Does anyone know if WM1A equips with Gorilla Glass?


 

 Don't know but their xperia cell phones glass is strong tho, i had my experia with keys and other metallic stuff during my trip to hamburg and it is fine


----------



## ttt123

bvng3540 said:


> I ordered 4.4mm to 3.5mm trrs but all my IEM cable are 3.5mm trs, do I still get the full potential of the balanced out?
> Or should I get 4.4mm to 3.5mm trs, thanks


 
 Neither will get you balanced, as you need 4 wires (2 for left, and 2 for right) from the 4.4mm plug, to the earphone.  2 wires to each earphone.  
 Don't get 4.4mm to 3.5mm TRS, as there is no way to make a TRS plug balanced, as it only has 3 contacts.  Your cable may have 4 wires, but the plug only has 3 contacts, so the L and R grounds are combined together.
  
 With your setup, if you plug an IEM cable with 3.5mm  TRS into the adapter, (edit: will not work, you will only get one channel) you are bridging the 2 grounds together, and negating the balanced mode.  Also not recommended.
 Your choices to get a working combination:
 - reterminate a 3.5mm TRRS onto your existing IEM cable
 - or reterminate a 4.4mm balanced plug onto your existing IEM cable. 
 - get a new IEM cable, with 4.4mm plug, so will not need an adapter
 - or terminate the IEM cable to 3.5mm TRRS, then plug into the adapter.
  
 The above depends on what DAPS you want the cables to be able to work on.
 - TRS will work on any DAP
 - TRRS 3.5mm generally only works on HiFi Man, and Sony ZX2, WM1A/Z
  
 So if you have no other DAP that uses 3.5mm TRRS, then there is no point in terminating any IEM cable with a 3.5mm TRRS plug.  
  
 I believe AK uses 2.5mm TRRS.  And the wiring  for AK TRRS and Sony 3.5mm TRRS are different.


----------



## Stephen George

> With your setup, if you plug an IEM cable with 3.5mm  TRS into the adapter, (edit: will not work, you will only get one channel) you are bridging the 2 grounds together, and negating the balanced mode.  Also not recommended.
> Your choices to get a working combination:
> - reterminate a 3.5mm TRRS onto your existing IEM cable
> - or reterminate a 4.4mm balanced plug onto your existing IEM cable.
> ...


 
  
  
 Moon Audio did this very thing to my IE800s for $60


----------



## bvng3540

stephen george said:


> Moon Audio did this very thing to my IE800s for $60




I would like to do that to my cable as well, but I NEVER GET A RESPONSE FROM THEM EVERY TIME I CONTACT THEM, so I will look elsewhere


----------



## kms108

For those who needs to know, Jaben my has stopped selling the MUC-M12SB1 Kimber Kable Balance cable, they have removed the listing from their site.


----------



## Fsilva

bengkia369 said:


> What case you using? Seems like it does not fix your DAP properly.


 
 It was made by a local leathersmith while i´m waiting on a new custom made.


----------



## Fsilva

kms108 said:


> You are correct none of us are like whitigir, one or two cable is enough, we don't have extra cash for all those cables that whitigir has, he's crazy.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Whitigir builds is own cables so he is in a better situation than most of us!
  
 As i said before i can only comment about what i use/own and i´m happy with my Silver Poison Toxic Cable. You will not find anyone that owns one of Toxic Cables complaining about the build quality.
 The only downside is the expected build time (around 3 months) but good things allways take their time to be created, so patience is a virtue, if you decide to order a custom cable. (i own 2 custom electric guitars which take more that 1 year to be build).
  
 If you want to get one faster, i think CraftyClown is selling one which is the upgrade version of my Silver Poison.


----------



## GoDiSLoVe

lexomil said:


> I received the Sony MUC-B20SB1 today.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 thnx for this tip! i've done the same.  waiting for delivery.
 quick question: did you have to pay tax on delivery?


----------



## Tanjiro

kms108 said:


> For those who needs to know, Jaben my has stopped selling the MUC-M12SB1 Kimber Kable Balance cable, they have removed the listing from their site.




Glad I had bought mine from them, before I got my WM1A


----------



## CraftyClown

moneypls said:


> Glad I had bought mine from them, before I got my WM1A


 
  
 Me too. I can't believe how much more expensive it is direct from Sony.
  
 Makes me wonder whether they made a mistake with their pricing and were selling it too cheap


----------



## kms108

moneypls said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > For those who needs to know, Jaben my has stopped selling the MUC-M12SB1 Kimber Kable Balance cable, they have removed the listing from their site.
> ...


 

 I still don't have the WM1A, probably around october, or if something new comes up.


----------



## kms108

craftyclown said:


> moneypls said:
> 
> 
> > Glad I had bought mine from them, before I got my WM1A
> ...


 

 Could be wrong price, and I know the cheap price sold in Jaben MY has gone public to many dealer, and even Jaben in other countries, and a complaint made to have them removed the item. It is less than half the cost that is sold in Jaben Hong Kong, even with the shipping cost added.


----------



## CraftyClown

kms108 said:


> Could be wrong price, and I know the cheap price sold in Jaben MY has gone public to many dealer, and even Jaben in other countries, and a complaint made to have them removed the item. It is less than half the cost that is sold in Jaben Hong Kong, even with the shipping cost added.


 
  
 Haha, thank god we got ours when we did


----------



## kms108

craftyclown said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Could be wrong price, and I know the cheap price sold in Jaben MY has gone public to many dealer, and even Jaben in other countries, and a complaint made to have them removed the item. It is less than half the cost that is sold in Jaben Hong Kong, even with the shipping cost added.
> ...


 

 Mine is just sitting in the box.


----------



## Whitigir

fsilva said:


> Whitigir builds is own cables so he is in a better situation than most of us!
> 
> As i said before i can only comment about what i use/own and i´m happy with my Silver Poison Toxic Cable. You will not find anyone that owns one of Toxic Cables complaining about the build quality.
> The only downside is the expected build time (around 3 months) but good things allways take their time to be created, so patience is a virtue, if you decide to order a custom cable. (i own 2 custom electric guitars which take more that 1 year to be build).
> ...




Yeah...you would think that I am in a better shape, but in reality I am not ....LoL. I don't grow wires out of the trees and they are expensive as hell. It actually gets more expensive because I am constantly experiencing with stuff....and money is not from a tree either . It is only fun to do so, because I am an audio addict ...sad but I admit

Sometime even spare parts...see what I meant ?


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> Money is no objective? Go for Kimber Axios, I know it is by Sony from Kimber. I can not judge it performances since I never heard of it, but it is for your price range
> 
> Never mind, you will need a cable for in ear buds




I think the Kimber Axios is only available in the U.S. as stated on their website but it is a very good and clean and quiet cable. I listened to the 16 cores silver driving the Z1R by the WM1Z very very clean without loosing anything. I talked to the designer of the Axios cable and he told me that he prefers the pure silver over the Axios hybrid which use half silver and half copper. Yes you can get the Kimber Axios silver for iem also. For that, they will use eight cores instead of sixteen cores. Personally I think my Norne Therium or Silvergarde come very close to the Axios but the Axios braiding is just awesome and their precious wood connector is one of a kind but you do pay for them.

With regard to Crystal cable, I like their cables also very clean and preserve all signals in the recordings. This is where opinions started to differ. On several boutique cable stores like DHC, Norne and even Kimber Kable do not believe in mixing gold in cable metal as they claim that gold is not as good a electrical conductant as silver whereas others like Crystal cable or Tralucent uses gold in their cable. Users with gold content cable (the good ones, including myself) seems to vow by them. Yea, when you started to dip your toes in those companies like Crystal ad Kimber, you better prepare to get use to the pricing of their totl stuffs. But I find some of the pure silver cables from boutique stores like Norne to be very nice with pricing being very reasonable.


----------



## mscott58

whitigir said:


> Yeah...you would think that I am in a better shape, but in reality I am not ....LoL. I don't grow wires out of the trees and they are expensive as hell. It actually gets more expensive because I am constantly experiencing with stuff....and money is not from a tree either
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Nice! Where did you source the Pentaconn's? Assume they're the real deal? Cheers


----------



## Whitigir

mscott58 said:


> Nice! Where did you source the Pentaconn's? Assume they're the real deal? Cheers




Bought from Japan sir, what is more real than that ? 

Using agent as : bridge.jpn.com . I simply request the quote and then paid up, they will shop and ship it to me in the states


----------



## echineko

craftyclown said:


> Me too. I can't believe how much more expensive it is direct from Sony.
> 
> Makes me wonder whether they made a mistake with their pricing and were selling it too cheap



That is the actual retail price in Malaysia. You can check Sony Malaysia too, the price is the same. One of the reasons it's so cheap for foreigners to buy from here is the nosedive our currency has been taking recently thanks to our "glorious" leader.



whitigir said:


> Yeah...you would think that I am in a better shape, but in reality I am not ....LoL. I don't grow wires out of the trees and they are expensive as hell. It actually gets more expensive because I am constantly experiencing with stuff....and money is not from a tree either . It is only fun to do so, because I am an audio addict ...sad but I admit
> 
> Sometime even spare parts...see what I meant ?



I see you had a delivery arrive from Tokyo, nice! Curious to see the final product once you're done.


----------



## jamato8

whitigir said:


> Bought from Japan sir, what is more real than that ?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Is it nonmagnetic? I have found that past Sony plugs have nickel plating under the gold and a steel center pin for the tip. I got some from China that do not have steel for the center pin and are slightly magnetic due to the nickel plating under the gold but that is better than a steel center pin. I use a very strong small magnet in a little plastic bag for testing and it works great. Furutech isn't making any of these yet but they are one of the few I have found to be absolutely free of magnetism.


----------



## bvng3540

whitigir said:


> Bought from Japan sir, what is more real than that ?
> 
> Using agent as : bridge.jpn.com . I simply request the quote and then paid up, they will shop and ship it to me in the states




Wow 5800 yen that equal to $51 us why not buy from moon audio, they sell it for $30


----------



## Whitigir

bvng3540 said:


> Wow 5800 yen that equal to $51 us why not buy from moon audio, they sell it for $30




I did buy it from Moon audio too, it doesn't come in the box though. However, it is cheaper . The only thing is that I used Agent to buy it, so it is what it is, no return. Start connectors when I need it for sure. Ordered it 2 days before Moon listed their up

Here is Moon Pentaconn 

I don't have the strong magnet to test for you. I only have one magnet from a headphone driver, and I don't see it being pulled by the magnet 


Btw, that price is not including any shipping and services fees


----------



## Stephen George

bvng3540 said:


> I would like to do that to my cable as well, but I NEVER GET A RESPONSE FROM THEM EVERY TIME I CONTACT THEM, so I will look elsewhere


 
 detect some anger there 
  
 i also feel how fast a company answers questions is good indicator of the greater picture
  
 i found them by googling, no idea who they were and just asked the question about modding my ie800s
  
 others that I asked would sell me already converted ones, but not touch my own
  
 moon audio was super responsive, before i pulled the trigger there must have been 10 or so emails back and forth
  
 after i decided and i am glad i did!
  
 1 week turnaround, and they also had the pentaconn adapter and once you hear balanced, you'll never look back


----------



## PinkyPowers

whitigir said:


>




Wait... do you need five conductors to make this cable? The fifth just for ground?


----------



## jamato8

pinkypowers said:


> Wait... do you need five conductors to make this cable? The fifth just for ground?


 

 No. You use the TRRR. The sleeve (S) isn't used so 4 conductors.


----------



## PinkyPowers

jamato8 said:


> No. You use the TRRR. The sleeve (S) isn't used so 4 conductors.




That's good, that's good. I'm used to the 2.5mm TRRS. Built a few of those cables. I hadn't seen a grounding plate on those, so I feared the worst.


----------



## gerelmx1986

i cant wait for getting my cables lol


----------



## Audio Addict

godislove said:


> thnx for this tip! i've done the same.  waiting for delivery.
> quick question: did you have to pay tax on delivery?




If


----------



## mscott58

Ken at ALO has just sourced some 4.4mm plugs, and he's selling them for $14 versus gouging badly like some others appear to be doing. They're not Pentaconn's, but look to be well made, with a good cable clamp built in. 
  
 https://www.aloaudio.com/shop/gold-4-4mm-5-pole-balanced/
  
 Cheers


----------



## Whitigir

mscott58 said:


> Ken at ALO has just sourced some 4.4mm plugs, and he's selling them for $14 versus gouging badly like some others appear to be doing. They're not Pentaconn's, but look to be well made, with a good cable clamp built in.
> 
> https://www.aloaudio.com/shop/gold-4-4mm-5-pole-balanced/
> 
> Cheers




This look to be of Braise Audio style  Fancy looking for sure


----------



## bvng3540

mscott58 said:


> Ken at ALO has just sourced some 4.4mm plugs, and he's selling them for $14 versus gouging badly like some others appear to be doing. They're not Pentaconn's, but look to be well made, with a good cable clamp built in.
> 
> https://www.aloaudio.com/shop/gold-4-4mm-5-pole-balanced/
> 
> Cheers




IMO this one look nicer then all of the 4.4mm available right now and it perfect match for the 1z, GOLD all the way


----------



## Whitigir

Newer Sony + Older Sony ? Sure, believe it, they are a match made...by Sony, very well paired


----------



## PCheung

mscott58 said:


> Ken at ALO has just sourced some 4.4mm plugs, and he's selling them for $14 versus gouging badly like some others appear to be doing. They're not Pentaconn's, but look to be well made, with a good cable clamp built in.
> 
> https://www.aloaudio.com/shop/gold-4-4mm-5-pole-balanced/
> 
> Cheers




Seems like a topura plug 
http://www.to-pura.com/new%20item.html

Some china copy also use the same design


----------



## AnakChan

I've posted a few different 4.4mm plugs already back in Dec but recently I've purchased the Effect Audio version as it is (one of?) the shortest.

 One of the concerns I have with the Pentaconn is that it's long and prone to mishaps which could damage the socket. In fact as I've mentioned before, I don't know why there aren't any DIY right angled 4.4mm plugs. It's obviously possible as Sony uses them.


----------



## FenderP

I'm using the 1A for the first time on a trip, and I'm so glad that I took the plunge (and I couldn't pass it up for what I paid). To say it's better than the ZX1 is an understatement. I was worried that after hearing the 1Z in Hong Kong last month, I wouldn't be happy with "just" the 1A. I was wrong. Even the remaining ATRAC tracks I have on it sound better, so it doesn't just shine on DSD and hi-rez PCM.


----------



## Mimouille

fsilva said:


> Whitigir builds is own cables so he is in a better situation than most of us!
> 
> As i said before i can only comment about what i use/own and i´m happy with my Silver Poison Toxic Cable. You will not find anyone that owns one of Toxic Cables complaining about the build quality.
> The only downside is the expected build time (around 3 months) but good things allways take their time to be created, so patience is a virtue, if you decide to order a custom cable. (i own 2 custom electric guitars which take more that 1 year to be build).
> ...




With the offer today on the market, it is absolutely ridiculous to wait 3-4 months for a cable. Do you know how much time it takes to make a cable? Not that much time.

You can source cables that are at least as well made as Toxic or Whiplash (to say the least) from brands who take much less time to deliver like Plussound, Beataudio, Norne, etc. And they all have 4.4.


----------



## productred

pcheung said:


> Seems like a topura plug
> http://www.to-pura.com/new%20item.html
> 
> Some china copy also use the same design


 
  
 I'm not aware of China copies yet but I love the topura design the most out of the available 4.4 options


----------



## PCheung

anakchan said:


> I've posted a few different 4.4mm plugs already back in Dec but recently I've purchased the Effect Audio version as it is (one of?) the shortest.
> 
> 
> One of the concerns I have with the Pentaconn is that it's long and prone to mishaps which could damage the socket. In fact as I've mentioned before, I don't know why there aren't any DIY right angled 4.4mm plugs. It's obviously possible as Sony uses them.




The Oyaide one seems manufactured by topura as Mr. Suyama (owner of Fitear) mentioned it on Twitter.


----------



## PinkyPowers

mimouille said:


> With the offer today on the market, it is absolutely ridiculous to wait 3-4 months for a cable. Do you know how much time it takes to make a cable? Not that much time.
> 
> You can source cables that are at least as well made as Toxic or Whiplash (to say the least) from brands who take much less time to deliver like Plussound, Beataudio, Norne, etc. And they all have 4.4.




And I might add, building your own cables is a fun little hobby to get into. Though not cheap. Barely any cheaper than paying someone to build them. Sometimes no cheaper at all. Still worth while. You get your cable much faster, and get to feel pride in your handiwork.


----------



## gerelmx1986

also the WM1 series shine with 16/44.1 aside from High-res


----------



## purk

pinkypowers said:


> And I might add, building your own cables is a fun little hobby to get into. Though not cheap. Barely any cheaper than paying someone to build them. Sometimes no cheaper at all. Still worth while. You get your cable much faster, and get to feel pride in your handiwork.


 
 Yup, I used to pay $$$ for someone to build a cable for me.  Not anymore.  Though some can be challenging to build, but it is a whole lot of fun and I get that sense of pride for my work and knowing that I likely save a quite a few $$$.


----------



## AnakChan

pcheung said:


> The Oyaide one seems manufactured by topura as Mr. Suyama (owner of Fitear) mentioned it on Twitter.


 

 Yes I asked the Oyaide guy and questioned why it wasn't in the std Oyaide package.


----------



## Mimouille

My Crystal Piccolino from Effect Audio reterminated by...themselves. Beautiful work.


----------



## audionewbi

mimouille said:


> My Crystal Piccolino from Effect Audio reterminated by...themselves. Beautiful work.


 
 How does the Dita compare to the Piccolino? I always wanted to own the Piccolino but they are now hard to find in reasonable prices and I am not sure the AK variety are the same as the old one you have (which is rumoured to be better than the AK model).


----------



## Mimouille

audionewbi said:


> How does the Dita compare to the Piccolino? I always wanted to own the Piccolino but they are now hard to find in reasonable prices and I am not sure the AK variety are the same as the old one you have (which is rumoured to be better than the AK model).


They sound the same like all cables


----------



## audionewbi

mimouille said:


> They sound the same like all cables


 
 As much as that truth pains me I am slowly shifting towards that conclusion. I guess what makes dita special is its partially modular design.


----------



## Jazzi

audionewbi said:


> As much as that truth pains me I am slowly shifting towards that conclusion. I guess what makes dita special is its partially modular design.


 

 You wouldn't say that if you tried the PWAudio No. 5.  Definitely a sound different than I've heard from other cables (in a good way).


----------



## audionewbi

jazzi said:


> You wouldn't say that if you tried the PWAudio No. 5.  Definitely a sound different than I've heard from other cables (in a good way).


 
 Still waiting for it, however that cable is in 4.4mm finish. While it is hard for me to tell different cable apart in single ended, balance tend to be easier for me.
  
 I find the IEM and headphone used are far more important in terms of differentiating the cable than anything. Sometimes  certain IEM are offering all they've got and different cable will not make them sound better than their best. 

 There are way too many variables involved, testing and reviewing cable is never fun.


----------



## Mimouille

jazzi said:


> You wouldn't say that if you tried the PWAudio No. 5.  Definitely a sound different than I've heard from other cables (in a good way).


 and I guess their 1960 must sound even better


----------



## Mimouille

audionewbi said:


> Still waiting for it, however that cable is in 4.4mm finish. While it is hard for me to tell different cable apart in single ended, balance tend to be easier for me.
> 
> I find with cable IEM and headphone use are far more important in terms of differentiating the cable than anything. Sometimes  certain IEM are offering all they've got and different cable will not make them sound better their best.
> 
> ...


Tip choice is like 10 times more important than cables.


----------



## Jazzi

mimouille said:


> and I guess their 1960 must sound even better


 

 It might be, but I'm not going to pay to find out.


----------



## jmills8

mimouille said:


> They sound the same like all cables


great defense is no defense.


----------



## CraftyClown

mimouille said:


> They sound the same like all cables




and the truth shall set you free


----------



## proedros

looks like dx200 is as good , maybe better than wm1a according to some people who owned both
  
 very interesting fact.....


----------



## echineko

What "fact"?


----------



## proedros

subjective observation, if you are into semantics


----------



## echineko

proedros said:


> subjective observation, if you are into semantics


 
 I'm into stating things as they are. I have many preferences and choices when it comes to my gear, I'm under no illusion however that it's somehow universal for everyone else as well.


----------



## Fsilva

mimouille said:


> With the offer today on the market, it is absolutely ridiculous to wait 3-4 months for a cable. Do you know how much time it takes to make a cable? Not that much time.
> 
> You can source cables that are at least as well made as Toxic or Whiplash (to say the least) from brands who take much less time to deliver like Plussound, Beataudio, Norne, etc. And they all have 4.4.


 
 You are correct Mimouille, but Frank from Toxic Cables works alone... He is responsible for making all the cables and he gets a lot of orders. Luckily for me i didn´t had to wait that long for my cable since he had a spare one at his shop the moment i ordered mine.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

fsilva said:


> You are correct Mimouille, but Frank from Toxic Cables works alone... He is responsible for making all the cables and he gets a lot of orders. Luckily for me i didn´t had to wait that long for my cable since he had a spare one at his shop the moment i ordered mine.


 
  
 its a shame that Frank never replies to any emails...pointless business model!


----------



## Fsilva

princeofegypt said:


> its a shame that Frank never replies to any emails...pointless business model!


 
 He always replies to the emails, but it takes time.
 Imagine that you are working almost 20h per day making cables so that you can reach the estimated timeframe provided to your costumers, would you have time to respond immediately to all the emails sent to you?


----------



## Tony1110

mimouille said:


> Tip choice is like 10 times more important than cables.




And in most cases, 5 times more important than DAPs.


----------



## CraftyClown

tony1110 said:


> And in most cases, 5 times more important than DAPs.




Watch out Tony. We can't have too many sensible posts here today


----------



## Whitigir

anakchan said:


> I've posted a few different 4.4mm plugs already back in Dec but recently I've purchased the Effect Audio version as it is (one of?) the shortest.
> 
> 
> One of the concerns I have with the Pentaconn is that it's long and prone to mishaps which could damage the socket. In fact as I've mentioned before, I don't know why there aren't any DIY right angled 4.4mm plugs. It's obviously possible as Sony uses them.




I used a couple Pentaconn, and I can say that while it is true that it is long. The socket won't be damaged. It is locked in by a lock to the chassis, and then connected to the board by Kimber wires, there is no way to damage the socket by just the plug alone, unless you use Direct adapter to plug another plug on top of a direct adapter.

I like how large and big the Pentaconn is, it was so "awesome" that I could fit in 8 wires with each the size of 22AWG, and turned out 19AWG a polarity on my cables and that was just simply "Awesome"....even though it was strange placement of pin terminals from them. Not to mention cotton cores inside for that excellent flexibility . It is a whooping sizes for even desktop system. 

Finally a cables that can do desktop system TA-ZH1ES justice, and then take on the go with WM1Z.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> They sound the same like all cables


 
 LOL i bet you can hear a very small difference like i did with my sony upgrade cable


----------



## proedros

mimouille said:


> With the offer today on the market, it is absolutely ridiculous to wait 3-4 months for a cable. Do you know how much time it takes to make a cable? Not that much time.
> 
> You can source cables that are at least as well made as Toxic or *Whiplash* (to say the least) from brands who take much less time to deliver like Plussound, Beataudio, Norne, etc. And they all have 4.4.


 
  
 i assume that you mention companies which you personally experienced that they took 3-4 months to deliver , right ?

 cause if not , it's almost unethical to suggest that they take that kind of time - i am mentioning this , because last month i got a *8-con twagv3 cable from whiplash* and it only took *15 days *to make
  
 btw , i don't have any experience with Norne but i think they are on the 2-4 months timeline - at least this is the feeling i got by reading their thread (plus that they have amazing cables and trevor is a great guy)
  
 so again , let's be precise with our accusations and not paint a black picture unless we are sure it is black 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 cheers


----------



## wu1f

Sorry to be joining this discussion late, but I'm confused.  I just got my NW-WM1A.  I have some IEMs with 3.5mm TRS plugs and some with 3.5mm TRRS.  Can I get adapters to use these with the Sony 4.4mm TRRRS balanced output??  If so, where can I get them?
  
 Thanks so much for your help!!!


----------



## drjigarn

mimouille said:


> Hey guys, these are the new 4.4 jacks from Beat Audio (http://www.beataudiocables.com/). Think they look nice.




I just received my cable, the build quality is excellent, but I was a bit disappointed since I saw these 4.4mm jacks on their Facebook page and was expecting them to be used. Instead they used a generic housing. I really liked the look of these 4.4mm, one of the reasons why I chose beat audio.


----------



## bvng3540

Thank you @purk for the brick of gold, also very much appreciated for all the wonderful music, sounded very good came straight out the box


----------



## Whitigir

bvng3540 said:


> Thank you @purk for the brick of gold, also very much appreciated for all the wonderful music, sounded very good came straight out the box




Man, you are lucky ! How did u already have Dignis case ?


----------



## bvng3540

whitigir said:


> Man, you are lucky ! How did u already have Dignis case ?




I had it on my 1a sold the 1a without the case


----------



## Whitigir

bvng3540 said:


> I had it on my 1a sold the 1a without the case




I thought so...LOL....comparison to 1A..NOw!! Just kidding. You will love it


----------



## bvng3540

whitigir said:


> I thought so...LOL....comparison to 1A..NOw!! Just kidding. You will love it




I already have, just waiting for my 4.4 plug to arrive from alo audio so I can re-terminate my cable for the balanced


----------



## gerelmx1986

bvng3540 said:


> Thank you @purk for the brick of gold, also very much appreciated for all the wonderful music, sounded very good came straight out the box


 
 He sold it?!


----------



## bvng3540

gerelmx1986 said:


> He sold it?!




That how I got it


----------



## gerelmx1986

bvng3540 said:


> That how I got it


 
 I think he had two of them if i am right


----------



## gerelmx1986

Does anyopne know if the WM1 does MP3 and AAC gapless? seems like users of the NW-A30 are reporting sony did implement gapless for mp3 and AAC in the new A series, just being curious as i wont be replacing my 1A nor FLAC for lower quality files any time soon


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think he had two of them if i am right




Precisely, his Wm1z gave birth to another or so


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I think he had two of them if i am right
> ...


 

 hahaha
  
 BTW at 240 hours and already sounding so good, smooth, warm and huge soundstage very natural. I Heard during my Tchaikovsky run a bass trombone i never Heard before wow and the Harp in Swan lake suite wow no need to crank the volumen to hear it.
  
 BUG UPDATE can some one test this, display OFF, press the rewind button |<< does nothing, dosplay ON pressing it does function properly
  
 BUG EDIT: it happens also sporadically like the not remember the track position


----------



## warrior1975

echineko said:


> What "fact"?







proedros said:


> looks like dx200 is as good , maybe better than wm1a according to some people who owned both
> 
> very interesting fact.....




Fact is they said it.  



fsilva said:


> He always replies to the emails, but it takes time.
> Imagine that you are working almost 20h per day making cables so that you can reach the estimated timeframe provided to your costumers, would you have time to respond immediately to all the emails sent to you?




I'm sorry, but being busy is a very poor reason for not responding to emails. You can easily set an auto reply with an estimated response time. If you are that busy you can hire someone. Or, if you don't really care, just answer them whenever. I wish I could afford to choose when to answer my customers. Business must be very good for some of these companies, even if they are one person. 

Anyway, received my DX200 today, can't wait to burn it in and compare to my 1Z. Too early to make any definitive statements other than the DX200 sounds very good OOTB.


----------



## Mimouille

proedros said:


> i assume that you mention companies which you personally experienced that they took 3-4 months to deliver , right ?
> 
> 
> cause if not , it's almost unethical to suggest that they take that kind of time - i am mentioning this , because last month i got a *8-con twagv3 cable from whiplash* and it only took *15 days* to make
> ...


I did. Trevor is nice and helpful, but his lack of organization and follow up is nerve wracking. Just check at the people losing their mind on his thread. And his cables are fine but nothing to write home about.

What is almost unethical, no actually scrap that that, this means nothing. What is actually intellectually dishonest is to assume that your own personal experience is more relevant than someome else's opinion, which is based on more data points.

Nonetheless I am happy it worked out for you.


----------



## warrior1975

I too had nothing but good experiences with Whiplash, but I know quite a few that have been less than happy. He always makes things right, but still the lack of communication is troublesome for quite a few.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will stick with FLAC and Hi-res FLAC, I read MQA is really Lossy....


----------



## AnakChan

whitigir said:


> I used a couple Pentaconn, and I can say that while it is true that it is long. The socket won't be damaged. It is locked in by a lock to the chassis, and then connected to the board by Kimber wires, there is no way to damage the socket by just the plug alone, unless you use Direct adapter to plug another plug on top of a direct adapter.
> 
> I like how large and big the Pentaconn is, it was so "awesome" that I could fit in 8 wires with each the size of 22AWG, and turned out 19AWG a polarity on my cables and that was just simply "Awesome"....even though it was strange placement of pin terminals from them. Not to mention cotton cores inside for that excellent flexibility
> 
> ...


 

 Here's the Brise Audio with Pentaconn. Granted they've probably had their shrink wrap a little too long to cater for the Brise Audio logo on it. But I put the DAP in my satchel and I'm somewhat more skeptical that the long Pentaconn is more prone to damaging accidents than a short 4.4mm.


----------



## Whitigir

Wow, I love that vintage Walkman  and the tape color


----------



## gerelmx1986

New school and vintage walkman thats simply


----------



## blazinblazin

This Dignis case needed to match.


----------



## drjigarn

blazinblazin said:


> This Dignis case needed to match.


 
  
 I would buy that!


----------



## AnakChan

blazinblazin said:


> This Dignis case needed to match.



Saw my tweet did ya ??


----------



## denis1976

Hello mine 1A is with 240 hours in SE the sound is awsome, the detail is great, the tone is very enjoyable, big stage, this is getting very close to LPG in lots of things, pinpoint acuracy for exemple, very good SONY, to compare to the ak380 copper combo i have to try the balanced to see...right now is a bit far , but is an unfair comparison


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Whats so good about these pentacon 4.4 connectors compared to others?


----------



## blazinblazin

denis1976 said:


> Hello mine 1A is with 240 hours in SE the sound is awsome, the detail is great, the tone is very enjoyable, big stage, this is getting very close to LPG in lots of things, pinpoint acuracy for exemple, very good SONY, to compare to the ak380 copper combo i have to try the balanced to see...right now is a bit far , but is an unfair comparison




Then you should try the 4.4mm balanced and get wow 1 more time.


----------



## denis1976

blazinblazin said:


> Then you should try the 4.4mm balanced and get wow 1 more time.


I believe you


----------



## kms108

princeofegypt said:


> Whats so good about these pentacon 4.4 connectors compared to others?


 

 They are longer


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> Hello mine 1A is with 240 hours in SE the sound is awsome, the detail is great, the tone is very enjoyable, big stage, this is getting very close to LPG in lots of things, pinpoint acuracy for exemple, very good SONY, to compare to the ak380 copper combo i have to try the balanced to see...right now is a bit far , but is an unfair comparison


 

 ​Mine is arround 250 hours in SE and i agree with you with everything you say about it,, is awesome soundstage spehrical and enveloping, the tone is very enjoyable revealing with a touch of warmth


----------



## blazinblazin

WM1A is sure like a new shy friend.

I dont really like her when i first met her. She looks average and not so appealing. But then she slowly opens up to me and slowly i know more about her, discovered the other side of her and things get sweeter as days goes by.


----------



## jmills8

blazinblazin said:


> WM1A is sure like a new shy friend.
> 
> I dont really like her when i first met her. She looks average and not so appealing. But then she slowly opens up to me and slowly i know more about her, discovered the other side of her and things get sweeter as days goes by.


Thats called setteling.


----------



## 463782

@GoDiSLoVe
 Hi. I'm sorry for the late reply. There were no issues with customs.


----------



## jamato8

I see that ALO has the 4.4 TRRS. I have a couple of these exact same plugs and they are nice. Non magnetic except for the nickel plating under the gold but no steel central pin, which is important. They also look extremely nice once made up and look good with the WM1A and I would imagine the 1Z since the plug has a shell that is also gold plated. The next step up would be from Furutech in copper and Rhodium if they come out with them.


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> WM1A is sure like a new shy friend.
> 
> I dont really like her when i first met her. She looks average and not so appealing. But then she slowly opens up to me and slowly i know more about her, discovered the other side of her and things get sweeter as days goes by.


 

 ​Agree especially with her mood swings 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 sometimes she is nice and sometimes naughty


----------



## TenderTendon

This WM1A continues to blow me away. I'm not going to use silly superlatives to try to explain why. The one big thing that I continue to notice is that I get the same weight and impact of a song at a lower volume than my AK100II and Pioneer XDP-300R (both great players in my opinion) require. Hard to explain, but I get more satisfaction from the Sony at a lower volume levels than other players. This is my first Sony DAP, as I've always avoided them due to their low power output. This player is everything I was looking for. A remote and case are next on my list. The only thing I would like to see available is a dedicated dock with true line outs. I'm not holding my breath for that though. I'll update my impressions when I get to hear my HD800S's, MDR-Z7's and SE846's running balanced. The Shure's sound amazing single ended and can only get better balanced. Patiently waiting for 90 degree 4.4mm plugs to become available.


----------



## jmills8

tendertendon said:


> This WM1A continues to blow me away. I'm not going to use silly superlatives to try to explain why. The one big thing that I continue to notice is that I get the same weight and impact of a song at a lower volume than my AK100II and Pioneer XDP-300R (both great players in my opinion) require. Hard to explain, but I get more satisfaction from the Sony at a lower volume levels than other players. This is my first Sony DAP, as I've always avoided them due to their low power output. This player is everything I was looking for. A remote and case are next on my list. The only thing I would like to see available is a dedicated dock with true line outs. I'm not holding my breath for that though. I'll update my impressions when I get to hear my HD800S's, MDR-Z7's and SE846's running balanced. The Shure's sound amazing single ended and can only get better balanced. Patiently waiting for 90 degree 4.4mm plugs to become available.


 The Sony you would say is better than the AK100II and Pioneer XDP-300R?


----------



## TenderTendon

jmills8 said:


> The Sony you would say is better than the AK100II and Pioneer XDP-300R?


 

 No doubt about that, and not just a little better. The Sony blows them both away. If you can live without WIFI, this is the player to beat...


----------



## jmills8

tendertendon said:


> No doubt about that, and not just a little better. The Sony blows them both away. If you can live without WIFI, this is the player to beat...


Thxs, I wont get the Pioneer. I had the AK awhile back. Thxs.


----------



## addyg

tendertendon said:


> This WM1A continues to blow me away. I'm not going to use silly superlatives to try to explain why. The one big thing that I continue to notice is that I get the same weight and impact of a song at a lower volume than my AK100II and Pioneer XDP-300R (both great players in my opinion) require. Hard to explain, but I get more satisfaction from the Sony at a lower volume levels than other players. This is my first Sony DAP, as I've always avoided them due to their low power output. This player is everything I was looking for. A remote and case are next on my list. The only thing I would like to see available is a dedicated dock with true line outs. I'm not holding my breath for that though. I'll update my impressions when I get to hear my HD800S's, MDR-Z7's and SE846's running balanced. The Shure's sound amazing single ended and can only get better balanced. Patiently waiting for 90 degree 4.4mm plugs to become available.




The volume thing may be subjective as xdp-300R has 75mW@32 while wm1a has 60mW@16 . The pioneer has 30% higher output on single-ended.


----------



## echineko

Please try to listen to the new Walkman models via balanced output, if at all possible. You just won't experience all its capable of via SE, whichever model you end up getting.


----------



## Gosod

I for some reason did not like this player, maybe I listened to it not long enough.


----------



## Bengkia369

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]I for some reason did not like this player, maybe I listened to it not long enough.[/COLOR]




Might be need some time for the components in the dap to burn in and also your ears might need so time to adjust to the sound signature too.


----------



## Gosod

bengkia369 said:


> Might be need some time for the components in the dap to burn in and also your ears might need so time to adjust to the sound signature too.


 
I listened to it about 18 minutes, a couple of songs from my collection.


----------



## AnakChan

gosod said:


> I listened to it about 18 minutes, a couple of songs from my collection.


 

 Maybe it's simply not your taste. It may help for you to describe what you don't like about it and if you tried the 1A and had the same sentiments.
  
 About the burn-in, I'm going to have to re-iterate I personally don't agree that a player requires burn-in to swing a vote from "no sale" to "sale". Whist I do agree that burn in play a part of improving the SQ of a player, It should be from a "it's a good buy" to "it just got better".
  
 P.S. My 1Z is now at 191 hrs in balanced.


----------



## Mimouille

anakchan said:


> P.S. My 1Z is now at 191 hrs in balanced.




Aah, I remember these good old days when my 1Z was sub 200 hours. I was so pure and innocent then.


----------



## Gosod

anakchan said:


> Maybe it's simply not your taste. It may help for you to describe what you don't like about it and if you tried the 1A and had the same sentiments.
> 
> About the burn-in, I'm going to have to re-iterate I personally don't agree that a player requires burn-in to swing a vote from "no sale" to "sale". Whist I do agree that burn in play a part of improving the SQ of a player, It should be from a "it's a good buy" to "it just got better".
> 
> P.S. My 1Z is now at 191 hrs in balanced.


 
A30 I liked more. 
1.it is more compact. 
2.has more volume.


----------



## AnakChan

gosod said:


> A30 I liked more.
> 1.it is more compact.
> 2.has more volume.


 
  
 1. Can't help you there...some like small packages, some like *big*
 2. I guess you tried in single ended, rather than balanced


----------



## nanaholic

Even if it was SE to SE it doesn't sound possible to me as the A30 has 35mW @ 16ohm while the WM1 has 60mW @ 16ohm.
  
 If the A30 sounds like it has more volume then something strange is going on - maybe some DSP is switched on.


----------



## Gosod

anakchan said:


> 1. Can't help you there...some like small packages, some like *big*
> 2. I guess you tried in single ended, rather than balanced


 
no, I wasn't balanced, but I believe that if it is worth the money so he had to sound in both cases.


----------



## mscott58

tendertendon said:


> This WM1A continues to blow me away. I'm not going to use silly superlatives to try to explain why. The one big thing that I continue to notice is that I get the same weight and impact of a song at a lower volume than my AK100II and Pioneer XDP-300R (both great players in my opinion) require. Hard to explain, but I get more satisfaction from the Sony at a lower volume levels than other players. This is my first Sony DAP, as I've always avoided them due to their low power output. This player is everything I was looking for. A remote and case are next on my list. The only thing I would like to see available is a dedicated dock with true line outs. I'm not holding my breath for that though. I'll update my impressions when I get to hear my HD800S's, MDR-Z7's and SE846's running balanced. The Shure's sound amazing single ended and can only get better balanced. Patiently waiting for 90 degree 4.4mm plugs to become available.




I thought they do have a dock that the 1A fits into?


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> Even if it was SE to SE it doesn't sound possible to me as the A30 has 35mW @ 16ohm while the WM1 has 60mW @ 16ohm.
> 
> If the A30 sounds like it has more volume then something strange is going on - maybe some DSP is switched on.


 

 ​That is what i have Heard that maybe the sound of the A30 is modified to sound less aggressive (in a comparison between a cowon plenue D) He theorized maybe a DSP is always ON by default
  
 so far I love my 1A has the sound i was looking for years


----------



## echineko

tendertendon said:


> The only thing I would like to see available is a dedicated dock with true line outs. I'm not holding my breath for that though.
> Patiently waiting for 90 degree 4.4mm plugs to become available.



There's this that was originally designed for the ZX2, works for the new models too:

www.sony.jp/walkman/products/BCR-NWH10/

And if you mean IEM cables that have a 90 degree 4.4mm plug, I got this from Kumitate Labs in Japan, works quite nicely:

www.kumitatelab.com/4.4mm5polecable/


----------



## mscott58

Ah, just saw the cradle only has USB out. Cheers


----------



## gearofwar

Have anyone here tried to drive HD800 on balance? What is the result? Thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

sony used to sell a dock that had line out but no longer sells it
 and for your information new walkmans don't support LOD from the WM connector


----------



## Jazzi

mimouille said:


> Aah, I remember these good old days when my 1Z was sub 200 hours. I was so pure and innocent then.


 

 I'm at 4 hours with the 1Z, after putting 116 on the 1A.  It's an adventure.


----------



## bettyn

Anyone know when this player (the WM1A) will be available in the USA? Really don't want to deal with sending something back to Japan again after my experience with the Onkyo DP-X1.


----------



## bettyn

gearofwar said:


> Have anyone here tried to drive HD800 on balance? What is the result? Thanks


 
 Interested in this also.


----------



## mscott58

bettyn said:


> Anyone know when this player (the WM1A) will be available in the USA? Really don't want to deal with sending something back to Japan again after my experience with the Onkyo DP-X1.




Should be very soon according to a reliable source, sometime in the next few weeks, early March latest. Cheers


----------



## jamato8

bettyn said:


> Anyone know when this player (the WM1A) will be available in the USA? Really don't want to deal with sending something back to Japan again after my experience with the Onkyo DP-X1.


 

 It has been available on Amazon for some time in a US model. I don't understand why questions about availability. I also asked before purchasing and it was confirmed as a US model covered by a warranty from Sony in the US. Here


----------



## TenderTendon

addyg said:


> The volume thing may be subjective as xdp-300R has 75mW@32 while wm1a has 60mW@16 . The pioneer has 30% higher output on single-ended.


 

 I had considered that, but repeated A-B-C comparisons reveal that the Sony has more impact at lower volume levels than both of the other players. The only explanation I can possibly think of is that the Sony can deliver considerably more instantaneous current into the super low impedance of the 846's than the A&K and Pioneer can.


----------



## bvng3540

jamato8 said:


> It has been available on Amazon for some time in a US model. I don't understand why questions about availability. I also asked before purchasing and it was confirmed as a US model covered by a warranty from Sony in the US. Here




I can confirmed that it the US version because I bought 1 from that seller on Amazon


----------



## mscott58

jamato8 said:


> It has been available on Amazon for some time in a US model. I don't understand why questions about availability. I also asked before purchasing and it was confirmed as a US model covered by a warranty from Sony in the US. Here


 
 The problem is that Authorized Dealers in the US aren't able to sell the 1A yet. Not sure where the Amazon seller is getting them from, or if they're even an AD? Also, on Sony.com the 1A is marked as Available soon​


----------



## TenderTendon

mscott58 said:


> I thought they do have a dock that the 1A fits into?


 

 Yes, but it was designed for the ZX2. It fits, but is definitely an afterthought and looks awful with the cable opening for the bottom jack (1A jacks on top). Also doesn't have a true line out option. I would assume that there are 3 available pins on the WM-PORT to implement a line out into the dock, but I don't see it happening.


----------



## TenderTendon

echineko said:


> And if you mean IEM cables that have a 90 degree 4.4mm plug, I got this from Kumitate Labs in Japan, works quite nicely:
> 
> www.kumitatelab.com/4.4mm5polecable/


 
 Thanks for the link, but I'm actually looking for DIY 90 degree plugs.


----------



## TenderTendon

bettyn said:


> Anyone know when this player (the WM1A) will be available in the USA? Really don't want to deal with sending something back to Japan again after my experience with the Onkyo DP-X1.


 

 See here:
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-flagship-hi-end-dap/8085#post_13203400
 Fulfilled by Amazon US and delivered in 1-2 days...
  
 EDIT: Note that this will not be the US destination version, as they are not released yet. What you will get is the E /Tourist destination player, which is as good or better.


----------



## TenderTendon

mscott58 said:


> The problem is that Authorized Dealers in the US aren't able to sell the 1A yet. Not sure where the Amazon seller is getting them from, or if they're even an AD? Also, on Sony.com the 1A is marked as Available soon​


 
 Amazon is not selling them. A 3rd party seller is and Amazon is fulfilling orders. These are not US destination players. They are International/Tourist destination.


----------



## TenderTendon

If you want to know where your player was actually destined to be sold, take a look at the information on the side of the player, below the hold switch and compare it to the chart from the service manual.


----------



## mscott58

tendertendon said:


> See here:
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-flagship-hi-end-dap/8085#post_13203400
> Fulfilled by Amazon US and delivered in 1-2 days...
> 
> EDIT: Note that this will not be the US destination version, as they are not released yet. What you will get is the E /Tourist destination player, which is as good or better.


 
 Exactly, the 1A US version (sold by authorized dealers and with full US warranty) has not been released in the US yet. I've heard that they're actually in the US warehouses, but something about getting the item number set up in the systems or such is what is holding them back at this point. Understand this is not making some AD's happy...


----------



## jamato8

tendertendon said:


> If you want to know where your player was actually destined to be sold, take a look at the information on the side of the player, below the hold switch and compare it to the chart from the service manual.


 
 Mine is a tourist model. . . nooooo. . . . . I am a tourist in the country I live. lol I don't care. It is covered and I am listening to it while others are waiting. :^)


----------



## TenderTendon

jamato8 said:


> Mine is a tourist model. . . nooooo. . . . . I am a tourist in the country I live. lol I don't care. It is covered and I am listening to it while others are waiting. :^)


 
 Nothing wrong with that. The tourist destination model has absolutely no restrictions and most importantly is available now to enjoy.


----------



## hung031086

I live in the US. If i buy 1A from a seller in korea, will i still have warranty for it ? Yesterday i asked the seller and he said a year warranty.


----------



## gearofwar

hung031086 said:


> I live in the US. If i buy 1A from a seller in korea, will i still have warranty for it ? Yesterday i asked the seller and he said a year warranty.


 
 The warranty is only applied to that specific country where it comes from. If you want to have it repaired, you need to send it back there. Not sure about the law in Korea but in Japan, the law requires a japanese person with physical address for Sony to receive it from as you can't send the unit directly to them from US.


----------



## kms108

With the tourist version, if you have it with the _*international warranty card*_, warranty is available in many countries including the US, _*no*_ warranty is provided without this card, although some countries does not follow the rules and do provide service at good will.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I got mine from HongKong with AJ, if it goes kaputt, AJ will send it to sony forme, the only downside is> I must pay both ways shipping , so far no issues yet


----------



## Tanjiro

jamato8 said:


> Mine is a tourist model. . . nooooo. . . . . I am a tourist in the country I live. lol I don't care. It is covered and I am listening to it while others are waiting. :^)



I bought the EU version from Amazon UK and I registered my WM1A successfully on Sony.ca


----------



## ledzep

Off topic but i'm using a 1A so its still relevant (well to me) , after some iem tips that have a large bore or some that will stretch a bit any suggestions?


----------



## gearofwar

kms108 said:


> With the tourist version, if you have it with the _*international warranty card*_, warranty is available in many countries including the US, _*no*_ warranty is provided without this card, although some countries does not follow the rules and do provide service at good will.


 
 So you are basically saying if I get this version, I could register for warranty service with Sony US? Has anyone here tried so? Thanks


----------



## drjigarn

moneypls said:


> I bought the EU version from Amazon UK and I registered my WM1A successfully on Sony.ca




I did the same


----------



## wu1f

i just got one from Amazon


----------



## hung031086

I just ask the seller about the version i bought. He said it's korean version. I'm not sure that i will have warranty or not, because i live in the us.


----------



## wu1f

I have IEMs with 3.5mm TRS plugs and some with 3.5mm TRRS.  Can an adapter be made to allow me to use these with the Sony 4.4mm TRRRS balanced output??  If so, where can I get them?  Thank you!


----------



## drjigarn

wu1f said:


> I have IEMs with 3.5mm TRS plugs and some with 3.5mm TRRS.  Can an adapter be made to allow me to use these with the Sony 4.4mm TRRRS balanced output??  If so, where can I get them?  Thank you!




You can try plussound


----------



## bvng3540

drjigarn said:


> You can try plussound




Yes but you need to wait 2 months , my recommendation is buy the plug from alo audio and re-terminated


----------



## kms108

gearofwar said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > With the tourist version, if you have it with the _*international warranty card*_, warranty is available in many countries including the US, _*no*_ warranty is provided without this card, although some countries does not follow the rules and do provide service at good will.
> ...


 
http://www.sony.jp/products/overseas/contents/info.html


----------



## Mimouille

@Jazzi, wow you are a Z-virgin.


----------



## Jalo

wu1f said:


> I have IEMs with 3.5mm TRS plugs and some with 3.5mm TRRS.  Can an adapter be made to allow me to use these with the Sony 4.4mm TRRRS balanced output??  If so, where can I get them?  Thank you!



I believe you can get an adapter for your 3.5 mm TRRS cable but never do it with your 3.5 mm TRS you may risk shorting your Sony.


----------



## mscott58

Luna Shop will make any such adapter, but it takes a while to ship across the Pacific, and now with CNY that's going to add at least a week or two. Surf Cables will also make adapters for the 4.4mm - I have a 4.4mm male to female 4-pin XLR for my bigger cans to use on the Sony's. Cheers


----------



## Jazzi

mimouille said:


> @Jazzi, wow you are a Z-virgin.


 

 Mim, yep, got the last available one on Amazon US from Buywise.  After thoroughly reviewing the 1A I couldn't resist.


----------



## bvng3540

jazzi said:


> Mim, yep, got the last available one on Amazon US from Buywise.  After thoroughly reviewing the 1A I couldn't resist.



I saw that u selling ur


----------



## Jazzi

bvng3540 said:


> I saw that u selling ur


 

 Yeah, definitely no need for the 1A, though it's a great device someone should pick up.


----------



## addyg

tendertendon said:


> I had considered that, but repeated A-B-C comparisons reveal that the Sony has more impact at lower volume levels than both of the other players. The only explanation I can possibly think of is that the Sony can deliver considerably more instantaneous current into the super low impedance of the 846's than the A&K and Pioneer can.




I agreed.


----------



## Xacxac

Anyone using 4.4 TRRS cable with WM1? Need recommendation/opinion of good cable maker *within the US* to get 4.4 TRRRS cable (not adapter). Found Surf Audio & plusSound Audio so far. Not sure about Norne Audio, ALO, Impact Audio.
 
PS: My DIY skill sucks


----------



## bvng3540

xacxac said:


> Anyone using 4.4 TRRS cable with WM1? Need recommendation/opinion of good cable maker *within the US* to get 4.4 TRRRS cable (not adapter). Found Surf Audio & plusSound Audio so far. Not sure about Norne Audio, ALO, Impact Audio.





From alo audio excellent quality, get it re-terminated to my existence 2 pins cable


----------



## Xacxac

Not looking to buy the plug, as I'm not good at soldering. Thanks for the advice though.


----------



## bvng3540

xacxac said:


> Not looking to buy the plug, as I'm not good at soldering. Thanks for the advice though.




Then your best bet now is surf audio as their turnaround time is very fast compared to plussound which will take at least 1.5 months and surf audio will not cost you an arm and leg compared to some others


----------



## gerelmx1986

I really say with less volumen you get more details with the WM1A tan my previous walkman, and I say again as @audionewbi says EX1000 are a good match for wm1a, I say also do the XBA-Z5 airy presentation and nice stage even slightly bigger tan Z7s stage


----------



## Jazzi

bvng3540 said:


> Then your best bet now is surf audio as their turnaround time is very fast compared to plussound which will take at least 1.5 months and surf audio will not cost you an arm and leg compared to some others


 

 +1.  If you're looking to get your hands on something quickly, Surfcables seems to be your best best.  I had one in less than a week after ordering.  Not the greatest cable, but it gets the job done.


----------



## Xacxac

bvng3540 said:


> Then your best bet now is surf audio as their turnaround time is very fast compared to plussound which will take at least 1.5 months and surf audio will not cost you an arm and leg compared to some others


 
  
 Judging from photos, Surf Audio cables aren't much cheaper than plusSound based on similar cable diameter. Surf cables look tiny (larger AWG) compared to common braided cables, which can be plus (not obtrusive) or minus (fragile). Fast turn around time because of manufactured, not hand-made.
  


jazzi said:


> +1.  If you're looking to get your hands on something quickly, Surfcables seems to be your best best.  I had one in less than a week after ordering.  Not the greatest cable, but it gets the job done.


 
  
 Not in hurry. Good point: Surf Audio cable is the only 4.4 TRRS cable with memory wire (CMIIW). My concern is regarding build quality. Surf looks fragile and rough. Can you confirm/deny?


----------



## Jazzi

xacxac said:


> Judging from photos, Surf Audio cables aren't much cheaper than plusSound based on similar cable diameter. Surf cables look tiny (larger AWG) compared to common braided cables, which can be plus (not obtrusive) or minus (fragile). Fast turn around time because of manufactured, not hand-made.
> 
> 
> Not in hurry. Good point: Surf Audio cable is the only 4.4 TRRS cable with memory wire (CMIIW). My concern is regarding build quality. Surf looks fragile and rough. Can you confirm/deny?


 

 You're right, the cable is very thin.  However, build quality seems fine.  I think they filled the connector with glue.  I wouldn't call it fragile, though, and the cable is very flexible.  I think it depends on what you're looking for.  It's certainly not a TOTL cable, but entirely adequate for moving signal from player to IEMs.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Maybe you can also ask some DYérs here


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> Maybe you can also ask some DYérs here


 
  
  
 Whitigir, our cable man.


----------



## jamato8

bvng3540 said:


> From alo audio excellent quality, get it re-terminated to my existence 2 pins cable


 
 That plug has no center steel pin, which is good and the sleeve is very nice looking.


----------



## bvng3540

Just got back the cable from re-terminated, the balanced sound is so addictive, also volume on SE was 12 now balanced is 2 and still lound


----------



## Stephen George

gearofwar said:


> The warranty is only applied to that specific country where it comes from. If you want to have it repaired, you need to send it back there. Not sure about the law in Korea but in Japan, the law requires a japanese person with physical address for Sony to receive it from as you can't send the unit directly to them from US.


 
  
  
 don't think this is true
  
 my suggestion is to use the sony registration form in the country you live in and try to register it
  
 you will need the serial number/.jpg of your receipt and how you purchased it
  
 I have a japanese purchase and it registered fine here in the US


----------



## Stephen George

hung031086 said:


> I live in the US. If i buy 1A from a seller in korea, will i still have warranty for it ? Yesterday i asked the seller and he said a year warranty.


 
  
 although the EULA would have you believe that the warranty is only honored in the country of purchase, I wouldn't follow that
  
 I registered my japan purchase without an issue here in the US
  
 be sure to have a .jpg of your receipt and serial number and follow the form
  
 you'll get an email confirmation if all goes well


----------



## Stephen George

gearofwar said:


> So you are basically saying if I get this version, I could register for warranty service with Sony US? Has anyone here tried so? Thanks


 
  
 doesn't matter WHICH version you get, i got a fully japan model and i did 
  
 and yes, the EULA that came with it said warranty only in Japan
  
 My guess is the larger consumer laws still protect the purchase
  
 what if i got it as a gift? or had to move from your homeland? what good is it for Sony to impose a region based warranty?


----------



## Xacxac

bvng3540 said:


>





> Just got back the cable from re-terminated, the balanced sound is so addictive, also volume on SE was 12 now balanced is 2 and still lound


 
  Where did you get your cable reterminated?


----------



## bvng3540

xacxac said:


> Where did you get your cable reterminated?




@alpha421 he did a great job


----------



## gerelmx1986

One question, is the leather in the back, real leather or it is pleather?

Will also the fiio BT remote work with the 1A?


----------



## Stephen George

gerelmx1986 said:


> One question, is the leather in the back, real leather or it is pleather?
> 
> Will also the fiio BT remote work with the 1A?


 
 feels smells and looks like leather
  
 AFA the bt remote i wouldn't think not
  
 i was able to pair my AK remote with it, but it didn't do anything 
  
 the sony remote is a must purchase...very handy..also nice they have a separate bt connection for it


----------



## gerelmx1986

Someone at Amazon commercial Ted for the fiio remote he can control her s zx1, I think first would get the 4.4 cable adapter and then fiddle with a remote


----------



## ledzep

Another great match for this player, sound great on SE. Think I can justify a spend on a balanced cable from toxic's now.


----------



## wolfmobil

I am looking for the best match of IEMs for my new 1Z. No set budget in mind just want to get the best out of the DAP IEM combination.  Looking for your suggestions head-fiers!


----------



## gerelmx1986

wolfmobil said:


> I am looking for the best match of IEMs for my new 1Z. No set budget in mind just want to get the best out of the DAP IEM combination.  Looking for your suggestions head-fiers!


 

 ​I have the XBA-Z5 theyre between 499 and 699 USD, got mien for 499, also the XBA-A3 are great for 199 or less. The differen ce between Z5 is that z5 are magnesium housing vs plastic of the A3. also i find the Z5 have an airier soundstage amd smoother treble


----------



## wolfmobil

Do they come with 4.4 balanced?


----------



## addyg

For info, this is new in e-earphones


----------



## Jazzi

wolfmobil said:


> I am looking for the best match of IEMs for my new 1Z. No set budget in mind just want to get the best out of the DAP IEM combination.  Looking for your suggestions head-fiers!


 

 I don't want to be off-topic here, but you should check out the Empire Ears line.  I have the Zeus, and they sound great with both the A and Z.


----------



## Jazzi

addyg said:


> For info, this is new in e-earphones


 

 I ordered a very similar one made by SLK from Taobao.  According to tracking, it appears to have vanished into thin air.


----------



## echineko

wolfmobil said:


> I am looking for the best match of IEMs for my new 1Z. No set budget in mind just want to get the best out of the DAP IEM combination.  Looking for your suggestions head-fiers!



I've liked my Oriolus mk2 the most with the WM1Z, the resolution is awesome, and the impact of the dynamic driver for bass adds some real punch when it's called for. 

I liked it so much, I'm probably moving away from pure BA IEMs in future. Awesome combo, and they now come with balanced 4.4mm cables as an option, so you don't have to spend money on pricey upgrade cables if you don't want to.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> Another great match for this player, sound great on SE. Think I can justify a spend on a balanced cable from toxic's now.


 
 They look like spiderman headphones


----------



## gerelmx1986

wolfmobil said:


> Do they come with 4.4 balanced?


 

 The Z5 have a dual 3.5mm male balanced cable


----------



## mscott58

wolfmobil said:


> I am looking for the best match of IEMs for my new 1Z. No set budget in mind just want to get the best out of the DAP IEM combination.  Looking for your suggestions head-fiers!


 
 I'm a big fan of the ALO/CFA Vega's (my current reference and what I'm listening to my 1Z on at 35K feet as I cross the continent). After many years as a high-count BA follower (Noble K10 were my former reference) I'm a convert to the world of high-end DD's. Some of the DD/BA hybrids are great also, such as the ALO/CFA Dorado and Tralucent Ref 1 Too. Of course the most important thing is finding something that works well for you. Any chance you can get to a good store or a CanJam event? Cheers


----------



## drjigarn

I spoke to beat audio regarding 4.4mm to 2.5 female cable. He told me 25% of the cost of the cable I select for 10cm length. Their turn around time is pretty good too if anyone is interested. I am getting their cheapest cable so $50 shipped.


----------



## Mimouille

wolfmobil said:


> I am looking for the best match of IEMs for my new 1Z. No set budget in mind just want to get the best out of the DAP IEM combination.  Looking for your suggestions head-fiers!


Spiral Ear SE5 Ultimate.


----------



## Tanjiro

My 1A rebooted automatically earlier and the play time meter got reset. Anybody experienced this before?


----------



## Mimouille

moneypls said:


> My 1A rebooted automatically earlier and the play time meter got reset. Anybody experienced this before?


Yet reported quite a few times before. You have to keep your own count for burn in.


----------



## mscott58

moneypls said:


> My 1A rebooted automatically earlier and the play time meter got reset. Anybody experienced this before?


 
 Interesting. Any idea what caused the reboot?


----------



## Tanjiro

mscott58 said:


> Interesting. Any idea what caused the reboot?



No idea really. I was listening music and played around the sound setting. Music turned to kind of like static noise all of the sudden. I pressed the power button and tried to bring the screen on but nothing happened. Then my 1A rebooted.


----------



## ledzep

wolfmobil said:


> I am looking for the best match of IEMs for my new 1Z. No set budget in mind just want to get the best out of the DAP IEM combination.  Looking for your suggestions head-fiers!



Z5, EX1000, U12 & 8's and isine10 is what I'm using at the moment.


----------



## kms108

jazzi said:


> addyg said:
> 
> 
> > For info, this is new in e-earphones
> ...


 
 Thats why I never order stuff from taobao during the holiday when their QC in stock handling is a problem, especially the chinese new year.


----------



## Jazzi

kms108 said:


> Thats why I never order stuff from taobao during the holiday when their QC in stock handling is a problem, especially the chinese new year.


 
 This isn't on Taobao.  The completed the process efficiently.  The order made it to my local post office.  It's a USPS problem -- not Taobao.


----------



## Jazzi

mscott58 said:


> I'm a big fan of the ALO/CFA Vega's (my current reference and what I'm listening to my 1Z on at 35K feet as I cross the continent). After many years as a high-count BA follower (Noble K10 were my former reference) I'm a convert to the world of high-end DD's. Some of the DD/BA hybrids are great also, such as the ALO/CFA Dorado and Tralucent Ref 1 Too. Of course the most important thing is finding something that works well for you. Any chance you can get to a good store or a CanJam event? Cheers


 

 You travel with your 1Z?  I wouldn't be surprised if you were over the weight limit for luggage.


----------



## kms108

jazzi said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Thats why I never order stuff from taobao during the holiday when their QC in stock handling is a problem, especially the chinese new year.
> ...


 

 Do you live within asian, sellers and taobao like to use courier, I had shipping problem with both taobao or should I say SF express, their main courier service provider, and since my chinese isn't good, communication pose a problem.


----------



## Kiats

jazzi said:


> You travel with your 1Z?  I wouldn't be surprised if you were over the weight limit for luggage.




I've been Travelling with the 1Z. It is a hefty little bugger. And airport security occasionally makes me take it out cos the X-ray machines can't see through it.


----------



## jmills8

kiats said:


> I've been Travelling with the 1Z. It is a hefty little bugger. And airport security occasionally makes me take it out cos the X-ray machines can't see through it.


 Heavier than the Hugo.


----------



## Whitigir

kiats said:


> I've been Travelling with the 1Z. It is a hefty little bugger. And airport security occasionally makes me take it out cos the X-ray machines can't see through it.




Well, yeah, gold-copper...lol...it is where the best shielding and grounding come from


----------



## nanaholic

kms108 said:


> Do you live within asian, sellers and taobao like to use courier, I had shipping problem with both taobao or should I say SF express, their main courier service provider, and since my chinese isn't good, communication pose a problem.


 
  
 SF Express service is crap, they only get a foot hold in the market because they are dirt cheap and undercuts other courier services, and in China they are a practical monopoly because they are a Chinese company which means the government gives them a little helping such that other services like DHL is blocked from entering and serving China which means SF Express has no incentive to improve, complete downward spiral. It's crap all around. 
  
 Last year Tenso told their customers that they were going to change from EMS shipment to SF Express for their Asian deliveries because it was much cheaper and they thought the users would be happy with the savings, all the the users complained loudly because most Asian people have had first hand experience with SF Express and their crappy services and said they'll rather pay for the extra cost for EMS instead and Tenso backed down, true story.


----------



## mscott58

kiats said:


> I've been Travelling with the 1Z. It is a hefty little bugger. And airport security occasionally makes me take it out cos the X-ray machines can't see through it.


 
 That's actually a really good point. I've gotten to the point now where I pull my Pelican case out that has my 1Z and IEMs in it and put it in one of the bowls they have at TSA screening stations. They've wanted to look at it over half the times I've been through airport screening, and it's easier for them just to look at the small transport box with the 1Z rather than have to dig through my entire tactical bag I carry for work. 
  
 Recently I also was traveling with both the 1Z and the 1A as well as my AK100/Mojo/CV5 stack and they were all in my bag at once along with a handful of IEMs and cables (during my early comparison testing) and I can't imagine what that looked like through the x-ray scanner! 
  
 Cheers


----------



## addyg

nanaholic said:


> SF Express service is crap, they only get a foot hold in the market because they are dirt cheap and undercuts other courier services, and in China they are a practical monopoly because they are a Chinese company which means the government gives them a little helping such that other services like DHL is blocked from entering and serving China which means SF Express has no incentive to improve, complete downward spiral. It's crap all around.
> 
> Last year Tenso told their customers that they were going to change from EMS shipment to SF Express for their Asian deliveries because it was much cheaper and they thought the users would be happy with the savings, all the the users complained loudly because most Asian people have had first hand experience with SF Express and their crappy services and said they'll rather pay for the extra cost for EMS instead and Tenso backed down, true story.




Actually SF express started in Hong Kong and grew over to China. There are many SF express pickup shops in Hong kong.


----------



## nanaholic

addyg said:


> Actually SF express started in Hong Kong and grew over to China. There are many SF express pickup shops in Hong kong.


 
  
 SF Express started in Guangdong with their HQ in Shenzhen, not Hong Kong.  They were found on Hong Kong/China cross boarder courier services and still does a lot of it due to the special relationship between Hong Kong and China, which is why they have a lot of stores in Hong Kong.


----------



## Sarnia

Amazon UK's algorithm has just dropped the price on the WM1Z from £2,562 to £1,983.14, a 23% drop. Still a lot of money, but quite a reduction.


----------



## jmills8

nanaholic said:


> SF Express started in Guangdong with their HQ in Shenzhen, not Hong Kong.  They were found on Hong Kong/China cross boarder courier services and still does a lot of it due to the special relationship between Hong Kong and China, which is why they have a lot of stores in Hong Kong.


Same thing.


----------



## kms108

nanaholic said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Do you live within asian, sellers and taobao like to use courier, I had shipping problem with both taobao or should I say SF express, their main courier service provider, and since my chinese isn't good, communication pose a problem.
> ...


 

 I agree, SF isn't a really good courier, if you are comparing it with DHL and UPS, but in china it's mostly used and with the largest network, it's slight more expensive than many locals, they do consolidation for Taobao and also have COD service if sending to Hong Kong, I rather pay them delivery cost and not pay the seller, as the seller charge more.


----------



## nanaholic

jmills8 said:


> Same thing.


 
  
 No, it's totally different.
  
 Hong Kong is a special administrative region due to its British colonial history, and when it was returned to China one of the condition was that it operates with different laws to mainland China for 50 years (which the term isn't up yet).  So whether a company is registered or founded in China or Hong Kong makes a ton of differences in very real legal terms.


----------



## jmills8

nanaholic said:


> No, it's totally different.
> 
> Hong Kong is a special administrative region due to its British colonial history, and when it was returned to China one of the condition was that it operates with different laws to mainland China for 50 years (which the term isn't up yet).  So whether a company is registered or founded in China or Hong Kong makes a ton of differences in very real legal terms.


been here 12 yrs. Times are changing but yes companies have offices in HK but factories in Mainland.


----------



## nanaholic

jmills8 said:


> been here 12 yrs. Times are changing but yes companies have offices in HK but factories in Mainland.


 
  
 Sure but we are talking about SF Express.
  
 SF Express is "Chinese" Chinese. Company is registered in mainland China in 1993 and HQ is in Shenzhen. So totally not a Hong Kong company.


----------



## addyg

nanaholic said:


> Sure but we are talking about SF Express.
> 
> SF Express is "Chinese" Chinese. Company is registered in mainland China in 1993 and HQ is in Shenzhen. So totally not a Hong Kong company.




Actually the Guy that started SF express rented a small room in Mongkok Hong Kong with four thousands usd funding. His business is to ship goods into/out of china. That was many many years ago. He moved his headquarter to china due to expansion in business. 

I am not saying it is a HK company now. But that is how it got started.


----------



## bvng3540

addyg said:


> Actually the Guy that started SF express rented a small room in Mongkok Hong Kong with four thousands usd funding. His business is to ship goods into/out of china. That was many many years ago. He moved his headquarter to china due to expansion in business.
> 
> I am not saying it is a HK company now. But that is how it got started.




Do we REALLY care about crappy SF Express, can we get back to SONY WM1 topic


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said that copper gold shield better tan anything, so an x-ray machine will see through the WM1A body and not thru the WM1Z body then?


----------



## Sound Eq

i do not get it why is amazon uk pricing the wm1z less than other stores, is because of its capped volume
  
 why such a drastic price difference from one country to another
  
 should prices be at least similar


----------



## squirrelman

Has anyone who bought a WM1A/Z from Amazon.co.uk and lived in the US had to pay import tax?  I'm so tempted to upgrade to the Z and sell my A from Hong Kong.


----------



## musicday

Is really worth it to buy the 1Z with the volume cap even if that can be removed with the hack? Is there any downside to it at all? Will affect warranty,or future firmware updates?


----------



## kubig123

I have to praise BeatAudio customer service, I send 2 cables to be terminated with the 4.4mm plug an di got them back in less than3 weeks, considering that the shipping took at least 2 weeks, they did the job in a day or two.


----------



## Sound Eq

squirrelman said:


> Has anyone who bought a WM1A/Z from Amazon.co.uk and lived in the US had to pay import tax?  I'm so tempted to upgrade to the Z and sell my A from Hong Kong.


 
 why do they list import tax in amazon uk


----------



## Cagin

musicday said:


> Is really worth it to buy the 1Z with the volume cap even if that can be removed with the hack? Is there any downside to it at all? Will affect warranty,or future firmware updates?


 
 I'll put it this way, if it would pop again for 2K euros on Amazon.co.uk , and if I could someone instantly sell my WM1A, I would get it ASAP.
 And I say that as someone that is overjoyed owning the WM1A, even through SE usage at the time being.


----------



## squirrelman

I didn't see anything about it, but I guess I just wanted to check to make sure since I know a number of people here have ordered from Amazon.co.uk.  Maybe I'm just trying to talk myself out of buying it haha.


----------



## CraftyClown

musicday said:


> Is really worth it to buy the 1Z with the volume cap even if that can be removed with the hack? Is there any downside to it at all? Will affect warranty,or future firmware updates?




The hack is completely reversable mate, so absolutely no risk and no affect to your warranty


----------



## musicday

craftyclown said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Is really worth it to buy the 1Z with the volume cap even if that can be removed with the hack? Is there any downside to it at all? Will affect warranty,or future firmware updates?
> ...



I know,but thanks for your help.


----------



## Sarnia

sound eq said:


> i do not get it why is amazon uk pricing the wm1z less than other stores, is because of its capped volume
> 
> why such a drastic price difference from one country to another
> 
> should prices be at least similar


 
 It's nothing to do with the capped volume. Amazon have a pricing algorithm that takes into account third party sellers prices, and also, I believe, number of units sold. 
  
 Amazon UK have had a problem for the last six months or so with a bogus seller who posts ridiculously low prices on thousands of items at a time. They usually ask to be contacted directly by e-mail, which is against Amazon's terms, and say that the items are ex-display. They seem to me to have hacked a load of sellers accounts, as often the account they are posting from has legit feedback going back some time, and often have sold specialised items, for example a small producer of candles, before suddenly seemingly selling thousands of electronic goods.
  
 Amazon usually take the bogus posts down after a few hours. Usually they don't impact prices, but occasionally they do. Today the bogus seller was 'selling' the WM1Z for £1,600, and Amazon's price dropped in response. I doubt it will stay there for long.
  
 Hope that clears it up a bit.


----------



## blazinblazin

kubig123 said:


> I have to praise BeatAudio customer service, I send 2 cables to be terminated with the 4.4mm plug an di got them back in less than3 weeks, considering that the shipping took at least 2 weeks, they did the job in a day or two.




What cable is that?
Is it good?


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> whitigir said that copper gold shield better tan anything, so an x-ray machine will see through the WM1A body and not thru the WM1Z body then?




Lol...no, basically in a simple way to explain it, the more conductive a metal is, the more shielding properties it has. Gold just happen to resist radiation as well, hence astronauts have it in their stuff


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > whitigir said that copper gold shield better tan anything, so an x-ray machine will see through the WM1A body and not thru the WM1Z body then?
> ...


 

 ​Ok i just asked because i had my VAIO turned on before passing thru x-rays at MIA and it got the keyboard not working fater passing the x-ray machine


----------



## kubig123

blazinblazin said:


> What cable is that?
> Is it good?


 

 it's the vermilion.
  
 I like it, very flexible, perfect for traveling.


----------



## proedros

cagin said:


> I'll put it this way, if it would pop again for 2K euros on Amazon.co.uk , *and if I could someone instantly sell my WM1A*, I would get it ASAP.
> And I say that as someone that is overjoyed owning the WM1A, even through SE usage at the time being.


 
  
 i am a pm away , my friend


----------



## Sound Eq

even at 2000 GBP for wm1z its a risk that would be very devastating if the hack volume mod in future updates will not be doable, i prefer to pay full price if I would buy the wm1z and get the uncapped volume version just to rest assured that it will always deliver
  
 as for wm1a well its a different story its not that expensive and if the volume mod would not work with future firmware updates well the loss would be easier to tolerate


----------



## ledzep

cagin said:


> I'll put it this way, if it would pop again for 2K euros on Amazon.co.uk , and if I could someone instantly sell my WM1A, I would get it ASAP.
> And I say that as someone that is overjoyed owning the WM1A, even through SE usage at the time being.


----------



## musicday

Is a good music player,no doubt about it but not sure is worth £2000.
DX200 can decode DSD512 but Sony only 256. The battery life is impressive but,has it been decided how will that be replaced in the future?


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> Is a good music player,no doubt about it but not sure is worth £2000.
> DX200 can decode DSD512 but Sony only 256. The battery life is impressive but,has it been decided how will that be replaced in the future?




Man, I don't know what to tell you, but the materials being used in these gears has different pricing values. I make cables for my own interests and even cables, it slightly alter the performances in different ways. The one fact stands, the more expensive or exquisite the materials, the better it performs, and the more expensive it is. I can make a cables that cost easily deep into $1000  using the best of the best materials. So....to think cheaper components can perform as well ? That is like comparing clothes hangers wires for cables vs Silver wires for cables !

I am still very interested in checking out the dx200 to compare to Wm1z though, but I have been spending waysssss......too much


----------



## blazinblazin

musicday said:


> Is a good music player,no doubt about it but not sure is worth £2000.
> DX200 can decode DSD512 but Sony only 256. The battery life is impressive but,has it been decided how will that be replaced in the future?


 
  
 I don't think people want to fill their DAP with all DSD512 songs~
  
 My DSD256 songs already around 1GB per song.
  
 It is also battery consuming, Imagine how many DSD512 songs can DX200 plays before it dies VS how many DSD256 songs WM1 can play before it dies.


----------



## Whitigir

blazinblazin said:


> I don't think people want to fill their DAP with all DSD512 songs~
> 
> My DSD256 songs already around 1GB per song.
> 
> It is also battery consuming, Imagine how many DSD512 songs can DX200 plays before it dies VS how many DSD256 songs WM1 can play before it dies.




That is very true, Walkman is still unbeatable in play time. I have a hard time finding DSD 256, where do I get DSD 512 ?


----------



## JamesKH

Looking forward to that comparison WM1A/Z vs iBasso DX200


----------



## ledzep

musicday said:


> Is a good music player,no doubt about it but not sure is worth £2000.
> DX200 can decode DSD512 but Sony only 256. The battery life is impressive but,has it been decided how will that be replaced in the future?




If I worried about lifespan and cost id still be using a black and white portable TV and a 128 mb mp3s player, have fun if you can afford it there's no pockets in shrouds ! Dsd 512 ... Is there a point ? can anyone really tell the difference between that and 64/128 Dsd I know my ears at 47 definitely cannot tell the difference


----------



## Watcherq

whitigir said:


> That is very true, Walkman is still unbeatable in play time. I have a hard time finding DSD 256, where do I get DSD 512 ?



Only studio original masters. They will not sell them as it is the unedited version, etc.

Frankly, can anyone tell the diff in quality between 4xDSD vs 8xDSD ? Some people have already mentioned that they can't tell the difference between 192/24 vs 2xDSD.

Edit: the battery life is also a concern. Someone on the DX200 tread mentioned that with a mix of 192/25 and 2xDSD tracks the battery life is about 5 hours. With 8xDSD, battery life is what, 2.5 hours?!?


----------



## blazinblazin

whitigir said:


> That is very true, Walkman is still unbeatable in play time. I have a hard time finding DSD 256, where do I get DSD 512 ?


 
  
 I have not saw any DSD512 songs yet.
  
 The highest i bought from online was only DSD256 and yes not many around.


----------



## musicday

I refuse to pay $3000 for a player that I will not know if i can replace the battery in few years.
As with the DX200 is a different story as is way cheaper and offers way more for the price you pay.


----------



## musicday

musicday said:


> I refuse to pay $3000 for a player that I will not know if i can replace the battery in few years.
> As with the DX200 is a different story as is way cheaper and offers way more for the price you pay.



And again the battery life of the Sony on DSD is not longer than the one inside Lotoo Paw Gold, again cheaper player in comparison.
This is how i see it.


----------



## rushofblood

For people interested in a comparison between the DX200 and the WM1Z, here's a copypasta of a "brief" set of impressions I did on another discursive site. Do note that since then, the DX200 had 50 more hours of burn in; the haze on the DX200 has largely disappeared and the resolution difference has closed quite a bit between the two; will do more detailed comparative listening tomorrow.
  

  
WALL OF TEXT ALERT! Apparently I ramble on when I set myself the goal of writing something. TL;DR at bottom.

Being someone who spends very little of his waking hours at home, I’ve decided to put my money into portable gear unlike most here on this subreddit. Nevertheless, I’m sure some here would be interested to read a little on these DAPs; perhaps occupying starkly different price brackets, but undoubtedly representing the state of the art when it comes to portable audio players. The WM1Z is mine while the DX200 is on loan from a very generous friend who allowed me to unbox and use it while he was away.

These impressions are extremely preliminary; both players have barely anywhere near the recommended amount of burn in on them (about 3 hours on the DX200 and 25 hours on the WM1Z, and yes I do hear differences with previous DAPs being burnt in; iBasso even includes a burn in cable with the DX200). Listening done with a Lime Ears Aether and a PWAudio 1960s 4 wire cable, directly into the 2.5mm jack of the DX200 and to the 4.4mm jack of the WM1Z via a balanced adaptor.

WM1Z is a rather chunky player; a statement piece from Sony’s engineers who stuffed all their experience into this single gold brick. Milled out of a solid copper block and then plated in gold, it approaches half a kilo in weight, making even the AK380 Copper seem like a featherweight. Sporting a UI developed by Sony specifically for doing nothing but the playback of audio, it is still a touch slower to respond than the snappiest offerings from AK (the AK70 and AK3xx series), but is still very much useable and I do appreciate the focus of the entire experience as I don’t use features like streaming and video playback which some clamour for in their players. One annoying quirk is the player instantly scanning SD cards when they are inserted, rendering the player inoperable until it completes this operation. Would have been less of an issue if the damn thing didn’t take 3 minutes to scan 64GB of music…

Sonically, WM1Z definitely leans to the richer side of tonality, especially when placed next to competing DAPs like the LPG and AK380Cu. Bass is the strongest in presence amongst the bevy of portable flagships right now, and rumbles deep into the sub bass with ridiculous amounts of texture and a decay that stays just short of being excessive; the bass hits hard but gets out of the way before it can be construed as flabby. Mids are also very resolute, with the tiniest details and faintest echos presented very obviously and in a more forward fashion than on the AK380Cu, although the less tonally coloured and brighter presentation of the 380Cu can push apparent microdetails a little further up in the sound. Tonality in the mids tends towards a darker sound, but is not as thick and dark (or some might say rich?) as the previous top Walkman, the ZX2. The treble is the best I’ve heard out of any Walkman; Sony seems to struggle the most in getting sufficient treble extension and sparkle out of their proprietary S-Master designs, and this is the first time that a Walkman’s treble doesn’t lose out to the competition by a huge margin. While still not as sparkly or extended as the AK380Cu, cymbals have a bite and sparkle that all other past Walkman players have never been able to achieve, and sound less harsh and more rounded and realistic than most other players. With that said, at this stage I still do feel that they decay a little too quickly for my taste (I do play the drums so I’m a bit picky on cymbal reproduction). Rather importantly for an IEM user such as myself, the noise floor on the WM1Z is many times lower than the ZX2 which hissed like a snake even with less sensitive IEMs.

Perhaps one of the best characteristics of the WM1Z has to be its soundstage and spatial presentation. No other DAP renders staging and positioning in such a deep and cavernous space, with instruments being more firmly anchored in their own spot in the soundstage versus AK380Cu. Music as rendered by the WM1Z display reverb and trailing notes present in recordings so well that they lend to the sense of spatial awareness of the listener; it is rather easy to imagine the room in which the music is recorded, all the way up to how much headroom was present. The next best characteristic would be the insane battery life. 28 hours on average with 24/96 PCM. And for DSD lovers, it supposedly ekes out 11 hours on DSD 5.6MHz, and playback of either hi-res PCM or DSD do not warm the device up at all. Bloody awesome.

Drawbacks? It’s bloody heavy. Seriously, this thing alone weighs more than the rest of my everyday carry. And yes, it’s bloody expensive. Where I’m from, it costs S$3999 retail. That said, it’s a good S$2000 less than the AK380Cu and trades blows with it sonically, so I’m absolutely pleased with my purchase decision (although the wallet is still hurting severely from it).

Now, on to the DX200. iBasso had cult hits in the DX100 and the Japanese version, the HDP-R10, amongst portable audiophiles; I still know of people sticking to their R10s for their sound despite its massive girth, the need for a dedicated charger and the ancient Android 2.3 UI. Having focused their efforts on the lower end DAP market, they finally released DX200 as a contender in the high end market just a few weeks ago, in a price point (S$1399 retail) which places it in fierce contention with a whole bevy of other brands (Onkyo, AK, Sony, Questyle et al). Honestly, the DX200 was delayed so much that it had completely fallen off my radar until iBasso started talking about it last month with completed product photos and all. Massive thanks to my fellow music lover that got me to pick it up and run it in for him for the chance to give the DX200 a go at my leisure.

DX200 has a rather unique chassis design; while certain design cues are clearly inspired by other players such as the volume wheel, it has an industrial edge to the design, and the replaceable amp card is designed well and is easy to use with just a flathead screwdriver needed for operation. It even uses USB-C for charging, and the player comes with a pretty premium feeling USB-C cable and a leather case. Great overall package. UI is bone stock Android 6.0 with a iBasso “Mango” player app, and a dual OS mode which puts it into a pure DAP “Mango” mode which I haven’t tried. The Android interface is as blazing fast as the best smartphones in both the Mango app and outside of it; it’s even snappier than the AK3xx series which is pretty impressive. It doesn’t come with the Google Play Store installed, though, so people who want to install other apps need to sideload APKs which isn’t exactly super user friendly.

All my listening was done with the default DAC filter – fast roll off and minimum phase. Coming from the WM1Z, the DX200 definitely sounds brighter overall, and not as spacious nor resolving; but with that said, it’s still a rather fresh unit, and it already easily bests players in the same price bracket even without burn in. Bass is more restrained in quantity compared to the Sony, and sounds a little harder edged and a touch muddier, but still retains decent extension and detail. Mids currently sound a little hazy against the 1Z, again with a harder edge to trailing notes giving it a harsher presentation and a brighter, leaner sound with faster decay and more energy. While microdetail levels are noticeably lower than that of the 1Z, it easily beats similarly priced competitors such as the AK300 and the DP-X1A, offering a level of detail and a sense of airiness which were nigh inaccessible at this price. Against the 1Z, the mids are presented in a more laid back fashion, which when taken against the rest of the market identifies itself as a middle of the road presentation with neither forward or distant mids. Treble is brighter and more strident than the 1Z, with cymbals sounding less organic and a little more sibilant. With that said, it has none of the treble glare that characterised earlier Sabre DAPs, and offers decent detail in the highs even in its fresh state. Noise floor is also inaudible out of the balanced output, making the DX200 a great candidate for IEMs.

Airy is the word I would use to describe the soundstage of the DX200. While it is not as expansive or deep than that of the WM1Z, it again trounces the competition in nearby prices, following the usual trend of being wider than it is deep as opposed to the more spherical presentation of the Sony. Instruments have decent separation and air, and I’m sure it will open up more as more hours are put into it. Battery life is par for the course for such DAPs – the massive 4400mAh battery only takes it up to around 8-9 hours with hi-res PCM.

TL;DR – WM1Z has a soft, warm but very detailed sound with incredible staging. Bloody heavy but amazing battery life. DX200 is very impressive for the price; sounds like an AK320 in technical performance while costing more like an AK300. Neutral signature with an airy and relatively energetic sound and high levels of resolution amongst similarly priced peers. Great UI and build. If you’re thinking of buying one to drive IEMs, just do it; it’s killer value. Might update this after more run in time.


----------



## blazinblazin

musicday said:


> And again the battery life of the Sony on DSD is not longer than the one inside Lotoo Paw Gold, again cheaper player in comparison.
> This is how i see it.


  

  
 I am not sure what you trying to prove by comparing 1 DAP's format compatibility with WM1A and battery life with another DAP,


----------



## jmills8

musicday said:


> And again the battery life of the Sony on DSD is not longer than the one inside Lotoo Paw Gold, again cheaper player in comparison.
> This is how i see it.


 You might not keep ot for that long.


----------



## musicday

blazinblazin said:


> I am not sure what you trying to prove by comparing 1 DAP's format compatibility with WM1A and battery life with another DAP,



Not really comparing,but that was my point of view on the 1Z.Pay such a high price and not even knowing if Sony will replace the batteries ( free would be nice ) or we can replace them ourselves.


----------



## blazinblazin

musicday said:


> Not really comparing,but that was my point of view on the 1Z.Pay such a high price and not even knowing if Sony will replace the batteries ( free would be nice ) or we can replace them ourselves.




SONY brand comes a long way. Even if the battery life get shorter, it will still be longer or on par with most DAP having 8-10hrs battery life.

That's provided you are using it long enough to worn the battery down to 50% of it's efficency. (From my usage it gives me around 20+ hrs. So down to 10hrs that will be like 50% or more down )


----------



## Mimouille

musicday said:


> I refuse to pay $3000 for a player that I will not know if i can replace the battery in few years.


 Then don't.


----------



## nanaholic

musicday said:


> And again the battery life of the Sony on DSD is not longer than the one inside Lotoo Paw Gold, again cheaper player in comparison.
> This is how i see it.


 
  
 No you can't "see it" - either the WM1 on DSD plays longer than the Lotoo Paw Gold or it doesn't, this is easily measurable and testable.
  
 Considering that the spec given for Lotoo Paw Gold is that it "plays up to 11hrs of music" but no spec is given for the format, while the WM1 is said to play 11.2MHz DSD for 11hrs.  I'm willing to bet that Sony is the one being more honest and that it is the longer battery life player. Plus the Lotoo Paw Gold doesn't even do DSD at 11.2MHz and max out at DSD 5.6MHz.  The writing is clearly pointing towards the Sony being the player with the longer play life at DSD.


----------



## TenderTendon

musicday said:


> I refuse to pay $3000 for a player that I will not know if i can replace the battery in few years.
> As with the DX200 is a different story as is way cheaper and offers way more for the price you pay.


 

 The service manual has clear instructions for replacing the battery, so it is replaceable. Whether or not you have the skills to replace it yourself is another story. Worst case is you send it in to Sony every 3-5 years for a new battery. That's if you keep your gear that long...


----------



## JamesKH

Thanks for posting your observations here.  Very helpful.


----------



## TenderTendon

blazinblazin said:


> Anyway WM1Z is using Sony own's battery while WM1A is not... That is what i have read somewhere online.


 
 The service manual lists the same battery part number for both players.


----------



## blazinblazin

Thanks for correcting.


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Not really comparing,but that was my point of view on the 1Z.Pay such a high price and not even knowing if Sony will replace the batteries ( free would be nice ) or we can replace them ourselves.
> ...


 

 Both use same sony battery with five wrires on it, i find that bad, because it means you will forcibly have to sned it to sony for a rplacement battery or dump it on the drawer
  
 Any ways enaring 300h and the soundstage as the compra 1Z vs DX200 says, is so cavernous


----------



## TenderTendon

Well, I said I couldn't and wouldn't, but I did. I ordered the WM1Z last night. For $2150 USD shipped to my door in 2 days, I couldn't resist. My WM1A is well withing Amazon's return window, so it will be going back without me losing any money. Well, I will have to pay return shipping ($7 or so), but that's a small price to pay for an extended in home evaluation. The Z will be here tomorrow. I'm hoping for a slight SQ improvement and the additional memory will be nice. I can also use it as a weight belt at the gym...


----------



## TenderTendon

BTW, the replacement battery for the A/Z is $74.89. That is end user price, if someone wanted to tackle the replacement project on their own...


----------



## Whitigir

tendertendon said:


> BTW, the replacement battery for the A/Z is $74.89. That is end user price, if someone wanted to tackle the replacement project on their own...




how did u figure that price ? Where can we place order ?


----------



## jamato8

tendertendon said:


> BTW, the replacement battery for the A/Z is $74.89. That is end user price, if someone wanted to tackle the replacement project on their own...


 

 For a battery that costs around 8 dollars. Are there directions anywhere on opening the 1A or 1Z?


----------



## TenderTendon

whitigir said:


> how did u figure that price ? Where can we place order ?


 
 https://sony.encompass.com/item/10955862/Sony/1-853-588-11/Battery,_Lithium_Ion_Storage
  
 It appears the replacement batteries aren't on the shelves yet, as the players are so new.


----------



## TenderTendon

jamato8 said:


> For a battery that costs around 8 dollars. Are there directions anywhere on opening the 1A or 1Z?


 

 No different than any other company. Ever have an iPhone battery replaced? I'm not talking about a cheap counterfeit battery, but a genuine Apple part number. The battery replacement instructions are in the service manual. Google the manual. It is out there.


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> Both use same sony battery with five wrires on it, i find that bad, because it means you will forcibly have to sned it to sony for a rplacement battery or dump it on the drawer
> 
> Any ways enaring 300h and the soundstage as the compra 1Z vs DX200 says, is so cavernous


 

 You are not forced to do anything. The battery is available to the public and anyone with good soldering skills could replace it. I solder almost every day and wouldn't think twice about replacing it myself, once out of warranty.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yes, I wont dump it, as I like it very much, very nice SQ nad intuitive UI, the build IMHO is the best next to my old NWZ-A818 back in 2007


----------



## jamato8

tendertendon said:


> No different than any other company. Ever have an iPhone battery replaced? I'm not talking about a cheap counterfeit battery, but a genuine Apple part number. The battery replacement instructions are in the service manual. Google the manual. It is out there.


 

 You can go to an Apple store and they will replace it for 79 dollars but that includes the labor. The batteries cost from 5 to 8 dollars for quality.


----------



## bvng3540

Is there an option to have the battery show the percentage?


----------



## gerelmx1986

No only the bars but i calculate if the Batt icon has 4 bars plus flashing state each bar will be circa 20% something


----------



## doofalb

Quote:


anakchan said:


> Here's the Brise Audio with Pentaconn. Granted they've probably had their shrink wrap a little too long to cater for the Brise Audio logo on it. But I put the DAP in my satchel and I'm somewhat more skeptical that the long Pentaconn is more prone to damaging accidents than a short 4.4mm.


 
 I shortened the Pentaconn by cutting off the barrel right at the end of the Pentaconn logo: Eidolic female 2.5mmTRRS - 22awg Norne OCC SPC and OCC CU - Pentaconn 4.4mm. 
 The 4.4mm are so much nicer to solder than the 2.5TRRS, particularly for somebody with my soldering skills


----------



## strojo

Potential WM1A owner here...
  
 Question on adding files to the WM1A/Z...can I just copy files to the memory card and throw it in the player, or do I have to use special software to load the device?


----------



## Lemieux66

You can just drag and drop files into it. However, they MUST go in the Music folder or you can't play them.


----------



## kubig123

doofalb said:


> I shortened the Pentaconn by cutting off the barrel right at the end of the Pentaconn logo: Eidolic female 2.5mmTRRS - 22awg Norne OCC SPC and OCC CU - Pentaconn 4.4mm.
> The 4.4mm are so much nicer to solder than the 2.5TRRS, particularly for somebody with my soldering skills


 

 Nice job!!!
  
 is there a guide for DIY cables?


----------



## strojo

lemieux66 said:


> You can just drag and drop files into it. However, they MUST go in the Music folder or you can't play them.


 
  
 Thank, God.  Nothing worse than having to use crappy software.


----------



## kubig123

strojo said:


> Thank, God.  Nothing worse than having to use crappy software.


 

 Absolutely right!
 I have a mac and I always hated when I had to copy file on my ak380.
  
 This is sanotehr reason why I sold it once I got my wm1z.


----------



## Lemieux66

strojo said:


> Potential WM1A owner here...
> 
> Question on adding files to the WM1A/Z...can I just copy files to the memory card and throw it in the player, or do I have to use special software to load the device?







strojo said:


> Thank, God.  Nothing worse than having to use crappy software.




I'm using the Media Go software that came with the player. As a complete computer Luddite I find it very simple to use and am glad Sony included it.


----------



## doofalb

kubig123 said:


> Nice job!!!
> 
> is there a guide for DIY cables?


 
 Thanks!
 I think your best best is the DYI cable thread. That's where I learned a lot and of course youtube. If you have basic soldering skills it's not that difficult, I had just as many problems with the braiding of the individual strands


----------



## TenderTendon

rushofblood said:


> For people interested in a comparison between the DX200 and the WM1Z, here's a copypasta of a "brief" set of impressions I did on another discursive site.


 
 Thanks for taking the time to write that up.


----------



## gerelmx1986

You can also use music bee, is faster than media ho


----------



## pCollins

gerelmx1986 said:


> You can also use music bee, is faster than media ho


 
  
 does music bee plays DSD files?


----------



## mcemce13

Question for those enjoying their units since I am looking to buy the WM1A or eventually 1Z.
  
 Hows the equalizer implementation? I read one review from enjoythemusic .com ​ where he mentions that quality suffers when you enable the equalizer, he repeats that during the review couple of times, so wonder for those using the equalizer if you notice the same issue?


----------



## gerelmx1986

pcollins said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > You can also use music bee, is faster than media ho
> ...


 

 ​I think yes with a plug-in, but really haven't bothered as I convert all my DSD isos to FLAC 24 bit 176.4KHz


----------



## blazinblazin

Is there a need to even eq. That's the question.

But it do respond well to EQ.


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> Is there a need to even eq. That's the question.
> 
> But it do respond well to EQ.


 

 f​or me sometimes yes, when a track is mastered with too much bass or too much treble i do eq down the offending frequencies and it responds very very well


----------



## mcemce13

blazinblazin said:


> Is there a need to even eq. That's the question.
> 
> But it do respond well to EQ.


 

 ​I know long never ending debate about eq or no eq, I like to eq depending on the headphone/iem so thats why wonder about the implementation, thanks for your feedback


----------



## gerelmx1986

Talking about EQíng... can someone emulate more spaciousness using EQ alone or one of the ffects of the WM1A/Z or a combo of these? some recordings are recorded in a bloody studio and just sound too boxy and super small siundstage


----------



## Stephen George

lemieux66 said:


> I'm using the Media Go software that came with the player. As a complete computer Luddite I find it very simple to use and am glad Sony included it.


 
  
  
 it's too bad they don't allow removable media, all files need to be duplicated on the transfer computer (or am i missing something??)


----------



## Stephen George

nice to add an additional 256GB


----------



## gerelmx1986

stephen george said:


> nice to add an additional 256GB


 
 do you have a 512GB microSD?


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> do you have a 512GB microSD?


 
 Same question here... I don't think there are any real 512GB micro SD cards in existence yet.


----------



## drjigarn

stephen george said:


> nice to add an additional 256GB
> 
> How?


----------



## yakitoroi

Hello All,
 I am new to Head-Fi but always read your posts, which are funny, educational and respectful. I innocently started with the Shure SE535 when they were released, then upgraded to SE846, then added the Sony zx2(great and very relaxing pairing with the se846 I might add, very delightful and pleasing sound, just great.) Then added the JH Layla. I wanted more from the Layla's and i like Sony signature so then i added the WM1Z and boy does it make the Layla's sing. Never heard Diana Krall so close and personal. The emotion, the warmth, the detail, the accuracy, the guitar plucks in Earl Klugh's Late Night Guitar album sounds as if the guitar strings are right next to my face, what great imagery. It is a nice warm anolog sounding dap. My best impression of it is, It sounds how it out looks and feel. I have the US version and its been over a week now and i whole heartedly think that it is worth it, if thats what the price is to achieve this sound. Thank you all and you all are terrific folks. Music is beautiful and nothing is more special than people coming together to respectfully share their experiences. I live in NJ and will head to CanJam this weekend in the NYC. I have only been using SE and want to audition and get the MDR Z1R to complete this wonderful dap. I really do think that i have found something special.


----------



## TenderTendon

yakitoroi said:


> Hello All,
> I am new to Head-Fi but always read your posts, which are funny, educational and respectful. I innocently started with the Shure SE535 when they were released, then upgraded to SE846, then added the Sony zx2(great and very relaxing pairing with the se846 I might add, very delightful and pleasing sound, just great.) Then added the JH Layla. I wanted more from the Layla's and i like Sony signature so then i added the WM1Z and boy does it make the Layla's sing. Never heard Diana Krall so close and personal. The emotion, the warmth, the detail, the accuracy, the guitar plucks in Earl Klugh's Late Night Guitar album sounds as if the guitar strings are right next to my face, what great imagery. It is a nice warm anolog sounding dap. My best impression of it is, It sounds how it out looks and feel. I have the US version and its been over a week now and i whole heartedly think that it is worth it, if thats what the price is to achieve this sound. Thank you all and you all are terrific folks. Music is beautiful and nothing is more special than people coming together to respectfully share their experiences. I live in NJ and will head to CanJam this weekend in the NYC. I have only been using SE and want to audition and get the MDR Z1R to complete this wonderful dap. I really do think that i have found something special.


 

 Welcome aboard. Great first post!


----------



## TenderTendon

Just for the record, performing the "Restore to Factory Configuration" DOES reset the "Audio Played" timer to zero.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have fiddled with the EQ
  
 16K  +3
 8K +3
 4K +2
 2K +1
 1K TO 125Hz -2
  
 seemed to add a subtle reverb
  
 then remembeered whitigir's post about DSEE HX STRINGS + DC PHASE Linearizer TYPE A LOW and also seems to add a more noticiable reverb while still being natural
  
 more suggestions on how to make a record that sounds dry more reverberous or spacious are welcome


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have fiddled with the EQ
> 
> 16K  +3
> 8K +3
> ...


 

 Not to appear confrontational, but as someone who has been recording music for the past 35 years or so, I can confidently say that what you are trying to achieve with EQ is "theoretically" impossible. If an EQ is working properly, it should only affect amplitude and not have any affect on time (reverb, echo, spaciousness) in any way. If you are hearing these effects with equalization, the only explanation I can see would be that the EQ is not designed well and is affecting time, or the the amplitude adjustments you are making are manipulating resonances in the driver and possibly even your ear canal. Now, the DC Phase Linearizer is a different story. Exactly what it does in unknown, but we do know that it adjusts phase, which is a time alteration. This could possibly cause a reverb or slightly "sloppy" effect.


----------



## gerelmx1986

TenderTendon said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 So EQíng and doing DSP decreases sound quality i bet, better to have it as SOURCE DIRECT to On and live with the dry recordings :/


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> So EQíng and doing DSP decreases sound quality i bet, better to have it as SOURCE DIRECT to On and live with the dry recordings :/


 
  
 It certainly changes the sound, but I don't equate that to decreasing sound quality.
  
 Plus if the recording is bad to begin with then IMO all bets are off, do what the heck you like with it to make it sound better to your own ears. Sound Direct is good when the recording is good, but you don't always have the luxury of getting a good master to begin with.


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> So EQíng and doing DSP decreases sound quality i bet, better to have it as SOURCE DIRECT to On and live with the dry recordings :/


 

 I wouldn't say that. I find the EQ in these players to perform beautifully. I use it a lot to compensate for poorly mastered recordings (bass shy, ear piercing highs, etc). It can make these sound fantastic again. The DC Phase Linearizer attempts to recreate the sound of analogue amplifiers, which are not perfect. I like the way it sounds. It give the music a more real, imperfect sound instead of listening to 0's and 1's. It's funny how digital music can be so good and so bad at the same time. If the EQ and DSP sound good to you, use it! I sure do. It's not about being pure or accurate. It's about enjoying the listening experience as much as possible. If that means altering that perfect digital signal, so be it....


----------



## gerelmx1986

tendertendon said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > So EQíng and doing DSP decreases sound quality i bet, better to have it as SOURCE DIRECT to On and live with the dry recordings :/
> ...


 

 yes i do enjoy it a lot, love my WM1A like hell


----------



## blazinblazin

Sound spacious... maybe a new cable?


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> Sound spacious... maybe a new cable?



 


I think it depends on the recording, totally hate boxy-studio sounding records


----------



## gearofwar

stephen george said:


> nice to add an additional 256GB


 
 Do you use a converter? it seems like that


----------



## gerelmx1986

as many have stated here The WM1 series display a cavernous soundstage, but it is only when the recording displays such qualities, wont work on a studio recorded (with sound dampening walls), a cable is not going to help with the fact it was recorded such way.
  
 First place i always wonder what the hell was the recording Project manager thinking when theydecided to record  in a tiny studio setting, I can understand for small intimate Works like chamber music for two or a soloist or a trio. But a big scale work like a symphony or a choral work really???
  
 second also matter the recording time, if it was an older recording with older mics no matter how hard you try to remaster it usually have the defects of such time tech, but i pardon thse usually
  
 Decided to throw away that versión of Mozart Réquiem
  
 in conclusión WM1 series makes GREAT recordings SHINE and bad ones well gotta live with it when is the only one versión of it.... or try to fiddle with the DC phase linearizer LOL


----------



## nanaholic

Once you hit this level of audio gear the place where the most quality difference is found is nearly always in the mastering/recording and not in the gear, which sadly also means not much can be done to "fix" them, because you simply can't add in what is not there to begin with, a bad master will be a bad master even if you throw 100k worth of playback gear at it to make it sound better. 
  
 As the saying goes "garbage in garbage out", the equipment is only reflecting that. Nothing is more saddening than when new gear revealing that the only copy of the piece of music you have is from a bad master, and there's no other mix of that piece of music elsewhere to purchase.


----------



## Stephen George

had a 512gb sdcard to play with and yeah micro to sdcard adapter for a big pile of .dsf


----------



## gearofwar

stephen george said:


> had a 512gb sdcard to play with and yeah micro to sdcard adapter for a big pile of .dsf


 
 as I thought, which SD are you using ? 
 also do you notice any decreases in SQ using the adapter?


----------



## Stephen George

PNY 512GB
  
 like any other card, no lag


----------



## gerelmx1986

Wondering if Steve Rochlin did the final review of WM1Z or a comparo vs WM1A seems like not yet


----------



## Stephen George

can't wait, but no, using a ****ty sd to microsd convertor


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> Once you hit this level of audio gear the place where the most quality difference is found is nearly always in the mastering/recording and not in the gear, which sadly also means not much can be done to "fix" them, because you simply can't add in what is not there to begin with, a bad master will be a bad master even if you throw 100k worth of playback gear at it to make it sound better.
> 
> As the saying goes "garbage in garbage out", the equipment is only reflecting that. Nothing is more saddening than when new gear revealing that the only copy of the piece of music you have is from a bad master, and there's no other mix of that piece of music elsewhere to purchase.


 

 ​Yes clear, reaosn i found other versions of songs sounding dry and discarding the bad ones with nicier ones, one of them Pachelbel complete orga Works with Antoine Bouchard got replaced by the marvelous-recorded set with Joseph Payne (payne also uses unrestored old organs across germany and switzerland, so nice to hear many old historic organs)
  
 Other replacement Karajan remaster (to 24 bit) of Mozart réquiem, got replaced also by an older Karajan too but recorded in its appropiate concert hall environment


----------



## gerelmx1986

My "Line out" setting for the Car stereo system Vol. 120H, otherwise with just 120 in normal gain you must crank the volume knob in the stereo and if i forget, and the next day decide that i want the radio.. I nuke my ears LOL by accident


----------



## addyg

nanaholic said:


> Once you hit this level of audio gear the place where the most quality difference is found is nearly always in the mastering/recording and not in the gear, which sadly also means not much can be done to "fix" them, because you simply can't add in what is not there to begin with, a bad master will be a bad master even if you throw 100k worth of playback gear at it to make it sound better.
> 
> As the saying goes "garbage in garbage out", the equipment is only reflecting that. Nothing is more saddening than when new gear revealing that the only copy of the piece of music you have is from a bad master, and there's no other mix of that piece of music elsewhere to purchase.




That's why I think the dpx1 will have an upper hand when tidal release MQA capable app. If you can't find any comparably good flac file the MQA stream will win because it was created by music label with master recording.


----------



## nanaholic

addyg said:


> That's why I think the dpx1 will have an upper hand when tidal release MQA capable app. If you can't find any comparably good flac file the MQA stream will win because it was created by music label with master recording.


 
  
 It will do no such thing.
  
 One only needs to look at the current state of "hi-res" mastering to know that the format isn't the issue - it's the sound engineers that causes the problems.  Things like clipping and high dynamic compression is not the fault of the format but lies squarely with the person sitting behind the panel pushing the buttons.
  
 EDIT: to elaborate more - it was said before that a lot of the "bad" mastering practices behind current music is due to the fact that a lot of the engineers are taking into consideration that most people listen to music with pretty poor equipment - things like the tiny speakers on laptops, the pack in earphones of the smartphone etc.  These equipment usually lack bass impact (which a lot of general users prefer, especially with pop music) and instrument separation due to their poor quality, so the engineers compensate by boosting the bass in the mastering, and then dynamically compress the track so that the other instruments are "just as loud as the bass so the vocals don't get droned out", and if you are one of the audiophiles, well too bad because then your good gear will reveal that the mix is, in fact, bass bloated and dynamically compressed, but then you aren't the target audience.  As you can see this has nothing to do with the capability of the format, but a deliberate and conscious decision in mixing.  And unfortunately these practices often creeps into even the "hi-res" masters of pop songs, so even with MQA, unless there is a fundamental change in mixing by the record companies, then nothing will change.


----------



## drjigarn

nanaholic said:


> It will do no such thing.
> 
> One only needs to look at the current state of "hi-res" mastering to know that the format isn't the issue - it's the sound engineers that causes the problems.  Things like clipping and high dynamic compression is not the fault of the format but the person sitting behind the panel pushing the buttons.




From what I have read and understood, I don't think MQA is a format. It is kind of remastering the songs.


----------



## addyg

drjigarn said:


> From what I have read and understood, I don't think MQA is a format. It is kind of remastering the songs.




1， MQA will save bandwidth because it is smaller in file size.

2, MQA has signature function just like the SACD that only professional can create it.

The above makes it a stream capable SACD-like source.


----------



## addyg

nanaholic said:


> It will do no such thing.
> 
> One only needs to look at the current state of "hi-res" mastering to know that the format isn't the issue - it's the sound engineers that causes the problems.  Things like clipping and high dynamic compression is not the fault of the format but lies squarely with the person sitting behind the panel pushing the buttons.
> 
> EDIT: to elaborate more - it was said before that a lot of the "bad" mastering practices behind current music is due to the fact that a lot of the engineers are taking into consideration that most people listen to music with pretty poor equipment - things like the tiny speakers on laptops, the pack in earphones of the smartphone etc.  These equipment usually lack bass impact (which a lot of general users prefer, especially with pop music) and instrument separation due to their poor quality, so the engineers compensate by boosting the bass in the mastering, and then dynamically compress the track so that the other instruments are "just as loud as the bass so the vocals don't get droned out", and if you are one of the audiophiles, well too bad because then your good gear will reveal that the mix is, in fact, bass bloated and dynamically compressed, but then you aren't the target audience.  As you can see this has nothing to do with the capability of the format, but a deliberate and conscious decision in mixing.  And unfortunately these practices often creeps into even the "hi-res" masters of pop songs, so even with MQA, unless there is a fundamental change in mixing by the record companies, then nothing will change.




You are right. But with millions of records tidal has, the first batch got MQA are selected to be audiophile grade I believe. There is no reason people pays double to tidal and it selected craps to be MQA.


----------



## blazinblazin

From what I read, MQA is still a lossy format.
https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/163302855-is-mqa-doa
  
 Yes files are small but I am not sure if it requires more battery in your player to decode the data.


----------



## addyg

blazinblazin said:


> From what I read, MQA is still a lossy format.
> [COLOR=0066CC]https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/163302855-is-mqa-doa[/COLOR]
> 
> Yes files are small but I am not sure if it requires more battery in your player to decode the data.




No, it present the human audible frequency as flac/wav , then re-structure the non-audible frequency to present the sound stage/depth.


----------



## nanaholic

addyg said:


> You are right. But with millions of records tidal has, the first batch got MQA are selected to be audiophile grade I believe. There is no reason people pays double to tidal and it selected craps to be MQA.


 
  
 You'll be surprised.  I've paid money for a "hi-res" master of a song that was WORSE than the equivalent CD master, but a lot of the online listeners thinks the "hi-res" version is better - even when the hi-res version objectively has clipping and is more dynamically compressed - many were fooled into thinking it was better simply due to the label.  I think there is a website out there that is trying to tell users whether some so called "hi-res" files are actually CD quality files re-wrapped in a hi-res container. When there is a path of least resistance to more profit (eg. slap a different label on a product and unknowing consumers automatically thinks it's "better") then someone WILL abuse it, especially when quality audio production is not a very well understood process nor is easily verifiable before purchase.


----------



## bvng3540

nanaholic said:


> You'll be surprised.  I've paid money for a "hi-res" master of a song that was WORSE than the equivalent CD master, but a lot of the online listeners thinks the "hi-res" version is better - even when the hi-res version objectively has clipping and is more dynamically compressed - many were fooled into thinking it was better simply due to the label.  I think there is a website out there that is trying to tell users whether some so called "hi-res" files are actually CD quality files re-wrapped in a hi-res container. When there is a path of least resistance to more profit (eg. slap a different label on a product and unknowing consumers automatically thinks it's "better") then someone WILL abuse it, especially when quality audio production is not a very well understood process nor is easily verifiable before purchase.




100% agreed with you on this, there even video on YouTube showing that some so called hi-res is the same as cd quality or even 320k files


----------



## nanaholic

bvng3540 said:


> 100% agreed with you on this, there even video on YouTube showing that some so called hi-res is the same as cd quality or even 320k files


 
  
 The scary thing was even armed with more knowledge than the average consumer I was still susceptible to this type of marketing.  I bought both CD and hi-res version and when my ears told me that the hi-res version was flatter and part of the music had audible clipping my first reaction was something is wrong with my setup, that no way the hi-res version could be worse. I had to shake myself out of it and dropped the CD rip and the hi-res file into Audacity as well as ran the DR meter and true enough the hi-res version was objectively worse than the CD master. 
  
It occurs to me that technology and equipment for audio is progressing way faster than audio mastering techniques has been evolving, yet we don't have much control no focus on that aspect of it.


----------



## Lemieux66

The problem as touched on earlier, is that most music recordings today are made for a different market than the high-end gear is. Hell, most music today isn't even meant for the people buying budget hi-fi gear.

If you're into Classical you have a better chance of your equipment actually getting more enjoyment from the music but most other stuff, not so much. I do find some well-produced electronic music can sound very good on high end gear though.


----------



## Sound Eq

nanaholic said:


> The scary thing was even armed with more knowledge than the average consumer I was still susceptible to this type of marketing.  I bought both CD and hi-res version and when my ears told me that the hi-res version was flatter and part of the music had audible clipping my first reaction was something is wrong with my setup, that no way the hi-res version could be worse. I had to shake myself out of it and dropped the CD rip and the hi-res file into Audacity as well as ran the DR meter and true enough the hi-res version was objectively worse than the CD master.
> 
> It occurs to me that technology and equipment for audio is progressing way faster than audio mastering techniques has been evolving, yet we don't have much control no focus on that aspect of it.


 
 that is why i am buying a portable cd player as no way when i compare high res audio files to the cd i own, i always find the cd sounding better when i play both on my home system. that is with modern music like pop, metal and electronics
 an example is depeche mode cds sound way better than any high res files i own
  
 i remember few years back everything sounded amazing out of the sony portable cd players, i miss those days, so now I am hunting for the best portable cd player maybe I can have those experiences again, and how after all this journey things will compare to what i hear through my gears compared to the cd player
  
 I am at a point where most of what I like or bands I like from the 80s in high res or flac sound so flat and boring from depeche mode, tears for fears, the cure, that was not my experience when 10 years ago I was listening to portable cd players


----------



## Lemieux66

Maybe after 10 years you're just bored of those bands?


----------



## nanaholic

sound eq said:


> that is why i am buying a portable cd player as no way when i compare high res audio files to the cd i own, i always find the cd sounding better when i play both on my home system. that is with modern music like pop, metal and electronics
> an example is depeche mode cds sound way better than any high res files i own
> 
> i remember few years back everything sounded amazing out of the sony portable cd players, i miss those days, so now I am hunting for the best portable cd player maybe I can have those experiences again, and how after all this journey things will compare to what i hear through my gears compared to the cd player
> ...


 
  
 That's just reverse bias working, as there are definitely some hi-res files that are better mastered than the CD version.
  
 The lesson is that the format matters less than what people think it does, rather that most of it is due to how the engineer mastered the song.


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> From what I read, MQA is still a lossy format.
> https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/163302855-is-mqa-doa
> 
> Yes files are small but I am not sure if it requires more battery in your player to decode the data.


 

 Yes I read also that in Wikipedia lossy and wow i said well keep my flacs
  
 BTW has one measured what is the max voltaje output of the standard 3.5mm Jack for normal and in High gain settings?


----------



## pCollins

tendertendon said:


> Well, I said I couldn't and wouldn't, but I did. I ordered the WM1Z last night. For $2150 USD shipped to my door in 2 days, I couldn't resist. My WM1A is well withing Amazon's return window, so it will be going back without me losing any money. Well, I will have to pay return shipping ($7 or so), but that's a small price to pay for an extended in home evaluation. The Z will be here tomorrow. I'm hoping for a slight SQ improvement and the additional memory will be nice. I can also use it as a weight belt at the gym...


 
  
 Pardon,
 Has you WM1Z shipped from Amazon UK?  For some reason, mine did not ship on the dispatch date.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Guys, i have a set of MDREX1000, what balanced cable gives the best synergy with the WM1a please?
  
 many thanks


----------



## ledzep

princeofegypt said:


> Guys, i have a set of MDREX1000, what balanced cable gives the best synergy with the WM1a please?
> 
> many thanks



Plusound on mine
Although I had a stock Japanese cable terminated first and that was excellent as well.


----------



## TenderTendon

pcollins said:


> Pardon,
> Has you WM1Z shipped from Amazon UK?  For some reason, mine did not ship on the dispatch date.


 

 Sorry to hear about that. Yes, mine shipped as promised. Will be here tomorrow...


----------



## Whitigir

tendertendon said:


> Sorry to hear about that. Yes, mine shipped as promised. Will be here tomorrow...




Nice! Welcome to the Club


----------



## musicday

tendertendon said:


> pcollins said:
> 
> 
> > Pardon,
> ...



Capped model?


----------



## TenderTendon

musicday said:


> Capped model?


 

 Yes, but not for long...


----------



## TenderTendon

whitigir said:


> Nice! Welcome to the Club


 

 Thanks. My main reason for upgrading was the fact that I paid retail for the A, and got the Z  for ~30% off retail. Getting that kind of discount on a new, top tier DAP is rare. Could not pass that up. I will lose no money returning the A, but will do a quick side by side comparison before I do. I am really not expecting to notice a sonic improvement. If it is there, great. If not, I will still be delighted with the additional memory, gold plated copper chassis and leather case. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Oh, and lets not forget the additional calories I will burn carrying it around!


----------



## Whitigir

tendertendon said:


> Thanks. My main reason for upgrading was the fact that I paid retail for the A, and got the Z  for ~30% off retail. Getting that kind of discount on a new, top tier DAP is rare. Could not pass that up. I will lose no money returning the A, but will do a quick side by side comparison before I do. I am really not expecting to notice a sonic improvement. If it is there, great. If not, I will still be delighted with the additional memory, gold plated copper chassis and leather case.    Oh, and lets not forget the additional calories I will burn carrying it around!




Lol, I like your reasonings ! Is that sa5000 in your avatar or 800 ? Never mind, I see the metal cups, it eerily look like sa5000


----------



## TenderTendon

whitigir said:


> Lol, I like your reasonings ! Is that sa5000 in your avatar or 800 ? Never mind, I see the metal cups, it eerily look like sa5000


 

 Actually, they are 800's with 800S drivers installed by Sennheiser. Silver 800S's, I guess....


----------



## Whitigir

tendertendon said:


> Actually, they are 800's with 800S drivers installed by Sennheiser. Silver 800S's, I guess....




Lol! They allow such thing ? That is nice! You will need a cables for HD800S-S to 4.4 wm1Z , nothing better than portability


----------



## TenderTendon

whitigir said:


> Lol! They allow such thing ? That is nice! You will need a cables for HD800S-S to 4.4 wm1Z
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 It was a strange warranty situation that I paid extra for. I am making cables for them now. I can't wait to see how they sound driven balanced by this player. I am hoping that it's good enough to abandon the Valhalla 2. I have been looking for a portable setup that does everything well. If this drives the 800's adequately, I won't be buying any more audio gear for quite a while and will actually be selling some things. I have a feeling the Z will run out of voltage before the 800's come alive. We'll see....


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> BTW has one measured what is the max voltaje output of the standard 3.5mm Jack for normal and in High gain settings?


 
 No, but according to Sony' published specifications, the maximum singled ended output would be 0.98 volts and balanced out would be 1.96 volts. This is into a 16 ohm load. It may be significantly higher into higher impedance loads and into no load, which is how some companies publish their output. I will measure the maximum output into my HD800S's when I get the cable made. I have no idea how much the gain setting affects this.


----------



## Sound Eq

can i ask please again , in regards to the mids is there a huge difference in the fullness and body of the mids between the wm1a and wm1z, i am so tempted to buy one but still i find that the wm1z is very expensive if the difference is not huge 
  
 i had my grip with the mids of fiio x7 as those are not the mids i like, i feel the mids in fiio x7 lack body and something in the highs does not sound right to me with all amp modules which i have, it sound digital or i do not how to put it, it sounds synthezied, when i owned the ak380 i was blown by the mids and highs


----------



## addyg

tendertendon said:


> It was a strange warranty situation that I paid extra for. I am making cables for them now. I can't wait to see how they sound driven balanced by this player. I am hoping that it's good enough to abandon the Valhalla 2. I have been looking for a portable setup that does everything well. If this drives the 800's adequately, I won't be buying any more audio gear for quite a while and will actually be selling some things. I have a feeling the Z will run out of voltage before the 800's come alive. We'll see....




I thank it can drive the hd800 on 4.4


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

ledzep said:


> Plusound on mine
> Although I had a stock Japanese cable terminated first and that was excellent as well.


 
  
 Which plus sound did you get and from where please?


----------



## TenderTendon

sound eq said:


> can i ask please again , in regards to the mids is there a huge difference in the fullness and body of the mids between the wm1a and wm1z, i am so tempted to buy one but still i find that the wm1z is very expensive if the difference is not huge
> 
> i had my grip with the mids of fiio x7 as those are not the mids i like, i feel the mids in fiio x7 lack body and something in the highs does not sound right to me with all amp modules which i have, it sound digital or i do not how to put it, it sounds synthezied, when i owned the ak380 i was blown by the mids and highs


 

 I really can't answer your question, but I will say that I spent a lot of time evaluating the 1A and it is an amazing player. It's has the closest to analogue sound of any player I have ever heard. I just upgraded to the 1Z myself. It should be here tomorrow. I really don't expect to see any noticeable sonic improvement going from the 1A to the 1Z. If there is, that's great, but I'm not counting on it. When you get to this level of gear, spending an additional $1000 could get you absolutely nothing or a very slight improvement that may quite likely be imagined due to the money you have invested. I would call BS on anyone that claimed to hear a huge difference between these 2 players. If someone claimed a slight improvement in certain areas, I would give them the benefit of the doubt. Their hearing could be more sensitive than mine, or they could be using phones that reveal these differences better than phones I own.


----------



## Sound Eq

tendertendon said:


> I really can't answer your question, but I will say that I spent a lot of time evaluating the 1A and it is an amazing player. It's has the closest to analogue sound of any player I have ever heard. I just upgraded to the 1Z myself. It should be here tomorrow. I really don't expect to see any noticeable sonic improvement going from the 1A to the 1Z. If there is, that's great, but I'm not counting on it. When you get to this level of gear, spending an additional $1000 could get you absolutely nothing or a very slight improvement that may quite likely be imagined due to the money you have invested. I would call BS on anyone that claimed to hear a huge difference between these 2 players. If someone claimed a slight improvement in certain areas, I would give them the benefit of the doubt. Their hearing could be more sensitive than mine, or they could be using phones that reveal these differences better than phones I own.


 
 i am so eager to hear your opinion after u get the 1z, please try to focus on mids and how they compare, from what some say, is that 1a is airy and i am not into airy sounding daps, and they say 1z is thick sounding and to me this sounds more analogue which is what i am after. 
  
 But now you say the 1a is analogue sounding which is not what i have read before from others, but i will await your feedback so please share tomorrow, and i am believer in first 10 minutes impressions, so please do not wait for burn in or whatever, and please share you first 10 minutes impressions


----------



## CraftyClown

tendertendon said:


> I really can't answer your question, but I will say that I spent a lot of time evaluating the 1A and it is an amazing player. It's has the closest to analogue sound of any player I have ever heard. I just upgraded to the 1Z myself. It should be here tomorrow. I really don't expect to see any noticeable sonic improvement going from the 1A to the 1Z. If there is, that's great, but I'm not counting on it. When you get to this level of gear, spending an additional $1000 could get you absolutely nothing or a very slight improvement that may quite likely be imagined due to the money you have invested. I would call BS on anyone that claimed to hear a huge difference between these 2 players. If someone claimed a slight improvement in certain areas, I would give them the benefit of the doubt. Their hearing could be more sensitive than mine, or they could be using phones that reveal these differences better than phones I own.


 
  
 A high five there for the voice of reason


----------



## Sound Eq

craftyclown said:


> A high five there for the voice of reason


 
 i appreciate his voice of reason as well, I pray the difference is very small, so i can jump on the w1ma wagon, as paying for wm1z is way too much


----------



## Lemieux66

I'd get the 1Z if I could afford it, just for the extra memory and cool gold/copper chassis. I don't think I've got second best in any audible sense with the 1A. The 1A is really the more practical and common-sense purchase ( even though it's still expensive), the 1Z is a more emotional purchase at the price.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tendertendon said:


> I really can't answer your question, but I will say that I spent a lot of time evaluating the 1A and it is an amazing player. It's has the closest to analogue sound of any player I have ever heard. I just upgraded to the 1Z myself. It should be here tomorrow. I really don't expect to see any noticeable sonic improvement going from the 1A to the 1Z. If there is, that's great, but I'm not counting on it. When you get to this level of gear, spending an additional $1000 could get you absolutely nothing or a very slight improvement that may quite likely be imagined due to the money you have invested. I would call BS on anyone that claimed to hear a huge difference between these 2 players. If someone claimed a slight improvement in certain areas, I would give them the benefit of the doubt. Their hearing could be more sensitive than mine, or they could be using phones that reveal these differences better than phones I own.


 
 I also agree with you, I find my 1A as getting closer to 300hr is so analogue sounding, is so real, the sound you expect at a recital or an orchestra, concert ir whatver you want. For the Price is the best i have Heard. The 1A is what I was expecting to get from the ZX100


----------



## ledzep

princeofegypt said:


> Which plus sound did you get and from where please?


 

 X8 series gold/silver not cheap but there are loads of combinations on the site to choose from.
 http://www.plussoundaudio.com/customcables/inearmonitor.html


----------



## TenderTendon

As strange as this is going to sound. I did not upgrade to the 1Z to get a sonic improvement. If I do get one, I'll consider it a bonus. My reasons to upgrade were: 1) I will not lose anything returning the 1A. 2) I'm getting double the storage. 3) I got the 1Z for 32% off retail, paid full retail for the 1A. 4) I'm getting a nice leather case. 5) This is the biggest reason: The pure copper chassis. I am a Machinist by trade. Few people realize that pure copper is one of the most difficult metals to machine. It is a absolute nightmare to work with. It's very gummy and sticky. It loves to snap carbide boring bars in two. Nowadays, most things that are made of copper are actually made of tellurium copper. Tellurium is added to copper to make it more machinable. The fact that Sony chose to use pure copper really impressed me. As much as I love the electronics inside, my true appreciation is for that chunk of copper. It's a work of art.


----------



## jmills8

Anazing how the price goes down from one buyer to the next. $3200 and the following week $2000 ?


----------



## TenderTendon

jmills8 said:


> Anazing how the price goes down from one buyer to the next. $3200 and the following week $2000 ?


 

 I don't understand it either... I'm not complaining though.


----------



## Sound Eq

right now its just confusing to me about what i read in comparisons between wm1a and dx200
  
 nothing makes sense to me now from all the conflicting reviews, so i decided to wait before making a buying decison
  
 i know both are good player, but i am more after warm analogue sounding dap with good bass and full bodied mids


----------



## kampongkid

jmills8 said:


> Anazing how the price goes down from one buyer to the next. $3200 and the following week $2000 ?




I think the disparity will be much less than that. I'm in for $2187 and expecting about $300 (guesstimate) in brokerage fees to UPS tomorrow. Can see how it'd ruffle some feathers though.


----------



## Sarnia

princeofegypt said:


> Guys, i have a set of MDREX1000, what balanced cable gives the best synergy with the WM1a please?
> 
> many thanks


 
 Forza Audioworks can also do balanced cables for the EX1000 with the 4.4mm plug, although you'll have to ask them for it as it's not on their website. Their prices are very reasonable.


----------



## blazinblazin

sound eq said:


> right now its just confusing to me about what i read in comparisons between wm1a and dx200
> 
> nothing makes sense to me now from all the conflicting reviews, so i decided to wait before making a buying decison
> 
> i know both are good player, but i am more after warm analogue sounding dap with good bass and full bodied mids



It's probably cause of burn in and SE, balanced.

But either 1 you still get a good DAP.
Just that i felt Sony DAP need more work to get the good sound.

Best of WM1A is at 4.4mm balanced.


----------



## Stealer

Til now I'm still unable find any seller for the wm port dustcover and both inputs jack cover. So if anyone managed to get these, pls post the link.


----------



## Muvieguy

I put some of my DSD files on my SD card and the Walkman has changed them to PCM is there a way to make sure the Walkman reads them as DSD files?


----------



## TenderTendon

muvieguy said:


> I put some of my DSD files on my SD card and the Walkman has changed them to PCM is there a way to make sure the Walkman reads them as DSD files?


 

 It will only play them as DSD when using the balanced output.


----------



## Jazzi

Overkill much?


----------



## audionewbi

gerelmx1986 said:


> I also agree with you, I find my 1A as getting closer to 300hr is so analogue sounding, is so real, the sound you expect at a recital or an orchestra, concert ir whatver you want. For the Price is the best i have Heard. The 1A is what I was expecting to get from the ZX100



This dap has killed all my desires to look into any other daps/DAC. I am just reading into finding the perfect CIEM/IEM. Just waiting for more people to start sharing their experiences.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think the Keyword here for describing the WM1A sound is not juts analogue as sound is dóh analogue... I'll say REAL, nothings before for me sounded as close to reality as the WM1A. Sure perhaps the Z offers a bit of imporvement but i bet not that significant as night and day, bet both sound realistic.
  
 No walkman in the past, not even zx100 gave me the gosse bumps + chills of emotional response, not even the dead-sounding iPod classic, not even the" äudiophile-grade" Fiio x3 1st gen
  
 I feel WM1A is the DAP that truly  extracts the Juice of 16 bit 44.1KHz simple rate to the point it sounds damn realistic that wows me, both zx100 and this 1A have the dual clock system (44.1 & 48) and i feel the 1A has by far the most accuracy of realism of the two, that I have not turned on the DSEE HX upsampler
  
 For me WM1A is the first dap that YELLS at me HEY STOP! Don't Upgrade until my battery dies in 5 or 7 years. I consider this DAP as my end-game, Is the wise purchase for 24.5K mexican pesos i thing yes expensive But is worth every centavo no regrets, no remorse 
  
 128GB +256GB microSD for me is fine, sure i long for the 512GB or 1TB microSD 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, sure Copper 1Z maybe a craftsmanship bit if with my A i feel unsecure on the pockets or even in the jean or pants pockets LOL cannot imagine 1Z owners. I amnot saying i dislike the heft of the 1A, I really like the weight feeling, solid as a rock unlike the shallow feeling of the ZX100
  
 PS i am not sure yet if i shall write my final review for it  or wait 100h more, I've hit 300h(and later uodate the review with the balanced) or wait until i have the balanced cable


----------



## Smousesme

I understand that you can only get dsd through the balanced output - but does that mean you can't get dsd through the wm port? So to play dsd through a Hugo or what ever else


----------



## TenderTendon

audionewbi said:


> This dap has killed all my desires to look into any other daps/DAC. I am just reading into finding the perfect CIEM/IEM. Just waiting for more people to start sharing their experiences.


 

 I agree. My journey ends here. My DAP shopping days are over. At least for a couple of years. As far as phones go, I have always been very impressed with my SE846's with every source I've tried. When driven by the Sony, the are exceptional. Not shopping for IEM's for a while either. My MDR-7Z's are are great match too. A very fun, exciting sound. Just crank it up and your feet start tapping. I have high hopes that the HD800S's will respond well. Won't know for another day or two though.


----------



## TenderTendon

smousesme said:


> I understand that you can only get dsd through the balanced output - but does that mean you can't get dsd through the wm port? So to play dsd through a Hugo or what ever else


 

 I have no idea about that. Sorry..


----------



## Smousesme

Just haven't found anything on it, be good to know for sure


----------



## mscott58

Got my Ether C's back from the Flow conversion and hooked them up to my 1A in balanced mode, and yep - the 1A drives them fine. At my listening volume (which I've been told is pretty high) it's up near the upper end of the 1A's output (with high output engaged on the balanced output) but it can drive them with a bit of authority. More listening to be done, but currently the 1A is helping burn in the ECF's while I'm on a trip with my 1Z and Vega's. Cheers


----------



## gerelmx1986

A mate from my Uni times, who happens to be a Musician asked me about the sound of the 1A as he saw it being shown on sony mexico page LOL. when i told him as close as realistic as posible he said Yikes! and what about the surround or stereo sound.
  
 Gosh i said to him well good question anyways, damn, difficult to describe the "surround" is so rela tha sound just comes from everywhere is so perfect that i want and also don't want to say spehrical soundstage hehe
  
 describing such a soundastage is difficult to me 
  
 edit he told me just now HI RES AUDIO is the best thing better thna CD LOOOL i said No way dude, get a a good CD master and a DAP like my A adn you're done saying Hires is the best LOOL


----------



## bvng3540

smousesme said:


> I understand that you can only get dsd through the balanced output - but does that mean you can't get dsd through the wm port? So to play dsd through a Hugo or what ever else




The only way to find out is hook up your Wm1 to hugo if the light show white then you get dsd, if any other color then no


----------



## Smousesme

I ain't got either XD Wanna make them my portable and home pieces of gear. So the dsd to Hugo is important for me


----------



## Smousesme

Dsd to be played through the wm in general really


----------



## bvng3540

smousesme said:


> Dsd to be played through the wm in general really




You are in luck I do have dsd file and mojo will try it out tonight and will let you know


----------



## Smousesme

Nice one mate. I'm probably gonna be asleep by the time you post it. But I look forward to finding out. Thanks again


----------



## blazinblazin

Yup the 4.4mm balanced on my WM1A is realistic especially those that portraits music concert halls and Live performance.
  
 With balanced Kimber Kable it was so full sounding on the lows and mid-lows which add this thickness to the sound, which is good for concert halls music.
 But it still have sparkles in the highs. that's quite amazing to me.


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> Yup the 4.4mm balanced on my WM1A is realistic especially those that portraits music concert halls and Live performance.
> 
> With balanced Kimber Kable it was so full sounding on the lows and mid-lows which add this thickness to the sound, which is good for concert halls music.
> But it still have sparkles in the highs. that's quite amazing to me.


 

 ​If SE is too good to be true, I am already imagining balanced 4.4 , envy hehe


----------



## hung031086

Is it worth to buy a 4.4mm silver dragon adapter cable from moon audio ? I just ordered a 4.4mm cable from plussound couple days ago. No i have to wait about 6-8 weeks for that one. Btw my 1A will deliver tomorrow. Hope it's better than my old qp1r.


----------



## blazinblazin

hung031086 said:


> Is it worth to buy a 4.4mm silver dragon adapter cable from moon audio ? I just ordered a 4.4mm cable from plussound couple days ago. No i have to wait about 6-8 weeks for that one. Btw my 1A will deliver tomorrow. Hope it's better than my old qp1r.


 
  
 Out of the box probably not as good but don't give up on it, after good few hundreds hours burn in, it will.


----------



## gearofwar

hung031086 said:


> Is it worth to buy a 4.4mm silver dragon adapter cable from moon audio ? I just ordered a 4.4mm cable from plussound couple days ago. No i have to wait about 6-8 weeks for that one. Btw my 1A will deliver tomorrow. Hope it's better than my old qp1r.


 
 What iem or hp are you planning to use it with? I only bought it because I need a more portable solution on the go. I can tell you that QP1R still sounds better, better drive fullsize hp but battery and UI can't compare to 1A. I was only using QP1R only because I have an impedance adapter, my ciem is extremely sensitive that it picks out noise from everything. Some people here didn't make use of such adapter that's why they bash QP1R in that regard using with iems.


----------



## hung031086

gearofwar said:


> What iem or hp are you planning to use it with? I only bought it because I need a more portable solution on the go. I can tell you that QP1R still sounds better, better drive fullsize hp but battery and UI can't compare to 1A. I was only using QP1R only because I have an impedance adapter, my ciem is extremely sensitive that it picks out noise from everything. Some people here didn't make use of such adapter that's why they bash QP1R in that regard using with iems.



Im using cfa vega and meze 99 classic. I sold my qp1r cus of UI and the wheel.
Will the 4.4mm adapter cable give the same sq with the 4.4mm custom cable ?


----------



## mscott58

hung031086 said:


> Im using cfa vega and meze 99 classic. I sold my qp1r cus of UI and the wheel.




The Vega pairs very well with these Sonys. They're my go to reference IEMs at this point. Cheers


----------



## rushofblood

I got to spend some time with a few other DAPs that are attracting a lot of attention and questions from people, thought I'd share a few more thoughts. Again, all listening done with my Aethers.
  

  
 Having returned my friend's DX200 to him, I popped by Music Sanctuary to give their DX200 a listen for comparisons. Their unit has about 120 hours of burn in, and my WM1Z has about 120 hours of time on the balanced circuit. All listening done on the balanced circuits of both players.
  
 While most of my impressions from my earlier post hold in terms of the general signatures of both players, DX200 seriously opens up in the first 100 hours of burn in; much of the haze I described in my initial impressions has disappeared, showing a jump in resolution and closing the initial gap between the two players.
  
 WM1Z has a softer, more euphonic/acoustic sound than the DX200 (and it is as such, too, against other flagship DAPs like the various AK380 variants), with richer tonality and trailing decay being hallmarks of the sound. DX200 is more towards the signature of the AK380; leaner, brighter and faster. Comparing the two, I hear details being rendered more obviously by the WM1Z, aided by the decay characteristic which adds naturalism, realism and contributes to the extreme sense of 3D positioning afforded by the Sony (in my opinion the absolute best in the current market). The DX200, in comparison, renders the sound in a less 3D soundstage with less depth than the WM1Z (DX200's soundstage is wider than it is deep) and comes pretty close in detailing but loses out on the finest microdetails that WM1Z and AK380Cu can render. That said, the DX200 is airier sounding than the WM1Z, aided by the less tonally dense presentation; instruments do not fill the soundstage as thickly and densely as the WM1Z, affording for more air between the rendered instruments. It also sounds brighter and faster, which may be easier to pair up with IEMs and headphones (some dark sounding transducers can get overly dark sounding with the WM1Z)
  
 This is no slight against the DX200; in fact, it is utterly impressive for a DAP at its price point to come as close as it is to the WM1Z and the AK380. It is my new automatic recommendation for DAPs to friends given its extremely keen price point, the sound quality which bears more similarities than differences with AK380 and the versatility of Android.
  

  
 Following that, I popped by the local Sony store to compare the WM1Z with the WM1A. Both players compared balanced; the store WM1A play counter has almost 300 hours, although it's my guess that most of those hours were put on the single ended circuit.
  
 While both players lean towards the general Walkman house sound, I find that the signature differences between the A and the Z have sonic implications that affect more than just how thick or musical they sound. WM1A is a slightly brighter, faster and less dense sounding which ends up still being more euphonic than most DAPs on the market, yet WM1A does not have the same trailing decay characteristic as the WM1Z. This makes the WM1A sound less natural and realistic in comparison, and makes the imaging and positioning capability of the WM1A a clear step behind that of the Z. Differences in microdetailing are also present, with the WM1A pushing the mids out a bit more prominently and in a forward fashion in tandem with the leaner and faster signature; and yet, even the denser signature of the WM1Z is able to show more of the finest details in music (usually denser sounding products sacrifice resolution for tonality). Does the performance difference justify the massive price gulf between the two? Rationally, no. But if you're looking at the WM1Z, you aren't really 100% rational in making the decision; such a purchase also involves strong emotion and personal attraction, just like someone ascribing positive feelings towards the copper machining or the heft of the device.
  
 The burning question I unfortunately cannot answer directly is WM1A vs DX200 as I was not able to directly compare both devices. Relative comparisons from memory and using the WM1Z as a yardstick for both players seem to suggest that the performance of both players is very very close, so close that there is no clearly superior option in the lack of a direct comparison. Generally speaking, the DX200 sounds more airy and energetic than the WM1A, and the WM1A sports a touch more musicality than the DX200. I will refrain from making any more comments before I get a chance to try both side by side, if possible.
  
 All these DAPs only highlight one thing; there has never been a better time to be into portable audio gear, with brands bringing ever increasing sound quality at lower price points to the market. I would dare say, even, that on sound quality alone, any of the 3 DAPs discussed herein will easily impress all listeners with their overall performance and unique sonic characteristics, especially when placed against their older DAP counterparts. Happy listening all.


----------



## rushofblood

hung031086 said:


> Im using cfa vega and meze 99 classic. I sold my qp1r cus of UI and the wheel.
> Will the 4.4mm adapter cable give the same sq with the 4.4mm custom cable ?


 
 I recently got to try the Vega with my 1Z balanced and it sounds bloody good on high gain...if you can live with the monstrous bass output from those IEMs. I like more bass than the average listener and even I found the combination a touch too bassy for me.


----------



## hung031086

rushofblood said:


> I recently got to try the Vega with my 1Z balanced and it sounds bloody good on high gain...if you can live with the monstrous bass output from those IEMs. I like more bass than the average listener and even I found the combination a touch too bassy for me.



I love that bass .


----------



## doofalb

jazzi said:


> Overkill much?


 
 Looks like you're making sure that all of your equipment get's used 
  
 Seriously tho, which cable did you use to for the digital out to the Mojo? I was under the impression that the WM1A doesn't do digital out..


----------



## bvng3540

doofalb said:


> Looks like you're making sure that all of your equipment get's used
> 
> Seriously tho, which cable did you use to for the digital out to the Mojo? I was under the impression that the WM1A doesn't do digital out..




That picture show the zx-2, but 
1a and 1z both do digital out via hugo and mojo but you need that cable which has the chip in it.


----------



## doofalb

bvng3540 said:


> That picture show the zx-2, but
> 1a and 1z both do digital out via hugo and mojo but you need that cable which has the chip in it.


 
 Great, good to know! Which ones have the chip? Does the the WMC-NWH10 have it or are there better quality cables*?*


----------



## bvng3540

doofalb said:


> Great, good to know! Which ones have the chip? Does the the WMC-NWH10 have it or are there better quality cables[COLOR=333333]*?*[/COLOR]




That the only cable that has the chip, ppl buying that cable and cut the USB end and reconnected with micro USB, it very easy to do as it is color coded you can't make mistake reconnect it


----------



## gerelmx1986

Will wait for @mscott58 Review on Both the A and the Z, he knows he is burning both to be at least some how equal in bur-in time, @rushofblood grabbed a store one and to know which side was burned in is a tricky so i will take this one with a grain of salt.


----------



## doofalb

bvng3540 said:


> That the only cable that has the chip, ppl buying that cable and cut the USB end and reconnected with micro USB, it very easy to do as it is color coded you can't make mistake reconnect it


 

 Awesome, thanks! Will order a WMC-NWH10 right away


----------



## gearofwar

gerelmx1986 said:


> Will wait for @mscott58 Review on Both the A and the Z, he knows he is burning both to be at least some how equal in bur-in time, @rushofblood grabbed a store one and to know which side was burned in is a tricky so i will take this one with a grain of salt.


 
 I have heard someone who has compared both owned units with over 200 hr, 1z's resolution is much much higher than 1a and so imaging is better..


----------



## gerelmx1986

doofalb said:


> bvng3540 said:
> 
> 
> > That the only cable that has the chip, ppl buying that cable and cut the USB end and reconnected with micro USB, it very easy to do as it is color coded you can't make mistake reconnect it
> ...


 

 I have read there are other cables that consume less battery, if i am right


----------



## Jazzi

doofalb said:


> Looks like you're making sure that all of your equipment get's used
> 
> Seriously tho, which cable did you use to for the digital out to the Mojo? I was under the impression that the WM1A doesn't do digital out..


 

 Sorry doofalb, that's not my kit.  I found the picture on Twitter and found it amusing, so I shared with the thread.


----------



## gearofwar

Also note that @Rushofblood's comparison was stated when he first posted that he would continuously update the result as his unit has not reached 200 hrs mark yet.


----------



## doofalb

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have read there are other cables that consume less battery, if i am right


 

 Do you remember where you read that? In this thread?


----------



## gerelmx1986

doofalb said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I have read there are other cables that consume less battery, if i am right
> ...


 
 I think on the ZX100 or ZX2  fórum for the Oppo HA-2


----------



## mscott58

gerelmx1986 said:


> Will wait for @mscott58 Review on Both the A and the Z, he knows he is burning both to be at least some how equal in bur-in time, @rushofblood grabbed a store one and to know which side was burned in is a tricky so i will take this one with a grain of salt.


 
 Thanks @gerelmx1986. My 1A and 1Z are both about to hit 400 hours, with roughly half in SE and half in balanced. Will hope to get to writing up my thoughts/comparisons after the stuff associated with CanJam settles down, and my Ether C Flows finish burning in so I can do both IEM and full-size HP comparisons. Cheers


----------



## bvng3540

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think on the ZX100 or ZX2  fórum for the Oppo HA-2




Connect Sony dap using wm port to hugo and mojo doesn't Comsume any battery


----------



## purk

mscott58 said:


> Thanks @gerelmx1986. My 1A and 1Z are both about to hit 400 hours, with roughly half in SE and half in balanced. Will hope to get to writing up my thoughts/comparisons after the stuff associated with CanJam settles down, and my Ether C Flows finish burning in so I can do both IEM and full-size HP comparisons. Cheers


 
 Love to hear your impression!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think it comes more to Tuning preferences and pairings this never ending debate of 1A vs 1Z. as @rushofblood said Darker transducers get evemore dark with 1Z. I have the MDR-Z7 and XBA-Z5 which are dark transducers and seems WM1A complements them and them complement the 1A for me the pairings produce a very euphonic, realistic sound for me. O acknoledge they are still dense sounding (Z7 and Z5) but manage to retrieve lots of details
  
  
 My quest for the "Holy Grail of SQ" Has finally ended here, since 2009 I longed for an "MP3 Player"with a real (live) life-like sound


----------



## blazinblazin

gearofwar said:


> I have heard someone who has compared both owned units with over 200 hr, 1z's resolution is much much higher than 1a and so imaging is better..




But is it Single ended or balanced?

Cause different people get a lot of different conclusions cause of using different ports in their comparison.

Also some just compared the single ended of WM1A/Z and concluded some other DAP is better.


----------



## gearofwar

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think it comes more to Tuning preferences and pairings this never ending debate of 1A vs 1Z. as @rushofblood said Darker transducers get evemore dark with 1Z. I have the MDR-Z7 and XBA-Z5 which are dark transducers and seems WM1A complements them and them complement the 1A for me the pairings produce a very euphonic, realistic sound for me. O acknoledge they are still dense sounding (Z7 and Z5) but manage to retrieve lots of details
> 
> 
> My quest for the "Holy Grail of SQ" Has finally ended here, since 2009 I longed for an "MP3 Player"with a real (live) life-like sound


 
 ZX2 didn't fit into your category? 
  


blazinblazin said:


> But is it Single ended or balanced.
> 
> Cause different people get a lot of different conclusions cause of using different port.


 
 On balance


----------



## goyete

I have my WM1A over my working table and sometimes, when the unit is stopped, I hear the click of the relay. Anyone has hear this click with the unit in stand by mode?

I hear it not only a few seconds after stopping music. I think the unit activates the relay every XXX hours or minutes. Maybe to prevent it to fix in a position??


----------



## Gibraltar

stealer said:


> Til now I'm still unable find any seller for the wm port dustcover and both inputs jack cover. So if anyone managed to get these, pls post the link.



The rubber case available on Taobao comes with plugs for both ports as well as a built in flap to cover the wm port. If you don't want the case you could cut that off and use it on its own. It costs around $15 USD.
http://m.intl.taobao.com/detail/detail.html?spm=a1z5f.7632060.0.0&id=542493732706


----------



## nanaholic

goyete said:


> I have my WM1A over my working table and sometimes, when the unit is stopped, I hear the click of the relay. Anyone has hear this click with the unit in stand by mode?
> 
> I hear it not only a few seconds after stop see music. I think the unit activates the relay every XXX hours of minutes. Maybe to prevent it to fix in a position??


 
  
 Yes it's normal behaviour. 
  
 If you don't want to hear the clicking sound simply unplug your headphone from the unit, when there is no headphone connected the relay will not trigger.


----------



## goyete

nanaholic said:


> Yes it's normal behaviour.
> 
> If you don't want to hear the clicking sound simply unplug your headphone from the unit, when there is no headphone connected the relay will not trigger.



Thank you!


----------



## bvng3540

doofalb said:


> Awesome, thanks! Will order a WMC-NWH10 right away




My files is dsd 2.8 MHz as you can see the light on the mojo is blue which mean it only 192 kHz, so digital out can only go to 192 kHz


----------



## Whitigir

bvng3540 said:


> My files is dsd 2.8 MHz as you can see the light on the mojo is blue which mean it only 192 kHz, so digital out can only go to 192 kHz




My Wm1z digital out does DSD 2.8 and 5.6 toward Ta-ZH1ES


----------



## nanaholic

bvng3540 said:


> My files is dsd 2.8 MHz as you can see the light on the mojo is blue which mean it only 192 kHz, so digital out can only go to 192 kHz


 
  
 There's two DSD output modes in the settings menu under output settings.
  
 Auto - depending on the receiving decide will switch format (DSD/PCM) to play in
 DoP - will output in native DSD but only up to 5.6MHz
  
 Auto is the default setting, so I'm guessing it doesn't detect the Mojo correctly and fell back into outputing PCM.  Try using DoP mode.


----------



## pCollins

tendertendon said:


> Sorry to hear about that. Yes, mine shipped as promised. Will be here tomorrow...


 
  
 Amazon UK just shipped mine today.  So next week...
  
 FYI to others:  WM!Z now £1,975.50


----------



## bvng3540

nanaholic said:


> There's two DSD output modes in the settings menu under output settings.
> 
> Auto - depending on the receiving decide will switch format (DSD/PCM) to play in
> DoP - will output in native DSD but only up to 5.6MHz
> ...




Just went in and select DoP and yes now the mojo light show WHITE which is DSD, thanks


----------



## flipper203

you can feed the mojo with WM1A ! which cable do you use ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> goyete said:
> 
> 
> > I have my WM1A over my working table and sometimes, when the unit is stopped, I hear the click of the relay. Anyone has hear this click with the unit in stand by mode?
> ...


 

 The relay is only on balanced or also in SE? thanks, also to @nanaholic wheyou unplug the HPs the amplifer shuts down or stays on?


----------



## bvng3540

flipper203 said:


> you can feed the mojo with WM1A ! which cable do you use ?




1a or 1z will work with mojo


----------



## Whitigir

Here is one with solid-core Silver-Gold wires upgrade into micro USB .


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> The relay is only on balanced or also in SE? thanks, also to @nanaholic wheyou unplug the HPs the amplifer shuts down or stays on?


 
  
 Balance only - the mechanical relay it only for the balance circuit.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Balance only - the mechanical relay it only for the balance circuit.




I think I see 2 relays in the main board, so the single end will have a relay too!


----------



## hung031086

The 1A and dignis case just delivered this morning. I was so surprised because the dignis case didn't come with a screen protector. Anyone know anyplace i can get the screen protector for 1A in the us ?


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> I think I see 2 relays in the main board, so the single end will have a relay too!


 
  
 Nope, both are for balance.  They said so in the interview.
  
      


> For the muting circuit of the balance output there are two “relays” with great presence
> 
> Sato Hiroaki [sound design]
> It’s a mechanical relay that is opened with magnets when muting sound, and when sound is played it is shut with a click.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Nope, both are for balance.  They said so in the interview.




Thank you for clarifying, it is good to know


----------



## CraftyClown

hung031086 said:


> The 1A and dignis case just delivered this morning. I was so surprised because the dignis case didn't come with a screen protector. Anyone know anyplace i can get the screen protector for 1A in the us ?


 
  
 Double check the packaging to make sure it isn't in there. I received one with mine, even though I don't use it. I prefer using a liquid nano coating.


----------



## bana

bvng3540 said:


> 1a or 1z will work with mojo





>





> Do you have a link for this cable?


----------



## kms108

bana said:


> bvng3540 said:
> 
> 
> > 1a or 1z will work with mojo
> ...


 

www.taobao.cn


----------



## TenderTendon

My 1Z just arrived. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  Initial impressions and a brief comparison will follow shortly. It needs to warm up and dry out first. That UPS truck was COLD!


----------



## Whitigir

Fancy pansy ! It is awesome that you scored such a deal !


----------



## TenderTendon

kampongkid said:


> I think the disparity will be much less than that. I'm in for $2187 and expecting about $300 (guesstimate) in brokerage fees to UPS tomorrow. Can see how it'd ruffle some feathers though.


 

 If you are in the US, UPS is no longer charging brokerage fees, unless the package requires special handling.


----------



## TenderTendon

whitigir said:


> Fancy pansy ! It is awesome that you scored such a deal !


 

 I agree. Things rarely work in my favor. But when they do, I jump!


----------



## doofalb

whitigir said:


> Here is one with solid-core Silver-Gold wires upgrade into micro USB
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Which micro-USB plug did you use? I was trying to find something beyond the cheapo Chinese plugs that would be worthy of solid-core Silver-Gold wires, but had no luck...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Wonder if those who own both A and the Z are willing to do a board swap: so the WM1A board goes to the 1Z body, and the 1Z board goes to the 1A body and compare the sound chamges


----------



## mscott58

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wonder if those who own both A and the Z are willing to do a board swap: so the WM1A board goes to the 1Z body, and the 1Z board goes to the 1A body and compare the sound chamges




Little hesitant to do this in fear of screwing one or both up. Cheers


----------



## Tanjiro

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wonder if those who own both A and the Z are willing to do a board swap: so the WM1A board goes to the 1Z body, and the 1Z board goes to the 1A body and compare the sound chamges



U buy an 1Z and try it yourself


----------



## hung031086

craftyclown said:


> Double check the packaging to make sure it isn't in there. I received one with mine, even though I don't use it. I prefer using a liquid nano coating.



Checked many time but nothing. Does the liquid nano work ? I saw alot of bad reviews about it.


----------



## jamato8

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wonder if those who own both A and the Z are willing to do a board swap: so the WM1A board goes to the 1Z body, and the 1Z board goes to the 1A body and compare the sound chamges


 

 So take apart 4000 dollars of equipment and hope you don't mess it up? Let us know how it goes. :^)


----------



## Whitigir

Damn it ! Here we go. Silver-gold cables with Utopia and Wm1z


----------



## mscott58

whitigir said:


> Damn it ! Here we go. Silver-gold cables with Utopia and Wm1z


 
 Very nice! How does the rig sound? Cheers


----------



## Stealer

gibraltar said:


> The rubber case available on Taobao comes with plugs for both ports as well as a built in flap to cover the wm port. If you don't want the case you could cut that off and use it on its own. It costs around $15 USD.
> http://m.intl.taobao.com/detail/detail.html?spm=a1z5f.7632060.0.0&id=542493732706




Thx but I already have dignis case. Someone did posted that they have bought the dust cover


----------



## Fsilva

My baby has a new outfit!
  
 For those interested in affordable cases please check the ones made by Valentin. He is from Ukrain and will built a case for your WM1A/Z in any color and specification.
  
 https://www.etsy.com/people/valentinvalentinum


----------



## mscott58

fsilva said:


> My baby has a new outfit!
> 
> For those interested in affordable cases please check the ones made by Valentin. He is from Ukrain and will built a case for your WM1A/Z in any color and specification.
> 
> https://www.etsy.com/people/valentinvalentinum


 
  
 Nice looking case. Don't see it in the listing of offerings on his Etsy site. How much did he charge? Cheers


----------



## Fsilva

mscott58 said:


> Nice looking case. Don't see it in the listing of offerings on his Etsy site. How much did he charge? Cheers


 
 It was is first WM1A case that´s why you won´t find it there. Just drop him a message with what you are looking for and he will built it for you. I´ve payed US$52,00 with shipping included.​


----------



## gerelmx1986

some one told me if zx2 was not in my taste, LOL no becausr it has Android on it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





​ for that i have a smatphone
  
 So far WM1A has ticked all my boxes

Firstly THANK GOD, Composer search
Non Android
simple to use GUI
Great battery life and Power
at least 128GB + expansión
Realistic sounding (awesome soundstage, clarity, details retrieval, smooth silky musical sound)
Great Build
Touchscreen + side (or top like X1060) Buttons
Delete music files on the fly
Smooth volume operation (not abrupt increases like previous walkmen that had only 30 volume steps)
Better (more responsive) EQ
Ability to see both MicroSD and internal storage at the same time when connected to PC


----------



## MacedonianHero

gerelmx1986 said:


> some one told me if zx2 was not in my taste, LOL no becausr it has Android on it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 One more box for me....Tidal support in Wifi mode.


----------



## mscott58

macedonianhero said:


> One more box for me....Tidal support in Wifi mode.



 


I'd also add "balanced and SE outputs"


----------



## gearofwar

Might sound a bit noob. Does anyone here use EQ and have both units around? Thanks


----------



## TenderTendon

gearofwar said:


> Might sound a bit noob. Does anyone here use EQ and have both units around? Thanks


 

 Yes


----------



## pCollins

whitigir said:


> Damn it ! Here we go. Silver-gold cables with Utopia and Wm1z


 
  
 Is that a balanced connection and who made these for you?
 Thanks.


----------



## Whitigir

pcollins said:


> Is that a balanced connection and who made these for you?
> Thanks.




Yes, it is balanced 4.4mm and I made it for me. This cables is the most expensive that I made for myself, yet.


----------



## echineko

pcollins said:


> Is that a balanced connection and who made these for you?
> Thanks.



It most definitely is a balanced cable, and he made it for himself 

Edit: ninja'd!


----------



## gearofwar

tendertendon said:


> Yes


 
 Have you tried to make 1A sound similar to 1Z on EQ before?


----------



## Whitigir

echineko said:


> It most definitely is a balanced cable, and he made it for himself
> 
> Edit: ninja'd!




Lol, no worry, I did made these cables before (different connectors), just never justified it enough to use it for my own goods. Until I have these expensive guys...why cheap out on cables...LOL!


----------



## hung031086

Just a noob question. How to burn in this dap? Just play music about 200+ hours ? I've never done this before.


----------



## Whitigir

hung031086 said:


> Just a noob question. How to burn in this dap? Just play music about 200+ hours ? I've never done this before.




Attach a headphones on , and play your music library for a while


----------



## ledzep

After some pentaconn or bispa 4.4mm's if anyone has or can get me some.


----------



## Jazzi

ledzep said:


> After some pentaconn or bispa 4.4mm's if anyone has or can get me some.


 

 Moon-Audio has Pentaconn:
  
https://www.moon-audio.com/4-4mm-pentaconn-balanced-connector-for-sony.html


----------



## HamsterKing

I am tempted to buy the WM1A so badly :X but I only got WAV files, and also planning to get a CIEM with it, it's gonna cost a bomb haha!


----------



## Lemieux66

hamsterking said:


> I am tempted to buy the WM1A so badly :X but I only got WAV files, and also planning to get a CIEM with it, it's gonna cost a bomb haha!




You could convert your WAVs to FLAC.


----------



## ledzep

jazzi said:


> Moon-Audio has Pentaconn:
> 
> https://www.moon-audio.com/4-4mm-pentaconn-balanced-connector-for-sony.html




Cheers


----------



## Sound Eq

macedonianhero said:


> One more box for me....Tidal support in Wifi mode.


 
 i thought wm1a does not have tidal


----------



## Whitigir

sound eq said:


> i thought wm1a does not have tidal




It does not have Tidal. I think he meant it is the only thing lacking out of those ticked boxes


----------



## ledzep

jazzi said:


> Moon-Audio has Pentaconn:
> 
> https://www.moon-audio.com/4-4mm-pentaconn-balanced-connector-for-sony.html




$30 and a further $30 shipping !! 

Any other suggestions ?


----------



## mscott58

ledzep said:


> $30 and a further $30 shipping !!
> 
> 
> 
> Any other suggestions ?



 


International shipping?


----------



## ledzep

mscott58 said:


> ledzep said:
> 
> 
> > $30 and a further $30 shipping !!
> ...




 Yeah UK bound


----------



## musicday

So you guys import the gold model from UK as is cheaper,but capped?
I know that it can be uncapped quite easily,but how big is the price difference between the capped model from UK and uncapped one sold in US?


----------



## pCollins

musicday said:


> So you guys import the gold model from UK as is cheaper,but capped?
> I know that it can be uncapped quite easily,but how big is the price difference between the capped model from UK and uncapped one sold in US?


 
  
 As of this morning, about £900


----------



## pCollins

whitigir said:


> Yes, it is balanced 4.4mm and I made it for me. This cables is the most expensive that I made for myself, yet.


 
  
 where you source the 4 ring plug from?
 thanks


----------



## wwyjoe

Hi all. I'm currently using the Toxic Cables Silver Widow terminated with 3.5mm rhodium plug. 
  
 Would i be able to enjoy the full benefits of the WM1A's 4.4mm balanced output by re-terminating the Silver Widow cable using a 4.4mm balanced connector?
  
 Or do i have to buy dedicated balanced cables (if there's such a thing)?
  
 Sorry for the noob question. Thanks!


----------



## Whitigir

pcollins said:


> where you source the 4 ring plug from?
> thanks




Either moonaudio or Japan with agents


----------



## Whitigir

wwyjoe said:


> Hi all. I'm currently using the Toxic Cables Silver Widow terminated with 3.5mm rhodium plug.
> 
> Would i be able to enjoy the full benefits of the WM1A's 4.4mm balanced output by re-terminating the Silver Widow cable using a 4.4mm balanced connector?
> 
> ...




Just get it reterminate and you will be fine


----------



## wwyjoe

whitigir said:


> Just get it reterminate and you will be fine


 
 Noted with thanks!


----------



## gearofwar

gerelmx1986 said:


> some one told me if zx2 was not in my taste, LOL no becausr it has Android on it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I think this ticks all boxes of QP1R except UI might be subjective on individuals but it's also simple . Also QP1R has amp section , better SQ and 2 sd slots.


----------



## gerelmx1986

lemieux66 said:


> hamsterking said:
> 
> 
> > I am tempted to buy the WM1A so badly :X but I only got WAV files, and also planning to get a CIEM with it, it's gonna cost a bomb haha!
> ...


 

 ​Mac user XLD lossless decoder, WIN user dbpower amp (costs but really good peuce of software)


----------



## gerelmx1986

The dynamic range of this thing (WM1A) is too good to be true, smooth from the softest of sounds to the loudest of sounds play very very well, never Heard such a dynaic range smoothness


----------



## HamsterKing

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Mac user XLD lossless decoder, WIN user dbpower amp (costs but really good peuce of software)



That dbpower looks good! I'm still new to this audiophile thing still don't know how difference between wave and flac xD. Do I really need to convert if I going for the wm1A


----------



## nanaholic

gearofwar said:


> I think this ticks all boxes of QP1R except UI might be subjective on individuals but it's also simple . Also QP1R has amp section , better SQ and 2 sd slots.


 
  
 The amp section of QP1R is much weaker than the WM1 on balance, and better SQ is subjective because the WM1 measures great, right up to AK380 level.  And no way the QP1R measures up to the WM1 battery life.


----------



## Fsilva

wwyjoe said:


> Hi all. I'm currently using the Toxic Cables Silver Widow terminated with 3.5mm rhodium plug.
> 
> Would i be able to enjoy the full benefits of the WM1A's 4.4mm balanced output by re-terminating the Silver Widow cable using a 4.4mm balanced connector?
> 
> ...


 
 Best option would be to contact Frank @Toxic Cables and ask him to reterminate your cable with the new 4.4 plugs. That's what i did with my Silver Poison


----------



## gerelmx1986

HamsterKing said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Not necessarily, but you would fit less songs in WAVE tan in FLAC, flac is like zip but for audio, meaning it is *lossless compression *​what it does according to what i have read. it analyzes the bit patterns and finds repetitions so it grabs these repeated sequences and replaces for a smaller value, and during playback the algorithm just seeks on its dicitionary table the value corresponding to the original and essentially you play the same wave file
  
 A 700MB wave album can be compressed between 300 to 500MB on average, depends on the complexity of the music for the extent of the compressionm for  a 2GB wave in 24 bit, you can compress with flac to 800MB to 1.40GB.
  
 so you can fit for every 16/44.1KHz wave album, 2 to 3 Flac albums


----------



## gearofwar

nanaholic said:


> The amp section of QP1R is much weaker than the WM1 on balance, and better SQ is subjective because the WM1 measures great, right up to AK380 level.  And no way the QP1R measures up to the WM1 battery life.


 
 sure, measurement. If it's up to someone who never owned both of the product to conclude so. It's the opposite in fact.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@HamsterKing your process will be much faster than mine,as you would tell dbpoweramp where your wave albums reside and let it overnight converting
  
 Mine was panistaking re-rip all my CDs and redownload everything i had purchased in flac or rebuy in flac what i had in itunes AAC.
  
 before flac i had mp3 192kbps LOL 300GB, for my case i had to buy a larger Hard drive to accomodate the jump (which now my lib is 820GB), your case your hard drive will thank you rducing the space of the storage need by all those waves
  
 and a Plus FLAC supports Tagging, *wave doesn't and the process is reversible as flac is lossless, so you can convert the flacs back to wave or to apple lossless if you wish lossless to lossless there is no degradation*


----------



## gearofwar

nanaholic said:


> The amp section of QP1R is much weaker than the WM1 on balance, and better SQ is subjective because the WM1 measures great, right up to AK380 level.  And no way the QP1R measures up to the WM1 battery life.


 
@rushofblood need your thoughts on this.


----------



## musicday

For all of you who can afford and want to buy the gold Walkman.
Why did you decided to do so, and why not go for AK380 or AK380 Cu.
Is it the long battery life or what else? The AK can do Tidal but you all know already 
So tell us why Sony and not AK?


----------



## warrior1975

I went with the Sony predicated on the fact that I preferred my zx2 over my ak240.


----------



## echineko

musicday said:


> For all of you who can afford and want to buy the gold Walkman.
> Why did you decided to do so, and why not go for AK380 or AK380 Cu.
> Is it the long battery life or what else? The AK can do Tidal but you all know already
> So tell us why Sony and not AK?



Well, I compared the 1Z with my friend's 380+amp (not the Cu version, and I'd never pay for a different metal anyway) before getting it. 

The 1Z just had a much fuller sound to me, with wonderful richness and dynamics, the AK sounded thin and lifeless in comparison. Having used the ZX2 previously, I only had hesitation about the lack of streaming apps, but ultimately I loved the SQ (via balanced) too much and went for it. 

And if you like AK, go for it? I don't think anyone here will try to tell you how to spend your cash. I don't think anyone here actually works for Sony, we don't have to convince you of anything, go hear for yourself and make your own best choice, I certainly did.


----------



## ledzep

musicday said:


> For all of you who can afford and want to buy the gold Walkman.
> Why did you decided to do so, and why not go for AK380 or AK380 Cu.
> Is it the long battery life or what else? The AK can do Tidal but you all know already
> So tell us why Sony and not AK?



Are you thinking of buying the 1Z / 1A ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Walkmans will always have that superb sound quality and battery life. Used to won a Fiio x3 first gen and oly playing 16/44.1 FLACs i got mere 6 hours of plaback time, not to mention with every FW updates they messed with the sound quality, sometimes sounded so damn good, sometimes it sounded bad, that had to downgrade to previous FW.
  
 Sony WM1 UI may be laggy (stuutery besser Word), well if you ever had a fiio x3 1st gen 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





​ you had to wait 1 minute for it to build the ALL SONGS list and nearly 30 minutes to build the entire Dtabase from scratch, that was laggy haha
  
 But yeah it had USB DAC function and sounded better tan iPods
  
 I do agree with @nanaholic Walkmans can't be rivaled in the SQ/Battery life status they have always had, amuses me that they increae power 4 times that of zx100 and they still manage to deliver great battery life


----------



## ledzep

warrior1975 said:


> I went with the Sony predicated on the fact that I preferred my zx2 over my ak240.



I preferred my dx80 over my ak240 was very dissapointed with the 240 and the 2.5mm balanced socket was a ********* joke connection wise.


----------



## TenderTendon

gearofwar said:


> sure, measurement. If it's up to someone who never owned both of the product to conclude so. It's the opposite in fact.


 

 What has this world come to when we discard measured data in favor of opinions?   
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  Well, here's some more data to ignore...
  
 I just measured the output of the 1A and 1Z. They both measure exactly the same, BTW. All measurements are on the balanced jack using high gain with a 1Khz test tone. I don't have a QP1R here to test, so all I have to compare with is the manufacturers published specs.
  
 Into 300 ohm load = 2.06 volts (14mW) A slight edge on the QP1R at 12mW (approximately 17% higher).
 Into 32 ohm load = 2.02 volts (128mW) 3 times the QP1R's claimed output of 40mW.
 Into 16 ohm load = 2.0 volts (250mw) The only posted dated for the QP1R into a 16 ohm load is 16.3mw (Wow!).
  
 This data shows that the Sony and Questyle have a somewhat equal maximum voltage output, but the Sony is capable of delivering MUCH more current.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 8, 2020)

tendertendon said:


> What has this world come to when we discard measured data in favor of opinions?      Well, here's some more data to ignore...
> 
> I just measured the output of the 1A and 1Z. They both measure exactly the same, BTW. All measurements are on the balanced jack using high gain with a 1Khz test tone. I don't have a QP1R here to test, so all I have to compare with is the manufacturers published specs.
> 
> ...




Good that you confirmed it with solid measurements. This should get featured on the first post of the thread. Btw, each FT Capacitors is rated at a whooping 2.1 Amp, and there is 1 per line of signal on Balanced connection 

I recalled some people even claimed that QP1R had much more power than WM1Z despite of the rated number from the paper. I thought it was aliens Engineering that I couldn't even comprehend ...lol


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Has anyone here dropped there 1a/z?
 Did it affect it in any way?


----------



## Whitigir

princeofegypt said:


> Has anyone here dropped there 1a/z?
> Did it affect it in any way?




I dropped it on my mattress and it bounced, not a single micron scratches yet


----------



## TenderTendon

princeofegypt said:


> Has anyone here dropped there 1a/z?
> Did it affect it in any way?


 

 Not yet, and I cringe at the thought. If I dropped the 1Z, I would also be concerned about the surface it fell on. It's got some serious mass. Possibly enough to crack a ceramic floor tile.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

mine slid off my desk onto the wooden floor...it was cased thankfully, so no external damage...hope the internals are ok


----------



## Jazzi

ledzep said:


> $30 and a further $30 shipping !!
> 
> Any other suggestions ?


 

 Ooops, thought you were in US.


----------



## TenderTendon

musicday said:


> For all of you who can afford and want to buy the gold Walkman.
> Why did you decided to do so, and why not go for AK380 or AK380 Cu.
> Is it the long battery life or what else? The AK can do Tidal but you all know already
> So tell us why Sony and not AK?


 

 The 2 players pretty much spec out equally. I got the Sony because:
 1) My price was approximately 40% less.
 2) I already evaluated the 1A and fell in love with it, especially with the DC Phase Linearizer, which people rarely mention. It really sets itself apart from the crowd.
 3) I've previously owned top tier Sony products, and felt their workmanship was a benchmark for others to follow.
 4) Love the gold finish.
 5) Battery life
 6) Kinda burnt out with A&K's pricing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

princeofegypt said:


> Has anyone here dropped there 1a/z?
> Did it affect it in any way?


 

 ​mine slid a bit from the hard drive a portable one, to the desk haha only a few centimetsr lol nothing happened, but yes i cringed


----------



## ledzep

princeofegypt said:


> Has anyone here dropped there 1a/z?
> Did it affect it in any way?




No, but after having the 1A for a few months I'm now going to drop 2g on the 1Z !


----------



## goyete

I have seen in some photos of the WmM1a a piece of plastic inserted in the plug that is unusued to prevent the entering of dust and similar. Anyone know where to buy it, eBay? What reference? Thanks!


----------



## musicday

ledzep said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > For all of you who can afford and want to buy the gold Walkman.
> ...



Yes i am thinking of getting the 1Z when the price get a bit more stable,as I don't like AK and i don't use Tidal, which is handy anyway to have.
1. Is the front glass or plastic?
2.By removing the back pleather cover there are screws, that's how you get to the battery?


----------



## TenderTendon

musicday said:


> Yes i am thinking of getting the 1Z when the price get a bit more stable,as I don't like AK and i don't use Tidal, which is handy anyway to have.
> 1. Is the front glass or plastic?
> 2.By removing the back pleather cover there are screws, that's how you get to the battery?


 

 1) Glass
 2) No screws. Cover attached with adhesive film. Should be easy to remove with a little heat.


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> Yes i am thinking of getting the 1Z when the price get a bit more stable,as I don't like AK and i don't use Tidal, which is handy anyway to have.
> 1. Is the front glass or plastic?
> 2.By removing the back pleather cover there are screws, that's how you get to the battery?


 
 1. Glass
 2. I think yes as the battery is encased on a protective cover BWTW is soldered to the main board


----------



## gerelmx1986

goyete said:


> I have seen in some photos of the WmM1a a piece of plastic inserted in the plug that is unusued to prevent the entering of dust and similar. Anyone know where to buy it, eBay? What reference? Thanks!


 

 only japanese modles have them


----------



## musicday

Thanks,that will make the battery not that difficult to replace assuming onr can get similar and knows what he is doing


----------



## CraftyClown

@TenderTendon have you managed to find out much info on the DC Phase Linearizer?
  
 For the life of me, I can't find any clear explanation of the individual settings.


----------



## TenderTendon

craftyclown said:


> @TenderTendon have you managed to find out much info on the DC Phase Linearizer?
> 
> For the life of me, I can't find any clear explanation of the individual settings.


 

 No, they're definitely keeping it a secret. I can definitely hear an improvement when it is engaged, but cannot notice an audible difference between the 6 modes. I agree it is frustrating when manufacturers don't supply enough information.


----------



## musicday

As i have never owned a high end Sony Walkman,do you guys think there will be many firmware updates in the near future,and other features added?
Is good to see that everyone is talking advanced of the software that can remove the volume cap and order the European version, without any worries.


----------



## TenderTendon

musicday said:


> As i have never owned a high end Sony Walkman,do you guys think there will be many firmware updates in the near future,and other features added?
> Is good to see that everyone is talking advanced of the software that can remove the volume cap and order the European version, without any worries.


 

 As far as I know, there aren't any software bugs being reported and I'm not aware of any hardware inside that isn't being utilized, so I don't expect any updates. I certainly could be wrong though. Not only does the software remove the volume cap, it also enables the use of the remote control and adds that option to the menu.


----------



## CraftyClown

tendertendon said:


> No, they're definitely keeping it a secret. I can definitely hear an improvement when it is engaged, but cannot notice an audible difference between the 6 modes. I agree it is frustrating when manufacturers don't supply enough information.


 
  
 Yep, it is quite annoying. I found a manual for a Sony Home Theatre AV amp that mentions a little bit about it, but not the differences between the individual settings. It did mention however that the factory default setting is Standard-A, so I will probably use that until I can work out the difference between them.
  
 http://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/442593/sony-str-da1000es.html?page=11


----------



## TenderTendon

craftyclown said:


> Yep, it is quite annoying. I found a manual for a Sony Home Theatre AV amp that mentions a little bit about it, but not the differences between the individual settings. It did mention however that the factory default setting is Standard-A, so I will probably use that until I can work out the difference between them.
> 
> http://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/442593/sony-str-da1000es.html?page=11


 

 That's funny. I came across that a couple of days ago. It does give a little more insight as to its fundamental theory, but explains nothing about the control positions. Maybe in time more information will get leaked out.


----------



## ledzep

goyete said:


> I have seen in some photos of the WmM1a a piece of plastic inserted in the plug that is unusued to prevent the entering of dust and similar. Anyone know where to buy it, eBay? What reference? Thanks!



Fleabay was my port of call


Still need a WM port cap


----------



## pCollins

musicday said:


> For all of you who can afford and want to buy the gold Walkman.
> Why did you decided to do so, and why not go for AK380 or AK380 Cu.
> Is it the long battery life or what else? The AK can do Tidal but you all know already
> So tell us why Sony and not AK?


 
  
 I like how nice the gold walkman sounds when playing at low levels.
 Also, the smoothness of the music comes close to the sound of a Chord DAVE or Nagra HD DAC.
 For a portable, that's really great.


----------



## TenderTendon

craftyclown said:


> I found a manual for a Sony Home Theatre AV amp that mentions a little bit about it, but not the differences between the individual settings.


 
 If I were forced to make a guess as to what the modes are, I would say that mode A applies a phase shift in a positive direction in 3 different increments and mode B applies a shift in a negative direction in the same 3 increments. That is just my guess.


----------



## CraftyClown

tendertendon said:


> That's funny. I came across that a couple of days ago. It does give a little more insight as to its fundamental theory, but explains nothing about the control positions. Maybe in time more information will get leaked out.


 
  
 I found a conversation from about 12 years ago discussing digital amps  http://www.agoraquest.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99895
  
 but there was nothing new in there apart from this line:
  
"There are two levels of 'effect' A & B with B providing the effect at a higher frequency point. Within the paramaters of either A or B, one can choose low, std, or high, or if you prefer, off. The default is STD A"​


----------



## pCollins

tendertendon said:


> 1) Glass
> 2) No screws. Cover attached with adhesive film. Should be easy to remove with a little heat.


 
  
 Is this from the WM1Z service menu?  Is it online somewhere?
 Thanks


----------



## gearofwar

tendertendon said:


> What has this world come to when we discard measured data in favor of opinions?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 QP1R depends its entire amping on Current mode...
 

What is Current Mode Amplification?

In current mode amplification, the signal is amplified by modulating current instead of Voltage. It is widely applied in the high speed communication industry and the video processing industry, but it is Questyle Audio’s patented technology as applied to headphone amplifiers.

_Learn More about Current Mode Amplifier>>_

 What all these numbers have anything to do ? all of you here except someone posted here before was the only one who has both units. All are just theorizing on numbers..
 Back to the fact that i have both 1a and qp1r, qp1r drives my hd800 to the lvl any wm1 couldn't make. 
 Does that mean QP1R is better in everything? No. I prefer 1A for my iem and as portable solution while QP1R i would never sell it because it's done better job at something else any WM1 cant do


----------



## CraftyClown

tendertendon said:


> If I were forced to make a guess as to what the modes are, I would say that mode A applies a phase shift in a positive direction in 3 different increments and mode B applies a shift in a negative direction in the same 3 increments. That is just my guess.


 
  
 Judging by the info I just found it looks more like the A and B refer to the frequency that the phase is occuring at with A at 40hz and B at 60hz perhaps and then the low, standard and high represent the amount of phase?
  
 But I'm just guessing here too


----------



## TenderTendon

gearofwar said:


> QP1R depends its entire amping on Current mode...
> 
> 
> What is Current Mode Amplification?
> ...


 

 I am just posting measured data. If you disagree with my measurements and feel they are inaccurate, let's use your measurements instead. Where did you post them?


----------



## TenderTendon

craftyclown said:


> Judging by the info I just found it looks more like the A and B refer to the frequency that the phase is occuring at with A at 40hz and B at 60hz perhaps and then the low, standard and high represent the amount of phase?
> 
> But I'm just guessing here too


 

 That actually makes more sense. Great detective work!


----------



## Sound Eq

tendertendon said:


> That actually makes more sense. Great detective work!


 
 any update on ur wm1z vs w1ma


----------



## TenderTendon

pcollins said:


> Is this from the WM1Z service menu?  Is it online somewhere?
> Thanks


 

 PM sent...


----------



## musicday

tendertendon said:


> pcollins said:
> 
> 
> > Is this from the WM1Z service menu?  Is it online somewhere?
> ...



I would like the 1Z manual too please.


----------



## audionewbi

My 8 core PW NO.5 cable arrived, I wasn't expecting to get them this early but now that I do have them I am relatively happy. Nothing wrong with the cable at all, the built is great, it is a light, flexible and comfortable cable. Now the reason why I said relatively happy is due to the sonic changes. I wasn't sure what to expect of the sonic changes of EX-1000, I was hoping to have a more smoother sounding EX-1000 but I didnt get that. 
  
 EX-1000 now has become even more revealing, microdetail in the recording, things like all those faint background noises in live classical recording ranging from people opening and closing the door, coughing politely, floor board noises due to the artist moving on their chair which before requires a keen ear to listen now become present whether you like it or not.
  
 There was a time I used to go crazy for such ultra revealing sound but the older I am getting the more I crave for a more laid back and smoother sounding gears. This is why I hardly use my HUM Pristine. Just wanted to share this to the fellow EX-1000 owners who like to go balance.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think perhpas, don't know for sure, that mode A refers to aplifier type A and B refers to amplifier type B, you know there are class A, B and the D


----------



## flipper203

audionewbi said:


> My 8 core PW NO.5 cable arrived, I wasn't expecting to get them this early but now that I do have them I am relatively happy. Nothing wrong with the cable at all, the built is great, it is a light, flexible and comfortable cable. Now the reason why I said relatively happy is due to the sonic changes. I wasn't sure what to expect of the sonic changes of EX-1000, I was hoping to have a more smoother sounding EX-1000 but I didnt get that.
> 
> EX-1000 now has become even more revealing, microdetail in the recording, things like all those faint background noises in live classical recording ranging from people opening and closing the door, coughing politely, floor board noises due to the artist moving on their chair which before requires a keen ear to listen now become present whether you like it or not.
> 
> There was a time I used to go crazy for such ultra revealing sound but the older I am getting the more I crave for a more laid back and smoother sounding gears. This is why I hardly use my HUM Pristine. Just wanted to share this to the fellow EX-1000 owners who like to go balance.


 
 could you compare it in terms of flexibility with the 4 wire pwaudio n°5?


----------



## audionewbi

flipper203 said:


> could you compare it in terms of flexibility with the 4 wire pwaudio n°5?


 
 I sadly can't as I dont have a 4 wire version. But if I was to guess 4 wire would be ideal for those lighter IEM which are sensitive to cable movement.


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think perhpas, don't know for sure, that mode A refers to aplifier type A and B refers to amplifier type B, you know there are class A, B and the D


 
  
 Are you talking about the phase linearizer? I don't think it relates to the amplifier, but to the frequency at which the phase is occuring.


----------



## gerelmx1986

craftyclown said:


> Are you talking about the phase linearizer? I don't think it relates to the amplifier, but to the frequency at which the phase is occuring.


 
 Yes was trying to refer to the DC Phse linearizer


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes was trying to refer to the DC Phse linearizer


 
  
 There isn't a huge amount of info that Sony have released regarding what the settings represent, however reading through manuals and other audio forums it seems possible that the A and B refer to the frequency that the phase is occuring at with A at 40hz and B at something like 60hz and then the low, standard and high represent the amount of phase.
  
 This is just some guesswork based mostly around this manual:
  
http://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/442593/sony-str-da1000es.html?page=11
  
 and this conversation on another forum, where someone from Sony is quoted:
  
http://www.agoraquest.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=99895
  
 Presuming this is the case then it might also be fair to presume that setting A-low will be the most subtle and B-high will be the most noticable effect.
  
 As I said though, this is all guesswork based around what I have read.


----------



## gearofwar

tendertendon said:


> I am just posting measured data. If you disagree with my measurements and feel they are inaccurate, let's use your measurements instead. Where did you post them?


 
 What number ? I never posted any measurements on this thread because I have a more practical solution : owning the product itself and I don't really need to measure. Why don't we both do this industry a favor? instead of speculating on the numbers from your home on your computer, go try and buy the product itself? That would make many audio engineers appreciated.  If you want the number, you can actually find it on this thread http://www.head-fi.org/t/778877/review-questyle-audio-qp1r-with-multiple-headphone-and-iem-pairings
  
 I know there is a well-known product on head-fi here despite having ways better measurement than QP1R but practically sounds worse. I have owned it twice and sold twice...the Mojo.
  
 @I'm not sure if this would even change your mind when you said 1z and 1a sound no differences and they only have different casing. Also You said that any burn-in methods as mentioned by Sony and for any daps in general are practically nonsensical as there are no improvement even the wiring with Kimber cable...except the loudspeaker IYO 
  
 I can't believe there are some people here even without actually owning the products itself can speculate everything about it on numbers. Even I'm just here to recommend someone on QP1R despite owning also the Sony, was bashing me on the numbers as if he has actually owned the product itself extensively (I'm not saying about you here).
 Does this  mean any that audio products out there even the ones that would come out soon, if being measured and is not catching up to any specific standard numbers, will be deemed as "Failed" automatically. How could this even help the industry?


----------



## musicday

I assume that the Walkman will not play SACD ISO files,OGG ?
By comparing it directly with Lotoo Paw Gold,the last have a wider audio file capability.


----------



## rushofblood

musicday said:


> For all of you who can afford and want to buy the gold Walkman.
> Why did you decided to do so, and why not go for AK380 or AK380 Cu.
> Is it the long battery life or what else? The AK can do Tidal but you all know already
> So tell us why Sony and not AK?




Feel compelled to answer this. Prior to the release of the new Walkmans, AK380Cu personally held the top spot for me in terms of fidelity from a portable device (and yes, AK380 and AK380Cu sound different. I've been through a blind volume matched listening test with an AK380 Black and AK380Cu and I positively identified the Copper over the Black every time it was swapped over)

There were a whole host of reasons why I never ended up with one though. To start with, I don't really like AK's design language. The angular design leaves you with something that doesn't sit nicely in the hand, with protruding edges everywhere. And of course, even though I much prefer the hue of the raw copper on the 380Cu to the (IMO) rather ostentatious gold on the 1Z, the fact that it has to be regularly polished is a massive turn off. 

I also didn't need other features like WiFi and Tidal as I don't use them at all, and having used an AK320 I wanted something that wouldn't run out of battery every single day. Finally, the AK380Cu also heats up in usage, and that didn't endear itself to me, either. WM1Z solves or sidesteps every single one of these issues. Also, it's a good S$2000 less than AK380Cu...


----------



## TenderTendon

gearofwar said:


> What number ? I never posted any measurements on this thread because I have a more practical solution : owning the product itself and I don't really need to measure. Why don't we both do this industry a favor? instead of speculating on the numbers from your home on your computer, go try and buy the product itself? That would make many audio engineers appreciated.  If you want the number, you can actually find it on this thread http://www.head-fi.org/t/778877/review-questyle-audio-qp1r-with-multiple-headphone-and-iem-pairings
> 
> I know there is a well-known product on head-fi here despite having ways better measurement than QP1R but practically sounds worse. I have owned it twice and sold twice...the Mojo.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I'm sorry, but I really don't understand much of your rambling here. Yes, I know you haven't posted any measurements. That was the point of my question. You have contributed nothing factual to this thread, other than copy and paste a piece of marketing literature, which everyone has already seen. I took the time out of my day to bench test these players to make sure they meet the manufacturers output power claims and posted my results. If you want to give an opinion and have it respected, then state it as an opinion. If you are going to claim something as fact, even though all of the presented evidence from both manufacturers and a unbiased 3rd party state otherwise, then be prepared to be challenged and back it up. Whether or not you realize it, specifications make the world go round. Consumers rely on them to make intelligent decisions. Manufacturers rely on them to justify retail prices. You are going to have a very hard time convincing everyone that the Questyle has more output power than the Sony, even though Sony, an unbiased 3rd party and Questyle themselves say otherwise, based on actual test data. I guess we should just believe that all of their test results are wrong, because you say so. Not going to happen...


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Dignis leather case if anyone is interested
  
 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112292005032?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649


----------



## doofalb

ledzep said:


> $30 and a further $30 shipping !!
> 
> Any other suggestions ?


 
 Check out Alo Audio. The 4.4mm plug is $14 and shipping another $13 to the UK


----------



## TenderTendon

Has anyone found an affordable balanced cable for the SE846? Something not too thick over the ear. I would prefer a 90 degree plug, but understand that this limits the choices even further.


----------



## hung031086

Looking for a 4.4mm custom cable for my vega. Anywhere i can get it faster than plussound ?


----------



## bvng3540

hung031086 said:


> Looking for a 4.4mm custom cable for my vega. Anywhere i can get it faster than plussound ?




Surfaudio.com or yypa.hk they located in HK but will reach your door in a week or so also it 40% off now


----------



## mscott58

hung031086 said:


> Looking for a 4.4mm custom cable for my vega. Anywhere i can get it faster than plussound ?




ALO


----------



## hung031086

bvng3540 said:


> Surfaudio.com or yypa.hk they located in HK but will reach your door in a week or so also it 40% off now



Ok i will check it later



mscott58 said:


> ALO



I saw they just have 2.5mm, 3.5mm


----------



## ledzep

doofalb said:


> Check out Alo Audio. The 4.4mm plug is $14 and shipping another $13 to the UK


 

 A bit more like it, looks like the bispa.


----------



## gearofwar

this is a bit overkill for the phone


----------



## warrior1975

gearofwar Normally I like your posts, they are very informative. I have to say what you are saying to TenderTendon was a little off. He posted measurements he took of the Sony and compared them to the measurements posted for the QP1R. He certainly didn't do or say anything ignorant bro, he just shared his findings. I know measurements aren't the be all end all, but power measurements normally show a fair assessment in regards to power. At least he took the time to measure and post his results. 

Of course, you have both devices and can share your POV, and it wouldn't be the first time anecdotal info contradicts measurements. 

Either way, both daps are well received here and seems like you can't go wrong with either. Or I'm the true head-fi fashion, buy both.


----------



## PinkyPowers

WHAT?! Power measurements give you a good notion as to the power of a device? Such blasphemy! I won't stand for it!


----------



## hongky

tendertendon said:


> What has this world come to when we discard measured data in favor of opinions?      Well, here's some more data to ignore...
> 
> I just measured the output of the 1A and 1Z. They both measure exactly the same, BTW. All measurements are on the balanced jack using high gain with a 1Khz test tone. I don't have a QP1R here to test, so all I have to compare with is the manufacturers published specs.
> 
> ...




It would be great if you could made the same measurement for DX200 balanced output


----------



## warrior1975

Dx200 seems powerful with the stock module. I haven't compared head to head with anything yet. I think my Cowon S is more powerful... Not sure about the Sony.


----------



## hongky

warrior1975 said:


> Dx200 seems powerful with the stock module. I haven't compared head to head with anything yet. I think my Cowon S is more powerful... Not sure about the Sony.



Wow ... Cowon S more powerful ?
Please make some comparison between thise two


----------



## gearofwar

warrior1975 said:


> @gearofwar Normally I like your posts, they are very informative. I have to say what you are saying to @TenderTendon was a little off. He posted measurements he took of the Sony and compared them to the measurements posted for the QP1R. He certainly didn't do or say anything ignorant bro, he just shared his findings. I know measurements aren't the be all end all, but power measurements normally show a fair assessment in regards to power. At least he took the time to measure and post his results.
> 
> Of course, you have both devices and can share your POV, and it wouldn't be the first time anecdotal info contradicts measurements.
> 
> Either way, both daps are well received here and seems like you can't go wrong with either. Or I'm the true head-fi fashion, buy both.


 
 I was just trying to make him realize that measurement is not always true. He feels free to believe whatever he wants. Actually when he pm-ed me that 1z is the same as 1a except for different casing, I didn't see the point in arguing already. 
 Btw, He was wondering if I did post something here better than him since he has the equipment to measure while I don't. Well, someone has already posted a comparison before so I don't need to go over again. As said, I don't care for number, my ears determine everything.  Just re-quoted the whole thing. 
  
 Quote:


sabretoothbunny said:


> I have the Questyle QP1r, WM1Z and tried them with my HE1000 while making early comparisons... speculation and debate aside, however you cut it, the QP1r can drive the HE1000 though it really is pushing the unit on high gain and there's little headroom there. As for the WM1Z, it doesn't come close to that power output level and can't drive the HE1000 properly.
> Approximating the volume levels, the WM1Z on max volume, high gain is about equal to the QP1r max volume on its medium gain. Both units on high gain, I'd say the WM1Z is capable of about 80% the power of the QP1r... but nevertheless I'd suggest these questions are academic because realistically, while it's nice to have, I doubt the majority of people purchasing these units will be looking to primarily pair it with something that hard to drive or impractical. It would seem more useful for bragging rites than anything.
> 
> As for the the QP1r sound... this is subjective but my personal opinion is that it is most definitely NOT mid-fi territory. I did make brief comparisons on the WM1Z impressions page but it's not as simple as saying that one is superior to the other... the synergy and what is being paired with will be a far more defining than each unit on their own. For the most part the WM1Z/A units are far warmer in their presentations and the QP1r is more airy and for the most part faster sounding with a slightly tighter less impactful low frequency response. Detail retrieval is exceptionally good on the QP1r but both units have excellent soundstage (width and layering) capabilities. The QP1r is slightly more analytical, a little dryer and I much prefer it paired with denser, heavier sounding headphones and IEMs eg. Audeze LCD-X, JH Audio Layla, Angie and Earsonic Velvets all of which have quite emphasized bass regions even with their 'tuning' dials right down.
> ...


----------



## TenderTendon

pinkypowers said:


> WHAT?! Power measurements give you a good notion as to the power of a device? Such blasphemy! I won't stand for it!


 

 I agree. Complete hogwash!


----------



## TenderTendon

hongky said:


> It would be great if you could made the same measurement for DX200 balanced output


 

 I could, but I don't have access to one.


----------



## warrior1975

hongky said:


> Wow ... Cowon S more powerful ?
> Please make some comparison between thise two




That was just a quick feeling. No measurements or direct comparison. I'll try to compare head to head tonight. The Cowon S is a very powerful device though... As is the DX200. 

gearofwar Fair enough bro. Cheers


----------



## hung031086

Man this dap is great. It's burning 21 hours nonstop but it isn't warm at all. It doesn't like my all opus1, dpx1, ak70, qp1r, they got really warm easily. And battery is awsome. Love it


----------



## bvng3540

hung031086 said:


> Man this dap is great. It's burning 21 hours nonstop but it isn't warm at all. It doesn't like my all opus1, dpx1, ak70, qp1r, they got really warm easily. And battery is awsome. Love it




You love it even more when you get 4.4mm


----------



## gearofwar

hung031086 said:


> Man this dap is great. It's burning 21 hours nonstop but it isn't warm at all. It doesn't like my all opus1, dpx1, ak70, qp1r, they got really warm easily. And battery is awsome. Love it


 
 perfect high-end portable solution indeed.


----------



## mscott58

hung031086 said:


> Ok i will check it later
> 
> I saw they just have 2.5mm, 3.5mm



 


ALO will also make a 4.4mm now - just ask. Cheers


----------



## blazinblazin

I don't even need to charge it using a plug. 

I just connect it to my com and insert songs and tidy up my folders and plug out, it last hours. It's like so convenient.


----------



## MacedonianHero

sound eq said:


> i thought wm1a does not have tidal


 
  
  


whitigir said:


> It does not have Tidal. I think he meant it is the only thing lacking out of those ticked boxes


 
  
 ^ Correct!


----------



## hung031086

Well how come my vegas is less bass than usual when i pair it with 1A ? i don't know that did i do something wrong in settings or not lolz.


----------



## nanaholic

tendertendon said:


> What has this world come to when we discard measured data in favor of opinions?      Well, here's some more data to ignore...
> 
> I just measured the output of the 1A and 1Z. They both measure exactly the same, BTW. All measurements are on the balanced jack using high gain with a 1Khz test tone. I don't have a QP1R here to test, so all I have to compare with is the manufacturers published specs.
> 
> ...




Didn't you get the memo? 2017 is the year of "alternate facts", so of course power measurements SUPPLIED BY THE MANUFACTURER is not a true representation of output power, also something something fake news. 

it's embarrassing when someone copy and paste the marketing material without understanding the difference. All a current mode amp does is that it holds current constant while varying voltage for power output, whereas traditional voltage amps is the other way around, holding voltage constant while varying current. Simple science and engineering fact. In the end the final maximum output power doesn't care whether you are varying current or voltage, so when the OEM says it's X mW, that's as final as it gets. And here the WM1 trounces on the QP1R.

It appears that gears wants to argue sonic characteristics but thinly mask it with stuff he is passing off as objectivity - and that is wrong because sonic characteristics like cold/warm etc are a pure subjective preference, not objective fact.


----------



## gearofwar

Comparison for someone who is interested. If you are so sure on measurement numbers, don't bother.
 QP1R beats 1Z on balance mode by a small margin in term of driving power.
 Credits: @rudi0504


----------



## blazinblazin

hung031086 said:


> Well how come my vegas is less bass than usual when i pair it with 1A ? i don't know that did i do something wrong in settings or not lolz.


 
  
 Burn in.
  
 Up the volume.
  
 Try high gain.
  
 Use a 4.4mm balanced cable.


----------



## blazinblazin

gearofwar said:


> Comparison for someone who is interested. If you are so sure on measurement numbers, don't bother.
> QP1R beats 1Z on balance mode by a small margin in term of driving power.
> Credits: @rudi0504


 
  
 Looks like it's just a small margin. 
  
 It's not like heaven and hell of a difference.
  
 So there is nothing to fight about. Chill guys.


----------



## gearofwar

blazinblazin said:


> Looks like it's just a small margin.
> 
> It's not like heaven and hell of a difference.
> 
> So there is nothing to fight about. Chill guys.


 
 I'm cool from beginning that qp1r is more powerful than 1z in reality. Not just "Being trounced"


----------



## Jazzi

tendertendon said:


> Has anyone found an affordable balanced cable for the SE846? Something not too thick over the ear. I would prefer a 90 degree plug, but understand that this limits the choices even further.


 

 The MOST affordable one I've found is from Surfcables.  I haven't seen a 90 degree plug anywhere.


----------



## Jazzi

mscott58 said:


> ALO


 

 Received mine today - Ref 8 cable with the Sony 4.4.  Great cable and fast service (in the US, at least).


----------



## bvng3540

jazzi said:


> Received mine today - Ref 8 cable with the Sony 4.4.  Great cable and fast service (in the US, at least).




1 week not 1-3 months like plussound


----------



## Jazzi

bvng3540 said:


> 1 week not 1-3 months like plussound


 

 For me it was actually less than 1 week.  Order and received, cross country (Oregon to Virginia) in 5 days.  Great communications with JD in support.  Not my first transaction with ALO.  They get stuff done -- and fast!


----------



## bvng3540

jazzi said:


> For me it was actually less than 1 week.  Order and received, cross country (Oregon to Virginia) in 5 days.  Great communications with JD in support.  Not my first transaction with ALO.  They get stuff done -- and fast!




Yea they are super fast and great communication, ordered my 4.4 get to my door in 2 days, not like some other high end vendor


----------



## TenderTendon

gearofwar said:


> Comparison for someone who is interested. If you are so sure on measurement numbers, don't bother.
> QP1R beats 1Z on balance mode by a small margin in term of driving power.
> Credits: @rudi0504


 

 Is this your equipment that you evaluated? If so, do you have any data to support your claim. Anything? Anything at all? You don't have to be a scientist with expensive equipment. A cell phone in between the earcups with an SPL app running? Anything? For God's sake, give us something other than re-posting pictures and subjective reviews of others...


----------



## gearofwar

bvng3540 said:


> 1 week not 1-3 months like plussound


 
 Was Plussound this slow?  not in my memory. They got the cable done in about a week.


----------



## gearofwar

tendertendon said:


> Is this your equipment that you evaluated? If so, do you have any data to support your claim. Anything? Anything at all? You don't have to be a scientist with expensive equipment. A cell phone in between the earcups with an SPL app running? Anything? For God's sake, give us something other than re-posting pictures and subjective reviews of others...


 
 The owner of this pic will post his comparison later as requested by me. They are not mine to begin. Also we don't play by numbers in our hobby, we play by our ears, practical comparisons and if you were to ask him on that, he wouldn't be able to give you anything.
  
 As mentioned, if you care about numbers in this comparison, don't bother because no one can give you that except your equipment.


----------



## TenderTendon

gearofwar said:


> The owner of this pic will post his comparison later as requested by me. They are not mine to begin. Also we don't play by numbers in our hobby, we play by our ears, practical comparisons and if you were to ask him on that, he wouldn't be able to give you anything.


 

 Got it. Thanks.


----------



## unknownguardian

tendertendon said:


> Has anyone found an affordable balanced cable for the SE846? Something not too thick over the ear. I would prefer a 90 degree plug, but understand that this limits the choices even further.


 
  
 The only soft/flexible 4.4 balanced cable with 90 degree plug that came to my mind is the one from kumitate lab, priced at 29,800yen inclusive of shipping. You can check out their site.
  
 http://www.kumitatelab.com/4.4mm5polecable/?sl=en


----------



## warrior1975

hongky said:


> Wow ... Cowon S more powerful ?
> Please make some comparison between thise two




Just did a comparison...

Cowon S 60/140 louder than dx200 on 70/150, both se. If I switched the DX200 to balanced, it was closer (left Cowon se because I don't have a proper cable), but I think the Cowon may have been slightly louder. It was close. But, really not an adequate comparison, I just did out of curiosity.


----------



## hung031086

jazzi said:


> For me it was actually less than 1 week.  Order and received, cross country (Oregon to Virginia) in 5 days.  Great communications with JD in support.  Not my first transaction with ALO.  They get stuff done -- and fast!


 
 How much for that cable ? $299 ?


----------



## TenderTendon

unknownguardian said:


> The only soft/flexible 4.4 balanced cable with 90 degree plug that came to my mind is the one from kumitate lab, priced at 29,800yen inclusive of shipping. You can check out their site.
> 
> http://www.kumitatelab.com/4.4mm5polecable/?sl=en


 
 Thanks, I never would have found those on my own. I love the fact that they are available in black, as I'm not fond of clear cables. I think I'm going to give them a try!


----------



## Jazzi

hung031086 said:


> How much for that cable ? $299 ?


 

 The 4.4 connector is an extra $14, so it cost me $313.  The 4.4 doesn't show as an option when you're ordering the Ref 8, so be sure to include in the notes exactly what you want them to do.  The link to the connector is here: https://www.aloaudio.com/shop/gold-4-4mm-4-pole-balanced/.


----------



## hung031086

jazzi said:


> The 4.4 connector is an extra $14, so it cost me $313.  The 4.4 doesn't show as an option when you're ordering the Ref 8, so be sure to include in the notes exactly what you want them to do.  The link to the connector is here: https://www.aloaudio.com/shop/gold-4-4mm-4-pole-balanced/.


 
 Contacted supporter to ask about it


----------



## HamsterKing

Thanks guys for answering, should be converting my wave to flac and save some harddisk space for my future WM1A, btw I got a cable from nobunaga lab, 3.5mm and it mmcx is it recommendable to convert it to 4.4mm Is it easy to convert it.


----------



## jmills8

hung031086 said:


> Well how come my vegas is less bass than usual when i pair it with 1A ? i don't know that did i do something wrong in settings or not lolz.


cause of low powered amp.


----------



## nanaholic

gearofwar said:


> I'm cool from beginning that qp1r is more powerful than 1z in reality. Not just "Being trounced"




Exhibit A of "alternate facts" - even when the numbers provided by the *manufacturer* themselves and verified by third party says otherwise you still believes in your own "reality". You are making a poor case not just for the QP1R because you have to outright lie to make it appear better, you now make sure that nobody will ever take your opinion on anything in this thread or about the WM1, or the QP1R seriously ever again. Good job.


----------



## rudi0504

Today i have free time to do comparison 3 high end DAPS in term of sound quality and power to drive my Accoustic Enigma Dharma headphone.

Source:
Sony PCM D 100
Sony WM 1 Z
Questyle QP 1 R

Headphone:
Accoustic Enigma Dharma

Cable:
SAA Endorphin balance XLR 4 Pin
Adapters:
XLR 4 Pin to 3.5 mm by Alex 
XLR 4 Pin to 4.4 mm by Wild Lee

Music:
Audiophile songs from Taipei High End show 2016.
In FLAC 

Beethoven symphony number 7 
In narive DSD 

Sound Quality:

Ranked nr 1
Sony WM 1 Z vs

Ranked Nr 2
QP 1 R

High:
Has rich in detail but clarity below high ftom QP 1 R

Mid:
Sony has sweeter mid and forward mid presentation.mid sound analog like tube amp sound 

Bass:
Is deep and great impact and can go very low 
QP 1 R Bass is faster and more to mid bass. 
QP 1 R bass sound like from solid state bass quality.

Separation:
Both has great separation

Soundstage:
QP 1 R has wider soundstage 
Sony WM 1 Z Has better depth slightly narrower soundstage

Background:
Sony has better background.

Ranked number 3:

Sony PCM D 100 sound quality can not reached at the level Sony WM 1 Z and Questyle QP 1 R

High:
Is not so clean as the two DAPS

Mid:
Sound harsher compare to work DS

Bass:
Not as tight and fast speed these were DAPS

Separation:
Also below these 2 DAPs

Soundstage:
Less wide compare to 2 DAPS

Background:
It is not as quiet the two DAPS

Power wise:
It has big power to drive Enigma buy sound harsh compare to the 2 DAPs

Conculsion:
These 3 DAPS have big power

In term of power sound quality between 
Sony WM 1 Z and QP 1 R are different approach
Power QP 1 R is cleaner like solid state sound but sound thiner

Power Sony WM 1 Z sound like tube and sound more analog and warm.

Because Sony WM 1 Z Has blacker background and sweeter mid I ranked Sony WM 1 Z on 1st Place and 
Questyle QP 1 R on 2nd place 
Sony PCM D 100 on 3rd place

It was surprised me that Questyle QP 1 R latest batch December 2016 has significant sound quality improvement
In headphone out and line out.


----------



## Sarnia

princeofegypt said:


> Dignis leather case if anyone is interested
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112292005032?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649


Thanks for posting that, I bought it. It cost me slightly more than ordering new, but will be here a lot quicker.


----------



## musicday

Reading the manual was a great experience and definitely one can learn so much,also the battery can be replaced but is a bit of a pain to get to it,plus it has to be solder it on the main board.This Walkman seen to have the best build quality from the pictures and videos i have seen so far,and not getting warm at like,just like the Tera Player is amazing.
Definitely i am thinking about getting one,as soon as i will find more about it.


----------



## ledzep

tendertendon said:


> Thanks, I never would have found those on my own. I love the fact that they are available in black, as I'm not fond of clear cables. I think I'm going to give them a try!




Bought the licht clear myself, nice cable well made, 8 days from ordering to falling through the letterbox in the UK.


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

Sony MDR-EX100 brand new if anyone is interested!
  
 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112292434764?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649


----------



## ledzep

princeofegypt said:


> Sony MDR-EX100 brand new if anyone is interested!
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112292434764?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649



Excellent on balanced are the 1000


----------



## musicday

For those who bought the 1Z UK model volume capped did you registered with Sony before removing the cap or after?


----------



## Whitigir

Ok, I am a cable maniac person, while I appreciate your comparison. The one thing that bother me, my fellow enthusiast, your cables wires.....I do want to cry


----------



## Audio Addict

whitigir said:


> Ok, I am a cable maniac person, while I appreciate your comparison. The one thing that bother me, my fellow enthusiast, your cables wires.....I do want to cry




I would not call you a cable maniac, maybe a cable addict.


----------



## Whitigir

audio addict said:


> I would not call you a cable maniac, maybe a cable addict.




That would be so kind , but yeah, I love them and more than addicted to them....it is the constant experiences that I spent money, time, works on these cables from little tweaks here and there that .....is sheer crazy. I don't only settle on just grab random wires, plugs, braid it for fun, and make the cables. I only settle for the best. I won't bother to debate differences from A and B or what some can or can not hear. I stick to what I found out for myself, and make the cables that is best for myself and my own system  in the way I personally want it to be. In order to achieve that, I am constantly working on my cables, be it USB cables or headphones cables, even adapters....lol.....until I found what I want, and money is the pathway for all that to happen. 

If that is not "maniac" way of...addiction, I don't know what is ....sometimes I hate myself LOL

Back onto the topic. Comparison between WM1Z and another DAP, the Opus 2 from balanced out. Upgraded cables to maximize the potential of both DAP. I will put it in a simple expression: both using z1r fullside cans for comparison.

With appropriate cables, Wm1z is an obvious winner, from Dynamic, to resolutions, to soundstaging, into power delivery. Would there be any instances that Opus 2 would win? Yes, there are. When using stock cables from z1r to Wm1z 4.4mm balanced and to 2.5mm balanced on both DAP. The main signature remain different, Opus 2 is more solidstate and WM1Z is more analog.


----------



## blazinblazin

whitigir said:


> Ok, I am a cable maniac person, while I appreciate your comparison. The one thing that bother me, my fellow enthusiast, your cables wires.....I do want to cry




What material cables would you recommend to go with 1A/Z?

Copper, silver, spc, hybrids or alloys


----------



## Tanjiro

musicday said:


> For those who bought the 1Z UK model volume capped did you registered with Sony before removing the cap or after?



It doesn't matter I believe. Anyway, I removed volume cap from my WM1A then registered it to Sony.ca successfully


----------



## Whitigir

More Generally and universally, silver-gold is the recommended materials


----------



## Audio Addict

whitigir said:


> More Generally and universally, silver-gold is the recommended materials




Where do you get all your supplies?


----------



## Whitigir

audio addict said:


> Where do you get all your supplies?




All over the places , try Toxic cables diy supplies for example


----------



## Audio Addict

whitigir said:


> All over the places , try Toxic cables diy supplies for example




They are overseas, any US recommendations?


----------



## blazinblazin

whitigir said:


> More Generally and universally, silver-gold is the recommended materials


 
  
 Silver Gold alloy or Gold plated silver?
  
 I read like some people says that gold is not as conductive as Silver and adding gold to silver makes the alloy less pure.
  
 So i would like to know about opinions of this silver-gold combination.


----------



## Whitigir

audio addict said:


> They are overseas, any US recommendations?




For exquisite materials ... I am not so sure. You can always ship those under express shipment hehehe



blazinblazin said:


> Silver Gold alloy or Gold plated silver?
> 
> I read like some people swear that gold is not as conductive than Silver and adding gold to silver makes the alloy not pure.
> 
> So i would like to know about opinions of this silver-gold combination.




Silver-gold alloy...don't be confused by the purity. The regular OFC has all kinds of inclusions to it, even iron, nickels....etc...never gold! LOL. Do you call steel an iron impurity ? LOL

Alloys which are being engineered for a sheer purposes do exactly what it was engineered for, so don't worry about those non-senses debates


----------



## jmills8

blazinblazin said:


> Silver Gold alloy or Gold plated silver?
> 
> I read like some people says that gold is not as conductive as Silver and adding gold to silver makes the alloy less pure.
> 
> So i would like to know about opinions of this silver-gold combination.


----------



## Whitigir

jmills8 said:


>




Very interesting, always want to try out my next project in goldplated silver. What is your take on it


----------



## jmills8

whitigir said:


> Very interesting, always want to try out my next project in goldplated silver. What is your take on it


 Analog sounding but very detailed with a wide soundstage.


----------



## gearofwar

jmills8 said:


> z


 
 I have a Litz Silver + Gold before from Plussound, the sound was a bit too bright for my taste, is this also the case for this one?


----------



## jmills8

gearofwar said:


> I have a Litz Silver + Gold before from Plussound, the sound was a bit too bright for my taste, is this also the case for this one?


This is Beat Audio and its treble is very nice and not too bright.


----------



## musicday

moneypls said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > For those who bought the 1Z UK model volume capped did you registered with Sony before removing the cap or after?
> ...



Thanks for letting me know.


----------



## Whitigir

jmills8 said:


> Analog sounding but very detailed with a wide soundstage.




Had you ever tried silver with 1% gold cables yet ? Silver with goldplated is the most expensive wires, that cables from beat audio would be thousands ...

Now, I have a crazy idea ....this cables with 4.4 gold plug into Wm1z  so freaking dope! Oh, gold plated Utopia


----------



## blazinblazin

jmills8 said:


>




Beautiful cable. Gold plated silver


----------



## jmills8

blazinblazin said:


> Beautiful cable. Gold plated silver


 Individual Silver and Gold cables.


----------



## blazinblazin

jmills8 said:


> Individual Silver and Gold cables.



Wow. Must have costed a lot.


----------



## blazinblazin

Would like to know the sound difference of Silver-gold Alloy vs Gold plated gold cables.


----------



## Whitigir

jmills8 said:


> Individual Silver and Gold cables.




So this is the newer wires with gold and silver hybrid strands then ?


----------



## jmills8

whitigir said:


> So this is the newer wires with gold and silver hybrid strands then ?


Yes.


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> More Generally and universally, silver-gold is the recommended materials


Recommended by whom? Gold is seen as many as just a gimmick, cable makers are clearly not in agreement on that.


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> Recommended by whom? Gold is seen as many as just a gimmick, cable makers are clearly not in agreement on that.




He asked me, sir, it is recommended by me, sir! Agreement and disagreement make one another, so then just buy whatever cables you think is best for your need 

The job of the people (cables maker) is to cater to your specific needs. The voicing, the synergy, of your system in making the cables of your choices. It depends on many factors, and his question was specifically too general, so my answer was general. Then if he had specific questions, I would point him into (cables makers) for it. Why ? Because what I found is for my own needs and my personal preferences, my own system.

I hope that answer your questions


----------



## TenderTendon

musicday said:


> Reading the manual was a great experience and definitely one can learn so much,also the battery can be replaced but is a bit of a pain to get to it,plus it has to be solder it on the main board.This Walkman seen to have the best build quality from the pictures and videos i have seen so far,and not getting warm at like,just like the Tera Player is amazing.
> Definitely i am thinking about getting one,as soon as i will find more about it.


 

 I don't mean to torture you further, but the price on Amazon UK is at an all time low today. $2147 USD, with 2 day shipping to the US.


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> *More Generally and universally*, silver-gold is the recommended materials


 This is the reason I asked, because you phrased it as a general consensus, not your personal opinion. If it is your recommendation then fine. I myself have no opinion for or against gold in cables.


----------



## Whitigir

tendertendon said:


> I don't mean to torture you further, but the price on Amazon UK is at an all time low today. $2147 USD, with 2 day shipping to the US.




Holy smokes ! That is a good price !


----------



## pCollins

tendertendon said:


> I don't mean to torture you further, but the price on Amazon UK is at an all time low today. $2147 USD, with 2 day shipping to the US.


 
  
 If you pay in GBP, it's £1,646.45 
 I ordered mine ten days ago at £1,666.50
...still in transit


----------



## ttt123

Quote: 





stealer said:


> Til now I'm still unable find any seller for the wm port dustcover and both inputs jack cover. So if anyone managed to get these, pls post the link.


 
  
 Alternative solutions for the jack cover, and Sony case not having an opening for the charge cable.  The case mod could have been neater, but I just got tired of needing to leave the flap open while charging, and just grabbed it and cut it.  Works fine, though.  Much more convenient for charging in the case.  
  
 The jack cover is just a foam bumper, that is used to stick onto the bottom of equipment.  Also works quite well, and I think looks nice, and matches the case.  And cheap!  I am at the moment only using the 4.4mm balanced output, so am just leaving the 3.5mm output covered.
  
 The cable is a no name 99% silver with 1% gold alloy from a local DIY person.  I was really hesitant as it was an unknown quantity, but the stall terminated it to a 3.5mm TRRS, so I could compare with my Whiplash Twag V3 TRRS.  I liked the sound better than the Whiplash, even brand new, compared to the well burned in Whiplash.  More detailed, smooth, vocals and sound stage presented better.  Deeper bass.  So an interesting introduction to silver/gold alloy.  The cable is very flexible.   I really didn't know what to expect, and it is not easy to get the equivalent plug on the new cable to be able to compare properly.  Without a comparison, I would not have been able to bring myself to buy it.  And he also re-terminated the new cable to an Eidolic 4.4mm plug for me, so I could go direct to the 4.4mm output without needing to use a 4.4mm Plug to 3.5mm TRRS female adapter.  So I'm all set for now.   I also got the adapter made up for me from the same stall.


----------



## bvng3540

stealer said:


> Til now I'm still unable find any seller for the wm port dustcover and both inputs jack cover. So if anyone managed to get these, pls post the link.






You can buy that case and cut out the port cover


----------



## TenderTendon

rudi0504 said:


> Today i have free time to do comparison 3 high end DAPS in term of sound quality and power to drive my Accoustic Enigma Dharma headphone.


 
 Thank you for taking the time to post your thoughts on these players and for not making any unsubstantiated claims. One thing I wish you would have included though, is your opinion on the Sony's overall sound presentation with the DC Phase Linearizer engaged. I would think that quite a bit of R&D went into it and the purchase price reflects it's inclusion. In my opinion, it's effect is obvious and very favorable.


----------



## pCollins

ttt123 said:


> Alternative solutions for the jack cover, and Sony case not having an opening for the charge cable.  The case mod could have been neater, but I just got tired of needing to leave the flap open while charging, and just grabbed it and cut it.  Works fine, though.  Much more convenient for charging in the case.
> 
> The jack cover is just a foam bumper, that is used to stick onto the bottom of equipment.  Also works quite well, and I think looks nice, and matches the case.  And cheap!  I am at the moment only using the 4.4mm balanced output, so am just leaving the 3.5mm output covered.
> 
> The cable is a no name 99% silver with 1% gold alloy from a local DIY person.  I was really hesitant as it was an unknown quantity, but the stall terminated it to a 3.5mm TRRS, so I could compare with my Whiplash Twag V3 TRRS.  I liked the sound better than the Whiplash, even brand new, compared to the well burned in Whiplash.  More detailed, smooth, vocals and sound stage presented better.  Deeper bass.  So an interesting introduction to silver/gold alloy.  The cable is very flexible.   I really didn't know what to expect, and it is not easy to get the equivalent plug on the new cable to be able to compare properly.  Without a comparison, I would not have been able to bring myself to buy it.  And he also re-terminated the new cable to an Eidolic 4.4mm plug for me, so I could go direct to the 4.4mm output without needing to use a 4.4mm Plug to 3.5mm TRRS female adapter.  So I'm all set for now.   I also got the adapter made up for me from the same stall.


 
  
 I know the WM1Z sold at the Japanese retail stores comes with white plastic headphone plugs.  Appears those in the UK and US does not.


----------



## nanaholic

pcollins said:


> I know the WM1Z sold at the Japanese retail stores comes with white plastic headphone plugs.  Appears those in the UK and US does not.


 
  
 The Japanese version don't come with the leather case.  Price tag wise the non-Japanese versions are the better deal as that leather case is not exactly cheap (though also not exactly that practical either).


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> The Japanese version don't come with the leather case.  Price tag wise the non-Japanese versions are the better deal as that leather case is not exactly cheap (though also not exactly that practical either).




To me, covering the WM port is also important , and the stock case Does just that. However, the sides are too exposed to really call it a case


----------



## pCollins

nanaholic said:


> The Japanese version don't come with the leather case.  Price tag wise the non-Japanese versions are the better deal as that leather case is not exactly cheap (though also not exactly that practical either).


 
 In that case.  I am glad I did not pick one up last month at the Akihabara district.  They were priced at the time about $2450 USD, when the YEN/USD was 1.17+.  Would you say the Sony case is about $100?


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> If that is not "maniac" way of...addiction, I don't know what is
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 same for me but classical music recordinngs LOL and good sound


----------



## nanaholic

pcollins said:


> In that case.  I am glad I did not pick one up last month at the Akihabara district.  They were priced at the time about $2450 USD, when the YEN/USD was 1.17+.  Would you say the Sony case is about $100?


 
  
 The case is worth 9800yen IIRC.


----------



## PinkyPowers

whitigir said:


> it is recommended by me, sir!




You have a high opinion of yourself, if a recommendation by you amounts to the universal consensus. 

I happen to agree, Silver+Gold makes for a very nice sound. The Silver Poison I built is the first time I can say with confidence I've heard a difference in a cable. Any of the changes I "think" I've heard with SPC OCC were too subtle to be sure. But Silver+Gold is quite noticeable to me.


----------



## ledzep

blazinblazin said:


> What material cables would you recommend to go with 1A/Z?
> 
> Copper, silver, spc, hybrids or alloys




One of each IMO cover all bases


----------



## gerelmx1986

i am trying out the DC pase linearizer let see what i can heard


----------



## ledzep

whitigir said:


> To me, covering the WM port is also important , and the stock case Does just that. However, the sides are too exposed to really call it a case



I agree , Sony could have done a better job with the case and way over priced it's basically plastic with a wafer thin piece of leather over it, sold mine and got the red dignis yeah not cheap as well but it's slick looking and nice feel leather to it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> i am trying out the DC pase linearizer let see what i can heard


 

 ​Sounds something special about it, like th bass get a bit more refined and adds a bit of noticiable reverb to the dry But GOOD SOUNDING recordings


----------



## musicday

pcollins said:


> tendertendon said:
> 
> 
> > I don't mean to torture you further, but the price on Amazon UK is at an all time low today. $2147 USD, with 2 day shipping to the US.
> ...



Is £1960 here in UK!


----------



## pCollins

musicday said:


> Is £1960 here in UK!


 
  
 -17% VAT for those ordering from the US, so 1646


----------



## ledzep

musicday said:


> Is £1960 here in UK!




Yeah good old rip off England strikes again


----------



## perky

Sales tax/ vat


----------



## musicday

Yeah,US gets a great price. Hopefully it will go down to that for us in UK sometimes.After all the price always went down on this Walkman and not really went up,the worst case is to go back to same price for a short while


----------



## musicday

Been reading that the 1Z pairs exceptionally well with W80 in the single ended mode.Has anyone tried this combo in balanced mode?I know the DX200 is getting a lot of praise,but can it be better then the gold Walkman especially after the firmware will be improved?
There is a big price gap between the two!


----------



## TenderTendon

musicday said:


> Yeah,US gets a great price. Hopefully it will go down to that for us in UK sometimes.After all the price always went down on this Walkman and not really went up,the worst case is to go back to same price for a short while


 

 You could ship it to a friend in the US and have them ship it back to you. Would still be much cheaper with the additional shipping.


----------



## ledzep

Got a few of these coming to make up some cables, anyone tried these out yet ?


----------



## ledzep

tendertendon said:


> You could ship it to a friend in the US and have them ship it back to you. Would still be much cheaper with the additional shipping.




This probably won't work but .... What about buying on a US account from UK Amazon and shipping to a UK address ?


----------



## TenderTendon

ledzep said:


> This probably won't work but .... What about buying on a US account from UK Amazon and shipping to a UK address


 
 Let me try that.


----------



## ledzep

tendertendon said:


> Let me try that.



And let me just add that my home is a very welcoming place


----------



## jamato8

ledzep said:


> Got a few of these coming to make up some cables, anyone tried these out yet ?


 
 Who actually makes them? Check with a magnet for a steel center pin. I got some on Ebay for 7 dollars each. Non magnetic except for the nickel plating under the gold plating and are excellent (even the Furutech gold plated plugs are magnetic due to the nickel they use. The Rhodium are not but Furutech doesn't make the 4.4 yet). I got some for 20 and they had steel for the center pin but the shell was nicer so I use the shell on the 7 dollar TRRRS.


----------



## ledzep

jamato8 said:


> Who actually makes them? Check with a magnet for a steel center pin. I got some on Ebay for 7 dollars each. Non magnetic except for the nickel plating under the gold plating and are excellent (even the Furutech gold plated plugs are magnetic due to the nickel they use. The Rhodium are not but Furutech doesn't make the 4.4 yet). I got some for 20 and they had steel for the center pin but the shell was nicer so I use the shell on the 7 dollar TRRRS.




A company called wise tech Inc makes them


----------



## TenderTendon

ledzep said:


> And let me just add that my home is a very welcoming place


 
 Nope, won't work. A friend of mine lives in Middlesex. I tried shipping to his address with my US billing address and payment. Still got charged the tax.


----------



## jamato8

ledzep said:


> A company called wise tech Inc makes them


 

 Do they make them or put their name on them? Do you have a shot with no shell on the plug?


----------



## Whitigir

jamato8 said:


> Who actually makes them? Check with a magnet for a steel center pin. I got some on Ebay for 7 dollars each. Non magnetic except for the nickel plating under the gold plating and are excellent (even the Furutech gold plated plugs are magnetic due to the nickel they use. The Rhodium are not but Furutech doesn't make the 4.4 yet). I got some for 20 and they had steel for the center pin but the shell was nicer so I use the shell on the 7 dollar TRRRS.




You probably had counterfeit Furutech plugs. Furutech is the best at eliminating magnetized impurity in their stuff. They never used priming layer, such as nickels before the plating, they plated it on directly. I have plugs from them, and I can confirm that totally


----------



## ledzep

Music sanctuary are supplying them to me with some bispa plugs


----------



## jamato8

whitigir said:


> You probably had counterfeit Furutech plugs. Furutech is the best at eliminating magnetized impurity in their stuff. They never used priming layer, such as nickels before the plating, they plated it on directly. I have plugs from them, and I can confirm that totally


 

 No, these aren't counterfeit. Try it with the Furutech FP-704. I got them from an authorized dealer. The Rhodium do not have any magnetism. I am not talking about a center pin here with steel but use a very powerful magnet in a plastic bag. You will get attraction. 
  
 Maybe I am wrong. I am going to check my plugs some more. They are marked correctly and look correct for a Furutech but is there somewhere where Furutech says they flash over the copper with only gold. I know a few places have done this in the past. I have a Vampire that was supposed to be very good, and it has a steel central pin, no good. 
  
 I went on Furutech's site and they are really into not having magnetism so I can't imagine them using nickel plating under the gold. I got counterfeit Furutech from a dealer? Maybe. But I do have a couple of 1/4 Rhodium that are not magnetic and beautifully made but the Rhodium does wear off. On the tip, you can see the copper showing through now, on the edge, so while Furutech says how hard the Rhodium is, it still comes off and now I have a ring with Rhodium and a tip with a copper contact at the point of conductor contact.


----------



## jamato8

ledzep said:


> Music sanctuary are supplying them to me with some bispa plugs


 

 Nice. They are a little different from the plugs I have. I wonder what they use for the injection material for the dielectric?


----------



## musicday

tendertendon said:


> ledzep said:
> 
> 
> > And let me just add that my home is a very welcoming place
> ...



Thank you for trying, I would love to get it for same price as you guys in the States.
Anyone tried W80?


----------



## ledzep

musicday said:


> Thank you for trying, I would love to get it for same price as you guys in the States.
> Anyone tried W80?




You mean the westone iems and not the nuclear warhead in US cruise missles ?


----------



## musicday

ledzep said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Thank you for trying, I would love to get it for same price as you guys in the States.
> ...



I promise you i am talking about Westone IEMs, otherwise I will be talking about the Russian Satan2, that can travel with 7mile/second


----------



## ledzep

Any thoughts or purchases of the above ?


----------



## warrior1975

I tried to purchase that case, or one very similar from Amazon to no avail. I think it looks like a great case... I do have the dignis case though.


----------



## bvng3540

warrior1975 said:


> I tried to purchase that case, or one very similar from Amazon to no avail. I think it looks like a great case... I do have the dignis case though.




There plenty available on eBay


----------



## Lemieux66

I'd like to get a rubber / silicone case for my 1A. Saw one available in Korea but can't find the link anymore.


----------



## warrior1975

bvng3540 said:


> There plenty available on eBay




Nice... Maybe I'll pick one of them up as well. Thank you.


----------



## ledzep

lemieux66 said:


> I'd like to get a rubber / silicone case for my 1A. Saw one available in Korea but can't find the link anymore.




Well looks like it's your lucky day and at a bargain price too ! 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/832645/sony-wm1z-wm1a-silicon-case-black-and-clear


----------



## bvng3540

ledzep said:


> Well looks like it's your lucky day and at a bargain price too !
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/832645/sony-wm1z-wm1a-silicon-case-black-and-clear




You kidding me, $50


----------



## bvng3540

warrior1975 said:


> Nice... Maybe I'll pick one of them up as well. Thank you.




Also there plenty available on Amazon as well with PRIME same price


----------



## ledzep

bvng3540 said:


> You kidding me, $50




Yeah but this is the magic silicone I've heard of , you drop it and it bounces straight back into your hand !


----------



## warrior1975

$50 for a silicone case, which I seriously doubt will offer much protection if dropped. No thanks.


----------



## bvng3540

ledzep said:


> Yeah but this is the magic silicone I've heard of , you drop it and it bounces straight back into your hand !




If you zoom in the pictures you can see there are 4 invisible legs, that how when drop it bounces straight back into you hand


----------



## ledzep

bvng3540 said:


> If you zoom in the pictures you can see there are 4 invisible legs, that how when drop it bounces straight back into you hand




$10 for the case and $10 per invisible leg !


----------



## Tawek

Hi 
For now I own Sony nnz x1061 I love this small dap and I want to bay nw wm1z or 1a to improve Sq ... it's big upgrade? Thanks


----------



## ledzep

tawek said:


> Hi
> For now I own Sony nnz x1061 I love this small dap and I want to bay nw wm1z or 1a to improve Sq ... it's big upgrade? Thanks



Yeah its a nice little upgrade


----------



## turbo87

With regards to cases, the EA leather cases on eBay are a nice option also. For $50, they are a good deal. I had one for my LPG. 


http://www.ebay.com/itm/A6-EASECASE-Custom-Made-Genuine-Leather-Case-For-SONY-WM1-WM1A-WM1Z-/332093583317?hash=item4d5251efd5:g:rWEAAOSwLEtYfGwb


----------



## gearofwar

one of the favorite pairing at canjam - Warren's new masterpiece

definitely better than 1a , love this sound so much.

Iem using : Hum pristine v2 which is a direct upgrade to my old JH13FP . The amount of musicality in 1Z is astonishing. Had a chat with Tomoaki and Hiroaki-san on pairing Z1R with either 1A or 1Z . (I pretty much prefer Z1R out of 1A due to its synergy), they were very nice individuals. 
Also was asking them regarding future products next year and future firmware update for current for wm1. I can confirm that the new upcoming firmwares won't be improving the speed of the OS.

Got a hand on @twister6's DX200 ( don't want to reveal his real name on here) . Was really impressed with the sound and UI ; the UI is honestly better than wm1...


----------



## warrior1975

What is Warren's new masterpiece?


----------



## mscott58

warrior1975 said:


> What is Warren's new masterpiece?




Liquid Spark


----------



## audionewbi

Today I had a chance to try a well burned in 1Z and I have to admit via my HUM Pristine the extra richness in tonality is audible. Ofcourse this naturally mad me wonder whether I should sale my 1A and buy this 1Z but now that I am home and I had a few hours to think things over I am convince I can easily mimic the same tonality via pairing the right IEM with 1A. 
  
 I just simply did not have enough time to go over all the finer detail but the two do sound different enough, but not enough to trick the listener thing they are listening to two different DAP from a different family. 
  
 How come we dont see post of how 1A/1Z synergy with various IEM/headphones? It would be good if we have more of such posting so we can slowly pinpoint on what pairs best with 1A.


----------



## mscott58

I love the 1Z and the Vegas! Cheers


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> Today I had a chance to try a well burned in 1Z and I have to admit via my HUM Pristine the extra richness in tonality is audible. Ofcourse this naturally mad me wonder whether I should sale my 1A and buy this 1Z but now that I am home and I had a few hours to think things over I am convince I can easily mimic the same tonality via pairing the right IEM with 1A.
> 
> I just simply did not have enough time to go over all the finer detail but the two do sound different enough, but not enough to trick the listener thing they are listening to two different DAP from a different family.
> 
> How come we dont see post of how 1A/1Z synergy with various IEM/headphones? It would be good if we have more of such posting so we can slowly pinpoint on what pairs best with 1A.


 

 I have MDR-Z7 and the amount of details is insane, also Z5
  
 Z7s HOME
 Z5s PORTABLES


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> To me, covering the WM port is also important


 
 True, i had a pocket lint stuck in my ZX100 wm-port and had to use compressed air to blow it out


----------



## mscott58

gerelmx1986 said:


> True, i had a pocket lint stuck in my ZX100 wm-port and had to use compressed air to blow it out




Agree. For "pocket duty" I find the Sony case to be almost perfect. It slides easy in and out of the pocket and protects the screen and the WM port but leaves the sides open for accessing the buttons. On the desktop I just fold the cover back. Cheers


----------



## unknownguardian

gearofwar said:


> one of the favorite pairing at canjam - Warren's new masterpiece
> 
> definitely better than 1a , love this sound so much.
> 
> ...



How didnthe 1A and liquid spark combo compare with the 1Z? And you connect via line out from the 3.5mm?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have fiddled with the EQ
> 
> 16K  +3
> 8K +3
> ...




Here's, I tried your setting with 4.4 Sony Kimber cable, se ultimate. 

I think it removes slight veil and increases clarity, by around 10-15%. Granted, I'm only listening 6 songs and wm1a is burned around 120hr.

Try if any of you guys notice similar things and share...


----------



## hamhamhamsta

It sounds like there's more bite with each instruments, like its more sharper image, but slightly hotter treble. Kinda like Alo Ref8 cable. 

On another note, I'm getting 8 core pw5 4.4mm next month


----------



## jamato8

gearofwar said:


> one of the favorite pairing at canjam - Warren's new masterpiece
> 
> definitely better than 1a , love this sound so much.
> 
> ...


 
 Too bad about the FW not being made better on the WM1-. Sometimes the lag is irritating but I try and just look past it.


----------



## blazinblazin

audionewbi said:


> How come we dont see post of how 1A/1Z synergy with various IEM/headphones? It would be good if we have more of such posting so we can slowly pinpoint on what pairs best with 1A.



My Pairing.

WM1A + Sony Kimber Kable + Campfire Andromeda

I would say those Acoustic sounds so real.

It is very full sounding in lows and mid-lows but also sparkles on highs. My preference i would like a bit more highs.

Those Live recording in Concert halls sounds amazing, the ambience is just great.

Cymbals, bass for modern music are incredible.

Clarity wise a bit lesser than ALO Ref8.


----------



## hung031086

ref8 vs thor silver ii guys ?


----------



## Gibraltar

ledzep said:


> Well looks like it's your lucky day and at a bargain price too !
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/832645/sony-wm1z-wm1a-silicon-case-black-and-clear


 
  
 This is the exact case that sells on Taobao for $13, and on Taobao it includes a screen protector and caps for the ports!


----------



## ledzep

gibraltar said:


> This is the exact case that sells on Taobao for $13, and on Taobao it includes a screen protector and caps for the ports!



Yes but is this the magic bouncing silicone one ?


----------



## gearofwar

hung031086 said:


> ref8 vs thor silver ii guys ?



i would pick Effect audio over ALO. Someone should come try their booth in canjam, unbelievable performance.


----------



## Whitigir

I thought people still don't believe in cables ?


----------



## AnakChan

A quick visual comparison between the 4.4mm plugs (sorry, photos from my iPhone) :-
  
 L-R: Nobunaga Labs, Effect Audio, Oyaide OEM (Topura?), BiSpa, Pentaconn
  

  
 The Nobunaga has a longer inner stem compared to the Effect Audio however the external casing of both are similar in length. Both are shorter than the Oyaide OEM/Topura & BiSpa. The longest being the Pentaconn.
  
 One thing different about the Pentacon is the R+ and R- side-by-side (as such fewer whole "rings").
  


 In terms of space for cable, the Pentaconn offers the largest inner diameter for holding cables, whilst BiSpa and Oyaide OEM/Topura are similar. The Effect Audio has a slightly larger diameter than the Nobunaga Labs, but both are smaller than the BiSpa and Oyaide OEM/Topura.


----------



## Whitigir

Exactly why I love the Pentaconn...but it is hard to work on. The Oyaide OEM look good, but how come it does look similar to some cheaper kinds ? Thank you Anakchan Btw. Effect audio do look very solid.

Any news on Furutech or Cardas to be making 4.4 soon ?


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> Exactly why I love the Pentaconn...but it is hard to work on.


 
  
 What makes you say that?  
 That design actually looks like it's seriously easy to work with from what I see, especially that R+/R- side rings.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> What makes you say that?
> That design actually looks like it's seriously easy to work with from what I see, especially that R+/R- side rings.




That is where the problem is, R+ terminal is so (small) and so close to the main body. In comparison to the rest of the above plugs, the Pentaconn is harder to work on....heck, even harder than some 3.5mm lol


----------



## AnakChan

The Oyaide OEM (someone said it's Topura, happy to take their word for it) is the cheapest of the lot in fact at ¥1600, Nobunga Labs at ¥1700, Bispa at ¥1890, Effect Audio at ¥2600, & Pentaconn at ¥5800.

The Oyaide OEM/Topura as previously mentioned is made in Japan, as is the Pentaconn. I don't know about the others.


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> That is where the problem is, R+ terminal is so (small) and so close to the main body. In comparison to the rest of the above plugs, the Pentaconn is harder to work on....heck, even harder than some 3.5mm lol


 
  
 I don't have problems with small contacts myself.  It's when the terminals are of different lengths that makes it hard for me, especially for those were it is alternating.


----------



## nanaholic

anakchan said:


> The Oyaide is the cheapest of the lot in fact at ¥1600, Nobunga Labs at ¥1700, Bispa at ¥1890, Effect Audio at ¥2600, & Pentaconn at ¥5800.
> 
> The Oyaide OEM as previously mentioned is made in Japan, as is the Pentaconn. I don't know about the others.


 
  
 NDICS is being a little misleading with their wording. "Produce by Japan, Made in PRC" is what it says.  PRC is of course People's Republic of China.  That makes them made in China.
  
 http://blog-imgs-96.fc2.com/f/i/x/fixerhpa/IMG_6308001.jpg


----------



## AnakChan

nanaholic said:


> NDICS is being a little misleading with their wording. "Produce by Japan, Made in PRC" is what it says.  PRC is of course People's Republic of China.  That makes them made in China.
> 
> http://blog-imgs-96.fc2.com/f/i/x/fixerhpa/IMG_6308001.jpg


Thx for the correction.


----------



## Mimouille

gearofwar said:


> i would pick Effect audio over ALO. Someone should come try their booth in canjam, unbelievable performance.


Which cable did you try / like?


----------



## nanaholic

anakchan said:


> Thx for the correction.


 
  
 I'm thinking they are taking cues from the wordings of Apple devices - Design in California, assembled in China - that kind of thing. But worded in a pretty poor way that will easily lead to misunderstanding.


----------



## CraftyClown

whitigir said:


> I thought people still don't believe in cables ?




Some of us really don't


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> I thought people still don't believe in cables ?







craftyclown said:


> Some of us really don't




I do, I believe the prettier they are, the happier I am.


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> I thought people still don't believe in cables ?


 

 Well if you still believe in it, I think many will, for all I know, if you DIY one from paper and strings and say it work, they will believe you, probably the whole forum whill have you making one for them.


----------



## kms108

nanaholic said:


> anakchan said:
> 
> 
> > Thx for the correction.
> ...


 
 Most if not all are made in china.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> Well if you still believe in it, I think many will, for all I know, if you DIY one from paper and strings and say it work, they will believe you, probably the whole forum whill have you making one for them.




That is funny, but that is not how I can afford this hobby though


----------



## blazinblazin

gearofwar said:


> i would pick Effect audio over ALO. Someone should come try their booth in canjam, unbelievable performance.




Have your tried Thor Silver II+ and Leonidas?


----------



## gerelmx1986

i will ask plussound for a Budget of a custom cable


----------



## ledzep

Anyone modded a WMC-NWH10 USB could do with replacing the cable to a micro.


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> Anyone modded a WMC-NWH10 USB could do with replacing the cable to a micro.




I have seen it before


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> Well if you still believe in it, I think many will, for all I know, if you DIY one from paper and strings and say it work, they will believe you, probably the whole forum whill have you making one for them.




Well I made a call on my custom telephone so the string theory works


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> Well I made a call on my custom telephone so the string theory works




It was one of my favorite game when I was a child


----------



## gerelmx1986

Will it be expensive to order from plussound a small adapter ? prob. 10-15 cm in length, Male 4.4mm plug to dual 3.5mm TRS female sockets to use with the balanced cables of my Z7 & 5


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Will it be expensive to order from plussound a small adapter ? prob. 10-15 cm in length, Male 4.4mm plug to dual 3.5mm TRS female sockets to use with the balanced cables of my Z7 & 5




I will be honest with you, stock Z7 cables "Suck!" Sony improved upon the Z1R stock cables, even so, it still benefit from upgrade cables. Instead of an adaptor, just make a 4.4mm cable to Z7 and adaptor 4.4mm to dual 3.5mm for the better sake of sound quality 

No one can answer for plussound except themselves


----------



## djhitman

What music management software would be good to use with wm1z/wm1a on a mac?


----------



## audionewbi

djhitman said:


> What music management software would be good to use with wm1z/wm1a on a mac?


Sony offers one but it minimalistic.
http://www.sony.com.au/support/download/615487


----------



## gerelmx1986

Is the xo line of PLUSSOUND cables good? , is the cheapest I could find, starting at 99 for copper only or 125 for copper silver plated


----------



## mscott58

Had the chance to try the Sony Z1R's with my burned-in 1Z and was kind of underwhelmed. Even then paired them with the TA-ZH1ES and still wasn't that impressed. They're very good, but I was hoping for that kind of money to be knocked out. I actually preferred the Aeon's. YMMV of course and I didn't have all that long to play with them. Cheers


----------



## AnakChan

kms108 said:


> Most if not all are made in china.


 
  
 As the 4.4mm 5-pole plugs were available in Japan first (although now probably more easily available globally), I didn't want to make such sweeping statements as it wouldn't have explained if they were made in China why their availability was so scarce. That's why I specifically asked Oyaide where theirs was from. I believe the BiSpa are also made in Japan too but my memory is sketchy so I'll have to ask them again.


----------



## gearofwar

I'm currently looking for suggestion to make the sound on 1A as rich as possible or close to 1Z, any recommendation for the EQ..etc? Thanks in advance (I did ask this question before but was replied back that 1A sounds the same as 1Z)....


----------



## warrior1975

jamato8 said:


> Too bad about the FW not being made better on the WM1-. Sometimes the lag is irritating but I try and just look past it.




You find it that bad? I notice it, wish it wasn't so, but it's not really that bad as to the point of it effecting my enjoyment. 

I need to order some cables... I'm getting the alo audio ref 8 balanced with the 4.4mm jack. I'd also like one for my Sony EX800st and Z5. I think plus sound is my choice for them, along with PETEREK. 

I think I'd like to try an effect cable too... That Hercules cable is screaming my name... But I've tried to stop with the ridiculously [over]priced cables. Just drives me crazy when I see beautiful cables... I want them!!


----------



## jamato8

warrior1975 said:


> You find it that bad? I notice it, wish it wasn't so, but it's not really that bad as to the point of it effecting my enjoyment.
> 
> I need to order some cables... I'm getting the alo audio ref 8 balanced with the 4.4mm jack. I'd also like one for my Sony EX800st and Z5. I think plus sound is my choice for them, along with @PETEREK.
> 
> I think I'd like to try an effect cable too... That Hercules cable is screaming my name... But I've tried to stop with the ridiculously [over]priced cables. Just drives me crazy when I see beautiful cables... I want them!!


 

 No, not bad, just a little laggy at times but I tend to listen to entire albums so it isn't that big a deal. I was just surprised that they aren't going to try and address it. 
  
 I have made up a very high quality adapter so I can use all my cables with the 1A in balanced or SE, though my preference is balanced.


----------



## gearofwar

jamato8 said:


> No, not bad, just a little laggy at times but I tend to listen to entire albums so it isn't that big a deal. I was just surprised that they aren't going to try and address it.
> 
> I have made up a very high quality adapter so I can use all my cables with the 1A in balanced or SE, though my preference is balanced.


 
 I have tried other daps today at canjam included Fiio x5 gen 3 and Cayin i5 with i5 being close to performance as a fraction of the price, they were having better UI , more efficient than anything I have seen. I could browse my 200 gb folder with thousands of song up and down without a single hint of lag....


----------



## blazinblazin

Happened to saw this Adaptor from China


----------



## jmills8

kms108 said:


> Most if not all are made in china.


Yes made in China but designed and invented elsewhere.


----------



## PCheung

Checked on twitter and SonyJP PR say the next firmware scheduled end of February or March, to fix the skipping / jumping problem while playback 

https://twitter.com/fit240/status/828168738813849600?s=09


----------



## SebaE2012

I 





musicday said:


> I would like the 1Z manual too please.




I think they are posted at Ascariss' blog on Walkman. Good luck!


----------



## GoDiSLoVe

I have been trying Audirvana Plus.  It's not free and I still haven't decided if I want to pay.
 But it looks pretty good.  Especially with Tidal, Qobuz and highresuadio.com integration.
 And (paid version) comes with 3 months of Tidal hifi and 1 month of Qobuz hifi


----------



## Whitigir

blazinblazin said:


> Happened to saw this Adaptor from China




What is that adaptor for ? Lol


----------



## kel77

whitigir said:


> What is that adaptor for ? Lol


 

 4.4mm balanced to 3.5mm SE or 2.5mm balanced.


----------



## Whitigir

kel77 said:


> 4.4mm balanced to 3.5mm SE or 2.5mm balanced.




Lol...that is dumb. Again, I am ok with 4.4mm to 2.5mm balanced as there is no shorting the circuit. However, to be using 4.4mm into 3.5mm SE, you are shorting ground to ground from inverter to inverter.

To each of his own. I would never be that lazy to use such adaptor for my expensive WM1Z and even if I had WM1A, I would never have used it because it is wrong. Then on top of that, I prefer pure cables rather than adapter


----------



## musicday

sebae2012 said:


> I
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks.


----------



## nogi replicant

mimouille said:


> and I guess their 1960 must sound even better




I've got both, it does.


----------



## AnakChan

> kel77 said:
> 
> 
> > 4.4mm balanced to 3.5mm SE or 2.5mm balanced.
> ...


 
  
@kel77 sure it's not 2.5mm/3.5mm TRRS -> 4.4mm balanced instead? Agreed with @Whitigir that 3.5mm SE to 4.4mm balanced doesn't make sense OTOH there seems to be lots of 2.5mm TRRS -> balanced and 3.5mm TRRS to 4.4mm balanced adapters around, and this seems to be an attempt to combine both.


----------



## kel77

anakchan said:


> @kel77 sure it's not 2.5mm/3.5mm TRRS -> 4.4mm balanced instead? Agreed with @Whitigir that 3.5mm SE to 4.4mm balanced doesn't make sense OTOH there seems to be lots of 2.5mm TRRS -> balanced and 3.5mm TRRS to 4.4mm balanced adapters around, and this seems to be an attempt to combine both.


 

 From the Chinese wordings on the original site the 3.5mm was stated as stereo 3.5mm which I believe it meant single ended.
 The 2.5mm was stated as balanced.


----------



## AnakChan

kel77 said:


> From the Chinese wordings on the original site the 3.5mm was stated as stereo 3.5mm which I believe it meant single ended.
> The 2.5mm was stated as balanced.


Thanks for the translation...all I can say is "oh dear" if that is truly 3.5mm TRS to 4.4mm balanced. I thought that was a well understood "no-no" but guess I was wrong.


----------



## ledzep

WM1A Amazon UK £592.21 warehouse deal , mate got one this morning as new condition.


----------



## Lemieux66

ledzep said:


> WM1A Amazon UK £592.21 warehouse deal , mate got one this morning as new condition.




I just saw that too - I thought I'd done well at £765 brand new but that's even better, even though it's open-box.


----------



## Sarnia

ledzep said:


> WM1A Amazon UK £592.21 warehouse deal , mate got one this morning as new condition.


It was the bogus seller posting low prices again. It took Amazon about an hour to correct their new price, but the Warehouse price stayed down. They did the same with the Z1Rs which dropped to the lowest price I've seen briefly.


----------



## Lemieux66

sarnia said:


> It was the bogus seller posting low prices again. It took Amazon about an hour to correct their new price, but the Warehouse price stayed down. They did the same with the Z1Rs which dropped to the lowest price I've seen briefly.




Is the bogus seller just trying to hook people in with low prices to scam them?

He's certainly costing Amazon some losses.


----------



## ledzep

Bogus seller needs to work his magic more on the 1Z I want it for £1000 !


----------



## Lemieux66

ledzep said:


> Bogus seller needs to work his magic more on the 1Z I want it for £1000 !




I've been trying to avoid saying that sort of thing LOL!


----------



## gerelmx1986

gearofwar said:


> I'm currently looking for suggestion to make the sound on 1A as rich as possible or close to 1Z, any recommendation for the EQ..etc? Thanks in advance (I did ask this question before but was replied back that 1A sounds the same as 1Z)....


 

 ​Fior me the 1A is already the best, trebles aren't harsh to me (harsh trebles is something i can't wistand) and yet detailed and great Deep bass quality. Software-wise is passable but yes just a bit of lag . Have noted in this regard that if I remove songs the lag becomes less evident, seems like a caching issye


----------



## gerelmx1986

pcheung said:


> Checked on twitter and SonyJP PR say the next firmware scheduled end of February or March, to fix the skipping / jumping problem while playback
> 
> https://twitter.com/fit240/status/828168738813849600?s=09


 

 ​Can someone confirm me this/ play a song and while it is playing, delete it, the player will go to the next song and start playing where the last song was playing before being deleted, so if the song was at 8:20 before being deleted, the next sog will skip and play at 8:20 or if the song is short it iwll skip several songs


----------



## Sarnia

lemieux66 said:


> Is the bogus seller just trying to hook people in with low prices to scam them?
> 
> He's certainly costing Amazon some losses.


yes I think so. They usually ask people to contact them by e-mail before ordering, which is against Amazon's terms. I think they may ask them to pay direct to achieve the cheaper price. Of course I'm not 100% on that because I haven't contacted them.

Interestingly today they seem to also be posting without asking for emails, but the same silly price. It looks like another hacked seller's account as they have 1,899 feedback ratings in the last 12 months, and looking at their website they sell pc and console games, not electronic equipment.

The WM1A and Z1R prices dropped because they posted the low price with two separate seller accounts. Amazon's algorithm always seems to try and price match when there are two or more lower prices. On the WM1Z they only posted one low price.

Amazon don't seem to be able to combat them as this has been going on for a long time.


----------



## gearofwar

sarnia said:


> yes I think so. They usually ask people to contact them by e-mail before ordering, which is against Amazon's terms. I think they may ask them to pay direct to achieve the cheaper price. Of course I'm not 100% on that because I haven't contacted them.
> 
> Interestingly today they seem to also be posting without asking for emails, but the same silly price. It looks like another hacked seller's account as they have 1,899 feedback ratings in the last 12 months, and looking at their website they sell pc and console games, not electronic equipment.
> 
> ...


 
 He's back again, I have seen him popping around amazon uk before. Actually, there is place where people report scammers and he's been reported many times already. Looks like someone's storefront was being hacked which tricked people into thinking that a high-rating seller was offering this. 
  
 Btw, I have to admit Z1R was not that impressive even out of Sony amp and compared to many other hp at the show. What caught me most was actually new Mr . Speaker aeon , Utopia and new Chord Hugo 2 which I preferred to Dave. 
  
 I drove Utopia out of 1z on balance without any problem and sounded amazing.
  
 I have also inquired about the power output between 1z and 1a with Sony engineers and was told that 1z has slightly better ouput than 1a as well as having better quality resistors, not to mention the wiring ( I will have 1a opened up and rewired in the future)


----------



## pCollins

FYI
 crazy Amazon UK sale of the WM1Z appears (for the moment) to be over.
 back to listed price of  £2,562.00    which is $3,228 USD


----------



## Sarnia

pcollins said:


> FYI
> crazy Amazon UK sale of the WM1Z appears (for the moment) to be over.
> back to listed price of  [COLOR=B12704]£2,562.00[/COLOR]    which is $3,228 USD


I imagine Amazon have been manually going in and adjusting prices after today's bogus pricing. The low price on the WM1Z was left over from a bogus price a while ago which didn't correct. I thought about buying at the lower price, but compared to the £620 I paid for the WM1A it didn't seem worth it to me, especially with the extra weight.


----------



## musicday

pcollins said:


> FYI
> crazy Amazon UK sale of the WM1Z appears (for the moment) to be over.
> back to listed price of  [COLOR=B12704]£2,562.00[/COLOR]    which is $3,228 USD



They can keep it for themselves at that price


----------



## Acemcl

has anyone paired the WM1-A with the Sony PHA-2A Amp? I am looking to pair the two and run my utopia's via the balanced output.


----------



## proedros

ledzep said:


> WM1A Amazon UK £592.21 *warehouse* deal , mate got one this morning as new condition.


 
  
  
 do you get a full warranty here ?


----------



## ledzep

proedros said:


> do you get a full warranty here ?



Yeah you sure do


----------



## proedros

ledzep said:


> Yeah you sure do


 
  
 not sure if serious or trolling , the yeah got me off i guess


----------



## Sarnia

proedros said:


> do you get a full warranty here ?


If you buy from Amazon Warehouse you are essentially buying used, so you don't get the full warranty, just 30 days to return it for any reason.


----------



## proedros

sarnia said:


> If you buy from Amazon Warehouse you are essentially buying used, *so you don't get the full warranty,* just 30 days to return it for any reason.


 
  
 i thought so , thanx for clearing that up


----------



## jamato8

gearofwar said:


> I drove Utopia out of 1z on balance without any problem and sounded amazing.
> 
> I have also inquired about the power output between 1z and 1a with Sony engineers and was told that 1z has slightly better ouput than 1a as well as having better quality resistors, not to mention the wiring ( I will have 1a opened up and rewired in the future)


 
 That is interesting. So I can conclude that they used a different amp section in the 1Z vs the 1A because from previous information I thought it was the same amp but different wiring and resistors.


----------



## ledzep

proedros said:


> not sure if serious or trolling , the yeah got me off i guess




My apologies , I meant yes you do get the guarantee with Sony once you register it Amazon I think it's 90 days, personal choice I guess regarding the warranty with amazon but for half the rrp it's worth it IMO


----------



## ledzep

acemcl said:


> has anyone paired the WM1-A with the Sony PHA-2A Amp? I am looking to pair the two and run my utopia's via the balanced output.




Yeah I have them both and they both sound slightly different in a good way.


----------



## jugglingsoot

ledzep said:


> WM1A Amazon UK £592.21 warehouse deal , mate got one this morning as new condition.




Can't help wondering if that's the one I returned last week. TBH I'd have been tempted to buy it back at that money!


----------



## Lemieux66

I've managed to rip some old DVD-A discs and Neil Young 24/96 DVD-Vs today. So nice to have hi-res tracks to carry around.

I've not bought many HD albums online yet because they're so expensive. Scandalous really. Good job CDs sound so good on the WM1A!


----------



## doofalb

ledzep said:


> WM1A Amazon UK £592.21 warehouse deal , mate got one this morning as new condition.


 
 Doesn't ship to the US tho


----------



## gerelmx1986

lemieux66 said:


> I've managed to rip some old DVD-A discs and Neil Young 24/96 DVD-Vs today. So nice to have hi-res tracks to carry around.
> 
> I've not bought many HD albums online yet because they're so expensive. Scandalous really. Good job CDs sound so good on the WM1A!


agree CD sounds dann good on the WM1A, in fact I am really thinking the real value of Hi res if it's really worth


----------



## TenderTendon

gearofwar said:


> I have also inquired about the power output between 1z and 1a with Sony engineers and was told that 1z has slightly better ouput than 1a as well as having better quality resistors


 
 What were the names of the engineers you spoke with? I have some email dialogue going on with Sony right now and would like to bring this claim to their attention. As of right now, all I am being told is that the 1A and 1Z have the same power output, and my measurements confirm that. If the 1Z is supposed to have more power, I would like to send it in and have it looked at. Thanks.


----------



## ledzep

whitigir said:


> I have seen it before




Part way through modding my sony wmc-nwh10 been while since I picked up an iron


----------



## jamato8

ledzep said:


> Part way through modding my sony wmc-nwh10 been while since I picked up an iron


 
 Hey, I use the same color sponge and the same wire cutters. lol


----------



## Lemieux66

tendertendon said:


> What were the names of the engineers you spoke with? I have some email dialogue going on with Sony right now and would like to bring this claim to their attention. As of right now, all I am being told is that the 1A and 1Z have the same power output, and my measurements confirm that. If the 1Z is supposed to have more power, I would like to send it in and have it looked at. Thanks.




gearofwar asked them about power output difference but according to the wording of his post the 1Z has a 'better output', not a more powerful output, which I assume to mean better SQ. So as far as I can see there is no power difference between the two models.


----------



## ledzep

jamato8 said:


> Hey, I use the same color sponge and the same wire cutters. lol




I should really make all my own cables seeing as I have a full lab at my disposal but after spending all day doing development last thing I need is to start soldering , would have saved me a small fortune over the years :eek:


----------



## gerelmx1986

I bet both have same power output but slightly different circuit, 
  
Removed personal attack


----------



## jamato8

ledzep said:


> I should really make all my own cables seeing as I have a full lab at my disposal but after spending all day doing development last thing I need is to start soldering , would have saved me a small fortune over the years


 

 Yes, gets tedious but once you are done, well, you are done. :^) Like cooking your own meal, you know what you are getting. I use mostly all Furutech, when available for connectors.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Reached 355 hours, The WM1A beats the ZX100, which i oned for over a year. everyone here should know what happened to my zx100, some issues with quality control , button board failure and the top face separated.
  
 Sound quality wise the WM1A is warmer than ZX100. has more bass presence, pushes deeper and slams more (MDR-Z7 right now are getting the most time w/stock cables SE).
  
 So WM1A VS ZX100
  
 Build is better clearly in the 1A a solid machined aluminum block vs an aluminum block with plastic top and bottoms and fake plastic that wasnt leather in the back for zx100.
  
 USB transfer speed is faster in WM1A, 25MB/s vs 11 MB/s for zx100
  
 UI: Like more the WM1A UI for sure, more intuitive cross-swipe seems innovative, many menu items that were in zx100 were either dissaperaed or condensed. Yet 1A UI is a bit laggy at times vs zx100 snappy Ux, sure I feel 1A scans a bit faster the memory. Other poibnt ood for me is that every time the 1A is turned ON it must re-scan the DB, zx100 only did after pc connection, not a big deal but yeah boot time is slower in 1A.
  
 Battery life, well this one is because we trade Power in the 1A but at 22h i get on AVG is still better, sure not the same 45hr i got on zx100 but you have more power and that is what it counts for the 1A.
  
 Sad to see some stuff of the ZX100 go on the WM1 series, coverflow and the surround, at least wush sony had included a reverb on the WM1
  
 BASS- Bass is more present in the WM1A than in the zx100, In The WM1A bass kicks deeper and rumbles, to get same effect on the zx100 i would need to push the clear bass to +5.
  
 MIDS: seem a bit more forward on the 1A giving nice rich detail
  
 HIGH- ZX100 was HARSH WM1A has more tamed trebles withouth sounding dark or compromising the resolution, despite a more controlled treble section i feel, the 1A can output better detailing than the ZX100 whose character was brighter. Vical, especially female choruses or all together the sound comes as natural as real on the WM1A with zero grain or warbling like the zx100 (sure zx100 had less warble than NWZ-A17)
  
 SOUNDSTAGE & SEPARATION: Clear winer is WM1A, more eveloping soundstage, kind like speherical , like butterflies flying arround you all notes come from everywhere, bigger stage than zx100 in both depth and width. separation is also better in the WM1A i can distinguish instruments on larger scale works well. Echo and reverb tails deccay natural and realistic in the WM1A
  
 The comparison between fiio x3 will be from memory, the fiio x3 mentioned is the first generation x3, XBA-A3 and 5 share similar character had oth but sold A3 due to plastic scratching.not because a night and day difference
  
 Build, hmm both units X3 and 1A seem to be built like tanks bery well built units
 USB Trabsfer speed, 1A again is the clear winner here, forgot how fast did the fiio transfer but i am not that wrong perhaps as low as 8 MB/s
  
 UI- Damn fiio x3 had the slowest UI ever and buggy, not to mention sometimes a FW ruined the sound. WM1A builds a song list of nearly 7800 FLAC in seconds... fiio x3 a list of 3000 took a full minute to load all songs and sometimes crashed LOL. scan time i feel 1A is way faster at scanning SD and internal storage vs fiio which too almost 25 minutes
  
 SQ
  
 BASS fiio x3 achiles heel, the warm was too much that affected the clairty, seems like M1A after all has a leaner signature
 MIDS- again X3 was highly veiled and ood sounding player same for HIGHS WM1A hands down is the winner
  
 Stage and separation in the X3 was so inaccurate so unrelaistic and narrow, it present curiously some instrumenst such as flute, violin or female singers as floating above my head, so annoying
  
 Battery life sure WM1A is better at 22hr on 16/44 vs 6 or barely 7 hours on the fiio


----------



## bvng3540

You compared 1a to zx100 is like compared a Lexus to Ford


----------



## gerelmx1986

bvng3540 said:


> You compared 1a to zx100 is like compared a Lexus to Ford


 

 ​But zx100 is already good sounding player if it wan't fot the QA issues i would have kept it


----------



## warrior1975

You're comparing the 1a to the Fiio X3 OG? lol. Poor Fiio X3!! Everything you said is in point, except I really enjoyed the bass and hardware bass buttons on it. I still have my little guy, love my X3. I'll never sell it, even though I haven't used it in many months. Terrible UI, absolutely horrific. But, loved the bass adjustment. I think the X3 was a good player back in the day... Now it's truly an antiquated piece of equipment.


----------



## gearofwar

Not a fair comparison for a dap like Fiio x3 to wm1a, it didn't hold a candle; However, the new x5 gen 3 beats wm1a's UI by miles...


----------



## gerelmx1986

warrior1975 said:


> You're comparing the 1a to the Fiio X3 OG? lol. Poor Fiio X3!! Everything you said is in point, except I really enjoyed the bass and hardware bass buttons on it. I still have my little guy, love my X3. I'll never sell it, even though I haven't used it in many months. Terrible UI, absolutely horrific. But, loved the bass adjustment. I think the X3 was a good player back in the day... Now it's truly an antiquated piece of equipment.


 

 ​Sure it was good on its day, better than a 'Pod yeah 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My first travel companion also, haha still rmeember my German friend who got pissed off at it for being so slow XD, eh threw it head on to the ccarpeted floor (thank good and not bare concrete floor)
  
 EDIT: Both my A17 and ZX100 screen scratched eaisly just ebing on my pants pocket with the Oppo ha-2 amp LOL, fiio x3 screen was also plastic but was a very tough plastic boy, really so thick, i dissasembled the brciked one i had (received a new one on warranty)


----------



## gerelmx1986

gearofwar said:


> Not a fair comparison for a dap like Fiio x3 to wm1a, it didn't hold a candle; However, the new x5 gen 3 beats wm1a's UI by miles...


 

 ​Ltes hope the new FW update planned or march fixes these minor hiccups


----------



## warrior1975

They should be able to decrease the lag some. For me, I don't find it bothersome, but it is a bit of a shock considering the price of these devices. There should be little to no lag.


----------



## bvng3540

warrior1975 said:


> They should be able to decrease the lag some. For me, I don't find it bothersome, but it is a bit of a shock considering the price of these devices. There should be little to no lag.




Nothing is perfect if it is the people at Sony will have no job


----------



## goyete

warrior1975 said:


> They should be able to decrease the lag some. For me, I don't find it bothersome, but it is a bit of a shock considering the price of these devices. There should be little to no lag.



And a search function!!!


----------



## TenderTendon

lemieux66 said:


> gearofwar asked them about power output difference but according to the wording of his post the 1Z has a 'better output', not a more powerful output, which I assume to mean better SQ. So as far as I can see there is no power difference between the two models.


 

 Thanks, I didn't catch that. "Better output"? Sounds like they had a real technical discussion going on there.....


----------



## Whitigir

acemcl said:


> has anyone paired the WM1-A with the Sony PHA-2A Amp? I am looking to pair the two and run my utopia's via the balanced output.




Utopia is fine out of balanced on Wm1z alone


----------



## gearofwar

gerelmx1986 said:


> I bet both have same power output but slightly different circuit


 
 I just quoted the whole thing from Hiroaki Sato since he couldn't speak more in fluent english for further discussion.
  
 My question was really simple : Which one has more power output? Hiroaki : 1z has slightly better power ouput than 1a.  I didn't ask him why on that. Power output here is not about sound quality. If you want to see which one is better, simply go there and put your ears on, I did and can tell you that now not from anyone . My opinion is that 1z is clearly better sounding than 1a not to mention the power output (not really significant) .
  
 I also took a look at the technical papers on the table where it showed 1z has better quality resistors in specific areas. They are not having the same hardware but only identical in some parts. The Gold walkman here might be mistaken for some limited edition of the Black walkman but it is not. 
  
 I clearly stated "Power output" here not "SQ", if you keep believing in numbers , you feel free to believe it or not. I was asking directly to the engineers, ok?


----------



## TenderTendon

warrior1975 said:


> They should be able to decrease the lag some. For me, I don't find it bothersome, but it is a bit of a shock considering the price of these devices. There should be little to no lag.


 

 I can live with the lag in the overall interface, as I'm really in no rush to play that next song, but the lag in the volume control can get frustrating. You have to be careful holding the volume button down. The volume continues to increase for a while after you release the button. That can significantly overshoot the volume you desire.


----------



## gearofwar

lemieux66 said:


> gearofwar asked them about power output difference but according to the wording of his post the 1Z has a 'better output', not a more powerful output, which I assume to mean better SQ. So as far as I can see there is no power difference between the two models.


 
 No it's not about SQ and never mentioned anything about SQ. You could see they are both close to each other in power output but actually it was confirmed by Hiroaki that 1z is slightly better,  not that much.


----------



## gearofwar

tendertendon said:


> Thanks, I didn't catch that. "Better output"? Sounds like they had a real technical discussion going on there.....


 
 Why not when you get the chances to meet the mastermind behind the product itself?
  
 I took my hps to Audio Precision for measurement . Even having the best equipments on Earth, they still told me to take the result as a pinch of salt.
  


tendertendon said:


> What were the names of the engineers you spoke with? I have some email dialogue going on with Sony right now and would like to bring this claim to their attention. As of right now, all I am being told is that the 1A and 1Z have the same power output, and my measurements confirm that. If the 1Z is supposed to have more power, I would like to send it in and have it looked at. Thanks.


 
 Hiroaki Sato - he's on the product intro vid, you could catch his face there. I also caught the one behind ZX2's project. I took photos with all of them.


----------



## herijgonzalez

Bit of a weird question, my ciems decided to join my laundry for a wash and now the left side is noticeably lower. Tried everything to even it out but to no avail. Does the menu have a left right balance option?


----------



## gearofwar

herijgonzalez said:


> Bit of a weird question, my ciems decided to join my laundry for a wash and now the left side is noticeably lower. Tried everything to even it out but to no avail. Does the menu have a left right balance option?


 
 yes, it does . You can find it under " headphone output section ". But I would suggest you sending it back coz of the possibility of driver failure.


----------



## blazinblazin

herijgonzalez said:


> Bit of a weird question, my ciems decided to join my laundry for a wash and now the left side is noticeably lower. Tried everything to even it out but to no avail. Does the menu have a left right balance option?


 
  
 Probably there are water still inside. Try to dry them for a few weeks before using.
  
 If it do not recovers then will need to send them for repair.


----------



## TenderTendon

pcollins said:


> FYI
> crazy Amazon UK sale of the WM1Z appears (for the moment) to be over.
> back to listed price of  £2,562.00    which is $3,228 USD


 
 It sure was nice while it lasted. Congrats to all that got in before the door slammed shut...


----------



## drjigarn

I noticed you have both, the WM1A and WM1Z, what are the differences that you notice between the players apart from design, weight and capacity? Thanks


tendertendon said:


> It sure was nice while it lasted. Congrats to all that got in before the door slammed shut...


----------



## squirrelman

My WM1Z came today, the outer Amazon box looked like it had taken more than a few knocks heading over the ocean.  Luckily the prize inside was just fine.  I updated it it to 1.02 and then set the region to US (high gain is now there), and that couldn't be easier but then again I am familiar with command prompt so I knew what I was doing.  
  
 Sadly I have no headphones right now to start the burn in process, lucky for me my CEIMs come back tomorrow from getting refit!


----------



## SoLame

Eidolic 4.4 Plug is out


----------



## bvng3540

solame said:


> Eidolic 4.4 Plug is out


 
  
 very nice, where did you get it from?


----------



## kampongkid

squirrelman said:


> My WM1Z came today, the outer Amazon box looked like it had taken more than a few knocks heading over the ocean.  Luckily the prize inside was just fine.  I updated it it to 1.02 and then set the region to US (high gain is now there), and that couldn't be easier but then again I am familiar with command prompt so I knew what I was doing.




I was pretty surprised to see mine at 1.02 OOTB


----------



## ttt123

herijgonzalez said:


> Bit of a weird question, my ciems decided to join my laundry for a wash and now the left side is noticeably lower. Tried everything to even it out but to no avail. Does the menu have a left right balance option?


 
 To dry them out, you can try the method used for phones that have fallen into water.  Put into a bag of raw rice.  Seal it, and leave it for 1-2 days.  Some people recommend a week.  This method apparently works well for removing moisture.  Don't let the rice get into the HP, obviously.


----------



## gearofwar

kampongkid said:


> I was pretty surprised to see mine at 1.02 OOTB


 
 How is your 1z? Would like to hear your comparison with 1a.


----------



## kampongkid

gearofwar said:


> How is your 1z? Would like to hear your comparison with 1a.




Can't provide a fair comparison since my Kimber and Z1R came in along with the 1Z. 1A was only SE for me. Hope you're enjoying it btw!


----------



## gerelmx1986

and that case is a dignis?


----------



## gearofwar

kampongkid said:


> Can't provide a fair comparison since my Kimber and Z1R came in along with the 1Z. 1A was only SE for me. Hope you're enjoying it btw!


 
 my 2 days at Canjam NYC, I was stuck at Sony table 2 times demo-ing 1Z with my own sd card. I didn't like the pairing between Z1R and 1Z as I found Utopia was much better out on balance (Utopia is in another league btw). I was using my reference monitor Pristine. Since it was really flat like HD800, I could detect and dense amount of resolution and musicality on 1Z that somehow is better than 1A overall. I'm now really addicted to 1Z sound...i know some people who have gone to canjam and ended up selling their 1A for it....


----------



## SoLame

bvng3540 said:


> very nice, where did you get it from?


 
 Ted Allen received a few pieces of those last Wednesday. I had him make me a 2.5 > 4.4 adapter and I got it today.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think my 1A pairs well with MDR-Z7, gobs of details


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> my 2 days at Canjam NYC, I was stuck at Sony table 2 times demo-ing 1Z with my own sd card. I didn't like the pairing between Z1R and 1Z as I found Utopia was much better out on balance (Utopia is in another league btw). I was using my reference monitor Pristine. Since it was really flat like HD800, I could detect and dense amount of resolution and musicality on 1Z that somehow is better than 1A overall. I'm now really addicted to 1Z sound...i know some people who have gone to canjam and ended up selling their 1A for it....




Sony new signature pieces, Ta-ZH1ES and WM1Z are both the best sources for Utopia. I briefly owned both Z1R and Utopia. Here is my take on Utopia Vs Z1R. Yeah, WM1Z is awesome for a Portable player, especially when pairing with Utopia out of balanced + Silver-gold cables 

If you think wm1Z + Silver - gold cables is good, try TA_ZH1ES with silver-gold cables to Utopia . 


http://www.head-fi.org/t/811270/focal-elear-and-utopia-review-preview-with-measurements-head-fi-tv/4290#post_13239028


----------



## HiFiGuy528

We just received another shipment of the Sony/Kimber Kable 4.4mm balanced cable. Email us if you want one before they are all gone. No crazy markup... $249 + $10 shipping within CONUS.


----------



## imparanoic

http://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/v487978388
  
 this case, low price start, official nw-wm1a/wm1z case


----------



## blazinblazin

imparanoic said:


> http://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/v487978388
> 
> this case, low price start, official nw-wm1a/wm1z case


 

 It's actually 2 piece screen protector, not case.


----------



## imparanoic

thanks for your correction, i didn't look at it clearly
  
 i am my office, with multple screens  with multiple case ( for different models) weblinks and spread sheet and got confused 
  
 http://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/u127477130
  
 http://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/h252631365
  
 sorry about the misinformation


----------



## bvng3540

imparanoic said:


> thanks for your correction, i didn't look at it clearly
> 
> i am my office, with multple screens  with multiple case ( for different models) weblinks and spread sheet and got confused
> 
> ...




Why we as 1a/1z owners need zx2 and zx100 cases for


----------



## imparanoic

i was looking at nw-wm1a/z screen protector and other walkman cases, while doing other things at work, sorry, it's a mistake, please ignore this thread, i though i seen a nw-wm1 case for cheap, but i was wrong


----------



## kms108

Still in china picked up some 4.4mm plugs with gold tip and silver tip in two different design,  im on my phone and it will not let me post photo. Anyway it cost me only USD 1.5 each, just got 10 piece, not sure if i will ever use them.


----------



## kms108

deleted


----------



## bvng3540

kms108 said:


> Sorry have to split my post , its a pain using a phone, i have the 3rd one with gold and silver pin, along with another not shown, i will update the post tmr.




Wow at $1.50 each that a great deal, alo sell the gold one for $20+$6 shipping, if I was you I buy 100 and resell $10 each


----------



## kms108

bvng3540 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Sorry have to split my post , its a pain using a phone, i have the 3rd one with gold and silver pin, along with another not shown, i will update the post tmr.
> ...


 
 They dont have 100, i think they only have about 8 pieces left, so which is better, silver tip or gold, im only referring it as the color, not sure what material is used to coat them.


----------



## Bengkia369

gerelmx1986 said:


> Reached 355 hours, The WM1A beats the ZX100, which i oned for over a year. everyone here should know what happened to my zx100, some issues with quality control , button board failure and the top face separated.
> 
> Sound quality wise the WM1A is warmer than ZX100. has more bass presence, pushes deeper and slams more (MDR-Z7 right now are getting the most time w/stock cables SE).
> 
> ...




I'm really surprised that you comparing WM1A with ZX100. Surely and certainly ZX100 cannot beat WM1A at all, if ZX100 is better than WM1-series, Sony is really got something very wrong already lol. 
Your comparation is like comparing a AK380 with AK70 same logic.


----------



## ledzep

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think my 1A pairs well with MDR-Z7, gobs of details



Excellent on balanced too


----------



## ledzep

squirrelman said:


> My WM1Z came today, the outer Amazon box looked like it had taken more than a few knocks heading over the ocean.  Luckily the prize inside was just fine.  I updated it it to 1.02 and then set the region to US (high gain is now there), and that couldn't be easier but then again I am familiar with command prompt so I knew what I was doing.
> 
> Sadly I have no headphones right now to start the burn in process, lucky for me my CEIMs come back tomorrow from getting refit!


.

If you have a spare 3.5 or 4.4 plug just wire it up to a 50 ohm load works just the same, better than listening to a slight distracting sound in the background especially if your watching TV etc


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I think my 1A pairs well with MDR-Z7, gobs of details
> ...


 

 Looking forward into buying an 4.4mm to dual 3.5mm female InterConnect to use the included balanced cables


----------



## JamesKH

Does anyone know if the Sony Kimber Cable B20SB1 will work on the Elears?


----------



## gerelmx1986

definitely the sony Kiber is highly priced, the plussound axo series InterConnect i want to buy costs 124 US +35 for 2 week shipping still cheaper tan the sony KK


----------



## bvng3540

gerelmx1986 said:


> definitely the sony Kiber is highly priced, the plussound axo series InterConnect i want to buy costs 124 US +35 for 2 week shipping still cheaper tan the sony KK




If you can wait 2 months for it to made


----------



## squirrelman

ledzep said:


> .
> 
> If you have a spare 3.5 or 4.4 plug just wire it up to a 50 ohm load works just the same, better than listening to a slight distracting sound in the background especially if your watching TV etc


 
 Sadly no spare plugs otherwise that would made a great first DIY project for me.  At least my CEIMs are going to need some burn in also, so i can kill 2 birds with one stone.


----------



## ledzep

Nothing wrong with the stock balanced cables with the Z7 but the kk are definatley worth paying that bit more for , @ gerelmx1986 you've got the Z5, Z7 & 1A ....... Don't cross the streams with the Plusound !


----------



## Lavakugel

I'm about to get a new wm1a but money is always a litte short. Has anybody compared to the new nw-a30/35. I'm upgrading from fiio x3 2nd so maybe the new a30 will also be a big step up....


----------



## jamato8

kms108 said:


> They dont have 100, i think they only have about 8 pieces left, so which is better, silver tip or gold, im only referring it as the color, not sure what material is used to coat them.


 
 The silver colored in most likely nickel plated and the gold plug, just has some gold over the nickel so you are just as well off with the nickel (don't care for nickel but almost all plugs have this with gold over the nickel, even some expensive ones. The nickel is magnetic but nothing like the steel pins for the center conductor that some manufactures use. I have a Vampire 1/4 that I have never used because the center pin on this expensive plug is steel! 
  
 The plug with the gold and curved center part of the shell is very nice looking and just slightly magnetic. The same plug but not as nice a shell, can be gotten on eBay for 7 dollars. I have both and like the shell of the one in the image here. I am looking forward to when Furutech comes out with their copper based non magnetic 4.4, if they do. 
  
 $1.50 is like free on those. I paid 20 dollars from China! They are a good plug. I can't imagine how they do it and can sell them for 1.50 dollars.


----------



## kms108

TBH i cant complaint, only cost USD 1.5 each.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 The other two in the picture is made of aluminium.


----------



## ledzep

lavakugel said:


> I'm about to get a new wm1a but money is always a litte short. Has anybody compared to the new nw-a30/35. I'm upgrading from fiio x3 2nd so maybe the new a30 will also be a big step up....



Look nice , spec seems good too don't know how much of an upgrade if any over a X3 ii it would be , what about the new X5 3rd gen ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Who of the fellow owners of the WM1A has experienced sounds that never heard before? It is like rediscovering the music


----------



## Lavakugel

If I buy a wm1a in europe this unit will be restricted with sound volume...what does that mean exactly. Will I be able to drive my hd600 properly?


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> If I buy a wm1a in europe this unit will be restricted with sound volume...what does that mean exactly. Will I be able to drive my hd600 properly?


not anymore thanks to CraftyClown volume hack has surfaced  essentially you flash it to another region other than EU and you get rid of the volume restriction for good


----------



## Lavakugel

gerelmx1986 said:


> not anymore thanks to @CraftyClown volume hack has surfaced


 
 I thought it's a hardware thing and not software...is it difficult to do this hack?


----------



## Whitigir

lavakugel said:


> I thought it's a hardware thing and not software...is it difficult to do this hack?




It is software matters, and it shouldn't be too hard


----------



## musicday

lavakugel said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > not anymore thanks to [@=/u/358955/CraftyClown]@CraftyClown[/@] volume hack has surfaced
> ...



Not really,there is a link for it.But i am sure Crafty will help you if you ask him nicely via PM.
He is a great guy.


----------



## drjigarn

Finally got my Kaiser Encores coming in, can't wait to try them with balanced out on WM1A!!


----------



## Lavakugel

How do you guys like your wm1a so far? Does it sound musical and is this battery lasting time really true?


----------



## drjigarn

lavakugel said:


> How do you guys like your wm1a so far? Does it sound musical and is this battery lasting time really true?


 
 Battery lasts about 20-24 hours for me depending on the volume and how many times I turn the screen on. The sound is a noticeable upgrade over my previous Fiio X5 and AK70, they are the only players I have ever owned. I don't mind the slightly slower UI but the only thing that I could wish for is a search function, and that is not happening likely.


----------



## Lavakugel

It's always difficult wm1a is nearly double the price of ak70 but is it also double sound improvement? 
  
 What do you like more of wm1a's sound over ak70?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have owned walkmans in the past 15 years starting with an E507 1GB going all the way thru an A818, X1060, ZX100 and now this had a near 4 year hiatus from walkmen and in that period i used an iPod classic 2009 and a fiio x3 Ist gen, the only two DAPs that are non-sony
  
 All walkmen had the ol'n'great sony house sound, but OMHO i think since the X1000 when they started using the S-master DAC on their walkmen the sound Quality picked up. I think WM1 series is the pinacle of sony's R&D in the audio.the Golden age of the walkman IMO


----------



## drjigarn

lavakugel said:


> It's always difficult wm1a is nearly double the price of ak70 but is it also double sound improvement?
> 
> What do you like more of wm1a's sound over ak70?


 
 Yes I know there are price differences, but that is all I have heard so I can compare only to those. AK70 sound to me lacks body while WM1A is warmer comparatively. WM1A to my ears has more clarity and brings out the subtleties in the music better. Battery wise WM1A beats AK70 by a significant margin. I like the UI in both the players, you have advantage of Tidalk on AK70 but I don't use it, so that was not a factor for me.
  
 Now to the the question of is the price worth the sound improvement? For me it was not just the sound, the overall package of WM1A is much better and worth the price over AK70. Whether it is worth the price difference for you, I cannot say, you will have to be the judge of that. Amazon has a pretty good return policy...
  
 Hope that helps! Cheers!


----------



## Tanjiro

lavakugel said:


> I thought it's a hardware thing and not software...is it difficult to do this hack?



It just took me less a minute to remove the volume cap


----------



## gearofwar

lavakugel said:


> It's always difficult wm1a is nearly double the price of ak70 but is it also double sound improvement?
> 
> What do you like more of wm1a's sound over ak70?


 
 I know someone who owns both ak70 and WM1A. He said that AK70 has better resolution. I saw it at Canjam, like its design alot, so freaking small but forgot to try it. I got stuck testing AK380ss and it's on another league lol


----------



## drjigarn

gearofwar said:


> I know someone who owns both ak70 and WM1A. He said that AK70 has better resolution. I saw it at Canjam, like its design alot, so freaking small but forgot to try it. I got stuck testing AK380ss and it's on another league lol




I currently have both AK70 and WM1A and I prefer the WM1A over it. I was really happy with the size of AK70 but it sounded lifeless to me and the 3.5mm headphone jack of AK70 stopped working a couple of weeks back, I expected a better build at that price. I feel like the Sony is much better built wise too.
Well these are just opinions, it is always better to compare devices in person.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The only lifeless DAP i have ever had was an iPod classic 160GB late 2009 model


----------



## DeeTeeSe7en

Hi all, I'm a new owner for the WM1A. Just wanna ask has anyone play with Sound Settings? Particularly DSEE HX and Dyanmic Normalizer. I just wanna hear some opinions. Thanks!


----------



## gerelmx1986

deeteese7en said:


> Hi all, I'm a new owner for the WM1A. Just wanna ask has anyone play with Sound Settings? Particularly DSEE HX and Dyanmic Normalizer. I just wanna hear some opinions. Thanks!


 

 Dynamic normalizer equates the colume across all tracks to minimize -in theory- unexpected volumes, found it makes everything louder
  
 DSEE HX upscales CD quality files and lossy files to 32-bit/384KHz. didn;t find that difference with FLAC, set it off and this thing with no upscaling is damn real


----------



## bvng3540

Have anyone here owned 1z and opus 2? People over in opus 2 thread said that it sound better than 1z


----------



## Mimouille

bvng3540 said:


> Have anyone here owned 1z and opus 2? People over in opus 2 thread said that it sound better than 1z


 
 The Sony DAPs, particularly the WM1Z, have a particular approach to sound. If you like it, you like it more than anything else. But if you don't, some much cheaper players can sound better to you. I love it, but I can imagine some people will prefer the LPG or DX200, I haven't heard the Opus 2 but didn't like the Opus 1.


----------



## Whitigir

bvng3540 said:


> Have anyone here owned 1z and opus 2? People over in opus 2 thread said that it sound better than 1z




No, I have tried both and compared them side by side. Opus 2 did well until I had upgraded my 4.4mm cables from Wm1z into my headphones Z1R. The reason why I sold Opus 2, period.


----------



## mscott58

bvng3540 said:


> Have anyone here owned 1z and opus 2? People over in opus 2 thread said that it sound better than 1z



 


So just read through a months worth of postings on the Opus #2 thread, and can find exactly one person who says that it sounds better than the 1z, and that appears to be from a HF'er who is a major Opus #2 fan, so have to take that data-point with a grain of salt. 

Having listened to many, many DAPs across the years (unfortunately one of them was not the Opus #2 - was too busy helping out with ALO/CFA on Saturday) I find the 1Z to be the top DAP on the market, as do many others. In fact I know a number of owners of HF companies whose personal DAP s the 1Z, so let that speak for itself. 

Again, not doubting the Opus #2 - haven't heard it - but would be careful to assign too much weight to the thin number of comparisons against the 1Z. Would encourage more head-to-head testing if possible by trusted ears. 

Cheers


----------



## gearofwar

> Have anyone here owned 1z and opus 2? People over in opus 2 thread said that it sound better than 1z


 
 I did at Canjam.  Opus 2 is a step up from my old Opus 1 in resolution; However, I prefer 1z's musicality over these kinds of sound nowadays. I could say Opus 2 is more of the AK's signature which is clean and neutral. It's entirely up to your pairing also, what kind of headphone are you planning to use?


----------



## Whitigir

I was about to post a lengthy and detailed post for Wm1z to opus 2 comparison. But all I want to say is that Opus #2 faired well, and out of my Z1r headphones with great synergies as Neutral and balances into warmer headphones. It almost being taken by me as a better performer than WM1Z with Z1R stock cables. Until I upgraded my 4.4mm stock cables into another cables, the Wm1z became another beast. I posted about this before, and people didn't take it serious enough.

Anyways, in my opinion, Opus #2 is not to be taken lightly. But the real performer here would be WM1Z with the correct set up. In the end, I sold Opus #2 and never regret it. Then I even sold Z1R to buy Utopia for better synergy to WM1Z.

If money is no problem, buy WM1Z a good cables and Utopia, and see how many stacks would sweat over it


----------



## bvng3540

gearofwar said:


> I did at Canjam.  Opus 2 is a step up from my old Opus 1 in resolution; However, I prefer 1z's musicality over these kinds of sound nowadays. I could say Opus 2 is more of the AK's signature which is clean and neutral. It's entirely up to your pairing also, what kind of headphone are you planning to use?




I paired it with EE savage 9 that was before I get my cable re-terminated to 4.4mm, now I paired it with Zeus XIV and Layla II on balanced and loved how it sound compared to SE


----------



## gearofwar

whitigir said:


> I was about to post a lengthy and detailed post for Wm1z to opus 2 comparison. But all I want to say is that Opus #2 faired well, and out of my Z1r headphones with great synergies as Neutral and balances into warmer headphones. It almost being taken by me as a better performer than WM1Z with Z1R stock cables. Until I upgraded my 4.4mm stock cables into another cables, the Wm1z became another beast. I posted about this before, and people didn't take it serious enough.
> 
> Anyways, in my opinion, Opus #2 is not to be taken lightly. But the real performer here would be WM1Z with the correct set up. In the end, I sold Opus #2 and never regret it. Then I even sold Z1R to buy Utopia for better synergy to WM1Z.
> 
> If money is no problem, buy WM1Z a good cables and Utopia, and see how many stacks would sweat over it


 
 Utopia and 1Z - a match made in heaven. So dynamic, so punchy and musical


----------



## mscott58

whitigir said:


> I was about to post a lengthy and detailed post for Wm1z to opus 2 comparison. But all I want to say is that Opus #2 faired well, and out of my Z1r headphones with great synergies as Neutral and balances into warmer headphones. It almost being taken by me as a better performer than WM1Z with Z1R stock cables. Until I upgraded my 4.4mm stock cables into another cables, the Wm1z became another beast. I posted about this before, and people didn't take it serious enough.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


Agree here totally. The 1Z with a good balanced cable out of the 4.4mm port is a powerful thing. Also I didn't love the Z1R with its brother Signature Series 1Z, preferring my Ether C Flows and the AEON. For $800 (and $700 for the first 250 pairs) the AEON is hard to beat, especially for a closed HP, when run out of the 1Z's 4.4mm port with a good cable. And thanks to Warren for letting me take a listen to his personal pair of AEONs! Cheers


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> Utopia and 1Z - a match made in heaven. So dynamic, so punchy and musical




Exactly...100x. The same thing if you pair it with TA-ZH1ES, and I can confirm to you that the best cables materials for this pairing is Silver-gold wires as well


----------



## mscott58

whitigir said:


> Exactly...100x. The same thing if you pair it with TA-ZH1ES, and I can confirm to you that the best cables materials for this pairing is Silver-gold wires as well


 
  
 I thought Unobtanium cables were the best?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Listening to Rachmaninov sonatas for two pianos, The separation is great and the air wow, hearing both pianos as natural as posible is just wow, unlike other sources present them hard-panned as one piano on the L cannel and the other piano on the R channel


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> Exactly...100x. The same thing if you pair it with TA-ZH1ES, and I can confirm to you that the best cables materials for this pairing is Silver-gold wires as well




I will agree with you on the Z1R and Utopia. I listened to the Z1R several times but the Utopia is another level up. I also recently listened to the TA-ZH1ES, how much difference do you feel there is between the 1Z and the TA-1ES? Also, which silver gold wires do you use? And compare to best pure silver wires, what are the differences?

Good choice on Utopia + 1Z, that is where I am going also.


----------



## Whitigir

jalo said:


> I will agree with you on the Z1R and Utopia. I listened to the Z1R several times but the Utopia is another level up. I also recently listened to the TA-ZH1ES, how much difference do you feel there is between the 1Z and the TA-1ES? Also, which silver gold wires do you use? And compare to best pure silver wires, what are the differences?
> 
> Good choice on Utopia + 1Z, that is where I a going also.




1Z and TA-ZH1ES are substantially different when using the same cables silver-gold and 4.4mm into Utopia. I use my DIY cables. The separation, soundstage is much wider, taller and in a better rendering with much more vivid resolution on Ta-ZH1ES. The body has a denser energy. It is as much of a different as that if I was to compare A/B between WM1Z+Utopia or TA-ZH1ES + Utopia, I would immediately reach out for Ta-ZH1ES whenever I can. However, as I leave my TA in the office, the WM1Z and Utopia is also very satisfying to take home with as well. 

I did not try Utopia with the best silver wires cables yet. I briefly tried it with some older Silver wires I had here, but it is a PITA to work on the cables and expensive Lemo is not ideal to make different cables to A/B. I only briefly compared it from memory. Basically the silver-gold has better Bass body while still retaining the speed, splashes and sparkles of the trebles.


----------



## blazinblazin

whitigir said:


> Exactly...100x. The same thing if you pair it with TA-ZH1ES, and I can confirm to you that the best cables materials for this pairing is Silver-gold wires as well



By Silver-gold you mean silver-gold alloy?

I am having headache on which cable to upgrade to and from which makers.


----------



## Mimouille

blazinblazin said:


> By Silver-gold you mean silver-gold alloy?
> 
> I am having headache on which cable to upgrade to and from which makers.


you'll get an even bigger headache trying to hear differences between a 100$ and 1000$ cable.


----------



## Whitigir

blazinblazin said:


> By Silver-gold you mean silver-gold alloy?
> 
> I am having headache on which cable to upgrade to and from which makers.




Yes, the alloy. I have not seen silver gold plated or hybrid strands being widely available yet though.


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> 1Z and TA-ZH1ES are substantially different when using the same cables silver-gold and 4.4mm into Utopia. I use my DIY cables. The separation, soundstage is much wider, taller and in a better rendering with much more vivid resolution on Ta-ZH1ES. The body has a denser energy. It is as much of a different as that if I was to compare A/B between WM1Z+Utopia or TA-ZH1ES + Utopia, I would immediately reach out for Ta-ZH1ES whenever I can. However, as I leave my TA in the office, the WM1Z and Utopia is also very satisfying to take home with as well.
> 
> I did not try Utopia with the best silver wires cables yet. I briefly tried it with some older Silver wires I had here, but it is a PITA to work on the cables and expensive Lemo is not ideal to make different cables to A/B. I only briefly compared it from memory. Basically the silver-gold has better Bass body while still retaining the speed, splashes and sparkles of the trebles.




Thanks for sharing the difference between the TA and the 1Z with utopia. With regard to silver gold wires, I am preaching to the choir, your description matches my experience. I still have my 1st generation silver TWag fro Craig with that bad batch of silver from eight years ago and it was dry and brittle. That started me searching for something that gives me the sparkles of treble but the smoothness and warmer bass of copper and I ended with a bunch of Piccolino wires. When I was making my Kimber Axios last month they actually offer to take my Piccolino in exchange for another Axios that I want to get for the Utopia and I am still holding out on that as I can buy another Axios but Piccolino is no more to be found.


----------



## Jalo

mimouille said:


> you'll get an even bigger headache trying to hear differences between a 100$ and 1000$ cable.




I think the headache comes from realising the differences between your head and your heart are at different places. Your head is with the $100.00 and your heart is with the $1000.00  and the headache gets bigger as you go up the scale to the likes of the $3000.00 Axios


----------



## Mimouille

jalo said:


> I think the headache comes from realising the differences between your head and your heart are at different places. Your head is with the $100.00 and your heart is with the $1000.00  and the headache gets bigger as you go up the scale to the likes of the $3000.00 Axios


Actually I have a piccolino so I'll stick with that


----------



## audionewbi

gerelmx1986 said:


> Listening to Rachmaninov sonatas for two pianos, The separation is great and the air wow, hearing both pianos as natural as posible is just wow, unlike other sources present them hard-panned as one piano on the L cannel and the other piano on the R channel



Try this album.
http://www.allmusic.com/album/rachmaninov-heritage-mw0002605205


----------



## Paddlebash

jameskh said:


> Does anyone know if the Sony Kimber Cable B20SB1 will work on the Elears?


 
 Yes James! I have tried them and it works! Only downside is that it does not screw onto the Elears. You can feel and hear the 3.5mm connector sit into the Elears though.

 I have a spare B20SB1 sealed if you are unable to find any!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Currently in the morning MDR - Z7 standard gain volume. 60


----------



## gearofwar

amazing pairing


----------



## flipper203

gearofwar said:


> amazing pairing


 
 which CIEM ?


----------



## flipper203

gearofwar said:


> amazing pairing


 
  
 which Ciem ?


----------



## bvng3540

flipper203 said:


> which Ciem ?




By the look of the internal wiring I'm guessing it HUM Pristine


----------



## gearofwar

bvng3540 said:


> By the look of the internal wiring I'm guessing it HUM Pristine


 
 You are correct. It's Pristine V2


----------



## ledzep

Trying to source some diy stuff to make up some mmcx and 2 pin cables is there anywhere in the UK that sells them ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

i am still baffled why did @Dithyrambes sold his WM1A, he had waited for 500h 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 he would have been rewarded with nice SQ
  
 more baffled am I whn he said is dead neutral wow, for me dead neutral is the iPod classic, so lifeless and boring uneganging sound
  
 WM1A yes is neutral but lush with wiegth to the sound, warm more tan analytic, i am still hearing some monor changes at 374 hours, no more drastic changes


----------



## TenderTendon

I had a near death experience last night. My 1Z slid off our kitchen island while I was listening to my MDR-Z7's connected with a stock MDR-Z1R balanced cable. The player dropped ~ 3 feet, was caught by the cable and stopped a couple inches before hitting the ground. Almost ripped my head off. Cable didn't even come unplugged. I can appreciate the new 4.4mm format now. A 2.5mm plug would have snapped off. This thing is heavy!


----------



## sarnhelen

Is anyone using the Z1R phones directly from a WM1A (balanced)? Is there enough power using high gain output setting?


----------



## TenderTendon

sarnhelen said:


> Is anyone using the Z1R phones directly from a WM1A (balanced)? Is there enough power using high gain output setting?


 

 I evaluated the Z1R for a couple of days. It is a relatively low impedance phone like the Z7. The NW-WM1A/Z has enough power to drive them to ear damaging levels. So yes, plenty of power.


----------



## gerelmx1986

sarnhelen said:


> Is anyone using the Z1R phones directly from a WM1A (balanced)? Is there enough power using high gain output setting?


 

 I have MDR-Z7 on SE and i am using only normal Gain vol. 70, rare is when i use high gain mostly on softly recorded material


----------



## gerelmx1986

tendertendon said:


> I had a near death experience last night. My 1Z slid off our kitchen island while I was listening to my MDR-Z7's connected with a stock MDR-Z1R balanced cable. The player dropped ~ 3 feet, was caught by the cable and stopped a couple inches before hitting the ground. Almost ripped my head off. Cable didn't even come unplugged. I can appreciate the new 4.4mm format now. A 2.5mm plug would have snapped off. This thing is heavy!


 

 How does the MDR-Z1R cables compare to the Z7 stock?


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> How does the MDR-Z1R cables compare to the Z7 stock?


 

 Actually, I have never even tried the Z7 singled ended in this player, so I can't say.


----------



## Whitigir

tendertendon said:


> I evaluated the Z1R for a couple of days. It is a relatively low impedance phone like the Z7. The NW-WM1A/Z has enough power to drive them to ear damaging levels. So yes, plenty of power.





tendertendon said:


> I had a near death experience last night. My 1Z slid off our kitchen island while I was listening to my MDR-Z7's connected with a stock MDR-Z1R balanced cable. The player dropped ~ 3 feet, was caught by the cable and stopped a couple inches before hitting the ground. Almost ripped my head off. Cable didn't even come unplugged. I can appreciate the new 4.4mm format now. A 2.5mm plug would have snapped off. This thing is heavy!




Lol..no dent ? That is awesome


----------



## gerelmx1986

I remember purk said to me in the zx100 fórum "ïf soundstage is what you're after, get a zx2" i finally listened to him lol and i can say the WM1A boasts a killer sounstage (when the recording shows it) and that's for single ended, can't imagine balanced


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> I remember purk said to me in the zx100 fórum "ïf soundstage is what you're after, get a zx2" i finally listened to him lol and i can say the WM1A boasts a killer sounstage (when the recording shows it) and that's for single ended, can't imagine balanced


 

 If you're interested in checking out the Z1R balanced cable, I'll get you the Sony part number when I get home. It is a good, no frills, affordable, well constructed cable.


----------



## sarnhelen

Thank you all for eroding my resistance to spending yet more insane amounts of money!


----------



## gerelmx1986

tendertendon said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I remember purk said to me in the zx100 fórum "ïf soundstage is what you're after, get a zx2" i finally listened to him lol and i can say the WM1A boasts a killer sounstage (when the recording shows it) and that's for single ended, can't imagine balanced
> ...


 

 Thanks for this


----------



## musicday

Can someone confirm that the screen on 1Z is glass like on mobiles scratch resistant and that the player doesn't get warm even when playing DSD for few hours?


----------



## Lavakugel

Is there any official review / test of wm1a? 
 Still wondering if player about 800 bucks could compare....


----------



## TenderTendon

My remote control arrived today. This thing is TINY. Extremely light too. When clipped onto an IEM cable, you can't even tell it's there. It works great and has a range of over 20 feet. For $65, I'm very happy with the purchase.


----------



## gerelmx1986

How is your usage?
  
 Me in the rmorning after arrving to work i turn my walkman On and wait for the booting sequence to end and listen to music, at the end of day i delete all the albums i listened to and turn it off completely, if i must go for a short period away from walkman i slide hold to on and pause it
  
 only turn off at the end of day and turn it on at the beggining of the day


----------



## Lavakugel

Junkie...are you listening the whole day? 
  
 Do you like the sound also or only the battery stamina?


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> Junkie...are you listening the whole day?
> 
> Do you like the sound also or only the battery stamina?


 

 I like both but the sound is what counts , i am a programmer, IT, so i sit on my job doing software and listening to music , of course i eat and drink and other things that merit being away from walkman


----------



## Lavakugel

If I get a wm1a near future for me its also sound and batterylife what counts...ui and weight isn't that important to me. Just don't want to charge it each day again and again...


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> If I get a wm1a near future for me its also sound and batterylife what counts...ui and weight isn't that important to me. Just don't want to charge it each day again and again...


 

 i charge mine every 3 days i am trying now not to fiddle that much with the screen to see if i can extebd to almost 4 days


----------



## mscott58

gerelmx1986 said:


> How is your usage?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


I just leave mine on all the time. Cheers


----------



## TenderTendon

> I just leave mine on all the time. Cheers


 
  
 Same here. I turned my 1A off a couple of times when I first got it, but the 1Z hasn't been turned off yet. I charge it every 3-4 days, whether it needs it or not.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Maybe returning or reselling my WM1A


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiobreeder said:


> Maybe returning or reselling my WM1A


 

 why?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

tendertendon said:


> My remote control arrived today. This thing is TINY. Extremely light too. When clipped onto an IEM cable, you can't even tell it's there. It works great and has a range of over 20 feet. For $65, I'm very happy with the purchase.


 
  
 Nice! so it works with U.S. 1Z without hacks?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

gerelmx1986 said:


> I remember purk said to me in the zx100 fórum "ïf soundstage is what you're after, get a zx2" i finally listened to him lol and i can say the WM1A boasts a killer sounstage (when the recording shows it) and that's for single ended, can't imagine balanced


 
  
 The Sony/Kimber balanced cable is excellent for only $249 + $10 shipping. We have it in stock if you're interested. email info@wooaudio.com


----------



## blazinblazin

tendertendon said:


> I had a near death experience last night. My 1Z slid off our kitchen island while I was listening to my MDR-Z7's connected with a stock MDR-Z1R balanced cable. The player dropped ~ 3 feet, was caught by the cable and stopped a couple inches before hitting the ground. Almost ripped my head off. Cable didn't even come unplugged. I can appreciate the new 4.4mm format now. A 2.5mm plug would have snapped off. This thing is heavy!



That's some durable cable and plug.


----------



## TenderTendon

hifiguy528 said:


> Nice! so it works with U.S. 1Z without hacks?


 

 I don't know about the US version. The remote control is not available for sale in the US, so I assume Sony deactivated it for the US. Mine is the UK version, with the destination region changed to "E" (international tourist). If "Remote Control off/on" is in the settings, it will work. If not, you will have to change the destination region for it to work.  You can always change it back to US later.


----------



## tangents

gerelmx1986 said:


> How is your usage?


 
  
 Mine's been playing for 401 hours non-stop 
  
 206 hours single-ended
 195 hours balanced


----------



## blazinblazin

tendertendon said:


> My remote control arrived today. This thing is TINY. Extremely light too. When clipped onto an IEM cable, you can't even tell it's there. It works great and has a range of over 20 feet. For $65, I'm very happy with the purchase.


 
  
 Do you feel a drop in battery?


----------



## TenderTendon

blazinblazin said:


> Do you feel a drop in battery?


 

 Too early to tell. I have only used it for 1 hour with the Bluetooth on.


----------



## nanaholic

musicday said:


> Can someone confirm that the screen on 1Z is glass like on mobiles scratch resistant and that the player doesn't get warm even when playing DSD for few hours?


 
  
 The screen is glass, but probably not gorilla glass since Sony is not known to use gorilla glass for their mobile device (but may their audio branch is different, I dunno), feels like it is treated but not going to test its scratch resistant capability personally (even though I had it naked for a couple of weeks myself). Recommend getting a screen protector either way, there are some good quality glass protectors out there now.
  
 And no, doesn't get warm when playing DSD, cold as ice in this cold weather. Seems to only ever get a little warm when doing huge file transfers.....


----------



## Bengkia369

Do you guys think iems are the one limiting the full potential of the WM1Z, need to unleash the beast with $3000+ 64 Audio tia Fourté?


----------



## Mimouille

bengkia369 said:


> Do you guys think iems are the one limiting the full potential of the WM1Z, need to unleash the beast with $3000+ 64 Audio tia Fourté?


 
 It depends if you want to unleash the beast of ridiculous pricing and atrocious design. Of course I haven't heard them, but I would bet my hat that several offers below 2k perform as well....


----------



## tangents

They really went for it with the design.


----------



## Mimouille

tangents said:


> They really went for it with the design.


 
 You don't like golden boogers?


----------



## blazinblazin

Go for full gold right. Gold player, gold iem, gold cable.


----------



## tangents

mimouille said:


> You don't like golden boogers?


 
  
 lol how does something like that make it off the drawing board? I can understand if it was some $20 confection aimed at kids, but on a $3K luxury item?


----------



## blazinblazin

But 64 Audio tia Fourté, don't really looks classy in design. 
  
 To me it feels like some plastic model kit, that kind of gold plastic with decal applied.


----------



## Jalo

This is a bit off track but I wanted to know what is the future timeline for the next MicroSD upgrade to come out? We are at 256gb, I keep hoping for 512 Gb. It is even on the horizon?


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> But 64 Audio tia Fourté, don't really looks classy in design.
> 
> To me it feels like some plastic model kit, that kind of gold plastic with decal applied.


 

 ​I am Happy with my XBA-Z5


----------



## mscott58

jalo said:


> This is a bit off track but I wanted to know what is the future timeline for the next MicroSD upgrade to come out? We are at 256gb, I keep hoping for 512 Gb. It is even on the horizon?



 


Great question. Well, there are 512Gb full-sized SD cards available (https://www.amazon.com/PNY-Elite-Performance-512GB-P-SDX512U3H-GE/dp/B00XJRX01M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486612276&sr=8-1&keywords=512gb+micro+sd+card) but those won't help on the 1Z/1A. That was released in September of 2016. Actually a 1Tb card has also been shown in prototype for full-sized SD (https://9to5mac.com/2016/09/20/sandisk-introduces-the-worlds-first-ever-1tb-sd-card/) but is not available yet for purchase. 

Ane while there are also 512Gb micro-SD cards "available" on Amazon, don't buy them as they're hacked fakes. (https://www.amazon.com/512GB-microSD-Memory-Adapter-Retail/dp/B01KJZUD6G/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1486612276&sr=8-3&keywords=512gb+micro+sd+card)

In terms of real 512Gb micro SD's I'd estimate sometime around the end of year, but that's just a guess. So don't hold your breath. Nothing definitive out there yet that I could find. 

Cheers


----------



## echineko

bengkia369 said:


> Do you guys think iems are the one limiting the full potential of the WM1Z, need to unleash the beast with $3000+ 64 Audio tia Fourté?



Price doesn't automatically = better SQ, tried these last weekend and prefer my Oriolus mk2 much more.

Edit: if I wanted to spend that kind of money I'd go with a Justear the next time I'm in Tokyo (and I have pondered doing exactly that, I'm just hopeful we will finally see a Signature IEM not too long from now).


----------



## drjigarn

512 GB microsd card is coming in July, but at that price you could get a new DAP.

https://www.google.ca/amp/amp.androidcentral.com/theres-512gb-microsd-card-coming-july-you-likely-cant-afford-it?client=ms-android-google


----------



## gearofwar

bengkia369 said:


> Do you guys think iems are the one limiting the full potential of the WM1Z, need to unleash the beast with $3000+ 64 Audio tia Fourté?


 
  
 Didn't like it and prefer a18 much over. Something that actually impressed me at Canjam was Zeus XR.


----------



## Stephen George

blazinblazin said:


> Do you feel a drop in battery?


 
  
 the remote should have been included
  
 a must even for having it sitting close by
  
 it's going to draw more power, but battery life seems great using it(1Z)
  
 have battery set to 90%, but lasts all day


----------



## Jalo

Thanks @drjigarn and Mscott


----------



## Stephen George

musicday said:


> Can someone confirm that the screen on 1Z is glass like on mobiles scratch resistant and that the player doesn't get warm even when playing DSD for few hours?


 
  
  
 can't vouch for screen, but 1z is very dense and does NOT get hot


----------



## Stephen George

tendertendon said:


> The remote control is not available for sale in the US, so I assume Sony deactivated it for the US.


 
  
 i guess it makes marketing sense to them
  
 it's great they do it in software, not really a "hack" when you just set some flags using their own tool
  
 thanks again for those that shared this tool


----------



## mscott58

drjigarn said:


> 512 GB microsd card is coming in July, but at that price you could get a new DAP.
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.google.ca/amp/amp.androidcentral.com/theres-512gb-microsd-card-coming-july-you-likely-cant-afford-it?client=ms-android-google



 


Not to be a pain in the butt, however, if you check the date stamp on that article it's from June 2015! So "coming in July" meant something totally different back then. I saw this, but could find nothing to back up the claim that in either July 2015 or July 2016 that such a card was ever released. Cheers


----------



## gerelmx1986

My 1A also doesn't get hot, even playing music & charge it stays cool


----------



## mscott58

gerelmx1986 said:


> My 1A also doesn't get hot, even playing music & charge it stays cool


 
 Same with the 1Z!


----------



## Jalo

mscott58 said:


> drjigarn said:
> 
> 
> > 512 GB microsd card is coming in July, but at that price you could get a new DAP.
> ...




I saw that too but thanks drjigarn for trying to help. But your link to 1Tb got me excited as I have a LPG that takes a SD card. So sometimes this year, I should have a 1tb+ dap. Every dap maker should use a SD card slot.


----------



## gerelmx1986

SD card slot would be nicier only if sony removed that useless wrist strap hole


----------



## gearofwar

gerelmx1986 said:


> SD card slot would be nicier only if sony removed that useless wrist strap hole


 
 The strap hole is not useless. Some people needs the strrap get a firmly hold of this heavy device (wouldn't be too wonderful to drop it). Also it would also be greatly secure if they happen to use it in public places.
 If they needed extra sd slot, they could've done the same thing as Onkyo dpx1/a where 2 slots sitting in 1 place.


----------



## AnakChan

gearofwar said:


> The strap hole is not useless. Some people needs the strrap get a firmly hold of this heavy device (wouldn't be too wonderful to drop it). Also it would also be greatly secure if they happen to use it in public places.
> If they needed extra sd slot, they could've done the same thing as Onkyo dpx1/a where 2 slots sitting in 1 place.


 
  
 I use that a lot. In fact I love straps.


----------



## gearofwar

anakchan said:


> I use that a lot. In fact I love straps.


 
 I actually love it from ZX2. Many other daps I have had later on never had this feature which made me scared to drop them off, actually none on the market?  I commute daily on public train in NYC and this feels alot safer.


----------



## Mimouille

anakchan said:


> I use that a lot. In fact I love straps.


 
 Do you now?


----------



## Whitigir

anakchan said:


> I use that a lot. In fact I love straps.




I do too, especially for 1Z and it champion like weight


----------



## kms108

Might be too early, but does anyone know if Sony decides to release a WM2A/Z, not sure if the model number will be correct, the reason I ask, is that i haven't got the WM1A/Z yet, but was thinking of getting it during my visit to Japan in mid 2017, was deleayed to October, but now has been confirmed December 6, so if a newer version is available at the time, I will get it.
  
 Going from the past experience, it does seem a release date at the end of the year if they release one.
  
 ZX1 19 October 2014
 ZX2 14 February 2015
 ZX100 10 October 2015
 WM1A/Z October 2016


----------



## gearofwar

kms108 said:


> Might be too early, but does anyone know if Sony decides to release a WM2A/Z, not sure if the model number will be correct, the reason I ask, is that i haven't got the WM1A/Z yet, but was thinking of getting it during my visit to Japan in mid 2017, was deleayed to October, but now has been confirmed December 6, so if a newer version is available at the time, I will get it.
> 
> Going from the past experience, it does seem a release date at the end of the year if they release one.
> 
> ...




As of this point, no.I did ask Sony engineers if there would be upcoming daps next year but they actually said no.
Considering zx2 was released 2 years ago (early 2015) until wm1's release (end of 2016) , you might atleast give it 2 years from now.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

I read somewhere they will have only one headphone jack for one of the models. 


kms108 said:


> Might be too early, but does anyone know if Sony decides to release a WM2A/Z, not sure if the model number will be correct, the reason I ask, is that i haven't got the WM1A/Z yet, but was thinking of getting it during my visit to Japan in mid 2017, was deleayed to October, but now has been confirmed December 6, so if a newer version is available at the time, I will get it.
> 
> Going from the past experience, it does seem a release date at the end of the year if they release one.
> 
> ...


----------



## nanaholic

kms108 said:


> Might be too early, but does anyone know if Sony decides to release a WM2A/Z, not sure if the model number will be correct, the reason I ask, is that i haven't got the WM1A/Z yet, but was thinking of getting it during my visit to Japan in mid 2017, was deleayed to October, but now has been confirmed December 6, so if a newer version is available at the time, I will get it.
> 
> Going from the past experience, it does seem a release date at the end of the year if they release one.
> 
> ...


 
  
 They may have a replacement for the ZX100 as that one is way overdue for a refresh or maybe phased out completely depending on sales, because if you look at their line up for last year Sony released the entry level A30 series and the flagship WM1 series which sits at opposite extremes, leaving the outdate ZX100 taking the middle road, but the ZX100 is long in the tooth and uses the old S-Master chip, so that one is definitely a goner. 
  
 I doubt they will replace the WM1 series this year considering they have 20 months between the two flagship models ZX2 and the WM1 series, plus they have a huge winner on their hands this time unlike the ZX2, refreshing too quick may actually break whatever good will they have from the 1Z.


----------



## tangents

I ended up with two of these MUC-M12SB 4.4mm balanced cables. I'm selling the unopened one – please check my sig if you're interested.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tangents said:


> I ended up with two of these MUC-M12SB 4.4mm balanced cables. I'm selling the unopened one – please check my sig if you're interested.


 
 How long is that cable it looks too long for IEM/portable use


----------



## tangents

gerelmx1986 said:


> How long is that cable it looks too long for IEM/portable use


 
  
 1.2 meters / 4 feet – same as my other IEM cables


----------



## gerelmx1986

tangents said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > How long is that cable it looks too long for IEM/portable use
> ...


if I am right, that cable won't be fitting in this tiny case
 looks nice and still undecided PLUSSOUND vs Sony cables


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> tangents said:
> 
> 
> > gerelmx1986 said:
> ...


 
 It's hard to say, can't tell how big the case is, but you do need a case something like the one that comes with the Sony EX1000 or those hard waterproof plastic case made for those custom IEM about 4 inch x 4 inch x 1 inch(big size), it seems like these cables are limited now and rather hard to get.


----------



## ledzep

My mmcx kimber had a loose connection already, left ear doesn't have that snap feeling like the right anymore and only un clipped it twice ! Doesn't fall out but it's not far off, looks like it's going to have to be terminated with new mmcx's any suggestions ?


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> It's hard to say, can't tell how big the case is, but you do need a case something like the one that comes with the Sony EX1000 or those hard waterproof plastic case made for those custom IEM about 4 inch x 4 inch x 1 inch(big size), it seems like these cables are limited now and rather hard to get.



You can just about fit it in but you have to put the phones in the opposite side pockets and cable in middle, would not recommend it , makes me wonder if by me doing this it put pressure on the connectors and now ones loose.
I'd go with plusound If i was you I've one for the EX1000 and it's top quality


----------



## squirrelman

ledzep said:


> My mmcx kimber had a loose connection already, left ear doesn't have that snap feeling like the right anymore and only un clipped it twice ! Doesn't fall out but it's not far off, looks like it's going to have to be terminated with new mmcx's any suggestions ?


 
  
 Mine did the exact same thing, only on the right ear.  I think I plugged and unplugged it exactly twice also.


----------



## pCollins

ledzep said:


> My mmcx kimber had a loose connection already, left ear doesn't have that snap feeling like the right anymore and only un clipped it twice ! Doesn't fall out but it's not far off, looks like it's going to have to be terminated with new mmcx's any suggestions ?


 
  
 Which IEM did your Sony muc-m12sb1 had problems with?


----------



## kms108

With too much movement, and pull out push in, MMCX will get loose, this is very common, thats why the 2 pin is a better option.


----------



## ledzep

pcollins said:


> Which IEM did your Sony muc-m12sb1 had problems with?




Z5


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> With too much movement, and pull out push in, MMCX will get loose, this is very common, thats why the 2 pin is a better option.



Will take to work and look under scope see if I can open it out a bit again .... Then never touch them ever again !


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> pcollins said:
> 
> 
> > Which IEM did your Sony muc-m12sb1 had problems with?
> ...


 

 It seems to be veru common issue, that why i am planning plussound 4.4mm to dual 3.5mm females to use the Z5 stock balanced cable because of the locking mechanism


----------



## roofus

Timing one's purchase of Audio Gear is like timing one's investment in the stock market!!!
  
 It's all ********!!!!!
  
 Buy what you need, when you want it and enjoy!!!!!!
  
 If some putz introduces version 1a of the product you just purchased (Version 1), just remember . . . it's no better than the model/version you have.
  
 It's all marketing/advertising!!!! It's all ********!!!
  
 Don't be a lemming on the treadmill!!!!
  
 I used to buy every iPhone upgrade that came out. The iPhone 7 is just an iPhone 6 without a headphone jack!!!!! And at an increased price!!!!!! Steve Jobs would have been proud of Tim Cook and how he shafts his loyal customers by selling them **** that is less useful and less functionall than the **** they already have!!!


----------



## herijgonzalez

Not a bad combo


----------



## Acemcl

Here's mine


----------



## gearofwar

roofus said:


> Timing one's purchase of Audio Gear is like timing one's investment in the stock market!!!
> 
> It's all ********!!!!!
> 
> ...



1z is not a limited/special edition of 1a. Go try to believe. You are not looking at popular phone market here.


----------



## Stuff Jones

roofus said:


> Timing one's purchase of Audio Gear is like timing one's investment in the stock market!!!
> 
> It's all ********!!!!!
> 
> ...


 
  
 More exclamation marks please.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Maybe both WM1A and WM1Z are special edition for Sony 70th anniversary, a reason I got mine not the most important one


----------



## goyete

squirrelman said:


> Mine did the exact same thing, only on the right ear.  I think I plugged and unplugged it exactly twice also.



Mine too, the cable and Z5 stays in my right ear without problem but in the left ear, it doesn't stay continuously. I have to put the Z5 inside my ear each XXX minutes.

Now, I have solved the problem with a Comply tips (the little ones for isolation). The comfort are too big for me. Now I put in my ears and both Z5 stays inside with the Z5 and Kimber balanced cable without problem.

I also have the balanced cable from Sony for z5 and PHA-3 and the Bluetooth MUC-M2BT1 with another pair of Z5 and both are more confortable than balanced Kimber cable for 4,4 mm connection.


----------



## wwyjoe

I'm close to burning 200+ hours using the single ended output. Would i also require the same burn in time if i'm switching over to use balanced output? I think not, but just like to clarify. Thanks!


----------



## blazinblazin

wwyjoe said:


> I'm close to burning 200+ hours using the single ended output. Would i also require the same burn in time if i'm switching over to use balanced output? I think not, but just like to clarify. Thanks!


 

 Yes balanced needs it's own burning.
  
 But switching from 200+hrs SE to balanced. From my experience, Unburned balanced still sounds better


----------



## hung031086

Anyone know how to register this 1A if you bought from ebay ? I couldn't type ebay in Place of Purchase box.


----------



## gerelmx1986

wwyjoe said:


> I'm close to burning 200+ hours using the single ended output. Would i also require the same burn in time if i'm switching over to use balanced output? I think not, but just like to clarify. Thanks!


 

 Yes it requires it own bur-in as it is another circuit.
 BWT 200 hours is not enought nurn-in time, mine at 386H and still hear changes but less evident tan before 200h, thinking it will stabilize arround 400+ hours


----------



## Tanjiro

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes it requires it own bur-in as it is another circuit.
> BWT 200 hours is not enought nurn-in time, mine at 386H and still hear changes but less evident tan before 200h, thinking it will stabilize arround 400+ hours



My 1A is just over 400 hrs burn-in on Balanced output (finally). I am struggling to do another 200 hrs for SE


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

I don't know about you, but to me since the Z5/Z7 are all black, any other colored cable makes them look heideous. 





gerelmx1986 said:


> if I am right, that cable won't be fitting in this tiny case
> looks nice and still undecided PLUSSOUND vs Sony cables


----------



## mscott58

roofus said:


> Timing one's purchase of Audio Gear is like timing one's investment in the stock market!!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


Can't tell if they're being serious or just trolling. The iP6 vs. iP7 thing is funny, if not just misinformed. And last I checked lemmings go over the cliff together versus jumping on exercise equipment - but hey, mixed metaphors can be fun. And yes, more exclamation points would be awesome (just like in Seinfeld episode 68). Cheers


----------



## jamato8

> Can't tell if they're being serious or just trolling. The iP6 vs. iP7 thing is funny, if not just misinformed. And last I checked lemmings go over the cliff together versus jumping on exercise equipment - but hey, mixed metaphors can be fun. And yes, more exclamation points would be awesome (just like in Seinfeld episode 68). Cheers


 
 Actually lemmings don't go over cliffs. The scene in Disney was staged and if there had been animal rights, they would have most likely been in court. :^)


----------



## Jalo

ledzep said:


> Will take to work and look under scope see if I can open it out a bit again .... Then never touch them ever again !


 
 If I were you I'll call Ken at Campfire to see if he is willing to reterminate or fix your mmcx connectors.  Ken has one of the best MMCX connectors that he use for his iems.  They are extra hard.


----------



## ledzep

jalo said:


> If I were you I'll call Ken at Campfire to see if he is willing to reterminate or fix your mmcx connectors.  Ken has one of the best MMCX connectors that he use for his iems.  They are extra hard.



Thanks will keep that in mind , looked under scope at work and the ring at the base was a little more pushed together than the other plug , just eased it out a fraction with a pair of fine tweezers and all is back to normal. Think Sony can do better really with the connectors for a cable as expensive as it is.


----------



## kms108

goyete said:


> squirrelman said:
> 
> 
> > Mine did the exact same thing, only on the right ear.  I think I plugged and unplugged it exactly twice also.
> ...


 

 We are actually talking about the MMCX connectors becomming loose creating a disconnection of sound or comming apart from the IEM, and not about the IEM staying in the ear or won't stay in the ear.


----------



## kms108

ledzep said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > It's hard to say, can't tell how big the case is, but you do need a case something like the one that comes with the Sony EX1000 or those hard waterproof plastic case made for those custom IEM about 4 inch x 4 inch x 1 inch(big size), it seems like these cables are limited now and rather hard to get.
> ...


 

 I already got the EX600 and EX800, I will be picking up a EX1000 from Japan in December, i'm sure they are still available.


----------



## lloop9

Hi guys, may I ask, for the WM1A/Z, after screen goes to sleep, is pressing the power on/off button the only way to wake the screen up?
  
 I tried touching the screen to turn it on after it goes to sleep but there's no respond. Just want to double check if my unit is working as expected. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I have to say, just started listening the sound is just OK. Hope the transformation after 200 hrs will be much better.


----------



## ledzep

lloop9 said:


> Hi guys, may I ask, for the WM1A/Z, after screen goes to sleep, is pressing the power on/off button the only way to wake the screen up?
> 
> I tried touching the screen to turn it on after it goes to sleep but there's no respond. Just want to double check if my unit is working as expected.
> 
> I have to say, just started listening the sound is just OK. Hope the transformation after 200 hrs will be much better.




After reading the manual I can confirm that if you sing "wake up wake up my beauty" it does !


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> I already got the EX600 and EX800, I will be picking up a EX1000 from Japan in December, i'm sure they are still available.




A worthy investment , I had mixed feelings before I heard them now after having them plugged into balanced for a while I prefer them to the Z5's


----------



## blazinblazin

lloop9 said:


> Hi guys, may I ask, for the WM1A/Z, after screen goes to sleep, is pressing the power on/off button the only way to wake the screen up?
> 
> I tried touching the screen to turn it on after it goes to sleep but there's no respond. Just want to double check if my unit is working as expected.
> 
> I have to say, just started listening the sound is just OK. Hope the transformation after 200 hrs will be much better.




Its a feature, so if in pocket won't accidentally press anything on the screen. At the same time prevent any unwanted battery lost due to screen on.

Same as mobile phones.


----------



## JamesKH

Fostex TH900 MKII pairs excellently with the WM1A


----------



## mscott58

hung031086 said:


> Anyone know how to register this 1A if you bought from ebay ? I couldn't type ebay in Place of Purchase box.



 


You can put "other" instead. I even bought one from an AD that is listed on the Sony site, but that AD wasn't on the list in the registration form. Strange. Cheers


----------



## gerelmx1986

lloop9 said:


> Hi guys, may I ask, for the WM1A/Z, after screen goes to sleep, is pressing the power on/off button the only way to wake the screen up?
> 
> I tried touching the screen to turn it on after it goes to sleep but there's no respond. Just want to double check if my unit is working as expected.
> 
> ...


 

 ​inly power button, I know what you refer to, a teacher of mine has a mobile pone and doublé tapping the screen it turns on, sadly is not the case of WM1A/Z you must use the power button to turn it off on


----------



## hung031086

mscott58 said:


> hung031086 said:
> 
> 
> > Anyone know how to register this 1A if you bought from ebay ? I couldn't type ebay in Place of Purchase box.
> ...



Thanhk you. I asked sony supporter and he said the item is too new. He doesn't know how to do lolz.


----------



## Stephen George

hung031086 said:


> Thanhk you. I asked sony supporter and he said the item is too new. He doesn't know how to do lolz.


 
  
  
  they also require a .jpg or .pdf proof (receipt) from the ebay seller
  
 if successful, you will get a confirmation of warranty status to the email address that u used to register


----------



## hung031086

Ok i just did .


----------



## xiayizju

Hi,
 so you mean if I buy from a seller on eBay, I should get the receipt from the seller? I always want to know how we get warranty service if we buy a product from eBay
 Thanks


----------



## xiayizju

Hi,
 So you get an email after you register the w1ma you bought from eBay? What do you upload for the proof of purchase?
 Thank you!


----------



## xiayizju

How to get the best price for WM1A? It is currently $1199 in Amazon, and even in eBay I can't find a better price (except for the bidding ones). Anyone have any good source?
 Thanks


----------



## jamato8

xiayizju said:


> How to get the best price for WM1A? It is currently $1199 in Amazon, and even in eBay I can't find a better price (except for the bidding ones). Anyone have any good source?
> Thanks


 

 Maybe that is the best price.


----------



## proedros

there is one for sale at *925$*
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/834602/sony-wm1a-with-dignis-case


----------



## bvng3540

proedros said:


> there is one for sale at *925$*
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/834602/sony-wm1a-with-dignis-case




GREAT deal


----------



## xiayizju

*A question puzzling me for a while: If i buy from eBay seller (say, Japanese seller, here is one example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-SONY-NW-WM1A-Walkman-Black-/122336610738?hash=item1c7bd489b2:g:CFAAAOSwo4pYkaCz ), I am in USA. *
  
*1 Can I get the warranty service? I am not sure SONY will provide warranty service in this case*
  
*2 What kind of proof of purchase or documents should I get from the seller in order to get the warranty service from SONY?*
  
*Hope to get some confirmed answer. Thanks*


----------



## mscott58

xiayizju said:


> *A question puzzling me for a while: If i buy from eBay seller (say, Japanese seller, here is one example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-SONY-NW-WM1A-Walkman-Black-/122336610738?hash=item1c7bd489b2:g:CFAAAOSwo4pYkaCz ), I am in USA. *
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


If you're looking to buy a 1A for that price and get it shipped to the US, then I'd recommend ordering from Amazon UK. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Electronics-Photo/Sony-NW-WM1A-High-Resolution-Audio-Walkman/B01LHGLG3A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486752347&sr=8-1&keywords=sony+nwwm1a

Shipped to the US it's $1136 currently. It does come with the EU volume limiter in place in the SW, but it's very easy to hack to change that (did that myself with my 1A). 

Cheers


----------



## proedros

i will probably buy 1a from amazon uk next time it sells for 700 euros 

 too good a price to pass up i guess


----------



## xiayizju

proedros said:


> i will probably buy 1a from amazon uk next time it sells for 700 euros
> 
> too good a price to pass up i guess


 
 Hi,
 I am in USA, how can I purchase stuff in Amazon UK? 
 Thanks  a lot for your information


----------



## mscott58

xiayizju said:


> Hi,
> I am in USA, how can I purchase stuff in Amazon UK?
> Thanks  a lot for your information



 


Just go to Amazon.co.uk and use your standard Amazon account. It will take the VAT tax off when it sees you are from the US (the price will drop from 1000 GBP to 833 GBP when the VAT comes off - at least that's what showed when I just tried it). Cheers


----------



## xiayizju

mscott58 said:


> xiayizju said:
> 
> 
> > Hi,
> ...


 
 Thanks a lot for the information!


----------



## Stephen George

xiayizju said:


> Hi,
> so you mean if I buy from a seller on eBay, I should get the receipt from the seller? I always want to know how we get warranty service if we buy a product from eBay
> Thanks


 
  
  
 just use the paypal invoice (only way to really buy anything and be protected)
  
 I took a picture of it and uploaded the .jpg


----------



## xiayizju

Does anyone know if we buy this WM1A/WM1Z from Japan, I mean the Japanese version,
  
 1 is the display language only Japanese? (Some ebay seller told me this it can not change) Can we change the language in the settings of the product software interface?
  
 2 Does it have any volume cap? Any other difference than the ones sold in USA?
  
 Thank you!


----------



## gerelmx1986

xiayizju said:


> Does anyone know if we buy this WM1A/WM1Z from Japan, I mean the Japanese version,
> 
> 1 is the display language only Japanese? (Some ebay seller told me this it can not change) Can we change the language in the settings of the product software interface?
> 
> ...


 

 ​Maybe you can hack it with rockbox tool set to remove the language as does with the european volumen cap (which the japanese versión does not have)


----------



## xiayizju

stephen george said:


> just use the paypal invoice (only way to really buy anything and be protected)
> 
> I took a picture of it and uploaded the .jpg


 
 Hi, 
 Thank you! Usually I will get a paper receipt  (lists the seller information and order details) from eBay seller when I receive my product. I use this as proof of purchase.
 I don't understand paypal invoice you mentioned here. for a certain eBay purchase which i paid via paypal, how can I  find out the paypal invoice?


----------



## Stephen George

xiayizju said:


> Hi,
> Thank you! Usually I will get a paper receipt  (lists the seller information and order details) from eBay seller when I receive my product. I use this as proof of purchase.
> I don't understand paypal invoice you mentioned here. for a certain eBay purchase which i paid via paypal, how can I  find out the paypal invoice?


 
 just go into your paypal account
  
 you can also use the invoice generated in your ebay account (my ebay-->purchases)
  
 the paper receipt is perfect also, just scan/take a picture and upload it when prompted


----------



## SoLame

xiayizju said:


> Hi,
> Thank you! Usually I will get a paper receipt  (lists the seller information and order details) from eBay seller when I receive my product. I use this as proof of purchase.
> I don't understand paypal invoice you mentioned here. for a certain eBay purchase which i paid via paypal, how can I  find out the paypal invoice?


 
  
  


stephen george said:


> just use the paypal invoice (only way to really buy anything and be protected)
> 
> I took a picture of it and uploaded the .jpg


 
  
 I think you need a proof of purchase when you obtain a warranty service, not when you register your product. I could be wrong!


----------



## Stephen George

solame said:


> I think you need a proof of purchase when you obtain a warranty service, not when you register your product. I could be wrong!


 
  
 when i ran the form a month or so back...it didn't read "optional"
  
 or at least I didn't notice it


----------



## SoLame

stephen george said:


> when i ran the form a month or so back...it didn't read "optional"
> 
> or at least I didn't notice it


 
  
 I doesn't matter...you were trying to help your fellows.


----------



## Stephen George

xiayizju said:


> Does anyone know if we buy this WM1A/WM1Z from Japan, I mean the Japanese version,
> 
> 1 is the display language only Japanese? (Some ebay seller told me this it can not change) Can we change the language in the settings of the product software interface?
> 
> ...


 
  
 not too b e snarky sounding...but all new owners of either 1A or 1Z should read this whole thread (yeah, all 600+ pages)
  
 Packed with nice nuggets and yes among them, tool to set the player to whatever region you wish
  
 Go back a hundred or so messages and there's a link to the tool + instructions, it's very easy, I bought one from Japan and now mine is set as the Asia Tourist version that includes multi language and the BT remote settings
  
  the Japanese sellers on ebay do not know of the tool (although my seller does) as it's probably something Sony wouldn't encourage sharing


----------



## Stephen George

solame said:


> I doesn't matter...you were trying to help your fellows.


 
 yeah, and i only needed it once and haven't been back there since


----------



## proedros

mscott58 said:


> xiayizju said:
> 
> 
> > Hi,
> ...


 
  
 does this happen for non-uk EU people as well ?


----------



## mscott58

proedros said:


> does this happen for non-uk EU people as well ?



 


Theoretically it should, but I have no way of checking/testing. Cheers


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> does this happen for non-uk EU people as well ?




At check out it will deduct UK VAT and then add the appropriate VAT for your country. For me in Denmark the 20% UK VAT is deducted but then the Danish 25% VAT is added. This is based on the country the item is shiped to, not where your account is based. Often I get things shipped to my mother in law in UK and then bring it home when I visit.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Got my vaio back from service will report when I pair my WM1A with media ho


----------



## doofalb

There's a blue Dignis case on ebay, for $70 shipped. Just sayin, I wish that had been available before I paid $120 two weeks ago


----------



## pete338

Newbee new..Hi!


----------



## pete338

Proud owner of WM1A and XBA Z5...


----------



## Whitigir

pete338 said:


> Proud owner of WM1A and XBA Z5...






Welcome to the gang, and sorry about your wallet , trust me, it can only get worse


----------



## pete338

whitigir said:


> Welcome to the gang, and sorry about your wallet
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yeah..been thinking about WM1Z..


----------



## pete338

pete338 said:


> Yeah..been thinking about WM1Z..


 
 and........Z1R...


----------



## herijgonzalez

Is there a song limit? Not seeing a lot of my files even though they show up when connected to PC.


----------



## Stephen George

herijgonzalez said:


> Is there a song limit? Not seeing a lot of my files even though they show up when connected to PC.


 
 all must be in MUSIC folder
  
 limit is memory size right now (2X256GB)


----------



## herijgonzalez

Everything is in the music folder on both device and SD card and still missing quite a few folders.


----------



## drjigarn

herijgonzalez said:


> Everything is in the music folder on both device and SD card and still missing quite a few folders.




Did you transfer through media* go?


----------



## herijgonzalez

drjigarn said:


> Did you transfer through media* go?




That's the weird thing. The songs were showing a few days ago. Yesterday I added another 20gb, now a lot is missing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Resyncing mediaGo in mi VAIO i will plug the WM1A in a few moments


----------



## drjigarn

herijgonzalez said:


> That's the weird thing. The songs were showing a few days ago. Yesterday I added another 20gb, now a lot is missing.




What I noticed was media go messes up my folders, it rearranges the folder by artist, it becomes a problem for where I saved the folder by album name since it has various artists.


----------



## gerelmx1986

For those who have the Golden walkman MediaGo displays a photo of the Golden wañkman or the Black one?


----------



## jugglingsoot

gerelmx1986 said:


> For those who have the Golden walkman MediaGo displays a photo of the Golden wañkman or the Black one?




That's an image I can well do without, to be honest.


----------



## musicday

Going to check the 1Z at Sony London.
Anyone know if is there and what's the exact address?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

anyone tried this?
  
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/A6-EASECASE-Custom-Made-Genuine-Leather-Case-For-SONY-WM1-WM1A-WM1Z-/332093583317?hash=item4d5251efd5:g:rWEAAOSwLEtYfGwb


----------



## Tanjiro

hifiguy528 said:


> anyone tried this?
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/A6-EASECASE-Custom-Made-Genuine-Leather-Case-For-SONY-WM1-WM1A-WM1Z-/332093583317?hash=item4d5251efd5:g:rWEAAOSwLEtYfGwb



I was interested until I found out is from China...


----------



## goyete

Hi, anyone knows where can I buy an adapter from the EX1000 to MMCX for use the EX1000 with the WM1A in balanced mode?? I don't want to spend much money in a new cable, only the adapters. There are some images in the Web of them. I have sent a PM to a person in this forum that had them but no answer. Thanks!


----------



## nc8000

goyete said:


> Hi, anyone knows where can I buy an adapter from the EX1000 to MMCX for use the EX1000 with the WM1A in balanced mode?? I don't want to spend much money in a new cable, only the adapters. There are some images in the Web of them. I have sent a PM to a person in this forum that had them but no answer. Thanks!




Unless your current cable is already balanced you can not just get an adaptor to use the balanced out of the 1A


----------



## goyete

nc8000 said:


> Unless your current cable is already balanced you can not just get an adaptor to use the balanced out of the 1A



It's for use my Kimber Cable 4.4 mm with EX1000 instead Z5 when I want.


----------



## turbo87

hifiguy528 said:


> anyone tried this?
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/A6-EASECASE-Custom-Made-Genuine-Leather-Case-For-SONY-WM1-WM1A-WM1Z-/332093583317?hash=item4d5251efd5:g:rWEAAOSwLEtYfGwb




I tried their case for the Lotoo paw gold. It takes couple of weeks, since he makes it from scratch. But the quality really was not bad for $50 including shipping.


----------



## soundblast75

musicday said:


> Going to check the 1Z at Sony London.
> Anyone know if is there and what's the exact address?



Hah, im sorry to disappoint,but if you haven't been in a Sony shop before you might find even if you ask em they would have never heard Sony still does Walkman


----------



## musicday

soundblast75 said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Going to check the 1Z at Sony London.
> ...



Indeed my friend,bad experience with them.
Been to Harrods,and all other big important shops in London and the 1Z was nowhere to be found.
The representatives don't know is out.


----------



## ledzep

goyete said:


> It's for use my Kimber Cable 4.4 mm with EX1000 instead Z5 when I want.




I just keep the kimber for the 5's and re terminated the stock Japanese 1000's cable as it good quality to a bispa 4.4mm


Then I could not resist a nice thin Plusound one for traveling light.


----------



## kampongkid

goyete said:


> It's for use my Kimber Cable 4.4 mm with EX1000 instead Z5 when I want.




E4UA founder makes them. Just messaged you regarding this


----------



## kampongkid

Here's a photo of what he's sending me -


----------



## gerelmx1986

When screen is off the rewind button doesn't work unless the song has more than 5 seconds elapsed


----------



## SoLame

kampongkid said:


> Here's a photo of what he's sending me -


 
Are you getting them from E4UA? Those adapters are not cheap. My Japanese friend asked for the price and he's told 15,000 yen_. _


----------



## kampongkid

solame said:


> Are you getting them from E4UA? Those adapters are not cheap. My Japanese friend asked for the price and he's told 15,000 yen_. _


 
  
 Yeah they came in just under 18,000¥ shipped via EMS. I may be mistaken due to the language barrier, but it's to my understanding cables are being sacrificed for the molds. Prior to committing to these I'd inquired about a custom cable from PETEREK and he wouldn't touch it. He told the after market connectors on these are just too finicky in terms of fitment/size consistency issues.


----------



## audionewbi

kampongkid said:


> Yeah they came in just under 18,000¥ shipped via EMS. I may be mistaken due to the language barrier, but it's to my understanding cables are being sacrificed for the molds. Prior to committing to these I'd inquired about a custom cable from PETEREK and he wouldn't touch it. He told the after market connectors on these are just too finicky in terms of fitment/size consistency issues.


E4ua cables aren't cheap but are best built in the market, the guy is all about attention to detail.


----------



## Mimouille

moneypls said:


> I was interested until I found out is from China...


And?


----------



## gearofwar

mimouille said:


> And?


 
 It's steoretype nowadays that everything comes from China having low quality and from Japan having better quality which are totally hilarious. I seriously don't care where they are being made as long as there is good quality management behind.


----------



## Mimouille

gearofwar said:


> It's steoretype nowadays that everything comes from China having low quality and from Japan having better quality which are totally hilarious. I seriously don't care where they are being made as long as there is good quality management behind.


That is more or less what my "and" implied. It is so obnoxious to single out China. Everybody's iPhone is made their and it was not for China you would pay 3k for the iPhone. 

Besides China now produces excellent quality. The Lotoo Paw Gold is proof of that.


----------



## blazinblazin

Now everything directly or indirectly made in China.

China brand there are good and bad of cause.

It would depends on QC.

I would say not all are bad. There are quality ones too but expect average quality in most of unknown China brand stuffs. Don't put expectation too high. You will be fine.

You get what you paid for.


----------



## ledzep

audionewbi said:


> E4ua cables aren't cheap but are best built in the market, the guy is all about attention to detail.



Cheaper option is your original stock cable and scissors / soldering iron and plug from sleazybay and just so you know unplugging the kimber from the adaptor after a very short while becomes loose I can vouch for that only twice in my case and there are others that will confirm that too.


----------



## Lavakugel

mscott58 said:


> xiayizju said:
> 
> 
> > Hi,
> ...


 
 and there will be shipping costs and import taxes right?


----------



## Mimouille

Got the new plugs from Beat Audio. Look really nice.


----------



## ledzep

Anyone re terminated the mmcx kimber to new connectors ?
Basically pull apart easy enough as I've just discovered


----------



## ledzep

Another good match for the WM1A sounds great on SE so much so I've placed an order over at toxic for a new balanced widow. 

Small enough to fit in the cup of your ear !


----------



## gerelmx1986

My WM1A yesterday had a 2nd reboot and lost other 3 hours of burn-in, so i must add +7 hours instead of 403 i have 410. Don´t know why it happened, i just deleted some albums off and proceed to select an álbum to play it froze and rebooted, perhaps i did the selection of the tracks too quickly
  
 In one month of using i have had 2 reboots


----------



## blazinblazin

Mine only reboots when it trying to play some files with errors. Only once. Then i deleted that album. Everything is fine.


----------



## Whitigir

The new firmware should fix some of these issues of random reboots and stalling during playback


----------



## Tanjiro

whitigir said:


> The new firmware should fix some of these issues of random reboots and stalling during playback



New firmware is on its way???


----------



## bvng3540

gerelmx1986 said:


> My WM1A yesterday had a 2nd reboot and lost other 3 hours of burn-in, so i must add +7 hours instead of 403 i have 410. Don´t know why it happened, i just deleted some albums off and proceed to select an álbum to play it froze and rebooted, perhaps i did the selection of the tracks too quickly
> 
> In one month of using i have had 2 reboots




3rd times when it reboots will go KABOOM


----------



## gerelmx1986

moneypls said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > The new firmware should fix some of these issues of random reboots and stalling during playback
> ...


 

 ​Yes supposedly end of this month /march


----------



## fade2blak

Thank you to the fellas who posted about the Amazon UK warehouse deals. I bought WM1A for £592 in Used-Very Good condition and got it delivered today. I live in Dubai so I used a freight forwarder with UK address to ship it to me and they charged £9 for shipping. There is no import tax in Dubai up to £650 so all in all I paid £601. When I opened the box, I was shocked to find that it was more of Like-New condition with the plastic cover still stuck on the screen. The only 'used' feeling I got was from the outer cover.. Other than that totally mint.. I am one lucky chap and I owe it to this community 
  
 Thank you folks


----------



## musicday

fade2blak said:


> Thank you to the fellas who posted about the Amazon UK warehouse deals. I bought WM1A for £592 in Used-Very Good condition and got it delivered today. I live in Dubai so I used a freight forwarder with UK address to ship it to me and they charged £9 for shipping. There is no import tax in Dubai up to £650 so all in all I paid £601. When I opened the box, I was shocked to find that it was more of Like-New condition with the plastic cover still stuck on the screen. The only 'used' feeling I got was from the outer cover.. Other than that totally mint.. I am one lucky chap and I owe it to this community
> 
> Thank you folks



You being/living in Dubai should have bought the 1Z model and nothing else


----------



## bvng3540

musicday said:


> You being/living in Dubai should have bought the 1Z model and nothing else




And solid gold and not plated


----------



## jamato8

Any more recent comparisons of the 1Z and the 1A with a number of hours on both in balanced?


----------



## Stealer

Would love to see Sony develop an remote app instead of selling the remote controller.


----------



## kaushama

Is there a way to search for a particular song inside the whole database? I can not find such an option!!


----------



## drjigarn

kaushama said:


> Is there a way to search for a particular song inside the whole database? I can not find such an option!!



No, there is no search function sadly...


----------



## pete338

ledzep said:


> Another good match for the WM1A sounds great on SE so much so I've placed an order over at toxic for a new balanced widow.
> 
> Small enough to fit in the cup of your ear !


 
 Which model is this?


----------



## ledzep

fade2blak said:


> Thank you to the fellas who posted about the Amazon UK warehouse deals. I bought WM1A for £592 in Used-Very Good condition and got it delivered today. I live in Dubai so I used a freight forwarder with UK address to ship it to me and they charged £9 for shipping. There is no import tax in Dubai up to £650 so all in all I paid £601. When I opened the box, I was shocked to find that it was more of Like-New condition with the plastic cover still stuck on the screen. The only 'used' feeling I got was from the outer cover.. Other than that totally mint.. I am one lucky chap and I owe it to this community
> 
> Thank you folks



Glad someone took advantage of that warehouse dealans not shy away from the "used" status, I love it when some else gets a real bargain ! Well done and welcome to the WM world


----------



## ledzep

pete338 said:


> Which model is this?



The new N40


----------



## Decreate

stealer said:


> Would love to see Sony develop an remote app instead of selling the remote controller.


 This was exactly what I was thinking a few days ago...would be really convenient to be able to control the player via a mobile phone.


----------



## ledzep

I can use my phone with my Hapz1es so I don't see why an app couldn't be created anyone tried the Sony media app ?


----------



## ledzep

At work so cannot try now, anyone else available?


----------



## ledzep

Says Sony NFC devices so worth a try


----------



## gerelmx1986

i no longer hear anymore changes in sound of SE for my WM1A at 421 hours... seems it became stable now, was a pretty long time


----------



## TenderTendon

ledzep said:


> At work so cannot try now, anyone else available?


 
  
 Does not work. "Cannot connect. The device is not supported". The tiny remote is much more convenient anyway.


----------



## ledzep

Yeah but if someone got one of the media apps working like the hap it brings up all the album art lists and genre etc, we live in hope ( from a modder not Sony )


----------



## sarnhelen

Just changed stock cable on my Shure 535s for Surf Audio's 4.4mm balanced cable into the NW-WM1A. This modestly priced cable makes a startling and immediate improvement. Highly recommended. Not only clearer differentiation of instruments (not always a good thing on its own) and extended soundstage but (to my surprise) better bass, better all round tonality. One of the best value outlays in my audio life...


----------



## JamesKH

the 4.4mm output can do all that over the 3.5mm?


----------



## sarnhelen

Yes. Of course it's a new cable too.


----------



## pCollins

sarnhelen said:


> Just changed stock cable on my Shure 535s for Surf Audio's 4.4mm balanced cable into the NW-WM1A. This modestly priced cable makes a startling and immediate improvement. Highly recommended. Not only clearer differentiation of instruments (not always a good thing on its own) and extended soundstage but (to my surprise) better bass, better all round tonality. One of the best value outlays in my audio life...


 
  
 all silver cables?  How flexible is the jacket when worn around the ears?
 got a link?
 thanks.


----------



## sarnhelen

Here's the link: https://www.surfcables.com/products/sony-4-4mm-balanced-connectors-for-nw-wm1z-nw-wm1a-etc
 It's silver-plated copped wire. Extremely flexible, far more so than the Shures.


----------



## pete338

ledzep said:


> The new N40


 
 How does it compare with sony's z5?


----------



## ledzep

I've got the middle filters in (reference) very clean with balanced sound good highs and mids with bass when needed and not what I call muddy bass sound great out of 3.5mm and very easy to drive vol on 40 on most things very light and comfortable to wear for long periods overall a great pair of buds for the price I got a deal at £240 , the Z5'S need a bit more juice to kick them into gear and for me and it's only my opinion they sound better out of my PHA2A and I'm still struggling with the fit to be fair cannot seem to get it right with the kimbers at the moment but will persevere before I decide if I'm getting rid and sticking with the EX1000 which on balanced are superb.


----------



## hung031086

My EA cable just delivered today


----------



## blazinblazin

hung031086 said:


> My EA cable just delivered today


 
  
 Nice. Is that Thor Silver II?
 I am waiting for my Leonidas for my Andromeda


----------



## hung031086

Yeah its thor silver 2.


----------



## Mimouille

New limited edition case from Dignis. Not my taste but some might like it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will son do my review of the 1A SE only BAL will come when i have the cabling


----------



## gerelmx1986

REVIEW as today only SE
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/products/sony-digital-audio-player-walkman-nw-wm1a-b-black/reviews/18024


----------



## blazinblazin

Nice and detailed review.
  
 It matches what I heard.
  
 Natural and realistic sounding.


----------



## pCollins

Finally my WM1Z arrived after 3 weeks from Amazon UK.
 Thanks to @TenderTendon , my player has all the features.
  

  

  

  

  
 Patsy


----------



## proedros

WM1Z for sale at *2200$*

 http://www.head-fi.org/t/836025/sony-wm1z-no-volume-cap


----------



## denis1976

Hello , my Sony 1z has passed the 100 hours...i think i can share some toughts, this is the most musical Dap i ever heard, the instruments ,voices etc are peesented in such a real way that i sometimes forget that i have the headphones on my head, the sound is all around you, the 380Cu had more air but this level of realism i never , repeat, NEVER heard, no Pawgold no 380 cu no Questyle...never...i have the 1A too is a really well made and well sounding device but for me is many steps behind,now i want to listen to the Dx200 that it seems the 2 nd edition of the QP1R, is better than everything...


----------



## Whitigir

QP1R is going out with 2nd Edition ? I hope they don't still use that ancienT UI...lol. Did you hear Wm1z out of balanced or SE ?


----------



## Mr-Nice

Greetings
  
 I own the sony zx2. I am quite happy with it. But right now I am in the look for a new totl DAP. I really love what I am reading about the WM1Z but its price is really high. Would the WM1A be a better choice as an upgrade from my zx2, if money was an issue. Although I like what i am reading about the sound signature of the WM1Z more than the WM1A
  
 Cheers


----------



## Whitigir

Wm1a shall be the direct successor of ZX2 , Wm1z is just another luxurious Flagship from Sony which uses some pretty premium parts and 2x the prices lol


----------



## blazinblazin

mr-nice said:


> Greetings
> 
> I own the sony zx2. I am quite happy with it. But right now I am in the look for a new totl DAP. I really love what I am reading about the WM1Z but its price is really high. Would the WM1A be a better choice as an upgrade from my zx2, if money was an issue. Although I like what i am reading about the sound signature of the WM1Z more than the WM1A
> 
> Cheers




You wont be disappointed with WM1A.
And get the balanced cable.


----------



## denis1976

whitigir said:


> QP1R is going out with 2nd Edition ? I hope they don't still use that ancienT UI...lol. Did you hear Wm1z out of balanced or SE ?


i was joking about the second edition of the QP1R, i was comparing the dx200 to that review of the Qpr1 that theres no dap that sounds better than it, it looks like the dx200 is the same....i ear the 1z and 1a in SE i am waiting for the 4.4mm cable for my iem


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> i was joking about the second edition of the QP1R, i was comparing the dx200 to that review of the Qpr1 that theres no dap that sounds better than it, it looks like the dx200 is the same....i ear the 1z and 1a in SE i am waiting for the 4.4mm cable for my iem




Lol, I see. I am not sure how you can get the impressions that Wm1z is so good vs the rest out of SE, but if you are that much impressed, then you would be very excited with the 4.4mm balanced out


----------



## denis1976

whitigir said:


> Lol, I see. I am not sure how you can get the impressions that Wm1z is so good vs the rest out of SE, but if you are that much impressed, then you would be very excited with the 4.4mm balanced out


yes i am very excited, i will give my feedback then


----------



## TenderTendon

pcollins said:


> Finally my WM1Z arrived after 3 weeks from Amazon UK.
> 
> Patsy


 
  
 Congrats! Now that this journey is over, another can begin....


----------



## Whitigir

tendertendon said:


> Congrats! Now that this journey is over, another can begin....




Get Utopia balanced on WM1Z  , I assure you that it has great synergy and performances for an ultimate portable music


----------



## gerelmx1986

As denis says i find the WM1A to sound REALISTIC as never have Heard before, no Fiio, no zx100 ntohing in the past gave me this realism


----------



## jmills8

gerelmx1986 said:


> As denis says i find the WM1A to sound REALISTIC as never have Heard before, no Fiio, no zx100 ntohing in the past gave me this realism


$99 , $500 , $$$$


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

I prefer my ZX2 to the WM1A. The latter is just lifeless without added features of ZX2 and is too bulky for portable use. 
The 2 headphone output kinda looked cool in the beginning but now looking at it I wonder why they didn't go for either one. 
For $1200 I think it's too much.
Sound wise if I plug in Z5 I like the ZX2 better. Because with electronic, dance tracks WM feels slow. I cant explain it well . 





mr-nice said:


> Greetings
> 
> I own the sony zx2. I am quite happy with it. But right now I am in the look for a new totl DAP. I really love what I am reading about the WM1Z but its price is really high. Would the WM1A be a better choice as an upgrade from my zx2, if money was an issue. Although I like what i am reading about the sound signature of the WM1Z more than the WM1A
> 
> Cheers


----------



## denis1976

audiobreeder said:


> I prefer my ZX2 to the WM1A. The latter is just lifeless without added features of ZX2 and is too bulky for portable use.
> The 2 headphone output kinda looked cool in the beginning but now looking at it I wonder why they didn't go for either one.
> For $1200 I think it's too much.
> Sound wise if I plug in Z5 I like the ZX2 better. Because with electronic, dance tracks WM feels slow. I cant explain it well .


i had a zx2 in the past and don't have the same opinion , i think that the 1A has more dynamic, the zx2 is very good but the 1A in my opinion is a step up


----------



## blazinblazin

audiobreeder said:


> I prefer my ZX2 to the WM1A. The latter is just lifeless without added features of ZX2 and is too bulky for portable use.
> The 2 headphone output kinda looked cool in the beginning but now looking at it I wonder why they didn't go for either one.
> For $1200 I think it's too much.
> Sound wise if I plug in Z5 I like the ZX2 better. Because with electronic, dance tracks WM feels slow. I cant explain it well .




Have you tried WM1A balanced?


----------



## TheOracle

denis1976 said:


> i had a zx2 in the past and don't have the same opinion , i think that the 1A has more dynamic, the zx2 is very good but the 1A in my opinion is a step up


 

 Wholeheartedly agree with this. And that is using the 3.5 jack (using the pseudo balanced). The 4.4 balanced puts it way out and above what the zx2 is capable of.
  
 I have been enjoying the WM1A with my custom Zeus XR-Adel and 4.4 balanced. Still awaiting my Plus Sound 4.4mm cable for my Focal Elear and Final Audio Hope VI. The wait is agonizing!!!


----------



## BunnyNamedCraig

Just started playing around with the Player and took this shot.  I like the feeling of the screen, its different than an iphone. hard to explain ha.


----------



## musicday

mtmecraig said:


> Just started playing around with the Player and took this shot.  I like the feeling of the screen, its different than an iphone. hard to explain ha.



Can't be,the quality is much lower, especially the screen resolution.
I bet is a very old stock that Sony have used to keep production cost down.


----------



## squirrelman

proedros said:


> WM1Z for sale at *2200$*
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/836025/sony-wm1z-no-volume-cap


 
  
 Haha that is me.  I decided to just keep my WM1A and thought I'd see if anyone else here wanted it for the same price I paid before I returned it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:


> audiobreeder said:
> 
> 
> > I prefer my ZX2 to the WM1A. The latter is just lifeless without added features of ZX2 and is too bulky for portable use.
> ...


 

 ​I bet @AUDIOBREEDER Hasn't tried an iPod classic to see what really lifeless SQ is. WM1A ain't lifeless at all, it very lush and realistic sounding DAP


----------



## bana

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​I bet @AUDIOBREEDER Hasn't tried an iPod classic to see what really lifeless SQ is. WM1A ain't lifeless at all, it very lush and realistic sounding DAP


 
 No one under 30 has seen an Ipod classic.


----------



## Jalo

Does anyone make a 4.4 female plug or female adaptor?


----------



## pCollins

While loading songs onto WM1Z, I noticed links to websites like this one:
 http://headpie.blogspot.jp/2016/09/sony-signature-series-wm1z-impressions.html?m=1
 These remained even after I re-initialized the player following the region-change.
  
 Is this not strange?
  
 Patsy


----------



## musicday

bana said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > ​I bet @AUDIOBREEDER
> ...



Under 30 inches height


----------



## gearofwar

whitigir said:


> QP1R is going out with 2nd Edition ? I hope they don't still use that ancienT UI...lol. Did you hear Wm1z out of balanced or SE ?


 
 The second edition here means they have fixed wheel only. But the sound on lastest batch is really much better and low noise


----------



## TenderTendon

pcollins said:


> While loading songs onto WM1Z, I noticed links to websites like this one:
> http://headpie.blogspot.jp/2016/09/sony-signature-series-wm1z-impressions.html?m=1
> These remained even after I re-initialized the player following the region-change.
> 
> ...


 

 I don't understand this. Where are these links? On the player? How are you loading the songs?


----------



## pCollins

tendertendon said:


> I don't understand this. Where are these links? On the player? How are you loading the songs?


 
  
 TT,
  
 I use a MAC.
 In Disk mode, MAC recognize the WM1Z as a drive termed "Walkman"
  

  
 The links I referred to were inside the "FOR MAC" directory.
  

  
 I simply drag and drop music from my iTunes and DSD high resolution files from their directories into the Walkman's Music directory.  It was really fast and all tracks works fine with the WM1Z.  All cover art showed up as well.


----------



## TenderTendon

pcollins said:


> The links I referred to were inside the "FOR MAC" directory.


 
 Now I see it. It is on my player too. I never noticed it, as I'm a PC user and never opened that folder. Must be something Sony permanently embeds in the firmware, same as the 4 song samples. If you delete those 4 included songs, they re-appear after doing a factory restore.


----------



## hung031086

My 1a last about 20 hours with high gain for nonstop playing music. Is that normal ?


----------



## blazinblazin

hung031086 said:


> My 1a last about 20 hours with high gain for nonstop playing music. Is that normal ?




Quite normal to me.

Mine low gain 20+ hours.


----------



## gerelmx1986

hung031086 said:


> My 1a last about 20 hours with high gain for nonstop playing music. Is that normal ?


normal H gain uses more power


----------



## Mimouille

pcollins said:


> While loading songs onto WM1Z, I noticed links to websites like this one:
> http://headpie.blogspot.jp/2016/09/sony-signature-series-wm1z-impressions.html?m=1
> These remained even after I re-initialized the player following the region-change.
> 
> ...


This is extremely weird, these are MY impressions on the headpie blog. Why on earth would they be on new players?!


----------



## ExpatinJapan

pcollins said:


> While loading songs onto WM1Z, I noticed links to websites like this one:
> http://headpie.blogspot.jp/2016/09/sony-signature-series-wm1z-impressions.html?m=1
> These remained even after I re-initialized the player following the region-change.
> 
> ...


 
 Muhahahaa
  
 Thats hilarious! Sony send me a Dap!


----------



## pCollins

expatinjapan said:


> Muhahahaa
> 
> Thats hilarious! Sony send me a Dap!


 
  
 Did you try the WM!Z with the Shure KSE1500 after all?


----------



## ExpatinJapan

pcollins said:


> Did you try the WM!Z with the Shure KSE1500 after all?


 
 Thats Mimouille s job 
  
 I dont know If he did yet, he did with the DX200.


----------



## Mimouille

pcollins said:


> Did you try the WM!Z with the Shure KSE1500 after all?


 
 I will try again in the coming days.


----------



## Mimouille

Great news, the 4.4 plug for the Dita Awesome Plug is coming out in March.


----------



## blazinblazin

I already gotten my 4.4mm cable from Effect Audio.
  
 Probably get 1 later since it can support a few plugs.


----------



## kms108

mimouille said:


> Great news, the 4.4 plug for the Dita Awesome Plug is coming out in March.


 
 Not to my liking, their cables produces to much bass, their bass is on the heavy side.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> Not to my liking, their cables produces to much bass, their bass is on the heavy side.




Assuming you are speaking for copper ? They have silver as well , probably won't be cheap


----------



## Mimouille

kms108 said:


> Not to my liking, their cables produces to much bass, their bass is on the heavy side.


Yeah right, cables producing bass. It's a new technology with bass boost in the cable.


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> Yeah right, cables producing bass. It's a new technology with bass boost in the cable.




Yeah, it is called 7N OCC copper. I am curious though, if a person can not tell the differences between cables, why would they spend so much money on buying after market cables ? For look alone ?


----------



## musicday

whitigir said:


> mimouille said:
> 
> 
> > Yeah right, cables producing bass. It's a new technology with bass boost in the cable.
> ...



That's very funny but hard to answer


----------



## nc8000

musicday said:


> That's very funny but hard to answer




Looks and ergonomics including getting the right lenghts and terminations are all valid non sound related reasons for buying after market cables


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> Yeah, it is called 7N OCC copper. I am curious though, if a person can not tell the differences between cables, why would they spend so much money on buying after market cables ? For look alone ?




I do not like to get into cable debates, it is like talking about religion, there are always people who will put belief before science. 

My claim here was that a cable with a lot of bass makes absolutely no sense. A cable can have a certain resistance and depending on the impedance curve of an iem it can affect sound marginally, but how it can boost bass that is a mystery to me.

Secondly 7N copper. It is most likely an unfounded claim and would have no benefit over 5N.
http://www.doublehelixcables.com/store/index.php?main_page=page&id=11
Unless you have relevant literature to prove otherwise. If you can explain why copper, 7N or other, boosts bass, I am all ears.

You have no idea how much I spend, so do not lose sleep over it, it is my own problem.

I base my cable purchases on:
- Quality of the material
- Customer service
- Ergonomics
- Build quality
- Esthetics
- Quality, availability and esthetics of connectors and splitters

Believe me few manufacturers combine all these, and I have tried almost all of them.

And yes I do not believe cable significantly change sound. Yet I am willing to spend a few hundred bucks for the mix of above stated elements.



musicday said:


> That's very funny but hard to answer




I fail to see the humour.


----------



## blazinblazin

DHC claims i agree and disagree on different parts of their explanations.

I agree 7N 8N claims are not very logical. 
When the more 9s at the end the purity difference get smaller n smaller. There will be till a point the difference will not be enough to be significant.

I believe cable sounds difference cause of the conductivity and structure of the cable. Yes purity do plays a part but the more 9s behind the difference will significantly decrease. Now will be more on structure(thickness, seperation of strand, conductivity etc).

I disagree their claims on gold-silver cables. They do sounds different than copper and silver cables.


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> I do not like to get into cable debates, it is like talking about religion, there are always people who will put belief before science.
> 
> My claim here was that a cable with a lot of bass makes absolutely no sense. A cable can have a certain resistance and depending on the impedance curve of an iem it can affect sound marginally, but how it can boost bass that is a mystery to me.
> 
> ...




First off, I have been holding back for a while, I think Wikipedia should solve your problem if you are motivated enough to google search eh ? Here, wiki search.

Second off, as a cables vendor, I would say anything to sell you my stuff. But hey, you believe what you do

Ultra-pure copper has a conductivity of 58.65 MS/m, 102.75% IACS.) Note that OF and ETP coppers have identical conductivity requirements

And here

There are advanced refining processes such as the Czochralski process than can be used to reduce impurity levels to below the C10100 specification by reducing copper grain density.[7][8][9][10] *At this time, there are currently no UNS/ASTM classifications for these specialty coppers and the IACS conductivity of these coppers is not readily available*

So, just to let you know, electrical components and it tolerances had been gradually progressed into much more sophisticated quality, and so as conductors (wires). This is where they call Audiophile grade vs Commercial grade. 

Again, if you want to buy the cables for look alone, nobody is stopping you. I, myself, had been making and experiences with my cables long, and countless enough to know the differences. Believe it or not, I would not bother to debate, but to me, I upgrade my cables for sound quality....nothing look alone can satisfy my search for better performances, or else I would have settled with kitty ear headphones


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> First off, I have been holding back for a while, I think Wikipedia should solve your problem if you are motivated enough to google search eh ? Here, wiki search.
> 
> Second off, as a cables vendor, I would say anything to sell you my stuff. But hey, you believe what you do
> 
> ...


Fascinating. And this boosts bass how? And where did I say I did it for look alone? 

I made an effort to write an intelligible post, and you did not read it nor answer.

It is ok, whatever makes you happy, and same for me.


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> Fascinating. And this boosts bass how?




That is the matter of other interesting reads and searchs. For all that said, you can search around and read about it, including metallurgy and how it behave on the electrical conductivity scales vs temperature and itself resistivity. You can search, and read all you want.

In the end though, cables make the differences, whether or not, and either you or your sources or both, can bring out the differences, are all another different matter.


----------



## AnakChan

Guys, not wanting to go through multiple pages of cables, etc. can we stop the cable discussion? If you want to continue, do feel free to start a new thread or go to the Sound Science section?
  
 Hint hint, any further conversations of cables will be deleted.


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> That is the matter of other interesting reads and searchs. For all that said, you can search around and read about it, including metallurgy and how it behave on the electrical conductivity scales vs temperature and itself resistivity. You can search, and read all you want.
> 
> In the end though, cables make the differences, whether or not, and either you or your sources or both, can bring out the differences, are all another different matter.


 Hum that's what I thought.


----------



## kms108

I tried this cable on the WM1A, it was the 3.5mm version, the 4.4mm version was not available at the time, using this with the EX800, against the stock cable, kimber kable and the Dita, I think the cable was priced around USD 350, not sure if it's SPC, OFC or silver.
  
 You can clearly hear it has a much stronger bass, even DMC Hong Kong(store name), say the company made the cable for people who loves bass. It's nice they design the plug like this, 4.4mm, 3.5mm and 2.5mm interchangable, but kind of expensive for this feature.


----------



## xiayizju

Hi
Can I trust to buy from a third party seller in Amazon who ask to email before ordering? The seller seems have good rating, but the price is a little too good
Sony NW-WM1Z High-Resolution Audio Walkman (256 GB Memory, S Master HX Engine, Copper Case 10.2 cm/4 inch LED LCD Multi-Touch Display) - Gold https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LHGLALI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_achPybP7ZC41W


----------



## jmills8

xiayizju said:


> Hi
> Can I trust to buy from a third party seller in Amazon who ask to email before ordering? The seller seems have good rating, but the price is a little too good
> Sony NW-WM1Z High-Resolution Audio Walkman (256 GB Memory, S Master HX Engine, Copper Case 10.2 cm/4 inch LED LCD Multi-Touch Display) - Gold https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LHGLALI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_achPybP7ZC41W


 There are two on sale here on HF.


----------



## xiayizju

jmills8 said:


> There are two on sale here on HF.



where is it? Can you send me the link? Thanks


----------



## jmills8

xiayizju said:


> where is it? Can you send me the link? Thanks



http://www.head-fi.org/t/836025/sony-wm1z-no-volume-cap


----------



## Jazzi

xiayizju said:


> Hi
> Can I trust to buy from a third party seller in Amazon who ask to email before ordering? The seller seems have good rating, but the price is a little too good
> Sony NW-WM1Z High-Resolution Audio Walkman (256 GB Memory, S Master HX Engine, Copper Case 10.2 cm/4 inch LED LCD Multi-Touch Display) - Gold https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LHGLALI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_achPybP7ZC41W


 

 Don't do it.  For one, contacting the third party via email is a violation of Amazon's policies, so if you get ripped-off you most likely won't get any support from Amazon.


----------



## ledzep

Fake seller again , the upside is it usually means Amazon bring the prices down to compete with the price shown , looks like it's been removed now so I'm guessing that gravy train has now stopped. Was good while it lasted and plenty took advantage of the average price of £700 ! A round of applause to all concerned.


----------



## 13candles

Has anyone removed that ugly "made in malaysia" sticker at left bottom of the player?
  
 I tried to remove it but could only succeed in removing the top layer . Didnt wish to scratch at it for fear i would scratch of some of the gold finish... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 P.S. No offense to malaysians or malaysia whatsoever. Just stating since we all know that the WM series are all made there yes?


----------



## xiayizju

jazzi said:


> Don't do it.  For one, contacting the third party via email is a violation of Amazon's policies, so if you get ripped-off you most likely won't get any support from Amazon.


 
 Thank you, I will hold off that kind of dangerous temptation from now on. The thing was that I know it most probably be fake and I just wanted to try


----------



## mw7485

xiayizju said:


> Hi
> Can I trust to buy from a third party seller in Amazon who ask to email before ordering? The seller seems have good rating, but the price is a little too good
> Sony NW-WM1Z High-Resolution Audio Walkman (256 GB Memory, S Master HX Engine, Copper Case 10.2 cm/4 inch LED LCD Multi-Touch Display) - Gold https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LHGLALI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_achPybP7ZC41W


 
  
 It is 99% certainly a scam. These "traders" are handy in that they can force Amazon's automatic pricing algorithm to price real items down BUT, I would expect you will never see your item once you have parted with your money. I strongly recommend you stick to legit' traders, and look for real discounts on real hardware. There isn't a lot of wriggle room, but be patient and something will turn up.......


----------



## Sound Eq

mw7485 said:


> It is 99% certainly a scam. These "traders" are handy in that they can force Amazon's automatic pricing algorithm to price real items down BUT, I would expect you will never see your item once you have parted with your money. I strongly recommend you stick to legit' traders, and look for real discounts on real hardware. There isn't a lot of wriggle room, but be patient and something will turn up.......


 
 few days ago on amazon i saw also cowon plenue s being offered for 1040 usd, but they also asked to email them my info so they can book the item for me


----------



## proedros

xiayizju said:


> Hi
> Can I trust to buy from a third party seller in Amazon who ask to email before ordering? The seller seems have good rating, but the price is a little too good
> Sony NW-WM1Z High-Resolution Audio Walkman (256 GB Memory, S Master HX Engine, Copper Case 10.2 cm/4 inch LED LCD Multi-Touch Display) - Gold https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LHGLALI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_achPybP7ZC41W


 
  
 the one priced 1565 pounds is 100% a scam , beware


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> the one priced 1565 pounds is 100% a scam , beware




And no longer there


----------



## echineko

13candles said:


> Has anyone removed that ugly "made in malaysia" sticker at left bottom of the player?
> 
> I tried to remove it but could only succeed in removing the top layer . Didnt wish to scratch at it for fear i would scratch of some of the gold finish...
> 
> ...


 
 You almost got me going there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But on a more serious note, I think a lot of people use their Walkman with a third-party case, I didn't even remember that sticker until you mentioned it. I just left it as is and got me a Dignis case as soon as I could (mainly because I wanted to cover as much of the body as possible, didn't want any scratches).


----------



## 13candles

echineko said:


> You almost got me going there
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 For what it's worth, i really like that black leather case which was packaged with the 1Z and it still leaves alot of the bling and the other aesthetics of the player to be admired! 
  
 Yeah, and since the sides are uncovered, that decal/sticker below is quite an eyesore on such an exquisite product.
  
 Anywho, one quick question; Is it a must or is it better to use MediaGo as a source of data transfer? And if it's better, how so?


----------



## Whitigir

13candles said:


> For what it's worth, i really like that black leather case which was packaged with the 1Z and it still leaves alot of the bling and the other aesthetics of the player to be admired!
> 
> Yeah, and since the sides are uncovered, that decal/sticker below is quite an eyesore on such an exquisite product.
> 
> Anywho, one quick question; Is it a must or is it better to use MediaGo as a source of data transfer? And if it's better, how so?




I only drag and drop lol....and yeah, I love stock case. The sides though, my wedding ring can easily be scratching it lol...


----------



## drjigarn

13candles said:


> For what it's worth, i really like that black leather case which was packaged with the 1Z and it still leaves alot of the bling and the other aesthetics of the player to be admired!
> 
> Yeah, and since the sides are uncovered, that decal/sticker below is quite an eyesore on such an exquisite product.
> 
> Anywho, one quick question; Is it a must or is it better to use MediaGo as a source of data transfer? And if it's better, how so?




From my observation if your music is already organized there is no advantage unless you like to use SensMe channels option on the player.


----------



## MelaVerde

I apologize in advance if this topic has been already addressed but I have not been able to find anything in regards, also I might have made a mess with trying posting this message in the first place.
  
 I’ve just received my NW-WM1A with additional Sandisk 200GB microSD and loaded it up with multiple albums, Ia m currently experiencing issue with cover art non displaying at all for some albums, no apparent reason as same format FLAC/AIFF and cover art size, up to 1500x1500 will shows in some and other not.
  
 Coming from AK70 where all the same album shown without issue I am getting puzzled and a little bit frustrated as I am trying to find a logical reason on my current issue. All ID Tags have been edited using the same software, YATE, on my iMac 27”, on a side note, I have tried the same albums in MediaGo from Sony and they all show correctly the Cover Art.
  
 Any idea on how to approach this issue before I loose my sanity? By the way this little gem is a work of craftsmanship and I am looking forward to many hours of enjoyment with my Campfire Vega and Foster TH900 MKII.
  
 Thank you for any help or tips on this matter


----------



## Sarnia

xiayizju said:


> Hi
> Can I trust to buy from a third party seller in Amazon who ask to email before ordering? The seller seems have good rating, but the price is a little too good
> Sony NW-WM1Z High-Resolution Audio Walkman (256 GB Memory, S Master HX Engine, Copper Case 10.2 cm/4 inch LED LCD Multi-Touch Display) - Gold https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LHGLALI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_achPybP7ZC41W


 
 Just to further confirm, that is the bogus/scam seller that I have mentioned several times. If you see a seller asking you to contact them by e-mail, don't do it. At best you will never receive a response or the item. At worst they will scam you. 
  
 This scammer seems to have hacked many seller accounts, so many of their sale posts look legitimate and have many favorable ratings. Look a little closer and you'll see that they often originally were small sellers in specialized items, not selling mass electronics. This scammer also often states that the items were on display in their store. If it's a third-party seller, not fulfilled by Amazon, and the price looks too good to be true, it almost certainly is a scam. They do sometimes drive Amazon's prices down though, that's the only upside.


----------



## xiayizju

sarnia said:


> Just to further confirm, that is the bogus/scam seller that I have mentioned several times. If you see a seller asking you to contact them by e-mail, don't do it. At best you will never receive a response or the item. At worst they will scam you.
> 
> This scammer seems to have hacked many seller accounts, so many of their sale posts look legitimate and have many favorable ratings. Look a little closer and you'll see that they often originally were small sellers in specialized items, not selling mass electronics. This scammer also often states that the items were on display in their store. If it's a third-party seller, not fulfilled by Amazon, and the price looks too good to be true, it almost certainly is a scam. They do sometimes drive Amazon's prices down though, that's the only upside.


 
 Thank you


----------



## Sound Eq

sarnia said:


> Just to further confirm, that is the bogus/scam seller that I have mentioned several times. If you see a seller asking you to contact them by e-mail, don't do it. At best you will never receive a response or the item. At worst they will scam you.
> 
> This scammer seems to have hacked many seller accounts, so many of their sale posts look legitimate and have many favorable ratings. Look a little closer and you'll see that they often originally were small sellers in specialized items, not selling mass electronics. This scammer also often states that the items were on display in their store. If it's a third-party seller, not fulfilled by Amazon, and the price looks too good to be true, it almost certainly is a scam. They do sometimes drive Amazon's prices down though, that's the only upside.


 
 so what happens if someone buy from that seller will amazon refund the money if you do not get the item


----------



## kampongkid

I doubt Amazon would offer much help. The way it works is they ask for your PayPal and physical address and say they will send it to Amazon so you are covered and you hear back from Amazon upon confirmation. The email will hit your spam box and at first inspection it appears legit- looks as though its from "auto-confirm@amazon.co.uk" it fills the address completely. When you look closer though you realize the address was cut off and the full one is actually similar to this - auto-confirm@amazon.co.uk-83745278560.com


----------



## Sarnia

sound eq said:


> so what happens if someone buy from that seller will amazon refund the money if you do not get the item


 
 If you e-mail a seller direct and pay outside the Amazon system then I doubt very much Amazon would offer any assistance, as it's against their terms.


----------



## Sarnia

I need a good open headphone, and have decided to return the HD800S as I massively prefer the sound of the Z1R with the only issue being that the Z1R's bass is a little much for me occasionally (but it's less of an issue the more I listen to it).
  
 The Z1R has a much richer, textured sound with just as much, if not more detail as the HD800S, particularly in the mids. I also find certain instruments sound unnatural on the HD800S, especially some percussion instruments, and also the positioning is much more vague. 
  
 I'm in the difficult position that I can't demo any headphones before buying without flying to the UK. I'm looking at the Focal Elear, Focal Utopia and Hifiman HE1000 V2. 
  
 Probably a bit of a silly question, but after many hours of reading reviews and forum threads i'm still pretty clueless on this. Which of these, if any, would have the most similar sound signature to the Z1R, but with less bass?
  
 Generally I seem to prefer fairly neutral headphones, for example I much preferred the HD600 to the HD650. However I prefer the Fidelio X2 to both of those as it's livelier/more dynamic. Unfortunately compared to the Z1R it sounds like i'm listening to the X2 through a thick towel.
  
 Cost wise, the Elear would cost me £633, the HE1000 V2 £1,613 and the Utopia £2,572. I might be able to negotiate better prices, but that is the starting point. Cost isn't the main factor (but still important), sound and comfort are.
  
 At the moment my heart is more for the Utopia, but my head is on the HE1000 V2 due to the lower price, plus it comes with a balanced cable, and some people put it equal to the Utopia in SQ. The Elear sounds good, but some say it sounds like an improved HD650, which I wasn't keen on.
  
 I would like to make a decision tomorrow, so any views are very much appreciated.


----------



## TenderTendon

13candles said:


> Has anyone removed that ugly "made in malaysia" sticker at left bottom of the player?
> 
> I tried to remove it but could only succeed in removing the top layer . Didnt wish to scratch at it for fear i would scratch of some of the gold finish...


 
 Yes, it's easy to remove. Just grab it with a fingernail and pull off. No scratches and no adhesive residue.


----------



## Whitigir

sarnia said:


> I need a good open headphone, and have decided to return the HD800S as I massively prefer the sound of the Z1R with the only issue being that the Z1R's bass is a little much for me occasionally (but it's less of an issue the more I listen to it).
> 
> The Z1R has a much richer, textured sound with just as much, if not more detail as the HD800S, particularly in the mids. I also find certain instruments sound unnatural on the HD800S, especially some percussion instruments, and also the positioning is much more vague.
> 
> ...




Wm1z and Utopia out of 4.4mm is a very hard to beat combination. I traded away my z1r for Utopia to match better with Wm1z voicing

Why ? Wm1z sound s isn't on a bit of warmer sides. Z1R is too Warmth and dark to pair with Wm1z. While utopia is extremely neutral and balanced. They go together nicely. Utopia does not have less bass than Z1R, it has what I call "a better bass resolutions". Utopia has the dynamic body like nothing I ever witnessed from any other headphones. It is also very balanced and neutral too ! Out of the box and paired with WM1z, it drove me insane right away.

The bad thing is that it only comes with Single Ended 1/4" connector. You will need a 4.4mm cables for the Utopia to take advantage of the Wm1Z. The cables is not cheap either, the connectors for Utopia is more expensive than Hd-800, not to mention a good quality 4.4mm for Sony new balanced port.

But just out of experiences, I just want to provide you the feedbacks that you are seeking for. Beside Z1R, and Utopia, I did not hear any other headphones u mentioned above. No comment about them


----------



## musicday

The biggest problem seem to be that, is nowhere near London one can try the new Sony Signature products before buying.
Actually i would like to try their flagship headphones and see if they can match or are better then Ether C Flow.


----------



## Sarnia

Thanks Whitigr.
  
 Just realised I posted this in the wrong thread, I meant to post in the Z1R thread...oops, too many open in my browser.


----------



## Sarnia

musicday said:


> The biggest problem seem to be that, is nowhere near London one can try the new Sony Signature products before buying.
> Actually i would like to try their flagship headphones and see if they can match or are better then Ether C Flow.


 
 Amazon UK allow you to return within 30 days, so you could buy from there and return if not happy. If you feel bad buying new and returning they have two used ones in Amazon Warehouse, which also has a 30-day return window. The only issue with Warehouse goods in so guarantee, but even then if you decided you liked them you could return and buy the brand new ones.
  
 I've done 200 hours plus burn-in on both SE and balanced on my WM1A now, so going to give that a thorough test using the Z1R and also the EX1000. I've only got the stock cable on the EX1000 at the moment, but got a balanced cable coming from Forza Audio Works very soon.


----------



## gerelmx1986

melaverde said:


> I apologize in advance if this topic has been already addressed but I have not been able to find anything in regards, also I might have made a mess with trying posting this message in the first place.
> 
> I’ve just received my NW-WM1A with additional Sandisk 200GB microSD and loaded it up with multiple albums, Ia m currently experiencing issue with cover art non displaying at all for some albums, no apparent reason as same format FLAC/AIFF and cover art size, up to 1500x1500 will shows in some and other not.
> 
> ...


 

 ​Most likely some of your covers are iether non-jpgs or progressive jpg... al cover must be baseline jpg in order to work properly


----------



## musicday

Gold Walkman on ebay uk listed.
But the seller doesn't have the box and other accessories due to moving apartments.How can you lose them just like that, especially at how much this cost! Big lol from me.
Anyone interested?


----------



## JamesKH

Anyone have any luck pairing Sony Remote Commader (NWS20) with WM1A/Z in the US?


----------



## Jalo

@Sarnia, go with your heart. In the long run you will be happier.


----------



## TenderTendon

jameskh said:


> Anyone have any luck pairing Sony Remote Commader (NWS20) with WM1A/Z in the US?


 

 Can't do it. Remote is disabled for US owners. You'll have to change the destination region to enable.


----------



## MelaVerde

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Most likely some of your covers are iether non-jpgs or progressive jpg... al cover must be baseline jpg in order to work properly


 

 Thank you kindly @gerelmx1986 for the info, pardon my ignorance, how do I check whether they are baseline jpg or progressive jpg? All I know I Yate download automatically the cover and embedded it to the file, appreciated again is your expertise and guidance.


----------



## gerelmx1986

melaverde said:


> Thank you kindly @gerelmx1986 for the info, pardon my ignorance, how do I check whether they are baseline jpg or progressive jpg? All I know I Yate download automatically the cover and embedded it to the file, appreciated again is your expertise and guidance.


 
 check my thread walkman tips and tricks
  
 I use Photoshop for this and just resave it as baseline


----------



## MelaVerde

Thank you kindly Sir.!!!


----------



## HiFiGuy528

13candles said:


> Has anyone removed that ugly "made in malaysia" sticker at left bottom of the player?
> 
> I tried to remove it but could only succeed in removing the top layer . Didnt wish to scratch at it for fear i would scratch of some of the gold finish...
> 
> ...


 
  
 I removed mine upon unboxing. Note that the process is not for the faint of heart.


----------



## gerelmx1986

13candles said:


> Has anyone removed that ugly "made in malaysia" sticker at left bottom of the player?
> 
> I tried to remove it but could only succeed in removing the top layer . Didnt wish to scratch at it for fear i would scratch of some of the gold finish...
> 
> ...


 

 WM1A owners are not so lucky as the legend is laser-engraved haha


----------



## looge

Sony NW-WM1A with Audeze LCD-X and iFi Micro IDSD
  
 I have the Audeze LCD-X that I listen through the iFi Micro IDSD and before I make the plunge to get the Sony NW-WM1A, appreciate anyone who has the same gear combination give some comments.
 Which adapter do you recommend to use to connect the Audeze's 4-pin XLR balanced cable with the WM1A balanced output?
 Would using a 4.4mm TRRS to RCA jack adapter work if I were to connect the WM1A balanced output into the IDSD coaxial input? I doubt I could use the IDSD USB input since the WM1A uses Sony's inhouse software and not Android or iOS which work with the IDSD.
 Thanks.


----------



## blazinblazin

My WM1A 450+hrs into balanced and still experienced changes in sound. What is this sorcery?


----------



## 13candles

hifiguy528 said:


> I removed mine upon unboxing. Note that the process is not for the faint of heart.


 
 Not for the faint of heart?? 
  
 Now you got me curious as to what did you do to remove the sticker/decal.....
  
 Nice cans btw


----------



## ttt123

blazinblazin said:


> My WM1A 450+hrs into balanced and still experienced changes in sound. What is this sorcery?


 
 On my WM1A, I also was surprised that the SQ which I thought would have no further changes at 450 hrs, had changed further (improved), when I checked at 550 hrs.  So  500 hrs is a usage point to keep in mind.  I believe other people have reported similar findings.


----------



## gerelmx1986

13candles said:


> Not for the faint of heart??
> 
> Now you got me curious as to what did you do to remove the sticker/decal.....
> 
> Nice cans btw


 
 My sony vaio after repair it was glued with a sticker on the back, so I removed it and only like you... the top layer... damn. Had to rub until all the stuff went away


----------



## indrakula

Sony WM1A or QP1R ? Pls Advise...


----------



## Jalo

indrakula said:


> Sony WM1A or QP1R ? Pls Advise...



And you are asking for advise in a Walkman thread? Take a guess.


----------



## 13candles

Silly question; 
  
 Do you guys ever turn off the walkman when not in use or "burning in" ?


----------



## blazinblazin

indrakula said:


> Sony WM1A or QP1R ? Pls Advise...


 
 You won't go wrong with WM1A.
  
 But you must have a 4.4mm balanced cable to get the best out of it.


----------



## blazinblazin

13candles said:


> Silly question;
> 
> Do you guys ever turn off the walkman when not in use or "burning in" ?


 
  
 Initially I do off it.
  
 But over time, I just left it on.


----------



## hung031086

indrakula said:


> Sony WM1A or QP1R ? Pls Advise...



The qp1r has problem with the wheel. I sold mine after 3 months using it. I prefer 1A over qp1r. It stays cool, not like the qp1r. Battery lasts longer than qp1r about 2,3 times.


----------



## ttt123

13candles said:


> Silly question;
> 
> Do you guys ever turn off the walkman when not in use or "burning in" ?


 
 Always leave it on.  Did the same for the ZX2 before.  That way, there is no boot up wait, no rebuild of the database, etc.  I would power off/on if I started to see strange symptoms.  But seldom had any issues on the ZX2 or the WM1A.  Up to each users preference, I guess.  Doesn't matter whether you shut down every day, or leave it on all the time.


----------



## ledzep

musicday said:


> Gold Walkman on ebay uk listed.
> But the seller doesn't have the box and other accessories due to moving apartments.How can you lose them just like that, especially at how much this cost! Big lol from me.
> Anyone interested?



There are 2 on the bay of flea with no box now, one doesn't even have actually photos of it just stock ones ! Jeez it's not like they have to take it out of a box to take a few pics.


----------



## 13candles

gerelmx1986 said:


> My sony vaio after repair it was glued with a sticker on the back, so I removed it and only like you... the top layer... damn. Had to rub until all the stuff went awaSo what happeend


 
 So what happened to your Vaio?
  
 I was wondering if lets say someone's 1a/1z screen cracks or the chassis has too many dinks and scratches and whatnot... Will Sony do a change of parts if we were to pay some fee?


----------



## JamesKH

blazinblazin said:


> Initially I do off it.
> 
> But over time, I just left it on.


 
 Always leave mine on...I think sound doesn't really settle in until 500 hours of burn in.


----------



## musicday

A very realistic review:
https://www.techgoondu.com/2016/12/19/goondu-review-sony-nw-wm1z-walkman-opulent-expensive/


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> A very realistic review:
> https://www.techgoondu.com/2016/12/19/goondu-review-sony-nw-wm1z-walkman-opulent-expensive/




I scrolled to the end, and see this

As a result, I find it hard to recommend the new flagship player because there’s something else from Sony – the NW-WM1A – that frankly sounds just as great.

No need to read the rest, and I disagree with their review.

Sometimes I wish Beats by Dre could sound just as great as My Utopia, so I don't have to spend 4K on it. Oh, and a corolla can get you from point A to Point B just as great as a Bugatti too!


----------



## musicday

Sounds like he liked more the aluminium model and that's probably because is cheaper and he didn't agree with the high price of 1Z from the start 
And I bet that he didn't to a proper sound test between the two.


----------



## warrior1975

Christmas came early!! 



jmills8 Thank you bro!!


----------



## Whitigir

Silver gold hybrid cables ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

13candles said:


> So what happened to your Vaio?
> 
> I was wondering if lets say someone's 1a/1z screen cracks or the chassis has too many dinks and scratches and whatnot... Will Sony do a change of parts if we were to pay some fee?


 
 well let my vaio ON an passed thru airport security x-ray and since then the keyboard didn't work well, some keys didn't go
  
 so i sent it to repair after my trip to germany, and the stuck this sticker of sony logo and i removed it anyways LOL and had to rubb the bottom until all the glue residue came off. Was much of strenous work as i didn't use any alcohol as it can damage plastics all by hand rubbing until all the messy stuff came off


----------



## gerelmx1986

13candles said:


> Silly question;
> 
> Do you guys ever turn off the walkman when not in use or "burning in" ?


 

 ​I turn mine off when going to bed... during the day i turn it ON and leave it on


----------



## tangents

Received delivery of the Sony leather case (CKL-NWWM1) for my 1A. I think I prefer it to my Dignis case — the exposed sides make it easier to identify the buttons by feel, and the extra screen protection is nice.


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> I scrolled to the end, and see this
> 
> As a result, I find it hard to recommend the new flagship player because there’s something else from Sony – the NW-WM1A – that frankly sounds just as great.
> 
> ...


 
 Lulz, I was going to comment on that too, but decided to bite my tongue (still my typing fingers?) But either he's uninformed (not knowing what the actual differences are between the models other than the finish), or they were listening without utilizing the balanced output on a settled unit.
  
 I noticed they mentioned using the 1Z with the Z1R, but there were no pics I saw with gear hooked up to the player, so couldn't tell what output they were using.


----------



## Mimouille

warrior1975 said:


> Christmas came early!!
> 
> 
> 
> @jmills8 Thank you bro!!


 
 Which cable is that?


----------



## indrakula

I am thinking of ordering WM1A japaneese version, as EU has a volume cap. I think it has remote function as well but that is a separate buy.


----------



## kms108

indrakula said:


> I am thinking of ordering WM1A japaneese version, as EU has a volume cap. I think it has remote function as well but that is a separate buy.


 

 It's japanese language only, consider the Japanese tourist version which is multi language, or get the European version and have it hacked, which takes only a few seconds to do, many members here will direct you on how to perform the hack.


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > A very realistic review:
> ...


 

 It seems like the person who reviewed the sony player is a inexperienced audiophile, or not a audiophile just like me, but I can clearly hear the differences between the two.


----------



## Mimouille

musicday said:


> A very realistic review:
> https://www.techgoondu.com/2016/12/19/goondu-review-sony-nw-wm1z-walkman-opulent-expensive/


Realistic based on what criteria?


----------



## musicday

mimouille said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > A very realistic review:
> ...



I suppose from the price point perspective/ features, but the reviewer is not experienced and not an audiophile from what i see.


----------



## jmills8

musicday said:


> I suppose from the price point perspective/ features, but the reviewer is not experienced and not an audiophile from what i see.


He didnt use the "magic words"?


----------



## musicday

jmills8 said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > I suppose from the price point perspective/ features, but the reviewer is not experienced and not an audiophile from what i see.
> ...



People will always have mixed feelings or come up with mixed reviews about any player.
Either price too high, battery too short,too heavy, getting too hot when playing DSD files,too dry,too bright this and that.
One either like it or not.
Same with the Tera Player.
Best for anyone to try out anything before buying when possible rather than relaying on the reviews.


----------



## denis1976

I can't i repeat can't understand that someone who have the chance to ear the 1A and 1Z side by side and says that the diference is minimal...ok 1A is great...1Z is greater, the diference of price????depends, mine costed me 2400 euros i bought it from uk amazon...


----------



## jmills8

denis1976 said:


> I can't i repeat can't understand that someone who have the chance to ear the 1A and 1Z side by side and says that the diference is minimal...ok 1A is great...1Z is greater the diference of price????depends mine costed me 2400 euros i bought it from uk amazon...


Thats how you heard it or want to hear it.


----------



## denis1976

jmills8 said:


> Thats how you heard it or want to hear it.


 
 Now someone don't like the tuning or likes the 1A dx200 fiio x3 tuning that is a question of taste...but theres no doubt that the 1Z is a great player


----------



## musicday

Wonder if the price of £1960 or lower will return to Amazon UK.
That was the best deal I've seen.I can use a coupon on a different website for WM-WM1Z new, but will be nowhere near that price.


----------



## warrior1975

mimouille said:


> Which cable is that?




Beat audio Virginia.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am wondering if my WM1A has a WM1Z-board components (excluding memory) inside LOL because it doesn't seem to sound as some here describe it... it is not lifeless at all, and it has a big soundstage nd lush SQ many details OMG


----------



## Whitigir

warrior1975 said:


> Beat audio Virginia.




Most importantly, what is the wire materials ?


----------



## blazinblazin

Looks like gold/silver


----------



## Whitigir

blazinblazin said:


> Looks like gold/silver




It look that way, but silver gold plated wires also look the same as gold . Interesting to see how it sound like


----------



## indrakula

kms108 said:


> It's japanese language only, consider the Japanese tourist version which is multi language, or get the European version and have it hacked, which takes only a few seconds to do, many members here will direct you on how to perform the hack.


 Thanks for the info, what about US version? I want to stay away from hack thing...


----------



## kms108

indrakula said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > It's japanese language only, consider the Japanese tourist version which is multi language, or get the European version and have it hacked, which takes only a few seconds to do, many members here will direct you on how to perform the hack.
> ...


 

 I don't think the US has release the WM1A yet, only the WM1Z.


----------



## Mimouille

warrior1975 said:


> Beat audio Virginia.


Oh yeah that is a mix isn't it?


----------



## indrakula

kms108 said:


> I don't think the US has release the WM1A yet, only the WM1Z.


 I think it is released - $ 1199.97, chk on Amazon US


----------



## kms108

indrakula said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > I don't think the US has release the WM1A yet, only the WM1Z.
> ...


 

 could me imported.


----------



## indrakula

kms108 said:


> could me imported.


 yes, my friends can ship via usps, but US version should not any low volume correct? I


----------



## ledzep

indrakula said:


> Thanks for the info, what about US version? I want to stay away from hack thing...



It's not a hack as such just a CMD to change it to something that's already there.


----------



## musicday

ledzep said:


> indrakula said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the info, what about US version? I want to stay away from hack thing...
> ...



Very well said


----------



## gerelmx1986

accessory Jack is another good option


----------



## proedros

trying hard not to upgrade to wm1a 
  
 telling myself that my zx2 is good , especially considering that it cost me 50% for the price of a new wm1a
  
 must resist the urge.


----------



## vilhelm44

proedros said:


> trying hard not to upgrade to wm1a
> 
> telling myself that my zx2 is good , especially considering that it cost me 50% for the price of a new wm1a
> 
> must resist the urge.


 
  
 That's what I said to myself when I had the Plenue S, itself a very cool player. I got the WM1A and haven't thought about the S since. The WM1A sounds amazing, balanced with Prophile-8s.


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> accessory Jack is another good option



For 1Z or 1A? What about custom fees?


----------



## Whitigir

vilhelm44 said:


> That's what I said to myself when I had the Plenue S, itself a very cool player. I got the WM1A and haven't thought about the S since. The WM1A sounds amazing, balanced with Prophile-8s.




Yeah, very hard to beat Balanced out on the new Walkman


----------



## ledzep

The PHA2A in balanced with the 1A as transport sounds fantastic too, initially I bought it as back up in case the UK 1A would always be capped so I'd have that extra juice if needed. But even now its not capped I just cannot let go of it as I like the sound and power too much.


----------



## proedros

vilhelm44 said:


> That's what I said to myself when I had the* Plenue S*, itself a very cool player. I got the WM1A and haven't thought about the S since. The WM1A sounds amazing, balanced with Prophile-8s.


 
  
 so you think wm1a > PS , which is supposedly to be >P1
  
 and a guy who owns P1 and DX200 says that P1 > dx200
  
  
 so wm1a > PS > P1 > dx200

 but another person thins that dx200 > wm1a 


 gotta love subjectivity here


----------



## denis1976

The volume cap problem allready been solved


----------



## TenderTendon

denis1976 said:


> Now someone don't like the tuning or likes the 1A dx200 fiio x3 tuning that is a question of taste...but theres no doubt that the 1Z is a great player


 

 Really? I have been listening to the 1A/1Z side by side for over 2 weeks now, and they sound exactly the same to me. I have been a musician for over 35 years and have been recording/mastering for almost as long. My hearing is very good.


----------



## musicday

tendertendon said:


> denis1976 said:
> 
> 
> > Now someone don't like the tuning or likes the 1A dx200 fiio x3 tuning that is a question of taste...but theres no doubt that the 1Z is a great player
> ...



No question your hearing is good,but how two players with different capacitors inside can sound the same?
Pardon me, I haven't heard none of them so far.


----------



## TenderTendon

musicday said:


> No question your hearing is good,but how two players with different capacitors inside can sound the same?
> Pardon me, I haven't heard none of them so far.


 

 What is your source for claiming different capacitors are used?


----------



## musicday

I think is an official statement made by Sony.
Will try to find the link,but maybe someone else can do it quicker.
Post Nr 416:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-flagship-hi-end-dap/405


----------



## TenderTendon

musicday said:


> I think is an official statement made by Sony.
> Will try to find the link,but maybe someone else can do it quicker.


 

 Too much of these kind of statements floating around.
  
 From NW-WM1A literature:


 From NW-WM1Z literature:


----------



## musicday

Just waiting a bit longer and others will come with more evidence that some things inside 1Z are different than the ones in 1A.
Shall we ask Sony directly at CanJam?


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> trying hard not to upgrade to wm1a
> 
> telling myself that my zx2 is good , especially considering that it cost me 50% for the price of a new wm1a
> 
> must resist the urge.


 

 ​It soubds so real like you are there live in the recording sesión


----------



## TenderTendon

musicday said:


> Just waiting a bit longer and others will come with more evidence that some things inside 1Z are different than the ones in 1A.
> Shall we ask Sony directly at CanJam?


 

 Let's just stay on the subject of capacitors for now, so this doesn't get confusing. I am not disputing that there are differences between the two, but capacitors is not one of them. If others are going to chime in on the subject, let's please stick to documented evidence, not heresay.


----------



## blazinblazin

The difference of 1Z and 1A on board is few more of those FT capacitors, a few different f resistors and kimber kable for jacks connection, thats all.

That's what known so far. Excluding the external shell all those difference.


----------



## TenderTendon

blazinblazin said:


> The difference of 1Z and 1A on board is few more of those FT capacitors and different a few different resistors thats all.


 

 Are you absolutely certain that there are more FT caps in the 1Z?


----------



## TenderTendon

blazinblazin said:


> The difference of 1Z and 1A on board is few more of those FT capacitors, a few different f resistors and kimber kable for jacks connection, thats all.
> 
> That's what known so far. Excluding the casing all those difference.


 

 Also, where is it stated that those mysterious "F" components are in fact resistors?


----------



## Sarnia

tendertendon said:


> Really? I have been listening to the 1A/1Z side by side for over 2 weeks now, and they sound exactly the same to me. I have been a musician for over 35 years and have been recording/mastering for almost as long. My hearing is very good.


 
 Ahhh that's music to my ears (excuse the pun). I must admit I was tempted when the 1Z was at a deep discount on Amazon UK, but it would still have been £1k above what I paid for the 1A, along with almost double the weight.
  
 If anyone else argues to the contrary of TenderTendon i'm not listening lalalalala....


----------



## blazinblazin

tendertendon said:


> Are you absolutely certain that there are more FT caps in the 1Z?




I remember there's 1 pic thats shows 1Z has 5 more blue FT CAPS while 1A has 5 Purple CAPs.


----------



## blazinblazin

tendertendon said:


> Also, where is it stated that those mysterious "F" components are in fact resistors?



It's somewhere in this thread also. But i will try to find the pics.


----------



## kms108

All the information is on Sony official site, just search for those, it's also posted within the thread.


----------



## blazinblazin

Its 5 more


----------



## TenderTendon

blazinblazin said:


> Its 5 more


 

 Is there a picture with higher resolution? I can't see anything.


----------



## musicday

tendertendon said:


> blazinblazin said:
> 
> 
> > Its 5 more
> ...



Again my friend :
Post 3618 and be a beliver 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-flagship-hi-end-dap/3615


----------



## musicday

Original link with photos here :
http://ascii.jp/elem/000/001/225/1225223/


----------



## hung031086

Can 1A drive ve zen 2 SE ? I need a earbud to listen when im sleeping, my bad habit .


----------



## gearofwar

musicday said:


> Original link with photos here :
> http://ascii.jp/elem/000/001/225/1225223/


 
 My iem is quite flat and reference, source and cable sensitive to the point with a cable change would change its signature. I have auditioned both 1A and 1Z next to each other even before questioning Sony engineers whats in there in 1Z,  1Z just clearly "trounced" 1A....


----------



## ledzep

So I take it we are mostly happy with our choice be it the A or Z ?


----------



## TenderTendon

I listen to both players pretty much every day. They sound exactly the same through my SE846's, HD800S's and MDR-Z7's. I don't allow my wallet or emotions make me hear things that aren't there. If you hear a difference, that's great. I do not. I decided to keep both of them and love them both.


----------



## TenderTendon

ledzep said:


> So I take it we are mostly happy with our choice be it the A or Z ?


 

 I love both of them enough that they are the only DAP's I own. I have sold my AK100II and Pioneer 300R.


----------



## blazinblazin

Thats cool. I have not tried 1Z yet so i cannot comment. Very satisfied with my 1A.


----------



## tangents

I'm very happy with 1A — I dare not try 1Z


----------



## ledzep

tendertendon said:


> I love both of them enough that they are the only DAP's I own. I have sold my AK100II and Pioneer 300R.




Welcome to the "I'm happy and content with my choice club"


----------



## TenderTendon

ledzep said:


> Welcome to the "I'm happy and content with my choice club"


 

 Right on brother!


----------



## TenderTendon

To be completely honest, the only reason that I still own both the 1A and 1Z is the fact that I got the 1Z for 34% off retail, and I don't think I'll ever see that deal again. For that reason, I just can't let it go. I find myself grabbing the 1A more and more, due to the more practical weight. Can't take the 1Z to the gym, as it pulls down my sweatpants and shorts, and nobody wants to see that.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  The 1Z is reserved for quality, relaxing "me" time.


----------



## jmills8

tendertendon said:


> To be completely honest, the only reason that I still own both the 1A and 1Z is the fact that I got the 1Z for 34% off retail, and I don't think I'll ever see that deal again. For that reason, I just can't let it go. I find myself grabbing the 1A more and more, due to the more practical weight. Can't take the 1Z to the gym, as it pulls down my sweatpants and shorts, and nobody wants to see that.     The 1Z is reserved for quality, relaxing "me" time.


 Are you sure the 1Z is a 1Z inside it ?


----------



## TenderTendon

jmills8 said:


> Are you sure the 1Z is a 1Z inside it ?


 

 Why wouldn't it be? I bought it from an authorized distributor and it has 256gb storage.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tendertendon said:


> I listen to both players pretty much every day. They sound exactly the same through my SE846's, HD800S's and MDR-Z7's. I don't allow my wallet or emotions make me hear things that aren't there. If you hear a difference, that's great. I do not. I decided to keep both of them and love them both.


 

 ​I am pretty happy with my 1A, for me it the best walkman (and DAP) i've owned over my 12 year period with digital audio players


----------



## mscott58

tendertendon said:


> I listen to both players pretty much every day. They sound exactly the same through my SE846's, HD800S's and MDR-Z7's. I don't allow my wallet or emotions make me hear things that aren't there. If you hear a difference, that's great. I do not. I decided to keep both of them and love them both.




To each their own, and we all hear differently and have different SQ preferences, but I also own both the 1A and 1Z and on my Vega's and EC Flows the two Sony DAPs sound similar, but not the same. The 1Z has more emotion and refinement, more of an analog versus digital feel to me. And I know a number of company owners of very respected brands that also count the 1Z as their portable reference. Is the 1Z worth the considerable $ difference? Depends on your personal circumstances and preferences. Cheers


----------



## audionewbi

If I could have gotten the 1Z for around 1k more than 1A I would have bought it, to me 1Z is slightly warmer sounding than 1A which is what i like but as is 1A has killed all desire for DAP upgrade. Tried the current Cowon flagship dap again, tried the DX200 and the AK380 Cu, all great daps but boy I am happy with 1A. Ofcourse 1A isn't perfect. I still like the AK tile album display a lot more than 1A which is too spread. Come one Sony, give us a better UI!


----------



## warrior1975

blazinblazin said:


> Looks like gold/silver







whitigir said:


> It look that way, but silver gold plated wires also look the same as gold . Interesting to see how it sound like







mimouille said:


> Oh yeah that is a mix isn't it?




Yes, gold silver. 




proedros said:


> so you think wm1a > PS , which is supposedly to be >P1
> 
> and a guy who owns P1 and DX200 says that P1 > dx200
> 
> ...




Lol... That would be me. I own Cowon S and P1, 1z,and dx200. They are all better than the DX200 (IMHO before someone has a heart attack, quotes me, and corrects me. As if anything anyone here says is a fact when comparing kit).


----------



## Cagin

Each time you post poedros I feel like I'm seeing a subliminal message asking me if you can borrow my wm1a @_@
Trust me if you don't use or need the streaming or video playback, you gonna love the wm1. And since you are part of the EE fam already and also wanna try the Zeus one day, you need the much lower noise floor of the wm1 series haha. It's time to pass the zx2 onwards my friend


----------



## Cagin

Getting my Norn Therium 8 cable back this upcoming new week, reterminated to 4.4mm. The prodigal son returns!

Staying on the Wm1a for now, can't wait to try it out with the MrSpeakers Aeon in April at the UK headfi meet (also got one pre-ordered). No doubt there will be a WM1Z at Canjam London where I can compare both and see which I prefer with the Aeon and the Zeus R.
musicday will you be coming to the meet too? You're more than welcomed to try my wm1a there. Highly likely someone else will have one and even the wm1z maybe yeah?


----------



## Dithyrambes

Letting go of the WM1A I got from jazzi. I am selling because I haven't gotten time to use it. It still has less than 200 hours...after all this time. ugh  Hate to let it go, but its a waste if its not getting use.


----------



## blazinblazin

warrior1975 said:


> Yes, gold silver.




That will be a great cable pairing.
Will retain the room-filling lows and extends the highs.

Which i am waiting for my Gold silver alloy cable from Effect Audio to be ready for collection.

I am currently using 4.4mm Kimber Kable which i felt didnt go high enough for my liking.


----------



## bettyn

Have a Questyle QP1R that I'm very fond of at this point. Haven't been able to find a WM1A to listen to it. Has anyone compared the two? Is it worth the difference to buy a WM1A? Only problem with the QP1R is the UI.


----------



## gearofwar

bettyn said:


> Have a Questyle QP1R that I'm very fond of at this point. Haven't been able to find a WM1A to listen to it. Has anyone compared the two? Is it worth the difference to buy a WM1A? Only problem with the QP1R is the UI.



I have both, if you are fine with Ui and battery on qp1r, its not worth spending on 1a. I only got it because it pairs well with my iem and good battery for daily use outside. 1a is lacking behind in Sq. If you can, get 1z instead.


good pairing even on se


----------



## vilhelm44

proedros said:


> so you think wm1a > PS , which is supposedly to be >P1
> 
> and a guy who owns P1 and DX200 says that P1 > dx200
> 
> ...


 
  
 I think it's down to the fact I've now got the perfect synergy for me with the WM1A paired with the Inear P8 in balanced. It's all subjective to what you like and want to hear


----------



## proedros

vilhelm44 said:


> I think it's down to the fact I've now got the perfect synergy for me with the WM1A paired with the Inear P8 in balanced. It's all subjective to what you like and want to hear


 
  
 yeah i was joking with how hard it is here to decide what to buy as almost everything sounds good after a price point 
  
 i think wm1a will pair amazingly with my NT6 , whereas dx200 should be great with my EE athena

  
  
 choices, choices


----------



## proedros

cagin said:


> Each time you post poedros I feel like I'm seeing a subliminal message asking me if you can borrow my wm1a @_@
> Trust me if you don't use or need the streaming or video playback, you gonna love the wm1. And since you are part of the EE fam already and also wanna try the Zeus one day, you need the much lower noise floor of the wm1 series haha. It's time to pass the zx2 onwards my friend


 
  
 i am already grateful to you with the whole zx2 thing , i would not ask anyone here to borrow me their 1000$ DAP
  
 i am waiting next week the idsd micro black label for a 10-day demo tryout , so not buying anything yet atm 
  
 as for the zeus , well 2500$ is too much , i may end up saving up for a se5ult which has been my 'want to try' ciem for quite sometime
  
 no money now for any buys , so we shall sit and meditate patiently (ommmmmmmmmmm)


----------



## denis1976

tendertendon said:


> Really? I have been listening to the 1A/1Z side by side for over 2 weeks now, and they sound exactly the same to me. I have been a musician for over 35 years and have been recording/mastering for almost as long. My hearing is very good.


To me they sound diferent, the voices have more body the soundstage is more 3D the instruments are more real, to me theres no doubt about it,maybe you have to change the headphones, don't get me wrong but with so many bad recorded music that is made be good earing guys being a recording/mastering Engineer does not tell me anything


----------



## musicday

cagin said:


> Getting my Norn Therium 8 cable back this upcoming new week, reterminated to 4.4mm. The prodigal son returns!
> 
> Staying on the Wm1a for now, can't wait to try it out with the MrSpeakers Aeon in April at the UK headfi meet (also got one pre-ordered). No doubt there will be a WM1Z at Canjam London where I can compare both and see which I prefer with the Aeon and the Zeus R.
> musicday will you be coming to the meet too? You're more than welcomed to try my wm1a there. Highly likely someone else will have one and even the wm1z maybe yeah?



Hi, I would like to come but is quite far for me to travel.
But if you ever around London we can meet and you can try my Tera Player and my modified Koss Porta Pro headphones.


----------



## Whitigir

blazinblazin said:


> That will be a great cable pairing.
> Will retain the room-filling lows and extends the highs.
> 
> Which i am waiting for my Gold silver alloy cable from Effect Audio to be ready for collection.
> ...




How much is the Effect cables ? What is the name of it ?


----------



## blazinblazin

whitigir said:


> How much is the Effect cables ? What is the name of it ?




Leonidas. $799.90 before tax.


----------



## Whitigir

Good choice  I love silver-gold alloy the best to my ears and gears


----------



## gearofwar

blazinblazin said:


> Leonidas. $799.90 before tax.



Tried it at canjam, amazed by what it did to my Pristine, simply Wow


----------



## erictioh

gearofwar said:


> I have both, if you are fine with Ui and battery on qp1r, its not worth spending on 1a. I only got it because it pairs well with my iem and good battery for daily use outside. 1a is lacking behind in Sq. If you can, get 1z instead.
> 
> 
> good pairing even on se




i own both before but sold qp1r. i think it is not fair to say which is better but depending on your listening taste. qp1r win on detail and accuracy dry vocal comparing to wm1a. wm1a win on emotional vocal and more natural presentation (detail abit more like lump together comparing to qp1r).

with wm1a i can keep the player playing whole day working and just pick up earphone for listening whenever free. battery seems lasting forever


----------



## gearofwar

erictioh said:


> i own both before but sold qp1r. i think it is not fair to say which is better but depending on your listening taste. qp1r win on detail and accuracy dry vocal comparing to wm1a. wm1a win on emotional vocal and more natural presentation (detail abit more like lump together comparing to qp1r).
> 
> with wm1a i can keep the player playing whole day working and just pick up earphone for listening whenever free. battery seems lasting forever


 
 You are correct, I prefer detail and accuracy, reference kind of sound; However, 1a does offer this emotional vocal and softer sound which pairs well with some of my bright iems. I still keep both because of how great qp1r does to my fullsize hp.
  
 Q1pr has better layering, more spacious - airy stage and bass hits deeper and well controlled compared to 1a. qp1r does not pair that well with sensitive iem and it is its biggest minus. The pairing with my Pristine as also being mentioned by Steven that either leading me to the road of hell or heaven because they are both overkill for accuracy...oh well,  I have been encountering hell too much with my recording so I opted to a more friendly solution - 1a . 
  
 "http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0416/Hum_Pristine_Reference_Custom_In_Ear_Monitors_Review.htm
  
 1a is no doubt a perfect portable solution (1a is a bit heavier than qp1r with case btw)...


----------



## blazinblazin

whitigir said:


> Good choice  I love silver-gold alloy the best to my ears and gears



Thanks. I tried their copper, silver and only gold-silver can wow me and satisfied my needs. 




gearofwar said:


> Tried it at canjam, amazed by what it did to my Pristine, simply Wow



Yes first time i tried, i was wow by it too. It ticks all the right box for me.


----------



## TenderTendon

denis1976 said:


> To me they sound diferent, the voices have more body the soundstage is more 3D the instruments are more real, to me theres no doubt about it,maybe you have to change the headphones, don't get me wrong but with so many bad recorded music that is made be good earing guys being a recording/mastering Engineer does not tell me anything


 

 I stated that they sound exactly the same to me. That is absolutely correct. Please respect the opinions of others the way you want you opinions to be respected.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gearofwar said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif You are correct, I prefer detail and accuracy, reference kind of sound; However, 1a does offer this emotional vocal and softer sound which pairs well with some of my bright iems. I still keep both because of how great qp1r does to my fullsize hp.
> 
> Q1pr has better layering, more spacious - airy stage and bass hits deeper and well controlled compared to 1a. qp1r does not pair that well with sensitive iem and it is its biggest minus. The pairing with my Pristine as also being mentioned by Steven that either leading me to the road of hell or heaven because they are both overkill for accuracy...oh well,  I have been encountering hell too much with my recording so I opted to a more friendly solution - 1a .
> 
> ...


 
 I don´t read your recommendations anymore as you sound somehow odd, you contradict your self too often like the Bible does to itself, First you say it sounds bad against the QPR and now you saw ah No , you are correct sir, it sounds nice... come on...
  
 Please be conciely, I rated the ZX100 bad because i got a bad unit but no doubt it sounded nice to me.
  
 Don't know if you like natural presentation or not is question of tastes but i do as classical music matters to me
  
 If you don't like the |A then why you didn't sold it? or why you say it pairs nice with some Headphones?


----------



## gearofwar

gerelmx1986 said:


> I don´t read your recommendations anymore as you sound somehow odd, you contradict your self too often like the Bible does to itself, First you say it sounds bad against the QPR and now you saw ah No , you are correct sir, it sounds nice... come on...
> 
> Please be conciely, I rated the ZX100 bad because i got a bad unit but no doubt it sounded nice to me.
> 
> ...


 
 Didn't I say that 1a is better portable solution (battery, UI, softer sound for bright iem) and QP1R is better for full size hp and bad with my bright iem especially synergy? Does it mean 1A is better than QP1R in term of SQ? No. I can listen to a MDR Z7 because its easy to listen and prefer it to HD800 but does this mean Z7 is better than HD800? NO. Matter of personal preference. 
  
 QP1R is technically better than 1A but it doesn't have the right synergy with my iem. When pairing (I have over 10,000 songs on my sd cards from many different genres and format), QP1R + Hum pristine is a killer combo for accuracy because they pretty much reveal everything and sometimes it's not easy to listen when you have so many different genres and format. Since you have only Classical then it's fine but I can tell you that QP1R is better with Classical genre. 
  
 A bright hp might pair well with 1A while a dark , muddy hp like sony z7 z5 might be best with qp1r because in technical lvl, QP1R is better than 1A. Is that clear? if you couldn't understand this then the problem is you. I don't need you to listen to me or agree btw.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I thing this dual-layer dielectric cappacitor first used in zx2, and found it's way into WM1 series had made some magic in retaining the neutrality of zx100 and adding some nice body and weight to the sound, but there muts be a secret in hte WM1 to sound natural


----------



## Rei87

I have a friend who has the 1Z, and another who has the 1A. When we sit down to to A/B tests, the difference between the two units can be as extreme as night and day. That said, I would argue that said difference lies more in its signature, than actual technicality (the 1Z has slightly more detail resolution, which may be hidden by that lusher signature).


----------



## gearofwar

rei87 said:


> I have a friend who has the 1Z, and another who has the 1A. When we sit down to to A/B tests, the difference between the two units can be as extreme as night and day. That said, I would argue that said difference lies more in its signature, than actual technicality (the 1Z has slightly more detail resolution, which may be hidden by that lusher signature).


 
 That happened to me when I sat down and listened to 1z at least 3 times at Canjam, really addicted to this sound and got goosebumps, not with my 1a...


----------



## TenderTendon

rei87 said:


> I have a friend who has the 1Z, and another who has the 1A. When we sit down to to A/B tests, the difference between the two units can be as extreme as night and day. That said, I would argue that said difference lies more in its signature, than actual technicality (the 1Z has slightly more detail resolution, which may be hidden by that lusher signature).


 

 Your opinion is respected. My hearing is fine, however. I hear 16kHz quite well, which is quite remarkable at my age. I am not interested in buying any more phones at this time. I am very happy with the ones I own. They are all very high quality phones that are highly regarded. I am very happy with them.


----------



## blazinblazin

Chill and enjoy music


----------



## TenderTendon

blazinblazin said:


> Chill and enjoy music


 

 Yep...


----------



## gerelmx1986

tendertendon said:


> blazinblazin said:
> 
> 
> > Chill and enjoy music
> ...


 

 ​what i am doing right now enjoying some opera sinfonias and intermezzi... in 16/44. with Z7s and SE 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 and seeing some argument going on


----------



## nc8000

What any given person say he hears can not be argued, that is by default a fact for that person. As long as that is stated as personal experience/feeling I don't see why that should cause anybody offence. The problem comes when somebody translates personal feelings to being objective facts for everybody. 

I tend over time to find people who express similar experiences with other gear I have also tried to my experience as it is then reasonably likely that I would experience what they do with new gear I have not tried and might not be able to try so as to make a reasonably informed "blind" purchase.


----------



## warrior1975

It's pretty simple, TenderTendon doesn't hear a difference. No need to insult the man. Doesn't mean he has bad hearing, that he's old, too old, etc. He just doesn't hear a difference. More power to him, he can enjoy the 1a and save money too. 

Not sure what the problem here is. Many times I've not heard outrageous claims, and even simple ones... Just enjoy what you have, that's all that matters guys.


----------



## gearofwar

warrior1975 said:


> It's pretty simple, @TenderTendon doesn't hear a difference. No need to insult the man. Doesn't mean he has bad hearing, that he's old, too old, etc. He just doesn't hear a difference. More power to him, he can enjoy the 1a and save money too.
> 
> Not sure what the problem here is. Many times I've not heard outrageous claims, and even simple ones... Just enjoy what you have, that's all that matters guys.


 
 I think I was stating my opinion but got attacked many times, I own both qp1r and wm1a. To each his own if you dont agree


----------



## warrior1975

I know, comment was directed at you, or anyone in particular, just a general comment to all.


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​what i am doing right now enjoying some opera sinfonias and intermezzi... in 16/44. with Z7s and SE
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I was listening to the Seattle Symphony perform Thus Spake Zarathustra. At 4:09, a pipe organ comes in with a 22 Hz pipe. With the 1A/Z and SE846's, this can be felt in my knees and even my feet if loud enough. Amazing! The SE846 has a very impressive LF extension. With the Z7, I can feel it in my back, but it doesn't make it down my legs. With the HD800S, I barely feel it in my head.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Lol guys chill out. I don't know why people keep shouting louder and louder and argue when its not gonna change another person's opinion on the matter. It becomes a pissing contest. I mean if one person thinks 1a and 1z sound the same.....more power to them. They don't have to spend another 2k. If someone really hears something different that's fine too. What I know is you will never convince the other that your preference is right over them, no matter how much you berate them.
  
 People don't realize why they are on this forum. Its to help you and others enjoy music. Not to get a feeling of self importance that your opinion is respected. If you don't like it, just move on and find something you like! That's why there are so many audio products and choices! Also make friends with people that have similar tastes they like.
  
 As for the 1a/1z, Yes they do sound different, but not to the point where I would say its night and day. Its like putting a gumby vs yggy. Most people fail the blind test, and many choose the gumby for its slightly more warmer signature. I'm not saying that you will fail the blind test in the 1a/1z, but the difference is a subtle one. Now is that subtleness worth 2k more? If its the difference between feeling emotionally involved to listening analytically....Yes I recommend it...if price is not an issue. I wonder if they came up with some wonder black metal and marked the price of the  1a above the 1z, and pushed all their gushing about the materials and cables and such.....if most people would choose the 1Z over it. 
  
 You just have to know what works for you and filter out the lot of opinions that don't work for you on head-fi...its just due to having so many people.
  
 I think people have to realize its not about having all the most expensive components, but its synergy. Just because you buy all the most expensive clothes for each part, doesn't mean when you wear them all together.....its gonna end in a pretty picture. Just like you mix and match clothes, some work better with others. There is no real better but more of knowing your own style and how to carry yourself. That said, sometimes one's taste may be bad. Just filter it out if you don't agree.
  
 That said......for me I can't take people who like the QP1R seriously. The UI is really hot garbage. Never seen anything at that price point with such a crap UI, that fiddly stupid wheel, and to be honest it doesn't look that great in person either. The sound is mediocre at best. Alot of people said the andromedas + QP1R were a good match.....No it is a terrible match....high noise floor, thin sound, extremely sterile. I think people think of seperation, fast decay leads to better clarity, and better technicalities, but this is not true. On the QP1R, there is a huge weakness in microdynamics. Its very easy to hear when you hear drum hits and cymbal hits on any track. Or any orchestral piece...just sounds sterile...it has macro detail, but no microdetail. To put it ahead of something from Sony that has immense microdetail, but smaller soundstage.......would not call it close. It depends what you value. I tend to like the microdetail and nuances, so I like products that have the capability to do it. If someone can't hear that, I have no interest in chasing them calling them a half-dead cretin. Or a Chord fan boy Lol....isn't even worth spending the energy to argue. 
  
 Most people can't hear anything. Even if they are musicians, because tbh there are a lot of bad musicians in the world. But I realize that I'm not gonna convince them to change so, there is no point getting worked up. just form your opinion and buy the gear right for you. 

 This is why I don't post on head-fi or care for audio so much. I just take a listen for myself, and decide what I like and am willing to purchase. BTW Hugo 2.....overrated/overpriced....but that's just my opinion.
  
 Don't take things so seriously Lol.


----------



## Whitigir

Guys, everyone hear differently, and like nc8000 stated above. Whatever they hear out of the same gears will become the facts for themselves. Just as long as they are enjoying the same gears as you are, consider yourself lucky to have another person who can share the similar interest. Period.


----------



## warrior1975

Dithyrambes I like that last thing you snuck in there about the Hugo 2. Lol. Can you share more on it? Did you compare it to the Sony 1z/1a? Everything else, well said bro.


----------



## denis1976

tendertendon said:


> You continue throwing around the word "opinion", but you don't appear to understand what it means. When it comes to opinions, no one is wrong or right. You do understand this, don't you? Also, you don't appear to be able to express an opinion. For example, you state things like "but the 1z obviously is better". That comes across as a factual statement, but you are basing that on nothing but opinions. If you want to give an opinion, you have to include things like "I think", "To me, it sounds like", "I feel". Including words like these present you as a person giving a respectful opinion instead of an arrogant know-it-all. I gave my respectful opinion and you respond  that I am old and deaf. How do expect anyone to take you seriously acting like this?


ok you are right 1a and 1z sounds the same, now is right for you? , you came here saying things that are not true to me then you call me a child and in your profile says "old fart" so i tought oooo is old maybe is earing problems, and for saying that i don't have maners etc , get real man what i know based in earing both every days is that the 1Z sounds better than the 1A period...is that enough for you or you need to come here to listen?and no i don't know it all , i don't have 35 years of experience


----------



## Dithyrambes

@denis1976 still didn't get the message. Lol he's never gonna agree not matter how much you attack him. Just let it go and stop taking yourself too seriously. Its great you know your preference and like the 1Z. Many others agreed with you.


----------



## musicday

Denis1976, show us some photos of your 1A and 1Z side by side and what headphones/IEMs you are using,so people can get an idea about it.


----------



## denis1976

here are they, listen to it with the oriolus mk2, sennheiser ie800, crossroads earbuds, even mrice e100, hifiman he400i, in all of them there are obvious sound diferences between 1A vs 1Z


----------



## musicday

denis1976 said:


> here are they, listen to it with the oriolus mk2, sennheiser ie800, crossroads earbuds, even mrice e100, hifiman he400i, in all of them there are obvious sound diferences between 1A vs 1Z



Now that we know that you own both, I agree with you as 1Z sounds better due to different components,and i am yet to hear them but hopefully soon


----------



## gearofwar

dithyrambes said:


> Lol guys chill out. I don't know why people keep shouting louder and louder and argue when its not gonna change another person's opinion on the matter. It becomes a pissing contest. I mean if one person thinks 1a and 1z sound the same.....more power to them. They don't have to spend another 2k. If someone really hears something different that's fine too. What I know is you will never convince the other that your preference is right over them, no matter how much you berate them.
> 
> People don't realize why they are on this forum. Its to help you and others enjoy music. Not to get a feeling of self importance that your opinion is respected. If you don't like it, just move on and find something you like! That's why there are so many audio products and choices! Also make friends with people that have similar tastes they like.
> 
> ...


 
 I'm not sure if I should take this comment seriously. Some people here is just hard to understand.
 1) Why did you buy QP1R if you would only use it with a sensitive iem mainly? Didn't you do any research about hissing before buying (I didn't even bother using Andromeda with qp1r at canjam) 
 I only bought QP1R because I wanted to use with fullsize hp mainly. No one said anything about the UI or battery being brilliant or awesome here.
  
 2) If you realized there would be hissing; In this case, why didn't you use an impedance adapter?  My Pristine picks out noise literally from any sources even Iphone more than Andromeda but I'm using it with an impedance adapter, the result is quite astonishing.
 Why not trying to take different approach to this device rather than bashing because it doesn't pair well with your iem?
  
 I could clearly hear differences between 1a and qp1r driving HD800 sd , but you don't use full size hp like this so what's the point then? This comment clearly portrays something really bad about the device because it's only from a single point of view. 
 To each of his own then, I hope you are not attacking me for anything personal.


----------



## bettyn

gearofwar said:


> Thanks for the info.Afraid I can't afford a 1z at this time. I'll just stick to the QP1R for now.
> 
> I have both, if you are fine with Ui and battery on qp1r, its not worth spending on 1a. I only got it because it pairs well with my iem and good battery for daily use outside. 1a is lacking behind in Sq. If you can, get 1z instead.
> 
> ...


----------



## warrior1975

musicday said:


> Denis1976, show us some photos of your 1A and 1Z side by side and what headphones/IEMs you are using,so people can get an idea about it.




Was that a request to verify he owns both? Just curious.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tendertendon said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > ​what i am doing right now enjoying some opera sinfonias and intermezzi... in 16/44. with Z7s and SE   and seeing some argument going on
> ...


I feel same with the z5 have a finer bass extension that I feel down to my knee the bass fundamentals of a chamber organ, Corelli trio sonatas


----------



## musicday

warrior1975 said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Denis1976, show us some photos of your 1A and 1Z side by side and what headphones/IEMs you are using,so people can get an idea about it.
> ...



I was more curious to see what he pairs them with,but he didn't mention anything like cables.


----------



## jamato8

I bought a 1Z. I had the WM1A with over 500 hours and have other daps I compared it to and know it sound signature in balanced pretty well. The only thing that concerns me about the 1Z is the weight but I will find out on my own and to the sound, that also I will develop my own impression in comparison to the stuff I have here.


----------



## gearofwar

jamato8 said:


> I bought a 1Z. I had the WM1A with over 500 hours and have other daps I compared it to and know it sound signature in balanced pretty well. The only thing that concerns me about the 1Z is the weight but I will find out on my own and to the sound, that also I will develop my own impression in comparison to the stuff I have here.


 
 Would you do a detailed comparison between them? Thanks


----------



## jamato8

gearofwar said:


> Would you do a detailed comparison between them? Thanks


 

 I don't have the 1A now. So it would not be a direct comparison. I was comparing it heavily, daily to the DX200 and know how it sounded to it, by comparison, very well. So it would be a comparison to the DX200.


----------



## Brooko

[Mod Comment]
  
 I have just spent the best part of an hour cleaning up this thread - and I'm not particularly happy about it. There are a lot of what I would call senior members on this thread (Ie you've been here a while) - you should know better.
  

Opinions are opinions - as long as they are stated as an opinion and not fact - they should be respected.
It is OK to have a difference of opinion.  it is not OK to insult someone by suggesting their hearing is bad, they are "old", or they have defective gear.  If there is a continuation of this - someone is taking a holiday from the thread for a while.
When someone has obviously stepped over the line - DO NOT REPLY TO THEM.  Report the post, and let us handle it.  It is incredible how much of our personal time we waste having to clean up arguments which should have been single posts only.
When someone does report a post, and then continues to argue - in my books that makes them just as culpable as the person who made the original comments.  Please let that sink in.
If some of your posts have gone missing in the last hour - that is because they were not appropriate - please take time to read the *Posting Guidelines*.  I am sure some of you will find them both enlightening and beneficial
  
 Now can we resume the topic please.


----------



## TenderTendon

Back on topic.... This is the first Sony player I have owned, so this is the first time I have heard of "bookmark lists". How are these different from playlists and why would I chose one over the other? I read the entire help guide, but that really doesn't tell you much.


----------



## gearofwar

jamato8 said:


> I don't have the 1A now. So it would not be a direct comparison. I was comparing it heavily, daily to the DX200 and know how it sounded to it, by comparison, very well. So it would be a comparison to the DX200.


 
 That's interesting too, I would like to know how DX200 would stand up against Sony dap.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Not attacking anyone. Just saying i can disagree and be fine with it.

As for the qp1r....why would i buy a dap to power a fullsize headphone?

You cant use those headphones in public or on the go so why bother getting a dap? Dap advantage is for pure portability...so main factors should be low noise floor, battery life and ease of ui on the go. Qp1r fails quite miserably and the sq isnt amazing.

I tried it with he1000, hd800, focal utopias. 

It def has enough power, but has clipping at high volumes and wouldnt say it drives those heaphones to the fullest. So it doesnt do iems super well or headphones super well. Hence i feel mediocre. Outside of power it sounds pretty off in terms of tonality too. I tried it with ca harmony 8.2s and wasnt happy with the result.

I would in recommend anyone to drive those headphones through a better amp. 

Used an impedance adapter and was even less impressed. Andros are sensitive to io so the thin sound got even thinner and drier. 

You are free to enjoy your qp1r. I just dont think our opinions and preferences align thats all.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tendertendon said:


> Back on topic.... This is the first Sony player I have owned, so this is the first time I have heard of "bookmark lists". How are these different from playlists and why would I chose one over the other? I read the entire help guide, but that really doesn't tell you much.


bookmark have a limit of how many songs you can put and they are internal playlists, that is, you cannot sync with media go for example like happens with normal playlists

Bookmark are internal, have a 500 song limit you cannot sync them to the PC 
Normal "named" playlists can be transferred to pc have a 1000 song limit if you create them inside the player but I have successfully transferred a 4000+ songs Playlist from media go


----------



## gearofwar

dithyrambes said:


> Not attacking anyone. Just saying i can disagree and be fine with it.
> 
> As for the qp1r....why would i buy a dap to power a fullsize headphone?
> 
> ...


 
 Some people just want to relax on their bed or sofa, moving from one place to another in the house without having to sit at their desk for desktop rig, perhap? Also I carry my fullsize hp to my office or other places not necessarily on the street. It's convenient to carry a dap  (QP1R weights less than 1a btw) rather than a Mojo stack or any portable amp/source stack.  
  
 Note that there are many versions of QP1R on the market and depends on the batch that you would get something that sound worse than others. I have someone purchased it at early batch , sold and tried it again in the lastest batch, he ended up buying it again despite having the 1Z , AK380...I know there are people who have compared units from different batches together and confirmed the differences.
 Luckily , my QP1R sounds good enough and has no issues.


----------



## doofalb

jamato8 said:


> I don't have the 1A now. So it would not be a direct comparison. I was comparing it heavily, daily to the DX200 and know how it sounded to it, by comparison, very well. So it would be a comparison to the DX200.


 

 I would love to hear your thoughts on WM1* vs DX200


----------



## Jalo

jamato8 said:


> I bought a 1Z. I had the WM1A with over 500 hours and have other daps I compared it to and know it sound signature in balanced pretty well. The only thing that concerns me about the 1Z is the weight but I will find out on my own and to the sound, that also I will develop my own impression in comparison to the stuff I have here.


 
 John, what I like to hear from you is your impression of the 1Z driving the Utopia in balance.  You have had both for awhile do you have a balance cable for the Utopia?  Do you feel the 1Z can drive it to proper level?  How do you like the sound? etc.  
  
 Also, I auditioned the DX200 couple of weeks ago but it was brief so I really cannot give any opinion but based on that I felt the DX200 has potential.  However, I don't feel it is as coherent or smooth as the 1Z.  What do you think? Thanks.


----------



## Whitigir

This is kinda funny, but I just discovered the new Walkman to have the ability to play "Gapless"....roflmao. It is called "Senses Me Channel" in the menu


----------



## Jalo

whitigir said:


> This is kinda funny, but I just discovered the new Walkman to have the ability to play "Gapless"....roflmao


 
 How?


----------



## gearofwar

whitigir said:


> This is kinda funny, but I just discovered the new Walkman to have the ability to play "Gapless"....roflmao. It is called "Senses Me Channel" in the menu


 
 Wow lol this feature is awesome. Thanks for pointing out, quite a surprise.


----------



## jamato8

jalo said:


> John, what I like to hear from you is your impression of the 1Z driving the Utopia in balance.  You have had both for awhile do you have a balance cable for the Utopia?  Do you feel the 1Z can drive it to proper level?  How do you like the sound? etc.
> 
> Also, I auditioned the DX200 couple of weeks ago but it was brief so I really cannot give any opinion but based on that I felt the DX200 has potential.  However, I don't feel it is as coherent or smooth as the 1Z.  What do you think? Thanks.


 

 I don't have the 1Z yet. I will have it on Monday and then it will need burn in. The 1A had over 500 hours and I sold it as I prefer the DX200 in most all areas of sound so I am looking forward to a step up with the 1Z. The DX200 has to have a few hundred to over 400 hours to totally come together in sound. Caps need time to form etc, which seems to be the case also with the WM1A or 1Z (the 1Z from what I have read but see no reason why it would need less for a total fleshing out of its sound). 
  
 I most always use balanced and have a very nice 4.4 balanced cable to my Utopia, HE1000v2/v1 etc. All my phone can be either balanced or single ended but for the WM1* or the DX200, I feel, they need to be balanced or you haven't heard their potential.


----------



## Whitigir

I don't know about you, but Utopia and WM1Z to 4.4mm balanced is heavenly to me . What cables and materials you have on Utopia 4.4mm ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> This is kinda funny, but I just discovered the new Walkman to have the ability to play "Gapless"....roflmao. It is called "Senses Me Channel" in the menu


how is that? If the player it self is gapless with flac, aiff, wave and alac


----------



## denis1976

I was threatened to be banned from this forum so from today I will agree with all what is said here, and I will not call anyone old or young or deaf (unless they call me first) I apologize if I offended someone


----------



## jamato8

whitigir said:


> I don't know about you, but Utopia and WM1Z to 4.4mm balanced is heavenly to me
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I have Whiplash Twau 8 plait (braid) and Twag in the same.


----------



## Whitigir

jamato8 said:


> I have Whiplash Twau 8 plait (braid) and Twag in the same.




Argggg.......Silver Goldplated wiresss....how does it sound on Utopia, does it open up Utopia soundstage ? I had been wanting to try this newer materials. I know my Silver-gold alloy wires does open up Utopia soundstage vs copper


----------



## gearofwar

jamato8 said:


> I don't have the 1Z yet. I will have it on Monday and then it will need burn in. The 1A had over 500 hours and I sold it as I prefer the DX200 in most all areas of sound so I am looking forward to a step up with the 1Z. The DX200 has to have a few hundred to over 400 hours to totally come together in sound. Caps need time to form etc, which seems to be the case also with the WM1A or 1Z (the 1Z from what I have read but see no reason why it would need less for a total fleshing out of its sound).
> 
> I most always use balanced and have a very nice 4.4 balanced cable to my Utopia, HE1000v2/v1 etc. All my phone can be either balanced or single ended but for the WM1* or the DX200, I feel, they need to be balanced or you haven't heard their potential.


 
 Which one do you think has better output? 1a or dx200? or for driving sensitive and bright iems.


----------



## jamato8

whitigir said:


> Argggg.......Silver Goldplated wiresss....how does it sound on Utopia, does it open up Utopia soundstage ? I had been wanting to try this newer materials. I know my Silver-gold alloy wires does open up Utopia soundstage vs copper


 
 Well I did listen to another gold plated that was almost dull sounding. It has to be done right. For the Whiplash I use, it seems it is done right. The sound field is large, layered and the bass is quality. Not the deepest on the Utopia but to me, it is natural and not hyped, more of what I hear in real music, i.e., live. Whiplash now has a Twag V4 I would love to use but now I have spent all my play money on the 1Z for now. :^) 
  


gearofwar said:


> Which one do you think has better output? 1a or dx200? or for driving sensitive and bright iems.


 
 With louder passages and using headphones, the 1A can collapse a little on the sound but the DX200 has not done this. I can drive the Utopia directly from the DX200 and not miss my desktop amp. I also had good times with the 1A but noticed some compression if the music got loud.


----------



## nc8000

whitigir said:


> Argggg.......Silver Goldplated wiresss....how does it sound on Utopia, does it open up Utopia soundstage ? I had been wanting to try this newer materials. I know my Silver-gold alloy wires does open up Utopia soundstage vs copper




I certainly love the TWau, have it on JH13, Sig Pro hard wired and HE-6, all balanced.


----------



## jamato8

Where do you get a Dignis case for the WM1*?


----------



## gearofwar

jamato8 said:


> Where do you get a Dignis case for the WM1*?


 
 http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/
  
 I know this guy for 3 years, before the price didn't hit up this high but i'm glad to get some of best case available for less than half the price people are paying.


----------



## jamato8

gearofwar said:


> http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/
> 
> I know this guy for 3 years, before the price didn't hit up this high but i'm glad to get some of best case available for less than half the price people are paying.


 

 Thank you for the link. Nice but gets expensive since you have to buy the wrist strap, that I would never use and shipping of a little over 20 dollars. I wonder when Dignis will come up on Amazon?


----------



## tangents

jamato8 said:


> Thank you for the link. Nice but gets expensive since you have to buy the wrist strap, that I would never use and shipping of a little over 20 dollars. I wonder when Dignis will come up on Amazon?


 
  
 Wrist strap is optional – select "NONE" in the strap dropdown 
  
 The Sony case (CKL-NWWM1) is quite nice as well, and I believe it comes with the 1Z (I purchased it separately for my 1A).


----------



## gearofwar

jamato8 said:


> Thank you for the link. Nice but gets expensive since you have to buy the wrist strap, that I would never use and shipping of a little over 20 dollars. I wonder when Dignis will come up on Amazon?


 
 Actually there are, from third-party sellers but for different products, not yet for wm1 but expect higher price point.  Btw Wrist strap can be excluded but the shipping fee is quite a hit. 
  
 I found this from previous post, this might be budget friendly, case + screen protector https://world.taobao.com/item/542493732706.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a312a.7700846.0.0.bZcW83&_u=enc4he3000b (I actually like the Clear ver.)


----------



## hung031086

Is that the case the a guy sold for $50 on headfi a couple week ago ?


----------



## Mimouille

I guess I will chime in the very exciting debate that has animated this thread. I am always skeptical when people say they hear night and day differences between high end DAPs. I don't hear night and days differences between any high end sources, always subtle ones. Unless there is a technically mismatch creating hiss, or an impedance problem changing the sound, all these sources have great DACs and can amplify iems very well. There will be subtle differences on sound signature but they do play the same music. If you hear night and day differences, please check you are listening to the same track.

 The largest difference in my current sources (outside of the Tera) to me would be between Mojo and WM1Z, as their signatures are drastically different. I know I would hear these in a blind test (or at least hope so). 

Concerning the 1A / 1Z difference, of course everyone is entitled to their opinion. When I repeatedly tested them side by side together with the AK380, I was really hard pressed to hear a difference. After an hour of critical listening, I thought I identified an edge in layering on the 1Z, but honestly I really wouldn't bet I could tell the difference in a blind test. Yes I still chose the 1Z, but that was more because I of the whole package including capacity.

MY OPINION is that, I am not sure that a blind test would result in such "night and day" results.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I don't know what jamato8 means by hearing compression in loud passages, at least I don't heard any mp3 artifacts like I did with the nwz - A17 (flac only) when a big chorus sang together. 

It has a very clean output even with complex passages like church reverb and choir singing all together, there's no warble no chirp no metallic effects of any sort in the WM1A output (mine with 466h)


----------



## jamato8

gerelmx1986 said:


> I don't know what @jamato8 means by hearing compression in loud passages, at least I don't heard any mp3 artifacts like I did with the nwz - A17 (flac only) when a big chorus sang together.
> 
> It has a very clean output even with complex passages like church reverb and choir singing all together, there's no warble no chirp no metallic effects of any sort in the WM1A output (mine with 466h)


 

 Please read what I wrote. I stated this was with headphones. To clarify, not IEM's but regular headphones on louder rock or classical. What I hear, is a bit of distortion and compression because it doesn't have quite the headroom for this louder more demanding music with my HE1000 v2 or the Utopia. That doesn't mean the 1A isn't good or that it can't handle music of a complex and dynamic nature, I merely am stating what I have heard. If no one else experiences this great. It is no big deal.


----------



## gearofwar

jamato8 said:


> Please read what I wrote. I stated this was with headphones. To clarify, not IEM's but regular headphones on louder rock or classical. What I hear, is a bit of distortion and compression because it doesn't have quite the headroom for this louder more demanding music with my HE1000 v2 or the Utopia. That doesn't mean the 1A isn't good or that it can't handle music of a complex and dynamic nature, I merely am stating what I have heard. If no one else experiences this great. It is no big deal.


 
 What you said clearly makes sense, I could hear the sound being compressed with Elear on 1a high gain with almost max vol while QP1R could get even louder without sounding compressed or distorted. QP1R's limit is actually with Audeze LCD4 where I could hear it obviously.


----------



## gerelmx1986

jamato8 said:


> Please read what I wrote. I stated this was with headphones. To clarify, not IEM's but regular headphones on louder rock or classical. What I hear, is a bit of distortion and compression because it doesn't have quite the headroom for this louder more demanding music with my HE1000 v2 or the Utopia. That doesn't mean the 1A isn't good or that it can't handle music of a complex and dynamic nature, I merely am stating what I have heard. If no one else experiences this great. It is no big deal.


 
 I think XBA-Z5 are already demanding IEM for how they sounded with ZX100 and how they sound now on the 1A (they need power to sound well) and yeah 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





​ fiddling with them to proper position the bore of the tip on my Canals so i get all the clarity 
  
 I love my WM1A but yeah i need to grab these MDR-Z7 and push them to louder volumes with some hellish Mozart symphonies or other loud music to see if i can ehar the distortion
  
 I didn't counter say you, but just wanted to point how bad previous Hi-res walkmen were to the point on distorting high frequencies, and was easily audible AS YOU SAY DISTORTION soy i knew what you meant. perhaps in the 1A is Heard some disortion but casuality i  haven't Heard it. need to test this with a symphony perhaps on it's max peak, i know some of my Mozart CDs for this so i wll switch to Z7 and try out.
  
 But perhaps YOU ARE HEARING CLIPPING HA! you are MAXING THE DAC CAPABILITES HA! according to Wikipedia about on clipping, theorizing you are driving it to MAX volumen or almost MAX on H gain?


----------



## proedros

jamato8 said:


> Please read what I wrote. I stated this was with headphones. To clarify, not IEM's but regular headphones on louder rock or classical. What I hear, is a bit of distortion and compression because it doesn't have quite the headroom for this louder more demanding music with my HE1000 v2 or the Utopia. That doesn't mean the 1A isn't good or that it can't handle music of a complex and dynamic nature, I merely am stating what I have heard. If no one else experiences this great. It is no big deal.


 
  
 don't mind geremlx , he obviously has not heard the TOTL daps you have and he is , as always, over-enthusiastic about his new toy wm1a
  
 can you tell  if wm1a would be fine for use with *ciems only *? i don't have any full HP so i want to use it only with ciems 
  
 also how is wm1a compared to the *dx80* , which i remember you own ?
  
 thanx for any feedback
  
 cheers


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> don't mind geremlx , he obviously has not heard the TOTL daps you have and he is , as always, over-enthusiastic about his new toy wm1a
> 
> can you tell  if wm1a would be fine for use with *ciems only* ? i don't have any full HP so i want to use it only with ciems
> 
> ...




I don't see any problem in using new WM Walkman with CIEMS, it has normal gain for that. It would be a huge step up from Zx2 and extend your limit of getting harder to drive multi BA in ears as well


----------



## Bengkia369

I'm very sure geremlx will throw away her WM1A when she tried the WM1Z. Lol...


----------



## Mimouille

bengkia369 said:


> I'm very sure geremlx will throw away her WM1A when she tried the WM1Z. Lol...


He is a boy.


----------



## kms108

hung031086 said:


> Is that the case the a guy sold for $50 on headfi a couple week ago ?


 

 Yep, when the case clearly sells for only USD 15 on taobao, but I prefer the benks case from this link, it doesn't have the shock resistant, but you get a better looking and well designed case, I have two of these for my ZX 2, one i'm using the other for spare, a 2 year old ZX 2 without only scratches, looks totally 100% new.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a312a.7728556.w4004-11332923022.18.IYdj89&id=544412798589


----------



## gerelmx1986

bengkia369 said:


> I'm very sure geremlx will throw away her WM1A when she tried the WM1Z. Lol...


 

 ​Or sell it isntead of throwing it to monetize some of it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and afford a WM1Z haha


----------



## gerelmx1986

@jamato8 i want to know your conditions
  
 what HPs were you suign when you Heard the dirstoriton? how much impedance are they, difficult or easy to drive HPs? where you using volume at 120 normal gain or a vol. at 120 H gain or close to it?
  
 I normally use MDR-Z7 which are accoridn to sony 70 ohm so for me easy to drive but in the borderline of mid to difficult to drive (Z5 are 32 ohm, and i find these to be harder to drive, maybe the triple driver config is to blame?) Normally use std gain on 70-100 for Z7 and std gain vol. 45-60 for Z5, when charging i use H gain for Z7 i down the volume 10-15 steps that of std gain for both
  
 I have used maxed 1A on H gain on the AUX-in for the car stereo, i know this is a different setting but at least when using the car stereo i didn't note any defect in SQ was as perfect (I know a car head unit has his own volume control which in theory you don't overdrive the car audio amplifier)
  
 maybe  @TenderTendon or mscott58 can test this on both units (use a pair of full sized HP and rive the A or Z to the near or max 120H) and if you can heard distortion (clipping)?


----------



## jamato8

gerelmx1986 said:


> @jamato8 i want to know your conditions
> 
> what HPs were you suign when you Heard the dirstoriton? how much impedance are they, difficult or easy to drive HPs? where you using volume at 120 normal gain or a vol. at 120 H gain or close to it?
> 
> ...


 

 I have mentioned it. I mostly use the Focal Utopia and the HE1000v2. Both are excellent headphones and I enjoy using them. I don't max out the volume and it depends upon the recording, how it was mastered, regarding the volume that I use. It is not a major issue but something I have heard. I always use high gain as I prefer it for everything I own, daps, amps etc. Even if I am using IEM's I use high gain because I think it sounds a little better than most low or mid gain settings. 
  
 I do enjoy the ESW10 that I rewired with Twag V2 cable but those are sensitive enough that I could not and would not run them at a high enough volume to distort because it wouldn't be good for the phones, my ears and serves no purpose. :^)


----------



## pCollins

kms108 said:


> Yep, when the case clearly sells for only USD 15 on taobao, but I prefer the benks case from this link, it doesn't have the shock resistant, but you get a better looking and well designed case, I have two of these for my ZX 2, one i'm using the other for spare, a 2 year old ZX 2 without only scratches, looks totally 100% new.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Is the Benks clear case soft on the inside?  How clear is it for the display?
 Thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

jamato8 said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> I have mentioned it. I mostly use the Focal Utopia and the HE1000v2. Both are excellent headphones and I enjoy using them. I don't max out the volume and it depends upon the recording, how it was mastered, regarding the volume that I use. It is not a major issue but something I have heard. I always use high gain as I prefer it for everything I own, daps, amps etc. Even if I am using IEM's I use high gain because I think it sounds a little better than most low or mid gain settings.
> 
> I do enjoy the ESW10 that I rewired with Twag V2 cable but those are sensitive enough that I could not and would not run them at a high enough volume to distort because it wouldn't be good for the phones, my ears and serves no purpose. :^)


 
 Ok got it then it's weird, you demoed it or you actually purchased the WM1A? hmm just hope it  is not defective as my zx100 did as we all here expect for such a Price point the QA to be very strict.
  
 Anyways i am happy with mine, the quality build ans SQ exceeded my expectations kudos to sony, mine was the first batch sent to accesory Jack for  the information, so far so good no defects yet and hope there are none  don't want to pass thru the same zx100 hassles with a 1200 rig LOL


----------



## warrior1975

Mimouille I agree regarding the differences between daps, especially TOTL, very hard to hear night and day differences. If I shut eq off, it becomes very difficult to discern the differences between my daps. 

I'm getting the 1a on loaner from a friend here, looking forward to comparing if with my 1z. I'll keep an open mind, but I'm doubtful I'll hear much difference.


----------



## jamato8

gerelmx1986 said:


> Ok got it then it's weird, you demoed it or you actually purchased the WM1A? hmm just hope it  is not defective as my zx100 did as we all here expect for such a Price point the QA to be very strict.
> 
> Anyways i am happy with mine, the quality build ans SQ exceeded my expectations kudos to sony, mine was the first batch sent to accesory Jack for  the information, so far so good no defects yet and hope there are none  don't want to pass thru the same zx100 hassles with a 1200 rig LOL


 

 I am sure mine was fine and not defective. What I mention was very minor and maybe it would have been easier to have not brought it up at all. I purchased it and had from start at 0 hours to over 500, I heard the changes as it burned in. Now I will hear and burn in the 1Z. I know from my other daps and sources what to listen to and it will be easy for me to tell if the 1Z is different in sound compared to the 1A. I also note that some here say there is a difference in sound and some do not. I guess I will find out on my own. The main thing I am not sure about is the weight of the 1Z since I like to take my daps with me at times and don't want to walk lopsided. lol 
  
 I will say that using the Utopia makes it easier to hear differences than most any other phone I have, regarding to the sound of daps in relation to each other and the changes they go through as they burn in.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mine stull doesn't reach 500h but i do hear that the bass tightned nice and is more present, giving a nice warm lus signature.
  
 what you say jamato, then yes i remember hearing a minor distort but later discovered it came from the recording it self as i Heard on my sister's iPod nano same distort, PC same spot distort, like of the Singer sang too loud for the mic, but yes i rmemeber also eharing a distort with very complex music and now near the 500hours target i haven't Heard any such distort... these WM1x have some magic on them 
  
 The weight of WM1A makes me uneasy carrying on a non-closeable shirt pocket, i prefer to carry it on the pants pockets, my dad once told me what is that square bulge you have in your pocket ?


----------



## jamato8

gerelmx1986 said:


> Mine stull doesn't reach 500h but i do hear that the bass tightned nice and is more present, giving a nice warm lus signature.
> 
> what you say jamato, then yes i remember hearing a minor distort but later discovered it came from the recording it self as i Heard on my sister's iPod nano same distort, PC same spot distort, like of the Singer sang too loud for the mic, but yes i rmemeber also eharing a distort with very complex music and now near the 500hours target i haven't Heard any such distort... these WM1x have some magic on them
> 
> The weight of WM1A makes me uneasy carrying on a non-closeable shirt pocket, i prefer to carry it on the pants pockets, my dad once told me what is that square bulge you have in your pocket ?


 

 As long as when I walk up to someone I am not asked if that is a dap I have in my pocket or am I happy to see them.


----------



## Cagin

Saw these posted by AnakChan
http://cdn.head-fi.org/8/83/8321c766_P2180012.jpeg

Brise Audio UPG001Rh+

Would these be the first Rhodium plated 4.4mm plugs out there so far?

jamato8 will you be getting these? Curious if you'd find them adequate 

TigzStudio Silvergarde for the Aeon + WM1 gonna be a masterpiece with a plug like this, do you have any words if Eidolic has one inbound?


----------



## jamato8

cagin said:


> Saw these posted by @AnakChan
> http://cdn.head-fi.org/8/83/8321c766_P2180012.jpeg
> 
> Brise Audio UPG001Rh+
> ...


 

 Nice looking. I wonder what the bass metal they are using? I like copper but so soft unless beefed up with something. Sadly even Furutech on their 2.5TRRS uses a steel center pin and it is a conductor. I have some 2.5 TRRS that cost 5 dollars, are non magnetic and no steel pin so go figure. Furutech told me they used it and felt the need to, for strength but I have the 5 dollar plug here with no issues. So many plugs will use a nice plating and have a base material of brass. Anyway I suspect in another 6 months or so more higher quality 4.4 TRRRS plugs will be out and I look forward to it. As it stands now, I made up mine out of a non magnetic type that is gold plated over a nickel (very common) and little choice on this. Gold flashing or better, the Rhodium over the base metal is better. I have a plug that is Rhodium over copper on brass but the Rhodium has worn off on the tip contact and a Furutech Rhodium over copper but the Rhodium on the tip connection has also worn off exposing the copper. So there you go.


----------



## echineko

cagin said:


> Would these be the first Rhodium plated 4.4mm plugs out there so far?



Seems like it, haven't seen any others so far. But yes, it's just a matter of time.


----------



## hung031086

kms108 said:


> Yep, when the case clearly sells for only USD 15 on taobao, but I prefer the benks case from this link, it doesn't have the shock resistant, but you get a better looking and well designed case, I have two of these for my ZX 2, one i'm using the other for spare, a 2 year old ZX 2 without only scratches, looks totally 100% new.:wink_face:
> 
> https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a312a.7728556.w4004-11332923022.18.IYdj89&id=544412798589



Do they have english page or something else ? I can't read chinese.:mad:


----------



## doofalb

hung031086 said:


> Do they have english page or something else ? I can't read chinese.


 
 Just open the link in Chrome and hit "translate"


----------



## Whitigir

jamato8 said:


> Nice looking. I wonder what the bass metal they are using? I like copper but so soft unless beefed up with something. Sadly even Furutech on their 2.5TRRS uses a steel center pin and it is a conductor. I have some 2.5 TRRS that cost 5 dollars, are non magnetic and no steel pin so go figure. Furutech told me they used it and felt the need to, for strength but I have the 5 dollar plug here with no issues. So many plugs will use a nice plating and have a base material of brass. Anyway I suspect in another 6 months or so more higher quality 4.4 TRRRS plugs will be out and I look forward to it. As it stands now, I made up mine out of a non magnetic type that is gold plated over a nickel (very common) and little choice on this. Gold flashing or better, the Rhodium over the base metal is better. I have a plug that is Rhodium over copper on brass but the Rhodium has worn off on the tip contact and a Furutech Rhodium over copper but the Rhodium on the tip connection has also worn off exposing the copper. So there you go.




Yeah, Rhodium is actually easier to be scraped off out of usages on the plugs. I kinda like the Oyaide Rhodium on top of Silver over brass by a great deal from 3.5mm. The only 4.4mm I am using now is the Pentaconn, and for Utopia if I go for Pure copper and goldplated pins, it would cost a whooping $100-105 per connector.....dang it, everything have to be so expensive for the Utopia.


----------



## hung031086

doofalb said:


> Just open the link in Chrome and hit "translate"



Ok let me try

Well i forgot who recommended the ea thor silver 2 for me. This cable doesn't pair well with vegas. 130 hours with balanced mode already but it's still hash my ears. It's just better a little bit than the first time i plugged in. Its too much treble for me. Maybe silver cable doesn't go well with vegas.


----------



## LetsEvolve

Did anyone tried Beyer T1.1 out of the NW-WM1A ? Would it be enough power to handle T1.1 ? thanks


----------



## nanaholic

letsevolve said:


> Did anyone tried Beyer T1.1 out of the NW-WM1A ? Would it be enough power to handle T1.1 ? thanks


 
  
 I've tried my T1 out of my 1Z on the single end, it's actually surprisingly listenable, even if you need to really turn up the volume and put the output on high gain mode, but I didn't need to go over 100 clicks on the volume.
  
 Obviously need to re-cable/re-terminate to use the balance end which I'm sure would make things even better due to the increased power output, but I haven't gotten around to yet because I don't have all the parts yet.


----------



## LetsEvolve

nanaholic said:


> I've tried my T1 out of my 1Z on the single end, it's actually surprisingly listenable, even if you need to really turn up the volume and put the output on high gain mode, but I didn't need to go over 100 clicks on the volume.
> 
> Obviously need to re-cable/re-terminate to use the balance end which I'm sure would make things even better due to the increased power output, but I haven't gotten around to yet because I don't have all the parts yet.


 
  
 Thank you ! I didn't know the Walkman has got the setting for gain output mode. That's a good thing !!
 Obviously, I guess the T5p 1st would be better choice as it's only 32 Ohm.


----------



## gearofwar

letsevolve said:


> Thank you ! I didn't know the Walkman has got the setting for gain output mode. That's a good thing !!
> Obviously, I guess the T5p 1st would be better choice as it's only 32 Ohm.


 
 I drove T5p.2 out of  1a without any problems. The hp got loud enough on high gain without maxing it, no distortion or whatsoever. Tesla driver is very efficient even out of an iphone.


----------



## AnakChan

whitigir said:


> Yeah, Rhodium is actually easier to be scraped off out of usages on the plugs. I kinda like the Oyaide Rhodium on top of Silver over brass by a great deal from 3.5mm. The only 4.4mm I am using now is the Pentaconn, and for Utopia if I go for Pure copper and goldplated pins, it would cost a whooping $100-105 per connector.....dang it, everything have to be so expensive for the Utopia.


 
  
 You are aware that Pentaconn has just released their OFC version of the 4.4mm this past weekend? At least in Japan, double the price of the original 4.4mm.


----------



## jamato8

anakchan said:


> You are aware that Pentaconn has just released their OFC version of the 4.4mm this past weekend? At least in Japan, double the price of the original 4.4mm.


 

 Wow, that is cool. What is double the price?


----------



## pCollins

Is it normal for the WM1Z to make a "tick-toc like" switching sound when going from 44.1 to DSD tracks or vice-versa?  Just noticed it.
 Thanks


----------



## audionewbi

pcollins said:


> Is it normal for the WM1Z to make a "tick-toc like" switching sound when going from 44.1 to DSD tracks or vice-versa?  Just noticed it.
> Thanks


Yes it is.


----------



## Cagin

jamato8 said:


> Wow, that is cool. What is double the price?


check this out and the second thread too
http://www.head-fi.org/t/836988/fujiya-avic-winter-potaken-in-tokyo-18th-february-2017


----------



## pCollins

audionewbi said:


> Yes it is.


 
  
 Thanks. Thought I went mad after 6+ hours of Mozart...


----------



## proedros

is WM1A more 'warm' sounding than ZX2 or more clinical/reference ?


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

_Hello guys. Back to the thread after some time._
  
_Yesterday I listened WM1A and compared directly to my ZX2 with the same files with no sound adjustments. I would like to share some brief impressions, in case somebody needs any help for the decision about jumping to new Walkman from ZX2. As a sidenote, I tested with SE, no balanced testing. _
  
_In terms of design and build quality it's the same story with Sony. Just as the ZX2 it's a wonderful piece of work, really looks and feels solid. It wasn't as heavy as I expected and side buttons I think are really convenient. Regarding software it's a bit of a disappointment to me. It's a bit slow and scrolling is not very smooth. On the other hand the design of the user interface is really good as I expected, using the device is flawless overall. Reading the SD Card was quick as well. So in terms of usage, except the little slow operating system I was satisfied. The exclusion of streaming is not good of course but it's evident that they aimed a better sounding Walkman._
  
_The one that I tested was a *capped unit*. In terms of volume output I think *it's even more powerless than ZX2.* Full size headphones are fully out of question in these conditions. I heard some things about *unlocking the volume cap* by service papers, so I think that method is a must for full size or high demanding earphones. For me the output power was enough though, as was with ZX2. But some people may find it so powerless. _
  
_*As for the sound I think it's clearly superior to ZX2. *The difference is not so amazing but appearent to me. For me the biggest differences were background, seperation and bass control. Lows are tighter, a bit less in quantity but quality is much better and resolution of lows are wonderful. Midbass is fuller compared to ZX2 and subbass part is a bit laid back. It's a more reference type of bass presentation. I really liked this success from the player. A truer and a tighter bass._
  
_For the mids, the resolution of instruments and vocals are better. I noticed the mids are overall more closer and tidier than ZX2. In addition it has a little higher tone than the predecessor, therefore the ZX2 is the warmer player of the two. WM1A is not cold though, it's still musical to me but in a more technical approach. Trebles are more in front with 1A so you get a detailed sound. Don't worry though as it's not a bright player. It's just brighter than ZX2 in a good way. Extensions are really good as timbers, and micro details are wonderful to listen, I heard great micro detail performance even on a crowded place. _
  
_In terms of staging I think it's very close to ZX2 as I found no big difference. Just as the predecessor the stage is great, wide and airy. Because of that the positioning is also very very good, and with the help of the improved resolution and micro dynamics, you can hear and point out every instrument, every voice and every detail, clearer than ZX2. Stereo imaging is that good._
  
*So in short, it's a better sounding device technically and surpasses the previous model. Good job from Sony.*
  
*I hope this helps. Don't forget that these are brief impressions. I liked the 1A and I am planning to get one. If I get it I can release a Headfonia review in the future. Thank you.*


----------



## blazinblazin

It is not even WM1A's final form. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 4.4mm, you will be more impressed. 
 And only 4.4mm can do native DSD.


----------



## kms108

pcollins said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Yep, when the case clearly sells for only USD 15 on taobao, but I prefer the benks case from this link, it doesn't have the shock resistant, but you get a better looking and well designed case, I have two of these for my ZX 2, one i'm using the other for spare, a 2 year old ZX 2 without only scratches, looks totally 100% new.
> ...


 

 It's made of TPU, it has nothing to do with the display.


----------



## kms108

hung031086 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Yep, when the case clearly sells for only USD 15 on taobao, but I prefer the benks case from this link, it doesn't have the shock resistant, but you get a better looking and well designed case, I have two of these for my ZX 2, one i'm using the other for spare, a 2 year old ZX 2 without only scratches, looks totally 100% new.
> ...


 

 Sorry no english, I can't read much chinese either, you just have to get past there registration process and insert a address and you're set to go.


----------



## kms108

anakchan said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > Yeah, Rhodium is actually easier to be scraped off out of usages on the plugs. I kinda like the Oyaide Rhodium on top of Silver over brass by a great deal from 3.5mm. The only 4.4mm I am using now is the Pentaconn, and for Utopia if I go for Pure copper and goldplated pins, it would cost a whooping $100-105 per connector.....dang it, everything have to be so expensive for the Utopia.
> ...


 

 You shouldn't tell *Whitigir* that, he will go mad.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> You shouldn't tell *Whitigir* that, he will go mad.




Right! Copper utopia connector is about $105 each, and the same for Pentaconn ? Lol....it is like 315$ in connectors alone. I see where this industry is going. 

Thank you Sony, for a Walkman with the whole chassis carved out of Pure copper  for cheap!


----------



## AnakChan

whitigir said:


> Right! Copper utopia connector is about $105 each, and the same for Pentaconn ? Lol....it is like 315$ in connectors alone. I see where this industry is going.
> 
> Thank you Sony, for a Walkman with the whole chassis carved out of Pure copper
> 
> ...


 
  
 Just buy it, you know you want one (or two, or three) . $105 is just like buying 5 friends beers!


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

blazinblazin said:


> It is not even WM1A's final form.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Even with single ended it sounds so right


----------



## pCollins

kms108 said:


> It's made of TPU, it has nothing to do with the display.


 
  
 Oh, the clear case does not cover the front display?  Cannot tell from the picture.


----------



## pCollins

Can the WM1Z be made to play DVD-Audio 6 channel tracks?
 Thanks.


----------



## djhitman

kaushama said:


> I have got NW-WM1A and Westone W80 today. Listening to them through TRRS single ended Moon audio Black Dragon IEM cable. I have ZX2 and Westone W60 to compare.
> And waiting for Kumitate Labs 4.4mm 5pole Balanced Silver Plated OFC Licht cable. Lots of comparisons to do.


 

 curious to see how the WM1A sounds with Westone W80's?  I am looking to get the same combination.


----------



## Down4wotever

If this review with W80 and the 1Z is anything to go by, I think you'll be well pleased.
  
 http://earphonia.com/earphones-iems-ciems/westone-w80-8-driver-earphones-musical-reference-enigma/
  
  
  Personally holding out for their ES80 due at some point this spring. Hoping these will blow me away....


----------



## ledzep

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Westone-WSTW80-W80-Earphones/dp/B01M6W1XVL
  
 up at £1200 but the dodgy dealer is selling again at £780 so i hope its going to go down the WM price match route ..... finger on the trigger and waiting


----------



## pCollins

Balanced mode does expands the imaging.  
 The music also appears fuller with better articulation of the highs.
 Into my 150+ hours of use.
  
 I am hoping Sony eliminates the clicking sound when going to/from DSD tracks.


----------



## Whitigir

pcollins said:


> Balanced mode does expands the imaging.
> The music also appears fuller with better articulation of the highs.
> Into my 150+ hours of use.
> 
> I am hoping Sony eliminates the clicking sound when going to/from DSD tracks.




There is 0, No, Zero way to stop it from clicking. It is a mechanical relay mechanism at work. If it no longer click, your Walkman would be just a dead brick


----------



## pCollins

whitigir said:


> There is 0, No, Zero way to stop it from clicking. It is a mechanical relay mechanism at work. If it no longer click, your Walkman would be just a dead brick


 
  
 Does all DACs do this?


----------



## Whitigir

pcollins said:


> Does all DACs do this?




Not all of them, no. It is related to how people is connecting their headphones to these DAC/amp/dap. When it has enough power, a quick slide from Positive to negative polarity will cause a short in a super short time like 0.2 second. If the amplifier/DAC/daps has enough power, it can potentially fry the voice-coil on these headphones. Sometimes it doesn't take only a few tries, it could happen after of one too many time.

The best way to do it is to turn off the amp/DAC/dap, and then remove/plug in your headphones. But because as a DAP, you do not want to turn it off every time to do just plug/unplug your headphones. It will need a mechanism to help disengaging the circuit, and this is where the relays come into play.

Sony thinks a lot on these matters, including reliability and so on...hence you have it on the new WM1Z at Balanced out (240 mW per channel) and not SE (60 mW per channel). It is also found in the Pha-3 balanced out 335 mW per channel as well, but as an Amp/DAC, you can turn it off at your leisure, so it doesn't always click like the one in wm1Z


----------



## Sarnia

ledzep said:


> https://www.amazon.co.uk/Westone-WSTW80-W80-Earphones/dp/B01M6W1XVL
> 
> up at £1200 but the dodgy dealer is selling again at £780 so i hope its going to go down the WM price match route ..... finger on the trigger and waiting


 
 That'll only work if amazon themselves are selling them. They don't seem to be at the moment.


----------



## JamesKH

Would it be a problem to keep the WM1A plugged in all the time?


----------



## gerelmx1986

jameskh said:


> Would it be a problem to keep the WM1A plugged in all the time?


 

 ​yep it will damage the battery by "trickle charging"


----------



## gerelmx1986

pcollins said:


> Thanks. Thought I went mad after 6+ hours of Mozart...


 
 I would never go mad with Mozart 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





​ I have the complete Mozart edition of the Phillips record label (180 FLAC albums) and 56 of the new DG Mozart edition


----------



## pCollins

gerelmx1986 said:


> I would never go mad with Mozart
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 The constant clicking to & from HR tracks is getting to me.


----------



## jmills8

pcollins said:


> The constant clicking to & from HR tracks is getting to me.


 then stay on and not go to and from.


----------



## nc8000

whitigir said:


> There is 0, No, Zero way to stop it from clicking. It is a mechanical relay mechanism at work. If it no longer click, your Walkman would be just a dead brick




Why would there be a mechanical mechanism when going from one file format or resolution to another ?


----------



## nanaholic

nc8000 said:


> Why would there be a mechanical mechanism when going from one file format or resolution to another ?


 
  
 Just a guess - there're two clocks crystals of different oscillating frequency (44.1kHz and 48kHz) in the walkman, and switching format/sampling rate requires the circuit to switch to the clock crystals with the correct integer multiple - this engages different parts of the electronic circuit, and as the electronics engages/powers up this leads to pops/clicks/noise in the headphone output, and thus triggers the mechanical muting relay of which its purpose is to prevent such pops/clicks/noise from being transferred to the headphones and damaging them and/or the hearing of the listener.
  
 When I owned the Venturecraft Valoq Venturecraft was pretty specific about how they didn't build a muting circuit into the headphone output (their claim was that it makes the output path more "pure") - hence whenever you power on/power off the DAP with headphones plugged in you can clearly hear pops/clicks as the electronics inside the DAP powers on/powers down.  Sony's approach in the WM1 series is that they would use a software controlled mechanical switch to engage/disengage the headphone output when such thing happens so as to preserve both a "pure" signal path like the Valoq, while also providing a much more pleasant user experience (so you don't hear those pops and clicks suddenly pumped into your ears via your headphones).  Note that traditionally the common method is using a transistor-type relay as the muting circuit which is completely silent in operation, but the engineers will claim that will lead to "contamination" of the output.


----------



## nanaholic

Seems that a new update is rolling out to Japanese owners of both the WM1 and A30 series Walkmans right now and reports are saying that both Walkmans gets a massive speed boost in UI response so lots of excited owners right now.
  
 Gonna dig around to see if there's a direct download link.


----------



## blazinblazin

That's nice news. 
The UI going to be perfected.


----------



## PCheung

nanaholic said:


> Seems that a new update is rolling out to Japanese owners of both the WM1 and A30 series Walkmans right now and reports are saying that both Walkmans gets a massive speed boost in UI response so lots of excited owners right now.
> 
> Gonna dig around to see if there's a direct download link.


 
  
 The update is a leak found on 2ch and not official yet


----------



## nanaholic

I have found the direct link:
 http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_10.exe
  
 Applying the update will take it from V1.02 to V1.10, so we've got a pretty big leap.
  
 Yep huge speed improvement in scrolling speed and flicking between the different home screens.


----------



## buzzlulu

New to this thread and just started reading through the posts - 75 pages starting at the end and working back. 

General question - while I understand that these are wonderful players for an all in one single box solution I am curious on people's opinions comparing a WM1A to an iPhone7 transport (digital out via lightning) fronting a Mojo or Hugo(2)? 

The obvious immediate benefit (for me) is the addition of Tidal streaming. Curious to know if anyone has done some comparisons. Headphones would be Z1R (obvious synergy) and Utopia - so easy to drive. 

Thanks


----------



## blazinblazin

Anyone follows VGP2017 Japan award?
 Looks like WM1 series did well.
  
 http://vgp.phileweb.com/vgp2017/detail18.html


----------



## soundblast75

As one of the biggest disbelievers of balanced after trying it on A@K,pioneer and dx200 i have to report that using Sony's own Kimber is a completely different story. My Vegas have been lifted to heavenly levels of bass texture, separation, sweetness all over. Can only imagine after some 200h or so(my 1A has some 600h on SE). 
Huge thanks to @tangents here for the sale of this incredible cable. 
Waiting for Oriolus2 with alo 8ref this week. Life is good right now


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> I have found the direct link:
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_10.exe
> 
> Applying the update will take it from V1.02 to V1.10, so we've got a pretty big leap.
> ...




Thanks for the link



blazinblazin said:


> Anyone follows VGP2017 Japan award?
> Looks like WM1 series did well.
> 
> http://vgp.phileweb.com/vgp2017/detail18.html




Champion that triumph over 380 eh . What happens to 1A sounds just as good to other people ? (Kidding btw)


----------



## soundblast75

nanaholic said:


> I have found the direct link:
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_10.exe
> 
> Applying the update will take it from V1.02 to V1.10, so we've got a pretty big leap.
> ...




Thats such amazing news. Can you please tell us if its ok to update non Japan models too?


----------



## Raveny

It works! And it doesn't affect the EU volume cap hack


----------



## Sleepow

I tried to read through the thread to find answers to my questions, but seeing the number of pages,....
 So i thought I would just ask:
  
 How does the WM1Z and 1A sound with the CA Andromeda in both single and balanced out? any hiss?
  
 I am really looking to get an upgraded portable set-up (currently using the ZX2 with Etymotics ER 4-XR) as i do not get enough chances to use my desktop set-up, and the Andromeda are the front runners in-ears so far, but picky with the source.
 Other candidates would be the InEar ProPhile 8, but as I do not have a chance to try them, I will pass.
  
 Cheers,
 Sleepow


----------



## nanaholic

soundblast75 said:


> Thats such amazing news. Can you please tell us if its ok to update non Japan models too?


 
  
 Mine is non-Japanese Asian model updated no problem.


----------



## Whitigir

I updated mine, USA version and it works flawlessly


----------



## soundblast75

Thanks guys, can't wait to update when i get home


----------



## mscott58

'Effin sweet! The lag time goes way down and the update is simple and pretty quick. Love it! Well done Sony. Cheers


----------



## JamesKH

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​yep it will damage the battery by "trickle charging"


 
 Thanks, good to know.


----------



## JamesKH

Good news that they fixed the lag...although it wasn't bothersome to me once you get use it.  All I want now is Parametric EQ...which is probably a pipe dream.
  
 Can someone recommend a pair of headphones sound signature-wise to the Fostex TH900 MKII (bass/treble) but superior.  Don't want anything too warm.  Utopia?


----------



## wwyjoe

nanaholic said:


> I have found the direct link:
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_10.exe
> 
> Applying the update will take it from V1.02 to V1.10, so we've got a pretty big leap.
> ...




Many thanks for the link! Update was a breeze for my Singapore model. And yes, smoother UI now......


----------



## Whitigir

jameskh said:


> Good news that they fixed the lag...although it wasn't bothersome to me once you get use it.  All I want now is Parametric EQ...which is probably a pipe dream.
> 
> Can someone recommend a pair of headphones sound signature-wise to the Fostex TH900 MKII (bass/treble) but superior.  Don't want anything too warm.  Utopia?




Utopia doesn't have those sharp trebles spikes that you are looking for from 900. But sound signature wise, it is heavenly match to Wm1z. What bothered me a lot was those stalling while playing back from headphones jack, with the new update, so far, so good


----------



## JamesKH

whitigir said:


> Utopia doesn't have those sharp trebles spikes that you are looking for from 900. But sound signature wise, it is heavenly match to Wm1z. What bothered me a lot was those stalling while playing back from headphones jack, with the new update, so far, so good


 
 Is Utopia around the neighborhood in terms of bass response? While the Elears are good all around, I need it a little brighter.  Tagging those with a 4.4mm to see if it'll help with upper end.


----------



## Whitigir

jameskh said:


> Is Utopia around the neighborhood in terms of bass response? While the Elears are good all around, I need it a little brighter.  Tagging those with a 4.4mm to see if it'll help with upper end.




Well, Utopia is on another league in term of those above you seeked for. I do use 4.4mm out of Wm1z and upgraded cables for it btw

I never heard the Elear, but 900 is bright, the Utopia is not bright, though extremely resolving and detailed

Let me add that Utopia is extremely dynamic with ridiculous resolutions, extremely neutral, balanced and natural. It is neither bright nor warmth, period. Hence it is on another league


----------



## HiFiGuy528

nanaholic said:


> I have found the direct link:
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_10.exe
> 
> Applying the update will take it from V1.02 to V1.10, so we've got a pretty big leap.
> ...


 
  
 Can you link us to the original source to learn more about this version? Thanks!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Updating to latest version, does it delete any saved albums/songs in memory?


----------



## gearofwar

jameskh said:


> Thanks, good to know.


 
 Modern Lithium batteries don't have such issues. The biggest thing that affects batteries is heat


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> Modern Lithium batteries don't have such issues. The biggest thing that affects batteries is heat




Yes, heat dissipation in Wm1a/z is extremely low, and I agree with the statement above. I had my Zx2 for a while, and even constantly docking it which charges it continuously, and I can still have a lot of battery life in it


----------



## warrior1975

Finally am hearing the balanced 1z...wow.big difference. Huge. I can't believe it. Now to upgrade the firmware. Thanks for the link!!


----------



## mscott58

hamhamhamsta said:


> Updating to latest version, does it delete any saved albums/songs in memory?



 


Not in my experience, and have updated both my 1A and 1Z. Thanks!


----------



## warrior1975

Any idea where I can get the file for a Mac? I'm updating on one of my work computers, but I use a mac normally.


----------



## kms108

@Whitigir
  
 Have you seen these, found them on taobao 12 Strand per channel, 24 strands kimber kable at about USD 10 a meter.


----------



## warrior1975

New firmware update is sweet. Much faster now.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> @Whitigir
> 
> 
> Have you seen these, found them on taobao 12 Strand per channel, 24 strands kimber kable at about USD 10 a meter.




I have seen all kinds. Just that I don't care much about cables wires and materials that comes out from China. I only use authentic conductors


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > @Whitigir
> ...


 

 They say it's authentic, but I can't confirm this, but even kimber kables are made in china just like the sony/kimber balance cable.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> They say it's authentic, but I can't confirm this, but even kimber kables are made in china just like the sony/kimber balance cable.




I know , hence I never used any Kimber Cables for that matter lol. I know well enough that all of the sources of my cables wires are quality certified and authentic . My latest cables is punching well in the $700+ for my Utopia, and for that much money, I wouldn't want to use any kind of fuzzy origin wires.

In fact, in my experiences, if these conductors quality are not certified, the upgraded cables effects won't even be there. Many times people would just go with whatever cheapest they can find, and then blame on the cables to be a myth, that cables can not improve this or that. But I explained this ways too long ago. I am well pass the stage where pricing is the issue, but rather it origin and authenticity


----------



## indrakula

raveny said:


> It works! And it doesn't affect the EU volume cap hack


Pls send me the steps of EU volume cap hack? Thanks


----------



## echineko

nanaholic said:


> I have found the direct link:
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_10.exe
> 
> Applying the update will take it from V1.02 to V1.10, so we've got a pretty big leap.
> ...


 
  
 Quote:


hifiguy528 said:


> Can you link us to the original source to learn more about this version? Thanks!


 
  
 Yes, where can I find the release notes, @nanaholic ? Also, just to note, that link is for the PC version, for those who are on Mac. And it seems to work fine on Windows 10, not sure if it's compatible with the earlier OS versions.
  
 Byt hey, cheers for the link, update worked flawlessly.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will be updating mine in a few hours, as I am. On intensive web development course


----------



## gerelmx1986

hamhamhamsta said:


> Updating to latest version, does it delete any saved albums/songs in memory?


nope bit for security have a backup of your songs


----------



## tangents

soundblast75 said:


> As one of the biggest disbelievers of balanced after trying it on A@K,pioneer and dx200 i have to report that using Sony's own Kimber is a completely different story. My Vegas have been lifted to heavenly levels of bass texture, separation, sweetness all over. Can only imagine after some 200h or so(my 1A has some 600h on SE).
> Huge thanks to @tangents here for the sale of this incredible cable.
> Waiting for Oriolus2 with alo 8ref this week. Life is good right now


 
  
 Very happy to hear you're enjoying it – cheers!


----------



## Whitigir

Wm1z sound performances is staggering, yet the TA-ZH1ES is on an even higher plane, and level of performances , though it still carry on with similar traits, thick, dense, hug & spherical, dynamic, lush, organic warmth.


----------



## mscott58

Got a new custom-made leather case for my 1A/1Z today. Hand-made in Ukraine. I'd suggest people take a look. 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/496894870/protection-case-accessory-sony-walkman?ref=shop_home_active_2

Will post some pictures soon, but this thing seems to really fit well, and I like the book-cover protection for the screen. The leather is very soft and the flap over the buttons can be opened, but you can also just push the supple leather to activate the buttons. Magnetic closures for the front cover, button cover flap and the flap that goes over the top opening, but the elastic does the majority of the work in holding the case to the unit. 

And best part was it's only $65 including shipping to the US. 

Cheers 

(ps - I have no affiliation with the maker and I bought this at full price)


----------



## jamato8

I have the WM1Z here now. To me the WM1Z does sound different in comparison to the 1A. The 1Z is more euphonic and a tad more musical and clean sounding, IMO. It would be a preference so those with the 1A should be happy. I will add, it makes other daps feel like they are flyweights. lol


----------



## Whitigir

jamato8 said:


> I have the WM1Z here now. To me the WM1Z does sound different in comparison to the 1A. The 1Z is more euphonic and a tad more musical and clean sounding, IMO. It would be a preference so those with the 1A should be happy. I will add, it makes other daps feel like they are flyweights. lol





jamato8 said:


> I have the WM1Z here now. To me the WM1Z does sound different in comparison to the 1A. The 1Z is more euphonic and a tad more musical and clean sounding, IMO. It would be a preference so those with the 1A should be happy. I will add, it makes other daps feel like they are flyweights. lol




It makes other DAPS feel like toy, and plastic weight in comparison to Wm1z


----------



## mscott58

Yeah, the 1Z not only holds down papers on your desk, it actually helps hold down the desk itself...


----------



## musicday

mscott58 said:


> Yeah, the 1Z not only holds down papers on your desk, it actually helps hold down the desk itself...



Very funny,i like that


----------



## jamato8

whitigir said:


> It makes other DAPS feel like toy, and plastic weight in comparison to Wm1z


 
 I had it in my jacket last night while shopping. To be honest, it isn't a great walk around dap. I need a shoulder bag. lol It is pretty to look at though. Now to find a nice case. The only one I have liked so far is the Dignis in a dark textured brown but the leather varies a lot and you don't know what you will end up with when ordering.


----------



## Lavakugel

Are both same weight and size?


----------



## TenderTendon

mscott58 said:


> Yeah, the 1Z not only holds down papers on your desk, it actually helps hold down the desk itself...


 

 I put mine in my trunk when it snows. Really helps with the traction.


----------



## jamato8

lavakugel said:


> Are both same weight and size?


 

 The 1A and 1Z? the 1A is CNC aluminum and the 1Z is CNC copper. Copper is heavier. :^) 
  
 I had to put heavier duty springs on my FJ Cruiser so I could take the 1Z with me and place it on the oppose side of the car from where I sit.


----------



## pete338

warrior1975 said:


> New firmware update is sweet. Much faster now.


 
  You manage to download the mac version of the update?
 Do you have the link? Thanks.


----------



## mscott58

Here are the pictures of the case. I've put my 1A in it since it didn't have a case already, although I'll likely be swapping it for the 1Z soon. 
  
@jamato8 - I'd take a look at this one. Think I'll like it better than the case included with the 1Z. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## Lavakugel

Is the 1A better than ak 240 or 380 in sound quality? Is there anybody who can confirm that?


----------



## warrior1975

pete338 said:


> You manage to download the mac version of the update?
> Do you have the link? Thanks.




No, unfortunately I don't sorry. I used one of my windows based computers in my office. You could use boot camp on Mac, if it's set up. 

mscott58 beautiful case, Michael. Thanks, ordered.


----------



## TenderTendon

lavakugel said:


> Is the 1A better than ak 240 or 380 in sound quality? Is there anybody who can confirm that?


 

 Only you can confirm if the 1A/Z sounds better to you, and what sounds better to YOU is what you should be focusing on.


----------



## jamato8

mscott58 said:


> Here are the pictures of the case. I've put my 1A in it since it didn't have a case already, although I'll likely be swapping it for the 1Z soon.
> 
> @jamato8 - I'd take a look at this one. Think I'll like it better than the case included with the 1Z.
> 
> Cheers


 
 IMO, the case that comes with the 1Z isn't much. It is cheap without much thought on the function. You can have it in the case with the top in place and charge it and the floppy top is cumbersome. It looks like a type of synthetic leather and most likely cost 2 or 3 dollars at the most.


----------



## TenderTendon

jamato8 said:


> IMO, the case that comes with the 1Z isn't much. It is cheap without much thought on the function. You can have it in the case with the top in place and charge it and the floppy top is cumbersome. It looks like a type of synthetic leather and most likely cost 2 or 3 dollars at the most.


 

 I agree and would like a nice top grain stitched leather case, but the stock case does a pretty good job if you are using the remote. The only time I have to flip the top open is to change playlists or charge the battery, which isn't that often.


----------



## pete338

warrior1975 said:


> No, unfortunately I don't sorry. I used one of my windows based computers in my office. You could use boot camp on Mac, if it's set up.
> 
> @mscott58 beautiful case, Michael. Thanks, ordered.


 
 Ok, thanks..


----------



## tangents

Here's the link to the Mac .dmg file:
  
 http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_10.dmg
  
 I haven't tried it myself – don't have my 1A with me at the moment.


----------



## CraftyClown

Wowsers! The new firmware really speeds things up.


----------



## proedros

nanaholic said:


> I have found the direct link:
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_10.exe
> 
> Applying the update will take it from V1.02 to V1.10, so we've got a pretty big leap.
> ...


 
  
 maybe this should be 1st post link along the vol-cap thing (and maybe with a heads up in the title) ?
  
 too many pages and this will be lost in the sea of posts , both relevant and irrelevant
  
 btw @nanaholic , your posts are by far the most helpful and clear-thinking posts in here , so kudos
  
 ps : think i am finally ready to get the 1A , now let's wait for one to show for sale here


----------



## warrior1975

jamato8 said:


> IMO, the case that comes with the 1Z isn't much. It is cheap without much thought on the function. You can have it in the case with the top in place and charge it and the floppy top is cumbersome. It looks like a type of synthetic leather and most likely cost 2 or 3 dollars at the most.




Completely agree. The stock case is an embarrassment. Spend $3k and that's what they give you? Absurd.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The composer view is still there? (after updating )


----------



## mscott58

gerelmx1986 said:


> The composer view is still there? (after updating )



 


Yep it is!


----------



## gerelmx1986

mscott58 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > The composer view is still there? (after updating )
> ...


 

 ​i connected my walkman to mediaGo and show no update, where you have found it? mine is from sony-asia (hongkong)


----------



## mscott58

Y





gerelmx1986 said:


> ​i connected my walkman to mediaGo and show no update, where you have found it? mine is from sony-asia (hongkong)




You have to download the update program from the link shared previously in this thread, not using mediaGo. Cheers


----------



## Tanjiro

Thx Nanaholic! I just updated my WM1A to 1.10
Received my Therium 4.4mm balanced cable from Norne Audio today. Over all clarity has been improved, and the more important thing is the wire is very flexible (not like the Sony Kimber one)


----------



## ledzep

The update has no effect on the EU uncapped versions  as in reverts back to capped ?


----------



## Sleepow

sleepow said:


> I tried to read through the thread to find answers to my questions, but seeing the number of pages,....
> So i thought I would just ask:
> 
> How does the WM1Z and 1A sound with the CA Andromeda in both single and balanced out? any hiss?
> ...




Sorry to insist, but does anyone has experience with the CA Andromeda with either of those two DAPs, single ended and/or balanced?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Thnaks to nanaholic now feels wayy smoother, zero lag
  
 EDIT: was toying with the update and the walkman crashed LOL but didn't lose any audio played time this time


----------



## Tanjiro

ledzep said:


> The update has no effect on the EU uncapped versions  as in reverts back to capped ?




No, it will not


----------



## blazinblazin

sleepow said:


> Sorry to insist, but does anyone has experience with the CA Andromeda with either of those two DAPs, single ended and/or balanced?




1A with Andro. I using.
Better to go 4.4mm balanced.

1A 3.5mm with ALO Ref8 with Andro... Razor sharp strings.

1A 4.4mm with Kimber Kable with Andro.
Very good background sound which i did not hear much on 3.5mm. Very live, concert hall, organic, natural sounding.

Overall you still need to experience it yourself.


----------



## ledzep

moneypls said:


> No, it will not



Didn't think it would but I thought I'd prepare for another CMD , thanks !


----------



## likearake

blazinblazin said:


> 1A with Andro. I using.
> Better to go 4.4mm balanced.
> 
> 1A 3.5mm with ALO Ref8 with Andro... Razor sharp strings.
> ...


 
  
 Just to add, I also really like 1A with Kimber Kable and Andro. Also, while I think it is better than ZX2, it is probably not _significantly _better, and also you lose a lot of possible functions such as streaming apps, etc.
  
 I never bought the ZX2 so decision was easy for me, but I probably wouldn't bother upgrading from ZX2 if I already had it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The physical REW button now Works fine if a song is less or equal than 5 seconds (while screen off), also the play pause lag is gone now


----------



## warrior1975

Really a huge improvement with UI speed. Most should be happy now.


----------



## ttt123

jamato8 said:


> I had it in my jacket last night while shopping. To be honest, it isn't a great walk around dap. I need a shoulder bag. lol It is pretty to look at though. Now to find a nice case. The only one I have liked so far is the Dignis in a dark textured brown but the leather varies a lot and you don't know what you will end up with when ordering.


 
 Another option:  I have a sideways belt bag that just fits the WM1x, leaving the 4.4mm plug sticking out.  I leave the zipper open for the last inch, so the plug can stick out of the bag.  It is protected, and you don't feel the weight on the belt.
 Must have the remote control, though.  I have the remote on a wrist strap, with the clip attachment on. (drilled holes in the clip bottom to fit the strap on)  The combination works quite well.


----------



## warrior1975

I'm walking around with mine now. It's been a while, maybe a month. In the interim I've been using much lighter daps, as in anything but this one. My arm is throbbing already, it's only been 20 minutes. Lol... Jk, but it's definitely noticeably heavier. I don't really care though, I love the gold brick.


----------



## jamato8

ttt123 said:


> Another option:  I have a sideways belt bag that just fits the WM1x, leaving the 4.4mm plug sticking out.  I leave the zipper open for the last inch, so the plug can stick out of the bag.  It is protected, and you don't feel the weight on the belt.
> Must have the remote control, though.  I have the remote on a wrist strap, with the clip attachment on. (drilled holes in the clip bottom to fit the strap on)  The combination works quite well.


 

 Which zipper? You mean the one on the pants? That would look strange, to most.


----------



## ttt123

warrior1975 said:


> I'm walking around with mine now. It's been a while, maybe a month. In the interim I've been using much lighter daps, as in anything but this one. My arm is throbbing already, it's only been 20 minutes. Lol... Jk, but it's definitely noticeably heavier. I don't really care though, I love the gold brick.


 
 I normally carry it in the hand also.  Actually, I was rationalizing carrying around a 1 lb DAP as some regular exercise.  Just need to switch hands occasionally.


----------



## ttt123

jamato8 said:


> Which zipper? You mean the one on the pants? That would look strange, to most.


 
 Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!  Probably no stranger than the fashion for dandys in Victorian times.


----------



## hung031086

where can i buy that cable ? Is that a copper cable ? EA Thor Silver II with my vega is too bright for me. It harshs my ear alot and i think it made vega less bass tan the stock cable. 


blazinblazin said:


> 1A with Andro. I using.
> Better to go 4.4mm balanced.
> 
> 1A 3.5mm with ALO Ref8 with Andro... Razor sharp strings.
> ...


----------



## blazinblazin

hung031086 said:


> where can i buy that cable ? Is that a copper cable ? EA Thor Silver II with my vega is too bright for me. It harshs my ear alot and i think it made vega less bass tan the stock cable.



Its a 8 braided copper cable.
Can get at Sony store.

I suggest you try out other brand copper cables see if suits you.

I would say the Kimble Kable under Sony brand is good for average use but not the best. Take note the mmcx plug is on the loose side, too much of removing will make it more loose.


----------



## hung031086

Any recommendations for a good 4.4mm copper cable ?


blazinblazin said:


> Its a 8 braided copper cable.
> Can get at Sony store.
> 
> I suggest you try out other brand copper cables see if suits you.
> ...


----------



## Sleepow

likearake said:


> Just to add, I also really like 1A with Kimber Kable and Andro. Also, while I think it is better than ZX2, it is probably not _significantly_ better, and also you lose a lot of possible functions such as streaming apps, etc.
> 
> I never bought the ZX2 so decision was easy for me, but I probably wouldn't bother upgrading from ZX2 if I already had it.




Thank you both for your comments on the 1A with Andro (and ZX2)

I think my plan will now to get the Andro (out of stock anywhere I checked in Japan), burn them in, get used to the sound and then go and try "better" DAPs to see if worth it to me.


----------



## blazinblazin

hung031086 said:


> Any recommendations for a good 4.4mm copper cable ?




I can't recommend as i don't have other copper cables. I heard good things about PW audio cables and EA Ares II.
Some bros here also bought YY Pro Audio's Tucana here.

Other brand there's Plussound, Dita, Toxic Cable etc.

But you just read more in the cable treads, some brands takes a few months to complete the cable.


----------



## AnakChan

hung031086 said:


> Any recommendations for a good 4.4mm copper cable ?


 
  
 The one I like are the Brise Audio copper cables and is my main cable for my Tralucent 1Plus2.2. No sonic concerns, ergnomics-wise could be a little tangly. Some folks claim they're microphonic although I've not noticed that myself.
  
 Their (my) current UPG001

  
 Their upcoming UPG001Ref


----------



## Mimouille

The color of the upcoming Brise is really nice.


----------



## jmills8

mimouille said:


> The color of the upcoming Brise is really nice.


Good one !


----------



## nanaholic

hung031086 said:


> Any recommendations for a good 4.4mm copper cable ?


 
  
 Keep an eye out for Onso cables
 http://www.onsoproject.com/iect_03_m.html
  
 They just introduced a silver plated copper cable with L-shaped 4.4mm plug on one end and in MMCX in the other, soon they'll probably complete the line up with 2 pin and Fitear plugs as well as they usually do.  Good thing about Onso cables are that they are very reasonably priced (this one is 9700yen) and the cables themselves are very flexible and tangle free. Onso cables are a very good for people who don't think they should need to spend a fortune on cables.


----------



## Mimouille

jmills8 said:


> Good one !


 involuntary humour is the best.


----------



## hung031086

anakchan said:


> The one I like are the Brise Audio copper cables and is my main cable for my Tralucent 1Plus2.2. No sonic concerns, ergnomics-wise could be a little tangly. Some folks claim they're microphonic although I've not noticed that myself.
> 
> Their (my) current UPG001
> 
> ...


 
 Just checked this cable, they will deliver after 3/31. Well that's too long lolz.


----------



## AnakChan

hung031086 said:


> Just checked this cable, they will deliver after 3/31. Well that's too long lolz.


 

 Really? The Ref?? During the Fujiya show this past weekend I thought they said 24th March then on Monday they mailed me and said 14th March and now it's 31st March? Wonder what's going on. Anyway I'm heading to their office/factory on 25th March anyway - gonna be a loooong ride out there and back.


----------



## drjigarn

For some reason when I click on the update link, it shows up as file not found.
  
 Edit - got the update it took about 10 minutes for the download to show up.


----------



## hung031086

anakchan said:


> Really? The Ref?? During the Fujiya show this past weekend I thought they said 24th March then on Monday they mailed me and said 14th March and now it's 31st March? Wonder what's going on. Anyway I'm heading to their office/factory on 25th March anyway - gonna be a loooong ride out there and back.


 
 Is this your cable ?


----------



## AnakChan

hung031086 said:


> Is this your cable ?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Mine is the UPG001 (the lower picture) - the regular UPG001. The upper picture is the UPG001Rh+ (The Rhodium one). Here's my pix of the Rhodium one :-
  


 The picture I quoted in post #9364 is the UPG001Ref. There's no public page for that yet (actually I have it but can't share it out yet). So just to clarify there is the :-

 UPG001 - no sale since last year
 UPG001Rh+ - taking pre-orders with delivery of 31-Mar as you saw above
 UPG001Ref - debut last week's show but so far no page up yet as at today.


----------



## Mimouille

anakchan said:


> Mine is the UPG001 (the lower picture) - the regular UPG001. The upper picture is the UPG001Rh+ (The Rhodium one). Here's my pix of the Rhodium one :-
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It is not so easy to order on their site. Any international retailer. I have one in China but he doesn't seem to have the RH+


----------



## ledzep

hung031086 said:


> Any recommendations for a good 4.4mm copper cable ?



Plusound did a nice one for my EX1000


----------



## Wailing Fungus

There is an open box WM1a on advancedmp3players for £900 instead of £1000

http://www.advancedmp3players.co.uk/shop/MP3_Players.1/Sony.76/NWWM1ABCEW/Sony_NWWM1AB_128GB_Flagship_High_Resolution_Walkman.15008.html#pClearance7335


----------



## Sarnia

wailing fungus said:


> There is an open box WM1a on advancedmp3players for £900 instead of £1000
> 
> http://www.advancedmp3players.co.uk/shop/MP3_Players.1/Sony.76/NWWM1ABCEW/Sony_NWWM1AB_128GB_Flagship_High_Resolution_Walkman.15008.html#pClearance7335


You can buy it new from them for £900. If you click on their deals link a 10% discount voucher will open in a popup. However it only applies to new items, not open box.

Strangely its often cheaper to buy a new item from them than a used because of that. I guess they may do a deal on the open box items if someone contacts them and points that out.


----------



## dscans

hung031086 said:


> Any recommendations for a good 4.4mm copper cable ?


 
  
 I have very good experience with the Sony Kimber balanced cable (the MUC-M12SB1). I first tried it on the Westone UMPro30, and it impressed me sufficiently that I got another 3 (!) for all my IEMS with the MMCX connector - the Pinnacle P1, the Campfire Audio Jupiter, the AK T8ie Mk II & the Sony XBA-A3. All demonstrated audible improvements from the cable, to varying degrees. The sound became deliciously meaty, with deeper bass response and better imaging (to my ears).
  
 Now, I have no idea if the improvements come from the balanced connection or the cables - I have no other 4.4mm cable to compare against. I got them from Jaben Malaysia. They were probably the cheapest place in the world to get the Sony cables - RM398 or about USD90 for one. I kinda suspected that it was a pricing error, because that was way, way, way below the MSRP.  I talked to some local retailers and they were not happy about Jaben Malaysia's advertised price lol. Maybe someone complained to Sony - It probably explains why they are no longer offered for sale (the page listing on the site returns a page not found error).


----------



## kms108

dscans said:


> hung031086 said:
> 
> 
> > Any recommendations for a good 4.4mm copper cable ?
> ...


 

 Someone say Sony had that price on their site, if that was true, it's Sony malaysia that made the mistake. The last time I check on Sony's site it's RM999. Too bad it's not available now, I was one of the last batch of customers along with a few in this forum who picked one up at the RM398 price. It's just sitting in my draw now waiting for the WM1A when I get it in Japan on December or if a newer model do come out.


----------



## blazinblazin

kms108 said:


> Someone say Sony had that price on their site, if that was true, it's Sony malaysia that made the mistake. The last time I check on Sony's site it's RM999. Too bad it's not available now, I was one of the last batch of customers along with a few in this forum who picked one up at the RM398 price. It's just sitting in my draw now waiting for the WM1A when I get it in Japan on December or if a newer model do come out.



Yes its SONY MY that made the mistake at first.

I checked before the retail price on the Sony site. RM398.

So those who bought earlier at Jaben MY got a steal due to the pricing error.


----------



## kms108

blazinblazin said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Someone say Sony had that price on their site, if that was true, it's Sony malaysia that made the mistake. The last time I check on Sony's site it's RM999. Too bad it's not available now, I was one of the last batch of customers along with a few in this forum who picked one up at the RM398 price. It's just sitting in my draw now waiting for the WM1A when I get it in Japan on December or if a newer model do come out.
> ...


 

 now the correct price is RM999, jaben MY has stopped selling it now, the trouble has been caused, and many complaint including Jaben Hong Kong so Jaben MY rather not sell it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Today while lifting my pants up felt them heavy, forgot I had my WM1A in the pocket


----------



## Mimouille

Hey I cannot download the FW. They might have remove. Can you share?
  
 Edit : it worked when I put my VPN on Japan...


----------



## buzzlulu

Curious if anyone has had the opportunity to compare Sony's new PHA-2A portable amp/dac with the WM1A? The PHA-2A is brand new and seems to have been developed with/for the Z1R ( the two are photographed together on the Sony website) with both SE and the new 4.5 balanced out. 

I am wondering if the amp/dac performance is the same between the two with the only difference being the DAP functionality of the WM1A. 

Using the PHA-2A with an iPhone - it is iPhone certified - would allow Tidal streaming and UpnP streaming from a local NAS etc. If the performance is similar between the two the PHA-2A offeres quite a bit of enhanced functionality.


----------



## nanaholic

buzzlulu said:


> Curious if anyone has had the opportunity to compare Sony's new PHA-2A portable amp/dac with the WM1A? The PHA-2A is brand new and seems to have been developed with/for the Z1R ( the two are photographed together on the Sony website) with both SE and the new 4.5 balanced out.
> 
> I am wondering if the amp/dac performance is the same between the two with the only difference being the DAP functionality of the WM1A.
> 
> Using the PHA-2A with an iPhone - it is iPhone certified - would allow Tidal streaming and UpnP streaming from a local NAS etc. If the performance is similar between the two the PHA-2A offeres quite a bit of enhanced functionality.


 
  
 The PHA-2A uses an off the shelf Saber DAC chip and a Texus Instrument OP-AMP, this clearly means it's just a quickly bashed together piece of kit that did not get the full attention and best talents of the audio engineering team unlike the WM1 series which is developed from the ground up with all of the latest Sony in house audio technology. Plus the Z1R is photographed with the WM1 series WAY more than the PHA-2A (well because the WM1 and Z1R all belong to the Signature series) and are nearly always demoed together.  
  
 If you are purely thinking in terms of pairing synergy as intended by the engineers at Sony, there's probably no doubt that you should go all in with the Signature Series.  However that doesn't necessarily means the full Signature package will produce the sound that you like, because as always the final sound preference is personal and entirely subjective, so you should test it out for yourself to see.


----------



## TheOracle

buzzlulu said:


> Curious if anyone has had the opportunity to compare Sony's new PHA-2A portable amp/dac with the WM1A? The PHA-2A is brand new and seems to have been developed with/for the Z1R ( the two are photographed together on the Sony website) with both SE and the new 4.5 balanced out.
> 
> I am wondering if the amp/dac performance is the same between the two with the only difference being the DAP functionality of the WM1A.
> 
> Using the PHA-2A with an iPhone - it is iPhone certified - would allow Tidal streaming and UpnP streaming from a local NAS etc. If the performance is similar between the two the PHA-2A offeres quite a bit of enhanced functionality.


 
  
 They are very, very similar...
  
 From what I can hear on 4.4 balanced, the PHA-2A is very much a more powerful version of the WM1A. When I use my custom Zeus, the WM1A does the trick. For the Elear, I go with the PHA-2A for the extra juice. Same great sound with the bit of oomph the Elear needs.
  
 I think you're well set with the PHA-2A and the iPhone.


----------



## buzzlulu

Thanks to the both of you for the replies however now I am even more confused - two very different answers!


----------



## Whitigir

I use Wm1z with Utopia without problem out of the balanced 4.4mm, so I imagine wm1A is similar, just as long as it does not have capped volume


----------



## buzzlulu

whitigir said:


> I use Wm1z with Utopia without problem out of the balanced 4.4mm, so I imagine wm1A is similar, just as long as it does not have capped volume


 

 Thanks however I am inquiring about the new PHA-2A amp/dac and if it is similar to the WM1A
  
 I had previously read that you are connecting an iPad to your desktop Sony ZH1ES (I assume with the Apple CCK).
 How is this working out?  For my use scenario the WM1A/Z are too restrictive.  I want to be able to stream Tidal and to stream my ripped collection stored on an external hard drive.  The Walkman's do not have WiFi  or an OS which allows Tidal and network streaming apps.  
  
 If I also understand correctly you feel that the ZH1ES is superior to both the WM1A and Z.  Have you ever compared the ZH1ES to a Mojo or Hugo?


----------



## pete338

tangents said:


> Here's the link to the Mac .dmg file:
> 
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_10.dmg
> 
> I haven't tried it myself – don't have my 1A with me at the moment.


 
 Appreciate your link, but keeps telling me " file not found"  Is it only me?
 Anyway thanks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Perhaps they are moving the file to the regional Sony sites?


----------



## ledzep

buzzlulu said:


> Curious if anyone has had the opportunity to compare Sony's new PHA-2A portable amp/dac with the WM1A? The PHA-2A is brand new and seems to have been developed with/for the Z1R ( the two are photographed together on the Sony website) with both SE and the new 4.5 balanced out.
> 
> I am wondering if the amp/dac performance is the same between the two with the only difference being the DAP functionality of the WM1A.
> 
> Using the PHA-2A with an iPhone - it is iPhone certified - would allow Tidal streaming and UpnP streaming from a local NAS etc. If the performance is similar between the two the PHA-2A offeres quite a bit of enhanced functionality.




To my ears there is a difference between the two with the iems and headphones I'm using the PHA has a slightly brighter sound to it and in medium gain has some good power coming from it iPhone + PHA + 4.4mm = Good times !


----------



## Decreate

hung031086 said:


> Any recommendations for a good 4.4mm copper cable ?


 
 Currently using the PW Audio 1960 cable with my Tralucent Plus 5 and am totally in love with the sound.


----------



## proedros

pete338 said:


> Appreciate your link, but keeps telling me " file not found"  Is it only me?
> Anyway thanks.


 
  
 well someone who managed to download it earlier , could upload it at a DL mirror and share the link with you guys


----------



## tangents

pete338 said:


> Appreciate your link, but keeps telling me " file not found"  Is it only me?
> Anyway thanks.


 
  
 That's too bad – it was working yesterday.
  
 EDIT: I just tried it and was able to download both the .exe and the .dmg versions


----------



## Mimouille

tangents said:


> That's too bad – it was working yesterday.
> 
> EDIT: I just tried it and was able to download both the .exe and the .dmg versions


It is a location issue. They allow it from some locations and not others apparently.

Being in China I often use a VPN. When I connect through China or the US, doesn't work. When I connect through Japan, worked. 

By the way this update seems great. Indeed a great progress in UI speed. It is making this player an even greater contender.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> tangents said:
> 
> 
> > That's too bad – it was working yesterday.
> ...


from Mexico it works


----------



## Mimouille

gerelmx1986 said:


> from Mexico it works


That's because there wall is not built yet....too soon?


----------



## hung031086

Thank for advices guys. I bought a plussound cable.


----------



## pete338

tangents said:


> That's too bad – it was working yesterday.
> 
> EDIT: I just tried it and was able to download both the .exe and the .dmg versions


 
 Well, I manage to download the .exe version but not the .dmg version..beats me..


----------



## tangents

hung031086 said:


> Thank for advices guys. I bought a plussound cable.


 
  
 Which one? I was told they're still waiting to receive a batch of 4.4mm plugs.


----------



## hung031086

tangents said:


> Which one? I was told they're still waiting to receive a batch of 4.4mm plugs.


 
I bought a exo copper.


----------



## JamesKH

gerelmx1986 said:


> from Mexico it works





mimouille said:


> It is a location issue. They allow it from some locations and not others apparently.
> 
> Being in China I often use a VPN. When I connect through China or the US, doesn't work. When I connect through Japan, worked.
> 
> By the way this update seems great. Indeed a great progress in UI speed. It is making this player an even greater contender.





Contender? Thought the WM1Z was already crowned the champ. At least on this board.


----------



## warrior1975

We all have different tastes. I know a few that prefer the zx2 over the 1z. At times I prefer my Cowon S over my 1z...mood dependent.


----------



## Steverinho53

I've had my WM1A for about a month now (and am loving it).  I have a question that I haven' t seen addressed on this thread: is anyone charging theirs from a USB charger plugged into a wall outlet, i.e. the same way one would normally charge a cellphone?  I'm used to doing that with a FiiO DAP, and with a Kindle.  I've briefly tried the Sony twice this way and it doesn't seem to charge: the battery icon didn't do its charging thing, and after a few seconds I unplugged for fear I would do damage.  Charging without a laptop or PC would be a major convenience, especially while traveling.
  
 My USB wall charger is a Powergen that puts out DC 5V, 2.4A.  If anyone is charging their WM1A or Z from a wall outlet, I'd love to hear how.


----------



## warrior1975

That's the only way I charge mine. I used a few different adapters, primarily Sammy and LG, both high speed chargers. No issues.


----------



## djhitman

Anybody know when the wm1a will be officially on sale in the US?


----------



## soundblast75

Great update and yet another baffling Sony management flop, why when you have something good not share it even on your own relevant product web pages
I remember being surprised when zx1 came out that they are actually still coming up with good things.. But whoever is in charge there.. WAKE THE FK UP


----------



## doofalb

steverinho53 said:


> I've had my WM1A for about a month now (and am loving it).  I have a question that I haven' t seen addressed on this thread: is anyone charging theirs from a USB charger plugged into a wall outlet, i.e. the same way one would normally charge a cellphone?  I'm used to doing that with a FiiO DAP, and with a Kindle.  I've briefly tried the Sony twice this way and it doesn't seem to charge: the battery icon didn't do its charging thing, and after a few seconds I unplugged for fear I would do damage.  Charging without a laptop or PC would be a major convenience, especially while traveling.
> 
> My USB wall charger is a Powergen that puts out DC 5V, 2.4A.  If anyone is charging their WM1A or Z from a wall outlet, I'd love to hear how.


 
 I use two different ones, a Hotoo 2.4Amp and an Aukey 3.0 amp. No issues here.


----------



## Tanjiro

steverinho53 said:


> I've had my WM1A for about a month now (and am loving it).  I have a question that I haven' t seen addressed on this thread: is anyone charging theirs from a USB charger plugged into a wall outlet, i.e. the same way one would normally charge a cellphone?  I'm used to doing that with a FiiO DAP, and with a Kindle.  I've briefly tried the Sony twice this way and it doesn't seem to charge: the battery icon didn't do its charging thing, and after a few seconds I unplugged for fear I would do damage.  Charging without a laptop or PC would be a major convenience, especially while traveling.
> 
> My USB wall charger is a Powergen that puts out DC 5V, 2.4A.  If anyone is charging their WM1A or Z from a wall outlet, I'd love to hear how.



I raised this question before and got it answered. I am using my smartphone charger to charge my 1A without any issue.


----------



## Steverinho53

Thanks.  I just tried again. My charger has two USB outlets, which apparently different: it didn't work on the N/A (Non-Apple) outlet but is charging happily on the A (Apple) outlet.  Issue resolved.


----------



## Whitigir

Since the day I had Wm1z...I don't even care about Zx2 anymore....but that is me, now my Zx2 is for my wife car usage


----------



## warrior1975

I haven't compared head to head, my 1z and zx2. I'd have to go to best buy again to hear the zx2... But from memory, both are amazing, I think the zx2 has better bass, or more bass I should say. Other than that, I think I'd prefer the 1z.


----------



## blazinblazin

jameskh said:


> Contender? Thought the WM1Z was already crowned the champ. At least on this board.




Gold award at Japan's VGP 2017. For both WM1 within its price bracket.

For many years was dominated by AK players.


----------



## JamesKH

steverinho53 said:


> I've had my WM1A for about a month now (and am loving it).  I have a question that I haven' t seen addressed on this thread: is anyone charging theirs from a USB charger plugged into a wall outlet, i.e. the same way one would normally charge a cellphone?  I'm used to doing that with a FiiO DAP, and with a Kindle.  I've briefly tried the Sony twice this way and it doesn't seem to charge: the battery icon didn't do its charging thing, and after a few seconds I unplugged for fear I would do damage.  Charging without a laptop or PC would be a major convenience, especially while traveling.
> 
> My USB wall charger is a Powergen that puts out DC 5V, 2.4A.  If anyone is charging their WM1A or Z from a wall outlet, I'd love to hear how.




I use this to charge WM1A and never had any problems. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UV4HCL0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## blazinblazin

I use any charger i am able to grab. All works well.


----------



## gerelmx1986

steverinho53 said:


> I've had my WM1A for about a month now (and am loving it).  I have a question that I haven' t seen addressed on this thread: is anyone charging theirs from a USB charger plugged into a wall outlet, i.e. the same way one would normally charge a cellphone?  I'm used to doing that with a FiiO DAP, and with a Kindle.  I've briefly tried the Sony twice this way and it doesn't seem to charge: the battery icon didn't do its charging thing, and after a few seconds I unplugged for fear I would do damage.  Charging without a laptop or PC would be a major convenience, especially while traveling.
> 
> My USB wall charger is a Powergen that puts out DC 5V, 2.4A.  If anyone is charging their WM1A or Z from a wall outlet, I'd love to hear how.


 

 ​Yes i do charge mine with my Xperia Wall charger or my Alpha 5000 Wall charger


----------



## warrior1975

Out for my evening walk, went to convenience store. Put my 1z on the counter to get my money out, dude was asking about the brick. What is that? It's so big. I tell him it's high res, etc. Looks at my V20, and tells me, so is your phone lgv20, right? Lol. Yes. Then asked if my dap was old. Asked if it was a vape too. Lol... I didn't want to get into explaining it... But guess that's what the average person thinks. He probably would have had a heart attack if I told him the price.


----------



## blazinblazin

Just tell the person, its a gold brick.


----------



## warrior1975

Lol. Believable.


----------



## ttt123

steverinho53 said:


> Thanks.  I just tried again. My charger has two USB outlets, which apparently different: it didn't work on the N/A (Non-Apple) outlet but is charging happily on the A (Apple) outlet.  Issue resolved.


 
 The old chargers have labels for Apple, Samsung, etc.  Newer chargers no longer have these labels, and incorporate smart device detection, which sets the charger so that it is compatible with the device.  Aukey, for instance, calls their's Aipower.  
  
 The way Apple (or other companies) detects whether a charger is compatible, is by looking for a small voltage on one of the Data leads.  If it is missing, or too far off, then the device will not charge.  I found this out when trying to figure out why an old speaker dock would not charge an iphone.  It's surpising that they are able to do this using the USB standard, which only has 4 leads, Grd   D+  D-  5V


----------



## gerelmx1986

warrior1975 said:


> Out for my evening walk, went to convenience store. Put my 1z on the counter to get my money out, dude was asking about the brick. What is that? It's so big. I tell him it's high res, etc. Looks at my V20, and tells me, so is your phone lgv20, right? Lol. Yes. Then asked if my dap was old. Asked if it was a vape too. Lol... I didn't want to get into explaining it... But guess that's what the average person thinks. He probably would have had a heart attack if I told him the price.


 

 ​Today i also got a hard time explaining my WM1A size LOL, the dude (i'm taking some asp.net MVC developement course) asked me what it was and i told an MP3 player that plays hi-def music formats like FLAC and he told me if it wasn't one of these daps from the late 90´s 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I scared some one with the 4.4mm, held the walkman in such a way it looked like a gun's nozzle


----------



## wu1f

I got my 1A a couple weeks ago and after a very brief listen, set it up to do the burn in.  
  
 I don't have my 4.4mm balanced cable yet, so when I finally got a chance for some serious listening, it was in SE mode.  WOW!  Every song had depth, texture and detail I didn't know was there.  This is truly the most I have enjoyed music in several years. I can hardly wait to hear it balanced!  My listening today was with the 1More Triple, which seems to be an excellent match. I have better iem's, but it all sounded so great I just couldn't bring myself to change anything.
  
 BTW, I'm at about 250 hours of burn in now.
  
 Thank you to all the Head-Fi'ers for their comments that convinced me to make this purchase.


----------



## nanaholic

ttt123 said:


> The old chargers have labels for Apple, Samsung, etc.  Newer chargers no longer have these labels, and incorporate smart device detection, which sets the charger so that it is compatible with the device.  Aukey, for instance, calls their's Aipower.
> 
> The way Apple (or other companies) detects whether a charger is compatible, is by looking for a small voltage on one of the Data leads.  If it is missing, or too far off, then the device will not charge.  I found this out when trying to figure out why an old speaker dock would not charge an iphone.  It's surpising that they are able to do this using the USB standard, which only has 4 leads, Grd   D+  D-  5V


 
  
 Building in a charging protection circuits in the electronic device itself is nothing new, it's there to preserve and protect the battery, because incorrect voltage/current as well as overcharging could lead to damaging the battery and in worse case scenario fire and explosion.


----------



## ttt123

nanaholic said:


> Building in a charging protection circuits in the electronic device itself is nothing new, it's there to preserve and protect the battery, because incorrect voltage/current as well as overcharging could lead to damaging the battery and in worse case scenario fire and explosion.


 
  Agree that most/all devices will control charge rate/current/shorts, voltage within range, etc.  This is pretty well industry standard.  Most lithium batteries have protection circuits as part of the battery.
  
 This sense circuit  that prevents the use of a charger is something in addition to charge control/protection, as it looks for a particular sense voltage before it will turn on the charge circuit.  Just having a proper 5V and Grd.is not enough.    Apple has one requirement, Samsung has another.  As far as I can tell, the main purpose is to lock the device to their own charger (or one that duplicates the same sense voltage).  You could say that one of the goals is to makes sure that users always uses a charger from the vendor, and no other, and thus enforces a known hardware standard.  However, in practice, 3rd party manufacturers know what needs to be done to get around this, so this does not prevent cheap chargers from existing, or being used.  
  
 I'm more inclined to suspect that vendors do this more to maximize their their profits from accessory sales.  More info below, for those interested.
  
 **********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
  
http://www.righto.com/2014/05/a-look-inside-ipad-chargers-pricey.html 
Both chargers use resistors to put special voltages on the USB data lines[12] to indicate the charger type, using Apple's proprietary system (details). (This is why iPads say "Charging is not supported with this accessory" with some chargers.) Through these resistors the genuine charger indicates that it is an Apple 2A charger, while the counterfeit indicates that it is an Apple 1A charger. This shows that the counterfeit is really a 5W charger packaged as a 10W charger.
  
http://www.righto.com/2012/10/a-dozen-usb-chargers-in-lab-apple-is.html#ref6
  
[6] The chargers use specific voltages on the data pins to indicate the charger type to the device being charged. Because of this, an "incorrect" charger may be rejected by an iPhone with the message "Charging is not supported with this accessory".[7] Under the USB standard, a charger should short the two data pins together to indicate that it's a "dedicated" charger and not a real USB device. However, companies such as Apple, HP, and Sony have their own proprietary nonstandard techniques. The following table summarizes the voltages that appear on the D+ and D- lines for different chargers, and how the D+ and D- lines are configured internally.
 

Charger type​D+ voltage​D- voltage​D+/D- shorted​D+ pullup (kΩ)​D+ pulldown (kΩ)​D- pullup (kΩ)​D- pulldown (kΩ)​dedicated USB​float​float​yes​none​none​none​none​Apple .5A​2​2​no​75​49.9​75​49.9​Apple 1A​2​2.7​no​75​49.9​43.2​49.9​Apple 2A​2.7​2​no​43.2​49.9​75​49.9​HP TouchPad 2A​2.8​2.7​yes​250​300​n/a​n/a​Sony​3.3​3.3​no​5.1​10​5.1​10
  ​


----------



## nanaholic

It's not always about maximising profits from the consumer purely from the monetary/greed POV - it's also in the interest of the company to make sure the equipment functions correctly to reduce warranty claims which would be a drain on the profit as well (*cough*Samsung Galaxy Note 7*cough* - although that one is not so much about using fakes/bad chargers but the point still stands - companies has good financial reasons to make sure their equipment is functional, tying their gear with certified chargers is IMO an acceptable way of doing it).
  
 Also bad/fake cables and chargers DO damage electronics - we all know about that case of poor quality USB-C cables that fried smartphones too.


----------



## echineko

soundblast75 said:


> Great update and yet another baffling Sony management flop, why when you have something good not share it even on your own relevant product web pages
> I remember being surprised when zx1 came out that they are actually still coming up with good things.. But whoever is in charge there.. WAKE THE FK UP



Not sure what you're on about mate, it's being gradually rolled out across regions. We just happened to find out earlier thanks to nanaholic being a sleuth  It's already been updated to our local Sony support website, dated February 23, if your region doesn't have it yet, it will very soon.

Edit: It's possible you mean they should have more reliable notifications so people get to know about it, in that case I definitely agree. The product marketing and communications could use some help for these fine devices.


----------



## nanaholic

Ideally you will be notified via Media Go when an update is available when you plug in the device. I guess another way is to subscribe to news letters. Other than that there's really not much ways to get directly notified and you'll have to look for reports on websites and forums.


----------



## ttt123

nanaholic said:


> It's not always about maximising profits from the consumer purely from the monetary/greed POV - it's also in the interest of the company to make sure the equipment functions correctly to reduce warranty claims which would be a drain on the profit as well (*cough*Samsung Galaxy Note 7*cough* - although that one is not so much about using fakes/bad chargers but the point still stands - companies has good financial reasons to make sure their equipment is functional, tying their gear with certified chargers is IMO an acceptable way of doing it).
> 
> Also bad/fake cables and chargers DO damage electronics - we all know about that case of poor quality USB-C cables that fried smartphones too.


 
 I Agree.  There are so many poorly made products on the market, it is essential to buy properly made products, with a background and history behind them.  This will never be the cheapest.  So it is a good rule to stay away from products that are too cheap.  Though there are many reputable companies that are viable alternatives to the original Manufacturer's accessories, which are often cheaper, and have more utility.  But the user has to be careful in their choice.
  
 Though Apple, for one, has a poor record.  There are too many things they have done that hurt consumers, while helping their bottom line.


----------



## soundblast75

echineko said:


> Not sure what you're on about mate, it's being gradually rolled out across regions. We just happened to find out earlier thanks to nanaholic being a sleuth  It's already been updated to our local Sony support website, dated February 23, if your region doesn't have it yet, it will very soon.
> 
> Edit: It's possible you mean they should have more reliable notifications so people get to know about it, in that case I definitely agree. The product marketing and communications could use some help for these fine devices.



What is not clear mate, if there's such an update, where is it on an eu or asian Sony web page and why it takes ages?? 
I am talking about super silly executive desicions that seem to be part of Sony last 20 years history after brilliant management of the past. 
Just an example is a complete inconsistencies in their media players across TV and blueray disc players, no album art, different players etc with no logic whatsoever. Its just one example of many, but i am not gonna go on about it if everyone else is super happy


----------



## nanaholic

soundblast75 said:


> What is not clear mate, if there's such an update, where is it on an eu or asian Sony web page and why it takes ages??
> I am talking about super silly executive desicions that seem to be part of Sony last 20 years history after brilliant management of the past.
> Just an example is a complete inconsistencies in their media players across TV and blueray disc players, no album art, different players etc with no logic whatsoever. Its just one example of many, but i am not gonna go on about it if everyone else is super happy


 
  
 It's not ages. The firmware is discovered to be uploaded to Sony's server a less than 40 hours ago but not made public, today Sony Japan has officially announced the firmware update on their web pages as well as via media outlets like big tech websites.  Firmware updates are ALWAYS rolled out in stages, because internal testings can only reveal that much so that you don't want to risk bricking tens of thousands of devices all at once, second is you don't want all users hammering the server all at once downloading hundreds of megabytes worth of data and bringing down your IT infrastructures.   
  
 Sony may have done some bad updates before but this one is not it. This roll out is text book perfectly executed in the IT world.


----------



## ttt123

soundblast75 said:


> What is not clear mate, if there's such an update, where is it on an eu or asian Sony web page and why it takes ages??
> I am talking about super silly executive desicions that seem to be part of Sony last 20 years history after brilliant management of the past.
> Just an example is a complete inconsistencies in their media players across TV and blueray disc players, no album art, different players etc with no logic whatsoever. Its just one example of many, but i am not gonna go on about it if everyone else is super happy


 
 http://www.sony-asia.com/support/product/nw-wm1a/modelfirst 
  
 Firmware 1.10, Dated 23 Feb 2017, so just showing up today.


----------



## soundblast75

Don't get me wrong people, i am one of the biggest Sony fans out there, just look at my Walkman collection here, but what im talking about is the fact that the only reason any of us is still holding his precious is the unlimited financial resources of this company after they completely forgot who was the portable audio king for some 10 years. 

I am super happy to hear that the firmware is being rolled out and Sony is finally on tbe right track. 
Just cant help having this sense info gets up slowly there

Now,only if they would adress that artwork issue and get rid of proprietary connections for next Gen plus get a more realistic price out rather than it coming down significantly almost right away abd we're all winning! 
Oh, and dont forget that if you are selling a model across the globe and you're offering an accompanying product like a balanced cable, you might as well actually start selling it. 
Ok, enough ranting now, i adore my 1A☺️


----------



## musicday

So beside the faster UI, does the new firmware bring any features?
Can someone tell me the micro sd card port cover is plastic or metal?
Note : the link above doesn't work.
Down for maintenance !!


----------



## blazinblazin

Maybe check your country's SONY site.

I checked it's up on Sony Singapore website.


----------



## Tanjiro

musicday said:


> So beside the faster UI, does the new firmware bring any features?
> Can someone tell me the micro sd card port cover is plastic or metal?
> Note : the link above doesn't work.
> Down for maintenance !!




Micro SD slot cover is plastic.


----------



## chiyui889

what do you guys think,compare DX200 to WM1A?


----------



## nc8000

chiyui889 said:


> what do you guys think,compare DX200 to WM1A?




I expect that there will be people either way who will prefer one over the other depending on personal taste and requirements. I don't think one objectively will be better than the other.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I wish Sony rolls out a fw with search function with their now useless keyboard


----------



## Whitigir

I am glad enough that it has no stalling issue during playback and faster respond


----------



## HiFiGuy528

v1.10 is now official. Learn what's changed here.
  
 https://esupport.sony.com/US/p/swu-download.pl?mdl=NWWM1Z&upd_id=11062&os_group_id=28


----------



## pete338

steverinho53 said:


> I've had my WM1A for about a month now (and am loving it).  I have a question that I haven' t seen addressed on this thread: is anyone charging theirs from a USB charger plugged into a wall outlet, i.e. the same way one would normally charge a cellphone?  I'm used to doing that with a FiiO DAP, and with a Kindle.  I've briefly tried the Sony twice this way and it doesn't seem to charge: the battery icon didn't do its charging thing, and after a few seconds I unplugged for fear I would do damage.  Charging without a laptop or PC would be a major convenience, especially while traveling.
> 
> My USB wall charger is a Powergen that puts out DC 5V, 2.4A.  If anyone is charging their WM1A or Z from a wall outlet, I'd love to hear how.


 

 I'm charging mine from my iPad wall charger..no issues.


----------



## blazinblazin

chiyui889 said:


> what do you guys think,compare DX200 to WM1A?



More Reference, neutral, super detailed sound go DX200.

More Natural, organic, live, concert hall sound go WM1A. (Must use 4.4mm balanced)


----------



## chiyui889

i mostly listen to pop song and soft Lyrical song,which is better


----------



## blazinblazin

chiyui889 said:


> i mostly listen to pop song and soft Lyrical song,which is better




If you like thicker lower part of voice, more sexy vocal. WM1A adds to it.

Best if you can test both. Both are good. Just sound preference.

Only buy WM1A if you planned to use it's 4.4mm balanced.


----------



## TenderTendon

I noticed a couple things last night that were different before the firmware upgrade. The Bluetooth remote disconnects from the player sooner now. Before the update, I could go 30 minutes or more without touching the remote and it would work instantly when I press a button. Now, if I don't touch it for 3-4 songs, it has to re-initialize/re-connect/handshake/whatever you want to call it for 4-5 seconds before it works again. I understand they may have done this to extend the battery, but I wish they would have just left this alone. The next thing that happened was in the middle of a song, the volume slowly dropped to nothing and the song paused. The remote control and the play/pause button on the side of the player were non-functional. They only way I could resume play was through the touch screen. The buttons and remote resumed working after that. I hope this was just a one time incident...   The faster UI response is great though.


----------



## frfrtx

blazinblazin said:


> If you like thicker lower part of voice, more sexy vocal. WM1A adds to it.
> 
> Best if you can test both. Both are good. Just sound preference.
> 
> Only buy WM1A if you planned to use it's 4.4mm balanced.


 
 So, to make sure that I understand, your preference/recommendation is the DX 200 rather than the WMA1 when using Stereo mini jack even with a sensitive IEM; or are you recommending using the 4.4mm balanced on the WMA1 even with a sensitive IEM?
  
 Thanks


----------



## blazinblazin

frfrtx said:


> So, to make sure that I understand, your preference/recommendation is the DX 200 rather than the WMA1 when using Stereo mini jack even with a sensitive IEM; or are you recommending using the 4.4mm balanced on the WMA1 even with a sensitive IEM?
> 
> Thanks



Sony build WM1 series around the 4.4mm balanced. You want the full potential of it you will need to tap into it's 4.4mm port. Eg: It only can do Native DSD on 4.4mm balanced only and if you use DSD on 3.5mm it will be converted to PCM. 4.4mm sounds a lot better also.

Also you will see a bunch of people say WM1A is not as good as some other players without testing the 4.4mm.

So when i recommend i will always credit the balanced.


----------



## frfrtx

blazinblazin said:


> Sony build WM1 series around the 4.4mm balanced. You want the full potential of it you will need to tap into it's 4.4mm port. Eg: It only can do Native DSD on 4.4mm balanced only and if you use DSD on 3.5mm it will be converted to PCM. 4.4mm sounds a lot better also.
> 
> Also you will see a bunch of people say WM1A is not as good as some other players without testing the 4.4mm.
> 
> So when i recommend i will always credit the balanced.


 
 Thanks


----------



## warrior1975

gerelmx1986 said:


> I wish Sony rolls out a fw with search function with their now useless keyboard




So agreed. My biggest gripe. Why can't we search for a damn song? So ridiculous. Other than that, I absolutely love this player.


----------



## chiyui889

andromeda+DX200 or andromeda+WM1A?do they all fits and just sounds preference?


----------



## warrior1975

In this thread, the 1a. In the DX200 thread, the DX200.


----------



## pCollins

hello,
  
 how does media go help smooth out the tracks for WM1Z play?
 I have mixed format tracks.
 I used MAC to load the tracks initially onto the Sony.
 Thanks
  
 Patsy


----------



## hung031086

Please don't compare wm1a/z with other daps please. You will make me curious to try different daps when you compare with sony. Its almost a year now but i bought, returned and sold about 10 daps. I'm addicted with daps. So please don't compare, i wanna end up with my 1A lolz.


----------



## buzzlulu

Still looking for some comparisons between the WM1Z/A with Z1R's and Utopia's compared to an iPhone running into a Mojo or Hugo 2


----------



## warrior1975

hung031086 said:


> Please don't compare wm1a/z with other daps please. You will make me curious to try different daps when you compare with sony. Its almost a year now but i bought, returned and sold about 10 daps. I'm addicted with daps. So please don't compare, i wanna end up with my 1A lolz.




Lol. Just enjoy what you have, and sign off of head-fi... Safest way bro.


----------



## jmills8

warrior1975 said:


> Lol. Just enjoy what you have, and sign off of head-fi... Safest way bro.


 https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=s5EpkqTwovk


----------



## TenderTendon

steverinho53 said:


> I have a question that I haven' t seen addressed on this thread: is anyone charging theirs from a USB charger plugged into a wall outlet, i.e. the same way one would normally charge a cellphone?


 
 My standard Samsung chargers work fine, but the adaptive fast chargers don't work at all.


----------



## zardos

Hi, yesterday I had a little horror trip with my 2 day old EU 1Z. Downloaded the new firmware 1.10 via Japan VPN, made the firmware update on a Macbook in a Windows 7 Pro VM. All seemed to went fine. No error message, 1Z rebooted, but not into the home screen. It automatically rebooted after about 1-2 minutes, again not into the home screen, reboot again, and so on...a perpetual boot cycle! Could'nt stop that horror neither way. I have tried everything possible for about 4 hours. Firmware reupdates, destination changes (the player was between the reboots always for about 1 minute via USB connection accessible), all possible 2 button press combinations. Nothing worked. So I had to left the device alone on my desk and went bugged into my bedroom. 

The next morning the battery was nearly totally drained, but the player was alive again! I made the update to 1.10 again and changed region to E, tourist version. 

This time all went well.

Love the 1Z. Great (self-healing, lol) device!!


----------



## kampongkid

Scary. Had you previously done the region mod? Lots of reports saying it should go unaffected.


----------



## jamato8

buzzlulu said:


> Still looking for some comparisons between the WM1Z/A with Z1R's and Utopia's compared to an iPhone running into a Mojo or Hugo 2


 

 My wife's iPhone into the Mojo, the WM1Z with the utopia is better, IMO. Don't know about the Hugo 2, since I don't have one from the future but will work on it. :^)


----------



## warrior1975

tendertendon said:


> My standard Samsung chargers work fine, but the adaptive fast chargers don't work at all.




That's odd. That's all I use, the adaptive fast chargers.


----------



## zardos

kampongkid said:


> Scary. Had you previously done the region mod? Lots of reports saying it should go unaffected.




Yes I was already at region E and FW 1.02 before that happend. Between the reboots I managed to change the device's region and also FW updates seemed to went ok sometimes, but i had to be fast  

In anticipation to have to bring the 1Z back to the Sony Store Berlin for warranty I changed region back to CEW and FW back to 1.02.

I'd say this is a pure Sony software issue. To me it seems that the Sony FW update program somehow may become out of synch with the device and that may result in a perpetual boot cycle. The region changes have nothing to do with this.


----------



## purk

buzzlulu said:


> Still looking for some comparisons between the WM1Z/A with Z1R's and Utopia's compared to an iPhone running into a Mojo or Hugo 2


 
  
  


jamato8 said:


> My wife's iPhone into the Mojo, the WM1Z with the utopia is better, IMO. Don't know about the Hugo 2, since I don't have one from the future but will work on it. :^)


 
 I don't own the Utopia but I would pick the WM1Z over the Mojo as well.  Still the MOJO is a great sounding device especially for the price and the WM1Z isn't a whole lot better either.


----------



## warrior1975

I too prefer the 1z sound over the Mojo.


----------



## buzzlulu

Thanks for all of the replies re Mojo vs..1Z

Can I also assume that everyone who prefers the 1Z to Mojo would likewise prefer the 1A to Mojo as well?

1Z and A into Utopias and Z1R - I assume plenty of grunt to run both of those cans - no additional amplifier needed? A true all in one solution?


----------



## jamato8

Is anyone having problems scanning in their cards? I have a 200gb and it acts like it is scanning it but the folder is empty.It works fine with all my other daps. 
  
 I can see 3 files that are built on the card, when I extract it and look at it on my computer but non of my cards are showing up with the music.


----------



## TenderTendon

warrior1975 said:


> That's odd. That's all I use, the adaptive fast chargers.


 

 That is strange. I have 2 adaptive fast chargers and 3 of the older, standard chargers. Neither of the fast chargers work for me.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mexican Baroque Music


----------



## ttt123

jamato8 said:


> Is anyone having problems scanning in their cards? I have a 200gb and it acts like it is scanning it but the folder is empty.It works fine with all my other daps.
> 
> I can see 3 files that are built on the card, when I extract it and look at it on my computer but non of my cards are showing up with the music.


 
 My Sandisk 200GB works fine.


----------



## ttt123

tendertendon said:


> That is strange. I have 2 adaptive fast chargers and 3 of the older, standard chargers. Neither of the fast chargers work for me.




  
  
 Adaptive and regular chargers work for me.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ttt123 said:


> jamato8 said:
> 
> 
> > Is anyone having problems scanning in their cards? I have a 200gb and it acts like it is scanning it but the folder is empty.It works fine with all my other daps.
> ...


 

 Cad format (must be exFat)


----------



## mscott58

gerelmx1986 said:


> Cad format (must be exFat)




Must also be in a folder called "Music". 

Best to get a new card or to reformat an existing card. 

Cheers


----------



## warrior1975

tendertendon said:


> That is strange. I have 2 adaptive fast chargers and 3 of the older, standard chargers. Neither of the fast chargers work for me.




Odd...i know both my Sammy and LG work. LG is all I have at my office, just 1 charger, so I know I'm not mistaken.

jamato8 I had issues too when I first scanned. It didn't show music, I had to mess around with the folders and buttons, then it worked. I went to now playing and only the songs on the dap itself were showing.


----------



## Mimouille

I have a question, why do 4.4m balanced to 3.5 SE doesn't work and necessarily creates a short circuit, whereas there are many 2.5mm balanced to 3.5mm and that isn't a problem?


----------



## mscott58

It all depends which direction you're going. An adapter that takes a balanced HP and connects it to a SE output is fine. However, an adapter that tries to connect a SE HP to a balanced output is asking for trouble. Cheers


----------



## Mimouille

mscott58 said:


> It all depends which direction you're going. An adapter that takes a balanced HP and connects it to a SE output is fine. However, an adapter that tries to connect a SE HP to a balanced output is asking for trouble. Cheers


 
 So let me get this clear, a 4.4mm female to 3.5 male is fine?


----------



## warrior1975

It should be, I do 2.5 balanced to 3.5 se.


----------



## echineko

mimouille said:


> So let me get this clear, a 4.4mm female to 3.5 male is fine?



If you're referring to the adaptor someone else mentioned buying here, the concern was going from a 3.5mm SE to a 4.4mm balanced, due to how it's wired internally. But 4.4mm balanced to 3.5mm balanced should be fine, and vice versa provided the manufacturer knows what they're doing. 

I hope Sony will be releasing some adaptors themselves too


----------



## gerelmx1986

I could go to 4.4mm male to dual 3.5mm TRS females for balanced cables of Z7, Z5, Z1R


----------



## Mimouille

echineko said:


> If you're referring to the adaptor someone else mentioned buying here, the concern was going from a 3.5mm SE to a 4.4mm balanced, due to how it's wired internally. But 4.4mm balanced to 3.5mm balanced should be fine, and vice versa provided the manufacturer knows what they're doing.
> 
> I hope Sony will be releasing some adaptors themselves too


 
 No I mean if you want to adapt a 4.4mm balanced iem cable to us it on DAP with 3.5mm SE jack


----------



## echineko

mimouille said:


> No I mean if you want to adapt a 4.4mm balanced iem cable to us it on DAP with 3.5mm SE jack



Ah. In general, going balanced to SE should not be an issue, it's the other way round that's a concern.


----------



## Mimouille

Ok thanks


----------



## nc8000

The main problem here seems to be to find a 4,4mm female plug


----------



## AnakChan

nc8000 said:


> The main problem here seems to be to find a 4,4mm female plug


 
  
 I think this is the 2nd time I've heard about this. I bought a 4.4mm female socket for myself (although I haven't built not decided if I wanna build a 4.4mm -> 2.5mm TRRS or 4.4mm -> 3.5mm TRS yet) but each time I go to e-earphone, they have 4.4mm female sockets on the shelf. Not cheap though, 5,000 yen and big.


----------



## blazinblazin

Summary
  
 3.5mm Single-Ended Female -> 4.4mm Balanced Male = No, Will short circuit.
  
 4.4mm Balanced Female -> 3.5mm Single-Ended Male = OK.
  
 4.4mm Balanced Female -> 3.5mm Balanced Male = OK.
  
 4.4mm Balanced Female -> 2.5mm Balanced Male = OK.


----------



## looge

Would this help: http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=5580


----------



## nc8000

looge said:


> Would this help: http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=5580




To the best of my knowledge and understanding that adaptor will cause a short possibly damaging the player


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

4.4mm cable coming in. Hope it will be


----------



## looge

nc8000 said:


> To the best of my knowledge and understanding that adaptor will cause a short possibly damaging the player


 
 Actually I want to use one of the NW-WM1Z's outputs as an analog line out to a power amp. Since the WM port only outputs digital and as you said the 4.4mm might cause a short, I guess I've to settle using the 3.5mm output using a 3.55mm to RCA adapter. Wouldn't want to risk damaging the player, thanks.


----------



## jamato8

mscott58 said:


> Must also be in a folder called "Music".
> 
> Best to get a new card or to reformat an existing card.
> 
> Cheers


 
  
 Thanks. My cards are mostly all exFat and with 20 I am not going to reformat so I did the Music folder and it works great. Thank you again.


mimouille said:


> I have a question, why do 4.4m balanced to 3.5 SE doesn't work and necessarily creates a short circuit, whereas there are many 2.5mm balanced to 3.5mm and that isn't a problem?


 
 You can not can not convert a balanced out to SE unless you add more circuit but that would degrade the signal. You will blow something. You can always make a cable that is balanced into a single ended cable by tying what was the 2 neg legs together so they go to ground. The positive R and L will remain. All of my headphones are balanced and I have balanced or single ended plugs to use with the cables. 
  


looge said:


> Actually I want to use one of the NW-WM1Z's outputs as an analog line out to a power amp. Since the WM port only outputs digital and as you said the 4.4mm might cause a short, I guess I've to settle using the 3.5mm output using a 3.55mm to RCA adapter. Wouldn't want to risk damaging the player, thanks.


 
 You have to know what you are doing with the circuit because the output is a circuit.


----------



## doofalb

I have a somewhat related question: If I want to use an amp with the WM1A, does it matter sq-wise if I use the balanced vs SE out? Also, does it make sense to ramp the volume up to 100% in order to minimize degradation through attenuation?


----------



## AnakChan

doofalb said:


> I have a somewhat related question: If I want to use an amp with the WM1A, does it matter sq-wise if I use the balanced vs SE out? Also, does it make sense to ramp the volume up to 100% in order to minimize degradation through attenuation?


 
  
 It didn't work too well with me. Just double amping with the 1Z with external amps, I had distortion (this is using the 1Z as a pre-amp, and attempting to fix the 1Z volume and using the external amp vol). You can play around with both volume controls however at least in my attempts, I couldn't get a loud enough -clean- volume.


----------



## doofalb

Thanks, good to know. I really liked the Onkyo DP-X1 & Alo CV5 & ALo Vega combo, but wasn't impressed at all when I switched the DP-X1 for the WM1A


----------



## looge

jamato8 said:


> Thanks. My cards are mostly all exFat and with 20 I am not going to reformat so I did the Music folder and it works great. Thank you again.
> You can not can not convert a balanced out to SE unless you add more circuit but that would degrade the signal. You will blow something. You can always make a cable that is balanced into a single ended cable by tying what was the 2 neg legs together so they go to ground. The positive R and L will remain. All of my headphones are balanced and I have balanced or single ended plugs to use with the cables.
> 
> You have to know what you are doing with the circuit because the output is a circuit.


 
 So I reckon the only straightforward option is to use the 3.5mm output from the 1Z as lineout into my home stereo poweramp, although not sure sq would be any good since the headphone output is not really a dedicated lineout. Thanks.


----------



## proedros

anybody here who owns both wm1a and *idsd micro black label *?

 impressions ?


----------



## kaushama

proedros said:


> anybody here who owns both wm1a and *idsd micro black label* ?
> 
> 
> impressions ?




I would try. I have the Sony digital OTG cable too.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I've reached 500 hours in SE


----------



## jmills8

gerelmx1986 said:


> I've reached 500 hours in SE


 You want a cookie? Keep counting bro.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

I don't think my ZX2 has even reached 100 hours even after 2 years:cowboy:
And WM1A maybe less than 20 hours. 
Not getting enough time to listen


----------



## HamsterKing

Finally demoed the 1A im really poisoned, it's really a big leap from the PD haha! And the CL1ceramic with it too


----------



## Mimouille

audiobreeder said:


> I don't think my ZX2 has even reached 100 hours even after 2 years:cowboy:
> And WM1A maybe less than 20 hours.
> Not getting enough time to listen


Are you kidding? At even 2 hours a day you need less than 2 months to reach 100 hours.


----------



## pCollins

Just spent over 45 minutes with a higher level manager at Sony eSupport USA about the clicking sound when the WM1Z navigates to any track that differs in file type/format/sampling rates versus the previous.  When using the 4.4mm Balanced standard-jack connection.
  
 Sony eSupport USA noted that others have reported this issue but it is not on the top of the firmware wish list.  Apparently, most use the 2.5mm Stereo mini-jack and the issue is not there. (I think this is odd, as the Balanced output is clearly superior....)
  
 Please call Sony eSupport about this.  In the US, it's 239-245-6290 (Ask for eSupport)
  
 Patsy


----------



## warrior1975

I haven't noticed that yet, fortunately. I've only been using balanced for a few days though. I'll listen more carefully.


----------



## nc8000

I would never experience that as I always play a whole album end to end and that would always be the same file format and resolution


----------



## 13candles

pcollins said:


> Just spent over 45 minutes with a higher level manager at Sony eSupport USA about the clicking sound when the WM1Z navigates to any track that differs in file type/format/sampling rates versus the previous.  When using the 4.4mm Balanced standard-jack connection.
> 
> Sony eSupport USA noted that others have reported this issue but it is not on the top of the firmware wish list.  Apparently, most use the 2.5mm Stereo mini-jack and the issue is not there. (I think this is odd, as the Balanced output is clearly superior....)
> 
> ...


 
 This was also very apparent to me on my LPG (even though it only has SE) when i was switching between tracks of different file/sampling rates. 
  
 One will never experience this if he/she just sticks to listening to any particular album. It is only when one decides to have a playlist of songs of different file/sampling rates.


----------



## blazinblazin

This is not an issue.
It dont affect the playing of the song as it only happens before and after song.
It dont irritates your hearing like loud pop sound.
It happens on other brand DAP too.


----------



## pCollins

warrior1975 said:


> I haven't noticed that yet, fortunately. I've only been using balanced for a few days though. I'll listen more carefully.


 
  
 While you're playing the track in balanced, navigate to a track that's of a different format.  Like DSD128 to 44.1K, etc.


----------



## nanaholic

It's been answered many times, it's not an issue or bug but it's there by design. There's nothing to fix so don't call Sony.
  
 http://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001154029.html


----------



## Whitigir

True Balanced out means L+ L- R+ R-, and SE mean L+ R+ LR- . The configurations on 2.5mm balanced from A&K and other devices are all Solid state and Op-Amp....none of them using Class D configuration like Sony Walkman.

The Walkman has 4 inverters coils, and each is dedicated to a single line of signals for processing. By combining the Negative polarity on L and R Channels, you are shorting both Inverter together.

I am not sure how viable the 2.5mm balanced into SE is considered a good approach, however, in my opinions, if they were meant to be separated, then let them be


----------



## 13candles

bengkia369 said:


> New items all sounds sublime @ headfi.
> All older items like Sony ZX2, AK240 nowadays nobody bothered to mention anymore.
> New toys are always fun to play with.


 
 Totally not true Bengkia.
  
 If i could turn back time with what i know now, i'll gladly pick both those players you mentioned. Heck, i'll still pick either AK240 or SS over the 380 in a heartbeat. 
  
 Having said that, the 1Z right now is a just a sonically different beast imho and personal preference. It just seduces me with its refinement, articulation and spatial presentation which quite possibly stems from it's "dark like the abyss background ".


----------



## warrior1975

From memory, I definitely prefer the 1z over my ak240. Completely different sound.


----------



## AxelCloris

I had to do a little cleanup on some of the recent posts. Let's try to keep it friendly, please.


----------



## Lavakugel

warrior1975 said:


> From memory, I definitely prefer the 1z over my ak240. Completely different sound.


 
 What's the difference?


----------



## Whitigir

lavakugel said:


> What's the difference?




Different brand,different build, different price


----------



## Lavakugel

whitigir said:


> Different brand,different build, different price


 
 Difficult to buy one high end dap if you can't compare them...which one is better for female vocals?


----------



## warrior1975

lavakugel said:


> What's the difference?




Been a while since I had my 240 bro. Warmer, more analog, better bass. From memory of course.


----------



## Stealer

gerelmx1986 said:


> I've reached 500 hours in SE




Sorry i still dont understand why do one still need to burn in se when the optimised output is in bal? I listen mainly in bal mode.


----------



## CraftyClown

stealer said:


> Sorry i still dont understand why do one still need to burn in se when the optimised output is in bal? I listen mainly in bal mode.




Because not everyone has balanced headphones.


----------



## gerelmx1986

stealer said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I've reached 500 hours in SE
> ...


 

 ​I need to gather moeny to buy my adapter cable 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




​ jobless  no wonder i don't have money for a the adapter i need


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> lavakugel said:
> 
> 
> > What's the difference?
> ...


 

 ​LOL you made it so clear hahaha, really like your sense of humor


----------



## likearake

Is anybody selling a 4.4mm to 3.5mm SE adapter at the moment? Kinda annoying to have to swap cable to listen to every other device in the world.


----------



## kubig123

likearake said:


> Is anybody selling a 4.4mm to 3.5mm SE adapter at the moment? Kinda annoying to have to swap cable to listen to every other device in the world.


 

 Same here, I hope an adapter will be available very soon.


----------



## AxelCloris

likearake said:


> Is anybody selling a 4.4mm to 3.5mm SE adapter at the moment? Kinda annoying to have to swap cable to listen to every other device in the world.


 
  
 Do not do this. You can adapt a balanced headphone for use with a single ended device, but please do not try to adapt a single ended headphone for use with a balanced output. You run an incredibly high risk of damaging your gear. It could theoretically work for a device with a 4.4mm output that's single ended, but the NW-WM1 is not that device.


----------



## likearake

axelcloris said:


> Do not do this. You can adapt a balanced headphone for use with a single ended device, but please do not try to adapt a single ended headphone for use with a balanced output. You run an incredibly high risk of damaging your gear. It could theoretically work for a device with a 4.4mm output that's single ended, but the NW-WM1 is not that device.




Yep I'm not. I want to use my balanced headphone currently with 4.4mm balanced cable on single ended device with regular 3.5mm jack.


----------



## mscott58

B





axelcloris said:


> Do not do this. You can adapt a balanced headphone for use with a single ended device, but please do not try to adapt a single ended headphone for use with a balanced output. You run an incredibly high risk of damaging your gear. It could theoretically work for a device with a 4.4mm output that's single ended, but the NW-WM1 is not that device.




Agree Brian, if they're looking for a 3.5mm SE female to 4.4mm male that's bad. However, if it's a 4.4mm female to 3.5mm SE male that should be fine. Cheers


----------



## warrior1975

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​I need to gather moeny to buy my adapter cable  ​ jobless  no wonder i don't have money for a the adapter i need




Jobless with a 1a...coukd be worse bro.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mscott58 said:


> B
> 
> 
> 
> ...


And what about my case, the cables for z5 and z7 are dual 3.5mm males, and I have asked PLUSSOUND for advice on an adapter of a 4.4mm male to dual females of 3.5mm TRS 

that won't result in damage?


----------



## AxelCloris

likearake said:


> Yep I'm not. I want to use my balanced headphone currently with 4.4mm balanced cable on single ended device with regular 3.5mm jack.


 
  
 Oh, I guess I read that backwards. My bad.  I don't know if there are many 4.4mm female plugs around, but there's been an uptick in male connectors so hopefully someone has already come along and made one.
  
 In my perfect world all manufacturers would use the 4.4mm connector for both balanced and single ended devices so we'd never have to worry since the pentacon is capable of both.
  


gerelmx1986 said:


> And what about my case, the cables for z5 and z7 are dual 3.5mm males, and I have asked PLUSSOUND for advice on an adapter of a 4.4mm male to dual females of 3.5mm TRS
> 
> that won't result in damage?


  

 Dual 3.5mm like the Pono connection? That should be balanced so going from that to a 4.4mm should be fine.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quote: 





			
				AxelCloris said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> Dual 3.5mm like the Pono connection? That should be balanced so going from that to a 4.4mm should be fine.


 
 Yup


----------



## fade2blak

I bought the Miter case and I must say I am not happy with it. It is a paper thin leather and is not shaped to fit the body of WM1A/Z. There is already a tear in my case.
  
 Anybody looking for Dignis case but don't want to pay full price, keep watching the Y! Auction as they keep popping up. I just bought a like-new case for 6000yen.


----------



## AnakChan

fade2blak said:


> I bought the Miter case and I must say I am not happy with it. It is a paper thin leather and is not shaped to fit the body of WM1A/Z. There is already a tear in my case.
> 
> Anybody looking for Dignis case but don't want to pay full price, keep watching the Y! Auction as they keep popping up. I just bought a like-new case for 6000yen.


Dignis cases bruises easily too.


----------



## kaushama

proedros said:


> anybody here who owns both wm1a and *idsd micro black label* ?
> 
> 
> impressions ?




I listen to the combination for a while with HR files. It was cleaner than My laptop setup. Foobar > iFi Murcury cable > iUSB 3 > IDSD BL. 
Apart from that I did not hear much difference between two set ups.


----------



## JamesKH

After burning in (500+ hours) on 3.5mm SE, do I need to do the same on the balanced 4.4mm?


----------



## gerelmx1986

jameskh said:


> After burning in (500+ hours) on 3.5mm SE, do I need to do the same on the balanced 4.4mm?


yes we have to do it again


----------



## hung031086

Will it change the sound after 500 hours ? I just passed 200 hours on balance and se.


----------



## jamato8

jameskh said:


> After burning in (500+ hours) on 3.5mm SE, do I need to do the same on the balanced 4.4mm?


 

 Two different amp sections/circuits.


----------



## jamato8

I like the way the WM1Z is burning in. It is more euphonic compared to the DX200 and especially the WM1A. The contrast of the DX200 and WM1Z is nice. I would say the DX200 is more true to the source with the WM1Z adding some its own signature and both rendering a very, very enjoyable musical landscape. I still have a few more hundred hours I want to put on the 1Z to know where it will end up but I have little doubt it will be great. I like the better control that either the 1A or the 1Z have with the music over the ZX2 so on this, IMO, Sony has made an improvement. Not to discount the ZX2 but Sony has stepped up the sound in comparison.


----------



## warrior1975

I agree completely with everything you said. 100% accurate.


----------



## mscott58

Agree as well! Cheers


----------



## JamesKH

hung031086 said:


> Will it change the sound after 500 hours ? I just passed 200 hours on balance and se.




Yes. From 200-500 hrs, sound is still changing, though not as perceptibly as 0-200 hrs. It becomes more refined.


----------



## pete338

jameskh said:


> Yes. From 200-500 hrs, sound is still changing, though not as perceptibly as 0-200 hrs. It becomes more refined.


 
 Wonder whether there will come a point where we will end up at where we started..


----------



## Mimouille

pete338 said:


> Wonder whether there will come a point where we will end up at where we started..


I just wish we would come to a point were people would stop describing some minute refinement discovered between 499 and 500 hours.


----------



## zardos

Have now both 1A and 1Z and will keep both. 1A is the overall winner for me w.r.t. value for money. Will use it on the go, whilst 1Z being my indoor device.


----------



## pete338

zardos said:


> Have now both 1A and 1Z and will keep both. 1A is the overall winner for me w.r.t. value for money. Will use it on the go, whilst 1Z being my indoor device.


 
 Best of best...good for you


----------



## pete338

Been using xba z5 with 1A on balance ( sony kimber cable ). Change my tips for z5 to comply tx200, the ones with the waxguard cause the sony hybrid itching my ears, but as mentioned earlier in these threads there seems to be a slight deterioration in trebles..I felt that too..Understand that there's a suggestion to use the comply tips backwards, but guess won't work with the tips with waxguard.
 Hope there are other tips to try out.I would welcome other suggestions or recommendations...


----------



## CraftyClown

Afternoon fellas,
  
 Has anyone worked out a way to shuffle play a particular genre? It should be an easy enough thing to do, but I can't work it out on the new Sony walkmans.
  
 Any ideas?


----------



## Smousesme

Hi guys, I asked on here if dsd can played through the wm port a while ago, but no one knew. I've checked in a lot of places and I just can't find the answer XD I wanna find a dap that can feed dsd to the Hugo, I'm pretty sure the new wms could be able to, but wanna make sure before buying.
Thanks in advance


----------



## nanaholic

smousesme said:


> Hi guys, I asked on here if dsd can played through the wm port a while ago, but no one knew. I've checked in a lot of places and I just can't find the answer XD I wanna find a dap that can feed dsd to the Hugo, I'm pretty sure the new wms could be able to, but wanna make sure before buying.
> Thanks in advance


 
  
 Yes it can.
  
 You'll need the special WM cable though, the one included in the box is not wired to connect to external DACs.


----------



## gerelmx1986

craftyclown said:


> Afternoon fellas,
> 
> Has anyone worked out a way to shuffle play a particular genre? It should be an easy enough thing to do, but I can't work it out on the new Sony walkmans.
> 
> Any ideas?


 

 Mmm maybe if you seect a genre and then start with a song and go to settings > Playback settings and tick the shuffle playback checkbox ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

pete338 said:


> Been using xba z5 with 1A on balance ( sony kimber cable ). Change my tips for z5 to comply tx200, the ones with the waxguard cause the sony hybrid itching my ears, but as mentioned earlier in these threads there seems to be a slight deterioration in trebles..I felt that too..Understand that there's a suggestion to use the comply tips backwards, but guess won't work with the tips with waxguard.
> Hope there are other tips to try out.I would welcome other suggestions or recommendations...


 

 I have the Z5 too and yes the tips itch me too... but i discovered because they have a manufacturing defect that sony has not corrected for ages, the tips have a fine ridge at the base of the tip where it is attached to the nozzle and that causes itching


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> Mmm maybe if you seect a genre and then start with a song and go to settings > Playback settings and tick the shuffle playback checkbox ?




Nope. That will only allow you shuffle the album you are in, within that genre.


----------



## gerelmx1986

craftyclown said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Mmm maybe if you seect a genre and then start with a song and go to settings > Playback settings and tick the shuffle playback checkbox ?
> ...


 

 mmm if you select Genre > Genre X > ALL ? then shuffle


----------



## PCheung

craftyclown said:


> Nope. That will only allow you shuffle the album you are in, within that genre.


 



  
 Select GENRE from main screen, select the genre you would like to play, than select ALL and play any song will put all songs in that genre in one playlist
  
 than tick the shuffle in playback setting


----------



## CraftyClown

gerelmx1986 said:


> mmm if you select Genre > Genre X > ALL ? then shuffle


 
  
 Gerardo... You're a genius 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Thanks buddy, that did the trick.


----------



## CraftyClown

pcheung said:


> Select GENRE from main screen, select the genre you would like to play, than select ALL and play any song will put all songs in that genre in one playlist
> 
> than tick the shuffle in playback setting


 
  
 Thanks a lot


----------



## Jalo

mimouille said:


> I just wish we would come to a point were people would stop describing some minute refinement discovered between 499 and 500 hours.



What really baffles me is how people remember the sound difference between hour 500 to hour 100 to 200. That is 300 to 400 hundred hours ago. Even at ten hours a day that would be over a months ago and research has shown that our music memory is about 20 seconds. On top of that the reported changes are suppose to be minute and not like night and day.


----------



## CraftyClown

jalo said:


> What really baffles me is how people remember the sound difference between hour 500 to hour 100 to 200. That is 300 to 400 hundred hours ago. Even at ten hours a day that would be over a months ago and research has shown that our music memory is about 20 seconds. On top of that the reported changes are suppose to be minute and not like night and day.


 
  
 Shhhhhh! Don't spoil their fun 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 What entertains me more is the fact Sony themselves only mention the devices needing 200 hours for the components to settle in, but now we have dozens of people quoting this magical 500 hours.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@PCheung you have wired phones and the Bluetooth on? that doesn't affect battery life? i have my BT off to save some juice , even NFC i know that's a passive RFID Tag but of the case it emits some signal i also have it to off  and also the remote function to off


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> @PCheung you have wired phones and the Bluetooth on? that doesn't affect battery life? i have my BT off to save some juice , even NFC i know that's a passive RFID Tag but of the case it emits some signal i also have it to off


 

 I leave the Bluetooth on all the time (for the remote). I still get 3 days between charges, so the impact on the battery can't be that big. I never use NFC, so it is always off.


----------



## CraftyClown

tendertendon said:


> I leave the Bluetooth on all the time (for the remote). I still get 3 days between charges, so the impact on the battery can't be that big. I never use NFC, so it is always off.


 
  
 Yep, same here. Fantastic battery life even with bluetooth left on.
  
 The remote is a cracking little accessory.


----------



## TenderTendon

pete338 said:


> Been using xba z5 with 1A on balance ( sony kimber cable ). Change my tips for z5 to comply tx200, the ones with the waxguard cause the sony hybrid itching my ears, but as mentioned earlier in these threads there seems to be a slight deterioration in trebles..I felt that too..Understand that there's a suggestion to use the comply tips backwards, but guess won't work with the tips with waxguard.
> Hope there are other tips to try out.I would welcome other suggestions or recommendations...


 

 Why not just use the equalizer to restore any frequencies you feel are being attenuated? That's what it's there for...


----------



## blazinblazin

I believe memory can be trained if you do something oftenly, so why not music memory?

How does one tune a piano, a guitar just by ear?


----------



## gerelmx1986

jameskh said:


> And sometimes I wish arrogant people would also just disappear.


 

 ​To be honest i stopped hearing changes or refinements at 490h it is stable now... now if i get a job the first purchase i will do is the 4.4mm cable adapter and Buurrrnnn baby burrrrnnn again


----------



## Jalo

craftyclown said:


> Shhhhhh! Don't spoil their fun
> 
> What entertains me more is the fact Sony themselves only mention the devices needing 200 hours for the components to settle in, but now we have dozens of people quoting this magical 500 hours.




Shhhhhh, Ok we will just keep this as a secret between us then . 

To keep this discussion on topic, I was recently asked about my thought on the 1Z and the 380cu and as most of us have done this with our gears, I put my 1Z and my 380cu side by side, select a song that is an exact copy and put it on both players, and use the same iems/cable and SE out. I find myself had to do not just AB, but ABAB and sometimes even ABABAB on only a 30 seconds passage. My point is that to look that deeply into music and confirm changes are actually there even within a matter of a minute or two, I had to go back and forth to confirm if there is any difference between the two players two to three times within a minute or two let alone a month ago. And that is with two different players with different DAC and all other electronic components let alone discerning differences on the same player with exactly the same electronic components. I am not saying there is or there is not changes happening objectively but at that point I don't know if we could tell whether that is actual sound changes or sound perception changes.


----------



## zardos

Burn is easy, the real challenge is burn out


----------



## CraftyClown

blazinblazin said:


> I believe memory can be trained if you do something oftenly, so why not music memory?
> 
> How does one tune a piano, a guitar just by ear?


 
  
 Using training to increase your music memory from 20 seconds to 500 hours?
  
 Impressive.


----------



## gerelmx1986

one curious thing i have realized and bafles me a lot ...
  
 My previous walkmans  A818, E507, X1060 didn't note any burn in changes at all, they sounded the same, the iPod classic the same no changes the fiio x3 first gen also no burn in changes at all. I started hearing burn in changes with my first H-res capable walkman, the A17, then zx100 and now this WM1A
  
 why id din't hear changes from burn-in in the past before my A10 series?


----------



## TenderTendon

blazinblazin said:


> How does one tune a piano, a guitar just by ear?


 
 Actually, the old fashion way of tuning a piano or guitar by ear (currently, dedicated tuners and software are used) has nothing to do with memory. It is all based on comparison. On a guitar, tuning is done by comparing fretted notes with open strings. On a piano, tuning is done by comparing 2 struck notes and counting beats. This is all a moot point though, as today's modern tuners and software are much more accurate and have made tuning by ear inferior. BTW, the reason that tuning references (tuning forks, pitch pipes, etc.) were created is because people cannot accurately remember the pitch of a note for very long. I can remember the pitch of a note for several minutes, as long as nothing distracting pops in my head.


----------



## Jalo

[/quote]





blazinblazin said:


> I believe memory can be trained if you do something oftenly, so why not music memory?
> 
> How does one tune a piano, a guitar just by ear?




Using a tuning fork for piano and for guitar using a tuning fork or a note on a piano to set one of the string and then use that string to tune the other five strings. Better yet play a harmonic note on two strings and while the sound echo at the same time one can compare both string in vivo. Either way the tuning of piano and guitar do not rely on memory. Have both instruments all my life play them both and tune the guitar thousand of times but still have to rely on simultaneous comparison and not from memory.


----------



## warrior1975

Jalo couldn't agree more bro. I have no idea what my 1z sounded like 100 hours ago. None. Zero. I have no idea if there is a difference. I guess there is, everyone says so.


----------



## Smousesme

@nanaholic

Thanks for letting me know. Some of this wm1a me thinks


----------



## TenderTendon

warrior1975 said:


> @Jalo couldn't agree more bro. I have no idea what my 1z sounded like 100 hours ago. None. Zero. I have no idea if there is a difference. I guess there is, everyone says so.


 

 I cannot remember what mine sounded like yesterday. What I do remember though is that I was thoroughly enjoying the music that was being played, and that I wasted none of that time thinking about how it sounded the day before....


----------



## CraftyClown

tendertendon said:


> I cannot remember what mine sounded like yesterday. What I do remember though is that I was thoroughly enjoying the music that was being played, and that I wasted none of that time thinking about how it sounded the day before....


 
  
 Well you sir fail at being an audiophile!
  
 The gear is ALWAYS more important than the music.
  
 I just listen to pink noise and sine sweeps


----------



## Jalo

warrior1975 said:


> Jalo couldn't agree more bro. I have no idea what my 1z sounded like 100 hours ago. None. Zero. I have no idea if there is a difference. I guess there is, everyone says so.



Hehe, I have hard enough time to remember what my wife asks me to do 20 minutes ago let alone something that happens 100 hours ago that is how I get into trouble most of the time


----------



## 13candles

craftyclown said:


> Well you sir fail at being an audiophile!
> 
> The gear is ALWAYS more important than the music.
> 
> I just listen to pink noise and sine sweeps


 
  
 It's funny that you would state that the gear is ALWAYS more important.
  
 I wish i wouldn't agree with you but seeing how i have some OCD with my gadgets i must be inclined to do so. Especially with my 1Z which i baby too much to the point that i do not use it whilst on the go for fear that it might drop or bump into something or whatever. And the irony is that i am using the stock case which leaves the sides unprotected all because i wanna appreciate the 1Z for its aesthetics.
  
 Also, and i might add that i have those wm-port covers but i dont use them as i fear that plugging that cap in and out might cause wear and tear to the contacts within... I know ... Silly me yeah..... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 As of now, im fussing over if the panel that covers the micro-sd slot is perfectly flushed ..... 
  
 So here's me wondering if anyone of you is as tragic/silly as i am.
  
 Cheers


----------



## TenderTendon

pcheung said:


>


 
 Is this a screenshot? If yes, what button combination did you use? The last time I connected mine to a computer, I noticed a couple of screenshots on the player that I apparently took without knowing. I know it is possible, just don't know how...


----------



## gerelmx1986

tendertendon said:


> pcheung said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


 
 i want to know that too i have tried but the godd damn popup of turn-off always appears


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sony mexico started pre-orders of WM1A lol


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sony mexico started pre-orders of WM1A lol


 
 Haha... Just in time. The US is still "Available soon". US distributors lost a lot of sales.


----------



## PCheung

gerelmx1986 said:


> @PCheung
> you have wired phones and the Bluetooth on? that doesn't affect battery life? i have my BT off to save some juice , even NFC i know that's a passive RFID Tag but of the case it emits some signal i also have it to off  and also the remote function to off




Hi there, I'm using the remote and Z1R in balance at the same time, don't pay much attention to the battery life but I guess it least around 15 hours.



tendertendon said:


> Is this a screenshot? If yes, what button combination did you use? The last time I connected mine to a computer, I noticed a couple of screenshots on the player that I apparently took without knowing. I know it is possible, just don't know how...



Press "+" , than "-", than hold "POWER" for a few second until the popup appear 

But sometime I got some useless screenshot with the popup, 
than I first turn the screen off, repeat the above steps, hold the power button until the screen turn on should do the trick.


----------



## proedros

does wm1a sound 'better' than *idsd* *micro (Black Label)* ?


----------



## edhuen

Hi all,
  
 I just got my WM1A last week and Moon star silver dragon headphone cable with 4.4 connector this week. I sold my AK240 and get to WM1A with my T5p G2. Now I ran 100hrs on WM1A and expecting the dramatic change in sound after 200hrs burn in.


----------



## DeeTeeSe7en

Just got my Brise UPG001 today. Was told I'd receive mid march. Quite a stuff cable, apparently the cable is "shape memory", I'm able to bend the cable anywhere I want and it just stays there. On the side note, 4.4mm balanced it magical!


----------



## gerelmx1986

PCheung said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gifPress "+" , than "-", than hold "POWER" for a few second until the popup appear
> 
> But sometime I got some useless screenshot with the popup,
> than I first turn the screen off, repeat the above steps, hold the power button until the screen turn on should do the trick.


 
  
 I did the same trick you told ut my screen does not turn on, a few seconds and then reléase? or the screen shall turn on
 automatic?
  
 I did left the screen off and pressed the Power for 3s to 4s and after I released the button the screen turned ON, then decided to leave it pressed but screen never came on and the device rebooted LOL i guess i pressed for 8s


----------



## PCheung

gerelmx1986 said:


> I did the same trick you told ut my screen does not turn on, a few seconds and then reléase? or the screen shall turn on
> automatic?
> 
> I did left the screen off and pressed the Power for 3s to 4s and after I released the button the screen turned ON, then decided to leave it pressed but screen never came on and the device rebooted LOL i guess i pressed for 8s


 
  
 I keep holding the power button for a few second and the screen will back on again


----------



## TenderTendon

I still can't get screenshots to works. I tried the combination posted with several timings and nothing...


----------



## PCheung

tendertendon said:


> I still can't get screenshots to works. I tried the combination posted with several timings and nothing...




Tap + then - , then hold power button for a few second 

Don't hold the + , - , power button at the same time


----------



## pete338

tendertendon said:


> Why not just use the equalizer to restore any frequencies you feel are being attenuated? That's what it's there for...


 

 Thanks, guess I could do that too..


----------



## pete338

craftyclown said:


> Shhhhhh! Don't spoil their fun
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Well, I'll stick to the 200 hours as recommended..


----------



## TenderTendon

pcheung said:


> Tap + then - , then hold power button for a few second
> 
> Do hold the + , - , power button at the same time


 

 Ok, I got it to work, but something still isn't right. Every screenshot has the shutdown popup in it. The screenshots that I managed to take before, by accident didn't have this. Still experimenting...


----------



## PCheung

tendertendon said:


> Ok, I got it to work, but something still isn't right. Every screenshot has the shutdown popup in it. The screenshots that I managed to take before, by accident didn't have this. Still experimenting...




I first turn the screen off, then repeat the step. It works for me.


----------



## TenderTendon

pcheung said:


> I first turn the screen off, then repeat the step. It works for me.


 

 Ahhh, that works. Thank you. This is very strange though, taking a screenshot with the screen off. I bet that Sony doesn't even know that this works... or why. Good to know though. Might come in handy someday.


----------



## AxelCloris

I've had to clean house as this thread has gone very far off topic. Let's keep the discussion on course, please.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tendertendon said:


> I still can't get screenshots to works. I tried the combination posted with several timings and nothing...


 

 your screen turns on? mine doesn't i have to actually stop pressing to it turn on


----------



## gerelmx1986

pricing for NW-WM1A in mexico $20,000 mexican pesos about 1000 USD


----------



## jamato8

gerelmx1986 said:


> pricing for NW-WM1A in mexico $20,000 mexican pesos about 1000 USD


 

 A good price


----------



## gerelmx1986

jamato8 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > pricing for NW-WM1A in mexico $20,000 mexican pesos about 1000 USD
> ...


 

 ​I paid $24,600 mexican pesos dang!, but anyways a good dap that for 4600 more  I really like it


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> your screen turns on? mine doesn't i have to actually stop pressing to it turn on


 

 Try it this way. With the screen off: Press and release vol+ button, press and release vol- button, press and hold power button until screen comes on (approximately 3 seconds). Try to do all 3 steps very quickly.


----------



## zardos

I'm on balanced now with 1z and hd800s. Can't believe what I hear after < 50 hours play time. Very unlikely it could become any better with burn in. This player is a master piece. Thank you Sony.


----------



## jamato8

Has anyone read when the Dignis cases might show up on Amazon in the US? $30 for shipping from Korea is a bit excessive for a flyweight parcel.


----------



## gearofwar

jamato8 said:


> Has anyone read when the Dignis cases might show up on Amazon in the US? $30 for shipping from Korea is a bit excessive for a flyweight parcel.


 
 It won't. It seems their products have become exclusive. I got mine today, the packaging is a big step up, they include few clear stickers to cover the rings and sd slot, not include a screen protector as before.


----------



## tangents

pcheung said:


> Tap + then - , then hold power button for a few second
> 
> Don't hold the + , - , power button at the same time


 
  
 It worked!


----------



## jamato8

gearofwar said:


> It won't. It seems their products have become exclusive. I got mine today, the packaging is a big step up, they include few clear stickers to cover the rings and sd slot, not include a screen protector as before.


 

 The packaging for the case is a step up, the stuff you throw away? $30 shipping from Korea to the US is nuts.


----------



## TenderTendon

zardos said:


> I'm on balanced now with 1z and hd800s. Can't believe what I hear after < 50 hours play time. Very unlikely it could become any better with burn in. This player is a master piece. Thank you Sony.


 

 Good to hear. I have been dying to hear my 800's through this player. Cables should be here this week.


----------



## gearofwar

jamato8 said:


> The packaging for the case is a step up, the stuff you throw away? $30 shipping from Korea to the US is nuts.


 
 I did email them about the strict EMS shipping, actually, due to many lost packages in the past with regular method, that's why for pricey shipping fee.
 Well they also include a note with detailed policy on warranty, repair, the purchase date. I don't think I would throw it away if I want to repair it in the future.
 The overall experience is a complete high-quality product in every way.


----------



## kubig123

Did anybody received cables from PlusSound and/or Whiplash with the 4.4mm plug?


----------



## ledzep

kubig123 said:


> Did anybody received cables from PlusSound and/or Whiplash with the 4.4mm plug?



Yep why ?


----------



## kubig123

ledzep said:


> Yep why ?




I'm still waiting for mine


----------



## ledzep

kubig123 said:


> I'm still waiting for mine



Email them Christian is pretty fast on answering emails


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> kubig123 said:
> 
> 
> > Did anybody received cables from PlusSound and/or Whiplash with the 4.4mm plug?
> ...


 
 how much is the AVG wait time?


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> how much is the AVG wait time?


 
  
  
 at least 8 weeks for Plussound


----------



## doofalb

There's a few on fleabay with free shipping... and for only $168


----------



## ledzep

Plugs arrived today from HK really surprised on the quality for the price, will.see what the final verdict is tomorrow after a bit of diy. 





Also the carbon fibre rhodium plated cross head mmcx are a good buy as well fit the Z5 very snug no spin, a lot better than that rubbish they put on the 4.4mm kimber !


----------



## klove4252

jamato8 said:


> Has anyone read when the Dignis cases might show up on Amazon in the US? $30 for shipping from Korea is a bit excessive for a flyweight parcel.


 
  
  


gearofwar said:


> It won't. It seems their products have become exclusive. I got mine today, the packaging is a big step up, they include few clear stickers to cover the rings and sd slot, not include a screen protector as before.


 

 Mine came yesterday as well. I don't mind paying for the shipping because it is incredibly fast. I swear it is 10 times faster than when items are shipped to me from two states away. The packaging is top notch and the quality is of course amazing.


----------



## jamato8

klove4252 said:


> Mine came yesterday as well. I don't mind paying for the shipping because it is incredibly fast. I swear it is 10 times faster than when items are shipped to me from two states away. The packaging is top notch and the quality is of course amazing.


 

 What color did you get?


----------



## blazinblazin

Those looks similar to what Effect Audio is selling.


----------



## gerelmx1986

for me it works with screen ON but i must count to three and inmediately reléase (before popup)
  
 BTW the song is the english versión of Spem in Alium


----------



## canali

zardos said:


> I'm on balanced now with 1z and hd800s. Can't believe what I hear after < 50 hours play time. Very unlikely it could become any better with burn in. This player is a master piece. Thank you Sony.




Will be interesting to see how this new Sony DAP compares to AK's 380 or such (hope it gives many AK models a run for the money...And if so finds new converts)... hats off to Sony for really upping their game.


----------



## echineko

canali said:


> Will be interesting to see how this new Sony DAP compares to AK's 380 or such (hope it gives many AK models a run for the money...And if so finds new converts)... hats off to Sony for really upping their game.


 
 Different people have different opinions, personally I think it takes the cake over the 380+amp, both in terms of SQ and also in terms of price. Best way to know where you stand is to hear them side by side, as I did. The 1Z just has a fuller presentation that I enjoy, without sacrificing detail, and with a great sound stage to boot.
  
 But that's me, I made my choice after hearing them both and comparing.


----------



## hung031086

Does in here have the katana or encore? Will them pair well with 1A/Z ? Im about to get one but i don't know it's worth to upgrade from vega or not.


----------



## klove4252

jamato8 said:


> What color did you get?


 
 I actually have two colors. I bought a Vivid Red when Dignis first came out with them, but then also wanted to pick up the Special Edition Dolis Skyblue. They are honestly a work of art.


----------



## klove4252

hung031086 said:


> Does in here have the katana or encore? Will them pair well with 1A/Z ? Im about to get one but i don't know it's worth to upgrade from vega or not.


 
 I'm listening to the encore with the 1Z now unbalanced right now actually. I love the pairing. I have the Katana with a 2.5mm balanced cable and 4.4 adapter as well. Personally, I prefer the Encore with the 1Z even when it is not balanced output. The Katana also pairs well, but the Encore just sings with the 1Z. Overall, I probably prefer the Katana over the Encore though but that is more related to my personal listening preferences.


----------



## hung031086

klove4252 said:


> I'm listening to the encore with the 1Z now unbalanced right now actually. I love the pairing. I have the Katana with a 2.5mm balanced cable and 4.4 adapter as well. Personally, I prefer the Encore with the 1Z even when it is not balanced output. The Katana also pairs well, but the Encore just sings with the 1Z. Overall, I probably prefer the Katana over the Encore though but that is more related to my personal listening preferences.



Just wonder that which one has smoother treble and more bass ?


----------



## bvng3540

hung031086 said:


> Just wonder that which one has smoother treble and more bass ?




Treble go to katana Bass go to encore


----------



## jamato8

I have finally started using the internal memory on the 1Z but for some reason artwork does not show up. The same artwork on the SD shows up but not when transferred to the internal memory. Any ideas? thanks


----------



## Down4wotever

For anyone who doubted the real effect of Brexit on UK goods pricing.....https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1z/buy
 Sony's upped the IZ price by a cool £500 and we haven't even left Europe yet!


----------



## nc8000

down4wotever said:


> For anyone who doubted the real effect of Brexit on UK goods pricing.....https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1z/buy
> Sony's upped the IZ price by a cool £500 and we haven't even left Europe yet!




The pound lost about 12% in value so Sony ups the price by 20%. 

My ZX2 is looking better by the minute


----------



## musicday

down4wotever said:


> For anyone who doubted the real effect of Brexit on UK goods pricing.....https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1z/buy
> Sony's upped the IZ price by a cool £500 and we haven't even left Europe yet!



Definitely no one will buy it now.


----------



## djhitman

Wonder when the Wm1a will be officially for sale in the U.S.


----------



## buzzlulu

Still trying to find out if there are some comparisons between a WM1Z (or A) vs. an iPhone feeding a Chord Hugo


----------



## gerelmx1986

djhitman said:


> Wonder when the Wm1a will be officially for sale in the U.S.


 

 ​Maybe soon? sony mexico has announced it for march 6th release


----------



## ledzep

ledzep said:


> Plugs arrived today from HK really surprised on the quality for the price, will.see what the final verdict is tomorrow after a bit of diy.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Nice and easy to solder etc


----------



## TenderTendon

Happy New Cable Day! Very impressed with the Onso cables. Quality is top notch. Extremely light and flexible. Plugs fit into the 846's sockets nice and tight. The Sony Kimber Kable is getting re-terminated for the HD800S's.


----------



## zardos

canali said:


> Will be interesting to see how this new Sony DAP compares to AK's 380 or such (hope it gives many AK models a run for the money...And if so finds new converts)... hats off to Sony for really upping their game.




Can't help myself to my ears the 1Z is on par with my Accuphase + Kimber Select setup which is about 50k !?? AK (iRiver) was never an option for me, neither liked their gear nor their marketing. Also their 2.5mm balanced port is imo a bad joke.


----------



## kms108

tendertendon said:


> Happy New Cable Day! Very impressed with the Onso cables. Quality is top notch. Extremely light and flexible. Plugs fit into the 846's sockets nice and tight. The Sony Kimber Kable is getting re-terminated for the HD800S's.


 
 Hi
  
 Can you measure the diameter of the MMCX cover (black part)on your new cable.  Thanks


----------



## bvng3540

djhitman said:


> Wonder when the Wm1a will be officially for sale in the U.S.




Both 1a/z sold on us Amazon since January


----------



## mscott58

bvng3540 said:


> Both 1a/z sold on us Amazon since January




True, but the 1A is not offered by authorized US retailers. Cheers


----------



## bvng3540

mscott58 said:


> True, but the 1A is not offered by authorized US retailers. Cheers




LOL does it matter, Amazon is cheaper than stores, also Amazon seller is authorized US seller


----------



## gerelmx1986

50 shades of grey anyone?


----------



## Sarnia

down4wotever said:


> For anyone who doubted the real effect of Brexit on UK goods pricing.....https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1z/buy
> Sony's upped the IZ price by a cool £500 and we haven't even left Europe yet!


 
 Ouch. Maybe I should have bought it for £1,630 when it dropped big time on Amazon. Still think I'd have found it too heavy to cart around compared to the 1A though.
  
 The MDR-Z1Rs have also gone up by £300.


----------



## Sarnia

tendertendon said:


> Happy New Cable Day! Very impressed with the Onso cables. Quality is top notch. Extremely light and flexible. Plugs fit into the 846's sockets nice and tight. The Sony Kimber Kable is getting re-terminated for the HD800S's.


 
 Where did you order them from? I've followed nanaholic's link to their website but can't see a link to buy.


----------



## TenderTendon

kms108 said:


> Hi
> 
> Can you measure the diameter of the MMCX cover (black part)on your new cable.  Thanks


 
 .232" (5.9mm)


----------



## mscott58

bvng3540 said:


> LOL does it matter, Amazon is cheaper than stores, also Amazon seller is authorized US seller




Amazon is an AD, but the company that was using Amazon for fulfillment of the 1A previously was not. Looking at Amazon now, that other seller isn't around and Amazon looks to be offering the 1A directly, but they're temporarily out of stock! I talked to a non-Amazon AD in the US recently and they shared that they've had the 1A in stock for months but that Sony hasn't given them the clearance to start selling them yet. They're not happy about the delay. Cheers


----------



## TenderTendon

sarnia said:


> Where did you order them from? I've followed nanaholic's link to their website but can't see a link to buy.


 
http://www.ikebe-gakki.com/ec/pro/disp/1/501242
  
 On the right side of the page is an English language product inquiry. Fill it out and they will get back to you very fast. They sent me a PayPal invoice within 24 hours. My invoice for (2) cables was $194 USD. This included EMS shipping, which arrived in 3 days.


----------



## kms108

tendertendon said:


> sarnia said:
> 
> 
> > Where did you order them from? I've followed nanaholic's link to their website but can't see a link to buy.
> ...


 

 That is rather expensive, you paid doubled the price, using a buying agent with all handling few will cost less.


----------



## TenderTendon

kms108 said:


> That is rather expensive, you paid doubled the price, using a buying agent with all handling few will cost less.


 

 I thought that $85 each was rather cheap.


----------



## kms108

tendertendon said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > That is rather expensive, you paid doubled the price, using a buying agent with all handling few will cost less.
> ...


 

 oop's sorry, I though it was one cable, for two this is different.


----------



## Stealer

tendertendon said:


> Happy New Cable Day! Very impressed with the Onso cables. Quality is top notch. Extremely light and flexible. Plugs fit into the 846's sockets nice and tight. The Sony Kimber Kable is getting re-terminated for the HD800S's.




What type of cable is this?
SPC or pure cu?


----------



## TenderTendon

stealer said:


> What type of cable is this?
> SPC or pure cu?


 

 Pure copper.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Listening to Tomaso Albinoni Concertos Op. 7 (CD remaster of the 1960s - 70s Phlips recordings) Hearing details i never Heard before is Just mindblowing WOW this is SE
  
 I will get a job soon, my first thing to order would be my cables from plusSound


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> Listening to Tomaso Albinoni Concertos Op. 7 (CD remaster of the 1960s - 70s Phlips recordings) Hearing details i never Heard before is Just mindblowing WOW this is SE
> 
> I will get a job soon, my first thing to order would be my cables from plusSound




Lol. You got your priorities right


----------



## gerelmx1986

hamhamhamsta said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Listening to Tomaso Albinoni Concertos Op. 7 (CD remaster of the 1960s - 70s Phlips recordings) Hearing details i never Heard before is Just mindblowing WOW this is SE
> ...


 

 ​hahaha once ypou see SE is damn good and start wondering on BAL lol


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

I wanna ask you guys something.
  
 If I get a 4.4mm balanced adapter and use it with an unbalanced cable, still can I expect an improvement? With Native DSD output and all?


----------



## proedros

ledzep said:


> Plugs arrived today from HK really surprised on the quality for the price, will.see what the final verdict is tomorrow after a bit of diy.


 
  
 excuse my ignorance , but these plugs let you use your 2.5 SE/balanced cables with 4.4 balanced effect?

 or am i getting this wrong , do i still need to buy a 4.4 balanced cable for 1A ?


----------



## nc8000

virtu fortuna said:


> I wanna ask you guys something.
> 
> If I get a 4.4mm balanced adapter and use it with an unbalanced cable, still can I expect an improvement? With Native DSD output and all?




No you can never connect a single ended cable to a balanced output


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> excuse my ignorance , but these plugs let you use your 2.5 SE/balanced cables with 4.4 balanced effect?
> 
> 
> or am i getting this wrong , do i still need to buy a 4.4 balanced cable for 1A ?




Well they are just plugs so you need a 2.5 female trrs and a bit of wire to make an adapter and you need your phones to already be balanced, can't connect a single ended phone


----------



## erictioh

nc8000 said:


> Well they are jus plugs so you need a 2.5 female trrs and a bit of wire to make an adapter and you need your phones to already be balanced, can't connect a single ended phone


i tried, it sounded even worse than single ended


----------



## nc8000

erictioh said:


> i tried, it sounded even worse than single ended




You mean that the new player sounds bad single ended and worse balanced ?


----------



## blazinblazin

Adapters do affect the sound quality. That's why direct 4.4mm terminated is still the best.
  
 If you use 2.5mm trrs with adapter the contact area is not as wide as using 4.4mm plug direct.


----------



## erictioh

nc8000 said:


> You mean that the new player sounds bad single ended and worse balanced ?


 
 My understanding his question is having 4.4 balanced to 3.5mm adaptor single ended, and then use a singled ended earphone right ? If you do that, it will sound worse than directly plug into 3.5mm single ended. wm1a 3.5mm single ended port is awesome, 4.4 balance port alone is really really awesome, but 4.4 convert down into single ended is worse. I don't know why, maybe it short circuit hehe.


----------



## musicday

Anybody has an idea of the leather on the back of the Walkman is hard to remove? By doing that anyone can have installed custom any colour leather of a much better quality. Or in case it gets damaged,can it be replaced.


----------



## Mimouille

musicday said:


> Anybody has an idea of the leather on the back of the Walkman is hard to remove? By doing that anyone can have installed custom any colour leather of a much better quality. Or in case it gets damaged,can it be replaced.


 
 Do you own one of these walkmen?


----------



## musicday

mimouille said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Anybody has an idea of the leather on the back of the Walkman is hard to remove? By doing that anyone can have installed custom any colour leather of a much better quality. Or in case it gets damaged,can it be replaced.
> ...



No,i don't for now, but i own a Tera Player
P.S. is not nice when a question is asked to ask another question.


----------



## Mimouille

musicday said:


> No,i don't for now, but i own a Tera Player
> P.S. is not nice when a question is asked to ask another question.


I am just wondering why, as you don't own one yet, you are already concerned with removing the back panel

It seems not easy to remove with scratching the case.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> erictioh said:
> 
> 
> > i tried, it sounded even worse than single ended
> ...


 

 I think he said the adapter sounded worse


----------



## LetsEvolve

Hi guys,
  
 Does anybody know if there is a mobile App, or Windows desktop application to control playback on WM1A (like volume, next track navigation) ?
  
 Thank you.


----------



## nc8000

letsevolve said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> Does anybody know if there is a mobile App, or Windows desktop application to control playback on WM1A (like volume, next track navigation) ?
> 
> Thank you.




There is not


----------



## Mmet

letsevolve said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> Does anybody know if there is a mobile App, or Windows desktop application to control playback on WM1A (like volume, next track navigation) ?
> 
> Thank you.



i think if the walkman has bluetooth .. and laptop too .. may be there is something can be found .. like a program acts as remote control or so via Bluetooth?


----------



## blazinblazin

letsevolve said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> Does anybody know if there is a mobile App, or Windows desktop application to control playback on WM1A (like volume, next track navigation) ?
> 
> Thank you.




Nope but Sony did have a Bluetooth remote.


----------



## goyete

A question about the embedded album cover on files. In some files, it takes a bit to read the cover when I select album view for example. I have tried several options like limit resolution of the jpg to 500x500 or size to 50 kb but that's not the problem. I also have checked that Media Go updates the cover to 640x640 px when the embedded pic is bigger. There is no option to disable this thing. Any idea??


----------



## gerelmx1986

goyete said:


> A question about the embedded album cover on files. In some files, it takes a bit to read the cover when I select album view for example. I have tried several options like limit resolution of the jpg to 500x500 or size to 50 kb but that's not the problem. I also have checked that Media Go updates the cover to 640x640 px when the embedded pic is bigger. There is no option to disable this thing. Any idea??




I do go to tools > preferences > Network > untick the use grace note to update missing album info checkbox 

Other thing you can do is set all your music files as read-only, in Windows click with right mouse button in the folder of all your music files, click properties > click read-only checkbox and ok


----------



## Lavakugel

I can't find any reviews of the WM1A. Are there any out there? 
  
 Would be nice if one could compare to dx200 or ak300. These are about the same price range.


----------



## goyete

gerelmx1986 said:


> I do go to tools > preferences > Network > untick the use grace note to update missing album info checkbox
> 
> Other thing you can do is set all your music files as read-only, in Windows click with right mouse button in the folder of all your music files, click properties > click read-only checkbox and ok




I try to disable the gracenote a few days ago but the Media Go updates the pics again.

I also try the other option and it's an option.

It's incredible that the Media Go updates the embedded pic without authorisation.

Thanks!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quote: 





goyete said:


> I try to disable the gracenote a few days ago but the Media Go updates the pics again.
> 
> I also try the other option and it's an option.
> 
> ...


 
 Windows media player used to do the same thing. I also tried the donot update musci info from internet and it did, That's why i recently tought mmm, whata about that read-only checkbox?
  
 it has three states 1) Unchecked : all files can be modified, 2) Checked: all files protected and 3) Filled Square: Certain files or folders are not set as read-only


----------



## TenderTendon

Finally got the Sony Kimber Kable terminated for the Sennheisers. The good news is the sound is fantastic, as expected. The bad news is that the WM1A/Z does not have the voltage needed to drive these phones optimally. I spent just about all of my evaluation at 120 w/high gain and found myself wanting more quite often.


----------



## zardos

Not loud enough?? I'm at volume 55 with HD800S at the moment. ^^

Btw. Just tried a first gen JH-13Pro from 2009 that I hadn't heard for 3+ years, because it has a loose contact on the right side. Wow, thats a very special sound with 1Z. Dark, smooth, husky female voices, magically. Will let the loose contact get repaired.


----------



## TenderTendon

zardos said:


> Not loud enough?? I'm at volume 55 with HD800S at the moment.


 

 I don't see how you do it. For example, playing "New Kid in Town" by The Eagles at volume 55 is barely audible to me and averages 61dB. There is certainly nothing exciting going on at this level. The same song cranked at 120 is almost loud enough for me, with an average of 93dB. This is measured 1" from the driver with a Simpson 866 SPL meter. 3dB was added for the other driver. I prefer to listen to music in the 95-100dB range, unless I am going to sleep. Then I will listen in the 70's. If you can enjoy music at 60dB, your hearing is MUCH more sensitive then mine.


----------



## Cagin

Man I just love that 1.1 FW update, what a crazy UI performance speed boost! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 GJ Sony! 
 I even noticed it will show up the list while fast scrolling if you want 1.5s-2s while still holding the finger on the side, which it didn't do in the previous versions at all (you had to release the hold to see where you ended up in your folder list).
  
 I'll try to give a number update on how much faster it is compared to my old post where I listed the times it took for various actions.
  
 And I'm finally seeing the shipping tracking of my reterminated Norne Therium cable leaving the US for its voyage across the pond back to me. 3 months of waiting to experience the balanced side of the WM1A


----------



## purk

tendertendon said:


> Finally got the Sony Kimber Kable terminated for the Sennheisers. The good news is the sound is fantastic, as expected. The bad news is that the WM1A/Z does not have the voltage needed to drive these phones optimally. I spent just about all of my evaluation at 120 w/high gain and found myself wanting more quite often.



 


It does get loud enough for me but it hardly optimum compared to my other desktop amplifiers. I'm at or around 95-100 w/ high gain on mine and I am a loud listener.


----------



## TenderTendon

purk said:


> It does get loud enough for me but it hardly optimum compared to my other desktop amplifiers. I'm at or around 95-100 w/ high gain on mine and I am a loud listener.


 

 I'm a loud listener also. On some material, it is more than enough. For example, Metallica's "Enter Sandman" is very compressed and mastered very hot. A volume of 100-105 is more than enough for that. For conservative, dynamic recordings with soft passages, 120 just isn't enough for me. For comparison, I could only get mid 90dB output playing that Eagles song into the 800's. I got over 105dB out of the MDR-Z7.


----------



## gerelmx1986

with my Z7 i am Normal gain vol. 70


----------



## nc8000

zardos said:


> Not loud enough?? I'm at volume 55 with HD800S at the moment. ^^
> 
> Btw. Just tried a first gen JH-13Pro from 2009 that I hadn't heard for 3+ years, because it has a loose contact on the right side. Wow, thats a very special sound with 1Z. Dark, smooth, husky female voices, magically. Will let the loose contact get repaired.




You're killing me. My main iem is an original JH13 that I've had since early 2010 and am currently using with ZX2. Must resist buying 1Z, I can't really afford or justify buying it, not even to myself much less to the wife


----------



## zardos

cagin said:


> Man I just love that 1.1 FW update, what a crazy UI performance speed boost!   GJ Sony!




Absolutely. Feels like 10-20x more processing power as before... Crazy to the point I asked myself whether it could be possible that this fw update could have a negative impact on sound quality because the UI gets too much processing power... Fortunately there is none.

I noticed one glitch with rendering or caching of list entries while browsing through the music database though. When I navigate back to a list of entries that I already had visited, then sometimes I see missing entries in that list, so I have to revisit the list from parent view for refreshing. That's minor issue because it doesn't happen often but nonetheless should be fixed. The other issue for me is the lack of a global search function. Apart from that the UI is first class.


----------



## zardos

tendertendon said:


> I don't see how you do it. For example, playing "New Kid in Town" by The Eagles at volume 55 is barely audible to me and averages 61dB. There is certainly nothing exciting going on at this level. The same song cranked at 120 is almost loud enough for me, with an average of 93dB. This is measured 1" from the driver with a Simpson 866 SPL meter. 3dB was added for the other driver. I prefer to listen to music in the 95-100dB range, unless I am going to sleep. Then I will listen in the 70's. If you can enjoy music at 60dB, your hearing is MUCH more sensitive then mine.




Didn't measure something, but yes, in general I prefer rather moderate volume levels. Volume 80 is about the max for me with HD800S for longer listening sessions. High gain of course and direct mode.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> You're killing me. My main iem is an original JH13 that I've had since early 2010 and am currently using with ZX2. Must resist buying 1Z, I can't really afford or justify buying it, not even to myself much less to the wife


 
 Why not try a WM1A? just as good as IZ according to reputable users like Mimoullie and Gibraltar, Tenedosian, adn yet WM1A is same pricing as a zx2


----------



## Lavakugel

I have to decide between ak300 and wm1a....please help me!


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> I have to decide between ak300 and wm1a....please help me!


 

 WM1A has a Balanced output, true balanced and also has a TRRs integrated in the 3.5mm socket.
 2) WM1A has twice the memory of AK300, 128GB in WM1A vs 64GB in AK300
 3)I think WM1A battery would last longer tan AK300 battery
  
 i cannot comment in SQ as i don't own an AK


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> Why not try a WM1A? just as good as IZ according to reputable users like Mimoullie and Gibraltar, Tenedosian, adn yet WM1A is same pricing as a zx2


?????? Where did you read Mimoullie saying that the 1A is has good has the 1z?


----------



## denis1976

No my friend the 1Z is much better than the 1A ,but you don't have to worry you paid less for the 1A,the diferences are noticed ,not day and night not water or wine but that diferences FOR ME makes all the sense


----------



## proedros

cagin said:


> Man I just love that 1.1 FW update, what a crazy UI performance speed boost!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 is wm1a worth getting as a zx2 upgrade ?

 had idsd micro BL and i loved it , definitely better than the zx2
  
 choices.....


----------



## gerelmx1986

denis1976 said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif?????? Where did you read Mimoullie saying that the 1A is has good has the 1z?


 
 Mimo says both DAPs are good performers and diffs are not as night & Day as others claim if you read his review on headpie


----------



## jamato8

denis1976 said:


> No my friend the 1Z is much better than the 1A ,but you don't have to worry you paid less for the 1A,the diferences are noticed ,not day and night not water or wine but that diferences FOR ME makes all the sense


 

 There seems to be variables on this opinion and I am not sure why to such a degree. I would agree, that to me, the 1Z is a different machine. Maybe variables with the 1A, I don't know. But I sold my 1A and much prefer the 1Z.


----------



## Rei87

gerelmx1986 said:


> Mimo says both DAPs are good performers and diffs are not as night & Day as others claim if you read his review on headpie


 


 But, the consensus seems to be of the mind that the differences are more apparent than not. That said, most people who have noticed differences are on recent iems like the vega, zeus, katana (to name a few) and so on. 
  
 Then again, not hearing a difference is also a thing to be rejoice as well, since one doesnt have to spend that extra cash for an improvement one can't perceive heh


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> Mimo says both DAPs are good performers and diffs are not as night & Day as others claim if you read his review on headpie


yes on headpie he talks about the SEPARATION AND LAYERING on the 1Z is much better THATS what for me is awsone simply awsome in the 1Z ...the 1A has a defined sound but can't reach that, 1a is what you get for the price and is very good but people have to stop saying things that are not real


----------



## denis1976

But thats not all the 1Z besides the separation and layering has a wider stage and a stronger and profund bass and when you past the 250 hours the "air" comes along....this is a masterpiece congrats to Sony


----------



## kms108

The thing is, no one is right or wrong here, different people listen to them differently, with different IEM, headphones, cables and tips, and then different type of music and at different sound settings.


----------



## Rei87

kms108 said:


> The thing is, no one is right or wrong here, different people listen to them differently, with different IEM, headphones, cables and tips, and then different type of music and at different sound settings.


 


 Agreed. Using the a different IEM set up, cables and so on will yield vastly different results, and may lead you to very different results and observations from another. I'm sure that if i was using my monks or ipod earphones to test the 1Z and 1A, I would also probably end up saying that they have very little difference between the pair due to how unresolving and coloured those earphones are.....


----------



## kms108

rei87 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > The thing is, no one is right or wrong here, different people listen to them differently, with different IEM, headphones, cables and tips, and then different type of music and at different sound settings.
> ...


 

 Try using a ipod earphones on the 1Z, and a good quality IEM on the 1A, you probably want to throw the 1Z in the bin.


----------



## soundkist

Hello!  First time posting, but have spent countless hours over the years perusing threads on this wonderful site.  A heartfelt thank you to all of the people who take the time to contribute here, as the information and knowledge I have reaped from here has had nothing short of a significant and positive impact on my journey with audio.
  
 That being said, I have read this entire thread, and with TenderTendon bringing up the volume subject recently, that’s exactly what I wanted to touch on as well, so now seems like a good time to jump in with you fine folks!
  
 I’ve had my 1A for a few weeks now, and I absolutely love it; I’m in the US, and got mine from Amazon, so I assume I have the “tourist” version, as there was no volume cap, and high gain was an option.  My only real concern with it is the volume levels it is capable of, as I use it with the CA Andromeda, and consistently have NO trouble pushing the volume level up into the 70’s, 80’s, or even 90’s…
  
 No reason or indication to believe my hearing is anything but fine, and while I don’t necessarily _want_ to be a loud listener, I think that I tend to be, lol.  Of course, it depends on the source material; a lot of crappy mp3’s that consistently push towards 0db, it might be painfully loud on normal gain at around 55-60, but a lot of my hi-res stuff, often containing much quieter volume levels overall, such as what TenderTendon mentioned “New Kid in Town” (I’m assuming the 24/192 version), I can easily listen to that song in the 80’s, and be very comfortable.  That song at 50 or lower would be downright quiet.  And a more extreme example would be the 24/176.4 HDTracks version of “The Girl Is Mine” by Michael Jackson.  NO trouble playing that song in the mid 90’s, and even above. 
  
 That was all with SE.  What was even more surprising/concerning, having just received my Sony Kimber cable the other day, is that not much has changed going balanced (with respect to volume at least).  Yes, I can hear there is definitely more oomph behind the amplification, and generally comfy levels are about 10-15 steps lower, but “New Kid in Town” at volume level of 75 (normal gain), isn’t bursting my eardrums… it sounds good and full, but isn’t painful or distorted by any means.  And “The Girl Is Mine” is about the same—I have to go to about the lower 80’s before anything exciting starts hitting me.
  
 On BALANCED...  With ANDROMEDA…  With some very cheap KZ ZST hybrid IEM's, I can take the player all the way up to 120 on a lot of tracks(SE, normal gain), and still maybe want a little more.  And if that's the case with sensitive IEM's, would I be totally screwed with full-size cans that are much harder to drive?  I’m exclusively an IEM guy these days and don’t have any cans to try out unfortunately, but is this normal?!?!  The same super-sensitive IEM that is pretty damn loud at HALF volume with my iPhone5S??  Am I missing something here, or is this par for the course with this player?  Anyway, sorry for the long post!  Any thoughts or comments appreciated!


----------



## jamato8

soundkist said:


> Hello!  First time posting, but have spent countless hours over the years perusing threads on this wonderful site.  A heartfelt thank you to all of the people who take the time to contribute here, as the information and knowledge I have reaped from here has had nothing short of a significant and positive impact on my journey with audio.
> 
> That being said, I have read this entire thread, and with TenderTendon bringing up the volume subject recently, that’s exactly what I wanted to touch on as well, so now seems like a good time to jump in with you fine folks!
> 
> ...


 

 Do you have it set to high gain?


----------



## soundkist

jamato8 said:


> Do you have it set to high gain?


 
  
 Negative.  I know that will produce higher sound levels, but I guess my inquiry is more trying to address whether it is normal that should even be a thing that I should _need _to engage high gain mode with the very sensitive, easy-to-drive Andromeda?  And if so, how does that translate into usage/enjoyment of the 1A with something like the HD800S, or similarly harder-to-drive headphone?


----------



## jamato8

soundkist said:


> Negative.  I know that will produce higher sound levels, but I guess my inquiry is more trying to address whether it is normal that should even be a thing that I should _need _to engage high gain mode with the very sensitive, easy-to-drive Andromeda?  And if so, how does that translate into usage/enjoyment of the 1A with something like the HD800S, or similarly harder-to-drive headphone?


 

 Try the high gain. I use it with anything, very sensitive IEM's to my Utopia.


----------



## zardos

At the Sony Store I was not able to instantly detect an audible difference between 1Z and 1A. Since the day I own both the sonical differences became obvious. 1A bright and crisp, 1Z smooth and laid back. A high quality complement.


----------



## Lavakugel

How is the UI and Screen compared to AKs?


----------



## zardos

soundkist said:


> Negative.  I know that will produce higher sound levels, but I guess my inquiry is more trying to address whether it is normal that should even be a thing that I should _need_ to engage high gain mode with the very sensitive, easy-to-drive Andromeda?  And if so, how does that translate into usage/enjoyment of the 1A with something like the HD800S, or similarly harder-to-drive headphone?




Don't know about the Andromeda, but HD800S, high gain, volume @120, random music: Crazy loud. Don't do that for a longer time period! Btw. there is a dsp setting to even up the loudness levels for differently mastered tracks. Works fine. I don't need it yet.

The loudness difference between IE800 and HD800S is surprisingly small. It is bigger between JH13Pro and HD800S, but also not as much as I would have expected. 1Z and 1A balanced have no problem to drive a HD800S adequately. HD800 might be a little harder to drive because of the brighter sound sig.


----------



## TenderTendon

zardos said:


> HD800 might be a little harder to drive because of the brighter sound sig.


 
 My HD800's have HD800S drivers installed, so we are comparing apples to apples.


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> How is the UI and Screen compared to AKs?


Sony ui has been always very intuitive


----------



## zardos

tendertendon said:


> My HD800's have HD800S drivers installed, so we are comparing apples to apples.




If I remember right there are tools around to batch convert the volume of any number of music files. With such a tool you would be able to up the volume just before clipping would start, and make all songs about equal loud. 

Could be considered a software issue only in the end. Thats what I hate about the lack of wifi. I have to take care of the quality of my music library myself.


----------



## gerelmx1986

zardos said:


> tendertendon said:
> 
> 
> > My HD800's have HD800S drivers installed, so we are comparing apples to apples.
> ...


 

 ​what about sony's own dynamic normalizer? it seems to make music louder


----------



## soundkist

zardos said:


> Don't know about the Andromeda, but HD800S, high gain, volume @120, random music: Crazy loud. Don't do that for a longer time period! Btw. there is a dsp setting to even up the loudness levels for differently mastered tracks. Works fine. I don't need it yet.
> 
> The loudness difference between IE800 and HD800S is surprisingly small. It is bigger between JH13Pro and HD800S, but also not as much as I would have expected. 1Z and 1A balanced have no problem to drive a HD800S adequately. HD800 might be a little harder to drive because of the brighter sound sig.


 
  
 Thank you (and you too, @jamato8!) for the info and impressions--much appreciated.  I guess at the end of the day I was trying to discern if what I was experiencing was indicative/representative of a normally-operating player, and not one that was suffering from some unknown defect that might warrant a return.  At some point I think I'd like to add a pair of headphones to the mix, and the HD800S is on my immediate radar--glad to hear positive info with respect to pairing with the 1A/1Z!


----------



## Jalo

@Mim, for those in the kingdom of heaven, whether they'll be poor in spirit or not, will not need to hear through 1A or 1Z or Vega or Zeus-R, they'll be listening straight from the Angels mouth.


----------



## audionewbi

So 1A is better than 1Z ?  

It wouldn't be HF if there isn't at least couple of disagreements


----------



## Mimouille

audionewbi said:


> So 1A is better than 1Z ?
> 
> It wouldn't be HF if there isn't at least couple of disagreements


No no no there is a consensus, haven't you been reading?


----------



## phonomat

(Either this is all silly beyond belief, or) I'm getting too old for Head-Fi.


----------



## zardos

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​what about sony's own dynamic normalizer? it seems to make music louder




Yes, I already mentioned that dsp function earlier. That's the easy solution. But you may also normalize the files itself so you wouldn't need any real time dsp anymore. Much work for a big music library, but might be worth the effort for some people.
http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/normalize.html


----------



## ledzep

Seems I'm in the minority just turning on plugging in and enjoying the money I've spent


----------



## Gosod

ledzep said:


> Seems I'm in the minority just turning on plugging in and enjoying the money I've spent


 
I somewhere wrote about it, this player is too overpriced.


----------



## echineko

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]I somewhere wrote about it, this player is too overpriced.[/COLOR]



Yup, good thing the new stainless steel AK380 is so affordable, since it's using way less expensive material, off the shelf parts and all. Oh, wait...


----------



## Lavakugel

Is the 1a musical sounding or analytical?


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> Is the 1a musical sounding or analytical?


 

 musical, love it how it sounds, addweight to the music


----------



## Lavakugel

On same level as AK players? They are quite musical though.


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> On same level as AK players? They are quite musical though.


 

 I had a zx100 and was pretty dead-neutral and while it had a bit of bass it revealed almost anything, found trebles to be aggresive often even with DSPs turned off, this one add the weight and maintains clairy and details which i find very nice and nothing sounds agressive,
  
 Sometimes WM1A can sound a bit bassier, depends on track mastering and i have to live with it when i stumble upon a bad record


----------



## ledzep

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]I somewhere wrote about it, this player is too overpriced.[/COLOR]



Everything is it's called profit margin , I only think it's overpriced if it doesn't do what I want it to do and in this case £800 for a new one does the trick so for me a bargain !


----------



## Gosod

echineko said:


> Yup, good thing the new stainless steel AK380 is so affordable, since it's using way less expensive material, off the shelf parts and all. Oh, wait...


 
 380 I like!


----------



## mysony1

Wm1z is definitely better details and clarity compare to 1a.


----------



## ledzep

mysony1 said:


> Wm1z is definitely better details and clarity compare to 1a.



Double the price and then some I should expect it to be, puzzles me why the 1Z keeps getting compared to the 1A and in saying that I'm glad I bought the 1A and didn't blow an extra £1500 to hear a slight improvement.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> mysony1 said:
> 
> 
> > Wm1z is definitely better details and clarity compare to 1a.
> ...


 

 His post sounds more like WM1A vs ZX100, I know one is $700 vs $1200 but yes WM1A is a HUGE leap forward compared to ZX100
  
 and like you @ledzep i am happy i got a WM1A and spared other 25K mexican pesos, I bet WM1A vs Z is more the headphones synergy, Dark phone slike MDR-Z7 & XBA-Z5 benefit a lot from the WM1A, tho i haven't had any chance of comparing it with other phones to attest this, but i bet if you pair the Z with  bright phones it will complement their signature


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Prices have come down on the 1Z. But thinking of paying over $2500 and getting back under a $1000 in 3 years is a loss for meThat is if I buy it now.


ledzep said:


> Double the price and then some I should expect it to be, puzzles me why the 1Z keeps getting compared to the 1A and in saying that I'm glad I bought the 1A and didn't blow an extra £1500 to hear a slight improvement.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Now that this cable came in for the Z5, now I can use the dual 3.5mm with the ZX2/PHA3 with the XBA-H3. Hopefully I will now appreciate the WM but I still feel ZX2 beats WM1A unbalanced!


----------



## Dithyrambes

Think the thread needs a break from WM1A vs WM1Z. I know owners of the WM1A(myself included) cannot justify the WM1Z's price. I find the 1A price to also be too high. That being said there is a difference, albeit slight. I preferred the WM1Z, but did not find it more than preference. I do not miss the difference enough to shell over 2x the price. With the price difference you can use it to fund a new totl iem/headphone that will make a bigger difference. Hell get a gumby/Mjol2 stack for that amount of money. Also the device is too heavy for portable use, and tbh I won't be caught up on hearing the difference between the 1z and 1A when I am using it on the go and traveling. If that last bit of quality is what matters and all your listening is portable and you have the best TOTL Iems, then go for the 1z. TBH I preferred the 1964 tia Fourte's from the 1A than the 1Z due to its already thickness is sound. I would prefer the 1Z probably with the A18 tzars or Empire Ear Zeus XR Adel.

 I don't know why people question people's preferences and choices and have to consolidate opinions. You are ruining the beauty of having the options. You don't buy daps as a status symbol or to tout one's walkman is better. You buy it for your personal enjoyment and listening. As long as you can enjoy the music, great.
  
 TBH, even with sale prices at 2k, its grossly overpriced. I can't justify those prices yet alone some 3k kimber kable 16 braided axios cable, but I won't stop anyone if they want to chase the .001 percent if they are convinced.


----------



## mysony1

ledzep said:


> Double the price and then some I should expect it to be, puzzles me why the 1Z keeps getting compared to the 1A and in saying that I'm glad I bought the 1A and didn't blow an extra £1500 to hear a slight improvement.




In term of musical I prefer wm1z then wm1a. As well wm1z have better sound staging.

Come to price tag for portable dap wm1a is good enough for basic use.


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiobreeder said:


> Now that this cable came in for the Z5, now I can use the dual 3.5mm with the ZX2/PHA3 with the XBA-H3. Hopefully I will now appreciate the WM but I still feel ZX2 beats WM1A unbalanced!


 
 Looks like a nice cable, but seems quite heavy for an IEM or i am just imagining?


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

It's quite light for what it looks like on the box. 





gerelmx1986 said:


> Looks like a nice cable, but seems quite heavy for an IEM or i am just imagining?


----------



## ledzep

gerelmx1986 said:


> His post sounds more like WM1A vs ZX100, I know one is $700 vs $1200 but yes WM1A is a HUGE leap forward compared to ZX100
> 
> and like you @ledzep i am happy i got a WM1A and spared other 25K mexican pesos, I bet WM1A vs Z is more the headphones synergy, Dark phone slike MDR-Z7 & XBA-Z5 benefit a lot from the WM1A, tho i haven't had any chance of comparing it with other phones to attest this, but i bet if you pair the Z with  bright phones it will complement their signature


 

 Yep fully agree i have the Z5's EX1000's, Z7's and the U12's and they all work great with the 1A and hooked up to the PHA2A adds something different with more drive should i ever need it and still way cheaper than the 1Z, not bashing the Z because i think its a great piece of kit and i did toy with the idea of getting one decided to spend the extra on other things, plus i have slight tinnitus so i doubt i know the difference


----------



## Dithyrambes

i wished i grabbed one of those cables while they were on sale on jaben my when it was around $80. Its probably the maximum I'm willing to pay on a cable. 200-300 dollars for a cable I feel is grossy overpriced. The fact that it can be sold for 80 and still leave a profit shows how much of a markup there is.


----------



## gerelmx1986

dithyrambes said:


> i wished i grabbed one of those cables while they were on sale on jaben my when it was around $80. Its probably the maximum I'm willing to pay on a cable. 200-300 dollars for a cable I feel is grossy overpriced. The fact that it can be sold for 80 and still leave a profit shows how much of a markup there is.


 

 ​for $300 yes is too much, i remember i got my MUC upgrade cable fro XBA-A3 wayback in 2015 for $69, i am considering gettingtwo adaptors from plusSound (one TRRS 3.5mm and the other 4.4 to dual 3.5mm TRS females) and budgeted them and totaled with shipping $300


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

$80 is a steal. Got these for $120 from a seller who put it on auction with a buy it now price of $120. So I bought it immediately.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

If only I could get the 1Z in a similar fashion


----------



## zardos

One can easily become hooked by 1Z's abilities to portray accustic music. For electronic music I slightly prefer 1A though. 

Sorry for all the fellows that cannot afford to buy the 1Z, but I really don't think 1Z is much overpriced. It's rather the other way round, 1A is a bargain. Both units are top notch in so many aspects.


----------



## kms108

dithyrambes said:


> i wished i grabbed one of those cables while they were on sale on jaben my when it was around $80. Its probably the maximum I'm willing to pay on a cable. 200-300 dollars for a cable I feel is grossy overpriced. The fact that it can be sold for 80 and still leave a profit shows how much of a markup there is.


 
 It was never on sale for USD 80, sony quoted the wrong price and sold it, it was later corrected, but the damage was done and many was sold for the cheap price.


----------



## Dithyrambes

audiobreeder said:


> $80 is a steal. Got these for $120 from a seller who put it on auction with a buy it now price of $120. So I bought it immediately.


 
 Damn you got a bargain. If anyone is willing to let their cable go I'll be willing to pay around $120 for them. Looks great.


----------



## gerelmx1986

dithyrambes said:


> audiobreeder said:
> 
> 
> > $80 is a steal. Got these for $120 from a seller who put it on auction with a buy it now price of $120. So I bought it immediately.
> ...


 

 I'll rather use my Balanced stock cables for Z7 and Z5 and buy that plusSound adapter for 125 USD


----------



## gerelmx1986

zardos said:


> One can easily become hooked by 1Z's abilities to portray accustic music. For electronic music I slightly prefer 1A though.
> 
> Sorry for all the fellows that cannot afford to buy the 1Z, but I really don't think 1Z is much overpriced. It's rather the other way round, 1A is a bargain. Both units are top notch in so many aspects.


 

 ​I like how my WM1A portrays classical music very well balanced and body to it, nice details without being analytical, with WM1A i get this bass as i can describe (not often depends on recoring tho) as "Hometheater, movie-theater rumble you can feel" not megabass levels but quite controlled and just right for me


----------



## blazinblazin

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​I like how my WM1A portrays classical music very well balanced and body to it, nice details without being analytical, with WM1A i get this bass as i can describe (not often depends on recoring tho) as "Hometheater, movie-theater rumble you can feel" not megabass levels but quite controlled and just right for me




Yes like the kind i would like to describe as Concert hall rumble. 

It has this live room ambience.


----------



## Jalo

dithyrambes said:


> TBH I preferred the 1964 tia Fourte's from the 1A than the 1Z due to its already thickness is sound. I would prefer the 1Z probably with the A18 tzars or Empire Ear Zeus XR Adel.


 
  
 So did you listen to the Tia Fourte from the 1A and the A18 Tzar from the 1Z? If so, I like to hear more about it, I am interested in the Fourte with my 1Z. I will get to hear them both next month at the SOCAL Can Jam.


----------



## musicphotolife

zardos said:


> At the Sony Store I was not able to instantly detect an audible difference between 1Z and 1A. Since the day I own both the sonical differences became obvious. 1A bright and crisp, 1Z smooth and laid back. A high quality complement.


 
 I was reviewing both 1A and 1Z and trying to browse through this thread to verify my observation. This confirms it. I do find the 1A more sparkling (burn-in 200 hrs) vs. 1Z better lows (burn-in 20 hrs). 1Z seems to be catching up but when playing on hi-def files, I can still detect the characteristic difference. I won't be able to burn the 1Z any further as I have to return both units back to Sony this week.


----------



## mscott58

musicphotolife said:


> I was reviewing both 1A and 1Z and trying to browse through this thread to verify my observation. This confirms it. I do find the 1A more sparkling (burn-in 200 hrs) vs. 1Z better lows (burn-in 20 hrs). 1Z seems to be catching up but when playing on hi-def files, I can still detect the characteristic difference. I won't be able to burn the 1Z any further as I have to return both units back to Sony this week.


 
 Too bad you didn't get both to 200 hours for a fair comparison. Also, were you using them SE or balanced? IMHO the 1Z when burned in and in balanced is a force to behold. Cheers


----------



## musicphotolife

mscott58 said:


> Too bad you didn't get both to 200 hours for a fair comparison. Also, were you using them SE or balanced? IMHO the 1Z when burned in and in balanced is a force to behold. Cheers


 
 I also have the MDR-Z1R together for the review, was trying both connections. Am I supposed to hear a vast difference between balanced and unbalanced?


----------



## blazinblazin

musicphotolife said:


> I also have the MDR-Z1R together for the review, was trying both connections. Am I supposed to hear a vast difference between balanced and unbalanced?




Yes. SONY make a focus on Balanced.

That's why only balanced is able to play Native DSD while SE if you play DSD ot will be converted into PCM.


----------



## musicphotolife

blazinblazin said:


> Yes. SONY make a focus on Balanced.
> 
> That's why only balanced is able to play Native DSD while SE if you play DSD ot will be converted into PCM.


 
 Ah, yes. Thanks I missed that part out. I should compare using DSD audio files. I reckon non-DSD files will not benefit much from balanced connection, then?


----------



## gearofwar

musicphotolife said:


> Ah, yes. Thanks I missed that part out. I should compare using DSD audio files. I reckon non-DSD files will not benefit much from balanced connection, then?



it's a jump in sq in balance for everything


----------



## denis1976

musicphotolife said:


> I was reviewing both 1A and 1Z and trying to browse through this thread to verify my observation. This confirms it. I do find the 1A more sparkling (burn-in 200 hrs) vs. 1Z better lows (burn-in 20 hrs). 1Z seems to be catching up but when playing on hi-def files, I can still detect the characteristic difference. I won't be able to burn the 1Z any further as I have to return both units back to Sony this week.


you should get both in more than 200 hours to do that


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicphotolife said:


> blazinblazin said:
> 
> 
> > Yes. SONY make a focus on Balanced.
> ...


 

 ​Not just DSD, also try PCM in 24 and 16 bit


----------



## AxelCloris

I had to remove a few posts that were getting personal and OT. Let's please keep it friendly, everyone.


----------



## musicphotolife

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Not just DSD, also try PCM in 24 and 16 bit


 
 Wow, yes I finally sat down and did some careful comparison. It does sound a great difference from an audiophile perspective!


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicphotolife said:


> Wow, yes I finally sat down and did some careful comparison. It does sound a great difference from an audiophile perspective!


 
 Here me sitting watching everybody doing balanced or TRRS... no job, no way of funding cables boo
  
 what you detect when you switch from SE to Balanced and visceversa?
  
 EDIT
  
 Found a job today, so at the end of the month i will order my cables and wait two more months LOL


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have a question for you guys who have been using TRRS (ZX2 or WM1x) and Balanced 4.4mm (WM1 only).
  
 Whta i have understood BALANCED output is like SE TRRS but with more power, am i correct isn't it?
  
 So what do you recommend me to buy? One TRRS and one 4.4mm cable or buy both as 4.4mm? I was thinking the 4.4mm for Home and the TRRS 3.5mm for on-the-go such as work


----------



## TheOracle

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have a question for you guys who have been using TRRS (ZX2 or WM1x) and Balanced 4.4mm (WM1 only).
> 
> Whta i have understood BALANCED output is like SE TRRS but with more power, am i correct isn't it?
> 
> So what do you recommend me to buy? One TRRS and one 4.4mm cable or buy both as 4.4mm? I was thinking the 4.4mm for Home and the TRRS 3.5mm for on-the-go such as work


 
  
 I would stick to 4.4mm. It sounds better than the 3.5 (it's my understanding coming from ZX2 that the 3.5 jack on ZX2 and WM1A is pseudo balanced), even with a balanced cable.


----------



## Jalo

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have a question for you guys who have been using TRRS (ZX2 or WM1x) and Balanced 4.4mm (WM1 only).
> 
> Whta i have understood BALANCED output is like SE TRRS but with more power, am i correct isn't it?
> 
> So what do you recommend me to buy? One TRRS and one 4.4mm cable or buy both as 4.4mm? I was thinking the 4.4mm for Home and the TRRS 3.5mm for on-the-go such as work



It is not just power but the whole sound presentation improves quite a bit. I wouldn't worry about 3.5 at all. Once you get the 4.4 you will not go back to SE. I have not use the SE since I have my 4.4.


----------



## nc8000

theoracle said:


> I would stick to 4.4mm. It sounds better than the 3.5 (it's my understanding coming from ZX2 that the 3.5 jack on ZX2 and WM1A is pseudo balanced), even with a balanced cable.




Yes trrs is seperate ground and not proper balanced but still better than single ended. You could go with trrs on the cable and then a short trrs to trrrs pig tail (and a trrs to trs pigtail so you can also use the phones single ended).


----------



## Lavakugel

I'm nearly ready to pull trigger for wm1a. Can someone please describe the soundsignature of this player. Maybe against ibasso dx200 or astell kern ak300.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Don't compare the ak300 to it.....ak 300 is a far worse player. DX200....is a sabre dac...If you like that sound signature, then it is good. WM1A is my preference....I know others can disagree I can't stand sabre glare sound, and that analytical thin sound. Even if it is filtered out, the notes are a bit dead and static. I haven't heard it, but I wouldn't trust all the hype on it just yet. The WM1A is nice but you have to get a 4.4 balanced cable which is pita and........it can't stream.


----------



## Lavakugel

dithyrambes said:


> Don't compare the ak300 to it.....ak 300 is a far worse player. DX200....is a sabre dac...If you like that sound signature, then it is good. WM1A is my preference....I know others can disagree I can't stand sabre glare sound, and that analytical thin sound. Even if it is filtered out, the notes are a bit dead and static. I haven't heard it, but I wouldn't trust all the hype on it just yet. The WM1A is nice but you have to get a 4.4 balanced cable which is pita and........it can't stream.


 
 Thanks. But for my grados gh1 I can't get a new cable because it is fixed to the headphone. Is there another option to go balanced?


----------



## nc8000

lavakugel said:


> Thanks. But for my grados gh1 I can't get a new cable because it is fixed to the headphone. Is there another option to go balanced?




If the Grado cable is 4 cores all the way to the jack you could just reterminate


----------



## Lavakugel

nc8000 said:


> If the Grado cable is 4 cores all the way to the jack you could just reterminate


 
 It's quite thick but I don't know who could reterminate it...will this sound also good on SE?


----------



## Lavakugel

If I buy this EU-Version volume capped is it possible to unlock that and how do I do it?


----------



## nc8000

lavakugel said:


> If I buy this EU-Version volume capped is it possible to unlock that and how do I do it?




Yes. Info and links are somewhere in this thread. 

Found it https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Changing_destination_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation


----------



## Lavakugel

Ok then I'm sure this beauty will surpass ak300 with it's warm and now also fast UI and very good battery life.


----------



## mscott58

So got a few Sony goodies in the mail today - specifically the RMT-NWS20 remote for the 1A/1Z and also the MDR1000X noise-cancelling/wireless headphones. Wow, I've just turned my 1Z into a 100% wireless solution. The 1000X's at first pass are pretty decent in terms of SQ and comfort for out-and-about use, and I suspect they will be good on planes/trains, but will have to wait a little bit until I can test that use case. The integration with the LDAC for the 1Z/1A also works well, and I like the touch control of the 1000X's, including the ability to hear outside noises when you want to. Regarding the remote, you have to make sure your region is set to "E" as it then includes connectivity to the remote. My 1Z had been set to "U" and my 1A to E2, and neither recognized the remote, however that was easily changed with the hack. Now I can put my 1Z (or 1A) in my bag/pocket and not have to worry about any wires to the 1000X's or the need to take the player out when I want to change volume, tracks, etc. (either using the 1000X's to control the player when I'm using them, or the remote when I'm using other HP's/IEMs. Cheers


----------



## gerelmx1986

jalo said:


> It is not just power but the whole sound presentation improves quite a bit. I wouldn't worry about 3.5 at all. Once you get the 4.4 you will not go back to SE. I have not use the SE since I have my 4.4.


 
 Ok, thanks for the tip so i shall order two 4.4mm (both TRRS and 4.4 are at the same Price) so no worries them


----------



## jamato8

The 1Z gets more impressive with more hours of use. Such a nice black background, so quiet that the sound emerges from. This adds to the separation of sounds, instruments, voices acoustics. Very fine!


----------



## gerelmx1986

jamato8 said:


> The 1Z gets more impressive with more hours of use. Such a nice black background, so quiet that the sound emerges from. This adds to the separation of sounds, instruments, voices acoustics. Very fine!


 

 ​That makes me wonder if it would affect chamber music performances which are often intimate and dont need too mcuh separation staging. I find the 1A to be damn accurate and yet musical


----------



## musicphotolife

jalo said:


> It is not just power but the whole sound presentation improves quite a bit. I wouldn't worry about 3.5 at all. Once you get the 4.4 you will not go back to SE. I have not use the SE since I have my 4.4.


 
 Yes indeed! The sound presentation is enhanced to a different level. With SE, the sound is somewhat compressed and cramp. With 4.4, there is more depth and space in the audio.


----------



## gerelmx1986

SOny's software engineers are the best of the best, to optimize their OS speed drastically wow. My 1A no longer loses track position (need to test this with filled memories)


----------



## Lavakugel

nc8000 said:


> Yes. Info and links are somewhere in this thread.
> 
> Found it https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Changing_destination_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation


 
 Man is this only working for windows and no mac?


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> nc8000 said:
> 
> 
> > Yes. Info and links are somewhere in this thread.
> ...


 

 you can aska  Windows friend to help you out or put a Windows virtual machine in your mac


----------



## Lavakugel

I will try it with cap and see how it sounds...maybe I don't even have to uncap it....


----------



## jamato8

lavakugel said:


> I will try it with cap and see how it sounds...maybe I don't even have to uncap it....


 

 I would get it uncapped.


----------



## Lavakugel

Just ordered a new wm1a. Hope this is worth the money because it did hurt me spending this amount on a player


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> Just ordered a new wm1a. Hope this is worth the money because it did hurt me spending this amount on a player


 

 ​When i ordered mine it hurt me too  But is well worth the money after 500h burn in time approx 2 and a half months like me 8 to 10 albums  a day


----------



## Lavakugel

Are you listening on balanced? 
  
 Too bad that all my  headhones  are only SE cabled. Have to figure something out because I don't want to recable every single one to 4.4.


----------



## nc8000

lavakugel said:


> Are you listening on balanced?
> 
> Too bad that all my  headhones  are only SE cabled. Have to figure something out because I don't want to recable every single one to 4.4.




The only way to use the 4.4mm balanced out is to recable (or reterminate if stock cable has 4 wires all the way) to balanced, you just can't use the 4.4mm with a single ended phone


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> Are you listening on balanced?
> 
> Too bad that all my  headhones  are only SE cabled. Have to figure something out because I don't want to recable every single one to 4.4.


 

 ​I ma currently on SE, will latter order from pLussound an adapter for the dual 3.5mm TRS cales of my MDR-Z7 & XBA-Z5
  
 bot phones have a balanced cable for my case but are dual 3.5mm TRS males, but thanks to plusSound figured out i can order an 4.4mm Male to dual 3.5mm TRS females only needing to swap the SE-cables to the balanced equivalent (currently sitting on their box) from both Z7 & Z5


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​I ma currently on SE, will latter order from pLussound an adapter for the dual 3.5mm TRS cales of my MDR-Z7 & XBA-Z5
> 
> bot phones have a balanced cable for my case but are dual 3.5mm TRS males, but thanks to plusSound figured out i can order an 4.4mm Male to dual 3.5mm TRS females only needing to swap the SE-cables to the balanced equivalent (currently sitting on their box) from both Z7 & Z5




Yep get phones balanced and then have a collection of adapters for different use. I think I have 6 different adapters to 2x3-pin xlr, 4-pin xlr, speaker taps, Kobiconn, 4.4 mm, 3.5 trs and 2.5 trrs. Am missing the Hirose


----------



## jamato8

nc8000 said:


> Yep get phones balanced and then have a collection of adapters for different use. I think I have 6 different adapters to 2x3-pin xlr, 4-pin xlr, speaker taps, Kobiconn, 4.4 mm, 3.5 trs and 2.5 trrs. Am missing the Hirose


 

 I like the Hirose, very good quality but a pain to solder/make up. I mostly use all Kobiconn now with adapters. Extremely good for this as I have most all my cable not terminated with Kobiconn and then any connector I want works. Whiplash has the modular system using it and it is a great way to go, IMO.


----------



## soundkist

Speaking of adapters... has anyone been able to locate a _female_ 4.4mm balanced --> male 3.5mm SE adapter?  Would be nice/preferred to minimize the stress on mmcx connectors when I want to listen to gear other than the wm1a, such as a desktop setup, etc.


----------



## nc8000

jamato8 said:


> I like the Hirose, very good quality but a pain to solder/make up. I mostly use all Kobiconn now with adapters. Extremely good for this as I have most all my cable not terminated with Kobiconn and then any connector I want works. Whiplash has the modular system using it and it is a great way to go, IMO.




Yep I'm on TWau Reference on my 3 main phones terminated in Kobicon although I reterminated the JH13 to 3.5 trrs for easier use with ZX2 and then have a 3.5 trrs female to Kobicon. All my other adapters are Kobicon to whatever


----------



## nc8000

soundkist said:


> Speaking of adapters... has anyone been able to locate a _female_ 4.4mm balanced --> male 3.5mm SE adapter?  Would be nice/preferred to minimize the stress on mmcx connectors when I want to listen to gear other than the wm1a, such as a desktop setup, etc.




I think it was mentioned earlier in the thread that at least one place in Japan have a 4.4 female plug for diy use


----------



## soundkist

nc8000 said:


> I think it was mentioned earlier in the thread that at least one place in Japan have a 4.4 female plug for diy use


 
 Yeah, I remember that; I was thinking of something more along the lines of the no diy, ready to purchase and use variety...
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  I assume it's probably a bit early for those to start popping up, though.


----------



## gsiu33

Currently I enable the WM1Z not to charge over 90%. Do I need to do a full charge once a month? I do it for the AK240.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gsiu33 said:


> Currently I enable the WM1Z not to charge over 90%. Do I need to do a full charge once a month? I do it for the AK240.


 

 I do that too once amonth set a full charge or do it two times in a month.


----------



## gsiu33

Hi gerelmx 1986,

May you share with me how to do a full charge on WM1x?

Are you re-charge it when the battery low message start blinking or until the battery gone? Also unclick the 90% option?

Thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

gsiu33 said:


> Hi gerelmx 1986,
> 
> May you share with me how to do a full charge on WM1x?
> 
> ...


 

 ​After the month i do a full charge, I do: a) untick the batteryCare option and B) i let it turn off by itself
  
 during normal charging cycles i have the batteryCare On and as asoon i see it flashing i charge it


----------



## blazinblazin

Current Setup


----------



## tangents

blazinblazin said:


> Current Setup


 
  
 How do you like the Leonidas? Is it bright?


----------



## blazinblazin

tangents said:


> How do you like the Leonidas? Is it bright?




I need some time to run the cable before more comments. 
The first time i put on was very bright, now better settled down a bit.


----------



## soundkist

blazinblazin said:


> I need some time to run the cable before more comments.
> The first time i put on was very bright, now better settled down a bit.


 
  
 Definitive upgrade from the Sony Kimber cable, at least initially?  I have the exact same setup (minus the Leo--have the kimber instead), but I'm not sure I'm really in love with the sound vs what I was hearing on SE.  I don't know whether to attribute this to the cable, that I only have ~100 hours on the balanced, or perhaps something else.


----------



## proedros

anybody here owning both WM1A and *IDSD Micro Black Label* ?


----------



## TenderTendon

Does anyone know if the RMT-NWS20 remote control can be paired with more than one player? I know the NW-WM1A/Z can be paired with more than one remote, but not sure about the other way around. If the remote can be paired with more than one player, what are the instructions? The user's guide for the remote contains no English language at all. Thanks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tendertendon said:


> Does anyone know if the RMT-NWS20 remote control can be paired with more than one player? I know the NW-WM1A/Z can be paired with more than one remote, but not sure about the other way around. If the remote can be paired with more than one player, what are the instructions? The user's guide for the remote contains no English language at all. Thanks.


 
 you mean opérate two players at the same time with it? if that's the case i think is not posible but to pair it with other player maybe need only to store the control address on the corresponding player


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> you mean opérate two players at the same time with it? if that's the case i think is not posible but to pair it with other player maybe need only to store the control address on the corresponding player


 

 No, not at the same time. I would just like to use one remote with whichever player I decide to use. Only one player would be turned on or in range at a time. Also, if it is not possible to pair the remote with more than one device, what is the procedure for un-pairing, so it can be paired with a different device? When the remote was brand new, it went into pairing mode as soon as I hit any button, so the users guide wasn't needed for that.


----------



## Lavakugel

blazinblazin said:


> Current Setup


 
 Looks nice. How is this setup sounding with andromedas? Are they comfortable to wear?


----------



## Lavakugel

Is the firmware update improving speed scrolling and boot time?


----------



## jamato8

lavakugel said:


> Is the firmware update improving speed scrolling and boot time?


 

 Boot time still takes a while. Longer than I would have expected but nothing is perfect. Scrolling seems to be faster.


----------



## Lavakugel

Everything over 30 sec is too long in our fast moving world where nobody has time to wait anymore


----------



## jamato8

lavakugel said:


> Everything over 30 sec is too long in our fast moving world where nobody has time to wait anymore


 

 Right. I just do something while it is booting. Tiny lag, well go back to a portable CD player and find out what lag is all about. :^) Oh, and a stack if you want to use an external amp, and more if you use an external dac, which I used to do.


----------



## blazinblazin

soundkist said:


> Definitive upgrade from the Sony Kimber cable, at least initially?  I have the exact same setup (minus the Leo--have the kimber instead), but I'm not sure I'm really in love with the sound vs what I was hearing on SE.  I don't know whether to attribute this to the cable, that I only have ~100 hours on the balanced, or perhaps something else.



Both cable sounds different.
Kimber give you the room/hall feel and more relax.
Leonidas so far is more open venue with more energy.


----------



## soundkist

blazinblazin said:


> Both cable sounds different.
> Kimber give you the room/hall feel and more relax.
> Leonidas so far is more open venue with more energy.


 
  
 Cool, thanks very kindly for the early impressions; looking forward to hearing what you think of the Leo down the road after you've had some time with it.


----------



## mscott58

jamato8 said:


> Right. I just do something while it is booting. Tiny lag, well go back to a portable CD player and find out what lag is all about. :^) Oh, and a stack if you want to use an external amp, and more if you use an external dac, which I used to do.




Or just never turn it off, like many of us do. Cheers


----------



## EagleWings

Is the WM1Z more forgiving than the LPG?


----------



## Jazzi

eaglewings said:


> Is the WM1Z more forgiving than the LPG?


 

 Forgiving?


----------



## EagleWings

jazzi said:


> Forgiving?


 
  
 LPG, with its forward and revealing sound, is not so forgiving, with poorly recorded/mastered tracks. Meaning, it sounds harsh or can be fatiguing over time. I'd like to know, how the WM1Z sounds in that aspect. But I think I may have found my answer here:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/products/sony-digital-audio-player-walkman-nw-wm1z-n-gold/reviews/17386
  
 and here:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/815841/new-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-flagship-hi-end-dap/7560#post_13180945


----------



## bvng3540

How to delete a song on the playlist? Thanks


----------



## Jalo

bvng3540 said:


> How to delete a song on the playlist? Thanks


 
 Easy, just bring up the play list and to the right of the song list hit (...) and select delete song from playlist.


----------



## Jalo

Guys, where do you go to get the latest firmware and what version is it?


----------



## tangents

jalo said:


> Guys, where do you go to get the latest firmware and what version is it?


 
  
 v1.10 is the latest: http://www.sony-asia.com/support/product/nw-wm1z
  
 Select the "Downloads" tab and choose your operating system.


----------



## Mfalcon

Does Anybody Wish they could delete a whole album? I figured you could do it, but couldn't figure it out. Seems like it would be useful to many. I would.


----------



## Jalo

tangents said:


> v1.10 is the latest: http://www.sony-asia.com/support/product/nw-wm1z
> 
> Select the "Downloads" tab and choose your operating system.



Thanks. Does it matter if it is an US version or it doesn't matter.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mfalcon said:


> Does Anybody Wish they could delete a whole album? I figured you could do it, but couldn't figure it out. Seems like it would be useful to many. I would.


 

 On the Folder browser, tap the ellipsis icon (...) (on the folder you wish to delete) and tap delete then Ok


----------



## tangents

jalo said:


> Thanks. Does it matter if it is an US version or it doesn't matter.


 
  
 It shouldn't matter — I flashed my UK version with it.
  
 Here's the link to the US site: https://esupport.sony.com/US/p/model-home.pl?mdl=NWWM1Z&LOC=3#/downloadTab


----------



## Jazzi

eaglewings said:


> LPG, with its forward and revealing sound, is not so forgiving, with poorly recorded/mastered tracks. Meaning, it sounds harsh or can be fatiguing over time. I'd like to know, how the WM1Z sounds in that aspect. But I think I may have found my answer here:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/products/sony-digital-audio-player-walkman-nw-wm1z-n-gold/reviews/17386


 

 Oh great.  Glad you found what you were looking for.


----------



## Jalo

Tangents, appreciate the help.


----------



## Gibraltar

tendertendon said:


> No, not at the same time. I would just like to use one remote with whichever player I decide to use. Only one player would be turned on or in range at a time. Also, if it is not possible to pair the remote with more than one device, what is the procedure for un-pairing, so it can be paired with a different device? When the remote was brand new, it went into pairing mode as soon as I hit any button, so the users guide wasn't needed for that.




You can reset the remote by holding play/pause and volume down together for 10 seconds. After this you can pair the same way you did the first time.

I was unable to pair my remote with more than one player at a time.


----------



## gerelmx1986

An alternative to the long waitimes by cables manufacturers, you can contact via PM our friend @Whitigir our cables master 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  i am considering him and plussound


----------



## TenderTendon

gibraltar said:


> You can reset the remote by holding play/pause and volume down together for 10 seconds. After this you can pair the same way you did the first time.
> 
> I was unable to pair my remote with more than one player at a time.


 

 Thank you very much. Exactly what I was looking for. This works out very well. The pairing information remains on the player, so I can use one remote with any of my players in approximately 15 seconds, without even turning the screen on.


----------



## TenderTendon

What is the best way to contact Sony regarding these players? I mean someone that will actually listen to the concerns of their Signature Series customers. The WM1A and WM1Z are fantastic players, but they still fall short in some areas. Some simple firmware fixes I would like to see:
  
 1) Search function added.
 2) Ability to add/delete Saved Sound Settings and to be able to edit the names of those saved sounds (like the AK players)
 3) Display the date/time somewhere on the player. Why have us set the date and time if it is not used for anything?
  
 I'm sure others have more things they would like to see added/fixed. Is it a waste of time to individually contact Sony? Would it be better to start a buglist/wishlist that we direct Sony to? There is more power in numbers...


----------



## goyete

tendertendon said:


> What is the best way to contact Sony regarding these players? I mean someone that will actually listen to the concerns of their Signature Series customers. The WM1A and WM1Z are fantastic players, but they still fall short in some areas. Some simple firmware fixes I would like to see:
> 
> 1) Search function added.
> 2) Ability to add/delete Saved Sound Settings and to be able to edit the names of those saved sounds (like the AK players)
> ...



I also would like to tapping in the player screen and switching between the album art and the other screen options. It would be easy than options, screen, select (1 tap vs 3 tap).


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have a question regarding balanced cables like the ones that come with Z5 and Z7, mainly to avoid stressing the MMCX connectors of the XBA-Z5

 If I want to use the SE of an iPod or another older MP3 player that has no balanced, can i  use one of these sharing splitters?


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have a question regarding balanced cables like the ones that come with Z5 and Z7, mainly to avoid stressing the MMCX connectors of the XBA-Z5
> 
> 
> If I want to use the SE of an iPod or another older MP3 player that has no balanced, can i  use one of these sharing splitters?




No you need a custom adapter that joins the 2 sides to a common ground stereo signal. The one you show just distributes a stereo signal to several single ended headphones


----------



## ledzep

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have a question regarding balanced cables like the ones that come with Z5 and Z7, mainly to avoid stressing the MMCX connectors of the XBA-Z5
> 
> 
> If I want to use the SE of an iPod or another older MP3 player that has no balanced, can i  use one of these sharing splitters?




The mmcx on the balanced kimber are a joke only detached them twice and the left was loose as hell , ended up re terminating it to two pin and making another for the Z5's


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> No you need a custom adapter that joins the 2 sides to a common ground stereo signal. The one you show just distributes a stereo signal to several single ended headphones


 
 Thanks for the info, gosh cables cables cables  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




​.. the classic issue of a friend/coworker/etc asks you can i hear you Headphones? oh damn they are ummm balanced .... well first get my balanced cables and then think the other cable to rejoin the sereo ground


----------



## GoDiSLoVe

I don't like the fact that wm1z charges every time i connect it to ta-zh1es.
 Any way to disable this? I think it will shorten battery life in the long term.  I'd prefer to do full charge/de-charge instead of starting to charge at 70-80% (when i connect it to ta-zh1es)


----------



## gerelmx1986

godislove said:


> I don't like the fact that wm1z charges every time i connect it to ta-zh1es.
> Any way to disable this? I think it will shorten battery life in the long term.  I'd prefer to do full charge/de-charge instead of starting to charge at 70-80% (when i connect it to ta-zh1es)


 

 ​it is default behaviour, also my WM1A does this every time i connect it to the PCm the only would be setting the batteryCare On


----------



## Sarnia

godislove said:


> I don't like the fact that wm1z charges every time i connect it to ta-zh1es.
> Any way to disable this? I think it will shorten battery life in the long term.  I'd prefer to do full charge/de-charge instead of starting to charge at 70-80% (when i connect it to ta-zh1es)


Just set it to only charge to 90%,then it's not an issue.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Does anyone know if Groove Music (Windows 10 app) will transfer to a sony WM1A/Z?


----------



## nanaholic

godislove said:


> I don't like the fact that wm1z charges every time i connect it to ta-zh1es.
> Any way to disable this? I think it will shorten battery life in the long term.  I'd prefer to do full charge/de-charge instead of starting to charge at 70-80% (when i connect it to ta-zh1es)




Full charge/discharge is much worse for Li ion batteries actually.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Does anyone know if Groove Music (Windows 10 app) will transfer to a sony WM1A/Z?


 

 ​Never mind.. it does not


----------



## Stephen George

can verify the muc-m1bt1 bluetooth mmcx cable (using fender fxa7, also mmcx) sounds great with 1z


----------



## Stephen George

sonic defender said:


> People who don't think current Bluetooth via Apt X is good enough for true quality listening are very mistaken in my opinion. Yes, I, as have many others, have been saying that wireless is absolutely in the near future the way things will be going. There should be no need for physical cables very soon, certainly within five years.


 
  
  
   it's great to stick the player feet away and use the remote, especially for the copper brick...perfect for moving around
  
 using the Sony MUC-M1BT1 (mmcx) right now with fender FXA7 and pretty amazing how far you can walk around without the player and pretty crisp
  
 but if you have listened using balanced cable, bt is going to sound muddy in comparison


----------



## pCollins

WM1Z into the 800th hour for me.
 Trying out now with LCD3 and LCD4 using Wireworld Nano Platinum Eclipse solid silver cables.
 The Sony scales nicely with better wires and headphones.  With the Audeze, the bass is solid and the silver core expands the imaging.  Vocals also appear fuller, filling more than the in-between with real frontal vertical projection.  It really sounds like the singer is in front.


----------



## jamato8

Is there a remote for the WM1* that isn't a ridiculous price?


----------



## kms108

jamato8 said:


> Is there a remote for the WM1* that isn't a ridiculous price?


 

 It's not expensive.


----------



## echineko

jamato8 said:


> Is there a remote for the WM1* that isn't a ridiculous price?



What do you consider ridiculous?


----------



## Stephen George

echineko said:


> What do you consider ridiculous?


 
  
  
  have 1 and it's great, but $65 US *is* ridiculous


----------



## gerelmx1986

kms108 said:


> jamato8 said:
> 
> 
> > Is there a remote for the WM1* that isn't a ridiculous price?
> ...


 

 It's moderately priced but not ridículos for sure


----------



## bvng3540

stephen george said:


> have 1 and it's great, but $65 US *is* ridiculous




You paid for over $1k for your DAP but $65 and called it ridiculous, am I missing something


----------



## gerelmx1986

pcollins said:


> WM1Z into the 800th hour for me.
> Trying out now with LCD3 and LCD4 using Wireworld Nano Platinum Eclipse solid silver cables.
> The Sony scales nicely with better wires and headphones.  With the Audeze, the bass is solid and the silver core expands the imaging.  Vocals also appear fuller, filling more than the in-between with real frontal vertical projection.  It really sounds like the singer is in front.



which álbum is that?

The one i am listening to, The series spanned across 3 record labels (ASV, Gaudeamus and Hyperion Records) i have them all, 13 albums of well recorded, well mastered and excellently executed Renaissance music stunning for 16/44.1


----------



## Stephen George

bvng3540 said:


> You paid for over $1k for your DAP but $65 and called it ridiculous, am I missing something


 
  
  
 all my pennies went to the 1z !!
  
 the remote is the tiniest piece of plastic, no way that cost more than a few bucks to manufacture, the rest is gouging
  
 it is well designed though


----------



## jamato8

stephen george said:


> all my pennies went to the 1z !!
> 
> the remote is the tiniest piece of plastic, no way that cost more than a few bucks to manufacture, the rest is gouging
> 
> it is well designed though


 

 And that is the issue. If it was a nicely made remote with an aluminum housing and quality feel, great but it is a cheap remote that would cost 2 to 3 dollars to make. So what if someone pays 3000 or 10,000 for something, does that mean you should pay 25 times what something cost to make just because you paid a lot for what you want the remote for? If they are going to charge 80 to 90 dollars like I see advertised most places, it should be made to the same quality as the housing of the WM1A or Z. 
  
 Do other universal remotes work with the WM1*? FiiO puts out a nice little remote for 25 dollars. Looks better made as well.


----------



## gerelmx1986

jamato8 said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> And that is the issue. If it was a nicely made remote with an aluminum housing and quality feel, great but it is a cheap remote that would cost 2 to 3 dollars to make. So what if someone pays 3000 or 10,000 for something, does that mean you should pay 25 times what something cost to make just because you paid a lot for what you want the remote for?
> 
> Do other universal remotes work with the WM1*? *FiiO puts out a nice little remote for 25 dollars.* Looks better made as well.


 
 Wonder if that remote Works with the WM1x


----------



## jamato8

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wonder if that remote Works with the WM1x


 

 I will find out. I will have it later today.


----------



## Stephen George

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wonder if that remote Works with the WM1x


 
  
  
   highly doubt it..have a bluetooth remote for the a&k and although it does recognize it..the buttons don't do anything


----------



## Stephen George

jamato8 said:


> So what if someone pays 3000 or 10,000 for something,
> 
> Do other universal remotes work with the WM1*? FiiO puts out a nice little remote for 25 dollars. Looks better made as well.


 
  
  
 they should have included it with the gold brick, as it is a must have accessory
  
 i have the iriver bc-01, it's larger and heavier (and was cheaper) and has more functions than the sony
  
 doesn't work though


----------



## Lavakugel

What settings did you enable on your 1a? If I'm right there are a lot in this device like direct mode and more.


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> What settings did you enable on your 1a? If I'm right there are a lot in this device like direct mode and more.


 

 ​Direct mode is a for-all-at-once switch to disable Sound processing such as EQ, DSEE, DC Phase linearizer etc, i leave source direct unless a record need really tweaking with EQ


----------



## ttt123

stephen george said:


> all my pennies went to the 1z !!
> 
> the remote is the tiniest piece of plastic, no way that cost more than a few bucks to manufacture, the rest is gouging
> 
> it is well designed though


 
 Can get it in HK for HK$438 (US$55) which is a little better than $65.  Even HK$438 I considered expensive, for a teeny remote.  I actually went looking to see if there was any other remote that would do,  Couldn't find anything, so bought the Sony remote.  
  
 Thinking about it some more, while it is not cheap, I cannot realistically judge the price as unreasonable.  We are used to cheap prices for everything, so judge this price by those standards.  If I can get a universal/learning infra red remote for HK100, why in the world is this little remote worth $438?  
  
 But think about it.  the cheap universal remote is made to sell globally, in large volume.  This allows the development, manufacturing, shipping, storing, marketing to be amortized over a large volume, over a longer period of time.  This Sony remote does not meet any of those conditions.  It is bluetooth, slightly more complex.  But the main cost driver is the fact that it is made only for the Sony WM1A/Z, and 1 or 2 of the other new walkmans.  So there is a very small market, with very small sales, to spread the cost out.  So the Sony walkman sales have to absorb all the costs of the remote.  
  
 From a marketing perspective, it probably does not make sense to build the remote, if profit is the only driver.  But if it is something that Sony is willing to spread the cost over future devices (which may or may not happen) and also if part of the driver for it is that the Sony developers think this is a neat thing, and want it, so they pushed for it's development, then I thank them, and will look at the cost differently than my original feeling that it was too expensive.
  
 For how it adds to the functionality/ease of use of the WM1x, I am happy with it and recommend it.  The small size and light weight works to make it easy to carry on an elastic strap around the wrist,  A bigger remote would be more cumbersome.  And I don't really want a large universal remote.  This small dedicated remote is pretty nice, and maybe the price is not that bad for a small manufacturing volume, dedicated use remote?
  
 BTW, I drilled 2 holes through the clip attachment so I could attach a strap through the clip bottom and the remote.  So it is now impossible for the clip to come off the remote controller body.   I had a worry of it coming loose while hanging on the strap.  Losing a $400 remote would make me quite upset.


----------



## jamato8

There is no R&D needed for the remote, the work has been done. So what investment is there? It does not cost much to do a run of 10 or 20 thousand units. Many companies have a huge mark-up on accessories because, they can. That doesn't mean it is justified for any reason except they figure there is exclusivity and people will buy it but they do not pay respect to their customers with this philosophy.


----------



## kms108

ttt123 said:


> stephen george said:
> 
> 
> > all my pennies went to the 1z !!
> ...


 

 Apparently toabao had many a whiles back for about HKD 335, but somehow they have disapeared from the face of the earth, I have only found a second hand one at HKD 211, but i'm sure they will be more showing up soon. On the otherhand I will be getting one from Japan during my visit.


----------



## kms108

jamato8 said:


> There is no R&D needed for the remote, the work has been done. So what investment is there? It does not cost much to do a run of 10 or 20 thousand units. Many companies have a huge mark-up on accessories because, they can. That doesn't mean it is justified for any reason except they figure there is exclusivity and people will buy it but they do not pay respect to their customers with this philosophy.


 

 There has always been R & D, maybe not for BT or functionality, but design and packaging, and sony has alway been a marked up company like many branded one's, look at all these hi-res players, apart from chinese branded one's costing really low, most known branded one's are priced over the top, even the WM1Z is over priced just like the AK.


----------



## bvng3540

kms108 said:


> There has always been R & D, maybe not for BT or functionality, but design and packaging, and sony has alway been a marked up company like many branded one's, look at all these hi-res players, apart from chinese branded one's costing really low, most known branded one's are priced over the top, even the WM1Z is over priced just like the AK.




Agreed with the price, but instead of getting the 1a they jump straight to 1z and then complain about spending too much


----------



## kms108

bvng3540 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > There has always been R & D, maybe not for BT or functionality, but design and packaging, and sony has alway been a marked up company like many branded one's, look at all these hi-res players, apart from chinese branded one's costing really low, most known branded one's are priced over the top, even the WM1Z is over priced just like the AK.
> ...


 

 What is the harm in spending a few more for the remote, if they already paid for the overpriced 1Z, this is also the case with cables and iem.
  
 If they think it's expensive, very simple, don't buy it, it's not a must buy, and no one is being forced to buy it.


----------



## Whitigir

Lol, to pay...or not to pay...why do people even debate about it ? I simply chose not to pay for it, I love touching and harassing my 1Z as much as possible


----------



## jamato8

kms108 said:


> There has always been R & D, maybe not for BT or functionality, but design and packaging, and sony has alway been a marked up company like many branded one's, look at all these hi-res players, apart from chinese branded one's costing really low, most known branded one's are priced over the top, even the WM1Z is over priced just like the AK.


 
 It is a cheap plastic remote. 
  


bvng3540 said:


> Agreed with the price, but instead of getting the 1a they jump straight to 1z and then complain about spending too much


 
 I got the WM1A first. I didn't care for the sound. I found it after 500 hours to still have a slightly digital edge and the timbre was a little off. Having read a lot about the 1Z, I tried it and still have it. It is more musical, IMO, has better timbre and better layering. Weighs a ton, almost so I had to get a wheeled cart for it but found one on sale for 25 dollars, 2 wheels  and made well. Much cheaper than the remote. lol


----------



## bvng3540

whitigir said:


> Lol, to pay...or not to pay...why do people even debate about it ? I simply chose not to pay for it, I love touching and harassing my 1Z as much as possible




Also what the purpose of the remote anyway, you DAP is right at your hand and the buttons are there for you to touch


----------



## ttt123

jamato8 said:


> There is no R&D needed for the remote, the work has been done. So what investment is there? It does not cost much to do a run of 10 or 20 thousand units. Many companies have a huge mark-up on accessories because, they can. That doesn't mean it is justified for any reason except they figure there is exclusivity and people will buy it but they do not pay respect to their customers with this philosophy.


 
 I do agree that  ridiculous prices happen too often, because there is a captive market.  I don't know if this remote falls into that category, as there are startup costs to make any new product, and it is not fair to look only at the parts cost.  That it could be done for cheaper, no doubt.  But then, why would a company do the work if they are only going to make a few dollars on a very small volume?  So the smaller the volume, the larger the markup needed.  Every company charges the highest price the market will bear.
  
 Apple is very guilty of this, making their iphone closed and massively overcharging for RAM. (among other things)  Yet I buy the iphone, for what it can do, so the ownership question depends upon whether the functionality and ease of use overrides the other irritants.  i.e. You get enough out of it that you put up with the rest.
  
 A more relevant point is why the Sony WM1x bluetooth does not conform to the bluetooth standard, and that way we could have used any BT controller.  But I believe Sony developers say that the Sony BT is specially tweaked for better sound?


----------



## kms108

Yes, I agree, just a cheap piece of plastic, made in china or malaysia, it's life, look how many pieces of plastic in the world that is sold very expensive.
  
 Quote:


jamato8 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > There has always been R & D, maybe not for BT or functionality, but design and packaging, and sony has alway been a marked up company like many branded one's, look at all these hi-res players, apart from chinese branded one's costing really low, most known branded one's are priced over the top, even the WM1Z is over priced just like the AK.
> ...


----------



## ttt123

bvng3540 said:


> Also what the purpose of the remote anyway, you DAP is right at your hand and the buttons are there for you to touch


 
 Very true, and I happily carried the ZX2 in my hand for 1-2 years, when I use it while commuting on the MTR,   I had no issues with using it that way, especially after I attached a ring to the back, so it was more secure and I stopped worrying about dropping it.
  
 With the WM1A, I started using it the same way, and that was fine.  But with the availability of the small BT remote, it made possible other options.  A belt pouch for the WM1X made it easier to carry, did not tie up one hand all the time, did not need to fumble to get the phone when a call came in, etc. ( I had the WM1A on a wrist strap for security, and that meant I had to remove the wrist strap each time I put it down, slopped out of the backpack, etc.)  
  
 Some people put it into their bag or backpack, and operate it via the remote.  Then there is another use, if you connect it to speakers at home, the BT remote then makes that setup more useful.
  
 So no, it is not a necessity.  But it has it's uses.


----------



## TenderTendon

whitigir said:


> Lol, to pay...or not to pay...why do people even debate about it ? I simply chose not to pay for it, I love touching and harassing my 1Z as much as possible


 

 Why are you harassing your player? What did it do to you that was so bad?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I love listening to mine sing to me beautiful melodies in Latin, Italian, German, English, etc and Play for me instrumental music


----------



## zardos

I prefer the feeling of cold, heavy metal in my hands, so neither sleeve nor remote for me.


----------



## gerelmx1986

zardos said:


> I prefer the feeling of cold, heavy metal in my hands, so neither sleeve nor remote for me.


 

 ​I want it just for being a Lazy boy


----------



## pCollins

gerelmx1986 said:


> which álbum is that?


 
  
 Arnesen: MAGNIFICAT 4. Et misericordia  Nidarosdomens jentekor & TrondheimSolistene    4:55
 From the Album MAGNIFICAT  (2L-106-SABD)
  
 You can download a sample DSD256 here for free:
 http://www.2l.no/hires/
  
 Patsy


----------



## Lavakugel

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Direct mode is a for-all-at-once switch to disable Sound processing such as EQ, DSEE, DC Phase linearizer etc, i leave source direct unless a record need really tweaking with EQ


 
 Shouldn't there be a improvement with DSEE etc. on?


----------



## Whitigir

lavakugel said:


> Shouldn't there be a improvement with DSEE etc. on?




It depends on you like it or you don't. For the first time, the WM1Z that I have does pretty good with these options. The EQ, the D.C. Phase, the DSEE effects, they sounds pretty clean and awesome to my opinion. If they don't distorts or bloated, they are good enough..... But they drain the battery like a hell lot.....direct mode when u need energy saving


----------



## Lavakugel

Is there a button in the UI to add songs to your favourites like in the fiio players?


----------



## Gosod

whitigir said:


> It depends on you like it or you don't. For the first time, the WM1Z that I have does pretty good with these options. The EQ, the D.C. Phase, the DSEE effects, they sounds pretty clean and awesome to my opinion. If they don't distorts or bloated, they are good enough..... But they drain the battery like a hell lot.....direct mode when u need energy saving


 
what genres of music you listen to on this player?


----------



## nc8000

I finally gave in. 1Z on the way ......


----------



## Gosod

nc8000 said:


> I finally gave in. 1Z on the way ......


 
why did you give up?


----------



## musicday

nc8000 said:


> I finally gave in. 1Z on the way ......[/quote
> Seeing you so active on this thread, getting one make sense
> How much did you paid?


----------



## nc8000

musicday said:


> nc8000 said:
> 
> 
> > I finally gave in. 1Z on the way ......[/quote
> ...


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> Is there a button in the UI to add songs to your favourites like in the fiio players?


the bookmark lists


----------



## Stephen George

nc8000 said:


> £2100 from Amazon warehouse. Seing the list price go up to £3000 I thought it was now or never. Just got a tidy sum back from last years taxes


 
 nice price!!
  
 that 'tidy sum' you lent your gov't interest free! (at least that's the way it works in the US)
  
 the goal should be to get nothing back, then you know they did not have your money to borrow for nothing back


----------



## Stephen George

whitigir said:


> It depends on you like it or you don't. For the first time, the WM1Z that I have does pretty good with these options. The EQ, the D.C. Phase, the DSEE effects, they sounds pretty clean and awesome to my opinion. If they don't distorts or bloated, they are good enough..... But they drain the battery like a hell lot.....direct mode when u need energy saving


 
  
 i kill BT if not being used
  
 battery life is pretty decent, although not a 'power listener'


----------



## Stephen George

jamato8 said:


> There is no R&D needed for the remote, the work has been done. So what investment is there? It does not cost much to do a run of 10 or 20 thousand units. Many companies have a huge mark-up on accessories because, they can. That doesn't mean it is justified for any reason except they figure there is exclusivity and people will buy it but they do not pay respect to their customers with this philosophy.


 
 sony is the master at sucking the dollars from us (since the original walkman cassette!!)
  
 i give them credit though, some of the products they have designed (like the 1z) are very desirable


----------



## blazinblazin

tangents said:


> How do you like the Leonidas? Is it bright?







soundkist said:


> Cool, thanks very kindly for the early impressions; looking forward to hearing what you think of the Leo down the road after you've had some time with it.




At first when i use Leonidas.
It sounds sharp and vocal is recessed. The room feel from the Kimber Kable i got was somehow gone.

So i ran the cable with player non-stop for probably 12hrs. Now probably including play time, Probably 20+hrs.
The room ambience sound came back. Vocal not recess anymore.

Leonidas comparing to Kimber.

Kimber sounds like a small narrow room while Leonidas was a bigger room.

Leonidas definately better highs.

Leonidas more power and speed.

Leonidas better clarity and details.

Sharper imaging.


----------



## Mimouille

blazinblazin said:


> At first when i use Leonidas.
> It sounds sharp and vocal is recessed. The room feel from the Kimber Kable i got was somehow gone.
> 
> So i ran the cable with player non-stop for probably 12hrs. Now probably including play time, Probably 20+hrs.
> ...


So the cable improved everything! But only after burn in of course...who is to say how much better the cable can get after even longer!


----------



## blazinblazin

Cables do deteriorate.

Like the logic of why your handphone's charger, charge slower after a period of use. 

After a fresh change of usb cable it charge faster again.


----------



## bvng3540

blazinblazin said:


> Cables do deteriorate.
> 
> Like the logic of why your handphone's charger, charge slower after a period of use.
> 
> After a fresh change of usb cable it charge faster again.




Do you have scientific prove on this theory, because I been using the same cable to charged all my apple devices for over 2.5 years and it takes same time from new till now


----------



## NoMythsAudio

blazinblazin said:


> Cables do deteriorate.
> 
> Like the logic of why your handphone's charger, charge slower after a period of use.
> 
> After a fresh change of usb cable it charge faster again.


 
 The amount of loaded bull on Head-Fi is astounding. Makes me want to even get out of this hobby. Without scientific backing there seem to be a new World order now that allow people to make self-belief categorical statements and pass it on as facts.
 Sad. Really.
 Same logic I've never understood about buying a $1500 headphone and then spending another $400 to upgrade the cable and a $900 DAC just for synergy!! Good Lord. I do not mean to offend anybody, it just seem so irresponsible to continue to allow people to sprout these kind of fantasy. But then, who am I. It's ok for any gullible low self esteem person to follow these prophets and bankrupt themselves, if they choose.
 As for me, I believe in common sense.
 If a $1500 headphone needs an upgrade $400 cable, I have enough brains to stay away from that product.
 And charger cable deteriorating? That's a new fantasy to me. Thought I've heard them all.


----------



## asquare3376

nomythsaudio said:


> The amount of loaded bull on Head-Fi is astounding. Without scientific backing there seem to be a new World order now that allow people to make self-belief categorical statements and pass it on as facts.
> And charger cable deteriorating? That's a new fantasy to me. Thought I've heard them all.



Hahahaha, absolutely love this post


----------



## Mimouille

blazinblazin said:


> Cables do deteriorate.
> 
> Like the logic of why your handphone's charger, charge slower after a period of use.
> 
> After a fresh change of usb cable it charge faster again.


Do you mean that after 20 hours, the molecular structure of the cable is altered? I would not recommend using it any longer, who knows what future metal mutations might bring. Maybe it will become another metal altogether.


----------



## mscott58

blazinblazin said:


> Cables do deteriorate.
> 
> Like the logic of why your handphone's charger, charge slower after a period of use.
> 
> After a fresh change of usb cable it charge faster again.


 

 Corrosion due to exposure to salty sea-air? Sure.

Overloading with excessive current far beyond specs (or lightning strike)? Definitely. 

Excessive physical stresses (e.g. bending too far too often)? Yep. 

Deterioration during normal flow of electrons within spec during the lifetime of a current-day device? Nope. 

Cheers


----------



## TenderTendon

blazinblazin said:


> Cables do deteriorate.
> 
> Like the logic of why your handphone's charger, charge slower after a period of use.
> 
> After a fresh change of usb cable it charge faster again.


 

 That reminds me... I have to stock up on fresh cables.


----------



## asquare3376

purk said:


> Sony is in a position to price their new flagship at $1500 and eliminating all "off-brand" all together.  Why not do that and take back all of their market share?  Pricing their new flagship DAP $3000 will do more harm than good.  I'm one of Sony biggest fan and I refuse to buy any DAP at that price.


 
  
 But you did end up buying the WM1Z? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 Hahaha, my eyes (& ears) are on the WM1A


----------



## purk

asquare3376 said:


> But you did end up buying the WM1Z?
> Hahaha, my eyes (& ears) are on the WM1A




Very true but I didn't but it at that price so my purchase is justify. Seriously tho, the 1z is mightily impressive. I would love to try the 1A myself.


----------



## soundblast75

tendertendon said:


> What is the best way to contact Sony regarding these players? I mean someone that will actually listen to the concerns of their Signature Series customers. The WM1A and WM1Z are fantastic players, but they still fall short in some areas. Some simple firmware fixes I would like to see:
> 
> 1) Search function added.
> 2) Ability to add/delete Saved Sound Settings and to be able to edit the names of those saved sounds (like the AK players)
> ...



+1, great idea, lets all join and send them feedback and requests


----------



## PrinceOfEgypt

nomythsaudio said:


> The amount of loaded bull on Head-Fi is astounding. Makes me want to even get out of this hobby. Without scientific backing there seem to be a new World order now that allow people to make self-belief categorical statements and pass it on as facts.
> Sad. Really.
> Same logic I've never understood about buying a $1500 headphone and then spending another $400 to upgrade the cable and a $900 DAC just for synergy!! Good Lord. I do not mean to offend anybody, it just seem so irresponsible to continue to allow people to sprout these kind of fantasy. But then, who am I. It's ok for any gullible low self esteem person to follow these prophets and bankrupt themselves, if they choose.
> As for me, I believe in common sense.
> ...


 
 Totally agree all this audiophile bs is just that bs...and the mugs are the people spending crazy amounts of money thinking they are getting the best sq...its all marketing nonsense...


----------



## Duncan

princeofegypt said:


> Totally agree all this audiophile bs is just that bs...and the mugs are the people spending crazy amounts of money thinking they are getting the best sq...its all marketing nonsense...


How is it any different to people who do aftermarket tuning on their cars?

Not saying one is right and one isn't, but - it is what happens when you get to a certain level...

I've probably missed the post / point somewhere, but I'm guessing that this is a question as to whether it is better to buy the WM1Z and XYZ head[phone, vs getting ABC headphone, and bolting parts on up to the equivalent monetary value of the WM1Z - in which case, I would personally (knowing Sony's pedigree of getting things nearly right, but - missing the ball) - go the Frankenstein route.


----------



## proedros

i am really undecided on whether i should get wm1a, dx200 or idsd micro BL (for use with my 2-sd card slots DX80).....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 apparently(at least this is what people who owned them and have the experience think)  dx200 sounds 'better' than 1a and idsd bl sounds as good as dx200
  
 wm1a has the better battery , but idsd bl costs hald as much as 1a/dx200

 choices....


----------



## kms108

proedros said:


> i am really undecided on whether i should get wm1a, dx200 or idsd micro BL (for use with my 2-sd card slots DX80).....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Buy all.


----------



## CraftyClown

duncan said:


> How is it any different to people who do aftermarket tuning on their cars?
> 
> Not saying one is right and one isn't, but - it is what happens when you get to a certain level...
> 
> I've probably missed the post / point somewhere, but I'm guessing that this is a question as to whether it is better to buy the WM1Z and XYZ head[phone, vs getting ABC headphone, and bolting parts on up to the equivalent monetary value of the WM1Z - in which case, I would personally (knowing Sony's pedigree of getting things nearly right, but - missing the ball) - go the Frankenstein route.




Hey Duncan, 

The posts they are referring to were stating the need to replace both headphone and USB cables over time, as apparently they deteriorate! 

In my humble opinion, yes this is yet more audiophile BS. Sadly these crazy ideas are becoming more and more widespread on these forums, yet it seems perfectly ok to make these statements without any evidence or qualification. Those of us that do question these magical ideas seem to be either ridiculed and told our hearing isn't good enough to hear the differences, or have our posts removed as apparently questioning this nonsense is argumentative and off topic. 

The sound science sub forum seems to be the only place where common sense still prevails


----------



## gsiu33

Are you referring to Silver Poison OCC Cryo Silver Earphone cable?


----------



## gsiu33

whitigir said:


> All over the places , try Toxic cables diy supplies for example




Are you referring to Silver Poison OCC Cryo Silver Earphone cable?


----------



## Duncan

craftyclown said:


> Hey Duncan,
> 
> The posts they are referring to were stating the need to replace both headphone and USB cables over time, as apparently they deteriorate!
> 
> ...


Hey CraftyClown - Thanks for setting me straight - yes, agreed - I have cables that are older than the median age of the group here that are still performing perfectly fine... 

I do believe that there is a whole lot of hocus pocus creeping in from time to time, but - placebo is as powerful as any addiction out there, and - no matter how many times you tell someone the sky is blue, if they see it as red, they'll tell you it is.

However - before I breach the rules that I am supposed to be enforcing - back to the Sony players...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Cables can break if bent too tight repeatdly, copper can oxidize over-time and Green rust appears, the plastic cover deteriorates over time, it cracks and you get shocked


----------



## Dithyrambes

proedros,
  
 just get a wm1a and listen via balanced. i haven't heard the dx200, but i did read in twister's review that its like the Idsd black label. I actually do not hold the idsd bl in high regard, as I think it performs worse than a Geekout v2+ infinity. I enjoy my sony more than my GOV2+. It also depends on your genre, but I like the sony over the idsd bl esp in the treble region.


----------



## TenderTendon

duncan said:


> How is it any different to people who do aftermarket tuning on their cars?


 
 It is different in the fact that people tuning their cars use objective data, whether it be dynamometer measurements, race track results, etc. to back up any claims made and to justify the purchase or labor. If someone were to claim that an aftermarket cable made an improvement in a certain area, then backed up that claim with measured data, I would be all ears and interested. That never happens though. It's always just a bunch of superlatives that do nothing but confuse. I have read someone claim that a cable provided a more pronounced "airy halo". What in the world is an "airy halo"?


----------



## Duncan

tendertendon said:


> It is different in the fact that people tuning their cars use objective data, whether it be dynamometer measurements, race track results, etc. to back up any claims made and to justify the purchase or labor. If someone were to claim that an aftermarket cable made an improvement in a certain area, then backed up that claim with measured data, I would be all ears and interested. That never happens though. It's always just a bunch of superlatives that do nothing but confuse. I have read someone claim that a cable provided a more pronounced "airy halo". What in the world is an "airy halo"?


Hi...

You will of seen from the rest of the post you quoted, that I was going down a different tangent (not cable related) - This was corrected in the following posts 

Must grab an audition of the WM1Z - Wonder if there are any out in the wild in the UK that I can grab a demn of...


----------



## rushofblood

So, CanJam Singapore was a blast...
  
 Had the privilege of speaking to Sato-san and Yoshioka-san, two of the lead engineers for the WM1 project. I've passed some of your requests on to them for a search feature and they did mention that a new firmware update is coming in a few weeks to address the Artist page bug the latest update introduced. Also, for those requesting for configurable Sound Setting presets, they highlighted to me that it's already in the firmware - when you guys are in the sound settings page, just hit the bottom right Settings button and there you go.
  
 On a more interesting note, a friend and I convinced them to open our players to install the Telos Quantum Sticker mod as they were curious about its effects as well, and their faces were priceless when our players were reassembled and they had a chance to A/B the modded players against the show demos they had brought - the engineers expressed surprise at how the bass had gained texture and the soundstage had increased. To say I'm pleased with the result of this honestly incredibly snake oil-ish tweak would be an understatement.


----------



## nanaholic

jamato8 said:


> There is no R&D needed for the remote, the work has been done. So what investment is there? It does not cost much to do a run of 10 or 20 thousand units. Many companies have a huge mark-up on accessories because, they can. That doesn't mean it is justified for any reason except they figure there is exclusivity and people will buy it but they do not pay respect to their customers with this philosophy.


 
  
 For injection mold plastic, each piece requires making it's own mold/cast - those molds are QUITE expensive, at least 20 thousand Ks per part of the device, especially if you don't make a lot of them then each piece's sales price has to go up to recover the cost of the mold.  For example the remote has something like 10 unique pieces - that's 200k just for the molds roughly, not including materials. If you only make 5000 units, then 60 dollars would not even cover the cost of the manufacturing of the entire remote! Also the cast has life expectancy etc and will not be usable after a certain amount. On the other hand if you make too much such that it becomes dead stock you also LOSE money - that's the reality of a small batch of manufacturing.  
  
 The work has NOT been done. Manufacturing is not that simple.


----------



## gerelmx1986

rushofblood said:


> So, CanJam Singapore was a blast...
> 
> Had the privilege of speaking to Sato-san and Yoshioka-san, two of the lead engineers for the WM1 project. I've passed some of your requests on to them for a search feature and they did mention that a new firmware update is coming in a few weeks to address the Artist page bug the latest update introduced. Also, for those requesting for configurable Sound Setting presets, they highlighted to me that it's already in the firmware - when you guys are in the sound settings page, just hit the bottom right Settings button and there you go.
> 
> On a more interesting note, a friend and I convinced them to open our players to install the Telos Quantum Sticker mod as they were curious about its effects as well, and their faces were priceless when our players were reassembled and they had a chance to A/B the modded players against the show demos they had brought - the engineers expressed surprise at how the bass had gained texture and the soundstage had increased. To say I'm pleased with the result of this honestly incredibly snake oil-ish tweak would be an underst


 
 So i can put a Hi-res audio sticker on it and it will be better


----------



## gearofwar

rushofblood said:


> So, CanJam Singapore was a blast...
> 
> Had the privilege of speaking to Sato-san and Yoshioka-san, two of the lead engineers for the WM1 project. I've passed some of your requests on to them for a search feature and they did mention that a new firmware update is coming in a few weeks to address the Artist page bug the latest update introduced. Also, for those requesting for configurable Sound Setting presets, they highlighted to me that it's already in the firmware - when you guys are in the sound settings page, just hit the bottom right Settings button and there you go.
> 
> ...


 
 Nice. Next off, modify internal wirings.


----------



## TenderTendon

rushofblood said:


> Also, for those requesting for configurable Sound Setting presets, they highlighted to me that it's already in the firmware - when you guys are in the sound settings page, just hit the bottom right Settings button and there you go.


 
 Yes, sound setting presets are there, but there are only 3 of them and you can't add more. Also, you cannot change the name of the saved sound setting. It would be nice to change it from "Saved Sound Setting 1" to "HD800S", for example. I have saved settings for 3 of my phones and would like to add more. It's hard to remember which saved settings are for which phones. The AK players implement this feature very well.


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> So i can put a Hi-res audio sticker on it and it will be better


 

 Better yet, put the sticker on your forehead. That way ALL of your equipment will sound better and everyone will know you are a true Audiophile.


----------



## Rei87

rushofblood said:


> So, CanJam Singapore was a blast...
> 
> 
> Had the privilege of speaking to Sato-san and Yoshioka-san, two of the lead engineers for the WM1 project. I've passed some of your requests on to them for a search feature and they did mention that a new firmware update is coming in a few weeks to address the Artist page bug the latest update introduced. Also, for those requesting for configurable Sound Setting presets, they highlighted to me that it's already in the firmware - when you guys are in the sound settings page, just hit the bottom right Settings button and there you go.
> ...




Wait, so you managed to convince the sony engineers to open your player to test the stickers?


----------



## Dithyrambes

The snake oil is strong in this thread Lol. 100 dollar stickers and thousand dollar cables. Lol. people have too much money to throw away. The whole cable industry is bonkers. Yeah ok you use gold and silver then you braid it......and you overcharge.
  
 I would understand if they were like cello strings, where they have to test and try different materials because they actually sound different and the material has to physically vibrate. Even with Gold plated silver strings, they don't reach those prices. Plus they have to be hand wound and be consistent. The amount of work that goes into a headphone cable is much lesss unless its like kimber kable 16 braided, but then again, why would you need 16 braids when at the end of the day, you only need 2 for each channel for fully balanced.
  
 Yeah unless you send a meltdown signal that actually melts the cable....lol snake oil of cable deterioration...jesus christ, I can't even phanthom how you get yourself to eat that belief. 
  
 That sticker mod.....jesus christ..........if you are gonna share at least be reasonable Lol.


----------



## jamato8

nanaholic said:


> For injection mold plastic, each piece requires making it's own mold/cast - those molds are QUITE expensive, at least 20 thousand Ks per part of the device, especially if you don't make a lot of them then each piece's sales price has to go up to recover the cost of the mold.  For example the remote has something like 10 unique pieces - that's 200k just for the molds roughly, not including materials. If you only make 5000 units, then 60 dollars would not even cover the cost of the manufacturing of the entire remote! Also the cast has life expectancy etc and will not be usable after a certain amount. On the other hand if you make too much such that it becomes dead stock you also LOSE money - that's the reality of a small batch of manufacturing.
> 
> The work has NOT been done. Manufacturing is not that simple.


 
 Don't tell FiiO that their remote selling for 25 dollars retail should be 80 or more. :^) And it comes with accessories.


----------



## gerelmx1986

jamato8 said:


> Don't tell FiiO that their remote selling for 25 dollars retail should be 80 or more. :^) And it comes with accessories.


 
 did it work?


----------



## jamato8

gerelmx1986 said:


> did it work?


 

 No. Apparently Sony has made the frequency proprietary or the pairing different. There is no reason though for the remote to cost so much. Once a circuit board is done it is very straightforward. FiiO even uses a nice aluminum housing that has a better feel and a better quality appearance. I have an iRiver remote here that cost around 30 dollars that is like the Sony but the pairing is different because it won't work either but it has all the molding buttons, etc that the Sony does and was 50 dollars less.


----------



## jamato8

rushofblood said:


> So, CanJam Singapore was a blast...
> 
> Had the privilege of speaking to Sato-san and Yoshioka-san, two of the lead engineers for the WM1 project. I've passed some of your requests on to them for a search feature and they did mention that a new firmware update is coming in a few weeks to address the Artist page bug the latest update introduced. Also, for those requesting for configurable Sound Setting presets, they highlighted to me that it's already in the firmware - when you guys are in the sound settings page, just hit the bottom right Settings button and there you go.
> 
> On a more interesting note, a friend and I convinced them to open our players to install the Telos Quantum Sticker mod as they were curious about its effects as well, and their faces were priceless when our players were reassembled and they had a chance to A/B the modded players against the show demos they had brought - the engineers expressed surprise at how the bass had gained texture and the soundstage had increased. To say I'm pleased with the result of this honestly incredibly snake oil-ish tweak would be an understatement.


 

 What do they do to open the back? What do the stickers do? Do they electrically hook into something?


----------



## gerelmx1986

jamato8 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > did it work?
> ...


 

 ​Thanks, too bad it didn't work, for the Price it would be a bargainf  had it workd
  
 The stickers supposedly they emit infrared radiation and negative Ion charges to eliminate static charges
  
 To open the back they might have heated a bit witha heat gun and then with a plastic spatula lifted the Leather grip, i did this to peel off my zx100 back rubber grip (it's glued)


----------



## mscott58

From their website (http://www.telos-audio.com.tw/pd_new.html):

"Quantum X2 material formula was initially used for medical purposes and in manufacturing of semi conductor. This was then channeled into TELOS product design after Jeff Lin’s years of experimentation and manufacturing of products.
From the mass amount of Quantum X2 users’ experiences on their Hifi system feedbacks gathered; “the cleanliness and transparency of the signals have immediately achieve a big difference”. This is because any audio system which uses electricity are affected by electrostatic charge and the traditional methods for removing electrostatic charge were electrical grounding route planning with positive and negative ions generator and adverse electrostatic charge; an example will be static fan and negative ion generator.

Quantum X2 products actively produce energy to stimulate the electronic components. Once powered up, Quantum X2 resonance will be delivered to the rest of the audio equipment via current and optimizes the entire audio system’s electron and proton characteristic. Every Quantum X2 applied on the signal transmission path of audio equipment and cables produces 75cpm of far-infrared radiation and high density negative ions to further eliminate electrostatic charge within the audio equipment. The far-infrared and negative ions energy spread throughout the entire system via the signal transmission path improves music playback atmosphere, soundstage, timbre, dynamics and musical fidelity to a certain standard.

Every Quantum X2 stickers contains patented formula infra-red powder (which undergoes 36 hours of cryogenic process at -196oC), patented formula negative ion powder, titanium dioxide photocatalyst materials, silica wafer insulation coating material, pentoxide antistatic agent material, calcium oxide CAO desiccant material, zironia filter material and alumina structural ceramic material.
Official test reports from SGS proves that Quantum X2 exclusive formula is not harmful to humans as it is unleaded and free from highly polluted elements."


I am just speechless...


----------



## TenderTendon

mscott58 said:


> From their website (http://www.telos-audio.com.tw/pd_new.html):
> 
> "Quantum X2 material formula was initially used for medical purposes and in manufacturing of semi conductor. This was then channeled into TELOS product design after Jeff Lin’s years of experimentation and manufacturing of products.
> From the mass amount of Quantum X2 users’ experiences on their Hifi system feedbacks gathered; “the cleanliness and transparency of the signals have immediately achieve a big difference”. This is because any audio system which uses electricity are affected by electrostatic charge and the traditional methods for removing electrostatic charge were electrical grounding route planning with positive and negative ions generator and adverse electrostatic charge; an example will be static fan and negative ion generator.
> ...


 

 What's most interesting is the fact that "Official test reports" prove that they are not harmful to humans. Where are the "Official test reports" that prove these little stickers affect the sound in any way? I guess what is most important is to know that you can eat them and not get sick... Also, if these stickers were actually able to have any effect on an electronic component (e.g. change the value of an inductor),  it would most likely have a NEGATIVE effect on the sound quality, by moving that component outside of it's design tolerance... My daughter has some old Hello Kitty stickers that probably have lead paint on them. I'm going to cover my 1Z with them to keep EMF radiation from messing with my players mojo.


----------



## zardos

Lol


----------



## jamato8

tendertendon said:


> What's most interesting is the fact that "Official test reports" prove that they are not harmful to humans. Where are the "Official test reports" that prove these little stickers affect the sound in any way? I guess what is most important is to know that you can eat them and not get sick...


 

 I guess the real test is, once they pass, can you still use them?


----------



## TenderTendon

jamato8 said:


> I guess the real test is, once they pass, can you still use them?


 

 If you can find them...


----------



## zardos

Have you a good flight into unlimited placebo land.


----------



## mscott58

tendertendon said:


> If you can find them...




Maybe that's why they offer them in both red and blue?


----------



## musicday

If people after applying the stickers hear a difference good for them.
Probably they work 
But we need more evidence on that.


----------



## TenderTendon

mscott58 said:


> Maybe that's why they offer them in both red and blue?


 

 And not brown.


----------



## mscott58

tendertendon said:


> And not brown.



 


Exactly. 

And one of my main complaints about these types of "innovations" is that you would seem to have to believe that this technology has somehow found its way to the world of audiophilia without it causing a stir in any more mainstream applications with much great commercial potential. Super high precision resistors, high grade capacitors, dampening materials, isolation transformers, etc. are all things that are actually used in other places, such as scientific instruments and circuitry. But no, we in the world of high end audio are the first to know about this new "quantum" technology. And I've taken quantum mechanics at university and can tell you that it's very likely that some people are more accepting of this stuff because they have no idea what quantum mechanics actually is. I bet that Schrodinger's Cat is spinning half-dead in his grave...


----------



## nanaholic

jamato8 said:


> Don't tell FiiO that their remote selling for 25 dollars retail should be 80 or more. :^) And it comes with accessories.


 
  
 Just from the photos the quality of the plastic is different - the Sony uses two-tone molding for the face plate (a transparent layer over a solid layer), which is also more expensive because it is more complicated to do. Also the Sony has accessories too. The two aren't comparable.
  
 The Sony remote assembly is over-designed, like many things Sony makes, hence the price difference and that's what you are paying for. Again, just look at the front of the Sony remote which has 3 buttons - that's 3 different casts/molds already, the Fiio has 1 giant button.  Complexity is what led to higher cost.


----------



## asquare3376

@TSAVJason - Any idea when can we try out a WM1A? I am losing patience, which may lead me to get the WM1Z and I really want to avoid that, considering the funds at disposal


----------



## vtkc

There are lots of things that are hard to quantify scientifically but are true to our ears. For example, how do you scientifically measure sound stage? How do you scientifically measure the dynamics? All these are not really quantifiable explicitly by using scientific methods but almost all of us are able to perceive such changes. So I suggest that such things are nonsense, try them out yourself then conclude whether if they are working. Audio world have full of snake oils that are unable to be proved but they works, hence I recommend everyone to keep an open mind to all of the stuff and try them out then make your own conclusion.


----------



## Mmet

rushofblood said:


> So, CanJam Singapore was a blast...
> 
> Had the privilege of speaking to Sato-san and Yoshioka-san, two of the lead engineers for the WM1 project. I've passed some of your requests on to them for a search feature and they did mention that a new firmware update is coming in a few weeks to address the Artist page bug the latest update introduced. Also, for those requesting for configurable Sound Setting presets, they highlighted to me that it's already in the firmware - when you guys are in the sound settings page, just hit the bottom right Settings button and there you go.
> 
> On a more interesting note, a friend and I convinced them to open our players to install the Telos Quantum Sticker mod as they were curious about its effects as well, and their faces were priceless when our players were reassembled and they had a chance to A/B the modded players against the show demos they had brought - the engineers expressed surprise at how the bass had gained texture and the soundstage had increased. To say I'm pleased with the result of this honestly incredibly snake oil-ish tweak would be an understatement.


 
 i don't know about them but this reminds me of something !!


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> @TSAVJason
> - Any idea when can we try out a WM1A? I am losing patience, which may lead me to get the WM1Z and I really want to avoid that, considering the funds at disposal


 Man I cringe at the question of when with Sony. They said the end of March .....if that doesnt happen just please remember I'm only the messenger


----------



## asquare3376

tsavjason said:


> Man I cringe at the question of when with Sony. They said the end of March .....if that doesnt happen just please remember I'm only the messenger


 
 I understand. WM1A is available everywhere except in the USA (officially). Well, Amazon USA prime has it for over 2 months now and they are actually giving out a seller's warranty on the product for 12 months. Sad to see that the customers wants it but the manufacturer doesn't seem to bother much... what a conundrum! Hope end of March is the end of the wait time ...


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> I understand. WM1A is available everywhere except in the USA (officially). Well, Amazon USA prime has it for over 2 months now and they are actually giving out a seller's warranty on the product for 12 months. Sad to see that the customers wants it but the manufacturer doesn't seem to bother much... what a conundrum! Hope end of March is the end of the wait time ...


 Amazon NA had the Z1R, ES amp and the 1Z on their site at one point in time. The 1A is a part of Signature Series so it's likely not going to be there either and eventually removed. Buying elsewhere just requires being real careful as to which version it is and if dealing with offshore warranty. If you do your homework it is one option.


----------



## Rei87

mscott58 said:


> tendertendon said:
> 
> 
> > And not brown.
> ...




Exactly....I totally agree that such unscientific and hardly tested improvements have no place in this hobby. It really goes to show that the sony team behind the 1A and 1Z you guys bought, and are using, have clearly lost their marbles for even thinking that they perceived a difference after listening to the stickers.


----------



## Mimouille

vtkc said:


>


 
 Yeah, it is just like global warming. The scientist are telling me about it, but I still feel cold ! So I think everyone should trust their own experience. Science has its limits, plus it is really killing the creativity of the marketing department !


----------



## Mimouille

rei87 said:


> Exactly....I totally agree that such unscientific and hardly tested improvements have no place in this hobby. It really goes to show that the sony team behind the 1A and 1Z you guys bought, and are using, have clearly lost their marbles for even thinking that they perceived a difference after listening to the stickers.


 
 You mean as reported by an unbiased party?


----------



## Rei87

mimouille said:


> You mean as reported by an unbiased party?




Or, we could assume, as you are implying, that said original poster has no integrity and made up the entire post, even the part of the sony engineers opening up and trying the tweaked units...

On my part, i however, am more interested in enjoying my new dita dream, which sounds heavenly out of the 1Z. I don't want anything to do with these snake oil that the sony engineers seem surprised about.


----------



## Mimouille

rei87 said:


> Or, we could assume, as you are implying, that said original poster has no integrity and made up the entire post, even the part of the sony engineers opening up and trying the tweaked units...
> 
> On my part, i however, am more interested in enjoying my new dita dream, which sounds heavenly out of the 1Z. I don't want anything to do with these snake oil that the sony engineers seem surprised about.


 
 Then I wish you all the enjoyment your equipment brings.


----------



## Rei87

mimouille said:


> Then I wish you all the enjoyment your equipment brings.



I hope you get to purchase it soon too. I was initially rather unimpressed with it on the CU, but the dream emerged in the 1Z. I now see why the dita team stands behind the 1Z, and uses that as their demo unit. 

They, said that to them, rhe 1Z is hands down the best player they have heard. That said, they took much issue with the fact that the performance plummets too significantly behind reasonable limits on the the 3.5 as when compared to the balance...

But i digress, pls go back to the original topic...


----------



## Mimouille

rei87 said:


> I hope you get to purchase it soon too. I was initially rather unimpressed with it on the CU, but the dream emerged in the 1Z. I now see why the dita team stands behind the 1Z, and uses that as their demo unit.
> 
> They, said that to them, rhe 1Z is hands down the best player they have heard. That said, they took much issue with the fact that the performance plummets too significantly behind reasonable limits on the the 3.5 as when compared to the balance...
> 
> But i digress, pls go back to the original topic...


 
 Thanks for the feedback. I was initially very interested in the Dream as all I am missing is a good dynamic driver. Some feedbacks on the Dream had it very reference / a bit dry. I was looking at Vega, but it is apparently quite bassy, Xelento (I was none too impressed with the AK version), and the RE2000.
  
 But if you say the Dream pairs very well with the 1Z then  I am interested still.


----------



## rushofblood

Hahah...I knew this would cause a stir. 
  
 In speaking to the Sony engineers, they made it very clear to me that in the design of the players, the gold plated copper chassis of the WM1Z is a huge contributing factor (due to its grounding properties) to the sonic difference between the 1A and 1Z, which I know some here think is absolute ******** too. Trying the other copper chassis DAPs at the show (especially Cypherus Audio's Copper DAP against the standard one) cemented their opinion in my experience with the 1Z and other similar players. So perhaps the Sony engineers are indeed drinking the kool aid too. Haha. They heard a difference and immediately went to document every little tweak we put in the players, so if the next generation players end up having weird stickers on the caps I will be utterly amused...


----------



## rushofblood

And re: the Dream, my god the pairing with the 1Z is glorious. If only I were less broke...


----------



## RobertP

mscott58 said:


> xiayizju said:
> 
> 
> > Hi,
> ...



Nice info thanks! Just ordered nw-wm1a


----------



## Sound Eq

mmet said:


> i don't know about them but this reminds me of something !!


 
 well I know I saw this sticker being mentioned in other threads, well to me I find no harm in trying it
  
 the question is where to place the stickers in a dap as a general rules of thumps as I do not have the wm1a or wm1z
  
 i would like to try it on a cheap dap like fiio first


----------



## kms108

nanaholic said:


> jamato8 said:
> 
> 
> > Don't tell FiiO that their remote selling for 25 dollars retail should be 80 or more. :^) And it comes with accessories.
> ...


 

 There is no point in arguing, all he think is, it's a small plastic piece that should only cost a few dollars, he doesn't think about the overhead cost in making the product.


----------



## kms108

sound eq said:


> mmet said:
> 
> 
> > i don't know about them but this reminds me of something !!
> ...


 

 I don't think the product justify the cost, there is no report, but I can admit, if those stickers do have a circuit within to reduce unwanted electric spikes etc, they can make a difference, but not much, and to most might not even noticeable for most people, and using it voids the warranty.


----------



## Sound Eq

kms108 said:


> I don't think the product justify the cost, there is no report, but I can admit, if those stickers do have a circuit within to reduce unwanted electric spikes etc, they can make a difference, but not much, and to most might not even noticeable for most people, and using it voids the warranty.


 
 how much r those stickers sold for


----------



## nc8000

sound eq said:


> how much r those stickers sold for




$100 I think


----------



## rushofblood

sound eq said:


> well I know I saw this sticker being mentioned in other threads, well to me I find no harm in trying it
> 
> the question is where to place the stickers in a dap as a general rules of thumps as I do not have the wm1a or wm1z
> 
> i would like to try it on a cheap dap like fiio first


 
 On electrical components like the DACs, opamps and capacitors.
  


nc8000 said:


> $100 I think


 
 Per box, yeah. They're 7.50 SGD per piece here in Singapore.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Is OK to clean the touchscreen with lens-cleaning fluid (for eyeglasses)?


----------



## Hydrored

Decided to take the plunge and ordered a NW-WM1Z and ALO reference cable, will be here on Thursday.


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> Is OK to clean the touchscreen with lens-cleaning fluid (for eyeglasses)?


 

 Lint free cloth is all you need, if you the WM1X has special coating on the glass screen the fluid will mess it up.


----------



## TenderTendon

rushofblood said:


> On electrical components like the DACs, opamps and capacitors.
> 
> Per box, yeah. They're 7.50 SGD per piece here in Singapore.


 
 Let's not forget HDMI cables. You want a better TV picture too, don't you? Better buy 2 boxes.


----------



## Jalo

rushofblood said:


> On electrical components like the DACs, opamps and capacitors.
> 
> Per box, yeah. They're 7.50 SGD per piece here in Singapore.




I just wanted to point out another piece of fact. If anyone is familiar with ANY drug research at all, you will know the difference of therapeutic effect between real drug and sugar pill (placebo) is never 100% vs. 0%. It is always something like 70% (because even with real drug it is not always 100% effective with any condition) vs 30% (for placebo). In other words, placebo effect actually can account for 10 to 30% easily in most conditions. And most of you know how much it costs to even get the last ten percent in any hifi equipment, dap, cable, amp, headphone etc. so for a few dollars for the stickers regardless whether it really works or not, you can buy easily 10% or more placebo effect I think it is a no brainer if someone believes in it and want to try. Why destroy their hope, besides it may really works, right


----------



## TenderTendon

jalo said:


> I just wanted to point out another piece of fact. If anyone is familiar with ANY drug research at all, you will know the difference of therapeutic effect between real drug and sugar pill (placebo) is never 100% vs. 0%. It is always something like 70% (because even with real drug it is not always 100% effective with any condition) vs 30% (for placebo). In other words, placebo effect actually can account for 10 to 30% easily in most conditions. And most of you know how much it costs to even get the last ten percent in any hifi equipment, dap, cable, amp, headphone etc. so for a few dollars for the stickers regardless whether it really works or not, you can buy easily 10% or more placebo effect I think it is a no brainer if someone believes in it and want to try. Why destroy their hope, besides it may really works, right


 

 That is a fair statement, but I feel it is irresponsible to recommend that people spend their hard earned money on something that results in a placebo effect. It's also important to note that the people recommending the use of these stickers make no mention of the fact that you will have to open up your equipment to install them, which will void any warranty you may have. That is also very irresponsible.


----------



## Rei87

tendertendon said:


> That is a fair statement, but I feel it is irresponsible to recommend that people spend their hard earned money on something that results in a placebo effect. It's also important to note that the people recommending the use of these stickers make no mention of the fact that you will have to open up your equipment to install them, which will void any warranty you may have. That is also very irresponsible.




Agreed. The mods should start penalizing and deleting all mod guides/teardown pics here which don't carry a disclaimer, because ppl may not realize that opening electronic goods will void the warranty.


----------



## zardos

Is the 1Z's touchscreen scratch-sensitive?


----------



## TSAVJason

zardos said:


> Is the 1Z's touchscreen scratch-sensitive?


 Not really. But surely it can be scratched


----------



## pCollins

tsavjason said:


> Not really. But surely it can be scratched


 
  
 It's pretty tough, I ran my wedding ring over it many times.  Still pristine.


----------



## gearofwar

rei87 said:


> Agreed. The mods should start penalizing and deleting all mod guides/teardown pics here which don't carry a disclaimer, because ppl may not realize that opening electronic goods will void the warranty.


 
 I'm not sure if there is someone here who actually doesn't know about "void the warranty" if they attempt to open the product itself, this is really basic.


----------



## TenderTendon

gearofwar said:


> I'm not sure if there is someone here who actually doesn't know about "void the warranty" if they attempt to open the product itself, this is really basic.


 

 You are correct. You are not sure.


----------



## rushofblood

The first thing Sato-san told us was that the warranty would be voided, and that's perfectly fine by me; not that I am recommending that everyone go ahead and open their players although it is a rather simple process (I've opened it up again myself after watching Sato-san do it once). Theoretically, these mods are easily reversible so removing them would make the service centre none the wiser, and in opening the players I spotted no warranty tamper seals of any sort.
  
 Placebo? Perhaps, I'm only human. I am pretty sure I hear a difference in side by side testing, but individual thresholds for hearing differences may be different, and people can choose not to buy into things like cables and mods like these. Hell, I have even heard of people who cannot hear the difference between the 1A and the 1Z, and that's fine too. Not forcing anyone to do something they don't want to  as far as I'm concerned, all is well as long as everyone enjoys their experiences with their own devices. This is just something that makes me enjoy it just that little bit more.


----------



## gearofwar

tendertendon said:


> You are correct. You are not sure.


 
 Your sentence means that there are actually many people as such on here. Too bad.


----------



## TenderTendon

gearofwar said:


> Your sentence means that there would be many people as such on here. Too bad.


 

    There could be. I don't know and I don't care. What I do know is that the responsible thing to do is to inform owners if the warranty will be voided. Here' a quote from rushofblood's previous post


rushofblood said:


> The first thing Sato-san told us was that the warranty would be voided


 
  
    Now, do you think Santo-san told him that because he thinks rushofblood is stupid, or because it's the responsible thing to do?


----------



## nofarewell

Please don't hate me for this question, it is of good intention. My best player recently is the Iriver IHP-140. How is it compared to the 1a? 
 I doN't ask the Z because I can't imagine if I can buy that one soon.  Thanks


----------



## TenderTendon

rushofblood said:


> The first thing Sato-san told us was that the warranty would be voided, and that's perfectly fine by me; not that I am recommending that everyone go ahead and open their players although it is a rather simple process (I've opened it up again myself after watching Sato-san do it once).
> 
> Placebo? Perhaps, I'm only human. I am pretty sure I hear a difference in side by side testing, but individual thresholds for hearing differences may be different, and people can choose not to buy into things like cables and mods like these. Hell, I have even heard of people who cannot hear the difference between the 1A and the 1Z, and that's fine too. Not forcing anyone to do something they don't want to  as far as I'm concerned, all is well as long as everyone enjoys their experiences with their own devices. This is just something that makes me enjoy it just that little bit more.


 
  
 Thank you for pointing out that Santo-san informed you that warranty would be voided. It shows his integrity. Also, I may disagree with some of your opinions, but I highly respect them because of the words you choose to use to express them. I find your posts interesting and respectful. Well done.


----------



## gearofwar

tendertendon said:


> There could be. I don't know and I don't care. What I do know is that the responsible thing to do is to inform owners if the warranty will be voided. Here' a quote from rushofblood's previous post
> 
> Now, do you think Santo-san told him that because he thinks rushofblood is stupid, or because it's the responsible thing to do?


 
  
 Are you quoting "rushofblood" for his answer or are you quoting him to make me answer your question? You don't seem to know how to make thing clear.


----------



## TenderTendon

gearofwar said:


> Are you quoting "rushofblood" for his answer or are you quoting him to make me answer your question? You don't seem to know how to make thing clear.


 
 Read the question again. It is very clear.


----------



## CraftyClown

gearofwar said:


> Are you quoting "rushofblood" for his answer or are you quoting him to make me answer your question? You don't seem to know how to make thing clear.




It seems quite obvious to me that Tendon is speaking to you.


----------



## gearofwar

tendertendon said:


> Read the question again. It is very clear.


 
  
 The answer is obvious, it's a responsible thing for Sony engineers to do when someone asked them directly to open up his unit. And just actually who do you think I am, 12 years old?
  
 They made this clear for someone who asked them directly because Sony engineers might be able to do it without voiding the warranty.
  
 Rushofblood is a professional here who has his engineers at hands to open up the unit at ease. To him, voiding or not voiding doesn't matter, but what if he knows there might be a chance to avoid voiding the warranty, so why not ask Sony to do it?
  
 On forum such at this caliber, I was expecting people with basic knowledge to know things beforehand with all of high-end devices because It's not kid's playing. 
  
 I can see he's withdrawing from being slammed by people who has no practical experiences where on the other hands, he might be actually the only one who has. (Not fun to see his friend - Rei slamming him, going for the mass, knowing it just for fun) .


----------



## gerelmx1986

I won't risk opening it until warranty expires


----------



## TenderTendon

Does anyone know if the new 4.4mm plug "standard" is going to be adopted by any other manufacturers? Any "word on the street"? I really like the new plug, but am beginning to wonder if it is nothing more than a marketing ploy to lock people into the Sony brand. I know that I am less likely to buy another brand of DAP any time soon, as I just upgraded all my phones with 4.4mm cables.


----------



## drjigarn

tendertendon said:


> Does anyone know if the new 4.4mm plug "standard" is going to be adopted by any other manufacturers? Any "word on the street"? I really like the new plug, but am beginning to wonder if it is nothing more than a marketing ploy to lock people into the Sony brand. I know that I am less likely to buy another brand of DAP any time soon, as I just upgraded all my phones with 4.4mm cables.




It is a proposed standard, it depends on the industry to accept. I don't really see a reason for other manufacturers to adopt this new 'standard' as they already have products out with different 'standards'.


----------



## TenderTendon

drjigarn said:


> It is a proposed standard, it depends on the industry to accept. I don't really see a reason for other manufacturers to adopt this new 'standard' as they already have products out with different 'standards'.


 

 That makes sense. I really hate that 2.5mm plug though. Just too frail.


----------



## blazinblazin

It is just more satisfying plugging in a bigger 4.4mm than a 2.5mm.


----------



## TenderTendon

blazinblazin said:


> It is just more satisfying plugging in a bigger 4.4mm than a 2.5mm.


 

 Yes! You don't have to be careful at all.


----------



## zardos

nofarewell said:


> Please don't hate me for this question, it is of good intention. My best player recently is the Iriver IHP-140. How is it compared to the 1a?
> 
> I doN't ask the Z because I can't imagine if I can buy that one soon.  Thanks




I have an iRiver HP-120, 1A and 1Z. 1A is a much better DAP in every way. Simple as that. Long time has passed since then and the price labels have evolved. Lol. At their time the iHPs were the lesser of the evil for some. Personally I've never loved those units. Plasticy China design. Horrible firmware. Their luck Rockbox could fill the gap... Sq was reasonably transparent though.

1A is great. 1Z is pure bliss. It's not much of a difference sq wise, but 1Z is able to cover the music with a shimmer that makes it very easy one never would want to end a listening session.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tendertendon said:


> blazinblazin said:
> 
> 
> > It is just more satisfying plugging in a bigger 4.4mm than a 2.5mm.
> ...


 

 I will order my cables soon


----------



## hung031086

gerelmx1986 said:


> I will order my cables soon



Null Audio finally has 4.4mm connector. I like their cable. It's cheap and great. 

https://www.null-audio.com/products/vitesse-black-edition-cryo-7n-cgocc-a-copper-earphone-cable


----------



## gearofwar

hung031086 said:


> Null Audio finally has 4.4mm connector. I like their cable. It's cheap and great.
> 
> https://www.null-audio.com/products/vitesse-black-edition-cryo-7n-cgocc-a-copper-earphone-cable


 
 I had and sold this cable. Not that good


----------



## hung031086

gearofwar said:


> I had and sold this cable. Not that good



Really ? I used with my flc8s before and i really liked it.


----------



## gearofwar

hung031086 said:


> Really ? I used with my flc8s before and i really liked it.


 
 You might like it better than some stock cables but not better compared many good cables in the same range. I'm talking about SQ not build, it does have a good build, though.


----------



## TSAVJason

hung031086 said:


> Really ? I used with my flc8s before and i really liked it.


 It's a Sony Kimber copy. Why not get the Sony Kimber for less money? Also the Sony Kimber uses brand name high quality Pentaconn connectors rather than alternate factory made connectors. Being that Ray Kimber licensed his name to Sony makes me believe the Sony Kimber is going to be better overall ....just a thought


----------



## gerelmx1986

hung031086 said:


> Null Audio finally has 4.4mm connector. I like their cable. It's cheap and great.
> 
> https://www.null-audio.com/products/vitesse-black-edition-cryo-7n-cgocc-a-copper-earphone-cable


 

 ​Tnx mate, do you know how much they take to make it? UPDATE: checked their page and saw the handle sony XBA-Z5 but don't have for MDR-Z7 bummer


----------



## blazinblazin

tsavjason said:


> It's a Sony Kimber copy. Why not get the Sony Kimber for less money? Also the Sony Kimber uses brand name high quality Pentaconn connectors rather than alternate factory made connectors. Being that Ray Kimber licensed his name to Sony makes me believe the Sony Kimber is going to be better overall ....just a thought


 
  
 SONY Kimber is actually not bad, the only bad thing is the MMCX need to change. It get loose easily. Probably going to send mine to some shop to get better MMCX plugs.
  
 Cable wise been running it for about 200hrs. It's still the more comfortable and easy cable to listen to. The thick lows added to the vocal is just sexy and sweet.


----------



## TSAVJason

blazinblazin said:


> SONY Kimber is actually not bad, the only bad thing is the MMCX need to change. It get loose easily. Probably going to send mine to some shop to get better MMCX plugs.
> 
> Cable wise been running it for about 200hrs. It's still the more comfortable and easy cable to listen to. The thick lows added to the vocal is just sexy and sweet.


 Really? Got loose? I'll need to check that. I used the SKK for a few days and didn't experience that. Overall the Sony is realy very nice. Enjoy it!


----------



## gearofwar

tsavjason said:


> It's a Sony Kimber copy. Why not get the Sony Kimber for less money? Also the Sony Kimber uses brand name high quality Pentaconn connectors rather than alternate factory made connectors. Being that Ray Kimber licensed his name to Sony makes me believe the Sony Kimber is going to be better overall ....just a thought


 
 That is quite a statement. Do you have any proofs to prove that they are making copies of Kimber cable? If you mean the look, there are many other brands offering the similar looks too, not sure why it's being labeled "copy".


----------



## hung031086

tsavjason said:


> It's a Sony Kimber copy. Why not get the Sony Kimber for less money? Also the Sony Kimber uses brand name high quality Pentaconn connectors rather than alternate factory made connectors. Being that Ray Kimber licensed his name to Sony makes me believe the Sony Kimber is going to be better overall ....just a thought




I saw the sony one about $209.99. It's a little more expensive than the cable i said. And i saw someone said sony kimber is easy to get loose with the mmcx. Well i just give a suggestion for the cable. I used it with my old flc8s before. Right now im using EA Thor Silver II+ with my vega and waiting a copper cable from plussound.


gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Tnx mate, do you know how much they take to make it? UPDATE: checked their page and saw the handle sony XBA-Z5 but don't have for MDR-Z7 bummer



I think it take around $190, and you can get $5 off on their website. For me i can get cheaper cus i heave a 15%off coupon from them. But i gonna use it with aaw w900 soon .


----------



## TSAVJason

hung031086 said:


> I saw the sony one about $209.99. It's a little more expensive than the cable i said. And i saw someone said sony kimber is easy to get loose with the mmcx. Well i just give a suggestion for the cable. I used it with my old flc8s before. Right now im using EA Thor Silver II+ with my vega and waiting a copper cable from plussound.
> I think it take around $190, and you can get $5 off on their website. For me i can get cheaper cus i heave a 15%off coupon from them. But i gonna use it with aaw w900 soon .


 My point was more about with Sony its been made and decided by Sony it meets a standard they elected best for their headphone and obviously Ray Kimber agreed or the use of his brand name wouldn't have happened.,I've known Ray since 1979, he wouldn't lend out his name to a bad product. 

I didn't say knock off, I said copy meaning "look alike"


----------



## gearofwar

tsavjason said:


> My point was more about with Sony its been made and decided by Sony it meets a standard they elected best for their headphone and obviously Ray Kimber agreed or the use of his brand name wouldn't have happened.,I've known Ray since 1979, he wouldn't lend out his name to a bad product.
> 
> I didn't say knock off, I said copy meaning "look alike"


 
 I got you, I actually care-less about the looks but SQ speaks different story for each of them .


----------



## Jalo

tendertendon said:


> That is a fair statement, but I feel it is irresponsible to recommend that people spend their hard earned money on something that results in a placebo effect. It's also important to note that the people recommending the use of these stickers make no mention of the fact that you will have to open up your equipment to install them, which will void any warranty you may have. That is also very irresponsible.




May be you read too much into my post. I was just talking about placebo in general. I didn't recommend anyone to do anything. I specifically said with regard to the sticker, whether a person believes it or not, it is up to him. I have no horse in the race one way or the other. I have no opinion whether it works or not. All I was saying if a person wants to use it, "regardless whether it works or not" his believes that it works may alter his perception. Nowhere in my post to suggest anyone to use it. It is more a discussion of the issue of placebo than the logistic of twitching the1Z. That's all.


----------



## blazinblazin

tsavjason said:


> Really? Got loose? I'll need to check that. I used the SKK for a few days and didn't experience that. Overall the Sony is realy very nice. Enjoy it!


 
  
 It was a loose fit for my IEM, initially was ok. But after i remove it a few times (probably less than 10 times)... it just disconnects so easily that when i try to put on my iem it just drop off. 
 I do enjoy the sound.


----------



## echineko

blazinblazin said:


> It was a loose fit for my IEM, initially was ok. But after i remove it a few times (probably less than 10 times)... it just disconnects so easily that when i try to put on my iem it just drop off.
> I do enjoy the sound.


 
 Isn't that common with MMCX in general? That's why I try to avoid IEMs with that termination if possible.


----------



## nc8000

tendertendon said:


> Does anyone know if the new 4.4mm plug "standard" is going to be adopted by any other manufacturers? Any "word on the street"? I really like the new plug, but am beginning to wonder if it is nothing more than a marketing ploy to lock people into the Sony brand. I know that I am less likely to buy another brand of DAP any time soon, as I just upgraded all my phones with 4.4mm cables.




This is not a "standard" or a Sony thing but an actual JEITA standard that Sony are just the first to use


----------



## jamato8

echineko said:


> Isn't that common with MMCX in general? That's why I try to avoid IEMs with that termination if possible.


 

 I think it depends on the quality. I have Some Sony that are fine and the iBasso IT03 have been used a lot, taking the connector on an off, at least 100 times most likely more because I have balanced and SE cable and both cables are fine and solid.


----------



## soundkist

blazinblazin said:


> It was a loose fit for my IEM, initially was ok. But after i remove it a few times (probably less than 10 times)... it just disconnects so easily that when i try to put on my iem it just drop off.
> I do enjoy the sound.


 
  
 +1.  While I love the right-angle 4.4mm connector, not a fan of the mmcx; they seem kinda... not robust??  Mine aren't quite that loose, but having read your experiences, I've also tried to minimize connecting/disconnecting them, as even the very first time I connected them they weren't all that tight.
  
 Quote:


jamato8 said:


> I think it depends on the quality. I have Some Sony that are fine and the iBasso IT03 have been used a lot, taking the connector on an off, at least 100 times most likely more because I have balanced and SE cable and both cables are fine and solid.


 
  
 Most definitely; the litz cable that came with the Andromeda's seems to have really sturdy mmcx.  I even have a relatively cheapo cable from aliexpress of which I've connected/disconnected at least 50 times, and still very much makes a rock solid connection.


----------



## nanaholic

blazinblazin said:


> It was a loose fit for my IEM, initially was ok. But after i remove it a few times (probably less than 10 times)... it just disconnects so easily that when i try to put on my iem it just drop off.
> I do enjoy the sound.


 
  
 Never had this issue - and I've been swapping the cable between a bunch of my IEMs (Justear, Sony, Beyer/AK) constantly.
  
 Perhaps the female jack of your headphone may be the issue?  It's not necessarily the male side that poses the problem.


----------



## blazinblazin

nanaholic said:


> Never had this issue - and I've been swapping the cable between a bunch of my IEMs (Justear, Sony, Beyer/AK) constantly.
> 
> Perhaps the female jack of your headphone may be the issue?  It's not necessarily the male side that poses the problem.




My other cables all have more solid fit than the Kimber i own.


----------



## nanaholic

blazinblazin said:


> My other cables all have more solid fit than the Kimber i own.


 
  
 I have a bunch of other cables including DIY ones and they all fit the same.
  
 You may have a bad one I'm afraid.


----------



## ledzep

tsavjason said:


> Really? Got loose? I'll need to check that. I used the SKK for a few days and didn't experience that. Overall the Sony is realy very nice. Enjoy it!




Loose indeed ! I only unplugged them twice and the left was loose , a re termination to eidolic followed. Makes me regret buying it at $80 from Jaben MY now ...... Not


----------



## productred

blazinblazin said:


> My other cables all have more solid fit than the Kimber i own.


 
  
 Same here. My Kimber got the worst mmcx male I've ever encountered. Sonically it's great and the 4.4 plus is very nicely done, but the left side mmcx became loose on every mmcx female socket I got. It still works, but have to be super careful and the slightest unintentional pulling force applied would have knocked the earpiece off. Funny the other side is holding up pretty well.


----------



## nofarewell

zardos said:


> I have an iRiver HP-120, 1A and 1Z. 1A is a much better DAP in every way. Simple as that. Long time has passed since then and the price labels have evolved. Lol. At their time the iHPs were the lesser of the evil for some. Personally I've never loved those units. Plasticy China design. Horrible firmware. Their luck Rockbox could fill the gap... Sq was reasonably transparent though.
> 
> 1A is great. 1Z is pure bliss. It's not much of a difference sq wise, but 1Z is able to cover the music with a shimmer that makes it very easy one never would want to end a listening session.


 
 Hey thanks very much for your answer! I have Rockbox on mine and it's quite nice with it imho, never experienced the stock firmware (never will after reading your take on it  )
 Are the Sonys more powerful? I mean I guess they are, but is there a big difference between the power of these units?
 I am considering the Lotoo PG as well, as I heard they are on par with the Sonys but with much more driving power, more accurate presentation as opposed to the Sonys warmer, 
 laid back sound design.


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Tnx mate, do you know how much they take to make it? UPDATE: checked their page and saw the handle sony XBA-Z5 but don't have for MDR-Z7 bummer


 

 I know that you have been looking to update your phones to balanced for a long time and that you are on a tight budget. I would say it's wise to get a cable for the Z7 before the Z5, as it will benefit more from the additional power. The stock Z1R balanced cable is very nice, if you can find one. It is not that expensive, built like a tank and has a fantastic 90 degree plug. The part number is a-2144-925-a. You can order it here, but it appears to be out of stock right now. For the Z5, I would not recommend the Sony Kimber Kable. I tried it on my SE846's. The MMCX plugs were flimsy and loose. I also found the cable to be uncomfortable over the ear for long periods. I cut the plugs off and re-terminated for my Sennheiser 800's, which worked out beautifully. I would strongly recommend the Onso cable for the Z5. For $85 USD, I feel it is a steal. Very thin, light and flexible. Strong, tight MMCX plugs. Beautiful 90 degree 4.4mm plug. I bought 2 of them. One to have as a backup. If you would like to try it out before you make any decisions, let me know and I'll ship it down to you.


----------



## kms108

I haven't encountered a loose MMCX on my SKK, I also paid about USD 80 from Jaben MY, but if it comes loose, it's not difficult to retermination it, or get some places to do it, what I really like about the SKK, it's a very solid cable, but also retainning the flexibility and one of the few that has a good quality right angle plug.


----------



## Tanjiro

Sony Kimber cable was too rigid to me and felt uncomfortable sometimes. I have switched to Norne Audio Therium cable and am more than happier


----------



## gb21011971

I am new to this thread and please forgive my ignorance if I am asking something stupid...and please correct me. 
  
 I understand that the quality of equipment from the point of D/A conversion matters, i.e. the quality of your DAC, amp, cables etc matters if you want to get good sound quality.
  
 However, I always thought that as long as the signal is digital (i.e. before it enters the DAC), the quality of materials does NOT matter that much, because a digital signal "does not care" whether it is transmitted through e.g. a 100 USD or a 5 USD USB cable. In the end it is still the same 1's and 0's that make up the signal.
  
 So why would a USD 3000 DAP provide better sound quality than an average phone or any other device for that matter?


----------



## gerelmx1986

tendertendon said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > ​Tnx mate, do you know how much they take to make it? UPDATE: checked their page and saw the handle sony XBA-Z5 but don't have for MDR-Z7 bummer
> ...


I am trying to look for that cable (Z1R stock balancef) do you know where I can get one?


----------



## nc8000

gb21011971 said:


> I am new to this thread and please forgive my ignorance if I am asking something stupid...and please correct me.
> 
> I understand that the quality of equipment from the point of D/A conversion matters, i.e. the quality of your DAC, amp, cables etc matters if you want to get good sound quality.
> 
> ...




Neither the dap nor the phone is only transmitting 0 and 1 (unless you just use the device as a digital transport to feed an external dac) it is converting those 0 and 1 to an analog signal and then amplifying that signal to send it to your phones. Usually the quality of the dac and amp in a dap will be better than what is in a phone. Also shielding of noise and possibly the power supply in the dap will be better.


----------



## gb21011971

nc8000 said:


> Neither the dap nor the phone is only transmitting 0 and 1 (unless you just use the device as a digital transport to feed an external dac) it is converting those 0 and 1 to an analog signal and then amplifying that signal to send it to your phones. Usually the quality of the dac and amp in a dap will be better than what is in a phone. Also shielding of noise and possibly the power supply in the dap will be better.


 
  
 Thanks nc800,
  
 I should have been clearer. I should have said that I was assuming you tap the digital signal from the DAP or the phone (via OTG) and then feed it into an external DAC.


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am trying to look for that cable (Z1R stock balancef) do you know where I can get one?


 

 The only place is here: https://sony.encompass.com/item/11013781/Sony/A-2144-925-A/Cable_(w,_Balance)_Assy
  
 But there is a 30 day backorder.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tendertendon said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I am trying to look for that cable (Z1R stock balancef) do you know where I can get one?
> ...


do they ship to mx? U am currently on mobile


----------



## Jalo

gb21011971 said:


> Thanks nc800,
> 
> I should have been clearer. I should have said that I was assuming you tap the digital signal from the DAP or the phone (via OTG) and then feed it into an external DAC.


 
 To me the quality of sound starts at the recording level.  If you use great musical materials with great mastering, you will always get great music even if you listen from your cell phone.  Of course from the music to the transport, dac, amp, cable, and headphone all contribute to the overall sound. But I have heard badly recorded music that played on my totl set up and it still sounds bad and I have excellent recorded music and I can enjoy them through my cell phone.  Start collecting great music into your library and then you can work on the rest. My humble advise.


----------



## soundkist

jalo said:


> To me the quality of sound starts at the recording level.  If you use great musical materials with great mastering, you will always get great music even if you listen from your cell phone.  Of course from the music to the transport, dac, amp, cable, and headphone all contribute to the overall sound. But I have heard badly recorded music that played on my totl set up and it still sounds bad and I have excellent recorded music and I can enjoy them through my cell phone.  Start collecting great music into your library and then you can work on the rest. My humble advise.


 
  
 Excellent point, Jalo--a great recording can really make all the difference, and make for a supremely enjoyable listening experience, regardless of source device.  Also agree poorly-engineered music can sound very disappointing on nicer set ups; reminds me of one of my favorite sayings: "you can't polish a turd..."  lol


----------



## CraftyClown

jalo said:


> To me the quality of sound starts at the recording level.  If you use great musical materials with great mastering, you will always get great music even if you listen from your cell phone.  Of course from the music to the transport, dac, amp, cable, and headphone all contribute to the overall sound. But I have heard badly recorded music that played on my totl set up and it still sounds bad and I have excellent recorded music and I can enjoy them through my cell phone.  Start collecting great music into your library and then you can work on the rest. My humble advise.


 
  
 Well said sir, although far too sensible an opinion for Head-fi


----------



## nc8000

gb21011971 said:


> Thanks nc800,
> 
> I should have been clearer. I should have said that I was assuming you tap the digital signal from the DAP or the phone (via OTG) and then feed it into an external DAC.




There probably still would be a difference but if that difference is big enough to justify the price would be up to the individual. I would never get an expensive dap if I were only going to use it as a transport


----------



## phonomat

gb21011971 said:


> Thanks nc800,
> 
> I should have been clearer. I should have said that I was assuming you tap the digital signal from the DAP or the phone (via OTG) and then feed it into an external DAC.




Theoretically, transport shouldn't make a difference, so as far as I know your assumptions are correct.


----------



## RobertP

Hi everyone! I'm new here. My 1A is not here until tomorrow; hopefully it will be delivered on time. I used to have Cowon iAudio 7 and then sandisk sansa fuze plus (rockbox) and until now iPhone 6s Plus. Sorry I advance, my English is not so good. 
I try nw-zx2 last month and I was like G! Sony dap sounds much much better than what I have had before. This is great player but still have little down sides also. After I went though all type of songs, I did noted a little too warm at lower-mid range when play classical music. Bass was also too boomy for me with my xba-3 headphone. I try decrease the bass by 2 steps and that alone brings out more mid details and music instruments sound more natural.
Early this month, I went though about 400 pages all so in this forum and it seems the new 1A should be good for what I need. Less warmth, tighter bass, more extend details and more natural compare to zx2. I ordered from Amazon uk last Sunday for cheaper price then Amazon USA.
I'm looking forward to DIY 4.4mm balanced silver cable myself. Maybe cut old wire from my xba-3 and rewiring it. I'm not sure if I want to do it yet. Hahaha! I wish my UE triple-fi didn't get stolen so I can re wiring for that.


----------



## gerelmx1986

My WM1A is raising eyebrows at work with the dual headphones jacks 

Some one told. Me oh dude it has balanced audio, get the cable it will offer you better SQ


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

I wish the WM2A will have just the balanced jack.


gerelmx1986 said:


> My WM1A is raising eyebrows at work with the dual headphones jacks


----------



## mscott58

phonomat said:


> Theoretically, transport shouldn't make a difference, so as far as I know your assumptions are correct.



 


Theoretically, if the transport really was processing only true binary 1's and 0's the entire pathway. But sadly, that is not the case. Binary information (except in optical formats) is really transmitted in voltages, and it's not entirely "on" or "off" and in the analog world tries to replicate step changes of the binary world. Additionally, unlike other data transmissions, audio signals do not have the same error-checking processes or ability to ask for the data to be resent. What happens in the signal shows up - there's not a second chance. So the assumptions being made might seem logical, but in the audio processing world they're not always (or even often) correct. Much, much more on this, but don't want to derail here, and it's been stated much better by others elsewhere. Cheers


----------



## nanaholic

mscott58 said:


> phonomat said:
> 
> 
> > Theoretically, transport shouldn't make a difference, so as far as I know your assumptions are correct.
> ...


 
  
 This is both true and false. Optical is not truly "on" "off" either as there is scattered light in the fibre which will arrive at different time due to propagation delay  - it's actually exactly as the voltage range in electrical currents.  Also while the rails are transmitting voltages, they are coded in a way such that there is almost ZERO percentage that they can be decoded as anything but 0s and 1s. Engineers have long thought of this problem and developed coding systems to all but eliminate how to represent bits and prevent them from being corrupted or misinterpreted - it's actually the fundamental of digital systems.  
 For example, some systems transmits the voltages as +5V as 1s and -5V as 0s and anything below say 3Vs is discarded.  So it doesn't matter if you lose a bit of the voltage (say +3V) - the bits simply don't flip. There are other coding systems which are even more complicated but even more robust (eg using a pair of wires - A&B - which has to both change states A+B+ or A-B- to represent 1 and 0 - this is the type of system USB uses BTW).  Despite "audiophile myths", bits rarely if ever gets flipped or misinterpreted, that engineering problem of "what if the bits gets corrupted or misinterpreted" is solved at the beginning of digital age - remember currently we are at the time where we can transmit BILLIONS of 1s and 0s per SECOND, with NO error, over COPPER wire, due to such smart coding.  
  
 Unlike analogue data corruption, the corruption of binary data results in COMPLETE corruption of the final data - so in the audio world it's not a matter of things like "lost of bass impact" or "smaller soundstage", but it's going to be audio skips and scratching white noises.  If digital data corruption happens, trust me, your ears WILL tell you straight away.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Xba-z5 + WM1A sound better with stock tips, I did a comparison between the foam-filled tips. 

Found the z5 to sound richer with the stock tips, more details, more bass punch, more airy. 

The foam filled give a leaner bass with not so great impact and compromises clarity and details


----------



## Gosod

gerelmx1986 said:


> Xba-z5 + WM1A sound better with stock tips, I did a comparison between the foam-filled tips.
> 
> Found the z5 to sound richer with the stock tips, more details, more bass punch, more airy.
> 
> The foam filled give a leaner bass with not so great impact and compromises clarity and details


 
after your post, I too did a comparison but I like foam more than usual.


----------



## Sarnia

Amazon UK have the NW-WM1A for £680.54 right now.  Also the TA-ZH1ES for £1,199 and the MDR-Z1R for £1,191.
  
 If buying only buy from Amazon UK itself, the other low prices are a scam.


----------



## ledzep

sarnia said:


> Amazon UK have the NW-WM1A for £680.54 right now.  Also the TA-ZH1ES for £1,199 and the MDR-Z1R for £1,191.
> 
> If buying only buy from Amazon UK itself, the other low prices are a scam.


 

  
  
 One day this will be the price for the Z


----------



## Sarnia

ledzep said:


> One day this will be the price for the Z


 
 Hopefully. It's the only one of the signature range where the price isn't currently lower. For the right price I'd be tempted to add it to my WM1A.


----------



## asquare3376

Guys, quick question - I know WM1A volume cap issue can now be fixed. But, is there any impact on the sound quality because of this? I am willing to place an order from amazon.uk ..


----------



## Sarnia

asquare3376 said:


> Guys, quick question - I know WM1A volume cap issue can now be fixed. But, is there any impact on the sound quality because of this? I am willing to place an order from amazon.uk ..


 
 None at all, i've done it to this version and all good.


----------



## Sarnia

Basically the volume cap is just a volume limiter in software. the hardware is identical, the hack just removes the limiter and is completely reversible.


----------



## asquare3376

sarnia said:


> None at all, i've done it to this version and all good.


 

 Thanks buddy. Order placed for just 731 USD


----------



## Sarnia

asquare3376 said:


> Thanks buddy. Order placed for just 731 USD


 
 Congratulations


----------



## asquare3376

sarnia said:


> Basically the volume cap is just a volume limiter in software. the hardware is identical, the hack just removes the limiter and is completely reversible.


 

 I'm looking for @CraftyClown's provided instructions in his posts but not able to find it.. may need to spend more time there. But hey! If you have it handy, can you please share it here? Hope it's not too much to ask


----------



## Sarnia

asquare3376 said:


> I'm looking for @CraftyClown's provided instructions in his posts but not able to find it.. may need to spend more time there. But hey! If you have it handy, can you please share it here? Hope it's not too much to ask


 
 This is the link:https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Changing_destination_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation
  
 It's very easy to do, took me a couple of minutes max.


----------



## ledzep

asquare3376 said:


> Guys, quick question - I know WM1A volume cap issue can now be fixed. But, is there any impact on the sound quality because of this? I am willing to place an order from amazon.uk .


 
 All the players were manufactured exactly the same component wise, the only thing different  was the change in region code so to speak. Removing the remote and high gain functions for the European market, the player was never actually capped it just didn't have high gain function.


----------



## ledzep

asquare3376 said:


> Thanks buddy. Order placed for just 731 USD


 
 Welcome to the bargain club !


----------



## Jazzi

ledzep said:


> One day this will be the price for the Z


 

 Enjoy the dream!


----------



## ledzep

jazzi said:


> Enjoy the dream!


 
 The dream is alive !!!


----------



## TSAVJason

ledzep said:


> The dream is alive !!!


 

Yup if it's on the internet it must be true. I mean it is only a gozillian dollars under wholesale so it must be true


----------



## TenderTendon

ledzep said:


> The dream is alive !!!


 
  
 That was cold blooded.


----------



## mscott58

That's an amazing 'effin deal!!!


----------



## TSAVJason

mscott58 said:


> That's an amazing 'effin deal!!!


 

Be careful. Ask yourself just one question. Why would any dealer in business sell for way less than what they pay to buy it from the manufacturer.


----------



## xiayizju

I was about to post, guys! You guys are really paying attention: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01LHGLG3A/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 
  
 I oredered the 1A for $731, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 But somebody mentioned MDR-Z1R, I didn't see it dropped prices
  
 Also for TA-ZH1ES, it did not ship to US. How should we get it (ship to a friend in UK and let them ship to US?)?


----------



## mscott58

Jason - Understand your warning, but Amazon typically doesn't conform to standard rules. 

If they're being cut off as Signature dealers? Then I'd be more concerned, but for ~40% off? That's harder calculus. 

Cheers

PS - I'm a big supporter and customer of TSAV.


----------



## TSAVJason

xiayizju said:


> I was about to post, guys! You guys are really paying attention: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01LHGLG3A/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> 
> I oredered the 1A for $731,
> 
> ...


 None of the Signature Series products from Amazon UK to the US.


----------



## Dithyrambes

I think sony sells directly from amazon.....and not through a dealer.


----------



## Waynesday

Thank you Sarnia for the heads up!!
 I ordered the NW-WM1A for 567£ + Import tax .. good deal i guess.. it will be here in 5 days.. Unfortunately it takes another 13 weeks for the Hydra 18 cable to arrive, I think I will re-terminate the stock cable for my Noble K10 Custom in the meanwhile, Muuhaaaahaha jummyjummy!!  sometimes this "lifething" feels pretty darn good.. Cheers brothers!


----------



## xiayizju

waynesday said:


> Thank you Sarnia for the heads up!!
> I ordered the NW-WM1A for 567£ + Import tax .. good deal i guess.. it will be here in 5 days.. Unfortunately it takes another 13 weeks for the Hydra 18 cable to arrive, I think I will re-terminate the stock cable for my Noble K10 Custom in the meanwhile, Muuhaaaahaha jummyjummy!!  sometimes this "lifething" feels pretty darn good.. Cheers brothers!


 
 Yeah, it feels so good sometimes to grasp the best deal! Thanks God, Cheers brothers
  
 BTW, are you talking about the 4.4mm balanced cable?


----------



## Waynesday

Yes, of course, 
 I am also looking for an adapter, 4,4mm F to 4-pin XLR M, so that i can use this cable in my Vega/Taurus rig, Please let me now if you see one.


----------



## mscott58

...and it's over already. Back up to £1000. That was fast!


----------



## Dithyrambes

I still have one in my cart if anyone is interested.. Lol.


----------



## TSAVJason

A fool and his money. There's something seriously wrong when they are selling below what it costs them to purchase it. Sony isn't the seller.


----------



## Dithyrambes

I think the pricing model for the amazon.co.uk fluctuating reflects probably how poor the sales of the wm1a are in UK because it is volume capped. I guess a normal consumer that doesn't browse this forum also wouldn't pay 1000 pounds for an mp3 player they believed was capped.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I ordered money from my funds to get the cables


----------



## Waynesday

tsavjason said:


> A fool and his money. There's something seriously wrong when they are selling below what it costs them to purchase it. Sony isn't the seller.


 
 What do you think is wrong? my guess is that the items have been returned from a previous buyer, and they (Amazon) want to get rid of them now.. Well, Sony have never been the "seller" when you order from Amazon.. My order says "Sold by: Amazon EU S.a.r.L."
And yes, I am a fool with money..


----------



## TSAVJason

waynesday said:


> What do you think is wrong? my guess is that the items have been returned from a previous buyer, and they (Amazon) want to get rid of them now.. Well, Sony have never been the "seller" when you order from Amazon.. My order says "[COLOR=555555]Sold by: Amazon EU S.a.r.L."[/COLOR]
> [COLOR=555555]And yes, I am a fool with money..[/COLOR]


 You're talking about in Pounds over a £1000 loss. Even a return doesn't drop in price that much. You may be a fool needing to toss your money away. I'm more suggesting that you stop and think. Why isn't it disclosed as Used or Returned? What doesn't it state open box with cosmetic damage? 

*im not telling you not to buy, I never do. I'm telling you buyer beware.*


----------



## Waynesday

Are we talking about different things maybe.. I ordered the NW-WM1A for 567£ + import tax, It is only a 260£ discount, maybe you were talking about the NW-WM1Z at 680£, then I understand..


----------



## warrior1975

Who cares, it's backed by Amazon. If it's bad return it. I'd buy anything from Amazon, they are golden. As long as the seller isn't trying to circumvent amazon you are safe. Woest case, you lose time.


----------



## hoyin0116

bought mine this morning @ £590 excluding VAT. which is 5.8k HKD including shipping. Good deal. The cheapest I could find in HK was 8.2k.. so yea. Hope they won't cancel my order.


----------



## Sarnia

tsavjason said:


> You're talking about in Pounds over a £1000 loss. Even a return doesn't drop in price that much. You may be a fool needing to toss your money away. I'm more suggesting that you stop and think. Why isn't it disclosed as Used or Returned? What doesn't it state open box with cosmetic damage?
> 
> *im not telling you not to buy, I never do. I'm telling you buyer beware.*


Jason please stop with this 'False News'. You've crossed over the line with this patently false speculation. 

If Amazon UK (as the seller) sells them as new, they are brand new and unopened. Making up scare stories just to protect your turf is pretty poor. I'm sure you have more integrity than that. 

I've explained why the prices were like that. I alerted Amazon to the issue the day it started over a year ago, and they have been either unable or unwilling to fix it. 

There may be a risk to some with the having to send it back to the UK for warranty issues. But to suggest that Amazon would sell used, returned or damaged goods as new is pretty libelous. 

Amazon UK are the best in the UK when it comes to supporting products they sell.


----------



## nc8000

The 1A's currently on offer at £620 and £650 and the Z1R at £1086 are all Amazon Warehouse deals so returned products that are being resold by Amazon. That's the same as the 1Z I bought last week for £2100. All mention that they might be repackaged and might have minor cosmetic blemishes


----------



## TSAVJason

sarnia said:


> Jason please stop with this 'False News'. You've crossed over the line with this patently false speculation.
> 
> If Amazon UK (as the seller) sells them as new, they are brand new and unopened. Making up scare stories just to protect your turf is pretty poor. I'm sure you have more integrity than that.
> 
> ...




If I was about turf, you'll explain why I tell people what stores they can get product

*Don't put words in my mouth; *. 

My example of used, open box or the like was an example of what might cause a distressed price. 

If you don't think it's strange that they are selling it for more than £1200 less than they paid for it, that's on you. 

My words are of caution not fear. *be sure to read this part carefully: I've never told anyone not to buy these items NEVER. I have and will free free to point out discrepancies or things that are clearly a bad idea.*


----------



## Sarnia

tsavjason said:


> If I was about turf, you'll explain why I tell people what stores they can get product
> 
> *Don't put words in my mouth; *.
> 
> ...


Jason, I think part of the misunderstanding is that you don't read posts properly before you reply. 

The 1Z was not discounted at all last night. That price of £1,200 below what they pay was a joke someone did in Photoshop. 

The Z1R, 1A and ZH1ES were discounted. 

Anyway, my intention was purely to alert people that the price had dropped. Whether they can or should buy based on their geographical location is up to them. 

By your turf I mean the US. 

This has gone way past being on topic so I'll leave it there.


----------



## phonomat

With all due respect, Jason or whoever is currently posting for The Source AV, you've been repeatedly told by the mods to stop it. It's always the same pattern: Sarnia or someone else comes in here to tell others about a great deal, then you show up to rain on everyone's parade, making unjustified claims. Much drama ensues, and in the end a gazillion posts have to be deleted. Save everyone a little time and please just drop it.


----------



## nc8000

Recieved my 1Z this morning that I bought as an Amazon Warehouse open box deal last week for £2100 from Amazon UK. Have now updated FW to 1.10 and set the zone to tourist so the volume cap is removed and high gain is available and set. Just for the heck of it tried to plug my HE-6 in via 3.5 trrs and at max volume they are driven to usable volume though clearly nowhere near optimal, something my ZX2 was nowhere near able to do. Will be interesting when I get my 4.4 adapter. Now to load my music and burn in.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Recieved my 1Z this morning that I bought as an Amazon Warehouse open box deal last week for £2100 from Amazon UK. Have now updated FW to 1.10 and set the zone to tourist so the volume cap is removed and high gain is available and set. Just for the heck of it tried to plug my HE-6 in via 3.5 trrs and at max volume they are driven to usable volume though clearly nowhere near optimal, something my ZX2 was nowhere near able to do. Will be interesting when I get my 4.4 adapter. Now to load my music and burn in.


cool hope you enjoy it and the weight doesn't matter after all


----------



## proedros

anybody here that owns both wm1a and *idsd micro black label *?

 any comparisons , sonic-wise only ?


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> cool hope you enjoy it and the weight doesn't matter after all




No the weight does not matter as I only use it in hotel rooms and the like and at home. On the go I stick to my iPhone


----------



## soundkist

A wishlist for the developers was touched upon recently; I'm curious about a USB DAC function...  Is this something that could possibly be implemented with a firmware update?  Or would it require parts/internals that the 1A/1Z simply don't have?  Also, for those with better knowledge of past Sony dap's, is this a feature that would likely ever make it into the player?


----------



## Hydrored

I received my Z1 NIB from the UK and the interesting part was it's already uncapped with high gain available, it registered no problem-


----------



## TenderTendon

hydrored said:


> I received my Z1 NIB from the UK and the interesting part was it's already uncapped with high gain available, it registered no problem-


 
 According to the service manual, that is a UK destined player. It should not have arrived uncapped. The only explaination I can think of is that it was a customer return and the previous owner changed the destination. I really doubt Sony shipped it with the wrong destination loaded, but anything's possible.


----------



## Lavakugel

hydrored said:


> I received my Z1 NIB from the UK and the interesting part was it's already uncapped with high gain available, it registered no problem-


 
 How is that possible. It should be capped....


----------



## Lavakugel

My Wm1a is arriving on monday. Deliverytime took nearly two weeks. I don't know where this sony shop is getting it...moon maybe


----------



## Hydrored

tendertendon said:


> According to the service manual, that is a UK destined player. It should not have arrived uncapped. The only explaination I can think of is that it was a customer return and the previous owner changed the destination. I really doubt Sony shipped it with the wrong destination loaded, but anything's possible.


 
 I have no idea, it's loading music right now so when it's done I'll take a pic. The box was sealed in plastic with a sticker over the flap and the player was wrapped perfectly. I purchased a NIB box product so I would be pretty upset if I didn't think it was new.
  
 I'll try to connect it to the uncap tool to see what the destination code is, shouldn't be hard.


----------



## zardos

gerelmx1986 said:


> cool hope you enjoy it and the weight doesn't matter after all




To me the portability somewhat depend on the season of the year. When it's cold enough I wear a leather jacket and may carry the Z just easily in it's inside pocket.


----------



## Hydrored

hydrored said:


> I have no idea, it's loading music right now so when it's done I'll take a pic. The box was sealed in plastic with a sticker over the flap and the player was wrapped perfectly. I purchased a NIB box product so I would be pretty upset if I didn't think it was new.
> 
> I'll try to connect it to the uncap tool to see what the destination code is, shouldn't be hard.


 
 Am I looking at this wrong?-


----------



## RobertP

I put "E off" and now all features are unlocked. Everything looks good Hydrored. I got my 1A for 200 more brand new.  Now too bad.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > cool hope you enjoy it and the weight doesn't matter after all
> ...


like me, at home or at work


----------



## TenderTendon

hydrored said:


> Am I looking at this wrong?


 
 No, that is uncapped. Your conformity sticker confirms it is a UK destination player, but the firmware destination is wrong for the UK. If someone didn't change it and return it, Sony must have shipped it wrong. Is remote control enabled? If so, it's probably set for Tourist destination. If there is no remote option, it's probably set for US destination.


----------



## Hydrored

tendertendon said:


> No, that is uncapped. Your conformity sticker confirms it is a UK destination player, but the firmware destination is wrong for the UK. If someone didn't change it and return it, Sony must have shipped it wrong. Is remote control enabled? If so, it's probably set for Tourist destination. If there is no remote option, it's probably set for US destination.




The destination was set to "CEV", in any event I changed it to U for the hell of it. I'll keep it as I'm confident it's new.

Time to give this thing a whirl, my Campfire Audio Vega got delivered today. 

Cheers!


----------



## mscott58

hydrored said:


> The destination was set to "CEV", in any event I changed it to U for the hell of it. I'll keep it as I'm confident it's new.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


Great combo! Enjoy


----------



## buzzlulu

.


----------



## RobertP

Just ordered silicone case for my 1A from eBay. http://m.ebay.com/itm/For-Sony-Walkman-NW-WM1A-NW-WM1Z-Silicone-Gel-Skin-Case-Rubber-Cover-/112337537217?var=&hash=item1a27d6c8c1%3Am%3AmJh7PYpqQWw1005VzuM_ylg&_trkparms=pageci%253Aaa8bf669-0b39-11e7-9a5b-74dbd1801750%257Cparentrq%253Add60d87215a0a5e0b6fc5343fffe71dd%257Ciid%253A14
I hope it will fit and look just like in photos.


----------



## RobertP

Just ordered silicone case for my 1A from eBay. It looks good in photos. Hopefully it fits good too.


----------



## turbo87

robertp said:


> Just ordered silicone case for my 1A from eBay. It looks good in photos. Hopefully it fits good too.


 

 do you have a link?


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

I need one cheap case so badly.
Saw some Meiter & Sony cases for sale but its toooooo fancy.


robertp said:


> Just ordered silicone case for my 1A from eBay. It looks good in photos. Hopefully it fits good too.







turbo87 said:


> do you have a link?


----------



## nc8000

The bass on 1Z certainly hits harder than on ZX2 and everything seems tighter and more controlled


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Maybe balanced. 
But with normal 3.5 I find the ZX2 much better.


----------



## nc8000

audiobreeder said:


> Maybe balanced.
> But with normal 3.5 I find the ZX2 much better.




JH13 with 3.5mm trrs, haven't gotten my 4.4mm adapter yet.


----------



## RobertP

Yeah, bass form zx2 sounds like from small bookshelf speakers. Nw-wm1x has much more bass resolution.


----------



## jamato8

I got a dark blue Dignis case for my Z1. As usual the fit is tight and workmanship is very good. Having done this type of work professionally in the past (I hate to pay for something I could do but my sewing machine is packed away), they do a good job. This case is simple and is easy to design but they do a good job of getting everything right. The dark blue and gold is a nice combination. I thought about making a case out of ostrich, have some nice yellow, maroon, black but just didn't feel like going to the effort. :^)


----------



## Smousesme

Hi all!

Just got the wm1a used for a nice £650. Anyway, I've been trying to play music through the vorzuge ii+ (utilising the wm port) 

I remember reading that you need to tap something in order to allow playback through the wm port. But I can't find that option anywhere. Was I dreaming I read that? Hopefully not XD

Anybody know the fix? If present?

Thanks


----------



## makan

Hi there. Is anyone else finding the loudness no the WM1A lacking a little. I auditioned it with the z1r at a store that had 4 hires files on them and needed to get to about 109 on the volume with the high gain balanced output with no volume cap? The specs show 240mw at 16 ohms. I was unable to get my ad card from my Fiio x5 to work in it and so could not try out files I am familiar with. My Fiio x5 is rated 460mw at 16 ohms and usually need not surpass 65 or so on high gain. I was somewhat disappointed by the volume. Any insight or opinions from those who have the z1r and wm1a?


----------



## jamato8

makan said:


> Hi there. Is anyone else finding the loudness no the WM1A lacking a little. I auditioned it with the z1r at a store that had 4 hires files on them and needed to get to about 109 on the volume with the high gain balanced output with no volume cap? The specs show 240mw at 16 ohms. I was unable to get my ad card from my Fiio x5 to work in it and so could not try out files I am familiar with. My Fiio x5 is rated 460mw at 16 ohms and usually need not surpass 65 or so on high gain. I was somewhat disappointed by the volume. Any insight or opinions from those who have the z1r and wm1a?


 

 You have to have files in a MUSIC folder. I went through that also.


----------



## RobertP

240mw@16ohms output is for 4.4mm balance jack (left side). Did you connect headphone on the right side?


----------



## makan

RobertP, I don't get your question. The z1r had both l and r into the headphones with the balanced plugged into the wm1a.


----------



## soundkist

makan said:


> Hi there. Is anyone else finding the loudness no the WM1A lacking a little. I auditioned it with the z1r at a store that had 4 hires files on them and needed to get to about 109 on the volume with the high gain balanced output with no volume cap? The specs show 240mw at 16 ohms. I was unable to get my ad card from my Fiio x5 to work in it and so could not try out files I am familiar with. My Fiio x5 is rated 460mw at 16 ohms and usually need not surpass 65 or so on high gain. I was somewhat disappointed by the volume. Any insight or opinions from those who have the z1r and wm1a?


 
  
  
 I don't have the Z1R, but I was also quite surprised at how often I find myself wanting/needing to turn my 1A up to pretty high levels on both SE and balanced, FWIW.  I inquired about this not too long ago, but didn't get much dialog about it.  Perhaps par for the course for this player.


----------



## makan

soundkist said:


> I don't have the Z1R, but I was also quite surprised at how often I find myself wanting/needing to turn my 1A up to pretty high levels on both SE and balanced, FWIW.  I inquired about this not too long ago, but didn't get much dialog about it.  Perhaps par for the course for this player.




The numbers would suggest that even in balanced, it does not output too many mW. 250 vs my x5 at 460.


----------



## soundkist

Could very well be; I tend to let my ears be the judge, mainly because I'm not sure exactly what the numbers mean lol.


----------



## echineko

soundkist said:


> I don't have the Z1R, but I was also quite surprised at how often I find myself wanting/needing to turn my 1A up to pretty high levels on both SE and balanced, FWIW.  I inquired about this not too long ago, but didn't get much dialog about it.  Perhaps par for the course for this player.



What headphones/earphones were you using with it? And to be fair, I don't think there's much dialogue to be had, it's not speculation or guesses, these numbers are made public since launch. If you happen to need to run significantly inefficient / power-hungry headphones out of a DAP, this might not be the answer for you, what else can be said? 

For many people (myself included), the IEMs / headphones I choose to use with my Walkman while on the go are not difficult to power, and they work fantastically with these DAPs.


----------



## soundkist

echineko said:


> What headphones/earphones were you using with it? And to be fair, I don't think there's much dialogue to be had, it's not speculation or guesses, these numbers are made public since launch. If you happen to need to run significantly inefficient / power-hungry headphones out of a DAP, this might not be the answer for you, what else can be said?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 You're probably right re: dialog; I guess I was hoping more ppl would have chimed in with similar experiences, so mine wouldn't feel so disconcerting lol, as the Campfire Andromeda is my IEM of choice...


----------



## soundkist

robertp said:


> Just ordered silicone case for my 1A from eBay. http://m.ebay.com/itm/For-Sony-Walkman-NW-WM1A-NW-WM1Z-Silicone-Gel-Skin-Case-Rubber-Cover-/112337537217?var=&hash=item1a27d6c8c1%3Am%3AmJh7PYpqQWw1005VzuM_ylg&_trkparms=pageci%253Aaa8bf669-0b39-11e7-9a5b-74dbd1801750%257Cparentrq%253Add60d87215a0a5e0b6fc5343fffe71dd%257Ciid%253A14
> I hope it will fit and look just like in photos.


 
  
 If it's the same one I have (I got mine from Amazon Japan, and was only ~$12), I think you will be quite pleased.  Fit is excellent, even comes with a strap and removable plugs for the SE & balanced jacks, and the silicone is soft as butter--I love mine!!


----------



## echineko

soundkist said:


> You're probably right re: dialog; I guess I was hoping more ppl would have chimed in with similar experiences, so mine wouldn't feel so disconcerting lol, as the Campfire Andromeda is my IEM of choice...



Well that is a bit surprising, I actually tried the entire CA lineup (up to Vega) with the 1Z and Sony Kimber balanced cable during a demo session here, the volume didn't get higher than 60, that's as much as I could bear turning it up. The SQ is a different matter, as I ended leaving empty handed


----------



## soundkist

echineko said:


> Well that is a bit surprising, I actually tried the entire CA lineup (up to Vega) with the 1Z and Sony Kimber balanced cable during a demo session here, the volume didn't get higher than 60, that's as much as I could bear turning it up. The SQ is a different matter, as I ended leaving empty handed


 
  
 I was surprised as well; of course the db level of the source material being a factor, with quite a few tracks I can easily get in the 80's/90's/100's (no high gain turned on).  Not ear-splitting by any means; I dunno, perhaps mine is just quieter, lol...


----------



## warrior1975

mscott58 received my case from the Ukraine. I like it, very nice. Thanks bro. 

Just had a very strange issue. I must have left my 1z on last night or turned it on today at some point. Regardless, I play a song, skip it, it was stuck playing a handful of songs. I goto the menu, select all songs, and there are just 2 artists. Weird. I power it off and on. It rebuilds the database, and it took longer than normal. Everything is fine. Weird thing is the volume reverted back to 16, which was where it was when I turned the screen on, before resetting it. I turned the volume up prior to that. 

2nd issue, I thought it sounded a little different so I went to my saved settings and clicked on the first one and it asks if I want to overwrite what's there. I'm not hitting the save button either. Odd. Anyone else have issues with the saved settings?


----------



## Smousesme

jamato8 said:


> You have to have files in a MUSIC folder. I went through that also.




Cheers mate, I'll try n figure that now


----------



## Smousesme

jamato8 said:


> You have to have files in a MUSIC folder. I went through that also.




Sorry for adding. My files are on an sd card, in a music folder. Must it be on a music file on the devices storage? 
Is there a way to get the music playing when it's on my sc card (using the wm port)? Be a bummer for many if not


----------



## asquare3376

smousesme said:


> Sorry for adding. My files are on an sd card, in a music folder. Must it be on a music file on the devices storage?
> Is there a way to get the music playing when it's on my sc card (using the wm port)? Be a bummer for many if not


 
 Not sure if I understood correctly but regardless of the internal memory/sd card, your songs will play if they are in MUSIC folder. Did you try formatting your SD card and then copy your files using MediaGo application? If not, give it a shot. It will work.


----------



## asquare3376

Friends, check this "Case" out. The price appears to be a little too much now but we can keep an eye on it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Silicone-TPU-Gel-Case-Cover-NW-WM1A-NW-WM1Z-Case-Cover-for-Sony-/112337536979?


----------



## audionewbi

I just can't understand why T8iE doesn't pair nice inn balance with WM1A. It becomes congested and bloated.


----------



## kms108

soundkist said:


> robertp said:
> 
> 
> > Just ordered silicone case for my 1A from eBay. http://m.ebay.com/itm/For-Sony-Walkman-NW-WM1A-NW-WM1Z-Silicone-Gel-Skin-Case-Rubber-Cover-/112337537217?var=&hash=item1a27d6c8c1%3Am%3AmJh7PYpqQWw1005VzuM_ylg&_trkparms=pageci%253Aaa8bf669-0b39-11e7-9a5b-74dbd1801750%257Cparentrq%253Add60d87215a0a5e0b6fc5343fffe71dd%257Ciid%253A14
> ...


 
 I prefer this one, the brand is benks, and the listing is misleading, its made of TPU only, I have the same for my ZX2, for about 2 years now, still using it, even got a spare one, but it seems I probably wont use it.
  
 And the listing is over priced, same goes for the silicone one you have sold on Ebay.
  
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Silicone-TPU-Gel-Case-Cover-NW-WM1A-NW-WM1Z-Case-Cover-for-Sony-/112337536979?


----------



## kms108

asquare3376 said:


> Friends, check this "Case" out. The price appears to be a little too much now but we can keep an eye on it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Should only cost USD 13, the silicone one should cost about USD 8-10.


----------



## soundkist

kms108 said:


> I prefer this one, the brand is benks, and the listing is misleading, its made of TPU only, I have the same for my ZX2, for about 2 years now, still using it, even got a spare one, but it seems I probably wont use it.
> 
> And the listing is over priced, same goes for the silicone one you have sold on Ebay.
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Silicone-TPU-Gel-Case-Cover-NW-WM1A-NW-WM1Z-Case-Cover-for-Sony-/112337536979?


 
  
 Just to clarify, I am not selling any cases on ebay; the pic I posted is of the one I bought from Amazon JP for ~$12, currently residing on my 1A. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Also, not sure Benks is the brand of mine? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  
 and it is apparently made from "soft & supple premium leather"...


----------



## RobertP

kms108 said:


> I prefer this one, the brand is benks, and the listing is misleading, its made of TPU only, I have the same for my ZX2, for about 2 years now, still using it, even got a spare one, but it seems I probably wont use it.
> 
> And the listing is over priced, same goes for the silicone one you have sold on Ebay.
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Silicone-TPU-Gel-Case-Cover-NW-WM1A-NW-WM1Z-Case-Cover-for-Sony-/112337536979?




Omg! That is cheap!  I should have check Amazon Japan next time too.


----------



## asquare3376

Amazon Japan is not willing to ship this case to USA. So, chapter closed for us, lol


----------



## soundkist

asquare3376 said:


> Amazon Japan is not willing to ship this case to USA. So, chapter closed for us, lol


 
  
 I'm in the US, and used Tenso to get mine; lumped it in with order for Kimber cable, so shipping wasn't excessive for such a cheap item only.


----------



## kms108

soundkist said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > I prefer this one, the brand is benks, and the listing is misleading, its made of TPU only, I have the same for my ZX2, for about 2 years now, still using it, even got a spare one, but it seems I probably wont use it.
> ...


 

 Sorry I tried to posted as detailed as possible, I was using a onscreen keyboard, it's a pain.
  
 I wasn't referring direct to you, I was just saying the case you have which is same one on ebay, the seller is selling it overpriced, and the one *asquare3376* has posted or my link, it's made by Benks, and the same ebay seller did not mention about the brand. Both are overpriced, I apologies again, if it made you feel uncomfortable.


----------



## soundkist

kms108 said:


> Sorry I tried to posted as detailed as possible, I was using a onscreen keyboard, it's a pain.
> 
> I wasn't referring direct to you, I was just saying the case you have which is same one on ebay, the seller is selling it overpriced, and the one *asquare3376* has posted or my link, it's made by Benks, and the same ebay seller did not mention about the brand. Both are overpriced, I apologies again, if it made you feel uncomfortable.


 
  
 No worries--just wasn't sure how it was being interpreted by others; thanks for further clarification!


----------



## kms108

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.190.5FsBOA&id=542493732706&ns=1&abbucket=8#detail
  
https://world.tmall.com/item/544398705206.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.239.5FsBOA&id=544398705206&ns=1&abbucket=8
  
 You can also use a taobao agent to make the purchase from china.


----------



## RobertP

Good info guys. Thanks!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Listening to Mozart Organ sonatas CDs from the Phillips Mozart edition (1990s) i Heard a organ pipe so low like 22Hz WOW, something i never Heard before on that track, the WM1A is so stunning and the stage is so out of my head with these discs wow superb. dunno why Deutsche grammophone ditched these for a new recording not so good


----------



## gerelmx1986

soundkist said:


> and it is apparently made from "soft & supple premium leather"...


 
 in all languages it say it is made of Leather LOL i can infer italiano, and Francais from spanish which is my native and German because i am learning it. it is plastic? if so then hahaha a Plastic leather 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 case


----------



## RobertP

Lol. Could be from jelly fish or something. Heard to find.


----------



## blazinblazin

Probably just cut and paste from some other leather cellphone case descriptions.


----------



## kms108

soundkist said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > I prefer this one, the brand is benks, and the listing is misleading, its made of TPU only, I have the same for my ZX2, for about 2 years now, still using it, even got a spare one, but it seems I probably wont use it.
> ...


 
 If you understand how the chinese does business in china, you will know this is perfectly normal, most shop buy in bulk, in hundreds and thousands, with no packaging and people like me visit these shops and buy like a few to a 20's and even hundreds without the packaging, they are cheaper this way, whiles other require a packaging, they use what ever packaging they can find, the shops also buy these packaging ready made, as they are cheaper than have them redesign as a OEM packaging. So basically you can find the same product with 10's and 20's different branding. there are plenty examples on ebay or amazon with screen protectors, cases and other accessories, same product with different packaging, one thing I don't like is, these sellers on amazon and ebay, they BS about they have these product designed and manufacture themselves.


----------



## nc8000

1Z seems to be very picky about cover art. All my cover art is 300x300 jpg imbedded in the flac 16/44 files. It has displayed fine in foobar on my pc, on DX50 and DX90 and on ZX2, but a fair bit of it does not display on 1Z.


----------



## blazinblazin

Not sure why but some of my cover arts starts to disappear.

Used to work.


----------



## 13candles

nc8000 said:


> 1Z seems to be very picky about cover art. All my cover art is 300x300 jpg imbedded in the flac 16/44 files. It has displayed fine in foobar on my pc, on DX50 and DX90 and on ZX2, but a fair bit of it does not display on 1Z.




All your album/cover art has to be Baseline JPG. 

I have some which are even 1000x1000 and they display fine so long as they are Baseline JPG.

just use photoshop to convert those files into Baseline and retag those music files again with Mp3tag and you're golden . 

Gerelmax Taught me all this . 

Hope it helps


----------



## nc8000

13candles said:


> All your album/cover art has to be Baseline JPG.
> 
> I have some which are even 1000x1000 and they display fine so long as they are Baseline JPG.
> 
> ...




Can't be bothered (I have no idea what kind of jpg they are and we're talking 100's of albums) but it clearly seems to me to be an error in how 1Z handles cover art since it works fine everywhere else including on Sony's own ZX2


----------



## 13candles

With the latest firmware 1.10 on my 1Z and using Windows 7 , I can very much confirm that there isn't any problem with tagging or embedding album/cover art as per @gerelmx1986 tips. 

I have over a hundred albums and each one of them has album art embedded . Save to say personally I do not think there's a problem regarding this issue with the 1z/1a 

Cheers


----------



## nc8000

13candles said:


> With the latest firmware 1.10 on my 1Z and using Windows 7 , I can very much confirm that there isn't any problem with tagging or embedding album/cover art as per @gerelmx1986 tips.
> 
> I have over a hundred albums and each one of them has album art embedded . Save to say personally I do not think there's a problem regarding this issue with the 1z/1a
> 
> Cheers




None the less about 100 out of my 1500 albums fail to show album art on the 1Z despite showing on ZX2 and all other devices I have used. This also on 1.10


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> 13candles said:
> 
> 
> > With the latest firmware 1.10 on my 1Z and using Windows 7 , I can very much confirm that there isn't any problem with tagging or embedding album/cover art as per @gerelmx1986 tips.
> ...


you can check my thread Sony Walkman tips and tricks


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> you can check my thread Sony Walkman tips and tricks




I have. I still maintain that I consider it a bug in 1Z when it works on ZX2 (and everywhere else).

I have now extracted the album art from these 100 albums and it ranged fra 150x150 to 900x900, some baseline and some progressive. I have resized them all to 300x300 baseline and reembedded them and they now all show.


----------



## soundkist

kms108 said:


> If you understand how the chinese does business in china, you will know this is perfectly normal, most shop buy in bulk, in hundreds and thousands, with no packaging and people like me visit these shops and buy like a few to a 20's and even hundreds without the packaging, they are cheaper this way, whiles other require a packaging, they use what ever packaging they can find, the shops also buy these packaging ready made, as they are cheaper than have them redesign as a OEM packaging. So basically you can find the same product with 10's and 20's different branding. there are plenty examples on ebay or amazon with screen protectors, cases and other accessories, same product with different packaging, one thing I don't like is, these sellers on amazon and ebay, they BS about they have these product designed and manufacture themselves.


 
  
 Totally agree; I was just sharing for comedic effect more than anything else...


----------



## Lavakugel

nc8000 said:


> JH13 with 3.5mm trrs, haven't gotten my 4.4mm adapter yet.


 
 Is there an adapter for 3.5mm to 4.4mm now? I thought the only way is to re-cable with a 4.4mm plug.


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> nc8000 said:
> 
> 
> > JH13 with 3.5mm trrs, haven't gotten my 4.4mm adapter yet.
> ...


 

 ​You can check f.e PlusSound cables for an InterConnect from a male 4.4 to a female  TRRS


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I have. I still maintain that I consider it a bug in 1Z when it works on ZX2 (and everywhere else).
> 
> I have now extracted the album art from these 100 albums and it ranged fra 150x150 to 900x900, some baseline and some progressive. I have resized them all to 300x300 baseline and reembedded them and they now all show.


 
 I thinks this bug comes from old sony OS fro previous walkman pre-WM series like the A10/20 ZX100 and before
  
 in the ZX2 and zx1 Works because it is Android and perhaps Android can decode progressive jpeg as well as baseline,
  
 the WM1 being a custom OS it canonly decode baseline jpeg sadly we have to live with it


----------



## nc8000

lavakugel said:


> Is there an adapter for 3.5mm to 4.4mm now? I thought the only way is to re-cable with a 4.4mm plug.




A Danish head-fier will make me an adapter from 3.5mm trrs female to 4.4mm trrrs male. He'll also reterminate my new SuperBax iem cable to 4.4mm trrrs


----------



## Lavakugel

My headphone cables are all 3.5mm. I think this is standard. Maybe it's only a matter of time the first 3.5mm to 4.4mm adapter is for sale. 
  
 Please let us now how this adapter is changing sound, thanks!


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> lavakugel said:
> 
> 
> > Is there an adapter for 3.5mm to 4.4mm now? I thought the only way is to re-cable with a 4.4mm plug.
> ...


 

 ​i've asked our friend whitigir for some interconnects too as both the Z5 and z7 use the dual 3.5mm TRS plugs babalced standard so i only need a 4,4 TRRRS to dual 3.5mm TRS


----------



## Lavakugel

Did open a classified on cable section...if anybody is able to ship one to europe for a reasonable price with good quality I'll jump.


----------



## Lavakugel

By the way. Why are you guys in us able to order from amazon.uk? Isn't there any restriction and how about import taxes and shipping costs?


----------



## nc8000

lavakugel said:


> By the way. Why are you guys in us able to order from amazon.uk? Isn't there any restriction and how about import taxes and shipping costs?




Shipping will be according to where it is shipped to and taxes will be dealt with on the receiving side so the UK vat is just deducted. When Amazon ships to other EU countries they also deduct UK var but then adds whatever vat applies in the country they ship to. So when I order they take away 20% and then adds 25% as that is the Danish vat


----------



## kms108

4.4 to dual 3.5
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.146.BQ83pl&id=543729463424&ns=1&abbucket=20#detail
  
 4.4 to 3.5 Cable
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.76.BQ83pl&id=543918417328&ns=1&abbucket=20#detail
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.89.BQ83pl&id=544580936418&ns=1&abbucket=20#detail
  
 4.4 to 3.5 adapter
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.50.BQ83pl&id=544616803815&ns=1&abbucket=20#detail
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.138.BQ83pl&id=543830024882&ns=1&abbucket=20#detail


----------



## nc8000

lavakugel said:


> My headphone cables are all 3.5mm. I think this is standard. Maybe it's only a matter of time the first 3.5mm to 4.4mm adapter is for sale.
> 
> Please let us now how this adapter is changing sound, thanks!




Remember you can only use an adapter if your phones are already balanced and terminated in 3.5mm trrs or other balanced termination. A cable terminated in 3.5mm trs can't use an adapter


----------



## buzzlulu

Does anyone have feedback on a comparison:
  
 Utopia with Sony WM1A or Z
  
 vs.
  
 Utopia with Mojo (using iPhone 7 digital out as a transport)


----------



## Lavakugel

nc8000 said:


> Remember you can only use an adapter if your phones are already balanced and terminated in 3.5mm trrs or other balanced termination. A cable terminated in 3.5mm trs can't use an adapter


 
 Thanks for that input...so i'll be going only SE too bad...


----------



## nc8000

lavakugel said:


> Thanks for that input...so i'll be going only SE too bad...




Any phone that use a detachable cable you can have a balanced cable made for. If your stock cable has 4 wires all the way to the plug you can reterminate it.


----------



## RobertP

@kms108 I don't read Chinese. Is there the way to see taobao in English?


----------



## kms108

robertp said:


> @kms108 I don't read Chinese. Is there the way to see in English?


 
  
 Use a agent, there is no english.


----------



## zardos

This Z thingy sounds so f.... good with well mastered Jazz, E.S.T. right now 

@nc8000 congrats for your decision to buy this beast!


----------



## Smousesme

asquare3376 said:


> Not sure if I understood correctly but regardless of the
> internal memory/sd card, your songs will play if they are in MUSIC folder. Did you try formatting your SD card and then copy your files using MediaGo application? If not, give it a shot. It will work.




Sorry mate. I mid read someone's comment. Thought it was addressed to me, but it wasn't. I just wanna use the wm port as a line out for my vorzuge amp. Just nothing's happening


----------



## nc8000

zardos said:


> This Z thingy sounds so f.... good with well mastered Jazz, E.S.T. right now
> 
> @nc8000 congrats for your decision to buy this beast!




Thank you 
Have Z1R coming next week


----------



## davidcotton

Not quite as low as before, but amazon uk have warehouse stock of the wm1a in at £734 or thereabouts.  Lowest it has been for quite sometime.


----------



## asquare3376

smousesme said:


> Sorry mate. I mid read someone's comment. Thought it was addressed to me, but it wasn't. I just wanna use the wm port as a line out for my vorzuge amp. Just nothing's happening


 what kind of input port your amp has and what cable you using to connect the Walkman and amp? Post pictures and we will dig deeper


----------



## Jazzi

zardos said:


> This Z thingy sounds so f.... good with well mastered Jazz, E.S.T. right now
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I'm a big fan of E.S.T., too.  They're on the ACT label, and every release on ACT sounds great (to me) on the WM1Z.


----------



## proedros

davidcotton said:


> Not quite as low as before, but amazon uk have warehouse stock of the wm1a in at £734 or thereabouts.  Lowest it has been for quite sometime.


 
  
 it's gone up from yesterday when they were selling for *550 pounds *


----------



## Smousesme

asquare3376 said:


> what kind of input port your amp has and what cable you using to connect the Walkman and amp? Post pictures and we will dig deeper


----------



## Smousesme

It's a wm port to a 3.5mm, feeding to the amp. The inputs are in the right place XD


----------



## asquare3376

smousesme said:


> It's a wm port to a 3.5mm, feeding to the amp. The inputs are in the right place XD


 
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/827575/sony-nw-wm1z-owner-and-impressions
  
 "_Sony also removed the analog line out from WM port, which put the new Walkman WM series to be only compatible to Digital output for transport and if you need to use line-out analog, you can use either headphones output_"


----------



## Smousesme

asquare3376 said:


> http://www.head-fi.org/t/827575/sony-nw-wm1z-owner-and-impressions
> 
> "_Sony also removed the analog line out from WM port, which put the new Walkman WM series to be only compatible to Digital output for transport and if you need to use line-out analog, you can use either headphones output_"




Dang. Time to buy an interconnect then! XD Thanks for your help mate. Try and find a 4.4mm to 3.5mm (if existent) 
Thanks again


----------



## asquare3376

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]





smousesme said:


> Dang. Time to buy an interconnect then! XD Thanks for your help mate. Try and find a 4.4mm to 3.5mm (if existent)
> Thanks again



Curious, why you need to use an amp with the 1A? Is the output not enough for you? Not even in the balanced mode? You using a European capped version? 
I understand if you want to bypass the inbuilt DAC, but using just an amp doesn't seem logical... Just my 2 cents


----------



## Smousesme

asquare3376 said:


> [VIDEO][/VIDEO]
> Curious, why you need to use an amp with the 1A? Is the output not enough for you? Not even in the balanced mode? You using a European capped version?
> I understand if you want to bypass the inbuilt DAC, but using just an amp doesn't seem logical... Just my 2 cents




I got a pair of ether flows and when I used them with my zx2, I felt that things were congested. Used the amp, things didn't seem to be so. 

It'd just be nice if it'd be the same with the wm1a, though it isn't as conjested as I remember the zx2 being. It feels quite close to how it was with the zx2-vorzuge combo. But I do feel the ethers could use more juice,
(I don't have a strong audio knowledge) XD


----------



## gerelmx1986

i have some Z7 and i love how they sound with the WM1A (normal gain), the Z5 sound very nice in high gain


----------



## asquare3376

smousesme said:


> I got a pair of ether flows and when I used them with my zx2, I felt that things were congested. Used the amp, things didn't seem to be so.
> 
> It'd just be nice if it'd be the same with the wm1a, though it isn't as conjested as I remember the zx2 being. It feels quite close to how it was with the zx2-vorzuge combo. But I do feel the ethers could use more juice,
> (I don't have a strong audio knowledge) XD



Do you have the provision to run Ether flows balanced on WM1A? Balanced output has more power. Anyways, for now it only appears that a 4.4 to 3.5 or 3.5. to 3.5 can help you. 
And don't get just any cheap adapters. I heard they can short your player.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think the XBA-Z5 need more current because the cross-over (triple driver IEM) and Z7 are just fine on normal gain because just one driver


----------



## nc8000

asquare3376 said:


> Do you have the provision to run Ether flows balanced on WM1A? Balanced output has more power. Anyways, for now it only appears that a 4.4 to 3.5 or 3.5. to 3.5 can help you.
> And don't get just any cheap adapters. I heard they can short your player.




That has nothing to do with price. What will short the amp is if you try to use a single ended phone via an adapter to the balanced output


----------



## Whitigir

Wm1Z is Trully a phenomenal Walkman. I tried to use 4.4mm out with hi-gain into a powerful amp, and it has no noises at all !!!


----------



## Lavakugel

Is anybody using a dock with wm1a instead of a macbook pro as source?


----------



## Whitigir

lavakugel said:


> Is anybody using a dock with wm1a instead of a macbook pro as source?




I do use the dock into TA-ZH1ES.


----------



## Lavakugel

Please let us share with a picture.


----------



## gerelmx1986

i am nearly hitting 700h in SE and i am dying to try out balanced


----------



## Lavakugel

gerelmx1986 said:


> i am nearly hitting 700h in SE and i am dying to try out balanced


 
 Do you still like the sound?  
  
 Is it improving over time?


----------



## Whitigir




----------



## Lavakugel

Have you compared wm1z as source vs macbook pro?


----------



## Whitigir

lavakugel said:


> Have you compared wm1z as source vs macbook pro?




No, but I have against my ROG Asus. All I can tell you is that Wm1z or even zx2 itself as a transport is already better digital source than any laptops. Not to count the dock, upgraded USB cables and so on.


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > i am nearly hitting 700h in SE and i am dying to try out balanced
> ...


 

 Mine has stabilized arround 550 hours, I love the sound but like everyone esle i wan t also to try the 4.4mm


----------



## blazinblazin

gerelmx1986 said:


> Mine has stabilized arround 550 hours, I love the sound but like everyone esle i wan t also to try the 4.4mm




Have not got your 4.4mm yet?


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Mine has stabilized arround 550 hours, I love the sound but like everyone esle i wan t also to try the 4.4mm
> ...


 

 i am on the process of getting it, Thursday get the money for it


----------



## mscott58

nc8000 said:


> None the less about 100 out of my 1500 albums fail to show album art on the 1Z despite showing on ZX2 and all other devices I have used. This also on 1.10



 


Main difference is that the 1Z and 1A use a proprietary OS while the ZX2 use Android, so kind of apples and oranges. Should it work ideally? Sure. Do I personally prefer the OS of the 1Z/1A? Heck yes! Cheers


----------



## nc8000

mscott58 said:


> nc8000 said:
> 
> 
> > None the less about 100 out of my 1500 albums fail to show album art on the 1Z despite showing on ZX2 and all other devices I have used. This also on 1.10
> ...




Absolutely yes


----------



## gerelmx1986

The difference between Baseline and progressive jpeg is how it is rendered
  
 according to what i read
  
 Baselin ejpeg is the standard : it is displayed from top to bottom line by line, that0s why certain webpages we see partial image or no image at all when it is downloading
  
 Progerssive: downloads the data all at once and displays an initial "versión" as blurred pixelated image as the data becomes available, the image is rescanned and replaced progressively by a better resolution as data becomes available.
  
 Don't know why sony DAPs like WM1 don't suport progressive is kind of ood, maybe the SoC doesn't support the rendering of a progressive jpeg i bet it only supports typical line by line scan like the TV screen


----------



## Smousesme

asquare3376 said:


> Do you have the provision to run Ether flows balanced on WM1A? Balanced output has more power. Anyways, for now it only appears that a 4.4 to 3.5 or 3.5. to 3.5 can help you.
> And don't get just any cheap adapters. I heard they can short your player.




I'm only using the vorzuge til I get a Hugo 2 (not pre ordered, imma wait for one second hand, and yes, I'm very patient). 

So I guess I'll just use the non balanced with my flows for the time being. Nothing to complain about though


----------



## asquare3376

smousesme said:


> I'm only using the vorzuge til I get a Hugo 2 (not pre ordered, imma wait for one second hand, and yes, I'm very patient).
> 
> So I guess I'll just use the non balanced with my flows for the time being. Nothing to complain about though


 you are probably the most patient person on this forum. As for me, I am having a difficult time waiting to get my hands on WM1A. Waiting for their official release in USA.


----------



## Smousesme

asquare3376 said:


> you are probably the most patient person on this forum. As for me, I am having a difficult time waiting to get my hands on WM1A. Waiting for their official release in USA.




Ahaaaa XD And I didn't know that you can't get your hands on a wm1a in the US! That's a real strange one. Unlucky fellas


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> The difference between Baseline and progressive jpeg is how it is rendered
> 
> according to what i read
> 
> ...


 
  
 If you assume that all your album art is locally stored then not spending the time to implement a more CPU intensive process like progressive jpeg decoding makes sense.  Progressive jpeg was assumed to be for delivering images over the internet or over a slow speed network where transfer speed is relatively slow, obviously this is not going to be the use case for a Walkman which can't even stream and fetches all data locally from fast flash memory.


----------



## kms108

asquare3376 said:


> smousesme said:
> 
> 
> > I'm only using the vorzuge til I get a Hugo 2 (not pre ordered, imma wait for one second hand, and yes, I'm very patient).
> ...


 

 Since the release, I haven't got the WM1A, getting it in early December from Japan.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> If you assume that all your album art is locally stored then not spending the time to implement a more CPU intensive process like progressive jpeg decoding makes sense.  Progressive jpeg was assumed to be for delivering images over the internet or over a slow speed network where transfer speed is relatively slow, obviously this is not going to be the use case for a Walkman which can't even stream and fetches all data locally from fast flash memory.


 
 Exactly what i was thinking about, sony engineers chose the best approach in a limited CPU, RAM and considered the battery. I tought that the prog jpeg may be too ineffciient for local álbum art because of this repeated rendering


----------



## harishmirror

I am not sure if its already discussed.. Would like to know if the 1A can be used in dac mode? Like the pha3..


----------



## nc8000

harishmirror said:


> I am not sure if its already discussed.. Would like to know if the 1A can be used in dac mode? Like the pha3..




No, it is a pure dap


----------



## hung031086

I just wonder that does anyplace make a 4.4mm female to 3.5mm male adapter ?


----------



## soundkist

hung031086 said:


> I just wonder that does anyplace make a 4.4mm female to 3.5mm male adapter ?


 
  
 On the lookout for one of those myself, but so far 99% sure nobody makes one yet.


----------



## asquare3376

kms108 said:


> Since the release, I haven't got the WM1A, getting it in early December from Japan.


 
 You mean, you're waiting on delivery from last 3 months? Where did you make your purchase?


----------



## Whitigir

soundkist said:


> On the lookout for one of those myself, but so far 99% sure nobody makes one yet.




I would not make one even though I can, but I never will, unless it is 4.4mm into 3.5mm TRRS


----------



## nc8000

whitigir said:


> I would not make one even though I can, but I never will, unless it is 4.4mm into 3.5mm TRRS




There is nothing wrong with doing an adapter from balanced to single ended


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> There is nothing wrong with doing an adapter from balanced to single ended




Then why did Sony not directly wired it to work native DSD on SE ? Remember, Walkman doesn't has your typical DAC....


----------



## rushofblood

whitigir said:


> Then why did Sony not directly wired it to work native DSD on SE ? Remember, Walkman doesn't has your typical DAC....


 
 I think it's more for the convenience of using 4.4mm terminated cables with almost every other piece of audio equipment out there right now with 3.5mm sockets...for a JEITA standard, adoption of 4.4mm has been kinda paltry.


----------



## AnakChan

hung031086 said:


> I just wonder that does anyplace make a 4.4mm female to 3.5mm male adapter ?




You mean something close to this (yeah I'm aware the below is to a 2.5mm TRRS instead of your 3.5mm male adapter): http://e4ua.jp/?p=2292




But this is a no joke 25,000 yen (~USD$222). A little too expensive for my tastes but extremely well done. I bought 2x square Pentaconn female socket and will solder the wires to male 2.5mm TRRS and 3.5mm TRS instead. Aesthetically won't end up as nice as the one above but should do the job. I'm wondering how the heck the maker above managed to squeeze in the Pentaconn female socket into a round housing unless he built a 4.4mm female socket entirely from scratch.


----------



## axl1

I was having music skipping problems and songs (in wav & FLAC) playing halfway and stopped with message incompatible format.
  
 After updating to the latest firmware, I'm still having this issue.
  
 Any of you guys face this issue?
  
 I don't think its the files as the same files plays perfectly in my other DAPs.


----------



## AnakChan

rushofblood said:


> I think it's more for the convenience of using 4.4mm terminated cables with almost every other piece of audio equipment out there right now with 3.5mm sockets...for a JEITA standard, adoption of 4.4mm has been kinda paltry.



That's because they the female sockets are :-

1) so hard to find,
2) the Pentaconn ones are like Yen 5000 (~USD$44.36) each! Even if it's cheaper for makers, it's still won't be as cheap as the normal 3.5mm or 2.5mm sockets
3) the currently available female sockets are huge which means for deeper DAPs/Amps, etc.

Fat (no pun intended) chance of trying to put that kinda socket into the likes of the Onkyo and Pioneer-like slim players. For something like the DX200, it'll be possible but will be quite a challenge.

The 4.4mm makes a damn good intermediary though (like 4.4mm -> 2.5mm, 3.5mm, Kobiconn, XLR, etc).


----------



## rushofblood

anakchan said:


> You mean something close to this (yeah I'm aware the below is to a 2.5mm TRRS instead of your 3.5mm male adapter): http://e4ua.jp/?p=2292
> 
> But this is a no joke 25,000 yen (~USD$222). A little too expensive for my tastes but extremely well done. I bought 2x square Pentaconn female socket and will solder the wires to male 2.5mm TRRS and 3.5mm TRS instead. Aesthetically won't end up as nice as the one above but should do the job. I'm wondering how the heck the maker above managed to squeeze in the Pentaconn female socket into a round housing unless he built a 4.4mm female socket entirely from scratch.


 
 Hmm. Google Translate seems to suggest that this DIYer managed to squeeze the Pentaconn female jack into the housing. Can anyone with Japanese comprehension clarify this? I can hardly believe that that specific female connector (I have one from my last trip to Japan just lying around looking for a housing) can fit into such a tiny barrel. 


> 2) the Pentaconn ones are like Yen 5000 (~USD$4.42) each!


 
 At USD 4.42 I'd be stockpiling them...hahaha. More like USD 44.20.


----------



## nanaholic

rushofblood said:


> Hmm. Google Translate seems to suggest that this DIYer managed to squeeze the Pentaconn female jack into the housing. Can anyone with Japanese comprehension clarify this? I can hardly believe that that specific female connector (I have one from my last trip to Japan just lying around looking for a housing) can fit into such a tiny barrel.


 
  
 He modified the jack by cutting it to make it fit.


----------



## rushofblood

nanaholic said:


> He modified the jack by cutting it to make it fit.


 
 Thanks. Interesting. Maybe it's time for me to take a good, long look at mine...


----------



## kms108

asquare3376 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Since the release, I haven't got the WM1A, getting it in early December from Japan.
> ...


 
 No, I was suppose to get it june 2017 during my visit to japan, my trip got delayed, to October 2017, but finally confirmed December 2017, so now its 9 month to wait, hong kong has overpriced to WM1A, so i decided to get it from Japan, even my ZX 2 was from Japan, much cheaper too with tax free and extra discount on top.


----------



## Whitigir

rushofblood said:


> I think it's more for the convenience of using 4.4mm terminated cables with almost every other piece of audio equipment out there right now with 3.5mm sockets...for a JEITA standard, adoption of 4.4mm has been kinda paltry.




Sony doesn't use any typical DAC, more like clocking and mechanical works to interpreted digital signals through a filter circuitry and into class D amplification to get the Walkman working. Therefore, balanced circuitry will have 2 Separated lines of works intended for each channel. We all know each channel carries it own signals.

So ask yourself again, what if you short these channels together ? 

I can not stop people to destroy their own player and Walkman. But I would never help them make it happen though


----------



## kms108

axl1 said:


> I was having music skipping problems and songs (in wav & FLAC) playing halfway and stopped with message incompatible format.
> 
> After updating to the latest firmware, I'm still having this issue.
> 
> ...


 

 I actually think it's the files themselves, It's how they are decoded, and what software is used to decode them, I have some perfect playable files in flac, mp3 and DSD, and I get mix results of them playing on my LG V20, V10 and G5, and also my Sony ZX 2, the files also work on PC, other DAP, smartphones etc., but some of the mention above player shows up as error and skip to next files.


----------



## rushofblood

whitigir said:


> Sony doesn't use any typical DAC, more like clocking and mechanical works to interpreted digital signals through a filter circuitry and into class D amplification to get the Walkman working. Therefore, balanced circuitry will have 2 Separated lines of works intended for each channel. We all know each channel carries it own signals.
> 
> So ask yourself again, what if you short these channels together ?
> 
> I can not stop people to destroy their own player and Walkman. But I would never help them make it happen though


 
 I think you're thinking of something else - the adaptor is 4.4mm female to 3.5 single ended male for use with other single ended sources. Balanced cables can be converted through such converters to other balanced standards (4.4mm to 2.5mm or even 4 pin XLR, for example) or single ended 3.5mm/6.3mm by connecting both grounds to the unified ground of single ended - the only unsafe converter that would not work is 3.5mm single ended female to 4.4mm balanced male (or any other form of single ended female to balanced male) which would lead to short circuiting and damage for the DAP, headphone or both.


----------



## nc8000

rushofblood said:


> I think you're thinking of something else - the adaptor is 4.4mm female to 3.5 single ended male for use with other single ended sources. Balanced cables can be converted through such converters to other balanced standards (4.4mm to 2.5mm, for example) or single ended 3.5mm/6.3mm by connecting both grounds to the unified ground of single ended - the only unsafe converter that would not work is 3.5mm single ended female to 4.4mm balanced male which would lead to short circuiting and damage for the DAP, headphone or both.




Yep going from a balanced terminated phone through an adapter to single ended is perfectly safe, going the other way is not


----------



## Whitigir

Ah, he was asking about an adaptor to go from 4.4mm Male into 3.5 SE connection. If that is the case, it would work. I am in fact going to make one soon, very soon. Actually 2x, but one is reserved 

For a moment I thought he was asking about using 4.4mm Balanced out on the Walkman into an SE headphones


----------



## AnakChan

hung031086 said:


> I just wonder that does anyplace make a 4.4mm *female* to 3.5mm male adapter ?


 
  
  


whitigir said:


> Ah, he was asking about an adaptor to go from 4.4mm *Male* into 3.5 SE connection. If that is the case, it would work. I am in fact going to make one soon, very soon. Actually 2x, but one is reserved
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Probably for clarity sake, it's 4.4mm _*FE*_male to 3.5mm SE male


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Ah, he was asking about an adaptor to go from 4.4mm Male into 3.5 SE connection. If that is the case, it would work. I am in fact going to make one soon, very soon. Actually 2x, but one is reserved
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 ​Yes 4.4mm male to dual 3.5mm females (Z5 & Z7 "PHA-3" balanced standard)


----------



## soundkist

anakchan said:


> Probably for clarity sake, it's 4.4mm _*FE*_male to 3.5mm SE male


 
  
 Yes, this exactly, so I could theoretically just unplug from wm1x, and plug directly into say, SE home DAC, without having to swap cables/etc... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
@AnakChan, yeah that adapter looks really well done, but a little much for my tastes as well; nice find though!


----------



## Whitigir

soundkist said:


> Yes, this exactly, so I could theoretically just unplug from wm1x, and plug directly into say, SE home DAC, without having to swap cables/etc...
> 
> @AnakChan
> , yeah that adapter looks really well done, but a little much for my tastes as well; nice find though!




Female 4.4 is hard to come by and is at least $50 by itslf


----------



## hung031086

anakchan said:


> You mean something close to this (yeah I'm aware the below is to a 2.5mm TRRS instead of your 3.5mm male adapter): http://e4ua.jp/?p=2292
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yeah like that cable but i want 3.5mm se, not a 2.5mm. Well its too expensive for a small cable. If it's cheaper, may buy it and plug it to a 2.5mm female to 3.5mm male. Will it work this way ? A 4.4mm cable > 4.4mm female to 2.5mm male > 2.5mm female to 3.5mm male ? Too much adapters )


----------



## soundkist

whitigir said:


> Female 4.4 is hard to come by and is at least $50 by itslf


  

 Hopefully availability will increase and prices will drop as they become more common; the need/want is certainly there, I think.


----------



## Jalo

@Anak, that is a beautiful female 4.4. Do you know what is the metal material? And can you buy that for diy?


----------



## Lavakugel

My Wm1a was delivered today. After 2 days in shipment center my unit was ice cold.
  
 Done firmware update, charging...listening begun.
  
 Very solid performance from the first tracks...and it will be improve over hours. Nice!


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> My Wm1a was delivered today. After 2 days in shipment center my unit was ice cold.
> 
> Done firmware update, charging...listening begun.
> 
> Very solid performance from the first tracks...and it will be improve over hours. Nice!


 

 Congrats for sure it will improve, on SE, mine stabilized at 550 Hours


----------



## gerelmx1986

Thursday i get my money so i order my cables to @Whitigir 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




​ at least my oder will be easy two cables both same config, Male 4.4mm to "Y" 3.5mm female TRS


----------



## Lavakugel

To turn on the display you have to find the power button. This is a litte annoying because this button is too small...isn't there another activation possible?


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> To turn on the display you have to find the power button. This is a litte annoying because this button is too small...isn't there another activation possible?


 

 nope, i tought the HOLD switch would, but no. i also find it annoying but meh i don't fiddle with the screen that often. would be cool if the sensor remained active and detcted a triple-tap to activate


----------



## Lavakugel

This was the first thing I did notice about the display turn on button. 
  
 This power button should be on the other side where the hold button is. Why? Because I'm right handed and could turn it on easier. The hold button is not used that often.
  
 Power button should be same size as + Button for better experience.
  
 Please Sony if you're reading this improvement for the next player


----------



## soundkist

While I agree with the button is on the smaller side, my experience is that after some time with the unit my muscle memory was able to locate the button pretty easily; now after several weeks, it's automatic.


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> This was the first thing I did notice about the display turn on button.
> 
> This power button should be on the other side where the hold button is. Why? Because I'm right handed and could turn it on easier. The hold button is not used that often.
> 
> ...


 

 ​if you note headphone Jack wiggling Don't panic bro, is normal as the jacks are not directly soldered to the board, instead they are connected via cabling (in fact more secure against stress points)


----------



## blazinblazin

Power button not hard to locate.

Always the button under the arch.

I am right handed too. I use thumb on power button.


----------



## nanaholic

Dunno how folks can say the buttons are small as they are like larger than 90% of the buttons on slim DAPs already.
  
 The size variation also means easier to tell them apart from touch, that's why they are not all the same size too.


----------



## mscott58

If this is the worst problem you have in finding a small button then I don't know what to say. It's location (unlike others) is very easy to find. Cheers


----------



## Jazzi

axl1 said:


> I was having music skipping problems and songs (in wav & FLAC) playing halfway and stopped with message incompatible format.
> 
> After updating to the latest firmware, I'm still having this issue.
> 
> ...


 

 I've never had that problem in around 400 hours with the 1Z.  My guess is something is wrong with the media.  All of the problem files stored on the card, not in internal memory?


----------



## gerelmx1986

jazzi said:


> axl1 said:
> 
> 
> > I was having music skipping problems and songs (in wav & FLAC) playing halfway and stopped with message incompatible format.
> ...


 

 ​bad transfers or he failed to eject the walkman media properly... i have had this problema but a re-transfer fixes it ofthen this is caused by mot ejecting safely


----------



## Jalo

Do people notice in the current version, every time I change headphone, the volume will go down to about 46. The previous version, volume stay the same regardless what you do.


----------



## axl1

jazzi said:


> I've never had that problem in around 400 hours with the 1Z.  My guess is something is wrong with the media.  All of the problem files stored on the card, not in internal memory?


 
 Thanks guys. The same file stored in internal memory played fine. So narrow down the problem to the SDcard.


----------



## DJBaila

harishmirror said:


> I am not sure if its already discussed.. Would like to know if the 1A can be used in dac mode? Like the pha3..


 
  
 1A and 1Z do not support "USB Audio" mode. Not sure if Sony will add this feature in future FW since they can sell you a PHA instead.


----------



## kms108

djbaila said:


> harishmirror said:
> 
> 
> > I am not sure if its already discussed.. Would like to know if the 1A can be used in dac mode? Like the pha3..
> ...


 

 I think you can use Sony's own DAC cable to output digit signal to certain amps.


----------



## nc8000

kms108 said:


> I think you can use Sony's own DAC cable to output digit signal to certain amps.




As I understand it he is asking if the players can be used as an external dac and the answer to that is no and I doubt (but don't know) that it can be implemented just as a fe upgrade


----------



## Lavakugel

How is your andromeda sounding? Are you on balanced with them?


----------



## Lavakugel

Is it possible to import my playlist from Fiio to 1a?


----------



## 13candles

It was only yesterday that i was listening to some DSD 5.6mhz files out from a singular music album and with no track skipping whatsoever and then i heard a distinctive click after each track! But if i skipped tracks on this particular album, i wouldnt hear any click.
  
 And no, this was all the same bitrate files on the same one album. 
  
 Also, when i listened to another album which was DSD 2.8mhz, there was no click even when skipping or normal playthrough....
  
 I know there will be a click on balanced output if skipping through songs which are of different sample rates on the same playlist but this anomaly is just weird,.....
  
 Anyone experienced this ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> Is it possible to import my playlist from Fiio to 1a?


I doubt as fiio and Sony use different drive structure bit for compatibility of fiio has a drive letter, replace it with double dots


----------



## TheOracle

kms108 said:


> I think you can use Sony's own DAC cable to output digit signal to certain amps.


 
  
  
 Yep. Works with the Sony PHA-2A.


----------



## Whitigir

Damn it! The WM1Z is such a good analog line out Source ! No noises, and superb quality !!!

Pardon the dangling socket....she is awaiting chassis mount socket. Please welcome my newest addictions : Stax SR-009 + My own Carbon !!

So beautiful sound from WM1Z !! The vocal is so addictive


----------



## Lavakugel

How are you connecting 1z with this amplifier?


----------



## nc8000

lavakugel said:


> How are you connecting 1z with this amplifier?




Probably via a cable from the 3.5mm headphone out to a line in on the amp


----------



## Lavakugel

Have to try the same on my Taurus but I only have a crappy cable here


----------



## Whitigir

lavakugel said:


> How are you connecting 1z with this amplifier?




As u see, 4.4mm Balanced out into XLR 3 in the back of the amp 

My cables is also the Z1R cables, or Z7 cables. It has 3.5mm dual ends, and I do use adapters that I made


----------



## Lavakugel

How are you guys holding your 1z in hand?
  
 I feel my 1a is already quite heavy and 1z is double that weight...lol


----------



## Stealer

Finally got my hand on the Sony Remote. Using the clip to clip on my sling bag and accidentally dropped it when removing. Now the locking mechanism for the clip is missing. 
Sigh....


----------



## phonomat

lavakugel said:


> How are you guys holding your 1z in hand?
> 
> I feel my 1a is already quite heavy and 1z is double that weight...lol




Yep, after years of using ZX1, the WM1A feels enormously big and very heavy. It's already a bit heavier than what would really be comfortable to use, and I can't even imagine using something heavier, let alone double the weight. Apart from the jacks being located on the top of the device, this is the biggest drawback for me.


----------



## echineko

Not directly related to the Walkman, but I saw this and thought it was a surprising yet welcome move:

http://www.theverge.com/2017/3/21/15004562/sony-google-android-o-ldac-wireless-music


----------



## blazinblazin

echineko said:


> Not directly related to the Walkman, but I saw this and thought it was a surprising yet welcome move:
> 
> http://www.theverge.com/2017/3/21/15004562/sony-google-android-o-ldac-wireless-music




That's a good move, so SONY can sell more headset and push this technology.


----------



## Dillan

Just ordered the NW-WM1Z (and Campfire Audio Vega). I've tried skimming through the thread, but is there anything I should know about this device before getting it? Any tips or tricks? The only thing I wish it had was a line out so I could use it as a player and dac into an amp. I'm looking forward to joining the club! I owned the AK380 but was disappointed.. how much power does the NW-WM1Z push through balanced versus the 380?

Thanks for any help and suggestions!


----------



## Hydrored

dillan said:


> Just ordered the NW-WM1Z (and Campfire Audio Vega). I've tried skimming through the thread, but is there anything I should know about this device before getting it? Any tips or tricks? The only thing I wish it had was a line out so I could use it as a player and dac into an amp. I'm looking forward to joining the club! I owned the AK380 but was disappointed.. how much power does the NW-WM1Z push through balanced versus the 380?
> 
> Thanks for any help and suggestions!




I recieved my 1Z and Vega last week. I ordered a reference 8 cable with balanced end, I can certainly hear a difference verse the 3.5. Congrats! It's a great combo!


----------



## Dillan

Awesome! Looking forward to it. I ordered the Sony 4.4mm cable that was a collaboration with Kimber. Seems like an amazing kable and made specifically for this dap.


----------



## xiayizju

dillan said:


> Awesome! Looking forward to it. I ordered the Sony 4.4mm cable that was a collaboration with Kimber. Seems like an amazing kable and made specifically for this dap.


 
 Hi,
 Where did you purchase the cable? i guess you mean kimber cable muc-b20sb1. i checked the price online it is really expensive. wish you can share some deal information ^^
 thanks!


----------



## SoLame

xiayizju said:


> Hi,
> Where did you purchase the cable? i guess you mean kimber cable muc-b20sb1. i checked the price online it is really expensive. wish you can share some deal information ^^
> thanks!


 
 More like he ordered MUC-M12SB1 cable. He said he just ordered Campfire Audio Vega along with NW-WM1Z.


----------



## bvng3540

djbaila said:


> 1A and 1Z do not support "USB Audio" mode. Not sure if Sony will add this feature in future FW since they can sell you a PHA instead.




Not true my 1z support USB audio


----------



## vhsownsbeta

bvng3540 said:


> Not true my 1z support USB audio


----------



## gerelmx1986

But it is only in the OUT direction


----------



## AnakChan

jalo said:


> @Anak, that is a beautiful female 4.4. Do you know what is the metal material? And can you buy that for diy?


 
  
 Sadly I don't know the metal material nor do I know if one can buy the housing for DIY. I've not made mine yet but I'd probably won't be as gutsy to try to shave the 4.4mm female to fit into such a housing. I'd probably leave mine bare and just laquer or something for some kinda insulation.


----------



## unknownguardian

bvng3540 said:


> Not true my 1z support USB audio



How did you do this? More pictures/explainations?


----------



## bvng3540

unknownguardian said:


> How did you do this? More pictures/explainations?


----------



## nc8000

bvng3540 said:


>




The original question was about using the 1A/1Z as a usb dac connected to a pc or phone not about sending a digital signal out of the player to a dac


----------



## kms108

unknownguardian said:


> bvng3540 said:
> 
> 
> > Not true my 1z support USB audio
> ...


 

 I remember seeing the Hong Kong version, it's in the settings menu on the player.


----------



## blazinblazin

Hmm... There's an Update to version 1.20


----------



## Whitigir

Walkman does not and can not act as an external DAC. It can act as a USB digital transport to stream digital data into your DAC if you desire.


----------



## echineko

blazinblazin said:


> Hmm... There's an Update to version 1.20



 
"Update contents: 

[1] Supported display of Thai song information (song title, artist name, album name etc). 
[2] Other function improvements"


Edit: Whoops, it's already out 

http://www.sony.com.my/support/download/616942/product/nw-wm1z


----------



## kimball

Hi All,
  
 I just join this "party" recently><

  
 Very satisfy the sound what I listen now!!


----------



## echineko

No issues updating mine to 1.20, btw. Ran smoothly as usual, seems just fine after. Don't really notice any differences though, then again I don't read Thai


----------



## Mfalcon

kimball said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I just join this "party" recently><
> 
> ...




What cable is this?


----------



## kimball

thx buddy，just updated


----------



## kimball

mfalcon said:


> What cable is this?


 
 Cable is from Japan,this is an OEM cable made by third party (HK's small and not famous workshop)


----------



## blazinblazin

kimball said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I just join this "party" recently><
> 
> ...




I saw the raw wire somewhere online.

I believe the cable is mix of 2 type cable. 
Orange: Gold, Silver, Platinum.
Blue: Gold, Silver.

I am still curious how does the cable sounds.


----------



## Lavakugel

Noble vega seems very popular. How is this comparing with over ear headphones?


----------



## kimball

I can just say "very balanced"


----------



## Mimouille

lavakugel said:


> Noble vega seems very popular. How is this comparing with over ear headphones?


What is Noble Vega? There is Noble Katana or Campfire Audio Vega.


----------



## Lavakugel

Have you people used your WM1A/Z via 3.5mm out to an amplifier? Is this a big step up or is WM1 already very capable?
  
 Thinking of selling my home rig and only use my WM1a.


----------



## Lavakugel

mimouille said:


> What is Noble Vega? There is Noble Katana or Campfire Audio Vega.


 
 Sorry ment CA of course. Just read a blog about Noble on headfonia


----------



## rushofblood

Firmware 1.20 noticeably increases the speed at which artist/album lists are populated when scrolling at maximum speed and appears to fix the disappearing lists problem introduced in 1.10 where going back from the now playing page would occasionally cause a few entries in an artist/album list to disappear. Worth an update even if you don't have any Thai music haha.


----------



## Lavakugel

On german sony homepage it isn't listed yet. Do you think I could download FW 1.20 on sony.com without issues?


----------



## rushofblood

lavakugel said:


> On german sony homepage it isn't listed yet. Do you think I could download FW 1.20 on sony.com without issues?


 
 Yeah, you can use the link on the previous page. The update tool works for all regions.


----------



## Lavakugel

T


rushofblood said:


> Yeah, you can use the link on the previous page. The update tool works for all regions.


 
 Thanks very nice, so I don't have to wait


----------



## kms108

Reading through the past few pages of post about adapters, I found these, it's in chinese, from the looks of it it's 4.4 male balanced to 3.5 female balanced and 4.4 male balanced to 3.5 female SE. someone who knows chinese well, here is the link.
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z02.1.2016030118.d2016038.AA03Gn&id=522070903420&scm=1007.10157.72051.100200300000000&pvid=d5d69a7f-953d-4a4f-9aba-ecb849c4f0a8


----------



## soundkist

rushofblood said:


> Firmware 1.20 noticeably increases the speed at which artist/album lists are populated when scrolling at maximum speed and appears to fix the disappearing lists problem introduced in 1.10 where going back from the now playing page would occasionally cause a few entries in an artist/album list to disappear. Worth an update even if you don't have any Thai music haha.


 
  
 Excellent news, and thanks for info; I was definitely experiencing the disappearing artist/album issue--glad it has been addressed!


----------



## nc8000

kms108 said:


> Reading through the past few pages of post about adapters, I found these, it's in chinese, from the looks of it it's 4.4 male balanced to 3.5 female balanced and 4.4 male balanced to 3.5 female SE. someone who knows chinese well, here is the link.
> 
> https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z02.1.2016030118.d2016038.AA03Gn&id=522070903420&scm=1007.10157.72051.100200300000000&pvid=d5d69a7f-953d-4a4f-9aba-ecb849c4f0a8




If one is 3.5mm female trs using it will probably fry the player


----------



## kms108

nc8000 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Reading through the past few pages of post about adapters, I found these, it's in chinese, from the looks of it it's 4.4 male balanced to 3.5 female balanced and 4.4 male balanced to 3.5 female SE. someone who knows chinese well, here is the link.
> ...


 

 I know what has been posted, but the first photo is for a 3.5 trs, to 4.4 balanced, i'm just curious if they have tried this adapter, thats why I provided a link for anyone who know chinese well to look into it..


----------



## hung031086

kms108 said:


> Reading through the past few pages of post about adapters, I found these, it's in chinese, from the looks of it it's 4.4 male balanced to 3.5 female balanced and 4.4 male balanced to 3.5 female SE. someone who knows chinese well, here is the link.
> 
> https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z02.1.2016030118.d2016038.AA03Gn&id=522070903420&scm=1007.10157.72051.100200300000000&pvid=d5d69a7f-953d-4a4f-9aba-ecb849c4f0a8



They don't have 4.4mm female to 3.5mm male


----------



## kms108

hung031086 said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Reading through the past few pages of post about adapters, I found these, it's in chinese, from the looks of it it's 4.4 male balanced to 3.5 female balanced and 4.4 male balanced to 3.5 female SE. someone who knows chinese well, here is the link.
> ...


 

 I don't think it's available.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I find my WM1 to be very capable at handling my z5


----------



## phonomat

The world would be a better place if people would just stop quoting pictures. Everyone matters. Don't partake. Just say no!


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I find my WM1 to be very capable at handling my z5




Wm1Z has no problem driving Utopia, why should it with Z5 ? (Balanced)


----------



## RobertP

I do have some Thai songs. With v1.10 it shows a whole bunch of squares or some weird characters.
Anyone try v1.20 update with their EU 1A yet? Will the volume cap hack still work.


----------



## bvng3540

robertp said:


> I do have some Thai songs. With v1.10 it shows a whole bunch of squares or some weird characters.
> Anyone try v1.20 update with their EU 1A yet? Will the volume cap hack still work.




Will the new update work with Chinese


----------



## SoLame

robertp said:


> I do have some Thai songs. With v1.10 it shows a whole bunch of squares or some weird characters.
> Anyone try v1.20 update with their EU 1A yet? Will the volume cap hack still work.


 
 1.20 fixed problem with Thai characters not display properly as someone mentioned before. Thank goodness. Also, I read earlier in this thread that people who did volume cap hack didn't have any problem when they updated firmware from original to 1.10.


----------



## Stealer

kimball said:


> Cable is from Japan,this is an OEM cable made by third party (HK's small and not famous workshop)



Can you share the website? 
What is the price like? 
Im now in Japan, can consider getting this for my campfire jupiter.


----------



## kimball

In Japan, I think you can just buy the "wire" not the cable,the information below is for your reference:
オーグ+Pt PTFE被膜線オーグ+Pt PTFE被膜線​http://aug-line.com/products/pt-ptfe
オーグライン+α (アルファ)PTFE被膜線​http://aug-line.com/products/a-ptfe​

They wire reseller and telephone phone number and address are listed as following website:

http://aug-line.com/shop

また、当社開発の素線やテフロン被膜線・YラグやACプラグ電極等を使用したケーブル開発に興味のある方も、下記までご連絡下さい

 有限会社　武藤製作所
 E-mail:info@aug-line.com
TEL 04-7136-7931


----------



## kimball

stealer said:


> Can you share the website?
> What is the price like?
> Im now in Japan, can consider getting this for my campfire jupiter.


 
 In Japan, I think you can just buy the "wire" not the cable,the information below is for your reference:
オーグ+Pt PTFE被膜線オーグ+Pt PTFE被膜線​http://aug-line.com/products/pt-ptfe
オーグライン+α (アルファ)PTFE被膜線​http://aug-line.com/products/a-ptfe​

They wire reseller and telephone phone number and address are listed as following website:

http://aug-line.com/shop

また、当社開発の素線やテフロン被膜線・YラグやACプラグ電極等を使用したケーブル開発に興味のある方も、下記までご連絡下さい

 有限会社　武藤製作所
 E-mail:info@aug-line.com
TEL 04-7136-7931 

--------------------------------------------------------

Mine is 16wire cross


----------



## Dillan

What are the most power hungry headphones you guys have used with your player in balanced mode to completely satisfying levels? Curious!


----------



## gerelmx1986

new update

Fw 1.20


----------



## AnakChan

kimball said:


> In Japan, I think you can just buy the "wire" not the cable,the information below is for your reference:
> オーグ+Pt PTFE被膜線オーグ+Pt PTFE被膜線​http://aug-line.com/products/pt-ptfe
> オーグライン+α (アルファ)PTFE被膜線​http://aug-line.com/products/a-ptfe​
> 
> ...


 
  
 That's what I use :-
  

  
 I actually use a mix of both 4x +pt and 4x of +α where :-​  
1) L+​     - Augline +pt​     - Augline +α​ 2) L-​     - Augline +pt​     - Augline +α​ 3) R+​     - Augline +pt​     - Augline +α​ 4) R-​     - Augline +pt​     - Augline +α​  
 Braiding the 8 wires was a PITA as you can see from the above pix. So I gave up, gave the wires to Oyaide who then did the braiding for me with the result below. The 4.4mm Pentaconn I chose is the new OFC version :-
  

  


blazinblazin said:


> I saw the raw wire somewhere online.
> 
> I believe the cable is mix of 2 type cable.
> Orange: Gold, Silver, Platinum.
> ...


 
  
 The Orange is gold, silver, platinum as you've mentioned. The Blue is supposedly higher gold content and silver. But higher than what, I don't know. I'm a fan of the Augline series and further bought a solid core Augline +pt 0.4mm to build a 4.4mm -> 3.5mm & 4.4mm -> 2.5mm adapter.
  


stealer said:


> Can you share the website?
> What is the price like?
> Im now in Japan, can consider getting this for my campfire jupiter.


 
  
 You can buy this from Oyaide in Akihabara :-

 https://www.google.co.jp/maps/place/oyaide/@35.698619,139.7709964,17.89z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x60188c1d1a194743:0x8673f2723b1ab2c2!8m2!3d35.6985499!4d139.770894

 Price depends on length you buy etc. it's ￥3,024 per metre tax inc. I bought 12m worth for ￥36,288. Then the Pentaconn OFC was like ￥10,000 and the Lemo connectors were like another ￥6,000+.  As I did such a bad job in braiding, I asked Oyaide to (un & re)braid it for me which cost me a further ￥9,000. So all up was like ~￥61,300 and a 3 week wait.


----------



## RobertP

I saw $435 for new xba-z5 at taobao. Is this look promising?


----------



## Whitigir

I see ! So I am not the only person that is crazy about OFC plugs after all eh


----------



## AnakChan

whitigir said:


> I see ! So I am not the only person that is crazy about OFC plugs after all eh


 
  
 I bought it the day it was released back in Feb. I have the regular black Pentaconn too don't have the same cable setup to compare plug differences.


----------



## RobertP

Can someone tell me how much better in term on sound quality between this Augline wires vs regular silver plated wires?


----------



## Mimouille

robertp said:


> Can someone tell me how much better in term on sound quality between this Augline wires vs regular silver plated wires?


For cable SQ changes, testing for yourself is always better.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Anyone know what the 'other functions' are improved with the update?
What's the point in updating for "non-thai" music listeners.

Out of topic: wish Sony could update the ZX2 since it is still listed on their web page.


----------



## hung031086

Has anyone paired the u12 with 1A/1Z yet ? I just sold my vega and ordered that.


----------



## Dillan

hung031086 said:


> Has anyone paired the u12 with 1A/1Z yet ? I just sold my vega and ordered that.




How come you sold your Vega? Mine just arrived today and is at homing waiting for me. Were you unsatisfied?


----------



## nc8000

audiobreeder said:


> Anyone know what the 'other functions' are improved with the update?
> What's the point in updating for "non-thai" music listeners.
> 
> Out of topic: wish Sony could update the ZX2 since it is still listed on their web page.




Somebody said that the album list updated faster than 1.10 and was more stable


----------



## hung031086

dillan said:


> How come you sold your Vega? Mine just arrived today and is at homing waiting for me. Were you unsatisfied?



Love everything about Vega especially the bass. But i don't like the treble. It's too much for me. Im a treble sensitive.


----------



## SoLame

hung031086 said:


> Love everything about Vega especially the bass. But i don't like the treble. It's too much for me. Im a treble sensitive.


 
 I felt like WM1 reduces bass impact on my U12 (ADEL S1) just a bit. I haven't try it with B1 yet, but I am happy with what I hear. I hope you will like your combo.


----------



## Dillan

hung031086 said:


> Love everything about Vega especially the bass. But i don't like the treble. It's too much for me. Im a treble sensitive.




Ahhh I see. Being a fan of Grado you can tell I like treble a lot. I also like good solid bass too so maybe it will be enjoyable for me. Plus there's always EQ on the player.


----------



## Lavakugel

dillan said:


> Ahhh I see. Being a fan of Grado you can tell I like treble a lot. I also like good solid bass too so maybe it will be enjoyable for me. Plus there's always EQ on the player.


 
 I'm also a grado fan. My Wm1a pairs very well with GH-1...love it. Just noticed that my bootup time is around crazy 50sec.


----------



## denis1976

lavakugel said:


> I'm also a grado fan. My Wm1a pairs very well with GH-1...love it. Just noticed that my bootup time is around crazy 50sec.


i have a solution for that , i don't turn my 1z off


----------



## nc8000

denis1976 said:


> i have a solution for that , i don't turn my 1z off




Yes I expect I'll continue what I did with my ZX2 that hasn't been turned of or rebooted in over 1 1/2 years


----------



## Lavakugel

Is there something like a standby-mode? Is it draining a lot of battery when you leave it on?


----------



## hung031086

solame said:


> I felt like WM1 reduces bass impact on my U12 (ADEL S1) just a bit. I haven't try it with B1 yet, but I am happy with what I hear. I hope you will like your combo.




I bought a new u12 apex. I have no idea about apex. But i bought a m15 module. So i will compare which one is for me.


dillan said:


> Ahhh I see. Being a fan of Grado you can tell I like treble a lot. I also like good solid bass too so maybe it will be enjoyable for me. Plus there's always EQ on the player.



So i think you will love the vega. Actually the 1a/1z have a function to low down the treble but i dont like that.


----------



## Smousesme

Hi again guys, if you have a 3.5mm trrs cable, would a 3.5mm-4.4mm adapter utilise the balanced output fully? Thanks


----------



## nc8000

smousesme said:


> Hi again guys, if you have a 3.5mm trrs cable, would a 3.5mm-4.4mm adapter utilise the balanced output fully? Thanks




Yes


----------



## buzzlulu

My mind is starting to get fried with all of these cable/adapter combinations
  
 Are there any "commercially" available headphone cables terminated for the Utopia on one end and the proprietary 4.4mm balanced plug on the other end?
  
 AND
  
 if someone wanted to test out how the Utopia does with the WM1A - but does not have a balanced cable as above - would they get a could idea of the WM1A's capabilities using the stock Utopia cable with a 3.5mm adapter on the end going into the WM1A?


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> My mind is starting to get fried with all of these cable/adapter combinations
> 
> Are there any "commercially" available headphone cables terminated for the Utopia on one end and the proprietary 4.4mm balanced plug on the other end?
> 
> ...




If your cable is not already balanced there is no way to use the balanced output from the WM players with an adapter. 

The 4.4mm is not a proprietary plug but a JEITA standard, Sony are just the first to use it.


----------



## buzzlulu

No I understand that an unbalanced cable cannot be converted.
  
 I am referring to testing out the WM1A in unbalanced mode just to get a "feel" for the flavor of the player and how it would do with the Utopia.
 After that, if happy, I would have a balanced cable made up.
  
 I do know that the 4.4 is not Sony proprietary.  Curious to know if someone like Kimber already has 4.4 plugs  - I just received an Axios balanced cable for my Utopia so they could make up a XLR>4.4 dongle


----------



## Lavakugel

What's the function bookmark for in the UI?


----------



## Smousesme

nc8000 said:


> Yes




Cheers mate. A purchase to make


----------



## soundkist

buzzlulu said:


> I am referring to testing out the WM1A in unbalanced mode just to get a "feel" for the flavor of the player and how it would do with the Utopia.
> After that, if happy, I would have a balanced cable made up.


 
  
 I would say no; the difference between SE and balanced is distinct enough, to my ears at least, to result in two different "flavors", to use your words.


----------



## buzzlulu

soundkist said:


> I would say no; the difference between SE and balanced is distinct enough, to my ears at least, to result in two different "flavors", to use your words.


 

 Thanks.  So basically one needs to first have a custom made cable to determine if the WM1A passes the test.
  
 Not so easy to evaluate it then!


----------



## soundkist

buzzlulu said:


> Thanks.  So basically one needs to first have a custom made cable to determine if the WM1A passes the test.
> 
> Not so easy to evaluate it then!


 
  
 Not necessarily; Of course your ears are always the best to make a final decision IMO, but I believe there are at least a few in the discussion here who have the Utopia and balanced connection to the player, and could share some feedback re: that setup.  I don't have, or have heard the Utopia.  I was merely referring to my experience with the same headphone across both SE and balanced connection...


----------



## Jezzer C

Hi,
  
 I've just picked up one up from amazon warehouse. Love the sound but its not powerful enough to drive all my headphones with the EU volume cap on etc. I've had a quick look and wouldn't really know where to start! Would you be able to talk me through this?


----------



## nc8000

jezzer c said:


> Hi,
> 
> I've just picked up one up from amazon warehouse. Love the sound but its not powerful enough to drive all my headphones with the EU volume cap on etc. I've had a quick look and wouldn't really know where to start! Would you be able to talk me through this?




Just follow the instructions here

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Changing_destination_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation


----------



## turbo87

buzzlulu said:


> My mind is starting to get fried with all of these cable/adapter combinations
> 
> Are there any "commercially" available headphone cables terminated for the Utopia on one end and the proprietary 4.4mm balanced plug on the other end?
> 
> ...


 

 I know moon audio sells Utopia/4.4M cables and so does lqicables on eBay (not sure how good they are though).
  
 Might want to PM Whitgir on Head-Fi. He has tried his Utopia with the WM1Z using the 4.4M cables
  
 Also not really sure if the SE ended from WM1A/WM1Z will be good enough to drive the Utopia. But does not hurt to try it out with the 3.5mm adopter first.


----------



## fade2blak

lavakugel said:


> Is there something like a standby-mode? Is it draining a lot of battery when you leave it on?


 
  
 I doubt there is a standby-mode or deep sleep mode. And yes, the battery does drain if you leave it on..


----------



## nc8000

100 hours single ended reached, listening 3-4 hours every night and running IsoTek burn in cd during the day. Will start on the 4.4mm tomorrow when I get home to the waiting Z1R.


----------



## denis1976

fade2blak said:


> I doubt there is a standby-mode or deep sleep mode. And yes, the battery does drain if you leave it on..


yes there is battery drain but i think that when your turn it on with the data updating etc it drains more...


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will be ordering my balanced cables soon I got paif


----------



## echineko

buzzlulu said:


> Thanks.  So basically one needs to first have a custom made cable to determine if the WM1A passes the test.
> 
> Not so easy to evaluate it then!



 

Not sure where you're located, but the easiest way over here is to head to a Sony dealer/store and try the Walkman models with their own MDR-Z1R headphone, they tend to display them with their stock balanced 4.4mm cable. It runs them quite well at that, and will definitely give you a feel for what these Walkman units can really do, both in terms of SQ and power output.

I also agree that you won't see their full potential until you try them balanced, after almost 300 hours on my unit, the SE output has been used less than 5, I'd wager. Edit: Actually no, less than 3


----------



## gerelmx1986

I already Ordered my balanced cables to @Whitigir


----------



## Dillan

Both my Vega and the balanced Sony/Kimber cable came in today. Makes me thirst even more for my WM1Z which should come Wednesday. 

(Random thought - why does Kimber stick to copper for his wiring, even for his very expensive cables that cost him very little in build material.. I have never really understood that because silver is technically superior)

On another note.. it's crazy to me that the EU version has a volume cap. That would make me so angry. If my model says WM1Z "N" does that mean it's a North American version?


----------



## blazinblazin

dillan said:


> Both my Vega and the balanced Sony/Kimber cable came in today. Makes me thirst even more for my WM1Z which should come Wednesday.
> 
> (Random thought - why does Kimber stick to copper for his wiring, even for his very expensive cables that cost him very little in build material.. I have never really understood that because silver is technically superior)
> 
> On another note.. it's crazy to me that the EU version has a volume cap. That would make me so angry. If my model says WM1Z "N" does that mean it's a North American version?


 
  
 Silver not quite always the superior one. Each material has it's own characteristic to match different setups.
  
 There are cheap and expensive copper too. PW Audio 1960  cost a lot more than any other Silver or silver gold cables


----------



## Dillan

blazinblazin said:


> Silver not quite always the superior one. Each material has it's own characteristic to match different setups.
> 
> There are cheap and expensive copper too. PW Audio 1960  cost a lot more than any other Silver or silver gold cables




I'm just speaking generally. He gravitates to copper for his cables (even the very pricey ones) and generally speaking silver as a metal has better qualities for audio, scientifically speaking.


----------



## mpc8240

Where to order WM1A in North America? The one on sale on Amazon by BuyWise is international version without US warranty.


----------



## kms108

mpc8240 said:


> Where to order WM1A in North America? The one on sale on Amazon by BuyWise is international version without US warranty.


 
 None available, the US hasn't released it yet.


----------



## mpc8240

kms108 said:


> None available, the US hasn't released it yet.


 
 Any clue on US release date? Shouldn't US be the first market to release anything fancy?


----------



## nanaholic

mpc8240 said:


> Any clue on US release date? Shouldn't US be the first market to release anything fancy?


 
  
 Not for audiophile things, as the Asian market is clearly more into audiophile products than anywhere else in the world right now and you see manufacturers prioritising according. eg Beyerdynamic Xelento was released in Asia last year but only now in US. Japan gets tonnes of custom AK players etc.


----------



## soundkist

mpc8240 said:


> Where to order WM1A in North America? The one on sale on Amazon by BuyWise is international version without US warranty.


 
  
 Where are you ascertaining the info there is no US warranty?


----------



## mpc8240

soundkist said:


> Where are you ascertaining the info there is no US warranty?


 
 Asked directly. I do appreciate BuyWise's straightforwardness about the warranty:
  
 Hello,
 This is international version item.
 Although the manufacturer warranty doesn't apply in the US, if you make a purchase from us, we will provide 1-year seller warranty. If something goes wrong within 12 months from purchase, you can simply contact us and we will either pay for the repair or replace the item for free. Please do let me know if your have any other questions.
 Thank you.


----------



## mpc8240

nanaholic said:


> Not for audiophile things, as the Asian market is clearly more into audiophile products than anywhere else in the world right now and you see manufacturers prioritising according. eg Beyerdynamic Xelento was released in Asia last year but only now in US. Japan gets tonnes of custom AK players etc.


 
 You mean there is not even a release date? Then I will reconsider BuyWise..


----------



## nanaholic

mpc8240 said:


> You mean there is not even a release date? Then I will reconsider BuyWise..


 
  
 IIRC someone posted the service manual before and there's clearly no entry/model number for a US version of the WM1A while there is one for the WM1Z, so I'm thinking they had no plans of releasing the WM1A in the US at all since the beginning.


----------



## nc8000

dillan said:


> Both my Vega and the balanced Sony/Kimber cable came in today. Makes me thirst even more for my WM1Z which should come Wednesday.
> 
> (Random thought - why does Kimber stick to copper for his wiring, even for his very expensive cables that cost him very little in build material.. I have never really understood that because silver is technically superior)
> 
> On another note.. it's crazy to me that the EU version has a volume cap. That would make me so angry. If my model says WM1Z "N" does that mean it's a North American version?




The EU volume cap is there because of EU law but it can easily be removed unlike on the ZX2


----------



## Whitigir

turbo87 said:


> I know moon audio sells Utopia/4.4M cables and so does lqicables on eBay (not sure how good they are though).
> 
> Might want to PM Whitgir on Head-Fi. He has tried his Utopia with the WM1Z using the 4.4M cables
> 
> Also not really sure if the SE ended from WM1A/WM1Z will be good enough to drive the Utopia. But does not hurt to try it out with the 3.5mm adopter first.




Wm1Z drives Utopia plenty good at H-gain and 70-80 out of 120 volume. Plenty of dynamic and punches, the warmth of 1Z compliment Utopia very well,then upgraded cables will be even better. Ofcourse one can try Utopia from SE on wm1Z/A by adapter. I can not speak of how 1A will pair with Utopia as I don't have it. All I can say is that the Utopia is the very easy to drive headphones, period. The pairing synergy is another story though. I would advise to get some sources that is warmer for the better pairing with it, but that is just me


----------



## RobertP

Just updated to 1.20 and I don't have to touch anything. High gain is still working and thai font show up fine now


----------



## Mimouille

blazinblazin said:


> Silver not quite always the superior one. Each material has it's own characteristic to match different setups.
> 
> There are cheap and expensive copper too. PW Audio 1960  cost a lot more than any other Silver or silver gold cables


Price doesn't indicate superiority. In the case of a cable using relative cheap material (copper) and charging the price of a used car, it only indicates the makers will to buy a new Rolex.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> I already Ordered my balanced cables to @Whitigir


Whitigiris NOT A BUSINESS, he is only our fellow head-fier who likes to help others and do some DIY projects, but no he is not a cable business 
 just to avoid overwhelming him with able orders


----------



## bvng3540

mpc8240 said:


> You mean there is not even a release date? Then I will reconsider BuyWise..




Sony is now selling 1a/z on amazon USA


----------



## Whitigir

mimouille said:


> Price doesn't indicate superiority. In the case of a cable using relative cheap material (copper) and charging the price of a used car, it only indicates the makers will to buy a new Rolex.




Yeah, in the mean while. My whole new project is using all the best components I may Source. All about Pure Silver and Pure copper.


----------



## soundkist

mpc8240 said:


> Asked directly. I do appreciate BuyWise's straightforwardness about the warranty:
> 
> Hello,
> This is international version item.
> ...


 
  
 Cool, thanks for sharing that correspondence.  I actually ordered mine from them; I saw it was backed by Amazon, so I didn't think much of it, or the fact the warranty might be affected.  Interestingly, one of the Q&A questions was whether it came with a US warranty, and a seller responded that it did... no clue if that seller is one and the same as BuyWise, but they have answered a couple different questions.  Either way, I kinda wish the lack of warranty, and that it is the international version was more explicitly stated in the description; feel somewhat deceived, lol.  Hopefully if anything goes wrong I will be able to count on their word re: repairing/replacing the unit.


----------



## buzzlulu

bvng3540 said:


> Sony is now selling 1a/z on amazon USA


 

 You mean Buywise


----------



## kms108

soundkist said:


> mpc8240 said:
> 
> 
> > Asked directly. I do appreciate BuyWise's straightforwardness about the warranty:
> ...


 

 Everything sounds good on paper, but in real life it sounds good to be true.


----------



## Mimouille

whitigir said:


> Yeah, in the mean while. My whole new project is using all the best components I may Source. All about Pure Silver and Pure copper.


That is the best, pure good quality materials.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mpc8240 said:


> soundkist said:
> 
> 
> > Where are you ascertaining the info there is no US warranty?
> ...


same as my WM1A I ordered from accessory jack, they give one year seller warranty


----------



## djhitman

If Buywise sells an international version then it should be cheaper since it doesn't come with warranty.

Anyone have an eta of the release date of the Wm1a in the US?


----------



## kms108

djhitman said:


> If Buywise sells an international version then it should be cheaper since it doesn't come with warranty.
> 
> Anyone have an eta of the release date of the Wm1a in the US?


 

 It has been mentioned there is no ETA, Sony US may not distribute the WM1A in the US.


----------



## jamato8

soundkist said:


> Cool, thanks for sharing that correspondence.  I actually ordered mine from them; I saw it was backed by Amazon, so I didn't think much of it, or the fact the warranty might be affected.  Interestingly, one of the Q&A questions was whether it came with a US warranty, and a seller responded that it did... no clue if that seller is one and the same as BuyWise, but they have answered a couple different questions.  Either way, I kinda wish the lack of warranty, and that it is the international version was more explicitly stated in the description; feel somewhat deceived, lol.  Hopefully if anything goes wrong I will be able to count on their word re: repairing/replacing the unit.


 

 I contacted the before I purchased and asked if it was a Sony warranty and they said yes. It appears they were not honest with me or were under the assumption that since it was an international unit, it was. But they did tell me it was a Sony Warranty.


----------



## kms108

I won't call this a international model, lets just say if these places are selling a tourist model, and the international warranty card is stamped (filled in)and does come in the box, then Sony US will provide 1 year warranty service, but if this model is still the tourist model, but without the international warranty card, Sony US has the right not to provide free service, but sometimes they do provide out of good will, for other cases, the seller will have to provide warranty service, how they do it, I can't really comment on this.


----------



## asquare3376

WM1A is available from Amazon as a seller on Amazon NA. However, it's out of stock at this moment. 
WM1Z is not available through Amazon NA (Amazon as seller)


----------



## hung031086

I bought my 1A from korea. But i registered on sony usa website. So i still not have warranty ?


----------



## asquare3376

hung031086 said:


> I bought my 1A from korea. But i registered on sony usa website. So i still not have warranty ?


 Why don't you call Sony USA and find out? And let us know what they have to say about international purchases...


----------



## buzzlulu

asquare3376 said:


> WM1A is available from Amazon as a seller on Amazon NA. However, it's out of stock at this moment.


 
  
 The listing has been up and out of stock for months


----------



## buzzlulu

There are a zillion DAP's available - do those who have listened to or had a few different ones feel that these new Sony's are amongst the best currently available?
  
 Just trying to figure out how much of an improvement (or lack of) a WM1A would be over my iPhone7/Mojo combination


----------



## asquare3376

buzzlulu said:


> The listing has been up and out of stock for months


Sony is all screwed up. Don't understand why they don't want to sell their flagship in USA when there is so much demand. People are buying the same thing from everywhere else and taking risks on warranty, modding software etc.


----------



## bvng3540

asquare3376 said:


> Sony is all screwed up. Don't understand why they don't want to sell their flagship in USA when there is so much demand. People are buying the same thing from everywhere else and taking risks on warranty, modding software etc.




Why don't you call Sony and ask them why and come back and let us know


----------



## Diazou

asquare3376 said:


> Why don't you call Sony USA and find out? And let us know what they have to say about international purchases...


 
 I have the same issue, i have contacted Sony. I wait for their answer.


----------



## buzzlulu

asquare3376 said:


> Sony is all screwed up. Don't understand why they don't want to sell their flagship in USA when there is so much demand. People are buying the same thing from everywhere else and taking risks on warranty, modding software etc.


 

 Do the Buywise versions need to be modded?  I am under the impression no as they are from the Malaysian market - so no volume cap?


----------



## asquare3376

bvng3540 said:


> Why don't you call Sony and ask them why and come back and let us know


hahaha.. I love you too buddy


----------



## asquare3376

buzzlulu said:


> Do the Buywise versions need to be modded?  I am under the impression no as they are from the Malaysian market - so no volume cap?


 The 1Z they are selling is uncapped. You can ask them directly about the 1A.


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> The 1Z they are selling is uncapped. You can ask them directly about the 1A.




The 1A is a Signature Series product. Sony NA has no current intention to sell the Signature Series products via Amazon


----------



## jamato8

buzzlulu said:


> Do the Buywise versions need to be modded?  I am under the impression no as they are from the Malaysian market - so no volume cap?


 

 They are both uncapped, the 1Z and 1A. I registered my 1Z with Sony but don't know the real status of warranty. As mentioned just a little earlier, I contacted the seller BuyWise Corp and they told me it carried a Sony Warranty but now it appears it does not.


----------



## bvng3540

I don't know why everyone is so fuzz about warranty, ALL STUFF that we bought electronics, vehicles, appliances etc, all carry warranty but MOST will not had issues until the warranty expired


----------



## hung031086

asquare3376 said:


> Why don't you call Sony USA and find out? And let us know what they have to say about international purchases...



I'll do that soon. I'm only free on sunday. Not sure they work on that day or not. Btw i don't care about warranty much. I haven't shipped back to fix before.


----------



## mpc8240

tsavjason said:


> The 1A is a Signature Series product. Sony NA has no current intention to sell the Signature Series products via Amazon


 
 It does not have to be Amazon. Will there be any authorized dealer in the US for 1A any time soon?


----------



## kms108

bvng3540 said:


> I don't know why everyone is so fuzz about warranty, ALL STUFF that we bought electronics, vehicles, appliances etc, all carry warranty but MOST will not had issues until the warranty expired


 

 There are unexpected situation when it packs up before the warranty expires.


----------



## asquare3376

bvng3540 said:


> I don't know why everyone is so fuzz about warranty, ALL STUFF that we bought electronics, vehicles, appliances etc, all carry warranty but MOST will not had issues until the warranty expired


There's this user who posted on another thread about the display screen of his TA-ZH1ES giving problems just after a few days of use. Luckily he had warranty and returned the device back (for a refund or just for repair, I don't know). But yes, warranty is a good thing to have if you're investing in a high end gear. Whether or not you are going to need it is a totally different thing, but you can sleep well at night knowing that you are covered.


----------



## kms108

mpc8240 said:


> tsavjason said:
> 
> 
> > The 1A is a Signature Series product. Sony NA has no current intention to sell the Signature Series products via Amazon
> ...


 

 It can't be a authorised dealer if the WM1A is not officially sold.


----------



## mpc8240

bvng3540 said:


> I don't know why everyone is so fuzz about warranty, ALL STUFF that we bought electronics, vehicles, appliances etc, all carry warranty but MOST will not had issues until the warranty expired


 
 I tend to believe BuyWise will hold up to their warranty -- they've been up over a year with good reviews and Sony quality deserves some faith. Used to think it is unfair for BuyWise to charge MSRP without original Sony warranty. But if it is not even to be officially released, MSRP sounds fair to me now.


----------



## TSAVJason

mpc8240 said:


> It does not have to be Amazon. Will there be any authorized dealer in the US for 1A any time soon?


 Sony is organizing the availability now. It's been slow and that seems to be the Sony way. My understanding it we are now 2-4 weeks away from being able to start delivering the 1A


----------



## nc8000

Funny that there can be a MSRP for a product they don't sell


----------



## TSAVJason

mpc8240 said:


> I tend to believe BuyWise will hold up to their warranty -- they've been up over a year with good reviews and Sony quality deserves some faith. Used to think it is unfair for BuyWise to charge MSRP without original Sony warranty. But if it is not even to be officially released, MSRP sounds fair to me now.


 It's interesting to think that way but they can't repair what they can't get parts for. They could replace but that costs them twice each time it happens. Many of you don't care and I understand that. Don't you think it's odd that a non-authorized dealer, a seller that Sony is actually chasing to have them shut down access to is someone you seem to trust


----------



## asquare3376

tsavjason said:


> Sony is organizing the availability now. It's been slow and that seems to be the Sony way. My understanding it we are now 2-4 weeks away from being able to start delivering the 1A


 

 I want to enjoy the player before my wife gets home. She's out of state and is returning in the last week of April


----------



## jamato8

I contaced BuyWise who redirected me to Amazon. Amazon said that since I bought this new, it was/is covered by Sony. I explained everything 3 times so they understood that this was a tourist version and bought from somewhere else in the world. They are looking into this but think that Sony warranties the WM1* since it was bought new. . . . .


----------



## soundkist

tsavjason said:


> It's interesting to think that way but they can't repair what they can't get parts for. They could replace but that costs them twice each time it happens. Many of you don't care and I understand that. Don't you think it's odd that a non-authorized dealer, a seller that Sony is actually chasing to have them shut down access to is someone you seem to trust


 
  
 How would your average Amazon customer know this tidbit about Sony actively trying to shut them down?  Or whether they are an authorized dealer?  Should that just be presumed since it is not plastered on the product page?


----------



## kms108

jamato8 said:


> I contaced BuyWise who redirected me to Amazon. Amazon said that since I bought this new, it was/is covered by Sony. I explained everything 3 times so they understood that this was a tourist version and bought from somewhere else in the world. They are looking into this but think that Sony warranties the WM1* since it was bought new. . . . .


 

 Those are amazon's standard replies, it's a way to push away all problem to the manufacture, or contact the sellers.


----------



## mpc8240

soundkist said:


> How would your average Amazon customer know this tidbit about Sony actively trying to shut them down?  Or whether they are an authorized dealer?  Should that just be presumed since it is not plastered on the product page?


 
  
 TSAVJason is a dealer in So. Cal.


----------



## soundkist

I know--I was asking how _other _people would know that...  He had made a comment about people not caring, and my point is that perhaps it is not that they don't care, but rather that they just don't _know_.  I certainly didn't.


----------



## mpc8240

Just got official reply from Sony:
 
Thank you for contacting Sony Video and Sound Support.
We hope you are doing well.
We understand that when Sony is going to release  NW-WM1A  High-Resolution Walkman in Unites States.
We are glad to inform you that Sony is soon going to release NW-WM1A  High-Resolution Walkman in Unites States, we request you to access the below link so that you can click on Notify Me option and you will be one of the
first person  to inform  via email once the product is released.
http://www.sony.com/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1a
Please feel free to get back to us for further assistance if you face any difficulty.

 Thank you for choosing Sony and we appreciate your business with us.
Regards,
Sam(C9EQ)
Sony Video and Sound Email Response Team


----------



## TSAVJason

soundkist said:


> I know--I was asking how _other_ people would know that...  He had made a comment about people not caring, and my point is that perhaps it is not that they don't care, but rather that they just don't _know_.  I certainly didn't.


 An educated buyer is a better buyer. If you go to the Sony Malaysia site where Buywise is you'll see their name isn't there. If you look at what they are actually selling, none of it is designated for the US or North American product. There are always predators and it's your responsibility to figure out which one is that predator as Amazon sees it. Amazon obviously doesn't care as long as they get their cut.


----------



## jamato8

tsavjason said:


> An educated buyer is a better buyer. If you go to the Sony Malaysia site where Buywise is you'll see their name isn't there. If you look at what they are actually selling, none of it has s designated for the US or North American product. There are always predators and it's your responsibility to figure out which one is that predator as Amazon sees it. Amazon obviously doesn't care as long as they get their cut.


 

 Just had a long conversation with Amazon and even showed them on the site, where BuyWise was asked if the WM1A was covered by and US warranty and BuyWise replied on the Amazon with a yes. Now most customers would assume, rightly or wrongly, that they were now being given correct information since this item is on Amazon and as a Prime product. But it ain't so. And talking with the supervisor, who I escalated this to was little better than talking to the door. I asked would someone contact me, he said he didn't know. Too bad, but hopefully no one that bought from the site will have problems with the WM1*. By the way, I spoke to 2 different people at Amazon and had to explain 3 different to 4 different ways what I was saying and asking before they started to understand. Had they listened to begin with my call would be 1/3 as long but they have a preconceived idea of what is being asked and don't actually hear you at first. 
  
 edit: I have to correct myself. It seems that I got a message on the warranty, I remember it but I can't find it now but this is what BuyWise states now in an email to me:
  
 if you make a purchase from us, we will provide 1-year seller warranty. If something goes wrong within 12 months from purchase, you can simply contact us and we will either pay for the repair or replace the item for free.
 Thank you.


----------



## soundkist

tsavjason said:


> An educated buyer is a better buyer. If you go to the Sony Malaysia site where Buywise is you'll see their name isn't there. If you look at what they are actually selling, none of it is designated for the US or North American product. There are always predators and it's your responsibility to figure out which one is that predator as Amazon sees it. Amazon obviously doesn't care as long as they get their cut.


  

 All fair points.  I stand by I still think it's a lot more than most people would think to do, especially when contemplating a purchase from a heavy-hitter such as Amazon, that you almost get 'conditioned' into thinking most purchases are legit/OK.


----------



## TSAVJason

jamato8 said:


> Just had a long conversation with Amazon and even showed them on the site, where BuyWise was asked if the WM1A was covered by and US warranty and BuyWise replied on the Amazon with a yes. Now most customers would assume, rightly or wrongly, that they were now being given correct information since this item is on Amazon and as a Prime product. But it ain't so. And talking with the supervisor, who I escalated this to was little better than talking to the door. I asked would someone contact me, he said he didn't know. Too bad, but hopefully no one that bought from the site will have problems with the WM1*. By the way, I spoke to 2 different people at Amazon and had to explain 3 different to 4 different ways what I was saying and asking before they started to understand. Had they listened to begin with my call would be 1/3 as long but they have a preconceived idea of what is being asked and don't actually hear you at first.


 So Amazon is now telling you that they are are making Sony's policy. I find that interesting. I also think it's BS. Buy where you like but be smart, do your homework.


----------



## mpc8240

jamato8 said:


> Just had a long conversation with Amazon and even showed them on the site, where BuyWise was asked if the WM1A was covered by and US warranty and BuyWise replied on the Amazon with a yes. Now most customers would assume, rightly or wrongly, that they were now being given correct information since this item is on Amazon and as a Prime product. But it ain't so. And talking with the supervisor, who I escalated this to was little better than talking to the door. I asked would someone contact me, he said he didn't know. Too bad, but hopefully no one that bought from the site will have problems with the WM1*. By the way, I spoke to 2 different people at Amazon and had to explain 3 different to 4 different ways what I was saying and asking before they started to understand. Had they listened to begin with my call would be 1/3 as long but they have a preconceived idea of what is being asked and don't actually hear you at first.


 
  
 Important point to note, anyone can raise and answer questions on Customer Questions & Answers! That's why I asked BuyWise to confirm. BuyWise did not lie to earlier buyers is what I believed.


----------



## kms108

mpc8240 said:


> jamato8 said:
> 
> 
> > Just had a long conversation with Amazon and even showed them on the site, where BuyWise was asked if the WM1A was covered by and US warranty and BuyWise replied on the Amazon with a yes. Now most customers would assume, rightly or wrongly, that they were now being given correct information since this item is on Amazon and as a Prime product. But it ain't so. And talking with the supervisor, who I escalated this to was little better than talking to the door. I asked would someone contact me, he said he didn't know. Too bad, but hopefully no one that bought from the site will have problems with the WM1*. By the way, I spoke to 2 different people at Amazon and had to explain 3 different to 4 different ways what I was saying and asking before they started to understand. Had they listened to begin with my call would be 1/3 as long but they have a preconceived idea of what is being asked and don't actually hear you at first.
> ...


 

 I won't say lies, they just twist the answers a bit.


----------



## Lavakugel

nc8000 said:


> The EU volume cap is there because of EU law but it can easily be removed unlike on the ZX2


 
 But why only Sony is doing this EU law and no other company?


----------



## TSAVJason

soundkist said:


> All fair points.  I stand by I still think it's a lot more than most people would think to do, especially when contemplating a purchase from a heavy-hitter such as Amazon, that you almost get 'conditioned' into thinking most purchases are legit/OK.


 Amazon does not have the authority to 
make warranty claims on a series of Sony product they are not authorized to sell. In this case they are answering in behalf of a non-authorized dealer. Sony would tell you Buywise is not Sony authorized period for any Sony product. Amazon has no skin in this game. Buy where you like but remember one thing, just because it's in the internet doesn't make it true.


----------



## jamato8

tsavjason said:


> So Amazon is now telling you that they are are making Sony's policy. I find that interesting. I also think it's BS. Buy where you like but be smart, do your homework.


 
 I thought I had done my homework . It is still in the answers section where the seller says Yes to the question about Sony warranty coverage. I see now that it is a different seller that is saying yes, it is a US warranty but odd that a different seller would answer on someone else's site.


----------



## kms108

> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > I won't say lies, they just twist the answers a bit.
> ...


 
  
  
 Their answers are always different, the last time I heard was, they will deal with the warranty claim. I just wondered how they get so many good comments from customers.


----------



## TSAVJason

jamato8 said:


> I thought I had done my homework when BuyWise said it was covered by Sony for warranty purposes. It is still in the answers section where the seller says Yes to the question about Sony warranty coverage.
> 
> It was raised and the seller stated that Sony covered the warranty.
> 
> Saying something is covered by a warranty by the manufacture when it is not, is lying.


 Sony does cover the warranty in the country of origin and if the product is bought from an authorized Sony dealer. Sony is a good company and will support their product but they are not obligated to support transactions or product sold outside of their dealer network. Buywise is not an authorized dealer for any Sony products. 

FYI Sony does sell in very limited quantities product that has a global warranty and support when sold by an authorized dealer.


----------



## kms108

tsavjason said:


> jamato8 said:
> 
> 
> > I thought I had done my homework when BuyWise said it was covered by Sony for warranty purposes. It is still in the answers section where the seller says Yes to the question about Sony warranty coverage.
> ...


 

 I agree with this statement, for those who has the tourist version, check if you also have the international warranty card, if so, there is nothing to worry about. Those without, on paper it's has no warranty, but sony has the right to decide whether a repair will be given.


----------



## soundkist

tsavjason said:


> Amazon does not have the authority to
> make warranty claims on a series of Sony product they are not authorized to sell. In this case they are answering in behalf of a non-authorized dealer. Sony would tell you Buywise is not Sony authorized period for any Sony product. Amazon has no skin in this game. Buy where you like but remember one thing, just because it's in the internet doesn't make it true.


 
  
 Definitely not arguing any of the points you are making re: Amazon's authority, etc.--totally understand and agree there.  Simply saying these connections you, as a well-informed dealer in the business are making, are not generally being made by the average customer.


----------



## asquare3376

Buywise emailed me confirming that the WM1* are not covered by USA warranty. It's another seller eMonoNippon who answered that the units are covered by USA warranty. I don't see any response on warranty from Buywise on the Q&A section


----------



## nc8000

lavakugel said:


> But why only Sony is doing this EU law and no other company?




Sony are not the only ones following EU law, essentially all the mass marker manufacturers do so iPhones are volume capped, Samsung phones are capped and so on.


----------



## TSAVJason

soundkist said:


> Definitely not arguing any of the points you are making re: Amazon's authority, etc.--totally understand and agree there.  Simply saying these connections you, as a well-informed dealer in the business are making, are not generally being made by the average customer.


 

I totally understand and I realize you're not arguing. The reason, as some of you may know, that I give you this information is not to try to direct your business to me but more to give you information that is somewhat unknown. I find proper disclosure in the headgear genre of products is often nonexistent or minimal at best. In my opinion Amazon as it relates to Buywise is equally culpable in the misrepresentation of the qualified reseller disclosure.


----------



## soundkist

tsavjason said:


> I totally understand and I realize you're not arguing. The reason, as some of you may know, that I give you this information is not to try to direct your business to me but more to give you information that is somewhat unknown. I find proper disclosure in the headgear genre of products is often nonexistent or minimal at best. In my opinion Amazon as it relates to Buywise is equally culpable in the misrepresentation of the qualified reseller disclosure.


 
  
 Cheers to that, good sir.


----------



## SoLame

asquare3376 said:


> Buywise emailed me confirming that the WM1* are not covered by USA warranty. It's another seller eMonoNippon who answered that the units are covered by USA warranty. I don't see any response on warranty from Buywise on the Q&A section


 
 I think you're right. I only saw eMonoNippon's reply regarding US Warranty.


----------



## Dillan

3 pages of everyone freaking out about warranty. Maybe I'm stupid for believing there's a very small chance my device will need a warranty and if it did I have faith either Sony, Amazon or Buywise will help me out in some way. I know it's a big chunk of dough but gosh guys settle down. 

I bought my WM1Z from Buywise and my only real concern is the confusion between "International" version and "Tourist" version. What's the difference in those two and which one will I be getting?


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> I bought my WM1Z from Buywise and my only real concern is the confusion between "International" version and "Tourist" version. What's the difference in those two and which one will I be getting?


 Doesn't matter. I think you can always change the destination per your preference using the below link
https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool


----------



## Dillan

asquare3376 said:


> Doesn't matter. I think you can always change the destination per your preference using the below link
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool




Gotcha, thanks. Shouldn't really matter as long as it's not volume capped and has English language.. that's all I'd really care about.


----------



## soundkist

Just to clarify, other than perhaps different markings on the outside of the player, the way the firmware is initially configured is the only difference between the various(Asia, EU, tourist, etc.) destination models?  IOW, their internals/hardware, and sonic capabilities, are all the same, correct?


----------



## echineko

soundkist said:


> Just to clarify, other than perhaps different markings on the outside of the player, the way the firmware is initially configured is the only difference between the various(Asia, EU, tourist, etc.) destination models?  IOW, their internals/hardware, and sonic capabilities, are all the same, correct?


 
 Internals of the units itself are all the same, made here in Malaysia, domestic Japanese units include nifty port covers that prevent dust getting into the Walkman plug etc 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I've been trying to find some of those dust covers that aren't shoddy myself, but yeah, otherwise identical


----------



## TSAVJason

solame said:


> I think you're right. I only saw eMonoNippon's reply regarding US Warranty.


 So how does it have a US warranty if they are not a US authorized dealer? The Tourist units are all sold off and have been for a while. So let me exacerbate this a little further. They are not a Sony authorized dealer in any country. 

Sony makes great product and likely none of this grey market product will fail but if it does, I'm pretty sure you'll discover some of these off shore sellers are going to disappoint you sugnificantly. Sony like many manufacturers are global companies. We are in a global market world but they control product by serial and serials are assigned to territories. These territories must keep their sales within their specified territories and the sales must take place with an authorized dealer. So you're choosing to double down in these puchases. Buying off shore and from a non-authorized dealer. It's not a type of purchase I would consider a well researched buy the buyer. These items aren't cheap even when you get a deal. Consider me conservative but I think it's an unwise choice. 

JMO


----------



## Mfalcon

dillan said:


> 3 pages of everyone freaking out about warranty. Maybe I'm stupid for believing there's a very small chance my device will need a warranty and if it did I have faith either Sony, Amazon or Buywise will help me out in some way. I know it's a big chunk of dough but gosh guys settle down.
> 
> I bought my WM1Z from Buywise and my only real concern is the confusion between "International" version and "Tourist" version. What's the difference in those two and which one will I be getting?




I tried to say this earlier but was less eloquent and overly wordy.

Let's Say there is a 10% failure chances over first 3 years. And failure means it's a brick, not useable fixable. That means if you get a 1Z for 2200, the warranty has an expected value of $220. 

I don't think it it will be a brick though, i.e. Sony will possibly fix it for $500 dollars. Also, they may honor the warranty from where you bought it. Both theses things lower the value of that warranty. 

So if it is sold through and "Authorized" seller for $3000 you are paying $800 more for a warranty and maybe customer service. Now I paid less for my 1Z and it wasn't available in the US. I wouldn't pay 800+ for a warranty. It's simply a bad investment, and there are third party insurers you can buy from.

Customer service is harder to put a price on. This was a blind buy for me, as I don't have many people selling Daps nearby that I could demo. I do value my lone local dealer though and will pay more because he takes care of me.

I'm not telling you were to buy, just trying to educate the consumers


----------



## TSAVJason

dillan said:


> 3 pages of everyone freaking out about warranty. Maybe I'm stupid for believing there's a very small chance my device will need a warranty and if it did I have faith either Sony, Amazon or Buywise will help me out in some way. I know it's a big chunk of dough but gosh guys settle down.
> 
> I bought my WM1Z from Buywise and my only real concern is the confusion between "International" version and "Tourist" version. What's the difference in those two and which one will I be getting?


 No difference. It simply means it can be set for several languages and it has a global warranty if purchased from an authorized dealer. Buywise is not an authorized dealer


----------



## gerelmx1986

while the warranty discussion continues i am enjoying my WM1A....


----------



## soundkist

echineko said:


> Internals of the units itself are all the same, made here in Malaysia, domestic Japanese units include nifty port covers that prevent dust getting into the Walkman plug etc
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Thanks!  And yeah, haven't had much luck finding those either; I got an el cheapo silicone case that came with some that work great, but you really have to use them in conjunction with the case.  By themselves it is just a bit... weird, lol:


----------



## blazinblazin

soundkist said:


> Thanks!  And yeah, haven't had much luck finding those either; I got an el cheapo silicone case that came with some that work great, but you really have to use them in conjunction with the case.  By themselves it is just a bit... weird, lol:




Yeah a bit wierd. Mine was black.
I still waiting for someone to come out with nicer dust plugs.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

I don't think so, otherwise you wouldn't be going ahead and wasting more money on cables 


gerelmx1986 said:


> while the warranty discussion continues i am enjoying my WM1A....


----------



## asquare3376

gerelmx1986 said:


> while the warranty discussion continues i am enjoying my WM1A....


Make a trip to LA and enlighten me with the 1A sound


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> Gotcha, thanks. Shouldn't really matter as long as it's not volume capped and has English language.. that's all I'd really care about.


Even if it's capped, the same tool can help you get rid of it.. Just trying to help out since you already bought one. I am still waiting for the USA release. Hope they include the BTremote support in the version because I already bought one, lol


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiobreeder said:


> I don't think so, otherwise you wouldn't be going ahead and wasting more money on cables
> 
> 
> gerelmx1986 said:
> ...


 

 already ordered my balanced adapter cables


----------



## soundkist

dillan said:


> Sorry to get off topic.. by the way are you guys using or planning to use a screen protector? I bought a few different kinds for mine.. I feel like over time scratches are inevitable and I plan to use this dap for years or until an obvious clear cut upgrade is released.


 
  
 I use this one:
  
 https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B01M725624/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
 I think nanaholic might have originally posted about it; I really like it--the quality appears to be outstanding.


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> Sorry to get off topic.. by the way are you guys using or planning to use a screen protector? I bought a few different kinds for mine.. I feel like over time scratches are inevitable and I plan to use this dap for years or until an obvious clear cut upgrade is released.


 We all heard you  
For the protectors, I bought a pack of 6 from Amazon, cheap one but don't know how it fits since I don't have the player yet. Also, I see there is one available from Sony itself for USD 19.99 on ebay (single piece).


----------



## nc8000

Just out of queriosity how does a not authorized dealer get hold of products to sell ?

I assume they don't get it from Sony so I suppose it must be authorized dealers selling to them at bulk prizes. I don't get that part.


----------



## nc8000

Is it pro consumer to want to suppress information about a possible lack of warranty ?


----------



## Dillan

nc8000 said:


> Is it pro consumer to want to suppress information about a possible lack of warranty ?




I know you really like Jason and his store but I am done with that conversation, sorry man. Besides I don't know how to answer that question as it doesn't make any sense at all. Of course it's good to know about warranty information. Context is key though and you obviously aren't understanding the point I tried to make.

Not trying to defend Buywise as I've never dealt with them before but they are saying they'd give some sort of warranty of their own so hopefully they take care of those few units that happen to have any sort of bad luck and malfunction. I don't have any reason not to believe what they say.. and their reviews seem very promising too. Like I said.. maybe I'm just too careless or risky but I feel confident that in the incredibly rare case my brand new dap doesn't function correctly - either Sony, Amazon or Buywise will take care of me one way or another. I'm hoping everyone gets a perfectly working device though, hoping for the best!


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> P.S. I have a long plane ride coming up next Friday.. I'm hoping my next day shipping will make it here before then. I ordered Wednesday I believe. Do any of you guys know how shipping works since it's fulfilled by Amazon? Do Buywise first ship your order to Amazon and then Amazon ships to you? What was the turnaround time for you guys in the US?


 It will come from Amazon. You should see a delivery date under Orders. That's When you'll get it.


----------



## Dillan

asquare3376 said:


> It will come from Amazon. You should see a delivery date under Orders. That's When you'll get it.




It says expected arrival is Monday but it hasn't shipped yet so not too sure about that haha I'm normally very patient but like I said, I have a looong flight coming up next Friday and I would love to have it for that. If not then I'm not too worried about it - that would just mean I have an amazing gift waiting for me when I return.


----------



## musicday

Is there a way to implement double tap to wake up the screen and double tap to turn it off? If i am going to own the WM NW1Z i will be very happy to have that feature.


----------



## blazinblazin

I dont think any DAP have that feature


----------



## Lavakugel

Is it normal to be able to add same song to same playlist twice?


----------



## zardos

I'd say yes it's normal. In a mathematical sense a list may contain the same element several times, opposed to a set where every element is unique.


----------



## musicday

How is the battery of 1Z with the Hugo?Is it much affected when connected to external DAC? Can it output up to DSD 256 native? Interesting to know.Thanks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

AcessoryJack where i got my latest two walkmans (zx100 and WM1A) say they provide one-year warranty... I had th misfortune of my zx100 to go kaputt and well, sent it to AJ (i paid shipping both ways, thats the bad part) but they acted as a man-in-the-middle so, AJ sent to sony my defective unit and they got back from sony repaired and they sent it back to me.
  
 Buywise being a 3rd party amazon seller i bet you must contact amazon first


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Just out of queriosity how does a not authorized dealer get hold of products to sell ?
> 
> I assume they don't get it from Sony so I suppose it must be authorized dealers selling to them at bulk prizes. I don't get that part.


 

 ​Acessoryjack is not an authorized dealer as far as i know but how they source sony walkmas is baffled because they told me when i bought the WM1A the had been told by sony in a few weeks they would be getting the stock...
  
 don't know if they by in bulk and resell? or sony in asia atleast, allows an unathorized dealer to sell his products?


----------



## rushofblood

Funny that the past few pages are dominated by warranty discussions when I spent the whole day today irreversibly voiding it...haha.
  
 Have replaced the wires in my WM1Z to a set of higher quality copper wires. For those who have tried that Kimber Kable MMCX cable and then tried another aftermarket cable, the difference is similar when done inside the player. It really does feel as if the Kimber used in the player is hiding quite a bit of the true potential of the S-Master chip that drives these beasts.


----------



## musicday

Interesting,do you hear a difference?
As for the back plate how difficult it was to remove? Did you damaged the pleather?


----------



## rushofblood

musicday said:


> Interesting,do you hear a difference?
> As for the back plate how difficult it was to remove? Did you damaged the pleather?


 
 The difference is rather large to my ears...the back pleather is surprisingly resilient, if you're wondering. It's already stood up to me repeatedly opening the player to fiddle with it like 5 times up to now.


----------



## gerelmx1986

rushofblood said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Interesting,do you hear a difference?
> ...


 
 then perhaps the OFC cable used in the WMA is better?


----------



## soundkist

dillan said:


> P.S. I have a long plane ride coming up next Friday.. I'm hoping my next day shipping will make it here before then. I ordered Wednesday I believe. Do any of you guys know how shipping works since it's fulfilled by Amazon? Do Buywise first ship your order to Amazon and then Amazon ships to you? What was the turnaround time for you guys in the US?


 
  
  
 I also ordered mine on a Wednesday, and ended up receiving it the following Monday.  I remember there was a ~3-day delay before it actually shipped; I thought this was a bit strange since Prime items almost always ship right away, so I contacted Amazon just to see if there was any problem.  They told me the delay and extra handling time is due to the higher price of the item.  Pretty sure that is total BS, but whatever--just relaying what they said.  Unit arrived in standard Amazon packaging, just like any other Prime item would.


----------



## soundkist

rushofblood said:


> Funny that the past few pages are dominated by warranty discussions when I spent the whole day today irreversibly voiding it...haha.
> 
> Have replaced the wires in my WM1Z to match the ones I use on my IEMs. For those who have tried that Kimber Kable MMCX cable and then tried another aftermarket cable, the difference is similar when done inside the player. It really does feel as if the Kimber used in the player is hiding quite a bit of the true potential of the S-Master chip that drives these beasts.


 
  
  
 Very courageous, sir, and nice work--I admire your willingness to tinker with the innards.  I would love to acquire those abilities!


----------



## musicday

rushofblood said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Interesting,do you hear a difference?
> ...



Maybe a tutorial with pictures how to open the player and do this mod?
I am sure quite few would like to do it themselves soon or later.


----------



## Whitigir

rushofblood said:


> The difference is rather large to my ears...the back pleather is surprisingly resilient, if you're wondering. It's already stood up to me repeatedly opening the player to fiddle with it like 5 times up to now.




What type of wires are you using now ?


----------



## Jalo

@Rushofblood, which Kimber cable was in the 1Z, was it the copper or the silver cable?


----------



## Dillan

soundkist said:


> I also ordered mine on a Wednesday, and ended up receiving it the following Monday.  I remember there was a ~3-day delay before it actually shipped; I thought this was a bit strange since Prime items almost always ship right away, so I contacted Amazon just to see if there was any problem.  They told me the delay and extra handling time is due to the higher price of the item.  Pretty sure that is total BS, but whatever--just relaying what they said.  Unit arrived in standard Amazon packaging, just like any other Prime item would.




Oh cool, that gives me hope then. Thanks for the information.


----------



## ttt123

gerelmx1986 said:


> then perhaps the OFC cable used in the WMA is better?


 
 No, I believe from everything written about this area, that the WM1A used a more basic 4 wire OFC cable, while the WM1Z used the better 8 wire braided OFC copper multigauge cable, same as in the MUC-M12SB1 cable with 4.4mm/MMCX connectors.  My experience with these cables was that even on the 4.4mm balanced out, they were a backward step compared to Whiplash Twag v3 on 3.5mm TRRS.


----------



## jamato8

soundkist said:


> I also ordered mine on a Wednesday, and ended up receiving it the following Monday.  I remember there was a ~3-day delay before it actually shipped; I thought this was a bit strange since Prime items almost always ship right away, so I contacted Amazon just to see if there was any problem.  They told me the delay and extra handling time is due to the higher price of the item.  Pretty sure that is total BS, but whatever--just relaying what they said.  Unit arrived in standard Amazon packaging, just like any other Prime item would.


 

 After speaking with a regular staff and then a supposed supervisor, I realize that many parts of Amazon are very unprofessional and yes, they are full of BS. 
  
 -----
  
 On the Z1, sounding great, and an enjoyable player.


----------



## Dillan

rushofblood I busted out laughing when I saw the pics of you tinkering inside the player and changing out wires haha you really are a very brave man. It kind of worries me that you say the Kimber kables are holding it back though. I bought the Sony/Kimber balanced 4.4mm cable found here:

SONY Headphone cable MUC-M12SB1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M3TK66F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_sUP1ybR8Z3DTD

They've already arrived and they look beautiful and I connected to my brand new CA Vega's. Just waiting for my player before listening. So you think I could get an audible improvement by buying something else instead?


----------



## Rei87

dillan said:


> rushofblood I busted out laughing when I saw the pics of you tinkering inside the player and changing out wires haha you really are a very brave man. It kind of worries me that you say the Kimber kables are holding it back though. I bought the Sony/Kimber balanced 4.4mm cable found here:
> 
> SONY Headphone cable MUC-M12SB1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M3TK66F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_sUP1ybR8Z3DTD
> 
> They've already arrived and they look beautiful and I connected to my brand new CA Vega's. Just waiting for my player before listening. So you think I could get an audible improvement by buying something else instead?




I would love to hear it too...but I can see why you would say that the kimble cable is holding it back....heck, I think that the kimble cable performs even worse than my dhc type 2 litz fusion....

Btw, @rushofblood what cable did you put into the 1Z?


----------



## soundkist

dillan said:


> Oh cool, that gives me hope then. Thanks for the information.


 
  
 Welcome--hope it arrives soon! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  


jamato8 said:


> After speaking with a regular staff and then a supposed supervisor, I realize that many parts of Amazon are very unprofessional and yes, they are full of BS.


 
  
 Agree; while there have definitely been many times I feel the service was exceptional, there have also definitely been some What moments with them.


----------



## mscott58

After all the fun of the past many pages talking about the warranty and who can sell what were, I checked on the Sony.com website and guess who the only company listed under "Where to buy" on the NW-WM1Z page? Yep, it's Amazon...

http://www.sony.com/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1z/buy?retailers=QW1hem9u

Now strangely, it says "Pre-order online from Amazon" and then when you click on the "Shop Now" button it takes you to an Amazon page (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KL958RY?ie=UTF8&tag=sonyelect08-20) that says the 1Z is "Currently unavailable". Hmm...

I know TSAVJason has said that Sony had no plans to sell the Signature Series via Amazon (I'm guessing that was referencing the US), but then wonder why they have the Amazon link (and only the Amazon link) on their 1Z page? Weird. Wouldn't surprise me if they just never updated that page. Such changes seem to take forever, hence the big delay on releasing the 1A in the US (which some retailers have had in their stock but unable to sell for something like a few months now). 

And if full disclosure, I bought my 1Z from Jason, as I knew that TSAV was an authorized Sony Signature retailer. If you go into the "Sony Authorized Dealer Directory" he's right there - THE SOURCE AV DESIGN GROUP. Jason's a good guy, and huge supporter of the hobby, and I personally like that he has an opinion. 

Cheers


----------



## soundkist

While my IEM stable has evolved over the years (of note: TF10, JVC fx700, now CA Andromeda), the wm1a was my first significant source/dac/dap upgrade in quite a while.  My previous dap's outside of my iPhone 5s were Nationite N2, Sansa Clip, and most recently Xduoo X3.  My desktop setup is a Yulong D100 mkII, which I've had for many years.  
  
 Hearing the 1a has unfortunately/fortunately given me a pretty severe case of upgrade-itis regarding other parts of my setup, and I am wondering what may be the better route to focus on initially:
  
 1.  Upgrade desktop dac/amp, so home listening more matches the quality I am hearing on the go.  I'm thinking Schiit Gumby + Jotunheim (amp only, no dac/phono module).  FWIW, I think the Yulong is pretty good, and probably why I haven't thought of swapping it out for anything all this time.  That being said, I also haven't had the pleasure of hearing anything other than it, or the Audinst mx-1 I had prior.
  
 2.  Add a more capable full-sized headphone that perhaps could even better utilize the balanced output of the 1a (I think it's too much power for the Andromeda, IMHO; could be a bad cable match too, I suppose).  On my radar currently are the HD800S and Focal Elear.  This route would probably also include the Jot since although serviceable for sensitive IEM's, the amp section of the Yulong probably wouldn't do much to help the aforementioned headphones shine.
  
  
 Curious which would you all think would provide the more significant return in enjoyment, both immediately and in the long run, and why?
  
  
 Bonus!!  After hearing the success Whitigir had with using his 1z as a balanced source with an amp, I also thought maybe:
  
 3.  4.4 to dual XLR cable + Jotunheim, using 1a as source??
  
  
 Obviously no wrong answers here--just looking for any thoughts/opinions!!


----------



## Dillan

Would the HD800S be powered sufficiently by the balanced WM1Z? Anyone tried it yet? I'm thinking about getting a pair but not sure just yet.


----------



## Lavakugel

dillan said:


> Would the HD800S be powered sufficiently by the balanced WM1Z? Anyone tried it yet? I'm thinking about getting a pair but not sure just yet.


 
 Would also be interested in how's wm1a sounding with flagship over ears like hd800, hex, lcd etc.


----------



## Lavakugel

soundkist said:


> While my IEM stable has evolved over the years (of note: TF10, JVC fx700, now CA Andromeda), the wm1a was my first significant source/dac/dap upgrade in quite a while.  My previous dap's outside of my iPhone 5s were Nationite N2, Sansa Clip, and most recently Xduoo X3.  My desktop setup is a Yulong D100 mkII, which I've had for many years.
> 
> Hearing the 1a has unfortunately/fortunately given me a pretty severe case of upgrade-itis regarding other parts of my setup, and I am wondering what may be the better route to focus on initially:
> 
> ...


 
 How is ca andromeda sounding with your wm1a?


----------



## Dillan

lavakugel said:


> Would also be interested in how's wm1a sounding with flagship over ears like hd800, hex, lcd etc.




I would guess it could power the LCDX and HEX just fine with balanced connection but the HD800 and other LCD headphones require much more juice. It would be amazing if it could provide those adequate power, as I only plan to use this dap and built in amp for a long time.. bypassing any need for a desk setup.


----------



## soundkist

lavakugel said:


> How is ca andromeda sounding with your wm1a?


 
  
 In sum, and for fear of not being able to describe the sound properly, I'll say this: while I felt I had to turn up the volume surprisingly high on a lot of tracks for such a sensitive IEM, I had a lot of "wow" moments via SE, using a chinese 8-core SPC cable... I have yet to have any of those via the balanced output, using Sony KK cable.


----------



## Lavakugel

I will 


dillan said:


> I would guess it could power the LCDX and HEX just fine with balanced connection but the HD800 and other LCD headphones require much more juice. It would be amazing if it could provide those adequate power, as I only plan to use this dap and built in amp for a long time.. bypassing any need for a desk setup.


 
 I could easily live with only wm1a and no desktop rig. Sounds amazing!


----------



## musicday

WM1A on eBay Uk for £759 for those interested.
Looks like is brand new but without box.


----------



## Dillan

lavakugel said:


> I will
> I could easily live with only wm1a and no desktop rig. Sounds amazing!


 
 Love to hear that!!


----------



## Steverinho53

For those wondering about powering full-size headphones, I use my WM1A blissfully with the Sennheiser HD800.  There's absolutely no lack of power, with balanced cable and output. I generally listen with the volume at 80 or less, and that's plenty.  Sound is stunning, especially detail and soundstage.  (On SE however, no, there's not really enough output.)  I also have the Focal Elear, bought just last week (also with balanced cable), which so far I'm not thrilled with, but that opinion is based on just two or three hours listening, so I will hold off from a firm judgment. Early impression of the Elear: warm and friendly, and sometimes enjoyable for that quality, but much further from the Sennheiser 800s than I expected in terms of "open-backed" clarity and cleanness and detail.  However, it drives just fine: volume typically in the low to mid-70s for me.


----------



## soundkist

steverinho53 said:


> For those wondering about powering full-size headphones, I use my WM1A blissfully with the Sennheiser HD800.  There's absolutely no lack of power, with balanced cable and output. I generally listen with the volume at 80 or less, and that's plenty.  Sound is stunning, especially detail and soundstage.  (On SE however, no, there's not really enough output.)  I also have the Focal Elear, bought just last week (also with balanced cable), which so far I'm not thrilled with, but that opinion is based on just two or three hours listening, so I will hold off from a firm judgment. Early impression of the Elear: warm and friendly, and sometimes enjoyable for that quality, but much further from the Sennheiser 800s than I expected in terms of "open-backed" clarity and cleanness and detail.  However, it drives just fine: volume typically in the low to mid-70s for me.


 
  
 Thanks for these impressions.  Is your HD800 stock, or modded?  Also, what cable are you using with it?


----------



## rushofblood

gerelmx1986 said:


> then perhaps the OFC cable used in the WMA is better?


 
 I seriously doubt this but I have no access to that wire. Having looked at it before, it looks to be even more basic than the Kimber in wire geometry so I would be surprised if it performed better.
  


musicday said:


> Maybe a tutorial with pictures how to open the player and do this mod?
> I am sure quite few would like to do it themselves soon or later.


 
 No plans to do this as it's a killer process that took a good 4 hours to complete...would be basically an essay and so many photos it would border on spamming. Not to mention the steep difficulty of dismantling the players to this level - I did get stuck on one step for nearly an hour... In any case, I followed the Service Manual in dismantling it so anyone who is really interested can refer to that as a guide.
  


whitigir said:


> What type of wires are you using now ?


 
 A different set of copper wires. If you're wondering, I chose this over anything silver based as I have not heard anything with silver that beats this particular wire.
  


jalo said:


> @Rushofblood, which Kimber cable was in the 1Z, was it the copper or the silver cable?


 
 The original Kimber in the circuit is the copper wire that is sold as the MUC-M12SB1 in full IEM cable form.
  


dillan said:


> @rushofblood I busted out laughing when I saw the pics of you tinkering inside the player and changing out wires haha you really are a very brave man. It kind of worries me that you say the Kimber kables are holding it back though. I bought the Sony/Kimber balanced 4.4mm cable found here:
> 
> SONY Headphone cable MUC-M12SB1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M3TK66F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_sUP1ybR8Z3DTD
> 
> They've already arrived and they look beautiful and I connected to my brand new CA Vega's. Just waiting for my player before listening. So you think I could get an audible improvement by buying something else instead?


 
 That depends on how sensitive you are to cable changes - some people don't hear a difference, and unfortunately you gotta try it out for yourself. Not a problem with the tons of stores here in Singapore, but I'd imagine that it's tough for you Americans to audition stuff without buying it. FWIW, I think you could do a lot better than that Kimber Kable for the Vega.


----------



## Whitigir

I know Copper well enough  , UPOCC copper is good and I agree that from time to time I prefer it over silver too


----------



## jamato8

Anyone know where to order the 4.4 TRRRS copper plug? I have a nice non magnetic 4.4 TRRRS, I used for my system but it is brass, fortunately without a center steel pin, but I would like copper vs brass.


----------



## Dillan

jamato8 said:


> Anyone know where to order the 4.4 TRRRS copper plug? I have a nice non magnetic 4.4 TRRRS, I used for my system but it is brass, fortunately without a center steel pin, but I would like copper vs brass.




Not positive but I think moon audio sells one?


----------



## Dillan

steverinho53 said:


> For those wondering about powering full-size headphones, I use my WM1A blissfully with the Sennheiser HD800.  There's absolutely no lack of power, with balanced cable and output. I generally listen with the volume at 80 or less, and that's plenty.  Sound is stunning, especially detail and soundstage.  (On SE however, no, there's not really enough output.)  I also have the Focal Elear, bought just last week (also with balanced cable), which so far I'm not thrilled with, but that opinion is based on just two or three hours listening, so I will hold off from a firm judgment. Early impression of the Elear: warm and friendly, and sometimes enjoyable for that quality, but much further from the Sennheiser 800s than I expected in terms of "open-backed" clarity and cleanness and detail.  However, it drives just fine: volume typically in the low to mid-70s for me.




That makes me very happy. I love the thought of getting a TOTL dap and only needing to use it for all my iem and headphone listening needs. Im a minimalist at heart and it simplifies things and I've always felt like the smaller the audio chain the better. The convenience and portability is satisfying and now knowing they can power headphones like the HD800.. Im in heaven!

Also sorry to hear about your elear.. personally I was quite unsatisfied with Focals new headphones too.. including the Utopia. Everyone has seemed to go absolutely crazy over them, but I wasn't one of those people after hearing them. I did an honest mini review of their short comings and it's especially apparent when you have a good high end headphone like the 800S to compare side-by-side.


----------



## echineko

dillan said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Everyone hears things differently, and has preferences in sound signature that are not universal. I myself sold my HD800S after hearing the Utopia, which are en route 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 The Elear were not for me, however.
  
 But I agree, listening for yourself and making a decision is the best way. And the WM1A/Z are no slouch with the balanced 4.4mm output, even with full-sized headphones.


----------



## buzzlulu

How are people handling their Utopia's with the Sony DAP's 4.4 balanced plugs?  Dongles?
  
 I just purchased a balanced Kimber Axios cable for my Utopia however I had it terminated XLR to use with my Moon 430HA.  My thought was to use a XLR/4.4 dongle if I end up with one of the Sony's.
  
 Another option is to purchase a second cable (perhaps something like the Wireworld Platinum Nano) and have it terminated 4.4 and only 1 meter length (my Axios is 3 meter).
  
 An Axios XLR/4.4 dongle is something like $250.  A 1 meter Wireworld Platinum Nano might not be that much more.


----------



## echineko

buzzlulu said:


> How are people handling their Utopia's with the Sony DAP's 4.4 balanced plugs?  Dongles?



Personally, I'm leaning towards going the XLR terminated + 4.4mm adapter route. I don't have the Sony desktop amp at home, so would be better served by being flexible with the termination. But I might still change my mind at the last minute and get my cable terminated with 4.4mm.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

buzzlulu said:


> How are people handling their Utopia's with the Sony DAP's 4.4 balanced plugs?  Dongles?
> 
> I just purchased a balanced Kimber Axios cable for my Utopia however I had it terminated XLR to use with my Moon 430HA.  My thought was to use a XLR/4.4 dongle if I end up with one of the Sony's.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Peter at Double Helix can make you a simple adapter like mine, I think.
  
 Or Kimber can make you a "pigtail" adapter.


----------



## buzzlulu

Thanks for that. I already know that Kimber can make a "pigtail" with Axios cable as I had already inquired - however that Double Helix adapter looks quite nice. How much is that?


----------



## echineko

buzzlulu said:


> Thanks for that. I already know that Kimber can make a "pigtail" with Axios cable as I had already inquired - however that Double Helix adapter looks quite nice. How much is that?



They're $89.99, from their site.


----------



## Lavakugel

I own a capped wm1a with max vol around 80.
  
 What does it mean when i'm now able to turn full up to 120 vol? Is it uncapped? But I can't find high gain anywhere...


----------



## nc8000

lavakugel said:


> I own a capped wm1a with max vol around 80.
> 
> What does it mean when i'm now able to turn full up to 120 vol? Is it uncapped? But I can't find high gain anywhere...




If it is capped you get an on screen warning when you go over a certain volume and there is a limit on how loud it goes even at max volume. Uncapped you don't get the warning and high gain is in the settings


----------



## Lavakugel

nc8000 said:


> If it is capped you get an on screen warning when you go over a certain volume and there is a limit on how loud it goes even at max volume. Uncapped you don't get the warning and high gain is in the settings


 
 That is what's strange. I installed 1.20 and after that this limit was gone. Where in settings do i find high gain?


----------



## nc8000

lavakugel said:


> That is what's strange. I installed 1.20 and after that this limit was gone. Where in settings do i find high gain?




In Output settings under Headphone output between AWLS and L/R balance


----------



## Lavakugel

It's not there. So that means it's capped but I'm able to turn sound limit full up to 120


----------



## nc8000

lavakugel said:


> It's not there. So that means it's capped but I'm able to turn sound limit full up to 120




You can always turn it to 120


----------



## denis1976

lavakugel said:


> It's not there. So that means it's capped but I'm able to turn sound limit full up to 120


you can allways turn the volume to 120 the diference is that when you remove the volume cap you get the high gain seting and even in normal gain it plays louder, but way didn't you made the uncap?is such a simple thing...


----------



## Steverinho53

soundkist said:


> Thanks for these impressions.  Is your HD800 stock, or modded?  Also, what cable are you using with it?


 

 HD800 is stock.  I bought the cable from Surf Cables ($160), which took only a week to arrive.  Oh, and I have the WM1A set on high gain.


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> It's not there. So that means it's capped but I'm able to turn sound limit full up to 120


search this thread for rockbox and you will find the instructions to uncap it


----------



## Lavakugel

What headphones are you enjoying WM1A/Z most?


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> What headphones are you enjoying WM1A/Z most?


 

 MDR-Z7 & XBA-Z5


----------



## nc8000

lavakugel said:


> What headphones are you enjoying WM1A/Z most?




JH13 and Z1R


----------



## nanaholic

lavakugel said:


> What headphones are you enjoying WM1A/Z most?


 
  
 Just ear XJE-MH1 
 AK T8iE MK2
 Sony MDR-Z1R


----------



## Fsilva

Earsonics EM32


----------



## kms108

nanaholic said:


> lavakugel said:
> 
> 
> > What headphones are you enjoying WM1A/Z most?
> ...


 

 I see you have the Just ear IEM, do you know where in Japan, or online I can get the cable from, the model number is AJE-BAG1


----------



## vilhelm44

lavakugel said:


> What headphones are you enjoying WM1A/Z most?


 

 Inear ProPhile-8, it's a match made in heaven with the WM1A, running in balanced.


----------



## jamato8

dillan said:


> Not positive but I think moon audio sells one?


 

 Thanks. Yes they have the one in brass but not in copper. 1000 have to be ordered at a time, which is a ridiculous requirement but it is, what it is.


----------



## musicday

Based only on sound quality whill you guys choose 1Z over the Lotoo Paw Gold?
I am trying to get used to touch screen based music players,but i always preferred buttons.Thats me.
But 1Z being able to connect to Hugo is a great advantage.


----------



## Hydrored

Can anbody confirm how the 1Z does at driving the HEK? I have been enjoying the Utopia but I am looking for looking for a more relaxing HP. Search funcion didn't bring up any details.

Thanks,

Hydro


----------



## denis1976

musicday said:


> Based only on sound quality whill you guys choose 1Z over the Lotoo Paw Gold?
> I am trying to get used to touch screen based music players,but i always preferred buttons.Thats me.
> But 1Z being able to connect to Hugo is a great advantage.


the 1z is diferent from LPG, of you love the Tera for its analogue type of sound you will fall inlove with the 1z,when o had the Tera i loved the tone and the musicality, i didn't liked the lack of capacity of making low impedance headphones play, the lack of bass in some was very disapointing, with the 1z you have power , musicality,layering is a great player


----------



## musicday

I haven't heard the 1Z yet but i like the sound, punch, strength and authority of Lotoo Paw Gold.
I would like to believe that 1Z can do all that Paw does but better.


----------



## jamato8

hydrored said:


> Can anbody confirm how the 1Z does at driving the HEK? I have been enjoying the Utopia but I am looking for looking for a more relaxing HP. Search funcion didn't bring up any details.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Hydro


 

 It does fine in balanced mode. Spacious and open sounding with good bass. The HEK2, a little more open sounding.


----------



## gerelmx1986

i am dying to try balanced LOL, hope these caps aren't dried out for not being used


----------



## Hydrored

jamato8 said:


> It does fine in balanced mode. Spacious and open sounding with good bass. The HEK2, a little more open sounding.




Thanks! I can pick up a new V2 at a discounted price. Nobody around here has Hifiman to demo so it would be a blind purchase unfortunately. Waiting for an answer on return policy before I pull the trigger.


----------



## Dillan

Anyone know the output impedence of the WM1Z? I read on another forum someone thought it was .94 ohm on balanced. However I can't find anything official. Sony has kept a lot of the specs and technology tightly kept a secret for some reason. Could be a good or bad thing.


----------



## nc8000

dillan said:


> Anyone know the output impedence of the WM1Z? I read on another forum someone thought it was .94 ohm on balanced. However I can't find anything official. Sony has kept a lot of the specs and technology tightly kept a secret for some reason. Could be a good or bad thing.




I don't think we are going to get any info about this. With the ZX2 the designers stated that output impedance was irellevant so they were not going to release any numbers


----------



## AnakChan

dillan said:


> Anyone know the output impedence of the WM1Z? I read on another forum someone thought it was .94 ohm on balanced. However I can't find anything official. Sony has kept a lot of the specs and technology tightly kept a secret for some reason. Could be a good or bad thing.


 
  
 From PMRreviews (self measured) :-
  
 "...the output impedances for the WM1Z and the WM1A are 0.94 ohms and 0.92 ohms respectively..."


----------



## mscott58

lavakugel said:


> What headphones are you enjoying WM1A/Z most?



 


ALO/CFA Vega


----------



## Hydrored

mscott58 said:


> lavakugel said:
> 
> 
> > What headphones are you enjoying WM1A/Z most?
> ...




X 2


----------



## nanaholic

kms108 said:


> I see you have the Just ear IEM, do you know where in Japan, or online I can get the cable from, the model number is AJE-BAG1


 
  
 All the Just ear cables are sold exclusively at Tokyo Hearing Center (where you order the IEM) so you can't get them online, and they recently EOL both the 3.5mm TRRS cables and last I've heard all remaining stocks were sold.  Sometimes second hand ones pop up at e-earphone or on auction, that's probably the only place where you can find them now.


----------



## Dillan

Soon I'll be on the Vega/wm1z hype train too as soon as they finally ship my player. If I don't have it before my long plane ride this weekend I'll cry the whole flight.


----------



## kms108

nanaholic said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > I see you have the Just ear IEM, do you know where in Japan, or online I can get the cable from, the model number is AJE-BAG1
> ...


 
 Thanks for the reply, i was think of going over to the tokyo hearing center during my visit to japan. If they have them or not im ok, but its strange why a expensive iem and their accessories are eol, may be they are getting ready to release a 4.4 version, its probably because the zx2 has been discontinued, because the 3.5 trrs was made specially for the zx2.


----------



## blazinblazin

lavakugel said:


> What headphones are you enjoying WM1A/Z most?




Campfire Audio Andromeda with Effect Audio Leonidas cable.


----------



## nanaholic

kms108 said:


> Thanks for the reply, i was think of going over to the tokyo hearing center during my visit to japan. If they have them or not im ok, but its strange why a expensive iem and their accessories are eol, may be they are getting ready to release a 4.4 version, its probably because the zx2 has been discontinued, because the 3.5 trrs was made specially for the zx2.


 
  
 I know that unofficially Just ear is preparing 4.4mm cables because a lot of the owners are calling for one and Just ear has heard their calls - they've just got nothing official to announce yet. I'm guessing production and supply of parts hasn't allowed to them to make the cables sooner.


----------



## gerelmx1986

battery life lasts the same in SE and balanced? considering same settings such as direct source ON etc


----------



## hung031086

lavakugel said:


> What headphones are you enjoying WM1A/Z most?



Used to be vega.
Now is u12 + m15 .


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am woed by SE but maybe in the few weeks i am moving to BALANCED, the fact im hearing details i never Heard before with S.E.  ist just cool. KUDOS TO SONY
  
 Able to extract the room reverb cues and the tail deccay so natural wow.
  
 Listening to a particular álbum of Mozart sonatas for 4 Hands (on a Clavessin), before WM1A is just Heard all cramped sound and a bunch of notes played, was always fatiguing
  
 Listening it with WM1A is like these tracks have reborn, I never Heard a sound so analogue, so real, i can get an idea the sixe of the church it was recorded not too big not too small but with a decent amount of echo going arround, with no "blurring" of sounds (good attack and deccay)
  
 I am willing to pay @whitigir a fortune for super duper express shipping these cables LOL


----------



## blazinblazin

With WM1A i enjoyed older melodies, not sure why.

Also only the much expensive players that i starts enjoying instrumentals.


----------



## Rchandra

Just purchased my walkman from buywise via amazon. I purchased a z1r from them already brand spanking new Ill tell you what dont let the whole warranty thing or fake product thing bother you like it did with me a while back DO purchase a SQUARETRADE warranty they are absolutey amazing. They have repaired items of mine in the past not sold from authorized sellers LOL.. They have been amazing. So i will love saving a few hundred dollars and buy on amazon and would suggest others to do so as well. Its good business. Undercut competition and pay less. now back to my beer.


----------



## asquare3376

rchandra said:


> Just purchased my walkman from buywise via amazon. I purchased a z1r from them already brand spanking new Ill tell you what dont let the whole warranty thing or fake product thing bother you like it did with me a while back DO purchase a SQUARETRADE warranty they are absolutey amazing. They have repaired items of mine in the past not sold from authorized sellers LOL.. They have been amazing. So i will love saving a few hundred dollars and buy on amazon and would suggest others to do so as well. Its good business. Undercut competition and pay less. now back to my beer.


You are not saving even one single dollar if you're buying on Amazon USA. Their price is the same if not more than what you would pay at a dealership. Infact, you're paying more considering that squaretrade warranty. 1A is getting released here in a week's time. Enjoy your beer!!!


----------



## Rchandra

asquare3376 said:


> You are not saving even one single dollar if you're buying on Amazon USA. Their price is the same if not more than what you would pay at a dealership. Infact, you're paying more considering that squaretrade warranty. 1A is getting released here in a week's time. Enjoy your beer!!!




Whattup brother, in my z1r case after the squaretrade warranty an the dumb fake **** i was on.. It ended up breaking even at the $2,300 but man that accidental warranty is an awesome peice of mind.. Im looking forward to trying the balanced connecter as im hearing it makes a difference


----------



## asquare3376

rchandra said:


> Whattup brother, in my z1r case after the squaretrade warranty an the dumb fake **** i was on.. It ended up breaking even at the $2,300 but man that accidental warranty is an awesome peice of mind.. Im looking forward to trying the balanced connecter as im hearing it makes a difference


 Yeah, squaretrade is good but it only works for products you buy on Amazon (what I heard from people). Next time, try your local dealers first before taking the Amazon route. I bought my Z1R from @tsavjason at an unbelievable price, brand new, sealed with USA warranty. Sorry, can't disclose the price here, but it was too good to be thinking of buying it anywhere else. And yes, upgrade those cables. I am using Axios for now but upgrading to a silver one very soon.


----------



## Rchandra

asquare3376 said:


> Yeah, squaretrade is good but it only works for products you buy on Amazon (what I heard from people). Next time, try your local dealers first before taking the Amazon route. I bought my Z1R from @tsavjason at an unbelievable price, brand new, sealed with USA warranty. Sorry, can't disclose the price here, but it was too good to be thinking of buying it anywhere else. And yes, upgrade those cables. I am using Axios for now but upgrading to a silver one very soon.




Ill make a trip to his store when im in So Cal for sure. I can tell the dude is passionate about his items. I do want to buy a z1r for a family member so i might go the route your recommending. Have you tried the kimber cable? I dunno if i should pull thr trigger on those..


----------



## Dillan

rchandra said:


> Ill make a trip to his store when im in So Cal for sure. I can tell the dude is passionate about his items. I do want to buy a z1r for a family member so i might go the route your recommending. Have you tried the kimber cable? I dunno if i should pull thr trigger on those..




I wanna be in your family.


----------



## Rchandra

dillan said:


> I wanna be in your family.




That is the nicest thing anyone has said to me on headfi LOL


----------



## RobertP

Hmm interesting! Sound signature from direct source is actually different between 24 bits and 16 bits songs. On my WM1A, I adjusted EQ to match with how direct source sound in 24 bits tracks and when I try 16 bits tracks, EQ is no longer matched. Now I have 2 sets of EQ: one for Hi-Res and one for CD. LOL!


----------



## Whitigir

Look like u have a beat headphones LOL! All the bass, no mids and highs


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Look like u have a beat headphones LOL! All the bass, no mids and highs


lol

How do you clean the back of the WM1A, the rubber grip?


----------



## asquare3376

rchandra said:


> Ill make a trip to his store when im in So Cal for sure. I can tell the dude is passionate about his items. I do want to buy a z1r for a family member so i might go the route your recommending. Have you tried the kimber cable? I dunno if i should pull thr trigger on those..


 I have tried KK. You can demo all the different types of cables at his store without the pressure of buying.


----------



## RobertP

@whitigir I have xba-3 and I'm not joking. Even with my audioengine HD6. If you have A1 with that EQ setting, it's almost equivalence to direct source in sound quality. I know EQ graph looks funny LOL.
The reason that I'm doing this because I want to test DC Phase Linearizer different setting. For MP3, try type A standard.
IMO, play with EQ is hopeless. I hear less tiny sparkle details and echos. For DSD, FLAC 24 bits or 16 bits, each of them have their own sound signature programmed. Maybe that is why even with MP3, sound quality is by far better that other DAP.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Iems like those need bass bump. 

Well there is a saying 'audiophiles know more about the sound and less about the graphs.


----------



## RobertP

Yeah, better just leave direct source enable. I had too much time playing with graphs :/ waiting for my OCC silver plated cable and silver/gold solder to be deliver. Toxic UK cables for DIY looks tempting now that I know more about cable. I'm new to this. This is a big step up from my Sansa Fuze Plus DAP.


----------



## TSAVJason

gerelmx1986 said:


> lol
> 
> How do you clean the back of the WM1A, the rubber grip?




Do not use alcohol or ammonia based cleaners. Silicon based cleaners are ok to use. Do not use armoral.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tsavjason said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > lol
> ...


and water damped cloth with a tiny bit of soap?


----------



## TSAVJason

gerelmx1986 said:


> and water damped cloth with a tiny bit of soap?


 

Yes that works but try avoid soaps with perfumes or additives.


----------



## Lavakugel

I do find the EQ settings even better as direct on mode.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tsavjason said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > and water damped cloth with a tiny bit of soap?
> ...


thanks


----------



## Dillan

As a previous owner of the AK380, I will be doing some comparisons between that dap and the WM1Z (which finally comes in tomorrow).
  
 A huge pet peeve of mine is using an IEM and getting distortion or static feedback. It has pretty much been present on every dap or phone I have ever used. I have really good hearing and I almost look for that type of noise these days because it is such an annoyance to me. I hope that this will not be present on the Sony. It would especially happen during times of silence in a track where you could hear it. If my new dap is dead silent in that regard and also doesn't get too warm while also being able to power an HD800S all while sounding great then I would think it was worth every penny spent and leaps ahead of the 380.
  
 We shall see soon enough!


----------



## RobertP

lavakugel said:


> I do find the EQ settings even better as direct on mode.



As long as no classical or vocalist songs then I can live with EQ.


----------



## Hydrored

I could ALMOST get rid of my desktop rig-




Cheers,

Hydro


----------



## buzzlulu

hydrored said:


> I could ALMOST get rid of my desktop rig-
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
  
 That is what I am considering to go with my Utopia's - however the WM1A instead.  Did you have the opportunity to compare the two?


----------



## turbo87

Hydro, which cable is that?


----------



## Hydrored

buzzlulu said:


> That is what I am considering to go with my Utopia's - however the WM1A instead.  Did you have the opportunity to compare the two?




Sorry I have not


----------



## wu1f

I understand that the question was about the leatherette on the back.  I am NOT addressing the cleaning of that surface.  However, if you are looking for something to safely and effectively clean the touchscreen, try Magic Cloths, available through Amazon.  They remove fingerprints/oils very quickly and are very non-abrasive.  I also use them on my eyeglasses, iPad, MacBook screen, etc.  To get the most from them, keep them in a dust-free location.  The manufacturer says that if you wash them, do so without fabric softener, as that often causes grit to cling to the cloth.  I've tried that, but even without the softener, they do tend to pick up grit that can then scratch screens.  I keep mine in a ziplock.  The current one has lasted me about six months so far and still works like when it was new.  For me, they work much better than the usual lens cleaning cloths - faster, and continue to work effectively much longer.  Best of all, no liquid required.  But again, note my caution about keeping it clean - you probably won't be able to carry one in a pocket and have it not pick up grit that will scratch.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Thanks @TSAVJason for the tip
  
 ​I applied a tiny droplet of dish liquid soap, a bit of damped cloth with wáter and cleaned it nice


----------



## Dillan

hydrored said:


> I could ALMOST get rid of my desktop rig-
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Haha That's essentially what I did. Now I can listen to my things in the car, on the plane and in my bed. Best of all, we can plug it right into the dap and get pretty respectable power w/ no gaudy rubberbanding needed. Makes life so much easier for me. Even for things like local meets.


----------



## AnakChan

hydrored said:


> I could ALMOST get rid of my desktop rig-
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Actually I found that I could do with a little more drive from the NW-WM1Z. Most albums, I'm good and listen to around the 90 mark (high gain) to the Utopias. However for a subset of albums such as Shelby Lynne's "Just A Little Lovin'" I'm closer to the 120 mark.


----------



## Whitigir

anakchan said:


> Actually I found that I could do with a little more drive from the NW-WM1Z. Most albums, I'm good and listen to around the 90 mark (high gain) to the Utopias. However for a subset of albums such as Shelby Lynne's "Just A Little Lovin'" I'm closer to the 120 mark.




Lol....for a moment I thought I was going deaf....I listen to Utopia and 1z around 70-85 in H-gain......now you do 90-120 ? More power to you !  .


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> I do find the EQ settings even better as direct on mode.


 

 Curiously i find The EQ veils the sound compated to direct source


----------



## Hydrored

anakchan said:


> Actually I found that I could do with a little more drive from the NW-WM1Z. Most albums, I'm good and listen to around the 90 mark (high gain) to the Utopias. However for a subset of albums such as Shelby Lynne's "Just A Little Lovin'" I'm closer to the 120 mark.




I agree 100%, I find myself at around 95-110. I would like to get rid of my desktop rig as I have no time for it, maybe the next Sony DAP will get me there.


----------



## TSAVJason

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks @TSAVJason
> for the tip
> 
> ​I applied a tiny droplet of dish liquid soap, a bit of damped cloth with wáter and cleaned it nice


 Don't do it too often. It might cause it to dry up. I'm glad it worked for you. Just a tiny drop with water and not too often and you're golden. :thumbsup_tone1:


----------



## asquare3376

tsavjason said:


> Just a tiny drop with water and not too often and you're *golden*


 Oh! That's how you make a 1Z out of a 1A. Thanks for the tip


----------



## gerelmx1986

> Don't do it too often. It might cause it to dry up. I'm glad it worked for you. Just a tiny drop with water and not too often and you're golden. :thumbsup_tone1:


 
 Out of curiosity it is Rubber or leather?


----------



## TSAVJason

gerelmx1986 said:


> Out of curiosity it is Rubber or leather?


 I'm not sure. If feels like a faux leather rubber or plastic based. It could be a treated leather. The 1Z is clearly leather. Whatever it is it still looks like Sony cared about the presentation. It's a cool DAP isn't it?


----------



## rushofblood

gerelmx1986 said:


> Out of curiosity it is Rubber or leather?


 
 It's rubber. The underside of the backing distinctly feels that way. Makes sense given that it's supposed to be durable; real leather would degrade much faster over use.


----------



## nc8000

whitigir said:


> Lol....for a moment I thought I was going deaf....I listen to Utopia and 1z around 70-85 in H-gain......now you do 90-120 ? More power to you !  .




It will depend on the individual album how loud one needs to go. With the Z1R I listen with anything from 40 to 90 on high gain


----------



## pCollins

WM1Z works very well with this AKG N90Q.
 Thank you @Tyll Hertsens for N90Q review!
  
 The noise cancelling of the N90Q is analog and feels different versus those with digital noise cancellation like Q35 or Sony 1000X.  I wish the N90Q were wireless.
  
 The surround mode of the N90Q is subtle but does a convincing job of moving the singer away from the center of your head.  The ensembles and instruments are spaced nicely in space.  The processing is a lot better than the artificial DSP used in gaming headphones from Sony, Logitech, etc.
 If the N90Q were lighter and wireless, the QC35 would be history for me.


----------



## Whitigir

Color matched! Good job


----------



## gerelmx1986

tsavjason said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Out of curiosity it is Rubber or leather?
> ...


it is a very good player indeed, the amount of resolution in the music is astonishing


----------



## Whitigir

For a portable player, the WM1Z is excellent as analog Source to amplifiers too! Either connecting to my Carbon-009 or my home stereo system. It has no noises at all ! So awesome


----------



## soundkist

whitigir said:


> For a portable player, the WM1Z is excellent as analog Source to amplifiers too! Either connecting to my Carbon-009 or my home stereo system. It has no noises at all ! So awesome


 
  
 What output volume do you find works best for that kind of setup?


----------



## gerelmx1986

soundkist said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > For a portable player, the WM1Z is excellent as analog Source to amplifiers too! Either connecting to my Carbon-009 or my home stereo system. It has no noises at all ! So awesome
> ...


to my mom's car stereo I use 120 high gain on SE


----------



## Whitigir

soundkist said:


> What output volume do you find works best for that kind of setup?





gerelmx1986 said:


> to my mom's car stereo I use 120 high gain on SE




I always use 120 H-gain...except my home stereo system. It is too powerful, so I normally use 60 or so on H-gain


----------



## soundkist

Good info, thanks much!


----------



## Dillan

WM1Z waiting for me at home. Drooling at the mouth haha.


----------



## Whitigir

dillan said:


> WM1Z waiting for me at home. Drooling at the mouth haha.




I hope it is not left on the porch in a good neighborhood


----------



## musicday

whitigir said:


> dillan said:
> 
> 
> > WM1Z waiting for me at home. Drooling at the mouth haha.
> ...



Or maybe he has a good neighbour that will do the hack for him, firmware update and add music and start burning in process for him


----------



## asquare3376

musicday said:


> Or maybe he has a good neighbour that will do the hack for him, firmware update and add music and start burning in process for him


 looks like @Dillan logged off and running back home already


----------



## Dillan

musicday said:


> Or maybe he has a good neighbour that will do the hack for him, firmware update and add music and start burning in process for him




Hahaha most of my neighbors are farmers .. I'd be pretty impressed


----------



## Lavakugel

whitigir said:


> For a portable player, the WM1Z is excellent as analog Source to amplifiers too! Either connecting to my Carbon-009 or my home stereo system. It has no noises at all ! So awesome


 
 Do you use the bsc10 dock for that? Is it working perfectly?


----------



## Whitigir

lavakugel said:


> Do you use the bsc10 dock for that? Is it working perfectly?




Dock can only output digital and no analog. Unless I want to charge and connect it Analog via headphones toward the amp, then sure. I will be using the dock with the DAC which is coming in tomorrow


----------



## Dillan

I really hope Sony comes out with a Signature dock or something like the AK380 doc.. that will allow all sorts of line out and whatnot. I would love to use the WM1Z as a player and a DAC directly into an amplifier via XLR or even RCA's.


----------



## Whitigir

dillan said:


> I really hope Sony comes out with a Signature dock or something like the AK380 doc.. that will allow all sorts of line out and whatnot. I would love to use the WM1Z as a playwrighter and a DAC directly into an amplifier via XLR or even RCA's.




You can not, the WM has analog line out pins voided away, the only lone out Is headphones ports


----------



## Dillan

whitigir said:


> You can not, the WM has analog line out pins voided away, the only lone out Is headphones ports




Ahhh wonder what the reasoning is for that.. is there any downside to using line out through the headphone port?


----------



## Whitigir

dillan said:


> Ahhh wonder what the reasoning is for that.. is there any downside to using line out through the headphone port?




Lol...common, I have been reporting that headphones out as line out is excellent on the WM1Z....the line out on WM port were eliminated due to the noises that prone to be the problems


----------



## Dillan

I could do 4.4mm to xlr?


----------



## Whitigir

dillan said:


> I could do 4.4mm to xlr?




I do 4.4 to dual 3.5 then to XLR, there is nothing wrong with it


----------



## Dillan

Well sweet.. I guess I can have a perfectly reasonable balanced line out after all. My hope is for most everything be able to be powered just fine from just the dap (including the hd800s).


----------



## Whitigir

dillan said:


> Well sweet.. I guess I can have a perfectly reasonable balanced line out after all. My hope is for most everything be able to be powered just fine from just the dap (including the hd800s).




Purk reported that Hd800 was driven to a good level with WM1Z from Balanced out. My WM1Z at H-gain and maxed 120/120 volume into my Stax system is well powered. I only needed 15% of my amplifier to be jamming and slamming


----------



## Dillan

Hahaha niceee.


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> dillan said:
> 
> 
> > I could do 4.4mm to xlr?
> ...


nice cable looks cool


----------



## RobertP

Sound quality on my WM1A is still improving after 200hrs. I played music with high grain enable all the time up until last night. After 240hrs, vocal from singers were too bright and a bit too sibilant for me. So I try low gain and I'm surprised how good with this setting is now. Smooth, airy, and more extend on both low and high. Everything seem more analog and natural.


----------



## Dillan

robertp said:


> Sound quality on my WM1A is still improving after 200hrs. I played music with high grain enable all the time up until last night. After 240hrs, vocal from singers were too bright and a bit too sibilant for me. So I try low gain and I'm surprised how good with this setting is now. Smooth, airy, and more extend on both low and high. Everything seem more analog and natural.




I was planning on just keeping everything high gain all the time, but perhaps not if the sound quality noticeably changes depending. By the way the one I received is the tourist edition and looks beautiful. I was going to exercise at the gym but this unit is so heavy I might just pick it up and put it down over and over for my workout


----------



## gerelmx1986

dillan said:


> robertp said:
> 
> 
> > Sound quality on my WM1A is still improving after 200hrs. I played music with high grain enable all the time up until last night. After 240hrs, vocal from singers were too bright and a bit too sibilant for me. So I try low gain and I'm surprised how good with this setting is now. Smooth, airy, and more extend on both low and high. Everything seem more analog and natural.
> ...


gain does not change t he SQ


----------



## Dillan

gerelmx1986 said:


> gain does not change t he SQ


 
  
 I wouldn't think it would tbh


----------



## soundkist

gerelmx1986 said:


> gain does not change t he SQ


 
  
 While I would venture a guess the sound _signature _does not change, I think this depends on your personal criteria for SQ, and thus should IMO not be stated as fact.  What if you have a very sensitive driver and the extra gain causes the noise floor to raise to audible levels, and having a dead silent background is your thing?  SQ still not affected?  Food for thought, I guess.


----------



## TSAVJason

soundkist said:


> While I would venture a guess the sound _signature_ does not change, I think this depends on your personal criteria for SQ, and thus should IMO not be stated as fact.  What if you have a very sensitive driver and the extra gain causes the noise floor to raise to audible levels, and having a dead silent background is your thing?  SQ still not affected?  Food for thought, I guess.


 Well in the case of the 1Z there is no noise floor to hear. It's extraordinarily quiet. The listening device doesn't change that. The device could clamp or distort but that isn't the DAP causing the sonic change.


----------



## Dillan

tsavjason said:


> Well in the case of the 1Z there is no noise floor to hear. It's extraordinarily quiet. The listening device doesn't change that. The device could clamp or distort but that isn't the DAP causing the sonic change.


 

 Just got my 1Z and Jason is correct. I have never heard a dap with zero distortion or background noise whatsoever (I am super sensitive to hearing that sort of thing).. I have owned and listened to many many daps and my old AK380 had a faint static sound when turning the volume very low - you could certainly hear a faint static sound from a sensitive IEM. The 1Z is already making me happy with just that fact because it was a huge pet peeve of mine.. regardless of being able to hear this low noise distortion during music or not.
  
 I will say that changing from PCM to DSD and vice versa does provide an audible click sound which some of you have brought up before.. My old DAC used to do that so I am sort of used to it. As long as during actual music playback the background is dead quiet at all volumes then I am a super happy man.


----------



## soundkist

The noise floor was just an example; I'm not arguing the 1Z is not extraordinarily quiet, or that it is not completely dead silent--it very well could be.  I have no idea, and it doesn't really have any bearing on my point, which is that SQ changes are a subjective thing, not quantitatively defined.  There could be many aspects of engaging HG mode that a person may feel detracts from their listening experience, or the perceived SQ they are hearing from the device while paired with whatever they are using with it.  Case in point, I personally don't like using HG; it seems to my ears that it presents the sound more forcefully, and not as relaxed as without it, which I much prefer.  Ergo, the _quality_ of the sound that is hitting my ears, subjectively, suffers for me when I engage the HG mode.  Make sense?


----------



## Whitigir

I can confirm 1Z is dead quiet. It is the first DAP that I observe such excellent noise isolation together with great performances in this caliber, enough to be a good analog Source into any dedicated amp. Unless you want to go high-end of end in desktop class systems


----------



## RobertP

soundkist said:


> While I would venture a guess the sound _signature_ does not change, I think this depends on your personal criteria for SQ, and thus should IMO not be stated as fact.  What if you have a very sensitive driver and the extra gain causes the noise floor to raise to audible levels, and having a dead silent background is your thing?  SQ still not affected?  Food for thought, I guess.




It could be my XBA-3. I couldn't explain ether. I can't keep listen to music for long period with H-gain on like I used to. Feel like a have to take a break. I played same playlist.
During 100-200hrs burn-in with H-gain, I had no problem listen for many hours. With low gain, I felt like something was lacking from high frequency. The point is SQ had changed some what after around 240hrs.


----------



## gerelmx1986

robertp said:


> soundkist said:
> 
> 
> > While I would venture a guess the sound _signature_ does not change, I think this depends on your personal criteria for SQ, and thus should IMO not be stated as fact.  What if you have a very sensitive driver and the extra gain causes the noise floor to raise to audible levels, and having a dead silent background is your thing?  SQ still not affected?  Food for thought, I guess.
> ...


sound will stabilize at around 500h


----------



## TSAVJason

soundkist said:


> The noise floor was just an example; I'm not arguing the 1Z is not extraordinarily quiet, or that it is not completely dead silent--it very well could be.  I have no idea, and it doesn't really have any bearing on my point, which is that SQ changes are a subjective thing, not quantitatively defined.  There could be many aspects of engaging HG mode that a person may feel detracts from their listening experience, or the perceived SQ they are hearing from the device while paired with whatever they are using with it.  Case in point, I personally don't like using HG; it seems to my ears that it presents the sound more forcefully, and not as relaxed as without it, which I much prefer.  Ergo, the _quality_ of the sound that is hitting my ears, subjectively, suffers for me when I engage the HG mode.  Make sense?


 

Sorry either I'm totally misunderstanding your premise or I still can't agree. SQ remains the same just louder. Is your contention that loudness is part of your determination of SQ? One argues the sound it great but it's too loud. Or the sound is too quiet to enjoy I wish it were louder. Possibly on some products you hear them distort from being overdriven? Thus the SQ is deminished?


----------



## soundkist

tsavjason said:


> Sorry either I'm totally misunderstanding your premise or I still can't agree. SQ remains the same just louder. Is your contention that loudness is part of your determination of SQ? One argues the sound it great but it's too loud. Or the sound is too quiet to enjoy I wish it were louder. Possibly on some products you hear them distort from being overdriven? Thus the SQ is deminished?


 
  
 No worries; I don't think I can word it any more clearly or concisely, so probably not worth pursuing.  Agree to disagree and move forward.


----------



## Dillan

Your points make sense to me.. since background noise was mentioned I felt like bragging about the 1Z in response to Jason's comment. Didn't mean to take away from your comment or confuse anyone lol


----------



## soundkist

dillan said:


> Your points make sense to me.. since background noise was mentioned I felt like bragging about the 1Z in response to Jason's comment. Didn't mean to take away from your comment or confuse anyone lol


 
  
 All good, brother; I understand the 1Z is a fantastic piece of kit--hope you are enjoying it!  Did you end up getting it before your flight?


----------



## Dillan

soundkist said:


> All good, brother; I understand the 1Z is a fantastic piece of kit--hope you are enjoying it!  Did you end up getting it before your flight?




Sure did! Very thankful for that as it's going to make a long flight much more enjoyable. Loading song on here is a breeze too.. basically acting as a flash drive with no extra software needed.


----------



## soundkist

Glad to hear it.  Yeah, being the minimalist that I am, I've been doing the same thing re: file transfer--never even bothered to try/install the Media Go software.  So far, so good!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am using currently H-gain on my 1A.... just louder, no changes in SQ... to aid on this feeble Fortepiano sound


----------



## Sarnia

I've experienced exactly the same with both the WM1A and TA-ZH1ES. I found that high gain with Audeze iSINE 20s on the WM1A changes the sound presentation in a negative way. 

I found it most noticeable with the Z1Rs on the TA-ZH1ES. On high gain they had too much of everything. On low gain volume matched everything was better balanced, with better separation. 

Maybe it was all in my head, but I could consistently hear it when changing between high and low gain.


----------



## TSAVJason

sarnia said:


> I've experienced exactly the same with both the WM1A and TA-ZH1ES. I found that high gain with Audeze iSINE 20s on the WM1A changes the sound presentation in a negative way.
> 
> I found it most noticeable with the Z1Rs on the TA-ZH1ES. On high gain they had too much of everything. On low gain volume matched everything was better balanced, with better separation.
> 
> Maybe it was all in my head, but I could consistently hear it when changing between high and low gain.


 

The Audeze and Sony should be set at standard gain not high gain. It loads the amp more appropriately. High gain would be used on cans that have higher power requirements.


----------



## TSAVJason

It's HERE!!! 

Our actual shippable and sellable inventory is still a couple days away! Those of you with pre-orders in with us should be happy to see this progress


----------



## Whitigir

tsavjason said:


> It's HERE!!!
> 
> Our actual shippable and sellable inventory is still a couple days away! Those of you with pre-orders in with us should be happy to see this progress




Nice! wooooo000 !! I am happy for you all! Finally ! It did took a while


----------



## purk

tsavjason said:


> It's HERE!!!
> 
> Our actual shippable and sellable inventory is still a couple days away! Those of you with pre-orders in with us should be happy to see this progress


 
 Very nice!!


----------



## asquare3376

tsavjason said:


> It's HERE!!!
> 
> Our actual shippable and sellable inventory is still a couple days away! Those of you with pre-orders in with us should be happy to see this progress




Wowie!!! Don't ship mine. Will come and collect in person *big bear hug*


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> Wowie!!! Don't ship mine. Will come and collect in person *big bear hug*




Hahaha remind me to be gone that day!! :thumbsup_tone1:


----------



## Dillan

I've always had the belief that the shorter the audio chain - the better. Great cabling and gear get you good sound but to me this dap outperforms any system as long as it can properly power the headphone being used.

Perhaps new toy syndrome but I've definitely always had the belief of fewer devices having superiority and in this case there's only one. I get more impressed each listen!


----------



## Watcherq

tsavjason said:


> The Audeze and Sony should be set at standard gain not high gain. It loads the amp more appropriately. High gain would be used on cans that have higher power requirements.




On my SE846, I noticed that on high gain, the music sounds a little more forward, assertive even aggressive by a touch. It sounds 'rougher' like a bit of grains of sand. Not too irritating and can be even enjoyable but not laid back.


----------



## TSAVJason

watcherq said:


> On my SE846, I noticed that on high gain, the music sounds a little more forward, assertive even aggressive by a touch. It sounds 'rougher' like a bit of grains of sand. Not too irritating and can be even enjoyable but not laid back.


 

Thanks for giving me that. I'm not all that intimate with the SE846. I've spent lots of hours with the 1Z & 1A .....My comments were more specific to Sony's


----------



## Dillan

Are you vega + WM1Z people using any EQ? I have always kinda been against EQ and dsp in general and I'm finding I love the sound directly anyway but I was curious to hear if any of you are EQing with success and what your configurations looked like.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have EQ 'ed to control bassy tracks and it is very responsive EQ


----------



## pete338

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have EQ 'ed to control bassy tracks and it is very responsive EQ


 
 I understand you have the Z5 and the mdr z7..
 Do you set on high gain when listening to them?


----------



## gerelmx1986

pete338 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I have EQ 'ed to control bassy tracks and it is very responsive EQ
> ...


some times, mostly low gain and drive them fine at 45/120 for z5 and 70/120 for z7


----------



## zardos

dillan said:


> I've always had the belief that the shorter the audio chain - the better. Great cabling and gear get you good sound but to me this dap outperforms any system as long as it can properly power the headphone being used.
> 
> Perhaps new toy syndrome but I've definitely always had the belief of fewer devices having superiority and in this case there's only one. I get more impressed each listen!




I feel the same. I have an expensive home stereo rig with 20k kimber cables + some headphone gear like HDVD800 and I think the 1Z tops all of that sq wise lol. I'm at about 200h pure listening time now, no burn in (I do not strongly believe in burn in)


----------



## Whitigir

Well, sitting atop of the summit fidelity would be a full blown desktop system and Stax , until you get there, the WM1Z is an excellent portable player


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am already trying to image the capabilities of the WM1A with balanced


----------



## zardos

whitigir said:


> Well, sitting atop of the summit fidelity would be a full blown desktop system and Stax , until you get there, the WM1Z is an excellent portable player




I owned a SR009 with tube amp. Sold both because I didn't like SR009's build quality for it's price. SQ was nice, yes, but a touch too bright for my taste. Z1 with HD800S and even with 800 sounds slightly better to me. Speed and highs from the SR009 were something special though.


----------



## Whitigir

zardos said:


> I owned a SR009 with tube amp. Sold both because I didn't like SR009's build quality for it's price. SQ was nice, yes, but a touch too bright for my taste. Z1 with HD800S and even with 800 sounds slightly better to me. Speed and highs from the SR009 were something special though.




What did you use with 009 ? That matters a lot


----------



## zardos

whitigir said:


> What did you use with 009 ? That matters a lot




Amp was an SRM007t (not tII). I will never return to Stax. I kept my SE009 on a high quality headphone stand and you know what, after about 6 month the plastic clips for the headband size regulation broke. First one side, a few days later the other side, only from keeping it on the headphone stand. The new Orpheus would be a little more interesting I guess


----------



## Whitigir

zardos said:


> Amp was an SRM007t (not tII). I will never return to Stax. I kept my SE009 on a high quality headphone stand and you know what, after about 6 month the plastic clips for the headband size regulation broke. First one side, a few days later the other side, only from keeping it on the headphone stand. The new Orpheus would be a little more interesting I guess




Ugh...That was unfortunately, i didn't think it was that bad LoL. Anyways, good amps make a huge different . Let's get back on WM1Z topic. I am running it as digital transport into my Stax and it is awesome! This little portable player can act in so many ways with great performances 

Digital transport
Analog lineout for preamp
Walkman on the go connect directly into Utopia


----------



## Dillan

zardos said:


> I owned a SR009 with tube amp. Sold both because I didn't like SR009's build quality for it's price. SQ was nice, yes, but a touch too bright for my taste. Z1 with HD800S and even with 800 sounds slightly better to me. Speed and highs from the SR009 were something special though.


 
  
 Im about to have the exact same setup - 800S into my 1Z with a balanced upgraded custom cable. If it is on par or surpasses a good 009 setup then I think I would be in heaven. Especially seeing as I get the benefit of being portable.
  
 What volume do you set your 800S at?


----------



## TSAVJason

dillan said:


> Im about to have the exact same setup - 800S into my 1Z with a balanced upgraded custom cable. If it is on par or surpasses a good 009 setup then I think I would be in heaven. Especially seeing as I get the benefit of being portable.
> 
> What volume do you set your 800S at?


 The SR009 wins that race. I give the 1Z lots of credit and the 800S does not suck but that combo is not going to out perform the 009 unless you're using the STAX 007 amp. Being their amp is kinda less than a Woo or BHES .... well you get my point


----------



## Whitigir

dillan said:


> Im about to have the exact same setup - 800S into my 1Z with a balanced upgraded custom cable. If it is on par or surpasses a good 009 setup then I think I would be in heaven. Especially seeing as I get the benefit of being portable.
> 
> What volume do you set your 800S at?





tsavjason said:


> The SR009 wins that race. I give the 1Z lots of credit and the 800S does not suck but that combo is not going to out perform the 009 unless you're using the STAX 007 amp. Being their amp is kinda less than a Woo or BHES .... well you get my point




Exactly! It is not possible to win over Stax 009 in a good setup, unless you are talking about Sangri-La ? Or Orpheus ? But that is talking about Stax stock energizers and nothing yet with the DIY energizers which blow Stax another boost into the next dimension like Jason said, BHES...KGSSHV-Carbon...T2 DIY

My WM1Z with upgraded cables and Utopia can perform very well, actually surprisingly well for a Portable system. But Stax 009 is another dimension. That is a given though, portability vs high-end Desktop system is a no comparison. You can do a full blown desktop system for your 800/S/Utopia, but then....yet....Stax and Electro-stat is another ball game


----------



## echineko

whitigir said:


> Exactly! It is not possible to win over Stax 009 in a good setup, unless you are talking about Sangri-La ? Or Orpheus ? But that is talking about Stax stock energizers and nothing yet with the DIY energizers which blow Stax another boost into the next dimension like Jason said, BHES...KGSSHV-Carbon...T2 DIY
> 
> My WM1Z with upgraded cables and Utopia can perform very well, actually surprisingly well for a Portable system. But Stax 009 is another dimension. That is a given though, portability vs high-end Desktop system is a no comparison. You can do a full blown desktop system for your 800/S/Utopia, but then....yet....Stax and Electro-stat is another ball game



This is really getting out of topic, but yes, the 1Z is a fantastic piece, I use it in my home setups as well as a dedicated DAP on the go. It's not cheap by any means, but a really quality component that I'm loving. Next will be to see how it drives my Eikon, I already know it does really well with the Utopia.


----------



## zardos

dillan said:


> Im about to have the exact same setup - 800S into my 1Z with a balanced upgraded custom cable. If it is on par or surpasses a good 009 setup then I think I would be in heaven. Especially seeing as I get the benefit of being portable.
> 
> What volume do you set your 800S at?




I always used HD800 in parallel with SR009 and I felt both have a similar sound sig, 009 overall being better but only slightly. HD800 was slightly more grainy in the highs but also more three dimensional sounding. In the end it may depend on personal taste and like mentioned my amp into the 009 was not the best. Now with 1Z as a source the slightly grainy highs from the HD800 seem to have gone away. I'm very happy about that. All from memory of course and YMMV. One last word regarding 009: I really fell in love with it's look. 

I'm at volume 80 most of the time with HD800S balanced. That feels kind of loud to me, but not too much


----------



## Dillan

Trust me guys.. I share the opinion of the 009 being pretty much the overall winner when it comes to the HD800S (and pretty much every other headphone made today lol). I actually posted in a thread in summit fi a few days ago that was literally made just to get everyone's personal rank of hd800 and Stax. My opinion was 009 > 800S >> 800.

However I still strongly feel that the shorter the audio chain the better and for instance the DAVE is much better without an amp as long as the headphone is low impedence and not power hungry. I think big setups with tons of cabling and units are too highly regarded.. I've had some of the world's best and in the end it's both physical and audible clutter.

I don't think the 800S will surpass the 009 but I do think it has potential to be in the same league and perhaps neck & neck for sure. And I believe it won't surpass it not because of fancy amps or dacs but because the headphones themselves limitations and potential etc 

I'm rambling but hopefully some of my points got across. I just wish the 1Z could power a beast like the LCD-4.


----------



## Dillan

Important question ** every album has correctly sorted and labeled the artist and album up until the last two or three folders I put on there. It adds it to a various artist section and only thing that shows up in the dap UI is song names and that's all.. no artist or album name so it's a bunch of songs mushed together and hard to find.

Is there a way I can organize and label these myself ?? I got them all from the same source so not sure why it decides to mess up now lol


----------



## nc8000

dillan said:


> Important question ** every album has correctly sorted and labeled the artist and album up until the last two or three folders I put on there. It adds it to a various artist section and only thing that shows up in the dap UI is song names and that's all.. no artist or album name so it's a bunch of songs mushed together and hard to find.
> 
> Is there a way I can organize and label these myself ?? I got them all from the same source so not sure why it decides to mess up now lol




Get mp3tag if you are running a Windows machine


----------



## Dillan

nc8000 said:


> Get mp3tag if you are running a Windows machine




Oh cool, that's a program?


----------



## nc8000

dillan said:


> Oh cool, that's a program?




Yes. Freeware but you are encouraged to donate something if you like the program


----------



## Stealer

Any1 know how long does the battery on the remote last?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Walkman always on battery last almost same as turning it off at night. 

Also leaving it on, at least for me causes more hangs and rebooting than turning it off at night


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Walkman always on battery last almost same as turning it off at night.
> 
> Also leaving it on, at least for me causes more hangs and rebooting than turning it off at night




I've had mine for 2 weeks always on and hasn't had it hang on me at all, just as stable as ZX2 that didn't get turned of or rebooted for 1 1/2 year


----------



## gerelmx1986

Maybe is just when I browse the lineup screen and return to now playing is where it hangs, it's a pattern

All other screens arne stable


----------



## asquare3376

stealer said:


> Any1 know how long does the battery on the remote last?


 6 months to a year maybe. Of course it depends on how heavily you use it.


----------



## RobertP

I try zx2 in February and it had problem read internal memory data almost everyday. Lucky my wm1a has zero issue. Play music all week no problem.


----------



## Toni2

Hello can anyone give me link Where to buy 2.5mm to 4,4 MM L Shape adapter ?
Thx


----------



## kubig123

I found this one on Buyee
  
https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/shopping/e-earphone_4589962102671
  
 Not bad at all, I bought 2 of them, one I'm, planning to re-terminate it with a ALO/RSA balance connector


----------



## Toni2

Thx for the Quick reply.
1 More question, does this adapter With cable Will affect My silver Plated effect audio sound signature?
Thx


----------



## kubig123

Honestly I didn't find lot on information about this adapter and the materials used, I bought it because it's the online with a right angle connector.
  
 All the cable that I use now have a 4.4mm connector, i cannot tell you how this adapter will impact the sound of your cable.


----------



## Dillan

Any chance the 1Z balanced can power the HEKv2?


----------



## TSAVJason

dillan said:


> Any chance the 1Z balanced can power the HEKv2?


 

If you're a loud listener the answer is no. If you're a more moderate listener the answer is yes. I should say moderate levels to your ear would be at the top of the amplifiers capability for power.


----------



## asquare3376

Isn't anyone excited about the 1A getting released in USA? Jason's getting the first batch this Tuesday. C'mon people, make some noise... I am extremely excited about the player. Dock is in place, BTremote is in place, USB cable is in place, TA's input set to 'Walkman' lol...


----------



## kms108

asquare3376 said:


> Isn't anyone excited about the 1A getting released in USA? Jason's getting the first batch this Tuesday. C'mon people, make some noise... I am extremely excited about the player. Dock is in place, BTremote is in place, USB cable is in place, TA's input set to 'Walkman' lol...


 

 Nope, i'm getting mine from Japan.


----------



## corius

Just purchased a wm1a from Amazon UK. I wish I'd guessed that someone would develop a method for removing the EU volume limiter when Amazon were virtually giving them away a few months ago 
  
 I bought an nw-a35 a couple of days ago and really like the new interface although it is a bit slow, so I've returned that and "upgraded"
  
 I've now had the zx1, zx2, zx100 and a35, and I have again promised that the wm1a will definitely, certainly, be the very last DAP I buy.


----------



## ledzep

corius said:


> Just purchased a wm1a from Amazon UK. I wish I'd guessed that someone would develop a method for removing the EU volume limiter when Amazon were virtually giving them away a few months ago
> 
> I bought an nw-a35 a couple of days ago and really like the new interface although it is a bit slow, so I've returned that and "upgraded"
> 
> I've now had the zx1, zx2, zx100 and a35, and I have again promised that the wm1a will definitely, certainly, be the very last DAP I buy.


 

 Think we have all said that at some point.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I love my WM1A hope i can get my balanced cables in the few coming weeks i am sure it will be a cool experiencethe usage of balanced


----------



## RobertP

Alright, I got 8 core occ silver wire "should be about the same to 26 awg". 4.4mm balanced jack from Moon Audio and MMCX male/female connectors. Now I'm waiting on audiophile solder to come in from UK. Will be interesting up coming week for me to do DIY 4.4mm balanced silver alloy cable.


----------



## Dillan

asquare3376 said:


> Isn't anyone excited about the 1A getting released in USA? Jason's getting the first batch this Tuesday. C'mon people, make some noise... I am extremely excited about the player. Dock is in place, BTremote is in place, USB cable is in place, TA's input set to 'Walkman' lol...




Sorry, not worth the wait.. I've been using the tourist edition from Amazon and it's been amazing! Sounds like you're prepped and ready to go though haha trust me when I say you are truly going to enjoy it


----------



## Stealer

Regarding the remote RMT-NWS20. 
Any1 have the manual, mine is in Japanese. 
Somehow mine failed to function after few days, thought its the batt but then it came alive with flashing of blue lights....


----------



## kms108

stealer said:


> Regarding the remote RMT-NWS20.
> Any1 have the manual, mine is in Japanese.
> Somehow mine failed to function after few days, thought its the batt but then it came alive with flashing of blue lights....


 

 Thats because it's only officially available in Japan.


----------



## gerelmx1986

J've identified the rebooting problems with my WM1A, faulty transfers to my SD card LOL, removed it withouth the safely eject hardware hehe


----------



## nanaholic

https://twitter.com/flubber777/status/848361696317939713
  
 [size=medium]For those waiting for 4.4mm female to 3.5mm SE or 2.5mm balance (or looking to hack to other connectors like XLR). Soon. [/size]


----------



## blazinblazin

stealer said:


> Regarding the remote RMT-NWS20.
> Any1 have the manual, mine is in Japanese.
> Somehow mine failed to function after few days, thought its the batt but then it came alive with flashing of blue lights....




Did you check if the Hold is switched off before using?

You can reset the remote pairing by Holding "play/pause" + "Vol -" for 10secs.

With "Hold" switched off that is.

You will see flashing alternating Red and Blue lights which is pairing.


Very useful remote. I asked my friend get one for me from Japan.

Sold out in China and low stock in Japan.


----------



## soundkist

nanaholic said:


> https://twitter.com/flubber777/status/848361696317939713
> 
> [size=medium]For those waiting for 4.4mm female to 3.5mm SE or 2.5mm balance (or looking to hack to other connectors like XLR). Soon. [/size]


 
  
 Thank you, sir!


----------



## rcoleman1

nanaholic said:


> https://twitter.com/flubber777/status/848361696317939713
> 
> [size=medium]For those waiting for 4.4mm female to 3.5mm SE or 2.5mm balance (or looking to hack to other connectors like XLR). Soon. [/size]


 
 Awesome!


----------



## Stealer

blazinblazin said:


> Did you check if the Hold is switched off before using?
> 
> You can reset the remote pairing by Holding "play/pause" + "Vol -" for 10secs.
> 
> ...




Yes, I did releaseed hold switch when attempting.

Sony centre - no stock

Yodobashi - jpy4810, excl tax
Bic camera - jpy4880, excl tax
This is in Nagoya.


----------



## AnakChan

nanaholic said:


> https://twitter.com/flubber777/status/848361696317939713
> 
> For those waiting for 4.4mm female to 3.5mm SE or 2.5mm balance (or looking to hack to other connectors like XLR). Soon.


Please let it be cheaper than the e4ua I showed earlier.


----------



## Lavakugel

What headphones can I us SONY MUC-M12SB1 cable for?


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> What headphones can I us SONY MUC-M12SB1 cable for?


 

 ​all that use a MMCX connector like Vegas,  XBA-Z5s, shures etc


----------



## ledzep

lavakugel said:


> What headphones can I us SONY MUC-M12SB1 cable for?


 
 Bit of advice on this one the mmcx connectors suck big time, they are ok if you plug them into the Z5's and leave them but removing them a few times makes them loose. I guess this could be the case with any mmcx iem's your going to use them on, i have had to re terminate 2 pairs with eidolic premium connectors.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Love the bass texture of the WM1A


----------



## nc8000

400 hours reached with about 200 on each output (75% burn in with IsoTek burn in cd and rest listening). Can't claim that I remember what it sounded like from the start but it certainly sounds fantastic now. JH13 with trrs and Z1R with trrrs. I should have my trrs to trrrs adapter by then end of next week to be able to use my JH13 proper balanced. Then I'll also be able to try HE-6 balanced but don't really expect that to be anywhere near ideal.


----------



## corius

Hi,

Just received my wm1a today, and I'm looking to upgrade my iems. I've had ie800s and SE846 in the past, but I'd like something different that either has, or can use, a balanced cable and compliments the wm1a.

Being in the UK the choice is a bit limited, but what would people in the UK recommend that is relatively easily available. I wouldn't mind going back to se846s with a Moon Audio Dragon 4.4 mm cable, but I would prefer something a bit different and something that doesn't involve import tax!

Sorry for the vague question, but I'm open to all suggestions! Budget is around £1000 including cable.

Thanks for your patience!


----------



## Hydrored

If you can get your hands on them there, I would recommend the CA Vega. The Vega is different in a good way, check out some reviews.


----------



## kms108

ledzep said:


> lavakugel said:
> 
> 
> > What headphones can I us SONY MUC-M12SB1 cable for?
> ...


 

 MMCX does come loose, it's a known problem, but my M12SB1 is still alright, have them on my Sony EX600.


----------



## Newtype2011

asquare3376 said:


> Isn't anyone excited about the 1A getting released in USA? Jason's getting the first batch this Tuesday. C'mon people, make some noise... I am extremely excited about the player. Dock is in place, BTremote is in place, USB cable is in place, TA's input set to 'Walkman' lol...


 
  
 I'm eagerly awaiting for it to officially drop, but, now that it's taken so long, I'm honestly considering getting another (used) PHA-3 and calling it a day. Not sure what I'll end up doing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

hydrored said:


> If you can get your hands on them there, I would recommend the CA Vega. The Vega is different in a good way, check out some reviews.


but Vegas are single driver iem mm, better triple driver like xba-z5 or XBA-A3


----------



## hung031086

gerelmx1986 said:


> but Vegas are single driver iem mm, better triple driver like xba-z5 or XBA-A3



More drivers doesn't mean it's better. That's what I learned after i sold my vega and bought u12 apex (12 drivers per side). I just bought a vega again 30 mins ago. I will return the u12.


----------



## hung031086

corius said:


> Hi,
> 
> Just received my wm1a today, and I'm looking to upgrade my iems. I've had ie800s and SE846 in the past, but I'd like something different that either has, or can use, a balanced cable and compliments the wm1a.
> 
> ...



If you like bass, just go with cfa vega. For cable find a mmcx copper cable. It will pair well with vega.


----------



## corius

hung031086 said:


> If you like bass, just go with cfa vega. For cable find a mmcx copper cable. It will pair well with vega.


 
  
 Unfortunately, there don't appear to be any CFA vendors in the UK.


----------



## tangents

hung031086 said:


> More drivers doesn't mean it's better. That's what I learned after i sold my vega and bought u12 apex (12 drivers per side). I just bought a vega again 30 mins ago. I will return the u12.


----------



## Rei87

hung031086 said:


> More drivers doesn't mean it's better. That's what I learned after i sold my vega and bought u12 apex (12 drivers per side). I just bought a vega again 30 mins ago. I will return the u12.


 
 Hear hear...
 But, I would like to say that it is still none the less very possible for a high count iem to sound good when well tuned....Even as I am spending more and more time on my dita dream and neglecting my other iems haha.

 Still, it makes you wonder why so many drivers are needed if its possible to do so much with so little.....


----------



## nanaholic

rei87 said:


> Still, it makes you wonder why so many drivers are needed if its possible to do so much with so little.....


 
  
 Marketing.  It's easier to convince people that "more is better".


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> Marketing.  It's easier to convince people that "more is better".


To be fair, multi BA and dynamic can both sound great, but usually quite different. And clearly more doesn't mean better as some multi BA with 5 to 8 drivers sound better to me then many with 10-12.


----------



## nc8000

hung031086 said:


> More drivers doesn't mean it's better. That's what I learned after i sold my vega and bought u12 apex (12 drivers per side). I just bought a vega again 30 mins ago. I will return the u12.




Exactly. I would say that my FI-BA-SS is very nearly at the same level as my JH13


----------



## nanaholic

mimouille said:


> To be fair, multi BA and dynamic can both sound great, but usually quite different. And clearly more doesn't mean better as some multi BA with 5 to 8 drivers sound better to me then many with 10-12.


 
  
 Of course. However for new comers and some less experienced people, when presented with different phones/models they are usually more easily convinced that more BA units is the better one because they do not have the understanding and knowledge to truly determine which one they like, some less honest sales people at the shops will also try to push people towards that as well (because the more BA units cost more, so more profit to them), and it takes a lot of testing out different models/sounds and studying how things works to get out of that mindset, heck some people even never get out of that mindset at all.
  
 I've personally gone through that stage of gunning for more BA units (JH16Pro) and now have gone back full circle to the a basic single dynamic driver or a simple hybrid now that I finally know what my sound preference is.  Took a lot of learning to get to that point.


----------



## gerelmx1986

For me three or max 5 drivers is OK, z5 are triple, one dd and two ba (one for mid and one for high) personally I like the sound


----------



## pete338

Noob question here..
 Does anybody knows whether the Final Audio Design Heaven VI can be modded for balanced ?


----------



## corius

Another piece of advice please.

I'm looking at the Kimber cable (muc-m12sb1) on eBay UK, and I see a huge difference (about £100) between a couple of South Korean vendors, and the Japanese vendors.

Does anyone have experience of ordering these and are fakes an issue?

Thanks


----------



## nc8000

pete338 said:


> Noob question here..
> Does anybody knows whether the Final Audio Design Heaven VI can be modded for balanced ?




If there are 4 wires all the way to the 3.5mm plug you can cut that of and put balanced termination on. Otherwise you would need to be able to open them and put a new cable on


----------



## pete338

nc8000 said:


> If there are 4 wires all the way to the 3.5mm plug you can cut that of and put balanced termination on. Otherwise you would need to be able to open them and put a new cable on


 
 Thanks for the advice..


----------



## Lavakugel

pete338 said:


> Noob question here..
> Does anybody knows whether the Final Audio Design Heaven VI can be modded for balanced ?


 
 I think no.


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> MMCX does come loose, it's a known problem, but my M12SB1 is still alright, have them on my Sony EX600.




So you've re terminated them from mmcx as the 600's are peg connections with a screw lock.


----------



## pete338

lavakugel said:


> I think no.


 
 Ok, thanks..


----------



## kms108

ledzep said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > MMCX does come loose, it's a known problem, but my M12SB1 is still alright, have them on my Sony EX600.
> ...


 

 nope, I use a screw on adapter


----------



## proedros

is WM1A more reference/less warm sounding than ZX2 ?

 how is the resolution/transparency/soundstage ?


----------



## Shmuel

Has anyone found a high quality right angle 4.4mm balanced plug yet, available in the US?

Thanks!


----------



## AnakChan

shmuel said:


> Has anyone found a high quality right angle 4.4mm balanced plug yet, available in the US?
> 
> Thanks!


 

 This is for making cables yourself? I've not seen any right-angled plugs for the 4.4mm yet. The ones I know are all straight. My understanding is those cable makers who have right angle 4.4mm plugs make their own overmold for the 4.4mm plugs.

 Edit: Someone please correct me if my info is outdated


----------



## Shmuel

I will be sending the plug to Wywires along with my platinum cable, for determination.

Right angle plug would work much better!


----------



## buzzlulu

Did the WM1A release today here in the States as per comments last week?


----------



## asquare3376

buzzlulu said:


> Did the WM1A release today here in the States as per comments last week?


 
@TSAVJason was taking pre-orders and the first batch was to arrive earlier today, 04/04. He can provide more details.


----------



## buzzlulu

I already knew about today's arrival date as stated by Jason - that was the purpose of my question. I am curious to know if units were released today or if they are delayed


----------



## TSAVJason

buzzlulu said:


> I already knew about today's arrival date as stated by Jason - that was the purpose of my question. I am curious to know if units were released today or if they are delayed




So I'm in NY busy as can be at McIntosh but I just received an email from Sony a couple hours ago apologizing that they didn't arrive today (I had no idea) but in that same email they said that we have a special messenger delivery arriving tomorrow (so a day late). So Sony apologized to me and I apologize to you but will start shipping and delivering tomorrow guaranteed!


----------



## gerelmx1986

A day late for you guys isn't bad, unlike I had to wait a a month and add another month of wait because it arrived when I was boarding the flight to Berlin


----------



## Dillan

nanaholic said:


> Of course. However for new comers and some less experienced people, when presented with different phones/models they are usually more easily convinced that more BA units is the better one because they do not have the understanding and knowledge to truly determine which one they like, some less honest sales people at the shops will also try to push people towards that as well (because the more BA units cost more, so more profit to them), and it takes a lot of testing out different models/sounds and studying how things works to get out of that mindset, heck some people even never get out of that mindset at all.
> 
> I've personally gone through that stage of gunning for more BA units (JH16Pro) and now have gone back full circle to the a basic single dynamic driver or a simple hybrid now that I finally know what my sound preference is.  Took a lot of learning to get to that point.




Good post.. I went through the exact same experiences. People don't understand the real differences in BA and dynamic and they also assume the more BA drivers the better. It just takes time and experience to figure out the truth.


----------



## nc8000

dillan said:


> Good post.. I went through the exact same experiences. People don't understand the real differences in BA and dynamic and they also assume the more BA drivers the better. It just takes time and experience to figure out the truth.




It's all down to implementation. Some multi BA's are better than some single BA's and vice versa


----------



## Dillan

nc8000 said:


> It's all down to implementation. Some multi BA's are better than some single BA's and vice versa




Yea noble audio talks about that a lot. How it's the implementation and the tuning and design of the drivers themselves that matters. The quantity doesn't matter. Also to compare dynamic to BA is pretty silly in some cases too. Both can be totally flagship and high end or either can also be garbage.


----------



## zardos

I'm also a single dynamic driver addict. Thought about buying the Campfire Vega for the 1Z, but I'm not sure it's worth it since my IE800 came to new life. Z single ended sounds fantastic to me.


----------



## kubig123

Hi,
 I've been lucky to get a KSE1500 to test for few days, I 'm wondering which the bets way to connect with the WM1Z?
  
 I I've trying to connect it through the USB port but without any positive result.


----------



## nc8000

kubig123 said:


> Hi,
> I've been lucky to get a KSE1500 to test for few days, I 'm wondering which the bets way to connect with the WM1Z?
> 
> I I've trying to connect it through the USB port but without any positive result.




Based on Whitigers experience I would guess that using a cable from the headphone out would work very well


----------



## gerelmx1986

kubig123 said:


> Hi,
> I've been lucky to get a KSE1500 to test for few days, I 'm wondering which the bets way to connect with the WM1Z?
> 
> I I've trying to connect it through the USB port but without any positive result.


try thru headphone out (3.5mm)


----------



## hung031086

My second vega just arrived today. It paired very well with 4.4mm copper cable. I like it better than silver cable.


----------



## NoMythsAudio

HELP.
 God, I'm really torn between getting zx2 or wm1a.
  
 The things in favor of zx2 for me are:
 1. Android device. Translates to known vs unknown (to me). I know for sure I can search for songs. The story about disappearing album art due to jpg been progressive or baseline is non-existent, so I won't have to go through re-embedding my album arts.
 2. Local streaming over my network (don't care for spotify nor tidal). I have about 1.5 Terabytes of music and been able to stream any track when I'm at home is a plus. Not a must but a definite thing I would love.
 3. Copying 1 or 2 new albums or edited albums/tracks over network instead of having to attach wm1a to pc everytime I need to copy.
  
 I guess what I'm looking for is how much improved is wm1a over zx2 to skew me in this direction. 
 Wm1a is also a beautiful device.
  
 What say you owners of wm1a. I know most of you have used zx2 before moving on to the latest.
 Haa, don't suggest wm1z please (just can't afford it).
  
 Thanks.


----------



## buzzlulu

NoMythsAudio
  
 Excellent post and you perfectly sum up the, imho, two major issues of the 1A and 1Z - the inability to do local streaming over the network of one's ripped collection AND the inability to stream TIDAL uncompressed
  
 So I to am waiting for some feedback comparing the ZX2 and WM1A.  If the quality difference between the two is rather significant - then the decision becomes much easier (for me)


----------



## jamato8

nomythsaudio said:


> HELP.
> God, I'm really torn between getting zx2 or wm1a.
> 
> The things in favor of zx2 for me are:
> ...


 

 The much better power output of the WM1A or Z over the ZX2 is worth either one over the ZX2 but the sound, IMO, is also better on either over the ZX2. You do at least have a bluetooth ability with the WM1*. I don't do streaming so I guess it isn't a big thing to me but sound is.


----------



## buzzlulu

Jamato8
  
 16k posts - seems like you have been around the block a few times!
  
 How do the Sony's stack up against the other DAP's currently in the marketplace - TOTL?  Any others to consider?  
  
 Comparisons between the A and Z?  I have the Utopia and am in the process of getting the Z1R (I also need a closed back).  A WM1A + Z1R costs just about the same as the WM1Z!


----------



## asquare3376

buzzlulu said:


> I already knew about today's arrival date as stated by Jason - that was the purpose of my question. I am curious to know if units were released today or if they are delayed


The Walkman has arrived in USA *crowd cheering hysterically*


----------



## gerelmx1986

My balanced cables shipping tomorrow yay


----------



## pCollins

Need a 6.3mm to 3.5mm to use with unbalanced out of WM1Z, which of these are better?  I hear Furutech is one of the best.
 Thank you.
  
 6.3 to 3.5 in Rhodium
https://goo.gl/dT9D8x
  
6.3 to 3.5 in gold
https://goo.gl/ffVq4z


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Not bad


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiobreeder said:


> Not bad


 
 is Battery life the same on BAL than in SE?


----------



## asquare3376

gerelmx1986 said:


> My balanced cables shipping tomorrow yay


Hurray!!! Post pictures and your impressions


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

Don't see much of a difference but I do hear a lot of difference. More clarity and more natural. 
But the whole size of the balanced cable and jack put together with a normal sized 3.5mm adapter and cable makes the balanced look like some mega sized car towing cable. 





gerelmx1986 said:


> is Battery life the same on BAL than in SE?


----------



## asquare3376

pcollins said:


> Need a 6.3mm to 3.5mm to use with unbalanced out of WM1Z, which of these are better?  I hear Furutech is one of the best.
> Thank you.
> 
> 6.3 to 3.5 in Rhodium
> ...


 Go for the Rhodium


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> The Walkman has arrived in USA *crowd cheering hysterically*


 It definitely has arrived!  NW-WM1A's in our house and shipping to new homes!!! We'll also have a bunch at CanJam SoCal 2017


----------



## gerelmx1986

asquare3376 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > My balanced cables shipping tomorrow yay
> ...


 

 ​impressions go after full burn in phase


----------



## RobertP

Dissected my xba-3 today. Nervously cut tiny OEM cables. I'm just glad everything go as plan; well mostly.
Listen to the music through 4.4mm balanced plug and silver OCC cable is so addicting. Sound is so natural and warm. Huge extent bass! Soundstage is so wide now. Nice 3D imaging. Very like echoes. I'm hearing all those tiny details that I had never heard before. I was like WOW! when I listen to acoustic guitar songs.


----------



## PCheung

gerelmx1986 said:


> is Battery life the same on BAL than in SE?




Battery life around 18-15 hours in SE and 15-12 hours in BAL from my experience
Turn the DSEE and other EQ on shorten the life around 2 hours in BAL.


----------



## asquare3376

gerelmx1986 said:


> is Battery life the same on BAL than in SE?


 
 Hahaha.. wait at least til you get your balanced cable


----------



## Whitigir

pcheung said:


> Battery life around 18-15 hours in SE and 15-12 hours in BAL from my experience
> Turn the DSEE and other EQ on shorten the life around 2 hours in BAL.




This sound about right on the playback time


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Finally I joined the gang. Going to update the software shortly.


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> This sound about right on the playback time


 
  
 I'm getting over 20 hours playing a mix of mp3s and FLACs on low gain with battery saver on (so it only charges to 90%).


----------



## blazinblazin

I am getting around 20hrs with mix of mp3, flac, DSD.

Low gain, Vol 68


----------



## Dillan

Yea battery life is very good. My flight from Nashville to Rome seemed to only barely put a dent in the battery life. It's one of the bonuses of creating your own software from scratch just for music versus running a skinned Android which has many uneeded services running in the background and many things not dedicated to audio.


----------



## proedros

virtu fortuna said:


> Finally I joined the gang. Going to update the software shortly.


 
  
 if these are zx2 and wm1a , please do share how they compare sonic-wise
  
 have zx2 , thinking of upgrading to wm1a if sound is a definite improvement


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

proedros said:


> if these are zx2 and wm1a , please do share how they compare sonic-wise
> 
> have zx2 , thinking of upgrading to wm1a if sound is a definite improvement


 
 Actually I did share my opinions before on the thread. I listened WM1A before purchasing.
  
*Here I copy the message for you here:*
  
*----*
_Hello guys. Back to the thread after some time._
  
_Yesterday I listened WM1A and compared directly to my ZX2 with the same files with no sound adjustments. I would like to share some brief impressions, in case somebody needs any help for the decision about jumping to new Walkman from ZX2. As a sidenote, I tested with SE, no balanced testing. _
  
_In terms of design and build quality it's the same story with Sony. Just as the ZX2 it's a wonderful piece of work, really looks and feels solid. It wasn't as heavy as I expected and side buttons I think are really convenient. Regarding software it's a bit of a disappointment to me. It's a bit slow and scrolling is not very smooth. On the other hand the design of the user interface is really good as I expected, using the device is flawless overall. Reading the SD Card was quick as well. So in terms of usage, except the little slow operating system I was satisfied. The exclusion of streaming is not good of course but it's evident that they aimed a better sounding Walkman._
  
_The one that I tested was a *capped unit*. In terms of volume output I think *it's even more powerless than ZX2.* Full size headphones are fully out of question in these conditions. I heard some things about *unlocking the volume cap* by service papers, so I think that method is a must for full size or high demanding earphones. For me the output power was enough though, as was with ZX2. But some people may find it so powerless. _
  
_*As for the sound I think it's clearly superior to ZX2.* The difference is not so amazing but appearent to me. For me the biggest differences were background, seperation and bass control. Lows are tighter, a bit less in quantity but quality is much better and resolution of lows are wonderful. Midbass is fuller compared to ZX2 and subbass part is a bit laid back. It's a more reference type of bass presentation. I really liked this success from the player. A truer and a tighter bass._
  
_For the mids, the resolution of instruments and vocals are better. I noticed the mids are overall more closer and tidier than ZX2. In addition it has a little higher tone than the predecessor, therefore the ZX2 is the warmer player of the two. WM1A is not cold though, it's still musical to me but in a more technical approach. Trebles are more in front with 1A so you get a detailed sound. Don't worry though as it's not a bright player. It's just brighter than ZX2 in a good way. Extensions are really good as timbers, and micro details are wonderful to listen, I heard great micro detail performance even on a crowded place. _
  
_In terms of staging I think it's very close to ZX2 as I found no big difference. Just as the predecessor the stage is great, wide and airy. Because of that the positioning is also very very good, and with the help of the improved resolution and micro dynamics, you can hear and point out every instrument, every voice and every detail, clearer than ZX2. Stereo imaging is that good._
  
*So in short, it's a better sounding device technically and surpasses the previous model. Good job from Sony.*
  
*I hope this helps. Don't forget that these are brief impressions. I liked the 1A and I am planning to get one. If I get it I can release a Headfonia review in the future. Thank you.*
*----*
 As I purchased the unit now, I will certainly write a review on Headfonia and of course I will include a comparison with ZX2.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Thanks for the info about the battery life, then I will get a little over 20 hours based o playback times I get


----------



## hung031086

Any recommendations for L shaped 4.4mm mmcx copper cable ? No kimble cable please. My plussound 4.4 mm plug is too long.


----------



## soundkist

hung031086 said:


> Any recommendations for L shaped 4.4mm mmcx copper cable ? No kimble cable please. My plussound 4.4 mm plug is too long.


 
  
 Kumitate Lab and Onso each make one, I believe; haven't tried either, but someone here has the Onso.


----------



## Sarnia

I've got the Onso with mmcx connection. I'm very impressed with it, especially for the cost (around $85 including shipping). In fact I've ordered a 2-pin version too.

It's got no microphonics, and seems good quality.


----------



## hung031086

sarnia said:


> I've got the Onso with mmcx connection. I'm very impressed with it, especially for the cost (around $85 including shipping). In fact I've ordered a 2-pin version too.
> 
> It's got no microphonics, and seems good quality.



Do you have a link for order?


----------



## Colhd

As someone who is about to purchase a new DAP I am looking for a little advice / confirmation.
  
 Is it possible to use a smartphone to output USB OTG to the WM1a?  Or is there any other way to enable Tidal playback through the WM1a?  I suspect this is not possible but just looking for a little confirmation before purchasing.
  
 Thanks,
  
 Col


----------



## Whitigir

colhd said:


> As someone who is about to purchase a new DAP I am looking for a little advice / confirmation.
> 
> Is it possible to use a smartphone to output USB OTG to the WM1a?  Or is there any other way to enable Tidal playback through the WM1a?  I suspect this is not possible but just looking for a little confirmation before purchasing.
> 
> ...




Nope! Wm1a/z can only be used as a source: player, analog out, wireless output toward other wireless devices (speakers, receivers)


----------



## Colhd

whitigir said:


> Nope! Wm1a/z can only be used as a source: player, analog out, wireless output toward other wireless devices (speakers, receivers)


 
 Thanks Whitigir.  I was reasonably sure this was the case but I suppose I was hoping for more.  I am a little curious why Sony, Cowon, Lotoo etc don't allow this type of functionality.  It would allow them to design a DAP with a simple interface when playing back music from the internal memory/SD card but allow the smartphone to do the heavy lifting for streaming.  But maybe there is not as much demand for this as I think; just because I want this doesn't mean that lots of others do.
  
 Ah well, iBasso DX200 it is.  I would look at a Sony ZX2 but the old android system concerns me as streaming apps (which I do and will continue to use) may eventually not work well.
  
 Thanks again,
  
 Col


----------



## gerelmx1986

colhd said:


> As someone who is about to purchase a new DAP I am looking for a little advice / confirmation.
> 
> Is it possible to use a smartphone to output USB OTG to the WM1a?  Or is there any other way to enable Tidal playback through the WM1a?  I suspect this is not possible but just looking for a little confirmation before purchasing.
> 
> ...


nope, Sony DAPs have never functioned as external DAC /amps, the only that I knew it worked as external DAC was the fiio brand, or you could go to the external amps and DAC route auch as oppo ha-2


----------



## Whitigir

Majority of modern DAP DNA act as external DAC and that includes AK, Opus 1-2-3, some Ibasso and Ibasso DX200, and various Fiio . The WM1A/Z is an excellent lineout for analog.


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> nope, I use a screw on adapter




Where did you get the adaptor , could do with the same but 2 pin


----------



## kms108

colhd said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > Nope! Wm1a/z can only be used as a source: player, analog out, wireless output toward other wireless devices (speakers, receivers)
> ...


 

 Have you considered the new Onkyo smartphone/DAP.


----------



## kms108

ledzep said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > nope, I use a screw on adapter
> ...


 

 Got it from taobao, they had a two pin version before, not sure about it now.


----------



## Whitigir

Nope, not at all as I have Wm1z now, any portability will be just fine on it. I don't need an all in one device ATM. If I sit at my desk then I use Stax setup with desktop DAC


----------



## bana

hung031086 said:


> Do you have a link for order?


 
 https://www.amazon.com/onso-4-4-pole-plug-iect-03-bl4m-120/dp/B06X1852XY/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1491580326&sr=1-4-fkmr0&keywords=onso+4.4mm
  
 I found them on Amazon, $363.00


----------



## kms108

whitigir said:


> Nope, not at all as I have Wm1z now, any portability will be just fine on it. I don't need an all in one device ATM. If I sit at my desk then I use Stax setup with desktop DAC


 

 I'm referring to Colhd as he/she require online streaming, the Onkyo is android and I think it's MM, unlike the ZX 2 which is using a outdated OS, for you I know you won't consider it,


----------



## kms108

hung031086 said:


> Any recommendations for L shaped 4.4mm mmcx copper cable ? No kimble cable please. My plussound 4.4 mm plug is too long.


 
http://www.kumitatelab.com/4.4mm5polecable/


----------



## Colhd

I did look at it briefly but in all honesty having an all-in-one doesn't quite suit me. I don't have a particular reason, just don't want such a big phone.


----------



## kms108

colhd said:


> I did look at it briefly but in all honesty having an all-in-one doesn't quite suit me. I don't have a particular reason, just don't want such a big phone.


 

 Just a suggestion, a android base unit is need to stream, and the onkyo is the newest on the market.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir is right lol, music in your phone kills it's battery life faster, that's why he, like me, he uses a dedicated DAP for music


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Whitigir is right lol, music in your phone kills it's battery life faster, that's why he, like me, he uses a dedicated DAP for music




Not to mention the heats and the constantly charging here and there lol....after all performances to complications ratio is not worth it. 

Just go for a full blown DAP on the go if needed, and then a Desktop for stationary like me lol...expensive, but no hobby is cheap


----------



## bvng3540

Is the 3.5mm on the 1z also balanced, received my cable with 3.5mm trrs, when hook up to my iPhone 6 and Sony zx100 sound on the right barely there, but when plug into 1z, both side sound the same


----------



## hung031086

bana said:


> https://www.amazon.com/onso-4-4-pole-plug-iect-03-bl4m-120/dp/B06X1852XY/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1491580326&sr=1-4-fkmr0&keywords=onso+4.4mm
> 
> I found them on Amazon, $363.00




That costs like 4 times of its price.


kms108 said:


> http://www.kumitatelab.com/4.4mm5polecable/



Thanks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

bvng3540 said:


> Is the 3.5mm on the 1z also balanced, received my cable with 3.5mm trrs, when hook up to my iPhone 6 and Sony zx100 sound on the right barely there, but when plug into 1z, both side sound the same


it is separate grounds but not fully balanced 

Update, my cables are already here in the distribution and custom clearance cenyer


----------



## Whitigir

It is not balanced, but Separated grounds. It is more efficient and reduce noises by the uses of a clean ground for separate lines where as balanced has inverters to separate and amplify the signals which resulted in a more powerful output stage. I never bothered with the 3.5mm trrs because only Balanced can play native DSD, but if you don't have DSD and can not find a good 4.4mm then 3.5mm trrs will do better than your typical 3.5 SE


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> it is separate grounds but not fully balanced
> 
> Update, my cables are already here in the distribution and custom clearance cenyer




Excited aren't you , I am happy to share this experiences


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > it is separate grounds but not fully balanced
> ...


yes I am excited, hoping the truck loads it and hopefully makes to the local-area distribution offoce


----------



## corius

I took delivery of a balanced Moon Audio Black Widow cable with Pentaconn 4.4mm straight jack today. 

I went for Shure mmcx terminations which go nicely with my new XBA-N3 iems. It gives the ability to use them over-ear of straight down, but I prefer over-ear as it reduces microphonics.

Build quality is great, and the Black Widow is a bit more flexible than the Silver Widow cable. A bit pricey, but delivery to UK took only 4 days. I've just got the customs bill to look forward to now!


----------



## nc8000

bvng3540 said:


> Is the 3.5mm on the 1z also balanced, received my cable with 3.5mm trrs, when hook up to my iPhone 6 and Sony zx100 sound on the right barely there, but when plug into 1z, both side sound the same




That probably means your cable is terminated for seperate ground. The 1Z and 1A have that the same as ZX2 did


----------



## djhitman

Just a little curious how the Wm1a is available for sale from authorized retailer on the forums but doesn't seem to be for sale anywhere else in the U.S.
Maybe Sony gives some resellers first access.


----------



## TSAVJason

djhitman said:


> Just a little curious how the Wm1a is available for sale from authorized retailer on the forums but doesn't seem to be for sale anywhere else in the U.S.
> 
> Maybe Sony gives some resellers first access.


 Pretty simple answer to that question. We ordered them and the others didn't order yet. So we have them and other dealers will eventually have them when they wake up and order them.


----------



## robit

Does anyone have any good suggestions for a glass screen protector? I tried looking online, but a lot of them doesn't appear to be glass, but a clear plastic film instead.


----------



## djhitman

tsavjason said:


> Pretty simple answer to that question. We ordered them and the others didn't order yet. So we have them and other dealers will eventually have them when they wake up and order them.




Sounds good, thanks. I guess the Wm1a isn't too popular in the US, except with audiophile enthusiasts


----------



## Lavakugel

Used my 1a with Grado GH1 for three weeks...sound is quite good but today I choose my lcd3 for a session.
  
 I must say that I can listen at about 90 se and it's sounding good. LCD3 are something magical compared to GH1. It's darker and for me more relaxed. Just wanted to share my impressions here.


----------



## TSAVJason

djhitman said:


> Sounds good, thanks. I guess the Wm1a isn't too popular in the US, except with audiophile enthusiasts




No, it's just that the other dealers weren't paying attention so I bought all the stock.


----------



## soundkist

robit said:


> Does anyone have any good suggestions for a glass screen protector? I tried looking online, but a lot of them doesn't appear to be glass, but a clear plastic film instead.


 
  
 This one is excellent, but not sure you can get it from anywhere that doesn't require going through a proxy shipping service (provided you are outside of Japan):
  
 https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%AF%E3%83%AD%E3%82%B9%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%AC%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88-NW-WM1A%E7%94%A8%E3%82%AC%E3%83%A9%E3%82%B9%E3%83%95%E3%82%A3%E3%83%AB%E3%83%A0-%E3%80%90%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%A3%BD%E3%82%AC%E3%83%A9%E3%82%B9%E4%BD%BF%E7%94%A8%E3%80%91-%E6%B6%B2%E6%99%B6%E4%BF%9D%E8%AD%B7%E3%83%95%E3%82%A3%E3%83%AB%E3%83%A0-CF-GHWKWM1/dp/B01M725624/ref=pd_sim_107_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=26F5NHTH0WHRX7CK4HRB


----------



## djhitman

tsavjason said:


> No, it's just that the other dealers weren't paying attention so I bought all the stock.



Nice!


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Whitigir how good is the case included with WM1Z? I saw the case for $99 us dollar in accessory jack but seems pricey


----------



## jamato8

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Whitigir how good is the case included with WM1Z? I saw the case for $99 us dollar in accessory jack but seems pricey


 

 I would get a Dignis case.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Whitigir how good is the case included with WM1Z? I saw the case for $99 us dollar in accessory jack but seems pricey




Pretty good. I did prefer the ZX2 case with the book like way of opening but that could never be an option with the design of the new players.


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Whitigir how good is the case included with WM1Z? I saw the case for $99 us dollar in accessory jack but seems pricey




Pretty good, it is solid, the only place that could be damaged would be the sides as they are totally open to show-off the player. So just as long as you don't slip it in the same pocket with your keychain, you are gold. The case even fit the docking station nicely without shimmer . You may be bothered by it because u can only charge up when u flip the case open, otherwise the case cover WM port normally. I think it is the best feature instead. No need to worry about dust getting in the WM port. Even if it does, I don't think the player will go anywhere....my Zx2 never had any problem and I never used any short of cover for WM port


----------



## kms108

robit said:


> Does anyone have any good suggestions for a glass screen protector? I tried looking online, but a lot of them doesn't appear to be glass, but a clear plastic film instead.


 
 It would be good if you look at the right place. And many are sold through chinese sellers through chinese sites and some though japan sites.


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Pretty good, it is solid, the only place that could be damaged would be the sides as they are totally open to show-off the player. So just as long as you don't slip it in the same pocket with your keychain, you are gold. The case even fit the docking station nicely without shimmer
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 That's pretty nice, i will consider it in the short term for that Price seems good enough. Boo cables didn't get to make it to me Perhaps either tomorrow or Monday


----------



## soundkist

Soooooooooo... who's coming over and letting me audition their 4-pin XLR terminated headphones??


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> That's pretty nice, i will consider it in the short term for that Price seems good enough. Boo cables didn't get to make it to me Perhaps either tomorrow or Monday




Do they deliver on Saturday in Mexico ? I think they should as they already took up too much fee...lol


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > That's pretty nice, i will consider it in the short term for that Price seems good enough. Boo cables didn't get to make it to me Perhaps either tomorrow or Monday
> ...


 

 ​i've seen certain carriers deliver on saturday and i think mailman too. i am on my last days in SE


----------



## gerelmx1986

soundkist said:


> Soooooooooo... who's coming over and letting me audition their 4-pin XLR terminated headphones??


 
 who did this adaptor, looks pretty,  @Whitigir   
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




?


----------



## soundkist

gerelmx1986 said:


> who did this adaptor, looks pretty,  @Whitigir
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Haha no, just a cheapy from ebay; I would imagine one from him would be several orders of magnitude better!  Although, I have to admit, this one isn't too shabby for the price.


----------



## RPacher

Hello and pardon me if this question isn't where it belongs...just signed up, first post.  
  
 I took delivery of my new NW-WM1A.  It looks nice but that's where the love affair ends.  It won't recognize my SanDisk ultra 200 GB MicroSD even after formatting it in the player.  It worked fine in my Fiio x5 gen iii which this is to meant replace prior to but was a no-go in the Sony.  Then I reformatted and loaded the music via the supplied USB cable and still a no-go.  Reformatted again and loaded directly to the card and still a no-go.  Each time I tried several times unmounting and mounting with the same highly aggravating results. Any ideas?


----------



## Whitigir

rpacher said:


> Hello and pardon me if this question isn't where it belongs...just signed up, first post.
> 
> I took delivery of my new NW-WM1A.  It looks nice but that's where the love affair ends.  It won't recognize my SanDisk ultra 200 GB MicroSD even after formatting it in the player.  It worked fine in my Fiio x5 gen iii which this is to meant replace prior to but was a no-go in the Sony.  Then I reformatted and loaded the music via the supplied USB cable and still a no-go.  Reformatted again and loaded directly to the card and still a no-go.  Each time I tried several times unmounting and mounting with the same highly aggravating results. Any ideas?




Make sure all music files are inside a folder named "Music". Otherwise your Walkman won't read, period. If u connect Walkman to computer with the card mounted, and u can see folders, then your card is regconized just fine


----------



## RPacher

whitigir said:


> Make sure all music files are inside a folder named "Music". Otherwise your Walkman won't read, period. If u connect Walkman to computer with the card mounted, and u can see folders, then your card is regconized just fine


 
 That was it.  Thank you a bunch for the help.


----------



## NoMythsAudio

tsavjason said:


> Pretty simple answer to that question. We ordered them and the others didn't order yet. So we have them and other dealers will eventually have them when they wake up and order them.


 
 How do one order from you? Went on your website and nowhere to place an order unless I'm missing something on the website.


----------



## TSAVJason

nomythsaudio said:


> How do one order from you? Went on your website and nowhere to place an order unless I'm missing something on the website.


 Tomorrow you can call Wayne 310-941-1186 or William 310-941-1196. We will be at acanjam and will have our entire 1A & 1Z inventory with us there. They can take & process your order and ship it Monday


----------



## NoMythsAudio

^^^
 Thanks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Jamming to my very first CD i ever had


----------



## Dillan

Guys. Oh. My. God. You didn't warn me enough about the 1Z with balanced HD800S. This sound is utterly impeccable. Unreal.. just wow. I was worried about power too but it's spot on in high gain w/ balance. I can't believe my ears.


----------



## nc8000

FI-BA-SS single ended from 1Z is fantastic. I'm constantly amazed at what this single BA iem can do.


----------



## RobertP

Hehe! Just about everyone here said "WOW" when they listen to music from balanced output for the first time.


----------



## zardos

dillan said:


> Guys. Oh. My. God. You didn't warn me enough about the 1Z with balanced HD800S. This sound is utterly impeccable. Unreal.. just wow. I was worried about power too but it's spot on in high gain w/ balance. I can't believe my ears.




Didn't I warn you enough? Sorry about it!


----------



## gerelmx1986

robertp said:


> Hehe! Just about everyone here said "WOW" when they listen to music from balanced output for the first time.








​i am hoping for that hope today mailman chimes in


nothing yet.... seems like monday i will be first-timer balanced


----------



## robit

I got one ordered from Jason and it's expected to arrive on Tuesday. This is definitely one of the hardest wait I have endured in a very long time.  I sold my previous DAP, so these past few days have been very tough.  This is going to be so great...


----------



## gerelmx1986

LOL dreams don't come true  had a dream that my balanced cables arrived... is saturday and nothing damn Mailman LOL


----------



## denis1976

Hello one thing that i notice today, after i made the 1.20 firmware update the menu to choose language is missing...thank God mine was in Portuguese before i upgrade


----------



## Dillan

zardos said:


> Didn't I warn you enough? Sorry about it!




No haha not enough.


----------



## tangents

denis1976 said:


> Hello one thing that i notice today, after i made the 1.20 firmware update the menu to choose language is missing...thank God mine was in Portuguese before i upgrade


 
  
 That's strange — I'm on 1.20 and I see the options under Settings > Device Settings > Language Settings


----------



## corius

denis1976 said:


> Hello one thing that i notice today, after i made the 1.20 firmware update the menu to choose language is missing...thank God mine was in Portuguese before i upgrade


 
 Possibly some regional versions appear not to have the Language Settings option. See https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool under "E2".
  
 Just an idea, I'm not sure if that could explain your issue.


----------



## zardos

Since I still own both 1A and 1Z I'm able to compare side by side from time to time. To my ears the sonic difference between balanced and single ended is more pronounced with the 1A than with the 1Z.


----------



## asquare3376

tsavjason said:


> No, it's just that the other dealers weren't paying attention so I bought all the stock.


 
 You crack me up !!! This is the best post I read today


----------



## asquare3376

Auditioned Vega today at the CanJam; paired them with WM1A.. Thunderous bass at Flat equalization and they are so easy to drive iem.
 Going back again tomorrow


----------



## AnakChan

zardos said:


> Since I still own both 1A and 1Z I'm able to compare side by side from time to time. To my ears the sonic difference between balanced and single ended is more pronounced with the 1A than with the 1Z.


 
  
 At least for me that's a little disappointing. To my preferences the differences of the balanced and unbalanced on the 1Z is unrealistically large enough, can't imagine how it'll be even more different on the 1A. I've not seen other DAPs that had such a large difference in balanced/unbalanced.
  
 On a slightly off-topic note, good to see more 4.4mm adoption in the new Acoustic Research AR-M200 announced in the CanJam SoCal this weekend.
  
 Edit: if the AR-200 also has a large difference in balanced/unbalanced, I may have to eat back my words.


----------



## audionewbi

I've made a large move and spend a large sum of money purchasing the 4.4mm cables of a large variety. It's a future that I like to support and be part of. I look forward to the future of the Walkman.


----------



## AnakChan

I've just been burning in and reviewing the Brise Audio UPG001HP pre-production cable for the NW-WM1A/Z Utopia :-
  

  
 I'll put up my thought about it in a day or two. The guys in Brise Audio were kind enough to loan me this for 2 weeks after my visit to their listening room.


----------



## mpc8240

zardos said:


> Since I still own both 1A and 1Z I'm able to compare side by side from time to time. To my ears the sonic difference between balanced and single ended is more pronounced with the 1A than with the 1Z.


 
 How do you compare 1A and 1Z, SE or Balanced respectively?


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Check out my recent post on Headfonia guys: http://www.headfonia.com/picture-sunday-sony-wm1a-walkman/ (open in new tab)


----------



## jmills8

virtu fortuna said:


> Check out my recent post on Headfonia guys: http://www.headfonia.com/picture-sunday-sony-wm1a-walkman/ (open in new tab)


I bet its a positive review.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

jmills8 said:


> I bet its a positive review.


 
 Not a review. A Picture Sunday post for now. Review will come later.


----------



## Toni2

double post sorry


----------



## Toni2

anakchan said:


> I've just been burning in and reviewing the Brise Audio UPG001HP pre-production cable for the NW-WM1A/Z Utopia :-
> 
> 
> 
> I'll put up my thought about it in a day or two. The guys in Brise Audio were kind enough to loan me this for 2 weeks after my visit to their listening room.


 
 Hi what type Of cable Brise Audio UPG001HP is?
 is that silver or silver plated gold or else?


----------



## phonomat

audionewbi said:


> I've made a large move and spend a large sum of money purchasing the 4.4mm cables of a large variety. It's a future that I like to support and be part of. I look forward to the future of the Walkman.




So you've adopted the standard already. Let's hope the other big players in the audio industry will soon follow.


----------



## audionewbi

phonomat said:


> So you've adopted the standard already. Let's hope the other big players in the audio industry will soon follow.


 
 Yes, I have had far too many issues with 2.5mm plugs. I have never had any issue with any of my 1/4 inch jack, some issud with 1/8 inch jack and far too many issues with 2.5mm jack. It is arguably the worst thing happened to this hobby.


----------



## evolutionx

nc8000 said:


> FI-BA-SS single ended from 1Z is fantastic. I'm constantly amazed at what this single BA iem can do.


 

 Indeed.  Fantastic synergy with 1Z.  One reason I am keeping FI-BA-SS for good.  It always amazed me.


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> Yes, I have had far too many issues with 2.5mm plugs. I have never had any issue with any of my 1/4 inch jack, some issud with 1/8 inch jack and far too many issues with 2.5mm jack. It is arguably the worst thing happened to this hobby.




Agreed...2.5mm was a not so good idea. The 4.4mm is super solid


----------



## gerelmx1986

My language menú is still there too, using 1.20


----------



## yurix67

gerelmx1986 said:


> My language menú is still there too, using 1.20


 
 You filmed bordering volume (volume cup)?


----------



## AnakChan

Just a little OT, if we think the NW-WM1Z or AK380SS is expensive, well this used minidisc player just went for approx USD$14,081.23)!! Granted it's a Sony Qualia 017 and was $1900 in it's (2004) day :-
  
 http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h260174224#enlargeimg


----------



## unknownguardian

anakchan said:


> Just a little OT, if we think the NW-WM1Z or AK380SS is expensive, well this used minidisc player just went for approx USD$14,081.23)!! Granted it's a Sony Qualia 017 and was $1900 in it's (2004) day :-
> 
> http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h260174224#enlargeimg



I saw this too. Might be the most expensive player ever.


----------



## Toolman

I still have a Sony MD Player somewhere might be worth something eh?


----------



## Whitigir

Holy macaroni....Wm1z may one day be $30,000....Invest people....Invest!


----------



## RobertP

I should have kept my minidisc player. Lol


----------



## gerelmx1986

yurix67 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > My language menú is still there too, using 1.20
> ...


----------



## yurix67

Yes!  Sony Rockbox.
 It was all OK! Then I upgraded to version 1.20! This is the result ((


----------



## nc8000

Interesting. I'm also on 1.20 and have no language menu options


----------



## yurix67

This raises the question - how to revert to stock firmware!?


----------



## gerelmx1986

yurix67 said:


> This raises the question - how to revert to stock firmware!?


 

 yours was rockboxed to remove volumen limit or was like mine: purchased via AccessoryJack (honkong versión with no capping)


----------



## denis1976

gerelmx1986 said:


> yours was rockboxed to remove volumen limit or was like mine: purchased via AccessoryJack (honkong versión with no capping)


this has nothing to do with the Rockbox, mine with the 1.10 and after the volume uncap had language selection , this has to do with the 1.20 firmware update, i don't understand what is the big deal with this, mine is in Portuguese of it was in English that would be no problem for me


----------



## nc8000

yurix67 said:


> [COLOR=333333]This raises the question - how to revert to stock firmware!?[/COLOR]




It's still stock firmware. Using the Rockbox program only changes some settings in the firmware.


----------



## gerelmx1986

if you try a Factory reset? or do again the rockbox thing?


----------



## yurix67

Reset to factory settings or flashing device does not help! When setting up a new device - no choice of language. Once proposed setting the time and date. English is not a problem! I would like to have all the features in the menu!


----------



## soundkist

yurix67 said:


> Reset to factory settings or flashing device does not help! When setting up a new device - no choice of language. Once proposed setting the time and date. English is not a problem! I would like to have all the features in the menu!


 
  
 Try checking the destination code on your player, and perhaps change it to a different one; no experience/issue with this on mine, but there is a note on the E2 destination code that the language option is missing:
  
 https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool


----------



## AnakChan

toni2 said:


> Hi what type Of cable Brise Audio UPG001HP is?
> is that silver or silver plated gold or else?


 

 Sorry I missed this. Brise Audio uses high quality copper for the cable cores themselves. The 4.4mm Pentaconn is an OFC copper plug. Brise Audio doesn't really do anything fancy with the cores themselves but do use high quality copper and focuses shielding. I've written up a report on them so you may get a little more info there.

 Mind you the NW-WM1Z doesn't even have WiFi although it does have bluetooth/NFC so maybe shielding is not such a big factor?


----------



## Dillan

It's strange to me that Kimber and others charge so much for their totl reference cables and they are just simple ofc copper wires easily obtained for a small price if you wanted to diy. Huge profit margins in the cable world. nordost is the worst though imo

Anyway ... Does it bother you guys that Sony doesn't release detailed info and stats about their new signature daps? I'd love to know THD, output impedence and what DAC they're using.. is the dac fpga or an off the shelf DAC chip or perhaps a new DAC chip made by them or what? Anyone have any answers to this question? Especially the THD and dac info. Thanks


----------



## TSAVJason

dillan said:


> It's strange to me that Kimber and others charge so much for their totl reference cables and they are just simple ofc copper wires easily obtained for a small price if you wanted to diy. Huge profit margins in the cable world. nordost is the worst though imo
> 
> Anyway ... Does it bother you guys that Sony doesn't release detailed info and stats about their new signature daps? I'd love to know THD, output impedence and what DAC they're using.. is the dac fpga or an off the shelf DAC chip or perhaps a new DAC chip made by them or what? Anyone have any answers to this question? Especially the THD and dac info. Thanks


 

Tell us how you come to this nordost HUGE profit opinion you have? Do you have any proof to support this? I'm a dealer and my price sheet doesn't support your statement but maybe you know something I don't. So tell us it's a justified and supportable claim. Maybe you can consult with Tony Newman and between the 2 of you can support this comment you've both made. .....I'm not kidding or attacking you I'm simply asking you to support your accusation with something other than you feel it's that way.


----------



## blazinblazin

From what i read from somewhere it seems like no DAC or should i say buit-in... all are processed by Sony's SMaster chip.

That's also one of the reason it is not so battery consuming.


That's why SONY player internal design is very different from other DAP.


----------



## nanaholic

> Anyway ... Does it bother you guys that Sony doesn't release detailed info and stats about their new signature daps? I'd love to know THD, output impedence and what DAC they're using.. is the dac fpga or an off the shelf DAC chip or perhaps a new DAC chip made by them or what? Anyone have any answers to this question? Especially the THD and dac info. Thanks


 
  
 Sony does not use off the shelf DAC chips.  Their S-Master HX digital amp is completely designed in house.
  
 Also the S-Master is a Class D amp (signal is amplified in digital domain before converting back to analogue waveform - whereas everyone else does the opposite in which signal is converted into analogue form first before amplification), and in the current market ONLY Sony makes a portable player using Class D design - absolutely no one else uses this design. It's understandable they don't want to publish much numbers because people who don't know better will be making apple to orange comparisons while overlooking the other advantages this design offers, namely things like its power efficiency and one less in between stage during conversion which means one less step to introduce conversion loss. 
  
 Anyway some people have measured the players and concluded that they are good anyway, and output impedance is less than 1ohm.


----------



## blazinblazin

Reading into Class D amp i realise that's why Sony WM1 dont heat up much like most do.

Probably due to Class D amp there's no noise produced from the output.

Am i correct?


----------



## nanaholic

blazinblazin said:


> Reading into Class D amp i realise that's why Sony WM1 dont heat up much like most do.
> 
> Probably due to Class D amp there's no noise produced from the output.
> 
> Am i correct?


 
  
 Correct for heat. Noise I think it is just Sony got better in their design and not a fundimental quality unique to Class D amps. 
  
 Also article below on why the same measurements designed for Class A devices (pretty much every other non-Sony DAP on the market) do not apply equally to Class D devices:
 http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1274731


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> Correct for heat. Noise I think it is just Sony got better in their design and not a fundimental quality unique to Class D amps.
> 
> Also article below on why the same measurements designed for Class A devices (pretty much every other non-Sony DAP on the market) do not apply equally to Class D devices:
> http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1274731




Yes the noise issue Sony has just gotten better as there was noise on the ZX2 while I don't hear any with the 1Z


----------



## nanaholic

https://twitter.com/acoustune/status/850768052312350720
  
 Not WM1 related but first non-Sony DAP with Pentaconn!  And from Acoustic Research no less. Hope they keep coming.  This should reassure all those in this thread whom have invested in 4.4mm cables.
  
 EDIT: post also says that AR plans to release 3~4 DAP and/or amp products this year featuring Pentaconn, which is great news when finally another reputable company adopts the standard, was beginning to get frustrated when Onkyo/Pioneer/JVC themselves aren't playing ball despite them being a member to approve Pentaconn as agreed upon standard.


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> https://twitter.com/acoustune/status/850768052312350720
> 
> Not WM1 related but first non-Sony DAP with Pentaconn!  And from Acoustic Research no less. Hope they keep coming.  This should reassure all those in this thread whom have invested in 4.4mm cables.
> 
> EDIT: post also says that AR plans to release 3~4 DAP and/or amp products this year featuring Pentaconn, which is great news when finally another reputable company adopts the standard, was beginning to get frustrated when Onkyo/Pioneer/JVC themselves aren't playing ball despite them being a member to approve Pentaconn as agreed upon standard.


DAP designers are seemingly taking an increasing amount of drugs.


----------



## Whitigir

dillan said:


> It's strange to me that Kimber and others charge so much for their totl reference cables and they are just simple ofc copper wires easily obtained for a small price if you wanted to diy. Huge profit margins in the cable world. nordost is the worst though imo
> 
> Anyway ... Does it bother you guys that Sony doesn't release detailed info and stats about their new signature daps? I'd love to know THD, output impedence and what DAC they're using.. is the dac fpga or an off the shelf DAC chip or perhaps a new DAC chip made by them or what? Anyone have any answers to this question? Especially the THD and dac info. Thanks




Why would you compare DIY to any company run products ? That is ridiculous in so many ways.


----------



## nanaholic

mimouille said:


> DAP designers are seemingly taking an increasing amount of drugs.


 
  
 I'd say they can take some more, because it's much more interesting than the standard slab of glass Android players that we were flooded with before.


----------



## kms108

nanaholic said:


> https://twitter.com/acoustune/status/850768052312350720
> 
> Not WM1 related but first non-Sony DAP with Pentaconn!  And from Acoustic Research no less. Hope they keep coming.  This should reassure all those in this thread whom have invested in 4.4mm cables.
> 
> EDIT: post also says that AR plans to release 3~4 DAP and/or amp products this year featuring Pentaconn, which is great news when finally another reputable company adopts the standard, was beginning to get frustrated when Onkyo/Pioneer/JVC themselves aren't playing ball despite them being a member to approve Pentaconn as agreed upon standard.


 

 The issue is, will all these DAP have the same wiring internally for the 4.4mm socket.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Is there any risk about uncapping the device by changing the firmware region via the tool which can be downloaded from rockbox webpage?
  
 I don't need uncapping it, but since I have the EU version, there is no gain setting. If I use it with a full size headphone I think I'm going to uncap the device.


----------



## nc8000

virtu fortuna said:


> Is there any risk about uncapping the device by changing the firmware region via the tool which can be downloaded from rockbox webpage?
> 
> I don't need uncapping it, but since I have the EU version, there is no gain setting. If I use it with a full size headphone I think I'm going to uncap the device.




None that I can think of. I've done it with no problem


----------



## nanaholic

kms108 said:


> The issue is, will all these DAP have the same wiring internally for the 4.4mm socket.


 
  
 It wouldn't make sense for AR to break the wiring if their goal is to take advantage of all the current aftermarket cables on sale already.


----------



## Sarnia

virtu fortuna said:


> Is there any risk about uncapping the device by changing the firmware region via the tool which can be downloaded from rockbox webpage?
> 
> I don't need uncapping it, but since I have the EU version, there is no gain setting. If I use it with a full size headphone I think I'm going to uncap the device.


Absolutely no issues uncapping the WM1A for me.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> It wouldn't make sense for AR to break the wiring if their goal is to take advantage of all the current aftermarket cables on sale already.




Normally, they follow the same footsteps as the first one that publish it. For example AK 2.5mm lol


----------



## nanaholic

whitigir said:


> Normally, they follow the same footsteps as the first one that publish it. For example AK 2.5mm lol


 
  
 The wiring is specified in the JEITA documents, I'm thinking whether there are any way they enforce that to make sure people don't go around doing their own thing, which they probably do else people will be wiring 3.5mm and 6.3mm plugs all over the place if they don't.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Today my cables are supposedly delivered hope so as yesterday I changed from 3.5mm SE to the dual 3. 5 in the z7


----------



## Jalo

phonomat said:


> So you've adopted the standard already. Let's hope the other big players in the audio industry will soon follow.




Just finished SoCal. I know one major player is coming out with 4.4 but I have to keep it under wrap for now.


----------



## soundkist

jalo said:


> Just finished SoCal. I know one major player is coming out with 4.4 but I have to keep it under wrap for now.


 
  
 Do you mean other than the AR player mentioned previously?


----------



## AnakChan

The AR-M200 has been mentioned for the past 5 pages .
  
 Anyhow, it's good to see 4.4mm adoption.


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> I'd say they can take some more, because it's much more interesting than the standard slab of glass Android players that we were flooded with before.


We'll see how it feel in hand...I thought the LPG was the ugliest DAP on the planet until I held it.


----------



## djhitman

What are some good balanced cables, and sound signatures for Wm1a and Vega iem's?


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Anyone else love the tube amp type bass switch? Gives a nice body and warm sound.


----------



## gerelmx1986

My cables arrived woohoo, but must work damn from another 2.5 hours


----------



## gerelmx1986

It's official, I joined the club of 4.4


----------



## Whitigir

Congrat! Enjoy  just remember to sleep lol


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> Congrat! Enjoy
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 ​Right now only a slight difference in depth and finesse of details, but barely audible from fully burned SE clocked at 862H, burn sight...
  
 But yes i can hear something special, something magical i cannot describe how it feels just WOW


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Right now only a slight difference in depth and finesse of details, but barely audible from fully burned SE clocked at 862H, burn sight...
> 
> But yes i can hear something special, something magical i cannot describe how it feels just WOW




Balanced will show much more definitive improvements over the burnin period Vs the Single ended side. Just give it a couple days or around 55 hours and u will be in for a treat the further more u burn in


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> Balanced will show much more definitive improvements over the burnin period Vs the Single ended side. Just give it a couple days or around 55 hours and u will be in for a treat the further more u burn in


 
  
 Yes i note a magic thing with this recording of mozart piano trios (in general Beaux arts trio made very high quality recordings, sad they Split) the acoustics is very fine as well the instruments and overall recording made by Phillips Classics


----------



## gerelmx1986

Many thanks to @Whitigir
 for his effort , great cables, Kudos.
Very high quality materials, big kudos


----------



## jamato8

I find the WM1Z brings some nice new life to a number of recordings that I have. Better separation than in the past and more spaciial information. This seems to be the trait of top-tier daps and is, IMO, a nice advancement. Listening to a Rolling Stones remastered album, let it bleed in 88.2hz 24 bit. Great fun!


----------



## Hydrored

djhitman said:


> What are some good balanced cables, and sound signatures for Wm1a and Vega iem's?


 
 I'm using the ALO Audio Reference 8 with my 1Z and Vega, I'm happy with it. I really do not get into the whole cable debate....
  
 https://www.aloaudio.com/shop/reference-8-iem/


----------



## phonomat

virtu fortuna said:


> Anyone else love the tube amp type bass switch? Gives a nice body and warm sound.




What's your preferred setting? To be honest, I don't hear a huge difference between them, but I also like to have it activated.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

phonomat said:


> What's your preferred setting? To be honest, I don't hear a huge difference between them, but I also like to have it activated.


 
 Type A High
  
 Yes the difference is minimal, but when you turn it off you can hear the sound is just a little thinner.
  
 Btw EQ is working nice as well.


----------



## blazinblazin

Have not tried those settings after upgrading to 1.20


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

blazinblazin said:


> Have not tried those settings after upgrading to 1.20


 
 I was so accustomed to ZX2, after switching to 1A I missed the body and warmness. So I played with EQ a little. With the addition of tube amp bass option I'm quite satisfied.


----------



## gerelmx1986

XBA-Z5 bass is more controlled and tight with balanced


----------



## JamesKH

@Whitigir is a magician with these cables


----------



## AnakChan

I've put up my thoughts of the Brise Audio UPG001HP cables in my sig. It has been a lovely cable to review with the Utopia/NW-WM1Z.


----------



## gerelmx1986

jameskh said:


> @Whitigir
> is a magician with these cables


yes very well made, pretty tight 3.5mm connectors, ni cables and the use of "5 pentaconn" brand plug super kudos. 

This older recording of A. Grumiaux playing the Mozart violin concertos, never sounded that good


----------



## Jalo

jamato8 said:


> I find the WM1Z brings some nice new life to a number of recordings that I have. Better separation than in the past and more spaciial information. This seems to be the trait of top-tier daps and is, IMO, a nice advancement. Listening to a Rolling Stones remastered album, let it bleed in 88.2hz 24 bit. Great fun!




Totally agree with the top-tier comments. For the past couple of years of using totl daps (380Cu, 1Z), what I have come to realize is that I do not like older recordings as much now even with songs I used to like. This is mainly due to recording technology has advanced so much compared to thirty or so years ago where sometime even single mike is used rendering the sound presentation in one piece as oppose to the layering and resolution that today's recording can present.


----------



## Jalo

hydrored said:


> I'm using the ALO Audio Reference 8 with my 1Z and Vega, I'm happy with it. I really do not get into the whole cable debate....
> 
> https://www.aloaudio.com/shop/reference-8-iem/




Talked to Ken at Can Jam and was given a chance to hear the new gold plated copper cable from Campfire to complement brighter sound equipment. I also learned from Kimber cable that the Sony/Kimber iem cable is basically a Sony cable, the contribution from Kimber is basically just the geometry and the braiding, the cable material is all Sony.


----------



## musicday

Asked this before​but nobody could answer.
The gold used to plate 1Z is 18K,22K or 24K?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I wouldn't care which carat the gold is as long as it sounds good to my ears


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> I wouldn't care which carat the gold is as long as it sounds good to my ears



You don't as yours is aluminium,but when you pay full price for the Z model you care what gold is used for platting.


----------



## TSAVJason

musicday said:


> Asked this before​but nobody could answer.
> The gold used to plate 1Z is 18K,22K or 24K?




I'm not sure I have it correct but I was told it was 18k


----------



## Toolman

musicday said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I wouldn't care which carat the gold is as long as it sounds good to my ears
> ...


 

 C'mon no need for stiff upper lip here. I have 1Z and I don't care what kind of gold are used for plating...that said it is good to know if someone have this info. Will remember to ask the Sony rep the next time I meet em. But my guess will be 14K or 18K as they are harder than 24K


----------



## Dillan

nanaholic said:


> Sony does not use off the shelf DAC chips.  Their S-Master HX digital amp is completely designed in house.
> 
> Also the S-Master is a Class D amp (signal is amplified in digital domain before converting back to analogue waveform - whereas everyone else does the opposite in which signal is converted into analogue form first before amplification), and in the current market ONLY Sony makes a portable player using Class D design - absolutely no one else uses this design. It's understandable they don't want to publish much numbers because people who don't know better will be making apple to orange comparisons while overlooking the other advantages this design offers, namely things like its power efficiency and one less in between stage during conversion which means one less step to introduce conversion loss.
> 
> Anyway some people have measured the players and concluded that they are good anyway, and output impedance is less than 1ohm.


 
  
 Your post was very informative and it led me to do even more research and I have now learned a lot about Sony and their unique dap approach and have came away respecting them a lot more and also a lot more informed so thank you. Very proud to own the wm1z.


----------



## Whitigir

Same here, I have 1Z and it doesn't matter what gold is being used  all I needed to know was that the components inside were all high quality and Sony clearly disclosed that...unlike some "high-end"


----------



## Dillan

tsavjason said:


> Tell us how you come to this nordost HUGE profit opinion you have? Do you have any proof to support this? I'm a dealer and my price sheet doesn't support your statement but maybe you know something I don't. So tell us it's a justified and supportable claim. Maybe you can consult with Tony Newman and between the 2 of you can support this comment you've both made. .....I'm not kidding or attacking you I'm simply asking you to support your accusation with something other than you feel it's that way.


 
  
 This is the sony dap thread.. post in the sound science forum and me and others would be glad to try to enlighten you there, but if you have gone so far as to be a dealer for nordost then you may be too far gone to be worth trying to convince. I can make the thread for you if you'd like. But yea lets stick to talking about the topic at hand in this thread. Thanks
  
 PS- price sheets do not mean much if anything, the profiteering goes beyond the relationship between you and them


----------



## Dillan

whitigir said:


> Balanced will show much more definitive improvements over the burnin period Vs the Single ended side. Just give it a couple days or around 55 hours and u will be in for a treat the further more u burn in


 
 How does it make sense that "burn in" would "show much more definitive improvements" versus single ended side? And how did you come up with 55 hours lol


----------



## nanaholic

dillan said:


> Your post was very informative and it led me to do even more research and I have now learned a lot about Sony and their unique dap approach and have came away respecting them a lot more and also a lot more informed so thank you. Very proud to own the wm1z.


 
  
 Plugging myself a bit - if you have time I urge you to read the translation I did of the interview of the WM1 team members: 
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/827575/sony-nw-wm1z-owner-and-impressions/15#post_13068909


----------



## Whitigir

dillan said:


> How does it make sense that "burn in" would "show much more definitive improvements" versus single ended side? And how did you come up with 55 hours lol




Simply, because to my ears, the improvements from balanced VS single-ended side during the burnin period was different and the balanced side improves more than the single-ended side. I started to hear better performances after "around" 55 hours more clearly than before that. You can debate with all the ideas that you may have, but that was my opinions during my experiences.


----------



## gerelmx1986

dillan said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > Balanced will show much more definitive improvements over the burnin period Vs the Single ended side. Just give it a couple days or around 55 hours and u will be in for a treat the further more u burn in
> ...


don't know how he came to that number but yeah right now I heard some slight bigger stage and better stereo separation with only like 4 hours burning


----------



## Dillan

whitigir said:


> Simply, because to my ears, the improvements from balanced VS single-ended side during the burnin period was different and the balanced side improves more than the single-ended side. I started to hear better performances after "around" 55 hours more clearly than before that. You can debate with all the ideas that you may have, but that was my opinions during my experiences.


 
  
 Not here to debate your opinion, if you think burning in the balanced side makes a difference, especially vs single ended then that is fine with me.


----------



## Dillan

nanaholic said:


> Plugging myself a bit - if you have time I urge you to read the translation I did of the interview of the WM1 team members:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/827575/sony-nw-wm1z-owner-and-impressions/15#post_13068909


 
  
 For sure I will check it out. Your previous post taught me a lot about Sony Daps as I am new to them.
  
 Also earlier you guys were talking about different classes of amps and which ones cause distortion, hiss, static etc I agree that the different classes do not make the difference, but the implementation and design itself make the difference. I have owned many daps and heard at shows and from friends even more.. my old ak380 I could get to make audible static/distortion when doing certain things like pressing play with the volume turned all the way down using a sensitive iem.. also doing some other random things made the static audible.. and from what I could tell it was _always _present in the background, but music drowned it out. But thats not specific to the ak380 as all daps I have used had that problem.. phones too, especially when using the touch screen when playing music at lowish volume you can hear static/distortion. That was the biggest pet peeve for me.. i hate it. 
  
 ALAS - The wm1z is the first dap I have ever heard in my life that doesn't have this problem whatsoever. The combination of separating music hardware to ui/functionality components as well as perhaps the solid block of copper for outside interference resistance and probably their dac/amp implementation itself all probably had something to do with this synergistically. Either way, it made me very happy to never have to worry about having distortion or static in the background of my music (audible or not). Obviously you'll hear some form of hiss if you use super sensitive IEM and turn volume all the way up in high gain and mute the song lol but that is irrelevant and because you have too much power pushed to the speakers.. every device will have that feedback.
  
 TLDR - I am totally in love with the sony wm1z and it is my end all be all DAP that I finally feel comfortable never replacing until a few years when they update it perhaps. And no nasty android running in the background or cheap off the shelf dac chip? THANK YOU SONY!!


----------



## TSAVJason

dillan said:


> This is the sony dap thread.. post in the sound science forum and me and others would be glad to try to enlighten you there, but if you have gone so far as to be a dealer for nordost then you may be too far gone to be worth trying to convince. I can make the thread for you if you'd like. But yea lets stick to talking about the topic at hand in this thread. Thanks
> 
> PS- price sheets do not mean much if anything, the profiteering goes beyond the relationship between you and them


 

You brought into the thread so ....your redirection is in my opinion your inability to back up your play. 

Had you said brand like Monster, AudioQuest, Teralabs, Transparent or even a few brands sold here on head-fi I would have agreed with you. But to trash me by saying I'm too far gone only tells me you have nothing to support your claim.


----------



## Dillan

tsavjason said:


> You brought into the thread so ....your redirection is in my opinion your inability to back up your play.
> 
> Had you said brand like Monster, AudioQuest, Teralabs, Transparent or even a few brands sold here on head-fi I would have agreed with you. But to trash me by saying I'm too far gone only tells me you have nothing to support your claim.


 
  
 Hi, we can continue this conversation in an appropriate thread. Trust me, me and dozens of others in the sound science section would like to tell you why copper wire and plastic termination isn't worth a thousand dollars or more. Have a great day and PM me if you want me to start the thread or if you start it. 
  
 Back on topic.


----------



## TSAVJason

dillan said:


> Hi, we can continue this conversation in an appropriate thread. Trust me, me and dozens of others in the sound science section would like to tell you why copper wire and plastic termination isn't worth a thousand dollars or more. Have a great day and PM me if you want me to start the thread or if you start it.
> 
> Back on topic.


 No, I don't trust you because you only have an opinion with no facts. You could have PM'd me with your support of your claim.


----------



## Dillan

tsavjason said:


> No, I don't trust you because you only have an opinion with no facts. You could have PM'd me with your support of your claim.


 
  
 Sorry, this is my last reply to you here. I don't care about proving anything to you honestly. I understand you get defensive when I make small side remarks about a product you sell.. then you come out of the woodwork lol From here on I will ignore your responses unless they are in a PM or in sound science section (not in a dap thread).
  
 Sorry to those who want to be reading about the sony's.


----------



## harishmirror

Has anyone done an extensive testing and comparison between the PHA3 and the WM1A/Z? Just had a chance to compare with the WM1A and I felt the 1A does not sound as good as the PHA3.. Not sure abt the 1Z. I'd be always using IEMs like Z5 or SE846. Pls advice.


----------



## soundkist

nanaholic said:


> Plugging myself a bit - if you have time I urge you to read the translation I did of the interview of the WM1 team members:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/827575/sony-nw-wm1z-owner-and-impressions/15#post_13068909


 
  
 I read that a while back, and really enjoyed it--thanks for doing that!


----------



## Whitigir

harishmirror said:


> Has anyone done an extensive testing and comparison between the PHA3 and the WM1A/Z? Just had a chance to compare with the WM1A and I felt the 1A does not sound as good as the PHA3.. Not sure abt the 1Z. I'd be always using IEMs like Z5 or SE846. Pls advice.




Depends, did you test both in balanced connections ? No doubt SE and Pha3 outperform the Walkman


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> harishmirror said:
> 
> 
> > Has anyone done an extensive testing and comparison between the PHA3 and the WM1A/Z? Just had a chance to compare with the WM1A and I felt the 1A does not sound as good as the PHA3.. Not sure abt the 1Z. I'd be always using IEMs like Z5 or SE846. Pls advice.
> ...


also burn in time depends


----------



## gerelmx1986

I found SE of WM1A to be so good it transformed xba-z5 to another beast, but balanced further refines the z5 and z7, is too early to say about balanced impressions


----------



## harishmirror

whitigir said:


> Depends, did you test both in balanced connections ? No doubt SE and Pha3 outperform the Walkman


 
  


gerelmx1986 said:


> also burn in time depends


 

 Both the devices were burnt in well. I used the balanced cables cables for both on Z5. Just wanted to get an opinion from others.. coz I may be wrong.


----------



## soundkist

harishmirror said:


> Both the devices were burnt in well. I used the balanced cables cables for both on Z5. Just wanted to get an opinion from others.. coz I may be wrong.


 
  
 In the end, trust your ears!


----------



## Jalo

musicday said:


> Asked this before​but nobody could answer.
> The gold used to plate 1Z is 18K,22K or 24K?




24k comes to mind but do not remember where I read it from.


----------



## musicday

jalo said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Asked this before​but nobody could answer.
> ...



Thanks, they use a different plating method so is not direct on the copper as it will peeal off,this is made to last.


----------



## TSAVJason

musicday said:


> Thanks, they use a different plating method so is not direct on the copper as it will peeal off,this is made to last.


 Nickel is the underlayment that allows the Gold to adhere to the copper


----------



## Jalo

went to the Sony booth at Can Jam and was given a free data cable. Now I can output data to an amp via USB.


----------



## Jalo

tsavjason said:


> Nickel is the underlayment that allows the Gold to adhere to the copper




I love the gold plating on my 1Z. Having 24K gold jewelry, the color on the 1Z has to be higher than 14 or 18 K.


----------



## tienbasse

jalo said:


> I love the gold plating on my 1Z. Having 24K gold jewelry, the color on the 1Z has to be higher than 14 or 18 K.


 

 The color has nothing to do the purity.


----------



## Dillan

jalo said:


> went to the Sony booth at Can Jam and was given a free data cable. Now I can output data to an amp via USB.




That's awesome. 

Are there many amps that accept USB as a line in, to replace optical or xlr/RCA etc


----------



## nc8000

tsavjason said:


> Nickel is the underlayment that allows the Gold to adhere to the copper




From the interview with the development team. 

Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
If you directly plate gold onto copper, no matter how careful there would be tiny holes in it. For portable audio of course you would be carry it outside and touch it with your fingers, in that high moisture environment these holes will result in corrosion, that’s why there is a need to plate a primer layer in between.
Usually the primer layer is done with nickel because it looks very good, however due to the magnetism of nickel it has a negative effect on the sound, as this time put sound quality first thus we chose the copper/tin/zinc alloy due to its magnetic free property. To get a good finish with this type of plating requires very high quality of the material and the plating process and is a very difficult technique, but for the quality of the sound we didn’t give way.


----------



## Dillan

Wow impressive...


----------



## TSAVJason

nc8000 said:


> From the interview with the development team.
> 
> Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
> If you directly plate gold onto copper, no matter how careful there would be tiny holes in it. For portable audio of course you would be carry it outside and touch it with your fingers, in that high moisture environment these holes will result in corrosion, that’s why there is a need to plate a primer layer in between.
> Usually the primer layer is done with nickel because it looks very good, however due to the magnetism of nickel it has a negative effect on the sound, as this time put sound quality first thus we chose the copper/tin/zinc alloy due to its magnetic free property. To get a good finish with this type of plating requires very high quality of the material and the plating process and is a very difficult technique, but for the quality of the sound we didn’t give way.


 In plating there is always an underlayment and depending on the final plate material that is usually nickle.


----------



## nc8000

tsavjason said:


> In plating there is always an underlayment and depending on the final plate material that is usually nickle.




Well as the developer clearly state no nickel here


----------



## phonomat

musicday said:


> Asked this before​but nobody could answer.
> The gold used to plate 1Z is 18K,22K or 24K?


 
  
  


gerelmx1986 said:


> I wouldn't care which carat the gold is as long as it sounds good to my ears


 
  
  


tsavjason said:


> I'm not sure I have it correct but I was told it was 18k


 
  
  


toolman said:


> C'mon no need for stiff upper lip here. I have 1Z and I don't care what kind of gold are used for plating...that said it is good to know if someone have this info. Will remember to ask the Sony rep the next time I meet em. But my guess will be 14K or 18K as they are harder than 24K


 
  
  


jalo said:


> 24k comes to mind but do not remember where I read it from.


 
  
  


jalo said:


> I love the gold plating on my 1Z. Having 24K gold jewelry, the color on the 1Z has to be higher than 14 or 18 K.


 
  
 That'll teach you to ask a question on the internet, lol.


----------



## zardos

Yesterday my 1Z dropped from my pocket into the toilette exactly at the moment when the water was flushing. Some water intruted through the balanced socked into the dap. The SE socket wasn't open at that moment because an IE800 was plugged into it. 1Z was in Sony's robust leather case so absolutely no damage for the casing, but for about 10 hours balanced didn't work anymore. After careful overnight drying all seems to work again, maybe a somewhat ****ty sound now, I don't know. Lol. That raises (at least) one question. Will the 1Z possibly be sold out in the near future? I think a need a second one sooner or later. More likely sooner. Sigh.


----------



## phonomat




----------



## gerelmx1986

From a shirt pocket? I always carry mine off and in the pants pockets or not at all to risky places such as toilet

Maybe if you open it and dry but we'll you can take to Sony for repairs


----------



## soundkist

@zardos, perhaps it just needs further drying?  Or with the aid of rice or those silica gel packs?


----------



## RobertP

Don't turn on you DAP. Leave it near the window and let it dry for a week. If you keep using it, you 1z will good bad soon.

If you know how to open the player, un-solder battery and take mainboard out and brush it with alcohol.


----------



## gerelmx1986

He can try the rice trick first before risking opening the device

If he has a heater like t he Se steam heaters used in Germany, perhaps he can put it on top of it or leave it near a window BUT NOT DIRECT SUN LIGHT


----------



## Whitigir

No, do not open it up...if you are not experienced and skilled in electronics work....it is a very bad idea.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Balanced is starting to show its qualities with this recording is so noticeable


----------



## Dillan

zardos said:


> Yesterday my 1Z dropped from my pocket into the toilette exactly at the moment when the water was flushing. Some water intruted through the balanced socked into the dap. The SE socket wasn't open at that moment because an IE800 was plugged into it. 1Z was in Sony's robust leather case so absolutely no damage for the casing, but for about 10 hours balanced didn't work anymore. After careful overnight drying all seems to work again, maybe a somewhat ****ty sound now, I don't know. Lol. That raises (at least) one question. Will the 1Z possibly be sold out in the near future? I think a need a second one sooner or later. More likely sooner. Sigh.




Oh man that is literally my worst nightmare. sorry to hear that.. is the rice thing actually work? I don't see how it helps the internals at all and wouldn't want smaller flaked off grains to enter the ports etc

Some sort of consistent dry heat over periods of time and also do NOT try using it if it's still moist internally. It will cause it to die, turn it off and wait a week or two until it's completely dry. Sooo sorry man I hope things work out.. I have nightmares about things like this.


----------



## RobertP

Yes, rice trick works too. I agree. Just be sure rice are not stuck inside 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs.

This is an example what it will look like if keep using DAP.


----------



## ttt123

gerelmx1986 said:


> He can try the rice trick first before risking opening the device
> 
> If he has a heater like t he Se steam heaters used in Germany, perhaps he can put it on top of it or leave it near a window BUT NOT DIRECT SUN LIGHT


 
 Put raw rice into a plastic bag, put your device into the bag on top.  No need to cover it with the rice.  Seal the plastic bag, and leave it for days/week.  The raw rice absorbs the moisture from the air within the bag, and from the device.  This was the drying method for iphones (and other devices), which has been successful for many people.


----------



## Jalo

dillan said:


> That's awesome.
> 
> Are there many amps that accept USB as a line in, to replace optical or xlr/RCA etc



Hugo, Hugo 2, Woo Audio WA8 etc.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Another álbum that turns out great with Balanced


----------



## paulchiu

Anyone tried using a 256GB micro SD card with W1Z?
 Just got email notice from Amazon deals that a class 10 256GB card is $119 USD.
https://goo.gl/q5kixy


----------



## zardos

Happened at work, lost in thoughts about details. I had it in the frontside pocket from a very lightweight outdoor jacket. The zipper from the pocket was half open when I bend over to clean the toillet.... Lol, 24k gold walkman in the toilette. How stupid. Lol.

Thanks for the tips guys! I will try the rice bag procedure, meanwhile using the 1A.


----------



## ttt123

zardos said:


> Happened at work, lost in thoughts about details. I had it in the frontside pocket from a very lightweight outdoor jacket. The zipper from the pocket was half open when I bend over to clean the toillet.... Lol, 24k gold walkman in the toilette. How stupid. Lol.
> 
> Thanks for the tips guys! I will try the rice bag procedure, meanwhile using the 1A.


 
 Additionally, squeeze all the air out of the plastic bag before sealing.  A large freezer ziploc bag should do.


----------



## nc8000

paulchiu said:


> Anyone tried using a 256GB micro SD card with W1Z?
> Just got email notice from Amazon deals that a class 10 256GB card is $119 USD.
> [COLOR=444444]https://goo.gl/q5kixy[/COLOR]




Yep. Works fine with my Samsung card


----------



## phonomat

I dropped my Samsung (S5 at the time) into a steaming bathtub, and the rice trick worked perfectly fine. Left it in there for two days straight; after that it was as good as new with no data loss whatsoever. Gave me respect for the company. And the rice, lol.
Good luck!


----------



## zardos




----------



## ezekiel77

zardos said:


>


 
  
 Good luck, I tried the rice trick for a mobile phone that got wet in the rain. Also gave it the hairdryer treatment. Works but you feel like you wanna apologise to it later


----------



## kms108

phonomat said:


> I dropped my Samsung (S5 at the time) into a steaming bathtub, and the rice trick worked perfectly fine. Left it in there for two days straight; after that it was as good as new with no data loss whatsoever. Gave me respect for the company. And the rice, lol.
> Good luck!


 

 Isn't the S5 water resistant.


----------



## gerelmx1986

paulchiu said:


> Anyone tried using a 256GB micro SD card with W1Z?
> Just got email notice from Amazon deals that a class 10 256GB card is $119 USD.
> [COLOR=444444]https://goo.gl/q5kixy[/COLOR]


I use one with my WM1A


----------



## Whitigir

My advise to you who dropped his 1Z in the toilet: turn it around and sell it cheap while it still function as none of the related components are damaged. Do not operate it again and put it in the rice bag to take out the moisture. Then proceed on buying a new or used unit which has never been dropped or water leaked into it ?

This will serve the purposes as to scoop back some money, and assure that your next unit will be in a working condition for a long time. The people who buy your unit would be the folk that love to open it up and modify it, and at an in-disputable pricing, people will scoop it fast


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yesterday the balanced sounded so unimpressive with the xba-z5, today it is another story... Is just wow huge soundstage and all clearer


----------



## zardos

Atm I can see no good reason to sell it cheap. It worked flawlessly 10 hours after the accident, so it will most likely work long-lasting after the drying with rice. Nontheless I'll buy a second one. Wanted to do that anyway, since my music collection doesn't fit into one 1Z.


----------



## gerelmx1986

zardos said:


> Atm I can see no good reason to sell it cheap. It worked flawlessly 10 hours after the accident, so it will most likely work long-lasting after the drying with rice. Nontheless I'll buy a second one. Wanted to do that anyway, *since my music collection doesn't fit into one 1Z.*


why don't buy a microsd card of 256GB instead of two 1z? I have one and the WM1A, of course I won't fit 820GB worth of music in one go, but I can load like 360+GB of it and sufficient for a couple of months


----------



## zardos

I already have a 256GB card plugged into my 1Z. With 2 x 1Z@512GB I would have enough storage space for all my needs without the need to swap cards. I'm not that short of money and I think 1Z is the best hifi device I ever bought. So why not have two of them.^^


----------



## soundkist

zardos said:


> I already have a 256GB card plugged into my 1Z. With 2 x 1Z@512GB I would have enough store space for all my needs without the need to swap cards. I'm not that short of money and I think 1Z is the best hifi device I ever bought. So why not have two of them.^^


 
  
 LOL, to most people that is probably one of the crazier things they might read on the internet in a given day, but hey... if you got the money, rock on, brother.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yesterday I thought I would be that 1% who doesn't hear a difference between balanced and SE, bit as soon I got home and plugged my z7 I was woed, and today with z5 just crazy soundstage and details for just 15 hours Buen in


----------



## kms108

I agree with zardos, why have one when you can have two for double the cost.


----------



## ttt123

zardos said:


> I already have a 256GB card plugged into my 1Z. With 2 x 1Z@512GB I would have enough storage space for all my needs without the need to swap cards. I'm not that short of money and I think 1Z is the best hifi device I ever bought. So why not have two of them.^^


 
 Your're making a lot of people envious.  I can understand, though, even if I can't do the same.  If something gives you a lot of enjoyment, how do you put a price on it?  How much is too much?


----------



## gerelmx1986

ttt123 said:


> zardos said:
> 
> 
> > I already have a 256GB card plugged into my 1Z. With 2 x 1Z@512GB I would have enough storage space for all my needs without the need to swap cards. I'm not that short of money and I think 1Z is the best hifi device I ever bought. So why not have two of them.^^
> ...


 one way he can cram all his music library efficiently, convert all to mp3 128kbps haha


----------



## phonomat

kms108 said:


> Isn't the S5 water resistant.




Well, mine wasn't.  Gave me a black screen until I revived it. On second thought, it could've been the S6. I think that one wasn't waterproof, and my current S7 is again. Hm, I go through these things too quickly. Then again, who doesn't?


----------



## kms108

phonomat said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Isn't the S5 water resistant.
> ...


 

 My LG V20 got stolen today.


----------



## zardos

I still have the feeling 3k is a steel for such a good sounding device. I own hifi equipment much more expensive. For sure I'm an addict. No arguments here. 3k is much money. I have to work hard for it. On the other hand it is kind of peanuts compared to other gear I have.


----------



## Dillan

zardos said:


> I still have the feeling 3k is a steel for such a good sounding device. I own hifi equipment much more expensive. For sure I'm an addict. No arguments here. 3k is much money. I have to work hard for it. On the other hand it is kind of peanuts compared to other gear I have.




The WM1Z is the first audiophile device over $2000 that I would give a 5/5 to for value. Just an amazing sounding, feeling and looking device.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Also the WM1A deserves 5/5 on its value to performance ratio


----------



## gerelmx1986

This is what happens if you connect both SE and balanced at the same time 


Balance takes the #1 priority and no sound at all comes from SE


----------



## jamato8

paulchiu said:


> Anyone tried using a 256GB micro SD card with W1Z?
> Just got email notice from Amazon deals that a class 10 256GB card is $119 USD.
> [COLOR=444444]https://goo.gl/q5kixy[/COLOR]




I have a Samsung and a Sanddisk and they both work fine.


----------



## phonomat

kms108 said:


> My LG V20 got stolen today.




See? 

(I'm actually sorry for you, that sucks.)


----------



## Tawek

Hi guys, I have a chance to buy nw wm1z the version with a volume lock or is there any chance of unlocking the volume of the nw wm1z i had lpg, ak120 and nwz x1061 most like x1061 + se5ult amazing paring for this i decided to buy wm1z  I hope I will love nw wm1z thanks


----------



## nc8000

tawek said:


> Hi guys, I have a chance to buy nw wm1z the version with a volume lock or is there any chance of unlocking the volume of the nw wm1z i had lpg, ak120 and nwz x1061 most like x1061 + se5ult amazing paring for this i decided to buy wm1z  I hope I will love nw wm1z thanks




Yes you can easily remove the volume cap. Instructions are in this thread


----------



## jamato8

tawek said:


> Hi guys, I have a chance to buy nw wm1z the version with a volume lock or is there any chance of unlocking the volume of the nw wm1z i had lpg, ak120 and nwz x1061 most like x1061 + se5ult amazing paring for this i decided to buy wm1z  I hope I will love nw wm1z thanks




There have been a number of posts on unlocking the volume cap. From what I have read good success and no problems.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I heard a very very faint instrument that sounded kind like a hurdy - gurdy or a very quiet bagpipes, never heard that before


----------



## Whitigir

Keep on with the burn-in, it can only get better


----------



## audionewbi

I've passed the 2500 hour on the balance side. Time to start listening critically.
Easter long weekend came in the right moment


----------



## nc8000

audionewbi said:


> I've passed the 2500 hour on the balance side. Time to start listening critically.
> Easter long weekend came in the right moment




Wow that's virtually running it 24/7 since it came out. That's some dedication


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> I've passed the 2500 hour on the balance side. Time to start listening critically.
> Easter long weekend came in the right moment


2500?! Or you meant one zero less


----------



## pete338

Presently using a WM1a pairing with XBA z5..Wondering whether is worth upgrading to WM1Z pairing with the same iem..


----------



## gerelmx1986

pete338 said:


> Presently using a WM1a pairing with XBA z5..Wondering whether is worth upgrading to WM1Z pairing with the same iem..:rolleyes:


depends on your tastes of tuning, are you using SE or the balanced?


----------



## zardos

Depends what kind of sound sig you prefer. 1A a touch more upfront, fast, digital, 1Z more glossy, refined, analog. I'm totally in love with 1Z's sound sig. It is something special. Maybe not everybodys cup of tee, but many owners here seem to love the sound from 1Z.


----------



## pietcux

Joined the club today, got me an open box NW-WM1A from AMAZON. Still paid 1085€. It is EU volume capped. For Rock and Pop it is loud enough for my taste, but for Classical it is lacking a tad of volume. I will uncap it later this over Easter. Even in the capped status it drives all my cans very good. Even the HD650. But just not super loud.The Z1R runs balanced so does the Z7.
 This player is very large compared to the ZX1, much larger than I expected.


----------



## pietcux

zardos said:


> Depends what kind of sound sig you prefer. 1A a touch more upfront, fast, digital, 1Z more glossy, refined, analog. I'm totally in love with 1Z's sound sig. It is something special. Maybe not everybodys cup of tee, but many owners here seem to love the sound from 1Z.


 
 Not kidding, but I could not stand the golden color look of the 1Z, I prefer the stealthy black of the 1A. But maybe the 1Z warms the sound of the HD800 that you have just perfectly. My Z1r is on the warm side anyways already.


----------



## gerelmx1986

pietcux said:


> zardos said:
> 
> 
> > Depends what kind of sound sig you prefer. 1A a touch more upfront, fast, digital, 1Z more glossy, refined, analog. I'm totally in love with 1Z's sound sig. It is something special. Maybe not everybodys cup of tee, but many owners here seem to love the sound from 1Z.
> ...


so do z7 and z5 on the warm side and they benefit from the 1a signature, glad like the Z1R both z5 and z7 run balanced

I tried boss' sennheiser HD 201 And in Se (they are only Se) I struggled so I pushed to high gain and still thought these cans need more power


----------



## pietcux

gerelmx1986 said:


> so do z7 and z5 on the warm side and they benefit from the 1a signature, glad like the Z1R both z5 and z7 run balanced
> 
> I tried boss' sennheiser HD 201 And in Se (they are only Se) I struggled so I pushed to high gain and still thought these cans need more power



Maybe I am not too critical about the volume because I have a fantastic hearing capability even though i am in my mid fifties' already. They say that I can hear the grass growing.


----------



## TSAVJason

pietcux said:


> Joined the club today, got me an open box NW-WM1A from AMAZON. Still paid 1085€. It is EU volume capped. For Rock and Pop it is loud enough for my taste, but for Classical it is lacking a tad of volume. I will uncap it later this over Easter. Even in the capped status it drives all my cans very good. Even the HD650. But just not super loud.The Z1R runs balanced so does the Z7.
> This player is very large compared to the ZX1, much larger than I expected.


 

Ouch that is more than the US price for a new unopened piece. Unfortunately as US dealers, we can't sell out of the US territory or risk losing our Sony dealer authorization and the buyer loses the factory warranty.


----------



## audionewbi

nc8000 said:


> Wow that's virtually running it 24/7 since it came out. That's some dedication


Yep, I am as crazy as it gets.


----------



## audionewbi

gerelmx1986 said:


> 2500?! Or you meant one zero less



No, no zero, the exact figure is higher.


----------



## Dillan

gerelmx1986 said:


> Also the WM1A deserves 5/5 on its value to performance ratio




Never used it, but I would definitely believe that you are right! I'm sure it's an amazing value as well. (Hard to imagine since both are quite pricey)



gerelmx1986 said:


> This is what happens if you connect both SE and balanced at the same time
> 
> Balance takes the #1 priority and no sound at all comes from SE




I have been wondering this, but I didn't want to test it because for some reason I was afraid I'd short something out or cause a weird software bug lol I'm too careful and get freaked out about things with my audio stuff.


----------



## Dillan

audionewbi said:


> No, no zero, the exact figure is higher.




Gosh lol that seems a little excessive.. were you "burning in" to hope to hear a difference in the cables, the dap or both? Was it just running nonstop to the side and you weren't even enjoying it this whole time because you wanted to "burn it in"?


----------



## Mimouille

tsavjason said:


> Ouch that is more than the US price for a new unopened piece. Unfortunately as US dealers, we can't sell out of the US territory or risk losing our Sony dealer authorization and the buyer loses the factory warranty.


 
 Yes, so different regions have different regions have different prices, based on custom duties, etc. And you cannot do anything for him as he needs a European reseller. So what is the point of your post besides making him feel bad for the price he paid? I mean besides commenting on every post where someone does not source from the source.


----------



## TSAVJason

mimouille said:


> Yes, so different regions have different regions have different prices, based on custom duties, etc. And you cannot do anything for him as he needs a European reseller. So what is the point of your post besides making him feel bad for the price he paid? I mean besides commenting on every post where someone does not source from the source.


 I was told by a Sony rep that your price would be very close to our price here. Your post was quite a surprise to me. I by no means meant to cause any bad feelings about your purchase. For that, please accept my sincere and deepest apologies. Good news is you can bypass the cap. 

FYI, we are not allowed to ship outside of the US and we don't violate that rule under any circumstances.


----------



## Dillan

mimouille said:


> Yes, so different regions have different regions have different prices, based on custom duties, etc. And you cannot do anything for him as he needs a European reseller. So what is the point of your post besides making him feel bad for the price he paid? I mean besides commenting on every post where someone does not source from the source.




Yea salt in the wound imo.. +1 to the end of your comment as well.


----------



## Mimouille

tsavjason said:


> I was told by a Sony rep that your price would be very close to our price here. Your post was quite a surprise to me. I by no means meant to cause any bad feelings about your purchase. For that, please accept my sincere and deepest apologies. Good news is you can bypass the cap.
> 
> FYI, we are not allowed to ship outside of the US and we don't violate that rule under any circumstances.


 
 Thank you for clarifying.


----------



## Sleepow

Hi,
I have a couple of questions:
I tried the 1z in a shop in Tokyo and could not figure out if there is a way to change the langage; does anyone has an idea if it is possible, and if so, how?
Is the Japanese version capped?
Cheers!


----------



## audionewbi

dillan said:


> Gosh lol that seems a little excessive.. were you "burning in" to hope to hear a difference in the cables, the dap or both? Was it just running nonstop to the side and you weren't even enjoying it this whole time because you wanted to "burn it in"?


A bit of everything. I had a lot of new dynamic drivers and new 4.4 mm cables as a result WM1A became my main burin in unit. I sort of had it plugged in and forgot about it at times.
It run nonstop, after all those hours never heated up.


----------



## nanaholic

sleepow said:


> Hi,
> I have a couple of questions:
> I tried the 1z in a shop in Tokyo and could not figure out if there is a way to change the langage; does anyone has an idea if it is possible, and if so, how?
> Is the Japanese version capped?
> Cheers!


 
  
 The local Japanese version has no language options - it's fixed to Japanese only. There's no volume cap for the Japanese version either. 
  
 Also the accessories in the box are different - Japanese 1Z doesn't come with the leather flip case, but instead comes with dust caps for the headphone jacks.


----------



## Sleepow

nanaholic said:


> The local Japanese version has no language options - it's fixed to Japanese only. There's no volume cap for the Japanese version either.
> 
> Also the accessories in the box are different - Japanese 1Z doesn't come with the leather flip case, but instead comes with dust caps for the headphone jacks.




Thank you for your reply.
I guess that makes it a no go for me.
I can painfully decipher Japanese, but I do not want to bother...


----------



## nanaholic

sleepow said:


> Thank you for your reply.
> I guess that makes it a no go for me.
> I can painfully decipher Japanese, but I do not want to bother...


 
  
 Supposedly there is the International version for tourists which has the language options, but not sure where you can get those except the Sony Store.


----------



## blazinblazin

audionewbi said:


> A bit of everything. I had a lot of new dynamic drivers and new 4.4 mm cables as a result WM1A became my main burin in unit. I sort of had it plugged in and forgot about it at times.
> It run nonstop, after all those hours never heated up.




Most of the time i do that too, whenever i got a new headphones or cable.
It has such good battery life that it's convenient.

New cables can sound too sharp to listen to.


----------



## Toolman

I think you will have to purchase an "export set" to get English language option.

There are incredible amount of aftermarket case option available in almost any electronic shops maybe that's the reason why the flip case was excluded


----------



## Gibraltar

nanaholic said:


> Supposedly there is the International version for tourists which has the language options, but not sure where you can get those except the Sony Store.




The tourist version is available at Yodobashi Camera in Akihabara. There is a section of the shop containing only tourist models, just ask a staff person where to go. They also offer tab free and an additional discount for using a foreign credit card.

Alternatively you can buy the Japanese model and use the hack mentioned in this thread to add multi language capability.


----------



## Toolman

nanaholic said:


> Supposedly there is the International version for tourists which has the language options, but not sure where you can get those except the Sony Store.




Should be able to get them from Bic or Yodobashi


----------



## pietcux

tsavjason said:


> Ouch that is more than the US price for a new unopened piece. Unfortunately as US dealers, we can't sell out of the US territory or risk losing our Sony dealer authorization and the buyer loses the factory warranty.



Please note that the price includes 19% VAT. So the net price should be comparable.


----------



## Sleepow

toolman said:


> Should be able to get them from Bic or Yodobashi




Thanks.
This international version would no be volume capped, right?


----------



## Toolman

sleepow said:


> toolman said:
> 
> 
> > Should be able to get them from Bic or Yodobashi
> ...


 

 Nope...those are only for European (EU) market. Are you a resident in Japan? because Sony's gears can often be had at much cheaper prices _outside_ of Japan


----------



## Sleepow

toolman said:


> Nope...those are only for European (EU) market. Are you a resident in Japan? because Sony's gears can often be had at much cheaper prices _outside_ of Japan




Yes, I am resident in Japan


----------



## proedros

waiting for amazon to sell some refurbished WM-1A for 700 euros

 now that seems like a steal


----------



## Bina

proedros said:


> waiting for amazon to sell some refurbished WM-1A for 700 euros
> 
> 
> now that seems like a steal




That happens sometimes? Because I would jump for that immediately


----------



## proedros

bina said:


> That happens sometimes? Because I would jump for that immediately


 
  
 there were some for sale at* 620 pounds* , maybe less (i don't remember exactly if they were 600- pounds)


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> there were some for sale at *620 pounds* , maybe less (i don't remember exactly if they were 600- pounds)




£680 is the lowest I've seen


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> £680 is the lowest I've seen


 
  
 i remember the 680 but it was even lower previously , 620-650
  
 maybe they shall emerge again at such pricing


----------



## strojo

Received my brand new WM1A (official US version) from TSAVJason yesterday.  Burning that bad boy in now.
  
 Now I just have to decide on a slip case for it...not interested in that flapper case I've seen poking around.


----------



## Sleepow

I have a probably stupid question.
Assuming one believes in burn in, what should be done except listening to the device? After a while it will also have 100s of hours. Or should burn in be continuous?


----------



## kms108

sleepow said:


> I have a probably stupid question.
> Assuming one believes in burn in, what should be done except listening to the device? After a while it will also have 100s of hours. Or should burn in be continuous?


 

 My personal opinion is to use it normally and let it burn slowly, force burning continuously can wear out the battery. You will get to the stage when the capacitors will mature.


----------



## kms108

gibraltar said:


> nanaholic said:
> 
> 
> > Supposedly there is the International version for tourists which has the language options, but not sure where you can get those except the Sony Store.
> ...


 

 I prefer BIC camera or there sister company, apart from the regular tax free, BIC camera allow download from their facebook a extra 7% discount coupon, and previously you can use the tokyo metro 1-3 day pass for 6-7% discount on top of the tax free, I hope they still have this on, can someone confirm this, I used this to get my ZX 2.


----------



## Dillan

kms108 said:


> My personal opinion is to use it normally and let it burn slowly, force burning continuously can wear out the battery. You will get to the stage when the capacitors will mature.




Yep, even if you believe in burn in my advice has always been just use it normal and experience any sound changes first hand. Part of the journey of the product.


----------



## nc8000

dillan said:


> Yep, even if you believe in burn in my advice has always been just use it normal and experience any sound changes first hand. Part of the journey of the product.




I usually leave things on loop during the day and listen some hours every evening and rest during the night


----------



## musicday

There are couple of 1Z units new at a lower price on eBay Uk if anyone is interested.


----------



## hung031086

And a mint 1a with over 1000hours is selling if you look at my signature haha.


----------



## gerelmx1986

dillan said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > My personal opinion is to use it normally and let it burn slowly, force burning continuously can wear out the battery. You will get to the stage when the capacitors will mature.
> ...


 

 ​i am using it thru the change stage, when i cannot like being at the German courses i let it at home playing alone


----------



## gerelmx1986

pietcux said:


> tsavjason said:
> 
> 
> > Ouch that is more than the US price for a new unopened piece. Unfortunately as US dealers, we can't sell out of the US territory or risk losing our Sony dealer authorization and the buyer loses the factory warranty.
> ...


 

 ​sony mexico sells it for $20K mexican pesos about $1100 US Dollar (Price show withouth VAT) vat is usually 16%, with that the final mexican Price would be $1400 pesos less expensive tan what i got it with AJ


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> sleepow said:
> 
> 
> > Thank you for your reply.
> ...


 

 He can also hack it with the rockbox toolkit


----------



## pete338

gerelmx1986 said:


> depends on your tastes of tuning, are you using SE or the balanced?


 
 On balanced...


----------



## gerelmx1986

pete338 said:


> On balanced...


 
 at first I was not that impressed by BAL the first few hours but now clocking nearly 30 it starting to grow on me, give it some tine to burn-in properly


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

There are different capacitors for standard and balanced? I didnt know that. 
I don't like the sound coming out from balanced now as it sound tinny with no bass.


----------



## nanaholic

Did a bit of late night hacking: re-terminated my T1s with a 4 pin XLR, then cut off the 2.5mm jack of my Brise Audio balanced adapter and put a XLR jack on it. Sounds pretty dman good!


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiobreeder said:


> There are different capacitors for standard and balanced? I didnt know that.
> I don't like the sound coming out from balanced now as it sound tinny with no bass.


 
 Yup Polymer FT capacitors.. LOL why my balanced cables look hideous? I thank  @Whitigir for the effort and quality components used..


----------



## TSAVJason

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​sony mexico sells it for $20K mexican pesos about $1100 US Dollar (Price show withouth VAT) vat is usually 16%, with that the final mexican Price would be $1400 pesos less expensive tan what i got it with AJ


 I think Sony really needs to get their pricing more fair globally. It is crazy these differences from territory to territory


----------



## soundkist

audiobreeder said:


> There are different capacitors for standard and balanced? I didnt know that.
> I don't like the sound coming out from balanced now as it sound tinny with no bass.


 
  
 +1 the decrease in bass on balanced; not sure tinny would be my word of choice, but definitely less depth and impact ("slam"?).  FWIW, over 400 hours burn-in on balanced...


----------



## musicday

tsavjason said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > ​sony mexico sells it for $20K mexican pesos about $1100 US Dollar (Price show withouth VAT) vat is usually 16%, with that the final mexican Price would be $1400 pesos less expensive tan what i got it with AJ
> ...



We need lower prices for 1Z in UK also.


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

What are the quality components.





gerelmx1986 said:


> Yup Polymer FT capacitors.. LOL why my balanced cables look hideous? I thank  @Whitigir
> for the effort and quality components used..


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiobreeder said:


> What are the quality components.


 
 The 4.4mm Jack is Pentaconn Brand i think they are the sony manufacturer for the 4.4.. feels so robust, the 3.5mm sockets feel so tight so i left the dual jacks permanently connected LOL.
  
 One thing i noted not sure for other 4.4mm jacks or WM1A/Zs the 4.4mm socket on the WM1A is damn tight, so tight that i have a hard time removing headphones 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I am not sure for cables materials, they look pure silver or copper w/silver plating.
  
 and if you read whitigir's posts he alwaus uses quality cablings and components for his DIY projects


----------



## Sound Eq

soundkist said:


> +1 the decrease in bass on balanced; not sure tinny would be my word of choice, but definitely less depth and impact ("slam"?).  FWIW, over 400 hours burn-in on balanced...


 
 can i ask someone to clarify this for me so listening on balanced means less bass
  
 that is not what i was looking for


----------



## gerelmx1986

sound eq said:


> soundkist said:
> 
> 
> > +1 the decrease in bass on balanced; not sure tinny would be my word of choice, but definitely less depth and impact ("slam"?).  FWIW, over 400 hours burn-in on balanced...
> ...


 

 mine also decrease in bass slam right now, need to confirm with more burn


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

You're right maybe not tinny. I couldn't get the right words.
But I'm not wowed by balanced right now. I pair it with EX800st and it's definitely not a bass less iem. 
Maybe needs more burn in.


soundkist said:


> +1 the decrease in bass on balanced; not sure tinny would be my word of choice, but definitely less depth and impact ("slam"?).  FWIW, over 400 hours burn-in on balanced...


----------



## Sound Eq

gerelmx1986 said:


> mine also decrease in bass slam right now, need to confirm with more burn


 
  


gerelmx1986 said:


> mine also decrease in bass slam right now, need to confirm with more burn


 
 is that on both wm1z and wm1a


----------



## TSAVJason

musicday said:


> We need lower prices for 1Z in UK also.


 I'm sure there would always be slight variables based on taxation but Sony has had crazy differences in different territory policies. Too many chiefs not enough Indians i imagine. In the US we are not allowed to discount these products or we risk being terminated as dealers. No other country has this restriction. In the U.K. a dealer can't be told what price to sell at


----------



## Sound Eq

tsavjason said:


> I'm sure there would always be slight variables based on taxation but Sony has had crazy differences in different territory policies. Too many chiefs not enough Indians i imagine. In the US we are not allowed to discount these products or we risk being terminated as dealers. No other country has this restriction. In the U.K. a dealer can't be told what price to sell at


 
 at least you are trying your best to do what you can, but being a dealer do you not have previliges to discuss things like that with sony


----------



## AUDIOBREEDER

maybe I need a tighter connection Since I'm not liking the sound of balanced.





gerelmx1986 said:


> The 4.4mm Jack is Pentaconn Brand i think they are the sony manufacturer for the 4.4.. feels so robust, the 3.5mm sockets feel so tight so i left the dual jacks permanently connected LOL.
> 
> One thing i noted not sure for other 4.4mm jacks or WM1A/Zs the 4.4mm socket on the WM1A is damn tight, so tight that i have a hard time removing headphones
> 
> ...


----------



## TSAVJason

sound eq said:


> at least you are trying your best to do what you can, but being a dealer do you not have previliges to discuss things like that with sony


 It falls on deaf ears mostly. Sony is just too massive to get things like this organized more fairly. Believe me, I've attacked that bear and each time the bear either fully slept or bit me in the ass.


----------



## gerelmx1986

audiobreeder said:


> maybe I need a tighter connection Since I'm not liking the sound of balanced.


 
 If I spray-Paint the cables will it affect SQ? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




​ haha more bass perhaps if i spray-Paint them


----------



## Sound Eq

tsavjason said:


> It falls on deaf ears mostly. Sony is just too massive to get things like this organized more fairly. Believe me, I've attacked that bear and each time the bear either fully slept or bit me in the ass.


 
 oh man that sucks, i hope they have no eyes on your posts here as that I assume can get u in trouble saying thins
  
 all hails to you for saying this


----------



## TSAVJason

sound eq said:


> oh man that sucks, i hope they have no eyes on your posts here as that I assume can get u in trouble saying thins
> 
> all hails to you for saying this


 Sony watches this thread and others. They've seen my posts of concern with the disparities being commented on. The Sony UK president doesn't like me much and frankly I don't care. US and Japan do listen but like I said Sony is too large to get all their entities on one page as one team making it better for all the consumers around the world.


----------



## Dillan

gerelmx1986 said:


> If I spray-Paint the cables will it affect SQ?  ​ haha more bass perhaps if i spray-Paint them :tongue_smile:




You're probably joking but lots of people who buy gear this expensive believe in some of the most outlandish crazy things like that. In the ak380 thread I got banned for making fun of everyone who jumped on board the idea that it sounded way better without the leather case on. I felt like I was going to go nuts reading that type of stuff. I see it all the time too, even in this thread.


----------



## musicday

tsavjason said:


> sound eq said:
> 
> 
> > oh man that sucks, i hope they have no eyes on your posts here as that I assume can get u in trouble saying thins
> ...



Thank you for writing this,very genuine.
Hopefully in the future you can ship to UK,you will have few extra customers.


----------



## TSAVJason

musicday said:


> Thank you for writing this,very genuine.
> Hopefully in the future you can ship to UK,you will have few extra customers.


 No! I thank you for recognizing that I do care about these disparities and how people are treated.


----------



## gerelmx1986

dillan said:


> You're probably joking but lots of people who buy gear this expensive believe in some of the most outlandish crazy things like that. In the ak380 thread I got banned for making fun of everyone who jumped on board the idea that it sounded way better without the leather case on. I felt like I was going to go nuts reading that type of stuff. I see it all the time too, even in this thread.


 
 Yes i was joking making fun of these outlandish stuff we see here often


----------



## RobertP

My xba-3 had oem cable with SE plug. Burn in for 300hrs and the bass is nice and loud.
With 25 awg cable 5 feet long on balanced side, I got a more bass and sub bass. This is 50 hrs burn in. Overall SQ on low gain, I feel like it's a little bit veiled but still better micro details and echoes when compared with SE. On high gain, SQ is much better. Nice and airy, good depth of dimension and even deeper sub bass. But everything seem bit too analytical and bright for me.
With 26 awg and a shorter 4 feet cable, the bass is noticeable less but tighter. I feel more weigh and texture form guitar strings and drums. Sub bass is better than SE side. Everything seem natural and open. No need to enable high gain at all. Ideal for classical musics listening.
Choose the right cable for your DAP. Cables do make a difference.

Maybe I should shorten 25 awg cable to 3.5 feet and test SQ again.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I formatted the walkman internal memory and it deleted some files like the devicon and capabilites or so and media go does recognize it as walkman but no model is hsow and no image
  
 it was formatted using the DAP itself


----------



## tangents

gerelmx1986 said:


> I formatted the walkman internal memory and it deleted some files like the devicon and capabilites or so and media go does recognize it as walkman but no model is hsow and no image
> 
> it was formatted using the DAP itself


----------



## blazinblazin

I had tonnes of bass on Balanced. It's good quality bass. 

When i switched to a 8 braided copper the bass is too much for me and too much echos. Like i am in a very small room.


----------



## Dillan

gerelmx1986 said:


> I formatted the walkman internal memory and it deleted some files like the devicon and capabilites or so and media go does recognize it as walkman but no model is hsow and no image
> 
> it was formatted using the DAP itself




What on Earth


----------



## gerelmx1986

wonder if mediaGo will update my walkman or not anymore... damn


----------



## gerelmx1986

Can a kind soul who owns the WM1A pass me these files?

DevIcon.fil
default-capability.xml
DevLogo.fil
 Thanks


----------



## tangents

gerelmx1986 said:


> Can a kind soul who owns the WM1A pass me these files?
> 
> DevIcon.fil
> default-capability.xml
> ...


 
  
 PM'd you the files


----------



## gerelmx1986

tangents said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Can a kind soul who owns the WM1A pass me these files?
> ...


 

 ​Thank you 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Must be a bug from the OS, my previous walkmen A818, X1060, A17 and ZX100 always recreated these files when you selected format system storage


----------



## Sleepow

That is probably a long shot, but can the 1Z but used as a DAC/Amp with the ZX2 as a transport?
That would be for streaming.


----------



## gerelmx1986

sleepow said:


> That is probably a long shot, but can the 1Z but used as a DAC/Amp with the ZX2 as a transport?
> That would be for streaming.


 

 Nope they don't USB audio IN, only USB audio OUT


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have loaded 1, 186 Albums in the 114.15 of the internal memory  and the 238GB of the microSD  (19, 850 songs) the database building took:12  minutes a mix of 24 and 16 bit FLACs ranging from 44.1 to 192Khz


----------



## Toolman

tsavjason said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > ​sony mexico sells it for $20K mexican pesos about $1100 US Dollar (Price show withouth VAT) vat is usually 16%, with that the final mexican Price would be $1400 pesos less expensive tan what i got it with AJ
> ...




Yup Sony does practice regional pricing structure...but to my advantage  can't complain as I'm getting my 1Z for snipped (edit: _way lower than in N.A and Europe, tax and all_ )


----------



## Toolman

tsavjason said:


> sound eq said:
> 
> 
> > at least you are trying your best to do what you can, but being a dealer do you not have previliges to discuss things like that with sony
> ...




There are more than one way to slay the bear...just sayin'


----------



## TSAVJason

toolman said:


> There are more than one way to slay the bear...just sayin'


 

Hahaha! Your turn then. I've had my share of bear ....I love their products. I love selling their products. But that bear is stubborn as hell!


----------



## Sarnia

tsavjason said:


> Hahaha! Your turn then. I've had my share of bear ....I love their products. I love selling their products. But that bear is stubborn as hell!


Sony are notorious for being stubborn to a ridiculous degree. 

It's the same with their cameras. There have been features or functions which users and reviews have consistently called for. Sony have ignored it because a designer doesn't feel it's necessary. 

A good example is the RX100, which would be far more usable with a touch screen. The lack of one is the only reason I don't own the latest version, as the previous models I've owned were a pain to use. 

They lose a lot of business through their stubbornness, pretty stupid.


----------



## Whitigir

To a degree ? It almost cost them the brand itself .....LOL. I am quiet surprised that they can still produce some worthy high-end such as the signature series


----------



## Toolman

You can just switch out the name and say the same about Apple


----------



## musicday

Maybe if there will be a new high end model revield next month from Astell and Kern theb we will see a price drop on Sony walkmans lol.
I know many are searching for best of the best of the best.
Or even Hugo2 will rule it out and many will switch if they don't mind to carry a stack.
So Shanling M2s+ Hugo2+ Aeon may be a perfect combination even for traveling or walking around.


----------



## Whitigir

Portable digital player can only do so much, and IMO, the wm1Z is sitting at the very Summit of it. Regardless of how personally preferences get involved. The facts :

1/ battery that last 12+ hours in high resolution files and balanced connection
2/ 0 noises, and super silent background
3/ can power full size headphones without amp
4/ analog line out has 0 noises 
5/ Distortion and. Micro distortion is so minimized that it seems not existed....and this is already too excellent for a portable

Now, the overall sound performances can be up to debate, but IMO, the Wm1z is awesome.

The only thing to do better is to go bigger and larger. That would be desktop amp. For example, Wm1z into Utopia Balanced is already 80% or so the performances in comparison to TAZH1ES+Utopia+ Wm1z as a source and a good dedicated dock + USB cable. When I thought TA+Utopia was it, I checked out Stax 009 + Carbon, and you know what ? It is the top tier (not much more performances gains away from Utopia and TA, but it is better), and possibly only be under the new orpheous. But wait. A minute and look. TA+Utopia is already 6-7K....Stax 009 + Carbon is easily 8-9k add in a good DAC = 9-10k or more possibly .....unless u want to go new orpheous which is $45k ? Lol. ...every step away from TA-ZH1Es +Utopia cost almost 2x as much for....minor gain in comparison to the money spent ratio...

Yes, totally, IMO, DAP can only evolve so much, and the form factor is what limited it. Wm1z is already up the top of the hill, yes ak380 may sound better, but it won't out run Wm1z battery.....So. My opinion


----------



## Bina

I read always about completely silent background of WM1Z, can anyone tell me, if WM1A is also as silent? I love my ZX2, but with some of my more sensitive IEMs, it has too loud hiss and even some other background noises. So thinking about upgrading to WM1A.


----------



## Sarnia

bina said:


> I read always about completely silent background of WM1Z, can anyone tell me, if WM1A is also as silent? I love my ZX2, but with some of my more sensitive IEMs, it has too loud hiss and even some other background noises. So thinking about upgrading to WM1A.


 Yes it is.


----------



## blazinblazin

Actually Sony is opening up their ears to listen. If not there will not be Signature series... still the old SONY.

Their Playstation have been listening to the audience.


----------



## kms108

blazinblazin said:


> Actually Sony is opening up their ears to listen. If not there will not be Signature series... still the old SONY.
> 
> Their Playstation have been listening to the audience.


 

 Sony has been in a loss for many years since the portable market died when they were leaders back in the old days, i'm glade the DAP is doing well for them.


----------



## audionewbi

I will not be supporting AK till they drop that silly 2.5mm connector. I have to admit KANN looks interesting, I dont mind the design as I own bulky DAP but I just dont get why still keep that 2.5mm connector when you obviously arent trying to reduce thickness.


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> I will not be supporting AK till they drop that silly 2.5mm connector. I have to admit KANN looks interesting, I dont mind the design as I own bulky DAP but I just dont get why still keep that 2.5mm connector when you obviously arent trying to reduce thickness.




Because it is their signature moves ...honestly, the 2.5mm is a Biach to work on


----------



## proedros

sony has a winner in their hands with the double dragon combo of wm1a/wm1z

 nice to see them back on top


----------



## Mimouille

Just received the 4.4mm plug for the Dita Awesome cable. Looks good


----------



## Shmuel

Mimouille,

Where did you get the right angle plug?

Thanks.


----------



## Mimouille

This plug is only for the Dita Awesome Plug. You can get it from any Dita reseller. I got it from one of their official resellers on taobao in China.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I noted the famoust Clicking of the relays but not often, I tought my WM1A was defected, but i found quickly the pattern that triggers the relays Is when you switch clocks
  

​from 44.1 to 88.2 there is no click, from 192 to 96 no click even if you switch from 16 to 24-bit and visceversa must be at the same multiplier of the clock frequency (your files simple rate)
from 44.1 to 96 it clicks from 192 to 44.1 it clicks
  
 and it does not bother me at all is kind like a very sodt clicking, yet audible . Nothing like the dreaded fiio x3 LOUD CLICK that was loud even you could hear it with no headphones in your head


----------



## gerelmx1986

tangents said:


>


 
 copied the files back to my 1A and all is back to normal with media Go.
  
 However i have noted when you transfer with media Go there is a content-meter displaying how much content of music/videos/potos and there is one called "Other files" i wonder where is that located because in my microSD the other files is 1.95GB and wat to get rid of it to fit a couple of albums more
  
 i am analysing wether to keep or ditch media Go and only use drag and drop


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> I will not be supporting AK till they drop that silly 2.5mm connector. I have to admit KANN looks interesting, I dont mind the design as I own bulky DAP but I just dont get why still keep that 2.5mm connector when you obviously arent trying to reduce thickness.


 

 ​The KANN looks interesting with the full size SD slot, but it has that Pono shape... no thanks


----------



## kms108

There is always a battle between DAP, the AK is ugly if compared to the WM1A/1Z


----------



## soundkist

For those of you who have had the pleasure of auditioning several IEMs/headphones with either of these wonderful players, I'm curious to know if you are finding any commonalities among the ones you find to pair best with them?  E.g., sound signature, impedance, etc... thanks!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will try to locate crafty clown's post of unlocking the walkman volumen limit and will copy it to the walkman tips and tric thread


----------



## hung031086

Anyone here has effect aufio leonidas ? I just wonder that is it worth to upgrade from ea thor silver ii to that cable or not ? I'm using u12 and vega with my 1A right now.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Moved the european volumen hack topic to here
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/759006/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks/60#post_13424544


----------



## Dillan

whitigir said:


> Portable digital player can only do so much, and IMO, the wm1Z is sitting at the very Summit of it. Regardless of how personally preferences get involved. The facts :
> 
> 1/ battery that last 12+ hours in high resolution files and balanced connection
> 2/ 0 noises, and super silent background
> ...




Good post and pretty much have agree with everything you said.


----------



## Dillan

soundkist said:


> For those of you who have had the pleasure of auditioning several IEMs/headphones with either of these wonderful players, I'm curious to know if you are finding any commonalities among the ones you find to pair best with them?  E.g., sound signature, impedance, etc... thanks!




Just a personal preference but I prefer slightly brighter and more transparent headphones/IEMs with my 1Z. Grado headphones and hd800S for instance. Doesn't sound bad with my warmer headphones but I prefer the clearer more transparent and brighter stuff with the 1Z.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Whitigir is correct Balanced is way waaay better than SE, glad i didn't go TRRS SE and opted for full TRRRS, the "bass issue" is not for me an issue, i do like bass  but not that strong basshead bass. To my ears, the bass of the Blanaced in WM1A is Top notch, is Quality Bass (not quantity) is like the Bass i got from the Oppo HA-2 amplifier (Bass+ set to off)


----------



## pietcux

scsitool-nwz-v6.exe J: dest_tool set E2 off


----------



## musicday

pietcux said:


> scsitool-nwz-v6.exe J: dest_tool set E2 off



Congratulations,did it take you long to do it?


----------



## pietcux

musicday said:


> Congratulations,did it take you long to do it?



If you read the instruction carefully, it takes ten minutes including downloading the tool. If you don't read carefully up to 1 hour trial and error.
So it took me an hour.....


----------



## robit

Does anyone have any issues with missing cover art? I have all the art embedded in the song file and for the majority of my music it's fine. But there are 4-5 albums where it won't display the cover art for some reason.  Is there a size specification that's required? I can't tell because for the songs that do show the cover art, the sizes vary so it's not a consistent size.  And they are all in jpeg.  Does anyone know anything about this?


----------



## nc8000

robit said:


> Does anyone have any issues with missing cover art? I have all the art embedded in the song file and for the majority of my music it's fine. But there are 4-5 albums where it won't display the cover art for some reason.  Is there a size specification that's required? I can't tell because for the songs that do show the cover art, the sizes vary so it's not a consistent size.  And they are all in jpeg.  Does anyone know anything about this?




Probably the art files are progressive jpg which is not supported so you need to extract, convert and reembed


----------



## TSAVJason

robit said:


> Does anyone have any issues with missing cover art? I have all the art embedded in the song file and for the majority of my music it's fine. But there are 4-5 albums where it won't display the cover art for some reason.  Is there a size specification that's required? I can't tell because for the songs that do show the cover art, the sizes vary so it's not a consistent size.  And they are all in jpeg.  Does anyone know anything about this?


 I've seen it happen on mine but it eventually caught up and displayed the cover art


----------



## RobertP

Interesting! I'm on balanced cable with high gain disabled. When l enable just "Stereo Mini Jack" under high gain output, I'm getting more bass and warmer sound.

plusSound vs Pentaconn 4.4mm trrrs plug.

plusSound is much smaller in length and width


----------



## gerelmx1986

robertp said:


> Interesting! I'm on balanced cable with high gain disabled. When l enable just "Stereo Mini Jack" under high gain output, I'm getting more bass and warmer sound.
> 
> plusSound vs Pentaconn 4.4mm trrrs plug.
> 
> plusSound is much smaller in length and width


 
 I am using the Pentaconn one, and Nope there is no effect in the checking unchecking of high gain for stereo mini jack on the bass, and that i am playing a warm German Harpsichord recording 24/88.2


----------



## RobertP

Only when on low gain. High gain has no effect I think.


----------



## RobertP

Maybe this works with low or normal gain IEM only? Idk


----------



## gerelmx1986

robertp said:


> Maybe this works with low or normal gain IEM only? Idk


 

 ​I tried with the MDR-Z7 which are "easy to drive" cans 64-0hm switched and found no diff. just a volumen boost which is nice for quiet recordings .
  
 maybe try the EQ or the tone control?
  
 Did you found the PlusSound plug to be as nice as the pentaconn? also fits tight in the socket of WM1A? haha i must apply muscles to remove my headphones from balanced


----------



## blazinblazin

hung031086 said:


> Anyone here has effect aufio leonidas ? I just wonder that is it worth to upgrade from ea thor silver ii to that cable or not ? I'm using u12 and vega with my 1A right now.




I don't have Thor Silver II, U12 or Vega.

From my memory i had tested Thor Silver II+, but in the end choosen the Leonidas due to the larger space feel. And a more surrounding ambience.


----------



## robit

nc8000 said:


> Probably the art files are progressive jpg which is not supported so you need to extract, convert and reembed


 
 Ah yes, that did the trick. I opened the cover art in an image editor and re-saved it. That seem to have changed it from progressive jpg to baseline jpg. As a bonus, I got to learn a little about the compression technique along the way.  Good stuff. Thanks for the help, mate!


----------



## Gosod

I see this player is very popular, but I don't like him anyway.


----------



## nc8000

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]I see this player is very popular, but I don't like him anyway.[/COLOR]




That's OK. Could you tell a bit about why you don't like them ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Gosod what you don't like about these players? sound?, price? thickness?


----------



## Whitigir

If I remembered correctly, he compared the Walkman to TA-zH1Es and thought the Ta-zH1Es sounded better ..... Duh!


----------



## proedros

sony *wm1a* for *852 euros* , *amazon spain / warehouse deals*
  
https://www.amazon.es/gp/offer-listing/B01LHGLG3A/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1492267555&sr=8-1&keywords=sony+wm1a&condition=used


----------



## Sound Eq

proedros said:


> sony *wm1a* for *852 euros* , *amazon spain / warehouse deals*
> 
> https://www.amazon.es/gp/offer-listing/B01LHGLG3A/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1492267555&sr=8-1&keywords=sony+wm1a&condition=used


 
 is that the capped version, 
  
 is that the lowest price seen so far ?


----------



## Gosod

nc8000 said:


> That's OK. Could you tell a bit about why you don't like them ?


 
  


gerelmx1986 said:


> @Gosod what you don't like about these players? sound?, price? thickness?


 
  


whitigir said:


> If I remembered correctly, he compared the Walkman to TA-zH1Es and thought the Ta-zH1Es sounded better ..... D


 
Idon't like the price,sound.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gosod said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> Idon't like the price,sound.


 
 did you test an unburned unit from a store (perhaps not so plausible as many people may use it or kept it playing)? which one did you test the A or Z?


----------



## gerelmx1986

sound eq said:


> proedros said:
> 
> 
> > sony *wm1a* for *852 euros* , *amazon spain / warehouse deals*
> ...


 
 xapped yes but you can hack it


----------



## Sound Eq

gerelmx1986 said:


> xapped yes but you can hack it


 
 Well they do not ship to where I live bummer


----------



## Gosod

gerelmx1986 said:


> did you test an unburned unit from a store (perhaps not so plausible as many people may use it or kept it playing)? which one did you test the A or Z?


 
  


sound eq said:


> Well they do not ship to where I live bummer


 
while I stopped at the A25 is almost the same as the A35.


----------



## nc8000

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]while I stopped at the A25 is almost the same as the A35.[/COLOR]




So in other words you have not even experienced any of these players this thread is about ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I was chatting with one of my Friends from my Class-of-2011 he did also work together with me at Accenture, he records for his  rock band and he saw potos in my FB about my walkman and he didn't believe me walkman still existed and that they played FLAC lol.
  
 he asked me what was that BALANCED display notification and i told him it plays balanced audio and he asked me where i got it lol and if i was willing to sell it... no way LOL


----------



## zardos

Life is much easier when you don't like what you can't afford. That's why I don't like Ferrari^^

My 1Z is dried now. Next hurdle would be to overcome the feeling it sounds ****ty now. Of course it's only a brain thing, but how to overcome it? Yoga perhaps?^^


----------



## Gosod

nc8000 said:


> So in other words you have not even experienced any of these players this thread is about ?


 
I listened to all of the player more accurately compare, I listened to this player using a normal wahld for headphones (not balanced) a little play with the EQ and put it back on the shelf.


----------



## Mimouille

gosod said:


> [COLOR=111111]I listened to all of the player more accurately compare, I listened to this player using a normal wahld for headphones (not balanced) a little play with the EQ and put it back on the shelf.[/COLOR]


So you don't like them and that's fine. Not everyone needs to like everything.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mimouille said:


> So you don't like them and that's fine. Not everyone needs to like everything.


 
 Exactly, f.e i don't like A&K design but i am not bragging it loud on the AK fórums I don't like them because X or Y


----------



## Gosod

gerelmx1986 said:


> Exactly, f.e i don't like A&K design but i am not bragging it loud on the AK fórums I don't like them because X or Y


 
Can you love X you had recently that you wanted to slip me and in the end, you killed him!


----------



## gerelmx1986

The braid seems to be pure silver but only whitigir knows what material did he choose hehe but very fine looks
  

  

  

 pentaconn plug
  

 more detailed at the braiding of cables

 There is virtually no gap between the connector and the WM1A, unlike the MDR-Z7 SE cable which left a significat Gap
  
 Shot with a sony Alpha A5000 at full 20 Mpx but reduced to upload faster


----------



## soundkist

gerelmx1986 said:


> The braid seems to be pure silver but only whitigir knows what material did he choose hehe but very fine looks


 
  
  
 "seems to be pure silver"?!?!  By what measure are you gauging this?  It feels like it?  It smell like it?  My goodness... I can't even find the words...


----------



## gerelmx1986

soundkist said:


> "seems to be pure silver"?!?!  By what measure are you gauging this?  It feels like it?  It smell like it?  My goodness... I can't even find the words...


 
 They do look silvery


----------



## Fsilva

gosod said:


> Idon't like the price,sound.


 
 I have to say that these players are so good that they even make Lars Ulrich sound good anytime he hits the drums!!


----------



## Dillan

zardos said:


> Life is much easier when you don't like what you can't afford. That's why I don't like Ferrari^^




Haha I like this quote. A lot of people think it's crazy to pay the 1Z price but after using it I can again say it's 5/5 value for me. And I'm one of the loudest advocates on overpriced audiophile equipment including many threads.. but this.. this is the real deal folks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

zardos said:


> Life is much easier when you don't like what you can't afford. That's why I don't like Ferrari^^
> 
> My 1Z is dried now. Next hurdle would be to overcome the feeling it sounds ****ty now. Of course it's only a brain thing, but how to overcome it? Yoga perhaps?^^


 

 ​Maybe isn't just brain stuff, perhaps the short circuit damaged some component and it is unable to reproduce the fine sound. i had my X1060 fall into a watery trail (after rain) and well it went crazy and never recovered


----------



## zardos

Mhh, I'm rather confident this 1Z objectively sounds exactly the same as before. It doesn't went crazy, only balanced was out of function for a few hours. I assume it's just that the accident somehow distracts me from enjoying it like before. But in the end only time will tell and of course the direct comparison with a second 1Z. Let's see.


----------



## zardos

dillan said:


> Haha I like this quote. A lot of people think it's crazy to pay the 1Z price but after using it I can again say it's 5/5 value for me. And I'm one of the loudest advocates on overpriced audiophile equipment including many threads.. but this.. this is the real deal folks.




I totally agree. From this point of views it's rather cheap piece of equipment. That's why I will buy a second one for sure. Since 1Z I don't believe anymore in the distinctions made between desktop and portable setups, portable necessarily being inferior to desktop. That rule was probably true in the past, but since 1Z portable to me is on par, except from very exotical electrostatic setups.


----------



## Sarnia

zardos said:


> I totally agree. From this point of views it's rather cheap piece of equipment. That's why I will buy a second one for sure. Since 1Z I don't believe anymore in the distinctions made between desktop and portable setups, portable necessarily being inferior to desktop. That rule was probably true in the past, but since 1Z portable to me is on par, except from very exotical electrostatic setups.


Have you tried the TA-ZH1ES?


----------



## TSAVJason

Attention US buyers!

For those that don't know the NW-WM1A is out in 2 stores as of Monday the 17th. The Source AV & Woo Audio. Woo is scheduled to receive them Monday or Tuesday and TSAV has had them for 2 weeks. ON SALE NOW! For those that have asked the US market only has the black version.


----------



## gerelmx1986

​Does anyone know what are those "Other files" Blue shade, or how i can get rid of those. every time i Sync music to my SD card to full capacity this Other files grow to nearly 2GB...


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Does anyone know what are those "Other files" Blue shade, or how i can get rid of those. every time i Sync music to my SD card to full capacity this Other files grow to nearly 2GB...




Perhaps at least some of it could be the music database which probably includes thumb nail art for each track


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Perhaps at least some of it could be the music database which probably includes thumb nail art for each track


 
 Do all Music management software do this f.e  MusicBee or *cough* Windows media player *cough* ?


----------



## Dillan

zardos said:


> I totally agree. From this point of views it's rather cheap piece of equipment. That's why I will buy a second one for sure. Since 1Z I don't believe anymore in the distinctions made between desktop and portable setups, portable necessarily being inferior to desktop. That rule was probably true in the past, but since 1Z portable to me is on par, except from very exotical electrostatic setups.




Oh absolutely agree. We are at a point now where this dap is on par or exceeds some of the best desktop setups. And I've ALWAYS believed the shorter the audio chain the better.. and for this to be all in one is obviously the best you can get as far as length of audio chains. Much better than having to have a rack with tons of cabling and devices with potential to degrade the sound with each additional piece of hardware.

Also does anyone know if Sony's new signature desktop amp/DAC uses off the shelf DAC chips? I doubt it as their dap apparently doesnt. Which is both mind blowing and makes me very happy. The ak380 and everything else out there uses these cheap off the shelf chips you can get for very cheap.. one of the reasons they all have background hiss and distortion.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Do all Music management software do this f.e  MusicBee or *cough* Windows media player *cough* ?




Well on the iBasso DX50 and DX90 there was a directory that contained the music database including thumb nail art and that grew in size the more music files you put on the sd card or internal storage. I don't know if the Sony does something similar


----------



## Sarnia

dillan said:


> Also does anyone know if Sony's new signature desktop amp/DAC uses off the shelf DAC chips? I doubt it as their dap apparently doesnt. Which is both mind blowing and makes me very happy. The ak380 and everything else out there uses these cheap off the shelf chips you can get for very cheap.. one of the reasons they all have background hiss and distortion.


No it's FPGA, like Chord.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Thanks for clarifying, indeed i tought a Db like itunes did with iPod too, tried to look wether it was a hidden protected operating-system-file but couldn't find nothing
  
 The odd part SD card: other files 1.96GB... internal storeage: juts 390MB


----------



## Whitigir

sarnia said:


> No it's FPGA, like Chord.




It is more unique. It has FPGA, S-master + Analog circuitry


----------



## gerelmx1986

Doing balanced almost 50 hours, and i find Piano recordings (Liszt) have something special, some kind of sound i cannot describe just wow, maybe its the recording venue that reverbs and gives certain magic properties to the sound


----------



## robit

tsavjason said:


> Attention US buyers!
> 
> For those that don't know the NW-WM1A is out in 2 stores as of Monday the 17th. The Source AV & Woo Audio. Woo is scheduled to receive them Monday or Tuesday and TSAV has had them for 2 weeks. ON SALE NOW! For those that have asked the US market only has the black version.




I can definitely vouch to buy from Jason if anyone is planning on getting a WM1A. Bought one last week and the transaction was smooth a simple. Jason and Wayne were were quick to my questions and they even offered free shipping. Even more, I was surprised the U.S. MSRP was actually cheaper than the MSRP listed on Sony's website. I couldn't have been more happy with the purchase. Can't go wrong buying from The Source. Absolute professionals.


----------



## asquare3376

Almost there... almost !!!
  
 Thanks to @TSAVJason for helping my dream come true. We're still working on few more addition 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 Thanks to @Whitigir for his great review on the Signature series, which led me to Jason and his team 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Thanks to @gerelmx1986 for keeping me up to date on the WM1A news so that I don't miss out when it's available in USA
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 And thanks to all the wonderful people on this thread to keep the fun going


----------



## turbo87

Just curious. What's missing from your setup?


----------



## asquare3376

turbo87 said:


> Just curious. What's missing from your setup?


 
 A better upgraded cable for the Z1R and an Audeze LCD-3.. Both on their way


----------



## Dillan

asquare3376 said:


> A better upgraded cable for the Z1R and an Audeze LCD-3.. Both on their way h34r:




You seem like a big fan of Sony. That's kind of how I am with Audeze and Grado. Both American made brands of course.


----------



## gerelmx1986

asquare3376 said:


> turbo87 said:
> 
> 
> > Just curious. What's missing from your setup?
> ...


 

 will you use your Z1R balanced cable?


----------



## turbo87

Cool. Which upgraded cable are you getting? Noticed you already have the kimber axios I believe.


----------



## Dillan

Woo audio is usually really great at taking care of their customers. I'm very glad they're selling these signature daps and I know they'd be a great source to choose from. I've always found their customer service to be top notch and usually they'll give you deals if you ask for them. Not to mention their headphones they sell usually come with some of their premium woo headphone stands for free too.

They added the HiFi insider (forgot his name) as a rep a year or two ago and he's been on the ball! If I had more patience I would've waited to order from them but I went ahead and used Amazon for my 1Z here in the USA and have no regrets. Been enjoying it immensely for weeks!!


----------



## asquare3376

gerelmx1986 said:


> will you use your Z1R balanced cable?


 
 You mean the stock balanced cable? I don't know yet, definitely not with the TA but perhaps with the WM1A. Do you want it?


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> They added the HiFi insider (forgot his name) as a rep a year or two ago and he's been on the ball!


 
 Michael Liang aka Mike aka @HiFiGuy528


----------



## asquare3376

turbo87 said:


> Cool. Which upgraded cable are you getting? Noticed you already have the kimber axios I believe.


 
 Axios Hybrid perhaps or Wireworld Nano Platinum.. The one in the setup is the copper Axios.


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> You seem like a big fan of Sony. That's kind of how I am with Audeze and Grado. Both American made brands of course.


 
 Sony and Audeze both. I have owned LCD-2 in the past and loved it. Sold it years ago to upgrade to the LCD-3s but the passion was lost somewhere. Thanks to the IRS tax return this year; brought me back into the business


----------



## gerelmx1986

asquare3376 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > will you use your Z1R balanced cable?
> ...


 

 yes i want it i am curious about it


----------



## Dillan

asquare3376 said:


> Michael Liang aka Mike aka @HiFiGuy528




Ahhh yes that's him. I've watched a lot of his video reviews back in the day but was never a big fan of them.. but him as a person always seemed like a great guy and I've seen him around the forums and emailed him at woo a few times. I think his role there is perfect for his helpful personality. Not to mention he brings the woo service up a notch with very quick communication.


----------



## Dillan

asquare3376 said:


> Sony and Audeze both. I have owned LCD-2 in the past and loved it. Sold it years ago to upgrade to the LCD-3s but the passion was lost somewhere. Thanks to the IRS tax return this year; brought me back into the business




I absolutely love Audeze. I hope they don't change anytime soon. People complain about the weight or the bass being too much.. I love their sound signature and the weight has never bothered me. Audeze if you're reading this, stay awesome!! Haha

By the way.. have you ever looked into plussound cables? All my (dozens) of headphones and even my interconnects are from plussound. Awesome awesome company and by far the best communication you'll get anywhere - which is important to me.


----------



## gerelmx1986

But plussound wait times are insane... 8 weeks


----------



## asquare3376

PM sent


gerelmx1986 said:


> yes i want it i am curious about it


 
 PM sent


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> I absolutely love Audeze. I hope they don't change anytime soon. People complain about the weight or the bass being too much.. I love their sound signature and the weight has never bothered me. Audeze if you're reading this, stay awesome!! Haha
> 
> By the way.. have you ever looked into plussound cables? All my (dozens) of headphones and even my interconnects are from plussound. Awesome awesome company and by far the best communication you'll get anywhere - which is important to me.


 
 There is no such thing as too much bass 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 Wait times kill the excitement. I like the way Axios sounds.. So maybe another Axios for the Audeze in the future.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

dillan said:


> Woo audio is usually really great at taking care of their customers. I'm very glad they're selling these signature daps and I know they'd be a great source to choose from. I've always found their customer service to be top notch and usually they'll give you deals if you ask for them. Not to mention their headphones they sell usually come with some of their premium woo headphone stands for free too.
> 
> They added the HiFi insider (forgot his name) as a rep a year or two ago and he's been on the ball! If I had more patience I would've waited to order from them but I went ahead and used Amazon for my 1Z here in the USA and have no regrets. Been enjoying it immensely for weeks!!


 
  
 Thanks for the kind words. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 We try our best to take care of every customer. 
  
 To clarify, Woo Audio is an authorized Sony Signatures Series reseller and these products NOT discounted. We do offer FREE FedEx shipping and no sales tax outside NY area.


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> I absolutely love Audeze. I hope they don't change anytime soon.


 
 One thing they need to change is the design around the drivers if hasn't addressed already. I have read numerous post about the driver failures on LCD3.
 There's a dedicated thread going on Head-fi.


----------



## Dillan

gerelmx1986 said:


> But plussound wait times are insane... 8 weeks




I pretty much ALWAYS use their rush order option added to my cart which is $150 extra. Not a huge deal to me as my headphone cables are usually around $1000 and I'd rather just get them asap. Choosing that option gets them to me within a week to week and a half tops. Custom made to order cables of that caliber just take time. Still much quicker than pretty much any other custom made to order around. Brands like Kimber just mass build their smaller collection of cables and terminate them based on your order.

To clarify though, plussound has cable prices ranging from like $100 to $1000+.. mine just cost that much usually because I choose the pricier options but it's very unnecessary for a great cable.


----------



## Dillan

asquare3376 said:


> One thing they need to change is the design around the drivers if hasn't addressed already. I have read numerous post about the driver failures on LCD3.
> There's a dedicated thread going on Head-fi.




Never owned the LCD3 only the XC and 4 and EL8o. All of which have rock solid drivers and build quality in general. I've heard of the 3's problems.. and you're right, they should fix that if they haven't already but luckily the rest of their lineup hasn't had issues. I always preferred the X, 4 and EL8o way more than 3 anyway.


----------



## PLUSSOUND

gerelmx1986 said:


> But plussound wait times are insane... 8 weeks


 
 Its currently under four weeks right now.


----------



## TSAVJason

plussound said:


> Its currently under four weeks right now.


 When you're trying to get a good cable at a fair market price, Plussound is an option I recommend to many people. What's a few weeks. But I like Christian ....he seems like a good guy.


----------



## gerelmx1986

in short a summary of some changes i Heard at times with switching to balance
  

​Background instruments /details more clearly audible
bass got of quality and tighter
sometimes more microdetailing
sometimes a sense of being in a big hall (depends if recording is not studio boxy-sound)
sometimes binaural stereo separation (not often)
  
 These Franz liszt piano works (Leslie Howard complete piano music of Franz Liszt) sound magically real wow and the baroque works i have been listening to have this huge church or cocnert hall feeling


----------



## blazinblazin

Yup the first time i heard the balanced was wow by the concert hall feel.

With Copper wire gives you more echo and a smaller room/hall ambience feel.

With my silver-gold cable... its a larger hall.


----------



## Neo Zuko

Still torn between the two Walkman models. My Wallet says go with the WM1A and my heart says go with the WM1Z. The voice from my wallet seems quite a bit louder, yet my eyes are drawn to the sexy gold color.


----------



## asquare3376

neo zuko said:


> Still torn between the two Walkman models. My Wallet says go with the WM1A and my heart says go with the WM1Z. The voice from my wallet seems quite a bit louder, yet my eyes are drawn to the sexy gold color.


 
 I feel for you. I was at the same crossroad not so long ago... I ended up with the WM1A and am very happy with the purchase. I could have been more happy with the 1Z but that didn't happen .. urgh!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

asquare3376 said:


> neo zuko said:
> 
> 
> > Still torn between the two Walkman models. My Wallet says go with the WM1A and my heart says go with the WM1Z. The voice from my wallet seems quite a bit louder, yet my eyes are drawn to the sexy gold color.
> ...


 

 ​me three i  wa son the same dilemman WM1A, WM1Z, tears another flower petal ... WM1A


----------



## TSAVJason

neo zuko said:


> Still torn between the two Walkman models. My Wallet says go with the WM1A and my heart says go with the WM1Z. The voice from my wallet seems quite a bit louder, yet my eyes are drawn to the sexy gold color.


 

I've been using the 1Z for 6 months now. I've traveled with it many times ...long and short flights. It is very impressive. Battery life is great. SQ is awesome. The feel is amazing (heavy) and the Gold. ....well it's bitchen. Then I received the 1A. I've traveled with it twice. It's light, it's the same UI and sounds great :thumbsup_tone1: Fit & Finish is excellent. If your wallet is telling you the 1A, go with your wallet because it's excellent in its price range. If it happens you just have to make the leap to the 1Z, well awesome! The 1A is way easier to deal with flying. Even with precheck I get stopped and asked what the 1Z is. It happens every time. It's kinda funny when I say "It's a Sony Walkman! It plays music!" So far not one flight asking me what the 1A is  .....

The 1Z is definitely superior to the 1A. 1Z is warm and inviting .....seems to fulfill the mood no matter what genre I'm listening too. The 1A is ....maybe I'd say brighter in it's voice but not better detailed than the 1Z. There is something in the 1Z I can't discribe other than to say it just sounds big. Not pushy,, BIG. ...I don't get that from the 1A but the 1A is still incredible. Well I was trying to help but I've probably made it a more difficult choice.


----------



## Dillan

tsavjason said:


> I've been using the 1Z for 6 months now. I've traveled with it many times ...long and short flights. It is very impressive. Battery life is great. SQ is awesome. The feel is amazing (heavy) and the Gold. ....well it's bitchen. Then I received the 1A. I've traveled with it twice. It's light, it's the same UI and sounds great :thumbsup_tone1: Fit & Finish is excellent. If your wallet is telling you the 1A, go with your wallet because it's excellent in its price range. If it happens you just have to make the leap to the 1Z, well awesome! The 1A is way easier to deal with flying. Even with precheck I get stopped and asked what the 1Z is. It happens every time. It's kinda funny when I say "It's a Sony Walkman! It plays music!" So far not one flight asking me what the 1A is  .....
> 
> The 1Z is definitely superior to the 1A. 1Z is warm and inviting .....seems to fulfill the mood no matter what genre I'm listening too. The 1A is ....maybe I'd say brighter in it's voice but not better detailed than the 1Z. There is something in the 1Z I can't discribe other than to say it just sounds big. Not pushy,, BIG. ...I don't get that from the 1A but the 1A is still incredible. Well I was trying to help but I've probably made it a more difficult choice.




I get stopped every time also for the 1Z. The big chunk of metal always flags their x-ray and they ask me what it is. I just say music player and they leave me on my way.


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> I get stopped every time also for the 1Z. The big chunk of metal always flags their x-ray and they ask me what it is. I just say music player and they leave me on my way.


 
 Next time try "Gold Biscuit"


----------



## Dillan

neo zuko said:


> Still torn between the two Walkman models. My Wallet says go with the WM1A and my heart says go with the WM1Z. The voice from my wallet seems quite a bit louder, yet my eyes are drawn to the sexy gold color.




1Z sounds almost analog and "physical" to my ears. Very realistic but slightly warm at the same time. Kind of hard to describe but to my ears it's on par with any desktop solid state headohone DAC/Amp at *any price range*. As far as being drawn to the gold.. it is beautiful, especially with my wine colored leather case. My first priority is definitely the sound quality though but having such a beautiful device also is a huge bonus. So much better looking than the AK380 copper as the copper oxidizes and looks so terrible after just a few months and only gets much worse over time. Sony was much smarter than astell and kern and protected the copper with gold plating.

I'm kind of rambling but I get excited about this product. I've never heard the 1A but I'm sure it's amazing as well. I haven't compared specs of the two but does the 1A have the same powered amp as 1Z or is 1Z more powerful? It drives my 800S surprisingly well and I listen pretty loud. Things like that and sound signature differences are what matter most imo but software is same. I don't really want to tilt you either way as I don't know your budget or specific needs so just here to share my experiences and a little information.


----------



## Dillan

asquare3376 said:


> Next time try "Gold Biscuit"




Next time I'll say "It's just my DAP, it's da bomb!" Wonder if that will go over well.


----------



## gerelmx1986

dillan said:


> asquare3376 said:
> 
> 
> > Next time try "Gold Biscuit"
> ...


 

 ​it's a mini-MOAB


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> Next time I'll say "It's just my DAP, it's da bomb!" Wonder if that will go over well.


Definitely a bomb to blow the wallet


----------



## Dillan

asquare3376 said:


> Definitely a bomb to blow the wallet




LOL it least it also "blows" my mind as well!


----------



## Neo Zuko

I want to stretch the budget for the 1Z, especially with those awesome descriptions above. But what happens when the 1Z gen 2 comes out with faster menus? Or the batteries die? By simple math alone I can upgrade a DAP in the 1A price range 3 times as often. When something has a sealed battery it changes everything about life expectancy. It makes me think, but I'm still leaning towards the 1Z. When should anyone reasonably expect to see a pair of sequels to these Walkmen?


----------



## asquare3376

neo zuko said:


> I want to stretch the budget for the 1Z, especially with those awesome descriptions above. But what happens when the 1Z gen 2 comes out with faster menus? Or the batteries die? By simple math alone I can upgrade a DAP in the 1A price range 3 times as often. When something has a sealed battery it changes everything about life expectancy. It makes me think, but I'm still leaning towards the 1Z. When should anyone reasonably expect to see a pair of sequels to these Walkmen?


Not for another 3-5 years at least


----------



## Dillan

neo zuko said:


> I want to stretch the budget for the 1Z, especially with those awesome descriptions above. But what happens when the 1Z gen 2 comes out with faster menus? Or the batteries die? By simple math alone I can upgrade a DAP in the 1A price range 3 times as often. When something has a sealed battery it changes everything about life expectancy. It makes me think, but I'm still leaning towards the 1Z. When should anyone reasonably expect to see a pair of sequels to these Walkmen?




Yea, I'd guess a flagship dap from Sony will be released in 3 to 5 years as well. Astell and kern will release their new flagship before Sony will if that's a concern to you. I strongly dislike AK as a company though and right now the 1Z blows the 380 out of the water. 

Also I like the fact that you 1Z owners seem level headed and informative. Last time I was in the ak380 thread they were talking about how much the sound improved from taking their leather case off..


----------



## echineko

neo zuko said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> I want to stretch the budget for the 1Z, especially with those awesome descriptions above. But what happens when the 1Z gen 2 comes out with faster menus? Or the batteries die? By simple math alone I can upgrade a DAP in the 1A price range 3 times as often. When something has a sealed battery it changes everything about life expectancy. It makes me think, but I'm still leaning towards the 1Z. When should anyone reasonably expect to see a pair of sequels to these Walkmen?


 
 Along with what's been said above, I'd also add I don't think the menu speed is a factor anymore, with the recent software updates, the current 1Z menu browsing already seems plenty fast.
  
 As with all tech, there is always a successor down the road, it's just the nature of the beast. I'd reason that given this, it makes most sense getting a unit earlier in the lifecycle to get the most use out of it, or late in the lifecycle, to take advantage of the price cuts once a successor has been announced. Personally I went for the first option. 
  
 Having said that, with the awesome quality of the 1Z (compared with even the previous flagship ZX2 that I used to own), I really wonder if they'll be able to top this within a 1 or 2 year period.


----------



## rushofblood

dillan said:


> Also I like the fact that you 1Z owners seem level headed and informative. Last time I was in the ak380 thread they were talking about how much the sound improved from taking their leather case off..


 
 Haha funny you should mention this...I do find my 1Z to sound better with my Dignis leather case off. Pretty small difference, though, and I'd rather not leave it lying around without a case given I kind of dislike how garish the gold chassis is without it. And the possibility of scratches, too.


----------



## Dillan

rushofblood said:


> Haha funny you should mention this...I do find my 1Z to sound better with my Dignis leather case off. Pretty small difference, though, and I'd rather not leave it lying around without a case given I kind of dislike how garish the gold chassis is without it. And the possibility of scratches, too.




*Sigh*


----------



## proedros

rushofblood said:


> Haha funny you should mention this...*I do find my 1Z to sound better with my Dignis leather case off.* Pretty small difference, though, and I'd rather not leave it lying around without a case given I kind of dislike how garish the gold chassis is without it. And the possibility of scratches, too.


 
  
  
 oh man


----------



## audionewbi

Time to unsub before the war begins.


----------



## rushofblood

dillan said:


> *Sigh*


 
 No slight intended; I'm perfectly okay with people disagreeing with me.


----------



## echineko

rushofblood said:


> No slight intended; I'm perfectly okay with people disagreeing with me.



Are you also the one who said stickers improved the SQ of your 1Z? Might be mistaken, that's why I ask.


----------



## rushofblood

echineko said:


> Are you also the one who said stickers improved the SQ of your 1Z? Might be mistaken, that's why I ask.


 
 Yeah that'd be me. I do enjoy trying outlandish things that may not make immediate sense, it adds to the fun of the hobby and I see it as wringing the most out of the device that I've paid for. Still, I really don't like forcing opinion on anyone who doesn't want to believe it.  fruitless endeavour which only leaves all parties involved frustrated. I'm just sharing my experiences with my 1Z, which is my absolute favourite DAP now for its sound and feature set, and I've tried close to everything on the market; 380Cu, 380SS, Kann, DX200, LPG et al.
  
 If any one of you guys happen to find yourselves in my neck of the woods, I'd love to meet up for a drink, a chat and some comparative listening between units.


----------



## echineko

rushofblood said:


> Yeah that'd be me. I do enjoy trying outlandish things that may not make immediate sense, it adds to the fun of the hobby and I see it as wringing the most out of the device that I've paid for. Still, I really don't like forcing opinion on anyone who doesn't want to believe it.  fruitless endeavour which only leaves all parties involved frustrated.
> 
> If any one of you guys happen to find yourselves in my neck of the woods, I'd love to meet up for a drink, a chat and some comparative listening between units.


 
 Yup, that certainly qualifies as outlandish and far-fetched alright. Having said that, I've never tried it myself, so can't really dismiss it outright.
  
 I'm only in town if I have to work, in general. Maybe the next time I'm forced to come down I'll drop you a PM.


----------



## nc8000

rushofblood said:


> Yeah that'd be me. I do enjoy trying outlandish things that may not make immediate sense, it adds to the fun of the hobby and I see it as wringing the most out of the device that I've paid for. Still, I really don't like forcing opinion on anyone who doesn't want to believe it.  fruitless endeavour which only leaves all parties involved frustrated.
> 
> If any one of you guys happen to find yourselves in my neck of the woods, I'd love to meet up for a drink, a chat and some comparative listening between units.




It's you device, you paid for, as long as what you do makes you happy all is cool :thumbsup_tone1:


----------



## AnakChan

Folks are welcome to report what -they- hear (but regurgitation of what they read is frowned on). Whether readers believe it or not, it's up to the reader however mockery is not acceptable.


----------



## Jalo

neo zuko said:


> I want to stretch the budget for the 1Z, especially with those awesome descriptions above. But what happens when the 1Z gen 2 comes out with faster menus? Or the batteries die? By simple math alone I can upgrade a DAP in the 1A price range 3 times as often. When something has a sealed battery it changes everything about life expectancy. It makes me think, but I'm still leaning towards the 1Z. When should anyone reasonably expect to see a pair of sequels to these Walkmen?




I have heard both 1A and 1Z, I personally like the warmer sound of the 1Z. I also like the quality look and feel of the 1Z but that is personal preference. However, if I were you at this moment, I will wait until the the Munich Audio Fest in May to see if there is any announcement on new dap since that is only a month away.


----------



## Neo Zuko

OK, I suppose I will indeed save longer for the 1Z. The gold plated copper chassis must be worth it. However, I'm using a case with it no matter what - scratches on gold plating sound the worst.


----------



## echineko

neo zuko said:


> However, I'm using a case with it no matter what - scratches on gold plating sound the worst.



Absolutely, I was so paranoid handling the 1Z before my case arrived. They give you a leather case with the 1Z for free, but I felt it left too much of the side panels open for potential scuffing (yes, neurotic I know)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Jalo said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif





> I have heard both 1A and 1Z, I personally like the warmer sound of the 1Z. I also like the quality look and feel of the 1Z but that is personal preference. However, if I were you at this moment, I will wait until the the Munich Audio Fest in May to see if there is any announcement on new dap since that is only a month away.


 
 Sony usually announces new DAPs in september/october


----------



## gerelmx1986

For how many hours did you guys experience the "weird phase" on balanced (i felt it sounded like fuly Burned SE and got a bit frustrated) today i turned it on and sounds awesome. kicking 55h


----------



## Tawek

Hello  I have a question to the owners of nm wm1z what is the soundstage depth in comparison to lpg .. I have lpg over a year and in any other dap I did not find such a depth of the scene or is it similar and maybe better?


----------



## Jalo

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sony usually announces new DAPs in september/october


 I am not referring to Sony alone.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Seems like with the memory formatting i applied to my WM1A and the micro SD made my WM1A run more stable and smooth, no more crashing when swiping from line-up to now-playing screen, no more track losing when powering it off or connecting to PC
  
 Maybe it had some corrupt settings or so


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> For how many hours did you guys experience the "weird phase" on balanced (i felt it sounded like fuly Burned SE and got a bit frustrated) today i turned it on and sounds awesome. kicking 55h




What did I said  ? Wait for more to come !


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> For how many hours did you guys experience the "weird phase" on balanced (i felt it sounded like fuly Burned SE and got a bit frustrated) today i turned it on and sounds awesome. kicking 55h




I'm on about 250 hours on each output and it certainly sounds mighty good both ways


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> What did I said
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Cool thanks hehe 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Glad also my 1A got stable after a full memory format (19760 tracks anod no lags no crash so far) that represents a 42.15% of my library (47400 tracks)


----------



## Lavakugel

nc8000 said:


> I'm on about 250 hours on each output and it certainly sounds mighty good both ways


 
 Is balanced really that much better? Is it worth getting a new cable for several hundreds of dollars?


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> Is balanced really that much better? Is it worth getting a new cable for several hundreds of dollars?


 
 For me it sounds nice right now, i find the dynamic range of the music is imporved... not only that, the separation and stereo feect, the stage got bigger and everything feels more natural tan SE which was already very organic sounding to me


----------



## soundkist

lavakugel said:


> Is balanced really that much better? Is it worth getting a new cable for several hundreds of dollars?


 
  
 I certainly don't think so, but I would seem to be what you would call the extreme minority in that regard.  Just being honest, and saying what my ears tell me.  Full disclosure, I have only had access to, and tried, one IEM and one cable that way, so I guess the proverbial giant grain of salt.  Currently have Sony Kimber cable, but am waiting arrival of a much cheaper 4.4mm cable, as well as a new IEM as well.  No matter what it sounds like, I imagine I will be unloading my Kimber cable in favor of the much cheaper one because I just don't care that much for it; but who knows, with the new IEM, it might be awesome.  We'll see!  
  
 Also, have a local meet to attend later this month where I'll get to try a few full size cans via balanced, including Utopia and some MrSpeakers stuff, so excited to see how those perform as well!


----------



## hung031086

lavakugel said:


> Is balanced really that much better? Is it worth getting a new cable for several hundreds of dollars?



Yup, totally worth it. Im considering to get a 4.4mm ea leonidas for my u12. Right now im using 4.4m ea thor silver ii.


----------



## pietcux

lavakugel said:


> Is balanced really that much better? Is it worth getting a new cable for several hundreds of dollars?



I think if a source is designed to run balanced, you'd better run the headphone balanced. Else you cannot take full advantage of your investment. See the Pono sounded much better balanced than single ended. But the Sony ZX1 sounded even better single ended, it has no balanced option. So balanced is to me not better per se, just use it when you bought it. You wouldn't want to run your cars engine on only half of it's cylinders.


----------



## Lavakugel

gerelmx1986 said:


> For me it sounds nice right now, i find the dynamic range of the music is imporved... not only that, the separation and stereo feect, the stage got bigger and everything feels more natural tan SE which was already very organic sounding to me


 
 To bad I can't change my cable to balanced on my grado headphones


----------



## pietcux

lavakugel said:


> To bad I can't change my cable to balanced on my grado headphones



Grado's are easy to mod headphones. Lot of people run them balanced. Just ask google.


----------



## nc8000

lavakugel said:


> To bad I can't change my cable to balanced on my grado headphones







lavakugel said:


> Is balanced really that much better? Is it worth getting a new cable for several hundreds of dollars?




I've been running balanced on my home rig for near 10 years and on my portable rig for probably near 5 years and have mostly all my phones balanced and to me it is certainly worth it but some headphones react more to balanced than others. 

There are some who perform cable replacement on Grados but is fairly difficult. If the stock cable has 4 wires all the way they can just be reterminated.


----------



## Sarnia

For those that can buy the NW-WM1Z from Amazon UK and are looking to pick one up, you might want to look now. Those prices won't be there for long I imagine.
  
 These are the lowest prices they've had.


----------



## nc8000

sarnia said:


> For those that can buy the NW-WM1Z from Amazon UK and are looking to pick one up, you might want to look now. Those prices won't be there for long I imagine.
> 
> These are the lowest prices they've had.




That is cheap, £350 cheaper than what I paid


----------



## Sarnia

nc8000 said:


> That is cheap, £350 cheaper than what I paid


 
 It sure is, and I also get the tax off that too. Despite having said many times that the WM1Z is too expensive and too heavy, I'll shortly be able to compare one to my WM1A. 
  
 Looking forward to that after some of the extremely positive comments recently. Not sure if I want it to be much better than the 1A or not lol.


----------



## pietcux

sarnia said:


> It sure is, and I also get the tax off that too. Despite having said many times that the WM1Z is too expensive and too heavy, I'll shortly be able to compare one to my WM1A.
> 
> Looking forward to that after some of the extremely positive comments recently. Not sure if I want it to be much better than the 1A or not lol.



So you completely lost your free will and Amazon UK forced you to place your order? That happened to me too when I shot the Z1R for a very low price.


----------



## Sarnia

pietcux said:


> So you completely lost your free will and Amazon UK forced you to place your order? That happened to me too when I shot the Z1R for a very low price.


 
 That's about it. Some things are too good to pass up!
  
 For some reason my Wife just doesn't seem to understand that, no idea why...


----------



## asquare3376

sarnia said:


> That's about it. Some things are too good to pass up!
> 
> For some reason my Wife just doesn't seem to understand that, no idea why...


 
 What about custom duties to USA? Are there any?


----------



## Sarnia

asquare3376 said:


> What about custom duties to USA? Are there any?


I have no idea, sorry.


----------



## musicday

sarnia said:


> For those that can buy the NW-WM1Z from Amazon UK and are looking to pick one up, you might want to look now. Those prices won't be there for long I imagine.
> 
> These are the lowest prices they've had.



Thank you for letting everyone be aware of this fantastic price, i can say that 5 new units have been sold in 30 minutes. I have a feeling that it won't last long this offer,and is the cheapest i ever seen it.
Life is good.


----------



## musicday

tsavjason said:


> neo zuko said:
> 
> 
> > Still torn between the two Walkman models. My Wallet says go with the WM1A and my heart says go with the WM1Z. The voice from my wallet seems quite a bit louder, yet my eyes are drawn to the sexy gold color.
> ...



Hey Jason,what case are you using with your 1Z? What headphones,IEMs you find to have best synergy with 1Z And do you use a screen protector at all?
Thank you.


----------



## Whitigir

I personally recommend Wm1z+Utopia balanced . Such awesome synergy
,


----------



## TSAVJason

musicday said:


> Hey Jason,what case are you using with your 1Z? What headphones,IEMs you find to have best synergy with 1Z And do you use a screen protector at all?
> Thank you.


 
I made my own screen protector from a iPhone 7 plus screen protector. I use the Sony provided case but I also carry it in a soft bag during transport. For IEMs I use the new 1MORE quad driver and for CIEMs I use UE pro 18+. 

I have heard of a company called Durabag that makes a soft shell carry case.


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> I personally recommend Wm1z+Utopia balanced
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 ​I like the MDR-Z7 balanced also the XBA-Z5 now they transformed to other IEMs LOL just wow, still think Z5s beat slightly the Z7 in the stage dept.


----------



## echineko

lavakugel said:


> Is balanced really that much better? Is it worth getting a new cable for several hundreds of dollars?



Simple answer, yes. The balanced output really improves any good transducer you pair with it, several have mentioned their own experiences here, I will add that my Oriolus mk2 just sounded improved overall personally. 

As for the cables, "several hundreds of dollars" isn't mandatory, if you already have decent cables now that could be reterminated into balanced with the Pentaconn connector, that is also an option. Point being, the quality of output via the balanced jack is noticeably better, even without spending loads of cash on cables.


----------



## asquare3376

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​I like the MDR-Z7 balanced also the XBA-Z5 now they transformed to other IEMs LOL just wow, still think Z5s beat slightly the Z7 in the stage dept.


 From this day on you are to be known as the 'balanced-head'... Hahaha


----------



## gerelmx1986

asquare3376 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > ​I like the MDR-Z7 balanced also the XBA-Z5 now they transformed to other IEMs LOL just wow, still think Z5s beat slightly the Z7 in the stage dept.
> ...


 

 ​The rumbly bass seems to have returned but still pretty well tight and control... 
  
 has your WM1A balanced returned the bass levels you want?
@AUDIOBREEDER


----------



## musicday

tsavjason said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Hey Jason,what case are you using with your 1Z? What headphones,IEMs you find to have best synergy with 1Z And do you use a screen protector at all?
> ...



1More quad driver is an affordable IEM.
Can you please comment on the sound? I suppose that you run it single ended since they don't have removable cables?


----------



## Sleepow

I tried the 1z with the RHA CL1 and in high gain I need to put the volume around 100 for some DSD tracks.
(They have a low sensitivity of 98db and an impedance of 150ohms).

From experience, did the sound quality suffer when the volume need to be pushed? (I need to use the good old PHA-2 for those tracks as my ZX2 is not enough..)


----------



## asquare3376

My WM1A is up for sale:
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/844627/sony-nw-wm1a-used-for-less-than-20-hrs


----------



## gerelmx1986

asquare3376 said:


> My WM1A is up for sale:
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/844627/sony-nw-wm1a-used-for-less-than-20-hrs


 

 ​So soon?! why?


----------



## asquare3376

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​So soon?! why?


 
 I want the "Gold" .. the 1Z.. So many people here praising about it, so let's find out. The WM1A is an awesome device for the money though.. No complaints.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@asquare3376 wow so fast hehe, I sold my NWZ-A17 (for ZX100) in 10 months usage, my NW-ZX100 (for WM1A) after a year, my XBA-A3 after a year (for Z5)


----------



## Cagin

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​So soon?! why?


 
 If I could sell my WM1A right now for 800eur and get money instantly I would too.... just to jump right away on the 1Z on Amazon.uk right now


----------



## asquare3376

gerelmx1986 said:


> @asquare3376 wow so fast hehe, I sold my NWZ-A17 (for ZX100) in 10 months usage, my NW-ZX100 (for WM1A) after a year, my XBA-A3 after a year (for Z5)


 
 I sold my A17 just two days back. ZX100 is up for sale as well along with the WM1A & PHA-3
 I hope and pray that 1Z puts a final stop on this adventurous journey


----------



## gerelmx1986

asquare3376 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > @asquare3376 wow so fast hehe, I sold my NWZ-A17 (for ZX100) in 10 months usage, my NW-ZX100 (for WM1A) after a year, my XBA-A3 after a year (for Z5)
> ...


 

 ​LOL and them WM2Z Platinum edition comes out next year


----------



## asquare3376

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​LOL and them WM2Z Platinum edition comes out next year


 
 I will hunt you down and make you pay for it


----------



## gerelmx1986

Listening to Liszt's arrangement of Beethoven's Symphonies on the pianoforte (the 9th) awesome dynamics in balance mode and very eeerie realistic piano sound, the air arround the instrument WOW


----------



## gerelmx1986

I hope sony releases something spectacular for the walkman 40th anniversary on 2019


----------



## asquare3376

gerelmx1986 said:


> I hope sony releases something spectacular for the walkman 40th anniversary on 2019


 
 Amen brother ...


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> My WM1A is up for sale:
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/844627/sony-nw-wm1a-used-for-less-than-20-hrs


 Wait! You just picked it up from us and you sat for hours in our headgear department with the 1Z. ....I'm puzzled now


----------



## asquare3376

tsavjason said:


> Wait! You just picked it up from us and you sat for hours in our headgear department with the 1Z. ....I'm puzzled now


 
 All because of your recent posts.. You've been raving about the 1Z quality. So, I decided over the weekend that I'll get one too... but in order to do so I have to sell everything I currently own


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> All because of your recent posts.. You've been raving about the 1Z quality. So, I decided over the weekend that I'll get one too... but in order to do so I have to sell everything I currently own :blink:


 Including the BMW? Hahahaha


----------



## asquare3376

tsavjason said:


> Including the BMW? Hahahaha


 
 Hahaha.. You're a devil.. aren't you? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 But, I'm not falling for the Utopia


----------



## gerelmx1986

64 hours on balanced and only gets better and better
  
  
 Yeah, one álbum is 24/88.2K and the gobs of details more present tan ever in Balanced, as do the 16/44.1K Liszt piano solo music álbum, very well rendered
  
 in both albums the subtle nuances are clearly audible perhaps a bit more on the Hi-res mass recording, revealing subtle trumpets in the back, the separation is more evident on the mass , obviously many players and singers than just a solo pianist but also i could get a sense of "separation" between the left and right hand playing of Howard at time when he hits Virtuosistic Liszt passages. The size of the Church on the Striggio is very ebident HUGE room hall, very natural deccay of the reverb.
  
 In the piano recording i am not sure where it was recorded but i get some hint of reverb or resonance from the piano perhaps, but i hear noises and sounds i never Heard before like some harmonics interference [?] from the vibrating piano strings picked by the mic dunno it souded like a high pitched whine every time Howard hit some región of the piano in the bass register.
  
 The organ used in the mass rumbles nice, seem weird phase is getting over and now the bass is back


----------



## asquare3376

tsavjason said:


> Including the BMW? Hahahaha


BMW can only be sold for a Mustang, and I know of a blue one parked 10 mins from my house.. Hahaha


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> BMW can only be sold for a Mustang, and I know of a blue one parked 10 mins from my house.. Hahaha


 Yeah, I've seen that blue wreck ....worthless! ‍♂️


----------



## asquare3376

tsavjason said:


> Yeah, I've seen that blue wreck ....worthless! ‍♂️


Deal then!! Let's exchange keys over the next meeting. And do let me know about the cables.. Super excited to find out which one wins.


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> Deal then!! Let's exchange keys over the next meeting. And do let me know about the cables.. Super excited to find out which one wins.


 Shhhhhh ixnay on the wires mate. It brings out the nonbelievers


----------



## buzzlulu

So - to all you " gold" users - how does it stack up to a Mojo or Hugo?


----------



## musicday

What cases you guys use with your Walkman,and what screen protectors? Is there a better case then Dignis one?


----------



## nc8000

I use the one that came with the 1Z and no screen protector


----------



## musicday

nc8000 said:


> I use the one that came with the 1Z and no screen protector



Thanks,are you not afraid the screen will scratch? As it is not the toughest one? Are you coming to CanJam London?
I will see you there


----------



## blazinblazin

Dignis case. Some China glass screen protector that came with a Silicon case


----------



## nc8000

musicday said:


> Thanks,are you not afraid the screen will scratch? As it is not the toughest one? Are you coming to CanJam London?
> I will see you there




I only use the 1Z at home or in the evening in the hotel room so not worried, actually I have never scratched a screen even on my many smartphones and have never used screen protector. 

I will not be coming to canjam this year as I'm not in UK at the time, last year it just coincided with my UK summer holliday


----------



## Lavakugel

I'm also having trouble with showing covers. Is there a good free program on mac for editing jpeg-files?


----------



## gerelmx1986

lavakugel said:


> I'm also having trouble with showing covers. Is there a good free program on mac for editing jpeg-files?


someone hinted me open it on paint and click save as...


----------



## musicday

Anyone tried W80 balanced with 1Z? Read somewhere that is a great match.
Quite few 1A for sale,i guess everyone wants to upgrade to 1Z.
By the way the price on Amazon UK is still low,grab one if you can, won't last long.


----------



## Lavakugel

musicday said:


> Anyone tried W80 balanced with 1Z? Read somewhere that is a great match.
> Quite few 1A for sale,i guess everyone wants to upgrade to 1Z.
> By the way the price on Amazon UK is still low,grab one if you can, won't last long.


 
 I've read that too, they said that it sound very musical and was better synergy than with AK380.


----------



## gerelmx1986

If the 1z was another gold color f. e tose gold or white gold that would be great


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> If the 1z was another gold color f. e tose gold or white gold that would be great



Why? You don't like yellow gold?


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > If the 1z was another gold color f. e tose gold or white gold that would be great
> ...


on the f
DAP no, in a ring or decoration of a building or other object like a fine lines of gold in a jar 
Yes


----------



## gerelmx1986

The xba-z5 needs high gain with complex detailed songs such as the mass for 40 and 60 voices of a. Striggio in order to shine


----------



## phonomat

musicday said:


> Anyone tried W80 balanced with 1Z? Read somewhere that is a great match.
> Quite few 1A for sale,i guess everyone wants to upgrade to 1Z.
> *By the way the price on Amazon UK is still low,grab one if you can, won't last long.*


 
 It is a good price. I even thought about it for a second, but it just doesn't fit my use case. If anyone is looking for a truly portable player, I would strongly recommend to go for the 1A or at least try to get a chance to hold both in your hand first. _As far as I'm concerned, the sheer weight and size of these players is the elephant in the room_ (literally, lol). When I got my 1A, I hadn't seen it it in person before, and I was quite shocked about its bulk and weight. For me, it has crossed the threshold of what I would normally be happy to carry around with me in our digital age. You could see that as a considerable step back, and I'm not sure the minute differences in sound to previous generations are really worth it to me. The size is bad enough, and there's nothing to do about that if you want one of the Sony's, but twice the weight would be a total dealbreaker for me. YMMV, but I'd really try it out first. Also, one might actually prefer the 1A's sound signature. I prefer my player to sound more neutral and would rather use transducers for tweaking the sound signature. When it comes to sources, I think neutral is the way to go, and I would feel limited by a device that inherently has a warm or warmish sound. Lastly, I'm not a fan of the gold color, but that is certainly a matter of taste. So, to say the 1Z "definitely superior" (hey, @TSAVJason!) is just wrong on pretty much all accounts. The only quantifiable advantage the 1Z _objectively_ has is its larger storage capacity. Everything else is down to preference, and everyone will have to decide for themselves where they stand on the trade-off between storage space and portability.


----------



## gerelmx1986

phonomat said:


> musicday said:
> 
> 
> > Anyone tried W80 balanced with 1Z? Read somewhere that is a great match.
> ...


I agree, both have same circuit in balanced so I agree with you (128G is fine for me). Even sometimes I get the impression 1A is a bit warmer at times so I could t imagine 1Z thickness in SQ, as for weight despite the A being lighter I never carry it on my shirt pockets, feel uneasy with the weight hanging on limbo


----------



## TSAVJason

phonomat said:


> It is a good price. I even thought about it for a second, but it just doesn't fit my use case. If anyone is looking for a truly portable player, I would strongly recommend to go for the 1A or at least try to get a chance to hold both in your hand first. _As far as I'm concerned, the sheer weight and size of these players is the elephant in the room_ (literally, lol). When I got my 1A, I hadn't seen it it in person before, and I was quite shocked about its bulk and weight. For me, it has crossed the threshold of what I would normally be happy to carry around with me in our digital age. You could see that as a considerable step back, and I'm not sure the minute differences in sound to previous generations are really worth it to me. The size is bad enough, and there's nothing to do about that if you want one of the Sony's, but twice the weight would be a total dealbreaker for me. YMMV, but I'd really try it out first. Also, one might actually prefer the 1A's sound signature. I prefer my player to sound more neutral and would rather use transducers for tweaking the sound signature. When it comes to sources, I think neutral is the way to go, and I would feel limited by a device that inherently has a warm or warmish sound. Lastly, I'm not a fan of the gold color, but that is certainly a matter of taste. So, to say the 1Z "definitely superior" (hey, @TSAVJason
> !) is just wrong on pretty much all accounts. The only quantifiable advantage the 1Z _objectively_ has is its larger storage capacity. Everything else is down to preference, and everyone will have to decide for themselves where they stand on the trade-off between storage space and portability.


 

The proof is in the pudding. I don't question your opinion because they are opinions. Why would you come out and say "@TSAVJason is just wrong"? As though you're untitled to an opinion and I'm not. What makes you the superior opinion?


----------



## coke-1

Thank you for this. Been waiting for the price to dip like last time. I just placed my order for the gold! 



sarnia said:


> For those that can buy the NW-WM1Z from Amazon UK and are looking to pick one up, you might want to look now. Those prices won't be there for long I imagine.
> 
> These are the lowest prices they've had.


----------



## TSAVJason

coke-1 said:


> Thank you for this. Been waiting for the price to dip like last time. I just placed my order for the gold!


 

Be sure you ask if it's the EU version or a more open software like the Asian and US markets software. If it's the EU version it will have a volume cap. Simply put it is limited to low output unless you hack into it. Not that it matters to a lot of people but that mod does violate the warranty terms but allows the player to drive more varieties of headphones.


----------



## nc8000

tsavjason said:


> Be sure you ask if it's the EU version or a more open software like the Asian and US markets software. If it's the EU version it will have a volume cap. Simply put it is limited to low output unless you hack into it. Not that it matters to a lot of people but that mod does violate the warranty terms but allows the player to drive more varieties of headphones.




It will be the volume capped EU version


----------



## coke-1

Yes I'm aware and I plan to use the software to softmod it and remove the volume cap. Fully reversible. Not so concerned about the warranty since it's so cheap, relatively speaking, and a gamble I'm willing to take in exchange for a new unit with a fantastic price.



tsavjason said:


> Be sure you ask if it's the EU version or a more open software like the Asian and US markets software. If it's the EU version it will have a volume cap. Simply put it is limited to low output unless you hack into it. Not that it matters to a lot of people but that mod does violate the warranty terms but allows the player to drive more varieties of headphones.


----------



## TSAVJason

coke-1 said:


> Yes I'm aware and I plan to use the software to softmod it and remove the volume cap. Fully reversible. Not so concerned about the warranty since it's so cheap, relatively speaking, and a gamble I'm willing to take in exchange for a new unit with a fantastic price.


 

Great! Than you're good to go.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I do enjoy my WM1A a lot, perhaps the signature gets compensated with t he darker nature of my headphones /IEMS


----------



## Cagin

I'm on the opposite side, I find the WM1A not at all heavy actually. I even forget it's in my coat pocket or jeans. Maybe it's because I'm just used to that weight and size. Had the ZX2+leather case, then the DP-X1 with Dignis case. And to be honest the weight of it is peanuts when I weight already 115kg yeah 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I dislike the golden color too but it's not like I plan to show it off in public long enough to get it stolen uh ^^, besides once encased, color won't matter.


----------



## phonomat

tsavjason said:


> The proof is in the pudding. I don't question your opinion because they are opinions. Why would you come out and say "@TSAVJason is just wrong"? As though you're untitled to an opinion and I'm not. What makes you the superior opinion?


 
  
 The major difference being that you presented your opinion as fact, saying "The 1Z is definitely superior to the 1A". That's not an opinion. It's a wrong statement. Show me where I did the same.
  


cagin said:


> I'm on the opposite side, I find the WM1A not at all heavy actually. I even forget it's in my coat pocket or jeans. Maybe it's because I'm just used to that weight and size. Had the ZX2+leather case, then the DP-X1 with Dignis case. And to be honest the weight of it is peanuts when I weight already 115kg yeah
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Yeah, depends on where you're coming from, I guess. I had the ZX1 before, and there's no denying that the difference is quite significant.
 ZX1: 139 g
 1A: 267 g
 1Z: 455 g
  
 I'm not a scrawny guy either, but man, that bugger has some heft to it. Makes it that much less versatile than the ZX1, which I actually kept for running and the gym. Putting a 1A in your sweatpants would be borderline critical. With the 1Z, it's out of the question, unless you want to get kicked out for using the treadmill in your briefs.


----------



## denis1976

My opinion is that the 1Z is definitely and absolutely superior to 1A...and now what????


----------



## TSAVJason

phonomat said:


> The major difference being that you presented your opinion as fact, saying "The 1Z is definitely superior to the 1A". That's not an opinion. It's a wrong statement. Show me where I did the same.
> 
> 
> Yeah, depends on where you're coming from, I guess. I had the ZX1 before, and there's no denying that the difference is quite significant.
> ...


 

Again that's your opinion. I gave mine and you have yours. I'm not of the mindset that you get an opinion and I don't. If you feel you need to interpret my opinion as fact that's on you.


----------



## musicday

tsavjason said:


> coke-1 said:
> 
> 
> > Thank you for this. Been waiting for the price to dip like last time. I just placed my order for the gold!
> ...



Thanks for the advice but with the volume hack now nobody seems to care,so it doesn't matter anymore.
For example in 10 hours since the last time i checked they have sold fifteen (15) brand new units of 1Z and now is out of stock.
The price was very attractive, compared with what they normally sell.
On Sony website in UK is £ 3000!!


----------



## TSAVJason

musicday said:


> Thanks for the advice but with the volume hack now nobody seems to care,so it doesn't matter anymore.
> For example in 10 hours since the last time i checked they have sold fifteen (15) brand new units of 1Z and now is out of stock.
> The price was very attractive, compared with what they normally sell.
> On Sony website in UK is £ 3000!!


 

Enjoy your 1Z when you get it. It's a great unit


----------



## pietcux

cagin said:


> I'm on the opposite side, I find the WM1A not at all heavy actually. I even forget it's in my coat pocket or jeans. Maybe it's because I'm just used to that weight and size. Had the ZX2+leather case, then the DP-X1 with Dignis case. And to be honest the weight of it is peanuts when I weight already 115kg yeah
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Get yourself a black Edding pen and correct the color to your demand!


----------



## asquare3376

So, I finally gathered all my courage and asked my wife if I can buy the Gold walkman?
 There was a silence for one minute... And then after 15 mins of lecturing me, she finally agreed. Ofcourse I told her that it's 50% discounted  
Now that one hurdle's crossed, I have to arrange funds. (Secretly hoping that she gifts it to me somehow)


----------



## musicday

asquare3376 said:


> So, I finally gathered all my courage and asked my wife if I can buy the Gold walkman?
> There was a silence for one minute... And then after 15 mins of lecturing me, she finally agreed. Ofcourse I told her that it's 50% discounted
> Now that one hurdle's crossed, I have to arrange funds. (Secretly hoping that she gifts it to me somehow)



Love your story my friend.
Glad to hear you are getting the 1Z


----------



## Cagin

phonomat said:


> The major difference being that you presented your opinion as fact, saying "The 1Z is definitely superior to the 1A". That's not an opinion. It's a wrong statement. Show me where I did the same.
> 
> 
> Yeah, depends on where you're coming from, I guess. I had the ZX1 before, and there's no denying that the difference is quite significant.
> ...


 
 Oh yeah no contesting there. For gym I used the Cowon Plenue D, which is so light that even if it were to slip and fall, wouldn't drag down the ciems, it just dangles in the air ^^
 And with 60h on FLAC, I only would have to recharge it once in a while


----------



## asquare3376

Does anyone here has used/is using Sony's new 4.4 KK MUC-S12SB1 cable for the MDR-1A? 
Costs more than the headphones itself


----------



## Toolman

nc8000 said:


> tsavjason said:
> 
> 
> > Be sure you ask if it's the EU version or a more open software like the Asian and US markets software. If it's the EU version it will have a volume cap. Simply put it is limited to low output unless you hack into it. Not that it matters to a lot of people but that mod does violate the warranty terms but allows the player to drive more varieties of headphones.
> ...




Sorry I've been surviving on my smartphone for the past 4 days while on an overseas trip ago I'm not able to check in certain things...just curious what's the Amazon UK pricing in USD equivalent (incl shipping & tax)? Thanks


----------



## Mimouille

asquare3376 said:


> So, I finally gathered all my courage and asked my wife if I can buy the Gold walkman?
> There was a silence for one minute... And then after 15 mins of lecturing me, she finally agreed. Ofcourse I told her that it's 50% discounted
> 
> 
> ...


 
 So let me get this clear, you convinced her to allow you to get it AND you want her to pay for it  Man you got some nerve


----------



## asquare3376

mimouille said:


> So let me get this clear, you convinced her to allow you to get it AND you want her to pay for it  Man you got some nerve


 
 I "wish" that she pays for that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 So far, only condition is - I can't take the walkman to work so that she can enjoy it at home


----------



## soundkist

toolman said:


> Sorry I've been surviving on my smartphone for the past 4 days while on an overseas trip ago I'm not able to check in certain things...just curious what's the Amazon UK pricing in USD equivalent (incl shipping & tax)? Thanks


 
  
  
 ~$2060 shipped to US.


----------



## TSAVJason

toolman said:


> Sorry I've been surviving on my smartphone for the past 4 days while on an overseas trip ago I'm not able to check in certain things...just curious what's the Amazon UK pricing in USD equivalent (incl shipping & tax)? Thanks


 It's a killer price with the money exchange probably around $2100. If it were uncapped like the U.K., Asian or US/Canada versions they'd likely be selling at the equivalent of about $2500 US. Near the difference of the wholesale cost between the 2 different versions. Still it's a savings of $1100 USD to buy the capped version ...I'm not going to tell you not to buy it at those prices that's for sure. Here in the US we have no choice by Sony's rules as Sony Signature dealers but to sell for even higher than the $2500.00.


----------



## animalsrush

You guys are a bad influence.. I was blissfully enjoying my Sony zx2 with my k10.. then I happened to see this thread.. I have read every page and post and today finally placed an order for Sony wm1z. Thank @whitgir for answering my pm and giving feedback.. my zx2 will soon go on sale.. now wait begins for wm1z

Pc


----------



## asquare3376

animalsrush said:


> You guys are a bad influence..  my zx2 will soon go on sale.. now wait begins for wm1z
> 
> Pc


----------



## productred

There was still 1A vs 1Z debate up to this date it seems.............
  
 Think I am among the first batch of ppl who had got hands on these and compare and posted way back.
  
 Hard facts gleaned from Sony people's own saying (caveat - translation done right):
 1. Sony engineers had in interview said that the 1A and 1Z are MEANT to be designed to sound different but not one superior to the other.
 2. Sharp and fast sound for 1A in the mould of the Sony walkman house sound, and a more analog and "slower" sound for the 1Z
 3. However they did during development throw in more expensive components for the 1Z design route and eventually became a (almost) costs-no-object SQ-perfection-pursuing project
  
 I owned both at one time, burnt in both way beyond the recommended 200 hours, and then decided to keep the 1A and sell the 1Z.
  
 Reasoning behind:
  
 SQ: 20% - I do prefer the 1A signature quite a bit more, but ideally if they both share similar chasis (and weight) I could have kept both so this is not the deciding factor. I definitely won't be drawn into saying 1A or 1Z is sonically better than the other, they are NOT tuned to the same signature with one better than the other, they are tuned TO BE DIFFERENT.
  
 Form factor: 10% - I dun like boring black but I hate gold even more
  
 Weight: 65% - The weight of the 1Z is the real deal breaker for me. On work days I tried putting it in the jacket pocket but regretted after like 30 secs. It can ruin a suit jacket in that much time. And no luck with pants pocket as well. Tried hand carrying it but way too inconvenient and dun wanna train my biceps on my way to work. Tried putting it in my briefcase, and it weights more than my briefcase and its usual contents all added up. TBH the 1A is JUST marginally fit for pocketability, but at least it works. If you plan to use it in static situations then this should not matter too much for you. But for me most of my listening is done on the go.
  
 Other: 5% - I find the 1A more flexible with different iems than the 1Z but maybe that's just me. I do find the 1Z sound overly fuzzy with warmer sounding iems. And a really minor point (but matters a tiny bit for me) is the black 1A can look good in a bigger variety of cases than the gold (to my eyes none of the dignis offerings look good with the 1Z save for the black one)


----------



## Toolman

Anyone who thinks another member's (incl mine) posts are *FACT* need to have some perspective...no one here is an absolute authority and we all talking about are individual preferences and opinions here.

I have been living with a AK380SS+amp for the past weeks and tho I felt its heavy in the initial few days, I've learned to deal with the weight and its no longer a bother to me now...same for my upcoming WM1Z.

For time when I absolute need small and light, my Sony NW-A36 will cover my needs and more. My WM1Z stays I door as my reference source


----------



## Toolman

...btw the Kimber inside the 1Z is limiting its potential. I've heard a nodded 1Z and it sounds quite significantly different (wider soundstage, textured mids and deeper & tighter bass) and mine is undergoing the same mods right now


----------



## asquare3376

toolman said:


> ...btw the Kimber inside the 1Z is limiting its potential. I've heard a nodded 1Z and it sounds quite significantly different (wider soundstage, textured mids and deeper & tighter bass) and mine is undergoing the same mods right now


 
 I'd like to dissect mine.. Let me know the what kind of wire you're using/plan to use (gauge, material etc)


----------



## Sleepow

animalsrush said:


> You guys are a bad influence.. I was blissfully enjoying my Sony zx2 with my k10.. then I happened to see this thread.. I have read every page and post and today finally placed an order for Sony wm1z. Thank @whitgir for answering my pm and giving feedback.. my zx2 will soon go on sale.. now wait begins for wm1z
> 
> Pc




I have been, so for successfully, trying to convince myself that the ZX2 did not need to be upgraded; but how long will I resist...

(Thank God the 1Z did not support streaming, ...., Resistance would be futile)


----------



## TSAVJason

sleepow said:


> I have been, so for successfully, trying to convince myself that the ZX2 did not need to be upgraded; but how long will I resist...
> 
> (Thank God the 1Z did not support streaming, ...., Resistance would be futile)


 Hahaha that's funny :thumbsup_tone1:


----------



## buzzlulu

So the U.K. version is also uncapped like the Asian version? I thought that the U.K. Also follows certain EU rules such as these?

I know that there have been people who have purchased in the past from Amazon UK - how have these come in- capped or uncapped??


----------



## Toolman

Edit


----------



## productred

buzzlulu said:


> So the U.K. version is also uncapped like the Asian version? I thought that the U.K. Also follows certain EU rules such as these?
> 
> I know that there have been people who have purchased in the past from Amazon UK - how have these come in- capped or uncapped??


 
  
 Of all versions ONLY the EU version is capped. Not entirely sure about the UK stock but for logistical reasons it seems reasonable for the UK version the same as the EU version.
  
 Maybe only Sony ppl and dealer can officially confirm that


----------



## buzzlulu

As per Google (and as I thought) - UK follows EU rules i.e. UK models have the volume cap


----------



## Sarnia

buzzlulu said:


> As per Google (and as I thought) - UK follows EU rules i.e. UK models have the volume cap


Yes it's capped, but very easy to uncap.


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> As per Google (and as I thought) - UK follows EU rules i.e. UK models have the volume cap




Yes UK is part of EU for another at least 2 years so have to follow EU rules


----------



## buzzlulu

I'm sure when this latest batch gets delivered people will post here if they have problems


----------



## proedros

waiting for the amazon uk to sell those wm1a at a ridiculously low price again


----------



## musicday

Wondering when 1Z comes back in stock price will be low again or go back to normal?


----------



## nc8000

musicday said:


> Wondering when 1Z comes back in stock price will be low again or go back to normal?




Might jump to msrp at £3.000


----------



## proedros

amazon UK still takes orders of wm1Z at the new low price £1,882.89
  
  
 plus there is one *used-like new WM1Z by amazon warehouse deals* , selling for even cheaper at *£1,788.93 (100 POUNDS CHEAPER)*
  
  
 to get an idea , amazon.de sells the 1z model for 3300 euros.....


----------



## kms108

toolman said:


> ...btw the Kimber inside the 1Z is limiting its potential. I've heard a nodded 1Z and it sounds quite significantly different (wider soundstage, textured mids and deeper & tighter bass) and mine is undergoing the same mods right now


 

 That's how sony will make money, next will be a MK2 version with a increase in price.


----------



## Neo Zuko

Are the new Walkmen really that big and or heavy when considering the amplification improvements? The copper model is more heavy, that's understandable. Nature of the beast. Personally, I was drawn to the new Walkmen due to the (seemingly) extra power in a smaller, more elegant package vs a stack.


----------



## pietcux

neo zuko said:


> Are the new Walkmen really that big and or heavy when considering the amplification improvements? The copper model is more heavy, that's understandable. Nature of the beast. Personally, I was drawn to the new Walkmen due to the (seemingly) extra power in a smaller, more elegant package vs a stack.



The NW-WM1A has the size and weight compare able to a Fiio E12/Ipod classic stack.


----------



## productred

neo zuko said:


> Are the new Walkmen really that big and or heavy when considering the amplification improvements? The copper model is more heavy, that's understandable. Nature of the beast. Personally, I was drawn to the new Walkmen due to the (seemingly) extra power in a smaller, more elegant package vs a stack.


 
  
 Big: sizewise I think it's pretty acceptable for most. they do need more clearance for large cylindrical resistors and capacitors on BOTH sides of the circuit board. improved amps doesn't need to be heavy but they do need some volume.
  
 Heavy: as I have said above, the 1A is even marginally pocketable while the 1Z is really a solid brick. depending on your usage it may or may not be heavy. I listen while walking around so the 1A suits me much more. But if your listening are mostly done at your workbench or in a cafe etc then even the 1Z's weight shouldn't bother you too much.


----------



## Neo Zuko

I agree that the weight may also be a bigger factor for me than the sound signature. But the gold... my precious...

Can I just get a third deluxe aluminum model with gold plating? 

Plus Sony made the iPhone I've always wanted: black front with a gold chassis. Not everyone likes white Apple. Of course, since I'm switching to Android I won't have that problem anymore.

That said, I'm still far more likely to buy the WM1A for price reasons. It all comes down to the dollar. I want to start saving for a Cavalli amp, a Chord DAC, Noble Kaiser Encore IEMs, and so on.


----------



## gerelmx1986

E a try as I thought the models are to sound different warm vs reference


----------



## buzzlulu

Well they are quick - shipping notice just arrived


----------



## gerelmx1986

High gain is good for boosting volume on low or quiet recordings


----------



## musicday

buzzlulu said:


> Well they are quick - shipping notice just arrived



Yes they are , you will get it Friday if you choosed free shipping, otherwise earlier.


----------



## buzzlulu

Yes Friday- but I paid for expedited global shipping. I'm on the other side of the pond.

When I am not using the headphone amplifier connected to my two channel system I use an iPhone/Mojo. I have been contemplating the new Hugo2 however I Am growing tired of the cable mess. I am sort of hoping the WM1Z will be better than the Mojo - and can hold its own against the Hugo2


----------



## Dillan

gerelmx1986 said:


> For me it sounds nice right now, i find the dynamic range of the music is imporved... not only that, the separation and stereo feect, the stage got bigger and everything feels more natural tan SE which was already very organic sounding to me







soundkist said:


> I certainly don't think so, but I would seem to be what you would call the extreme minority in that regard.  Just being honest, and saying what my ears tell me.  Full disclosure, I have only had access to, and tried, one IEM and one cable that way, so I guess the proverbial giant grain of salt.  Currently have Sony Kimber cable, but am waiting arrival of a much cheaper 4.4mm cable, as well as a new IEM as well.  No matter what it sounds like, I imagine I will be unloading my Kimber cable in favor of the much cheaper one because I just don't care that much for it; but who knows, with the new IEM, it might be awesome.  We'll see!
> 
> Also, have a local meet to attend later this month where I'll get to try a few full size cans via balanced, including Utopia and some MrSpeakers stuff, so excited to see how those perform as well!




I know I'm late to reply to these.. but a lot of people (me included) are getting balanced not just because they think the sound quality will be so much better but also because balanced is going to give them MUCH more amplification power. I wouldn't be able to power some of my headphones if it weren't for their balanced cable. Not to mention Sony really built this thing with balanced in mind if you look at the circuitry. Also I have a few albums in DSD format which only works in balanced which is yet another reason to go that route which I'm sure others are in that same situation. Just giving my two cents.


----------



## nc8000

DSD can also play over single ended, just not native but convertet


----------



## soundkist

dillan said:


> I know I'm late to reply to these.. but a lot of people (me included) are getting balanced not just because they think the sound quality will be so much better but also because balanced is going to give them MUCH more amplification power. I wouldn't be able to power some of my headphones if it weren't for their balanced cable. Not to mention Sony really built this thing with balanced in mind if you look at the circuitry. Also I have a few albums in DSD format which only works in balanced which is yet another reason to go that route which I'm sure others are in that same situation. Just giving my two cents.


 
  
 Excellent points; I should have noted my sole balanced-capable IEM is _extremely _easy to drive, and don't necessarily need the extra juice the balanced connection gives it to drive them sufficiently.  I'm very excited to try some of the full-sized cans on the balanced side, which no doubt should benefit greatly from the extra power, and perhaps be a better match for that connection.


----------



## Dillan

nc8000 said:


> DSD can also play over single ended, just not native but convertet





nc8000 said:


> DSD can also play over single ended, just not native but convertet




Right, it's essentially DSD over PCM. Not a huge deal I guess as you said it will still play it. Just not natively like balanced would.


----------



## Dillan

Random question 

Is the new signature desktop amp have a tube in it? I read somewhere that it's a hybrid. Is that true?


----------



## nanaholic

neo zuko said:


> Are the new Walkmen really that big and or heavy when considering the amplification improvements? The copper model is more heavy, that's understandable. Nature of the beast. Personally, I was drawn to the new Walkmen due to the (seemingly) extra power in a smaller, more elegant package vs a stack.


 
  
 Size wise it's a little on the thick side but otherwise width and height isn't really out of ordinary - it's sort of comparable to the Fiio X7 or the old AK120II.  The weight is not much of a problem if you are a bag user - I use a messaging bag everyday and the 1Z goes in there with me no problem, and with the Bluetooth remote clipped to the strap it's actually very easy to use. Best thing is with the battery efficiency I don't even have to take it out of the bag for charging for the entire week!


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> Random question
> 
> Is the new signature desktop amp have a tube in it? I read somewhere that it's a hybrid. Is that true?


 No tube there. Sorry to break your heart


----------



## nanaholic

dillan said:


> Random question
> 
> Is the new signature desktop amp have a tube in it? I read somewhere that it's a hybrid. Is that true?


 
  
 Not a tube but a more conventional analogue amp in combination to the digital amp in the design. The function of the analogue amp is to flip the output signal noise from the S-Master digital amp to produce a reverse polarity signal of the noise,  which would then cancel out the signal noise from the digital amp only signal chain.  It's actually like how balanced audio works if you think about it.


----------



## Dillan

soundkist said:


> ~$2060 shipped to US.




Oh my God that's crazy good price!


----------



## Neo Zuko

dillan said:


> Oh my God that's crazy good price!




I'd buy that.


----------



## Dillan

nanaholic said:


> Not a tube but a more conventional analogue amp in combination to the digital amp in the design. The function of the analogue amp is to flip the output signal noise from the S-Master digital amp to produce a reverse polarity signal of the noise,  which would then cancel out the signal noise from the digital amp only signal chain.  It's actually like how balanced audio works if you think about it.




Ah ok I understand and yes that is how balanced works.. it's what I was thinking as you were describing it. I have been entertaining the idea of getting a desktop amp and that one seems convenient as it has the 4.4mm ports.

Anyone know where I can get a female 4.4mm to male 4 pin balanced adapter or are those still not around yet?


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> Anyone know where I can get a female 4.4mm to male 4 pin balanced adapter or are those still not around yet?


 Try checking with @tigzstudio


----------



## gerelmx1986

I got the WM1A for upgraded SQ and decided also that if I have this piece of kit, then I shall use the balanced output to use my DAP at its fullest. 
Why would I spend money on the WM1A if I would never use the balanced?


----------



## Neo Zuko

Can any headphone with two plugs run balanced or do the plugs need a special pin out?


----------



## jamato8

neo zuko said:


> Can any headphone with two plugs run balanced or do the plugs need a special pin out?


 

 Can you clarify what you mean? If a plug for each monitor, R and L, you can run it balanced as long as the cable terminates to the right balanced plug for the amp being used. Any headphone can be changed to balanced but with some you would need to rewire.


----------



## gerelmx1986

neo zuko said:


> Can any headphone with two plugs run balanced or do the plugs need a special pin out?


you mean like my MDR-Z7? That have two plugs one for Left and one for right channels?

Like this I bet


----------



## Lavakugel

asquare3376 said:


> Try checking with @tigzstudio


 
 asquare3376 how did you like ca vega with your 1a?


----------



## asquare3376

lavakugel said:


> asquare3376 how did you like ca vega with your 1a?


I am selling it... PM me if you are interested


----------



## bana

dillan said:


> Oh my God that's crazy good price!


 
 Where is the $2060. price?


----------



## mw7485

bana said:


> Where is the $2060. price?


 
 Its the USD equivalent of the amazon.co.uk price.....


----------



## musicday

The price is still low,but notnin stock but they seem to take per orders.Once back in stock price may go back to normal.Wonder how it compares to P2,but the last has a very short battery life,so that's no go for me.


----------



## Neo Zuko

jamato8 said:


> Can you clarify what you mean? If a plug for each monitor, R and L, you can run it balanced as long as the cable terminates to the right balanced plug for the amp being used. Any headphone can be changed to balanced but with some you would need to rewire.




I meant say I buy the MrSpeakers Ether Flow headphones. I order up a cable that has the right connections for the Ether Flow (whatever that type of connection is) and it terminates in a Pentaconn connector. I plug it into my WM1A. Does that get me balanced, or do I have to mod the ports on the headphone in some cases? Same with the Focal Utopia, etc.


----------



## jamato8

neo zuko said:


> I meant say I buy the MrSpeakers Ether Flow headphones. I order up a cable that has the right connections for the Ether Flow (whatever that type of connection is) and it terminates in a Pentaconn connector. I plug it into my WM1A. Does that get me balanced, or do I have to mod the ports on the headphone in some cases? Same with the Focal Utopia, etc.


 

 You are using a TRRRS plug so it would be wired for balanced and you are using the balanced socket so you are good to go and are running your headphones balanced.


----------



## asquare3376

neo zuko said:


> I meant say I buy the MrSpeakers Ether Flow headphones. I order up a cable that has the right connections for the Ether Flow (whatever that type of connection is) and it terminates in a Pentaconn connector. I plug it into my WM1A. Does that get me balanced, or do I have to mod the ports on the headphone in some cases? Same with the Focal Utopia, etc.


 No further mods needed. If your cable is terminating in 4.4, you are all set for balanced.


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> No further mods needed. If your cable is terminating in 4.4, you are all set for balanced.


 I love it! Amit has gone pro on us! Awesome!


----------



## asquare3376

tsavjason said:


> I love it! Amit has gone pro on us! Awesome!


 Ssshhh.. not so loud!!! PM me


----------



## djhitman

gerelmx1986 said:


> you mean like my MDR-Z7? That have two plugs one for Left and one for right channels?
> 
> Like this I bet




Where did you get that adapter. I have balanced cables I used with pha3 that I would like to switch over for Wm1a


----------



## musicday

Been reading the player doesn't get warm at all even playing DSD,if that's the case then is a great achievement from Sony, being a powerful music player or not.


----------



## nc8000

musicday said:


> Been reading the player doesn't get warm at all even playing DSD,if that's the case then is a great achievement from Sony, being a powerful music player or not.




Nope not warm at all


----------



## TSAVJason

nc8000 said:


> Nope not warm at all


 Neither the 1Z or 1A get hot or warm while in use.


----------



## asquare3376

tsavjason said:


> Neither the 1Z or 1A get hot or warm while in use.


 I totally agree with Jason


----------



## gerelmx1986

djhitman said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > you mean like my MDR-Z7? That have two plugs one for Left and one for right channels?
> ...


I asked head-fier Whitigir for them


----------



## gerelmx1986

Phantom of the opera is great of recording (the original casting of course) got then one with th original 1980s cast and the sound is awesome.


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> Phantom of the opera is great of recording (the original casting of course) got then one with th original 1980s cast and the sound is awesome.



You and your classical music.And you praise your Walkman more than i do my Tera Player lol


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Phantom of the opera is great of recording (the original casting of course) got then one with th original 1980s cast and the sound is awesome.
> ...


I consider the pahnatom of the opera to be a crossover between classical and some parts has electronic music / synthesizers


----------



## asquare3376

Not so long ago, I met Jason at The Source AV. Couple minutes into the talking and I started to like him as a person. Very straight forward, to the point, no BS marketing stunts (I know some would disagree here but that's my observation). That day, I came back home with the Sony Signature series in my car's trunk and it was all my own decision.
 I go meet him every now and then for a casual chat and he always takes the time out to entertain me and all my weird questions.
  
 I look up to him for his advice because they are way worth more than the words transcribed on internet. I admire his passion for the work he does, the industry he supports. But anyways, I know this is not Jason's appreciation thread, so I'm just going to leave it here with one last liner - Never judge a person until you meet them personally and get to know them.
  
 Earlier today, he gifted me this "Gold" because I told him I'm short of funds and really can't afford it right now, and that I have some immigration issues which may send me back to my country sooner than I anticipate.
  
 Sony may have had this Gold plating to ooze their sales pitch but this man right here has a Golden heart I'm blessed to have crossed path with.
  
 Thanks @TSAVJason for everything


----------



## Whitigir

I am officially jealous, but welcome to the club !


----------



## asquare3376

whitigir said:


> I am officially jealous, but welcome to the club !


 Hahaha, thanks. Sold my 1A this morning. If I had any idea Gold would be coming for free, I would have kept it and enjoyed the complete signature lineup


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> Hahaha, thanks. Sold my 1A this morning. If I had any idea Gold would be coming for free, I would have kept it and enjoyed the complete signature lineup


 Hahahaha yeah! Free! That's the ticket! I will agree, those that shop @TSAV buy happy


----------



## Dillan

asquare3376 said:


> Hahaha, thanks. Sold my 1A this morning. If I had any idea Gold would be coming for free, I would have kept it and enjoyed the complete signature lineup




Congrats. I've had some disagreements with Jason and the way he "markets" his store and the way he represents himself on these threads but that's a very noble thing of him to do and usually the way you perceive someone online is usually different than if you were to meet and talk to them in person. Enjoy the 1Z.. it's obviously an amazing product. I believe the 1A and 1Z to be the best portable source components ever made.


----------



## Dillan

By the way.. from pretty much day one I have been using a beautiful wine colored leather case by miter with the built in stand. Also didn't touch the screen until I could install the screen protector too. Both of which I bought from US Amazon. The screen protector is very cool, it has a matte finish giving it an anti glare and satisfying feel to the touch. Here is picture of the case.. the wine color over the shiny gold looks very nice in my opinion.


----------



## Dillan




----------



## gerelmx1986

asquare3376 said:


> Not so long ago, I met Jason at The Source AV. Couple minutes into the talking and I started to like him as a person. Very straight forward, to the point, no BS marketing stunts (I know some would disagree here but that's my observation). That day, I came back home with the Sony Signature series in my car's trunk and it was all my own decision.
> I go meet him every now and then for a casual chat and he always takes the time out to entertain me and all my weird questions.
> 
> I look up to him for his advice because they are way worth more than the words transcribed on internet. I admire his passion for the work he does, the industry he supports. But anyways, I know this is not Jason's appreciation thread, so I'm just going to leave it here with one last liner - Never judge a person until you meet them personally and get to know them.
> ...


 
 and how does the Z5 pair with the Gold, they don't get overly warm (bassier)? and Z7?


----------



## gerelmx1986

tsavjason said:


> Hahahaha yeah! Free! That's the ticket! I will agree, those that shop @TSAV buy happy


 
 That's a nice gesture from a shop owner, Kudos


----------



## animalsrush

Question to wm1z owners using mac.. is transferring music the same as it was on zx2 for mac. Pliug in USB shows up as drive and I dump music into music folder ?

Thanks
Pc


----------



## gerelmx1986

animalsrush said:


> Question to wm1z owners using mac.. is transferring music the same as it was on zx2 for mac. Pliug in USB shows up as drive and I dump music into music folder ?
> 
> Thanks
> Pc


 

 ​Yup even on Windows too


----------



## nc8000

And at least on Windows both internal storage and mSD show up at the same time as 2 drive letters


----------



## Dillan

We should consolidate the two wm1z/a threads. Not sure why there is two.


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> Congrats. I've had some disagreements with Jason and the way he "markets" his store and the way he represents himself on these threads but that's a very noble thing of him to do and usually the way you perceive someone online is usually different than if you were to meet and talk to them in person. Enjoy the 1Z.. it's obviously an amazing product. I believe the 1A and 1Z to be the best portable source components ever made.


Thanks Dillan. Regardless of the fact that he gifted me the walkman, he is a great guy in person. Not everything what we perceive from a distance or over the internet/forums is true. Meet him if you ever get a chance and you'll see I wasn't lying  
By the way, give us the link of the matte screen protector you're using


----------



## Dillan

Front Screen Protector for SONY NW WM1 WM1A WM1Z Music Player , Anti-Glare Matte Screen Protector LCD Shield Guard Healing Shield Film [Front 2pcs Film] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQVN8P9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_vZT9ybHCBA5N6


----------



## asquare3376

gerelmx1986 said:


> and how does the Z5 pair with the Gold, they don't get overly warm (bassier)? and Z7?


 
 I am yet to turn the player on. Quickly posted the picture and then went to the gym.. The fun starts now


----------



## TSAVJason

dillan said:


> Front Screen Protector for SONY NW WM1 WM1A WM1Z Music Player , Anti-Glare Matte Screen Protector LCD Shield Guard Healing Shield Film [Front 2pcs Film] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQVN8P9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_vZT9ybHCBA5N6




That's a good link to share


----------



## coke-1

Amazon UK 1Z price is back to normal


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> Front Screen Protector for SONY NW WM1 WM1A WM1Z Music Player , Anti-Glare Matte Screen Protector LCD Shield Guard Healing Shield Film [Front 2pcs Film] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQVN8P9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_vZT9ybHCBA5N6


 
 Thanks Dillan. I have been using these.. The cut is perfect and works well... Matte would look cool, no doubt.
 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MYBZSEO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## Ricky64

My saga over the weekend: I am a prime customer, ordered the 1Z over Amazon UK on Saturday when multiple were left.

My credit card company turned it down. They emailed me, I confirmed the purchase, and received a reply back to resubmit, and it would be approved. 
They rejected it again, without informing me. I reordered through amazon, watching the process as inventory was dwindling.
The item then listed as out of stock, and my order was listed as received, but shipping yet to be determined. I called my CC company (It is a Sony Card no less!) who was apologetic but little else. 

Presently, my amazon order states the order is pending, and my CC has the charge listed as pending but not posted.
Now, the item is back in stock on Amazon UK, at the full price, and now states there is no shipping to the US!

I'll be fascinated (and probably upset) to see how this all goes down.


----------



## asquare3376

ricky64 said:


> My saga over the weekend: I am a prime customer, ordered the 1Z over Amazon UK on Saturday when multiple were left.
> 
> My credit card company turned it down. They emailed me, I confirmed the purchase, and received a reply back to resubmit, and it would be approved.
> They rejected it again, without informing me. I reordered through amazon, watching the process as inventory was dwindling.
> ...


 
 Be positive, order is in pending and not canceled. You should ideally receive the walkman as you ordered in time. Try emailing/chatting with Amazon and find out. All the best!


----------



## asquare3376

gerelmx1986 said:


> and how does the Z5 pair with the Gold, they don't get overly warm (bassier)? and Z7?


 
 Not at all. Z5 is sounding so in control.. Soundstage is definitely wider than the 1A, & more resolving. Very very nice presentation with the 4.4 Kimber. I'm happy to have got the 1Z. 
 Wonder what happens after the 200 hrs mark


----------



## Sarnia

ricky64 said:


> My saga over the weekend: I am a prime customer, ordered the 1Z over Amazon UK on Saturday when multiple were left.
> 
> My credit card company turned it down. They emailed me, I confirmed the purchase, and received a reply back to resubmit, and it would be approved.
> They rejected it again, without informing me. I reordered through amazon, watching the process as inventory was dwindling.
> ...


You should be fine. The one in Stock is a third party seller. They don't ship to the UK.


----------



## Sarnia

I ordered a 1Z and then cancelled it. After the initial buzz from getting it for such a good price I realised it still doesn't make sense for me. 

I decided to use the money to take my 3 year old daughter to Disney in Orlando again in November.


----------



## Toolman

Don't you guys get taxed when these units are shipped over to the US?

Anyway the "special" pricing is kinda a "regular" price in some countries over here in Asia...plus they are not volume capped and no time limit


----------



## Dillan

sarnia said:


> I ordered a 1Z and then cancelled it. After the initial buzz from getting it for such a good price I realised it still doesn't make sense for me.
> 
> I decided to use the money to take my 3 year old daughter to Disney in Orlando again in November.




You'll regret that. A true audiophile would sell the daughter for the 1Z. 

Haha obviously joking. You did the right thing I think


----------



## musicday

dillan said:


> sarnia said:
> 
> 
> > I ordered a 1Z and then cancelled it. After the initial buzz from getting it for such a good price I realised it still doesn't make sense for me.
> ...



He can always buy it again in the future when has extra money left.


----------



## buzzlulu

All of the current - and future - "Z" owners who are using the Utopia:

I assume everyone is using a third party cable terminated with the Pentacon 4.4. What are some of the different brand cables people are using? I already have a 3 meter Axios terminated XLR which I use with my Moon amplifier. I do not want to buy an Axios dongle (XLR>4.4) as my cable is already too long for portable use. I'm not quite sure I want to buy a second Axios again (1m terminated 4.4) as it is not exactly cheap.

What solutions are people using with the Utopia?


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> All of the current - and future - "Z" owners who are using the Utopia:
> 
> I assume everyone is using a third party cable terminated with the Pentacon 4.4. What are some of the different brand cables people are using? I already have a 3 meter Axios terminated XLR which I use with my Moon amplifier. I do not want to buy an Axios dongle (XLR>4.4) as my cable is already too long for portable use. I'm not quite sure I want to buy a second Axios again (1m terminated 4.4) as it is not exactly cheap.
> 
> What solutions are people using with the Utopia?




You could cut your cable at 1 meter and terminate it with something like a 4-pin mini xlr and take a bit of the cable to make a 4-pin to 4.4mm dongle and terminate the remainder of the cable with a 4-pin to get another long dongle. I've done something similar with some of my phones and cables


----------



## buzzlulu

Thanks however I need my current Axios cable so I can use my Utopia's with my headphone amp and 2 channel system. 

I need to do one of two things: 

use my current 3 meter cable with a dongle
OR
Buy a second shorter 1m cable 

I prefer a second cable but do not want to spend for a second Axios - they are expensive!
Thus my inquiry as to which third party cables "Z" users are using with the Utopia


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> Thanks however I need my current Axios cable so I can use my Utopia's with my headphone amp and 2 channel system.
> 
> I need to do one of two things:
> 
> ...




Yep and that is exactly what you can do with my suggestion


----------



## animalsrush

gerelmx1986 said:


> ​Yup even on Windows too


 
  
  


nc8000 said:


> And at least on Windows both internal storage and mSD show up at the same time as 2 drive letters


 
 Thanks Guys ..


----------



## Dillan

buzzlulu said:


> All of the current - and future - "Z" owners who are using the Utopia:
> 
> I assume everyone is using a third party cable terminated with the Pentacon 4.4. What are some of the different brand cables people are using? I already have a 3 meter Axios terminated XLR which I use with my Moon amplifier. I do not want to buy an Axios dongle (XLR>4.4) as my cable is already too long for portable use. I'm not quite sure I want to buy a second Axios again (1m terminated 4.4) as it is not exactly cheap.
> 
> What solutions are people using with the Utopia?




I always use plussound for my cables. You can pick exactly what you want and the price is usually pretty fair.


----------



## echineko

buzzlulu said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have an XLR cable too, and I'm having an ultrashort (no wires) adaptor made to go from XLR to 4.4mm Pentaconn. If you already have an Axios cable for the Utopia that is terminated with XLR, why not go this route too?


----------



## hung031086

Plussound is great but the wait is ridiculous lolz. A cable takes 6-8 weeks. A short cable for interconnect takes 4 weeks. Btw i need to send my cable back to them for retermination. Not sure how long i have to wait .


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> You could cut your cable at 1 meter and terminate it with something like a 4-pin mini xlr and take a bit of the cable to make a 4-pin to 4.4mm dongle and terminate the remainder of the cable with a 4-pin to get another long dongle. I've done something similar with some of my phones and cables




This is a very viable suggestion. I would contact the place where you obtained the Axios and request about this


----------



## Neo Zuko

Is anyone also picking up a Hugo 2? Can you connect the WM1A to a Hugo 2?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Some one here posted that he said at first I've hearing balanced "wow". 

First I said cool, but as hours passed and reaching 8hrs I said meh sounds like single ended. As hours passed till yesterday having reached 70 hours suddenly I said freaking Holy cow this is a surreal experience, never heard OG (Opera ghost) like this before neither Liszt organ works


----------



## gerelmx1986

neo zuko said:


> Is anyone also picking up a Hugo 2? Can you connect the WM1A to a Hugo 2?


you need a special cable... Meet Sony man, you need that WMC-NWH10


----------



## coke-1

My 1Z shipped from Great Britain and will be here Monday! Super excited. I need help on finding a balanced cable. I have a set of UR remastered ciems. UE sells a balanced cable but it has a 2.5mm trrs connector. I did find a 2.5 trrs female to 4.4 male balanced at plussound for around 80$. 

Will that work? A balanced 2.5 trrs to 4.5 trrrs? Or is there. Better way?

Thanks for the help!


----------



## nc8000

coke-1 said:


> My 1Z shipped from Great Britain and will be here Monday! Super excited. I need help on finding a balanced cable. I have a set of UR remastered ciems. UE sells a balanced cable but it has a 2.5mm trrs connector. I did find a 2.5 trrs female to 4.4 male balanced at plussound for around 80$.
> 
> Will that work? A balanced 2.5 trrs to 4.5 trrrs? Or is there. Better way?
> 
> Thanks for the help!




It will work but if you don't need a 2.5 connection and have the skill I would recommend reterminating the cable to 4.4


----------



## soundkist

I'm a little confused on the digital output capabilities of these players... So, if I understand this correctly...
  
 1.  I can output a digital stream to a dac with a usb input, but I need a special cable to do so, and cannot accomplish this via the cable that came with my player that I use for charging/data transfer?
  
 2.  No decoding is done on the player in this kind of setup, correct?  So, if I were to play a 24/192 or DSD into a dac that maxes out at 24/96, it wouldn't work, right?


----------



## gerelmx1986

soundkist said:


> I'm a little confused on the digital output capabilities of these players... So, if I understand this correctly...
> 
> 1.  I can output a digital stream to a dac with a usb input, but I need a special cable to do so, and cannot accomplish this via the cable that came with my player that I use for charging/data transfer?
> 
> 2.  No decoding is done on the player in this kind of setup, correct?  So, if I were to play a 24/192 or DSD into a dac that maxes out at 24/96, it wouldn't work, right?


it can convert and pass as digital even DSD, and yeah you need that special cable, that cable has a chip inside it that makes the digital decoding


----------



## asquare3376

soundkist said:


> I'm a little confused on the digital output capabilities of these players... So, if I understand this correctly...
> 
> 1.  I can output a digital stream to a dac with a usb input, but I need a special cable to do so, and cannot accomplish this via the cable that came with my player that I use for charging/data transfer?
> 
> 2.  No decoding is done on the player in this kind of setup, correct?  So, if I were to play a 24/192 or DSD into a dac that maxes out at 24/96, it wouldn't work, right?


What DAC are you planning to use? If it takes USB B as input, you need to buy the walkman dock (see my signature)


----------



## soundkist

asquare3376 said:


> What DAC are you planning to use? If it takes USB B as input, you need to buy the walkman dock (see my signature)


 
  
 I have a pair of KEF X300a's that have a built-in dac that goes up to 24/96; input for them is usb mini-B.  By all accounts an inferior dac to what the Sony has, but wanted to see how the sound differed compared to using the 3.5mm analog input on them with the analog output of the Sony.


----------



## Whitigir

WM digital port is Sony proprietary. You will need Sony Walkman cables to do digital out. You can find these cables from Stock with Sony portable amplifier such as pha-3, and the desktop such as Ta-zH1Es.

Beside that, you can buy the dongle as suggested in the previous posts, and if you want better quality, you can always buy the Sony docking cradle


----------



## asquare3376

soundkist said:


> I have a pair of KEF X300a's that have a built-in dac that goes up to 24/96; input for them is usb mini-B.  By all accounts an inferior dac to what the Sony has, but wanted to see how the sound differed compared to using the 3.5mm analog input on them with the analog output of the Sony.


 If you need Analog out, use a 3.5 to 3.5.If you need digital out, get the dock and then a USB type A to mini B
There are no other options.


----------



## soundkist

Awesome, thanks for the info guys; are there any issues using the docking cradle with the 1A/1Z?  My understanding is that although it works, it's not designed for the 1A/1Z?  Also, any issues with 3rd-party adapters, or should I only go with the official Sony one?
  


asquare3376 said:


> If you need Analog out, use a 3.5 to 3.5.If you need digital out, get the dock and then a USB type A to mini B
> There are no other options.


  
  
 Yeah, I already tried the 3.5 to 3.5; just wanted to see about how to go about feeding them digitally, and how that compared/differed; thanks.


----------



## asquare3376

soundkist said:


> Awesome, thanks for the info guys; are there any issues using the docking cradle with the 1A/1Z?  My understanding is that although it works, it's not designed for the 1A/1Z?  Also, any issues with 3rd-party adapters, or should I only go with the official Sony one?


 Ibelieve The DAC in the 1z will be better. Just saying...


----------



## soundkist

asquare3376 said:


> Ibelieve The DAC in the 1z will be better. Just saying...


 
  
 Better than what?


----------



## PLUSSOUND

hung031086 said:


> Plussound is great but the wait is ridiculous lolz. A cable takes 6-8 weeks. A short cable for interconnect takes 4 weeks. Btw i need to send my cable back to them for retermination. Not sure how long i have to wait
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Made to orders take four weeks at the moment, whether it is a main cable or interconnect. Reterminations will take much less.


----------



## phonomat

neo zuko said:


> Is anyone also picking up a Hugo 2? Can you connect the WM1A to a Hugo 2?




I might, but I'm not ordering it until I get to hear it in May. I'm curious about the different filters; knowing Chord, I'm afraid they won't make much of a difference though.
At least I already have the aforementioned cable from ZX1/Hugo 1.


----------



## asquare3376

soundkist said:


> Better than what?


better than your external DAC


----------



## buzzlulu

echineko said:


> I have an XLR cable too, and I'm having an ultrashort (no wires) adaptor made to go from XLR to 4.4mm Pentaconn. If you already have an Axios cable for the Utopia that is terminated with XLR, why not go this route too?




From where are you sourcing this? Do you have a link?


----------



## buzzlulu

whitigir said:


> This is a very viable suggestion. I would contact the place where you obtained the Axios and request about this




The Kimber Axios which I have is a (insanely) priced cable. Even so I received a price for a dongle - $475 list.

Now you can see why I am considering buying a second cable - and 3 meters is too long for a DAP


----------



## Neo Zuko

So the WM1A does USB digital out without a dock but with that special Walkman cable to the Hugo 2, did I get that right?


----------



## buzzlulu

nc8000 said:


> You could cut your cable at 1 meter and terminate it with something like a 4-pin mini xlr and take a bit of the cable to make a 4-pin to 4.4mm dongle and terminate the remainder of the cable with a 4-pin to get another long dongle. I've done something similar with some of my phones and cables




See above. If Kimber wants $475 for a dongle I hate to see the bill if I sent my Axios back to them for an operation such as above. A brand new 1m cable will be cheaper - that is why I am investigating these options.

Anyone use the Wireworld nano platinum with the Utopias?


----------



## phonomat

neo zuko said:


> So the WM1A does USB digital out without a dock but with that special Walkman cable to the Hugo 2, did I get that right?




Yep.


----------



## Neo Zuko

phonomat said:


> Yep.




Whew thanks. Nice feature to have.


----------



## soundkist

asquare3376 said:


> better than your external DAC


 
  
 Oh, absolutely!  I thought you were speaking in reference to the docking station since that's what you quoted from my post, and I was confused lol.


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> See above. If Kimber wants $475 for a dongle I hate to see the bill if I sent my Axios back to them for an operation such as above. A brand new 1m cable will be cheaper - that is why I am investigating these options.
> 
> Anyone use the Wireworld nano platinum with the Utopias?




Well I was sugesting you do it yourself or get somebody with the soldering skills to do it. I've got a friend who has the skills and have done mine.


----------



## asquare3376

gerelmx1986 said:


> it can convert and pass as digital even DSD, and yeah you need that special cable, that cable has a chip inside it that makes the digital decoding


 I don't think there's a chip inside. It's just the connection. Here's the WM port pin configuration for the enthusiasts:

01: L: GND
02:S :
03:S : USB data +
04:S : USB data -
05: L: USB GND
06: L:
07: L: Vin(5V)
08:S : RxD/Wake (control-signal-input)
09:S : check Cradle
10:S : TxD/Sleep (control-signal-output)
11:S : check USB
12: L: battery-output
13:S : audio-left-input
14:S : audio-left-output
15: L: audio-GND
16:S : audio-right-input
17:S : audio-right-output
18: L: (video) GND
19:S : (vidoe-in/out)
20:S : check DC-input
21:S : (digital_out)
22: L: GND


----------



## asquare3376

soundkist said:


> Oh, absolutely!  I thought you were speaking in reference to the docking station since that's what you quoted from my post, and I was confused lol.


1Z combined with the dock is one of the best digital transports you can find. But then, you need to have a killer DAC to take advantage


----------



## Dillan

Just my humble honest opinion but I believe Kimber to drastically overprice their cables.. especially axios.


----------



## buzzlulu

dillan said:


> Just my humble honest opinion but I believe Kimber to drastically overprice their cables.. especially axios.




Well I own it - like it as an alternative to the stock cable ( especially weight and feel) - however I do agree with you - especially after getting a retail quote of $475 for the dongle - even at a discount it is still outrageously priced for a "dongle".

That is why I am tempted to simply get a second short 1m cable for use with the Utopias/ WM1Z.

So back to my original question - which cable???


----------



## Dillan

buzzlulu said:


> Well I own it - like it as an alternative to the stock cable ( especially weight and feel) - however I do agree with you - especially after getting a retail quote of $475 for the dongle - even at a discount it is still outrageously priced for a "dongle".
> 
> That is why I am tempted to simply get a second short 1m cable for use with the Utopias/ WM1Z.
> 
> So back to my original question - which cable???




They had some good ideas about retermination above but if you went the route of getting a new cable.. again I always go with plussound as they make it custom to exactly what you want and all their materials are high quality. Plus they have some very interesting wire configurations like the tri-metal which looks fantastic. As he stated above, the wait time these days is only 4 weeks. Good luck with whatever you choose though!


----------



## echineko

buzzlulu said:


> From where are you sourcing this? Do you have a link?



Check out Double Helix Cable's website, they have ultrashort adapters for all sorts of gear. Not cheap, but certainly much less than another Axios

https://doublehelixcables.com/products/adapters/


----------



## cheeseeater

whitigir said:


> I think 1Z is better than Pha-3 out of balanced connections , except it isn't a stand alone DAC. No need to be stacking. The only stack that is worthy would be 1Z+TA ....
> 
> 
> 
> ...



What is the wm1z inserted in?


----------



## nc8000

cheeseeater said:


> What is the wm1z inserted in?




The Sony WM port dock


----------



## buzzlulu

echineko said:


> Check out Double Helix Cable's website, they have ultrashort adapters for all sorts of gear. Not cheap, but certainly much less than another Axios
> 
> https://doublehelixcables.com/products/adapters/






Thanks!


----------



## asquare3376

buzzlulu said:


> Thanks!


 Also checkout www.norneaudio.com
Contact person is on Head-Fi @tigzStudio


----------



## soundkist

Sorry, I'm still not sure I am understanding the digital output correctly; I think I am hearing that using the docking station would be better than the Sony digital output adapter cable?  But why?  Aren't they outputting the exact same thing?? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Also, can someone confirm whether the conversion of the music is done on the player or the external dac?


----------



## nc8000

soundkist said:


> Sorry, I'm still not sure I am understanding the digital output correctly; I think I am hearing that using the docking station would be better than the Sony digital output adapter cable?  But why?  Aren't they outputting the exact same thing??
> 
> Also, can someone confirm whether the conversion of the music is done on the player or the external dac?




Functionally they are the same, both output a digital signal to be processed and converted to analog by the external dac so in this mode the Sony is just a really expensive transport. The dock looks neater and will also charge the player at the same time but cost a great deal more and some might say that the quality of the digital signal is better (I don't know)


----------



## soundkist

nc8000 said:


> Functionally they are the same, both output a digital signal to be processed and converted to analog by the external dac so in this mode the Sony is just a really expensive transport. The dock looks neater and will also charge the player at the same time but cost a great deal more and some might say that the quality of the digital signal is better (I don't know)


 
  
 Thanks very kindly--that clears up my points of confusion.


----------



## kms108

The dock BCR-NWH10 costing 14750 yen with tax on top is available only from japan, but can be purchased through many channels, whiles the cable WMC-NWH10 is at 3380 yen with tax on top and can be purchased through some sony center as a spare accessories in some countries, both can also be found in Taobao, Amazon or Ebay from time to time, expect a inflated price for these products. on a side note I have the cable that I purchased from Japan 2 years ago, just sitting in the package smiling
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
  
 The Dock basically is a charging stand with the WMC-NWH10 function built in.


----------



## soundkist

Ok, cool; the Amazon listing for the dock had a jumbled translation mentioning something about an OS-CON cap, tin foil hats, etc... not sure there was anything to that, lol.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Double trouble.... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Both are now in stock and ready to ship. U.S. version, no hacking required.


----------



## TSAVJason

hifiguy528 said:


> Double trouble....    Both are now in stock and ready to ship. U.S. version, no hacking required.


 Hahaha you are a riot Mike! No hacking required. So funny


----------



## mpc8240

soundkist said:


> Thanks very kindly--that clears up my points of confusion.


 
 Your original idea is correct. It's digital, so obviously no difference! Better take online suggestions with a grain of salt.


----------



## mpc8240

The truth is, it's been hacked by Jason. Many of us has purchased from The Source AV.


----------



## TSAVJason

mpc8240 said:


> The truth is, it's been hacked by Jason. Many of us has purchased from The Source AV.


 Wait! Does that make me a hacker? So wrong hahahaha


----------



## asquare3376

soundkist said:


> Ok, cool; the Amazon listing for the dock had a jumbled translation mentioning something about an OS-CON cap, tin foil hats, etc... not sure there was anything to that, lol.


Go to sony.jp and see for yourself


----------



## HiFiGuy528

mpc8240 said:


> The truth is, it's been hacked by Jason. Many of us has purchased from The Source AV.


 
  
@TSAVJason is our retail partner so we're happy that he took care of you guys. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  


soundkist said:


> Ok, cool; the Amazon listing for the dock had a jumbled translation mentioning something about an OS-CON cap, tin foil hats, etc... not sure there was anything to that, lol.


 
  
 There's an official Sony dock for 1A and 1Z? Link pls.


----------



## TSAVJason

hifiguy528 said:


> @TSAVJason
> is our retail partner so we're happy that he took care of you guys.


 I'm your retail what? Hahaha yup we sell Woo Audio but they don't give us swag like the other companies bribing us with swag to sell there stuff. I need a Woo Audio polo shirt or I may have to sell other stuff :thumbsup_tone1:


----------



## asquare3376

tsavjason said:


> I'm your retail what? Hahaha yup we sell Woo Audio but they don't give us swag like the other companies bribing us with swag to sell there stuff. I need a Woo Audio polo shirt or I may have to sell other stuff :thumbsup_tone1:


 my tee size is L but I can settle for M


----------



## TSAVJason

I used it to wash my car but you can have my CanJam SoCal 2017 T in large if you like


----------



## asquare3376

tsavjason said:


> I used it to wash my car but you can have my CanJam SoCal 2017 T in large if you like


 Hahaha, I already got that one... "My life is Schiit". Such true words


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> Hahaha, I already got that one... Loved Schiit Audio's "My life is Schiit". Such true words




Yeah but their spelling is terrible


----------



## soundkist

hifiguy528 said:


> @TSAVJason is our retail partner so we're happy that he took care of you guys.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 There is not; I was referring to the BCR-NWH10, for the ZX2, etc., which some here are using successfully with the 1A/1Z: 
  
 https://www.amazon.com/Walkman-Cradle-BCR-NWH10-NW-ZX2-Japan/dp/B00S94R5RK/ref=s9u_simh_gw_i1?_encoding=UTF8&fpl=fresh&pd_rd_i=B00S94R5RK&pd_rd_r=ABWQP2A3P330NP0E1R70&pd_rd_w=D04Im&pd_rd_wg=CwSh2&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=&pf_rd_r=T0QSFJKT6GZ8QFHNKS1J&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=a6aaf593-1ba4-4f4e-bdcc-0febe090b8ed&pf_rd_i=desktop
  
  


asquare3376 said:


> Go to sony.jp and see for yourself


  
  
 lol, huh??


----------



## soundkist

mpc8240 said:


> Your original idea is correct. It's digital, so obviously no difference! Better take online suggestions with a grain of salt.


 
  
 Indeed--thanks!


----------



## asquare3376

soundkist said:


> Indeed--thanks!


 With the dock you can use an upgraded usb cable for a ckeaner sound. Sony's usb cable quality is not that great. Dock is a better option.


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> With the dock you can use an upgraded usb cable for a ckeaner sound. Sony's usb cable quality is not that great. Dock is a better option.


 But he doesn't need the dock to upgrade the USB


----------



## soundkist

Yeah, I would still need a usb interconnect with the cable.


----------



## asquare3376

tsavjason said:


> But he doesn't need the dock to upgrade the USB


He cannot do a 'decent' digital out without the dock and even with the dock he needs to uogradte the USB


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> He cannot do a 'decent' digital out without the dock and even with the dock he needs to uogradte the USB


 Define "uogradte" hahahaha


----------



## soundkist

eh... it's digital, so I'm not too concerned with it; while I have firsthand experience with needing higher end usb cables for other reasons, I can't say I've ever heard them produce _sonic _changes.  Just my opinion, of course, and probably better suited for other parts of these forums.


----------



## TSAVJason

soundkist said:


> eh... it's digital, so I'm not too concerned with it; while I have firsthand experience with needing higher end usb cables for other reasons, I can't say I've ever heard them produce _sonic_ changes.  Just my opinion, of course, and probably better suited for other parts of these forums.


 Yup otherwise you get slammed by climate change deniers oops I mean wire deniers :thumbsup_tone1:


----------



## kms108

The Dock require a USB cable to connect to dedicated amp, it's also a multipurpose dock for Sony walkman with WM port made for the ZX 2 as it was release around the same time, but will work for the ZX 1 and WM1A/Z.
  
 They have a Official site it's Japanese only.


----------



## asquare3376

tsavjason said:


> Define "uogradte" hahahaha


that spelling needs to be upgraded RIGHT NOW


----------



## soundkist

asquare3376 said:


> that spelling needs to be upgraded RIGHT NOW


 
  
 I will sell you upgraded spelling for $199 per word.  Silver-plated will run you $399...


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> that spelling needs to be upgraded RIGHT NOW


 Hahaha


----------



## asquare3376

soundkist said:


> eh... it's digital, so I'm not too concerned with it; while I have firsthand experience with needing higher end usb cables for other reasons, I can't say I've ever heard them produce _sonic_ changes.  Just my opinion, of course, and probably better suited for other parts of these forums.


with the dock you can connect simultaneously to both your computer and the amp.. See, I want you to buy it so bad


----------



## asquare3376

soundkist said:


> I will sell you upgraded spelling for $199 per word.  Silver-plated will run you $399...


Throw in a 72v DBS system and it's a deal


----------



## robit

tsavjason said:


> I made my own screen protector from a iPhone 7 plus screen protector. I use the Sony provided case but I also carry it in a soft bag during transport. For IEMs I use the new 1MORE quad driver and for CIEMs I use UE pro 18+.
> 
> I have heard of a company called Durabag that makes a soft shell carry case.


 
  
 How were you able to make your own screen protector with an iPhone 7 screen protector? I have an extra screen protector lying around but the tempered glass is preventing me from cutting it to the right dimensions.  Did you use any special tools? I thought about getting a glass cutter, but I heard those are ineffective for cutting tempered glass.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I would never use my WM1A as transport


----------



## Toolman

dillan said:


> Just my humble honest opinion but I believe Kimber to drastically overprice their cables.. especially axios.




Try their Axios Au...you'll cry at the price (no comment on their performance just yet since I don't have them with my own gears and music to compared with, but thus far "not impressed") but it is a wonderfully made cable, if that is your thing


----------



## Toolman

robit said:


> How were you able to make your own screen protector with an iPhone 7 screen protector? I have an extra screen protector lying around but the tempered glass is preventing me from cutting it to the right dimensions.




I think @TSAVJason was referring to *screen protection film* and not *tempered glass*. You cannot cut a tempered glass to size unless you have a laser cutting machine


----------



## soundify

soundkist said:


> I'm a little confused on the digital output capabilities of these players... So, if I understand this correctly...
> 
> 1.  I can output a digital stream to a dac with a usb input, but I need a special cable to do so, and cannot accomplish this via the cable that came with my player that I use for charging/data transfer?
> 
> 2.  No decoding is done on the player in this kind of setup, correct?  So, if I were to play a 24/192 or DSD into a dac that maxes out at 24/96, it wouldn't work, right?




Here are various options for digital output ranging from the original Sony adapter to 3rd party cables. 

China cables are convenient but is not the best sounding. 

Brimar cable is the best among the lot. It's an 8 core copper and silver hybrid cable. Bg noise is quieter, more details and more definition. I was amazed at how much of a difference it made for such a short cable.


----------



## TSAVJason

robit said:


> How were you able to make your own screen protector with an iPhone 7 screen protector? I have an extra screen protector lying around but the tempered glass is preventing me from cutting it to the right dimensions.  Did you use any special tools? I thought about getting a glass cutter, but I heard those are ineffective for cutting tempered glass.


 Pretty simple I used an exacto knife to trim it to size after I put it in place. I was very careful and it came out clean. Yes it was the soft screen protector just like on my iPhone 7 +


----------



## asquare3376

tsavjason said:


> Pretty simple I used an exacto knife to trim it to size after I put it in place. I was very careful and it came out clean. Yes it was the soft screen protector just like on my iPhone 7 +


America's got talent


----------



## soundkist

soundify said:


>


 
  
 The 3 on the right all terminate to micro USB, correct?  Also, I didn't know about Brimar--their stuff looks awesome!


----------



## gerelmx1986

soundkist said:


> soundify said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


 
 The first one at the left is the famous WMC-NWH10


----------



## robit

@Toolman, @TSAVJason, Ah gotcha, that makes sense.


----------



## soundify

soundkist said:


> The 3 on the right all terminate to micro USB, correct?  Also, I didn't know about Brimar--their stuff looks awesome!




Yes they are micro USB. I connect my Wm1a to chord hugo. 
Brimar is HK based. This particular cable is not available online. I bought it recently from them during the singapore canjam


----------



## animalsrush

Has anyone tried 3.5 mm TRRS to 4.4 mm TRRS adapter from plussound.. for $74 looks like a killer deal.. but someone mentioned wrong built one can short player.. thoughts?

Thanks
Pc


----------



## AnakChan

animalsrush said:


> Has anyone tried 3.5 mm TRRS to 4.4 mm TRRS adapter from plussound.. for $74 looks like a killer deal.. but someone mentioned wrong built one can short player.. thoughts?
> 
> Thanks
> Pc


 


 3.5mm TRRS -> TRRS 4.4mm wouldn't short anything unless the wiring is wrong. It's balanced to balanced but prob just the Hifiman std of 3.5mm TRRS to the Sony 4.4mm balanced.
  
 (Likely) shorting would be output 4.4mm balanced from the NW-WM1A/Z to a pair of headphones that's 3.5mm SE terminated.


----------



## PLUSSOUND

animalsrush said:


> Has anyone tried 3.5 mm TRRS to 4.4 mm TRRS adapter from plussound.. for $74 looks like a killer deal.. but someone mentioned wrong built one can short player.. thoughts?
> 
> Thanks
> Pc


 

 Not likely. Also, we test before we ship.


----------



## TSAVJason

animalsrush said:


> Has anyone tried 3.5 mm TRRS to 4.4 mm TRRS adapter from plussound.. for $74 looks like a killer deal.. but someone mentioned wrong built one can short player.. thoughts?
> 
> Thanks
> Pc




Plussound is a good deal. Not that they need it but they do have TSAV seal of approval ..:thumbsup_tone1::thumbsup_tone1:


----------



## Whitigir

Old picture, but this is the Walkman digital dongle that was modified to micro USB with solid core silver-gold wires....the down side is that it can not charge together as the dock do


----------



## Sarnia

gerelmx1986 said:


> I would never use my WM1A as transport


Out of interest, why not?


----------



## Toolman

- edited -


----------



## animalsrush

plussound said:


> Not likely. Also, we test before we ship.


 
 Thanks .. Will place order soon then


----------



## gerelmx1986

sarnia said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > I would never use my WM1A as transport
> ...


because I know the DAC who will be converting the music is not the WM1A DAC  unless I had very hungry headphones


----------



## Sarnia

gerelmx1986 said:


> because I know the DAC who will be converting the music is not the WM1A DAC  unless I had very hungry headphones


Ah I see, thanks for clarifying. I use it as transport into the TA-ZH1ES, so confident it's into an even better DAC.


----------



## Whitigir

sarnia said:


> Ah I see, thanks for clarifying. I use it as transport into the TA-ZH1ES, so confident it's into an even better DAC.




Lol! Thanks for the laugh


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> sarnia said:
> 
> 
> > Ah I see, thanks for clarifying. I use it as transport into the TA-ZH1ES, so confident it's into an even better DAC.
> ...


I forgot about the TA-ZH1ES


----------



## cfc7

Hi,

I've searched in this thread but it's huge and I need some help for choosing between WM1A and ZX2.
First, does ZX2 still worth buying?
And is 1A a direct upgrade from ZX2?

Few hints:
- SQ is the most important;
- it will be used only with IEMs;
- I'm not particularly interested in any streaming apps;
- I want a very full sound, not lean or smooth, more emotional and less analytical.

So, what's your advice?

Thanks!


----------



## TSAVJason

cfc7 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I've searched in this thread but it's huge and I need some help for choosing between WM1A and ZX2.
> First, does ZX2 still worth buying?
> ...




I've just recently become familiar with the sound of the ZX2. Based on your hint list I'd suggest you explore the 1A. It isn't as warm as the 1Z but definitely an improvement musically over the ZX2. The detail is better, the over all presentation is more realistic. It's smooth and full sounding.


----------



## cfc7

tsavjason said:


> I've just recently become familiar with the sound of the ZX2. Based on your hint list I'd suggest you explore the 1A. It isn't as warm as the 1Z but definitely an improvement musically over the ZX2. The detail is better, the over all presentation is more realistic. It's smooth and full sounding.




I wonder if the smooth sound of WM1A will be a good choice, considering that the IEMs I'll be using with, are also smooth.


----------



## buzzlulu

Well - my "Z" arrived from you know where.  Ordered Monday, shipped Tuesday, received Wednesday (UK > USA) - WOW
  
 Here is something interesting - it came with the volume cap already deactivated!  Strange.  I went through the process anyway and changed the region to enable high gain and remote control.
  
 Which region are people using?  I set it to region E (6) - this allowed both high gain and remote control


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> Well - my "Z" arrived from you know where.  Ordered Monday, shipped Tuesday, received Wednesday (UK > USA) - WOW
> 
> Here is something interesting - it came with the volume cap already deactivated!  Strange.  I went through the process anyway and changed the region to enable high gain and remote control.
> 
> Which region are people using?  I set it to region E (6) - this allowed both high gain and remote control




You're not the first to report a unit from Amazon UK to arrive with the volume cap deactivated. Mine came with it activated but I changed it to E


----------



## jamato8

cfc7 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I've searched in this thread but it's huge and I need some help for choosing between WM1A and ZX2.
> First, does ZX2 still worth buying?
> ...


 

 The ZX2 is very nice but the WM1A or 1Z are better in all areas, IMO.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Seems like only Asia models have the bt remote function 

Can I transfer files via BT, From PC to Walkman?


----------



## Sarnia

buzzlulu said:


> Well - my "Z" arrived from you know where.  Ordered Monday, shipped Tuesday, received Wednesday (UK > USA) - WOW
> 
> Here is something interesting - it came with the volume cap already deactivated!  Strange.  I went through the process anyway and changed the region to enable high gain and remote control.
> 
> Which region are people using?  I set it to region E (6) - this allowed both high gain and remote control


E for me too on the 1A.

Thats amazingly fast shipping. I ordered the MDR-1000X noise cancelling headphones on Tuesday from Amazon UK and they are estimated to arrive Saturday.


----------



## soundkist

sarnia said:


> E for me too on the 1A.


 
  
 Same for me as well.


----------



## cfc7

jamato8 said:


> The ZX2 is very nice but the WM1A or 1Z are better in all areas, IMO.




Which one has a fuller and less smooth sound?


----------



## jamato8

cfc7 said:


> Which one has a fuller and less smooth sound?


 

 That is a hard one. You could say the 1A is less smooth but mainly because it presents more detail and is more layered. My preference is the 1Z to the 1A and the ZX2 but the power of the 1A also gives better headroom for even IEM's over the ZX2 and balanced is the way I would go.


----------



## asquare3376

My WM1Z from UK arrived as well. But since I already got one from Jason, I am willing to let the UK one go. PM me if anyone's interested. Unit is sealed.


----------



## cheeseeater

nc8000 said:


> You're not the first to report a unit from Amazon UK to arrive with the volume cap deactivated. Mine came with it activated but I changed it to E



What is this "cap" I've seen people talking about?


----------



## jamato8

cheeseeater said:


> What is this "cap" I've seen people talking about?


 

 In Europe (certain countries) there is a max volume so the units are capped to prevent too high a volume they consider unsafe for your ears. The high gain can't be used. There are many posts about this and the hack to get rid of it.


----------



## cheeseeater

jamato8 said:


> In Europe (certain countries) there is a max volume so the units are capped to prevent too high a volume they consider unsafe for your ears. The high gain can't be used. There are many posts about this and the hack to get rid of it.



Wow! I can't imagine such a thing in the states. Our founding fathers decreed that making ourselves deaf is our god given right. S'long as we don't light up a doobie while we're doing it.


----------



## phonomat

In some states you can though, don't you?


----------



## cheeseeater

phonomat said:


> In some states you can though, don't you?



For now. But not for long if Jeff Sessions, our new Attorney General has his way.


----------



## Sleepow

cfc7 said:


> I wonder if the smooth sound of WM1A will be a good choice, considering that the IEMs I'll be using with, are also smooth.




I like neutral sound, like Etys ER4, or UERR, yet wood recommend the 1Z.
I own the ZX2 and might not upgrade as I use Tidal on it, but when I listen to the 1Z I am transported in the music details without thinking about it.

So my upgrade route is probably stacking the ZX2 with an amp or dacamp.

Also note that the ZX2 is fairly most with sensitive IEMs.


----------



## asquare3376

http://www.ebay.com/itm/A6-EASECASE-Custom-Made-Genuine-Leather-Case-For-SONY-WM1-WM1A-WM1Z/332170768443?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D40130%26meid%3D60a52a7c0b2441978f53062bff7df166%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D332174345194
  
 Fully Customizable leather case with personal engraving for $50


----------



## TSAVJason

cfc7 said:


> I wonder if the smooth sound of WM1A will be a good choice, considering that the IEMs I'll be using with, are also smooth.


 

I doubt it. It's very nicely detailed in the mids/highs so you'll likely be impressed with your iEMs. I used my new quad driver from 1MORE on the 1A today. My eyebrows raised a bit. :thumbsup_tone1::thumbsup_tone1::thumbsup_tone1: IMO


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Need help uncapping WM1Z!
  
 So I ran the scsitool-nwz-vU.exe using cmd bat file, but now it say it is not recognized as internal or external command, operable program or batch file.. I already upgraded to 1.20 and stuck here.
  
 My windows is 64 bit. 
  
 Any help uncapping the volume? I'm in California btw.


----------



## soundkist

hamhamhamsta said:


> Need help uncapping WM1Z!
> 
> So I ran the scsitool-nwz-vU.exe using cmd bat file, but now it say it is not recognized as internal or external command, operable program or batch file.. I already upgraded to 1.20 and stuck here.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Make sure you are typing the command line in properly; specifically, don't forget to the swap out the "X" for the tool ver.#--I made that mistake initially, and got the same error.  Good luck!


----------



## buzzlulu

tsavjason said:


> I doubt it. It's very nicely detailed in the mids/highs so you'll likely be impressed with your iEMs. I used my new quad driver from 1MORE on the 1A today. My eyebrows raised a bit. :thumbsup_tone1::thumbsup_tone1::thumbsup_tone1: IMO


 

 I looked this up - it looks quite interesting.  If your eyebrows were raised on the 1A - what about on the 1Z?
  
 Have you heard the Etymotic's 4P series - and the newly designed ones?  How do these 1More's stack up?
 It looks like they are not full insertion - good as I grew tired of my Etymotics for that reason.  They served me well for 10 years - until I left them on an airplane last year


----------



## hamhamhamsta

so it should be scsitool-nwz-vU.exe since im in the US?
  
 or shouls it be scsitool-wm1z-vU.exe?
  
 Sorry, I'm blind regarding cmd...


----------



## hamhamhamsta

I hope this helps:
  

  
 Please help...
  
  
 Hamhamhamsta


----------



## tangents

hamhamhamsta said:


> I hope this helps:
> 
> Please help...
> 
> ...


 
  
 Try:
  
 scsitool-nwz-v6.exe E: dest_tool get


----------



## soundkist

Should be a number, not a letter--most likely 6; e.g.:
  

```
scsitool-nwz-v6.exe H: dest_tool get
```


----------



## buzzlulu

I just did this today to my 1Z
  
 You need to download the two files and have them in the same location (your desktop for example)
  
 The following I am copying and pasting from the Rockbox website - excuse me if I use some incorrect terminology as I am a Mac man
  
  
 1)  "Type the following command, replacing X by the version number of scsitool and H by your drive letter:"
  

```
scsitool-nwz-vX.exe H: dest_tool get
```
  
  
 IN OTHER WORDS - you need to first connect your walkman to your Windows computer and use the file explorer to determine which drive letter gets assigned to it
  
 look at the scsitool I posted above  - after the dash (-) you will see vX.  If you downloaded the tool today the current version is 6 so it needs to look like nwz-v6.exe
  
 then take the "H" and replace it with the drive letter which was assigned to your walkman.  In my particular case it was drive letter F so my line looked like this
  

```
scsitool-nwz-v6.exe F: dest_tool get
```
  
  
 Give this a try and it should work


----------



## buzzlulu

And when I say to download the two files - one is the scsitool above while the other is the .bat file
 you will see both on the rockbox page
  
 https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool


----------



## buzzlulu

And while we are at it
 I received and uncapped my 1Z today.  For portable use I am coming from an iPhone7 feeding FLAC files to a Chord Mojo
  
 While I understand and have read Sony's statement recommending 200 hours of break in before the player comes up to full speed I can easily say that dead cold in the first 30 minutes of play this unit is 
  
 AMAZING
  
 Completely blown away by the performance in what is effectively a raw and not broken in machine
  
 Headphones used were a Utopia with Kimber Axios cable balanced with a cheap Chinese dongle from Amazon
 and
 Sony's own Z1R with the provided not broken in stock balanced cable
  
 Some have said that the slightly warm Z1R does not pair well with the slightly warm 1Z - not true is what I say.  It sounded fabulous
  
  
 So in conclusion if this is what I am hearing after 30 minutes then I can't wait until after 200 hours.  This player seems like the real deal and all it is cracked up to be.
 Still a shame that no streaming services are available - however for this kind of performance I guess I will be willing to put up with that inconvenience!


----------



## asquare3376

buzzlulu said:


> And while we are at it
> I received and uncapped my 1Z today.  For portable use I am coming from an iPhone7 feeding FLAC files to a Chord Mojo
> 
> While I understand and have read Sony's statement recommending 200 hours of break in before the player comes up to full speed I can easily say that dead cold in the first 30 minutes of play this unit is
> ...


 
 Totally agree with you.. 2 hrs so far in balanced and it's been a fabulous experience. So good that I don't want the sound signature to change


----------



## animalsrush

Received my wm1z today.. it is uncapped version. Loaded about 300 gb of music took 4 hrs.. upgraded firmware to 1.20.. just listening to it now on 3.5 mm TRRS SE output.. I am reserving my first impressions for now.. comparing to my excellent zx2 it has not blown me away.. however I am seeing the difference though in soundstage and vocals which are simply sublime.. I think if they improve after 200 hrs I am done upgrading.. really no need. I am waiting for my 4.4 cable till then using SE IN TRRS mode.. still good.. also with direct source on it is nearly perfect.. I am going to play with DSEE and DC Linear phase afterwards.. god those vocals so good and tonally accurate..


----------



## mpc8240

buzzlulu said:


> And while we are at it
> I received and uncapped my 1Z today.  For portable use I am coming from an iPhone7 feeding FLAC files to a Chord Mojo
> 
> While I understand and have read Sony's statement recommending 200 hours of break in before the player comes up to full speed I can easily say that dead cold in the first 30 minutes of play this unit is
> ...




So you mean 1Z beats Chord Mojo hands down?


----------



## Mfalcon

After 300-400 hours I'm finally starting to play with the phase linearizer and some of the other non-Direct features. First I may just like most music with the phase linearizer on which was surprising to me. I haven't settled on which one I prefer. Is anyone finding that they prefer it? I've only done my testing with the Z1R so far. I love the 1Z though. There are some network features from the ZX2 it had but what you gonna do.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Thank you so much Tangents, Buzzzulu
  
 Yes, my 30 minutes WM1Z beats down WM1A at 213 hours using 4.4mm
  
  
 And WM!A beats Mojo black and blue everytime. Mojo has loads of power but no finesse, clarity.
  
  
 I have Mojo, its relegated to sleeping in the drawer for last 4 months.


----------



## gerelmx1986

i hope i can hold my breath till walkman 40th edition


----------



## asquare3376

gerelmx1986 said:


> i hope i can hold my breath till walkman 40th edition


 Please don't die


----------



## soundkist

hamhamhamsta said:


> Thank you so much Tangents, Buzzzulu
> 
> Yes, my 30 minutes WM1Z beats down WM1A at 213 hours using 4.4mm
> 
> ...


 
  
 Glad you got it working...


----------



## cfc7

sleepow said:


> I like neutral sound, like Etys ER4, or UERR, yet wood recommend the 1Z.
> I own the ZX2 and might not upgrade as I use Tidal on it, but when I listen to the 1Z I am transported in the music details without thinking about it.
> 
> So my upgrade route is probably stacking the ZX2 with an amp or dacamp.
> ...




So, ZX2 is not recommended with less sensitive IEMs?


----------



## Sleepow

cfc7 said:


> So, ZX2 is not recommended with less sensitive IEMs?




Sorry, autocorrect made my sentence incorrect. 
I meant that it's noisy with sensitive IEM, a lot of hiss with some flagship multiple BA in ears


----------



## blazinblazin

I will hold on my WM1A and store some cash for SONY 40th anniversary can buy their best DAP if any release.


----------



## phonomat

When is that 40th anniversary?


----------



## pietcux

2013 was 35th Anniversary celebrated with the release of the ZX1. So the 40th will be in 2018.


----------



## phonomat

Oh, right. Cool.


----------



## Toolman

btw. 40th Anniversary is 2019. 

Something is in the work as we speak


----------



## kms108

toolman said:


> btw. 40th Anniversary is 2019.
> 
> Something is in the work as we speak


 

 Yep WM40AV


----------



## gerelmx1986

It is weird, but I feel I am getting slightly more battery run time with balanced


----------



## pietcux

toolman said:


> btw. 40th Anniversary is 2019.
> 
> Something is in the work as we speak



Ok 2019 is correct, but maybe on IFA this year they will present it.


----------



## phonomat

I think I'll wait for the big one in 2029 with my upgrade.


----------



## gerelmx1986

a coworker saw my Walkman and he asked me where do I put the cassette on it haha, I showed the micro SD slot and said there haha


----------



## tangents

phonomat said:


> I think I'll wait for the big one in 2029 with my upgrade.


 
  
 Dat bacon-wrapped-gold-plated-stainless-steel-liquid-copper joint.


----------



## animalsrush

cfc7 said:


> So, ZX2 is not recommended with less sensitive IEMs?


 
  
  


sleepow said:


> Sorry, autocorrect made my sentence incorrect.
> I meant that it's noisy with sensitive IEM, a lot of hiss with some flagship multiple BA in ears


 
  
  
 Again i guess how sensitive you are hearing the hiss .. I used ZX2 with Westone ES5 at 16 ohm and K10 at 32 ohm.. The only hiss i hear is when the unit is in sleep and turns on. It last for 2 secs and it is gone .. The analogy i like to use - With Wm1z it is pitch dark and perfect, with ZX2 it is pitch dark with maybe a burning candle 200 yards out . So i don't think hiss is that big of factor  IMO and to my ears ofcourse .. YMMV


----------



## animalsrush

gerelmx1986 said:


> a coworker saw my Walkman and he asked me where do I put the cassette on it haha, I showed the micro SD slot and said there haha


 
 Now that is funny ..


----------



## mpc8240

blazinblazin said:


> I will hold on my WM1A and store some cash for SONY 40th anniversary can buy their best DAP if any release.


 
  
 Wait to be greeted by 2A & 2Z priced at $3000 & $6000 respectively.


----------



## nc8000

animalsrush said:


> Again i guess how sensitive you are hearing the hiss .. I used ZX2 with Westone ES5 at 16 ohm and K10 at 32 ohm.. The only hiss i hear is when the unit is in sleep and turns on. It last for 2 secs and it is gone .. The analogy i like to use - With Wm1z it is pitch dark and perfect, with ZX2 it is pitch dark with maybe a burning candle 200 yards out . So i don't think hiss is that big of factor  IMO and to my ears ofcourse .. YMMV




Using JH13 hiss was clearly audible on ZX2 when no music was playing but not really audible even with quiet music. 1Z is dead silent


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> animalsrush said:
> 
> 
> > Again i guess how sensitive you are hearing the hiss .. I used ZX2 with Westone ES5 at 16 ohm and K10 at 32 ohm.. The only hiss i hear is when the unit is in sleep and turns on. It last for 2 secs and it is gone .. The analogy i like to use - With Wm1z it is pitch dark and perfect, with ZX2 it is pitch dark with maybe a burning candle 200 yards out . So i don't think hiss is that big of factor  IMO and to my ears ofcourse .. YMMV
> ...


older Walkman used to hiss like snakes


----------



## BunnyNamedCraig

blazinblazin said:


> I will hold on my WM1A and store some cash for SONY 40th anniversary can buy their best DAP if any release.


 
 Yeah we are trying to keep up with all this, Just got a handful of the NW-WM1A in the store now... Now we gotta get the 40th Anniversary Edition???


----------



## asquare3376

mtmecraig said:


> Yeah we are trying to keep up with all this, Just got a handful of the NW-WM1A in the store now... Now we gotta get the 40th Anniversary Edition???


 Someone please start a new thread on 40th Anniversary special edition walkmans


----------



## Toolman

Had a brief chat with Tomo-san (project leader for Walkman) this evening and naturally our subject shifted to 40th anniversary Walkman. For obvious reasons I can't get into the details of our discussion but these are what I requested for the next Signature Walkman...
  
 1) dual SD (or microSD) card support
 2) longer lasting battery life / higher capacity battery
 3) higher output from both single and balanced output
  
 what else are in your wish list for the next gen Walkman, besides pricing and weight issue?


----------



## proedros

toolman said:


> Had a brief chat with Tomo-san (project leader for Walkman) this evening and naturally our subject shifted to 40th anniversary Walkman. For obvious reasons I can't get into the details of our discussion but these are what I requested for the next Signature Walkman...
> 
> 1) dual SD (or microSD) card support
> 2) longer lasting battery life / higher capacity battery
> ...


 
  
 3000$ sound in a 1000$ DAP


----------



## soundkist

toolman said:


> Had a brief chat with Tomo-san (project leader for Walkman) this evening and naturally our subject shifted to 40th anniversary Walkman. For obvious reasons I can't get into the details of our discussion but these are what I requested for the next Signature Walkman...
> 
> 1) dual SD (or microSD) card support
> 2) longer lasting battery life / higher capacity battery
> ...


 
  
 USB DAC function!


----------



## gerelmx1986

toolman said:


> Had a brief chat with Tomo-san (project leader for Walkman) this evening and naturally our subject shifted to 40th anniversary Walkman. For obvious reasons I can't get into the details of our discussion but these are what I requested for the next Signature Walkman...
> 
> 1) dual SD (or microSD) card support
> 2) longer lasting battery life / higher capacity battery
> ...


512GB internal memory and the normal SD or dual micro SD slots and like proedros 5000 sound in a 1200 dap


----------



## tangents

gerelmx1986 said:


> 512GB internal memory and the normal SD or dual micro SD slots and like proedros 5000 sound in a 1200 dap


 
  
 I have yet to insert a microSD card into my WM1A 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Internal storage: 41.85 GB free / 114.15 GB


----------



## pietcux

tangents said:


> I have yet to insert a microSD card into my WM1A


 
 I have a 64 Gb card inserted, it is the one from my A15. It is empty, I am just afraid it gets lost if it is not safely inserted somewhere......


----------



## asquare3376

pietcux said:


> I have a 64 Gb card inserted, it is the one from my A15. It is empty, I am just afraid it gets lost if it is not safely inserted somewhere......


 I have 200GB inserted into the 1Z with only 50GB left


----------



## buzzlulu

toolman said:


> Had a brief chat with Tomo-san (project leader for Walkman) this evening and naturally our subject shifted to 40th anniversary Walkman. For obvious reasons I can't get into the details of our discussion but these are what I requested for the next Signature Walkman...
> 
> 1) dual SD (or microSD) card support
> 2) longer lasting battery life / higher capacity battery
> ...


 

 An OS which will allow Tidal playback and Wifi streaming from network hard drives (where everyone has their ripped music stored)


----------



## Toolman

I have about 9TB of hi-res FLAC and another 12TB of DSD...but only load around 500GB into my DAP/SD card...don't think I need to carry the entire library around with me all the time.

But i think that's where a dual card advantage comes in, so I can have a 256GB/512GB card for different genre of music that I play


----------



## Sleepow

animalsrush said:


> Again i guess how sensitive you are hearing the hiss .. I used ZX2 with Westone ES5 at 16 ohm and K10 at 32 ohm.. The only hiss i hear is when the unit is in sleep and turns on. It last for 2 secs and it is gone .. The analogy i like to use - With Wm1z it is pitch dark and perfect, with ZX2 it is pitch dark with maybe a burning candle 200 yards out . So i don't think hiss is that big of factor  IMO and to my ears ofcourse .. YMMV




I hear hiss with Jomo Samba and Kaiser Encore in quiet moments of songs. The Katana, however, only when powering it on.
So for me it really depends on the IEM.

I love the ZX2, i am happy to live with it; but I would not buy it now given the alternatives.


----------



## tangents

toolman said:


> what else are in your wish list for the next gen Walkman, besides pricing and weight issue?


 
  
 Small but definitely missed (by me) UI/UX features:
  
 1) Ability to dynamically enqueue/dequeue tracks on the fly to the "Lineup" queue
 2) On the now playing screen, tapping the artist's name should switch to the artist's albums view


----------



## gerelmx1986

toolman said:


> I have about 9TB of hi-res FLAC and another 12TB of DSD...but only load around 500GB into my DAP/SD card...don't think I need to carry the entire library around with me all the time.
> 
> But i think that's where a dual card advantage comes in, so I can have a 256GB/512GB card for different genre of music that I play


I have 821GB of flac files


----------



## blazinblazin

toolman said:


> Had a brief chat with Tomo-san (project leader for Walkman) this evening and naturally our subject shifted to 40th anniversary Walkman. For obvious reasons I can't get into the details of our discussion but these are what I requested for the next Signature Walkman...
> 
> 1) dual SD (or microSD) card support
> 2) longer lasting battery life / higher capacity battery
> ...




I only asking for the best sound quality they can come out with.

Make 40th anniversary worth it. Create a Legendary Walkman.


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> toolman said:
> 
> 
> > Had a brief chat with Tomo-san (project leader for Walkman) this evening and naturally our subject shifted to 40th anniversary Walkman. For obvious reasons I can't get into the details of our discussion but these are what I requested for the next Signature Walkman...
> ...


include the search function


----------



## Whitigir

5.6mm balanced Socket and Plugs


----------



## gerelmx1986

whitigir said:


> 5.6mm balanced Socket and Plugs


 

 ​lol with 5.1 dolby surround sound


----------



## cheeseeater

soundkist said:


> USB DAC function!



I 2nd that.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Utopia & WM1Z, do they need and to sound good? Or they sound good with only those 2?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Also, does Zeus hiss with WM1Z?


----------



## Neo Zuko

Does the WM1Z have any less sensitive IEM detectable hiss than the WM1A? Just curious.


----------



## blazinblazin

I have WM1A with Andromeda.

No hiss at all.

The only hiss i heard are those recorded in the audio files.

Which is not the player or IEM problem.


----------



## roses77

mimouille said:


> It took me time to hear what was different, the clear positioning of the instruments depth wise, and the fullness of the sound are very impressive.




I recently got the Sony WM1Z last week so in the process of Burning in (65hrs),. I have noticed sonic changes of periods that it sounds good, periods not. I've always loved the Sony signature sound as I do I have an old Sony MP3 boy it does have so much power & clear bass I actually thought it sounded better than my Astell&kern Daps. The Sony WM1Z is higher quality sound, To me it sounds more musical than my Ak380+ amp I find it has an dull flat sound & deep bass but very wide sound stage as ever since Ak only tuned EQ for beyerdynamic AKT5P headphones I can't adjust the EQ on EQ Daps I turn it off so it sounds more open. On the other hand the Sony WM1Z you can adjust the EQ to the headphones you use it has an more open sound, wider sound stage & clarity and deeper bass & more enjoyable listening to music with no listening fatigue. I love my Sony WM1Z, I'm sure it will sound better after 200 burn in. 

If anyone has both Astell&kern Daps and Sony you can share the sd cards in both. Just that you need to format in Sony WM1Z first you can use it in Astell&kern as well 

With setting EQ with new firmware update it only has EQ settting I can't find the Tonal setting on their. If anyone has noticed this too.


----------



## denis1976

buzzlulu said:


> Well - my "Z" arrived from you know where.  Ordered Monday, shipped Tuesday, received Wednesday (UK > USA) - WOW
> 
> Here is something interesting - it came with the volume cap already deactivated!  Strange.  I went through the process anyway and changed the region to enable high gain and remote control.
> 
> Which region are people using?  I set it to region E (6) - this allowed both high gain and remote control


hello if you had to change the region to have high gain , it was volume capped for sure,the AVLS is allways turned off ,the AVLS is not the volume cap is a volume limiter


----------



## denis1976

blazinblazin said:


> I only asking for the best sound quality they can come out with.
> 
> Make 40th anniversary worth it. Create a Legendary Walkman.


And a indian head massage please,if it has that i will buy the next walkman,thats why i love this forum, in few months there will be lots of people that not even had the pleasure ti listen to the first 1z/a but they will speculate about the next one....my God


----------



## kms108

denis1976 said:


> blazinblazin said:
> 
> 
> > I only asking for the best sound quality they can come out with.
> ...


 

 I don't have the 1A/1Z yet, was hoping to get it in December during my visit to Japan, I will not hold back for the 40A version, but hope Sony does release a improved version or a newer version of the current model during the time, As for the 40A version, I just have to see if and when it will get released. I guess it's could be a Japan only release.


----------



## cfc7

sleepow said:


> I hear hiss with Jomo Samba and Kaiser Encore in quiet moments of songs. The Katana, however, only when powering it on.
> So for me it really depends on the IEM.
> 
> I love the ZX2, i am happy to live with it; but I would not buy it now given the alternatives.




By alternatives you mean 1A & 1Z or other DAPs also?


----------



## zardos

Meanwhile I think my 1Z sounds decisive better than my 1A. 1Z emits a kind of sound that is very non-fatiguing for me, even for genres that I'm rather sensitive to like harder rock. Congrats to all new owners.


----------



## gerelmx1986

roses77 said:


> mimouille said:
> 
> 
> > It took me time to hear what was different, the clear positioning of the instruments depth wise, and the fullness of the sound are very impressive.
> ...


the tone control is in settings u der the EQ menu


----------



## buzzlulu

Where are people getting 256gb cards for the 1Z. There is a massive jump in price between 200gb and 256gb.
I seem to remember Amazon had a promotion a few weeks ago


----------



## tienbasse

buzzlulu said:


> Where are people getting 256gb cards for the 1Z. There is a massive jump in price between 200gb and 256gb.
> I seem to remember Amazon had a promotion a few weeks ago


 

 The jump was massive between 128 and 200Gb when 200Gb was the highest available capacity.
 It's the premium you always pay for novelty...
 Right now, 200Gb cards are just best bang for buck.


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> Where are people getting 256gb cards for the 1Z. There is a massive jump in price between 200gb and 256gb.
> I seem to remember Amazon had a promotion a few weeks ago




Got mine from amazon UK and paid the premium for wanting it 6 months ago


----------



## Toolman

Got several SanDisk 200GB cards at $44.99 from Amazon way back then...still great value today


----------



## pietcux

As the summer is coming sooner or later on my side of this planet, I needed to figure out a summer alternative to the Z1r / Z7. Both get warm in normal spring conditions here already. So I took my MDR-EX1000 out of their lovely leather case and gave them a first try with the WM1A. Good synergy at first listen, but compared to the Z1r they are still a little hot with Miles Davis's trumpet. Also the bass, even though deep and precise could use a little lift. So I thought why not give the tone control a try. 
 Bass + 2
 Mids - 2
 Treble -4
 Those are my settings right now. Seems to me that Sony finally made a player to bring out the MDR-EX1000's full potential. It is about time that Sony gives us a true MDR-EX1000 successor without any balanced armature drivers. 
  
 Question: Does anyone know if the cable that comes with the MDR-EX1000 is balanced until it reaches the 3.5 mm plug or only till it reaches the splitter? I have a second original long cable from EBay that I would like to terminate into the 4.4 mm balanced plug.


----------



## ledzep

pietcux said:


> As the summer is coming sooner or later on my side of this planet, I needed to figure out a summer alternative to the Z1r / Z7. Both get warm in normal spring conditions here already. So I took my MDR-EX1000 out of their lovely leather case and gave them a first try with the WM1A. Good synergy at first listen, but compared to the Z1r they are still a little hot with Miles Davis's trumpet. Also the bass, even though deep and precise could use a little lift. So I thought why not give the tone control a try.
> Bass + 2
> Mids - 2
> Treble -4
> ...


 

 The Japanese EX1000 is 4 core to the plug, i've re terminated mine to 4.4mm and they sound fantastic on balanced.


----------



## pietcux

ledzep said:


> The Japanese EX1000 is 4 core to the plug, i've re terminated mine to 4.4mm and they sound fantastic on balanced.


 
 The headsets read Japan but the cables read China on my set. So my cable is made in China.


----------



## ledzep

Japanese bought though ? as in packaging , not US ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have the z5 and those are great, huge soundstage and nice details on balanced, I do think a single DD IEM cuts it compared to triple driver or quad driver (more drivers than 3 or 4 I find it pointless)


----------



## Dillan

The absolute best thing about the 1Z for me is it is the first dap I have ever owned or listened to that has zero hiss with very sensitive IEMs (and obviously also with any headphone). Ak380 along with many others gave my good/sensitive hearing an annoyance with that. For me personally that was always a huge pet peeve so thank you Sony. My biggest problem with daps is fixed.

Other amazing things is the sound quality itself and battery life. I also love the custom ui/os instead of the flawed method of wrapping an Android os. 

I've mentioned all these things many times before but I definitely think it's worth repeating.


----------



## kms108

pietcux said:


> ledzep said:
> 
> 
> > The Japanese EX1000 is 4 core to the plug, i've re terminated mine to 4.4mm and they sound fantastic on balanced.
> ...


 
 As the EX1000 is still available in japan and most other countries are discontiuned, Sony has gone cheap on the cables, only the first few years of released the cables were made in Japan, and china afterwards, I also have two spare cables that I purchased 4 years ago direct from Japan, they didn't actually have stock, so they mailed it to Hong Kong for me, for the price I paid for both in Japan, is equal to one purchased in Hong Kong, and even the shop has closed down or has moved. The cable I have is also made in China, they were shipped directly from Japan.
  
 BTW all EX1000 is made in Japan, you have to look at the box to see if you have the Japan version, asian, US or European, but I think the US version comes with the EX600 cable, not the EX1000 cable.
  
 Anyway, although it's made in China, it should have the same specification as the Japan made cable, I also intend to have one terminated one cable.


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> As the EX1000 is still available in japan and most other countries are discontiuned, Sony has gone cheap on the cables, only the first few years of released the cables were made in Japan, and china afterwards, I also have two spare cables that I purchased 4 years ago direct from Japan, they didn't actually have stock, so they mailed it to Hong Kong for me, for the price I paid for both in Japan, is equal to one purchased in Hong Kong, and even the shop has closed down or has moved. The cable I have is also made in China, they were shipped directly from Japan.
> 
> BTW all EX1000 is made in Japan, you have to look at the box to see if you have the Japan version, asian, US or European, but I think the US version comes with the EX600 cable, not the EX1000 cable.
> 
> Anyway, although it's made in China, it should have the same specification as the Japan made cable, I also intend to have one terminated one cable.




I agree it shouldn't be any different , it's worth cutting off the 3.5mm to see imo for what you'll gain on the 4.4mm termination , worse case scenario you open up the connector side and do a full re wire or from the split which ever you find best for you , i would recommend sticking to the stock connectors on the iem side as the 3rd party ones are total bo##ocks and cheap and simply don't fit well . Let us know how you get on "snip snip "


----------



## Neo Zuko

What model number is the flagship Sony iem again? Is it the EX1000?


----------



## asquare3376

neo zuko said:


> What model number is the flagship Sony iem again? Is it the EX1000?


 
 XBA-Z5 Hybrid (1 dynamic + 2 balanced armatures).
 EX1000 is single dynamic driver which is no longer in production.


----------



## echineko

asquare3376 said:


> neo zuko said:
> 
> 
> > What model number is the flagship Sony iem again? Is it the EX1000?
> ...



The EX1000 is no longer for sale *outside Japan*, they are in production domestically, you can still get them new in retail stores all over the country.

Edit: and from Sony themselves: pur.store.sony.jp/headphone/products/MDR-EX1000/MDR-EX1000_purchase/


----------



## kms108

Isn't justears Sony flagship iem.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Is just me but in WM1A balanced some time after 100 hours, you get nice subbass extensión? cool, these bass pipes extend so screwn LOW


----------



## animalsrush

Few observations and few questions which some of you can answer..

1) the UI is very mediocre when compared to zx2 which I thought was bad to begin with.. no grid layout.. no way to change repeat and shuttle modes directly from screen display instead using menu, no way to add a selection of songs to playlist you can on;y add whole album, adding to playlist is slow and seems to drain battery fast, no color for icons etc.. they could have kept the look and feel of Sony zx2 ui atleast.. this seems backwards
2) when I tried DSEE and D.C. Phase linearlizer, battery dropped by atleast 40% at 38% brightness. I managed about 18 hrs with theses settings on 16/44 flat flies.. anyone experience the same
3) the bass on wm1z is very good but doesn't punch hard like on zx2 with clear bass.. I know we have eq or tone control.. but I found the sound quality degrades with these on
4) Based on @whitgir setting, I set DSEE to strings and DC to Type A standard.. this seems to make music sound so good. I am wondering is eq even needed. How are you guys using sound adjustment.. imo direct source is reall good but DSEE and D.C. Makes this player really special
5) where can I find information on what settings mean for DSEE and D.C. Settings- like what is type a standard etc

Thanks 
Pc


----------



## Dillan

Ok guys so I had some trouble with untagged albums with no cover art etc.. so I researched programs until I found a really awesome one called blisshq. It has done a fantastic job finding album art and doing automatic tagging and I even set it to have specific image specifications that I knew the dap would accept (500x500 png format).. it auto converted all images for me and grabbed ones I didn't have and lets me upload my own image too - so far it has just been great.
  
 So the one problem I DO still have is *yes *blisshq lets me tag stuff manually but for some reason two albums (one relatively popular and one very indie and in no database).. is staying inside the "unknown" section of artists and albums in the dap. I cannot figure out how to tag it correctly and allow the dap to categorize those albums in the correct artist and album as well as give me cover art.
  
 Is there another program I can try that allows me to manually enter this information and upload a picture, that will be compatible to wm1z's ui and software?
  
 It plays the music just fine in the dap, but I hate having it being in the unknown section of artist and album, makes it hard to find and stresses out my ocd haha
  
 Any help is really really really appreciated, trust me.


----------



## echineko

kms108 said:


> Isn't justears Sony flagship iem.



Sure, but until now it's been only available in Japan, so doesn't help most of us here  However I hear rumours that's about to change, so who knows?


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> Ok guys so I had some trouble with untagged albums with no cover art etc.. so I researched programs until I found a really awesome one called blisshq. It has done a fantastic job finding album art and doing automatic tagging and I even set it to have specific image specifications that I knew the dap would accept (500x500 png format).. it auto converted all images for me and grabbed ones I didn't have and lets me upload my own image too - so far it has just been great.
> 
> So the one problem I DO still have is *yes *blisshq lets me tag stuff manually but for some reason two albums (one relatively popular and one very indie and in no database).. is staying inside the "unknown" section of artists and albums in the dap. I cannot figure out how to tag it correctly and allow the dap to categorize those albums in the correct artist and album as well as give me cover art.
> 
> ...


 
 Have you tried Sony's MediaGo? You can right click on songs/albums to search for missing tag information including album arts. It also supports bit perfect playback.
 You can manually update the tags as well...


----------



## Dillan

asquare3376 said:


> Have you tried Sony's MediaGo? You can right click on songs/albums to search for missing tag information including album arts. It also supports bit perfect playback.
> You can manually update the tags as well...


 

 wow that seems too obvious.. I do have that program, but used it just to update the dap. I wasn't aware of those capabilities haha I will open it right now on my laptop and check it out.


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> wow that seems too obvious.. I do have that program, but used it just to update the dap. I wasn't aware of those capabilities haha I will open it right now on my laptop and check it out.


 
 It is so versatile that you won't need any another application


----------



## gerelmx1986

dillan said:


> asquare3376 said:
> 
> 
> > Have you tried Sony's MediaGo? You can right click on songs/albums to search for missing tag information including album arts. It also supports bit perfect playback.
> ...


 

 MP3TAG


----------



## Dillan

gerelmx1986 said:


> MP3TAG


 

 this? http://www.mp3tag.de/en
  
 Does it support dsd and other hi res files?
  
 I just tested a few of the "unknown" album problems i was having and mediago has definitely helped so far.. didn't realize it had a database that autotags, only bad part it I have to painstakingly go to each individual song, right click, properties then click the database button. I did get the correct album, artists and track names/numbers to function properly in the dap for the few albums I have tried so far in mediago, but STILL the album art is not working for those and they have the exact same resolution and format and in the same folder locations and file locations as all the other albums that do work.. same scheme of everything so I don't know why the art doesn't show up. Actually at this point I actually think it's more of a problem with sonys dap software to be honest. As every music playing software on all my computers are pulling up the album art and everything else properly too for these.


----------



## soundkist

dillan said:


> this? http://www.mp3tag.de/en
> 
> Does it support dsd and other hi res files?


 
 It does all manner of FLAC, and also .dsf.  For whatever reason, it won't recognize .dff though.  I think it does other hi-res formats too, but those are the only ones I use/have.
  
  
 While we're on the topic, if anyone knows of a way to either batch identify which embedded artwork are progressive, or further batch convert those to baseline, please do share!  Have done quite a bit of searching, but unfortunately have found next to nothing...


----------



## Sleepow

cfc7 said:


> By alternatives you mean 1A & 1Z or other DAPs also?




Mainly the 1Z as this is the one I have listened to the most, but the DAP landscape has evolved and the ZX2, although still great, list his crown.


----------



## nanaholic

kms108 said:


> Isn't justears Sony flagship iem.




Just ear only makes custom iems.


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> this? http://www.mp3tag.de/en
> 
> Does it support dsd and other hi res files?
> 
> I just tested a few of the "unknown" album problems i was having and mediago has definitely helped so far.. didn't realize it had a database that autotags, only bad part it I have to painstakingly go to each individual song, right click, properties then click the database button. I did get the correct album, artists and track names/numbers to function properly in the dap for the few albums I have tried so far in mediago, but STILL the album art is not working for those and they have the exact same resolution and format and in the same folder locations and file locations as all the other albums that do work.. same scheme of everything so I don't know why the art doesn't show up. Actually at this point I actually think it's more of a problem with sonys dap software to be honest. As every music playing software on all my computers are pulling up the album art and everything else properly too for these.


 you can update album art manually, not so big of a deal. It's a one time process. Since you are now invested in Sony, it's a good idea to update your music collection using Sony's own software. And there's no need of uodating songs individually. Do multiple selects, right click and get missing information. Patience my friend, once everything is updated you will never have a problem again


----------



## asquare3376

dillan said:


> this? http://www.mp3tag.de/en
> 
> Does it support dsd and other hi res files?
> 
> I just tested a few of the "unknown" album problems i was having and mediago has definitely helped so far.. didn't realize it had a database that autotags, only bad part it I have to painstakingly go to each individual song, right click, properties then click the database button. I did get the correct album, artists and track names/numbers to function properly in the dap for the few albums I have tried so far in mediago, but STILL the album art is not working for those and they have the exact same resolution and format and in the same folder locations and file locations as all the other albums that do work.. same scheme of everything so I don't know why the art doesn't show up. Actually at this point I actually think it's more of a problem with sonys dap software to be honest. As every music playing software on all my computers are pulling up the album art and everything else properly too for these.


 
 Select multiple files, right click -> "Get Album Artwork" or "Get Missing properties".. No need to do it individually
 If album art is not populated after this process, download the artwork using images.google.com.  Select songs -> right click -> properties -> Artwork -> Add


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Sorry if this topic adressed on the thread before, but I cannot put album artwork to DSD files. Anybody else having this issue? Is there a solution for that? I use Media Go software btw.


----------



## ledzep

virtu fortuna said:


> Sorry if this topic adressed on the thread before, but I cannot put album artwork to DSD files. Anybody else having this issue? Is there a solution for that? I use Media Go software btw.



Dsf you can dff you cannot , i just run any dff files through dff to dsf converter to solve that issue as it just repackages the file not re encode it


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

ledzep said:


> Dsf you can dff you cannot , i just run any dff files through dff to dsf converter to solve that issue


 
 I see. Thanks for the tip.


----------



## WillB

WARNING ABOUT SONY. I spent $1200 on the Sony Walkman NW-ZX2 when it came out in early 2015. It came with Android 4.2.2 and is still running 4.2.2. I have contacted Sony several times through many channels about upgrading the version of Android that the device is running but Sony absolutely refuses to upgrade Android on their own Walkman device. It's not like they don't have the knowledge; Sony has Android phones and tablets which they do update. They've just decided that those of us who spent the $1200 on the NW-ZX2 aren't worth the trouble. As Android advances and apps are adapted to the new versions of Android, app comparability is starting to become a problem. Get this: Sony's own Android app "Sony Music Center", which replaced Song Pal - which is no longer available - will not install on Android 4.2.2 showing error message " Your device isn't compatible with this version". It's Sony's own hardware and software! This new Walkman NW-WM1Z does not run on Android. It runs on proprietary software. That will limit your audio source choices and you still have no guarantee at all if you're going to get any firmware or software. Stay away from Sony's audio devices. They'll burn you. It's not worth it especially considering that the NW-WM1Z costs $3200. There are other brands and devices out there. You don't need Sony. Look elsewhere.


----------



## denis1976

willb said:


> WARNING ABOUT SONY. I spent $1200 on the Sony Walkman NW-ZX2 when it came out in early 2015. It came with Android 4.2.2 and is still running 4.2.2. I have contacted Sony several times through many channels about upgrading the version of Android that the device is running but Sony absolutely refuses to upgrade Android on their own Walkman device. It's not like they don't have the knowledge; Sony has Android phones and tablets which they do update. They've just decided that those of us who spent the $1200 on the NW-ZX2 aren't worth the trouble. As Android advances and apps are adapted to the new versions of Android, app comparability is starting to become a problem. Get this: Sony's own Android app "Sony Music Center", which replaced Song Pal - which is no longer available - will not install on Android 4.2.2 showing error message " Your device isn't compatible with this version". It's Sony's own hardware and software! This new Walkman NW-WM1Z does not run on Android. It runs on proprietary software. That will limit your audio source choices and you still have no guarantee at all if you're going to get any firmware or software. Stay away from Sony's audio devices. They'll burn you. It's not worth it especially considering that the NW-WM1Z costs $3200. There are other brands and devices out there. You don't need Sony. Look elsewhere.


i don't buy Dap in this level for the android services i buy for the sound ,for the service i have a samsung galaxy note


----------



## Watcherq

ledzep said:


> Dsf you can dff you cannot , i just run any dff files through dff to dsf converter to solve that issue as it just repackages the file not re encode it



Correct dff files are like wav files, both cannot embed meta data. Luckily, dff -> dsf is simple and lossless.


----------



## phonomat

willb said:


> WARNING ABOUT SONY. I spent $1200 on the Sony Walkman NW-ZX2 when it came out in early 2015. It came with Android 4.2.2 and is still running 4.2.2. I have contacted Sony several times through many channels about upgrading the version of Android that the device is running but Sony absolutely refuses to upgrade Android on their own Walkman device. It's not like they don't have the knowledge; Sony has Android phones and tablets which they do update. They've just decided that those of us who spent the $1200 on the NW-ZX2 aren't worth the trouble. As Android advances and apps are adapted to the new versions of Android, app comparability is starting to become a problem. Get this: Sony's own Android app "Sony Music Center", which replaced Song Pal - which is no longer available - will not install on Android 4.2.2 showing error message " Your device isn't compatible with this version". It's Sony's own hardware and software! This new Walkman NW-WM1Z does not run on Android. It runs on proprietary software. That will limit your audio source choices and you still have no guarantee at all if you're going to get any firmware or software. Stay away from Sony's audio devices. They'll burn you. It's not worth it especially considering that the NW-WM1Z costs $3200. There are other brands and devices out there. You don't need Sony. Look elsewhere.


----------



## ledzep

willb said:


> WARNING ABOUT SONY. I spent $1200 on the Sony Walkman NW-ZX2 when it came out in early 2015. It came with Android 4.2.2 and is still running 4.2.2. I have contacted Sony several times through many channels about upgrading the version of Android that the device is running but Sony absolutely refuses to upgrade Android on their own Walkman device. It's not like they don't have the knowledge; Sony has Android phones and tablets which they do update. They've just decided that those of us who spent the $1200 on the NW-ZX2 aren't worth the trouble. As Android advances and apps are adapted to the new versions of Android, app comparability is starting to become a problem. Get this: Sony's own Android app "Sony Music Center", which replaced Song Pal - which is no longer available - will not install on Android 4.2.2 showing error message " Your device isn't compatible with this version". It's Sony's own hardware and software! This new Walkman NW-WM1Z does not run on Android. It runs on proprietary software. That will limit your audio source choices and you still have no guarantee at all if you're going to get any firmware or software. Stay away from Sony's audio devices. They'll burn you. It's not worth it especially considering that the NW-WM1Z costs $3200. There are other brands and devices out there. You don't need Sony. Look elsewhere.


 
  






 bad Sony


----------



## mw7485

willb said:


> WARNING ABOUT SONY. I spent $1200 on the Sony Walkman NW-ZX2 when it came out in early 2015. It came with Android 4.2.2 and is still running 4.2.2. I have contacted Sony several times through many channels about upgrading the version of Android that the device is running but Sony absolutely refuses to upgrade Android on their own Walkman device. It's not like they don't have the knowledge; Sony has Android phones and tablets which they do update. They've just decided that those of us who spent the $1200 on the NW-ZX2 aren't worth the trouble. As Android advances and apps are adapted to the new versions of Android, app comparability is starting to become a problem. Get this: Sony's own Android app "Sony Music Center", which replaced Song Pal - which is no longer available - will not install on Android 4.2.2 showing error message " Your device isn't compatible with this version". It's Sony's own hardware and software! This new Walkman NW-WM1Z does not run on Android. It runs on proprietary software. That will limit your audio source choices and you still have no guarantee at all if you're going to get any firmware or software. Stay away from Sony's audio devices. They'll burn you. It's not worth it especially considering that the NW-WM1Z costs $3200. There are other brands and devices out there. You don't need Sony. Look elsewhere.


 
  
 Wow, that's a lot of poison to go spewing out.
  
 So, should we avoid all players that run proprietary software? The Lotoo Paw Gold for example? How about the Questyle Q1PR? Oh, and the 1Z/1A have already had a series of firmware updates. Yes, it is sad that Sony refuses to update Android for the ZX2 - but they doubtless have their reasons (which may even be hardware related - did you even consider that?). However, they have never comitted to providing the latest and greatest Android flavours for the ZX2; they don't even do it for all their 'phones.


----------



## kms108

willb said:


> WARNING ABOUT SONY. I spent $1200 on the Sony Walkman NW-ZX2 when it came out in early 2015. It came with Android 4.2.2 and is still running 4.2.2. I have contacted Sony several times through many channels about upgrading the version of Android that the device is running but Sony absolutely refuses to upgrade Android on their own Walkman device. It's not like they don't have the knowledge; Sony has Android phones and tablets which they do update. They've just decided that those of us who spent the $1200 on the NW-ZX2 aren't worth the trouble. As Android advances and apps are adapted to the new versions of Android, app comparability is starting to become a problem. Get this: Sony's own Android app "Sony Music Center", which replaced Song Pal - which is no longer available - will not install on Android 4.2.2 showing error message " Your device isn't compatible with this version". It's Sony's own hardware and software! This new Walkman NW-WM1Z does not run on Android. It runs on proprietary software. That will limit your audio source choices and you still have no guarantee at all if you're going to get any firmware or software. Stay away from Sony's audio devices. They'll burn you. It's not worth it especially considering that the NW-WM1Z costs $3200. There are other brands and devices out there. You don't need Sony. Look elsewhere.


 

 I'm happy with the current F/W, I got the ZX 2 for the SQ and not android feature, it's a stable F/W.


----------



## echineko

Meanwhile, back on this current generation of DAPs (which this thread is actually about), we've already had how many firmware updates so far? 2? 3?


----------



## gerelmx1986

dillan said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > MP3TAG
> ...


DSD don't know but hires flac yes


----------



## gerelmx1986

willb said:


> WARNING ABOUT SONY. I spent $1200 on the Sony Walkman NW-ZX2 when it came out in early 2015. It came with Android 4.2.2 and is still running 4.2.2. I have contacted Sony several times through many channels about upgrading the version of Android that the device is running but Sony absolutely refuses to upgrade Android on their own Walkman device. It's not like they don't have the knowledge; Sony has Android phones and tablets which they do update. They've just decided that those of us who spent the $1200 on the NW-ZX2 aren't worth the trouble. As Android advances and apps are adapted to the new versions of Android, app comparability is starting to become a problem. Get this: Sony's own Android app "Sony Music Center", which replaced Song Pal - which is no longer available - will not install on Android 4.2.2 showing error message " Your device isn't compatible with this version". It's Sony's own hardware and software! This new Walkman NW-WM1Z does not run on Android. It runs on proprietary software. That will limit your audio source choices and you still have no guarantee at all if you're going to get any firmware or software. Stay away from Sony's audio devices. They'll burn you. It's not worth it especially considering that the NW-WM1Z costs $3200. There are other brands and devices out there. You don't need Sony. Look elsewhere.


I care for sound, for Android I have my Xperia


----------



## Hydrored

buzzlulu said:


> Well - my "Z" arrived from you know where.  Ordered Monday, shipped Tuesday, received Wednesday (UK > USA) - WOW
> 
> Here is something interesting - it came with the volume cap already deactivated!  Strange.  I went through the process anyway and changed the region to enable high gain and remote control.
> 
> Which region are people using?  I set it to region E (6) - this allowed both high gain and remote control


 
 This happened to me as well, I posted up pictures.


----------



## PCheung

As long as my WM-1Z playback FLAC, WAV, AAC and AIFF
and Sony already roll out a FW to improve its stability 

I don't care much on your "limit your audio source choices" problem


----------



## HiFiGuy528

willb said:


> WARNING ABOUT SONY. I spent $1200 on the Sony Walkman NW-ZX2 when it came out in early 2015. It came with Android 4.2.2 and is still running 4.2.2. I have contacted Sony several times through many channels about upgrading the version of Android that the device is running but Sony absolutely refuses to upgrade Android on their own Walkman device. It's not like they don't have the knowledge; Sony has Android phones and tablets which they do update. They've just decided that those of us who spent the $1200 on the NW-ZX2 aren't worth the trouble. As Android advances and apps are adapted to the new versions of Android, app comparability is starting to become a problem. Get this: Sony's own Android app "Sony Music Center", which replaced Song Pal - which is no longer available - will not install on Android 4.2.2 showing error message " Your device isn't compatible with this version". It's Sony's own hardware and software! This new Walkman NW-WM1Z does not run on Android. It runs on proprietary software. That will limit your audio source choices and you still have no guarantee at all if you're going to get any firmware or software. Stay away from Sony's audio devices. They'll burn you. It's not worth it especially considering that the NW-WM1Z costs $3200. There are other brands and devices out there. You don't need Sony. Look elsewhere.


 
  
 new 1A and 1Z runs on Sony custom OS, not any version of Android. 
  
 ZX2 is not a phone, it was designed to playback hi-res music from its internal storage and it does an excellent job at it. There is no need to update to newer version of Android.


----------



## asquare3376

willb said:


> You don't need Sony. Look elsewhere.


 We don't need your advice. Go somewhere else.


----------



## gerelmx1986

We are old-schoolers or in between new tech and old school (carrying a part of our stand-alone music library like i do), I am sure there are albums (because my genre) that are not available on spotify and co. yet , specially obscure labels that no longer exist. FLAC FTW
  
 Not always new tech is mainstream or In...


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

I don't think ZX2 would've run good with higher versions of Android anyway. So that argument seems invalid. When Hi-Fi comes into play, I don't care about update or other stuff.


----------



## Toolman

Not even Bluetooth tbh


----------



## gerelmx1986

He posted the same **** on three forus, this one, the FFICIAL WM1A WMIZA IFA and the ZX2 threas What?


----------



## asquare3376

virtu fortuna said:


> I don't think ZX2 would've run good with higher versions of Android anyway. So that argument seems invalid. When Hi-Fi comes into play, I don't care about update or other stuff.


 That heartbroken kid has posted the same thing on different Sony forums, true ipod lover lol


----------



## asquare3376

gerelmx1986 said:


> He posted the same **** on three forus, this one, the FFICIAL WM1A WMIZA IFA and the ZX2 threas What?


 maybe he is an ipod dealer, trying to save his business.


----------



## gerelmx1986

in a nutshell he is crying out loud I WANT STREAMERS, Ok dude if you want Android, get a phone, slap a portable amp to it and you´re done


----------



## nanaholic

toolman said:


> Not even Bluetooth tbh




I want Bluetooth because BT remote is convenient, LDAC is really good and the power is low enough that it doesn't really cause interference unlike WiFi anyway so it doesn't hurt to have it.


----------



## kms108

asquare3376 said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > He posted the same **** on three forus, this one, the FFICIAL WM1A WMIZA IFA and the ZX2 threas What?
> ...


 

 Apple, sorry I like orange more.


----------



## kms108

Another new case for the WM1A/1Z, only for those living in china.
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z02.1.2016030118.d2016038.KqX57m&id=544618502051&scm=1007.10157.72051.100200300000000&pvid=27fc719f-3e3f-40b2-804a-b37a9b1ad888


----------



## proedros

gerelmx1986 said:


> We are old-schoolers or in between new tech and old school (carrying a part of our stand-alone music library like i do), I am sure there are albums (because my genre) that are not available on spotify and co. yet , specially obscure labels that no longer exist. FLAC FTW
> 
> Not always new tech is mainstream or In...


 
  
 having lived the old times of cassette walkmans (i cassette at the time) or the cd walkmans (carrying with me a 24-cd case) i am 101% happy with the flexibility offered to me by zx2 , i have 1000 flac 16/44 albums in my 128+200 gb storage 

 also thank universe for all these amazing private torrent communities where you can download anything you want , sorry to all major record labels but i have paid my dues in buying overpriced/overated cds from you

 cheers


----------



## kms108

proedros said:


> gerelmx1986 said:
> 
> 
> > We are old-schoolers or in between new tech and old school (carrying a part of our stand-alone music library like i do), I am sure there are albums (because my genre) that are not available on spotify and co. yet , specially obscure labels that no longer exist. FLAC FTW
> ...


 

 Yep I've paid for many music before, but now I know a few sites for korean and Japanese music, even a good quality MP3 is good enough for me.


----------



## Dillan

Edited


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Just uncapped the WM1A and enjoying it with EL-8O.


----------



## gerelmx1986

virtu fortuna said:


> Just uncapped the WM1A and enjoying it with EL-8O.


 
 now use balanced and Poof! magic comes


----------



## Dillan

virtu fortuna said:


> Just uncapped the WM1A and enjoying it with EL-8O.




My favorite headphone ever made with an extrodanary dap. I just got a balanced cable made for my brand new el8o.

I'm sure you are in music heaven!


----------



## hung031086

If someone need a 4.4mm cable, just look at my signature. Thanks.


----------



## Dillan

Can't wait for female 4.4 adapters.. would come in handy for sure!


----------



## nc8000

dillan said:


> Can't wait for female 4.4 adapters.. would come in handy for sure!




Yes I want one as well to do a 4.4 to 2 x 3-pin xlr for my balanced home amp


----------



## Dillan

nc8000 said:


> Yes I want one as well to do a 4.4 to 2 x 3-pin xlr for my balanced home amp




You don't need a female 4.4 adapter for that, I plan on plugging 4.4mm balanced male into a 2 pin xlr plug for my amp.

You can configure that cable at plussound audio


----------



## nc8000

dillan said:


> You don't need a female 4.4 adapter for that, I plan on plugging 4.4mm balanced male into a 2 pin xlr plug for my amp.
> 
> You can configure that cable at plussound audio




How do you intend plugging a 4.4 male trrrs into a 2-pin xlr, and you need 4 seperate wires for balanced ?


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

A balanced cable for Oriolus is coming soon. From effect audio.
  
 For EL-8? Well, after tonight, I may consider that as well!


----------



## Dillan

nc8000 said:


> How do you intend plugging a 4.4 male trrrs into a 2-pin xlr, and you need 4 seperate wires for balanced ?




There are several ways to do that but you can buy a cable from plussound right now where one end is terminated with 4.4mm pentaconn that you plug into the dap balanced headphone port and the other end of the cable are two 3 pin xlr cables that you plug into the output section of a balanced amplifier. This allows your dap to serve as a source and dac and the amp to give you more power etc


----------



## Dillan

nc8000 said:


> How do you intend plugging a 4.4 male trrrs into a 2-pin xlr, and you need 4 seperate wires for balanced ?




Rereading your post, I think I confused you and typed it wrong the first time haha no two pin anything is in the cable


----------



## nc8000

dillan said:


> There are several ways to do that but you can buy a cable from plussound right now where one end is terminated with 4.4mm pentaconn that you plug into the dap balanced headphone port and the other end of the cable are two 3 pin xlr cables that you plug into the output section of a balanced amplifier. This allows your dap to serve as a source and dac and the amp to give you more power etc




Yes but I want to use my 4.4 terminated Axios cable with 1Z but then have an adapter to also use the Z1R with my balanced home amp that has 2 x 3-pin xlr output. I don't want my headphone cable terminated in xlr so I need the 4.4 female plug. Naturally I could also terminate the Axios in some other balanced plug and then have pig tails, but I would prefer to have 4.4 on the headphone cable and then go from there


----------



## Dillan

nc8000 said:


> Yes but I want to use my 4.4 terminated Axios cable with 1Z but then have an adapter to also use the Z1R with my balanced home amp that has 2 x 3-pin xlr output. I don't want my headphone cable terminated in xlr so I need the 4.4 female plug. Naturally I could also terminate the Axios in some other balanced plug and then have pig tails, but I would prefer to have 4.4 on the headphone cable and then go from there




Ah yes.. as far as headphones go I would REALLY love my 4.4 balanced headphone cables (which are expensive) to be able to go in my 1z and also have an adapter to go to a 4 pin xlr amp. You can do the reverse but I'd rather have them terminated in 4.4 without an adapter as most listening is straight to the dap. I haven't even purchased an amp yet.. but I will soon.

So yea a female 4.4mm pentaconn would be super amazing


----------



## djhitman

What's a good software to get album artwork for mac?


----------



## NoMythsAudio

Sony is been annoying and stressful. 
 Just discovered ape files are not supported.
 Like it's not enough stress to convert my embedded jpg to baseline, now I have to convert my ape to flac.
 Damn you Sony!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

nomythsaudio said:


> Sony is been annoying and stressful.
> Just discovered ape files are not supported.
> Like it's not enough stress to convert my embedded jpg to baseline, now I have to convert my ape to flac.
> Damn you Sony!!


 

 ​That's why i stumble with an ape file it gets converted to flac, I stumble with a wavpack, also gets FLAC'ed


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Yes but I want to use my 4.4 terminated Axios cable with 1Z but then have an adapter to also use the Z1R with my balanced home amp that has 2 x 3-pin xlr output. I don't want my headphone cable terminated in xlr so I need the 4.4 female plug. Naturally I could also terminate the Axios in some other balanced plug and then have pig tails, but I would prefer to have 4.4 on the headphone cable and then go from there




What you need ? Would be this 

It is the solution to use Wm1z with headphones that has 3.5mm (z1r) and then adapt into XLR amps


In this picture, I used Wm1z with z1r cables into my Stax amp, using those adapters


----------



## nc8000

whitigir said:


> What you need ? Would be this
> 
> It is the solution to use Wm1z with headphones that has 3.5mm (z1r) and then adapt into XLR amps
> 
> ...




No that is not what I need. I do not want to use converters when using the Z1R directly with the 1Z so my headphone cable on the Z1R has to be terminated in 4.4 and then I need a converter for when I want to use the Z1R with my xlr home rig. I'm not talking about using the 1Z as a source in my home rig where I have an Aries Mini streamer going into an Audiolab 8200CD cd player and dac going balanced into my RudiStor amp.


----------



## blazinblazin

Forgot to bring my remote and already missing it.


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> No that is not what I need. I do not want to use converters when using the Z1R directly with the 1Z so my headphone cable on the Z1R has to be terminated in 4.4 and then I need a converter for when I want to use the Z1R with my xlr home rig. I'm not talking about using the 1Z as a source in my home rig where I have an Aries Mini streamer going into an Audiolab 8200CD cd player and dac going balanced into my RudiStor amp.




So you want female 4.4 into XLR ? Interesting I already have 4.4mm female into 3.5mm . But it could be done into XLR 4 as well. Though, it is only viable when you have upgraded 4.4mm cables for the z1r. Because the prices for connectors and 4.4mm female are expensive, which makes no senses to use stock cables with it


----------



## nc8000

whitigir said:


> So you want female 4.4 into XLR ? Interesting I already have 4.4mm female into 3.5mm . But it could be done into XLR 4 as well. Though, it is only viable when you have upgraded 4.4mm cables for the z1r. Because the prices for connectors and 4.4mm female are expensive, which makes no senses to use stock cables with it




Yes that is what I want but I have not been able to find a female 4.4 mm other than the surface mount version. I have an Axios 4.4 mm terminated cable on the way for the Z1R


----------



## kms108

Found these adapter for those living in china or using a agent forwarding company, 4.4mm balance to 3.5SE/3.5Balance including 2.5mm.
  
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.96.1zHPF4&id=549271255094&ns=1&abbucket=20#detail


----------



## hung031086

Look like they have 4.4mm to 3.5mm and 2.5mm. Will they ship to the US ?


----------



## kms108

hung031086 said:


> Look like they have 4.4mm to 3.5mm and 2.5mm. Will they ship to the US ?


 

 You have to use a agent for purchase outside of china or Hong Kong, you have to select SE or balance, they have both for 3.5mm


----------



## blazinblazin

kms108 said:


> Found these adapter for those living in china or using a agent forwarding company, 4.4mm balance to 3.5SE/3.5Balance including 2.5mm.
> 
> https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.96.1zHPF4&id=549271255094&ns=1&abbucket=20#detail


 
  
 Just to make things clearer.
  
 They selling
  
 4.4mm Male to 2.5mm balanced female
 4.4mm Male to 3.5mm balanced female
 4.4mm Male to 3.5mm Single Ended female.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I remember when AK pricing of $1500 was insane in 2012 and now 2017 I have a 1300 Sony Walkman . 

The guy who sold me the fiio x3 first gen, told me that, ak 100 sounded the same as fiio x3 because they used the same DAC chip... I think he was super wrong with that statement. WM1A and Z have the Same DAC and almost same hardware bit I have seen here they sound different


----------



## kms108

blazinblazin said:


> kms108 said:
> 
> 
> > Found these adapter for those living in china or using a agent forwarding company, 4.4mm balance to 3.5SE/3.5Balance including 2.5mm.
> ...


 

 From the detail the 3.5balance is 89Yuen, 3.5SE 79Yuen or any 3 for 239Yuen


----------



## Dillan

Wait so where are you guys getting the 4.4mm female? I didn't think anyone made those yet. I also need 4.4mm balanced female into 4 pin xlr male.


----------



## Whitigir

4.4 female to 3.5 male


----------



## Dillan

whitigir said:


> 4.4 female to 3.5 male




The female side looks very "home made" lol


----------



## Whitigir

dillan said:


> The female side looks very "home made" lol




That is exactly it  until a proper 4.4mm female can be released. This female is from Pentaconn itself which was made by high purity OFC copper and gold plated too...so to get a proper 4.4mm female that can beat this ....will be a while more


----------



## Dillan

whitigir said:


> That is exactly it  until a proper 4.4mm female can be released. This female is from Pentaconn itself which was made by high purity OFC copper and gold plated too...so to get a proper 4.4mm female that can beat this ....will be a while more




Did you make the cable itself and terminate the other end?


----------



## nc8000

whitigir said:


> That is exactly it  until a proper 4.4mm female can be released. This female is from Pentaconn itself which was made by high purity OFC copper and gold plated too...so to get a proper 4.4mm female that can beat this ....will be a while more




Would you make one to order ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Haha poor whit lol all started by me  (the cables) and now a domino effect with others in this thread


----------



## Whitigir

I may be able to help some but it is so hard to get a grab of these 4.4mm female. It may take a while, I am afraid until then you may be able to find it from taobao and other China sites . My solution and Adapter are only viable when you use, desire, seek for high quality materials. The adapter linked above was silver-gold wires with silver plated 3.5mm plugs and quality 4.4mm female ofcourse  (so it makes more sense to use it with exotic cables) hehe


----------



## Dillan

whitigir said:


> I may be able to help some but it is so hard to get a grab of these 4.4mm female. It may take a while, I am afraid until then you may be able to find it from taobao and other China sites . My solution and Adapter are only viable when you use, desire, seek for high quality materials. The adapter linked above was silver-gold wires with silver plated 3.5mm plugs and quality 4.4mm female ofcourse  (so it makes more sense to use it with exotic cables) hehe




Of course.. I'd only want the highest quality materials for my cable as well. If you happen to find another female 4.4 then let me know if you don't mind..


----------



## nc8000

dillan said:


> Of course.. I'd only want the highest quality materials for my cable as well. If you happen to find another female 4.4 then let me know if you don't mind..




Me too


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am getting superb results with the adapters I asked Whitigir for, very magical experience, there's something I cannot describe what I hear but seems to be that air around instruments


----------



## Toolman

5-pole 4.4 female connector (no outer shell)


----------



## TheOracle

Anybody who owns the WM1Z also have the PHA-2A amp?
  
 I currently have the WM1A and the PHA-2A. The PHA-2A has a darker, more impactful sound than the 1A. I'm wondering how similar this is to the WM1Z and if this combo is a way to enjoy the best of both worlds at a fraction of the cost of WM1Z...


----------



## gerelmx1986

theoracle said:


> Anybody who owns the WM1Z also have the PHA-2A amp?
> 
> I currently have the WM1A and the PHA-2A. The PHA-2A has a darker, more impactful sound than the 1A. I'm wondering how similar this is to the WM1Z and if this combo is a way to enjoy the best of both worlds at a fraction of the cost of WM1Z...


does it eat the battery in 7 hours like previous Walkman zx2 or zx100?


----------



## TheOracle

gerelmx1986 said:


> does it eat the battery in 7 hours like previous Walkman zx2 or zx100?


 
  
 It doesn't eat the battery of the WM1A from what I can tell, runs about the same for me whether I'm using the 1A by itself or rigged with the PHA-2A. It's own battery life is another matter...


----------



## JamesKH

whitigir said:


> 4.4 female to 3.5 male


 
  
 Excellent cable, by the way!


----------



## Whitigir

jameskh said:


> Excellent cable, by the way!




I am glad that you are loving it


----------



## Stealer

watcherq said:


> Correct dff files are like wav files, both cannot embed meta data. Luckily, dff -> dsf is simple and lossless.



You mean convert from dff to dsf is simple?
How


----------



## bmoura

stealer said:


> You mean convert from dff to dsf is simple?
> How


 
  
 Use a program like the Free program DFF to DSF from Signalyst (makers of HQ Player).  Very easy and then you can tag the .dsf files with an app like Tag and Rename. 
 http://www.signalyst.com/professional.html
 http://www.softpointer.com/tr.htm


----------



## Watcherq

Yep, there are quite a few dff -> dsf + tagging with metadata out there...  The conversion itself is lossless as well.


----------



## animalsrush

whitigir said:


> To anyone that wonder how the DC phase linearizer feel like ? It is rather strange. There are 6 modes
> 
> Type A (low, standard, high)
> Type B (Low, standard, high)
> ...




Dude thanks so much for this.. with type A low I am getting bass impact I felt was missing in wm1z from what I had heard from clear bass implementation on zx2n .. also strings is perfect .. makes sound soo good. Tested these settings on both k10 CIEM and oppo pm3.. and wow what a difference.. but they do drain battery .. 

@whitgir - do you eq further.. if yes can u share settings.. want to give those a try too

Thanks
Pc


----------



## nc8000

The adaptor from 3.5 mm trrs to 4.4 mm trrrs that a friend of mine has made arrived today


----------



## gerelmx1986

jameskh said:


> whitigir said:
> 
> 
> > 4.4 female to 3.5 male
> ...


I second that, Kudos to Whitigir


----------



## Whitigir

animalsrush said:


> Dude thanks so much for this.. with type A low I am getting bass impact I felt was missing in wm1z from what I had heard from clear bass implementation on zx2n .. also strings is perfect .. makes sound soo good. Tested these settings on both k10 CIEM and oppo pm3.. and wow what a difference.. but they do drain battery ..
> 
> @whitgir - do you eq further.. if yes can u share settings.. want to give those a try too
> 
> ...




EQ on the Wm1z is very responsive and does not deform the overall sound too much, but it still does, and so I don't use any other EQ. The most I would do was what I shared with you .

Thanks guys for the warm feelings . If I have time, I will help out, just let me know.


----------



## nc8000

Being silly trying HE-6 balanced from 1Z with my new adaptor and it actually sounds really good but have to have volume at 120 and they are obviusly not driven to their best but deffinately enjoyable


----------



## Rayon

I now got my WM1Z and I had been worried how it would run my HD800. I just uncapped it with the instruction found from this thread (it was super simple) and I can confirm that it runs HD800 just fine! I'm currenty listening Fausto Mesolella - Live ad Alcartraz @ 83 with high gain on 3.5mm single ended, so there is more than enough room for thos who like to listen on higher volumes. Balanced side may give propably better sound, but there is no need to do that volume vise unless the record is really quiet or you want to break your ears.
  
 And btw, first impression is that it sounds amazing


----------



## Dillan

nc8000 said:


> Being silly trying HE-6 from 1Z with my new adaptor and it actually sounds really good but have to have volume at 120 and they are obviusly not driven to their best but deffinately enjoyable




Haha nice! I am totally impressed that it is able to play my 800S pretty well actually. It would be cool to have an amp attachment to the 1Z like the ak380 but I think the weight would literally be laughable at that point lol it's hilarious you're using it with he-6 straight into the dap.

So balanced is 250 + 250 right? Essentially 500 total.. does anyone know how that compares with the ak attachment amp?


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

whitigir said:


> To anyone that wonder how the DC phase linearizer feel like ? It is rather strange. There are 6 modes
> 
> Type A (low, standard, high)
> Type B (Low, standard, high)
> ...


 
 I think you're spot on with this one. Nice!
  
 I hear the same, especially the difference between the low, standard and high.


----------



## ledzep

anyone else having trouble seeing their subscriptions and selling lists etc


----------



## soundkist

Subs are under "watched threads" link on your personal details page.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 26, 2017)

The new design is weird, where is that watched threads?


----------



## nc8000

I sure can't find that Watched link ????


----------



## soundkist

Click on the "Welcome back [your name]!" link at top right of page, then click on your avatar; technically that takes you to the avatar editing page, but on the left you will see a bunch of links, including the watched threads link.  There are other ways to get there, but that seemed to be the fastest.  "Account alerts" will also render a # when a new post in a thread you are subbed to happens.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Thanks i was baffled about it, damn drastic changes


----------



## blazinblazin

So buggy I would say the new forum.
Not very suitable for mobile also.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Broke the 1000 hour mark on my WM1A ... 150 on balanced and the rest is SE


----------



## ezekiel77

Is there a switch to toggle "line out" for the 1A/1Z or is it automatic? I used the official Sony to USB female cable to connect to a desktop DAC, but nothing happens.


----------



## Whitigir

ezekiel77 said:


> Is there a switch to toggle "line out" for the 1A/1Z or is it automatic? I used the official Sony to USB female cable to connect to a desktop DAC, but nothing happens.


You need special cables to do digital transport.  Line out is possible from headphones ports


----------



## ezekiel77

Whitigir said:


> You need special cables to do digital transport.  Line out is possible from headphones ports



It's the same USB cable I used to connect my laptop to the DAC, so I assumed digital transport would be alright.


----------



## HamsterKing

blazinblazin said:


> So buggy I would say the new forum.
> Not very suitable for mobile also.


it looks like a data hungry forum too for mobile


----------



## pietcux

I will test my Fiio LOD cable for the WM port layer today.


----------



## Whitigir

pietcux said:


> I will test my Fiio LOD cable for the WM port layer today.


It will work, but in order for you to get the best of WM digital out, you need the dongle accessory from Sony, and best modified version with upgraded wires....or dock it up

You can simply wires the pins to output digital, or you can take advantage of the chips set inside the Sony dongle to further enhance the stability and energy of your digital out signals....just my 2 cents.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I don't know if a. Line out will work because Sony said they have removed line out (analog) from M the WM1 series


----------



## gerelmx1986

Strangely the sub option for this thread was deactivated, now for subbing is under more options below the text input were you post a reply


----------



## pietcux

I was just talking about analog line out. To an amp if needed. I assume the digital section of this player is world class anyways. Only the Multibit fraction might complain.


----------



## pietcux (Apr 27, 2017)

Then be it so. Can take the headphone out if needed.


----------



## nc8000

You just use the headphone out as analog lineout


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 27, 2017)

He mentioned Line Out Digital (LOD) unless I have mistaken what he said.  Ofcourse analog line out from WM is not possible on WM series....well..,there is no such thing as line out digital Lol...line out dock you mean ? Then no, it won't work....damn it, all of these initial terms are blowing my brain


----------



## pietcux

LOD was line out direct in Ipod times. Obviously times have changed.


----------



## Whitigir

Pardon my arrogant, I never ever touched an iPod LoL ( in a mean of auditioning and or owning it...not handling it )


----------



## pietcux

I guess without the iPod this site would not exist as big as it is today. All the portable amps that have been created to better the iPod lead to even your beloved WM1Z.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Balanced just makes magic with the supposed bad recordings


----------



## benbun

i just tried 1a/1z/1es and my mojo on z1r/z7, 1a/1z/1es via factory balanced cable has that airiness feel and details, but voice feels recessed towards the back, mojo on 3.5 sony factory cable and the vocal is much more front, may be just used to the vocal of mojo and fees that voice are stronger for mojo for me, but i believe others sonys has edge.


----------



## Whitigir

benbun said:


> i just tried 1a/1z/1es and my mojo on z1r/z7, 1a/1z/1es via factory balanced cable has that airiness feel and details, but voice feels recessed towards the back, mojo on 3.5 sony factory cable and the vocal is much more front, may be just used to the vocal of mojo and fees that voice are stronger for mojo for me, but i believe others sonys has edge.




If it indicated anything, it would be that Mojo is inferior....anyways, it is your decision, you decide


----------



## YamaVega

I auditioned a Z1R + WM1A, with the usual sample HD tracks that comes along with any sony player.  When I started listening, the word that came to my mind was:  Grandiose!!

I dismissed the Z1R as just glorified MDR-1Rs with big earcups, but with a better source these cans to me are like in a summit-fi level.  It almost conviced me of both items price tag, well the WM1a atleast


----------



## animalsrush

Effects on wm1z drain battery like crazy with D.C. Linear and DSEE on  I am getting approx 16 hrs on flac 16/44


----------



## Whitigir

That is normal


----------



## animalsrush (Apr 27, 2017)

Question .. high gain vs standard..

Googled found my answer sorry.. I can't delete post

Pc


----------



## gerelmx1986

In balanced with the battery care set to on, I get like 20 hours


----------



## echineko

The new Sennheiser HDV 820 DAC/amp includes Pentaconn connectors, nice to see the industry starting to adapt these


----------



## gerelmx1986

i think is a better balanced connector, the 4.4 aka. pentaconn is more compact and robust, more compact tan XLR and robust tan these 2.5mm and dual 3.5


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 28, 2017)

My iPod coworker asked for the WM1A Price  he called me crazy . I pay the Price ofr the sound LOL


----------



## Tawek

Hello new happy owner 
My treasure wm1z+se5ult


----------



## benbun (Apr 29, 2017)

I actually really wanted to buy the wm1a so i can have one dap instead of iphone+neutron+mojo setup. But after listen to wm1a vs my current very inconvenient setup, i somehow prefer the mojo. I was comparing balanced cables with the store z1r my mod z7 and se846 and play off my own SD with wav and dsd files for almost 2 hours. I mostly listen to volcas. May be i should give it more time with different kind of music? Not sure if i want to spend 1k+ for wm1a anymore, it just doesnt jistify the price vs mojo, of cause minus the iphone which i already have. And i did try the new onkyo phone-dap as well as AR dap and few others, non of them are as good as wm1a, the power off balanced just so strong all others sounds thin and light. Also a lot of my misic uses cue files which sony doesnt support.


----------



## Whitigir

benbun said:


> I actually really wanted to buy the wm1a so i can have one dap instead of iphone+neutron+mojo setup. But after listen to wm1a vs my current very inconvenient setup, i somehow prefer the mojo. I was comparing balanced cables with z7 z1r and se846 and play off my own SD with wav and dsd files for almost 2 hours. I mostly listen to volcas. May be i should give it more time with different kind of music? Not sure if i want to spend 1k+ for wm1a anymore, it just doesnt jistify the price vs mojo, of cause minus the iphone which i already have.



Believe and trust in your ears and perceptions, nothing else matter . No one, and no amount of money can buy the level of satisfactions that you currently have now with your setup.  Be proud, and keep it that way.  I am a sucker in this hobby so I keep spending money to get what I want, and before I know it...I have the whole Stax system in my corner


----------



## mw7485 (Apr 29, 2017)

benbun said:


> I actually really wanted to buy the wm1a so i can have one dap instead of iphone+neutron+mojo setup. But after listen to wm1a vs my current very inconvenient setup, i somehow prefer the mojo. I was comparing balanced cables with the store z1r my mod z7 and se846 and play off my own SD with wav and dsd files for almost 2 hours. I mostly listen to volcas. May be i should give it more time with different kind of music? Not sure if i want to spend 1k+ for wm1a anymore, it just doesnt jistify the price vs mojo, of cause minus the iphone which i already have. And i did try the new onkyo phone-dap as well as AR dap and few others, non of them are as good as wm1a, the power off balanced just so strong all others sounds thin and light. Also a lot of my misic uses cue files which sony doesnt support.



This may not help, but I'll say it anyway. You have probably attuned your ears to your mojo setup; this is inevitable if you listen to one setup for  a prolonged period. You get familiar with it, and are generally not surprised by what it does. Because of this, it is REALLY hard to be objective when listening to an alternative system as you'll likely tend towards the familiar unless there is a really startling difference in the positive with the new equipment.

My only suggestion is to try and introduce objectivity. Ask yourself what you want from your music, clarity of vocals, balance throughout the specturm, power, no sibliance, etc etc. If you can produce a list of requirements, you have something to evaluate against, otherwise, in all probability, you'll stick with what you have. If all this sounds a little over the top, to my way of thinking, its the only way to come up with an objective method of comparison......

As an alternative (or as part of what I suggested above), I do not now where you're located but if you are in the UK, you can use either the DSR or Amazon's return policy to your advantage. Buy a 1a, and listen ONLY to it for as long as possible (as defined by the appropriate ruturn policy) and try to ensure the unit completes the recommended settling in period. If you don't like it, return it for a full refund......


----------



## Sleepow

Apologies, I tried to search, in vain.
Is there a guide somewhere in how to modify the Japanese 1z to English?


----------



## echineko

benbun said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> I actually really wanted to buy the wm1a so i can have one dap instead of iphone+neutron+mojo setup. But after listen to wm1a vs my current very inconvenient setup, i somehow prefer the mojo. I was comparing balanced cables with the store z1r my mod z7 and se846 and play off my own SD with wav and dsd files for almost 2 hours. I mostly listen to volcas. May be i should give it more time with different kind of music? Not sure if i want to spend 1k+ for wm1a anymore, it just doesnt jistify the price vs mojo, of cause minus the iphone which i already have. And i did try the new onkyo phone-dap as well as AR dap and few others, non of them are as good as wm1a, the power off balanced just so strong all others sounds thin and light. Also a lot of my misic uses cue files which sony doesnt support.


We all have our own preferences, nothing wrong with that. If you find after spending time with the Walkman it doesn't grab your attention, that's fine.

From your comment it seems you have tried the balanced output via the Z1R/Z7 already with your own music. One last thing I'd ask is if you tried it via direct mode and high gain in the sound settings? I personally prefer turning off all the sound processing and showing what the Sony is capable on its own, might want to check that out. But either way, no worries if you gave it a go and didn't find it to your taste eh? Not everyone has to like everything we do


----------



## AnakChan

Sleepow said:


> Apologies, I tried to search, in vain.
> Is there a guide somewhere in how to modify the Japanese 1z to English?


Take a look at post #855.


----------



## Sleepow

Thank you.
Just to be sure, that means I should change the destination code to mostly anything but Japan?


----------



## blazinblazin

Except EU and Japan. Others should be fine.


----------



## Tawek

Need help uncapping WM1Z!
 scsitool-nwz-v6.exe D: dest_tool get 
And nothing happened   I use windows 64 bit or it may affect the operation of the program? Thanks


----------



## nc8000

Win64 should be fine, is D: the drive letter og the internal storage ?

To change use something like 

.... set E2 off


----------



## Tawek

scsitool-nwz-v6.exe D: dest_tool get set E2 off  ? Nothing  happen


----------



## AnakChan

Tawek said:


> scsitool-nwz-v6.exe D: dest_tool get set E2 off  ? Nothing  happen


Did you read the instructions? Did you try the get to get current settings? Did you reboot after?


----------



## Sleepow

Taking about the instructions, what does rest the setting means?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Are there noticeable sound changes after the 200 hour mark? (balanced)


----------



## mw7485

Sleepow said:


> Taking about the instructions, what does rest the setting means?



Settings | Device Settings|Reset/Format|Reset All Settings


----------



## mw7485 (May 2, 2017)

Tawek said:


> scsitool-nwz-v6.exe D: dest_tool get set E2 off  ? Nothing  happen



You have mixed up two commands.

scsitool-nwz-vX.exe D: dest_tool get will tell you what your current Destination and SPS are set to.
scsitool-nwz-vX.exe D: dest_tool set E2 off will change the destination to E2 and turn off SPS.


----------



## roses77 (May 2, 2017)

The Sony WM1Z has Panasonic capacitors as well, it says in the guide to high quality sound to burn in for 200hrs to reach high quality sound. I bought mine this year in April 2017.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

*Effect Audio Ares II 4.4mm Balanced just came in.*


----------



## gerelmx1986

roses77 said:


> The Sony WM1Z has Panasonic capacitors as well, it says in the guide to high quality sound to burn in for 200hrs to reach high quality sound. I bought mine this year in April 2017.


 mine as well, WM1A


----------



## Tawek

Sorry but i do not know what i'm doing wrong
Please help


----------



## Tawek




----------



## Tawek




----------



## Tawek




----------



## t3hwx9

@Tawek , almost there!
scsitool-nwz-v7.exe D: dest_tool get
scsitool-nwz-v7.exe D: dest_tool set E2 off


----------



## NoMythsAudio

Virtu Fortuna said:


> *Effect Audio Ares II 4.4mm Balanced just came in.*


Haha,
I thought I was the only one with Fostex HP-A4. Never hear anyone talk about it but a very capable and decent DAC/Amp for a modest price. Cheers.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

NoMythsAudio said:


> Haha,
> I thought I was the only one with Fostex HP-A4. Never hear anyone talk about it but a very capable and decent DAC/Amp for a modest price. Cheers.



Oh you spotted that. Thanks. It's a very affordable mid-fi DAC/AMP. It can do Native DSD via Fostex Player app as well. I've been using it for 18 months now. Not very popular but who cares right?


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Are there noticeable sound changes after the 200 hour mark? (balanced)


bump


----------



## NoMythsAudio

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Oh you spotted that. Thanks. It's a very affordable mid-fi DAC/AMP. It can do Native DSD via Fostex Player app as well. I've been using it for 18 months now. Not very popular but who cares right?


Native DSD is not through Fostex Player alone. I use it with JRiver and it does native DSD. Yes, more than capable.


----------



## Bina

Any tips where to find the cheapest WM1A in Europe?


----------



## kms108

Bina said:


> Any tips where to find the cheapest WM1A in Europe?



Search


----------



## ezekiel77 (May 4, 2017)

Comparison between *WM1A* balanced out vs *QP1R*.
*IEM:* AAW W900
*Cables:* Kumitate Lab 4.4mm balanced (SPC) for 1A, Effect Audio Eros I (copper/silver hybrid) for QP1R. Can't control this as I have only one balanced cable for Sony.
*Album:* Fleetwood Mac "Rumours" (24/96 FLAC), with The Chain played the most bcos Guardians of the Galaxy 2!
*WM1A settings:* Low gain, Direct Source On.
*QP1R settings:* Low gain, no EQ.
The comparison was mainly to satisfy my own curiosity. The QP1R has been my go-to DAP for nearly a year.

*Not sound:*
WM1A is heavier and bulkier, but feels sturdier built. QP1R is lighter and the metal/glass build looks impressive but the clickwheel doesn't inspire confidence. I should know, I've had the wheel replaced once. The Sony startup takes a minute to switch on and update database. UI is fast after firmware update 1.20. Hardware buttons take half a second to respond, and that's about my only beef against the WM1A.

QP1R takes a shorter time to start up and update database, about 30 seconds. I've learnt to use the buttons instead of the clickwheel after having the wheel replaced. The haptic vibration is responsive and feels nice, actually. Button response time is almost immediate. I'm not going into touchscreen vs clickwheel/button-based UIs here. Both are functional and gets me to where I need. Both libraries can be sorted via album artist, which is good. Normally I just go to "all songs" and play random however.

*Sound impressions:*
I thought it would be a straightforward warmer vs brighter signature, but the comparison had a few surprises. The Sony balanced out is impressive. While it's true the Walkman has more bass body and weight, the note texture from bass to treble is more apparent. I hear each note as it starts, sustains and tails off beautifully. The sound is fuller, and gets quite addictive.

QP1R on the other hand has the note speed and dynamics, a more energetic signature, with thinner notes. Bass sounds flatter with more restraint, and might be better for faster tracks. Mids is a matter of preference, both are equally competent (euphony vs transient response). Sony wins for slower tracks though. I always thought QP1R was a master at treble, but here it sounds brighter yet less detailed than the Sony, bcos of the Walkman's excellent note texture.

Instrument imaging is a draw, pretty impressive for Sony given its thicker notes. Both QP1R and WM1A have accurate and realistic imaging, with a good around-the-head spacial cues. Soundstage width is similar, but Sony has a tinge more depth and height. QP1R sounds airier, while WM1A is better accomplished with instrument layering.

In short both are excellent, with a slight edge to WM1A owing to better note texture and immersiveness. QP1R is better for dynamics and air. I like to pair QP1R with darker IEMs, while Sony is the better all-rounder.

*Conclusion:*
I'm glad to own both. Also, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is a damn fine movie.


----------



## Sleepow

So I got the 1Z, 2 days ago, despite my trying to convince myself that I need Tidal.
I am using it on balanced with the RHA CL1, not a TOTL IEM, but already my reaction is WOW.

As I am looking at the audition of a TOTL IEM, synergy with the 1Z will be the deciding factor.

Btw, thanks for the tips on changing the language, it worked flawlessly.


----------



## cheeseeater

Dithyrambes said:


> Anyone own both the ALO CDM and the wm1a? looking for comparisons as I am tempted to get a wm1a ><



I can't find the other three threads dedicated to this question so forgive me for asking this here.  Dithyrambes, you asked this question a long time ago and eventually did get the WM1A. And now that you are the person you were reaching out to, owning both WM1A and ALO CDM, how do you think they compare? I am very interested.  I don't own either but I have narrowed it down to these two devices.


----------



## AnakChan

Aesthetically not as nice as e4ua's nor @Whitigir's but it works. Top is a 4.4mm -> 3.5mm TRS Oyaide Platinum and Palladium plating whilst lower is the 4.4mm -> 2.5mm TRRS Oyaide.

Wiring used is the Oyaide Augline solid core. Work was done by someone who wishes to remain anonymous whilst parts supplied by me.


----------



## ezekiel77

AnakChan said:


> Wiring used is the Oyaide Augline solid core. Work was done by someone who wishes to remain anonymous whilst parts supplied by me.



Is ultrashort feasible for 4.4mm balanced to 3.5mm SE? Just wondering if I should wait for that.


----------



## AnakChan

ezekiel77 said:


> Is ultrashort feasible for 4.4mm balanced to 3.5mm SE? Just wondering if I should wait for that.


You mean if an ultrashort adapter possible? I guess so, the above is already pretty short as it is. If you're looking for a single piece 4.4mm -> 3.5mm,  I think it's going to be a pretty rigid single piece which could be prone to breakage of the socket if that adapter gets caught on something. Having a little bit of a length for a little flexibility would help reduce such occurrences.


----------



## ezekiel77

AnakChan said:


> You mean if an ultrashort adapter possible? I guess so, the above is already pretty short as it is. If you're looking for a single piece 4.4mm -> 3.5mm,  I think it's going to be a pretty rigid single piece which could be prone to breakage of the socket if that adapter gets caught on something. Having a little bit of a length for a little flexibility would help reduce such occurrences.



Exactly, thanks. Probably better to get separate cables or a wired adapter like yours.


----------



## blazinblazin

I have been waiting for those adapters...


----------



## hke3g2006

Anyone else had experienced "bad contact" problem of the 4.4 Bal. jack??


----------



## Whitigir

Nice ! It is so sad that nobody is going out with a proper female 4.4mm yet


----------



## Whitigir

hke3g2006 said:


> Anyone else had experienced "bad contact" problem of the 4.4 Bal. jack??


What exactly is the problem ?


----------



## buzzlulu

hke3g2006 said:


> Anyone else had experienced "bad contact" problem of the 4.4 Bal. jack??



Yes- what exactly are you referring to?

I know that, in speaking with my dealer, some of the knock off 4.4 plugs, i.e. non Pentacon originals, have been showing issues i.e. Too long, too short etc.


----------



## hke3g2006

Whitigir said:


> What exactly is the problem ?


My unit fail to detect the cable I plugged in unless I rotate the plug a little bit. it just happens occasionally but it is quite annoying as playback suddenly stop.....


----------



## ttt123

hke3g2006 said:


> My unit fail to detect the cable I plugged in unless I rotate the plug a little bit. it just happens occasionally but it is quite annoying as playback suddenly stop.....



As the Pentaconn female connector has 2 mechanical contacts for each wire/signal, it should be pretty unlikely that both contacts are losing connectivity.  A couple of areas to look at. 1. Oxide buildup on the plug - Clean it with contact cleaner.  2. The wire inside the 4.4mm plug may be shorting, or loose, so that when you twist the plug, you are shifting the wires inside the plug.  I had a similar problem on a 3.5mm TRRS plug, and it did turn out to be the wiring/solder inside the plug.


----------



## Whitigir

That above is true, and more than likely that the wires inside your 4.4mm is lose.  Was it 3rd party vendor cables or what


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 4, 2017)

Very odd for a product this quality to fail , my 4.4mm is fine


----------



## cheeseeater

I did it. I just ordered the WM1A.  Now I can see what alll the fuss is about. (I go chills, they're multiplyin',...)


----------



## TheOracle (May 4, 2017)

Yes, I have, and it isn't a cable issue (I immediately plug it into the 4.4 on the PHA-2A jack and it's fine), it's the 4.4 jack on WM1A.

The issue I have is the left side is much quieter than the right.

Seems there is some wiggle in the jack. It was slightly elevated from the unit. I pushed it down. That solved the problem, but I'm guessing when taking a plug out, it forces the jack up slightly and is causing some connection problem internally.


----------



## Whitigir

Contact for a warranty work to be performed on your unit before too late.  Sony with internal wiring instead of direct solder on board, shall not have such problem.  It is more likely that the Socket is damaged during the manufacturing process or if this unit is used, it possibly was damaged by former owner.  If the socket has a damaged body, then the plastic would be too weak to properly hold on and retain these rings terminal inside, which pose the problem.  Either way, you will need it replaced


----------



## TheOracle

Whitigir said:


> Contact for a warranty work to be performed on your unit before too late.  Sony with internal wiring instead of direct solder on board, shall not have such problem.  It is more likely that the Socket is damaged during the manufacturing process or if this unit is used, it possibly was damaged by former owner.  If the socket has a damaged body, then the plastic would be too weak to properly hold on and retain these rings terminal inside, which pose the problem.  Either way, you will need it replaced



I bought it brand new, so probably is a manufacturing defect. Only started a few days ago and I've had it since January. 
Guess I will go the warranty route. Sucks.


----------



## Whitigir

TheOracle said:


> I bought it brand new, so probably is a manufacturing defect. Only started a few days ago and I've had it since January.
> Guess I will go the warranty route. Sucks.


Sorry to hear that.  Are you still inside the 30 days satisfaction return ? If so, ask for a return for a replacement.  It is much faster.  If you dealt with a dealer, talk to him and ask him to replace it with another unit.  It should not be any problem at all.


----------



## sim2

Sarnia said:


> Yes it's capped, but very easy to uncap.


Hi,
how can I do to uncap my new sony nw wm1a ?
I bought it on amazon.it and the firmware version is 1,02 .
Thanks very much


----------



## nc8000

Instructions both to uncap and to get firmware updates are many times in this thread


----------



## sim2

nc8000 said:


> Instructions both to uncap and to get firmware updates are many times in this thread


Thank you, but my english is not very good.
Can you indicate to me ?


----------



## SoLame

sim2 said:


> Thank you, but my english is not very good.
> Can you indicate to me ?



Try this: https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/n...ship-hi-end-dap.815841/page-462#post-13159461


----------



## Tawek

wm1z+se5ult


----------



## soundkist

Very early impressions: I could use a bit more headroom on quieter tracks, but the Focal Elear sounds really nice through the wm1a SE regardless.  Getting/making a balanced cable for them high on my to-do list.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Passed the 220 hour mark on Blanced ... WOW, the Dante symphony By Liszt just damn WOW, the layering and  separation, that stage and 3D-ness


----------



## gerelmx1986

Speaking about balanced where did the reviews Links go?, where can I see my reviews i have done in Head-fi?


----------



## blazinblazin

Wait for 500 hours balanced~


----------



## gerelmx1986

yup aiming at that, at least 550 hours


----------



## Sleepow

I remember someone posting about the different phase linearizer settings, but cannot find how to search a specific thread.
If someone could send me to the right post it would be appreciated.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna (May 5, 2017)

Sleepow said:


> I remember someone posting about the different phase linearizer settings, but cannot find how to search a specific thread.
> If someone could send me to the right post it would be appreciated.



Here:

_"To anyone that wonder how the DC phase linearizer feel like ? It is rather strange. There are 6 modes

Type A (low, standard, high)
Type B (Low, standard, high)

Low: shift the phase toward the sub-bass. It is not exactly the sub bass that got boosted, but it feel like the energy and dynamic density is shifted toward the emphasis of sub-bass

Standard: similar effect, but is spread out to all bass spectrum instead of focusing in low

High: my most non-favor effect, still the same effect, but the shift is focusing into upper bass or even more into lower mid spectrum bass rather than the bass alone.

Type A: it feel like the bass is widely spread out in a spherical field of rendering. Easier to listen to and more general with all kind of genres.

Type B: it feel like the bass is spread from further away but pinpointed focuses toward the audiences. It results in a much more pin-point focuses onto vocal. Say, if you observe and look ahead, the bass is spread out around and behind the singer and each drum set is arranged into you from that far away with the singer stand closer to you. This is excellent for Jazz and some Ballads

My favorite effects now is

D.C. Phase linerizatoin: Type A, Low
DSEE HX: String. This focuses more into mid spectrum especially upper mid and into lower trebles...I love it for my main genres

I hope it is useful....otherwise, just Direct Source for the heck of it. The WM Walkman is Excellent in DSP and EQ. It would be a waste to not use it"_


----------



## ledzep

Has any one tried either player with a pair of ZMF'S or Mr Speakers ?


----------



## Sleepow

Unlikely, but there is no way to bypass the file system file size limitation?
The 1st track of Mahler 3rd by FISCHER in quad DSD is above 5 GB.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 5, 2017)

Sleepow said:


> Unlikely, but there is no way to bypass the file system file size limitation?
> The 1st track of Mahler 3rd by FISCHER in quad DSD is above 5 GB.


unfortunately no, until Sony decides to use NTFS or other modern file system, but you can convert it to Hi-res FLAC (176.4/24)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sleepow have you tried loading the file on the player's memory or in a micro SD formatted in exfat? (exfat max file size is 16EB) and I'd you could is the player's internal memory fat or exfat formatted? And lastly the issue could be the OS to blame


----------



## Gosod

Tawek said:


> wm1z+se5ult


----------



## Kiats (May 6, 2017)

Decided to pick up a 1A as well. Sometimes, the 1Z does weigh down my travel backpack a little too much. Not to mention some airport security checkpoints will have me take out the 1Z just to show them what it is. Now I at least have a choice.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Kiats said:


> Decided to pick up a 1A as well. Sometimes, the 1Z does weigh down my travel backpack a little too much. Not to mention some airport security checkpoints will have me take out the 1Z just to show them what it is. Now I at least have a choice.


 if you carry a WM1A you don't have to take it out from the backpack?


----------



## gerelmx1986

LOL my dad saw the cable made for me by whitigir  he said What? with that cable, looks so DIY and is not sony branded adapter isn't it? LOL.

I said well, put in on (The MDR-Z7) and listen and he was instantly jaw-dropped


----------



## Kiats

gerelmx1986 said:


> if you carry a WM1A you don't have to take it out from the backpack?



I'll find out tomorrow when I take it out on the road.


----------



## Kiats

Some new 2.5mm > 4.4mm adapters to consider from Effect Audio.


----------



## Sleepow

Fit more I just downloaded the double DSD file. Will play around the funding of the SD card at some other time.


----------



## Rei87

Can anyone verify if the socket in the wm1z is the actual pentaconn 4.4 socket sold by pwntaconn itself(retconned to a PCB board), or a cheaper third party 4.4 socket?


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Is it necessary to burn in both SE and balanced seperately? Sony says 200 hours of burn in is recommended for capacitors, so I think a total of 200 hours is enough.


----------



## nc8000

200 hours each as they are seperate components


----------



## buzzlulu

Stupid question however I imagine both ports can not be run at the same time?


----------



## Whitigir

Rei87 said:


> Can anyone verify if the socket in the wm1z is the actual pentaconn 4.4 socket sold by pwntaconn itself(retconned to a PCB board), or a cheaper third party 4.4 socket?


Sony engineers said that they personally auditioned different 4.4 sockets made by Pentaconn and went with the one they liked best.  So, it is Pentaconn


----------



## Whitigir

buzzlulu said:


> Stupid question however I imagine both ports can not be run at the same time?


No, Balanced will take priority when connect both


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 9, 2017)

buzzlulu said:


> Stupid question however I imagine both ports can not be run at the same time?


balanced takes the #1 priority


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have a question  after a coworker asked me if I can share what I am listening to by connection one pair of SE headphones in one socket of my adapter and other pair of SE headphones in the other female socket. 
. I think not because that would short the amp, is that correct?


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have a question  after a coworker asked me if I can share what I am listening to by connection one pair of SE headphones in one socket of my adapter and other pair of SE headphones in the other female socket.
> . I think not because that would short the amp, is that correct?



If you are talking about the 4.4mm balanced side.  You can not, as it was not designed that way from the player circuit into your Adapter, neither one is designed to split out.  Now, if you want to use the SE side with a split out dual female 3.5mm Single ended, you can, it wouldn't short the player out, however it would increase the load output, and whether or not you can have good performances is another issues


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> If you are talking about the 4.4mm balanced side.  You can not, as it was not designed that way from the player circuit into your Adapter, neither one is designed to split out.  Now, if you want to use the SE side with a split out dual female 3.5mm Single ended, you can, it wouldn't short the player out, however it would increase the load output, and whether or not you can have good performances is another issues


thanks for the explain yes I meant the 4.4mm side as he saw the adapter terminated in two females and got excited until I told him no, because I feared a short circuit. But as you explain I think he would not get audio from one of his ear buds or worse no audio at all


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> thanks for the explain yes I meant the 4.4mm side as he saw the adapter terminated in two females and got excited until I told him no, because I feared a short circuit. But as you explain I think he would not get audio from one of his ear buds or worse no audio at all



That is correct, the terminals on those females are + and - then sleeve is NC while the standard stereo SE is L+R+, joined ground.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> thanks for the explain yes I meant the 4.4mm side as he saw the adapter terminated in two females and got excited until I told him no, because I feared a short circuit. But as you explain I think he would not get audio from one of his ear buds or worse no audio at all



That adapter is for headphone cables that are terminated in 2 3.5mm plugs for use with balanced amps like Sony PGA3


----------



## Rei87

Whitigir said:


> Sony engineers said that they personally auditioned different 4.4 sockets made by Pentaconn and went with the one they liked best.  So, it is Pentaconn



Thanks. Altho now you have my attention for a different part of the message. I did not know that pentaconn manufactured different variations of the 4.4mm socket. Care to elaborate further on this if the engineers did indeed speak more on this?


----------



## Whitigir

Rei87 said:


> Thanks. Altho now you have my attention for a different part of the message. I did not know that pentaconn manufactured different variations of the 4.4mm socket. Care to elaborate further on this if the engineers did indeed speak more on this?



No, it was a closed door deal and auditions.  Everyone including jeita, Pentaconn, and Sony are the people who is forming the 4.4mm to be what it is now, and going to be.  That means more than likely that the Socket and Pentaconn you can buy now are all stock by Sony, unless you are talking about the upgrade OFC plugs which was released later at 5x the price...lol


----------



## nc8000

I think they said in the interview that they made prototypes from different metals/alloys and selected the one they preferred to be the production version


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> I think they said in the interview that they made prototypes from different metals/alloys and selected the one they preferred to be the production version


That was exactly it!


----------



## jamato8

gerelmx1986 said:


> if you carry a WM1A you don't have to take it out from the backpack?


You have to take it out but for a long trip you won't be as exhausted. lol


----------



## flipper203

my remote does not work since some days, don't know why it doesn't want to pair with the player. Is there a way to reset it or pair it again?


----------



## nc8000

flipper203 said:


> my remote does not work since some days, don't know why it doesn't want to pair with the player. Is there a way to reset it or pair it again?



It was mentioned somewhere in this thread how to unpair the remote and pair it again


----------



## flipper203

yep but can't find the search in the thread function since the damn forum update !!!


----------



## kubig123

Hi, does anybody have some good tricks how to extract  the audio track from a BluRay?


----------



## AnakChan (May 9, 2017)

flipper203 said:


> yep but can't find the search in the thread function since the damn forum update !!!


If you're on a PC browser, top right and just hit on the "Search this thread only" tick box.

And here's the post about resetting the remote :-

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/n...ship-hi-end-dap.815841/page-729#post-13392510


----------



## blazinblazin

flipper203 said:


> my remote does not work since some days, don't know why it doesn't want to pair with the player. Is there a way to reset it or pair it again?



You try holding the play n - button


----------



## Toolman

nc8000 said:


> I think they said in the interview that they made prototypes from different metals/alloys and selected the one they preferred to be the production version



I understand that there are both a copper and a brass Pentaconn connectors...do you know which version was adopted/chosen by Sony? and why?


----------



## AnakChan

Toolman said:


> I understand that there are both a copper and a brass Pentaconn connectors...do you know which version was adopted/chosen by Sony? and why?


What do you mean adopted? Do you mean "used" by the Sony cables or do you mean supported by Sony? I have both Pentaconn OFC and regular. The OFC is double the price of the regular. Retail the Pentaconn OFC is approx ~USD$88. I highly doubt if Sony would use that in their cables supplied on the MDR-Z1R (or even the optional accessory Sony/Kimber versions).

OTOH if the question is whether Sony supports the OFC and regular Pentaconn, I believe they do to both as Pentconn is by NDICS which is who Sony worked with on the specs for the 4.4mm. I've go a suite of the 4.4mm connectors, have a look at this post :-

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/n...ship-hi-end-dap.815841/page-590#post-13236536
(note at that time I didn't have the OFC version of the Pentaconn, looks the same as the regular Pentaconn but just gunmetal grey housing)


----------



## Toolman

AnakChan said:


> What do you mean adopted? Do you mean "used" by the Sony cables or do you mean supported by Sony? I have both Pentaconn OFC and regular. The OFC is double the price of the regular. Retail the Pentaconn OFC is approx ~USD$88. I highly doubt if Sony would use that in their cables supplied on the MDR-Z1R (or even the optional accessory Sony/Kimber versions).
> 
> OTOH if the question is whether Sony supports the OFC and regular Pentaconn, I believe they do to both as Pentconn is by NDICS which is who Sony worked with on the specs for the 4.4mm. I've go a suite of the 4.4mm connectors, have a look at this post :-
> 
> ...



Yes by "_adopted_" I mean "_used by_". Both type of connectors are made by Pentaconn so it should work with Sony players.

The OFC version (with metal barrel) are twice the price of the brass (with plastic? barrel) version. I have seen both Made in Japan and Made in China version with obviously a premium on those Made in Japan connectors. I would expect no sonic different from either

Sony/Kimber are made in China, so they will be using just the Pentaconn's internal with their proprietary barrel.

*all these are just my observation of course


----------



## echineko

ledzep said:


> Has any one tried either player with a pair of ZMF'S or Mr Speakers ?


I am planning to do so once I get my adapter to 4.4mm. Didn't bother trying my Eikon with the SE out, since I'm sure it doesn't have the power needed to run it adequately. 

Not a fan of Mrspeakers cans, not planning to try.


----------



## 13candles

Hi fellas,

Due to work , i havent been using my 1Z as much; maybe once or twice in a week but i always leave it on standby mode and never once allowed it to totally run out off juice. 

Just concerned if its detrimental to have my unit constantly on standby mode without using it for some time.

Also, what are some of the charging habits you fellow owners practise?

Cheers guys


----------



## Rei87 (May 10, 2017)

I think that there has been some confusion about my question. We know that clearly, there are different grades of the 4.4 mm jack; the OFC version being the most expensive one.

However, I am making direct reference to the socket, not the plug. Do we know if Sony uses the same 4.4 socket as sold by Pentaconn, which boasts optimal conductivity, in its player? Or are they using a cheaper oem variant. If sony is using a cheaper socket, I am tempted to swap it out for parts with better connectivity.


----------



## echineko

Rei87 said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Perhaps someone else would have the conclusive info, I don't but I would very much doubt Sony would opt for the cheap option for this, after having gone to the trouble to put in the development work together with the manufacturer of these connectors and sockets. At that point I don't think the savings would even be significant, compared to all the R&D hours already sunk.


----------



## Toolman

Pentaconn manufactured several variant of plugs but have ONLY one socket option. Having collaborated with Pentaconn for these 4.4mm standard, I would believe it will be the same Pentaconn socket, unless there is a special Sony-specific socket that we do not know about.


----------



## echineko

Toolman said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> Pentaconn manufactured several variant of plugs but have ONLY one socket option. Having collaborated with Pentaconn for these 4.4mm standard, I would believe it will be the same Pentaconn socket, unless there is a special Sony-specific socket that we do not know about


Yes, I actually have accessories made with the OFC and standard Pentaconn plugs. As for believing it's the same socket, I certainly think so, as I said. What made you doubt it and think they'd be using a "cheaper OEM variant"? I've not seen this suggested anywhere before, I was wondering if perhaps it's due to any tear down you did, etc.


----------



## gerelmx1986

At this price point Sony won't go cheap with materials


----------



## Rei87

Heys
The pentaconn socket as directly marketed by pentaconn itself, has all its pins extended for soldering purposes http://www.ndics.com/products/pentaconn/

On the other hand, the socket in the WM1Z, is soldered to a PCB board with the kimber cable attached as a single set (the extended solder joints seen in the original 4.4mm socket are also removed). It does not come as separate individual component. This implies that, Sony probably does not get their engineers to solder the parts together piece by piece, but probably gets them delivered in said form for quick maintenance.

As such, because these two parts are in different forms, I am unable to be completely certain that they are indeed the exact same product just specced different to suit Sony's assembly needs. For all we know, it could be a different OEM version, that does not feature the highly conductive copper core of the stand alone jack.


----------



## AnakChan

Are there any non-Pentaconn sockets?


Rei87 said:


> Heys
> The pentaconn socket as directly marketed by pentaconn itself, has all its pins extended for soldering purposes http://www.ndics.com/products/pentaconn/
> 
> On the other hand, the socket in the WM1Z, is soldered to a PCB board with the kimber cable attached as a single set (the extended solder joints seen in the original 4.4mm socket are also removed). It does not come as separate individual component. This implies that, Sony probably does not get their engineers to solder the parts together piece by piece, but probably gets them delivered in said form for quick maintenance.
> ...


I've bought and used the standalone sockets above. They don't have the individual Pentaconn packaging the way their plugs do. Instead the way the sockets are sold, they're originally in the reel form that's snipped to individual and sold as such.

I wouldn't call the ones used in Sony to be different from the individually sold ones as it's highly likely Sony has done what you have said - have  the individual sockets soldered onto the daughterboard with kimber cables as a replaceable package for easy breakfix.

Trying to find another manufacturer to make the sockets is probably not so easy especially if Sony was involved in the 4.4mm development with NDICS and have been a major proponent in marketing it as such. To put a non-spec-ed socket into their Walkmans whilst advertising of their involvement in that standard would be rather deceitful and open to suits. On the other hand if it's an OEM that is compliant, then finding 2 manufacturers to make compliant - one for OEM for the Walkmans and another for retail wouldn't make sense either. Who would want to make the retail version when there's no secured guaranteed batch orders?

Back to the ones I bought from e-earphone that's reeled up, just logically I'd believe it's the same ones that's in the Walkmans as they're just batched that's been snipped and sold individually.

However if you're looking at tinkering, why not change the sockets anyway? Best case it's an improvement and may be one step closer to proving your theory right. Worst case, there is no difference and it's merely $$/time/effort which you seem almost ready willing to commit anyway.

My 2 yen worth.


----------



## nanaholic (May 11, 2017)

There seems to be a lot of confusion and mixing up of terms regarding the 4.4mm jack and plug.  Let me clear it up as best as I can:
* The generic 4.4mm plug dimensions was designed by NDICS and was pushed by both Sony and NDICS to be adopted as a JEITA standard, and the usage of the generic design by anyone is royalty/license free
* NDICS - having poured money into R&Ding and pushing the these jacks/plugs to be adopted needed another way to recoup on the cost since they weren't going to get any money by opening up the standard. So in collaboration with Sony's WM1 development and feedback they made improvements and developed their own special variation of the 4.4mm plug and jack and trademark and patented the IP of this specific variate of the 4.4mm plug/jack as the "Pentaconn" line.  For example the C-shaped dual contact point design of the Pentaconn jack is patented by NDICS and they and ONLY they can make that specific design. And if I understand correctly too, Pentaconn plugs are also designed slightly differently on the wire soldering end which lets NDICS patent that design specifically.  NDICS does this so they can market a "superior" product which is ALSO protected by IP laws so they sue anyone who makes cheap knock-offs if they copy the Pentaconn design one-to-one.
* All Sony 4.4mm related accessories are using NDICS made Pentaconn products.

One thing people need to keep in mind is while Pentaconn = 4.4mm but the reverse is NOT true 4.4mm =/= Pentaconn (just like all cars are vehicles, but not all vehicles are cars!). This point is often mixed up by a lot of non-Japanese audio-related sites. Also Pentaconn is the name of the product line made by NDICS - Pentaconn itself is NOT a company.

Now the issue thus far seems to be while OEM had been very quick to make non-Pentaconn generic 4.4mm plugs, no one else had been able to make a non-Pentaconn generic 4.4mm jacks. I dug around it seems that while a complete blueprint of the 4.4mm plug is available at JEITA, there's no blueprint for a generic jack design! So perhaps OEMs had to design their own which is why it took them a lot longer to release a product. But that's about to change:

https://twitter.com/flubber777/status/862576412863062016
Japanese accessory OEM musashino label is releasing two 4.4mm jack conversion cables next week! So someone else besides NDICS must now have the ability to pump out generic 4.4mm jacks in large enough quantities, so expect standalone parts soon.


----------



## AnakChan

Hmmm...in my conversations with Sony, I had the understanding Sony had a play in the design too...not must marketing (or "pushing" as you've put it). I'll see if I can have dinner with my Sony friend some time to get a little more clarification. Can't speak if NDICS solely invested into the R&D and manufacturing without any financial help from Sony or anyone else. I'd probably ask that too but don't know if that'll be considered as confidential information or not.

Yes aware that other companies are also making 4.4mms but I believe those made in Japan are in accordance to the JEITA standard. For the ones off lunashops, etc. I don't know. I'm also skeptical if IP would stop them from copying/making without paying royalties. Would be interesting to see if the IP is local or international - I'm sure that info is out somewhere in public but I've not bothered to search for it yet.

Thx for the info about Musashino. I asked e-earphone and they didn't know about it but was happy to see the tweet.


----------



## blazinblazin

I need those converters!


----------



## AnakChan

blazinblazin said:


> I need those converters!


I recently found a great heatshrink tube that shrinks from 22mm to 4.8mm sold in the Oyaide store :-




 

I have a great sounding OFC Pentaconn terminated cable by Brise Audio (8-wire UPG001Ref) and can use that with any DAP now with the above adapters.


----------



## nanaholic (May 11, 2017)

AnakChan said:


> Hmmm...in my conversations with Sony, I had the understanding Sony had a play in the design too...not must marketing (or "pushing" as you've put it). I'll see if I can have dinner with my Sony friend some time to get a little more clarification. Can't speak if NDICS solely invested into the R&D and manufacturing without any financial help from Sony or anyone else. I'd probably ask that too but don't know if that'll be considered as confidential information or not.



You are not wrong that Sony has a play in the design - from the WM1 development interview Sony's engineers clearly stated that they provided feedback to their partner and then the partners took those feedback and improved the design further during the development of the WM1, which is why I said "So in collaboration with Sony's WM1 development and feedback they made improvements" though perhaps I could word it more clearly.

Seeing how NDICS seems to own the Pentaconn product and all associated trademark/patented and is freely selling them to other audio device makers (we now know that the Sennheiser HDV820 uses Pentaconn), I'm inclined to believe Sony didn't contribute financially for its development - at least definitely not enough to share ownership of its design/patents, though perhaps just enough to secure a time-limited monopoly on the supply of the Pentaconn parts to fulfill the initial launch of their new audio products. But if we can confirmation that would be even better. 

The patented design of the Pentaconn jacks should mean that at least in Japan no one else would rip-off their design - though of cause in places like China where such respect for patent laws are a lot lower that would be a different story. Though seeing that the design seems rather complex and over-engineered for a simple jack, the cost of manufacturing probably also meant there wasn't much incentive to ripoff that design either in the first place, especially since the standard has yet to prove it self to have enough traction, so many just took a wait and see approach to whether it was worth making a generic jack too.


----------



## buzzlulu

FINALLY!

Just received this in the mail and installed on my WM1Z

http://www.protectionfilms24.com/ar...ector-clear-sony-walkman-nw-wm1a-2730994.html

4.22 Euro - free shipping - arrival in less than 1 week from Germany to US

Absolutely perfect fit and quality - an excellent solution


----------



## buzzlulu

Hey guys 
I realize that there has been a massive drop off in forum readership due to the new design but geez-

I posted major news yesterday about finally sourcing a glass screen protector and nobody is commenting on it? 

Maybe everyone is silent and just waiting for their orders to arrive!


----------



## soundkist

I got one (different one) a couple months ago--love it!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I plan to get a plastic film one


----------



## Cagin

buzzlulu said:


> Hey guys
> I realize that there has been a massive drop off in forum readership due to the new design but geez-
> 
> I posted major news yesterday about finally sourcing a glass screen protector and nobody is commenting on it?
> ...


I just placed one order. Cheers


----------



## Toolman

buzzlulu said:


> I posted major news yesterday about finally sourcing a glass screen protector and nobody is commenting on it?



Major news? Then I must have found a new world haha..

Been using these tempered glass screen protector since I got my 1Z...not cheap at around $14/pcs but these worked superbly for me


----------



## gerelmx1986

What tool do you se to test your FLAC library for corruption issues?

i use AudioTester, seems good and also have used dbpowerAmp TEST conversión but it is slow


----------



## buzzlulu

Toolman said:


> Major news? Then I must have found a new world haha..
> 
> Been using these tempered glass screen protector since I got my 1Z...not cheap at around $14/pcs but these worked superbly for me




Well - news at least for those of us located in the States where it has been impossible to find any protectors at all.  Film needs to come from Korea via slow boat.  This glass from Germany was great - and less than a week to arrive.


----------



## Toolman

buzzlulu said:


> Well - news at least for those of us located in the States where it has been impossible to find any protectors at all.  Film needs to come from Korea via slow boat.  This glass from Germany was great - and less than a week to arrive.



Is that a hard glass or a semi-hard film? am interested to try them out, especially the film for my AK240 where they are starting to get difficult to find since most dealers won't stock them any more


----------



## Mimouille

Wow a screen protector. That could shift the balance of power in the Syrian conflict.


----------



## buzzlulu

Toolman said:


> Is that a hard glass or a semi-hard film? am interested to try them out, especially the film for my AK240 where they are starting to get difficult to find since most dealers won't stock them any more



Flexible glass


----------



## Toolman

buzzlulu said:


> Flexible glass



So this is a clear Plexiglass or some sort of acrylic glass then...not real glass as they will be stiff. Might work just the same except the real glass will have better clarity, all down to personal preference


----------



## buzzlulu (May 13, 2017)

No- look at the website.  It is some new hi tech product - actual glass
It is slightly curved somehow.
Exact same clarity as the Zagg glass covers I use on my iPhone


----------



## buzzlulu

*From the website



BROTECT® AirGlass® Premium Glass Screen Protector*, the Extra-Hard and Ultra-Light sidekick for your Sony Walkman NW-WM1A!

This glass sidekick BRO is new in Europe and contains an exclusive and revolutionary technology in screen protection - AirGlass®, exclusively offered by BROTECT®!

It is 2x thinner and lighter and therefore more flexible than all the other glass protectors on the market. And it still offers the extra strong anti-scratch hardness of glass protectors.

Its Ultra-Light properties and High-Transparency ensure you have a clear and sharp view of all the screen content, while providing a unique touch-screen sensitivity. 

The BRO has an additional Anti-Fingerprint layer that prevents dirt and fingerprint smudges and ensures that they can be easily removed. 

The adhesive layer ensures that the BRO glides smoothly onto your Sony Walkman NW-WM1A for a bubble-free and easy installation. 

The sidekick for your Sony Walkman NW-WM1A is manufactured with care by our specialist team in Germany. Have fun with it and enjoy the feeling! 

P.S.: Our sidekick BRO is made of real glass and still flexible! See for yourself: Twist the piece of AirGlass® remaining on the release film.


----------



## Toolman (May 13, 2017)

Major news... ok 

I'll go order some


----------



## erictioh

is it possible to make japanese version wm1z to display english in menu ?


----------



## nc8000

Yes with the RockBox tool. Instructions are several places in this thread


----------



## mw7485

buzzlulu said:


> Hey guys
> I realize that there has been a massive drop off in forum readership due to the new design but geez-
> 
> I posted major news yesterday about finally sourcing a glass screen protector and nobody is commenting on it?
> ...



Too busy enjoying the music and selling off everything that is not bolted down to pay for my new acquisition!


----------



## kms108

I intend to go for one made by benks and garmas, used them for my Zx 2, and they also have them for the WM1A.


----------



## kms108

buzzlulu said:


> Hey guys
> I realize that there has been a massive drop off in forum readership due to the new design but geez-
> 
> I posted major news yesterday about finally sourcing a glass screen protector and nobody is commenting on it?
> ...




Glass protector has been available during the release of the WM1A, but people was just more concerned about the unit, size sound and hacking. since i'm getting my WM1A in December, i will purchasing these glass protector, brands from benks and garmas can be purchased from taobao, are of high quality, although only available in the asian area, but can be purchased using a agent, haven't check amazon or ebay, but may be available there.


----------



## buzzlulu

However for this of us not in Asia this is a really easy solution.  4.2 Euros free shipping into the States with arrival in less than a week.  That's less than 5$ and absolutely hassle free.

So cheap I bought two of them


----------



## Aliv3

Any comparison between wm1a and Kann?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Aliv3 said:


> Any comparison between wm1a and Kann?


 The later is fairly new, so in the enar future won't be a comparo


----------



## Aliv3

gerelmx1986 said:


> The later is fairly new, so in the enar future won't be a comparo


I'm trying to upgrade my already old Sony X1060. I'm looking for the best all around possible below 1000€.


----------



## gerelmx1986

WM1A for me is great thos only has one microSD slot vs the kann having a normal sized SD + micro SD slots


----------



## david1000

Forgive a question which demonstrates my technical ignorance/naivety!  Just have had the NW-WM1A for a few days and have already fallen in love with it playing it by Bluetooth through my Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless.  This is probably sacrilege to true audiofiles, but I have to say I still think the sound is magnificent.  The question is: does playing this way burn the unit in?  I ask because play time via Bluetooth is not registered for  "Audio Played" on the Unit Information screen - and the "Guide to High Quality Sound" instructs us to "simply plug in headphones and play music normally".  I reckon I've already played maybe 30 (unrecorded) hours: have these been wasted for the purposes of burn in (though not of course for the purposes of my enjoyment)?  Guidance much appreciated!


----------



## pietcux

In your case you get no burn in on the analog output stages you simply do not use them. You only hand over the digital signal to the P7. It does all the analog duties to play the signal.


----------



## david1000

OK many thanks for that - very clear, and I better start burning....


----------



## soundkist

Obviously he would get to enjoy the benefits of burn-in when wired, but would/does burning in via the analog outputs have any effect on how he would hear things _via BT_?


----------



## nc8000

None what so ever. Over bluetooth what he hears is exclusively the headphone, the source has no effect as long as it delivers a correct and stable bluetooth signal


----------



## Tawek

Sounds very similar


----------



## tieuly1

Hi guys, I have a collection audiophile but all of them are DTS file, Do you guys know how to convert it into Flac since I used Foolbar to convert but Wm1a did not support that kind of Flac


----------



## gerelmx1986

Once again dreaded reboot at approximately 320 hours in balanced


----------



## nc8000

tieuly1 said:


> Hi guys, I have a collection audiophile but all of them are DTS file, Do you guys know how to convert it into Flac since I used Foolbar to convert but Wm1a did not support that kind of Flac



When converting to flac you need to reduce to 2 channels (I assume your files are 5.1)


----------



## animalsrush

Tawek said:


> Sounds very similar



Really .. I have X1060 as well Zx2 and Wm1z and i can easily tell the difference in space and clarity even on Mp3 files on Wm1z when listening in quiet envs or critical listening.. However if i am not listening in  quiet envs  then the difference is very small but still exists .. Also burn in plays a huge role .. At 50 hrs my wm1z sounded much worse than Zx2 .. it is now about 100 hrs and sound is slowly settling down and i think it is getting better and difference in details and space are getting clearer 

PC


----------



## animalsrush

gerelmx1986 said:


> Once again dreaded reboot at approximately 320 hours in balanced



Do you turn the device off occasionally or just keep it in standby all the time .. The reason i ask is i have got into habit from using ZX2 that i shut my device off every time i charge which is about once a week .. I think this allows the clear all cobwebs in OS due to memory hoarding  . Just curious 

PC


----------



## nc8000 (May 15, 2017)

I've now had mine for 2 months and about 600 hours playtime. I've had no spontainous reboots or any other problems. The only time the device has been rebootet were for the 2 fw updates, otherwise it has been on continously like I did with ZX2


----------



## Tawek

My x1061 it's without volume limit it's on    ( x 1061 30/30  = wm1z 103/120 ) 1061 it's around 2000h wm1z 130h yes wm1z it's cleaner with better separation ( 
Without huge differences)  maybe 15%
never had a chance to check balans


----------



## Tawek

My main earphones with wm1z and x1061  its se5ult ...


----------



## Tawek

Is there any difference between SE and balanced ? Thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

animalsrush said:


> Do you turn the device off occasionally or just keep it in standby all the time .. The reason i ask is i have got into habit from using ZX2 that i shut my device off every time i charge which is about once a week .. I think this allows the clear all cobwebs in OS due to memory hoarding  . Just curious
> 
> PC


I turn it off every night before sleeping


----------



## gerelmx1986

Tawek said:


> Is there any difference between SE and balanced ? Thanks


yup more separation, bigger sound stage, better details, I perceive even cleaner sound that from SE


----------



## Tawek

Thanks.. 
 and I would like to buy xba z5 
Any recommendation for iem ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Tawek said:


> Thanks..
> and I would like to buy xba z5
> Any recommendation for iem ?


I have these and sound great balanced, for my z5 I have a Y splitter adapter for the 4.4mm to dual 3.5mm female


----------



## ttt123

Your 4.4mm to 3.5mm splitter, is the 3.5mm wired for TRRS, or is it adapting to the Z5 cable which has 3.5mm TRS?  If TRRS, you are getting the SQ that the 4.4mm balanced output is capable of, but if only TRS, then the balanced drive is not reaching the earphone, but is stopped at the TRS plug, where the L- and R- GRDs are joined together.  I recently picked up a Z5, with a Brise audio UPG001 cable terminated to 4.4mm plug, and it sounds really good.  Cable is a bit stiff, and does not coil or hang neatly like a softer more flexible cable would, but the great SQ makes up for the inconvenience of the stiff cable.  The store said the Z5 requires the extra power of the WM1x DAPs to drive it properly.  A lower powered DAP would need an added amp to drive the Z5 properly.  And that seems to be born out, as on 4.4mm out, (hi gain off), a volume of 70-80 is needed, and on some songs, 90-100.  Relatively, the Noble K10u only needs about 70-80 volume.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ttt123 said:


> Your 4.4mm to 3.5mm splitter, is the 3.5mm wired for TRRS, or is it adapting to the Z5 cable which has 3.5mm TRS?  If TRRS, you are getting the SQ that the 4.4mm balanced output is capable of, but if only TRS, then the balanced drive is not reaching the earphone, but is stopped at the TRS plug, where the L- and R- GRDs are joined together.  I recently picked up a Z5, with a Brise audio UPG001 cable terminated to 4.4mm plug, and it sounds really good.  Cable is a bit stiff, and does not coil or hang neatly like a softer more flexible cable would, but the great SQ makes up for the inconvenience of the stiff cable.  The store said the Z5 requires the extra power of the WM1x DAPs to drive it properly.  A lower powered DAP would need an added amp to drive the Z5 properly.  And that seems to be born out, as on 4.4mm out, (hi gain off), a volume of 70-80 is needed, and on some songs, 90-100.  Relatively, the Noble K10u only needs about 70-80 volume.


my cable is 4.4mm male to dual 3.5mm TRS female sockets so I use the included balanced cable of z5


----------



## ttt123

I see.  I took a look online at the pictures for a Z5 balanced cable and see that the other end is terminated to 2 x MMCX at the IEM end.  I didn't realize they made this cable, but I guess this must have been made to connect to  the Sony PHAxx amplifier.


----------



## mw7485

ttt123 said:


> I see.  I took a look online at the pictures for a Z5 balanced cable and see that the other end is terminated to 2 x MMCX at the IEM end.  I didn't realize they made this cable, but I guess this must have been made to connect to  the Sony PHAxx amplifier.



Correctomundo. Or, you could use it with the Pono balanced out. Not sure what else uses dual 3.5mm plugs though. Doubtless Sony engineered the cable to dovetail with their own gear - anything else is likely a pleasant bonus.


----------



## EagleWings

Had a chance to, try my friend's WM1Z on Single Ended, and compare it with my LPG.

The presentation on the 1Z is neutrally positioned, unlike the LPG which has a forward presentation. I was expecting 1Z to be warm and thick based on the reviews/impressions here. iPhone 6 is what I would call warm and thick. 1Z is neutral in tone with a hint of warmth and is smooth sounding. It is a result of full bodied mids and smooth treble and, not because of a warm bass. If you are coming from a thin sounding device, the full-bodied notes may give an impression of thickness, while in reality it really isn't because the bass is neither enhanced nor loose bass.

The bass on the 1Z, while neutral and tight, doesn't have the power and definition of LPG's bass. The bass tone is also not so accurate on the 1Z. LPG simply trumps the 1Z in the bass section. The mid-range can be a matter of preference and both the devices excel in different aspects. LPG's mid-range has better resolution, note articulation and instrumental timbres. 1Z's mid-range has a more natural tone with similar transparency. The note sizes are also bigger and better on the 1Z. 

Vocals are a bit brighter and more articulate on the LPG, owing to the enhanced upper-mid-range, while the vocals are smoother on the 1Z, as the upper mid-range is linear. While the vocal density is similar, the vocal size again is bigger and more satisfying on the 1Z. Pitch fluctuations in the vocals and wind instruments, are easier to perceive on the 1Z than the LPG, because the thick treble on the LPG (as @flinkenick puts it), overshadows these fluctuations.

With the brightness and thickness, LPG's treble adds excitement and precision to the presentation. But it also negatively impacts the tonal balance of the overall presentation. The treble on the 1Z is smoother but also less articulate. LPG has the upper hand in the treble tone and treble extension. With better resolution, extension and brighter treble, LPG is more revealing and detailed. Because of which, it is very unforgiving, especially when paired with a phone/IEM that is not warm. 1Z on the other hand is smooth and forgiving.

The stage on both the devices is clean and 3 dimensional with excellent depth and height. But 1Z's stage is wider resulting in a more expansive stage. While the separation and layering are in the same ballpark for both the devices, the imaging is better rooted on the LPG due to higher resolution and darker spaces between the instruments.

While the LPG excels in technicalities, 1Z falls in the category that aims to solve, one of the biggest problems that this community has been facing ever since getting into this hobby. While we truly appreciate the sheer technical capabilities, most of the audiophile-grade devices offer, some of us have been forced to turn our backs on some of our favorite albums/tracks, because those were poorly recorded or mastered. Some of us hoped that there was a reliable device, that would be forgiving of these albums/tracks, while retaining some of the desired features found in the audiophile-grade devices such as; expansive 3D stage, excellent separation & layering and good resolution. If you are one of those people and are flexible/open on the budget, 1Z should be an excellent choice of a DAP.


----------



## echineko

Interesting write up, but I would suggest to truly see what the 1Z is capable of, you really need to hear it out of the balanced out (with enough hours to settle it in). You're simply not seeing its full potential otherwise.


----------



## blazinblazin

Like dragonball says "It is not even it's final form!"


----------



## AnakChan

I've not heard the LPG properly for along time although @EagleWings is a little bit of a surprise to me. It definitely tickled my desire to do a comparison myself. I do personally disagree with the other posters who feels his approach is lacking though. The LPG is an SE only and in fact I think it's perfectly fair to compare SE to SE.

As I've mentioned before, I feel the NW-WM1Z's SE is unfairly "dumbed down" to make balanced shine so dramatically.


----------



## flinkenick

I kinda prefer the AK380 design with an excellent SE and useless balanced  It saves the hassle to change cables, especially since Sony's using a different type of plug (regardless if it's better).


----------



## nc8000

AnakChan said:


> I've not heard the LPG properly for along time although @EagleWings is a little bit of a surprise to me. It definitely tickled my desire to do a comparison myself. I do personally disagree with the other posters who feels his approach is lacking though. The LPG is an SE only and in fact I think it's perfectly fair to compare SE to SE.
> 
> As I've mentioned before, I feel the NW-WM1Z's SE is unfairly "dumbed down" to make balanced shine so dramatically.



I think you have to use each device in it's best possible setting otherwise you might dismiss a device based on far less than wat it can perform


----------



## Sleepow

After 2 weeks, yes, the 1Z balanced is great. Now I am just waiting for the magic 200h which will be like reverse Cinderella: from pumpkin to carriage in an instant 

Still looking for the IEM to make full use of its potential..I have a ...Dream


----------



## Smileyko

Just joint the club with the WM1A today here in Saigon. Took awhile to get it loaded up with music and charged up. Now I am gong through all my full size cans to see what each is like. Fresh out of the box in the first 3 hours the HD800S even on high gain has very little volume on SE. The z1R Sony is ok volume on the 4.4. And now trying the Hifiman Edition X v1, still no bass at all. Might need a few days or might be best only with IEM's? I never liked my IEM since I don't like the way it feel inside my ear. I only do full size cans now. Let's see what happens by morning? Any thoughts guys and gals?


----------



## soundkist (May 17, 2017)

Smileyko said:


> Just joint the club with the WM1A today here in Saigon. Took awhile to get it loaded up with music and charged up. Now I am gong through all my full size cans to see what each is like. Fresh out of the box in the first 3 hours the HD800S even on high gain has very little volume on SE. The z1R Sony is ok volume on the 4.4. And now trying the Hifiman Edition X v1, still no bass at all. Might need a few days or might be best only with IEM's? I never liked my IEM since I don't like the way it feel inside my ear. I only do full size cans now. Let's see what happens by morning? Any thoughts guys and gals?



Most full-size cans will benefit greatly from the extra power the balanced output provides.  If you have several that all terminate similarly in balanced fashion (e.g., 4-pin xlr, etc), it might behoove you to get one of those 4.4mm to [_insert connection_] adapters so you can utilize the balanced output.  I can confirm the HD800's (the originals, not the "S" model) sound pretty great via the balanced output--I only perhaps wished for a little more headroom on certain tracks that are generally softer in volume.  Anyway, it is a _very _capable player, and certainly not limited to IEM use.  Enjoy!!


----------



## psikey (May 17, 2017)

Currently happy using my Fiio X5III (balanced) for mobile audio when out & about and did previously have a ZX2. From a purely audio quality perspective and only using SE846's, would the 1A/1Z be better than a Chord Hugo, the newer Hugo 2 actually.

I could get a 2nd hand 1A for £590 or go higher expense of a new Hugo 2 which I can pre-order. Anybody had/heard both. Would my SE846's resolve the audio quality of this higher end kit compared to a ZX2/X5III ?  Just can't get on with headphones and still think my SE846's sound superb when fed from a decent source.

PS.  No way I can afford both and Hugo 2 can double up to feed a home system too.


----------



## animalsrush

Sleepow said:


> After 2 weeks, yes, the 1Z balanced is great. Now I am just waiting for the magic 200h which will be like reverse Cinderella: from pumpkin to carriage in an instant
> 
> Still looking for the IEM to make full use of its potential..I have a ...Dream


Noble K10 CIEM with DHC symbiote cable.. I use it currently SE with TRRS and man this combo sounds soo good with WM1z

PC


----------



## psikey (May 17, 2017)

animalsrush said:


> Noble K10 CIEM with DHC symbiote cable.. I use it currently SE with TRRS and man this combo sounds soo good with WM1z
> 
> PC



Have read up a fair bit on the K10 & Encore but some say better, others say just different compared to the SE846's. Will try to test at some point but can't go blind purchase on them as over £1,800 in UK for the Encore. Currently pursuing source improvement over any new IEM's hence my interest in the Hugo 2 vs 1A as the 1Z is too far over my financial comfort zone as can only find new.

Did previously enjoy the excellent Mojo so expecting 1A & Hugo 2 to improve on that (if cost is any indication anyway, which I know it isn't always as I'm finding the Fiio X5III is bargain vs performance).


----------



## tieuly1

Try vega if u love the bass of Se846',it will bring u to a new level.


----------



## nc8000

Smileyko said:


> Just joint the club with the WM1A today here in Saigon. Took awhile to get it loaded up with music and charged up. Now I am gong through all my full size cans to see what each is like. Fresh out of the box in the first 3 hours the HD800S even on high gain has very little volume on SE. The z1R Sony is ok volume on the 4.4. And now trying the Hifiman Edition X v1, still no bass at all. Might need a few days or might be best only with IEM's? I never liked my IEM since I don't like the way it feel inside my ear. I only do full size cans now. Let's see what happens by morning? Any thoughts guys and gals?



Are you using high gain ?


----------



## Smileyko

High gain turned all the way to 120. Mahler symphonies the soft passages are hardly any sound at all. Maybe I leave it all night with the HD800s turn up all the way. Cheers friend.


----------



## flinkenick

So does the balanced amp need to be burned in separately if it's a different circuitry? Or does it use the same amp as SE?


----------



## flipper203

flinkenick said:


> So does the balanced amp need to be burned in separately if it's a different circuitry? Or does it use the same amp as SE?



need to be burned separately


----------



## nc8000

Smileyko said:


> High gain turned all the way to 120. Mahler symphonies the soft passages are hardly any sound at all. Maybe I leave it all night with the HD800s turn up all the way. Cheers friend.



Balanced high gain 120 on my 1Z is loud enough for classical symphonies with HE-6 but they are not well driven but then nobody would expect that as HE-6 is probably one of the hardest phones to drive


----------



## gerelmx1986

flinkenick said:


> So does the balanced amp need to be burned in separately if it's a different circuitry? Or does it use the same amp as SE?


separate burn in required


----------



## gerelmx1986

Smileyko said:


> High gain turned all the way to 120. Mahler symphonies the soft passages are hardly any sound at all. Maybe I leave it all night with the HD800s turn up all the way. Cheers friend.


maybe you need to get some more efficient headphones like MDR-Z7 which are loud enough for classical music with balanced, I've used up to 88 high gain on certain low volume masters


----------



## animalsrush

psikey said:


> Have read up a fair bit on the K10 & Encore but some say better, others say just different compared to the SE846's. Will try to test at some point but can't go blind purchase on them as over £1,800 in UK for the Encore. Currently pursuing source improvement over any new IEM's hence my interest in the Hugo 2 vs 1A as the 1Z is too far over my financial comfort zone as can only find new.
> 
> Did previously enjoy the excellent Mojo so expecting 1A & Hugo 2 to improve on that (if cost is any indication anyway, which I know it isn't always as I'm finding the Fiio X5III is bargain vs performance).



Note of blind buying .. I bought my K10s blind after reading 20 5 star reviews. I had moved from excellent Westone ES5 and i hated the sound of K10s so much so i was planning to dump them. Did 2 things replaced cable with DHC symbiote and allowed it to burn in 200 hrs .. Then magic happened it opened up and detail retrieval was sooo good and they sound so much fuller that it made my trusted Westone ES5 sound tinny which btw was my fav CIEM for 5 years. So advice on Noble sound you may not like it first but grows on you.. Also have you looked at non IEM options .. I use Oppo Pm3 when i am working and they sound amazing with Wm1z. i think they provide 80% of K10 sound at 1/4 the price .. I also heard Focal Elear is very good .. Just food for thought

PC


----------



## kubig123

Experimenting isine 20 with balance cable.


----------



## AnakChan

nc8000 said:


> I think you have to use each device in it's best possible setting otherwise you might dismiss a device based on far less than wat it can perform


Two parts where I'd have to politely disagree. I believe more in comparing like-for-like and if one is able to do more, that is the bonus.

2nd part is that @EagleWings comparison is really just only comparing the two - I don't believe he's actually dismissing one or the either.


----------



## nc8000 (May 17, 2017)

AnakChan said:


> Two parts where I'd have to politely disagree. I believe more in comparing like-for-like and if one is able to do more, that is the bonus.
> 
> 2nd part is that @EagleWings comparison is really just only comparing the two - I don't believe he's actually dismissing one or the either.



I kind of agree, but in my opinion, at least if the goal is to try and decide which is best, you can't not use what is the best feature of a given piece of kit. 

On the other hand if the purpose is solely to decide which is purely the best single ended device then ignoring the balanced is fair enough


----------



## EagleWings (May 17, 2017)

@echineko and @nc8000 , thanks for your kind feedback. I understand that it would be more fair to compare the devices in their fullest potential. I would have been happy to test the 1Z through 4.4mm balanced. Unfortunately I couldn't get my hands on a 4.4mm terminated cable. I definitely have it on my wishlist to try the Balanced sometime.

nc8K, as @AnakChan mentioned, I am not dismissing the 1Z. My message in the last paragraph was, these 2 devices fall in different categories, as they are tuned with different philosophies, and would cater to different crowds. LPG with its brighter tone, better resolution, note articulation and precision, falls on the technical side, in comparison to the warmer and smoother sounding 1Z. I couldn't find a suitable term to describe the category into which the 1Z falls.

I did not want to write: LPG excels in 'technicality' and 1Z excels in 'musicality'. Because I know members here, for whom, a technical sound is more musical. So the word 'musical' is subjective and ambiguous. And words like 'organic' or 'analogous' are loosely defined. That is the reason, I went to the extent of explaining, how 1Z would suit the crowd, who want a more forgiving sound, while retaining the desirable characteristics such as resolution, large stage, separation and layering.


----------



## Smileyko

Good Morning from Vietnam. I will now go through the thread and learn from the beginning. You see here in Saigon being an expat I mostly have to buy blind. It suits me, impulse buyer at large. This is my very first DAP, I really bought it because I will be coming back to LA in June and I wanted an all in one kind of gear. I can see now I need the 4.4 to all my good 3.5 cable adapter. I see Moon has one for $125, I have the silver dragon. Is this a good enough choice? PM me folks with websites that sell this plag with Thanks. Cheers mate.


----------



## animalsrush

Smileyko said:


> Good Morning from Vietnam. I will now go through the thread and learn from the beginning. You see here in Saigon being an expat I mostly have to buy blind. It suits me, impulse buyer at large. This is my very first DAP, I really bought it because I will be coming back to LA in June and I wanted an all in one kind of gear. I can see now I need the 4.4 to all my good 3.5 cable adapter. I see Moon has one for $125, I have the silver dragon. Is this a good enough choice? PM me folks with websites that sell this plag with Thanks. Cheers mate.



Are you looking for adapter or cable.. for adapter there are good ones from plussound.. if you are looking for 4.4 balanced cable options check out effect audio, plussound or Norne audio.. I have one coming from effect audio called lionheart for my CIEM and for my headphone used one from Norne audioPC


----------



## Smileyko

Thanks @animalsrush, I just pull the trigger on Moon Audio very short half a foot cable. I also bought from Effect and Labkable in days past. I email them already. I wanted to try both versions, plugs and the short connection cables. Most thankful.


----------



## productred

Smileyko said:


> Good Morning from Vietnam. I will now go through the thread and learn from the beginning. You see here in Saigon being an expat I mostly have to buy blind. It suits me, impulse buyer at large. This is my very first DAP, I really bought it because I will be coming back to LA in June and I wanted an all in one kind of gear. I can see now I need the 4.4 to all my good 3.5 cable adapter. I see Moon has one for $125, I have the silver dragon. Is this a good enough choice? PM me folks with websites that sell this plag with Thanks. Cheers mate.



Adding a 4.4mm adaptor to a 3.5mm single-end plug is a no-no

Even if you see a 3.5mm to 4.4mm adaptor it is meant to be for use with 3.5mm balanced plug which is not all that common


----------



## productred (May 17, 2017)

flinkenick said:


> I kinda prefer the AK380 design with an excellent SE and useless balanced  It saves the hassle to change cables, especially since Sony's using a different type of plug (regardless if it's better).



I kinda Lol at your "preference"  but agree completely with you that the AK380 got an excellent SE and useless balanced . As I've said in the AK380 thread, the AK amp seems to me to have been designed SOLELY to provide the 380 with a proper balanced output and nothing else. If used alone I'd prefer the 380 SE over balanced anyday.

Why can't they just design a socket to take and recognise 3.5mm SE and balanced plugs all in one just to make lives easier.......


----------



## nc8000

Smileyko said:


> Good Morning from Vietnam. I will now go through the thread and learn from the beginning. You see here in Saigon being an expat I mostly have to buy blind. It suits me, impulse buyer at large. This is my very first DAP, I really bought it because I will be coming back to LA in June and I wanted an all in one kind of gear. I can see now I need the 4.4 to all my good 3.5 cable adapter. I see Moon has one for $125, I have the silver dragon. Is this a good enough choice? PM me folks with websites that sell this plag with Thanks. Cheers mate.



I assume that your existing cables are already balanced terminated in 3.5 trrs. If they are not already balanced you can't use an adaptor to 4.4


----------



## flinkenick (May 18, 2017)

So I just received my WM1Z, it has 140 hours on it I believe. I’ll put it on to burn later after I transferred some more tracks.

The Sony is quite different than I expected. Starting with the LPG, its signature consists of a bump around the sub- and mid-bass giving it a boosted and full-bodied low-end, followed by a bump at the lower midrange starting at 500 KHz up until 2-3 KHz, and then a treble peak around 9-10 KHz. Accordingly, the midrange is forward and dense. It creates a solid, powerful vocal presentation, and generally speaking, the LPG is quite upfront. The mid-upper treble peak in turn gives it its brighter than neutral tone, and that extra bit of sparkle, clarity and excitement.

The WM1Z’s bass is more neutral by comparison, and doesn’t seem to be particularly enhanced. Especially the upper bass is slightly laidback, in order to create a cleaner stage. However, this also takes some warmth as well as depth from the presentation. In contrast to the LPG, it has its main energy around an upper midrange peak at 6 KHz, followed by a slightly attenuated treble to balance the tone and maintain its naturalness. But its not necessarily a dip in the treble, it’s closer to linear. The 6 Khz peak is tuned to put more emphasis on the articulation of notes, and effectively increase its resolution. Both the instrument and vocal size is fairly large, creating a nicely full presentation. But as @EagleWings mentioned, while larger in size compared to the LPG, vocals aren’t denser. The LPG’s lower midrange is more prominent, giving it that bit of extra vocal power and solidity. The 1Z’s vocals in turn are centered on articulation, although it’s nevertheless nicely balanced throughout the vocal range. In addition, the tone of the midrange is quite accurate, and overall its pace seems to be very good.

As is, I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as a particularly smooth player due to its upper midrange emphasis, at least not as a defining trait; but I’m counting on it to settle in a bit more after burn. I was mainly expecting it to be warmer and more forward; more emotional perhaps. But these expectations were shaped relative to my AK, which is bassier, and accordingly, warmer, thicker and smoother. I would say the Sony is a mildly warm player with a focus on a realistic portrayal of tone. It's a beautiful player to see and hold btw, despite that its quite heavy. But weight doesn't bother me much.

These impressions are based on SE; I’m going to have to wait a short while for some balanced cables unfortunately, but I’ll let it burn for a while and come back to it in a bit.


----------



## Lavakugel

Is it worth getting the docking station Sony BCR-NWH10? Dock vs Macbook Pro?


----------



## Acemcl

After using the WM1A for a couple of months bit the bullet and bought the 1Z !! I much prefer the sound signature of the 1Z and can't wait to start the burn in process over the weekend.  What's been the average burn in time generally? Is it around 200 hours given the 1Z capacitors?


----------



## buzzlulu

Curious as there is as menu screen to set the date and time however once set I do not see the time appear anywhere 

Does anyone have the time display on the screen?


----------



## Tawek

good question


----------



## animalsrush

buzzlulu said:


> Curious as there is as menu screen to set the date and time however once set I do not see the time appear anywhere
> 
> Does anyone have the time display on the screen?


Funny you asked that even I was wondering what was the point I couldn't see time anywhere


----------



## Smileyko

Very thankful for all your help. Wish I look before I leaped. This is my first DAP so it's a learning process, which I enjoy. I did go through about 40 pages but I am only up to the 1st of January posts from this year. I did get both the adapter from Moon then realized after reading this thread it might be not the ultimate way to go. Right away I called the HK based Labkable and ordered the full monty 4.4 to 2.5 cable to fit the PM2 and the HEX and that Nighthawk which I only watch movies with. Now the sound, wonderful after 35 hours in. The HD800s on SE just don't play classical music you are good to go. On the 4.4 side with the Z1R now the treble is still a little sharp but I think with a few more days that should calm down. Next week I should have all the new cables coming to Saigon to fit all the cans I have. Cheers friends.


----------



## hung031086

Is BuyWise on amazon is an authorized seller ?


----------



## soundkist

hung031086 said:


> Is BuyWise on amazon is an authorized seller ?



No.


----------



## hung031086

So who are authorized sellers in the us ?


----------



## animalsrush

hung031086 said:


> So who are authorized sellers in the us ?


WOO audio and The Source AV i think

PS - i bought my WM1z from Buy Wise .. It is a tourist edition


----------



## Whitigir

Jason @ ThesourceAV is pretty good place


----------



## wsilvio

So I have been enjoying this thread over the past couple of weeks.  I currently have a zx2 which I have been enjoying for a while now.  I decided to pull the trigger and order a wm1a so I could go balanced to my Layla's.  So I received my order from Amazon today and opened the box.  To my surprise, the 1a was not in the sony packaging.  Someone had replaced it with an HDMI video adapter!  Everything was sealed on the outside and looked legit.  Never had that happen before!  Amazon is taking care of it of course, but it is disappointing!  Especially since it was sold by Amazon and not a third party seller.


----------



## Whitigir

wsilvio said:


> So I have been enjoying this thread over the past couple of weeks.  I currently have a zx2 which I have been enjoying for a while now.  I decided to pull the trigger and order a wm1a so I could go balanced to my Layla's.  So I received my order from Amazon today and opened the box.  To my surprise, the 1a was not in the sony packaging.  Someone had replaced it with an HDMI video adapter!  Everything was sealed on the outside and looked legit.  Never had that happen before!  Amazon is taking care of it of course, but it is disappointing!  Especially since it was sold by Amazon and not a third party seller.


Lol, it happens everywhere, just whether or not you are the receiver.  Amazon fully acknowledged this and that is why they will replace it without questions asked


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

flinkenick said:


> So I just received my WM1Z, it has 140 hours on it I believe. I’ll put it on to burn later after I transferred some more tracks.
> 
> The Sony is quite different than I expected. Starting with the LPG, its signature consists of a bump around the sub- and mid-bass giving it a boosted and full-bodied low-end, followed by a bump at the lower midrange starting at 500 KHz up until 2-3 KHz, and then a treble peak around 9-10 KHz. Accordingly, the midrange is forward and dense. It creates a solid, powerful vocal presentation, and generally speaking, the LPG is quite upfront. The mid-upper treble peak in turn gives it its brighter than neutral tone, and that extra bit of sparkle, clarity and excitement.
> 
> ...



Thanks for in depth impressions mate. I wonder what are your thoughts going to be after full burn in and getting the balanced cable.


----------



## flinkenick

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Thanks for in depth impressions mate. I wonder what are your thoughts going to be after full burn in and getting the balanced cable.


Thanks buddy, I'll let you know


----------



## Tawek

Did anyone compare? campfire andromeda vs spiral ear5 ult with wm1z ? 
Thanks


----------



## Smileyko

Happy Weekends guys. Total DAP dummy first time out. Now on my 1A the firmware is 1.00. How do you get the latest updates? Most thankful.


----------



## ledzep

Just done a balanced re wire for a mate on his P7's , these baby's are sounding excellent now , looks like I'm going to try this out on my P9's .... To hell with the warranty !


----------



## gerelmx1986

Smileyko said:


> Happy Weekends guys. Total DAP dummy first time out. Now on my 1A the firmware is 1.00. How do you get the latest updates? Most thankful.


 I use sony mediaGO yo organize my music and to update my WM1A


----------



## ttt123

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/downloads/00014454 
Go to this site (or the site for your country location)  to download the file.  Follow the instructions to update the firmware on the WM1A.


----------



## ledzep

Been a while since I've followed this thread , are we still on 1.20 ?


----------



## jamato8

Acemcl said:


> After using the WM1A for a couple of months bit the bullet and bought the 1Z !! I much prefer the sound signature of the 1Z and can't wait to start the burn in process over the weekend.  What's been the average burn in time generally? Is it around 200 hours given the 1Z capacitors?


I would agree. I had the WM1A with over 800 hours on it and then got the 1Z. I find the 1Z smoother in the highs and generally more open sounding and natural. It is heavy though. Had to start working out with weights. lol


----------



## jamato8

ledzep said:


> Been a while since I've followed this thread , are we still on 1.20 ?


Yes, that is the latest.


----------



## Whitigir

Well the Wm1z is great for a fitness session.....lol


----------



## animalsrush (May 20, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Well the Wm1z is great for a fitness session.....lol


@Whitigir .. you are bad influence on my wallet.. thanks to your excellent feedback I not only got Sony wm1z last moth , got Sony z1r to with as well this week  .. few months ago I would never dream to drop $5.5k on portable gear.. thanks so much for your contributions on both threads .. much appreciated

Pc


----------



## Acemcl

jamato8 said:


> I would agree. I had the WM1A with over 800 hours on it and then got the 1Z. I find the 1Z smoother in the highs and generally more open sounding and natural. It is heavy though. Had to start working out with weights. lol


I know what you mean! The weight on that thing is quite something. Have to admit tho that straight out of the box it sounded absolutely horrendous, close to 30 hours on the burn in and starting to see a few improvements.


----------



## Rei87

Just got my clear case and glass screen protector through the help of a friend. Despite being rather hesitant towards using a plastic case instead of a bespoke leather case, I must say that this case is growing on me. It really shows off the 1Z


----------



## pietcux

Rei87 said:


> Just got my clear case and glass screen protector through the help of a friend. Despite being rather hesitant towards using a plastic case instead of a bespoke leather case, I must say that this case is growing on me. It really shows off the 1Z



Please share the source where you got this from.


----------



## Rei87

pietcux said:


> Please share the source where you got this from.



I believe that my friend snagged the case of the wonderful world of taobao; both the case and the glass screen protector. All in all, very very affordable, because it doesnt come with the price premium that comes from rebranding the products under a different company.


----------



## proedros

still curious if wm1a a significant sonic improvement over zx2....


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

proedros said:


> still curious if wm1a a significant sonic improvement over zx2....


I switched from ZX2. It's an improvement. No doubt.


----------



## ledzep

pietcux said:


> Please share the source where you got this from.



Got a Benks one silicone crystal soft shell  from Round the clock mall , didn't expect much but when it arrived it was a perfect fit and looks great on. So much so I sold the Dignis case I had , although the Dignis was superb quality I found the leather after a short while a touch slippy, the Benks has good grip and  is well made.


----------



## animalsrush

proedros said:


> still curious if wm1a a significant sonic improvement over zx2....


I switched from zx2 to wm1z (I know you are asking about wm1a).. it is definitely step upwards. It does everything better but subtly and once you hear that you can't go back.. the sound enhancements actually improve sound and you get balanced connection.. so collectively it is a great improvement.. also try to demo wm1z quite a few people are switching from wm1a to wm1z.. btw I feel Sony TRRS implementation is really soo good on all players it can make player like zx2 hold on its own..

Just my 2 cents.. it is a tough call but that is why head-if is a pain to your wallet..
Pc


----------



## gerelmx1986

My 1A with 400 on balanced is just wow, reveals instruments i didn't Heard before and deepens the stages once i Heard smallish or bathroom-recoded music is now lessened or gone


----------



## 13candles

Rei87 said:


> Just got my clear case and glass screen protector through the help of a friend. Despite being rather hesitant towards using a plastic case instead of a bespoke leather case, I must say that this case is growing on me. It really shows off the 1Z



Wow Rei87,

I remember you being one of the most ardent advocates -  along with the very well known LouisAmrstrong - of the 380cu and said that when it comes to details the 1Z falls short when compared!

Also, i noticed you recently sold your CU ? 

Not trying to be sarcastic or anything but i own the 1Z as well and im just interested to know what changed your mind about it and made you sell your CU. Synergy with your current IEMs perhaps?


----------



## Whitigir (May 22, 2017)

Wm1z has different kind of presentation in details, separations, soundstage in performances in comparison to the Korean DAP that I came accross.  However, the main things about Wm1z is that it really needs burn-in time.  Beside that, it also needs a proper cables to take advantage of it features.  Trebles on WM1Z is not harsh though extended, it doesn't artificially boost the extensions of the trebles to create an illusion of more details in places, which result in a very smooth/sweet trebles and extensions (timbres density is awesome).  The bass on the WM1Z while deep and punchy is very tight and controlled.  I honestly think that Wm1Z is top of the game ATM.  I hear people who may criticize the WM1z on the soundstage, but tell you what ? Soundstage width on the Wm1z while is great and not good, the verticals senses of spaces is extraordinary because it can get tall while staying inside the spherical soundstage presentation but does not deform the presentation into an oval senses of space at all.  Together with the realism of tonal body and accurate details presentations, the WM1Z is trully and extraordinary piece of equipment for portable player.

Especially when you count in battery play time, powerful output, super silent back ground, and other practicality features.

Sony can only make it better from this point on, who knows what Sony have in their design RD places at the moment for the Walkman anniversary

Wm1Z is so good that I just can't complain about it when hooked up to my Stax system.  I have to say that I am very surprised by it performances by feeding it into my Stax sr-009

If I can say in 1 single word that the WM1Z was designed and is achieving is that "realism" as you can find it across the board from timbres to soundstage, extensions, details....etc...etc


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Wm1z has different kind of presentation in details, separations, soundstage in performances in comparison to the Korean DAP that I came accross.  However, the main things about Wm1z is that it really needs burn-in time.  Beside that, it also needs a proper cables to take advantage of it features.  Trebles on WM1Z is not harsh though extended, it doesn't artificially boost the extensions of the trebles to create an illusion of more details in places, which result in a very smooth/sweet trebles and extensions (timbres density is awesome).  The bass on the WM1Z while deep and punchy is very tight and controlled.  I honestly think that Wm1Z is top of the game ATM.  I hear people who may criticize the WM1z on the soundstage, but tell you what ? Soundstage width on the Wm1z while is great and not good, the verticals senses of spaces is extraordinary because it can get tall while staying inside the spherical soundstage presentation but does not deform the presentation into an oval senses of space at all.  Together with the realism of tonal body and accurate details presentations, the WM1Z is trully and extraordinary piece of equipment for portable player.
> 
> Especially when you count in battery play time, powerful output, super silent back ground, and other practicality features.
> 
> ...


WM1A is so good too in balanced, trying older and new recordings all good, from DG and decca to Phillips and some defunct labels. Phillips Vivaldi sonatas for two violins got a surprise, I heard with such a clarity all instruments and a bit of reverb, same for more recent Hyperion recording of Vivaldi sacred music, cathedral space, big and spacious


----------



## hung031086

I'm looking for a 2.5mm female to 4.4mm male adapter. Does anyone know anyplace in the us that i can get it ? I saw moon-audio has it but the silver cable look ugly. And plussound has it too, but they take 4 weeks to make it. Its too long for me.


----------



## bana

hung031086 said:


> I'm looking for a 2.5mm female to 4.4mm male adapter. Does anyone know anyplace in the us that i can get it ? I saw moon-audio has it but the silver cable look ugly. And plussound has it too, but they take 4 weeks to make it. Its too long for me.



I'm looking at this one.
http://www.roundtheclockmall.com/products/545546399104.


----------



## Rei87 (May 22, 2017)

13candles said:


> Wow Rei87,
> 
> I remember you being one of the most ardent advocates -  along with the very well known LouisAmrstrong - of the 380cu and said that when it comes to details the 1Z falls short when compared!
> 
> ...



Erm....no offence meant, but the CU was sold because of the then soon to be released Sp1000. So I'm using my 1Z till then.

So, to be frank, but I still maintain my position of the CU being more resolving than the current 1Z. The only thing the 1Z does better, is drive my dita dynamic better because it has more power than the CU. My dita dream sounded anemic on the CU, something that I found unacceptable. Plus, given that the new flagship was just around the corner at munich, I made the decision to let it go. 

In my honest and less than professional view, the 1Z currently still has some way to go before it can catch up to the 380CU in both technical detail and spatial resolution. If only, the CU had a proper amp circuit to power more demanding stuff like the 1Z. On that note, I've never been a fan of AK's amps module system as it hardly seems secure.

I'm only a supporter of superior products, not brands. I have 0 brand loyalty lol.

I'm sorry if that wasn't what you wanted to hear. But, it's an honest, unbiased view having owned both products.


----------



## bana

The discretionary income on this site never ceases to amaze me. Some of you can't be married!!
I have helped friends slip electronics in their homes in the middle of the night just to avoid confrontations with their wives.


----------



## psikey

bana said:


> The discretionary income on this site never ceases to amaze me. Some of you can't be married!!
> I have helped friends slip electronics in their homes in the middle of the night just to avoid confrontations with their wives.



Must be lots of hedge fund managers!


----------



## animalsrush

hung031086 said:


> I'm looking for a 2.5mm female to 4.4mm male adapter. Does anyone know anyplace in the us that i can get it ? I saw moon-audio has it but the silver cable look ugly. And plussound has it too, but they take 4 weeks to make it. Its too long for me.


Have you tried Effect Audio


----------



## animalsrush

Bliss .. 

Sony WM1z - Effect Audio Lionheart balanced 4.4 mm - Noble K10 CIEM


----------



## hung031086

animalsrush said:


> Have you tried Effect Audio


Never tried their interconnect before. I bought one from plussound. They just take 2 weeks to make it. Not bad at all.

My 2nd 1A is on the way. $1000 for a brand new 1A is a great deal for me. I almost bought a 1Z. But finally i decided to get back a 1A and a w900. The w900 will come in 2 weeks. So excited.


----------



## Cagin

hung031086 said:


> I'm looking for a 2.5mm female to 4.4mm male adapter. Does anyone know anyplace in the us that i can get it ? I saw moon-audio has it but the silver cable look ugly. And plussound has it too, but they take 4 weeks to make it. Its too long for me.


Ask Trevor from Norne Audio. He made me these:
  

Unfortunately I don't have any use for them so I never opened that bag. I no longer have any 2.5mm cable. Was a tiny confusion in my order hehe


----------



## hung031086

Cagin said:


> Ask Trevor from Norne Audio. He made me these:
> 
> 
> Unfortunately I don't have any use for them so I never opened that bag. I no longer have any 2.5mm cable. Was a tiny confusion in my order hehe


Thank. But i order a plussound x6 interconnect.


----------



## Mimouille

bana said:


> The discretionary income on this site never ceases to amaze me. Some of you can't be married!!
> I have helped friends slip electronics in their homes in the middle of the night just to avoid confrontations with their wives.



If your audio spending affects the family's budget significantly...then you are spending too much. Otherwise, what does the wife care what you do with you money? Better it be music than booze, gambling and hookers.


----------



## Blueoris

Mimouille said:


> If your audio spending affects the family's budget significantly...then you are spending too much. Otherwise, what does the wife care what you do with you money? Better it be music than booze, gambling and hookers.



I noted the use of the word "significantly".. LOL


----------



## Toolman

animalsrush said:


> Have you tried Effect Audio


----------



## windstreak20

My humble portable setup


----------



## RobertP (May 23, 2017)

Nw-wm1a internal wires are 22awg x4. they look so thin when compared with some other high end cables. I recabled balanced side of Sony dap (4.4mm plug) with 8 wires 26awg black widow from toxic cables last month. Sound quality is noticeably better. I get more details and better extends from entire range of sounds. Overall, a bit brighter and warmer sound signature. Soundstage is larger. It's like when you compare from large size room to a town hall space. I get more powerful kicks and details from the bass. Stock cables sounded veil by comparison.


----------



## RobertP

After diy 6 cables. These two are my favorite. The top cable is 26awg copper and 29awg silver plated mix. Basically I get better soundstage and details. The the second cable is just 26awg copper. This one is good for long listening. Sound signature is warm and natural.


----------



## 13candles

Rei87 said:


> Erm....no offence meant, but the CU was sold because of the then soon to be released Sp1000. So I'm using my 1Z till then.
> 
> So, to be frank, but I still maintain my position of the CU being more resolving than the current 1Z. The only thing the 1Z does better, is drive my dita dynamic better because it has more power than the CU. My dita dream sounded anemic on the CU, something that I found unacceptable. Plus, given that the new flagship was just around the corner at munich, I made the decision to let it go.
> 
> ...




You do not need to be sorry whatsoever because your unbiased opinion was really what i wanted to hear/read about and i really appreciate your time and effort with your response. So i thank you for that. 

Hope you're enjoying your Dream pairing with your 1Z btw and all pun intended 

Cheers, mate


----------



## 13candles

Toolman said:


>



Not trying to bash or be a mincer about this but aren't those 4.4 plugs slightly misaligned to their respective chamber/housing?

Sorry my ocd just kicked in


----------



## Whitigir (May 23, 2017)

Isn't the wires in wm1A 22AWG ? If they are 22AWG, then it doesn't matter what cables look larger, it maybe the insulator that make them look larger.  If you go from 22 down to 26 that is downgrade though


----------



## Toolman

RobertP said:


> Nw-wm1a internal wires are 22awg x4. they look so thin when compared with some other high end cables. I recabled balanced side of Sony dap (4.4mm plug) with 8 wires 26awg black widow from toxic cables last month. Sound quality is noticeably better. I get more details and better extends from entire range of sounds. Overall, a bit brighter and warmer sound signature. Soundstage is larger. It's like when you compare from large size room to a town hall space. I get more powerful kicks and details from the bass. Stock cables sounded veil by comparison.



Modified WM1Z by swapping out the pathetic Kimber Kable yield noticeably much better performance from the player, mainly in soundstage and the upper mids (which are important to me).


----------



## Toolman (May 23, 2017)

13candles said:


> Not trying to bash or be a mincer about this but aren't those 4.4 plugs slightly misaligned to their respective chamber/housing?
> 
> Sorry my ocd just kicked in



Haha you just made me go back and re-examine my connectors again...they looked OK and perfectly aligned to me so it must be the cameras angle then


----------



## RobertP

Stock cables vs black widow cables x2. Oem cables are tiny by comparison.


----------



## Whitigir

RobertP said:


> Stock cables vs black widow cables x2. Oem cables are tiny by comparison.


Was it solid core ? Or did they meant 22AWG included insulation  ....which normally does not


----------



## gerelmx1986

RobertP said:


> Stock cables vs black widow cables x2. Oem cables are tiny by comparison.


since then your warranty is voided, you should haf waited till warranty had expired


----------



## Cagin

gerelmx1986 said:


> since then your warranty is voided, you should haf waited till warranty had expired


I'd think those that do this already have enough technical know-how to deliver their own repairing needs thanks to the available service manual.


----------



## RobertP

Just normal 26awg cable. No insulation. At first I was expecting just a bit more bass and warmer sound from typical 8 wires config. I'm didn't expect this mod will also extend high range, a tiny bit brighter and bigger soundstage.


----------



## Whitigir

What stunned me was the sizes of the 26AWG look to be almost as big or bigger than the stock 22AWG....what in the hell


----------



## RobertP

gerelmx1986 said:


> since then your warranty is voided, you should haf waited till warranty had expired


I fix electronics gadgets for living so I know some what what to expect.


----------



## RobertP (May 23, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> What stunned me was the sizes of the 26AWG look to be almost as big or bigger than the stock 22AWG....what in the hell


Yes. This a will agree. LOL! What the hell.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna (May 23, 2017)

Take good care of your screens 

Looks like it's very sensitive. Small drop on the screen, not a scratch on the glass, but somehow the screen is damaged


----------



## rushofblood

Awesome to see others replacing the internal wires. The only piece of kit in these players that is a compromise is the stock wiring (the Japanese OFC in the 1A and the "Kimber Kable" in the 1Z) and the audible difference in a wire swap is quite large. 

Also, props to Sony for great aftermarket service. Having opened my player so many times that the gold ring around the balanced jack popped out without me noticing outdoors due to the adhesive weakening after repeated openings and re-stickings, I ordered a replacement from the local service centre and it reached me in 3 days. Maybe that's something to do with the factory just being across the border where I am, but that's still impressive nonetheless, and I believe you can even order any component of both players as long as you're willing to pay which is great for tinkerers who may need to replace components.

And finally, Furutech is coming out with 4.4mm connectors: 



They look awesome as always. I'm happy with my Pentaconn OFC, but the barrel is a bit long – if these ones are shorter, a retermination might be in order for me.


----------



## jamato8

RobertP said:


> Stock cables vs black widow cables x2. Oem cables are tiny by comparison.


I am not clear on this. Do you have an image of the final wiring?


----------



## jamato8

rushofblood said:


> Awesome to see others replacing the internal wires. The only piece of kit in these players that is a compromise is the stock wiring (the Japanese OFC in the 1A and the "Kimber Kable" in the 1Z) and the audible difference in a wire swap is quite large.
> 
> Also, props to Sony for great aftermarket service. Having opened my player so many times that the gold ring around the balanced jack popped out without me noticing outdoors due to the adhesive weakening after repeated openings and re-stickings, I ordered a replacement from the local service centre and it reached me in 3 days. Maybe that's something to do with the factory just being across the border where I am, but that's still impressive nonetheless, and I believe you can even order any component of both players as long as you're willing to pay which is great for tinkerers who may need to replace components.
> 
> ...


I hope that Furutech doesn't use steel for the center pin as they did in the 2.5 TRRS. I asked them about this and they said the steel pin was the best option but I have plugs that cost 1 dollar that have no steel and hold up just fine.


----------



## rushofblood

jamato8 said:


> I hope that Furutech doesn't use steel for the center pin as they did in the 2.5 TRRS. I asked them about this and they said the steel pin was the best option but I have plugs that cost 1 dollar that have no steel and hold up just fine.


I'm convinced that the steel pin is only for the 2.5mm owing to how fragile that connector is compared to 3.5mm and 4.4mm. If Pentaconn can do up a plug in OFC (which I've verified as part of the plating on mine has worn off), pretty sure Furutech can too.


----------



## RobertP (May 23, 2017)

jamato8 said:


> I am not clear on this. Do you have an image of the final wiring?


I forgot to take picture before I close the back plate. With 8 wires in there, it's took so much space and it's not easy to put everything back. Hope this help. Don't try this mod if you have no experience!


----------



## NoMythsAudio

bana said:


> The discretionary income on this site never ceases to amaze me. Some of you can't be married!!
> I have helped friends slip electronics in their homes in the middle of the night just to avoid confrontations with their wives.


You absolutely beat me to this statement. I'm just baffled at the amount of money some of these guys throws around on this forum.

I mean this guy (quotes below) let go of a $3000 dap in anticipation of a $4000 new dap, in the interim he's replaced it with another $3000!!! Amazing.


Rei87 said:


> Erm....no offence meant, but the CU was sold because of the then soon to be released Sp1000. So I'm using my 1Z till then.
> 
> So, to be frank, but I still maintain my position of the CU being more resolving than the current 1Z. The only thing the 1Z does better, is drive my dita dynamic better because it has more power than the CU. My dita dream sounded anemic on the CU, something that I found unacceptable. Plus, given that the new flagship was just around the corner at munich, I made the decision to let it go.
> 
> ...


----------



## jamato8

RobertP said:


> I forgot to take picture before I close the back plate. With 8 wires in there, it's took so much space and it's not easy to put everything back. Hope this help. Don't try this mod if you have no experience!


I assume then that you used 2 wires per channel.


----------



## mw7485

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Take good care of your screens
> 
> Looks like it's very sensitive. Small drop on the screen, not a scratch on the glass, but somehow the screen is damaged



Sorry, but I struggle to understand how a "small" drop ON the screen can do this. The fluid must've got inside - perhaps there was more spillage than you realise?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 23, 2017)

mw7485 said:


> Sorry, but I struggle to understand how a "small" drop ON the screen can do this. The fluid must've got inside - perhaps there was more spillage than you realise?


maybe he meant he dropped the Walkman from a very short distance but enough to cause damage? Sure that looks like water damaged display / display circuit /GPU


----------



## Virtu Fortuna (May 23, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> maybe he meant he dropped the Walkman from a very short distance but enough to cause damage?


Actually I dropped something on it. But not a single scratch, still it caused this. It happened two days ago but problem occurred this evening.

I will try the warranty option but not sure they'll replace. Instead they would call it a user error. Let's see.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 23, 2017)

The screen failure that @Virtu Fortuna experiences, like ghosting, happened to me back in 2009 when I dropped into the toilet bowl my A818 Walkman and committed the mistake of turning it on. Screen ghosted, faded and turned white and the device died


----------



## RobertP

jamato8 said:


> I assume then that you used 2 wires per channel.


Yes, 2 wires par channel. You can do just 1 as well. It's depends on what kind of sound signature you are try to achieve. Also not every copper or silver cables are the same. Some aftermarket cables sound worst then stock cable. Research research...!


----------



## RobertP (May 23, 2017)

@virtu-fortuna If there is no dent on the body or no crack on the glass. You can just say it's happened for no reason. It turned on and that is what I see. Never say it dropped or something spilled on it!


----------



## bana

NoMythsAudio said:


> You absolutely beat me to this statement. I'm just baffled at the amount of money some of these guys throws around on this forum.
> 
> I mean this guy (quotes below) let go of a $3000 dap in anticipation of a $4000 new dap, in the interim he's replaced it with another $3000!!! Amazing.



When people see me with my modest gear, they think it's great. When they find out the price, they think I'm an idiot.

But I always remind myself that it's a hobby, then I'm at peace with the world.


----------



## Rei87 (May 23, 2017)

NoMythsAudio said:


> You absolutely beat me to this statement. I'm just baffled at the amount of money some of these guys throws around on this forum.
> 
> I mean this guy (quotes below) let go of a $3000 dap in anticipation of a $4000 new dap, in the interim he's replaced it with another $3000!!! Amazing.



Well...houses (heck, more like apartments) here, or at least a decent one, cost  half a million and more. In USD thats about 400grand for a house. So our perspectives of value and worth can be rather different. Plus, healthcare,transportation and food here is pretty darn affordable (cheap even by US standards). In short, here, we do have quite abit of disposable income as long as one doesnt have kids....Which is always why I find it hilarious when people here complain about the rising cost of living; considering that we have it waaayyyyy easier than folks in other countries.

So, in a nut shell, lets just put it as that some of us would like to enjoy life for a while longer before we start spawning little life and cash sucking demons into this world...

Anyway, letting go of a 3grand player, pre announcement, seems reasonable to me. I mean, just look at the price

And, yes, I can attest to the difficulties of trying to keep some of our purchases under wraps from our partners. Thankfully, both the CU and 1Z are relatively similar in colour....at a stretch.....

Plus, I dont see the 1Z as an interrim player, unless, of course, the SP1000 does manage to impress me, which is still an unknown at this point. I do think that the 1Z, while sonically inferior to my old CU, does some things which I found to be critically lacking to my CU (driving dita dynamics well for example), and for that I choose to sacrifice a little sound for proper driving power. If that, makes sense to anyone.


----------



## Mimouille

Rei87 said:


> Well...houses (heck, more like apartments) here, or at least a decent one, cost  half a million and more. In USD thats about 400grand for a house. So our perspectives of value and worth can be rather different. Plus, healthcare,transportation and food here is pretty darn affordable (cheap even by US standards). In short, here, we do have quite abit of disposable income as long as one doesnt have kids....Which is always why I find it hilarious when people here complain about the rising cost of living; considering that we have it waaayyyyy easier than folks in other countries.
> 
> So, in a nut shell, lets just put it as that some of us would like to enjoy life for a while longer before we start spawning little life and cash sucking demons into this world...
> 
> ...


I don't think you or anyone, needs to justify what they do with their money. I  am more amazed that people have the urge to enquire about it. Whether it is jealousy or just curiosity I find it quite improper and none of their business.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna (May 24, 2017)

RobertP said:


> @virtu-fortuna If there is no dent on the body or no crack on the glass. You can just say it's happened for no reason. It turned on and that is what I see. Never say it dropped or something spilled on it!


Thanks. I will try to do that when I have a chance to visit a Sony Center near me.

Device works without a problem by the way. Touchscreen also works. So I can still use it but before that I will try the warranty.


----------



## animalsrush

Mimouille said:


> I don't think you or anyone, needs to justify what they do with their money. I  am more amazed that people have the urge to enquire about it. Whether it is jealousy or just curiosity I find it quite improper and none of their business.


well said


----------



## Mimouille

animalsrush said:


> well said


I tried to remain civil as I have anger management issues


----------



## Sleepow (May 24, 2017)

I think it is fine for people to be surprised and/or be jealous and no one actually asked for a justification.
I, for one, spend more than I should on audio, but still less than I could.


----------



## kms108

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Take good care of your screens
> 
> Looks like it's very sensitive. Small drop on the screen, not a scratch on the glass, but somehow the screen is damaged




Just to let you know incase the repair is chargable, expect the cost around USD 135, this is the conversion cost from Japanese yen for a replacement display including the outer glass, the price quoted is for NW ZX walkman and the new WM series, it so happens that I contacted Sony Japan a few days ago about replacement display and replacement battery for my NW ZX2, my NW ZX2's battery is discharging much faster than usual and the glue inbetween the main glass and LCD has started seperated, had it for over 2 years.

Anyway, it's just for references.


----------



## mw7485 (May 24, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> maybe he meant he dropped the Walkman from a very short distance but enough to cause damage?/QUOTE]


Ahh, my bad. Hadn't considered that!


----------



## jamato8 (May 24, 2017)

Mimouille said:


> I tried to remain civil as I have anger management issues


Something easy to conjure up these days. Things aren't quite like they used to be a few thousand years ago.


----------



## Mimouille

jamato8 said:


> Something easy to conjure up these days. Things are quite like they used to be a few thousand years ago.


Yes, back when the most expensive DAPs cost only a few denarii


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

kms108 said:


> Just to let you know incase the repair is chargable, expect the cost around USD 135, this is the conversion cost from Japanese yen for a replacement display including the outer glass, the price quoted is for NW ZX walkman and the new WM series, it so happens that I contacted Sony Japan a few days ago about replacement display and replacement battery for my NW ZX2, my NW ZX2's battery is discharging much faster than usual and the glue inbetween the main glass and LCD has started seperated, had it for over 2 years.
> 
> Anyway, it's just for references.


Thank you for the info. Let's see what they will say about the warranty, then of course if I have to I will get it repaired. I hope they won't charge higher than what you've mentioned.


----------



## kms108

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Thank you for the info. Let's see what they will say about the warranty, then of course if I have to I will get it repaired. I hope they won't charge higher than what you've mentioned.



In Japan, it's 15000 yen + tax on top, price including service charge and labour, the same replacement in Hong Kong is about 900HKD, which works out about the same or approximate USD 135, but you will get either a slightly higher or lower cost, although Hong Kong is cheaper, I trust the people in Japan, Hong Kong service center is useless, thats why i'd rather want till december and have it done in Japan during my visit.


----------



## gerelmx1986

It is not supposed that within warranty period the repairs are for FREE? at least when my Sony vaio failed twice on the LCD the repairs were performed for free by Sony mexico because it was under warranty at that timr


----------



## Whitigir

Warranty, if accepted by the manufacturer, will be free. However, if they found the reasons of failure is due to the negligence of the owner, then they have the right to charge the owner for the works and repair services.  It is the basic principle of it


----------



## Rei87

Anyone wants to hazard a guess where these came from?


----------



## Whitigir (May 25, 2017)

Wm1z, ofcourse .  You are modifying both sockets ? With what wires ?


----------



## pitch_black

Did you know? The WM1 is not charged when it is connected to the TA-ZH1ES 'walkman' port. Major fail from Sony IMHO....


----------



## nanaholic

pitch_black said:


> Did you know? The WM1 is not charged when it is connected to the TA-ZH1ES 'walkman' port. Major fail from Sony IMHO....



But it does.....


----------



## Whitigir

pitch_black said:


> Did you know? The WM1 is not charged when it is connected to the TA-ZH1ES 'walkman' port. Major fail from Sony IMHO....





nanaholic said:


> But it does.....



It does, only if you use the provided cables from the TA stock accessory, any other cables will not


----------



## jamato8

Rei87 said:


> Anyone wants to hazard a guess where these came from?


Now it won't work any longer. You need those wires.


----------



## pitch_black

Whitigir said:


> It does, only if you use the provided cables from the TA stock accessory, any other cables will not



I was in the Sony Center in Berlin. And it wasn't charging. A Sony sales rep told me that Sony removed that feature because they had some power interference issues with it. Just repeating what they told me.....


----------



## Whitigir

pitch_black said:


> I was in the Sony Center in Berlin. And it wasn't charging. A Sony sales rep told me that Sony removed that feature because they had some power interference issues with it. Just repeating what they told me.....



Maybe the new products run of the TA won't charge it, but the Ta I had did charge it with the stock cable provided.


----------



## pitch_black

Whitigir said:


> Maybe the new products run of the TA won't charge it, but the Ta I had did charge it with the stock cable provided.



Did you sell it already?


----------



## Whitigir

Yes sir


----------



## Sarnia

pitch_black said:


> I was in the Sony Center in Berlin. And it wasn't charging. A Sony sales rep told me that Sony removed that feature because they had some power interference issues with it. Just repeating what they told me.....


Interesting. Mine charges fine with no issues.


----------



## pitch_black

Sarnia said:


> Interesting. Mine charges fine with no issues.



That's promising, I hope it's possible


----------



## gerelmx1986

How often do you touch the SE circuit side after going balanced? I haven't


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> How often do you touch the SE circuit side after going balanced? I haven't



Me neither


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> How often do you touch the SE circuit side after going balanced? I haven't


Why would you ? Unless balanced is out cold! Lol


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> How often do you touch the SE circuit side after going balanced? I haven't



I do if I use my Fitear 335s. I think they sound better using the 4 pole TRRS 3.5mm than in balance TBH. 
Personally I find that for a pure BA IEM I tend to prefer the SE side, but if it's a dynamic or hybrid IEM I want to use the balance side.


----------



## gerelmx1986

When I finish burning the balanced I will perhaps use SE for the car head unit


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> When I finish burning the balanced I will perhaps use SE for the car head unit


Lol...just use Bluetooth


----------



## ledzep

Today's "I'm bored at work project " 
Linum 2.5mm balanced to 4.4mm , microscope needed to solder it but great results on my U12's now.


----------



## daniel_hokkaido

Hey All 

How does the SQ of this compare to say running a Chord Mojo from a Fiio X3 , or maybe even the AK KANN ?? Thanks 

I have been running my Z5 Sony iems balanced from a PONO now two years. So that's my baseline : )


----------



## SoLame

ledzep said:


> Today's "I'm bored at work project "
> Linum 2.5mm balanced to 4.4mm , microscope needed to solder it but great results on my U12's now.



That looks nifty!


----------



## iamdman

I have on order 1A and I currently use Onkyo DP-X1 on its 2.5mm balanced (MoonaAudiosilver dragon cable; which is awesome!) for shure se846. 

Would this work for me to get baalanced out from 1A? https://www.ebay.com/p/?iid=272635556921&&&dispItem=1&chn=ps

I was also looking at https://www.moon-audio.com/moon-audio-silver-dragon-v3-extension-adapter-cable.html but if the one in ebay is as good for me to use the 4.4mm balanced out on x1 that would be awesome! Or if there is any other adapter that I should consider?

Thanks


----------



## SoLame

iamdman said:


> I have on order 1A and I currently use Onkyo DP-X1 on its 2.5mm balanced (MoonaAudiosilver dragon cable; which is awesome!) for shure se846.
> 
> Would this work for me to get baalanced out from 1A? https://www.ebay.com/p/?iid=272635556921&&&dispItem=1&chn=ps
> 
> ...



I don't think you need to spend $135 on a Moon Audio pigtail adapter. You already have a balanced cable and that short adapter being sold on eBay should work. I'm not sure about its quality, though.


----------



## ledzep

iamdman said:


> I have on order 1A and I currently use Onkyo DP-X1 on its 2.5mm balanced (MoonaAudiosilver dragon cable; which is awesome!) for shure se846.
> 
> Would this work for me to get baalanced out from 1A? https://www.ebay.com/p/?iid=272635556921&&&dispItem=1&chn=ps
> 
> ...



Personally I'd re- terminate it to 4.4mm, not a lover of adding more to the chain but if it's flexibility your after that adaptor looks fine and worth spending $9 on to try , certainly would not spend $100 + on any sort of adaptor.


----------



## hung031086

Anyone know how to check the version of 1A ? my 2nd 1A just arrived today. But on the left side of the player doesn't show it like my 1st one.


----------



## iamdman

ledzep said:


> Personally I'd re- terminate it to 4.4mm, not a lover of adding more to the chain but if it's flexibility your after that adaptor looks fine and worth spending $9 on to try , certainly would not spend $100 + on any sort of adaptor.


I completely agree in not adding more to the chain and would love to go that route but I am not aware of any place for me to send my cable to have it re-terminated to 4.4. 


Thanks all for the inputs!


----------



## nanaholic

iamdman said:


> I have on order 1A and I currently use Onkyo DP-X1 on its 2.5mm balanced (MoonaAudiosilver dragon cable; which is awesome!) for shure se846.
> 
> Would this work for me to get baalanced out from 1A? https://www.ebay.com/p/?iid=272635556921&&&dispItem=1&chn=ps
> 
> ...



You can consider buying the official single entry 1A 4.4mm kimber balance cable:
http://www.sony.com.hk/en/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-s12sb1


----------



## ttt123

The Sony Kimber would not compare to the Moon, is my guess.  I tried the Sony Kimber when that was the first 4.4mm that I could get hold of.  Did not like it compared to my Whiplash TWAg V3, so sold the Sony cable.


----------



## nanaholic

ttt123 said:


> The Sony Kimber would not compare to the Moon, is my guess.  I tried the Sony Kimber when that was the first 4.4mm that I could get hold of.  Did not like it compared to my Whiplash TWAg V3, so sold the Sony cable.



That's just your sound preference - not really saying anything about better/worst.


----------



## ttt123

Agreed, this is purely a subjective and personal opinion.  The reference points are that the Moon is a respected cable, as is the Whiplash.  So that is the subjective reference point.  As to whether the same comparison can be made for the Moon, that I experienced with my Whiplash, I certainly cannot guarantee that, but am just offering my experience with a different cable as a reference point, in case it is of some help in the decision.


----------



## nanaholic

In which case then you need to state in which ways do these cables you say changes things for the "better" in comparison to the Kimber. 
For example the Moon cables you listed are silver-plated OFC cables, which by general census silver enhances trebles and adds more sparkle - but what if that's not what the person is looking for?  What if the person is looking to keep their 1A for the fun signature? In which case the pure OFC Kimber Kables might be the better choice. So simply stating that both the Moon and Whiplash being respected and used as a subjective reference point is not enough in such circumstances.


----------



## ledzep

hung031086 said:


> Anyone know how to check the version of 1A ? my 2nd 1A just arrived today. But on the left side of the player doesn't show it like my 1st one.


The UC is United States and Canada I know that , see what the region is by using the volume cap programme is my guess.


----------



## ledzep

iamdman said:


> I completely agree in not adding more to the chain and would love to go that route but I am not aware of any place for me to send my cable to have it re-terminated to 4.4.
> 
> Thanks all for the inputs!



I'm out of plugs till next week waiting for music sanctuary to re stock , if you can wait till then or source a plug yourself send it to me and I will do it for you for the cost price of the plug / postage, I'm in the UK.


----------



## ttt123

Compared to the Whiplash, the Kimber did not have much of a stage, was not as detailed, the sound was closed in.  Most importantly, the music was not "involving", in comparison.  Of course these are the differences expected between a copper and a silver cable.  So that is the impression that stuck in my mind.  Thinking about your points, I realize my comment is based on my subjective experience with a different cable, and may not have much relevance to another cable, as I do not know the aim, or the preference of the user, so you are correct, my post is based too much on my own feeling, and is an unfair/useless comparison or statement for the situation.  I agree, better not to have made the comment.


----------



## Toolman

Everyone's opinions here are subjective at best...there are no hard and fast rules for the *BEST *of anything. One man's poison is another man's cure...our budget, hearing, preferences, experience, expectations etc are all different, so long as we just take what's written here as a general gauge and personal opinion it will be fine


----------



## iamdman

I just received my 1A and its beautifully crafted one for sure! I am currently charging it (for some reason the battery didn't have enough juice in it)..However, I am not able to shut down the player completely while it is charging - is that normal? When I press the power off (for few seconds) it prompts me if I need to turn it off and I say OK. It turns off but then powers back on right away. Is that because of its charging? I have not seen such "refusing to turn off" behavior when power is connected to any electronics stuff if so!


----------



## blazinblazin

iamdman said:


> I just received my 1A and its beautifully crafted one for sure! I am currently charging it (for some reason the battery didn't have enough juice in it)..However, I am not able to shut down the player completely while it is charging - is that normal? When I press the power off (for few seconds) it prompts me if I need to turn it off and I say OK. It turns off but then powers back on right away. Is that because of its charging? I have not seen such "refusing to turn off" behavior when power is connected to any electronics stuff if so!



It's normal.

Whenever i turned off for charging, it will auto in on mode.


----------



## iamdman

blazinblazin said:


> It's normal.
> 
> Whenever i turned off for charging, it will auto in on mode.



Thanks for confirming.


----------



## gerelmx1986

iamdman said:


> I just received my 1A and its beautifully crafted one for sure! I am currently charging it (for some reason the battery didn't have enough juice in it)..However, I am not able to shut down the player completely while it is charging - is that normal? When I press the power off (for few seconds) it prompts me if I need to turn it off and I say OK. It turns off but then powers back on right away. Is that because of its charging? I have not seen such "refusing to turn off" behavior when power is connected to any electronics stuff if so!


 It is perfectly normal it turns on again, typical behaviour of sony never turns off when charging.

Sony always ships electronics with Little charge, don't know why


----------



## ttt123

Yes, that is normal.  Kind of strange, as you say, compared to almost any other device.  Guess it is one of the  idiosyncrasies of Sony developing their own interface from scratch, and not using the ubiquitous Android.  Don't know if it was an intentional decision, or just something unplanned happening.


----------



## ttt123

Transport regulations require batteries to be limited to 30% of capacity.  For bulk batteries, I guess that could be applied to batteries in devices also.   Perhaps to limit the energy density available/lowered danger, in case something happens.

*IATA/ICAO Updates*

2017 IATA Lithium Battery Guidance Document
For more and updated information, please visit IATA website
*April 1st, 2016 – ICAO/IATA Air Regulations – Li Ion State of Charge*
New ICAO/IATA regulations will limit the State of Charge (SOC) to 30% for all lithium ion cells and batteries on both Passenger and Cargo aircraft. Please refer to Packing Instructions 965.

In this case, we will have to fully charge all the cells/packs and discharge to 30% of the capacity in our facility. It will delay the lead time significantly, so we strongly suggest you choose ship by Ground instead by air, because it will take equal or longer time than ship by Ground. If you have to choose ship by air, for example, oversea customers, please charge the cells/packs immediately when you receive them to maintain the cells/packs.


----------



## nanaholic

Actually a lot of devices don't turn off now while charging, it's certainly not just a Sony thing.


----------



## ttt123

nanaholic said:


> Actually a lot of devices don't turn off now while charging, it's certainly not just a Sony thing.


Thinking about your observation, I realize that true power off is actually quite rare.  Only devices that have a mechanical power disconnect switch are truly powered off.  All others, where you press a button to boot up, turn on, etc., are just going into a low power standby state, as the device needs to be alive to monitor and react to the button push.  Almost all devices fall into this category.


----------



## nanaholic

ttt123 said:


> Thinking about your observation, I realize that true power off is actually quite rare.  Only devices that have a mechanical power disconnect switch are truly powered off.  All others, where you press a button to boot up, turn on, etc., are just going into a low power standby state, as the device needs to be alive to monitor and react to the button push.  Almost all devices fall into this category.



People often say that it's bad for the battery if you charge&use at the same time - but in reality in terms of engineering/chemistry it's only an issue if your device draws more power than both the AC power and battery can supply simultaneously such that the battery is a state of both charging and discharging. However modern charging circuitry are quite intelligent and should be regulating and protecting the battery, in fact some of the battery protection methods are build into the OS (like Sony's battery conditioning option in the Walkman - which monitors and charges the battery to only 90%), so in that case you actually want the device to be turned on while charging to do its magic. 

The other real factor that affects battery life is exposing the battery to heat - this could be a major issue for some smartphones where the internals could run pretty hot under load. But not for the Walkmans as we all know that this device hardly warms up even under heavy usage thanks to the Class D design of the amp.


----------



## daniel_hokkaido

So any SQ comparisons yet on this vs AK KANN?


----------



## echineko

daniel_hokkaido said:


> So any SQ comparisons yet on this vs AK KANN?


When you say "this", are you referring to the WM1A or the WM1Z?


----------



## Toolman

KANN warms (heats) up after awhile while I kept my 1Z continuously burned in for the past 3 days and its still as cool as a cucumber. Sounds wise it is not even a fair comparison.


----------



## Whitigir

Toolman said:


> KANN warms (heats) up after awhile while I kept my 1Z continuously burned in for the past 3 days and its still as cool as a cucumber. Sounds wise it is not even a fair comparison.


Ofcourse, because Wm1Z is class D and is the only one at it so far


----------



## echineko

Yes, that's why I asked for clarification. If it's 1A, might be worth comparing, if it's 1Z...


----------



## daniel_hokkaido

echineko said:


> Yes, that's why I asked for clarification. If it's 1A, might be worth comparing, if it's 1Z...



Yes sorry. I meant the 1A  I am looking to upgrade my Pono player and am considering something with power. The Kann looks like one option, this another 

Anyone running their Z5 iems balanced with the pentaconn from the 1A? 

Dan


----------



## gerelmx1986

daniel_hokkaido said:


> Yes sorry. I meant the 1A  I am looking to upgrade my Pono player and am considering something with power. The Kann looks like one option, this another
> 
> Anyone running their Z5 iems balanced with the pentaconn from the 1A?
> 
> Dan


 I am running them on my WM1A with the stock balanced cable that came with the Z5 and an adapter to pentaconn


----------



## Whitigir

The one thing with AK and their 2.5mm is that they are hard to work on, and the terminated contact is too small for a good clean conductivity, especially for high power.  I rather stick with 4.4mm, it is way more capable than 2.5


----------



## daniel_hokkaido

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am running them on my WM1A with the stock balanced cable that came with the Z5 and an adapter to pentaconn



Do you see Sony releasing a 'signature series' iem at some stage as a successor to the Z5?


----------



## daniel_hokkaido

Whitigir said:


> The one thing with AK and their 2.5mm is that they are hard to work on, and the terminated contact is too small for a good clean conductivity, especially for high power.  I rather stick with 4.4mm, it is way more capable than 2.5



Yeah I can't speak to the technical aspects. Thanks for the feedback. Going smaller for higher performance for a jack has an element of cognitive dissonance also. Bigger is better!


----------



## Toolman

Fellow 1Z owners...I'm getting better SQ (dynamics and micro details) from selecting _high gain_ than choosing _low gain_...even when both are played at similar loudness.

Is that your findings too? Do share...


----------



## Whitigir

Toolman said:


> Fellow 1Z owners...I'm getting better SQ (dynamics and micro details) from selecting _high gain_ than choosing _low gain_...even when both are played at similar loudness.
> 
> Is that your findings too? Do share...



Different people report different findings, but in my experiences, Yes, I agree because I use it with Utopia


----------



## nc8000

Toolman said:


> Fellow 1Z owners...I'm getting better SQ (dynamics and micro details) from selecting _high gain_ than choosing _low gain_...even when both are played at similar loudness.
> 
> Is that your findings too? Do share...



Yes that's my experience with Z1R and JH13


----------



## gerelmx1986

I don't know if sony has plans for a IEM flagship. Regarding the High gain yes i get better micro details too


----------



## JML (May 28, 2017)

Anyone using the WM1A balanced into an Oppo PM-3? I'm trying to decide between the Sony and the Onkyo DP-X1A; the Onkyo has Tidal capability but uses a 2.5mm jack for balanced output. I'd prefer the sturdier 4.4mm jack, and will order a custom cable regardless.


----------



## soundify

daniel_hokkaido said:


> So any SQ comparisons yet on this vs AK KANN?



I have both...
Pairing with my Z1R, I prefer the KANN in SE mode (waiting for my 2.5 balanced cable) vs. 1A in 4.4 balanced mode.

KANN sounds more lively, more engaging, less warm, pairs with the Z1R better overall.

If you use other headphones/IEMs, your preference may differ.


----------



## animalsrush

nc8000 said:


> Yes that's my experience with Z1R and JH13


I am going to try this out today.. more options on wm1z more fun

Pc


----------



## pitch_black

As a 1A owner I don't have a case at the moment. What do you recommend the original Sony case CKL-NWWM1 or the Dignis case?
It seems Accessoryjack is somehow offline since a few days (Hosting Server Connect Timeout HTTP 502 — Unable to Connect to the Origin Server), I guess its the Dignis case then...


----------



## gerelmx1986

pitch_black said:


> As a 1A owner I don't have a case at the moment. What do you recommend the original Sony case CKL-NWWM1 or the Dignis case?
> It seems Accessoryjack is somehow offline since a few days (Hosting Server Connect Timeout HTTP 502 — Unable to Connect to the Origin Server), I guess its the Dignis case then...


I don't have a case either, naked is better, I just threat it so careful


----------



## PCheung (May 29, 2017)

The dignis case for sure
I have one and I love it

I have a CKL-NWWM1 come with my 1Z and it is a joke
another one I would recommend is the flip cover from musashino

the one from miter also looks good, but seems like made of PU leather and don't have the bottom corner covered.


----------



## Acemcl

Finally finished with the burn-in on the balanced jack (at least the Sony recommended one) !! Will there be any impact if I don't burn in the SE output at all. I'm not looking to use it and given that the circuits are different I don't think the SQ should suffer so long as I listen via the balanced output?


----------



## nc8000

Acemcl said:


> Finally finished with the burn-in on the balanced jack (at least the Sony recommended one) !! Will there be any impact if I don't burn in the SE output at all. I'm not looking to use it and given that the circuits are different I don't think the SQ should suffer so long as I listen via the balanced output?




If you don't use single ended there is no need to do burn in as none of it is used


----------



## Acemcl

PCheung said:


> The dignis case for sure
> I have one and I love it
> 
> I have a CKL-NWWM1 come with my 1Z and it is a joke
> ...



I have the dignis case as well and it's brilliant. Gives you access to all the functions and you don't need to take it off to charge or to load the SD card. I would also get a screen protector to go with the case tho....


----------



## pitch_black

gerelmx1986 said:


> I don't have a case either, naked is better, I just threat it so careful



I understand, why hide such a nice body..... but I want to sell it sometime in future better without scratches and dents.... and don't forget the dust


----------



## pitch_black

PCheung said:


> The dignis case for sure
> I have one and I love it
> 
> I have a CKL-NWWM1 come with my 1Z and it is a joke
> ...





Acemcl said:


> I have the dignis case as well and it's brilliant. Gives you access to all the functions and you don't need to take it off to charge or to load the SD card. I would also get a screen protector to go with the case tho....



Thanks guys!


----------



## Sleepow

The Dignis is great, but as it does not cover the screen, it is not the answer to all case needs.
If you put the player loosely in a bag with other hard edge devices, be mindful of the unprotected screen.


----------



## nanaholic

Definitely get a glass protector. I have a glass protector and the Dignis case, my Walkman is really well protected. Also worth mentioning is that the Dignis case comes with clear stickers which is designed for you to apply on the remaining exposed areas that is not protected by the case - which is the top area and the SD card flap. Once you put all of those on the player with a glass protector the Walkman probably cannot be more well protected (the only remaining protection is to add some dust covers to the ports). The attention to detail is what makes the Dignis case worth getting.


----------



## daniel_hokkaido

Hey thanks for the info. 

I will be using the Z5 iems and find them dark enough as it is ... so the KANN may be a good option


----------



## gerelmx1986

daniel_hokkaido said:


> Hey thanks for the info.
> 
> I will be using the Z5 iems and find them dark enough as it is ... so the KANN may be a good option


a bit off-topic cut do you know someone who has removed the gray filter sponges out of the xba-z5 nozzles? Any benefits or cons?


----------



## mw7485

daniel_hokkaido said:


> Hey thanks for the info.
> 
> I will be using the Z5 iems and find them dark enough as it is ... so the KANN may be a good option



I'm using Z5's with the 1Z - and I find the base absolutely fine - and I'm used to ER4's! The base is very present, but never overpowering. I find the synergy between the 1Z and the Z5's to be absolutely sublime in balanced mode. Given the cost of the players involved, an audition would be a sensible idea - perhaps @ CanJam London?


----------



## ledzep (May 29, 2017)

pitch_black said:


> As a 1A owner I don't have a case at the moment. What do you recommend the original Sony case CKL-NWWM1 or the Dignis case?
> It seems Accessoryjack is somehow offline since a few days (Hosting Server Connect Timeout HTTP 502 — Unable to Connect to the Origin Server), I guess its the Dignis case then...


----------



## ledzep (May 29, 2017)

Official Sony ok not the best
Dignis top quality,  but expensive and can mark easy ( depending on how you use it )
I've had both and now settled on a Benks clear thin tpu case , perfect fit plenty of grip and nicely shows off the player not to mention cheap.


----------



## animalsrush

I absolutely love the Sony case.. it makes player look classy and shows off the right bits .  When i travel I use pelican 1020 case with custom foam inserts that protects the device with case on..

Pc


----------



## blazinblazin

I think Dignis case still having the best fit out of the leather cases.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I love the beauty Naked showings it's glory


----------



## daniel_hokkaido

gerelmx1986 said:


> a bit off-topic cut do you know someone who has removed the gray filter sponges out of the xba-z5 nozzles? Any benefits or cons?



Hey ... no and I wouldn't think it a good idea. There's no cross overs in the Z5 so that sponge is likely important


----------



## gerelmx1986

daniel_hokkaido said:


> Hey ... no and I wouldn't think it a good idea. There's no cross overs in the Z5 so that sponge is likely important


thanks for the info, and yes I remembered when I removed the sponge front the H3 the had piercing highs. Better leave the sponge as is


----------



## gerelmx1986

Any one got a database error after rebooting your Walkman (8s button press)? Not a big deal, just rebuilding the DB


----------



## nanaholic

WM1Z > Dita truth cable (copper) with 4.4mm option plug > Just ear XJE-MH1


----------



## kubig123

just received a couple of new toys

4.4mm to 3.5mm adapter 

Dita 4.4mm plug


----------



## nc8000

kubig123 said:


> just received a couple of new toys
> 
> 4.4mm to 3.5mm adapter
> 
> Dita 4.4mm plug



I need one of those 4.4 mm female adapters


----------



## kubig123

nc8000 said:


> I need one of those 4.4 mm female adapters



The female adapter is quite bulky but at least now I can use the same cable on the WM1Z and Paw Gold.


----------



## Toolman

nanaholic said:


> WM1Z > Dita truth cable (copper) with 4.4mm option plug > *Just ear XJE-MH1*



How was the process of having one made in Japan? how many fitting/impression do you need to go through and _most importantly_ how is the sound quality?


----------



## nc8000

kubig123 said:


> The female adapter is quite bulky but at least now I can use the same cable on the WM1Z and Paw Gold.



I need it terminated to 2 x 3-pin xlr to be able to use my Z1R balanced from my balanced home amp


----------



## Whitigir

These female 4.4mm itself is very expensive ($55), so to those who are looking to get the adapters, keep in mind that they won't come cheap


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> These female 4.4mm itself is very expensive ($55), so to those who are looking to get the adapters, keep in mind that they won't come cheap



I agree it's not cheap especially if you have to ship it to the US, but an adapter will be even more expensive.


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> I agree it's not cheap especially if you have to ship it to the US, but an adapter will be even more expensive.



Yeah, the reason why I brought that up again is because I have some people who have been thinking about getting them, but then goes on and compare between the cost of an adapter vs the cost of a new cables with cheap plugs/wires, so on and on.....I just have to say that these adapters are only viable if you already have high-end cables, otherwise, if you are choosing them for economical reason, it isn't.


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> These female 4.4mm itself is very expensive ($55), so to those who are looking to get the adapters, keep in mind that they won't come cheap



Where can you order the 4.4mm female plug ?


----------



## blazinblazin

kubig123 said:


> just received a couple of new toys
> 
> 4.4mm to 3.5mm adapter



This adapter is about 100 bucks


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Where can you order the 4.4mm female plug ?


In Japan using agents


----------



## nanaholic

Toolman said:


> How was the process of having one made in Japan? how many fitting/impression do you need to go through and _most importantly_ how is the sound quality?



You can read the (short) Just Ear thread below where another user and I documented the ordering and making process:
https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/sony-announces-the-just-ear-brand-of-custom-iems.739725/page-11

Simply put best fitting CIEM I've ever owned and SQ is unmatched by anything because the sound signature is custom tuned to my exact sound preference. I haven't heard any IEM that even comes close to approaching how my MH1 satisfies every frequency range since I got them.


----------



## iamdman

After inserting into  3.5mm headphone jack, I can feel a bit of play (wiggle) - meaning,  though the headphone jack gets inserted completely there is a bit of play (looseness) inside the jack which can be felt by slight wiggle. Is that common? I dont have 4.4mm balanced cable to test that jack.

Call me paranoid but for $1k I would expect not to happen - it doesn't happen in my onkyp dp-x1 or the fiio x5 iii.

Thanks


----------



## animalsrush

Sony wm1z + z1r ..
Love this combo.. use it at home while use k10 when traveling.. with Sony  kimber balanced cable and z1r the synergy with wm1z is amazing. It sounds so smooth and refined I love it..

Pc


----------



## JML

Anyone have issues with makes/models/sizes of microSD cards?  I was thinking of the SanDisk Ultra 200GB Micro SDXC Memory Card; the 256GB are significantly more expensive.


----------



## Toolman

JML said:


> Anyone have issues with makes/models/sizes of microSD cards?  I was thinking of the SanDisk Ultra 200GB Micro SDXC Memory Card; the 256GB are significantly more expensive.



I am using the Sandisk 200GB microSD card with my WM1Z...and it worked perfectly


----------



## blazinblazin (May 31, 2017)

iamdman said:


> After inserting into  3.5mm headphone jack, I can feel a bit of play (wiggle) - meaning,  though the headphone jack gets inserted completely there is a bit of play (looseness) inside the jack which can be felt by slight wiggle. Is that common? I dont have 4.4mm balanced cable to test that jack.
> 
> Call me paranoid but for $1k I would expect not to happen - it doesn't happen in my onkyp dp-x1 or the fiio x5 iii.
> 
> Thanks



It's purposely designed to have some play on both port.
Don't worry it's not the connection loose but its the whole female jack its not mounted on a solid board but only connected to the board by wires.

Probably don't want to cause stress on the female ports.

I would think Sony put in all their efforts to make this a long-lasting player.


----------



## iamdman

blazinblazin said:


> It's purposely designed to have some play on both port.
> Don't worry it's not the connection loose but its the whole female jack its not mounted on a solid board but only connected to the board by wires.
> 
> Probably don't want to cause stress on the female ports.
> ...



Makes sense. Thanks for confirming the same. Since none of my other players had that play I wasn't sure.


----------



## kms108 (May 31, 2017)

nc8000 said:


> Where can you order the 4.4mm female plug ?


 Try this, just search online for a taobao agent to help purchase this item for purchase outside of China.

3.5mm male to 4.4mm female adapter

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.176.jjx1oV&id=552149158294&ns=1&abbucket=10#detail

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.110.NfxCne&id=551266289367&ns=1&abbucket=10#detail



many 4.4mm male to 3.5mm female adapter

https://s.taobao.com/search?q=3.5转4.4&imgfile=&js=1&stats_click=search_radio_all:1&initiative_id=staobaoz_20170531&ie=utf8&bcoffset=7&ntoffset=7&p4ppushleft=1,48&s=0



musashino LABEL more expensive buying from here

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.168.jjx1oV&id=551191840459&ns=1&abbucket=10#detail


Not too sure if everyone is after this part, but the detail seems sketchy, so anyone with better chinese, please enlighten us the details.

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...6865562215538536793.17.zhvpnP&id=551368655622


----------



## Whitigir

Wonderful, so China is already pouring out the female 4.4mm ? That is excellent, though the quality maybe doubtful but it is a wonderful news.  I can not wait for Furutech to come out with a good solid 4.4mm male and females


----------



## PCheung

Whitigir said:


> Wonderful, so China is already pouring out the female 4.4mm ? That is excellent, though the quality maybe doubtful but it is a wonderful news.  I can not wait for Furutech to come out with a good solid 4.4mm male and females



Furutech announced the 4.4 male plug, waiting for the female 
http://www.phileweb.com/news/audio/image.php?id=18729&row=3


----------



## Whitigir

PCheung said:


> Furutech announced the 4.4 male plug, waiting for the female
> http://www.phileweb.com/news/audio/image.php?id=18729&row=3



Hopefully we will see them in our shores within a couple months


----------



## gerelmx1986

I reached 500 hours, and I want to update my review, but there's is no my reviews link on my profile


----------



## Acemcl

JML said:


> Anyone have issues with makes/models/sizes of microSD cards?  I was thinking of the SanDisk Ultra 200GB Micro SDXC Memory Card; the 256GB are significantly more expensive.


i am using the samsung evolution 256GB card and it worked without a hitch


----------



## Acemcl

Does anyone have any thoughts / experience using the following screen protector? I can have one sent by a friend in Tokyo


----------



## jamato8 (May 31, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Wonderful, so China is already pouring out the female 4.4mm ? That is excellent, though the quality maybe doubtful but it is a wonderful news.  I can not wait for Furutech to come out with a good solid 4.4mm male and females


I asked Furutech about a week or two ago if they were going to make a socket in the 4.4 TRRRS form and they said no, only the plug. I hope they change their mind about the socket.


----------



## hung031086

Any recommendations on glass screen protector?


----------



## kms108

hung031086 said:


> Any recommendations on glass screen protector?



For my ZX2 i used benks and gamas, used them for a long time, there are many other brands available from ebay, aliexpress and amazon, but do notice which ever you buy the chances are, they are all the same or similar OEM rebadge and all made in china with different packaging, so just get the cheapest one. You may not be able to get the benks or gamas, as I will get the from taobao china unless you use a taobao agent.


----------



## kubig123

jamato8 said:


> I asked Furutech about a week or two ago if they were going to make a socket in the 4.4 TRRRS form and they said no, only the plug. I hope they change their mind about the socket.


These Furutech plugs are a work of art!


----------



## jamato8

kubig123 said:


> These Furutech plugs are a work of art!


Yes, most all my plugs are the Furutech. The RCA's for my desktop amp male and female, though expensive, are all that I use. The only plug I feel is a let down is the 2.5 TRRS because the center pin is steel and I have other TRRS 2.5 that are not steel and non magnetic and they hold up very well.


----------



## Whitigir

Yeah, I actually like Furutech for their Materials purity, I careless about it appearances though


----------



## mw7485

hung031086 said:


> Any recommendations on glass screen protector?



Can't recommend the Brotect products enough (Check amazon.co.uk). Cheap, well made, and a breeze to apply. I use them on all my screens.


----------



## starblue

Hi guys,

I just bought my NM WM1Z in Japan. Its international version. How do I check if its EU version and/or volume capped?

Thanks
Blue Star


----------



## blazinblazin

starblue said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I just bought my NM WM1Z in Japan. Its international version. How do I check if its EU version and/or volume capped?
> 
> ...



I dont think Japan sells EU version.
From what i read from this forum. Normally EU set have their options to check high gains locked.


----------



## Toolman

kms108 said:


> ...do notice which ever you buy the chances are, they are all the same or similar OEM rebadge and all made in china with different packaging, so just get the cheapest one.



Was just about to type the same answer...most, if not all are Made in China. I picked up a couple in Japan then later another one locally at near half price all are about the same quality, and yes Chinese made. The only difference are the packaging and the branding outside the box.


----------



## soundkist

Acemcl said:


> Does anyone have any thoughts / experience using the following screen protector? I can have one sent by a friend in Tokyo



I have this one, and think it is fantastic; I ended up getting it from a recommendation a while back in this thread, so I think others have it too.


----------



## alvinls72

Hi All, first post here.

I recently acquired the WM-1A and have been using standard earphones (ONKYO E700M) every since.  Will there be a significant sound difference for BALANCED output?

If yes, what balanced earphones do you experts recommend me try out?

Thanks in advance.


----------



## kokmeng

Greetings. 

I have a quick question on WM1A burn in. Do you let the DAP run with power adaptor on? Or you run on battery & charge when it is needed? 

Appreciate your comment on this. Cheers.


----------



## Smousesme

Hi guys, I'm looking to amp my wm1a and I'm wondering if it matters wether I use the trrrs output, or use the trrs output.

I know that using either will enable me to listen to native dsd, but will I be missing out on anything in terms sq for not using the 4.4mm output?
Thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

I reached finally 500 hours on my A, like it the SQ of balanced, since today I won't care if f the unit reboots


----------



## PCheung

native dsd decoding only on 4.4 balance output as I recall 
DSD convert to PCM on 3.5 SE


----------



## soundkist

kokmeng said:


> Greetings.
> 
> I have a quick question on WM1A burn in. Do you let the DAP run with power adaptor on? Or you run on battery & charge when it is needed?
> 
> Appreciate your comment on this. Cheers.



I powered it via the battery, and charged when necessary.  I don't know if the resulting trickle charge of using the adapter constantly would have any impact on such a modern battery.


----------



## JML

mw7485 said:


> Can't recommend the Brotect products enough (Check amazon.co.uk). Cheap, well made, and a breeze to apply. I use them on all my screens.



Amazon US shows three variants to fit the Sonys. I just ordered the new glass version. Dealer is in Germany, so it might be a while before I get it.


----------



## Smousesme

PCheung said:


> native dsd decoding only on 4.4 balance output as I recall
> DSD convert to PCM on 3.5 SE



But with a 3.5mm trrs going in that port, I've read that you get native dsd. I just want to know if there'd be much difference in sq when using the 3.5mm port (balanced) when it's being fed to an amp


----------



## nc8000 (Jun 1, 2017)

Smousesme said:


> But with a 3.5mm trrs going in that port, I've read that you get native dsd. I just want to know if there'd be much difference in sq when using the 3.5mm port (balanced) when it's being fed to an amp




No. Native DSD is only from the 4.4 balanced port. The 3.5 port is single ended or seperate ground, not balanced


----------



## Whitigir

The TRRS should only be playing PCM as confirmed by Sony engineers


----------



## Smousesme

Aaahhhhh alri, so I'll try n find a 4.4mm LOD. Nice one guys


----------



## Smousesme

Sorry for the extra question, but if I were to take a 2.5mm trrs and use a 4.4mm trrrs adapter, to input that into the balanced port, would it then be playing native dsd?


----------



## JML

Eidolic makes a high-quality 4.4 TRRRS plug.


----------



## nc8000

Smousesme said:


> Sorry for the extra question, but if I were to take a 2.5mm trrs and use a 4.4mm trrrs adapter, to input that into the balanced port, would it then be playing native dsd?




Yes anything coming out of the 4.4 is balanced as long as there are 4 wires (2 for each channel) all the way and wired correctly


----------



## nc8000

JML said:


> Eidolic makes a high-quality 4.4 TRRRS plug.



Female or only male ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Female or only male ?


maybe hermaphrodite


----------



## mw7485

JML said:


> Amazon US shows three variants to fit the Sonys. I just ordered the new glass version. Dealer is in Germany, so it might be a while before I get it.



It will arrive quicker than you think. 5 days from memory - this was the delivery time from someone else in the US who bought one. All the Brotect films come form the one German supplier who is either the manufacturer or seems to be doing global distribution direct from Germany all by themselves.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Finally got the cable that  asquare3376 sent to me


----------



## buzzlulu

mw7485 said:


> It will arrive quicker than you think. 5 days from memory - this was the delivery time from someone else in the US who bought one. All the Brotect films come form the one German supplier who is either the manufacturer or seems to be doing global distribution direct from Germany all by themselves.



I was the one who first reported on this.  Cheap as chips - I bought two and they arrived in less than a week.  Absolutely stellar


----------



## JML (Jun 1, 2017)

nc8000 said:


> Female or only male ?



I have a custom balanced cable from Double Helix Cables on the way, with male Eidolic 4.4mm and male Eidolic 3.5mm, for my Oppo PM-3 and the Sony NW-WM1A. Check his website for a great selection of parts and outstanding built-up cables.


----------



## JML

mw7485 said:


> It will arrive quicker than you think. 5 days from memory - this was the delivery time from someone else in the US who bought one. All the Brotect films come form the one German supplier who is either the manufacturer or seems to be doing global distribution direct from Germany all by themselves.



That's good news!  Thanks.  I have a Dignis case ordered, too.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The cable I got is Z1R will be using it will my z7


----------



## gerelmx1986

MDR-Z7 with Z1R cables lol


----------



## kokmeng

soundkist said:


> I powered it via the battery, and charged when necessary.  I don't know if the resulting trickle charge of using the adapter constantly would have any impact on such a modern battery.



Exactly my concern on the battery lifespan if I ever do that. Hope to hear from the rest too. Cheers.


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 2, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> MDR-Z7 with Z1R cables lol


Now that is a treat


----------



## blazinblazin

kokmeng said:


> Exactly my concern on the battery lifespan if I ever do that. Hope to hear from the rest too. Cheers.



I charge when battery low.

But i burn in without charging, purely on the batt.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jun 2, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Now that is a treat


indeed sounds better than the standard z7 balanced cables, Inmediateley after plugging it in details were unearthed, sight if z5 had such a cable too (no Kimber) but like this for t he Z1R



blazinblazin said:


> I charge when battery low.
> 
> But i burn in without charging, purely on the batt.


me too did this charge and on battery burn in, as now complete on both circuits


----------



## gerelmx1986

Balanced has made me realize that, 16/44.1 is not that bad after all, there are fine CD quality recordings


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Balanced has made me realize that, 16/44.1 is not that bad after all, there are fine CD quality recordings



Ofcourse! Honestly, the only differences would be DSD and 16/44.1....anything in between.....all a can of worm.  Hell, many people would call DSD differences being different mastering...etc....it is all a can of worm


----------



## jamato8

Whitigir said:


> Ofcourse! Honestly, the only differences would be DSD and 16/44.1....anything in between.....all a can of worm.  Hell, many people would call DSD differences being different mastering...etc....it is all a can of worm


But what kind of worm? There are many kinds of worms. :^)


----------



## ledzep

Another re terminating done another excellent match !


----------



## Cagin

Put up my Norne Audio ultrashort balanced adapter plug 2.5mm female to 4.4mm male on the classifieds.

Also put my Norne Therium 2pin ciems 4.4mm cable if anyone's looking for a balanced goodie. Especially considering the extensive waiting times x-D


----------



## gerelmx1986

I got an álbum in DSD 2.82MHz Files are damn Huge 3GB for the entire álbum, how i can convet separate dsf tracks to 24/176.4KHz flac?


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> I got an álbum in DSD 2.82MHz Files are damn Huge 3GB for the entire álbum, how i can convet separate dsf tracks to 24/176.4KHz flac?


never mind found at dbPower amp coded central the DSD decoder


----------



## JML

Just got mine from Amazon.  FYI: the firmware was 1.02, and the latest is is 1.20. Updating took only a few minutes. Plus, as noted earlier, the battery was barely charged. Formatted and filled a 200G microSD card, added more music to the built-in storage; it was very easy to copy files from my Mac using the Finder. And now it's off to the races...


----------



## Acemcl

Any recommendations for aftermarket cable to pair the Utopia's with the 1Z? I am looking at Kimber but interested to hear about other potential options


----------



## meomap

Acemcl said:


> Any recommendations for aftermarket cable to pair the Utopia's with the 1Z? I am looking at Kimber but interested to hear about other potential options




Double Helix Cable.


----------



## blazinblazin

gerelmx1986 said:


> I got an álbum in DSD 2.82MHz Files are damn Huge 3GB for the entire álbum, how i can convet separate dsf tracks to 24/176.4KHz flac?



Till you get DSD 11.2MHz songs. 1GB per song... I have 2 in my 1A


----------



## Watcherq

blazinblazin said:


> Till you get DSD 11.2MHz songs. 1GB per song... I have 2 in my 1A


Ha ha I actually only transfer up to 5.6MHz/5.8MHz/2xDSD/DSD128.  I have doubts on a portable rig, my foot steps won't smother the difference...


----------



## Watcherq

Acemcl said:


> Any recommendations for aftermarket cable to pair the Utopia's with the 1Z? I am looking at Kimber but interested to hear about other potential options


How about the PWAudio 1960 4-cable?


----------



## Sleepow

blazinblazin said:


> Till you get DSD 11.2MHz songs. 1GB per song... I have 2 in my 1A


I have a handful of Quad DSD albums: the file system did not accept one of the track for being>4GB...


----------



## Acemcl

meomap said:


> Double Helix Cable.


Guessing you mean the Prion4? What are your sound impressions with the combination?


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> Till you get DSD 11.2MHz songs. 1GB per song... I have 2 in my 1A


Converted it to flac 24/176.4


----------



## gerelmx1986

when proedros said he didnt buy from ecord labels 

I did a small data analisys from my lib.

2.36% Hi-res
97.64% 16/44.1

7% CD rips(physical media that i have bought or gifted from dad)
7% CD rips from my Boyfriend
8% Digi-download
78%  haha from the pirate ship land


----------



## productred

gerelmx1986 said:


> when proedros said he didnt buy from ecord labels
> 
> I did a small data analisys from my lib.
> 
> ...



Me

2% Hi-res
98% 16/44.1

98% CD rips
2% Digi-download

Simple as that


----------



## nc8000

productred said:


> Me
> 
> 2% Hi-res
> 98% 16/44.1
> ...




I'm at a slightly higher rate for hires, but close. Still have about 5-700 cd's left to rip, done about 800. And then there are the lp's to rip


----------



## Acemcl

nc8000 said:


> I'm at a slightly higher rate for hires, but close. Still have about 5-700 cd's left to rip, done about 800. And then there are the lp's to rip



How do you rip LP's?


----------



## nanaholic

Acemcl said:


> How do you rip LP's?



Lots of turntables now have USB output. Sony even have a turntable that lets you rip vinyls into DSD format directly.


----------



## audionewbi

Listening to WM1A and comparing to much larger DAP and DAC/AMP costing more than wm1a we are a fortunate generation to be able to experience such sound in such a size. Sure future can only get better (that is I hope it can) but could anyone imagine back in 2001 we would be able to get such a sound from such a device?


----------



## Acemcl

nanaholic said:


> Lots of turntables now have USB output. Sony even have a turntable that lets you rip vinyls into DSD format directly.



I have got to look into that !!! For my cd collection i just used musicshifter.. there's a few of these around that do a pretty good job


----------



## nanaholic

Acemcl said:


> I have got to look into that !!! For my cd collection i just used musicshifter.. there's a few of these around that do a pretty good job



https://www.sony.com/electronics/audio-components/ps-hx500

Here you go.


----------



## Acemcl

nanaholic said:


> https://www.sony.com/electronics/audio-components/ps-hx500
> 
> Here you go.



Thanks!


----------



## nc8000

Acemcl said:


> Thanks!



Yep, that's the one I use and it is quite respectable at just playing records as well, but naturally not a top grade player


----------



## Acemcl

nc8000 said:


> Yep, that's the one I use and it is quite respectable at just playing records as well, but naturally not a top grade player



I'm going to see if i can demo it. I already have a turntable which I really like (it's a well tempered Amadeus) so would be getting this just to rip my LP's. Thankfully the sony seems to be reasonably priced


----------



## kubig123

nanaholic said:


> https://www.sony.com/electronics/audio-components/ps-hx500
> 
> Here you go.


Damn!
another nice toy to add to my collection, now I really need more space...


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> Listening to WM1A and comparing to much larger DAP and DAC/AMP costing more than wm1a we are a fortunate generation to be able to experience such sound in such a size. Sure future can only get better (that is I hope it can) but could anyone imagine back in 2001 we would be able to get such a sound from such a device?


agree


----------



## starblue

Hi all,

As a new and proud owner of 1Z I have tried to go through all the pages on this thread, right from page 1 and am sure I have covered at least 85% (may have skipped some) over let few days. So please gentle when I ask questions, I have tried to find answers first through the earlier pages and am asking the ones I couldnt find answer to, or saw clear conclusion. Thanks for your help in advance
- do you use the player in standard or high gain? So far I have used my player with denon D5000, Z1R (via balanced), LCD XC, TH900 etc and I found myself pushing the volume close to 100 quite often even with easy to drive headphones. Initially I thought I may have capped version but seems not the case. I may be listening loud in general but if I were to switch to high gain mode (when necessary, for more power hungry headphones), is there any degradation in sound quality? if none then why Sony wouldn't default to high gain at all times? Is 'no loss in sound quality with high gain' specific to player implementation?
- what is the battery life with standard flac files? I am sure I need to test more but I think initially I burned out the battery with 24 bit flac in less than 12 hours. I have battery protection turned on from the very first charge cycle. Is there any batter burn in cycle?
I need to build a 4.4mm to 4pin XLR adaptor. I can get this done in HK via a technician whose has done this for me earlier and in satisfactory manner. Is there any standard recommeation? The HK vendor will use double helix cable, Eidetic 4.4mm plug and Neutrik female XLR for 650 HKD. Price is not an issue but more to get the right materials and construction 

Apart from above
@Whitigir and all - I am looking to upgrade and need XLR terminated balanced cables for my LCDs and Pioneer SEM1. Any recommendations? I won't do it myself so vendor and material recommendations please. These will be used with 1Z, TA ZH1ES and audioGD NFB27

Given the warm nature of !z, I was quite surprised that it wasn't able to tame the treble harshness of my TH900. I am overly sensitive to treble. Can replacing cables help?


----------



## JML (Jun 6, 2017)

I found two albums I had copied over which didn't show any artwork after copying them to the Sony, despite looking fine on my computer, and figured out that it was because there were two image files embedded in each of the AIFF tracks. I was able to fix this by removing both albums, deleting all artwork on the computer's files for those albums, adding a single image to the tracks, and then recopying them to the Sony.  I'm not sure if that's a common issue, but thought I'd post the information in case someone else has a similar problem.


----------



## gerelmx1986

JML said:


> I found two albums I had copied over which didn't show any artwork after copying them to the Sony, despite looking fine on my computer, and figured out that it was because there were two image files embedded in each of the AIFF tracks. I was able to fix this by removing both albums, deleting all artwork on the computer's files for those albums, adding a single image to the tracks, and then recopying them to the Sony.  I'm not sure if that's a common issue, but thought I'd post the information in case someone else has a similar problem.


yes Sony players only support front cover, there are. Many options in the embedding of images on files


----------



## Rei87

Today, I learnt what true fear is, when I saw my dog holding a golden sony player in his mouth.

Luckily, it was protected by a silicon case and kept in a velvet pouch, and he is a small house dog....but i have no idea how many times he must have dropped it on the floor as he made his way out of the room with his stolen toy....


----------



## blazinblazin (Jun 7, 2017)

Rei87 said:


> Today, I learnt what true fear is, when I saw my dog holding a golden sony player in his mouth.
> 
> Luckily, it was protected by a silicon case and kept in a velvet pouch, and he is a small house dog....but i have no idea how many times he must have dropped it on the floor as he made his way out of the room with his stolen toy....



Your dog have good taste


----------



## Mimouille

Rei87 said:


> Today, I learnt what true fear is, when I saw my dog holding a golden sony player in his mouth.
> 
> Luckily, it was protected by a silicon case and kept in a velvet pouch, and he is a small house dog....but i have no idea how many times he must have dropped it on the floor as he made his way out of the room with his stolen toy....


If he can lift the WM1Z, not such a small dog.


----------



## Rei87

Mimouille said:


> If he can lift the WM1Z, not such a small dog.



It's a shih tzu...they are quite small..thankfully

And it won't be the first time that he has wrecked audio stuff...he destroyed a westone W50.


----------



## 13candles

Rei87 said:


> It's a shih tzu...they are quite small..thankfully
> And it won't be the first time that he has wrecked audio stuff...he destroyed a westone W50.




I think I would personally be more concerned if any of its saliva seeped into an exposed crevice of your 1Z . 

Hopefully not though...


----------



## Whitigir

13candles said:


> I think I would personally be more concerned if any of its saliva seeped into an exposed crevice of your 1Z .
> 
> Hopefully not though...



It will improve audio quality  In a bad or good way


----------



## Rei87

I doubt so ....it had two layers of protection on it....
Altho, in response to this, I've now concluded that a velvet pouch no longer suffices a sufficient protection. I shall purchase a pelikan case.


----------



## ledzep

Anyone paired up the 1Z/1A with any in ear wireless yet, need a pair for around work.


----------



## Cagin

Rei87 said:


> It's a shih tzu...they are quite small..thankfully
> And it won't be the first time that he has wrecked audio stuff...he destroyed a westone W50.


I think your K9 just desires a nice K10 to chew on 

Ba dum tssssss


----------



## nanaholic

ledzep said:


> Anyone paired up the 1Z/1A with any in ear wireless yet, need a pair for around work.



If you have any earphones that uses MMCX plugs then Sony's own MUC-M2BT1 BT cable is highly recommended as it supports Sony's excellent LDAC codec (better than apt-x) and you can pair it with any earphones you like.


----------



## Decreate

nanaholic said:


> If you have any earphones that uses MMCX plugs then Sony's own MUC-M2BT1 BT cable is highly recommended as it supports Sony's excellent LDAC codec (better than apt-x) and you can pair it with any earphones you like.


I've tried using the MUC-M2BT1 BT cable and although it sounds a lot better than any of the other bluetooth earphones I've tried, I get a lot of dropouts. I find it happens most often when I'm near traffic lights like the crossing right in front of Sogo in Causeway Bay...


----------



## ledzep

nanaholic said:


> If you have any earphones that uses MMCX plugs then Sony's own MUC-M2BT1 BT cable is highly recommended as it supports Sony's excellent LDAC codec (better than apt-x) and you can pair it with any earphones you like.



Did see these would cost £200 + to get into UK. Gave me an idea though, buy the 

MDR-EX750BT and cut off the wired buds and re terminate to 2 pin as these are only £90 and have the LDAC .


----------



## nanaholic

Decreate said:


> I've tried using the MUC-M2BT1 BT cable and although it sounds a lot better than any of the other bluetooth earphones I've tried, I get a lot of dropouts. I find it happens most often when I'm near traffic lights like the crossing right in front of Sogo in Causeway Bay...



CWB has so many people (and thus phones) that it suffers from signal pollution, and you are talking Sogo which is the busiest crossing in HK island side. I sometimes get dropouts in Central as well, but for the OP's original purpose though - something to use in the office mostly stationary, then it shouldn't be an issue and the sound quality as well as flexibility is simply unbeatable.



ledzep said:


> Did see these would cost £200 + to get into UK. Gave me an idea though, buy the
> 
> MDR-EX750BT and cut off the wired buds and re terminate to 2 pin as these are only £90 and have the LDAC .



Seems doable actually if you are handy with DIYing.


----------



## 13candles

So something odd happened for the very first time to my 1Z.

I realised that my player was charged to full even though I left the BATTERY CARE option box checked . 

It has been stated that the 1z takes approx 7 hours to be fully charged . I am very certain that I only left my player to charge for a shade under 6 hours and during that time when I first plugged it in , it was left with the last quadrant of juice.  

This is extremely puzzling . How is it that if you checked  the battery care option to not allow it charge over 90% and yet it does is really mind boggling to me . 

Anyone who can chime in on this ??


----------



## Mimouille

13candles said:


> So something odd happened for the very first time to my 1Z.
> 
> I realised that my player was charged to full even though I left the BATTERY CARE option box checked .
> 
> ...


It shows full at 90%


----------



## 13candles

Mimouille said:


> It shows full at 90%



Oh right... So i guess all this while i did not really hit the 90%  even when i thought it'll just continue charging and not show it's status being full! 

Thanks for the clarification ! Merci


----------



## Dean Lim

wm1z so heavy, it is barely portable


----------



## kubig123

Dean Lim said:


> wm1z so heavy, it is barely portable


you'll get use to.


----------



## Mimouille

Dean Lim said:


> wm1z so heavy, it is barely portable


Your wallet is much lighter so it evens out.


----------



## JML (Jun 8, 2017)

For those Apple/Mac owners who are considering purchase of either of these units, I want to emphasize something that took me a while to find out prior to purchase (because this thread is so long!) and which I confirmed post-purchase: the ease with which one can copy and edit music files/folders directly from your computer, using the Finder, without having to resort to Android-based work-arounds.  The Linux-based Sony software makes this all very easy!  I see absolutely no need for the Sony Content Transfer app, as long as you have your music files in good shape and know where they are stored on your computer, and know where the Sony player stores music. Copying music is just like any other drag & drop operation.

If you get a new microSD card, just format it first in the Sony itself, connect it to your computer, and copy folders/files from the computer to the "Music" folder on the microSD card (or the player's native storage "Music" folder).


----------



## kubig123

JML said:


> For those Apple/Mac owners who are considering purchase of either of these units, I want to emphasize something that took me a while to find out prior to purchase (because this thread is so long!) and which I confirmed post-purchase: the ease with which one can copy and edit music files/folders directly from your computer, using the Finder, without having to resort to Android-based work-arounds.  The Linux-based Sony software makes this all very easy!  I see absolutely no need for the Sony Content Transfer app, as long as you have your music files in good shape and know where they are stored on your computer, and know where the Sony player stores music. Copying music is just like any other drag & drop operation.



I totally agree, it' snot only easy but also it's incredible faster to transfer music than any other DAP, the Paw gold usually takes 3 times more to transfer the same file.

this is also the reason why I sold my AK380 and stick with the WM1z.


----------



## pitch_black

Dean Lim said:


> wm1z so heavy, it is barely portable



the WM1A was much lighter then I anticipated.... but then together with the Dignis Case it feels much much bigger and heavier.


----------



## mw7485

Some not too bad open box deals on amazon.co.uk if anyone is looking to snag a discounted NW-WM1A.


----------



## nanaholic

Speaking of portability - a few days ago I was at the Sony Ginza store and came across this:




 

A specially designed pouch for the WM1 series that has multiple attachment configurations. I believe this is an exclusive item to Sony's Japan store. At 15,800yen ex tax it's not exactly a cheap pouch, but it's made in Japan and after handling the the demo I immediately pulled the trigger.



 

When closed it's a pretty normal looking fabric pouch that doesn't attract attention to itself. 



 

Opened up it's a tri-fold arrangement with the holder for the Walkman set in the center. It's a bit hard to see due to the contrast but on the right flap is a small compartment for micro-SD cards, and on the left is big mesh pocket that is designed to hold things like earphones or the BT remote. While the holder for the Walkman was obviously designed for the Walkman when it is naked but it also has just enough give to it that I can push the Walkman into even when it is still in the Dignis case. There's also enough room when the case closes that I can slip my fingers down the opening and operate the hardware control buttons, but I think that's really because I have thin fingers lol.



 

The multiple attachment configuration is what I really like about this case. There's the sling which comes with the case so you can wear it across your chest like a messenger bag, the multiple magic tape flaps also allows you to attach the case to a belt vertically or horizontally. Or you can even attach the case to the sling belt of another bag. Almost endless possibilities.

 

When I got the case one of the way to use it was to thread the sling into the belt holes of my jeans, I walked around Tokyo the entire day with this configuration. Never got in the way when I'm walking, sitting, taking the trains etc, very satisfied.


----------



## Whitigir

You will want something like this


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> You will want something like this



Nope not the same. It's not like I don't have waist bags.
Imagine taking the Walkman out out of the waist bag and then dropping it on the ground - no issue with that with this pouch, you open the flap and have access to controls while the Walkman is securely held in place. Also because the Walkman is not loose when you walk it doesn't jiggle and bounce around.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jun 8, 2017)

I have all my folders in shape arranged by composer then the albums, the only problem with me is that I have the included bundles such as booklets and the folder jpgs


----------



## Mimouille

nanaholic said:


> Nope not the same. It's not like I don't have waist bags.
> Imagine taking the Walkman out out of the waist bag and then dropping it on the ground - no issue with that with this pouch, you open the flap and have access to controls while the Walkman is securely held in place. Also because the Walkman is not loose when you walk it doesn't jiggle and bounce around.


I think he was kidding, hinting at the fact that both this pouch and the waist bag are top fashion accessories which are sure to attract the attention of any model lurking around.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have all my folders in shape arranged by composer then the albums, the only problem with me is that I have the included bundles such as booklets and the folder jpgs




Me too. I just have a bat file that I run on the player that deletes them all after a transfer


----------



## Rei87

Having just heard AK's new flagship, the SP1000, i must say that I have mixed feelings towards it. 

But, that said, I do however think that AK has really, outdone themselves with this, and out of the box it has impressed me way more than the 1Z/A did out of box back then....


----------



## Mimouille

Rei87 said:


> Having just heard AK's new flagship, the SP1000, i must say that I have mixed feelings towards it.
> 
> But, that said, I do however think that AK has really, outdone themselves with this, and out of the box it has impressed me way more than the 1Z/A did out of box back then....


So why mixed feelings?


----------



## Whitigir

Rei87 said:


> Having just heard AK's new flagship, the SP1000, i must say that I have mixed feelings towards it.
> 
> But, that said, I do however think that AK has really, outdone themselves with this, and out of the box it has impressed me way more than the 1Z/A did out of box back then....



Nothing news, especially when AK doesn't do with Electrolytic caps and class D amplification.  Most of the other players always impress me more than Zx2, Wm1Z out of the box, but things change after burn-in


----------



## Ofir_A

Guys,

I am about to pull the trigger next week on the WM1Z probably getting it through Amazon in the US when I travel there in 10 days.
This seller (BuyWise Corp) has the N model? - 
https://www.amazon.com/digital-audi...UTF8&qid=1497028501&sr=8-2&keywords=sony+wm1z

Does anyone know which region is this WM1Z from?

Thanks,
Ofir


----------



## ledzep

Nigeria ?


----------



## PCheung

Ofir_A said:


> Guys,
> 
> I am about to pull the trigger next week on the WM1Z probably getting it through Amazon in the US when I travel there in 10 days.
> This seller (BuyWise Corp) has the N model? -
> ...


Some people say they are selling the tourist model


----------



## Rei87 (Jun 9, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Nothing news, especially when AK doesn't do with Electrolytic caps and class D amplification.  Most of the other players always impress me more than Zx2, Wm1Z out of the box, but things change after burn-in



Agreed, that with the caps the sony stuff need some burn in time.

However, the SP1000, in my opinion, is a tier above the 1Z even above after its been burnt in, in terms of its technicality and effortlessness. The SS version simply blew me away. That said, a friend of mine who has had his 1Z tinkered with, feels that his 1Z is just shy of the Sp1000's mid transparency, but, his 1Z has a much better spatial resolution and staging. I did not personally manage to hear his unit for a comparison, but given what I heard today, I can see why he might felt that way.

But, at that price point, it had better be good anyway lol. I hope to demo the my friend's tweaked  So ya, I felt that the 1Z's main selling point was its raw power output, which made me switch to maining the 1Z ever since I bought a dita Dream, but, with the SP1000 as good as it currently is, I might have to reconsider my choice, again.....


----------



## Whitigir

The only downside the sp1000 may have is the inability to digital out DSD


----------



## JML (Jun 9, 2017)

I bought an Anker 2-Port 24W USB Wall Charger PowerPort 2 with PowerIQ from Amazon to use when I travel, or just to recharge the Sony when my computer or a USB charger wasn't available. This thing is FAST. It took about half the time to recharge the Sony as compared to the special USB charging port on an OWC dock.


----------



## ledzep

ledzep said:


> Did see these would cost £200 + to get into UK. Gave me an idea though, buy the
> 
> MDR-EX750BT and cut off the wired buds and re terminate to 2 pin as these are only £90 and have the LDAC .



Had a pair of E80's laying around doing nothing, shelved the idea of a detachable  2 pin bit over kill for my ciems etc ....... so half hour later job done ! 
Pretty good results too.


----------



## riotgrrl

gerelmx1986 said:


> when proedros said he didnt buy from ecord labels
> 
> I did a small data analisys from my lib.
> 
> ...



How often does your boyfriend rip you a new one?


----------



## gerelmx1986

JML said:


> I bought an Anker 2-Port 24W USB Wall Charger PowerPort 2 with PowerIQ from Amazon to use when I travel, or just to recharge the Sony when my computer or a USB charger wasn't available. This thing is FAST. It took about half the time to recharge the Sony as compared to the special USB charging port on an OWC dock.


 Fast charger? I use the one included with the cellphone and takes arround 4 hours to fully charge, it has never taken the 7 hours said by sony


----------



## gerelmx1986

@riotgrrl i don't buy CD's that often, is rarely when i get CDs now. I prefer digital downloads


----------



## JML

gerelmx1986 said:


> Fast charger? I use the one included with the cellphone and takes arround 4 hours to fully charge, it has never taken the 7 hours said by sony



Yes, it's a new smart fast charger.  Took about 3 to 3.5 hours to go from the warning about low battery to fully-charged (90%) while the player was running (for burn-in).  It has two USB ports and enough voltage to charge from both.  Specs are at https://www.anker.com/products/A2141113.  $14 from Amazon.


----------



## MH01

Hey guys,

In relation to

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNW...nation_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation

Does anyone have the scsitool-nwz-v8.exe file? The download link for windows is not working, its downloading the Linux file for both....

as you can see clicking on it downloads scsitool_64-nwz-v8 which is linux file


----------



## mw7485

MH01 said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> In relation to
> 
> ...




I've got the NWZ-V7 windows executable if its of any use (I used it to "fix" my 1Z). If you want it, PM with your email and i'Il send it over.


----------



## MH01

mw7485 said:


> I've got the NWZ-V7 windows executable if its of any use (I used it to "fix" my 1Z). If you want it, PM with your email and i'Il send it over.



Thank you so much . PM sent


----------



## MH01

So so so many times I said I was not going to get a MW1 . Nope not gonna happen. Once I heard that it lost android and the ability to stream... I was out. 

A dap these days should be like a smartphone right guys? Do it all, and hopefully get you through the day on a battery charge , while we have charging stations setup in different rooms and residences we frequent . 

I'm weak.... just had to try it... so started looking for a WM1A used that I could lose little on etc... long story I happened to find a WM1Z for about the same price as a WM1a Rrp so what the heck...caved. ...

Impressions. 

Hardware : Holy batman (for you Adam west!) this thing is solid , and heavy . What I love about the ZX2 , is the weight and build quality . The WM1Z , takes it to a whole new level. Amazing 

Software : I expected to be very disappointed here. Damn it's simple, for the age of smartphones and complicating UI design, this thing is going back to basics. At first I was scratching my head thinking how simplified it was , so used to modern OS , though now i get it, it's going back to basics if a Walkman , finding  myself using the physics buttons most of the time. 

Battery : damn.....you gotta be kidding me, a modern device in 2017 with a battery life....this thing is like a old Nokia phone compared to modern smartphones that can't go a day. 

Sound : I'll give it 200 hours and leave impressions after that, though that seems to have been covered well in this thread. To be honest be it wm1a or WM1Z both would sound great. In my personal opinion all high end daps sound great, and depending on the music some suited to different genres , so such thing as the "best" dap out there. I'm so over the AK model of everyone claiming each Version is so much better as prices jump jump jump.... 

My zx2: it's staying , love it to much, and it allows me to stream content as a source and for any android apps . The WM1Z , not burnt in yet, gives me the smile I got when I received my first Walkman, it's about the music, and music only , about the music I own and not having 4 steaming services to get the music I like....


----------



## Blommen

I am basically trying to decide if I should get a wm1a or a cowon plenue PM 2 and would like to hear if someone here has any experience they can pass on? 

I do eq, some bass mostly, and I know that cowon has a good implementation of eq but what about Sony? 

The genres i listen to mostly is metal and rock, most of it in flac format.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Blommen said:


> I am basically trying to decide if I should get a wm1a or a cowon plenue PM 2 and would like to hear if someone here has any experience they can pass on?
> 
> I do eq, some bass mostly, and I know that cowon has a good implementation of eq but what about Sony?
> 
> The genres i listen to mostly is metal and rock, most of it in flac format.


The WM1A plays flac up to 24/192


----------



## mw7485

MH01 said:


> I'm weak.... just had to try it... so started looking for a WM1A used that I could lose little on etc... long story I happened to find a WM1Z for about the same price as a WM1a Rrp so what the heck...caved. ...




Damn, I wouldn't say you were "weak" if you managed to pick one up at that price. I was impressed with myself for getting one in Amazon's Easter blowout, but your bargain is the best I've seen reported to date. - well done - enjoy!


----------



## MH01

mw7485 said:


> Damn, I wouldn't say you were "weak" if you managed to pick one up at that price. I was impressed with myself for getting one in Amazon's Easter blowout, but your bargain is the best I've seen reported to date. - well done - enjoy!



That's used though  well an unwanted gift, so just lucky to know someone that was not keen an a golden brick as a portable. Geez I love its weight. Why can't burn in happen faster lol. And thanks for your help with the exe file


----------



## mw7485

MH01 said:


> That's used though  well an unwanted gift, so just lucky to know someone that was not keen an a golden brick as a portable. Geez I love its weight. Why can't burn in happen faster lol. And thanks for your help with the exe file



No problem, its what the community is about.


----------



## Blueoris

I have been following this thread careful. As a ZX2 happy owner, I am sure the new WM1A / Z series are a step ahead in all aspects, however, I am specifically interested on the imaging / soundstage capabilities of the new series. The reason of this is, I am looking forward to improve these attributes in my home stereo system and the 1Z may be a great source / transport that when connected to my pre-am using the analogue outputs, it would provide a sound with great positioning for instruments in a layered, wide soundstage.

Reading comments from owners here, the 1Z is great on those regards but I wonder if somebody here have had the opportunity to compare these attributes in the 1Z with the Hugo Chord, which is the option have been contemplating. The Hugo Chord also has great positioning and sound stage, according to some reviews and owner posts. I know that one is a DAC and the other is a DAP, different specs / features and strengths.  But focusing specifically in imaging / soundstage, which one is ahead? Any opinions?


----------



## High-Ender

Hello everybody

I'm new here.
I've been following this thread for a while and am now also owner of the Sony NW-WM1A.
But I'm looking at the website:

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNW...nation_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation


I can not find the tool for windows. The downloadlink is for Linux only.
I need the scsitool-nwz-v8.exe file.
Does anyone have this file?
Is this version running under Win 10 or older?
I hope someone can help me.

P.S. I come from Germany and hope my english is ok.


----------



## Sarnia

High-Ender said:


> Hello everybody
> 
> I'm new here.
> I've been following this thread for a while and am now also owner of the Sony NW-WM1A.
> ...


On the link you posted, click on the 'Getting the tool' link under Windows. The tool is then in the download section under Windows 32bit.


----------



## High-Ender

Sarnia said:


> On the link you posted, click on the 'Getting the tool' link under Windows. The tool is then in the download section under Windows 32bit.



Thank you for your answer,
But under "Getting the tool" both have the same link. If you click on the Windows link, then there is only the Linux version not the Windows version.


----------



## ledzep

Trying to work out if hitting the 1000 hour mark on my player or the view or both is making this Floyd album sound very smooth and dreamy? 

I welcome your opinions especially if your at work or it's cold and rainy where you are


----------



## gerelmx1986

High-Ender said:


> Thank you for your answer,
> But under "Getting the tool" both have the same link. If you click on the Windows link, then there is only the Linux version not the Windows version.


some one here mentioned he had the zip file


----------



## High-Ender (Jun 13, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> some one here mentioned he had the zip file



Thank you
Mw7485 already written.


----------



## Sarnia

High-Ender said:


> Thank you for your answer,
> But under "Getting the tool" both have the same link. If you click on the Windows link, then there is only the Linux version not the Windows version.


Strange, it works fine for me. Maybe a browser issue.


----------



## High-Ender

Sarnia said:


> Strange, it works fine for me. Maybe a browser issue.



Yes you are right.
I am a Mac-user and use Safari browser. With Firefox it works.
Thanks for the information.


----------



## Sarnia

High-Ender said:


> Yes you are right.
> I am a Mac-user and use Safari browser. With Firefox it works.
> Thanks for the information.


Glad to help


----------



## High-Ender

Small supplement.
It goes also with the Safari browser, because the website:
https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNW...nation_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation
has been updated (you can see it at the end of the website).


----------



## kira2sheryl (Jun 15, 2017)

Hi, I just purchased a WM1A a month ago and it hits up to 300 hours playing now. I am very satisfied with its sound quality but I have two following concerns,  i appreciate your helps! 
1. I use 4.4 balanced jackport to play music and i knew there are two relays under the machine. The concern i have is i even heard the "tick" sounds few times from relays when it is stand-by beside my hands (earphone is plugged), is it normal? I knew when switching file(from 44.1khz to 96khz etc) and start to play will make relays works, but i am confused relay is still working when i did not listen any music and did nothing to it when it is stand-by.
2. The website said the player has 25 hours of hires files play time, however, in my scenario, it only lasts around 15 hours with different types of files(hires, lossless flac and mp3). I opened almost all sound qualtity setting except high gain mode. I also open the battery mode to do not let it get charged over 90%. And indeed that 15 hours play time is based on 4.4 balanced jackport. Is that the true playing time for 1a or just mine's battery are getting defective?


----------



## gerelmx1986

kira2sheryl said:


> Hi, I just purchased a WM1A a month ago and it hits up to 300 hours playing now. I am very satisfied with its sound quality but I have two following concerns,  i appreciate your helps!
> 1. I use 4.4 balanced jackport to play music and i knew there are two relays under the machine. The concern i have is i even heard the "tick" sounds few times from relays when it is stand-by beside my hands (earphone is plugged), is it normal? I knew when switching file(from 44.1khz to 96khz etc) and start to play will make relays works, but i am confused when it is still working when i did not listen any music and did nothing to it when it is stand-by.
> 2. The website said the player has 25 hours of hires files play time, however, in my scenario, it only lasts around 15 hours with different types of files(hires, lossless flac and mp3). I opened almost all sound qualtity setting except high gain mode. I also open the battery mode to do not let it get charged over 90%. And indeed that 15 hours play time is based on 4.4 balanced jackport. Is that the true playing time for 1a or just mine's battery are getting defective?



The relay is okay that's normal, mine does this also

the battery hmm depends on your brightness settings and if you have BT on or off. I have blutooth off and brightness arround 16/100 and barely use screen, i get to squeeze on balanced and mix of 24 and 16-bit files 23 hours


----------



## productred

kira2sheryl said:


> Hi, I just purchased a WM1A a month ago and it hits up to 300 hours playing now. I am very satisfied with its sound quality but I have two following concerns,  i appreciate your helps!
> 1. I use 4.4 balanced jackport to play music and i knew there are two relays under the machine. The concern i have is i even heard the "tick" sounds few times from relays when it is stand-by beside my hands (earphone is plugged), is it normal? I knew when switching file(from 44.1khz to 96khz etc) and start to play will make relays works, but i am confused when it is still working when i did not listen any music and did nothing to it when it is stand-by.
> 2. The website said the player has 25 hours of hires files play time, however, in my scenario, it only lasts around 15 hours with different types of files(hires, lossless flac and mp3). I opened almost all sound qualtity setting except high gain mode. I also open the battery mode to do not let it get charged over 90%. And indeed that 15 hours play time is based on 4.4 balanced jackport. Is that the true playing time for 1a or just mine's battery are getting defective?



1. Relay is normal
2. Factors you have mentioned (all sound settings on, 4.4 balanced) deplete the battery charge much faster and so guess that's pretty normal too.


----------



## equalspeace

Here's my two cents. I have the WM1A and it has been too cold/bright sounding for me. Bought the ZX2 based on reports of it having a warm sound, with laid back treble, but also excellent detail, and man does it not disappoint. Out of the box on standard 3.5 mm it sounds better than the WM1A to me on 3.5mm, granted I burned in the WM1A for about 50 hours. It has been persistently bright, while the ZX2 is the much smoother player of the two. I suspect Sony pandered to people complaining about lack of sparkle in the ZX2 when they designed the WM1A. For me too much treble is not good. It ruins the experience for me as I don't find treble adds to musicality of the sound. IMO the ZX2 is more comparable to the WM1Z. Both players share the copper sheilding, and a similiar sound signature from what I've read about the WM1Z. WM1A is a different beast, a lesser one to me. It is neutral to bright, with no copper sheilding.


----------



## kira2sheryl

gerelmx1986 said:


> The relay is okay that's normal, mine does this also
> 
> the battery hmm depends on your brightness settings and if you have BT on or off. I have blutooth off and brightness arround 16/100 and barely use screen, i get to squeeze on balanced and mix of 24 and 16-bit files 23 hours


Thanks! ummmm battery looks a little short to mine based on your data. My BT is off and brightness is 50/100, sometimes i open the screen to put the loved songs into playlist. But i think it is still under normal range, right?


----------



## kira2sheryl

productred said:


> 1. Relay is normal
> 2. Factors you have mentioned (all sound settings on, 4.4 balanced) deplete the battery charge much faster and so guess that's pretty normal too.


Thanks for reply!


----------



## hung031086

equalspeace said:


> Here's my two cents. I have the WM1A and it has been too cold/bright sounding for me. Bought the ZX2 based on reports of it having a warm sound, with laid back treble, but also excellent detail, and man does it not disappoint. Out of the box on standard 3.5 mm it sounds better than the WM1A to me on 3.5mm, granted I burned in the WM1A for about 50 hours. It has been persistently bright, while the ZX2 is the much smoother player of the two. I suspect Sony pandered to people complaining about lack of sparkle in the ZX2 when they designed the WM1A. For me too much treble is not good. It ruins the experience for me as I don't find treble adds to musicality of the sound. IMO the ZX2 is more comparable to the WM1Z. Both players share the copper sheilding, and a similiar sound signature from what I've read about the WM1Z. WM1A is a different beast, a lesser one to me. It is neutral to bright, with no copper sheilding.



Too much treble ? Used this yet ?




 

Btw don't use 3.5mm, try the 4.4mm.


----------



## kms108 (Jun 15, 2017)

Just got these sent from china Taobao, two benks screen protector and a TPU case, they gave a free two piece pack of dust caps for the WM port and two hi res sticker, also from my ZX 2, I also have like about 15 hi res sticker lying around somewhere. I have always purchased benks stuff for my ZX 2.


----------



## gerelmx1986

kira2sheryl said:


> Thanks! ummmm battery looks a little short to mine based on your data. My BT is off and brightness is 50/100, sometimes i open the screen to put the loved songs into playlist. But i think it is still under normal range, right?


yes still under normal range, try lowering brightness a bit or use more 16/44.1 than hi-rrd


----------



## equalspeace

hung031086 said:


> Too much treble ? Used this yet ?
> 
> 
> 
> Btw don't use 3.5mm, try the 4.4mm.



I used tone control. I've had the treble cranked down to -8 on the WM1A since I unboxed it. To me the WM1A is one of those DAPs that uses lots of treble to give you details. The ZX2 gives the details minus the treble fatigue


----------



## blazinblazin

equalspeace said:


> Here's my two cents. I have the WM1A and it has been too cold/bright sounding for me. Bought the ZX2 based on reports of it having a warm sound, with laid back treble, but also excellent detail, and man does it not disappoint. Out of the box on standard 3.5 mm it sounds better than the WM1A to me on 3.5mm, granted I burned in the WM1A for about 50 hours. It has been persistently bright, while the ZX2 is the much smoother player of the two. I suspect Sony pandered to people complaining about lack of sparkle in the ZX2 when they designed the WM1A. For me too much treble is not good. It ruins the experience for me as I don't find treble adds to musicality of the sound. IMO the ZX2 is more comparable to the WM1Z. Both players share the copper sheilding, and a similiar sound signature from what I've read about the WM1Z. WM1A is a different beast, a lesser one to me. It is neutral to bright, with no copper sheilding.



Maybe you want to try the 4.4mm first?
The 2 ports are different sounding i would say.


----------



## equalspeace

blazinblazin said:


> Maybe you want to try the 4.4mm first?
> The 2 ports are different sounding i would say.



I tried balanced on the WM1A too. I avoided comparing that output to the standard output on the ZX2. I will say that the biggest positives of the balanced output on the WM1A were layering and soundstage. I was thoroughly impressed with these aspects. However, switching to balanced on the WM1A did not alleviate the brightness of this DAP. I thought maybe it would, so I tried going with my more traditional sound settings. But after 5-6 minutes I started to notice fatigue. The WM1A is unique in that it has this seemingly smooth, but sneaky bright treble, that is enormously fatiguing unless EQ'd/toned down.


----------



## productred

equalspeace said:


> I tried balanced on the WM1A too. I avoided comparing that output to the standard output on the ZX2. I will say that the biggest positives of the balanced output on the WM1A were layering and soundstage. I was thoroughly impressed with these aspects. However, switching to balanced on the WM1A did not alleviate the brightness of this DAP. I thought maybe it would, so I tried going with my more traditional sound settings. But after 5-6 minutes I started to notice fatigue. The WM1A is unique in that it has this seemingly smooth, but sneaky bright treble, that is enormously fatiguing unless EQ'd/toned down.



The WM1A's response is pretty flat. Maybe it hits a frequency range/spot that you are particularly sensitive with. I never once found it fatiguing.

Glad the ZX2 worked out for you though..........it didn't work out for me when it was released (dark, strangely warm but not enough body and note weight to support, frankly quite frighteningly bad extension in the highs and kinda peaky mid-hi) (almost blacklisted Sony at that point) and it was part of the reason why I was so deeply impressed with the update/upgrade to the WM1 series and the huge improvements (at least to me) that brought about. Classic illustration that there's no objectively best equipment - only one that works best for you qualifies as the best.


----------



## nanaholic

equalspeace said:


> IMO the ZX2 is more comparable to the WM1Z. Both players share the copper sheilding, and a similiar sound signature from what I've read about the WM1Z. WM1A is a different beast, a lesser one to me. It is neutral to bright, with no copper sheilding.



The WM1A has a copper back plate with aluminium chassis just like the ZX2, in fact the purity of the copper plate in the WM1 is higher than that of the ZX2 which is what is supposed to contribute to the overall better clarity of the WM1 series compared to the ZX2.  Also the design of the WM1A is closer to that to the ZX2 and is positioned as such (WM1A is successor model of ZX2).  The WM1Z is the true outlier with the OFC chassis which puts it in a different class.


----------



## nanaholic

kira2sheryl said:


> 2. The website said the player has 25 hours of hires files play time, however, in my scenario, it only lasts around 15 hours with different types of files(hires, lossless flac and mp3). I opened almost all sound qualtity setting except high gain mode. I also open the battery mode to do not let it get charged over 90%. And indeed that 15 hours play time is based on 4.4 balanced jackport. Is that the true playing time for 1a or just mine's battery are getting defective?



This is normal. The quoted 25 hours of play time is measured in direct source mode with all sound enhancing options OFF. Turning on the sound enhancing options obviously requires more power because the chips will have to do more work/calculations.


----------



## blazinblazin

equalspeace said:


> I tried balanced on the WM1A too. I avoided comparing that output to the standard output on the ZX2. I will say that the biggest positives of the balanced output on the WM1A were layering and soundstage. I was thoroughly impressed with these aspects. However, switching to balanced on the WM1A did not alleviate the brightness of this DAP. I thought maybe it would, so I tried going with my more traditional sound settings. But after 5-6 minutes I started to notice fatigue. The WM1A is unique in that it has this seemingly smooth, but sneaky bright treble, that is enormously fatiguing unless EQ'd/toned down.



What's your setup like?
IEM, cable etc


----------



## ledzep

Off topic guys but quick question regarding the ZX2 , can the EU version be volume cap removed like the WM1's


----------



## mosh_2k7

ledzep said:


> Off topic guys but quick question regarding the ZX2 , can the EU version be volume cap removed like the WM1's



Unfortunately the volume cap can't be removed from the ZX2 EU capped version.


----------



## mosh_2k7

I really hate you guys! You've just made me go and do this


----------



## equalspeace

nanaholic said:


> The WM1A has a copper back plate with aluminium chassis just like the ZX2, in fact the purity of the copper plate in the WM1 is higher than that of the ZX2 which is what is supposed to contribute to the overall better clarity of the WM1 series compared to the ZX2.  Also the design of the WM1A is closer to that to the ZX2 and is positioned as such (WM1A is successor model of ZX2).  The WM1Z is the true outlier with the OFC chassis which puts it in a different class.




Can you please show me where it says the WM1A has a copper plate?


----------



## equalspeace (Jun 16, 2017)

blazinblazin said:


> What's your setup like?
> IEM, cable etc



I used the HD650 with a silver plated cable with the WM1A, balanced and standard.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I was thinking the headphone maybe the problema to his disliking of the WM1A, i have darker Z7 and XBA-Z5 and the wm1a fits these pretty well


----------



## nanaholic (Jun 17, 2017)

equalspeace said:


> Can you please show me where it says the WM1A has a copper plate?



http://www.sony.jp/walkman/special/flagship/manufacturer/interview03.html

Right at the start they talk about the chassis design. Quoting the relevant section:

 *Please tell us about the focal point of the WM1A which is milled out of solid block of aluminium
Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
The basic thinking is the same as the ZX2. Milling the chassis from a solid block of high purity aluminium and then putting on it a gold plated copper plate to achieve both toughness rigidity and reduce impedance, also to stablise the ground.
The improvement for this time, although it is the same for the WM1Z, is that one of the copper plate was changed from Tough-Pitch Copper (TPC) to high purity OFC.  Another plate’s thickness and size was increased, both resulted in the lowering of impedance.
-        
*The rear panel is also the common improvement point for the WM1 series too
Ishizaki Nobuyuki [mechanical design]
That is correct. It is changed from the stainless steel of the ZX2 to a Ni-Cu-Si type alloy.  Although this is the first time we use this, but because the main component of the alloy is copper it is able to maintain a high level of conductivity while also having the necessary rigidity it is an invaluable material.  Compared to stainless steel the conductivity is about 20 times better, so of course the sound quality improved.


BTW I've translated the entire interview I hope you enjoy reading it:
https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-owner-and-impressions.827575/page-2#post-13068909

https://edge.alluremedia.com.au/m/g/2016/09/SAM_3304.jpg
You can also see the gold-plated copper plates in the exploding view provided by Sony.


----------



## 13candles

Just recently discovered that when im using to onscreen volume dials it lags. Both the + & - onscreen soft keys lag and so does the Dial as well. 

Physical hardware volume Keys are fine and so are the rest of the other onscreen functions which are smooth. 

Anybody else experiencing such a thing?


----------



## cfc7

ledzep said:


> Off topic guys but quick question regarding the ZX2 , can the EU version be volume cap removed like the WM1's



Like the WM1 no, but there is a Chinese root tool that you can use on your own risk and get about 20-30% more volume on the ZX2.

You can find all the steps here (posts by emilsoft):
https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/sony-nw-zx2-dap.742609/page-920#post-13395885

It seems it worked fine for some but I didn't try it as I don't find the volume being a problem with IEMs and I have a 2 years warranty for my ZX2, so I've decided not to do it for the moment.


----------



## ttt123

ledzep said:


> Off topic guys but quick question regarding the ZX2 , can the EU version be volume cap removed like the WM1's



See the ZX2 forum: https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/sony-nw-zx2-dap.742609/page-927#post-13512393


----------



## Acemcl

Is there a way to display the date and time on the screen for the 1Z? Seems odd that they need it during the setup but then it's never displayed!


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 17, 2017)

Well, to report back, I freaking love the D.C. Phase linearizer.  I have been using DSEEHX Strings and Type B-High.  The Dynamic normalized also help with my different tracks with different volume as well.  I don't use any EQ for further adjustments, but the above are sweet.

Now, to mention, most of new DAC chips are using Filters for different sound performances.  These above could be any of those that is using the S-Master and Sony Expertise Hardware to do so.  In this mode, it consumes battery more than Direct mode and I have observed that it could run 8-10 hours max with FLAC and some DSD.  The extras oomps and consuming are there for a reason.  The way I see it is that Direct source is more for Economic and battery saving.

I can post details in comparisons, but there is no need for it about now.  I rather have you find out


----------



## equalspeace

nanaholic said:


> http://www.sony.jp/walkman/special/flagship/manufacturer/interview03.html
> 
> Right at the start they talk about the chassis design. Quoting the relevant section:
> 
> ...




Thanks nanaholic!


----------



## PCheung

13candles said:


> Just recently discovered that when im using to onscreen volume dials it lags. Both the + & - onscreen soft keys lag and so does the Dial as well.
> 
> Physical hardware volume Keys are fine and so are the rest of the other onscreen functions which are smooth.
> 
> Anybody else experiencing such a thing?



Firmware updated? Have the same problem on 1.00 and fixed on 1.10 or later


----------



## Sarnia

equalspeace said:


> I used the HD650 with a silver plated cable with the WM1A, balanced and standard.


I haven't got the hd650 anymore but I wouldn't have thought the WM1A, or any other DAP could drive them decently.


----------



## pietcux

equalspeace said:


> I used the HD650 with a silver plated cable with the WM1A, balanced and standard.


I can only compare the ZX1 with the WM1A. With the HD650 single ended stock cable and adapter. To me the tonality is rather similar, with the WM1A taking the lead in bass control. Both daps can drive the HD650 quite good, but not decent. The WM1A does not sound harsher at all. My single ended output has only about 15 hours burn in, as I more or less use the balanced out exclusively. But I never heard the ZX2 at all, so maybe you are in a different boat.


----------



## equalspeace

Sarnia said:


> I haven't got the hd650 anymore but I wouldn't have thought the WM1A, or any other DAP could drive them decently.




The HD650s actually sound pretty good on most DAPs I've tried. I've paired them with a Jotunheim, NFB11 (super bright), and Aune X1S all for various periods so I'm familiar with how they sound when powered pretty well. For instance, the HD650s sound amazing to my ears paired with the Cayin N3 on high gain.


----------



## 13candles

PCheung said:


> Firmware updated? Have the same problem on 1.00 and fixed on 1.10 or later



Yeah I forgot to inform that I was on firmware 1.20 when I noticed that lag .... I don't think it's my film protector either since the rest of the touch screen functions is as fluid as I remember.


----------



## blazinblazin

Other than the play pause on screen lags a bit, other onscreen buttons was ok for me.


----------



## mw7485

13candles said:


> Yeah I forgot to inform that I was on firmware 1.20 when I noticed that lag .... I don't think it's my film protector either since the rest of the touch screen functions is as fluid as I remember.



How about trying a reboot - wouldn't harm anything and it may work....


----------



## audionewbi

My WM1A has really grown on me, so much that I am thinking of buying the WM1Z but I will try to resist the temptation and see what is next Sony magic is.


----------



## blazinblazin

audionewbi said:


> My WM1A has really grown on me, so much that I am thinking of buying the WM1Z but I will try to resist the temptation and see what is next Sony magic is.


I have the same thought. Lol


----------



## mw7485

audionewbi said:


> My WM1A has really grown on me, so much that I am thinking of buying the WM1Z but I will try to resist the temptation and see what is next Sony magic is.




...resistance is futile....


----------



## audionewbi

I've had a few long session with 1Z/1A. What makes 1Z attractive is having the same great sound using single ended out, the gap between balance out of the two wasn't large enough for me, present but for the duration I tend to listen to I wouldnt care. My loved Dita Truth single ended was wearing out and thanks for Dita audio I got a great deal on Dita Truth (awesome) and soon I will be enjoying the 4.4mm connection of my 1A.


----------



## kubig123

blazinblazin said:


> Other than the play pause on screen lags a bit, other onscreen buttons was ok for me.



Personally  don't think that the 1.20 add any delays, I found it smoother that the previous firmware versions.


----------



## pietcux

equalspeace said:


> The HD650s actually sound pretty good on most DAPs I've tried. I've paired them with a Jotunheim, NFB11 (super bright), and Aune X1S all for various periods so I'm familiar with how they sound when powered pretty well. For instance, the HD650s sound amazing to my ears paired with the Cayin N3 on high gain.


After testing the HD650 with the WM1A to proof your findings, I went back to my Z1r balanced out of the same DAP. Boy, what a difference regarding dynamics and speed. Not to mention the bass and everything else.... Sorry, but the HD650 needs and deserves more power than any DAP out there can offer. It really scales well with the rig you use.


----------



## nanaholic

audionewbi said:


> My WM1A has really grown on me, so much that I am thinking of buying the WM1Z but I will try to resist the temptation and see what is next Sony magic is.



That was one of the things I thought of when deciding between the 1Z and the 1A in the beginning - the temptation of wanting the 1Z too after getting the 1A lol.  Glad I went with the 1Z and I don't have to look back.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> That was one of the things I thought of when deciding between the 1Z and the 1A in the beginning - the temptation of wanting the 1Z too after getting the 1A lol.  Glad I went with the 1Z and I don't have to look back.


 me too my 1A has grown on me and often think on upgrading, but when i think of the future sony 40th walkman anniversary edition , I hold my breath


----------



## JML (Jun 19, 2017)

I was looking for a waterproof and super-protective case for airline travel or in-car Bluetooth use that would fit the WM1A player while it was inside the Dignis leather case (with or without the Sony wrist strap). I found one! The Nanuk Nano 310 fits perfectly, but you have to remove an inner rubber net and use a Dremel to cut down two internal screw posts for the net. The Nano is available from Amazon; it's polycarbonate and very much like a Pelican clamshell.

I just finished the surgery on a clear Nano and I'm very happy with the results. Pics of the post-surgery case to follow...


----------



## kubig123

JML said:


> I was looking for a waterproof and super-protective case for airline travel or in-car Bluetooth use that would fit the WM1A player while it was inside the Dignis leather case (with or without the Sony wrist strap). I found one! The Nanuk Nano 310 fits perfectly, but you have to remove an inner rubber net and use a Dremel to cut down two internal screw posts for the net. The Nano is available from Amazon; it's polycarbonate and very much like a Pelican clamshell.
> 
> I just finished the surgery on a clear Nano and I'm very happy with the results. Pics of the post-surgery case to follow...



great idea.

thanks for sharing!!!


----------



## Hydrored

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CNNERA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1






I just put a thin piece of foam to cover screen and works great with the Dignis case on


----------



## Xamdou

JML said:


> I was looking for a waterproof and super-protective case for airline travel or in-car Bluetooth use that would fit the WM1A player while it was inside the Dignis leather case (with or without the Sony wrist strap). I found one! The Nanuk Nano 310 fits perfectly, but you have to remove an inner rubber net and use a Dremel to cut down two internal screw posts for the net. The Nano is available from Amazon; it's polycarbonate and very much like a Pelican clamshell.
> 
> I just finished the surgery on a clear Nano and I'm very happy with the results. Pics of the post-surgery case to follow...


Wow thanks for sharing!
Any idea if the Nano 320 will fit the WM1A with leather case without the needs for any surgery?


----------



## buzzlulu

What about fitting the WM1Z with its stock Sony case?


----------



## JML (Jun 20, 2017)

The leather-encased player will fit in the Nano without the rubber net in place, but the two screw-in net holders will dent the leather, which is why I took out the Dremel and went to work. I didn't try it without the leather case before I did the "surgery," because I had no intention of not using the Dignis case.

I have no idea about the stock Sony case, which doesn't come with the WM-1A.

I tried the larger Pelican 1040, and it held the player in the Dignis case, as well as the thick leather Dignis strap (far larger than the Sony nylon cord strap), but it was larger and too deep without added padding on top and around the sides from a fleece drawstring bag I had. The Nanuk cases come with a removable strap and have rubber protection on the outside; if you want a larger case for more stuff, they have a rubber net that separates items stored in top and bottom. Both makers offer different colors. The Nanuk latch is easier to open and close once you figure it out.

Interior sizes of four small cases from Pelican and Nano:

Nanuk Nano 310: 5.2″ x 3.0″ x 1.1″ (13.1 x 7.7 x 2.8 cm)
Nanuk Nano 320: 5.9″ x 3.3″ x 1.5″ (15.1 x 8.5 x 3.9 cm)
Pelican 1020: 5.31" x 3.56" x 1.68" (13.5 x 9 x 4.3 cm)
Pelican 1040: 6.50" x 3.87" x 1.75" (16.5 x 9.8 x 4.4 cm)


----------



## kubig123

JML said:


> The leather-encased player will fit in the Nano without the rubber net in place, but the two screw-in net holders will dent the leather, which is why I took out the Dremel and went to work. I didn't try it without the leather case before I did the "surgery," because I had no intention of not using the Dignis case.
> 
> I have no idea about the stock Sony case, which doesn't come with the WM-1A.
> 
> ...



Can you post a picture how the WM1A fit in the nano?

thanks


----------



## ajxvv8904

so anyone know the DAC model of WM1Z?


----------



## equalspeace

pietcux said:


> After testing the HD650 with the WM1A to proof your findings, I went back to my Z1r balanced out of the same DAP. Boy, what a difference regarding dynamics and speed. Not to mention the bass and everything else.... Sorry, but the HD650 needs and deserves more power than any DAP out there can offer. It really scales well with the rig you use.




I'm loving the way my 650s sound powered by a Cayin N3, so our mileages def vary..


----------



## nc8000

ajxvv8904 said:


> so anyone know the DAC model of WM1Z?



It's Sonys own class D S-Master chips so not an of the shelf standard dac chip like all other daps


----------



## 13candles

mw7485 said:


> How about trying a reboot - wouldn't harm anything and it may work....



Thanks for the suggestion @mw7485 . 

I actually wanted to reboot but I kinda forgot all about it and it rebooted itself just today after I transferred some tunes to it.... And guess what ? The onscreen volume dials no longer lags ! 

It's really weird though. Eversince purchasing my 1z on Feb, it has never once froze or rebooted itself.  

Only today after music transfer did it hang for a couple seconds and went into self-reboot.... 

Anyways glad that this solved my issue . Cheers people!


----------



## blazinblazin

13candles said:


> Thanks for the suggestion @mw7485 .
> 
> I actually wanted to reboot but I kinda forgot all about it and it rebooted itself just today after I transferred some tunes to it.... And guess what ? The onscreen volume dials no longer lags !
> 
> ...


Maybe it just wanted to reboot itself


----------



## JML (Jun 20, 2017)

Here are photos of the WM-1A with the Brotech AirGlass protector and Dignis case, the modified Nanuk Nano 310, my PM-3, and the Double Helix balanced cable (plugs are 4.4 to 3.5). The black parts of the Nano case are all rubberized.

The open photo of the case shows two 3M Bumpons that I stuck on over the areas where I removed the screw posts on the hinge side of the cover and polished out the polycarbonate; the Bumpons cover tiny screw holes that remained and any imperfections in the area I worked on, and don't actually touch the player or Dignis case. The top of the photo shows one of the two Bumpons best. The other clear posts that show on the latch side of the case don't touch the player; when the cover is closed they go against the corners of the internal rubberized skeleton.


----------



## mw7485

Prices on amazon.co.uk of 1Z have been slowly dropping by about £50-£70/day and now stand at £2299....


----------



## buzzlulu

Has anyone compared a Utopia balanced into the WM1Z vs. into a Hugo1?
Curious to know how the two sources compare - as that will give a baseline on speculation as to what the Hugo2 will bring to the party.

I do love the fact that the solution is nice and simple - Utopia Ito WM1Z - rather than headphone into Hugo with a dongle also connecting an iPhone to it.

Right now I cannot imagine how things could get any better, for a portable solution, than Utopia's w/ Axios Copper cable balanced into the 1Z.  Totally sublime.
That is why I am asking about the Hugo comparisons


----------



## AnakChan

I use my Utopia off my 1Z balanced too (Brise Audio cables - simply impressive). I've not heard the Hugo for a very long time but for the little time I've spent with it and basing on aging memory, I wonder if that combo will emphasize on the trebles too much? Curious to see what others think.


----------



## ttt123

Just experienced the BT remote battery dying, and when trying to use it, the WM1 volume went to max.  Thought I had pressed the wrong thing, so tried again, and it happened again.  So be warned that if you experience this, then it could be the battery dying.  Went home and changed the battery, and it was back to normal.  The battery lasted about 6 months for me.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ttt123 said:


> Just experienced the BT remote battery dying, and when trying to use it, the WM1 volume went to max.  Thought I had pressed the wrong thing, so tried again, and it happened again.  So be warned that if you experience this, then it could be the battery dying.  Went home and changed the battery, and it was back to normal.  The battery lasted about 6 months for me.


interesting it went crazy, o thought it wouldn't work


----------



## mw7485

mw7485 said:


> Prices on amazon.co.uk of 1Z have been slowly dropping by about £50-£70/day and now stand at £2299....



..and down it goes again, now at 2149....


----------



## blazinblazin (Jun 21, 2017)

ttt123 said:


> Just experienced the BT remote battery dying, and when trying to use it, the WM1 volume went to max.  Thought I had pressed the wrong thing, so tried again, and it happened again.  So be warned that if you experience this, then it could be the battery dying.  Went home and changed the battery, and it was back to normal.  The battery lasted about 6 months for me.



Same for me also, i just changed the battery yesterday. For like 2 days i was wondering why my track suddenly fastforward non-stop and also volume went up non-stop. Then i realise low batt.

I was thinking cause the remote sent only 1st signal to activate the button you pressed but not enough power to sent the stop signal to the player lol


----------



## ttt123

blazinblazin said:


> Same for me also, i just changed the battery yesterday. For like 2 days i was wondering why my track suddenly fastforward non-stop and also volume went up non-stop. Then i realise low batt.
> 
> I was thinking cause the remote sent only 1st signal to activate the button you pressed but not enough power to sent the stop signal to the player lol



Could be, that it sends the Volume up, but when you release the button, the circuit has died due to low battery voltage, and so does not send the volume stop when you release the button.  That, or as the battery voltage drops, the circuit is cutting in and out, maybe resetting itself.  The signal coming out may be garbage, which the WM1 may interpret correctly or not.  Definitely a surprise, as I tried to lower the volume with the remote, thus extending the time that it was blasting in my ear at full volume.  Next time, I will know enough to pull out the earphones right away.


----------



## cthomas

Does anyone know if there are any clear cases for the 1A/1Z?


----------



## kubig123

cthomas said:


> Does anyone know if there are any clear cases for the 1A/1Z?



something like this one?

https://www.amazon.co.jp/NW-WM1Z-シリ...2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498185277&sr=8-2&keywords=wm1z


----------



## productred

kubig123 said:


> something like this one?
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.jp/NW-WM1Z-シリコンケース-NW-WM1A-背面カバー-ソフトケース/dp/B06W2FP65J/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498185277&sr=8-2&keywords=wm1z



Wow love this one but it doesn't ship outside Japan..............bummer.


----------



## kubig123 (Jun 22, 2017)

productred said:


> Wow love this one but it doesn't ship outside Japan..............bummer.



if you use buyee.jp you can have it shipped anywhere, not sure if it becomes too expensive once you include shipping and handling fees.


----------



## cthomas

kubig123 said:


> something like this one?
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.jp/NW-WM1Z-シリコンケース-NW-WM1A-背面カバー-ソフトケース/dp/B06W2FP65J/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498185277&sr=8-2&keywords=wm1z



That's the one! Why only Japan lol!?


----------



## productred

kubig123 said:


> if you use buyee.jp you can have it shipped anywhere, not sure if it becomes too expensive once you include shipping and handling fees.



Thanks for the tip, should have started using this ages ago but thoght it'd be troublesome.

Ordered and it's all good, can't wait.


----------



## cthomas

productred said:


> Thanks for the tip, should have started using this ages ago but thoght it'd be troublesome.
> 
> Ordered and it's all good, can't wait.



What was your shipping destination + cost?


----------



## productred

cthomas said:


> What was your shipping destination + cost?



Got it to ship to Hong Kong and shipping costs ~$4.5. Not (too) bad for a single item and for EMS.


----------



## blazinblazin

I think this is the same one they selling in China.

Try look for it at Aliexpress. Might be cheaper.


----------



## rtjoa

cthomas said:


> Does anyone know if there are any clear cases for the 1A/1Z?



This is probably cheaper than Amazon one.

http://www.roundtheclockmall.com/products/544398705206


----------



## blazinblazin (Jun 23, 2017)

From China taobao. Not bad, just the cable felt soft and thin. Not sure how long it will last.


----------



## LouisArmstrong

WM1Z vs SP1000 anyone?


----------



## blazinblazin

LouisArmstrong said:


> WM1Z vs SP1000 anyone?



Read about it on hk site. SPK might be a better in some areas but some people still prefer the tonality of 1Z more.

More on preference.


----------



## rtjoa

blazinblazin said:


> From China taobao. Not bad, just the cable felt soft and thin. Not sure how long it will last.



Can you please share the link? Thanks


----------



## kms108 (Jun 23, 2017)

I posted the same case a few pages back, the brand is called benks, that one sold on amazon is the same product just imported from china at a inflated price.

mine cost aproximate USD 15.5 benks case with benks glass protector, or USD 10 for just the case, it's cheaper to get it from china using a taobao agent, and you also get a two piece pack benks WM port rubber plugs and Hi Res sticker.

This is the link, so just use a Taobao agent.

https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=544398705206&toSite=main

If you need to know, this is another one, non branded one, cost at USD 11, but I like the benks one more, and I also have the benks on my ZX 2.

https://world.taobao.com/item/552795623508.htm?spm=a312a.7700825.1997196601.4.ZnoUy7


----------



## cthomas

kms108 said:


> I posted the same case a few pages back, the brand is called benks, that one sold on amazon is the same product just imported from china at a inflated price.
> 
> mine cost aproximate USD 15.5 benks case with benks glass protector, or USD 10 for just the case, it's cheaper to get it from china using a taobao agent, and you also get a two piece pack benks WM port rubber plugs and Hi Res sticker.
> 
> ...



That's a pretty good deal! Couple questions... does it have 3.5/4.4mm dust caps? And do you have any pics of the case on your Walkman??


----------



## blazinblazin

rtjoa said:


> Can you please share the link? Thanks



Think someone posted this before~
https://world.taobao.com/item/552118116393.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a1z09.2.0.0.qgJVCe&_u=nnc4he3ab75


----------



## kms108

cthomas said:


> That's a pretty good deal! Couple questions... does it have 3.5/4.4mm dust caps? And do you have any pics of the case on your Walkman??



No it doesn't have dust caps for the 3.5/4.4.

May be you won't believe me, I don't have a WM1A/1Z, I will be buying one in December during my visit to Japan, just got the accessories in advance since I was getting other stuff from Taobao, so I might as well get these, by the time it gets to December, Sony prbably would have released another walkman.

But I do have the same case for my Sony ZX 2, they have always had a good fit, I got two for my ZX 2 incase it doesn't last, but the case has been on my Zx 2 for 2 years now, and the case is like 98% new.


----------



## kms108

For those interested, 4.4 female socket.

https://world.taobao.com/item/55053...59.6.S8Pcl5&scm=1007.12679.20634.550536709661


----------



## cthomas

kms108 said:


> No it doesn't have dust caps for the 3.5/4.4.
> 
> May be you won't believe me, I don't have a WM1A/1Z, I will be buying one in December during my visit to Japan, just got the accessories in advance since I was getting other stuff from Taobao, so I might as well get these, by the time it gets to December, Sony prbably would have released another walkman.
> 
> But I do have the same case for my Sony ZX 2, they have always had a good fit, I got two for my ZX 2 incase it doesn't last, but the case has been on my Zx 2 for 2 years now, and the case is like 98% new.



I don't have one either lol. I can get the 1A next day delivery but case and balanced cable will probably be weeks away so I'm tempted to get those first.


----------



## cthomas

Also, here's what they look like on the 1Z. Found this pic going through this thread.


----------



## kms108

cthomas said:


> I don't have one either lol. I can get the 1A next day delivery but case and balanced cable will probably be weeks away so I'm tempted to get those first.


Just google search for taobao agent, they can help you purchase from taobao.


----------



## mosh_2k7

Hey! Just a quick question  I'm trying to remove the volume cap from my WM1A and WM1Z. I've tried going through the tutorial, but just want to make sure that I'm doing it properly.

My device comes up as destination CEW2. Do I change the destination to E2 to remove the volume cap? 

e.g

Model: NW-WM1A
Series: NW-WM1A Series
Destination: CEW2 (103)
Sound Pressure: 0 (off)

scsitool-nwz-v9.exe E: dest_tool set E2 off


----------



## gerelmx1986

mosh_2k7 said:


> Hey! Just a quick question  I'm trying to remove the volume cap from my WM1A and WM1Z. I've tried going through the tutorial, but just want to make sure that I'm doing it properly.
> 
> My device comes up as destination CEW2. Do I change the destination to E2 to remove the volume cap?
> 
> ...


try putting the destination  different than CEW 2


----------



## mosh_2k7

gerelmx1986 said:


> try putting the destination  different than CEW 2



Thanks  I'll try it tonight. I ended up putting CEW 2 as the destination. That's why it didn't work! Lol


----------



## Cagin (Jun 23, 2017)

While I'm still trying to find a used/2nd hand official flip Sony CKL-NWWM1 for my WM1A,  one of the links pasted here got me interested in getting the Benks case: http://www.roundtheclockmall.com/products/544398705206

Anyone know what is that other option which costs an additional $9 is? "Shi bunker black tempered film"   Is that like a separate glass protector in addition to the Benks TPU case?


edit: order placed


----------



## rtjoa

blazinblazin said:


> Think someone posted this before~
> https://world.taobao.com/item/552118116393.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a1z09.2.0.0.qgJVCe&_u=nnc4he3ab75



Thanks.

Here are other options:
https://world.taobao.com/item/552832429068.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a21f2.7918495.1000002.37.bXYgrS
Musashino 4.4mm - 3.5mm http://item.rakuten.co.jp/e-earphone/4589962103319/
Musashino 4.4mm - 2.5mm balance http://item.rakuten.co.jp/e-earphone/4589962103302/

Female 4.4mm with housing:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Wit...32818855410.html?spm=2114.01010208.0.0.XzzYGu


----------



## kms108

Cagin said:


> While I'm still trying to find a used/2nd hand official flip Sony CKL-NWWM1 for my WM1A,  one of the links pasted here got me interested in getting the Benks case: http://www.roundtheclockmall.com/products/544398705206
> 
> Anyone know what is that other option which costs an additional $9 is? "Shi bunker black tempered film"   Is that like a separate glass protector in addition to the Benks TPU case?
> 
> ...



first one is just the benks case, second one is benks case and benks glass screen protector.

The links I posted is much cheaper.


----------



## Cagin

kms108 said:


> first one is just the benks case, second one is benks case and benks glass screen protector.
> 
> The links I posted is much cheaper.


I see, thanks.
I went with roundthclockmall as it was clear enough in English, with plenty international shipping options and most importantly I could pay with PayPal.
I admit with the cheaper link with translation required and going through an agent was too esoteric to me ^^


----------



## Xamdou

Received my Nanuk Nano 320


----------



## blazinblazin

Xamdou said:


> Received my Nanuk Nano 320


Woo. White Album 2 soundtrack. Nice. I have that also.


----------



## Xamdou

blazinblazin said:


> Woo. White Album 2 soundtrack. Nice. I have that also.


Aye. I have both the hi-res and dsd. Got both of them from mora


----------



## blazinblazin

Xamdou said:


> Aye. I have both the hi-res and dsd. Got both of them from mora



I only can use OTOTOY. Region problem.


----------



## PCheung

blazinblazin said:


> I only can use OTOTOY. Region problem.



Some say the Android app is region free

Although I prefer VPN


----------



## kms108

Not all apps are region free, many apps available in japan are not available elsewhere, that includes OTOTOY and Mora, but the use of VPN allows you to download and use them, but payment method is a problem for most, as international CC are not accepted and convenience store prepaid cards aren't available out of Japan, but cards like Mora can be freely purchased in Hong Kong and online.

I've been using Mora for many years in Hong Kong, but there are other sites that you can download for files for free and the actual source are from OTOTOY and mora.


----------



## kms108

Cagin said:


> I see, thanks.
> I went with roundthclockmall as it was clear enough in English, with plenty international shipping options and most importantly I could pay with PayPal.
> I admit with the cheaper link with translation required and going through an agent was too esoteric to me ^^



Go for whats best and convenience for you., but you won't be disaapointed with Benks, they have always produced good quality product.


----------



## Xamdou

I uses a VPN for all my mora purchases and my local credit card doesn't seems to be a problem. Seems like they allow any purchases as long as the IP Address is from Japan in my case.


----------



## kms108

Xamdou said:


> I uses a VPN for all my mora purchases and my local credit card doesn't seems to be a problem. Seems like they allow any purchases as long as the IP Address is from Japan in my case.


International CC doesn't work, i just purchase Mora pre paid cards.


----------



## PCheung (Jun 24, 2017)

Try Rakuten pay for check out, usually works
I always have my payment done by Rakuten Pay without any problem.

Or get a JCB card if you can, usually works on sites don't accept international credit card (like PlayStation Japan) 

and the mora apps won't check your IP as I recall, how to get the apps is another problem though.


----------



## kms108

PCheung said:


> Try Rakuten pay for check out, usually works
> I always have my payment done by Rakuten Pay without any problem.
> 
> Or get a JCB card if you can, usually works on sites don't accept international credit card (like PlayStation Japan)
> ...


Mora apps works without VPN once it's installed, but you need to have VPN for google play store to find it, most app that need VPN, I always make a apk file of the apps and have that stored in my onedrive incase I need to reinstall it.


----------



## ledzep

Getting itchy ears again , want to sample some planar on 4.4mm. Tried ZMF already don't want to bust open the kids piggy bank so no $2000 recommendations.
Was thinking oppo, aeon etc and closed back ( wife doesn't like hearing a whole lotta Rosie as much as me )


----------



## kubig123

ledzep said:


> Getting itchy ears again , want to sample some planar on 4.4mm. Tried ZMF already don't want to bust open the kids piggy bank so no $2000 recommendations.
> Was thinking oppo, aeon etc and closed back ( wife doesn't like hearing a whole lotta Rosie as much as me )



I have the LCD-XC, they are quite heavy but they merry very well with the WM1Z.

You can find them used around $1.2k


----------



## JML

Xamdou said:


> Received my Nanuk Nano 320



Good to see how it fits in the 320. For those who don't want to do any Dremel-based surgery on the 310, that looks like a good, but slightly larger, choice. I'm pretty impressed with the quality of the smaller Nano 310.

Does the player fit without banging around? Does the rubber net leave any room between it and the cover for other stuff, or is it pretty much a tight fit?


----------



## Xamdou

JML said:


> Good to see how it fits in the 320. For those who don't want to do any Dremel-based surgery on the 310, that looks like a good, but slightly larger, choice. I'm pretty impressed with the quality of the smaller Nano 310.
> 
> Does the player fit without banging around? Does the rubber net leave any room between it and the cover for other stuff, or is it pretty much a tight fit?


The player do bounce around although it will usually land on one of the rubber corners which will absorb the impact and sound. There is a decent amount of space left even after me putting a couple of micro fiber clothes underneath. I do say about 3 mm or so?


----------



## artears

The thread is huge, so I couldn't read each and every page and sorry if this has been asked before, but I have a few questions:

1. I own Lotoo Paw Gold (LPG) and Hugo. I had the chance of comparing them while using Z1R as headphones. Considering Z1R will be the main headphones, how does LPG's SE output compare with WM1A's balanced output? 
2. Again, how does Hugo's output compare with WM1A's balanced output when paired with Z1R?
3. Also, can a Sony Walkman micro usb adapter be used (WMP-NWM10 BM) to connect WM1A to Hugo without any problems when paired with a micro-usb-to-micro-usb cable?

I am considering getting a WM1A, if its balanced output is better than LPG. It will be a nice portable solution and a perfect DSD transport at the same time. 

I would appreciate your valuable comments...


----------



## ledzep (Jun 27, 2017)

artears said:


> The thread is huge, so I couldn't read each and every page and sorry if this has been asked before, but I have a few questions:
> 
> 1. I own Lotoo Paw Gold (LPG) and Hugo. I had the chance of comparing them while using Z1R as headphones. Considering Z1R will be the main headphones, how does LPG's SE output compare with WM1A's balanced output?
> 2. Again, how does Hugo's output compare with WM1A's balanced output when paired with Z1R?
> ...



Answer to 3 is no you need the digital out cable 
 WMC-NWH10 USB Conversion Cable


----------



## artears

ledzep said:


> Answer to 3 is no you need the digital out cable
> WMC-NWH10 USB Conversion Cable



Thank you for the reply. That's first bad news. I already have a very nice DIY micro usb cable that works brilliantly with Hugo. I don't like sticking with some crap digital cable.

Answers to 1 and 2 will play a bigger role in my decision then... Let's see what turns out...

Thanks again...


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 28, 2017)

There are also modified nwh10 Walkman digital cables, and you can use it with wm1z


----------



## gerelmx1986

I love the capacity of the Walkman 256GB micro SD + 128GB music for months


----------



## artears

Whitigir said:


> There are also modified nwh10 Walkman digital cables, and you can use it with wm1z



The cable in the pic looks very nice indeed. Where can I get this cable? Or better, where does one get the walkman connector for digital out?

Also, I am still looking for impressions vs LPG and Hugo, with Z1R of course...

Thanks again for the comments...


----------



## mw7485

Where can I get this cable? Or better said:
			
		

> Chuck WMC-NWH10 into ebay and take your pick - unless you have contacts in the far east who can get one for you.


----------



## artears (Jun 28, 2017)

I said "the cable in the pic". The cable shown in the picture is not the official Sony cable...


----------



## bvng3540

This cable will also work with Hugo and wm1a/z also compact as well


----------



## Whitigir

bvng3540 said:


> This cable will also work with Hugo and wm1a/z also compact as well


 This cable does not have Sony hardware, which explains the large connector on the Walkman side.  Sony hardware is proprietary, so the only way to use it is to be modifying stock Sony dongle, and trust me when I say that there are quality and performances to gain .  People who have not heard of the modified cables will not believe it, but whoever knows USB cables can affect the sound, they will know what I am talking about


----------



## artears

Whitigir said:


> This cable does not have Sony hardware, which explains the large connector on the Walkman side.  Sony hardware is proprietary, so the only way to use it is to be modifying stock Sony dongle, and trust me when I say that there are quality and performances to gain .  People who have not heard of the modified cables will not believe it, but whoever knows USB cables can affect the sound, they will know what I am talking about



I can confirm that USB cables can affect the sound a lot. I made a few usb cables myself, even micro usb ones, and I can clearly say, don't believe that "with digital signal, cable does not matter" BS. If there is a non-believer that USB cables would make a difference, s/he should read the whole USB protocol and realize at least its problems with audio files...

Friends, usb cables make indeed a difference,  at least in audio world...


----------



## bvng3540

Whitigir said:


> This cable does not have Sony hardware, which explains the large connector on the Walkman side.  Sony hardware is proprietary, so the only way to use it is to be modifying stock Sony dongle, and trust me when I say that there are quality and performances to gain .  People who have not heard of the modified cables will not believe it, but whoever knows USB cables can affect the sound, they will know what I am talking about



I have both cables and both sound the same


----------



## 13candles

I know this has probably been asked before but i  dont wish to sieve through countless pages here.

I was checking to see if i plugged in my earphones fully (it was plugged in fully btw) hence i applied additional pressure and i observed that my iem 3.5 plug kinda sprung back just a wee bit and back again....

Is this normal? pardon my paranoia


----------



## mpc8240

bvng3540 said:


> I have both cables and both sound the same


----------



## ledzep

artears said:


> Thank you for the reply. That's first bad news. I already have a very nice DIY micro usb cable that works brilliantly with Hugo. I don't like sticking with some crap digital cable.
> 
> Answers to 1 and 2 will play a bigger role in my decision then... Let's see what turns out...
> 
> Thanks again...



I popped the case of the Sony hi res digital out cable and re terminated it to micro usb with pure silver wires/ silver solder, it is a good quality cable ( stock one not to look at i admit) but once done it keeps the chain down and now is perfect, well for me anyway.


----------



## MH01

artears said:


> I can confirm that USB cables can affect the sound a lot. I made a few usb cables myself, even micro usb ones, and I can clearly say, don't believe that "with digital signal, cable does not matter" BS. If there is a non-believer that USB cables would make a difference, s/he should read the whole USB protocol and realize at least its problems with audio files...
> 
> Friends, usb cables make indeed a difference,  at least in audio world...



I've worked with production and digital for over 10 years, and the only thing I'll add, we have had an assortment of some of the best high end audio visual and computer equipment come and go, and all of it has been plugged in using the stock USB cables that have some with the hardware.

I'm yet to see a studio or high end production setup that uses upgraded USB cables. 

My background is actually IT, and I hate to say it, using fancy materials in  Sata cables, USB cables etc, makes 0 difference to the speed or data carried from interface to interface, no performance gains at all. If there was, trust me, IT hardware manafactures would be all over it. With computer hardware , fancy cables gets you looks and durability. 

What part of the USB protocol are you referring to in regards to audio?  Cause protocol design and inherent issues are not solved by cable materials .


----------



## Whitigir

Can you help explain to me that if I send a data package to a printer, I can then unplug the USB cables and the printer still printing my paper ? While my DAC will shut off when I unplug my USB cables while playing music ? More over, what is DSP and playback apps ? I have never been able to understand the reason why do I need correct apps to playback my music while printing any pictures do not require any apps at all.  If you can open a science thread, then I will gladly learn more.  I don't even know why some people say USB cables in audio application is sending analog signals.  

Moreover, I don't know why upgraded USB cables sounds different, and better than stock cables.  The improvements are even more than Headphones analog cables.

After all, I am too dumb


----------



## artears

With data transfer, usb protocol guarantees that everything is transmitted, however, it does not guarantee a sequential transfer. With audio files, you need the packages transmitted sequentially. Otherwise, you need to increase the buffer to overcome issues that might happen during the transfer...

I personally witnessed the requirement for the increase in buffer with inferior cables. Even that did not solve some problems with dsd files. With some DACs, the difference in audio quality is quite remarkable, with some others less so. 

Also, please don't say anything about your background when such a topic surfaces. I don't like it, when people do that like they are the authority here. I never mentioned anything regarding the speed of transfer by the way. Also, you don't know anything about my background. I am also talking about the first-hand experience here.

Anyways, you are free to believe whatever you want to believe. I would just recommend being sceptical and trying/making comparisons before throwing any comments. I am not saying stock cables won't work. They will of course, they are there to work. What I am saying is that there are benefits in using upgraded cables...


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 30, 2017)

artears said:


> With data transfer, usb protocol guarantees that everything is transmitted, however, it does not guarantee a sequential transfer. With audio files, you need the packages transmitted sequentially. Otherwise, you need to increase the buffer to overcome issues that might happen during the transfer...
> 
> I personally witnessed the requirement for the increase in buffer with inferior cables. Even that did not solve some problems with dsd files. With some DACs, the difference in audio quality is quite remarkable, with some others less so.
> 
> ...



I don't know "IT" stuff, but am I crazy to believe you make senses ? And more over, I was once in the footsteps of not believing in USB cables that can improve audio quality due to claims of engineers and IT experts on the internet....I guess it is internet after all.

I have many people who do own upgraded USB cables, and can hear the differences.  I do too, and unless we are all deaf or delusional...probably we are

I agree about the "background" disclosure....I have learned that "it is on the internet, it must be true" humor quite litterally


----------



## nc8000

With file transfer (copying files, printing and so on) it is not essential how long it takes data to transfer so you can have as many retries as you want. The reason your printer continues to print after you pull the cable is because the whole document has already been transferred to the printers memory, you would get a drop out if the print file was larger than the printer memory or if you pulled the cable quick enough. 

With sound it has to come on time or you will hear pops, cracks and drop outs. This can be solved with buffering just like streaming but if there are enough retries that it takes longer to get data than the buffers hold you still get pops, cracks and dropouts. 

Anything transmitted over usb is in the end an analog electrical signal that just represents the digital representation of your analog music signal. 

I have no position on wheter different usb cables will produce diferent sound as long as they are all technically correctly made and up to spec.


----------



## artears

OK, let's go back to topic: Today, I had the chance of trying WM1A with Z1R via balanced output. Unfortunately, 1A I tried was a capped version. Compared to paw gold's (lpg) SE out, I felt the power was lacking a bit. The sound level of lpg with low gain was higher than 1A at max levels. LPG has a character of slamming things in your face. 1A, although having a neutral character, is a bit laid back compared to LPG. I feel that Z1R benefits from output power, even though they are easy to drive. The pairing of 1A with Z1R was really good, but I felt the power was lacking a bit. Compared to a capped 1A, I liked Z1R pairing with LPG more.

I liked Hugo more than LPG with Z1R. I was hoping 1A would be in between. That would give me some excuse to run and get 1A immediately. But now, I want to try uncapped version of 1A...


----------



## buzzlulu

Yes I think you will need to try the uncapped version before making any judgements. 

Me thinks the capped version is not good enough for ANY headphone


----------



## roses77

Decreate said:


> Shouldn't it also be charging while the files were being copied over via the cable?



I find it odd how some people's Walkmans are not being charged via transferring files my Sony WM1Z Walkman charges while transferring files. It does not drain the battery flat, when connected to PC. It seems to me it happens when connected to Mac computers.


----------



## animalsrush

roses77 said:


> I find it odd how some people's Walkmans are not being charged via transferring files my Sony WM1Z Walkman charges while transferring files. It does not drain the battery flat, when connected to PC. It seems to me it happens when connected to Mac computers.


No.. Doesn't happen to me on mac.. It charges when i am transferring music on my late 2016 macbook pro


----------



## kubig123

animalsrush said:


> No.. Doesn't happen to me on mac.. It charges when i am transferring music on my late 2016 macbook pro


Same here, never had issues with my macbook air and the new macBook pro.


----------



## JML

kubig123 said:


> Same here, never had issues with my macbook air and the new macBook pro.



Same here, too  New MacBook Pro, either via Apple T3 to USB adapter, or through an AC-powered T2 to USB 3.0 dock.

Perhaps the person who may have had problems charging and transferring files was using a very low powered port and running the laptop on battery power.


----------



## proedros

would wm1a sound better than the idsd micro black label ?

anyone who has heard/owned both ?


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> would wm1a sound better than the idsd micro black label ?
> 
> anyone who has heard/owned both ?


Did you not get on the tour for the idsd ?


----------



## proedros

have not heard wm1a so i can not compare


----------



## gerelmx1986

all walkmans I have owned since 2005 charge and transfer files at the same time


----------



## Lavakugel

When I'm putting a microSD card in slot it doesn't recognize the card. Just blinking for a few times...what's wrong?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lavakugel said:


> When I'm putting a microSD card in slot it doesn't recognize the card. Just blinking for a few times...what's wrong?


 formatted the microSD in the player? or the SD has exFat or Fat32 format? ALSO is your Music files in a folder called *MUSIC*?


----------



## Lavakugel

Didn't put music files in MUSIC folder, my mistake


----------



## Whitigir

Lavakugel said:


> Didn't put music files in MUSIC folder, my mistake


Very common, may want to do a search function on the matter next time too


----------



## nc8000

Just received the Nanuk Nano 310 and 320. The 310 is as close to a perfect fit for a naked 1Z as makes no difference without removing anything or having to do Dremel surgery. In the 320 the 1Z in the Sony leather case rattles around a bit. 310 and naked it is


----------



## Whitigir

Picture ?  Gotta see something naked


----------



## nc8000




----------



## buzzlulu

So the 310 cannot fit the 1Z and it's Sony case?

What about the Pelican 1020- 1Z with its Sony case?


----------



## Quadfather

Jalo said:


> I agree with the above points, they are all true. But I can tell you I am still resisting urges to pick up a LPG. I think it is one of a kind dap in that it has the most power (500 mah/ch) and solid built.



The Lotoo Paw Gold Diana is so beautiful in person.   It doesn't take good pictures.   It is drop-dead gorgeous, and it sounds amazing, with boatloads of power.


----------



## animalsrush

Traveling with wm1z internationally.. be prepared to get your bag tagged for extra screening., happened to me on my recent trip to India via London on work., my bag got pulled each time for extra check. I finally asked the TSA agent why.. he showed the pic and said it shows up hot on scanner due to it being gold.. so now I pull it out and put it along with my laptop for screening and all is well.. just avoids the hassle.. 

Pc


----------



## animalsrush

buzzlulu said:


> So the 310 cannot fit the 1Z and it's Sony case?
> 
> What about the Pelican 1020- 1Z with its Sony case?


I use pelican case 1020 with foam padding and it is perfect


----------



## nc8000

No



buzzlulu said:


> So the 310 cannot fit the 1Z and it's Sony case?
> 
> What about the Pelican 1020- 1Z with its Sony case?


----------



## ledzep

A 1060 with a 1062 foam insert works ok and leaves enough room at the bottom for a pair of iems.


----------



## ledzep

Tried a few different cases myself and settled for a CamKix Case for GoPro small with a customisable foam insert (medium)
  

Piece of thin foam over to protect when closed, works for me.


----------



## mikaelberg

So I was stupid enough to buy the MUC-M12BL2 Balanced cable (http://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-m12bl2) for my XBA-N3 for use with my new WM-1A that I ordered days ago... 

Ordered them at the same time from different places and just assumed the Walkman would have similar balanced output as the PHA-3... Needless to say, it didn't. Is there any plug I can buy to turn my two balanced 3.5 mm mini-jacks into one 4.5 mm balanced? Otherwise apparently what I should have bought for my XBA-N3AP is MUC-M12NB1 (http://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-m12nb1).


----------



## ledzep (Jul 2, 2017)

Yeah any 4.4mm will do, cut them two 3.5's off and solder it to the 5 pole


----------



## Cagin

animalsrush said:


> I use pelican case 1020 with foam padding and it is perfect


Wait, how do you manage that? If I put my WM1A without any case, it will touch my Peli Micro 1020's rubber lining on both sides. How is it you're using a leather case AND foam. Are you sure it's a 1020 ?


----------



## proedros

TheOracle said:


> Wholeheartedly agree with this. And that is using the 3.5 jack (using the pseudo balanced). The 4.4 balanced puts it way out and above what the zx2 is capable of.
> 
> I have been enjoying the WM1A with my custom Zeus XR-Adel and 4.4 balanced.



hey, can you share how *wm1a+zeus xr* sound like ? waiting on my zeus XR (non adel) seriously thinking of buying wm1a as an zx2 upgrade

btw , 1a is an upgrade over zx2 , right ?


----------



## animalsrush

Cagin said:


> Wait, how do you manage that? If I put my WM1A without any case, it will touch my Peli Micro 1020's rubber lining on both sides. How is it you're using a leather case AND foam. Are you sure it's a 1020 ?


I thought it was.. I got it as part of my westone es5.. maybe I was wrong.. maybe it is 1030 or bigger. If so my bad

PC


----------



## TheOracle

proedros said:


> hey, can you share how *wm1a+zeus xr* sound like ? waiting on my zeus XR (non adel) seriously thinking of buying wm1a as an zx2 upgrade
> 
> btw , 1a is an upgrade over zx2 , right ?



Indeed, 1A is an upgrade from the ZX2.

As for Zeus & 1A, what you get is a very balanced, airy, neutral presentation (some would say bass light, I'm not one of them. Without ADEL, you'll be getting more bass anyway). Nice, wide soundstage. The Zeus is ridiculously detailed and clean. With the X setting, it's bassier and the midrange is right out front. Very exciting and bold. I prefer the R setting, however. Sounds more balanced to me and I love the top end extension.

If you prefer a bassier sound sig, you may be underwhelmed. If you prefer a more neutral sound, the Zeus will blow you away.


----------



## proedros

TheOracle said:


> Indeed, 1A is an upgrade from the ZX2.
> 
> As for Zeus & 1A, what you get is *a very balanced, airy, neutral presentation (some would say bass light, I'm not one of them. Without ADEL, you'll be getting more bass anyway).* *Nice, wide soundstage. The Zeus is ridiculously detailed and clean. *With the X setting, it's bassier and the midrange is right out front. Very exciting and bold. I prefer the R setting, however. *Sounds more balanced to me and I love the top end extension.*
> 
> If you prefer a bassier sound sig, you may be underwhelmed. *If you prefer a more neutral sound, the Zeus will blow you away*.




AWESOME , i am finally sold on getting it 

one last thing - is there hiss with the wm1a ? zeus is supposed to be slightly hissy , what's your take on the matter ?

(thanx for the info , MUCH appreciated


----------



## cfc7

TheOracle said:


> Indeed, 1A is an upgrade from the ZX2.



Can you elaborate a little bit more?


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> AWESOME , i am finally sold on getting it
> 
> one last thing - is there hiss with the wm1a ? zeus is supposed to be slightly hissy , what's your take on the matter ?
> 
> (thanx for the info , MUCH appreciated


I have tested my WM1A with other headphones and I cannot find any hiss not even with IEMs


----------



## Xamdou

proedros said:


> AWESOME , i am finally sold on getting it
> 
> one last thing - is there hiss with the wm1a ? zeus is supposed to be slightly hissy , what's your take on the matter ?
> 
> (thanx for the info , MUCH appreciated


Not the Zeus but my Athena (Adel) has very little hiss when music is not playing. Not audible when music is playing.


----------



## proedros

thanx for the feedback guys , much appreciated

well it was bounf to happen iguess after lusting for it for so long -  i secured a wm1a buy from the classified a few hours ago

time to join the club


----------



## ezekiel77

proedros said:


> thanx for the feedback guys , much appreciated
> 
> well it was bounf to happen iguess after lusting for it for so long -  i secured a wm1a buy from the classified a few hours ago
> 
> time to join the club



Don't think you'll regret it. I love mine very much. Great sound, and the battery life is awesome. Only thing is you'll have to splurge on balanced cables.


----------



## Xamdou

proedros said:


> thanx for the feedback guys , much appreciated
> 
> well it was bounf to happen iguess after lusting for it for so long -  i secured a wm1a buy from the classified a few hours ago
> 
> time to join the club


Enjoy your loot! Hope you will not get poisoned too much to the point of lusting over the 1Z


----------



## productred

proedros said:


> AWESOME , i am finally sold on getting it
> 
> one last thing - is there hiss with the wm1a ? zeus is supposed to be slightly hissy , what's your take on the matter ?
> 
> (thanx for the info , MUCH appreciated



My Zeus R never hissed with WM1A or WM1Z. Go get it, you won't regret it (sorry for your wallet)


----------



## audionewbi

Hey I might sound like a crazy person here but I believe each DAC has a certain strength on how they deal with various files. Some like PCM best and some DSD. I feel WM1A deals with DSD alot better than PCM. For the fun of it I converted some PCM files to DSD and I sort of think Sony is using some DSP when converting DSD files that adds it this nice warmth that i gentle enough to make a nice fatigue free listening.


----------



## proedros

i hope that wm1a plays 16/44 FLAC just fine , it's the only format i use now


----------



## PCheung

proedros said:


> i hope that wm1a plays 16/44 FLAC just fine , it's the only format i use now



I don't have any problem playing 16bit/44.1kHz FLAC on my 1Z, sure it works on 1A


----------



## Sarnia

proedros said:


> i hope that wm1a plays 16/44 FLAC just fine , it's the only format i use now


It plays 16/44 fine. 

Obviously the better the recording the better the sound. Some of the older CDs I've ripped sound much worse than newer ones.


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> i hope that wm1a plays 16/44 FLAC just fine , it's the only format i use now


sure it does I have 97% 16/44.1 FLAC, and does it sound awesome


----------



## nanaholic

proedros said:


> i hope that wm1a plays 16/44 FLAC just fine , it's the only format i use now



WM1 series plays FLAC just fine.  Best of all it's the only player that plays 16/44 FLAC AND gives you 40 hours of play time.


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> WM1 series plays FLAC just fine.  Best of all it's the only player that plays 16/44 FLAC AND gives you 40 hours of play time.



I don't know how anybody get 40 hours. I get about 20 hours 16/44 flac playtime on lowest brightnes and with all features and transmitters disabled selecting single albums and playing them end to end


----------



## Acemcl

nc8000 said:


> I don't know how anybody get 40 hours. I get about 20 hours 16/44 flac playtime on lowest brightnes and with all features and transmitters disabled selecting single albums and playing them end to end



i haven't seen 40 hours either but i have gone past the 30 hour mark


----------



## PCheung (Jul 4, 2017)

Usually around 15~20 hours play time on balance, 30 hours on SE.
Playtime depends on EQ settings, BT remote, NFC, music format (flac should be more power consuming than mp3 or wav) or, do you keep fiddling the display.

40 hours seems extreme case.


----------



## nc8000

PCheung said:


> Usually around 15~20 hours play time on balance, 30 hours on SE.
> Playtime depends on EQ settings, BT remote, NFC, music format (flac should be more power consuming than mp3 or wav) or, do you keep fiddling the display.
> 
> 40 hours seems extreme case.



Didn't consider balanced which is what I use


----------



## nanaholic

If you interact with the screen a lot you'll burn more battery.  The screen is actually the component which uses the most battery.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> If you interact with the screen a lot you'll burn more battery.  The screen is actually the component which uses the most battery.



I do manage to squeeze arround 24-27 hours on my WM1A by ignoring screen (avoiding temptation yo use it)


----------



## TheOracle

cfc7 said:


> Can you elaborate a little bit more?



From the 3.5mm, there isn't much of a difference between the two at all (based on comparing the two for about a week before selling off the ZX2; also based on both the 3.5mm jacks with balanced cables). The big difference is with the 4.4mm on 1A. The entire presentation is wider, cleaner (instrument separation, details), livelier & more articulate. To me, the XZ2 (and the 3.5 on the 1A) sounds dull in comparison and lacks all the intricate details and soundstage you get on 4.4.


----------



## TheOracle

proedros said:


> AWESOME , i am finally sold on getting it
> 
> one last thing - is there hiss with the wm1a ? zeus is supposed to be slightly hissy , what's your take on the matter ?
> 
> (thanx for the info , MUCH appreciated



I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Actually, my second set of Zeus should be at my door when I get home from work today. I went ADEL XRA on the first one and have gone ADEL-less and just R for the second.

As others have already said, no hiss I can detect at all.

You're welcome. I hope you enjoy your Zeus as much as I do!


----------



## cfc7

TheOracle said:


> From the 3.5mm, there isn't much of a difference between the two at all (based on comparing the two for about a week before selling off the ZX2; also based on both the 3.5mm jacks with balanced cables). The big difference is with the 4.4mm on 1A. The entire presentation is wider, cleaner (instrument separation, details), livelier & more articulate. To me, the XZ2 (and the 3.5 on the 1A) sounds dull in comparison and lacks all the intricate details and soundstage you get on 4.4.


Thanks!
Same difference if using TRRS on ZX2?


----------



## proedros

btw i think it's  worth mentioning

there is a *brand new wm1a (EU version) selling for 850 euros*

imo , this is a great price

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/sony-nw-wm1a-uncapped-brand-new.854127/#post-13583372


----------



## beowulf

pietcux said:


> As the summer is coming sooner or later on my side of this planet, I needed to figure out a summer alternative to the Z1r / Z7. Both get warm in normal spring conditions here already. So I took my MDR-EX1000 out of their lovely leather case and gave them a first try with the WM1A. Good synergy at first listen, but compared to the Z1r they are still a little hot with Miles Davis's trumpet. Also the bass, even though deep and precise could use a little lift. So I thought why not give the tone control a try.
> Bass + 2
> Mids - 2
> Treble -4
> Those are my settings right now. Seems to me that Sony finally made a player to bring out the MDR-EX1000's full potential. It is about time that Sony gives us a true MDR-EX1000 successor without any balanced armature drivers.



How is that experience going? I ordered the MDR-EX1000 from Japan earlier today and am very curious about them. I'd have no problems even getting rid of the Andromeda if they're good enough, but probably the sound and DDvsBA touch will be just too different to have either of those being enough.


----------



## gerelmx1986

beowulf said:


> How is that experience going? I ordered the MDR-EX1000 from Japan earlier today and am very curious about them. I'd have no problems even getting rid of the Andromeda if they're good enough, but probably the sound and DDvsBA touch will be just too different to have either of those being enough.


I have the z5 and they sound spectacular, pretty neutral, yes, they do have some bass, however, the bass is controlled very well


----------



## TheOracle

cfc7 said:


> Thanks!
> Same difference if using TRRS on ZX2?



Yes, I was using both exclusively with TRRS on the 3.5 jacks.


----------



## pietcux (Jul 6, 2017)

beowulf said:


> How is that experience going? I ordered the MDR-EX1000 from Japan earlier today and am very curious about them. I'd have no problems even getting rid of the Andromeda if they're good enough, but probably the sound and DDvsBA touch will be just too different to have either of those being enough.


Oh I am back to Direct Source on with the EX1000. The unbalanced output stage  of my WM1A gets better and better the more hours you put into it, so the bass is much more to my liking after 30 hours of usage. Same goes fot the treble they softened just enough to my liking. Imagine, this will get better and better till I reach 200 hours of unbalanced playing time. The MDR-EX1000 are an epic kind of IEM, likely the best Sony could possibly make. It has two gripes for me though: It is sensitive to wind noise, probably a common problem outside the house in Holland where you live. And the seal is very important, no seal no bass, that's it. The brand new tips need a little help by ear wax to really seal but if the seal is there, that bass is a hell of a feature on the EX1000. You will see. I had the Sony XBA-H3 for some time and was happy to sell it off to a workmate, because it could not satify once you had the EX1000 around. If you receive the EX1000, let us start a new thread on it, it does not exsist so far and the EX1000 deserves it. Btw, for windy and even stormy days I have the Sennheiser IE800. Even though it has ports, it does not interact with wind at all.


----------



## pietcux

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have the z5 and they sound spectacular, pretty neutral, yes, they do have some bass, however, the bass is controlled very well


Sadly Sony decided not to sell the Z5 in Europe at all. But I doubt it is better than the EX1000 after my experience with the XBA-H3


----------



## productred

pietcux said:


> Sadly Sony decided not to sell the Z5 in Europe at all. But I doubt it is better than the EX1000 after my experience with the XBA-H3



In my books the Z5 is in general better than the EX1000, in overall quality, soundstage, details, visceral bass etc. But the EX1000 is a class of its own that nothing in the Sony lineup or any other brands ever touches it for its very special sound signature. The EX1000 is still available for sale after all those years and quite a lot of people still keeps theirs or get new ones despite having newer iems costing a lot more. Technically they are dated, but a well tuned signature is never outdated.


----------



## nanaholic

productred said:


> But the EX1000 is a class of its own that nothing in the Sony lineup or any other brands ever touches it for its very special sound signature.



Can always get Just ears that is turned by the same person.


----------



## audionewbi

@nanaholic By any chance have you ever tried the Edition 8 with the wm1a balanced out? I always wanted to own an edition 8.


----------



## nanaholic

audionewbi said:


> @nanaholic By any chance have you ever tried the Edition 8 with the wm1a balanced out? I always wanted to own an edition 8.



Yeah.  I re-terminated my ED8 with a 2.5mm plug and used it a few times with my WM1Z using a converter cable.  To be honest I don't like the sound out of balance so much with the ED8, the treble gets emphasized and became too piercing to my ears.  I much prefer going back to the 3.5mm unbalanced connection with the ED8. Though I think one thing that might factor is that I've had my ED8 for almost 6 years now and I think the ear pads needs replacing, they aren't as firm as I remembered and I think that affects the acoustic of the ED8, since the S Logic of Ultrasone headphones is very position dependent.


----------



## Tawek

http://m.ebay.pl/itm/Sony-CEW-NW-WM...3D332287643849&_trksid=p2056116.c100408.m2460


----------



## Tawek

Great price


----------



## buzzlulu

Hey guys - lets keep a look out and monitor Amazon Prime day next week.  I would love to pick up a 256gb card for my 1Z.
Lets post if a good price pops up


----------



## audionewbi

I just found out 1Z had 256 GB internal, if i knew from the start.....


----------



## buzzlulu

Yes - 256 + 256 = 512gb   i.e. alot of music


----------



## gerelmx1986

Even 256GB + 128GB is enough room for lots of Music and that is a mix of 24 and 16 bit FLAC files


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 8, 2017)

One of the best, if not the best Portability ^_^ (high-end) yes! Very much so and (high-fidelity) absolutely so!

For anyone who would love Utopia review.  I have mine up

https://www.head-fi.org/f/showcase/focal-utopia.21682/





Traveling, you said ?





Yeah, here is traveling with it and WM1Z packed safely inside





And here I go ! This is "Hi-fi i-Go Pack"


----------



## Acemcl

Whitigir said:


> One of the best, if not the best Portability ^_^ (high-end) yes! Very much so and (high-fidelity) absolutely so!
> 
> For anyone who would love Utopia review.  I have mine up
> 
> ...


That's a lot to carry!!! Also guessing that while it's portable you are not using it outside given the open backed nature of the cans?


----------



## Whitigir

Acemcl said:


> That's a lot to carry!!! Also guessing that while it's portable you are not using it outside given the open backed nature of the cans?



Portability means taking around the house or office and or pack up to fly with on business trips....etc.  I don't dare taking it out to go fishing with or jogging with.  The weight of the 2 combined would be very troublesome


----------



## Acemcl

Whitigir said:


> Portability means taking around the house or office and or pack up to fly with on business trips....etc.  I don't dare taking it out to go fishing with or jogging with.  The weight of the 2 combined would be very troublesome


What's your portable solution to take outside? I'm using the 1Z with the shure she-846 but will be replacing that with the noble encore's soon. Super psyched for that combination


----------



## gerelmx1986

The packaging of the utopia looks dull, compared to the fancy box in which the z1r. Come


----------



## nc8000

Acemcl said:


> What's your portable solution to take outside? I'm using the 1Z with the shure she-846 but will be replacing that with the noble encore's soon. Super psyched for that combination



For actual portable in transport I use my iPhone SE with qJays V2 and Tidal. The Z1R, 1Z and JH13 gets packed and used by the bed side at home and away


----------



## jamato8

gerelmx1986 said:


> The packaging of the utopia looks dull, compared to the fancy box in which the z1r. Come


So, how does the packaging sound?


----------



## Tawek

http://m.ebay.pl/itm/Sony-CEW-NW-WM...3D332294754098&_trksid=p2056116.c100408.m2460


----------



## audionewbi

i've that sony is working on ZX-300 which is an evolution from the ZX-x00.


----------



## crabdog

Whitigir said:


> So you want female 4.4 into XLR ? Interesting I already have 4.4mm female into 3.5mm . But it could be done into XLR 4 as well. Though, it is only viable when you have upgraded 4.4mm cables for the z1r. Because the prices for connectors and 4.4mm female are expensive, which makes no senses to use stock cables with it


This is what I want. Was anyone able to find one? (sorry don't have time to go through entire thread)


----------



## mw7485

Tawek said:


> http://m.ebay.pl/itm/Sony-CEW-NW-WM1Z-High-Resolution-Audio-Walkman-256GB-S-Master-HX-Engine-Gold-/292176515480?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20150519202348%26meid%3D4b0c6ad36742493385d7b129d54744cf%26pid%3D100408%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D25%26sd%3D332294754098&_trksid=p2056116.c100408.m2460



Nobody in their right mind would sell a 1Z for that price - it has to be a scam (and not a very sophisticated one at that). I wonder if somebody's ebay account has been hijacked?


----------



## goyete

Hello! It's complicated to file this post becouse it's activity. Some questions:

The latest firmware is 1.20? Is it possible to star the songs from the unit (not from Media Go)?

Thanks!


----------



## gerelmx1986

goyete said:


> Hello! It's complicated to file this post becouse it's activity. Some questions:
> 
> The latest firmware is 1.20? Is it possible to star the songs from the unit (not from Media Go)?
> 
> Thanks!


 You can update the devie either alone by downloading the .exe or mdg for mac, or by using mediaGp. The same for songs you can load songs using Windows explorer or finder in mac or by using mediaGo


----------



## Whitigir

Acemcl said:


> What's your portable solution to take outside? I'm using the 1Z with the shure she-846 but will be replacing that with the noble encore's soon. Super psyched for that combination



Well, iPhone/iPad + iBuds ? Jogging, walking, fishing....but they turn my music collections to shixxx....so I prefer to enjoy nature the ways that it is and have my mind relaxed.  I gave up on IEMS a while ago, it always give me problems.  I may have an idea to get a Koss KSC75 clip-on and give it Bluetooth ability lol


----------



## ZeDuK

Which Pelican case chose please? 
I've read about 1020 but it seems to be too small.


----------



## Gosod

how much changes the sound with balanced cable?


----------



## Quadfather

How do Shure SE846s sound balanced out of the Sony NW-WM1A?  I love them single-ended from my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and Questyle QP1R.


----------



## Gosod

balanced cable you bought separately?


----------



## Quadfather

Gosod said:


> balanced cable you bought separately?



Just ordered an ALO Reference 8 4.4 balanced mmxc


----------



## ezekiel77

Quadfather said:


> Just ordered an ALO Reference 8 4.4 balanced mmxc



You have a big thirst for quality DAPs, my friend.


----------



## Whitigir

ezekiel77 said:


> You have a big thirst for quality DAPs, my friend.



Then we have A&K SP1000  which uses 2.5mm cables


----------



## Quadfather

ezekiel77 said:


> You have a big thirst for quality DAPs, my friend.



I have to slow down.   I believe that I am addicted to DAPs.


----------



## rhull1973

audionewbi said:


> i've that sony is working on ZX-300 which is an evolution from the ZX-x00.


Any details?


----------



## pietcux

Let's see what Sony releases at IFA Berlin 2017.


----------



## Whitigir

pietcux said:


> Let's see what Sony releases at IFA Berlin 2017.


Well, don't u think they want to save something for Walkman anniversary?


----------



## audionewbi (Jul 10, 2017)

Found the source of the news
Edit: we made their site crush so had to remove it.

Price said to be around 100,000 jpy.


----------



## blazinblazin

It's a instruction Manual leak~


----------



## PCheung

Wow, the manual shows a USB-DAC function for the ZX300


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 10, 2017)

Holy shirt....a USB DAC function on a Walkman with 4.4mm.  So we thought ZX100 was just that....but we are wrong.  Now, we are going to have ZX300 ? Woooaaaa Weeee

What if we are going to have ZX3 as well ?


----------



## buzzlulu

The above mentioned link does not work.
Is there anything mentioned about wifi support and a full fledged OS i.e. Tidal/Spotify support??


----------



## PCheung (Jul 10, 2017)

Here is the ZX300 user manual I found on another Japanese website

https://mega.nz/#!9gQAmQoD!mS5WIfcIOsCSoOooXeWytThRufqs9I0EfmHsvEzC2Ps

also the new A45

https://mega.nz/#!hsoknbDS!3iJhBhpuLF_KghH0Ctcp8r3JR-B9lKrpTigc0rURPg4

Both shows a USB-DAC function



buzzlulu said:


> The above mentioned link does not work.
> Is there anything mentioned about wifi support and a full fledged OS i.e. Tidal/Spotify support??



Sony OS almost the same as the WM1A, so the answer is no.


----------



## kms108 (Jul 10, 2017)

it's not android, so there is no installing apps.

@PCheung, I onlu see USB charging, where does it mention about USB DAC.

Also is this a replacement of the ZX-100, or a replace or a upgrade of the WM1A.


*@Whitigir, I won't mind a ZX 3, im in Japan December and was hoping to get the WM1A, looks like I will get a choice of a new DAP, I also purchased some screen protector and case for the WM1A, all sitting at home.*


----------



## PCheung (Jul 10, 2017)

kms108 said:


> it's not android, so there is no installing apps.
> 
> @PCheung, I onlu see USB charging, where does it mention about USB DAC.
> 
> Also is this a replacement of the ZX-100, or a replace or a upgrade of the WM1A.








A USB-DAC button on the top side on the menu





Here says "Listen you your music on you PC without transfer file to Walkman (USB-DAC functionality)" 
on the second last page of the manual


----------



## kms108 (Jul 10, 2017)

PCheung said:


> A USB-DAC button on the top side on the menu
> 
> 
> 
> Here says "Listen you your music on you PC without transfer file to Walkman (USB-DAC functionality)"



I can't believe I didn't see that.  Thanks

now I know why I can't see it, headfi on my PC only show the first page, i'm downloading right now.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Cool but I will keep my WM1A for a time, don't know how great will zx300 sound vs the wm1a, give them super bright nature of zx300, nonetheless I consider the USB DAC functionality to be long overdue


----------



## gerelmx1986

PCheung said:


> Here is the ZX300 user manual I found on another Japanese website
> 
> https://mega.nz/#!9gQAmQoD!mS5WIfcIOsCSoOooXeWytThRufqs9I0EfmHsvEzC2Ps
> 
> ...


for so men odd reason I can't download it in android 7


----------



## PCheung (Jul 10, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> for so men odd reason I can't download it in android 7


Sorry to hear that, maybe you could try again on a PC


----------



## Whitigir

Now if WM1Z could be doing USB DAC lol


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> Well, don't u think they want to save something for Walkman anniversary?



ZX100 is only a mid range product, don't think it's replacement warrants the anniversary treatment. 

On the other hand I think it's too early for a 1Z replacement too to celebrate Walkman anniversary, so perhaps a special edition of the 1Z?


----------



## Cagin

We're sooo going to get USB DAC on a firmware update @-@


----------



## gerelmx1986

Cagin said:


> We're sooo going to get USB DAC on a firmware update @-@


true


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 10, 2017)

nanaholic said:


> ZX100 is only a mid range product, don't think it's replacement warrants the anniversary treatment.
> 
> On the other hand I think it's too early for a 1Z replacement too to celebrate Walkman anniversary, so perhaps a special edition of the 1Z?



Lol...special edition of 1Z such as making it out of Meteorite materials ? I am kidding, but I hope we will have more new development soon.  Lately Sony has been pretty serious and busy into this industry.  They are going to start pressing Vinyl records again after all the 28 years without it



Cagin said:


> We're sooo going to get USB DAC on a firmware update @-@



Not too sure about this.  I doubt it lol.  In order to receive the digital in signal, it needs a proper receiver chip such as Xmos and I don't think WM1A/Z has any of those.
.
.
.
Well, unless the flagship processor of the new S-Master has this capability already


----------



## gerelmx1986

Any word on pricing? Capacity?


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> Not too sure about this.  I doubt it lol.  In order to receive the digital in signal, it needs a proper receiver chip such as Xmos and I don't think WM1A/Z has any of those.



The DAP is already capable of interfacing and performing digital file transfer with a PC over USB, I don't see why it needs more converter chips.



> Well, unless the flagship processor of the new S-Master has this capability already



Logically speaking the S-Master wouldn't care as it would be fetching and decoding the file from some sort of local memory buffer inside the DAP, I can't see any competent engineer would make something that decodes from a straight raw digital signal.


----------



## kms108

Someone did post saying it's about 100000yen , and I think it's going to be 128GB, if that is the case, the WM1A is a better choice.


----------



## nanaholic (Jul 10, 2017)

kms108 said:


> Someone did post saying it's about 100000yen , and I think it's going to be 128GB, if that is the case, the WM1A is a better choice.



There's no pricing, it's all speculation by 2cher.  The 100k yen one is definitely wrong, it's just made as a comparison to the WM1A which is 100k.

From the manual the ZX300 only has 64g of storage, so no way it is WM1A pricing.  Also it is supposed to be the successor to the ZX100, which is priced at 70k, so expect it to be around 60-70k.

Remember the ZX100 is mid-tier product that is positioned below the ZX1/ZX2.  So its successor cannot possibly be the same pricing as the WM1 series machines, which is the successor of the ZX2.


----------



## kms108

nanaholic said:


> There's no pricing, it's all speculation by 2cher.  The 100k yen one is definitely wrong, it's just made as a comparison to the WM1A which is 100k.
> 
> From the manual the ZX300 only has 64g of storage, so no way it is WM1A pricing.  Also it is supposed to be the successor to the ZX100, which is priced at 70k, so expect it to be around 60-70k.
> 
> Remember the ZX100 is mid-tier product that is positioned below the ZX1/ZX2.  So its successor cannot possibly be the same pricing as the WM1 series machines, which is the successor of the ZX2.


It's weird that it's going for 64GB, the ZX-100 has 128 GB, but i think it's going for about 80K, which is below the the 119K for the ZX 2/WM1a


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> The DAP is already capable of interfacing and performing digital file transfer with a PC over USB, I don't see why it needs more converter chips.
> 
> 
> 
> Logically speaking the S-Master wouldn't care as it would be fetching and decoding the file from some sort of local memory buffer inside the DAP, I can't see any competent engineer would make something that decodes from a straight raw digital signal.




I'm not technically competent enough to argue what is involved in transferring a music signal over usb as opposed to file transfer but I'm confident that it is a bit more complex that what you describe


----------



## nanaholic

nc8000 said:


> I'm not technically competent enough to argue what is involved in transferring a music signal over usb as opposed to file transfer but I'm confident that it is a bit more complex that what you describe



There is no "music signal" over USB. it's all the same as everything is digital, the only difference is the transfer protocol that is used and whether the device can support that protocol.
The original statement was that there's no "digital receiver chip" inside the WM1 - but there's really no such thing in light of the WM1 being able to perform file transfer in an active state (compared to say a thumb drive which are dumb devices).  As the WM1 can switch between modes and has a build in card reader (further more, it can open up the card reader to the host PC when connected via USB), thus there's obviously a USB host controller in there that can switch between operation modes. So my statement still stands - the WM1 can already receive files over USB, there's no reason it needs more chips/hardware. The real issue is whether the host controller inside the WM1 can be further re-programmed to support the correct protocol to act as a USB DAC.


----------



## Ofir_A

All,

A quick question about the remote. Using the US Sony NW-WM1Z model, I cannot see the remote come up on the Bluetooth devices list.
The matter of fact is I cannot see it come up on my Bluetooth device list on my Mac either.

Appreciate your help,
Ofir


----------



## audionewbi

I love to see a modded like redwieaduio mod the wm1a. It has potential. The repair manual for wm1a is out and it doesn't look too complicated.


----------



## nc8000

audionewbi said:


> I love to see a modded like redwieaduio mod the wm1a. It has potential. The repair manual for wm1a is out and it doesn't look too complicated.



Several here have already modded the 1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

Zx300 seems to be a big meh, just like zx100 did, an more affordable. "wm1a" but likely with lesser SQ


----------



## Whitigir

Love the Utopia so much that I just finished converting my Z1R cables toward Utopia cables.  Copper Edition  for affordability lol


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 10, 2017)

nanaholic said:


> The DAP is already capable of interfacing and performing digital file transfer with a PC over USB, I don't see why it needs more converter chips.
> 
> 
> 
> Logically speaking the S-Master wouldn't care as it would be fetching and decoding the file from some sort of local memory buffer inside the DAP, I can't see any competent engineer would make something that decodes from a straight raw digital signal.


Man, you are making me to keep my hope up ! Lol.  If it really is what you just said, then I am confident that the S-Master Hi-def inside the WM series are totally capable of further programming to allow USB DAC features as it is currently the Flagship S-Master design ATM from Sony


----------



## proedros (Jul 10, 2017)

amazon uk has some *wm1a for sale starting at 741 pounds*

and there is an *extra 20% discount on top for prime members*

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B01LHGLG3A/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

or you can buy a *brand new for 826 pounds *

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01LHGLG3A/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1


----------



## gerelmx1986

Maybe the zx00 versions are test beds for ture flagship models. 

Zx100 test bed for Sony OS on a "zx2" hardware, thus WM series came out 

Perhaps zx300 is the test bed for USB DAC function and next year or two we will see the Sony Walkman. Anniversary Edition with USB DAC


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Maybe the zx00 versions are test beds for ture flagship models.
> 
> Zx100 test bed for Sony OS on a "zx2" hardware, thus WM series came out
> 
> Perhaps zx300 is the test bed for USB DAC function and next year or two we will see the Sony Walkman. Anniversary Edition with USB DAC




Probably so, but WM series is Flagship from Sony ? WalkMan is litterally the (WM)


----------



## PCheung

Ofir_A said:


> All,
> 
> A quick question about the remote. Using the US Sony NW-WM1Z model, I cannot see the remote come up on the Bluetooth devices list.
> The matter of fact is I cannot see it come up on my Bluetooth device list on my Mac either.
> ...



There should be a "remote control settings " option in the menu
But US ver removed that function as I recalled? Ain't sure

Do a FW hack and change the region to international should bring back the option


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jul 10, 2017)

Are you guys Hyped on the new ZX300? I am not as i have my trustworthy 1A. while USB DAC is certainly a plus, i am not so thrilled, perhaps because the update lifecycle is so fast.
 moreover I bet the WM1A and Z will still be the Kings. I see the ZX300 ans in the middle of A30/40 and WM1x


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Are you guys Hyped on the new ZX300? I am not as i have my trustworthy 1A. while USB DAC is certainly a plus, i am not so thrilled, perhaps because the update lifecycle is so fast


I am very happy with my Wm1z, USB DAC will certainly help, but with mid-tier level of sound performances, it is but just another "niche".  However, I am thrilled that Walkman and Sony is trying to do more and more as the years is progressing, and I am happy to see that Sony is coming back, being stronger and better


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> I am very happy with my Wm1z, USB DAC will certainly help, but with mid-tier level of sound performances, it is but just another "niche".  However, I am thrilled that Walkman and Sony is trying to do more and more as the years is progressing, and I am happy to see that Sony is coming back, being stronger and better


 Yup, i don't use an USB DAC. I had a Fiio x3 but rarely used it, seems tempting  in the scenario of avoiding swapping 4.4mm to regular 3.5mm cables but certainly i can buy  a set of sony $20 buds and use that for Laptop.

As you say, is nice to see sony renovating the walkman after years of being stuck in a tut, good that sony is finally catching up with the competition (fiio, A&K (don't know if these have usb dac))


----------



## gerelmx1986

now hope in the walkman anniversary edition sony has plans for Dual-SD slot preferrably a regula SD slot + microSD


----------



## rcoleman1

Amazon Prime deal: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IC0GJKE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. Load up those Walkmans!


----------



## buzzlulu

rcoleman1 said:


> Amazon Prime deal: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IC0GJKE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. Load up those Walkmans!



Oh yes you just made my day (evening).  This is exactly what I have been waiting for to use with my 1Z.
Thank you so much - I posted last week asking people to keep an eye out for this kind of deal

THANKS !!!!!


----------



## buzzlulu

Whitigir

I thought you no longer have your Z1R?

What are your thoughts on cables for the Sony - which commercially available ones have you heard (as I realize you also build your own)?

As you know I sent my Z1R's back several months ago and currently use the Utopia's (with Kimber Axios).  Well - I found that I also needed a closed back and just repurchased the Z1R's again as a second pair.  Currently using the Sony/Kimber cable (all copper vs. copper/silver included in the box).  So far nice sounding - however owning two pair of Axios cables I don't think I can live with this Sony/Kimber version - very cheap looking construction compared to the Axios. 

I have a feeling even though they share the same DNA as genuine Axios cables  - and are all copper like them - I have a suspicion that real Kimber Axios will beat them out.


----------



## Whitigir

buzzlulu said:


> Whitigir
> 
> I thought you no longer have your Z1R?
> 
> ...



That is correct that I no longer have Z1R, but I do have SA5000 of which is converted to Z1R removable cables style 

I do not spend money on commercial available cables as I build my own, and I have experiences with different type of materials and styles as I can construct them at my wills...which cost me money...but my enthusiasm has no ends.  What do I found useful about Sony cables ? I found that their uses of Hybrid Silver plated Copper wires in their cables construction is genius, and so I adopted it which I currently use for Z1R, and now converted into Utopia usage.  It is the one u see above, but the material is UPOCC and not typical OFC

Axios is the flagship level of Kimber, and so they have very nice build, having 16 wires braided.  It does have some advantages, but such question is better answered by Jason @thesourceAv as he has huge stock of those and can leisurely answer it to you, but the technicality and pricing performances between regular Kimber Vs Axios is real.


----------



## ezekiel77 (Jul 11, 2017)

audionewbi said:


> I love to see a modded like redwieaduio mod the wm1a. It has potential. The repair manual for wm1a is out and it doesn't look too complicated.



Sammy from Rhapsodio has modding services for the WM1A. I think it was mentioned in Facebook but not here. He changed the internal wiring to 5N silver among other things. I'll share the link once I find it.

Edit: link here
https://m.facebook.com/groups/1576008759358483?view=permalink&id=1721665318126159


----------



## buzzlulu (Jul 11, 2017)

Yes I am convinced that if I bring in a pair of "real" Kimbers (ie Axios) I fully expect them to be better than the Sony/Kimber version.  I already own two sets of Axios - a 1.2m Pentacon terminated for the 1Z and a second 4m balanced XLR terminated for use with my Moon 430HA amplifier in my 2 channel system.  Beautifully made - and sounding - cables.

Agreed about the Sony use of silver coated copper they for the Z1R's.  They sound quite good as is.  Is there any commercial cable manufacturer offering the same?  I tried the Axios copper/silver hybrid and was not happy at all (on Utopias).  I preferred the all copper version.  Kimber is not silver coating the copper in this version.  Instead 8 of the wires are pure silver and 8 are pure copper - both then braided together.  Obviously this is quite different from silver coating all wires as Sony does with their supplied cable.  That is why I ask if any comnercially available suppliers are offering silver coated copper.

It is interesting though that Sony consider the pure copper Sony/Kimber to be an upgrade over the supplied silver coated copper. Perhaps for them 8 braids of pure copper beat out a thin single strand of silver coated copper


----------



## Whitigir

buzzlulu said:


> Yes I am convinced that if I bring in a pair of "real" Kimbers (ie Axios) I fully expect them to be better than the Sony/Kimber version.  I already own two sets of Axios - a 1.2m Pentacon terminated for the 1Z and a second 4m balanced XLR terminated for use with my Moon 430HA amplifier in my 2 channel system.  Beautifully made - and sounding - cables.
> 
> Agreed about the Sony use of silver coated copper they for the Z1R's.  They sound quite good as is.  Is there any commercial cable manufacturer offering the same?  I tried the Axios copper/silver hybrid and was not happy at all (on Utopias).  I preferred the all copper version.  Kimber is not silver coating the copper in this version.  Instead 8 of the wires are pure silver and 8 are pure copper - both then braided together.  Obviously this is quite different from silver coating all wires as Sony does with their supplied cable.  That is why I ask if any comnercially available suppliers are offering silver coated copper.
> 
> It is interesting though that Sony consider the pure copper Sony/Kimber to be an upgrade over the supplied silver coated copper. Perhaps for them 8 braids of pure copper beat out a thin single strand of silver coated copper



There are many vendors that offer the cables in Silver plated copper.  However, the Sony cables in Z1R is different.  You can always ask the 3rd party vendor to do what they can, customize it.

Well, the Kimber Axios is superior in comparison to Stock cables .  Technicality, Axios Kimber has very large wire sizes, it is probably 20Awg combined per polarity or larger, I am not sure, again, ask Jason, on top of that, they are braided 16 wires where as stock only has straight wires and much smaller sizes.

The best for Utopia would be Silver-Gold Fusion materials, but they are exotically expensive.


----------



## buzzlulu

Yes - if I can accurately predict the future -  once I finish burning in the Sony/Kimber I have a funny feeling I am going to fInd it superior to the stock Z1R cable - and then send it back for an Axios which will most likely be better still.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jul 11, 2017)

New Walkman will play APE. And MQA audio, also apparently they returned the video reproduction capability


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> Are you guys Hyped on the new ZX300? I am not as i have my trustworthy 1A. while USB DAC is certainly a plus, i am not so thrilled, perhaps because the update lifecycle is so fast.
> moreover I bet the WM1A and Z will still be the Kings. I see the ZX300 ans in the middle of A30/40 and WM1x



I think it's good that Sony will be releasing a mid-range product with 4.4mm balance output that slots in between WM1A and the A30/A40 series as it can only help 4.4mm adaption rate further.  Not everyone can immediately spring for even WM1A pricing so a mid-range DAP costing around 6-70k yen to compete with the likes of the very popular Onkyo DP-X1 and 1A is welcomed.  I personally don't have a need for one but I think the ZX300 is a solely needed product to fill that gaping hole in the current line up.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I don't know of adding video capability affects the sound quality of the player? I like the fact current WM 1 series are solely music devices., because it says they have the utmost attention to sound quality


----------



## Dim666

echineko said:


> So like I mentioned, I just received mine today. Initially I had a problem pairing as well, but I figured it out.
> 
> First, you need to make sure you're at the Remote Control Settings menu, as mentioned above:
> 
> ...



Help Me !

I've got WM1A ant this remote (RMT-NWS20) but I don't found in Settings Menu between Audio Device Settings and NFC the "Remote Control Settings". I've bought this remote in Japan. With "Hold Off" when I press a button the remote blinks red and blue quickly but nothing works


----------



## gerelmx1986

Did you try this switch on main settings screen on/off


----------



## Dim666

My WM1a don't own this icon at right


----------



## kubig123

Dim666 said:


> My WM1a don't own this icon at right



than you have to change region. if I'm not mistake is the Asia version that allows you to use the remote.


----------



## Dim666

How do you do, I don't know ?
Just change the language ?

Thanks for our your answer


----------



## kubig123

this was already posted month ago, look for scsitool-nwz-vU.exe in this forum.

You'll find the tools to change regions


----------



## gerelmx1986

Dim666 said:


> My WM1a don't own this icon at right


Then you need to download. The Rockbox mod, found in nbthso thread


----------



## kubig123

kubig123 said:


> this was already posted month ago, look for scsitool-nwz-vU.exe in this forum.
> 
> You'll find the tools to change regions



here is the link

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool


----------



## Dim666

Complex but many thanks


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 11, 2017)

Finally, using my OFC Pentaconn ! The top tier materials from their line!! Around $100 by itself .  By the way, if anyone wonder, real Pentaconn regular version is very high quality.  It has no magnetism as I tried it on top of a very heavy duty magnet.  This explains why they are so expensive!


----------



## jamato8

Whitigir said:


> Finally, using my OFC Pentaconn ! The top tier materials from their line!! Around $100 by itself .  By the way, if anyone wonder, real Pentaconn regular version is very high quality.  It has no magnetism as I tried it on top of a very heavy duty magnet.  This explains why they are so expensive!



Maybe. I have some I bought on eBay that cost 5 dollars each and have no magnetism. Most use brass and if no central pin is used that has steel, you should be good to go. Even Furutech uses steel on the central pin for the 2.5 TRRS saying it is needed for strength but I have 2.5 TRRS that are totally non magnetic and again, cost around 5 dollars. What I would like is the OFC TRRRS 4.4. Furutech is coming out with a 4.4 TRRRS that is supposed to be non magnetic and should be out this month.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 11, 2017)

Please keep me posted on when they arrive .  I am a huge fan of Furutech


----------



## Sarnia (Jul 11, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Finally, using my OFC Pentaconn ! The top tier materials from their line!! Around $100 by itself .  By the way, if anyone wonder, real Pentaconn regular version is very high quality.  It has no magnetism as I tried it on top of a very heavy duty magnet.  This explains why they are so expensive!



That, my friend, is a beautiful cable. Nice work, wish I could do that myself, one day I'll find the time to learn to do it.

Out of interest, what is unique about the Sony SPC cables compared to other SPC cables? One of the next cables I'm looking at is the new Chord Shawline Shawcan headphone cable, which is SPC I believe. Chord definitely know their cables, and the price is very good.

Well, I finally took the plunge and ordered a WM1Z tonight. Looking forward to comparing it to my WM1A once it's burnt in.


----------



## Whitigir

Sarnia said:


> That, my friend, is a beautiful cable. Nice work, wish I could do that myself, one day I'll find the time to learn to do it.
> 
> Out of interest, what is unique about the Sony SPC cables compared to other SPC cables? One of the next cables I'm looking at is the new Chord Shawline Shawcan headphone cable, which is SPC I believe. Chord definitely know their cables, and the price is very good.
> 
> Well, I finally took the plunge and ordered a WM1Z tonight. Looking forward to comparing it to my WM1A once it's burnt in.


Thank you!  And you should !
I already made the posts somewhere in the Z1R thread , and I rather have 3rd party vendor to answer your question.  Their job, isn't it ? Lol


----------



## gearofwar

Does anyone here play around ZS5 with your wm1 dap? it's 30 bucks and sounds much better than that crappy xba-z5


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> Does anyone here play around ZS5 with your wm1 dap? it's 30 bucks and sounds much better than that crappy xba-z5



Now that has my attentions, holy cow...4 drivers for 38$ And removable style


----------



## gearofwar

Whitigir said:


> Now that has my attentions, holy cow...4 drivers for 38$ And removable style


yeah it does scale up with cable too for the stock is crappy


----------



## gerelmx1986

The spectrum analyzer is to see the overall frequency spectrum in your music files

And the analogue level meter is to measure the volume for each channel during the mastering process. (not the actual volume you have the Walkman at)
Is that correct?


----------



## Cagin

jamato8 said:


> Maybe. I have some I bought on eBay that cost 5 dollars each and have no magnetism. Most use brass and if no central pin is used that has steel, you should be good to go. Even Furutech uses steel on the central pin for the 2.5 TRRS saying it is needed for strength but I have 2.5 TRRS that are totally non magnetic and again, cost around 5 dollars. What I would like is the OFC TRRRS 4.4. Furutech is coming out with a 4.4 TRRRS that is supposed to be non magnetic and should be out this month.


Do you know how the Onso plug fares in this regard by chance?
https://cdn.head-fi.org/a/9966426.jpg


----------



## buzzlulu

Sarnia said:


> Out of interest, what is unique about the Sony SPC cables compared to other SPC cables? One of the next cables I'm looking at is the new Chord Shawline Shawcan headphone cable, which is SPC I believe. Chord definitely know their cables, and the price is very good.



Tell me more about the new Chord headphone cable as I just had a look at the webpage for it.  I need no introduction to Chord as I have been running their cables for years in my Naim system starting with the initial introduction of Sarum - moving to SuperSarum - and now running MUSIC.

Are they available yet?  Since you are posting in the Sony thread I will assume they have/will have a 4.4 Pentacon termination available?

I am going to assume that your reference to them using "SPC" is Silver Plated Copper?  I find this interesting relevant to the Z1R as this is what Sony supplies by default - silver plated copper.

The only thing I find strange is that Sony considers their Sony/Kimber cable, an all copper construction, as an upgrade over silver coated copper- implying that they feel all copper is an upgrade?.


----------



## Whitigir

The stock cables from Sony is very thin , or Small.  Kimber cables is huge in comparison, and that in itself is already an upgrade.  There are more to it, but I gotta talk simpler


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

I received a sample WM1Z unit from Sony Japan for Headfonia review.

I must say I expected a small difference in sound compared to WM1A. But to me the difference is more than that. This is surely an amazing DAP that shines with an organic and refined sound. I'm simply blown away. You WM1Z owners are really lucky


----------



## Whitigir

Virtu Fortuna said:


> I received a sample WM1Z unit from Sony Japan for Headfonia review.
> 
> I must say I expected a small difference in sound compared to WM1A. But to me the difference is more than that. This is surely an amazing DAP that shines with an organic and refined sound. I'm simply blown away. You WM1Z owners are really lucky


Since when does Sony hand out samples for reviews ? You are lucky !


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Whitigir said:


> Since when does Sony hand out samples for reviews ? You are lucky !


Well I knew a question like that would come. We were a little lucky to find a contact from Sony. I'm glad to get this chance to review this beauty.

Not a keeper of course, it'll go after some time. And that will be one of the saddest days of my life lol.


----------



## nanaholic

Virtu Fortuna said:


> I received a sample WM1Z unit from Sony Japan for Headfonia review.
> 
> I must say I expected a small difference in sound compared to WM1A. But to me the difference is more than that. This is surely an amazing DAP that shines with an organic and refined sound. I'm simply blown away. You WM1Z owners are really lucky



I strongly recommend reading the engineering team's interview for the Walkman before you finalise your review.  I think it will give you a different perspective of the device when you know the vision of the team, and whether you think they achieved their goal or fell short would make for some interesting comments.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

nanaholic said:


> I strongly recommend reading the engineering team's interview for the Walkman before you finalise your review.  I think it will give you a different perspective of the device when you know the vision of the team, and whether you think they achieved their goal or fell short would make for some interesting comments.


Thank you for the tip. Where can I find the interview?


----------



## Sarnia

Virtu Fortuna said:


> I received a sample WM1Z unit from Sony Japan for Headfonia review.
> 
> I must say I expected a small difference in sound compared to WM1A. But to me the difference is more than that. This is surely an amazing DAP that shines with an organic and refined sound. I'm simply blown away. You WM1Z owners are really lucky


That's good timing, reinforced that yesterday's purchase of the WM1Z was a good idea.

I've gone backwards and forwards on whether the extra cost and weight would be worth it for me over the already excellent WM1A.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Sarnia said:


> That's good timing, reinforced that yesterday's purchase of the WM1Z was a good idea.
> 
> I've gone backwards and forwards on whether the extra cost and weight would be worth it for me over the already excellent WM1A.


That's of course a different thing to talk about, whether is it worth the cost etc. That depends on the ones personal preferences. It's literally heavy to carry around, but if you listen to your portable system in a home environment, then why not go for the best sound possible?


----------



## nanaholic

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Thank you for the tip. Where can I find the interview?



http://www.sony.jp/walkman/special/flagship/manufacturer/


----------



## proedros

*sony wm1a , down to 800 pounds new* on amazon uk

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LHGL...olid=3TJG9OKVVABT7&coliid=I15OA63S8ZLNIU&th=1


----------



## Sarnia

Virtu Fortuna said:


> That's of course a different thing to talk about, whether is it worth the cost etc. That depends on the ones personal preferences. It's literally heavy to carry around, but if you listen to your portable system in a home environment, then why not go for the best sound possible?


True indeed. I got a good deal, and would generally use it at work or when travelling. 

I've got the Sony Xperia XZ Premium smartphone and the Sony MUC-M2BT1 wireless adapter for walking about etc.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Now that the new Walkman will support most lossless Codecs, with the addition of the ape and MQA (more of a wrapper than a new format), I think the Walkman will be positioned well with competition, hope they are smarter with pricing too, a reason why maybe fiio has success. 

I've read that ape is inefficient in decode /encode but very efficient in space savings (compression) and FLAC is slightly behind ape bit os faster on encode /decode


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Now that the new Walkman will support most lossless Codecs, with the addition of the ape and MQA (more of a wrapper than a new format), I think the Walkman will be positioned well with competition, hope they are smarter with pricing too, a reason why maybe fiio has success.
> 
> I've read that ape is inefficient in decode /encode but very efficient in space savings (compression) and FLAC is slightly behind ape bit os faster on encode /decode



You are majorly wrong in one count.

Fiio, they use off the shelves parts.  Let's say, any DAC chip they are using in a mass purchase would equal to $10 each.

Now, Sony Walkman, Sony designed it from their "In House Technologies".  The class D and S-Master itself are a marvelous achievement.  Not sure if Class D within the Walkman is unique in any way, but I am certainly sure that everyone agree about S-Master.

What I am saying is this, Fiio is a mass production using mass produced off the shelves parts, while Walkman is mass producers using its own technology which isn't mass produced for anything else.  Is Sony pricing correctly done ? Well, it depends, for performances to pricing ratio, it is inflated.....however, marketing and statistic states otherwise....A&K is still selling their hugely overpriced DAP which uses Massively produced off the shelves parts just as much as Fiio.  In this instance, the Sony Walkman is "Cheap" in comparison


----------



## larzy

So I just received the WM1A player today. Ran the "info" from Rockbox and it said the unit had the volume cap off even though the unit is CEW2 (West Europe) - shouldn't the volume cap be on by default? The volume goes to 120 steps. How high does the units with the hack enabled or the units outside Europe go? It doesn't have the high-gain output setting.

Am I missing something? I have the unit up on 120 to have it high enough - It's okay, but I think I might like to go a bit higher.


----------



## mw7485

larzy said:


> So I just received the WM1A player today. Ran the "info" from Rockbox and it said the unit had the volume cap off even though the unit is CEW2 (West Europe) - shouldn't the volume cap be on by default? The volume goes to 120 steps. How high does the units with the hack enabled or the units outside Europe go? It doesn't have the high-gain output setting.
> 
> Am I missing something? I have the unit up on 120 to have it high enough - It's okay, but I think I might like to go a bit higher.



Do you have a high gain option under *Settings | Output Options | Headphone Output*?


----------



## larzy (Jul 12, 2017)

No it doesn't have that - as I can read only the "E" version has this (Asia / Australia / NZ / Tourist) which was what I was going to change it to. Just wondered why it says OFF under Sound pressure.

Have tried to upload the info I get when I run the batch with GET.


----------



## mw7485

larzy said:


> No it doesn't have that - as I can read only the "E" version has this (Asia / Australia / NZ / Tourist) which was what I was going to change it to. Just wondered why it says OFF under Sound pressure.
> 
> Have tried to upload the info I get when I run the batch with GET.



We don't know why this is, but what is important is the destination setting. Once you set this to one of the appropriate values, you will have High Gain available.


----------



## larzy

OK - so that's what will enable higher volume overall? I remember this from my Denon DA-10 amp/dac - it has a high/low grain where the volume goes higher.


----------



## mw7485

larzy said:


> OK - so that's what will enable higher volume overall? I remember this from my Denon DA-10 amp/dac - it has a high/low grain where the volume goes higher.



The volume won't go to a higher maximum number, but what is output for a given number will be, err, "more powerful" if that makes sense!


----------



## gerelmx1986

He must change the region from cew2 to another different in order to activate the high gain


----------



## mw7485

gerelmx1986 said:


> He must change the region from cew2 to another different in order to activate the high gain



I don't think that is in dispute....


----------



## gerelmx1986

mw7485 said:


> I don't think that is in dispute....


Maybe then he also needs to set sound pressure to sp off /0?


----------



## larzy

I just thought that the sound pressure was equal the volume cap, so I was confused as to why it was set to off. My bad 

I'm returning the NW-WMA1 as I just found it on Amazon.co.uk (via this thread - thanks!) about 300$ cheaper then what I paid here in Denmark. So I won't do the change before I get the new unit..


----------



## mw7485

gerelmx1986 said:


> Maybe then he also needs to set sound pressure to sp off /0?



From memory, the only important setting is the destination code. I seem to remember the documentation even mentions that the sound pressure setting does not have any impact on the the volume cap; changing the destination to one of the right codes simply makes High Gain available. I'm pretty sure I just changed the destination to the East European setting, and didn't touch the sound pressure setting.


----------



## drew911d

Interesting device, but wow, expensive.  Didn't care so much for the thick sound from the zx2 I sampled, but I think it had the eq settings on at the time.  I'd really have to have a listen before dropping that much of my retirement fund...  Anybody know where I could audition one around Phx, Az?  Upgraditis...

Thanks for your help,
Drew


----------



## mw7485

Virtu Fortuna said:


> I received a sample WM1Z unit from Sony Japan for Headfonia review.
> 
> I must say I expected a small difference in sound compared to WM1A. But to me the difference is more than that. This is surely an amazing DAP that shines with an organic and refined sound. I'm simply blown away. You WM1Z owners are really lucky





.....Welcome to the world of the 1Z   - if only temporarily!


----------



## pietcux

Virtu Fortuna said:


> I received a sample WM1Z unit from Sony Japan for Headfonia review.
> 
> I must say I expected a small difference in sound compared to WM1A. But to me the difference is more than that. This is surely an amazing DAP that shines with an organic and refined sound. I'm simply blown away. You WM1Z owners are really lucky


I am waiting for your WM1A review since weeks now. Now with both players on hand it gets even more interesting.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna (Jul 14, 2017)

@mw7485 thank you. I will enjoy it even with a limited time.

@pietcux My WM1A has a problem with the screen. It'll go to the service center I'm afraid. And I have other things to write that's why it's been delayed. So because of the screen problem of WM1A, looks like WM1Z will be the first one to be reviewed.


----------



## Whitigir

Here is my review on Wm1z

http://www.head-fi.org/products/sony-digital-audio-player-walkman-nw-wm1z-n-gold/reviews/17881

If I did have wm1A to compare them for you guys


----------



## robin1990

I've used wm1a with a null audio sigle end cable for almost a year now. Until recently i request them to reterminate the cable with Balanced connector. 

It sound even better than before, but it seems like i have to redo the 200 hours of burn-in process :3

not sure if that is necessary or i've been putting a high expectation to the improvement


----------



## pietcux

So you probably did not get close to the 200 hours threshold of usage on one of the outputs, right?


----------



## robin1990

yeah, i think i'm at somewhere 30 hours to the balanced output.
never thought that i have to burn in both output separately though


----------



## pietcux

robin1990 said:


> yeah, i think i'm at somewhere 30 hours to the balanced output.
> never thought that i have to burn in both output separately though


It's getting better and better by the hour......


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yes, until you reach 500h is the. End of the process 

Enjoying an old favorite CD I bought after years of looking for it


----------



## Whitigir

The balanced circuitry is different than the single ended circuitry.


----------



## Quadfather

I love the way the Sony NW-WM1A handles album art (perfectly centered) and puts thumbnails into artist scroll.  My Lotoo Paw Gold Diana sounds better, but I am enjoying the user experience on the Sony NW-WM1A much more.  Bluetooth will be great for listening to Graphic Audio audiobooks.   These books have theme songs, digital sound effects, cinematic music, and voice actors playing each individual character.


----------



## proedros

yeah , the whole sony package (especially battery) makes me go for it instead of (probably) better sounding daps like LPG

it's the battery , to misquote those  MJ23 TV ads from the 90s


----------



## kms108

For those who are interested, sony has just released a new MMCX cable MUC-M12NB1 silver plated OFC with 4.4mm plug. at 13880 yen not including Tax.

http://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-m12nb1


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 14, 2017)

proedros said:


> yeah , the whole sony package (especially battery) makes me go for it instead of (probably) better sounding daps like LPG
> 
> it's the battery , to misquote those  MJ23 TV ads from the 90s



Battery life and Bluetooth are musts for dramatized audiobooks. Having said that, I feel blessed to also own the Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and the Questyle QP1R.


----------



## robin1990

Whitigir said:


> The balanced circuitry is different than the single ended circuitry.


I suspected so. Glad that it can be even better. 
Now at this current rate I feel that wm1a sounded too humble for epic symphony like Mahler Symphony 5 and 6


----------



## pietcux

Quadfather said:


> Battery life and Bluetooth are musts for dramatized audiobooks. Having said that, I feel blessed to also own the Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and the Questyle QP1R.


Why do you need Bluetooth for these audiobooks? Are they not listen worth on cable? I don't get your point, sorry.


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 14, 2017)

pietcux said:


> Why do you need Bluetooth for these audiobooks? Are they not listen worth on cable? I don't get your point, sorry.



I do cables at home and when I am listening sedentary, but I deliver mail and the cables get in the way. I just stick a small Bluetooth speaker in my pocket and keep the player safe and dust free in a zippered pocket. The audiobooks are WAY BETTER on wired, quality headphones.


----------



## Quadfather

Does anyone know where I can find a 4.4mm dust plug to keep the dust out of the balanced output when not in use?


----------



## audionewbi

We have no idea how lucky we are to have something like WM1A. It is is fatigue free and offers many features that other dap of similar price simply lack.


----------



## Whitigir

And have you guys even tried using 

"DC. Phase linearizer ?"

It is Sony newest features, and is similar to DAC chips manufacturers "filters" options.  It uses the processing power of DAC to apply different processing.  It is a waste to not use it


----------



## audionewbi

Whitigir said:


> And have you guys even tried using
> 
> "DC. Phase linearizer ?"
> 
> It is Sony newest features, and is similar to DAC chips manufacturers "filters" options.  It uses the processing power of DAC to apply different processing.  It is a waste to not use it


DC.Phase really works well in more bass oriented music.


----------



## animalsrush

Whitigir said:


> And have you guys even tried using
> 
> "DC. Phase linearizer ?"
> 
> It is Sony newest features, and is similar to DAC chips manufacturers "filters" options.  It uses the processing power of DAC to apply different processing.  It is a waste to not use it


 

Based ou your suggestions earlier I am using it on both k10 and z1r.. I use type A low and it is doing wonderful things to sub bass

Pc


----------



## Whitigir

animalsrush said:


> Based ou your suggestions earlier I am using it on both k10 and z1r.. I use type A low and it is doing wonderful things to sub bass
> 
> Pc



I made a post somewhere regarding the differences between them all, but I forgot where it is.  However, the fun is better when you discover it yourself


----------



## Decreate

Whitigir said:


> I made a post somewhere regarding the differences between them all, but I forgot where it is.  However, the fun is better when you discover it yourself


I think it's this one: https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-490#post-13173188


----------



## rtjoa

Quadfather said:


> Does anyone know where I can find a 4.4mm dust plug to keep the dust out of the balanced output when not in use?


Here you go in Taobao (Benks Magic Mini Dust Plugs: USB, 3.5mm and 4.4mm)
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=551642551120&_u=t2dmg8j26111

Why don't you use balanced?


----------



## Quadfather

rtjoa said:


> Here you go in Taobao (Benks Magic Mini Dust Plugs: USB, 3.5mm and 4.4mm)
> https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=551642551120&_u=t2dmg8j26111
> 
> Why don't you use balanced?



 I want to use balanced. My cable arrives this Monday. It is a 4.4 mm ALO balanced Reference 8 cable already burned in,  as is my NW-WM1A.


----------



## Lavakugel

Also want to go balanced with my grados. Is it possible to go balanced with this cable 

https://de.aliexpress.com/item/4-4m...lgo_pvid=4b2a11dc-15d6-4cf3-913b-40836bc38f7e


----------



## nc8000

Lavakugel said:


> Also want to go balanced with my grados. Is it possible to go balanced with this cable
> 
> https://de.aliexpress.com/item/4-4m...lgo_pvid=4b2a11dc-15d6-4cf3-913b-40836bc38f7e



No. That cable could possibly fry the player. You can not go from a trs single ended plug to balanced


----------



## Quadfather

rtjoa said:


> Here you go in Taobao (Benks Magic Mini Dust Plugs: USB, 3.5mm and 4.4mm)
> https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=551642551120&_u=t2dmg8j26111
> 
> Why don't you use balanced?



I cannot figure out how to convert to English or order.  Dang.


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 15, 2017)

Oops....quoted myself... error


----------



## kms108

Quadfather said:


> I cannot figure out how to convert to English or order.  Dang.


if you don't live in Hong Kong, china or macau, few more other countries, you have to use a taobao agent.


----------



## Quadfather

kms108 said:


> if you don't live in Hong Kong, china or macau, few more other countries, you have to use a taobao agent.



I am I am still trying to find someone I can buy from. This is like being a spy it's so hard to get information.


----------



## kms108

Quadfather said:


> I am I am still trying to find someone I can buy from. This is like being a spy it's so hard to get information.



Apparently, I think the stock is limited, the whole of taobao is out of stock, I was going to buy some a few minutes ago with some other stuff, looks like I have to contact one of the taobao lister who I purchased stuff from to see when they will get stock in, and I also just purchased some WM1A stuff about a month ago, should of just waited, but I think it was only released a while ago.


----------



## kms108 (Jul 15, 2017)

Found a listing, better photo's, not cheap.

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=551642551120&_u=t2dmg8j26111


----------



## Quadfather

Any USA 4.4mm dust plug sellers?


----------



## kms108

@Whitigir 

Something you might be interested in, female 4.4mm socket about USD 9

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...CpPZo&id=555169586952&ns=1&abbucket=20#detail


----------



## kms108

Quadfather said:


> Any USA 4.4mm dust plug sellers?



All the dust cap sellers are from china, your only chances is aliexpress if you want international shipping.


----------



## Whitigir

Nice! Thanks Kms


----------



## kms108

Custom connector I saw in Hong Kong, you can interchange 3.5, 4.4 or 2.5.


----------



## Whitigir

That is another connector into an adapter, cool idea


----------



## kms108

It's a custom made plug, cost for the 4.4 is about 41 USD a set, I came across this in one of the shops when I ask about rewiring.


----------



## rtjoa

That is a great idea and the cable looks nice. Do they have a website or a store in Taobao?


----------



## kms108

rtjoa said:


> That is a great idea and the cable looks nice. Do they have a website or a store in Taobao?




I'm not sure, when I go pass them in the next few days, i'll ask if they do online or mail order.


----------



## kms108

it's a very similar concept to the dita cable.

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...VKxYI&id=544838668354&ns=1&abbucket=20#detail


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 15, 2017)

I went to Ace Hardware and found an automotive rubber bumper that works perfectly as a dust plug.  Total $1.89 USD. I already had the 3.5mm plugs.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 15, 2017)

kms108 said:


> It's a custom made plug, cost for the 4.4 is about 41 USD a set, I came across this in one of the shops when I ask about rewiring.


Yeah, I know, but what I am saying is that a plug on top of a plug is similar to adapter on top of adapter.....smaller, but more solder joints, good idea though as the current adapters are too bulky and large

Good find aboves


----------



## kms108

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, I know, but what I am saying is that a plug on top of a plug is similar to adapter on top of adapter.....smaller, but more solder joints, good idea though as the current adapters are too bulky and large
> 
> Good find aboves



you  are getting me confused.

from the first photo, the male is soldered direct to the cable, the male is then pluged into the adapter at the back, it has 4 contacts, and a little section sticking out so you can only plug the male in one direction, the adapter you can choose either 2.5, 3.5 or 4.4, you just pay for extra adapters if you want more.


----------



## Quadfather

Time for another lengthy listening session.  I just used Deoxit to clean the connectors on 

 my Shure SE846 in-ear-monitors. Switched to a new cable as well.  The 4.4mm ALO Reference 8 arrives Monday.


----------



## Quadfather

Is a 5V 2amp wall charger okay to use in the US?


----------



## Whitigir

? What is the input ?


----------



## Quadfather

USA plug....120...wall charger says 5V - 2A


----------



## Whitigir

That is fine but will be slow


----------



## Quadfather

Is 2.4amp better?


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> Is 2.4amp better?


Yes, that will be better


----------



## Cagin (Jul 15, 2017)

These evening after day 1 of canjam London, I had the most fortunate chance of meeting and enjoying diner with this party of people:
Dean and Jack Vang from Empire Ears
Eric from Effect Audio
Nic @flinkenick from The Headphone List
Lieven and his wife Sophie from Headfonia
and...
Tomoaki Sato and Naotaka Tsunoda of SONY !

They had such a great sense of humour, it was a blast.

Of course I couldn't resist spilling the beans about us finding out about the ZX300 user manual and most importantly the usb dac feature. And when I asked about if the S Master HX would allow us to get usb dac in a future firmware they burst out laughing and started talked to each other in Japanese. I was totally ecstatic in my hype moment. All I could get from that and the zx300 was wait for a future show timing.

The recounting of the 4.5 plug then 4.4 pentaconn and jeita and the implementation into the signature series...
I asked if they were then confident now that for the next future flagship, Tomoaki-san was confident enough as to only put the 4.4mm jack and maybe use the space gain for any more sq improvements, to which he laughed and made a big smile

I hope transmitted my most deep gratitude for the how much I liked the zx2 and wm1a, especially with the improvements against noise while keeping the battery efficiency still at heart (yeah I bashed a&k haha)


P.s.: thanks again for the interview & translation, was so valuable


P.p.s.: what a delight to have been able to share company even for a bit with your favorite ciem and  dap makers


----------



## animalsrush

Whitigir said:


> I made a post somewhere regarding the differences between them all, but I forgot where it is.  However, the fun is better when you discover it yourself



@Whitigir  What I meant was I took your suggestion based on your post earlier.. I didn't know what each settings meant and your post helped

Thanks
Pc


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 16, 2017)

So when they bursted out laughing about your question and USB DAC.  There would be 2 scenarios, I am assuming

1/ they waged bet with each other that Westerner, and IPod adopters since the last decade will bring up this question, just because !

2/ they found it funny that we wanted the Wm1Z to be doing USB DAC.  Because if you would have wanted a stack....you would have gone with Dedicated portable DAC/Amplifier ?

Either way, good question, and I am sad that it was not answered.  Thanks for posting about the event


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Before the full review, WM1Z is featured on Picture Sunday: http://www.headfonia.com/picture-sunday-sony-wm1z-walkman/


----------



## coburn

Hello

I'm looking for suggestions.

For weeks I've been reading this thread and the thread on the Onkyo DP-X1

I'd like to replace my main audio system with a portable system.  This is part of my plan to simplify my life.  

Half of my music is classical.  The rest is jazz from 1960s and vocal/folk.  Very little rock or pop.  I'm not a bass head.  I've never gotten into streaming.  My music collection are CDs ripped to uncompressed FLAC.

I'd like a system that can reproduce the beauty of chamber music, the live experience of symphonic and the intimacy of close-miked live vocals.  Although I appreciate the pleasure of picking out details in music,  I don't need to dissect the music.  I'm not a musician or recording engineer.

My main system was optimized for low noise floor, neutrality and clarity.  (You can see it here at the Audiogon site. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/6085)

I would need at least two headphones: An over-the-ear for most of my listening and an In-ear for those times when I'm on the go.  I would never use this at work nor would I use this when I'm in the gym.  I do like to walk and would use this system then.  Most of the time I'd be listening to this around the house with over-the-ear headphones; Moving to different rooms reading, cooking, etc.

At one time, I had a good tabletop headphone amp from Woo Audio (WA22) but I sold it.  I'm too restless to be tethered to a desktop amp.  I can't sit still.  If I'm going to use headphone, I need a portable system.

I'd like to hear any suggestions you have.  If I manage to sell my main system, I think I could swing a budget as high as $8,000 USA for the complete portable system.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 16, 2017)

First of all, moving away from speakers into headphones is not a good idea, unless you adopt into high-end segment.  Then to just totally be portable with it is even worse.  However, the best so far I have had is Utopia and WM1Z ATM.  There are huge differences between my Stax system vs my portable system .  May want to really think back about your options


----------



## PCheung (Jul 16, 2017)

coburn said:


> Hello
> 
> I'm looking for suggestions.
> 
> ...



Just have a feeling the AK SP1000 maybe what you need more than WM1Z, in terms of the sound signature, also the low noise floor, neutrality and clarity you need.

Best if you can AB test both of them


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 16, 2017)

You can tell SP1000 has lower noise floor than Wm1z ? You have amazing hearings.  I don't hear any noises in Wm1z, less so when I connect it into my Stax009.  But newer must be better though, that is usually how it goes


----------



## coburn

Whitigir said:


> First of all, moving away from speakers into headphones is not a good idea, unless you adopt into high-end segment.  Then to just totally be portable with it is even worse.  However, the best so far I have had is Utopia and WM1Z ATM.  There are huge differences between my Stax system vs my portable system .  May want to really think back about your options



Thank you.  That's the fundamental question I had: can I get the sound quality from a portable system.  So let me ask you, what is the sound of a portable HP system missing that speaker system has?  Is it lower noise, wider sound stage, details?  From the descriptions on this thread, I had the impression the the top tier portable HP systems had caught up with traditional speaker systems.


----------



## Whitigir

Portable system lacks dynamic punches accuracy, and soundstage


----------



## PCheung (Jul 16, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> You can tell SP1000 has lower noise floor than Wm1z ? You have amazing hearings.  I don't hear any noises in Wm1z, less so when I connect it into my Stax009.  But newer must be better though, that is usually how it goes



Please don't get me wrong
I never say WM1Z have noise floor higher than SP1000
I mean if he is looking for a player with low noise floor, neutrality and clarity
Overall SP1000 seems a better choice than WM1Z imo.

Today I tried my friend's SP1000SS and I feel the SP1000SS has better performance at clarity, also the sound signature is more neutral than WM1Z.
I didn't notice any noise while I AB test both machine.
Both machine sounds impressive but consider that the SP1000 is sooooo expensive (Priced around USD 3,850 in Hong Kong)
I'm gonna keep my WM1Z for now, thank you.

FYI, I'm using a Justear MH2 "listening model" with DITA the truth cable, both machine tested with balance plug.


----------



## Whitigir

PCheung said:


> Please don't get me wrong
> I never say WM1Z have noise floor higher than SP1000
> I mean if he is looking for a player with low noise floor, neutrality and clarity
> Overall SP1000 seems a better choice than WM1Z imo.
> ...



No doubt about SP1000 being more neutral as that is their typical signatures.  The same as Opus.  I am very curious to try the SP1000 and see what it can do, but they are still too early.  Nevertheless, it is a good time to enjoy music


----------



## ubs28 (Jul 16, 2017)

It might sound like a silly question but it is a serious question. How good do the Sony DAP sound in comparison to the iPhone 6S plus? Is it a night and day difference?

I tried a few high-end DAP's from AK and other brands and it was marginally better than my iPhone 6S plus. Not worth the money. So perhaps Sony might interest me if it is a huge difference.

Is it also a good pairing with the CA Andromeda?


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 16, 2017)

ubs28 said:


> It might sound like a silly question but it is a serious question. How good do the Sony DAP sound in comparison to the iPhone 6S plus? Is it a night and day difference?
> 
> I tried a few high-end DAP's from AK and other brands and it was marginally better than my iPhone 6S plus. Not worth the money. So perhaps Sony might interest me if it is a huge difference.



Well, Opus 3 is $899 and it is significantly different than IPhone/IPad....then WM1Z is significantly different than Opus 3.  I don't know if you can tell it out of a pair of beats...and low MP3 format....but yeah

Wm1z is surprisingly good even when I connect it as analog source using headphones port out into my Stax amp and to 009.  Ofcourse it can not do against high-end Desktop DAC, but it is just so freaking good for it sizes being portable device


----------



## ubs28 (Jul 16, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Well, Opus 3 is $899 and it is significantly different than IPhone/IPad....then WM1Z is significantly different than Opus 3.  I don't know if you can tell it out of a pair of beats...and low MP3 format....but yeah
> 
> Wm1z is surprisingly good even when I connect it as analog source using headphones port out into my Stax amp and to 009.  Ofcourse it can not do against high-end Desktop DAC, but it is just so freaking good for it sizes being portable device



I tried that Opus too. Yes it was better than my iPhone 6S plus. All DAP's sounded better than the iPhone 6S plus but it wasn't a night and day difference like my Chord Dave does. I'm pretty sure I would feel buyers remorse if I bought either of them.

Is there a big difference between the $3000 and $1000 Sony DAP by the way?

And are the Sony's completely lag free also? (I noticed alot of DAP's are not fluid like my iPhone 6S plus)


----------



## Whitigir

ubs28 said:


> I tried that Opus too. Yes it was better than my iPhone 6S plus. All DAP's sounded better than the iPhone 6S plus but it wasn't a night and day difference like my Chord Dave does. I'm pretty sure I would feel buyers remorse if I bought either of them.
> 
> Is there a big difference between the $3000 and $1000 Sony DAP by the way?
> 
> And are the Sony's completely lag free also? (I noticed alot of DAP's are not fluid like my iPhone 6S plus)




Can't compare 1k to 3k for ya as I don't have the Wm1a.

Sony is not lag free, but it is almost as free.  I don't think any DAP can be as fast as IPhone6S


----------



## ubs28 (Jul 16, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Can't compare 1k to 3k for ya as I don't have the Wm1a.
> 
> Sony is not lag free, but it is almost as free.  I don't think any DAP can be as fast as IPhone6S



Many thanks for the info. Kinda strange how they cannot make DAP's lag free despite the high price tag?

Hope I can find these Sony DAP's somewhere and see how they sound with my IEM's. The Mojo has a slight hiss unfortunately with those IEM's so I'm looking for a DAP perhaps to replace it.


----------



## EDWARIS (Jul 16, 2017)

PCheung said:


> Please don't get me wrong
> I never say WM1Z have noise floor higher than SP1000
> I mean if he is looking for a player with low noise floor, neutrality and clarity
> Overall SP1000 seems a better choice than WM1Z imo.
> ...



it is a question of taste. I compared 1z and sp1k recently. same ciems, same cable, same music. I liked sp very much, it is really good.  I had some AK before, 120-2, 320, listened 240 and 380 - it is best of all of them with a margin. but in the end of the day I decided to buy 1z in the nearest future. I liked its sound more. for 1-2-3 songs AK would be better, more details, more separation, ect. but for long sessions such sound is not good for me, I will be tired. and it would be boring many times, sony is much more emotional and engaging. and its design, its interface, ect - better than 320/380, but still a way behind than sony. and the price also 30% higher now than Sony (sony now makes good discounts). so I choose Sony - again. I always choose sony last years - I had zx2 and 320 same time for couple of months and sell ak first. then I compared 1a and 380 and decided go with 1a, despite 380 was technically much better (didn't consider 1z that time as I was not ready for half a kilo player). now I am going to go with 1z - despite sp is a really great dap, best ak ever made and probably best on the market.


----------



## AnakChan

Whitigir said:


> You can tell SP1000 has lower noise floor than Wm1z ? You have amazing hearings.  I don't hear any noises in Wm1z, less so when I connect it into my Stax009.  But newer must be better though, that is usually how it goes


From @shigzeo's OhmImage Facebook page :-
https://www.facebook.com/ohmimage/p...5340245298125/803560419809434/?type=3&theater

"...hisses like than your iPod video"

But @shigzeo is Hiss King.


----------



## Whitigir

AnakChan said:


> From @shigzeo's OhmImage Facebook page :-
> https://www.facebook.com/ohmimage/p...5340245298125/803560419809434/?type=3&theater
> 
> "...hisses like than your iPod video"
> ...



LOL! That is funny but ok, I guess I am just too deaf with hisses


----------



## Whitigir

Allow me to share this portable system 

Balanced with 3.5mm socket removable style, the very well known MDR-SA5000!!!!
3.5mm TRRS from my Zx2

Blasting away!!!!


----------



## Acemcl

Whitigir said:


> Allow me to share this portable system
> 
> Balanced with 3.5mm socket removable style, the very well known MDR-SA5000!!!!
> 3.5mm TRRS from my Zx2
> ...



That plug looks heavy duty. Where did you get that from?


----------



## Quadfather

Can anyone owning both the nw-wm1a  and nw-wm1z comment on the sonic differences? What % of sound quality is the 1A vs 1Z?


----------



## Mimouille

Quadfather said:


> Can anyone owning both the nw-wm1a  and nw-wm1z comment on the sonic differences? What % of sound quality is the 1A vs 1Z?


Roughly 17,34%


----------



## nanaholic (Jul 16, 2017)

PCheung said:


> Please don't get me wrong
> I never say WM1Z have noise floor higher than SP1000
> I mean if he is looking for a player with low noise floor, neutrality and clarity
> Overall SP1000 seems a better choice than WM1Z imo.
> ...



I tested SP1000SS against my WM1Z using my Just ear MH1 and also DITA awesome cable (copper version) in balance mode for both.  To me I found the difference is so small that it is almost certainly unnoticeable in non-critical listening condition. That said with the SP1000SS being also nearly as heavy as the 1Z but the 1Z surely winning on the battery life competition and I really hate those 2.5mm jacks now, personally I'll pick the 1Z over the SP1000SS.

EDIT: I also find that in general the user experience of the 1Z is superior to the SP1000SS. AK's insistence in using those tiny control buttons closely placed together is an issue for starters (the buttons on the SP1000SS is no bigger than those on my AK70 and previous 380, even though the device is MUCH larger).  The volume dial which lacks a lock switch preventing it from accidental trigger is another.  The dial looks good but lacks practicality, Sony's way of going with pure buttons is more utilitarian.  At the summit-fi end of DAPs where SQ difference is now so tiny, to me it is much more important to look at the overall package from a user experience and software POV and that's where the differentiation comes out the most.


----------



## animalsrush (Jul 16, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Allow me to share this portable system
> 
> Balanced with 3.5mm socket removable style, the very well known MDR-SA5000!!!!
> 3.5mm TRRS from my Zx2
> ...


One good pic deserves another.. Sony wm1z with Sony z1r with balanced Sony kimber kable


----------



## nanaholic

Since people are posting their rigs....

WM1Z with Denon AH-D7200 on balance, using the Z1R stock cable


----------



## Whitigir

How does the 7200 fare with Wm1a ? I wonder


----------



## Whitigir

Mimouille said:


> Roughly 17,34%



And this is significant !


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> How does the 7200 fare with Wm1a ? I wonder



It's pretty fun with the 1Z, my issue with it is that the headband is not very comfortable with an obvious hot spot at dead top centre for me and that it sounds rather closed in when being listened to right after the Z1R.  I'd assume with the WM1A with the colder signature it will tone the 7200 towards neutral a little bit more.

For the price I got them though (less than 700 dollars new) I think they are pretty good deal, the build is very good and the wooden cups look beautiful (though each with their unique grains so it's a bit of a lucky draw). They are also a lot smaller than the Z1R, combined with being fairly easy to drive for current DAPs which generally has decent amount of power on tap I think you can wear these outside but I'd hate to damage those beautiful wooden (walnut I believe?) cups.


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 17, 2017)

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and Questyle QP1R, but my Sony NW-WM1A holds a special place in my heart. It is 100% fatigue-free listening with a killer user interface. Now I wonder about NW-WM1Z...  The battery life is AWESOME!


----------



## PCheung (Jul 17, 2017)

nanaholic said:


> I tested SP1000SS against my WM1Z using my Just ear MH1 and also DITA awesome cable (copper version) in balance mode for both.  To me I found the difference is so small that it is almost certainly unnoticeable in non-critical listening condition. That said with the SP1000SS being also nearly as heavy as the 1Z but the 1Z surely winning on the battery life competition and I really hate those 2.5mm jacks now, personally I'll pick the 1Z over the SP1000SS.
> 
> EDIT: I also find that in general the user experience of the 1Z is superior to the SP1000SS. AK's insistence in using those tiny control buttons closely placed together is an issue for starters (the buttons on the SP1000SS is no bigger than those on my AK70 and previous 380, even though the device is MUCH larger).  The volume dial which lacks a lock switch preventing it from accidental trigger is another.  The dial looks good but lacks practicality, Sony's way of going with pure buttons is more utilitarian.  At the summit-fi end of DAPs where SQ difference is now so tiny, to me it is much more important to look at the overall package from a user experience and software POV and that's where the differentiation comes out the most.



The difference is very small but it is there, of cause WM1Z have advantage over the SP1000SS in other aspect
Most songs I tested with are Anime songs so maybe the sweet female vocal how SP1000 performed do some trick to my mind 
Here is the playlist if you are interested,
1. 'ようこそジャパリパークへ [FLAC 48kHz/24bit]' - どうぶつビスケッツ×PPP
2. 'STYX HELIX [AAC 318kbps]' - MYTH & ROID
3. 'キミガタメ Special Place Recording' [DSD 5.6MHz] - Suara
4. '→unfinished→' [FLAC 44.1kHz/16bit] - KOTOKO

I really like the atmosphere and the strings how WM1Z performed on the 2nd and 3rd song
But love the sweet vocal with good separation while played the 1st and 4th song with SP1000.

Btw, the SP1000 will resize all artwork to a square shape, that's sucks
and the 2.5mm jack? Oh god, it was a disaster on my AK240
don't think AK gonna adopt the 4.4 standard though


----------



## PCheung

Here is my rigs

WM1Z with Fitear AIR, CreatOr cable with OFC Pentaconn plug


----------



## kms108

PCheung said:


> The difference is very small but it is there, of cause WM1Z have advantage over the SP1000SS in other aspect
> Most songs I tested with are Anime songs so maybe the sweet female vocal how SP1000 performed do some trick to my mind
> Here is the playlist if you are interested,
> 1. 'ようこそジャパリパークへ [FLAC 48kHz/24bit]' - どうぶつビスケッツ×PPP
> ...



AK is like apple, they always want to lead, and be different.

i'm considering between the WM1a or AK70, i know it's not a fair comparing them, but I will be considering either one during december.


----------



## blazinblazin

Being using WM1A.

What i love about it.
Live recording, Jazz, strings, drums solo, cello, classical instruments, traditional instruments, sparkle, ambience. Thicker Lows on vocal.


----------



## Quadfather

blazinblazin said:


> Being using WM1A.
> 
> What i love about it.
> Live recording, Jazz, strings, drums solo, cello, classical instruments, traditional instruments, sparkle, ambience. Thicker Lows on vocal.



I would love some detailed comparisons to Sony NW-WM1Z.


----------



## nanaholic

PCheung said:


> The difference is very small but it is there, of cause WM1Z have advantage over the SP1000SS in other aspect
> Most songs I tested with are Anime songs so maybe the sweet female vocal how SP1000 performed do some trick to my mind
> Here is the playlist if you are interested,
> 1. 'ようこそジャパリパークへ [FLAC 48kHz/24bit]' - どうぶつビスケッツ×PPP
> ...



I tested with anime songs as well.  My MH1 is tuned for female vocals and I always keep the songs I used for tuning the MH1 on my SD card so that whenever I test a new DAP I get to use tracks that I'm very familiar with and knows what they should sound like with my MH1, then add a few of my recent favourite tracks for good measure.  

Songs I used are below:
1. whiz (44.1kHz/16bit FLAC) - TrySail
2. 細氷 (44.1kHz/16bit FLAC)  - 如月千早(今井麻美)
3. ラストシーン (44.1kHz/16bit mp3) - 水樹奈々
4. プラリネ (44.1kHz/24bit FLAC) - ジュリア(愛美)
5. Catch my dream (44.1kHz/16bit FLAC) - 最上静香(田所あずさ)
6. 明日は君と。(96kHz/24bit FLAC) - 麻倉もも
7. 花に赤い糸 (96kHz/24bit FLAC) - 麻倉もも
8. adrenaline!!! ((96kHz/24bit FLAC) - TrySail
9. センパイ。(96kHz/24bit FLAC) - Trysail
10. ゼルダの伝説メインテーマ (44.1kHz/16bit FLAC) - 東京フィルハーモニー交響楽団

Tracks 1 to 5 are actual songs I used for tuning my MH1 when I ordered them.

It looks like a lot but of course I don't use the full songs, since even during my MH1 tuning I use very specific sections from these songs - for example track 2 I listen for the vocal extension during the chorus and the overall balance as the song itself is a very strong orchestral music piece and on lesser machines the vocal and the music will get mashed together, track 4 I listen to the beginning electric guitar solo introduction. I also deliberately include some pretty poorly mastered songs (track 3, track 9) to see how the machines will reveal the poor mixing.

I was at the shop for nearly 45 minutes comparing (I bought the WM1Z and Z1R from that shop, so they certainly weren't going to kick me out nor disturb my listening session but rather I'd say and hopefully walk out with the SP1000 as well lol) and I would still say the difference is very minimal to almost unnoticeable in a "sit-back-relax" non-critical listening conditions.

I really think AK should adopt 4.4mm as I don't see them having much business advantages holding onto 2.5mm. Firstly it's not like they hold any patents on the 2.5mm jack so they aren't getting any royalty payments, they also don't really make many cables/accessories as to benefit from owners buy AK cable/accessories. Plus audiophiles is not against cable swaps (in fact many loves the idea, especially starting at mid-level head-fi), so to think they can use a different size jack as a soft-brand-lock in just doesn't seem to work at all. Also with lots of reports of failing 2.5mm jacks on AK DAPs due to their fragile nature, I think AK should take a hard look at dumping the 2.5mm and adopting the much more sturdy 4.4mm jack. I have a Sony PHA-2A which I use with my laptop PC and I really love the fact that as promised by the designer of the 4.4mm standard it is suitable for both stationary and portable use - I can plug in my Z1R into either the PHA2A or my WM1Z and they both work with the same cable with no adapters utilizing the best output, and physically is sturdy enough to induce nearly the same level of confidence as a 6.3mm while easier to maneuver than a XLR plug, the 4.4mm standard is truly beautiful and elegant. Honestly speaking if the KANN had a 4.4mm jack I probably would've considered getting one as a in-between one-piece solution that sits between my WM1Z and AK70/mojo stack to drive my full size headphones considering the power it is capable of outputting, but now I'm waiting to see if Acoustic Research's M200 also with 4.4mm is going to have any pleasant surprises.


----------



## Quadfather

OMG!  Sony NW-WM1A with a balanced 4.4mm ALO Reference 8 for my Shure SE846s is heavenly! Yes, I need to shave.  LOL


----------



## mw7485

Quadfather said:


> I would love some detailed comparisons to Sony NW-WM1Z.



Why not just go and audition one?


----------



## Quadfather

mw7485 said:


> Why not just go and audition one?



I don't know where in Chicago area to go.  Anybody know?


----------



## Quadfather

I never get fatigued by my Sony NW-WM1A.   I love my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana,  but sometimes it gets overwhelming.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have read in the new walkmans leak manuals, a new PC-software, so perhaps mediaGo will be discontinued?


----------



## blazinblazin

Quadfather said:


> OMG!  Sony NW-WM1A with a balanced 4.4mm ALO Reference 8 for my Shure SE846s is heavenly! Yes, I need to shave.  LOL


That's why we recommend people who bought WM1 series to go 4.4mm.


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> That's why we recommend people who bought WM1 series to go 4.4mm.


 I am about to reach 1000 hours on balaced
So far bo regrets


----------



## blazinblazin

PCheung said:


> Here is my rigs
> 
> WM1Z with Fitear AIR, CreatOr cable with OFC Pentaconn plug



That's some classic anime song.


----------



## blazinblazin

nanaholic said:


> Since people are posting their rigs....
> 
> WM1Z with Denon AH-D7200 on balance, using the Z1R stock cable


Have you tried Wagakki band songs on it?
Sooo good~


----------



## Sleepow

@nanaholic 
I remember reading that you are using your edition 8 balanced; how does it sound out of the 1Z compared to SE?

Did you have the Romeo version with removable cables it did you mod them?
I have relegated my Ed8 to my shelf, but would love to get a little more out of them and then maybe start to use them again.


----------



## nanaholic

Sleepow said:


> @nanaholic
> I remember reading that you are using your edition 8 balanced; how does it sound out of the 1Z compared to SE?
> 
> Did you have the Romeo version with removable cables it did you mod them?
> I have relegated my Ed8 to my shelf, but would love to get a little more out of them and then maybe start to use them again.



You can refer to my post about ED8 with WM1Z here https://head-fi.org/f/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-846#post-13585971

tl;dr - I think it actually sounds better out of single end than balance, but I may need to replace the pads on my ED8 cos they've gone soft and not nearly as firm as when they were new.

I have the original ED8s, I just cut off the plug and re-terminated it with a 2.5mm plug as the original cable is left/right channel separate all the way down to the plug. Perhaps if I feel like giving them a complete refresh I'll replace both the pads and re-terminate with a 4.4mm Pentaconn....


----------



## productred

blazinblazin said:


> Have you tried Wagakki band songs on it?
> Sooo good~



I can testify both 1A and 1Z handles Wagakki band songs supremely. Every single piece of instruments got their own position and plenty of air to breath, with timber dead on accurate on the 1A while a tad sweeter-toned on the 1Z.


----------



## benchan2

PCheung said:


> Here is my rigs
> 
> WM1Z with Fitear AIR, CreatOr cable with OFC Pentaconn plug


Did not expect to see Nadesico, nostalgia is strong with this one


----------



## blazinblazin

productred said:


> I can testify both 1A and 1Z handles Wagakki band songs supremely. Every single piece of instruments got their own position and plenty of air to breath, with timber dead on accurate on the 1A while a tad sweeter-toned on the 1Z.



I felt the whole band around me. 
So awesome.


----------



## larzy

Got my WM1A today from amazon.co.uk and immediately changed the setting to E and got high-grain output. What a world of difference. Now I'm around 90 on the volume level instead of 120.

Love love love the device


----------



## PCheung (Jul 18, 2017)

blazinblazin said:


> That's some classic anime song.





benchan2 said:


> Did not expect to see Nadesico, nostalgia is strong with this one



All time classic 


This album スターチャイルドSELECTION音楽編 included many classic anisong,
such as '残酷な天使のテーゼ', 'FLY ME TO THE MOON', 'Give a reason', '輪舞-revolution' and 'Birth'
which highly recommend if you like those 90's classic anisong.









larzy said:


> Got my WM1A today from amazon.co.uk and immediately changed the setting to E and got high-grain output. What a world of difference. Now I'm around 90 on the volume level instead of 120.
> 
> Love love love the device



welcome to the club.


----------



## buzzlulu

larzy said:


> Got my WM1A today from amazon.co.uk and immediately changed the setting to E and got high-grain output. What a world of difference. Now I'm around 90 on the volume level instead of 120.
> 
> Love love love the device




Watch out - are you guys killing your ears and setting yourselves up for some problems later on in life?

I have my 1Z with high gain output enabled and listen to my Utopia's and Z1R's  (both through the balanced output) at 65-70 max.


----------



## Acemcl

larzy said:


> Got my WM1A today from amazon.co.uk and immediately changed the setting to E and got high-grain output. What a world of difference. Now I'm around 90 on the volume level instead of 120.
> 
> Love love love the device



What headphones are you listening with? I never get past 65 on any that i've tried so far


----------



## nanaholic (Jul 18, 2017)

Speaking of nostalgic 90s anime songs 



buzzlulu said:


> I have my 1Z with high gain output enabled and listen to my Utopia's and Z1R's  (both through the balanced output) at 65-70 max.



I don't even use high gain for my Z1R and my volume is usually at 70-72.


----------



## PCheung (Jul 18, 2017)

nanaholic said:


> Speaking of nostalgic 90s anime songs
> 
> 
> 
> I don't even use high gain for my Z1R and my volume is usually at 70-72.



田村直美 will be at ANISON DREAM STAGE 2017, going? 
(I will not though )

I set the volume at 80-90 in SE for my Z1R


----------



## nanaholic

PCheung said:


> 田村直美 will be at ANISON DREAM STAGE 2017, going?
> (I will not though )



No plans to go at the moment, still waiting to see their full line up. 



> I set the volume at 80-90 in SE for my Z1R



That should be expected, since the SE is only about 1/4 the power of the balance output. 

Though this also makes me think whether the volume steps are actually linear.... but experience leads me to believe it's probably more logarithmic?


----------



## gerelmx1986

My mdr-z7 listening is normal gain 64-70 xba-z5 between 44-52


----------



## larzy

I'm listening with the Z1R's in balanced mode. And will test with the Sennheiser HD700 that I just received today - just need an adaptor for the 3.5 mm.

I haven't tried without the high-grain as I thought the whole volume cap issue only applied to the high-grain setting. That enabling this would increase the volume.

Anyway, I'm aware you have to take care of your ears - some headphones just requires some more power and volume.


----------



## rhull1973

I purchased a used WM1A from amazon warehouse deals. The item arrived with serious cosmetic damage to the lower right corner. The metal case has large dents in it. The item appears to work fine, but I'm concerned what happened to it to cause such damage. Amazon offered me a discount that would make my total cost $700. For this price I'm tempted to keep it. Resale value would be greatly affected. Any thoughts?  Is it a good deal for $700?


----------



## kms108

There is no way it can get damage in the box, seems like a secondhand unit, a returned one sold as new, with something this expensive, i'll return it, with a slight defect, it will start rings in your head, rather than put up with that, return it whiles you can.


----------



## rhull1973

kms108 said:


> There is no way it can get damage in the box, seems like a secondhand unit, a returned one sold as new, with something this expensive, i'll return it, with a slight defect, it will start rings in your head, rather than put up with that, return it whiles you can.



It was a returned item to Amazon. It listed minor cosmetic damage, but I wouldn't call this minor.


----------



## nc8000

Amazon warehouse deals are always open box/returns and are described as such stating the kinds of defects the items have, hence the reduced price. I have bought all my Signature series components as warehouse deals from Amazon UK. My 1Z has a number of minor scratches to the gold finish and the box for my amp was seriously mauled. On the other hand I've saved round a thousend pounds by going this way


----------



## rhull1973

I didn't expect the item to be perfect, but I didn't expect the side to be so damaged. I'm more concerned how it happened and if anything else was damaged in the process. I think I'm going to keep it and splurge on a Dignis case so I don't see the damage.


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 18, 2017)

rhull1973 said:


> I purchased a used WM1A from amazon warehouse deals. The item arrived with serious cosmetic damage to the lower right corner. The metal case has large dents in it. The item appears to work fine, but I'm concerned what happened to it to cause such damage. Amazon offered me a discount that would make my total cost $700. For this price I'm tempted to keep it. Resale value would be greatly affected. Any thoughts?  Is it a good deal for $700?



I cannot abide with cosmetic damage.   You could get an unblemished, used one for $900 to $950.  I would get a new unit.  Was the box crunched?   People on head-fi.org sell perfect equipment, which doesn't fit their sound signature preferences all the time.


----------



## Whitigir

Cosmetic damage is ok to me if the pricing and other factors are acceptable


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> Cosmetic damage is ok to me if the pricing and other factors are acceptable



I wish it was acceptable for me.  Every dap I own is in a Pelican case and a leather carrying case as well


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 18, 2017)

Quadfather said:


> I wish it was acceptable for me.  Every dap I own is in a Pelican case and a leather carrying case as well



You know ? My weakness is the cables quality...and the plugs ....LoL.....no jokes.  I can't deal with bad cables...so I just keep on moving and while I can make it myself, I spent a whole lot of money into experiencing them myself.  It is very fruitful though

All of these big guys are pure solid silver with pure OCC Plugs....hell even the inter connect inside my amps are all Solid silver ...none of them are your common cables...not at all


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> You know ? My weakness is the cables quality...and the plugs ....LoL.....no jokes.  I can't deal with bad cables...so I just keep on moving and while I can make it myself, I spent a whole lot of money into experiencing them myself.  It is very fruitful though



If I get a scratch on a DAP, I will sell it and get another. I suppose I have obsessive compulsive disorder,  because I will obsess on a little scratch and try to repair it until it drives me absolutely crazy. That is why every single player I have and every earphone or headphone is in a Pelican case and safe.  It's a curse.


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> If I get a scratch on a DAP, I will sell it and get another. I suppose I have obsessive compulsive disorder,  because I will obsess on a little scratch and try to repair it until it drives me absolutely crazy. That is why every single player I have and every earphone or headphone is in a Pelican case and safe.  It's a curse.


I understand you very well, because instead of "cosmetic" I have the same things but "cables"...I keep on seeking for better materials, experiencing, working on them, until I am super satisfied ....yes, it is a curse.

I have the same things for sound performances....every little things I could perceive better, then I would never fall back....it gets so freaking expensive that I am now only using Wm1z as digital transport.  Don't ever dare asking me to use smartphones as a digital transport, because they are "ugly as sin.....in performances"...yes....digital transport matter


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> I understand you very well, because instead of "cosmetic" I have the same things but "cables"...I keep on seeking for better materials, experiencing, working on them, until I am super satisfied ....yes, it is a curse.
> 
> I have the same things for sound performances....every little things I could perceive better, then I would never fall back....it gets so freaking expensive that I am now only using Wm1z as digital transport.  Don't ever dare asking me to use smartphones as a digital transport, because they are "ugly as sin.....in performances"...yes....digital transport matter



It is a curse. Sometimes it is frustrating, because it seems like you're just never satisfied. I totally understand where you're coming from too.


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> I understand you very well, because instead of "cosmetic" I have the same things but "cables"...I keep on seeking for better materials, experiencing, working on them, until I am super satisfied ....yes, it is a curse.
> 
> I have the same things for sound performances....every little things I could perceive better, then I would never fall back....it gets so freaking expensive that I am now only using Wm1z as digital transport.  Don't ever dare asking me to use smartphones as a digital transport, because they are "ugly as sin.....in performances"...yes....digital transport matter



Have you heard both the Sony NW-WM1A and the Sony NW-WM1Z?   If so, how drastic is the difference in sound?


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> Have you heard both the Sony NW-WM1A and the Sony NW-WM1Z?   If so, how drastic is the difference in sound?



I actually never tried wm1A , if I could, I would let you know


----------



## Quadfather

Once again, I am in heavy metal mode!  Sony, baby!


----------



## Sarnia

nc8000 said:


> Amazon warehouse deals are always open box/returns and are described as such stating the kinds of defects the items have, hence the reduced price. I have bought all my Signature series components as warehouse deals from Amazon UK. My 1Z has a number of minor scratches to the gold finish and the box for my amp was seriously mauled. On the other hand I've saved round a thousend pounds by going this way


They're not always open box/returns. Quite often the ones mark "Like new, may not be in original packaging" are brand new unopened ones where the packaging has been damaged in the warehouse or in transit. 

I've bought a lot of photography studio gear like that which has been definitely new and unopened. Those are the sweetest deals, especially when they have the 20% off a few times a year. I also get the 20% tax off, so at times end up paying 50% of the new price for brand new gear. The only downside is only 1-months warranty, but I've never had an item fail if it's worked ok when I received it.


----------



## Sarnia

rhull1973 said:


> I purchased a used WM1A from amazon warehouse deals. The item arrived with serious cosmetic damage to the lower right corner. The metal case has large dents in it. The item appears to work fine, but I'm concerned what happened to it to cause such damage. Amazon offered me a discount that would make my total cost $700. For this price I'm tempted to keep it. Resale value would be greatly affected. Any thoughts?  Is it a good deal for $700?


I'd return it. It will probably always bother you, and second hand ones come up here from time to time. Alternatively you may be able to push them lower, they will sometimes go lower than their first offer if you push them.

Not a sales pitch as I haven't yet decided, but I'll probably be selling my WM1A soon as I've just got a WM1Z. I'm sure there will be a few for sale in the near future with new daps coming out.


----------



## Quadfather

Sarnia said:


> I'd return it. It will probably always bother you, and second hand ones come up here from time to time. Alternatively you may be able to push them lower, they will sometimes go lower than their first offer if you push them.
> 
> Not a sales pitch as I haven't yet decided, but I'll probably be selling my WM1A soon as I've just got a WM1Z. I'm sure there will be a few for sale in the near future with new daps coming out.



Please do an in-depth comparison between Sony NW-WM1A and Sony NW-WM1Z when you get it.


----------



## Sarnia

Quadfather said:


> Have you heard both the Sony NW-WM1A and the Sony NW-WM1Z?   If so, how drastic is the difference in sound?


I've got both at the moment, but the WM1Z needs burning in.

My initial impression is that there's more body and warmth from the WM1Z, which suits my preferences. The WM1A is more neutral.

Both are fantastic, they just have slightly different flavours. 

One thing that you can't appreciate until you have both in hand is the weight difference. Just looking at the numbers on screen doesn't cut it. The WM1Z feels like a solid ingot of metal. If you want to use it on the go then it may not be worth it over the WM1A.


----------



## Quadfather

Sarnia said:


> I've got both at the moment, but the WM1Z needs burning in.
> 
> My initial impression is that there's more body and warmth from the WM1Z, which suits my preferences. The WM1A is more neutral.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the response.  I tend toward warm, although I am very happy with the NW-WM1A.


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> Thanks for the response.  I tend toward warm, although I am very happy with the NW-WM1A.


If you love warmth, you can't overlook Wm1z.  It is not exactly warmth like you would mean it.  It is rather a warmth "tonal body".  But it sound signature is still leaning toward more neutrality, not like Zx2


----------



## Tawek

Wm1z after 500 hours in my opinion it does no play warm but ogranic ...


----------



## Whitigir

Tawek said:


> Wm1z after 500 hours in my opinion it does no play warm but ogranic ...


Yes, organic is a good word to use for it, it has "tube-like tonal body", but the signature overall is not warmth


----------



## Tawek

Warmth i  can call nwz x1061


----------



## Sarnia

Perhaps timbre is a better word to describe it than warmth. And yes, organic works for me too.


----------



## shigzeo

AnakChan said:


> From @shigzeo's OhmImage Facebook page :-
> https://www.facebook.com/ohmimage/p...5340245298125/803560419809434/?type=3&theater
> 
> "...hisses like than your iPod video"
> ...


I recently have heard a newer production version, which hissed a LOT less. I will amend that article to illustrate that.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

kms108 said:


> nope, I use a screw on adapter



Can someone tell me where to get that screw-on adapter for Sony EX series IEM?


----------



## blazinblazin

PCheung said:


> All time classic
> 
> 
> This album スターチャイルドSELECTION音楽編 included many classic anisong,
> ...


Thats a nice album.


----------



## Quadfather

Quadfather said:


> How do Shure SE846s sound balanced out of the Sony NW-WM1A?  I love them single-ended from my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and Questyle QP1R.




I will answer my own question, since my balanced ALO 4.4mm cable arrived.  The Shure SE846s sound much better using the balanced connection. Better detail, stage width, etc.  It is a joy. I love the 846/NW-WM1A combo in balanced.


----------



## rhull1973

One great thing about the dap is that it correctly sorts multi disc albums. I use dapper for OSX.


----------



## nc8000

Linum SuperBax reterminated to 4.4 mm with my over 7 years old original JH13 (my best purchase ever)


----------



## Whitigir

Nice shot! I am glad seeing people adopting into Balanced out more .  It is awesome, and wm1Z has always impressed me


----------



## Quadfather

nanaholic said:


> Actually a lot of devices don't turn off now while charging, it's certainly not just a Sony thing.



My Lotoo Paw Gold Diana will not be recognized by my computer until I power it on.  It has to have charge left to be recognized,  or plugged into the separate charger connection simultaneously.


----------



## kms108

HiFiGuy528 said:


> Can someone tell me where to get that screw-on adapter for Sony EX series IEM?



Either go direct too china and search for it, which is impossible, as I've tried, your only hope is find it in Taobao.cn , and use a taobao agent and help purchase it if you don't live in Hong Kong. China or macau.


----------



## kms108

Quadfather said:


> If I get a scratch on a DAP, I will sell it and get another. I suppose I have obsessive compulsive disorder,  because I will obsess on a little scratch and try to repair it until it drives me absolutely crazy. That is why every single player I have and every earphone or headphone is in a Pelican case and safe.  It's a curse.


same as me, even those minor scratches will get to me, this is also for other stuff, even phones.


----------



## Quadfather

kms108 said:


> same as me, even those minor scratches will get to me, this is also for other stuff, even phones.



Imperfections in audio equipment drive me mad!  Phones too.  I drive a beater because scratches on a new car would be unnerving.


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Nice shot! I am glad seeing people adopting into Balanced out more .  It is awesome, and wm1Z has always impressed me



Yep. I had actually been balanced almost from the first day as I had a trrs to trrrs adapter to go with my TWau cable from Whiplash but going without adapter is cleaner


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 26, 2017)

I just did a little A-B listening between the Sony NW-WM1A and the Questyle QP1R. I find the Questyle to have a substantially more spacious soundstage. The QP1R also has nicer detail, separation, and sounds more natural. Both players are not the least bit fatiguing. The listening was done on 3.5mm SE, with Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7GMs. The Sony opens up a lot using my Shure SE846s in balanced mode; it will be interesting to see how both these players stack up if I can get a balanced cable for my Shure SRH1540 headphones. The QP1R has the definite advantage in sound quality in SE. Having said all this, I am still in awe of the Sony NW-WM1A! It is a very nice sounding DAP, and I just got 34 hours on the battery on the first go-around with 44.1khz/16 bit ALAC files. I am keeping them both...and my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana! I am becoming a DAP hoarder. Sony's user interface, artist thumbnail scroll, and album art display is miles ahead of ANY DAP Ihave used...including iPods.


----------



## blazinblazin

Quadfather said:


> I just did a little A-B listening between the Sony NW-WM1A and the Questyle QP1R. I find the Questyle to have a substantially more spacious soundstage. The QP1R also has nicer detail, separation, and sounds more natural. Both players are not the least bit fatiguing. The listening was done on 3.5mm SE, with Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7GMs. The Sony opens up a lot using my Shure SE846s in balanced mode; it will be interesting to see how both these players stack up if I can get a balanced cable for my Audio-Technica headphones. The QP1R has the definite advantage in sound quality in SE. Having said all this, I am still in awe of the Sony NW-WM1A! It is a very nice sounding DAP, and I just got 34 hours on the battery on the first go-around with 44.1khz/16 bit ALAC files. I am keeping them both...and my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana! I am becoming a DAP hoarder. Sony's user interface, artist thumbnail scroll, andalbum art display is miles ahead of ANY DAP Ihave used...including iPods.



Still long way to go till 500hrs.


----------



## Quadfather

Both are fully burned in.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

kms108 said:


> Either go direct too china and search for it, which is impossible, as I've tried, your only hope is find it in Taobao.cn , and use a taobao agent and help purchase it if you don't live in Hong Kong. China or macau.



that's too bad....


----------



## asquare3376

HiFiGuy528 said:


> Can someone tell me where to get that screw-on adapter for Sony EX series IEM?


Mike, when you find one, let me know. Been listening to Kimber 4.4 MUC-M12SB1 on XBA-Z5.WM1Z and it's the best sounding combo I have heard so far.


----------



## robin1990

Whitigir said:


> Nice shot! I am glad seeing people adopting into Balanced out more .  It is awesome, and wm1Z has always impressed me



Go to balanced out and never looked back. The difference between SE is getting obvious over time.


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 20, 2017)

Quadfather said:


> I just did a little A-B listening between the Sony NW-WM1A and the Questyle QP1R. I find the Questyle to have a substantially more spacious soundstage. The QP1R also has nicer detail, separation, and sounds more natural. Both players are not the least bit fatiguing. The listening was done on 3.5mm SE, with Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7GMs. The Sony opens up a lot using my Shure SE846s in balanced mode; it will be interesting to see how both these players stack up if I can get a balanced cable for my Audio-Technica headphones. The QP1R has the definite advantage in sound quality in SE. Having said all this, I am still in awe of the Sony NW-WM1A! It is a very nice sounding DAP, and I just got 34 hours on the battery on the first go-around with 44.1khz/16 bit ALAC files. I am keeping them both...and my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana! I am becoming a DAP hoarder. Sony's user interface, artist thumbnail scroll, and album art display is miles ahead of ANY DAP Ihave used...including iPods.





blazinblazin said:


> Still long way to go till 500hrs.



I matched up the volume better, and with Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7GMs, the QP1R and Sony NW-WM1A are so very close in sound quality. Both single ended.   I am beginning to doubt last night's impressions. All things considered,  battery life and the phenomenal user interface and album art is the clincher in favor of the Sony NW-WM1A. What a sweet piece of engineering!


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> I matched up the volume better, and with Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7GMs, the QP1R and Sony NW-WM1A are so very close in sound quality. Both single ended.   I am beginning to doubt last night's impressions.


Remember, Single ended, Sony has TRRS, which is 4nseparated polarity for Separated grounds and it has better sound quality.  That would be a better matchup than just SE vs SE.  There is no room to improve in QP1R, there is for wm1Z...then there is Balanced 4.4


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> Remember, Single ended, Sony has TRRS, which is 4nseparated polarity for Separated grounds and it has better sound quality.  That would be a better matchup than just SE vs SE.  There is no room to improve in QP1R, there is for wm1Z...then there is Balanced 4.4



My Shure SE846s are drop dead gorgeous on Sony's balanced output.  I have no balanced cables for headphones yet.


----------



## Quadfather

Quadfather said:


> My Shure SE846s are drop dead gorgeous on Sony's balanced output.  I have no balanced cables for headphones yet.



The 3.5mm is also balanced?


----------



## nc8000

Quadfather said:


> The 3.5mm is also balanced?



The 3.5 mm is seperate ground like on ZX2


----------



## jamato8

nc8000 said:


> The 3.5 mm is seperate ground like on ZX2


I didn't know that! I have a TRRS just for the ZX2.


----------



## Quadfather

My Sony NW-WM1A needs more DSD. What is the best site to go to for DSD music downloads?


----------



## kubig123

I usually buy them from these 3 websites
nativedsd.com
Hdtracks.com
store.acousticsounds.com

I’ve also been able to convert some sacd to dsd files


----------



## animalsrush

My portable rig - sony wm1z  + effect audio lionheart balanced cable + noble k10 CIEM 

Zero fatigue - 100% audio bliss


----------



## tieuly1

animalsrush said:


> My portable rig - sony wm1z  + effect audio lionheart balanced cable + noble k10 CIEM
> 
> Zero fatigue - 100% audio bliss


How do you feel with Lionheart balanced out, I am in dilemma since I scare it will sacrifice Treble of Andromeda.


----------



## blazinblazin (Jul 21, 2017)

I am using WM1A + Leonidas + Andromeda.

For Leonidas you will have a more open sound. Treble extend higher for me.

From what i read Lionheart is not a low focus cable but mid high.


----------



## nc8000

Quadfather said:


> My Sony NW-WM1A needs more DSD. What is the best site to go to for DSD music downloads?



http://shop.dsdfile.com/


----------



## tieuly1

blazinblazin said:


> I am using WM1A + Leonidas + Andromeda.
> 
> For Leonidas you will have a more open sound. Treble extend higher for me.
> 
> From what i read Lionheart is not a low focus cable but mid high.


I did miss a deal for leonidas which then lead me to lionheart. Maybe the copper itself could improve some bass area but mid-centric ( 
Truly almost all my upgrade is followed your base except for affort new leonidas


----------



## ezekiel77

Quadfather said:


> I just did a little A-B listening between the Sony NW-WM1A and the Questyle QP1R. I find the Questyle to have a substantially more spacious soundstage. The QP1R also has nicer detail, separation, and sounds more natural. Both players are not the least bit fatiguing. The listening was done on 3.5mm SE, with Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7GMs. The Sony opens up a lot using my Shure SE846s in balanced mode; it will be interesting to see how both these players stack up if I can get a balanced cable for my Audio-Technica headphones. The QP1R has the definite advantage in sound quality in SE. Having said all this, I am still in awe of the Sony NW-WM1A! It is a very nice sounding DAP, and I just got 34 hours on the battery on the first go-around with 44.1khz/16 bit ALAC files. I am keeping them both...and my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana! I am becoming a DAP hoarder. Sony's user interface, artist thumbnail scroll, and album art display is miles ahead of ANY DAP Ihave used...including iPods.



I tend to agree with you. QP1R is more dynamic, with an airier and bigger stage. However, WM1A balanced brings the fight a bit closer. It has a encapsulating sound that's very addictive. It's also smoother and more full-bodied in notation. i don't think it loses out on detail from balanced. Two different flavours of a TOTL sound.


----------



## blazinblazin

tieuly1 said:


> I did miss a deal for leonidas which then lead me to lionheart. Maybe the copper itself could improve some bass area but mid-centric (
> Truly almost all my upgrade is followed your base except for affort new leonidas



Have you read this?

http://www.headfonia.com/review-effect-audio-lionheart-rich/


----------



## ledzep

I know people are using the 3.5mm out as a line out but has anyone used the 4.4mm balanced output wired to 2 RCA's yet?


----------



## Whitigir

Lol, my first question to people would be...how to keep the plated materials on the copper reliably ? Nickel ...yes...it is nickel.


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> I know people are using the 3.5mm out as a line out but has anyone used the 4.4mm balanced output wired to 2 RCA's yet?



No...RCA is Single ended, regardless of how many you have....their sleeve are joined so they are Single Ended connection.  You can connect RCA into Balanced, but you can not connect Balanced into RCA (single ended)


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> No...RCA is Single ended, regardless of how many you have....their sleeve are joined so they are Single Ended connection.  You can connect RCA into Balanced, but you can not connect Balanced into RCA (single ended)




What if you made your own with a quad cable so you one plug with L+ L- and one with R+ R- 
 I'm not saying it would stay balanced if you plugged it into an amp via RCA I'm just wondering if you'd see anything as opposed to using the 3.5mm output to 2 RCA's 

http://m.ebay.com/itm/252846815493?_mwBanner=1&varId=551863023853


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 21, 2017)

ledzep said:


> What if you made your own with a quad cable so you one plug with L+ L- and one with R+ R-
> I'm not saying it would stay balanced if you plugged it into an amp via RCA I'm just wondering if you'd see anything as opposed to using the 3.5mm output to 2 RCA's
> 
> http://m.ebay.com/itm/252846815493?_mwBanner=1&varId=551863023853



You can make anything with your own skills, doesn't matter.  The problem is that whatever device your plug it into which has RCA , they have joined sleeve (negative polar).  Unless you also customize your RCA to not have joined sleeve...then you wouldn't be asking such question , stay safe.

It is a good thing that you asked before buying those.  I see many reckless China cables.  The mass production has standard for a reason, and every producers will have to abide.  Good thing is that 4.4mm will be a standard too!


----------



## PCheung (Jul 21, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Lol, my first question to people would be...how to keep the plated materials on the copper reliably ? Nickel ...yes...it is nickel.



──無酸素銅筐体と金メッキの間に、銅・錫・亜鉛の三元合金メッキをかけた意図とは？
石崎 信之［メカ設計］

銅に直に金メッキを施してしまうと、メッキ上にどうしてもピンホールができてしまいます。ポータブルオーディオなので当然外に持ち出したり、指で触ったりするわけですが、そういった湿度が高い環境だとその小さな穴のところから錆びてくるので、間に絶対に下地メッキを入れる必要があるのです。
見た目の仕上がりに優れているので、通常はニッケルメッキを下地メッキに使うのですが……磁性体であるニッケルメッキは音に対して悪影響を与えてしまうので、今回は音質最優先で非磁性体である三元合金メッキを選びました。 このメッキで外観をきれいに仕上げるには、素材とメッキ工程ともに高いクオリティーが必要となり技術的な難易度が高いのですが、音質のためには絶対に譲れないところでしたね。

Refer to the interview at the sony WM1Z website, they plated the OFC body with a alloy mixture of copper, stannum and zinc. No nickel used as its magnetism affect the sound


----------



## Whitigir

PCheung said:


> ──無酸素銅筐体と金メッキの間に、銅・錫・亜鉛の三元合金メッキをかけた意図とは？
> 石崎 信之［メカ設計］
> 
> 銅に直に金メッキを施してしまうと、メッキ上にどうしてもピンホールができてしまいます。ポータブルオーディオなので当然外に持ち出したり、指で触ったりするわけですが、そういった湿度が高い環境だとその小さな穴のところから錆びてくるので、間に絶対に下地メッキを入れる必要があるのです。
> ...



Great finding, yes it is for the WM1Z, they did it in a special way.  But what about the wires from those cables.  My main reason to avoid anything plated is just that, the prime layer in between.  The reason why I adopted the Sony style of Z1R stock cables is because it did sound good, and much better than any typical Plated wires and cables I came across.  So I adopted it .  However, pure materials are always better than Plated wires.


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> You can make anything with your own skills, doesn't matter.  The problem is that whatever device your plug it into which has RCA , they have joined sleeve (negative polar).  Unless you also customize your RCA to not have joined sleeve...then you wouldn't be asking such question , stay safe.
> 
> It is a good thing that you asked before buying those.  I see many reckless China cables.  The mass production has standard for a reason, and every producers will have to abide.  Good thing is that 4.4mm will be a standard too!



Looking at it now I don't know why I asked that question


Whitigir said:


> You can make anything with your own skills, doesn't matter.  The problem is that whatever device your plug it into which has RCA , they have joined sleeve (negative polar).  Unless you also customize your RCA to not have joined sleeve...then you wouldn't be asking such question , stay safe.
> 
> It is a good thing that you asked before buying those.  I see many reckless China cables.  The mass production has standard for a reason, and every producers will have to abide.  Good thing is that 4.4mm will be a standard too!


Looks like it's 3.5mm trs to 2 RCA's then or 3.5mm to 3.5mm line in , any personal preference?


----------



## rcoleman1

Wanted: A *Custom *Sony NW-WM1A/Z Line Out Dock cable to micro USB for my Hugo 2. Any sources would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance guys.


----------



## Whitigir

rcoleman1 said:


> Wanted: A *Custom *Sony NW-WM1A/Z Line Out Dock cable to micro USB for my Hugo 2. Any sources would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance guys.



Wm1A/Z has no line out dock capability.  It can only do digital out 



ledzep said:


> Looking at it now I don't know why I asked that question
> 
> Looks like it's 3.5mm trs to 2 RCA's then or 3.5mm to 3.5mm line in , any personal preference?



You can use just anything for 3.5mm to RCA.  There are a lot of them


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Wm1A/Z has no line out dock capability.  It can only do digital out



Yep and he wants one that terminates in micro usb so he can use the A/Z as a digital transport into Hugo 2


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> Great finding, yes it is for the WM1Z, they did it in a special way.  But what about the wires from those cables.  My main reason to avoid anything plated is just that, the prime layer in between.  The reason why I adopted the Sony style of Z1R stock cables is because it did sound good, and much better than any typical Plated wires and cables I came across.  So I adopted it .  However, pure materials are always better than Plated wires.



Well internal wiring of 1Z is by Kimber and is pure copper, all the other Sony Kimber cables are also pure copper. Sony themselves seems to prefer silver-plated copper. The plugs are all gold-plated, so I don't think any of them uses nickel.


----------



## rcoleman1

nc8000 said:


> Yep and he wants one that terminates in micro usb so he can use the A/Z as a digital transport into Hugo 2



Correct. Thank you. It has been confirmed that the WM1A/Z does do USB Audio Out.


----------



## Whitigir

rcoleman1 said:


> Correct. Thank you. It has been confirmed that the WM1A/Z does do USB Audio Out.



In that case, there are different kinds out there and they range from the cheapest to more expensive.  It depends on what you are trying to achieve.  Ledzep just sold his not too long ago


----------



## rcoleman1

Whitigir said:


> In that case, there are different kinds out there and they range from the cheapest to more expensive.  It depends on what you are trying to achieve.  Ledzep just sold his not too long ago



I'm just trying to create a short link...for mobile use. Nothing too expensive.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 21, 2017)

This is not for the faint of heart, but....I did something.  This makes Wm1z to truly be exotic in and out.  Wires are 99% pure silver and 1% gold.  It is 21AWG per polarity, even larger than Sony stock Kimber....now time to enjoy even more!


----------



## Whitigir

After the surgery !


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> This is not for the faint of heart, but....I did something.  This makes Wm1z to truly be exotic in and out.  Wires are 99% pure silver and 1% gold.  It is 21AWG per polarity, even larger than Sony stock Kimber....now time to enjoy even more!



Now thats IS commitment! Much change to the sound signature?


----------



## Whitigir

mw7485 said:


> Now thats IS commitment! Much change to the sound signature?



Much ? Nah...not for how much works it needed....LoL! Ofcourse it can't change the Wm1z from what it is .... probably 5% improvements
Changes ? Yeah, and if you are OCD on exotic wires and materials or improvements to the 1z at all....this is the only way


----------



## FlyingTrotter

I was able to demo the Wm1z with my new JH Roxanne CIEMs today - the Roxannes are new so I guess a lot of hours yet to burn in fully but even so I loved the  warmth of the big bronze brick if not it's heft

I know that the aluminium version has a smaller internal memory and is half the weight - could I expect a similarly warm sound signature or is it a more neutral player ?


----------



## Silvano

Whitigir,
how did you open/remove the back from theWM1Z? I suspect using a thermo gun, am I right? Is this operation highly critical?....What about when you assemble it back, no trace of the intrusion?
I'm planning to upgrade to WM1Z from my loved ZX2 and have some ideas to experiment to push up the SQ........

PS....great job, well done!!


----------



## Whitigir

Zx2 is different than Wm1z.  The process is not too bad, but the wirings is "hell" to braid and fit in and solder on.  There is a service manual for it


----------



## Silvano (Jul 21, 2017)

No, maybe I was not clear, I mean what about the job over the WM1Z.... I'm planning to move to it as I wrote.


----------



## kubig123

ledzep said:


> I know people are using the 3.5mm out as a line out but has anyone used the 4.4mm balanced output wired to 2 RCA's yet?


I used a cable I bought from Amazon to drive the Cavalli LC. It worked really well.


----------



## Whitigir

Silvano said:


> No, maybe I was not clear, I mean what about the job over the WM1Z.... I'm planning to move to it as I wrote.



You will need service manual to properly proceed.  To remove the back, yes, you can use anything to warm up the back enough as it help you remove it better.


----------



## Silvano

Thank you Whitigir......now, first of all I need to grab one WM1Z then I'll pass to my audio project over the DAP.


----------



## Sarnia

Whitigir said:


> In that case, there are different kinds out there and they range from the cheapest to more expensive.  It depends on what you are trying to achieve.  Ledzep just sold his not too long ago


He sure did, to me. Using it to connect the WM1Z to the TA-ZH1ES, it gives a noticeable improvement over the stock wire to my ears.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 21, 2017)

Sarnia said:


> He sure did, to me. Using it to connect the WM1Z to the TA-ZH1ES, it gives a noticeable improvement over the stock wire to my ears.


Yes, cables do matter, and digital USB cables do too .  See, that is a reason why I am OCD over them...LOL!


----------



## animalsrush (Jul 21, 2017)

tieuly1 said:


> How do you feel with Lionheart balanced out, I am in dilemma since I scare it will sacrifice Treble of Andromeda.



I personally am sensitive to high treble  and with lionheart it delivers just the right amount for me. Imo lionheart is an all rounder and plays well with many sources and CIEM.. in case of my k10s it has brought vocals bit forward which I wanted since I put my venerable es5 to rest while still preserving the deep lows and decent highs of k10.. I absolutely love it

Pc


----------



## Ofir_A

MUC-M12SB1 vs. Reference 8 IEM Cable

I am interested to know, whether there is some preference, by some of you, for this cable or the other?

Thanks!
Ofir


----------



## ledzep

kubig123 said:


> I used a cable I bought from Amazon to drive the Cavalli LC. It worked really well.


Thought this was a bad idea due to the grounding issue


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> This is not for the faint of heart, but....I did something.  This makes Wm1z to truly be exotic in and out.  Wires are 99% pure silver and 1% gold.  It is 21AWG per polarity, even larger than Sony stock Kimber....now time to enjoy even more!



I love it when people have the cojones to pull apart stuff to make it that little more special and better, kudos mate !


----------



## ledzep

rcoleman1 said:


> I'm just trying to create a short link...for mobile use. Nothing too expensive.



There are a few on the market some half decent some very poor at the wm port end and you don't want to start damaging the socket, me personally I'd get the official sony digital out cable and remove the cable and solder in a nice thin flexible micro usb cut to your own desired length. The sony cable is a bit stiff and short although it will bend but puts a bit of pressure on the output / input sockets which I'm not a fan of, I used 4 core solid silver soldered directly into the Wm plug and then to the micro plug. As long as your careful when using a scalpal blade etc to gently score around the case to break the seal it then pops open and once done  you can pop it back together and add a touch of glue to the internal pegs to secure it more, I also put a large piece of adhesive heat shrink cut to fit over the plug to add a bit more body to it for the plugging in and out. If you can solder it's easy and your best option to add that little extra to your top set up. Do a bit of browsing you'll find some already done for what you want but decent ones don't come cheap.


----------



## ledzep

Ofir_A said:


> MUC-M12SB1 vs. Reference 8 IEM Cable
> 
> I am interested to know, whether there is some preference, by some of you, for this cable or the other?
> 
> ...



Ref 8 personally the Sony ones have poor connectors and come loose after a few removals ( well my 2 pairs did) ended up re terminating them still a nice cable though.


----------



## kubig123

ledzep said:


> Thought this was a bad idea due to the grounding issue


absolutely no.
if you consider the 4.4mm plus, you have 4 signals/wires coming out (L+, L-, R+, R-) therefore per each RCA you will have dedicated left (L+, L-) and right (R+, R-) signals (4 wires from the 4.4mm plus 2 per each RCA).


----------



## kubig123

Ofir_A said:


> MUC-M12SB1 vs. Reference 8 IEM Cable
> 
> I am interested to know, whether there is some preference, by some of you, for this cable or the other?
> 
> ...



I don't have the Ref. 8, but the M12SB1 has a darker signature and in my personal experience the M12SB1 cable has a higher resistance compared any other similar cables I owned. 
Yes, the MCcX connectors are some of the worst I had so far. The only plus is the right angle 4.4mm plug that is very convenient.

I would go with the Ref. 8.


----------



## ledzep

kubig123 said:


> absolutely no.
> if you consider the 4.4mm plus, you have 4 signals/wires coming out (L+, L-, R+, R-) therefore per each RCA you will have dedicated left (L+, L-) and right (R+, R-) signals (4 wires from the 4.4mm plus 2 per each RCA).


Yeah I get that, I made that point earlier and was told that the Rca inputs have joined ground so your effectively joining either the R-L- or the R+L+ together at say your amps input etc. 
All comments welcome


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> Yeah I get that, I made that point earlier and was told that the Rca inputs have joined ground so your effectively joining either the R-L- or the R+L+ together at say your amps input etc.
> All comments welcome



RCA standards are effectively Single-ended, period.  There is no devices that I know in mass produced to have RCA to be configured as Balanced, or not sharing the ground (negative polar) at the devices.  A simple rule of thumb is that Balanced for Balanced only.  If you want Balanced to Unbalanced, you will need to work on some circuitry to make it a solution...But use it at your own risk....I am repeating myself


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> RCA standards are effectively Single-ended, period.  There is no devices that I know in mass produced to have RCA to be configured as Balanced, or not sharing the ground (negative polar) at the devices.  A simple rule of thumb is that Balanced for Balanced only.  If you want Balanced to Unbalanced, you will need to work on some circuitry to make it a solution...But use it at your own risk....I am repeating myself



And I believe you totally, especially looking at some pcb mounted connectors.
Your advice has not fallen on deaf ears


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 24, 2017)

I don't want to sound like I am hyping up anything, or encouraging anyone to modify their WM1Z/A for the matter, but the improvements from upgrading the inner wires are pretty good.

The Wm1Z gains a bit of performances when I upgraded the inner wires.  After 20 hours burning-in, these wires will take up to 150 hours to finalizes but so far it is very impressive and positive.


First and most obvious one is the soundstage:  the width was very narrow and seems a bit constricted in comparison to the depth and the vertical senses before, now it is more opened and widened.  In the spaces that it gains, there are details from treble extensions and fine nuances details such as decays and timbres ....reverberated ...


Next up is the bass:  the timbres are much more realistic, more defined, it is actually jaw dropping realistic.  It was never lacking of this tonal body, but now it seems more realistic as the tonal body gains more dynamic and energy.  Bass is dense, thick, tightened where it needed be, and blooming Sub bass when called out.  Those projected bass lines in the back are now carrying more energies and dynamic within it timbres.  Sub bass has more energy and is more rumbling


Vocal: vocal is still upfront and intimidating, but the vibrations are more defined, smooth, sweet, and carry more emotions


Treble: treble extends more and has more details, these nuances details which was drown out and almost missing before, now is surfacing more obviously.  This result in a more airy and speedy treble.  Still very smooth and no harshness or sibilant

*update*:  silver-gold also bring out more separations and together with it smoothness, the treble nuances details, extensions and layering are so well perceived and listened to, while silver with it brightness and more harsh signature made it harder to listen deep into the treble and the over all layering.

All in all, without nitpicking, the improvements gained: widen soundstage, more details in treble, more emotion and realistic timbres. It surely take Wm1z performances up another notch, now I would be very interested in comparing the best of my WM1Z to some other current top tier DAPs in similar price ranges.


Now, why did I mentioned that it did not gain as much performances VS the works performed before ?  That is because it really did take a bit of work to have the job done Properly and have a "properly" upgraded wires done.

This was observed with my Utopia and upgraded wires for the Utopia.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Whitigir how would you deal with warranty issues if they appear (hope not)?


----------



## tieuly1

Wish someone stand out for changing internal cable of wm1a, so we could create wm1z with affordable price, just kidding but maybe it could


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Whitigir how would you deal with warranty issues if they appear (hope not)?


Warranty what ? I bought mine on Christmas....and it is July now.  What possibly can go wrong that I can't fix  , I have the service manual here too ... unless broken screen or parts need replacements.  Until then I will only need to buy those parts and replace it.


----------



## nanaholic

tieuly1 said:


> Wish someone stand out for changing internal cable of wm1a, so we could create wm1z with affordable price, just kidding but maybe it could



The difference between the WM1A and the 1Z is more than just internal wires, there are component differences like different capacitors and resistors as well.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 22, 2017)

nanaholic said:


> The difference between the WM1A and the 1Z is more than just internal wires, there are component differences like different capacitors and resistors as well.



Yes, exactly.  Upgrading the wires inside wm1A is an upgrade, but yet the other components inside the WM1Z is superior, Capacitors, resistors, copper gold chassis.  To have the best of Sony, I guess that gotta be WM1Z fully unleashed with "properly upgraded wires"


----------



## animalsrush

Whitigir said:


> I don't want to sound like I am hyping up anything, or encouraging anyone to modify their WM1Z/A for the matter, but the improvements from upgrading the inner wires are pretty good.
> 
> The Wm1Z gains a bit of performances when I upgraded the inner wires.  After 20 hours burning-in, these wires will take up to 150 hours to finalizes but so far it is very impressive and positive.
> 
> ...




Not that I have the chops to do what you did, I am curious though why Sony didn't do these themselves to begin with.. they invested so much time and money to improve Sony wm1z and cheaped out on wires?..for $3200 device I am hoping they would have made a conscious decision to make sure all components are top notch.. or is it by design to have s special Sony sound.. anyway it is cool you are tinkering to get most out of Sony wm1z for rest of us we have to settle with what they gave

Pc


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 23, 2017)

animalsrush said:


> Not that I have the chops to do what you did, I am curious though why Sony didn't do these themselves to begin with.. they invested so much time and money to improve Sony wm1z and cheaped out on wires?..for $3200 device I am hoping they would have made a conscious decision to make sure all components are top notch.. or is it by design to have s special Sony sound.. anyway it is cool you are tinkering to get most out of Sony wm1z for rest of us we have to settle with what they gave
> 
> Pc



Well, Kimber cables are good, and it is better than stock cables as a matter of fact.  Ofcourse Sony made it to be better than it sibling, the WM1A is inferior.  It is not like Sony cheap out on wires, but they did what they could to make it outperforming the WM1A, and it did from technical standpoint and while sound signature can be subjective.  These upgrade wires that I gave to WM1Z is just the next level upgrade.  The same as headphones and stock cables.  There are always possibilities to upgrades.

Sony did what they could to make Wm1z a superior to Wm1a, and so the prices is also different.  As far as sound performance being subjective, there gotta be some objectives that the whole Sony team agreed to price the Wm1z this way and technically speaking It is superior.


----------



## rushofblood

Interesting to see others modding the wires on their DAPs. It is my opinion that these players have a lot more to give than their stock wiring lets on.

On a related note, it's heartening to see that the 4.4mm plug market has really expanded - Furutech has finally released their 4.4mm connector: 


And I've gone ahead and replaced my Pentaconn OFC plug (which has worn so heavily that the raw copper is visible) with a much more compact Bispa OFC connector:  Loving this, as I pocket my 1Z everywhere I go (yes, I'm used to the weight and heft, it doesn't bother me at all) and the much more compact barrel fits much better in jeans.


----------



## kubig123

rushofblood said:


> Interesting to see others modding the wires on their DAPs. It is my opinion that these players have a lot more to give than their stock wiring lets on.
> 
> On a related note, it's heartening to see that the 4.4mm plug market has really expanded - Furutech has finally released their 4.4mm connector:
> 
> And I've gone ahead and replaced my Pentaconn OFC plug (which has worn so heavily that the raw copper is visible) with a much more compact Bispa OFC connector:  Loving this, as I pocket my 1Z everywhere I go (yes, I'm used to the weight and heft, it doesn't bother me at all) and the much more compact barrel fits much better in jeans.



thanks for teh update, do you know if the Furutech 4.4mm are already on sale in the US and where I can find them?


----------



## buzzlulu

What about 4.4 females?  I would like a 4.4 to 4 pin XLR adapter cable (high quality) to use my Z1R/Axios cable with my Moon 430 amplifier. 

It would also be nice to have a 4.4 to 3.5mm to user with a Mojo/Hugo


----------



## hung031086

I'm still looking for a 4.4mm female too. Need a 4.4mm female to 2.5mm male.


----------



## Whitigir

rushofblood said:


> Interesting to see others modding the wires on their DAPs. It is my opinion that these players have a lot more to give than their stock wiring lets on.
> 
> On a related note, it's heartening to see that the 4.4mm plug market has really expanded - Furutech has finally released their 4.4mm connector:
> 
> And I've gone ahead and replaced my Pentaconn OFC plug (which has worn so heavily that the raw copper is visible) with a much more compact Bispa OFC connector:  Loving this, as I pocket my 1Z everywhere I go (yes, I'm used to the weight and heft, it doesn't bother me at all) and the much more compact barrel fits much better in jeans.




It is very true, the stock Kimber can be upgraded with great result.

Now, the Furutech is awesome, hopefully it comes to the US as soon as possible.  They do look to be rhodium or palladium plated ?


----------



## PCheung

Rhodium plated most likely


----------



## rtjoa

Whitigir said:


> It is very true, the stock Kimber can be upgraded with great result.
> 
> Now, the Furutech is awesome, hopefully it comes to the US as soon as possible.  They do look to be rhodium or palladium plated ?


Rhodium. It is written on the packaging


----------



## Whitigir

rtjoa said:


> Rhodium. It is written on the packaging



Yeah, my bad, didn't really stare at the whole picture


----------



## nanaholic

buzzlulu said:


> What about 4.4 females?  I would like a 4.4 to 4 pin XLR adapter cable (high quality) to use my Z1R/Axios cable with my Moon 430 amplifier.
> 
> It would also be nice to have a 4.4 to 3.5mm to user with a Mojo/Hugo





hung031086 said:


> I'm still looking for a 4.4mm female too. Need a 4.4mm female to 2.5mm male.



Musashino Label has 4.4mm female to 3.5mm SE and 2.5mm BAL conversion cables on sale. 
http://www.cmpg.co.jp/musashino/2544p1/conversion cable.html

Should be easy to convert the 2.5mm BAL to XLR
If you use a proxy you can order them from e-earphone which has them in stock.


----------



## hung031086

nanaholic said:


> Musashino Label has 4.4mm female to 3.5mm SE and 2.5mm BAL conversion cables on sale.
> http://www.cmpg.co.jp/musashino/2544p1/conversion cable.html
> 
> Should be easy to convert the 2.5mm BAL to XLR
> If you use a proxy you can order them from e-earphone which has them in stock.


You know how to order from that site ?


----------



## AnakChan

hung031086 said:


> You know how to order from that site ?



Does this show up in the international Rakuten site? I can't see 'cos I'm in Japan :-

https://item.rakuten.co.jp/e-earphone/4589962103302/
https://item.rakuten.co.jp/e-earphone/4589962103319/

If it does, then maybe you can order it via Rakuten global?


----------



## rtjoa

AnakChan said:


> Does this show up in the international Rakuten site? I can't see 'cos I'm in Japan :-
> 
> https://item.rakuten.co.jp/e-earphone/4589962103302/
> https://item.rakuten.co.jp/e-earphone/4589962103319/
> ...



It does not show up on Rakuten global. I was looking for these items last month.



hung031086 said:


> You know how to order from that site ?





buzzlulu said:


> What about 4.4 females?  I would like a 4.4 to 4 pin XLR adapter cable (high quality) to use my Z1R/Axios cable with my Moon 430 amplifier.
> 
> It would also be nice to have a 4.4 to 3.5mm to user with a Mojo/Hugo



OC Studio in Taiwan has a nice female 4.4 connector. I have ordered 2 adapter 4.4 to 2.5 with different cables. 

They might be able to do 4.4 to 4 pin XLR. I have seen some adapters in Chinese Taobao but the female connector is not as good as OC Studio.

They have Furutech 4.4 in case if you are interested.

https://www.facebook.com/OriginalCableStudio/


----------



## PCheung

The one from OC studio seems exactly the same one I bought on taobao.


----------



## nanaholic

rtjoa said:


> It does not show up on Rakuten global. I was looking for these items last month.



Use a proxy service - just pass those links to them and they should handle it for you.


----------



## blazinblazin

There's also these

https://world.taobao.com/item/55583....14.144.ebb2eb2AGnEQU&ns=1&abbucket=13#detail


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 24, 2017)

I don't know about people, but to me, connectors play a part too in the sound quality.  There is no point in buying expensive cables with exotic materials and skim out on the last part of the chains .  This whole setup of mine is all upgraded through and through now, internal wires on Wm1z and Pentaconn OFC plug with OCC wires in 8 cores configurations.  Btw, briefly tried Silver for 1z internal and it didn't sound too good in comparison to silver-gold for my taste.







I also tried out Silver for WM1Z internal wires, it didn't do so well, and I like silver-gold more.  The Silver wires did make Wm1z sound brighter, and more references, but also harsh treble and the extensions, it also lose out the organic and realism timbres, and to my ears it were not so good pairing with my Utopia here.  As a permanent mod, I want it to be the best modification that can improve Wm1z performances to my ears.  So in my personal choices, I have to say that I love Silver-gold here.  Hell....if I could afford my silver-gold wires again for my Utopia.




Here is what I observed with silver-gold wires
https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-868#post-13615963

There are 3 special things that silver-gold did so well in comparison to Silver:  layering, smoothness, and organic timbres.

By the way, 18AWG is massive and largest to be fitting inside the WM1Z.  Surprisingly the traces on the boards appear to be even larger than 18AWG.  You are looking at 18AWG above

Guide is up for people who want to DIY!!

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 24, 2017)

Wow, I had to revisit the interview of Sony team to go through the efforts that they put inside the WM1Z, just to satisfy my curiosity as of why upgrading the internal wires can make it perform this way.  Here is the link to his post

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-owner-and-impressions.827575/page-2#post-13068909

What I found, important.

1/ New S-Master HX, 32 bits / 384 KHz...Native DSD into 11.2Mhz
2/ Super Low noise regulators
3/ Voltage to power supply is raised much higher than Zx2, going from 4V into 7V, and being regulated, purified into 5V
4/ Transistors are as large as found in Pha-3, due to how well they perform in sonic performances
5/ Resistors are Copper-goldplated terminals, which are found in high-end Desktop systems
6/ Braided structer of the internal wires helps reproduce better reverberations and reverbs
7/ Direct Line-Out was removed because the ground would have to be Directly connected into the Digital processing block, which increase the perceived noises.  Completely eliminated this time.
*Materials wise*
8/ they did mention about special Capacitors and plugs sockets too, which to them did improve the performances, the 4.4mm due to more surfaces.  The 4.4mm is awesome for portable uses from my opinions, it can fit in many different sizes of wires.
9/ Sony mentioned about OFC copper chassis as an exotic material for the chassis, and hence they tuned the WM1Z differently than WM1A.

The crazy thing is that .... Since I had moved on into the Stax world of SR009 + Kevin Gilmore Amp and Desktop DAC....I doubted the post modification WM1Z can impress me much as a portable setup out of Utopia as I am familiar with it performances in comparison to a full scale Stax system......I am proven wrong.

Once again, thank you NanaHolic for the awesome interview interpretation.  It was such awesome works that you had done, which I enjoyed going through yet again


----------



## gerelmx1986

I find my WM1A can rival the Fischer audio Stack of amps that my BF has


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jul 24, 2017)

@nanaholic  posted about how come some people got such big lobraries in the ZX300 fórum..

i got mine with collecting FLAC from CDs and downloads over the years, so my  collection is about 874GB (and is mosdtly 16/44.1 FLAC) 2,941 albums 49, 390 tracks, of these 75GB is hi-res 1,325 tracks

I do wish a doublé SD lsot walkman or at least one normal SD slot (512GB and future 1TB)


----------



## nanaholic (Jul 24, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> @nanaholic  posted about how come some people got such big lobraries in the ZX300 fórum..
> 
> i got mine with collecting FLAC from CDs and downloads over the years, so my  collection is about 874GB (and is mosdtly 16/44.1 FLAC) 2,941 albums 49, 390 tracks, of these 75GB is hi-res 1,325 tracks
> 
> I do wish a doublé SD lsot walkman or at least one normal SD slot (512GB and future 1TB)



The thing is makers don't expect people to download from "questionable" sources.  Those who do are considered to be outlier cases and don't represent the average users.  If you are to purchase those CDs/digital tracks legally, you would've rack up a bill that is nearly 30,000 USD (assuming 10 dollar per CD).  Also you can get fined and jail time for downloading illegally in Japan - not just uploading like in many other countries (it's written in the law, but not commonly prosecuted, but still).

Excluding digital downloads I own something like 600+ physical CDs which I all purchase legally (and yes during my student days I do dab a little in "questionable" downloads - but those days are behind me now), and that is already considered to be a "heavy buyer" of music. Even if I convert all those CDs into FLACs I'm  fitting everything in 150gigs of space.  You cannot expect a device that is targeted to mid-fi buyers to accommodate outlier cases, that's not a very realistic design assumption.


----------



## nc8000

I have legally purchased about 400GB hires downloads and over the last 30 years I've purchased about 2000 cd's that I'm slowly ripping to flac and I'm about half way through


----------



## Witcher

Is there a noticeable difference between the 1Z and 1A? is that price difference reflective of the SQ difference?


----------



## nc8000

Witcher said:


> Is there a noticeable difference between the 1Z and 1A? is that price difference reflective of the SQ difference?



I have not heard the 1A but I can not imagine that the 1Z sounds 3 times better than 1A. Diminishing returns at play again.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 25, 2017)

nc8000 said:


> I have not heard the 1A but I can not imagine that the 1Z sounds 3 times better than 1A. Diminishing returns at play again.



It depends on how much experiences you have with equipments, and being reasonably expecting it.  There are people from CanjamLondon London, who could tell the differences between wm1A to Wm1Z immediately, people can check out that thread.  But the differences were more apparent due to upgraded balanced Kimber cables into Z1R.

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/c...d-july-15-16-2017.855275/page-7#post-13611517

I don't think anything are 3x the differences .... lol...maybe moving from beats+iPod+MP3  into a complete high-end Desktop tier + DSD


----------



## nc8000

Oh I'm sure there are differences I'm sure I would be able to tell them but not 3 times and from reading this thread there are people who actually prefer the 1A signature over the 1Z signature so each person making the choice really needs to listen to both if possible


----------



## Sarnia

I'm still burning my WM1Z in, about 3 days to go before I will compare them.

Last night I was listening to the Pioneer Se-Master 1 via balanced from the WM1Z. My jaw dropped at how good the synergy was. Simply awesome. They are by far the easiest to drive headphones that I have, and play great with poorer recordings too, which some of my others don't.

The WM1A is very, very good, but my initial feeling is that the WM1Z adds enough that the weight difference is worth it. I got a great deal though, I don't think I could justify three times the price given my limited portable listening.


----------



## Witcher

Thanks. I'm looking for a dap, but the 1A/1Z are too costly to make a mistake over. Maybe the new A40 or the ZX300 might suit better.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Most of my music is from CDs I purchased or my dad gave me, css I ripped from uni library (hope that is not considered stealing) and ripping from the extensive collection of my boyfriend


----------



## nc8000

What you are allowed to rip depends on the law of the country where you live. In Denmark you deffinitely are not allowed to rip cd's borrowed be it from friends or library. In some countries you are not even allowed to rip cd's you own


----------



## gerelmx1986

For out of print CD I do use questionable sources as last resort (first try to source Amazon. Or qobuz)


----------



## bana

Nanoholic,
If you are of a certain age and a lover of music, all genres, your collection of legal music, (CD, records) far exceeds the space provided with a microSD slot. $30K music collection is not outside the realm of possibility. You start with one CD, forty years later you have one room full.
There must be some technical reason why an SD slot is not considered, do you know?


----------



## azabu

Whitigir said:


> It depends on how much experiences you have with equipments, and being reasonably expecting it.  There are people from CanjamLondon London, who could tell the differences between wm1A to Wm1Z immediately, people can check out that thread.  But the differences were more apparent due to upgraded balanced Kimber cables into Z1R.
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/c...d-july-15-16-2017.855275/page-7#post-13611517
> 
> I don't think anything are 3x the differences .... lol...maybe moving from beats+iPod+MP3  into a complete high-end Desktop tier + DSD



The difference is immediately apparent, the 1Z has a reference, natural and organic presentation. I have the 1A and do wish I purchased the 1Z.

I could swear the 1Z is a re-badged Accuphase.


----------



## Whitigir

azabu said:


> The difference is immediately apparent, the 1Z has a reference, natural and organic presentation. I have the 1A and do wish I purchased the 1Z.
> 
> I could swear the 1Z is a re-badged Accuphase.


I am not not familiar with accuphase , But yes, you summed up the Wm1z overall signature


----------



## mw7485

bana said:


> There must be some technical reason why an SD slot is not considered, do you know?



If you look at the maintenance manual there doesn't appear to be much room in there. @Whitgir has obviously "been inside"  and could probably comment with some authority, but I suspect its 80% space considerations that prevented full sized SD cards being used. Shame, as A&K are starting to really push the storage boundaries with their new player, and I can see that being a deciding factor for some.


----------



## Whitigir

Lol...no...I never been inside it .  But it is true that space was really a technical issue to have larger SD to fit in.  Though, how could I ever max out 512Gb of memory...idk...lol.  I do know there are a few with vast library but I must say....probably only a few


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> Lol...no...I never been inside it .  But it is true that space was really a technical issue to have larger SD to fit in.  Though, how could I ever max out 512Gb of memory...idk...lol.  I do know there are a few with vast library but I must say....probably only a few



I have a 512gb SD card in my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and there are MANY folders/files I have NEVER listened to.   It's not even full yet.


----------



## audionewbi

nanaholic said:


> The difference between the WM1A and the 1Z is more than just internal wires, there are component differences like different capacitors and resistors as well.


Yes people focus too much on the cable and capacitor but no the f-resistors which 1Z uses. I think the resistor used in 1Z make the more significant difference. I do wonder what will happen if one can change the clocks on the walkman.


----------



## Sleepow

For library size, and I know this is only a minority, but quad DSD eats up space like the is no tomorrow.
I only have a handful of albums, but at 15gb each...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sony could use the unused "wasted" space in the left side of the walkman to add a nother microSD slot or a full sized SD slot


----------



## rhull1973

rhull1973 said:


> I purchased a used WM1A from amazon warehouse deals. The item arrived with serious cosmetic damage to the lower right corner. The metal case has large dents in it. The item appears to work fine, but I'm concerned what happened to it to cause such damage. Amazon offered me a discount that would make my total cost $700. For this price I'm tempted to keep it. Resale value would be greatly affected. Any thoughts?  Is it a good deal for $700?



Returned it, and bought another.  The damage was just too much.


----------



## Whitigir

Agree, return it.  Unless the item is $450 then keep it


----------



## audionewbi

azabu said:


> The difference is immediately apparent, the 1Z has a reference, natural and organic presentation. I have the 1A and do wish I purchased the 1Z.
> 
> I could swear the 1Z is a re-badged Accuphase.


If you like the 1Z tonality it you should aim for a neutral sounding IEM else you will not enjoy the sound of 1Z. I found the more neutral tonality of 1A more universal.
However 1Z and UERR will bring many grown man to tears.


----------



## Witcher

azabu said:


> The difference is immediately apparent, the 1Z has a reference, natural and organic presentation. I have the 1A and do wish I purchased the 1Z.
> 
> I could swear the 1Z is a re-badged Accuphase.


that drastic?


----------



## Witcher

audionewbi said:


> If you like the 1Z tonality it you should aim for a neutral sounding IEM else you will not enjoy the sound of 1Z. I found the more neutral tonality of 1A more universal.
> However 1Z and UERR will bring many grown man to tears.


whichever DAP I get from Sony, will only be used with the Z5 and Z1R. the synergy between sony products is undeniable.


----------



## blazinblazin

For 1A i went for a slightly warm and impactful gold-silver cable with a more neutral BA iem.

I just want the that ambience sound.


----------



## tieuly1

Sound like 1960 cable 2 wire will perfectly fit with your preference.


----------



## azabu

audionewbi said:


> If you like the 1Z tonality it you should aim for a neutral sounding IEM else you will not enjoy the sound of 1Z. I found the more neutral tonality of 1A more universal.
> However 1Z and UERR will bring many grown man to tears.



I have the 1A as well, and a TG334 on order which will pair nicely.


----------



## azabu

Witcher said:


> that drastic?



That it could be considered in the realms of Accuphase. You betcha.


----------



## blazinblazin

tieuly1 said:


> Sound like 1960 cable 2 wire will perfectly fit with your preference.



I am still considering this cable.


----------



## nanaholic (Jul 26, 2017)

bana said:


> Nanoholic,
> If you are of a certain age and a lover of music, all genres, your collection of legal music, (CD, records) far exceeds the space provided with a microSD slot. $30K music collection is not outside the realm of possibility. You start with one CD, forty years later you have one room full.
> There must be some technical reason why an SD slot is not considered, do you know?



I'm approaching 40 and I started collecting CDs more than 20 years ago and I "only" have 600 physical CDs.  If I tell normal people about this they already think I'm crazy to have that many CDs (but that's more to do with people thinking why buy when you can pirate, which is a different story). The truth of the matter is most people don't have that many legally purchased music in their collection, and they most certainly don't try to stuff everything into one device because most people only rotates maybe 1000 songs.  If you use some smart computer software to organise your music library and swap the music out, 128GB really is plenty for most people, so there's no point in buying more memory which a) raises the BOM cost for the maker, and b) they then have to raise the price on the product to keep the profit margin by passing the cost to the costumer (they really don't want to discount it you know) which makes the sticker price of the device less desirable. So for a product that is aimed at budding to-be audiophiles like the ZX300, 64G with one expansion slot really is sufficient for the most cases, which is why the makers settles on this number.  For the hi-end audiophiles like the WM1Z that's why they included 256G internal memory plus a microsd slot (which the spec should support up to 2TB), that's really quite a lot of space.  Then there's the WM1A which has 128G in the middle, so you have a nicely organised "spec up" product line up of 64/128/256GB which makes it easy for customers to understand where the product sits as well.



gerelmx1986 said:


> Sony could use the unused "wasted" space in the left side of the walkman to add a nother microSD slot or a full sized SD slot



There's no wasted space - if you look at the circuit board of the WM1 walkmans it's already packed to the brim with several through holes at that area and the battery pack on one side (and the top half is reserved for the analog audio components so that area is out of bounds) so it's not a place for them to put another slot there.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 26, 2017)

Confirming my upgraded Wm1z sound with Stax 009 as a preamp analog source.

Definitely more sub-bass and reverberation, larger soundstage though vocal and singer are still up front, but all instruments are circulating around them nicely, every back ground beats and plays are vividly presenting with thicker tonal body and speed!  Especially the trebles, extends nicely with great details and speed, dense tonal, which helps treble to have more layering resolutions.

It sounds more organic than ever before.


----------



## buzzlulu

nanaholic said:


> I'm approaching 40 and I started collecting CDs more than 20 years ago and I "only" have 600 physical CDs.  If I tell normal people about this they already think I'm crazy to have that many CDs (but that's more to do with people thinking why buy when you can pirate, which is a different story). The truth of the matter is most people don't have that many legally purchased music in their collection



Crazy you are not.
57 years old - 7000 lp's and 2000 cd's
all legally bought

One of the reasons which pushed me over the edge to get the 1Z  - 512gb of storage
well that ....... and the sound.


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 26, 2017)

buzzlulu said:


> Crazy you are not.
> 57 years old - 7000 lp's and 2000 cd's
> all legally bought
> 
> ...



I absolutely love my Sony NW-WM1A,  but my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana with a 512gb SDXC card, and Shure SRH1540 headphones is damn close to a religious experience.  That pairing is so very magical. Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7GMs sound great on my Questyle QP1R, but horrid with Diana. The Shure headphones don't pair particularly well with QP1R.  Everything seems to pair well with the Sony NW-WM1A.


----------



## Whitigir

Who says Sony portables can't be closer to Stax SR009 ? Or that Sony does not have good audiophile headphones ? The SA5000, the sibling of Qualia Q10! Running balanced.


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> Who says Sony portables can't be closer to Stax SR009 ? Or that Sony does not have good audiophile headphones ? The SA5000, the sibling of Qualia Q10! Running balanced.



Not me.  I love my Sony NW-WM1A.   Having said that, I also love my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and Questyle QP1R.


----------



## rhull1973

I love that Sony included a spectrum analyzer display mode. As someone in their mid-40's, it reminds me of the 80's Sony receivers that included these. Ticks an extra box in my book.


----------



## JML (Jul 27, 2017)

I found that the music database can be confused if you connect it to a computer and change the name of an existing album or  delete an album and copy over a new one with a slightly changed name (e.g., the addition of  "Remastered" or something like that).  The WM1A has to be disconnected from the computer, shut down, and restarted for the old album name to be totally removed from the database, then the new album can be added.  Simply disconnecting from the computer after the change does not rebuild the database properly, even though the WM1A reports that the database is being rebuilt after the USB file edit or transfer is completed.


----------



## gerelmx1986

It happened to me, if I don't rebuild the database from device settings > reset. And fromat menu, some times at start it scans the dB twice


----------



## Whitigir

I want USB DAC on the WM1Z ! LOL...so I can watch movies on my iPad with it.  I don't think Sony is going out with WM2Z in the next couple years...


----------



## meomap

Whitigir said:


> I want USB DAC on the WM1Z ! LOL...so I can watch movies on my iPad with it.  I don't think Sony is going out with WM2Z in the next couple years...



Wow, $3200 and still could not use as usb dac?
I am glad I am staying away from Sony products.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 27, 2017)

meomap said:


> Wow, $3200 and still could not use as usb dac?
> I am glad I am staying away from Sony products.



It doesn't even have internet , or wifi connection.  I was being greedy since Zx300 is going to offer it.  Maybe once the zx300 is out, we will have it...who knows.  I bought it knowing that it has no internet or wifi or USB DAC function.  Those are not my main reasons to buy it.


----------



## nc8000

meomap said:


> Wow, $3200 and still could not use as usb dac?
> I am glad I am staying away from Sony products.



It's a dedicated dap which is exactly what I want, couldn't care less about dac functionality


----------



## gerelmx1986

I could care for the USB DAC functionality as an adapter for my 4.4mm headphones for my laptop, bit really for that I could buy a pair of $20 Sony lower tier HPs


----------



## PCheung

meomap said:


> Wow, $3200 and still could not use as usb dac?
> I am glad I am staying away from Sony products.



I guess not much player support USB-DAC? and I see it as a plus, not a necessary 

It is a music player after all


----------



## robin1990

I can live without USB DAC feature. When I travel I do not bring my macbook or laptop. They could focus more on dap feature and sq imo without need of the distraction. 

Sony have pha-3 if you want a USB DAC feature.


----------



## rhull1973

Great deal on the kimber 4.4 balanced cable for z7/z1r on Amazon. $159 prime shipping.


----------



## mw7485

JML said:


> I found that the music database can be confused if you connect it to a computer and change the name of an existing album or  delete an album and copy over a new one with a slightly changed name (e.g., the addition of  "Remastered" or something like that).  The WM1A has to be disconnected from the computer, shut down, and restarted for the old album name to be totally removed from the database, then the new album can be added.  Simply disconnecting from the computer after the change does not rebuild the database properly, even though the WM1A reports that the database is being rebuilt after the USB file edit or transfer is completed.



Much the same as the ZX2. A tag change does not guarantee an update in the database.


----------



## blazinblazin

meomap said:


> Wow, $3200 and still could not use as usb dac?
> I am glad I am staying away from Sony products.


It's like saying so many more expensive DAP cant even give you battery life of a SONY.


----------



## Quadfather

blazinblazin said:


> It's like saying so many more expensive DAP cant even give you battery life of a SONY.



EXACTLY.


----------



## meomap

blazinblazin said:


> It's like saying so many more expensive DAP cant even give you battery life of a SONY.



Got me with the battery life. I've read Sony's spec and surprise myself too.
However by design with no 3rd party Shelf DAC or in this case, SONY's proprietary FPGA like Chord's design, uses a lot less energy/voltage to make 96/192/DSD files more efficient and a little tax on batteries life unlike other 3rd party DAC.
Even AK, Fiio, Basso, QP1R can't match.
I gave SONY that strong point, but hearing DSD format requires a balance connection is a little bit absurd to me.
This  IMO only so not to get mad.


----------



## Sleepow

It would be great to have USB DAC for streaming apps on a phone, and yes, Sony does USB DAC, but that means carrying 2 devices.
(And they do not have a high end USB DAC with 4.4 mm plug yet)


----------



## rhull1973

Sleepow said:


> It would be great to have USB DAC for streaming apps on a phone, and yes, Sony does USB DAC, but that means carrying 2 devices.
> (And they do not have a high end USB DAC with 4.4 mm plug yet)



Not sure if you consider it "high end", but the pha-2a has a 4.4 connection.


----------



## Whitigir

rhull1973 said:


> Not sure if you consider it "high end", but the pha-2a has a 4.4 connection.


There is TA-ZH1ES, and it is high-end with 4.4mm connection


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> There is TA-ZH1ES, and it is high-end with 4.4mm connection



Not exactly portable though


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Not exactly portable though


Lol, just answering regarding high-end DAC LoL


----------



## Sleepow

Pha2a is high end, but not at Sony's best level; it uses off the shelf DAC chips.
Actually the older Pha3 as well is using off the shelf DAC chips I think, but desktop versions, not mobile versions.

And yes, I meant portable. At home I do have a desktoo DAC (exasound, if anyone cares, which uses ....off the shelves DAC chips)


----------



## Whitigir

Sleepow said:


> Pha2a is high end, but not at Sony's best level; it uses off the shelf DAC chips.
> Actually the older Pha3 as well is using off the shelf DAC chips I think, but desktop versions, not mobile versions.
> 
> And yes, I meant portable. At home I do have a desktoo DAC (exasound, if anyone cares, which uses ....off the shelves DAC chips)



Pha-3 did have Es9018S (desktop DAC version).  Pha-3 is a damn good buy for the price that it is now.  I do think when Zx300 get a release, we will see USB DAC on WM series.

Both Zx300 and WM Walkman uses Walkman OS


----------



## rhull1973

Whitigir said:


> Pha-3 did have Es9018S (desktop DAC version).  Pha-3 is a damn good buy for the price that it is now.  I do think when Zx300 get a release, we will see USB DAC on WM series.
> 
> Both Zx300 and WM Walkman uses Walkman OS


I agree. Can probably be added via a firmware update. Sony added USB digital out to the hapz1es months after it was released.


----------



## adalberto vela

A little off topic, so I apologize..But with so much knowledge in this very active thread, I had to as I'm hoping to get some quick feedback...

I have a chance to obtain a Sony PHA-2A as a thrown in through a trade and was wondering if this portable amp w/ 4.4mm balanced will better the sound on my DP-X1 w/ 2.5mm balanced..? If it will improve it any, would like to have it...


----------



## Whitigir

adalberto vela said:


> A little off topic, so I apologize..But with so much knowledge in this very active thread, I had to as I'm hoping to get some quick feedback...
> 
> I have a chance to obtain a Sony PHA-2A as a thrown in through a trade and was wondering if this portable amp w/ 4.4mm balanced will better the sound on my DP-X1 w/ 2.5mm balanced..? If it will improve it any, would like to have it...



I have heard the DP-X1, and not a real fan of it though.  Not sure if the Pha2-A would do the job, but if I was looking into anything 4.4mm, I would do WM1A as an all in one package.  Eventually, Sony will release newer devices with these 4.4mm as it is Jeita standards.


----------



## Lavakugel

Looking for a dignis case for my wm1a. If you have one please let me know.


----------



## rhull1973

Lavakugel said:


> Looking for a dignis case for my wm1a. If you have one please let me know.



I have one in deep blue. Only used a few days.


----------



## bsimms99

Quadfather said:


> OMG!  Sony NW-WM1A with a balanced 4.4mm ALO Reference 8 for my Shure SE846s is heavenly! Yes, I need to shave.  LOL



I was wondering if you could tell me where you got that case from? I have been looking everywhere and I bought/returned that terrible excuse Miter case on Amazon. (doesnt seal tight on the sides it actually doesnt touch the side so its mushy trying to hit the buttons)


----------



## bsimms99

Quadfather said:


> I wish it was acceptable for me.  Every dap I own is in a Pelican case and a leather carrying case as well



Thats the difference with this generation though, people get nice equipment and after a year it looks like hell, people dont take care of their belongings now a days.


----------



## haiku

Is it true, there´s now a menu option, with which you can switch off the european volume restriction?


----------



## PCheung (Jul 29, 2017)

bsimms99 said:


> I was wondering if you could tell me where you got that case from? I have been looking everywhere and I bought/returned that terrible excuse Miter case on Amazon. (doesnt seal tight on the sides it actually doesnt touch the side so its mushy trying to hit the buttons)



the "dignis" case most likely
They ship to US but EMS cost is very expensive so beware while checkout

http://mobile--shop2.dignis.cafe24....y-nw-wm1-case/133/?cate_no=85&display_group=1



haiku said:


> Is it true, there´s now a menu option, with which you can switch off the european volume restriction?


Not exactly 
You need to hack the machine and change the region to international or asia
Which removed the volume restrictions


----------



## audionewbi

I have come to a point that I cant seem to enjoy my others dap as my ears are so used to the sound of wm1a. I'm finding wm1a is on a warmer more rounded sound with enough of everything that once you get used to it hearing other daps wouldnt be easy.
I had a chance to try the SP1000 again in the Sydney HifiShow for another 2 hours, they were kind enough to let me use it in a quiet. Don't get me wrong Sp1000 is a great DAP but beside the UI sonically it is a DAP that I would have gone crazy for when I first started my journey in this hobby. 
SP1000 has a lot of micro-detail, or better to say micro-detail stick out more to me than wm1a.  I find to distracting now days. 
Anyways Sony give me a miniaturised version of your wm1a and I am good. I have made a heavy move towards getting 4.4mm cables, so for me from this point onward is matter of just paying attention to whatever product that has that features, else it is not for me.


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> I have come to a point that I cant seem to enjoy my others dap as my ears are so used to the sound of wm1a. I'm finding wm1a is on a warmer more rounded sound with enough of everything that once you get used to it hearing other daps wouldnt be easy.
> I had a chance to try the SP1000 again in the Sydney HifiShow for another 2 hours, they were kind enough to let me use it in a quiet. Don't get me wrong Sp1000 is a great DAP but beside the UI sonically it is a DAP that I would have gone crazy for when I first started my journey in this hobby.
> SP1000 has a lot of micro-detail, or better to say micro-detail stick out more to me than wm1a.  I find to distracting now days.
> Anyways Sony give me a miniaturised version of your wm1a and I am good. I have made a heavy move towards getting 4.4mm cables, so for me from this point onward is matter of just paying attention to whatever product that has that features, else it is not for me.




Check out Wm1z  .  That is something you may like better.  Miniature 1A ? Probably Zx300 upcoming DAP


----------



## audionewbi

Whitigir said:


> Check out Wm1z  .  That is something you may like better.  Miniature 1A ? Probably Zx300 upcoming DAP


I certainly like the sound of 1Z with my neutral IEM. This way i can truly enjoy the sound that 1Z offers and after listening to UERR for 8 hours I almost sold a number of things to go ahead with this purchase but after listening again against 1A and factoring in form and how I even struggle to take 1A out from time to time I think I like something more compact and lighter.

What would be nice is to see a copper version of ZX300. It should be slightly lighter due to the supposed smaller form.

I am also counting on AR-M200, that would be a direct competitor of ZX300 IMO.


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> I certainly like the sound of 1Z with my neutral IEM. This way i can truly enjoy the sound that 1Z offers and after listening to UERR for 8 hours I almost sold a number of things to go ahead with this purchase but after listening again against 1A and factoring in form and how I even struggle to take 1A out from time to time I think I like something more compact and lighter.
> 
> What would be nice is to see a copper version of ZX300. It should be slightly lighter due to the supposed smaller form.
> 
> I am also counting on AR-M200, that would be a direct competitor of ZX300 IMO.



I don't even think Sony will adopt "copper version" for Zx300.

1/ ZX series is supposedly a cheaper version of WM series
2/ Sony always like affordable products better than luxurious
3/ Wm1Z chassis alone is almost $900 by itself...yeah...that is the price of 1A there....why ? Because Pentaconn OFC copper is $100 for a plug


----------



## audionewbi

Whitigir said:


> I don't even think Sony will adopt "copper version" for Zx300.
> 
> 1/ ZX series is supposedly a cheaper version of WM series
> 2/ Sony always like affordable products better than luxurious
> 3/ Wm1Z chassis alone is almost $900 by itself...yeah...that is the price of 1A there....why ? Because Pentaconn OFC copper is $100 for a plug


I'm concerned more for performance than luxury. I wonder if it would be possible to find an alloy that has similar EMI shielding. I believe in cable shielding but regarding connecting a ground to an alloy will yield a different sound that I personally not quiet so sure of.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 29, 2017)

audionewbi said:


> I'm concerned more for performance than luxury. I wonder if it would be possible to find an alloy that has similar EMI shielding. I believe in cable shielding but regarding connecting a ground to an alloy will yield a different sound that I personally not quiet so sure of.



Grounding is important, and not only shielding.  If you are concerned about performances, go with WM1Z, it has many many different components, and not only grounding.  Like I said, copper chassis is the luxurious materials, just how your Bugatti, BMW, Mercedes..Lexus....etc are built.  They are luxury vehicles because they have more luxurious things.  Why would you be interested in Zx300 Copper version when you don't believe in better grounding ? Then you worry about performances but want smaller than wm1A ? You are contradicting yourself.

My own opinion and experiences, I love Copper, hell even Pentaconn plugs.  I can't appreciate enough what Sony just did with WM1Z.  If you are serious about Performances, you should be reading into WM1Z and how it were made

Remember, there are trade-off.  You just can not have everything.


----------



## audionewbi

I believe the argument that many people make is copper is good as shield against EMI, there are science which supports it. I would be interested in ZX-300 copper if the copper is going to sonically improve it. I on the hand dont want a copper DAP simply because it is copper. 
And I assume with improvement in technology it shouldnt be a surprise to expect better performance or similar performance in smaller packages. I mean there was a time that 5 MB storage required a team of 5 and machinery to move it around, now I can carry 2 TB worth of files in my pocket, I think Moores law hasn't quiet diminished when it comes to audio silicon chips, it is just that research in improving chips audio related isn't at a full steam ahead compared to what we see in CPU and GPU.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 29, 2017)

Scienctifically Proven is that Copper....is a superior conductor to Aluminum, period.



audionewbi said:


> I on the hand dont want a copper DAP simply because it is copper.
> .


Facts....wm1Z has different components than WM1A...not only copper.

I don't think you read my post, so I simplified it for you

*** what the hell is a Transistor by the way ?


----------



## purk

Yup, Whitigir speaks the truth.  Sony may have overcharged on the chassis on the WM1Z but it is indeed a better material than aluminum especially for grounding and shielding.


----------



## audionewbi

I think Whitigir is getting too worked up over nothing. 
There are companies out there who use various materials not because of it does anything but more because it looks fancy,  I don't want that. I never questioned the property of copper, in particular it's EMI shielding property.


----------



## purk (Jul 29, 2017)

audionewbi said:


> I think Whitigir is getting too worked up over nothing.
> There are companies out there who use various materials not because of it does anything but more because it looks fancy,  I don't want that. I never questioned the property of copper, in particular it's EMI shielding property.




Search Sony TA-ER1 and u may understand  why.  Copper does make a different sound wise just beside shielding.  I have read about the audible benefit from grounding using copper chassis as well.  The problem with the 1Z is that it uses the ultra expensive OFC block which isn't cheap.  I wonder if AK utilizes OFC coppper as well.

The benefit maybe small but at this level everything does help.  Whitigir knows his stuff though.  He DIYed his KGSSHV Carbon with little instruction for less than a week.  You can't build such amp being a novice.  He also turned around and build KGSSHV GroundGrid couple of weeks later as well.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lets see what sony has to offer in 2018-2019, @Whitigir speaks of luxury but sony could have coated the copper with other thing to make less flashy or use alu outside and CU/Gold inside


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> Lets see what sony has to offer in 2018-2019, @Whitigir speaks of luxury but sony could have coated the copper with other thing to make less flashy or use alu outside and CU/Gold inside


All I ask from them is dual microSD slots.  Driving power is already enough on the 1Z and 1A for portable application.


----------



## proedros

should have my wm1a in 20 days , my question is this

*i have 2-3 cables with trrs termination which were bought for my zx2 player - is there an zx2 trrs > 4.4 wm1a adaptor ?*

so i can listen to my wm1a in balanced mode using my terminated-for-zx2 cables 

thanx for any feedback


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> should have my wm1a in 20 days , my question is this
> 
> *i have 2-3 cables with trrs termination which were bought for my zx2 player - is there an zx2 trrs > 4.4 wm1a adaptor ?*
> 
> ...



Yes, plus sound or moon audio can make those.  Though, your Wm1A can use Zx2 style TRRS on the Single Ended headphone out


----------



## purk

proedros said:


> should have my wm1a in 20 days , my question is this
> 
> *i have 2-3 cables with trrs termination which were bought for my zx2 player - is there an zx2 trrs > 4.4 wm1a adaptor ?*
> 
> ...



Faster to make your own though, but they are available.


----------



## bvng3540

proedros said:


> should have my wm1a in 20 days , my question is this
> 
> *i have 2-3 cables with trrs termination which were bought for my zx2 player - is there an zx2 trrs > 4.4 wm1a adaptor ?*
> 
> ...



I have one from plussound but never used it if you want to buy it let me know


----------



## asquare3376

Got some new cables for the 1Z and Z1R



Wireworld's Platinum Nano Eclipse with 4.4 Pentaconn


 
Norne Audio's Zoetic with Eidolic 4.4


----------



## Overkill Red

Wonder where these could've come from..


----------



## buzzlulu

asquare3376 said:


> Got some new cables for the 1Z and Z1R
> 
> Wireworld's Platinum Nano Eclipse with 4.4 Pentaconn
> 
> Norne Audio's Zoetic with Eidolic 4.4



Well - what is your take on the cables so far?
I tried the Wireworld on my Utopias.  Nice cable however not a fan on what they did - for the Utopias.  I settled on Axios all copper (after also not liking Axios copper/silver).

My experience with the Z1R had been interesting so far - Axios all copper, Axios copper/silver, and stock.  More to say later.


----------



## Whitigir

Overkill Red said:


> Wonder where these could've come from..



Very nice! How do you like it now


----------



## Overkill Red

Whitigir said:


> Very nice! How do you like it now



It's only just hit 10hours of burn in, but it sounds phenomenal..!


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 30, 2017)

Overkill Red said:


> It's only just hit 10hours of burn in, but it sounds phenomenal..!


Did you ever had a chance to compare modified 1z with SP1000 yet ? Oh, and what wires did you use inside


----------



## Overkill Red

Whitigir said:


> Did you ever had a chance to compare modified 1z with SP1000 yet ? Oh, and what wires did you use inside



Not yet, if you'd like I can give it a go within the next 2-3 days and get back to you here(?)


----------



## Whitigir

Overkill Red said:


> Not yet, if you'd like I can give it a go within the next 2-3 days and get back to you here(?)



That would be awesome  for all of us.  Thank you much


----------



## ledzep

Been running my player via 3.5mm into my tube amp to power the alpha's, although they sound great as it's working as a good enough line out stage I would rather take a digital out / Dsd signal and feed it into a external dac then onto my ember amp. Question is is there going to be a difference worth the extra money to have player / digital to dac then onto amp as opposed to just taking it direct from the 3.5mm into the amp ? Comments and external dac recommendations welcome.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 30, 2017)

ledzep said:


> Been running my player via 3.5mm into my tube amp to power the alpha's, although they sound great as it's working as a good enough line out stage I would rather take a digital out / Dsd signal and feed it into a external dac then onto my ember amp. Question is is there going to be a difference worth the extra money to have player / digital to dac then onto amp as opposed to just taking it direct from the 3.5mm into the amp ? Comments and external dac recommendations welcome.



1/ Digital music signals are a processed signals that will be passing in orders properly to your DAC so it can convert the signals to sin waves (analog) stage.

2/ DSP are used in the playback software to process the music signals and pass it on to your DAC Via....whatever...PCB board or USB ....or...etc....USB 2.0 are common nowadays as it is fully capable of transmitting data and universal applications standard.  Hence why different playback apps can affect the sound performances and even sometimes the firmware itself can do so as well.  Especially Androids as it is such an open sources and can relate to many different things.

3/. The #1 and #2 makes it that such Devices, or sources that you use to process these "music signals", matters.  The better your devices are (hardware+software), the better it process the signals and less losses details or digital errors to happen.

**Yet whether or not** you can observe the digital errors are entirely based on your experiences and your gears.

4/ the #3 makes that so each of everything do matter in its own way, hence why the USB cables will affect your sound quality as well.

Then to answer your questions.  Does it matter if you use Headphones out to feed your amp or digital out ? I can tell you that Walkman have wonderful Digital output stage, but can you be so sure that your External DAC/AMP devices to be outperforming the Walkman in the Analog stages of converting and amplifying the digital music signals ?  It is up to you to decide.

In my opinion, WM1Z has come a long way to prove that it is top of the line device, and if feeding the WM1Z into another Portable External DAC/Amp, the differences are negligible and even degrade it performances.  Unless, I feed WM1Z digitally into Well-built Desktop DAC with a good USB cables, then it is a different story.

Walkman OS is a blessing from Sony, it was originated for Music, and Music only.  Luckily that Sony did bring it back and no android on their top tier WM series


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> 1/ Digital music signals are a processed signals that will be passing in orders properly to your DAC so it can convert the signals to sin waves (analog) stage.
> 
> 2/ DSP are used in the playback software to process the music signals and pass it on to your DAC Via....whatever...PCB board or USB ....or...etc....USB 2.0 are common nowadays as it is fully capable of transmitting data and universal applications standard.  Hence why different playback apps can affect the sound performances and even sometimes the firmware itself can do so as well.  Especially Androids as it is such an open sources and can relate to many different things.
> 
> ...



Yeah true i'm happy with the sound out of the player i just need to drive the primes a bit more, so looks like i will continue to just amp the player direct as to my ears the quality is the same. The ember just gives the primes a bit more of a push and a nice touch of warmth on my vinyl rips.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

... Just a quick question WM1A owners who have the EU model with the software re-program to make run in Japan o/s which gets around the volume cap issue add also give me the BT remote activation....

I have just opened up Media Go which I still use occasionally but it says there is a update download to perform.

My question is with it now running Japan o/s will this not be advisible as I take it will just try and download the EU version of sofrtware which I am guessing could be potentially dangerous now with running it in Japan mode so would I have to look at doing all fuutre updates from the Japanese Sony site in future now this is running Japan o/s?

Must admit, totoally forgot this aspect of it when i done the hack a few months ago until I see the update prompt when I tunred on Media go with the Wlakman plugged in.  I have obviosuly just used the skip option for now so I can just continue to transfer some songs to Walkman.

So... thankful in advance for any WM1A owners running their EU in Japan mode and just in general really love this Walkman still and recently heard the Gold W1MZ at Canjam London and wish I'd never!!


----------



## buzzlulu

A bit confused - are you saying that there is a newly released (i.e. in the last week or two) software upgrade for these players?  Or are you seeing a prompt to upgrade to the firmware version which was released this past winter?


----------



## ledzep

FortisFlyer75 said:


> ... Just a quick question WM1A owners who have the EU model with the software re-program to make run in Japan o/s which gets around the volume cap issue add also give me the BT remote activation....
> 
> I have just opened up Media Go which I still use occasionally but it says there is a update download to perform.
> 
> ...



Update doesn't affect the players bios settings


----------



## mw7485

FortisFlyer75 said:


> ... Just a quick question WM1A owners who have the EU model with the software re-program to make run in Japan o/s which gets around the volume cap issue add also give me the BT remote activation....
> 
> I have just opened up Media Go which I still use occasionally but it says there is a update download to perform.
> 
> ...



One possible solution occurs to me. I have set my 1Z to the Eastern European destination - which gives High Gain access, and a menu option for the remote control - perhaps if you did the same, you might avoid having a Japanese update squirted down to your 1A. Can't remember what code Eastern European is, but it is in the documentation for the tool....


----------



## ledzep

mw7485 said:


> One possible solution occurs to me. I have set my 1Z to the Eastern European destination - which gives High Gain access, and a menu option for the remote control - perhaps if you did the same, you might avoid having a Japanese update squirted down to your 1A. Can't remember what code Eastern European is, but it is in the documentation for the tool....





 
Still on 1.20


----------



## mw7485

ledzep said:


> Still on 1.20



Maybe the update is referring to Media Go then. Don't use it myself !


----------



## Whitigir

I also don't use Media Go either


----------



## buzzlulu

So is the current firmware still the one from this past winter?


----------



## mw7485

buzzlulu said:


> So is the current firmware still the one from this past winter?



I'm pretty sure 1.20 is still the latest and greatest.


----------



## Whitigir

mw7485 said:


> I'm pretty sure 1.20 is still the latest and greatest.


I am still on 1.10.....damn it ...lol


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> I am still on 1.10.....damn it ...lol




Of all the people - you are the last I would expect to be behind the curve! I wouldn't be surprised if you were beta testing the next release for Sony...


----------



## Lavakugel

Have past 100h on single ended....sounds absolutely fantastic. To my ears a lot better than first 50h.


----------



## Whitigir

mw7485 said:


> Of all the people - you are the last I would expect to be behind the curve! I wouldn't be surprised if you were beta testing the next release for Sony...


Lol, that was a good laugh.  I wished Sony would honor me so much.  I am no more than an enthusiast with a heart for Sony and even bigger heart for Audio performances + DIY hobby.  On another note, I didn't upgrade my firmware because it did only improve some language and dialogues, and I totally forgot it lol!


----------



## Whitigir

Now, a funny thing is that I am trying to figure out what this wire do inside the Walkman itself ..... I am pulling my hair over it


----------



## FortisFlyer75

buzzlulu said:


> A bit confused - are you saying that there is a newly released (i.e. in the last week or two) software upgrade for these players?  Or are you seeing a prompt to upgrade to the firmware version which was released this past winter?



Hi Buzzlulu, sorry thought i had most recent updates as had not been prompted with any before since I've had the player last few months so was surpirsed to find I am behind so yes this looks like update from last winter as I am still stuck on 1.00!  See it is now 1.20!  I usually check this sort of thing but thought it was a new update prompt when I see it come up.  



ledzep said:


> Update doesn't affect the players bios settings



That is good news then as I will just let it perform the update then.  This may cure some of the lag I am getting with browsing then!  



mw7485 said:


> One possible solution occurs to me. I have set my 1Z to the Eastern European destination - which gives High Gain access, and a menu option for the remote control - perhaps if you did the same, you might avoid having a Japanese update squirted down to your 1A. Can't remember what code Eastern European is, but it is in the documentation for the tool....



Update would not squirt a Japanese update as the Media Go would only download the EU update which is what worried me about downloading that on top of the Japanese bios installed as I had the Japanese born ZX1 and remember I had to remember not to let Media Go do any updates on that as it would of buggered it up as it was a Japanese player from the start so used to have to do the updates direct from Sony Japan site which was fun! 
... but from what Led Zep is saying the update won't affect the player with it having Japanese bios isntalled on the EU player which is welcome news.  Cheers anyway. 



ledzep said:


> Still on 1.20



Thanks for posting that, the penny dropped I am an idiot! please read my reply above to Buzzlulu!  



mw7485 said:


> Maybe the update is referring to Media Go then. Don't use it myself !



No, It definitely is the player been promted for the update as it even shows the Walkman next to it as a photo saying your WM1A needs a new update!  I am thick with not realizing I was still stuck on only 1.00 but not quite that thick!




mw7485 said:


> I'm pretty sure 1.20 is still the latest and greatest.



As long as they have not changed the sound in anyway and is only for bugs or glitches then all is great, about to go and download this a lilttle later on and see what it improves to my dinosour 1.00 firmware!  


Thanks all for the reply's, again it always seems like the Sony threads are held together by strong glue which I remember back int he days of the X1060 and ZX1 threads when I owned them Walkmans.  
I remeber helping out  some fellow Walkman owners with a couple of other Head-fiers with the old  Eu & Japanese Atrac software of what used to be what is now... Media Go helping other Walkmans users so shows how rusty I am now with such a schoolboy error! 

Thanks again everyone concerned for all the help and will download to 1.20 by end of tonight


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Whitigir said:


> Lol, that was a good laugh.  I wished Sony would honor me so much.  I am no more than an enthusiast with a heart for Sony and even bigger heart for Audio performances + DIY hobby.  On another note, I didn't upgrade my firmware because it did only improve some language and dialogues, and I totally forgot it lol!



Actually I do remember seeing that as it goes and at time is why I never done the update as thought it was a bit irrelevent and had nothing big to offer, forgot that myself which was a while back now....

Maybe that is why I thought I was up to date originally prety much but didn't realize i was two updates behind by looks of things with been stuck on 1.00.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lavakugel said:


> Have past 100h on single ended....sounds absolutely fantastic. To my ears a lot better than first 50h.


 wait till another 100h and you are in for bliss, however you will stop hearing changes until 550 hours approx


----------



## FortisFlyer75

S***!, I have got a shed load more hours to do then until mine is burnt in! I probably only got around a 100 hours at moment. 

i hnestly thought these Walkmans would be about 100-150 at most?


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 30, 2017)

FortisFlyer75 said:


> S***!, I have got a shed load more hours to do then until mine is burnt in! I probably only got around a 100 hours at moment.
> 
> i hnestly thought these Walkmans would be about 100-150 at most?



Well, 100-150 hours is where the real bliss start as where the changes would be rapidly, but it will still slowly evolving until the mark of 500-550 hours or so...

I think Sony states 200 hours to settle these Capacitors in


----------



## bsimms99

bvng3540 said:


> I have one from plussound but never used it if you want to buy it let me know



I would like to buy this from you if you still have it? Cheers


----------



## bsimms99

PCheung said:


> the "dignis" case most likely
> They ship to US but EMS cost is very expensive so beware while checkout
> 
> http://mobile--shop2.dignis.cafe24....y-nw-wm1-case/133/?cate_no=85&display_group=1
> ...


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Whitigir said:


> Well, 100-150 hours is where the real bliss start as where the changes would be rapidly, but it will still slowly evolving until the mark of 500-550 hours or so...
> 
> I think Sony states 200 hours to settle these Capacitors in



I'm still in for a treat then!  

I have noticed the sub bass has become more refined sounding recenlty and more organic as well as tonally different with intrument reproduction thus far.

Going to do a lot more lsitening now!...


----------



## webzeb

Hello,

No way to stream music from Qobuz, Tidal or from a computer on this DAP?

Regards,

Fred


----------



## nc8000

webzeb said:


> Hello,
> 
> No way to stream music from Qobuz, Tidal or from a computer on this DAP?
> 
> ...




No


----------



## webzeb

nc8000 said:


> No


Thank you.

That's quite astonishing Sony's device connectivity is so limited...


----------



## nc8000

webzeb said:


> Thank you.
> 
> That's quite astonishing Sony's device connectivity is so limited...



Not really. They designed it specifically to be the best dap they could make and nothing else. Personally that is exactly what I want.


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> Now, a funny thing is that I am trying to figure out what this wire do inside the Walkman itself ..... I am pulling my hair over it



Well, it appears to bridge the power and audio sections of the mainboard - so probably best to leave that one alone


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Not really. They designed it specifically to be the best dap they could make and nothing else. Personally that is exactly what I want.


Fully agree with you @nc8000  a pure DAP is what i want witht he utmost attention to fine sound quality


----------



## webzeb

nc8000 said:


> Not really. They designed it specifically to be the best dap they could make and nothing else. Personally that is exactly what I want.


I think adding WiFi connectivity won't compromise that and would allow to enjoy more content, including HiRes content for those who are interested in.


----------



## ledzep

mw7485 said:


> Maybe the update is referring to Media Go then. Don't use it myself !


Could be, I'm old skool and still drag and drop so don't use the media go software.


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> Merry Xmas to me
> 
> Thank you for posting this, I was wondering if that docking station worked with the 1Z and 1A!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Bug discovered LOL, play all songs amd if you have up to 9,999 tracks it displays fine current track/9999... *unless you have more tan that like f.e 10K it will display current track/----*


----------



## Whitigir

mw7485 said:


> Well, it appears to bridge the power and audio sections of the mainboard - so probably best to leave that one alone


Well...I probably did not leave it alone .  But, yeah, good call, it "appears" to be the power line


----------



## robin1990

webzeb said:


> I think adding WiFi connectivity won't compromise that and would allow to enjoy more content, including HiRes content for those who are interested in.


one possibilty could be Japan / Asia is not fancy about wifi stream yet. It is a wise choice for Sony not to include wifi module to not increase the price of the player furthermore.


----------



## hotreks

Dear Headfiers, is the WM1z working well with 10 to 20 ohms custom IEMs? Thanks


----------



## Whitigir

robin1990 said:


> one possibilty could be Japan / Asia is not fancy about wifi stream yet. It is a wise choice for Sony not to include wifi module to not increase the price of the player furthermore.


I rather it was wifi instead of NFC....very useless to me


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> I rather it was wifi instead of NFC....very useless to me


I rather it was KFC than NFC!


----------



## kms108

For those who have the WM1A, can you shed some light on what type of music is best played, I intend to purchased the WM1A during my visit to Japan in December, but was told I should consider the AK70 or opus, the type of music I listen the most are slow, female vocal, ballad and mainly korean OST.


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> For those who have the WM1A, can you shed some light on what type of music is best played, I intend to purchased the WM1A during my visit to Japan in December, but was told I should consider the AK70 or opus, the type of music I listen the most are slow, female vocal, ballad and mainly korean OST.


 I have mine on direct all the time and play anything from classical to rock pop dance and more sound good to me on everything not tried country and western not that keen on songs of divorce and dead dogs.


----------



## PCheung

slow, female vocal, ballad ?

Go for the WM1Z


----------



## Tawek

Definitely  WM1Z !!!


----------



## Whitigir

Everything is good with Wm1z


----------



## nanaholic

webzeb said:


> I think adding WiFi connectivity won't compromise that and would allow to enjoy more content, including HiRes content for those who are interested in.



WiFi adds internal EMI interference due to its power output requirements (unlike Bluetooth which is very low powered), plus if you want access to Hi Res content the largest collection to those is via download and not streaming in Japan.  So not including WiFi was the more logical choice.


----------



## robin1990

Whitigir said:


> I rather it was wifi instead of NFC....very useless to me


Agree that NFC is quite useless. They did it just for their own eco, but there is literally no wireless headphone that worth to pair with wm series.


----------



## nanaholic (Jul 31, 2017)

robin1990 said:


> Agree that NFC is quite useless. They did it just for their own eco, but there is literally no wireless headphone that worth to pair with wm series.



Disagree, both MDR1000X and the Sony LDAC MUC-M2BT1 Bluetooth cable pairs extremely well even with the WM1Z, it's about 90% performance of a wired connection with those phones and accessories.  I can use the Bluetooth cable with my MMCX IEMs and they sound awesome.


----------



## robin1990

kms108 said:


> For those who have the WM1A, can you shed some light on what type of music is best played, I intend to purchased the WM1A during my visit to Japan in December, but was told I should consider the AK70 or opus, the type of music I listen the most are slow, female vocal, ballad and mainly korean OST.



Wm1a will work great with wide genre too. but if budget allow you to, definitely go for wm1z and never look back.


----------



## Sarnia

nanaholic said:


> Disagree, both MDR1000X and the Sony LDAC MUC-M2BT1 Bluetooth cable pairs extremely well even with the WM1Z, it's about 90% performance of a wired connection with those phones and accessories.  I can use the Bluetooth cable with my MMCX IEMs and they sound awesome.


I have both of those and agree with you completely.


----------



## robin1990 (Jul 31, 2017)

nanaholic said:


> Disagree, both MDR1000X and the Sony LDAC MUC-M2BT1 Bluetooth cable pairs extremely well even with the WM1Z, it's about 90% performance of a wired connection with those phones and accessories.  I can use the Bluetooth cable with my MMCX IEMs and they sound awesome.



I have Mdr1000x, and the sq with wire is better than wireless + ldac still. but to be fair mdr1000x is the best wireless headphone i have hear to date. Just most of the time im still listen to wm1a with iem, no need to walk around most of the time.

anyway bluetooth is lossy to me. there is always something missing when I listen to bluetooth.


----------



## kms108

Thanks to all who has replied to my post, although the 1Z is a better player of the two, I don't think it's worth the money for my use, unlike many people here, i'm not demanding the best and i'm not a audiophile, but just someone after something that has good quality sound, I already have a ZX2 which is already a expensive DAP for my purpose.


----------



## robin1990

kms108 said:


> Thanks to all who has replied to my post, although the 1Z is a better player of the two, I don't think it's worth the money for my use, unlike many people here, i'm not demanding the best and i'm not a audiophile, but just someone after something that has good quality sound, I already have a ZX2 which is already a expensive DAP for my purpose.



I bought zx2 about half year before wm1a. i have totally no idea about sony's signature series atm. and the first time i try out wm1a i immediately made my choice to upgrade. totally worth it.


----------



## PCheung (Jul 31, 2017)

robin1990 said:


> Agree that NFC is quite useless. They did it just for their own eco, but there is literally no wireless headphone that worth to pair with wm series.



Own the MDR-1000X, very nice headphone with easy "tap and done" NFC pairing
Enjoying it while I commute with my WM1Z and ZX100

I guess this function also work with other brand's BT device with NFC chips? I like to use it, no more device searching


----------



## kms108

robin1990 said:


> I bought zx2 about half year before wm1a. i have totally no idea about sony's signature series atm. and the first time i try out wm1a i immediately made my choice to upgrade. totally worth it.



I've had my ZX2 for about 2 years now, need to upgrade to a new DAP, whether it's the WM1A or another brand, may be i'll have a proper listen before I decide, I do have a few more months before I make the purchase, who know, I might even get the ZX 300.


----------



## PCheung

BTW, just wonder when will the Z1R thread unlock?


----------



## pietcux

kms108 said:


> Thanks to all who has replied to my post, although the 1Z is a better player of the two, I don't think it's worth the money for my use, unlike many people here, i'm not demanding the best and i'm not a audiophile, but just someone after something that has good quality sound, I already have a ZX2 which is already a expensive DAP for my purpose.



Don't worry, go get the WM1A enjoy it and don't look any further for the time being. It is an excellent DAP. The guys who propose the WM1Z will probably jump on the next best ever player still within 2017......


----------



## Whitigir

pietcux said:


> Don't worry, go get the WM1A enjoy it and don't look any further for the time being. It is an excellent DAP. The guys who propose the WM1Z will probably jump on the next best ever player still within 2017......


Best DAP is still wm1Z  .  I will move on to WM2Z if it comes out


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> Best DAP is still wm1Z  .  I will move on to WM2Z if it comes out



I dont understand you say its the best DAP, but then you just turned around and sold it..............


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> I dont understand you say its the best DAP, but then you just turned around and sold it..............



I still have Wm1z , with the latest pic here


----------



## Cagin

webzeb said:


> I think adding WiFi connectivity won't compromise that and would allow to enjoy more content, including HiRes content for those who are interested in.


ZX2 had those, and it hissed badly, I'm glad they fix all that with the WM1A, no more annoying hiss



hotreks said:


> Dear Headfiers, is the WM1z working well with 10 to 20 ohms custom IEMs? Thanks


 used Empire Zeus R and Zeus XIV on my WM1A; green lights from me


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> I still have Wm1z , with the latest pic here



Weird I thought I saw a post from you selling it for 2800. You have the Utopia's too............I want your freaking job.


----------



## bvng3540

Cagin said:


> ZX2 had those, and it hissed badly, I'm glad they fix all that with the WM1A, no more annoying hiss
> 
> used Empire Zeus R and Zeus XIV on my WM1A; green lights from me



Same here and purple lights from m me


----------



## Whitigir

Yeah, and some people still claim to hear the "hiss", very strange


----------



## blazinblazin

The only hiss i heard with my Andromeda + WM1A is only from the recording itself, not the player


----------



## gerelmx1986

pietcux said:


> Don't worry, go get the WM1A enjoy it and don't look any further for the time being. It is an excellent DAP. The guys who propose the WM1Z will probably jump on the next best ever player still within 2017......


 I agree the WM1A does  a very excellent job at the precisión of the recording reproduction, staging is as it was recorded, and the sound is sublume once you go balanced


----------



## nanaholic

PCheung said:


> Own the MDR-1000X, very nice headphone with easy "tap and done" NFC pairing
> Enjoying it while I commute with my WM1Z and ZX100
> 
> I guess this function also work with other brand's BT device with NFC chips? I like to use it, no more device searching



Some Bluetooth speakers and home entertainment/audio components have NFC for pairing, theoretically they should work across the board.


----------



## robin1990

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, and some people still claim to hear the "hiss", very strange


I hear hiss when i listen to the player while charging the unit


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, and some people still claim to hear the "hiss", very strange



Well only one notable person (Nathan) did, and that was when he tried a demo unit at a store.  He has since retracted/amended that comment when he had access to a different unit, as he had confirmed here in this very thread personally.

I won't be surprised that Nathan's comment has since then been repeated by others whom had not actually heard the device but rather just being quoted on authority as Nathan has done good work providing measurements for source components and his opinion is respected.  As I have commented before elsewhere Sony's audio products predating the Signature Series haven't quite lived up to their brand's legendary reputation and it soiled their brand and a lot of people felt cheated so they won't easily trust their new products and is being overtly critical towards them, it's going to take a bit of time for them to rebuild their brand image, even with such excellent products like the Signature Series.


----------



## productred

nanaholic said:


> Well only one notable person (Nathan) did, and that was when he tried a demo unit at a store.  He has since retracted/amended that comment when he had access to a different unit, as he had confirmed here in this very thread personally.
> 
> I won't be surprised that Nathan's comment has since then been repeated by others whom had not actually heard the device but rather just being quoted on authority as Nathan has done good work providing measurements for source components and his opinion is respected.  As I have commented before elsewhere Sony's audio products predating the Signature Series haven't quite lived up to their brand's legendary reputation and it soiled their brand and a lot of people felt cheated so they won't easily trust their new products and is being overtly critical towards them, it's going to take a bit of time for them to rebuild their brand image, even with such excellent products like the Signature Series.



Gotta say before the WM release DAPs keep improving in SQ and design (and price keep rising) but the WM simply seems to belong to just a few classes above the existing players (even the ones released after them) that catching up is quite impossible for the moment. My own experience with Sony had been one of love and hate as well but the WM series is just undeniably marvellous and forethinking works of engineering.


----------



## Cagin

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, and some people still claim to hear the "hiss", very strange





nanaholic said:


> Well only one notable person (Nathan) did, and that was when he tried a demo unit at a store.  He has since retracted/amended that comment when he had access to a different unit, as he had confirmed here in this very thread personally.
> 
> I won't be surprised that Nathan's comment has since then been repeated by others whom had not actually heard the device but rather just being quoted on authority as Nathan has done good work providing measurements for source components and his opinion is respected.  As I have commented before elsewhere Sony's audio products predating the Signature Series haven't quite lived up to their brand's legendary reputation and it soiled their brand and a lot of people felt cheated so they won't easily trust their new products and is being overtly critical towards them, it's going to take a bit of time for them to rebuild their brand image, even with such excellent products like the Signature Series.



I still hear hiss on my Empire Zeus/R, it's just non distracting, not annoying. Going balanced makes it noticeable, but like I said, it's not hampering my music listening.


----------



## nanaholic

Cagin said:


> I still hear hiss on my Empire Zeus/R, it's just non distracting, not annoying. Going balanced makes it noticeable, but like I said, it's not hampering my music listening.



I don't hear any hiss on my Just ear, Fitear, T8ie MK2 on balance.  Also tried all sorts of earphones from low end to high end recently from 20 dollar buds to Dita Dream when I was at e-earphone and no hiss either.  FWIW I can hear a tiny bit of hiss on the AK70 but I don't hear any on the WM1Z.


----------



## Overkill Red (Aug 1, 2017)

The hiss is not very bad, only showing itself on extremely sensitive IEMs.

I've managed to get hiss out (4.4 Balanced) with the HUM Pristine (very obvious), Zeus 14 (obvious on 14, R tuning nearly inaudible) and some other sensitive flagships (slightly with the A18?).

Have to check again..

Edit: A18 is nearly inaudible. Zeus 14/HUM Pristine do hiss but the hiss is undetectable while listening to music. Its really no big deal.


----------



## Overkill Red (Aug 1, 2017)

Well, I'm not sure if this'll really help anyone out at all, since the chances of our players turning out the same are low, but here are my quick impressions of...

SP1000 vs 1Z (modded with PWAudio 1960 internal wiring):


Treble:


SP1000SS has this strange metallic tinge to the treble, it sparkles and extends well but stuff like cymbals are not nice to listen to. The quantity is just right for most genres, though(?). YMMV.


WM1Z has darker treble but extends just as well. Cymbals don't have the metallic tinge. Its noticeably darker so it may not work for too many genres.


Mids:


SP1000SS: Mids are less thick sounding than the 1Z, seems there is more emphasis on the upper mids than the 1Z has. Clear sounding and unoffensive. Female vocals are better on the SP1000 due to the emphasis. Nice 'reverb'(?) on female vocals.


1Z: Mids are thicker than the SP1000SS. Sound seems to be evenly emphasized across the whole mid frequency. Still clear sounding and inoffensive, but the SP1000SS sounds more transparent during non-analytical listening due to the thinner sound and leaner body.


Bass:


SP1000: Bass pretty much loses out, unless you like high impact and slightly cold/thin-bodied bass, which a lot of people may actually prefer for faster genres with much more 'touch-and-go' bass.


1Z: Much more body, slam and impact. The resolution and layering is much better. The bass has more body and slightly longer decay, which works for and against the 1Z depending on the genre.


Soundstaging: 1Z wins, no contest. Currently the widest, deepest and tallest soundstage on the market IMO, even un-modded.

The SP1000 clearly has the best soundstage from AK so far though.


----------



## Whitigir

Nice! Thank you so much for the impression on the differences.  Anakchan also said similarly about the tonal body between sp1000SS vs 1z.  I do agree about the soundstage on the WM1Z.  The most jaw dropping experiences from modifying and upgrading the inner wires is the soundstage.  Before modifying, the soundstage were taller than width, but after the modifications, the soundstage gets wider and still tall but with better details and layering.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Can someone share their opinion about SE vs. Balanced on WM1Z?

Sorry if I missed it in the thread..


----------



## Whitigir

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Can someone share their opinion about SE vs. Balanced on WM1Z?
> 
> Sorry if I missed it in the thread..


More power, and native DSD


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Whitigir said:


> More power, and native DSD


Just that for you?


----------



## surfratt

Overkill Red said:


> Well, I'm not sure if this'll really help anyone out at all, since the chances of our players turning out the same are low, but here are my quick impressions of...
> 
> SP1000 vs 1Z (modded with PWAudio 1960 internal wiring):
> 
> ...



Thank you   Looking at these 2 and trying to find as much comparisons between them as possible.


----------



## Sarnia (Aug 1, 2017)

It's a while since I used SE, but from my recollection there was quite a difference on the WM1A with my Sony MDR-EX1000.

Switching from SE to balanced there was a jump in detail and separation, bigger soundstage, and a bit less bass. The SE had a warmer, thicker sound. I imagine it's the same on the WM1Z, if I get time tonight I'll listen and find out.


----------



## Overkill Red

I forgot to add something to my comparison of the 1Z and SP1000SS:

UI:

Both UIs have their own strengths and weaknesses. The Sony UI has really good shortcuts and a fantastic bookmark menu.
However, the SP1000 simply destroys the Sony in terms of snappiness. It also feels more useful because of options like file copy/transfer.
I like parts of both UIs, and I hope that one day the Sony UI will catch up to the AK UI in snappiness.

Overall:

Your final choice will honestly, in my opinion, come down to your preference in tonal body/thickness of sound. You like a brighter, slightly thinner and very energetic sound with a slight (IMO) emphasis on female vocals? Get the SP1000SS. You like thicker, darker, somewhat more romantic yet still energetic sound? 1Z.

Haven't heard the SP1000Cu, hope to try it soon.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Overkill Red said:


> I forgot to add something to my comparison of the 1Z and SP1000SS:
> 
> UI:
> 
> ...


Have you updated the Sony to 1.30 firmware?


----------



## Whitigir

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Just that for you?


It is more than just that, but honestly, I have never burned in my SE more than 100 hours.  Majority of usages are on the balanced sides.


----------



## Overkill Red

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Have you updated the Sony to 1.30 firmware?



If you mean 1.20, the latest firmware, then yes I have.


----------



## Whitigir

Sarnia said:


> It's a while since I used SE, but from my recollection there was quite a difference on the WM1A with my Sony MDR-EX1000.
> 
> Switching from SE to balanced there was a jump in detail and separation, bigger soundstage, and a bit less bass. The SE had a warmer, thicker sound. I imagine it's the same on the WM1Z, if I get time tonight I'll listen and find out.




The balanced sides are the same from Wm1a to wm1Z, the Kimber wires, copper chassis and a few F-Resistors are the main differences though.  This makes me want to try and upgrade the balanced wires on 1A to observe the differences....the sucker problem is that I have not a 1A


----------



## ledzep

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Can someone share their opinion about SE vs. Balanced on WM1Z?
> 
> Sorry if I missed it in the thread..



3.5mm input and 4.4mm input and the upgrade in quality from single to balanced is quite nice


----------



## PCheung (Aug 1, 2017)

Overkill Red said:


> I forgot to add something to my comparison of the 1Z and SP1000SS:
> 
> UI:
> 
> ...



The AK SP1000 has a very nice UI
Only downside is it resize all CD artwork to a square size image in the Album menu, bad thing if you have some DVD size artwork as CD cover.
No such problem on WM1Z or even AK3XX series, hope they will fix that problem soon.


----------



## Shmuel

If anyone can answer? 

Is there any decent means of sending out music from my wm1a to my soon to be delivered chord hugo 2? If so,  can you suggest the correct cable, etc?

Much appreciated.


----------



## Whitigir

Shmuel said:


> If anyone can answer?
> 
> Is there any decent means of sending out music from my wm1a to my soon to be delivered chord hugo 2? If so,  can you suggest the correct cable, etc?
> 
> Much appreciated.



Headphones out ? Or digital out ?


----------



## Shmuel

I am looking to use the Sony as transport, to connect to the chord hugo 2, to the audeze i4 in ears.

Whichever method gives the highest quality sound.


----------



## Whitigir

Shmuel said:


> I am looking to use the Sony as transport, to connect to the chord hugo 2, to the audeze i4 in ears.
> 
> Whichever method gives the highest quality sound.


I don't have Chord H2, so I can't give inputs.  Though a fact remain is that if you want to do digital out, you would want a special cables from Sony


----------



## Shmuel

outs this the cable i would need? 

WMC-NWH10 USB Conversion Cable


----------



## Whitigir

Shmuel said:


> outs this the cable i would need?
> 
> WMC-NWH10 USB Conversion Cable



Yes sir, that is the one


----------



## Shmuel

thanks,  I'll order one. 

Appreciate it!


----------



## robin1990

Thought of some improvement while listening to my wm tonight, nothing about sq, just UX. Not sure if some of you would thought the same...

I love wm series button, they are built wonderfully. Now, if I could delegate a default action to long pressing "play" button, for example (wm say out current song name; or put current track to bookmark / playlist; or simply toggle direct source on/off)...

Would it be a great idea? I have habit of putting creating playlist or bookmark on the fly but it took me lots of effort repeating the steps to add a song through UI. 

The idea inspired by using Sony's MDR-1000x where long pressing buttons could do different things. 

What you guys think?


----------



## Whitigir

Nah, I prefer the way it is simplified, just exactly like this.  I don't like it staying in my pocket and acting like a posessed being....LOL


----------



## robin1990

Whitigir said:


> Nah, I prefer the way it is simplified, just exactly like this.  I don't like it staying in my pocket and acting like a posessed being....LOL



It was a serious listening session before bed haha. That is the time I figure out some underrated song from an album. but true, it is always nice to be simple, no hidden features, no need to read user manual. I'm just being lazy haha.


----------



## hangman2123

What is a good price for a used WM1Z nowadays?


----------



## Whitigir

hangman2123 said:


> What is a good price for a used WM1Z nowadays?


As much as people is willing to sell and you are willing to buy .  I doubt you can see many of them listed though....what can best it ? I don't know


----------



## hangman2123

Whitigir said:


> As much as people is willing to sell and you are willing to buy .  I doubt you can see many of them listed though....what can best it ? I don't know


Lol, Maybe something better will pop up in a few months so i can buy your sexy modified one.


----------



## mw7485

hangman2123 said:


> What is a good price for a used WM1Z nowadays?



Cant in all honesty remember ever seeing one for sale secondhand - other than open box items on Amazon.


----------



## Whitigir

hangman2123 said:


> Lol, Maybe something better will pop up in a few months so i can buy your sexy modified one.


Lol, I am looking at SP1000, but it is not too attractive.  I think we will possibly see the firmware that allows USB DAC on WM1a/z


----------



## hangman2123

Whitigir said:


> Lol, I am looking at SP1000, but it is not too attractive.  I think we will possibly see the firmware that allows USB DAC on WM1a/z



I like the WM1Z more. dunno why. Just pure sexiness.


----------



## bvng3540

I have 1 question, a friend just bought 1a Europe version but has been hack to uncapped it, will he lose the uncapped if he upgrade to new firmware, it currently on 1.02 thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

No you won't


----------



## nc8000

bvng3540 said:


> I have 1 question, a friend just bought 1a Europe version but has been hack to uncapped it, will he lose the uncapped if he upgrade to new firmware, it currently on 1.02 thanks




No upgrading fw does not affect the bios hack


----------



## PCheung

https://twitter.com/dignis_Official/status/892591659967328256

A new case from Dignis 
with Sony official licensed WALKMAM logo


----------



## nanaholic

PCheung said:


> https://twitter.com/dignis_Official/status/892591659967328256
> 
> A new case from Dignis
> with Sony official licensed WALKMAM logo



Only available at the Korean Sony Store though.


----------



## blazinblazin

I want one of those.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 2, 2017)

nanaholic said:


> Only available at the Korean Sony Store though.


Can't you ebay it or what ? And damn....I do want it lol...


----------



## Whitigir

Never quiet heard anything like this from one of my favorite MJ album by any portable systems.  Let alone this is just a pocketed Walkman and Sony Years old headphones SA5000

So soulful, yet so tease full and full of emotions.  It had been too long !! Tooooo longgg!


----------



## buzzlulu

Nice case.  I wonder if there is a way to purchase it through a 3rd party buying service?

How much is it?


----------



## kms108

Not sure if there any help, here is a link on gmarket, you probably have to purchase WM1Z, whtigir, you probably have to sell you're 1Z again and get another for the case.

http://item2.gmarket.co.kr/English/detailview/item.aspx?goodscode=871594083


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 2, 2017)

kms108 said:


> Not sure if there any help, here is a link on gmarket, you probably have to purchase WM1Z, whtigir, you probably have to sell you're 1Z again and get another for the case.
> 
> http://item2.gmarket.co.kr/English/detailview/item.aspx?goodscode=871594083



More like, whoever gift me this case, I will do gift balanced upgradable wire mod  .  Fair trade-off, something unique for another hehehe


----------



## azabu (Aug 2, 2017)

So I just received my Fitear TG334 and hooked it up with the standard 3.5mm se cable to my 1A. Ok this is pretty good, still I was expecting more.

I then replaced the Fitear cable with the balanced Brise Audio cable (UPG001 RH+) and played a few tracks. My god, it nearly brought tears to my eyes. The difference between se and balanced is staggering. I need to test the 1Z with the balanced Fitear.


----------



## nanaholic

azabu said:


> So I just received my Fitear TG334 and hooked it up with the standard 3.5mm se cable to my 1A. Ok this is pretty good, still I was expecting more.
> 
> I then replaced the Fitear cable with the balanced Brise Audio cable (UPG001 RH+) and played a few tracks. My god, it nearly brought tears to my eyes. The difference between se and balanced is staggering. I need to test the 1Z with the balanced Fitear.



You should also try the SE with a TRRS 3.5mm cable.  I actually enjoy my Fitear 335 better with the separate ground SE than the balance side.


----------



## azabu

nanaholic said:


> You should also try the SE with a TRRS 3.5mm cable.  I actually enjoy my Fitear 335 better with the separate ground SE than the balance side.



I'll try that, will say the Brise cable is quite stiff and a little microphonic. 

Does anyone know of a quality, flexible and non-microphonic cable for the fitear?


----------



## nanaholic

azabu said:


> I'll try that, will say the Brise cable is quite stiff and a little microphonic.
> 
> Does anyone know of a quality, flexible and non-microphonic cable for the fitear?



Onso cables fits the bill quite nicely and are quite affordable.


----------



## pietcux

nanaholic said:


> Only available at the Korean Sony Store though.


I have the standard one, it's good enough.


----------



## tieuly1

I lost my charge cable, does anyone know where I can order this  ?


----------



## Whitigir

tieuly1 said:


> I lost my charge cable, does anyone know where I can order this  ?


Amazon it up  Amazonian has everything, even your wonder woman


----------



## bsimms99 (Aug 2, 2017)

So I just returned my WM1A...........I bought the 1Z! My wallet is somewhere crying in the corner right now. Senn HD800 S arrive in 2 days as well, bought the XLR adapter to 4.4mm as well. I will be disappointed if I cant notice a sound difference and throw myself off a bridge lol.


----------



## bsimms99

Side note I would pay 500 bucks for that awesome walkman case without hesitation, but fat chance of getting my hands on one in the US.


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> It will work, but in order for you to get the best of WM digital out, you need the dongle accessory from Sony, and best modified version with upgraded wires....or dock it up
> 
> You can simply wires the pins to output digital, or you can take advantage of the chips set inside the Sony dongle to further enhance the stability and energy of your digital out signals....just my 2 cents.



Ok stupid question incoming, so I would like to be able to use the WM1Z as a DAC/AMP for my computer, you mention cables and dongles and such, is what Im asking possible and if so can you point me in the direction of the specific cables I need to buy in order for it to work as this? Because when I tried to connect to my computer it just shows "Turn on Mass Storage Device". 

Thanks!


----------



## bsimms99

animalsrush said:


> Question .. high gain vs standard..
> 
> Googled found my answer sorry.. I can't delete post
> 
> Pc




LOL thank you for making me laugh for the day that is sir is awesome.


----------



## nanaholic

bsimms99 said:


> Ok stupid question incoming, so I would like to be able to use the WM1Z as a DAC/AMP for my computer



The WM1 series cannot be used as a DAC/AMP for computers at the moment.  Though as we already know with ZX300 manual leaks that the mid-ranger player will have such a feature we are crossing our fingers that Sony will bring this feature to the WM1 series via a firmware update.


----------



## bsimms99

nanaholic said:


> The WM1 series cannot be used as a DAC/AMP for computers at the moment.  Though as we already know with ZX300 manual leaks that the mid-ranger player will have such a feature we are crossing our fingers that Sony will bring this feature to the WM1 series via a firmware update.



Fingers crossed here! I would like to not have to use my PHA-3, thing gets so damn hot.


----------



## aisalen

Did anyone compared WM1A to Opus #1 in terms of SQ? Is there a big difference? I like the wm due to its battery life.


----------



## gerelmx1986

As much I want to try the WM1Z, I'd better wait for the special edition of the Walkman 40


----------



## kms108

Still a few year away, and it will probably cost more than the WM1Z, Just have to see if the DAP justify the cost.


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> As much I want to try the WM1Z, I'd better wait for the special edition of the Walkman 40





kms108 said:


> Still a few year away, and it will probably cost more than the WM1Z, Just have to see if the DAP justify the cost.


Yes, pretty much this

Though, even if special Walkman was to surface, I don't know what else can be more special than Copper OFC chassis ? Everything audio performances related with OFC-goldplated is expensive like hell....

Still, I am like you, awaiting to hear from Sony and what they may bring to the future.  Having wm1Z here, I just can't wait


----------



## Whitigir

Wm1z and Utopia short impressions


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> Yes, pretty much this
> 
> Though, even if special Walkman was to surface, I don't know what else can be more special than Copper OFC chassis ? Everything audio performances related with OFC-goldplated is expensive like hell....
> 
> Still, I am like you, awaiting to hear from Sony and what they may bring to the future.  Having wm1Z here, I just can't wait



...maybe it'll have really whizzy silver/gold internal cabling - like errr, well you know....


----------



## tienbasse

Whitigir said:


> Yes, pretty much this
> 
> Though, even if special Walkman was to surface, I don't know what else can be more special than Copper OFC chassis ? Everything audio performances related with OFC-goldplated is expensive like hell....
> 
> Still, I am like you, awaiting to hear from Sony and what they may bring to the future.  Having wm1Z here, I just can't wait


I certainly hope they can come up with a more radical design strategy than relying on changing the chassis material for more conductive/expensive/sexy/colored/bankable materials.
Switching materials is "lazy" design requiring very little R&D investment and ending with cheap marketing claims based on pseudo-science.

The wiring upgrade, sound tuning and 256Gb certainly contributes more to the sound and price of 1Z that the humongous golden chassis.

Because with this kind of lazy design, we'll soon have "high-end" DAP with 2 kilograms rare earth metal chassis because it is soooo much better for the sound...
I would dare to think that the electronics still plays the main role for handling DIGITAL music, and that the chassis is only there for proper grounding, protection and EMI shielding (not that it doesn't need proper design).
This is still "portable" music after all, they can keep the 2kg "wonder" chassis for home audio if people enjoy the gorgeous look.


----------



## mw7485

tienbasse said:


> I certainly hope they can come up with a more radical design strategy than relying on changing the chassis material for more conductive/expensive/sexy/colored/bankable materials.
> Switching materials is "lazy" design requiring very little R&D investment and ending with cheap marketing claims based on pseudo-science.
> 
> The wiring upgrade, sound tuning and 256Gb certainly contributes more to the sound and price of 1Z that the humongous golden chassis.
> ...



I have to agree. It would be better if they didn't try and punt a 2Z/2A, unless it was a definite step up to the current offering. Tinkering around the periphery and then slapping a premium price on the "Walkman Anniversary" moniker would be a real shame.


----------



## Overkill Red

Well, having heard the AK240 and AK380 variants, as well as some other modified amps with the chassis made of machined copper/etc., I can say that the chassis makes an audible difference.

If you don't hear it or believe it, then that's awesome. I personally would be happy if they upgraded to a better chassis (AMONG numerous(!!!) other upgrades).

In the end its up to you to vote with your wallet, anyway.


----------



## Whitigir

Best chassis is the 1Z with OFC-gold plated ATM.  Ofcourse there are possibilities to upgrade the Walkman, well....better Capacitors, better battery and storage, better output, better voltage rails , better S-Master.  Just saying, if you are looking into those upgrades, it would be expensive.  Taking 1Z as referral points, we probably will have cheaper variant, but most expensive would still be the Copper chassis one.

If anyone want a 1Z now, and waiting for potential next model, you should be saving up money by now, because it can not be any cheaper than 1Z.  In the while, if you can afford it, why don't you ? Who know what happen tomorrow ? If you keep waiting, then you would never get there


----------



## PCheung (Aug 3, 2017)

Get the 1Z now and enjoy it
while the next flagship model is out? Sold the 1Z and get the new one 
It's that simple, if you can afford it.

Argee with Whitigir, if you keep waiting, then you would never get there


----------



## nanaholic

Since in the Sony design the chassis acts as ground and that their specific engineering goal is to choose the metal with the least resistance, then there's really only one way to go after OFC copper and that is pure silver which has higher conductivity (ie less resistance) than copper - anything else would mean that Sony was pulling a fast one regarding how they designed their device. Now who wants to buy a a silver brick?


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 4, 2017)

http://www.phileweb.com/news/d-av/201708/04/41811.html

The new media management software "Music Center for PC" that will replace Media Go will be made available on the 29th this month.  Supposedly they streamlined it even more for music management and will remove the video/photo management support that was in Media Go.

EDIT:

More info
http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1073442.html

Looks like the software will support network streaming, more codec support (Apple Lossless and MQA), and ASIO and WASPI output modes (have to see if it works with Sony DACs only like Media Go or with everything). Could be a good update.....


----------



## Gosod

My friend told me that using balanced output this player sounds louder.


----------



## siruspan (Aug 4, 2017)

My wm1a came in yesterday. Quick question, with headphones plugged in with 3,5mm jack, the whole socket wiggles a bit. Is this normal?


EDIT:

Nevermind, i've found that this question was already answered in this thread.and yes, it is normal in this player.


----------



## Gosod

siruspan said:


> My wm1a came in yesterday. Quick question, with headphones plugged in with 3,5mm jack, the whole socket wiggles a bit. Is this normal?


Have you tried to contact support?


----------



## nc8000

siruspan said:


> My wm1a came in yesterday. Quick question, with headphones plugged in with 3,5mm jack, the whole socket wiggles a bit. Is this normal?
> 
> 
> EDIT:
> ...




There is a little movement in the female jacks on my 1Z and that was also the case in my ZX2


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 4, 2017)

nc8000 said:


> There is a little movement in the female jacks on my 1Z and that was also the case in my ZX2


It is normal for the 1Z and 1A sockets or even Zx2 to be wiggling and moving around.  The sockets are locked mechanism with internal wires connecting into the main board.  It was designed to flex and wiggling around to not break after years of usages.  It is a much more reliable design than hard soldered on board like Opus, or Onkyo...devices.....A&K also uses the wires to connect into the board, but their wires are tiny and small in Ribbon style.  Imagine howmuch wm1Z had gained by good wires, now what would A&k380 or SP1000 would sound like with the new wires

Some can flex more than others, and that is caused by the little boards behind the sockets of which connects to the internal wires.  It depends on how deep the technicians push it in during soldering process.  But they were all designed within tolerances


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yup normal, as @Whitigir said to prevent it breaking, like what happened to the socket on the desktop Amp of my friend in Germany after 20 years of plugging unplugging HPs it gave up


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Aug 5, 2017)

Yup


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yup normal, as @Whitigir said to prevent it breaking, like what happened to the socket on the desktop Amp of my friend in Germany after 20 years of plugging unplugging HPs it gave up


Honestly, I am not too sure about plugging and unplugging for 20 years....man, I don't even think Oganism part can even withstand that much without any degrading


----------



## Witcher

Ok, so I took the plunge, and got myself a Sony AW35. it's not too bad actually, but it's a far cry from what I wanted coming from the PHA3. The AW35 will go to my son (after I figure out what volume limit to set) and I'm still looking for a travel solution DAP where it sounds like the PHA3. Would this be the WM1A? (please don't tell me it's the 1Z. wallet cannot take any more punishment than the 1A).


----------



## Whitigir

Witcher said:


> Ok, so I took the plunge, and got myself a Sony AW35. it's not too bad actually, but it's a far cry from what I wanted coming from the PHA3. The AW35 will go to my son (after I figure out what volume limit to set) and I'm still looking for a travel solution DAP where it sounds like the PHA3. Would this be the WM1A? (please don't tell me it's the 1Z. wallet cannot take any more punishment than the 1A).


I think you have just said it


----------



## gerelmx1986

Witcher said:


> Ok, so I took the plunge, and got myself a Sony AW35. it's not too bad actually, but it's a far cry from what I wanted coming from the PHA3. The AW35 will go to my son (after I figure out what volume limit to set) and I'm still looking for a travel solution DAP where it sounds like the PHA3. Would this be the WM1A? (please don't tell me it's the 1Z. wallet cannot take any more punishment than the 1A).


 The WM1A feels heavy at times but it is fairly light, I never Heard the PHA-3 , but i had a ZX100 (which some say it sounds like the NW-A35).

The WM1A has a better sound quality in every aspect, is more warm sounding, better subbass extensión  mids and highs are also better, is failrly neutral but not "dead-neutral" maybe you can find my review of my WM1A here


----------



## Witcher

Whitigir said:


> I think you have just said it


what'd I say? lol!


----------



## pietcux (Aug 5, 2017)

Witcher said:


> Ok, so I took the plunge, and got myself a Sony AW35. it's not too bad actually, but it's a far cry from what I wanted coming from the PHA3. The AW35 will go to my son (after I figure out what volume limit to set) and I'm still looking for a travel solution DAP where it sounds like the PHA3. Would this be the WM1A? (please don't tell me it's the 1Z. wallet cannot take any more punishment than the 1A).



I own the A845, A15, ZX1 and WM1A. Each step in this DAP family was a step up soundwise and a decrease of hiss. The ZX1 has the warmest sound of the bunch, all others are rather neutral to me. My understanding is that the WM1Z sounds warmer again and now some people need colder cable to cure that. My advise is, stay cool and go get the WM1A. If it sounds too neutral get the pure copper Sony/Kimber or pure Kimber to warm things up again. Or simply use the build in sound control.


----------



## buduba0604

Received my WM1A last week, and I am in absolute love! I only have about 70 hours of burn in, but I honestly can tell small differences from when I first started to now. Can't wait to get the rest of my burn in!


----------



## Quadfather

Time to jam with the Sony NW-WM1A.   ALO Audio Reference 8 balanced cables on Shure SE846s  (white filters).  Sounding excellent!


----------



## Witcher

pietcux said:


> I own the A845, A15, ZX1 and WM1A. Each step in this DAP family was a step up soundwise and a decrease of hiss. The ZX1 has the warmest sound of the bunch, all others are rather neutral to me. My understanding is that the WM1Z sounds warmer again and now some people need colder cable to cure that. My advise is, stay cool and go get the WM1A. If it sounds too neutral get the pure copper Sony/Kimber or pure Kimber to warm things up again. Or simply use the build in sound control.



I'm already running on kimbers. My issue isn't so much with the sound signature than it is with the sound stage. The PHA3 is much noticeably wider than the AW30. Judging from price points, I have a sneaky feeling that the 1A is the dap companion to the PHA3, while the 1Z is the companion to the TAZH1ES. But the price doesn't count for much though. Heh.


----------



## bsimms99

Witcher said:


> I'm already running on kimbers. My issue isn't so much with the sound signature than it is with the sound stage. The PHA3 is much noticeably wider than the AW30. Judging from price points, I have a sneaky feeling that the 1A is the dap companion to the PHA3, while the 1Z is the companion to the TAZH1ES. But the price doesn't count for much though. Heh.



I owned the PHA-3, I currently use the Audeze LCD-XC and Senn 800s and mojo and returned the 1A for the 1Z. I am going to get the PHA-2a because it has the 4.4 input which I wish the PHA-3 had, reason I’m doing it is because I already bought Kimber Kables from the company not the Sony ones and I don’t want to be switching cables out all the time and it’s a waste of money for extras cables to fit a port. My only frustration is there’s not solid review or advice on the 2A in terms of how it compares to the 3. If anyone cares to chime in that would be great. I cannot wait to get my hands on the Z1R in a couple of weeks.


----------



## Witcher

bsimms99 said:


> I owned the PHA-3, I currently use the Audeze LCD-XC and Senn 800s and mojo and returned the 1A for the 1Z. I am going to get the PHA-2a because it has the 4.4 input which I wish the PHA-3 had, reason I’m doing it is because I already bought Kimber Kables from the company not the Sony ones and I don’t want to be switching cables out all the time and it’s a waste of money for extras cables to fit a port. My only frustration is there’s not solid review or advice on the 2A in terms of how it compares to the 3. If anyone cares to chime in that would be great. I cannot wait to get my hands on the Z1R in a couple of weeks.



I did mention some impressions between the 2 on the PHA2A thread. They are very different. I wouldn't have bought the 3 if the 2A was what I wanted. I'm prepared to live without the 4.4mm for now. I was testing the 2A and 3 with the Z1R and Z5 to decide which amp/can setup I wanted. I ended up with the 3 and the Z1R instead of the 2A or Z7. The 2A is a lot more mid focused and more suited for jazz vocals imo.

Since you have the 3 and the 1A, do they sound similar?


----------



## proedros

13 days since i get my wm1a , and soon after that i should have my zeus xr

august is the new xmas


----------



## bsimms99

Witcher said:


> I did mention some impressions between the 2 on the PHA2A thread. They are very different. I wouldn't have bought the 3 if the 2A was what I wanted. I'm prepared to live without the 4.4mm for now. I was testing the 2A and 3 with the Z1R and Z5 to decide which amp/can setup I wanted. I ended up with the 3 and the Z1R instead of the 2A or Z7. The 2A is a lot more mid focused and more suited for jazz vocals imo.
> 
> Since you have the 3 and the 1A, do they sound similar?



Thank you for the insight. For me I thought the 3 sounds very very similar to the 1A. The 3 just made it louder in my opinion and that’s all. It actually got to the point where I stopped using the 3 as I didn’t find it necessary to use with it because it didn’t reallly add to the music I was listening too. I listen to a lot of classical and Rock and guitar solos along with singer solos.  I hope the pairing with the 2A and 1Z are a good match for my kind of music.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 6, 2017)

bsimms99 said:


> Thank you for the insight. For me I thought the 3 sounds very very similar to the 1A. The 3 just made it louder in my opinion and that’s all. It actually got to the point where I stopped using the 3 as I didn’t find it necessary to use with it because it didn’t reallly add to the music I was listening too. I listen to a lot of classical and Rock and guitar solos along with singer solos.  I hope the pairing with the 2A and 1Z are a good match for my kind of music.


 I do listen to classical music on my WM1A and i note better sound stage with WM1A esp on large scale Works like Handel chandos anthems or symphonies like HV Karajan Beethoven symphonies cycle recorded DDD in the late 80's, as well some older recordings sound noticiably better on balanced.

Now listening to the last disc of the chandos anthems i note like it was binaural despite these albums aren't bnaural, is just stunning


----------



## Witcher

bsimms99 said:


> Thank you for the insight. For me I thought the 3 sounds very very similar to the 1A. The 3 just made it louder in my opinion and that’s all. It actually got to the point where I stopped using the 3 as I didn’t find it necessary to use with it because it didn’t reallly add to the music I was listening too. I listen to a lot of classical and Rock and guitar solos along with singer solos.  I hope the pairing with the 2A and 1Z are a good match for my kind of music.


Your taste in music seems to mirror mine. And if that's truely the case, it might seem that the 3 is still what we need instead of the 2A or 1A. But by all means go try it out. We do have different ears after all.


----------



## mw7485

gerelmx1986 said:


> I do listen to classical music on my WM1A and i note better sound stage with WM1A esp on large scale Works like Handel chandos anthems or symphonies like HV Karajan Beethoven symphonies cycle recorded DDD in the late 80's, as well some older recordings sound noticiably better on balanced.
> 
> Now listening to the last disc of the chandos anthems i note like it was binaural despite these albums aren't bnaural, is just stunning



Chandos ... mmmmm .... Always a good sound. Never heard a bad recording on that label. I find this an absolute riot even in 16 bit CD - always brings a smile to my face!


----------



## gerelmx1986

mw7485 said:


> Chandos ... mmmmm .... Always a good sound. Never heard a bad recording on that label. I find this an absolute riot even in 16 bit CD - always brings a smile to my face!


 Yes and italian Stradivarius is also great record label, not a single bad one


----------



## mw7485

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes and italian Stradivarius is also great record label, not a single bad one




Interesting label - I have to be honest, I'd never come across them before. They have quite an interesting catalogue. I'll have to go rummaging through it over the next couple of weeks - thanks for the steer (I think my wallet may take a bashing)!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Latest mediaGo Reading my music Hrad drive has 49, 530 tracks or about 2950 albums (many short ones) 876GB


----------



## howdy

Anyone have the 1A and isine20? Just wondering how they sound together? I have the isine20 and am really intrigued by the 1A and 1Z.


----------



## Quadfather

I need suggestions as to the best pairing headphones for Sony NW-WM1A.


----------



## meomap

howdy said:


> Anyone have the 1A and isine20? Just wondering how they sound together? I have the isine20 and am really intrigued by the 1A and 1Z.



All reviewers said isine20 with IOS cable was used for best sound.
SE is not so good.


----------



## bsimms99

howdy said:


> Anyone have the 1A and isine20? Just wondering how they sound together? I have the isine20 and am really intrigued by the 1A and 1Z.



I’ve tried all Audeze has to offer with the 1A, phenomenal is about the only way to describe it and that’s not even using balanced.


----------



## howdy

meomap said:


> All reviewers said isine20 with IOS cable was used for best sound.
> SE is not so good.


True and not true, i do have the cipher cable and a ipod touch streaming tidal hifi and its an awesome sound. However, I do love the sound of the of the isine20 and my HM901 too.


----------



## howdy

bsimms99 said:


> I’ve tried all Audeze has to offer with the 1A, phenomenal is about the only way to describe it and that’s not even using balanced.


This is what I was hoping to hear/read!  Im hoping to wait tell one of my DAPs crap out to buy a new one but I cant stop thinking of this.


----------



## bsimms99

howdy said:


> This is what I was hoping to hear/read!  Im hoping to wait tell one of my DAPs crap out to buy a new one but I cant stop thinking of this.



I am having trouble deciding because I have no way of hearing one of the two but I was looking at the Zeus-XR Adel (which I can’t try out) and the Audeze LCD i4 (which I have listened to). I want some amazing IEM’s that are pretty much an undisputed reigning top 1 or 2 of IEM’s because I don’t plan on buying another.


----------



## howdy

bsimms99 said:


> I am having trouble deciding because I have no way of hearing one of the two but I was looking at the Zeus-XR Adel (which I can’t try out) and the Audeze LCD i4 (which I have listened to). I want some amazing IEM’s that are pretty much an undisputed reigning top 1 or 2 of IEM’s because I don’t plan on buying another.


If money is no issue I would personally go with the i4. Everyone's perception has been glowing! I can not get enough of my isine20, I have been neglecting my other gear lately.


----------



## bsimms99

howdy said:


> If money is no issue I would personally go with the i4. Everyone's perception has been glowing! I can not get enough of my isine20, I have been neglecting my other gear lately.



Yeah they are amazing I was more curious if I was missing out anything with a different manufacturer.


----------



## howdy

bsimms99 said:


> Yeah they are amazing I was more curious if I was missing out anything with a different manufacturer.


I absolutely love planar bass which was a main reason for the isine20, but i do have CIEMs that ive had for a few years now that sound great with everything. You'll have to make a big decision as I will. There is a guy on here who is selling his 1A which is taking all my will power to not buy it and my I can also hear what my wife would say to, "why do you need another DAP"!


----------



## bsimms99

howdy said:


> I absolutely love planar bass which was a main reason for the isine20, but i do have CIEMs that ive had for a few years now that sound great with everything. You'll have to make a big decision as I will. There is a guy on here who is selling his 1A which is taking all my will power to not buy it and my I can also hear what my wife would say to, "why do you need another DAP"!



I listened to many DAP’s before I got the 1A. Tried AK70,380,240, PGold, iBasso, Opus2, quite a few others, the only thing to my ears that came even remotely close and was better but twice the price was the LPGold. AK380- I don’t get all the hype, it left me unimpressed thb. Sony really did a solid job this time around.


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 6, 2017)

bsimms99 said:


> I listened to many DAP’s before I got the 1A. Tried AK70,380,240, PGold, iBasso, Opus2, quite a few others, the only thing to my ears that came even remotely close and was better but twice the price was the LPGold. AK380- I don’t get all the hype, it left me unimpressed thb. Sony really did a solid job this time around.



I have Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, Questyle QP1R, and Sony NW-WM1A.  I love all of them. I will keep them all.


----------



## Sarnia

howdy said:


> Anyone have the 1A and isine20? Just wondering how they sound together? I have the isine20 and am really intrigued by the 1A and 1Z.


They sound excellent together out of balanced. With the EQ posted on the iSine 20 thread I prefer them from the WM1A to the Cipher cable.

The iSine 20 sound better to me than the LCD-i4 out of the WM1A and WM1Z. The LCD-i4 really benefit from a desktop amp.

Having said that I'm still not convinced that the LCD-i4 I had were 100% right because it was hard to detect much difference to the iSine 20 even out  of my TA-ZH1ES. Overall I preferred the iSine 20 as the LCD-i4 were a bit fatiguing.


----------



## zgundam

howdy said:


> Anyone have the 1A and isine20? Just wondering how they sound together? I have the isine20 and am really intrigued by the 1A and 1Z.



Yeah I've got both and just did some listening two days ago (stereo jack).  While they do sound pretty good TBH I was expecting more.  To me somehow the 1A didn't sound that much better with the iSine20 vs pairing it with my HTC 10 + Jitterbug + DragonFly Red.

I'm currently enjoying the 1A alternating between the Dream and the U18.  Both are much more to my liking vs the iSine 20


----------



## zgundam

bsimms99 said:


> I am having trouble deciding because I have no way of hearing one of the two but I was looking at the Zeus-XR Adel (which I can’t try out) and the Audeze LCD i4 (which I have listened to). I want some amazing IEM’s that are pretty much an undisputed reigning top 1 or 2 of IEM’s because I don’t plan on buying another.



They're both TOTL, which is "better" depends on your use case and preferred sound signature imo.  I imagine the LCD i4's will be like the iSine 20 and be not very isolating, which I feel will restrict enjoyment of the IEMs to only the quietest places.  I find even the noise from walking around the house distracting when I'm listening to my iSine 20's...

I suggest you read flinkenick's 2017 IEM Flagship Shootout if you're not already to pick a reigning top 1 or 2 of IEM's (for 2017 at least).


----------



## bsimms99

zgundam said:


> They're both TOTL, which is "better" depends on your use case and preferred sound signature imo.  I imagine the LCD i4's will be like the iSine 20 and be not very isolating, which I feel will restrict enjoyment of the IEMs to only the quietest places.  I find even the noise from walking around the house distracting when I'm listening to my iSine 20's...
> 
> I suggest you read flinkenick's 2017 IEM Flagship Shootout if you're not already to pick a reigning top 1 or 2 of IEM's (for 2017 at least).



Thank you for the info.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 7, 2017)

Hey folks I have some flac albums I bought a while ago (last year), the problem is they made a terrible job at the mastering process and the result is that the frequency above 15 kHz are all shaved (I ripped the CDs to FLAC) and they have some but not that bad metallic artifacts at times.

I tried DSEE yesterday on those 4 CD and they some how sound a bit better, though some tracks sound weirder than with no DSEE applied to them. What other combo of DSP. Can I apply to these affected CD to fix the problem?

It is not the first time I got CD from brilliant classics with such bad mastering, a telemann set also 3 CD of 5 had this shaving above 15 kHz. 

To be precise I want to smooth the birdies, metallic clapping and ringing effects,, on this Handel harpsichord music 4 albums out of 8


----------



## gerelmx1986

I got dissatisfied with brilliant classics, they started good but their quality now is a mixed bag, these "fake" flac and CD worsened my confidence on them. 

The telemann the basso continuo role is not crisp and you can't hear it at times, this Handel has ringing and birdies effects like bad mp3 compression


----------



## Whitigir

It is sad to hear, but on a positive note, for a portable player to be able to reveal that much to you at the pricing of the 1A, it is an excellent Portable Player


----------



## mw7485

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hey folks I have some flac albums I bought a while ago (last year), the problem is they made a terrible job at the mastering process and the result is that the frequency above 15 kHz are all shaved (I ripped the CDs to FLAC) and they have some but not that bad metallic artifacts at times.
> 
> I tried DSEE yesterday on those 4 CD and they some how sound a bit better, though some tracks sound weirder than with no DSEE applied to them. What other combo of DSP. Can I apply to these affected CD to fix the problem?
> 
> ...



If the same effects are on the CDs, I think it very unlikely that you'll be able to mask them on the FLAC files with the tools available on the 1A. You may just have to bite the bullet and accept that it was a bum purchase and seek to replace them with cleaner recordings - or perhaps find the same recordings on a different label - one who used a competent engineer to do the mixing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> It is sad to hear, but on a positive note, for a portable player to be able to reveal that much to you at the pricing of the 1A, it is an excellent Portable Player


I admire that from the 1A in fact


----------



## aisalen

Ready to sell my opus #1 to purchase mint condition of wm1a, hoping not to regret it. I am listening for an average 6 hours a day so the battery life is a big plus for me, if the sq match the opus then I am happy.


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> It is sad to hear, but on a positive note, for a portable player to be able to reveal that much to you at the pricing of the 1A, it is an excellent Portable Player



It is becoming a real problem - these players are easily good enough to expose the flaws in bad/old recordings. And of course, you can't effectively audition a piece before you buy it. I don't mind hearing things fall over or a bow banging into things during a recording. In some respects it shows that there hasn't been too much meddling and splicing. Very often though, you're buying a pig in a poke and perhaps putting trust in a known label....and keeping your fingers crossed just for good measure. Often with classical music, the release date of an album is in no way related to when the music was actually recorded. Additionally, recording an orchestra and/or chorus is a really tricky proposition. There are clearly engineers who know how to do it, but there are also those who don't have a clue - and with their recordings, you just end up with a wall of sound with no depth or separation.


----------



## Wyville

aisalen said:


> Ready to sell my opus #1 to purchase mint condition of wm1a, hoping not to regret it. I am listening for an average 6 hours a day so the battery life is a big plus for me, if the sq match the opus then I am happy.


When it comes to battery life Sony is the way to go. I replaced my trusty little A15 with the AK70 and while it is a great player and I love the sound quality, the 10 hours of battery life is killing me. Been eyeing the WM1A for just that reason, but can't justify buying a second DAP only months after I bought the AK70.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yes, I had a fiio x3. And had the same experience as @Wyville. Poor battery life (7-9h a day) Sony has always given good battery life. My WM1A I charge it every third day at the end of the day at home, I listen between 6-10h a day so battery of wm1a /z is between 18 and 26h I get on average 26 and that is with the battery care set to on (charges only to 90%)


----------



## bsimms99

So hopefully someone will be able to give me some clarification, because Sennheiser and Sony tech support is crap. I have the Sen. HD800S and the Sony WM1Z, now I want to use the balanced option with the DAP (4.4mm), so I bought an adapter that is supposed to plug into the XLR balanced cables that comes with the HD800S and the other end is the 4.4mm. I just want to make sure this is the correct item and that I wont screw up my DAP or Headphones because I have very little understanding with Terminations and the whole +/- stuff. Below is the link to the item I got, can someone let me know if this is safe and actually will work before I plug this thing in please?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...&pf_rd_p=2a4fafb6-9fdc-425a-aee8-c82daa7b18ed


----------



## Whitigir

That should be just fine...if they all adhere to standards


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> That should be just fine...if they all adhere to standards



Can you point me into a direction of a company that you know makes this adapter that does adhere to these standards you are talking about?


----------



## buzzlulu

This is the same one as you listed- from the same company- but is in stock instead of waiting 4-6 weeks

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XKJWNXS/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## pietcux

Quadfather said:


> I need suggestions as to the best pairing headphones for Sony NW-WM1A.


Sony MDR-Z1R holy moly! Listening to that combo right now. It's esoteric.....


----------



## howdy

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes, I had a fiio x3. And had the same experience as @Wyville. Poor battery life (7-9h a day) Sony has always given good battery life. My WM1A I charge it every third day at the end of the day at home, I listen between 6-10h a day so battery of wm1a /z is between 18 and 26h I get on average 26 and that is with the battery care set to on (charges only to 90%)


Wow, how do you get to listen to music that long? I would love to be able to listen to even 1/3 of that. There are many days I don't even listen to any of my gear.


----------



## Quadfather

howdy said:


> Wow, how do you get to listen to music that long? I would love to be able to listen to even 1/3 of that. There are many days I don't even listen to any of my gear.



I do 5 to 8 hours.  I would go nuts without it.


----------



## howdy

Quadfather said:


> I do 5 to 8 hours.  I would go nuts without it.


I would if i could but im in meetings or having to help someone all day everyday. I generally listen on my drive home or when doing homework and everytime the wife is gone.


----------



## aisalen

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes, I had a fiio x3. And had the same experience as @Wyville. Poor battery life (7-9h a day) Sony has always given good battery life. My WM1A I charge it every third day at the end of the day at home, I listen between 6-10h a day so battery of wm1a /z is between 18 and 26h I get on average 26 and that is with the battery care set to on (charges only to 90%)



That is nice to hear, thanks for the heads up.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I reduced the screen brightness to 1 let's see how much battery I get from that, I used to have it at 15


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 8, 2017)

I've always had it at 1. With all effects turned off and bluetooth and nfc turned off I get about 20 hours flac 16/44 play time per charge with battery saver enabled. This is with high gain and volume at 30 driving JH13 balanced.


----------



## Bosk

Hi guys,

I recently purchased a WM1A which is due to be delivered tomorrow and have a couple of questions I was hoping you could help help answer.

Is there a method of using the player as a desktop DAC to feed a speaker amplifier?
Do Sony sell a dock of some kind for this player?
I see Kimber sells a 4.4mm balanced cable with MMCX connectors, any ideas where I might buy a similar cable with 2 pin connectors instead?
Thanks for any assistance you can offer.


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 7, 2017)

No, yes and don't know but most cable makers should be able to do that


----------



## biscottino (Aug 8, 2017)

Quadfather said:


> I need suggestions as to the best pairing headphones for Sony NW-WM1A.



I have a modified Grado with turbulent driver, wooden cup and double helix cable and flat pads, an extraordinary result to the 3.5mm output jack...thinking about new GH2.


----------



## biscottino

Travel setup, b&h h7 and wm1a sounds great with BT Ldac connection, the BT on the Sony wm1a is the best ever tried.


----------



## Sarnia

biscottino said:


> Travel setup, b&h h7 and wm1a sounds great with BT Ldac connection, the BT on the Sony wm1a is the best ever tried.


It'll only use LDAC if the headphones have it too. AFAIK only some Sony headphones and wireless adaptors do.


----------



## Whitigir

Sarnia said:


> It'll only use LDAC if the headphones have it too. AFAIK only some Sony headphones and wireless adaptors do.


That is one thing I have to mention, I don't think Sony WM1A have even Apt-X as those are patented and they would have to pay ito it somewhat.  The WM series are all Sony technologies, with LDAC was said to be better.  Thought we do have Apt-X HD now, do we ?


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> That is one thing I have to mention, I don't think Sony WM1A have even Apt-X as those are patented and they would have to pay ito it somewhat.  The WM series are all Sony technologies, with LDAC was said to be better.  Thought we do have Apt-X HD now, do we ?



Apt-X HD spec is not as good as LDAC though. Apt-X HD supports 24bit/48kHz with a bitrate of 576kbps, LDAC supports 24bit/96kHz with a bitrate of 990kbps.  Their approach is entirely different though, Apt-X HD uses smarter encoding to fit more into one channel and also requires very specific Qualcomm hardware, but LDAC uses two bog standard BT channels for more bandwidth AFAIK and should work across more devices.


----------



## PCheung

No Aptx or Aptx HD on WM1A/Z

Only SBC and LDAC


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Apt-X HD spec is not as good as LDAC though. Apt-X HD supports 24bit/48kHz with a bitrate of 576kbps, LDAC supports 24bit/96kHz with a bitrate of 990kbps.  Their approach is entirely different though, Apt-X HD uses smarter encoding to fit more into one channel and also requires very specific Qualcomm hardware, but LDAC uses two bog standard BT channels for more bandwidth AFAIK and should work across more devices.





PCheung said:


> No Aptx or Aptx HD on WM1A/Z
> 
> Only SBC and LDAC


Yes, and this is usually the case with Sony, people only appreciate it when it is gone


----------



## biscottino

Whitigir said:


> Yes, and this is usually the case with Sony, people only appreciate it when it is gone



Yes, but in the main menù of the BT function, there is no way to exclude sbc or ldac way code.


----------



## Lavakugel

Is it possible to connect my wm1a to a auralic vega dac?

I would go headphone out of wm1a and input via rca on vega...I'm not sure?


----------



## nc8000

Lavakugel said:


> Is it possible to connect my wm1a to a auralic vega dac?
> 
> I would go headphone out of wm1a and input via rca on vega...I'm not sure?



That's an analog signal, a dac needs a digital signal. You can buy a cable that goes from the WM connector to usb to feed a digital signal to your dac


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 8, 2017)

Another Uniquely upgraded Wm1Z  balanced wires and Back wire upgraded for helping out a fellow hardcore enthusiast


----------



## bvng3540

Whitigir said:


> Another Uniquely upgraded Wm1Z  balanced wires and Back wire upgraded for helping out a fellow hardcore enthusiast


What improvements does this upgrade benefit?


----------



## Whitigir

This is my


bvng3540 said:


> What improvements does this upgrade benefit?


 this is my impression, but you will hear from HamHam soon

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-868#post-13615963


----------



## bvng3540

Whitigir said:


> This is my
> 
> this is my impression, but you will hear from HamHam soon
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-868#post-13615963


Thanks very interested, how much would you charge to have the 1a done and how long will it take


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 8, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Yes, and this is usually the case with Sony, people only appreciate it when it is gone



It's a problem with Japanese OEMs in general - they are very innovative in hardware but has a terrible record in pushing adoption and supplying it to the rest of the world.  For example, bezel-less displays is a Sharp invention, but not only have they not been able to get to world market before all the other Korean/Chinese/(Apple too with the rumored iPhone 8) phone makers did, they actually went under and is now owned by Foxconn. Something a bit closer to our hobby is the humble but brilliant MiniDisc, so many of these types of stories from the Japanese.

Thankfully Sony seems to have done the right thing this time with LDAC - made a deal with Google and providing it free with Android 8.0.  This is halfway there, if they make it easy for other audio accessory makers to license LDAC to use with headphones then good wireless headphone times are just around the corner.


----------



## Decreate

Hope one day they would improve the connectivity so that I could walk around areas like Causeway Bay without experiencing dropouts.


----------



## Wyville

howdy said:


> Wow, how do you get to listen to music that long? I would love to be able to listen to even 1/3 of that. There are many days I don't even listen to any of my gear.


I actually use music to help manage my ADHD and it effectively replaces the medication usually prescribed for it. Because ADHD affects my ability to concentrate and I happen to be an academic, I use music and IEMs to help isolate me from the environment and improve my focus on the work I need to do. Also when I get tired I will rest with music. When I commute through London I isolate myself with music. When I train I use music. Just before I go to sleep I calm my brain with music. I can easily listen for 6 to 10 hours a day.


----------



## bvng3540

I do not have ADHD but I listen to an average of 13 hrs a day, 9.5 hrs at work and 3.5 hrs at high home


----------



## Wyville

bvng3540 said:


> I do not have ADHD but I listen to an average of 13 hrs a day, 9.5 hrs at work and 3.5 hrs at high home


Impressive! Well, at least it is a cheaper addiction than drugs. Although having said that... hmmm... that WM1Z sure looks nice!


----------



## Bosk

My WM1A arrived today and I'm very impressed. It has that sense of ease and lack of glare which I associate with high end equipment.

Would anyone happen to know where I can buy a compatible USB cable for the device? I'd like another to keep as a backup. Longer would be better but a duplicate would be fine too.


----------



## jpgr

"Would anyone happen to know where I can buy a compatible USB cable for the device" - ebay

Do you have any other daps to compare the Sony to? I've got an Opus#1 at the moment and am wondering if the Sony is an upgrade soundwise.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 9, 2017)

jpgr said:


> "Would anyone happen to know where I can buy a compatible USB cable for the device" - ebay
> 
> Do you have any other daps to compare the Sony to? I've got an Opus#1 at the moment and am wondering if the Sony is an upgrade soundwise.


If I could only have 1A to compare for you to the Opus 3 , but I do know 1Z is a category above opus 3, the opus 2 gets closer to the 1z.  If this indicates anything then the 1A shall be an upgrade to your opus 1 as well


----------



## Bosk

jpgr said:


> "Would anyone happen to know where I can buy a compatible USB cable for the device" - ebay
> 
> Do you have any other daps to compare the Sony to? I've got an Opus#1 at the moment and am wondering if the Sony is an upgrade soundwise.


Unfortunately I don't right now but did recently sell an Oppo H2SE. The WM1A is in a different league in almost every sonic department.


----------



## siruspan (Aug 9, 2017)

jpgr said:


> Do you have any other daps to compare the Sony to? I've got an Opus#1 at the moment and am wondering if the Sony is an upgrade soundwise.



Players that I've owned or know very well because I had them borrowed are: Cowon Plenue p1, Pioneer xdp100r, Astell ak300 and 380, Questyle qp1r, Pono Player, Shozy alien gold, Shozy alien+, Colorfly c10. I'm still at burn in with my wm1a (i'm over 100hrs mark) but I think only Shozy Alien+ is in the same league. They are completely different beasts however. Alien+ has raw, natural, very realistic and exciting sound and Sony is more refined and relaxed with better resolution, wider and deeper soundstage although it's darker sounding. Colorfly c10 still has the best midrange that is very analogue and tubelike.


----------



## Whitigir

siruspan said:


> Players that I've owned or know very well because I had them borrowed are: Cowon Plenue p1, Pioneer xdp100r, Astell ak300 and 380, Questyle qp1r, Pono Player, Shozy alien gold, Shozy alien+, Colorfly c10. I'm still at burn in with my wm1a (i'm over 100hrs mark) but I think only Shozy Alien+ is in the same league. They are completely different beasts however. Alien+ has raw, natural, very realistic and exciting sound and Sony is more refined and relaxed with better resolution, wider and deeper soundstage although it's darker sounding. Colorfly c10 still has the best midrange that is very analogue and tubelike.


And that is why there is Wm1Z


----------



## Lavakugel

Is it possible to use charging cable and connect it from wm1a to vega dac via usb as a source then?


----------



## Whitigir

Lavakugel said:


> Is it possible to use charging cable and connect it from wm1a to vega dac via usb as a source then?


No, you need Walkman digital out cables


----------



## Lavakugel

Whitigir said:


> No, you need Walkman digital out cables



Ahm where can I buy such a cable? Is it worth it over my macbook pro as a source?


----------



## Whitigir

I can't tell for wm1A, but WM1Z is hell of a digital transport, and you can buy it from Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH...?ie=UTF8&qid=1502305612&sr=8-1&keywords=NWH10


----------



## AnakChan

Someone 2 months back managed to find a way to get LineOut of the NW-WM1A/Z. I believe it was a custom job (i.e. not off the shelf commercial product). Anyone else knows how to do this? That'll be -very- useful if someone can do a LineOut of this DAP.


----------



## Bosk

Whitigir said:


> I can't tell for wm1A, but WM1Z is hell of a digital transport, and you can buy it from Amazon
> https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH...?ie=UTF8&qid=1502305612&sr=8-1&keywords=NWH10


Would you happen to know if its possible to use this cable to output a WM1A or WM1Z directly to a speaker amplifier, or is it necessary to pass the signal through a desktop DAC with USB input first?

Thanks.


----------



## Whitigir

AnakChan said:


> Someone 2 months back managed to find a way to get LineOut of the NW-WM1A/Z. I believe it was a custom job (i.e. not off the shelf commercial product). Anyone else knows how to do this? That'll be -very- useful if someone can do a LineOut of this DAP.


Should not be possible unless invasive processing would be done as in cutting and connecting electrical circuitry (well...with the understanding of S-Master Diaphgrams).  The WM1A/Z forgave the Line out function because in order to do that the S-Master needs to be directly connecting to a Pin-out in WM-port, and without using it, the lineout can act as an antenna that attract noisy environments into the processing of the S-Master.  By forgoing the Lineout pin and functionality, the noises is significantly cut.  This was confirmed and clarified by the Engineering teams from Sony. 

Now, I had been using headphones out as Pre-amp line-out and it is excellent.


Bosk said:


> Would you happen to know if its possible to use this cable to output a WM1A or WM1Z directly to a speaker amplifier, or is it necessary to pass the signal through a desktop DAC with USB input first?
> 
> Thanks.


No, there is no functionality for Line-out using WM-port with Wm1A/Z.  You can use headphones out as a line-out.  Ortherwise, connecting it Digitally into a DAC will do just fine


----------



## Witcher

My search is over. The WM1A delivers exactly what I'm after = A mobile PHA3 in a DAP. w00t!


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 9, 2017)

AnakChan said:


> Someone 2 months back managed to find a way to get LineOut of the NW-WM1A/Z. I believe it was a custom job (i.e. not off the shelf commercial product). Anyone else knows how to do this? That'll be -very- useful if someone can do a LineOut of this DAP.



As mentioned it is not a good idea as confirmed in the Engineer's Voice interview here: http://www.sony.jp/walkman/special/flagship/manufacturer/interview04.html

I can only see making a Line Out from the WM port will mean soldering some thin bridging wires from the analog output stage from the S-Master chip over the VERY EM noisy digital section (it will be crossing over the SoC, flash memory, the power conditioning circuitry etc) back into the WM port Line Out pins, why would anyone want to do that if they want good SQ? You'll get much better performance from the clean 3.5mm output, even if you are double-amping.

There seems to be a lot of questionable mod services floating around for the WM1 series recently, the other day I saw someone offering an "amp chip" swap for them for a tidy amount of money..... but if you know the architecture of the Walkman you know it has to be a scam.....


----------



## Witcher

ledzep said:


> Running mine through on the new PHA2A on 4.4 balanced output the digtal out cables not much better on that so I've sprung for this


Hi, where did you get this cable from? Can you PM me the link?


----------



## ledzep

Witcher said:


> Hi, where did you get this cable from? Can you PM me the link?


https://www.lelong.com.my/knodo-dig...usb-s-starspicker-I2448952-2007-01-Sale-I.htm

Was ok but ended up making my own from the Sony Digital out cable and re wiring it with a micro usb and pure silver cable better cable better quality.


----------



## Witcher

ledzep said:


> https://www.lelong.com.my/knodo-dig...usb-s-starspicker-I2448952-2007-01-Sale-I.htm
> 
> Was ok but ended up making my own from the Sony Digital out cable and re wiring it with a micro usb and pure silver cable better cable better quality.



Thanks! I'll look at getting one in time, though I'm not sure what use I'll have for it. lol. For now...


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 10, 2017)

ledzep said:


> https://www.lelong.com.my/knodo-dig...usb-s-starspicker-I2448952-2007-01-Sale-I.htm
> 
> Was ok but ended up making my own from the Sony Digital out cable and re wiring it with a micro usb and pure silver cable better cable better quality.



Yes, this is the best way to do digital out from Wm1A/Z into external DAC, or you can also use the docking cradle to charge it while using it.  Going to make one direct USB cable for me today (Wm1z into desktop DAC).  Lately I am so worried about the WM1Z battery that I don't want to keep it charging and playing at the same time, so instead of using a dock, I will be using direct cables instead.  Both the Dock and the cables are great solution, however there are trade off as the cables I can upgrade and the dock I can not but it can be charged while playing music.


----------



## rcoleman1 (Aug 10, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Yes, this is the best way to do digital out from Wm1A/Z into external DAC, or you can also use the docking cradle to charge it while using it.  Going to make one direct USB cable for me today (Wm1z into desktop DAC).  Lately I am so worried about the WM1Z battery that I don't want to keep it charging and playing at the same time, so instead of using a dock, I will be using direct cables instead.  Both the Dock and the cables are great solution, however there are trade off as the cables I can upgrade and the dock I can not but it can be charged while playing music.



@Whitigir PM'd


----------



## pietcux

Just for convenience, I sometimes hook the usb cable that comes with the player to the usb in of my Yamaha receiver in my living room. That works just fine. I can listen to the music stored on the WM1A and navigate through the content using the Yamaha remote. So isn't that digital out into a dac too. With the standard connection cable....


----------



## siruspan

pietcux said:


> Just for convenience, I sometimes hook the usb cable that comes with the player to the usb in of my Yamaha receiver in my living room. That works just fine. I can listen to the music stored on the WM1A and navigate through the content using the Yamaha remote. So isn't that digital out into a dac too. With the standard connection cable....



No. Digital out means that dap acts as a transport and in your case sony dap is just a usb storage device like a usb stick or hard drive.


----------



## Gosod

Witcher said:


> Hi, where did you get this cable from? Can you PM me the link?


what kind of cable you have on your avatar?


----------



## PCheung (Aug 10, 2017)

Long story short, met Mr. Hiroaki Sato today at a local headphone store in HK
Had a short chat and asked a few questions.
1. Can update brings a clock function to the 1Z? Answer is "hard to do" (厳しいです), I take it as a NO.
2. Will there be a USB-DAC function to the 1Z? He said they are always listening to fans comments.
So that's a no comment. Most likely will?

O, btw my pleasure to have photo with Mr. Hiroaki Sato! The mastermind behind Walkman WM series.


----------



## Gosod

PCheung said:


> Long story short, met Mr. Hiroaki Sato today at a local headphone store in HK
> Had a short chat and asked a few questions.
> 1. Can update brings a clock function to the 1Z? Answer is "hard to do" (厳しいです), I take it as a NO.
> 2. Will there be a USB-DAC function to the 1Z? He said they are always listening to fans comments.
> ...


good photo, where is it?


----------



## PCheung

Gosod said:


> good photo, where is it?



The Jaben HK


----------



## Whitigir

PCheung said:


> Long story short, met Mr. Hiroaki Sato today at a local headphone store in HK
> Had a short chat and asked a few questions.
> 1. Can update brings a clock function to the 1Z? Answer is "hard to do" (厳しいです), I take it as a NO.
> 2. Will there be a USB-DAC function to the 1Z? He said they are always listening to fans comments.
> ...


Wwwwoooo000000, I can not wait for this feature!


----------



## SoLame

PCheung said:


> O, btw my *pleasure to have photo with Mr. Hiroaki Sato!* The mastermind behind Walkman WM series.



It's hard to believe 'cause your yellow face doesn't say so!


----------



## blazinblazin

Haha. Maybe they will come out a higher quality Signature series adaptor if they do the USB-DAC.


----------



## bsimms99 (Aug 10, 2017)

My Sony 1Z came in today!!!! You guys were not kidding when you say how heavy this thing is, its a brick!! And I am in love! Same with the Z1R, that finally came, so the box it comes in..........holy crap........thing weighs a ton and is made SO NICELY!!!! I think I stared at the box for like 5 minutes no joke. I plugged the headphones into the 1z balanced port, I was so disappointed in the sound seriously. Then I plugged my kimber kables in (not the ones that were made with sony but I actually called and ordered from Kimber and had them make me a pair), the......sound is.....GLORIOUS!! Its a crime those stock cables come with the headset omg they are terrible and cripple the sound not by a slight difference but a MASSIVE amount.


----------



## PCheung

bsimms99 said:


> My Sony 1Z came in today!!!! You guys were not kidding when you say how heavy this thing is, its a brick!! And I am in love! Same with the Z1R, that finally came, so the box it comes in..........holy crap........thing weighs a ton and is made SO NICELY!!!! I think I stared at the box for like 5 minutes no joke. I plugged the headphones into the 1z balanced port, I was so disappointed in the sound seriously. Then I plugged my kimber kables in (not the ones that were made with sony but I actually called and ordered from Kimber and had them make me a pair), the......sound is.....GLORIOUS!! Its a crime those stock cables come with the headset omg they are terrible and cripple the sound not by a slight difference but a MASSIVE amount.



Sound glorious out of the box? Wait about after 500 hrs burn in and more surprise


----------



## bsimms99 (Aug 10, 2017)

PCheung said:


> Sound glorious out of the box? Wait about after 500 hrs burn in and more surprise



I know I am excited, I stepped away from music entirely for the last 15 years of my life, my parents are big audiophiles and they have amazing equipment you cant even buy today, my dad was in an Orchestra for over 25 years, so classical and many forms of music was huge in my family, everything sounded amazing with what they had but I couldnt afford it nor was their a portable option at the time, I heard CD's, MP3's when I was younger for a very brief stint and I shut music out of my life because it was just so terrible to hear on tape players and cd players and mp3's when you come from listening to vinyls all your life on high end equipment. I kid you not when I say I refuse to listen to the radio when I drive, I just roll down the window and hear the wind and the car, I havent heard a radio since I rode the bus as a kid. I now have a job where I can afford nice things, and have just got into music again and I am pleasantly surprised with how much technology has improved since I was a kid. Even though I can afford it I still die a little each time when I pay for these items.......they are not cheap holy crap. 10k in two months.........and I still need IEM's and 1 more set of cables. I also ordered the Sony Vinyl record player so I can rip my parents collection...... there are 6 walls of music, over 8 thousand records......its going to take forever.


----------



## buzzlulu

I had both the Sony made Kimber and the direct Kimber Axios here in the house to use with the Z1R and WM1Z.  The difference is not inconsequential between the two with the Axios easily demonstrating its superiority.  Actually the stock cable holds up quite well comparatively speaking vs. the Sony Kimber.  I would say the people should either stick with the stock cable or jump straight to the Axios - some may find the Sony Kimber version to be more of a side step.

The Z1R continues to amaze me - its scalability is incredible. By scalability I refer to the ability to dramatically improve depending on the cables, and most importantly, the source which is used to drive it.

Coming from two channel it is the last part, the source used, which rings most important.  It is commonly accepted wisdom in two channel land, at least where I hang out (flat earth UK brands such as Linn and Naim) that one should spend the bulk of their budget on the SOURCE.  The smaller part of the budget goes towards the speakers.  This was one of the prime selling points of the Linn LP12 turntable.  Think about it - the music, the information, is contained in the vinyl grooves.  If you do not maximize the equipment to ensure that you are extracting all there is to get from the grooves, getting all the music out, then the best speakers in the world will never be able to make things sound better - if you are leaving some of the music trapped in the grooves.  Quite simply put the speakers cannot make out something that is not there.  So it is useless to spend huge money on speakers - and less on the turntable.  Spend your money on trying to get as much music as possible from out of the grooves. 

Much in the same way things are identical when assembling a headphone system.  One can have the best headphone available - a Utopia, a Stax, the Z1R - yet a Mojo is only capable of extracting a certain amount of information from the audio files, a Hugo even more, a WM1Z yet more, and finally some of the uber DAC's - DAVE, Linn DS etc. - which can extract ALL of the music there is in the files - music which lower DAC's such as a Mojo leave behind.

So - getting back to the point at hand - what impresses me about the Z1R is what kind of performance it gives me out of a Mojo - how said performance gets that much better with the WM1Z - and finally the dramatic leap which comes when using some of the uber DAC's.

The Z1R is capable of many things - its only limiting factors are the source used, and other ancillary components such as the cable etc.

So if people only hear the Z1R with the stock cable out of a Mojo (maybe even with MP3's instead of FLAC files) - then they are missing so much of what this headphone is capable of giving - and they should temper/qualify their opinions about its performance accordingly.


----------



## bsimms99

buzzlulu said:


> I had both the Sony made Kimber and the direct Kimber Axios here in the house to use with the Z1R and WM1Z.  The difference is not inconsequential between the two with the Axios easily demonstrating its superiority.  Actually the stock cable holds up quite well comparatively speaking vs. the Sony Kimber.  I would say the people should either stick with the stock cable or jump straight to the Axios - some may find the Sony Kimber version to be more of a side step.
> 
> The Z1R continues to amaze me - its scalability is incredible. By scalability I refer to the ability to dramatically improve depending on the cables, and most importantly, the source which is used to drive it.
> 
> ...



Couldnt agree more, its like walking into a car dealership and buy a Ferrari and then asking if they can put replace the engine with a  95' toyota corolla.


----------



## jmills8

Anybody know what these Mods do ?


----------



## all999

jmills8 said:


> Anybody know what these Mods do ?



Drying your wallet, that's for sure.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 11, 2017)

jmills8 said:


> Anybody know what these Mods do ?


I see high-res sticker, that must be the mod.  On the side note, why don't you ask those guys what they do


----------



## blazinblazin

jmills8 said:


> Anybody know what these Mods do ?


My question about this is, why it cost more to mod 1Z than 1A?

Are they using same mod or material or different for both?


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 11, 2017)

blazinblazin said:


> My question about this is, why it cost more to mod 1Z than 1A?
> 
> Are they using same mod or material or different for both?


My guess is that it is upgraded internal wires modifications.  Though the pricing differences is more than likely judging from the different pricing from 1A vs 1Z.  These short distance are the same with both, and amount of works and labor performed would be the same on both.  To me, there shall not be any differences at all.  I don't see any other potential modifications ATM.  Swapping any other electrical components would heavily affecting the players quality


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 11, 2017)

blazinblazin said:


> Haha. Maybe they will come out a higher quality Signature series adaptor if they do the USB-DAC.



We don't know about that.  The one thing for sure is that if the USB DAC function is enabled I would be very excited.  I am hoping for a new Cradle


----------



## Tawek

Unreal synergy ...


----------



## Whitigir

Tawek said:


> Unreal synergy ...


Now you need the cable to be gold as well for unreal color match


----------



## proedros (Aug 11, 2017)

bsimms99 said:


> I also ordered the Sony Vinyl record player so I can rip my parents collection...... there are 6 walls of music, over 8 thousand records......its going to take forever.



if i were you i would loan those records (or some of them) to some very efficient and well-known vinyl rippers out there who rip albums - there is one for instance who is heavily into classi music , having ripped many mozart/beethoven DG vinyl boxsets

i have been into vinyl rips since 2009 , these guys are true artists - and they do it for free.


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> if i were you i would loan those records (or some of them) to some very efficient and well-known vinyl rippers out there who rip albums - there is one for instance who is heavily into classi music , having ripped many mozart/beethoven DG vinyl boxsets
> 
> i have been into vinyl rips since 2009 , these guys are true artists - and they do it for free.


No need, the Sony Vynil Ripper is affordable and I am thinking about getting one myself 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D8RWMGQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Beside that SACD can be ripped by PS3 of the original release


----------



## Dillan

Question for you guys. Is there a way of bypassing the WM1Z dac via USB and plugging into an external dac (in my case the PSAudio Direcstream DAC.

Thanks for any help!


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> No need, the Sony Vynil Ripper is affordable and I am thinking about getting one myself
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D8RWMGQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
> 
> Beside that SACD can be ripped by PS3 of the original release



Yep that record player is very good for ripping and perfectly acceptabel as a general use player. I've got one and is happy with it


----------



## nc8000

Dillan said:


> Question for you guys. Is there a way of bypassing the WM1Z dac via USB and plugging into an external dac (in my case the PSAudio Direcstream DAC.
> 
> Thanks for any help!



Yes you just need to buy the correct cable, the one that comes with the player can't


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> No need, the Sony Vynil Ripper is affordable and I am thinking about getting one myself
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D8RWMGQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
> 
> Beside that SACD can be ripped by PS3 of the original release



I see it dropped in price, I picked it up from a local audio store here, the manager gave me a huge discount because he wanted it gone......$100..SOLD!! lol


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> I see it dropped in price, I picked it up from a local audio store here, the manager gave me a huge discount because he wanted it gone......$100..SOLD!! lol


Woaaaaaa......you are so damn lucky LoL!


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> Now you need the cable to be gold as well for unreal color match


 And on 4.4mm


----------



## bsimms99

DSD must do something drastic to the power or something because the audio files that are DSD, I am listening on my Senn HD800S in balanced mode on the 1Z, I have to max the volume to just to seem like its on a normal volume level, but when I play FLAC sound gets way louder.


----------



## robin1990 (Aug 11, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Now you need the cable to be gold as well for unreal color match



You surely has OCD!


----------



## bsimms99

Would be nice to not have to use a mojo.


----------



## robin1990

bsimms99 said:


> DSD must do something drastic to the power or something because the audio files that are DSD, I am listening on my Senn HD800S in balanced mode on the 1Z, I have to max the volume to just to seem like its on a normal volume level, but when I play FLAC sound gets way louder.



I listen to Mahler on DSD. Comparing to the same 192khz recordings it has more dynamic! I assume Sony did this to allow more room for DSD; if it was set to same level it will be too loud and distort at volume peak


----------



## ledzep

bsimms99 said:


> DSD must do something drastic to the power or something because the audio files that are DSD, I am listening on my Senn HD800S in balanced mode on the 1Z, I have to max the volume to just to seem like its on a normal volume level, but when I play FLAC sound gets way louder.



Better dynamic range lower volume , that's why hdtracks suck just boosted volume imo !


----------



## bsimms99

ledzep said:


> Better dynamic range lower volume , that's why hdtracks suck just boosted volume imo !



I unfortunately need to listen to things louder than most...oh well


----------



## ledzep

bsimms99 said:


> I unfortunately need to listen to things louder than most...oh well


I hear you though, I'm feeding mine into a project ember to feed my Aeon's and Alpha primes. The players are great but do have their limitations.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Screen at 1 in brightness , I got running for 4 days, so one day more than in 16


----------



## goyete

buzzlulu said:


> I had both the Sony made Kimber and the direct Kimber Axios here in the house to use with the Z1R and WM1Z.  The difference is not inconsequential between the two with the Axios easily demonstrating its superiority.  Actually the stock cable holds up quite well comparatively speaking vs. the Sony Kimber.  I would say the people should either stick with the stock cable or jump straight to the Axios - some may find the Sony Kimber version to be more of a side step.
> 
> The Z1R continues to amaze me - its scalability is incredible. By scalability I refer to the ability to dramatically improve depending on the cables, and most importantly, the source which is used to drive it.
> 
> ...



Interesting words... I have the Z1R and the stock cable with the WM1A and I’m considering upgrading the cable but I don’t want the 2 m lenght of the MUC-B20SB1 becouse it’s too much for my desk, I would like the MUC-B12SB1 that still doesn’t exists (I hope in October 2017 exists, one year after the MUC-B20SB1 release). Sony did the same in the past with the Kimber Kable for Z7 and PHA-3 in balanced, they released first the MUC-B20BL1 in October 2014 and then the MUC-B12BL1 in October 2015 (I owned both with the PHA-3 and MDR-Z7).

I have asked for the AXIOS 1,2 m and 4,4 balanced in my country and is near 800 eur, much more than the Sony Kimber Kable (250 eur). In your opinion, if the balanced stock cable is in the position 1, and the Axios CU 16 cords in position 10, where did you put the Sony Kimber Kable in terms of SQ?? I think is more confortable the AXIOS cable becouse the Sony Kimber Kable has certain memory in the cable. But I love the conectors of the Sony Kimber Kable, both, the 90 degree of the 4,4 conector and the headphones conectors. I don’t like the wooden conectors of the Axios. In other the other side, the AXIOS doesn’t need splitter and that’s good and beauty.

I have done some hearings comparing the Z1R with the stock cable in balanced against my XBA-Z5 with balanced Sony Kimber Kable MUC-M12SB1 and the Z5 is very very detailed, now I don’t know if I love more this detailed sound or the sound of the Z1R. Maybe I would like a bit more detailed the Z1R in highs frecuecny (maybe I’m very used to the Z5 and his peak in high frecuencies?).  I have heard some songs in the WM1A with one of my pair of Z5 and the balanced MUC-M12SB1 against another pair of Z5 and the Sony MUC-M12SM1 cable (not balanced) and the sound is night and day. The sound of the Z5 in balanced with Kimber Kable is superb for me, the other sound is good but it doesn’t bright, it’s more “normal or standard”. I don’t know how much of this improvement is for the balanced connection or for the Kimber Kable.

Thanks!


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> I unfortunately need to listen to things louder than most...oh well


High gain on both sockets ? And what IEMS or Headphones do you have ? I can not bare listening to 1Z Balanced out in high gain with more than 105 volume in DSD


----------



## buzzlulu

goyete said:


> In your opinion, if the balanced stock cable is in the position 1, and the Axios CU 16 cords in position 10, where did you put the Sony Kimber Kable in terms of SQ?? I think is more confortable the AXIOS cable becouse the Sony Kimber Kable has certain memory in the cable. But I love the conectors of the Sony Kimber Kable, both, the 90 degree of the 4,4 conector and the headphones conectors. I don’t like the wooden conectors of the Axios. In other the other side, the AXIOS doesn’t need splitter and that’s good and beauty.
> 
> Thanks!



Hmmm... imho I think the plastic connectors on the Sony Kimber are on the cheap side.  I do however like the 90 degree 4.4 connector.  The Axios connectors, imho, exude quality.

On a scale of 1-10 with the Axios being a 10 - completely off the cuff however I would say the Sony Kimber is a 4 with the Axios a 10.
With that said I do not know if I would spend the money on the Sony Kimber and might consider remaining with the stock cable.  It is quite good and what Sony achieves with silver plating over copper is extremely interesting (I have only experienced Axios silver/copper cables - not coated but 8 strands of silver and 8 strands of copper - and was not a fan instead preferring the all copper Axis).
If I am going to spend money on an after market cable I am not looking for an incremental uprade - I want something more concrete and substantial.

Interestingly enough I will be confronted with a new comparison of the stock Sony cable vs. the Sony Kimber once again.  While my primary use for the Z1R will be portable out of my 1Z there are times (very few) when I would connect it to the amplifier in my 2 channel system (via 1/4") when I want an alternative to the Utopia.  Amazon had a warehouse deal on the 3m Sony Kimber 1/4" for $150.  I am burning it in now and will then do a comparison between it and the stock 3m copper/silver plated 1/4"


----------



## Whitigir

Z1R cables is great but upgraded cables would do better, if you know what you are doing.  If regular Kimber can be comparable to the stock Z1R cables then I don't even want to think about it, I do know for a fact that Z1R cables is better than stock Z7 but similar build.


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> Z1R cables is great but upgraded cables would do better, if you know what you are doing.  If regular Kimber can be comparable to the stock Z1R cables then I don't even want to think about it, I do know for a fact that Z1R cables is better than stock Z7 but similar build.



Ok so to answer your question earlier, I am listening to high gain output on balanced and using Senn HD800S I have to near max it out on any DSD. Ok so heres the big thing that I am freaking out about right now, so when I had the WM1A I never had the chance to use Balanced Output on it I just used reg 3.5mm, now that I have the 1Z and I am using only Balanced right now, I hear "click switch" sounds when I change an album or the screen shuts off. Now let me clarify the the "click switch" happens if lets say I change from DSD album to a FLAC and again if I go back to DSD, am I supposed to be hearing these click sounds? (I dont have the headphones on and i know its coming from the 1Z)


----------



## bsimms99

When I switch to FLAC it makes 2 clicks, when DSD 1 click, im concerned about the clicky as you can tell and need someone that owns a 1Z to let me know if this is normal?


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 11, 2017)

bsimms99 said:


> Ok so to answer your question earlier, I am listening to high gain output on balanced and using Senn HD800S I have to near max it out on any DSD. Ok so heres the big thing that I am freaking out about right now, so when I had the WM1A I never had the chance to use Balanced Output on it I just used reg 3.5mm, now that I have the 1Z and I am using only Balanced right now, I hear "click switch" sounds when I change an album or the screen shuts off. Now let me clarify the the "click switch" happens if lets say I change from DSD album to a FLAC and again if I go back to DSD, am I supposed to be hearing these click sounds? (I dont have the headphones on and i know its coming from the 1Z)


That is normal, and that is another unique thing about Sony engineering aspect.

1/. The click sound is the relay switching
2/. Why do you need the relay ? So that when you stopped listening, the relay is opened and your headphones is automatically disconnected by the player, so you are safe to remove it and plug in another.  Plugging and unplugging a powered on amplifier will damage the headphones.  In case of the DAP, it is always on, so when it has enough power, it will damage the coil wires, which in turn will leave you a dead driver.  Never plug/unplug a powered amp/dap
3/. It clicks often whenever the sample rate is changed, and that is also normal


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> That is normal, and that is another unique thing about Sony engineering aspect.
> 
> 1/. The click sound is the relay switching
> 2/. Why do you need the relay ? So that when you stopped listening, the relay is opened and your headphones is automatically disconnected by the player, so you are safe to remove it and plug in another.  Plugging and unplugging a powered on amplifier will damage the headphones.  In case of the DAP, it is always on, so when it has enough power, jolting the headphones quickly will create enough of a magnetic collapse and sometime it can be enough to burn off the enamel on the voice coil wires, which in turn will leave you a dead driver
> 3/. It clicks often whenever the sample rate is changed, and that is also normal



THANK YOU!!! I ordered this off EBay brand new from a distributor and getting it through UPS customs was nothing short of a nightmare (8 hours of back and forth with their different teams im not going into it because its starting to piss me off again) , and I was thinking please god no i dont want to have to return and wait for another and deal with that BS. Thank you Sony for protecting my headphones and my player with the Relay.


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> High gain on both sockets ? And what IEMS or Headphones do you have ? I can not bare listening to 1Z Balanced out in high gain with more than 105 volume in DSD



So I pulled out the Z1R's and I figured out my volume issue to an extent, its the HD800S fault for needing an abnormal amount of power to drive, lame.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 11, 2017)

bsimms99 said:


> So I pulled out the Z1R's and I figured out my volume issue to an extent, its the HD800S fault for needing an abnormal amount of power to drive, lame.


Lol...ofcourse the 800s is a beast...drive 1z with z1r or Utopia and you are talking.  I can never go further than 105.....usually 75, or I will go deaf.  There are things that I value in both Z1R and Utopia.

Z1R, efficiency, soundstage, clean strong bass, and noises isolation all in one package is a magical Headphones for whoever seeking for these

Utopia, strong dynamic beast, transient performances, efficiency, artfully in treble controls, hell lot of details and while being musical.....the best for anyone who seek these

To me, any so called high-end Headphones that can not be efficient and easy enough to drive is just a product of greed....


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> Lol...ofcourse the 800s is a beast...drive 1z with z1r or Utopia and you are talking.  I can never go further than 105.....usually 75, or I will go deaf



Its really odd, I absolutely love how the Z1R and the HD800S couldnt be any more different if they tried, I absolutely love both of these headphones and their different sound signatures. I dont regret spending all this money recently, its been an experience.


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> Lol...ofcourse the 800s is a beast...drive 1z with z1r or Utopia and you are talking.  I can never go further than 105.....usually 75, or I will go deaf.  There are things that I value in both Z1R and Utopia.
> 
> Z1R, efficiency, soundstage, clean strong bass, and noises isolation all in one package is a magical Headphones for whoever seeking for these
> 
> ...



When I find the Utopia's for 2300 or less I will give them a go, not spending 4k on a headphone thats just too big of a pill for me to swallow.


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> When I find the Utopia's for 2300 or less I will give them a go, not spending 4k on a headphone thats just too big of a pill for me to swallow.


Jason @ TheSourceAV is having an event that brings the pricing down to 3k for new one


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> Jason @ TheSourceAV is having an event that brings the pricing down to 3k for new one


Nevermind I found it thank you.


----------



## Ricky64

Hi All;
I've been listening to my 1Z for two months now via the SE jack. I purchased a new cable for my iem's, with the intent of starting to listen through the balanced output. With the new cables and the first use of the 4.4, the timber is excellent, and the soundstage is wide, but all other spatial cues have gone, (Much less depth and instrumental separation), and the sound is quite rolled off.  My question is whether this is all the cable, or whether the recommended 200 hours of burn in is going to return the appropriate phase coherence and treble extension. I need to make a decision as to whether to return the cable. 
So, in summary, what should I expect to hear after a prolonged burn in of the balanced amp side?

thx!


----------



## Whitigir

What cables are you using exactly ?


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> We don't know about that.  The one thing for sure is that if the USB DAC function is enabled I would be very excited.  I am hoping for a new Cradle



This would make it the perfect item if it had this feature.


----------



## bsimms99

proedros said:


> if i were you i would loan those records (or some of them) to some very efficient and well-known vinyl rippers out there who rip albums - there is one for instance who is heavily into classi music , having ripped many mozart/beethoven DG vinyl boxsets
> 
> i have been into vinyl rips since 2009 , these guys are true artists - and they do it for free.



Who are these people you speak of, I can only do much myself so a helping hand wouldnt hurt, but I dont want to just hand the records out to just anyone and be robbed.


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> This would make it the perfect item if it had this feature.


Oh yes, I love the Zx2 cradle, and it only makes sense to release new Cradle for the USB DAC function if they release the feature.  So you can flip a switch to choose USB digital in/out or PC files transfer while charging the battery and beefing up the digital quality altogether


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 12, 2017)

Meet Sato HIraki-san again (I first met him when I was getting my Just ear made in Japan) at Sony booth at the Hong Kong AV Show today and got him to sign my 1Z. 






The prototype ZX2s with OFC chassis were on display at the Sony booth, I know these made the rounds in Japan in certain events, and it's the first time these prototypes made it outside of Japan according to Sato-san.  The left is OFC with no treatment so it has oxidized (and as Sato-san said it smells like the Japanese 10 yen coin - which I can confirm it does!), the middle is OFC silver-plated, while the right is gold-plated over silver-plated. Sato-san said that the shacho (I'd assume that meant Kaz Hirai) originally commented that after carrying around the ZX2 he wanted something lighter/more portable, but after the Walkman team presented to him the gold ZX2 prototype and let him listen to it they got the go ahead to make the next Walkman with OFC (1Z).  Other little things we talked about was the use of the mechanical relay switch for the silencing circuit, where he said originally they tested with a MOSFET transistor switch which had less electrical resistance but didn't sound as good as the mechanical one probably due to electronic interference.  Finally he also told me they originally thought of stacking smaller PCB boards one on top of another to make the device smaller, but they also gave up that idea because of SQ issues, very interesting little nuggets he shared with me.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 12, 2017)

nanaholic said:


> Meet Sato HIraki-san again (I first met him when I was getting my Just ear made in Japan) at Sony booth at the Hong Kong AV Show today and got him to sign my 1Z.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thank you, and beautiful ZX2 prototype.  My ghost, if we can only have OFC-SilverPlated 1Z.  I think it look ways...s.....ssss better LoL.  Anyways, I am not complaining, I am too happy with 1Z.

Oh, and that signature in the back man...Priceless!!

Just want to share a picture of 1Z acting as DAC/analog pre-amp into my 009 Stax with Balanced 4.4mm out.  There is no noise when used like this


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> Oh, and that signature in the back man...Priceless!!



I know.  Sato-san asked me if I was really okay with him signing the 1Z, I said of course because I'm planning to keep this forever. 

Now I want to get a clear case for my 1Z.


----------



## Ricky64

Whitigir said:


> What cables are you using exactly ?


Campfire Reference 8


----------



## Whitigir

Ricky64 said:


> Campfire Reference 8


Well, there is no detailed description I can find for Ref8 and I am unfamiliar with that cables.  However, as much as I can say is that "burn-in" do affect sound quality, and if you compared a non-burned in side to a well-burned in side, you will observe the differences.  Now, if the Ref8 cables was made out of UPOCC copper, then it is great, what SE cables did you use that brings out the differences ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Ricky64 said:


> Hi All;
> I've been listening to my 1Z for two months now via the SE jack. I purchased a new cable for my iem's, with the intent of starting to listen through the balanced output. With the new cables and the first use of the 4.4, the timber is excellent, and the soundstage is wide, but all other spatial cues have gone, (Much less depth and instrumental separation), and the sound is quite rolled off.  My question is whether this is all the cable, or whether the recommended 200 hours of burn in is going to return the appropriate phase coherence and treble extension. I need to make a decision as to whether to return the cable.
> So, in summary, what should I expect to hear after a prolonged burn in of the balanced amp side?
> 
> thx!


You need to burn the BALANCED circuit too... so another 200-500h


----------



## Edric Li

You can't search for songs, even for file names, on the Sony's? Is this a joke?


----------



## Ricky64

gerelmx1986 said:


> You need to burn the BALANCED circuit too... so another 200-500h


So I've heard. But I would have liked to have made the decision to return the cable in sooner than 10 days.


----------



## Ricky64

Whitigir said:


> Well, there is no detailed description I can find for Ref8 and I am unfamiliar with that cables.  However, as much as I can say is that "burn-in" do affect sound quality, and if you compared a non-burned in side to a well-burned in side, you will observe the differences.  Now, if the Ref8 cables was made out of UPOCC copper, then it is great, what SE cables did you use that brings out the differences ?


I have the InEar Prophile 8 iem. The cable is a Plastics One Silver coated OCC copper. I head read that the cable was specially matched by the manufacturer who didn't recommend swapping. 
I did want to state using the balanced out on the WM1Z.
The reference 8 has 4 strands of straight OCC and 4 strands of silver coated OCC. I suspect the two different conducters may be creating some phase errors. 
[


----------



## Whitigir

Ricky64 said:


> So I've heard. But I would have liked to have made the decision to return the cable in sooner than 10 days.


Just to be safe, burn-in the balanced side before you make purchase on any cables, so you don't have to wonder


----------



## Whitigir

Ricky64 said:


> I have the InEar Prophile 8 iem. The cable is a Plastics One Silver coated OCC copper. I head read that the cable was specially matched by the manufacturer who didn't recommend swapping.
> I did want to state using the balanced out on the WM1Z.
> The reference 8 has 4 strands of straight OCC and 4 strands of silver coated OCC. I suspect the two different conducters may be creating some phase errors.
> [



How do they get constructed ? Like 2 copper + 2 SPC per polarity ? Or what...need to know more specific.  However, I do use the same materials but different construction and I can say that this hybrid will work great if it is constructed right.  I use the same construction as Z1R stock cables


----------



## mw7485

Edric Li said:


> You can't search for songs, even for file names, on the Sony's? Is this a joke?



No, next question?


----------



## bsimms99

mw7485 said:


> No, next question?



Alphabetical order is more than enough. Also if you press down on the side of the screen letters will pop up so you can scroll faster immediately to the first letter you are looking for.


----------



## mw7485

bsimms99 said:


> Alphabetical order is more than enough. Also if you press down on the side of the screen letters will pop up so you can scroll faster immediately to the first letter you are looking for.



I know that, my reply was aimed directly at Edric Li's apparent snipe.


----------



## bsimms99

mw7485 said:


> I know that, my reply was aimed directly at Edric Li's apparent snipe.



Oh I know I just didn’t want to post in two spots since he’s going to read this.


----------



## bsimms99

Oh nooooo!!! it doesn’t have search but produces the one the best sound for a portable music player better not buy it now looooool


----------



## Whitigir

Search function only bother me when I try to find some tracks that I did not categorize, however, albums and folder function is enough.  Also there is recent transfers as well.  Now, when I must search for the tracks to categorize or edit it, I plug it into Windows 10, and search there, no issues so far


----------



## CMBoss

Hello..... New Owner Here...... Just wanted to share some of my novice thoughts on the 1Z, after reading all the wonderful posts from page 1 to this last page, am sure it took me several weeks.... I am now a proud owner of a 1Z and Z1R, been my very first high end audiophile gear, had so many back n forth on Mojo, Hugo, Hugo 2, T1 , HD 800, etc..... I finally settled with the Z1R since i love a strong BASS, and prefer something a bit closed...

I can say after reading almost everything online, i settled with z1r, and got some awesome deals on Amazon for both......

First time i turned it on and played it, i was like what is this crap but at 75hrs break-in on balanced mode using stock cables for now, ordered the Kimber for the time being, i can definitely say , sound at 0hrs and sound at 75hrs are definitely not the same.

Played some FLAC at 24bit and same file at 320mp3, and was like woow, where i have been all these years.......

i hope to be woowed at 200+hrs..

Always look forward to see posts from the freq posters here especially Whitigir...... the passion is undeniable.....

Thank you


----------



## mw7485

bsimms99 said:


> Oh nooooo!!! it doesn’t have search but produces the one the best sound for a portable music player better not buy it now looooool



Couldn't agree more! I used to think it was a handicap, but after sorting out my music library so that it is more consistent and logical, I discover not having a search function its not a handicap at all. Yes, different ways of sorting stuff would be handy - but not essential.


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> Search function only bother me when I try to find some tracks that I did not categorize, however, albums and folder function is enough.  Also there is recent transfers as well.  Now, when I must search for the tracks to categorize or edit it, I plug it into Windows 10, and search there, no issues so far



The recent transfers is one area that needs improvement IMHO. Only the "last transfer/move" is shown. It would be handy for that to show a bit more history,


----------



## goyete

I would like a tap in the album cover to switch between akgun and the bars of frecuency, that would be very nice instead entering in settings and choose the visualization.

And lay the user to stay the screen in stand by mode, and tap to screen on (assuming a bit of battery increase) but this would avoid to tap the power on button.


----------



## Whitigir

mw7485 said:


> The recent transfers is one area that needs improvement IMHO. Only the "last transfer/move" is shown. It would be handy for that to show a bit more history,


Well, you can create new folder, and move all that you want into this new folder and it would be listed in "recent transfer" too ! Lol, or you can create play list at your leisure...I don't bother because that is too much work


----------



## goyete

Is anyone of Sony here in this thread? Is there any option tu send suggestions to Sony for this product? Thanks!


----------



## mw7485

goyete said:


> Is anyone of Sony here in this thread? Is there any option tu send suggestions to Sony for this product? Thanks!



Not in any sort of official capacity - but you never know who is watching!!


----------



## bsimms99

So this might be a stupid question but here it goes. Is there a way when connecting the WM1Z to lets say the Chord Mojo or Sony PHA-2A and have it only use the AMP and not the DAC inside the Mojo or PHA-2A? Also lets say the Mojo is connected to the 1Z and I want to use the Balanced on the 1Z and use the 1Z DAC but want the Mojo to connect and only use the AMP is this possible?


----------



## Wyville

nanaholic said:


> Meet Sato HIraki-san again (I first met him when I was getting my Just ear made in Japan) at Sony booth at the Hong Kong AV Show today and got him to sign my 1Z.


That's really nice! Take good care of it! 


nanaholic said:


> The prototype ZX2s with OFC chassis were on display at the Sony booth, I know these made the rounds in Japan in certain events, and it's the first time these prototypes made it outside of Japan according to Sato-san.  The left is OFC with no treatment so it has oxidized (and as Sato-san said it smells like the Japanese 10 yen coin - which I can confirm it does!), the middle is OFC silver-plated, while the right is gold-plated over silver-plated. Sato-san said that the shacho (I'd assume that meant Kaz Hirai) originally commented that after carrying around the ZX2 he wanted something lighter/more portable, but after the Walkman team presented to him the gold ZX2 prototype and let him listen to it they got the go ahead to make the next Walkman with OFC (1Z).  Other little things we talked about was the use of the mechanical relay switch for the silencing circuit, where he said originally they tested with a MOSFET transistor switch which had less electrical resistance but didn't sound as good as the mechanical one probably due to electronic interference.  Finally he also told me they originally thought of stacking smaller PCB boards one on top of another to make the device smaller, but they also gave up that idea because of SQ issues, very interesting little nuggets he shared with me.


I haven't really been following Sony lately and am not entirely up-to-date on how their line is developing, but were these prototypes originally used for the development of the 1Z? 

I've been thinking about the 1A lately because of the poor battery life of my AK70 (compared to Sony anyway) and the 1Z is a bit too expensive, but I love the look of those chassis!


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> So this might be a stupid question but here it goes. Is there a way when connecting the WM1Z to lets say the Chord Mojo or Sony PHA-2A and have it only use the AMP and not the DAC inside the Mojo or PHA-2A? Also lets say the Mojo is connected to the 1Z and I want to use the Balanced on the 1Z and use the 1Z DAC but want the Mojo to connect and only use the AMP is this possible?


You can use the analog headphones out into analog input-in on those


----------



## gerelmx1986

a search function would be a nice to have, but not a Must


----------



## Bosk

Would anyone happen to know if the Kimber/Sony MUC-M12SB is the cheapest 4.4mm balanced cable available? I'd like to try out the balanced jack of my WM1A but am not keen on spending so much on a cable, and would also prefer one with 2 pin terminators so as not to have to use an MMCX adapter.

I've been really enjoying the player so far especially with 24/192 material which has impressed me more than DSD, which is strange because the reverse was true on the Xduoo XD-05 I owned. For instance Basil Poledouris' Conan soundtrack in 24/192 has really given me tingles on this player.


----------



## Edric Li

bsimms99 said:


> Alphabetical order is more than enough. Also if you press down on the side of the screen letters will pop up so you can scroll faster immediately to the first letter you are looking for.



I have over 200gb of compilation albums like https://www.discogs.com/label/298031-Trancemaster
I name files in these compilations as "Artist - Title"
I need a search function to find all songs made by a particular artist.


----------



## bsimms99

Just tried out the Bryston BHA-1 with my 1Z and Senn HD800S, I’ve never been so impressed for dynamic impact and sound in my life, I know what my next immediate purchase is going to be.


----------



## bsimms99 (Aug 12, 2017)

Edric Li said:


> I have over 200gb of compilation albums like https://www.discogs.com/label/298031-Trancemaster
> I name files in these compilations as "Artist - Title"
> I need a search function to find all songs made by a particular artist.



Indexing = a lot of memory usage= less battery life and slower navigation or lag if you will. If you are focused on purely the best sound and battery life which clearly is what Sony went for, search, wifi streaming, beautiful UI, Google Play Store was as the bottom of the priority list and they don’t care. There’s a reason why they scrapped the Android System and but about the most basic basic basic interface inside. If you need all those other things.......then buy one of the 100 other DAPS out there. It’s funny after all the forums and reviews I have been reading over the last couple of months no points out what I see to be obvious....the best SOUND performing portable DAPS out there always seem to be LP Gold or the Sony, funny how the most renown have the least and most minimal UI of them all and don’t offer all those other gimmicks and focus on 1 thing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I also have a library of 876GB classical music with many complete and near-complete editions, searching does not bug me, as the new dap OS has Composer, and like @bsimms99  says, I am more tan satisfied with the alphabetical search (assuming i have properly tagged files).

I know the iPod had a search function and still has it for when some one wants to look after certain BWV or RV, HWV, TWV etc numbers this is where a search becomes a bit of a nice-to-have feature


----------



## blazinblazin

CMBoss said:


> Hello..... New Owner Here...... Just wanted to share some of my novice thoughts on the 1Z, after reading all the wonderful posts from page 1 to this last page, am sure it took me several weeks.... I am now a proud owner of a 1Z and Z1R, been my very first high end audiophile gear, had so many back n forth on Mojo, Hugo, Hugo 2, T1 , HD 800, etc..... I finally settled with the Z1R since i love a strong BASS, and prefer something a bit closed...
> 
> I can say after reading almost everything online, i settled with z1r, and got some awesome deals on Amazon for both......
> 
> ...



That's only less than half way there.
Around 500+ hrs will be around it's peak.


----------



## Edric Li

bsimms99 said:


> Indexing = a lot of memory usage= less battery life and slower navigation or lag if you will. If you are focused on purely the best sound and battery life which clearly is what Sony went for, search, wifi streaming, beautiful UI, Google Play Store was as the bottom of the priority list and they don’t care. There’s a reason why they scrapped the Android System and but about the most basic basic basic interface inside. If you need all those other things.......then buy one of the 100 other DAPS out there. It’s funny after all the forums and reviews I have been reading over the last couple of months no points out what I see to be obvious....the best SOUND performing portable DAPS out there always seem to be LP Gold or the Sony, funny how the most renown have the least and most minimal UI of them all and don’t offer all those other gimmicks and focus on 1 thing.



I am a user of the LPG, but I wouldn't call the feature to search for songs a "gimmick".


----------



## bsimms99

Edric Li said:


> I am a user of the LPG, but I wouldn't call the feature to search for songs a "gimmick".



Ok let me reword it, to your LP Gold and Sony, it’s not important because of all the drawbacks.


----------



## nanaholic

Wyville said:


> I haven't really been following Sony lately and am not entirely up-to-date on how their line is developing, but were these prototypes originally used for the development of the 1Z?



They were, these were tested for both sound as well as how the metal-plating can prolong every day usage from the OFC from rusting as well as how it affected the sound.

Sony's been testing chassis of different material since before the development of ZX2 since the ZX1 was designed around the idea of using the chassis as ground, they have actually made ZX1 prototypes with different materials like brass but were never materialised in the ZX2.  In a lot of ways their engineering team's R&D were ahead of competitors, but it probably took AK's market success to convince the management that the prices people were willing to pay for summit-fi portable gear was actually a lot higher than they expected and thus let the engineering team go all out for development.


----------



## nanaholic

Bosk said:


> Would anyone happen to know if the Kimber/Sony MUC-M12SB is the cheapest 4.4mm balanced cable available? I'd like to try out the balanced jack of my WM1A but am not keen on spending so much on a cable, and would also prefer one with 2 pin terminators so as not to have to use an MMCX adapter.



Onso makes the cheapest 4.4mm balance cables with all the common connectors (MMCX/2 pin/Fitear) AFAIK.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/onso-イヤホン-...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0Q4YR1PESZ1RWXJJ5QWJ


----------



## animalsrush

Edric Li said:


> I have over 200gb of compilation albums like https://www.discogs.com/label/298031-Trancemaster
> I name files in these compilations as "Artist - Title"
> I need a search function to find all songs made by a particular artist.


Couldn't you just use the "artist' option and see all songs by that artist.. I have used that feature

Pc


----------



## gerelmx1986

animalsrush said:


> Couldn't you just use the "artist' option and see all songs by that artist.. I have used that feature
> 
> Pc


exactly, or whatever category, like composer or album


----------



## CMBoss

blazinblazin said:


> That's only less than half way there.
> Around 500+ hrs will be around it's peak.



Yes, so i have read , I am still woowd, as this is my first big audiophile purchase, didn't believe some daps need a break-in like cars, am still woowd

Noticed some beats in a particular song, that i haven't heard just yesterday, and was like when did this instrument appear in the song ...... lol


----------



## blazinblazin

Even browsing by folder is not hard if you have proper folder system.


----------



## Bosk

nanaholic said:


> Onso makes the cheapest 4.4mm balance cables with all the common connectors (MMCX/2 pin/Fitear) AFAIK.
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.jp/onso-イヤホン-ヘッドホン用リケーブル-iect-03-bl4c-4-4mmバランス-専用端子/dp/B06XDG5N59/ref=pd_sbs_23_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0Q4YR1PESZ1RWXJJ5QWJ


Thanks! That looks like a decent option nanaholic, I've been looking around and found another that's even cheaper still:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4-4...lgo_pvid=14ca0b36-71fa-4bd3-b373-5e2f39cf18df


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Aug 13, 2017)

Hello all,


This is a bit long, but I hope those that are thinking of modding their 1Z could benefit from my experiences.



I did the WM!Z mod shown by Whitigirl where kimber cable is replaced by Mundorf silver gold cable and power cable also is replaced. I only have a couple hours of listening to the 1Z mod b/c of family obligations and work and still trying to wrap my head around this, and want to make sure that what I’m hearing is not based on initial honeymoon period. Its mostly positive changes. Whitigirl explain a lot of technical changes in terms of bass, treble etc., so I’ll touch that only lightly. I don't think I can do better job than him. I’m using andromeda and ref 8 balanced cable. The strength of Andromeda is amazing soundstage, 3D sounds, good with female voices and it tends to make music more beautiful. As for its weakness, it feels a bit artificial tonally, and as a result, it delivers music quite exceptional, but is lacking in the emotional department. I also use L size Symbio W eartips. And I use the equalizer heavily.


This is the eq that I used; I got this from King Rudi Facebook post.


0,             1,             0,             3,             2,             5,             4,             6,             5,             7

31,        62,        125,      250,      500,      1000,    2000,    4000,    8000,    16000  KHZ



Without eq, the mod 1Z seems a bit too warm. I tried using JVC FX850 iem & Ref 8 cable, but still sounds quite horrible, its bass is tightened and cleaned up but it’s too warm. So, my guess is, to take great advantage of this mod, your iem must be up to par to notice the changes.



For 1Z mod, the biggest changes are the warmth is cleaned up by huge margin. 1Z has this enveloping warmth that surrounds the music, it's good and sometimes intoxicating, but obscures the instruments, making them bit fuzzy and the 1Z can sometimes seem a bit too relax. Due to clearing of the warmth, treble seems to go up one or two notches. Everything is crystal clear in the treble region. However, dynamics improved/increased by huge margin. I'm not sure it’s because of the power cable mod or not, but everything become alive. In the past, I compared 1A to 1Z, in terms of music as 2D and lifeless. But now I think comparing 1Z mod to before the mod, unmodded 1Z feels fuzzier, a little more mist between my ears and the music. With the mod, it’s like there is just empty space and then the music. No air, nothing, nada. Musical instruments are clearly and vividly presented, I do not have to concentrate hard to hear them, its just there presented in its glory. Due to improved dynamics, each instrument seems to have their own 3 D shapes, it’s almost as if I can touch these notes.


You know how 1Z is excellent with male voices because of the warmth. With the mod, male voices still maintain most of its excellence, but the main attraction with the mod 1Z is now female voices. I know it’s hard to believe, that’s why I keep trying to listen to them to make sure I’m hearing right. You can hear every intonation, feelings for each note. I listen mostly to Cpop, mostly vocals, well with andromeda and 1Z mod, most of the songs that I listen were sang in studios. With the mod,it feels like these singers are singing live in front of me. It’s hard to believe, if the songs are live, then that’s one thing. But to hear studio music sounding like they are live, that’s something else. And the crazy part is, most of these Cpop songs that I listen too, they are mostly MP3 320 kbps. They sound better than FLAC and DSD that I have. Probably the master is good, but still that is amazing. Mod 1Z is energetic, high powered but not too aggressive. 1Z potential is always there, but seems to be held back by Kimber cable and power cable. 1Z levels up another level, when Kimber cable is swapped with higher grade cable, Power cable should be swapped too, because I think they increase dynamics by quite a huge margin. The only thing you’ll lose is some warmth and lack of dynamics.



Another thing, 1Z has this thing where you can choose to use string, male, female voices and percussions. I could never hear the differences between them using 1Z. After the mod, I could not only hear the difference, but also perceive them. When I choose female voices, the treble becomes sharper, high notes they sparkle, and not just fizzle out and then gone. The only way I could hear studio songs sounding like live was when I listen to 1Z using SE 5-way Ref Ultimate, with PW 1960 BlackIcon 4 core cable. That’s crazy to think that Andromeda with Ref 8 cable is almost on par with SE ref & PW 1960 cable. I love hearing live and for Andromeda to do that, its quite a miracle really As for my SE Ref Ultimate, is now on reshell, but I’m looking forward to listening to them with mod 1Z in few weeks. I’ll also be getting Warbler Prelude in couple weeks and looking forward to see what is the hype all about.



I hope to have others whose ears are trustworthy to listen to the 1Z mod and see what they have to say; i.e.: Purk; looking forward to your comments on the mod. I heard Whitigirl mentioned the mod is the best DAP you heard. Please give us some thought on that. Maybe Flickenick or Mim? Anyone?[1]



[1]


----------



## zardos

USB-DAC feature would be really nice. That would make it possible to use streaming services.


----------



## nanaholic

Bosk said:


> Thanks! That looks like a decent option nanaholic, I've been looking around and found another that's even cheaper still:
> 
> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4-4...lgo_pvid=14ca0b36-71fa-4bd3-b373-5e2f39cf18df



I try not to buy anything from Alibaba or Taobo so I don't look there but that's just me.


----------



## Wyville

nanaholic said:


> They were, these were tested for both sound as well as how the metal-plating can prolong every day usage from the OFC from rusting as well as how it affected the sound.
> 
> Sony's been testing chassis of different material since before the development of ZX2 since the ZX1 was designed around the idea of using the chassis as ground, they have actually made ZX1 prototypes with different materials like brass but were never materialised in the ZX2.  In a lot of ways their engineering team's R&D were ahead of competitors, but it probably took AK's market success to convince the management that the prices people were willing to pay for summit-fi portable gear was actually a lot higher than they expected and thus let the engineering team go all out for development.


That's really interesting, thanks for sharing! 

Funny enough, while my AK70 feels solidly built, I am still more careful with it than I ever was with my A15. The little Sony DAP just felt like it wanted to be used and taken everywhere. It has made me regret not buying a Sony, but then again I really disliked Sony's use of proprietary cables. Perhaps I will pick up the 1A at some point, or maybe the upcoming ZX300 will prove to be a tempting proposition.


----------



## Whitigir

Wyville said:


> That's really interesting, thanks for sharing!
> 
> Funny enough, while my AK70 feels solidly built, I am still more careful with it than I ever was with my A15. The little Sony DAP just felt like it wanted to be used and taken everywhere. It has made me regret not buying a Sony, but then again I really disliked Sony's use of proprietary cables. Perhaps I will pick up the 1A at some point, or maybe the upcoming ZX300 will prove to be a tempting proposition.



Sony WM port is amazing, really.  It allows Walkman to play USB Digital transport and charging separately, and there are more features to it....hell...even video in/out...recording....etc....etc....but let's not go there


----------



## biscottino

Hi guys, 

i  have some problem with my wm1a with a200 gb micro sd card San Disk.
I put the same card in qp1r and arm2 and read it safely, i read that it is best to use 128 or 256gb cards, it is correct?
Someone plays 256 gb microsd?


----------



## mw7485

biscottino said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> i  have some problem with my wm1a with a200 gb micro sd card San Disk.
> I put the same card in qp1r and arm2 and read it safely, i read that it is best to use 128 or 256gb cards, it is correct?
> Someone plays 256 gb microsd?



You should be able to use any sized card currently available.

Are your files in a folder called: Music in the root of the micro-sd card?


----------



## CMBoss (Aug 13, 2017)

biscottino said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> i  have some problem with my wm1a with a200 gb micro sd card San Disk.
> I put the same card in qp1r and arm2 and read it safely, i read that it is best to use 128 or 256gb cards, it is correct?
> Someone plays 256 gb microsd?



I use a 256gb sandisk, no issues


----------



## siruspan

1 hour till audio nirvana?


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## CMBoss

My Zz....... Almost 100Hrs


----------



## Quadfather

biscottino said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> i  have some problem with my wm1a with a200 gb micro sd card San Disk.
> I put the same card in qp1r and arm2 and read it safely, i read that it is best to use 128 or 256gb cards, it is correct?
> Someone plays 256 gb microsd?



I use a Sandisk 256gb miniSD in my NW-WM1A, and it works perfectly. I bought it at Best Buy so there was a smaller chance of counterfeits.


----------



## Quadfather

I am I'm love with my Audioquest Nighthawk headphones.  They are phenomenal out of Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, but sound muted and muddy from Sony NW-WM1A.   Have not purchased balanced yet...may be a synergy thing, because other cans sound awesome.


----------



## Wyville

Whitigir said:


> Sony WM port is amazing, really.  It allows Walkman to play USB Digital transport and charging separately, and there are more features to it....hell...even video in/out...recording....etc....etc....but let's not go there


I will trust you entirely on this. I never looked into those advantages because I am boring and only listen to music. I mainly remember that I wanted to use my A15 as a transport for a Mojo and while I was looking into it could not even find a suitable cable for it. Now, I happily admit to being an idiot and it might have been easy, I just couldn't find it and thus opted for the AK70 instead.


----------



## ledzep (Aug 13, 2017)

Quadfather said:


> I am I'm love with my Audioquest Nighthawk headphones.  They are phenomenal out of Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, but sound muted and muddy from Sony NW-WM1A.   Have not purchased balanced yet...may be a synergy thing, because other cans sound awesome.



I re terminated a stock cable for someone for the 1A recently to 4.4mm and was told it sounded fantastic.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 13, 2017)

Wyville said:


> I will trust you entirely on this. I never looked into those advantages because I am boring and only listen to music. I mainly remember that I wanted to use my A15 as a transport for a Mojo and while I was looking into it could not even find a suitable cable for it. Now, I happily admit to being an idiot and it might have been easy, I just couldn't find it and thus opted for the AK70 instead.


Now, this I agree.  I do not understand why Sony Do not sell more cables and accessories.  It is very sad, hell....even Cradle docking station and USB dongles are Japan accessories only...what in the freak.  I can work on those and improve them further, but what about common folks ? And in many many instances, the stock cables inside those amplifier such as Pha2, Pha3, TA-ZH1ES...SuCK!

Being Sony proprietary port and they are well known for different digital innovations.  The WM port is no stranger in those areas.  Thick pins that can totally satisfy the best possible scenarios of conductivity and sound quality.  The ability to pair with S-Master circuitry and even further enhancing the sound quality in Digital functions and transportations.  Just look at the docking Cradle station main board here.  I just finished upgrading it.  Now, who else out there can do such things if not Sony ? If you think you are listening to Walkman digital transportation by using a regular cheaply made cables is good enough or that anything digital for music transportation won't gain any improvements, think again.


----------



## nanaholic

Wyville said:


> I just couldn't find it and thus opted for the AK70 instead.



While the AK70 is not bad to pair with Mojo, it has that annoying bug where the beginning of the song gets cut of sometimes.


----------



## Wyville

nanaholic said:


> While the AK70 is not bad to pair with Mojo, it has that annoying bug where the beginning of the song gets cut of sometimes.


I will just start saving for a second DAP (the 1A) and have the best of both worlds.


----------



## kms108

nanaholic said:


> I know.  Sato-san asked me if I was really okay with him signing the 1Z, I said of course because I'm planning to keep this forever.
> 
> Now I want to get a clear case for my 1Z.


have a look at this benks case, probably the best clear case available.

https://world.tmall.com/item/544373...3716031&cm_id=140105335569ed55e27b&abbucket=3


----------



## Whitigir

Does anyone know where I can buy High-res stickers ?


----------



## biscottino

mw7485 said:


> You should be able to use any sized card currently available.
> 
> Are your files in a folder called: Music in the root of the micro-sd card?



Yes, of course, but The Sony see nothing.


----------



## biscottino

CMBoss said:


> I use a 256gb sandisk, no issues



What do you think about this:

https://www.amazon.it/Samsung-88060...02649148&sr=8-1&keywords=Micro+sd+256+gb&th=1


----------



## biscottino

Quadfather said:


> I use a Sandisk 256gb miniSD in my NW-WM1A, and it works perfectly. I bought it at Best Buy so there was a smaller chance of counterfeits.



Great, i must decide, Samsung or Sandisk 256gb...


----------



## Whitigir

biscottino said:


> What do you think about this:
> 
> https://www.amazon.it/Samsung-8806088449227-Memoria-MicroSDXC-Adattatore/dp/B01H5FAMFU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502649148&sr=8-1&keywords=Micro+sd+256+gb&th=1


Only buy MicroSD by Amazon as the "seller", do not buy from others....there are oceans of counterfeit


----------



## biscottino

Whitigir said:


> Only buy MicroSD by Amazon as the "seller", do not buy from others....there are oceans of counterfeit



Good idea!
Is better Samsung or Sandisk about The 256gb?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 13, 2017)

I have Samsung and its faster tan sanddisk and Works flawlessly on my walkman, I have the Green sammy microSD card not the red one and is still fast


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## CMBoss (Aug 13, 2017)

biscottino said:


> Good idea!
> Is better Samsung or Sandisk about The 256gb?



Exactly what Whitgir said, buy only from Amazon as Seller, mine was from Amazon Uk, worked straight out of the box, zero issues.

Also was cheaper than Samsung, so was an easy decision.... but am biased to Sandisk from time immemorial....

Infact, WM1Z , Z1R & 256gb San...... bought all from Amazon, the deal was superb....


----------



## zardos

Scandisk SDXC 512GB works also?


----------



## SoLame

zardos said:


> Scandisk SDXC 512GB works also?


Only micro SD will fit in the player.


----------



## kms108

Whitigir said:


> Does anyone know where I can buy High-res stickers ?



You can only get the original one's from Sony, for non originals, you can get them free from taobao if you buy cases, glass protectors for DAP, I have about 20 of those hi res stickers.


----------



## Quadfather

SoLame said:


> Only micro SD will fit in the player.



True.  The 512gb works sweetly in my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana.


----------



## mw7485

biscottino said:


> Yes, of course, but The Sony see nothing.



In which case only two possibilities remain. 1) a defective card (unlikely) 2) a formatting issue. Did you format the card before using it in the other player?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 13, 2017)

mw7485 said:


> In which case only two possibilities remain. 1) a defective card (unlikely) 2) a formatting issue. Did you format the card before using it in the other player?


Or all of the above is correct, but he has no "MUSIC" Folder on the microSD

microsd root
---MUSIC
-------JS BACH
---------Cello suites disk 1
---------Cello suites disk 2
---------etcetera


----------



## rcoleman1

CMBoss said:


> I use a 256gb sandisk, no issues



Same here...no problem.


----------



## ezekiel77 (Aug 13, 2017)

Wyville said:


> I will just start saving for a second DAP (the 1A) and have the best of both worlds.



Sold Mojo for the 1A, no regrets. No more stacking, no more charging 2 separate devices, longer battery life, and a nice UI. For sound quality, they're on par in terms of detail and musicality, but I like the openness of 1A more. The one caveat? More spending on balanced cables lol. 4.4mm is a winner!

Ok I'll go back to my corner now. There's already enough poison in Nic's thread for you.


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 13, 2017)

kms108 said:


> have a look at this benks case, probably the best clear case available.
> 
> https://world.tmall.com/item/544373...3716031&cm_id=140105335569ed55e27b&abbucket=3



Already ordered a similar clear one from Amazon.   But thanks anyway.



ezekiel77 said:


> Sold Mojo for the 1A, no regrets. No more stacking, no more charging 2 separate devices, longer battery life, and a nice UI. For sound quality, they're on par in terms of detail and musicality, but I like the openness of 1A more. The one caveat? More spending on balanced cables lol. 4.4mm is a winner!



I have a Mojo which I sometimes use with my AK70, that was my "ultimate" portable rig before I got a secondhand AK380, I later sold the 380 after getting the 1Z but kept both the AK70 and Mojo. With the Dignis case it actually makes for a very nice neat stack, the Mojo offers a fair bit more power over the 1Z and with a 3.5mm jack is much easier to test more demanding fullsize headphones like when I was at the AV show over the weekend because most headphones don't come in 4.4mm terminated just yet. At home I find that the AK70/Mojo stack paired with the Denon AH-D7200 is quite excellent (with the Z1R not so much, much prefer 1Z+Z1R for the full Sony synergy) - again except for that annoying sound cut off bug, oh and it runs hot and eats battery quick, which is another thing that the S-Master in don't do.  Come to think of it I think the KANN is actually AK's take on the AK70/Mojo stack when they saw how popular that pairing was, the physical size even feels somewhat like one in hand. I still keep the Mojo to use with my laptop sometimes, but wondering if I should upgrade to the Hugo 2 or wait to see if USB-DAC functionality will come to the 1Z.


----------



## mw7485

gerelmx1986 said:


> Or all of the above is correct, but he has no "MUSIC" Folder on the microSD
> 
> microsd root
> ---MUSIC
> ...



See post 13501.


----------



## Wyville

ezekiel77 said:


> Sold Mojo for the 1A, no regrets. No more stacking, no more charging 2 separate devices, longer battery life, and a nice UI. For sound quality, they're on par in terms of detail and musicality, but I like the openness of 1A more. The one caveat? More spending on balanced cables lol. 4.4mm is a winner!
> 
> Ok I'll go back to my corner now. There's already enough poison in Nic's thread for you.


Hahaha! I don't mind. My wife might, but not me! 

I have the AK70 now instead of the A15/Mojo, so I have avoided stacking at least. After trying balanced I will certainly get the Ares II in 2.5mm and I did note that Effect Audio sell a 2.5mm to 4.4mm adapter, so I am already ahead of you there. 

BTW. I might be getting a demo of the H8.2 in a few weeks. Talk about temptation!


----------



## ezekiel77

Wyville said:


> I did note that Effect Audio sell a 2.5mm to 4.4mm adapter, so I am already ahead of you there.



Small voice in your head, "are you sure you want to add another variable into the signal path?"
Haha.


----------



## biscottino

mw7485 said:


> In which case only two possibilities remain. 1) a defective card (unlikely) 2) a formatting issue. Did you format the card before using it in the other player?


Yes, The 200 gb, with "music" folder, works very well in The Acoustic Research mr2, but the wm1a, don't see it.
I use a card Lexar 128gb, formatted as the same of the 200gb SanDisk, same "music" folder, and work very well in The Sony.


----------



## Wyville

ezekiel77 said:


> Small voice in your head, "are you sure you want to add another variable into the signal path?"
> Haha.


Oh no... must resist...


----------



## blazinblazin

I remember somewhere in this thread there's a tool that "fix" the card on this problem.


----------



## ttt123 (Aug 14, 2017)

biscottino said:


> Yes, The 200 gb, with "music" folder, works very well in The Acoustic Research mr2, but the wm1a, don't see it.
> I use a card Lexar 128gb, formatted as the same of the 200gb SanDisk, same "music" folder, and work very well in The Sony.


> Plug into USB on a PC and see if the internal memory and the micro SD card shows up.  If it does not show up, then you need to figure out why
> If it does show up, try creating  a new music folder in the root directory, and moving all the files over to the new Music folder. Perhaps there is something not right, a control character in the name, etc., which results in the Sony not finding a Music folder.  A move of the files does not take much time, as only the pointer to the files is changed.  A copy would take much longer.

Try doing just a few folders first, to test it out.


----------



## pietcux (Aug 14, 2017)

biscottino said:


> Yes, The 200 gb, with "music" folder, works very well in The Acoustic Research mr2, but the wm1a, don't see it.
> I use a card Lexar 128gb, formatted as the same of the 200gb SanDisk, same "music" folder, and work very well in The Sony.


I had a similar problem with a 64 GB micro SD card. It was recognized by all of my cameras, my PCs but not from the WM1A. In the end I put it into my wifes Sony A-15 DAP and found that it could format the card. Did that and now the WM1A can see it and work properly with it. Maybe you can format it under Windows XP to simple FAT or on a Linux PC. W10 cannot do that anymore. Maybe old aged Android smartphones can also help.


----------



## bsimms99

nanaholic said:


> Already ordered a similar clear one from Amazon.   But thanks anyway.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a Mojo which I sometimes use with my AK70, that was my "ultimate" portable rig before I got a secondhand AK380, I later sold the 380 after getting the 1Z but kept both the AK70 and Mojo. With the Dignis case it actually makes for a very nice neat stack, the Mojo offers a fair bit more power over the 1Z and with a 3.5mm jack is much easier to test more demanding fullsize headphones like when I was at the AV show over the weekend because most headphones don't come in 4.4mm terminated just yet. At home I find that the AK70/Mojo stack paired with the Denon AH-D7200 is quite excellent (with the Z1R not so much, much prefer 1Z+Z1R for the full Sony synergy) - again except for that annoying sound cut off bug, oh and it runs hot and eats battery quick, which is another thing that the S-Master in don't do.  Come to think of it I think the KANN is actually AK's take on the AK70/Mojo stack when they saw how popular that pairing was, the physical size even feels somewhat like one in hand. I still keep the Mojo to use with my laptop sometimes, but wondering if I should upgrade to the Hugo 2 or wait to see if USB-DAC functionality will come to the 1Z.



This is me personally but waiting a bit is a big difference in money lol, Free Feature VS. $2100, granted its an awesome device.


----------



## biscottino (Aug 15, 2017)

Someone know this adapter 2.5mm to 4.4mm balanced jack?


----------



## biscottino

pietcux said:


> I had a similar problem with a 64 GB micro SD card. It was recognized by all of my cameras, my PCs but not from the WM1A. In the end I put it into my wifes Sony A-15 DAP and found that it could format the card. Did that and now the WM1A can see it and work properly with it. Maybe you can format it under Windows XP to simple FAT or on a Linux PC. W10 cannot do that anymore. Maybe old aged Android smartphones can also help.



I try to format directly in the wm1a, but the dap see nothing card...after, i format it in my sony vaio, create folder "music" in the same mode of the 128 micro sd, but, the wm1a, found nothing.
I think, this micro sd is incompatible with Sony.


----------



## Whitigir

biscottino said:


> Someone know this adapter 2.5mm to 4.4mm balanced jack?
> 
> so, i must order my new microsd 256gb At the end of the holiday, sure i try it.


What adapter are you trying to get ? And using for what ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

biscottino said:


> I try to format directly in the wm1a, but the dap see nothing card...after, i format it in my sony vaio, create folder "music" in the same mode of the 128 micro sd, but, the wm1a, found nothing.
> I think, this micro sd is incompatible with Sony.


 try using exFAT file format


----------



## Steven Stone1

gerelmx1986 said:


> try using exFAT file format


Unlike many players I've used, this Sony is very particular about cards. None of my pre-loaded cards would work (all of which worked on multiple other players). My solution was to format fat 32 and let the Sony, when tethered, populate the card. a PITA, but that' what worked...


----------



## gerelmx1986

It is a not about Sony being fussy over card format, is more about the inherent nature of the file system, fat 32 can only see, of I remember, up to 64GB, therefore exFAT was created to be able to work with cards greater than 64, my zx 100, formatted 64 and below cards as fat 32, and 128 and up as exFAT


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 14, 2017)

I learned this from windows XP haha tried to cram fat in a 120GB hard drive and didn't work until I used ntfs

Most USB drives are fat 32 because they are lower than 64. But I got to try a sanddisk 128 cruzer and it was exFAT formatted. 

That fiios, ak, etcétera format 128 GB cards as fat seems so unnatural to force a file system whose upper limit is 2^32 addressable bytes


----------



## AnakChan

Steven Stone1 said:


> Unlike many players I've used, this Sony is very particular about cards. None of my pre-loaded cards would work (all of which worked on multiple other players). My solution was to format fat 32 and let the Sony, when tethered, populate the card. a PITA, but that' what worked...


I had a similar issue and like you I had to format for it to accept my card. I noticed that after formatting, the OS put some additional files in root which didn't when I inserted the pre-loaded card.


----------



## biscottino (Aug 15, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> What adapter are you trying to get ? And using for what ?



2.5mm --> 4.4mm balanced


----------



## Witcher

ooo... ze chain! eet ees complete!!!


----------



## goyete

Witcher said:


> ooo... ze chain! eet ees complete!!!



I don't think so! For a complete Sony boy/fan, you need the new Sony tips: http://www.sony.jp/headphone/products/EP-TC50/. I have them and it works fine with your rigid MUC-M12SB1. For me they are more confortable than the Complyfoam tips (and chepaer becouse the Comply lasts to me less than 3 weeks of daily usage).


----------



## Witcher

goyete said:


> I don't think so! For a complete Sony boy/fan, you need the new Sony tips: http://www.sony.jp/headphone/products/EP-TC50/. I have them and it works fine with your rigid MUC-M12SB1. For me they are more confortable than the Complyfoam tips (and chepaer becouse the Comply lasts to me less than 3 weeks of daily usage).


lol! I do have these. They hurt my ears. Even the normal Isolation Complys don't work for me as well as the Comfort series does.


----------



## all999 (Aug 15, 2017)

goyete said:


> I don't think so! For a complete Sony boy/fan, you need the new Sony tips: http://www.sony.jp/headphone/products/EP-TC50/. I have them and it works fine with your rigid MUC-M12SB1. For me they are more confortable than the Complyfoam tips (and chepaer becouse the Comply lasts to me less than 3 weeks of daily usage).



I'm using this new tips with my EX1000 and it's the best choice imo. Hoping to get them paired with WM1A this week 



Witcher said:


> lol! I do have these. They hurt my ears. Even the normal Isolation Complys don't work for me as well as the Comfort series does.



This is awkward. Aren't You trying to insert them too deep? These are the most comfortable tips I have ever tried.


----------



## goyete

all999 said:


> I'm using this new tips with my EX1000 and it's the best choice imo. Hoping to get them paired with WM1A this week
> 
> 
> 
> This is awkward. Aren't You trying to insert them too deep? These are the most comfortable tips I have ever tried.



I bought 2 pair for my 2 pair of Z5 and I have bought another pair of tips for my EX1000. I think they are the best tips I have tried. They stay in my ear becouse it's roughness without widing my ear like the Complyfoam.


----------



## mw7485

AnakChan said:


> I had a similar issue and like you I had to format for it to accept my card. I noticed that after formatting, the OS put some additional files in root which didn't when I inserted the pre-loaded card.



I think you may have just hit the nail on the head with that observation!


----------



## aisalen

I purchased the last available balanced one from amazon in preparation for my soon to purchased wm1a. Is this good? 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073Q41M5V/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## Whitigir

biscottino said:


> 2.5mm --> 4.4mm balanced


Norn audio or plussound will make them for you


----------



## Whitigir

My question would be ....why 1z/A doesn't come with high-res sticker LoL


----------



## siruspan

Whitigir said:


> My question would be ....why 1z/A doesn't come with high-res sticker LoL



Cost cutting


----------



## gerelmx1986

They ran out of space where to put the sticker on, most of the spaces now is devoted to screen area


----------



## Whitigir

siruspan said:


> Cost cutting



That is literally hilarious, or maybe the age of marketing is over LoL


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> They ran out of space where to put the sticker on, most of the spaces now is devoted to screen area


Not likely, there are place for Sony and Walkman logo, there are places for the Stickers.  I want the sticker! I suddenly want to sticker all my stuff that is upgraded LoL


----------



## kms108

even on the ZX 2, they put the stickers on the glass area, the WM1A clearly has plenty of space for that, probably want to keep the unit clear.


----------



## Quadfather

rcoleman1 said:


> Trying again...has anyone heard the Shure SE846 with the WM1A? Just curious...any thoughts?



I am listening to Shure SE846s out of a Sony NW-WM1A right now in balanced.   The Reference 8 ALO balanced cable is by far the tightest MMXC you can get,  which prevents damage to the female connector. The sound is divine. I am using white nozzle filters.


----------



## kms108

Whitigir said:


> Not likely, there are place for Sony and Walkman logo, there are places for the Stickers.  I want the sticker! I suddenly want to sticker all my stuff that is upgraded LoL


I have a few if you want tham I can give you a few, just pm me your address.


----------



## Whitigir

Thank you so much, you have got Pm


----------



## kms108 (Aug 16, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Thank you so much, you have got Pm



Just to let you know they are not original, but you can only tell side by side. I have a spare white/cloud color dust cap for the wm port, do you need that.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir do you think they will do better to the sound quality?


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> Whitigir do you think they will do better to the sound quality?


cosmetic, makes it prettier.


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Whitigir do you think they will do better to the sound quality?


Lol, no...just better to look at.  It kind of will satisfy me more as I modified my stuff, such as the docking cradle that I modified internal ugly OFC wires into silver-gold and WM1Z internal Kimber and OFC wires into silver gold


----------



## goyete

Hello, someone knows why sometimes it sounds a "click" sound at the start of the songs? I remember I heard them frecuently with the 1.10 version but not with the 1.20 version. Now with the Melissa Menago Little Crimes, each time the song finishes and starts the next, a little "click" sounds at the start. If I rewind to the start, it doesn't sounds, only when one song finish and the next starts. The files are legal from HDtracks, un 192/24 FLAC. I have tried FLAC uncompressed, even ALAC but always sound. In other files, it sounds good without click, I only remember this album with this problem. Any idea??


----------



## PCheung

Relay switching clock, no problem.


----------



## goyete

PCheung said:


> Relay switching clock, no problem.



No sir, I know the sound of the relay. The sound I'm speaking for is inside the music, not in the unit.


----------



## biscottino

I buy this cable balanced for Utopia, 8N OCC copper conductor With Silver plated, it sounds smooth but great details, articulate. I'm in love...


----------



## bana

Ordered the 1Z yesterday after seeing the price for $2699.00, got the 256G Samsung card as well.
I need 4.4 to 2.5mm plug, any recommendations?

I want the clear Benks case but can't find it on Amazon, and having a problem on the Chinese sites, help help!!


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 16, 2017)

biscottino said:


> I buy this cable balanced for Utopia, 8N OCC copper conductor With Silver plated, it sounds smooth but great details, articulate. I'm in love...




Your look very small and stiff  here is mine.  I hope u did pay a good price.  These are counterfeit plugs for 4.4mm and LEMO, both are Cheaper than original LEMO and Pentaconn


----------



## biscottino

Whitigir said:


> Your look very small and stiff  here is mine.  I hope u did pay a good price.  These are counterfeit plugs for 4.4mm and LEMO, both are Cheaper than original LEMO and Pentaconn


I don't like big cable  Python's style like The original Focal, this cable cost about 110€, for me is a good choice.
I also have a kimber by sony, modded by me, about 220€,, I can not say it sounds really better, this has more detail and is very handly.


----------



## Whitigir

biscottino said:


> I don't like big cable  Python's style like The original Focal, this cable cost about 110€, for me is a good choice.
> I also have a kimber by sony, modded by me, about 220€,, I can not say it sounds really better, this has more detail and is very handly.



You do know the sizes of the internal wires on WM1A/Z is 22AWG perpolarity ? Now if you use smaller sizes per polarity for "Headphones"....but as long as you hear it and like it, that is all the matter


----------



## kms108

bana said:


> Ordered the 1Z yesterday after seeing the price for $2699.00, got the 256G Samsung card as well.
> I need 4.4 to 2.5mm plug, any recommendations?
> 
> I want the clear Benks case but can't find it on Amazon, and having a problem on the Chinese sites, help help!!



try aliexpress


----------



## nanaholic

goyete said:


> Hello, someone knows why sometimes it sounds a "click" sound at the start of the songs? I remember I heard them frecuently with the 1.10 version but not with the 1.20 version. Now with the Melissa Menago Little Crimes, each time the song finishes and starts the next, a little "click" sounds at the start. If I rewind to the start, it doesn't sounds, only when one song finish and the next starts. The files are legal from HDtracks, un 192/24 FLAC. I have tried FLAC uncompressed, even ALAC but always sound. In other files, it sounds good without click, I only remember this album with this problem. Any idea??



If it only happens with this album then probably corrupted file during download.  I'll recommend re-downloading the files.


----------



## animalsrush (Aug 16, 2017)

bana said:


> Ordered the 1Z yesterday after seeing the price for $2699.00, got the 256G Samsung card as well.
> I need 4.4 to 2.5mm plug, any recommendations?
> 
> I want the clear Benks case but can't find it on Amazon, and having a problem on the Chinese sites, help help!!


Contact Trevor at  Norne audio or even plussound sells them I mean 4.4 to 2.5 mm connector 

Pc


----------



## gerelmx1986

@goyete are you playing mp3 or aac files? I don't really know if this new OS add support o gapless, for lossy files.

if files are flac, then checl what nanaholic said about the corruption. My advice is that corruption can also happen from a defective hard-drive,  a bad file transfer (e.g. removing the USB cable, without first performing an eject hardware)


----------



## biscottino

Whitigir said:


> You do know the sizes of the internal wires on WM1A/Z is 22AWG perpolarity ? Now if you use smaller sizes per polarity for "Headphones"....but as long as you hear it and like it, that is all the matter



I've seen, but personally, I think this good cable, also because my current reference is the Kimber by Sony that costs twice.
The cable sounds like Kimber with the same consistency, but with more detail, at the price paid I find satisfied.
If I look at the cypher cable of the Isine10, about a hair, and how they sound fine, wow, the cable is definitely not the main problem for me.


----------



## Sleepow

Last week I terminated my Ultrasone Edition8 with the Pentaconn OFC.
I have no idea if it is the fact that it is now balanced, the better connector or simply the fact that the 1Z is better through balance, but I like what I am hearing.
The soundstage opened up, the bass is more or less the same, but most importantly, although the trebles are maybe even more extended, they are less sibilant.
As a result, I feel the Ed8 sound more natural.
I actually was not listening to them anymore, replaced at home by Stax and on the go by inears, but they are now getting ear time again.


----------



## Whitigir

Pentaconn OFC is actually best of the best 4.4mm that you can buy.  However, Balanced is superior to SE, and the differences you are explaining is more like the balanced VS SE.  Plugs can affect the sound, but not to this extents


----------



## Quadfather

I am really impressed with Shure SE846 with ALO Audio Reference 8 balanced cables out of the Sony NW-WM1A balanced headphone output.  Sounds awesome.


----------



## Gosod

I want to listen to this player through the balanced output, after a conversation with my friend I become very interesting.


----------



## bvng3540

Gosod said:


> I want to listen to this player through the balanced output, after a conversation with my friend I become very interesting.


Yes once you go balanced you WILL NEVER want to go back to SE on Wm1a/z


----------



## bsimms99

bvng3540 said:


> Yes once you go balanced you WILL NEVER want to go back to SE on Wm1a/z



This*


----------



## djhitman

where can I buy a good looking case for the wm1a? any recommendations?


----------



## kubig123

djhitman said:


> where can I buy a good looking case for the wm1a? any recommendations?



I would recommend Dignis, now you can find few cases in the refurbished section, an excellent deal

http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/prod...ished-product/169/?cate_no=89&display_group=1


----------



## gerelmx1986

The only time I use SE, is in the car


----------



## goyete

gerelmx1986 said:


> @goyete are you playing mp3 or aac files? I don't really know if this new OS add support o gapless, for lossy files.
> 
> if files are flac, then checl what nanaholic said about the corruption. My advice is that corruption can also happen from a defective hard-drive,  a bad file transfer (e.g. removing the USB cable, without first performing an eject hardware)



Thank for your interest, it's strange. I have transfer songs to iPhone and it happens the same, in the playback from one song to the next song there is a litte beep at the start of the second song but if i rewind to the start of the second song, it doesn't sound any beep. It happen to me with the Melissa Menago album, not with other albums. I think it will be recorded in the tracks and maybe it's a normal behaviour of the players playing gapless tracks or somthing similar. Not problem with transfers, defective storage or this things at all. Thanks!


----------



## ezekiel77

Any idea if the special edition Walkman case is available to buy?


----------



## Witcher

all999 said:


> This is awkward. Aren't You trying to insert them too deep? These are the most comfortable tips I have ever tried.



No. The same depth as every other tip. I have 2 problems with these and every other tip that's considered semi-firm: my left ear has undergone an operation in the past, and therefore now have a slightly enlarged and irregular ear canal shape, and the round silicone tips don't work unless they're really soft, like the Fit ears or the stock ones (which I seem to have trouble finding). The new Sony ones don't seal well on the left. They're ok on the right if I use the mediums, which doesn't seal as well as they should, and if I use large, they hurt.


----------



## Witcher (Aug 18, 2017)

ezekiel77 said:


> Any idea if the special edition Walkman case is available to buy?



YES PLEASE! Where from? What's this called?

EDIT: Ah ok. I found it. I'll be looking out for this one for sure.

EDIT #2: apparently it's not for sale? http://earphonia.com/accessory/dignis-paying-tribute-legendary-sony-walkman-tps-l2/


----------



## biscottino

Someone know the difference of output power about EU and US version of wm1a?


----------



## tienbasse

biscottino said:


> Someone know the difference of output power about EU and US version of wm1a?


Actually none, the capping is on the software side and can be easily removed.


----------



## biscottino

My wm1a play


tienbasse said:


> Actually none, the capping is on the software side and can be easily removed.


you know how i can remove it?
Thanks


----------



## pietcux

You might want to search this thread for rockbox


----------



## AnakChan

biscottino said:


> My wm1a play
> 
> you know how i can remove it?
> Thanks


Search for rockbox in this thread


----------



## biscottino

Ok, thanks, i'm searching for...only one trouble, actuallly the battery plays wm1a over 30 hours, if i use rockbox choice, battery plays the same time?


----------



## denis1976

Hello my 1Z after the uncapp the battery plays the same in normal gain and SE of course you after the uncapp you have the high gain option and of course the battery last less but even in balanced is allways near the 20 hours or more,with the gain that you get in sound you will forget the rest....


----------



## siruspan (Aug 19, 2017)

I don't know the exact measurements for capped EU version but it's basically useless. My htc10 has much more volume than wm1a. I can go to the max volume even with iems like etymotics er4s on recordings that have good dynamics and slightly lower volume and it's not loud enough. Thank god level cap can be disabled easily. I get around 30hours on flacs 16/44 on single ended.


----------



## biscottino

denis1976 said:


> Hello my 1Z after the uncapp the battery plays the same in normal gain and SE of course you after the uncapp you have the high gain option and of course the battery last less but even in balanced is allways near the 20 hours or more,with the gain that you get in sound you will forget the rest....


Great notice, after first recharge, i play:
4 hours bt
4 hours Focal Utopia balanced
20 hours vjays

Remain 30% of total battery.


----------



## Lavakugel

It would be nice if you add the same song twice to your playlist if it would show that it's already added there...


----------



## mw7485

Lavakugel said:


> It would be nice if you add the same song twice to your playlist if it would show that it's already added there...



Yeah, duplicates are a pain - but at least you an edit the playlist files offline from the player.


----------



## Dillan

Can someone please point me in the direction to find the right cable/adapters I need to use my wm1z for usb audio out into my directstream dac? Having some trouble.


----------



## gerelmx1986

WMC-NWH10 Cable from sony


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 19, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> WMC-NWH10 Cable from sony


Yepe, this one or a Cradle docking.  The Cradle sound the best btw...just not portable enough

https://www.amazon.com/Walkman-Cradle-BCR-NWH10-NW-ZX2-Japan/dp/B00S94R5RK


----------



## aisalen

Is wm1a/z capable of deleting track from the player on the fly (which also delete it from the storage)?


----------



## gerelmx1986

aisalen said:


> Is wm1a/z capable of deleting track from the player on the fly (which also delete it from the storage)?


yes


----------



## aisalen

gerelmx1986 said:


> yes


Nice, thanks!


----------



## Bosk

I'm considering purchasing the official Sony/Kimber MUC-M12SB1 4.4mm balanced cable, which seems to be around the same price as entry-level balanced cables from most custom cable builders.

Is it true that the performance of this cable is a little underwhelming compared to similarly priced aftermarket options out there? I'm also concerned that it looks quite thick and not terribly flexible.


----------



## blazinblazin

Bosk said:


> I'm considering purchasing the official Sony/Kimber MUC-M12SB1 4.4mm balanced cable, which seems to be around the same price as entry-level balanced cables from most custom cable builders.
> 
> Is it true that the performance of this cable is a little underwhelming compared to similarly priced aftermarket options out there? I'm also concerned that it looks quite thick and not terribly flexible.



It's a decent 4.4mm cable. Not sure how it compared with other entry level cables.

It is thick but it is soft and flexible.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Just posted a small comparison article about the WM1Z comparing to the SP1000ss and AK380cu on Headfonia:
http://www.headfonia.com/aultima-sp1000-ss-and-ak380cu-vs-sony-wm1z/


----------



## ledzep

Bosk said:


> I'm considering purchasing the official Sony/Kimber MUC-M12SB1 4.4mm balanced cable, which seems to be around the same price as entry-level balanced cables from most custom cable builders.
> Is it true that the performance of this cable is a little underwhelming compared to similarly priced aftermarket options out there? I'm also concerned that it looks quite thick and not terribly flexible.



Personally I'd look at other cables unless your willing to replace the mmcx connectors as they get loose real quick. I've had two cables and both the right side came loose after removing / attaching only twice, other than that it's a decent cable.


----------



## Whitigir

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Just posted a small comparison article about the WM1Z comparing to the SP1000ss and AK380cu on Headfonia:
> http://www.headfonia.com/aultima-sp1000-ss-and-ak380cu-vs-sony-wm1z/


Wm1z gains even more soundstage and trebles details resolution with internal wires upgrades . Nice comparison btw


----------



## ledzep

Nice match with the ember / solid silver cables and Aeon's.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

ledzep said:


> Personally I'd look at other cables unless your willing to replace the mmcx connectors as they get loose real quick. I've had two cables and both the right side came loose after removing / attaching only twice, other than that it's a decent cable.


Thanks! @Whitigir


----------



## gerelmx1986

Aside from deleting one song, you can also delete entire folders


----------



## Whitigir

Yeah, nothing beats quality cables


----------



## blazinblazin

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, nothing beats quality cables


Do you know which are the best mmcx connector around? For cables.


----------



## Whitigir

blazinblazin said:


> Do you know which are the best mmcx connector around? For cables.


Unfortunately that I don't, just surf around and you will find them, any connectors with better base conductive materials will sound better.


----------



## bvng3540

blazinblazin said:


> Do you know which are the best mmcx connector around? For cables.


Alo Audio has the best MMCX, made of BERYLLIUM COPPER


----------



## CMBoss

Does Sony have a 1.2m balanced 4.4mm cable for the Z1R or is it just the 2.0m?


----------



## ledzep

blazinblazin said:


> Do you know which are the best mmcx connector around? For cables.


 For me eidolic premiums or PW Audio if you don't want to spend too much but if your cables decent and your set up is don't add cheapo stuff to it. Made my own 3.5mm to rca silver solid silver cables with rhodium and silver solder and the 6.3mm plug on the silver Aeon cable is as furutech anti magnetic rhodium plated one that set me back £45 alone. The cable is always a debatable subject for some but I know from my job silver, gold rhodium and aluminium have Rf / noise / and frequency and quality  changing properties, but that's my take on it not forcing my views on others plus they look nice which is a bonus.


----------



## Holdmyown83 (Aug 20, 2017)

In anybody's honest opinion would I be wasting my money if I listen to mostly (Mp3,AAC little bit of FLAC) Pop,Hip Hop,rock,EDM,R&B? I've owned thee Zx1 and just received the Zx100. I currently use the Sony H3's which I find pretty good to me.  I accidentally bought the Sony Cables that were for balanced 4.4 so at least I'll have those ready and not just sitting around not being used. Thanks in advance.


----------



## ledzep

Holdmyown83 said:


> In anybody's honest opinion would I be wasting my money if I listen to mostly (Mp3,AAC little bit of FLAC) Pop,Hip Hop,rock,EDM,R&B? I've owned thee Zx1 and just received the Zx100. I currently use the Sony H3's which I find pretty good to me.  I accidentally bought the Sony Cables that were for balanced 4.4 so at least I'll have those ready and not just sitting around not being used because I o my have a 3.5 jack. Thanks in advance.



No , buy with confidence !


----------



## robin1990

Holdmyown83 said:


> In anybody's honest opinion would I be wasting my money if I listen to mostly (Mp3,AAC little bit of FLAC) Pop,Hip Hop,rock,EDM,R&B? I've owned thee Zx1 and just received the Zx100. I currently use the Sony H3's which I find pretty good to me.  I accidentally bought the Sony Cables that were for balanced 4.4 so at least I'll have those ready and not just sitting around not being used because I o my have a 3.5 jack. Thanks in advance.



Some mp3 with good mastering sounds good on wm1a. For me it is a forgiving player.


----------



## gerelmx1986

wierd you call it a forgiving player, as i find it to reveal all of the flaws (and of course good masters shine)


----------



## bsimms99

So heres a stupid question, So lets say you have a Sony PHA-2a and the WM1Z, now I know you can connect each other using the 1Z port to Micro SD into the PHA, which then you are using the PHA-2A as an AMP and a DAC, so what if you just wanted the PHA-2A to act just as an AMP and not use the DAC so you can use the awesome DAC inside the 1Z? Any help would be appreciated


----------



## gerelmx1986

bsimms99 said:


> So heres a stupid question, So lets say you have a Sony PHA-2a and the WM1Z, now I know you can connect each other using the 1Z port to Micro SD into the PHA, which then you are using the PHA-2A as an AMP and a DAC, so what if you just wanted the PHA-2A to act just as an AMP and not use the DAC so you can use the awesome DAC inside the 1Z? Any help would be appreciated


 It Works excatly as you described: as a DAC/AMP, not possble to use as amp only sadly


----------



## bsimms99

gerelmx1986 said:


> It Works excatly as you described: as a DAC/AMP, not possble to use as amp only sadly



So is there a powerful portable amp that doesnt force you to use a DAC out there? I just want to listen to my 1Z through the balanced jack and add power to the 1Z so I can turn it up louder and not lose dynamics either, does such a thing exist?


----------



## bsimms99

So is there a powerful portable amp that doesnt force you to use a DAC out there? I just want to listen to my 1Z through the balanced jack and add power to the 1Z so I can turn it up louder and not lose dynamics either, does such a thing exist?


----------



## Bosk

Thanks for your cable impressions guys.


----------



## nc8000

bsimms99 said:


> So is there a powerful portable amp that doesnt force you to use a DAC out there? I just want to listen to my 1Z through the balanced jack and add power to the 1Z so I can turn it up louder and not lose dynamics either, does such a thing exist?



There are several manufacturors who do portable balanced amps. Amongst them Ray Samuels, ALO, iBasso and probably others (I have not followed the amp scene for several years now)


----------



## ledzep

bsimms99 said:


> So is there a powerful portable amp that doesnt force you to use a DAC out there? I just want to listen to my 1Z through the balanced jack and add power to the 1Z so I can turn it up louder and not lose dynamics either, does such a thing exist?



The Pha2a is a nice piece of kit the dac and amp are excellent and would not disappoint at all. But yeah you've a top dac with the 1Z so a bit more juice is the only thing you need, trouble is you can only get digital out from the WM port and no line so it has to go through a dac. I have mine hooked up at home to my ember via 3.5mm to rca not balanced I know but the quality is superb ( the ember probably does help a lot ) but portable wise and don't quote me on this but the SR71B has balanced input and output so I would think you can take the line from the 4.4mm to the balanced input of the 71. But that's only a guess as I've not tried myself. Failing that a line from 3.5mm to a good quality portable amp that doesn't colour the sound just amp it would do the trick and for me Ray Samuals has some really fine amps.


----------



## nanaholic

bsimms99 said:


> So is there a powerful portable amp that doesnt force you to use a DAC out there? I just want to listen to my 1Z through the balanced jack and add power to the 1Z so I can turn it up louder and not lose dynamics either, does such a thing exist?



There has been portable amps that is fully balanced for a while ie takes balanced input and outputs in balance, you'll just have to google for them.  You'll probably also have to get a short cable custom made that will have a 4.4mm plug on one end and whatever plug the balanced amp will take (probably some form of 2.5mm or square 4 pin connector) though.


----------



## harmonix

Hi  - seriously thinking about getting the 1z now and a few questions.

1) Is it possible to do digital out via USB to an external DAC and if so how?
2) What aftermarket cables work best in a mobile setup with a balanced config and what termination? Used to have Double Helix 8 strand with 3.5mm TRRS... 
3) How much break in time is needed (the ZX2 needed 150-180hrs)
4) Aftermarket cases - any brown leather cases worth looking into? (Black + copper/gold color just doesn't seem to match...)


----------



## ledzep (Aug 21, 2017)

harmonix said:


> Hi  - seriously thinking about getting the 1z now and a few questions.
> 
> 1) Is it possible to do digital out via USB to an external DAC and if so how?
> 2) What aftermarket cables work best in a mobile setup with a balanced config and what termination? Used to have Double Helix 8 strand with 3.5mm TRRS...
> ...



1, Yes Sony's cable
2, That cables fine just needs a 4.4mm trrrs termination or there is loads to choose from.
3, 500 for me
4, Dignis or a Benks clear show off the gold bullion


----------



## harmonix

ledzep said:


> 1, Yes Sony's cable
> 2, That cables fine just needs a 4.4mm trrrs termination or there is loads to choose from.
> 3, 500 for me
> 4, Dignis or a Benks clear show off the gold bullion



Can you give me a bit more detail on the Sony Cable?
I have one from before from called the WMC-NWH10. Will this work on a non-Sony USB DAC?

Thank you!


----------



## rhull1973

harmonix said:


> Hi  - seriously thinking about getting the 1z now and a few questions.
> 
> 1) Is it possible to do digital out via USB to an external DAC and if so how?
> 2) What aftermarket cables work best in a mobile setup with a balanced config and what termination? Used to have Double Helix 8 strand with 3.5mm TRRS...
> ...



I use the BHR-NWH10 dock for USB out.


----------



## Whitigir

harmonix said:


> Can you give me a bit more detail on the Sony Cable?
> I have one from before from called the WMC-NWH10. Will this work on a non-Sony USB DAC?
> 
> Thank you!





rhull1973 said:


> I use the BHR-NWH10 dock for USB out.


Yes and yes the Dock offer better performances


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> Yes and yes the Dock offer better performances


How much play is in the dock when the 1Z is in ? Flush or a few mm so I can leave the Benks case on.


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> How much play is in the dock when the 1Z is in ? Flush or a few mm so I can leave the Benks case on.


It can totally swallow the stock 1z and stock case..so it is very big opening


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> It can totally swallow the stock 1z and stock case..so it is very big opening


Thanks.


----------



## Lavakugel

Has anybody heard wm1a/z with Empire Ears Zeus, 64 audio U12, CA Vega or Westone W80? 

Want to go in this direction but I don't know which one to pick...maybe even a used one


----------



## bsimms99

nc8000 said:


> There are several manufacturors who do portable balanced amps. Amongst them Ray Samuels, ALO, iBasso and probably others (I have not followed the amp scene for several years now)



Thank you so much for this!  I finally was able to find an AMP that actually had a truely balanced in and out input on it (not an easy task) and no dac, I called so many manufacturers including the ones you mentioned and in the end I needed a Analog Balanced Portable amp, and I found only 1, the Ray Samuel’s SR-71B. I actually got to speak to Ray himself and he got Drew from Moon-Audio on the phone and told him what I was wanting to do. Drew said I would need new balanced cables for the 2 headsets I am using (Sony MDR-Z1R and HD800S) and then a cable running from the balanced out on the WM1Z to the SR-71B. I was so excited on the phone and they both laughed and said this is about the only portable AMP that will actually push and more with the HD800S in balanced and produce that hidden bass and strong dynamics that usually only show up when you connect to a desktop amp. So for me I wanted to be able to have the portable option of just using my WM1Z solo or if I needed an AMP I wouldnt be chained to desk (not carrying my desktop amp to work and home everyday lol).


----------



## bsimms99

ledzep said:


> The Pha2a is a nice piece of kit the dac and amp are excellent and would not disappoint at all. But yeah you've a top dac with the 1Z so a bit more juice is the only thing you need, trouble is you can only get digital out from the WM port and no line so it has to go through a dac. I have mine hooked up at home to my ember via 3.5mm to rca not balanced I know but the quality is superb ( the ember probably does help a lot ) but portable wise and don't quote me on this but the SR71B has balanced input and output so I would think you can take the line from the 4.4mm to the balanced input of the 71. But that's only a guess as I've not tried myself. Failing that a line from 3.5mm to a good quality portable amp that doesn't colour the sound just amp it would do the trick and for me Ray Samuals has some really fine amps.



Thank you! You were spot on with the SR71B and its analog which is what I needed with 1Z.


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> Thank you so much for this!  I finally was able to find an AMP that actually had a truely balanced in and out input on it (not an easy task) and no dac, I called so many manufacturers including the ones you mentioned and in the end I needed a Analog Balanced Portable amp, and I found only 1, the Ray Samuel’s SR-71B. I actually got to speak to Ray himself and he got Drew from Moon-Audio on the phone and told him what I was wanting to do. Drew said I would need new balanced cables for the 2 headsets I am using (Sony MDR-Z1R and HD800S) and then a cable running from the balanced out on the WM1Z to the SR-71B. I was so excited on the phone and they both laughed and said this is about the only portable AMP that will actually push and more with the HD800S in balanced and produce that hidden bass and strong dynamics that usually only show up when you connect to a desktop amp. So for me I wanted to be able to have the portable option of just using my WM1Z solo or if I needed an AMP I wouldnt be chained to desk (not carrying my desktop amp to work and home everyday lol).


Very good find, and yeah, this seems to be a good amp.  What is the power specification of the output ? It has a phase splitter for SE in and Balanced out as well


----------



## bsimms99

Im sorry I cant seem to find the specifications but I did find 2 articles going in depth with this unit.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/rev...r-71b-balanced-portable-headphone-amp.529311/ 

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/art...-balanced-portable-headphone-amp-playback-60/


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> Very good find, and yeah, this seems to be a good amp.  What is the power specification of the output ? It has a phase splitter for SE in and Balanced out as well



I did find this quote "Using my trust Rat Shack SPL meter, I measured the output of the HE-6 using the SR-71B in high gain, and with the volume maxed, with the iPad serving as the source, into the SE input of the SR-71B.  Using a song I consider to be somewhat quietly recorded ("Solid Ground" by The Radiators from Total Evaporation), I was able to get 94 dBA peaks.  On a recording at a hotter level ("Good Times Bad Times" from Led Zeppelin 1), I was able to get 100 dBA peaks.  At that level (which I will only listen to for a few seconds, lest I risk hearing damage), I could detect no audible distortion.  I really cannot say if the sound was "good" or not, as sound that loud bothers my ears.  But I can say it was "clean".


----------



## howdy

bsimms99 said:


> So is there a powerful portable amp that doesnt force you to use a DAC out there? I just want to listen to my 1Z through the balanced jack and add power to the 1Z so I can turn it up louder and not lose dynamics either, does such a thing exist?


You should check out the ifi DSD micro! One of the best Amp/ DAC ever. You can bypass the DAC and only use the Amp and it outputs 4 watts of power. I like the ifi even better than Chord Hugo and mojo.


----------



## bsimms99

howdy said:


> You should check out the ifi DSD micro! One of the best Amp/ DAC ever. You can bypass the DAC and only use the Amp and it outputs 4 watts of power. I like the ifi even better than Chord Hugo and mojo.



Thank you but thats a digital  amp/dac, I specifically do not want an amp with a dac, I want to use the DAC inside my Sony WM1Z, I found it though as you will see my earlier posts, its the SR-71B here's a review to give you an idea of how good and powerul it is with balanced audio 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/rev...r-71b-balanced-portable-headphone-amp.529311/


----------



## howdy

bsimms99 said:


> Thank you but thats a digital  amp/dac, I specifically do not want an amp with a dac, I want to use the DAC inside my Sony WM1Z, I found it though as you will see my earlier posts, its the SR-71B here's a review to give you an idea of how good and powerul it is with balanced audio
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/rev...r-71b-balanced-portable-headphone-amp.529311/


Ive heard it before, I have not done a side by side comparison but I can tell you it sounds amazing with the HE6. You can bypass the DAC in the Micro and use the amp only and the DAC from your 1Z. 
Just throwing out another option for you.


----------



## bsimms99

howdy said:


> Ive heard it before, I have not done a side by side comparison but I can tell you it sounds amazing with the HE6. You can bypass the DAC in the Micro and use the amp only and the DAC from your 1Z.
> Just throwing out another option for you.



Nice thank you, and how did you go about being able to bypass the DAC on the Micro?


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> Nice thank you, and how did you go about being able to bypass the DAC on the Micro?


You can use SE input and SE output, the Micro has no balanced connection anywhere


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> You can use SE input and SE output, the Micro has no balanced connection anywhere



Yeah I saw that too just now, but at least I can tell my co-worker about this one since hes a big cheapskate and refuses to pay the price for balanced lol.


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> Yeah I saw that too just now, but at least I can tell my co-worker about this one since hes a big cheapskate and refuses to pay the price for balanced lol.


Yeah, he can potentially use 3.5mm trrs into micro and it would be better than just 3.5 alone


----------



## bsimms99

Ill take pictures and give my impressions once everything is delivered and setup......Im so excited!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## howdy

With the advances in technology you can make a SE output sound just as good as balanced. To me and many here, the balanced output is just a sales gimmick. 
Also, i hope you dont think spending more means you get better, that is dumbest thing everyone needs to learn early on.


----------



## bsimms99 (Aug 21, 2017)

howdy said:


> With the advances in technology you can make a SE output sound just as good as balanced. To me and many here, the balanced output is just a sales gimmick.
> Also, i hope you dont think spending more means you get better, that is dumbest thing everyone needs to learn early on.



For all the testing I have done as a lot of others here as well, there is a difference with balanced, and I think you are taking my statement about my co-worker being cheap out of context. My co-worker is that guy that is so cheap he will go dumpster diving or use a frayed cable instead of buying a cheap new cable, I never stated if you spend more the better quality you will get for sound. Honestly I have listened to floor standing 2 channel speakers that were 8k and then listened to a pair that was 80k and I couldnt tell the difference and thats a huge margin.


----------



## bsimms99

howdy said:


> With the advances in technology you can make a SE output sound just as good as balanced. To me and many here, the balanced output is just a sales gimmick.
> Also, i hope you dont think spending more means you get better, that is dumbest thing everyone needs to learn early on.



Also I was going to say, I had been looking at that ifi too for a long time and just didnt pull the trigger on it but I do appreciate the feedback on it because I was looking for something for my computer and your statement made me put it on my list on amazon for in the near future.


----------



## nc8000

bsimms99 said:


> Thank you so much for this!  I finally was able to find an AMP that actually had a truely balanced in and out input on it (not an easy task) and no dac, I called so many manufacturers including the ones you mentioned and in the end I needed a Analog Balanced Portable amp, and I found only 1, the Ray Samuel’s SR-71B. I actually got to speak to Ray himself and he got Drew from Moon-Audio on the phone and told him what I was wanting to do. Drew said I would need new balanced cables for the 2 headsets I am using (Sony MDR-Z1R and HD800S) and then a cable running from the balanced out on the WM1Z to the SR-71B. I was so excited on the phone and they both laughed and said this is about the only portable AMP that will actually push and more with the HD800S in balanced and produce that hidden bass and strong dynamics that usually only show up when you connect to a desktop amp. So for me I wanted to be able to have the portable option of just using my WM1Z solo or if I needed an AMP I wouldnt be chained to desk (not carrying my desktop amp to work and home everyday lol).



The SR71B is an excelent amp, I had one for 3-4 years and loved it but always wanted just a one box solution since I just travel with my JH13 ciem


----------



## bsimms99

nc8000 said:


> The SR71B is an excelent amp, I had one for 3-4 years and loved it but always wanted just a one box solution since I just travel with my JH13 ciem



Would be nice to have an IEM that performed as well as the top over the ear headphones and actually be comfortable to sit in my ears for 2-3 hours at a time, Ive tried so many IEMs I honestly have given up on there being an IEM thats comfortable because I am a sucker in the past when either reviewers or people say "extremely comfortable", then I try it and get ear aches after 30 minutes...........its bs


----------



## nanaholic

bsimms99 said:


> Would be nice to have an IEM that performed as well as the top over the ear headphones and actually be comfortable to sit in my ears for 2-3 hours at a time, Ive tried so many IEMs I honestly have given up on there being an IEM thats comfortable because I am a sucker in the past when either reviewers or people say "extremely comfortable", then I try it and get ear aches after 30 minutes...........its bs



Go custom, it's the only way to get comfortable IEMs


----------



## bsimms99

nanaholic said:


> Go custom, it's the only way to get comfortable IEMs



I might give that a shot


----------



## windstreak20

Anyone tried the Fiio RM1 Bluetooth Remote with their WM1Z/A? The Sony remote control for the WM1 series is not available in my country. Thanks for the feedback


----------



## meomap

bsimms99 said:


> I might give that a shot



My k10c is much more comfortable than any iem U owned in the past.
GAve Cardas Audio iem to a friend.
Gave Shure 530 to a friend.
Ie800 is collecting dust right now.

If I upgrade again in 2 or 3 years down the road, I still go with custom.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 22, 2017)

bsimms99 said:


> Would be nice to have an IEM that performed as well as the top over the ear headphones and actually be comfortable to sit in my ears for 2-3 hours at a time, Ive tried so many IEMs I honestly have given up on there being an IEM thats comfortable because I am a sucker in the past when either reviewers or people say "extremely comfortable", then I try it and get ear aches after 30 minutes...........its bs


Same here.  I gave up on IEMS and wouldn't go back.  The problems with my ears is that it depends on the seasons and some times it has more wax, and it is sensitive to any foreign objects even Q-tips.  I literally can be reckless and don't feel it if I try to clean it and it was itching, the next day I would have ear aches and sometimes even in ear ears infections ....it is horrible.  The same as IEMS, I could just go with whatever tips and so on to feel comfortable ...but then it started accumulating wax and aches happens....I just can't deal with it....let alone CIEMS where it gets much deeper.

Headphones is another matter, while I can enjoy larger soundstage and dynamic, I also don't need to deal with my ears problems.  Utopia is awesome with Wm1Z out of the player alone ....and I can't listen to higher than 100 at high gain out of 120, and that is with super low volume DSD stuff.  The last 20 notches of the volume bar is louder than the first 100 btw...just my observations.  However, this amp SR71B seems to be able to allow me to use it with HD800.  Now, I need to wait and see if next month the firmware update would allow 1Z to be External DAC or not


----------



## proedros

anyone having both idsd BL and wm1a , that can share some impressions ?

i should hve my wm1a today , very curious how much of an upgrade it's gonna be to my zx2 

also i want to hear again idsd BL as i still remember how much i liked it back in the demo tour in March 

as for the whole ciems/uiems thing , ever since i got my first custom back in april 2016 i have never thought again about going back to uiems - in fact i am now on my 4th pair of customs ( CA Anzu , NT6 , EE Athena , EE Zeus XR) and have not bought/tried any uiems since


----------



## nc8000

bsimms99 said:


> Would be nice to have an IEM that performed as well as the top over the ear headphones and actually be comfortable to sit in my ears for 2-3 hours at a time, Ive tried so many IEMs I honestly have given up on there being an IEM thats comfortable because I am a sucker in the past when either reviewers or people say "extremely comfortable", then I try it and get ear aches after 30 minutes...........its bs



Yes comfort with iem's is such a personal and individual thing. I love the slim deep insertion iem's like Etymotics but don't really get on with the bigger ones. Custom is clearly the winner here but even with customs there will be people who don't get on with them


----------



## nanaholic

proedros said:


> as for the whole ciems/uiems thing , ever since i got my first custom back in april 2016 i have never thought again about going back to uiems - in fact i am now on my 4th pair of customs ( CA Anzu , NT6 , EE Athena , EE Zeus XR) and have not bought/tried any uiems since



Funnily after I got my Just ear MH1 I don't buy CIEMs anymore because I already got the exact sound I want from it - I'm actually back to buying very high price/performance UIEM (100USD - 400USD range) so I can recommend them to my friends and get them into the hobby.  I recently got a pair of Acoustune HS1551 Cu, they are very good......


----------



## Decreate

nanaholic said:


> Funnily after I got my Just ear MH1 I don't buy CIEMs anymore because I already got the exact sound I want from it - I'm actually back to buying very high price/performance UIEM (100USD - 400USD range) so I can recommend them to my friends and get them into the hobby.  I recently got a pair of Acoustune HS1551 Cu, they are very good......


 Would love to get a pair of Just Ears as well; however not being able to communicate in Japanese means I have no chance in getting them...


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> Now, I need to wait and see if next month the firmware update would allow 1Z to be External DAC or not



What is your source for this update schedule? Did I miss something or is it wishful thinking?


----------



## Whitigir

mw7485 said:


> What is your source for this update schedule? Did I miss something or is it wishful thinking?


I remember Nanaholic mentioned it not too long ago ? But nothing about the DAC or whatsoever...just wishful thinking


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 22, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> I remember Nanaholic mentioned it not too long ago ? But nothing about the DAC or whatsoever...just wishful thinking



August 29th is when Sony will release the new PC sync software which replaces Media Go, no words on WM1 series firmware updates yet.  I suspect we will have to wait till ZX300 announcement and release which is probably when they will talk about firmware updates for WM1 series. Wishful thinking will be that we get firmware along with the release of the new sync software.


----------



## proedros

probably a (stupid) question that has already been answered before (in one of the 911 pages of this thread)

*i have my ciem cables previously reterminated for the zx2 pseudo-balanced TRRS , should i connect them to wm1a's balanced or SE jack ?*

thanx for any feedback


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> probably a (stupid) question that has already been answered before (in one of the 911 pages of this thread)
> 
> *i have my ciem cables previously reterminated for the zx2 pseudo-balanced TRRS , should i connect them to wm1a's balanced or SE jack ?*
> 
> thanx for any feedback


SE-jack


----------



## denis1976

Hello you can conect them to the SE because the new wm series still have that pseudo-balanced in the 3.5 mm plug or get an 3.5 trrs to 4.4mm trrs adapter and listen them in real balanced mode


----------



## proedros

denis1976 said:


> Hello you can conect them to the SE because the new wm series still have that pseudo-balanced in the 3.5 mm plug or *get an 3.5 trrs to 4.4mm trrs adapter and listen them in real balanced mode*




this would be fantastic , as i may also keep my zx2

is there such an adapter to buy ? link ?


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> this would be fantastic , as i may also keep my zx2
> 
> is there such an adapter to buy ? link ?


Plussound or norne audio


----------



## denis1976

I bought mine from Forza audioworks you have to send a mail directly to them and ask for that


----------



## proedros

great , one last question regarding the trrs>4.4 adapter 

do i get the same 100% quality as if i had my trrs cables reterminated into 4.4 ?

or is it some 50% solution ?


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> great , one last question regarding the trrs>4.4 adapter
> 
> do i get the same 100% quality as if i had my trrs cables reterminated into 4.4 ?
> 
> or is it some 50% solution ?


Adapter is an adapter, and whatever materials it was made from would impact the performances.  The best is to re-terminate, adapter is for convenience only, unless you got it made from those of the very best quality materials, but then again, it is for convenience only


----------



## denis1976

Yes the best is a cable from end to end i have a two pin and 4.4mm balanced for my iem from forza audioworks too


----------



## proedros (Aug 22, 2017)

*do you shut down your wm1a when not in use or leave it on like zx2 ? is there significant battery loss if left open with all wifi etc modes off ?*

edit : first listen with the wm1a in SE mode , i think it sounds more effortless and spacious than ZX2

will get back again with more thorough observations and thoughts

edit 2 :  well i think i can now say that wm1a sounds fantastic , and i am very happy with my purchase  

and my zeus XR has great synergy with it , in fact it's much more neutral/transparent than ZX2 so zeus benefits greatly with it

looks like zx2 will probably head into the FS threads soon, i don't think it will be getting much use time from now on 

I will wait a few days first before selling it , as I want to see if it is the new toy syndrome but i am very happy with wm1a from the first hour of listening 

now i probably need to get a 4.4 adapter/have my cables reterminated into 4.4


----------



## flipper203

if it s a new wm1a, don't forget the burn in!


----------



## proedros (Aug 22, 2017)

it's burned in , clock shows 600 hours probably in SE

did you see significant improvement with 4.4 cables , do you think it's worth the investment ?

also , how should i name the cover album pic so that the wm1a can 'see' it ?

in zx2 , the ''cover'' filename did the trick but it's not the same with wm1a


----------



## flipper203

the balanced cable is worth yes !! There is a difference in soundstage and resolution between SE and balanced. If you can reterminate at least one cable, it's better. I almost use it only in balanced with my pwaudio cable


----------



## blazinblazin

proedros said:


> it's burned in , clock shows 600 hours probably in SE
> 
> did you see significant improvement with 4.4 cables , do you think it's worth the investment ?
> 
> ...



Change to 4.4mm and get wow-ed again.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

The 4.4 mm wow factor is twice SE


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Get good 4.4 cable or reterminate your Twau  cable Proedros. Your NT6 will benefit greatly.


----------



## ledzep

Anywhere else to source a Sony Walkman cradle BCR-NWH10 apart from Japan ?


----------



## proedros (Aug 23, 2017)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Get good 4.4 cable or reterminate your Twau  cable Proedros. Your NT6 will benefit greatly.



presently i use my whiplash hybrid with the NT6 (amazing synergy indeed) and i paired my zeus XR with the whiplash twag v3 (curious if whiplash hybrid would be a better fit)

so these 2 cables will probably head for some 4.4 retermination soon


----------



## Whitigir

hamhamhamsta said:


> The 4.4 mm wow factor is twice SE


Ah yes, with your upgraded internal wires , ofcourse


----------



## proedros

gerelmx1986 said:


> Most likely some of your covers are iether non-jpgs or progressive jpg...* all cover must be baseline jpg in order to work properly*



how do you change them into baseline ?


----------



## Gibraltar

proedros said:


> how do you change them into baseline ?



If you use Windows you can open them in MS Paint and hit Save. Paint only writes baseline jpy.


----------



## Shmuel

And on a Mac?


----------



## proedros

Gibraltar said:


> If you use Windows you can open them in MS Paint and hit Save. Paint only writes baseline jpy.




will try it Jeff - btw , I really love how wm1a sounds 

oh and thanx for the Kit Kat


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> how do you change them into baseline ?


 I use photoshop save as, then there are three radio buttons for baseline standard, progressive and don't remember the other, but choose always baseline standard


----------



## Ofir_A

Shmuel said:


> And on a Mac?



Open the picture using Preview (double click the picture)
"File > Export..." and select "PNG" and save. Then open the file (PNG) and select export to "JPG".
Ofir


----------



## kubig123

ledzep said:


> Anywhere else to source a Sony Walkman cradle BCR-NWH10 apart from Japan ?



I've been looking for a while to find one for sale in the US, but unsuccessfully, I found one used on amazon jp and I bought it through Buyee.


----------



## all999

My WM1A fom Japan just arrived. How to change language to english?


----------



## Whitigir

all999 said:


> My WM1A fom Japan just arrived. How to change language to english?


I doubt Japan domestic version has English options, unless it is travel version


----------



## ledzep

kubig123 said:


> I've been looking for a while to find one for sale in the US, but unsuccessfully, I found one used on amazon jp and I bought it through Buyee.


Thanks , just checked it out and it works out the same as ebay. Found something more suited to me as I only need it to hold and charge while i used it for line out and the use the remote, don't need the digital out for now and this ones only 25% of the NWH10.


----------



## kubig123

ledzep said:


> Thanks , just checked it out and it works out the same as ebay. Found something more suited to me as I only need it to hold and charge while i used it for line out and the use the remote, don't need the digital out for now and this ones only 25% of the NWH10.



looks nice!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I reached 2000 hours


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> I reached 2000 hours


Holy Moly! Did you listen to this while you're sleeping? I only have 180+ hours on my 1Z...


----------



## bana

nanaholic said:


> August 29th is when Sony will release the new PC sync software which replaces Media Go, no words on WM1 series firmware updates yet.  I suspect we will have to wait till ZX300 announcement and release which is probably when they will talk about firmware updates for WM1 series. Wishful thinking will be that we get firmware along with the release of the new sync software.



Ju owner


hamhamhamsta said:


> Holy Moly! Did you listen to this while you're sleeping? I only have 180+ hours on my 1Z...



I'm right behind you with 2 hours, ha ha!!
I have two questions.
1. Do you have a remote control and where did you get it/
2. I'm very unhappy with Media Go, so many of my albums were ok on Itunes, now I have about 15% of my library have to tags, what software are you using to manage music?

thanks,


----------



## bsimms99

bana said:


> Ju owner
> 
> 
> I'm right behind you with 2 hours, ha ha!!
> ...



I was curious to what issues with MedioGo you were having because I personally love it, album tags and art show up for everything.


----------



## bana

bsimms99 said:


> I was curious to what issues with MedioGo you were having because I personally love it, album tags and art show up for everything.


I have about 16,000 files, 95% wave, Of that number about 950 were transferred with no tags. 
Also I can't seem to find a way to refresh the source files located in ITunes.


----------



## gerelmx1986

bana said:


> I have about 16,000 files, 95% wave, Of that number about 950 were transferred with no tags.
> Also I can't seem to find a way to refresh the source files located in ITunes.


I have all flac no issues with them so far,. Media go syncs fast too


----------



## gerelmx1986

hamhamhamsta said:


> Holy Moly! Did you listen to this while you're sleeping? I only have 180+ hours on my 1Z...


8 to 10 hours per day of listening


----------



## mw7485

ledzep said:


> Thanks , just checked it out and it works out the same as ebay. Found something more suited to me as I only need it to hold and charge while i used it for line out and the use the remote, don't need the digital out for now and this ones only 25% of the NWH10.




What is the model no of that cradle if you don't mind me asking?


----------



## mw7485

bana said:


> 1. Do you have a remote control and where did you get it/



I bought mine off flea bay. It came from the Russian fedaration. Quick delivery (about 10 days from memory), and some nice creativity on the customs declaration meant I didn't get hammered with import duties.


----------



## bsimms99

bana said:


> I have about 16,000 files, 95% wave, Of that number about 950 were transferred with no tags.
> Also I can't seem to find a way to refresh the source files located in ITunes.



I would check the settings you have set in media go, i know there are a couple of things that take quite awhile to download music art cover etc etc and you can actually see the separate downloading service that media go uses.


----------



## ledzep

mw7485 said:


> What is the model no of that cradle if you don't mind me asking?



SONY 
*STD-NWU10 BM
Charging / Data transfer stand.*


----------



## Sleepow

all999 said:


> My WM1A fom Japan just arrived. How to change language to english?



You cannot do it in the device, but can use a software tool to do so.
https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool


----------



## kubig123

Sleepow said:


> You cannot do it in the device, but can use a software tool to do so.
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool



If I'm not mistaken in Japan you can buy 2 version, the local version has only Japanese language while there is one version for export that has several languages installed.

I'm not sure that even with the *SonyNWDestTool* you can change language.


----------



## bana

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have all flac no issues with them so far,. Media go syncs fast too


I'm coming from Itunes and Ipod.
When you rip do you always do Flac?
Do you use Media Go to rip CDs?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 23, 2017)

bana said:


> I'm coming from Itunes and Ipod.
> When you rip do you always do Flac?
> Do you use Media Go to rip CDs?


 I use dbPower AMP for ripping and converting from lossless to flac or from flac to mp3 for the car USB stereo.

as dbpower AMP cd ripper has a secure database called accuRip to crosscheck with another rips of the same CD so you get bit-perfect copies, and if need you can make it rip slower, i have done so with some error-prone CDs ripping at 2X


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I sue dbPower AMP for ripping and converting from lossless to flac or from flac to mp3 for the car USB stereo



Flac is lossless


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Flac is lossless


 I Know that, i meant to convert from (another) lossless (format such as APE, wav, wavPack) to flac


----------



## Sleepow

kubig123 said:


> If I'm not mistaken in Japan you can buy 2 version, the local version has only Japanese language while there is one version for export that has several languages installed.
> 
> I'm not sure that even with the *SonyNWDestTool* you can change language.



You can, I have done it on my 1Z.
I bought the local version as they charge a premium for the ”overseas" version.


----------



## kubig123

Sleepow said:


> You can, I have done it on my 1Z.
> I bought the local version as they charge a premium for the ”overseas" version.



thanks,
good to know!


----------



## aisalen

Sleepow said:


> You can, I have done it on my 1Z.
> I bought the local version as they charge a premium for the ”overseas" version.


Nice, good to know. May I ask how can check if if my unit is cap or not? Using the same tool or there is a facility in the menu? Thanks.


----------



## kubig123

aisalen said:


> Nice, good to know. May I ask how can check if if my unit is cap or not? Using the same tool or there is a facility in the menu? Thanks.



Only the European version is capped and has the CE label on the side of the DAP, for this particular version the volumes goes only to 100 vs. 120 for all the other (uncapped) versions.

But if you want be 100% sure then use the sw tool, you'll be Abe to identify which version is your dap.


----------



## aisalen

kubig123 said:


> Only the European version is capped and has the CE label on the side of the DAP, for this particular version the volumes goes only to 100 vs. 120 for all the other (uncapped) versions.
> 
> But if you want be 100% sure then use the sw tool, you'll be Abe to identify which version is your dap.



Thanks for the info. Just making sure though I believe my incoming unit is uncapped as it was purchased from PH.


----------



## Bosk

Would anyone happen to know the model number of the WM1A compatible dock used to extract digital out from the player please? Oh and can it be simultaneously used for charging? Thanks.


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 24, 2017)

bana said:


> Ju owner
> 
> 
> I'm right behind you with 2 hours, ha ha!!
> ...



iTunes is actually the odd one out in the grand scheme of PC software as it doesn't necessarily write the metadata to the file itself but rather keeps a separate file of metadata for use for itself, every time you move away from iTunes to another piece of music library software you'll run into the same issue where it looks like the metadata is fine in iTunes but the other piece of software shows something entirely different... it's actually not Media Go's fault (believe me, I've done this painful thing of moving away from iTunes MANY times).

I haven't used iTunes for awhile now, but they should have a "write mp3 tag" option if you right click to bring up the menu, you'll have to manually do this at least several times to get iTunes to force write tag info into the file itself so you can do the migration into other software, but the process itself isn't 100% either.


----------



## Mimouille

Hey guys I have a great 4.4 cable for sale check it out.


----------



## nanaholic

bana said:


> I have about 16,000 files, 95% wave, Of that number about 950 were transferred with no tags.
> Also I can't seem to find a way to refresh the source files located in ITunes.



Wav files cannot store metadata, it's not in the specification of the file format.
You'll have to convert the wav files into a lossless format such as FLAC or ALAC.


----------



## Witcher

Bosk said:


> Would anyone happen to know the model number of the WM1A compatible dock used to extract digital out from the player please? Oh and can it be simultaneously used for charging? Thanks.


Isn't it the BCR-NWH10? I've not found any other dock for the WM1A other than this.


----------



## siruspan

Can someone comment after how many hours of burn in wm1a finally settles in? I'm on 450 hours and to be honest treble isn't as pleasing and refined as I would like


----------



## gerelmx1986

siruspan said:


> Can someone comment after how many hours of burn in wm1a finally settles in? I'm on 450 hours and to be honest treble isn't as pleasing and refined as I would like


Wait 100h more


----------



## bana

nanaholic said:


> Wav files cannot store metadata, it's not in the specification of the file format.
> You'll have to convert the wav files into a lossless format such as FLAC or ALAC.



Nanaholic, your knowledge base is astounding!!

Should I wait to see what the new software from Sony offers or try another program like Foobar, Jriver, etc.?

Thanks,


----------



## proedros

bana said:


> Nanaholic, your knowledge base is astounding!!



imo, @nanaholic is an asset to this community - all his posts are informative and to the point with no fat or blabber

plus he did this amazing english translation from the SONY people regarding the sony wm1a/wm1z making (

speaking of that interview , i think this interview should be sticky in the 1st post of this thread for easy (re)reading)

i would like to reread it now as i have the lovely wm1a in my hands/ears at the moment


----------



## harmonix

howdy said:


> With the advances in technology you can make a SE output sound just as good as balanced. To me and many here, the balanced output is just a sales gimmick.
> Also, i hope you dont think spending more means you get better, that is dumbest thing everyone needs to learn early on.


Like anything else product integrity is key. True balanced is dead quiet due to common mode rejection but I'm not sure handhelds operate in "true balaced/cmr" mode...


----------



## productred

proedros said:


> imo, @nanaholic is an asset to this community - all his posts are informative and to the point with no fat or blabber
> 
> plus he did this amazing english translation from the SONY people regarding the sony wm1a/wm1z making (
> 
> ...




I'd also like the interview to become sticky


----------



## nanaholic

bana said:


> Nanaholic, your knowledge base is astounding!!
> 
> Should I wait to see what the new software from Sony offers or try another program like Foobar, Jriver, etc.?
> 
> Thanks,



Since Foobar is free, light weight, portable and is very versatile it never hurts to have it installed on the computer IMO. I also have the DR Meter plugin installed so I can check the mastering of the music I obtain which is handy to confirm some things I hear or don't hear, it's good for listening training.  

I've purchased JRiver before and used it extensively around ver.11/12 but had since dropped it.  While JRiver is very powerful and configurable it has too many features which I don't need, namely all the non-music related media management stuff which tends to bog down the program back then. I can't comment on what the program is like now but I think that unless you are REALLY unsatisfied with the free offerings around then you can give JRiver a go, but personally I find that the free solutions are more than enough to satisfy my limited needs - namely playback, basic music management, tag editing and automatic tag filling, smart playlists, DAP syncing, reliable CD ripping to FLAC - I'm fairly certain this set of needs only makes up a tiny portion of JRiver's features, so I find JRiver pretty much overkill for myself. 

I'm cautiously optimistic regarding the new Sony program, as they said they've stripped it down to the bare minimum by removing things like photo and video support like in Media Go and is focusing solely on audio playback. But since it's going to be v1 software I also think it will suffer from a lot of bugs and teething issues, I'll definitely try it straight away, but I also expect that it will take a few minor updates for it to get good.  In the mean time I'll probably be sticking with Media Go mostly.

Also I'd recommend getting a program like mp3tag to fix tag problems if you do ever plan to move off iTunes, it's painful but you'll just have to endure it and get it over with if you plan to use anything else besides iOS devices for music playback in the future.  For what it's worth mp3 tag problems with iTunes is so bad I ended up duplicating my file library and point iTunes to have its own little sandboxed music directory so it doesn't mess up the tags I fixed.


----------



## aisalen

Agree, I am also using Foobar. Very easy easy to use besides of it being free, also using it for converting my CD to flac. The other two utility that I am using is Mp3tag and Bulk Rename Utility for renaming filenames.


----------



## kms108

Witcher said:


> Isn't it the BCR-NWH10? I've not found any other dock for the WM1A other than this.



There are no official dock made for the WM1A/1Z, they were made for the earlier models, but since they use the same WM port, they are compatible, there are two docks available, one that is pointed out a page back is just a stand for charging and data transfer, you have to use your existing cables, (I have this one), the other one is a brick which works just like the stand alone digital cable and charger, very heavy and expensive, not really expensive if you can aford the WM1A/1Z, but excellent quality.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Where can I find a Dignis case other than Ebay? I can't find it an Amazon...


----------



## denis1976 (Aug 25, 2017)

kubig123 said:


> Only the European version is capped and has the CE label on the side of the DAP, for this particular version the volumes goes only to 100 vs. 120 for all the other (uncapped) versions.
> 
> But if you want be 100% sure then use the sw tool, you'll be Abe to identify which version is your dap.


hello , the volume is up to 120 in the capped and uncaped version, the great diference is the high gain option that is not available in the capped one, plus for exemple even in normal gain, the uncaped version at the same volume position plays louder, and remove the cap from a CE version is a very simple thing to do


----------



## kms108

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Where can I find a Dignis case other than Ebay? I can't find it an Amazon...


Direct from them or from Taobao.cn


----------



## kubig123

denis1976 said:


> hello , the volume is up to 120 in the capped and uncaped version, the great diference is the high gain option that is not available in the capped one, plus for exemple even in normal gain, the uncaped version at the same volume position plays louder, and remove the cap from a CE version is a very simple thing to do



The max volumes of the one I bought from amazon uk was 100. not sure if something changed lately, I bought mine in January 2017.


----------



## bvng3540

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Where can I find a Dignis case other than Ebay? I can't find it an Amazon...



I have brown one in excellent condition let me know if you interested thanks


----------



## Whitigir

I have been looking into Dignis for a while, but the open top is ways too open for my liking, so I stick with stock case


----------



## bana

nanaholic said:


> Since Foobar is free, light weight, portable and is very versatile it never hurts to have it installed on the computer IMO. I also have the DR Meter plugin installed so I can check the mastering of the music I obtain which is handy to confirm some things I hear or don't hear, it's good for listening training.
> 
> I've purchased JRiver before and used it extensively around ver.11/12 but had since dropped it.  While JRiver is very powerful and configurable it has too many features which I don't need, namely all the non-music related media management stuff which tends to bog down the program back then. I can't comment on what the program is like now but I think that unless you are REALLY unsatisfied with the free offerings around then you can give JRiver a go, but personally I find that the free solutions are more than enough to satisfy my limited needs - namely playback, basic music management, tag editing and automatic tag filling, smart playlists, DAP syncing, reliable CD ripping to FLAC - I'm fairly certain this set of needs only makes up a tiny portion of JRiver's features, so I find JRiver pretty much overkill for myself.
> 
> ...



Based on your information I have installed Tag & Rename, I can now look at the CDs that are missing Metadata, however, because of the number of CDs this process is going to take me a while.

If I knew then what I know now, I would have ditched iTunes long ago, but I swear nobody I knew ever mentioned an issue, and I suppose if all you used were Ipods, I did not matter.

Do you always rip to FLAC?

Thanks,


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> I have been looking into Dignis for a while, but the open top is ways too open for my liking, so I stick with stock case



So I noticed Media Go is gone, where is this new software located?


----------



## nanaholic

bana said:


> Based on your information I have installed Tag & Rename, I can now look at the CDs that are missing Metadata, however, because of the number of CDs this process is going to take me a while.



Yeah it will take awhile. On the positive side you only have to do it once. 



> If I knew then what I know now, I would have ditched iTunes long ago, but I swear nobody I knew ever mentioned an issue, and I suppose if all you used were Ipods, I did not matter.



Like most things Apple, if you stay within their ecosystem then everything does work together quite seamlessly; I certainly thought iTunes was very convenient when I was deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem, but later I found out that convenience comes at the cost of interoperability.  I was a very adopter of the 2nd gen click wheel iPod and had stuck with Apple players up until the iPhone 3GS - having gone through several iPod Touches on the way.  It when I decided I want to change to a different phone and to gave Android a try when I ran into all the migrating headaches and figured out all the "gotchas" of years using iTunes. 



> Do you always rip to FLAC?



Currently I do. Previously I rip to either 320kbps mp3 or 256 aac but I don't anymore now that most things natively supports FLAC playback.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna (Aug 25, 2017)

ZX300 looks really cool


----------



## gerelmx1986

Let's see what it looks like during ifa Lauch


----------



## bsimms99

Just got the balanced cables from Moon-Audio and SR-71B, Ill post pics later and thoughts. So far.........these drive the crap out of the Z1R's and HD800S with no problem at all, I have the volume on the 1Z set to 90, the AMP is at 20% (extremely loud and full dynamics and the bass......lol im going to poop myself! Will say this if this says anything, Im selling my Bryston BHA-1, theres no need for it anymore.


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> Just got the balanced cables from Moon-Audio and SR-71B, Ill post pics later and thoughts. So far.........these drive the crap out of the Z1R's and HD800S with no problem at all, I have the volume on the 1Z set to 90, the AMP is at 20% (extremely loud and full dynamics and the bass......lol im going to poop myself! Will say this if this says anything, Im selling my Bryston BHA-1, theres no need for it anymore.


You want lowest gain possible, which means amplifier to be as little as possible, and highest source as possible....which means you want to push your 1Z well into 110


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> You want lowest gain possible, which means amplifier to be as little as possible, and highest source as possible....which means you want to push your 1Z well into 110



Thank you! I learn something new everyday. So do I want to max the 1Z or keep at 110?


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> Thank you! I learn something new everyday. So do I want to max the 1Z or keep at 110?


Depends on how your amplifier is playing in the chain, keep them all within your comfortable zone is much more important.  Even if that means you have to turn Wm1z back to normal gain


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> Depends on how your amplifier is playing in the chain, keep them all within your comfortable zone is much more important.  Even if that means you have to turn Wm1z back to normal gain



I was just wondering if I was hurting the 1Z by having it maxed for volume. Yeah my comfort requires more than what the 1Z can produce in volume levels unfortunately.


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> I was just wondering if I was hurting the 1Z by having it maxed for volume. Yeah my comfort requires more than what the 1Z can produce in volume levels unfortunately.


You wouldn't hurt a fly  don't worry


----------



## bsimms99

I believe I did this right and the images are showing, if not heres a link http://imgur.com/a/N7SdZ


----------



## bsimms99




----------



## Whitigir

Good setup


----------



## meomap

bsimms99 said:


>





bsimms99 said:


> I believe I did this right and the images are showing, if not heres a link http://imgur.com/a/N7SdZ



RSA Intruder?


----------



## bsimms99 (Aug 25, 2017)

meomap said:


> RSA Intruder?



Nevermind I get what you were referencing the RSA Intruder, I dont know but its whatever MoonAudio uses for a connector on their top of the line cable they offer. The amp is not the Intruder but The Blackbird


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> I reached 2000 hours



A stunning milestone!


----------



## gerelmx1986

i think @audionewbi reached 2000H but he left it playing continuosly with no listening, so that doesn't count as a milestone as mine ;D


----------



## audionewbi

@gerelmx1986 I probably had 400 hours of headtime. I dont know how much of a stress test that is but wm1a has no issue staying on for a month without a break.
I am truly addicted to the sound of wm1a. I have no interested for my hugo/mojo and LPG. Maybe calyx M still best it at times due to its smother sound but I for one can't wait for the next walkman flagship. 
I so wish ZX300 basically captures the sound of wm1a in a smaller form factor. I doubt it but one can hope. My only issue with wm1a is that it is too larger for truly portable usage.


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 25, 2017)

audionewbi said:


> @gerelmx1986 I probably had 400 hours of headtime. I dont know how much of a stress test that is but wm1a has no issue staying on for a month without a break.
> I am truly addicted to the sound of wm1a. I have no interested for my hugo/mojo and LPG. Maybe calyx M still best it at times due to its smother sound but I for one can't wait for the next walkman flagship.
> I so wish ZX300 basically captures the sound of wm1a in a smaller form factor. I doubt it but one can hope. My only issue with wm1a is that it is too larger for truly portable usage.



I have Lotoo Paw Gold Diana,  Questyle QP1R, and Sony NW-WM1A.   I  love them all.
I initially wasn't wowed by the Sony NW-WM1A out of the box, like I was with Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and Questyle QP1R.   Burn in on the Sony is apparently more important than on other players.


----------



## audionewbi

Quadfather said:


> I have Lotoo Paw Gold Diana,  Questyle QP1R, and Sony NW-WM1A.   I  love them all.
> I initially wasn't wowed by the Sony NW-WM1A out of the box, like I was with Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and Questyle QP1R.   Burn in on the Sony is apparently more important than on other players.


I can't really know. I really like the tonality of wm1a when I directly A/B it against other DAC's/sources.


----------



## Quadfather

audionewbi said:


> I can't really know. I really like the tonality of wm1a when I directly A/B it against other DAC's/sources.



What impresses me the most is that Sony created its own internals.


----------



## Holdmyown83

I'm curious to if the zx100 with the pha2a would bring me near to the sound of the wm1a


----------



## nc8000

bsimms99 said:


> Just got the balanced cables from Moon-Audio and SR-71B, Ill post pics later and thoughts. So far.........these drive the crap out of the Z1R's and HD800S with no problem at all, I have the volume on the 1Z set to 90, the AMP is at 20% (extremely loud and full dynamics and the bass......lol im going to poop myself! Will say this if this says anything, Im selling my Bryston BHA-1, theres no need for it anymore.



Yes the SR71B is really good and powerfull. It drove HE-500 to their full potential and could even make the HE-6 sound really good


----------



## blazinblazin

audionewbi said:


> @gerelmx1986 I probably had 400 hours of headtime. I dont know how much of a stress test that is but wm1a has no issue staying on for a month without a break.
> I am truly addicted to the sound of wm1a. I have no interested for my hugo/mojo and LPG. Maybe calyx M still best it at times due to its smother sound but I for one can't wait for the next walkman flagship.
> I so wish ZX300 basically captures the sound of wm1a in a smaller form factor. I doubt it but one can hope. My only issue with wm1a is that it is too larger for truly portable usage.



Just bring a small sling bag or waist pouch around, totally worth it.


----------



## bsimms99

nc8000 said:


> Yes the SR71B is really good and powerfull. It drove HE-500 to their full potential and could even make the HE-6 sound really good



I still can’t wrap my head around how powerful this thing is because it’s so freaking small.


----------



## FlyingTrotter

A few questions if I may - I have done some searching across the 900+ pages but have not found answers

- I know many recommend switching the region setting using rockbox from WE (I am UK based and acquired the player in the UK) to something that adds the high gain setting
- is this something I can do at any time - I am now 140 hrs in to usage and have quite a lot of music loaded
- are there any downsides to switching say in the language or other aspects of the UI which I currently find to be superb
- which region would you suggest
- would you think I would get a material benefit from using high gain with my JH Roxanne CIEMs (12 drivers but still IEMs)
- currently the Roxannes have the v2 Moon Audio SE cable with the base adjustment - would I be likely to get a material improvement to SQ from swapping to a similar quality 4.4 balanced cable (I know that I would have to do another 200 hrs burn in etc)


----------



## JayF

Which model, 1Z or 1A, pairs better with Sony's TA-ZH1ES and Z1R combo? I'm currently using the X2 but ready to upgrade. Based on what I'm reading I'm wondering if the 1A would be better as the TA-ZH1ES would tone it down a bit? I've found two reviews that suggest this but curious if any owners here have either combo. Thanks.


----------



## Dvdlucena

Hello folks! I need some help here. Does Sony Walkman Z1 or A1 capable of driving Audeze lcd2, sennheiser hd 650 or others full size headphones? Thanks


----------



## Whitigir

Utopia  yeah, it is wonderful with WM1Z, and I can never tolerate more than 80, unless low volume DSD tracks which may rack up to 105 out of 120


----------



## bsimms99

Dvdlucena said:


> Hello folks! I need some help here. Does Sony Walkman Z1 or A1 capable of driving Audeze lcd2, sennheiser hd 650 or others full size headphones? Thanks



It can drive those headphones but the HD650 and any other Senheiser's I will flat out tell you no, you will get sound, but it will be flat and bassless. You will need an AMP for it. If you go back a few pages I did quite a write up with the Sen's and ANY DAPS, Senheisers are amazing headphones when you have the power to drive them and there is not one DAP on the market that does. The Audeze lineup can be played well with the WM1Z/A is solid but and this is a huge but, you will notice a difference if you use a desktop or portable amp.


----------



## bsimms99

JayF said:


> Which model, 1Z or 1A, pairs better with Sony's TA-ZH1ES and Z1R combo? I'm currently using the X2 but ready to upgrade. Based on what I'm reading I'm wondering if the 1A would be better as the TA-ZH1ES would tone it down a bit? I've found two reviews that suggest this but curious if any owners here have either combo. Thanks.



Interesting you heard that because I have heard the opposite and have listened to Signature series all together, to me they were all made for each other, the WM1A is a great player, its just simply better with the WM1Z and its counterparts (WM1Z/Z1R/ZH1ES)


----------



## Dvdlucena

bsimms99 said:


> Interesting you heard that because I have heard the opposite and have listened to Signature series all together, to me they were all made for each other, the WM1A is a great player, its just simply better with the WM1Z and its counterparts (WM1Z/Z1R/ZH1ES)


Thanks

I'm a little confused. Does it has analog out put so I can bypass the internal amp and connect it to a desktop amp?


----------



## bsimms99

Dvdlucena said:


> Thanks
> 
> I'm a little confused. Does it has analog out put so I can bypass the internal amp and connect it to a desktop amp?



Yes it does, you need a cable.


----------



## all999

bsimms99 said:


> Yes it does, you need a cable.


Are You sure it's analog?


----------



## bsimms99

all999 said:


> Are You sure it's analog?



Yes, that was one of the big reasons it was so difficult for me to find a portable amp, almost all amps and daps use digital outs and not analog.


----------



## all999 (Aug 26, 2017)

bsimms99 said:


> Yes, that was one of the big reasons it was so difficult for me to find a portable amp, almost all amps and daps use digital outs and not analog.



I'm confused. As far as I know WM1A/Z doesn't have analog line out. If you're using WM port than it's digital. And 3,5 and 4,4mm outputs are amped so they aren't line outs. Or am I missing something?

ZH1ES is an dac/amp so if You're plugging your Sony dap to it, it's digital and it doesn't matter if you're using WM1A or any other dap with digital output because it's ZH1ES that you're getting sound from. And dap is only music/data source.


----------



## bsimms99

all999 said:


> I'm confused. As far as I know WM1A/Z doesn't have analog line out. If you're using WM port than it's digital. And 3,5 and 4,4mm outputs are amped so they aren't line outs. Or am I missing something?



From what Ray Samuels told me over the phone is that you need an analog out from the 1z to analog in on the SR-71b. Before I spoke to him I was talking to a guy from Centrance and explained what I was trying to do and he said what I needed was an analog amp to get it to work with the 1z since the every other dap uses the digital port below and the sony doesnt have it. Thats my understanding


----------



## mw7485

all999 said:


> Are You sure it's analog?



The only way to get analogue out of the 1Z/1A is this way. Either headphone port can be used as a line out - this is the official Sony position.


----------



## bsimms99

mw7485 said:


> The only way to get analogue out of the 1Z/1A is this way. Either headphone port can be used as a line out - this is the official Sony position.



This* lol you did a better job explaining than I did. Yes thats what Centrance and Ray told me


----------



## all999

mw7485 said:


> The only way to get analogue out of the 1Z/1A is this way. Either headphone port can be used as a line out - this is the official Sony position.



Using headphone output for external amp is double amping and it can affect the sound quality (and most propably it is), so I don't think Sony would recommend that. And my question came from previous statement about pairing WM1A with ZH1ES. If Sony dap don't have analog line out (without amping) than only way to hook them is WM port. And it's digital, not analog.


----------



## bsimms99

all999 said:


> Using headphone output for external amp is double amping and it can affect the sound quality (and most propably it is), so I don't think Sony would recommend that. And my question came from previous statement about pairing WM1A with ZH1ES. If Sony dap don't have analog line out (without amping) than only way to hook them is WM port. And it's digital, not analog.



Well for the part you are talking about with double amping, sorry but the sound quality has not altered in any way shape or form to the lesser.


----------



## all999 (Aug 26, 2017)

mw7485 said:


> No, analogue out via the WM port in the 1A/1Z is disabled as it was too noisy. If you're patient, I dig out the quote from Sony - will you believe me then I wonder?



Thanks, would love to read that if You'll be able to find it.



bsimms99 said:


> Well for the part you are talking about with double amping, sorry but the sound quality has not altered in any way shape or form to the lesser.



Great to hear that. I'm just talking theory, glad it works for You 

I have replaced my DX200 by NW-WM1A couple days ago and pairing it mostly with balanced MDR-EX1000. Freaking awesome synergy! A great piece of technology packed here. Love it


----------



## mw7485 (Aug 26, 2017)

all999 said:


> Using headphone output for external amp is double amping and it can affect the sound quality (and most propably it is), so I don't think Sony would recommend that. And my question came from previous statement about pairing WM1A with ZH1ES. If Sony dap don't have analog line out (without amping) than only way to hook them is WM port. And it's digital, not analog.



No, analogue out via the WM port in the 1A/1Z is disabled as it was too noisy. If you're patient, I'll dig out the quote from Sony - will you believe me then I wonder? Another point worth noting is that the amplifier in the 1A/1Z operates in the digital domain - which is probably helps explain why the signal isn't noticeably degraded with "double amping".


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 26, 2017)

First, Walkman has Coil-inductors on the output for power amplifications, which is less susceptible to any load resistance...if any (according to Sony engineer, output load resistances is a 0 concern).  There are 0 operational Amplifiers of any short of which is very sensitive to load resistances, which will heavily be affected by further amplification out to input.  Further more, Walkman Wm1a/z doesn't have MOSFET for switching modes within it chains for relay mechanism, but a solid mechanical relay to further suppress noises.

Even further than that, Digital block of S-master is all shielded up and deflecting possible noises from analog block away.

There are even more than that such as the uses of Capacitors....etc...., of which Sony engineers said that Headphones output IS your line-out, period.

Here are the coil inductors that I highlighted in red 4x



I do recommend to turn-off your High-gain function when you are using line-out from headphone ports as you will be skipping some of the pre-amplification stage resistivities in order to amplify it any further.  By that, it means you are staying as pure and as close to the raw-processing power of the S-Master Digital chip by itself .  The same can be said for any sensitive IEMS....though, with headphones, I have to use high-gain 24/7....lol


----------



## obileye obiyemi

Whitigir said:


> First, Walkman has Coil-inductors on the output for power amplifications, which is less susceptible to any load resistance...if any (according to Sony engineer, output load resistances is a 0 concern).  There are 0 operational Amplifiers of any short of which is very sensitive to load resistances, which will heavily be affected by further amplification out to input.  Further more, Walkman Wm1a/z doesn't have MOSFET for switching modes within it chains for relay mechanism, but a solid mechanical relay to further suppress noises.
> 
> Even further than that, Digital block of S-master is all shielded up and deflecting possible noises from analog block away.
> 
> ...


----------



## bsimms99

You didnt type anything.


----------



## obileye obiyemi

@Whitigir                                  Thanks so much for this info but can i ask you to please, now  explain it in simpler terms, if possible for us less technically minded folk?


----------



## Whitigir

obileye obiyemi said:


> @Whitigir                                  Thanks so much for this info but can i ask you to please, now  explain it in simpler terms, if possible for us less technically minded folk?



Let's just say, by design, Walkman Wm1A/Z is not dependent on load resistances, and therefore double amplifications is not a thing to be worrying about


----------



## obileye obiyemi

Thank you!


----------



## Quadfather

It strikes me that the Sony NW-WM1A treble sounds so natural tonight.  Perfectly exteneed like just me and air between the cymbals.


----------



## gerelmx1986

It's the same soo natral treble, the air between the soloist violin and then the orchestra, so damn clear


----------



## pietcux (Aug 27, 2017)

Dvdlucena said:


> Hello folks! I need some help here. Does Sony Walkman Z1 or A1 capable of driving Audeze lcd2, sennheiser hd 650 or others full size headphones? Thanks


In my opinion the A1 can easily drive the HD650 unbalanced in high gain mode. I am around 80 to 90 volume out of 120. It sounds very much alive. The A1 has around 80 hours on the unbalaced amp section as of today, the HD650 is a few year old and well broken in. I am using the standard cable with the standard adapter. Going balanced is planned and will probably even improve the performance of this combo.


----------



## aisalen

Can't wait with my unit to arrive, the waiting is unbearable. Sold my Opus 1 already, good that I have still my Aune m2 pro to use.


----------



## Quadfather

aisalen said:


> Can't wait with my unit to arrive, the waiting is unbearable. Sold my Opus 1 already, good that I have still my Aune m2 pro to use.



Wait for burn in.  That is when things get awesome.


----------



## gerelmx1986

LOL , I had no DAP before getting my 1A. I had to wait like TWO MONTHS to finally listen to it haha


----------



## Lavakugel

Impressions needed: 

Wm1z/a with Noble 10 / Katana / Encore vs. Oriolus MK2

Thanks for sharing


----------



## aisalen (Aug 27, 2017)

Actually I got it 2nd hand in very mint condition used for about 3 months so probably it is burned already. For 800usd with spc cable (don't know yet if it is 4.4mm), 2.5mm to 4.4mm pentacon adaptor, sony case and one 4.4mm male male plug to be use when need re-termination of a balance cable. I feel like I win a lotto


----------



## gerelmx1986

I saw the leaked pics of the NW-ZX300, it looks nice but i'd rather skip and keep my WM1A


----------



## spook76

Late to jump on board the 1Z bandwagon and I have question for those that have paired it with the Shure KSE1500. Can I and if so should I use a 4.4mm balanced to 3.5mm analog interconnect between the 1Z and the KSE?  I appreciate any help and pardon me if this question has been asked and answered before.


----------



## animalsrush (Aug 27, 2017)

Lavakugel said:


> Impressions needed:
> 
> Wm1z/a with Noble 10 / Katana / Encore vs. Oriolus MK2
> 
> Thanks for sharing



I use noble k10 CIEM with effect audio lionheart in balanced 4.4 mm with wm1z as portable listening gear.. wm1z just brings out all the glory of k10 . So much detail retrieval , great soundstage and with lionheart vocals are simply sublime. Pure organic sound. I also set the D.C. phase linearizer to "type a low" it makes k10 detailed bass so god close to speaker effect. So to simply answer your question .. great synergy between k10 and w1z very musical and non fatiguing. highly recommended

Pc


----------



## nanaholic

spook76 said:


> Late to jump on board the 1Z bandwagon and I have question for those that have paired it with the Shure KSE1500. Can I and if so should I use a 4.4mm balanced to 3.5mm analog interconnect between the 1Z and the KSE?  I appreciate any help and pardon me if this question has been asked and answered before.



No - you can't connect a balance output into single end input, the connection will short-circuit the L-/R- channels and cause damage to the source. It's not just Walkmans it applies to all balance connections.


----------



## spook76

nanaholic said:


> No - you can't connect a balance output into single end input, the connection will short-circuit the L-/R- channels and cause damage to the source. It's not just Walkmans it applies to all balance connections.


Thank you for your quick and helpful reply. I appreciate it.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Lavakugel said:


> Impressions needed:
> 
> Wm1z/a with Noble 10 / Katana / Encore vs. Oriolus MK2
> 
> Thanks for sharing


I'm listening the Oriolus with the balanced 4.4mm Ares II cable (Effect Audio). I can say I'm in heaven! Wonderful match. I thought Oriolus will not pair well because both the DAP and the IEM has the same approach, so I thought the match would be too bassy and warm, but no, it's great.


----------



## Lavakugel

Virtu Fortuna said:


> I'm listening the Oriolus with the balanced 4.4mm Ares II cable (Effect Audio). I can say I'm in heaven! Wonderful match. I thought Oriolus will not pair well because both the DAP and the IEM has the same approach, so I thought the match would be too bassy and warm, but no, it's great.



Nice Virtu...unfortunately the oriolus v2 with 4.4mm cable is sold out on their homepage...I think it's price performance is quite nice!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Tomorrow shall be the Sony music center software be released. Still wondering if worldwide or just Asian markets


----------



## siruspan (Aug 28, 2017)

Man, am I having a hard time with my wm1a. It has been playing since I bought it 24/7 basically and it has now 520 hours.

After first dozen or so hours it was a little dark sounding, however with tremendous resolution, imaging and great soundstage. Sounded very polite and a tad bass heavy. I was even wondering if it isnt too relaxed for my taste.

Somewhere around 400 hours it changed quite dramatically. It's not dark anymore, highs are over accentuated and they lack proper body so they are unpleasant. Bass is little bit thin also. It changed from being a little bit too relaxed to being fatiguing. I've never witnessed such a huge change in any audio gear, too bad it's not a welcome one.

I was hoping for a sound that is organic, natural with a liitle bit of warmth like colorflys c10, c4, pono or shozy aliens and at this point it's on colder and unpleasant side if things.


----------



## bana

I'm struggling here with Media Go and can't wait!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

siruspan said:


> Man, am I having a hard time with my wm1a. It has been playing since I bought it 24/7 basically and it has now 520 hours.
> 
> After first dozen or so hours it was a little dark sounding, however with tremendous resolution, imaging and great soundstage. Sounded very polite and a tad bass heavy. I was even wondering if it isnt too relaxed for my taste.
> 
> ...


depends how f your headphones or cables are overly bright or the type of music you listen with too much high frequency content?


----------



## proedros

well, one week with the WM1A and i have already decided to put my ZX2 for sale and to send my CIEM cables for 4.4 retermination

great job by Sony , WM1A + Zeus XR is a very nice combo


----------



## siruspan (Aug 28, 2017)

I do own right now around 10 pairs (lost count) of in ear and over ear headphones, some of them for couple of years now and I hear the same sound signature of wm1a on each of them, more or less ofcourse. I do own also shozy alien+ (sold solorfly c10 just last week) and a stationary rig and both of them have much more full bodied and weightier highs yet still very much present.


----------



## ledzep

bsimms99 said:


>



Sweet set up knew you'd like the 71b , I'd max out the volume on low gain personally to remove any resistance in the path from the player side as you get basically a line out signal and let your amp do it's job, found it works better with my amp ( that's my opinion on my set up ).


----------



## gerelmx1986

siruspan said:


> I do own right now around 10 pairs (lost count) of in ear and over ear headphones, some of them for couple of years now and I hear the same sound signature of wm1a on each of them, more or less ofcourse. I do own also shozy alien+ (sold solorfly c10 just last week) and a stationary rig and both of them have much more full bodied and weightier highs yet still very much present.


using single end or balance? This seems odd, mine sound so bit warm but yes more neutralish, perhaps the synergy with the HP I use xba-z5 and mdr-z7


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> Sweet set up knew you'd like the 71b , I'd max out the volume on low gain personally to remove any resistance in the path from the player side as you get basically a line out signal and let your amp do it's job, found it works better with my amp ( that's my opinion on my set up ).


And is totally recommended!


----------



## siruspan

gerelmx1986 said:


> using single end or balance? This seems odd, mine sound so bit warm but yes more neutralish, perhaps the synergy with the HP I use xba-z5 and mdr-z7



Single ended, as I wanted to go balanced down the road but if nothing changes I'll be getting new dap instead of cables


----------



## bsimms99

ledzep said:


> Sweet set up knew you'd like the 71b , I'd max out the volume on low gain personally to remove any resistance in the path from the player side as you get basically a line out signal and let your amp do it's job, found it works better with my amp ( that's my opinion on my set up ).



Question for you, do you mean to max the volume on the 1z and set the amp to low gain and just use volume on the amp going forward? If so then yes thats what I have been doing. But heres another question for you, have you had any albums have a background static sound or distortion? So something that I have been trying out and cannot figure it out is that I play Nora Jones album I have DSD, 24-bit, 16-bit versions. I bought all 3 to see if it was the recording that I was getting that weird background fuzz. It doesnt matter which one I play and it applies on all songs. But if I turn around and play for example Ed Sherran 24-bit....dead silent and perfect, now Nora is not the only album to do this. Now heres the catch because I was almost positive it was the Album recording. I detach the AMP and plug straight into the 1Z with the Z1R into balanced 4.4.....no background noise on any album at all. I have even tried different cables and get the same result when plugged into the amp and not plugged into the amp. Then I turned around did all of which I previously stated with SE input so SE to the amp and then SE to the 1Z did all the same things with same tracks etc you get the picture, same exact results so that ruled out balanced and regular. Im at a loss where some albums work with the amp just fine and some dont but if I got straight to the 1Z never any issue whatever format or album. Just wondering if you ran into the same.


----------



## bana

Can i get a conformation that this adapter will work for my 1Z.

https://www.amazon.com/Geekria-Bala...3940886&sr=8-39&keywords=4.4mm+balanced+cable


----------



## Whitigir

Oh...my....Never...ever...use Balanced out into Single Ended input....regardless of it being input to a Headphones or an amplifier.......do we need to repeat this every page ?


----------



## bana

Can you recommend a conversion plug for my IE800?

Thanks,


----------



## Whitigir

bana said:


> Can you recommend a conversion plug for my IE800?
> 
> Thanks,


Just contact cables vendors and send it in for modifications if your has no detachable cables style


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 28, 2017)

bana said:


> Can i get a conformation that this adapter will work for my 1Z.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Geekria-Bala...3940886&sr=8-39&keywords=4.4mm+balanced+cable



It does state that the 3.5 mm is a balanced female so it depends on how it is wired. And it requires that your headphone cable is terminated to 3.5 mm male balanced trrs


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> Oh...my....Never...ever...use Balanced out into Single Ended input....regardless of it being input to a Headphones or an amplifier.......do we need to repeat this every page ?



He's going balanced to balanced with the 71b.


----------



## ledzep

bana said:


> Can you recommend a conversion plug for my IE800?
> 
> Thanks,


Snip snip re terminate


----------



## mw7485

ledzep said:


> Snip snip re terminate




Can't remember if all 4 wires go all the way down to the plug on the ie800 - it may be that only three wires terminating at the plug.....


----------



## ledzep

bsimms99 said:


> Question for you, do you mean to max the volume on the 1z and set the amp to low gain and just use volume on the amp going forward? If so then yes thats what I have been doing. But heres another question for you, have you had any albums have a background static sound or distortion? So something that I have been trying out and cannot figure it out is that I play Nora Jones album I have DSD, 24-bit, 16-bit versions. I bought all 3 to see if it was the recording that I was getting that weird background fuzz. It doesnt matter which one I play and it applies on all songs. But if I turn around and play for example Ed Sherran 24-bit....dead silent and perfect, now Nora is not the only album to do this. Now heres the catch because I was almost positive it was the Album recording. I detach the AMP and plug straight into the 1Z with the Z1R into balanced 4.4.....no background noise on any album at all. I have even tried different cables and get the same result when plugged into the amp and not plugged into the amp. Then I turned around did all of which I previously stated with SE input so SE to the amp and then SE to the 1Z did all the same things with same tracks etc you get the picture, same exact results so that ruled out balanced and regular. Im at a loss where some albums work with the amp just fine and some dont but if I got straight to the 1Z never any issue whatever format or album. Just wondering if you ran into the same.



Low gain on 1Z and vol 120 and use the volume pot on the amp. Nora Jones I've had the same with the album come with me with the bad sound and it's the recording for sure. All I can think is the recording quality on various albums are showing up on that excellent set up of yours, do you have the 1Z on direct sound or EQ'd etc ?


----------



## proedros

is there a way to see the remaining battery arithmetically (70%) instead of 1-2-3 bars ?


----------



## ledzep (Aug 28, 2017)

mw7485 said:


> Can't remember if all 4 wires go all the way down to the plug on the ie800 - it may be that only three wires terminating at the plug.....


 
Yeah sorry you've got to cut the cable above the 2.5mm section like in the photo and re terminate to 2x female and then have your 4.4mm to 2 male, the photo shows mmcx's used to re join i had a friend who did the same with balanced and it looked and sounded great as the 800's work well on balanced. Might be a bit hardcore for some especially if your not familiar with the old solder iron. Keep forgetting I'll cut just about anything open to improve it and kudos to people who do the same ( mentioning no names "Whitigir")


----------



## mw7485

proedros said:


> is there a way to see the remaining battery arithmetically (70%) instead of 1-2-3 bars ?



Sadly not - and the new Walkman appears to have exactly the same battery indicator


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> Yeah sorry you've got to cut the cable above the 2.5mm section like in the photo and re terminate to 2x female and then have your 4.4mm to 2 male, the photo shows mmcx's used to re join i had a friend who did the same with balanced and it looked and sounded great as the 800's work well on balanced. Might be a bit hardcore for some especially if your not familiar with the old solder iron. Keep forgetting I'll cut just about anything open to improve it and kudos to people who do the same ( mentioning no names "Whitigir")


Lol! You got that right , though....only applied to equipments


----------



## bsimms99

ledzep said:


> Low gain on 1Z and vol 120 and use the volume pot on the amp. Nora Jones I've had the same with the album come with me with the bad sound and it's the recording for sure. All I can think is the recording quality on various albums are showing up on that excellent set up of yours, do you have the 1Z on direct sound or EQ'd etc ?



Thank god lololol. I always use direct sound  I will take the high gain off the 1Z now that you pointed it out.


----------



## pietcux (Aug 28, 2017)

bana said:


> Can you recommend a conversion plug for my IE800?
> 
> Thanks,


The IE800 is cabled unbalanced only. You cannot upconvert a normal 3,5mm unbalanced to balanced with a converter. You need to have the IE800 recabled i.e. either cut the cable befre it reches the first connector and solder a 4 lead cable and 4.4mm plug to the two 2 lead cables coming from the earpieces, or have someone open the earpieces and recable from the drivers. The stock cable has only 3 leads to the 3.5 mm plug (only 1 gtround lead) and you need 4 leads with two ground leads instead. But I can tell you that the IE800 sounds very good on the unbalanced amp section of my WM1A.


----------



## bsimms99

ledzep said:


> He's going balanced to balanced with the 71b.



This*


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> is there a way to see the remaining battery arithmetically (70%) instead of 1-2-3 bars ?


No, there's no way. But if you have 4 bars you can then split into 4 parts the 100%, so each bar represents roughly the approximate 25%


----------



## nanaholic

https://musiccenter.sony.net/en/?j-short=smc4pc

The new music transfer software - Music Center for PC has gone live. Still at work and not able to try it but I'm sure other brave souls here would be eager to give it a spin.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Guys, check out my WM1Z Review on Headfonia


----------



## proedros

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Guys, check out my WM1Z Review on Headfonia




very god review , i found very useful the part where you explain the various DC Phase options as i did not know their differences

There’s also a DC Phase Linearizer, which aims to give you an analog amplifier type of bass. There are 6 settings to choose from, each affecting the character of the lows. *There’s Type A and Type B, and both have 3 settings each; low, standard and high. Low setting gives more subbass emphasis, standard gives a little more kick to both mid and subbass, and high gives more midbass emphasis. The difference between Type A and B is that in Type B positions the bass is a little further back and gives more focus to mids, while Type A bass is more intimate.*


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

proedros said:


> very god review , i found very useful the part where you explain the various DC Phase options as i did not know their differences
> 
> There’s also a DC Phase Linearizer, which aims to give you an analog amplifier type of bass. There are 6 settings to choose from, each affecting the character of the lows. *There’s Type A and Type B, and both have 3 settings each; low, standard and high. Low setting gives more subbass emphasis, standard gives a little more kick to both mid and subbass, and high gives more midbass emphasis. The difference between Type A and B is that in Type B positions the bass is a little further back and gives more focus to mids, while Type A bass is more intimate.*


Thanks.

I got the idea from this thread. I don't actually remember who it was but someone wrote that kind of a thing. So I got curious and tested the settings back and forth to hear the difference. And in the end that was what I heard overall.


----------



## proedros

btw i shouldn't have read the 'wm1z has a better treble than wm1a'

this is bad news for the wallet (i think)


----------



## mw7485

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Guys, check out my WM1Z Review on Headfonia



Good review, generally hitting the points people should consider if they are looking at investing in Sony's golden child. Lets face it, the 1Z is not a frivolous purchase - it really is an investment as far as I am concerned! The only point missed as far as I can see is that the DAP seems to play all genres with aplomb; I have yet to find a genre it can't handle and present well. I like the comparison with the Paw Gold - you've given credit where credit's due, and haven't just gushed Sony, Sony Sony - followed by a bit more, err,  Sony . I wish there were a few more reviews (like yours) that didn't focus on the price, but upon what the intent of the design team was and whether they have achieved their goal! Well done.


----------



## mw7485 (Aug 29, 2017)

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I got the idea from this thread. I don't actually remember who it was but someone wrote that kind of a thing.



@Whitigir - who else???!


----------



## Whitigir

mw7485 said:


> @Whitigir - who else???!


I appreciate , your cat smiling avatar and mentioning me gave me a great smile


----------



## siruspan

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Guys, check out my WM1Z Review on Headfonia



Great and informative review. Thanks and congratulations.
I see that you have similar view on wm1z portability. Each time when I'm thinking about upgrading from 1a to 1z I keep getting stuck on question: will I use 2500$, half a kilo golden brick as a portable music device? And the answer is always nope.


----------



## Gosod

this theme is still popular despite the fact that new players entered.


----------



## proedros (Aug 29, 2017)

siruspan said:


> I see that you have similar view on wm1z portability. Each time when I'm thinking about upgrading from 1a to 1z I keep getting stuck on question: *will I use 2500$, half a kilo golden brick as a portable music device? And the answer is always nope.*



you just answered me why i don't really need wm1Z atm - so THANX for saving me 2000$


----------



## siruspan

Sure, wm1a is still not cheap but at least it's not golden and it's weight is managable


----------



## proedros

wm1a is great , i put my zx2 for sale already


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 29, 2017)

siruspan said:


> Sure, wm1a is still not cheap but at least it's not golden and it's weight is managable



The fact that Wm1Z can achieve better and smoother treble is due to the usages of F-resistors in the player .  Sony engineers confirmed it.  Also, the weight of Copper chassis vs Aluminum is great, not only Copper has better conductivity, but using thick and heavy Copper, this aspect is multiplied in several folds.  It will come to the limit where too much is too much and it no longer carries or Express any improvements, though the overkilled weight is to make sure that even the ground-return plane for electrical conductivity is "best conducted" for the WM1Z itself.  Virtually every each components of and within the WM1Z is dedicated into high quality performances

By the way, Sony engineers also confirmed that by using the OFC Copper chassis, they were able to achieve Deeper bass .

Have these above explained why Wm1Z has untouchable bass performances and treble reach in comparison to others just yet ?



Virtu Fortuna said:


> Guys, check out my WM1Z Review on Headfonia



Excellent review  thank you so much


----------



## denis1976

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Guys, check out my WM1Z Review on Headfonia


yes finaly a review that makes justice to this piece of art


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

proedros said:


> wm1a is great , i put my zx2 for sale already


Same here


----------



## siruspan

I still prefer shozy alien+ to the wm1a but sony is so easy to use that I can't deceide which one will stay.


----------



## kms108

I always ignore review, I think it's totally useless, self judgement with your own ears is the best review anyone can have.


----------



## siruspan (Aug 29, 2017)

I agree but reviews (especially if you know the reviewers preferences) can help with narrowing number of gear you should try by yourself.


----------



## proedros

speaking of FS threads , *how can i add pictures to a FS thread ?*

can i add pics from my laptop/storage space or do i need to ipload it via a URL ?


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

proedros said:


> speaking of FS threads , *how can i add pictures to a FS thread ?*
> 
> can i add pics from my laptop/storage space or do i need to ipload it via a URL ?


You need to upload first I guess


----------



## proedros

Virtu Fortuna said:


> You need to upload first I guess



i see - any free host where people do this ?


----------



## siruspan (Aug 29, 2017)

You don't need to upload it anywhere else. Just click on Upload and choose pics from your computer.


----------



## proedros

siruspan said:


> You don't need to upload it anywhere else. Just click on Upload and choose pics from your computer.




excellent , thank you so much


----------



## bsimms99

nanaholic said:


> https://musiccenter.sony.net/en/?j-short=smc4pc
> 
> The new music transfer software - Music Center for PC has gone live. Still at work and not able to try it but I'm sure other brave souls here would be eager to give it a spin.






Pretty slick imo


----------



## gerelmx1986

Looks simpler than media go, I will try it as soon as I arrive home from work. 

How fast did it scan your library?


----------



## Decreate

nanaholic said:


> https://musiccenter.sony.net/en/?j-short=smc4pc
> 
> The new music transfer software - Music Center for PC has gone live. Still at work and not able to try it but I'm sure other brave souls here would be eager to give it a spin.


I installed it and started having my library scanned about 5 hours ago and its still scanning...


----------



## bana

ledzep said:


> Yeah sorry you've got to cut the cable above the 2.5mm section like in the photo and re terminate to 2x female and then have your 4.4mm to 2 male, the photo shows mmcx's used to re join i had a friend who did the same with balanced and it looked and sounded great as the 800's work well on balanced. Might be a bit hardcore for some especially if your not familiar with the old solder iron. Keep forgetting I'll cut just about anything open to improve it and kudos to people who do the same ( mentioning no names "Whitigir")



Thanks LedZep.
I'm going to take a shot at try to convert and hope I don't ruin it.

I guess I was not paying attention to the issue of running balanced 4.4mm with existing IEM.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Decreate said:


> I installed it and started having my library scanned about 5 hours ago and its still scanning...


How. Many GB of music? I have 878GB or nearly 50,000 tracks. Really that slow?


----------



## nc8000

Decreate said:


> I installed it and started having my library scanned about 5 hours ago and its still scanning...



Took about 4 hours to scan my 1TB library with about 20.000 files


----------



## Decreate

gerelmx1986 said:


> How. Many GB of music? I have 878GB or nearly 50,000 tracks. Really that slow?


899GB, 20353 aiff files...


----------



## ledzep

bana said:


> Thanks LedZep.
> I'm going to take a shot at try to convert and hope I don't ruin it.
> 
> I guess I was not paying attention to the issue of running balanced 4.4mm with existing IEM.



You won't I'm sure, just be careful trimming the wires as they are thin, if you were in the UK you could just send them to me if you got stuck.


----------



## nc8000

I have a number of albums transferred from iTunes where the album art was not in the files but only in the iTunes database so it is missing. The Sony software has a function to find album art but just like iTunes it does not store it in the files but in it's own database. If I manually find a picture and embed it in the files the Sony software does not detect this and still shows no album art. I have to remove the album and reimport it


----------



## bsimms99

So one thing I found in the new Sony Software is that you have to go in the settings to turn on find album info and artwork etc because by default its shut off it looks like.


----------



## ledzep

What's the benefit of using the software over tagging/ album art  yourself and drag and drop ?


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 29, 2017)

ledzep said:


> What's the benefit of using the software over tagging/ album art  yourself and drag and drop ?



The single most important killer feature of using a media library software is smart playlist - where you can generate playlists base on a set of criteria and have it automatically updates itself.

For example I have a playlist where I bring back songs which I rated highly but haven't listened to for more than a month, and a playlist where it is newly imported/ripped songs which are not rated (which probably means either I haven't listened to those songs or haven't heard them enough).  I have individual smart playlists dedicated to my favourite artists - so any time I obtain new music by that artist the songs gets automatically added to the playlist, and when I plug in my device it gets synced across - I don't even need to drag and drop. I have a playlist for just keeping track of DSD files, another for Hi-res etc, and every one of them is self-automated and generated. Ever since iTunes introduced these features literally decade ago I simply can't go back to drag and drop as it can't do any of these things. Drag and drop is only good if you manage like 100 albums - it's simply not adequate when your music collection goes into hundreds of gigabytes.

Computer software are simply way better/faster/efficient than us humans when it comes to automatically organising and sorting through large amounts of data by a set of rules.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> How. Many GB of music? I have 878GB or nearly 50,000 tracks. Really that slow?


Let's see with mymy library lol 49600+ Flac, mix of both 16 and 24bit


----------



## Ofir_A

Lyrics --
How do you guys add lyrics to flac files? I have tried using mp3tag with explanations I found on the net, but the 1Z claims no lyrics are found...
Your help is appreciated.
Ofir


----------



## ledzep

nanaholic said:


> The single most important killer feature of using a media library software is smart playlist - where you can generate playlists base on a set of criteria and have it automatically updates itself.
> 
> For example I have a playlist where I bring back songs which I rated highly but haven't listened to for more than a month, and a playlist where it is newly imported/ripped songs which are not rated (which probably means either I haven't listened to those songs or haven't heard them enough).  I have individual smart playlists dedicated to my favourite artists - so any time I obtain new music by that artist the songs gets automatically added to the playlist, and when I plug in my device it gets synced across - I don't even need to drag and drop. I have a playlist for just keeping track of DSD files, another for Hi-res etc, and every one of them is self-automated and generated. Ever since iTunes introduced these features literally decade ago I simply can't go back to drag and drop as it can't do any of these things. Drag and drop is only good if you manage like 100 albums - it's simply not adequate when your music collection goes into hundreds of gigabytes.
> 
> Computer software are simply way better/faster/efficient than us humans when it comes to automatically organising and sorting through large amounts of data by a set of rules.



Heh heh I really am getting old that all seems a young person's thing, I have over 2TB of music I've collected ripped etc over the years and have about 100 all time classics on my players the rest of the space gets changed on a regular basis with new stuff or stuff i haven't got round to hearing. Does sound great idea though !


----------



## mw7485

Ofir_A said:


> Lyrics --
> How do you guys add lyrics to flac files? I have tried using mp3tag with explanations I found on the net, but the 1Z claims no lyrics are found...
> Your help is appreciated.
> Ofir



Have a go with .lrc files. They should be the same name as the track file they refer to (but with an lrc file extension), be stored in the same directory and should follow these rules:


----------



## mw7485

ledzep said:


> What's the benefit of using the software over tagging/ album art  yourself and drag and drop ?



I'm with you on this. I gave up using specific software to manage my music after iTunes left it in a steaming heap! Never again!


----------



## mw7485

gerelmx1986 said:


> Let's see with mymy library lol 49600+ Flac, mix of both 16 and 24bit



THAT is a LOT of music!
Thats got to be in excess of 4,000 albums!  I thought my 9,200 tracks was a fair size - your library eats that much for breakfast


----------



## goyete

mw7485 said:


> Have a go with .lrc files. They should be the same name as the track file they refer to (but with an lrc file extension), be stored in the same directory and should follow these rules:



Do you know any good web to download LRC files for songs?? Thanks!


----------



## mw7485

goyete said:


> Do you know any good web to download LRC files for songs?? Thanks!



Well, try googling: _song title_ lyric lrc file.

You'll probably find a mixed bag, with some good files and some plain wrong files. One thing I can almost guarantee: the time indexes will probably be incorrect. The other way is to build your own.....


----------



## meomap

Hi,

Maybe off the topic in regarding to iTunes.
What other people in here use SW to rip CD besides iTunes?
I am using MBP.

Thanks.


----------



## ledzep

mw7485 said:


> Well, try googling: _song title_ lyric lrc file.
> 
> You'll probably find a mixed bag, with some good files and some plain wrong files. One thing I can almost guarantee: the time indexes will probably be incorrect. The other way is to build your own.....



Hi res karaoke ? I need to get back in my tardis and hit 1980 !!!!


----------



## ledzep

mw7485 said:


> I'm with you on this. I gave up using specific software to manage my music after iTunes left it in a steaming heap! Never again!


That's exactly what put me off , albums getting split up especially compilations into single track albums and other oddities , mp3tag for me these days does all that I need and I can put in what I want not rely on the databases to fill the tags. Never had a problem with tagging this way and album art works a treat. Don't rely on the computer too much , we all know what happened at Cyberdyne !


----------



## kubig123 (Aug 29, 2017)

meomap said:


> Hi,
> 
> Maybe off the topic in regarding to iTunes.
> What other people in here use SW to rip CD besides iTunes?
> ...



Go with XLD it’s the best and free!

https://sourceforge.net/projects/xld/


----------



## gerelmx1986

importing my stuff to Music Center


----------



## blazinblazin

meomap said:


> Hi,
> 
> Maybe off the topic in regarding to iTunes.
> What other people in here use SW to rip CD besides iTunes?
> ...



I am using EAC


----------



## bsimms99

So this a complete change in direction from what people have talking about recently but does anyone have or know how to get the full soundtrack for Roario Vamire?


----------



## Ofir_A

mw7485 said:


> Have a go with .lrc files. They should be the same name as the track file they refer to (but with an lrc file extension), be stored in the same directory and should follow these rules:



Thanks... what a pain...
Ofir


----------



## Ultrainferno

In today's market where prices are crazy, it seems people more easily spend $3K on an Astell&Kern than they do on the 1Z.
I wonder where the difference lies. Opinions?


----------



## all999

In bluetooth settings of WM1A there's a "remote control" point . What remote will work with it? Standard bt remote is not seeing by the device.


----------



## siruspan

Only dedicated remote works Sony Rmt-nws20


----------



## PCheung

Ofir_A said:


> Lyrics --
> How do you guys add lyrics to flac files? I have tried using mp3tag with explanations I found on the net, but the 1Z claims no lyrics are found...
> Your help is appreciated.
> Ofir



Using MediaGo to sync my library with 1Z and it has a buildin lyrics editor works fine with FLAC


----------



## nanaholic

Ultrainferno said:


> In today's market where prices are crazy, it seems people more easily spend $3K on an Astell&Kern than they do on the 1Z.
> I wonder where the difference lies. Opinions?



Mostly down to marketing now I reckon.  AK has strong marketing and had a longer streak of highly regarded products. Sony self-inflicted wound as they made some dud audio products in previous years and is only just recovering, also Sony has a much bigger product portfolio and some of their low end products are truly awful and a rip-off, which further tarnishes their brand and is much harder to recover from.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Took 8 hours to scan my library  y using the new music center


----------



## Ofir_A

PCheung said:


> Using MediaGo to sync my library with 1Z and it has a buildin lyrics editor works fine with FLAC



thanks! I will give it a try
Ofir


----------



## Quadfather

I just received my Surf 4.4mm balanced cable for my Audioquest Nighthawks.  I started breaking in the balanced amp on Sony NW-WM1A with 125:28 on single-ended. High gain in balanced.  I will let it play when I am gone today...


----------



## bsimms99

Has anyone tried the WM1Z with the Nobel K10 U ? Balanced and SE? Thoughts?


----------



## proedros (Aug 30, 2017)

edit , question answered by (stupid) me


----------



## Quadfather

Is it safe to keep the Sony NW-WM1A plugged into a 5v=2A charger, while playing continually?


----------



## mw7485

Quadfather said:


> Is it safe to keep the Sony NW-WM1A plugged into a 5v=2A charger, while playing continually?





Quadfather said:


> Is it safe to keep the Sony NW-WM1A plugged into a 5v=2A charger, while playing continually?



If by continually you mean "forever" - probably not. However, playing & charging at the same time I think are fine. Having said this, I imagine you are burning in your new cable - and will seek to leave it playing continually for several hundred hours?


----------



## Quadfather

mw7485 said:


> If by continually you mean "forever" - probably not. However, playing & charging at the same time I think are fine. Having said this, I imagine you are burning in your new cable - and will seek to leave it playing continually for several hundred hours?



Yes, I am burning in balanced cables and balanced amp.


----------



## mw7485

Quadfather said:


> Yes, I am burning in balanced cables and balanced amp.



I wouldn't, but I know others around here have done so. I would imagine at the very least you would want to run the 1A on battery for a few hours every now and again. The chemistry of the battery these things contain is complex and shrouded in mystery and folklore to be quite honest. I do know that if you continually leave a laptop plugged into the mains, you will have a detrimental impact on the battery - so I imagine these devices are similar.....


----------



## bsimms99

mw7485 said:


> I wouldn't, but I know others around here have done so. I would imagine at the very least you would want to run the 1A on battery for a few hours every now and again. The chemistry of the battery these things contain is complex and shrouded in mystery and folklore to be quite honest. I do know that if you continually leave a laptop plugged into the mains, you will have a detrimental impact on the battery - so I imagine these devices are similar.....



And folklore......HAHHAAHA


----------



## mw7485

bsimms99 said:


> And folklore......HAHHAAHA



Yes, there's a lot of it about in this "game"


----------



## Quadfather

mw7485 said:


> I wouldn't, but I know others around here have done so. I would imagine at the very least you would want to run the 1A on battery for a few hours every now and again. The chemistry of the battery these things contain is complex and shrouded in mystery and folklore to be quite honest. I do know that if you continually leave a laptop plugged into the mains, you will have a detrimental impact on the battery - so I imagine these devices are similar.....



I will just burn in off the battery.  So far that is what I have done.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

saw this on Kimber Kable's Instagram. #want

https://www.instagram.com/kimberkable/


----------



## ledzep

Ok


HiFiGuy528 said:


> saw this on Kimber Kable's Instagram. #want
> 
> https://www.instagram.com/kimberkable/


Skipping rope attachment !! Whatever next


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 30, 2017)

It


HiFiGuy528 said:


> saw this on Kimber Kable's Instagram. #want
> 
> https://www.instagram.com/kimberkable/


 is useless to try and mimic A&K line-out design.

1/ Ground terminals are never connected on the 4.4 TRRRS to the board
2/ TRRS on the 3.5mm will not work by any meaning, and when both is plugged in, Balanced will be the priority.  So the 3.5mm will be just a sitting duck...wasted away.
3/ the Sleeve on the 4.4mm can accommodate a full sizes body cables shielding just fine, and again....it is never connected to the board.
4/ last and not least, any noises being absorbed and deflected should never be routed toward the source....AKA the player itself.  Therefore, A&K design was nothing more than just additional pins and plugs for stability....and that is because 2.5mm is flimsy as heck.

I am baffled to see what Kimber is trying to do here


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> It
> 
> is useless to try and mimic A&K line-out design.
> 
> ...



Sell overpriced cables imo


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 30, 2017)

Using the new music center... its slow, worse tan sonicStage days.

serach has bugs, if i type Bach it should bring all content with Bach be artista, composer, álbum name, title etc and to my surprise it doesn't. all of the 60+ CDs of bach cantatas only brought two.

Switched back to MediaGO

EDIT:

Mediago scanned 49,600 flac files in 1 hour, 880GB or 2940 albums... 

Music center missed 3600 tracks (odd) and took 8 hrs


----------



## goyete

Someone has tried if the new software updates the cover of files without authorization like the Media Go does? Thanks!


----------



## goyete

It would be nice that Sony improvement bidirectional sync of the lists. It's incredible that I can't star the songs in the Wm1a and update this info in the PC. Sony only has to copy functions that are invented from years, only see itunes please, they don't have to invent the wheel.


----------



## siruspan

My wm1a burn in journey is a true roller coaster. Brightness and over accentuated highs that started at around 400 hours and peaked around 500 are basically gone at almost 600 hours. It's brighter than it was at 200 hours but it's no longer fatiguing


----------



## mw7485 (Aug 31, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Using the new music center... its slow, worse tan sonicStage days.
> 
> serach has bugs, if i type Bach it should bring all content with Bach be artista, composer, álbum name, title etc and to my surprise it doesn't. all of the 60+ CDs of bach cantatas only brought two.
> 
> ...




Wow, looks like a bit of an epic fail. Perhaps the size of your library is causing the software to puke at various points of the scanning process. If there is a physical limitation Sony really ought to come clean on it. I wonder if its using an xml schema as an index rather than building a proper relational database - which would be the best way of doing this sort of thing.


----------



## y2kusuma

mw7485 said:


> Wow, looks like a bit of an epic fail. Perhaps the size of your library is causing the software to puke at various points of the scanning process. If there is a physical limitation Sony really ought to come clean on it. I wonder if its using an xml schema as an index rather than building a proper relational database - which would be the best way of doing this sort of thing.



Actually Music Center is using Access for its database, stored in C:\ProgramData\Sony Corporation\Music Center\Packages\


----------



## mw7485 (Aug 31, 2017)

y2kusuma said:


> Actually Music Center is using Access for its database, stored in C:\ProgramData\Sony Corporation\Music Center\Packages\



Wow - there really shouldn't be any reason for this from that perspective then, assuming that databse is being built correctly of course and stuff isn't just being lumped into one big table!


----------



## y2kusuma

mw7485 said:


> Wow - there really shouldn't be any reason for this from that perspective then, assuming that databse is being built correctly of course and stuff isn't just being lumped into one big table!



It's only been released for a couple of days. Future updates surely will fix this. In the meantime, I switched back to Media Go.


----------



## blazinblazin

siruspan said:


> My wm1a burn in journey is a true roller coaster. Brightness and over accentuated highs that started at around 400 hours and peaked around 500 are basically gone at almost 600 hours. It's brighter than it was at 200 hours but it's no longer fatiguing



It's nice to see your DAP grow lol

My WM1A is probably an adult now.


----------



## mw7485

y2kusuma said:


> It's only been released for a couple of days. Future updates surely will fix this. In the meantime, I switched back to Media Go.



I'd like to think so - be a shame if the product turned out to be of limited value.


----------



## Vlad0

Is there any rumors for adding MQA and DAC function for WM1A/Z? As it is added in recently announced A40 and ZX300 and I do not want to believe that Sony will not add them to it's flagships.


----------



## siruspan

Vlad0 said:


> Is there any rumors for adding MQA and DAC function for WM1A/Z? As it is added in recently announced A40 and ZX300 and I do not want to believe that Sony will not add them to it's flagships.



USB dac sure why not but MQA? it's a format created for streaming purposes and wm1 doesn't have that.


----------



## Quadfather

The burn in continues.


----------



## nanaholic

siruspan said:


> USB dac sure why not but MQA? it's a format created for streaming purposes and wm1 doesn't have that.



You can purchase and download tracks that is MQA mastered, it's not limited to streaming.


----------



## siruspan

Yes, but it's a lossy compression of hires music so why bother? Just buy a real hires or dsd.


----------



## nanaholic

siruspan said:


> Yes, but it's a lossy compression of hires music so why bother? Just buy a real hires or dsd.



MQA is lossless.


----------



## bsimms99

nanaholic said:


> You can purchase and download tracks that is MQA mastered, it's not limited to streaming.



Apparently from what I have heard there are only 2 DAC's capable of doing this right now, but to expect to see DAPS and such to have it next years CES, also MQA actually has to be built into the board its not a simple "stick on the board and it works or a software push".


----------



## siruspan (Aug 31, 2017)

People responsible for MQA are saying that it's lossless because you can't hear the difference but in reality it is lossy compression because some of the information is permanently lost. Sure you can debate if you can hear the difference but you can also debate if there's even audible difference between 16/44 and 24/192 and shannons theorem says theres none.

In short mqa is the same to 24/192 as was mp3 to 16/44


----------



## Whitigir

Yeah, not a fan of MQA.  I am a fan of DSD, and vynil rips into DSD.  I have no complain about MQA, but I want USB DAC feature


----------



## nanaholic

bsimms99 said:


> Apparently from what I have heard there are only 2 DAC's capable of doing this right now, but to expect to see DAPS and such to have it next years CES, also MQA actually has to be built into the board its not a simple "stick on the board and it works or a software push".



Sony doesn't use off the shelf DACs anyway, if they support MQA they'll be coding the support themselves.


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 31, 2017)

siruspan said:


> My wm1a burn in journey is a true roller coaster. Brightness and over accentuated highs that started at around 400 hours and peaked around 500 are basically gone at almost 600 hours. It's brighter than it was at 200 hours but it's no longer fatiguing



I appreciate the information, because I am on that same journey.  My NW-WM1A is playing with my balanced Audioquest Nighthawks attached.  I am not wearing them, because I need to hear the doorbell.  FedEx is delivering my AKG K812s today.


----------



## Vlad0

A40 and ZX300 do not have streaming capabilities, but MQA support is official now.
Also, the hardware is pretty much the same, for decoding part, so it will be very unpleasant supprice for me if Sony do not update their TOTL DAPs.


----------



## Whitigir

Nope, there is no MQA announced .  Unless this is another case of mistake for the website part 
http://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/walkman/nw-zx300/specifications


----------



## Vlad0

It is stated in the next tab, Features.


----------



## Whitigir

Vlad0 said:


> It is stated in the next tab, Features.


I see, now I understand why it feature MQA. That is because online retailers are using it for streaming, even though ZX300 can not stream by itself, you can enjoy it by transporting another device upon Zx300 as an external DAC due to the USB-DAC feature.

If, the WM1A/Z will see an upgrade in firmware for this, then it would support both.....however, if it was not hardware built-in from the beginning, then WM series won't see either features


----------



## silvahr

To pair with CA Andromeda, is better WM1A or ZX2? Or other DAP?
Thank you in advance!


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> I see, now I understand why it feature MQA. That is because online retailers are using it for streaming, even though ZX300 can not stream by itself, you can enjoy it by transporting another device upon Zx300 as an external DAC due to the USB-DAC feature.
> 
> If, the WM1A/Z will see an upgrade in firmware for this, then it would support both.....however, if it was not hardware built-in from the beginning, then WM series won't see either features



DONT KILL OUR DREAMS!!! lol.....\crying


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 31, 2017)

Well, eventhough the Zx300 is now with all the glory and marketing features.  I will start debunking some stuff now

There is no coil-inductors to strengthen up the Current stability and delivery for amplifications circuitry



Yet, it uses some F-resistors and film Capacitors but is no where near the counts on the WM1A or Z.  The crystal clocks don't look as large as 1A/Z.  There is no shot to show DAC block, which is very beefy from the look on Wm1A/Z

S-Master is so close and right on the opposite site of those MOSFET for analog amplification circuitry though....unlike WM1A/Z which has it separated and away

This is supposedly a Zx100 successor, and yet a Baby-WM1A.  It does have additional features such as Apt X HD, which is associated with Qualcomm, and this is more like a test bed for the next iteration * of Walkman.  Sony wants to see howmuch people crave for this Apt X stuff.

USB DAC, sure.  Don't know if the WM1A will receive a firmware, but if Zx300 seems to be a Baby WM1A, then the WM1A shall be able to get this feature via Firmware upgrade.  Keep your fingers crossed.


----------



## Vlad0

There are coil inductors, it is Class D amp after all.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 31, 2017)

Vlad0 said:


> There are coil inductors, it is Class D amp after all.


Need to see picture of that 

In another hand....400gb MicroSD is now available

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/sandisk-crams-400gb-microsd-card-144200576.html

https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Ultr...504193130&sr=8-1&keywords=400gb+micro+sd+card


----------



## Shmuel

Just ordered SanDisk 400 Gb micro sdhc card. Should be a great addition to my wm1a.


----------



## kubig123

Shmuel said:


> Just ordered SanDisk 400 Gb micro sdhc card. Should be a great addition to my wm1a.



does the WM1A/Z support such card?


----------



## Intensecure

Whitigir said:


> this is more like a test bed for the next irritation of Walkman


Sorry, I know it's bad form to point out typos, but that one is too Freudian to ignore..


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> does the WM1A/Z support such card?


We don't know !


Shmuel said:


> Just ordered SanDisk 400 Gb micro sdhc card. Should be a great addition to my wm1a.


Please keep us updated


----------



## Whitigir

Intensecure said:


> Sorry, I know it's bad form to point out typos, but that one is too Freudian to ignore..


Roflmao you are right, sometime the autocorrect just...suck


----------



## Shmuel

3 to 4 week wait on the SanDisk 400Gb card, but will report back asap.


----------



## kubig123

Shmuel said:


> 3 to 4 week wait on the SanDisk 400Gb card, but will report back asap.



Did you order it from amazon?


----------



## Shmuel

Yes.


----------



## bsimms99

kubig123 said:


> Did you order it from amazon?








2-4 weeks


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> In another hand....400gb MicroSD is now available
> 
> https://finance.yahoo.com/news/sandisk-crams-400gb-microsd-card-144200576.html


----------



## mw7485

bsimms99 said:


> 2-4 weeks



Also on amazon.co.uk for £224.99


----------



## kubig123

mw7485 said:


> Also on amazon.co.uk for £224.99



on the UK website the availability is tomorrow, September 1st.


----------



## mw7485

kubig123 said:


> on the UK website the availability is tomorrow, September 1st.



...must be a typo - we never get stuff first!


----------



## bsimms99

mw7485 said:


> ...must be a typo - we never get stuff first!



Bollox!! I have been telling my wife for years I wish I had moved to the UK after the military, you guys get everything first and carry gear thats actually worth a damn in stores....what does the US have? Best Buy.......don't make me laugh.


----------



## kubig123

bsimms99 said:


> Bollox!! I have been telling my wife for years I wish I had moved to the UK after the military, you guys get everything first and carry gear thats actually worth a damn in stores....what does the US have? Best Buy.......don't make me laugh.



The Wm1z was available in UK months before it was officially release in the US!


----------



## mw7485

bsimms99 said:


> Bollox!! I have been telling my wife for years I wish I had moved to the UK after the military, you guys get everything first and carry gear thats actually worth a damn in stores....what does the US have? Best Buy.......don't make me laugh.



That's odd - as an ex UK service person, we always thought you guys had the trick toys!!!


----------



## mw7485

kubig123 said:


> The Wm1z was available in UK months before it was officially release in the US!




OK......you got me on that one!!! I stand humbly corrected!


----------



## bsimms99

mw7485 said:


> That's odd - as an ex UK service person, we always thought you guys had the trick toys!!!



Yeah when it comes to nice electronics or online gaming or internet that doesnt blow, UK takes the win everytime for geeze I dont even know how long. We dont have high end shops that you can just walk into, you either have to live in NY or California otherwise you are screwed.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I would need two of these cards plus a 256one to fit my collection


----------



## Lavakugel

Who has heard WM1A/Z with Kaiser Encore, U12 or Oriolus MK2? Just curious


----------



## kubig123

Lavakugel said:


> Who has heard WM1A/Z with Kaiser Encore, U12 or Oriolus MK2? Just curious



Wm1z + Kaiser Encore

I could not be happier, I love the synergy between the DAP and the CIEM.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I saw the specs for f zx300, for 64Gb, aptx HD and USB DAC, I'd rather pass it along. 

WM1A also has some f resistors, not as many as wm1z or the ZX300, seems Sony parted ways with oscon caps. The board seems to be dual sided I bet but seems all audio circuitry for both se and balanced are in the same side, channels? 

I mean WM has two circuits one for balanced and one for se


----------



## Lavakugel

Holy moly kubig123 Kaiser encore in balanced!!! What cable is that?


----------



## kubig123

Lavakugel said:


> Holy moly kubig123 Kaiser encore in balanced!!! What cable is that?


it's a Whiplash TWag V3 T Series IEM.

Great cable, at the moment the best one I have to pair with the KE, and honestly not too expensive either compared to other cables.

https://www.whiplashaudio.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=55_263&product_id=1148


----------



## mw7485

Wow - this thread has suddenly come alive - good to see


----------



## supermj

kubig123 said:


> The Wm1z was available in UK months before it was officially release in the US!


----------



## supermj (Aug 31, 2017)

What you seem to forget is that we pay a lot more in rip off Britain than what you pay in the US.


----------



## bsimms99 (Aug 31, 2017)

supermj said:


> What you seem to forget is that we pay a lot more in rip off Briton than what you pay in the US.



Sorry I think there are a lot Americans that would gladly pay more for things, if there were "things" readily available to get in a store and released first. And you cant say no to this because people pay the huge shipping costs to get things imported to the US if its not available here.


----------



## kubig123

supermj said:


> What you seem to forget is that we pay a lot more in rip off Britain than what you pay in the US.



Agree on that, unfortunately.


----------



## bsimms99

kubig123 said:


> Agree on that, unfortunately.



"we will charge 100 dollars more than anywhere else but you will get in months before the rest of the world",  yeah.................TAKE MY MONEY!!!!!!


----------



## supermj

It's £2,566 on Amazon in the UK and $2,799 in the USA. Do the conversation, we pay a lot more tax on our goods.


----------



## bsimms99

supermj said:


> It's £2,566 on Amazon in the UK and $2,799 in the USA. Do the conversation, we pay a lot more tax on our goods.



We get it you pay more, that’s not my point at all.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I paid 1300 usd for my WM1A, and I still enjoy mine as much


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> I paid 1300 usd for my WM1A, and I still enjoy mine as much



That's the right attitude!


----------



## Whitigir

Ultimately, being able to enjoy something while it hot is very very satisfying


----------



## Gosod

I wonder how will sound the Japanese version.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am drooling over THAT SD CARD lol OMG 400GB   probably it will be formatted like 372.54GB estimate


----------



## bsimms99

I will pick one up when they are readily available.


----------



## nanaholic

http://www.phileweb.com/interview/article/201709/01/483_2.html

First impression of ZX300 at IFA by Phileweb, but what is interesting to WM1 owners is this quote:

なお、大庭氏によればMQA/aptX HDへの対応についてはフラグシップのWM1シリーズもファームウェアのアップデートにより対応する計画があるという。

So apparently Sony has plans to provide firmware update for WM1 to add support for MQA and aptX HD.


----------



## purk

Want the 400 GB too!


----------



## bsimms99

nanaholic said:


> http://www.phileweb.com/interview/article/201709/01/483_2.html
> 
> First impression of ZX300 at IFA by Phileweb, but what is interesting to WM1 owners is this quote:
> 
> ...



Honestly I was expecting some good news like.....firmware that was going to allow for DAC mode.....Ill just go cry in my corner for now.


----------



## nanaholic

bsimms99 said:


> Honestly I was expecting some good news like.....firmware that was going to allow for DAC mode.....Ill just go cry in my corner for now.



I think the journalists just forgot to ask.  USB-DAC for PC is not really a big selling point in Japan as Japan is not a big computer country.  But it's obvious that Sony is aiming to bring feature parity between the new ZX300 and WM1 series.

Also ZX300 now supports APE format - that's actually pretty surprising to me, as it seems someone at Sony has a finger on the pulse amongst the internet downloader crowds...


----------



## nc8000

Gosod said:


> I wonder how will sound the Japanese version.



It should sound exactly like any other version as there is no difference


----------



## Dithyrambes

I reckon/hope that the WM1A will get usb dac function. I mean MQS compression is useful in streaming situations where you want the most quality in a smaller file format. I seriously don't see anyone getting MQS files over the regular HD FLAC version on digital music store just for the MQS label. Makes no sense...there is enough space for 24/96 files Lol.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> http://www.phileweb.com/interview/article/201709/01/483_2.html
> 
> First impression of ZX300 at IFA by Phileweb, but what is interesting to WM1 owners is this quote:
> 
> ...


Thank so much for this finding.  To allow MQA and Apt -X HD for Wm1z is surprising to me.  I thought Apt X Hd needed to have Qualcomm CPU ? Didn't know WM1Z had it in there ? Now MQA and USB DAC together is more logical sense  yay! I think we (1A/Z ) have a future


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> I thought Apt X Hd needed to have Qualcomm CPU ? Didn't know WM1Z had it in there ?



That was my understanding as well.  I guess that means the WM1 series either runs on some sort of Qualcomm SoC or at the very least has a Qualcomm BT radio chip. Most of the time the exploded view/demo models of the WM1 devices don't have the SoC or the flash memory chips on the PCB so it was hard to confirm before.


----------



## blazinblazin (Sep 1, 2017)

The thing is the components in WM1 mostly are built by SONY. They might have their own special design/technology which is flexible enough to able to implement things just by a firmware update.


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 2, 2017)

Interesting thing.  My Sony NW-WM1A plays a 192 khz, 24 bit album without skips, whereas my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana crackles some; I wonder if it's the card, but nothing else is a problem.   This Lynyrd Skynyrd album has a pretty dense kilobits per second rate of 56000...reformatted card in player...still skips.


----------



## nanaholic

blazinblazin said:


> The thing is the components in WM1 mostly are built by SONY. They might have their own special design/technology which is flexible enough to able to implement things just by a firmware update.



Which means they had to negotiate with Qualcomm for access to the technology as aptX HD is proprietary technology.  The fact that Sony is working with a competitor to implement their technology in their devices when they themselves has a superior but less adopted tech in itself is interesting from many angles.


----------



## blazinblazin (Sep 1, 2017)

nanaholic said:


> Which means they had to negotiate with Qualcomm for access to the technology as aptX HD is proprietary technology.  The fact that Sony is working with a competitor to implement their technology in their devices when they themselves has a superior but less adopted tech in itself is interesting from many angles.



Maybe they already had that... they make Xperia phones with Snapdragon chips too, don't they?

The latest Xperia ZX1 supports aptX HD too.


----------



## nanaholic

blazinblazin said:


> The latest Xperia ZX1 supports aptX HD too.



ZX1 has Android Oreo out of box, and Android Oreo has aptX HD support build in because Qualcomm and Google penned a deal to have it build in.  Plus Sony Mobile and Sony Audio Visual are completely separate departments in the company, what happens on one end doesn't necessarily reflect on the other.

Since none of the Walkmans run Android, and previously the ZX1/ZX2 runs Texus Instrument chips IIRC, the change to me seems to be quite drastic.


----------



## Vlad0

Whitigir said:


> Need to see picture of that



Basically, they are clearly visible in your first picture. The grey square ones, positioned similar to the WM1 board, but look different, smaller and little bit low end I assume...
It is just different housing for the coils.


----------



## goyete

Who wants aptX HD in an equipment like WM1A/Z? It has no sense spending 1000/3000 USD to hearing music wireless I think, are we crazy??. This equipment are for hearing music in balanced mode and wired, the other ways I have my doubts that have sense! I don't know the AptX HD spec but I have seen 48 kHz/24 and Sony has the LDAC that is 192/24. They must be improve search functions and the functions we are demanding before aptx HD and rare files formats that are used by a few people.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Lavakugel said:


> Who has heard WM1A/Z with Kaiser Encore, U12 or Oriolus MK2? Just curious


Both great with Oriolus, especially from balanced. Great full bodied bass, great mids and relaxed but well extended treble. I can't recommend the combo enough.


----------



## PCheung

goyete said:


> Who wants aptX HD in an equipment like WM1A/Z? It has no sense spending 1000/3000 USD to hearing music wireless I think, are we crazy??. This equipment are for hearing music in balanced mode and wired, the other ways I have my doubts that have sense! I don't know the AptX HD spec but I have seen 48 kHz/24 and Sony has the LDAC that is 192/24. They must be improve search functions and the functions we are demanding before aptx HD and rare files formats that are used by a few people.



Well, I do
I sometime listen with MDR-1000X and WM1Z in wireless


----------



## bsimms99

PCheung said:


> Well, I do
> I sometime listen with MDR-1000X and WM1Z in wireless



LOL so do I on my way to work! Then when I go through a drive through for lunch, I just Double Tap the right ear and pay them and say "have a great day" then double tap and Im off!


----------



## nc8000

bsimms99 said:


> LOL so do I on my way to work! Then when I go through a drive through for lunch, I just Double Tap the right ear and pay them and say "have a great day" then double tap and Im off!





PCheung said:


> Well, I do
> I sometime listen with MDR-1000X and WM1Z in wireless





bsimms99 said:


> LOL so do I on my way to work! Then when I go through a drive through for lunch, I just Double Tap the right ear and pay them and say "have a great day" then double tap and Im off!



But then I assume you would use LDAC and not APTX HD ?


----------



## blazinblazin

Some manufacture actually lock the potential of their products but will unlock eventually using updates.

I am not sure if SONY's DAP is at full potiential or not.


----------



## Whitigir

Vlad0 said:


> Basically, they are clearly visible in your first picture. The grey square ones, positioned similar to the WM1 board, but look different, smaller and little bit low end I assume...
> It is just different housing for the coils.



Is that so ? Now you mentioned it, I thought I was looking at some MOSFET with foam spacers on top as I was looking to see the same style and housing design throughout Zx2 , Zx100, Wm1A/Z....  it really does look like them coils.  I am not sure if they are lower grade, but probably more like a newer design.  Thinner but able to handle 200mW per channel ? That is crazy, is this the potential to see the next gen Flagship Walkman to be able to drive even more full size Headphones ? Zx platform has always been a test bed for Sony next release, but what are they testing exactly ?


----------



## bsimms99

nc8000 said:


> But then I assume you would use LDAC and not APTX HD ?



To be honest, I dont pay attention, I just turn bluetooth on and then turn it on the player, if the connection works..great and I dont think much more into because no matter what I know what I am listening to via bluetooth sucks in comparison to totl headsets wired connection. So all these versions of streaming I really could care less.


----------



## PCheung (Sep 1, 2017)

nc8000 said:


> But then I assume you would use LDAC and not APTX HD ?



Yes, I'm using LDAC
but what if I buy another headphone support APTX HD not LDAC?

If WM1Z update with APTX HD means we have more choice while using wireless headphone, not only SONY's one.
not a bad thing for customer imo


----------



## goyete

bsimms99 said:


> To be honest, I dont pay attention, I just turn bluetooth on and then turn it on the player, if the connection works..great and I dont think much more into because no matter what I know what I am listening to via bluetooth sucks in comparison to totl headsets wired connection. So all these versions of streaming I really could care less.


That’s what I tried to say, you don’t need a 1000/3000 USD source to hearing music trough BT becouse there is no much more difference (or nothing) trough different transfer formats, even hearing trough an iPhone or a WM1Z. Wired and balanced, the sound of the WM1 vs other source o r even vs WM1 wired standard is night and day.


----------



## goyete

Of course, all features are welcome but there are some features like search function or bidirectional sync in playslist that are more necessaries.


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> To be honest, I dont pay attention, I just turn bluetooth on and then turn it on the player, if the connection works..great and I dont think much more into because no matter what I know what I am listening to via bluetooth sucks in comparison to totl headsets wired connection. So all these versions of streaming I really could care less.



Not exactly, Bluetooth when done right can fully carry CD-quality or lossless.  It is just that the majority of Headphones and IEMS Bluetooth and their built in amplifications sucks.....see ? How hard for them to just get a good headphones produced and done right ? It could be thousands of dollars.  Once you connect it with your new vehicles, they sound great


----------



## gerelmx1986

For aptx I could care less, I prefer wired


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> Not exactly, Bluetooth when done right can fully carry CD-quality or lossless.  It is just that the majority of Headphones and IEMS Bluetooth and their built in amplifications sucks.....see ? How hard for them to just get a good headphones produced and done right ? It could be thousands of dollars.  Once you connect it with your new vehicles, they sound great



No yeah I know bluetooth can do losses etc its just I know theres no headphones worth a damn out there that are going to sound as good as wired using bluetooth regardless the audio format. Maybe one day but today is not that day.


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> For aptx I could care less, I prefer wired




Same here, if I want to go wireless I use my iPhone.


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> Same here, if I want to go wireless I use my iPhone.


Same here, but I also want that USB DAC


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> Same here, but I also want that USB DAC



Absolutely, 
It would be a great feature and would allow to access my music library without having to copy the files on the DAP.

Also would allow me to move to cables that have a 4.4mm plug instead of using adapters.


----------



## nanaholic (Sep 1, 2017)

goyete said:


> Of course, all features are welcome but there are some features like search function or bidirectional sync in playslist that are more necessaries.



Bi-directional sync is a lot harder than you think.  The only reason iPods does it so easily is because its file system is locked down from being tempered with and iTunes jumbles the files on the device so even when users has access to them the frustration of decoding the jumbled files makes them give up.  To do bi-directional sync you'll probably have to get rid of drag and drop, else every time you make some change by using drag and drop the device will have to do a full file scan to build the database to ensure it has the correct data to perform syncing with the host, nobody will want that sort of user experience.


----------



## bsimms99

nanaholic said:


> Bi-directional sync is a lot harder than you think.  The only reason iPods does it so easily is because its file system is locked down from being tempered with and iTunes jumbles the files on the device so even when users has access to them the frustration of decoding the jumbled files makes them give up.  To do bi-directional sync you'll probably have to get rid of drag and drop, else every time you make some change by using drag and drop the device will have to do a full file scan to build the database to ensure it has the correct data to perform syncing with the host, nobody will want that sort of user experience.



WRONG! I absolutely do want to have that user experience! Everyone should want to scream and throw things in frustration!


----------



## Whitigir

I want USB DAC feature because I stream movies from Netflix and music from YouTube a lot 

Woa, we are kicking up a notch with senses of humor


----------



## Acemcl

Whitigir said:


> I want USB DAC feature because I stream movies from Netflix and music from YouTube a lot
> 
> Woa, we are kicking up a notch with senses of humor



I'll take a search function  first!


----------



## kubig123

Acemcl said:


> I'll take a search function  first!



typing on that small screen will be a big pain in the back...


----------



## goyete

I don't know how harder is to program this but I'm sure if Sony ways it's easy to do. It's not normal that you create a Playlist in the Wm1a and it doesn't appears in Media Go. It's not normal we can't star the songs and really use the dynamic Playlist. I don't want to hear a song, think it's a bad song, go to the computer and assign 1 star for example in the media go software to avoid copy it in the next sync. It will be harder but it's an OS half done, like I said in other post, simply copy itunes / iPhone.


----------



## goyete

kubig123 said:


> typing on that small screen will be a big pain in the back...


I'm not going to send an SMS or a mail, only type Old to search the artist Mike Oldfield like I do in the iPhone. In most of cases you only need 2 or 3 letters. It's an enough screen, you don't need a 5,5 inch screen for that.


----------



## PCheung (Sep 1, 2017)

No, don't copy iTunes
Keep things simple, please

Last time my PC crashed and reinstalled windows. Than I plug in my iPhone and I CAN'T COPY ALL MY SONGS back to my PC.
That's a disaster


----------



## goyete

PCheung said:


> No, don't copy iTunes
> Keep things simple, please
> 
> Last time my PC crashed and reinstalled windows. Than I plug in my iPhone and I CAN'T COPY ALL MY SONGS back to my PC.
> That's a disaster


Maybe you did something wrong. Imhave never had any problem with itunes, music sync and iPhone. It simply works as I expect (with the SQ limitations of course).


----------



## PCheung (Sep 1, 2017)

No, my music is there, in my iPhone

but iTunes just don't let me copy it to my PC
since then I hate iTunes
nowadays I only use iTunes to convert files to AIFF if I need, 
never use it to organize my library 

drag and drop is the best
as long as my Walkman read tags and sort by artist/ album/ genre
I'm fine
I don't need that fancy thing


----------



## gerelmx1986

I also want USB DAC to avoid using adapters or switch cables


----------



## PCheung

gerelmx1986 said:


> I also want USB DAC to avoid using adapters or switch cables



A few weeks ago I asked Mr. Hiroaki Sato about it
I think he hear us and we can look forward for

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-893#post-13652107


----------



## nanaholic (Sep 1, 2017)

goyete said:


> I don't know how harder is to program this but I'm sure if Sony ways it's easy to do. It's not normal that you create a Playlist in the Wm1a and it doesn't appears in Media Go. It's not normal we can't star the songs and really use the dynamic Playlist. I don't want to hear a song, think it's a bad song, go to the computer and assign 1 star for example in the media go software to avoid copy it in the next sync. It will be harder but it's an OS half done, like I said in other post, simply copy itunes / iPhone.



It's actually very hard to keep two copies of your library in sync, what seems like a simple action in our mind is completely different in computer and programming logic.

Just take your Playlist example - the file location of the music in your player is DIFFERENT to that of the file location on your host PC, eg say in the player it is "\music\Beatles\" but on your PC it maybe "D:\my favourite music\best stuff\Beatles", even if the folder structure is exactly the same, due to different OSes (Linux based systems have no drive letter assignments while Windows does for example) just missing the D: drive assignment already means the Playlist is unless on the PC, so you cannot simply copy over the Playlist file from the player to the PC because then the Playlist will not be pointing to the correct location of the file and throw an error. So how will the syncing know to create an exact copy of the playlist on the PC?  You'll have to keep another set of data and perform a look up and create what appears to be the same Playlist on the PC but its actual code underneath is entirely different.  Giving a rating to your music is the same - you'll have to keep track of the change on the player and then change the corresponding file on the host PC, then there is the matter of whether you actually alter the file itself, or do it like iTunes where the changes are kept on a separate file - which then makes migrating to a different system impossible etc.  And last but not least as I said to keep this tidy, drag and drop function will most likely have to be removed.

There are a LOT of reasons why complex bi-directional sync is not done on nearly all non-iOS DAPs, the logic is HARD and isn't compatible with certain features that another set of people want (like drag and drop and folder play).


----------



## Acemcl

kubig123 said:


> typing on that small screen will be a big pain in the back...



possibly but it's useful for someone like me who has almost 400GB of music on the 1Z


----------



## bsimms99

Acemcl said:


> possibly but it's useful for someone like me who has almost 400GB of music on the 1Z



This is how I picture Sony looking at your request.


----------



## Acemcl

bsimms99 said:


> This is how I picture Sony looking at your request.


----------



## goyete

nanaholic said:


> It's actually very hard to keep two copies of your library in sync, what seems like a simple action in our mind is completely different in computer and programming logic.
> 
> Just take your Playlist example - the file location of the music in your player is DIFFERENT to that of the file location on your host PC, eg say in the player it is "\music\Beatles\" but on your PC it maybe "D:\my favourite music\best stuff\Beatles", even if the folder structure is exactly the same, due to different OSes (Linux based systems have no drive letter assignments while Windows does for example) just missing the D: drive assignment already means the Playlist is unless on the PC, so you cannot simply copy over the Playlist file from the player to the PC because then the Playlist will not be pointing to the correct location of the file and throw an error. So how will the syncing know to create an exact copy of the playlist on the PC?  You'll have to keep another set of data and perform a look up and create what appears to be the same Playlist on the PC but its actual code underneath is entirely different.  Giving a rating to your music is the same - you'll have to keep track of the change on the player and then change the corresponding file on the host PC, then there is the matter of whether you actually alter the file itself, or do it like iTunes where the changes are kept on a separate file - which then makes migrating to a different system impossible etc.  And last but not least as I said to keep this tidy, drag and drop function will most likely have to be removed.
> 
> There are a LOT of reasons why complex bi-directional sync is not done on nearly all non-iOS DAPs, the logic is HARD and isn't compatible with certain features that another set of people want (like drag and drop and folder play).



I understand what you're explaining but from a simple user that pays a lot of money for this DAC like me, this simple must be a software option, simply this.

The programming problem is a problem for the Sony programs, simply this and you say that the problem it's difficult, but impossible I think.

As a simple user, I only demand simple functions. The is no sense have the possibility to create Playlist in the DAP that the PC/MAC doesn't understand (in my opinion).to 

Another option to improve, delete compete album from DAP (not only single songs). I think this would be simple to program I hope.

Thanks for your explanations!


----------



## Holdmyown83

I have like $750 in amazon gift cards. I'm so impatient I'm in between buying a used one for $997 and having it tomorrow or $1200  rand new and having it sometime next week.


----------



## bsimms99

Holdmyown83 said:


> I have like $750 in amazon gift cards. I'm so impatient I'm in between buying a used one for $997 and having it tomorrow or $1200  rand new and having it sometime next week.



Buy used if a reliable source.


----------



## zardos

First USB-DAC please. 

Can't live without Spotify. Large local music libraries consume too much time and they always tend to become chaotic over time, perhaps except one don't want to add new music regulary. I like musical diversity. The only way out for me is a perfectly clean and very large music collection in the cloud, together with a powerful client app. I really love high quality streaming services.


----------



## all999

In Media Go library there is a mark on every album that is already transfered on my dap. Can't see anything like this in Media Center. Or am I doing something wrong?


----------



## goyete

all999 said:


> In Media Go library there is a mark on every album that is already transfered on my dap. Can't see anything like this in Media Center. Or am I doing something wrong?



Media Centre is too young now...


----------



## gerelmx1986

zardos said:


> First USB-DAC please.
> 
> Can't live without Spotify. Large local music libraries consume too much time and they always tend to become chaotic over time, perhaps except one don't want to add new music regulary. I like musical diversity. The only way out for me is a perfectly clean and very large music collection in the cloud, together with a powerful client app. I really love high quality streaming services.


What you say is true, but not that exaggerated if tagging is done right the first time. This year I have added many new music to my library but the time spent on the tagging is minimal using mp3 tag.

Sure when I started ripping all to FLAC for first me. It consumed lots of time, but not anymore, assuming one has a proper backup strategy


----------



## bsimms99

5 More days until my new Zeus XR's show up in the mail thanks to an awesome head-fi seller here. It will be my first Audiophile IEM......I hate waiting, curious to hear the sound and the sound on the 1Z in balanced.


----------



## animalsrush

gerelmx1986 said:


> For aptx I could care less, I prefer wired


Same here.. i got Sony wm1z to get best sound and imo currently it is wired for me


----------



## blazinblazin (Sep 1, 2017)

It is just plus function for convenience.

There are people that will complain if a lower end model have the function but higher end don't have it as they paid that amount of money for it.

Those people who rely on mostly wireless can just get lower end model DAP with wireless compatibility or just use phone and get the best wireless headphones out there. That's more cost efficient.


----------



## proedros

is there a good 4.4 TRRRS > 3.5 TRS adaptor ?

i bought a 4.4 TRRRS cable for my wm1a but i am also eyeing the IDSD MICRO BL and i may need an adaptor seeing that 4.4 is different than the 3.5 diameter

thanx


----------



## goyete

I have checked now that the new Music Center doesn't edit the cover when you edit one some properties of the file so this is a good notice! The Media Go always updates the cover once you edit any of the propoerties of the file/son (a star for example). Also the Music Center transfer the file as is, with the same front cover without editing, not as the Media Go that always resize the file to a lower image (if it is bigger than 720x720 p it resizes to it). If you have a file with a file with 1500x1500 front cover, it transfer the file with this resolution without editing. The Media Go always resize to 720x720 p and then it transfer the file. The transfer speed in Music Center it's very very slow.


----------



## ledzep

Album folder ÷ Mp3tag + Fanart ÷ Paint + Drag & Drop = Simplistic equation of perfected end result with no frustration & Headache.


----------



## audionewbi

Anyone else struggling with the Sony Music? Mine is keep crushing.


----------



## audionewbi

Dvdlucena said:


> Thanks
> 
> I'm a little confused. Does it has analog out put so I can bypass the internal amp and connect it to a desktop amp?


WM1 series do not have WM-port line out for reasons which are justified by sony.


----------



## all999

audionewbi said:


> Anyone else struggling with the Sony Music? Mine is keep crushing.



Mine doesn't crush but it's slow and lacking a lot of features. Is that all Sony has to offer? Switched back to Media Go.


----------



## goyete

all999 said:


> Mine doesn't crush but it's slow and lacking a lot of features. Is that all Sony has to offer? Switched back to Media Go.


Mine says that the internal memory of the WM1A is full when I have 10 Gb free. And it's too slow copying files.


----------



## all999

goyete said:


> Mine says that the internal memory of the WM1A is full when I have 10 Gb free. And it's too slow copying files.



Yeah, I was cleaning my dap yesterday and copying music again. 20GB free on Media Go and Media Center says it's 0. But Media Go is as slow as Media Center while copying music.


----------



## audionewbi

all999 said:


> Mine doesn't crush but it's slow and lacking a lot of features. Is that all Sony has to offer? Switched back to Media Go.





goyete said:


> Mine says that the internal memory of the WM1A is full when I have 10 Gb free. And it's too slow copying files.



Can I ask how large is your music library, mine is 2.3 TB.


----------



## goyete

audionewbi said:


> Can I ask how large is your music library, mine is 2.3 TB.



Mine is little, 200 Gb.


----------



## all999

audionewbi said:


> Can I ask how large is your music library, mine is 2.3 TB.



Little less than 1TB. How this is relevant?


----------



## kubig123

proedros said:


> is there a good 4.4 TRRRS > 3.5 TRS adaptor ?
> 
> i bought a 4.4 TRRRS cable for my wm1a but i am also eyeing the IDSD MICRO BL and i may need an adaptor seeing that 4.4 is different than the 3.5 diameter
> 
> thanx



I bought this a couple of months ago, it’s good but not fantastic.
https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/shopping/e-earphone_4589962103319

On Taobao you can find different adaptors, somebody posted a link back in June.

On Luna shop there are for sale few different versions of female 4.4mm plug, if you want to build your own adaptor.


----------



## audionewbi

all999 said:


> Little less than 1TB. How this is relevant?


I noticed that Music center is reporting that I only have 1.4 TB of music files on my laptop where in media go it reports the entire thing. Maybe it is not yet fully ready for large library.


----------



## all999

audionewbi said:


> I noticed that Music center is reporting that I only have 1.4 TB of music files on my laptop where in media go it reports the entire thing. Maybe it is not yet fully ready for large library.



I would say not yet fully ready for use at all.


----------



## bvng3540

all999 said:


> I would say not yet fully ready for use at all.


Same for me when I drag my folders to the player it only show just over 1000 songs but when used media go I got also 2000 songs


----------



## gerelmx1986

goyete said:


> I have checked now that the new Music Center doesn't edit the cover when you edit one some properties of the file so this is a good notice! The Media Go always updates the cover once you edit any of the propoerties of the file/son (a star for example). Also the Music Center transfer the file as is, with the same front cover without editing, not as the Media Go that always resize the file to a lower image (if it is bigger than 720x720 p it resizes to it). If you have a file with a file with 1500x1500 front cover, it transfer the file with this resolution without editing. The Media Go always resize to 720x720 p and then it transfer the file. The transfer speed in Music Center it's very very slow.


That's my álbum art size, 800x800 , i have my files as read-only



audionewbi said:


> Can I ask how large is your music library, mine is 2.3 TB.


Mine is 880GB



audionewbi said:


> I noticed that Music center is reporting that I only have 1.4 TB of music files on my laptop where in media go it reports the entire thing. Maybe it is not yet fully ready for large library.


 for me it missed 3600 songs out of the 49670 files i have


----------



## goyete

gerelmx1986 said:


> That's my álbum art size, 800x800 , i have my files as read-only
> 
> 
> Mine is 880GB
> ...



It doesn't matter that you have the files as read only. That's good for avoid Media Go editing the internal jpg but the transfered file to WM1A always is edited to 720x720 p. Check with Mp3Tag reading the files of the WM1A (not the files alocated in PC). With the new Music Center, at least, it transfer the file as is (this mornign I have checked with an embedded jpg of 1500x1500 and it remains the same resolution). That's a good advance at least even they go back in other questions, but I hope Sony repair/improve the other fails in the next weeks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I've checked a new álbum i transferred to my WM1A, the cover stays the same size as it is on PC, perhaps because i use the magic trick of right-click n' drop to get this hidden "Advanced Transfer" menú where i tick the NEVER CONVERT option. Also by using this option of never convert, the transfer is sped even faster


----------



## goyete

gerelmx1986 said:


> I've checked a new álbum i transferred to my WM1A, the cover stays the same size as it is on PC, perhaps because i use the magic trick of right-click n' drop to get this hidden "Advanced Transfer" menú where i tick the NEVER CONVERT option. Also by using this option of never convert, the transfer is sped even faster


Transferred trough Windows Explorer or trough Media GO? Which size of cover are we speaking?


----------



## gerelmx1986

goyete said:


> Transferred trough Windows Explorer or trough Media GO? Which size of cover are we speaking?


 using mediaGo, cover size 850x843


----------



## goyete

gerelmx1986 said:


> using mediaGo, cover size 850x843


Can you explain please how are you doing? With the transfer button of media Go?


----------



## gerelmx1986

goyete said:


> Can you explain please how are you doing? With the transfer button of media Go?



check this post

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/page-2#post-11667871


----------



## goyete

gerelmx1986 said:


> check this post
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/page-2#post-11667871


I'll do. Thanks!


----------



## all999

gerelmx1986 said:


> check this post
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/page-2#post-11667871



Oh man, this is also so much faster. Thanks a lot!


----------



## rtjoa

proedros said:


> is there a good 4.4 TRRRS > 3.5 TRS adaptor ?
> 
> i bought a 4.4 TRRRS cable for my wm1a but i am also eyeing the IDSD MICRO BL and i may need an adaptor seeing that 4.4 is different than the 3.5 diameter
> 
> thanx


I bought a 4.4 female to 2.5 male adapter from David OC Studio Taiwan. He can make any adapter that you need. Here are pictures of my adapter:
(2.5 to 3.5 adapter is from Ebay)

 

Pictures of OC Studio cables - OCAuX and OC Orpheus MK5. The MK5 copper is a free cable :
(the gold 3.5 dust plug is from Ebay)


----------



## Holdmyown83

bsimms99 said:


> Buy used if a reliable source.


It's from Amazon Warehouse


----------



## bsimms99

Holdmyown83 said:


> It's from Amazon Warehouse



Then buy it


----------



## all999 (Sep 2, 2017)

rtjoa said:


> I bought a 4.4 female to 2.5 male adapter from David OC Studio Taiwan. He can make any adapter that you need. Here are pictures of my adapter:
> (2.5 to 3.5 adapter is from Ebay)
> 
> 
> ...



Looks bulky and pricey


----------



## rtjoa

all999 said:


> Looks bulky and pricey


The cable braided is very close so it does not feel bulky at all. It is less bulky than my PWAudio No5 8 wire.
The cable price is surprisingly good plus I get free shipping, no Paypal fee and a free copper cable


----------



## bsimms99

rtjoa said:


> The cable braided is very close so it does not feel bulky at all. It is less bulky than my PWAudio No5 8 wire.
> The cable price is surprisingly good plus I get free shipping, no Paypal fee and a free copper cable



It’s always been my unfortunate experience that when something catches my eye.....it’s always expensive


----------



## animalsrush

gerelmx1986 said:


> check this post
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/page-2#post-11667871


Can someone tell me why you need media go.. I just use drag and drop and it is super fast. I tag music when I convert using XLD and others I need fixing use mp3tag.. this is on mac. On windows you can use EAC to burn and mp3tag to tag., isn't  that much quicker?

Pc


----------



## audionewbi

animalsrush said:


> Can someone tell me why you need media go.. I just use drag and drop and it is super fast. I tag music when I convert using XLD and others I need fixing use mp3tag.. this is on mac. On windows you can use EAC to burn and mp3tag to tag., isn't  that much quicker?
> 
> Pc


If you like to use SenseMe feature you need Media go to perform the 12 Tone analysing.


----------



## audionewbi

Biggest bug with Music Centre is that it cannot detect changes made to files.


----------



## proedros

rtjoa said:


> The cable braided is very close so it does not feel bulky at all. It is less bulky than my *PWAudio No5 8 wire.*
> The cable price is surprisingly good plus I get free shipping, no Paypal fee and a free copper cable



what ciems do you use pw5 with and how does it sound ? decided to buy the 4-braid for my zeus xr/wm1a combo , people say it's a very good cable for its price

also than for the adaptor info


----------



## Ultrainferno

Nathan aka @shigzeo aka Ohm Image's look at the WM-1Z

https://www.headfonia.com/picture-sunday-sony-nw-wm1z/


----------



## nc8000

Ultrainferno said:


> Nathan aka @shigzeo aka Ohm Image's look at the WM-1Z
> 
> https://www.headfonia.com/picture-sunday-sony-nw-wm1z/



Nice though I don't understand his statement about hiss. Mine is dead silent


----------



## Ultrainferno

nc8000 said:


> Nice though I don't understand his statement about hiss. Mine is dead silent



Me too. I hope he has updated to the latest fw version


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Nice though I don't understand his statement about hiss. Mine is dead silent


1+. Same here


----------



## blazinblazin (Sep 3, 2017)

My WM1A dead silence with Andromeda but maybe he had some more sensitive equipments?


----------



## audionewbi

Ultrainferno said:


> Me too. I hope he has updated to the latest fw version


You need an Ultrasone IQ, I hear the hiss however it is faint, but  it is one of those things that once you hear you can never unhear.


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> You need an Ultrasone IQ, I hear the hiss however it is faint, but  it is one of those things that once you hear you can never unhear.


Ok, going to sell my WM1Z, just because I have just found this IQ to not be a match with wm1z


----------



## awayeah

all999 said:


> Looks bulky and pricey



Looks like your battery is about to die... You must have used it for a like month non-stop


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> Ok, going to sell my WM1Z, just because I have just found this IQ to not be a match with wm1z


----------



## audionewbi

Whitigir said:


> Ok, going to sell my WM1Z, just because I have just found this IQ to not be a match with wm1z


Actually the IQ is one of my favourite pairing with 1A....


----------



## gerelmx1986

Wm1z hiss? Lol, tell him to review Walkman before s-master. Those hissed like snakes


----------



## shigzeo

I'm surprised you guys don't hear the hiss. I even hear it through Grado GR8e, which are nowhere near Andromeda.


----------



## Whitigir

shigzeo said:


> I'm surprised you guys don't hear the hiss. I even hear it through Grado GR8e, which are nowhere near Andromeda.


Are you talking about the hiss as of this player you have ? Or are you still holding onto your statement in regarding of the very early prototype ? After all, we all may be deaf and you have extraordinary hearings, or another way around.  Nothing to worry about, just as long as I, we, hear nice music from the player, then I am happy.  It is very strange though, I hear improvements from cables, wires materials and so on, but I am deaf against hiss...a blessing for sure


----------



## nanaholic

I was just listening to my Z1R through my WM1Z as I was reading this thread, I reached the post about hissing and decided to paused the music and really concentrated for really long but don't hear any hiss at all. Funny enough the only thing I hear is the faint whiz from my air conditioner in the background. 

Even funnier because I did own an AK100 and would agree that thing really hissed through my JH16 and Fitear 335s, but with the same phones I don't hear anything on my WM1Z.


----------



## mw7485

I wouldn't be any use providing on objective assessment, my on/off tinnitus ensures that any hiss or noise would have to be pretty loud for me to hear. Today its "on", but relatively quiet, but still, I doubt any machine noise would be audible over it.


----------



## Blommen

So guys...I went ahead and ordered the WM1Z...I am very excited to see/hear what a TOTL dap can do. As I don't listen to DSD files I am a bit skeptical as to whether it is worth it. 

BUT I just had to find out


----------



## Whitigir

Blommen said:


> So guys...I went ahead and ordered the WM1Z...I am very excited to see/hear what a TOTL dap can do. As I don't listen to DSD files I am a bit skeptical as to whether it is worth it.
> 
> BUT I just had to find out



Congratulation, and welcome to the club! You will love it more and more.  It seems that WM1Z will be able to do USB-DAC feature soon after Zx300 official release date ?


----------



## asquare3376

Blommen said:


> So guys...I went ahead and ordered the WM1Z...


Welcome to the club


----------



## Blommen

Whitigir said:


> Congratulation, and welcome to the club! You will love it more and more.  It seems that WM1Z will be able to do USB-DAC feature soon after Zx300 official release date ?





asquare3376 said:


> Welcome to the club



Thanks guys! I have put a lot of stuff for sale to make this happen 

Yeah USB-DAC would be great for when I am browsing Bandcamp buying albums. Next up is getting my cables reterminated...


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Blommen said:


> So guys...I went ahead and ordered the WM1Z...I am very excited to see/hear what a TOTL dap can do. As I don't listen to DSD files I am a bit skeptical as to whether it is worth it.
> 
> BUT I just had to find out



Enjoy dude. You'll be very very happy with 1Z. 1Z will scale up according to your gear,  the better your phones and iems are,  the better is the sound. Don't forget to get good cables and d3finitely use 4.4mm, much better than 3.5mm.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 3, 2017)

shigzeo said:


> I'm surprised you guys don't hear the hiss. I even hear it through Grado GR8e, which are nowhere near Andromeda.



That's weird, I use Andromeda and Alo Ref8 cable with 1A and 1Z and I don't hear any hiss.  Nada.


----------



## Quadfather

hamhamhamsta said:


> That's weird, I use Andromeda and Alo Ref8 cable with 1A and 1Z and I don't hear any hiss.  Nada.



Zero hiss with the Sony NW-WM1A paired with balanced Shure SE846s or Audioquest Nighthawk headphones.


----------



## kubig123

Quadfather said:


> Zero hiss with the Sony NW-WM1A paired with balanced Shure SE846s or Audioquest Nighthawk headphones.



Same here, no hiss with any of my iems.

Sometime I hear a hiss with the KE and Lotoo Paw Gold, but never with 1z.


----------



## Quadfather

kubig123 said:


> Same here, no hiss with any of my iems.
> 
> Sometime I hear a hiss with the KE and Lotoo Paw Gold, but never with 1z.



I hear it occasionally on LPG.  I heard a little on my AKG K812s the other day on Diana.


----------



## rtjoa

proedros said:


> what ciems do you use pw5 with and how does it sound ? decided to buy the 4-braid for my zeus xr/wm1a combo , people say it's a very good cable for its price
> 
> also than for the adaptor info


I have 12BA and upcoming 18BA chinese iems. It sounds warm and more body with good details. I have posted 8 wire picture at https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hig...s-pics-comparisons-and-reviews.804952/page-74
Nic has posted a review yesterday http://theheadphonelist.com/pw-audio-no-5/
Twister6 has a review on Zeus XRA with various cables including No5. https://twister6.com/2017/02/27/pwaudio-blackicon-1960s-cable/2/


----------



## Ultrainferno

kubig123 said:


> Same here, no hiss with any of my iems.
> 
> Sometime I hear a hiss with the KE and Lotoo Paw Gold, but never with 1z.



That KE is funny, at night I listen to volume 1 on the SP1000. But no hiss.


----------



## Whitigir

Ultrainferno said:


> That KE is funny, at night I listen to volume 1 on the SP1000. But no hiss.


And what does it have to do with WM1z ?


----------



## animalsrush

nc8000 said:


> Nice though I don't understand his statement about hiss. Mine is dead silent


+1 ..mine too with both k10 and es5 CIEM 

Pc


----------



## zpolt

I have the wm1a + pha2a combo driving Elears, beyer dt 1990, hd 600, t50rpmk3, p7s, msr7s, beyer t51p, shure 840, akg k701, sr60, hifiman 350, momentums. Have good volume on all phones even with just the wm1a with high gain mode. 

When not amped, not too big diff in sound with p7, t51p and hd600. But amped of course gives more body to every phone. 

Havent tried the balance tho on my phones. Excited to try it esp with the pha2a!


----------



## bsimms99

Sorry if this has been covered already but I was on Sony’s site and I see the new ZX300 is going to have USB-DAC capabilities.....so they put this feature on a 700 dollar version but not their pride and glory 1Z......


----------



## Ultrainferno

Whitigir said:


> And what does it have to do with WM1z ?



It means the KE is very sensitive and that it should pick up hiss from the 1Z if there is any. I figured that was fairly obvious from the comment though


----------



## Quadfather

Blommen said:


> So guys...I went ahead and ordered the WM1Z...I am very excited to see/hear what a TOTL dap can do. As I don't listen to DSD files I am a bit skeptical as to whether it is worth it.
> 
> BUT I just had to find out



You need to let the balanced amp burn in and definitely use it. Do not make early assessments. My balanced amp has 156 hours on it and it gets better every time I listen to it.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna (Sep 3, 2017)

About the hiss:

After Nathan's comment, I tested it today. Yes there is a hiss with sensitive IEMs, when you concentrate with no playback in a quiet place, and it increases pretty much when you crank the volume all the way up to 120. Still, I don't think this has an effect on the sound performance of this DAP, as it's one of the very best in the market, no doubt.

This hiss is not very obvious to my ears, you have to sit down in a quiet place and concentrate. But after 100 volume, it's easily audible. But on moderate levels it's not easy to hear like I said.

Not sure about the capped units tough, my review sample is the uncapped version.


----------



## bsimms99

Quadfather said:


> You need to let the balanced amp burn in and definitely use it. Do not make early assessments. My balanced amp has 156 hours on it and it gets better every time I listen to it.



 You know one thing I keep on hearing is people mentioned the burn in and I’m sorry but even when it’s not burned in it sounds amazing.


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> You know one thing I keep on hearing is people mentioned the burn in and I’m sorry but even when it’s not burned in it sounds amazing.


Yeah, until the "hiss" starts to bother you


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, until the "hiss" starts to bother you



Too bad people hear this “hiss”, I don’t yay for me and my ignorance it is bliss.


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> Too bad people hear this “hiss”, I don’t yay for me and my ignorance it is bliss.


+1 for me .  What do people say ? Ignorance is a bliss ?


----------



## bsimms99

Whitigir said:


> +1 for me .  What do people say ? Ignorance is a bliss ?



Yes they sure do!


----------



## hung031086

1A > Plussound X6 adapter > PW No.5 > A18. 
No hissing. Never heard any hissing with Vega, Encore, U/A12, A18.


----------



## bsimms99

The “hissing” is a conspiracy. That hissing you hear is interference generated from the transmissions from the CIA and the Mothership.


----------



## bsimms99

hung031086 said:


> 1A > Plussound X6 adapter > PW No.5 > A18.
> No hissing. Never heard any hissing with Vega, Encore, U/A12, A18.



 I want that case,  but I don’t want to deal with customs again ever....ever!


----------



## hung031086

bsimms99 said:


> I want that case,  but I don’t want to deal with customs again ever....ever!


I have never dealt with customs before. I only dealt with shipping from them lolz.


----------



## bsimms99

hung031086 said:


> I have never dealt with customs before. I only dealt with shipping from them lolz.



Getting my 1Z was nothing short of a nightmare, and a 2 week delay because UPS hires morons.


----------



## bsimms99

hung031086 said:


> I have never dealt with customs before. I only dealt with shipping from them lolz.



It’s a good thing I don’t live in your country, I’d go broke spending all my time in candy land over there


----------



## hung031086

Man i live in the US like you lolz.


----------



## bsimms99

hung031086 said:


> Man i live in the US like you lolz.



Sorry assumed by your statement you lived overseas, how did you not have to deal with customs???


----------



## shigzeo

Well, it hisses. If you can't hear it, god bless you.


----------



## blazinblazin (Sep 3, 2017)

Virtu Fortuna said:


> About the hiss:
> 
> After Nathan's comment, I tested it today. Yes there is a hiss with sensitive IEMs, when you concentrate with no playback in a quiet place, and it increases pretty much when you crank the volume all the way up to 120. Still, I don't think this has an effect on the sound performance of this DAP, as it's one of the very best in the market, no doubt.
> 
> ...



Ic... probably cause of the Volume amplification.

Normally i listen at Volume 65 max.

*i just tried without playing music but still hear no hiss jacking up volume to 120.

But interestingly, i heard some interesting popping sound.

The last few volume bars causes popping sound when i increase the volume to 120.

When i decrease the volume from 120, the popping sound every bar i decrease from 120 loudest to 60 still have some to completely silent.

Normally i do not experiece this during normal listening. Interesting.


----------



## nanaholic

Virtu Fortuna said:


> About the hiss:
> 
> After Nathan's comment, I tested it today. Yes there is a hiss with sensitive IEMs, when you concentrate with no playback in a quiet place, and it increases pretty much when you crank the volume all the way up to 120. Still, I don't think this has an effect on the sound performance of this DAP, as it's one of the very best in the market, no doubt.
> 
> ...



That makes sense.  Though after volume 100 I'm WAY more worried about the health of my hearing than some faint hiss, let alone at max 120.  

Even when out and about using my universal IEMs I don't find the need to go above 80 clicks, at home I'm listening at even lower volumes (60-70).  So to me it's obviously a non issue.


----------



## kubig123

nanaholic said:


> That makes sense.  Though after volume 100 I'm WAY more worried about the health of my hearing than some faint hiss, let alone at max 120.
> 
> Even when out and about using my universal IEMs I don't find the need to go above 80 clicks, at home I'm listening at even lower volumes (60-70).  So to me it's obviously a non issue.



Agree,
Sounds like a death wish to me, over 100 with sensitive iems? First you loose your hearing, then your brain starts to hiss, third I wonder what are you going to do with your expensive audio gear, charity?


----------



## rushofblood

Different people have different sensitivities to hiss...the 1Z definitely has a noise floor high enough for some equipment to suss out. I hear it with the Empire Zeus, and the Andromeda definitely brings it out too. It's rather subdued even with those two, though, and music drowns it out. Less sensitive IEMs or headphones sound silent to me. Also remember that Nathan reportedly uses extremely low listening volumes for listening so maybe he is very sensitive to noise - on that note, some of you guys use 65-80 for outdoor listening? Hot damn. My outdoor listening level is 30 high gain balanced and it's more than enough to drown out all outside noise.


----------



## nanaholic

rushofblood said:


> Different people have different sensitivities to hiss...the 1Z definitely has a noise floor high enough for some equipment to suss out. I hear it with the Empire Zeus, and the Andromeda definitely brings it out too. It's rather subdued even with those two, though, and music drowns it out. Less sensitive IEMs or headphones sound silent to me. Also remember that Nathan reportedly uses extremely low listening volumes for listening so maybe he is very sensitive to noise - on that note, some of you guys use 65-80 for outdoor listening? Hot damn. My outdoor listening level is 30 high gain balanced and it's more than enough to drown out all outside noise.



I use low gain at all times which is like 3~40% difference in volume at the same step level (non-scientifically). When I'm using my CIEMs I only need 60 clicks in low gain so it's roughly equal to your 30 clicks in high gain.


----------



## SoLame

I never heard '*hiss*', but I often hear '*hers*'! For some reasons, my wife only wants to talk to me when I listen to music.  j/k


----------



## hung031086

bsimms99 said:


> Sorry assumed by your statement you lived overseas, how did you not have to deal with customs???


Idk. Just sometime its stuck at the airport for 2-3 days.


----------



## blazinblazin (Sep 4, 2017)

rushofblood said:


> Different people have different sensitivities to hiss...the 1Z definitely has a noise floor high enough for some equipment to suss out. I hear it with the Empire Zeus, and the Andromeda definitely brings it out too. It's rather subdued even with those two, though, and music drowns it out. Less sensitive IEMs or headphones sound silent to me. Also remember that Nathan reportedly uses extremely low listening volumes for listening so maybe he is very sensitive to noise - on that note, some of you guys use 65-80 for outdoor listening? Hot damn. My outdoor listening level is 30 high gain balanced and it's more than enough to drown out all outside noise.



You said that Zeus and Andromeda brings subdued hiss out. Which gain are you using?

Ya i use 60-65 Low Gain outdoors.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

nanaholic said:


> That makes sense.  Though after volume 100 I'm WAY more worried about the health of my hearing than some faint hiss, let alone at max 120.
> 
> Even when out and about using my universal IEMs I don't find the need to go above 80 clicks, at home I'm listening at even lower volumes (60-70).  So to me it's obviously a non issue.


True. I just wanted to hear the hiss when there's no music playing. Of course no one would listen to it at over 100 with an IEM. I don't go over 55 most of the time.


----------



## rushofblood

blazinblazin said:


> You said that Zeus and Andromeda brings subdued hiss out. Which gain are you using?
> 
> Ya i use 60-65 Low Gain outdoors.


It's audible in both gain settings. Andromeda and Zeus are both sensitive so those are closer to like 20-24 high gain balanced for me for comfortable listening.


----------



## shigzeo

Andromeda is over the top sensitive. Damn good sounding, though. I hear hiss from volume 0 with a Grado GR8e. Otherwise, damn good sound.


----------



## gerelmx1986

When I got my WM1A, I tought I would be that 1% that doesn't hear a difference between SE and balanced. I was wrong , the sound of balanced continues to wow me with its clarity and realism.


----------



## ledzep

No hiss but i hear voices and its not even switched on !


----------



## proedros

hung031086 said:


> 1A > Plussound X6 adapter > *PW No.5* > A18.
> No hissing. Never heard any hissing with Vega, Encore, U/A12, A18.




how is the pw5 cable ?


----------



## proedros

nanaholic said:


> *I use low gain at all times *which is like 3~40% difference in volume at the same step level (non-scientifically). When I'm using my CIEMs I only need 60 clicks in low gain so it's roughly equal to your 30 clicks in high gain.




is there a sonic difference between low and high gain ? have you read anything on the matter from those sony developers ?


----------



## ledzep

Not relevant to prior conversations but just to share hit 1000 hrs on balanced and just listened to Brothers in arms MFSL Dsd rip on player with the etymotic XR's and it blew me away totally, this pairing has surpassed all the iems that I've tried since buying the player ... before you ask no there is no bl**dy hiss.


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> is there a sonic difference between low and high gain ? have you read anything on the matter from those sony developers ?



I prefer high gain as I feel there is more punch to the music for the same loudness but it might be total placebo


----------



## bsimms99

ledzep said:


> Not relevant to prior conversations but just to share hit 1000 hrs on balanced and just listened to Brothers in arms MFSL Dsd rip on player with the etymotic XR's and it blew me away totally, this pairing has surpassed all the iems that I've tried since buying the player ... before you ask no there is no bl**dy hiss.



Great....so not only is there a hiss.....there’s a bloody hiss too??!


----------



## ledzep

bsimms99 said:


> Great....so not only is there a hiss.....there’s a bloody hiss too??!


Damm right !


----------



## hung031086

proedros said:


> how is the pw5 cable ?


It's a great cable. Like what twister6 said in his u18 review. Love it.


----------



## zpolt

nc8000 said:


> I prefer high gain as I feel there is more punch to the music for the same loudness but it might be total placebo



I have wm1a, I find to my ears the low gain to have a bigger soundstage and more analytical sound. High gain is more warm fuller sounding. Normal is the more realistic sounding. 

I use it with headphones Elears, DT 1990, Hd600 to name a few. Tho yeah maybe placebo.


----------



## Acemcl

bsimms99 said:


> Sorry assumed by your statement you lived overseas, how did you not have to deal with customs???



why did you have to deal with Customs?


----------



## CMBoss (Sep 5, 2017)

My Cradle just arrived from Japan , now waiting on Silver Cables from Moon Audio


----------



## CMBoss




----------



## bsimms99

Acemcl said:


> why did you have to deal with Customs?



I have no idea, I bought the WM1Z from Japan, UPS contacts me and said the package is on hold at customs and they needed my SSN and address, I give it to them, they turn around and say that the package will be updated and go out. 1 week later.....I get a call from UPS asking me for all my info again, I asked why in F%$#$$&% I needed to do it a second time, they apologized and then said they would remove the duty fees. The package arrives at UPS for pickup and they tell me they have nothing on record saying the duty fees were being waved and they wanted me to take the phone and speak with their department that handles this. So Im sitting on hold on the phone inside the UPS facility on hold for 45 minutes.....I hung up and said screw it and paid the fees get my WM1Z, on my drive home I get a call from UPS saying they were calling to let me know that I didnt need to pay the fees...............it would have been a bad idea for anyone to be within a 100 feet of me.


----------



## bsimms99

CMBoss said:


>



That is a very nice looking setup you have there. Its funny though, to the average person that knows nothing of audio, thats 6 grand sitting on a table lol


----------



## CMBoss

@bsimms99... Thank you very much

I never thought I would spend so much on a portable audio gadget , but going thru the burn period and listening to some songs, that I initially thought I knew every instrument within... I was wowed, just yesterday got to 500hrs burn in, and heard a new background voice note, on one of my tracks, at first I thought someone was calling me... so removed the headset only to find out, it was from the music..... I couldn’t say how elated I was at that very moment .....

I can only imagine what the moonaudio silver cables can extract further down the road .....

One of the best investments I have made this year, although at times, I still wonder if I was hoodwinked to buy it .


----------



## proedros

hung031086 said:


> It's a great cable. Like what twister6 said in his u18 review. Love it.




really eager now to receive mine , did you get the 4 or the 8 braid ? and how does it affect your ciems ?


----------



## hung031086

proedros said:


> really eager now to receive mine , did you get the 4 or the 8 braid ? and how does it affect your ciems ?


I was lucky, cus i got mine in a week after i ordered. It usually takes 3-4 weeks to make. Mine is done after 1 or 2 days lol.
My cable is 4 braid. I don't like 8 cus its too thick and heavy.
It makes my a18 warmer a little bit, bassier and slightly bigger soundstage.


----------



## proedros

hung031086 said:


> I was lucky, cus i got mine in a week after i ordered. It usually takes 3-4 weeks to make. Mine is done after 1 or 2 days lol.
> My cable is 4 braid. I don't like 8 cus its too thick and heavy.
> It makes my a18 warmer a little bit, bassier and slightly bigger soundstage.



excellent , i also got the 4-braid for zeus XR and i think i am gonna love it

thank you for the detailed impressions


----------



## bsimms99

I dont know if anyone has noticed lately but I thought I would point it out. I have been reading the interviews over on Headfonia, it's funny that everytime a CEO of a IEM company or heck in the audio industry, when asked what they personally use for a DAP....its the 1Z LOL.

e.g  https://www.headfonia.com/q-n-a-saturday-jh-audio/ 
e.g https://www.headfonia.com/q-n-a-saturday-64-audio/


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> I dont know if anyone has noticed lately but I thought I would point it out. I have been reading the interviews over on Headfonia, it's funny that everytime a CEO of a IEM company or heck in the audio industry, when asked what they personally use for a DAP....its the 1Z LOL.
> 
> e.g  https://www.headfonia.com/q-n-a-saturday-jh-audio/
> e.g https://www.headfonia.com/q-n-a-saturday-64-audio/



Lol, do they care about "hiss" ?


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> Lol, do they care about "hiss" ?



There will be an article just on the hiss, at least 3 pages long.


----------



## bsimms99

The “


kubig123 said:


> There will be an article just on the hiss, at least 3 pages long.



The “hiss” continues..........lol


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 5, 2017)

Why is there no hiss out of my Shure se846 with balanced cable?  And here I thought I could get in on the hiss conversation!


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 5, 2017)

I love the detail and power of Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, but find myself reaching for the Sony NW-WM1A nearly 90% of the time.  I am running audioquest Nighthawk headphones with Surf Cables out of the balanced output.  It just seems so much easier in the ears, and a little more musical.


----------



## ledzep

bsimms99 said:


> The “
> 
> 
> The “hiss” continues..........lol


Give it a week or two and it will be hisstory.


----------



## Quadfather

ledzep said:


> Give it a week or two and it will be hisstory.



Is it hiss like a cat's hiss, or hiss like a rattlesnake's hiss?  Do dinosaur experts think that the Tyrannosaurus Rex hissed?


----------



## kubig123

ledzep said:


> Give it a week or two and it will be hisstory.



Love it!!!


----------



## ledzep

I'm everywhere !


----------



## Quadfather

ledzep said:


> I'm everywhere !



Do they make snake skin cases for the Sony NW-WM1A? ROTFL


----------



## bsimms99

ledzep said:


> Give it a week or two and it will be hisstory.



I see what you did there sir, its hisstarical.


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 5, 2017)

bsimms99 said:


> I see what you did there sir, its hisstarical.



Hissy fits over hiss...


----------



## mw7485

I'm feeling left out - I GOT NO HISS! Might return my 1Z and see if I can get one with attitude - one that hisses


----------



## bsimms99

It’s not a true 1Z unless it hisses.


----------



## kubig123

bsimms99 said:


> It’s not a true 1Z unless it hisses.



Yes, and the value of the unit will increase through the time. Is going to be an investment, forget the stock market, buy a WM1Z that hiss!!!


----------



## ledzep

Roll on the next phase ..... leaking batteries


----------



## goyete

Hello, a question for the bluetooth remote? Is there any way to turn on the screen of the WM1 from the remote? Only turn on the screen? Volume up for example, turn on the screen? Thanks!


----------



## nanaholic

In a way I'm not really surprised CEOs from JH and 64 are WM1Z users.

The team behind the 1Z not only captured good sound, but the interface is also spot on. It is well put together and more importantly it also feels less of a smartphone (especially compared with DAPs running skinned Android) and more of its own category of device, especially with the analog touches the designers put into the package such as the layout or the spectrum and volume meter which aims to mimic the action of actually turning a knob.  I believe the 1Z team and the headphone CEOs are from the same generation - the ones which had fond memories growing up at the peak of analog era listening to vinyls and tapes and playing with tube amps and FM radios then transitioned into the digital age of CDs, so I believe they speak the same "language", and thus the 1Z appeals to them on that sort of emotional level which people from the same generation usually shares. Whereas a lot of the other DAP makers are purely products of the digital age and appeals to a much younger crowd.


----------



## bsimms99

nanaholic said:


> In a way I'm not really surprised CEOs from JH and 64 are WM1Z users.
> 
> The team behind the 1Z not only captured good sound, but the interface is also spot on. It is well put together and more importantly it also feels less of a smartphone (especially compared with DAPs running skinned Android) and more of its own category of device, especially with the analog touches the designers put into the package such as the layout or the spectrum and volume meter which aims to mimic the action of actually turning a knob.  I believe the 1Z team and the headphone CEOs are from the same generation - the ones which had fond memories growing up at the peak of analog era listening to vinyls and tapes and playing with tube amps and FM radios then transitioned into the digital age of CDs, so I believe they speak the same "language", and thus the 1Z appeals to them on that sort of emotional level which people from the same generation usually shares. Whereas a lot of the other DAP makers are purely products of the digital age and appeals to a much younger crowd.



Us older folk have better taste than the younger generation and pay attention to detail quite bit more but that’s just my opinion.


----------



## nanaholic

bsimms99 said:


> Us older folk have better taste than the younger generation and pay attention to detail quite bit more but that’s just my opinion.



It's not just young people though, in general I would say there is a widespread lack of appreciation for professional work and how much time and effort good design actually costs in the digital age where every one is a "creator" due to wide availability of cheap and powerful tools. It's true that anyone now can make products for cheap, but they are also not of the same level of quality.


----------



## animalsrush (Sep 5, 2017)

From my previous experience with Sony zx2 I know the sound signature on Sony DAPs fluctuate a lot till the sound settles down. I see similar performance with Sony wm1z. I am about 300 hrs in (200 balanced, 100 SE).. about upto 150 hrs balanced I enjoyed the sound with Sony enhancements. I used DSEE HX "strings" and D.C. Phase linearizer set to "Type A Low". However after 180 hrs in on balanced I don't  like the sound with enhancements anymore , I feel like they are masking details a lot. Now I absolutely love source direct.. so all you users of wm1z can you share your experience during burn in.. just curious to see how many use just source direct ..

PC


----------



## Witcher

ledzep said:


> No hiss but i hear voices and its not even switched on !


I have a natural hissing in my left ear after the surgery. But it goes away when I turn the WM1A up loud enough!


----------



## blazinblazin (Sep 5, 2017)

nanaholic said:


> In a way I'm not really surprised CEOs from JH and 64 are WM1Z users.
> 
> The team behind the 1Z not only captured good sound, but the interface is also spot on. It is well put together and more importantly it also feels less of a smartphone (especially compared with DAPs running skinned Android) and more of its own category of device, especially with the analog touches the designers put into the package such as the layout or the spectrum and volume meter which aims to mimic the action of actually turning a knob.  I believe the 1Z team and the headphone CEOs are from the same generation - the ones which had fond memories growing up at the peak of analog era listening to vinyls and tapes and playing with tube amps and FM radios then transitioned into the digital age of CDs, so I believe they speak the same "language", and thus the 1Z appeals to them on that sort of emotional level which people from the same generation usually shares. Whereas a lot of the other DAP makers are purely products of the digital age and appeals to a much younger crowd.



I find older songs to have more emotions in them than modern songs.

Also i felt older songs requires better singing/vocal technics than the songs now. More depth and vocal tonal/volume control.

I enjoy listening to older songs a lot.
Especially those past my age.


----------



## ttt123

animalsrush said:


> From my previous experience with Sony zx2 I know the sound signature on Sony DAPs fluctuate a lot till the sound settles down. I see similar performance with Sony wm1z. I am about 300 hrs in (200 balanced, 100 SE).. about upto 150 hrs balanced I enjoyed the sound with Sony enhancements. I used DSEE HX "strings" and D.C. Phase linearizer set to "Type A Low". However after 180 hrs in on balanced I don't  like the sound with enhancements anymore , I feel like they are masking details a lot. Now I absolutely love source direct.. so all you users of wm1z can you share your experience during burn in.. just curious to see how many use just source direct ..
> 
> PC


I have been using DSEE: HX strings, and PL: Type B high on a well burned in WM1Z.  A couple of days ago, I revisited the settings, as I got a Dita Truth copper cable for the Z5, and was doing a quick check, using the song IN THIS ROOM by Leslie Tucker.  A lot of emotion comes through on this track, and I wanted to check which setting was the best for this.  With the settings on Direct, I was getting just a little more detail on the voice, which I did find communicated emotion more.  Very small differences in a very specific area, which I might have gone with a different choice, if I was comparing for different things.   So I would say that from my observation on this combination of 1Z/Dita/Z5, Direct setting gives just a little more micro detail, and I liked how it presented voice and space more.  Though for other kinds of music, the tone settings on may be better, depending on what the listener is looking for.  So I guess it is still a "try and see if you like it" situation.  There is no one setting that is best for every type of music.


----------



## ledzep

Direct all the way for me.


----------



## preddd

Hi! I just recently blind bought a Hifiman HE-400i to pair with my wm1a, but I'm forced to crank up the volume to 120/120 in SE output (i know it's not good) to get a decent listening volume. My questions are as follows;

1. Do I need to get a separate amplifier for the he-400i or just terminate it to 4.4mm balanced to slightly boost the volume?
2. Since the wm1a/1z doesn't have analog line out, can I just use the SE and balanced output as line out?

Thanks!


----------



## ttt123

preddd said:


> Hi! I just recently blind bought a Hifiman HE-400i to pair with my wm1a, but I'm forced to crank up the volume to 120/120 in SE output (i know it's not good) to get a decent listening volume. My questions are as follows;
> 
> 1. Do I need to get a separate amplifier for the he-400i or just terminate it to 4.4mm balanced to slightly boost the volume?
> 2. Since the wm1a/1z doesn't have analog line out, can I just use the SE and balanced output as line out?
> ...


If you have not turned on High Gain for SE, turn that on and see if you get enough power.  Should go to 4.4mm balanced anyways, for more power, better SQ.  But no idea whether the power from 4.4mm is adequate.   Some of the other users with experience on that planar headphone , or similar power hungry headphones would be the ones to give you a more definitive idea.


----------



## preddd

ttt123 said:


> If you have not turned on High Gain for SE, turn that on and see if you get enough power.  Should go to 4.4mm balanced anyways, for more power, better SQ.  But no idea whether the power from 4.4mm is adequate.   Some of the other users with experience on that planar headphone , or similar power hungry headphones would be the ones to give you a more definitive idea.



Yup I already enabled high gain on both outputs. I once tried the he-400i on 4.4mm balanced and got a decent listening volume at 110/120. I'm just worried that pushing the DAP to that levels may be bad for its dac/amp section.


----------



## Witcher

this is very odd indeed. I listened to mine with the HD800S, which has 300 ohm impedance, and it's perfectly fine on high gain on the SE output.


----------



## ttt123

preddd said:


> Yup I already enabled high gain on both outputs. I once tried the he-400i on 4.4mm balanced and got a decent listening volume at 110/120. I'm just worried that pushing the DAP to that levels may be bad for its dac/amp section.


I don't believe running 4.4 at max 120 is bad for it.  I believe the instructions for using it for analog out are to max it.  However, this may be a situation where you would need more power to drive the 400i to it's best potential.    But if 120 is acceptable, then it beats carrying an extra amp around for mobile use.


----------



## ledzep

preddd said:


> Yup I already enabled high gain on both outputs. I once tried the he-400i on 4.4mm balanced and got a decent listening volume at 110/120. I'm just worried that pushing the DAP to that levels may be bad for its dac/amp section.



Won't do any harm , but you obviously need more juice which will do justice to your phones so it's either amp it or get a more efficient planar like the oppo pm3 if it's portability is a must. Will drive my alpha's and Aeons but not anywhere near to same quality when they are juiced up via my ember.


----------



## denis1976

preddd said:


> Hi! I just recently blind bought a Hifiman HE-400i to pair with my wm1a, but I'm forced to crank up the volume to 120/120 in SE output (i know it's not good) to get a decent listening volume. My questions are as follows;
> 
> 1. Do I need to get a separate amplifier for the he-400i or just terminate it to 4.4mm balanced to slightly boost the volume?
> 2. Since the wm1a/1z doesn't have analog line out, can I just use the SE and balanced output as line out?
> ...


hello i have a pair of 400i too and they are low sensitive headphones, with the 1Z in SE with high gain i listen at 100 most the time, in balanced i listen at 80/85 in high gain too,so i don't have any lack of power problems , but i admit that the 400i are not easy to drive, but the 1Z Is a great match for them, the bass is delicious, not even paw gold or dx200 with huge declared power can make this powerfull sound


----------



## preddd

Thanks for sharing infos. I decided to get a simple desktop amp (topping a30) for my he-400i.


----------



## Decreate (Sep 6, 2017)

Would anyone recommend the se5u with the wm1z for listening to metal / rock or would I be better off with something else? Currently using the Tia Fourte.


----------



## Blommen

Decreate said:


> Would anyone recommend the se5u with the wm1z for listening to metal / rock or would I be better off with something else? Currently using the Tia Fourte.



Is the Fourte too harsh or hot in the highs?


----------



## Decreate

Blommen said:


> Is the Fourte too harsh or hot in the highs?


 Yes, I personally found it a bit too much at times....


----------



## gerelmx1986

I don't like the fact the ZX300 doesn't show the codec on top like flac 16bit /44.1khz


----------



## bsimms99

gerelmx1986 said:


> I don't like the fact the ZX300 doesn't show the codec on top like flac 16bit /44.1khz



I don’t like the fact that it has USB-DAC functionality.....because why would a better version of this player need it right???


----------



## gerelmx1986

Let's see if Sony provides us an update with USB DAC


----------



## bsimms99

gerelmx1986 said:


> Let's see if Sony provides us an update with USB DAC



This might be a complete pessimistic way of looking at things but I always ask myself "does it benefit me or do any good?" If the answer is yes, there's about a 99.9% chance its not going to happen, but if I don't need/want it, theres a 99% chance it will be available.


----------



## ledzep

The  wait is over for the new furutech plugs I ordered  held up at UK customs as they thought it was ammunition.


----------



## bsimms99

ledzep said:


> The  wait is over for the new furutech plugs I ordered  held up at UK customs as they thought it was ammunition.



Customs strikes again.................


----------



## ledzep

bsimms99 said:


> Customs strikes again.................


Yeah 4 bullets was planning a coup on a grand scale !


----------



## mw7485

ledzep said:


> The  wait is over for the new furutech plugs I ordered  held up at UK customs as they thought it was ammunition.



I'm wondering what they think the 4.4mm balanced adapter for my ER4 is? A torpedo perhaps? or perhaps "flexible ammunition" for shooting around corners.... They've been staring at it for two weeks now


----------



## proedros

ledzep said:


> The  wait is over for the new furutech plugs I ordered  held up at UK customs as they thought it was ammunition.




how much did they cost and where did you buy them from ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lol they tought it was ammo , they think the most funny crap. My book to prepare for the German zertifikat A2, waited in customs and they searched for drugs what the ****


----------



## Lavakugel

Why isn't it possible to add songs to favourites from internal and SD-card slot? I also have songs I want to add to favourites on my sd card..


----------



## kubig123

proedros said:


> how much did they cost and where did you buy them from ?




Music sanctuary sells them, 75S$, expensive but top quality, just got 2 yesterday.

https://music-sanctuary.com/products/furutech-ft-7445r


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 6, 2017)

As I remember I can add songs to favorite from SD card by using either a Playlist or a bookmark list


----------



## jamato8

bsimms99 said:


> This might be a complete pessimistic way of looking at things but I always ask myself "does it benefit me or do any good?" If the answer is yes, there's about a 99.9% chance its not going to happen, but if I don't need/want it, theres a 99% chance it will be available.


LOL  That is one way to look at it. Optimistic it will happen if you don't need it, so there is a mixed positive note there.


----------



## ledzep (Sep 6, 2017)

kubig123 said:


> Music sanctuary sells them, 75S$, expensive but top quality, just got 2 yesterday.
> 
> https://music-sanctuary.com/products/furutech-ft-7445r


 
Yeah worth every penny quality machined and built to last, the 6.3 I put on my Aeons / silver cable is a beauty


----------



## Lavakugel

gerelmx1986 said:


> As I remember I can add songs to favorite from SD card by using either a Playlist or a bookmark list



I do have several playlists but can't add songs from sd-card?!?


----------



## kubig123

jamato8 said:


> LOL  That is one way to look at it. Optimistic it will happen if you don't need it, so there is a mixed positive note there.



I totally agree with @bsimms99, when I purchased my WM1Z I knew it didn't have this feature, therefore I don't see why there is so much fuss around the lack of the usb-dac.
If Sony will introduce this function in the future it will make most of us happy but if it won't happened, I'm still %100 satisfied with the DAP.


----------



## Lavakugel

Me too, very very happy about 150h even on single ended


----------



## kms108

kubig123 said:


> I totally agree with @bsimms99, when I purchased my WM1Z I knew it didn't have this feature, therefore I don't see why there is so much fuss around the lack of the usb-dac.
> If Sony will introduce this function in the future it will make most of us happy but if it won't happened, I'm still %100 satisfied with the DAP.


I agree, what is there to talk about, new player will get improved feature and functionality over older player regardless of cost, it normal.


----------



## bvng3540

kubig123 said:


> I totally agree with @bsimms99, when I purchased my WM1Z I knew it didn't have this feature, therefore I don't see why there is so much fuss around the lack of the usb-dac.
> If Sony will introduce this function in the future it will make most of us happy but if it won't happened, I'm still %100 satisfied with the DAP.



The new zx300 has USB-DAC


----------



## gerelmx1986

Off topic, but how do you straighten tangled cables like this


----------



## kms108 (Sep 6, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Off topic, but how do you straighten tangled cables like this




Probably heatgun, but you can also kill it if heated too long.


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 6, 2017)

Oh hell yeah! The Sony NW-WM1A is quickly becoming my favorite DAP.  Balanced is the only way!  I have been using it exclusively with headphones. I would like to thank Sony for adding so much more power.  This player is perfect, because it has great musicality and detail without hurting your ears.  Female voices sound more natural than on my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana.


----------



## bvng3540

Quadfather said:


> Oh hell yeah! The Sony NW-WM1A is quickly becoming my favorite DAP.  Balanced is the only way!  I have been using it exclusively with headphones. I would like to thank Sony for adding so much more power.  This player is perfect, because it has great musicality and detail without hurting your ears.  Female voices sound more natural than on my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana.



Now it is time for you to sell your Diana and get Wm1z


----------



## Quadfather

bvng3540 said:


> Now it is time for you to sell your Diana and get Wm1z



The thought has crossed my mind.


----------



## Quadfather

bvng3540 said:


> Now it is time for you to sell your Diana and get Wm1z



What are the biggest sonic differences between the Sony NW-WM1A and the Sony NW-WM1Z?


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Quadfather  has the reason, WM1A has the detail and clarity without the associated ringy ears of fatigue


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Quadfather  has the reason, WM1A has the detail and clarity without the associated ringy ears of fatigue



This is the first DAP that treats my ears well.  I have others that are fun, but after 40 minutes to an hour of listening it becomes fatiguing and shrill.


----------



## jamato8

Quadfather said:


> What are the biggest sonic differences between the Sony NW-WM1A and the Sony NW-WM1Z?


I have the WM1Z after having around 1000 hours on the WM1A. I still have the 1Z. I found it to be more analog at the top end, a little more 3D and more transparent. The differences aren't profound but obvious to me with good IEM's or headphones. The WM1A to me, has a slight digital edge on top, a bit of grain in comparison to the 1Z. That is my opinion of the 1A and 1Z though for the 1Z I had to get a wagon to trail it along with me. lol


----------



## Quadfather

jamato8 said:


> I have the WM1Z after having around 1000 hours on the WM1A. I still have the 1Z. I found it to be more analog at the top end, a little more 3D and more transparent. The differences aren't profound but obvious to me with good IEM's or headphones. The WM1A to me, has a slight digital edge on top, a bit of grain in comparison to the 1Z. That is my opinion of the 1A and 1Z though for the 1Z I had to get a wagon to trail it along with me. lol



Thank you.


----------



## nogi replicant

Hi. I need some help.

Picking up a WA8 which has a USB 2.0 type B input to use both the DAC and AMP. also has a line in if I want to use the 1z DAC and WA8 amp. 

If I want to run digital out from my 1z into the WA8 USB 2.0 B would I need to get this cable (Sony WMC-NWH10 - http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Sony-WMC...2424?hash=item212be73108:g:6WoAAOSweNxZilcn)? it looks like it terminates in a female USB? so I guess I would need a male USB A to USB 2.0 B cable also? or get the Sony cable re-terminated to USB 2.0 B (which I definitely don't have the tools or skills to do lol).

Sorry I am a noob with the technicalities. Thanks for your help.


----------



## audionewbi

Yes what you said is correct. There are people who make custom cables but doing it the simple way is the cheapest way. If you like to use that setup at a desktop there are members who suggest the Sony NWH10 sounds better than the otg cable.


----------



## nogi replicant

audionewbi said:


> Yes what you said is correct. There are people who make custom cables but doing it the simple way is the cheapest way. If you like to use that setup at a desktop there are members who suggest the Sony NWH10 sounds better than the otg cable.



Thanks for confirming. I thought the NWH10 cable that I referenced was the otg cable. Sorry if I am missing something.


----------



## AnakChan

nogi replicant said:


> Hi. I need some help.
> 
> Picking up a WA8 which has a USB 2.0 type B input to use both the DAC and AMP. also has a line in if I want to use the 1z DAC and WA8 amp.
> 
> ...



Depends on where you are. For Japan USB A->B are off the shelf. I have a cable version but if wanted just a straight adapter instead of cable I can find that too (but the WMC-NWH10 isn't a very flexible cable).



 

 

Personally I prefer to drive my earphones straight out of NW-WM1Z. IMHO, the WA8's strength is in the amp. The DAC is fine but (at least at my disposal), I have better.


----------



## nogi replicant

Thanks - great to see photos of what I am looking for. I am sure here in Australia I will be able to find a USB A to USB B easy enough. Cheers.


----------



## ttt123

I'm using a phone ring on a Benks clear case, and find that it makes carrying the WM1Z much more secure and comfortable.  The gold ring is also a good match.
.


----------



## ledzep

ledzep said:


> Yeah worth every penny quality machined and built to last, the 6.3 I put on my Aeons / silver cable is a beauty



Just one thing to note about the soldering of pure silver to rhodium .... it's a pain at times, just scrape or sand a small portion of the pin your going to solder to and tin with your solder so it takes the connection better and gives a  stronger bond.


----------



## proedros

i am slowly but steadily turning to 4.4 balanced for my wm1a

after buying the pwaudio no5(with 4.4 termination) , i sent today my whiplash hybrid v3 cable for 4.4 retermination to forza audio (in poland)

very eager to hear wm1a in balanced mode


----------



## Quadfather

proedros said:


> i am slowly but steadily turning to 4.4 balanced for my wm1a
> 
> after buying the pwaudio no5(with 4.4 termination) , i sent today my whiplash hybrid v3 cable for 4.4 retermination to forza audio (in poland)
> 
> very eager to hear wm1a in balanced mode



You will love it!  Give that amp time to burn in.


----------



## ledzep

Job done furutech + Silver time to try the Aeons on balanced at last.


----------



## bsimms99

Just got my Zeus-X-RAY and PW Audio 1960 2 wire with a balanced adapter.....these things are impressive on the 1Z


----------



## Edric Li

Will we be able to use the new 400GB Sandisk microSD card on the 1Z/1A?


----------



## mw7485

Edric Li said:


> Will we be able to use the new 400GB Sandisk microSD card on the 1Z/1A?



Bit early to tell, since nobody has got their sticky paws on one yet. Doubtless we'll find out soon enough though......


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will wait , until one has good/bad luck and reports back here


----------



## rtjoa

bsimms99 said:


> Just got my Zeus-X-RAY and PW Audio 1960 2 wire with a balanced adapter.....these things are impressive on the 1Z


Very nice cable. Where did you buy it from and how long do you have to wait? Thanks


----------



## bsimms99

Bought it off a guy here on headfi. Going nuts though none of the comply earbuds stay in my ears and then the spongy ones slip out after 10 minutes and I am about to punch someone. I know to get these custom but in the mean time it’s like What where do you get earbuds that seal and stay in your ears


----------



## ledzep

bsimms99 said:


> Bought it off a guy here on headfi. Going nuts though none of the comply earbuds stay in my ears and then the spongy ones slip out after 10 minutes and I am about to punch someone. I know to get these custom but in the mean time it’s like What where do you get earbuds that seal and stay in your ears



Snugs are your friend


----------



## Blommen

bsimms99 said:


> Bought it off a guy here on headfi. Going nuts though none of the comply earbuds stay in my ears and then the spongy ones slip out after 10 minutes and I am about to punch someone. I know to get these custom but in the mean time it’s like What where do you get earbuds that seal and stay in your ears



Sometimes it works best if you don't push them all the way in...


----------



## Quadfather

I WANT A SONY NW-WM1Z! Okay, now I will recede...


----------



## bsimms99

Blommen said:


> Sometimes it works best if you don't push them all the way in...



Tried that and it’s worse. I have very very tiny ears and a curved ear canal.


----------



## Edric Li (Sep 7, 2017)

Can anybody recommend a cable maker that sells cables with angled 4.4mm balanced plug?

Here's what I've found so far:

Cables:
Onso: http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000119858&search=onso+4.4&sort=price_desc
Sony: http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000106043&search=4.4&sort=price_desc
Musashino: http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopd...00134735&search=musashino+4.4&sort=price_desc
Earmax: https://world.tmall.com/item/556631...46230&cm_id=140105335569ed55e27b&abbucket=10#
Kumitate Lab: http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000147967/ct2545/page1/order/

Adapters:
Musashino: http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000117201&search=4.4&sort=price_desc
Dita: http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000135834&search=4.4&sort=price_desc

DIY Connectors:
Music Heaven: https://world.taobao.com/item/54335...1.14.15.76bf523beE0mA&ns=1&abbucket=10#detail


----------



## kubig123

Edric Li said:


> Can anybody recommend a cable maker that sells cables with angled 4.4mm balanced plug?



I bought one from kumitatelab at the beginning of the year.

I might consider to sell it, let me know if you are interested.

http://www.kumitatelab.com


----------



## Edric Li (Sep 7, 2017)

-


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Quadfather said:


> I WANT A SONY NW-WM1Z! Okay, now I will recede...



Listen to your inner voice... 

Get it on Amazon UK,  you can get as low as $2k if you wait


----------



## Blommen

bsimms99 said:


> Tried that and it’s worse. I have very very tiny ears and a curved ear canal.



Me too, I feel your pain. The best tips for me right now are the Sony hybrids, but I don't know how they work for the Zeus.

In other news,my wm1z should be here tomorrow! The wait is killing me


----------



## bsimms99

ledzep said:


> Snugs are your friend





hamhamhamsta said:


> Listen to your inner voice...
> 
> Get it on Amazon UK,  you can get as low as $2k if you wait



Isn’t the UK version the capped version?


----------



## gerelmx1986

For wm1z I wait till the Sony 40th Walkman anniversary edition


----------



## hamhamhamsta

bsimms99 said:


> Isn’t the UK version the capped version?


All Sony WM1A and 1Z can be uncapped easily.  I did for both 1A & 1Z


----------



## bsimms99

To keep the ball rolling.... I opened up my 1Z and pulled out a snake, solved the hissing sound.


----------



## meomap

bsimms99 said:


> To keep the ball rolling.... I opened up my 1Z and pulled out a snake, solved the hissing sound.



Well? What did you find?


----------



## ledzep

meomap said:


> Well? What did you find?


Obviously a ball python


----------



## aisalen

At last, received my mint wm1a. It is heavy compare to my Aune M2 pro and Opus #1 but is very solid. Initial impression is very good in terms of UI and SQ, it just that the amp lack power as I am listening with IT03 in 100 volume in high gain. Will check again later for the settings.


----------



## all999

aisalen said:


> At last, received my mint wm1a. It is heavy compare to my Aune M2 pro and Opus #1 but is very solid. Initial impression is very good in terms of UI and SQ, it just that the amp lack power as I am listening with IT03 in 100 volume in high gain. Will check again later for the settings.




Uncap it!

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool


----------



## nc8000

all999 said:


> Uncap it!
> 
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool



He's on high gain so it must already be uncapped


----------



## all999

nc8000 said:


> He's on high gain so it must already be uncapped



Right. But 100 on high gain sounds crazy.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 8, 2017)

Use 4.4mm. It had more power compared to 3.5mm

Wm1a 3.5 mm is good but nothing special. 4.4 mm on the other hand is the bomb. Pair with with good cables,  it's heaven for your ear.

It's 1am now,  Im listening to 1Z with SE5U and PW 1960 4 core on volume 69 high gain . I need to shower, sleep and work tomorrow.  But dangit, Eason Chan sounds so good...


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Shoot I'm gonna have to pay big-time tomorrow


----------



## nc8000

all999 said:


> Right. But 100 on high gain sounds crazy.



Agree.


----------



## aisalen

Yes, I myself can't believe that I am in 100 but will further investigate and check as maybe there some settings that I need to adjust too. My normal volume in my Aune M2 is 65 max. I tired for a brief direct but hear almost the same volume. Afaik, mine is uncapped as it is bought in PH. But don't worry, even if it so I like it and the best buy for me so far same with my it03.


----------



## all999

aisalen said:


> Yes, I myself can't believe that I am in 100 but will further investigate and check as maybe there some settings that I need to adjust too. My normal volume in my Aune M2 is 65 max. I tired for a brief direct but hear almost the same volume. Afaik, mine is uncapped as it is bought in PH. But don't worry, even if it so I like it and the best buy for me so far same with my it03.



Do You have latest firmware installed?


----------



## aisalen

all999 said:


> Do You have latest firmware installed?


Hmmm, that I did not check yet but probably it is as I bought it used in very mint condition and previous owner may updated it already but I will check later. Thanks.


----------



## Whitigir

i cant wait for new firmware, like literally that i have never been awaiting for a new firmware like this...


----------



## all999

Whitigir said:


> i cant wait for new firmware, like literally that i have never been awaiting for a new firmware like this...



What firmware?  Do You know something about it and want to share?


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 8, 2017)

all999 said:


> What firmware?  Do You know something about it and want to share?



It was all been just a speculation that 1A/Z folk will start to have the next firmware that offer AptX-HD for bluetooth and USB-DAC feature, and proably MQA to takes advantages of the Streaming services, since USB-DAC is enabled....who knows ? until the firmware is released


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 8, 2017)

Yay, thank you @kms108 , I got my stickers and here is a shot.  Upgraded Wm1Z and Upgraded docking system with silver-gold wires 


So, I got myself a DX200, and after the weekends and a few days honey moon with it.  I am starting to analyzing both players.



Ofcourse both is being used out of Utopia and balanced connection as my DX200 has Amp3 module.  To my surprise, Dx200 can be playing ball and standing toes to toes to the big Wm1Z.  But there is a catch.  Only if you listen to WM1Z in "Direct Mode".  

Now, let me take a moment and process.  Sony claims that as direct sources, you are getting straight performances from your files into hardware and right out to the headphones with the minimalist interferences of processing.  However, this is a big "however", S-Master design does not have "Coupling Capacitors" like your traditional "Amplifiers", and that means even Dx200 has it, and other players as well.  This "coupling capacitor" is the main culprits for your bass drop and low to mid spectrum separations.  During the "development" of WM1Z, the engineers realized this, and so they went out and about to develop a way to mimicking the phase changes of which was the result of this coupling capacitor.  However, there are different implementations and so it slightly result in different signatures.  Sony realized that the new S-Master HX can totally process this with a tweak of their original Walkman OS.  Lo and behold, DC-Phase Linearization were born, for different type of signatures by using S-Master HX Processing power.  This was confirmed that is being done by the Software and the S-Master HX Prowess, and again, there is no Coupling Capacitors in the WM1Z or 1A.  To be continued in the next part in a moment


----------



## gerelmx1986

I like how the xba-z5 sound with wm1a balanced, detailed, in the entire spectrum and not piercing highs.

Don't know why many people prefer the EX1000


----------



## all999 (Sep 8, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I like how the xba-z5 sound with wm1a balanced, detailed, in the entire spectrum and not piercing highs.
> 
> Don't know why many people prefer the EX1000



Better depth and the best subbass ever on EX1000 to name only two. And cheaper


----------



## Lavakugel

I was always listening for around 150h on direct mode to save battery life. Now I took it out and holy moly this sound is even better with right settings. Only downside battery life is draining faster...


----------



## ledzep

all999 said:


> Better depth and the best subbass ever on EX1000 to name only two. And cheaper



I'll second that the EX1000 will be remembered long after the Z5 has been and gone, the 1000's on 4.4mm balanced are superb.


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 8, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Yay, thank you @kms108 , I got my stickers and here is a shot.  Upgraded Wm1Z and Upgraded docking system with silver-gold wires
> 
> So, I got myself a DX200, and after the weekends and a few days honey moon with it.  I am starting to analyzing both players.
> 
> ...




Now, part 2:

Dx200 and amp1, the signature were with great separations and layering, but the soundstage was narrower and vocal with mid spectrum are more forward and intimidating, just similar to Wm1z in direct source, but with less deep sub bass, less bass rumbles, but punchy and tighter mid bass.  I would use the term "fast and explosive mid bass here" because it has more bites to just compare to the bass on the Wm1Z which is with authorities and smoothly flowing.  Dx200 and amp1 has brighter lower treble and extensions which lead to more prone to harshness and sibilant, and together with speed, biting mid bass, the amp1 seems to only have layering and separations in it advantage, but in my opinion it lacks behind in sub bass and bass extensions overall.  Timbres are brighter and more of a solid state signatures.

Dx200 and amp3, it has more width, depth, vertical rendering, and deeper sub bass and bass extensions with better and more smooth bass overall, still snappier than 1Z.  Timbres overall is more organic and less aggressive, still energetic, but less brightness and aggressive lower treble and treble extensions overall.  It made Dx200 to have a new signature of an expansive, spacious, superb layering, separations and details.  Totally is in high-end tier and toes to toes with Wm1z.  It surprises me that the layering, separations and expansiveness of staging is better than Wm1z in "direct source mode".

***simply put** the dx200 with amp3 has better separation and layering out of the box than Wm1z out of the box .  Dx200 with amp1 which comes with it, and out of the box it has a more flat and boring expression of the music in comparison to Wm1z out of the box*

Please, read part 1 quoted above to see why.

Now, the only fair-ground for WM1Z to compete is to turn on the sound-setting (DC phase linearizer, DSEEHX).  Ofcourse there are slight differences in different options, and beware that your battery will drain faster, but not as horrible as dx200.  We are talking about 12 hours in comparison to 8 hours.

***curiosity*** I know many people would have this question.  Hey, it is not fair to use Dx200 without Digital signal processing in comparison to WM1Z with Digital signal processing ? Well, my answer is that, how could you know if Ibasso does not code in any DSP in their Mango App ? Different playback apps on Dx200 results in different signature.  Obviously enough that you will opt for one upon personal preferences.  In Mango player app, without ticking EQ-On and not using any EQ sliders, there is an emphasis into Sub-bass performances.  So.....

Now, I will answer your question with another question.  What if Sony also hid this away and incorporated a built in DSP and leave the users no further options to optimize the resulted performances upon personal preferences ? You just can not tell ?  Yeah, however, Sony did "fully disclose" that.

Progressing into sound performances competitions.



Play modes:

Dx200: Lurker modded firmware for the newest Neutron playback app (the best performances from my observations)
Wm1z:  DSEEHX - female vocal
             D.C.-Phase Linearizer: Type B Standard
             Dynamic normalizer:  never tick this box....I never liked it....it always gimped down the extensions of many spectrums, mainly the treble.

Now, we are in a much equal ground.

*Wm1Z signature*: fluidly with a touch of warmth, powerful sub-bass and mid bass but is very well controlled.  Edges resolutions of every notes are so smooth and suprerbly defined (more defined than dx200), sure resulted in a superb layering and separations.  Great width, depth, vertical stages rendering.  Tonal body is super vivid and realistic, and even with those synthesized plays from EDM and Modern Pops, very satisfying.  Vocal is full of emotions and very well defined.  Upper mid to lower trebles is more forward and still warmth, so it is more intimidating with thick treble plays and it would be personal preferences here.

*Dx200+amp3*: Neutral, Energetic and spacious, deep sub-bass and not as deep as Wm1Z and less powerful but is better controlled and faster in a sense.  Edges resolutions of each notes is sharper and vividly defined, sure is superb layering and separations but has more spaciousness and air than WM1Z (slightly) enough to carries different sound signature.  More resolving ? Sure, I will give it that, but less realistic and less emotions.  Synthesized plays from EDM and modern pops are out-right Synthetic, very satisfying in a different sense (your preferences here).  Vocal is very transparent, a tad further out (slight bit) and less warmth, with less extensions but faster speed (your preferences here).  In my opinion, Vocal is less expressive on Dx200+amp3, but is more transparency for better resolvability and clarity (your preferences here).  Upper mid to lower trebles are faster, sharper with a tad bit further out together with Vocal, a tad bit more transparent and brighter but no harshness or sibilant, very energetic and results in a finer resolutions (your preferences here).  Together as a whole package, the Dx200+amp3 has different sound signature, but none the less, just as good as Wm1z ? Damn....

*It comes down to a much more simple term: Mellow and involving or Energetic and resolving* ?  Both players are worthy of the title "top tier".  However, I will give the dynamic prowess toward Wm1Z.  The deep sub bass and powerful authorities is untouchable on the 1Z however.

Furthermore, UI, battery life ? If needed, I will have part 3 about this.  But simplistic UI and battery life is a victorious for 1Z. Practicality for USB-DAC feature is a win for DX200 together with amp module options.



Conclusion:  it blows my mind to have the Dx200 to stand toes to toes to WM1Z with the new AMP3 module and at the given pricing ?  Thought with the upper hand in Bass and dynamic, the 1z is a winner, not by much but only a little.  Remember, without sound setting on, the 1Z is behind in separations and layering to dx200+amp3.  Both players are fun to have and even better with different sound signatures.  However, the 1Z is much more expensive, and so for the prices, Dx200+amp3 is a winner in a sense that if you can not afford 1Z, you won't regret buying dx200+amp3.  However, if you can afford 1Z, the 1Z is preferable to be a winner in my opinion, and I wouldn't be surprised if someone else personally prefer the Dx200+amp3 as I already listed the reasons above.

Pros:

Wm1z: Simple Walkman OS, DC-phase linearizer, Battery life (12-22 hours on high res FLAC or DSD, depends), superb Digital out transport feature with Docking Cradle system simply plug and play, luxurious, realism timbres, involving feeling and expressiveness of the tracks, especially vocal.

Dx200: Android 6.0 with open customization to install any version of firmware, custom firmware....etc...cheaper pricing, amp module improvements possibilities (amp3 vs amp1 for example), who knows what Ibasso will come up next ? Luxurious, clarity and transparency, resolving , energetic, USB-DAC feature.  Streaming, wifi capable, internet connection.

Cons:

Wm1z: no internet or streaming ability, closed OS as no further modification can be done except removing volume cap, heavy, no USB-DAC at the moment, no further sound signatures except DC-Phase linearizer

Dx200+amp3: no Digital out properly yet by USB connections, buggy interface here and there but nothing major, low battery life (still is the most impressive on the market for what it can offer), bulky and thick (I don't care, who care ? It can drive my full size Headphones, it can get bigger and thicker)




I may be missing something, will update in the future .  Thanks for sharing my experiences


**dont forget* my Wm1Z is a modded unit.  Which is confirmed to further enhance the performances and the result of D.C. Phase linearizer feature.  Very important line.*


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Holy moly,  you're on fire Whitigir


----------



## Blommen

Love it Whitigir, although you are telling me that a dap that costs half as much as the one I just bought is just as capable in many ways

I really like the idea of amp modules but was disappointed in the X7. This player seems better but I hope they do something more ambitious with the modules, like a combined amp and battery module or a tube amp.

I think they are restricting themselves because of size but I personally just need it to be transportable, I use these kinds of daps inside my home anyway, outside it is phone or smaller daps.


----------



## jamato8 (Sep 8, 2017)

Blommen said:


> Love it Whitigir, although you are telling me that a dap that costs half as much as the one I just bought is just as capable in many ways
> 
> I really like the idea of amp modules but was disappointed in the X7. This player seems better but I hope they do something more ambitious with the modules, like a combined amp and battery module or a tube amp.
> 
> I think they are restricting themselves because of size but I personally just need it to be transportable, I use these kinds of daps inside my home anyway, outside it is phone or smaller daps.


Much less than half the cost of the the WM1Z. It is much lighter and it is thinner compared to the 1Z. They are coming out with the 4.4 amp and that I am looking forward to as I like 4.4 and Furutech is coming out with a nice plug in that size. I enjoy both daps but wish the 1Z had cost me less but what a beauty.


----------



## buzzlulu

Interesting reading Vince

So are you telling me that iBasso has an amp module coming out with a 4.4 connector?  That would be a very interesting development as my Axios cables for both Utopia and Z1R are terminated 4.4 (for my 1Z).
Is this upcoming amp a reality - or speculation.
I had a quick look at the iBasso website - it looks like the amp modules "slide" into the player and are not stacked - nice from an ergonomic standpoint.

The only reason I am writing this - not because I do not LOVE my 1Z.  Simply because streaming is extremely important to me - TIDAL to preview new albums.

Any time frame on a complete DX200/4.4 amp solution ?


----------



## Whitigir

buzzlulu said:


> Interesting reading Vince
> 
> So are you telling me that iBasso has an amp module coming out with a 4.4 connector?  That would be a very interesting development as my Axios cables for both Utopia and Z1R are terminated 4.4 (for my 1Z).
> Is this upcoming amp a reality - or speculation.
> ...



Yes, and yes
Reality
Yes
Anytime now


----------



## azabu

gerelmx1986 said:


> I like how the xba-z5 sound with wm1a balanced, detailed, in the entire spectrum and not piercing highs.
> 
> Don't know why many people prefer the EX1000



I get high off those highs.

If you've ever heard a live violin performance, it's the highs that make your ears quiver. I get that same feeling with the ex1000s.


----------



## kms108

Ex1000 is already good in SE, imagine having it with Balanced, I also have the connectors for EX to MMCX.

I have yet to try this out, I already have the Sony 4.4 balanced MMCX cable.


----------



## azabu

kms108 said:


> Ex1000 is already good in SE, imagine having it with Balanced, I also have the connectors for EX to MMCX.
> 
> I have yet to try this out, I already have the Sony 4.4 balanced MMCX cable.



Please let us know your thoughts. 

I'm current using my ex1000s in SE out of the Grace Design m920 as a handy desktop solution. Thinking of going balanced to use with the 1A.


----------



## Vlad0

Witcher said:


> YES PLEASE! Where from? What's this called?
> 
> EDIT: Ah ok. I found it. I'll be looking out for this one for sure.
> 
> EDIT #2: apparently it's not for sale? http://earphonia.com/accessory/dignis-paying-tribute-legendary-sony-walkman-tps-l2/



Dignis have this nice walkman like case for sale now, I remember someone want it very very badly ...


----------



## bsimms99 (Sep 9, 2017)

Vlad0 said:


> Dignis have this nice walkman like case for sale now, I remember someone want it very very badly ...



That would be me!!!!

http://dignisdesign.com/  Of course the damn thing sold out, fricken bull.


----------



## asquare3376

kms108 said:


> Ex1000 is already good in SE, imagine having it with Balanced, I also have the connectors for EX to MMCX.
> 
> I have yet to try this out, I already have the Sony 4.4 balanced MMCX cable.


Hey dude! Where did you get the ex to mmcx converter? How good that is? I have the SonyKimber 4.4 on Z5 and they are awesome when paired with the 1Z. Can't wait to try the same with ex1000


----------



## bsimms99




----------



## asquare3376

bsimms99 said:


>


Sold out!!!


----------



## bsimms99

asquare3376 said:


> Sold out!!!



It’s crap like this that legitimately pisses me off.


----------



## Vlad0

Hmm, in the morning was avaliable, sorry that do not post this yesterday when it appears on the site while ordered the braun one... , really tempted to buy one but it is not practical at all, it will become dirty and ugly very quickly. More like collectors or boutique accessorie.


----------



## PCheung

Keep an eye on the Sony japan online store, there will be some for sale there later according to Dignis japan twitter

Use some forward service or agent for shipping


----------



## Lavakugel

Is anybody enjoying HD800s with Wm1z/a? How do you like this pairing?


----------



## kms108

PCheung said:


> Keep an eye on the Sony japan online store, there will be some for sale there later according to Dignis japan twitter
> 
> Use some forward service or agent for shipping




I checked out the remote for the WM1A or ZX 300, it's available from the Sony store and some small stores, but rather expensive at HKD398, so i'll probably pick one up from china or japan.  Thanks


----------



## PCheung

kms108 said:


> I checked out the remote for the WM1A or ZX 300, it's available from the Sony store and some small stores, but rather expensive at HKD398, so i'll probably pick one up from china or japan.  Thanks



The original price of the remote is YEN 4880 tax excluded , around HKD 340
So I think the price is okay 

Anyway the store usually offer discount for me, sure not 398 I paid.


----------



## kms108

PCheung said:


> The original price of the remote is YEN 4880 tax excluded , around HKD 340
> So I think the price is okay
> 
> Anyway the store usually offer discount for me, sure not 398 I paid.



BIC camera in Japan allows tax free and 7% off ( coupons from Bic Camera Facebook), they have done this for years, another two months before i go to Japan, Sony China has them on their site for RMB 229, but Taobao are all over priced. I don't know any of the shops in Hong Kong to get discount, but I think Sony store allows 15%-20% discount for members. forgot to ask them yesterday.


----------



## PCheung (Sep 9, 2017)

kms108 said:


> BIC camera in Japan allows tax free and 7% off ( coupons from Bic Camera Facebook), they have done this for years, another two months before i go to Japan, Sony China has them on their site for RMB 229, but Taobao are all over priced. I don't know any of the shops in Hong Kong to get discount, but I think Sony store allows 15%-20% discount for members. forgot to ask them yesterday.



You need to buy YEN 5000 above to get tax free and the extra 7% off, which after all just HKD 20 cheaper
Go get the remote at Sony store already, they offer a 15% discount for owner who done the warranty registration online.

You need some time to build up relationship with the shop, they will throw you a discount or even put you on the priority list while preorder hot items eventually


----------



## kms108

PCheung said:


> You need to buy YEN 5000 above to get tax free and the extra 7% off, which after all just HKD 20 cheaper
> Go get the remote at Sony store already, they offer a 15% discount for owner who done the warranty registration online.




Don't worry I have other stuff to get, doing a bit of shopping in Japan.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Has anyone tried the sony MMCX cable that is not kimber http://www.accessoryjack.com/sony-muc-m12nb1-balanced-standard-1-2m-headphone-cable-black.html

How does it sounds with XBA-Z5?


----------



## pietcux

Lavakugel said:


> Is anybody enjoying HD800s with Wm1z/a? How do you like this pairing?


I dated to run the HD800 from my EU capped ZX1. They sounded quite ok on that dap. I think of you get a balanced cable and properly rockbox the WM1a/z it can be quite enjoyable.


----------



## kms108

Does anyone know if I need a cable reterminated for 4.4mm in japan, where whould I go to do it in akihabara, I want to also buy the pentaconn 5 OFC male plug. I know earphones sell the pentaconn OFC, but do they have a reterminate service for a charge.


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> Has anyone tried the sony MMCX cable that is not kimber http://www.accessoryjack.com/sony-muc-m12nb1-balanced-standard-1-2m-headphone-cable-black.html
> 
> How does it sounds with XBA-Z5?



Haven't tried it, but the Kimber Kable is only $9 more from BuyWise on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MUC-M12SB1-SONY-Headphone-cable/dp/B01M3TK66F


----------



## zardos

Lavakugel said:


> Is anybody enjoying HD800s with Wm1z/a? How do you like this pairing?



Yes I like it very much. 1Z with HD800 and HD800S here.


----------



## bsimms99 (Sep 9, 2017)

Lavakugel said:


> Is anybody enjoying HD800s with Wm1z/a? How do you like this pairing?



I put some posts up here in this thread. I can’t stand using the HD800S in balanced. The 1Z isn’t powerful enough to drive these cans. You need an external amp connected, then it’s like OMG! If someone says they sound great without, they obviously have not heard them to their full extent.


----------



## TenderTendon (Sep 9, 2017)

Lavakugel said:


> Is anybody enjoying HD800s with Wm1z/a? How do you like this pairing?



As far as sound quality goes, the WM1Z / HD800S combo is by far my favorite. With an +8db boost at 30hz and a +4db boost at 60hz, the 800's are magical. There are times that I wish the 1Z had more power on tap, but 90% of the time it's fine


----------



## kubig123

TenderTendon said:


> Haven't tried it, but the Kimber Kable is only $9 more from BuyWise on Amazon:
> https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MUC-M12SB1-SONY-Headphone-cable/dp/B01M3TK66F



 I’ve never been impressed with this cable.
The mmcx connectors are really low quality. The cable itself has higher impedance than any other cable I had and sound wise I find it quite dull.

I would invest some money in a better cable, the PWaudio the flash is affordable but it’s a big step forward in the right direction.


----------



## Sleepow

kms108 said:


> Does anyone know if I need a cable reterminated for 4.4mm in japan, where whould I go to do it in akihabara, I want to also buy the pentaconn 5 OFC male plug. I know earphones sell the pentaconn OFC, but do they have a reterminate service for a charge.



I have reterminated 2 cables at e-earphones to 4.4.
If I remember well, the service is around JPY 6k


----------



## kms108 (Sep 9, 2017)

Sleepow said:


> I have reterminated 2 cables at e-earphones to 4.4.
> If I remember well, the service is around JPY 6k



Thanks for the reply, how long is the waiting time for a retermination of one cable, is 6K for one or two cables.


----------



## Sleepow

kms108 said:


> Thanks for the reply, how long is the waiting time for a retermination of one cable.


2-3h


----------



## kms108

Sleepow said:


> 2-3h



is 6K you paid are for two cable or just one cable.


----------



## PCheung

kms108 said:


> Does anyone know if I need a cable reterminated for 4.4mm in japan, where whould I go to do it in akihabara, I want to also buy the pentaconn 5 OFC male plug. I know earphones sell the pentaconn OFC, but do they have a reterminate service for a charge.



Go to Jaben HK in mongkok and they get it done for you
Pentaconn OFC plug including reterminate fee, should be under HKD 1000


----------



## kms108

PCheung said:


> Go to Jaben HK in mongkok and they get it done for you
> Pentaconn OFC plug including reterminate fee, should be under HKD 1000




thanks


----------



## PCheung (Sep 9, 2017)

I have 2 cables reterminate to Pentaconn OFC done by Jaben HK

Not cheap but very nice plug indeed
Also there are cheaper one from FURUTECH (rhodium plated) or entry level one from topura (OEM for oyaide, gold plated)


----------



## kms108

PCheung said:


> I have 2 cables reterminate to Pentaconn OFC done by Jaben HK
> 
> Not cheap but very nice plug indeed
> Also there are cheaper one from FURUTECH (rhodium plated) or entry level one from topura (OEM for oyaide, gold plated)




Thanks for the information, I also have some really cheap plugs, got them from china at 10RMB each, but since I have a expensive cable, might as well go for a better plug, my cable is a silver high purity OFC.


----------



## Whitigir

PCheung said:


> I have 2 cables reterminate to Pentaconn OFC done by Jaben HK
> 
> Not cheap but very nice plug indeed
> Also there are cheaper one from FURUTECH (rhodium plated) or entry level one from topura (OEM for oyaide, gold plated)



Do you know where I can buy Furutech 4.4mm ? And those oyaide hybrid wires


----------



## jamato8

Whitigir said:


> Do you know where I can buy Furutech 4.4mm ? And those oyaide hybrid wires


They have not released them yet. If you see Furutech they are counterfeit. I keep in weekly contact with Furutech about the release. They had hoped to have them out 2 months ago, then in Sept. then Oct and now are hoping to have them out very soon, before Oct. from what I gather.


----------



## PCheung (Sep 9, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Do you know where I can buy Furutech 4.4mm ? And those oyaide hybrid wires



The Jaben HK have the Furutech 4.4mm in stock, but I don't know if they ship order oversea
maybe you can send them an email
http://www.jaben.com.hk/?page_id=23

You mean the cable in orange color I'm using?
That's cable by AUG-line which made of Au+Ag
I asked the shop to order and braid for me
http://aug-line.com/



jamato8 said:


> They have not released them yet. If you see Furutech they are counterfeit. I keep in weekly contact with Furutech about the release. They had hoped to have them out 2 months ago, then in Sept. then Oct and now are hoping to have them out very soon, before Oct. from what I gather.



No, they are released
Maybe not for the international market just yet.

e-earphone Japan have them in stock
https://twitter.com/eear_sinji/status/905713571866206208

Jaben HK also have them in stock
https://www.facebook.com/JabenHK/posts/1563743090312807


----------



## kubig123

jamato8 said:


> They have not released them yet. If you see Furutech they are counterfeit. I keep in weekly contact with Furutech about the release. They had hoped to have them out 2 months ago, then in Sept. then Oct and now are hoping to have them out very soon, before Oct. from what I gather.



Music sanctuary sells them, I just got 2 last week.


----------



## ledzep

kubig123 said:


> Music sanctuary sells them, I just got 2 last week.



Me too and they are genuine Furutech


----------



## jamato8 (Sep 9, 2017)

ledzep said:


> Me too and they are genuine Furutech


Strange. Just a couple of days ago Furutech emailed me that they weren't released yet. This is directly from Furutech and not someone that deals with them. I am looking forward to the plug as most everything I use is Furutech. I use their RCA's as well.

Do you have a link to their page for the 4.4 Furutech?


----------



## Whitigir

jamato8 said:


> Strange. Just a couple of days ago Furutech emailed me that they weren't released yet. This is directly from Furutech and not someone that deals with them. I am looking forward to the plug as most everything I use is Furutech. I use their RCA's as well.
> 
> Do you have a link to their page for the 4.4 Furutech?



Yeah, I love Furutech too , though this time I am curious about their new 4.4mm and how it performs.  I am more than satisfied with Pentaconn OFC ....expensive like hell.  I opt for Furutech wherever possible though


----------



## jamato8

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, I love Furutech too , though this time I am curious about their new 4.4mm and how it performs.  I am more than satisfied with Pentaconn OFC ....expensive like hell.  I opt for Furutech wherever possible though


I emailed them again just little while ago. Are they released? Like mentioned above, about 2 days ago they said they weren't released yet. 

I also asked them about OFC but they they are releasing them with the same material as the non OFC they have used in the past (they stated the material but I don't remember the exact term they use for the combination). The Pentaconn OFC is very expensive but I like the idea of using OFC in the plug. By using the connector Kobiconn connection system you only need one 4.4 for all your cable.


----------



## TenderTendon (Sep 9, 2017)

kubig123 said:


> I’ve never been impressed with this cable.
> The mmcx connectors are really low quality. The cable itself has higher impedance than any other cable I had and sound wise I find it quite dull.
> 
> I would invest some money in a better cable, the PWaudio the flash is affordable but it’s a big step forward in the right direction.



Interesting. I would love to hear more about this. What equipment did you use to measure cable impedance? What was the pf/ft of all you tested?


----------



## Whitigir

jamato8 said:


> I emailed them again just little while ago. Are they released? Like mentioned above, about 2 days ago they said they weren't released yet.
> 
> I also asked them about OFC but they they are releasing them with the same material as the non OFC they have used in the past (they stated the material but I don't remember the exact term they use for the combination). The Pentaconn OFC is very expensive but I like the idea of using OFC in the plug. By using the connector Kobiconn connection system you only need one 4.4 for all your cable.



Good to know, it is not hard to counterfeit plugs, and even wires materials.  Hence, I only Source my stuff from authorized and trusted dealers, folks.  I agree that I love the OFC for base materials, and I think Furutech usually use Alpha Bronze or OCC copper.  They could have developed newer copper , but mostly they go by the name "Alpha", they don't want to be "Beta"...LOL


----------



## kubig123

TenderTendon said:


> Interesting. I would love to hear more about this. What equipment did you use to measure cable impedance? What was the pf/ft of all you tested?



I just tested the same iem ( Vega) and same dap with different cable and I found out that with the Sony I needed to increase the volumes to get the same volumes out of the earphone, I know it’s empirical, but the difference is there.


----------



## Whitigir

Well, it could be related, or it could be not.  You may find it interesting to read.

Dx200 as digital transportation

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dx2...1-now-available.791531/page-559#post-13712125


----------



## zardos (Sep 9, 2017)

bsimms99 said:


> I put some posts up here in this thread. I can’t stand using the HD800S in balanced. The 1Z isn’t powerful enough to drive these cans. You need an external amp connected, then it’s like OMG! If someone says they sound great without, they obviously have not heard them to their full extent.



I disagree. I also own Sennheiser HDVD800, Accuphase E600 with very good intergrated headphone amp, a tube amp and  other external amps. There is no OMG difference.

I also own several inears. Vega, Andromeda, IE800, JH-13 to name the best of them. None of them tops HD800(S) directly out of WM-1Z balanced. Andromeda comes closest.


----------



## gearofwar (Sep 9, 2017)

zardos said:


> I disagree. I also own Sennheiser HDVD800, Accuphase E600 with very good intergrated headphone amp, a tube amp and  other external amps. There is no OMG difference.
> 
> I also own several inears. Vega, Andromeda, IE800, JH-13 to name the best of them. None of them tops HD800(S) directly out of WM-1Z balanced. Andromeda comes closest.


Those are not the best hp amp for HD800, never heard of the E600 except for insane pricetag, HDVD800 is mediocre and for the price there are better amp out there.  I can't stand driving HD800 out of balance on 1A also, it's mediocre then I bought Cayin C5 for 60 buck and it blew the amp on 1A away. (The output for 1A and 1Z are nearly identical)
p/s: If you are interested in the amp for HD800 ,go get yourself some Liquid Crimson/Glass, DNA strat before judging on HD800
When I had QP1R, it was much better driving HD800 than 1A but I sacrificed selling it for the sake of ultimate portable use for iem


----------



## bsimms99

zardos said:


> I disagree. I also own Sennheiser HDVD800, Accuphase E600 with very good intergrated headphone amp, a tube amp and  other external amps. There is no OMG difference.
> 
> I also own several inears. Vega, Andromeda, IE800, JH-13 to name the best of them. None of them tops HD800(S) directly out of WM-1Z balanced. Andromeda comes closest.



That’s your opinion and I don’t know what you are listening to, because the HD800S plugged into the 1Z is a terrible experience. I even had people at the local audio shop listen with and without the amp and there’s a big difference. But apparently you hear magical things that myself and 5 others didn’t at the shop.


----------



## bsimms99

gearofwar said:


> Those are not the best hp amp for HD800, never heard of the E600 except for insane pricetag, HDVD800 is mediocre and for the price there are better amp out there.  I can't stand driving HD800 out of balance on 1A also, it's mediocre then I bought Cayin C5 for 60 buck and it blew the amp on 1A away. (The output for 1A and 1Z are nearly identical)
> p/s: If you are interested in the amp for HD800 ,go get yourself some Liquid Crimson/Glass, DNA strat before judging on HD800
> When I had QP1R, it was much better driving HD800 than 1A but I sacrificed selling it for the sake of ultimate portable use for iem



I will also add in here, the Bryston is a beast and is a solid pair, along with RS-71b as well. I didn’t get the Sennheiser amp because like he mentioned above, I’ve heard bad things about that amp with the HD800S or 800


----------



## gearofwar (Sep 9, 2017)

bsimms99 said:


> I will also add in here, the Bryston is a beast and is a solid pair, along with RS-71b as well. I didn’t get the Sennheiser amp because like he mentioned above, I’ve heard bad things about that amp with the HD800S or 800


HDVA600 is an updated version of that amp but it's still not performing well compared to other amps and the dac inside HDVD800 is only worth $200, a mediocre dac to begin with which shouldn't be the ideal one for HD800. The hp needs an equallly delicate dac and amp for it. When I switched from Gumby to R2R, the Hp could detect a significant amount of change even using the same amp.


----------



## bsimms99

gearofwar said:


> HDVA600 is an updated version of that amp but it's still not performing well compared to other amps and the dac inside HDVD800 is only worth $200, a mediocre dac to begin with which shouldn't be the ideal one for HD800. The hp need an equal delicate dac and amp for it. When I switched from Gumby to R2R, the Hp could detect a significant amount of change even using the same amp.



I guess I get tired of people staring their opinion on the HD800S without pairing with a sufficient amp/DAC to drive it. And this part is my opinion but I think when people do the right setup, there will be that “holy crap” moment.


----------



## gearofwar

bsimms99 said:


> I guess I get tired of people staring their opinion on the HD800S without pairing with a sufficient amp/DAC to drive it. And this part is my opinion but I think when people do the right setup, there will be that “holy crap” moment.


One thing to note, it still remains one of the few hp that I have ever known responded well to advance EQ without distortion. That is one of the reasons I'm still keeping it to this day.


----------



## Whitigir

bsimms99 said:


> I guess I get tired of people staring their opinion on the HD800S without pairing with a sufficient amp/DAC to drive it. And this part is my opinion but I think when people do the right setup, there will be that “holy crap” moment.



Just like many other things, and people are caught off guard times to times by how hard the Hd800 is to be driven properly and what it can gain out of that


----------



## all999

@bsimms99 Could You please use a multiquoting rather than replying everyone in another post?

Thanks


----------



## bsimms99

all999 said:


> @bsimms99 Could You please use a multiquoting rather than replying everyone in another post?
> 
> Thanks



Sure


----------



## Sleepow

kms108 said:


> is 6K you paid are for two cable or just one cable.


1


----------



## musicisthekey

siruspan said:


> Can someone comment after how many hours of burn in wm1a finally settles in? I'm on 450 hours and to be honest treble isn't as pleasing and refined as I would like


What I did was


siruspan said:


> Can someone comment after how many hours of burn in wm1a finally settles in? I'm on 450 hours and to be honest treble isn't as pleasing and refined as I would like


Downgrade firmware to v1.1. I can't stand treble of v1.2. It's too harsh for my ears.


----------



## kubig123

musicisthekey said:


> What I did was
> 
> Downgrade firmware to v1.1. I can't stand treble of v1.2. It's too harsh for my ears.



I found the treble too harsh on high gain but not on low gain.


----------



## TenderTendon

gearofwar said:


> One thing to note, it still remains one of the few hp that I have ever known responded well to advance EQ without distortion. That is one of the reasons I'm still keeping it to this day.



I completely agree here. The 800's handle +10db at 30hz without breaking a sweat and sound fantastic doing it.


----------



## musicisthekey

kubig123 said:


> I found the treble too harsh on high gain but not on low gain.


It's funny how we all hear differently. I found the treble less harsh on high gain on v1.2.


----------



## gerelmx1986

i don't know if i shall get the sandisk 400GB card, with my sammy 256G i have enough music for about 4 to 6 months


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> i don't know if i shall get the sandisk 400GB card, with my sammy 256G i have enough music for about 4 to 6 months


if 256 is enough, stick with that, and let the 400GB drop in price, you're not in a hurry, just wait.


----------



## siruspan

musicisthekey said:


> What I did was
> 
> Downgrade firmware to v1.1. I can't stand treble of v1.2. It's too harsh for my ears.



Treble was harsh for me between 400-500 hours and improved after 550-600 hours.


----------



## Holdmyown83

Finally made the purchase and received the Walkman. Still kicking myself for paying that much but oh well. This is the first player that i didnt have to use the EQ.  Also order the Z5 from amazon they get here and somebody had taken them out and replaced them with some cheap android looking headphones boy was i heated. Now to find some other IEM.. Sounds good with my XB1000 though so that a start.


----------



## rushofblood

musicisthekey said:


> What I did was
> 
> Downgrade firmware to v1.1. I can't stand treble of v1.2. It's too harsh for my ears.


How exactly do you downgrade the firmware? I've not tried it but I would have assumed that the update tool will not flash the firmware over a newer firmware build.


----------



## mw7485

rushofblood said:


> How exactly do you downgrade the firmware? I've not tried it but I would have assumed that the update tool will not flash the firmware over a newer firmware build.



I'm guessing the "Restore to Factory Configuration" takes the firmware back to the original, then you just install the required version. Just guessing though.


----------



## musicisthekey

rushofblood said:


> How exactly do you downgrade the firmware? I've not tried it but I would have assumed that the update tool will not flash the firmware over a newer firmware build.


https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/...layers-nwwm-series/nw-wm1a/downloads/00012236

Make sure to do factory restore after firmware downgrade.

To my ears, v1.1 sounds more balanced and v1.2 sounds slightly U shaped which makes the treble a bit splashy at times.


----------



## musicisthekey

Ricky64 said:


> Hi All;
> I've been listening to my 1Z for two months now via the SE jack. I purchased a new cable for my iem's, with the intent of starting to listen through the balanced output. With the new cables and the first use of the 4.4, the timber is excellent, and the soundstage is wide, but all other spatial cues have gone, (Much less depth and instrumental separation), and the sound is quite rolled off.  My question is whether this is all the cable, or whether the recommended 200 hours of burn in is going to return the appropriate phase coherence and treble extension. I need to make a decision as to whether to return the cable.
> So, in summary, what should I expect to hear after a prolonged burn in of the balanced amp side?
> 
> thx!


+1

I prefer SE over Balanced as well. Balanced makes lows more controlled, highs more refined and soundstage wider but at the expense of depth and instrument separation. SE, to me, sounds more musical and vivid. It's especially apparent when listening to female vocals.


----------



## Whitigir

Balanced and SE need different burn in for each sockets.  Make sure u burn in both before comparison


----------



## gerelmx1986

i didn't know sony players let you downgrade FW, before the new sony OS. usually the exe installer didn't let you perform a downgrading. I tried it but no i couldn't.

If new one lets you do that then cool


----------



## musicisthekey

gerelmx1986 said:


> i didn't know sony players let you downgrade FW, before the new sony OS. usually the exe installer didn't let you perform a downgrading. I tried it but no i couldn't.
> 
> If new one lets you do that then cool


Mine is a US version.


----------



## gearofwar (Sep 10, 2017)

musicisthekey said:


> https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/...layers-nwwm-series/nw-wm1a/downloads/00012236
> 
> Make sure to do factory restore after firmware downgrade.
> 
> To my ears, v1.1 sounds more balanced and v1.2 sounds slightly U shaped which makes the treble a bit splashy at times.


I assume factory reset will get you back to 1.0?


----------



## musicisthekey

gearofwar said:


> I assume factory reset will get you back to 1.0?


Factory reset won't reset installed firmware. It will reset all settings and delete all music files. You have to run the executable file to install a different version of firmware.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have never experienced a sound quality change with sony firmware updates, whereas with FiiO music players this was a daily bread, update firmware, embrace for a sound change (for better or worse)


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have never experienced a sound quality change with sony firmware updates, whereas with FiiO music players this was a daily bread, update firmware, embrace for a sound change (for better or worse)



Same here, I can observe different apps in android players too, like Zx2, opus players...dx200...I can t hear differences with 1z firmware


----------



## gerelmx1986

in 238.43GB i managed to fit 770 albums (mix of 24 and 16) or 14030 tracks, with "other files" occupying 1.96GB don't know what are these other files in media go


----------



## asquare3376

gerelmx1986 said:


> in 238.43GB i managed to fit 770 albums (mix of 24 and 16) or 14030 tracks, with "other files" occupying 1.96GB don't know what are these other files in media go


By default MediaGo occupies 10% of device memory for internal uses. You can reduce that by going into Device settings. You can also change whether on the fly conversion happens for the audio file formats to be saved into the device or not.


----------



## animalsrush

bsimms99 said:


> It’s crap like this that legitimately pisses me off.



Not the $107 price.. that would piss me off


----------



## Whitigir

animalsrush said:


> Not the $107 price.. that would piss me off


Everything is going up in price


----------



## bsimms99

animalsrush said:


> Not the $107 price.. that would piss me off



I have no problem when something is handmade, its always worth the price in my book instead of mass production


----------



## jamato8

Furutech is now announcing the official release of the 4.4 TRRRS. Apparently some sample stock was sent out in Japan and that is what people have bought. I look forward to it being stocked in the US.


----------



## gerelmx1986

asquare3376 said:


> By default MediaGo occupies 10% of device memory for internal uses. You can reduce that by going into Device settings. You can also change whether on the fly conversion happens for the audio file formats to be saved into the device or not.


Yes i know that option and removed it as it is like 23.8GB so i have 0% space reserved.. all for music, I bet then those "other files" are some sort of database of images like ipods did?


----------



## productred

gerelmx1986 said:


> I like how the xba-z5 sound with wm1a balanced, detailed, in the entire spectrum and not piercing highs.
> 
> Don't know why many people prefer the EX1000



Can't agree more. As good as the EX1000 may be, it is an acquired taste really. Z5 is miles ahead on most fronts if not all.


----------



## thanatosguan

http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-sony-nw-wm1z-24-bit

Nathan's RMAA data and brief review on the WM1Z is out. Expecting his full-length review.

Beautiful photography as always.


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 11, 2017)

thanatosguan said:


> http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-sony-nw-wm1z-24-bit
> 
> Nathan's RMAA data and brief review on the WM1Z is out. Expecting his full-length review.
> 
> Beautiful photography as always.


Awesome "Schiit", every picture is worth 1000 words! Loved how those measurements are looking, a lot of works!


----------



## gearofwar

back to 1.10 and found my perfect sound. The treble is less bright and piercing, the change is not night and day but noticeable on my iem


----------



## bsimms99

thanatosguan said:


> http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-sony-nw-wm1z-24-bit
> 
> Nathan's RMAA data and brief review on the WM1Z is out. Expecting his full-length review.
> 
> Beautiful photography as always.



As soon as someone starts throwing up graphs and charts I completely ignore what they have to say, because at the end of the day you could have a chart saying "its going to sound awesome because its hitting this level", but then when my ears hear it, it could be complete crap.


----------



## musicisthekey

gearofwar said:


> back to 1.10 and found my perfect sound. The treble is less bright and piercing, the change is not night and day but noticeable on my iem


So did I. I was actually contemplating selling mine but, after the downgrade, I'm very happy with the treble.


----------



## gerelmx1986

bsimms99 said:


> As soon as someone starts throwing up graphs and charts I completely ignore what they have to say, because at the end of the day you could have a chart saying "its going to sound awesome because its hitting this level", but then when my ears hear it, it could be complete crap.


couldn't agree more with you about this issue of graphics vs ears


----------



## Sonic Defender

Data is relevant, but it is only to be used in conjunction with your ears which give your brain the most useful data. Simply ignoring people because they are measuring things seems odd. Personally I like to see the data, but I would never let it determine what I bought or didn't buy, I always read many reviews and impressions from those who listened and if it sounds like it might be a sound signature for me I try it, but I would not have a problem with seeing data as well. More information plus the data can be cool.


----------



## pietcux

Just to educate me, which of these graphs show me that the player hisses and where can I see that it is not high res? And how are the measurements taken, with microphones inside a dummy head or how? If you publish such things you should explain in the publishing how you measure. As it is presented it tells me "In heaven is funfair" or "Im Himmel ist Jahrmarkt" in German". In other words "What"


----------



## mw7485

thanatosguan said:


> http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-sony-nw-wm1z-24-bit
> 
> Nathan's RMAA data and brief review on the WM1Z is out. Expecting his full-length review.
> 
> Beautiful photography as always.



A pretty picture, but that is about all. A confusing and somewhat incoherent article. I'm not entirely sure, but I don't think Nathan digs the 1Z - at all. And what's with the getting warm stuff - and back to the hissing? Why is it that nobody mentioned the hissing for what, 11 months - and then one person perceives it and all of a sudden we appear to have an angry  snake in our pockets that apparently all critics can hear. I've not perceived it - but then again, I've only listened to my unit for a mere 500 hours. Under what conditions was the hissing "observed"? In terms of output quality, how much play time did this unit have? I don't mind criticism - 'tis to be encouraged as after all, it is one of the ways this sort of technology advances. I do however like to read objective articles. I've ponied up my very hard earned, and thoroughly enjoy my hiss free golden child - but articles like this really are rather pointless and appear to be more about the individual's ego and a bit of Sony slamming rather than anything useful. I'm sorry to have wasted a portion of my life reading it really. Nice picture though.


----------



## bsimms99

mw7485 said:


> A pretty picture, but that is about all. A confusing and somewhat incoherent article. I'm not entirely sure, but I don't think Nathan digs the 1Z - at all. And what's with the getting warm stuff - and back to the hissing? Why is it that nobody mentioned the hissing for what, 11 months - and then one person perceives it and all of a sudden we appear to have an angry  snake in our pockets that apparently all critics can hear. I've not perceived it - but then again, I've only listened to my unit for a mere 500 hours. Under what conditions was the hissing "observed"? In terms of output quality, how much play time did this unit have? I don't mind criticism - 'tis to be encouraged as after all, it is one of the ways this sort of technology advances. I do however like to read objective articles. I've ponied up my very hard earned, and thoroughly enjoy my hiss free golden child - but articles like this really are rather pointless and appear to be more about the individual's ego and a bit of Sony slamming rather than anything useful. I'm sorry to have wasted a portion of my life reading it really. Nice picture though.



LOL "an angry snake in our pants".....................thats what she said.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 11, 2017)

Only hiss I heard is from the recording, and this if you crank the volume to insane levels

Edit

Is not exactly a recording hiss, but more like the musician's breathing or moving his shoes in wooden floor


----------



## kubig123

thanatosguan said:


> http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-sony-nw-wm1z-24-bit
> 
> Nathan's RMAA data and brief review on the WM1Z is out. Expecting his full-length review.
> 
> Beautiful photography as always.



Lot of graphs, and few words as a conclusion.
I admit I don’t have the knowledge to interpreter these graphs and compare them to any other DAP, what I know I love my WM1Z, much better than the ak380 and ak240 that I owned before buying the WM1. 

I feel the page a little dry and may be Nathan will dig further in order to explain his conclusions, we’ll see.


----------



## blazinblazin (Sep 11, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Only hiss I heard is from the recording, and this if you crank the volume to insane levels
> 
> Edit
> 
> Is not exactly a recording hiss, but more like the musician's breathing or moving his shoes in wooden floor



Its only when they use a bad recording or mic then will hear recording hiss. I have tracks where 1 of the instrument's recording was hissy the other 2 has no hiss. Then whenever that instrument came in, it plays with hiss...

I would say believe in what you currently hear.
Those that hear hiss are only minimum. Not a big deal. Everyone have different setups, hearing, environment.


----------



## musicisthekey

I was playing with my WM1A and decreased screen brightness from 50 to 1. The background became blacker, the bass tighter and the mids slightly clearer. Is it just all in my head?


----------



## asquare3376

musicisthekey said:


> I was playing with my WM1A and decreased screen brightness from 50 to 1. The background became blacker, the bass tighter and the mids slightly clearer. Is it just all in my head?


Hahahaha... I bet everyone is going to try this now


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicisthekey said:


> I was playing with my WM1A and decreased screen brightness from 50 to 1. The background became blacker, the bass tighter and the mids slightly clearer. Is it just all in my head?


I did this too and noticed it saves more battery life, D'oh


----------



## bvng3540

musicisthekey said:


> I was playing with my WM1A and decreased screen brightness from 50 to 1. The background became blacker, the bass tighter and the mids slightly clearer. Is it just all in my head?



Wow after I tried this my 64 audio A8 now sound like the Tia Forte


----------



## buzzlulu (Sep 11, 2017)

musicisthekey said:


> I was playing with my WM1A and decreased screen brightness from 50 to 1. The background became blacker, the bass tighter and the mids slightly clearer. Is it just all in my head?



OK - I do not want to comment on the Wm1A/Z and the validity or lack of

HOWEVER

I will comment on my two channel brand NAIM AUDIO from the UK (perhaps the highest regarded UK brand out there).
It is a known fact, even acknowledged by Naim themselves, that turning off the lighting on the instrument panel of their 552 TOTL preamp ($35k), results in an easily audible improvement in sound.  Slight, however easily notable.
This is accomplished by a dedicated on/off switch which controls the panel backlighting (and is not variably adjustable like the 1Z/A).

The reason for this sonic change is that the preamp (well all Naim preamps) is powered by a separate external power supply.  The lighting circuitry requires certain voltages and currents to make it operational.  Turning it off shuts down these power circuits in the main power supply and presents less load and stress so that the rest of the supply remains unencumbered and is free to do the more important job at hand and concentrate exclusively on powering the preamp circuitry rather than both the preamp and lighting circuitry.

I do not want to comment on the 1Z/A however, as per the Naim example cited above, this can definitely be a possibility.  Whether or not it makes a difference is another story and relates to how Sony designed the circuitry in the first place.


----------



## nanaholic

I find the comment regarding the player being warm against the hip a particularly strange snipe at the player.  The Walkman is probably the least likely DAP to warm up and make you feel uncomfortable in your pocket due to the S-Master Class-D efficiency (80~90% power conversion efficiency, so very little energy gets lost as heat). If the Sony is warm then every non Sony audiophile DAP I own now and had before is scorching hot in comparison (AK70, mojo, AK380, DP-X1, Valoq etc), yet nobody really takes snipes at say, the AK380, for how damn hot it gets when playing a DSD file, yet it's a problem with the WM1?  Puzzling criticism indeed, even if being passed off as a sarcastic comment.


----------



## musicisthekey

Are you guys ready for more crazy talk?

Here it goes. If you delete all folders except the Music folder in the root of your Walkman, it will change the sound signature. It will sound clearer, smoother and more 3D.

Go!


----------



## bvng3540

musicisthekey said:


> Are you guys ready for more crazy talk?
> 
> Here it goes. If you delete all folders except the Music folder in the root of your Walkman, it will change the sound signature. It will sound clearer, smoother and more 3D.
> 
> Go!


Damn now my noble savant sound way better than my katana and encore, I need more option turning my empire ears spartan on into Zeus XRA


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicisthekey said:


> Are you guys ready for more crazy talk?
> 
> Here it goes. If you delete all folders except the Music folder in the root of your Walkman, it will change the sound signature. It will sound clearer, smoother and more 3D.
> 
> Go!


Whats next for crazyness? which micro Sd card sounds best ?


----------



## gearofwar

gerelmx1986 said:


> Whats next for crazyness? which micro Sd card sounds best ?


oh this is not actually crazy but true, there are certain sd cards that have much less noise and clearer sound


----------



## AudiophileInTokyo

I'm wondering whether it's a good time now to buy the WM-NW1Z....

Somehow im getting the feeling that the successor of the WM series will be announced next spring, so in six months.

I should have bought the 1Z earlier! Currently I only own the 1A, which I'm very happy with, but I still crave the 1Z!


----------



## nc8000

I have no idea who this Nathan is or why he should be in any way taken seriously. He seems to be virtually the only person to hear hiss and is certainly the only one I've seen to comment that the player gets warm. Seems to me that there are just a few people out there who feel very strongly that anything Sony makes should simply be bashed. So far these few people have managed to get 2 Z1R threads locked and I expect to see this thread go th same way soon


----------



## nanaholic

AudiophileInTokyo said:


> Somehow im getting the feeling that the successor of the WM series will be announced next spring, so in six months.



With how well the WM series is being received at the moment, Sony would be stupid to replace it so soon and kill off all the good will and reputation they've build up (as well as any unsold stock!). I think they'll try to stretch WM1 to 2 years and the successor will come at the end of next year and official announcement will be at IFA again, and in the mean time they'll be trying to update the firmware at least one more time to test some implementations of new things to include in the next WM the get some more feedback to mature the Sony OS further - namely things like MQA and aptX HD support which they have already hinted as coming.


----------



## nanaholic (Sep 11, 2017)

Is there any way to quantify the hissing?  Afterall if it is audible to the human ear then it should be possible to build a test and/or use equipment to provide evidence that it actually exists, rather than just asserting that it is there. Also if one prides itself to do RMAA measurements to quantify the technical aspects of DAPs, why not add/provide measurements of hissing too? That would seem like useful data to me.


----------



## AudiophileInTokyo (Sep 11, 2017)

nanaholic said:


> With how well the WM series is being received at the moment, Sony would be stupid to replace it so soon and kill off all the good will and reputation they've build up (as well as any unsold stock!). I think they'll try to stretch WM1 to 2 years and the successor will come at the end of next year and official announcement will be at IFA again, and in the mean time they'll be trying to update the firmware at least one more time to test some implementations of new things to include in the next WM the get some more feedback to mature the Sony OS further - namely things like MQA and aptX HD support which they have already hinted as coming.



Well, I see what you mean, but I don't think Sony would be stupid if it released the new WM 18 months after the last one.... 18 months is a long time (in this business) and frankly, 18 months or 24 months--it's not that big of a difference. The fact that a new model is released doesn't mean the old ones are all of a sudden redundant and unusable, after all. And besides, those who'd think 18 months is too soon have always the option of waiting 6 months before purchasing it.....

In fact, wasn't ZX2 released only 12 months after ZX1? Or was it 18 months? I forgot which, but I'm pretty sure the gap wasn't 2 years.


----------



## gerelmx1986

AudiophileInTokyo said:


> I'm wondering whether it's a good time now to buy the WM-NW1Z....
> 
> Somehow im getting the feeling that the successor of the WM series will be announced next spring, so in six months.
> 
> I should have bought the 1Z earlier! Currently I only own the 1A, which I'm very happy with, but I still crave the 1Z!


Same for me bro! I think i will wait for the grand walkman rumored 40th anniversary


----------



## productred

AudiophileInTokyo said:


> Well, I see what you mean, but I don't think Sony would be stupid if it released the new WM 18 months after the last one.... 18 months is a long time (in this business) and frankly, 18 months or 24 months--it's not that big of a difference. The fact that a new model is released doesn't mean the old ones are all of a sudden redundant and unusable, after all. And besides, those who'd think 18 months is too soon have always the option of waiting 6 months before purchasing it.....
> 
> In fact, wasn't ZX2 released only 12 months after ZX1? Or was it 18 months? I forgot which, but I'm pretty sure the gap wasn't 2 years.



I'm kinda with @nanaholic on this one. Sony is not AK and for the Japs who really think they have made something special and can be considered the best out there, they mean it and stand behind it. Obviously ZX series is never meant to be something special as such.

Look how the Z5 is still their flagship iem (which was first released back in 2014), which I still whole-heartedly adore and respect despite acquiring owning and testing iems costing many times more.

There WILL be a successor, 90% certain, but I believe it is only when they think they can achieve something even more special, not just an upgrade.

Of cos this all is just speculation. Your money, your call~


----------



## nanaholic

AudiophileInTokyo said:


> Well, I see what you mean, but I don't think Sony would be stupid if it released the new WM 18 months after the last one.... 18 months is a long time (in this business) and frankly, 18 months or 24 months--it's not that big of a difference. The fact that a new model is released doesn't mean the old ones are all of a sudden redundant and unusable, after all. And besides, those who'd think 18 months is too soon have always the option of waiting 6 months before purchasing it.....
> 
> In fact, wasn't ZX2 released only 12 months after ZX1? Or was it 18 months? I forgot which, but I'm pretty sure the gap wasn't 2 years.



18 months is not a long time in the audio player world.  18 months is only a long time in things like smartphones and computers which has very precises and specific yearly product refresh cycles, but this doesn't apply to DAPs.

There was 18 months between ZX1 and ZX2 and another 18 months between ZX2 to WM1 series - but that could easily be argued to be because neither the ZX1 nor ZX2 were competitive nor at the top of the pack upon release. Indeed, the reception for both players were polarised - only a minority loved the sound, but many more pointed out the player's lack of power to drive anything more than sensitive IEMs was a serious shortcoming, most of all they were easily bested by the AK players at that time at the luxury price bracket, while heavily challenged in terms of price/performance from much cheaper Korean/Chinese DAPs.  However this is not the case with the WM series anymore, Sony actually has a "king of the hill" product in the WM1Z, and any improvements can only come from yet another update to the S-Master chip (which got a complete redesign between ZX2 and WM1) and the low level components like their film capacitors and high precision resistors. Their update will need to be quite a bit fancier (technologically speaking - to explain how the new WM is better) to warrant another 18 month quick update, else it will reek of a desperate cash grab. FWIW the time frame between ZX100 and ZX300 is exactly two years - and supposedly it is because the ZX100 is actually very well received.


----------



## AudiophileInTokyo

nanaholic said:


> 18 months is not a long time in the audio player world.  18 months is only a long time in things like smartphones and computers which has very precises and specific yearly product refresh cycles, but this doesn't apply to DAPs.
> 
> There was 18 months between ZX1 and ZX2 and another 18 months between ZX2 to WM1 series - but that could easily be argued to be because neither the ZX1 nor ZX2 were competitive nor at the top of the pack upon release. Indeed, the reception for both players were polarised - only a minority loved the sound, but many more pointed out the player's lack of power to drive anything more than sensitive IEMs was a serious shortcoming, most of all they were easily bested by the AK players at that time at the luxury price bracket, while heavily challenged in terms of price/performance from much cheaper Korean/Chinese DAPs.  However this is not the case with the WM series anymore, Sony actually has a "king of the hill" product in the WM1Z, and any improvements can only come from yet another update to the S-Master chip (which got a complete redesign between ZX2 and WM1) and the low level components like their film capacitors and high precision resistors. Their update will need to be quite a bit fancier (technologically speaking - to explain how the new WM is better) to warrant another 18 month quick update, else it will reek of a desperate cash grab. FWIW the time frame between ZX100 and ZX300 is exactly two years - and supposedly it is because the ZX100 is actually very well received.



Good points! 

Yeah, I agree, 2 years seems more likely in this case, also when considering the massive cost of research, development and production that went into the WM series.

The WM-NW1Z is really perfection when it comes to sound quality, one is hard pressed to think of any further improvements they could make in this department.


----------



## thanatosguan

nanaholic said:


> 18 months is not a long time in the audio player world.  18 months is only a long time in things like smartphones and computers which has very precises and specific yearly product refresh cycles, but this doesn't apply to DAPs.
> 
> There was 18 months between ZX1 and ZX2 and another 18 months between ZX2 to WM1 series - but that could easily be argued to be because neither the ZX1 nor ZX2 were competitive nor at the top of the pack upon release. Indeed, the reception for both players were polarised - only a minority loved the sound, but many more pointed out the player's lack of power to drive anything more than sensitive IEMs was a serious shortcoming, most of all they were easily bested by the AK players at that time at the luxury price bracket, while heavily challenged in terms of price/performance from much cheaper Korean/Chinese DAPs.  However this is not the case with the WM series anymore, Sony actually has a "king of the hill" product in the WM1Z, and any improvements can only come from yet another update to the S-Master chip (which got a complete redesign between ZX2 and WM1) and the low level components like their film capacitors and high precision resistors. Their update will need to be quite a bit fancier (technologically speaking - to explain how the new WM is better) to warrant another 18 month quick update, else it will reek of a desperate cash grab. FWIW the time frame between ZX100 and ZX300 is exactly two years - and supposedly it is because the ZX100 is actually very well received.



Now I'm just waiting for the USB-DAC function to be added to the WM1 series.

The way I see this, the successor can only improve on quality of life features like USB-DAC, battery life, thermals and sound presets. Maybe they'll release two king of the hill DAPs with 2 different tunings at the same bracket, like the AK SP1000. The sound quality difference at the top is becoming razor thing.

Think of it like cameras. Lenses and bodies are both expensive, but lenses keep their value and functionality for a much longer time while bodies(digital age) are obsolete in at most 3 years, unlike you own a classic film camera.

In my wildest dreams, Sony initiates a "classic restoration" project, much like Nissan and their Skylines, and offers paid warranty for all their classics. "Objects that stand against the test of time" in this day and age would be quite a branding statement.


----------



## AudiophileInTokyo

thanatosguan said:


> Think of it like cameras. Lenses and bodies are both expensive, but lenses keep their value and functionality for a much longer time while bodies(digital age) are obsolete in at most 3 years, unlike you own a classic film camera.



One thing I've wondered about is, why do cameras have such easily replaceable batteries, while DAPs don't (well, you could replace them, but it's such a pain)?!

It's really a question of battery. If the WM series had replaceable batteries, these DAPs could be used for years and maybe decades. I understand that that's how the electronics companies make the consumer upgrade every few years, sure, but the same theory applies for cameras as well, and cameras usually do have replaceable batteries!


----------



## PCheung

Camera have easy to replace battery cos you need to exchange it in quick if shooting a lot in a short time, not for maintenance use


----------



## thanatosguan (Sep 12, 2017)

AudiophileInTokyo said:


> One thing I've wondered about is, why do cameras have such easily replaceable batteries, while DAPs don't (well, you could replace them, but it's such a pain)?!
> 
> It's really a question of battery. If the WM series had replaceable batteries, these DAPs could be used for years and maybe decades. I understand that that's how the electronics companies make the consumer upgrade every few years, sure, but the same theory applies for cameras as well, and cameras usually do have replaceable batteries!



Interchangeable batteries may not be compatible from generation to generation. This is true for Canon, Nikon and Sony. Want to keep using your Nikon D2x? Good luck finding working batteries.

Most of Canon and Nikon's models can't charge via USB even.

It's not how "electronics companies make the consumer upgrade every few years". Integrated batteries save space and offer more battery life. To design a reliable battery chamber is tricky, not to mention all the audiophile nonsense about "noise performance" of the battery chamber. I'm sure there will be aftermarket 1000$+ pure silver/gold battery chamber to improve your sound if the DAPs are implemented in such a way.

However, yes, it would be very convenient if batteries can be swapped. I use the PCM-D100 daily and the use of AA batteries is extremely convenient. I can swap it out whenever I run out of batteries in the field. DSD and high-grade PCM recording eats batteries like I eat cheesecakes.


----------



## ledzep

This maybe of help to the older headfiers out there, a friend of mine called lazarus who bought the 1Z  has made a strap for it so it can be worn on the wrist like a watch and with it containing the copper it's actually helped with his rheumatoid arthritis and now he can walk again. It's a shame I only bought the 1A as I'm still in pain. So for any of you out there not sure if to go 1A or 1Z think of your health.


----------



## AudiophileInTokyo

thanatosguan said:


> Interchangeable batteries may not be compatible from generation to generation. This is true for Canon, Nikon and Sony. Want to keep using your Nikon D2x? Good luck finding working batteries.
> 
> Most of Canon and Nikon's models can't charge via USB even.
> 
> ...



I still remember the old Walkman and Discman personal stereos. They all had interchangeable batteries, and these batteries could often be recharged independently as well.

Those nifty little gadgets were somehow better, when it comes to how battery was handled... though maybe not sound quality.


----------



## thanatosguan

AudiophileInTokyo said:


> I still remember the old Walkman and Discman personal stereos. They all had interchangeable batteries, and these batteries could often be recharged independently as well.
> 
> Those nifty little gadgets were somehow better, when it comes to how battery was handled... though maybe not sound quality.



You can always get a PCM-D100 for listening, or splurge for the now legendary PCM-D1. Both use AA batteries and sound great. No 4.4 balanced out though. And folder management is a mess for large libraries. They are designed as professional PCM recorders.


----------



## AudiophileInTokyo

thanatosguan said:


> You can always get a PCM-D100 for listening, or splurge for the now legendary PCM-D1. Both use AA batteries and sound great. No 4.4 balanced out though. And folder management is a mess for large libraries. They are designed as professional PCM recorders.



Thanks for the advice, but I think I'm gonna stick with my WM1A (and maybe the 1Z) for now.... 

And let's see what the future holds!


----------



## nanaholic

AudiophileInTokyo said:


> I still remember the old Walkman and Discman personal stereos. They all had interchangeable batteries, and these batteries could often be recharged independently as well.
> 
> Those nifty little gadgets were somehow better, when it comes to how battery was handled... though maybe not sound quality.



They were also much bigger and thicker and did much less.

The only thing that I really miss from the "good old days" are those super thin minidisc players with batteries that like like half a pack of gums thick and can play for like 30 hours, but still they do much less than what DAPs today are capable of.


----------



## nc8000

Received my Musashini Label 4.4 to 3.5 adaptor today. Seems to be decent quality and the great thing is that the 3.5 end is so narrow that it fits through the gap in my iPhone case. Just a shame it was so expensive.


----------



## pietcux

nc8000 said:


> Received my Musashini Label 4.4 to 3.5 adaptor today. Seems to be decent quality and the great thing is that the 3.5 end is so narrow that it fits through the gap in my iPhone case. Just a shame it was so expensive.


Where did you purchase it. A link please.
Btw.: on request your Z1r thread was reopened.


----------



## nc8000

pietcux said:


> Where did you purchase it. A link please.
> Btw.: on request your Z1r thread was reopened.



https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/e-earphone/4589962103319.html

Bought it via buyee


----------



## kubig123

nc8000 said:


> Received my Musashini Label 4.4 to 3.5 adaptor today. Seems to be decent quality and the great thing is that the 3.5 end is so narrow that it fits through the gap in my iPhone case. Just a shame it was so expensive.



YY Audio is producing an 4.4 to 3.5 adaptor, I ordered 2 (one for a 3.5 and the other for a 2.5) they cost $90 each including shipment, I paid more for the Musashini one.
https://www.facebook.com/yyproaudio...487097784952/1420803371319982/?type=3&theater

The Musashini 3.5mm plus is to sturdy at all, mine bent somehow.


----------



## nc8000

kubig123 said:


> YY Audio is producing an 4.4 to 3.5 adaptor, I ordered 2 (one for a 3.5 and the other for a 2.5) they cost $90 each including shipment, I paid more for the Musashini one.
> https://www.facebook.com/yyproaudio...487097784952/1420803371319982/?type=3&theater
> 
> The Musashini 3.5mm plus is to sturdy at all, mine bent somehow.



Yes it's at bit stiff but as I'm only going to be using it stationary it should be OK


----------



## mw7485

ledzep said:


> This maybe of help to the older headfiers out there, a friend of mine called lazarus who bought the 1Z  has made a strap for it so it can be worn on the wrist like a watch and with it containing the copper it's actually helped with his rheumatoid arthritis and now he can walk again. It's a shame I only bought the 1A as I'm still in pain. So for any of you out there not sure if to go 1A or 1Z think of your health.



...now that is a genius sales pitch!


----------



## proedros

trust your ears guys

btw , this Nathan guy seems to have the sentiment of a robot - people like this seem to lack EQ , which separates us from machines

everything to him is bits and bytes of information , just decoding like robots

personally, his opinion is of zero importance to me 

just my 2 cents.


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> trust your ears guys
> 
> btw , this Nathan guy seems to have the sentiment of a robot - people like this seem to lack EQ , which separates us from machines
> 
> ...



Yepe! If everything was tuned and produced for "audio" were all decoded and relied on the one system of "measurements and technicality" then we will only have 1 brand for everything  and everything will taste just like Pure H20 

Herrrhhhheeeeeerrrrhhhhheeeeeeerrrrr!


----------



## kubig123 (Sep 12, 2017)

proedros said:


> trust your ears guys
> 
> btw , this Nathan guy seems to have the sentiment of a robot - people like this seem to lack EQ , which separates us from machines
> 
> ...





I totally agree!!!


----------



## Holdmyown83

Weird thing, I'm at around 62hrs burn in and all the bass is gone(exarating) . When I first started I had to Eq the bass down some. Guess I'm a believer of burning in now.


----------



## mw7485 (Sep 12, 2017)

Holdmyown83 said:


> Weird thing, I'm at around 62hrs burn in and all the bass is gone(exarating) . When I first started I had to Eq the bass down some. Guess I'm a believer of burning in now.



I found that the swings in SQ weren't as pronounced as those of the ZX2 during the burn-in process, but they are definitely present. Opinion seems to vary on when the sound stabilises but one thing is for sure, the process extends to at least 200-300 hours per headphone socket.


----------



## gerelmx1986

For me the final stabilization per socket too till 550 hours


----------



## kubig123

Tried the new 400gb micro sdxc from SanDisk, formatted, it shows “only” 366gb available.
The 256gb micro card is a better value for the price.


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> Tried the new 400gb micro sdxc from SanDisk, formatted, it shows “only” 366gb available.
> The 256gb micro card is a better value for the price.



Holy schiit that was quick.  Did Amazon ship them already ?


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> Holy schiit that was quick.  Did Amazon ship them already ?



Yes!!
I was surprised too, I was not expecting it for another couple of weeks.


----------



## asquare3376

kubig123 said:


> Tried the new 400gb micro sdxc from SanDisk, formatted, it shows “only” 366gb available.
> The 256gb micro card is a better value for the price.


Hahaha... "Value for price"
People owning the Gold walkman aren't supposed  to use such terms ​


----------



## kubig123

asquare3376 said:


> Hahaha... "Value for price"
> People owning the Gold walkman aren't supposed  to use such terms ​


----------



## AnakChan (Sep 12, 2017)

proedros said:


> trust your ears guys
> 
> btw , this Nathan guy seems to have the *sentiment of a robot* - people like this seem to lack EQ , which separates us from machines
> 
> ...


[My one and only OT post of this subject]
I've known Nathan for about 5 years and think that's (in bold) a little uncalled for. I agree that his blog entry on the NW-WM1Z is very focused and not a holistic review however did we ask ourselves if it was meant to be? To me it's more a supplement to Berkhan's (afterall Nathan blogs for both his own ohm-image and Headfonia).

Personally I don't hear hiss out of my NW-WM1Z but my hearing is hampered with tinnitus. Even for those products where I do hear hiss like the CL Theorem 720, I don't get bugged by it but I don't speak for everybody and hiss does seem to bug others. My NW-WM1Z is still my TotL DAP but its lead is -very- closely followed by the iBasso DX200 with Amp3 (not Amp1).

Bottom line is all these reviews and measurements from other reviewers are pieces of information for the readers - they are not decision makers _to tell_ the reader to buy or not. These pieces of information isn't just only about the product but also the style of the reviewer. To simply dismiss a reviewer based on an opposing point of view is also unwise. In my years of interaction with Nathan, there are probably just as many points where I agree with him as there are where I disagree with him.
[End of my OT post of this subject. Hereafter, PM me for further thoughts on Nathan]


----------



## gerelmx1986

so 400GB micro Works, i wait until it comes down in Price


----------



## azabu (Sep 12, 2017)

mw7485 said:


> A pretty picture, but that is about all. A confusing and somewhat incoherent article. I'm not entirely sure, but I don't think Nathan digs the 1Z - at all. And what's with the getting warm stuff - and back to the hissing? Why is it that nobody mentioned the hissing for what, 11 months - and then one person perceives it and all of a sudden we appear to have an angry  snake in our pockets that apparently all critics can hear. I've not perceived it - but then again, I've only listened to my unit for a mere 500 hours. Under what conditions was the hissing "observed"? In terms of output quality, how much play time did this unit have? I don't mind criticism - 'tis to be encouraged as after all, it is one of the ways this sort of technology advances. I do however like to read objective articles. I've ponied up my very hard earned, and thoroughly enjoy my hiss free golden child - but articles like this really are rather pointless and appear to be more about the individual's ego and a bit of Sony slamming rather than anything useful. I'm sorry to have wasted a portion of my life reading it really. Nice picture though.



One person's view is just that, his personal view.


----------



## productred

Porn


----------



## AnakChan

Argh, where did you get it? I noticed the Korean Dignis site is sold out.


----------



## bsimms99

productred said:


> Porn



Hate you...just sayin


----------



## kubig123

productred said:


> Porn



OMG
The Holy Grail!!!

More pictures please!


----------



## productred

AnakChan said:


> Argh, where did you get it? I noticed the Korean Dignis site is sold out.



The just reward of checking their site every single day for MONTHS I guess  Didn't realize it is sold out already. My bad (Not that I'm regretting or what XD)

Ordered last Friday, got it today. Not sure if they are gonna do another run of it though, interested parties better fire them a email or two, their CS is surprisingly responsive and helpful.


----------



## productred

kubig123 said:


> OMG
> The Holy Grail!!!
> 
> More pictures please!



You asked for it



 

 

 

I like how they are reverting to this smooth leather for this production - I didn't check before ordering and was worried they'd use the suede in the dolis sky blue variant. Now it's all good, like it's said here:-


----------



## ezekiel77

productred said:


> You asked for it
> 
> 
> 
> I like how they are reverting to this smooth leather for this production - I didn't check before ordering and was worried they'd use the suede in the dolis sky blue variant. Now it's all good, like it's said here:-


So damn beautiful.


----------



## Witcher

sigh... at least you had the option of getting it from the website direct. We in Singapore aren't allowed to buy from them because of a regional distributor.


----------



## kms108

That's why we have buying agent and shipping company's to do the work for us, expensive, but we have no choice.


----------



## Witcher

lol... If I knew how to do that for this transaction, I'd have done so! so sad to have missed it.


----------



## kms108

Not a bad thing, at least you save $$$, it should be expensive, it's only a temporary hype.


----------



## Witcher

kms108 said:


> Not a bad thing, at least you save $$$, it should be expensive, it's only a temporary hype.


yeah, but it's so nice!


----------



## productred

kms108 said:


> Not a bad thing, at least you save $$$, it should be expensive, it's only a temporary hype.



Not reli expensive as an accessory for a $3000 player, and I have a feeling it won't leave the player until its retirement.

I hope Dignis would do another round of this so everyone of you guys could get one. This case must be one of the very nicest accessory ever made for the portable audio crowd.


----------



## pietcux

productred said:


> Not reli expensive as an accessory for a $3000 player, and I have a feeling it won't leave the player until its retirement.
> 
> I hope Dignis would do another round of this so everyone of you guys could get one. This case must be one of the very nicest accessory ever made for the portable audio crowd.


Sorry to spoil the fun, but to me this cover is ugly. I prefer the brown or the black version.


----------



## silvahr (Sep 13, 2017)

After a couple of months reading this forum and thinking, today I pulled the trigger and bought the WM1A.
I think I made the right choice because WM1Z is way too expensive and a father of one must have his priorities.
I have two questions and I would be grateful for your kind help.

1 - I need to uncap my unit since I bougt it in Europe. To me is an easy procedure but I have one question: should I change also the destination code or is enough to set "sound pressure" to off? If I have to change destination code wich one is better to choose?

2 - Should I update firmaware to 1.10 or 1.20?

Thank you in advance for your kind help.


----------



## nc8000

You need to change the destination code


----------



## silvahr

nc8000 said:


> You need to change the destination code



Thank you. It's the same choose China (CN) or USA (U)?


----------



## Vlad0

Use E, as it unlock the controls for the remote, may be you will buy it after that. For EU model, sound pressure is OFF by default, so use OFF again.


----------



## silvahr

Vlad0 said:


> Use E, as it unlock the controls for the remote, may be you will buy it after that. For EU model, sound pressure is OFF by default, so use OFF again.



Thank you very much. And about firmware, should I use 1.10 or 1.20?


----------



## Vlad0

Yes. So what I did, first charge it at least to 20%. Then updated the frimware to 1.2, mine came with1.02.
Then, download the exe and bat file, put them in one folder, start bat file /will open cmd directly in the folder where you place it wit the tool/, then enter the command to check what is current situation, mine was with destination CEW2 and pressure 0 (OFF).

Then enter the command for change while replace with correct drive letter, destination and pressure values, hit enter and everethning is done.
scsitool-nwz-v9.exe F: dest_tool set E off
/F is the drive letter, it could be different under your PC, 9 is the current version of the tool/

Check again with command to verify everything is OK.
scsitool-nwz-v9.exe F: dest_tool get
Unplug the player and reset all settings from the menu. After the restart you will see the new entries in the menu - for High Gain and remote operation.  
Then, fave fun...


----------



## silvahr

Vlad0 said:


> Yes. So what I did, first charge it at least to 20%. Then updated the frimware to 1.2, mine came with1.02.
> Then, download the exe and bat file, put them in one folder, start bat file /will open cmd directly in the folder where you place it wit the tool/, then enter the command to check what is current situation, mine was with destination CEW2 and pressure 0 (OFF).
> 
> Then enter the command for change while replace with correct drive letter, destination and pressure values, hit enter and everethning is done.
> ...



Many thanks for your help!


----------



## gerelmx1986

The only time the wm1a gets hot to notice it, is to transfer lots of songs to the internal memory and then build the database (internal + micro sd filled) while charging


----------



## thanatosguan

@nanaholic

Regarding your translation of the WM1 Project Member interview, I have a question.

*Here's your translation:*
"Even so, when the mechanical design thought that we wouldn’t be so reckless to use OFC and assumed the prototype was going to be made using TFC I got angry and said “Of course we are using OFC!” (laughs)."

*Here's the original text on Sony Japan:*
"実際に聴いてみると、これがもう抜群に良かったんです。とはいえ、さすがに無酸素銅で作るほど無謀とは思えず、試作品だしタフピッチ銅を使ったに違いないと推測してメカ設計に聞いてみたら「無酸素銅に決まっているじゃないですか！」と怒られてしまいまして（笑）。"

Isn't it that, Sato-san originally didn't intend to use OFC copper as chassis, and only wanted to use normal copper but the mechanical design department replied "Of course OFC would sound better here"? My Japanese is not that good so I'm wondering if there's something lost in translation here.

I realized the difference because the Member's Voice translation on Sony China's website is different and says Sato-san didn't originally intend to use OFC but only normal copper. (However, I don't trust Sony China that much.)

I really appreciate and respect the effort you put in to translate this for the English speaking crowd. But I'm just wondering what happened here. A bit of a geeky question, I know.


----------



## 13candles

productred said:


> You asked for it
> 
> 
> 
> I like how they are reverting to this smooth leather for this production - I didn't check before ordering and was worried they'd use the suede in the dolis sky blue variant. Now it's all good, like it's said here:-




Oh my ..... And I bet Starlord would've approved of that very much .... well done sir


----------



## ledzep

Bit of a clear out today, couple of non terminated cables going free ( well only postage to pay ) 
One is a oyaide copper / spc  shielded cable and the other a silver/ copper braided litz style cable both 4 cores so can be used balanced or single and both mmcx's if any of my fellow Sony headfiers want them it's first come first served.


----------



## Whitigir

Is that silver/copper litz pure silver litz and pure copper ?


----------



## ledzep

Silver plated copper / copper


----------



## Whitigir

I see, good stuff  !


----------



## Virtu Fortuna




----------



## Whitigir

Virtu Fortuna said:


>




Woaaa, a perfect picture !


----------



## mw7485 (Sep 13, 2017)

bsimms99 said:


> LOL "an angry snake in our pants".....................thats what she said.




...nay nay sire - you twist my words! 
I should remember phrases involving trumpets and snakes often have different meanings in certain parts of the world


----------



## proedros

kubig123 said:


> Tried the new 400gb micro sdxc from SanDisk, formatted, it shows “only” 366gb available.
> The 256gb micro card is a better value for the price.



actually value/money 200gb >>>>256 gb >>>> 400 gb

but you knew this already before buying , you did not need how much actual space each card uses

actually 400gb uses 91% while 256gb uses 90% , so they are the same


----------



## TheTrace

I've been looking at this DAP lately and it seems as if it's a great "all in one package" type of value. I haven't seen many comparisons, how does the WM1A compare to a Chord Mojo or even a Chord Hugo 2? I've seen other people on here using the WM1A with the Chord Mojo as well; how does that sound in comparison to another DAP or a Hi-fi Android Smartphone with the Mojo?


----------



## kubig123

TheTrace said:


> I've been looking at this DAP lately and it seems as if it's a great "all in one package" type of value. I haven't seen many comparisons, how does the WM1A compare to a Chord Mojo or even a Chord Hugo 2? I've seen other people on here using the WM1A with the Chord Mojo as well; how does that sound in comparison to another DAP or a Hi-fi Android Smartphone with the Mojo?



I own a WM1Z and a Hugo 2, for a while also a Mojo that I sold at the beginning of the year.

The Hugo 2 outperform the WM1Z but on the other side it's quite big to travel with, I use it as my desk dac connected to my MacBook Pro, while for traveling without any doubt I prefer the WM1Z, it has more storage than any smartphone and the battery can last for over 20 hours, you'll never get the same performance using a smartphone and a mojo/Hugo.


----------



## nc8000

Yeah for me the big point is a one box solution with very long battery life (and brilliant sound)


----------



## TheTrace

kubig123 said:


> I own a WM1Z and a Hugo 2, for a while also a Mojo that I sold at the beginning of the year.
> 
> The Hugo 2 outperform the WM1Z but on the other side it's quite big to travel with, I use it as my desk dac connected to my MacBook Pro, while for traveling without any doubt I prefer the WM1Z, it has more storage than any smartphone and the battery can last for over 20 hours, you'll never get the same performance using a smartphone and a mojo/Hugo.


Yeah that's the consensus I've gathered. And thanks for the info on Hugo 2, couldn't find anything on that. By how far of a margin would you say the Hugo 2's performance exceeds WM1A? So far that battery life in one package is a damn great deal.

Yeah I hear that a lot about smartphones. I sometimes use that in the car but I mostly use the mojo with my laptop.


----------



## Holdmyown83

Hey guys should I go for the Z5 or The Pha-3. I'm using the XBA H3's and Wm1a at the moment.


----------



## asquare3376

Holdmyown83 said:


> Hey guys should I go for the Z5 or The Pha-3. I'm using the XBA H3's and Wm1a at the moment.


Z5 and the 4.4 Sony Kimber
My PHA-3 is packed in the box ever since the arrival of WM1Z.


----------



## ezekiel77

Holdmyown83 said:


> Hey guys should I go for the Z5 or The Pha-3. I'm using the XBA H3's and Wm1a at the moment.


Don't think you need the PHA-3 to power an IEM, unless you want cans. I read somewhere (forgot where, sorry) that the PHA-3 and WM1A signature is nearly the same. PHA-3 just has more juice, but WM1A in balanced mode can power some cans as well.

That said, go Z5 or a better IEM.


----------



## productred

Holdmyown83 said:


> Hey guys should I go for the Z5 or The Pha-3. I'm using the XBA H3's and Wm1a at the moment.



Z5. Period. Dun even need to think for a split sec.


----------



## nanaholic

TheTrace said:


> Yeah that's the consensus I've gathered. And thanks for the info on Hugo 2, couldn't find anything on that. By how far of a margin would you say the Hugo 2's performance exceeds WM1A? So far that battery life in one package is a damn great deal.





thanatosguan said:


> @nanaholic
> 
> Regarding your translation of the WM1 Project Member interview, I have a question.
> 
> ...



Disclaimer first - I actually didn't proof read the translation and did it straight, so it probably contains a lot more mistakes than I know is there.

Re-reading that sentences several times over now, it would seem to be that Sato-san assumed the mechanical team wouldn't be so reckless to use OFC for the chassis of the prototype nor in the production, but was told by an angry mechanical team that they must use OFC.  So yes I would say the translation by Sony China is more correct and my correct was off.


----------



## Holdmyown83

asquare3376 said:


> Z5 and the 4.4 Sony Kimber
> My PHA-3 is packed in the box ever since the arrival of WM1Z.





productred said:


> Z5. Period. Dun even need to think for a split sec.



Gotcha and thanks. I already have to kimber cables ordered them by accident and kept them for just in case. Thanks all will try and order another pair of z5's from amazon first pair somebody returned and replaced them with cheap crappy headphones.


----------



## Witcher

ezekiel77 said:


> Don't think you need the PHA-3 to power an IEM, unless you want cans. I read somewhere (forgot where, sorry) that the PHA-3 and WM1A signature is nearly the same. PHA-3 just has more juice, but WM1A in balanced mode can power some cans as well.
> 
> That said, go Z5 or a better IEM.


That might've come from me, as I did mention before that the sound signature is very very close between the PHA3 and the WM1A. At the same time, I've yet to encounter a set of cans (non electrostatic, of course) that the WM1A cannot power on high gain. The HD800S at 300 ohms works great with the WM1A on high gain, single ended.

I also agree with the recommendation of the Z5. It has the best synergy with Sony products. I've not heard the A3, but I did test out the N3 when considering the Z5. It's boomy, but not enough bass detail, which is all there with the Z5. I almost took the N3 until I tried the Z5. After that, it was no contest.


----------



## Witcher (Sep 14, 2017)

Holdmyown83 said:


> Hey guys should I go for the Z5 or The Pha-3. I'm using the XBA H3's and Wm1a at the moment.


Why would you need the PHA3 if you have the WM1A? My PHA3 is permanently connected to my PC, which acts as my source at home. When I'm out and about, the WM1A is more than enough. I'm currently using the Z5s with Kimber balanced on the WM1A. I also use the Z1R with Kimber SE on the WM1A. Both work perfectly fine. (until my Norne cables arrive next week... )


----------



## Witcher

pietcux said:


> Sorry to spoil the fun, but to me this cover is ugly. I prefer the brown or the black version.


I understand. I have the black, and the brown is incoming. But I also used to own that very same original Walkman, and this brings back childhood memories. I want one, just can't find one.


----------



## productred

pietcux said:


> Sorry to spoil the fun, but to me this cover is ugly. I prefer the brown or the black version.





Witcher said:


> I understand. I have the black, and the brown is incoming. But I also used to own that very same original Walkman, and this brings back childhood memories. I want one, just can't find one.



Yeah everyone got their own preferences. But for this case, while it is beautifully made (you have to give them that), it is not that the design or color scheme is particularly pleasing to the eye............the beauty is in that nostalgia feeling and how well that is executed and translated into a leather case with fine details.


----------



## Witcher

productred said:


> Yeah everyone got their own preferences. But for this case, while it is beautifully made (you have to give them that), it is not that the design or color scheme is particularly pleasing to the eye............the beauty is in that nostalgia feeling and how well that is executed and translated into a leather case with fine details.


I hardly think that anyone who doesn't have the nostalgia when seeing that would buy that case. Probably why they made so few of it.


----------



## Witcher

TheTrace said:


> I've been looking at this DAP lately and it seems as if it's a great "all in one package" type of value. I haven't seen many comparisons, how does the WM1A compare to a Chord Mojo or even a Chord Hugo 2? I've seen other people on here using the WM1A with the Chord Mojo as well; how does that sound in comparison to another DAP or a Hi-fi Android Smartphone with the Mojo?



Sorry if this is a little late, cos I just saw this post. I own the mojo, the PHA3, and the WM1A.

I have tested the H2 in the past and deemed it not to my liking (even in "mojo" mode) as I found it a little too bright and forward. I use the mojo and the PHA3 (2 separate setups) to process my PC audio. When I game, and listen to music which I need to decipher for music learning, I use the mojo, put through the ifi audio stack that I have, paired with a HD800S. This gives me a crisp, analytical sound, which is a lot of clarity and separation.

The PHA3, is tuned differently. I was impressed when I first got it, that the DAC quality doesn't lose out to the mojo in terms of layering, separation, and clarity, and it has a wider soundstage than the mojo. for me to get the mojo to match the PHA3, I need to turn the 3D sound setting on the ifi iCan SE to full. The PHA3 is paired only with the Z1R, as I find the soundstage too strange (almost inverted) when putting the HD800S thru it. And since the Z1R is warm enough, it doesn't need any other pairing with more amps other than the PHA3. I bought the PHA3 primarily because I wanted to find a one-box-solution for my PC rather than put the signal through 3 boxes like I do with the mojo and ifi stack.

The PHA3 is a more relaxing listen than the Mojo, which in contrast, is very clear, has very focused mids, bass and treble. The Mojo is fantastic in it's own right, and I don't think there's a DAC/Amp of that size and price that can match the Mojo for what it does. The PHA3 is more expensive than the Mojo, and has a great DAC implementation. It's layered, has great separation, but has also slightly less treble than the mojo, and it's mids aren't as forward, since much of these are compensated by the Z1R itself. I use the PHA3 when I only listen to music and read at the same time.

Because I fell in love with the PHA3, I wanted that sound everywhere I went, regardless of IEM or headphone used. More so than the mojo's sound. I mean, who wants to decipher how a particular guitar solo piece is being played while having coffee at a café on a nice Sunday afternoon? Or have some enjoyable background music while working on some reports in the office? So I set out looking for a DAP that has it. Due to price point matching, I had estimated that the WM1A was closer to the PHA3, and that the WM1Z was likely closer to the TAZH1ES. I've not tried either of the latter 2, so this was completely guesswork. So after trying the WM1A extensively at Sony, I took the plunge. It was indeed nice enough as a DAP, that I would probably be able to live with it even if the sound was different. The WM1Z was too expensive a gamble.

When I got home, my first task was to AB the PHA3 and the WM1A. I set both to have the same music playing at the same time, same sequence, and same volume so I could just switch my Z5 and Z1R between devices. That switch is very quick since I don't have to do anything else. What I discovered was that their sound signatures were almost identical as far as I could tell. If there are differences, then you'd need instruments to show them because my ears couldn't discern any. Note, this is with WM1A's settings on DirectSound.

Previously I had considered using the mojo with iPhone for a portable solution. Heat generation, multiple devices and combined size made it suboptimal. Combine that with battery life limitation, and you're pretty screwed on long haul (<10 hrs) flights when you need to exit the plane and check your missed emails and messages. The WM1A has great battery life, and I have a total of 256 Gb of storage capacity which allows me to carry around over 10,000 songs. If this were my iPhone, I'd struggle with battery life, and space limitation.

Sorry for the long post. Just thought that by sharing my experiences and thoughts over the choices I had to make might help you a little.


----------



## TheTrace

Witcher said:


> Sorry if this is a little late, cos I just saw this post. I own the mojo, the PHA3, and the WM1A.
> 
> I have tested the H2 in the past and deemed it not to my liking (even in "mojo" mode) as I found it a little too bright and forward. I use the mojo and the PHA3 (2 separate setups) to process my PC audio. When I game, and listen to music which I need to decipher for music learning, I use the mojo, put through the ifi audio stack that I have, paired with a HD800S. This gives me a crisp, analytical sound, which is a lot of clarity and separation.
> 
> ...


No problem thank you, that does give much insight to what I was wondering. I may end up wanting to sell the mojo for a WM1A soon and just wait for some black Friday sales.  

Seems like an end game DAP.


----------



## Witcher

TheTrace said:


> No problem thank you, that does give much insight to what I was wondering. I may end up wanting to sell the mojo for a WM1A soon and just wait for some black Friday sales.
> 
> Seems like an end game DAP.


It is. I think Sony set out to create the best DAP they could, except instead of all the frills, they made it just what it's supposed to be: a player. And it's really good at what it does. Just no fancy stuff like streaming or whatever. I think the WM1A and WM1Z are mainly different sounds you'd want over the same player. Sure, the WM1Z has more of the OsCon caps and the internal Kimber Kable, and the additional storage. But take those away, and you get the same thing. The differences I think add up to a different SQ rather than player quality. (Note: I haven't tried the 1Z and I don't dare to, so I might be getting this wrong).

Either way, I think you can't go wrong with either.


----------



## Whitigir

The differences in hardware only warrant a different t sound signature from 1Z to 1A


----------



## cthomas

Witcher said:


> I understand. I have the black, and the brown is incoming. But I also used to own that very same original Walkman, and this brings back childhood memories. I want one, just can't find one.



A TPS-L2? Saw one for sale the other day.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Go for z5, they pair well with wm1a


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

1A and 1Z are indeed different sounding players. But in my opinion, apart from different signatures, 1Z is technically the better player.

WM1A review will be Headfonia very soon BTW


----------



## cthomas

Virtu Fortuna said:


> 1A and 1Z are indeed different sounding players. But in my opinion, apart from different signatures, 1Z is technically the better player.
> 
> WM1A review will be Headfonia very soon BTW



As it should for 3x the price


----------



## Shmuel

Update: my 400 Gb card gives me 393 Gb of music and works just fine. 

Question: does anyone know if when I have the wm1a on shuffle play (always) will it play songs from both internal drive as well as microsd card, or just one or the other?


----------



## Whitigir

cthomas said:


> As it should for 3x the price



LOL


Shmuel said:


> Update: my 400 Gb card gives me 393 Gb of music and works just fine.
> 
> Question: does anyone know if when I have the wm1a on shuffle play (always) will it play songs from both internal drive as well as microsd card, or just one or the other?


It does random within the folder of your choice first, and then move onto another folder randomly from internal or external memory...and goes on


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Shmuel said:


> Update: my 400 Gb card gives me 393 Gb of music and works just fine.
> 
> Question: does anyone know if when I have the wm1a on shuffle play (always) will it play songs from both internal drive as well as microsd card, or just one or the other?


I think if you start to play from All Songs tab, it should play from both. 



cthomas said:


> As it should for 3x the price


Exactly.

I just wanted to mention that it's not only a difference in sound character, but also in technicalities.


----------



## cthomas (Sep 14, 2017)

So the WM1A has just dropped to $1099AUD ($877US) which I think is a pretty good price. I have a PHA-3 which I'm thinking of selling if I get the 1A since they (so I've heard) sound similar. But I'm also considering the ZX300 since it also has a USB DAC, but then the WM1A is nicer in my opinion. My head (and wallet) says ZX300 but my heart says WM1A.

Have many here heard the ZX300 yet? Wondering how much of a step down in volume and quality there is?


----------



## Vlad0

Go with your heart, your head will regret after that if you get zx300...


----------



## cthomas

Vlad0 said:


> Go with your heart, your head will regret after that if you get zx300...



I tend to regret my decisions no matter what I do ☹️


----------



## thanatosguan

cthomas said:


> I tend to regret my decisions no matter what I do ☹️



I really hope WM1 series receives the USB-DAC functionality. Since they're also adding aptX and MQA support to the WM1, I suppose USB-DAC would also make it into the next firmware. 

If so, WM1A would be a better buy than ZX300 given its SQ, battery life, build quality and probably longer support due to shared parts with the 1Z. I personally also prefer the shape of the WM1 series, much more handier than an iPod Nano type shape.

Of course, many advantages to the ZX300 as well: same S-Master chip, powerful 4.4 in a cheap package, a beautiful slim body and the option to go even cheaper with the ZX300A(16GB internal model). Plus, a confirmed USB-DAC function puts your mind at ease.


----------



## Witcher

cthomas said:


> A TPS-L2? Saw one for sale the other day.


Where?


----------



## Witcher

Shmuel said:


> Update: my 400 Gb card gives me 393 Gb of music and works just fine.
> 
> Question: does anyone know if when I have the wm1a on shuffle play (always) will it play songs from both internal drive as well as microsd card, or just one or the other?


Both. That's why it builds the database when you boot it up.


----------



## Witcher

Virtu Fortuna said:


> 1A and 1Z are indeed different sounding players. But in my opinion, apart from different signatures, 1Z is technically the better player.
> 
> WM1A review will be Headfonia very soon BTW


How so? Does it have a more responsive touch screen? Boot up faster despite the larger memory size? Less latency in the controls? A better tuning function for the EQ modes? Longer battery life? Otherwise everything stated so far only equates to a different sound signature.


----------



## Whitigir

Witcher said:


> How so? Does it have a more responsive touch screen? Boot up faster despite the larger memory size? Less latency in the controls? A better tuning function for the EQ modes? Longer battery life? Otherwise everything stated so far only equates to a different sound signature.



I think he meant that by technical level, FT-Capacitors are better than OS-con, and F-Resistors are better than MLFE Resistors ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Shmuel said:


> Update: my 400 Gb card gives me 393 Gb of music and works just fine.
> 
> Question: does anyone know if when I have the wm1a on shuffle play (always) will it play songs from both internal drive as well as microsd card, or just one or the other?


I think both memories are used, I split one album in the micro sd and the internal, and is shown as one album with all the songs as it was transferred to either storage


----------



## bana

mscott58 said:


> So got a few Sony goodies in the mail today - specifically the RMT-NWS20 remote for the 1A/1Z and also the MDR1000X noise-cancelling/wireless headphones. Wow, I've just turned my 1Z into a 100% wireless solution. The 1000X's at first pass are pretty decent in terms of SQ and comfort for out-and-about use, and I suspect they will be good on planes/trains, but will have to wait a little bit until I can test that use case. The integration with the LDAC for the 1Z/1A also works well, and I like the touch control of the 1000X's, including the ability to hear outside noises when you want to. Regarding the remote, you have to make sure your region is set to "E" as it then includes connectivity to the remote. My 1Z had been set to "U" and my 1A to E2, and neither recognized the remote, however that was easily changed with the hack. Now I can put my 1Z (or 1A) in my bag/pocket and not have to worry about any wires to the 1000X's or the need to take the player out when I want to change volume, tracks, etc. (either using the 1000X's to control the player when I'm using them, or the remote when I'm using other HP's/IEMs. Cheers



Help! Having problems with my remote, the instructions are not in English.


----------



## SoLame

kubig123 said:


> Tried the new 400gb micro sdxc from SanDisk, formatted, it shows *“only” 366gb available*.
> The 256gb micro card is a better value for the price.





Shmuel said:


> Update: my 400 Gb card *gives me 393 Gb* of music and works just fine.
> 
> Question: does anyone know if when I have the wm1a on shuffle play (always) will it play songs from both internal drive as well as microsd card, or just one or the other?



That's +/- 27GB! How come???


----------



## thanatosguan

SoLame said:


> That's +/- 27GB! How come???



The machine counts in base2 while we count in base10. 

1 GB = 1 Gigabyte = 1000^3 bytes
1GiB = 1 Gigibyte = 1.074 GB = 1024^3 bytes

The machine counts in GiB. Hence the difference.

Here's a more detailed write up: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibibyte


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 14, 2017)

SoLame said:


> That's +/- 27GB! How come???


Probably how Mac vs PC Show the amount (macs tell lies always show more )


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Probably how Mac vs PC Show the amount (macs tell lies)


Surprised ? Since when had Apple ever been Honest ?


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> Probably how Mac vs PC Show the amount (macs tell lies always show more )



Correct, when connected to my Mac it shows 393GB, but if I inquiry on the WM1Z I have 363


----------



## paulchiu

Have anyone tried this Kimber Sony balanced cable with the WM1Z or WM1A?
Thanks
https://goo.gl/EzowP2


----------



## TenderTendon

thanatosguan said:


> WM1A would be a better buy than ZX300 given its SQ, battery life, build quality and probably longer support due to shared parts with the 1Z.



A lot of assumptions here. You seem to know that the ZX300 will have inferior sound quality, build quality and battery life without ever personally seeing, touching or listening to a ZX300. And you know all this because? Because it is less expensive? The ZX300 could quite possibly sound better, be better constructed and have longer run time. Best to wait until you have actual experience before steering others.


----------



## thanatosguan (Sep 14, 2017)

TenderTendon said:


> A lot of assumptions here. You seem to know that the ZX300 will have inferior sound quality, build quality and battery life without ever personally seeing, touching or listening to a ZX300. And you know all this because? Because it is less expensive? The ZX300 could quite possibly sound better, be better constructed and have longer run time. Best to wait until you have actual experience before steering others.



Have already tried the ZX300A in one the Sony hearing events. I like it a lot actually. Sort of spiced up a bit, like the A-series Walkman. Less reference than 1A. I already have an F-series Walkman for that kind of sound(Of course ZX300A is not nearly as "spiced up" as that). As for the 1A, I already have the PCM-D100 for that kind of signature and also doubles as field microphone.

I did say ZX300 has the same S-Master chip just below that line and tried to justify ZX300 as well. I apologize if I "steered" into the more expensive 1A purchase too much for your taste.

I personally bought the 1Z eventually due to larger internal storage and better pairing with MDR-EX1000. If you don't have needs for that, ZX300 can easily fit 200+GB of songs and still offer 200mW per channel output in balanced out. Pretty neat if you ask me.

IMO a lot of things in this hobby is about feeling and how you personally enjoy things instead of measurements or "the correct sound". If I'm really dying for the "correct sound" I'll be playing my piano all the time, but alas, neither have the time nor would that really be the "correct sound" all the time, given physical limitations of my room and my own pianism's limitations.

Nothing gives you that magic of listening to your favourite music on the go again, whether that be a Walkman or an iPod. I guess we've just been on the chase ever since. 

By the way I think the F-series Walkmans are great. Very cheap now and has a great kick to its sound when playing pop songs. Love listening to 80s rock on those.


----------



## proedros

almost 1 month in and i am very pleased with my WM1A , it's definitely a sonic improvement over ZX2 (which i owned before)

i also get very nice synergy with both my CIEMs (Zeus XR and NT6) 

have been listening to SE all this time but i am very eager to try the balanced circuit, so two 4.4 cables are on the way 

and no upgraditis urge so far for 1Z (which is out of my budget anyway)


----------



## Whitigir

Woa, 2 owners of the SA5000 is in this thread.  Let me join too !! Mine is balanced and damn...it is good!


----------



## cthomas

Witcher said:


> Where?



It's on Gumtree, in Australia though. 

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/pearsall/ipods-mp3-players/sony-walkman-tps-l2/1159379756


----------



## Whitigir

Damn...made in Japan ...would last forever....shame that 1Z is not even made in Japan


----------



## blazinblazin

Whitigir said:


> Damn...made in Japan ...would last forever....shame that 1Z is not even made in Japan


I donno but signature series quality control looks good.

Even staying next to or go to the Made in country, price do not get cheaper...

Think Sony don't want some of their important technology to leak in China for people to copy.


----------



## blazinblazin

bana said:


> Help! Having problems with my remote, the instructions are not in English.


What do you need?

I think holding on to '-' button will give you pairing mode if i remember correctly.


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 14, 2017)

proedros said:


> almost 1 month in and i am very pleased with my WM1A , it's definitely a sonic improvement over ZX2 (which i owned before)
> 
> i also get very nice synergy with both my CIEMs (Zeus XR and NT6)
> 
> ...



I was not enjoying Sony NW-WM1A until I went balanced. I have balanced Surf Cables in Sony 4.4mm termination for Audioquest Nighthawk headphones, Shure SRH1540s, and Shure SE846s. My Diana has been sitting, because I love the Sony's liquid, organic sound. Single ended sucks; barely better than an iPod. Give the balanced amp 150 to 200 hours of burn in and you will love it; especially 96khz/24 bit. My Shure SE846s are actually using ALO Reference 8 balanced cables.


----------



## bana

blazinblazin said:


> What do you need?
> 
> I think holding on to '-' button will give you pairing mode if i remember correctly.


It can't seem to find the remote. I thought I had seen somewhere that the US version does not support the remote.


----------



## bflat

gerelmx1986 said:


> Probably how Mac vs PC Show the amount (macs tell lies always show more )



It's all relative. Both Sandisk and Mac use base 10 so it will show "larger" capacity but each file will also appear larger compared to base 2 which shows less capacity, but also the files are smaller. You will get exactly the same number of files stored regardless of which method is used since the physical number of bits is fixed. If you really want to play with capacity, you will definitely get real differences with the various levels of FLAC compression or ALAC.


----------



## asquare3376

bana said:


> It can't seem to find the remote. I thought I had seen somewhere that the US version does not support the remote.


You're right! US version doesn't support BT remote


----------



## nc8000

bana said:


> It can't seem to find the remote. I thought I had seen somewhere that the US version does not support the remote.



Yes as far as I know you need to use the rockbox tool to change destination code to E to get the remote support


----------



## bana

asquare3376 said:


> You're right! US version doesn't support BT remote



Damm *&#*&&@##??
How does that make sense for the US market?


----------



## bana

nc8000 said:


> Yes as far as I know you need to use the rockbox tool to change destination code to E to get the remote support



NC8000,

Thanks, I will.


----------



## nc8000

bana said:


> NC8000,
> 
> Thanks, I will.



I have an EU unit and have changed to E and have the remote support in the settings but have not got the remote so dont know if it actually works


----------



## Whitigir

bana said:


> It can't seem to find the remote. I thought I had seen somewhere that the US version does not support the remote.


Sad, isn't it ? Un-cap it


----------



## cthomas

thanatosguan said:


> I really hope WM1 series receives the USB-DAC functionality. Since they're also adding aptX and MQA support to the WM1, I suppose USB-DAC would also make it into the next firmware.



Is this likely? If so I will get the 1A for certain.


----------



## animalsrush

paulchiu said:


> Have anyone tried this Kimber Sony balanced cable with the WM1Z or WM1A?
> Thanks
> https://goo.gl/EzowP2


I use it with my wm1z and z1r.. makes it a real smooth sounding and musical . Again it suits my taste ..may not be for everyone 

Pc


----------



## ezekiel77

TheTrace said:


> No problem thank you, that does give much insight to what I was wondering. I may end up wanting to *sell the mojo for a WM1A* soon and just wait for some black Friday sales.
> 
> Seems like an end game DAP.


This was exactly what I did earlier this year lol.


----------



## blazinblazin

ezekiel77 said:


> This was exactly what I did earlier this year lol.



So did you regret?


----------



## thanatosguan

cthomas said:


> Is this likely? If so I will get the 1A for certain.



I honestly have no idea. Don't gamble and just wait for a few weeks to find out. Plus the ZX300 won't come out for some time yet,


----------



## thanatosguan

Whitigir said:


> Woa, 2 owners of the SA5000 is in this thread.  Let me join too !! Mine is balanced and damn...it is good!



I got it recabled to balanced per your recommendation actually. Was a really great upgrade. Currently pairing it with my ZH1ES and it's just amazing.

Can't wait to try it with the WM1Z.


----------



## Witcher

Whitigir said:


> I think he meant that by technical level, FT-Capacitors are better than OS-con, and F-Resistors are better than MLFE Resistors ?


Yes, and those are already what we agreed contributes to a different SQ, but not necessarily player performance?


----------



## Witcher

paulchiu said:


> Have anyone tried this Kimber Sony balanced cable with the WM1Z or WM1A?
> Thanks
> https://goo.gl/EzowP2


I have the SE version for my Z1R, and the 4.4mm balanced one for my Z5, both used for the WM1A. They are smoother and a little warmer than the SPC ones since these are ofc.


----------



## Gibraltar

nc8000 said:


> I have an EU unit and have changed to E and have the remote support in the settings but have not got the remote so dont know if it actually works



I can confirm the remote works fine with an uncapped UK unit. The actual hardware is likely identical in all regions so once the software is enabled it will work.


----------



## ezekiel77

blazinblazin said:


> So did you regret?


No regrets whatsoever.

Pros: Amazing battery life, finally a touchscreen interface, no need to charge two devices on the go, no more stacking. Sound-wise, WM1A is more neutral with a bigger soundstage. Me likey.
Cons: Not the most economical of switches, plus the added expenses of balanced 4.4mm cables haha.

I waited for Chord to announce the Mojo accessory, hoping that it'd be a screen and UI capable of turning the Mojo into a fully functioning DAP. Pipe dream but yeah. Once Poly was announced, I said nope and sold the Mojo.


----------



## Witcher

ezekiel77 said:


> No regrets whatsoever.
> 
> Pros: Amazing battery life, finally a touchscreen interface, no need to charge two devices on the go, no more stacking. Sound-wise, WM1A is more neutral with a bigger soundstage. Me likey.
> Cons: Not the most economical of switches, plus the added expenses of balanced 4.4mm cables haha.
> ...


Actually, I'm just waiting for Sony to update the PHA3 to have a 4.4mm balanced plug, so it can replace my mojo. Then I'll sell the old PHA3 and the mojo both to fund the new one.


----------



## audionewbi

I honestly think soundwise WM1A is competent enough to challenge HUGO 1 and Mojo no issue what so ever.


----------



## cthomas

thanatosguan said:


> I honestly have no idea. Don't gamble and just wait for a few weeks to find out. Plus the ZX300 won't come out for some time yet,



Trying to decide this weekend as the 1A is on sale haha


----------



## preddd

Can we use this type of cable to an unbalanced amp? I'm quite confused about this balanced to rca cable. Thanks!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

cthomas said:


> Trying to decide this weekend as the 1A is on sale haha


My w1a is on sale. I have 1Z, 1A is relegated to desktop guard duty   Price negotiable in case you're interested. I'll throw in Sony Kimber  mmcx cable too. Pm me if interested.  Maybe we can work something out


----------



## Quadfather

hamhamhamsta said:


> My w1a is on sale. I have 1Z, 1A is relegated to desktop guard duty   Price negotiable in case you're interested. I'll throw in Sony Kimber  mmcx cable too. Pm me if interested.  Maybe we can work something out



How would you describe the sound differences between the two?


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 15, 2017)

preddd said:


> Can we use this type of cable to an unbalanced amp? I'm quite confused about this balanced to rca cable. Thanks!




No, RCA is Single Ended, and you "do not" plug Balanced out to Single Ended in...ever.  You can only plug Single Ended out into Balanced in, and that is fine.

Simplifying, it is ok to split the signals up, but not ok to join them together, period


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> No, RCA is Single Ended, and you "do not" plug Balanced out to Single Ended in...ever.  You can only plug Single Ended out into Balanced in, and that is fine.
> 
> Simplifying, it is ok to split the signals up, but not ok to join them together, period



DON'T EVER CROSS THE STREAMS !


----------



## FlyingTrotter

Really enjoying the WM-1A with the JH Audio Roxannes in single ended but have taken the plunge and have some balanced silver dragon V2 cables on order so can access the balanced port and hear what you all keep promoting 

Should I uncap a UK model to acces high gain even if I am only using it with CIEMs


----------



## mw7485

FlyingTrotter said:


> Really enjoying the WM-1A with the JH Audio Roxannes in single ended but have taken the plunge and have some balanced silver dragon V2 cables on order so can access the balanced port and hear what you all keep promoting
> 
> Should I uncap a UK model to acces high gain even if I am only using it with CIEMs



If you can get the volume you're after with what you have, there is no need (unless you want to use the remote). Just download the tool and instructions just in case they vanish.....


----------



## FlyingTrotter

Got the link


----------



## mw7485

FlyingTrotter said:


> Got the link



Clickety click


----------



## AnakChan

Here's a nice 2.5mm -> 4.4mm adapter from Brise Audio taken from their Twitter. It uses the new right angled Pentaconn connector (comes in std and OFC versions) :-


----------



## bvng3540

One of our member has this for sale as well @alpha421


----------



## cthomas

bvng3540 said:


> One of our member has this for sale as well @alpha421



Where can you buy the Sony 4.4 from?


----------



## siruspan

What do you guys think about this leather case that i've bought?


----------



## bvng3540

cthomas said:


> Where can you buy the Sony 4.4 from?



If you want to buy that, send @alpha421 a PM


----------



## all999

siruspan said:


> What do you guys think about this leather case that i've bought?



Nice truck down there 

I found out that I prefer to get a strap pulled on a dap rather than on a case. Try it!


----------



## thanatosguan

cthomas said:


> Where can you buy the Sony 4.4 from?


it looks like it was cut off from the stock Z1R cable.


----------



## bvng3540

thanatosguan said:


> it looks like it was cut off from the stock Z1R cable.


That not practical at all what you saying, the z1r stock cable is well over $100, he sell that cable for  like under $40, who in their crazy mind wasting their time and money making that cable


----------



## PCheung

That should be the one come with MDR-Z1R
I have one and it is the same


----------



## thanatosguan

bvng3540 said:


> That not practical at all what you saying, the z1r stock cable is well over $100, he sell that cable for  like under $40, who in their crazy mind wasting their time and money making that cable


I have no idea he's selling it at 40$. But it really does look exactly like the Z1r stock cable. Especially the grilled rubber part.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 16, 2017)

Quadfather said:


> How would you describe the sound differences between the two?




I'm sorry, I upgraded 1Z with Mundorf silver & gold cables replacing kimber cable connection and power cable. The sounds changed much for the better compared to stock 1Z(better clarity, resolution & greater dynamics, making a much more musical and emotional ).

I'll go with my memories, a little fuzzy since its at least 3 months ago. I'm not expert in explaining sound descriptions, but I'll do my best.

1Z is warmer than 1A. There are more bass quantity and the bass quality its better in terms of texture etc. Its sound is very musical and very 3D. 1A is 2D sound in comparison. Mids in 1Z feels full and satisfying while 1A feels a little thin and  dry. Treble with 1Z can be piercing with some songs, while 1Z, its almost there, but never reach sibilance. So, 1Z is thick, warm sounding while 1A is thin reference sounding. Often, we associate warm, thick sounding as fuzzy, less clarity. But that's not the case with 1Z, clarity and resolution is better than 1A, there are things I can hear on 1Z that I don't hear in 1A. For example: on one song in 1Z, I heard blackboard scratching on the background, i heard none on 1A. One way to look at it is 1A sound is thin reference type while 1Z is  hopeless romantic analog type.

1Z is musical, dynamics, warm but with greater resolution & clarity compared to 1A. And 1Z bass, mids and treble are better. I don't think you'll regret getting this if you got it at right price. There's a reason why so many 1A is on sale at sale forum. Most that got 1A went to get 1Z and never look back.

If you want an excellent description of 1Z sound, go to Whitigirl 1Z review.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-digital-audio-player-walkman-nw-wm1z-n-gold.22005/reviews


Hope this is useful. Now, modded 1Z with Mundorf gold and silver cable, that is another story( greater improvement than stock 1Z, at least 15%)


----------



## Quadfather

hamhamhamsta said:


> I'm sorry, I upgraded 1Z with Mundorf silver & gold cables repacing kimber cable connection and power cable. The sounds changed much for the better compared to stock 1Z(fbetter clarity, resolution & greater dynamics, making a much more musical and emotional ).
> 
> I'll go with my memories, a little fuzzy since its at least 3 months ago. I'm not expert in explaining sound descriptions, but I'll do my best.
> 
> ...



Who modded your 1Z?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

I'll  pm


----------



## hamhamhamsta

bvng3540 said:


> That not practical at all what you saying, the z1r stock cable is well over $100, he sell that cable for  like under $40, who in their crazy mind wasting their time and money making that cable


If it's real,  that's way too cheap.


----------



## Quadfather

Jamming hard on the Sony NW-WM1A.   Just got back from Full Terror Assault,  a three day, open air,  European-style, heavy metal festival in Southern Illinois.  It all started for me with Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Listening to Mozart piano trios on wm1A, how sublime, the instrument layering and the venue reverb


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> Listening to Mozart piano trios on wm1A, how sublime, the instrument layering and the venue reverb



It does great across many genres, from Iron Maiden to Mozart.  Are you using balanced?


----------



## cthomas

kms108 said:


> For those who are interested, sony has just released a new MMCX cable MUC-M12NB1 silver plated OFC with 4.4mm plug. at 13880 yen not including Tax.
> 
> http://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-m12nb1



Did anyone end up getting this cable? Is it good for the price?


----------



## audionewbi

I find if you use neutral sounding IEM, reference sounding IEM pairing with 1Z gives you a very HiFi sounding experience, however after auditiong the 1Z over 15 hours I am sort of found a way to mimic the sound by pairing 1A with IEMs like JVC FW-01. The sound tonality is very similar to how 1Z paired with my neutral IEM.


----------



## audionewbi

cthomas said:


> Did anyone end up getting this cable? Is it good for the price?


It is an excellent built quality with a neutral/warm tonality. 
Excellent pairing with XBA-N3.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> It does great across many genres, from Iron Maiden to Mozart.  Are you using balanced?


 yes balanced with sony MDR-Z7 with Z1R balance cable


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 16, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> yes balanced with sony MDR-Z7 with Z1R balance cable



Sweet!  I am using balanced with Audioquest Nighthawk headphones and Shure SRH1540 headphones. I can go straight from Slayer to Pat Metheny or Beethoven.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> Sweet!  I am using balanced with Audioquest Nighthawk headphones and Shure SRH1540 headphones.


At work i use balanced XBA-Z5 stock dual 3.5mm balanced twith a dual 3.5mm female o 4.4mm adapter


----------



## cthomas

audionewbi said:


> It is an excellent built quality with a neutral/warm tonality.
> Excellent pairing with XBA-N3.



I wonder if it being warm is a bad match for the SE846? I kinda like the idea of a slightly brighter cable. Maybe I should go all out and get a custom silver cable.


----------



## cthomas

gerelmx1986 said:


> At work i use balanced XBA-Z5 stock dual 3.5mm balanced twith a dual 3.5mm female o 4.4mm adapter



Got pics? Maybe I should do this since I have the pha-3 balanced cable.


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 16, 2017)

cthomas said:


> I wonder if it being warm is a bad match for the SE846? I kinda like the idea of a slightly brighter cable. Maybe I should go all out and get a custom silver cable.



My ALO Audio Reference 8 balanced cables with the 4.4mm Sony balanced termination sound sublime out of Sony NW-WM1A and the mmxc connectors fit more snugly than any other cable I've used. Some headphone/DAP matches work perfectly.   My Audioquest Nighthawk headphones pair better with my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana than headphones three times the cost.


----------



## cthomas

Quadfather said:


> My ALO Audio Reference 8 balanced cables with the 4.4mm Sony balanced termination sound sublime out of Sony NW-WM1A and the mmxc connectors fit more snugly than any other cable I've used.



Are they super expensive? I'd like a new cable since it would look better, and like you mentioned, the MMCX connection on mine is quite loose fitting.


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 16, 2017)

cthomas said:


> Are they super expensive? I'd like a new cable since it would look better, and like you mentioned, the MMCX connection on mine is quite loose fitting.



I think they are in the $270 to $300 range. I can add a photo in a bit.


----------



## cthomas

Wow, definitely not a budget cable then.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Quadfather said:


> My ALO Audio Reference 8 balanced cables with the 4.4mm Sony balanced termination sound sublime out of Sony NW-WM1A and the mmxc connectors fit more snugly than any other cable I've used. Some headphone/DAP matches work perfectly.   My Audioquest Nighthawk headphones pair better with my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana than headphones three times the cost.



Yes,  this.  Get Alo 8Ref Iem cable.  It's really good performance  for its price. In fact I got 2 mmcx 4.4mm and sold 1. I'm thinking of getting one 2 pin Alo Ref8 for my 2pin ciems.


----------



## cthomas

Quadfather said:


> I think they are in the $270 to $300 range. I can add a photo in a bit.



Any idea how the litz cable compares? It's about half that price.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

cthomas said:


> Any idea how the litz cable compares? It's about half that price.


The Litz performance is about 60%in terms of clarity & resolution.  Get the Ref8, no question asked.  I got  litz when I bought Andromeda. Litz cable I never used after I got Ref8


----------



## audionewbi

cthomas said:


> I wonder if it being warm is a bad match for the SE846? I kinda like the idea of a slightly brighter cable. Maybe I should go all out and get a custom silver cable.


Please do give it a try before you give all the other boutique cables a go. I think it is currently offers the best value for ones money and the cable design and shielding is better than half of the current high end cables.


----------



## cthomas

audionewbi said:


> Please do give it a try before you give all the other boutique cables a go. I think it is currently offers the best value for ones money and the cable design and shielding is better than half of the current high end cables.



Do you mean the ref8 cable?


----------



## audionewbi

cthomas said:


> Do you mean the ref8 cable?


I have alot of respect for ALO, they do their homework before they release a product . Not comment is just a general statement for current pricing of after-market cable.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 17, 2017)

The only negative thing I can say regarding ALO Ref8 is that the cable tangle easily, which is extremely annoying. Soundwise its extremely good value for the price.


----------



## FlyingTrotter

Really been enjoying the WM-1A with my JH Audio Roxannes using the stock single ended cable that was supplied but have just ordered the moon audio silver dragon upgrade cable with 4.4 balanced jack and really looking forward to experiencing the difference - Drew at Moon Audio was a pleasure to deal with and all being well the new cable and the ability to use the balanced output will be worth the additional cost


----------



## kms108

I have this, Final Audio made in Japan, silver plated high purity OFC cable, slightly different sound stage than my stock cable for the Xelento, still considering whether to reterminate to 4.4mm for the WM1A or ZX300, if I reterminate and I don't like the SQ, there is no going back.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> I have this, Final Audio made in Japan, silver plated high purity OFC cable, slightly different sound stage than my stock cable for the Xelento, still considering whether to reterminate to 4.4mm for the WM1A or ZX300, if I reterminate and I don't like the SQ, there is no going back.



Well, if you already like what it offers now, then you can only have improvements to look forward to (judging from that SE is inferior to Balanced 4.4mm by design on Walkman)


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> I have this, Final Audio made in Japan, silver plated high purity OFC cable, slightly different sound stage than my stock cable for the Xelento, still considering whether to reterminate to 4.4mm for the WM1A or ZX300, if I reterminate and I don't like the SQ, there is no going back.



No brainer ! I've heard a pair on balanced and it's a nice upgrade. If for some reason you don't like it just get a nice furutech 3.5mm rhodium plated jack and re terminate back and looks alone will be an improvement over that cheap looking right angle one.


----------



## kms108

Thanks, it's not that the balanced is better or worse than SE, it's whether I like the sound quality of the balanced.


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> Thanks, it's not that the balanced is better or worse than SE, it's whether I like the sound quality of the balanced.


Yeah true we all hear different things with different set ups / connections, it's worth trying out though.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> Thanks, it's not that the balanced is better or worse than SE, it's whether I like the sound quality of the balanced.


Only way to know


----------



## kms108

It's a shame i will have to destroy a good looking cable, may be i should get another same cable, they have a 2.5mm version.


----------



## bvng3540

kms108 said:


> It's a shame i will have to destroy a good looking cable, may be i should get another same cable, they have a 2.5mm version.


Get an adapter way cheaper than getting another cable


----------



## Whitigir

No adapter can work in his situation


----------



## kms108 (Sep 17, 2017)

yep, the cable still have to be balanced, either 2.5 or 3.5.

Does anyone know if pentaconn5 has released a right angle 4.4mm.

Update: now this is what i'm looking for, 10800yen and 6800yen.


----------



## blazinblazin

kms108 said:


> It's a shame i will have to destroy a good looking cable, may be i should get another same cable, they have a 2.5mm version.



Maybe you  should bring to some audio shop or some audio shows to ask to test cable... then you will know if you like 4.4mm.


----------



## kms108

I will be getting either the WM1A or ZX300 in Japan in december, i already have the kimber Kable from sony, but they are different cables and offers different sound stage.
anyway I still have a few months to go,


----------



## gerelmx1986

cthomas said:


> Got pics? Maybe I should do this since I have the pha-3 balanced cable.


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 17, 2017)

kms108 said:


> yep, the cable still have to be balanced, either 2.5 or 3.5.
> 
> Does anyone know if pentaconn5 has released a right angle 4.4mm.
> 
> Update: now this is what i'm looking for, 10800yen and 6800yen.


Holy cow, where did you find those , my ghost, seriously, that OFC Pentaconn man....the best plug on the market, not even Furutech which I hold in high regard to have produced anything OFC yet


----------



## kms108 (Sep 17, 2017)

http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopd...000000152184&search=pentaconn&sort=price_desc

http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopd...000000152185&search=pentaconn&sort=price_desc


only pre order for now, but should be available when i'm in Japan.


----------



## cthomas

gerelmx1986 said:


>



Nice! Who made this one?


----------



## gerelmx1986

cthomas said:


> Nice! Who made this one?


 @Whitigir  made it


----------



## cthomas

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Whitigir  made it



I should have known!


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

FlyingTrotter said:


> Really been enjoying the WM-1A with my JH Audio Roxannes using the stock single ended cable that was supplied but have just ordered the moon audio silver dragon upgrade cable with 4.4 balanced jack and really looking forward to experiencing the difference - Drew at Moon Audio was a pleasure to deal with and all being well the new cable and the ability to use the balanced output will be worth the additional cost


You'll hear the difference and I think you won't go back to SE. At least that was my experience.

I'll mention this in the Headfonia review anyway but, to me WM1A has more difference in balanced output than 1Z. I mean when you switch back and forth between SE and Balanced on WM1Z, yes there's a difference but not big, and it's like a signature difference. But on the 1A it's more like a general sound quality jump if you know what I mean. The sound is technically better and it's not hard to hear that.


----------



## Witcher

Just tried the WM1Z today. I get the difference now. Sadly it's really too costly, and I don't need 2 DAPs.


----------



## proedros

Virtu Fortuna said:


> You'll hear the difference and I think you won't go back to SE. At least that was my experience.
> 
> I'll mention this in the Headfonia review anyway but, to me *WM1A has more difference in balanced output than 1Z*. I mean when you switch back and forth between SE and Balanced on WM1Z, yes there's a difference but not big, and it's like a signature difference. *But on the 1A it's more like a general sound quality jump if you know what I mean. The sound is technically better and it's not hard to hear that.*



now i am really impatient to get my 4.4 cables for my WM1A


----------



## azabu

Witcher said:


> Just tried the WM1Z today. I get the difference now. Sadly it's really too costly, and I don't need 2 DAPs.



I wouldn't worry about having the 1A or the 1Z too much. Here's why: I have the 1A and originally regretted not going for the 1Z, so I decided to spend a good hour with the 1Z at Sony in Ginza to see if I should upgrade. I brought my Fitear TG334s with Brise Audio UPG001 Rh+ cable, Ocharaku Flat 4 Keyaki Balance, and Sony ex-1000s. 

What I found is the 1Z is headphone and cable dependant, if you have warmer sounding phones like the TG334 especially with a copper cable, then the 1Z sonically gets recessed across the frequency range, and lacks the clarity of the 1A. With the TG334's I definitely prefer the 1A over the 1Z, so I don't feel like I'm missing out on much. When the 1Z update comes out then I'll probably splash out for it, but until then I'm really pleased with the 1A.


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> now i am really impatient to get my 4.4 cables for my WM1A


I was on the same situation


----------



## silvahr

proedros said:


> now i am really impatient to get my 4.4 cables for my WM1A



Sir, which cables did you bought?


----------



## proedros

silvahr said:


> Sir, which cables did you bought?




pw audio no5 (4-braid) and i sent my whiplash hybrid v3 (8-braid) for 4.4 retermination


----------



## silvahr

proedros said:


> pw audio no5 (4-braid) and i sent my whiplash hybrid v3 (8-braid) for 4.4 retermination



Thank you!


----------



## Lavakugel

I'm using my wm1a as source now for my auralic stack. Sound is very NICE! 

As I'm using USB-Audio port now is there still a burning in going on like SE or Balanced?


----------



## PCheung

Lavakugel said:


> As I'm using USB-Audio port now is there still a burning in going on like SE or Balanced?



Likely not


----------



## ledzep

Lavakugel said:


> I'm using my wm1a as source now for my auralic stack. Sound is very NICE!
> 
> As I'm using USB-Audio port now is there still a burning in going on like SE or Balanced?



Definitely not, enjoy straight away!


----------



## thebratts

Hi fellow head-fi:ers 
Long time reader in this thread.
My recent purchase of the Moon 430 HAD amp had me realize that my DP-X1 just doesen't cut it... at Work..
Luckily i was able to score an Wm1Z used for 1 hour only at yahoo auctions japan and a used WM1A from classifieds here, both are on their way to me right now..

Really looking forward to trying them out to see what kind of difference there really is between them and the dp-x1, hoping for a BIG difference.

Recently i bought the Utopia, and that has made me realize i need to update my IEM:S since i find the U12 to dark for my taste and just not resolving enough when i switch from my home rig to the DAP..
Question. WM1x and CIEM:s since i REALLY enjoy the Moon 430 HAD amp and the utopia, Really much, what CIEM in combination with the WM1a/z should i be looking at.
I've spend hours reading shootouts and reviews and looking at the Tzar, Zeus for example.. Any pointers since it will NOT be possible to test out beforehand.
An IEM with the Utopia speed, resolution, and yes soundstage since i like that it's intimate not small, really being able to feel the singer 2 meters in front of me singing for me only and the separation between instruments.. Sure i could take a little more bass since it's good when on the move...
What else should i bee looking at? looking for customs that work well with the WM1:s


----------



## kubig123

thebratts said:


> Hi fellow head-fi:ers
> Long time reader in this thread.
> My recent purchase of the Moon 430 HAD amp had me realize that my DP-X1 just doesen't cut it... at Work..
> Luckily i was able to score an Wm1Z used for 1 hour only at yahoo auctions japan and a used WM1A from classifieds here, both are on their way to me right now..
> ...



For soundstage I strongly recommend Audeze LCDi4.


----------



## mw7485

thebratts said:


> Hi fellow head-fi:ers
> Long time reader in this thread.
> My recent purchase of the Moon 430 HAD amp had me realize that my DP-X1 just doesen't cut it... at Work..
> Luckily i was able to score an Wm1Z used for 1 hour only at yahoo auctions japan and a used WM1A from classifieds here, both are on their way to me right now..
> ...



...new toys...mmmmm! Presumably you'll be selling one of the units on?

I think you'll get plenty of suggestions on IEMs here - I haven't got any CIEMs myself, so I'll bow to others with the relevant experience. If the 1Z really only has 1 hour on the speedo, there is a long way to go to get it to its full potential (several hundred hours). Some have said that the 1Z really shines with neutral IEMs, but I like it with both the ER4 and Z5 depending on my listening mood. Even though I generally like the ER4 more, I cannot stop using the Z5, and have several hundred hours more on the Z5 than the ER4. My experience is certainly that the 1Z absolutely reflects the character of the IEM used - the Z5s are lush, rich and bone shaking and with a very wide stage. The ER4s, accurate, fast and no-nonsense but lacking in stage. The general opinion seems to be that the 1A may be the more technically adept player, but the 1Z is like being driven in a leather upholstered limo - sumptuous, perhaps at the expense of some of the finer details, but very pleasant nevertheless. You seem to be in a good position, as you can take your time to evaluate both, and pick the one that suits the most. Well done - and welcome to the owners club.


----------



## ledzep

thebratts said:


> Hi fellow head-fi:ers
> Long time reader in this thread.
> My recent purchase of the Moon 430 HAD amp had me realize that my DP-X1 just doesen't cut it... at Work..
> Luckily i was able to score an Wm1Z used for 1 hour only at yahoo auctions japan and a used WM1A from classifieds here, both are on their way to me right now..
> ...



2 players .... I see a man with wealth and taste, found you the perfect accompaniment to your Z1 !


----------



## AnakChan

thebratts said:


> Hi fellow head-fi:ers
> Long time reader in this thread.
> My recent purchase of the Moon 430 HAD amp had me realize that my DP-X1 just doesen't cut it... at Work..
> *Luckily i was able to score an Wm1Z used for 1 hour only at yahoo auctions japan* and a used WM1A from classifieds here, both are on their way to me right now..
> [snip!]


Reminder you'd need to rockbox it to English (unless you're comfortable reading/sticking to Japanese). Japanese NW-WM1Z are not multilingual by default.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lavakugel said:


> I'm using my wm1a as source now for my auralic stack. Sound is very NICE!
> 
> As I'm using USB-Audio port now is there still a burning in going on like SE or Balanced?


no not anymore as you are not used NG the analogue amplification section


----------



## thebratts (Sep 18, 2017)

mw7485 said:


> ...new toys...mmmmm! Presumably you'll be selling one of the units on?
> .....
> You seem to be in a good position, as you can take your time to evaluate both, and pick the one that suits the most. Well done - and welcome to the owners club.




Yes, i will not keep both, also i just had to buy the TA-ZH1ES amp to see if i could use it at work, or even replace my Moon 430 with it, i hear the synergy with Utopia is great..
Many combinations and tests the next few weeks.
1A + ZH1ES at work with the Moon at home
Keeping the 1Z and replacing the moon with the ZH1ES at home (cannot keep them all)
etc..
Knowing myself i will end up Keeping the Moon, keeping the 1Z and add the ZH1ES to work 

Plan is a CIEM for the move, Z1R for work (need to isolation) and Utopia for pure enjoyment in the sofa at home..

Anyway then some gear need to go or actually i'm already checking the market with some ads..




ledzep said:


> 2 players .... I see a man with wealth and taste, found you the perfect accompaniment to your Z1 !


----------



## thebratts

AnakChan said:


> Reminder you'd need to rockbox it to English (unless you're comfortable reading/sticking to Japanese). Japanese NW-WM1Z are not multilingual by default.


Hi yeah thanks, i've bookmarked some info from here on that, or i'm also thinking of keeping it japanese, make it a bit more fun and keeping everyones else hands of the unit..


----------



## ledzep

These are going spare if someone wants them just pay the postage via PayPal gift 
Superb buds and not cheap ones just new and surplus as I've got the new spinfit flanges and manderinEs coming to test out.
Sony EP-TC50M Triple Comfort Large


----------



## asquare3376 (Sep 18, 2017)

thebratts said:


> i need to update my IEM:S that work well with the WM1:s


Get a Sony XBA-Z5 with 4.4 MUC-M12SB1. Give some time for the burn-in and you'll never regret this move.


----------



## yakitoroi

kms108 said:


> I have this, Final Audio made in Japan, silver plated high purity OFC cable, slightly different sound stage than my stock cable for the Xelento, still considering whether to reterminate to 4.4mm for the WM1A or ZX300, if I reterminate and I don't like the SQ, there is no going back.


Question: in the second photo on your cable, you have a white tube that you use for fitting the cable around your ear. Did it come with the Xelento or did you purchased it separately. I have the jh laylas and the tubing and metal that goes fits the cable over my ear is broken and I was looking for something similar if it is a product.


----------



## Whitigir

Silicone tubing ? You can hold it shape with some heat applied 
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_12?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=silicone+tubing&sprefix=Silicone+tub,aps,138&crid=3OIVWJTK65832


----------



## yakitoroi

Whitigir said:


> Silicone tubing ? You can hold it shape with some heat applied
> https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_12?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=silicone+tubing&sprefix=Silicone+tub,aps,138&crid=3OIVWJTK65832



Like a farmer in his field, you Sir is Outstanding! And fast. Thank you.


----------



## Witcher

azabu said:


> I wouldn't worry about having the 1A or the 1Z too much. Here's why: I have the 1A and originally regretted not going for the 1Z, so I decided to spend a good hour with the 1Z at Sony in Ginza to see if I should upgrade. I brought my Fitear TG334s with Brise Audio UPG001 Rh+ cable, Ocharaku Flat 4 Keyaki Balance, and Sony ex-1000s.
> 
> What I found is the 1Z is headphone and cable dependant, if you have warmer sounding phones like the TG334 especially with a copper cable, then the 1Z sonically gets recessed across the frequency range, and lacks the clarity of the 1A. With the TG334's I definitely prefer the 1A over the 1Z, so I don't feel like I'm missing out on much. When the 1Z update comes out then I'll probably splash out for it, but until then I'm really pleased with the 1A.


That would've been good news for me, except I would be using the Sony sets with the WM1Z if I had it, and the combination is amazing. But yes, I'll wait for the WM1Z update instead and stick to my WM1A for now. Hopefully the update comes with the USB DAC function.


----------



## kms108 (Sep 18, 2017)

yakitoroi said:


> Question: in the second photo on your cable, you have a white tube that you use for fitting the cable around your ear. Did it come with the Xelento or did you purchased it separately. I have the jh laylas and the tubing and metal that goes fits the cable over my ear is broken and I was looking for something similar if it is a product.


It's a ear hook that came with the Final Audio cable, it can be purchased separately at 980yen, but it won't help as it has a opening and is very flexible and soft, you can try some shrink plastic tubes, those you find on many iem with ear hooks.


May be you can post some photos, so other can see and probably can help.

https://www.amazon.com/Ginsco-580-p...&qid=1505840429&sr=8-4&keywords=shrink+tubing


----------



## yakitoroi

kms108 said:


> It's a ear hook that came with the Final Audio cable, it can be purchased separately at 980yen, but it won't help as it has a opening and is very flexible and soft, you can try some shrink plastic tubes, those you find on many iem with ear hooks.
> 
> 
> May be you can post some photos, so other can see and probably can help.
> ...



Thank you Kms108, Whitigir also post a amazon link to silicon tubing that could do the trick. Attached see the photos for any other recommendation.


----------



## kms108

yakitoroi said:


> Thank you Kms108, Whitigir also post a amazon link to silicon tubing that could do the trick. Attached see the photos for any other recommendation.


Silicon tube and shrink wrap tubing are different things


----------



## yakitoroi

kms108 said:


> Silicon tube and shrink wrap tubing are different things


Yeah, let try uploading the photos again from

 

 

 

 

 my phone.


----------



## blazinblazin

yakitoroi said:


> Yeah, let try uploading the photos again from     my phone.


Looks bad. I would say time for you to get an upgrade cable.


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 19, 2017)

kms108 said:


> Silicon tube and shrink wrap tubing are different things


There are different ways to do it.  Shrink tubes can be molded easier but stiffer, silicone tubing can be molded too but harder to do and while being softer for comfortability, and while some silicone tubing don't respond too well to the heat itself.  I agree that picture helps

Judging by the upload pictures, these look to be Heat-shrink tubes


----------



## thanatosguan

Does anybody know why sometimes album cover art is not correctly showed? Mine are all good in Foobar and mp3tag, but doesn't show in the WM1. Is there something wrong with the jpg file that I attached to the music files? Does it need to be a specific format(like must embed ICC profile) or below a certain resolution?


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

WM1A review is online on Headfonia!

Finally I managed to post it.

https://www.headfonia.com/review-sony-wm1a-walkman/


----------



## nanaholic

thanatosguan said:


> Does anybody know why sometimes album cover art is not correctly showed? Mine are all good in Foobar and mp3tag, but doesn't show in the WM1. Is there something wrong with the jpg file that I attached to the music files? Does it need to be a specific format(like must embed ICC profile) or below a certain resolution?



The artwork must be baseline jpg and not progressive jpg. Size doesn't seem to really matter but I keep mine below 1000x1000 pixels.


----------



## blazinblazin

Virtu Fortuna said:


> WM1A review is online on Headfonia!
> 
> Finally I managed to post it.
> 
> https://www.headfonia.com/review-sony-wm1a-walkman/


Good review. Those who wants comparison of WM1A to other DAP can read this~


----------



## proedros

Virtu Fortuna said:


> WM1A review is online on Headfonia!
> 
> Finally I managed to post it.
> 
> https://www.headfonia.com/review-sony-wm1a-walkman/




great review , good job

coming from a ZX2 , i find WM1A to be a definite improvement - more balanced and more enjoyable

still waitingfor my 4.4 cables, i think i am in for quite a treat as i have only listened to SE

great DAP anyway , 100% happy with it


----------



## thanatosguan

nanaholic said:


> The artwork must be baseline jpg and not progressive jpg. Size doesn't seem to really matter but I keep mine below 1000x1000 pixels.



Wow! Thank you. Now I'm off to convert my library to using baseline jpeg... a painful process given the terabytes involved...

I do have one 1400x1400 cover that shows correctly, so probably safe to use high resolution files other than the obviously ridiculous dimensions(say, 4000*4000).


----------



## kms108 (Sep 19, 2017)

yakitoroi said:


> Yeah, let try uploading the photos again from     my phone.


If you do want to use the Final Audio ear hook, you probably need to remove the damage sleeve and the metal wire. getting the ear hook is a problem from outside Japan.
here are two places, but you probably need a agent to get it, or see if you have a authorised agent in your country that stock Final Audio product and get this for you.

http://final-audio-design-directshop.com/fs/final/accessory/FI-EHACL

https://item.rakuten.co.jp/e-earphone/4562362026907?scid=af_pc_etc&sc2id=af_109_1_10000237

https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/e-earphone/4562362026907.html

Black version

https://item.rakuten.co.jp/e-earphone/4562362027249?scid=af_pc_etc&sc2id=af_109_1_10000237

from china

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...jS3bu2&id=553457447214&ns=1&abbucket=7#detail

Youtube video


----------



## yakitoroi

kms108 said:


> If you do want to use the Final Audio ear hook, you probably need to remove the damage sleeve and the metal wire. getting the ear hook is a problem from outside Japan.
> here are two places, but you probably need a agent to get it, or see if you have a authorised agent in your country that stock Final Audio product and get this for you.
> 
> http://final-audio-design-directshop.com/fs/final/accessory/FI-EHACL
> ...



Thank you for this. I will have my wife order it and ship it to her parents home in Sapporo. The laylas and my ear thank you very much and my 1Z is very pleased. Thank you again.


----------



## NoMythsAudio

Still available for sale?


hamhamhamsta said:


> My w1a is on sale. I have 1Z, 1A is relegated to desktop guard duty   Price negotiable in case you're interested. I'll throw in Sony Kimber  mmcx cable too. Pm me if interested.  Maybe we can work something out


----------



## hamhamhamsta

NoMythsAudio said:


> Still available for sale?


Yes pm me. 

Thanks


----------



## Quadfather

I love my Sony NW-WM1A with Shure SRH1540, SE846, and Audioquest Nighthawks, but my AKG K812 headphones do much better with my Questyle QP1R; that is a great match.  The 812s are horrible on Lotoo Paw Gold Diana.


----------



## cthomas

thanatosguan said:


> Wow! Thank you. Now I'm off to convert my library to using baseline jpeg... a painful process given the terabytes involved...
> 
> I do have one 1400x1400 cover that shows correctly, so probably safe to use high resolution files other than the obviously ridiculous dimensions(say, 4000*4000).



FYI you could just batch convert the jpegs if you have Photoshop.


----------



## alphanumerix1

cthomas said:


> FYI you could just batch convert the jpegs if you have Photoshop.



Has firmwave fixed the lagging issues with these players?


----------



## nanaholic

alphanumerix1 said:


> Has firmwave fixed the lagging issues with these players?



Been fixed since 1.10


----------



## blazinblazin

alphanumerix1 said:


> Has firmwave fixed the lagging issues with these players?


Fixed long ago.
Now it's a very refined player and software.

Only 1 firmware to fix the issue that's it... no further problem arises.


----------



## thanatosguan

cthomas said:


> FYI you could just batch convert the jpegs if you have Photoshop.



Yes. Also very easy to check whether a jpeg is progressive if you're using Linux, or just do a simple batch convert for everything if you're not certain.

The problem is I embedded all my cover art in the FLAC and ALAC files, therefore I have to manually extract them first...


----------



## Holdmyown83 (Sep 20, 2017)

nanaholic said:


> The artwork must be baseline jpg and not progressive jpg. Size doesn't seem to really matter but I keep mine below 1000x1000 pixels.


 I'm sorry I'm a bit slow but baseline jpg means what exactly?


----------



## cthomas

thanatosguan said:


> Yes. Also very easy to check whether a jpeg is progressive if you're using Linux, or just do a simple batch convert for everything if you're not certain.
> 
> The problem is I embedded all my cover art in the FLAC and ALAC files, therefore I have to manually extract them first...



I see. Is there no app where you can just dump your music and it downloads the album art? I'm curious as I need to sort out my album art too.


----------



## cthomas

Holdmyown83 said:


> I'm sorry I'm an it slow but baseline jpg means what exactly?



Baseline is standard format JPEG.


----------



## ledzep

thanatosguan said:


> Wow! Thank you. Now I'm off to convert my library to using baseline jpeg... a painful process given the terabytes involved...
> 
> I do have one 1400x1400 cover that shows correctly, so probably safe to use high resolution files other than the obviously ridiculous dimensions(say, 4000*4000).



500x500 is a good size, the kb all add up and only take up space you want music in.


----------



## nanaholic

Holdmyown83 said:


> I'm sorry I'm an it slow but baseline jpg means what exactly?



There are two methods of encoding jpeg - baseline and progressive.  
Baseline jpeg encoding is like scan lines, the picture is rendered from top to bottom line by line, so until you get the entire file you don't know what it looks like.
Progressive jpeg on the other hand was designed for slow internet where it allows browsers to start render the picture in low quality without having to receive the entire jpeg file first, then slowly restore the quality as the rest of the file comes down.


----------



## thanatosguan

cthomas said:


> I see. Is there no app where you can just dump your music and it downloads the album art? I'm curious as I need to sort out my album art too.



There are plenty. But it's easy for them to messes up and choose the wrong cover for the album. Especially if the album had different cover art for different issues. Also, SACD tend to have different cover to differentiate. I'd like to be as accurate as possible, therefore I have to manually pick cover art.

As for the embedding aspect, I was using iTunes so I can't use "cover.jpg" method. It's not a standard anyway so best practice would be to embed and not to use cover.jpg. Although in hind sight it might have been wise to keep one as backup.


----------



## nc8000

cthomas said:


> I see. Is there no app where you can just dump your music and it downloads the album art? I'm curious as I need to sort out my album art too.



I use mp3tag to batch extract and embed images


----------



## gerelmx1986

I use photoshop to edit the jpg and mp3 tag to edit the audio files' tags


----------



## thebratts

Sorry if i've missed this although i've actually read most of the thread.
I'm looking for a practical 4.4 to 2.5 adapter and found this one.






https://item.rakuten.co.jp/yasukukaeru/s2357055/
Has anyone tested this and can give som feedback to it's quality?
Does it make more sense with an angled or not, can't make up my mind 



Since i'm in Europe i'm also interested in any other quality adapter that does not cost and arm and a leg (e.g. max 100€) and is available in Europe..


----------



## SoLame

thebratts said:


> Sorry if i've missed this although i've actually read most of the thread.
> I'm looking for a practical 4.4 to 2.5 adapter and found this one.
> 
> https://item.rakuten.co.jp/yasukukaeru/s2357055/
> ...



pricey but I found quality is very good (I have their 4.4mm to 3.5mm, though)


----------



## cthomas

nc8000 said:


> I use mp3tag to batch extract and embed images



Thanks, I'll give it a go!


----------



## nc8000

SoLame said:


> pricey but I found quality is very good (I have their 4.4mm to 3.5mm, though)



Yes I also have the 3.5 version


----------



## proedros

I just received my 4.4 mm pwaudio no5 4-con cable, it arrived from Singapore/Music Sanctuary in less than 6 days with normal national post - impressive

now i need to burn this baby, apparently it needs 400-500 for the 4.4 WM1A socket to burn-in completely

will be back with more detailed impressions later on


----------



## blazinblazin

proedros said:


> I just received my 4.4 mm pwaudio no5 4-con cable, it arrived from Singapore/Music Sanctuary in less than 6 days with normal national post - impressive
> 
> now i need to burn this baby, apparently it needs 400-500 for the 4.4 WM1A socket to burn-in completely
> 
> will be back with more detailed impressions later on



How about your first impression SE vs Balance before burn in?


----------



## proedros

it sounds good but maybe it's the new toy syndrome 

i like what i hear , pairing it with my NT6 will try it with my Zeus XR when i get back home (which is the ciem i bought it for - i pair my NT6 with the whiplash hybrid v3 , which is also being reterminated into 4.4 as we speak)


----------



## Imusicman

Guys, 

I have recently purchased both the WM1A and WM1Z and Ive had a great time A/B testing both players over the last 24 hours. Here are my early impressions and thoughts on both players so far. Obviously YMMV

Sound impressions using balanced Kimber/Sony cable with W80's. Direct Source

WM1A -Firmware 1.10 (434 hours on the unit)
Vocals more forward
Slightly flatter sound signature with more air. Initially it sounds clearer and more detailed than the 1Z but after careful analysis it actually isn't the case. Neat trick though
Volume louder on same volume setting. This could be due to the fact that the 1A is uncapped and the 1Z isn't or due to the difference number of hours on each player? (I checked to make sure high gain was turned off)
More noticeable performance difference using balanced vs single ended

WM1Z - Firmware 1.20 (81 hours on the unit)
Vocals slightly further back but tonally more organic, more natural sounding with more emotion conveyed in the music, this is particularly more evident on live or acoustic style tracks. More body around vocals, fuller!
Overall a more refined sound signature
Slightly better resolution on most tracks. It's subtle but it's there. Becomes more apparent with critical listening.
Bigger, deeper, fuller bass. Intoxicating, highly addictive on some tracks
Slightly darker background. Notes come from nowhere. 
Closer balanced/single ended performance. It's there but it's more subtle than on the 1A

Benefits
No evidence of hissing that can be found on some players when using IEM's
More than enough power for IEM usage. Im using a range of 55 - 70
Non fatiguing sound signature that can be listened to for hours whilst delivering world class sound quality old the go!
Both players great with the W80's. Killer combo for me.
Both players excel with high quality files but are not overly harsh and quite forgiving with mp3's. This could also be down the synergy with the W80's. I find W80's also have this quality too which is rare for a TOTL headphone.
I didn't come across any genre of music in my collection that didn't play well with this set up
Amazing battery life. 

Concerns 
Some of my album art missing on the Sony's but not on my QP1R?
Im finding the players to be picky with SD card recognition for some reason. Probably some kind of formatting issue but not having this difficulty with the QP1R. 
Volume cap on the 1Z suppressing the ability to drive full size cans properly even though mine are easy to drive on the QP1R and uncapped 1A (Utopia and Audioquest Nightowls) I would like to fix this in the future to make the player more flexible.

Conclusion
I do prefer the 1Z over the 1A on most tracks when listening to them back to back/side by side, however I would be very happy with the 1A if I couldn't stretch to the 1Z. IMHO there is no downside here. They are both great players but the 1Z does come out on top for me.

I started my critical listening and making notes for the 1st hour or so but to be honest after that I ended up listening to my music for hours on end as I was having such a good time with both players. 

Any help with uncapping the volume on my 1Z would be very much appreciated


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Imusicman said:


> Guys,
> 
> I have recently purchased both the WM1A and WM1Z and Ive had a great time A/B testing both players over the last 24 hours. Here are my early impressions and thoughts on both players so far. Obviously YMMV
> 
> ...


Great sum up. Exactly my experience with both players. You explained the differences perfectly, just like my reviews of 1A & Z


----------



## nc8000

Imusicman said:


> Guys,
> 
> I have recently purchased both the WM1A and WM1Z and Ive had a great time A/B testing both players over the last 24 hours. Here are my early impressions and thoughts on both players so far. Obviously YMMV
> 
> ...




Album art missing is probably because the Sony does not support progressive jpg. Uncapping has been described many times in this thread, search for the rockbox tool


----------



## Imusicman

nc8000 said:


> Album art missing is probably because the Sony does not support progressive jpg. Uncapping has been described many times in this thread, search for the rockbox tool



I am new to this thread but will do thank you for your help


----------



## musicisthekey

Imusicman said:


> Guys,
> 
> I have recently purchased both the WM1A and WM1Z and Ive had a great time A/B testing both players over the last 24 hours. Here are my early impressions and thoughts on both players so far. Obviously YMMV
> 
> ...


Could you comment on soundstage differences between WM1A and WM1Z? I read somewhere that WM1Z's soundstage is a bit narrower.


----------



## proedros

if i plug a 3.5 trrs cable ciem on the se port and a 4.4 trrrs cable ciem on the balanced port and play some music , do i burn in both ports simultaneously ?

and can also hear from both ciems ?


----------



## kubig123

proedros said:


> if i plug a 3.5 trrs cable ciem on the se port and a 4.4 trrrs cable ciem on the balanced port and play some music , do i burn in both ports simultaneously ?
> 
> and can also hear from both ciems ?



no, it gives priority the balance plug, the other will be silent. you cannot burn 2 earphones simultaneously.


----------



## Imusicman

musicisthekey said:


> Could you comment on soundstage differences between WM1A and WM1Z? I read somewhere that WM1Z's soundstage is a bit narrower.



I will try although I'm not a reviewer of any description. I think it's very close between the two. Perhaps the 1Z being deeper but also slightly narrower than the 1A to my ears. Both have excellent staging and imaging.


----------



## Tawek

Wm1z SE 
 it's slightly narrower vs x1061


----------



## musicisthekey

I wonder if soundstage width of ZX2 and WM1Z is about the same. From memory, WM1A has a noticeably wider soundstage than ZX2.


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> if i plug a 3.5 trrs cable ciem on the se port and a 4.4 trrrs cable ciem on the balanced port and play some music , do i burn in both ports simultaneously ?
> 
> and can also hear from both ciems ?


No, balanced takes number one priority


----------



## Imusicman

musicisthekey said:


> I wonder if soundstage width of ZX2 and WM1Z is about the same. From memory, WM1A has a noticeably wider soundstage than ZX2.



I couldn't say as I've never heard the ZX2. although my money would be on the 1Z if I was a betting man as they are very close to the 1A


----------



## Matrix Petka

Fsilva said:


> The link has been posted here at the forum several times! There´s a search tool in upper right corner that is very useful...just saying...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thank you for valuable advice. Now my Sony really sings in full voice.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Happy to join club of owners of CiberWalkman. 
After decapping what for I need to look for? Balanced output already enjoying with adapter by Mara Mod.


----------



## proedros

started using my 4,4 pwaudio cable , should i expect some burn-in period ?

how much time does the balanced slot need to get fully ON ?


----------



## Matrix Petka

proedros said:


> started using my 4,4 pwaudio cable , should i expect some burn-in period ?
> 
> how much time does the balanced slot need to get fully ON ?



Eucharistos! 
As Sony states, about 200 hours burn in needed.


----------



## Blommen

proedros said:


> started using my 4,4 pwaudio cable , should i expect some burn-in period ?
> 
> how much time does the balanced slot need to get fully ON ?



I am at 240 hours and I feel it has settled now. Before 180 the bass would come and go (not totally of course) every day or so end soundstage was weird too...


----------



## proedros

let the burn-in begin then

thanx for the feedback guys


----------



## Whitigir

500 hours , however within first 200 hours has most dramatic changes


----------



## gerelmx1986

Me too 550h until stabilization


----------



## blazinblazin

I would say 550 too


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Oh shoot,  Only have 60 hours on my 1Z.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

At this rate, it's gonna take me years to get 550 hrs...


----------



## animalsrush

gerelmx1986 said:


> Me too 550h until stabilization


550.. I had player for 4 mons and I have 100 hrs on SE and 150 hrs on balanced.. to hit 500 will take a year . Hope like zx2 the player settles down around 200 - 250 hrs..


----------



## Holdmyown83

141 hrs in and the bass is gone again. Ughh


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Almost there,  only 409 hours to go if you're perfectionist ... or pure  sadist


----------



## nc8000

Just passed 1000 hours in 6 months


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Oo man,  bring out the whip and rope.
Let's tie up the 1Z and start whipping burning lol
Burn baby burn


----------



## proedros

is there a way to see how many hours are balanced and how many are SE ? or the time option is total times in both ports ?


----------



## PCheung

proedros said:


> is there a way to see how many hours are balanced and how many are SE ? or the time option is total times in both ports ?



Total time in both ports


----------



## proedros

ok , so i will just leave the balanced port burning while listening i guess

with the cable burn in and the balanced port burn in , i am sure that sonic improvement will be easily felt the next few days


----------



## Matrix Petka

Sorry, maybe dumb question: anyone tried to listen different country(region) settings on WM1A? There is any sound signature differences? Changed from European to Australian. EU sucks


----------



## nc8000

Matrix Petka said:


> Sorry, maybe dumb question: anyone tried to listen different country(region) settings on WM1A? There is any sound signature differences? Changed from European to Australian. EU sucks



The EU one is volume capped


----------



## Matrix Petka

nc8000 said:


> The EU one is volume capped



Yes, I know. But maybe there is any sound differences between Australian/Japan?


----------



## Whitigir

Matrix Petka said:


> Yes, I know. But maybe there is any sound differences between Australian/Japan?



Technically speaking, everything sound different from one another, and manufacturers impose "tolerances" of "passed quality inspection" limits, and that applies to all, electrical components, DAP, Headphones.....yeah...so you may want to try them all out and decide to pick out the best


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> Technically speaking, everything sound different from one another, and manufacturers impose "tolerances" of "passed quality inspection" limits, and that applies to all, electrical components, DAP, Headphones.....yeah...so you may want to try them all out and decide to pick out the best



By my experience, confirmed by others, Japan made CD are better made and sounding better. Maybe internal software settings are different(better) in Japanese version - it is easy to change as I did from EU to Australian (decapped).


----------



## cthomas

Matrix Petka said:


> By my experience, confirmed by others, Japan made CD are better made and sounding better. Maybe internal software settings are different(better) in Japanese version - it is easy to change as I did from EU to Australian (decapped).



More so the mastering rather than the CD pressing that would give a different sound, after all it's a digital copy. Japanese versions usually just have bonus tracks.


----------



## Matrix Petka

cthomas said:


> More so the mastering rather than the CD pressing that would give a different sound, after all it's a digital copy. Japanese versions usually just have bonus tracks.



Difference in mastering. There it was even dynamic range comparison between Japanese and USA/UK pressed CD's somewhere on internet.


----------



## cthomas (Sep 22, 2017)

Matrix Petka said:


> Difference in mastering. There it was even dynamic range comparison between Japanese and USA/UK pressed CD's somewhere on internet.



http://dr.loudness-war.info/

DR compression has steadily increased over the years. Not sure it varies from different regions though.

Edit: just checked few random "Japanese Edition" albums vs standard releases and other regions; Japan is same as other regions.

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=Shihad+&album=Churn

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=Tool&album=Undertow

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=Daft+punk&album=Random+access+memories+

Also just saw there's an "alternate" CD master for Daft Punk RAM with average DR 12! So long hdtracks version lol


----------



## musicisthekey

Matrix Petka said:


> Sorry, maybe dumb question: anyone tried to listen different country(region) settings on WM1A? There is any sound signature differences? Changed from European to Australian. EU sucks


US WM1A running v1.2 sounds better when the destination code is changed from U to U2. The treble is much tamer and not as fatiguing. No more reasons to downgrade to v1.1. However, you will lose "Language" and "Text input" settings (it defaults to English) but gain the remote control option.


----------



## Matrix Petka

musicisthekey said:


> US WM1A running v1.2 sounds better when the destination code is changed from U to U2. The treble is much tamer and not as fatiguing. No more reasons to downgrade to v1.1. However, you will lose "Language" and "Text input" settings (it defaults to English) but gain the remote control option.



Thanks a lot. You confirmed my suspicion, that there could be differences in sound signature for regions.


----------



## gerelmx1986

O have 2200+ hours on 8 months


----------



## bana

nc8000 said:


> Yes I also have the 3.5 version



Can you send me the 4.4mm to 3.5mm link, my Chinlish is not very good?

Thanks,


----------



## Imusicman

Getting well frustrated with trying to uncap my 1Z on the iMac . Clearly doing something wrong!


----------



## Matrix Petka

Imusicman said:


> Getting well frustrated with trying to uncap my 1Z on the iMac . Clearly doing something wrong!



I made some reading - it looks that it could be some problems with Mac. Can you borrow/connect to friend's Windows PC? Then I can guide you until my memory it is fresh.


----------



## Imusicman

Unless someone chives in with a solution on the iMac it looks like thats what I will have to do. Thank you for trying to help Matrix Petka. Much appreciated


----------



## nc8000

bana said:


> Can you send me the 4.4mm to 3.5mm link, my Chinlish is not very good?
> 
> Thanks,



This where I got mine from, bought via buyee

https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/e-earphone/4589962103319.html


----------



## Matrix Petka (Sep 22, 2017)

Imusicman said:


> Unless someone chives in with a solution on the iMac it looks like thats what I will have to do. Thank you for trying to help Matrix Petka. Much appreciated



My pleasure. Would be glad to help your ears. That damn EU parliament idiots... As audiophile recently virtually emigrated to Australia and glad about it.


----------



## kubig123

Imusicman said:


> Unless someone chives in with a solution on the iMac it looks like thats what I will have to do. Thank you for trying to help Matrix Petka. Much appreciated



You can also install windows with bootcamp and you'll have both OSs on the same Mac, this is what I did.


----------



## Holdmyown83

kubig123 said:


> You can also install windows with bootcamp and you'll have both OSs on the same Mac, this is what I did.



I just did this Saturday I only did it to get some good tagging software and to fix up my entire library. Just gotta find a windows key now


----------



## rtjoa

Matrix Petka said:


> My pleasure. Would be glad to help your ears. That damn EU parliament idiots... As audiophile recently virtually emigrated to Australia and glad about it.


Hi Matrix, I am in Perth, where are you located?


----------



## bana

nc8000 said:


> This where I got mine from, bought via buyee
> 
> https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/e-earphone/4589962103319.html



Thanks.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Can somebody please share their experience with remote control for WM1? Worth to buy?


----------



## Matrix Petka

rtjoa said:


> Hi Matrix, I am in Perth, where are you located?



Hi, rtjoa

I am in Vilnius, Lithuania. By virtual audiophile emigration to Australia I meant that I decapped my WM1A from EU version to Australian. Please believe me, Australian sounds much better and louder. 
By the way, maybe good idea to emigrate in flesh - getting colder here in Lithuania, despite all that global warming.


----------



## mw7485

Matrix Petka said:


> Can somebody please share their experience with remote control for WM1? Worth to buy?



What can I say - it works! If you want to leave your DAP to one side its great. Similarly, if you want to leave your DAP in your pocket or bag - its great. However, only basic controls are available, but as long as you are happy with these limitations its worthwhile.


----------



## rtjoa

Matrix Petka said:


> Hi, rtjoa
> 
> I am in Vilnius, Lithuania. By virtual audiophile emigration to Australia I meant that I decapped my WM1A from EU version to Australian. Please believe me, Australian sounds much better and louder.
> By the way, maybe good idea to emigrate in flesh - getting colder here in Lithuania, despite all that global warming.


Ups I didnt read it properly . That's what happen when reading forum at 3AM


----------



## blazinblazin

Matrix Petka said:


> Can somebody please share their experience with remote control for WM1? Worth to buy?


I can't live without the remote after i had it.

My WM1A is set to All Songs + random.
So depends on mood i will skip songs.

I had finished 2 battery since i bought it. I am on 3rd remote battery.


----------



## Holdmyown83

Has anyone ever ordered from /www.azbuzstore.top ? I saw on the site the remote was going fe $38.00. Only thing I could find out about it was it's out in cali.


----------



## ledzep

Recommended ear tip the new spinfit twin blade, never could get the right seal with the original ones but these are on point the isolation is that good I've dropped around 15  clicks on average.


----------



## giovvanie

Hi guys 
I must say balanced output with 1A just sucks , i have experienced terrible background hum , also when i play to dsd files i get pop noise every each time i scrolling or changing a track , second thing  is another pop / crackling noise when i change files formats for example from dsd to flac or flac to dsd or frequency is changing it happen even on both outputs !!! Last issue always appear when changing volume level pop sound each time i click on volume button , very weird is that only can hear this between 0-50 , then 50-70 pop sound while channing volume doesn’t exist at all , and the. back on 70-120 What , what is wrong wih that device ....


----------



## nc8000

giovvanie said:


> Hi guys
> I must say balanced output with 1A just sucks , i have experienced terrible background hum , also when i play to dsd files i get pop noise every each time i scrolling or changing a track , second thing  is another pop / crackling noise when i change files formats for example from dsd to flac or flac to dsd or frequency is changing it happen even on both outputs !!! Last issue always appear when changing volume level pop sound each time i click on volume button , very weird is that only can hear this between 0-50 , then 50-70 pop sound while channing volume doesn’t exist at all , and the. back on 70-120 What , what is wrong wih that device ....



Sounds like a faulty unit. The pop you get between flac and dsd is not actualle changing fileformat but happens when you change between the 2 clocks so between multiples of 44 or 48


----------



## all999 (Sep 23, 2017)

giovvanie said:


> Hi guys
> I must say balanced output with 1A just sucks , i have experienced terrible background hum , also when i play to dsd files i get pop noise every each time i scrolling or changing a track , second thing  is another pop / crackling noise when i change files formats for example from dsd to flac or flac to dsd or frequency is changing it happen even on both outputs !!! Last issue always appear when changing volume level pop sound each time i click on volume button , very weird is that only can hear this between 0-50 , then 50-70 pop sound while channing volume doesn’t exist at all , and the. back on 70-120 What , what is wrong wih that device ....



What headphones / earphones are You getting those issues on?

I'm getting low clicks while changing volume over 70 but audible only when music paused. Also getting clicks when changing format / clock.

MDR-EX1000 and SE


----------



## TenderTendon

giovvanie said:


> Hi guys
> I must say balanced output with 1A just sucks , i have experienced terrible background hum , also when i play to dsd files i get pop noise every each time i scrolling or changing a track , second thing  is another pop / crackling noise when i change files formats for example from dsd to flac or flac to dsd or frequency is changing it happen even on both outputs !!! Last issue always appear when changing volume level pop sound each time i click on volume button , very weird is that only can hear this between 0-50 , then 50-70 pop sound while channing volume doesn’t exist at all , and the. back on 70-120 What , what is wrong wih that device ....



My 1A and 1Z behave exactly the same as you are experiencing. I can hear each volume level click while wearing sensitive phones. In addition to the audible mechanical sound of the relay clicking, I also hear an electrical click every time the relay activates. I cannot hear any of this with the HD800S's, but it's obvious with the SE846. I have solved the relay clicking problem by converting all my music to 48/192 FLAC. The volume adjust click I just live with.


----------



## giovvanie

nc8000 said:


> Sounds like a faulty unit. The pop you get between flac and dsd is not actualle changing fileformat but happens when you change between the 2 clocks so between multiples of 44 or 48


I don’t think so , if other people have a same experience . It’s really shame that expensive device behaves so odd .... Also same here i haven’t got any hum or pop / crack sound with my HD800 ( except balanced ) , even HD800 on balanced behaves same as other my iems ... I’m currently on Rose BR5 mk2 , they are very sensitive iems , but that much background hum i’m getting through balanced output simply  disclaims me of comfort listening experience, i can easy forget about listen to the jazz because of that .... SE output no background hum ( white noise however you call it ) only those pop crack sound wih volume and dsd ... Sony has disappointed me ...


----------



## Whitigir

giovvanie said:


> Hi guys
> I must say balanced output with 1A just sucks , i have experienced terrible background hum , also when i play to dsd files i get pop noise every each time i scrolling or changing a track , second thing  is another pop / crackling noise when i change files formats for example from dsd to flac or flac to dsd or frequency is changing it happen even on both outputs !!! Last issue always appear when changing volume level pop sound each time i click on volume button , very weird is that only can hear this between 0-50 , then 50-70 pop sound while channing volume doesn’t exist at all , and the. back on 70-120 What , what is wrong wih that device ....



1/ background hum ? That is a faulty unit or so, I expect...as I never encountered it
2/ clicking upon chasing sampling rate is "mechanical relay" that is normal.  Same as plugging, unplugging, or powering on/off.
3/ Pop/crackling noises ? I have never encountered the issue either
4/ Pop and click on changing volume without any music is heard from those range is normal by design.  I have came through 3x WM1Z and all of them are behaving the same.  Confirmed by dealers which was confirmed by Sony or so I was told

Those are my answers and take on your situation


----------



## Matrix Petka

blazinblazin said:


> I can't live without the remote after i had it.
> 
> My WM1A is set to All Songs + random.
> So depends on mood i will skip songs.
> ...



Thanks a lot! Will be looking to buy it.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> 1/ background hum ? That is a faulty unit or so, I expect...as I never encountered it
> 2/ clicking upon chasing sampling rate is "mechanical relay" that is normal.  Same as plugging, unplugging, or powering on/off.
> 3/ Pop/crackling noises ? I have never encountered the issue either
> 4/ Pop and click on changing volume without any music is heard from those range is normal by design.  I have came through 3x WM1Z and all of them are behaving the same.  Confirmed by dealers which was confirmed by Sony or so I was told
> ...



The same - pop, click on humming on balanced. 
Strange - I can't hear pop and click on changing volume without any music. I need to check my ears with doctor?! 
Possible problems:
1.Faulty device.
2.Maybe - wrong pinup of your balanced cable? Just check.


----------



## TenderTendon

giovvanie said:


> Sony has disappointed me ...



All manufacturers will disappoint you in one way or another. We are all here looking for the perfect portable music player. One that is small, lightweight, well built, has beautiful looks, with plenty of memory, has enough power to drive all phones, has a flawless user interface with all the functions we desire and doesn't cost a fortune. If you find it, let us know. The best you can do is chose the unit that fills your most important needs and compromise on the rest.


----------



## all999

Question for Dignis Midas case users. What are Your general thoughts on build and ergonomics? And one that bothers me most, what about feeling of physic buttons. Is it flawless? I'm finding those edging points on play/pause and volume+ buttons really helpfull to use it without looking at a dap.


----------



## Whitigir

TenderTendon said:


> All manufacturers will disappoint you in one way or another. We are all here looking for the perfect portable music player. One that is small, lightweight, well built, has beautiful looks, with plenty of memory, has enough power to drive all phones, has a flawless user interface with all the functions we desire and doesn't cost a fortune. If you find it, let us know. The best you can do is chose the unit that fills your most important needs and compromise on the rest.


Well said!


----------



## gerelmx1986

i dont have any hum, either bad unit or he has a miswired balanced adaptor? clicking while changing volume i have to try that, the changing sampling rate/bit depth yes i have experienced it, as well turning it on off and unpluggin /pluggin HPs


----------



## Matrix Petka

all999 said:


> Question for Dignis Midas case users. What are Your general thoughts on build and ergonomics? And one that bothers me most, what about feeling of physic buttons. Is it flawless? I'm finding those edging points on play/pause and volume+ buttons really helpfull to use it without looking at a dap.



I have another - Miter leather case and happy with it. Nice option - desktop stand.


----------



## all999

Matrix Petka said:


> I have another - Miter leather case and happy with it. Nice option - desktop stand.



Yeah, I'm considering this one too. So what about that buttons feeling? I had Miter case for DX200 and the buttonmarks were too soft to feel them with confident. Matter of softer leather I suppose.


----------



## FlyingTrotter

I have the Miter - perhaps a little too thick for me - the additional elements that make up the stand add quite a few millimetres and get caught on pockets for little real value as I dint use the stand - I rather wish I had gone for another style of case 

On a more positive note just received my moon audio silver dragon balanced cable with the 4.4mm terminal (great customer service from Drew) and starting on the balanced journey - I already had 223 hrs on singe ended with the stock JH cable - the upgrade cable isn't cheap but its already even before the balanced port burns in obvious that this is going to be way way better - I would almost say transformative - the WM-1A and JH Audio Roxanne combination really quite something


----------



## Lavakugel

kubig123 said:


> You can also install windows with bootcamp and you'll have both OSs on the same Mac, this is what I did.



Was it easy installing bootcamp? Which Windows did you use 32bit or 64bit?


----------



## ledzep

TenderTendon said:


> All manufacturers will disappoint you in one way or another. We are all here looking for the perfect portable music player. One that is small, lightweight, well built, has beautiful looks, with plenty of memory, has enough power to drive all phones, has a flawless user interface with all the functions we desire and doesn't cost a fortune. If you find it, let us know. The best you can do is chose the unit that fills your most important needs and compromise on the rest.



Sound advice,  (@ giovvanie ) putting aside the clicks and hums etc your happy with the player then


----------



## giovvanie

gerelmx1986 said:


> i dont have any hum, either bad unit or he has a miswired balanced adaptor? clicking while changing volume i have to try that, the changing sampling rate/bit depth yes i have experienced it, as well turning it on off and unpluggin /pluggin HPs


Well , it may be my adaptor , i haven’t any hum on SE ... Anyway thank you all for answered my questions .


----------



## gerelmx1986

giovvanie said:


> Well , it may be my adaptor , i haven’t any hum on SE ... Anyway thank you all for answered my questions .


 Are you suing Bañanced capable headphones or single-ended ones?


----------



## kubig123

Lavakugel said:


> Was it easy installing bootcamp? Which Windows did you use 32bit or 64bit?



Absolutely!
I created a 50gb partition and installed windows 64bit.

I used windows mainly to import sacd and change region on the WM1.

I prefer using boot camp than a virtual machine on Mac OS (parallels etc.) that usually you have to buy it.


----------



## giovvanie

gerelmx1986 said:


> Are you suing Bañanced capable headphones or single-ended ones?


I’m using single ended headphones with balanced adaptor , i have no problem with hum on single ended at all .


----------



## kubig123

Matrix Petka said:


> The same - pop, click on humming on balanced.
> Strange - I can't hear pop and click on changing volume without any music. I need to check my ears with doctor?!
> Possible problems:
> 1.Faulty device.
> 2.Maybe - wrong pinup of your balanced cable? Just check.


I experienced some pop while I was listening to sad files.

But only with a specific combination of cable and earphones, it could also be that there I didn’t import them correctly from the sacd.

Changing cable or using different iems the pop disappear.

I would test the player with different songs, I never had the problem listing to aiff that I imported from cds.


----------



## Whitigir

giovvanie said:


> I’m using single ended headphones with balanced adaptor , i have no problem with hum on single ended at all .



That is exactly your problem, and I kept saying this over, and over, and over.....and no one is taking it *seriously enough

Stop using the damn Single Ended headphones and use an adapter into Balanced 4.4mm......those people who made these adapters have no clues whatsoever......***you are essentially creating a short from L to R, and this will DAMAGE YOUR PLAYER.*

You read those in bold and cap correctly


----------



## nc8000

Exactly. 

You can NEVER go from a balanced output via any form of converter to a single ended headphone. 

You can use a balanced headphone via an adaptor from the single ended output.


----------



## TenderTendon (Sep 23, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> That is exactly your problem, and I kept saying this over, and over, and over.....and no one is taking it *seriously enough
> 
> Stop using the damn Single Ended headphones and use an adapter into Balanced 4.4mm......those people who made these adapters have no clues whatsoever......***you are essentially creating a short from L to R, and this will DAMAGE YOUR PLAYER.*
> 
> You read those in bold and cap correctly



Good catch. @giovvanie Using a properly wired balanced headphone will eliminate shorting the (-)'s of the 2 channels together. This will probably solve your hum issue. You will still have to deal with the rest, but that may be more tolerable once the hum is gone.


----------



## gerelmx1986

giovvanie said:


> I’m using single ended headphones with balanced adaptor , i have no problem with hum on single ended at all .


Thats your actual problem, using BAL to SE headphones... that is a No-go.. my HPs are balanced capable and included a balanced cable thu i do balance to balance.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 23, 2017)




----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 23, 2017)

Either you'll need new balanced capable headphones or rewire internally your headphones, these shown are Sonys 2014 lineup, mdr-z7 and xba-z5, even the older xba-h3 are balanced capable and some older HPs can be but you must make sure these have all the way down to the jack 4 wires.

The cables shown for the IEMs, Z5 are stock ones with an adapter made by a head-fier for me. and the other are the MDR-Z1R stock 4.4mm cable


----------



## giovvanie

Oh dear ... Unfortunately nobody have told me that before i make a purchase ... I’m hope i did no damage to device since i’ve got this cable from this morning and used perhaps 5/6 hours ...


----------



## giovvanie

TenderTendon said:


> Good catch. @giovvanie Using a properly wired balanced headphone will eliminate shorting the (-)'s of the 2 channels together. This will probably solve your hum issue. You will still have to deal with the rest, but that may be more tolerable once the hum is gone.


What is a possibility i have damaged my player allready ? I have used this adaptor for 5/6 hours ..


----------



## nc8000

giovvanie said:


> What is a possibility i have damaged my player allready ? I have used this adaptor for 5/6 hours ..



I would expect that Sony have put something in there to protect the player against this, but you really wont know until you plug in a fully balanced headphone


----------



## giovvanie

nc8000 said:


> I would expect that Sony have put something in there to protect the player against this, but you really wont know until you plug in a fully balanced headphone


Yeah i will place order for balanced cable , if i did damage on balanced output should have no sound or some kind distortions ? , what could happen there in worse scenario ? Sound still went through headphones yet .


----------



## nc8000

giovvanie said:


> Yeah i will place order for balanced cable , if i did damage on balanced output should have no sound or some kind distortions ? , what could happen there in worse scenario ? Sound still went through headphones yet .



Yes if there was any damage it should be a short circuit and then I would expect there to be no sound on the balanced so chances are that there is no damage


----------



## giovvanie

nc8000 said:


> Yes if there was any damage it should be a short circuit and then I would expect there to be no sound on the balanced so chances are that there is no damage


Thanks a lot for you and for all who help me find out what cause that issue , probably ( i hope so ) i have saved my 1k DAP


----------



## Matrix Petka

all999 said:


> Yeah, I'm considering this one too. So what about that buttons feeling? I had Miter case for DX200 and the buttonmarks were too soft to feel them with confident. Matter of softer leather I suppose.



Leather there is soft, but i feel buttons normaly. Maybe one day I will but some felt disks from inside with glue. Maybe...


----------



## Matrix Petka

kubig123 said:


> I experienced some pop while I was listening to sad files.
> 
> But only with a specific combination of cable and earphones, it could also be that there I didn’t import them correctly from the sacd.
> 
> ...



It looks for me that key words there is "changing cable". I am very suspicious that there could be wrong wiring.


----------



## Matrix Petka

I talked with my friend, who is making cables - possible that there was short on ground cable (not so dangerous as short on between signal wires). And it could sound as humming. Sony 4,mm jack have very specific wiring. 5 contacts, only 4 of them active. 
Golden rule - there is no adapter from balanced to single ended. All headphones MUST be rewired for for balanced use. 4 wires!


----------



## all999

Matrix Petka said:


> Leather there is soft, but i feel buttons normaly. Maybe one day I will but some felt disks from inside with glue. Maybe...



Thanks. I bought one, I like the idea of desk stand and I think I'm gonna use buttons a lot less cause i"m also getting a remote control for it too.


----------



## Matrix Petka

all999 said:


> Thanks. I bought one, I like the idea of desk stand and I think I'm gonna use buttons a lot less cause i"m also getting a remote control for it too.



I am thinking about the same. Remote control it is available in Poland? I am living in Vilnius, Lithuania, so it would be faster an cheaper to buy it in Poland - not available here, in Lithuania.


----------



## nc8000

Matrix Petka said:


> I talked with my friend, who is making cables - possible that there was short on ground cable (not so dangerous as short on between signal wires). And it could sound as humming. Sony 4,mm jack have very specific wiring. 5 contacts, only 4 of them active.
> Golden rule - there is no adapter from balanced to single ended. All headphones MUST be rewired for for balanced use. 4 wires!



On balanced there is no ground but positive and negative signal for double voltage swing


----------



## Matrix Petka

nc8000 said:


> On balanced there is no ground but positive and negative signal for double voltage swing





nc8000 said:


> On balanced there is no ground but positive and negative signal for double voltage swing



Sorry, bad habit call it ground. Some semi-balanced amplifiers have what it could be called ground. ACG topology - have active signal on ground, sorry - negative wire. Actually on SE ground it is minus wire, isn't?


----------



## all999

Matrix Petka said:


> I am thinking about the same. Remote control it is available in Poland? I am living in Vilnius, Lithuania, so it would be faster an cheaper to buy it in Poland - not available here, in Lithuania.



Unfortunate these are not available outside Japan. I'm getting it from ebay.


----------



## nc8000

Matrix Petka said:


> Sorry, bad habit call it ground. Some semi-balanced amplifiers have what it could be called ground. ACG topology - have active signal on ground, sorry - negative wire. Actually on SE ground it is minus wire, isn't?



The 3.5 plug has both normal trs single ended with L, R and common ground or trrs with L, R and 2 seperate ground signals just line the ZX2 had


----------



## TenderTendon

all999 said:


> Unfortunate these are not available outside Japan. I'm getting it from ebay.



Also available in China. Much cheaper there.
http://www.sonystyle.com.cn/products/media_player/nw_wm1z.htm#/module/1/0


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 23, 2017)

I have always avoided the potential of using a potentially damaging adapter by getting properly terminated balanced or single ended cables for their respective DAPS and headphones.  I have actually never used an adapter on any of my gear.


----------



## Stephen George

Matrix Petka said:


> Can somebody please share their experience with remote control for WM1? Worth to buy?




also, since it's bt, works up to 30 feet away, it's a must have


----------



## Stephen George

FYI,

new 400GB sandisk microsd works


----------



## Stephen George

Holdmyown83 said:


> Has anyone ever ordered from /www.azbuzstore.top ? I saw on the site the remote was going fe $38.00. Only thing I could find out about it was it's out in cali.




damn, free shipping too!


----------



## kms108

TenderTendon said:


> Also available in China. Much cheaper there.
> http://www.sonystyle.com.cn/products/media_player/nw_wm1z.htm#/module/1/0


RMB229


----------



## Stephen George

anybody thinking of converting vinyl to HD via the HX500, you'll be pleasantly surprised

changed the stock needle out for the similar sized at440mlb
the dsfs on the wm1z are quite stunning

bit of a bear timewise but worth the effort


----------



## Stephen George

gerelmx1986 said:


> I use photoshop to edit the jpg and mp3 tag to edit the audio files' tags




wow, you must have a lot of patience..i stumbled on tag&rename, specifically v3.97...you can highlight an albums worth of songs and it'll automatically give you a google image search and you drag and drop

what is also cool, it resizes the image and keeps it under 25kb after the drop ..i believe the wm1z doesn't like certain sized images


----------



## Stephen George

cthomas said:


> Baseline is standard format JPEG.




actually a bit more than that

"A *Baseline JPEG* is an image created using the *JPEG *compression algorithm that will start to display the image as the data is made available, line by line. In a web browser, you can see *JPEG* images that are in*baseline* format when you see it slowly showing up, from the top of the image, to the bottom of it."

it's so you don't have to wait until it fully displays


----------



## kubig123

Matrix Petka said:


> It looks for me that key words there is "changing cable". I am very suspicious that there could be wrong wiring.



Actually no, the problem was in the files, it happened only with a specific album. I'm still using teh same combination iems & cable and I never experienced the "pop" again.


----------



## pietcux

all999 said:


> Question for Dignis Midas case users. What are Your general thoughts on build and ergonomics? And one that bothers me most, what about feeling of physic buttons. Is it flawless? I'm finding those edging points on play/pause and volume+ buttons really helpfull to use it without looking at a dap.


The buttons on the naked unit are much easier to discern. With the case on I make a lot of wrong clicks. Like changing track instead of lowering volume. But the case is a keeper for me.


----------



## Matrix Petka

kubig123 said:


> Actually no, the problem was in the files, it happened only with a specific album. I'm still using teh same combination iems & cable and I never experienced the "pop" again.



Then it means that your records have background noise. Some recordings are poorly recorded, and good players show all - good and bad.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Stephen George said:


> also, since it's bt, works up to 30 feet away, it's a must have



30 feet! You convinced me to buy this little thing.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Stephen George said:


> anybody thinking of converting vinyl to HD via the HX500, you'll be pleasantly surprised
> 
> changed the stock needle out for the similar sized at440mlb
> the dsfs on the wm1z are quite stunning
> ...



Agree. DSF sounding great. WM1A tailored for HR.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Stephen George said:


> FYI,
> 
> new 400GB sandisk microsd works



Another good news. Thanks!


----------



## nc8000

Stephen George said:


> anybody thinking of converting vinyl to HD via the HX500, you'll be pleasantly surprised
> 
> changed the stock needle out for the similar sized at440mlb
> the dsfs on the wm1z are quite stunning
> ...




Yes the HX500 is a great ripper and a fairly decent deck in its own right


----------



## Stephen George

Matrix Petka said:


> 30 feet! You convinced me to buy this little thing.




was demo'ing the unit plus the remote for a skeptic who owns a vinyl shop and first he listened to my dsf rips using balanced plus shure 1540 cans and his eyes were like saucers...then just using a headphone out to a tube amp and he was like how much is this ?! originally when he saw the hx500 (i got mine from a pawn shop for $150) he didn't think he was worth dealing with. i tried to explain DSD/DSEE and how it bit samples unlike anything out there and his eyes were glazed over...but you cannot fool the ears

at one point the unit was up on a table in his office area with the speakers facing the shop and he walked to the other end of the shop and pointed the remote and it worked and he was, wow, that works pretty far!


----------



## Stephen George

all999 said:


> Question for Dignis Midas case users. What are Your general thoughts on build and ergonomics? And one that bothers me most, what about feeling of physic buttons. Is it flawless? I'm finding those edging points on play/pause and volume+ buttons really helpfull to use it without looking at a dap.



my complaint is that it is very soft and will pick up lots of dings and scratches, even when being gentle
button use is not "flawless"...you have to position it just right and it does take some pressure...i end up using the remote


----------



## all999 (Sep 24, 2017)

Stephen George said:


> my complaint is that it is very soft and will pick up lots of dings and scratches, even when being gentle
> button use is not "flawless"...you have to position it just right and it does take some pressure...i end up using the remote



That's exactly what I'm gonna do. Orders for Miter case and remote placed. Thanks!


----------



## Matrix Petka

all999 said:


> That's exactly what I'm gonna do. Orders for Miter case and remote placed. Thanks!



The same.  Thank you all, guys!


----------



## Stephen George

asquare3376 said:


> You're right! US version doesn't support BT remote



it's trivial with the tool to change the region

what's weird, i bought mine via japan back in dec, changed it to international version, just updated it to 1.20 using the US tool and didn't lose my BT remote


----------



## Stephen George

SoLame said:


> That's +/- 27GB! How come???



this is why

https://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/23890-hdds-advertized-size-vs-actual-size.html


----------



## aisalen (Sep 24, 2017)

giovvanie said:


> Well , it may be my adaptor , i haven’t any hum on SE ... Anyway thank you all for answered my questions .



You are correct, it is probably your adaptor that is the culprit here. Have a precaution to not use SE cable with a balance adaptor as it may short circuit your 1A amp. If you have balance 2.5/3.5mm balance cable to 4.4 then it is ok, but again better to re-terminate to have the clean output.

Edit:

Ops! It seems I am 3 pages late


----------



## thebratts

Early Christmas this morning .. And still waiting for the WM1A and TA-ZH1ES...


----------



## Matrix Petka

thebratts said:


> Early Christmas this morning .. And still waiting for the WM1A and TA-ZH1ES...



Gratz! They are worth waiting for  TA-ZH1ES on my wish list


----------



## ledzep

thebratts said:


> Early Christmas this morning .. And still waiting for the WM1A and TA-ZH1ES...


Beautiful sight to behold "god Jul" !


----------



## nc8000

thebratts said:


> Early Christmas this morning .. And still waiting for the WM1A and TA-ZH1ES...



Is the converter plug to use a headphone that is balanced to 2.5 or 3.5 trrs ?


----------



## thebratts

nc8000 said:


> Is the converter plug to use a headphone that is balanced to 2.5 or 3.5 trrs ?



It's 2.5 to 4.4


----------



## proedros

hey @Whitigir , would a 2.5 into 4.4 adaptor have the same sonic quality as having your ciem cable reterminated into 4.4 ?


----------



## thebratts

Christmas continues today.. Now we'll see if the amp can replace my moon 430 and if the 1z is worth to keep over the 1a, happy listening days ahead..


----------



## Matrix Petka

thebratts said:


> Christmas continues today.. Now we'll see if the amp can replace my moon 430 and if the 1z is worth to keep over the 1a, happy listening days ahead..


 
BIG CONGRATULATIONS! Hope, you will enjoy TA-ZH1ES. Waiting for your impressions - maybe it will be my late Christmas gift


----------



## thebratts (Sep 25, 2017)

Well, i know what i will do the coming days every time i can get some quiet from kids and family 

Is the Utopia a great match with the WM1Z.
Is the bass and warmth to much with the Z1R and WM1Z..
Is the Wm1A the sensible choice with better synergy with the Z1R... How will it fit the utopia.
And will the amp make it possible for me to sell my Moon 430 HAD (se ad) and fund a pair of CIEM... (eyeing the A18)

If i know myself the amp will end up at work and the WM1Z for on the move...
So far first impressions with the Z1R and WM1Z is that it's not at all that i expected, (expected even more bass, to warm etc) by reading comments, however i find it quite ok  e.g. I like it!



ohh, and i kind of like the weight of the 1Z, feels solid, quality.. but i will not take it running..


----------



## thanatosguan

thebratts said:


> Well, i know what i will do the coming days every time i can get some quiet from kids and family
> 
> Is the Utopia a great match with the WM1Z.
> Is the bass and warmth to much with the Z1R and WM1Z..
> ...



The Utopia and the Z1R are like the two polar opposite "best sound in the world", haha. A stunning sight to behold of.


----------



## Matrix Petka

thebratts said:


> Well, i know what i will do the coming days every time i can get some quiet from kids and family
> 
> Is the Utopia a great match with the WM1Z.
> Is the bass and warmth to much with the Z1R and WM1Z..
> ...



Running - no. Perhaps .... swimming? 
Eargasmic photo


----------



## Imusicman

Guys, any thoughts on the following?
So far im not overly impressed with the performance of my Sony/Kimber cable balanced vs Alo Ref 8 single ended on the 1Z. Most reviews etc. say that balanced is the way to go but I've got to be honest at the moment I'm finding the Sony/Kimber/balnaced combo a little meh when compared to the Alo Ref 8. Nothing wrong with it I just expected more based on what I've read. Im thinking the Sony/Kimber cable maybe the weak link in the chain rather than the 1Z balanced output?

I would really like to hear your thoughts, experiences on this. I would particularly like to hear what cables you would recommend as I am considering buying a upgraded balanced cable to really get the best out of the 1Z.


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> hey @Whitigir , would a 2.5 into 4.4 adaptor have the same sonic quality as having your ciem cable reterminated into 4.4 ?



The same ? No...but could you tell it ?



Imusicman said:


> Guys, any thoughts on the following?
> So far im not overly impressed with the performance of my Sony/Kimber cable balanced vs Alo Ref 8 single ended on the 1Z. Most reviews etc. say that balanced is the way to go but I've got to be honest at the moment I'm finding the Sony/Kimber/balnaced combo a little meh when compared to the Alo Ref 8. Nothing wrong with it I just expected more based on what I've read. Im thinking the Sony/Kimber cable maybe the weak link in the chain rather than the 1Z balanced output?
> 
> I would really like to hear your thoughts, experiences on this. I would particularly like to hear what cables you would recommend as I am considering buying a upgraded balanced cable to really get the best out of the 1Z.



Let it burn in man...and wait


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> The same ? No...but could you tell it ?



so it's better to just get an adaptor instead of reterminating my cables ? is that what you say ?

would you rather reterminate or get an adaptor ?


----------



## Matrix Petka

proedros said:


> so it's better to just get an adaptor instead of reterminating my cables ? is that what you say ?
> 
> would you rather reterminate or get an adaptor ?



Now I am using adapter with pure silver wires going further to silver litz cable. Still happy. But curiosity pushes me further - will get one one cable to check without adapter. Predicting that sound quality difference will be not discerned by my ears. Anyway - nice try


----------



## thebratts

Matrix Petka said:


> BIG CONGRATULATIONS! Hope, you will enjoy TA-ZH1ES. Waiting for your impressions - maybe it will be my late Christmas gift


Or a moon 430 HAD... 


proedros said:


> so it's better to just get an adaptor instead of reterminating my cables ? is that what you say ?
> 
> would you rather reterminate or get an adaptor ?


to me it's as much to do with practicality, e.g. not needing an extra adapter, a long contact that might damage the player etc. As to if anyone hear a difference, some might do i guess, haven't done tests myself..


----------



## Matrix Petka

thebratts said:


> Or a moon 430 HAD...



I know - hard decision it is waiting for you - which one to keep. When I am in such situation .... I keep both  For some time at least


----------



## gerelmx1986

Some say that zx300 sound so close wm1a in balance. But I think wm1a is still king


----------



## gearofwar (Sep 26, 2017)

deleted


----------



## Matrix Petka

gerelmx1986 said:


> Some say that zx300 sound so close wm1a in balance. But I think wm1a is still king



All that "some" - ZX300 owners only?  The same songs sounds similar on ipod too


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> so it's better to just get an adaptor instead of reterminating my cables ? is that what you say ?
> 
> would you rather reterminate or get an adaptor ?




Adaptors are always going to be the weaker link as you have the plug connection, solder, adaptor materials and so on in the chain but the question is if you can hear these differences. I have always had my cables terminated for their primary use and then gone with adaptors if I on occasion needed something else. So both my JH13 and Z1R are now terminated with 4.4 and I then have a 4.4 female to 3.5 trs male adaptor so I can use them on iPhone and iPad.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Imusicman said:


> Guys, any thoughts on the following?
> So far im not overly impressed with the performance of my Sony/Kimber cable balanced vs Alo Ref 8 single ended on the 1Z. Most reviews etc. say that balanced is the way to go but I've got to be honest at the moment I'm finding the Sony/Kimber/balnaced combo a little meh when compared to the Alo Ref 8. Nothing wrong with it I just expected more based on what I've read. Im thinking the Sony/Kimber cable maybe the weak link in the chain rather than the 1Z balanced output?
> 
> I would really like to hear your thoughts, experiences on this. I would particularly like to hear what cables you would recommend as I am considering buying a upgraded balanced cable to really get the best out of the 1Z.


Its true Sony Kimber 4.4 cable is weak. It has good bass,  but it's so cloudy/hazy. What you can do is reterminate your Ref8 to 4.4 mm. Email Alo for retermination. I think I pay $20 with shipping fees. It's worth it. Performance up another level with 4.4 mm.  What Iem are you using?


----------



## Imusicman

hamhamhamsta said:


> Its true Sony Kimber 4.4 cable is weak. It has good bass,  but it's so cloudy/hazy. What you can do is reterminate your Ref8 to 4.4 mm. Email Alo for retermination. I think I pay $20 with shipping fees. It's worth it. Performance up another level with 4.4 mm.  What Iem are you using?



Im using Westone W80's. they are sounding great out of the SE with the Alo cable so I think your suggestion could be the way to forward


----------



## Stephen George

ledzep said:


> Album folder ÷ Mp3tag + Fanart ÷ Paint + Drag & Drop = Simplistic equation of perfected end result with no frustration & Headache.



album folder+tag&rename+chrome+drag&drop =even easier

cover is automatically resized and under 25kb


----------



## rhull1973

Stephen George said:


> FYI,
> 
> new 400GB sandisk microsd works


Awesome. How large is the formatted capacity?


----------



## ledzep

rhull1973 said:


> Awesome. How large is the formatted capacity?


About 366


----------



## JamesKH

blazinblazin said:


> I can't live without the remote after i had it.
> 
> My WM1A is set to All Songs + random.
> So depends on mood i will skip songs.
> ...



Which replacement battery are you using?


----------



## Stephen George (Sep 25, 2017)

rhull1973 said:


> Awesome. How large is the formatted capacity?



393,803,202,506 bytes (which is where the manufacturers get the "400GB"), which translates to 366 GB when u calculate how much this is in GB:

393803202506/1024=384575439.9 KB

384573439.9/1024=375559.9  MB

375559.9/1024=366.7 GB

This rule is true for *all* storage devices!!!!


----------



## nc8000

Stephen George said:


> 393,803,202,506 bytes (which is where the manufacturers get the "400GB"), which translates to 366 GB when u calculate how much this is in GB:
> 
> 393803202506/1024=384575439.9 KB
> 
> ...




Yes in marketing speak they calculate in multiples of 1000 and not in multiples of 1024


----------



## Cagin

So, who's up to make a duel between Pentaconn OFC vs Effect Audio's PSquared plug ?


----------



## meomap

thebratts said:


> It's 2.5 to 4.4



Cost?
Tx.


----------



## thebratts

meomap said:


> Cost?
> Tx.



13€ at Amazon.co.jp plus shipping of course... 

https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/aw/d/B0751B7PTS/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> so it's better to just get an adaptor instead of reterminating my cables ? is that what you say ?
> 
> would you rather reterminate or get an adaptor ?



For adapter, you get more uses, because 2.5 and 4.4 are leading the market.  I would reterminate, however, decision on which one to be your main cables will be entirely upon you


----------



## ledzep

proedros said:


> so it's better to just get an adaptor instead of reterminating my cables ? is that what you say ?
> 
> would you rather reterminate or get an adaptor ?


If you can do it yourself reterminate you can always change back or make another cable if your reliant on others then the adaptor makes more sense and cheaper long term, would be nice if the 4.4mm trrrs gets a world wide adoption and we rid ourselves of that terrible 2.5mm trrs.


----------



## ezekiel77

gearofwar said:


> I have a modded 1a, it beats and matches Ultima sp1000


Where did you have it modded?


----------



## Holdmyown83

JamesKH said:


> Which replacement battery are you using?


Wait so it's not a battery I can easily change myself? If not I may pass on the remote.


----------



## blazinblazin

JamesKH said:


> Which replacement battery are you using?


CR1620 that's the batt model for the remote.

Was using Energizer, currently using maxell.


----------



## blazinblazin

Looking forward to Effect Audio's 4.4mm Pentaconn Collab~



EffectAudio said:


> No there wont be a PSquared 4.4mm oyaide collab... But there will be Pentaconn Collab 4.4mm


----------



## Matrix Petka

gearofwar said:


> I have a modded 1a, it beats and matches Ultima sp1000



Gearofwar, please more information - what was modded, costs. You did it by yourself? Please, VERY curious


----------



## blazinblazin

Probably just replace all the OFC cables inside.


----------



## ttt123

pietcux said:


> The buttons on the naked unit are much easier to discern. With the case on I make a lot of wrong clicks. Like changing track instead of lowering volume. But the case is a keeper for me.


I stuck this small dense foam bumper onto the case, over the "forward" button, and it helps to position the fingers.  Works quite well.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 26, 2017)

Yes @gearofwar what did you mod? I assume cable? Or also caps? Or did you switched a wm1z board to your wm1a?


----------



## gearofwar

Hey guys , I can't disclose much the info, it's all DIY and pretty rewarding if you try it and someone on here has already done it partially 


Matrix Petka said:


> Gearofwar, please more information - what was modded, costs. You did it by yourself? Please, VERY curious


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> Hey guys , I can't disclose much the info, it's all DIY and pretty rewarding if you try it and someone on here has already done it partially


People can’t try until they know what you did to give you such reward


----------



## Matrix Petka

gearofwar said:


> Hey guys , I can't disclose much the info, it's all DIY and pretty rewarding if you try it and someone on here has already done it partially



It's hard to take decision without knowing anything. Even costs


----------



## mw7485

Holdmyown83 said:


> Wait so it's not a battery I can easily change myself? If not I may pass on the remote.



It is user replaceable - at lest mine is.


----------



## shigzeo

I wrote a bit about the NW-WM1Z and TA-ZH1ES and the headphone MDR-Z1R recently. They're all back with Sony. Spoiler: The TA was my favourite of the bunch, but also the most flawed. 

Review: Sony NW-WM1Z, MDR-Z1R, TA-ZH1ES – Los tres tomodachis


----------



## edhuen

Hi all,

I am new to have NW-WM1A using T5p generation 2 and thinking to have one more IEM. is there any recommendation for IEM with 4.4 plug? 

Thanks in advance!

Ed


----------



## hamhamhamsta

edhuen said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am new to have NW-WM1A using T5p generation 2 and thinking to have one more IEM. is there any recommendation for IEM with 4.4 plug?
> 
> ...


What kind of songs you listen to?  Ballads, rock,  classical music etc?  What's the budget?


----------



## nanaholic

shigzeo said:


> I wrote a bit about the NW-WM1Z and TA-ZH1ES and the headphone MDR-Z1R recently. They're all back with Sony. Spoiler: The TA was my favourite of the bunch, but also the most flawed.
> 
> Review: Sony NW-WM1Z, MDR-Z1R, TA-ZH1ES – Los tres tomodachis



So the flaw of the TA-ZH1ES is that it distorts with low resistance earphones/headphones in single end?


----------



## edhuen

hamhamhamsta said:


> What kind of songs you listen to?  Ballads, rock,  classical music etc?  What's the budget?


I like pop and jazz, budget is around $300~500.

thanks!


----------



## Tawek

Piano forte viii


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 28, 2017)

I think you might


edhuen said:


> I like pop and jazz, budget is around $300~500.
> 
> thanks!


I think you might like DITA the Answer. New it's about $600, on the forum if you can find them, its selling between $300 to $400. I got mine for $300 from sale forum, but sadly its in the drawer since I got better toys . It sounds pretty good with 1A, it has typical DD bass, I think its good with pop and jazz, that's what I listen to mostly. If you can get it at around $300 to $400, it's a steal. Heck, I think it performs above its full price. You'll be surprised.


----------



## edhuen

So what's your better toy?


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 28, 2017)

SE5U, Warbler Prelude, CA Andromeda, LimeEar Aether
PW 1960 4 core cable, Alo Ref8 iem cable
Modded 1Z replacing kimber cable with Mundorf gold & silver cables


----------



## proedros

sell him your dita then , and judging by your loaded arsenal you can also give him a good price/discount


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Proedros,

How different is Zeus from NT6? I thought both specialty is their treble, and difference is NT6 has thundering bass, while Zeus has less bass but better quality.
If so, shouldn't both are pretty much performing at close category to each other. What makes you like Zeus much more?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

edhuen,

If you're interested maybe we can discuss in pm.


----------



## proedros

hamhamhamsta said:


> Proedros,
> 
> How different is Zeus from NT6? I thought both specialty is their treble, and difference is NT6 has thundering bass, while Zeus has less bass but better quality.
> If so, shouldn't both are pretty much performing at close category to each other. What makes you like Zeus much more?




well Zeus sounds more spacious and effortless first of all. NT6 is amazing ciem and its clarity/transparency is off the chart (better than zeus infact). But zeus sounds more cohesive and full. the funny thing is that i use NT6 on the job/outside and i always catch myself saying great ciem (which it is) but Zeus is better. Now i am happy to have both of them (3 if you count the extra Zeus signature/switch) and no plans on selling any of them. 

Nt6 does not have thundering bass , its bass is linear and lean while zeus is more full (that word again)

i think that NT6 is more slim/lean , zeus is more spacious/full

also remember that zeus costs twice as much and it is not 2 times better , so NT6 is probably the better bang for buck here

also remember that NT6 scored better than Katana in @flinkenick TOTL shootout and katana costs like 700$ more so that says a lot about NT6

both zeus/nt6 have great synergy with wm1a , which is also another reason of keeping them both

zeus is better , but NT6 is up there too , i am sticking to givng it 5/5 * some months ago - for 1200$ this is one amazing ciem (and paired with the whiplash hybrid v3 cable , it gets even better)


----------



## Matrix Petka

shigzeo said:


> I wrote a bit about the NW-WM1Z and TA-ZH1ES and the headphone MDR-Z1R recently. They're all back with Sony. Spoiler: The TA was my favourite of the bunch, but also the most flawed.
> 
> Review: Sony NW-WM1Z, MDR-Z1R, TA-ZH1ES – Los tres tomodachis



Nice short review, thanks. You wrote - "Sadly, the single-ended output doesn’t hold a candle to its balanced counterpart when pushing loads." It looks that you was auditioning EU capped version, right? I have EU version, but after decapping "emigration" both outputs are strong enough to drive almost anything - tried even HD800, HD540 gold on SE output - on max near ear bleeding level.


----------



## alphanumerix1

Can someone post a photo of there m1a or m1z next to a phone so i can get a sense of size? That would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## Whitigir

I didn’t know Wm1Z uses FPGA chip...isn’t it S-Master ? Anyways, what Low impedance Headphones got distorted by TA-ZH1ES ? I did not have any with Utopia....wait, I couldn’t even hear 1z hissing either


----------



## nanaholic

Well the Utopia is 80ohms and he did say he recommends phones with more than 50ohm with the TA-ZH1ES.  I think he is referring to less than 16ohm IEM, which are very common, though personally I won't really listen to in ears on a desktop amp anyway so it won't affect me.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Well the Utopia is 80ohms and he did say he recommends phones with more than 50ohm with the TA-ZH1ES.  I think he is referring to less than 16ohm IEM, which are very common, though personally I won't really listen to in ears on a desktop amp anyway so it won't affect me.



Maybe driving the new Audeze LCD IEMS ? Isine Lol , but same here


----------



## thebratts

S7 VERSUS WM1X


----------



## gerelmx1986

hamhamhamsta said:


> What kind of songs you listen to?  Ballads, rock,  classical music etc?  What's the budget?


Classical music, my budget around 300-700 dollar /Euro


----------



## thebratts

alphanumerix1 said:


> Can someone post a photo of there m1a or m1z next to a phone so i can get a sense of size? That would be greatly appreciated.


Should have quoted you, see above..


----------



## mw7485

alphanumerix1 said:


> Can someone post a photo of there m1a or m1z next to a phone so i can get a sense of size? That would be greatly appreciated.



Nil problemo:


----------



## all999

mw7485 said:


> Nil problemo:


----------



## Whitigir

I like! Your phone cord look like an upgraded cord....Silver ?


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> I like! Your phone cord look like an upgraded cord....Silver ?




Nothing but the best - silver plated OFC, with 1% gold! Sounds mellow!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

mw7485 said:


> Nothing but the best - silver plated OFC, with 1% gold! Sounds mellow!


Lol sounds meow... 
I just have to say it


----------



## mw7485

hamhamhamsta said:


> Lol sounds meow...
> I just have to say it


----------



## Whitigir

Lol, I love people with real humor and not trolling


----------



## Matrix Petka

mw7485 said:


> Nothing but the best - silver plated OFC, with 1% gold! Sounds mellow!



You forgot then main thing - more than 50 years NOS.


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> Lol, I love people with real humor and not trolling



Well lets face it, this weird world is achieving ever new levels of weirdness on a daily basis - and I think humour is probably the best way forward right now!


----------



## mw7485

Matrix Petka said:


> You forgot then main thing - more than 50 years NOS.



Curiously, we used to use this 'phone as our main 'phone up until a couple years ago!


----------



## TheTrace

Does anyone own both the WM1A (or 1Z) and a Hugo 2? Still can't find many comparisons between the sound on these two. From my current understanding it beats Mojo.


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## mw7485

gerelmx1986 said:


>




Looks like I've started a trend.....!


----------



## SoLame

mw7485 said:


> Looks like I've started a trend.....!



nah...he's a copycat!


----------



## gerelmx1986

No. I am not, the phone is an office desk phone with HD voice haha


----------



## mw7485

gerelmx1986 said:


> No. I am not, the phone is an office desk phone with HD voice haha




HD voice.........noooooo, suddenly my life is no longer complete!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> Classical music, my budget around 300-700 dollar /Euro


Sorry Gerelmx1986,
I don't listen to classical. But anyone who does,  feel free to chime in.


----------



## mw7485 (Sep 28, 2017)

edhuen said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am new to have NW-WM1A using T5p generation 2 and thinking to have one more IEM. is there any recommendation for IEM with 4.4 plug?
> 
> ...



I think you are limiting yourself by specifying a 4.4 plug; there aren't many iems that come with one. If you accept that you'll have to get something re-terminated to 4.4, you'd open up a whole world of possibilities. Do you have a preference for DD or BA or hybrid?


----------



## shigzeo

Matrix Petka said:


> Nice short review, thanks. You wrote - "Sadly, the single-ended output doesn’t hold a candle to its balanced counterpart when pushing loads." It looks that you was auditioning EU capped version, right? I have EU version, but after decapping "emigration" both outputs are strong enough to drive almost anything - tried even HD800, HD540 gold on SE output - on max near ear bleeding level.



I auditioned the Japanese version. By 'hold a candle' I referred to it holding power under load. It is decent at least for holding frequency response, but it collapses faster and to a greater degree than its balanced under the same load does. Interestingly, this is the opposite of AK380 and DP-X1, each of which perform better loaded from the single ended outs, but whose unloaded balanced outs rock. In several key metrics Sony is better for actual listening though headphones from the balanced, and by no small margin, but its single ended output suffers in comparison.


----------



## nanaholic

edhuen said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am new to have NW-WM1A using T5p generation 2 and thinking to have one more IEM. is there any recommendation for IEM with 4.4 plug?
> 
> ...



Most IEMs now have detachable cables.  Just buy one you like and swap the cable for a 4.4mm terminated cable.


----------



## ezekiel77 (Oct 2, 2017)

Off-hand, the only IEMs I know that have stock 4.4mm jacks are the Ocharaku Flat4 Keyaki/Akakeyaki Plus Balanced... and they're unicorns.

http://earphonia.com/latest-news/ocharaku-flat4-keyaki-plus-balance-akakeyaki-plus-balance/


----------



## Whitigir

Now, we need new firmware that allows Wm1z as external usb DAC ....or can we somehow install zx300 firmware to it ...lol


----------



## alphanumerix1

mw7485 said:


> Nil problemo:



Exactly what i was after. Thank you.


----------



## Matrix Petka

shigzeo said:


> I auditioned the Japanese version. By 'hold a candle' I referred to it holding power under load. It is decent at least for holding frequency response, but it collapses faster and to a greater degree than its balanced under the same load does. Interestingly, this is the opposite of AK380 and DP-X1, each of which perform better loaded from the single ended outs, but whose unloaded balanced outs rock. In several key metrics Sony is better for actual listening though headphones from the balanced, and by no small margin, but its single ended output suffers in comparison.



Thank you! Totally agree, that WM1Z was built around balanced output. As owner of DP-X1 I can say that for my ears and liking balanced performs way better than SE, especially in ACG mode. Maybe it depends on gear? Anyway, Sony shining on balanced.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> Now, we need new firmware that allows Wm1z as external usb DAC ....or can we somehow install zx300 firmware to it ...lol



DAC, DAC, we all want DAC!


----------



## nc8000

Matrix Petka said:


> DAC, DAC, we all want DAC!



Not really no, but I understand why many do


----------



## pietcux (Sep 29, 2017)

Matrix Petka said:


> Thank you! Totally agree, that WM1Z was built around balanced output. As owner of DP-X1 I can say that for my ears and liking balanced performs way better than SE, especially in ACG mode. Maybe it depends on gear? Anyway, Sony shining on balanced.


The player has both, a full functional non symmetric (unbalanced) and a separate symmetric (balanced) output stage. Both work like charm and of course the balanced one has more output power. But easy to drive items like my Sony MDR-EX1000 run perfect out of the 3.5 mmm socket which consumes less energy on the go. So having the choice between two output stages is a feature, and that the 3.5 mmm socket has less oomph is totally ok. And one can only compare both outputs once they are both properly burned in. I did this and now they both sound quite similar on lower levels.


----------



## Whitigir

pietcux said:


> The player has both, a full functional non symmetric (unbalanced) and a separate symmetric (balanced) output stage. Both work like charm and of course the balanced one has more output power. But easy to drive items like my Sony MDR-EX1000 run perfect out of the 3.5 mmm socket which consumes less energy on the go. So having the choice between two output stages is a feature, and that the 3.5 mmm socket has less oomph is totally ok. And one can only compare both outputs once they are both properly burned in. I did this and now they both sound quite similar on lower levels.



I agree, the differences are observable from 3.5 to 4.4...however, they are not like 3.5mm is horribly suck or whatever


----------



## FlyingTrotter

Really liking the balanced output on the WM1A with the Silver dragon cable and the Roxannes (base at 2am)

Just over 100 hrs burn in on balanced and all seems to be evolving nicely


----------



## Matrix Petka

pietcux said:


> The player has both, a full functional non symmetric (unbalanced) and a separate symmetric (balanced) output stage. Both work like charm and of course the balanced one has more output power. But easy to drive items like my Sony MDR-EX1000 run perfect out of the 3.5 mmm socket which consumes less energy on the go. So having the choice between two output stages is a feature, and that the 3.5 mmm socket has less oomph is totally ok. And one can only compare both outputs once they are both properly burned in. I did this and now they both sound quite similar on lower levels.



I agree - both outputs are good. But... on balanced output you are getting the most beautiful sound and it is worth to make investment into balanced cables 150%


----------



## Whitigir

Oh ofcourse Balanced Out is the best of Wm1z, no debate....just that 3.5mm isn’t that horrible


----------



## gerelmx1986

Both outputs present very good stereo imaging and separation, of coursw balanced further extends this


----------



## harmonix

I just got balanced cables and noticed that there is a crackling sound the 1st half second of playing any DSD track. This doesn't seem to be an issue when playing PCM. However when switching from DSD to FLAC/PCM it happens also but not thereafter as long as you stick to FLAC. Happens again when you swtich back to DSD files. Anyone have this issue? Strange!!


----------



## Matrix Petka

harmonix said:


> I just got balanced cables and noticed that there is a crackling sound the 1st half second of playing any DSD track. This doesn't seem to be an issue when playing PCM. However when switching from DSD to FLAC/PCM it happens also but not thereafter as long as you stick to FLAC. Happens again when you swtich back to DSD files. Anyone have this issue? Strange!!



Cracling sound. If in headphones/IEMs - no. Switching from FLAC to HR FLAC, DSD there is click in player - there is relay for oscillators.


----------



## Whitigir

How can you mistake crackling sound vs clicking sound ? ;(


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> How can you mistake crackling sound vs clicking sound ? ;(



Sometimes it is hard to describe sounds in words


----------



## blazinblazin

Ticking sound more like it... lol~

Mine do hear a light tick when changing playing formats.

I donno how it sounds like on higher volume.


----------



## Whitigir

It is not even a ticking sound, because the “clicking” is mechanical relay, and it has nothing to do with volume increments....as it is mechanical


----------



## Matrix Petka

blazinblazin said:


> Ticking sound more like it... lol~
> 
> Mine do hear a light tick when changing playing formats.
> 
> I donno how it sounds like on higher volume.



I have feeling that you are hearing relay from outside (mechanic click from harware relay). Try to turn volume louder. Or put pillow on player.


----------



## thebratts

My WM1Z are now up to 80hours...
Focusing on WM1Z right now, WM1A waiting to get some listening time.
At the moment my very old UE11 Pro has never sounded better with this slight.. . equalizer adjustment.
Great imaging and soundstage, hearing details and nuances i've not heard before
Owning the DP-X1 previously it's a big difference, even thought the equalizer curve used then wasn't exactly the same.
Anyway, very satisfied so far, almost rethinking my plan for the A18 Tzar...


----------



## harmonix (Sep 29, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> It is not even a ticking sound, because the “clicking” is mechanical relay, and it has nothing to do with volume increments....as it is mechanical


The closest thing I can relate it to is when a record player needle first drops on the the lp (crackle, soft pop ?)  ... It's gone in less than a second and just on DSD files though. Strange. I'm wondering if this is common to all the WM1z/1a's or is my unit defective...


----------



## Whitigir

harmonix said:


> The closest thing I can relate it to is when a record player needle first drops on the the lp (crackle, soft pop ?)  ... It's gone in less than a second and just on DSD files though. Strange. I'm wondering if this is common to all the WM1z/1a's or is my unit defective...



All 1A/Z will have this clicking sound, that is the mechanical relay switching.  If it really is a crackling or pop, and not recorded in the tracks, then you must have a defected one for sure.

These relay clicks are when you plugged in and turned the power on or off


----------



## Jogibaer

I have a question concerning the GUI: Does it look like this? So there is no folder structure available? Is it maybe on the second site of the start screen because I see the two dots at the bottom?


----------



## thebratts (Sep 29, 2017)

Jogibaer said:


> I have a question concerning the GUI: Does it look like this? So there is no folder structure available? Is it maybe on the second site of the start screen because I see the two dots at the bottom?


On the next screen by default (the two dots indicate two pages/screens) .You can also move it to the first, e.g you can move around all icons on these screens.


----------



## Jogibaer

Ok thank you, because I think about buying one. I'm the classical folder structure user, without it would have been a no go for me. ^^


----------



## harmonix

Whitigir said:


> All 1A/Z will have this clicking sound, that is the mechanical relay switching.  If it really is a crackling or pop, and not recorded in the tracks, then you must have a defected one for sure.
> 
> These relay clicks are when you plugged in and turned the power on or off



One more thing to add. I realised that this also occurs on PCM/FLAC files when I'm switching between 44.1khz & 48khz files (and all freq. multiples of that). Within the same base frequency no click & crackles.
Do you hear this as 1 click? I hear a several scratches, crackles , clicks....

Also with DSD every new track (1st half second) even on the same album?

If this is defective I'm bringing it in....


----------



## Whitigir

harmonix said:


> One more thing to add. I realised that this also occurs on PCM/FLAC files when I'm switching between 44.1khz & 48khz files (and all freq. multiples of that). Within the same base frequency no click & crackles.
> Do you hear this as 1 click? I hear a several scratches, crackles , clicks....
> 
> Also with DSD every new track (1st half second) even on the same album?
> ...



It has always been clicking sounds, and sometime it does more than once as 1 relay is turned off to turn on another


----------



## gerelmx1986

I got used to the clicking Sound, mainly happens when switching clocks 44.1 or 48 múltiples.

WM1A and z have folder structure


----------



## kubig123

ezekiel77 said:


> Off-hand, the only IEMs I know that has a stock 4.4mm jack are the Ocharaku Flat4 Keyaki/Akakeyaki Plus Balanced... and they're unicorns.
> 
> http://earphonia.com/latest-news/ocharaku-flat4-keyaki-plus-balance-akakeyaki-plus-balance/



available for $1K on Yahoo Japan...

http://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/shopping/e-earphone_4573363670136/category/


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> available for $1K on Yahoo Japan...
> 
> http://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/shopping/e-earphone_4573363670136/category/


I am not much into IEMS, but this look very interesting.  How realistic the timbres is ? And how is the stage presentation


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> I am not much into IEMS, but this look very interesting.  How realistic the timbres is ? And how is the stage presentation



You better ask @Mimouille if I'm not mistaken he just review them.

it looks interesting but teh price is just too high.


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> You better ask @Mimouille if I'm not mistaken he just review them.
> 
> it looks interesting but teh price is just too high.



Not high when you compare it to isine lcd


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> Not high when you compare it to isine lcd



it depends on the performances, I feel the LVDi4 is an amazing iem, yes, it has some limitation but considering the sound it's second to none.


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> it depends on the performances, I feel the LVDi4 is an amazing iem, yes, it has some limitation but considering the sound it's second to none.


Hence I want to know more about these IEMS , I know the lvdi4 is hard to drive.....but to me, that defeats the purposes of having IEMS....I rather cans


----------



## gerelmx1986

In the xba-z5 thread, it's said that it competes with some $1k IEMS


----------



## gerelmx1986

The wm1a relay click is softer if I remember that loud click of the fiio x3. First gen relay, the fiio only had it for on/off the amp


----------



## blazinblazin

Ocharaku as reviewed not for all types of music.

It's an open-can IEM.


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 29, 2017)

*Part finale: dx200 vs 1Z, Godzilla vs Dragon*

I had been comparing the dx200 against the 1Z for a while, and everybody must have read that dx200+Amp3 is standing Toes to Toes again 1Z.  After switching back and forth, comparing A/B, and try to understand the “takes” behind these 2 wonderful players.  I have drawn my conclusions.

Beside the different sound signatures from dx200 and 1Z, and putting aside personal preferences with pricing being no objective.  *The ultimate outcome of this battle winner is WM1Z*.  This is the ultimate conclusion.  *However, I would put dx200 on the same tier as 1Z with different sound signature and tremendous potentials to upgrade amp cards*.

Now, the reason why I draw this conclusion:

Dx200 separations and layering seemed to be better than 1Z due to the speed of the decay which is shorter than 1Z, the tonal body thickness/timbres of the 1Z is thicker, more vivid and more realistic.  The thicker body, and deadly accurate timbres also result in a more accurate decay and reverberate, which explains why 1Z has such emotional Vocals and string instruments are so lush, so Liquid and fluidly flowing, and from this allow the listener to simply float and be carried away by streams of music and instruments.  Because of this effect, the 1Z seems to be behind the separations and layering from Dx200+Amp3.

Simply put, Dx200 is superbly layered and separated with quicker speed, which would be more “References” of sound performances.  It is very exciting, energetic and interesting.  In the while 1Z is more lush, mellow, musical, and full of emotions.

Then why did I call out 1Z as the winner in this ultimate conclusion ? Simply put, in tracks that has several of the same “type” of instruments being played, for example, guitarists.  The presentations of 1Z is there in spatial and position just as much as Dx200.  However, when many of the same types are playing together, the layering and separations of 1Z are there, yet not as separated but fluidly and continuously streaming to express the music, the dx200 is fast that it can be easily picked a part from one guitarist to another.  *Yet, I did say personal preferences aside, what is the “end goal” of Music reproduction ? That is to mimick the “realism” of reality*.  _In reality, when there are different of the same type of instruments being played, or when there are different guitarists playing in an acoustic room, the music will be fluidly flowing, and with your eyes closed, you can tell them a part, but the streams of music will be fluidly and continuously, and this is exactly what 1Z is presenting, and together with the more realistic timbres, the 1Z is the ultimate winner._

In the end, what is your personal preferences ? References, separations, layering, energetic, mellow, liquid, organic ? You are the only one to know the answer, and if you are budget tight, the answer will be easier 

And for this competition, achievements from Ibasso, I would say that again “congratulation to Ibasso” for such an competing product at affordable pricing.  *Why ? Because again, personal preferences and practicality together, there really is no winner.  It is a huge tie in this regard, so pick your poison folks, whichever you choose, you will not regret it.  It gets even better if you can collect both !!!*


----------



## Shmuel

By any chance has anyone tried the Audeze i4 with both the wm1z balanced output vs the sound using a dap (I have the wm1a) to feed the chord Hugo 2?

I'm getting good sound from my wm1a, surely better if I get an aftermarket 4.4mm cable. I'm very much liking the portability of using just the Sony but can't help but think my i4 would sound so much better with the Hugo 2.

Might the wm1z balanced to the i4 come close to my wm1a to Hugo 2 to i4? If so, I would want to consider canceling my Hugo 2 order,  sell my wm1a and purchase the wm1z.

Thanks for any thoughts you can pass my way.


----------



## Matrix Petka

gerelmx1986 said:


> In the xba-z5 thread, it's said that it competes with some $1k IEMS



As for my ears - Z5 it is masterpiece. Especially in balanced mode wirh WM1A. Even can compete with some full size headphones.


----------



## Dithyrambes

I keep reading this thread hoping to hear that the usb dac has been implemented but....still no candy yet.


----------



## kms108

TBH, I don't think it's gonna happen, may be the next WM released version.


----------



## Matrix Petka

For cables lovers - my collection of adapters for Sony:


----------



## Dithyrambes

Sony is so annoying............they def had the resources to add the feature to the wm1a/z but they didn't include it just because they wanted to sell their signature series amp tazh1es.......and now in a lower model the zx300.....they offer the function....slap to the face to the wm1a and wm1z users.....800 dollar has more functionality than a 3.2k gold brick Lol


----------



## Whitigir

Dithyrambes said:


> Sony is so annoying............they def had the resources to add the feature to the wm1a/z but they didn't include it just because they wanted to sell their signature series amp tazh1es.......and now in a lower model the zx300.....they offer the function....slap to the face to the wm1a and wm1z users.....800 dollar has more functionality than a 3.2k gold brick Lol


You don’t know whether or not the firmware upgrade may happen .  Too early to judge, and I wouldn’t blame Sony one bit if the firmware is released a few months after the global release of zx300.


----------



## harmonix (Sep 29, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> It has always been clicking sounds, and sometime it does more than once as 1 relay is turned off to turn on another


Ok now I understand what you guys mean - I always had my IEM's on and didn't hear the relay click from the unit itself. I had mine off when I switched tracks with different clock rates and I heard the click/click from the relays. Unfortunately - I am hearing snap, crackle and pop in my IEM's now that I am using balanced and it's only coming from left channel.... oh oh... sounds like a defective unit


----------



## nc8000

harmonix said:


> Ok now I understand what you guys mean - I always had my IEM's on and didn't hear the relay click from the unit itself. I had mine off when I switched tracks with different clock rates and I heard the click/click from the relays. Unfortunately - I am hearing snap, crackle and pop in my IEM's now that I am using balanced and it's only coming from left channel.... oh oh... sounds like a defective unit



And you are using properly balanced headphones and not single ended headphones via an adapter ?


----------



## nc8000

Dithyrambes said:


> Sony is so annoying............they def had the resources to add the feature to the wm1a/z but they didn't include it just because they wanted to sell their signature series amp tazh1es.......and now in a lower model the zx300.....they offer the function....slap to the face to the wm1a and wm1z users.....800 dollar has more functionality than a 3.2k gold brick Lol



Anybody who bought these players knew that they didn’t have dac feature just like everybody knew they didn’t have streaming ability so nobody is being slaped in the face. I personally bought mine amongst other reasons precisely because it didn’t have those features, I wanted a device that concentrated all effort on being the best possible play back device of on board music and nothing else


----------



## harmonix

nc8000 said:


> And you are using properly balanced headphones and not single ended headphones via an adapter ?


Yes. Custom ordered cables.


----------



## ttt123

nc8000 said:


> And you are using properly balanced headphones and not single ended headphones via an adapter ?





harmonix said:


> Ok now I understand what you guys mean - I always had my IEM's on and didn't hear the relay click from the unit itself. I had mine off when I switched tracks with different clock rates and I heard the click/click from the relays. Unfortunately - I am hearing snap, crackle and pop in my IEM's now that I am using balanced and it's only coming from left channel.... oh oh... sounds like a defective unit


See if you can try another 4.4mm cable, or another IEM with 4.4mm cable, to eliminate a defective cable/solder connection as a possible cause.  From a friend, or a store?


----------



## harmonix (Sep 30, 2017)

ttt123 said:


> See if you can try another 4.4mm cable, or another IEM with 4.4mm cable, to eliminate a defective cable/solder connection as a possible cause.  From a friend, or a store?


All tried... Yes and multiple Sony units have this issue. Not a big deal but it is a little annoying.

Regarding defective cable/solder - if you think about it that would create intermittent issues randomly anytime and most probably when you wriggle the cable.This is not the case it happens when you switch clock bases on the digital files between 48khz and 44.1khz and  also in DSD mode 64/128/256 and only happens at the beginning 1/2 second of the track before things start up. Unlikely to be a cable issue and yes tried with different cables and both from very reputable companies and not DIY stuff


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Anybody who bought these players knew that they didn’t have dac feature just like everybody knew they didn’t have streaming ability so nobody is being slaped in the face. I personally bought mine amongst other reasons precisely because it didn’t have those features, I wanted a device that concentrated all effort on being the best possible play back device of on board music and nothing else


Agree with this, while i sometimes crave for USB DAC, i still like my player


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Agree with this, while i sometimes crave for USB DAC, i still like my player



It would be so much practical, though, I agree as we bought into 1A/Z expecting it to be fully just dedicated player by itself...no WiFi....don’t know why NFC...lol


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> It would be so much practical, though, I agree as we bought into 1A/Z expecting it to be fully just dedicated player by itself...no WiFi....don’t know why NFC...lol



NFC is for easy pairing with the Bluetooth headphones, because Sony is confident their LDAC enabled headphones are plenty good enough for audiophile grade usage.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> NFC is for easy pairing with the Bluetooth headphones, because Sony is confident their LDAC enabled headphones are plenty good enough for audiophile grade usage.


And in the mean while...no Bluetooth audiophile grade headphones been made yet


----------



## Gosod

what headphones are supplied with this player?


----------



## mw7485

Gosod said:


> what headphones are supplied with this player?





None - its BYOH


----------



## Gosod

mw7485 said:


> None - its BYOH


it's a little surprising that such an expensive player put in a set of headphones.


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 30, 2017)

Vintage  Sony meets modern Sony
Thank you a great friend 
MDR-E741 buds


----------



## mw7485 (Sep 30, 2017)

Gosod said:


> it's a little surprising that such an expensive player put in a set of headphones.




Perhaps, but it is entirely consistent with the DAP industry as a whole. Ultimately, Sony does seem to try and produce a coherent product lineup and is doubtless hoping that people will buy some Sony headphones/earphones as well as the DAP. The other trouble is, whatever headphones/earphones they bundled with the device would likely come in for some heavy criticism; far better to let people use what they like I think.

..having said that, I'm all for them throwing in some cheap high-impedance IEMs, to get around the EU volume cap regulations!


----------



## nc8000

Gosod said:


> it's a little surprising that such an expensive player put in a set of headphones.



People buying a device in this price range would never want to use anything that Sony might bundle, they probably already have what they want to use anyway, so it would only serve to further raise the price. This goes for essentially all dap makers as well as the makers of portable dac/amps


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> People buying a device in this price range would never want to use anything that Sony might bundle, they probably already have what they want to use anyway, so it would only serve to further raise the price. This goes for essentially all dap makers as well as the makers of portable dac/amps



I don’t know why, but it makes a lot of senses


----------



## Whitigir

If Wm1z came with the Utopia and 4.4mm eh ?


----------



## Lavakugel

There is some money laying there


----------



## Whitigir

Lavakugel said:


> There is some money laying there



Yeah, but is priceless ....hell....whatever can bring away the stress is priceless


----------



## Lavakugel

Just asking me if my HD600 would stand up to Utopia...


----------



## nc8000

Lavakugel said:


> Just asking me if my HD600 would stand up to Utopia...



Probably not, but in their own right HD600 is a very fine headphone and surely beats Utopia soundly in the value for money stakes


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> People buying a device in this price range would never want to use anything that Sony might bundle, they probably already have what they want to use anyway, so it would only serve to further raise the price. This goes for essentially all dap makers as well as the makers of portable dac/amps


 I never used bundled heapfones, i ways gave them to a friend or sister  or threw them away


----------



## blazinblazin (Sep 30, 2017)

Gosod said:


> what headphones are supplied with this player?



Not sure about global.

Not supplied but SONY Singapore have promotions that give free IEMs till end of October~
Previous promotion was free MDR-1000X with WM1Z if i remember correctly.


----------



## thebratts (Oct 1, 2017)

Last night I listened to Sophie Zelmani in bed with my wm1z and ue11 pro.
I've never had such experience even with the utopias out of my moon 430. Not sure if it was caused by the dark room and laying in bed but it was an awesome experience.  It felt so real and especially her voice was/is as if she was there with me. I actually even thought my ue pro 11 isn't the most resolving by today's standard heard so much new sounds, instruments, layering and details that I was just laying there smiling and couldn't stop listening. And the overall key was that is just sounded so real. That for me is at this moment 1 week into owning the wm1z the main on word summary. Real. Hard to describe but the feeling where it just feels and sounds right and you are just IN the music

Also I do recommend anyone here to give Sophie Zelmani a try if (for example I'm the rain)  you haven't heard about her before.


----------



## Whitigir

thebratts said:


> Last night I listened to Sophie Zelmani in bed with my wm1z and ue11 pro.
> I've never had such experience even with the utopias out of my moon 430. Not sure if it was caused by the dark room and laying in bed but it was an awesome experience.  It felt so real and especially her voice was/is as if she was there with me. I actually even thought my ue pro 11 isn't the most resolving by today's standard heard so much new sounds, instruments, layering and details that I was just laying there smiling and couldn't stop listening. And the overall key was that is just sounded so real. That for me is at this moment 1 week into owning the wm1z the main on word summary. Real. Hard to describe but the feeling where it just feels and sounds right and you are just IN the music
> 
> Also I do recommend anyone here to give Sophie Zelmani a try if (for example I'm the rain)  you haven't heard about her before.



The one thing that 1Z does so amazingly well is the Vocal and the bass


----------



## blazinblazin (Oct 1, 2017)

Strings too~

Piano, Violins, Guitar~ amazing to listen to.

I never enjoy instrumentals till i got my 1A combo~

I felt like i am in the Concert hall itself, instruments coming from everywhere.


----------



## Whitigir (Oct 1, 2017)

blazinblazin said:


> Strings too~
> 
> Piano, Violins, Guitar~ amazing to listen to.
> 
> ...



Yes, totally agree, the only set back is the expansiveness of stage , but well....as long as physicality is a litmitation, then the performances will have it limitations as well.

It seems: Tonal body, Soundstage, Details....pick 2  to Do your best


----------



## Mantygre

nc8000 said:


> People buying a device in this price range would never want to use anything that Sony might bundle, they probably already have what they want to use anyway, so it would only serve to further raise the price. This goes for essentially all dap makers as well as the makers of portable dac/amps


 +1

LPG or Hifiman HM901s for instance doesn't come with bundled headphones/earphones... And as far as I know, none of the AK models either...


----------



## blazinblazin (Oct 1, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Yes, totally agree, the only set back is the expansiveness of stage , but well....as long as physicality is a litmitation, then the performances will have it limitations as well.
> 
> It seems: Tonal body, Soundstage, Details....pick 2



I understand what you mean 

I have my older player which smack all the details in your face but not so 3D sounding. Width is there but the depth is not.

Although some details seems a little faint compared to my old DAP but WM1A give me a lot better "space" feel.


----------



## Stephen George

thebratts said:


> That for me is at this moment 1 week into owning the wm1z the main on word summary. Real. Hard to describe but the feeling where it just feels and sounds right and you are just IN the music .



  i've pretty much had this feeling from the first day i owned it, no matter what cans/music is playing...currently just listening to 5KHZ dsfs of some old (but clean) vinyl rips before i sell the actual record
have an ak240, but this is as close to being there..it picks up every nuance of the recording, and yes, when it's dark and quiet, your mind can focus on what is coming through the ears way better


----------



## gerelmx1986

I agree with above posts, WM1A and Z sound so smooth and relaxed, fluidly and real, the highs aren't harsh (once fully burned), yup i agree with stage, maybe 1Z has more stage but i feel 1A represents the venue of the recording so accurately real


----------



## coburn

Hello
I recently purchased a WM1A and would like to get opinions on headphones and or amps to complement the WM1A.  At the moment, I'm using inexpensive headphones (non-balanced).  Before I move to balanced headphones I wanted to get some suggestions.

I listen primarily to chamber music, small combo jazz, vocals and some symphonic music.  Not a bass head. 

I'm usually sitting down when I use the WM1A.  I don't run or exercise with it.

I could spring for up to $2000 USD for additional equipment. 

What would you recommend?  Should I add an amp?  What headphone, cables would work here


----------



## Whitigir

Utopia , or wait for Clear from Focal....or modified SA5000


----------



## gerelmx1986

Big cans: perhaps MDR-Z7, MDR-Z1R, HD800S?
IEMS: there are many options, Audeze iSines or iLCD 4, sony's own flagship XBA-Z5, a customs CIEM perhaps?


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## coburn

Whitigir said:


> Utopia , or wait for Clear from Focal....or modified SA5000


I checked the focal site.  Utopia is $4000.  Too pricey for me.



gerelmx1986 said:


> Big cans: perhaps MDR-Z7, MDR-Z1R, HD800S?
> IEMS: there are many options, Audeze iSines or iLCD 4, sony's own flagship XBA-Z5, a customs CIEM perhaps?



I've seen other threads that recommend the HD800S for classical music.  But, that is with desktop amplifier.  I wonder if the high impedance of the HD800 (300 ohms?) is too much for a portable to get effective resolution.  That's why I wondered if i should look for a portable amplifier to pair with the WM1A.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

I think you can get utopia 2nd hand for $2500 to $2800 on sale forum. There's a guy in this forum who bought a portable amp to match with HD800s and 1A/1Z. I forgot who,  but he seems satisfied.


----------



## gerelmx1986

coburn said:


> I checked the focal site.  Utopia is $4000.  Too pricey for me.
> 
> 
> 
> I've seen other threads that recommend the HD800S for classical music.  But, that is with desktop amplifier.  I wonder if the high impedance of the HD800 (300 ohms?) is too much for a portable to get effective resolution.  That's why I wondered if i should look for a portable amplifier to pair with the WM1A.


I use the MDR-Z7 for clssical music and they sound good with it


----------



## zardos

1Z/HD800S balanced is a great match. Powerful, resolving sound. Better than any IEM I‘ve tried. With 1A I‘m not so sure but should be similar.


----------



## thebratts (Oct 2, 2017)

Testing both players made me think about this today. Myself thinking if the 1z is worth the price difference.. 


Which of the 1a and 1z would you pick if the price was the same? Disregarding the weight difference that for some affects portability.  Curious to who still picks the 1a out of sound signature preferences.


Which of the 1a and 1z would you pick if the 1z did cost  500$€ more, e.g. One could imagine paying only for storage and the nice color  Would you make the same choice(for those of you picking  the 1z in question 1)


How much extra would you who chose the 1z pay extra for it and still pick it in comparison  to the 1a


----------



## Witcher

thebratts said:


> Testing both players made me think about this today. Myself thinking if the 1z is worth the price difference..
> 
> 
> Which of the 1a and 1z would you pick if the price was the same? Disregarding the weight difference that for some affects portability.  Curious to who still picks the 1a out of sound signature preferences.
> ...


I would still choose the 1A because it's black. I can't stand that much gold on anything. Lol.

Honestly, because of the sound (and sound alone) I would've preferred the 1Z. But not at that price difference. I'd pay up to $500 extra for that sound.


----------



## nc8000 (Oct 2, 2017)

thebratts said:


> Testing both players made me think about this today. Myself thinking if the 1z is worth the price difference..
> 
> 
> Which of the 1a and 1z would you pick if the price was the same? Disregarding the weight difference that for some affects portability.  Curious to who still picks the 1a out of sound signature preferences.
> ...



Had no chance to try either before buying so went for what should be the top model and wanted the extra storage expecting it to be end game and something I would be keeping for many years. I certainly love what I got


----------



## Whitigir

thebratts said:


> Testing both players made me think about this today. Myself thinking if the 1z is worth the price difference..
> 
> 
> Which of the 1a and 1z would you pick if the price was the same? Disregarding the weight difference that for some affects portability.  Curious to who still picks the 1a out of sound signature preferences.
> ...



* I would pick 1Z if pricing was the same, sound quality, better components inside
* I would still pick the 1Z if the differences are only $500-700
* 1Z is priceless, because it is one of it kind, and without Sony to pull it off, there wouldn’t be any 1Z at all.  Pure copper all around, even chassis, better components all around.  Why would you fancy cables, wires upgrades, but not upgrading every bit of components inside your own player ?

Now, a couple days ago, I kindly asked my wife to try the Utopia out of Dx200 and Wm1Z, she doesn’t like portable and headphones, and prefer my stereo system at home even though it is just average.  Her conclusion is that she thinks

1Z has stronger dynamic, Fuller tonal body with sharper edges resolutions, and also better bass tones.  She mentioned the sound on 1Z is focused and more clear
Dx200 has wider spread images, softer bass tones, less vivid edges resolutions.  More spread out presentations

Finally, she deems 1Z to be superior in her judgement.  She surprises me for that she never took this hobby of mine seriously.

It is good to have someone else picking the same side as I do, but man....dx200+Amp3 is damn good


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Whitigir said:


> * I would pick 1Z if pricing was the same, sound quality, better components inside
> * I would still pick the 1Z if the differences are only $500-700
> * 1Z is priceless, because it is one of it kind, and without Sony to pull it off, there wouldn’t be any 1Z at all.  Pure copper all around, even chassis, better components all around.  Why would you fancy cables, wires upgrades, but not upgrading every bit of components inside your own player ?
> 
> ...


Your wife has good ears


----------



## arftech

coburn said:


> Hello
> I recently purchased a WM1A and would like to get opinions on headphones and or amps to complement the WM1A.  At the moment, I'm using inexpensive headphones (non-balanced).  Before I move to balanced headphones I wanted to get some suggestions.
> 
> I listen primarily to chamber music, small combo jazz, vocals and some symphonic music.  Not a bass head.
> ...



For amping Sony PHA-3...For headphones Sony MDR-Z7 and it’s associated upgraded balanced cable.  Perfect synergy!


----------



## thebratts (Oct 2, 2017)

Witcher said:


> I would still choose the 1A because it's black. I can't stand that much gold on anything. Lol.
> 
> Honestly, because of the sound (and sound alone) I would've preferred the 1Z. But not at that price difference. I'd pay up to $500 extra for that sound.





nc8000 said:


> Had no chance to try either before buying so went for what should be the top model and wanted the extra storage expecting it to be end game and something I would be keeping for many years. I certainly love what I got





Whitigir said:


> * I would pick 1Z if pricing was the same, sound quality, better components inside
> * I would still pick the 1Z if the differences are only $500-700
> * 1Z is priceless, because it is one of it kind, and without Sony to pull it off, there wouldn’t be any 1Z at all.  Pure copper all around, even chassis, better components all around.  Why would you fancy cables, wires upgrades, but not upgrading every bit of components inside your own player ?
> 
> ...




Very interesting to hear. So far it seems WM1Z is the choice for sound even if it would cost a bit more.

I've mostly listened to the WM1Z so far so cannot make any final conclusions but so far it's just something with the sound of hte WM1Z that sounds just right, and the limited testing of the WM1A is that it's great but it's just not the same.. but as always the difference is not big and possibly wouldn't be noticed without comparing back to back.. 
I would for sure pay 500 euro extra for the WM1z or a bit more, but not 1500euro which is the case now. 
However a note on portability, i actually find no issues with having the WM1Z in my jeans pocket or jacket. And also the weight just adds to the feeling of quality, and you can defend yourself with it if attacked


----------



## proedros

wm1z is trans-portable and costs 1500 euro more than wm1a

for someone on a budget and wanting something easily movable , wm1a is the logical choice

but this is head-fi in here , so logic is something easily gone missing


----------



## aisalen

If wm1z is just cost 500 dollar more and it is black, I will get it


----------



## nanaholic

proedros said:


> wm1z is trans-portable



It's portable. Last few weeks I have no problem slipping my 1Z into my shorts' pockets and walking around with it, I didn't even wear a belt and my pants didn't drop to my ankles (my iphone with a battery case is in the other pocket, let that sink in for a bit, I had a combined of maybe 800g worth of crap in my pockets).  The notion that it is not portable needs to be put to rest.


----------



## yakitoroi

nanaholic said:


> It's portable. Last few weeks I have no problem slipping my 1Z into my shorts' pockets and walking around with it, I didn't even wear a belt and my pants didn't drop to my ankles (my iphone with a battery case is in the other pocket, let that sink in for a bit, I had a combined of maybe 800g worth of crap in my pockets).  The notion that it is not portable needs to be put to rest.


I agree with the stop saying not being portable comment. I used my 1Z every day for commuting. The outstanding outcome is the player feels very much normal and everything else feels light in comparison. Even batman will be jealous and ask for your guidance with his utility belt improvements if he hears you had all that weight in your pocket and your pants held up.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I would get the WM1Z of it costed 500 more, but I would spray paint that gold color to black or silver.


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> I would get the WM1Z of it costed 500 more, but I would spray paint that gold color to black or silver.



or may be just a case...


----------



## azabu (Oct 3, 2017)

coburn said:


> Hello
> I recently purchased a WM1A and would like to get opinions on headphones and or amps to complement the WM1A.  At the moment, I'm using inexpensive headphones (non-balanced).  Before I move to balanced headphones I wanted to get some suggestions.
> 
> I listen primarily to chamber music, small combo jazz, vocals and some symphonic music.  Not a bass head.
> ...




Just make sure you audition. Reviews are helpful but ultimately your ears are yours and yours alone. A lot of people were touting the Andromeda saying it was the best thing since sliced bread, so I auditioned them. Nope, too bass heavy for my liking, as were the Sony Z5s.

Ultimately after a lot of testing I settled on Sony ex1000s, these have a single 16.5mm dynamic driver and can be had for around $300 and kick the crap out of anything. I'll just say they are a upper mid and treble focused but if that's your candy then it would be hard to do much better. I also picked up some Ocharaku Keyaki Balanced with 4.4mm plug, these have a 10mm dynamic driver (actually 2 but there's some acoustic physics going on), they're mid to upper mid focussed and are very sweet sounding musical instruments. Finally, I also have the Fitear TG334s (BAs) with a Brise balanced after-market cable with a 4.4mm plug. These are more focussed on the mids, and when I first got them I wasn't that impressed. They sounded a little congested, but after burn-in they've opened up and are just phenomenal. 

Hope this helps.


----------



## aisalen

Finally, I tried last night replacing my LZ A4 and IT03 with balanced cable with wm1a and wowed by the difference. Really an end gamer for me


----------



## edhuen

mw7485 said:


> I think you are limiting yourself by specifying a 4.4 plug; there aren't many iems that come with one. If you accept that you'll have to get something re-terminated to 4.4, you'd open up a whole world of possibilities. Do you have a preference for DD or BA or hybrid?



Sorry, what's DD, BA and hybrid?


----------



## nc8000

edhuen said:


> Sorry, what's DD, BA and hybrid?



Dynamic driver, balanced armature or a mix with both kinds of driver in the same headphone


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sony xba-z5 are hybrid, Sony EX1000 are dynamic driver and Sony xba-300 are BA


----------



## pietcux

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sony xba-z5 are hybrid, Sony EX1000 are dynamic driver and Sony xba-300 are BA



And the MDR-EX1000 is the true masterpiece. It's still in production in the same facility in Japan, where they handcraft the Z1r and Z7.


----------



## aisalen

I just want to ask you guys. If not in use 1A/1Z is not in used, do you switch it off you just pause the play and leave it alone just like Opus #1? Currently, I do not switch it off and notice that battery do not drain much. Can you please advice. Thanks.


----------



## audionewbi

Anyone else wished to see Sony adapt a UI more like AK? I love to have the sound of WM1Z with UI of my AK70.


----------



## blazinblazin (Oct 4, 2017)

aisalen said:


> I just want to ask you guys. If not in use 1A/1Z is not in used, do you switch it off you just pause the play and leave it alone just like Opus #1? Currently, I do not switch it off and notice that battery do not drain much. Can you please advice. Thanks.


 You can just leave it on. Once you pause a song, in a few secs it will go into standby/sleep mode. You can hear the relay clicks.


----------



## aisalen

Ah, good to hear as starting wm1a takes time. Thanks.


----------



## nc8000

aisalen said:


> Ah, good to hear as starting wm1a takes time. Thanks.



Yes mine has not been turned off in the 7 months I’ve had it just like my ZX2 was not turned off in nearly 2 years


----------



## Witcher

thebratts said:


> Very interesting to hear. So far it seems WM1Z is the choice for sound even if it would cost a bit more.
> 
> I've mostly listened to the WM1Z so far so cannot make any final conclusions but so far it's just something with the sound of hte WM1Z that sounds just right, and the limited testing of the WM1A is that it's great but it's just not the same.. but as always the difference is not big and possibly wouldn't be noticed without comparing back to back..
> I would for sure pay 500 euro extra for the WM1z or a bit more, but not 1500euro which is the case now.
> However a note on portability, i actually find no issues with having the WM1Z in my jeans pocket or jacket. And also the weight just adds to the feeling of quality, and you can defend yourself with it if attacked


Actually, the WM1A is no slouch on it's own. I use it daily with my XBA-Z5 and a Norne Audio Therium cable, and I cannot for the life of me find anything wrong with this sound. It's really as good as it gets. Getting the WM1Z is likely not just a matter of preference (negating the price difference), but if you take the WM1A on it's own, it'll fill several needs already. So unless the WM1Z is really just a fraction more expensive, there's no reason to think of upgrading from a WM1A.


----------



## proedros

very happy with WM1A ,  a definite improvement/upgrade over ZX2

if i had known how good it is , i would have upgraded from ZX2 months ago but some people said that wm1a was like zx2 (such a wrong assessment) and this stalled me from buying it


----------



## aisalen

nc8000 said:


> Yes mine has not been turned off in the 7 months I’ve had it just like my ZX2 was not turned off in nearly 2 years


Nice! Thanks.


----------



## aisalen

Witcher said:


> Actually, the WM1A is no slouch on it's own. I use it daily with my XBA-Z5 and a Norne Audio Therium cable, and I cannot for the life of me find anything wrong with this sound. It's really as good as it gets. Getting the WM1Z is likely not just a matter of preference (negating the price difference), but if you take the WM1A on it's own, it'll fill several needs already. So unless the WM1Z is really just a fraction more expensive, there's no reason to think of upgrading from a WM1A.


Totally agree, it is an end gamer for me. Better in all angles and in sq compare to my previous and current rig which is X5 1st gen with E12A, Aune M2 Pro and Opus #1. On this player that I experience like I am in inside the room together with the performers.


----------



## blazinblazin

aisalen said:


> Totally agree, it is an end gamer for me. Better in all angles and in sq compare to my previous and current rig which is X5 1st gen with E12A, Aune M2 Pro and Opus #1. On this player that I experience like I am in inside the room together with the performers.


I upgraded to WM1A from my X5II with E12A.

I like the space feeling that WM1A gives too~

The depth the slight echo effect i experience in some of the sound in the music created a nice ambience feel.

Some tracks i can feel the sound/vocal directs towards me from soft to loud then fades away with slight echo.


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> Anyone else wished to see Sony adapt a UI more like AK? I love to have the sound of WM1Z with UI of my AK70.


I already find the Sony UI brilliant, so no need to change


----------



## Quadfather

Is it just me,  or does 96khz - 24bit sound better than 192khz - 24bit on the Sony NW-WM1A?


----------



## CobraVerde

So I spoke to one of the designers of the WM1Z at the indulgence show and the features are coming in NOV.


----------



## blazinblazin

CobraVerde said:


> So I spoke to one of the designers of the WM1Z at the indulgence show and the features are coming in NOV.


Looking forward to the update.


----------



## captblaze

Quadfather said:


> Is it just me,  or does 96khz - 24bit sound better than 192khz - 24bit on the Sony NW-WM1A?



Many variables dictate that. The entire recording, engineering and mastering have an effect as well as
which wrapper it is all stuffed in. I have Redbook that sounds awesome and some that makes mono vinyl sound hi res. Its all a crap shoot


----------



## all999

CobraVerde said:


> So I spoke to one of the designers of the WM1Z at the indulgence show and the features are coming in NOV.



What features?


----------



## blazinblazin

Quadfather said:


> Is it just me,  or does 96khz - 24bit sound better than 192khz - 24bit on the Sony NW-WM1A?


I have 320kbps MP3 that sounds phenomenal.
I can't believe if was MP3 file.

Mastering and Recording is more important than anything else.


----------



## nanaholic

audionewbi said:


> Anyone else wished to see Sony adapt a UI more like AK? I love to have the sound of WM1Z with UI of my AK70.



Heck no. AK players is just Android, the cross bar Sony UI is way more intuitive. I really like the ability to flick up/down/left/right and have access to all the most used features.

There's one thing that I wish they would add though - the ZX300 has repeat/shuffle button on the main player screen which you can tap to cycle through the modes instead of the current "setting>repeat/shuffle" selection. That I wish they would bring over.


----------



## CobraVerde (Oct 4, 2017)

all999 said:


> What features?



MQA, APTX HD Deffs

I forgot to ask about computer dac. 

Also got a WM1Z for £2000


----------



## arftech

If it can’t stream Tidal or to a lesser extent Spotify then I’m not interested. LOL


----------



## Quadfather (Oct 4, 2017)

captblaze said:


> Many variables dictate that. The entire recording, engineering and mastering have an effect as well as
> which wrapper it is all stuffed in. I have Redbook that sounds awesome and some that makes mono vinyl sound hi res. Its all a crap shoot



I compared the same album in 192 and 96. 192 ALAC to 96 FLAC


----------



## nanaholic

Quadfather said:


> I compared the same album in 192 and 96. 192 ALAC to 96 FLAC



That really doesn't say much.  Even the same album offered by different services can be mastered different.

However if you made the the files yourself from the exact same source, then the upsampling/downsampling converter may have messed with the sound.


----------



## Quadfather

nanaholic said:


> That really doesn't say much.  Even the same album offered by different services can be mastered different.
> 
> However if you made the the files yourself from the exact same source, then the upsampling/downsampling converter may have messed with the sound.



Good point.


----------



## nc8000

arftech said:


> If it can’t stream Tidal or to a lesser extent Spotify then I’m not interested. LOL



No if that is what you want/need then these players are not for you


----------



## gerelmx1986

I hope the USB DAC too


----------



## rcoleman1

Awesome DAP but I would welcome a faster boot up from OFF.


----------



## mw7485

thebratts said:


> Testing both players made me think about this today. Myself thinking if the 1z is worth the price difference..
> 
> 
> Which of the 1a and 1z would you pick if the price was the same? Disregarding the weight difference that for some affects portability.  Curious to who still picks the 1a out of sound signature preferences.
> ...



Not sure anyone can answer these questions honestly without being in a position to audition both units. The only question I could answer in this sort of regard is "did the 1Z represent value for money?" The answer to this for me is a qualified yes. Love the sound, love the internal memory size, love the battery and love the fact I have now gained a DAP that is the basis of an end game setup for me, and that that end game is only a matter of weeks away from being achieved. Why not an unqualified yes?  Despite "only" paying £1882, I still have a slightly uncomfortable feeling about how much I paid, blind, and no, I wouldn't pay Amazon's normal discount price for one - let alone Sony's RRP. Having said this, music is my one and only hobby nowadays - perhaps more than that if I'm honest, so I suppose "value" is a term that is largely irrelevant! Good music is just so fulfilling that I'll get over that uncomfortable feeling relatively quickly, and I sincerely doubt I will ever truly regret buying one at the price I paid. I have longed dreamed of having all my music, in one pace, sounding pretty much as good as it can sound, and available wherever I go - and I am now almost there and for a large part, the 1Z has been the enabler for realising that dream.


----------



## all999

rcoleman1 said:


> Awesome DAP but I would welcome a faster boot up from OFF.



Didn't switch off mine unit even once.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

all999 said:


> Didn't switch off mine unit even once.


Wow,  you're all crazy.  I turn it off whenever I have the chance


----------



## blazinblazin

Even if you switch it off when you insert song or charge i think the player will be on automatically.


----------



## proedros

like zx2 , I just leave it on and the battery loses almost zero  energy


----------



## Imusicman

Well said mw7485. I totally get what you’re saying.


----------



## Imusicman

Very interested in the new Alo cable/1Z pairing Jude mentions in his headfi tv update


----------



## azabu

arftech said:


> If it can’t stream Tidal or to a lesser extent Spotify then I’m not interested. LOL



Originally my thought as well. 

I'm happy to say I was wrong


----------



## arftech

arftech said:


> If it can’t stream Tidal or to a lesser extent Spotify then I’m not interested. LOL



I understand it to be a great player.  However, 99% of the time I stream Tidal but will eventually start downloading hi-res files but Tidal is huge for me.  Maybe someday Sony will embrace streaming because I would love to pair a Sony DAP with my PHA-3 and Z7 with the upgraded Kimble Kable.  In the interim I’ll continue to use my laptop and iDevices.


----------



## Whitigir

arftech said:


> I understand it to be a great player.  However, 99% of the time I stream Tidal but will eventually start downloading hi-res files but Tidal is huge for me.  Maybe someday Sony will embrace streaming because I would love to pair a Sony DAP with my PHA-3 and Z7 with the upgraded Kimble Kable.  In the interim I’ll continue to use my laptop and iDevices.


Japanese has a huge heart of enthusiasm for music, and still...they don’t stream anything for music.  That is why Sony don’t see it as a selling point yet, and instead, every enthusiasts in Japan only want a pure music player and that has nothing in the tap to tap away the better and power supply.  That means no Bluetooth...no nfc...no WiFi......though 1A/Z has Bluetooth and nfc.


----------



## arftech (Oct 5, 2017)

Posting error!  Please disregard.


----------



## arftech

Whitigir said:


> Japanese has a huge heart of enthusiasm for music, and still...they don’t stream anything for music.  That is why Sony don’t see it as a selling point yet, and instead, every enthusiasts in Japan only want a pure music player and that has nothing in the tap to tap away the better and power supply.  That means no Bluetooth...no nfc...no WiFi......though 1A/Z has Bluetooth and nfc.



There’s a huge market outside of Japan that has embraced streaming.  Like you said maybe one day Sony will see that market.


----------



## nanaholic

arftech said:


> There’s a huge market outside of Japan that has embraced streaming.  Like you said maybe one day Sony will see that market.



Considering that most streaming services are losing money, is it really that big of a market or just a bubble?


----------



## arftech

Not a bubble.  These services has millions of customers.  Maybe Sony can cultivate a few.


----------



## kubig123

nanaholic said:


> Considering that most streaming services are losing money, is it really that big of a market or just a bubble?



Not only that but none of the streaming service can match the 24bit hi-res quality of any of the website that sell HD music.

If I'm not wrong the HiFi quality of tidal match the one of the cd (44.1 kHZ 16bit), don't know about Spotify.


----------



## arftech

kubig123 said:


> Not only that but none of the streaming service can match the 24bit hi-res quality of any of the website that sell HD music.
> 
> If I'm not wrong the HiFi quality of tidal match the one of the cd (44.1 kHZ 16bit), don't know about Spotify.



Tidal offers 24 bit files with MQA quality.  Spotify is developing their hi-res tier.


----------



## kubig123

arftech said:


> Tidal offers 24 bit files with MQA quality.  Spotify is developing their hi-res tier.



Yes I know, but how many DAP can pay MQA files at this moment? And their catalogue is not that wide.


----------



## nanaholic

arftech said:


> Not a bubble.  These services has millions of customers.  Maybe Sony can cultivate a few.



It doesn't matter they have millions of customers when most STILL lose money, which means their current business model is unsustainable, thus it's a bubble.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Considering that most streaming services are losing money, is it really that big of a market or just a bubble?





nanaholic said:


> It doesn't matter they have millions of customers when most STILL lose money, which means their current business model is unsustainable, thus it's a bubble.



Very true, and IMO, I personally rather collect, buy, download selected tracks that I favor...even if it is a bit more pricy and has better quality.  Then I rather have the collection into my best Dedicated DAP or server for my system.

If I stream anything, it would be YouTube, and still be selective


----------



## arftech

kubig123 said:


> Yes I know, but how many DAP can pay MQA files at this moment? And their catalogue is not that wide.



There are a few DAPs than can play MQA.  Tidal has over 48.5 songs in their catalog.  Nothing to sneeze at and you more than likely can find the artists you like.


----------



## pietcux

arftech said:


> There are a few DAPs than can play MQA.  Tidal has over 48.5 songs in their catalog.  Nothing to sneeze at and you more than likely can find the artists you like.


Look at the WM1A/Z as if they are classic turntables. I own my music and listen to my albums over and over again. This is not only common in Japan, it is a global customer base. I could not care less about streaming. I want the best possible sound and no Jack of all Trades, the eats through the battery in record time.


----------



## proedros

this thread has now reached 1000 pages . wow


----------



## thebratts (Oct 5, 2017)

Of course Sony is aware of Spotify and the streaming focus for music in many countries today.

1. They own a large part of Spotify (togheter with Warner, Unviversal and other major labels).
2. They get income from artists being played.
3. They do complain on occasion about streaming "stealing" form the CD sales... (strange since they both get income from spotify streams and also income from whenever Spotify IPS:s or actually earn money).

Of course Sony Music is different from Sony Electronics or whatever they are called, but i would be very surprised if they only look to Japan with their involvement in the at the moment leading service for streaming.

So they sit on more than one chair, and if can of course also be that each company is more or less a silo midning their own business 

But these two DAP:S are not made for the "streaming generation"..  Or more so with the goal to avoid any type of negative affect of the sound, like wifi or apps they cannot control etc.


----------



## goody

has anyone got one to sell


----------



## kubig123 (Apr 23, 2018)

thebratts said:


> Of course Sony is aware of Spotify and the streaming focus for music in many countries today.
> 
> 1. They own a large part of Spotify (togheter with Warner, Unviversal and other major labels).
> 2. They get income from artists being played.
> ...



Not only that but even if the player has been engineered in Japan I've seen the Sony crew at the NY CanJam I'm sure they are present at many audio shows around the world listening to the customer feedbacks.

Sony had in mind a very clear mission when they started working on the WM1 family, a player that is able to produce the best sound with a incredible battery life and not an universal player that would try to fulfill every single customer requests and needs.


----------



## Matrix Petka

proedros said:


> this thread has now reached 1000 pages . wow



Gratz! 
Reading from beginning - now on page 609. Thank you all - LOTS of very useful information.


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> Very true, and IMO, I personally rather collect, buy, download selected tracks that I favor...even if it is a bit more pricy and has better quality.  Then I rather have the collection into my best Dedicated DAP or server for my system.
> 
> If I stream anything, it would be YouTube, and still be selective



My prediction is that there won't be any music only streaming services in the future - they'll all be gobbed up by massive internet service companies (Amazon, Netflix, Disney, Apple, Google etc) or just pushed out completely by the exact same companies.  The mother company will in the future offer you a core subscription fee giving you access to multiple entertainment services (video, music, ebooks, games - or you can mix and match, like picking cable channels), that's the end goal. It's the only way that these streaming companies can make a profit - by taking money from much more profitable services to subsidize the less profitable branches (or trick you into paying for it but don't use it - just like cable), and have mega scale of operations, and I actually believe most music streaming services today is just gearing up for the day when they will be bought out.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> My prediction is that there won't be any music only streaming services in the future - they'll all be gobbed up by massive internet service companies (Amazon, Netflix, Disney, Apple, Google etc) or just pushed out completely by the exact same companies.  The mother company will in the future offer you a core subscription fee giving you access to multiple entertainment services (video, music, ebooks, games - or you can mix and match, like picking cable channels), that's the end goal. It's the only way that these streaming companies can make a profit - by taking money from much more profitable services to subsidize the less profitable branches (or trick you into paying for it but don't use it - just like cable), and have mega scale of operations, and I actually believe most music streaming services today is just gearing up for the day when they will be bought out.



Agree with this, and really...buying new car with XM and Sirius constantly harassing me with subscriptions in the USA is enough of the annoyances....I don’t even bother with those as long as I have my player with me .  Whenever I want to stream something in my car, it would also be selective lol....

I never, ever, understand the part to turn on the radios or stream something that I do not want to listen to...or only 1 out of 10 listenable tracks


----------



## yakitoroi

Whitigir said:


> Agree with this, and really...buying new car with XM and Sirius constantly harassing me with subscriptions in the USA is enough of the annoyances....I don’t even bother with those as long as I have my player with me .  Whenever I want to stream something in my car, it would also be selective lol....
> 
> I never, ever, understand the part to turn on the radios or stream something that I do not want to listen to...or only 1 out of 10 listenable tracks


And summed up why I will never stream. I have the songs/album that I listen to and occasionally discover news songs on this thread when you guys show pictures of your players. Thank you.


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> Agree with this, and really...buying new car with XM and Sirius constantly harassing me with subscriptions in the USA is enough of the annoyances....I don’t even bother with those as long as I have my player with me .  Whenever I want to stream something in my car, it would also be selective lol....
> 
> I never, ever, understand the part to turn on the radios or stream something that I do not want to listen to...or only 1 out of 10 listenable tracks



I just bought a life time license for Roon, and I found the landing page asking me to link to a Tidal account a little annoying (thankfully it can be dismissed and will never show up again).


----------



## gerelmx1986

Like @pietcux. I still have my CDs, though abandoned in a box, I have my music library and I listen to my albums over and over.

I also still purchase CD or flac files now mostly


----------



## arftech (Oct 5, 2017)

nanaholic said:


> I just bought a life time license for Roon, and I found the landing page asking me to link to a Tidal account a little annoying (thankfully it can be dismissed and will never show up again).



Thank goodness for the Tidal and Roon integration!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I don't plan to stream, having to pay double whammy, no thanks. Pay for the subscription and pay for the higher bandwidth (assuming lossless as I consider 320 not enough), I will buy as long as I can to own the flac albums


----------



## gerelmx1986

Today forgot my xba-z5 at home, using for a while the SE side of my 1A for now, using the boss senns hd20x


----------



## mw7485

n
anaholic said:


> My prediction is that there won't be any music only streaming services in the future - they'll all be gobbed up by massive internet service companies (Amazon, Netflix, Disney, Apple, Google etc) or just pushed out completely by the exact same companies.  The mother company will in the future offer you a core subscription fee giving you access to multiple entertainment services (video, music, ebooks, games - or you can mix and match, like picking cable channels), that's the end goal. It's the only way that these streaming companies can make a profit - by taking money from much more profitable services to subsidize the less profitable branches (or trick you into paying for it but don't use it - just like cable), and have mega scale of operations, and I actually believe most music streaming services today is just gearing up for the day when they will be bought out.




Couldn't agree more. The streaming model isn't an effective standalone business model. 

I had a Tidal account about 18 months ago (the free one month trial), and I found the catalogue VERY limiting. I think they had one Dire Straits album at the time! I immagine its improved, but still I like a lot of odd stuff!  It was kind of handy to dip into new stuff every now and again, but the reality is I can pretty much find the same on the Internet for free and decide whether something warrants further investigation that way. I also don't like the fact that everything I listen to will be recorded and analysed with a view to suggesting more "stuff I might like". Finally, and this is the real Achilles heal for me, If I want to listen off-line, I have to decide in advance what I want to listen to - and make sure it is saved for off-line listening. That is a palava I can do without at my age! I almost think streaming audio is a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist. I have my entire music collection of 9,500 tracks on the 1Z - and I can listen to any of it, at any time that my player has battery power - and I like all of it, no skipping required. With the advent of the 400GB micro SD card, that situation is unlikely to change for quite sometime. Streaming is just a waste of the ether in my book.


----------



## mw7485

gerelmx1986 said:


> Today forgot my xba-z5 at home, using for a while the SE side of my 1A for now, using the boss senns hd20x


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 5, 2017)

The other problem I see with streaming is if an artist decides no longer to offer his /her songs on xyz platform... Users are screwed.

The Sennheiser hd201 being n
Lower tier sound good, that's amazing, but yeah, the need high gain


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sennheiser are so bright, this is how I fixed that lack of bass.


----------



## proedros

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sennheiser are so bright, this is how I fixed that lack of bass.



where is this option found ?


----------



## mw7485

proedros said:


> where is this option found ?



Display the graphic equlaizer, and then touch the toolbox icon. There should be an option for tone control......


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> where is this option found ?


On the equalizer tap the settings menu and you see tone control


----------



## gerelmx1986

@proedros


----------



## Sleepow

nanaholic said:


> I just bought a life time license for Roon, and I found the landing page asking me to link to a Tidal account a little annoying (thankfully it can be dismissed and will never show up again).



I do use Tidal, mostly for my wife's music 
 when exercising. But I still buy the music I like and integrate it with Roon even if available to stream on Tidal.
But I would not mind a USB DAC feature so that in the cases when nostalgia hits me (and I want to listen to heavy metal), I can just load up and stream on my phone an old album used to own, and play it through the 1Z.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am still baffled with these scenarios both Low gain

MDR-Z7 driver 70mm, approx impedance 64-ohm ~ 70-ohm, sensitivity 102dB/mW
Sennheiser HD 201: driver size like 40mm? impedance 24-ohm, sensitivity 108dB/mW

Z7 volume 70 to driveto listeanble levels, and Sennheiser 80H (high gain) i tought Z7 were difficult to drive because ohmm, sensitivity and the huge driver units, but this seems beating the odds for me


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am still baffled with these scenarios both Low gain
> 
> MDR-Z7 driver 70mm, approx impedance 64-ohm ~ 70-ohm, sensitivity 102dB/mW
> Sennheiser HD 201: driver size like 40mm? impedance 24-ohm, sensitivity 108dB/mW
> ...



Lol......the case of....stranger things


----------



## buzzlulu

Sleepow said:


> I do use Tidal, mostly for my wife's music
> when exercising. But I still buy the music I like and integrate it with Roon even if available to stream on Tidal.
> But I would not mind a USB DAC feature so that in the cases when nostalgia hits me (and I want to listen to heavy metal), I can just load up and stream on my phone an old album used to own, and play it through the 1Z.



Not quite sure I am grasping how this feature, if implemented by Sony, would work. 

Are you saying that, as an example, one could run the Tidal app on their iPhone and have a cable connecting the iPhone to the 1Z (lightning iPhone end/Sony proprietary 1Z end) and then use the 1Z as the playback device for Tidal streams (Utopia/Z1R connected) with the iPhone as the controller of Tidal???

This would be AWESOME!


----------



## Sleepow

buzzlulu said:


> Not quite sure I am grasping how this feature, if implemented by Sony, would work.
> 
> Are you saying that, as an example, one could run the Tidal app on their iPhone and have a cable connecting the iPhone to the 1Z (lightning iPhone end/Sony proprietary 1Z end) and then use the 1Z as the playback device for Tidal streams (Utopia/Z1R connected) with the iPhone as the controller of Tidal???
> 
> This would be AWESOME!



That is exactly what I meant and how I used Tidal on my Sony PHA-2


----------



## buzzlulu

Exciting and it would be amazing if this is implemented in future firmware.

Speaking of ROON (which I am now using with my  Linn DS via a SonicOrbiter running Sonore's UpnP Bridge software) - now iPeng has come out with an update allowing an iPhone/iPad to act as a ROON endpoint.

I wonder if (assuming Sony implements this update) the iPhone can be a ROON endpoint and be run though the 1Z?

Have we had any confirmation that Sony will be implementing this firmware update??


----------



## nanaholic

buzzlulu said:


> Exciting and it would be amazing if this is implemented in future firmware.
> 
> Speaking of ROON (which I am now using with my  Linn DS via a SonicOrbiter running Sonore's UpnP Bridge software) - now iPeng has come out with an update allowing an iPhone/iPad to act as a ROON endpoint.
> 
> ...



If Sony implements USB DAC function on the 1Z then it should just be a matter of connecting the iPhone to the 1Z using the Camera Kit just like you would with devices like Mojo etc.


----------



## buzzlulu

Thank you 
Wow this would be wonderful if it was implemented - I have a Mojo which I used prior to getting the 1Z.  The Sony is much better! 

Is this firmware update speculation and a pipe dream or did this rumour start with someone having some inside knowledge or conversations with Sony?


----------



## Whitigir

buzzlulu said:


> Thank you
> Wow this would be wonderful if it was implemented - I have a Mojo which I used prior to getting the 1Z.  The Sony is much better!
> 
> Is this firmware update speculation and a pipe dream or did this rumour start with someone having some inside knowledge or conversations with Sony?



Speculation and pipe dream.....according to what Sony had done with Zx300


----------



## gerelmx1986

MQA not interested
APE meh, when I stumble upon ape files I convert them to FLAC

Bluetooth aptx HD interested somehow for BT. Car head units or wireless speakers.

USB DAC definitely interested in this one


----------



## gerelmx1986

Still no updates for the Music center program? I am still using media go no problems here


----------



## gerelmx1986

Damn, bad news.
On Sony media go website "Media Go downloads will come to an end on December 2017"


----------



## FortisFlyer75

I'm still trying to work out why on my 15 Inch hp 360spectre laptop all the font is way too small, really scrunched up and there is nothing in the settings to change size of font yet my screen resolution on windows is at the recommended setting and if I change it upsets all other programs correct ratio and although the music centre font is a tad bigger it is still not standard size.  Sub menu font size is acceptable however which is strange and also downloaded this on my dad's 17 inch hp envy laptop and has perfectly fine just like media go size font yet on mine is for some reason very very small to point cannot even make out the text with my glasses on!.
Was wandering if it is too do with my screen been a 4k one something going on with the program and screen resolution there? Cannot fathom it out so have to use media to still for now.

See on my dad's copy any dac can be used through this program so guessing another reason why they done this music centre as media go has never worked with third party dacs.


----------



## Dvdlucena (Oct 6, 2017)

DID someone tried  Sony nw1z and chord hugo 2?
i'm looking for some comparisons but didn't find any

thanks


----------



## mw7485

Dvdlucena said:


> DID someone tried  Sony nw1z and chord hugo 2?
> i'm looking for some comparisons but didn't find any
> 
> thanks




I take it you mean a comparison between the two rather than using the 1Z as a source? Have you had a look in the Hugo threads?


----------



## TheTrace

I've been looking for answers to that comparison for a while now and can't find much either. Asked in here a few times too..


----------



## nanaholic

I have both, but I use them completely differently.  Not sure what sort of comparison can be made.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Oct 7, 2017)

Nvmd..


----------



## Kira69

I'm going to buy finally a WM1A.

Who has tried WM1A with iBasso IT03? It's a good synergy?

Any comparison or personal views between WM1A and Mojo?

I really appreciate evety answer. Thanks folks.


----------



## jb001e9634 (Oct 7, 2017)

Kira69 said:


> I'm going to buy finally a WM1A.
> 
> Who has tried WM1A with iBasso IT03? It's a good synergy?
> 
> ...


I've bought a used 1A (400 ish hours on it) and I've had Mojo previously.

I sold the Mojo to go back to an all in 1 solutuion and knew/assumed for the money I'd be spending the SQ wouldn't quite be as good.

Used a Pioneer 100 first, sounded Ok, defo not Mojo, ordered a DX200 next, very good device, punchy, clear sound, lots of detail, wide soundstage, returned that because it got VERY hot and FW issues - shame really.

Bought the 1A, sound is different, still detailed, great bottom end, not as fast as the DX200, I've seen people describe the sound analogue and I would agree, reminds me of full size Rotel pre and power setups I've had previously.

I'm using IE800 with the 1A and it seems a good match. Looking at options to try the balanced output next, but will Need new IEMS.


----------



## aisalen

Kira69 said:


> I'm going to buy finally a WM1A.
> 
> Who has tried WM1A with iBasso IT03? It's a good synergy?
> 
> ...


Yes, it is. I am using IT03 with my 1A in balance. I am using spiral dot ear tip, nothing more to ask in terms of sq.


----------



## pietcux

jb001e9634 said:


> I've bought a used 1A (400 ish hours on it) and I've had Mojo previously.
> 
> I sold the Mojo to go back to an all in 1 solutuion and knew/assumed for the money I'd be spending the SQ wouldn't quite be as good.
> 
> ...



Besides ging balanced I find the Sony EX1000 to pair much better with the WM1A.


----------



## gerelmx1986

pietcux said:


> Besides ging balanced I find the Sony EX1000 to pair much better with the WM1A.


Do you use Source DIRECT or you have it disabled?

with my XBA-Z5 i have DIRECT ON, but with these sennheiser HD201 had to disable it to turn more bass


----------



## eddie0817

The New WM1Z user is here, really love it.

I may need to upgrade my cable to 4.4 mm soon


----------



## Whitigir

Damn, You have all those fancy cables ....combined to be even more pricy than 1z itself


----------



## eddie0817

Whitigir said:


> Damn, You have all those fancy cables ....combined to be even more pricy than 1z itself



Yes, bro.

Previously I am use LOTOO PAW GOLD, just upgrade to 1z yesterday.

List down the cables I have for now

Toxic SW22 v2, GSP 8 wire, piccolino 4 wire
Effect audio Thor ll, + 
PWaudio 1960s 4 wire
Han Sound audio Aurora, Agni, Zen 8 wire

Quite troublesome for me to change their jack to 4.4 mm.


----------



## pietcux

gerelmx1986 said:


> Do you use Source DIRECT or you have it disabled?
> 
> with my XBA-Z5 i have DIRECT ON, but with these sennheiser HD201 had to disable it to turn more bass



I only use Source Direct. I don't mind that all headphones sound a little different. And it saves battery.


----------



## gerelmx1986

eddie0817 said:


> Yes, bro.
> 
> Previously I am use LOTOO PAW GOLD, just upgrade to 1z yesterday.
> 
> ...


Very nice CIEM collection, the ones that have blue crystals bits are so nice, bottom right below the DUNUs and the upper left one too (also like crystals in blue) VE


----------



## Stephen George

jb001e9634 said:


> I'm using IE800 with the 1A and it seems a good match. Looking at options to try the balanced output next, but will Need new IEMS.



i had moon audio modify my ie800s for balanced input, they did a great job


----------



## Kira69

WM1A arrived. It's a beauty. I already updated and uncapped my unit. 

I really need a balanced cable to match my IT03. I loved Black Dragon v2 with my Angie, but sadly Moon Audio only do that cable for 4 pin JH Audio IEMs.

I'm in a search for a warm cable with bottom end and smooth treble, separation, sibilance attenuation and great ergonomics. Any suggestions?



aisalen said:


> Yes, it is. I am using IT03 with my 1A in balance. I am using spiral dot ear tip, nothing more to ask in terms of sq.



Thanks for your opinion. Which cable are you using?


----------



## kubig123

pietcux said:


> I only use Source Direct. I don't mind that all headphones sound a little different. And it saves battery.



Really nice cable collection, not mentioning the ciems.

You should be able to reterminta them and saving some money, otherwise I’m sure some head-fier will be happy to buy them.


----------



## addyg (Oct 7, 2017)

It appeared some HK users of wm1a wm1z are starting of mod it.


----------



## Whitigir

Starting ?
This is Silver UPOCC version wires, front and back...except 3.5mm socket...no need.....and there are more than a few of these modded 1Z out there


----------



## addyg

Whitigir said:


> Starting ?
> This is Silver UPOCC version wires, front and back...except 3.5mm socket...no need.....and there are more than a few of these modded 1Z out there



Release the power....


----------



## aisalen

kubig123 said:


> Really nice cable collection, not mentioning the ciems.
> 
> You should be able to reterminta them and saving some money, otherwise I’m sure some head-fier will be happy to buy them.


I just used a cheap G&V cable from Amazon costing 40usd. Black and the white has different thickness and component but both are good, using the white in my LZ A4.


----------



## jb001e9634 (Oct 8, 2017)

Stephen George said:


> i had moon audio modify my ie800s for balanced input, they did a great job


Good to know, thanks. I'm in UK is that still possible and to 4.4mm?


----------



## Stephen George

jb001e9634 said:


> Good to know, thanks. I'm in UK is that still possible and to 4.4mm?



contact them, they are very responsive, turn around is about a week, u have to ship them your ie800s of course

i have no relationship with them other than a satisfied customer


----------



## gerelmx1986

Why sennheiser hasn't released some IE800 with a detachable cable? that would be great


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> Why sennheiser hasn't released some IE800 with a detachable cable? that would be great




A new updated version should come out soon, this wll have more than one balance cable options. Possibly a 4.4mm cable too.


----------



## mw7485

kubig123 said:


> A new updated version should come out soon, this wll have more than one balance cable options. Possibly a 4.4mm cable too.



Is that from an authoritative source? The cable, followed by the eartips is why I abandoned this amazing little earphone. Although I'm not in the market to have another bite of this particular cherry, I'd like to those little marvels reach their full potential


----------



## kubig123

mw7485 said:


> Is that from an authoritative source? The cable, followed by the eartips is why I abandoned this amazing little earphone. Although I'm not in the market to have another bite of this particular cherry, I'd like to those little marvels reach their full potential



There is a discussion on the ie800 thread, including a link with some pictures of the supposed ie800s and balance cables.

It would definitely be a big step, Sennheiser is jumping on the 4.4mm wagon, I don’t see why they should not used it for their top iem.


----------



## mw7485

kubig123 said:


> There is a discussion on the ie800 thread, including a link with some pictures of the supposed ie800s and balance cables.
> 
> It would definitely be a big step, Sennheiser is jumping on the 4.4mm wagon, I don’t see why they should not used it for their top iem.



Well, this definitely seems to confirm the rumours. Interesting. Good to see someone else jumping on the 4.4mm bandwagon.


----------



## eddie0817

Does anyone has experience on pairing 1z to other device? I know this time 1z can’t use WM port as lineout, only for digital out. 
I may use digital out to treat 1z as a transport to Aroma N10(as a DAC), and the output can be 2.5 trrs balanced signal to 
Mass kobo 404 amp and drive HD800s.

Or has other suggestion that use 1z headphone output(3.5 single end or 4.4 balance) as a line out to the Amplifier， 
and the signal from 1z need to choice high gain with maximum volume?

Thanks


----------



## edhuen

Any one use Campfire Audio Andromeda to pair with WM1A?


----------



## ezekiel77

edhuen said:


> Any one use Campfire Audio Andromeda to pair with WM1A?


@blazinblazin his avatar tells the whole story haha


----------



## blazinblazin (Oct 9, 2017)

Yes? Anyone summon me?


----------



## Whitigir

eddie0817 said:


> Does anyone has experience on pairing 1z to other device? I know this time 1z can’t use WM port as lineout, only for digital out.
> I may use digital out to treat 1z as a transport to Aroma N10(as a DAC), and the output can be 2.5 trrs balanced signal to
> Mass kobo 404 amp and drive HD800s.
> 
> ...



Digital out is great with the Cradle station
4.4mm Out will be best used with low gain and higher volume


----------



## silvahr

edhuen said:


> Any one use Campfire Audio Andromeda to pair with WM1A?



I do. Until now, only SE. Need to sell some gear to get Alo Audio Ref 8 cable 4.4mm.
The WM1A has about 60 hours but until now never heard better portable solution.
The sound is deep and well balanced.
I like this combination a lot more than I used to like Andromeda + iFi Audio micro iDSD Bl, for example.
To me has better control.
I want to try balanced but I could live with SE without problems.


----------



## Ofir_A

blazinblazin said:


> Yes? Anyone summon me?


Have you had a chance to compare it to the Campfire Nova?
I had the opportunity to hear them side by side for only 5 minutes a few weeks ago, and the sound signatures where completely different.

Ofir


----------



## blazinblazin

Ofir_A said:


> Have you had a chance to compare it to the Campfire Nova?
> I had the opportunity to hear them side by side for only 5 minutes a few weeks ago, and the sound signatures where completely different.
> 
> Ofir


Nope i have not heard Nova.
I bet there are quite a few comparison reviews out there


----------



## blazinblazin

silvahr said:


> I do. Until now, only SE. Need to sell some gear to get Alo Audio Ref 8 cable 4.4mm.
> The WM1A has about 60 hours but until now never heard better portable solution.
> The sound is deep and well balanced.
> I like this combination a lot more than I used to like Andromeda + iFi Audio micro iDSD Bl, for example.
> ...



My experience is with SE + Ref8... it sounds Very wide. Cause it sounds like the drum set in front of me is very wide apart.

 4.4mm + Leonidas it gave a lot of depth in front the width of the drum set gets a smaller.


----------



## silvahr

blazinblazin said:


> My experience is with SE + Ref8... it sounds Very wide. Cause it sounds like the drum set in front of me is very wide apart.
> 
> 4.4mm + Leonidas it gave a lot of depth in front the width of the drum set gets a smaller.



I wish Ref 8 4.4mm fullfill my requirements and hopefully will be my end game. I know probably there are better solutions out there, but if with CA Andromeda + NW1A (SE) I'm nearly my goal (if not in my goal), CA Andromeda + NW1A (Bal) should be end of line for a long time.
IMO, the improvements with other systems would be residual (5%, 10%?) so the investement would be redundant.


----------



## eddie0817

Whitigir said:


> Digital out is great with the Cradle station
> 4.4mm Out will be best used with low gain and higher volume


May I know which kind of cable you use for 4.4 mm out ? One side is 4.4 mm male and another side is ? It is balance signal , should be also a jack or 2 3 pin XLR to the amp.

Thanks


----------



## Dithyrambes

hmmm anyone have any desktop gear to compare the wm1a with? Thinking about getting a high end r2r dac, and I remember purk saying the wm1a/wm1z is equivalent to abouta PHA-3, which is marvelous as a portable solution, but I wonder if it is better than say a gumby+vorguze Pure II+ desktop setup....I'm still hestitant because the SONY is so optimized and designed for iems. Its also a fantastic pairing with the andromedas on the balanced connection. Thinking about getting the new soekris r2r dac....hmm choices choices


----------



## Whitigir

eddie0817 said:


> May I know which kind of cable you use for 4.4 mm out ? One side is 4.4 mm male and another side is ? It is balance signal , should be also a jack or 2 3 pin XLR to the amp.
> 
> Thanks



I make my cables, and I do whatever fit  ATM, I use 4.4mm into 3.5mm (Headphones Z1R cables) and toward XLR3 adaptors.  I don’t see any need to further that because I use desktop from another setup


----------



## all999

So, You can't use both outputs at the same time?

Not listening, just burning in


----------



## nc8000

all999 said:


> So, You can't use both outputs at the same time?
> 
> Not listening, just burning in



Nope. Balanced takes precedence when both are plugged in


----------



## Whitigir

Dithyrambes said:


> hmmm anyone have any desktop gear to compare the wm1a with? Thinking about getting a high end r2r dac, and I remember purk saying the wm1a/wm1z is equivalent to abouta PHA-3, which is marvelous as a portable solution, but I wonder if it is better than say a gumby+vorguze Pure II+ desktop setup....I'm still hestitant because the SONY is so optimized and designed for iems. Its also a fantastic pairing with the andromedas on the balanced connection. Thinking about getting the new soekris r2r dac....hmm choices choices



Purk modded 1Z is on the par with Pha-3 from his view.  Not sure about stock.

I do have a desktop system with Stax-009, and all I can say is that the 1Z is an excellent player.  It compact form, the purity in it Dynamic is a pure bliss.  In the mean while I also have Dx200.  I take Dx200 to be on the competitive tier to 1Z for many reason, and pricing is being 1 of it most major reasons.  However, when nit and pick, and all about purity and performances, the 1Z is better


----------



## buzzlulu

I don't have the time to wade through the hundreds of pages dedicated to the DX200 - and I am not letting go of my 1Z anytime soon - however I am interested in streaming and Tidal.
With the DX200 - I assume you are using a jumper cable from 4.4 Pentacon to whatever the DX200 takes (3.5mm?)
Have you run into any software issues with it (as I seem to have read that the software is a bit buggy).

I do know they will be releasing a 4.4 Pentacon amp module for it any day soon.


----------



## Whitigir

buzzlulu said:


> I don't have the time to wade through the hundreds of pages dedicated to the DX200 - and I am not letting go of my 1Z anytime soon - however I am interested in streaming and Tidal.
> With the DX200 - I assume you are using a jumper cable from 4.4 Pentacon to whatever the DX200 takes (3.5mm?)
> Have you run into any software issues with it (as I seem to have read that the software is a bit buggy).
> 
> I do know they will be releasing a 4.4 Pentacon amp module for it any day soon.


2.5mm into female 4.4mm  and that is my solution for now.  The amp4 will have 4.4mm but will not have the line-out 2.5mm.  So...your choice is clear, though they are both pretty much the same.


----------



## bana

eddie0817 said:


> The New WM1Z user is here, really love it.
> 
> I may need to upgrade my cable to 4.4 mm soon


Looking to order my first CIEM to go with my 1Z, since you have a good selection, can you tell me your favourites?


----------



## Tawek

Spiral ear5ult ...


----------



## Whitigir

The ability to express Trebles body and extensions on the 1Z is very crazy.  I literally just realized that it can even express this wind chimes type of instruments too...vivid, and realistic.  Especially the combination of 1Z and Utopia


----------



## kubig123

bana said:


> Looking to order my first CIEM to go with my 1Z, since you have a good selection, can you tell me your favourites?



Here is a very useful thread

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ran...ut-introduction-and-reviews-on-page-1.826876/


----------



## eddie0817

bana said:


> Looking to order my first CIEM to go with my 1Z, since you have a good selection, can you tell me your favourites?


Hi 

It's depends, if you prefer  wider soundstage and extensions , RE2000 is better. If you prefer accurate bass and neutral sounding, VE8. If you prefer resolution and easily to drive, Zeus XR. For neutral sounding with slightly warm, Flamenco.

Kindly noted that RE2000 is not easy to drive , it’s resistant 60 ohm, even if I pair with 1z it gives spark sounding, while I don’t find if I pair with LPG, will try 4.4 soon.


----------



## blazinblazin (Oct 10, 2017)

Cause 1A/Z highs sparkles. So those chimes, cymbals, guitar strings, metal percussions will have these sparkling type of sound.

The first time i experience this was on 4.4mm Sony Kimber Kable. It was a cable filled with lows but it managed to gives sparkle on highs. I was like.. hmm... interesting.


----------



## etc6849

What volume level do you listen to soft tracks with on the Utopia and the 1Z?  I just bought a WM1a (had CEW destination code, so I changed it to US and removed the volume cap, and also updated the firmware).  Today, I made a balanced cable adapter.

It can get pretty loud with a loud track, but probably only slightly above normal listening levels with a lot of my audiophile tracks (e.g. Chesky records, etc...).  I also have it in direct mode, so I haven't tried replay gain, but of course disabled AVLS and set the balanced output to high gain.  Many of these softer songs I play back at 104-106.  If there is some setting I am missing please advise 

I initially tried an Askell & Kern AK100ii player before the WM1a and it wasn't nearly loud enough for me.  It's going back to Adorama.  The Sony is loud enough for my listening levels and music, but I'm new to DAPs and used to having a lot more headroom.

I have to say, the Sony WM1a is an engineering marvel  though.  Probably one of the best blind purchases I have made as I got it for $755 brand new from a ebay best offer!

I had no idea about the efforts Sony went through; they even designed their own Class D chips.  I'm attaching some stuff on S-Master translated from the Japanese Wikipedia site.  This has to be one of the best portable players ever made.  It truly sounds fantastic.



Whitigir said:


> The ability to express Trebles body and extensions on the 1Z is very crazy.  I literally just realized that it can even express this wind chimes type of instruments too...vivid, and realistic.  Especially the combination of 1Z and Utopia


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 10, 2017)

I bought the sony upgrade cable for XBA-Z5 (the 4.4mm one that is not kimber) with accessory Jack because that free shipping option. MUC-M12NB1


----------



## blazinblazin

I read from chinese forum that is not bad too.


----------



## gerelmx1986

After putting the Z1R cables courtesy of @asquare3376  into my MDR-Z7. And while using XBA-Z5 at work and not getting that extra oomph i get with the Z7 + zr1 cables i decided to jump on the wagon. Stock cables suck


----------



## ezekiel77

kubig123 said:


> Here is a very useful thread
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ran...ut-introduction-and-reviews-on-page-1.826876/


Very, very poisonous thread indeed.


----------



## Blueoris

nanaholic said:


> I have both, but I use them completely differently.  Not sure what sort of comparison can be made.



I've been also interested on this comparison for sometime: WM1Z (as digital source / transport)  -> Hugo 2 -> Headphones vs WM1Z -> Headphones. 

First question would be if it is possible to identify each setup in a sort of blind test. 

The second question would be how those setups compare in terms on tonal balance, treble, mid-range, bass, soundstagging, imaging, dynamics, detail (including micro-detail) and musicality in general


----------



## Blommen

Blueoris said:


> I've been also interested on this comparison for sometime: WM1Z (as digital source / transport)  -> Hugo 2 -> Headphones vs WM1Z -> Headphones.
> 
> First question would be if it is possible to identify each setup in a sort of blind test.
> 
> The second question would be how those setups compare in terms on tonal balance, treble, mid-range, bass, soundstagging, imaging, dynamics, detail (including micro-detail) and musicality in general



Well, in the first scenario the Sony wouldn't be doing much other than being pretty. It only feeds data to the Hugo 2, so quality of cable is more important than the the source.

Second scenario is a comparison between wm1z and the Hugo 2, there should be some around.


----------



## Whitigir

I would rate the source is most important, and then quality cables....in the while, both are just as important.  However, can Hugo 2 outperform Wm1Z ? If so, by how much, then taking into account of practicality between stacking and an all in one player....hmmm....

This hobby is much more than just stacking piece by piece of the most expensive one into the chain and thinking that you have the best.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Blueoris said:


> I've been also interested on this comparison for sometime: WM1Z (as digital source / transport)  -> Hugo 2 -> Headphones vs WM1Z -> Headphones.
> 
> First question would be if it is possible to identify each setup in a sort of blind test.
> 
> The second question would be how those setups compare in terms on tonal balance, treble, mid-range, bass, soundstagging, imaging, dynamics, detail (including micro-detail) and musicality in general


pointless to do this as the wm1z/A is being the feeding device in digital format, none of the player's analogue stage components are being used.


----------



## nanaholic

The presentation of the WM1Z and Hugo 2 is very different. 1Z is warmer and smoother, Hugo 2 is brighter and more analytical. You can own both at the same time because they don't really overlap.

Plus the 1Z is a one box solution, the Hugo 2 still requires a digital source. I use the 1Z on the go, the Hugo 2 OTOH is my desktop DAC.


----------



## Blueoris (Oct 13, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> pointless to do this as the wm1z/A is being the feeding device in digital format, none of the player's analogue stage components are being used.



That's exactly the point that makes it valid in my opinion: you are comparing the digital-to-analogue implementation of Sony with the digital-to-analogue implementation of the Hugo (when the Sony's analogue components are inactive).


----------



## thanatosguan

Blueoris said:


> That's exactly the point that makes it valid in my opinion: you are comparing the digital-to-analogue implementation of Sony with the digital-to-analogue implementation of the Hugo (when the Sony's analogue components are inactive).



So you don't really need a WM1Z for the Hugo set up then. Just use whatever transport you have on hand.


----------



## Whitigir

thanatosguan said:


> So you don't really need a WM1Z for the Hugo set up then. Just use whatever transport you have on hand.


Transport will still affect the quality....but using 1Z for Hugo is a bit extreme.  I would understand if u use 1Z as a transporting mean into Desktop DAC, but still extreme....definitely no smartphone 

I would consider anything such as Zx2, A40, Zx100, Zx300 as transportations....beside, there are a lot more if you want Spdif/Coax, fe, DX200.


----------



## thanatosguan

Whitigir said:


> Transport will still affect the quality....but using 1Z for Hugo is a bit extreme.  I would understand if u use 1Z as a transporting mean into Desktop DAC, but still extreme....definitely no smartphone
> 
> I would consider anything such as Zx2, A40, Zx100, Zx300 as transportations....beside, there are a lot more if you want Spdif/Coax, fe, DX200.



Why would the transport affect sound quality?


----------



## Gibraltar

thanatosguan said:


> Why would the transport affect sound quality?


Jitter, electrical noise on the output signal, etc, etc.
Some people will hear huge differences between transports, others will hear none.

In my experience they make a larger contribution than cables but less than a dac change.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I bought the wm1a to listen to it's analogue stage, not to listen to a DAC/amp implementation


----------



## Imusicman

Anyone go to RMAF and hear/try the new Alo gold cable with the 1Z? This is the one Jude refers to in his video. Thanks


----------



## Whitigir

Just go with the one Sony recommend, Kimber Axios Silver.  It is only slightly more expensive than the player itself


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> Just go with the one Sony recommend, Kimber Axios Silver.  It is only slightly more expensive than the player itself




I'll take a dozen then


----------



## Whitigir

mw7485 said:


> I'll take a dozen then



If I made a proposal to my wife using them, I would get a slap in the face....luckily it was a real one


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> If I made a proposal to my wife using them, I would get a slap in the face....luckily it was a real one




...ouch, that would sting! Funny image though, popping the question with a headphone cable in a nice little box with a cheesy grin......


----------



## gerelmx1986

popping the question with headphones cables is better than with a pair of beats


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Whitigir said:


> Just go with the one Sony recommend, Kimber Axios Silver.  It is only slightly more expensive than the player itself



If you don't mind a stiffish cable (when compared to others) with microphonics, other than that the Axios is a lovely soudning cable and piece of art with that unique natural no splitter section.


----------



## gerelmx1986

How do you prevent discoloration of sony anodized aluminum stuff? WM1A's fine but a sony vaio shows discoloration after so much palm resting and same for my XBA-Z5 after just one year of use


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> How do you prevent discoloration of sony anodized aluminum stuff? WM1A's fine but a sony vaio shows discoloration after so much palm resting and same for my XBA-Z5 after just one year of use


 
Stop sweating onto it ...or get a case cover for it and stop touching it lol


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 15, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Stop sweating onto it ...or get a case cover for it and stop touching it lol


 My MDR-Z7 and WM1A are stil fine no discoloration.

best is to to wipe them clean every day?... sony shall put the actual coloring when the metall is a bit hot, but i bet Z5, Z7 and WM1x are CNC machoned with a drill, so , if it's applied with a doubtful method. i think sony shall do like airplane or car makers do, spray paint the CNC' chassis and then coat with a fine laquer


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> My MDR-Z7 and WM1A are stil fine no discoloration.
> 
> best is to to wipe them clean every day?... sony shall put the actual coloring when the metall is a bit hot, but i bet Z5, Z7 and WM1x are CNC machoned with a drill, so , if it's applied with a doubtful method. i think sony shall do like airplane or car makers do, spray paint the CNC' chassis and then coat with a fine laquer



The process Sony use of far better than any paint process used in the automotive industry.

It’s a chemical process that penetrate the material surface, not like any paint application is applied on the surface. It’s much easier to chip the paint of a car that your MW1A.

If you google the PVD process you can get a better idea.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I wiped my wm1a with a slightly dampened cloth with a bit of soap and voila clean smooth, i won't be doing it too frequently tho


----------



## thebratts (Oct 15, 2017)

....


----------



## Matrix Petka

Finally finished reading whole thread...... Thank you all guys for your insights, advises and information.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Matrix Petka said:


> Finally finished reading whole thread...... Thank you all guys for your insights, advises and information.


Whole thread? You mean all of it?


----------



## Matrix Petka

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Whole thread? You mean all of it?



Yes. 1008 pages


----------



## arftech (Oct 15, 2017)

Matrix Petka said:


> Yes. 1008 pages



So, what’s your conclusion? LOL


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Matrix Petka said:


> Yes. 1008 pages


You should write a book about the latest Sony DAPs


----------



## mw7485 (Oct 15, 2017)

arftech said:


> So, what’s your conclusion? LOL




...Sony are cool


----------



## FortisFlyer75

thebratts said:


> ....



Just wandering what your next chapter is going to be now you have sold your WM1A?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Matrix Petka said:


> Yes. 1008 pages


Now make an Essay about the thread


----------



## cthomas

mw7485 said:


> ...Sony are cool


----------



## Matrix Petka

gerelmx1986 said:


> Now make an Essay about the thread



You all wrote the book - BIG one.
In short:
1.You all amazing - crazy passionate about music and WM1Z/A. (Me crazy the same)
2.WM1Z/A - great devices to enjoy.

Thank you guys!


----------



## Matrix Petka

More than two weeks with WM1A. Romancing together with music 

Usually I am very critical with any new toys. With WM1A it was love at first sight right out of the box. I am old school boy and still remember analogue sound – vinyl, tapes. WM1 have something from that golden era, when engineers were constructing with aim for perfection, without minor influence from managers for cutting costs – well-built inside and outside, with meaty old school sound. Sometimes with DSD vinyl rips I had impression that I am listening from superb analogue system, not tiny player siting in my pocket.

Yes, WM1A is best on balanced output with DSD files. Magic of real music reproduction, when you not hear, but feel emotion of artist and instrument. Going to make one SD card just for DSD files.

Yes, I love this player. And have just one wish – USB DAC function for full perfection. Keep fingers crossed.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I also love my WM1A, don't know why people keep saying wm1a is cold sounding.... Certainly it is not


----------



## proedros

well the balanced 4.4 is great indeed , never going back to SE again

also i love my WM1A , glad to see SONY back at the top of the dap game


----------



## larzy

Any news on the upcoming software update?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 16, 2017)

larzy said:


> Any news on the upcoming software update?


I am. Also waiting for this, high hopes for USB DAC functionality.

In the ZX300 thread is being reported that the dap as USB DAC can be fed from a smartphone both Apple and Android devices, not sure if spoty has been reported


----------



## jb001e9634

Looking for opinion/advice, currently listening to WM1A and IE800 and it sounds very good. Considering either a Moon Audio recalling of IE800 or maybe IE800s to use the 4.4 mm output.

What kind of improvement from SE can I expect to hear?

Any other suggestions for balanced IEM or Cans for this DAP?

cheers


----------



## TenderTendon (Oct 16, 2017)

harmonix said:


> The closest thing I can relate it to is when a record player needle first drops on the the lp (crackle, soft pop ?)  ... It's gone in less than a second and just on DSD files though. Strange. I'm wondering if this is common to all the WM1z/1a's or is my unit defective...



This is very common with DSD files that have been pulled from SACD's. The click is in the file itself. It has been discussed to death here. This click is unrelated to the mechanical relay click of the player.


----------



## buzzlulu

larzy said:


> Any news on the upcoming software update?



I thought we determined this was solely wishful thinking on our part without any true information or leaks to back this up?


----------



## proedros

jb001e9634 said:


> Looking for opinion/advice, currently listening to WM1A and IE800 and it sounds very good. Considering either a Moon Audio recalling of IE800 or maybe IE800s to use the 4.4 mm output.
> 
> What kind of improvement from SE can I expect to hear?
> 
> ...




4.4 is a definite improvement from SE - especially on separation/imaging

at least this is what i am perceiving with the 4.4 cables i have


----------



## mw7485

buzzlulu said:


> I thought we determined this was solely wishful thinking on our part without any true information or leaks to back this up?



I have to agree, and I was going to say "lets not go down this path again - we have no concrete evidence ATM that any update will take place" - but you beat me to it - but I said it anyway!


----------



## Matrix Petka

jb001e9634 said:


> Looking for opinion/advice, currently listening to WM1A and IE800 and it sounds very good. Considering either a Moon Audio recalling of IE800 or maybe IE800s to use the 4.4 mm output.
> 
> What kind of improvement from SE can I expect to hear?
> 
> ...



Improvement? No - another dimension in sound. More clarity, better control, perfect separation of instruments, 3D space.  
For IEM from my experience I would recommend Sony MDR Z5. Perfect synergy.
Cans... Well... At the moment Focal Utopia - end of the game, but expensive and very uncomfortable (heavy). My advice - wait for new masterpiece from AKG mastermind engineers - Mysphere 3.1 - http://mysphere.at/ 
Promising to be something very special.


----------



## jb001e9634

Does it need to be a 4.4 mm connector on the cable to the IEM or will a balanced 2.5mm jack through a converter to 4.4 mm work with the 1A?

Cheers


----------



## Matrix Petka

jb001e9634 said:


> Does it need to be a 4.4 mm connector on the cable to the IEM or will a balanced 2.5mm jack through a converter to 4.4 mm work with the 1A?
> 
> Cheers



If you have balanced cable with balanced 2,5mm connector, you can use converter 2,5mm female to 4,4mm male.


----------



## rushofblood

mw7485 said:


> I have to agree, and I was going to say "lets not go down this path again - we have no concrete evidence ATM that any update will take place" - but you beat me to it - but I said it anyway!


It is coming eventually; 


 just a question of what else the update will include.


----------



## ezekiel77

proedros said:


> well the balanced 4.4 is great indeed , never going back to SE again
> 
> also i love my WM1A , glad to see SONY back at the top of the dap game


Yasss for Sony's at least, once you go balanced you never go back. It's like an adrenaline injection.


----------



## pietcux

jb001e9634 said:


> Looking for opinion/advice, currently listening to WM1A and IE800 and it sounds very good. Considering either a Moon Audio recalling of IE800 or maybe IE800s to use the 4.4 mm output.
> 
> What kind of improvement from SE can I expect to hear?
> 
> ...


Get the new IE800S, it comes with the 4.4mm plug and the 3.5mm. No recabling needed. But I find that the IE800 pairs quite well with the WM1A as is. I will wait in this case, got the HD660S with 4.4mm incoming already.


----------



## pietcux

jb001e9634 said:


> Does it need to be a 4.4 mm connector on the cable to the IEM or will a balanced 2.5mm jack through a converter to 4.4 mm work with the 1A?
> 
> Cheers


the 2.5mm connector on the Y-splitter is only 3pin. This needs to be replaced. On the new version they put a 4pin 2.5mm to be able to go balanced to the device.


----------



## proedros

just a heads up to UK/EU people , there is one used/like new *1Z* for sale at amazon.uk

*£1,909.11 *_Amazon Prime TM_
& Eligible for FREE UK Delivery.

*Used - Like New*


----------



## aisalen

Anyone here using xba-a3 with their 1A? I found a half price of the srp and been thinking that it is a steal. Feedback appreciated, thanks.


----------



## thebratts

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Just wandering what your next chapter is going to be now you have sold your WM1A?



Well I have my wm1z so that will do for now.  got it for about 1500euro so in the end it was an easy choice between it and the wm1a. And I'm now used to the weight I'm carrying around


----------



## gerelmx1986

aisalen said:


> Anyone here using xba-a3 with their 1A? I found a half price of the srp and been thinking that it is a steal. Feedback appreciated, thanks.


I am using the xba-z5, pretty smooth, I had the xba-a3 but found it to be sparkly at times (with zx100), perhaps wm1a can tame these sparkliness somehow


----------



## Whitigir

rushofblood said:


> It is coming eventually;  just a question of what else the update will include.


Will we have usb DAC ?


----------



## aisalen

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am using the xba-z5, pretty smooth, I had the xba-a3 but found it to be sparkly at times (with zx100), perhaps wm1a can tame these sparkliness somehow


Thanks, appreciate your feedback. My target actually is either the z5 or ex1000 but I just recently purchased 2 iem (on the way), not high end like the two mentioned but still and can't justify the price yet. Maybe in the future. I want to taste sony's iem sound and how it will pair with 1A so I think I will get them. 165usd in a 9/10 condition is irresistible for me to pass.


----------



## ledzep

aisalen said:


> Anyone here using xba-a3 with their 1A? I found a half price of the srp and been thinking that it is a steal. Feedback appreciated, thanks.



Tried a few over the last 6 months, 64audio campfire audio Sony Z5, A3 and ex1000 plus a few more. For me EX1000 if you don't mind a bit of leakage but for total isolation and these get my gold seal of approval... Etymotic XR's with a pair of snugs on balanced are superb and my only pair of iems now they have the right amount of everything and the drivers are matched to perfection.


----------



## mw7485

proedros said:


> just a heads up to UK/EU people , there is one used/like new *1Z* for sale at amazon.uk
> 
> *£1,909.11 *_Amazon Prime TM_
> & Eligible for FREE UK Delivery.
> ...



.... looks like somebody snapped that one up! Amazon have celebrated by upping their prices on the 1Z - they're now more expensive through Amazon than Advanced MP3 Players, and are now not far short of Sony's prices.


----------



## mw7485

rushofblood said:


> It is coming eventually;  just a question of what else the update will include.



I (may) stand corrected 

However, I will wait on ordering that dish of humble pie until we actually see something in the flesh (as it were) .


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> Will we have usb DAC ?




...Arrrghhhhh. You're at it again  !


----------



## hamhamhamsta

proedros said:


> well the balanced 4.4 is great indeed , never going back to SE again
> 
> also i love my WM1A , glad to see SONY back at the top of the dap game


Proedros, 

Which cable do you like better for 4.4. The Twag/Twau hybrid or PW No 5?

The sad thing at your level now is,  if you want better sound,  you'll need to get better cables.  Unless you're getting 1Z for Christmas


----------



## FortisFlyer75

I would like to see a quick switch to the gain outputs especially when I am at shows constantly switching for different IEM/ headphones. 

Even better quick switches which are customizable so the one you want just hold down for a few seconds to give option to add shortcut as a quick switch. 

I know I am only dreaming now and don't want to give the JP design team a headache!


----------



## FortisFlyer75

thebratts said:


> Well I have my wm1z so that will do for now.  got it for about 1500euro so in the end it was an easy choice between it and the wm1a. And I'm now used to the weight I'm carrying around



You didn't get it during that Amazon Prime day by any chance as I heard from my friend the Gold one had gone for around that price on the day which was a mad price considering. 
Even madder now Amazon have hiked the price up quite a bit to the normal price been nearer the Sony RRP. 
I could certainly get used to the weight if it came up at that price again!  

Personally from what I heard between the 1Z and my 1A is the Gold one is a superior sound in terms of clarity and control and more resolution but could never justify the normal price difference for the extra perfomance much as a old school ES fan I am with that gold finish is sublime and back to their old best with that eye for design detail on both the ergonomics and UI implementation side of it all.  

But if it ever did come around at the £1500 mark again I would certainly think about it weight of a Gold bar or not regardless at that price.


----------



## Matrix Petka

ledzep said:


> Tried a few over the last 6 months, 64audio campfire audio Sony Z5, A3 and ex1000 plus a few more. For me EX1000 if you don't mind a bit of leakage but for total isolation and these get my gold seal of approval... Etymotic XR's with a pair of snugs on balanced are superb and my only pair of iems now they have the right amount of everything and the drivers are matched to perfection.



Hi, ledzep

Would like to ask for your advice. Already using Z5, but thinking about EX1000. How much different they are? Which better?


----------



## ledzep

Matrix Petka said:


> Hi, ledzep
> 
> Would like to ask for your advice. Already using Z5, but thinking about EX1000. How much different they are? Which better?


 Both good in their own way and each to his own as we all here different things, but for me to sum it up and not give a 20 page answer I'd say the Z5 have a punchy bass with a warm sound but not congested and the 1000's are more open sounding probably because they leak a bit but have a nice airy sound with a nice bass punch when needed. I think the overall concession on here is the Z5 are the better iems overall but the 1000's won't disappoint you at all and for the price you can get a pair for these days I'd have both especially if your music collection is a varied one and that's based in them both on balanced.


----------



## all999 (Oct 18, 2017)

ledzep said:


> Both good in their own way and each to his own as we all here different things, but for me to sum it up and not give a 20 page answer I'd say the Z5 have a punchy bass with a warm sound but not congested and the 1000's are more open sounding probably because they leak a bit but have a nice airy sound with a nice bass punch when needed. I think the overall concession on here is the Z5 are the better iems overall but the 1000's won't disappoint you at all and for the price you can get a pair for these days I'd have both especially if your music collection is a varied one and that's based in them both on balanced.



I would like to disagree. Z5 are a good iems, but not even close to EX1000 when You're looking for a reference, open sound with the best bass I have heard (and subbass rumble) in iems. Listening to EX1000 balanced with WM1A right now and am astounded. I didn't believe these could sound better, but properly burned in balance output is a killer. Just got couple of diy cables for testing.

So basically - Z5 are more bassy and more forgiving. EX1000 is a reference, sounds great only with good/really good recordings. The best dynamic iems for a reasonable price. That's what EX1000 are


----------



## ledzep

all999 said:


> I would like to disagree. Z5 are a good iems, but not even close to EX1000 when You're looking for a reference, open sounding sound with the best bass I have heard (and subbass rumble) in iems. Listening to EX1000 balanced with WM1A right now and am astounded. I didn't believe these could sound better, but properly burned in balance output is a killer. Just got couple of diy cables for testing.
> 
> So basically - Z5 are more bassy and more forgiving. EX1000 is a reference, sounds great only with good/really good recordings. The best dynamic iems for a reasonable price. That's what EX1000 are



Mmmm that's basically what I said and to add a bit more in the mix the Etymotic XR's blows the pair out of the water for pure reference iems but some people hate them. I've heard good things about the sound magic 10's and they are £30? So really everyone has their own opinion. Then there is tip rolling to add to it and different builds of cables and daps so it's a try if you can before buying if the money is tight but I still think owing both is a good option. The only reason I sold both pairs was the way they sit in my ears and stick out as at work I'm only supposed to have one in for health and safety reasons but we all know that is a complete waste of time and as I said before it's only my thoughts and the player is on direct no EQ whatsoever I like my sound as is.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Thank you, Ledzep and all999 for sharing your experience.
It looks that EX1000 worth to go into my hunting list. Going to to get Sony fan boy name  
(Already got it


----------



## ledzep

Matrix Petka said:


> Thank you, Ledzep and all999 for sharing your experience.
> It looks that EX1000 worth to go into my hunting list. Going to to get Sony fan boy name
> (Already got it


Your welcome have fun.


----------



## Whitigir

So, has there been ex1000 VS hi fi man 2000 yet ? Lol


----------



## thebratts

FortisFlyer75 said:


> You didn't get it during that Amazon Prime day by any chance as I heard from my friend the Gold one had gone for around that price on the day which was a mad price considering.
> Even madder now Amazon have hiked the price up quite a bit to the normal price been nearer the Sony RRP.
> I could certainly get used to the weight if it came up at that price again!
> 
> ...



Hi
Actually bought it on amazon auctions Japan. Unused .. 
Then managed to get it to me without VAT and customs charges...


----------



## all999

I have just take a look at Sony's support site and found out 1.20 firmware update was released on 22.03.2017. Seven months without an update? Is it standard for them? Hope next one gonna be huge!


----------



## gerelmx1986

It's rumored it comes next month, with big features


----------



## nc8000

all999 said:


> I have just take a look at Sony's support site and found out 1.20 firmware update was released on 22.03.2017. Seven months without an update? Is it standard for them? Hope next one gonna be huge!



Why make changes to perfection 

No nothing is perfect but for me and my use I can’t imagine anything that would improve what I have now.


----------



## all999 (Oct 18, 2017)

nc8000 said:


> Why make changes to perfection
> 
> No nothing is perfect but for me and my use I can’t imagine anything that would improve what I have now.



Just to mention three changes I'm waiting for :

1. Imoroving scrolling albums/artist list when You have album arts (loading grsphics and stuttering while scrolling)

2. Search function

3. Making a quick access to shuffle button.

First one is a must, second and third one are just my wishes.

Also usb dac functionality would be nice


----------



## nc8000

all999 said:


> Just to mention two changes I'm waiting for :
> 
> 1. Imoroving scrolling albums/artist list when You have album arts (loading grsphics and stuttering while scrolling)
> 
> ...



Yes I dare say scrolling could be a bit smoother but it’s fine as it is for me. 

Shuffle and usb dac I personally have no use for but I understand that others might


----------



## nycdoi

I saw this wm1a 2017 model on amazon. can anyone tell me whats the difference between the original and the 2017 model? thanks


----------



## all999

nycdoi said:


> I saw this wm1a 2017 model on amazon. can anyone tell me whats the difference between the original and the 2017 model? thanks



Link please. I don't think there is a new revision.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

thebratts said:


> Hi
> Actually bought it on amazon auctions Japan. Unused ..
> Then managed to get it to me without VAT and customs charges...



That is cool when something like this happens and nice to see it come off, must feel like a £1500 bargain when you see how much it cost RRP and only another £400 on top to the 1A model  RRP price.  I still like my 1A but have heard the 1Z long enough now over two sessions to know where the 1A is lacking clarity to the 1Z.  



all999 said:


> I have just take a look at Sony's support site and found out 1.20 firmware update was released on 22.03.2017. Seven months without an update? Is it standard for them? Hope next one gonna be huge!



You will find Sony are never one for releasing many updates on their daps like some companies do out there.  

With these players been different to anything they have ever done before and been their flagship which has actually gained momentum in widespread recognistion even in the head-fi world which these will probably be the most any Sony Walkman has had updates applied to and feel as long as the updates add to what is already good without taking away anything I don't mind updates been sparse as they are compared to some other Chinese daps out there that release them like confetti becuase they have bug after bug on them firefighting the last F/W update to solve that bug only to bring a new one with it.   

Hopefully the next update will bring some goodies that will impress us all saying that...



all999 said:


> Just to mention two changes I'm waiting for :
> 
> 1. Imoroving scrolling albums/artist list when You have album arts (loading grsphics and stuttering while scrolling)
> 
> ...



I don't find since updaating to 1,20 that No.1 on your list is such an issue, i think when there is a SD card full on there malgumated in with the internal storage and you scroll down very quickly there will always be a slight fraction of a second delay in the album art appearing whilst it all catches up with itself but not had stuttering as such since the update. 

I don't find No.2 so bad as only two button presses away anway although if could be toggled on playing screen would be more handy or easier and quicker if doing this on the move.  

I wouldn't say no to a USB function if they could and did do it


----------



## nycdoi

all999 said:


> Link please. I don't think there is a new revision.



https://www.amazon.com/Sony-NW-WM1A...3?ie=UTF8&qid=1508352779&sr=8-3&keywords=wm1a

its sold by amazon.


----------



## all999

FortisFlyer75 said:


> I don't find since updaating to 1,20 that No.1 on your list is such an issue, i think when there is a SD card full on there malgumated in with the internal storage and you scroll down very quickly there will always be a slight fraction of a second delay in the album art appearing whilst it all catches up with itself but not had stuttering as such since the update.
> 
> I don't find No.2 so bad as only two button presses away anway although if could be toggled on playing screen would be more handy or easier and quicker if doing this on the move.
> 
> I wouldn't say no to a USB function if they could and did do it




Other daps can do that without stuttering so I assume it's not so difficult. Not a deal breaker but I find it a little annoying.





nycdoi said:


> https://www.amazon.com/Sony-NW-WM1A...3?ie=UTF8&qid=1508352779&sr=8-3&keywords=wm1a
> 
> its sold by amazon.




This is odd. And it's more expensive. Maybe someone here will have something more to say, but I'm pretty sure there is only one WM1A.


----------



## Stephen George

all999 said:


> Just to mention three changes I'm waiting for :




  how bout an album/cover view more akin to the ak240...with the albums filling the screen like tiles


----------



## Stephen George

nycdoi said:


> its sold by amazon.



if you go to the "earlier" model, marked with "Amazons Choice" it does not say "there's a newer version available" and link to the 2017 model...perhaps this is just signaling "new" stock...


----------



## FortisFlyer75

all999 said:


> Other daps can do that without stuttering so I assume it's not so difficult. Not a deal breaker but I find it a little annoying.
> 
> 
> Funny, I find most daps I come across like this when I try them at shows and they never have much music on them, just the bare minimum demo music loaded on although not life threatining it would be nice if it did load instant no matter how fast it is scrolled at.  I found it very annoying before that 1.20 update which was almost unbearable, that is what I called stuttering!  Glad they fixed it with the update though.  Maybe it will be even better on this side of it with next update soon you never know...





Stephen George said:


> how bout an album/cover view more akin to the ak240...with the albums filling the screen like tiles



This is a thing I missed that my ZX1 had with the been able to just browse by album cover was nice and honestly thought like the ZX1 (which of course was android) had the view like the 1A with the small album thumb nails with the artist and album title next to it then swiping to one side one change the view to larger album covers only to scroll through which was cool and would love to see that on the 1A.  I actually was looking for it when I first got the 1a assuming it would of been there but alas sadly not.  

Live in hope Sony have a trick up their sleeve if the update is a big one!


----------



## NoMythsAudio

all999 said:


> Other daps can do that without stuttering so I assume it's not so difficult. Not a deal breaker but I find it a little annoying.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


There is no difference and no newer model. The 1st set sold were by Buywise, cheaper at $1099. This more expensive one is been sold directly by amazon and slapping 2017 on it is just a description, perhaps when it became available for sale by amazon. Definitely NOT a different nor newer model.


----------



## nycdoi

NoMythsAudio said:


> There is no difference and no newer model. The 1st set sold were by Buywise, cheaper at $1099. This more expensive one is been sold directly by amazon and slapping 2017 on it is just a description, perhaps when it became available for sale by amazon. Definitely NOT a different nor newer model.



thanks for clarifying that. so buying directly from amazon for full price is not a good option huh.


----------



## mw7485

Anyone in the UK (or Europe) looking for someone to make good quality adapters for the 1A/1Z should check out Custom Cans. They are now offering 4.4mm in their adapter drop down lists - after a bit of nudging from me. Cheap, fast delivery and excellent quality. My adapter was manufactured & delivered in 6 days, and cost just £28.00 - including first class shipping. The price has increased by £8 (for the 4.4mm plug) - but they still represent excellent value, and the finish is perfect. I am not affiliated with Custom Cans in anyway, beyond being a very happy customer!




Linky


----------



## proedros (Oct 19, 2017)

i have decided to simply have my CIEM cables reterminated into 4.4 or buy them new with 4.4 termination

already had my whiplash hybrid 4.4 modified and bought pwaudio no5 with 4.4 termination 

as i am probably keeping wm1a for the next 1-2 years at least and will probbaly move on up then to 1z or a new sony flagship dap which will also have 4.4 balanced i am cool with having 4.4 cables

in fact i am very happy with how sony is back into the DAP business , and wm1a is a clear step up from zx2 which served me well for the last 2 years


----------



## aisalen

As I had said before, coming from Fiio X5/12a, Aune m2pro and Opus1. 1A is totally in a different league and I have nothing more to ask for. Battery life alone is a total upgrade for me, and I notice that it is less time for me to charge it. I do not use fast charging anymore. And the sound quality is super. Really an end game dap for me.


----------



## mw7485

proedros said:


> i have decided to simply have my CIEM cables reterminated into 4.4 or buy them new with 4.4 termination
> 
> already had my whiplash hybrid 4.4 modified and bought pwaudio no5 with 4.4 termination
> 
> ...



The 1Z is my end game (along with the Z5 and ER4), I do not expect to buy any more music related hardware for years to come - I have attained audio enlightenment . I have no interest whatsoever in buying anything else. With a recently acquired 400GB micro-sd card, I'm all set for a long time of further music acquisition & enjoyment. About the only thing I will contemplate, is a battery replacement should the 1Z become discontinued. If the ER4 go on the fritz, I will get the ER4XR as a replacement, but only then. Ohhhmmm.


----------



## blazinblazin

You would probably change when 1Z2 comes out


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am. Also set with my WM1A, it is t he best sound quality I have ever heard, especially balanced. Having used a zx100, I'd dare to say wm1a beats it in every way.


----------



## mw7485

blazinblazin said:


> You would probably change when 1Z2 comes out



I don't think so - unless it contained something stunning and I could acquire one on a cost neutral basis. Each time I've moved, its been for a reason. I moved from the Cowon P1 because it became apparent the battery life was impractical for prolonged DSD playback. I moved from the ZX2 primarily because I ran out of space and because the the 1Z was available for a knock-down price that was unlikely to be repeated. The 1Z however, ticks all my boxes. I'm not even keeping an eye on what's surfacing in the way of DAPs - no point. Yes I would like some changes to the UI, but these are not deal breakers, so whilst I have learned never say never, I'm totally happy with what I have right now and really don't see that changing for the foreseeable future.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Xba-z5 in balanced + 24/96 bliss


----------



## EagleWings (Oct 19, 2017)

Hey guys, I don't know if you guys saw it, Nic made a post about the Music Sanctuary mod for the Sony players on his thread:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ran...views-on-page-1.826876/page-362#post-13791798


----------



## kubig123

EagleWings said:


> Hey guys, I don't know if you guys saw it, Nic made a post about the Music Sanctuary mod for the Sony players on his thread:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ran...views-on-page-1.826876/page-362#post-13791798



I read it, consider it, but I decided to stay with the regular WM1Z, I already enjoy the dap as it is and this mod is a hit or miss.


----------



## Imusicman

EagleWings said:


> Hey guys, I don't know if you guys saw it, Nic made a post about the Music Sanctuary mod for the Sony players on his thread:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ran...views-on-page-1.826876/page-362#post-13791798


I read it too. Interesting but not for me. I like it exactly as it is


----------



## Matrix Petka

EagleWings said:


> Hey guys, I don't know if you guys saw it, Nic made a post about the Music Sanctuary mod for the Sony players on his thread:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ran...views-on-page-1.826876/page-362#post-13791798



Nice post. But - 700USD for mod, not knowing what it will be modded? Lot of money, warranty void - it would be nice to have more information, not only nice description of sound (subjective one, anyway). Some more details, please.
P.S.Strange, that this information was posted not here.


----------



## SoLame

Matrix Petka said:


> Nice post. But - 700USD for mod, not knowing what it will be modded? Lot of money, warranty void - it would be nice to have more information, not only nice description of sound (subjective one, anyway). Some more details, please.
> P.S.Strange, that this information was posted not here.



I think it is in Singapore dollars, "... The WM1A/Z Mod is priced at $699 SGD._"_


----------



## hamhamhamsta

I'm curious,  what kind of mod this is...


----------



## gerelmx1986

maybe they swap some components like resistors, caps, but as it says it is completely reversible... perhaps is one of those "smoking weeds" stickers and so on...


----------



## EagleWings

Hey guys, given that 1Z doesn't have a dedicated Line-Out function, is there any work around you have come up with to feed an analog signal to an amp?


----------



## nc8000

EagleWings said:


> Hey guys, given that 1Z doesn't have a dedicated Line-Out function, is there any work around you have come up with to feed an analog signal to an amp?



Use one of the headphone outs and max the player volume


----------



## Whitigir

hamhamhamsta said:


> I'm curious,  what kind of mod this is...


I am curious too ! Impression about the mod without details ? Lol....


gerelmx1986 said:


> maybe they swap some components like resistors, caps, but as it says it is completely reversible... perhaps is one of those "smoking weeds" stickers and so on...


Swapping component would be “irreversible”


----------



## purk (Oct 20, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> I am curious too ! Impression about the mod without details ? Lol....
> 
> Swapping component would be “irreversible”



Yup.  I think the mod is likely very similar to the mod that you have done to my 1Z which I'm quite happy off.  The stock 1Z is a very nice sounding player but one of its weakest shortcoming is the width of the soundstage especially compared to my PHA-3 and better system out there.  With your silver & gold output wire mod in place of the braided Kimber Kable, the modded 1Z now has a significantly wider soundstage to go along with better bass line especially those deepest octaves while retaining all of the tonal balanced that the 1Z is famous for.  This mod that @Whitigir has done for me was not a placebo because I had the opportunity to compare the stock and the modified player side by side using both my recabled Sony MDR-SA5000 and Focal Utopia before making decision.  Hell I even made two identical adapters to allow instant switching so I can directly compared between stock and modded units.    With the modded 1Z, my portable dream player is finally realized.  The PHA-3 will soon go to a good home.


----------



## addyg

Matrix Petka said:


> Nice post. But - 700USD for mod, not knowing what it will be modded? Lot of money, warranty void - it would be nice to have more information, not only nice description of sound (subjective one, anyway). Some more details, please.
> P.S.Strange, that this information was posted not here.



In HK, there is a shop which mod the dp-x1 series and then the wm1a wm1z. This mod is only 200usd with wire, shielding, capacitors, grounding changes. Check out Romi Audio on FB.


----------



## addyg

I think the easy mod is to change the earphone jack four wire to different wires. This is like change of cable in IEM.  

The second mod is shielding of electron radiation components (this is traditional mod on many amplifier/dac desktop type)

The most difficult mod is change of components such as capacitor/resistors as the wm1a wm1z use a sealed PCB process after all components are installed. That means you need to break this seal in order to reach the components. The seal is a wax type.


----------



## purk

addyg said:


> *I think the easy mod is to change the earphone jack four wire to different wires. This is like change of cable in IEM*.
> 
> The second mod is shielding of electron radiation components (this is traditional mod on many amplifier/dac desktop type)
> 
> The most difficult mod is change of components such as capacitor/resistors as the wm1a wm1z use a sealed PCB process after all components are installed. That means you need to break this seal in order to reach the components. The seal is a wax type.



And that's all you need to do to the WM1Z IMO.  Kimber Kable is great but there are better wire option out there.  IMO, changing out components is unwarranted as it can put stress on those PCB boards.  But yes, the WM1Z can actually get better.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Oct 20, 2017)

purk said:


> And that's all you need to do to the WM1Z IMO.  Kimber Kable is great but there are better wire option out there.  IMO, changing out components is unwarranted as it can put stress on those PCB boards.  But yes, the WM1Z can actually get better.


Purk,

How is Utopia with WM1Z? Do you need to get amp or 1Z has enough juice to do Utopia justice? I was thinking of buying Utopia during Adorama Utopia sale at $2300 but not sure if 1Z has enough juice. And how do you get a 4.4 cable for Utopia, any good ones out there or Whitigirl, you can make one for me? Lol, I'll have to wait for another Utopia sale.

Also, did you play 1Z direct? I use equalizer, and since the modded 1Z has improved treble, eq can make the sounds better. If you do, can you tell me your eq info?


This is the eq that I used; I got this from King Rudi Facebook post.

0      /       1       /     0         /     3        /     2       /       5          /     4      /         6    /          5        /        7
31  /  62   / 125  /  250  /  500  /  1000  /  2000  /  4000  /  8000  /  16000

I found this eq reveals a lot of the vocal emotions; aka making the vocal more emotional. It's bright but because 1Z somehow rounded the treble sharp edges, its quite enjoyable.



I'm not really a treblehead, I prefer bass, but slowly turning to one because of 1Z good equalizer implementation &  improved treble.


----------



## all999

hamhamhamsta said:


> Purk,
> 
> How is Utopia with WM1Z? Do you need to get amp or 1Z has enough juice to do Utopia justice? I was thinking of buying Utopia during Adorama Utopia sale at $2300 but not sure if 1Z has enough juice. @nd thing, how d oyou get a 4.4 cable for Utopia, any good ones out there or Whitigirl, you can make one for me? Lol, I'll have to wait for another Utopia sale.
> 
> ...



So WM1Z have worse treble than WM1A? Because I find 1A's treble superb.

Come on guys, magic modes and ready EQ presets on 2,5k$ dap? Don't You think Sony would do that in the original project if it's so much better?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

all999 said:


> So WM1Z have worse treble than WM1A? Because I find 1A's treble superb.
> 
> Come on guys, magic modes and ready EQ presets on 2,5k$ dap? Don't You think Sony would do that in the original project if it's so much better?



Actually, regular 1Z has better treble than 1A, I have both. Modded 1Z has even better treble than regular 1Z, because replacing kimber cable with pure gold/silver Mundorf cable means removing greater part of warmth, leading to greater clarity and improved resolution.

Think of modded 1Z as supercharged 1A, with slight warmth to music, very musical & better dynamics and better treble. It's still analogue sound, but with very high clarity and resolution.


Nick said he prefer modded 1Z to AK Ultimate, which has neutral sound. Regular 1Z has lots of warmth, very analogue sounds, while AK sounds are thinner, but with extreme clarity & resolution.  Modded 1Z is somewhere in between, keeping much of analogue feel, with less warmth, but greater clarity, resolution & better treble. 



Now, I I wonder where modded 1Z sounds quality stands compared to AK SP1000?


----------



## purk (Oct 20, 2017)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Purk,
> 
> How is Utopia with WM1Z? Do you need to get amp or 1Z has enough juice to do Utopia justice? I was thinking of buying Utopia during Adorama Utopia sale at $2300 but not sure if 1Z has enough juice. And how do you get a 4.4 cable for Utopia, any good ones out there or Whitigirl, you can make one for me? Lol, I'll have to wait for another Utopia sale.
> 
> ...



Given the Utopia's efficiency and slightly brighter tonal balanced, it is a great match with the 1Z.  A headphones that is already too warm will likely be a little too much with the 1Z.  You can EQ all you want but it will not effect the size of soundstage as well as inner details & resolution.  I personally highly recommended the Utopia & 1Z combo.  The Utopia of course will sound even better out of higher end desktop rigs out there.  With that said, the 1Z + Utopia is a very musical combo and each component compliments each other very very well.  I also reterminate my own Utopia's cable and the Effect Audio jack along with Pentaconn 4.4 mm are a great choice.  I believe Furutech is coming out with their very own 4.4 mm jack very soon and likely the best sonic option.  It will not be cheap however..



hamhamhamsta said:


> Actually, regular 1Z has better treble than 1A, I have both. Modded 1Z has even better treble than regular 1Z, because replacing kimber cable with pure gold/silver Mundorf cable means removing greater part of warmth, leading to greater clarity and improved resolution.
> 
> Think of modded 1Z as supercharged 1A, with slight warmth to music, very musical & better dynamics and better treble. It's still analogue sound, but with very high clarity and resolution.
> 
> ...



I have to agree with your statement. A simple rewiring and the 1Z can get even better.  I also notice improved resolution but the most meaningful improvement for me is the width of soundstage and even more textured bass notes especially those lowest of the lows.  Inner resolution and sense of clarity along with treble are also improved but to a smaller degree for me.  Again, I was able to do a direct comparison and without relying on auditory memory.  The great thing about the mod is that it is more of enhancement and does not change the overall tonal balanced of the 1Z for me.


----------



## Whitigir

Yes, my favorite portable combo is utopia and Wm1z .  Totally recommended


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> Yes, my favorite portable combo is utopia and Wm1z .  Totally recommended



One of the best portable sets for ultimate fitness. About 1KG (with cable) in total. Self defense course recommended.   Or body guard.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think at the end of year my WM1A will have 3000 hours


----------



## EagleWings

nc8000 said:


> Use one of the headphone outs and max the player volume



Great, thanks!


----------



## denis1976

After having the 1Z and loving it, i move to sp1000cu and yes the cu version is the answer , it has a sound with almost the same organic feeling , but with better detail, i think that the ss version is thiner sounding, but i say again i love, LOVE the sound of the stock 1Z


----------



## kubig123

denis1976 said:


> After having the 1Z and loving it, i move to sp1000cu and yes the cu version is the answer , it has a sound with almost the same organic feeling , but with better detail, i think that the ss version is thiner sounding, but i say again i love, LOVE the sound of the stock 1Z



Interesting, I would like to try the SP1000 but now that 95% of my cables have a 4.4mm plug I'm not going to move back to the 2.5mm anymore.

I hope also AK will join the 4.4mm bandwagon.


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> Interesting, I would like to try the SP1000 but now that 95% of my cables have a 4.4mm plug I'm not going to move back to the 2.5mm anymore.
> 
> I hope also AK will join the 4.4mm bandwagon.



I smell that AK may release an amp module for SP1000 with both 4.4mm and 2.5mm in the future  however way to dip in your pocket


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> I smell that AK may release an amp module for SP1000 with both 4.4mm and 2.5mm in the future  however way to dip in your pocket



Great news I was trying to save for the Tia Fourte and and now you tell me that???? 

joking aside it would be great if AK will release an amp with 4.4mm as ibasso should do with his dx200, I hope everybody else we'll follow.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will be a sony fan, i like the walkman sound


----------



## Lavakugel

Need some new music (off topic). What is your favourite album on WM1Z/A. Which one do you listen most?


----------



## Tawek

I love Astronaut Ape
*Albums*




The Mirror ‎(8xFile, FLAC, Album) Microcosmos Records 



Ten Minutes Eternity Microcosmos Records 2013



Flight 420 Microcosmos Records 2014



Unknown Sector ‎(9xFile, FLAC, Album, 24 ) Microcosmos Records
*Singles & EPs*



A Little Closer To The Stars Microcosmos Records 2012


----------



## Tawek

1z+se5ult


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Lavakugel said:


> Need some new music (off topic). What is your favourite album on WM1Z/A. Which one do you listen most?



Where do I start, I think I would still take up two pages on here with that list! 

I am more mixed tracks than entire album listens in last few months...Looking at my bookmark page currently which i used for testing gear out at a show in London last month:

Muse - Dig Down 96/24
Premitive Radio Gods - Standing outside a broken telephone booth with money in my hand
Beyonce Feat Jack white - Dont hurt yourself.
Eagles - Hotel California 
Rag 'n' Bone Man - Human
Dolly Parton Jolene (Slowdown mix) 
Kaki King - Ingots
Kaleo - No Good
Nothing But Thieves - Excuse Me
Groegory Porter - Liquid Spirit
Yello - The Race (remastered) & Darkside
Hanz Zimmer - Detach (from Interstellar) 
Noah Wall - Down by the river
Fleetwood Mac - The Chain (remastered) 
Lenny Kravitz - I belong to you
Haim - Want you back 96/24
LP - No witness


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Tawek said:


> I love Astronaut Ape
> *Albums*
> 
> 
> ...



Liking this
Reminiscent of Public Service Boradcast with some songs. 
Thanks for the sharing your Walkman tracks


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Idea to Sony team for future update...

One thing I would like to see Sony do for those of us that use the Walkman dock for the 1A/1Z Walkmans is a option in the display menu when it is docked the display will automatically stay on when docked as I like to have it on when using in the dock sometimes and have to set the time setting to keep it set to stay on and then when I go back to using out of the dock have to go back in to change back to usual pre set display time out to swith off after so many seconds. I wouldn't mind but I can be changing between dock and normal use quite often so would be great if something like this could be incporated into an update or at worse if not just a quicker shortcut to the display time options to change it.....


----------



## Matrix Petka

Lavakugel said:


> Need some new music (off topic). What is your favourite album on WM1Z/A. Which one do you listen most?



Some my recent findings with perfectly recorded music:

Raizes 2016 Raizes DSD
Coleman Hawkins 1965 Wrapped Tight DSD
Lori Lieberman - 2013 - Bricks Against The Glass HR DSD

Native DSD reproduction of Sony 1Z - fantastic on balanced.


----------



## NaiveSound

How is the sound different of the wm1z compared to the chord mojo sound?


----------



## Whitigir

NaiveSound said:


> How is the sound different of the wm1z compared to the chord mojo sound?


I don't think there is any comparisons as people who wants 1Z will not look at Mojo and vice versa....just too different pricing and features


----------



## gerelmx1986

I listen to classics only but yeah i have some favorite albums

- Variations Golberg / Pierre Hantaï / Opus 111 (16/44.1)
- Striggio: Mass for 40 and 60 Voices / Le Concert Spirituel /GLOSSA music (24/88.2)
- Biber: Missa Bruxellensis / Jordi Savall /Alia Vox (16/44.1)
- Biber: Requiem á 15, Battaglia / Jordi Savall / Alia Vox (16/44.1)
- Bach: Clavier Übung I / Martin Gester / Ligia (24/96)
- Beethoven 9. Symphonie /H.V. Karajan / DG (16/44) [1985-1988 DDD cycle]
- JS BACH: The four great Toccatas and Fugues / E. Power Biggs/ Sony classical (Columbia records) (16/44.1)

and many more


----------



## Quadfather (Oct 21, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I listen to classics only but yeah i have some favorite albums
> 
> - Variations Golberg / Pierre Hantaï / Opus 111 (16/44.1)
> - Striggio: Mass for 40 and 60 Voices / Le Concert Spirituel /GLOSSA music (24/88.2)
> ...



Lately, I am doing a lot of Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi, and Brahms next to Lamb of God, Hellyeah, Mudvayne, Disturbed, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Godsmack, and Alice in Chains...Dio, Black Sabbath, Five Finger Death Punch, and Ozzy Osbourne too. Oh, Rush Moving Pictures and 2112 too.


----------



## gerelmx1986

To get a glimpse how big my library is 2, 966 Albums or 49, 844 Tracks, that's why is difficult to chose my favorites, so I only made a partial of what i LIKE MOST


----------



## Whitigir (Oct 22, 2017)

purk said:


> Yup.  I think the mod is likely very similar to the mod that you have done to my 1Z which I'm quite happy off.  The stock 1Z is a very nice sounding player but one of its weakest shortcoming is the width of the soundstage especially compared to my PHA-3 and better system out there.  With your silver & gold output wire mod in place of the braided Kimber Kable, the modded 1Z now has a significantly wider soundstage to go along with better bass line especially those deepest octaves while retaining all of the tonal balanced that the 1Z is famous for.  This mod that @Whitigir has done for me was not a placebo because I had the opportunity to compare the stock and the modified player side by side using both my recabled Sony MDR-SA5000 and Focal Utopia before making decision.  Hell I even made two identical adapters to allow instant switching so I can directly compared between stock and modded units.    With the modded 1Z, my portable dream player is finally realized.  The PHA-3 will soon go to a good home.


Thank you Purk!  Yet, while I was very satisfied with the stock 1Z, I found that the width of staging was somewhat restrained and held back.  I really did not wanted to open up the 1Z and tinker around such expensive player.  However, my heart of enthusiasm knows no-ends, and before I realized it.....it just happened...LOL...

In the end, I really enjoyed more of the soundstage and vivid tonal body from the process.  Those are the most obvious improvements without nit picking other minuscule details.  More likely the 1A will also see some improvements after the mods, but just as long as you are using the same wires, and the same labor, then why putting it on 1A


----------



## psikey

Anybody also got/tried one of the new ZX300's to compare to the WM1? Especially via balanced.


----------



## blazinblazin

From a HK forum.
PW 1960 cable mod.


----------



## Quadfather

I now have 301 hours on my Sony NW-WM1A's balanced output, and it is quickly becoming my favorite DAP.


----------



## rtjoa

blazinblazin said:


> From a HK forum.
> PW 1960 cable mod.



Do you have the link?
I am interested to mod one day but I am not sure which cable to use silver gold or PW Audio 1960.


----------



## Quadfather

Lavakugel said:


> Need some new music (off topic). What is your favourite album on WM1Z/A. Which one do you listen most?



Rush Moving Pictures and any Chick Corey is great.  Miles Davis Kind of Blue too.


----------



## Quadfather (Oct 22, 2017)

Dio, Holy Diver album song in 44.1/16 bit called Caught in the Middle had this annoying cymbal, piercing ring, but the recent 96/24 bit purchase doesn't. The higher pitch is still there, but the cymbals sound pleasant and natural. I am using Sony NW-WM1A.  The Rush catalog from hdtracks.com in 96/24 puts the lifeless,  recent CD remasters to shame.


----------



## TenderTendon

I went ahead and bought the SP1000, hoping it would fit my needs better than the 1A/Z. It took less than 2 hours to decide to return it for refund. Despite all of its shortcomings, I feel the 1A/Z is still the player to beat right now.


----------



## Quadfather

TenderTendon said:


> I went ahead and bought the SP1000, hoping it would fit my needs better than the 1A/Z. It took less than 2 hours to decide to return it for refund. Despite all of its shortcomings, I feel the 1A/Z is still the player to beat right now.



I love my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and Questyle QP1R, but I believe that my Sony NW-WM1A is the most "complete" player in my stable.


----------



## TenderTendon

psikey said:


> Anybody also got/tried one of the new ZX300's to compare to the WM1? Especially via balanced.



I've had the ZX300A for a few days now. Without getting into too much detail, I will say that the ZX300 is a fantastic player. I initially bought it for the gym/running/cycling, but I find myself grabbing it more and more. I think it will be a huge success. SQ is on par with the 1A/Z. The ZX300 is better than the 1A/Z in several ways. I think it's a much better value.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

TenderTendon said:


> I went ahead and bought the SP1000, hoping it would fit my needs better than the 1A/Z. It took less than 2 hours to decide to return it for refund. Despite all of its shortcomings, I feel the 1A/Z is still the player to beat right now.



What shortcomings are they then?...

I must admit I tried the Sp1000 extinsevely for quite a while over two days at the Indulgence show recently and much as I tried to like it for me is the same as all their other high end models and although the thing is like a piece of art and can kill somoene with one blow with those sharp corners it still isn't there for me compared to a lot of other players costing less.  I actually preffered the new mrkII AK70 model which is very good for the money and think AK should start to take a leaf out of their lower end models to an extent.


----------



## psikey

TenderTendon said:


> I've had the ZX300A for a few days now. Without getting into too much detail, I will say that the ZX300 is a fantastic player. I initially bought it for the gym/running/cycling, but I find myself grabbing it more and more. I think it will be a huge success. SQ is on par with the 1A/Z. The ZX300 is better than the 1A/Z in several ways. I think it's a much better value.



That's good to hear as I prefer the size/weight of the ZX300. Should get one to try out in next few days. I had a ZX2 but not the 1A.


----------



## TenderTendon

FortisFlyer75 said:


> What shortcomings are they then?...



Shortcomings for me: Annoying mechanical relay clicks. Audible electrical clicks when changing volume. Volume change overshoot (e.g. If you change volume from 50 to 100, volume will continue to increase for a while after releasing the button). No search function. Poor sound setting management (equalizer works absolutely perfect, but no ability to rename presets to match phone names or add presets (A&K does an amazing job with this, but their EQ's suck). A lot of this could probably be corrected with firmware, but the relay clicks are here to stay.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I don't think zx300 is superior to WM1 series


----------



## buzzlulu

Does the ZX300 have an OS which runs apps ie TIDAL?  And if so can you download offline?


----------



## FortisFlyer75 (Oct 22, 2017)

TenderTendon said:


> Shortcomings for me: Annoying mechanical relay clicks. Audible electrical clicks when changing volume. Volume change overshoot (e.g. If you change volume from 50 to 100, volume will continue to increase for a while after releasing the button). No search function. Poor sound setting management (equalizer works absolutely perfect, but no ability to rename presets to match phone names or add presets (A&K does an amazing job with this, but their EQ's suck). A lot of this could probably be corrected with firmware, but the relay clicks are here to stay.



Sorry is that just with the 1Z as I don't find that with my 1A?  Never thought about search function on this even after owning other daps that do, saying that I find it the o/s fast enough it doesn't take long to scroll there but not like android system start typing in one two letters and it starts to generate a list like if on google search so can see why you and others would miss this. 

Can't say I ever use EQ's so doesn't affect me there so much, hopefully might be something they can update if they see it on here. 

I do think all daps no matter how good they are will always overlook a few things here and there but must say I think this is one of  the most complete daps all round that just happens to sound pretty good also. 
Hopefully these things might just find their way into an update and make this rock even more solid as a player.



gerelmx1986 said:


> I don't think zx300 is superior to WM1 series



Have to say I agree there as from my listening session with the ZX300 is it is a very good player for the money and my self would still be tempted to have one even owning the 1A but straight away could hear the difference the 1A still had in terms of resolution and dynamics over the ZX300.  The 300 is a different sig again for me but a very evenly balanced one that is a very easy listen and think this will only bolster Sony's armoury in there long overdue foray back to doing daps that people take notice of again.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Quadfather said:


> I love my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and Questyle QP1R, but I believe that my Sony NW-WM1A is the most "complete" player in my stable.



I liked the QP1R but not for that click wheel I never got my head around back then which I do believe had issues until a revised edition.

I very much like the QP2R which is an outstanding player also and found the click wheel pretty good this time and still wouldn't say no to this along side my Sony in the stable for sure.  It has some good grunt as well with headphones I noticed.  

Saying that there are some very good daps out there at the moment which again is testomy to just how well the new Sony's are doing also...


----------



## Quadfather

FortisFlyer75 said:


> I liked the QP1R but not for that click wheel I never got my head around back then which I do believe had issues until a revised edition.
> 
> I very much like the QP2R which is an outstanding player also and found the click wheel pretty good this time and still wouldn't say no to this along side my Sony in the stable for sure.  It has some good grunt as well with headphones I noticed.
> 
> Saying that there are some very good daps out there at the moment which again is testomy to just how well the new Sony's are doing also...



I have the Questyle QP1R with the improved click wheel. It isn't bad.


----------



## TenderTendon (Oct 22, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I don't think zx300 is superior to WM1 series


Who said it was superior? Please read again. I said it is better in several ways, and it is. It is smaller and lighter. It doesn't have any annoying mechanical relay clicking. It has no audible clicking noise when adjusting volume. Can be used as a USB DAC. Has direct access to shuffle and repeat. These are all improvements over the 1A/Z. By the way, do you own a ZX300 or have you auditioned one? If not, your basing all of your opinions solely on MSRP.


----------



## TenderTendon (Oct 22, 2017)

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Sorry is that just with the 1Z as I don't find that with my 1A?



Your 1A has mechanical relays and makes audible clicking noises when changing clock speeds, just like everyone else's 1A and 1Z.


----------



## pietcux

TenderTendon said:


> Who said it was superior? Please read again. I said it is better in several ways, and it is. It is smaller and lighter. It doesn't have any annoying mechanical relay clicking. It has no audible clicking noise when adjusting volume. Can be used as a USB DAC. Has direct access to shuffle and repeat. These are all improvements over the 1A/Z.


When I was young the clicking of relays was the sound of the future, I loved the sound. I talk about real relays, big ones everywhere and they were loud. The WM1A relays are so silent, don't understand what's annoying there to anyone.


----------



## TenderTendon

pietcux said:


> When I was young the clicking of relays was the sound of the future, I loved the sound. I talk about real relays, big ones everywhere and they were loud. The WM1A relays are so silent, don't understand what's annoying there to anyone.



Search this forum for clicking and you will see it annoys many. I like to listen to music when I go to bed. I had to convert all my music to FLACs with the same clock rate so the clicking wouldn't keep my wife up.


----------



## nc8000

TenderTendon said:


> Who said it was superior? Please read again. I said it is better in several ways, and it is. It is smaller and lighter. It doesn't have any annoying mechanical relay clicking. It has no audible clicking noise when adjusting volume. Can be used as a USB DAC. Has direct access to shuffle and repeat. These are all improvements over the 1A/Z. By the way, do you own a ZX300 or have you auditioned one? If not, your basing all of your opinions solely on MSRP.



Must be a fault with your unit, I have no clicking when adjusting the volume. The relay click is only audible when not having headphones on but what I don’t understand about them is that they are also clicking at random times when the player is not playing music but just laying idle (I never turn it off). The usb dac, repeat and shuffle I have no use for so for me those things do not make ZX300 better. Size and price yes. Have not heard the ZX300 so have no opinion on sq


----------



## TenderTendon

nc8000 said:


> Must be a fault with your unit, I have no clicking when adjusting the volume. The relay click is only audible when not having headphones on but what I don’t understand about them is that they are also clicking at random times when the player is not playing music but just laying idle (I never turn it off). The usb dac, repeat and shuffle I have no use for so for me those things do not make ZX300 better. Size and price yes. Have not heard the ZX300 so have no opinion on sq



The volume adjustment click is present on both my 1A and 1Z. Several others have also commented about it in this forum too. I can clearly hear the relay clicking when wearing my HD800's and I can still barely hear it when wearing well isolated IEM's.


----------



## nc8000

TenderTendon said:


> The volume adjustment click is present on both my 1A and 1Z. Several others have also commented about it in this forum too. I can clearly hear the relay clicking when wearing my HD800's and I can still barely hear it when wearing well isolated IEM's.



Is it mechanical relay clicking or in the actual sound stream that you experience when changing volume ?


----------



## jamato8

TenderTendon said:


> Search this forum for clicking and you will see it annoys many. I like to listen to music when I go to bed. I had to convert all my music to FLACs with the same clock rate so the clicking wouldn't keep my wife up.


Never noticed the clicking on my 1Z. Very quiet at the most. If your wife can hear it I would get the WM checked out. Maybe they used some of the old relays from the 1950's. lol I would have it checked if it is that loud.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Quadfather said:


> I have the Questyle QP1R with the improved click wheel. It isn't bad.



I know after trying the QP2R I can live with the UI now I know it all works okay although I will always prefer the Sony layout although it is touchscreen based.
Just a question if I was to get one of which one between the two as they sound different as I know there are some that prefer one but not the other but I'm one of those that think both still sound good and would just be a question of which would prefer over long term to listen too.  



TenderTendon said:


> Your 1A has mechanical relays and makes audible clicking noises when changing clock speeds, just like everyone else's 1A and 1Z.



Tell a lie, yes I just been listening to 1A with headphones and yes do hear them above that 50 point but only with music off pretty much so goes to show probably has never bothered me then as I would of noticed it earlier if it was bugging me.


----------



## pietcux

On last Friday, I received the new Sennheiser HD660S.  It comes with a new 150 Ohm driver in the well known HD600/650/6XX housing, has a 3m 4.4mm balanced cable and sounds absolutely fantastic out of the WM1A.


----------



## TenderTendon

pietcux said:


> On last Friday, I received the new Sennheiser HD660S.  It comes with a new 150 Ohm driver in the well known HD600/650/6XX housing, has a 3m 4.4mm balanced cable and sounds absolutely fantastic out of the WM1A.



Sennheiser is shipping cables with 4.4mm plugs now? If so, I'm happy to hear that others are embracing a better balanced standard. 2.5mm is too fragile.


----------



## TenderTendon

nc8000 said:


> Is it mechanical relay clicking or in the actual sound stream that you experience when changing volume ?



In the sound stream. Only audible with sensitive IEM's like my SE846's. Can't hear it through the HD800's. Phone impedance might play a role here.


----------



## nc8000

TenderTendon said:


> Sennheiser is shipping cables with 4.4mm plugs now? If so, I'm happy to hear that others are embracing a better balanced standard. 2.5mm is too fragile.



Yes their new top iem also comes with 4.4


----------



## TenderTendon

nc8000 said:


> Yes their new top iem also comes with 4.4



Nice. I'll have to check that out.


----------



## nc8000

TenderTendon said:


> In the sound stream. Only audible with sensitive IEM's like my SE846's. Can't hear it through the HD800's. Phone impedance might play a role here.



You’re right I can also hear but not until I go over 110 in volume and normally I never go over 60 so that is why I have never noticed it


----------



## TenderTendon

nc8000 said:


> You’re right I can also hear but not until I go over 110 in volume and normally I never go over 60 so that is why I have never noticed it



It also happens at a low range too. Can't remember exactly, but seems like 25-50 has audible clicking. 50-90 is silent. 90 and above has audible clicking again. Both of my players are the same.


----------



## mw7485

TenderTendon said:


> The volume adjustment click is present on both my 1A and 1Z. Several others have also commented about it in this forum too. I can clearly hear the relay clicking when wearing my HD800's and I can still barely hear it when wearing well isolated IEM's.



I get volume control clicking, If I pause the music, then select the on screen volume control and crank it up and down, I can here a corresponding slight noise in the earphones. Curiously, a similar noise is also present when using the hardware buttons, but only in the volume range of 60-80. I'm using z5s, with high gain selected. I'm pretty sure I've heard this on the Ety's as well. However, the sound is not present from the unit itself and unless the music is particularly quiet, I don't hear it in everyday use. I get the odd relay click even when the unit is doing nothing, but I live in a very quiet house in the middle of nowhere.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

pietcux said:


> On last Friday, I received the new Sennheiser HD660S.  It comes with a new 150 Ohm driver in the well known HD600/650/6XX housing, has a 3m 4.4mm balanced cable and sounds absolutely fantastic out of the WM1A.



I am really starting to notice the difference now my 4.4 bal is catching up with burn in on my SE connection and is quite a clear difference for sure.  Just wish my iem 4,4 cable didn't break recently so just left with been able to listen to my Meze in 4.4bal.  Want to get my Pioneer Master1's done in 4.4 so can't wait to here how they sound just going by the Meze. 




TenderTendon said:


> Sennheiser is shipping cables with 4.4mm plugs now? If so, I'm happy to hear that others are embracing a better balanced standard. 2.5mm is too fragile.



Was only a matter of time good old Sennhieser would back up their amps that now carrying 4.4 as I think they are the first to of done this after Sony released 4.4 bal so good to see another big player recognising the benefits Sony's new bal design brings which will only be good for us all as others will adopt in time.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

mw7485 said:


> *I get the odd relay click even when the unit is doing nothing, but I live in a very quiet house in the middle of nowhere*.



Ghosts


----------



## mw7485 (Oct 22, 2017)

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Ghosts




...house is too new - and I personally carried out precautionary exorcisms as I built it!


----------



## FortisFlyer75

mw7485 said:


> ...house is too new - and I personally carried out precautionary exorcisms as I built it!



Doesn't matter how new that house is, what is the history of the ground it is built upon, ghosts still roam on the land no matter what is built on there. 
My wife had an office above a Tescos Extra built in the 1980's and she would see a fragile old lady wearing victorian clothes with a bonnet just glide past on the landing and disappear into the loo!  All that land used to be marsh land back in the day.  

Hope no ones head turned 360 when you carried out the exercism!  Just plug into balanced, turn to 120 on volume and that should get rid of any ghosts or unwanted clicking! job done.


----------



## pietcux

mw7485 said:


> ...house is too new - and I personally carried out precautionary exorcisms as I built it!


Built it on a graveyard.?
☠


----------



## proedros

mw7485 said:


> I get volume control clicking, If I pause the music, then select the on screen volume control and crank it up and down, I can here a corresponding slight noise in the earphones. Curiously, a similar noise is also present when using the hardware buttons, but only in the volume range of 60-80. I'm using z5s, with high gain selected. I'm pretty sure I've heard this on the Ety's as well. However, the sound is not present from the unit itself and unless the music is particularly quiet, I don't hear it in everyday use. I get the odd relay click even when the unit is doing nothing, *but I live in a very quiet house in the middle of nowhere.*



maybe it's those ghosts , jealous of you for not sharing your sony dap with them

on topic , i hear only great music coming out of wm1a , and i constantly ask myself why i waited so long to do the upgrade jump from ZX2 

great DAP


----------



## psikey (Oct 22, 2017)

TenderTendon said:


> In the sound stream. Only audible with sensitive IEM's like my SE846's. Can't hear it through the HD800's. Phone impedance might play a role here.





TenderTendon said:


> In the sound stream. Only audible with sensitive IEM's like my SE846's. Can't hear it through the HD800's. Phone impedance might play a role here.



Really looking forward to my ZX300 arriving especially after you.r observations. I will only really be using it with my Shure SE846's so hoping it has no background noise and will be using with Sony Kimber balanced cable. I nearly bit the bullet on the WM1 until they announced the ZX300 and the use as a DAC is also important to me for use with Tidal from smartphone.

Hoping its better than my Z5 compact/ Dragonfly Red combination which I think sounds great anyway. If not, I will try a WM1A (Z too expensive for me).


----------



## FortisFlyer75

On another note other than volume clicks and ghosts what is the maximum SD card capacity the 1A as from memory I think it might of been 256? cannot remember for sure or find this info anywhere at the moment as made me wonder with the 400gb cards becoming available if they will work on the 1A?  

Be interested to see what people have at maximum currently in their 1A's, I only have a 128gb at the moment but was looking at upgrading that but obviosuly if it can take the new 400gb I would extend to that whilst I was going about getting a new card.


----------



## nc8000

FortisFlyer75 said:


> On another note other than volume clicks and ghosts what is the maximum SD card capacity the 1A as from memory I think it might of been 256? cannot remember for sure or find this info anywhere at the moment as made me wonder with the 400gb cards becoming available if they will work on the 1A?
> 
> Be interested to see what people have at maximum currently in their 1A's, I only have a 128gb at the moment but was looking at upgrading that but obviosuly if it can take the new 400gb I would extend to that whilst I was going about getting a new card.



Several have reported that 400GB works abd I have ordered one, using 256GB atm.


----------



## NaiveSound

psikey said:


> Really looking forward to my ZX300 arriving especially after you.r observations. I will only really be using it with my Shure SE846's so hoping it has no background noise and will be using with Sony Kimber balanced cable. I nearly bit the bullet on the WM1 until they announced the ZX300 and the use as a DAC is also important to me for use with Tidal from smartphone.
> 
> Hoping its better than my Z5 compact/ Dragonfly Red combination which I think sounds great anyway. If not, I will try a WM1A (Z too expensive for me).



Is wm1a better than the zx300 by default?


----------



## FortisFlyer75

nc8000 said:


> Several have reported that 400GB works abd I have ordered one, using 256GB atm.



Thanks NC8000, thats good to hear, I was looking at a 256gb but if that is the case 400Gb is okay then I might just go with one.  How much did you get your 400GB one for if you don't mind me asking?



NaiveSound said:


> Is wm1a better than the zx300 by default?



By default in which means, sound, features or overall?...as the ZX300 has some newer features and different UI options present which probably some of that will come in the update for the 1A soon anyway. 
If sound then that's in the eye of the beholder and probably best to listen to both if you can.  At the end of the day the new model has come out at £400 cheaper than the 1A and to me that is probably on sound alone in the right area but they are two different signatures to me hence why they need a first hand listen so you can decide as only your lug holes will tell you which you prefer and then battle with the ergonmic differences and price differences into the mix and see where your heart takes you ; )


----------



## nc8000

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Thanks NC8000, thats good to hear, I was looking at a 256gb but if that is the case 400Gb is okay then I might just go with one.  How much did you get your 400GB one for if you don't mind me asking?



£224 from Amazon UK


----------



## NaiveSound

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Thanks NC8000, thats good to hear, I was looking at a 256gb but if that is the case 400Gb is okay then I might just go with one.  How much did you get your 400GB one for if you don't mind me asking?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



How would you describe wm1z (cheaper version) in sound signature?   Forward? Mid centric?  Resolution?


----------



## ledzep

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Thanks NC8000, thats good to hear, I was looking at a 256gb but if that is the case 400Gb is okay then I might just go with one.  How much did you get your 400GB one for if you don't mind me asking?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Give it a week or two and they'll be £300-350 at Amazon warehouse then it's time to pounce!


----------



## NaiveSound

ledzep said:


> Give it a week or two and they'll be £300-350 at Amazon warehouse then it's time to pounce!



What is Amazon warehouse? Please teach me all about this


----------



## ledzep

NaiveSound said:


> What is Amazon warehouse? Please teach me all about this


Returns department of Amazon


----------



## NaiveSound

ledzep said:


> Returns department of Amazon




How do I shop directly from there?


----------



## ledzep

NaiveSound said:


> How do I shop directly from there?



When your on amazon you'll see under the main price,  prices from.... Click on this and the alternative prices will show and if there is a warehouse one you'll see it, you'll see what I mean if you look at the WM1A prices


----------



## Matrix Petka (Oct 22, 2017)

pietcux said:


> When I was young the clicking of relays was the sound of the future, I loved the sound. I talk about real relays, big ones everywhere and they were loud. The WM1A relays are so silent, don't understand what's annoying there to anyone.


 
You can call me strange, but... I like that relay sound. It gives "solid" analogue feeling.
And you call me deaf - I can't hear anything wrong from my headphones when changing volume. Going to double check.

Edit. Checked. Yes, here is soft clicking going downwards from 112 till 100 on loudness control. But I never listen on so high volume.


----------



## NaiveSound

Does Sony make any dap with Tidal?


----------



## FortisFlyer75

nc8000 said:


> £224 from Amazon UK



Cheers thought i'd ask just in case you managed to get it a bit cheaper from some magical place but be a while until that happens.  Might wait for those Amazon Christmas deals as they might do a deal on this for a brief period like a lightening deal or discounted for so many hours as think I can wait another month or so to upgrade another 370gb worth memory


----------



## arftech

NaiveSound said:


> Does Sony make any dap with Tidal?



I wish they did because that’s how a listen to my music the majority of the time.  I’m currently listening to Tidal’s Masters version of Herbie Hancock’s River.  Lovely music!


----------



## mw7485

FortisFlyer75 said:


> On another note other than volume clicks and ghosts what is the maximum SD card capacity the 1A as from memory I think it might of been 256? cannot remember for sure or find this info anywhere at the moment as made me wonder with the 400gb cards becoming available if they will work on the 1A?
> 
> Be interested to see what people have at maximum currently in their 1A's, I only have a 128gb at the moment but was looking at upgrading that but obviosuly if it can take the new 400gb I would extend to that whilst I was going about getting a new card.



Mine works fine with the 400gb micro-sd card - unless its the ghosts meddling with the FAT.


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> Does Sony make any dap with Tidal?



ZX2 is an old version of Android so don’t know if the Tidal app is still supported but it used to work


----------



## psikey (Oct 22, 2017)

arftech said:


> I wish they did because that’s how a listen to my music the majority of the time.  I’m currently listening to Tidal’s Masters version of Herbie Hancock’s River.  Lovely music!



Err... ZX1 & ZX2.  I could have a got a 2nd hand one as new ZX2 for £480 but got a new ZX300 for £470 instead.


----------



## kubig123

mw7485 said:


> Mine works fine with the 400gb micro-sd card - unless its the ghosts meddling with the FAT.


I can confirm that the 400gb micro sd is working perfectly with the WM1Z. You have approx 366gb available.


----------



## mw7485

kubig123 said:


> I can confirm that the 400gb micro sd is working perfectly with the WM1Z. You have approx 366gb available.



?


----------



## nc8000

ledzep said:


> Give it a week or two and they'll be £300-350 at Amazon warehouse then it's time to pounce!



I would hope Warehouse deals should be cheaper since new list price is £224


----------



## FortisFlyer75

mw7485 said:


> Mine works fine with the 400gb micro-sd card - unless its the ghosts meddling with the FAT.



Thanks for confirming that,  I think I've had ghost do that before to previous SD cards! Ghost's in the card not "shell"! 



kubig123 said:


> I can confirm that the 400gb micro sd is working perfectly with the WM1Z. You have approx 366gb available.



Thanks also for confirming, will definitely be looking at getting one of these soon for all those high res Christmas songs!!


----------



## ledzep

nc8000 said:


> I would hope Warehouse deals should be cheaper since new list price is £224



The 300 not the iems


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am not nannoyed with the relay clicking LOL, i like it as it signals me when i can plug or unplug my HPs, (after being inactive for 30s) or it let me know a higher smapling rate album just came in.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I hear my WM1A with sony IEMS, perfect synergy  so no relay click when the music is playing, only when i have IEMS out of my ears i hear it


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will wait till black friday to get the Microsd (400GB) hoping it comes down in prices


----------



## purk

Yup, it is ultra sweet having Around 596gb  in memory on my 1Z.  The transfer rate in the 400gb card is very decent at 35 Mbs.


----------



## siruspan

Only hearing about 1z getting modded, and what about 1a? Wouldn't rewiring close the gap to stock 1z for a fraction of the price?


----------



## pietcux

siruspan said:


> Only hearing about 1z getting modded, and what about 1a? Wouldn't rewiring close the gap to stock 1z for a fraction of the price?


No the body is still black aluminum, lol....


----------



## all999

siruspan said:


> Only hearing about 1z getting modded, and what about 1a? Wouldn't rewiring close the gap to stock 1z for a fraction of the price?



Maybe just because 1A is a perfect dap?


----------



## siruspan (Oct 23, 2017)

I wouldn't call it perfect but It's definately close  I'm just wondering how close to 1z would 1a sound with the same kimber wire. My guess is that it would be pretty darn close


----------



## gerelmx1986

I love mine as it is. for 10 month I have with it I can say that is one of the best I have bought


----------



## Whitigir

siruspan said:


> Only hearing about 1z getting modded, and what about 1a? Wouldn't rewiring close the gap to stock 1z for a fraction of the price?



As I mentioned, the mods has the same labor spent together with the same high quality materials.  Spending it on 1z seems more logical than 1A from pricing factor


----------



## EagleWings

I should have responded sooner about the Music Sanctuary mod. I am no way affiliated to Music Sanctuary and certainly not trying to sell/promote the mod. I am just your friendly head-fier sharing some info that I learnt from a few friends. 

1. For more details about the mod done my Music Sanctuary, please reach out to Music Sanctuary to get the details on what the mod involves, as I don't think I am at the liberty to do so. But what I can say is that, it involves replacement of the cable (similar to Whitigr's mod), but also involves few additional tweaks/modifications. And one could choose between 1960 2-wire or 4-wire for the replacement cable.

2. The mod can be certainly done for WM1As. Per my knowledge, there are a few people who have actually got their WM1As modded. I was told by a friend that the modded WM1A puts it almost on the same same level as stock WM1Z.


----------



## mw7485

pietcux said:


> No the body is still black aluminum, lol....




...li can fix that with this . I smell a business opportunity!


----------



## pietcux

mw7485 said:


> ...li can fix that with this . I smell a business opportunity!


Oohh nooooo!!!


----------



## Whitigir

Well, while many people is making fun of Wm1z Gold Plated Chassis.  Ibasso is trying to make Dx200 with this chassis as a special edition, and as far as I have heard from the man himself, the timing is being delayed due to the “complications” of having the gold plating done correctly on the pure copper chassis.  It is better to leave it as pure copper 

Honestly, I have been asking myself why A&K did not do the gold plating on their copper chassis, and now I understand why.

Furthermore, the WM1Z Gold Plated Chassis is not primed with Tin as a primer, Sony primed it with some special coating to keep the sound quality as high-end as possible, and leaving the Gold plating finish “Micro-porous” to provide the better grib 

I never understand the extends of what Sony does to achieve the result.  Now I do, such a master piece!


----------



## blazinblazin

EagleWings said:


> I should have responded sooner about the Music Sanctuary mod. I am no way affiliated to Music Sanctuary and certainly not trying to sell/promote the mod. I am just your friendly head-fier sharing some info that I learnt from a few friends.
> 
> 1. For more details about the mod done my Music Sanctuary, please reach out to Music Sanctuary to get the details on what the mod involves, as I don't think I am at the liberty to do so. But what I can say is that, it involves replacement of the cable (similar to Whitigr's mod), but also involves few additional tweaks/modifications. And one could choose between 1960 2-wire or 4-wire for the replacement cable.



So which wire did you choose?


----------



## Xamdou

EagleWings said:


> I should have responded sooner about the Music Sanctuary mod. I am no way affiliated to Music Sanctuary and certainly not trying to sell/promote the mod. I am just your friendly head-fier sharing some info that I learnt from a few friends.
> 
> 1. For more details about the mod done my Music Sanctuary, please reach out to Music Sanctuary to get the details on what the mod involves, as I don't think I am at the liberty to do so. But what I can say is that, it involves replacement of the cable (similar to Whitigr's mod), but also involves few additional tweaks/modifications. And one could choose between 1960 2-wire or 4-wire for the replacement cable.
> 
> 2. The mod can be certainly done for WM1As. Per my knowledge, there are a few people who have actually got their WM1As modded. I was told by a friend that the modded WM1A puts it almost on the same same level as stock WM1Z.


Any idea what's their lead time excluding shipping?


----------



## EagleWings

blazinblazin said:


> So which wire did you choose?



I went with the 2-wire.



Xamdou said:


> Any idea what's their lead time excluding shipping?



It depends on Calvin's schedule and how many DAPs are in line for modding. Mine took around 1 week.


----------



## NaiveSound

If one doesn't have a 4.4 mm cable for an iem, can one use a 4.4 to 2.5 mm adapter?  Or eveb a 4.4 to 3.5 adapter for Unbalanced cable?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 23, 2017)

NaiveSound said:


> If one doesn't have a 4.4 mm cable for an iem, can one use a 4.4 to 2.5 mm adapter?  Or eveb a 4.4 to 3.5 adapter for Unbalanced cable?


 4.4 to 2.5mm TRRS is OK, but 4.4mm to 3.5 TRS is not OK, you will damage your DAP... tho is ok to do 4.4mm to 3.5mm TRRS (Balanced, like ZX2).

Currently ihave a dual 3.5mm TRS balanced to single 4,4mm TRRRS adapter, for my XBA-Z5


----------



## NaiveSound

gerelmx1986 said:


> 4.4 to 2.5mm TRRS is OK, but 4.4mm to 3.5 TRS is not OK, you will damage your DAP... tho is ok to do 4.4mm to 3.5mm TRRS (Balanced, like ZX2)




I have a balanced 2.5 mm cable that's all I have, can I safely plug that in a 4.4 to 2.5 adapter?  If the answer is yes, the next question is,  will this adapter hurt sound quality? 

Another question,  what's the cheapest 4.4 cable to get for a 2pin iem


----------



## kubig123

NaiveSound said:


> I have a balanced 2.5 mm cable that's all I have, can I safely plug that in a 4.4 to 2.5 adapter?  If the answer is yes, the next question is,  will this adapter hurt sound quality?
> 
> Another question,  what's the cheapest 4.4 cable to get for a 2pin iem



Lunashops and aliexpress sell some cheap cables.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

You don't want to skimp on cables, at the very least look for decent quality sounding 4.4 cables; recommendation is PW no 5, I think around $150 usd

Yes, adapter usually hurt/lower sound quality but there are exceptions.


----------



## eddie0817

NaiveSound said:


> I have a balanced 2.5 mm cable that's all I have, can I safely plug that in a 4.4 to 2.5 adapter?  If the answer is yes, the next question is,  will this adapter hurt sound quality?
> 
> Another question,  what's the cheapest 4.4 cable to get for a 2pin iem



I am use a 4.4 male to 2.5 female adapter cable from Han sound audio from Taiwan, it is quite nice, when I told to the founder I want the cable sounds neutral,
DONT influence the IEM upgrade cable much as I am often post the cable review.

He use a very neutral copper multi stand wire cable with cotton nylon cover, also high quality 4.4 mm jack and 2.5 mm female from Japan(forget the brand),
The results quite satisfy to me, I don't recommend only adapter without cable, it will case the jack very LONG, hard to use outside.

FYI

Thanks


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Oct 24, 2017)

Massdrop VE Electronics 2.5mm trrs mmcx basic cable is surprisingly sounds very good, definitely better than Ibasso CB12. I just received it today, it matched very well with Andromeda and 1Z soundwise. It's vocal based, sounds very open, clear and transparent. MidBass is slamming, subbass is good too. Its probably already been burned. I guess it has good synergy with modded 1Z. And it cost only $10.00

On the other hand, using the same trrs cable with 2 pin and Aether, doesn't sound as good. Hmm...need to try with more ciems

It may sounds better than Alo Ref8 iem lol I'm not too sure, need to test more


----------



## blazinblazin

Now i have a thought, which have a larger lost in sound quality?

2.5mm terminated cable with 2.5mm => 4.4mm adapter

Or

4.4mm terminated cable with 4.4mm => 2.5mm adapter


----------



## proedros

NaiveSound said:


> I have a balanced 2.5 mm cable that's all I have, can I safely plug that in a 4.4 to 2.5 adapter?  If the answer is yes, the next question is,  will this adapter hurt sound quality?
> 
> Another question,  *what's the cheapest 4.4 cable to get for a 2pin iem*



did you get wm1a/z ? if you did , you could pair your Zeus XR with the pw audio no5 (4 braid) , costs around 150-200$


----------



## psikey (Oct 24, 2017)

NaiveSound said:


> I have a balanced 2.5 mm cable that's all I have, can I safely plug that in a 4.4 to 2.5 adapter?  If the answer is yes, the next question is,  will this adapter hurt sound quality?
> 
> Another question,  what's the cheapest 4.4 cable to get for a 2pin iem



Just get this https://penonaudio.com/4.4mm-5-Pole-Male-to-2.5mm-4-Pole-Female-Balanced-Adapter  cheapest I've seen and sold by an audiophile store (delivery could take a couple of weeks though).

Have Sony 4.4mm Balanced Kimber cable and also a cheap Fiio 2.5mm Balanced with above adapter but they are for my Shure SE846's with mmcx connectors.


----------



## Xamdou

psikey said:


> Just get this https://penonaudio.com/4.4mm-5-Pole-Male-to-2.5mm-4-Pole-Female-Balanced-Adapter  cheapest I've seen and sold by an audiophile store (delivery could take a couple of weeks though).


Won't really recommend that if one is looking for a long term solution. Sound quality is not great and audio loss with the slightest movement in my experience.


----------



## psikey

Xamdou said:


> Won't really recommend that if one is looking for a long term solution. Sound quality is not great and audio loss with the slightest movement in my experience.



Will compare against the Kimber when I get chance but will be with a ZX300 not a WM1 (preferred more portable player & needed DAC function).

Adapter OK for use while stationary indoors but not while mobile. Good first option if you want to keep cost low and already have a 2.5mm balanced.


----------



## Mathieulh

psikey said:


> Anybody also got/tried one of the new ZX300's to compare to the WM1? Especially via balanced.


I have, I went to the Sony store in Ginza and tested both for over 3 hours, they sound very similar, and I could not notice any differences whatsoever, if there were, those would be too subtle for my ears, the 1Z however does have a different sound signature, I suspect the internal kimber cables have something to do with it.


----------



## Mathieulh

psikey said:


> Will compare against the Kimber when I get chance but will be with a ZX300 not a WM1 (preferred more portable player & needed DAC function).
> 
> Adapter OK for use while stationary indoors but not while mobile. Good first option if you want to keep cost low and already have a 2.5mm balanced.


I tested the kimber cable and the regular balanced cable using the MDR-1A and both the WM1A and the ZX300, I liked the regular balanced cable better, the kimber cable seemed to lack "punch".


----------



## Turrican2

psikey said:


> Just get this https://penonaudio.com/4.4mm-5-Pole-Male-to-2.5mm-4-Pole-Female-Balanced-Adapter  cheapest I've seen and sold by an audiophile store (delivery could take a couple of weeks though).



I just got delivery of this exact adapter. I have a 2.5mm to xlr cable I used with my beyer t1.2s. Now with this adapter I can use that on my wm1a. The wm1a has enough juice to drive those to decent volume and they sound much better than I was expecting but this is strictly a stay in one place setup!


----------



## psikey (Oct 24, 2017)

Mathieulh said:


> I tested the kimber cable and the regular balanced cable using the MDR-1A and both the WM1A and the ZX300, I liked the regular balanced cable better, the kimber cable seemed to lack "punch".



I'm no cable expert, so why would that be? Greater resistance with the Kimber? I got the Kimber coming (2nd hand) as I didn't even realise there was a cheaper standard one.

Could have got the standard one new from AJ for ~ £110 while the used (but "like new") Kimber one cost me £118.


----------



## Mathieulh

psikey said:


> I'm no cable expert, so why would that be? Greater resistance with the Kimber? I got the Kimber coming (2nd hand) as I didn't even realise there was a cheaper standard one.
> 
> Could have got the standard one new from AJ for ~ £110 while the used (but "like new") Kimber one cost me £118.


No idea why the signature was so different, I was willing to spend more on the Kimber cable if it sounded better but in the end I liked the sound of the regular cable better so I picked that one.


----------



## Jalo

EagleWings said:


> I should have responded sooner about the Music Sanctuary mod. I am no way affiliated to Music Sanctuary and certainly not trying to sell/promote the mod. I am just your friendly head-fier sharing some info that I learnt from a few friends.
> 
> 1. For more details about the mod done my Music Sanctuary, please reach out to Music Sanctuary to get the details on what the mod involves, as I don't think I am at the liberty to do so. But what I can say is that, it involves replacement of the cable (similar to Whitigr's mod), but also involves few additional tweaks/modifications. And one could choose between 1960 2-wire or 4-wire for the replacement cable.
> 
> 2. The mod can be certainly done for WM1As. Per my knowledge, there are a few people who have actually got their WM1As modded. I was told by a friend that the modded WM1A puts it almost on the same same level as stock WM1Z.



@EagleWings, how do you look up or contact Music Sanctuary, google it shows a broken link. I am interested to read more.


----------



## NaiveSound

And this wm1a can be used as  dac/amp too right? Like connecting a phone to it to stream?


----------



## PCheung

NaiveSound said:


> And this wm1a can be used as  dac/amp too right? Like connecting a phone to it to stream?



No USB-DAC / amp function at this moment

But the ZX300 do


----------



## NaiveSound

Oh God....so this is just a sd card player? No other functions? Does it have digital out at least?


----------



## Matrix Petka

NaiveSound said:


> Oh God....so this is just a sd card player? No other functions? Does it have digital out at least?



The main function doing perfect - playing music  Digital out - yes.

And all (almost) here are praying for USB DAC function.


----------



## PCheung (Oct 24, 2017)

NaiveSound said:


> Oh God....so this is just a sd card player? No other functions? Does it have digital out at least?



Hum...well, not just a SD card player
If you like the sound signature it is a nice sounding DAP

Only this cable WMC-NWH10 will active USB digital out for WM1A/Z
http://www.sony.jp/walkman/products/WMC-NWH10/

The Walkman cable come with the box won't do USB digital out


----------



## NaiveSound

It's getting harder and harder to want this player


----------



## PCheung

NaiveSound said:


> It's getting harder and harder to want this player



AK's SP1000 or AK380 may suit your needs
USB-DAC, digital out, great sound 


But for me, only the sound signature matters


----------



## NaiveSound

PCheung said:


> AK's SP1000 or AK380 may suit your needs
> USB-DAC, digital out, great sound
> 
> 
> But for me, only the sound signature matters




Is the sound of this wm1a very good? Is it fun and energetic?  Describe it to me compared to a mojo plz 

I've listened to mojo for a while and I'm familiar with its sound


----------



## psikey

PCheung said:


> Hum...well, not just a SD card player
> If you like the sound signature it is a nice sounding DAP
> 
> Only this cable WMC-NWH10 will active USB digital out for WM1A/Z
> ...



Or also WMP-MWM10   I was advised also works.


----------



## PCheung

I don't have mojo or WM1A so I can't help , sorry.


----------



## PCheung (Oct 24, 2017)

psikey said:


> Or also WMP-MWM10   I was advised also works.


The WMP-NWM10?
It won't do digital out last time I tried 
but seems working with the USB-DAC on ZX300


----------



## psikey

PCheung said:


> The WMP-NWM10?
> It won't do digital out last time I tried
> but seems working with the USB-DAC on ZX300



Well, will find out soon as just arrived (no balanced yet) Sorry for upside down photo !


----------



## kubig123

Jalo said:


> @EagleWings, how do you look up or contact Music Sanctuary, google it shows a broken link. I am interested to read more.



here is Calvin email address:
calvin@music-sanctuary.com


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am still waiting for my sony cable to arrive


----------



## Whitigir

Dx200 is more versatile than sp1000 as it has upgradable amp modules


----------



## hamhamhamsta

EagleWings said:


> I went with the 2-wire.
> 
> 
> 
> It depends on Calvin's schedule and how many DAPs are in line for modding. Mine took around 1 week.


Eaglewing,

Would you care to share with us how the sound changes with PW 1960 2 wires and any other changes you make compared to stock WM1Z?


----------



## EagleWings

hamhamhamsta said:


> Eaglewing,
> 
> Would you care to share with us how the sound changes with PW 1960 2 wires and any other changes you make compared to stock WM1Z?



Let me answer your question within the spoiler as I want to respect those who are skeptical about mods and cables.



Spoiler: 1960 2-Wire Mod for 1Z



Hey man, I do not have a 4.4mm cable yet, so I am still using SE. A few months back I got a chance to try the SE of the stock 1Z and I was not impressed. LPG still seemed to have an upper hand. But things seem to be different with the modded 1Z. Even on the SE, the modded 1Z seems to perform quite well and even surpass LPG on the following aspects: separation, stage, details and note transparency.

I don't know if you had a chance to read flinkenick's impressions on his modded 1Z. His 1Z was modded with 1960 4-wire. He reports his 1Z being more transparent and an almost reference quality. I chose to go with the 2-wire as I wanted to retain the warmth of the player. While the 2-Wire seems to retain the warmth of the player, it still brings in better transparency than the stock player. So the choice between 2 or 4 wire depends on what kind of tone you are looking for. By default, the mod involves replacing the stock wire with 4-wire. If you need 2-wire instead, you just need to mention specifically.


----------



## proedros

is there any difference in the battery consumption between using the High Gain option or not ?

will tag @nanaholic , as to me at least he is the person here with th most informed and wise posts

cheers


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think kann he said like 18 hours with H gain on and like 24 for normal gain


----------



## Ang Probinsyano

Guys, need your opinion. Should I buy the zx300 next month or wait for December and buy the wm1a?

In terms of sq, is it night and day difference between the two?

About wm1a, Malaysia units, does it have high gain option or it still needs to uncap?


Thanks!


----------



## PCheung

proedros said:


> is there any difference in the battery consumption between using the High Gain option or not ?
> 
> will tag @nanaholic , as to me at least he is the person here with th most informed and wise posts
> 
> cheers



Yes, it does.
Expect 4 hours less battery life


----------



## ezekiel77

Ang Probinsyano said:


> Guys, need your opinion. Should I buy the zx300 next month or wait for December and buy the wm1a?
> 
> In terms of sq, is it night and day difference between the two?
> 
> ...


Malaysian WM1A units have high gain, don't worry. Bought mine from Sony Malaysia.


----------



## Ang Probinsyano

ezekiel77 said:


> Malaysian WM1A units have high gain, don't worry. Bought mine from Sony Malaysia.


I'm from PH. So, I'm curious at first if the units sold here are made in Malaysia.

Thanks!


----------



## ezekiel77

I've shared some impressions of the WM1A vs the QP1R in another thread.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ran...views-on-page-1.826876/page-370#post-13804313


----------



## aisalen

Ang Probinsyano said:


> I'm from PH. So, I'm curious at first if the units sold here are made in Malaysia.
> 
> Thanks!


All ZX and WM series I believe are made in Malaysia, you can ask egghead in PH. The price is less against amazon, listening room is more cheap but out of stock.


----------



## NaiveSound

Will zx300 be better in sound quality alone than the wm1a?


----------



## bvng3540

NaiveSound said:


> Will zx300 be better in sound quality alone than the wm1a?


Someone said the zx300 barely sounded better than zx100, so I doubt it close to wm1a


----------



## Ang Probinsyano

aisalen said:


> All ZX and WM series I believe are made in Malaysia, you can ask egghead in PH. The price is less against amazon, listening room is more cheap but out of stock.


Thanks. I'm getting the unit from them this holiday season. Hopefully.


----------



## Ang Probinsyano

Has anyone tried the FLC 8s with the wm1a?


Hoping someone can give impressions on their synergy.


----------



## PCheung

NaiveSound said:


> Will zx300 be better in sound quality alone than the wm1a?



As I stated in the ZX300 thread yesterday, WM1A still perform better with sound stage and tightened bass.


----------



## Ang Probinsyano (Oct 25, 2017)

PCheung said:


> As I stated in the ZX300 thread yesterday, WM1A still perform better with sound stage and tightened bass.


How do you rate the sound stage of the two from 1-10?


In terms of sq, is it night and day difference?

Sorry, I have lots of questions. 

I might get the wm1a for my end game DAP.

Thanks.


----------



## aisalen

Guys, is it safe to charge the 1A/1Z with Qualcomm 2.0 fast charger, or it is better to charge it conventionally using the ordinary charger port to preserve battery life? Thanks.


----------



## proedros

PCheung said:


> Yes, it does.
> Expect 4 hours less battery life



so High Gain drains more battery . i see - thank you for the information

do we know if there are any sonic differences between High/Normal Gain ?


----------



## aisalen

I just tried normal gain today but it seems high gain do have more punch so I set it back to HG. Will try again with other music file I have to check more and decide.


----------



## siruspan

aisalen said:


> Guys, is it safe to charge the 1A/1Z with Qualcomm 2.0 fast charger, or it is better to charge it conventionally using the ordinary charger port to preserve battery life? Thanks.



It's safe to charge with any conventional charger with usb output as they always have couple 2-3 different charging speeds.  It's impossible to pump more voltage than the device can accept, so if you plug walkman to a fast charger it will just automatically change to lower voltage charging.


----------



## Tawek

I stayed at normal gain is more natural and organic  ...


----------



## ttt123

aisalen said:


> Guys, is it safe to charge the 1A/1Z with Qualcomm 2.0 fast charger, or it is better to charge it conventionally using the ordinary charger port to preserve battery life? Thanks.


Qualcomm quick charge ports function like a normal USB 5V port, when the Qualcomm Quick Charge chipset is not in the device being charged..  To shift to the higher voltage modes, both ends must have the Quick Charge hardware implemented.  So the short answer is that the charger Quick charge port can be used for regular, or Quick Charge.  Actual Quick Charge function will only be present if the device also has Quick Charge implemented.


----------



## aisalen

ttt123 said:


> Qualcomm quick charge ports function like a normal USB 5V port, when the Qualcomm Quick Charge chipset is not in the device being charged..  To shift to the higher voltage modes, both ends must have the Quick Charge hardware implemented.  So the short answer is that the charger Quick charge port can be used for regular, or Quick Charge.  Actual Quick Charge function will only be present if the device also has Quick Charge implemented.


Thanks for the answer, the reason I ask is that I notice that charging time using the Qualcomm 2.0 is faster that the normal port. I did not get the actual timing difference to full charge but will do sometime and will report back. 

Just to quote from the net regarding android Q&A, "_Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 is safer than Quick Charge 2.0 as far as battery health_ is concerned as indicated by figures shared" and "Regular charging using a standard 5V 2A ( conventional charger ) should be preferred mode with fast charging resorted to _when actually needed". So I guessed will use the conventional and resort to fast charging only when needed._


----------



## ttt123

aisalen said:


> Thanks for the answer, the reason I ask is that I notice that charging time using the Qualcomm 2.0 is faster that the normal port. I did not get the actual timing difference to full charge but will do sometime and will report back.
> 
> Just to quote from the net regarding android Q&A, "_Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 is safer than Quick Charge 2.0 as far as battery health_ is concerned as indicated by figures shared" and "Regular charging using a standard 5V 2A ( conventional charger ) should be preferred mode with fast charging resorted to _when actually needed". So I guessed will use the conventional and resort to fast charging only when needed._


There are a couple of different areas to consider:
1. QC (Quick Charge) Qualcomm implementation, will charge faster/higher current/voltage, if QC is in the device.  For the WM1x, QC is not implemented, so the QC charger will deliver normal USB 5V charging, and not the higher 9V/12V that QC can do
2. A QC capable charger is typically able to provide more current, even used as a 5V only charger, as the charger hardware is more robust, with increased capacity to be able to handle QC.  So used as a regular 5V charger, it is probably able to provide higher current than a weaker non QC charger.  But the current demand is controlled by the device being charged.  It is just that the QC charger hardware has a better/higher current capacity

So whether using a QC capable charger, or non QC, the quality and capacity of the charger is important.  Get a higher capacity/better quality charger, is the best recommendation

If you use a normal, non QC capable port to charge a QC device, does that limit the current?  I am not sure about that, as the higher voltages that QC can use, actually lower the current.  That is what the specs on the charger indicate.  So a 5V charger at 2+A,  may actually be higher current than the QC charge at 12V 1.5A.  Though the effective Power transfer of QC is higher because the voltage is higher.  Does this stress the device more, it may, as a faster charge usually does.  Another indication to watch for is heat.  Whichever method creates greater heat from the device is the one to avoid.  Also need to be aware that the state of the discharge of the device will determine the charge rate.  A low charge state will try to do high current charging, and the charge rate will drop as the battery charge level increases.  Devices do not have constant, or maximum current demands.  They demand more current if in a low charge state, and less current if in a high charge state.  That is why the current lithium battery recommendations are to do top up charging, and not discharge the device to almost dead before charging.  Keeping the current demands lower, lowers the heat generated. Heat is bad for Lithium batteries. 

A greater concern is the quality and capacity of the charger.  An 8A or 10A charger has a lot more capacity, thus it does not get pushed to it's limits as easily, and runs cooler, and has better (cleaner) and higher capacity voltage regulation, and there is less chance of it breaking down.  There is a much higher likelihood of an underpowered or low quality charger pushed beyond it's design/hardware capacity, failing, and putting out damaging voltages/noise, and damaging the device being charged.  This to me is the major thing to watch out for, of more concern than whether to use QC or not.

So the take from all this is simply this: Use good quality chargers.  Always get higher capacity, to allow for a comfortable reserve.  Use QC or not, it is your personal preference.  If you have QC capable devices, get a QC3.0 high capacity charger. Whatever you do, stay away from cheap, under powered chargers.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I had a zx100 and the wm1a is way better, tighter a d more bass, zx100 to my ears was mid-centered, the stage in wm1a is also bigger and airy


----------



## hung031086 (Oct 25, 2017)

NaiveSound said:


> Will zx300 be better in sound quality alone than the wm1a?


I just wonder that how do you think that z300 will be better than 1a ? The 1a is almost double price of zx300. How come zx300 will be better than it ? You think sony will do that ? Sorry but it make no sense when you ask that question.


----------



## proedros

i think zx300 is perfect for people who own wm1Z and want something good/portable as a backup solution when outside 

to me at least , this is the perfect target group 

i mean if i had wm1z i would probably get zx300 too - but for someone with the wm1a , zx300 will probably be reduntant

just my 2 cents


----------



## NaiveSound

I've seen products that get released after a flagship. And for them to be better in quality and not just in audio, I don't see what's so mind boggling to Hung.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 25, 2017)

WM series are built like tanks to last a long time and sound good

Mayne Zx300 does not sound similar to wm1a by a small margin, but yeah the details of WM series are astounding and the stage wow


----------



## NaiveSound

Is it realistic to get an update for the wm1a so we can use it as dac/amp?


----------



## proedros

decided to use Normal Gain on my WM1A , curious if there is any noticeable sound difference with the High Gain (which i have been using since i bought it last August)

@NaiveSound Zeus XR + WM1A = zero hiss , great sound 

i see you itching for a mojo upgrade , sell mojo buy wm1a (and then pray you don't get the wm1z upgraditis bug)


----------



## kubig123

proedros said:


> (and then pray you don't get the wm1z upgraditis bug)



good luck with that!


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> decided to use Normal Gain on my WM1A , curious if there is any noticeable sound difference with the High Gain (which i have been using since i bought it last August)
> 
> @NaiveSound Zeus XR + WM1A = zero hiss , great sound
> 
> i see you itching for a mojo upgrade , sell mojo buy wm1a (and then pray you don't get the wm1z upgraditis bug)




Oh boy... Im bad about things like that but in this instance... At that price.. I feel it's way out of reach, expecially as it can't play Tidal. 


I wish someone explained the sound difference between mojo and the *A*.   I can barely find any posts of the comparison... Or many reviews of the *a* actually....


----------



## Ang Probinsyano

I decided to get the wm1a instead of zx300 this coming holiday season. I'm afraid if I get the zx300, my ears will itch to upgrade into wm1a since it's better in sq. 
And IMO, wm1a looks better than zx300.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I sometimes get the itch for a WM1Z


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> I sometimes get the itch for a WM1Z


You need to scratch those itch lol


----------



## NoMythsAudio

Anybody with 1Z or planning to upgrade and willing to sell wm1a?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

I have WM1A for sale.  Pm me

Thanks


----------



## Ang Probinsyano

gerelmx1986 said:


> I sometimes get the itch for a WM1Z


I hope that won't happen to me if I already have the 1a. lol


----------



## kubig123

Ang Probinsyano said:


> I hope that won't happen to me if I already have the 1a. lol



In this hobby, there will always be some itches to scratch.


----------



## Ang Probinsyano

kubig123 said:


> In this hobby, there will always be some itches to scratch.


That's true. But maybe the 1a is the end of my journey on this hobby.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Ang Probinsyano said:


> That's true. But maybe the 1a is the end of my journey on this hobby.



The best thing in hobby - to search for the end, but never find


----------



## blazinblazin

I had ended my journey currently with WM1A + Leonidas + Andromeda + Symbio W tips.

I might upgrade when next series of Signature Players are out.


----------



## pietcux (Oct 26, 2017)

NaiveSound said:


> Oh boy... Im bad about things like that but in this instance... At that price.. I feel it's way out of reach, expecially as it can't play Tidal.
> 
> 
> I wish someone explained the sound difference between mojo and the *A*.   I can barely find any posts of the comparison... Or many reviews of the *a* actually....


There are more reviews of the WM1Z. Why? Because it is golden. Something like the golden calf. The WM1A is the black sheep in this regards. The black sheep sounds just fine to me. I don't like golden stuff anyways,  so what.


----------



## proedros

does anyone know how much % is the battery of the wm1a when you get the '*'battery low-please charge'' msg and the battery sign starts to blink ?*

15% ? 10% ? 5% ?

@nanaholic  have you seen any info about it ?

thanx guys


----------



## blazinblazin

proedros said:


> does anyone know how much % is the battery of the wm1a when you get the '*'battery low-please charge'' msg and the battery sign starts to blink ?*
> 
> 15% ? 10% ? 5% ?
> 
> ...


No one will be able to answer this, cause there's no value only battery icon.

I charge whenever it reaches the last bar.


----------



## Whitigir

Ah....man, the trebles on the 1Z is really something else.  Crazy how it perform by itself with Utopia plugged straight into it


----------



## NaiveSound

What does the wm1a go for on price in the used market?


----------



## Gosod

these series *WM1Z / WM1A *will be updated?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I guess it maybe between 5% and 3% my vaio laptop "depletes" at 6%


----------



## proedros

NaiveSound said:


> What does the wm1a go for on price in the used market?




as low as 750 euros/800$


----------



## bana

What are your sources for HD audio?
My only source now is HDTracks.com

I am assuming the preference is for HD when we have the 1A/1Z.


----------



## Matrix Petka

bana said:


> What are your sources for HD audio?
> My only source now is HDTracks.com
> 
> I am assuming the preference is for HD when we have the 1A/1Z.



I absolutely agree - 1A/Z demands perfect recordings.
Shining with DSD. For some great recordings you can search Yarlung records - https://www.yarlungrecords.com/
Also great quality with Pentatone - https://www.pentatonemusic.com
Naxos https://www.naxos.com/


----------



## mw7485

bana said:


> What are your sources for HD audio?
> My only source now is HDTracks.com
> 
> I am assuming the preference is for HD when we have the 1A/1Z.



For classical, NativeDSD, and Presto Classical.


----------



## mw7485

Gosod said:


> these series *WM1Z / WM1A *will be updated?



Sony have already released two firmware updates since launch, and ...there are rumours, but opinions vary as to whether a third update is imminent.


----------



## NaiveSound

mw7485 said:


> Sony have already released two firmware updates since launch, and ...there are rumours, but opinions vary as to whether a third update is imminent.


Like a usb dac.... Why not... Jeez... It's turning me off purchasing


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 26, 2017)

Presto classical and qobuz. Note that qobuz sells everything from rock to rap and classic

And file-sharing sites too, now offer HD music downloads


----------



## Whitigir

mw7485 said:


> Sony have already released two firmware updates since launch, and ...there are rumours, but opinions vary as to whether a third update is imminent.



I don’t think it would happen until Zx300 is globally launched for a couple months ....lol, or at least, until zx300 is globally launched


----------



## Xamdou

bana said:


> What are your sources for HD audio?
> My only source now is HDTracks.com
> 
> I am assuming the preference is for HD when we have the 1A/1Z.


Always Mora.jp for me since I'm weeb af


----------



## blazinblazin

Mora.jp or OTOTOY for me.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Love the sound of my WM1A, now i want that sound from a PC (USB-DAC)


----------



## purk (Oct 26, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Love the sound of my WM1A, now i want that sound from a PC (USB-DAC)


Get a full size desktop rig then.  As great as the 1Z, it is still not as resolving and unable to portray depth cues as good as my Sennheiser hdvd-800 and the the hdvd-800 is only good at doing the this compared to top end desktop DAC/amp unit.  I am only putting thing in perspective because I do love my 1Z a lot.


----------



## Whitigir

Purk, Stax, tell them to get Stax


----------



## NaiveSound

How does the pha 3 compare to the wm1a?


----------



## bana

blazinblazin said:


> Mora.jp or OTOTOY for me.



Ok, here is what I have so far.


----------



## bana

bana said:


> Ok, here is what I have so far.



www.yarlungrecords.com
www.pentatonemusic.com
www.naxos.com
www.nativedsd.com
www.presroclassical.co.uk
www.qobuz.com
www.mora.jp
www.ototoy.jp


----------



## mw7485 (Oct 27, 2017)

bana said:


> www.yarlungrecords.com
> www.pentatonemusic.com
> www.naxos.com
> www.nativedsd.com
> ...



hdtracks.com?
7digital.com? (which is linked to technics tracks I believe)
highresaudio.com?
Acoustic Sounds Super Hirez?


----------



## NaiveSound

How does ph3 compare to wm1a


----------



## purk

I don't have the WM1A but do have the 1Z and I found the PHA3 slightly more superior to the Wm1Z.  The 1Z is nearly there when compared side by side with the PHA-3, but the PHA3 presented the music with greater sense of space and has slightly more impact.  The PHA3 also has more power allowing it to work better with harder to driver headphones.  Whatever you do, get a better USB cable and don't use the supplied walkman cable as it can restricted the overall performance of the PHA3.


----------



## kms108

Probably has been posted, but just browsed through dignis site, and those after the sony walkman case, it's available for sale, although expensive it does look rather nice.

At present it's sold out, but you probably can ask when stock will be available.

http://dignis.co.kr/product/detail.html?product_no=175&cate_no=85&display_group=1


----------



## ttt123 (Oct 28, 2017)

addyg said:


> In HK, there is a shop which mod the dp-x1 series and then the wm1a wm1z. This mod is only 200usd with wire, shielding, capacitors, grounding changes. Check out Romi Audio on FB.


Thanks to addyg for mentioning Romi Audio in HK.  I just had it done (HKD2000).  Picked it up last Friday.  Here is what was done:
-  Changed  wire from the MB to earphone plug, on both TRS/TRRS 3.5mm and 4.4mm.  4n pure silver wire from Taiwan. (original plan was 2 wires per connection.  I asked to change to 4 wires per connection)
-          Single wire on back of MB, changed to 6n (7n?) copper.  This wire carries power
-          Added 2 Elna capacitors at the back, to extend the note decay.  (these Elna caps are close to the performance of Black Gate caps, but much cheaper)
-          Added copper foil on the backs of chips, and over the caps and relays, for noise shielding
-          Added copper foil on the plastic screw on cover at the back.  This was not on original mod, but an addition because I already had some copper foil there, though not as neat.
-          Mod uses silver solder (4% silver)

You can look up the FB page or PM me for the details:
   Dino Liu, email: dinogsxr@gmail.com
   192 Ap Liu St., Shum Shui Po, 16:00 to 21:00
   M/F ( above street level, left hand shop, inside, and to the left, towards front/street side of store, is Romi Audio

So how is it?  Pretty darn good.  Improved resolution, voices have really opened up.  Stage is better.  In short, it is more musical, and I am enjoying almost everything I listen to.  When I first picked it up, it had no burn in, and sounded very mehh.  After about 2 hours, the SQ improved, and I started to relax, as I was hearing that the different (and good) sound that the changes had brought in.   So now, at 27 hours burn in, it is already sounding really good.  I'm not very good at analyzing the sound, beyond whether I enjoy the music more, or less. so all I can provide is a subjective impression.  To me, the mod is a definite improvement, and it brings the WM1Z to another level.  And of course I like that I can walk into the store, and get it done, without shipping, etc.  People interested in more details, can PM me.


----------



## Whitigir (Oct 28, 2017)

Woa, you would go as far to add additional Capacitors ? In parrallel or what ? I wouldn’t touch anything on the hard-components beside the wires.  Because doing so, will essentially transform the Wm1Z into something else, and no longer Sony signature move anymore.  Wires upgrade ? Now there are a whole lot of reason to do it.  If I would swap out any hard-components, I would rather sell the 1Z and buy something else 

Not to criticize anyone, but let me ask.  How does a copper foil provide shielding to “any chips” without “proper grounding” ?  You do know that Metal, and or Metal foil, without proper grounding, instead of acting as a shield, can act as an antenna ?  The best way to provide additional shielding is to Copper foil on the back of the black plastic casing and connect the foil to the main chassis, but leave the space for Bluetooth antenna to send signal through.  However, doing this will decrease the Bluetooth antenna range.  Ultimate way to do this would be to completely take out Bluetooth antenna, and NFC antenna.  Then custom mill a CNC Copper-Gold Plated back plating, then screw it on.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I won't touvh anything because the risk of having a non-working player


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I won't touvh anything because the risk of having a non-working player


You need to upgrade to 1Z first before you would worry


----------



## ttt123

Whitigir said:


> Woa, you would go as far to add additional Capacitors ? In parrallel or what ? I wouldn’t touch anything on the hard-components beside the wires.  Because doing so, will essentially transform the Wm1Z into something else, and no longer Sony signature move anymore.  Wires upgrade ? Now there are a whole lot of reason to do it.  If I would swap out any hard-components, I would rather sell the 1Z and buy something else
> 
> Not to criticize anyone, but let me ask.  How does a copper foil provide shielding to “any chips” without “proper grounding” ?  You do know that Metal, and or Metal foil, without proper grounding, instead of acting as a shield, can act as an antenna ?  The best way to provide additional shielding is to Copper foil on the back of the black plastic casing and connect the foil to the main chassis, but leave the space for Bluetooth antenna to send signal through.  However, doing this will decrease the Bluetooth antenna range.  Ultimate way to do this would be to completely take out Bluetooth antenna, and NFC antenna.  Then custom mill a CNC Copper-Gold Plated back plating, then screw it on.



Agree on the shielding.  I had done exactly what you described earlier, with copper foil, with the ends contacting the metal chassis on the back.  I had the same thought about the added copper foil, that it would be better if grounded, so that RF noise would drain to grd.  I did not pursue that, but just went with the foil applied the simple way, as that is what Romi had worked out.  I guess it may isolate RF, even if it does not have a drain path to grd.  Prevents RF  from spreading as much.  Of course it could also act as an antenna, in some scenarios.  So, agree, it is not the theoretical best way, but I believe this has been used quite often in mods.  I guess the proof is in the end result.  It may not be the best way, but it can still be a positive thing.  The capacitors, I basically went with what Romi had tried in a previous mod.  I was open to trying it at his recommendation.   So some of the things in the mod, people may disagree with.  Some even disagree with changing the wires, or adding shielding (proper or improper).  I fully sympathise with hesitation in making changes.  I did not always find it easy to make changes.  At this point, I'm pretty open to trying changes.  I'm happy with the changes, so it is a success (for me).  And I know I can always get them reversed, if I want to.


----------



## Imusicman

He who dares my friend. He who dares


----------



## EagleWings

Selling my Sony WM1Z, as I am getting into full-size headphones.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-sony-wm1z.863850/


----------



## Whitigir

EagleWings said:


> Selling my Sony WM1Z, as I am getting into full-size headphones.
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-sony-wm1z.863850/



I don’t get you...full size head phones ? Isn’t Utopia a full size Headphones ? And it pairs wonderfully with Wm1z.  Unless you meant “desktop system”, then Utopia and 1Z can be excellent pieces for Desktop system, 1Z for digital source, Utopia for high end best dynamic headphones, then you only need Amp and cables.


----------



## EagleWings

Whitigir said:


> I don’t get you...full size head phones ? Isn’t Utopia a full size Headphones ? And it pairs wonderfully with Wm1z.  Unless you meant “desktop system”, then Utopia and 1Z can be excellent pieces for Desktop system, 1Z for digital source, Utopia for high end best dynamic headphones, then you only need Amp and cables.



And I don't get you.. Is anyone giving away Utopia for free because I have the 1Z?


----------



## Whitigir

EagleWings said:


> And I don't get you.. Is anyone giving away Utopia for free because I have the 1Z?



Nope, just saying, Wm1z is fully capable of full-size Headphones, and especially to Utopia, unless you are aiming to downgrade, then sure


----------



## EagleWings

Whitigir said:


> Nope, just saying, Wm1z is fully capable of full-size Headphones



I have seen your posts on the Utopia+1Z pairing, and would love to own that combo. But I can't afford to own both. I need to sacrifice the 1Z to pay for the HP.


----------



## addyg

ttt123 said:


> Thanks to addyg for mentioning Romi Audio in HK.  I just had it done (HKD2000).  Picked it up last Friday.  Here is what was done:
> -  Changed  wire from the MB to earphone plug, on both TRS/TRRS 3.5mm and 4.4mm.  4n pure silver wire from Taiwan. (original plan was 2 wires per connection.  I asked to change to 4 wires per connection)
> -          Single wire on back of MB, changed to 6n (7n?) copper.  This wire carries power
> -          Added 2 Elna capacitors at the back, to extend the note decay.  (these Elna caps are close to the performance of Black Gate caps, but much cheaper)
> ...



You are welcome!


----------



## NaiveSound

Anyone else able to mention bout ph3 vs wm1a


----------



## addyg

Whitigir said:


> Woa, you would go as far to add additional Capacitors ? In parrallel or what ? I wouldn’t touch anything on the hard-components beside the wires.  Because doing so, will essentially transform the Wm1Z into something else, and no longer Sony signature move anymore.  Wires upgrade ? Now there are a whole lot of reason to do it.  If I would swap out any hard-components, I would rather sell the 1Z and buy something else
> 
> Not to criticize anyone, but let me ask.  How does a copper foil provide shielding to “any chips” without “proper grounding” ?  You do know that Metal, and or Metal foil, without proper grounding, instead of acting as a shield, can act as an antenna ?  The best way to provide additional shielding is to Copper foil on the back of the black plastic casing and connect the foil to the main chassis, but leave the space for Bluetooth antenna to send signal through.  However, doing this will decrease the Bluetooth antenna range.  Ultimate way to do this would be to completely take out Bluetooth antenna, and NFC antenna.  Then custom mill a CNC Copper-Gold Plated back plating, then screw it on.



From an electronic point the copper foil is not touching any metal part so it is like an umbrella to keep RF radiation spreading to other components. It is more like a Wi-Fi shielding where you cannot receive phone call in elevators. 

So it does not require any grounding as it blocks not the electric current but signal radiation.


----------



## addyg (Oct 28, 2017)

It is quite common even big brand manufacturers do not care about the internal radiation of each components. Manufacturer thinks it's the job of component producer to take care of radiation.

But a component producer don't care if you used its components in a 100usd radio or a 2000usd hi-res player.

The result is you will get a good player with a lot of internally radiation affected components. So simply saying it is 80-95% of what the perfection is.

That's why for many years, this shielding mod has saved some even highly priced hi-fi products.


----------



## Quadfather

I want the NW-WM1Z!    I think I will be happy with my Shure SRH1540 and Audioquest Nighthawks in balanced.  Surf cables.   I love the NW-WM1A, but...the itch begins!


----------



## Edric Li

I am selling my Lotoo Paw Gold after a month of living with both. 

LPG's advantage over WM1Z: fast UI, fast power on/off, fast file transfer. I need confirmation from somebody that WM1Z will work with the 400GB micro SD card!

WM1Z's advantage over LPG: One complaint I have with the LPG is that treble from the headphone jack is way too bright. Still I would recommend LPG over WM1Z if one is using JH, Shure, Westone, etc. the usual TOTL dark-sounding stage monitors, but to pair with my collection of headphones, I'd prefer something more neutral. Line out from LPG doesn't have that problem though. The tuning of WM1Z on the other hand is amazing. Very neutral and balanced, yet full of emotion and body. As a plus, WM1Z's soundstage is wider and deeper than that of LPG.


----------



## addyg

Edric Li said:


> I am selling my Lotoo Paw Gold after a month of living with both.
> 
> LPG's advantage over WM1Z: fast UI, fast power on/off, fast file transfer. I need confirmation from somebody that WM1Z will work with the 400GB micro SD card!
> 
> WM1Z's advantage over LPG: One complaint I have with the LPG is that treble from the headphone jack is way too bright. Still I would recommend LPG over WM1Z if one is using JH, Shure, Westone, etc. the usual TOTL dark-sounding stage monitors, but to pair with my collection of headphones, I'd prefer something more neutral. Line out from LPG doesn't have that problem though. The tuning of WM1Z on the other hand is amazing. Very neutral and balanced, yet full of emotion and body. As a plus, WM1Z's soundstage is wider and deeper than that of LPG.



You are right on the point LPG is overly bright in sound that I think it is good only to defeat other in player contest. In real life we don't need too sharp too high treble which makes ears too tired.


----------



## nc8000

EagleWings said:


> Selling my Sony WM1Z, as I am getting into full-size headphones.
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-sony-wm1z.863850/



What full size headphone specifically are you after ? 1Z works fine with many full size phones.


----------



## Quadfather

nc8000 said:


> What full size headphone specifically are you after ? 1Z works fine with many full size phones.



I use my Sony NW-WM1A with Audioquest Nighthawks and Shure SRH1540 using balanced Surf cables in both cases.  Sounds great.


----------



## EagleWings

nc8000 said:


> What full size headphone specifically are you after ? 1Z works fine with many full size phones.



I am thinking about the HD800S, because I've had comfort issues with full size headphones before and the 800 is one of the comfortable full-size HPs out there. Also one other reason I am sticking with the LPG over the 1Z is the Parametric EQ on the LPG.


----------



## Steen Pihl (Oct 29, 2017)

Edric Li said:


> I am selling my Lotoo Paw Gold after a month of living with both.
> 
> LPG's advantage over WM1Z: fast UI, fast power on/off, fast file transfer. I need confirmation from somebody that WM1Z will work with the 400GB micro SD card!
> 
> WM1Z's advantage over LPG: One complaint I have with the LPG is that treble from the headphone jack is way too bright. Still I would recommend LPG over WM1Z if one is using JH, Shure, Westone, etc. the usual TOTL dark-sounding stage monitors, but to pair with my collection of headphones, I'd prefer something more neutral. Line out from LPG doesn't have that problem though. The tuning of WM1Z on the other hand is amazing. Very neutral and balanced, yet full of emotion and body. As a plus, WM1Z's soundstage is wider and deeper than that of LPG.





Edric Li said:


> I am selling my Lotoo Paw Gold after a month of living with both.
> 
> LPG's advantage over WM1Z: fast UI, fast power on/off, fast file transfer. I need confirmation from somebody that WM1Z will work with the 400GB micro SD card!
> 
> WM1Z's advantage over LPG: One complaint I have with the LPG is that treble from the headphone jack is way too bright. Still I would recommend LPG over WM1Z if one is using JH, Shure, Westone, etc. the usual TOTL dark-sounding stage monitors, but to pair with my collection of headphones, I'd prefer something more neutral. Line out from LPG doesn't have that problem though. The tuning of WM1Z on the other hand is amazing. Very neutral and balanced, yet full of emotion and body. As a plus, WM1Z's soundstage is wider and deeper than that of LPG.


Hi Edric Li.
I can confirm that the 400gb SD card work! And a bit faster than previous SD cards too!


----------



## pietcux

Quadfather said:


> I want the NW-WM1Z!    I think I will be happy with my Shure SRH1540 and Audioquest Nighthawks in balanced.  Surf cables.   I love the NW-WM1A, but...the itch begins!


You might want to try the new Sennheiser HD660S. It has upgraded drivers and comes with a 4.4 mm Pentagon balanced cable. Have it since some time now and must say it pairs wonderful with the WM1A.


----------



## pietcux

EagleWings said:


> I am thinking about the HD800S, because I've had comfort issues with full size headphones before and the 800 is one of the comfortable full-size HPs out there. Also one other reason I am sticking with the LPG over the 1Z is the Parametric EQ on the LPG.


You know that the WM1Z has a parametric EQ, don't you?


----------



## EagleWings

pietcux said:


> You know that the WM1Z has a parametric EQ, don't you?



Dude, are you serious? All I see is the 10-Band Graphic Equalizer. How do it activate the PMEQ?


----------



## Whitigir

It only moves like a PMeq, but is not


----------



## EagleWings

Gotcha.


----------



## pietcux

EagleWings said:


> Dude, are you serious? All I see is the 10-Band Graphic Equalizer. How do it activate the PMEQ?


Ok, you are correct. The WM1 has only a lousy 10 band EQ, not parametric. As I prefer listening to music instead of fiddling with things on a mini screen, I do not even use the one that I have.


----------



## ledzep

A good match between player and headphones coupled up with good source material and player set to direct is all you should need, that's the sweet spot I'm at ( cost me about £2500 testing stuff about but fun)


----------



## Tawek

I sold LPG after I get Sony nwz x1061I liked more with se5ult and I dont understand all hype about LPG


----------



## ledzep

Tawek said:


> I sold LPG after I get Sony nwz x1061I liked more with se5ult and I dont understand all hype about LPG



LPG!! Me neither Liquefied petroleum gas
vastly overrated.


----------



## gerelmx1986

For me it loos like a parametric EQ not like the typical Graphic eqaulizer


----------



## gerelmx1986

There was a discussion over clicking of the WM series, more particularly over the volume change click.

Perhaps are the buttons them selves when you press and release them? ;D i don't get any click sound when changing volume, i went all the way up to 120 and down and up between 100 and 120 and no click

I only hear click when A) cliock frequency changes B) leaving it on stand-by for 30s or waking it up from sleep mode C) when pluggin or unplugging HPs


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> There was a discussion over clicking of the WM series, more particularly over the volume change click.
> 
> Perhaps are the buttons them selves when you press and release them? ;D i don't get any click sound when changing volume, i went all the way up to 120 and down and up between 100 and 120 and no click
> 
> I only hear click when A) cliock frequency changes B) leaving it on stand-by for 30s or waking it up from sleep mode C) when pluggin or unplugging HPs



It’s there for me between 100 and 120 on high gain with Z1R (well beyond max listening volume). It’s not a click like the relays but sort of a very weak pop for each level up or down in the actual sound stream


----------



## EagleWings (Oct 29, 2017)

I don't understand the hostility that some you guys have against the LPG. LPG came out 3 years back, and it's resolution is still among the best. 1Z has a larger stage and better spatial separation. But LPG has a more accurate instrument timbre and note dynamics.

If you didn't like the LPG with a certain IEM, then probabaly it's your matter of taste/preference. I know a couple of people who actually adore the LPG+SE5 combo. In terms of technicalities, LPG is still up there in the top tier. If you prefer a certain DAP that you own, that is well and good. There is no need to trash another player to feel good about what you own.

If you don't understand the hype behind the LPG, here are 2 facts; the little device has a powerful amp, that can drive the HD800 directly and it has a kick-ass PMEQ. If you don't like to engage EQ and prefer the direct sound, well and good again. But please keep in mind, that's just your philosophy. There are many people who like to take advantage of a good EQ. If you have an IEM that you adore in every way, and it sounds like it was made just for you, except for a nasty peak in the treble, you could kill that peak using a EQ.


----------



## Lavakugel

Is it possible to use WM1a via crandle to Chord Hugo or Mojo?


----------



## Edric Li

EagleWings said:


> I don't understand the hostility that some you guys have against the LPG. LPG came out 3 years back, and it's resolution is still among the best. 1Z has a larger stage and better spatial separation. But LPG has a more accurate instrument timbre and note dynamics.
> 
> If you didn't like the LPG with a certain IEM, then probabaly it's your matter of taste/preference. I know a couple of people who actually adore the LPG+SE5 combo. In terms of technicalities, LPG is still up there in the top tier. If you prefer a certain DAP that you own, that is well and good. There is no need to trash another player to feel good about what you own.
> 
> If you don't understand the hype behind the LPG, here are 2 facts; the little device has a powerful amp, that can drive the HD800 directly and it has a kick-ass PMEQ. If you don't like to engage EQ and prefer the direct sound, well and good again. But please keep in mind, that's just your philosophy. There are many people who like to take advantage of a good EQ. If you have an IEM that you adore in every way, and it sounds like it was made just for you, except for a nasty peak in the treble, you could kill that peak using a EQ.



I totally agree with you on that LPG is a better player when paired with 70% of the popular TOTL IEM's out there on the market. This is due to the fact that brands like JH, UE, Shure, Westone, even audio-technica make stage monitors, which are often darker (read less treble) than neutral. With a boosted treble, LPG brings "air" and "timber" to these IEM. This is the case with SE5Way, as I have auditioned this exact pairing.

But when paired with IEM or heaphones that are actually neutral, usually those designed with serving audiophiles in mind, LPG becomes overly bright (read too much treble). The "accurate instrument timbre and note dynamics" becomes splashiness or "digital glare". This is the case, for example, with my UM Mentor and HD800S, which I consider close to neutral. 

Another variable would be one's hearing. People with declined hearing would usually prefer brighter players and IEMs, like Ocharaku, some ALO's, K3003, etc.


----------



## Tawek

I disagree  my note 4 with se5ult is very close to lpg +se5ult  and after 1h with dsd in my pocket  I can make scramble eggs (68'c ) soundstage very narrow  it was terrible experience with mdr ex1000 and piano forte x-g iny opinion the most overrated dap in audio history


----------



## EagleWings (Oct 29, 2017)

Edric Li said:


> I totally agree with you on that LPG is a better player when paired with 70% of the popular TOTL IEM's out there on the market. This is due to the fact that brands like JH, UE, Shure, Westone, even audio-technica make stage monitors, which are often darker (read less treble) than neutral. With a boosted treble, LPG brings "air" and "timber" to these IEM. This is the case with SE5Way, as I have auditioned this exact pairing.
> 
> But when paired with IEM or heaphones that are actually neutral, usually those designed with serving audiophiles in mind, LPG becomes overly bright (read too much treble). The "accurate instrument timbre and note dynamics" becomes splashiness or "digital glare". This is the case, for example, with my UM Mentor and HD800S, which I consider close to neutral.
> 
> Another variable would be one's hearing. People with declined hearing would usually prefer brighter players and IEMs, like Ocharaku, some ALO's, K3003, etc.



Agreed. This is one of the reasons why I purchased the 1Z as my Zeus sounds a bit bright with the LPG.

Ah man, that's a bummer. I was looking forward to pairing HD800S with the LPG.


----------



## EagleWings (Oct 29, 2017)

Tawek said:


> I disagree  my note 4 with se5ult is very close to lpg +se5ult  and after 1h with dsd in my pocket  I can make scramble eggs (68'c ) soundstage very narrow  it was terrible experience with mdr ex1000 and piano forte x-g iny opinion the most overrated dap in audio history



Fair enough. I can't comment on the Note4 and SE5 as I don't own either. But as for the EX1000, it is a well know fact that the IEM itself falls on the bright side. So the player alone is not to be blamed. And IMO, LPG is one of the best DAPs in the audio history.

And with that I'll stop defending LPG and let the thread get back on topic.


----------



## proedros

EagleWings said:


> Agreed. This is one of the reasons why I purchased the 1Z as my Zeus sounds a bit bright with the LPG.



how is zeus with 1z ?


----------



## EagleWings (Oct 29, 2017)

proedros said:


> how is zeus with 1z ?



Lol, I just made a post on the EE thread about how wonderfully the Zeus pairs with the 1Z. Like I said in one of my posts, if I could afford to own 2 DAPs, I'd not be selling the 1Z.

If anyone is planning on retiring from the hobby and is looking for an end-game portable solution, 1Z is something to really consider as it possesses some of the desired characteristics such as; a large soundstage, good separation, nice bass dynamics, warm euphonic sound and is quite forgiving. And all these features work in favor for the pairing with the Zeus.


----------



## proedros

i am intrigued to try out wm1z and also leaning on going to a local sony shop and auditioning the wm1z 

still 2000 euros for a dap - this is probably too much for my extra limited budget


----------



## mw7485

proedros said:


> i am intrigued to try out wm1z and also leaning on going to a local sony shop and auditioning the wm1z
> 
> still 2000 euros for a dap - this is probably too much for my extra limited budget



The problem you will have is that you are used to the 1A - and unless the 1Z you listen to has got the requisite mileage on it, you'll probably not hear a vast difference


----------



## justrest (Oct 29, 2017)

EagleWings said:


> I don't understand the hostility that some you guys have against the LPG. LPG came out 3 years back, and it's resolution is still among the best. 1Z has a larger stage and better spatial separation. But LPG has a more accurate instrument timbre and note dynamics.
> 
> If you didn't like the LPG with a certain IEM, then probabaly it's your matter of taste/preference. I know a couple of people who actually adore the LPG+SE5 combo. In terms of technicalities, LPG is still up there in the top tier. If you prefer a certain DAP that you own, that is well and good. There is no need to trash another player to feel good about what you own.
> 
> If you don't understand the hype behind the LPG, here are 2 facts; the little device has a powerful amp, that can drive the HD800 directly and it has a kick-ass PMEQ. If you don't like to engage EQ and prefer the direct sound, well and good again. But please keep in mind, that's just your philosophy. There are many people who like to take advantage of a good EQ. If you have an IEM that you adore in every way, and it sounds like it was made just for you, except for a nasty peak in the treble, you could kill that peak using a EQ.




LPG Output Power: 500mW

Cheers.


----------



## Blueoris

Edric Li said:


> I totally agree with you on that LPG is a better player when paired with 70% of the popular TOTL IEM's out there on the market. This is due to the fact that brands like JH, UE, Shure, Westone, even audio-technica make stage monitors, which are often darker (read less treble) than neutral. With a boosted treble, LPG brings "air" and "timber" to these IEM. This is the case with SE5Way, as I have auditioned this exact pairing.
> 
> But when paired with IEM or heaphones that are actually neutral, usually those designed with serving audiophiles in mind, LPG becomes overly bright (read too much treble). The "accurate instrument timbre and note dynamics" becomes splashiness or "digital glare". This is the case, for example, with my UM Mentor and HD800S, which I consider close to neutral.
> 
> Another variable would be one's hearing. People with declined hearing would usually prefer brighter players and IEMs, like Ocharaku, some ALO's, K3003, etc.



I agree with you. Does someone knows about a IEM that provides a flat, neutral response when paired with the 1Z? The feature am looking for is for a headphone that "disappears" and let me listen to the DAP in its purest dimension

I've been doing some research for a pair of headphones to pair with the 1Z and most of the reviews from the brands you listed mention u's and v's response shapes with sparkly yet inoffensive treble.


----------



## mw7485 (Oct 29, 2017)

Blueoris said:


> I agree with you. Does someone knows about a IEM that provides a flat, neutral response when paired with the 1Z? The feature am looking for is for a headphone that "disappears" and let me listen to the DAP in its purest dimension




Oh yes - easy. Etymotic ER4XR. However (why does there always need to be a caveat?), You need to invest a little time and a little effort to find the right eartips for your ears, and get used to their fit and feel. Get over these hurdles, and the sound (through balanced at least) is as close to letting the player be the player as you are likely to get without spending an awful lot of money. I swear by (not at) my etys; they are the one thing that has been consistent in my setup for 12 years. Although I use the ER4P, I auditioned the ER4XR for two weeks on a @ClieOS cable, and I know they are the missing link that I will eventually close.


----------



## Blueoris

mw7485 said:


> Oh yes - easy. Etymotic ER4XR. However (why does there always need to be a caveat?), You need to invest a little time and a little effort to find the right eartips for your ears, and get used to their fit and feel. Get over these hurdles, and the sound (through balanced at least) is as close to letting the player be the player as you are likely to get without spending an awful lot of money. I swear by (not at) my etys; they are the one thing that has been consistent in my setup for 12 years. Although I use the ER4P, I auditioned the ER4XR for two weeks on a @ClieOS cable, and I know they are the missing link that I will eventually close.



Excellent, and their price range is great, thanks for the advice!

Does the ER4XR accept universal-fit tips or do I need to get tips from other Etymotic models?


----------



## mw7485

Blueoris said:


> Excellent, and their price range is great, thanks for the advice!
> 
> Does the ER4XR accept universal-fit tips or do I need to get tips from other Etymotic models?



The Ety's have their own tips.There are also however, unofficial third party ones that work for some people (I use a third party tip). Alternatively, you can get custom in-ear moulds made. I believe @ledzep has gone this route. If you go the custom route though, it is essential that you use someone who understands that these things go deep. Ask around the ER4 thread for reccommendations.....


----------



## blazinblazin (Oct 30, 2017)

nc8000 said:


> It’s there for me between 100 and 120 on high gain with Z1R (well beyond max listening volume). It’s not a click like the relays but sort of a very weak pop for each level up or down in the actual sound stream


Yup i got this at those volume on Andro also


----------



## ledzep

Blueoris said:


> Excellent, and their price range is great, thanks for the advice!
> 
> Does the ER4XR accept universal-fit tips or do I need to get tips from other Etymotic models?


Tried loads of tips on the XR's and eventually settled on snugs custom moulds, yes not cheap at £190 but they are without a doubt worth every penny and can be in my ears all day with no problems and offer perfect isolation and make the XR's sound imo outstanding and  coupled up with the plusound X8 tri metal cable on 4.4mm makes me so anti social at work as all I want to do is listen all day to music and not be bothered by people wanting to talk ( the Sony remote comes in handy if I must talk).


----------



## Blueoris

ledzep said:


> Tried loads of tips on the XR's and eventually settled on snugs custom moulds, yes not cheap at £190 but they are without a doubt worth every penny and can be in my ears all day with no problems and offer perfect isolation and make the XR's sound imo outstanding and  coupled up with the plusound X8 tri metal cable on 4.4mm makes me so anti social at work as all I want to do is listen all day to music and not be bothered by people wanting to talk ( the Sony remote comes in handy if I must talk).



I will PM you to ask more info about those custom moulds, if you don't mind....  and let the thread keep going


----------



## Edric Li (Oct 29, 2017)

Blueoris said:


> I agree with you. Does someone knows about a IEM that provides a flat, neutral response when paired with the 1Z? The feature am looking for is for a headphone that "disappears" and let me listen to the DAP in its purest dimension
> 
> I've been doing some research for a pair of headphones to pair with the 1Z and most of the reviews from the brands you listed mention u's and v's response shapes with sparkly yet inoffensive treble.



IMO the most neutral IEM with top-notch SQ out there is the Shure 1500. UM Mentor is very close, but with slightly less mids. 1964 U10, QDC8 and Tralucent 1+2 also came to my mind. They are pretty neutral when you are listening indoor.
If listening outdoor more often, I would appreciate something with a little extra bass. To me that's Beyer Xelento.


----------



## TenderTendon

gerelmx1986 said:


> There was a discussion over clicking of the WM series, more particularly over the volume change click.
> 
> Perhaps are the buttons them selves when you press and release them?



No, it's not the buttons. It happens when using the remote control also.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I was listening to some remastered recording of Bach Magdalena notebook (Mario videla) and wow hearing sounds I never heard before and the enveloping stage, how addictive is WM series sound


----------



## Kervsky

Ang Probinsyano said:


> I hope that won't happen to me if I already have the 1a. lol



If you aren't easily satisfied, the journey may never end 



blazinblazin said:


> I had ended my journey currently with WM1A + Leonidas + Andromeda + Symbio W tips.
> 
> I might upgrade when next series of Signature Players are out.



We have a similar setup, WM1A + Thor II + Andromeda + Comply Tips. Seems to be satisfactory to me for the long haul


----------



## Lavakugel

Can't wait to get my Noble K10 Massdrop to shine with WM1A


----------



## bana

mw7485 said:


> hdtracks.com?
> 7digital.com? (which is linked to technics tracks I believe)
> highresaudio.com?
> Acoustic Sounds Super Hirez?


Thanks my friends, now we have the source to go with the equipment. Another couple of weeks before my Zeus XR arrives, in the meantime, the modified IE800 balanced and the Westone UM Pro balanced will just have to do, then I'm set for 10 years!


----------



## NaiveSound

bana said:


> Thanks my friends, now we have the source to go with the equipment. Another couple of weeks before my Zeus XR arrives, in the meantime, the modified IE800 balanced and the Westone UM Pro balanced will just have to do, then I'm set for 10 years!




Thr Zeus XR is just amazing,  everything about it is what you want!  10nywars for sure


----------



## kubig123

if anybody is still interested in the Dignis Walkman LE case, is now available.

http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/prod...-limited-case/175/?cate_no=85&display_group=1


----------



## nc8000

Cool. Order placed


----------



## ledzep

kubig123 said:


> if anybody is still interested in the Dignis Walkman LE case, is now available.
> 
> http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/prod...-limited-case/175/?cate_no=85&display_group=1



$200 plus shipping What!  World's gone mental!


----------



## kubig123

ledzep said:


> $200 plus shipping What!  World's gone mental!



It’s $107 for this case, not saying that it's cheap but better than $200...


----------



## psikey

ledzep said:


> $200 plus shipping What!  World's gone mental!


Does look great though! Exclusivity costs. Look at the iPhone X!!!


----------



## ledzep

kubig123 said:


> It’s $107 for this case, not saying that it's cheap but better than $200...



Ha ha added 2 to the basket 
Worlds not mental anymore... Well until this hits UK customs and post office handling fee gets added.


----------



## nogi replicant

I am getting region denied when I hit the link and when I go to the dignis site and then select English it does the same thing. I am in Australia. Did you uk folk get the same issue? How did you resolve it?

I am confused because I am pretty sure I bought my black 1z dignis case off the site direct. Thanks


----------



## blazinblazin

nogi replicant said:


> I am getting region denied when I hit the link and when I go to the dignis site and then select English it does the same thing. I am in Australia. Did you uk folk get the same issue? How did you resolve it?
> 
> I am confused because I am pretty sure I bought my black 1z dignis case off the site direct. Thanks


Just go in from their main site
dignis.co.kr


----------



## nogi replicant

Logged on with a different machine and it worked. Strange.


----------



## all999

kubig123 said:


> if anybody is still interested in the Dignis Walkman LE case, is now available.
> 
> http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/prod...-limited-case/175/?cate_no=85&display_group=1



21,82$ for a registered shipping to EU? I wass really interested in this one, but shipping cost is just insane. Paid less for DHL.


----------



## blazinblazin (Oct 30, 2017)

Kervsky said:


> If you aren't easily satisfied, the journey may never end
> 
> 
> 
> We have a similar setup, WM1A + Thor II + Andromeda + Comply Tips. Seems to be satisfactory to me for the long haul



Similar, probably sounds a bit different.
Mine probably slightly warmer, more open and transparent.

I am going for both fuller ambient lows and open transparent highs.


----------



## muffin9988

kubig123 said:


> if anybody is still interested in the Dignis Walkman LE case, is now available.
> 
> http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/prod...-limited-case/175/?cate_no=85&display_group=1




Looks like this round is sold out again already. Glad I jumped on it earlier, thanks for the heads up, kubig


----------



## kubig123

muffin9988 said:


> Looks like this round is sold out again already. Glad I jumped on it earlier, thanks for the heads up, kubig



glad to be helpful!


----------



## PCheung

Romi audio shared some photo of the WM1A/Z mod on their facebook


https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=497989093931189&id=130163450713757


----------



## ezekiel77

kubig123 said:


> glad to be helpful!


Just placed an order for mine, many thanks for the heads up! I've been wanting this one for ages.

To those who can't access the international shop via desktop/computer, try using mobile and clicking on the American flag instead. Worked for me.

I could still order mine (order placed 5 minutes ago) so I guess it's not sold out yet?


----------



## Kervsky

blazinblazin said:


> Similar, probably sounds a bit different.
> Mine probably slightly warmer, more open and transparent.
> 
> I am going for both fuller ambient lows and open transparent highs.



Aye, a bit different indeed. I have issues with too much highs, and after blind testing (literally back towards the sales guy, an awesome guy, who attached several effects audio cables on my andromeda and played several tracks with each cable) thor ii was the one I chose, i got more space/dimensionality and balanced output.


----------



## Sleepow

Can anyone recommend a sturdy female 4.4 to male 3.5 adaptor for the odd time I want to use my reterminated cables on a lesser source/amp?


----------



## flipper203

did anyone compare the WM1A and AK 320 player ?


----------



## nanaholic

Sleepow said:


> Can anyone recommend a sturdy female 4.4 to male 3.5 adaptor for the odd time I want to use my reterminated cables on a lesser source/amp?



The one by Musashino Label is nice, as the female jack is Pentaconn (same as the one inside the Walkman).  
http://www.cmpg.co.jp/musashino/3544p1/index.html

It's difficult to find though, I just checked e-earphone's website they don't seem to have any in stock at the moment.


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> The one by Musashino Label is nice, as the female jack is Pentaconn (same as the one inside the Walkman).
> http://www.cmpg.co.jp/musashino/3544p1/index.html
> 
> It's difficult to find though, I just checked e-earphone's website they don't seem to have any in stock at the moment.



Yes that one is fine, I use it when I want to use my phones with my iPad or iPhone


----------



## NoMythsAudio

Sleepow said:


> Can anyone recommend a sturdy female 4.4 to male 3.5 adaptor for the odd time I want to use my reterminated cables on a lesser source/amp?





nanaholic said:


> The one by Musashino Label is nice, as the female jack is Pentaconn (same as the one inside the Walkman).
> http://www.cmpg.co.jp/musashino/3544p1/index.html



Just found this https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4-4...lgo_pvid=4c723f12-178c-496b-92b5-e8c5fc3eb227 on aliexpress, not much description on it but looks like it. Can someone please take a look and confirm this will indeed work as female 4.4mm to male 3.5mm as I'm also interested in one. All my cables are already terminated for 4.4mm.


----------



## nc8000

NoMythsAudio said:


> Just found this https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4-4...lgo_pvid=4c723f12-178c-496b-92b5-e8c5fc3eb227 on aliexpress, not much description on it but looks like it. Can someone please take a look and confirm this will indeed work as female 4.4mm to male 3.5mm as I'm also interested in one. All my cables are already terminated for 4.4mm.



Looks correct


----------



## kubig123

Sleepow said:


> Can anyone recommend a sturdy female 4.4 to male 3.5 adaptor for the odd time I want to use my reterminated cables on a lesser source/amp?



Also YY Pro Audio (http://yypa.hk) makes a 4.4mm adaptor, here is mine, the female 4.4 connector is a pentaconn as the Musashino but without the huge housing.

Double Helix makes ultrashort adapters with female 4.4mm connector.

if you are investing in quality cable make sure the adapter is top quality too, even if it's short it still affect the sound.


----------



## rhull1973

Received my SanDisk 400gb card yesterday. Working fine in my WM1A.  It did crash the first time creating database, but after a reboot, finished creating the database quickly.


----------



## kubig123

Lunashop introduced a modular plug (iso Dita Audio - 2.5mm TRRS, 3.5mm TRS and 4.4mm TRRRS).

Looking at the pictures the quality is not at the same level as the Dita Audio, but I can be useful for someone that has different sources.

http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=5927


----------



## Vlad0

Mee Audio has a better proposal , full set of adapters and cable for 24$ more.


----------



## kubig123

Vlad0 said:


> Mee Audio has a better proposal , full set of adapters and cable for 24$ more.



Nice,
good deal!


----------



## NaiveSound

Vlad0 said:


> Mee Audio has a better proposal , full set of adapters and cable for 24$ more.




Link plz


----------



## kubig123

NaiveSound said:


> Link plz



http://www.meeaudio.com/CMB-BAL-SET


----------



## Vlad0

Here you are;
http://www.meeaudio.com/CMB-BAL-SET


----------



## NaiveSound

So  a balanced cable really is just the jack that's different? Nothing about the cable is *balanced*?


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> So  a balanced cable really is just the jack that's different? Nothing about the cable is *balanced*?



Balanced cable requires 4 wires all the way to the jack. Many normal cables only have 3 wires from the Y join and down to the plug


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> Balanced cable requires 4 wires all the way to the jack. Many normal cables only have 3 wires from the Y join and down to the plug



What happens if you stick a normal se cable into an adapter. So from 4.4 to a 3.5 reg


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> What happens if you stick a normal se cable into an adapter. So from 4.4 to a 3.5 reg



You may well short circuit the source damaging it


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> You may well short circuit the source damaging it



It is a fact that you would short out the Circuit, and there was one member who had tried it, he had unpleasant “hums”.  Never ever do this


----------



## Sleepow

Thanks for the inputs, I will be looking for the Musashino online in JP.
I do not need anything fancy, it is not for music, just the odd time I want to play games without bothering my wife.


----------



## Quadfather

Tawek said:


> I sold LPG after I get Sony nwz x1061I liked more with se5ult and I dont understand all hype about LPG



I have figured out PMEQ and I can make LPG Diana sound like any DAP I want.


----------



## gerelmx1986

It is November, let us see when Sony releases the latest firmware and hope is with USB DAC


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> It is November, let us see when Sony releases the latest firmware and hope is with USB DAC


Lol, we are all waiting


----------



## pietcux

One question that bothers me since long, is the Sony S-master dac/amp anything similar to the Chord FPGA?


----------



## nanaholic

pietcux said:


> One question that bothers me since long, is the Sony S-master dac/amp anything similar to the Chord FPGA?



No, completely different.

FPGA chips are electronically programmable (and sometimes even re-programmable), they are actually general purpose chips that can be programmed for any usages, in this case it's the Chord software which programs the chip to act as a DAC. S-Master on the other hand is completely fabricated by Sony - they design the entire chip's internal circuitry from the silicon level and is thus hard wired to be a single purpose chip.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> No, completely different.
> 
> FPGA chips are electronically programmable (and sometimes even re-programmable), they are actually general purpose chips that can be programmed for any usages, in this case it's the Chord software which programs the chip to act as a DAC. S-Master on the other hand is completely fabricated by Sony - they design the entire chip's internal circuitry from the silicon level and is thus hard wired to be a single purpose chip.


Totally agreed, Sony design their own from the root core to technologies .  Sony is the grand master behind this technology


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> Totally agreed, Sony design their own from the root core to technologies .  Sony is the grand master behind this technology



With Chord I would believe they have the knowledge to design their own chip, as you need that know-how to program FPGA chips anyway.  But it's probably not economically feasible for them to get them made with the quantity they produce. Unlike Sony which has their own chip fabrication facilities, and they share the same chip across a wide range of products from the A series all the way to the WM1Z.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> With Chord I would believe they have the knowledge to design their own chip, as you need that know-how to program FPGA chips anyway.  But it's probably not economically feasible for them to get them made with the quantity they produce. Unlike Sony which has their own chip fabrication facilities, and they share the same chip across a wide range of products from the A series all the way to the WM1Z.



Here is where people don’t appreciate WM1Z and Sony Walkman enough.  It is not cheap to do what Sony is doing, unlike some “rip-off” brands


----------



## pietcux

Whitigir said:


> Here is where people don’t appreciate WM1Z and Sony Walkman enough.  It is not cheap to do what Sony is doing, unlike some “rip-off” brands


Isn't the truth, that we do not know what is inside the Sony chip. It could also be a Sony FPGA with Sony's software running and thus quite similar to what Rob Watts does, they simply dont tell us.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I was in fact reading Rob watts conference on pre  ringing, and how it makes the sound more realistic with 1,000,000  taps. I do find Sony wm1a to sound damn realistic


----------



## nc8000

pietcux said:


> Isn't the truth, that we do not know what is inside the Sony chip. It could also be a Sony FPGA with Sony's software running and thus quite similar to what Rob Watts does, they simply dont tell us.



As far as I know there are published tech papers and patent papers on the S-Master so people who want to know can get to know virtually everything about them


----------



## nanaholic (Nov 1, 2017)

pietcux said:


> Isn't the truth, that we do not know what is inside the Sony chip. It could also be a Sony FPGA with Sony's software running and thus quite similar to what Rob Watts does, they simply dont tell us.



No that would be pointless for Sony to make FPGA and then program them to be S-Master. A single piece of FPGA is not cheap in comparison to a pre-fab chip, but it is flexible and cost effective in small quantity runs. With Sony's scale it would be the other way around, a single purpose chip in mass quantities would be more cost effective with much less waste, because in FPGA design you may end up having gates that are unused but still sucking up power and taking up chip space whereas a single purpose chip won't and can be designed to be the most efficient.  The S-Master chip is tiny, it's like 5mm X 5mm big, and doesn't emit much if any heat. Whereas the FPGA chip in the Mojo and Hugo 2 is like 50mm X 50mm, and according to Rob himself he cannot even run the chip at full potential in the Mojo package due to heat issues and can only do so in the Hugo chassis, and even then the unit gets a bit warm.


----------



## pietcux (Nov 1, 2017)

nanaholic said:


> No that would be pointless for Sony to make FPGA and then program them to be S-Master. A single piece of FPGA is not cheap in comparison to a pre-fab chip, but it is flexible and cost effective in small quantity runs. With Sony's scale it would be the other way around, a single purpose chip in mass quantities would be more cost effective with much less waste, because in FPGA design you may end up having gates that are unused but still sucking up power and taking up chip space whereas a single purpose chip won't and can be designed to be the most efficient.  The S-Master chip is tiny, it's like 1cm X 1cm big, and doesn't emit much if any heat. Whereas the FPGA chip in the Mojo and Hugo 2 is like 5cm X 5cm, and according to Rob himself he cannot even run the chip at full potential in the Mojo package due to heat issues and can only do so in the Hugo chassis, and even then the unit gets a bit warm.


Ok, thanks for the clarification. According to a follower of Watts the Sony S-Master chips in both the ZX1 and ZX2 are so bad that one cannot listen to these DAPs. As the owner of ZX1 and WM1A I was a little concerned about this quote. I mean we have delta sigma, R2R, FPGA and S-Master maybe even more, it is a bit confusing at times, as each shall be the best.


----------



## Whitigir

pietcux said:


> Ok, thanks for the clarification. According to a follower of Watts the Sony S-Master chips in both the ZX1 and ZX2 are so bad that one cannot listen to these DAPs. As the owner of ZX1 and WM1A I was a little concerned about this quote. I mean we have delta sigma, R2R, FPGA and S-Master maybe even more, it is a bit confusing at times, as each shall be the best.



This comes down to what I would heavily disagree.  I careless of who you are, what company you run, and your products, but if you straight out “trashing” other competitions, you are nothing more than that.  Really, I careless about Chord and his products.  I really support Sony, they are the one who started all this, and they have so much technologies that can melt your mind.  Yet, Sony is a giant company, and they need to support the whole things, so marketing will be the main point.  However, when it comes down to specific tasks that Sony really pride themselves into it, I would take Sony over anyone out there.

Then again, who would ever said that Chord products are all enjoyable and listenable anyways ?


----------



## nanaholic (Nov 1, 2017)

pietcux said:


> Ok, thanks for the clarification. According to a follower of Watts the Sony S-Master chips in both the ZX1 and ZX2 are so bad that one cannot listen to these DAPs. As the owner of ZX1 and WM1A I was a little concerned about this quote. I mean we have delta sigma, R2R, FPGA and S-Master maybe even more, it is a bit confusing at times, as each shall be the best.



I hold Chord and Sony both in very high regards because both goes really low level to do their magic, in terms of electronic know-how in the audio world I don't think any other company comes close to either of them, after all designing your own chip architecture to do digital to analogue conversion is an entirely different ball game to just buying off the shelf parts and hooking it up according to the factory instructions, so this means Chord and Sony has the capacity to really push the technology forward, unlike other makers which has to wait for a new standard DAC chip to be rolled out. Thus any time Chord and Sony announce a new product it's immensely interesting for me to see what new thing, at a really low level, they came up with. It also helps that both company and their engineers are perfectly happy to openly discuss the underlying technology in their gear - since they know it's next to impossible for competitors to copy their digital to analogue conversion design.

BTW, the Sony desktop amp TA-ZH1ES actually has a FPGA S-Master, but I suspect that's because that amp does a lot of other extra things which requires that kind of extra computing power, namely the analogue PCM to DSD up conversion which is only available for that amp and not available in the Walkmans. Also they probably don't make a lot of the TA amps, unlike the Walkmans which with just the A series I would guess easily goes into the tens if not hundreds of thousands of units.


----------



## pietcux

I see you are familiar with Chord and SONY. Again, thanks for the clarification.


----------



## Dim666

[QUOTE = "mw7485, post: 13793530, member: 442682"] N'importe qui au Royaume-Uni (ou en Europe) à la recherche de quelqu'un pour fabriquer des adaptateurs de bonne qualité pour le 1A / 1Z devrait consulter Custom Cans. Ils offrent maintenant 4.4mm dans leurs listes déroulantes d'adapteur - après un peu de nudging de moi. Bon marché, livraison rapide et excellente qualité. Mon adaptateur a été fabriqué et livré en 6 jours, et coûte seulement £ 28.00 - y compris l'expédition de première classe. Le prix a augmenté de 8 £ (pour la fiche de 4,4 mm) - mais ils représentent toujours une excellente valeur, et la finition est parfaite. Je ne suis pas affilié à Custom Cans de toute façon, au-delà d'être un client très heureux! [ATTACH = complet] 2398968 [/ ATTACH]

Linky [/ QUOTE]

Je contacted them by mail but no answers...How are you doing ? Thanks for your answer !


----------



## mw7485

Dim666 said:


> [QUOTE = "mw7485, post: 13793530, member: 442682"] N'importe qui au Royaume-Uni (ou en Europe) à la recherche de quelqu'un pour fabriquer des adaptateurs de bonne qualité pour le 1A / 1Z devrait consulter Custom Cans. Ils offrent maintenant 4.4mm dans leurs listes déroulantes d'adapteur - après un peu de nudging de moi. Bon marché, livraison rapide et excellente qualité. Mon adaptateur a été fabriqué et livré en 6 jours, et coûte seulement £ 28.00 - y compris l'expédition de première classe. Le prix a augmenté de 8 £ (pour la fiche de 4,4 mm) - mais ils représentent toujours une excellente valeur, et la finition est parfaite. Je ne suis pas affilié à Custom Cans de toute façon, au-delà d'être un client très heureux! [ATTACH = complet] 2398968 [/ ATTACH]
> 
> Linky [/ QUOTE]
> 
> Je contacted them by mail but no answers...How are you doing ? Thanks for your answer !



They took a while to answer my initial query (about 3 weeks), but then their response was immediate. Try the following: jfunk at customcans dot co dot uk

Are you after an adapter that you cannot specify on the order page?


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> Lol, we are all waiting



I have this image of you standing there with your arms folded with a scowl on your face and your foot tapping .......


----------



## Dim666

Yes I search two adapters ;

First : 4.4mm male to 6.35mm female
Second : 4.4mm male to 3.5mm female

I can't order


----------



## kms108 (Nov 1, 2017)

Dim666 said:


> Yes I search two adapters ;
> 
> First : 4.4mm male to 6.35mm female
> Second : 4.4mm male to 3.5mm female
> ...


Those adapters won't work, you will short the unit. you can on the other hand is use a adapter 3.5mm male to 4.4mm female.

So you are trying to put a 6.35 or 3.5 headphone into the 4.4 socket of the 1A/Z.

If you not bothered about the short, and you can read chinese, taobao.cn has a few.


----------



## Dim666 (Nov 1, 2017)

Sorry I reversed

I search 

- 4.4mm female to 3.5 mm male
- 4.4mm female to 6.35mm male


----------



## kms108

Dim666 said:


> headphone into the 4.4


yep, a 3.5mm headphones into the socket of the 1Z balanced 4.4mm, it won't work, some one has tried it and it creates a hum.


----------



## Dim666

Sorry I edited my post I reversed my thoughts....


----------



## kms108 (Nov 1, 2017)

if you are looking, search for these, they don't come cheap.

http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000134773&search=4.4mm&sort=price_desc




 



This one is for headphones terminated to TRRS.

http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000155005&search=4.4mm&sort=price_desc


----------



## kubig123

Dim666 said:


> Sorry I reversed
> 
> I search
> 
> ...



take a look at these:

https://www.facebook.com/yyproaudio...1854.489487097784952/1420803371319982/?type=3

https://doublehelixcables.com/product/ultrashort-adapter-for-adapting-amp-terminations/


----------



## Dim666

kubig123 said:


> take a look at these:
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/yyproaudio...1854.489487097784952/1420803371319982/?type=3
> 
> https://doublehelixcables.com/product/ultrashort-adapter-for-adapting-amp-terminations/


----------



## Dim666

Thanks...but the price & quality seems to me better with customs can...I wait


----------



## NaiveSound

One of my well off friends is gifting me a wm1a, brand new, unopened in box.  I don't want it, I rather have something with streaming. 

Whst could I sell it for?


----------



## superuser1

You could just pretend I am your poorer friend and gift it to me. However i think i have seen unboxed versions go for a grand.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I love how the WM1A is able to fix the SQ of not soo bad recordings. 

I have this Bach recording which is slightly panned more to the left, using L/R balance at R 3dB fixed the panning, and the overall bass hump is fixed with the tone control at BASS - 4


----------



## proedros

NaiveSound said:


> One of my well off friends is gifting me a wm1a, brand new, unopened in box.  I don't want it, I rather have something with streaming.
> 
> Whst could I sell it for?




trade it for a DX200 , or sell it - 900$ seems like a fair pricr


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> trade it for a DX200 , or sell it - 900$ seems like a fair pricr




You think I can get 900 to 950?


----------



## gerelmx1986

If it has 0 hours in played audio then sell it for full price


----------



## NaiveSound

gerelmx1986 said:


> If it has 0 hours in played audio then sell it for full price




0 hours, never used, untouched. 

But I feel I got to give people some discount as they aren't buying from a dealer.  What's the maximum I can sell it for?


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> 0 hours, never used, untouched.
> 
> But I feel I got to give people some discount as they aren't buying from a dealer.  What's the maximum I can sell it for?


If it sells for $1200 perhaps give it a try with $1000 or 950


----------



## kms108

Not easy since there is no warranty and it's not from a dealer, it's whether people will believe him if the stock is stole or not.


----------



## proedros

why no warranty ? maybe his friend has it and has given it to him

1000$ seems like a fair price i guess


----------



## kms108

if there is warranty, then yes, it's good.


----------



## NaiveSound

kms108 said:


> if there is warranty, then yes, it's good.



He is shipping it directly from some Amazon store to me.  And it will have Thr manufacturer warranty, I won't even open the box, im sure it will come with plastic wrapped on it. 

I'll try at 950. I wonder if ebay is the way to go


----------



## kms108

Try it, but I think it doesn't come with a wrapper. don't forget warranty is regional.


----------



## NaiveSound

kms108 said:


> Try it, but I think it doesn't come with a wrapper. don't forget warranty is regional.



Oh ok. Well I guess no warranty then, hopefully I still can sell at 950. I sure need the cash


----------



## mw7485

Dim666 said:


> Sorry I reversed
> 
> I search
> 
> ...



Just drop CustomCans a message asking for what you want, and give them a little time to respond. Asking is free!


----------



## Dim666 (Nov 2, 2017)

Thank you all. Kaya answered me this afternoon. There is a lead time of replenishment (2-3weeks) and 38£ per adaptater


----------



## Ginge

Has anyone had any luck ordering this right angle Pentaconn connector outside of Japan? I really want the OFC high grade version. Only earphone.jp seems to carry it, but they don't ship outside of Japan: http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopd...000000152184&search=pentaconn&sort=price_desc

Does anyone have any experience with them or have tips for using some sort of proxy service to get one of these shipped to the United States?

Thanks!


----------



## kms108

Try brise audio or use a shipping company for Japan purchase.


----------



## all999

Ginge said:


> Has anyone had any luck ordering this right angle Pentaconn connector outside of Japan? I really want the OFC high grade version. Only earphone.jp seems to carry it, but they don't ship outside of Japan: http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopd...000000152184&search=pentaconn&sort=price_desc
> 
> Does anyone have any experience with them or have tips for using some sort of proxy service to get one of these shipped to the United States?
> 
> Thanks!




I'm using Zen Market for my shopping in Japan. Anyone can recommend a better one?




Ginge said:


> Has anyone had any luck ordering this right angle Pentaconn connector outside of Japan?



It's 2in1, when turn around 90° You will get left angle plug


----------



## kms108

I'm getting one of each, OFC and NON OFC during my trip in December, the only place I can find it is e-earphone, but i'm sure there are other place like the place in nakano also have them, I can't remember the name, i'll just have to see. i'm sure it won't make any differences between the OFC and NON OFC version, even if it does, it's minimum,


----------



## Kervsky

Has anybody tried running a hifiman he400i on balanced? Does it need the gain? Is it basically good to use without an amp?


----------



## Quadfather

Now that I have figured out the parametric equalizer on my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, I would never get rid of it. However, I'm still very curious about the Sony NW - WM1Z.


----------



## kubig123

Ginge said:


> Has anyone had any luck ordering this right angle Pentaconn connector outside of Japan? I really want the OFC high grade version. Only earphone.jp seems to carry it, but they don't ship outside of Japan: http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopd...000000152184&search=pentaconn&sort=price_desc
> 
> Does anyone have any experience with them or have tips for using some sort of proxy service to get one of these shipped to the United States?
> 
> Thanks!



it's also available on yahoo shopping and you can use buyee to ship it international

http://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/shopping/e-earphone_2003170914021/category/


----------



## psikey

Does the 1A have greater power output than the new ZX300 to drive more demanding headphones? (Over 4.4mm balanced)


----------



## kms108

For those who live in Japan, there is a portable audio festival in akihabara on 16th-17th December 2017 , do you know if the items sold there will be cheaper than in shops, also do they have tax free.

thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

psikey said:


> Does the 1A have greater power output than the new ZX300 to drive more demanding headphones? (Over 4.4mm balanced)


They have almost the same power output 
Zx300 SE 50mW WM1A SE 60mW
Zx300 BAL 200mW WM1A BAL 250mW


----------



## Ginge

kubig123 said:


> it's also available on yahoo shopping and you can use buyee to ship it international
> 
> http://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/shopping/e-earphone_2003170914021/category/



Thanks for the link, I just ordered one, hopefully it goes through!


----------



## blazinblazin (Nov 3, 2017)

Quadfather said:


> Now that I have figured out the parametric equalizer on my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, I would never get rid of it. However, I'm still very curious about the Sony NW - WM1Z.


I went to test 1Z balanced at SONY store.
Wow, background is darker, everything just sounds more precise and sharper. If you think 1A sounds realistic, 1Z just brings it further.

I can see why the weight is a problem. But can be overcome with a bag.


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> They have almost the same power output
> Zx300 SE 50mW WM1A SE 60mW
> Zx300 BAL 200mW WM1A BAL 250mW



Nearly the same with my 1Z loudness wise.  I have the ZX300 and it is starting to mature into a very nice sounding player.


----------



## cattlethief

If you factory reset the wm1z will the hours played still remain?


----------



## NaiveSound

Just received today, but not opening up, it has the stickerd on.  Trying to sell, I guess at 1000$,  untouched in box.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cattlethief said:


> If you factory reset the wm1z will the hours played still remain?


I am. Wondering the same


----------



## NaiveSound

My god it's so so so tempting to open to just hear what it's all about for 1 hr


----------



## Whitigir

NaiveSound said:


> My god it's so so so tempting to open to just hear what it's all about for 1 hr


Congratulations, and welcome to the Club!


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> My god it's so so so tempting to open to just hear what it's all about for 1 hr



You wont really know what it’s all about until after 200 hours or more


----------



## Whitigir

cattlethief said:


> If you factory reset the wm1z will the hours played still remain?


No, it gets reset


----------



## purk

NaiveSound said:


> Just received today, but not opening up, it has the stickerd on.  Trying to sell, I guess at 1000$,  untouched in box.



$1000 is too high IMO.  Warranty is more important than you think.


----------



## arftech

NaiveSound said:


> My god it's so so so tempting to open to just hear what it's all about for 1 hr



Resist to get the maximum sale value!


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> You wont really know what it’s all about until after 200 hours or more




Oh wow... My god. I guess you just plug some 10$ buds in it and let it play for some days straight!


----------



## NaiveSound

purk said:


> $1000 is too high IMO.  Warranty is more important than you think.



OK what about 900? I feel like it's Its for 900 I can open and listen for 1 hr? Haha... Just a poor boy, needing some $. 
I'm so thankful to my friend for being generous in this gift.


----------



## nc8000 (Nov 3, 2017)

NaiveSound said:


> Oh wow... My god. I guess you just plug some 10$ buds in it and let it play for some days straight!



Yep. The first week I listened a few hours every evening but otherwise just left it on repeat


----------



## cattlethief

Whitigir said:


> Congratulations, and welcome to the Club!


He is going to sell it without a listen! He is barred!!


----------



## nc8000

cattlethief said:


> He is going to sell it without a listen! He is barred!!



Well he needs something that does streaming so these players wont do no matter how good they siund


----------



## Dogmatrix

NaiveSound said:


> OK what about 900? I feel like it's Its for 900 I can open and listen for 1 hr? Haha... Just a poor boy, needing some $.
> I'm so thankful to my friend for being generous in this gift.


A new one inc delivery from authorized dealer is $850 US here in Oz


----------



## cattlethief

nc8000 said:


> Well he needs something that does streaming so these players wont do no matter how good they siund



Sony have got it right on this one! No wifi and great bluetooth . Cowon are another I admire, who are not jumping on the wifi wagon and who concentrate on great sound.
I think Fiio and Ibasso should follow suite on there flagships.


----------



## kms108 (Nov 3, 2017)

I think he has the US version, if that unit was sent from amazon US or within Canada, the warranty should be intact if a copy of the invoice is also sent over.


----------



## kms108

cattlethief said:


> Sony have got it right on this one! No wifi and great bluetooth . Cowon are another I admire, who are not jumping on the wifi wagon and who concentrate on great sound.
> I think Fiio and Ibasso should follow suite on there flagships.


I agree, you spend something this expensive for music, then a music only player is at it's best, remove all the crap and keep it basic.


----------



## AvijitSingh

how different is the WM1A from the ZX2, SQ wise I'm still I am still not sure which to save up, I'm leaning more on the ZX2 but don't know which to go for due how old the Zx2 and I don't know how long a used one will last.


----------



## kms108 (Nov 3, 2017)

Go for the WM1A, if not, try the ZX300.

I won't bother about a used one, you can't be sure about the quality and life span of the battery.


----------



## NaiveSound

It's getting unbearable.... Do I reslly got to wait 200 hrs to get it sounding the way it should? I just wonder how great it is for my Zeus XR. 

I hear the lack of hiss is really something. 

I have the us version


----------



## kms108

NaiveSound said:


> It's getting unbearable.... Do I reslly got to wait 200 hrs to get it sounding the way it should? I just wonder how great it is for my Zeus XR.
> 
> I hear the lack of hiss is really something.
> 
> I have the us version


was it sent through amazon US, if yes, you will have warranty.


----------



## AvijitSingh

Why do recommend the ZX300, also what would you say are the benefits of the WM1A over the ZX2, I have the Sony Z7 and PHA-3, not really a fan of the latter is the sound different from the PHA-3.


----------



## kms108

Balanced output and USB DAC.


----------



## pietcux

NaiveSound said:


> My god it's so so so tempting to open to just hear what it's all about for 1 hr


It would probably be better for your karma to keep the gift and use it as the donator meant it. On top you miss a chance to own one of the best DAPs out there.


----------



## NaiveSound

AvijitSingh said:


> Why do recommend the ZX300, also what would you say are the benefits of the WM1A over the ZX2, I have the Sony Z7 and PHA-3, not really a fan of the latter is the sound different from the PHA-3.



I always wanted to know the sound difference between wm1a vs the Pha 3


----------



## NaiveSound

pietcux said:


> It would probably be better for your karma to keep the gift and use it as the donator meant it. On top you miss a chance to own one of the best DAPs out there.



I'm just rather poor.  He told me to do with it as I wished.   I really want to keep it, but as you can see, I'm hesitant to even give it a listen as I want to keep it as valuable as possible so I can resell


----------



## AvijitSingh

Also, power wise is good for full size as well right, if so I might go for that also how is the battery life, I'm upgrading from the CA Orion to the CA andromeda so I need to save for a while. I've been trying to sell the PHA-3 and the Z7 and go fully portable.


----------



## AvijitSingh

AvijitSingh said:


> Also, power wise is good for full size as well right, if so I might go for that also how is the battery life, I'm upgrading from the CA Orion to the CA andromeda so I need to save for a while. I've been trying to sell the PHA-3 and the Z7 and go fully portable.


 The WM1A*


----------



## cattlethief

NaiveSound said:


> I'm just rather poor.  He told me to do with it as I wished.   I really want to keep it, but as you can see, I'm hesitant to even give it a listen as I want to keep it as valuable as possible so I can resell



If you were poor you would sell it for a macdonalds, so sell!!!!


----------



## NaiveSound

cattlethief said:


> If you were poor you would sell it for a macdonalds, so sell!!!!




Poor around these parts of audio spectrum.  Yah its waiting to be sold? You butthurt?


----------



## AvijitSingh

ill trade you the Z7 and pha-3   for the WM1A, I'm in Canada tho


----------



## NaiveSound

I dislike the Sony headphones, but I am curious of the Pha 3....however just need the cash, waiting for a buyer. 

My gosh... I keep looking at the box, I really wanna hear, I wonder how much better the sound is vs the Mojo


----------



## AvijitSingh

I had the mojo, Wouldnt say its better, its different, the battery life and balanaced option is nice on the pha-3, for 400CAD/320usd the z7 are probably one the best in my opinion but YMMV


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Nov 3, 2017)

1A is subtle compared to Mojo. mojo is all brute strength and power.  But it depends on tour iem.  The better/ more expensive your iem,  the more you'll notice the difference.  Sad,  but that's how it is.

And don't forget balanced. Thats the true strength  of Sony 1A/ 1Z. Don't judge Sony based on 3.5mm connection, it's good but underperform it's potential.


----------



## NaiveSound

hamhamhamsta said:


> 1A is subtle compared to Mojo. mojo is all brute strength and power.  But it depends on tour iem.  The better/ more expensive your iem,  the more you'll notice the difference.  Sad,  but that's how it is.
> 
> And don't forget balanced. Thats the true strength  of Sony 1A/ 1Z. Don't judge Sony based on 3.5mm connection, it's good but underperform it's potential.




What is a cheap 2 pin cable... Something that works with wm1a?


----------



## AvijitSingh

fiio?


----------



## NaiveSound

AvijitSingh said:


> fiio?




Anyone have any links?


----------



## AvijitSingh

you mean 2 pin for iems right http://www.fiio.net/en/products/58 doesnt seem to be a 4.4mm connector though


----------



## superuser1

There are some on AE and also every cable that is a 2.5mm termination can be changed to the 4.4.mm jack, just ask the seller about the option on a balanced 2 pin cable.


----------



## NaiveSound

superuser1 said:


> There are some on AE and also every cable that is a 2.5mm termination can be changed to the 4.4.mm jack, just ask the seller about the option on a balanced 2 pin cable.




Just looking for something cheap on Amazon


----------



## AvijitSingh

How is the organization system for music on the WM1A, I typically use Neutron or Foobar on Android and like to have my songs broken down into folders by artist and then the albums is that style the same on the WM1a


----------



## gerelmx1986

My favorite DAP and my favorite Album


----------



## superuser1

AvijitSingh said:


> How is the organization system for music on the WM1A, I typically use Neutron or Foobar on Android and like to have my songs broken down into folders by artist and then the albums is that style the same on the WM1a


There is folder view if thats what you are asking.


----------



## AvijitSingh

OK, thank you. Would the impedance be an issue/noticeable hiss when using the CA andromeda/


----------



## superuser1

AvijitSingh said:


> OK, thank you. Would the impedance be an issue/noticeable hiss when using the CA andromeda/


i should let people who own both chime in, but i have never heard of such a situation so far.


----------



## aisalen

AvijitSingh said:


> OK, thank you. Would the impedance be an issue/noticeable hiss when using the CA andromeda/


Read from this thread that even for shure 845 which is sensitive for hiss is very silent when paired with 1Z/1A.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Andromeda no hiss whatsoever...


----------



## NaiveSound

What's the signature of the WM1A? How would someone describe its sound


----------



## AvijitSingh

NaiveSound said:


> What's the signature of the WM1A? How would someone describe its sound


 I would also like to know and how it compares to the zx2 and zx300, the aptx Hd/BT4.2 seems nice on the zx300


----------



## proedros

NaiveSound said:


> What's the signature of the WM1A? How would someone describe its sound




curiosity killed the wallet , if you want something with streaming abilty then WM1A is not for you

also you need to burn it for 500 hours and to have a good 4.4 cable to fully appreciate WM1A

sell it and get what you need

also WM1A > ZX2 by quite a margin , i had zx2 for 2 years , loved it but wm1a is way better and i wish i had bought wm1a sooner

cheers


----------



## FranTBW

How would the rest of you guys compare the WM1A to the new ZX300? I'm quite keen on getting one or the other, but jsut a few tradeoffs are still putting me off purchasing one. 

WM1A is just overall better sounding, and has more power for my gear, but I love the form factor of the ZX300, screen, size and hence the usability of it. Also, the DAC/AMP function that can be accessed with a mobile phone makes it so much more versatile, but the sound alone puts me slightly off. 

If only the WM1A had the same DAC/AMP capability update...


----------



## purk

Also don't just buy a cheap jack or an adapter.  The 3.5 mm female to 4.4 mm male adapter that I bought from Amazon is noticeably inferior to the one I made myself using Effect Audio 4.4 mm jack and OCC silver.  If u already spend over a grand on this level of player, just don't cheap out on the connector.  I didn't expect to hear much difference myself but the improvement is very audible right off the bat.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Question regarding Bluetooth. Is 1A/1Z only capable of using LDAC codex.  Because that means it's only compatible with Sony products, this making it mostly useless in real life. ..


----------



## kms108

hamhamhamsta said:


> Question regarding Bluetooth. Is 1A/1Z only capable of using LDAC codex.  Because that means it's only compatible with Sony products, this making it mostly useless in real life. ..


LDAC is just a extension to the existing BT, you can use normal BT headphones and speakers which meets BT requirements, along with Sony's own remote control, but depending on the region of your Sony.


----------



## nanaholic

hamhamhamsta said:


> Question regarding Bluetooth. Is 1A/1Z only capable of using LDAC codex.  Because that means it's only compatible with Sony products, this making it mostly useless in real life. ..



It supports SBC as required by the BT specification. 

Also Sony has provided pretty much all the gear you need to connect via LDAC.  One of the best BT headset is Sony's MDR-1000X/WH-1000XMk2, and there's the BT cable with MMCX connectors that would let you pair with it any IEM with MMCX connectors. They've covered everything for "real life" usage. Besides if you care enough about audio quality to get a 1A/1Z why would you care about the other BT codecs? Because not even aptX would cut it, aptX sounds horribly compressed in comparison to LDAC.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Sometimes driving,I just want to play songs via bluetooth. But for some reason, could not connect to car stereos


----------



## cattlethief

nanaholic said:


> It supports SBC as required by the BT specification.
> 
> Also Sony has provided pretty much all the gear you need to connect via LDAC.  One of the best BT headset is Sony's MDR-1000X/WH-1000XMk2, and there's the BT cable with MMCX connectors that would let you pair with it any IEM with MMCX connectors. They've covered everything for "real life" usage. Besides if you care enough about audio quality to get a 1A/1Z why would you care about the other BT codecs? Because not even aptX would cut it, aptX sounds horribly compressed in comparison to LDAC.



Good shout, there mk2 version also supports aptx HD and AAC(Apple) both TX and RX have to be the same in all cases or it will revert back to SBC.
Saying that my wm1z connecting to my dacmagic plus(aptx) sounds excellent even though it will only be in SBC.


----------



## blazinblazin

AvijitSingh said:


> OK, thank you. Would the impedance be an issue/noticeable hiss when using the CA andromeda/


No noticable hiss, unless it comes from the recording itself.


----------



## blazinblazin

hamhamhamsta said:


> Question regarding Bluetooth. Is 1A/1Z only capable of using LDAC codex.  Because that means it's only compatible with Sony products, this making it mostly useless in real life. ..



I think Sony opened up LDAC codec.
Oreo android will support LDAC. So expect more  if LDAC proves it's worth more than other Bluetooth codecs.

SONY trying to implement new format again to fight existing... like they won the Blu-Ray war against HD-DVD.


----------



## NaiveSound

Burn in process started for this wm1a,  let's see how good it will be. 

Lol. I wonder if the Wm1z is a instantly audiable better sound vs the 1a.  Or just 5/10 percent better. 


I don't have a balanced 2 pin 4.4mm iem cable. I guess I need to find one... Looking for any cheap one


----------



## NaiveSound

blazinblazin said:


> I think Sony opened up LDAC codec.
> Oreo android will support LDAC. So expect more  if LDAC proves it's worth more than other Bluetooth codecs.
> 
> SONY trying to implement new format again to fight existing... like they won the Blu-Ray war against HD-DVD.



So  using this is as a dac/amp will be possible soon?


----------



## kubig123

NaiveSound said:


> Burn in process started for this wm1a,  let's see how good it will be.
> 
> Lol. I wonder if the Wm1z is a instantly audiable better sound vs the 1a.  Or just 5/10 percent better.
> 
> ...



there are quite few for sale on this website.


----------



## Kervsky

NaiveSound said:


> Burn in process started for this wm1a,  let's see how good it will be.
> 
> Lol. I wonder if the Wm1z is a instantly audiable better sound vs the 1a.  Or just 5/10 percent better.
> 
> ...



I heard each channel needs burning in (balanced and single ended) mine sounded better from stock after 20 hours but 200 seems to be the magic number.


----------



## blazinblazin

Kervsky said:


> I heard each channel needs burning in (balanced and single ended) mine sounded better from stock after 20 hours but 200 seems to be the magic number.


There will still be changes from 200-500hrs.


----------



## blazinblazin (Nov 4, 2017)

NaiveSound said:


> So  using this is as a dac/amp will be possible soon?



That will depends on whether there's a patch this month or incoming.


----------



## blazinblazin

I just played with the high gain setting on my WM1A + Leonidas + Andromeda combo.

Looks like it's not necessary to boost high gain on my combo.

From what my ears told me... high gain gave more power energy to the bass but at the same time loses dynamics.

It's better for fast songs on my combo but it loses natural-ness for slow/classical/jazz songs.

Guess not all combo suitable for high gain.


----------



## Kervsky

blazinblazin said:


> There will still be changes from 200-500hrs.



Hey moley! Seriously? I just started burning the single end after 200 hours on blanced. Oh well, more semiforced listening sessions 



blazinblazin said:


> That will depends on whethere there's a patch this month or incoming.



We can hope, or maybe by December and Apt-x hd is also added, it's just a protocol so it shouldn't be that hard unless there are licensing issues or added costs for Sony. 



blazinblazin said:


> I just played with the high gain setting on my WM1A + Leonidas + Andromeda combo.
> 
> Looks like it's not necessary to boost high gain on my combo.
> 
> ...



I haven't tried high gain on balanced with my andromeda, I fear wrecking it with reckless volume fidgeting, good to know it doesn't and what it can do to the sound quality.


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> So  using this is as a dac/amp will be possible soon?



Nobody knows. LDAC has nothing to do with that, it is Sonys protocol for transmitting hires over bluetooth


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> Nobody knows. LDAC has nothing to do with that, it is Sonys protocol for transmitting hires over bluetooth




I think it would be cool to use the player as a dac when someone would want to stream to it for example. No BT for me, just some words in dac


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> I think it would be cool to use the player as a dac when someone would want to stream to it for example. No BT for me, just some words in dac



Many would like it to work as a dac. Oersonally I don’t care, just want to use it as a dap with on board music files and nothing else.


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> Many would like it to work as a dac. Oersonally I don’t care, just want to use it as a dap with on board music files and nothing else.




I wonder how realistic this is,  (us ever using it as a dac)


----------



## Kervsky

NaiveSound said:


> I wonder how realistic this is,  (us ever using it as a dac)



It could be as easy as a software update allowing it or something impossible due to hardware limitations. Unless a hardware person can tell from the existing hardware of the wm1a/z if it's possible, we cant be sure imo.


----------



## AvijitSingh

I'm still having trouble deciding which to go for between the ZX300 and the WM1A, ruled out the zx2, I can't test the ZX300 because it doesn't seem to be available in Canada yet but I can try the wm1a. the price diff is quite big too


----------



## Kervsky

AvijitSingh said:


> I'm still having trouble deciding which to go for between the ZX300 and the WM1A, ruled out the zx2, I can't test the ZX300 because it doesn't seem to be available in Canada yet but I can try the wm1a. the price diff is quite big too



If you have the budget, you don't need a dac, and want more power and better sound quality that's more on a balanced sound quality level of output, go with the wm1a. I heard the zx300 is like an upgraded zx2 in terms of sound quality so its a bit on the warmish side, a bit less power in the jacks for both outputs, and has dac functionalities. Let what you need decide, but if you can forego dac functions, you wont have any more questions if you get the wm1a.


----------



## AvijitSingh

I might go try the WM1a today then, I just bought the Andro of another user, going all in portable now, and would rather go with what will last the longest.


----------



## proedros

Kervsky said:


> I haven't tried high gain on balanced with my andromeda, *I fear wrecking it with reckless volume fidgeting*, good to know it doesn't and what it can do to the sound quality.




volume drops down automatically when you select High Gain , so no such problem there 

experiment with no fear of blowing your ears


----------



## NaiveSound

For the burn in process, is it OK to leave the player plugged in the power source the whole time? Is that safe for the battery leaving it plugged in and playing for 10 day?


----------



## Kervsky

proedros said:


> volume drops down automatically when you select High Gain , so no such problem there
> 
> experiment with no fear of blowing your ears



Thanks, I'll trt that on my cheaper iems first. Just to be safe  



NaiveSound said:


> For the burn in process, is it OK to leave the player plugged in the power source the whole time? Is that safe for the battery leaving it plugged in and playing for 10 day?



I suggest, if you've charged it to full, turn on battery care and drain the power a bit down to 50% then plug it in. That way you battery wont use 100% of its capacity, making it last longer. Then keep it plugged in when burning in. I also suggest at least an hour of resting your headphones (if you're using just one) otherwise, swap your headphones throughout the burning process every so often.


----------



## NaiveSound

Kervsky said:


> Thanks, I'll trt that on my cheaper iems first. Just to be safe
> 
> 
> 
> I suggest, if you've charged it to full, turn on battery care and drain the power a bit down to 50% then plug it in. That way you battery wont use 100% of its capacity, making it last longer. Then keep it plugged in when burning in. I also suggest at least an hour of resting your headphones (if you're using just one) otherwise, swap your headphones throughout the burning process every so often.




OK thanks, just using a 5$ buds so I don't care for t to take a hit. But the player is ok playing music for 8/10 days straight?


----------



## Kervsky

NaiveSound said:


> OK thanks, just using a 5$ buds so I don't care for t to take a hit. But the player is ok playing music for 8/10 days straight?



It should be fine, we are trying to burn in the equipment, but i kept mine on 2 days, rested for an hour, then 2 days again, swapping headphones along the way. I know most electronic equipment can be left on and working for days, but i try to err on the side of caution. 1 hour per 1-2 days as rest will only extend (the burning process) by less than a day.


----------



## AvijitSingh

the store I am going to has the Zx100 would that be a close comparison to the zx300 or should I avoid trying that


----------



## hamhamhamsta

AvijitSingh said:


> the store I am going to has the Zx100 would that be a close comparison to the zx300 or should I avoid trying that


Which are you looking for :

Sound quality,  go with 1A

More convenience, go with Zx300


Caveat,  1A may or may not get DAC capability upgrade. Let your ears and wallet be the judge


----------



## hamhamhamsta

NaiveSound said:


> OK thanks, just using a 5$ buds so I don't care for t to take a hit. But the player is ok playing music for 8/10 days straight?


I saw you use  Zeus XR. I think you're in for a treat with 1A, providing you got acceptable 4.4mm cable. Proedros can give you good advice since he has both ZeusXR and 1A.


----------



## buduba0604

So I finally received my balanced cable from Effect Audio. I guess that means it's time to start the burn in. Got to about 250 hours on standard, and I really loved the sound. I assume once I get the burn in on the balanced side it will start to sound better?


----------



## AvijitSingh

hamhamhamsta said:


> Which are you looking for :
> 
> Sound quality, go with 1A
> 
> ...


 I meant was when I do go try them would the zx100 be comparable SQ wise to the zx300 as the zx300 is not available in Canada yet and I cannot test it


----------



## NaiveSound

hamhamhamsta said:


> I saw you use  Zeus XR. I think you're in for a treat with 1A, providing you got acceptable 4.4mm cable. Proedros can give you good advice since he has both ZeusXR and 1A.




I am burning it in with a 3.5mm cable/iems currently,  don't really want 200 hrs extra on my Zeus (I currently have the Zeus out of reach for a fit adjustment) anyway.


But since I'm burning in the 3.5 mm is that enough? Or when I get a balanced cable I have to burn that as well, not her 200 hrs?  That's quite some hours on the player in general and battery
..


----------



## AvijitSingh

NaiveSound said:


> I am burning it in with a 3.5mm cable/iems currently,  don't really want 200 hrs extra on my Zeus (I currently have the Zeus out of reach for a fit adjustment) anyway.
> 
> 
> But since I'm burning in the 3.5 mm is that enough? Or when I get a balanced cable I have to burn that as well, not her 200 hrs?  That's quite some hours on the player in general and battery
> ..


from what I've been reading you have to both for 200 due to different capacitors?


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> I am burning it in with a 3.5mm cable/iems currently,  don't really want 200 hrs extra on my Zeus (I currently have the Zeus out of reach for a fit adjustment) anyway.
> 
> 
> But since I'm burning in the 3.5 mm is that enough? Or when I get a balanced cable I have to burn that as well, not her 200 hrs?  That's quite some hours on the player in general and battery
> ..



Single ended and balanced are totally seperate circuits so you will need to do full burn in of both seperately


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> Single ended and balanced are totally seperate circuits so you will need to do full burn in of both seperately




Omg.. That's just too much burn in.    I don't even have a balance cable.  It is what it is


----------



## proedros

@NaiveSound  burn the SE circuit until you get Zeus XR back , and then hear wm1a with zeus - if you like it on SE you will love it on 4.4

btw if you decide to get a 4.4 cable, I am using this relatively cheap 4.4 cable and it pairs very well with Zeus XR 

pw audio no5 (4-braid) - costs less than 200$ and it sounds very good for the money

cheers


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> @NaiveSound  burn the SE circuit until you get Zeus XR back , and then hear wm1a with zeus - if you like it on SE you will love it on 4.4
> 
> btw if you decide to get a 4.4 cable, I am using this relatively cheap 4.4 cable and it pairs very well with Zeus XR
> 
> ...




Unfortunately I need something like 60$ cable


----------



## kms108 (Nov 4, 2017)

From www.aliexpress.com you can get cheap cables with 4.4mm plugs, not sure whether you need 2 pin or MMCX, but they start from around 50USD and free shipping to the US or UK, but do check from the drop down for shipping.

Here is two links, but you can search with 4.4mm for more choice, don't miss the 11.11 for special price.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4-4...lgo_pvid=7caa3182-5b53-4e09-a6f5-d25a9ff7cbe5
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4-4...lgo_pvid=45f99202-7dbf-4ef4-83d9-93b4813033d6


----------



## purk

If you are handy with soldering iron, you can get a quality 4.4mm from Effect Audio, Pennatconn, or Ediolic and do the work yourself and will end up with better sound.  A good OFC connector does sound a lot better than one made out of brass.


----------



## NaiveSound

purk said:


> If you are handy with soldering iron, you can get a quality 4.4mm from Effect Audio, Pennatconn, or Ediolic and do the work yourself and will end up with better sound.  A good OFC connector does sound a lot better than one made out of brass.




But isn't the cable itself *special* as well?.  All I have Is 3.5mm cables


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> But isn't the cable itself *special* as well?.  All I have Is 3.5mm cables



The cable needs 4 wires all the way to the trs plug. If it has this you can reterminate, otherwise not


----------



## purk

NaiveSound said:


> But isn't the cable itself *special* as well?.  All I have Is 3.5mm cables



I assume that u already have good wire.  The problem is the plug shown on those cables appear to be of cheap quality hence my recommendation.  The 4.4 mm plug isn't that difficult to work on.


----------



## blazinblazin

buduba0604 said:


> So I finally received my balanced cable from Effect Audio. I guess that means it's time to start the burn in. Got to about 250 hours on standard, and I really loved the sound. I assume once I get the burn in on the balanced side it will start to sound better?



With my 1A, even after burn in 3.5mm for 200hrs, the first time i plugged in 4.4mm without burn in still Wows me.


----------



## NaiveSound

blazinblazin said:


> With my 1A, even after burn in 3.5mm for 200hrs, the first time i plugged in 4.4mm without burn in still Wows me.



Really getting me worked up here, really getting me exited.. My god... I'm nerding it out


----------



## hamhamhamsta

NaiveSound said:


> Really getting me worked up here, really getting me exited.. My god... I'm nerding it out


Welcome to the family

Hohohoho(evil laugh) ...


----------



## Kervsky

NaiveSound said:


> Omg.. That's just too much burn in.    I don't even have a balance cable.  It is what it is



Just burn it in for at least 48 hours, you'll notice a difference from stock. You can just enjoy it with music normally and avoid thinking of the 'need' to burn it in. It'll happen with use, which is what I'm doing with the single end, sleep burn in, wake up rest 1 hour, listen to music, leave it running if I wanna stop and/or sleep. Repeat. I was just so gung-ho with burning in balanced because I also had to burn in my andromeda and wanted to hear both in their primed states.


----------



## Tawek

I recommend  this combo


----------



## blazinblazin

I remember what i did for burn in was. Let it run for the time i am awake and stop when i sleeps.

Listen to music whenever i want to.
Charge when left 1 bar.
I never leave it on charger and burn in. Once full i just plug out.

About 12-15hrs per day till i reach 200hrs. That would be almost 1 month.


----------



## NaiveSound

What ia the nfz function and why would one want to use it on the wm1a


----------



## Kervsky

blazinblazin said:


> I remember what i did for burn in was. Let it run for the time i am awake and stop when i sleeps.
> 
> Listen to music whenever i want to.
> Charge when left 1 bar.
> ...





NaiveSound said:


> What ia the nfz function and why would one want to use it on the wm1a



For bluetooth, you can tap the logo to another Bluetooth device with nfc (like a sony Bluetooth speaker or headset) and they automatically pair. Its convenient as you don't have to fiddle with putting one device into pairing mode, search using the wm1a and pair.


----------



## blazinblazin

NaiveSound said:


> What ia the nfz function and why would one want to use it on the wm1a



I have a portable bluetooth speaker with NFC.
I just use NFC on WM1A and within 1 sec its paired. It's that fast.

It's for pairing, and trust me, SONY NFC pairing is lightning fast compared to other devices like phone with NFC


----------



## NaiveSound

blazinblazin said:


> I have a portable bluetooth speaker with NFC.
> I just use NFC on WM1A and within 1 sec its paired. It's that fast.
> 
> It's for pairing, and trust me, SONY NFC pairing is lightning fast compared to other devices like phone with NFC




Awesome thanks 




I love this damn thing.... I jut wish I could use it as a dac.... How primitive to not let me use it as dac.  My only gripe


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> Awesome thanks
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Not primitive at all. The purpose of these players are to be the best dap in the world and nothing else. If you want dac or streaming go buy something else, there are plenty other options on the market with those features.


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> Not primitive at all. The purpose of these players are to be the best dap in the world and nothing else. If you want dac or streaming go buy something else, there are plenty other options on the market with those features.




Best dap in the world would also let me use its dac


----------



## nogi replicant

nc8000 said:


> Not primitive at all. The purpose of these players are to be the best dap in the world and nothing else. If you want dac or streaming go buy something else, there are plenty other options on the market with those features.



Disagree. Sp1000 is also shooting to be the best DAP in the world and it can manage USB dac and streaming with SQ comparable to the 1z. These are not unreasonable features to expect from a high end dap.


----------



## ttt123

nogi replicant said:


> Disagree. Sp1000 is also shooting to be the best DAP in the world and it can manage USB dac and streaming with SQ comparable to the 1z. These are not unreasonable features to expect from a high end dap.


There are tradeoffs in every product.  Price, feature set, target market, goal.  In fact, there are tradeoffs in everything in life.  Sony's design choice of a custom OS made some features easy, and other things much harder/impractical.   

You are correct, that every buyer, deciding how to use their hard earned money, has a right to expect that the product they decide to purchase will meet ALL their expectations.  And if a product is missing essential features that are at the top of a buyers list, then of course that product should be removed from the list of possible products to purchase.  Nobody can, or should, dictate what a person should buy.  Each person decides what is  most important for them, and thus can make the correct decision on what to buy, and what not to buy.  

For people who use/need streaming, the WM1x will not meet their needs.  People who want a DAP that is very good as a standalone player, and that is what they will value, and use most/all of the time, the WM1x is a good player.  For both, there are also other choices on the market, so choose what you will be happy with.  It is not that often that we have full control in our choice, so definitely choose what you are happy with.

If the design choices that Sony made in the WM1x do not meet your requirements, then, as in the phrase from Star Wars, "this droid is not the one you are looking for"


----------



## nogi replicant (Nov 5, 2017)

ttt123 said:


> There are tradeoffs in every product.  Price, feature set, target market, goal.  In fact, there are tradeoffs in everything in life.  Sony's design choice of a custom OS made some features easy, and other things much harder/impractical.
> 
> You are correct, that every buyer, deciding how to use their hard earned money, has a right to expect that the product they decide to purchase will meet ALL their expectations.  And if a product is missing essential features that are at the top of a buyers list, then of course that product should be removed from the list of possible products to purchase.  Nobody can, or should, dictate what a person should buy.  Each person decides what is  most important for them, and thus can make the correct decision on what to buy, and what not to buy.
> 
> ...



Yeah I get it, I bought the 1z knowing what it can and can’t do. Streaming and USB dac are nice to have features for me, not ‘must haves’. I would like to think however that the totl daps should be aiming to cover the general range of user desired features, and in the current environment streaming is one of the (with tidal etc) and there are plenty of people on this thread that have expressed a desire for sub dac. As mentioned, sp1000 has these features plus good UI, SQ etc but avg battery. So yes no DAP ticks all the boxes as yet, but for the price we drop on these things I want them to. The comment that I was responding to seemed to suggest (my interpretation) that streaming and USB dac should not be a within the scope of what Sony was trying to achieve with these daps, my point is that I disagree and that these features should be within their scope (when creating the worlds best DAP). Anyway my 2c.


----------



## ttt123

nogi replicant said:


> Yeah I get it, I bought the 1z knowing what it can and can’t do. Streaming and USB dac are nice to have features for me, not ‘must haves’. I would like to think however that the totl daps should be aiming to cover the general range of user desired features, and in the current environment streaming is one of the (with tidal etc) and there are plenty of people on this thread that have expressed a desire for sub dac. As mentioned, sp1000 has these features plus good UI, SQ etc but avg battery. So yes no DAP ticks all the boxes as yet, but for the price we drop on these things I want them to. The comment that I was responding to seemed to suggest (my interpretation) that streaming and USB dac should not be a within the scope of what Sony was trying to achieve with these daps, my point is that I disagree and that these features should be within their scope (when creating the worlds best DAP). Anyway my 2c.


Your expectation sounds logical, that a TOTL product should be able to do everything.  Your retroactive disappointment, we sympathize with.  I have had similar feelings, when looking at how Sony releases very few firmware upgrades, and almost no feature upgrades for TOTL DAPS, Cameras, etc.  I got very upset when told that an expensive MiniDisc player remote control had no warranty, even when new and within the first year.(still the same for remotes, BTW)  

But the truth is that "logical/theoretical expectations" have to meet the test of reality.  I chose to get the ZX2, and then the WM1x, knowing the Sony weaknesses, and that there were things to be unhappy about.  I made the choice based on my requirement that the SQ was the most important, and for that, the Sony was very good, and I preferred it over the others available.  I also have their RX100v5 camera.  Similiarly, for Apple, I hate their closed system, cannot add memory, hard to move photos, high price, etc.  Yet I am using their phone and pad, because I am happy with what the product can do.  So yes, I have to focus on what the WM1x can do, and be happy with that.  The "should be", "would have been nice" functions that were not there from the start, you just have to treat it as a bonus if they show up.  But if they do not, then there is no point in wasting emotions over them.  Enjoying what you have, is more important than frustration at what is not there.  So don't misunderstand that people who do not complain are just "fan boys".  It's more the fact that we have chosen to focus on, and enjoy, what is there.  And what is not there, is just something to look forward to on the next iteration, or the other vendor we will switch to to meet our expectations.


----------



## nogi replicant

ttt123 said:


> Your expectation sounds logical, that a TOTL product should be able to do everything.  Your retroactive disappointment, we sympathize with.  I have had similar feelings, when looking at how Sony releases very few firmware upgrades, and almost no feature upgrades for TOTL DAPS, Cameras, etc.  I got very upset when told that an expensive MiniDisc player remote control had no warranty, even when new and within the first year.(still the same for remotes, BTW)
> 
> But the truth is that "logical/theoretical expectations" have to meet the test of reality.  I chose to get the ZX2, and then the WM1x, knowing the Sony weaknesses, and that there were things to be unhappy about.  I made the choice based on my requirement that the SQ was the most important, and for that, the Sony was very good, and I preferred it over the others available.  I also have their RX100v5 camera.  Similiarly, for Apple, I hate their closed system, cannot add memory, hard to move photos, high price, etc.  Yet I am using their phone and pad, because I am happy with what the product can do.  So yes, I have to focus on what the WM1x can do, and be happy with that.  The "should be", "would have been nice" functions that were not there from the start, you just have to treat it as a bonus if they show up.  But if they do not, then there is no point in wasting emotions over them.  Enjoying what you have, is more important than frustration at what is not there.  So don't misunderstand that people who do not complain are just "fan boys".  It's more the fact that we have chosen to focus on, and enjoy, what is there.  And what is not there, is just something to look forward to on the next iteration, or the other vendor we will switch to to meet our expectations.



I agree with everything you have said but I have not been disappointed at all with the 1z since the moment I bought it. Out of all my audio gear: 1z, tia Fourte, i4 and WA8 I love the 1z the most. No buyers remorse at all with me re 1z. So I am not frustrated at all with the product, but it has room for improvement. I would like to see the next iteration of the Sony premier DAP have these features, but I don’t expect them with the 1z as they have released the product to the market without them. I am completely ok with that.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Nov 5, 2017)

To anyone that use Zeus XR with 1A/1Z. Is the bass anemic/non existence? What about subbass?

I have thought of getting Zeus,  but the thought of nonexistent / lack of bass keep me away

Also,  at higher volume,  does the sound kinda breaks?  That's rumor I heard, not sure if it's true


----------



## nc8000

nogi replicant said:


> Yeah I get it, I bought the 1z knowing what it can and can’t do. Streaming and USB dac are nice to have features for me, not ‘must haves’. I would like to think however that the totl daps should be aiming to cover the general range of user desired features, and in the current environment streaming is one of the (with tidal etc) and there are plenty of people on this thread that have expressed a desire for sub dac. As mentioned, sp1000 has these features plus good UI, SQ etc but avg battery. So yes no DAP ticks all the boxes as yet, but for the price we drop on these things I want them to. The comment that I was responding to seemed to suggest (my interpretation) that streaming and USB dac should not be a within the scope of what Sony was trying to achieve with these daps, my point is that I disagree and that these features should be within their scope (when creating the worlds best DAP). Anyway my 2c.



I did not say that those features SHOULD NOT be part of a design spec, I just said that they were not part of Sonys design spec and I for one am perfectly happy that they were not but that Sony focused entirely on the dap part (which to me means playing on board stored files and nothing else).

I fully understand that many want those features and that is fine but then they should look elsewhere instead of spending time complaining that these particular players dont have those features as the fact is Sony did not want them on these players. 

I have no idea if the hardware can do usb dac, but if it can it is a possibillity that Sony in the future might do a fw update to include that feature. Since there is no wifi hardware build in (that we know of) streaming is never gonna happen.


----------



## Kervsky (Nov 5, 2017)

nc8000 said:


> I did not say that those features SHOULD NOT be part of a design spec, I just said that they were not part of Sonys design spec and I for one am perfectly happy that they were not but that Sony focused entirely on the dap part (which to me means playing on board stored files and nothing else).
> 
> I fully understand that many want those features and that is fine but then they should look elsewhere instead of spending time complaining that these particular players dont have those features as the fact is Sony did not want them on these players.
> 
> I have no idea if the hardware can do usb dac, but if it can it is a possibillity that Sony in the future might do a fw update to include that feature. Since there is no wifi hardware build in (that we know of) streaming is never gonna happen.



It'd be a stroke of luck for owners IF the hardware is capable AND Sony decides to make it available. Otherwise, it'll be a new flagship dap with dac in the future.


----------



## blazinblazin

From the looks of their fierce attack with their wireless headphones, I am sure SONY will go all the way to compete in sound quality and functions in the future.

I would think the WM1 series is just the beginning.

Also SONY have been making profits recent years with their fierce comeback of their products. SONY is gaining momentum i would say.


----------



## NaiveSound

People get so butthurt nowadays... 

Anyway, I guess I'll wait on that update,  

On another hand, I wish there were more in depth sound comparison the Wm1z.   I've read all there Is to read about the wm1a to 1z comparison and it seems therm are slightly different in signatures but not a significant leap forward... This is jut what reviews say... I'd like more *real world * answers from you guys. 


Is it me or the latest trends in reading reviews are (everything sounds good it's just preference go get one yourself?) 


As someone without  a music store reviews for me are a buying guide.... And you can return to Amazon only so many times until it becomes ridiculous. 


I like this wm1a tho. Way more than I thought. I also accept its lack of dac/amp use, while to me that feels handicapped I still appreciate its *pure sound * approach.     But I suppose you can call me a little butthurt about it. Is all


----------



## Kervsky

NaiveSound said:


> People get so butthurt nowadays...
> 
> Anyway, I guess I'll wait on that update,
> 
> ...



From the short time I compared the z with an a, I'd say the majoy difference is warmth, a bit more energy, music seems livelier and there was more power in the music, like you were there (cliche I think) but I prefer the 1a (budget constraints vs minimal for me,  gain) plus its a bit more reference in output that you can easily tailor the sound via tuning or leave it as it is and hear "what the artist intended" which I don't think you'd get on the 1z.just my opinon, dont shoot me (runs away)


----------



## pietcux

NaiveSound said:


> People get so butthurt nowadays...
> 
> Anyway, I guess I'll wait on that update,
> 
> ...


There are no in deep comparisons for a simple reason. Most members here cannot afford both at the same time. And the one's that buy the golden brick, even start to open it and begin to manipulate the UBER sound they bought. To make it even more whatever you might call it, I am missing the word for that.
Simply put the WM1A is a superb DAP, the WM1Z is the same but different.


----------



## ttt123

Kervsky said:


> From the short time I compared the z with an a, I'd say the majoy difference is warmth, a bit more energy, music seems livelier and there was more power in the music, like you were there (cliche I think) but I prefer the 1a (budget constraints vs minimal for me,  gain) plus its a bit more reference in output that you can easily tailor the sound via tuning or leave it as it is and hear "what the artist intended" which I don't think you'd get on the 1z.just my opinon, dont shoot me (runs away)


Nice description for the 1Z/1A.  I think both players are at a level, where it is not possible to talk about them, except as a system.  That is a compliment to the DAP that it is not restricting the system, so the rest of the system will have a chance to show through.   Every different IEM/Headphone <-> cable <-> Plug (4.4mm, 3.5 TRS/TRRS) that you use will affect the SQ, for better or for worse.   So how to rate which one is better, when there are so many differences in each persons system?  If the whole system is good, and complimenting each other, the result is magic.  But the differences are very, very small.  How much is a small difference worth?  To some, nothing, and to others, it is priceless.

For me, the 1Z is more able to let emotion come through.  Some people will hate this subjective description, but that is what I value in it.  If a singer communicates their sorrow with the song, or a concerto pulls you into the music, and you are feeling the flow of the music.  Not listening, feeling....how much is that worth?  For me, I believe the 1Z is more capable than the 1A in these respects.  But all very system dependent.  I did own the WM1A for about 2 1/2 months, coming from the ZX2.  I decided on the 1A, as there was just a small difference when I auditioned both.  And the 1Z was just not worth that much extra cost, and it was a 1 lb brick, which was just too heavy to carry.  And I did not like the idea of carrying around a gold colored brick.  

Then, after a happy couple of months with the 1A, I was overcome with a fit of irrational madness, and sold the 1A and bought the 1Z.

So, unfortunately, I have no answers.  Each person will have to evaluate, and decide for themselves.


----------



## Kervsky

ttt123 said:


> Nice description for the 1Z/1A.  I think both players are at a level, where it is not possible to talk about them, except as a system.  That is a compliment to the DAP that it is not restricting the system, so the rest of the system will have a chance to show through.   Every different IEM/Headphone <-> cable <-> Plug (4.4mm, 3.5 TRS/TRRS) that you use will affect the SQ, for better or for worse.   So how to rate which one is better, when there are so many differences in each persons system?  If the whole system is good, and complimenting each other, the result is magic.  But the differences are very, very small.  How much is a small difference worth?  To some, nothing, and to others, it is priceless.
> 
> For me, the 1Z is more able to let emotion come through.  Some people will hate this subjective description, but that is what I value in it.  If a singer communicates their sorrow with the song, or a concerto pulls you into the music, and you are feeling the flow of the music.  Not listening, feeling....how much is that worth?  For me, I believe the 1Z is more capable than the 1A in these respects.  But all very system dependent.  I did own the WM1A for about 2 1/2 months, coming from the ZX2.  I decided on the 1A, as there was just a small difference when I auditioned both.  And the 1Z was just not worth that much extra cost, and it was a 1 lb brick, which was just too heavy to carry.  And I did not like the idea of carrying around a gold colored brick.
> 
> ...



I heard (not tried, since i tested both a and z using the balanced plugs with an abdromeda and thor ii wires) that single end on the 1z is only a bit 'less' than balanced, whereas the single vs balanced on the 1a is a big leap.


----------



## blazinblazin (Nov 5, 2017)

I had tested the 1Z recently imat SONY store. 500hrs burn in.

1Z just have a bit more of everything to make it more realistic than 1A.

1A is like you are watching a live performance.

1Z is like you are in the live performance.


----------



## ttt123

Kervsky said:


> I heard (not tried, since i tested both a and z using the balanced plugs with an abdromeda and thor ii wires) that single end on the 1z is only a bit 'less' than balanced, whereas the single vs balanced on the 1a is a big leap.


I cannot comment, as I had already switched to the 4.4mm on the 1A, so getting the 1Z, I did not spend any time on the 3.5.   Unless the 3.5 is better, there is no point, especially as over time, all the cables are reterminated to 4.4mm.  However, it does not make sense to me why the 1Z would be different from the 1A.  The cap and wire differences on the 1Z should give the same difference(or more) from 3.5 to Balanced as seen on the 1A, not less, locigally speaking.   But it is a moot point, unless there is a reason to spend more time on the 3.5.  Which there is not.


----------



## Kervsky (Nov 5, 2017)

ttt123 said:


> I cannot comment, as I had already switched to the 4.4mm on the 1A, so getting the 1Z, I did not spend any time on the 3.5.   Unless the 3.5 is better, there is no point, especially as over time, all the cables are reterminated to 4.4mm.  However, it does not make sense to me why the 1Z would be different from the 1A.  The cap and wire differences on the 1Z should give the same difference(or more) from 3.5 to Balanced as seen on the 1A, not less, locigally speaking.   But it is a moot point, unless there is a reason to spend more time on the 3.5.  Which there is not.



I got over ears that dont have detachable cables and ones that are single plugged that cant be re-terminated to balanced unless the left wires and right wires are separated (as opposed to joining both side grounds into a single end config, someone warned me,  that can wreck the player [if you ground both balanced negatives into a 3 pole config to accommodate just 3 wires], whether it's right or wrong I'm not sure)

That and most new headsets/iems are not terminated to 4.4mm or have balanced cables out of the box, but I'd still have to audition them so single end is still of use to me.


----------



## Dvdlucena (Nov 5, 2017)

kubig123 said:


> I own a WM1Z and a Hugo 2, for a while also a Mojo that I sold at the beginning of the year.
> 
> The Hugo 2 outperform the WM1Z but on the other side it's quite big to travel with, I use it as my desk dac connected to my MacBook Pro, while for traveling without any doubt I prefer the WM1Z, it has more storage than any smartphone and the battery can last for over 20 hours, you'll never get the same performance using a smartphone and a mojo/Hugo.


Can you be


nanaholic said:


> I have both, but I use them completely differently.  Not sure what sort of comparison can be made.


yeah, they are different. But some people and I included that heard both, seems to find Sony 1z a better dac... but I just used them for 60-90 min.... and searching for owners impressions
What do you think?


----------



## Dvdlucena

TheTrace said:


> Yeah that's the consensus I've gathered. And thanks for the info on Hugo 2, couldn't find anything on that. By how far of a margin would you say the Hugo 2's performance exceeds WM1A? So far that battery life in one package is a damn great deal.
> 
> Yeah I hear that a lot about smartphones. I sometimes use that in the car but I mostly use the mojo with my laptop.


I heard both, but only for 1 hour with utopia. Hugo 2 plays louder, but for me Sony had more detail, better separation, better instrument sound realism and much much p better dinamics. I would say 20 % better than hugo2. I was using focal utopia only. YMMV
Sony did a great job!


----------



## ttt123

Kervsky said:


> I got over ears that dont have detachable cables and ones that are single plugged that cant be re-terminated to balanced unless the left wires and right wires are separated (as opposed to joining both side grounds into a single end config, someone warned me,  that can wreck the player [if you ground both balanced negatives into a 3 pole config to accommodate just 3 wires], whether it's right or wrong I'm not sure)
> 
> That and most new headsets/iems are not terminated to 4.4mm or have balanced cables out of the box, but I'd still have to audition them so single end is still of use to me.



I recently did try 3.5 TRS, with an Acoustune HS1551cu.  I used the stock cable with 3.5 TRS for a while.  I never reterminated it, and when I switched to a different cable with 4.4mm, that resulted in new cable and connectors, and balanced.  So I liked the sound better on 4.4, but how much was due to the cable, and how much the balanced output, I don't know.  I could try with the Dita Truth cable with the interchangeable plugs, which I have, but I've been too lazy to explore that.  Something like the Dita is probably the best way to evaluate, as nothing is changing except the plug, so any difference would be due to the different plug, and of course the different output section from the DAP.


----------



## proedros

Dvdlucena said:


> I heard both, but only for 1 hour with utopia. Hugo 2 plays louder, but for me *Sony had more detail, better separation, better instrument sound realism and much much p better dinamics. I would say 20 % better than hugo2. *I was using focal utopia only. YMMV
> Sony did a great job!



wait, are you talking about 1a or 1z? if it's 1A, this is awesome as Hugo2 sells for 2x more than wm1a


----------



## FortisFlyer75 (Nov 5, 2017)

proedros said:


> wait, are you talking about 1a or 1z? if it's 1A, this is awesome as Hugo2 sells for 2x more than wm1a



I'm hoping Dvdlucena is referring to the 1Z more as I have the 1A next to the Hugo 2 now and much as I love my 1A it is not the same level as the Hugo2 and for me good as the 1Z is the Hugo2 wins again on SQ alone. The Hugo2 may go louder and can take a load now after they learnt from the first Hugo been underpowered but this Hugo2 dac is another level to a lot of dacs costing a lot more and for me ecerything Dvdlucena found 20% agasint the Hugo2 I found the opposite!  But like he quite rightly points out YMMV!

They are two very different tools in terms of use anyhow and owning the 1A and using the Hugo2 at the moment I would still love a 1Z if I could!... Reason being the 1Z apart from been a slightly different sig to the 1A been more reference and tonally more nuetral it does show more micro detail and controls notes better and allows better use of the space in the soundstage for everything to operate which is maybe why people do find less of a bigger jump on the 1Z to balanced to the 1A as it's 3,5SE is pretty darn good already with the imaging and soundstage scope.  I just could not personally justify the extra to jump to the lovely gold brick bar with other commitments in my life at the moment and quite happy with the 1A as long as I don't comapre them to many more times together that is!

But for me much as I love these Sony's the Hugo is a masterclass dac for the money and makes the original Hugo sterile in comparison with the double tap rate to the oriignal.

But consensus which some have touched upon is Sony have finally started to come back which is true to a degree but still feel there is a lot fo work to go for Sony to be firing all cylinders across their product range but it has been long oveedue but to think it probably started now way back with the ZX1 then ZX2 an F models which where all the leg work to these models now before us. to think I used to be well happy with my old X1060 with mini oled screen!  How times have changed in a few years!


----------



## Quadfather

Audiobooks on Sony NW-WM1A.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Quadfather said:


> Audiobooks on Sony NW-WM1A.


I need to get the Stephen King Dark Towers for the 1A.


----------



## Quadfather (Nov 5, 2017)

FortisFlyer75 said:


> I need to get the Stephen King Dark Towers for the 1A.



I have that, Deathlands, Smoke Jensen,  Pendragon, Ranger's Apprentice, Inheritance series, Harry Potter, and more. The Stand too...Shining...Graphic Audio has voice actors,  cinematic music, digital sound effects, and theme songs.  A movie in your mind.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Old Deathlands, thats another one I used to read!  Not really an audiobook listener as such yet but don't get the time to read like I used to so wanted to give audiobooks a try so must be a different and interesting to listen to the books by a narrator on the Walkman ; )

Is there a way to keep audio books seperate from the normal music library at all, just thinking when it is just want to use the Walkman in music mode on shuffle through speakers would be interesting to watch everyone when a book starts getting read to them after a dance track had just been on!?


----------



## NaiveSound

I just got a listen to the Wm1z.  Mind you I've owned the wm1a for only a day but have listened for a mere 4 hrs. 

The 1z has more bass and richer... But I can't call it a big upgrade... Resolution I found to be on par with wm1a.  The Wm1z has more rich sound but... Not more details. 

But I barely owned the wm1a. However, getting to listen to the Wm1z definitely doesn't make me wish or want for it. I don't consider it better.  Thr sound different was more of  signature difference between the 2 players... But not an upgrade, and definitely not at that price, pffft.

I however do prefer how heavy The wm1z is.  I like it to be a brick. 

Please be mindful I have wm1a a mere day and wm1z listened to 45 mins. On my most favorite well known tracks.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 5, 2017)

That is the way it should be, different sound signature.  Even engineers from Sony stated it, and confirmed it.  The reasons for the 2 versions is for 2 different sound signatures.

1z:  it is made for those who fancy the purest and best materials known to Audio worlds, and is also catering, mimicking tubes like sound performances

1a:  it is made for those who careless about materials, but want the highest performances possible, and tonality of solid state like performances

In the end, Sony believes they have covered both segments of the market.  Is there a real winner ? Not likely, all personal preferences will be the decisive factors.

Also, don’t mind those people who think 1Z is the best, and is obviously better than 1A.  Yeah, from Sony own perspective, 1Z is their flagship and is most expensive.  It doesn’t mean the 1Z is the winner over 1A though, just better status and expensive pricing from marketing standard point.  In the end, you are the one who decides which is to be the winner.  End of story


----------



## Quadfather

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Old Deathlands, thats another one I used to read!  Not really an audiobook listener as such yet but don't get the time to read like I used to so wanted to give audiobooks a try so must be a different and interesting to listen to the books by a narrator on the Walkman ; )
> 
> Is there a way to keep audio books seperate from the normal music library at all, just thinking when it is just want to use the Walkman in music mode on shuffle through speakers would be interesting to watch everyone when a book starts getting read to them after a dance track had just been on!?



I think only using folder view and putting all authors in music folder under an audiobooks folder.  The production at Graphic Audio is amazing.  You can go to https://www.graphicaudio.net/deathlands-50-pandora-s-redoubt.html

That's a sample.  It's like the old radio theater.  Sounds great on good headphones.


----------



## Dvdlucena

FortisFlyer75 said:


> I'm hoping Dvdlucena is referring to the 1Z more as I have the 1A next to the Hugo 2 now and much as I love my 1A it is not the same level as the Hugo2 and for me good as the 1Z is the Hugo2 wins again on SQ alone. The Hugo2 may go louder and can take a load now after they learnt from the first Hugo been underpowered but this Hugo2 dac is another level to a lot of dacs costing a lot more and for me ecerything Dvdlucena found 20% agasint the Hugo2 I found the opposite!  But like he quite rightly points out YMMV!
> 
> They are two very different tools in terms of use anyhow and owning the 1A and using the Hugo2 at the moment I would still love a 1Z if I could!... Reason being the 1Z apart from been a slightly different sig to the 1A been more reference and tonally more nuetral it does show more micro detail and controls notes better and allows better use of the space in the soundstage for everything to operate which is maybe why people do find less of a bigger jump on the 1Z to balanced to the 1A as it's 3,5SE is pretty darn good already with the imaging and soundstage scope.  I just could not personally justify the extra to jump to the lovely gold brick bar with other commitments in my life at the moment and quite happy with the 1A as long as I don't comapre them to many more times together that is!
> 
> ...





FortisFlyer75 said:


> I'm hoping Dvdlucena is referring to the 1Z more as I have the 1A next to the Hugo 2 now and much as I love my 1A it is not the same level as the Hugo2 and for me good as the 1Z is the Hugo2 wins again on SQ alone. The Hugo2 may go louder and can take a load now after they learnt from the first Hugo been underpowered but this Hugo2 dac is another level to a lot of dacs costing a lot more and for me ecerything Dvdlucena found 20% agasint the Hugo2 I found the opposite!  But like he quite rightly points out YMMV!
> 
> They are two very different tools in terms of use anyhow and owning the 1A and using the Hugo2 at the moment I would still love a 1Z if I could!... Reason being the 1Z apart from been a slightly different sig to the 1A been more reference and tonally more nuetral it does show more micro detail and controls notes better and allows better use of the space in the soundstage for everything to operate which is maybe why people do find less of a bigger jump on the 1Z to balanced to the 1A as it's 3,5SE is pretty darn good already with the imaging and soundstage scope.  I just could not personally justify the extra to jump to the lovely gold brick bar with other commitments in my life at the moment and quite happy with the 1A as long as I don't comapre them to many more times together that is!
> 
> ...


Are you shure hugo2 has better dynamics, timbre and nuances than mw1z? What headphones did you use? Please don’t be audeze


----------



## FortisFlyer75

That was the question someone was asking you which one you was reffering to?... the 1A or 1Z? so I was summsing more you meant the 1A maybe but yes, I still feel that with even with Hugo2 to the 1Z used in the equation  , Senn HD800s & 580 Ovations, Pioneer Master1, Mr. Speaker Ether (open back), Meze Neo & 99C. Sony 7520's, Beyer T1 2nd gen and AKG 812's. Then Iem's, JH16pros, Vibro lab Maya, RHA T20, Grado GR10, Ortofon EQ8. 

Pretty much same results everytime for me but for a dap the Z1 is still one of the best out there that has given a boot up the arse of other certain high end dap makers out there (A&K cough) and the Hugo2 and Z1 not a milion miles away from each other on just sound alone.  It would be intersting to see Chord do a dap to go toe to toe but Chord don't believe in daps so will never see one so the Hugo is used as a very different tool end of day for me, the 1A I can still stick in pocket and go with high quality music on the go which would be the only down side also on the 1Z as I would still want it to be portable on the go use but that extra weight would drag my pants round my ankles which could be very embarrasing especially as it is getting cold here in the UK now! 

Can't say I have tried any Audeze for a long time, don't mind the sound, just the dodgy build quaility has always put me off.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Quadfather said:


> I think only using folder view and putting all authors in music folder under an audiobooks folder.  The production at Graphic Audio is amazing.  You can go to https://www.graphicaudio.net/deathlands-50-pandora-s-redoubt.html
> 
> That's a sample.  It's like the old radio theater.  Sounds great on good headphones.



Cheers Qaudfather, I think the link is dead when it took me there as no sample as I think I need to sign up to get some free short stories they do on there so will get signed up soon but will purchase/ download one to try anyway as sounds exciting the way it's given the full production values with casts and music to accompany to set the mood and atmosphere will be interesting... just a question which one do I choose?... Thanks for directing me there ; )


----------



## Quadfather (Nov 5, 2017)

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Cheers Qaudfather, I think the link is dead when it took me there as no sample as I think I need to sign up to get some free short stories they do on there so will get signed up soon but will purchase/ download one to try anyway as sounds exciting the way it's given the full production values with casts and music to accompany to set the mood and atmosphere will be interesting... just a question which one do I choose?... Thanks for directing me there ; )



Google Graphic Audio.   Then go to Browse Series and try smoke Jensen, any book you want, and Deathlands, and there should be samples.   Smoke Jensen or Deathlands are great ones to start with.  Go with a FLAC download.   Sound quality is good.  If you want Total action, then I would get the first three to four smoke Jensen books and listen to those.  You could also try the first three to five books in the Deathlands series starting at number 1 Pilgrimage to Hell


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Quadfather said:


> Google Graphic Audio.   Then go to Browse Series and try smoke Jensen, any book you want, and Deathlands, and there should be samples.   Smoke Jensen or Deathlands are great ones to start with.  Go with a FLAC download.   Sound quality is good.  If you want Total action, then I would get the first three to four smoke Jensen books and listen to those.  You could also try the first three to five books in the Deathlands series starting at number 1 Pilgrimage to Hell



Cheers, I will do that tomorrow when I get home as I am about to go bed been half one in morning in UK!  I will try one of the smoke jensons as never read one anyway and also download the first Deathlands book as it will take me back to when I read it in paper form over twenty years ago!  

Top of the morning to you and cheers for the enlightining of books on our Walkmans! ; )  (looking forward to it)


----------



## Quadfather

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Cheers, I will do that tomorrow when I get home as I am about to go bed been half one in morning in UK!  I will try one of the smoke jensons as never read one anyway and also download the first Deathlands book as it will take me back to when I read it in paper form over twenty years ago!
> 
> Top of the morning to you and cheers for the enlightining of books on our Walkmans! ; )  (looking forward to it)



I fell in love with Deathlands on the fifth book.   Ryan Cawdor, J.B. Dix, Doc Tanner, and Kristy Wroth are great characters.   Later, Jak Lauren and Mildred Wyeth are awesome.


----------



## Imusicman

NaiveSound said:


> I just got a listen to the Wm1z.  Mind you I've owned the wm1a for only a day but have listened for a mere 4 hrs.
> 
> The 1z has more bass and richer... But I can't call it a big upgrade... Resolution I found to be on par with wm1a.  The Wm1z has more rich sound but... Not more details.
> 
> ...



I think this 1Z or 1A debate will just run and run as both are excellent players. Having owned both players at the same time I knew I preferred the sound signature of the 1Z within about a min of listening. To hear the differences in detail resolution took me a whole lot longer, however I must state that this was with the SE. When I switched to balanced on both it was easier for me to hear a difference. For anyone interested I have posted my comparison findings earlier in the thread.


----------



## ezekiel77

This came in the mail today. Big whoop.


 

Personally, I'm psyched because I heard this case improves bass response by 5%.


----------



## productred

ezekiel77 said:


> This came in the mail today. Big whoop.
> 
> 
> 
> Personally, I'm psyched because I heard this case improves bass response by 5%.



Wrong. I've been using the case for a month or 2 and and pretty darn sure the bass improves by 6% after around 200 hours burn in.


----------



## nc8000

ezekiel77 said:


> This came in the mail today. Big whoop.
> 
> 
> 
> Personally, I'm psyched because I heard this case improves bass response by 5%.



I ordered one and paid at checkout with paypal and they have taken the money but I have had absolutely no communication from them what so ever and it’s been over a week now


----------



## Kervsky

ezekiel77 said:


> This came in the mail today. Big whoop.
> 
> 
> 
> Personally, I'm psyched because I heard this case improves bass response by 5%.



Kindly let us know if its loose on the sides (or its snug everywhere) like the miter case, coz loose cases drive me nuts :/

Ps - that case has a tendency to attract kleptomania infected racoons.


----------



## ttt123

productred said:


> Wrong. I've been using the case for a month or 2 and and pretty darn sure the bass improves by 6% after around 200 hours burn in.


Is it true that the bass improves only when you are looking at the case?  Have you tried a double blind test of having someone change the case behind your back?  It would be very useful, to be able to tailor the bass response along with the looks.


----------



## kms108

Kervsky said:


> Kindly let us know if its loose on the sides (or its snug everywhere) like the miter case, coz loose cases drive me nuts :/
> 
> Ps - that case has a tendency to attract kleptomania infected racoons.


I think dignis case are known to have a tight fit.


----------



## Kervsky

kms108 said:


> I think dignis case are known to have a tight fit.


On my previous zx2, it was snug, but the uneven sides of the wm1a/z leaves me thinking it might be as loose as miters case. If it's snug, I'll likely order one too.


----------



## ezekiel77

nc8000 said:


> I ordered one and paid at checkout with paypal and they have taken the money but I have had absolutely no communication from them what so ever and it’s been over a week now


It was like that for me too, this just suddenly appeared. I normally deal with Dignis via email before this. The good news is they respond quite swiftly to email so I guess you can ask for updates to your order by giving them your order number.


----------



## nc8000

ezekiel77 said:


> It was like that for me too, this just suddenly appeared. I normally deal with Dignis via email before this. The good news is they respond quite swiftly to email so I guess you can ask for updates to your order by giving them your order number.



I cant find any e-mail address, I have no order number since I’ve heard nothing from them and I can’t use their contact form as it just tells me that what I have entered is incorrect but no explanation as to what is wrong


----------



## ezekiel77

nc8000 said:


> I cant find any e-mail address, I have no order number since I’ve heard nothing from them and I can’t use their contact form as it just tells me that what I have entered is incorrect but no explanation as to what is wrong


Contact them at dignis@dignisdesign.com


----------



## Whitigir

That case improves sound “jokes” aside.  I am sure it increase the “satisfactory” factor, but for 5% ? Nah, not buying it


----------



## nc8000 (Nov 6, 2017)

ezekiel77 said:


> Contact them at dignis@dignisdesign.com



Thank you. Have mailed them so will have to see what they reply



Whitigir said:


> That case improves sound “jokes” aside.  I am sure it increase the “satisfactory” factor, but for 5% ? Nah, not buying it



The coolness and nostalgia factor sure goes up for me, I had that Walkman as a teenager


----------



## aisalen

Well me, I want to showcase and see the exterior of my 1A so I ordered TPU gel case from amazon with tempered glass to protect the front. I have the stock sony case but I do not like it, it becomes more bulky and don't want the flip top cover.


----------



## hattrick15

aisalen said:


> Well me, I want to showcase and see the exterior of my 1A so I ordered TPU gel case from amazon with tempered glass to protect the front. I have the stock sony case but I do not like it, it becomes more bulky and don't want the flip top cover.



Can you provide a link to the case you bought on Amazon?  Thanks!


----------



## aisalen

hattrick15 said:


> Can you provide a link to the case you bought on Amazon?  Thanks!


Here. There are many choice of tempered glass available but opt for the ones from the same store so that shipment can be done at once. Hope it helps.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074XQVZC3/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## kubig123

ezekiel77 said:


> This came in the mail today. Big whoop.
> 
> 
> 
> Personally, I'm psyched because I heard this case improves bass response by 5%.



Nice,
cannot wait to get mine, it was shipped on November 1st, but the package has not arrived in the US yet.

I have a black leather dignis case for my WM1Z and I can assure everybody that is a tight fit.


----------



## kms108

aisalen said:


> Here. There are many choice of tempered glass available but opt for the ones from the same store so that shipment can be done at once. Hope it helps.
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074XQVZC3/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Here is an actual one.


----------



## FranTBW (Nov 6, 2017)

ezekiel77 said:


> This came in the mail today. Big whoop.
> 
> 
> 
> Personally, I'm psyched because I heard this case improves bass response by 5%.



Am gonna get a WM1A in time to come, so where can I get this? I absolutely love the look. Also, can we get pics of the sides and bottom? I wanna see how much of what it covers 

EDIT: scratch that, I just saw that it's a Dignis case. I'm Digging it for sure


----------



## aisalen

kms108 said:


> Here is an actual one.


Very nice, looks premium and it's cheap. Can't wait to get mine.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Nov 6, 2017)

Quadfather said:


> Audiobooks on Sony NW-WM1A.


Audio books in lossless really? It is like is only voice no music, for those use mp3 or aac unless they have some music on them


----------



## kubig123

kms108 said:


> Here is an actual one.


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> Audio books in lossless really? It is like is only voice no music, for those use mp3 or aac unless they have some music on them



These havery cinematic music, digital sound effects, voice actors, theme songs, etc.  44.1kHz/16bit, CD quality.


----------



## kms108 (Nov 6, 2017)

aisalen said:


> Very nice, looks premium and it's cheap. Can't wait to get mine.


It's probably the best chinese brand case and protector, it doesn't look cheap either, I'm using the samething on my ZX2 for the past 2 years, just waiting for a glass protector from benks to be released for my new Zx300, but using the sony's own flip case, just received it today.

I see you got it from amazon, for that price, I can get 3 of them.

thanks to the Kubig123 who has posted after me, the same case with the golden brick.


----------



## bana

kubig123 said:


>



I just love the look I get from people around when I pull out mine in the clear case. Golden!

Make sure you get the glass protector as well.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Is music center still slow?


----------



## NoMythsAudio

productred said:


> Wrong. I've been using the case for a month or 2 and and pretty darn sure the bass improves by 6% after around 200 hours burn in.


To help clarify things, he's talking about 200 hours burn in FOR THE CASE!


----------



## NaiveSound

I've noticed.... The wm1a is a little slow and hesitant... When you press pause.... Abiut 1 second delay... Navigating the menu is also rather slow... Good sounding, but slow operation


----------



## gerelmx1986

Let's see if Firmware update fixes this, and adds USB DAC


----------



## cattlethief

Ha anybody had problems playing AIFF files, my wm1a wont play any of mine.


----------



## kubig123

NaiveSound said:


> I've noticed.... The wm1a is a little slow and hesitant... When you press pause.... Abiut 1 second delay... Navigating the menu is also rather slow... Good sounding, but slow operation



Yes the os is a little hesitant, but also the ak sp1000 has some lag when you navigate through the menu.


----------



## kubig123

cattlethief said:


> Ha anybody had problems playing AIFF files, my wm1a wont play any of mine.



I had some problem using aiff file imported through itunes, I converted them to wav and never had any issue again.

Now I use only XLD to import cds to my Mac.


----------



## ezekiel77

FranTBW said:


> Am gonna get a WM1A in time to come, so where can I get this? I absolutely love the look. Also, can we get pics of the sides and bottom? I wanna see how much of what it covers
> 
> EDIT: scratch that, I just saw that it's a Dignis case. I'm Digging it for sure


It's a limited run, you gotta email dignis to find out when it's available again.


----------



## NaiveSound

gerelmx1986 said:


> Let's see if Firmware update fixes this, and adds USB DAC




Oh man, getting me exited here.  Is it realistic for any FW update to come?  When was the last one?   How can we find out more info?


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> Oh man, getting me exited here.  Is it realistic for any FW update to come?  When was the last one?   How can we find out more info?


 The latest firmware is 1.20, probably release in march 2017


----------



## productred

bana said:


> I just love the look I get from people around when I pull out mine in the clear case. Golden!
> 
> Make sure you get the glass protector as well.



I used to like the idea but the only one I could find and get was a slightly greyish one and was a fingerprint magnet.

If anyone got one perfectly clear and fingerprint resistant please let us know.


----------



## hattrick15

Can the WM-1Z/1A play .iso files? Can it play a .cue list?


----------



## hattrick15

kms108 said:


> Here is an actual one.



Do you have a link to get the glass protector?


----------



## cattlethief

kubig123 said:


> I had some problem using aiff file imported through itunes, I converted them to wav and never had any issue again.
> 
> Now I use only XLD to import cds to my Mac.


cheers yes thats the ones will convert using xld to flac, I like my artwork also when I last play a wav file and changed to the spectrum analyzer the player rebooted.


----------



## proedros

NaiveSound said:


> I've noticed.... The wm1a is a little slow and hesitant... When you press pause.... Abiut 1 second delay... Navigating the menu is also rather slow... Good sounding, but slow operation



install the 1.20 FW , i think sony comes with the original 1.10 FW


----------



## FranTBW

ezekiel77 said:


> It's a limited run, you gotta email dignis to find out when it's available again.



Aw what? Really? Damn. Was really hoping to get one.


----------



## wldcohso

Sony NW-WM1Z currently on sale for 2,699. This is the lowest I’ve seen it, Not sure how long it’ll last though


----------



## wldcohso

kubig123 said:


> Yes the os is a little hesitant, but also the ak sp1000 has some lag when you navigate through the menu.



No lag with my SP1000.. how bad is the lag on WM1Z?


----------



## Kervsky (Nov 7, 2017)

NaiveSound said:


> I've noticed.... The wm1a is a little slow and hesitant... When you press pause.... Abiut 1 second delay... Navigating the menu is also rather slow... Good sounding, but slow operation





wldcohso said:


> No lag with my SP1000.. how bad is the lag on WM1Z?



I would assume the WM1Z is the same as the WM1A I have which isn't laggy on v1.20 firmware.


----------



## wldcohso

Darn! I just realized this can’t stream music or be used as a usb dac and no recent  firmware updates.. I recall owning a Sony product and they barely supported it, I’d hope for something this expensive (WM1Z) gets consistent updates. Ugh... May send mine back


----------



## Matrix Petka

wldcohso said:


> Darn! I just realized this can’t stream music or be used as a usb dac and no recent  firmware updates.. I recall owning a Sony product and they barely supported it, I’d hope for something this expensive (WM1Z) gets consistent updates. Ugh... May send mine back



It was never supposed that WM1is for music streaming. It is just player. USB DAC - agree, strange, that it was not implemented. Consistent updates - what for? - for me, forking fine. I had Fiio with updates every few weeks - getting even worse after update sometimes.


----------



## Kervsky

No updates usually mean a stable firmware experience is already in place. More updates to fix previous issues doesn't show much in terms of software troubleshooting reliability.

Support for new features though, thats something, maybe we'll get something new in a few months, maybe nothing, either way, it'd be a bonus since we (hopefully) bought our units knowing whats in it for us, as is.


----------



## wldcohso

Matrix Petka said:


> It was never supposed that WM1is for music streaming. It is just player. USB DAC - agree, strange, that it was not implemented. Consistent updates - what for? - for me, forking fine. I had Fiio with updates every few weeks - getting even worse after update sometimes.



I don’t stream often but it’s nice to have but usb dac definitely used a lot.


----------



## wldcohso

Kervsky said:


> No updates usually mean a stable firmware experience is already in place. More updates to fix previous issues doesn't show much in terms of software troubleshooting reliability.
> 
> Support for new features though, thats something, maybe we'll get something new in a few months, maybe nothing, either way, it'd be a bonus since we (hopefully) bought our units knowing whats in it for us, as is.



That’s what I meant by firmware updates (more features).


----------



## Kervsky

wldcohso said:


> I don’t stream often but it’s nice to have but usb dac definitely used a lot.



To be honest, I too am hoping for something like that to happen for the signature series, coz seriously, the zx300 is only lagging in sound quality but hardware ability wise it's trumping the wm1a/z with that dac function.

My hope is, the (A) existing hardware of the wm1a/z is capable of being used as DAC, but the (B) firmware is not able to take advantage of it. And that if A is true, B can be implemented but likely at a later date so sales for the zx300 go unhindered (marketing strategy) as it seems to be a selling point for the new series (A4x and ZX300)


----------



## NaiveSound

I wish someone built a custom version, like *lurker0* does the the ibasso daps


----------



## Matrix Petka

Kervsky said:


> To be honest, I too am hoping for something like that to happen for the signature series, coz seriously, the zx300 is only lagging in sound quality but hardware ability wise it's trumping the wm1a/z with that dac function.
> 
> My hope is, the (A) existing hardware of the wm1a/z is capable of being used as DAC, but the (B) firmware is not able to take advantage of it. And that if A is true, B can be implemented but likely at a later date so sales for the zx300 go unhindered (marketing strategy) as it seems to be a selling point for the new series (A4x and ZX300)



Agree. Maybe Sony still wish to sell some more PHA3.


----------



## NaiveSound

What's an email we cab write to Sony?


----------



## Matrix Petka

NaiveSound said:


> What's an email we cab write to Sony?



Good idea! Petition to Sony asking for DAC function? I am in.


----------



## Kervsky (Nov 7, 2017)

Matrix Petka said:


> Good idea! Petition to Sony asking for DAC function? I am in.



If there is a way to let them know, I'm in.


----------



## gerelmx1986

hattrick15 said:


> Can the WM-1Z/1A play .iso files? Can it play a .cue list?


No and no


----------



## NaiveSound

Kervsky said:


> If tgere is a way to let them know, I'm in.




Where can we find a support email.  Sony customer service ect.  Anywhere we can generate a demand, small as it may be?


----------



## wldcohso (Nov 7, 2017)

Decided to cancel my Wm1Z order and get a Chord Hugo 2 after researching more and confirming it can’t do nearly as much as my AK SP1000.

Now don’t get mad at me please.. just my personal opinion. I read through these forums and some people really do love this device, it is nice in the hand. Personally, This thing shouldn’t even be I the same price range as an AK .. no where near. I mean it can’t play DSD natively, no dac function, no streaming, Not sure if it’s truly balanced but yeah it “sounds” nice but now a days anyone can make a nice sounding device but when it comes to technical prowess that’s where AK take their products to another level and they’re the one to beat.

I don’t mean to bash them at all becauase Sony was THAT company growing up, they were the trend setters but over the past decade or more they’re all about profit and rightly so but not about technical hurdles.

A petition for what? This not a device for audiophiles, this is a mass consumer device dressed up to look like an audiophile enthusiast device. I bet my iFi DSD Black Label comes close to this if not surpassing it....... I may still get one if the price is right.. 1500.. lol.. don’t juge me


----------



## Kervsky

wldcohso said:


> Decided to cancel my my Wm1Z order after researching more and confirming it can’t do nearly as much as my AK SP1000.
> 
> I read through these forums and I just can’t believe how someone people fool themselves into liking/loving a product. Personally, This thing shouldn’t even be I the same price range as an AK .. no where near. I mean it can’t play DSD natively, no dac function, no streaming, yeah it “sounds” nice but now a days anyone can make a nice sounding device but when it comes to technical prowess that’s where AK take their products to another level and they’re the one to beat.
> 
> ...



It plays native dsd (on balanced output) you can say anything you want about it here, we're not the Sony police. But you'll never be certain of any comparison since you never had it


----------



## Kervsky

NaiveSound said:


> Where can we find a support email.  Sony customer service ect.  Anywhere we can generate a demand, small as it may be?



No idea tbh, petitions.com maybe start there?


----------



## wldcohso

Kervsky said:


> It plays native dsd (on balanced output) you can say anything you want about it here, we're not the Sony police. But you'll never be certain of any comparison since you never had it



Lol I listened to it for a good couple hours.


----------



## superuser1

wldcohso said:


> Lol I listened to it for a good couple hours.


A serious music listener would never trash another product because it doesn't stream. Please let us save our energy and talk about something constructive. Thanks


----------



## wldcohso

superuser1 said:


> A serious music listener would never trash another product because it doesn't stream. Please let us save our energy and talk about something constructive. Thanks



Agreed, AK didn’t stream in the beginning, it was an added feature later. I rarely stream but it’s nice to have when you’re searching for new music to buy and store locally. WM1Z is really nice in the hand though.


----------



## kubig123

superuser1 said:


> A serious music listener would never trash another product because it doesn't stream. Please let us save our energy and talk about something constructive. Thanks


----------



## wldcohso

I'll buy one for 1500 if anyone is welling to sell theirs..


----------



## bana

hattrick15 said:


> Do you have a link to get the glass protector?





hattrick15 said:


> Do you have a link to get the glass protector?



The glass protector at Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/BROTECT-AirG...89&sr=1-8&keywords=brotect+airglass+protector


----------



## Matrix Petka

wldcohso said:


> Decided to cancel my Wm1Z order and get a Chord Hugo 2 after researching more and confirming it can’t do nearly as much as my AK SP1000.
> 
> Now don’t get mad at me please.. just my personal opinion. I read through these forums and some people really do love this device, it is nice in the hand. Personally, This thing shouldn’t even be I the same price range as an AK .. no where near. I mean it can’t play DSD natively, no dac function, no streaming, Not sure if it’s truly balanced but yeah it “sounds” nice but now a days anyone can make a nice sounding device but when it comes to technical prowess that’s where AK take their products to another level and they’re the one to beat.
> 
> ...



Not device for audiophiles? Common  WM1 one of few portable devices comparable to good desktop systems. Easy to make good sounding? Again - just few examples. There is no other device having so good playback time with battery charged. 
Sony playing DSD without convertion to PCM - on balanced. And playing SUPERB.
Not sure truly balanced? Common....
AK using shelf chips, Sony made perfect one on their own. 
Love your AK, let us love our Sony.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Kervsky said:


> No idea tbh, petitions.com maybe start there?



Great!


----------



## Kervsky

wldcohso said:


> Agreed, AK didn’t stream in the beginning, it was an added feature later. I rarely stream but it’s nice to have when you’re searching for new music to buy and store locally. WM1Z is really nice in the hand though.



Streaming and DAC is about the only thing the AK has above the WM1A/Z, not everyone needs or wants it, but sounding nice, everyone wants it  even you, which was probably why you tried ordering it, even if you ended up canceling it.


----------



## nanaholic (Nov 7, 2017)

wldcohso said:


> Decided to cancel my Wm1Z order and get a Chord Hugo 2 after researching more and confirming it can’t do nearly as much as my AK SP1000.
> 
> Now don’t get mad at me please.. just my personal opinion. I read through these forums and some people really do love this device, it is nice in the hand. Personally, This thing shouldn’t even be I the same price range as an AK .. no where near. I mean it can’t play DSD natively, no dac function, no streaming, Not sure if it’s truly balanced but yeah it “sounds” nice but now a days anyone can make a nice sounding device but when it comes to technical prowess that’s where AK take their products to another level and they’re the one to beat.



I hate when people try to cover their statements with "just my opinion". You really need to do more research and look for facts.

Sony makes their own chips and components (even resistors) from scratch and raw materials, they developed their own OS.  It plays DSD on balance.  Heck Sony created DSD - arguably nobody does DSD better than Sony.

AK sources DAC chips from AKM for maybe 50 dollars a piece, they use off the shelf op amps, they use ASOP Android for free and skins over it. DAC functionality is already build into Android and AKM chips. Their streaming app is apps ported over from Android.

In terms of technical prowess, Sony is miles ahead of AK as they do EVERYTHING from scratch, AK just pulls bits and pieces off the shelf from here and there.

Your statement is in fact the wrong way around - AK may makes things that sounds nice, but technical prowess it is SONY who takes it to another level.

Hypothetically speaking, if AKM suddenly went bankrupt tomorrow, or that Google suddenly decides to stop offering ASOP for free, AK wouldn't be able to make another flagship DAP player easily.  Yet Sony has the ability to make a DAP from absolutely the most basic components starting from sand and minerals. The technical prowess is not even comparable between the two companies.


----------



## wldcohso

I'm just kidding y'all hahahaha.. it is a really nice device.. nice to see how much y'all love this device..


----------



## NaiveSound

I just got it few days ago (1a) and heard Thr 1z briefly I enjoy Thr signature of 1a more. But I do wish for usb dac.  However I chose this player knowing damn well its limited to just a sd card reader. But boy...that sound. Emotional. Zeus XR scales ever higher


----------



## Kervsky (Nov 7, 2017)

wldcohso said:


> I'm just kidding y'all hahahaha.. it is a really nice device.. nice to see how much y'all love this device..



Right


----------



## purk

wldcohso said:


> I'm just kidding y'all hahahaha.. it is a really nice device.. nice to see how much y'all love this device..



Just to give you some perspective, but the 1Z does come close to your hdvd800 actually.  It only lacks power and sense of depth compared to the hdvd800.  However the tone is likely nicer and there is no slight bass mid boost either.  It isn't perfect but it is very good sound from a DAP.


----------



## Whitigir

I just ordered clear case for Wm1z, that look hella sexy !


----------



## Kervsky

Whitigir said:


> I just ordered clear case for Wm1z, that look hella sexy !



Do you think the wm1z will fit the sony dock with that on?


----------



## kms108

Whitigir said:


> I just ordered clear case for Wm1z, that look hella sexy !


You shouldn't have, I was going to give you one, but didn't get a reply from you.


----------



## kms108

Kervsky said:


> Do you think the wm1z will fit the sony dock with that on?


If it's the tpu one, yes it should fit.


----------



## wldcohso

purk said:


> Just to give you some perspective, but the 1Z does come close to your hdvd800 actually.  It only lacks power and sense of depth compared to the hdvd800.  However the tone is likely nicer and there is no slight bass mid boost either.  It isn't perfect but it is very good sound from a DAP.



Would I be stepping up in sound quality from HDVD800 to Chord Hugo 2?


----------



## wldcohso (Nov 7, 2017)

NaiveSound said:


> I just got it few days ago (1a) and heard Thr 1z briefly I enjoy Thr signature of 1a more. But I do wish for usb dac.  However I chose this player knowing damn well its limited to just a sd card reader. But boy...that sound. Emotional. Zeus XR scales ever higher



Is it an upgrade from HDVD800 to Chord Hugo 2? Forgive me for double post


----------



## purk

wldcohso said:


> Would I be stepping up in sound quality from HDVD800 to Chord Hugo 2?



Depend.  For custom IEM, then yes, but the HDVD-800 is still better due to the power on tap for harder to drive headphones such as the HD800...however, the 1Z isn't too far away on easier to drive headphones...in some instance just as good.


----------



## NaiveSound

wldcohso said:


> Is it an upgrade from HDVD800 to Chord Hugo 2? Forgive me for double post




I don't know, but it's far more portable, and for N SD card reader is the best I heard yet. Hugo seemed to have no dynamics...


----------



## NaiveSound

Here is a place to bltch to Sony about how we want dac support. 

https://esupport.sony.com/US/p/contact-email.pl?mdltype_id=145


----------



## proedros

say whatever you want , but i applaud SONY for giving a nice option for every wallet

you have WM1A for the not so rich audiophile , WM1Z for the kinda rich audiophile 

and now you have zx300 for someone who wants to use a nice SONY dap with his smartphone as usb/dac

this versatility shows to me that SONY has studied all audiophile target groups and is coming in to get a big piece of the pie of all 3 groups

as for sony being ''only for the earnings and not very technical/innovative'' , this is the funniest bit i have seen here, especially coming from someone praising AK products

hilarious. simply hilarious.


----------



## Kervsky (Nov 7, 2017)

NaiveSound said:


> Here is a place to bltch to Sony about how we want dac support.
> 
> https://esupport.sony.com/US/p/contact-email.pl?mdltype_id=145



I should try that in my country's page, I'd rather not lie as to where I am, backwaterish as it may be for some.


----------



## nc8000 (Nov 7, 2017)

wldcohso said:


> Decided to cancel my Wm1Z order and get a Chord Hugo 2 after researching more and confirming it can’t do nearly as much as my AK SP1000.
> 
> Now don’t get mad at me please.. just my personal opinion. I read through these forums and some people really do love this device, it is nice in the hand. Personally, This thing shouldn’t even be I the same price range as an AK .. no where near. I mean it can’t play DSD natively, no dac function, no streaming, Not sure if it’s truly balanced but yeah it “sounds” nice but now a days anyone can make a nice sounding device but when it comes to technical prowess that’s where AK take their products to another level and they’re the one to beat.
> 
> ...



1Z does native DSD on balanced which really is the only way to use it anyway and it certainly is true balanced. It is about $800 cheaper than the AK. I would certainly not call 1Z or 1A mass consumer devices. I don’t see much cutting efge technical innovation from AK.


----------



## tienbasse

nc8000 said:


> I don’t see much cutting edge technical innovation from AK.


To me it does apply equally to Sony.
Sorry, but as a scientist for a living, most of what they claim is not even close to proper science.
I understand that there may be a disconnection between what R&D invents and what marketing claims when launching the final product, and it may be fine, but currently I don't see anything remotely inventive in newer DAPs.
Going bigger, heavier, with more expensive metals/materials, and pushing so-called "new standards" so they can justify higher higher and pricing is all it sums up to, which is poor man's inovation.
At least, built quality is premium for this kind of price, which is better than nothing.


----------



## nc8000

tienbasse said:


> To me it does apply equally to Sony.
> Sorry, but as a scientist for a living, most of what they claim is not even close to proper science.
> I understand that there may be a disconnection between what R&D invents and what marketing claims when launching the final product, and it may be fine, but currently I don't see anything remotely inventive in newer DAPs.
> Going bigger, heavier, with more expensive metals/materials, and pushing so-called "new standards" so they can justify higher higher and pricing is all it sums up to, which is poor man's inovation.
> At least, built quality is premium for this kind of price, which is better than nothing.



I’m no scientist but from my laymans perspective things like S-master and the new 4.4 mm socket certainly looks a lot mire like technical innovation than AK’s use of off the shelf components snd the 2.5 mm socket


----------



## wldcohso

nc8000 said:


> I’m no scientist but from my laymans perspective things like S-master and the new 4.4 mm socket certainly looks a lot mire like technical innovation than AK’s use of off the shelf components snd the 2.5 mm socket



He gave a pretty well thought out response and this is yours lol... ugh!!! Lol


----------



## tienbasse

Going from 2.5mm to 4.4mm for a connector in a so-called portable device doesn't sound very intuitive/logical, especially when the trend is the opposite in phones (for equally bad reasons). At this rate, we'll be back to 6.3mm jack in 2 years.  
Though I will admit that the 2.5mm balanced connector could be more robust (which could be solved by other means than going bigger, but since it is not patented, no one could claim full benefit from an improvement).

Sony, like most other big companies is very aggressive with patenting, which makes them push for proprietary features, whether these features are truely bringing innovation to the table or not. A&K being much smaller, it is certainly more difficult to do the same.
Not that I wish to defend either of them more strongly.

As I said, at least for this pricing, you get amazing built quality, plenty of memory, and certainly premium QC (you could expect 100% units to be tested before release, which certainly isn't the case with cheaper models). Which is already a push in the right direction for high-end customers.


----------



## nc8000

tienbasse said:


> Going from 2.5mm to 4.4mm for a connector in a so-called portable device doesn't sound very intuitive/logical, especially when the trend is the opposite in phones (for equally bad reasons). At this rate, we'll be back to 6.3mm jack in 2 years.
> Though I will admit that the 2.5mm balanced connector could be more robust (which could be solved by other means than going bigger, but since it is not patented, no one could claim full benefit from an improvement).
> 
> Sony, like most other big companies is very aggressive with patenting, which makes them push for proprietary features, whether these features are truely bringing innovation to the table or not. A&K being much smaller, it is certainly more difficult to do the same.
> ...



I don’t actually consider the 1Z a portable device. For me it get packed in my suitcase for my 100-150 travelnights a year and used in the hotelroom or at home in bed so transportable. I love the ruggedness and stability of the 4.4 mm as opposed to 2.5 or even 3.5 and it is still markedly smaller than 6.5. Actually portable I’m fine with my iPhone


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> I don’t actually consider the 1Z a portable device. For me it get packed in my suitcase for my 100-150 travelnights a year and used in the hotelroom or at home in bed so transportable. I love the ruggedness and stability of the 4.4 mm as opposed to 2.5 or even 3.5 and it is still markedly smaller than 6.5. Actually portable I’m fine with my iPhone




In my brief experience with the 1z was that it was very heavy, I personally love that! I wish the 1a was like that. But in some loose shorts or pants it would be a hassle


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mass consumer products perhaps the iPhone, ipod and perhaps fiio players at some extent.

Sony is excellent


----------



## Matrix Petka

nc8000 said:


> I’m no scientist but from my laymans perspective things like S-master and the new 4.4 mm socket certainly looks a lot mire like technical innovation than AK’s use of off the shelf components snd the 2.5 mm socket



Just add class D apmp with perfect sound and small power consumption and never getting hot. WM1 packed with inovations.


----------



## proedros

also zero hiss with Zeus XR , very important


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> also zero hiss with Zeus XR , very important


Well, you and me and some others don’t hear it.  But there are people that do hear 1Z/A hiss, I read someone mentioned that these hiss more than his IPod


----------



## NaiveSound

Whitigir said:


> Well, you and me and some others don’t hear it.  But there are people that do hear 1Z/A hiss, I read someone mentioned that these hiss more than his IPod




Oh wow! , I experienced quite the hiss in mojo.   None with the wm1a,    I find myself at more than half the volume when using Zeus XR and wm1a. 
I never had to use this much volume with the Zeus when in comparison to other dac/amps/dap.  I wonder if wm1a is underpowered, expecially when using full size HPs.


----------



## purk

Whitigir said:


> Well, you and me and some others don’t hear it.  But there are people that do hear 1Z/A hiss, I read someone mentioned that these hiss more than his IPod



Probably a more sensitive CIEM or simply a way younger set of ears!


----------



## proedros

@NaiveSound  maybe your ears are clogged ? i hear zeus around 20-30/120 on High gain


----------



## kubig123

NaiveSound said:


> Oh wow! , I experienced quite the hiss in mojo.   None with the wm1a,    I find myself at more than half the volume when using Zeus XR and wm1a.
> I never had to use this much volume with the Zeus when in comparison to other dac/amps/dap.  I wonder if wm1a is underpowered, expecially when using full size HPs.



it's not underpowered, once you'll use the balance output you'll see that the volume needed is considerably less than using the 3.5 connector.


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> Oh wow! , I experienced quite the hiss in mojo.   None with the wm1a,    I find myself at more than half the volume when using Zeus XR and wm1a.
> I never had to use this much volume with the Zeus when in comparison to other dac/amps/dap.  I wonder if wm1a is underpowered, expecially when using full size HPs.



Is this single ended or balanced ?


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> Is this single ended or balanced ?


Single


----------



## NaiveSound

kubig123 said:


> it's not underpowered, once you'll use the balance output you'll see that the volume needed is considerably less than using the 3.5 connector.



OK awesome, looking forward to The cable


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> Single



Are you on high gain ?

And yes as others have mentioned balanced also has a lot more power


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> Are you on high gain ?
> 
> And yes as others have mentioned balanced also has a lot more power




No, low gain. 


How much percent more power would you say Balanced puts put over SE?


----------



## NaiveSound

A side question.   Does raising Gain in daps/dacs/amps decrese fidelity?   What about distortion?   What does changing gain do over changing volume?


----------



## proedros

High Gain makes your head hair grow faster 

apart from that small side-effect , you have zero sonic differences

enjoy your Wm1a and wait for this expression  when you go 4.4 balanced


----------



## bana

proedros said:


> also zero hiss with Zeus XR , very important



I missed my Fedex delivery of my Zeus XR yesterday, now I'm sitting at the front door waiting for their return.


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> High Gain makes your head hair grow faster
> 
> apart from that small side-effect , you have zero sonic differences
> 
> enjoy your Wm1a and wait for this expression  when you go 4.4 balanced






Is it really that much of a difference? Wow I'm super exited.    What sonically is different in balanced mode vs SE?


----------



## gerelmx1986

It also depends how n HP, my volumes In balanced for xba-z5 are 40-50 normal and 25-38 high gain

Mdr-z7 normal gain 60-74 and high gain 50-65


----------



## NaiveSound

gerelmx1986 said:


> It also depends how n HP, my volumes In balanced for xba-z5 are 40-50 normal and 25-38 high gain
> 
> Mdr-z7 normal gain 60-74 and high gain 50-65



Why ever use gain? I'm so curious about gain


----------



## meomap

nc8000 said:


> I’m no scientist but from my laymans perspective things like S-master and the new 4.4 mm socket certainly looks a lot mire like technical innovation than AK’s use of off the shelf components snd the 2.5 mm socket



Sony designed on their own because they don't like to follow or pay royals to use other techs.
Still no usb dac for 1Z yet?
$3200 USD brick and cannot use as Dac yet?
That's the reason I am not on train wagon yet.
Still make in Thailand, not Japan?


----------



## Whitigir

Wm1Z is made in Malaysia isn’t it ?


----------



## Matrix Petka

NaiveSound said:


> Is it really that much of a difference? Wow I'm super exited.    What sonically is different in balanced mode vs SE?



Balanced gives more control, better soundstage and imaging, dynamic.


----------



## cattlethief

Whitigir said:


> Wm1Z is made in Malaysia isn’t it ?




yes and you could pick up one for £1800 new on ebay!!


----------



## meomap

Whitigir said:


> Wm1Z is made in Malaysia isn’t it ?



Probably. Either way I don't think Sony is going to update fw for usb dac to 1a or 1z.
If Sony intended these units in their design to offer with usb dac then Sony gave out fw a long time ago already.
Even though 1z is a very nice dap, it has some important disadvantages when comparing to other expensive dap. Only one great thing with 1z is very long battery hr.


----------



## Whitigir

Majority of people just careless about usb DAC in a adap anyway.  

I wouldn’t be so sure about firmware release on 1Z.  You do know that the Walkman Os in 1Z is the newest development right ? For touch control, before that Sony experimented with Zx100.  Now they just successfully implant usb DAC into ZX300.  Who knows they would or not do the firmware to allow USB DAC in the 1Z ? I bet they would.  The reason why they turned into Walkman Os is for battery consumption, sound quality, and the ability to upgrade firmware in their disposal


----------



## cattlethief

meomap said:


> Probably. Either way I don't think Sony is going to update fw for usb dac to 1a or 1z.
> If Sony intended these units in their design to offer with usb dac then Sony gave out fw a long time ago already.
> Even though 1z is a very nice dap, it has some important disadvantages when comparing to other expensive dap. Only one great thing with 1z is very long battery hr.




I would say the build quality,craftmanship and SQ are excellent!!


----------



## Matrix Petka

NaiveSound said:


> Why ever use gain? I'm so curious about gain



Some reading about gain : http://www.audioholics.com/audio-amplifier/amplifier-voltage-gain


----------



## gerelmx1986

I'd use gain for hat to drive phones, I've had some 150 ohm Sony noise cancellers that when NC circuit was off they went to 150 ohm impedance.

And I use gain with dreaded quiet recordings


----------



## nanaholic

O


meomap said:


> Sony designed on their own because they don't like to follow or pay royals to use other techs.
> Still no usb dac for 1Z yet?
> $3200 USD brick and cannot use as Dac yet?
> That's the reason I am not on train wagon yet.
> Still make in Thailand, not Japan?



If you think Sony building their own chip fabrication facility and R&D is just to avoid paying royalties your maths is way off....


----------



## purk

meomap said:


> Sony designed on their own because they don't like to follow or pay royals to use other techs.
> Still no usb dac for 1Z yet?
> $3200 USD brick and cannot use as Dac yet?
> That's the reason I am not on train wagon yet.
> Still make in Thailand, not Japan?



Why do they have to follow other people or manufacturers?  S-Master has been around since 2001.  Search Sony STR-DA9000ES if you are curious.  They have decided to follow their own path since the X1050/1060 Walkman.  They also made their own DAC chip in the past.  Their track records also speak for themselves with several inventions including DSD format as well as the very first CD player.  I could careless for AK as the new SP1000 MK7 is likely already in the work.  I like AK a whole lot better when it was just an iRiver.  Nothing is wrong with Made in Thailand or Malaysia either.


----------



## Kervsky

meomap said:


> Sony designed on their own because they don't like to follow or pay royals to use other techs.
> Still no usb dac for 1Z yet?
> $3200 USD brick and cannot use as Dac yet?
> That's the reason I am not on train wagon yet.
> Still make in Thailand, not Japan?



It shouldn't matter soundwise where it was built, it still has to pass Japanese quality control. Also, I think that if it was made in Japan, the price would need to increase as labor costs are higher there.


----------



## meomap

purk said:


> Why do they have to follow other people or manufacturers?  S-Master has been around since 2001.  Search Sony STR-DA9000ES if you are curious.  They have decided to follow their own path since the X1050/1060 Walkman.  They also made their own DAC chip in the past.  Their track records also speak for themselves with several inventions including DSD format as well as the very first CD player.  I could careless for AK as the new SP1000 MK7 is likely already in the work.  I like AK a whole lot better when it was just an iRiver.  Nothing is wrong with Made in Thailand or Malaysia either.



If unit cost close to 3k above then I expect to be made in Japan. 
Just like Nikon or Canon.
Whether body or lens.


----------



## purk (Nov 7, 2017)

Have you actually hold the WM1Z in person?   I could careless where it is made given the quality and the brand Sony.  One thing we can agree on is that highend portable DAPs are highly overpriced and we have Astell & Kern to blame and thank for that.  We are just victims of these geedy manufacturers actually.  Hell, top of the line MD or Discman units were never this expensive back in the day.


----------



## Tawek

In 2009 I paid 400 € for x1050 it was 3/4 of the weekly salary 
and now I have paid the equivalent of 2 months of work


----------



## meomap

purk said:


> Have you actually hold the WM1Z in person?   I could careless where it is made given the quality and the brand Sony.  One thing we can agree with is that highend portable DAPs are highly overpriced and we have Astell & Kern to blame and thank for that.  We are just victims of these geedy manufacturers actually.  Hell, a top of the line MD or Discman units were never this expensive back in the day.



Yes, I hold the golden color unit in my hand vs sp1000ss vs sp1000cu.
I was imagining if I could use this heavy brick for fighting rather than hearing music.
Yes, highend DAPs are over priced these days and so are hp these days too.
I will eventually demo all 3 DAPs again; however,  I don't have yet 4.4 mm connector to demo again for 1z.


----------



## wldcohso

NaiveSound said:


> Pffft eat ****[





meomap said:


> Yes, I hold the golden color unit in my hand vs sp1000ss vs sp1000cu.
> I was imagining if I could use this heavy brick for fighting rather than hearing music.
> Yes, highend DAPs are over priced these days and so are hp these days too.
> I will eventually demo all 3 DAPs again; however,  I don't have yet 4.4 mm connector to demo again for 1z.



What were your impressions of the Wm1Z and SP1000?


----------



## kms108 (Nov 7, 2017)

Kervsky said:


> It shouldn't matter soundwise where it was built, it still has to pass Japanese quality control. Also, I think that if it was made in Japan, the price would need to increase as labor costs are higher there.


I would pay more more for the made in Japan status.

It's not just about sound and quality, that's why people are still buying the Z5 and ex1000 IEM.


----------



## Kervsky

kms108 said:


> I would pay more more for the made in Japan status.



Some people don't mind where it's made, made in Japan might be cooler but at the prices they are right now, it would only be  a bigger strain on the wallet.


----------



## kms108

Kervsky said:


> Some people don't mind where it's made, made in Japan might be cooler but at the prices they are right now, it would only be  a bigger strain on the wallet.


You are probably right, the upcoming aibo should be released in January, I'm considering getting it, it was a shame it had to be released after my return from japan, anyway, if it's made I n Japan, I'm getting it, otherwise, no.


----------



## blazinblazin (Nov 7, 2017)

I think for high end products company will use better materials and better quality controls, they don't want things to fall apart. Made in where is not really a problem nowadays. Since most things are made in other countries like China anyway. More important is the quality control.

SONY wise they did put in extra care in their design so that their Signature line products will last long. Even if it's Made in Malaysia. You can't deny their quality. Also are there brittle or sharp parts on the WM1A and 1Z? They are rounded and easy to hold and build like a brick at the same time. With the careful design of the anti-slip leather back and the 3.5mm and 4.4mm ports that have little play on them so you won't spoil the jacks or your plugs.

You know some other brand premium brand products have glass backs although looks premium but easy to break. Also some of their premium collaboration branded universal not glued properly and falls apart and people still buys them.

Even now my Made in USA, Andromeda after one year plus of daily use, one of the driver having problem, i need to send back for repair.


----------



## Kervsky

blazinblazin said:


> I think for high end products company will use better materials and better quality controls, they don't want things to fall apart. Made in where is not really a problem nowadays. Since most things are made in other countries like China anyway. More important is the quality control.
> 
> SONY wise they did put in extra care in their design so that their Signature line products will last long. Even if it's Made in Malaysia. You can't deny their quality. Also are there brittle or sharp parts on the WM1A and 1Z? They are rounded and easy to hold and build like a brick at the same time. With the careful design of the anti-slip leather back and the 3.5mm and 4.4mm ports that have little play on them so you won't spoil the jacks or your plugs.
> 
> ...



Ouch, that's not comforting (re: the andromeda) mines not even a month old :/ hopefully it'll last. 

And I like the design of the Walkman series as a whole, simple but sturdy, nothing like a Pablo Picasso cubic rendition of a DAP


----------



## meomap

wldcohso said:


> What were your impressions of the Wm1Z and SP1000?


Burlingam meet in North CA this year.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I was wondering if the sony S-master fro the WM1 and zx-300 (which use balanced output) is a dual core chip (dual core DAC so to make it equivalent as to using dual DACs like A&K, FiiO). expanding it frther a single Die tow cores much like intel core i-series?


----------



## blazinblazin

gerelmx1986 said:


> I was wondering if the sony S-master fro the WM1 and zx-300 (which use balanced output) is a dual core chip (dual core DAC so to make it equivalent as to using dual DACs like A&K, FiiO). expanding it frther a single Die tow cores much like intel core i-series?



No one knows. Also the technology in WM1 is also different from the ones out there.
Sony is the only one that uses Class D amplifier while others using Class A.


----------



## proedros

so, do we know if there are any *sonic differences between High and Normal Gain ?*


----------



## Matrix Petka

proedros said:


> so, do we know if there are any *sonic differences between High and Normal Gain ?*



No. And Yes. All depends on matching with headphones. Low (Normal) gain - for low impedance. High gain - for high impedance headphones. Also it would be better use low sensitivity headphones with high gain.


----------



## Kervsky

Matrix Petka said:


> No. And Yes. All depends on matching with headphones. Low (Normal) gain - for low impedance. High gain - for high impedance headphones. Also it would be better use low sensitivity headphones with high gain.



Low sensitivity and also high impedance ones.


----------



## blazinblazin

proedros said:


> so, do we know if there are any *sonic differences between High and Normal Gain ?*


Yes, depends on pairing of IEM, Cable, DAP, volume.

You will probably need to set high or low depending on what you hear.

If you set too high you will get power but lost the dynamic range.

If set correctly you should get a larger room feel, not all the frequency blasting at you that make it feels like more 2D than 3D if you get what i mean.


----------



## Lemieux66

cattlethief said:


> yes and you could pick up one for £1800 new on ebay!!



Really? I can't find that price on ebay UK.

I have the 1A and would be keen to sell and replace with the 1Z for that sort of price...


----------



## NaiveSound

Zeus and balanced cable coming today.   I never got to listen to balanced ever on any device for more than 5 mins.  So I'm having some high expectations with this wm1a and balanced with Zeus XR


----------



## Kervsky

NaiveSound said:


> Zeus and balanced cable coming today.   I never got to listen to balanced ever on any device for more than 5 mins.  So I'm having some high expectations with this wm1a and balanced with Zeus XR



It should sound better for sure than on single ended.


----------



## proedros

what kind of balanced cable is he getting ? is it any good ?

also the 4.4 socket needs like 500 hours of burn-in


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> what kind of balanced cable is he getting ? is it any good ?
> 
> also the 4.4 socket needs like 500 hours of burn-in



It's a moon audio silver dragon v1. With a supposedly good socket.   But whatever about Thr burn in.... I'm expecting a big sound difference on first listen


----------



## Lemieux66

I think balanced operation affects amplifier performance more than headphone performance. The added power from the balanced output and lower noise may be audible in some circumstances. It's certainly nice to have the option with the 1A/Z.


----------



## Kervsky

proedros said:


> what kind of balanced cable is he getting ? is it any good ?
> 
> also the 4.4 socket needs like 500 hours of burn-in



Woah there, it's just 200 hours on the internal guide, thats enough to have better results, 500 hours should be acquired through listening at leisure. I've heard a difference on balanced after 200 hours burn in, I'm still burning the single end though nearing 400 total.

As for cables, if he reterminates the stock it would still be good. I doubt high end iems would have crappy cables. Better cables would make listening more pleasurable but it's not a requirement imo.


----------



## wldcohso

Anyon using this with 64audio Tia Fourte balanced? If so, what are your impressions.


----------



## NaiveSound

NaiveSound said:


> It's a moon audio silver dragon v1. With a supposedly good socket.   But whatever about Thr burn in.... I'm expecting a big sound difference on first listen


It's got  pentacon or whatever 4.4 plug


----------



## ttt123

NaiveSound said:


> It's a moon audio silver dragon v1. With a supposedly good socket.   But whatever about Thr burn in.... I'm expecting a big sound difference on first listen


My experience is that there are major changes within the first couple of hours.  Listening to a new setup, I've started worrying after a first listen, that I made a mistake with the purchase.   So when you plug a new cable into a new balanced output, don't judge it by how it sounds.  A couple of hours (4-5?) and it will sound much better.  And there are more changes along the way, as you add more hours to it.


----------



## Dvdlucena

proedros said:


> wait, are you talking about 1a or 1z? if it's 1A, this is awesome as Hugo2 sells for 2x more than wm1a


1z


----------



## gerelmx1986

For me at first listen it sounded to fully burned SE but with more details /stage


----------



## NaiveSound

I need some cheap iems (just for burn it purpose) to connect my balanced cable to it and let it run some time.  But I need like 10$ buds at best 20$ with removable cable lol


----------



## ranfan

Has anyone compared WM1A with Opus#2? How do they sound apart?


----------



## Matrix Petka

NaiveSound said:


> I need some cheap iems (just for burn it purpose) to connect my balanced cable to it and let it run some time.  But I need like 10$ buds at best 20$ with removable cable lol



You are very (and dangerously for your equipment) optimistic. Just imagine - during burn in cheap buds die making short. Instead of burn in you will get burn down. Easiest way - connect to the cable two 300ohm resistors. Advantage - quiet


----------



## NaiveSound

Matrix Petka said:


> You are very (and dangerously for your equipment) optimistic. Just imagine - during burn in cheap buds die making short. Instead of burn in you will get burn down. Easiest way - connect to the cable two 300ohm resistors. Advantage - quiet



UM no.   What? No?   I'll just buy some cheap kz iems with removable cable on amazon for 12$ and just let The player play balanced for abiut a week with occasional listen... Lol?


----------



## Kervsky

NaiveSound said:


> I need some cheap iems (just for burn it purpose) to connect my balanced cable to it and let it run some time.  But I need like 10$ buds at best 20$ with removable cable lol



You can also burn in your zeus at the same time


----------



## NaiveSound

Kervsky said:


> You can also burn in your zeus at the same time



Zeus is burned in well, I don't want to run so many hours again


----------



## proedros

better to put the new cable in zeus and just play it on wm1a , than switch the cable back and forth between zeus/cheap iem

you may break/bend the pins on the cable by constantly switching it between 2 iems, not a good plan imo


----------



## bana

Kervsky said:


> It should sound better for sure than on single ended.



I missed my shipment yesterday, but just got mine. i ordered with the 4.4mm cable.
I'm set for the next five years?


----------



## Kervsky

bana said:


> I missed my shipment yesterday, but just got mine. i ordered with the 4.4mm cable.
> I'm set for the next five years?



You could, it'll last you for as long as you're satisfied


----------



## Tennessee

Quick question - can you use it as USB-DAC?


----------



## kubig123

Tennessee said:


> Quick question - can you use it as USB-DAC?



Noooo


----------



## NaiveSound

Tennessee said:


> Quick question - can you use it as USB-DAC?



Here we go again.... No unfortunately Sony didn't gift us that ability. 

Maybe a upcoming mistery FW update. 

It's a big deal to lots of us here... I sure wish it had it. 


I have read a post maybe 5 to 10npages back. Thr poster said that if Sony wanted us to have the USB dac option they would of allready included that functionality.... I belive him.  I think it is what it is. You get a very nice sounding sd card reader


----------



## Tennessee

I guess I'll get opus #2 then ^^


----------



## wldcohso

Made me chuckle..., lol.... Noooooooo usb dac but they’re starting a petition to get in the next firmware update or a response from Sony if it’s even possible.


----------



## Kervsky

NaiveSound said:


> Here we go again.... No unfortunately Sony didn't gift us that ability.
> 
> Maybe a upcoming mistery FW update.
> 
> ...



That plays good music


----------



## kms108

My guess, it's not possible, h/w limitation, may be the next wm model, start saving.


----------



## kubig123

wldcohso said:


> Made me chuckle..., lol.... Noooooooo usb dac but they’re starting a petition to get in the next firmware update or a response from Sony if it’s even possible.





I've been following this post for over a year, and I cannot remember how many times this question was asked...


----------



## kms108

kubig123 said:


> I've been following this post for over a year, and I cannot remember how many times this question was asked...



The problem is, it's not just that, most people just start reading from the last page, so the same questions do pop up many times, so I just stop answering those questions.


----------



## NaiveSound

The silver dragon just arrived,   I hate how it feels, I bet the microphonics are aweful.  I like the big solid plug tho.

Any moment the Zeus earpiece is coming back and I'm gonna try it out., but The feel of The cable sucks... For me anyway.

First and last moon audio cable I'll have. But I'm thankful to have it... But only out of need


----------



## bana

wldcohso said:


> Made me chuckle..., lol.... Noooooooo usb dac but they’re starting a petition to get in the next firmware update or a response from Sony if it’s even possible.



I see these questions about a DAC capability and I'm baffled about it's use.

I have the 1Z as a portable player with only wav, flac, dsd files, NO MP3 PLEASE, NO STREAMING, NO WIRELESS needed or wanted.

When I'm at home I'm listening to my seperates system with amp, preamp, dac, CD transport, floor standing speakers.

Question. How are the folks asking for DAC feature planning to use it, surely not at home?

A curious old geek would like to know?


----------



## Kervsky

kms108 said:


> My guess, it's not possible, h/w limitation, may be the next wm model, start saving.



I'm quite alright with no dac functionality or streaming or android. This will suffice for the long term (unless I win the sweepstakes/lotto/powerball) it plays music well, it's sturdy, battery lasts long for the storm/blackout season and looks awesome (more awesome than a cubists interpretation of a dap) 

Anything new that happens for this is a welcome bonus.


----------



## Kervsky

NaiveSound said:


> The silver dragon just arrived,   I hate how it feels, I bet the microphonics are aweful.  I like the big solid plug tho.
> 
> Any moment the Zeus earpiece is coming back and I'm gonna try it out., but The feel of The cable sucks... For me anyway.
> 
> First and last moon audio cable I'll have. But I'm thankful to have it... But only out of need



Looks stiffer than a hormonally raging teen. But it might sound good so there's that  let us know your experience with balanced.


----------



## Kervsky

bana said:


> I see these questions about a DAC capability and I'm baffled about it's use.
> 
> I have the 1Z as a portable player with only wav, flac, dsd files, NO MP3 PLEASE, NO STREAMING, NO WIRELESS needed or wanted.
> 
> ...



Likely to play music/watch movies off their laptop/desktop/phone.


----------



## proedros (Nov 8, 2017)

Matrix Petka said:


> No. And Yes. All depends on matching with headphones. Low (Normal) gain - for low impedance. High gain - for high impedance headphones. Also it would be better use low sensitivity headphones with high gain.




so what would be the optimum setting for the *Zeus XR* ciem ? Normal or High gain ?

in their page EE gives for Zeus the following specs

*IMPEDANCE: 21Ω @ 1 kHz
INPUT SENSITIVITY: 119dB @ 1mw*


----------



## kms108

Kervsky said:


> I'm quite alright with no dac functionality or streaming or android. This will suffice for the long term (unless I win the sweepstakes/lotto/powerball) it plays music well, it's sturdy, battery lasts long for the storm/blackout season and looks awesome (more awesome than a cubists interpretation of a dap)
> 
> Anything new that happens for this is a welcome bonus.


You missed out the best feature they offer, use it as a brick to fight., I have the DAC on my ZX300, I have no use of it, for all I know, it's a waste putting it in, I prefer it without.


----------



## Kervsky

proedros said:


> so what would be the optimum setting for the *Zeus XR* ciem ? Normal or High gain ?
> 
> in their page EE gives for Zeus the following specs
> 
> ...



Usually 32 ohms is the top end of "easy" to drive ear gear. So 21 ohms is easy, the sensitivity is a bit high, meaning it will respond louder to the power you give it. Just keep it at normal gain, you'll be fine. Or use high gain and use lower volume.



kms108 said:


> You missed out the best feature they offer, use it as a brick to fight., I have the DAC on my ZX300, I have no use of it, for all I know, it's a waste putting it in, I prefer it without.



I got the lighter wm1a, but its still solid enough to break skulls if you know where to aim  

Btw, you may have mentioned it before but, if ypu have the wm1z, why did you get the zx300? And hows the sound quality?


----------



## kms108

I didn't get the 1A/1Z, was going to buy one on december the 6th during my holiday to japan, but tried it many time, not to my liking, the ZX300 sounds better for me, but very similar to my ZX2 if used with SE.


----------



## Kervsky

kms108 said:


> I didn't get the 1A/1Z, was going to buy one on december the 6th during my holiday to japan, but tried it many time, not to my liking, the ZX300 sounds better for me, but very similar to my ZX2 if used with SE.



Ahh, my bad. I had the zx2 too, i can understand why you'd look for a similar Signature. And though the closest I know between the 1a/z is the z, its still off the zx2 path. I guess the zx300 is the actual upgrade of the zx2. 

Still, the combo of the andromeda and 1a is good to my ears, different than the zx2 but better. We buy gears to please our ears, not other people,  so I'm glad you enjoy the zx300 and yet haunt the wm1a/z thread awooooo


----------



## kms108

I'm using the Xelento with final audio cable, I will reterminate it to 4.4, also many other IEM, and yes the SQ on the 1Z is very similar to the ZX300.


----------



## jinrawke

Hey all - will be joining the 1A club soon.  Where did everyone get their dignis case?  I do see the english site - http://dignisdesign.com/ - but was concerned that their checkout pages were not on SSL.  Is this a legit site?  Any other places where I can get a dignis case?


----------



## Matrix Petka

proedros said:


> so what would be the optimum setting for the *Zeus XR* ciem ? Normal or High gain ?
> 
> in their page EE gives for Zeus the following specs
> 
> ...



I would say normal gain.


----------



## kubig123

jinrawke said:


> Hey all - will be joining the 1A club soon.  Where did everyone get their dignis case?  I do see the english site - http://dignisdesign.com/ - but was concerned that their checkout pages were not on SSL.  Is this a legit site?  Any other places where I can get a dignis case?



Yes, Dignis is well known around here, I bought quite few cases in the past, including one for the 1Z, never had any problem with their website.

You can find their cases on Ebay too, but if I remember right they cost more.


----------



## NoMythsAudio

jinrawke said:


> Hey all - will be joining the 1A club soon.  Where did everyone get their dignis case?  I do see the english site - http://dignisdesign.com/ - but was concerned that their checkout pages were not on SSL.  Is this a legit site?  Any other places where I can get a dignis case?


Just use paypal. That's what I did.


----------



## NoMythsAudio

jinrawke said:


> Hey all - will be joining the 1A club soon.  Where did everyone get their dignis case?  I do see the english site - http://dignisdesign.com/ - but was concerned that their checkout pages were not on SSL.  Is this a legit site?  Any other places where I can get a dignis case?


Just use paypal. That's what I did.


----------



## jinrawke

kubig123 said:


> Yes, Dignis is well known around here, I bought quite few cases in the past, including one for the 1Z, never had any problem with their website.
> 
> You can find their cases on Ebay too, but if I remember right they cost more.



Sounds good - just wanted to make sure this was actually their site.



NoMythsAudio said:


> Just use paypal. That's what I did.



and this would bypass having your credit card info pass through the cloud unencrypted.  Thanks for the suggestion!


----------



## NaiveSound

Anyone have any wm1a case for sale?


----------



## NaiveSound

Omg.. My right earpiece Zeus XR just arrived. 

Going to listen to both SE and balanced. 

Will keep you guys posted with feedback if you care to hear


----------



## kms108 (Nov 8, 2017)

NaiveSound said:


> Anyone have any wm1a case for sale?


Ha Ha,  I just gave my last one away to someone in this forum.


----------



## NaiveSound

kms108 said:


> Ha Ha,  I just gave my last one away to someone in this forum.



Oh I wish I had 1 like that, I reslly like the blue dignis case but, it's too much $ for me


----------



## kms108

NaiveSound said:


> Oh I wish I had 1 like that, I reslly like the blue dignis case but, it's too much $ for me


one thing I don't like about the dignis case is, they don't cover the top of the player, I think some only come with a sticker/skin for the top part.


----------



## kubig123

kms108 said:


> one thing I don't like about the dignis case is, they don't cover the top of the player, I think some only come with a sticker/skin for the top part.



Agree,
I wish dignis would do something for the top part, is way too exposed, that's why I use most of the time the banks case.


----------



## hung031086

Cover the top like this ?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/544071...gallery&ga_search_query=wm1a&ref=sr_gallery_2


----------



## NaiveSound

Idk... It made my crappy akg buds that came with my note 8 sound good.... Not too impressed with the Zeus.

The cable has been pissing me off the whole time, I need to get rid of the memory wire immediately. 


But so far guys.. I'm sorry to say... The Mojo vomits all over this.. Balanced and all..


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> Ha Ha,  I just gave my last one away to someone in this forum.



Thank you my friend  if you ever needed any help, let me know


----------



## NaiveSound

Listening on balanced, remember it wasn't burned it. But I manged to get about 40 hours on the SE burned it... Idk I'm not impressed at all. 

No hiss... That a good thing.  But sound quality alone.. No... Just no.  It's OK. But at The price it just isn't awesome. 

Somehow it's forcing the Zeus XR to not sound emotional.  Which is  a focal point if the Zeus. 

Very very disappointed.... 


It made those cheap akg sound so good... But when you tie it with Thr Zeus.... A beast... Super resolving..... Thr Sony has dry points and peaky at times.... Idk.     It makes my Zeus sound like 500 iems...


----------



## Whitigir

Lol, are you using Wm1A or Z ?


----------



## NaiveSound

Whitigir said:


> Lol, are you using Wm1A or Z ?


A


----------



## Whitigir

NaiveSound said:


> A


That makes senses, and I thought you did.  You know ? It sounds phony, but when you are approaching high-end, synergy plays a lot of roles.  This is yet another rabbit hole you have to go down.


----------



## nc8000

bana said:


> I missed my shipment yesterday, but just got mine. i ordered with the 4.4mm cable.
> I'm set for the next five years?



Or longer. My JH13 have lasted 7 years now and still going strong


----------



## NaiveSound

Whitigir said:


> That makes senses, and I thought you did.  You know ? It sounds phony, but when you are approaching high-end, synergy plays a lot of roles.  This is yet another rabbit hole you have to go down.



Yeah it really does.  This ain't it.


----------



## proedros

@NaiveSound  you are an impatient rabbit , wait until you burn-in the 4.4 jack

Zeus + WM1a + pwaudio no5 in 4.4 = great match , imo

btw i  also had your cable and i think being silver and all it's not what zeus needs , try something more copperish


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> @NaiveSound  you are an impatient rabbit , wait until you burn-in the 4.4 jack
> 
> Zeus + WM1a + pwaudio no5 in 4.4 = great match , imo
> 
> btw i  also had your cable and i think being silver and all it's not what zeus needs , try something more copperish



I mean sure, I believe burn in will help it slightly... But it just not there.  Gonna sell it and keep mojo, very unfortunate as I really did like the player at first. 

I'll burn the balanced as much as I can until it sells but really... I doubt it will fix the issues. 

I'm glad you enjoy it. It's great wheb you find something you love.


----------



## proedros

no worries bro , i like that you are so passionate about your listening setup 

passion is always good , otherwise you are a fuc.king robot

cheers


----------



## NaiveSound

I really really reslly wished it worked out.... The search continues...


----------



## Kervsky

NaiveSound said:


> Listening on balanced, remember it wasn't burned it. But I manged to get about 40 hours on the SE burned it... Idk I'm not impressed at all.
> 
> No hiss... That a good thing.  But sound quality alone.. No... Just no.  It's OK. But at The price it just isn't awesome.
> 
> ...



I think there's such a thing as synergy between daps and headphones, mayhaps the zeus and wm1a ain't shaking hands? Though seriously, single output is less impressive than balanced. The 1a is a more neutral dap, so imo any headphone you use will sound as they were originally tuned.


----------



## Kervsky

proedros said:


> @NaiveSound  you are an impatient rabbit , wait until you burn-in the 4.4 jack
> 
> Zeus + WM1a + pwaudio no5 in 4.4 = great match , imo
> 
> btw i  also had your cable and i think being silver and all it's not what zeus needs , try something more copperish



Ah, yes synergy. CA Andromeda + Effect Audio Thor II cables sound great to my ears.


----------



## kubig123

finally got the Dignis walkman case.


----------



## Whitigir

Nice, congratulation and enjoy!


----------



## Kervsky

kubig123 said:


> finally got the Dignis walkman case.



Really looks awesome, can you take pictures of every angle with the walkman in the case?


----------



## Lemieux66

I've got the 1A and the Z1R h/phones. Is it worth changing my 1A to a 1Z?


----------



## kubig123

Kervsky said:


> Really looks awesome, can you take pictures of every angle with the walkman in the case?



Absolutely!
I left my 1Z at home, I'll post them tomorrow.


----------



## Whitigir

Lemieux66 said:


> I've got the 1A and the Z1R h/phones. Is it worth changing my 1A to a 1Z?


Well, if you love a lot of warmth , sub bass, and fluidity.  IMO, the Z1R is better matched with 1A


----------



## Matrix Petka

NaiveSound said:


> Listening on balanced, remember it wasn't burned it. But I manged to get about 40 hours on the SE burned it... Idk I'm not impressed at all.
> 
> No hiss... That a good thing.  But sound quality alone.. No... Just no.  It's OK. But at The price it just isn't awesome.
> 
> ...



Sorry to hear. Just my 5 cents. Zeus based on BA drivers. From my experience they need burn it. From your short sound impression (sharp, edgy sound) iI can make decision that your earphones need some good burn in.


----------



## Lemieux66

Whitigir said:


> Well, if you love a lot of warmth , sub bass, and fluidity.  IMO, the Z1R is better matched with 1A



Yes, I'd heard this view elsewhere too.

Didn't you sell your 1Z? How come?


----------



## Whitigir

Lemieux66 said:


> Yes, I'd heard this view elsewhere too.
> 
> Didn't you sell your 1Z? How come?


Never sold my 1Z, but I did sell Z1R.  Because it was too much warmth and fluidity, I went with Utopia instead


----------



## nc8000

kubig123 said:


> finally got the Dignis walkman case.



I’ve still heard nothing from them about my over a week old order and no reply to any mails but they didn’t waist any time to take my money


----------



## NaiveSound

Matrix Petka said:


> Sorry to hear. Just my 5 cents. Zeus based on BA drivers. From my experience they need burn it. From your short sound impression (sharp, edgy sound) iI can make decision that your earphones need some good burn in.




I've had Zeus for about 7/8 months now... This earpiece came back for a mild fit adjustment


----------



## kubig123

nc8000 said:


> I’ve still heard nothing from them about my over a week old order and no reply to any mails but they didn’t waist any time to take my money



Sorry to hear that, I never had any problems with them, and between some AK daps, mojo and the Sony, I bought quite few cases.


----------



## Whitigir

NaiveSound said:


> I've had Zeus for about 7/8 months now... This earpiece came back for a mild fit adjustment



Well, personal preferences, you never marry your wife by other people preferences....the same as audio gears . If you know what to do, just don’t bother


----------



## Matrix Petka

NaiveSound said:


> I've had Zeus for about 7/8 months now... This earpiece came back for a mild fit adjustment



Then my assumption wrong, sorry. Good luck to find perfect pairing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am still waiting for my sony upgrade cable with 4.4mm and mmcx


----------



## Whitigir

Anyone tried Ie800S with 1Z yet ?


----------



## Houba

Whitigir said:


> Anyone tried Ie800S with 1Z yet ?



Interested too as Sennheiser offer 4.4mm jack along with them


----------



## Lemieux66

Houba said:


> Interested too as Sennheiser offer 4.4mm jack along with them



Just looked these up and they look intriguing...looks like they aren't available in the UK yet.

Are there any other IEMs that come with 4.4mm plug?


----------



## kubig123

Lemieux66 said:


> Just looked these up and they look intriguing...looks like they aren't available in the UK yet.
> 
> Are there any other IEMs that come with 4.4mm plug?



They are already available in the UK, few head-fier already have them.


----------



## purk

Whitigir said:


> Anyone tried Ie800S with 1Z yet ?



Just get a CIEM man.  It is better for your hearing anyway.  Lower listening...less damage to our old(er) ears.


----------



## Lemieux66

kubig123 said:


> They are already available in the UK, few head-fier already have them.



Oh. I saw on hifiheadphones that it says they are available to pre-order...

I'll see if they can be found elsewhere.


----------



## kubig123

Lemieux66 said:


> Oh. I saw on hifiheadphones that it says they are available to pre-order...
> 
> I'll see if they can be found elsewhere.



Here is the link

https://en-uk.sennheiser.com/in-ear-headphones-earphones-ie-800-s-ceramic


----------



## Lemieux66

Thank you for the link


----------



## Whitigir

purk said:


> Just get a CIEM man.  It is better for your hearing anyway.  Lower listening...less damage to our old(er) ears.


Lower listening level Purk ? I couldn’t do it with Stax 009 and T2 man....had to blast my eardrums out....every time


----------



## sne4me

Late to the party and wanted to say, 1063 pages; thats sick!

Sony makes a custom sized IEM called 'Just Ear' and you can get them in person in Japan. They cost $2000-$2500 depending on configuration. It is available balanced using the 4.4mm.

Since they are custom shaped to your ear by a medical doctor and hand made in Japan by one of Sony's legendary engineers, they take 1-2 months to fulfill.


----------



## Blueoris

What do you guys think about connecting the WM1 models to external headphone amplifiers? Would that change their sound characteristics to the extent that they will become a  DAP different to the one that was originally designed by the manufacturer?


----------



## Kervsky

Blueoris said:


> What do you guys think about connecting the WM1 models to external headphone amplifiers? Would that change their sound characteristics to the extent that they will become a  DAP different to the one that was originally designed by the manufacturer?



If it's run through an amp, it shouldn't change characteristics of the sound, only the volume. But if it's run through a dac, then the dacs sound characteristics take over.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Blueoris said:


> What do you guys think about connecting the WM1 models to external headphone amplifiers? Would that change their sound characteristics to the extent that they will become a  DAP different to the one that was originally designed by the manufacturer?


 It depends on how do you se it. I had an Oppo HA-2 which is a DAC+ Amplifier and there are also other manufacturers such as fiio that produce amp-only modules as well as dac + amps.

If you use it with a DAC/amp using the sony digital out cable, then your WM1 will only serve as a "Hard drive" and the external DAC amp implementation will decode the music - a completely different sound signature.

Using a pure amp or the amp section of the dac amp, like idid with my HA2, perhaps a slight change in sound sig, i noted my HA2 added a bit of warmth to the NWZ-A17 walkman stock sound, but perhaps there are neutral amps, i haven't used one other than hte HA2 and that was only for a short period of time


----------



## Blueoris (Nov 8, 2017)

Kervsky said:


> If it's run through an amp, it shouldn't change characteristics of the sound, only the volume. But if it's run through a dac, then the dacs sound characteristics take over.





gerelmx1986 said:


> It depends on how do you se it. I had an Oppo HA-2 which is a DAC+ Amplifier and there are also other manufacturers such as fiio that produce amp-only modules as well as dac + amps.
> 
> If you use it with a DAC/amp using the sony digital out cable, then your WM1 will only serve as a "Hard drive" and the external DAC amp implementation will decode the music - a completely different sound signature.
> 
> Using a pure amp or the amp section of the dac amp, like idid with my HA2, perhaps a slight change in sound sig, i noted my HA2 added a bit of warmth to the NWZ-A17 walkman stock sound, but perhaps there are neutral amps, i haven't used one other than hte HA2 and that was only for a short period of time



I think the challenge is to find a total transparent solid state amplifier that just do that, amplifying the analogue DAP output. While reading reviews of SS amps, I always find comments about the changes that amplifiers bring to the tonality, speed, dynamics of the system. I think that a completely transparent amplifier circuit doesn't exists though


----------



## gerelmx1986

I complained to f this album of being a bit dry sounding, boy, I was wrong, balanced unleashed it's potential


----------



## ezekiel77

My first listen with a brand new WM1A via balanced wasn't as good as I thought. At the time the balanced cable (Kumitate Labs Licht) and IEM (AAW W900) were new too so I was listening to the entire chain for the first time. The treble was grainy and had a metallic tinge, it was horribly annoying. I couldn't pinpoint which was the weak link in the chain, so with no other choice I went to burning in. After 200 hours, the changes were noticeable. I played the same track (something by NIN) that produced the metallic treble and it was smoothed out and musical. After a cable upgrade, the WM1A > W900 has been my go-to combo for months.

This is purely anecdotal, I didn't do any measurements, but if even Sony suggests that I burn-in the 1A for 200 hours, there might be some truth to running in the player before passing judgment.


----------



## Kervsky

gerelmx1986 said:


> I complained to f this album of being a bit dry sounding, boy, I was wrong, balanced unleashed it's potential



That's what I've told people, on the wm1a/z balanced output brings out the best in the music played. Though I feel with the 1a, balanced is significantly better than single and on the 1z just slightly so. Probably a sign of the price difference.


----------



## ezekiel77

I wear the 1000 hours playtime like a badge of honor, then see another guy with 2500 hours in his Walkman and I'm like "dang, mine's too short".


----------



## nanaholic

http://www.sony.jp/walkman/update/index.html#171109_NW_WM1

Firmware version 2.0 for WM1 series is out:
* added aptX and aptX HD support over Bluetooth
* APE and MQA support added
* Shuffle and Repeat toggle on the main play screen
* Auto power off function added to prolong battery life
* Tweaked track display to show more information
* other improvements

Sadly doesn't seem to have DAC function, but nevertheless it's a big update


----------



## blazinblazin

Seems like a good update even without DAC.


----------



## wldcohso

Awesome update.. that keeps hope alive. Been looking for a good deal on one.


----------



## Kervsky

ezekiel77 said:


> I wear the 1000 hours playtime like a badge of honor, then see another guy with 2500 hours in his Walkman and I'm like "dang, mine's too short".



Man, how long have you had your unit?


----------



## proedros

does the new FW change the sound ? i don't see any changes that suits me , so probably sticking to 1.20

also i think that both ciems (NT6/Zeus XR) sound better when on Normal Gain , so Normal Gain it is from now on - thanx for all the people giving feedback on the Gain thing


----------



## ezekiel77

Kervsky said:


> Man, how long have you had your unit?


Since March.



proedros said:


> does the new FW change the sound ? i don't see any changes that suits me , so probably sticking to 1.20
> 
> also i think that both ciems (NT6/Zeus XR) sound better when on Normal Gain , so Normal Gain it is from now on - thanx for all the people giving feedback on the Gain thing


I'll have to listen again in normal gain. I've put mine in high gain by default because I thought my DD IEMs need the juice. But like you my daily drivers are multi-BAs.


----------



## Kervsky

ezekiel77 said:


> Since March.
> 
> 
> I'll have to listen again in normal gain. I've put mine in high gain by default because I thought my DD IEMs need the juice. But like you my daily drivers are multi-BAs.



That explains it, basically you've played on it 20% of the day. Does multi BA iems (like the Andromeda) benefit from high gain?


----------



## FranTBW

Aw and I was hoping that there'd be a DAC/AMP function added in FW2.0 ):


----------



## aisalen

Mine now updated with 2.0. I'm afraid that after the update, language will become Japanese but it is not.


----------



## Kervsky

FranTBW said:


> Aw and I was hoping that there'd be a DAC/AMP function added in FW2.0 ):



If the hardware was able, and I was Sony marketing, I would veto that update till after the holiday sales. Letting the people who want a dac/dap buy the zx300/a40 and let the sales come high through the holidays. Then maybe around February, release the dac update (if its possible) so existing users get more out of their product and maybe push owners of the zx300 to upgrade for more money 



aisalen said:


> Mine now updated with 2.0. I'm afraid that after the update, language will become Japanese but it is not.



So even non Japan units can update? That didn't happen with my previous zx2. Did the sound change by any chance?


----------



## ezekiel77

Kervsky said:


> That explains it, basically you've played on it 20% of the day. Does multi BA iems (like the Andromeda) benefit from high gain?


I remember Andromeda being very sensitive. Playing that in high gain would likely mean hearing some hiss. But I'm just speculating.


----------



## blazinblazin (Nov 9, 2017)

Kervsky said:


> That explains it, basically you've played on it 20% of the day. Does multi BA iems (like the Andromeda) benefit from high gain?



For me, No. It gives more punch but take away soundstage/space feel/dynamics of my Andromeda on high gain.
Andro is a very sensitive IEM. I normally play it at Vol 60 low gain.

High gain... nope nv hear any hiss. I play on Vol 40 for high gain.


----------



## Kervsky (Nov 9, 2017)

ezekiel77 said:


> I remember Andromeda being very sensitive. Playing that in high gain would likely mean hearing some hiss. But I'm just speculating.



Just tried it out, definitely no hiss but yeah, it's a sensitive iem.



blazinblazin said:


> For me, No. It gives more punch but take away soundstage/space feel/dynamics of my Andromeda on high gain.
> Andro is a very sensitive IEM. I normally play it at Vol 60 low gain.
> 
> High gain... nope nv hear any hiss. I play on Vol 40 for high gain.



I can confirm it, I tried high gain on 40 too (its loud) but it did lose the sense of spaciousness. 30 to 35 seems to be my confort zone on high gain, 50 on normal.


----------



## aisalen

Kervsky said:


> So even non Japan units can update? That didn't happen with my previous zx2. Did the sound change by any chance?



I believed mine is Asian version, no sound change for my ear.


----------



## Kervsky

aisalen said:


> I believed mine is Asian version, no sound change for my ear.



I got mine in the Philippines, I'll download the update and try  thank you.


----------



## FranTBW

Ah well, whatever it is, I still prefer the 1A's sound to the ZX300 by a huge margin. DAC function or not, I'm still set on copping one


----------



## aisalen

Kervsky said:


> I got mine in the Philippines, I'll download the update and try  thank you.


Same as mine, it is safe to update since the questionnaire prior to update is in English. Besides, it will tell you if it is not compatible. You just need to download and double click it, it will ask to connect the DAP and that's it.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Kervsky said:


> So even non Japan units can update? That didn't happen with my previous zx2. Did the sound change by any chance?



You can update any device. Just did it. Testing. First impression about sound - no changes so far in wired mode. PXC550 sounding better - aptx.


----------



## Kervsky

Matrix Petka said:


> You can update any device. Just did it. Testing. First impression about sound - no changes so far in wired mode. PXC550 sounding better - aptx.



That's great to hear  my old Bluetooth speakers can be used again.


----------



## Tawek

Ape support great


----------



## Kervsky

Tawek said:


> Ape support great



And mqa, just to silence critics saying it's not hi-res enough for not supporting a format that older players like the pioneer and onkyo support.


----------



## nanaholic

Kervsky said:


> So even non Japan units can update? That didn't happen with my previous zx2. Did the sound change by any chance?



Always been this case with the WM1 series.


----------



## Kervsky

nanaholic said:


> Always been this case with the WM1 series.



Sorry, I didn't know, I just got mine tail end of October (and my experiences with the zx2 update system, didnt help)


----------



## superuser1

Did this update give support to cue?


----------



## sne4me

Is it possible to change the display language of the Japanese model to English?

I am going to update later. I hope the update tracks audio playtime through the walkman port to external dac/amp. I use my WM1A with the TA-ZH1ES often but the player doesnt count the playtime this way.

By the way, the TA-ZH1ES is a mindblowing dac.


----------



## Kervsky

sne4me said:


> Is it possible to change the display language of the Japanese model to English?
> 
> I am going to update later. I hope the update tracks audio playtime through the walkman port to external dac/amp. I use my WM1A with the TA-ZH1ES often but the player doesnt count the playtime this way.
> 
> By the way, the TA-ZH1ES is a mindblowing dac.



Not sure about the language, though old old old experience with japan released electronics shows me you're stuck on Japanese. 

And that dac/amp also blows away most wallets with just a dirty stare


----------



## Matrix Petka

sne4me said:


> Is it possible to change the display language of the Japanese model to English?
> 
> I am going to update later. I hope the update tracks audio playtime through the walkman port to external dac/amp. I use my WM1A with the TA-ZH1ES often but the player doesnt count the playtime this way.
> 
> By the way, the TA-ZH1ES is a mindblowing dac.



English - I think, possible, because my version after uncapping - Japan/International
TA-ZH1ES - please share more impressions. Thinking about birthday gift for myself


----------



## sne4me (Nov 9, 2017)

I had actually considered the WM1Z when a quick calculation had me realizing that I can have a WM1A with a TA-ZH1ES for practically the same cost.

I read about the TA-ZH1ES on the sony website, and i went to hear it in person at the sony retail store, although they have it at yodobashi camera too. The sony store did not have it on display and so i asked to see it and they brought it out. I went to the store with Beyer Dynamic DT-770 Pro 80, and DT-1350.

Through the TA-ZH1ES I tried both my beyer, the MDR-Z7, and MDR-Z1R. First my Beyer DT-770, I listened through unbalanced 1/4 Plug. I had never heard my 770s sound so good, not ever before not even close. It opened them up, louder, clearer, smoother, deeper and more defined bass. truely musical. I was practically speechless at the difference it makes compared to the walkman itself (unbalanced). The results from the DT-1350 were slightly less obvious, the dt-1350 often sounds decent regardless of power. The Z1R and the Z7 sound very similar except i noticed a more musical, less harsh high frequency response through the Z1R. subtle but distinct difference.

I ended up buying just the ta-zh1es that day. I ran hd audio out of my laptop to the PC usb In. After a long listening test, i discovered that my DT-770 left driver is damaged/blown at certain levels and frequencies; i never knew before ta-zh1es. I retired them that day. the following day i returned to the sony store and picked up the Z1R and WM1A. i use my dt-1350 when walking around and the Z1R at home.


----------



## Kervsky

sne4me said:


> I had actually considered the WM1Z when a quick calculation had me realizing that I can have a WM1A with a TA-ZH1ES for practically the same cost.
> 
> I read about the TA-ZH1ES on the sony website, and i went to hear it in person at the sony retail store, although they have it at yodobashi camera too. The sony store did not have it on display and so i asked to see it and they brought it out. I went to the store with Beyer Dynamic DT-770 Pro 80, and DT-1350.
> 
> ...



Cool story, though I'm pretty set back from all these purchases so that will have to wait


----------



## Matrix Petka

sne4me said:


> I had actually considered the WM1Z when a quick calculation had me realizing that I can have a WM1A with a TA-ZH1ES for practically the same cost.
> 
> I read about the TA-ZH1ES on the sony website, and i went to hear it in person at the sony retail store, although they have it at yodobashi camera too. The sony store did not have it on display and so i asked to see it and they brought it out. I went to the store with Beyer Dynamic DT-770 Pro 80, and DT-1350.
> 
> ...



Thank you very much! You confirmed my thoughts. My wallet cries....


----------



## Whitigir

Matrix Petka said:


> Thank you very much! You confirmed my thoughts. My wallet cries....


Well, prepare to get used to it .  I am sorry, every hobby cost money....hell, even if you are into girl


----------



## Kervsky

Whitigir said:


> Well, prepare to get used to it .  I am sorry, every hobby cost money....hell, even if you are into girl



Or boys


----------



## Whitigir

Kervsky said:


> Or boys


Isn’t that true ? Be glad though, the only time you can afford your hobby, that is the time marked down as your grown up time


----------



## Imusicman

Kervsky said:


> That's what I've told people, on the wm1a/z balanced output brings out the best in the music played. Though I feel with the 1a, balanced is significantly better than single and on the 1z just slightly so. Probably a sign of the price difference.



This is exactly what I experienced


----------



## NaiveSound

Imusicman said:


> This is exactly what I experienced



Balanced is indeed better than the se on the wm1a but only marginally


----------



## Whitigir

Today I just experienced something totally bizarre, and now I kinda know why one of my microSD was bricked.  LeXa 128Gb was bricked.

So what did I do ? I had this microSD inside my Android Player Dx200, the LeXa before I had it in the HTC10 smartphone.  Uncounted from within Android and was prompted that it was safe to eject.  I did just that, took it out, and pushed it into Wm1Z.  

The next thing happened, my Memory card Music folder was wiped clean on my Sony Audiophile 64Gb.  I thought it would be bricked, but i could still write files on it *sigh* such a relieve.  On my LeXa 128Gb before, it kept hanging in creating database.....the next thing I know, it was not readable by any Android Devices, or Walkman, but only Readable by Computer Windows 10.  It was unwrite-able and or formatable....totally bricked, but somehow I could still copy files from it if I used windows 10.

I don’t know anything about programming, and the behavior leaves me speechless....


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> Isn’t that true ? Be glad though, the only time you can afford your hobby, that is the time marked down as your grown up time



Hobby - when times comes, you realize, that it bring joy and happiness, without questions about money.


----------



## Kervsky

NaiveSound said:


> Balanced is indeed better than the se on the wm1a but only marginally



Burn the balanced. It's not a slight  improvement over single.



Whitigir said:


> Today I just experienced something totally bizarre, and now I kinda know why one of my microSD was bricked.  LeXa 128Gb was bricked.
> 
> So what did I do ? I had this microSD inside my Android Player Dx200, the LeXa before I had it in the HTC10 smartphone.  Uncounted from within Android and was prompted that it was safe to eject.  I did just that, took it out, and pushed it into Wm1Z.
> 
> ...



I think you can erase the card via partitioning tool (partition wizard) and re partition it. It might fix your card as it works on a deeper level than windows basic formatting system.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> Today I just experienced something totally bizarre, and now I kinda know why one of my microSD was bricked.  LeXa 128Gb was bricked.
> 
> So what did I do ? I had this microSD inside my Android Player Dx200, the LeXa before I had it in the HTC10 smartphone.  Uncounted from within Android and was prompted that it was safe to eject.  I did just that, took it out, and pushed it into Wm1Z.
> 
> ...



Strange. Try to copy files to back up and reformat memory card this way - insert into Android device, connect to computer and start formating from computer - if it will be seen by computer.


----------



## Whitigir

Kervsky said:


> Burn the balanced. It's not a slight  improvement over single.
> 
> 
> 
> I think you can erase the card via partitioning tool (partition wizard) and re partition it. It might fix your card as it works on a deeper level than windows basic formatting system.



I tried it and it didn’t work.  It always prompts that it is protected


Matrix Petka said:


> Strange. Try to copy files to back up and reformat memory card this way - insert into Android device, connect to computer and start formating from computer - if it will be seen by computer.



I did copy the files out of it and stored into a memory usb stick instead 

Now I am trying to get my library into this Sony microSD card again.  It was Bizarre, and bothersome


----------



## Kervsky

Whitigir said:


> I tried it and it didn’t work.  It always prompts that it is protected
> 
> 
> I did copy the files out of it and stored into a memory usb stick instead
> ...



If partition wizard fails, thats one helluva brick


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> Today I just experienced something totally bizarre, and now I kinda know why one of my microSD was bricked.  LeXa 128Gb was bricked.
> 
> So what did I do ? I had this microSD inside my Android Player Dx200, the LeXa before I had it in the HTC10 smartphone.  Uncounted from within Android and was prompted that it was safe to eject





Kervsky said:


> Really looks awesome, can you take pictures of every angle with the walkman in the case?



here few pictures, I can assure it's really tight fit.


----------



## Jalo

Does the balance output on the 1A has the same power as the 1Z (230 my)?


----------



## Whitigir

Jalo said:


> Does the balance output on the 1A has the same power as the 1Z (230 my)?



Yes, both balanced circuitry is the same on 1A to 1Z.  The differences is the use of FT capacitors in the Digital block on the 1Z where in the 1A is using OSCoN.  FT Capacitors has the highest ripple current and lowest ESR for it kind at the present moment.  So the better the quality of the components, the better the performances can be achieved theoretically.  Especially when the 1Z also uses Fine Sound Resistors in this Balanced Circuit more than 1A which uses MELF instead.  There is nothing wrong with MELF, infact MELF is known and held in high regard for audio performances, but F-resistor is another tier above


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mine has 2620 hours


----------



## Piotr Michalak

Hi guys, maybe someone could help. I'm trying to elevate the infamous volume cap from my WM1Z. I've just upgraded to 2.0... and only then tried uncapping. I have Mac OSX. Seems that the scsitool is only for Windows. I have a Parrallels virtual machine with Win7. Tried running the app. Here's what I get: 





Where'd I get the "U:"? When connecting WM1Z using parrallels, it asks whether to connect to mac or to windows. I choose windows. Still, there is nothing under "my computer". I had to enter Parallels utilities and click on WM1Z to make it appear under My Computer under letter "U:". So theoretically, it should work... I think... 
Please someone help. Maybe there is a way to run the linux file on macosx...? OR maybe it's the 2.0 update that is the problem.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I don't think that cue are supported otherwise it would be stated


----------



## Kervsky (Nov 9, 2017)

kubig123 said:


> here few pictures, I can assure it's really tight fit.



Really beautiful, I'm totally convinced, hopefully they'll have stock next month.



gerelmx1986 said:


> Mine has 2620 hours



Woah, how long have you had it. And is it true what they say about having 500+ hours in that it sounds even better?


----------



## Whitigir

Kervsky said:


> It's really good, I'll order
> 
> 
> Really beautiful, I'm totally convinced, hopefully they'll have stock next month.


The next thing he would want is to have a clear TPU case over the dignis to protect the leather


----------



## kms108

Whitigir said:


> Today I just experienced something totally bizarre, and now I kinda know why one of my microSD was bricked.  LeXa 128Gb was bricked.
> 
> So what did I do ? I had this microSD inside my Android Player Dx200, the LeXa before I had it in the HTC10 smartphone.  Uncounted from within Android and was prompted that it was safe to eject.  I did just that, took it out, and pushed it into Wm1Z.
> 
> ...



I had the same with my sony super expensive 64Gb memeory card. it can be read, but not do anything else, the only way to revise the card, but not 100% is use a old nokia symbian S40 phone to reformat it, it has done this with many dead micro before, even those that a android, windows phone and PC can't see.


----------



## jinrawke

That case is so awesome.  The only reason I haven't bought it yet is my 1A comes in today.  Need to make sure it's a keeper before investing that much money in a case.


----------



## kms108

Whitigir said:


> The next thing he would want is to have a clear TPU case over the dignis to protect the leather


bubble wrap, best protection ever, and total water proof, and it even floats if dropped into a water.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> bubble wrap, best protection ever, and total water proof, and it even floats if dropped into a water.


Bubble wrap is always the best.  It makes me smile everytime lol


----------



## kms108

Whitigir said:


> Bubble wrap is always the best.  It makes me smile everytime lol


If you have nothing to do, you can always start popping away.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> If you have nothing to do, you can always start popping away.


Roflmao, I really does that.  Matter of facts, I keep these wraps stored, and waste them this way if not used for another shipment


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Nov 9, 2017)

Kervsky said:


> Really beautiful, I'm totally convinced, hopefully they'll have stock next month.


It s mmounds great after 550 hours o have had it since January 4. He waited for me one month in my house. With no use

I ordered it on November 1st 2016, it didn't arrive before December 1st, flew to Germany for vacations. It arrived when boarding the to-be canceled flight to Berlin. So


----------



## ranfan (Nov 9, 2017)

Hour 10 since I started listening to WM1A. The 1A sounds awesome so far. It's a pretty impressive-sounding DAP with a long-a** battery. Really like it. The sound doesn't dissapoint compared to the OPUS#2. It has a big, tight, and quick bass that's 9.5/10 in my score. A bit warm, but overall balanced in tone. Not as clear, transparent, and sparkly as OPUS#2, but the details are pretty apparent on the 1A. It has a very good resolution, and low/high extension. Soundstage is pretty big, yet intimate, and immersive. I haven't try the balanced out, due to the adapter still being delivered. Excited to hear the sound later.  The power is good enough for me, listening with the Dream, normal gain, 80 volume.


----------



## NaiveSound

Hondo you find hrs?


----------



## Kervsky

ranfan said:


> Hour 10 since I started listening to WM1A. The 1A sounds awesome so far. It's a pretty impressive-sounding DAP with a long-a** battery. Really like it. The sound doesn't dissapoint compared to the OPUS#2. It has a big, tight, and quick bass that's 9.5/10 in my score. A bit warm, but overall balanced in tone. Not as clear, transparent, and sparkly as OPUS#2, but the details are pretty apparent on the 1A. It has a very good resolution, and low/high extension. Soundstage is pretty big, yet intimate, and immersive. I haven't try the balanced out, due to the adapter still being delivered. Excited to hear the sound later.  The power is good enough for me, listening with the Dream, normal gain, 80 volume.



Yesh, another satisfied customer


----------



## Matrix Petka

gerelmx1986 said:


> Mine has 2620 hours



Love this kind of madness. Cheers!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I use mi ne probably 6 to 10 hours a day, software developer here


----------



## leftside

NaiveSound said:


> If anyone is interested I'm selling a perfect condition wm1a, along with a silver dragon 2pin   4.4mm cable. All for 900.      The wm1a has under 100 hours I believe, I don't know how to check.
> Can't wait to get rid of and never touch it again


Why don't you like it? Feel free to PM me as I might be interested.


----------



## nc8000

kubig123 said:


> here few pictures, I can assure it's really tight fit.



So cool. I really hope I get one but so far I’m totally unable to get any communication from Dignis despite them quickly taking my money


----------



## NaiveSound

leftside said:


> Why don't you like it? Feel free to PM me as I might be interested.



Synergy with Zeus XR is sub par in my opinion. Makes the Zeus sound like poop. But I didn't burn in for hundreds of hours. I did get some hours in.  But with some cheap akg buds it sounded great


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> So cool. I really hope I get one but so far I’m totally unable to get any communication from Dignis despite them quickly taking my money


Sorry to hear that.  I really dislike anything or anyone who qnuickly take the money and no respond....0 respect to the customer


----------



## hung031086

Thats weird. I never had any problems with Dignis before. I bought at least 5 cases from them before.


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> Hondo you find hrs?


Tap toolbox icon, then tap settings, then scroll all the way down to "unit Information" the number of hours and minutes is given below "audio played"


----------



## nc8000

hung031086 said:


> Thats weird. I never had any problems with Dignis before. I bought at least 5 cases from them before.



Placed the order and paid via paypal and the money has been taken. Have received no order confirmation and no replys to the 4 e-mails I’ve send to the 2 e-mail addresses for them I have (one is their paypal e-mail). Been 1 1/2 weeks now. Will probably have to launch a fraud claim with paypal against them


----------



## Imusicman

Piotr Michalak said:


> Hi guys, maybe someone could help. I'm trying to elevate the infamous volume cap from my WM1Z. I've just upgraded to 2.0... and only then tried uncapping. I have Mac OSX. Seems that the scsitool is only for Windows. I have a Parrallels virtual machine with Win7. Tried running the app. Here's what I get:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have a iMac and gave up in the end and this was before the 2.0 update which I installed today. If you manage to figure this out please let me know.


----------



## cattlethief

Is there a way you can analyze your songs for sense me without downloading all your music to a pc.


----------



## Whitigir

cattlethief said:


> Is there a way you can analyze your songs for sense me without downloading all your music to a pc.


For this long....man, I don’t even have any clue about this song analyzing and senseme stuff LoL


----------



## proedros

NaiveSound said:


> *Synergy with Zeus XR is sub par in my opinion. Makes the Zeus sound like poop. *But I didn't burn in for hundreds of hours. I did get some hours in.  But with some cheap akg buds it sounded great



you are impatient and probably paired it with a cable that does not have good synergy

i find Zeus to have a very nice synergy with WM1A , but i have a nice cable and both cable/wm1a are burned in

anyway , you are selling at a great price so you should sell it real quick and get something that pleases you , no biggie

also , i think that Normal Gain is the best option for listening , but as always trust your ears

cheers


----------



## NoMythsAudio

nc8000 said:


> Placed the order and paid via paypal and the money has been taken. Have received no order confirmation and no replys to the 4 e-mails I’ve send to the 2 e-mail addresses for them I have (one is their paypal e-mail). Been 1 1/2 weeks now. Will probably have to launch a fraud claim with paypal against them


This is sad. Not sure what went wrong with them. I placed my order via Paypal too a week ago for the brown case. My order shipped two days later. Sorry about your situation, something went wrong somewhere.


----------



## hung031086

nc8000 said:


> Placed the order and paid via paypal and the money has been taken. Have received no order confirmation and no replys to the 4 e-mails I’ve send to the 2 e-mail addresses for them I have (one is their paypal e-mail). Been 1 1/2 weeks now. Will probably have to launch a fraud claim with paypal against them


For me, they always ship in a day after i placed order. Maybe their system has problem. Like 64audio, i had 2 times problem with my order. No confirmation email or even i checked in my 64audio account, it showed nothing. I had to call them to fix it.
For your case, they didnt reply your email, so just contact paypal then.


----------



## Jalo

Whitigir said:


> Yes, both balanced circuitry is the same on 1A to 1Z.  The differences is the use of FT capacitors in the Digital block on the 1Z where in the 1A is using OSCoN.  FT Capacitors has the highest ripple current and lowest ESR for it kind at the present moment.  So the better the quality of the components, the better the performances can be achieved theoretically.  Especially when the 1Z also uses Fine Sound Resistors in this Balanced Circuit more than 1A which uses MELF instead.  There is nothing wrong with MELF, infact MELF is known and held in high regard for audio performances, but F-resistor is another tier above



Thanks for the great info.


----------



## Tanjiro

Just updated firmware 2.0 (downloaded from Sony Asia site) to my EU version WM1A.  Device menu is more responsive.


----------



## Whitigir

moneypls said:


> Just updated firmware 2.0 (downloaded from Sony Asia site) to my EU version WM1A.  Device menu is more responsive.


Wait, so this 2.0 added AptX and MQA, but no USB DAC.  Isn’t MQA streaming services only ? And 1Z has no streaming options...what in the blue moon
https://esupport.sony.com/US/p/swu-download.pl?mdl=NWWM1Z&upd_id=11332&os_group_id=28


----------



## Kervsky

Whitigir said:


> Wait, so this 2.0 added AptX and MQA, but no USB DAC.  Isn’t MQA streaming services only ? And 1Z has no streaming options...what in the blue moon
> https://esupport.sony.com/US/p/swu-download.pl?mdl=NWWM1Z&upd_id=11332&os_group_id=28



Nope, mqa is not exclusively streaming. There are artists that sell their album /songs in various formats including mqa (there are a few on bandcamp) most big online stores don't sell them yet since few daps support them at the moment. But eventually they will, and if hdtracks is any indication, it'll be the most expensive format.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 9, 2017)

Ugh......out the windows with usb DAC feature dream LOL....but I still don’t care yet. I can’t find any places to sell MQA beside Tidal...lol


----------



## Kervsky (Nov 9, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Ugh......out the windows with usb DAC feature dream LOL....but I still don’t care yet



It's a fine player without it, but like I postulated in one of my groups, if I were Sony, I would not release the dac update till February. So those that seek a dac/dap will buy the zx300, a nice sales record would look good on a year end report. Then after the holiday sales, update the wm1 series, make current users more happy and maybe entice the fence sitters and zx300 users to upgrade. More profit


----------



## Whitigir

Kervsky said:


> It's a fine player without it, but lime I postulated in one of my groups, if I were Sony, I would not release the dac update till February. So those that seek a dac/dap will buy the zx300, a nice sales record would look good on a year end report. Then after the holiday sales, update the wm1 series, make current users more happy and maybe entice the fence sitters and zx300 users to upgrade. More profit


Yeah, from marketing point of view, I think we are getting there.  Remember the time when we were skeptical whether or not the 1Z/A was capable of AptX or MQA in it hardware ? I guess this is Sony answer, Yes, it is capable, we just don’t take off the chains yet ....lol


----------



## gerelmx1986

Upgraded let's see still updating BD


----------



## musicisthekey

I updated my WM1Z to v2 firmware from Sony USA. The soundstage is noticeably wider. To my ears, the sound signature is more neutral than previous firmwares with smoother treble and less bass in quantity but it is still very well defined. It's very analog like and I can't hear any distortion.


----------



## Whitigir

So now Wm1Z is AptX HD capable and LDAC capable ? Lol


----------



## Whitigir

musicisthekey said:


> I updated my WM1Z to v2 firmware from Sony USA. The soundstage is noticeably wider. To my ears, the sound signature is more neutral than previous firmwares with smoother treble and less bass in quantity but it is still very well defined. It's very analog like and I can't hear any distortion.


Hell....I upgraded without trying to listen to it first ....lol...but anything soundstage is welcome.


----------



## ttt123

Whitigir said:


> Wait, so this 2.0 added AptX and MQA, but no USB DAC.  Isn’t MQA streaming services only ? And 1Z has no streaming options...what in the blue moon
> https://esupport.sony.com/US/p/swu-download.pl?mdl=NWWM1Z&upd_id=11332&os_group_id=28


The simple guess is that this is a generic enabling of MQA codec support so that the WM1x can support MQA music, which Sony does offer.  And this would go towards making the MQA format more of a mainstream codec, and not just targetted at streaming Hi Res.  Can't see any linkage to USB DAC....


----------



## Whitigir

ttt123 said:


> The simple guess is that this is a generic enabling of MQA codec support so that the WM1x can support MQA music, which Sony does offer.  And this would go towards making the MQA format more of a mainstream codec, and not just targetted at streaming Hi Res.  Can't see any linkage to USB DAC....



Sony offers MQA albums ? I thought Tidal is the only place so far


----------



## Kervsky

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, from marketing point of view, I think we are getting there.  Remember the time when we were skeptical whether or not the 1Z/A was capable of AptX or MQA in it hardware ? I guess this is Sony answer, Yes, it is capable, we just don’t take off the chains yet ....lol



I knew it was inevitable to get at least apt-x support (mqawas furthest from my mind) my only doubt was is Sony would deign to get a license for its use. Not sure if that license was free so added cost might have been an initial factor. But the moment the zx300 had apt-x it was almost a sure thing, its just a Bluetooth profile, a few strings in the codec so its no biggie to implement. 

Dac functionality though,  i was skeptical with, since I have no idea if the actual hardware is there to support it.


----------



## Whitigir

Kervsky said:


> I knew it was inevitable to get at least apt-x support (mqawas furthest from my mind) my only doubt was is Sony would deign to get a license for its use. Not sure if that license was free so added cost might have been an initial factor. But the moment the zx300 had apt-x it was almost a sure thing, its just a Bluetooth profile, a few strings in the codec so its no biggie to implement.
> 
> Dac functionality though,  i was skeptical with, since I have no idea if the actual hardware is there to support it.


Isn’t the 1Z/A/Zx300 all using Sony I/C ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

updated mine, seems to boot faster, i turned it off and on just to see the boot times


----------



## gerelmx1986

I noted two fileds in the song info

Track and Disc

for me it displays Trac x / --

and Disc --/--


----------



## gerelmx1986

Track is easily fixable wihth MP3TAG as save track total

but i don't know what disc 1/x does?


----------



## ezekiel77

nc8000 said:


> Placed the order and paid via paypal and the money has been taken. Have received no order confirmation and no replys to the 4 e-mails I’ve send to the 2 e-mail addresses for them I have (one is their paypal e-mail). Been 1 1/2 weeks now. Will probably have to launch a fraud claim with paypal against them


Check your junk e-mail folder? In my case, some correspondence from Dignis got lost there.


----------



## ttt123

Whitigir said:


> Sony offers MQA albums ? I thought Tidal is the only place so far


From an anouncement in May of this year:  And now Sony Music and independent label specialist Merlin have been confirmed as partners, agreeing to make their music available in MQA audio.

The multi-year Merlin deal promises to help some of the world’s best-known independent labels encode their master recordings in MQA, while Sony Music has also been confirmed as an MQA partner, joining big-label rivals, Universal and Warner Music. 

Read more at https://www.whathifi.com/news/mqa-c...lin-hi-res-audio-partners#6g5GvC3hhg5dkTPT.99


----------



## gerelmx1986

Can anyone explain me the Multidisc TAG? what it does Disc 1 of x mean? so if i save my file sin foldes like Mozart piano sonatas CD1.. Mozart piano sonatas CD2 and so on until Mozart piano sonatas CD Nth i think for me it doesnt make sense as i put the name like that in ALBUM tag

but i have the idea of my father that he saves ALL mozart piano sonatas in a single folder names Piano sonatas.. in that case Disc x of Z will make more snese?, does now sony split into multi disc despite having them named in album as just Piano sonatas?


----------



## Whitigir

ttt123 said:


> From an anouncement in May of this year:  And now Sony Music and independent label specialist Merlin have been confirmed as partners, agreeing to make their music available in MQA audio.
> 
> The multi-year Merlin deal promises to help some of the world’s best-known independent labels encode their master recordings in MQA, while Sony Music has also been confirmed as an MQA partner, joining big-label rivals, Universal and Warner Music.
> 
> Read more at https://www.whathifi.com/news/mqa-c...lin-hi-res-audio-partners#6g5GvC3hhg5dkTPT.99




The present, only Tidal offers MQA, and while 1Z has MQA capability, how do you make use of that ?


----------



## rhull1973

Help!  my wm1A is stuck in a boot loop.  I updated to the new firmware.  Everything worked great.  Added a few songs to the MicroSD card.  Worked fine again.  Delted and added a few other tracks and it would not finish creating database.  Now it just boots over and over again.  Attempted to connect it to my Mac. It mounts, but then reboots again.


----------



## ttt123

Whitigir said:


> The present, only Tidal offers MQA, and while 1Z has MQA capability, how do you make use of that ?


In the HK earphone stores, I see MQA discs for sale.  I have a couple of them in softcopy.  I haven't gone looking for sources, though, as I did not have any device that could play them properly, until now.  I'll have to try the albums I do have on the WM1.


----------



## ttt123

rhull1973 said:


> Help!  my wm1A is stuck in a boot loop.  I updated to the new firmware.  Everything worked great.  Added a few songs to the MicroSD card.  Worked fine again.  Delted and added a few other tracks and it would not finish creating database.  Now it just boots over and over again.  Attempted to connect it to my Mac. It mounts, but then reboots again.


try holding down the power button for 8 secs to power down, and see if that helps.


----------



## rhull1973

ttt123 said:


> try holding down the power button for 8 secs to power down, and see if that helps.


Tried that.  It just kept rebooting.  I succesfully managed to run the 1.2 firmware update.  Got it to restart.  Indicated it had a corrupted database and to select rebuild.  Doing that now.


----------



## gerelmx1986

rhull1973 said:


> Help!  my wm1A is stuck in a boot loop.  I updated to the new firmware.  Everything worked great.  Added a few songs to the MicroSD card.  Worked fine again.  Delted and added a few other tracks and it would not finish creating database.  Now it just boots over and over again.  Attempted to connect it to my Mac. It mounts, but then reboots again.


Hold power button for 8 secs and see what happens . if that helps, then do a complete factory reset (it will delete total audio played hours). Mine is fine, i have deleted a whole album now, but not yet connected to pc as i am editing my FLACs to add the track x/z pattern


----------



## rhull1973

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hold power button for 8 secs and see what happens . if that helps, then do a complete factory reset (it will delete total audio played hours). Mine is fine, i have deleted a whole album now, but not yet connected to pc as i am editing my FLACs to add the track x/z pattern


It would just reboot but never get past the black screen with the flowing lines on the bottom of the screen.  Somehow got the 1.2 update to take. Fingers crossed that it will be ok once the database is created.


----------



## nc8000

ezekiel77 said:


> Check your junk e-mail folder? In my case, some correspondence from Dignis got lost there.



I actually just received a reply from them a few hours ago stating that all mails send from one of their addresses seem to have failed for some time. It shipped out the day after I ordered and is atm in the hands of Danish customs awaiting payment of duty but I have not yet received the invoice for that and it will not be released until I pay


----------



## kubig123

nc8000 said:


> I actually just received a reply from them a few hours ago stating that all mails send from one of their addresses seem to have failed for some time. It shipped out the day after I ordered and is atm in the hands of Danish customs awaiting payment of duty but I have not yet received the invoice for that and it will not be released until I pay



Good news, finally!


----------



## gerelmx1986

@nanaholic  I saw on the japanese sony website, i can't read japanese but the link you sent about FW updates, it says something about music center version 2.00, what improvements?


----------



## rhull1973

Back in business on the 2.0 firmware.  Not sure what caused the weird boot loop, but running the 1.2 update while it was stuck re-booting, and then rebuilding the database appears to have fixed it.  Whew!


----------



## aisalen

rhull1973 said:


> Back in business on the 2.0 firmware.  Not sure what caused the weird boot loop, but running the 1.2 update while it was stuck re-booting, and then rebuilding the database appears to have fixed it.  Whew!


Good news and nice to hear that your 1A is still good.


----------



## Quadfather

I have heard the Tia Fourte on Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, Questyle QP1R, and Sony NW-WM1A. I like these IEMs on the Questyle QP1R best, but love them on the Sony NW-WM1A too. Very spacious, open, and natural. I will have to spend some time with both sets. the Fourte sounds crazily good and natural. The Shure SE846 has great bass quantity, however the Tia Fourte's bass presentation is quicker, nimbler, and more organically natural. The SE846 also lacks the upper midrange/treble clarity and extension of the Fourte. I have to listen longer, as these are initial impressions. The SE846 is still a warm, darkish, quality entry to the IEM market. The midrange and treble clarity, extension, and timber on the Tia Fourte is the best I have ever heard from an IEM, but still silky smooth. The Tia Fourte has a much bigger soundstage than Shure SE846. Again these pair phenomenally well with the Questyle QP1R in high gain. I am using 96kHz/24bit, high resolution files. I briefly listened to the U18 Tzar, but liked the Fourte so much more thar Tzar promptly went back in the box. I AM IN LOVE WITH THE TIA FOURTE! Strangely, and surprisingly, these sound great on Sony's single ended output...I am starting to doubt people's skepticism of Sony's balanced output.


----------



## jinrawke

Got my 1A earlier today and I was pretty worried I was going to be underwhelmed by it.  
Worries = gone.  This is only on single end with no burn in so I can only imagine it getting better and better as it burns in and once I go to balanced output.

Now that I'm happy with it and know that it's going to stay in my collection, it's time to move forward with looking into cables and ordering that sweet 'Awesome Mix' Dignis case 

As far as cables are concerned, I've only done minimal research.  I've read that silver is mostly for treble and copper for warmth, does that sound right?  I'm a bit treble sensitive so I believe I should be looking for copper.  What are some good brands / custom shops that I should be looking at?  I've read about impactaudio and thepeterek on etsy and also the high high end brands (nordost, kimber) but those are out of my price range.


----------



## superuser1

jinrawke said:


> Got my 1A earlier today and I was pretty worried I was going to be underwhelmed by it.
> Worries = gone.  This is only on single end with no burn in so I can only imagine it getting better and better as it burns in and once I go to balanced output.
> 
> Now that I'm happy with it and know that it's going to stay in my collection, it's time to move forward with looking into cables and ordering that sweet 'Awesome Mix' Dignis case
> ...


Happy days ahead for you. Try BGT cables. excellent quality and reasonable priced. VE also makes great cables.


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicisthekey said:


> I updated my WM1Z to v2 firmware from Sony USA. The soundstage is noticeably wider. To my ears, the sound signature is more neutral than previous firmwares with smoother treble and less bass in quantity but it is still very well defined. It's very analog like and I can't hear any distortion.


I note the same on my WM1A, wider soundstage WOOOT! and a bit smoother and nice sounding


----------



## hamhamhamsta

V. 2.00 definitely sounds better. It makes my Warbler Prelude & Alo Ref8 sounds amazing.


----------



## proedros

so v2.0 makes WM1A sound better than 1.20?

is there a DL link for us non-japanese speakers ?

also , what's the procedure , i just dl it and place it in a specific folder ?

thanx for the help here


----------



## rtjoa

proedros said:


> so v2.0 makes WM1A sound better than 1.20?
> 
> is there a DL link for us non-japanese speakers ?
> 
> ...


This is posted by Whitigir early.
https://esupport.sony.com/US/p/swu-download.pl?mdl=NWWM1Z&upd_id=11332&os_group_id=28

It is an executable file so you just need to run it.


----------



## ezekiel77

This is the firmware 2.0 link for Malaysian 1A/1Z owners
http://www.sony.com.my/electronics/...layers-nwwm-series/nw-wm1a/downloads/00014905


----------



## drjigarn

You can also update it through media go. I did that.


----------



## aisalen

proedros said:


> so v2.0 makes WM1A sound better than 1.20?
> 
> is there a DL link for us non-japanese speakers ?
> 
> ...


Check my post about two pages back. Very simple procedure if you are on windows. No problem even you download the firmware from Japanese site.


----------



## proedros

thanx guys

i have the Japan-sold International edition WM1A , can i use both links ?

also , my music files stay intact after installing latest FW right ?


----------



## cattlethief

ezekiel77 said:


> This is the firmware 2.0 link for Malaysian 1A/1Z owners
> http://www.sony.com.my/electronics/...layers-nwwm-series/nw-wm1a/downloads/00014905



I couldnt execute it on my mac,error message came up 3 times,used my works laptop and all was good!


----------



## drjigarn

proedros said:


> so v2.0 makes WM1A sound better than 1.20?
> 
> is there a DL link for us non-japanese speakers ?
> 
> ...



If you have media go installed it will take less than 2 minutes to update.


----------



## blazinblazin

I wonder who they consult what to tune in the sound, then update the sound using software upgrade.

Everyone's preference is different.


----------



## sne4me

I never realized how big dsf files are until just recently. quad or 8x dsd must be stupid big files.

how many songs do you guys have? whats your bitrates? is there anyone using this with cd quality audio?


----------



## blazinblazin (Nov 10, 2017)

sne4me said:


> I never realized how big dsf files are until just recently. quad or 8x dsd must be stupid big files.
> 
> how many songs do you guys have? whats your bitrates? is there anyone using this with cd quality audio?


I have quad DSD files. They are around 1GB per song.

Not worth the space. Just convert them to flac.


----------



## nc8000

sne4me said:


> I never realized how big dsf files are until just recently. quad or 8x dsd must be stupid big files.
> 
> how many songs do you guys have? whats your bitrates? is there anyone using this with cd quality audio?



I have mine filled exclusively with about 1.500 cd’s ripped to flac


----------



## sne4me

blazinblazin said:


> I wonder who they consult what to tune in the sound, then update the sound using software upgrade.
> 
> Everyone's preference is different.



i was in the sony store learning about just ear. they explained that they have a team of highly paid audiophiles who they consult to get the EQ just right.

the just ear comes in 3 eqs. club, listening, and flat


----------



## blazinblazin

sne4me said:


> i was in the sony store learning about just ear. they explained that they have a team of highly paid audiophiles who they consult to get the EQ just right.
> 
> the just ear comes in 3 eqs. club, listening, and flat


I came across now they have Artist sound preference option for Just Ear.

They look for some well known Japanese artist to tune the IEM to their perference and sell it under the artist name.


----------



## sne4me

blazinblazin said:


> I have quad DSD files. They are around 1GB per song.
> 
> Not worth the space. Just convert them to flac.



can dsd bitrate be compared to flac bitrate? does dsd sound better than 24/192?

is converting dsd to flac lossy?


----------



## nc8000 (Nov 10, 2017)

sne4me said:


> can dsd bitrate be compared to flac bitrate? does dsd sound better than 24/192?
> 
> is converting dsd to flac lossy?



Flac is always lossless. Personally I’m not able to hear any difference between dsd and a flac conversion but then in most cases I also can’t hear any difference between a hires flac and the same file downsampled to 16/44.


----------



## Tawek

I can confirm with new 2.0 big sep-up black silent 0 distortion  amazing


----------



## proedros

in the FW page , it says

Before you upgrade
*After updating, the firmware cannot be reverted to an earlier version.
*
so , can we go back to 1.20 if we don't like 2.00 ? or , once you go to FW 2.00 you can not go back to 1.20 ?


----------



## Matrix Petka

Tawek said:


> I can confirm with new 2.0 big sep-up black silent 0 distortion  amazing



My 5 cents about firmware version 2.
1.Sound - some light changes for good. Wider soundstage, better instruments separation. Sounding more detailed, light. High frequencies more transparent, better articulated. Bass - more impact, deeper. It looks that some more loudness added in amplification - listening now 3-5 dials less than previously. 
Using only balanced.
2.Bluetooth - perfected. Super fast connection. Total improvement in sound - aptX with PXC550.
3.Firmware more responsive, faster.

Thanks, Sony! Do not forget, we are waiting for DAC


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Recently for DSEE HX I have been using type: Percussion . It puts the spotlight in the higher register notes. Please try it if you want to squeeze a little more emotion into the vocal, the music. This is my favorite setting now.


----------



## Matrix Petka

nc8000 said:


> Flac is always lossless. Personally I’m not able to hear any difference between dsd and a flac conversion but then in most cases I also can’t hear any difference between a hires flac and the same file downsampled to 16/44.





proedros said:


> in the FW page , it says
> 
> Before you upgrade
> *After updating, the firmware cannot be reverted to an earlier version.
> ...



If you know how to root device (me not I think it is possible to save 1.2 in computer/card and come back to old firmware version.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Filled my 256gb card with DSD files. Playing in direct mode, any sound "spices". What a perfection! Even HR flac sound shard and edgy to compare with DSD. Sony know how to handle DSD.


----------



## proedros

Matrix Petka said:


> If you know how to root device (me not I think it is possible to save 1.2 in computer/card and come back to old firmware version.



i have saved all FWs on my PC (1.10/1.20/2.00) but still no sure if i can install again 1.20 after i install 2.00

will stay with 1.20 for now and wait for mre feedback on the new FW


----------



## aisalen

Wow, I like what I am hearing with my 1A listening to Angus Stone - Broken Hearts album. Very accurate, the sounds coming from it are full of emotion. Dang!


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> Wait, so this 2.0 added AptX and MQA, but no USB DAC.  Isn’t MQA streaming services only ? And 1Z has no streaming options...what in the blue moon
> https://esupport.sony.com/US/p/swu-download.pl?mdl=NWWM1Z&upd_id=11332&os_group_id=28



MQA is just a compression technique like FLAC/AAC,mp3 etc. Outside all the sound quality claims everyone knows the real aim is to make a smaller file with little to no loss of quality so it saves bandwidth in transmission as well as storage - and this applies to both downloads AND streaming (contrary to internet user believes, bandwidth is NOT free nor cheap if you aren’t torrenting and sharing the load around). Plus I don't think we will ever see that promised 2TB limit for SD cards any time soon (we've seem to have been stuck at the 200GB limit for forever), so in theory MQA can still help fit more songs into limited storage.

Also e-onkyo had been selling MQA downloads for the better part of the year already. I suspect Sony is probably thinking about using MQA in their mora download service as well in the future so they make their Walkmans all compatible first.


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> @nanaholic  I saw on the japanese sony website, i can't read japanese but the link you sent about FW updates, it says something about music center version 2.00, what improvements?



There's no update to Music Center.  It says Music Center allows you to download the 2.0FW just like for Media Go.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 10, 2017)

If the Wm1Z/A sounds better now, then Sony must have been listening to many feedbacks.  Then they know we are waiting for DAC to complete the system lol


----------



## Matrix Petka

nanaholic said:


> MQA is just a compression technique like FLAC/AAC,mp3 etc. Outside all the sound quality claims everyone knows the real aim is to make a smaller file with little to no loss of quality so it saves bandwidth in transmission as well as storage - and this applies to both downloads AND streaming (contrary to internet user believes, bandwidth is NOT free nor cheap if you aren’t torrenting and sharing the load around). Plus I don't think we will ever see that promised 2TB limit for SD cards any time soon (we've seem to have been stuck at the 200GB limit for forever), so in theory MQA can still help fit more songs into limited storage.
> 
> Also e-onkyo had been selling MQA downloads for the better part of the year already. I suspect Sony is probably thinking about using MQA in their mora download service as well in the future so they make their Walkmans all compatible first.



Agree - MQA not for quality, but for smaller files. About "fantastic quality" - I tried MQA, but was not impressed - my favourite format still DSD. If you want to try MQA for free, and to compre with other HR formats, you can look here: http://www.2l.no/hires/

A lot of possibilities for files comparison - FLAC/DSD/MQA, using the same master tape source. Tip - DSD on WM1 use direct on balanced. Shining.


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> MQA is just a compression technique like FLAC/AAC,mp3 etc. Outside all the sound quality claims everyone knows the real aim is to make a smaller file with little to no loss of quality so it saves bandwidth in transmission as well as storage - and this applies to both downloads AND streaming (contrary to internet user believes, bandwidth is NOT free nor cheap if you aren’t torrenting and sharing the load around). Plus I don't think we will ever see that promised 2TB limit for SD cards any time soon (we've seem to have been stuck at the 200GB limit for forever), so in theory MQA can still help fit more songs into limited storage.
> 
> Also e-onkyo had been selling MQA downloads for the better part of the year already. I suspect Sony is probably thinking about using MQA in their mora download service as well in the future so they make their Walkmans all compatible first.



256GB cards have been around for a year and 400GB cards for some months though at a price


----------



## Lemieux66

Looking forward to updating to FW 2.0

Currently using my 1A with the MDR-1000X today - Keith Jarrett Trio at the Blue Note.


----------



## nanaholic

nc8000 said:


> 256GB cards have been around for a year and 400GB cards for some months though at a price



400GB only started shipping like literally last month. 

Also they told us the microSD card format can support up to 2TB a LONG time ago, like at least 3-4 years ago when I was still using Windows Phone.....


----------



## rushofblood (Nov 10, 2017)

Also pleasantly surprised by 2.00's sonic improvements - microdetail has more contrast and bass hits harder and deeper. Interestingly, matches my impressions from the DP-X1 that MQA support in firmware upgrades seem to improve the overall sound. 

MQA support is great - smaller files and definitely more precise sounding than the hi res FLAC equivalent - the frustration comes when in when actually trying to acquire said MQA files. An absolute mess. Onkyo's US and Japan stores have differing catalogs, and are either supremely hard or impossible to get in to for international customers - both are region locked and the Japanese store is only accessible with VPN workarounds and charges more for equivalent content. So much for being the hi res format of the future...

Sure sounds good though. And at least there is _some _mainstream music on the platform...not interested at all in the usual jazz or classical which comprises almost the entire DSD catalog.


----------



## Whitigir

You are saying 3-4 years later, and we still don’t have 2TB MicroSD, and while the 400Gb is still a rip off ? Ok


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> 400GB only started shipping like literally last month.
> 
> Also they told us the microSD card format can support up to 2TB a LONG time ago, like at least 3-4 years ago when I was still using Windows Phone.....



2TB is in the standard definition and has absolutely nothing to do with when if ever technology is able to deliver the max the standard supports


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 10, 2017)

Amazing, after a few updates, this firmware updates really change the sound quality somewhat.  Next test would to see if there is any change to the USB digital out


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> Amazing, after a few updates, this firmware updates really change the sound quality somewhat.  Next test would to see if there is any change to the USB digital out



Nice, confirmed that what I have heard, not just new firmware placebo


----------



## kms108

isn't MQA a extention to the existing Flac, from what I heard, it's still a flac format.


----------



## FortisFlyer75 (Nov 10, 2017)

Just to make sure with my 1a having the EU version of the with Japanese o/s running on it, will it still be okay running the 2.0 update and won't mess anything up? 

I remember when the zx1 first fw update changed the sound.. For the better as the mids werent sounding right and they thankfully put that right and must of realised.  They may not be active on here but they can still read


----------



## Whitigir

DSD is still the king of Audiophile Format, the real Uncompressed codec , I would trade both AptX-HD and MQA for my USB-DAC feature about Now! I want my YouTube and Netflix to sound like a portable theater on my IPad Pro!


----------



## Lemieux66

Someone mentioned earlier that the firmware can be updated with MediaGo - how do you do that?


----------



## nc8000

kms108 said:


> isn't MQA a extention to the existing Flac, from what I heard, it's still a flac format.



MQA is a lossy compression of hires data that can be contained inside a flac or alac file and can be played as 16/48 on equipment that does not support MQA but on equipment that supports MQA it will be decoded to lossy hires so better than cd but not as good as the original


----------



## aisalen

Matrix Petka said:


> Nice, confirmed that what I have heard, not just new firmware placebo


True. In fact, I start to listen with all of my collection over again.


----------



## nanaholic (Nov 10, 2017)

nc8000 said:


> 2TB is in the standard definition and has absolutely nothing to do with when if ever technology is able to deliver the max the standard supports



That's exactly my point.
When they announce that the standard supports 2TB max, they also pushed the idea that they set that limit because they think that 2TB flash memory cards are just around the corner and would be affordable very soon, and when they announced that 128GB was the previous limit.  Instead makers quickly hit the bottle neck at 200GB and Moore's Law (FWIW, the true Moore's Law isn't about doubling the speed every year, but doubling the number of transistors on a chip) didn't held up, and it took much longer than they expected for them to actually get the break through to even get 400GB onto microSD cards, while 2TB now seems like a pipe dream. 

This is why conserving on file size and better compression still has a huge market potential outside of streaming.


----------



## Lemieux66

Worked out how to update to 2.0 through MediaGo - just click on Walkman at the top left and an option to update is there to click.


----------



## Lemieux66

Has anyone tried the 1A with Sony XBA-N3BP?

I noticed on the Sony UK site that the BP version comes with a detachable 4.4mm balanced cable. However, this model doesn't appear to be available on the UK.

So, are these IEMs worth getting for the 1A or are they not really good enough? I'm considering the Sennheiser IE800S if not...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Maybe some one here perhaos @nanaholic  can help me, but i redid the track numbering on my FLAC library on bath mode using mp3tag as for example an hypothetical disc of ten tracks i did the trick of 1/10, 2/10 and so on until 10/10 . updared my file son the microSD card as well using same method and plugged to sony WM1A and the song info still shows Track 1/- isn't htere a field called track total?


----------



## Whitigir

I do also think this firmware also boosted up the loudness some more.  I used to listen to at 85 or so comfortably 4.4 with utopia, now it has to be 70...can not go to 85 LOL, it would get uncomfortable


----------



## Lemieux66 (Nov 10, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> I do also think this firmware also boosted up the loudness some more.  I used to listen to at 85 or so comfortably 4.4 with utopia, now it has to be 70...can not go to 85 LOL, it would get uncomfortable



Hmm...I'm currently using my 1A through 4.4 with the Z1R at volume 100 with a Shubert Piano Trio from Pentatone in DSD. Perhaps because of the wide dynamic range of a piano trio?


----------



## Whitigir

Lemieux66 said:


> Hmm...I'm currently using my 1A through 4.4 with the Z1R at volume 100 with a Shubert Piano Trio from Pentatone in DSD. Perhaps because of the wide dynamic range of a piano trio?


 DSD always have lower volume loudness, yes, due to the dynamic range and the format


----------



## superuser1

gerelmx1986 said:


> Maybe some one here perhaos @nanaholic  can help me, but i redid the track numbering on my FLAC library on bath mode using mp3tag as for example an hypothetical disc of ten tracks i did the trick of 1/10, 2/10 and so on until 10/10 . updared my file son the microSD card as well using same method and plugged to sony WM1A and the song info still shows Track 1/- isn't htere a field called track total?


I think what you have to do is number the discs. If its a single disc album then 1 and so forth. There is a field in MP3TAG right next to the track column named disc. Hope this helps.


----------



## gerelmx1986

superuser1 said:


> I think what you have to do is number the discs. If its a single disc album then 1 and so forth. There is a field in MP3TAG right next to the track column named disc. Hope this helps.


Thanks I will try it later, isn't track count independsnt from disc, I did database rebuild and still shows track 4/-


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 10, 2017)

I hope I am right that the issues with WM1Z and digital out has been solved.  This firmware 2.0 seems to have done and solved a lot of stuff.  It is my priority right now instead of the 4.4mm to Utopia .  Testing Digital out now, and .....nope, still there


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Whitigir said:


> DSD is still the king of Audiophile Format, the real Uncompressed codec , I would trade both AptX-HD and MQA for my USB-DAC feature about Now! I want my YouTube and Netflix to sound like a portable theater on my IPad Pro!



I 2nd that as would be nice for it to be enabled to work as a USB dac especially as I can't afford a Hugo 2 right now!

Maybe fw update 2.1? Fingers crossed. 

Or they will surprise us with an early Christmas present update next month! 
My Xperia XZ Premium had two fw updates in two weeks so never know...


----------



## meomap

Whitigir said:


> DSD is still the king of Audiophile Format, the real Uncompressed codec , I would trade both AptX-HD and MQA for my USB-DAC feature about Now! I want my YouTube and Netflix to sound like a portable theater on my IPad Pro!



I thought usb dac is not important .


----------



## Matrix Petka

Lemieux66 said:


> Has anyone tried the 1A with Sony XBA-N3BP?
> 
> I noticed on the Sony UK site that the BP version comes with a detachable 4.4mm balanced cable. However, this model doesn't appear to be available on the UK.
> 
> So, are these IEMs worth getting for the 1A or are they not really good enough? I'm considering the Sennheiser IE800S if not...



For my ears Z5 sounding better, even than IE800S. Disappointied with Sennheiser "improvements". Doing nothing, just cosmetic changes for big buck.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> I do also think this firmware also boosted up the loudness some more.  I used to listen to at 85 or so comfortably 4.4 with utopia, now it has to be 70...can not go to 85 LOL, it would get uncomfortable



Thank you for confirmation that I am not deaf still....


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 10, 2017)

meomap said:


> I thought usb dac is not important .


It actually is not, but having Zx300 to offer it , a device of $600, and Wm1Z to do not offer it, a device of $3200....uhm....

Processing ....processing....

Can not comprehend 

Processing....


----------



## purk

Whitigir said:


> It actually is not, but having Zx300 to offer it , a device of $600, and Wm1Z to do not offer it, a device of $3200....uhm....
> 
> Processing ....processing....
> 
> ...



I believe that Sony strikes gold with the ZX300.  The form factor is so great and it sounds very very good for the price as well.


----------



## pietcux

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Just to make sure with my 1a having the EU version of the with Japanese o/s running on it, will it still be okay running the 2.0 update and won't mess anything up?
> 
> I remember when the zx1 first fw update changed the sound.. For the better as the mids werent sounding right and they thankfully put that right and must of realised.  They may not be active on here but they can still read


Just updated to 2.00, you keep high gain, I also have a hacked EU version.


----------



## pietcux

Whitigir said:


> It actually is not, but having Zx300 to offer it , a device of $600, and Wm1Z to do not offer it, a device of $3200....uhm....
> 
> Processing ....processing....
> 
> ...


Less is sometimes more or even much more.....


----------



## FortisFlyer75

pietcux said:


> Just updated to 2.00, you keep high gain, I also have a hacked EU version.



Thanks for confirming that, long as it also does not affect the BT remote control setting I am there downloading when I get home tonight..


----------



## gerelmx1986

Maybe USB DAC will be available in the next WM series release (as I say zx series has been a kind of test bed)


----------



## Turrican2

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Thanks for confirming that, long as it also does not affect the BT remote control setting I am there downloading when I get home tonight..



Updated my WM1A to 2.0 from the sony.co.uk site, all good.  Can confirm BT remote works perfectly.  I love this player.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Seeing the track Stull displaying a dash for the total in the song information pop-up, I will wipe my primary hard drive and copy the music untouched from backup


----------



## sne4me (Nov 10, 2017)

It is important to recognize that the ZX has a major feature the WM1A does not, but the fact of the matter is that the chip inside the WM1A is different than in the ZX. If it were possible to put a dac feature in the 1A, the 2.0 patch would have been the time to do it. Sony did not, and there is no reason to believe that they will in the future.


----------



## Jalo

Just updated to V2.0 and listening to familiar songs through Utopia from 4.4 out. Initial impressions seem to be slightly more air which may translate to a slightly bigger sound stage.  SQ seems to be tighter across the frequency range and not just in the low frequency range.  Comparing to previous version it seems to be slightly brighter and as a result seems to be slightly less warm from previous version. I agree with previous observation that volume seems to be 3-5 steps stronger.


----------



## Matrix Petka

sne4me said:


> It is important to recognize that the ZX has a major feature the WM1A does not, but the fact of the matter is that the chip inside the WM1A is different than in the ZX. If it were possible to put a dac feature in the 1A, the 2.0 patch would have been the time to do it. Sony did not, and there is no reason to believe that they will in the future.



Maybe you are right.
But - lets hope - not 
Sony chip inside it is programmable chip for sure, so I can presume that they are able to make DAC function in the future. Why not doing it now - marketing. They want to sell PHA3 and other devices, keeping "purist" status of WM1. 
Hope die last 

@Sony guys - we still want DAC. Please - Christmas are coming


----------



## Jalo

In terms of the volume being higher in 2.0, on second thought, it may be the brighter sound signature that makes it sound like louder, somebody will have to use a SPL meter to measure the sound at the same volume level prior to upgrade to confirm the volume is indeed higher.


----------



## mw7485

Decided to find an MQA album to try. I didn't want a duplicate album, so I have no basis for comparison. I chose the soundtrack to the new Bladerunner film - Zimmer's often worth a punt. However, stumbled arcoss this whilst looking into MQAPerhaps MQA is not the silver bullet after all!


----------



## Whitigir

Was it gold instead


----------



## mw7485

One thing I have noticed about the 2.0 firmware release, I am getting far fewer "gaps" in album art when I scroll through albums. On 1.2, I would often have the album art loading symbol come up. This hardly ever happens now .


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> Was it gold instead




I see what you did there.....!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

So some one has an answer what is the purpose of the disc tag?


----------



## mw7485

Jalo said:


> Just updated to V2.0 and listening to familiar songs through Utopia from 4.4 out. Initial impressions seem to be slightly more air which may translate to a slightly bigger sound stage.  SQ seems to be tighter across the frequency range and not just in the low frequency range.  Comparing to previous version it seems to be slightly brighter and as a result seems to be slightly less warm from previous version. I agree with previous observation that volume seems to be 3-5 steps stronger.



Interesting, and I concur. I'm listening to the 1Z with Z5, and it does indeed appear slightly brighter - and not in a nasty way. I don't remember the sound I am hearing right now from the Z5s. Perhaps it is confirmation bias, I don't know - Its really annoying that Sony don't come clean on exactly what the update contains.


----------



## Kira69

gerelmx1986 said:


> So some one has an answer what is the purpose of the disc tag?


To tag and organize multidisc releases.

And regarding your question about how to show the total tracks number, you need to add this tag on the file. Is one of the default tags shown in foobar2000 tag editor, but you can use something like mp3tag too.


----------



## proedros

any more wm1a users here who think the new FW improves the sound of the dap ? 

share your thoughts please


----------



## all999

proedros said:


> any more wm1a users here who think the new FW improves the sound of the dap ?
> 
> share your thoughts please



Tried to actually read a thread?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Kira69 said:


> To tag and organize multidisc releases.
> 
> And regarding your question about how to show the total tracks number, you need to add this tag on the file. Is one of the default tags shown in foobar2000 tag editor, but you can use something like mp3tag too.


Thanks for the quick answer


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> any more wm1a users here who think the new FW improves the sound of the dap ?
> 
> share your thoughts please


Listening to xba-z5, they sound more lean, more Soundstage like cavernous but yes I also note on the xba-z5 to be a lesser quantity of bass with this firmware release


----------



## JayF

I may have to hold off on the FW upgrade. I love my 1z + z1r combo now so if the upgrade truly impacts quantity of bass then it's not worth it to me.


----------



## Whitigir

JayF said:


> I may have to hold off on the FW upgrade. I love my 1z + z1r combo now so if the upgrade truly impacts quantity of bass then it's not worth it to me.



It does, the mid bass is tighter


----------



## Matrix Petka

proedros said:


> any more wm1a users here who think the new FW improves the sound of the dap ?
> 
> share your thoughts please



Already did.
And have one suspicion - Sony made mistake and the same sound tuning went to WM1A and WM1Z wit FM update.


----------



## mw7485 (Nov 10, 2017)

JayF said:


> I may have to hold off on the FW upgrade. I love my 1z + z1r combo now so if the upgrade truly impacts quantity of bass then it's not worth it to me.



For me, it appears to be a positive change. Before, my Z5s were my "dirty little secret" - now, well, they're becoming the iem's I reach for more often than not (as long as I don't want total isolation). I'm impressed with the Z5 synergy.


----------



## Whitigir

Matrix Petka said:


> Already did.
> And have one suspicion - Sony made mistake and the same sound tuning went to WM1A and WM1Z wit FM update.



Lol, as in it improved 1Z, so the 1A should be improved ?


----------



## Matrix Petka

JayF said:


> I may have to hold off on the FW upgrade. I love my 1z + z1r combo now so if the upgrade truly impacts quantity of bass then it's not worth it to me.



I would say that bass the same in quantity, but improved in quality. More transparency effects perception of bass. Just my 5 cents from my ears


----------



## Whitigir

Matrix Petka said:


> I would say that bass the same in quantity, but improved in quality. More transparency effects perception of bass. Just my 5 cents from my ears



I agree, I like and prefer this tighter mid bass.  It clears up a lot more room for many other instruments and extensions.  The main reason why the soundstage is larger as there is more air .  But this is what I am hearing from 1Z.  I don’t know about 1A lol


----------



## Matrix Petka

mw7485 said:


> For me, it appears to be a positive change. Before, my Z5s were my "dirty little secret" - now, well, they're becoming the iem's I reach for more often than not (as long as I don't want total isolation). I'm impressed with the Z5 synergy.



Agree 100% - just took my Z5 of my ears. Going to put on SA5000.


----------



## proedros

Matrix Petka said:


> Already did.
> And have one suspicion - Sony made mistake and *the same sound tuning went to WM1A and WM1Z wit FM update*.



what do you mean ?


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> what do you mean ?



He meant that 1 firmware for both 1A/Z, and this firmware have new tuning, in the while both 1A and 1Z has different sound signature.  How did it affect both players ? Which one was used in the tuning process ? 1Z ? Or 1A ?


----------



## FlyingTrotter (Nov 10, 2017)

This is a great journey - originally got my WM1A and used for initial period with my JH audio Roxannes with stock cable SE - loved it

Upgraded to a 4.4 balanced moon audio silverdragon cable and what an upgrade 300 hrs in the system was stunning (at least to my ears)

Now we have the 2.0Fw update and wow again - this is awesome - playing familiar tracks the sound stage has increased in depth and love the tonal changes and as others have said have slightly reduced the volume setting

[edited as typo seemed to offend the pedantic]


----------



## all999

FlyingTrotter said:


> Now we have the 2.2 Fw update and wow again



2.2?


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> He meant that 1 firmware for both 1A/Z, and this firmware have new tuning, in the while both 1A and 1Z has different sound signature.  How did it affect both players ? Which one was used in the tuning process ? 1Z ? Or 1A ?



Thank you, Whitigir, for doing my job 
Now I am VERY curius to compare both 1A and 1Z soundwise. 
The most logical that for tuning was used 1Z and all goods went to 1A. Of course, that's only my thoughts.


----------



## mw7485

all999 said:


> 2.2?



...gotta keep up, things are moving fast at Sony HQ


----------



## Whitigir

mw7485 said:


> ...gotta keep up, things are moving fast at Sony HQ


Roflmao, tomorrow 2.3 will bring USB DAC !!


----------



## proedros

since it's one FW for both 1a and 1z , we need people to specify what changes they are hearing , different daps mean different sound changes

and i still don't understand what our friend Matrix means , english is not his native language and something gets lost in translation

cheers


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> since it's one FW for both 1a and 1z , we need people to specify what changes they are hearing , different daps mean different sound changes
> 
> and i still don't understand what our friend Matrix means , english is not his native language and something gets lost in translation
> 
> cheers



He meant that if Sony Used 1Z to tune the new firmware, which he suspected, and if 1A was not the target for tuning, the 1Z became better with this new firmware, so he suspected that all the goods just transferred into 1A as well 

I am not too sure if this is a positive ways.  We don’t know, but I think Sony knows what they are doing, Sony is likely to tune this new firmware on both players, kinda like a compromise here, another improvements there. But both players meets in the middle of the road.  So both players have positive changes in just one tuning package.  Who knows ?


----------



## Matrix Petka

Sorry, English it is not my native tongue. But Whitigir makes perfect translations  Thank you guys, you are all great, the same as our player


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> Roflmao, tomorrow 2.3 will bring USB DAC !!



You're like a dog with a bone on the USB-DAC thingy!!!


----------



## proedros

well this is all speculation , right ?

so i guess what we need to do , is have both 1a and 1z owners who upgraded to 2.0 tell us a)which dap they have and b)what changes they are perceiving

the consensus so far is very positive , which is a good sign , and i expect more people sharing their experiences in the upcoming days

hey @Matrix Petka you have 1a right ? how did the sound change in your ears at least ?


----------



## FlyingTrotter

Only have the 1A and I guess cables and CIEM will make a big difference to what you hear as will music type but I am gettting materially greater separation/air and hence wider and deeper soundstage - I don’t have the vocabulary to adequately communicate the tonal shift but I am a happy chap and so far all the musical genre I have tested have felt better to my ears - placebo effect - perhaps


----------



## Matrix Petka

proedros said:


> well this is all speculation , right ?
> 
> so i guess what we need to do , is have both 1a and 1z owners who upgraded to 2.0 tell us a)which dap they have and b)what changes they are perceiving
> 
> ...



Yes, I am happy owner of 1A, decapped.
My experience with wirwmare version 2 (repeating - sorry if it against forum rules):

1.Sound - some light changes for good. Wider soundstage, better instruments separation. Sounding more detailed, light. High frequencies more transparent, better articulated. Bass - more impact, deeper. It looks that some more loudness added in amplification - listening now 3-5 dials less than previously.
Using only balanced.
2.Bluetooth - perfected. Super fast connection. Total improvement in sound - aptX with PXC550.
3.Firmware more responsive, faster.


----------



## Matrix Petka

mw7485 said:


> You're like a dog with a bone on the USB-DAC thingy!!!



Sony's Santa, do you hear us?
DAC, we want DAC for Christmas!!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lol Handel messiah we want sheep we like sheep. 

Teak it to Sony we want DAC we like DAC haha


----------



## Matrix Petka

gerelmx1986 said:


> Lol Handel messiah we want sheep we like sheep.
> 
> Teak it to Sony we want DAC we like DAC haha



You made my day...... LOL


----------



## mw7485

proedros said:


> well this is all speculation , right ?
> 
> so i guess what we need to do , is have both 1a and 1z owners who upgraded to 2.0 tell us a)which dap they have and b)what changes they are perceiving
> 
> the consensus so far is very positive , which is a good sign , and i expect more people sharing their experiences in the upcoming days




The trouble is, how can confirmation bias be eliminated? I genuinely believe we have a signature change, well more of a refinement really - and a good one at that. BUT, I know I read the posts about the changes before I "heard" them - and I can therefore not rule out the possibility that confirmation bias has influenced me.... Still, I like what I am hearing, and that is good enough for me!


----------



## Matrix Petka

Back to serious things. Maybe somebody tried Pioneer SE Master 1 with WM1A/Z? Please share your impressions.


----------



## Whitigir

Matrix Petka said:


> Back to serious things. Maybe somebody tried Pioneer SE Master 1 with WM1A/Z? Please share your impressions.


Sa5000 in Balanced to 1z/a should be satisfying enough


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Turrican2 said:


> Updated my WM1A to 2.0 from the sony.co.uk site, all good.  Can confirm BT remote works perfectly.  I love this player.



Cheers Turrican2   I am about to update my 1A now so is a relief the BT remote works as from a logistical use pov this is pivitol for me to use with the Walkman and should be standardized across all their Walkmans no matter which territory it is.  It really was the icing on the cake for me when the Japanese OS hack unlocked this on my EU 1A model.  I love this player a lot and for me the 1A and 1Z is what Sony have always been capable of doing like the old days but now finally finding themselves again in turning out a truely great device.  One thing I noticed was how many 1A& 1Z's are now been used by company's on the stands at the last couple of shows this year I have been to, not so many A&K players been used as a consequence.  



Matrix Petka said:


> Already did.
> And have one suspicion - Sony made mistake and the same sound tuning went to WM1A and WM1Z wit FM update.




I can imagine one of the Sony engineers coming back from his tea break and mixing up the files before uploading to the web and no one realizing until the updates been unleashed on us now
All I would need to do tomorrow is go out and buy a can of Gold spray and have a Blue Peter made Z1!  



Matrix Petka said:


> Sony's Santa, do you hear us?
> DAC, we want DAC for Christmas!!!!




Have you been a good boy though?  

I know not everyone wants or needs this feature but would be handy feature to have and would not be much else I would want on this player unless they could magically make Tidal & Qubuz work on here without sacrificing any SQ performance then I'm set with this player and very content with it other than they could of designed a better stock case for it especially when it cost so much, thank good for Dignis otherwise I would of been pretty narked off without a decent case to protect my 1A, not as if it is a sub £300 player Sony make anymore here.  If only they looked back at their old Walkmans like on the cassette players on their then top models they done really thought out designed quality leather cases that looked and performed the part.  Other than that I think i'm extremely happy with this Walkman.  

Yes, bring on the Christmas cracker DAC feature Sony.... Please


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> Sa5000 in Balanced to 1z/a should be satisfying enough



I think so - I have heavy moded (changed internal wiring to silver, extra dumping and tuning for my sound signature, changeable cable, some earpads modification - pure silver litz balanced). But you know - new toy syndrome  Have good price offer, but need to drive 100km back and forth. Have a feeling, that I will be driving in that cold autumn weather......


----------



## Whitigir

Matrix Petka said:


> I think so - I have heavy moded (changed internal wiring to silver, extra dumping and tuning for my sound signature, changeable cable, some earpads modification - pure silver litz balanced). But you know - new toy syndrome  Have good price offer, but need to drive 100km back and forth. Have a feeling, that I will be driving in that cold autumn weather......


LOL! Now this I understand.  Though, a Maxed out SA5000 is likely to keep kicking many so called modern flagships in the Ars


----------



## cattlethief

Trying to do a bit of digging, managed to blag an unused open box wm1z(european) for a decent price,so I thought! as it had zero hours played and high gain,then I checked in the menu and found the Japanese 
*technical standard conformity certification above so now wondering why would a Japanese model have the CE sticker on the side,was it maybe a demo model sent over.
Or do they they put the sticker on when shipping to Europe?*


----------



## gerelmx1986

So the disc tag is used like this? f.e imagine Moxat piano sonatas of five discs which i have in the album as Mozart piano sonatas CD n where n represents the disc number. so if i use the Disc tag i put in each album Disc 1 for album CD1  disc 2 for the second and so on or i shall do as Disc 1/5, for the first Disc 2/5 for the second and so on until 5/5?


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> So the disc tag is used like this? f.e imagine Moxat piano sonatas of five discs which i have in the album as Mozart piano sonatas CD n where n represents the disc number. so if i use the Disc tag i put in each album Disc 1 for album CD1  disc 2 for the second and so on or i shall do as Disc 1/5, for the first Disc 2/5 for the second and so on until 5/5?



Correct


----------



## superuser1

gerelmx1986 said:


> So the disc tag is used like this? f.e imagine Moxat piano sonatas of five discs which i have in the album as Mozart piano sonatas CD n where n represents the disc number. so if i use the Disc tag i put in each album Disc 1 for album CD1  disc 2 for the second and so on or i shall do as Disc 1/5, for the first Disc 2/5 for the second and so on until 5/5?


That was what i suggested. If you could try and see if that help.


----------



## blazinblazin

1A user. Can confirm the firmware 2.0 have bigger soundstage and highs.

My new DD IEM really benefits from the space.


----------



## gerelmx1986

superuser1 said:


> That was what i suggested. If you could try and see if that help.


try it later and confirm, i am copying music from backup HDD to primary drive and readding to mediaGo


----------



## hung031086

blazinblazin said:


> 1A user. Can confirm the firmware 2.0 have bigger soundstage and highs.
> 
> My new DD IEM really benefits from the space.


What’s that iem ? Look cool.


----------



## equalspeace

updated to 2.0 on the WM1A at 113 hrs burn in and the sound is just melting me. soundstage definitely is wider. detail is improved. there seems to be more texture/body to the music. the layering seems more refined, and the treble seems to have been tamed somewhat. sounds more balanced now across the spectrum, more musical even. i reset the eq to all 0s just to test how balanced the sound was after the update and I could actually listen to the music that way with basically no fatugue (this was my main gripe when I owned this DAP previously). also i noticed the phase linearizer settings make a more intense change to the sound now as opposed to when that setting is off. the sound i was getting was great on 1.20.  now it's just ridiculous. kudos Sony. you done good


----------



## northixora

Can someone confirm the new japanese firmware 2.0 plays Atrac files?


----------



## ezekiel77

hung031086 said:


> What’s that iem ? Look cool.


Acoustune HS1551 CU


----------



## blazinblazin

hung031086 said:


> What’s that iem ? Look cool.





ezekiel77 said:


> Acoustune HS1551 CU



Yup. Acoustune HS1551 CU.


----------



## kms108

It seems to me that many of you are making me very guilty of getting the ZX300, instead of getting the WM1A, that I have made the wrong choice. Should I sell my Zx300 and join the club.


----------



## nc8000

kms108 said:


> It seems to me that many of you are making me very guilty of getting the ZX300, instead of getting the WM1A, that I have made the wrong choice. Should I sell my Zx300 and join the club.



You should get the one that feature wise makes most sense for your use case and the be happy with it


----------



## kms108

nc8000 said:


> You should get the one that feature wise makes most sense for your use case and the be happy with it



All I need for it to do is play music, no streaming, no DAC, no EQ and no BT. just play good quality music. I do have less than a month for my visit to Japan, may be if I have enough cash spare, i'll pick one up.


----------



## Whitigir

Sounds like you will need Wm1z . I know just the exact thing you don’t need in zx300, DAC, and it is wasted


----------



## kms108 (Nov 11, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Sounds like you will need Wm1z . I know just the exact thing you don’t need in zx300, DAC, and it is wasted


can I have my case back, may be i'll wait for the anniversary edition one.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> can I have my case back, may be i'll wait for the anniversary edition one.


Sure! But Can I pay you instead  . Let’s not waste the shipping time either


----------



## sne4me

If anyone is interested, the Benks case fits like a glove and it includes a tempered glass screen protector.


----------



## kms108

You have a link, i didn't get any protectors.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 11, 2017)

I feel kinda bad for not have been listening to Wm1Z much on the 2.0 firmware and observe it improvements.  As long as there is my Stax Legendary T2 and 009 is here....everything else sound boring! Literally !! 1Z is a good transportation though


----------



## Lemieux66

WHere do you get those little 'Hi-Res Audio' stickers from? I've seen a few pics of the 1A/Z with the Sony hi-res logo in them :0


----------



## NaiveSound

How do I update this thing


----------



## Lemieux66

NaiveSound said:


> How do I update this thing



Either click on the Walkman in MediaGo and select update, or go to the Sony website and click Support, where you then enter the name of the product and updates will show up telling you how to download them.


----------



## Whitigir

Lemieux66 said:


> WHere do you get those little 'Hi-Res Audio' stickers from? I've seen a few pics of the 1A/Z with the Sony hi-res logo in them :0


Like this ? I got it from @kms108  and I love it.  I stickered it because my 1Z has upgraded internal wires and the same as the docking cradle .  It means and stands for something, not just a sticker


----------



## sne4me

Whitigir said:


> Like this ? I got it from @kms108  and I love it.  I stickered it because my 1Z has upgraded internal wires and the same as the docking cradle .  It means and stands for something, not just a sticker



She's a beauty. Please post more pictures of your golden machine.
Regarding the tempered glass, I probably just got lucky and the seller threw it in.. but I might have paid for a combo. cant find the order. apologies for the misunderstanding. I seem to remember paying more than they are being listed for on rakuten


----------



## Lemieux66

Oh that's very nice whitigir 

Seeing the gold 1Z all the time here is making me want to change from my 1A! But, I have to say the 1A is sounding lovely and relaxed with the Z1R right now playing Mozart Clarinet Concerto on Pentatone DSD. Only started downloading DSD music since the Z1R arrived allowing balanced/DSD output and I'm enjoying it a lot. Mine is an uncapped EU model with the new 2.0 FW and it's so good, it does make me wonder about the 1Z...


----------



## Whitigir

When I have my new TPU case , I will snap some pretty pictures .


----------



## Kervsky

Whitigir said:


> I feel kinda bad for not have been listening to Wm1Z much on the 2.0 firmware and observe it improvements.  As long as there is my Stax Legendary T2 and 009 is here....everything else sound boring! Literally !! 1Z is a good transportation though



That should be amazing to walk the streets with 



Whitigir said:


> Like this ? I got it from @kms108  and I love it.  I stickered it because my 1Z has upgraded internal wires and the same as the docking cradle .  It means and stands for something, not just a sticker



I dont have a sticker on my wm1a or dock, i had one on the zx2, but putting on a screen protector, i had to peel off and mpve it elsewhere.



Lemieux66 said:


> Oh that's very nice whitigir
> 
> Seeing the gold 1Z all the time here is making me want to change from my 1A! But, I have to say the 1A is sounding lovely and relaxed with the Z1R right now playing Mozart Clarinet Concerto on Pentatone DSD. Only started downloading DSD music since the Z1R arrived allowing balanced/DSD output and I'm enjoying it a lot. Mine is an uncapped EU model with the new 2.0 FW and it's so good, it does make me wonder about the 1Z...



I don't want the wm1z, because its just too expensive, plus gold is not my color; too gaudy for me. It does sound good but I think I grew to like neutral music (aka how the artist intended you to hear it) so the 1a is just right for me. 



Whitigir said:


> When I have my new TPU case , I will snap some pretty pictures .



Yey, I love seeing nice cases, so i can choose which one to get soon


----------



## Dim666

I thought that the update was crazy and you ?

1. Not yet dac...
2. The random mode isn't still terrible : You can't access the folder without breaking the mode. Example I listen "Come as you are" and I want to listen to " In Bloom" while maintaining the random mode is not possible. Cowon does it very well, in a perfect way
3. Files .cue are not supported

Other people have the same needs as me ?


----------



## kms108

Kervsky said:


> I dont have a sticker on my wm1a or dock, i had one on the zx2, but putting on a screen protector, i had to peel off and mpve it elsewhere.



You need this


----------



## Kervsky

Dim666 said:


> I thought that the update was crazy and you ?
> 
> 1. Not yet dac...
> 2. The random mode isn't still terrible : You can't access the folder without breaking the mode. Example I listen "Come as you are" and I want to listen to " In Bloom" while maintaining the random mode is not possible. Cowon does it very well, in a perfect way
> ...


Sorry no, I'm not pining for dac functionality, it would be great if it comes, not a concern if it doest since I decided on this on tbe merits it has. Cod have gone and gotten an AK Kann but I hated how it looks and feels and the os was meh (for me), not a biggie too with its random, i just select a song from all available and play from there. Cue isn't also not important to me. Unless I'm splitting a flac into tracks.


----------



## Kervsky

kms108 said:


> You need this



Too late, my zx2 has a happy new owner  but tbat might have been something I'd have bougbt if I knew it existed.


----------



## kms108

I still have it, but need to have the glass exchanged in japan next month, you can see the bubble at the corner and I might as well change the battery, cost is about 18900 yen total.


----------



## Whitigir

What ? My Zx2 battery is still like a zombie, I can still leave it untouched at full battery for 2 weeks


----------



## Redcarmoose

Just got mine 2 days ago. Upgraded to 2.0. Still needs more burn in, though I really like it.


----------



## Kervsky

kms108 said:


> I still have it, but need to have the glass exchanged in japan next month, you can see the bubble at the corner and I might as well change the battery, cost is about 18900 yen total.



Ouch, thats a fair bit of cash. Before I gave mine to a friend, i torture tested it on my tennmak trio on 50% volume, it still lasted nearly 40 hours.


----------



## Whitigir

The more I look at this golden nugget, the more I like it


----------



## kms108

Kervsky said:


> Ouch, thats a fair bit of cash. Before I gave mine to a friend, i torture tested it on my tennmak trio on 50% volume, it still lasted nearly 40 hours.


I normally have about 10 days before charge, but it's like down to about 4 days now.


----------



## Kervsky

Whitigir said:


> The more I look at this golden nugget, the more I like it



Buy chicken mcnuggets, it'll save you a lot of money 



kms108 said:


> I normally have about 10 days before charge, but it's like down to about 4 days now.



Thats definitely less than 50% capacity :/ looks like you're really gonna need a battery change.


----------



## Whitigir

Kervsky said:


> Buy chicken mcnuggets, it'll save you a lot of money
> 
> 
> 
> Thats definitely less than 50% capacity :/ looks like you're really gonna need a battery change.



Roflmao, I rather starve myself, and listen to the blissful music than eating my heart out, and then have heart attack later.  What I am saying is that we are more healthy being starved and eat little


----------



## Kervsky

Whitigir said:


> Roflmao, I rather starve myself, and listen to the blissful music than eating my heart out, and then have heart attack later.  What I am saying is that we are more healthy being starved and eat little



Tell me about it,  I've lost 12 pounds already since I got my wm1a, if i chose the 1z, I'd be maybe 36 pounds and under my ideal weight lol.


----------



## jinrawke

Houston, we have a problem


----------



## gerelmx1986

Okay

I treid putting on the disc just 1 or 2 and it dis'layed disc 1/-  so you must add a slash and the disc totoal like f.e Haydn piano trios 9 discs so i did 1/9 2/9 and it worked.

However the track still doesnt show the total only a dash, so far i have tried

* 01,02,03 nothing
*1,2,3,4 nothing
*01/12 02/12 03/12.. nothing
*1/12 2/12 3/12 nothing

i ve tried to add it to a single album calles 8 keyboard concertos without the word CD1 or CD2 still nothing and does not split into logical albums


----------



## cattlethief

jinrawke said:


> Houston, we have a problem




Am I the only one that thinks this case looks a bit cheesy,maybe ok for the 1A but not the Golden one!!


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Nov 11, 2017)

It works if you add the FLAC tag TRACKTOTAL i am trying to see if it works with DISCTOTAL and only add DisNumber as 1, 2 etc

YUP it works

TRACKTOTAL & DISCTOTAL


----------



## Kervsky

jinrawke said:


> Houston, we have a problem



Looks like you gotta wait another few weeks for it to replenish.


----------



## kubig123

sne4me said:


> If anyone is interested, the Benks case fits like a glove and it includes a tempered glass screen protector.



And I can guarantee it protect your Wm1 very well!!!
Mine just dropped from 1 meter on the sidewalk and the dap doesn’t show and dents and r scratches, and the Wm1z is freaking heavy!!!


----------



## Kira69

gerelmx1986 said:


> It works if you add the FLAC tag TRACKTOTAL i am trying to see if it works with DISCTOTAL and only add DisNumber as 1, 2 etc
> 
> YUP it works
> 
> TRACKTOTAL & DISCTOTAL


That's what I told you previously.


----------



## kms108

kubig123 said:


> And I can guarantee it protect your Wm1 very well!!!
> Mine just dropped from 1 meter on the sidewalk and the dap doesn’t show and dents and r scratches, and the Wm1z is freaking heavy!!!


Try dropping it into the pond, I can guarantee it won't float, wait a couple of years later, and you have a buried tresure of gold.


----------



## kubig123

kms108 said:


> Try dropping it into the pond, I can guarantee it won't float, wait a couple of years later, and you have a buried tresure of gold.



I’ll go first!


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> And I can guarantee it protect your Wm1 very well!!!
> Mine just dropped from 1 meter on the sidewalk and the dap doesn’t show and dents and r scratches, and the Wm1z is freaking heavy!!!



That is the clear TPU case ? If so, that is freaking Awesome


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> That is the clear TPU case ? If so, that is freaking Awesome



Yes, 
For a moment I crap in my pans when it happened.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Okay thank you guys, but how do i automate TRACKTOTAL to be a sum of all tracks in the folder? using mp3tag and there is no function to see totaltracks or sum(%track%), seems it will be a pain in the rear to do this


----------



## kms108

you do need a glass protector as well, or else the screen will get scratched.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 11, 2017)

kubig123 said:


> Yes,
> For a moment I crap in my pans when it happened.



Thanks for the confirmation! The first thing I do when I get my TPU case is to toss it up several feet onto the sky and watch it freefall 

Just kidding.  The case look awesome, and if it is this tough, that is awesome

**speaking of which, why don’t we see any Wm1Z tortured Clips ? I see IPhone tortures only.  Would love 1Z and Sp1000 being tortured LOL **


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> **speaking of which, why don’t we see any Wm1Z tortured Clips ? I see IPhone tortures only.  Would love 1Z and Sp1000 being tortured LOL **



I've seen threads regarding cracked glass backs for the SP1000 without any torture tests so..


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> I've seen threads regarding cracked glass backs for the SP1000 without any torture tests so..


Lol! The person must have have Gorilla grips  that was very interesting to know.  Thank you


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Okay thank you guys, but how do i automate TRACKTOTAL to be a sum of all tracks in the folder? using mp3tag and there is no function to see totaltracks or sum(%track%), seems it will be a pain in the rear to do this



I think you will have to do it manually. 

The way I handle multi disc albums is like if I have 2 discs, dusc 1 with 10 tracks and dusc 2 with 8 tracks then I delete all disc tags and change the 8 tracks on disc 2 to have tack numbers 11-18. It then just looks like a 1 dusc album with 18 tracks. I’ve done that with sll my multi disc albums.


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> Thanks for the confirmation! The first thing I do when I get my TPU case is to toss it up several feet onto the sky and watch it freefall
> 
> Just kidding.  The case look awesome, and if it is this tough, that is awesome
> 
> **speaking of which, why don’t we see any Wm1Z tortured Clips ? I see IPhone tortures only.  Would love 1Z and Sp1000 being tortured LOL **


May be you should start the trend on head-fi.

Let’s see how many companies will send you their products to demo!


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> Lol! The person must have have Gorilla grips  that was very interesting to know.  Thank you



Considering that the glass backs of AK players are recessed into the body with the metal edges of the chassis being taller to offer some protection, and that the person said he had a case on, my guess is that he bumped the back into a sharp/pointy object, maybe ran into a table corner or something like that.


----------



## Whitigir

Ok, time to spend some quality time to analyze the Wm1Z with new firmware.  Yes, definitely the layering and separations has improved as the transparency level of the whole spectrum has became more crisp and clear.  The 1Z appears to be even more neutral than it was with me since before 2.0 firmware.

Soundstage has became wider due to the separation and layering performances which has improved, and also the depth of staging is more pronounced.  If before, the depth of stage was deep, and the width was more narrowed.  This time, the Depth seems remain the same, but as the transparency and crispness has been improved, together with the wider soundstage, the depth also seems to be improved, but overall I think the depth stays the same.  It is just that a lot has been cleared up, the improved of the depth come from the more accurate positioning of the instruments, which comes from the clearer imagines of the whole presentation and together with the Dynamic capability of 1Z, the imagines and cues of positioning is more vivid.

If before all this, the 1Z was slightly warm and approaching Neutral, this time it is ever closer to being Neutral, but the Bass slam is still Authentic, Powerful, the sub bass and deep bass rumbles remains, the mid bass is cleaned up being more dense, punchy, tighter.  

How come ? Well, what I observed is mainly _*the more snappy and speedy mid spectrum and the tightened mid bass.*_ 

The mid spectrum used to feel a little sleepy before.  Now, Overall speed of the mid spectrum seems to be faster, and awoken, energized.  These 2 areas really did clean up the air and space presentations to bring us the improvements, better soundstage, layering, separations.

Trebles, perhap it still remains what it once was, but they cleaned up and a bit more speed did really improve and results into a more airy presentation in trebles tonality and details.

Vocal is still sweet, intimidating, full of emotion

All in all, my favorite in this firmware is that it really did bring more transparency And crispness into the 1Z signature over all.  _That sub-bass rumbles and explosive mid bass !!! An awesome presentation of bass signature here._

There have been 2 Players, that totally transformed with firmware upgrades, and previously it was Opus 3.  However, it wasn’t this obvious and dramatic like the 1Z and 2.0.

Let me just put it in a simple way *Wm1z used to be a middle aged romantic gentleman.  The 2.0 transformed the 1Z into a younger version of this gentleman.  Still gentle, romantic, but more energetic and fun!

*
_***Now, What is that your 1A feel like***_ 

If the 1A was speedy and faster before 2.0, and if the 1Z was the one aimed on this firmware, then how would the 1A be affected ? More airy ? More analytical ? Boring ? Or did it get more resolving with better details


----------



## kubig123

Here few pictures of the accident.
I’ve been lucky.


----------



## kms108 (Nov 11, 2017)

You are lucky, with a brick like that, there is more chance of getting some markings on the corner of your 1Z, and you came out clean.
Now boys and girls, don't try this at home, it's not for the faint hearted.


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> Ok, time to spend some quality time to analyze the Wm1Z with new firmware.  Yes, definitely the layering and separations has improved as the transparency level of the whole spectrum has became more crisp and clear.  The 1Z appears to be even more neutral than it was with me since before 2.0 firmware.
> 
> Soundstage has became wider due to the separation and layering performances which has improved, and also the depth of staging is more pronounced.  If before, the depth of stage was deep, and the width was more narrowed.  This time, the Depth seems remain the same, but as the transparency and crispness has been improved, together with the wider soundstage, the depth also seems to be improved, but overall I think the depth stays the same.  It is just that a lot has been cleared up, the improved of the depth come from the more accurate positioning of the instruments, which comes from the clearer imagines of the whole presentation and together with the Dynamic capability of 1Z, the imagines and cues of positioning is more vivid.
> 
> ...



I just started this morning istening to the Wm1z with FW 2.0 paired with the SE5U.
My first feedback is that the unit is slightly less warm, definitely more neutral and, al least for me, improved mid and treble, the SE5U has definitely more sparkle now.


----------



## mw7485 (Nov 11, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Ok, time to spend some quality time to analyze the Wm1Z with new firmware.  Yes, definitely the layering and separations has improved as the transparency level of the whole spectrum has became more crisp and clear.  The 1Z appears to be even more neutral than it was with me since before 2.0 firmware.
> 
> Soundstage has became wider due to the separation and layering performances which has improved, and also the depth of staging is more pronounced.  If before, the depth of stage was deep, and the width was more narrowed.  This time, the Depth seems remain the same, but as the transparency and crispness has been improved, together with the wider soundstage, the depth also seems to be improved, but overall I think the depth stays the same.  It is just that a lot has been cleared up, the improved of the depth come from the more accurate positioning of the instruments, which comes from the clearer imagines of the whole presentation and together with the Dynamic capability of 1Z, the imagines and cues of positioning is more vivid.
> 
> ...




...and this is where Sony need to be very careful. If, as a number of us suspect, Sony have indeed changed the signature of the 1A/1Z via this firmware update, they need to fez up. These are not cheap DAPs - and some people are very careful about device selection. I think Sony should release a 2.01, which contains the codec/protocol/UI updates, but keeps the signature as before, or allow people to rollback to previous firmware versions. Whilst personally, I'm happy about the changes, others may not be and may suddenly find themselves less than happy with their prized DAP. Come one Sony, you need to be clearer about what you are changing - AND provide the facility to backout changes - this is software 101 stuff for goodness sake.


----------



## equalspeace

agreed. i've quickly gotten rid of DAPS for this exact reason



mw7485 said:


> ...and this is where Sony need to be very careful. If, as a number of us suspect, Sony have indeed changed the signature of the 1A/1Z via this firmware update, they need to fez up. These are not cheap DAPs - and some people are very careful about device selection. I think Sony should release a 2.01, which contains the codec/protocol updates, but keeps the signature as before, or allow people to rollback to previous firmware versions. Whilst personally, I'm happy about the changes, others may not be and may suddenly find themselves less than happy with their prized DAP. Come one Sony, you need to be clearer about what you are changing - AND provide the facility to backout changes - this is software 101 for goodness sake.


----------



## sne4me

nc8000 said:


> I think you will have to do it manually.
> 
> The way I handle multi disc albums is like if I have 2 discs, dusc 1 with 10 tracks and dusc 2 with 8 tracks then I delete all disc tags and change the 8 tracks on disc 2 to have tack numbers 11-18. It then just looks like a 1 dusc album with 18 tracks. I’ve done that with sll my multi disc albums.



This is such a pain in the butt. I have a 2 disc album and i keep getting tracks in disc 2 stuck between tracks in disk one in the sony software. It doesnt matter if the album is different and the track numbers are different, like its locked that way in a tag outside the program, idk.



kubig123 said:


> Here few pictures of the accident.
> I’ve been lucky.



you are lucky, but that case is incredible. Ive dropped my 1A twice while sitting, slid out of shallow pockets, not a scratch. need to take better care


----------



## FortisFlyer75

hung031086 said:


> What’s that iem ? Look cool.





ezekiel77 said:


> Acoustune HS1551 CU



I heard their range at a show recently, can't remember which one was my fav out of the different types they done but know it was one of the top two they did in the range which sounded a bit more fun shall we say and the other one was more neutral/ flat.  Went well with my 1A when I tried them anyway.  Very well built and what you get with it is very good value for money as an overall package.



kms108 said:


> Try dropping it into the pond, I can guarantee it won't float, wait a couple of years later, and you have a buried tresure of gold.



Just tell me which pond when it happens ; )



kubig123 said:


> Here few pictures of the accident.
> I’ve been lucky.





kms108 said:


> You are lucky, with a brick like that, there is more chance of getting some markings on the corner of your 1Z, and you came out clean.
> Now boys and girls, don't try this at home, it's not for the faint hearted.



I didn't try it at home, I tried it in a rest room in my first week of having my 1A and still waiting for a case but the new 4.4 bal cable I just got was a lot shorter than I usually have my cables so could not go down my back and round into my front jean pocket like I would normally so the wife said just put it in your inside jacket pocket which was more of a light full zip sports jumper I had only just purchased the same week with quite an open pocket design inside and when I got to London for a show I booked into the hotel which my room was not ready so freshened up quickly in their public rest room they had and went to take my jacket off and forgot just how loose the pocket opening was and the Walkman slipped out on to hard tiled flooring and I almost had a heart attack on the spot!  I always use cases (in this instance the 1A was a impulse buy of Amazon when it went cheap so not enough time for a case to arrive) and never get my gear scratched normally and here I was with my dearest dap ever in first week and smashing sound on tile flooring to this day still makes me shudder, couldn't believe it.

Apart from it's war wound as seen in photo below it shows it is built like a tank as screen glass or display was not affected at all and worked flawlessy all day and ever since and now nine months on I'm still in heaven with this even before the latest 2.0 update I downloaded yesterday. 

Please let this be a warning to anyone not using a case especiallly when on a hard surface such as tiled flooring!


----------



## musicisthekey

mw7485 said:


> ...and this is where Sony need to be very careful. If, as a number of us suspect, Sony have indeed changed the signature of the 1A/1Z via this firmware update, they need to fez up. These are not cheap DAPs - and some people are very careful about device selection. I think Sony should release a 2.01, which contains the codec/protocol/UI updates, but keeps the signature as before, or allow people to rollback to previous firmware versions. Whilst personally, I'm happy about the changes, others may not be and may suddenly find themselves less than happy with their prized DAP. Come one Sony, you need to be clearer about what you are changing - AND provide the facility to backout changes - this is software 101 stuff for goodness sake.


You can rollback to older firmware by downloading it from Sony's website. I've done it multiple times.


----------



## kubig123

sne4me said:


> This is such a pain in the butt. I have a 2 disc album and i keep getting tracks in disc 2 stuck between tracks in disk one in the sony software. It doesnt matter if the album is different and the track numbers are different, like its locked that way in a tag outside the program, idk.
> 
> 
> 
> you are lucky, but that case is incredible. Ive dropped my 1A twice while sitting, slid out of shallow pockets, not a scratch. need to take better care



This is not the first time mine dropped, it happened also in the office (cable too short) and fell flat on the back, luckily no problem, the floor had carpet but the dap is very sturdy, not sure it's the shape but when I hold the SP1000 I'm so careful as it is made of glass.


----------



## Jalo

mw7485 said:


> ...and this is where Sony need to be very careful. If, as a number of us suspect, Sony have indeed changed the signature of the 1A/1Z via this firmware update, they need to fez up. These are not cheap DAPs - and some people are very careful about device selection. I think Sony should release a 2.01, which contains the codec/protocol/UI updates, but keeps the signature as before, or allow people to rollback to previous firmware versions. Whilst personally, I'm happy about the changes, others may not be and may suddenly find themselves less than happy with their prized DAP. Come one Sony, you need to be clearer about what you are changing - AND provide the facility to backout changes - this is software 101 stuff for goodness sake.


Totally agree, Sony needs to be very careful here, I started missing a little of the Lush sound signature of the previous version and it is getting a little closer to the SP 1000 CU.  Let’s hope the trend will stop here.


----------



## Whitigir

What I am afraid is that if the 1Z is more neutral than before, what about 1A ? You don’t want it to be sterile, too analytical, clinical....short of things.  I agree that a lot of people prize their DAP for what it is, and may even already have Amazing synergies with their CIEMS, and so on.  Changing this won’t make senses


----------



## proedros

it would be funny if the new FW turns 1z into more 1a-ish (transparent/reference) and 1a into more 1z-ish(lush/musical)

so the new FW turns 1z into more reference sounding , still not sure what the effect on 1a is


----------



## mw7485 (Nov 11, 2017)

musicisthekey said:


> You can rollback to older firmware by downloading it from Sony's website. I've done it multiple times.



....ahhh, OK, I know there was talk about this being possible earlier on in this thread, perhaps I missed the posts that detailed how it was done. However, I stand by what I said about the possible signature changes - these do need to be at least mentioned. It would of course be ideal if signature changes could be separated from functionality changes, such that "investors" could benefit from codec/ui/protocol changes, whilst not materially changing how their device sounds. After all, this is ALL about the sound.


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> it would be funny if the new FW turns 1z into more 1a-ish (transparent/reference) and 1a into more 1z-ish(lush/musical)
> 
> so the new FW turns 1z into more reference sounding , still not sure what the effect on 1a is



That wouldn’t be possible  .  1 firmware for both is like moving both parallel from A to B


----------



## equalspeace (Nov 11, 2017)

musicisthekey said:


> You can rollback to older firmware by downloading it from Sony's website. I've done it multiple times.



so you rolled back from 2.0, or other fw? just wondering as there is warning saying you can't roll back from 2.0 on the Sony website


----------



## buzzlulu

Where are people getting this clear case from?  I’m US based - Amazon by any chance?


----------



## sne4me

its called the benks case. i have seen it on rakuten


----------



## kubig123

sne4me said:


> its called the benks case. i have seen it on rakuten



It’s available on amazon.com from third party seller.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B074...5Q8kL&ref=plSrch#immersive-view_1510434938553


----------



## ranfan (Nov 11, 2017)

I have not A/B compared the FW 1.2 with 2.0, but now that I've installed the latter, it seems the sound of the updated 1A has become more resolved, and somewhat leaner. Bass quantity, is tiny bit less, and also slightly tighter. While the midrange becomes slightly clearer. Keep in mind, that I'm basing this comparison upon my fallible memory. So I'm not so sure..


----------



## musicisthekey

equalspeace said:


> so you rolled back from 2.0, or other fw? just wondering as there is warning saying you can't roll back from 2.0 on the Sony website


Yes. I rolled back to v2.0. You have to do a factory reset after. Otherwise, you’ll keep on getting database error messages.


----------



## Whitigir

So, there is really 2.1 firmware ? Hmmm, I would love to take that link


----------



## Kervsky

musicisthekey said:


> Yes. I rolled back to v2.0. You have to do a factory reset after. Otherwise, you’ll keep on getting database error messages.



That kinda sucks, if i remember correctly, someone mentioned factory resets also resets the hours played.


----------



## Whitigir

Ok, joking is over.  Sony officially said firmware upgrade is not Revertable.  Did you know how it broke so many people on PS3 firmware upgrades ? Lol, the thing that Sony does

Anyways, I really damn love this 2.0 Firmware on the Wm1Z, not sure about 1A


----------



## buzzlulu

kubig123 said:


> It’s available on amazon.com from third party seller.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B074...5Q8kL&ref=plSrch#immersive-view_1510434938553



thanks


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> I feel kinda bad for not have been listening to Wm1Z much on the 2.0 firmware and observe it improvements.  As long as there is my Stax Legendary T2 and 009 is here....everything else sound boring! Literally !! 1Z is a good transportation though



You are bad spoiled boy. Almost like me - with Stax Lambda Signature


----------



## Whitigir

Matrix Petka said:


> You are bad spoiled boy. Almost like me - with Stax Lambda Signature


It is not a good thing actually  .  It is more fun to hang around with Walkman folks


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> Ok, joking is over.  Sony officially said firmware upgrade is not Revertable.  Did you know how it broke so many people on PS3 firmware upgrades ? Lol, the thing that Sony does
> 
> Anyways, I really damn love this 2.0 Firmware on the Wm1Z, not sure about 1A



I love firmware upgrade on my 1A. As more reviews about new firmware coming, I have stronger feeling that new firmware have same basic signature for both 1A/Z...


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> It is not a good thing actually  .  It is more fun to hang around with Walkman folks



I can borrow you my 5000 
Auditioned Pioneer Master 1 today. Not worth that money, sorry. Tomorrow will be premiere day of new headphones project in which I was taking some part. 
Wish you guys will be there with me....


----------



## jinrawke

kubig123 said:


> It’s available on amazon.com from third party seller.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B074...5Q8kL&ref=plSrch#immersive-view_1510434938553





buzzlulu said:


> thanks



https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Sony-N...536979?hash=item1a27d6c7d3:g:730AAOSwAO9ZRz30

Is this the same?  Can save on shipping costs


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> What I am afraid is that if the 1Z is more neutral than before, what about 1A ? You don’t want it to be sterile, too analytical, clinical....short of things.  I agree that a lot of people prize their DAP for what it is, and may even already have Amazing synergies with their CIEMS, and so on.  Changing this won’t make senses



My 1A after firmware upgrade not became sterile or clinical - I hate HD800 for that, so I know, what you mean. Better - yes, but no way clinical.


----------



## kms108

FortisFlyer75 said:


> I heard their range at a show recently, can't remember which one was my fav out of the different types they done but know it was one of the top two they did in the range which sounded a bit more fun shall we say and the other one was more neutral/ flat.  Went well with my 1A when I tried them anyway.  Very well built and what you get with it is very good value for money as an overall package.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Most cables are standard size unless you custom order them, what cable is the iem/headphones used for. sorry about the dent, you can always sell it cheap, then get another. kubig123 is very lucky as the benks case shouldn't really be able to withstand that drop.


----------



## kubig123

jinrawke said:


> https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Sony-N...536979?hash=item1a27d6c7d3:g:730AAOSwAO9ZRz30
> 
> Is this the same?  Can save on shipping costs


I’ll let you know, just ordered to replace the one I have.


----------



## kms108

buzzlulu said:


> Where are people getting this clear case from?  I’m US based - Amazon by any chance?



You live in the US, amazon is the best place, but expect 2-3 times the price of the original cost, the last time I seen it, it's USD 29.99+USD 8 shipping, whiles in china it's only USD 8.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> Or did it get more resolving with better details


 Great review of firmware update. I have the same feelings about 1A. Yes - more resolving with better details, as you said. Faster. But no way clinical.


----------



## kms108

kubig123 said:


> I’ll let you know, just ordered to replace the one I have.


There are only 3 cheap cases on the market, not including third party leather cases, benks, non branded and a silicon one. I get my benks stuff from the seller in the benks links below.

silicon
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...Vg1Bd1&id=560743582785&ns=1&abbucket=7#detail

non branded
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...Vg1Bd1&id=544624170144&ns=1&abbucket=7#detail

benks
https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?s...335569ed55e27b&abbucket=7&skuId=3280445293201


----------



## nc8000

1Z with fw 2.0 is end game for me, can’t imagine how it could get any better and it suits Z1R extremely well and is great with JH13 which is how it is mostly used


----------



## NaiveSound

I'm still burning in balanced and hoping the wm1a will get funner... Giving it a chance before I pull the trigger on selling it. Taking baby care of it, put some screen protector on it,


----------



## Matrix Petka

NaiveSound said:


> I'm still burning in balanced and hoping the wm1a will get funner... Giving it a chance before I pull the trigger on selling it. Taking baby care of it, put some screen protector on it,



Wish you all the best and hope it will help you to like this player. Sometimes it is love from first sight, sometimes it need some time.


----------



## NaiveSound

I 


Matrix Petka said:


> Wish you all the best and hope it will help you to like this player. Sometimes it is love from first sight, sometimes it need some time.



I hope.  I enjoyed it paired with some 20$ buds.  But with my iems... Not so much at all


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Whitigir said:


> Ok, time to spend some quality time to analyze the Wm1Z with new firmware.  Yes, definitely the layering and separations has improved as the transparency level of the whole spectrum has became more crisp and clear.  The 1Z appears to be even more neutral than it was with me since before 2.0 firmware.
> 
> Soundstage has became wider due to the separation and layering performances which has improved, and also the depth of staging is more pronounced.  If before, the depth of stage was deep, and the width was more narrowed.  This time, the Depth seems remain the same, but as the transparency and crispness has been improved, together with the wider soundstage, the depth also seems to be improved, but overall I think the depth stays the same.  It is just that a lot has been cleared up, the improved of the depth come from the more accurate positioning of the instruments, which comes from the clearer imagines of the whole presentation and together with the Dynamic capability of 1Z, the imagines and cues of positioning is more vivid.
> 
> ...



I listend to new 2.0 FW for hour or so last night and only just started back up but would say there is a change and to me first apparent thing was mid bass was more noticeable and prominant than before and overall low range bass tucked in a bit tighter with slightly better control all round of notes which is what the 1A struggled compared to the 1Z for me but feels a little closer to the old 1Z sound in that respect and treble is maybe a little more laid back in the mix and layering and soundstage is tweaked to sound more points and steps to sound delivery timing in the ear making trsnsients more fluid as if your receiving more information come through with more clarity due to this better timing and layering.  That is just with my Meze classics as that is my only 4.4 bal cable I have at moment until I get another 4.4 iem cable as my current one the connector has broke on the ear section.  

i would say it is still dyamic with a certain amount of the lush 1A sound taken away for a bit more of a neutral balance whilst still having a warm tint still.  

Will have to try it SE from here out with all my other gear at the moment. 





Matrix Petka said:


> I can borrow you my 5000
> Auditioned Pioneer Master 1 today. Not worth that money, sorry. Tomorrow will be premiere day of new headphones project in which I was taking some part.
> Wish you guys will be there with me....



Where the Master1's a new pair?  



kms108 said:


> Most cables are standard size unless you custom order them, what cable is the iem/headphones used for. sorry about the dent, you can always sell it cheap, then get another. kubig123 is very lucky as the benks case shouldn't really be able to withstand that drop.



Sorry, did not mention in that narrrative I usually do order my cables longer but on this occasion was my first 4.4 bal cable which I purchased 2nd hand although it was still new and sealed as I managed to get the cable sent quickly as the wait list at time was six weeks also from the manufacturer. So in short yes I did learn my lesson to be patient and just order my usual extra 4 inches added in to my cables!


----------



## equalspeace

from my memory, after update 2.0 my WM1A sounds similar tonally to the fiio X5 3rd gen out of the box (before they ruined the sound quality with updates), but with more detail, depth and soundstage. to me this is an awesome feat


----------



## Matrix Petka

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Where the Master1's a new pair?



Master 1 left at shop in Kaunas, Lithuania. Not for my taste. Anyway, guys selling for 1500EUR - good price, I think.
Going for this one (tomorrow will be among first to audition them). OK, to be honest, I auditioned them - my ears was lend for tuning


----------



## Matrix Petka

NaiveSound said:


> I
> 
> 
> I hope.  I enjoyed it paired with some 20$ buds.  But with my iems... Not so much at all



Strange, really strange. Well - maybe player too good, that you don't need anymore expensive IEMs anymore? Think positive


----------



## FortisFlyer75

equalspeace said:


> from my memory, after update 2.0 my WM1A sounds similar tonally to the fiio X5 3rd gen out of the box (before they ruined the sound quality with updates), but with more detail, depth and soundstage. to me this is an awesome feat



It is really thinking about it although this might be a double edge sword to this as someone pointed out some might not like it or ot change their fav pairing sound with a certain can/ iem and not everyone is into eq to off set the differences but I think the Sony engineers would of taken their time and knew where they wanted to make gains in improvement to the sound as their primary objective would of just to be how can we make it more accurate and balanced in the right areas without upsetting the overall sound too much,  In general from just listening to my Meze I would say it has improved but I'm on the fence a little at the moment until I've run some other cans and iems through it to see how they have changed in their pairing with the 1A. 



Matrix Petka said:


> Master 1 left at shop in Kaunas, Lithuania. Not for my taste. Anyway, guys selling for 1500EUR - good price, I think.
> Going for this one (tomorrow will be among first to audition them). OK, to be honest, I auditioned them - my ears was lend for tuning



From your other post I read you replying on the Stax I take it you have Stax gear?  Which is another level at times anyway and you can be spoilt with them and not realize it.  

Not sure what the burn in time was on those shop SE1's then but can only say these are just like the 1A & 1Z you wouldn't beleive how much burning in these need, The changes were just as instersting as the Sony on the way also but only became even more apparent when I heard a pair of these at around 250 hours to one that was 2000+ hours was almost like two different headphones.   Even at 500 it was a big shift to 250 hours.  

Only talking from exprience on these as I almost dimsissed them once and my other point to note is the SE1 is not the best pairing believe it or not with my 1A, there is something missing on the 1A side in been able to get the best out of the SE1's and it is the only time I have needed to ever do line out to my Vorzuge pure amp which corrects this. The same thing happened with the original Hugo with certain headphones even though they were easy to drive it they would react is if underpowered or anemic and that what was happening with the 1A and the SE1's (and high gain on 1A did not cure this issue either)  but I will review that in due course now the 2.0 FW is on there to see if it changes it for the better somehow?   I can say the Hugo2 has cured all those headphones I ever heard had issues with the original and can only look at the specs and always knew they had an issue with the first Hugo there.  Just strange the 1A is just not getting enough of something to allow the SE1's to sing like I have heard on many other pieces of gear across the board.  

Putting elctrostatics aside I think the SE1's are even though not perfect in a couple of areas are a stella pair of cans if hearing a proper burnt in pair with gear that can get the best from them for a dynamic driver can I think they are good as any in their price range and actually can't fathom out where some of these 3-4K cans are making improvments on SQ to a lot of £1500-2K cans I have heard in last year or two.  

Those you are looking at tomorrow look like a piece of art and hope they have the sound to match their beuatiful and elegant carved wood design. 

Swings and roundabouts this game certainly!


----------



## musicisthekey

Kervsky said:


> That kinda sucks, if i remember correctly, someone mentioned factory resets also resets the hours played.


Yes, it does. What's the problem with that? Are you afraid of having to burn your walkman in from the very beginning?


----------



## mw7485 (Nov 11, 2017)

I now have a problem!

MQA. Dang. Expensive , but boy oh boy. On carefully crafted modern recordings, the resolution & presence is something else.
Tried this, as I wanted to see what the fuss was about. Very, very impressed - I have never heard a sound like this through the ER4. Amazing.   .


----------



## Matrix Petka

mw7485 said:


> I now have a problem!
> 
> MQA. Dang. Expensive , but boy oh boy. On carefully crafted modern recordings, the resolution & presence is something else.
> Tried this, as I wanted to see what the fuss was about. Very, very impressed - I have never heard a sound like this through the ER4. Amazing.   .



Problem? Not you, just your wallet  By my opinion, DSD is still better. What do you think?


----------



## blazinblazin

It's all about recording and mastering.

MP3 can sounds good too.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Penny's just dropped for me, This 1A has gone more like the Hugo2 in many respects with this re-tune.  

Funny that with Sony making an appearance for first time ever this year in the UK at two shows in London with the designers of the 1a&1Z in tow?...  really nice guys, had a few conversations with them over the 5 days/ two shows I see them and was quite insightful on the 1A & 1Z.  Think the chief engineer was well impressed when I used the 1A as a transport through the Hugo2 to try their flagship headohones on! Or that I made no quams in showing them my 1A was hacked with Japanese OS on there and now know the reasons for why EU models did not have some of the features the Japanese models have.


----------



## musicisthekey

I had a chance to test all available firmware versions with my WM1Z. The original v1.02 is still the best sounding to my ears. It has the widest soundstage and a "tuby" sound signature. It's the most musical firmware. With each new firmware iteration, the sound signature becomes more "referency" and less fun.

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Matrix Petka said:


> Problem? Not you, just your wallet  By my opinion, DSD is still better. What do you think?


This is like the Wav and FLAC eqautions all over again in my head although the only MQA i have heard on Pioneer daps does sound good but next to a DSD version of same song is what I want to personally try for my self next.


----------



## Matrix Petka

FortisFlyer75 said:


> It is really thinking about it although this might be a double edge sword to this as someone pointed out some might not like it or ot change their fav pairing sound with a certain can/ iem and not everyone is into eq to off set the differences but I think the Sony engineers would of taken their time and knew where they wanted to make gains in improvement to the sound as their primary objective would of just to be how can we make it more accurate and balanced in the right areas without upsetting the overall sound too much,  In general from just listening to my Meze I would say it has improved but I'm on the fence a little at the moment until I've run some other cans and iems through it to see how they have changed in their pairing with the 1A.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yes, I happy owner of few Stax historic things, and I am aware, how quickly ears can be spoiled by them.  That's why I am limiting my time spent with Stax. And two days per month I am listening cheap IEM with my phone to calibrate my ears 
SE1 they have it was sole demo unit here in Baltic, and I have feeling that it was burnt about 200 hours. Wrong pairing? Maybe. Anyway, we have different ears and tastes. SE1 are good, but not for me.

Tomorrow.... Can't wait... those beauties with graphene drivers...... Can't wait ....


----------



## mw7485

Matrix Petka said:


> Problem? Not you, just your wallet  By my opinion, DSD is still better. What do you think?



I've only listened to this one piece in MQA - well, I'm still listening, and I'm not sure which of the two formats I prefer. Clearly, a lot depends on the skill of the engineers and the venue acoustics. I do however think it is a very close run thing, all other things being equal. However, in 12 years of listening to these ety's, I have never encountered such presence - and low end presence at that.

DSD can sometimes sound clinical, but I don't think that's a characteristic of DSDs as such. I think I would have to hear a lot more MQA to reach a conclusion. Unfortunately, the catalogue for MQA in classical is somewhat limited ATM, but I don' think MQA can be dismissed as a gimmick. I definitely want more! If I understand how MQA works, what you hear is defined by how good your gear is (ie, how much the music can be "unfolded"). This is an interesting technology for sure.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

musicisthekey said:


> I had a chance to test all available firmware versions with my WM1Z. The original v1.02 is still the best sounding to my ears. It has the widest soundstage and a "tuby" sound signature. It's the most musical firmware. With each new firmware iteration, the sound signature becomes more "referency" and less fun.
> 
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe



Are we on a merry go round which is going to spin out of control?  i don't think they (Sony) will tweak the sound anymore unless people complain in their droves at this new change but it certainly from my expeirence has made the 1A a notch less in the lush signature which is at the epxense of obtaining to a more leaner and cleaner sound with better control an clarity but the balance of fun and detail is still about right with enough dynamic ratio and layering, depth and soundstage improvements but if they keep on going down the same road any further the original house sound we all brought these Walkmans for would be at risk of losing their identity and what we loved them for which is why I don't think Sony will keep messing with them on the SQ front.  

Saying that I am going throgh all my other iem's and cans tomorrow so will hold judgment either way until then!?


----------



## mw7485

FortisFlyer75 said:


> This is like the Wav and FLAC eqautions all over again in my head although the only MQA i have heard on Pioneer daps does sound good but next to a DSD version of same song is what I want to personally try for my self next.



I agree that is the acid test.


----------



## Matrix Petka

mw7485 said:


> I've only listened to this one piece in MQA - well, I'm still listening, and I'm not sure which of the two formats I prefer. Clearly, a lot depends on the skill of the engineers and the venue acoustics. I do however think it is a very close run thing, all other things being equal. However, in 12 years of listening to these ety's, I have never encountered such presence - and low end presence at that.
> 
> DSD can sometimes sound clinical, but I don't think that's a characteristic of DSDs as such. I think I would have to hear a lot more MQA to reach a conclusion. Unfortunately, the catalogue for MQA in classical is somewhat limited ATM, but I don' think MQA can be dismissed as a gimmick. I definitely want more! If I understand how MQA works, what you hear is defined by how good your gear is (ie, how much the music can be "unfolded"). This is an interesting technology for sure.



For evaluation you can use those free downloads: http://www.2l.no/hires/
I was listening MQA almost from very beginning (still have DPX1), but I still prefer DSD... Of course a lot depends on sound engineer..... WM1 shining with DSD.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Matrix Petka said:


> Yes, I happy owner of few Stax historic things, and I am aware, how quickly ears can be spoiled by them.  That's why I am limiting my time spent with Stax. And two days per month I am listening cheap IEM with my phone to calibrate my ears
> SE1 they have it was sole demo unit here in Baltic, and I have feeling that it was burnt about 200 hours. Wrong pairing? Maybe. Anyway, we have different ears and tastes. SE1 are good, but not for me.
> 
> Tomorrow.... Can't wait... those beauties with graphene drivers...... Can't wait ....



Hey, we are not all robots programed the same, we are only human ; ) all though like my music my actual signature in sound can be ecletic as long as the balance of gear matches with the recordings it is possible to appreiate many different types of house sound or signatures but I guess we all go back to a certain flavour more than another in our hearts. Mine is SE1 with some seriously good amp & dacs (out of my range at moment!) with Dire Straits or Fleetwood Mac or Eagles melting my ears away.  

Stax is another beautiful and effortless sound in it's own right which is why you are doing right thing to calibrate your ears on occasions as I do that once in a while too.  Then again once in a while for the money somehting like the Meze classics will demonstrate a good sound doesn't have to cost the earth as well all know with VE monks which are a good calibrator, amazing for the money but helps when stepping back upto my other higher iems again.  

Anyway, goes to show to pieces of kit I love 1A & SE1 not matching up quite right but will test 2,0 with my SE1's tomorrow and hope for a mircale somewhere in there. 

Please feel free to update on how those headphones go for you tommorow ; )


----------



## Matrix Petka

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Hey, we are not all robots programed the same, we are only human ; ) all though like my music my actual signature in sound can be ecletic as long as the balance of gear matches with the recordings it is possible to appreiate many different types of house sound or signatures but I guess we all go back to a certain flavour more than another in our hearts. Mine is SE1 with some seriously good amp & dacs (out of my range at moment!) with Dire Straits or Fleetwood Mac or Eagles melting my ears away.
> 
> Stax is another beautiful and effortless sound in it's own right which is why you are doing right thing to calibrate your ears on occasions as I do that once in a while too.  Then again once in a while for the money somehting like the Meze classics will demonstrate a good sound doesn't have to cost the earth as well all know with VE monks which are a good calibrator, amazing for the money but helps when stepping back upto my other higher iems again.
> 
> ...



Will be glad to exchange my impressions with yours  And will try SE1 with my desktop amplifiers. Thanks for pleasant chat!


----------



## FortisFlyer75

mw7485 said:


> I agree that is the acid test.



Agree, I won't get to do that anytime soon so you will beat me on the punch to find out that one, of course be great if MQA all that extra space can free up for more music in theory but anything like flac it doesn't cut it for me against WAV, I just use it as trade of with something like a Sony Walkman using a screen with album artwork.  I should of gone the Terra player route! Doh!


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Matrix Petka said:


> Will be glad to exchange my impressions with yours  And will try SE1 with my desktop amplifiers. Thanks for pleasant chat!



Like wise, been intersting ; ) 

...No gaurantee you will still like the SE1 but all I can advice is try it on at least 500 hours on a really good amp & dac and if you still don't like it fair enough it's not for you. 
Only thing is no matter how good the gear if not at a good rate of burn in will never get them performing optimumly still so would be hard to know for sure still.  Like the Sony they are stuborn buggers for sure on burn in.

 If I had gone on first week basis of the Sony 1A it would of been back at Amazon quicker than Lewis Hamilton in qualyfying but glad I let it run it's course of burn in properly.  

Time for my bed soon, 1am to late for me now days!  Await your impressions on those well crafted headphones ; )


----------



## musicisthekey

I would like to share two tweaks that I think improve WM1 series sound quality. It's not a night and day difference but, to my ears, the sound signature becomes more natural especially when listening to female vocals.

Playback settings -> Playback Range -> Choose Selected Range instead of All Range
Device Settings -> Turn off "Disable touch panel when the HOLD switch is on" option

Rescan your library.


----------



## sbho1

musicisthekey said:


> I had a chance to test all available firmware versions with my WM1Z. The original v1.02 is still the best sounding to my ears. It has the widest soundstage and a "tuby" sound signature. It's the most musical firmware. With each new firmware iteration, the sound signature becomes more "referency" and less fun.
> 
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe



Agreed with you. 
Sony is not really smart and wise when come to FW update, they should retain the original tuned sound stage, and create an add-on new additional tuned stage in the new FW, for example three options avaible: 1 . Direct on for Original Sony Signature sound.  2. Direct on for new neutral sound stage, 3. Direct off for EQ, manual tone control.

As a matter of fact, my head phone Z1R, which was well matching for 1Z for the previous FW 1.2 .... very musical , now after updated to FW2.0 , the musical sound stage is totally disappear ... replaced with very common digital sound stage ...

I hope this message can reach Sony, for their consideration of the above suggestion in their next FW release, with options to select for the earlier tuned sound stage , besides add on new reference sound stage.


----------



## NaiveSound

Does the wm1a turn more reference after the recent update  too?


----------



## Kervsky

musicisthekey said:


> Yes, it does. What's the problem with that? Are you afraid of having to burn your walkman in from the very beginning?



My OCness will kick my gut with the missing info. I'd probably need to tack a last record of the total time on it so I know, and maybe carve it in stone too lol


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> The more I look at this golden nugget, the more I like it


_*
Sit Down.....................

*_


----------



## Kervsky

I was finally able to get my wm1a from home and updated it, brought it to the hospital so i can listen in between watching my dad. I was in the middle of burning in the single end (its at around 120 hours now) and last I heard from it using my tennmak trio, it sounded good, but the iem was at its limit trying to deliver my music.

Or so I thought, after the update, I feel like it just sounds a bit more spacious, the instruments didn't sound as cramped as before (cramped compared to the andromeda) and there are little details that I've heard on the andro but not on the tennmak until today. It's easier now on the ears and it sounds better than the previous firmware.

I'm excited to try it with balanced and the andro when I get home and see if it has similarly improved.


----------



## gerelmx1986

been doing the tracktotala nd disctotal manually, is a paijn in the ass , but well some little automation works tracks as 1/20 then i do GUESS VALUES FIELD %track% GUESS_PATTERN: %track%/%Tracktotal%

for Disctotal if album naiming permits i do  album name vol (or CD) %discnumber%


----------



## artears

I really dont like the idea of changing the sound signature at each firmware update. I had the chance of comparing 1a to lotoo paw gold (lpg) and did not like the sound signature of 1a. I thought it was very digital without any positive points over lpg. However, I also recently had a chance of listening to 1z and making the same comparison with lpg. I used z1r and warbler prelude for that and loved the tuning and the sound signature and enjoyed the synergy with those head/earphones. I enjoyed that listening session so much that I ordered 1z right at that spot and instance. I am still waiting for the delivery, but the idea of the sound signature that I fell in love with, might not be available with my future 1z makes me anxious. Although not probable, I believe that I will be very angry and frustrated if my 1z will come with the firmware 2.0.


----------



## NaiveSound

artears said:


> I really dont like the idea of changing the sound signature at each firmware update. I had the chance of comparing 1a to lotoo paw gold (lpg) and did not like the sound signature of 1a. I thought it was very digital without any positive points over lpg. However, I also recently had a chance of listening to 1z and making the same comparison with lpg. I used z1r and warbler prelude for that and loved the tuning and the sound signature and enjoyed the synergy with those head/earphones. I enjoyed that listening session so much that I ordered 1z right at that spot and instance. I am still waiting for the delivery, but the idea of the sound signature that I fell in love with, might not be available with my future 1z makes me anxious. Although not probable, I believe that I will be very angry and frustrated if my 1z will come with the firmware 2.0.




Don't worry, it likely won't. And you can downgrade anyway


----------



## nc8000

mw7485 said:


> I've only listened to this one piece in MQA - well, I'm still listening, and I'm not sure which of the two formats I prefer. Clearly, a lot depends on the skill of the engineers and the venue acoustics. I do however think it is a very close run thing, all other things being equal. However, in 12 years of listening to these ety's, I have never encountered such presence - and low end presence at that.
> 
> DSD can sometimes sound clinical, but I don't think that's a characteristic of DSDs as such. I think I would have to hear a lot more MQA to reach a conclusion. Unfortunately, the catalogue for MQA in classical is somewhat limited ATM, but I don' think MQA can be dismissed as a gimmick. I definitely want more! If I understand how MQA works, what you hear is defined by how good your gear is (ie, how much the music can be "unfolded"). This is an interesting technology for sure.



MQA is a lossy compression so essentially it is to hires what mp3 is to cd so on a purely technical level the result will be somewhere between cd and hires quality


----------



## rushofblood

mw7485 said:


> I've only listened to this one piece in MQA - well, I'm still listening, and I'm not sure which of the two formats I prefer. Clearly, a lot depends on the skill of the engineers and the venue acoustics. I do however think it is a very close run thing, all other things being equal. However, in 12 years of listening to these ety's, I have never encountered such presence - and low end presence at that.
> 
> DSD can sometimes sound clinical, but I don't think that's a characteristic of DSDs as such. I think I would have to hear a lot more MQA to reach a conclusion. *Unfortunately, the catalogue for MQA in classical is somewhat limited ATM*, but I don' think MQA can be dismissed as a gimmick. I definitely want more! If I understand how MQA works, what you hear is defined by how good your gear is (ie, how much the music can be "unfolded"). This is an interesting technology for sure.



I think the classical crowd is pretty well catered to by DSD formats, whereas all the rock and alternative music I enjoy hardly ever comes out in DSD - and I'm seeing them being released in MQA, which fuels my enthusiasm for the format. DSD may sound better, but it doesn't mean anything to me if I can't find the music I love in the format...haha. Seems like the MQA catalog is more mainstream oriented, which I'm personally pretty excited about.


----------



## buzzlulu

NaiveSound said:


> Don't worry, it likely won't. And you can downgrade anyway



I thought once updated to 2.0 you can no longer downgrade?


----------



## proedros

musicisthekey said:


> I had a chance to test all available firmware versions with my WM1Z. The original v1.02 is still the best sounding to my ears. It has the widest soundstage and a "tuby" sound signature. It's the most musical firmware. With each new firmware iteration, the sound signature becomes more "referency" and less fun.
> 
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe




1 - can i use this FW with the 1a ? is it again a dual 1a/1z FW ?

2 - how do you use/revert to older FWs ? is it the same procedure as using the new FW ?

thank you


----------



## musicisthekey

proedros said:


> 1 - can i use this FW with the 1a ? is it again a dual 1a/1z FW ?
> 
> 2 - how do you use/revert to older FWs ? is it the same procedure as using the new FW ?
> 
> thank you


1. I don’t know if it would work with 1A. 

2. Yes.


----------



## Gibraltar

Evolution


----------



## Dim666

It's possible to have an adapter 4.4mm (female) to another (2.5-3.5-6.335 or XLR) termination male ?


----------



## superuser1

Dim666 said:


> It's possible to have an adapter 4.4mm (female) to another (2.5-3.5-6.335 or XLR) termination male ?


Yes its possible but i haven't found many that i could buy without breaking the bank.


----------



## Dim666

Grrrrrr...

I thought that customcans could do it because they didn't say me NO to my message but I have to wait maybe a long time because they have to be replenished. Do you have a cheap plans to find a 4.4mm female connector...


----------



## Tawek (Nov 12, 2017)

Just big wow after new firmware 2.0 ...1Z with Piano Forte X-G is just pure bliss 2 levels about SE5ULT , soundstage, seperacion, unbelievable thanks Sony , and this is from  SE  big step up


----------



## sbho1

NaiveSound said:


> Don't worry, it likely won't. And you can downgrade anyway



Again, this message is for Sony to consider our request .... when Sony revising/ replacing with new signature as in newFW 2.0, it will be great if they too disclose what is the EQ tone setting amount can be used to duplicate back the original signature sound stage applied in the previous FW ...  that too resolve those users who would like to continue enjoy the earlier provided sound setting.


----------



## Lemieux66

Matrix Petka said:


> My 1A after firmware upgrade not became sterile or clinical - I hate HD800 for that, so I know, what you mean. Better - yes, but no way clinical.



I agree. Never a fan of the HD800 in terms of enjoyment. The FW 2.0 with my 1A and Z1R is sublime - clinical? Lean? No way. This is bliss!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Thank you Sony for doing a really great job. By/ For music lover. How apt!


----------



## proedros

looks like it's time to update the wm1a FW , one question though - on the FW page it says the following


During the installation of this file, be sure that you are logged in as the Administrator or as a user with Administrative rights.
how do we log in as admins ?


----------



## sne4me

proedros said:


> looks like it's time to update the wm1a FW , one question though - on the FW page it says the following
> 
> 
> During the installation of this file, be sure that you are logged in as the Administrator or as a user with Administrative rights.
> how do we log in as admins ?



when i installed in windows 8.1 i just ran the program normally and it went fine. if you want to run as administrator, right click the installer and click the menu, run as administrator


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 12, 2017)

The 1Z is still very much tubes like to me.  Except that it is more energetic.  In fact, the soundstage, tones, cues of positioning, remind me of very expensive NOS tubes


----------



## Piotr Michalak

Imusicman said:


> I have a iMac and gave up in the end and this was before the 2.0 update which I installed today. If you manage to figure this out please let me know.



I've succeeded! I had to use Parallels desktop for Mac again and now it somehow worked. After you run Parallels, you have to go to menu - utilities I think (I'm using Polish version so I'm not sure) - and find "Walkman". When you click on it, It'll be loaded into windows and you will find its disk letter, for example mine was "E:". Then I did as the scsitool website said. 

Since doing that, I never actually had to use the high-amped functionality, which you have to turn on in the device first, separately for each input. 

With it or without it, I had distortion when trying to listen to classical on KSE1500 with louder levels (not enough voltage, probably). So the high-amp may probably come in handy for planar magnetic HPs, or older dynamic ones with higher resistance or lower sensitivity. 

An example would be my AKG K501. When listening to classical I sometimes have to almost reach maximum output at 120. Still, the un-amped WM1Z is enough to drive K501. 

And even in hi-amped mode, it won't be enough to drive K1000


----------



## Piotr Michalak

Whitigir said:


> The 1Z is still very much tubes like to me.  Except that it is more energetic.  In fact, the soundstage, tones, cues of positioning, remind me of very expensive NOS tubes


Yes! I find 1Z very analogue too. To me it's like going back 20+ years and listening to my audio-cassette player in childhood days. It sounds like the original Walkman, only better, from the technical side. The same smoothness... It's unbelievable.


----------



## Whitigir

Piotr Michalak said:


> Yes! I find 1Z very analogue too. To me it's like going back 20+ years and listening to my audio-cassette player in childhood days. It sounds like the original Walkman, only better, from the technical side. The same smoothness... It's unbelievable.



Yes, it is unbelievable to how much a firmware can do to wm1Z.  Kinda feel like by the time 1A/Z was released, it was a bit rushing to the market when the software engineers have not perfected the tuning yet, until now


----------



## sbho1

Whitigir said:


> Yes, it is unbelievable to how much a firmware can do to wm1Z.  Kinda feel like by the time 1A/Z was released, it was a bit rushing to the market when the software engineers have not perfected the tuning yet, until now



Agree FW plays significant roles in sound signature setting.... previously I thought is very much hardware matter alone ....


----------



## NaiveSound

I'm forced to sell my wm1a.  I manged to get 82 hrs on the thing.  It's an ok player, I like the look and build quality. I also like some quiet it is with sensitive iems like Zeus. And probably se846 as well. 

I wonder when Sony will come out with their next generation wm1a/z


----------



## Whitigir

NaiveSound said:


> I'm forced to sell my wm1a.  I manged to get 82 hrs on the thing.  It's an ok player, I like the look and build quality. I also like some quiet it is with sensitive iems like Zeus. And probably se846 as well.
> 
> I wonder when Sony will come out with their next generation wm1a/z



Well, $3k a DAP a year is not a good idea , but who knows


----------



## ranfan

I think it'd be nice for the next one to have a PC/USB DAC functionality.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I love FW 2.0, befor ei tough firmware sonic changes were ony a fiio problem but that was soemtimes good SQ sometimes bad SQ... but sony is freaking wow SQ


----------



## proedros

gerelmx1986 said:


> I love FW 2.0, befor ei tough firmware sonic changes were ony a fiio problem but that was soemtimes good SQ sometimes bad SQ... but sony is freaking wow SQ



what sound improvements/differences did you notice with the new FW ?


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I love FW 2.0, befor ei tough firmware sonic changes were ony a fiio problem but that was soemtimes good SQ sometimes bad SQ... but sony is freaking wow SQ


That is why I am a Sony Fan  .  Sony, the father of all things Digital, and when they are serious about what they do, it is always good.....except Xperia phones, but that is another matter


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> That is why I am a Sony Fan  .  Sony, the father of all things Digital, and when they are serious about what they do, it is always good.....except Xperia phones, but that is another matter


Totally agree, i have an xperia and it sucks, eyeing on the future going for samsung


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I love FW 2.0, befor ei tough firmware sonic changes were ony a fiio problem but that was soemtimes good SQ sometimes bad SQ... but sony is freaking wow SQ



iBasso often had big sound changes with each fw on the DX50 and DX90


----------



## JML (Nov 12, 2017)

After upgrading the firmware to v.2.0 yesterday I was doing some listening and realized that the Sony software merges albums in the album browser if they have the same title, despite being from different artists or album artists.  All albums with the title "Live" were put together when browsing by album.  So I had to change all the titles to "[artist]: Live" to get them to be displayed separately; this is despite having the correct hierarchy and folder/file names in storage.  I did the changes in iTunes on my laptop and recopied over all the affected music folders and files to the player, to be sure that each music file had the proper metadata.

And in the player's native memory (not the card) there's a folder titled "Playlists" that has nothing in it. This was true before the upgrade from 1.20. The playlists are kept in the "Music" folder in the native memory or on the separate memory card, depending upon where the music is located (I realized months ago that a playlist cannot include music from both storage locations).  I don't know if that folder has any purpose or is left over from version 1.00 of the firmware.  I use the Mac Finder to copy music, so maybe the folder is used when Sony's music management software is used.

The upgrade via my MacBook was very easy and quite fast.  No problems at all, but follow the installer's instructions to remove and then reattach the player during the upgrade process (which is NOT explained in Sony's online instructions).  I did backup the music in the player's native storage onto my laptop, and removed the separate memory card before doing the upgrade.


----------



## FlyingTrotter

Is there any way to de-dup - I know I can go through and manually remove but would be great is media go could remove duplicates say when same tracks are on both memeory card and 1A memory ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Aside from adding these new tags (DISCTOTAL & TRACKTOTAL) I al cleaning the flac tags from junk tags like isrc label, copyright etc


----------



## Lemieux66

Is the new (and seemingly somewhat elusive?) Sennheiser IE800S the only IEM I can buy that comes with the 4.4mm plug? I'd like to get a more manageable way of using my 1A portably but still using balanced output.


----------



## mw7485

Lemieux66 said:


> Is the new (and seemingly somewhat elusive?) Sennheiser IE800S the only IEM I can buy that comes with the 4.4mm plug? I'd like to get a more manageable way of using my 1A portably but still using balanced output.



As I understand it, the ie800s comes with an adapter rather than being hard-wired, but yes, I think your are correct that it is the only iem with a 4.4mm solution out of the box.


----------



## kms108

If it's Sennheiser you want, it's they only one out of the box, there are other brands that offers 4.4mm out of the box, it depends on the cost.


----------



## Lemieux66

kms108 said:


> If it's Sennheiser you want, it's they only one out of the box, there are other brands that offers 4.4mm out of the box, it depends on the cost.



Well I can't try before I buy in the UK easily, but if they seem good I might just buy a pair and see what I think.

As for others, I've seen that the Sony XBA-N3BP have a 4.4mm plug included but they're not available in the UK with the balanced cable and I'm unsure whether they're good enough for the 1A. I'm not aware of any other options though.


----------



## Lemieux66

mw7485 said:


> As I understand it, the ie800s comes with an adapter rather than being hard-wired, but yes, I think your are correct that it is the only iem with a 4.4mm solution out of the box.



Yes, I've seen they have a hardwired y-connector with a choice of bundled short cables equipped with different plugs. Seems a reasonable solution for non cable fanciers!


----------



## kms108 (Nov 12, 2017)

Acoustune HS1005 P5 is another one, with sony being the cheapest, and many has said the Sony one is considered good.


----------



## mw7485

Lemieux66 said:


> Yes, I've seen they have a hardwired y-connector with a choice of bundled short cables equipped with different plugs. Seems a reasonable solution for non cable fanciers!



Given they are sticking with the same non-replaceable cable, yes, its an entirely sensible solution that gives punters a choice.


----------



## jamato8

I just got a 2.5 trrs to 4.4 TRRRS that iBasso is putting out. Works great. It is also finished in gold tone and the center section looks like carbon fiber. 

I just upgraded to the new FW. The WM1Z sounds great. Very fluid and dynamic.


----------



## equalspeace

fw 2.0 has perfected the WM1A. it is so freaking balanced acrossed the spectrum now. the realism, depth, stage and layering has all been improved.. i'm hearing everything, but nothing is empasized (unless I want it to be via EQ). i almost can't believe how good this player is


----------



## Lemieux66

equalspeace said:


> fw 2.0 has perfected the WM1A. it is so freaking balanced acrossed the spectrum now. the realism, depth, stage and layering has all been improved.. i'm hearing everything, but nothing is empasized (unless I want it to be via EQ). i almost can't believe how good this player is



This is my finding too. I also noticed last night how the DSEE seems to have a noticebly more pronounced effect perhaps than before. No complaints here, all good news.


----------



## proedros

is it easy to install the new FW , did you have any bumps along the procedure ?


----------



## sne4me

proedros said:


> is it easy to install the new FW , did you have any bumps along the procedure ?



faster than updating an iphone for example


----------



## blazinblazin

It's faster if you update by MediaGO.

Plug in press update button that's all.


----------



## Lemieux66

proedros said:


> is it easy to install the new FW , did you have any bumps along the procedure ?



Just clicked the Update option in MediaGo. Couldn't be simpler. Previous FW updates I've done through the sony website because I didn't know about the MediaGo option.


----------



## proedros

i am not using the media go thing , don't even know what it is/how to use it

thanx for the feedback , will probably go the usual route of updating

cheers


----------



## Matrix Petka

Latest upgrade of my gear. 
Graphene 42mm drivers, American walnut hand crafted earcups, natural leather earpads with acoustic wents, pure silver wiring inside, balanced silver litz cable. Very light 296g. Metal parts will be upgraded soon.


----------



## Matrix Petka

proedros said:


> i am not using the media go thing , don't even know what it is/how to use it
> 
> thanx for the feedback , will probably go the usual route of updating
> 
> cheers



Easy - just download file to computer, connect WM1 to computer, open downloaded .exe file and just make few clicks. Easy, really easy.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Matrix Petka said:


> Easy - just download file to computer, connect WM1 to computer, open downloaded .exe file and just make few clicks. Easy, really easy.



Sorry, forgot, that after update it would be better restart player.


----------



## Kervsky

Matrix Petka said:


> Sorry, forgot, that after update it would be better restart player.



It restarted on its own with mine.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Kervsky said:


> It restarted on its own with mine.


 Not sure 100%, but my WM1A not restarted automatically.


----------



## Kervsky

Matrix Petka said:


> Not sure 100%, but my WM1A not restarted automatically.



I used media go (since i had it from the time i got my a35) it restarted after update and took a long time to update database (same time like with a new card)


----------



## Ultrainferno

Kervsky said:


> it restarted after update and took a long time to update database (same time like with a new card)



I just clicked the exe, but the update went fast and without issues. But it was exactly the same for the db update


----------



## Kervsky

Ultrainferno said:


> I just clicked the exe, but the update went fast and without issues. But it was exactly the same for the db update



If i did that:
1. Go to website
2. Go to downloads
3. Click conformity page
4. Download exe
5. Wait (we have slow internet speeds) 
6. Click exe
7. Connect wm1
8. Wait
9. Profit  

Me:
1. Connect wm1
2. Mediago launches automatically 
3. Click update
4. Wait (yes, were probably the slowest in asia) 
5. Profit


----------



## Tawek (Nov 13, 2017)

After new firmware 2.0 wm1z SE sounds like balanced 4.4 with less power


----------



## equalspeace

Tawek said:


> After new firmware 2.0 wm1z SE sounds like balanced 4.4 with less power



i haven't gotten to try balanced yet. all of my reports are based on SE as well. i have a HD 660s that i can't open til xmas that will handle 4.4 duties


----------



## Matrix Petka

equalspeace said:


> i haven't gotten to try balanced yet. all of my reports are based on SE as well. i have a HD 660s that i can't open til xmas that will handle 4.4 duties



Can't open till Christmas? Who is soooooo sadistic?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I note more clarity and separations too, yet the bass is there kicking deep with some organ music


----------



## Tawek

I have always wondered why there is such a big difference se vs 4.4 now  I see just sofware problem


----------



## nc8000

Tawek said:


> I have always wondered why there is such a big difference se vs 4.4 now  I see just sofware problem



Well balanced not having common ground is one reason plus the double voltage swing to give more power and control. Those 2 are not software related


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Nov 13, 2017)

Tawek said:


> I have always wondered why there is such a big difference se vs 4.4 now  I see just sofware problem


Balanced and se are not software controlled.

Is hardware and balances is not just separating the wires and channel pluses and minuses, is about noise reduction by using some mathematical function and the inversion  of the sine wave 180°. This function also gives 2X the voltage


----------



## equalspeace

Matrix Petka said:


> Can't open till Christmas? Who is soooooo sadistic?



i have been compelled to wait by a very sadistic girlfriend/Mom tandem


----------



## Matrix Petka

equalspeace said:


> i have been compelled to wait by a very sadistic girlfriend/Mom tandem



You are in danger - united policy against you


----------



## JayF

I’m in the minority here, but definitely not a fan of 2.0 on the wm1z with my Sony z1r. I updated last night and almost instantly recognized it was a mistake. Yes, it was louder – I usually listen at 60 w/ balanced output and had to reduce to 50. But the depth/layering of the soundstage seemed almost flat with everything receiving equal attention. It reminded me more of how the wm1a sounded when I auditioned it and the wm1z together for a couple of weeks.

Listening to Father & Son on Cat Steven’s Tea for the Tillerman DSD with 1.1 or 1.2 fw, there is so much depth between primary vocals, the chorus “behind” Cat Stevens and the instruments in front but all of that largely disappeared with 2.0… all seeming to be linear and upfront. Same thing with other tracks that I’ve listened to over and over on the wm1z. My stomach dropped when I was afraid I had destroyed the lushness of what I had grown accustomed to. Thankfully you CAN reinstall older firmware which I did after 30 minutes and successfully converted back.

I know everyone has different tastes but 2.0 is definitely not for me. I simply cannot believe Sony would make such a drastic change without a fair warning to customers..


----------



## Lemieux66

JayF said:


> I’m in the minority here, but definitely not a fan of 2.0 on the wm1z with my Sony z1r. I updated last night and almost instantly recognized it was a mistake. Yes, it was louder – I usually listen at 60 w/ balanced output and had to reduce to 50. But the depth/layering of the soundstage seemed almost flat with everything receiving equal attention. It reminded me more of how the wm1a sounded when I auditioned it and the wm1z together for a couple of weeks.
> 
> Listening to Father & Son on Cat Steven’s Tea for the Tillerman DSD with 1.1 or 1.2 fw, there is so much depth between primary vocals, the chorus “behind” Cat Stevens and the instruments in front but all of that largely disappeared with 2.0… all seeming to be linear and upfront. Same thing with other tracks that I’ve listened to over and over on the wm1z. My stomach dropped when I was afraid I had destroyed the lushness of what I had grown accustomed to. Thankfully you CAN reinstall older firmware which I did after 30 minutes and successfully converted back.
> 
> I know everyone has different tastes but 2.0 is definitely not for me. I simply cannot believe Sony would make such a drastic change without a fair warning to customers..



Others findings are different from yours so I can't see how you can bemoan Sony's actions so definitely. It's worth noting the first person to report on this thread after downloading the new FW reported 'no change in SQ'. I'm pleased with how things sound on my 1A with the Z1R but I can't say my impressions are definitive.


----------



## bana

mw7485 said:


> As I understand it, the ie800s comes with an adapter rather than being hard-wired, but yes, I think your are correct that it is the only iem with a 4.4mm solution out of the box.



Just received the ZEUS XR that I ordered with 4.4mm. 

I think other manufacturers may start to come around but I tied Wescom, UE and a few others that were not budging.


----------



## kms108

Can someone who is located in Japan Tokyo advice where to get those right angle pentaconn male plugs (OFC and NON OFC), I know e-earphones in akihabara does not stock them, only their other shops in other location have them, can they be transferred, and are there other shops stock them.

Thanks


----------



## proedros

JayF said:


> Thankfully you CAN reinstall older firmware which I did after 30 minutes and successfully converted back.



that's good to know , was re-installing an older FW the same way like simply installing the new FW ?

i have saved in a folder all the wm1a FWs (1.02/1.10/1.20/2.00)  in case i want to revert/try another FW than the current one


----------



## tomcourtenay

JayF said:


> I’m in the minority here, but definitely not a fan of 2.0 on the wm1z with my Sony z1r. I updated last night and almost instantly recognized it was a mistake. Yes, it was louder – I usually listen at 60 w/ balanced output and had to reduce to 50. But the depth/layering of the soundstage seemed almost flat with everything receiving equal attention. It reminded me more of how the wm1a sounded when I auditioned it and the wm1z together for a couple of weeks.
> 
> Listening to Father & Son on Cat Steven’s Tea for the Tillerman DSD with 1.1 or 1.2 fw, there is so much depth between primary vocals, the chorus “behind” Cat Stevens and the instruments in front but all of that largely disappeared with 2.0… all seeming to be linear and upfront. Same thing with other tracks that I’ve listened to over and over on the wm1z. My stomach dropped when I was afraid I had destroyed the lushness of what I had grown accustomed to. Thankfully you CAN reinstall older firmware which I did after 30 minutes and successfully converted back.
> 
> I know everyone has different tastes but 2.0 is definitely not for me. I simply cannot believe Sony would make such a drastic change without a fair warning to customers..



How can you reinstall previous firmware? Mine is EU uncaped version and im worried i  lose the uncap if i downgrade firmware..

Thanks!


----------



## buzzlulu

where is a download for firmware 1.2 WM1Z?


----------



## kms108

I think Sony removes the older F/W after a new release, you probably have to ask someone to upload it for you.


----------



## Down4wotever

JayF said:


> I’m in the minority here, but definitely not a fan of 2.0 on the wm1z with my Sony z1r. I updated last night and almost instantly recognized it was a mistake. Yes, it was louder – I usually listen at 60 w/ balanced output and had to reduce to 50. But the depth/layering of the soundstage seemed almost flat with everything receiving equal attention. It reminded me more of how the wm1a sounded when I auditioned it and the wm1z together for a couple of weeks.
> 
> Listening to Father & Son on Cat Steven’s Tea for the Tillerman DSD with 1.1 or 1.2 fw, there is so much depth between primary vocals, the chorus “behind” Cat Stevens and the instruments in front but all of that largely disappeared with 2.0… all seeming to be linear and upfront. Same thing with other tracks that I’ve listened to over and over on the wm1z. My stomach dropped when I was afraid I had destroyed the lushness of what I had grown accustomed to. Thankfully you CAN reinstall older firmware which I did after 30 minutes and successfully converted back.
> 
> I know everyone has different tastes but 2.0 is definitely not for me. I simply cannot believe Sony would make such a drastic change without a fair warning to customers..


You might want to let it settle. Like you I was initially underwhelmed, so I decided to burn in a little more, 20hrs later and my oh my - never heard my westones sound so good.


----------



## proedros

someone posted the 1.02 FW a few pages back , that's where i got it

oh man the 1.20 FW for wm1a sounds nice , i am still not sold on upgrading to 2.00


----------



## Matrix Petka

buzzlulu said:


> where is a download for firmware 1.2 WM1Z?



Here : http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe


----------



## proedros

hey @Matrix Petka are you on 1.02 ? how does it sound next to 2.00 ?


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Balanced and se are not software controlled.
> 
> Is hardware and balances is not just separating the wires and channel pluses and minuses, is about noise reduction by using some mathematical function and the inversion  of the sine wave 180°. This function also gives 2X the voltage



The noise reduction by math only apllies to balanced connections between things like amps abd preamps, not to headphone connections


----------



## buzzlulu

Matrix Petka said:


> Here : http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe



thanks


----------



## Lemieux66 (Nov 13, 2017)

Using Z1R and 1A with the balanced output and DSD files:


----------



## kubig123

here the links for pc and Mac

_http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe_

_http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.dmg_

_http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.exe_

_http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.dmg_


----------



## Dithyrambes

Not feeling very positive with this 2.0 update for wm1a


----------



## Matrix Petka

proedros said:


> hey @Matrix Petka are you on 1.02 ? how does it sound next to 2.00 ?



Hi! I was among first who changed into 2.0 and happy about changes. There was my short impressions.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Dithyrambes said:


> Not feeling very positive with this 2.0 update for wm1a



What it is wrong for your ears?


----------



## Dithyrambes (Nov 13, 2017)

Misread..sorry for that. Was in traffic and read it as what is wrong with your ears.

It sounds more like a 1z with 2.0 update. Need to listen more, but Before the player had more treble and was crisp though one can say it may had a slight grain. Made things sound more "live". Felt Bass was a bit subdued, but i liked the quality Sound now has better bass foundation, treble is smoother and overall sounds less solid state and more tubey. Doesnt sound as "live". Sounds for me more muffled and diffuse in comparison though i like the slightly darker tonality and bass. Makes things sound bigger scale but less natural. I listen to mostly jazz and classical so my immediate reaction isnt feeling so hot with these changes. Im not used to 2.00 yet so ill go back and forth before confirming my preference


----------



## Matrix Petka

Matrix Petka said:


> What it is wrong for your ears?



By the way, I would recommend one thing for check after firmware update - filter settings. Try for a while "Slow" and "Sharp". Slow gives more mellow sound.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Dithyrambes said:


> I think you have to calm down



Sorry, I had no intentions to insult you. Just wanted to know, what you dislike. Sorry, English it is not my mother tongue.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Read edited post.  Thanks


----------



## Dithyrambes

This change in sound signature from the firmware update really confirms my belief that the only real difference between wm1a and wm1z on balanced is perhaps tuning of the software. Before nanoholic goes and talks about all the sony interviews and what not...I don't believe it. I don't think the sound difference of the chassis is probably least likely compared to the wiring that some people upgraded and the software tuning. If having a chassis with gold plated copper made such a huge difference in sound....I don't why all the desktop gear and other higher end manufacturers are making all the casing out of gold plated copper....(just would be ridiculous). Desktop gear, such as my soekris dac1541 does not have this feat, and I believe it outperforms either dap. Mind you the dac1541 is also quite small compared to the gumby or yggy. Best way to prove this is if someone could just change the model data set in the wm1a to a wm1z and see if updated sdk from firmware makes it sound like a 1z. I feel this is probably the case. enjoy your gold bricks though. Its bling.


----------



## Lemieux66

Some good points above ^

I would say that spending this much on a piece of audio gear is never just about sound quality. The luxury build and exclusivity is part of the package, and I accept these are positive ownership features YMMV.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 13, 2017)

The 1Z not only have copper chassis.  People have to get it into their head.

1Z has 7 more Fine sound resistors which are top of the summit in audio quality components.  1A has MELF

1Z has more FT capacitors than 1A, which is the most quality if it kind at the present.  1A has OScon instead

1Z has Kimber cables for internal wires

Then the copper chassis as Icing on the cake.

The best way for 1A to sound closer to 1Z without Copper chassis, it happens when you upgrade all capacitors, resistors, and then Wires....for a DIY enthusiast like me....it is still hell lot of a job to do so.  But if you can and want it, go do it.  I know I wouldnt


----------



## Matrix Petka

Just my 5 cents. About 80% (or even more) of sound signature difference comes from sound tuning by firmware because even amplification it is going in the same chipset. 20 - for difference in components. If to look at balanced circuit, difference diminishes even more. Not going to discuss price - anyone can choose. Looking for programmer who will be able to change firmware settings in my WM1A code to WM1Z. If there will be any progress, I will let you know.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Dithyrambes said:


> Read edited post.  Thanks



Peace


----------



## wldcohso

just to confirm, if you purchase the WM1Z from Japan you don't have the volume limitation - correct?


----------



## Lemieux66

wldcohso said:


> just to confirm, if you purchase the WM1Z from Japan you don't have the volume limitation - correct?



The volume cap is only present on EU market devices, but you can unlock it anyway (like I have).


----------



## Matrix Petka

Little bit off topic. Be aware of bad HR recordings (maybe it is worth to make new theme?) Just listened new Blondie album "Pollinator" 2017 in 24/88,2 format. Despite 24bit format, loudness was set wrong. Result - total overload and clipping. Shame on you, sound engineer.


----------



## AvijitSingh

I am Interested in the sony players but don't know what to choose, I am trying to figure out what to choose between the ZX2/300/1a. I am in Canada. the only option used here is the zx2, and am not sure if I should go for that considering its age and UI(700CAd/550USD), the Zx300 is yet to come out here(800CAD), and If I go with the 1a I would need to wait a few month and try and buy it from another HF user.
I currently have the CA Andromeda and the CA Orion.

and for 4.4mm cable this may be an option if someone hasn't linked it already
http://www.meeaudio.com/CMB-BAL-SET


----------



## Matrix Petka

AvijitSingh said:


> I am Interested in the sony players but don't know what to choose, I am trying to figure out what to choose between the ZX2/300/1a. I am in Canada. the only option used here is the zx2, and am not sure if I should go for that considering its age and UI(700CAd/550USD), the Zx300 is yet to come out here(800CAD), and If I go with the 1a I would need to wait a few month and try and buy it from another HF user.
> I currently have the CA Andromeda and the CA Orion.
> 
> and for 4.4mm cable this may be an option if someone hasn't linked it already
> http://www.meeaudio.com/CMB-BAL-SET



Sound-vise 1A it is superior. If for you it is important streaming (Tidal, Spotify) and DAC function 1A it is not for you - then go for ZX300.


----------



## bana

I have reached my audio Nirvana, 1Z with 2.0, and my EE Zeus XR, 4.4mm. I can listen for hours and don't feel fatigued. 

I will be back to this site in five years, as I 


 can't see it getting much.


----------



## AnakChan (Nov 13, 2017)

kms108 said:


> Can someone who is located in Japan Tokyo advice where to get those right angle pentaconn male plugs (OFC and NON OFC), I know e-earphones in akihabara does not stock them, only their other shops in other location have them, can they be transferred, and are there other shops stock them.
> 
> Thanks


http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopd...000000152184&search=pentaconn&sort=price_desc

It's available in e-earphone's Nagoya & Osaka's EST shop. If no shops in Tokyo have them, you may as well ship from other e-earphone stores then?


----------



## Dithyrambes

AvijitSingh said:


> I am Interested in the sony players but don't know what to choose, I am trying to figure out what to choose between the ZX2/300/1a. I am in Canada. the only option used here is the zx2, and am not sure if I should go for that considering its age and UI(700CAd/550USD), the Zx300 is yet to come out here(800CAD), and If I go with the 1a I would need to wait a few month and try and buy it from another HF user.
> I currently have the CA Andromeda and the CA Orion.
> 
> and for 4.4mm cable this may be an option if someone hasn't linked it already
> http://www.meeaudio.com/CMB-BAL-SET



Havent heard zx300 but all are good for the andromeda. If you have no problem with dealing with a little hiss, the zx2+andromeda combo is quite amazing.


----------



## AvijitSingh

Matrix Petka said:


> Sound-vise 1A it is superior. If for you it is important streaming (Tidal, Spotify) and DAC function 1A it is not for you - then go for ZX300.


 I thought zx300 doesn't support tidal and Spotify


----------



## Dithyrambes

Use can use as otg with your phone or usb with pc for dac mode


----------



## kms108

AnakChan said:


> http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopd...000000152184&search=pentaconn&sort=price_desc
> 
> It's available in e-earphone's Nagoya & Osaka's EST shop. If no shops in Tokyo have them, you may as well ship from other e-earphone stores then?


Thanks for the reply, I will be stationed in tokyo, but will be driving towards fukushima on a side trip, I do prefer to buy from a shop as I will need 2-3 cables to be reterminated.


----------



## AnakChan

kms108 said:


> Thanks for the reply, I will be stationed in tokyo, but will be driving towards fukushima on a side trip, I do prefer to buy from a shop as I will need 2-3 cables to be reterminated.


I see...Not certain how much time you'll have in Tokyo however if you're prepared to wait, you can ask the AKB shop order from the Nagoya/Osaka EST and one of those shops will deliver to the AKB store. They ship stuff between stores regularly. Unfortunately that's the only way I can think of how you can get the 90deg Pentaconn.


----------



## kms108 (Nov 13, 2017)

AnakChan said:


> I see...Not certain how much time you'll have in Tokyo however if you're prepared to wait, you can ask the AKB shop order from the Nagoya/Osaka EST and one of those shops will deliver to the AKB store. They ship stuff between stores regularly. Unfortunately that's the only way I can think of how you can get the 90deg Pentaconn.



Thanks I have approximate 10 full days in Japan, arrivel on the 6 just before midnight, and leave tokyo on the 16th before midnight.

I think there is a shop in nakano, do you think they also sell them and do retermination for cables.


----------



## sne4me

Why would someone want to terminate with pentaconn. Wouldnt you need to recable the whole device and run seperate negatives to each side?


----------



## kms108

sne4me said:


> Why would someone want to terminate with pentaconn. Wouldnt you need to recable the whole device and run seperate negatives to each side?



reterminate a cable to support the use of the balance on the DAP.


----------



## AvijitSingh

Why not try the MEE audio Cable its $99 comes with it is a straight 2.5mm connector with 90 degree pentacon, 3.5mm un/balanced adaptors


----------



## CobraVerde

rhull1973 said:


> Back in business on the 2.0 firmware.  Not sure what caused the weird boot loop, but running the 1.2 update while it was stuck re-booting, and then rebuilding the database appears to have fixed it.  Whew!



Heya how did you get a chance to update the FW? My WM1Z is in a reboot loop and it can’t even mount the internal storage.


----------



## rhull1973 (Nov 13, 2017)

CobraVerde said:


> Heya how did you get a chance to update the FW? My WM1Z is in a reboot loop and it can’t even mount the internal storage.



I just ran the 1.2 fw update while it was stuck in the boot loop. It took a couple of tries, but eventually started to update.  The internal storage would mount, but unmount as it rebooted.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Definitely Boots up faster now with FW 2.0 despite having a fully loaded memry card and internal memory


----------



## AnakChan

kms108 said:


> Thanks I have approximate 10 full days in Japan, arrivel on the 6 just before midnight, and leave tokyo on the 16th before midnight.
> 
> I think there is a shop in nakano, do you think they also sell them and do retermination for cables.



You're most likely referring to Fujiya Avic in Nakano. I've not seen them sell the Pentaconns and they don't offer re-termination services. If you're serious about getting the Pentaconn right angle, ping me offline. Maybe I can go to Akihabara after work today and ask/order the Pentaconn to be delivered from Osaka/Nagoya to Tokyo - it usually only takes like 2 days.

The re-termination services OTOH may be more difficult. Once I asked, and they were so busy they told me to come back 3 weeks later.



AvijitSingh said:


> sne4me said:
> 
> 
> > Why would someone want to terminate with pentaconn. Wouldnt you need to recable the whole device and run seperate negatives to each side?
> ...



Firstly about Pentaconn, or let's generalise it to 4.4mm 5-pole. Personally to my preference, this is a much more logical connector than 2.5mm whereby it's small and at least early on its debut few years back, unreliable. Even now, if making/soldering, it's a PITA to work with. The 4.4mm 5-pole is more robust and has a proper earth available.

Secondly, about the Mee, I've only seen it but not listened to it and aesthetically/logically I can see why they opt to use the 2.5mm as the base but I don't know much about the cable. If I were to go for a ready-made solution then I'd personally go for the Dita Truth Replacement Cable as I'm more familiar with their Van Den Hul cables where the 4.4mm/2.5mm/3.5mm connectors are a lock-on.


----------



## NaiveSound

Anyone got lcd x around here? Or lcd XC, anyone try it with wm1a?


----------



## kms108

AnakChan said:


> You're most likely referring to Fujiya Avic in Nakano. I've not seen them sell the Pentaconns and they don't offer re-termination services. If you're serious about getting the Pentaconn right angle, ping me offline. Maybe I can go to Akihabara after work today and ask/order the Pentaconn to be delivered from Osaka/Nagoya to Tokyo - it usually only takes like 2 days.
> 
> The re-termination services OTOH may be more difficult. Once I asked, and they were so busy they told me to come back 3 weeks later.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply, I will visiting them on the 7th december, as I need to visit the Sony repair center in akb to have my ZX2 glass replaced, if it only takes 2 days for a transfer, then i should have enough time, but worried about the 3 week time frame for reterminate, I think someone on the thread had one done in a couple of hours.

about the mee cable, i would rather get a silver plated OFC cable already reterminated with 4.4mm at only USD 43 from china, the mee looks ugly.


----------



## CobraVerde

rhull1973 said:


> I just ran the 1.2 fw update while it was stuck in the boot loop. It took a couple of tries, but eventually started to update.  The internal storage would mount, but unmount as it rebooted.



It’s not even booting past the waves lines for me ah man look like I am gonna have to RMA it.


----------



## rhull1973

CobraVerde said:


> It’s not even booting past the waves lines for me ah man look like I am gonna have to RMA it.


Mine wouldn’t boot past the waves either. I’m using a Mac. The fw updated eventually took.


----------



## animalsrush (Nov 13, 2017)

rhull1973 said:


> Mine wouldn’t boot past the waves either. I’m using a Mac. The fw updated eventually took.



I just updated my wm1z  on my MacBook Pro running high Sierra and the whole process including install and boot took about 2-3 mins top. No issues. So far I can’t tell whole lot of difference in sound signature  but it seems volume just got louder a bit.. had to reduce by 7 clicks from fw 1.02..

Pc


----------



## sbho1

Matrix Petka said:


> What it is wrong for your ears?



I think there is no right or wrong, it is entirely depending on what head phone, ear phone you use to asses the sound signature of a player.
Let me share my experiences with all the Sony flagship products that I have with me:-

FW 1.20 ... my 1Z is well match with Sony headphone Z1R ... the sound is very musical, clear and non fatigue , I am sure many also agree with this, but  it is not well match with Sony ear phone Z5... too much bass when play with 1Z, but pretty ok with Sony Z2 player.

Now FW 2.0 ...my 1Z no longer sound great with Z1R , bass is reduce as a result seems quite bright , fatigue, no longer musical. But now the Z5 sound great with the FW 2.0... quite musical, clear no doubt, and non fatigue.

Now you see why I advocate for Sony .... see my post # 16290, and # 16308 .....


----------



## CobraVerde

rhull1973 said:


> Mine wouldn’t boot past the waves either. I’m using a Mac. The fw updated eventually took.


Ok cool will try in on a Mac


rhull1973 said:


> Mine wouldn’t boot past the waves either. I’m using a Mac. The fw updated eventually took.



I cool I will give it a go with a Mac “fingers crossed” with windows the drive doesn’t show up at all but then I wonder if it’s because I have turned of auto mounting. Did yours have it enabled before the reboots?


----------



## rhull1973

CobraVerde said:


> Ok cool will try in on a Mac
> 
> 
> I cool I will give it a go with a Mac “fingers crossed” with windows the drive doesn’t show up at all but then I wonder if it’s because I have turned of auto mounting. Did yours have it enabled before the reboots?


Yes it did. The 2.0 fw updater wouldn’t work while it was stuck in the boot loop. The 1.2 did.  Took a couple of tries.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Whitigir said:


> The 1Z not only have copper chassis.  People have to get it into their head.
> 
> 1Z has 7 more Fine sound resistors which are top of the summit in audio quality components.  1A has MELF
> 
> ...



So 7 more fine sound resistors, FT capacitors, and kimber kable wiring which you deem inferior to your own cables.....that lead to better sound quality is.........2000 dollars worth? WM1A also has these components and they are similar in the balanced output....so I dont' really see how a couple resistors make such an increase in sound quality. How come desktop units don't use these "summit quality" components(like please they are really nothing like cinemag transformers or lundahl transformers) I don't get the logic, and again its like regurgitating Sony's marketing. In your own words it can't beat a pha-3 with an awesomesauce cable...so much for summit quality components. Will the PHA-3 sound better if its placed in a copper gold plated chassis?

I don't believe putting totl dac components in a copper chassis makes a difference. If it was that easy, then everyone would have done it by now....and charge 10000 dollars for a gold plated chassis at which point people would call you snakeoil insane.

Since its produced in bulk, I'm sure the BoM for these resistors and components you speak of is ridiculously low and sony would still be making money from wm1a by putting those instead.

Sony marketed the chassis(which seems to be hard and expensive to make as being a huge part of the difference in sound signature and you yourself say its an icing on the cake. Yes it has a premium heaviness and build quality and if that matters for you to have a gold brick...pay up the 2k. Its the only thing that makes me think it should make the cost difference.

Seeing the fluctuation in sound signature from just a firmware update.....its mostly in the software....and do it on purpose just to create a premium market. I don't know why people can't use to sound reasoning instead of believing all the marketing hype.


----------



## superuser1

Dithyrambes said:


> So 7 more fine sound resistors, FT capacitors, and kimber kable wiring which you deem inferior to your own cables.....that lead to better sound quality is.........2000 dollars worth? WM1A also has these components and they are similar in the balanced output....so I dont' really see how a couple resistors make such an increase in sound quality. How come desktop units don't use these "summit quality" components(like please they are really nothing like cinemag transformers or lundahl transformers) I don't get the logic, and again its like regurgitating Sony's marketing. In your own words it can't beat a pha-3 with an awesomesauce cable...so much for summit quality components. Will the PHA-3 sound better if its placed in a copper gold plated chassis?
> 
> I don't believe putting totl dac components in a copper chassis makes a difference. If it was that easy, then everyone would have done it by now....and charge 10000 dollars for a gold plated chassis at which point people would call you snakeoil insane.
> 
> ...


That is why we are presented with a choice of buying into the snake oil or not. You obviously don't buy into it while other find absolutely aural pleasure in such pursuits. To each their own as someone already so succinctly said.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 13, 2017)

Dithyrambes said:


> So 7 more fine sound resistors, FT capacitors, and kimber kable wiring which you deem inferior to your own cables.....that lead to better sound quality is.........2000 dollars worth? WM1A also has these components and they are similar in the balanced output....so I dont' really see how a couple resistors make such an increase in sound quality. How come desktop units don't use these "summit quality" components(like please they are really nothing like cinemag transformers or lundahl transformers) I don't get the logic, and again its like regurgitating Sony's marketing. In your own words it can't beat a pha-3 with an awesomesauce cable...so much for summit quality components. Will the PHA-3 sound better if its placed in a copper gold plated chassis?
> 
> I don't believe putting totl dac components in a copper chassis makes a difference. If it was that easy, then everyone would have done it by now....and charge 10000 dollars for a gold plated chassis at which point people would call you snakeoil insane.
> 
> ...



$2000 dollars worth ? Do you know Howmuch Kimber Axios Silver MSRP is ? And there are countless of similar pricing....just cables alone.

Who said Desktop Amplifiers don’t use these Fine Sound Resistors ? They do, and Sony confirmed that.  Don’t ask me which one, if you are curious enough, you will have find it already.

Have you ever worked with Amplifiers ? Electronic devices ? Make it, fix it ? I have, and I can tell you the most plain example of the latest experiences I had making my Stax T2.  Do you even know what it take to have Minimum Noises, minimize oscillation problems, and to get a good working amplifier ? The components, the Resistors, the insulation....all that little things that you would think “oh, it doesn’t matter”.  This, given everything were designed, materialized by the legendary Kevin Gilmore, and I simply just work on it.  Yes, everything had to be meticulously checked over and over again..it matters that much.

Copper chassis or whatever materials it was made from won’t matter, if the conductivity conditions are met, and more often than not, Desktop Amplifiers or DAC has several KG by Alumnium Chassis Mass.  Do you know why High Voltage Street Cables are Alumnium ? And why do they conduct so well while lasting under severe conditions for years ? You need to research more into those that “oh, it doesn’t matter”.  Then you will understand why for such little Devices like DAP, with their little power pack, and amplification stages to be affected so much by the so called “materials”.....Large Amplifiers Do too, if you don’t meet it conditions.

Does it matter How much you can buy “parts” ? Nope, you can buy all the parts for Wm1Z for as little as $700, and that is said, you go out, design your own chassis, ask a custom place to CNC milling the copper chassis for you, and gold plating it.  Have you ever tried ? I have, and it is not as cheap as you think.  Then again, does all the parts automatically assemble itself and bring you the WM1Z in operation ? The kind of “Avengers, Assembles!” Stuff ? Only in the movies.

Nothing hardware alone can operate, that is why there are Programers.  Show me any computers, anything hardware that has 0 programs in it to Execute complicated command prompts.  Programs are inside everything in modern technology, even in you car, your motorcycles.....etc....Programs can be written by Mechanicals meanings, or coding in software , regardless....Programing is the “Soul” of your device.  Now, you wonder why “Firmware” can affect the sound quality ? From the moment your Audio were recorded, was the moment the programs had to be there and working.  Software from the beginning to the playback ....to everything else, yes...for god sake, Firmware always affect your sound quality.  The apps that you uses to playback music as well.

Do you ever modify cars ? Make it more powerful, turbo, nos, kind of stuff ? Then you know a “tune” is super important, without a good tuner, your car will run like crap, still run, but crappy, and then it won’t even last your while.  All a tune and a tuner is, but a simple program to take all codings, conditions and programmed by an experienced programmer....Magic happens....yes....Programs are the soul of the devices

Now, back to the Hardware, does it matter ? Ask yourself, how does a transistor work, what can affect it and make it more efficient or less efficient ? Why did it take us so long to have achieve the Processing Power of these Silicone based chips in our modern age ? Remember windows 95 and your computer processing power ? Yes, everything matters.

Software is the “soul” of the device, and Hardware is the body of it

But let me just make this the final explanations The last one, because, if you do work on your own stuff, and know about these things, you wouldn’t be asking such questions.


----------



## productred

Dithyrambes said:


> So 7 more fine sound resistors, FT capacitors, and kimber kable wiring which you deem inferior to your own cables.....that lead to better sound quality is.........2000 dollars worth? WM1A also has these components and they are similar in the balanced output....so I dont' really see how a couple resistors make such an increase in sound quality. How come desktop units don't use these "summit quality" components(like please they are really nothing like cinemag transformers or lundahl transformers) I don't get the logic, and again its like regurgitating Sony's marketing. In your own words it can't beat a pha-3 with an awesomesauce cable...so much for summit quality components. Will the PHA-3 sound better if its placed in a copper gold plated chassis?
> 
> I don't believe putting totl dac components in a copper chassis makes a difference. If it was that easy, then everyone would have done it by now....and charge 10000 dollars for a gold plated chassis at which point people would call you snakeoil insane.
> 
> ...





Whitigir said:


> $2000 dollars worth ? Do you know Howmuch Kimber Axios Silver MSRP is ? And there are countless of similar pricing....just cables alone.
> 
> Who said Desktop Amplifiers don’t use these Fine Sound Resistors ? They do, and Sony confirmed that.  Don’t ask me which one, if you are curious enough, you will have find it already.
> 
> ...




Well said @Whitigir can't put it better than how you did it.

Just want to add:

1. Marketing is one thing, marketing hype is another. Every product needs marketing to sell well. Sony is a huge company, and their products need to sell well. Of all the marketing on head-fi products we have seen over the years, the WM1Z is something with the LEAST hype coming from the brand itself. Everything they said about how they finetune the 1Z into a premium product makes good sense and is very down to earth (esp when comparing to AK.....). How they are willing to share the internals of their players for people to judge themselves whether they are worth their hard earned cash is a testiment of how confident they are with their creations.

2. Premium audio products are in a niche market. Just like any other top products in niche markets, their sale performance in terms of units sold would never be too high - people but for the most hardcore head-fiers would always look for products with better C/P ratio, better value with slightly compromised performance. That's part of the reason why a PREMIUM have to be charged, not just the sum of all the extra costs in production, in order to justify the release. Simple economic sense.

3. One resistor in the circuitory means worlds of difference if done right. 7 more/different resistors can mean a wholly different universe. Taking iems as examples - all brands out there uses more or less the same makes of BAs............while the sound bores and chambers do matter, the most important factor that differentiates the sound performance between all those different iems out there must be the internal crossover circuitory, which consists of mainly - yes you guess it - resistors and capacitors.


----------



## AnakChan

A few posts have been moderated. Please move on from the current thread and refrain from further personal attacks.


----------



## neptunegarand

I was dead set on getting the I basso dx200 but now I'm reconsidering the Sony Range. Its simply the balanced output which I doubt I will use causing me to be indecisive but right now I'm considering three to four 4 high end DAPS. Will read through the entire thread at some point!


----------



## nanaholic (Nov 14, 2017)

Dithyrambes said:


> I don't believe putting totl dac components in a copper chassis makes a difference. If it was that easy, then everyone would have done it by now....and charge 10000 dollars for a gold plated chassis at which point people would call you snakeoil insane.



AK did it first (putting TOTL dac components into chassis of different material and then charge a premium), and nobody called them crazy - at least not at this level where every now and then someone comes on a full rant on how "it doesn't work".  In fact AK is probably the top DAP brand currently.  So go figure?

I don't know why but it seems Sony is the only one who gets this level of scrutiny with the whole chassis thing.


----------



## Blueoris

It will be interesting to know how close the 1A can get to the 1Z by using 1A EQ, with the same song and headphones. What if there is a EQ setting that reduces the sonic differences between the two? Or, what if after measuring the frequency response of each DAP one tries to match their values using EQ's settings on both DAPS until they measure very close, and then, play the same song on the same headphones and see if the acoustic difference is still the same between the two models.

I *think* both DAP's are tuned different in their DSP algorithms. One for reference and other for a rich sound. I also think that if you swap the DSP tuning between the two models while keeping their electronic components and chassis, the 1A won't sound like the 1Z and the 1Z won't sound like the 1A.


----------



## Matrix Petka

AvijitSingh said:


> I thought zx300 doesn't support tidal and Spotify



It does, even MQA streaming.


----------



## Matrix Petka

neptunegarand said:


> I was dead set on getting the I basso dx200 but now I'm reconsidering the Sony Range. Its simply the balanced output which I doubt I will use causing me to be indecisive but right now I'm considering three to four 4 high end DAPS. Will read through the entire thread at some point!



IBasso DX200 - I auditioned it. Nothing to compare with Sony.
4 high end DAPs - which ones?


----------



## Matrix Petka

Blueoris said:


> It will be interesting to know how close the 1A can get to the 1Z by using 1A EQ, with the same song and headphones. What if there is a EQ setting that reduces the sonic differences between the two? Or, what if after measuring the frequency response of each DAP one tries to match their values using EQ's settings on both DAPS until they measure very close, and then, play the same song on the same headphones and see if the acoustic difference is still the same between the two models.
> 
> I *think* both DAP's are tuned different in their DSP algorithms. One for reference and other for a rich sound. I also think that if you swap the DSP tuning between the two models while keeping their electronic components and chassis, the 1A won't sound like the 1Z and the 1Z won't sound like the 1A.



Not only EQ - filtering, signal modulation, etc. A lot of things in software are changing sound signature. Only changing all software can give good result. Then in theory 1A can sound about 70-80 of 1Z.


----------



## Matrix Petka

sbho1 said:


> I think there is no right or wrong, it is entirely depending on what head phone, ear phone you use to asses the sound signature of a player.
> Let me share my experiences with all the Sony flagship products that I have with me:-
> 
> FW 1.20 ... my 1Z is well match with Sony headphone Z1R ... the sound is very musical, clear and non fatigue , I am sure many also agree with this, but  it is not well match with Sony ear phone Z5... too much bass when play with 1Z, but pretty ok with Sony Z2 player.
> ...



Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Of course I agree - all depends on equipment and ... ears.  Was asking just to know more about people preferences in sound.


----------



## Kervsky

Matrix Petka said:


> It does, even MQA streaming.



No it doesn't support tidal or spotify, mqa streaming is via Bluetooth to your headset using ldac (mqa = smaller file size, with hi res data for your ears transported easily/completely through ldac)


----------



## Matrix Petka

Matrix Petka said:


> It does, even MQA streaming.



Sorry, I was wrong. Thank you Kervsky for pointing at my mistake.


----------



## blazinblazin

Dithyrambes said:


> So 7 more fine sound resistors, FT capacitors, and kimber kable wiring which you deem inferior to your own cables.....that lead to better sound quality is.........2000 dollars worth? WM1A also has these components and they are similar in the balanced output....so I dont' really see how a couple resistors make such an increase in sound quality. How come desktop units don't use these "summit quality" components(like please they are really nothing like cinemag transformers or lundahl transformers) I don't get the logic, and again its like regurgitating Sony's marketing. In your own words it can't beat a pha-3 with an awesomesauce cable...so much for summit quality components. Will the PHA-3 sound better if its placed in a copper gold plated chassis?
> 
> I don't believe putting totl dac components in a copper chassis makes a difference. If it was that easy, then everyone would have done it by now....and charge 10000 dollars for a gold plated chassis at which point people would call you snakeoil insane.
> 
> ...



Regarding copper chasis. 
Acoustune HS1551 CU and HS1501 AL, both are IEMs , everything is the same except chamber part. But they sounds different.

Of cause due to different application, different materials will have different effect in the DAP. You cannot deny they causes 0 sound difference. Also 1Z uses better components too. That would definately have some effect.


----------



## Matrix Petka

blazinblazin said:


> Regarding copper chasis.
> Acoustune HS1551 CU and HS1501 AL, both are IEMs , everything is the same except chamber part. But they sounds different.
> 
> Of cause due to different application, different materials will have different effect in the DAP. You cannot deny they causes 0 sound difference. Also 1Z uses better components too. That would definately have some effect.



Free idea for Sony  Next top tier DAP chassis made from silver. End of the game 
We can argue about price and components without end. But - BEST is always enemy of GOOD. And vice versa. All prices are unfair finally.  Because we get unfair salary, and pay unfair prices. On other hand, I am willing to spend more on things which make me happy.


----------



## Mathieulh

Whitigir said:


> The 1Z not only have copper chassis.  People have to get it into their head.
> 
> 1Z has 7 more Fine sound resistors which are top of the summit in audio quality components.  1A has MELF
> 
> ...



Err.. Not to kill your mood, but I've seen both motherboards side by side and aside from the kimber cable wirings, they were 100% identical.


----------



## productred (Nov 14, 2017)

Mathieulh said:


> Err.. Not to kill your mood, but I've seen both motherboards side by side and aside from the kimber cable wirings, they were 100% identical.



Funny that. Many of us her have seen those motherboards (or at least side-by-side shots of them) and it is actually more difficult NOT to spot the differences. To be fair the single end side looks largely similar, but flip it over to the balanced side and even an untrained eye can pick out the different components in a split second.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna (Nov 14, 2017)

Blueoris said:


> It will be interesting to know how close the 1A can get to the 1Z by using 1A EQ, with the same song and headphones. What if there is a EQ setting that reduces the sonic differences between the two? Or, what if after measuring the frequency response of each DAP one tries to match their values using EQ's settings on both DAPS until they measure very close, and then, play the same song on the same headphones and see if the acoustic difference is still the same between the two models.
> 
> I *think* both DAP's are tuned different in their DSP algorithms. One for reference and other for a rich sound. I also think that if you swap the DSP tuning between the two models while keeping their electronic components and chassis, the 1A won't sound like the 1Z and the 1Z won't sound like the 1A.



As far as I know both devices use the exact same software. And some people (like me) used a tool to unlock the volume cap, using different regions of firmware. When they release an update, (like they did recently) they release a common one.

And why would they release a version that costs 2000USD more and weights almost 2x. Doesn't make any sense to me. And I'm not sure whether you can make a DAP "better" with just a few DSP touches. 1Z definitely sounds better and by saying better I'm saying it has more resolution, more dynamism, more transparency, better bass and better extending treble.

Let's say the bass is stronger and incredible just because of DSP. What about the others? It wouldn't have been this better with just DSP tuning.


----------



## Mathieulh (Nov 14, 2017)

productred said:


> Funny that. Many of us her have seen those motherboards (or at least side-by-side shots of them) and it is actually more difficult NOT to spot the differences. To be fair the single end side looks largely similar, but flip it over to the balanced side and even an untrained eye can pick out the different components in a split second.


They are exposed for all to see at the Sony Ginza store and at Yodobashi Akiba (in Tokyo), so I've seen at least 4 different boards (2 for each walkman) and they looked strictly identical, only the wires and chassis were different.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Mathieulh said:


> Err.. Not to kill your mood, but I've seen both motherboards side by side and aside from the kimber cable wirings, they were 100% identical.



Schematics identical, but some different capacitors and resistors. Have a better look.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Mathieulh said:


> They are exposed for all to see at the Sony Ginza store and at Yodobashi Akiba (in Tokyo), so I've seen at least 4 different boards (2 for each walkman) and they looked strictly identical, only the wires and chassis were different.



Devil hides in small details


----------



## proedros

so the new FW turns 1a into 1z-sounding and vice versa ?


----------



## Lemieux66

proedros said:


> so the new FW turns 1a into 1z-sounding and vice versa ?



I think a more subtle way to say it would be that the FW moves the two DAPs closer together in presentation, whilst still maintaining a difference between them. Having said that, I've never heard a 1Z and am just going by what's been said here. Also don't forget some people have reported little or no change in their DAP with FW 2.0.


----------



## Mathieulh

Matrix Petka said:


> Schematics identical, but some different capacitors and resistors. Have a better look.


I did, I recall they were identical down to the motherboard identification number.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

No change in mine with 2.0


----------



## Matrix Petka

Mathieulh said:


> They are exposed for all to see at the Sony Ginza store and at Yodobashi Akiba (in Tokyo), so I've seen at least 4 different boards (2 for each walkman) and they looked strictly identical, only the wires and chassis were different.



For your convenience - motherboards in one place. Look at capacitors and resistors.


----------



## Mathieulh

Matrix Petka said:


> For your convenience - motherboards in one place. Look at capacitors and resistors.


Hum... you are right, some capacitors seem different in your pictures, it's odd that they would keep using the same motherboard IDs on both units though.


----------



## nanaholic

Mathieulh said:


> Hum... you are right, some capacitors seem different in your pictures, it's odd that they would keep using the same motherboard IDs on both units though.



Nothing strange about that, it just means that the PCB layout is the same for both models, which it is.


----------



## NaiveSound

I might just keep this wm1a... Maybe with a lcx x. It will be funner? 

Having a tough tine selling it at 850,even tho is virtually new.  Anyone have experience with lcd x and wm1a?


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 14, 2017)

I am going to have some new toys in today.  Nothing super expensive, but very exciting, the new *Bluetooth ATH-DSR9BT.*

Direct Digital drives and make use of Wm1Z AptX HD.  Well, I have no interests in Bluetooth until now, and what ticked the boxes are ofcourse *AptXHD And Direct Digital drives*.

This technology is using D-note chips, and *instead of converting Digital signals to Analog, then amplification and then drive the Drivers.  The Chip instead will output Digital signals into the voice coil and move the voice coils by Digital signals*

This is very very exciting, and I think we are going to approach a “next generation” of wireless very soon.  The limited factors of audio quality were : amplifications and efficiency, and DAC quality.  This new technology seems to taken good care of those limited factors, and only leave out the Headphones designs itself.



The technology not only allow pure signals to the drivers itself, but is also separated signals line with each independent channel separately.

Knowing ATH for a while, I hope this will be my first successful hit in Bluetooth headphones, traveling companion and tangle free.

For more information, you can visit this website here
https://www.trigence.com/

This is the first in the market that fully utilize the design of Multiple Windings on the Voice-Coil to fully taken advantages of the Direct Digital Drive Technology.  4X windings on the Voice-Coil itself


----------



## gerelmx1986

Just been reading the ZX300 forum and also the same issue of endless rebooting loop. 

Make sure, before updating your WM1 x or Zx300, to *remove the micro SD card *from the device and just leave the internal storage active.


----------



## proedros

why is this so ? does the sd card cause bugs ? is it confirmed ?


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> I am going to have some new toys in today.  Nothing super expensive, but very exciting, the new *Bluetooth ATH-DSR9BT.*
> 
> Direct Digital drives and make use of Wm1Z AptX HD.  Well, I have no interests in Bluetooth until now, and what ticked the boxes are ofcourse *AptXHD And Direct Digital drives*.
> 
> ...



VERY interesting. Waiting for review. Please share.


----------



## gerelmx1986

By chance I removed my micro SD from the device, to do the tagging experiments and I updated and all went smooth


----------



## Matrix Petka

NaiveSound said:


> I might just keep this wm1a... Maybe with a lcx x. It will be funner?
> 
> Having a tough tine selling it at 850,even tho is virtually new.  Anyone have experience with lcd x and wm1a?



Keep it. After week or two you will buy me the drink for this advice


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> why is this so ? does the sd card cause bugs ? is it confirmed ?


I think because two storage devices are active on the Walkman, it may cause updater program confusion when doing installation


----------



## kms108

So far with the WM1A you can reflash a older F/W to get it back to normal, but the Zx300, they only have 1 F/W, so far it's not going well, may be someone from here can help out over there.


----------



## kms108

proedros said:


> why is this so ? does the sd card cause bugs ? is it confirmed ?


With many phones flashing with a memory card will also cause problems.


----------



## aisalen

Matrix Petka said:


> Hi! I was among first who changed into 2.0 and happy about changes. There was my short impressions.


I updated mine with 200gb sdcard inside, and it went smoothly.


----------



## Kervsky

gerelmx1986 said:


> Just been reading the ZX300 forum and also the same issue of endless rebooting loop.
> 
> Make sure, before updating your WM1 x or Zx300, to *remove the micro SD card *from the device and just leave the internal storage active.



I updated mine through mediago with my card inside, it didn't boot loop. My xard is a sandisk 128gb. If that could have a bearing on the boot loop/no boot loop update.


----------



## Mathieulh

I updated my ZX300 with the SD card inside (while connected as mass storage to the PC) and I didn't have any issue, I used the standalone update.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think because two storage devices are active on the Walkman, it may cause updater program confusion when doing installation



I updated with the SD card in place and had no problems


----------



## gerelmx1986

I just did it just un case


----------



## kms108

Sometimes a memory card can affect a F/W flash, but usually alright with OTA update. anyway its better safe than sorry.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Redcarmoose said:


> _*
> Sit Down.....................
> *_



Nice captivating photos of the lovely brazen golden hussy the 1Z, she is betiful and regardless of sound and the extra ton of weight is why I would want her in gold as just reminds me so much of the ES Hi-Fi range of last 20 years.
Eye for detail yet done with reasoning and not just for the sake of it.



Gibraltar said:


> Evolution
> 
> I remember those days!
> My Sony Walkman of past cassette, md and then hdd before the current flash Memory players would of been a nice line up for a photo and now to a degree regret selling them over the last several years.
> Had a few back in the day by Toshiba, aiwa and Panasonic when all the big boys were Japanese back then but always found myself coming back round to a Sony player. Not saying they have always got it right on the sound front but as for ergonomics and design they done some really nice stuff down the years.





Whitigir said:


> That is why I am a Sony Fan  .  Sony, the father of all things Digital, and when they are serious about what they do, it is always good.....except Xperia phones, but that is another matter





gerelmx1986 said:


> Totally agree, i have an xperia and it sucks, eyeing on the future going for samsung



Which xperia are we talking about? As a phone the new XZ premium has surpassed my expectations. For music still only so, so my HTC m9 sounded better but as a phone the xz premium Sony have finally got it right on their xperia range. 



Matrix Petka said:


> Latest upgrade of my gear.
> Graphene 42mm drivers, American walnut hand crafted earcups, natural leather earpads with acoustic wents, pure silver wiring inside, balanced silver litz cable. Very light 296g. Metal parts will be upgraded soon.



Nice,  what ohm are they again?


----------



## kms108

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Nice captivating photos of the lovely brazen golden hussy the 1Z, she is betiful and regardless of sound and the extra ton of weight is why I would want her in gold as just reminds me so much of the ES Hi-Fi range of last 20 years.
> Eye for detail yet done with reasoning and not just for the sake of it.



I actually like the colour in the photo, and not the actual gold colour on the unit.


----------



## Matrix Petka

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Nice,  what ohm are they again?



Impedance - 32Ohm. Auditioning - impressions will be later. By now - WOW factor present


----------



## Turrican2

aisalen said:


> I updated mine with 200gb sdcard inside, and it went smoothly.



Ditto - 200GB SD card and it updated just fine without removing it.


----------



## Lemieux66

Updated through MediaGo with a cheap 64gb card inside. No issues.


----------



## Whitigir

So, I got the headphones here ! The first “advanced Bluetooth” headphones that I actually really welcome into my world


 

The pairing was super easy, flipped a Switch, LED started blinking, then connected to 1Z very simple.  1Z will display “AptX HD” and so does the headphones and it LED

The build quality ? It look very sleek, nice and dare I say portable enough for a Bluetooth headphones.  It is over the ears type, and is relatively small with the pads.  It barely really cover Over my entires ears, I can’t help but wonder about people with bigger sizes.

There is carrying case for the headphones, and the little one for USB cables.  There is No analog connections, you can plug the phones wired into your devices but using USB cables.  It will charge and be used together as well. 

Why no 3.5mm connection ? Direct Digital Drive, there is no DAC inside 



 

The constructions is mainly plastic, some Alumnium and aluminum bands with P.leather.


----------



## Lemieux66

@Whitigir Did you never warm to the MDR-1000X? They have LDAC with very good noise cancelling. Using them right now with my new Xperia XZ Compact.

With this new technology it's still the actual drive units that are the weak link as in all systems.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 14, 2017)

Lemieux66 said:


> @Whitigir Did you never warm to the MDR-1000X? They have LDAC with very good noise cancelling. Using them right now with my new Xperia XZ Compact.
> 
> With this new technology it's still the actual drive units that are the weak link as in all systems.



I was opened to 1kX and spent couple days with it, but it sounded horrible and the noise canceling function is which I could never dealt with.  Every NC phones or IEMS I tried, they always have those constant sub-harmonic drones when NC is turned on, and it induces sick feelings to me, personally.

Now, the Drivers on this ATH Headphones is actually from the MSR-7 technology, I have never asked ATH about this, which I will later

It was a while ago, but I remember which quickly turned me off from it was the lack of clean and authoritative bass lines, then the muddy sub bass which I couldn’t tolerate.

This ATH sounds nothing similar to that.  In fact, I am grinning ears to ears, except the brightness and the trebles may be a bit too overwhelming for some people ?


----------



## PCheung (Nov 14, 2017)

Mathieulh said:


> Hum... you are right, some capacitors seem different in your pictures, it's odd that they would keep using the same motherboard IDs on both units though.



You can spot some difference between 1A and 1Z form this photo on Sony Japan website


----------



## gerelmx1986

Then this is odd issue with fw updater, who knows what causes the looping, fortunately mine went with no issues


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> I was opened to 1kX and spent couple days with it, but it sounded horrible and the noise canceling function is which I could never dealt with.  Every NC phones or IEMS I tried, they always have those constant sub-harmonic drones when NC is turned on, and it induces sick feelings to me, personally.
> 
> Now, the Drivers on this ATH Headphones is actually from the MSR-7 technology, I have never asked ATH about this, which I will later
> 
> ...



Congratulations for new toy. Maybe you know (or can ask ATH) - according to their advertisement and picture it is showing that digital signal (0-1-0) it is going to the multi-coil in the driver. By the theory it should give just kind of "shhhhhhhh" noise.  Anyway curious what you will hear. Hoping for good


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 14, 2017)

I know that I will have to burn-in this Headphones, But so far it sounds pretty good.  The sound signature overall is very transparent, crisp, with great clean sub-bass and punchy mid bass, vocal is a bit on the bright sides, and everything from the lower mid into highs are into a bit brighter signatures.  Trebles textures are strong, sharps, detailed, good speed, but can be sibilants.  What strike me most is the quality and quantity of the bass spectrum, being closed back Headphones, small form, still deliver such powerful punches, clean rumbles, and ofcourse there will be reverberated due to the closed back constructions, but it only slightly emphasizes the sub bass and low bass by a tad bit.  Overall, I would say that it is surprisingly clean, powerful, precise, and balanced Bass performances for it kind, closed back design.  No bleeding into any other spectrums or lower mid, very minimal distortions, it is rather surprisingly Clean

Soundstage, well.....can’t compare to anything open-back for sure, but surprisingly good, cues of positioning is still pretty vivid, and well, don’t go expect anything crazy as MDR-Z1R soundstage.....LOL.  IMO, the Z1R is still the very best of soundstage coming from Closed-back Headphones, and the Z1R itself is not even “true closed back”, but Sony pulled it magic, created some hybrid, and you got it.  Anyways, soundstage is narrower, but good senses of depth, and the balanced performances overall together with vivid treble, bass performances.  The DSR9BT is to be craving for.

What I am so excited about is that this Headphones is exactly as what I had hoped for it out to be, clean, clear, good bass, nice separation, layering, positioning, and wireless.  Even more than this, it really is the first of it kind, Direct Digital Drive technology.  I don’t know how far the technology will bring us, could we see Flagship Headphones with this technology ? We may, from what I suspect, the technology is capable of driving Large Speakers, so power delivery into Flagship Headphones won’t be any sweat if implemented correctly.  How long will the market develope ? No clues.

_The only hold back is that the voice coil have to be specially designed as the chip mainly work with multiple windings in the voice-coil.  I am not sure how the lower tier sibling DSR7BT perform with 1 winding._

Finally, If you are hardcore enthusiasts, and want to try out some Bluetooth technology, you will be “_*Surprised” *_ by what and how this new ATH DSR9BT has to offer from Sound quality alone.  Try it out for yourself


----------



## nanaholic (Nov 14, 2017)

The Audio Technica advertising material is pretty misleading - there is no way that you can drive drivers using unconverted digital sigals, a conversion stage HAS to happen.  What I believe instead is that they are actually using Class-D amp implementation connected to the headphone drivers making these headphones completely active headphones, rather than the conventional DAC chip > fixed amplification topology of other Bluetooth headphones.  This would also explain why there is no analogue input, as it doesn't have any analogue amp chip to feed an analogue signal directly in a Class-D implementation.

I'll be interested in giving these a try though, even though I currently own a pair of 1000XM2, which I think sounds pretty darn good and is unbeatable for BT headphones.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 14, 2017)

nanaholic said:


> The Audio Technica advertising material is pretty misleading - there is no way that you can drive drivers using unconverted digital sigals, a conversion stage HAS to happen.  What I believe instead is that they are actually using Class-D amp implementation connected to the headphone drivers making these headphones completely active headphones, rather than the conventional DAC chip > fixed amplification topology of other Bluetooth headphones.  This would also explain why there is no analogue input, as it doesn't have any analogue amp chip to feed an analogue signal directly in a Class-D implementation.
> 
> I'll be interested in giving these a try though, even though I currently own a pair of 1000XM2, which I think sounds pretty darn good and is unbeatable for BT headphones.



I am still trying to wrap my head around the technology.  It seems to me that ATH doesn’t use class D amplification as D-Note mentioned that in their technology video clips.  Somehow they are able to directly driving the Voice coil by digital Pulses which were processed into multiple lines.  This is how and why the technology have to have Multiple windings on the voice coil to work.


But again, I am trying to grasp what the technology actually is.  You can check it out here, and they are Japan company, you may understand it better

https://www.trigence.com/headset

https://www.trigence.com/technology


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> I am still trying to wrap my head around the technology.  It seems to me that ATH doesn’t use class D amplification as D-Note mentioned that in their technology video clips.  Somehow they are able to directly driving the Voice coil by digital Pulses which were processed into multiple lines.  This is how and why the technology have to have Multiple windings on the voice coil to work.
> 
> 
> But again, I am trying to grasp what the technology actually is.  You can check it out here, and they are Japan company, you may understand it better
> ...



Their technology page doesn't really explain anything useful.

In Class-D implementation the final "conversion" from digital to analogue is done using low pass filters which then goes straight to the drivers, so this Dnote thing looks awfully similar.  Also I don't think the number of coils matters, because they actually have a 1-coil version of this tech besides the 3 and 4 coil version (which means they can use 1 coil to cover the entire frequency range of the digital pulses? that doesn't seem possible if they are spliting digital pulse into multiple lines). What I believe this means is that their approach to better sound may be to split the signal into discrete frequency ranges and apply different (quality) filters to each range as well as coupling that with voice coils to respond the best to that frequency range - sort of like a multi-BA arrangement with analogue cross over circuits, except all done in the digital domain so they have very accurate control over what gets passed and what sort of digital filters they can use.  That's my guess of how their tech works from the diagram.


----------



## Matrix Petka

nanaholic said:


> Their technology page doesn't really explain anything useful.
> 
> In Class-D implementation the final "conversion" from digital to analogue is done using low pass filters which then goes straight to the drivers, so this Dnote thing looks awfully similar.  Also I don't think the number of coils matters, because they actually have a 1-coil version of this tech besides the 3 and 4 coil version (which means they can use 1 coil to cover the entire frequency range of the digital pulses? that doesn't seem possible if they are spliting digital pulse into multiple lines). What I believe this means is that their approach to better sound may be to split the signal into discrete frequency ranges and apply different (quality) filters to each range as well as coupling that with voice coils to respond the best to that frequency range - sort of like a multi-BA arrangement with analogue cross over circuits, except all done in the digital domain so they have very accurate control over what gets passed and what sort of digital filters they can use.  That's my guess of how their tech works from the diagram.



It looks similar to D class amplifier, used in our Sony player. Anyway, still can't understand how new multi-coil speakers can understand digital signal.... More information can be found in this presentation, in which it was confirmed, that signal from chip to coil going digital, without D/A conversion:


----------



## Whitigir

That sounds like Sony, but I do think this is different as they have their own patents


----------



## animalsrush

Source - Sony Wm1z 230hrs burn in on Balanced 
CIEMS/Headphone - K10 CIEM with Lionheart cable, Sony Z1r with Kimber cable  both using 4.4 mm termination

With FW 2.0 , i initially thought i couldn't hear any difference but after 10 hrs i definitely see some changes in sound signature . Again this may be perceived change ( a placebo) as i may need to get used the new sound or i may be feeling there is change as some have posted here their feedback here  and i feel i am hearing things. I see the soundstage is expanded at the expanse of relaxed organic sound of Wm1z. I see a reduction in bass , slight treble enhancement and vocals seem to slightly less forward . So far i am not liking it .. I absolutely loved how sony WM1z sounded before .. My questions did they swap the sound signature between WM1A and Wm1z because i heard someone using new FW on WM1a saying it has become laid back .. Anyway thought i would share and see if anyone experienced the same .. Keep in mind most comparison was done based memory for F 1.2. So will keep it for few days then may potentially downgrade the FW . Not sure why SONY touched the sound signature as the release notes just show UI/UX changes .. Arrgh.. 

PC


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 14, 2017)

Test riding AptX HD with SDR9BT, and I do not think wm1Z has the feature buffed enough.  There are moments it would stall and then resume.  My 1Z does the same on digital out into my Desktop DAC.  I could never managed for it to have the highest lock rate.  My IPad never stalled with this Headphones.  Then there is no option to switch from AptX HD into regular AptX or SBC.  You need to look into this Sony

Beside this, the Headphones is awesome.  Finally I found some wireless headphones that don’t suck from comfortability and sound performances.  I can now jog with my favorite music, but 1Z is not the one to Jog with though....the brick is heavy LOL


----------



## Stephen George

"I can confirm that the 400gb micro sd is working perfectly with the WM1Z."


ditto here, flawless playback


----------



## Stephen George (Nov 14, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Test riding AptX HD with SDR9BT, and I do not think wm1Z has the feature buffed enough.   L



these are less than $200 and sound damn good and no buffering issues...super light (wf-1000x)

https://ibb.co/dLW6Xm


----------



## NaiveSound

Lcd XC coming in tomorrow, another generous gift from my friend, I still wasn't unable to sell my Wm1a yet, so I will test it with the lcd XC (supposedly the lcd XC is an efficient hp)  let's see if the wm1a can bring a decent performance from the lcd XC.

Only thing is I have it in Normal 3.5mm


----------



## AnakChan

Matrix Petka said:


> neptunegarand said:
> 
> 
> > I was dead set on getting the I basso dx200 but now I'm reconsidering the Sony Range. Its simply the balanced output which I doubt I will use causing me to be indecisive but right now I'm considering three to four 4 high end DAPS. Will read through the entire thread at some point!
> ...


Personally, I carry the iBasso DX200 around more than the Sony NW-WM1Z as the DX200 is lighter and more versatile. To my ears the DX200 was more referencey in signature compared to the WM1Z (mind you still on old FW). The DX200 has different amp modules which I like, and has a line out which I also find very useful.

The WM1Z does have the more smooth analogue sounding signature which the DX200 can't do.


----------



## meomap

AnakChan said:


> Personally, I carry the iBasso DX200 around more than the Sony NW-WM1Z as the DX200 is lighter and more versatile. To my ears the DX200 was more referencey in signature compared to the WM1Z (mind you still on old FW). The DX200 has different amp modules which I like, and has a line out which I also find very useful.
> 
> The WM1Z does have the more smooth analogue sounding signature which the DX200 can't do.



Which AMP# are you using with?


----------



## AnakChan

meomap said:


> Which AMP# are you using with?


Amp3


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 14, 2017)

Stephen George said:


> these are less than $200 and sound damn good and no buffering issues...super light (wf-1000x)
> 
> https://ibb.co/dLW6Xm



Those are ears buds, and is not AptX HD, but rather LDAC ? I don’t see it listed though


----------



## rhull1973

Another issue with the 2.0 FW. After adding a handful of tracks to the microsd card, it freezes while creating database after unplugging from my Mac. Gets a little over halfway and then the progress bar stalls. Reverted back to 1.2 and the database builds. I will note that I have a 400gb microsd card.


----------



## kubig123

rhull1973 said:


> Another issue with the 2.0 FW. After adding a handful of tracks to the microsd card, it freezes while creating database after unplugging from my Mac. Gets a little over halfway and then the progress bar stalls. Reverted back to 1.2 and the database builds. I will note that I have a 400gb microsd card.



I have the sandisk 400 microsd and I don’t have any issues with it even when the player is rebuilding the database.


----------



## rhull1973

kubig123 said:


> I have the sandisk 400 microsd and I don’t have any issues with it even when the player is rebuilding the database.


How many files?  I have over 30,000. Odd that it has done this several times under 2.0. Works fine with 1.2.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mine has 19000 FLACs


----------



## PCheung

Whitigir said:


> Test riding AptX HD with SDR9BT, and I do not think wm1Z has the feature buffed enough.  There are moments it would stall and then resume.  My 1Z does the same on digital out into my Desktop DAC.  I could never managed for it to have the highest lock rate.  My IPad never stalled with this Headphones.  Then there is no option to switch from AptX HD into regular AptX or SBC.  You need to look into this Sony
> 
> Beside this, the Headphones is awesome.  Finally I found some wireless headphones that don’t suck from comfortability and sound performances.  I can now jog with my favorite music, but 1Z is not the one to Jog with though....the brick is heavy LOL



To switch between different codec 
Go to Setting > Audio Device connection setting (in the Bluetooth section)> wireless playback quality


----------



## kubig123

rhull1973 said:


> How many files?  I have over 30,000. Odd that it has done this several times under 2.0. Works fine with 1.2.



I don’t have that many, may be 7,000.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sony mediaGo doesn't recognize the DISCTOTAL and TRACKTOTAL FLAC tags, the walkman does, maybe also the new music center does too, but until it gets as speedy as media GO i make the switch


----------



## superuser1

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sony mediaGo doesn't recognize the DISCTOTAL and TRACKTOTAL FLAC tags, the walkman does, maybe also the new music center does too, but until it gets as speedy as media GO i make the switch


Speedy is one thing, whenever i start the Music Center is goes into an importing file loop. Therefore, invariably i have to force close it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yes muss c center for me is dreaded slow, with 49857 tracks...


----------



## Jazzi

bana said:


> Just received the ZEUS XR that I ordered with 4.4mm.
> 
> I think other manufacturers may start to come around but I tied Wescom, UE and a few others that were not budging.



Congratulations on the Zeus XR.  Hope you love them as much as I do.


----------



## Matrix Petka

kubig123 said:


> I don’t have that many, may be 7,000.



Hmmm... My WM1A with 256GB card - 1574 songs.......


----------



## roses77

JayF said:


> I’m in the minority here, but definitely not a fan of 2.0 on the wm1z with my Sony z1r. I updated last night and almost instantly recognized it was a mistake. Yes, it was louder – I usually listen at 60 w/ balanced output and had to reduce to 50. But the depth/layering of the soundstage seemed almost flat with everything receiving equal attention. It reminded me more of how the wm1a sounded when I auditioned it and the wm1z together for a couple of weeks.
> 
> Listening to Father & Son on Cat Steven’s Tea for the Tillerman DSD with 1.1 or 1.2 fw, there is so much depth between primary vocals, the chorus “behind” Cat Stevens and the instruments in front but all of that largely disappeared with 2.0… all seeming to be linear and upfront. Same thing with other tracks that I’ve listened to over and over on the wm1z. My stomach dropped when I was afraid I had destroyed the lushness of what I had grown accustomed to. Thankfully you CAN reinstall older firmware which I did after 30 minutes and successfully converted back.
> 
> I know everyone has different tastes but 2.0 is definitely not for me. I simply cannot believe Sony would make such a drastic change without a fair warning to customers..




Yes I have noticed after Sony WM1Z update to 2.0 it sounds more like an Astell&kern Dap with better instrument separation. Before it had more deep clean bass rumble now it has less bass. If we all give feedback to make it sound much more musical like it was before, with more bass I’ll be happy


----------



## jaibautista

To those who already upgraded their 1Z/1A units to the latest firmware and who also happen to have an MDR-1000X:

Have you experienced your 1Z/1A forcing the BT connection to "SBC" even if you've chosen "LDAC - Sound Quality Preferred"?


----------



## Blommen

Man, I am not happy about the reports of less bass. Haven't updated yet, not sure I'm going to...


----------



## Matrix Petka

Blommen said:


> Man, I am not happy about the reports of less bass. Haven't updated yet, not sure I'm going to...



By my opinion nowadays "Bass" have blurred definition. Mainstream market is working for "bassheads" - even high level headphones have boosted bass, lacking quality for quantity sake. The same with players. By my opinion after firmware version 2.0 WM1 got better quality, more detailed and punchy bass, without mainstream "booming". Like it or not - decision for your ears.


----------



## Whitigir

Matrix Petka said:


> By my opinion nowadays "Bass" have blurred definition. Mainstream market is working for "bassheads" - even high level headphones have boosted bass, lacking quality for quantity sake. The same with players. By my opinion after firmware version 2.0 WM1 got better quality, more detailed and punchy bass, without mainstream "booming". Like it or not - decision for your ears.



Pretty much this


----------



## jaibautista

Would there be any way to roll back the firmware to the immediately preceding version? I've been spending at least an hour to get my WM1A connect to my MDR-1000X via LDAC but I keep getting "SBC" connection instead :'(


----------



## Whitigir

PCheung said:


> To switch between different codec
> Go to Setting > Audio Device connection setting (in the Bluetooth section)> wireless playback quality



Did you try this setting ?


----------



## Lemieux66

jaibautista said:


> Would there be any way to roll back the firmware to the immediately preceding version? I've been spending at least an hour to get my WM1A connect to my MDR-1000X via LDAC but I keep getting "SBC" connection instead :'(



My 1000X work fine with the 1A on FW 2.0


----------



## Tawek

I agree  with new firmware 2.0 1z sounds  way more balance  , better resolution,  instrument separation,  sill very  musical and bass  in perfect  quality , I think Sony it could do not change anything and after 2 years release "new"(exactly the same model in new packaging) wm2z with this firmware and everbody will say amazing  , best of the best   better then ever ....


----------



## jaibautista

Whitigir said:


> Did you try this setting ?



Yup, "LDAC - Sound Quality Preferred" is selected. But whenever I connect my MDR-1000X to my WM1A, I keep seeing "SBC MDR-1000X connected" right after connection. :'(



Lemieux66 said:


> My 1000X work fine with the 1A on FW 2.0



What message are you seeing when your MDR-1000X connects to your WM1A? Mine keeps reading "SBC MDR-1000X connected". :'(


----------



## proedros

any new *1a* owners who tried the 2.0 FW ?


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> any new *1a* owners who tried the 2.0 FW ?


Lol, you are anxious! But eagerly want to upgrade ! Do it already , no more complication


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> Lol, you are anxious! But eagerly want to upgrade ! Do it already , no more complication



Proedros very cautious man


----------



## blazinblazin

1A owner... says just upgrade.


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> Lol, you are anxious! But eagerly want to upgrade ! Do it already , no more complication



will probably update , need some more 1a users feedback though


----------



## proedros

the new FW resets the played hours right ? i will probably wait until i hit the 1000-hr mark , i am currently at 947 hours


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> the new FW resets the played hours right ? i will probably wait until i hit the 1000-hr mark , i am currently at 947 hours


Nope, it never did


----------



## psikey

So I take it they didn't add a DAC function with the new update?


----------



## all999

proedros said:


> the new FW resets the played hours right ? i will probably wait until i hit the 1000-hr mark , i am currently at 947 hours



Like @Whitigir said it won't reset a clock.


----------



## Matrix Petka

proedros said:


> the new FW resets the played hours right ? i will probably wait until i hit the 1000-hr mark , i am currently at 947 hours



No, not resets.


----------



## Matrix Petka

blazinblazin said:


> 1A owner... says just upgrade.



1A owner.. says just upgrade.


----------



## Kervsky

proedros said:


> will probably update , need some more 1a users feedback though



WM1a user here, just upgrade and decide for yourself  besides you can download the v1.20 firmware and go back.



proedros said:


> the new FW resets the played hours right ? i will probably wait until i hit the 1000-hr mark , i am currently at 947 hours



No, it wont reset t


----------



## psikey (Nov 15, 2017)

Anybody confirm how sound quality with new firmware now compares to the ZX300.
I can get a ZX300 for ~ £490 or a 2nd hand 1A for around £800. Was holding off to see if DAC function was coming to the 1A/1Z.


----------



## proedros

psikey said:


> Anybody confirm how sound quality with new firmware now compares to the ZX300.
> I can get a ZX300 for ~ £490 or a *2nd hand 1A for around £800*. Was holding off to see if DAC function was coming to the 1A/1Z.




too much money for a 2nd hand , @NaiveSound is selling a breand new wm1a for 880$

pm him


----------



## psikey (Nov 15, 2017)

proedros said:


> too much money for a 2nd hand , @NaiveSound is selling a breand new wm1a for 880$
> 
> pm him



Its an "As New" Amazon Warehouse which I could easily return if I didn't think it was worth it over the ZX300, plus I'm in UK.


----------



## proedros

if you feel like paying an extra cool 150 pounds , who am i to disagree with you ?

good luck whatever you decide to buy , sony daps are nice


----------



## PCheung (Nov 15, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Did you try this setting ?


Yes, I have a MDR-1000X and can switch between SBC, Aptx and LDAC 

did you reconnect your headphone each time switching codec? Or not it won't work


----------



## kms108

proedros said:


> too much money for a 2nd hand , @NaiveSound is selling a breand new wm1a for 880$
> 
> pm him


Well not brand new now, but 99.5 %, he has opened it and used it. I think he stated at USD 850, so it's down in price too.


----------



## jaibautista

PCheung said:


> Yes, I have a MDR-1000X and can switch between SBC, Aptx and LDAC
> 
> did you reconnect your headphone each time switching codec? Or not it won't work



I already tried deleting the connection profile of my MDR-1000x and connecting the unit either via NFC or the manual way. The 1A still says "SBC MDR-1000X connected" :'(

Is there an independent way of checking which codec is used? I tried the method through Sony's official support page (press the NC button after holding the power button while turned on) and it just beeps once, which means the 1000X is indeed connected via SBC (and not via LDAC).


----------



## shrekito

Quadfather said:


> I need suggestions as to the best pairing headphones for Sony NW-WM1A.


Late reply - but the Audio technica ATH-W5000 sound stunning with the WM1A and ZX2 - you don't even need to turn the volume all teh way up as they are very efficiet. Using the SE out on the WM1A.

I have some cable son oreder to try the balanced out with the MDR - Z7 (a very different presentation compared to the W5...)


----------



## Blommen

Matrix Petka said:


> By my opinion nowadays "Bass" have blurred definition. Mainstream market is working for "bassheads" - even high level headphones have boosted bass, lacking quality for quantity sake. The same with players. By my opinion after firmware version 2.0 WM1 got better quality, more detailed and punchy bass, without mainstream "booming". Like it or not - decision for your ears.



I disagree, real bass is felt not heard. If you hear it defined it is a bass guitar, but some bass is supposed to be so deep that it is felt instead. I have a hard time with audiophiles (not a personal attack on you) saying how bass should sound, I wonder if these people ever go to live shows or do they only listen to CD's ? I attend at least 50 live shows a year (including festivals) and if the bass is as "defined" as audiophiles want then that is either a bad venue or a bad sound engineer on the loose.


----------



## jaibautista

Dear everyone,

I've managed to solve my problem! Here's the link to anyone who might have encountered the same problem as mine:

http://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/1000x/v1/en/contents/TP0001176179.html

It involves pressing the power button AND the NC button while powering the MDR-1000X. This will force the unit to select "Priority on sound quality" mode.

LDAC already appeared when I connected my MDR-1000X to my WM1A. 

Thanks for all the help! 

P.S. "Priority on sound quality" mode is turned on by default. I don't know why it got switched to "Priority on stable connection" mode. Hahaha


----------



## PCheung (Nov 15, 2017)

jaibautista said:


> I already tried deleting the connection profile of my MDR-1000x and connecting the unit either via NFC or the manual way. The 1A still says "SBC MDR-1000X connected" :'(
> 
> Is there an independent way of checking which codec is used? I tried the method through Sony's official support page (press the NC button after holding the power button while turned on) and it just beeps once, which means the 1000X is indeed connected via SBC (and not via LDAC).



Hum, I don't know how to check
Here are the photos shows 1Z connected in SBC, aptx and ldac
but I'm not sure if there is a bug or not


----------



## Lemieux66 (Nov 15, 2017)

@jaibautista

Great news! 

Just to report, I just tried my 1000X again and it connected in 2 seconds after I switched on BT on the 1A and said 'LDAC' on the screen.

Just did it to test for you but I've now got into listening to Herbie Hancock - Empyrean Isles!


----------



## Matrix Petka

Blommen said:


> I disagree, real bass is felt not heard. If you hear it defined it is a bass guitar, but some bass is supposed to be so deep that it is felt instead. I have a hard time with audiophiles (not a personal attack on you) saying how bass should sound, I wonder if these people ever go to live shows or do they only listen to CD's ? I attend at least 50 live shows a year (including festivals) and if the bass is as "defined" as audiophiles want then that is either a bad venue or a bad sound engineer on the loose.


Lets clarify. Bass felt - subbas, 15 hz and down - mostly coming from electronic instruments only. Above - clearly audible. Live shows? Well - are they using audiophile level equipment? No. During shows sound it is tuned for maximum exitment, not quality. Live show - NEVER can be considered as audiophile quality sound (that's why most of best recordings are made in studio). Audiophile sound - studio, or live unplugged performance in venue with exceptional acoustic.
P.S. In the very beginning of my career worked as sound engineer.


----------



## nc8000

Blommen said:


> I disagree, real bass is felt not heard. If you hear it defined it is a bass guitar, but some bass is supposed to be so deep that it is felt instead. I have a hard time with audiophiles (not a personal attack on you) saying how bass should sound, I wonder if these people ever go to live shows or do they only listen to CD's ? I attend at least 50 live shows a year (including festivals) and if the bass is as "defined" as audiophiles want then that is either a bad venue or a bad sound engineer on the loose.



You are never gonna feel bass with a headphone. Too small driver and too close to the ear


----------



## Lemieux66

At live shows they often use bad speakers to blast music at the audience too.


----------



## jaibautista

PCheung said:


> Hum, I don't know how to check
> Here are the photos shows 1Z connected in SBC, aptx and ldac
> but I'm not sure if there is a bug or not



Thanks for the speedy response! 

I don't know what exactly happened with my unit. This was the first time that I had to turn on my unit with both the power and NC buttons pressed just to set the connection to "Priority on sound quality" mode. All the while I thought connection modes were entirely software controlled hahahaha 



Lemieux66 said:


> @jaibautista
> 
> Great news!
> 
> ...



Thanks for the confirmation! 

***

For not-so-critical listening, the WM1A + 1000X via LDAC covers most, if not all, my listening requirements.


----------



## Blommen

Matrix Petka said:


> Lets clarify. Bass felt - subbas, 15 hz and down - mostly coming from electronic instruments only. Above - clearly audible. Live shows? Well - are they using audiophile level equipment? No. During shows sound it is tuned for maximum exitment, not quality. Live show - NEVER can be considered as audiophile quality sound (that's why most of best recordings are made in studio). Audiophile sound - studio, or live unplugged performance in venue with exceptional acoustic.
> P.S. In the very beginning of my career worked as sound engineer.



I agree but some of us chase the feel live shows can give when listening to ordinary recordings, that is why I prefer a boosted bass. 

Genre of music plays a huge part and I mostly listen to metal and very specific subgenres of metal (stoner/sludge/doom) where bass-feel is important. I acknowledge that in other genres audiophile bass is preferred. 



nc8000 said:


> You are never gonna feel bass with a headphone. Too small driver and too close to the ear



Well yes and no. You can cheat your mind to interpret it the same way but of course your body will not shake the same way


----------



## Kervsky

Blommen said:


> I agree but some of us chase the feel live shows can give when listening to ordinary recordings, that is why I prefer a boosted bass.
> 
> Genre of music plays a huge part and I mostly listen to metal and very specific subgenres of metal (stoner/sludge/doom) where bass-feel is important. I acknowledge that in other genres audiophile bass is preferred.
> 
> ...



Sounds like you need big speakers, I do love the feel of major bass booming on my body but i fear age is starting to get to me


----------



## Matrix Petka

Blommen said:


> I agree but some of us chase the feel live shows can give when listening to ordinary recordings, that is why I prefer a boosted bass.
> 
> Genre of music plays a huge part and I mostly listen to metal and very specific subgenres of metal (stoner/sludge/doom) where bass-feel is important. I acknowledge that in other genres audiophile bass is preferred.
> 
> ...



I understand. Then you urgently need this: http://www.woojer.com/


----------



## Blommen

Matrix Petka said:


> I understand. Then you urgently need this: http://www.woojer.com/



Haha oh no Don't get me wrong, I too like a tight well defined bass but in my experience (which is limited) it is easier to tighten the bass with cables, EQ and equipment synergy than to create a satisfactory bass out of sub par bass quantity phones/equipment.


----------



## sbho1

JayF said:


> I’m in the minority here, but definitely not a fan of 2.0 on the wm1z with my Sony z1r. I updated last night and almost instantly recognized it was a mistake. Yes, it was louder – I usually listen at 60 w/ balanced output and had to reduce to 50. But the depth/layering of the soundstage seemed almost flat with everything receiving equal attention. It reminded me more of how the wm1a sounded when I auditioned it and the wm1z together for a couple of weeks.
> 
> Listening to Father & Son on Cat Steven’s Tea for the Tillerman DSD with 1.1 or 1.2 fw, there is so much depth between primary vocals, the chorus “behind” Cat Stevens and the instruments in front but all of that largely disappeared with 2.0… all seeming to be linear and upfront. Same thing with other tracks that I’ve listened to over and over on the wm1z. My stomach dropped when I was afraid I had destroyed the lushness of what I had grown accustomed to. Thankfully you CAN reinstall older firmware which I did after 30 minutes and successfully converted back.
> 
> I know everyone has different tastes but 2.0 is definitely not for me. I simply cannot believe Sony would make such a drastic change without a fair warning to customers..



While we wait , we hope for Sony for solution .... I have been trying to explore what possible sound setting we can do to bring the sound stage as close to the version FW 1.20 as possible,  attached photo is the setting may be have help to bring back 80% ...pls you all try and let me know what do you all think ... or your have discover further improve EQ sound setting, let us know ....


----------



## sbho1

sbho1 said:


> While we wait , we hope for Sony for solution .... I have been trying to explore what possible sound setting we can do to bring the sound stage as close to the version FW 1.20 as possible,  attached photo is the setting may be have help to bring back 80% ...pls you all try and let me know what do you all think ... or your have discover further improve EQ sound setting, let us know ....


----------



## gerelmx1986

￼as you see no audio hours reset


----------



## sbho1

Not sure why , my attached photo is not appearing in the above post ..... I am using iPad ...how to do that ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

sbho1 said:


> Not sure why , my attached photo is not appearing in the above post ..... I am using iPad ...how to do that ?


did you click thumbnail or full size image button?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I like bass, and I am a classical music fan, but yeah not at basshead levels either and not at sterile levels either. Yes fw 2.0 has less bass apparently, but I feel is. More quality bass, it is there and it kicks deep when need.


Regarding bass feeling with headphones, sometimes, but not that often, I feel a bit of tingling inside. My ears when bass plays on my mdr-z7


----------



## sbho1

sbho1 said:


> While we wait , we hope for Sony for solution .... I have been trying to explore what possible sound setting we can do to bring the sound stage as close to the version FW 1.20 as possible,  attached photo is the setting may be have help to bring back 80% ...pls you all try and let me know what do you all think ... or your have discover further improve EQ sound setting, let us know ....



Re-send ..


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I like bass, and I am a classical music fan, but yeah not at basshead levels either and not at sterile levels either. Yes fw 2.0 has less bass apparently, but I feel is. More quality bass, it is there and it kicks deep when need.
> 
> 
> Regarding bass feeling with headphones, sometimes, but not that often, I feel a bit of tingling inside. My ears when bass plays on my mdr-z7





nc8000 said:


> You are never gonna feel bass with a headphone. Too small driver and too close to the ear



There are headphones that you can feel the bass, the Utopia for example, and the Sr-009.  Despite not having the whole body to feel it tingling, the ears and parts that got covered by the headphones will be tingling with it


----------



## gerelmx1986

sbho1 said:


> Re-send ..


I put that equalizer in my WM1A and the bass is accentuated, and a bit of resolution is lost in the highs, not that much, will slide to spruce direct and see


----------



## Whitigir

Perfect, my case and protector are here and applied on.  Thanks @kms108


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Nov 15, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I put that equalizer in my WM1A and the bass is accentuated, and a bit of resolution is lost in the highs, not that much, will slide to spruce direct and see


It makes the stage a bit reduced, less details on the reverb tails,  sounds like it is more intimate sound. Reverted to stock fw2. 0 sound so setting eq flat and enabling source direct. This signature maybe good for chamber or small music ensembles, but removes the greatness of large symphonic works or organ music in a cathedral


----------



## Whitigir

Ofcourse playing with the EQ will affect the whole spectrum presentation.  The only sound effects I play with is Dseehx and Dc phase linearizer


----------



## blazinblazin (Nov 15, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I like bass, and I am a classical music fan, but yeah not at basshead levels either and not at sterile levels either. Yes fw 2.0 has less bass apparently, but I feel is. More quality bass, it is there and it kicks deep when need.
> 
> 
> Regarding bass feeling with headphones, sometimes, but not that often, I feel a bit of tingling inside. My ears when bass plays on my mdr-z7



I like growing to like Orchestras music and Jazz with 1A.

With proper setup, you able to feel the vibrations from the Violin strings, Classical Bass. And the ambiance feel when the whole Orchestra playing, that's unbelievable.


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> It makes the stage a bit reduced, less details on the reverb tails,  sounds like it is more intimate sound. Reverted to stock fw2. 0 sound so setting eq flat and enabling source direct. This signature maybe good for chamber or small music ensembles, but removes the greatness of large symphonic works or organ music in a cathedral



You are a programmer right ? Can you look into somehow hacking the Zx300 firmware to install into Wm1z ? I believe it uses the same S-mAster with different Amplifier circuitry


----------



## pietcux

nc8000 said:


> You are never gonna feel bass with a headphone. Too small driver and too close to the ear


I think you own a headphone that let's you feel the bass, at least with your earlobe skin. That is how they are constructed and how I feel it. I have two such headphones...


----------



## nc8000

pietcux said:


> I think you own a headphone that let's you feel the bass, at least with your earlobe skin. That is how they are constructed and how I feel it. I have two such headphones...



I don’t count that as feeling the base, feeling the bass is thumbs to the whole body but I don’t mind that


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> I don’t count that as feeling the base, feeling the bass is thumbs to the whole body but I don’t mind that



You gotta be reasonably with your expectations . The drivers are only enough to cover your ears, to expect it to make your whole body tingles, it is not reasonable.  Loud speakers are the same, you can’t feel such with small bookshelves, you will need a real Large Speakers to do so, unless you sneak in some subwoofer somewhere, and then they suck.  That is my opinions.

So just as long as your skins around your ears are tinglings, then that is reasonable bass feels


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> You gotta be reasonably with your expectations . The drivers are only enough to cover your ears, to expect it to make your whole body tingles, it is not reasonable.  Loud speakers are the same, you can’t feel such with small bookshelves, you will need a real Large Speakers to do so, unless you sneak in some subwoofer somewhere, and then they suck.  That is my opinions.
> 
> So just as long as your skins around your ears are tinglings, then that is reasonable bass feels



Oh I don’t expect it and dont really want it anyway so I’m not complaining at all


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I don’t count that as feeling the base, feeling the bass is thumbs to the whole body but I don’t mind that


I got it, that bad the thumps to the body and makes you vibrate, got that experience with a cathedral organ in Hamburg st. Michaelis Kirche. I ven felt the damn Bank where we were sitting vibrated to the bass frequencies wow


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 15, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I got it, that bad the thumps to the body and makes you vibrate, got that experience with a cathedral organ in Hamburg st. Michaelis Kirche. I ven felt the damn Bank where we were sitting vibrated to the bass frequencies wow



Depends though, loudspeaker can make your body tinglings, but what about that sound ? I have a neighbor whose car is filled up with subwoofer and treble speakers.  All he hear is the boom boom and bang bang and it tingles for sure, and then some sharp tick tick with the trebles and to him, those sounds good.

To properly get a bass tingling in a loud speakers set up in the while satisfying everything else in the hobby, you are going to look into a very expensive setup .

Think about Grande Utopia Speakers from Focal, and then a whole lot of cables, and gears pieces here and there, inside a properly acoustic designed room.  Yepe


----------



## pietcux

Whitigir said:


> Depends though, loudspeaker can make your body tinglings, but what about that sound ? I have a neighbor whose car is filled up with subwoofer and treble speakers.  All he hear is the boom boom and bang bang and it tingles for sure, and then some sharp tick tick with the trebles and to him, those sounds good.
> 
> To properly get a bass tingling in a loud speakers set up in the while satisfying everything else in the hobby, you are going to look into a very expensive setup .
> 
> Think about Grande Utopia Speakers from Focal, and then a whole lot of cables, and gears pieces here and there, inside a properly acoustic designed room.  Yepe


It is like with headphones, you need to educate yourself properly using the respective forums, buy, listen, sell, buy, buy, buy, listen, compare, sell, ............


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I got it, that bad the thumps to the body and makes you vibrate, got that experience with a cathedral organ in Hamburg st. Michaelis Kirche. I ven felt the damn Bank where we were sitting vibrated to the bass frequencies wow



Yes that’s an awesome place. I went to a concert there this August on my summer vacation


----------



## nc8000

Received my Dignis blue Walkman case today and it is lovely and great craftmanship. There is however a problem. It makes the player too thick to fit the transport box I have and it is also too thick to got into the Sony docking cradle. So I’ll be selling it again. If anybody want it contact me via pm. It’s in Denmark so an EU buyer would probably make the most sense but I’ll send to most anywhere


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Received my Dignis blue Walkman case today and it is lovely and great craftmanship. There is however a problem. It makes the player too thick to fit the transport box I have and it is also too thick to got into the Sony docking cradle. So I’ll be selling it again. If anybody want it contact me via pm. It’s in Denmark so an EU buyer would probably make the most sense but I’ll send to most anywhere


Bought it , finally my WM1A will get some clothes haha


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Nov 15, 2017)

Lol accessory jack cable shipment comes swimming lol, but we'll I wanted free shipping haha, fortunately I have @Whitigir  adapter which I will keep for emergencies (f. E a cable breaks still have stock z7 and xba-z5 cables


----------



## psikey

Did the new update add MQA support and is DAC function not going to come ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

psikey said:


> Did the new update add MQA support and is DAC function not going to come ?


Exactly, added APE and MQA and aptx Bluetooth but no USB DAC


----------



## roses77 (Nov 15, 2017)

sbho1 said:


> Again, this message is for Sony to consider our request .... when Sony revising/ replacing with new signature as in newFW 2.0, it will be great if they too disclose what is the EQ tone setting amount can be used to duplicate back the original signature sound stage applied in the previous FW ...  that too resolve those users who would like to continue enjoy the earlier provided sound setting.




Yes it would be great to give us more information for sound changes with firmware updates. As before it sounded more, musical, lush, tube like with exceptionally more bass. With 2.0 update it sounds brighter, more instrumental separation, wider soundstage, less bass more airy. It sounds more like an reference Dap, not Sony Sound signature as it suits more classical music. An audio friend told me that Ak Ultima SP1000 CU has the best slam bass for Rock/Pop Music, but too expensive to buy. When on sale. Sony had ruined the sound signature for some people. Some people love the new software update. Can’t please everyone. To me it sounds more like an Astell&kern Daps. As I own 3 previous flagships. I bought Sony for an different sound signature. I do hope Sony is listening to customers feedback, it needs another software update.


----------



## wldcohso

There’s a sale for the Ultima SP1000 if you’re unhappy with the new sound signature with plenty of support in our thread.


----------



## psikey

gerelmx1986 said:


> Exactly, added APE and MQA and aptx Bluetooth but no USB DAC



Hmmm..... Was really hoping for DAC feature as per ZX300 (for Tidal streaming). Thanks for reply.


----------



## Matrix Petka

wldcohso said:


> There’s a sale for the Ultima SP1000 if you’re unhappy with the new sound signature with plenty of support in our thread.



Sale? Well - how much?


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 15, 2017)

Some updates today

Bluetooth quality and connection! ATH DSR9BT

Wm1Z has AptX or AptX HD, and then SBC available for this Headphones ! Primarily it always connect for AptX HD.  Somehow today I no longer has any stalling issues for the whole day.

Dx200, only SBC available.

Now, sound quality wise.  This could be a combination of all 3:

1/ Sony Walkman App in it native OS performances VS DX200 Mango
2/ The AptX HD
3/ The Differences Hardware wise from 1Z vs Dx200 ?

Sound differences

Wm1Z : Always AptX HD on, and it has very nice separations, great air, stage presentation, but most importantly the resolutions and airy details of trebles.  Soundstage is opened with good depth

Dx200: Only SBC, separations are muddy, veiled presentation, trebles resolutions are more dull and not as fine or satisfying as 1Z.  Soundstage is kinda collapsed where the depth is gone.

The differences were so _*Pronounced *_ that you will be able to observe right away when A/B it

*Conclusion: WM1Z as the Clear winner*.  If you love Bluetooth and want to take advantage of Bluetooth and Sony Flagship, the WM1A will do just fine

Now, my questions:

1/. If the Walkman App is so superior in Walkman OS, then what about those Android devices and AptX HD ? Hardware capable, but could the playback apps take advantage of it ? What App then ? Neutron? USB player Pro ?  Big question

2/. If AptX HD is really this good, then we are going to see a surge in the market productions for High-end Bluetooth headphones, and especially with the Direct Digital Drive technology which is not Audio Technica Patents but Trigence.

3/. If the differences are the hardware and then the OS in #1 and the technology in #2 , then WM1A will also have this “superiority” with Bluetooth gears whichever is taking advantage of this.




Seriously, anyone who has been interested in Bluetooth technology, you owe it to yourself to check out this *combination of WM1Z/A and ATH DSR9BT*


----------



## AnakChan

I'm just guessing, AptX licencing maybe?


----------



## sbho1

gerelmx1986 said:


> It makes the stage a bit reduced, less details on the reverb tails,  sounds like it is more intimate sound. Reverted to stock fw2. 0 sound so setting eq flat and enabling source direct. This signature maybe good for chamber or small music ensembles, but removes the greatness of large symphonic works or organ music in a cathedral



Yes, I agree when using manual sound setting such as the equaliser and dynamic normalizer ... the sound quality degraded with resolution, revert tails and possible distortion as well .... still Diect Source on has the best quality . Yes, I reallly hope Sony can provide both choices for selection of sound signature ...ie. the original famous signature (v 1.20) and the recent signature (v 2.0) .. for simple reason , we all are music lovers with various top ends equipment require to match well with the player, one fix signature is just not wise.


----------



## meomap

Hi All,

Is the sale price for 1Z for $2699 USD in Amazon USA permanent or just temporary?


----------



## wldcohso (Nov 15, 2017)

meomap said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Is the sale price for 1Z for $2699 USD in Amazon USA permanent or just temporary?



I believe until they sell all of them and it’s the Version without the volume limitation. I’ve been keeping my eye on this one from Amazon. There’s one on sale now on eBay but I’d rather purchase from a dealer at this price range.


----------



## kubig123

wldcohso said:


> I believe until they sell all of them and it’s the Version without the volume limitation. I’ve been keeping my eye on this one from Amazon. There’s one on sale now on eBay but I’d rather purchase from a dealer at this price range.



No, BuyWise sell the Japanese tourist version (all languages available), no volume limitation.
they have a good record.


----------



## sbho1

roses77 said:


> Yes it would be great to give us more information for sound changes with firmware updates. As before it sounded more, musical, lush, tube like with exceptionally more bass. With 2.0 update it sounds brighter, more instrumental separation, wider soundstage, less bass more airy. It sounds more like an reference Dap, not Sony Sound signature as it suits more classical music. An audio friend told me that Ak Ultima SP1000 CU has the best slam bass for Rock/Pop Music, but too expensive to buy. When on sale. Sony had ruined the sound signature for some people. Some people love the new software update. Can’t please everyone. To me it sounds more like an Astell&kern Daps. As I own 3 previous flagships. I bought Sony for an different sound signature. I do hope Sony is listening to customers feedback, it needs another software update.



Hi roses77, about your suggestions of cable ... I have been using Sony Kimbler cable for my Z1R since day 1 when I purchased them together ...


----------



## Blueoris

How nice would be if Sony releases a new firmware to add a setting called something like "Sound Tuning" that shows a drop-down menu listing all the past firmwares for the user to select one and apply that signature to the current song without restarting the DAP? Oh man...


----------



## animalsrush (Nov 15, 2017)

Adding my 2 cents to the fw discussion.. I had fw 2.0 for about 15 hrs and I am afraid I hated the sound signature. Thanks to fellow head-fier who shared a link for 1.2 fw I managed to rollback. Sanity restored.. if I were to categorize in one word sound signature difference between the 2 firmwares.. i would say fw 1.2 = "musical" fw 2.0 ="clinical". I personally felt that fw 2.0 was bringing details more to front , increasing soundstage , vocals were receded and bass less punchy. I always felt Sony wm1z never had bloated bass, but with fw 1.2 the bass was deep and organic while being punchy( daft punk, massive attack).. I could feel that on my k10s and z1r. I also love vocals that have forward presentation which I lost in fw 2.0(hooverphonic, Norah Jones). Also treble enhancement I didn’t care for.  I also realized the sound was fatiguing for my tastes. I personally felt  my gear had better synergy with fw 1.2 for my tastes..  messing with eq was a big no no. It has a wider impact making wm1z sound like a run of the mill dap. When I downgraded I tested sound on high gain and the sound sig matches that of fw 2.0 on low gain.. I feel that Sony May have done this to boost power.. anyway to each his own. I am glad I tried fw 2.0 and happy to go back to 1.2

As we all have different tastes and different gear it is nice not to have an option forced on you by manufacturer. now enjoying wm1z with k10 and sound is so beautiful relaxed with details, vocals front and center and bass that goes deep and impactful.. bliss

Pc


----------



## wldcohso

animalsrush said:


> Adding my 2 cents to the fw discussion.. I had fw 2.0 for about 15 hrs and I am afraid I hated the sound signature. Thanks to fellow head-fier who shared a link for 1.2 fw I managed to rollback. Sanity restored.. if I were to categorize in one word sound signature difference between the 2 firmwares.. i would say fw 1.2 = "musical" fw 2.0 ="clinical". I personally felt that fw 2.0 was bringing details more to front , increasing soundstage , vocals were receded and bass less punchy. I always felt Sony wm1z never had bloated bass, but with fw 1.2 the bass was deep and organic while being punchy( daft punk, massive attack).. I could feel that on my k10s and z1r. I also love vocals that have forward presentation which I lost in fw 2.0(hooverphonic, Norah Jones). Also treble enhancement I didn’t care for.  I also realized the sound was fatiguing for my tastes. I personally felt  my gear had better synergy with fw 1.2 for my tastes..  messing with eq was a big no no. It has a wider impact making wm1z sound like a run of the mill dap. When I downgraded I tested sound on high gain and the sound sig matches that of fw 2.0 on low gain.. I feel that Sony May have done this to boost power.. anyway to each his own. I am glad I tried fw 2.0 and happy to go back to 1.2
> 
> As we all have different tastes and different gear it is nice not to have an option forced on you by manufacturer. now enjoying wm1z with k10 and sound is so beautiful relaxed with details, vocals front and center and bass that goes deep and impactful.. bliss
> 
> Pc



Awesome explanation of both firmware. At first it appeared most of everyone liked the new update but not so much.


----------



## animalsrush

kubig123 said:


> No, BuyWise sell the Japanese tourist version (all languages available), no volume limitation.
> they have a good record.


I got mine from buywise about 6 mons ago on amazon .. good dealer

Pc


----------



## Kervsky

Whitigir said:


> Perfect, my case and protector are here and applied on.  Thanks @kms108



Yes! It fits in the dock, I'm getting this  did you use a s


----------



## hung031086

How to restore to 1.2 ?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Nov 15, 2017)

switched back to FW 1.20 while it has good soundstage, the light bass for WM1A ... I don't really need APTx nor MQA nor APE


----------



## Jazzi

wldcohso said:


> Awesome explanation of both firmware. At first it appeared most of everyone liked the new update but not so much.



I'll be the odd man out.  I like 2.0.  I think it's a very clear sound.  I don't need MQA or APE, but appreciate the addition of aptX and aptX HD, although most of my time with the Z is with Zeus XR.  It's clearly one of those 'different strokes for different folks' decisions.  Whatever helps you enjoy your music.


----------



## Quadfather

Still have 1.10....on Sony NW-WM1A


----------



## superuser1

Is cue support not that popular a thing around here that Sony would consider including it in the FW?


----------



## nc8000

superuser1 said:


> Is cue support not that popular a thing around here that Sony would consider including it in the FW?



The only time I ever used cue files was with the Colorfly C4 where the only way to get gapless was to rip a cd to one file. Otherwise I’ve never understood why you would need or want to use cue files


----------



## hattrick15

superuser1 said:


> Is cue support not that popular a thing around here that Sony would consider including it in the FW?



+1 for cue support


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Nov 16, 2017)

So, I rolled back to 1.2v for mod 1Z. In 1.2, every sound, eg: vocals, musics sounded thicker, bolder. This reminds me of how  a good copper cable should sound. Like a hot steaming, good, thick coffee. Stability is the name here. I think this may be more suitable for WM1A, although that depends on one's sound preference and iem used.

Going back to 2.00v, soundstage, separation, resolution go up a notch. More importantly dynamics play a better role. Vocals are more expressive and has lots of feelings, music seems to be more 3D-ish? On some songs, music can sound amazing, some sounds can feel like its from miles away, you can hear how hard the piano notes are touched, echoes go on and on and on.I think the word here is expressive and alive.

I'm using modded 1Z with Warbler Prelude and Alo Ref 8 iem cable, and also use EQ. So, performance maybe a little harder to replicate.


The negative about rolling back and forth for the 2 different version is that I lost all the songs I have on the bookmarks and the need to rebuild the library, but can be done on the WM1Z/A itself. Be aware about this.

Play around and see which version is more suitable for you. For me, I really like version 2.00, it's really special based on sound quality alone and gives me goosebumps. I think brighter iem, eg: Andromeda or using silver cable should benefit well from version 2.00

Please share your impressions if you can


----------



## roses77

Blueoris said:


> How nice would be if Sony releases a new firmware to add a setting called something like "Sound Tuning" that shows a drop-down menu listing all the past firmwares for the user to select one and apply that signature to the current song without restarting the DAP? Oh man...




What a good suggestion please write to Sony as I have, the more people that complain about Sony’s Signature sounding like Astell&kern. The more they’ll take notice. I won’t be buying another Sony Dap after this one. I will sell it instead.


----------



## roses77

hamhamhamsta said:


> So, I rolled back to 1.2v for mod 1Z. In 1.2, every sound, eg: vocals, musics sounded thicker, bolder. This reminds me of how  a good copper cable should sound. Like a hot steaming, good, thick coffee. Stability is the name here. I think this may be more suitable for WM1A, although that depends on one's sound preference and iem used.
> 
> Going back to 2.00v, soundstage, separation, resolution go up a notch. More importantly dynamics play a better role. Vocals are more expressive and has lots of feelings, music seems to be more 3D-ish? On some songs, music can sound amazing, some sounds can feel like its from miles away, you can hear how hard the piano notes are touched, echoes go on and on and on.I think the word here is expressive and alive.
> 
> ...




So can you roll back to 1.2 version I thought it said in software update it can’t be reversed. I’d be happy to go back to 1.2v


----------



## roses77

sbho1 said:


> Hi roses77, about your suggestions of cable ... I have been using Sony Kimbler cable for my Z1R since day 1 when I purchased them together ...



So for which Sony Dap the WM1A or Z you’ve been using the Kimber Kable. I found after a while with listening to it with V2.0 the vocals started to sound raspy. So I changed it back to stock cable.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

roses77 said:


> So can you roll back to 1.2 version I thought it said in software update it can’t be reversed. I’d be happy to go back to 1.2v


Yes, I rolled back to v1.2 to see the difference, but went back to v2.00 since I like it a lot.

Here is v 1.2 Per Kubig123 post#16376

here the links for pc and Mac

_http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe_

_http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.dmg_

_http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.exe_

_http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.dmg_


----------



## Dogmatrix

Furutech 4.4 mm connectors are available from Parts Connexion and 25% off at the moment


----------



## sbho1

roses77 said:


> So for which Sony Dap the WM1A or Z you’ve been using the Kimber Kable. I found after a while with listening to it with V2.0 the vocals started to sound raspy. So I changed it back to stock cable.



My is 1Z.


----------



## buzzlulu

hamhamhamsta said:


> Yes, I rolled back to v1.2 to see the difference, but went back to v2.00 since I like it a lot.
> 
> Here is v 1.2 Per Kubig123 post#16376
> 
> ...



Thanks for these
Are they for the 1Z or 1A?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

buzzlulu said:


> Thanks for these
> Are they for the 1Z or 1A?



They are for both 1Z/1A. Both use the same v1.2 file

If you want v 2.00 go here:

https://esupport.sony.com/US/p/mode...te_id=1&region_id=1&tab=download#/downloadTab

Go to Driver & Software ...choose your operating system and run the downloaded .exe file


----------



## superuser1




----------



## roses77

hamhamhamsta said:


> Yes, I rolled back to v1.2 to see the difference, but went back to v2.00 since I like it a lot.
> 
> Here is v 1.2 Per Kubig123 post#16376
> 
> ...



Thankyou I actually like 1.20v as it suits the genres I listen to. To me it sounded like Astell&kern Daps as it’s more refined has very good instrument seperation, I didn’t want a dap with same sound signature.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

No problem. Its not a big deal. There is no right or wrong in this matter, everyone has their own preference on music.

By the way, which AK did you have?


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 16, 2017)

I have 1z and tremendously enjoying the 2.0 firmware, both sound signatures and AptX HD


----------



## blazinblazin

Ver.2.0 makes me enjoy my Acoustune DD IEM on WM1A more. 

It benefits DD IEMS, giving them a bigger space for instruments to articulate. 

My Acoustune IEM is warmer sounding IEM so it is perfect match with Ver. 2.0 on WM1A.


----------



## Tawek

Now Se5ult and FAD X-G with 1z  2.0 =Heaven


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Tawek said:


> Now Se5ult and FAD X-G with 1z  2.0 =Heaven


Tawek, 

Try Warbler Prelude.  It's amazing.  And affordable as long as totl ciems are concerned. Has amazing synergy with my mod1Z. I guess if soundwise it's similar to AK,  then it should also has amazing synergy with AK.


----------



## Matrix Petka

hamhamhamsta said:


> So, I rolled back to 1.2v for mod 1Z. In 1.2, every sound, eg: vocals, musics sounded thicker, bolder. This reminds me of how  a good copper cable should sound. Like a hot steaming, good, thick coffee. Stability is the name here. I think this may be more suitable for WM1A, although that depends on one's sound preference and iem used.
> 
> Going back to 2.00v, soundstage, separation, resolution go up a notch. More importantly dynamics play a better role. Vocals are more expressive and has lots of feelings, music seems to be more 3D-ish? On some songs, music can sound amazing, some sounds can feel like its from miles away, you can hear how hard the piano notes are touched, echoes go on and on and on.I think the word here is expressive and alive.
> 
> ...



Agree 100%. I stay with version 2. Some my thoughts - if you are listening mainly Red Book flac, mp3, rock, pop perhaps it would better stay with version 1.2. If listening good HR, DSD recordings, acoustic music - version 2.0 much better.


----------



## Kervsky

hamhamhamsta said:


> So, I rolled back to 1.2v for mod 1Z. In 1.2, every sound, eg: vocals, musics sounded thicker, bolder. This reminds me of how  a good copper cable should sound. Like a hot steaming, good, thick coffee. Stability is the name here. I think this may be more suitable for WM1A, although that depends on one's sound preference and iem used.
> 
> Going back to 2.00v, soundstage, separation, resolution go up a notch. More importantly dynamics play a better role. Vocals are more expressive and has lots of feelings, music seems to be more 3D-ish? On some songs, music can sound amazing, some sounds can feel like its from miles away, you can hear how hard the piano notes are touched, echoes go on and on and on.I think the word here is expressive and alive.
> 
> ...



Some people I know don't like the fact the bass went down a notch, even with the other improvements because EQ/Audio Adjustments is the devil for some of us  not for me though, it's just beautiful using andromeda and effect audio thor ii on v2.0. Though I'm thinking if copper cables will help with the bass, just a weird thought.



roses77 said:


> So can you roll back to 1.2 version I thought it said in software update it can’t be reversed. I’d be happy to go back to 1.2v



You can roll back, just take note that when you do, you'll need to manually rebuild the database since the v2.0 database isn't compatible with the old (new tags and stuff)



superuser1 said:


>



Man, that's beautiful, but damn expensive


----------



## kms108 (Nov 16, 2017)

Kervsky said:


> Some people I know don't like the fact the bass went down a notch, even with the other improvements because EQ/Audio Adjustments is the devil for some of us  not for me though, it's just beautiful using andromeda and effect audio thor ii on v2.0. Though I'm thinking if copper cables will help with the bass, just a weird thought.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The problem is you have to use it's midas case, so you are basically buying two case from them.

http://dignis.co.kr/product/detail.html?product_no=179&cate_no=92&display_group=1


----------



## proedros

Matrix Petka said:


> Agree 100%. I stay with version 2. Some my thoughts - if you are listening mainly Red Book flac, mp3, rock, pop perhaps it would better stay with version 1.2. If listening good HR, DSD recordings, acoustic music - version 2.0 much better.



why so ?

i am 100% redbook flac with my WM1A


----------



## Kervsky

kms108 said:


> The problem is you have to use it's midas case, so you are basically buying two case from them.
> 
> http://dignis.co.kr/product/detail.html?product_no=179&cate_no=92&display_group=1



That's horribly profit driven of them


----------



## Matrix Petka

proedros said:


> why so ?
> 
> i am 100% redbook flac with my WM1A



1.2 - have less detailed signature and Red book sharpness get some pleasant wailing
2.0 - more detailed shines with HR ans especially DSD

Just my 5 cents. Anyway I stay with updated version 2.0, which can be softened with "Slow" filter if needed.


----------



## proedros

Matrix Petka said:


> 1.2 - have less detailed signature and Red book sharpness get some pleasant wailing
> 2.0 - more detailed shines with HR ans especially DSD
> 
> Just my 5 cents. Anyway I stay with updated version 2.0, which can be softened with* "Slow" filter* if needed.



where i this located exactly ?


----------



## blazinblazin

Kervsky said:


> Some people I know don't like the fact the bass went down a notch, even with the other improvements because EQ/Audio Adjustments is the devil for some of us  not for me though, it's just beautiful using andromeda and effect audio thor ii on v2.0. Though I'm thinking if copper cables will help with the bass, just a weird thought.



You can probably try EA Lionheart or even Leonidas if you have money to spare.

Or just to the top, EA Horus or PW Audio 2W or 4W.


----------



## Kervsky

blazinblazin said:


> You can probably try EA Lionheart or even Leonidas if you have money to spare.
> 
> Or just to the top, EA Horus or PW Audio 2W or 4W.



I was hoping along the (cheap) lines of maybe an ares II hahahahaha

Seriously, one expensive wire is probably what I can afford for the foreseeable future (considering they may change the tone a bit but it's not a night and day thing) while I try to recover my savings


----------



## Matrix Petka

proedros said:


> where i this located exactly ?



Filter:
Settings--Output settings--Select filtering/Gain --- then you get "Slow Roll-Off" (soften) "Sharp Roll-Off" (sharpen). Working whe "Play DSD in Native format" it is turned off.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> The only time I ever used cue files was with the Colorfly C4 where the only way to get gapless was to rip a cd to one file. Otherwise I’ve never understood why you would need or want to use cue files


Perhaps he is referring to the fact he has a large flac or ape file and the cue splits the tracks logically. 

I don't use them either, I get a large flac and I use cue splitter for Windows to split the flac into individually smaller flac tracks


----------



## gerelmx1986

Matrix Petka said:


> Filter:
> Settings--Output settings--Select filtering/Gain --- then you get "Slow Roll-Off" (soften) "Sharp Roll-Off" (sharpen). Working whe "Play DSD in Native format" it is turned off.


Thanks for that info, perhaps I go again for v 2.00


----------



## Matrix Petka

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks for that info, perhaps I go again for v 2.00



One more tip: with most of Red book flac, bad recorded HR flac I would suggest -3db gain settings - lessen distortion caused by wrong loudness settings of record. Pity, it do not affect clipping of recording.
Route:
Settings--Output settings--Select filtering/Gain --- then you get filters, bellow them 0db gain and -3db - click on circle.


----------



## Matrix Petka

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks for that info, perhaps I go again for v 2.00



Happy to help  Sony owes me


----------



## gerelmx1986

Matrix Petka said:


> One more tip: with most of Red book flac, bad recorded HR flac I would suggest -3db gain settings - lessen distortion caused by wrong loudness settings of record. Pity, it do not affect clipping of recording.
> Route:
> Settings--Output settings--Select filtering/Gain --- then you get filters, bellow them 0db gain and -3db - click on circle.


I tought these worked only for DSD, so interesting to see them work with 16/44.1


----------



## Whitigir

Matrix Petka said:


> Happy to help  Sony owes me


They owes every 1Z/A owner the DAC features


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I tought these worked only for DSD, so interesting to see them work with 16/44.1



They should only work when dsd is converted to pcm which means only on the single ended output, at least that is what it says on the player


----------



## Matrix Petka (Nov 16, 2017)

nc8000 said:


> They should only work when dsd is converted to pcm which means only on the single ended output, at least that is what it says on the player



I think they should work when DSD direct turned off on both outputs. Because direct DSD turn off all possibilities to make any digital manipulations with sound.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> They owes every 1Z/A owner the DAC features



Yes  And for all members of this forum pair of Z5, not less because we are doing great job for Sony promotion - 1109 pages now.
Christmas coming soon - who knows?


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 16, 2017)

Review on ath DSR9BT

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/aud...h-headphones-ath-dsr9bt.865144/#post-13854454

It could be the Headphones, the Smartphones, the app I used to play music in comparison or it is the differences from AptX to AptX HD.  My HTC 10 And Neutron Music Player Pro performed nowhere near the _fidelity and resolutions _ from the WM1Z with AptX HD.  Eventhough it was less pronounced, but the differences were clearly observed from deep sub-bass and trebles resolutions from HTC 10 AptX Vs WM1Z AptX HD.  

It makes me curious about smartphones that has capability of AptX HD, but I don’t need new phones


----------



## proedros

Matrix Petka said:


> Filter:
> Settings--Output settings--Select filtering/Gain --- then you get "Slow Roll-Off" (soften) "Sharp Roll-Off" (sharpen). Working whe "Play DSD in Native format" it is turned off.



ah yes , do we know if this filter(s) applies to redbok 16/44 flac files ? or is only for DSD files ?


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> ah yes , do we know if this filter(s) applies to redbok 16/44 flac files ? or is only for DSD files ?


Should only work with DSD native playback only


----------



## roses77

Kervsky said:


> Some people I know don't like the fact the bass went down a notch, even with the other improvements because EQ/Audio Adjustments is the devil for some of us  not for me though, it's just beautiful using andromeda and effect audio thor ii on v2.0. Though I'm thinking if copper cables will help with the bass, just a weird thought.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It’s not a fact about the bass going down a notch but to me the 1.20v sounded more like Sony Signature SQ. The 2.0v sounds more like Astell&kern Daps as it’s more refined, better instrument separation, wider sound stage, faster bass, more airy, as I already own Astell&kern daps I didn’t want another dap that sounded exactly the same. I’d listen to my Astell&kern Dap instead. That’s why I buy Sony for a different sound signature.


----------



## Whitigir

roses77 said:


> It’s not a fact about the bass going down a notch but to me the 1.20v sounded more like Sony Signature SQ. The 2.0v sounds more like Astell&kern Daps as it’s more refined, better instrument separation, wider sound stage, faster bass, more airy, as I already own Astell&kern daps I didn’t want another dap that sounded exactly the same. I’d listen to my Astell&kern Dap instead. That’s why I buy Sony for a different sound signature.



Did you have Wm1z or was it 1A ?


----------



## mw7485

Being doing a bit of looking into the MQA side of things. The more I read about this, and leaving aside the arguments about it being a proprietary technology requiring licensing fees being paid to MQA I'm finding:

a) Its a technology that for DAP users, it is definitely worth considering as a viable alternative to at least 24 bit flac and quite possibly higher resolutions (ie, possibly encroaching into the DSD world).
b) The audio world is full of people with opinions (no great surprise there)

I think there is also something that Sony aren't telling us - or the world, and its rather surprising. Basically, it looks like the 1A/1Z (and probably the newer Walkman model as well) contain a hardware MQA decoder. This is not mentioned in any Sony advertising, spec' or literature that I can find. Why is this significant? Well, if true, it means that the Walkmans can fully unfold MQA files to the resolution that they were originally encoded in - with all the advantages this brings with regard to quality of sound versus file footprint. At the moment, I am listening to an album encoded at 352 kHz, reportedly at 352 kHz. If the 1A/1Z only utilised a MQA software renderer, I shouldn't get to 352 kHz. The album size is about 700MB - which is way below the sort of size I expect for even a 24 bit flac album of similar length. And the cost? This MQA album is only slightly more expensive (2GBP) than the 24/96 flac version, and less (1GBP) than the DSD versions. Next stage? This weekend (in the interests of scientific exploration you understand), I will purchase the DSD128 version of this album and see if there is a perceptible difference in SQ, and which of the two versions I prefer from a sound perspective. I don't have the setup for proper A/B testing or for doing blind testing, but I will be objective and see if my 53 year old ears can "spot" any significant difference - it is after all a long time sine I passed with RAF ATC hearing test in a far from soundproof testing booth. That was a exercise in concentration to say the least!


----------



## Whitigir

53 years old ears and you can tell the differences, that is good .  I hope my ears still be that sharp when I get there


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> 53 years old ears and you can tell the differences, that is good .  I hope my ears still be that sharp when I get there



I like to think I'll be able to hear a difference - and after all, this is what counts. Marketing CR** aside, its all about what you hear . Its entirely possible they will sound exactly the same - in which case, MQA becomes even more interesting for me as a DAP user, since the file footprint is similar to 16 bit flac.


----------



## vilhelm44

Just picked up a WM1Z for £1700 off eBay seller discounts123ltd. A bit surprised they accepted the offer, so hope it's not a dodgy deal. Looking forward to hearing what all the fuss is about and see how it sounds next to my WM1A with Oriolus V2. Here we go with the burning in process again


----------



## nc8000

mw7485 said:


> Being doing a bit of looking into the MQA side of things. The more I read about this, and leaving aside the arguments about it being a proprietary technology requiring licensing fees being paid to MQA I'm finding:
> 
> a) Its a technology that for DAP users, it is definitely worth considering as a viable alternative to at least 24 bit flac and quite possibly higher resolutions (ie, possibly encroaching into the DSD world).
> b) The audio world is full of people with opinions (no great surprise there)
> ...



Why would it require a hardware decoder ?
And mqa is a lossy compression so decoding can’t recreate the original signal but wether the difference is audible is a different thing.


----------



## mw7485 (Nov 16, 2017)

nc8000 said:


> Why would it require a hardware decoder ?
> And mqa is a lossy compression so decoding can’t recreate the original signal but wether the difference is audible is a different thing.



Lossy? In relation to what? Here are a couple of articles that explain the general principles. Linky 1 & Linky 2. The whole idea of MQA is that you are preserving as much as possible - in as smaller space as possible. Forget the stuff about streaming for now; think of MQA as a CODEC that utilises the "noise space" that other CODECs happily preserve and playback for you. This noise space contains nothing of value - music wise anyway.

I agree, the test is whether a difference can be perceived hence ny desire to find an album that was available in both formats, MQA decoders are for the most part only available in quite expensive gear. The decoder finishes the unfolding process that cannot be done through a software renderer, and ensures you get exactly what was encoded. Whether your  monitors can reproduce that is another matter! though.....


----------



## mw7485

vilhelm44 said:


> Just picked up a WM1Z for £1700 off eBay seller discounts123ltd. A bit surprised they accepted the offer, so hope it's not a dodgy deal. Looking forward to hearing what all the fuss is about and see how it sounds next to my WM1A with Oriolus V2. Here we go with the burning in process again



I looked at these guys. They do have one positive feedback for a WM1A - at least you should get protection for the purchase if it turns out to be non-existent!


----------



## roses77 (Nov 16, 2017)

[Quoted section removed by Mod]
It’s not a fact about the bass going down a notch but to me the 1.20v sounded more like Sony Signature SQ. The 2.0v sounds more like Astell&kern Daps as it’s more refined, better instrument separation, wider sound stage, faster bass, more airy, as I already own Astell&kern daps I didn’t want another dap that sounded exactly the same. I’d listen to my Astell&kern Dap instead. That’s why I buy Sony for a different sound signature.

This is what I wrote.


----------



## roses77

Whitigir said:


> Did you have Wm1z or was it 1A ?



I own the WM1Z. Thankyou for not editing my quote and changing the meaning. Thankyou.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I may switch back to 2.0 but I am still thinking about


----------



## gerelmx1986

Don't know what @Dithyrambes has to say about firmware 2.0

I love classical music and well in the typical stereotype of the classical music audiophile is zero to little bass... Seems 2 is logical. But man I like musicality.

Did you stay with 1.20 or decided to jump to the 2.0?


----------



## nc8000

mw7485 said:


> Lossy? In relation to what? Here are a couple of articles that explain the general principles. Linky 1 & Linky 2. The whole idea of MQA is that you are preserving as much as possible - in as smaller space as possible. Forget the stuff about streaming for now; think of MQA as a CODEC that utilises the "noise space" that other CODECs happily preserve and playback for you. This noise space contains nothing of value - music wise anyway.
> 
> I agree, the test is whether a difference can be perceived hence ny desire to find an album that was available in both formats, MQA decoders are for the most part only available in quite expensive gear. The decoder finishes the unfolding process that cannot be done through a software renderer, and ensures you get exactly what was encoded. Whether your  monitors can reproduce that is another matter! though.....



Others seem to not agree that mqa is lossless and hiressudio for that exact reason stopped selling mqa

http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/highresaudio-to-stop-offering-mqa/

I’m nowhere near technically qualified to determine who is right but many claim and believe that mqa is lossy. 

The definition of lossless must be that the exact original signal is recreated after a round of encode followed by decode.


----------



## kzzstzst

any connect the balanced out with  passive preamp ?
https://s1.gifyu.com/images/20171116-051943.jpg


----------



## Lemieux66

I recall an argument over what 'CD quality' meant in advertising a few years ago. I think a court agreed that if people can't tell the difference between Redbook and a lossy codec then the lossy codec IS 'CD quality'. Maybe the same type of argument is happening with MQA.

My two pence would be that if we're talking about encoding the last 4 bits in 24 bit audio, then it's just noise at best, and electronic devices, microphones etc can't really work with such low signals. DSD on the otherhand, I do find interesting and used to own dCS equipment when I was more serious about digital.

.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 16, 2017)

Woa, this Benk Glass protector is spot on, and fit like a gloves.  I literally can not tell if it is on or not
Once again, thanks @kms108  for giving it to me, but most importantly, impressive research to have found such wonderful products that fit the 1Z like a gloves !


----------



## kms108

Whitigir said:


> Woa, this Benk Glass protector is spot on, and fit like a gloves.  I literally can not tell if it is on or not
> Once again, thanks @kms108  for giving it to me, but most importantly, impressive research to have found such wonderful products that fit the 1Z like a gloves !


You should of put the sticker down 7mm and right 7mm from your current position.


----------



## mw7485

nc8000 said:


> Others seem to not agree that mqa is lossless and hiressudio for that exact reason stopped selling mqa
> 
> http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/highresaudio-to-stop-offering-mqa/
> 
> ...



Gotta love the double standards of hiresaudio. Yesterday, I purchased an 192kHz MQA audio encoded album from them! They also seem quite happy to slap the "MQA Studio Master" moniker over a load of their albums, even though most of them are not MQA encoded. I'm not sure how that isn't a trademark infringement, Still no matter, not my problem - that's MQA's battle, not mine.

I accept that MQA is lossy in the sense that it is not a bit for bit copy - bit then again, very little is a true bit for bit copy unless it is enormously large in terms of storage space.  You could probably even argue that it is not possible to create a 100% replication of the studio master (the exception being a digital master of course) - otherwise, what we be the point of having a studio master?  However, MQAs possible value to me (and hopefully others reading this thread) is in the file size and apparent playback quality as listened to on the 1Z when compared to 24 bit flac on the same gear - through my probably imperfect ears. I accept that some may suggest that a logical extension to this argument may be the high bit rate mp3 v 16 bit flac debate, but I think this is a little different. MQA seeks to actively maintain the "extra" data - rather than discard it (as is the case with mp3). Yes, MQA have a vested interest in talking up what MQA as a CODEC  can do, after all they take a slice of the pie at each step, and it wouldn't do much good if they turned round and said, actually, its all pants, we've invented this whole thing just to make a shed load of money. MQA is a different approach. Its an approach that seems to accept that loss will occur, but seeks to minimise that loss in a way that doesn't cost inordinate amounts of disk space, or bandwidth and then slaps a quality control structure on the while process to try and ensure the end consumer has confidence in the product. Cynics may see this as one enormous money spinner, and perhaps it is. My ears will be the judge for me.


----------



## NaiveSound

I got lcd XC.   I tried it with wm1a briefly but it's not strong enough to power the lcd XC. 

Still having a difficult time selling my. Wm1a.  I figured people likes this player


----------



## gerelmx1986

I'll stick with PCM


----------



## Lemieux66

NaiveSound said:


> I got lcd XC.   I tried it with wm1a briefly but it's not strong enough to power the lcd XC.
> 
> Still having a difficult time selling my. Wm1a.  I figured people likes this player



I used my LCD3 with the 1A and it was fine. Are the XC a significantly harder load? You can even drive the LCD3 with an iPad output and it sounds good.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 16, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I'll stick with PCM


I do too, and DSD, And lately AptX HD  roflmao.  Believe it or not ? I have been spending 2 days with this new Bluetooth headphones without Utopia or Stax 009.  Every Bluetooth headphones before this ATH DSR9BT are usually discarded or rejected by me within 1 hour.  The last one was 1000X


----------



## Kervsky

NaiveSound said:


> I got lcd XC.   I tried it with wm1a briefly but it's not strong enough to power the lcd XC.
> 
> Still having a difficult time selling my. Wm1a.  I figured people likes this player



I'm going to assume you're using it on high gain, but if not, just go to output and increase the plugs output power to high gain. That might help. Alternatively if its on single end (which has less power) get it on 4.4mm balanced, that should have adequate power and if not put it on high gain.


----------



## kubig123

NaiveSound said:


> I got lcd XC.   I tried it with wm1a briefly but it's not strong enough to power the lcd XC.
> 
> Still having a difficult time selling my. Wm1a.  I figured people likes this player



Are you using the balance output?


----------



## NaiveSound

No, but the sound was rather unimpressive over my note 8 or mojo, so just reporting, but with my cheap akg iem wm1a is great,  Zeus XR and   Audeze Lcd XC were unimpressive with wm1a


----------



## Shmuel

Since the fw update, my wm1a no longer recognizes the Sony WMC-NWH10 USB Conversion Cable, which I used to connect to my Hugo 2.

Anyone else have this happen?  Any ideas about a fix without trying to reform to am older fw?


----------



## Whitigir

Shmuel said:


> Since the fw update, my wm1a no longer recognizes the Sony WMC-NWH10 USB Conversion Cable, which I used to connect to my Hugo 2.
> 
> Anyone else have this happen?  Any ideas about a fix without trying to reform to am older fw?



For real ? I no longer use this dongle anymore but I am still using the Docking cradle and it is working just fine


----------



## Shmuel

That's surprising. 

Any ideas?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Fw 2.0 sound quality is growing on me


----------



## proedros

gerelmx1986 said:


> Fw 2.0 sound quality is growing on me



does it make 1a sound more lean/reference or more musical ?

how does the bass/mids/treble change ?


----------



## Blommen

NaiveSound said:


> No, but the sound was rather unimpressive over my note 8 or mojo, so just reporting, but with my cheap akg iem wm1a is great,  Zeus XR and   Audeze Lcd XC were unimpressive with wm1a



Then what is the point of the comment? We have discussed this to death, if you are not using balanced you are not utilising the dap properly.


----------



## sbho1

I am happy to share my new finding ...

This is a potential a good news to 1Z owners who find FW2.0 is too "clinical" and prefer to use back FW1.20 for the more musical sound signature.
I find the below sound setting and steps in FW2.0, will provide a relative attractive musical signature, may be achieve 80% of the FW1.20 musical sound + 70% of the FW2.0  sound characteristic ... I find no noticeable lost in resolution, personally I find it musical enough with good sound quality, no longer has the urge to use back FW1.20. 

Pls you all try these below sound setting steps and let us know how do you find , especially those who has the Sony headphone Z1R ....

Step 1 : Go to Direct Source - off , go the manual sound setting.
Step 2 : Select Equalizer (not Tone Control), make sure the adjust setting is all zero - flat (completely no setting for all the frequency spectrum).  Never select Tone Control display . . it may degrade the sound resolution even the setting for the base, mid and treble is all at zero scale.
Step 3 : Go to next DSEE-HX screen, click "ON".
Step 4 : Go to next DC Phase Linearlizer, click "ON" and I suggest select Type A -low (other selection may give slightly different base tone).
Step 5: Safe the setting, and make sure follow by reset the player (this is important step to ensure player use the new stepping with the clean setup. In fact every time if you make selection from Direct on to Direct off and vice-verse, you need to reset the player ... .. you will find the sound is not the same with and without reseting the player.

Pls try and share what you think ...


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Shmuel said:


> Since the fw update, my wm1a no longer recognizes the Sony WMC-NWH10 USB Conversion Cable, which I used to connect to my Hugo 2.
> 
> Anyone else have this happen?  Any ideas about a fix without trying to reform to am older fw?


That is strange as I have a music heaven cable I am using with the Hugo 2 and works fine still using the 2.0fw.

I still have the original Sony one knocking around so will dig it out later on today and try it out just for process of elimination that it is happening on another Sony cable. 
I also have another conversion cable which a fellow Head-fier made for me couple years ago before I got the music heaven lod so best try that also.

Will be back later on with confirmation if it is doing same or not....


----------



## normie610

sbho1 said:


> In fact every time if you make selection from Direct on to Direct off and vice-verse, you need to reset the player ... .. you will find the sound is not the same with and without reseting the player.



Is this so? Logically it shouldn't matter whether you reset 1Z or not. I can already here a clear difference between direct on and direct off. Anyhow, I have never reset the 1Z, so can't really comment on it, but perhaps I should give it a try.


----------



## sbho1

normie610 said:


> Is this so? Logically it shouldn't matter whether you reset 1Z or not. I can already here a clear difference between direct on and direct off. Anyhow, I have never reset the 1Z, so can't really comment on it, but perhaps I should give it a try.



Yes, logically it should , but I think the software and system has some bug, it does work consistently, I know this issue since the previous version Fw 1.01 and 1.20 , especially,


normie610 said:


> Is this so? Logically it shouldn't matter whether you reset 1Z or not. I can already here a clear difference between direct on and direct off. Anyhow, I have never reset the 1Z, so can't really comment on it, but perhaps I should give it a try.



Yes, it doesn’t work logically consistently .   Older fw event more noticeable, latest fw  has improved a lot , more consistent, occasional still doesn’t,


----------



## sbho1

sbho1 said:


> Yes, logically it should , but I think the software and system has some bug, it does work consistently, I know this issue since the previous version Fw 1.01 and 1.20 , especially,
> 
> 
> Yes, it doesn’t work logically consistently .   Older fw event more noticeable, latest fw  has improved a lot , more consistent, occasional still doesn’t,



I mean reset  ... by power off and power on back ..


----------



## sbho1

sbho1 said:


> I am happy to share my new finding ...
> 
> This is a potential a good news to 1Z owners who find FW2.0 is too "clinical" and prefer to use back FW1.20 for the more musical sound signature.
> I find the below sound setting and steps in FW2.0, will provide a relative attractive musical signature, may be achieve 80% of the FW1.20 musical sound + 70% of the FW2.0  sound characteristic ... I find no noticeable lost in resolution, personally I find it musical enough with good sound quality, no longer has the urge to use back FW1.20.
> ...



The above mention “Reset” , means to power off and then power on .


----------



## sbho1

sbho1 said:


> The above mention “Reset” , means to power off and then power on .



I like to revise suggestion for the above Step 4,  select Type A-STANDARD, it seems quite nice, a feeling base on momory , very identical as FW 1.20 sound stage ! 

Keen to hear from u all after you try it , how you feel and how you like it .


----------



## NaiveSound

Blommen said:


> Then what is the point of the comment? We have discussed this to death, if you are not using balanced you are not utilising the dap properly.



I've used balanced with Zeus. Sound is slightly better, but it doesn't give you a new dap by any means


----------



## Shmuel

thanks,  Fortis!


----------



## nc8000 (Nov 17, 2017)

NaiveSound said:


> I've used balanced with Zeus. Sound is slightly better, but it doesn't give you a new dap by any means



Gives you considerably more power plus a clearly improved black background and tighter control imo. In balanced high gain it had power enough to make HE-6 enjoyable though clearly not driven to their full potential


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> does it make 1a sound more lean/reference or more musical ?
> 
> how does the bass/mids/treble change ?


A bit. More reference, mids stay the same I think, highs a bit more and basically gets reduced a bit, is. More controlled


----------



## Matrix Petka

NaiveSound said:


> No, but the sound was rather unimpressive over my note 8 or mojo, so just reporting, but with my cheap akg iem wm1a is great,  Zeus XR and   Audeze Lcd XC were unimpressive with wm1a



All that seems weird... Trying to understand.... 
Few questions:
What gear/setup you was listening before?
What kind of music are you listening?
What type of files mainly are you listening?


----------



## NaiveSound

Matrix Petka said:


> All that seems weird... Trying to understand....
> Few questions:
> What gear/setup you was listening before?
> What kind of music are you listening?
> What type of files mainly are you listening?



Mojo to ZeusXR, mojo to lcd xc
All music but country and classical 
Flac 24/96   some dsd albums


----------



## Whitigir

Not the first time I hear someone mentioned that Wm1Z or 1A can not compete to S8 or not impressive in comparison.

My friend, he saves money everywhere except going to the casino

One day he came to my house, and he asked me about my golden Walkman.  He didn’t even know Walkman still exist, he asked the price of Utopia and 1Z, and then he was like....choking on his beer when he heard it.

I let him try it on and he listens to it for 5 minutes, or finished his favorite song.  He turned around and said, it is nothing more special than my S8 and stock Ears buds.  It is not worth the money you just paid, and you are a fool to have done so.  I was like, yeah, sure .  A thought in my mind, yeah spending money going to the casino is very wise, and worthy....

You knows, the kind of personal preferences and hobby matter


----------



## bana

Matrix Petka said:


> Happy to help  Sony owes me


Thanks again for your tips. 
Much appreciated!


----------



## bana

Whitigir said:


> Woa, this Benk Glass protector is spot on, and fit like a gloves.  I literally can not tell if it is on or not
> Once again, thanks @kms108  for giving it to me, but most importantly, impressive research to have found such wonderful products that fit the 1Z like a gloves !


Where did you get that sticker? Thanks.


----------



## Whitigir

bana said:


> Where did you get that sticker? Thanks.


@kms108  for my stickers


----------



## twister6

If anybody is interested, I just posted a mini-review of Dignis leather cases for WM1Z/WM1A (MIDAS and Walkman models).

Here is a HF LINK, also mirrored on my blog.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 17, 2017)

Very nice ! The only thing I do not like is how the top being so opened.  I will stick with my clear TPU case all day 

Pardon my creepy hand


----------



## kms108 (Nov 17, 2017)

Whitigir said:


> Very nice ! The only thing I do not like is how the top being so opened.  I will stick with my clear TPU case all day
> 
> Pardon my creepy hand


Yep, I think they gone cheap on the design, how hard is it to make a leather flip closure at the top, instead, they give you a sticker to cover the top. Most of their DAP does not have the flip cover, I don't see how they can sell a case for protection, and it doesn't even cover it fully.


----------



## kubig123

kms108 said:


> Yep, I think they gone cheap on the design, how hard is it to make a leather flip closure at the top, instead, they give you a sticker to cover the top. Most of their DAP does not have the flip cover, I don't see how they can sell a case for protection, and it doesn't even cover it fully.



Yes,
this was the main reason why I bought the clear case, I was really worried about the top. Dignis could have produced their case just a couple of mm longer and it would have add some protection.

I didn't try yet, but you could cut part of the top of the clear case and see it it can be use together with the dignis case.


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> Yes,
> this was the main reason why I bought the clear case, I was really worried about the top. Dignis could have produced their case just a couple of mm longer and it would have add some protection.
> 
> I didn't try yet, but you could cut part of the top of the clear case and see it it can be use together with the dignis case.



Doubt it, every dignis case I have came through always tightly fit.  The clear case are clearly over sizing the Dignis case design.  Unless you trim most of the clear case away and leave the top on...LOL


----------



## gerelmx1986

I can't wait to get my old-school Walkman case for my WM1A


----------



## kms108 (Nov 17, 2017)

kubig123 said:


> Yes,
> this was the main reason why I bought the clear case, I was really worried about the top. Dignis could have produced their case just a couple of mm longer and it would have add some protection.
> 
> I didn't try yet, but you could cut part of the top of the clear case and see it it can be use together with the dignis case.



All you have to do is find the right color and texture leather, the shape of the top part minus the two ports and the gold/black section, connect it with elasticated materal to connect to the inside back of the case, and a thin hard leather or other materal 90degree to slip into the front.


----------



## kubig123

yes, I was just considering to leave 1cm below the top and see if I could slide in.

we'll see, as soon as I get the replacement case I'll experiment with the old one.


----------



## gerelmx1986

FW 2.0 add nice stage to this


----------



## vilhelm44

My WM1Z arrived today and got to say, despite being dubious about all the hype, it lives up to it all. I loved my WM1A but now it's going up for sale. The Z definitely is weighty and makes the WM1A feel hollow in comparison, but I prefer that. The sound is something else on the Z with the Oriolus V2, man, it does everything better (phenominal bass and dreamy mids for a start) and you could easily lose yourself for hours on end, it's so mesmerising! This is only a few hours in too so looking forward to seeing how it changes sound-wise.


----------



## Whitigir

Upgrade 2.0 firmware


----------



## Matrix Petka

NaiveSound said:


> Mojo to ZeusXR, mojo to lcd xc
> All music but country and classical
> Flac 24/96   some dsd albums



Was asking having in my mind that gear you was listening previously had very different signature which made deep imprint in you sound perception. But now I am really lost and can't understand why WM1 it is out of your liking. Sorry, was trying to help you to love Sony.
Good side - you are still in pursuit for your sound 
Few days ago was auditioning inexpensive Aune M1S. And was surprised for good.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Nov 17, 2017)

With those we can appreciate bass quality of fw two


----------



## Matrix Petka

Tip for bad mastered recordings with wrong dynamic range settings. To lessen clipping and distortion, turn off "Direct Source", turn on "Dynamic Normaliszer".


----------



## hamhamhamsta

can anyone post amazon link for benks case for 1Z?

I cant seem to find it


----------



## vilhelm44

Whitigir said:


> Upgrade 2.0 firmware



I did this on my WM1A and the bass was a bit lighter afterwards, so rolled back, don't want this to happen to the WM1Z. May try it at some poitnt out of curiousity.

I've uncapped the unit, but was wondering if there was any way to get the high gain option on the player?


----------



## Whitigir

hamhamhamsta said:


> can anyone post amazon link for benks case for 1Z?
> 
> I cant seem to find it


https://www.amazon.com/NW-WM1A-NW-W...UTF8&qid=1510960755&sr=8-1&keywords=Wm1z+case


----------



## kms108

Whitigir said:


> https://www.amazon.com/NW-WM1A-NW-W...UTF8&qid=1510960755&sr=8-1&keywords=Wm1z+case



Kind of expensive for USD 38.


----------



## Fsilva

Sorry about the off topic but i have a Silver Poison Toxic Cable (2 pin connector) with 4.4mm plug, if anyone is interested just PM me.


----------



## Lemieux66

I bought the Benks case for my 1A, cost £25 on Amazon UK. Worth it if it protects well - and it looks great from the photos.


----------



## twister6

Yeah, Benks clear case is great too, I reviewed it a few weeks ago HERE, also mentioned tempered glass with a link in the review.


----------



## equalspeace

i didn't think the sound quality of the WM1A was anything to write home about until it was past 100 hrs of burn-in. i'm now at 144 hrs and it just keeps getting better.



NaiveSound said:


> No, but the sound was rather unimpressive over my note 8 or mojo, so just reporting, but with my cheap akg iem wm1a is great,  Zeus XR and   Audeze Lcd XC were unimpressive with wm1a


----------



## twister6

While 1Z was on fw1.20, I only paid attention to 4.4mm balanced output, just a little bit of listening from 3.5mm.  Now, after the upgrade to 2.0, I don't think I'm noticing any drastic changes in 4.4mm output, but have been told by someone that 3.5mm output improved in sound quality.  Does others find the same improvement?  I assume, it's possible to roll back to 1.2 to compare it, but was curious what others think (not sure if I want to roll back).


----------



## Cagin

Had gotten mine from here: http://www.roundtheclockmall.com/products/544398705206

much cheaper  $21.95 shipping included (16.22 + 5.73 SF Express shipping). Took exactly one week to get it.

Really dig the Benks. Still amazing to this day. Easy to use blindly from the pocket via feeling the button cover layers and the 2 embossed dots, faster than visually for me.


----------



## kms108

Cagin said:


> Had gotten mine from here: http://www.roundtheclockmall.com/products/544398705206
> 
> much cheaper  $21.95 shipping included (16.22 + 5.73 SF Express shipping). Took exactly one week to get it.
> 
> Really dig the Benks. Still amazing to this day. Easy to use blindly from the pocket via feeling the button cover layers and the 2 embossed dots, faster than visually for me.


Thats a good price since you are not located in china or Hong Kong, I only need to pay under USD 15 depending on the seller, and if they are trustworthy, my recent purchase was little high than most seller, but as I used them before, I know they are trustworthy, rather than take the risk for just a few dollars more. Hopefully @purk has received it by now.


----------



## kms108

twister6 said:


> Yeah, Benks clear case is great too, I reviewed it a few weeks ago HERE, also mentioned tempered glass with a link in the review.


Thanks for the detailed report, If you have tried the Benks glass protector, you will agree it's better, less finger print and the fitting is exactly smack on, at around the same cost, I like to point out i;ve used it on the Zx2 (case and protector from Benks), and did purchased the WM1A/Z version, but since I didn't get the WM1A/Z afterall, I gave them away.


----------



## alphanumerix1

equalspeace said:


> i didn't think the sound quality of the WM1A was anything to write home about until it was past 100 hrs of burn-in. i'm now at 144 hrs and it just keeps getting better.



Brain burn in?


----------



## equalspeace

if you believe that's a factor that's your choice, but it's been pretty well documented how the sound changes as you approach 200 hrs of burn in. for me the first 50 hrs were almost unlistenable on the first WM1A i had and I returned it. that was a mistake. first 50 hrs this go-round was the same. i see what the fuss is about now. it's even better on fw 2.0



alphanumerix1 said:


> Brain burn in?


----------



## animalsrush

Whitigir said:


> Very nice ! The only thing I do not like is how the top being so opened.  I will stick with my clear TPU case all day
> 
> Pardon my creepy hand



I use the leather case it came in .. works real good


----------



## animalsrush

gerelmx1986 said:


> FW 2.0 add nice stage to this


I think fw 2.0 on wm1a suits classical music better as it adds air and soundstage.. looks the same on wm1z.. so now it just boils down to taste I guess.... on which style you prefer.. I really wish Sony hadn’t tweaked the sound., release notes don’t talk about any signature change.. I guess they had to make tweaks to support wide array of file types and headphones.. the best part is they still allowed the downgrade.. 

Enjoy the music  

Pc


----------



## animalsrush

Whitigir said:


> Upgrade 2.0 firmware


 Or don’t


----------



## animalsrush

vilhelm44 said:


> I did this on my WM1A and the bass was a bit lighter afterwards, so rolled back, don't want this to happen to the WM1Z. May try it at some poitnt out of curiousity.
> 
> I've uncapped the unit, but was wondering if there was any way to get the high gain option on the player?




If you like the sound don’t upgrade to new fw.. it imo completely changes the sound signature.. I rolled mine back to fw 1.2 and it is total bliss


----------



## roses77

buzzlulu said:


> Thanks for these
> Are they for the 1Z or 1A?



It’s for both WM1Z & A as they are both flagships


----------



## roses77

animalsrush said:


> If you like the sound don’t upgrade to new fw.. it imo completely changes the sound signature.. I rolled mine back to fw 1.2 and it is total bliss



I rolled back to 1.2O as well as it’s the Sound signature I love from Sony. The 2.0 Sounded to me like my Astell&kern Dap, with less bass. Yes firmware updates do change the SQ unfortunately.


----------



## roses77

superuser1 said:


>




I ordered the beautiful Sony WM1Z lesdther bag from Dignis, you can put the sd cards too. So elegant


----------



## roses77

superuser1 said:


>





hamhamhamsta said:


> No problem. Its not a big deal. There is no right or wrong in this matter, everyone has their own preference on music.
> 
> By the way, which AK did you have?



I have the 3 Generations of Flagships of AKDAPS. But like to sell my Ak240 Gold, it’s very hard to sell.


----------



## Tawek

1z SE i prefer 2.0 +se5ult 
+ more 3d 
+better clener stage 
+more details 
+greater instruments separation 
+ more reference sound 
+ larger soundstage 

- less emotions...


----------



## Whitigir

roses77 said:


> I have the 3 Generations of Flagships of AKDAPS. But like to sell my Ak240 Gold, it’s very hard to sell.



I don’t doubt how hard it is to sell older digital audio players, just like smartphones, if there is newer generations, the older one will be listed for dirt cheap.  Otherwise, it won’t sell


----------



## proedros

vilhelm44 said:


> My WM1Z arrived today and got to say, despite being dubious about all the hype, it lives up to it all. I loved my WM1A but now it's going up for sale. The Z definitely is weighty and makes the WM1A feel hollow in comparison, but I prefer that. The sound is something else on the Z with the Oriolus V2, man, it does everything better (phenominal bass and dreamy mids for a start) and you could easily lose yourself for hours on end, it's so mesmerising! This is only a few hours in too so looking forward to seeing how it changes sound-wise.




now i am intrigued to try 1z , there is a sound show next weekend here , hopefully sony attends and brings wm1z to try it with my 4.4 NT6 (not taking the zeus on the road sorry)




Cagin said:


> Had gotten mine from here: http://www.roundtheclockmall.com/products/544398705206
> 
> much cheaper  $21.95 shipping included (16.22 + 5.73 SF Express shipping). Took exactly one week to get it.
> 
> Really dig the Benks. Still amazing to this day. Easy to use blindly from the pocket via feeling the button cover layers and the 2 embossed dots, faster than visually for me.




hey bro , did you try 2.0 on your wm1a ? did you like it better than 1.2 ?


----------



## proedros

I just installed 2.0 on my WM1A , the procedure was completely smooth no problems at all (i also had my 200gb card inside the wm1a)

sonic impressions to follow after i do some initial listening , will be back

thanx to everyone who shared his 2.0 impressions , much appreciated


----------



## Cagin

proedros said:


> now i am intrigued to try 1z , there is a sound show next weekend here , hopefully sony attends and brings wm1z to try it with my 4.4 NT6 (not taking the zeus on the road sorry)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nope still on previous fw. I want to make a backup copy before updating. But I'm out of room on my m.2 ssd disk. I got a 3tb hdd ready for installing for 2 years now, still didnt open its protective bag. The idea of having an hdd ratling again... #firstworldproblems I guess


----------



## vilhelm44

proedros said:


> now i am intrigued to try 1z , there is a sound show next weekend here , hopefully sony attends and brings wm1z to try it with my 4.4 NT6 (not taking the zeus on the road sorry)
> 
> You should definitely give it a go if you can, it'll be worth it. Certainly glad I got around to it eventually, despite the expense.
> 
> ...





proedros said:


> I just installed 2.0 on my WM1A , the procedure was completely smooth no problems at all (i also had my 200gb card inside the wm1a)
> 
> sonic impressions to follow after i do some initial listening , will be back
> 
> Be interesting to hear what you think.


----------



## proedros

Cagin said:


> Nope still on previous fw. *I want to make a backup copy before updating.* But I'm out of room on my m.2 ssd disk. I got a 3tb hdd ready for installing for 2 years now, still didnt open its protective bag. The idea of having an hdd ratling again... #firstworldproblems I guess




well i did zero backup , and the FW went as smooth as possible , i was a bit worried with some people mentioning problems but this was way too smooth imo


----------



## roses77

Whitigir said:


> I don’t doubt how hard it is to sell older digital audio players, just like smartphones, if there is newer generations, the older one will be listed for dirt cheap.  Otherwise, it won’t sell



Yes I agree, people want the newest Dap on the market, these days.


----------



## alphanumerix1

I want.... where can you order other than dignis?


----------



## proedros

this looks like an old (wo)man's case , sorry but i hate it

also , minus point for making you buy the midas case on top of that

i will stick with my $10 silicon case which also covers all ports from dust


----------



## Whitigir

I don’t like it either but personal taste preferences


----------



## tienbasse

Whitigir said:


> I don’t doubt how hard it is to sell older digital audio players, just like smartphones, if there is newer generations, the older one will be listed for dirt cheap.  Otherwise, it won’t sell


It may have something to do with people day-dreaming when they set second-hand prices at 70-80% of new price when selling DAPs that are 2-3 generations old.
90% of classified here are just like this and people get easily offended when they're proposed lower offers.

Things keep aging even when not used, especially batteries, so anything priced above 50% of original price won't sell unless the item is less than 3 months old and a current generation model.

It is remarkable that people prefer not to sell and recover 0% of their spending instead of recovering 40-50% of their spending, which is more than they would get back in ANY other area.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 18, 2017)

tienbasse said:


> It may have something to do with people day-dreaming when they set second-hand prices at 70-80% of new price when selling DAPs that are 2-3 generations old.
> 90% of classified here are just like this and people get easily offended when they're proposed lower offers.
> 
> Things keep aging even when not used, especially batteries, so anything priced above 50% of original price won't sell unless the item is less than 3 months old and a current generation model.
> ...



Totally agree with this.  I really don’t see any point of used DAP being worth more than smartphone in used market and it depreciations.  Yes, the market used to be so thin, so the products would then hold on to it values.  But now, there are too many players in town, the market is crowded.  Hell, you can not find deals on smartphones, unless your carriers offer it, or the manufacturers decide to do so.  These Portable Players, you can always talk “deals” with your dealers. 

Not to offend anyone, but if you are into this market, you only pay full price when you want the “first batches of products”. If you wait around a bit longer like 5-6 months, you can always find deals from your dealers.  The Walkman 1A for example.  I have seen people listed used 1A pricing + PayPal + shipping even more than I would pay a one time pricing from talking Deal with a dealer, including shipping and everything else 

Anyways, back to 1A/Z performances


----------



## Matrix Petka

proedros said:


> I just installed 2.0 on my WM1A , the procedure was completely smooth no problems at all (i also had my 200gb card inside the wm1a)
> 
> sonic impressions to follow after i do some initial listening , will be back
> 
> thanx to everyone who shared his 2.0 impressions , much appreciated



Finaly you did. Hope you like it


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> I just installed 2.0 on my WM1A , the procedure was completely smooth no problems at all (i also had my 200gb card inside the wm1a)
> 
> sonic impressions to follow after i do some initial listening , will be back
> 
> thanx to everyone who shared his 2.0 impressions , much appreciated



Finally ! Wooooo.....I have been waiting to see when you would pull the trigger.  It was such a thrill man ! I hope you like it


----------



## NoMythsAudio

tienbasse said:


> It may have something to do with people day-dreaming when they set second-hand prices at 70-80% of new price when selling DAPs that are 2-3 generations old.
> 90% of classified here are just like this and people get easily offended when they're proposed lower offers.
> 
> Things keep aging even when not used, especially batteries, so anything priced above 50% of original price won't sell unless the item is less than 3 months old and a current generation model.
> ...



Audiophiles live in their own cocoon. Thought I was the only one who noticed this. Seen people who’s upgraded their wm1a to 1z, then list the 1a for $900 after having used it for a year! I checked the classified sale section for days before deciding I’m better off with new which luckily I was able to get for $949. 

You will see used Chord mojo listed for $400, HD800 for 800 and many more.
Audiophilia might be a disease because clearly most lives in their own enclosed bubble.

Rule of thumb for me; anything over a $1000, I’ll buy new rather than save $100 from used. Over $2000, I have to be saving a chunk like 400 or more to consider used unless it’s current generation and less than 3 months use.


----------



## Whitigir

NoMythsAudio said:


> Audiophiles live in their own cocoon. Thought I was the only one who noticed this. Seen people who’s upgraded their wm1a to 1z, then list the 1a for $900 after having used it for a year! I checked the classified sale section for days before deciding I’m better off with new which luckily I was able to get for $949.
> 
> You will see used Chord mojo listed for $400, HD800 for 800 and many more.
> Audiophilia might be a disease because clearly most lives in their own enclosed bubble.
> ...



I would never bought used on massively production, unless it is 40-50% off.  Otherwise, not even worth it.  Or unless it is super duper new products that don’t even land in the Us shores Yet


----------



## kms108

I buy new on everything, unless it's collectors item, or hard to get items.


----------



## Whitigir

Surely 1Z will be a collector item as it will be at it end of production


----------



## Lemieux66

Whitigir said:


> Surely 1Z will be a collector item as it will be at it end of production



Do you mean it will become a collector's item once discontinued, or that the 1Z is near to the end if it's production run?


----------



## Whitigir

Lemieux66 said:


> Do you mean it will become a collector's item once discontinued, or that the 1Z is near to the end if it's production run?



The 1Z in it current state....is a Young Milky Cow.  You don’t discard your Milky Cow this early 

Yeah, I meant when it is discontinued just like Zx2, the 1Z will be a collector item.  Sony usually does this when new Flagship players are rolled out .  But at this time, we will more than likely seeing many used 1Z as people who don’t intent to collect it, want to get back some money for the next Flagship


----------



## Lemieux66

Whitigir said:


> The 1Z in it current state....is a Young Milky Cow.  You don’t discard your Milky Cow this early
> 
> Yeah, I meant when it is discontinued just like Zx2, the 1Z will be a collector item.  Sony usually does this when new Flagship players are rolled out .  But at this time, we will more than likely seeing many used 1Z as people who don’t intent to collect it, want to get back some money for the next Flagship



Ah, I see 

I missed out on a new 1Z at a discount price yesterday as I waited too long to think about the price. I hope some more appear either pre-owned or new/discount soon.

I've got a gold fever here, and only gold will solve it!


----------



## kms108

Whitigir said:


> The 1Z in it current state....is a Young Milky Cow.  You don’t discard your Milky Cow this early
> 
> Yeah, I meant when it is discontinued just like Zx2, the 1Z will be a collector item.  Sony usually does this when new Flagship players are rolled out .  But at this time, we will more than likely seeing many used 1Z as people who don’t intent to collect it, want to get back some money for the next Flagship


It might be, but who knows, have you seen the all the previous Discman, used one like the top of the range D555 is selling like 7X it's price, even sony's old classic IEM are going ar high prices. But i'm waiting for the anniversary DAP in the next coming year.


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> It might be, but who knows, have you seen the all the previous Discman, used one like the top of the range D555 is selling like 7X it's price, even sony's old classic IEM are going ar high prices. But i'm waiting for the anniversary DAP in the next coming year.



I am awaiting the Walkman anniversary too! But isn’t that 2019 ?


----------



## Lemieux66

kms108 said:


> It might be, but who knows, have you seen the all the previous Discman, used one like the top of the range D555 is selling like 7X it's price, even sony's old classic IEM are going ar high prices. But i'm waiting for the anniversary DAP in the next coming year.



I thought the 1A/Z and whole Signature Series were 70th anniversary products? Sure I heard that in an official video somewhere...


----------



## kms108

Whitigir said:


> I am awaiting the Walkman anniversary too! But isn’t that 2019 ?


probably yes, but you can always buy another one 10 years after, there is never a end to anniversary models.


----------



## kms108

Lemieux66 said:


> I thought the 1A/Z and whole Signature Series were 70th anniversary products? Sure I heard that in an official video somewhere...


I don't think it is, they haven't reach their 70th anniversary yet.


----------



## nc8000

kms108 said:


> I don't think it is, they haven't reach their 70th anniversary yet.



The Signature series are to celebrate Sony’s 70th year. The 40th anniversary of the Walkman should be in 2019


----------



## twister6

animalsrush said:


> If you like the sound don’t upgrade to new fw.. it imo completely changes the sound signature.. I rolled mine back to fw 1.2 and it is total bliss



where do you find fw1.2 file?  I can't find it hosted anywhere


----------



## kms108

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1107 post 16595


----------



## proedros

i have downloaded/saved fw 1.20/2.00 in case i need to revert back to one of them 

looks like sony erases the dl links for its oldest FWs


----------



## kms108

I also download it, even though I don't have the WM1A, just in case I decide to purchase it in the near future.


----------



## kms108

proedros said:


> i have downloaded/saved fw 1.20/2.00 in case i need to revert back to one of them
> 
> looks like sony erases the dl links for its oldest FWs


Sony always removes the older version, and leave the new one.


----------



## proedros

kms108 said:


> I also download it, even though I don't have the WM1A, just in case I decide to purchase it in the near future.




i had done the same thing as you , long before buying wm1a - i guess we both know/knew that we would get it eventually 

i think i may have even 1.02/1.10 , may go back and try them out if i get bored/curious

i think that 2.00 sounds clearer/leaner than 1.20 but maybe it's my confirmation bias


----------



## kms108

I got the ZX300 now, I still haven't updated the F/W yet, but still the WM1A is popping up in my head, if I should get it, but it's the size that is putting me off.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 18, 2017)

Firmware version 1.01. For real .  This is for International Version, all WM1 series are applicable 
https://www.sony.jp/products/overseas/contents/support/info/info_nw-wm1_firmware_20161110.html


----------



## kms108

Whitigir said:


> Firmware version 1.01. For real .  This is for International Version, all WM1 series are applicable
> https://www.sony.jp/products/overseas/contents/support/info/info_nw-wm1_firmware_20161110.html


I may not use it, but it's joining my collection.


----------



## proedros

downloading it now ,thanx @Whitigir


----------



## musicisthekey

What I am about to write is going to sound a bit foolish but it has been my experience with Sony firmware so far. If you run the same firmware again, it will change the sound signature. The sound signature flips between having narrower but deeper soundstage with more more pronounced treble and wider but shallower soundstage with smoother treble. You can flip between them by installing the same firmware over and over again.


----------



## equalspeace (Nov 18, 2017)




----------



## Tawek

Today  I went to the AVS in Warsaw  and try 1z SE  with final audio d8000 and this is aut of the world now I need 3500€


----------



## Whitigir

Common, still cheaper than Sp1000


----------



## robin1990

I think sound signature changes from the upgrade. Using K10U and WM1A, I seems to feel fatigue from long listening session unlike v1.20. Maybe because it sound analytical than before? 

I do like the extended bass though..


----------



## Stephen George (Nov 18, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> FW 2.0 add nice stage to this



couldn't resist (ripped from the DVDA)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Stephen George said:


> couldn't resist (ripped from the DVDA)


Nice, is the only one of the series to be DVD A I bet


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have all 4 disc's of these series

Switchd-on Bach volumes one and two, Switchd-on Brandenburgs and the well tempered synthesizer


----------



## Stephen George

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have all 4 disc's of these series
> 
> Switchd-on Bach volumes one and two, Switchd-on Brandenburgs and the well tempered synthesizer



might be rare? I am currently converting the surround layer to sacd (also a Sony invention)...i create a phantom center channel so that it can meet the minimal 5.1 multichannel

another underrated sound format


----------



## Blueoris

I also reverted firmware on my device. I was still enjoying 2.0 (it sounds great), but I much prefer the denser (longer decay?) sound of 1.20 over the better treble (liquid?) articulation, airier sound stage, Bluetooth improvements and the (lossy) MQA features introduced on 2.0


----------



## gerelmx1986

Blueoris said:


> I also reverted firmware on my device. I was still enjoying 2.0 (it sounds great), but I much prefer the denser (longer decay?) sound of 1.20 over the better treble (liquid?) articulation, airier sound stage, Bluetooth improvements and the (lossy) MQA features introduced on 2.0


 I wa son the ame track but lately i decided to stick with 2.00 as it has better resolution


----------



## Kervsky (Nov 19, 2017)

robin1990 said:


> I think sound signature changes from the upgrade. Using K10U and WM1A, I seems to feel fatigue from long listening session unlike v1.20. Maybe because it sound analytical than before?
> 
> I do like the extended bass though..



What iem/headset are you using? To me it's comfortable on single and balanced using a tennmak trio and andromeda.


----------



## kubig123

I updated the links to download the firmware, please let me know if I'm missing any.

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_01.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_01.dmg

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.dmg

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_10.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_10.dmg

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.dmg

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.dmg


----------



## Whitigir

Awesome! The above post deserves sticky


----------



## proedros (Nov 19, 2017)

kubig123 said:


> I updated the links to download the firmware, please let me know if I'm missing any.
> 
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_01.exe
> 
> ...



this should be sticky post , congrats man you rock

*one question , what's the difference bettwen the exe and the dmg links ?*


----------



## superuser1

proedros said:


> this should be sticky post , congrats man you rock
> 
> *one question , what's the difference bettwen the exe and the dmg links ?*


Mac and PC


----------



## robin1990

Kervsky said:


> What iem/headset are you using? To me it's comfortable on single ang balanced using a tennmak trio and andromeda.



It was the Noble K10 Universal. I has not got this feeling before v2, not sure if it is fatigue or “bored”. 

im not too sure about this upgrade... because I love most of the new feature too. Like sound quality when pairing it with my in-car entertainment has become better because of the aptx support. 

The nicer bass guitar and sweet doublebass. Even cor anglais sound sweet, make its classical music album quite an upgrade. 

Maybe need more time to get used to it


----------



## Tawek

Ultima is perfect with shure  kse1500 but 1z is better with se5ult , piano forte x-g and final d8000( dream come true )
just unreal


----------



## Kervsky

robin1990 said:


> It was the Noble K10 Universal. I has not got this feeling before v2, not sure if it is fatigue or “bored”.
> 
> im not too sure about this upgrade... because I love most of the new feature too. Like sound quality when pairing it with my in-car entertainment has become better because of the aptx support.
> 
> ...



That's odd to be tiring, I'm gonna assume both are burned in (iem, player) but bored, it's possible, since people can normally equate bass presence to excitement, v2 does reduce it.


----------



## ledzep

Anyone know what the wiring is inside the Sony WH1000XM2 is regarding the 3.5mm input is the female socket trs or trrs, wanting to make a cable for the 4.4mm out on the player to the phones.


----------



## NaiveSound

Was the wm1a made to sound better using warm headphones/iems?  How does it sound with Sonys flagship headphones? 

Also my god it's hard to sell this thing!  Any other sites I could try and sell it at?


----------



## Whitigir

NaiveSound said:


> Was the wm1a made to sound better using warm headphones/iems?  How does it sound with Sonys flagship headphones?
> 
> Also my god it's hard to sell this thing!  Any other sites I could try and sell it at?



Ebay ? I never found it hard to sell stuff.  The secret are all in the “pricing”


----------



## NaiveSound

Whitigir said:


> Ebay ? I never found it hard to sell stuff.  The secret are all in the “pricing”




My gosh, I barely used it, it's perfect and at 800$ no one wants it.  Is a new version of this player coming out? Are people holding back because a successor is coming?


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> My gosh, I barely used it, it's perfect and at 800$ no one wants it.  Is a new version of this player coming out? Are people holding back because a successor is coming?



My guess is that potential buyers are waiting to see what black Friday deals might come. Also my gut feeling is that you probably need to get under $700 even with the little use.


----------



## Whitigir

NaiveSound said:


> My gosh, I barely used it, it's perfect and at 800$ no one wants it.  Is a new version of this player coming out? Are people holding back because a successor is coming?



Little used is the same as “used” under every buyer interests.  The pricing for used items need to be posted on another thread, but if you wonder why you could not sell it, you already have the answer.  You are as much a buyer as anyone else out there.  Don’t you agree ?


----------



## Lemieux66

NaiveSound said:


> Was the wm1a made to sound better using warm headphones/iems?  How does it sound with Sonys flagship headphones?



I'm using the 1A with the Z1R and it's a superb pairing. Not too much of anything, and easy to listen to without fatigue. I've noticed subtle new sounds in familiar recordings but no clinical nature to the sound.


----------



## kms108

Whitigir said:


> Little used is the same as “used” under every buyer interests.  The pricing for used items need to be posted on another thread, but if you wonder why you could not sell it, you already have the answer.  You are as much a buyer as anyone else out there.  Don’t you agree ?


That is correct, and in some country, or should I say, to most people, a open box is considered used or a secondhand item, even if it's not used.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 19, 2017)

Lemieux66 said:


> I'm using the 1A with the Z1R and it's a superb pairing. Not too much of anything, and easy to listen to without fatigue. I've noticed subtle new sounds in familiar recordings but no clinical nature to the sound.



I do think that the Z1R will be perfect pairing with 1A after firmware 2.0.  The Z1R now will be a better pairing to 1Z than it was before, and I do think that Sony Used Z1R as the tuning “References” on the signature series. Therefore, we have a firmware of significant sound signatures changes for both players which have different signatures to begin with.

I could never understand why Sony released 1Z as a warm and lush headphones to be paired with another warm, lush, and fluid DAP such as 1Z....then on top of that, the TAZH1ES.

But in general, and all in all, I would say that this firmware really aims toward Warmer gears (Headphones, IEMS) Which carries similar signatures to Z1R, rather than “References gears”.  Therefore, be careful of what you are pairing, the synergies is everything 

Especially with the 1A, the windows is narrower than 1Z which already have the focuses, fluidity, analog signature more than 1A.  I don’t think any 1Z owner will have any problems here, but 1A May need to thread carefully.  For all that said, this 2.0 will improve the pairing and synergies between signature series, 1A——Z1R——-TAZH1ES———1Z


----------



## kubig123 (Nov 19, 2017)

NaiveSound said:


> My gosh, I barely used it, it's perfect and at 800$ no one wants it.  Is a new version of this player coming out? Are people holding back because a successor is coming?



You should be able to sell it on amazon.com too, sometimes you can get a better selling price over there and the fees shuoud be slightly less than the Ebay+Paypal combo


----------



## animalsrush

Kervsky said:


> That's odd to be tiring, I'm gonna assume both are burned in (iem, player) but bored, it's possible, since people can normally equate bass presence to excitement, v2 does reduce it.


I have  a 500 hr k10 CIEM and 200 hr z1r and both sound fatiguing with fw2.0.. I think it is question of synergy.. with fw 1..2 both sound so lush..


----------



## twister6

NaiveSound said:


> My gosh, I barely used it, it's perfect and at 800$ no one wants it.  Is a new version of this player coming out? Are people holding back because a successor is coming?



Didn't you just recently posted in Empire thread that you got this 1A as a gift from a friend who didn't want it?  So, if you are desperate to sell it, lower the price man.  That's the only way to go.  But as others pointed out, people are waiting for BFS.  I have seen 1Z fluctuating in price on Amazon down to $2,699.


----------



## NaiveSound

twister6 said:


> Didn't you just recently posted in Empire thread that you got this 1A as a gift from a friend who didn't want it?  So, if you are desperate to sell it, lower the price man.  That's the only way to go.  But as others pointed out, people are waiting for BFS.  I have seen 1Z fluctuating in price on Amazon down to $2,699.




I have lowered, I'm at 800 now


----------



## gerelmx1986

1200 Albums on 128GB + 238GB Card (with 13.8GB free) wow i can't imagine how many more would the 400GB Card fit


----------



## sbho1

Whitigir said:


> I do think that the Z1R will be perfect pairing with 1A after firmware 2.0.  The Z1R now will be a better pairing to 1Z than it was before, and I do think that Sony Used Z1R as the tuning “References” on the signature series. Therefore, we have a firmware of significant sound signatures changes for both players which have different signatures to begin with.
> 
> I could never understand why Sony released 1Z as a warm and lush headphones to be paired with another warm, lush, and fluid DAP such as 1Z....then on top of that, the TAZH1ES.
> 
> ...



Hi Whitigir, can you do a favor .... with your 1Z, in the sound setting, in the Direct Souce Off , turn off all the sound setting ... DSEE HX, DC PHASE LINEARLIZER ...and save the setting, after that then go back to Direct Source on .... then follow by power off and then power on , testing hearing the sound with your Z1R in this Direct Souce on .... let me know how is the sound ... .. I have no time to explain at this moment, I just suspect there is potential bug with Sony player in the sound setting ... let me know how is the sound stage ..... before and after ....


----------



## blazinblazin

I can confirm that the firmware 2.0 fits warmer Dynamic Driver headphones better on 1A.

Also it does cause slight fatique, even if i listen at lower volume on Acoustune HS1551 CU.


----------



## Lemieux66

Anyone tried the new Sennheiser IE800S with the Sony DAPs?


----------



## riotgrrl

NaiveSound said:


> My gosh, I barely used it, it's perfect and at 800$ no one wants it.  Is a new version of this player coming out? Are people holding back because a successor is coming?



Consider being more realistic. Zooming in on your pictures, especially the one where the unit is placed where people park their backsides, shows it to have smudges and small bits of dust/debris all over the front and in the corners.
So it really isn't perfect or pristine.


----------



## ledzep

Lemieux66 said:


> Anyone tried the new Sennheiser IE800S with the Sony DAPs?


Yeah £900 of crap and still no detachable cable !


----------



## twister6 (Nov 20, 2017)

Lemieux66 said:


> Anyone tried the new Sennheiser IE800S with the Sony DAPs?



I have briefly.  Will test 1Z/ie800S more tonight and post a few impressions...  Btw, besides an obvious change of soundstage expansion in both 4.4mm and 3.5mm HO ports (3.5mm SE port change is the most noticeable), I'm hearing 1Z being a little smoother/fuller in the upper frequencies when going from fw1.2 to fw2.0, still detailed and layered, but takes a little edge off.  Not very obvious if you already have a warmer/smoother/neutral tuned IEMs, but more noticeable with brighter/revealing tuned iems.  With 1Z, I'm the most impressed with 3.5mm SE update after fw change.  There used to be a bigger gap in sound quality with 4.4mm, not it has improved with sound being more transparent and of course soundstage being noticeably wider.  It still can't match the black background and faster transient of notes on/off in 4.4mm port, but nevertheless - I can enjoy 3.5mm more now.

Still, wish Sony would improve GUI and widen the touch area for fast forwarding through the song,  When I want to scrub through the song by moving that touch bar forward, half of the time I end up swiping between the screens


----------



## ledzep

NaiveSound said:


> My gosh, I barely used it, it's perfect and at 800$ no one wants it.  Is a new version of this player coming out? Are people holding back because a successor is coming?



So what's your black Friday price then ?


----------



## nanaholic

twister6 said:


> Still, wish Sony would improve GUI and widen the touch area for fast forwarding through the song,  When I want to scrub through the song by moving that touch bar forward, half of the time I end up swiping between the screens



Touch and hold the seek bar first - the bar will brighten and thicken slightly if you hit it - then slide.  Works 100% of the time even on the smaller screen devices like the A series.


----------



## Tawek

With 2.0- SE  I love my 1z  I prefer 1z+se5ult then ultima cu+se5ult


----------



## NaiveSound

ledzep said:


> So what's your black Friday price then ?



I think I'll keep it if I can't get it out for 800


----------



## NaiveSound

riotgrrl said:


> Consider being more realistic. Zooming in on your pictures, especially the one where the unit is placed where people park their backsides, shows it to have smudges and small bits of dust/debris all over the front and in the corners.
> So it really isn't perfect or pristine.


I mean you can whipe it with a cloth, it isn't permanent.... Lol what a joke


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> I think I'll keep it if I can't get it out for 800



My feeling is that if you hadn’t opened it you might have been able to get up to $900. As it is now I think you’ll be lucky to get $700


----------



## riotgrrl

NaiveSound said:


> I mean you can whipe it with a cloth, it isn't permanent.... Lol what a joke


And yet you didn't think to do that before trying to sell it....  
Funny that.


----------



## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> I think I'll keep it if I can't get it out for 800



Get four or five hundred hours on the balanced output, and you will love it and not want to get rid of it.  I have Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, Questyle QP1R, and Sony NW-WM1A and love them all depending on what mood I'm in.


----------



## proedros (Nov 20, 2017)

800$ is a great price, if i was on the look for a new wm1a i would jump all over his price

it's gonna sell but he is impatient and freaking out for nothing

oh well , capitalism is ruthless with the weak minded 

*edit : i think that FW 2.0 makes WM1A sound more lean and eventually tiring , my Zeus on 2.0 sound almost as lean as how my NT6 sound on FW 1.2

will keep it some more to get a better idea*


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Nov 20, 2017)

sbho1 said:


> Hi Whitigir, can you do a favor .... with your 1Z, in the sound setting, in the Direct Souce Off , turn off all the sound setting ... DSEE HX, DC PHASE LINEARLIZER ...and save the setting, after that then go back to Direct Source on .... then follow by power off and then power on , testing hearing the sound with your Z1R in this Direct Souce on .... let me know how is the sound ... .. I have no time to explain at this moment, I just suspect there is potential bug with Sony player in the sound setting ... let me know how is the sound stage ..... before and after ....


I do lote a slight change in the sound (maybe placebo) using MDR-Z7, need to test more to confirm is more warmness is added back to the sound signature or is just a placebo


----------



## twister6

nanaholic said:


> Touch and hold the seek bar first - the bar will brighten and thicken slightly if you hit it - then slide.  Works 100% of the time even on the smaller screen devices like the A series.



OMG, that's IT!!!!!  This is my first Sony DAP, I feel like such a noob, even so I have reviewed so many other DAPs.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Nov 20, 2017)

twister6 said:


> Still, wish Sony would improve GUI and widen the touch area for fast forwarding through the song,  When I want to scrub through the song by moving that touch bar forward, half of the time I end up swiping between the screens


For. Me it works it is sensitive and I can scroll to whenever I go, yes I tried @nanaholic tip and is better as he says. Nonetheless Sony UI is way better than most Chinese offerings out there ahem hidizs, fiio, aún and others

Sound quality as we al here know Sony SQ is closest to real live experience


----------



## nanaholic

twister6 said:


> OMG, that's IT!!!!!  This is my first Sony DAP, I feel like such a noob, even so I have reviewed so many other DAPs.



No need to be too hard on yourself.  For electronics I find that a lot of tiny details of the UI only shows up under long term usage.


----------



## dhc0329

So far I have not had any luck finding IEM or headphone which brings good synergy with 1Z. 
I tried A18, Z1R, JH Pro13 and other pieces...I am not having much luck especially on bass compartment. 
It was shocking to note MDR Z1R sounded much more fluid on old sony dap x-1061. Z1 seems to have so much
potential but how do actually claim it?


----------



## Tawek

1z SE  with old firmware 1.2 sound like 90% of  Nwz x1061  
in some songs it sounded 
almost the same with se5ult 
I was disappointed ...
Now with 2.0 it's a different signature and I'm delighted


----------



## proedros

wm1a + NT6 on the 2.0 FW is lean like a playboy model 

this little CIEM never ceases to amaze me at how good it sounds and how well it adapts to any dap i pair it with

remarkably transparent ciem , lovely just lovely


----------



## mrrayray

dhc0329 said:


> So far I have not had any luck finding IEM or headphone which brings good synergy with 1Z.
> I tried A18, Z1R, JH Pro13 and other pieces...I am not having much luck especially on bass compartment.
> It was shocking to note MDR Z1R sounded much more fluid on old sony dap x-1061. Z1 seems to have so much
> potential but how do actually claim it?


I am with my wm1z and layla I (with labkable pandora cable). I am extremely satisfied with the performance right now (using the 2.0 firmware) and I am glad I can adjust the bass of my layla to balance the bass problem of the new 2.0 soundstage.


----------



## nc8000

dhc0329 said:


> So far I have not had any luck finding IEM or headphone which brings good synergy with 1Z.
> I tried A18, Z1R, JH Pro13 and other pieces...I am not having much luck especially on bass compartment.
> It was shocking to note MDR Z1R sounded much more fluid on old sony dap x-1061. Z1 seems to have so much
> potential but how do actually claim it?



I’m very happy with the 1Z both with JH13 and Z1R. Both balanced, the JH13 with SuperBax and Z1R with Kimber Axios 16 core copper


----------



## Whitigir

Same happy owner of 1Z and Utopia.  May be this FW was using 1Z as the marking stone


----------



## proedros

amazon uk has all warehouse deals with *20% off*

there are some* sony WM1A* for sale , warehouse amazon uk from *690 pounds *

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-l...KVVABT7&coliid=I1Z2AF7NFQ3MTC&mv_color_name=0


----------



## all999 (Nov 21, 2017)

proedros said:


> amazon uk has all warehouse deals with *20% off*
> 
> there are some* sony WM1A* for sale , warehouse amazon uk from *690 pounds *
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-l...KVVABT7&coliid=I1Z2AF7NFQ3MTC&mv_color_name=0



I can't see those prices.


----------



## kubig123

all999 said:


> I can't see those prices.



He already bought them all!!!


----------



## roses77

Whitigir said:


> The 1Z in it current state....is a Young Milky Cow.  You don’t discard your Milky Cow this early
> 
> Yeah, I meant when it is discontinued just like Zx2, the 1Z will be a collector item.  Sony usually does this when new Flagship players are rolled out .  But at this time, we will more than likely seeing many used 1Z as people who don’t intent to collect it, want to get back some money for the next Flagship



It’s very hard to sell when a new flagship Dap is out. People want the latest. But with Sony they start from scratch. I’d like to see an upgrade from the Sony ZX2 to ZX3 as it’s good to have an Android to download apps. The fact is the SQ is not guaranteed from when you first buy it as firmware updates change SQ.


----------



## roses77

twister6 said:


> where do you find fw1.2 file?  I can't find it hosted anywhere



It has been posted I this forum the older updates. I had mine saved on my computer.


----------



## twister6

roses77 said:


> It has been posted I this forum the older updates. I had mine saved on my computer.



yes, after I asked that question a few days ago, many already pointed me to the file...


----------



## sbho1

roses77 said:


> It’s very hard to sell when a new flagship Dap is out. People want the latest. But with Sony they start from scratch. I’d like to see an upgrade from the Sony ZX2 to ZX3 as it’s good to have an Android to download apps. The fact is the SQ is not guaranteed from when you first buy it as firmware updates change SQ.



1Z is already at the top end in hardware, Sony should continue delight us with FW that is capable to provide variety of sound signatures for selection with including previous original legendary sound signatures but also add-on with new sound signature .... such that it has wider capability to pair well with various head phone,  ear phones ....


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 21, 2017)

sbho1 said:


> 1Z is already at the top end in hardware, Sony should continue delight us with FW that is capable to provide variety of sound signatures for selection with including previous original legendary sound signatures but also add-on with new sound signature .... such that it has wider capability to pair well with various head phone,  ear phones ....



Pretty much at this moment.  But don’t forget that the new designed _*S-Master*_ has a huge lot more potential.  Sony wouldn’t be crazy enough to just do an almost perfect S-Master for portable player in one shot 

When the next S-Master got released, the new components would be more likely to have been produced.  Sony is always ahead of competitions in utilizing the newest and audio dedicated components for their portable players.

Then on top of that, there are more power to be had 

There is never enough room for improvements and upgrades

I still remember the time when (zX2)  _Sony claimed that S-Master is not capable of doing Balanced connections....LoL!_ What now ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 21, 2017)

Not everything is burned in yet, but the 2.0 upgrade only seemed to have an effect on the prolonged listenable comforts of EDM with my Encore IEMs, causing slight fatigue? Classic Rock and Metal still sound amazing, if not better? Still the overall sound is so good, i’ll simply switch to other IEMs for dance music.

You can only wonder how the next Sony Flagship will sound like, they seem to be on a roll.  Sony Singapore gave me a free pair of aging-flagship XBA-Z5s with my 1Zs for the $2699 Amazon price, so those work perfect for EDM.


----------



## dhc0329

can someone recommend me the best IEM or headphone for 1Z without amp? I haven't found any so far...


----------



## Redcarmoose

dhc0329 said:


> can someone recommend me the best IEM or headphone for 1Z without amp? I haven't found any so far...


I think anybody should try the Sony XBA-Z5s in Pentaconn 4.4mm mode.


----------



## dhc0329

Is there a difference between Sony XBAZ5 and XBA-Z5s you spoke of? or are you referring to same ear piece?


----------



## kubig123

dhc0329 said:


> can someone recommend me the best IEM or headphone for 1Z without amp? I haven't found any so far...



Campfire Andromeda?
Alo Audio has them on sale for $799 (B stock)


----------



## animalsrush

dhc0329 said:


> can someone recommend me the best IEM or headphone for 1Z without amp? I haven't found any so far...


K10 CIEM or Sony z1r.. both sound excellent and on low gain I hit 50 for k10 and 80 for z1r  till it is unbearable loud so lots of headroom


----------



## sbho1

Whitigir said:


> Pretty much at this moment.  But don’t forget that the new designed _*S-Master*_ has a huge lot more potential.  Sony wouldn’t be crazy enough to just do an almost perfect S-Master for portable player in one shot
> 
> When the next S-Master got released, the new components would be more likely to have been produced.  Sony is always ahead of competitions in utilizing the newest and audio dedicated components for their portable players.
> 
> ...



My opinion — if hardware can be further enhanced, great .... but more importantly , If FW Is rigid to one one sound signature , and hope many types of head phone can pair well and delighted by many individual taste ... NOT POSSIBLE.  If Sony want to sell well and capture bigger market ...their player better to have a few popular quality sound signatures options .   Today is digital world.... if they remain not using such digital capability to provide a convenient flexible enhanced  sound system , instead still make it as rigid analog-like fixed system , just like film camera photography system ...very soon will go to history.


----------



## Stephen George

anybody else trying out the b&o h5's with aptx hd?

if you get a good fit (took me a bit!!) they are lightish, good battery and incredible sound with the new FW

time to try out some XELENTOs


----------



## productred

dhc0329 said:


> So far I have not had any luck finding IEM or headphone which brings good synergy with 1Z.
> I tried A18, Z1R, JH Pro13 and other pieces...I am not having much luck especially on bass compartment.
> It was shocking to note MDR Z1R sounded much more fluid on old sony dap x-1061. Z1 seems to have so much
> potential but how do actually claim it?



My U18 has good synergy with both the 1A and the 1Z. Bass is detailed and clean while still impactful. Class.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 21, 2017)

dhc0329 said:


> Is there a difference between Sony XBAZ5 and XBA-Z5s you spoke of? or are you referring to same ear piece?



Sorry just a bad habit of putting stuff plural. They are the DBA-Z5 IEMs though I changed out the single-ended cable for the Mee 4.4mm cable system.

They are known to be and could very well be too much bass for some. Though they also have a nice coherent sound and instrument placement balance none the less.


----------



## proedros

all999 said:


> I can't see those prices.



the 20% off the price applies* once you check out*

832 pounds -20% off = 690 pounds


----------



## vilhelm44

dhc0329 said:


> can someone recommend me the best IEM or headphone for 1Z without amp? I haven't found any so far...



I can recommend the Oriolus V2, espeially in balanced, it's got wonderful synergy with WM1Z. Bass resonse and quality is amazing, very textured. Mids and treble are up there too; it will give you a lovely smooth ride for hours on end with no fatigue whatsoever.


----------



## all999

proedros said:


> the 20% off the price applies* once you check out*
> 
> 832 pounds -20% off = 690 pounds



And You have to get UK adress, otherwise it won't work. Just got one for a friend, thanks.


----------



## nc8000

all999 said:


> And You have to get UK adress, otherwise it won't work. Just got one for a friend, thanks.



Should work for addresses outside UK as well, that’s how I got my 1Z


----------



## Vlad0

It works and for non UK addresses.


----------



## all999

nc8000 said:


> Should work for addresses outside UK as well, that’s how I got my 1Z



Didn't work for polish adress last night.


----------



## Lemieux66

The last warehouse deal Z1R just sold at £1072. Shame there are no 1Z in the warehouse...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> I think anybody should try the Sony XBA-Z5s in Pentaconn 4.4mm mode.


Agree they sound pretty nice


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 22, 2017)

This may sound like a whole boat load of BS.  But since firmware 2.0 the audio quality out of WM1Z by Digital output is improved.  Now it is superior to Dx200 Coax.  Blacker background with more air and details in it.  It still can not help to go any higher into the Bandwidth of Input Signal on my DAC in comparison to Dx200.  The Coax on Dx200 could go very high in BW while the WM1Z doesn’t go that high.  Though the Digital output performances is now better than Dx200 + latest firmware.

This could be the firmware on Dx200, and when I have the time, I will downgrade the firmware on Dx200 and compare again.

But for the conclusion ATM, I am super duper happy with WM1Z on Firmware 2.0

1/ improved analog signature out of 4.4mm into Utopia
2/ improved Digital Audio Quality as a transportation into my Desktop System for my 009 Stax
3/ provides AptX HD which I am super happy with as well.

Now Dx200 is behind in all counts in comparisons....amazing !!

Sony, Jobs well done ! This is now a real Flagship 

Something came into my mind that Sony now has the ability to control all 3 things

1/ S-Master
2/ Walkman OS system
3/ Sony propriety IC chips

Now, Sony can fully control and tune the sound signature just by the firmware....crazy Sony ! *But I Like It*


----------



## twister6

Whitigir said:


> ...
> Something came into my mind that Sony now has the ability to control all 3 things
> 
> 1/ S-Master
> ...



Another advantage of this full control due to them being vertically intergrated company - they can optimize battery life to full potential!  With dsp effects off and playing 320kbps mp3s, I'm getting 32hrs of battery life, and if I have a mix of mp3/FLAC files, closer to 30hrs.


----------



## nc8000

twister6 said:


> Another advantage of this full control due to them being vertically intergrated company - they can optimize battery life to full potential!  With dsp effects off and playing 320kbps mp3s, I'm getting 32hrs of battery life, and if I have a mix of mp3/FLAC files, closer to 30hrs.



I only have 16/44 flac and get about 20 hours playtime and a weeks stand by (never turn it off) with a battery managed full charge so I usually charge every Sunday


----------



## twister6

nc8000 said:


> I only have 16/44 flac and get about 20 hours playtime and a weeks stand by (never turn it off) with a battery managed full charge so I usually charge every Sunday



I did this test with display off, continuous playback after verifying full charge:

w/FLACs, 4.4mm HO, DSP effects on - 19hrs
w/MP3s, 4.4mm HO, DSP effects off - 32hrs

Seems that enabling DSEE HX and DC Phase Linearizer drains battery faster, and also noticed DSD will drain it faster as well.


----------



## nc8000

twister6 said:


> I did this test with display off, continuous playback after verifying full charge:
> 
> w/FLACs, 4.4mm HO, DSP effects on - 19hrs
> w/MP3s, 4.4mm HO, DSP effects off - 32hrs
> ...



I use direct source and bluetooth and nfc disabled but do a bit of browsing to find the albums I want to listen. All on low gain balanced driving JH13. A full weeks use between charges with my use pattern is fully acceptable.


----------



## Whitigir

twister6 said:


> I did this test with display off, continuous playback after verifying full charge:
> 
> w/FLACs, 4.4mm HO, DSP effects on - 19hrs
> w/MP3s, 4.4mm HO, DSP effects off - 32hrs
> ...



This sounds about right

Also playing USB digital transportation also drains it faster as well


----------



## sne4me (Nov 22, 2017)

twister6 said:


> I did this test with display off, continuous playback after verifying full charge:
> 
> w/FLACs, 4.4mm HO, DSP effects on - 19hrs
> w/MP3s, 4.4mm HO, DSP effects off - 32hrs
> ...



I've noticed that DSD 2.8 MHz gets noticably less battery life, bringing it into range of normal MP3 players and phones. I cant say for certain, but dsd 2.8 runs about 5600kbps, 96khz flac runs about 4600kbps. From the above estimate of 19 hrs at FLAC, looking at 15 for DSD, which I would have to guess is right on, if possibly even a generous estimate from my usage. Does anyone know the exact CPU architecture and specs of this player?


**Edit**

Ｉ’ｍ　ａｔ　１３７　ｈｏｕｒｓ　ｐｌａｙｔｉｍｅ　ｏｎ　ｍｉｎｅ．　Ｉ　ｊｕｓｔ　ｒｅａｌｉｚｅｄ　ｔｈａｔ　Ｉ　ｍｏｓｔ　ａｌｗａｙｓ　ｈａｖｅ　ｂｅｅｎ using the 2.5mm headphone jack, and is it true that DSD out of this is conveted to lｐｃｍ？　（ｉｎｃｒｅａｓｉｎｇ　ｃｐｕ　ｃｙｃｌｅｓ　ｔｏ　ｃｏｎｖｅｒｔ）


----------



## equalspeace

dual burn-in process underway. got up to 152 hrs on SE. needless to say SE's gonna stay at that amount for awhile


----------



## gerelmx1986

I do Also light browsing and use a mix of 16/44.1 and 24 bit flac and get close to 24h play time


----------



## Redcarmoose

Not only does MP3 playback save battery life, they sound pretty darn good from the WM1Z.

Last night I could not distinguish between 24/96 and 320kbps? 

1Z ------MP3 nirvana.............


----------



## Redcarmoose

Not only does MP3 playback save battery life, they sound pretty darn good from the WM1Z.

Last night I could not distinguish between 24/96 and 320kbps? 

1Z ------MP3 nirvana.............


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> Not only does MP3 playback save battery life, they sound pretty darn good from the WM1Z.
> 
> Last night I could not distinguish between 24/96 and 320kbps?
> 
> 1Z ------MP3 nirvana.............




I sometimes can't tell the difference between mp3 320 and flac, I think things depend heavily on master more than anything


----------



## twister6

NaiveSound said:


> I sometimes can't tell the difference between mp3 320 and flac, I think things depend heavily on master more than anything



What IEMs are you using for this test? or full size cans?  If those are warmer tuned less resolving earphones/headphones, it will be hard to pick up the difference.


----------



## NaiveSound

twister6 said:


> What IEMs are you using for this test? or full size cans?  If those are warmer tuned less resolving earphones/headphones, it will be hard to pick up the difference.




With the wm1a there isn't much difference to me, with a mojo or alo audio stuff is much much easier as those have nicer resolution than wm1a.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Really hoping for the sandisk 400G card to be put in sale this cybermonday or black friday


----------



## Jazzi

dhc0329 said:


> can someone recommend me the best IEM or headphone for 1Z without amp? I haven't found any so far...


Consider yourself the Empire Ears line of IEM/CIEMs. A lot of options depending on your budget.


----------



## NaiveSound

Jazzi said:


> Consider yourself the Empire Ears line of IEM/CIEMs. A lot of options depending on your budget.




I agree  Empire Ears iems are just awesome!


----------



## Matrix Petka

Finally made my mind. Placed order for Mysphere 3.1. (http://mysphere.at/)
Legendary AKG K1000 reborn.


----------



## Jalo

gerelmx1986 said:


> Really hoping for the sandisk 400G card to be put in sale this cybermonday or black friday


I put in a 400 Gb San disk card, now my 1Z has over 10,000 songs, that is with 200 Gb of DSD and Hi res music included. Totally awesome.


----------



## proedros

Amazon.de has the 400gb Micro SDXC for €199

https://www.amazon.de/SanDisk-Ultra...1_7?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1511508617&sr=1-7


----------



## proedros (Nov 24, 2017)

there is still one used/like new WM1A at amazn.uk warehouse deals, which with the 20% off after checkout comes to *690 pounds (it is the one listed at 832 pounds , the 20% off is after checking out)*

i expected it to be sold by now

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-l...TF8&colid=3TJG9OKVVABT7&coliid=I3GRJCI1HGXR78

and ofcourse @NaiveSound  selling his *brand new WM1A for just 750$* , why this is still unsold is a mystery


----------



## Matrix Petka

proedros said:


> and ofcourse @NaiveSound  selling his *brand new WM1A for just 750$* , why this is still unsold is a mystery



We all wanting Naive Sound to keep it and love it


----------



## pietcux

dhc0329 said:


> So far I have not had any luck finding IEM or headphone which brings good synergy with 1Z.
> I tried A18, Z1R, JH Pro13 and other pieces...I am not having much luck especially on bass compartment.
> It was shocking to note MDR Z1R sounded much more fluid on old sony dap x-1061. Z1 seems to have so much
> potential but how do actually claim it?


Try the WM1A. It is a perfect match to me. Use the stock balanced cable,  high gain and direct source.


----------



## Stephen George

FYI, Dignis walkman case is available again


----------



## dhc0329

pietcux said:


> Try the WM1A. It is a perfect match to me. Use the stock balanced cable,  high gain and direct source.



Ok, I will take your word for it and get the wm1a from the forum to have the best use of my A18 and Z1R.


----------



## proedros

sandisck 400gb sdcard is the lightning deal for 168 pounds on amazon uk (roughly 200 euros)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product...sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE


----------



## zardos

Lemieux66 said:


> Anyone tried the new Sennheiser IE800S with the Sony DAPs?



Yes, I use 1Z + IE800S since a few weeks. It‘s a great combo. I prefer it over 1Z + Andromeda (also Vega)

Regarding IE800S cable. I think it is very similar to the old IE8 cable, which was great.


----------



## hattrick15

proedros said:


> Amazon.de has the 400gb Micro SDXC for €199
> 
> https://www.amazon.de/SanDisk-Ultra...1_7?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1511508617&sr=1-7



In the US, Amazon is selling it for $250 (€209 at current rates).  This looks to be their standard price.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074RNRM2B/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## proedros

amazon.es was selling the 400gb card for 175 euros , looks like 400gb prices are falling down


----------



## gerelmx1986

The 400GB is still at 250 USD in amazon US


----------



## Lemieux66 (Nov 25, 2017)

Ordered the 400gb card from Amazon UK... And today my Benks case and glass arrived. The glass came with 6 'hi-res audio' stickers:


----------



## Kervsky

Lemieux66 said:


> Ordered the 400gb card from Amazon UK... And today my Benks case and glass arrived. The glass came with 6 'hi-res audio' stickers:



Got a link for that case glass sticker combo?


----------



## Lemieux66 (Nov 25, 2017)

Kervsky said:


> Got a link for that case glass sticker combo?



https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B073ZC4ZHG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

I ordered the £24.99 option and received the case and glass. I think you can order them separately with the other two options. The fit is perfect - really impressive, and I'm pretty fussy! I've put one of the spare stickers on my Pioneer SACD player


----------



## Kervsky

Lemieux66 said:


> https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B073ZC4ZHG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
> 
> I ordered the £24.99 option and received the case and glass. I think you can order them separately with the other two options. The fit is perfect - really impressive, and I'm pretty fussy! I've put one of the spare stickers on my Pioneer SACD player



Thanks, the package is more robust there in the UK, unfortunately it wont ship to the USA or the Philippines


----------



## aisalen

Kervsky said:


> Thanks, the package is more robust there in the UK, unfortunately it wont ship to the USA or the Philippines


I have one ordered in Amazon US, ship it to shippingcart with the US address, then shipped by shippingcart to my PH address door to door. Mine is on the way.


----------



## kms108 (Nov 26, 2017)

the first option is a non branded case, not benks, second option is a gamas glass protector.


aisalen said:


> I have one ordered in Amazon US, ship it to shippingcart with the US address, then shipped by shippingcart to my PH address door to door. Mine is on the way.


That's just using a shipping agent, then why not use www.yoybuy.com and buy direct from www.taobao.cn China, it's cheaper. The case is only GBP 8 before additional charge.


----------



## aisalen

kms108 said:


> the first option is a non branded case, not benks, second option is a gamas glass protector.
> 
> That's just using a shipping agent, then why not use www.yoybuy.com and buy direct from www.taobao.cn China, it's cheaper. The case is only GBP 8 before additional charge.


Based on the picture of mine already shipped and on the way, it is a Benks one also ordered 2 extra glass protector with it. I will try your suggestion next time, but if it through post office then it is a no no for me.


----------



## goyete

Hello, a question about album covers please! When I select Artist search or album search, some covers aren't showed instantly, some of them shows with a little lag of time. I have tried everything I have thinked, reducind the jpg resolution, the size of the embedded image, I have tried to chek if this happens only in the mcirosd card or not (it happens also in the internal memory). Anyone has a solution to this? Once you have entered in the artist search, if yo go out and enters again it doesn't happens but if, a few hourse later you enter again to artist or album search, again the covers aren't showed again instantly. Any suggerences?? I have tried even making flacs after writing on Media Go (it resizes to 600x600 or 720x720 by deffect and  saves the jpg as "other" but nothing). Thank!


----------



## meurglys0

Hi,

I am seriously considering getting the NW-WM1A. I have a few questions and if a kind soul would reply, I'd really appreciate it.

1) Is the UI of NW-WM1A sluggish or slow to respond as shown in this video or any firmware update has fixed that?

2) Is there a way to remove the volume cap?

3) It can play 24 bit 192 khz flac files, right? (Some sites show it as 24 bit 96khz max).

4) I currently own an Earsonics SM3 IEM and it doesn't demand much power, but I might get a full size can that needs more power. So I would like to know if NW-WM1A can drive more power demanding headphones?

Thanks in advance for the replies.


----------



## Matrix Petka

meurglys0 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am seriously considering getting the NW-WM1A. I have a few questions and if a kind soul would reply, I'd really appreciate it.
> 
> ...



1.No. After version 2.0 - perfect.
2.Yes. Easy with Windows.
3.Yes
4.Yes. But if you want utilize 100% of it potential, be prepared to migrate to balanced connection.


----------



## PCheung

goyete said:


> Hello, a question about album covers please! When I select Artist search or album search, some covers aren't showed instantly, some of them shows with a little lag of time. I have tried everything I have thinked, reducind the jpg resolution, the size of the embedded image, I have tried to chek if this happens only in the mcirosd card or not (it happens also in the internal memory). Anyone has a solution to this? Once you have entered in the artist search, if yo go out and enters again it doesn't happens but if, a few hourse later you enter again to artist or album search, again the covers aren't showed again instantly. Any suggerences?? I have tried even making flacs after writing on Media Go (it resizes to 600x600 or 720x720 by deffect and  saves the jpg as "other" but nothing). Thank!



It need a few seconds to load the data and display the cover art


----------



## meurglys0

Matrix Petka said:


> 1.No. After version 2.0 - perfect.
> 2.Yes. Easy with Windows.
> 3.Yes
> 4.Yes. But if you want utilize 100% of it potential, be prepared to migrate to balanced connection.



Thank you very very much for the quick reply. 

"Version 2.0" is a firmware number or device edition number? 

I want to decide quickly this time and I might just go and purchase the machine right away, so if there's anything I need to be aware of such as an edition number, please tell me. Also is there any chronic fault or glitch that might be a dealbreaker that I should know of?

I used to own a Cowon X7 and I was content with it until it broke. I believe NW-WM1A is a much better sounding DAP, so I don't want to think too much about choices. Yet I still have a few brands in mind.  

Astell & Kern 70 MK II is also within my price range and sold in my country. Do you think I should consider that also? Or any other DAP that you would recommend as a better buy? Ibasso DX200 perhaps (though I hear the software is terrible on that one, and that makes me turn away from considering it) ? 

I'd really appreciate your help. Thanks in advance for the replies.


----------



## Matrix Petka

meurglys0 said:


> Thank you very very much for the quick reply.
> 
> "Version 2.0" is a firmware number or device edition number?
> 
> ...



2.0 - meant firmware update. There is no other editions, except EU version with volume cap which can be uncapped easily (I did in some 10 minutes, unless I am computing idiot  )
One thing I am missing - USB DAC function. A lot of people in this forum are hoping still for firmware upgrade for this function.
A&K I don't like in principle for their crazy pricing. I have no experience with Ibasso, but I had Fiio and throw it for software issues, which, I think, are common for most of China DAPs. Hope, it will change in the future. Tired to be free beta tester  One exception - Aune M1S - if you are tight on budget - really nice sounding simple DAP for everyday use in tough conditions


----------



## Aliv3

I'm also thinking about buying wm1a but I have two questions. 1. Where can I buy that fantastic dignis case? 2a  at the moment in terms of a iem i have  a sennheiser ie80. if I want to go balanced what are the iem that you guys recommend? I only usually listen to rock / pop / edm

Thanks


----------



## PCheung

Aliv3 said:


> I'm also thinking about buying wm1a but I have two questions. 1. Where can I buy that fantastic dignis case? 2a  at the moment in terms of a iem i have  a sennheiser ie80. if I want to go balanced what are the iem that you guys recommend? I only usually listen to rock / pop / edm
> 
> Thanks



Go to their official English website and they ship oversea

Maybe you can try this 4.4 cable if you want to keep using your IE80
http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000149261/ct2051/page1/recommend/


----------



## Ofir_A

for (1) you go here > http://dignisdesign.com/  Under Shop > DAP >  [MIDAS] DIGNIS X SONY NW-WM1 LIMITED CASE
They currently have a new batch available. Usually it vanishes very fast.

Ofir 



Aliv3 said:


> I'm also thinking about buying wm1a but I have two questions. 1. Where can I buy that fantastic dignis case? 2a  at the moment in terms of a iem i have  a sennheiser ie80. if I want to go balanced what are the iem that you guys recommend? I only usually listen to rock / pop / edm
> 
> Thanks


----------



## Kervsky

kms108 said:


> the first option is a non branded case, not benks, second option is a gamas glass protector.
> 
> That's just using a shipping agent, then why not use www.yoybuy.com and buy direct from www.taobao.cn China, it's cheaper. The case is only GBP 8 before additional charge.



I'll try this, thanks as I didn't know about this.



aisalen said:


> Based on the picture of mine already shipped and on the way, it is a Benks one also ordered 2 extra glass protector with it. I will try your suggestion next time, but if it through post office then it is a no no for me.



Usually if it's not dhl, lbc or similar courier service, it'll go through the post office from my experience.


----------



## Dvdlucena

Good morning all
How you doing?

Did someone had a change do compare Sony NW-WM1Z or 1A versus fiio x5 3rd or x7 2nd

Thanks


----------



## kms108

Kervsky said:


> I'll try this, thanks as I didn't know about this.
> 
> 
> 
> Usually if it's not dhl, lbc or similar courier service, it'll go through the post office from my experience.


They have DHL, UPS, but it's expensive, but they do have the EMS which is probably the best option.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Dvdlucena said:


> Good morning all
> How you doing?
> 
> Did someone had a change do compare Sony NW-WM1Z or 1A versus fiio x5 3rd or x7 2nd
> ...



1A vs Fiio X5III. In short - sound-wise day and night. 1A more refined, fluid, expressive, natural, better and deeper soundstage, 3D imaging. Comparing balanced output, on which 1A shines the most.


----------



## goyete (Nov 26, 2017)

PCheung said:


> It need a few seconds to load the data and display the cover art


What a help!!

Any idea for this question:


goyete said:


> Hello, a question about album covers please! When I select Artist search or album search, some covers aren't showed instantly, some of them shows with a little lag of time. I have tried everything I have thinked, reducind the jpg resolution, the size of the embedded image, I have tried to chek if this happens only in the mcirosd card or not (it happens also in the internal memory). Anyone has a solution to this? Once you have entered in the artist search, if yo go out and enters again it doesn't happens but if, a few hourse later you enter again to artist or album search, again the covers aren't showed again instantly. Any suggerences?? I have tried even making flacs after writing on Media Go (it resizes to 600x600 or 720x720 by deffect and  saves the jpg as "other" but nothing). Thank!


----------



## Kervsky

kms108 said:


> They have DHL, UPS, but it's expensive, but they do have the EMS which is probably the best option.



EMS is fast, but it still goes through our post office. It's ok most times, unless we get lucky and those #&&#₱@%&# bungle it up.


----------



## kubig123

Kervsky said:


> EMS is fast, but it still goes through our post office. It's ok most times, unless we get lucky and those #&&#₱@%&# bungle it up.


Using EMS also allow you not to pay any due fees while using expedite carriers like UPS and Fedex you always get hit with the fees.
Nit sure about DHL, but I’ve never been impressed by their service.

Again, this is my personal experience buying stuff from Asia and shipping it to the US.


----------



## kms108

Kervsky said:


> EMS is fast, but it still goes through our post office. It's ok most times, unless we get lucky and those #&&#₱@%&# bungle it up.


Most of the times it's good, but just used EMS recently, and the package seems like if it wasn't there, and suddenly it showed up and back on track, @purk is still waiting, but at least it's still on track.


----------



## Kervsky

kubig123 said:


> Using EMS also allow you not to pay any due fees while using expedite carriers like UPS and Fedex you always get hit with the fees.
> Nit sure about DHL, but I’ve never been impressed by their service.
> 
> Again, this is my personal experience buying stuff from Asia and shipping it to the US.



Mine is, ems packages gets stuck in the post office for pickup and inspection. If its above 10k pesos (or $200 usd) the slap an additional fee on top of the 115 pesos (around 2 dollars and some cents) for going through their doors :3 my dhl, lbc stuff and fedex goes to my doorstep without a hitch, just sign, no fuss. But they are rather expensive. Sometimes it pays off for the lack of travel hassle.


----------



## gerelmx1986

goyete said:


> Hello, a question about album covers please! When I select Artist search or album search, some covers aren't showed instantly, some of them shows with a little lag of time. I have tried everything I have thinked, reducind the jpg resolution, the size of the embedded image, I have tried to chek if this happens only in the mcirosd card or not (it happens also in the internal memory). Anyone has a solution to this? Once you have entered in the artist search, if yo go out and enters again it doesn't happens but if, a few hourse later you enter again to artist or album search, again the covers aren't showed again instantly. Any suggerences?? I have tried even making flacs after writing on Media Go (it resizes to 600x600 or 720x720 by deffect and  saves the jpg as "other" but nothing). Thank!


 Is perfectly normal, my jpgs are at 600x600 to 900x900 and the lag is mostly gone with FW 2.0 but seems normal as it is buffering the list


----------



## gerelmx1986

Aliv3 said:


> I'm also thinking about buying wm1a but I have two questions. 1. Where can I buy that fantastic dignis case? 2a  at the moment in terms of a iem i have  a sennheiser ie80. if I want to go balanced what are the iem that you guys recommend? I only usually listen to rock / pop / edm
> 
> Thanks


 I think sennheiser I80 has a two-pin cable so you can look for one of these cables but terminated in 4.4mm


----------



## kubig123

Kervsky said:


> Mine is, ems packages gets stuck in the post office for pickup and inspection. If its above 10k pesos (or $200 usd) the slap an additional fee on top of the 115 pesos (around 2 dollars and some cents) for going through their doors :3 my dhl, lbc stuff and fedex goes to my doorstep without a hitch, just sign, no fuss. But they are rather expensive. Sometimes it pays off for the lack of travel hassle.



Yes,
if I have to buy something expensive I definitely go with fedex first and then ups.
If I purchased something through Buyee I used EMS, usually I get the package in less than a week, I never had a problem, even bought a used WM1Z for slighty less than $2k and shipped with EMS, got the package and I never paid duties fees.

Other country has different policies and I cannot really say which carrier is best to use.


----------



## AvijitSingh

So can the firmware be rolled back, and how does this pair with the CA Andromeda


----------



## soundkist

AvijitSingh said:


> So can the firmware be rolled back, and how does this pair with the CA Andromeda



I think at least a few of us active in this thread have the WM1A/Andro pairing; speaking for myself, I think it's exquisite with the Andro--absolutely no complaints.  Official d/l page for 2.0 fw says once installed, you can't revert back to earlier versions, but I don't know if there is definitively no way of doing so.


----------



## FranTBW (Nov 27, 2017)

Just got my very special WM1A case! Dignis was very cooperative and helpful with my queries, and had it shipped promptly. Ordered last friday, and just recieved it today.

Irony here is that I've yet to get my WM1A, but it's coming once my dad comes back from japan


----------



## ttt123

AvijitSingh said:


> So can the firmware be rolled back, and how does this pair with the CA Andromeda


Multiple people have rolled back successfully.  Check their postings on this thread, with links to the old firmware.


----------



## kms108

FranTBW said:


> Just got my very special WM1A case! Dignis was very cooperative and helpful with my queries, and had it shipped promptly. Ordered last friday, and just recieved it today.
> 
> Irony here is that I've yet to get my WM1A, but it's coming once my dad comes back from japan


It be a greater surprise when he returns with a ZX300 instead, and says it's a newer version.


----------



## Kervsky

AvijitSingh said:


> So can the firmware be rolled back, and how does this pair with the CA Andromeda





soundkist said:


> I think at least a few of us active in this thread have the WM1A/Andro pairing; speaking for myself, I think it's exquisite with the Andro--absolutely no complaints.  Official d/l page for 2.0 fw says once installed, you can't revert back to earlier versions, but I don't know if there is definitively no way of doing so.



No complaints either on the Andro/WM1A pairing, definitely a must a try combination.


----------



## twister6

Yes, it's very easy to go between 1.2 and 2.0 firmware loads, connect 1Z/1A to your computer and run exe file.  Just remember, when you roll back to 1.2, you will need to go to System Setting -> Device Setting -> Reset/Format -> Rebuild Database.  That has to be done manually.  When you upgrade to 2.0, Database Rebuild is done automatically.


----------



## Aliv3

I already bought the wm1a. I was now going to buy a dignis case but that is still expensive! What kind of payment did you used on their website? I hope I do not take with customs fees


----------



## Lemieux66

Just loaded a brand new empty 400gb SanDisk card onto my 1A and the 1A menu says it only contains 366gb. Is this normal?


----------



## Matrix Petka

Lemieux66 said:


> Just loaded a brand new empty 400gb SanDisk card onto my 1A and the 1A menu says it only contains 366gb. Is this normal?



Yes, it is. Usually you get about 40GB less, than promised.


----------



## Vlad0

Are someone used SE output of 1A with 4 pin cable with mic? Did you notice some interference from the mic?
I/m forced to use the pathetic stock cable for ATH-CKR100 which have a mic and 4 pole TRRS connection because of it and as Sony SE has also TRRS for it's "balanced" I/m curious for other opinions. 
Not impressed at all form AT for now. My JVC's 1100 ruins them totally.


----------



## nanaholic

Vlad0 said:


> Are someone used SE output of 1A with 4 pin cable with mic? Did you notice some interference from the mic?
> I/m forced to use the pathetic stock cable for ATH-CKR100 which have a mic and 4 pole TRRS connection because of it and as Sony SE has also TRRS for it's "balanced" I/m curious for other opinions.
> Not impressed at all form AT for now. My JVC's 1100 ruins them totally.



If you look really hard you can find TRRS 3.5mm balanced cables (I know Onso makes some decently affordable ones), or just snip a 2.5mm balance cable you know that is good and reterminate with a 3.5mm TRRS plug yourself.


----------



## kubig123

Aliv3 said:


> I already bought the wm1a. I was now going to buy a dignis case but that is still expensive! What kind of payment did you used on their website? I hope I do not take with customs fees



check in the refurbish section, you might find one you like for a discounted price

http://dignis.co.kr/product/list.html?cate_no=89


----------



## nc8000

Lemieux66 said:


> Just loaded a brand new empty 400gb SanDisk card onto my 1A and the 1A menu says it only contains 366gb. Is this normal?



Yes the 400gb on the card is marketing speak and means 400.000.000.000 bytes (400*1000*1000*1000) where in normal computer parlance 400gb would be 429.496.729.600 bytes (400*1024*1024*1024). Then you also loose some space for formatting the card.


----------



## Lemieux66

Thanks @nc8000, didn't know that


----------



## willryu

I'm going to be in Tokyo for a few days and am interested in the WM1A. Can I save any money by purchasing in Tokyo say from Yodobashi or the Sony Store? I'm from Canada. I will also be in Hong Kong in a couple of weeks. Better to buy in Hong Kong?

TIA.


----------



## Aliv3

kubig123 said:


> check in the refurbish section, you might find one you like for a discounted price
> 
> http://dignis.co.kr/product/list.html?cate_no=89


Thanks! 

what is the recommended payment method PayPal or credit card?


----------



## kubig123

I used both methods, never had an issue with them.


----------



## proedros

i think that


willryu said:


> I'm going to be in Tokyo for a few days and am interested in the WM1A. Can I save any money by purchasing in Tokyo say from Yodobashi or the Sony Store? I'm from Canada. I will also be in Hong Kong in a couple of weeks. Better to buy in Hong Kong?
> 
> TIA.




did @NaiveSound sell his brand new WM1A ? he lives in USA and he is selling it for like 750$ 

i paid 900$ for mine and considered it a great price , 750$ is ridiculous


----------



## hung031086

Which site you guys get the benks case and glass screen protector ? Amazon, Ebay ?


----------



## Cagin

willryu said:


> I'm going to be in Tokyo for a few days and am interested in the WM1A. Can I save any money by purchasing in Tokyo say from Yodobashi or the Sony Store? I'm from Canada. I will also be in Hong Kong in a couple of weeks. Better to buy in Hong Kong?
> 
> TIA.


You could benefit from tax free + tourist discount % +  % by paying with a credit card. Yodobashi, bic camera


----------



## Cagin

hung031086 said:


> Which site you guys get the benks case and glass screen protector ? Amazon, Ebay ?


Had posted the link in recent pages, roundtheclockmall


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> i think that
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Sold
Now selling a lcd XC


----------



## tienbasse

Cagin said:


> You could benefit from tax free + tourist discount % +  % by paying with a credit card. Yodobashi, bic camera


I was there 3 weeks ago and even tax free, price wasn't interesting and there were no discount on sony products except PHA-3 at the time.
Internet has made Japanese shopping much less interesting than 4-5 years ago.
Except when they're getting rid of remaining stocks on older models, you don't really pay less than anywhere else.

Hong-Kong is a much better place to shop. You can at least bargain there.


----------



## Stephen George

Matrix Petka said:


> Yes, it is. Usually you get about 40GB less, than promised.



promised by whom? 

actually it is the way size is calculated (and always has been)

http://www.ussscctv.com/harddrivesizecapacitiescalculator.aspx


----------



## Matrix Petka

Stephen George said:


> promised by whom?
> 
> actually it is the way size is calculated (and always has been)
> 
> http://www.ussscctv.com/harddrivesizecapacitiescalculator.aspx



I know it, Stephen  Promised by manufacturer's add on package


----------



## Stephen George

Matrix Petka said:


> I know it, Stephen  Promised by manufacturer's add on package



i DOES suck to not have 400GB though! (I have 2 of these cards0


----------



## nc8000

Matrix Petka said:


> I know it, Stephen  Promised by manufacturer's add on package



Well if you read the tiny print on the package it states that they calculate in 1.000’s and not in 1.024’s, it’s just that with internal memory in computers they do calculate in 1.024’s so we expect that for storage as well. Also they don’t mention the loss from formatting


----------



## Matrix Petka

nc8000 said:


> Well if you read the tiny print on the package it states that they calculate in 1.000’s and not in 1.024’s, it’s just that with internal memory in computers they do calculate in 1.024’s so we expect that for storage as well. Also they don’t mention the loss from formatting



Tiny script for tiny marketing cheats.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

If anyone still looking for WM1A, Im selling mine for $750.


----------



## Whitigir

hamhamhamsta said:


> If anyone still looking for WM1A, Im selling mine for $750.


Nice! Awesome price !


----------



## sne4me

I have been listening and I think FW 2.0 is better for wm1a.  Seems to have punchier bass, clearer higher frequency. I’m at 147 hours, so you can take that for what it’s worth.

I also put a 64gb sandisk endurance in, i wish a 128gb existed. I’ve got 56gb free on internal storage, 1.21gb on the sdxc card.


----------



## NaiveSound

I got a 4.4mm pentacon terminated  2pin Iem silver dragon cable. 

Looking to get rid of it cheap. Pm me


----------



## imparanoic

just wondering, for those with original leather case CKL-NWZX100 *( or other sony official leather cases for zx1, zx2 or wm1) , after constant usage, the leather is slight wearing out on the corner, some parts appear to be hardening and becoming dirty after 1 and half years of usage, the humid and hot conditions in hong kong summers don't help either, after cleaning my 2013 vw golf 7 with ikea asborb leather care kit  a few days ( it's good and requires a bit of elbow grease), the car leathers seats is clean and supply, do you think i can use this kea asborb leather care kit  on my sony leather case leather case CKL-NWZX100 (presumably leather case for zx1 and zx2 and wm1 are the same and can be cleaned and reconditions in the same way)


----------



## hamhamhamsta

A quick question. Which Sony cable and where can I get it from to enable playing songs to stereo receiver using usb. Im thinking of using 1Z with speakers.

Any good colorless amp recommendation so 1Z can shine? Just bought KEF Q100 for black Friday. Not too expensive, maybe around 1k. Any thought about Massdrop sprout audio 2 amp or Outlaw audio rr2160 stereo amp? im trying to max the sound quality of Kef100


----------



## gerelmx1986

for  a receiver hmm, i only have analogue RCA cables  (SE)


----------



## imparanoic

hamhamhamsta said:


> A quick question. Which Sony cable and where can I get it from to enable playing songs to stereo receiver using usb. Im thinking of using 1Z with speakers.
> 
> Any good colorless amp recommendation so 1Z can shine? Just bought KEF Q100 for black Friday. Not too expensive, maybe around 1k. Any thought about Massdrop sprout audio 2 amp or Outlaw audio rr2160 stereo amp? im trying to max the sound quality of Kef100



Marantz PM8005 ( cost around GBP500/US$800)  will partner your KEF Q100 very well, but the lower PM6005 is fine as well

i personally would not consider higher model of marantz unless you consider upgrading the GBP200/US$400 Q100 to Rseries of KEFs, (r100 GBP600/USD$1000) 

if i had a NW-WM1Z, i would get RMT-NWS20 remote and dock BCR-NW10, and PM6005 for your WM1z

https://www.amazon.com/Walkman-Cradle-BCR-NWH10-NW-ZX2-Japan/dp/B00S94R5RK

But if i was serious and want to match the performance, of the NW-WM1z i spend around GBP3-4k, Marantz PM-KI lite, RMT-NWS20 remote and dock BCR-NW10, and KEFs R500, i will be musical nirvana, but i would also get a cd player as well probably SA-KI lite as well


----------



## blazinblazin

IMO remote is very useful if you put all songs on shuffle and you skip songs often.


----------



## sne4me

Sony says the WMC-NWH10 is the most HD option. Its a thicker cable designed for High Resolution audio. With it, HD USB, such as a split power from data cable can be used. This is how I send music from my walkman to my Amp. 

Interestingly, the walkman under older firmware would not count playtime in this output mode, only from the headphone jacks. Im not sure if 2.0 changes this or not yet


----------



## nanaholic

sne4me said:


> Sony says the WMC-NWH10 is the most HD option. Its a thicker cable designed for High Resolution audio. With it, HD USB, such as a split power from data cable can be used. This is how I send music from my walkman to my Amp.
> 
> Interestingly, the walkman under older firmware would not count playtime in this output mode, only from the headphone jacks. Im not sure if 2.0 changes this or not yet



If I were to guess that's probably by design and not a bug.  The playtime counter is really for the benefit of keeping track of burning in those capacitors of the headphone outputs, so if you were to use the USB out those caps aren't really being burnt in. 

What's more interesting to me is that if Sony has the ability to differentiate between headphone out and USB out for it's playtime counter, they really should go a step further and separate SE and balance output playtime as well (which they obviously has the ability to do so too, seeing the UI does tell you which output you are using).


----------



## Kervsky

imparanoic said:


> Marantz PM8005 ( cost around GBP500/US$800)  will partner your KEF Q100 very well, but the lower PM6005 is fine as well
> 
> i personally would not consider higher model of marantz unless you consider upgrading the GBP200/US$400 Q100 to Rseries of KEFs, (r100 GBP600/USD$1000)
> 
> ...



THe PM6005 doesn't have a usb dac input (which is the output of the dock), the PM7005 though has it and it's something I've been eyeing for awhile since that was also my plan (already have the remote and dock.)


----------



## imparanoic

Kervsky said:


> THe PM6005 doesn't have a usb dac input (which is the output of the dock), the PM7005 though has it and it's something I've been eyeing for awhile since that was also my plan (already have the remote and dock.)



In my opinion, if you go for digital out of the dock and PM7005, upgrade the speakers to high grade such at R100 or other r series even better with floor standers r series, or consider Tannoy Revolution series 

gbp600

https://www.whathifi.com/tannoy/revolution-xt-6/review 

even this version, if using pm8005 for truly high end experience 

gbp1000

https://www.whathifi.com/tannoy/revolution-xt6f/review 

or 

gbp500

https://www.whathifi.com/q-acoustics/3050/review


----------



## Kervsky

imparanoic said:


> In my opinion, if you go for digital out of the dock and PM7005, upgrade the speakers to high grade such at R100 or other r series even better with floor standers r series, or consider Tannoy Revolution series
> 
> gbp600
> 
> ...



Thanks for the tips, slowly but surely. The amp is the first thing I'll likely get, though the PM8005 weirdly enough does not have a USB dac input, its just that PM7005.


----------



## Gibraltar

hamhamhamsta said:


> A quick question. Which Sony cable and where can I get it from to enable playing songs to stereo receiver using usb. Im thinking of using 1Z with speakers.
> 
> Any good colorless amp recommendation so 1Z can shine? Just bought KEF Q100 for black Friday. Not too expensive, maybe around 1k. Any thought about Massdrop sprout audio 2 amp or Outlaw audio rr2160 stereo amp? im trying to max the sound quality of Kef100



The DAC in the 1Z is likely better than the ones in any of these receivers. If you're only going to use it for 2 channel listening you might be better off looking at fully analog amp and connecting the headphone output from the 1Z.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Nov 28, 2017)

Gibraltar said:


> The DAC in the 1Z is likely better than the ones in any of these receivers. If you're only going to use it for 2 channel listening you might be better off looking at fully analog amp and connecting the headphone output from the 1Z.


Meaning using balanced output to 2 RCA, something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Hea...?ie=UTF8&qid=1511854550&sr=8-36&keywords=wm1z

Any example of good analog amp?


----------



## superuser1 (Nov 28, 2017)

This is a great Rotel balanced amp: http://www.rotel.com/product/rb-1582-mkii

EDIT: Even Cambridge Audio has a balanced integrated amp you can look up. https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/en/products/851/851a


----------



## Gibraltar

hamhamhamsta said:


> Meaning using balanced output to 2 RCA, something like this?
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Hea...?ie=UTF8&qid=1511854550&sr=8-36&keywords=wm1z
> 
> Any example of good analog amp?



It's not a good idea to convert the balanced output to RCA, since some amps will share a ground between both channels on the RCA inputs, which would be bad for the 1Z. Either use the single ended output or find an amp with balanced inputs.

I haven't been in the market for an amp lately, but I'm sure others here will have suggestions.


----------



## meurglys0

Friends, I have two questions before finally pulling the trigger on the NW-WM1A... 

1. From what I understand NW-WM1A doesn't have a DAC chip of brands sych as Sabre, Cirrus, AKM etc. Is this a disadvantage or does it mean inferior sound quality compared to DAPs that have those DACs? Could you please explain how the Sony works in means of DAC?

2. I currently own an Earsonics SM3 IEM which has a 2.5 mm jack. I need to get a 4.4 or 3.5 converter along with NW-WM1A, right? Any recommendations regarding this jack? I would prefer one without a cable... 

Thanks in advance for the replies.


----------



## ranfan

meurglys0 said:


> Friends, I have two questions before finally pulling the trigger on the NW-WM1A...
> 
> 1. From what I understand NW-WM1A doesn't have a DAC chip of brands sych as Sabre, Cirrus, AKM etc. Is this a disadvantage or does it mean inferior sound quality compared to DAPs that have those DACs? Could you please explain how the Sony works in means of DAC?
> 
> ...


1) Not sure as well about its DAC, but I certainly think it doesn't sound inferior to many high-quality DAPs out there. I currently have the WM1A, AK70 MKII (dual Cirrus), and Opus#2 (dual Sabre). In comparison, the 1A sounds somewhat similar in character with AK70MKII warmish-neutral sound, but it has a further-reaching extension in both bass, and treble frequency. Its soundstage is larger, and each note is recreated with slightly more detail. Compared to the Opus#2, the WM1A sounds warmer, and bassier. The WM1A's midrange is more voluminous, and organic in tone. While the Opus#2 is slightly brighter in the treble, and more detailed. It has a wider soundstage, and leaner notes. So whether if the 1A is inferior I guess it depends on your taste. But for only its sound quality, the 1A competes very well in this high-end portable DAP region. Not to mention it's excellent battery life. 



Spoiler












2) I think Effect Audio sells them (https://www.effectaudio.com/others/accessories.html). Although it's more expensive than buying a non-branded ones, or moreover building a DIY. I got mine created by a DIY hobbyist nearby, 2,5-mm to 4,4 for around $30-40. It uses Eidolic male, and female plug.



Spoiler


----------



## Matrix Petka

meurglys0 said:


> Friends, I have two questions before finally pulling the trigger on the NW-WM1A...
> 
> 1. From what I understand NW-WM1A doesn't have a DAC chip of brands sych as Sabre, Cirrus, AKM etc. Is this a disadvantage or does it mean inferior sound quality compared to DAPs that have those DACs? Could you please explain how the Sony works in means of DAC?
> 
> ...



1. Sony using their own chip, which surpasses many of common available chips not only in sound quality, but using much less energy - WM1A battery stay almost twice longer than competitors.
2.Now there is lot of converters according your budget. Just google it  My recommendation - for mobile use it is better converter with cable. Less tension force.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna (Nov 28, 2017)

meurglys0 said:


> Friends, I have two questions before finally pulling the trigger on the NW-WM1A...
> 
> 1. From what I understand NW-WM1A doesn't have a DAC chip of brands sych as Sabre, Cirrus, AKM etc. Is this a disadvantage or does it mean inferior sound quality compared to DAPs that have those DACs? Could you please explain how the Sony works in means of DAC?
> 
> ...


Sony uses the "Pulse Width Modulation" philosophy with their DAPs. You can search on the web about this method which has been in use for several other industries. In a nutshell, it's a way of integrating the DAC and the AMP sections together, unlike the classic DAPs we see on the market.

You can see a small article from Sony here: http://www.sony.co.in/article/210012/section/product/product/dav-dz150k

With this technology Sony DAPs don't generate heat like other players do, and they have excellent power efficiency, resulting a great battery life which the competitors cannot achieve.

_"The main advantage of PWM is that power loss in the switching devices is very low. When a switch is off there is practically no current, and when it is on and power is being transferred to the load, there is almost no voltage drop across the switch. Power loss, being the product of voltage and current, is thus in both cases close to zero."_

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse-width_modulation


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 28, 2017)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Meaning using balanced output to 2 RCA, something like this?
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Hea...?ie=UTF8&qid=1511854550&sr=8-36&keywords=wm1z
> 
> Any example of good analog amp?



Nope, only use 4.4mm out into Balanced in amplifier ....never use RCA output with 4.4mm.

Standards

1/ 4.4 INTO XLR 3 x2
2/ 4.4 into 2.5mm Trrs 
3/ 4.4 into 3.5mm Trrs 
4/ 4.4mm into ...anything balanced from the manufacturers


----------



## meurglys0

Thank you very much firends. Thanks to your reassurance, I placed my order. Now waiting in excitement. I'll share with you my impressions. 



ranfan said:


> 1) Not sure as well about its DAC, but I certainly think it doesn't sound inferior to many high-quality DAPs out there. I currently have the WM1A, AK70 MKII (dual Cirrus), and Opus#2 (dual Sabre). In comparison, the 1A sounds somewhat similar in character with AK70MKII warmish-neutral sound, but it has a further-reaching extension in both bass, and treble frequency. Its soundstage is larger, and each note is recreated with slightly more detail. Compared to the Opus#2, the WM1A sounds warmer, and bassier. The WM1A's midrange is more voluminous, and organic in tone. While the Opus#2 is slightly brighter in the treble, and more detailed. It has a wider soundstage, and leaner notes. So whether if the 1A is inferior I guess it depends on your taste. But for only its sound quality, the 1A competes very well in this high-end portable DAP region. Not to mention it's excellent battery life.




What you've described is just my taste in sound. Full, detailed, warm. 




Matrix Petka said:


> 1. Sony using their own chip, which surpasses many of common available chips not only in sound quality, but using much less energy - WM1A battery stay almost twice longer than competitors.





Virtu Fortuna said:


> Sony uses the "Pulse Width Modulation" philosophy with their DAPs. You can search on the web about this method which has been in use for several other industries. In a nutshell, it's a way of integrating the DAC and the AMP sections together, unlike the classic DAPs we see on the market.




You've all given me invaluable information. Thanks again.

...

From what I understand the balanced out is the one I should aim for. So I should get 2.5 to 4.4 converter. Is there anything I should look for in the converter to get the best results?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Media go sorts by artists when transferring to the Walkman or micro sd card. 

I have a problem , it seems I can't find an album to delete despite I see the artist but I can't find the folder in the micro sd card


----------



## Matrix Petka

meurglys0 said:


> Thank you very much firends. Thanks to your reassurance, I placed my order. Now waiting in excitement. I'll share with you my impressions.



Wish you fast delivery and lots of joy 
I am using such adapter , made by my friend (silver litz wiring, teflon isolation)


----------



## meomap

Hi,

Does anyone here know what is letter N behind 1Z stand for?

NW-WM1Z N

It sells in Amazon by Rainbow Corp.


----------



## Whitigir

Newer edition ?


----------



## Fixxer6671

to that end, you really can't beat the bigger companies R&D.  I had hte pleasure of talking to Sony when the Z1 came out and bought it on the spot.  I also went the an audio show and spoke at legnth to Sony REPS about their hi-res LP player / converter.

What they are doing is on another level, and they are not cutting corners anymore, thereby going after the hi end audio market hard.

That said, you should have no conncerns with an in house Sony DAC chip. Post your review when you get it!


----------



## kms108

meomap said:


> Hi,
> 
> Does anyone here know what is letter N behind 1Z stand for?
> 
> ...


N for Never buy from this seller, only direct from Amazon.


----------



## meomap

kms108 said:


> N for Never buy from this seller, only direct from Amazon.



It said fullfilled by Amazon.
Does it mean fake?


----------



## kms108

Sold and fulfilled by Amazon is the best option and protection you can get for stuff sold from Amazon.


----------



## hattrick15

meomap said:


> Hi,
> 
> Does anyone here know what is letter N behind 1Z stand for?
> 
> ...



I ordered my 1Z from Rainbow Corp (same thing you are looking at on Amazon).  There is absolutely nothing different about this unit.  Same as all 1Z units.


----------



## nc8000

Big mark reached


----------



## blazinblazin

nc8000 said:


> Big mark reached


That's a really matching plug


----------



## meurglys0

Matrix Petka said:


> Wish you fast delivery and lots of joy



Thanks!


----------



## meurglys0

What's the first thing to configure when the DAP arrives? Do I need to update the firmware first, or should I remove the EU volume cap first (because it involves resetting the settings at the end)? 

I guess it's possible to update to the latest firmware without updating to the previous firmware versions, right?


----------



## Matrix Petka

meurglys0 said:


> What's the first thing to configure when the DAP arrives? Do I need to update the firmware first, or should I remove the EU volume cap first (because it involves resetting the settings at the end)?
> 
> I guess it's possible to update to the latest firmware without updating to the previous firmware versions, right?



I removed cap first, because there was no updated FW at the moment. I think, there is up to you, what to do first - update or uncap (uncaps stay after firmware upgrade).
Yes, you can jump straight into version 2. 
Or, for curiosity try 1.2


----------



## nc8000

blazinblazin said:


> That's a really matching plug



Yes though the quality of the coating is not at the same level as the player


----------



## 480126

Matrix Petka said:


> I removed cap first, because there was no updated FW at the moment. I think, there is up to you, what to do first - update or uncap (uncaps stay after firmware upgrade).
> Yes, you can jump straight into version 2.
> Or, for curiosity try 1.2


I´m a 66 year old pc-idiot from german. I´ve seen the Internet page about removing the volume cap but i don´t understand how it goes. Is there another page? Or can you tell me - maybe pm - in simply words what do do. Thanks alot Frida


----------



## twister6

nc8000 said:


> Yes though the quality of the coating is not at the same level as the player



Where did you get that plug?  I mean, someone reterminated SuperBax for you or did you do it yourself?


----------



## nc8000

twister6 said:


> Where did you get that plug?  I mean, someone reterminated SuperBax for you or did you do it yourself?



I had a friend who had the skills reterminate the SuperBax with this

http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=5612


----------



## Quadfather

Lemieux66 said:


> Ordered the 400gb card from Amazon UK... And today my Benks case and glass arrived. The glass came with 6 'hi-res audio' stickers:



Love Alice in Chains!   Facelift is a beastly, great album!


----------



## Quadfather

Frida309 said:


> I´m a 66 year old pc-idiot from german. I´ve seen the Internet page about removing the volume cap but i don´t understand how it goes. Is there another page? Or can you tell me - maybe pm - in simply words what do do. Thanks alot Frida



Don't you just love all the extra work people have to do when governments attempt to save us from ourselves?


----------



## nc8000

Frida309 said:


> I´m a 66 year old pc-idiot from german. I´ve seen the Internet page about removing the volume cap but i don´t understand how it goes. Is there another page? Or can you tell me - maybe pm - in simply words what do do. Thanks alot Frida



Unless you actually need more volume to drive your phones you don’t really have to remove the volume cap


----------



## Matrix Petka

Frida309 said:


> I´m a 66 year old pc-idiot from german. I´ve seen the Internet page about removing the volume cap but i don´t understand how it goes. Is there another page? Or can you tell me - maybe pm - in simply words what do do. Thanks alot Frida



I am at almost the same level of PC idiocy. But managed to do it easy 
As it goes (for Windows PC - can't help with Apple):
1.Download both files to your PC from Internet.
2.Connect WM1A to your PC
3.Copy both files from PC to WM1A internal memory
4.Open exe.file from WM1A memory - not from PC memory, but using PC file Explorer
5.Tipe commands as in instruction.
6.My choice was E version - Australian
7.Reboot WM1A

Hope, it help. Or ask your young neighbor


----------



## meurglys0

Matrix Petka said:


> I removed cap first, because there was no updated FW at the moment. I think, there is up to you, what to do first - update or uncap (uncaps stay after firmware upgrade).
> Yes, you can jump straight into version 2.
> Or, for curiosity try 1.2





Thanks! I guess I'll go with the cap first, too.


----------



## 480126

Matrix Petka said:


> I am at almost the same level of PC idiocy. But managed to do it easy
> As it goes (for Windows PC - can't help with Apple):
> 1.Download both files to your PC from Internet.
> 2.Connect WM1A to your PC
> ...


Thanks a lot!!!!


----------



## Aliv3

My wm1a arrived today. At the store they told me that the version was the uncapped version. How can I verify that?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have issued a complaint to accessory jack as my cable shipment didn't arrive after nearly two months. 

They will issue a report to Hong Kong post, hope all goes well (I ordered the Sony standard balanced cable mmcx)


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have issued a complaint to accessory jack as my cable shipment didn't arrive after nearly two months.
> 
> They will issue a report to Hong Kong post, hope all goes well (I ordered the Sony standard balanced cable mmcx)



That is horrible >.< I hope you get it soon to enjoy your 1A


----------



## Lemieux66

Aliv3 said:


> My wm1a arrived today. At the store they told me that the version was the uncapped version. How can I verify that?



Go to Settings - if the option for High Gain is available, you are uncapped. Also check that the Bluetooth remote option is there alongside the icon for normal Bluetooth.


----------



## Nimos

Hello wm1a owners

Can the wm1a, drive properly the MDR-Z7 ? Especially using the balananced output ? Will it sound as good as driven by a dedicated headphone amp ?

Thank you !


----------



## Lemieux66

@Nimos

The 1A drives the Z1R very well. I'd assume it works with the 7 too.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Nimos said:


> Hello wm1a owners
> 
> Can the wm1a, drive properly the MDR-Z7 ? Especially using the balananced output ? Will it sound as good as driven by a dedicated headphone amp ?
> 
> Thank you !



Easy on balanced. High gain, uncapped.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Nimos said:


> Hello wm1a owners
> 
> Can the wm1a, drive properly the MDR-Z7 ? Especially using the balananced output ? Will it sound as good as driven by a dedicated headphone amp ?
> 
> Thank you !


for. Me they sound excellent using balanced, esp. Using the mdr-z1r cable


----------



## nc8000

Nimos said:


> Hello wm1a owners
> 
> Can the wm1a, drive properly the MDR-Z7 ? Especially using the balananced output ? Will it sound as good as driven by a dedicated headphone amp ?
> 
> Thank you !



My 1Z drives the Z1R fine on balanced low gain at around 90 on the volume


----------



## Deftone

Woah well over a thousand pages! Can anyone link me to measurements of WM1A? Dynamic range, Jitter, SnR, distortion etc

Much appreciated.


----------



## Turrican2

WM1A with recabled Sony mh1.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> My 1Z drives the Z1R fine on balanced low gain at around 90 on the volume


My WM1A drives. My z7 around v. 70-85 (depends on Album / track loudness) on normal gain


----------



## gerelmx1986

Meanwhile my cable I ordered from accessory jack is lost, the Walkman case I bought from @nc800 has arrived to Mexico and been processed by customs.

Hapoy/sad moment hope my cable parcel issue gets solved soon


----------



## Stephen George

Deftone said:


> Woah well over a thousand pages! Can anyone link me to measurements of WM1A? Dynamic range, Jitter, SnR, distortion etc
> 
> Much appreciated.



it makes for great reading...i thought this was in the first few posts


----------



## productred

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have issued a complaint to accessory jack as my cable shipment didn't arrive after nearly two months.
> 
> They will issue a report to Hong Kong post, hope all goes well (I ordered the Sony standard balanced cable mmcx)



You are not in Hong Kong are you? If yes they got a B&M store that you can storm into. Never dealt with them myself though.


----------



## productred

productred said:


> You are not in Hong Kong are you? If yes they got a B&M store that you can storm into. Never dealt with them myself though.



Ah I see you'r in MX. Too bad then, but dun worry guess they'll sort it out alrite.


----------



## Matrix Petka

gerelmx1986 said:


> Meanwhile my cable I ordered from accessory jack is lost, the Walkman case I bought from @nc800 has arrived to Mexico and been processed by customs.
> 
> Hapoy/sad moment hope my cable parcel issue gets solved soon



Maybe guys from HKG here in this thread can visit store for a little push?


----------



## kms108

AJ can only do something about the package if sent with a delivery service that has some sort of tracking, they can only fill out a tracking form which can be download from hk Post or through the courier service. If the package has no tracking AJ will have to resend another.

On the other hand did AJ actually send anything out.

So I can't comment who is right or wrong.


----------



## nanaholic

https://twitter.com/briseaudio/status/936182027279147008

Brise Audio has posted photos of their prototype 4.4mm female jack to TRRS 2.5mm male, TRS 3.5mm male and TRRS 3.5mm male converter cables on twitter. Guess we can expect 4.4mm female jacks to soon be available in much larger quantities.


----------



## gerelmx1986

productred said:


> You are not in Hong Kong are you? If yes they got a B&M store that you can storm into. Never dealt with them myself though.


I've ordered from AJ since my zx100 and never had any problem with them until now, since last year I know Mexican postal service is in a crisis. 

I chose the free shipping thinking it would arrive fast (and I should had as being EMS). AJ for me has been great, most of time I use FedEx shipping


----------



## PCheung (Nov 30, 2017)

nanaholic said:


> https://twitter.com/briseaudio/status/936182027279147008
> 
> Brise Audio has posted photos of their prototype 4.4mm female jack to TRRS 2.5mm male, TRS 3.5mm male and TRRS 3.5mm male converter cables on twitter. Guess we can expect 4.4mm female jacks to soon be available in much larger quantities.


http://www.to-pura.com/new item.html

Seems those are from To-pura and they started mass-production 










Expect oyaide selling this female jack very soon, as To-pura OEM the 4.4 male plug for them


----------



## kms108

Those female socket has already been available for a few months, I have posted links before on this thread, you can get them from taobao China.


----------



## PCheung (Nov 30, 2017)

kms108 said:


> Those female socket has already been available for a few months, I have posted links before on this thread, you can get them from taobao China.



I have the one from taobao but I will replace the taobao female socket if I find a better one, cos
1. QC is poor, 1 out of 3 had the L+ and L- shorted
2. the very tiny connector are hard to solder
3. Only 4 connector L+, L-, R+, R- , the one form To-pura have five (L+, L-, R+, R-, Ground)
4. Hard to plug in, seems very bad if you are using rhodium plated plug. I'm sure the plating wore off within a month if keep using it.

Seems you like taobao a lot,
plug, female socket, screen protector, case, all from taobao
But doesn't mean we can't share info from other maker


----------



## Mimouille

Is there a consensus here on the fact that 2.0 sounds different? Less thick and less engaging than 1.20?


----------



## kms108

I prefer to go elsewhere, but less choice and expensive shipping has forced me to use taobao, but I prefer to buy direct in china and buy these stuff in person.

You are welcome to post stuff from other brands, no one is stopping you, I'm just stating it available elsewhere.


----------



## PCheung

kms108 said:


> I prefer to go elsewhere, but less choice and expensive shipping has forced me to use taobao, but I prefer to buy direct in china and buy these stuff in person.
> 
> You are welcome to post stuff from other brands, no one is stopping you, I'm just stating it available elsewhere.



Well, quality come at a price, like the Pentaconn OFC plug I'm using
Over price but sure a better build and sound better than any cheap plug from taobao


----------



## kms108

PCheung said:


> Well, quality come at a price, like the Pentaconn OFC plug I'm using
> Over price but sure a better build and sound better than any cheap plug from taobao


Not everything from taobao or China has bad QC, yes the Pentagon OFC is probably the best you can buy, but comparing other 4.4 plugs sold elsewhere is no differences to some sold from China, since many are made in China.


----------



## PCheung (Nov 30, 2017)

Mimouille said:


> Is there a consensus here on the fact that 2.0 sounds different? Less thick and less engaging than 1.20?



At least 5~6 posts mentioned the sound different



kms108 said:


> Not everything from taobao or China has bad QC, yes the Pentagon OFC is probably the best you can buy, but comparing other 4.4 plugs sold elsewhere is no differences to some sold from China, since many are made in China.



Yep, many things are from China
but the brand also important, least I know which brand dose have good QC which don't
Problem on taobao is there are too much "individual seller", you don't know which is good, which is bad

Although I can't agree that any 4.4 plugs are no difference with the one from China
If they are using different materiel on the core or different thickness on the gold plating 
I guess it affect the sound


----------



## kubig123

talking about quality


----------



## emrelights1973

Z1 vs A1? İs it worth to pay the difference?
Potable use only with noble encores with new ordered 4.4mm cable
Can z1/a1 drive elear/hd800/fostex 900? 
İ use gustardh10 for amp at home With a turmtable/streamer/cd


----------



## Whitigir

OFC Pentaconn 4.4mm is Made in JAPAN!


----------



## Aliv3

I can not connect the wm1a to B&W zeppelin wireless via Bluetooth. Any idea?


----------



## kubig123

PCheung said:


> At least 5~6 posts mentioned the sound different
> 
> 
> 
> ...



If you can touch with your hands a Pentaconn or Furutech and compared them to the other 4.4mm plugs, you'll understand the difference in quality between these 2 brands and the rest.


----------



## cathee

Thinking about a WM1A vs the new AK70 mkii. If anyone has both (or a close variant) would love to hear some first hand comparisons. 

Thanks in advance.


----------



## Whitigir

cathee said:


> Thinking about a WM1A vs the new AK70 mkii. If anyone has both (or a close variant) would love to hear some first hand comparisons.
> 
> Thanks in advance.



A $700 device VS $1000 ? Sure, not to mention that many people would take WM1Z as a being of top tier DAP right at this moment, which is $3200.  In the while, the differences between 1A vs 1Z is.....not $2000 in components.  However, you want to look at and or take it.  

Best to hear them yourself and decide


----------



## Mimouille

PCheung said:


> At least 5~6 posts mentioned the sound different


 yes I am aware of these posts, I specifically enquired as to whether there is a consensus on the existence and type of difference.


----------



## northixora

Hi, anyone has tried this adapter from Geekria? 

http://a.co/bu23fei

is it good?, would like some opinion from you all before i buy


----------



## nanaholic

cathee said:


> Thinking about a WM1A vs the new AK70 mkii. If anyone has both (or a close variant) would love to hear some first hand comparisons.
> 
> Thanks in advance.



Seems like a strange choice.  Why exactly are you choosing between these two?


----------



## thebratts

northixora said:


> Hi, anyone has tried this adapter from Geekria?
> 
> http://a.co/bu23fei
> 
> is it good?, would like some opinion from you all before i buy



I have used it for a month or so, works well, use it to connect my utopia balanced.. (the 4.4 to 2.5 that is)


----------



## named name

emrelights1973 said:


> Z1 vs A1? İs it worth to pay the difference?
> Potable use only with noble encores with new ordered 4.4mm cable
> Can z1/a1 drive elear/hd800/fostex 900?
> İ use gustardh10 for amp at home With a turmtable/streamer/cd



The 1A can drive the Elear well with 4.4 balanced and decently through 3.5 SE. However through demoing I have found that the 1A lacks sufficient power to drive HD800.


----------



## twister6

northixora said:


> Hi, anyone has tried this adapter from Geekria?
> 
> http://a.co/bu23fei
> 
> is it good?, would like some opinion from you all before i buy



The link is to 3.5mm to 4.4mm extension adapter. It can only work if we are talking about 3.5mm trrs balanced input (hifiman wiring), then it could work. Otherwise, you can't convert single ended to balanced.


----------



## sne4me (Dec 1, 2017)

This is a bit off-topic, but can anyone tell me of a good place to discuss classical music off topic. It seems like quadophonicquad is mostly about classic rock (specifically surround sound), sa-cd.net now closed in favor of hraudio.net, but hraudio doesnt actually have a forum. Then there is stevehoffman.tv, but this place seems to have a mixed bag of users.

my problem is that im trying to find the best, or comparatively the better, of certain orchestral, and it seems to be super hit or miss, with every label putting out the same score differently, lots of bad apples; very few thorough reviews.


----------



## nc8000

sne4me said:


> This is a bit off-topic, but can anyone tell me of a good place to discuss classical music off topic. It seems like quadophonicquad is mostly about classic rock (specifically surround sound), sa-cd.net now closed in favor of hraudio.net, but hraudio doesnt actually have a forum. Then there is stevehoffman.tv, but this place seems to have a mixed bag of users.
> 
> my problem is that im trying to find the best, or comparatively the better, of certain orchestral, and it seems to be super hit or miss, with every label putting out the same score differently, lots of bad apples; very few thorough reviews.



Try making a thread here in the members lounge area


----------



## asquare3376

Just so you all know "Buywise" is now "Rainbow corp" on Amazon. Wonder what made them change their name,


----------



## Whitigir

asquare3376 said:


> Just so you all know "Buywise" is now "Rainbow corp" on Amazon. Wonder what made them change their name,


Because too many people reported that they are not wise to buy from Buywise.  Now, How did you know about their name change ? Internal tips ?


----------



## twister6

Back to the topic of 4.4mm adapters, I recently got iBasso (@Paul - iBasso) CA02 extension adapter and been using it for the last few week. I have at least half a dozen of 2.5mm to 4.4mm adapters, some cheap under $10 and others over $100, and definitely noticing the difference where some degrade the sound by loosing the sparkle at the top.  While I still think Effect Audio pentaconn adapter has the most trasparent sound, this iBasso CA02 comes close to it, not to mention it only cost $15 (will be available on their website next week) vs EA adapter which cost 10x more   And it matches the golden tone of WM1Z nicely


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 1, 2017)

asquare3376 said:


> Just so you all know "Buywise" is now "*Rainbow corp*" on Amazon. Wonder what made them change their name,


maybe his owners are  gay


----------



## Whitigir

While I adore the idea of such 4.4mm adapter.  It is much more practical to have a pigtail style due to the nature of the bulky 4.4mm and the Stacking of another plug into it.  It is not very practical in my opinion, and reliability for long term usage may be a concern.  But then at the price, it is hard to beat


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> While I adore the idea of such 4.4mm adapter.  It is much more practical to have a pigtail style due to the nature of the bulky 4.4mm and the Stacking of another plug into it.  It is not very practical in my opinion, and reliability for long term usage may be a concern.  But then at the price, it is hard to beat



I too find an adapter too bulky and I'm always afraid in the long run to damage the connector of the wm1z, but on the other side I'm wondering if a pigtail can affect the the sound more than an adapter due to the length of the cable.


----------



## soundkist

named name said:


> The 1A can drive the Elear well with 4.4 balanced and decently through 3.5 SE. However through demoing I have found that the 1A lacks sufficient power to drive HD800.



I would second this on all fronts.


----------



## asquare3376

Whitigir said:


> Because too many people reported that they are not wise to buy from Buywise.  Now, How did you know about their name change ? Internal tips ?


2 ways: I bought from them in the past, so now looking at the order details, the name reflects as Rainbow corps.
Another vague way of finding it out is that I have few items in my wish list and I keep checking their price every few days. They were only sold by Buywise and now it's all Rainbow


----------



## twister6

kubig123 said:


> I too find an adapter too bulky and I'm always afraid in the long run to damage the connector of the wm1z, but on the other side I'm wondering if a pigtail can affect the the sound more than an adapter due to the length of the cable.



Yes, some find one piece extension adapter to be inconvenient, versus a 2-piece adapter with female 2.5mm and male 3.5mm sides.  But the wire interconnect and the extra solder could have some subtle effect on sound quality.  I have this Fidue adapter, $35 from Penon, and it's more flexible, but it does change the sound slightly.


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 1, 2017)

I wouldn’t think it was possible for any type of direct adapter to not use extra solders.  The 4 pins on the 2.5mm sockets are equally spaced out and equal length.  So in order to fit it in, you will need extensions wires anyways.  It will use the same extensions wires (unless custom made mini PCB) just as much as you would make any pigtails.  You may be able to save out 1-2 joins but that is about it, and that would be hell of a job to do so.

To trade off 1 join or 2 joins for reliability and practicality ? Not worth it.  Not to mention that with pigtails, _you can opt for good quality wires, such as Pure silver for example_.  That is just me

You can look at the pins on the back of Female sockets linked from this post.  It doesn’t matter what sizes, they are all having the same layout

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1133#post-13884013



kubig123 said:


> I too find an adapter too bulky and I'm always afraid in the long run to damage the connector of the wm1z, but on the other side I'm wondering if a pigtail can affect the the sound more than an adapter due to the length of the cable.



Ofcourse, regardless of Short-Adapter or Pigtail styles, they will all affect the sound quality slightly. Given that even the Plugs and sockets and whatever materials are being used will also do the same.

The best is to do direct cables upgrade

The next is to have pigtail for flexibility and practicality

The last would be Short-adapter. _ Don’t be fooled by someone calling it (_*direct adapter)*.  *There is no such thing*, unless some one goes out and CNC + plastic molding as engineering and designing his own.  Anything else are just...traces or wires interconnected (adapters) where any pigtail with better wires materials can easily do better


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> I wouldn’t think it was possible for any type of direct adapter to not use extra solders.  The 4 pins on the 2.5mm sockets are equally spaced out and equal length.  So in order to fit it in, you will need extensions wires anyways.  It will use the same extensions wires (unless custom made mini PCB) just as much as you would make any pigtails.  You may be able to save out 1-2 joins but that is about it, and that would be hell of a job to do so.
> 
> To trade off 1 join or 2 joins for reliability and practicality ? Not worth it.  Not to mention that with pigtails, _you can opt for good quality wires, such as Pure silver for example_.  That is just me
> 
> ...



Correct,
even for a short adapter you need to connect the 2.5mm socket to the 4.4mm plug with some kind wires, but since also the length of the cable affect the sound, the shorter the wire the least effect has to the sound.

I still prefer a pigtail to a short adapter if I have to.


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 1, 2017)

kubig123 said:


> Correct,
> even for a short adapter you need to connect the 2.5mm socket to the 4.4mm plug with some kind wires, but since also the length of the cable affect the sound, the shorter the wire the least effect has to the sound.
> 
> I still prefer a pigtail to a short adapter if I have to.



The length of the wires being used will not affect the sound that much, considering it is super short.  Under these circumstances, you can increase the sizes of the wires to offset the resistances + materials being used 

I can tell you that any type of super short interconnected for short adapters are also Super small to fit. While I can always use upto 19AWG to connect each terminal of a pigtail, and at this Sizes, the resistivity will only slightly goes up in Meter of length and not a few Cm 

To look at it this way, 4.4mm advantages were made to adapt larger sizes wires, provide better contact points.  _*By using small and flimsy wires, you negated the advantages of 4.4mm*_.  Only because you practically need it.  *Therefore, I would say pigtail is the second best because you can use large wires to accommodate while having flexibility together.  The pros will outdone the cons, period*


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> The length of the wires being used will not affect the sound that much, considering it is super short.  Under these circumstances, you can increase the sizes of the wires to offset the resistances + materials being used


sorry I wasn't clear, I was comparing the adapter to a pig tail, I'm sure the pig tail has higher chances to affect the sound due to the length of the cable rather then a short adapter.

But again, it also depend which cable and soldering material has been used, the variables are quite high.


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 1, 2017)

kubig123 said:


> sorry I wasn't clear, I was comparing the adapter to a pig tail, I'm sure the pig tail has higher chances to affect the sound due to the length of the cable rather then a short adapter.
> 
> But again, it also depend which cable and soldering material has been used, the variables are quite high.




Even so, *using pigtails and doing it right*, the _*pros will outdone the cons*_ in situation where *short/direct adapters VS pigtails for 4.4mm are a thing.

Anyways, 4.4mm is best being direct cables, and adapters shall only be done to smaller sizes of plugs such as 3.5mm or 2.5mm.  It only makes senses to adapt to smaller, but you can never really adapt into .....larger *


----------



## Matrix Petka

Whitigir said:


> The length of the wires being used will not affect the sound that much, considering it is super short.  Under these circumstances, you can increase the sizes of the wires to offset the resistances + materials being used
> 
> I can tell you that any type of super short interconnected for short adapters are also Super small to fit. While I can always use upto 19AWG to connect each terminal of a pigtail, and at this Sizes, the resistivity will only slightly goes up in Meter of length and not a few Cm
> 
> To look at it this way, 4.4mm advantages were made to adapt larger sizes wires, provide better contact points.  _*By using small and flimsy wires, you negated the advantages of 4.4mm*_.  Only because you practically need it.  *Therefore, I would say pigtail is the second best because you can use large wires to accommodate while having flexibility together.  The pros will outdone the cons, period*



Agree 100%. Taking into account physical and mechanical tension on jack, I think, pigtail adapter surpass short adapter.


----------



## Down4wotever

Mimouille said:


> Is there a consensus here on the fact that 2.0 sounds different? Less thick and less engaging than 1.20?



I have gone back and forth between 1.2 and 2 at least five times now and could't agree with you more. I'll remain on 1.2 for now.


----------



## twister6

Down4wotever said:


> I have gone back and forth between 1.2 and 2 at least five times now and could't agree with you more. I'll remain on 1.2 for now.



Always helpful to add which iems or full size you are using for analysis, that puts thing in a better perspective


----------



## Whitigir

twister6 said:


> Always helpful to add which iems or full size you are using for analysis, that puts thing in a better perspective


Totally agree, but it seems he only wanted to confirm that there are significant changes in sound performances between 1.2 and 2.0 Firmware ?


----------



## Quadfather

I have 1.10 firmware on my Sony NW-WM1A.   Does anyone have a link to 1.2?  What would everyone suggest between 1.10, 1.20, and 2.00?


----------



## nc8000

Quadfather said:


> I have 1.10 firmware on my Sony NW-WM1A.   Does anyone have a link to 1.2?  What would everyone suggest between 1.10, 1.20, and 2.00?



Give them all a try and see which you prefer, that’s really the only way you’ll know for sure


----------



## Quadfather

Mimouille said:


> Is there a consensus here on the fact that 2.0 sounds different? Less thick and less engaging than 1.20?



How does 1.20 compare to 1.10?  I am hoping to get a link to 1.20 if it sounds better.


----------



## kubig123

Quadfather said:


> I have 1.10 firmware on my Sony NW-WM1A.   Does anyone have a link to 1.2?  What would everyone suggest between 1.10, 1.20, and 2.00?



Here it is

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.dmg


----------



## Quadfather

kubig123 said:


> Here it is
> 
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.exe
> 
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.dmg



What is the difference between exe and dmg?


----------



## mw7485

Quadfather said:


> What is the difference between exe and dmg?



Mac Vs PC


----------



## proedros

Quadfather said:


> I have 1.10 firmware on my Sony NW-WM1A.   Does anyone have a link to 1.2?  What would everyone suggest between 1.10, 1.20, and 2.00?



try also 2.00 ,  i think wm1a on 2.00 sounds more balanced and less bloated than 1.20


----------



## audionewbi (Dec 1, 2017)

Got my OC studio adapters, finally I am set!


----------



## Tanjiro

Empire Ears Zeus R + WM1A = perfect combo.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Is PCM 24-bit/176.4KHz equivalent to DSD 2.82 MHz? I think i will keep the DSD files if the 1A plays DSD native but i am wondering if better keep FLAC 24/176.4?


----------



## audionewbi

I might be in the minority but I wish Sony release a PHA-3A cu designed based on the same idea as WM1Z that allows us to use our phone. This way I can enjoy the same Sony tonality using my phone. To me PHA-2A just isnt in the same family as the WM1 family.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Is PCM 24-bit/176.4KHz equivalent to DSD 2.82 MHz? I think i will keep the DSD files if the 1A plays DSD native but i am wondering if better keep FLAC 24/176.4?



Keep both on your computer and on the 1A use the one you think sound best.


----------



## sbho1

Down4wotever said:


> I have gone back and forth between 1.2 and 2 at least five times now and could't agree with you more. I'll remain on 1.2 for now.



Me too .. try many times between 1.2 and 2 as well as attempted various manual setting in version 2, finally still go back to 1.2 , and this is for 1Z + Z1R + Sony Kimbler cable.


----------



## all999

sbho1 said:


> Me too .. try many times between 1.2 and 2 as well as attempted various manual setting in version 2, finally still go back to 1.2 , and this is for 1Z + Z1R + Sony Kimbler cable.



So what are main differences?


----------



## sbho1

all999 said:


> So what are main differences?



It is a matter of relativity ...if you think your head phone is neutral, then you will say 1.2 is quite musical with nice bass in quantity, and 2.0 is analytical , with treble in quantity and reduced in bass quantity ...


----------



## david1000

Matrix Petka said:


> Agree 100%. Taking into account physical and mechanical tension on jack, I think, pigtail adapter surpass short adapter.



Following on the exchanges about pigtail versus short adapters, I'm not finding it easy to find much choice here in the UK.  I have the WM1A and AKG K3003i and all I've really found surfing the net are these:

http://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk/effect-audio-2-5mm-to-4-4mm-adaptor.html 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Geekria-Balanced-Gold-Plated-Adapter-NW-WM1A/dp/B0751B7PTS
https://www.amazon.co.uk/PWAudio-Adapter-2-5mm-Female-4-4mm/dp/B073S77C74
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-4mm-5-...nced-Adapter-For-Sony-NW-WM1Z-A-/182534961231

I'd be most grateful for any feedback or recommendations for UK suppliers.

Many thanks!


----------



## Matrix Petka

david1000 said:


> Following on the exchanges about pigtail versus short adapters, I'm not finding it easy to find much choice here in the UK.  I have the WM1A and AKG K3003i and all I've really found surfing the net are these:
> 
> http://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk/effect-audio-2-5mm-to-4-4mm-adaptor.html
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/Geekria-Balanced-Gold-Plated-Adapter-NW-WM1A/dp/B0751B7PTS
> ...



All those are not pigtail adapters. 

You should look for something like this - 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-491#post-13174244


----------



## Matrix Petka

gerelmx1986 said:


> Is PCM 24-bit/176.4KHz equivalent to DSD 2.82 MHz? I think i will keep the DSD files if the 1A plays DSD native but i am wondering if better keep FLAC 24/176.4?



I prefer DSD. Due to to different wave formation algorithm for me ears DSD sounding better (more natural) than PCM (FLAC).


----------



## Lemieux66

gerelmx1986 said:


> Is PCM 24-bit/176.4KHz equivalent to DSD 2.82 MHz? I think i will keep the DSD files if the 1A plays DSD native but i am wondering if better keep FLAC 24/176.4?



DSD64 is about the equivalent of 20 bits, not sure about the frequency domain. I prefer DSD to all PCM formats I've tried, perhaps because of the recordings I have in DSD which are mostly excellent.


----------



## david1000

Matrix Petka said:


> All those are not pigtail adapters.
> 
> You should look for something like this -
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-491#post-13174244



Indeed! I'm happy to look at either pigtails or shorts but, with thanks, my question was a different one: can anyone point me to UK suppliers for the best option(s)?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will listen back to back the pcm (flac) and the DSD to see. Is there a way to split a single DSD file into multiple track DSDs?


----------



## Kira69

gerelmx1986 said:


> I will listen back to back the pcm (flac) and the DSD to see. Is there a way to split a single DSD file into multiple track DSDs?


You can do it with TASCAM Hi-Res Editor.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Been testing the files so far 

Flac from the DSD using Weiss saracon muddier than the DSD affecting clarity 

Flac using dB power amp sound almost close to the DSD file, a hit brighter, will try adding to DB power a dither triangular type


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Been testing the files so far
> 
> Flac from the DSD using Weiss saracon muddier than the DSD affecting clarity
> 
> Flac using dB power amp sound almost close to the DSD file, a hit brighter, will try adding to DB power a dither triangular type


 Decided to keep the PCM 24-bit/176.4KHz ripped with db power amp with the TDPF dithering


----------



## audionewbi

I find in general PCM sounds sharper (more detailed) and DSD more round (warmer but more expansive soundstage). I prefer DSD for WM1A.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The conversion I did with the dbPower AMP program and setting a dither TDPF resulted in the sound as close as the DSD being played Native on WM1A


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 2, 2017)

audionewbi said:


> I find in general PCM sounds sharper (more detailed) and DSD more round (warmer but more expansive soundstage). I prefer DSD for WM1A.




This is pretty much what I have found so far.  Some good mastered, and in the right equipments, the cues of depth are also more vivid.  But let’s just stop this can of worm.  This has been a debate forever, and pretty much whoever found the differences would all agreed that DSD is a superior files format for audio performances.  Then we, who agreed to this, will just shut up because there is no point in debating such topic with someone who can not tell the differences.  The same as Cables, plugs....etc...lol


----------



## audionewbi

Whitigir said:


> This is pretty much what I have found so far.  Some good mastered, and in the right equipments, the cues of depth are also more vivid.  But let’s just stop this can of worm.  This has been a debate forever, and pretty much whoever found the differences would all agreed that DSD is a superior files format for audio performances.  Then we, who agreed to this, will just shut up because there is no point in debating such topic with someone who can not tell the differences.  The same as Cables, plugs....etc...lol



Agreed, however I wouldnt go as far as saying DSD is superior file format for audio, I think there is a lot going on from a digital file converting to analog and I have heard devices that are fully optimized for PCM (HUGO) that makes gap between the two file format small. However as it appears the WM1 family is focusing hard around the DSD format which was once Sony and Phillips audio baby. 

I'm planning to compared DXD vs DSD 256 on WM1A sometimes later on once I have a revealing enough IEM, that should be fun.


----------



## audionewbi (Dec 2, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> The conversion I did with the dbPower AMP program and setting a dither TDPF resulted in the sound as close as the DSD being played Native on WM1A



For me I tried converting PCM to DSD and loading it to WM1A it didnt sound too good. I used XiSRC. I rather leave the files to what they are and let my Walkman do their own DSP application.
For me currently since I am heavily using wm1a for my music listening when I purchase music I always try to see if the file has a DSD native version and buy that. Currently I havent tested how DXD recorded and converted to DSD sound on WM1A however my amateur attempt to convert PCM to DSD didnt sound too good at all.


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> For me I tried converting PCM to DSD and loading it to WM1A it didnt sound too go. I used XiSRC. I rather leave the files to what they are and let my Walkman do their own DSP application.
> For me currently since I am heavily using wm1a for my music listening when I purchase music I always try to see if the file has a DSD native version and buy than. Currently I havent tested how DXD recorded and converted to DSD sound on WM1A however my amateur attempt to convert PCM to DSD didnt sound too good at all.


 Yes i know what you mean, i did yhe opposite, DSD --> PCM 176.4Khz (for safety retaining all the possible cues, rather than 88.2K)


----------



## DeeTeeSe7en

Really enjoying the new firmware 2.0!


----------



## audionewbi

Has anyone tried using Duelund Silver cotton in oil wire 0.4mm or Copper Cotton 0.8mm inside their WM1 DAP? That is what I am hoping to do. Duelund is the best kept secret around wire enthusiast.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will keep the DSD in stereo, the iso is up to 2.2 times bigger than the stereo DSD 2.8224 MHz


----------



## gerelmx1986

But I think Sony is cheating here, adding some sort of DSP in Native mode to sound with better bass (how bass in  PCM sounded before fw 2.0)


----------



## Lemieux66

gerelmx1986 said:


> But I think Sony is cheating here, adding some sort of DSP in Native mode to sound with better bass (how bass in  PCM sounded before fw 2.0)



That's extremely conspiratorial, much more likely you're imagining it. Don't forget your earphones have orders of magnitude more distortion than the the pcm or dsd formats.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I was reading, not sure if this applies for classical music DSD albums or not. 

For Edition and processing in the Studio, the 1bit stream is converted to PCM and then back to DSD? Hope is not


----------



## Lemieux66

gerelmx1986 said:


> I was reading, not sure if this applies for classical music DSD albums or not.
> 
> For Edition and processing in the Studio, the 1bit stream is converted to PCM and then back to DSD? Hope is not



DSD 1 bit streams cannot be edited themselves, the data have to be converted to PCM first - eg DXD or 24/192. I think only a few labels don't do this.

Many that do convert to PCM for editing purposes only convert the small portion of the recoding that actually requires editing, rather than simply converting the whole file into PCM. I know that Channel Classics are very careful about how they do this.

A totally unsullied DSD that remains intact from A-D convertor to final disc/file is a very rare thing indeed.


----------



## gerelmx1986

TEAC hi res editor + DSD cue sheet = easy track splitting


----------



## buduba0604

Hi guys, I have a question regarding high gain. I use Kaiser Encores, and when I use high gain output, I enjoy the sound more on my WM1A. I have tried reading about high gain, but it all kind of goes over my head. I was just wondering if it will damage my Encore's by using high gain? Thanks guys


----------



## nc8000

buduba0604 said:


> Hi guys, I have a question regarding high gain. I use Kaiser Encores, and when I use high gain output, I enjoy the sound more on my WM1A. I have tried reading about high gain, but it all kind of goes over my head. I was just wondering if it will damage my Encore's by using high gain? Thanks guys



You will not damage them so just use what sounds best to you


----------



## buduba0604

nc8000 said:


> You will not damage them so just use what sounds best to you



Awesome!


----------



## kubig123

buduba0604 said:


> Hi guys, I have a question regarding high gain. I use Kaiser Encores, and when I use high gain output, I enjoy the sound more on my WM1A. I have tried reading about high gain, but it all kind of goes over my head. I was just wondering if it will damage my Encore's by using high gain? Thanks guys



Absolutely no, it will damage your ears before the Encore if you keep the volume too high!

The Encore are quite sensible I usually keep the volume around 50 (regular gain).


----------



## buduba0604

kubig123 said:


> Absolutely no, it will damage your ears before the Encore if you keep the volume too high!
> 
> The Encore are quite sensible I usually keep the volume around 50 (regular gain).



On regular gain, I always stayed below 50. With high gain, to my ears, music feels more "punchy", I don't know how to describe it. With high gain, I keep the volume near 30-35


----------



## kubig123

buduba0604 said:


> On regular gain, I always stayed below 50. With high gain, to my ears, music feels more "punchy", I don't know how to describe it. With high gain, I keep the volume near 30-35



Yes, same here, when I was listening on high gain, I was around 30. Could be just my impression but I feel that on high gain more sparkle on the treble than the lower end


----------



## flinkenick (Dec 4, 2017)

Hello everybody,

A few weeks back I had my 1Z modded, with as highlights quality platinum-based solder and PW Audio 1960 4-Wire internal cabling (which is actually an 8-wire cable due to its coaxial design, that retails as a $2K iem cable). The mod is the second product that iem and cable specialist Music Sanctuary has released under their own brand name, which consists of modifications of existing products by upgrading components; the other being the recently released cable Eos in cooperation with Effect Audio, which uses the same high-grade solder.



In my previous post I expressed content for the improved performance in terms of resolution and especially transparency, as well as growing appreciation for the different signature – be it after an adaptation period, as the altered signature was a departure from its original tuning. Therefore, I also felt restraint in unequivocally endorsing the mod, as it might not be to everyone’s liking. Although the signature can overall be considered balanced, it includes a lifted treble around 10-12 KHz, which gives the tuning a different direction.

For while the lifted treble provides an enjoyable touch of sparkle, the treble itself is brighter and colder in tone. As a result, the sound is highly detailed, but not _completely_ smooth in its note release. The articulated sound vaguely leans towards a ‘reference’ approach: excelling at performance, though coming at the cost of some of its naturalness and coherency, at least when compared to a player like the RW AK380cu. Overall, the 4-Wire mod provides a resolved sound that retains a warm and fairly accurate midrange, with an added touch of sparkle that may or may not be appreciated, depending on preference.

But Music Sanctuary pried the 1Z open yet again, with one goal in mind: fitting in the 1960 8-wire cable. As the cable is essentially a 16-core headphone cable, its thick size only fits the balanced output considering the available space. I pride myself on making balanced statements, trying to keep difference preferences in my mind. And practically speaking, there’s always some downside to each upside. The 8-wire mod makes this problematic, as I find it nothing short of spectacular.



The 4-Wire’s articulate treble could be considered engaging, but there is a trace of brightness in its attack. The 8-wire on the other hand has an even further but more linearly extended upper treble. Accordingly, the 8-wire creates a warmer treble tone, benefiting the timbre and overall coherency. As a result, the 8-wire presents higher resolved notes, yet with a significantly smoother note release. And while the differences in stage between the 4.4 and SE output in the previous mod were reduced to a minimum, the 8-wire in turn creates a more spacious stage in all directions. So where the 4-wire has a well-separated, articulated sound consisting of a warm midrange with a brighter treble, the 8-wire sounds more natural and accurate, providing higher resolved detail in a smoother manner.

Taken together, the 8-wire modded 1Z can be described as having a lightly warm tone with a beautiful timbre, and overall excellent tonal balance. Combined with high resolution and transparency, as well as its characteristic black background, the MS mod is pretty close to what I would consider a reference player; but not the modern interpretation of the term, but what it was originally meant to imply. A benchmark product in all facets of audiophile sound reproduction: accurate tone, excellent performance, both in resolution as well as smoothness.

So while reader discretion was advised based on signature preference for the 4-wire mod, I’m struggling to find any noticeable weaknesses that might put someone off. As a nice byproduct of the limited space, it retains the 4-Wire mod for the single end, giving the outputs two different sounds rather than just one better and inferior one. The single ended 4-Wire mod pairs better with darker iems, providing a welcome touch of clarity. Even so, I practically don’t see myself really using it unless it’s necessary. So please forgive me for somewhat uncharacteristically praising it without restraint, but it’s very rare for me to find a product I can fully endorse, according to every angle I judge equipment. The mod might be pricey, but I find it justified when you consider the ratio of its original price to the improved SQ. I personally consider it an immediate upgrade in both signature and performance.



*WM1Z/A MS 2/4/8-wire Mod*

_Spec list:_
1. New Pentaconn 4.4mm socket (to ensure that solder used on the socket is fresh, and not contaminated by existing solder)
2. 1960s wiring mod for both single ended and balanced outputs
3. Exotic Mitsubishi Heavy Industries precious metal-based solder used for all soldering, existing solder will be cleaned off prior to soldering with the precious metal-based solder.
4. 1960s wire for the DC ground wiring
5. Isolation of inductor coils and capacitors with shielding products from Japan (Oyaide and fo.Q)

_Price (including free DHL/FedEx shipping):_
2-wire (single 1960s wire for DC ground section): SGD $549
4-wire (dual 1960s wire for DC ground section): SGD $699
4-wire single ended, 8-wire balanced (dual 1960s wire for DC ground section): SGD $899

_Contact:_
info@music-sanctuary.com


----------



## Mimouille

flinkenick said:


> Hello everybody,
> 
> A few weeks back I had my 1Z modded, with as highlights quality platinum-based solder and PW Audio 1960 4-Wire internal cabling (which is actually an 8-wire cable due to its coaxial design, that retails as a $2K iem cable). The mod is the second product that iem and cable specialist Music Sanctuary has released under their own brand name, which consists of modifications of existing products by upgrading components; the other being the recently released cable Eos in cooperation with Effect Audio, which uses the same high-grade solder.
> 
> ...



Do you identify these differences from memory or do you borrow an unmodded WM1Z to compare?

 Besides, did you upgrade the FW because most people agree that 2.0 sounds very different from 1.20 (I think so too even though I am usually skeptical with changes in sound with Kieser).


----------



## flinkenick

Mimouille said:


> Do you identify these differences from memory or do you borrow an unmodded WM1Z to compare?
> 
> Besides, did you upgrade the FW because most people agree that 2.0 sounds very different from 1.20 (I think so too even though I am usually skeptical with changes in sound with Kieser).


Well this is a little bit silly Mim. When you put a product down, have you forgotten how it sounds the next day? Because I can recall quite a few posts of yours where you comment on products you had tried or owned well in the past. 

The 4-Wire and 8-Wire mods are significant departures from the original tuning, both in terms of signature and performance. I personally found that the 1Z lacks a bit of balance in its tuning, as it is tonally so warm. It works excellently for brighter iems, or if you exclusively listen to smooth jazzy music for instance. In terms of extension, and accordingly, resolution and transparency, I rated it under the RW AK380cu. After the 4-Wire mod, the 1Z was a step up. The 8-Wire mod improves even further, distancing itself even more from the AK. 

I tested the 8-Wire mod for a week to gauge the difference between the mods, and then updated to the new FW. You say you are critical about sound changes, but still notice the difference in FW, which is in itself a nice, but subtle improvement compared to the mod.


----------



## Mimouille

flinkenick said:


> Well this is a little bit silly Mim. When you put a product down, have you forgotten how it sounds the next day? Because I can recall quite a few posts of yours where you comment on products you had tried or owned well in the past.
> 
> The 4-Wire and 8-Wire mods are significant departures from the original tuning, both in terms of signature and performance. I personally found that the 1Z lacks a bit of balance in its tuning, as it is tonally so warm. It works excellently for brighter iems, or if you exclusively listen to smooth jazzy music for instance. In terms of extension, and accordingly, resolution and transparency, I rated it under the RW AK380cu. After the 4-Wire mod, the 1Z was a step up. The 8-Wire mod improves even further, distancing itself even more from the AK.
> 
> I tested the 8-Wire mod for a week to gauge the difference between the mods, and then updated to the new FW. You say you are critical about sound changes, but still notice the difference in FW, which is in itself a nice, but subtle improvement compared to the mod.



Well someone is getting testy.

I didn't question the accuracy, I was just asking you how you tested it, from memory or side by side. 

How I then interpret it is my own problem, but I don't think my post was implying anything.

If you ask me, I can provide an opinion, but I haven't so far, my wording was super neutral.

The FW changes seemed quite noticeable, so if this mod brings a stronger change than it is nice.

I stay away from mods now after having done quite a few on AK players, because I am afraid to ship expensive players (almost lost one) and afraid to void warranty, and also in terms of resale value, you can never really include the mod easily.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Now that I've got some DSD albums, u need the 400GB card  one box set of franck's organ works is like 18GB


----------



## gerelmx1986

Too bad not many sites offer DSD, at least from popular labels (they offer the SACD tho but we can't rip these as far as I know)


----------



## flinkenick (Dec 4, 2017)

Mimouille said:


> Well someone is getting testy.
> 
> I didn't question the accuracy, I was just asking you how you tested it, from memory or side by side.
> 
> ...


Lol, my apologies. I think we've been around the block a few times in these type of topics


----------



## gerelmx1986

I won't say that CD Audio is super bad, there are good mastered CD (Karajan full Beethoven symphonies 1985-1987 cycle)


----------



## Matrix Petka

flinkenick said:


> Hello everybody,
> 
> A few weeks back I had my 1Z modded, with as highlights quality platinum-based solder and PW Audio 1960 4-Wire internal cabling (which is actually an 8-wire cable due to its coaxial design, that retails as a $2K iem cable). The mod is the second product that iem and cable specialist Music Sanctuary has released under their own brand name, which consists of modifications of existing products by upgrading components; the other being the recently released cable Eos in cooperation with Effect Audio, which uses the same high-grade solder.
> 
> ...



From my experience (bad one) about re-cabling. My Liquid Fire amplifier was re-cabled with expensive thick Cardas wires. Result - hum and reaction to every hand movement near front panel. As another electronic specialist explained (changed wires another time, not for free) - due to too big capacitance of cables. Of course, 1Z/M need much shorter wires, but anyway.... 8 wire .... I think too much


----------



## flinkenick

Matrix Petka said:


> From my experience (bad one) about re-cabling. My Liquid Fire amplifier was re-cabled with expensive thick Cardas wires. Result - hum and reaction to every hand movement near front panel. As another electronic specialist explained (changed wires another time, not for free) - due to too big capacitance of cables. Of course, 1Z/M need much shorter wires, but anyway.... 8 wire .... I think too much


Hey buddy,

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience. I don't know what caused the unwanted distortion in your amp, as I've never heard of something like that before. But it isn't the case here. In terms of sound, every wire/solder combination will result in a different output.

But of course I understand a majority of the people will be very hesitant to have such an expensive item modded. If you are in love with your 1Z it is not necessary to have it changed. For people that are always trying to squeeze out performance, or were not completely content with the original tuning, the mod might be an interesting option.


----------



## sne4me

gerelmx1986 said:


> Too bad not many sites offer DSD, at least from popular labels (they offer the SACD tho but we can't rip these as far as I know)




A thread on computer audiophile forum says it can be extracted easily in minutes using specific oppo and pioneer multi-disc players


----------



## kubig123

sne4me said:


> A thread on computer audiophile forum says it can be extracted easily in minutes using specific oppo and pioneer multi-disc players



It can be done, but it's not very easy, it took me some time to set up the components, and you can do it with "old" dvd/sacd players, you can find them only used. 
It's possible to extract the music using a Playstation (old one up to a certain firmware).

But once the setup is completed it takes less than 10 minutes do download an iso file.


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 4, 2017)

Any PS3 that has SACD feature can always do rip DSD.  Firmware downgrade is possible .

Also, the improvements when you upgrade the internal wires are real, and I can't speak for others, but just my experiences.  It is worth it if you had intention to keep the 1Z for a while.

Modding is the same everywhere.  If you spent money to modify something and turn around selling it, you will not get any of those money back, regardless of it being a car, or a women...lol


----------



## flinkenick

Whitigir said:


> Any PS3 that has SACD feature can always do rip DSD.  Firmware downgrade is possible .
> 
> Also, the improvements when you upgrade the internal wires are real, and I can't speak for others, but just my experiences.  It is worth it if you had intention to keep the 1Z for a while.
> 
> Modding is the same everywhere.  If you spent money to modify something and turn around selling it, you will not get any of those money back, regardless of it being a car, or a women...lol


Yes, I completely agree. Only mod your women if you are planning to keep them for a while.


----------



## twister6

flinkenick said:


> Yes, I completely agree. Only mod your women if you are planning to keep them for a while.



Yeah, but the return on that investment will still go down, as they age


----------



## kubig123

twister6 said:


> Yeah, but the return on that investment will still go down, as they age


While the complaints will increase proportionally 

http://www.redbookmag.com/love-sex/relationships/g788/womens-marriage-complaints/?slide=7


----------



## twister6

kubig123 said:


> *While the complaints will increase proportionally*
> 
> http://www.redbookmag.com/love-sex/relationships/g788/womens-marriage-complaints/?slide=7



... after she sees how much money you spend on audio gear, especially WM1Z dap (to bring it back on track since this is Sony DAP thread)


----------



## NoMythsAudio

gerelmx1986 said:


> Too bad not many sites offer DSD, at least from popular labels (they offer the SACD tho but we can't rip these as far as I know)


Not true. I rip SACD to DSD all the time using JRiver..


----------



## nc8000

NoMythsAudio said:


> Not true. I rip SACD to DSD all the time using JRiver..



I would assume that what you rip is the red book layer on the disc not the dsd layer. As far as I know the does not exist a sacd drive for computers


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I would assume that what you rip is the red book layer on the disc not the dsd layer. As far as I know the does not exist a sacd drive for computers


if one ever existed, sigh...


----------



## Lemieux66

WM1A playing DSD64 balanced with the Sennheiser IE800S:


----------



## gerelmx1986

LOL
with just 3 DSD albums filled the remaining spce occupied by 7 Albums at 88.2KHz flac (their replacement) rest on the sammy 256GB... a sign i need to nuy *that 400GB card*


----------



## Stephen George

can verify that the new prostereo H2s connect via BT w/ LDAC and sound damn good

they are a bit heavy (18grams), but i got a decent fit with the spinfits

http://www.itechdynamic.com/list_of_products/prostereoh2/


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 4, 2017)

Is generally better to keep the original files as they are provided f.e a Dsf or a flac 24/88.2 etc and when needed just use a tool like db power amp or XLD lossless for mac to downsample for example to use a DSD album as an mp3 file for the car head-unit.

I find also dumb to keep two versions of the same songs (two libraries) e.g one Losslesa and one MP3, better just a lossless and downconvert with copy to another folder like db power amp does

Also Mediago can downconvert lossless to any lossy or CD flac to if i wanted to cram all songs on my WM1A (I really needn't)


----------



## sne4me

gerelmx1986 said:


> LOL
> with just 3 DSD albums filled the remaining spce occupied by 7 Albums at 88.2KHz flac (their replacement) rest on the sammy 256GB... a sign i need to nuy *that 400GB card*



Its really quite amazing, this is just ordinary dsd, imagine the file sizes of 4x,8x dsd; the 2tb card can’t come soon enough.

I’ll be getting a 400 as I’m getting into symphony and some are very long.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 4, 2017)

OK now that i loaded some DSDs to my WM1A, how do you guys recommend me to play them, Native or not? with the Play DSD in Native mode unchecked i could set the filters and gain, i do note a difference between the slow and the Sharo roll-off. the slow one sounds more analogue than the sharp.

Wish these filters (sharp and slow roll-off) were also available for normal PCM files like flac, and hope the next iteration of the WM series walkmen they have a DSD-remaster engine like the TA HAES does lol


----------



## nanaholic (Dec 5, 2017)

Was walking around in Tokyo and found this interesting new product from Audio Technica.
The AT-PHA55BT is a BT receiver+headphone amp combo that supports AAC, aptX AND LDAC. The gut is a ESS Saber ES9118 dac/amp SoC and the entire unit outputs 50mW per channel @ 16ohm via a 3.5mm SE output.  It also has two output modes - one for dynamic drivers and one for BA drivers (what about us folks using hybrids? oversight there AT...) It lasts 8 hours on a single charge, and the unit is very compact and flat.

This would be an interesting product for anyone thinking of turning their favourite pairs of wired headphones into wireless headphones to pair with their Walkmans. It's great to see that Sony's move to include LDAC in Android Oreo is yielding the desired results, inspiring OEMs to make accessories that supports the codec.


----------



## soundkist

Wow, LDAC support--excellent!  Been enjoying my Fiio BTR1, but that looks to be a nice upgrade.  Thanks for sharing, @nanaholic


----------



## meurglys0

Is this 3.5 mm to 4.4 mm jack fine or would it decrease SQ I'd get from the balanced out?

https://www.amazon.com/Geekria-Bala...&qid=1512475531&sr=8-2&keywords=3.5+to+4.4+mm

Also, is investing in the balanced out worth it? I mean, is the difference in SQ significant?

Thanks in advance for replies.


----------



## Matrix Petka

meurglys0 said:


> Is this 3.5 mm to 4.4 mm jack fine or would it decrease SQ I'd get from the balanced out?
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Geekria-Bala...&qid=1512475531&sr=8-2&keywords=3.5+to+4.4+mm
> 
> ...



Balanced out - the best what WM1A/Z have - using single ended you are getting less than 70% of 1A/Z potential.
I would like to recommend you pigtail adapter - better for connector lifetime. Something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Cab...2-spons&keywords=4.4mm+to+3.5mm+adapter&psc=1


----------



## meurglys0 (Dec 5, 2017)

Matrix Petka said:


> Balanced out - the best what WM1A/Z have - using single ended you are getting less than 70% of 1A/Z potential.
> I would like to recommend you pigtail adapter - better for connector lifetime. Something like this:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Cab...2-spons&keywords=4.4mm+to+3.5mm+adapter&psc=1



Thanks for the quick reply. 

Wow! Less than 70 % and it sounds so amazing? Then I'm definitely investing in the balanced out!
...

The item you recommended is 2.5 to 4.4 mm converter. I need 3.5 to 4.4 converter. Any recommendations for that would be appreciated.


----------



## Matrix Petka

meurglys0 said:


> Thanks for the quick reply.
> 
> Wow! Less than 70 % and it sounds so amazing? Then I'm definitely investing in the balanced out!
> ...
> ...



You can't use SE 3,5mm to 4,4mm balanced - it will short your device.


----------



## meurglys0

Matrix Petka said:


> You can't use SE 3,5mm to 4,4mm balanced - it will short your device.



I don't understand. How is my IEM with the 3.5 mm connector (Earsonics SM3) to be used with the balanced out?


----------



## Matrix Petka

meurglys0 said:


> I don't understand. How is my IEM with the 3.5 mm connector (Earsonics SM3) to be used with the balanced out?



Only way - to recable in Balanced mode.


----------



## Matrix Petka (Dec 5, 2017)

Matrix Petka said:


> Only way - to recable in Balanced mode.



Something like this - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MMCX-Sil...060735&hash=item3d4b77f03e:g:ByUAAOSw03VZ3xo2 (best solution for you - with 4,4mm jack - ask suplier). Or custom cable - there is lot of makers to choose.

P.S. and check which kind of connectors your IEMs are using.


----------



## meurglys0

Matrix Petka said:


> Something like this - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MMCX-Sil...060735&hash=item3d4b77f03e:g:ByUAAOSw03VZ3xo2 (best solution for you - with 4,4mm jack - ask suplier). Or custom cable - there is lot of makers to choose.
> 
> P.S. and check which kind of connectors your IEMs are using.



Do you mean I'd better check whether my IEMs use 3.5 mm connectors? 

Maybe Earsonics would re-do my cable? I'll check with them...


----------



## Matrix Petka

meurglys0 said:


> Do you mean I'd better check whether my IEMs use 3.5 mm connectors?
> 
> Maybe Earsonics would re-do my cable? I'll check with them...



I meant that before buying cable, check, with kind of of connectors cable it s connected to IEM body.


----------



## meurglys0

Matrix Petka said:


> I meant that before buying cable, check, with kind of of connectors cable it s connected to IEM body.



I apologize for my ignorance... 

If I have my IEM recabled as balanced 2.5 mm then I won't be able to use it with any other device, such as my laptop, right?

Is it possible to have my IEM recabled as balanced with a 3.5 mm jack and still be able to use it with devices with 3.5 mm female sockets while having a 3.5 to 4.4 mm balanced connector to use with the balanced socket of my NW-WM1A ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I saw the info for DSD tracks and again it has the disc 1/- and track 4/- seems like flac fields TRACKTOTAL and DISCTOTAL don't apply in ID3 tags, can some one with either mp3 or DSD files hand me out these two fields equivalent of flac tags


----------



## meurglys0

By the way, this is my IEM cable:
http://www.earsonics.com/store/produit/cable-de-remplacement/


----------



## Matrix Petka

meurglys0 said:


> I apologize for my ignorance...
> 
> If I have my IEM recabled as balanced 2.5 mm then I won't be able to use it with any other device, such as my laptop, right?
> 
> Is it possible to have my IEM recabled as balanced with a 3.5 mm jack and still be able to use it with devices with 3.5 mm female sockets while having a 3.5 to 4.4 mm balanced connector to use with the balanced socket of my NW-WM1A ?



Balanced 2,5 or 4,4mm cable with adapter to 3,5mm SE you can use with any SE device. But can't 3,5 SE with balanced. Rule


----------



## Matrix Petka

meurglys0 said:


> By the way, this is my IEM cable:
> http://www.earsonics.com/store/produit/cable-de-remplacement/


 This cable it is single ended. You need to look for the cable with the same 2 pin connectors (in the middle of photo). One of the worst connectors for IEMs - shame that Earsonic are using them for expensive IEMs....


----------



## kubig123

meurglys0 said:


> I apologize for my ignorance...
> 
> If I have my IEM recabled as balanced 2.5 mm then I won't be able to use it with any other device, such as my laptop, right?
> 
> Is it possible to have my IEM recabled as balanced with a 3.5 mm jack and still be able to use it with devices with 3.5 mm female sockets while having a 3.5 to 4.4 mm balanced connector to use with the balanced socket of my NW-WM1A ?



if you have cables with a 2.5mm balanced plug, the best solution would be buying and adapter 2.5 to 4.4 for your WM1 and another one 2.5 to 3.5 to use for your laptop.

iBasso make some adapters that are not very expensive but good quality, they will come out this week with a 2.5 to 4.4 adaptor that has very good reviews, and it should cost only $15/

Here is the link for teh 2.5 to 3.5 adapter.

http://ibasso.com/cp_xq_dy.php?id=6027#page2


----------



## Drewligarchy

Has anyone tested this 2.5 mm female balanced to 4.4 mm male balanced on the wm1a/wm1z. Want to make sure its wired correctly and won't short out the amp on the wm1z. Would use with 2.5 mm balanced IEM cable.

Geekria Apollo 4.4mm Male to 2.5mm Female Balanced Gold-Plated Adapter for Sony NW-WM1A, NW-WM1Z, PHA-2A Audio Player DAP
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0751B7PTS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## Matrix Petka

Drewligarchy said:


> Has anyone tested this 2.5 mm female balanced to 4.4 mm male balanced on the wm1a/wm1z. Want to make sure its wired correctly and won't short out the amp on the wm1z. Would use with 2.5 mm balanced IEM cable.
> 
> Geekria Apollo 4.4mm Male to 2.5mm Female Balanced Gold-Plated Adapter for Sony NW-WM1A, NW-WM1Z, PHA-2A Audio Player DAP
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0751B7PTS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



Don't save on adapter. Better use pigtail type - like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Cab...rd_wg=lbQtV&psc=1&refRID=GC8DG57SVH5K0ZZPZBVR

Pigtail bring less tension to connector inside device - if broken, repair of conector inside will cost much more than difference in price between adapters.


----------



## Drewligarchy

Matrix Petka said:


> Don't save on adapter. Better use pigtail type - like this:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Cab...rd_wg=lbQtV&psc=1&refRID=GC8DG57SVH5K0ZZPZBVR
> 
> Pigtail bring less tension to connector inside device - if broken, repair of conector inside will cost much more than difference in price between adapters.



I plan on just using it temporarily until my 4.4 mm cables arrive - just want to ensure it won't short out the device.


----------



## meurglys0

Matrix Petka said:


> Balanced 2,5 or 4,4mm cable with adapter to 3,5mm SE you can use with any SE device. But can't 3,5 SE with balanced. Rule



So, from what I understand, I'd better find a balanced cable with a 4.4 adaptor and an identical pin structure as my IEM and get a 4.4 to 3.5 mm adaptor separately to use with other devices.

The hard thing is to find that cable!


----------



## Whitigir

meurglys0 said:


> So, from what I understand, I'd better find a balanced cable with a 4.4 adaptor and an identical pin structure as my IEM and get a 4.4 to 3.5 mm adaptor separately to use with other devices.
> 
> The hard thing is to find that cable!



Yes, the best way to do it is to go from larger 4.4mm and use an adapter to go smaller 3.5mm or 2.5mm.  If you do it the other way around, there are many disadvantages that may or may not apply, however there won’t be any disadvantages going from larger to smaller


----------



## meurglys0

Whitigir said:


> Yes, the best way to do it is to go from larger 4.4mm and use an adapter to go smaller 3.5mm or 2.5mm.  If you do it the other way around, there are many disadvantages that may or may not apply, however there won’t be any disadvantages going from larger to smaller


----------



## meurglys0

Matrix Petka said:


> This cable it is single ended. You need to look for the cable with the same 2 pin connectors (in the middle of photo). One of the worst connectors for IEMs - shame that Earsonic are using them for expensive IEMs....





kubig123 said:


> if you have cables with a 2.5mm balanced plug, the best solution would be buying and adapter 2.5 to 4.4 for your WM1 and another one 2.5 to 3.5 to use for your laptop.






Whitigir said:


> Yes, the best way to do it is to go from larger 4.4mm and use an adapter to go smaller 3.5mm or 2.5mm.  If you do it the other way around, there are many disadvantages that may or may not apply, however there won’t be any disadvantages going from larger to smaller




Here are a few 2 pin 4.4 mm balanced cables I've found. They're all too expensive, though. Any other options with better prices, without compromising quality?  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-4mm-Bala...iSine-Westone-Sony-NW-WM1Z-WM1A-/172721262657

https://www.audiosanctuary.co.uk/orb-clear-force-custom-iem-2-pin-4.4mm-balanced-cable.html

https://www.moon-audio.com/silver-dragon-iem-cable.html

https://penonaudio.com/2-Pin-0.78mm-Copper-Mixed-Silver-plated-Upgrade-Cable


----------



## rtjoa

meurglys0 said:


> So, from what I understand, I'd better find a balanced cable with a 4.4 adaptor and an identical pin structure as my IEM and get a 4.4 to 3.5 mm adaptor separately to use with other devices.
> 
> The hard thing is to find that cable!


4.4mm to 2.5mm or 3.5mm adapters:
1. Musashino Label http://e-earphone.blog/?p=90380
2. OC Studio http://goods.ruten.com.tw/item/show?21730768595890

I bought mine from OC Studio: 4.4mm to 2.5mm then I use 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hig...sons-and-reviews.804952/page-74#post-13698025


----------



## Matrix Petka

meurglys0 said:


> Here are a few 2 pin 4.4 mm balanced cables I've found. They're all too expensive, though. Any other options with better prices, without compromising quality?
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-4mm-Bala...iSine-Westone-Sony-NW-WM1Z-WM1A-/172721262657
> 
> ...




Wait, soon you will find out, that those are moderate priced.... 
What about this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Ultimate-M-Audio-Earphones-RC-UE2B/dp/B01HP9LD9A


----------



## kubig123

meurglys0 said:


> Here are a few 2 pin 4.4 mm balanced cables I've found. They're all too expensive, though. Any other options with better prices, without compromising quality?
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-4mm-Bala...iSine-Westone-Sony-NW-WM1Z-WM1A-/172721262657
> 
> ...



Onso makes some nice affordable 4.4mm cables.
https://www.amazon.co.jp/onso-イヤホン・...TF8&qid=1512491934&sr=8-1&keywords=4.4mm+2pin

otherwise lunashops, you can find cables and adapters
http://www.lunashops.com/search.php...hcmNoX2VuY29kZV90aW1lIjtpOjE1MTI0OTIwNDY7fQ==


----------



## meurglys0

Matrix Petka said:


> Wait, soon you will find out, that those are moderate priced....
> What about this one:
> https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Ultimate-M-Audio-Earphones-RC-UE2B/dp/B01HP9LD9A



Now that I think about it, if I get a balanced cable with a 4.4mm jack such as this one, then I wouldn't be able to access the balanced end of my DAP with any other headphones that I might get. However, if I get a balanced IEM cable with a 3.5mm jack and a 3.5mm female to 4.4mm male adaptor, then I could use it with other headphones. Is that correct?


----------



## kubig123

meurglys0 said:


> Now that I think about it, if I get a balanced cable with a 4.4mm jack such as this one, then I wouldn't be able to access the balanced end of my DAP with any other headphones that I might get. However, if I get a balanced IEM cable with a 3.5mm jack and a 3.5mm female to 4.4mm male adaptor, then I could use it with other headphones. Is that correct?



Which other dap do you have?


----------



## Matrix Petka

meurglys0 said:


> Now that I think about it, if I get a balanced cable with a 4.4mm jack such as this one, then I wouldn't be able to access the balanced end of my DAP with any other headphones that I might get. However, if I get a balanced IEM cable with a 3.5mm jack and a 3.5mm female to 4.4mm male adaptor, then I could use it with other headphones. Is that correct?



There is no 3,5mm standart balanced cables. Most versatile set - balanced 2,5mm or 4,4mm with adapter to 3,5mm SE.


----------



## meurglys0 (Dec 5, 2017)

kubig123 said:


> Which other dap do you have?



I meant my NW-WM1A... 



Matrix Petka said:


> There is no 3,5mm standart balanced cables. Most versatile set - balanced 2,5mm or 4,4mm with adapter to 3,5mm SE.



Oh! 

Forgive my ignorance...

Then, it's going to be balanced cable with a 4.4mm jack and a 3.5mm adaptor...

If I get another headphone, then I would have to get a new cable for it, too, or get it re-cabled. It's frustrating.


----------



## kubig123

meurglys0 said:


> I meant my NW-WM1A...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Don't worry it's just part of the learning curve!

Yes, if you have the WM1A that to squeeze the best from it and you don't have any other cable with a balance plug then you should buy a new cable with a 4.4mm plug.

Which earphones or headphones do you have?


----------



## meurglys0

kubig123 said:


> Don't worry it's just part of the learning curve!
> 
> Yes, if you have the WM1A that to squeeze the best from it and you don't have any other cable with a balance plug then you should buy a new cable with a 4.4mm plug.
> 
> Which earphones or headphones do you have?



I have Earsonics SM3 and Sennheiser Urbanite XL. 

Is it possible to do this: My IEM that has a 3.5 mm jack > connected to a 3.5mm to 2.5mm adaptor > connected to 2.5 to 4.4 mm balanced adaptor > connected to NW-WM1A ?


----------



## hung031086

meurglys0 said:


> I have Earsonics SM3 and Sennheiser Urbanite XL.
> 
> Is it possible to do this: My IEM that has a 3.5 mm jack > connected to a 3.5mm to 2.5mm adaptor > connected to 2.5 to 4.4 mm balanced adaptor > connected to NW-WM1A ?


You can't go from SE to Balanced, only Balanced to Balanced or Balanced to SE. Only ways you can go are 2.5mm to 4.4mm or 2.5mm to 3.5mm.


----------



## kubig123

meurglys0 said:


> I have Earsonics SM3 and Sennheiser Urbanite XL.
> 
> Is it possible to do this: My IEM that has a 3.5 mm jack > connected to a 3.5mm to 2.5mm adaptor > connected to 2.5 to 4.4 mm balanced adaptor > connected to NW-WM1A ?



Absolutely no, you risk do damage the dap.

If you have earphones with a 3.5mm plug use them only with the 3.5mm connector.


----------



## meurglys0

OK! 

Thanks!


----------



## Matrix Petka

meurglys0 said:


> OK!
> 
> Thanks!



It is wise to double check 
But there is no other way - balanced cable adapter to single ended. NEVER - single ended cable to balanced.


----------



## Whitigir

Why would you all be so much against “an excuse to upgrade” to newer DAP  ? Just kidding.  The new forum Search function is a disaster.  People can not search by using pictures, or key words within a thread anymore.  This results in people keep on posting the same info over and over and being asked over and over....


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> I saw the info for DSD tracks and again it has the disc 1/- and track 4/- seems like flac fields TRACKTOTAL and DISCTOTAL don't apply in ID3 tags, can some one with either mp3 or DSD files hand me out these two fields equivalent of flac tags


BUMP


----------



## Gilles De Rais

meurglys0 said:


> I have Earsonics SM3 and Sennheiser Urbanite XL.
> 
> Is it possible to do this: My IEM that has a 3.5 mm jack > connected to a 3.5mm to 2.5mm adaptor > connected to 2.5 to 4.4 mm balanced adaptor > connected to NW-WM1A ?



I believe you're overthinking this. If you get a 44mm balanced cable terminated with 2 pin connections for your SM3 then just remove the existing cable (should just pull out) and replace with the new cable when you want to use the WM1A. When you want to use it with your laptop (3.5mm socket) just reverse the process. Changing the cables to the appropriate one for your device is a lot simpler than getting confused with adapters and the like. 

regards,

Giles


----------



## ranfan

Anyone know what's the shortcut for setting the 1A into sleep mode?


----------



## gerelmx1986

ranfan said:


> Anyone know what's the shortcut for setting the 1A into sleep mode?


Just pause it and press the power button once to turn off display, it will go alone to sleep mode (I hear a relay click when not used for 30s)


----------



## ranfan

gerelmx1986 said:


> Just pause it and press the power button once to turn off display, it will go alone to sleep mode (I hear a relay click when not used for 30s)


Thank you very much.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 6, 2017)

Found it out digh, Diffent tags, different standards

FLAC separate tags for disc and track total count
DSD uses ID3 like mp3 so you have to write DISCNUMBER: as Current disc/Total discs same for TRACK: current/ total in the same field separated by the slash "/"


----------



## nc8000

Gilles De Rais said:


> I believe you're overthinking this. If you get a 44mm balanced cable terminated with 2 pin connections for your SM3 then just remove the existing cable (should just pull out) and replace with the new cable when you want to use the WM1A. When you want to use it with your laptop (3.5mm socket) just reverse the process. Changing the cables to the appropriate one for your device is a lot simpler than getting confused with adapters and the like.
> 
> regards,
> 
> Giles



Swapping the cable too often on the iem end can eventually result in the female plugs on the iem getting loose with intermittent or permanent loss of connection


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Swapping the cable too often on the iem end can eventually result in the female plugs on the iem getting loose with intermittent or permanent loss of connection


This only happens with MMCX? or also with two-pin connectors?


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Swapping the cable too often on the iem end can eventually result in the female plugs on the iem getting loose with intermittent or permanent loss of connection



An excuse for another IEMS ! Hell, people upgrades when there is nothing wrong with it...


----------



## Matrix Petka

gerelmx1986 said:


> This only happens with MMCX? or also with two-pin connectors?



Both. From my experience - two pin even worse.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Matrix Petka said:


> Both. From my experience - two pin even worse.


Oh, I tought mmcx was the baddest as some quote bad things about it and being the worst standard, personally I don't think mmcx is that bad


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> Oh, I tought mmcx was the baddest as some quote bad things about it and being the worst standard, personally I don't think mmcx is that bad



I only had bad experience with the mmcx (that's why I sold all except the XBA-Z5 ), but I'm sure if I start changing cable every day also my 2 pin sockets will give up.

I find the 2pin more prone to bend, especially using them in ciems without a recessed socket or made of silicon.


----------



## nc8000

The female plugs on the 2-pin can deffinately get so expanded from repeated swapping that eventually you can’t get a propper connection. This is made even worse by the fact that some male pins are marginally larger on some cables than on others.


----------



## psikey

kubig123 said:


> I only had bad experience with the mmcx (that's why I sold all except the XBA-Z5 ), but I'm sure if I start changing cable every day also my 2 pin sockets will give up.
> 
> I find the 2pin more prone to bend, especially using them in ciems without a recessed socket or made of silicon.



With my SE846's I've never had problems with Quality MMCX cables be they the original ones it came with, or the Sony Kimber balanced, Fiio 2.5mm balanced or Fidue cable. All other cheapo cables tend to have connection issues leading to breakup so I never use/buy any of those now.

Not all mmcx connectors are made equal.


----------



## kubig123

psikey said:


> With my SE846's I've never had problems with Quality MMCX cables be they the original ones it came with, or the Sony Kimber balanced, Fiio 2.5mm balanced or Fidue cable. All other cheapo cables tend to have connection issues leading to breakup so I never use/buy any of those now.
> 
> Not all mmcx connectors are made equal.



I had problem with the Sony MUC-S12SB1 cable, the mmcx connectors where way too soft, and the Campfire Vega the left socket stopped working after 2 months. but again it could be me.
With the 846, I never had any issue.


----------



## meurglys0

I'm considering purchasing my upgrade cable from this site. Mostly due to high customisability the site offers. 

http://www.plussoundaudio.com/customcables/inearmonitor.html

But there are too many options. Would someone kindly help me please? What should be my selection for maximum 150 $. 

I could jut get this one for 50 $, but I really care about the color of the cable and white or copper color doesn't look nice to me. Is this product on a par with the plussound products?


----------



## audionewbi

My go too cables will be plussound and Oc studio.


----------



## Dithyrambes

@gerelmx1986 Still stands.....1.20 much better than 2.00 on WM1A. I really don't see how 2.00 is better. Sure the soundstage seems a little wider, but its not more detailed. Its more diffuse, the sound is not as dynamic because texturally its more ambiguous. Sound feels hazy and not well defined....and is not more detailed. Bass is murky, and highs are less extended. Also imaging and staging is weaker for me and less defined. Makes the whole player passive aggressive giving an diffuse sound that gives an illusion its doing something it isn't. Driver impact is also less defined and does not slam.....because the sound is diffuse and ambiguous. The timbre as a whole isn't to my liking. 1.20 may seem a bit sharp, but definitely liking how it sounds more life-like and real. All listening is through andromedas from 4.4m listening to mostly jazz and classical. I have a library of pop/rock/etc...but not my main genre.


----------



## Lavakugel

Anybody selling 4.4 mm 2 pin cable? Want to go balanced....


----------



## nc8000

Lavakugel said:


> Anybody selling 4.4 mm 2 pin cable? Want to go balanced....



I think naivesound was selling one


----------



## Lavakugel

NC8000 how are you able to go balanced with linum. thought that they don't have any 4.4mm yet...


----------



## nc8000

Lavakugel said:


> NC8000 how are you able to go balanced with linum. thought that they don't have any 4.4mm yet...



Had a friend reterminate it to 4.4 mm


----------



## twister6 (Dec 6, 2017)

meurglys0 said:


> I'm considering purchasing my upgrade cable from this site. Mostly due to high customisability the site offers.
> 
> http://www.plussoundaudio.com/customcables/inearmonitor.html
> 
> ...



If you are choosing a cable as a color-matched accessory to your WM1A, figure out a color and ask @PLUSSOUND to make a pure copper cable with 2pin standard connector, 4.4mm termination, and a sleeve color of your choice.  That shouldn't be a problem to fit your $150 budget.


----------



## Gilles De Rais

nc8000 said:


> Swapping the cable too often on the iem end can eventually result in the female plugs on the iem getting loose with intermittent or permanent loss of connection


I understand this is a possibility with either poorly built connectors and/or plugs if you go nuts and do it frequently. If on the other hand you only change cables once or twice a week (and you do it carefully), there is no reason why something like the SM3 shouldn't be able to handle this for some years. 

My point was raised in the context of the OP proposing all kinds of chain lengthening adapters. Given his rationale is to get improved sound out of the balanced output of the WM1A, a daisy chain conversely may to lead to a decrease in sound (extra breaks, impedance mismatch, etc). In an ideal world the OP would have two iems one terminated se, the other balanced, but its clear from his subsequent posts that this is a financial strain. Sometimes we need to bear in mind the economic costs of options for our hobbies when making suggestions.

regards,

Giles


----------



## Aliv3

Hello! I have my wm1a for  almost a week with100 hours of burn-in. I came from a walkman x1060 with a sennheiser ie80. but maybe it is my imagination or any kind of placebo effect that  I think because wm1a is a device more capable than the x1060 I feel the ie80 with a more congested sound I do not know how to  explain I think the wm1a is exposing the limitations of the my sennheisers. I have the curiosity to try the balanced output so Im here to ask for a recommendation for some new in-ears. most of my music is rock / pop / blues and I'm looking for some in-ears that cause no fatigue that are fun to hear (I do not like those very analytical ones) and do not cause me bankruptcy. 
Thanks!


----------



## kubig123

Aliv3 said:


> Hello! I have my wm1a for  almost a week with100 hours of burn-in. I came from a walkman x1060 with a sennheiser ie80. but maybe it is my imagination or any kind of placebo effect that  I think because wm1a is a device more capable than the x1060 I feel the ie80 with a more congested sound I do not know how to  explain I think the wm1a is exposing the limitations of the my sennheisers. I have the curiosity to try the balanced output so Im here to ask for a recommendation for some new in-ears. most of my music is rock / pop / blues and I'm looking for some in-ears that cause no fatigue that are fun to hear (I do not like those very analytical ones) and do not cause me bankruptcy.
> Thanks!



Campfire has a nice interesting range of earphones, what's your price range?


----------



## Aliv3

kubig123 said:


> Campfire has a nice interesting range of earphones, what's your price range?


Thanks for the Reply! I would say 500€.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Aliv3 said:


> Thanks for the Reply! I would say 500€.


Try Sony xba-z5 they retail for $499 in some sites
They don't sound analytical and are fun to listen to, they are balanced ready (in the box there's a dual 3.5mm balanced cable)


----------



## Fsilva

Lavakugel said:


> Anybody selling 4.4 mm 2 pin cable? Want to go balanced....


i´m selling a Silver Poison from Toxic Cables with 2 pin connectors and 4.4mm plug. PM me if you´re interested.


----------



## nc8000

Gilles De Rais said:


> I understand this is a possibility with either poorly built connectors and/or plugs if you go nuts and do it frequently. If on the other hand you only change cables once or twice a week (and you do it carefully), there is no reason why something like the SM3 shouldn't be able to handle this for some years.
> 
> My point was raised in the context of the OP proposing all kinds of chain lengthening adapters. Given his rationale is to get improved sound out of the balanced output of the WM1A, a daisy chain conversely may to lead to a decrease in sound (extra breaks, impedance mismatch, etc). In an ideal world the OP would have two iems one terminated se, the other balanced, but its clear from his subsequent posts that this is a financial strain. Sometimes we need to bear in mind the economic costs of options for our hobbies when making suggestions.
> 
> ...



Indeed. I personally have my cable terminated to 4.4 as that by far is my main use and then have a 4.4 to 3.5 pig tail for when I need to use my iem with a pc, phone or tablet


----------



## productred

Gilles De Rais said:


> I understand this is a possibility with either poorly built connectors and/or plugs if you go nuts and do it frequently. If on the other hand you only change cables once or twice a week (and you do it carefully), there is no reason why something like the SM3 shouldn't be able to handle this for some years.
> 
> My point was raised in the context of the OP proposing all kinds of chain lengthening adapters. Given his rationale is to get improved sound out of the balanced output of the WM1A, a daisy chain conversely may to lead to a decrease in sound (extra breaks, impedance mismatch, etc). In an ideal world the OP would have two iems one terminated se, the other balanced, but its clear from his subsequent posts that this is a financial strain. Sometimes we need to bear in mind the economic costs of options for our hobbies when making suggestions.
> 
> ...



From my own experience with 2 pin connectors from all major brands (ES, 64, Empire, Noble universals and certain CMs) they female socket wears out MUCH faster than your named timeframe. If you change cables once or twice a week the socket would become loose within, say, 2 months. Not that they'd fall off or fail to hold the male pins at once, but you'd consciously feel it's becoming looser than before. And if the frequent cable swapping continues after that, it would soon after another a month or two becomes loosen to an extent that your iem may fall off mid-usage.

It may sound horrifying at first but not so if you think carefully. Gold is a soft metal and plating gold on pins and sockets is for its anti-corrosion properties as well as its fairly good conductivity, not for ultimate durability. From the beginning the design of cable change systems (2pins and mmcx alike) are NOT for frequent plugging and unplugging - at most it's designed for, during its lifespan, a swap or two at first i.e. when you first acquire the iem and pick a fav cable to go with it, AND another swap when the cable dies after, say, a year or two. Maybe another swap after that. But definitely not swapping week in week out. The whole idea is to prolong the life of your iem. In the long run swapping cables too often would only significantly decrease the lifespan of your iem and increase costs in that sense. On the other hand there are lots of affordable 2.5 cables and lots of very affordable and well made 2.5mm-3.5mm and 2.5mm-4.4mm adaptors.

I have quite a few iems that have loose female 2 pins sockets, and a few more with failed mmcx sockets. Well, I'm a head-fier and I DO LIKE swapping cables around. But at the same time I have to be realistic and understand the mechanics. After lots of trial and errors and bad experiences I have come to live with the rule that once I have the tinniest hint of a female socket becoming looser than before I'd just decide on a cable and let them live together for their lifetime. People have suggested different ways to counter the effects of loose sockets, e.g. flattening the pins or slightly bending them, but I'd rather have the sockets healthy than to remedy its loosening.

The best system so far must be the Fitear 2-pin locking system. Pity only Fitear cares to employ that.


----------



## gerelmx1986

When my sony upgrade cable arrives this will be my 2nd cable swap on my XBA-Z5


----------



## blazinblazin (Dec 7, 2017)

I improvise when my MMCX is loose. (Do at your own risk)
I notice it shakes around and causes connection issues.

So i thought it would be good if you can stop it from shaking and then you will fix the problem.

I fold layers of aluminum foil together cut a very small slit and then put it on the male plug as a cushion, stuff the aluminum near the plug under the notch of the male MMCX plug... cut off the excess outside of the plug and its fixed. Of cause not blocking the function.


----------



## meurglys0 (Dec 7, 2017)

twister6 said:


> If you are choosing a cable as a color-matched accessory to your WM1A, figure out a color and ask @PLUSSOUND to make a pure copper cable with 2pin standard connector, 4.4mm termination, and a sleeve color of your choice.  That shouldn't be a problem to fit your $150 budget.



Thanks!

In fact I am curious as to which cable and which setting to choose from Plussound. I don't have experience with cables... 

I could use some help...


----------



## Gilles De Rais

productred said:


> From my own experience with 2 pin connectors from all major brands (ES, 64, Empire, Noble universals and certain CMs) they female socket wears out MUCH faster than your named timeframe. If you change cables once or twice a week the socket would become loose within, say, 2 months. Not that they'd fall off or fail to hold the male pins at once, but you'd consciously feel it's becoming looser than before. And if the frequent cable swapping continues after that, it would soon after another a month or two becomes loosen to an extent that your iem may fall off mid-usage.
> 
> It may sound horrifying at first but not so if you think carefully. Gold is a soft metal and plating gold on pins and sockets is for its anti-corrosion properties as well as its fairly good conductivity, not for ultimate durability. From the beginning the design of cable change systems (2pins and mmcx alike) are NOT for frequent plugging and unplugging - at most it's designed for, during its lifespan, a swap or two at first i.e. when you first acquire the iem and pick a fav cable to go with it, AND another swap when the cable dies after, say, a year or two. Maybe another swap after that. But definitely not swapping week in week out. The whole idea is to prolong the life of your iem. In the long run swapping cables too often would only significantly decrease the lifespan of your iem and increase costs in that sense. On the other hand there are lots of affordable 2.5 cables and lots of very affordable and well made 2.5mm-3.5mm and 2.5mm-4.4mm adaptors.
> 
> ...



I agree that the Fitear system is best, but I have had some two pins and mmcxs last without any loss of contact. I’d say my Lyras, AKT8iemk ii, Nobles (various both old style and new style) have each survived 20 plus cable changes mainly 3,5mm to 2.5mmm, though lately 4mm has reared its head. Cables are ALO, Onso, AK and Effect Audio. Interestingly, the Alo cables have reinforced cable terminations and the AK had to re-engineer the mmcx sockets from the mk i.

My approach to connection quality had changed after I have issues with Ultimate Ears, particularly the SF5 pro, where the socket metal lining visibly expanded after a dozen insertions - the cable also oxidised real fast so It probably wasn’t the best quality. I think this may be the issue, that some companies qc on these components isn’t as rigid as us users would prefer.

Regards, 

Giles


----------



## Aliv3

gerelmx1986 said:


> Try Sony xba-z5 they retail for $499 in some sites
> They don't sound analytical and are fun to listen to, they are balanced ready (in the box there's a dual 3.5mm balanced cable)


I can not find them anywhere. Do you know a site where you can buy them in Europe?
I have another question and I'm already sorry, because I'm a complete noob on these issues but the balanced cable should not end in 4.4mm?


----------



## samycinema

kubig123 said:


> Wm1z + Kaiser Encore
> 
> I could not be happier, I love the synergy between the DAP and the CIEM.




How do you describe the sound differences from that cable (Whiplash balanced) to the SE stock cable from Noble? Is it worth the money?
I’m getting custom Encores to use with my WM1Z and need to choose between stock 3.5mm SE or 2.5mm balanced (I would need an adaptor, they don’t offer 4.4mm). 
Any opinions?


----------



## kubig123

Aliv3 said:


> Thanks for the Reply! I would say 500€.





Aliv3 said:


> I can not find them anywhere. Do you know a site where you can buy them in Europe?
> I have another question and I'm already sorry, because I'm a complete noob on these issues but the balanced cable should not end in 4.4mm?



you can find them on the used market, try ebay or take a look what is on sale on this website

https://www.head-fi.org/search/4225...o]=0&c[p][sonnb_xengallery_photo][aperture]=0

There are different balanced cable and plugs, when the z5 was introduced, the 4.4mm plug didn't exist and Sony used a double 3.5mm plug to their daps, but can can easily find a cable with the proper 4.4mm plug, Sony makes one, MUC-M12SB1.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Aliv3 said:


> I can not find them anywhere. Do you know a site where you can buy them in Europe?
> I have another question and I'm already sorry, because I'm a complete noob on these issues but the balanced cable should not end in 4.4mm?


I bought mine with acceory jack based in Hong Kong. 

I use mine with balanced, a 4.4mm to dual 3.5mm females. I've ordered a new cable for them that is 4.4mm so no pig-tail


----------



## kubig123

samycinema said:


> How do you describe the sound differences from that cable (Whiplash balanced) to the SE stock cable from Noble? Is it worth the money?
> I’m getting custom Encores to use with my WM1Z and need to choose between stock 3.5mm SE or 2.5mm balanced (I would need an adaptor, they don’t offer 4.4mm).
> Any opinions?



Hi,
dont even remember the stock cable, but the whiplash Twag V3 makes a big difference, the encore becomes more clinical and add lot of details to the mid and treble. 

I would order the 2.5mm balance cable and then buy an adapter, once you get used to the Encore, you can decide if you want a cable that highlights the treble or something that add some warm (like the Effect Audio Thor II).


----------



## proedros

i have a lightly used/like new *Twag V3 (8-braid)* that i am thinking of selling

I was using it lightly with my zx2 in 3.5 TRRS mode so it can also be used with wm1a/1z as SE option (or reterminate it to 4.4 if needed)

let me know if interested , cheers


----------



## twister6

meurglys0 said:


> Thanks!
> 
> In fact I am curious as to which cable and which setting to choose from Plussound. I don't have experience with cables...
> 
> I could use some help...



Contact @PLUSSOUND directly, they will be able to help you (I'm tagging them intentionally in this post, so Christian is aware of your requirements).


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hope Sony brings the DSD remaster engine to the next iteration of WM series, the dsd remaster is only available as of now in their tabletop amps


----------



## buduba0604

When it comes to cable changes, I could barely do the one change from the noble stock cable to effect audio cable. Maybe it's my arthritis, but it's such a pain in the butt to change cables haha


----------



## hamhamhamsta

buduba0604 said:


> When it comes to cable changes, I could barely do the one change from the noble stock cable to effect audio cable. Maybe it's my arthritis, but it's such a pain in the butt to change cables haha


You are funny dude, haha


----------



## meomap

Hi All,

Today, I took a risk and ordered the 1Z.
Could not wait anymore.


----------



## kubig123

meomap said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Today, I took a risk and ordered the 1Z.
> Could not wait anymore.



You won’t be disappointed!


----------



## sne4me

meomap said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Today, I took a risk and ordered the 1Z.
> Could not wait anymore.




I have a 1A and I wish I got the 1Z,
but I can’t complain. Im at 179 hours on mine in about 4 months.


----------



## meomap

kubig123 said:


> You won’t be disappointed!



Thanks.
> 500 hrs, correct?
Will buy Sony TT later to vinyl rip some of my vinyls to DSD format.


----------



## sne4me

Does anyone have experience with audiophile vinyl ripping? I was actually thinking of trying to find someone who has a high end setup to let me rip off of their system.

My understanding is a vacuum platter with a super high end cart, properly cleaned is the best yield.


----------



## samycinema

kubig123 said:


> Hi,
> dont even remember the stock cable, but the whiplash Twag V3 makes a big difference, the encore becomes more clinical and add lot of details to the mid and treble.
> 
> I would order the 2.5mm balance cable and then buy an adapter, once you get used to the Encore, you can decide if you want a cable that highlights the treble or something that add some warm (like the Effect Audio Thor II).




Thank you @kubig123  for your prompt reply. Are you using FW 1.2 or 2.0?


----------



## kubig123

samycinema said:


> Thank you @kubig123  for your prompt reply. Are you using FW 1.2 or 2.0?



I'm using FW 2.0 right now


----------



## samycinema

Anybody pairing WM1 with Ether or Ether Flow (balanced)? Does it have enough power to feed them without an amp (and not sounding too thin or flat)?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 7, 2017)

Be cautious when buying Hi-res Music

I've been victim of Bona-fide "hi-res" album i purchased at Qobuz. supposedly FLAC 24/88.2KHz, then i sourced the CD version from a pirate site

and to my dismay, the fake hi-res is actually worse than the CD one, CD cuts at usual 22KHz freq., but the "hi-res" cuts at 20KHz or so.

I did a test upsample of the CD version to see what i got , with dithering, result same cutoff as CD 22Khz, with slight dithering noise above the 22KHz region. Contrasted the fake hi-res album... totally black above 20 KHz

Then i learnt while reading the booklet that came from the CD version it was recorded in 1992-1993
probably recorded at 44.1KHz 16 bit

It saved me precious HD space 500MB less


----------



## zmhaha

Anyone knows where I can get a 4.4mm TRRRS female to 4 pin XLR male adapter? The kind with wires in the middle.


----------



## kubig123

zmhaha said:


> Anyone knows where I can get a 4.4mm TRRRS female to 4 pin XLR male adapter? The kind with wires in the middle.


Double Helix make short adapters with a 4.4mm female.


----------



## kubig123

Forgot to mention Music-Sanctuary, they too can make short adapters with the same specs.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Be cautious when buying Hi-res Music
> 
> I've been victim of Bona-fide "hi-res" album i purchased at Qobuz. supposedly FLAC 24/88.2KHz, then i sourced the CD version from a pirate site
> 
> ...



There is indeed “hires” releases out there that are no more than an upsample of a red book source, howevere there are also a lot of hires releases that are based on the original or remastered analog tapes otherwise there could not be hires releases of anything recorded esrlier than perhaps the last 20 years. The same goes for hires rips of vinyl. None of those sources have any original info above 20khz and probably less


----------



## Gilles De Rais

nc8000 said:


> There is indeed “hires” releases out there that are no more than an upsample of a red book source, howevere there are also a lot of hires releases that are based on the original or remastered analog tapes otherwise there could not be hires releases of anything recorded esrlier than perhaps the last 20 years. The same goes for hires rips of vinyl. None of those sources have any original info above 20khz and probably less



I've always liked those classical labels offering 24/96 versions of stuff recorded in the late 40's early 50's on wire tape recorders from live radio broadcasts...SMH


----------



## Quadfather

moneypls said:


> Empire Ears Zeus R + WM1A = perfect combo.



I have been bitten by the tia Fourte bug, so I think I will sell my mint SE846, along with the extra ALO Reference 8, 4.4mm Sony balanced cable, various nozzle filters, and Knowles damper mods...The Shures rock, but I just had to listen to the tia Fourte...doing a final listen today. Tia Fourte is, in my mind, in a totally different league. It sounds like a high-quality, open-back headphone, but yet with bass.


----------



## gerelmx1986

babl


nc8000 said:


> There is indeed “hires” releases out there that are no more than an upsample of a red book source, howevere there are also a lot of hires releases that are based on the original or remastered analog tapes otherwise there could not be hires releases of anything recorded esrlier than perhaps the last 20 years. The same goes for hires rips of vinyl. None of those sources have any original info above 20khz and probably less


For now I will purchase hi-res only if the album was released >2005


----------



## Quadfather

Dang, I brushed my Sony NW-WM1A against at concrete wall and scratched it by the balanced output.  Black automotive paint masks it fairly well, but I am an OCD perfectionist.  I will probably sell it and get another one.


----------



## kubig123

Quadfather said:


> Dang, I brushed my Sony NW-WM1A against at concrete wall and scratched it by the balanced output.  Black automotive paint masks it fairly well, but I am an OCD perfectionist.  I will probably sell it and get another one.



You should consider to purchase a TPU Gel Case, it protect the top of the dap better that the dignis.

Something like this
https://www.amazon.com/NW-WM1A-NW-W...?ie=UTF8&qid=1512744888&sr=8-12&keywords=wm1a


----------



## Quadfather

kubig123 said:


> You should consider to purchase a TPU Gel Case, it protect the top of the dap better that the dignis.
> 
> Something like this
> https://www.amazon.com/NW-WM1A-NW-W...?ie=UTF8&qid=1512744888&sr=8-12&keywords=wm1a



Thank you.  It is much less too.  Do you have a picture of your player in this case that you can share?


----------



## kubig123

Quadfather said:


> Thank you.  It is much less too.  Do you have a picture of your player in this case that you can share?



Unfortunately I don't have my WM1Z with me today, I'll post some pictures later tonight.


----------



## Quadfather

Does anyone here prefer Sony NW-WM1A over Sony NW-WM1Z?  If so, why?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Some Beethoven chamber music to de-stress


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Some Beethoven chamber music to de-stress


Man, if you could reprogram the WM1 series to be able to do USB DAC 

@gerelmx1986


----------



## Fred Wang

samycinema said:


> Anybody pairing WM1 with Ether or Ether Flow (balanced)? Does it have enough power to feed them without an amp (and not sounding too thin or flat)?



I use my ether flow with it when I'm at home away from my primary set up. in low-gain, it's a bit underpowered and lacking, but in high-gain mode out of balanced, it has great dynamics and has enough body to it that it doesn't sound thin to me. You might hear some hiss though.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Man, if you could reprogram the WM1 series to be able to do USB DAC
> 
> @gerelmx1986


That would be good if I knew more about hardware and the Sony fpga implementation and of course windows and Mac linking to the WM, I bet required a lot of hardware knowledge and how this is handled


----------



## gerelmx1986

I do recall seeing a pin for digital out and I think one for in in a wm-port I disassembled

Theorically perhaps the link is prepared, but the s master on WM series is not?
I have seen schematics of TI dacs I bet Sony won't be releasing their diagrams


----------



## twister6

Quadfather said:


> Thank you.  It is much less too.  Do you have a picture of your player in this case that you can share?



More pictures here in my review : https://twister6.com/2017/10/29/benks-clear-case-for-wm1z/

Btw, didn't you scratch your LPG too and had to sell it to buy a new one?


----------



## Quadfather (Dec 8, 2017)

twister6 said:


> More pictures here in my review : https://twister6.com/2017/10/29/benks-clear-case-for-wm1z/
> 
> Btw, didn't you scratch your LPG too and had to sell it to buy a new one?



Yes. My OCD is a little crazy. That one is still in perfect condition because not only do I have it in a leather case, but it is always kept in a Pelican case. I thought the dignis case would protect the Sony well enough, but I was wrong.  I am wondering if I should keep saving for the 1Z or if I should get another 1A.  That is why I am looking for people that like one over the other to give me feedback.  The case looks really sweet, even though I love the red dignis case.


----------



## Quadfather

twister6 said:


> More pictures here in my review : https://twister6.com/2017/10/29/benks-clear-case-for-wm1z/
> 
> Btw, didn't you scratch your LPG too and had to sell it to buy a new one?




I learned my lesson with that player. And I thought the Dignis case would protect, but it didn't.


----------



## kubig123

Quadfather said:


> I learned my lesson with that player. And I thought the Dignis case would protect, but it didn't.





But sooner or later you have to open that damn case if you want to listen to your LPG!!!!


----------



## Quadfather (Dec 8, 2017)

kubig123 said:


> But sooner or later you have to open that damn case if you want to listen to your LPG!!!!



I always get deep-pocketed pants with no rivets anywhere in them or zip up pockets on shirts so it won't fall out when I bend over.  The way I obsess over blemishes would be way too frustrating.  The funny thing is, I don't give a damn about my cars and actually just got a Malibu for $650 that works just fine.


----------



## Whitigir

You are saying a car that is cheaper than a Shangri-la? Or Susvara


----------



## Quadfather

Here it is...$650.00


----------



## kubig123

Quadfather said:


> Here it is...$650.00



Does it come with a pelican case?


----------



## Quadfather

kubig123 said:


> Does it come with a pelican case?



Droll,  very droll.  LOL


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Quadfather said:


> Yes. My OCD is a little crazy. That one is still in perfect condition because not only do I have it in a leather case, but it is always kept in a Pelican case. I thought the dignis case would protect the Sony well enough, but I was wrong.  I am wondering if I should keep saving for the 1Z or if I should get another 1A.  That is why I am looking for people that like one over the other to give me feedback.  The case looks really sweet, even though I love the red dignis case.


Definitely get 1Z. 

But if you scratch it again or forbid, you dropped it...thats it, its the end of the world


----------



## kubig123

Here some pictures of my WM1Z with the TPU gel case.


----------



## Quadfather

hamhamhamsta said:


> Definitely get 1Z.
> 
> But if you scratch it again or forbid, you dropped it...thats it, its the end of the world



Do Tell.  How is the 1Z different than 1A?


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> Do Tell.  How is the 1Z different than 1A?



More expensive


----------



## meomap

Quadfather said:


> Yes. My OCD is a little crazy. That one is still in perfect condition because not only do I have it in a leather case, but it is always kept in a Pelican case. I thought the dignis case would protect the Sony well enough, but I was wrong.  I am wondering if I should keep saving for the 1Z or if I should get another 1A.  That is why I am looking for people that like one over the other to give me feedback.  The case looks really sweet, even though I love the red dignis case.


1Z
1Z
1Z
1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Quadfather there is no store near you selling both so you can go and test drive them and decide?


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Quadfather there is no store near you selling both so you can go and test drive them and decide?



I have not found a store yet.


----------



## sne4me

I’ve dropped my 1a at least twice in that tpu gel (benks) case and there is not a mark on it, nor on the case


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> You are saying a car that is cheaper than a Shangri-la? Or Susvara



ROTFL.  Yes


----------



## gerelmx1986

Dear sony can you include in the next iteration of WM series (WM2?) this:

* USB-DAC 
*Dgital filters that work also with PCM files (sharp and slow-roll off)
*Dual microSD slots 
*256GB onboard 
*DSD-REMASTER ENGINE


----------



## Quadfather

kubig123 said:


> Here some pictures of my WM1Z with the TPU gel case.



I may save for a while.   Looks great.


----------



## samycinema

Fred Wang said:


> I use my ether flow with it when I'm at home away from my primary set up. in low-gain, it's a bit underpowered and lacking, but in high-gain mode out of balanced, it has great dynamics and has enough body to it that it doesn't sound thin to me. You might hear some hiss though.



Thank you @Fred Wang good to know.


----------



## gerelmx1986

How safe is to turn on and play music off your WM1 series during cold winter, when the unit feels bloody cold to the touch? Unfortunately my house in mexico doesnt have any heating, and today it snowed during the night and we saw snow in the morning...

i am wrried about condensation


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 9, 2017)

@ https://www.head-fi.org/members/quadfather.421592/


When visiting the Sony store and arriving at the demo section the first thing you notice is how very low-weight the 1A is to the 1Z. It's actually quite startling as you first never think of the 1Z as being THAT heavy but it is. I actually tried the new Sony NW-ZX300, but as this was almost exactly 30 days ago, the ZX300 was only a demo and not for sale.

The 1A and 1Z have the same form factor. Though the 1A is maybe slightly warmer but missing a little detail in the mids and slight detail in the treble. This review could be totally off as I had my Wife near trying to talk, as well as only my Triple Drivers to use,...................add to that a busy Singapore Sony store with people running around. Probably the biggest surprise was the ZX300! The ZX300 screen is flat toned which right off makes it seem very different. It seemed you feel the flat surface as touching it? The sound of the ZX300 was loud and strikingly both warm and highly detailed. Next year when prices drop, I think it would be really cool to get a ZX300 for around town. You could easily take the 1A around town too, but the 1Z has the weight of a small dog.

It would be interesting to find groups who prefer the sound of the 1A as superior over the 1Z. It has been told by Sony that the company was trying to make a tone which would please two types of listeners, thus two players and two different signatures. At times (with the 1Z depending on personal taste) some mid-centric transducers can get a notch hot needing to draw the mids away a notch or two and maybe pull the treble a notch back to allow for the low end to come up by maybe 10%. Thus allowing a slightly more forgiving listening session from flat-out and allowing multiple hours of IEM time at once, with ear taxing aggressive mids like in rock or EDM. As we already know here, high price does not always guarantee best sound.

And.......it's all about matching headphones and players, I don't think one would always be superior over the other, but how good the player befriends your other gear.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## ledzep

Had the opportunity to have a play with some old Beyers and Sony studio headsets at a radio station a friend works at last week and It took me back to the days before all this over saturated high end market place of audio we now know and love ( well not my pocket) it got me thinking of what many have done with various headphones modding wise. So I had a look around on what people had done with Sony sets over the years and decide to have a go at taking a basic entry level set and seeing what I could do with it. I'm UK based so limited to what's available to buy new and we have some crazy ass laws on audio power output like capping the players and even banning certain sets like the 7520, so I needed to find a cheap set with half decent reviews. My selection was V6/ 7506/ 7510, decided on the 7510 ( got a good black Friday price ) basically so not to bore you I stripped them down removed all wiring and replaced with pure silver litz / silver solder and dremeled a hole in the right cup fitted two 3.5mm panel sockets , put a bit of damping in the cups in the center so not to restrict air flow too much and leave the small bass port clear as it  works well and does also give them a slightly (very slightly)  semi open sound and I was going to change the pads to thicker ones to get my ear off the driver. Cable built is a star quad belden spc shielded with  3.5mm overall diameter very thin and flexible soldered to a norbunga labs 4.4mm plug and two slim 3.5mm plugs with the bottom half to the split covered with paracord. Finally changed the stock pads to the real leather brainwavz memory foam pads and was good to go ! About 30 hours burning them in so far and already sounding excellent and rivaling sets that I've had at the £400 / 500 mark and all on budget price of £134 for headphones cables plugs pads etc best way to describe them is a mini set of alpha primes with a hint of semi openess comfortable and very light. Heard good things with the CD900 ST so they might be next, any thoughts comments or advice welcome.


----------



## Matrix Petka

gerelmx1986 said:


> How safe is to turn on and play music off your WM1 series during cold winter, when the unit feels bloody cold to the touch? Unfortunately my house in mexico doesnt have any heating, and today it snowed during the night and we saw snow in the morning...
> 
> i am wrried about condensation



Snow in Mexico? Global warming? 
Condensation may occur if there is big temperature difference between cold device and warm room temperature. Better to keep it warm.


----------



## Matrix Petka

Redcarmoose said:


>



Pitty, not balanced....


----------



## ledzep

There again there's nothing wrong with dropping a little extra on these beauties great improvement on the MK 1's !


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 9, 2017)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/matrix-petka.452859/

Lol, I have something to look forward to!

You may just like the sound if you heard it? Though I'm guessing the upgrade to a balanced cable will not be as dramatic as the power hungry XBA-Z5 would be. Encores can get loud from 45% of an iPhone.


----------



## meurglys0

Do I need to have a microsd card reader to be able to load music onto the microsd card or do I drag the music into the micro sdcard while it is in the NW-WM1A?


----------



## ledzep

Redcarmoose said:


>


This set up and unbalanced !!! What !!!!
Are you trying to give us nightmares ? 
I won't sleep tonight !


----------



## ledzep

meurglys0 said:


> Do I need to have a microsd card reader to be able to load music onto the microsd card or do I drag the music into the micro sdcard while it is in the NW-WM1A?


You can do both


----------



## twister6

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/matrix-petka.452859/
> 
> Lol, I have something to look forward to!
> 
> You may just like the sound if you heard it? Though I'm guessing the upgrade to a balanced cable will not be as dramatic as the power hungry XBA-Z5 would be. Encores can get loud from 45% of an iPhone.



yeah, but you might also appreciate a blacker background (which results in faster notes transient and overall tighter sound) and a more holographic soundstage expansion, when switching to balanced.


----------



## Redcarmoose

twister6 said:


> yeah, but you might also appreciate a blacker background (which results in faster notes transient and overall tighter sound) and a more holographic soundstage expansion, when switching to balanced.



It may be six months till I get a balanced cable for them, but I hear you. Those words are........... like an elixir!


----------



## Redcarmoose

ledzep said:


> This set up and unbalanced !!! What !!!!
> Are you trying to give us nightmares ?
> I won't sleep tonight !



Haha! 

I know a $100 cable. But..........I actually live on an desolate island where no such things exist. I have to fly out for stuff. I do asure you it’s pretty good now. 

I actually tried to find a cable before I had to fly back, but no such luck. They were all sold out. 

Balanced isn’t everything, of course it could be another 10% or more????


And yes, that’s what we are always chasing.


----------



## Stephen George (Dec 9, 2017)

[QUOTE="Redcarmoose, post: 139]  Probably the biggest surprise was the ZX300!  [/QUOTE]


  too bad with only 64gb it'll only fit 2 or so 11k DSDs


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 9, 2017)

Stephen George said:


> [QUOTE="Redcarmoose, post: 139  Probably the biggest surprise was the ZX300!




  too bad with only 64gb it'll only fit 2 or so 11k DSDs[/QUOTE]


That’s a great point and another reason to stay with the two models this thread is about. Personally I only have about 5 albums, but am starting to think I hear differences from 44.1/16bit to DSD. So who knows I may get more into it. Don’t know if the ZX300 will read the big cards, but if it does that may be a solution? But that is slightly oxymoronic to offer Direct Stream and get a IPod level of storage to go along with it. Of course next year will maybe be 250GB storage for the ZX300. They have to do something to keep the train a moving.


Still it also brings up an upcoming issue with portable audio, as I’m not sure how many folks are stuck on going moble with giant DSD libraries? I personally never leave the house with my Walkman. Yep never walk with the Walkman. I simply can’t hear the improvements in audio while on the street. Now many may have other uses going transportable with DSD. As it’s probably a plus to be able to have your DSD files moble. But I think Sony is doing a trickle down marketing strategy where they have started with big ticket items and are now starting to let folks join in at a lesser price. Though I also think that buyers group has other goals in mind? They may be the group to have less DSD files and maybe not care so much as long as they can take great sounding music anywhere be it MP3 and 44.1/16bit? Thus the ZX300 has a place.

It’s almost like DSD is now marketing spice for that consumer group. Add the advantages of 4.4 Pentaconn as a marketing tool for Sony once it gets more traction, the sky is the limit, and it’s maybe another reason Sony used a new big 5 pole for balanced as it’s great marketing. Next $400 players offering DSD, 4.4mm Pentaconn balanced and Sony is now dominating the moble market.

You have to think Sony has some plans up their sleave to place the advantages of 4.4mm into a line of IEMs? It looks like we may see lower priced 4.4mm cables along with a balanced line of IEM from Sony. Why not? They make the players and IEMs?


----------



## gerelmx1986

meurglys0 said:


> Do I need to have a microsd card reader to be able to load music onto the microsd card or do I drag the music into the micro sdcard while it is in the NW-WM1A?


 you don't need a microSD card reader, the card will show in the player as two separate drivers one labeled WALKMAN (internal storage) and one labeled Micro SD card or so 

*One thing Put all your music in a folder called MUSIC
*
I use a micro SD card reader to speed-up tramsfers of namely huge DSD files or 24 bit files


----------



## gerelmx1986

Stephen George said:


> [QUOTE="Redcarmoose, post: 139  Probably the biggest surprise was the ZX300!




  too bad with only 64gb it'll only fit 2 or so 11k DSDs[/QUOTE] how big are 11MHz DSD albums? 32GB?! wow insane.. i have 2.8224MHz DSD and some take 4GB lol


----------



## ledzep

Redcarmoose said:


> Haha!
> 
> I know a $100 cable. But..........I actually live on an desolate island where no such things exist. I have to fly out for stuff. I do asure you it’s pretty good now.
> 
> ...


I hear you , it's not that much better in the UK as opposed to US and Asia for gear and that's why I build my own to my own tastes and designs not to mention my OCD perfection attitude to build quality. But yeah balanced is a definite must you will hear the difference and it's more than 10% I tell you.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 9, 2017)

ledzep said:


> I hear you , it's not that much better in the UK as opposed to US and Asia for gear and that's why I build my own to my own tastes and designs not to mention my OCD perfection attitude to build quality. But yeah balanced is a definite must you will hear the difference and it's more than 10% I tell you.



I use 4.4mm Pentaconn with my Sony Z5 IEMs and yes it’s great. As audiophiles we as a group care about what ever improvements occur and hold there value special. Normal folks of course either don’t hear the improvements or don’t care.

But that’s the other great part of this hobby............not having everything at once. There is a happiness in dreaming, there is a happiness in wondering what the future holds in new purchases. If all members had all the greatest stuff that will already exist 10 years from now all for free, there would be no where to go.

I have spent hours and hours loving the music out of my $45 China-Fi DAP with $35 IEMs as it’s mostly about the music.


----------



## equalspeace (Dec 9, 2017)

Wow, I didn't know DSD files were so large. I listen to 196k FLAC files and I thought those were huge lol



gerelmx1986 said:


> how big are 11MHz DSD albums? 32GB?! wow insane.. i have 2.8224MHz DSD and some take 4GB lol


----------



## Stephen George

[QUOTE="Redcarmoose] Don’t know if the ZX300 will read the big cards ?[/QUOTE]

it has 1 slot, so a 400gber will work


----------



## gerelmx1986

I wonder if there is a difference noticieable between 2.8 and 5.6MHz DSDs? and even 11MHz ones.. most classical albums are made in 2.8MHz DSD equivalent to 20-bit 88.2KHz


----------



## Stephen George

gerelmx1986 said:


> how big are 11MHz DSD albums? 32GB?! wow insane.. i have 2.8224MHz DSD and some take 4GB lol



i saw some  384/64fp forced WAV captures...50 minutes = 20+ GB


----------



## gerelmx1986

Question for those who have Music center for PC.. i noted there is an update of the program 1.0.01 what have you noted differently?

is still mother screwn slow?  can you serach for more fields f.e if my dsf or flac files have a composer tag can it filter when i search f.e for "Johann Sebastian Bach" and filters all content thats on the title, album or composer the word Johann Sebastian Bach?

what about transfers to walkman, fast or slow?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I reached a nice breaktrough i tought i would never reach

50.000 Tracks all lossless FLAC & DSD


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I reached a nice breaktrough i tought i would never reach
> 
> 50.000 Tracks all lossless FLAC & DSD



Surely not on your player ?

I’ve got about 21.000 tracks 16/44 flac and they completely fill my 1Z internal memory plus a 256GB card. Will get my 400GB card on Friday but I also still have another 3-400 cd’s left to rip plus 50-100 lp’s


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 9, 2017)

nc8000 said:


> Surely not on your player ?
> 
> I’ve got about 21.000 tracks 16/44 flac and they completely fill my 1Z internal memory plus a 256GB card. Will get my 400GB card on Friday but I also still have another 3-400 cd’s left to rip plus 50-100 lp’s


 Yup not all on my player  wish all fitted with a 1TB micro SD card 

you rip your LPs to DSD or flac CD or HD flac?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 10, 2017)

Yeah baby, extracting DFF stream from ISO file

And now split the BIG file into Individual Tracks


and Finally Tagging and adding to media Go


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yup not all on my player  wish all fitted with a 1TB micro SD card
> 
> you rip your LPs to DSD or flac CD or HD flac?



To DSD for use in the home rig and downsampled to 16/44 flac for 1Z


----------



## audionewbi

Hey, I was hoping that the i4 users might be able to help me, I am hoping to buy an i4 paired with balanced WM1A, will 1A be good enough for it?
I have tested the i4, love the sound but never tried it using the WM1A balanced out.


----------



## sne4me

nc8000 said:


> To DSD for use in the home rig and downsampled to 16/44 flac for 1Z


Can you tell me about the hardware and software configurations you use for vinyl rips?


----------



## nc8000

sne4me said:


> Can you tell me about the hardware and software configurations you use for vinyl rips?



I use the Sony PSHX500 turntable and the Sony Audio Recorder software so nothing fancy but it works well


----------



## meomap

nc8000 said:


> I use the Sony PSHX500 turntable and the Sony Audio Recorder software so nothing fancy but it works well


Hi,
Does it sounds like DSD to you?
Still has pops?
Planning to get this Sony TT. I just don't like the stylus quality.


----------



## Stephen George

nc8000 said:


> Surely not on your player ?
> 
> I’ve got about 21.000 tracks 16/44 flac and they completely fill my 1Z internal memory plus a 256GB card. Will get my 400GB card on Friday but I also still have another 3-400 cd’s left to rip plus 50-100 lp’s



depends on the quality, doesn't it?


----------



## Stephen George

meomap said:


> Hi,
> Does it sounds like DSD to you?
> Still has pops?
> Planning to get this Sony TT. I just don't like the stylus quality.



i replaced mine with a 440ML and yes it has pops...it comes with a raw recorder

the dsds sound excellent though, the better the vinyl, the better it sounds


----------



## nc8000

meomap said:


> Hi,
> Does it sounds like DSD to you?
> Still has pops?
> Planning to get this Sony TT. I just don't like the stylus quality.



It sounds like playing the lp, pops and all.


----------



## nc8000

Stephen George said:


> depends on the quality, doesn't it?



Not really. Unless each track is very short 50.000 tracks in flac and dsd are never going to fit in the 500GB he has available


----------



## Quadfather

Hey guys,

Anyone who has seen my posts know that I am particular about small scratches on my DAPs.  I put a small scratch near the balanced output of my Sony NW-WM1A.   I was thinking of getting rid of it, with its Dignis case, 256gb mini SD card and whatever music is on it.  Is $650 a fair price for when I put it in classifieds?


----------



## ledzep

Works out in my money £485 so from a British viewpoint a bargain.


----------



## Drewligarchy

Just posting a quick impression - I had the WM1A and WM1Z side by side for a few days (granted, if you believe in burn in, neither had sufficient time burning in), and I liked the WM1A better with my 64 Audio A18. I was perfectly willing to keep the 1Z and send back the 1A, but to my ears, the warmth on the 1A was just right, and the warmth on the 1Z was a little too much for my liking. I listened to both balanced, on high gain, with 64 Audio's Pentaconn terminated premium cable. Genres included classical, jazz, rock, and electronic. With this particular CIEM, the WM1A , to me, sounded better than the AK380 and AK240 as well - though it still sounded great on both. 

I think after a certain point, specifically with DAPs over $1000, they do sound different - but it's very hard to say one is specifically better in terms of sound quality. In addition, synergy is so important. After that, I believe features play a more significant role, because sound difference in DAPS, I perceive, as real but relatively minor vs. desktop gear.

As someone who has tried numerous DAPs trying to find the perfect one for the A18, for someone looking to upgrade, I would urge people to try different DAPs in different price ranges with your headphone/IEM of choice, and decide which sounds best to you. Further, since my perceived sound difference are a difference in signature vs. better/worse, and because they are real but relatively small, I would take features (Battery Life, Storage, UI, Networking), into greater consideration than I would for desktop gear. This is of course my opinion and YMMV.

Just trying to help anyone who has upgrade-itis - or feels like they are missing out because they don't have the most expensive DAP. Price very often dictates increased performance, but not always, especially with DAPs. Find the DAP that sounds best with your headphones/IEMs, with the feature set you want the most, and be confident you've made the best choice. I fortunately found the WM1A the best sounding, and love the battery life, UI, amp power, form factor, and looks. Nonetheless, you are always making some type of compromise as I would have preferred more storage and streaming. Overall, though, the WM1A was the best DAP for me, and I'm only urging people to find the best DAP for them; sometimes it will be the most expensive and sometimes it won't.


----------



## Quadfather

Drewligarchy said:


> Just posting a quick impression - I had the WM1A and WM1Z side by side for a few days (granted, if you believe in burn in, neither had sufficient time burning in), and I liked the WM1A better with my 64 Audio A18. I was perfectly willing to keep the 1Z and send back the 1A, but to my ears, the warmth on the 1A was just right, and the warmth on the 1Z was a little too much for my liking. I listened to both balanced, on high gain, with 64 Audio's Pentaconn terminated premium cable. Genres included classical, jazz, rock, and electronic. With this particular CIEM, the WM1A , to me, sounded better than the AK380 and AK240 as well - though it still sounded great on both.
> 
> I think after a certain point, specifically with DAPs over $1000, they do sound different - but it's very hard to say one is specifically better in terms of sound quality. In addition, synergy is so important. After that, I believe features play a more significant role, because sound difference in DAPS, I perceive, as real but relatively minor vs. desktop gear.
> 
> ...



I have upgrade-itis.  Thank you.


----------



## Stephen George

nc8000 said:


> Not really. Unless each track is very short 50.000 tracks in flac and dsd are never going to fit in the 500GB he has available



but they are already..he posted the pic

i agrre though, he must not have many dsds in that library


----------



## nc8000

Stephen George said:


> but they are already..he posted the pic
> 
> i agrre though, he must not have many dsds in that library



No they are not, 952GB don’t fit on these players


----------



## Quadfather

Drewligarchy said:


> Just posting a quick impression - I had the WM1A and WM1Z side by side for a few days (granted, if you believe in burn in, neither had sufficient time burning in), and I liked the WM1A better with my 64 Audio A18. I was perfectly willing to keep the 1Z and send back the 1A, but to my ears, the warmth on the 1A was just right, and the warmth on the 1Z was a little too much for my liking. I listened to both balanced, on high gain, with 64 Audio's Pentaconn terminated premium cable. Genres included classical, jazz, rock, and electronic. With this particular CIEM, the WM1A , to me, sounded better than the AK380 and AK240 as well - though it still sounded great on both.
> 
> I think after a certain point, specifically with DAPs over $1000, they do sound different - but it's very hard to say one is specifically better in terms of sound quality. In addition, synergy is so important. After that, I believe features play a more significant role, because sound difference in DAPS, I perceive, as real but relatively minor vs. desktop gear.
> 
> ...



Does anyone out there feel this way after burn in? I love the Sony-NW-WM1A, but I am curious.


----------



## Drewligarchy

Quadfather said:


> Does anyone out there feel this way after burn in? I love the Sony-NW-WM1A, but I am curious.



I know exactly how you feel as I have been in your situation so many times before. At least for me, no matter what anyone says - it unfortunately doesn't completely cure my upgrade-itis 

There are plenty of retailers who have 60 day return policies. Why not buy a WM1Z and you can put it through it's paces with your WM1A. That way you can get the whole experience - the look and feel of the device, the sound, and then decide for yourself if you want to keep the 1Z. Again, I don't think we should use online audio retailers as demo services, but with less and less hifi shops around - I think they provide the return policy specifically because audio is a very personal thing, and sometimes you need the device in your system with your music and your gear to make a decision.

I had a brick-and-mortat hifi retailer I frequented which had a no return policy, but would always allow me to bring something home to demo. Unfortunately, they, like many others, have closed down.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Stephen George said:


> but they are already..he posted the pic
> 
> i agrre though, he must not have many dsds in that library


 Exactly i dont have that much DSD, just some 21 albums, 30 in Hi-res FLAC and the rest 2900+ in CD quality flac (no mp3, no AAC, no ogg, in short, no lossy)


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> No they are not, 952GB don’t fit on these players


Exactly the pic is of my Hard drive. I really wish there was a 2TB microSD card


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Exactly the pic is of my Hard drive. I really wish there was a 2TB microSD card



Yeah that would be great but would probably cost the same as a 1Z


----------



## twister6

Drewligarchy said:


> Just posting a quick impression - I had the WM1A and WM1Z side by side for a few days (granted, if you believe in burn in, neither had sufficient time burning in), and I liked the WM1A better with my 64 Audio A18. I was perfectly willing to keep the 1Z and send back the 1A, but to my ears, the warmth on the 1A was just right, and the warmth on the 1Z was a little too much for my liking. I listened to both balanced, on high gain, with 64 Audio's Pentaconn terminated premium cable. Genres included classical, jazz, rock, and electronic. With this particular CIEM, the WM1A , to me, sounded better than the AK380 and AK240 as well - though it still sounded great on both.
> 
> I think after a certain point, specifically with DAPs over $1000, they do sound different - but it's very hard to say one is specifically better in terms of sound quality. In addition, synergy is so important. After that, I believe features play a more significant role, because sound difference in DAPS, I perceive, as real but relatively minor vs. desktop gear.
> 
> ...



Just curios cause I only have access to 1Z and trying to figure out a difference with 1A.   Did you test A18 with M15 or M20, and what cable?  1Z/1A, fresh out of the box or some burn in? SE or BAL, fw 1.2 or 2.0?


----------



## headblid

Ping me if you're selling. I'm looking to buy one.

Cheers,


Quadfather said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Anyone who has seen my posts know that I am particular about small scratches on my DAPs.  I put a small scratch near the balanced output of my Sony NW-WM1A.   I was thinking of getting rid of it, with its Dignis case, 256gb mini SD card and whatever music is on it.  Is $650 a fair price for when I put it in classifieds?


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 10, 2017)

1A And 1Z are different, and confirmed by Sony engineers.

1A is faster and thinner in comparison to 1Z which is more fluidity and warmth, Sony made both A (solid state signature) and Z (tube like signatures), so the buyers has his/her own preferences can choose.  There is no winner.

However, ultimately, many people decided to go for 1Z since (_*Cables*_) *Matters.*  That means the better the materials, components, the better the performances, theoretically.  However, many earlier reported that exactly what Sony stated

1A to be more solid state and even with wider soundstage while 1Z is more fluidity and lush and even narrower soundstage.  However, there are people still debating between which one is to have.  The majority of people who could afford 1Z based on the _*materials matters*_, judging from some cables such as Kimber Axios that cost even more than 1Z itself, the 1Z is a unique piece of equipment from cost to productions and even engineering stand point.  People who want to perfect it further will even upgrade the internal wires (another topic).

Then, many of the 1Z owner would called out to Sony that even 1Z was good, but not enough in comparison to 380Cu, particularly the separations, layering and soundstage.  _*Sony released firmware 2.0 which addressed the above issues*_, _however, it significantly changed the sound signature of 1Z in the while the same firmware is applicable toward 1A as well, Sony did not specifically addressed *firmware 2.0* to be *1Z alone*, and we have people to debate whether the *1A sounds better with 2.0 or worse
*_
The diversity gets even wider.  Anyways, it is very interesting to see how well Sony is doing, and for the price-performances, you can not go wrong with 1A.  *Excepts if you want anything else it doesn’t have, aka USB DAC, Android, wireless connectivity ?
*
_*All I can say*_: If you can afford the *1Z, *go for it, Sony made it and price it and is so proud of it being _*Flagship of the signature series*_.  There is a reason for it whether you respect Sony engineering and using exotic materials or you just want to be special among the top tier of productions.  Sound performances, both A and Z are different to a justifiable degree and your *preferences will be the decisive factor *


----------



## Drewligarchy

twister6 said:


> Just curios cause I only have access to 1Z and trying to figure out a difference with 1A.   Did you test A18 with M15 or M20, and what cable?  1Z/1A, fresh out of the box or some burn in? SE or BAL, fw 1.2 or 2.0?



Hi Twister -

No significant burn in on either unit - about 20 hours each. With the A18, I was using the m15 module, and the 64 Audio Premium Cable terminated with a Pentaconn adapter. I also tried the Alo Ref 8 balanced with an adapter, which I perceived to lift the treble slightly on both - but didn't listen long enough to form a definitive impression with this cable.


----------



## Drewligarchy

Drewligarchy said:


> Hi Twister -
> 
> No significant burn in on either unit - about 20 hours each. With the A18, I was using the m15 module, and the 64 Audio Premium Cable terminated with a Pentaconn adapter. I also tried the Alo Ref 8 balanced with an adapter, which I perceived to lift the treble slightly on both - but didn't listen long enough to form a definitive impression with this cable.



Also each running firmware 2.0


----------



## Quadfather

Drewligarchy said:


> Hi Twister -
> 
> No significant burn in on either unit - about 20 hours each. With the A18, I was using the m15 module, and the 64 Audio Premium Cable terminated with a Pentaconn adapter. I also tried the Alo Ref 8 balanced with an adapter, which I perceived to lift the treble slightly on both - but didn't listen long enough to form a definitive impression with this cable.



Is that a warmer IEM?  I have also been thinking about the Vega.


----------



## Drewligarchy

Quadfather said:


> Is that a warmer IEM?  I have also been thinking about the Vega.



I find it relatively neutral with slightly elevated mid-bass and treble, and haven't heard the Vega. I have the CIEM, but Twister reviewed the universal version on his website and compared it to the Vega here:

https://twister6.com/2017/06/25/64-audio-u18-tzar/2/


----------



## gerelmx1986

Placed the order for my Christmas Gift 
from me to me haha


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Placed the order for my Christmas Gift
> from me to me haha



Mine is waiting for me at my mother in laws in UK when I get there Friday. Have run out of space on my 256GB plus 1Z internal memory ripping the rest of my cd’s. Still got 3-400 to go


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Mine is waiting for me at my mother in laws in UK when I get there Friday. Have run out of space on my 256GB plus 1Z internal memory ripping the rest of my cd’s. Still got 3-400 to go


 I also i predict when i load songs to my 1A i wont fit f.e a some whole composer Folders because they increased size (more music purchsed and gifted by my man, Upgarde from flac to Hi-res or DSD )

Yesterday My guy told me about brilliant classics releasing Alessandro scarlatti collection x30CD, saw the contents, i was rather unimpressed by it, so I bought the albums i consider good and set my "Alessandro Scarlatti box" haha (only instrumental music for now)


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 10, 2017)

Can the TA-Z1HES Power speakers too? and can be fed from a CD player or a pre-amp? the only con i see right now is the steep pricing of it. My man told me his fischer Amp HP jack finally gave out (after 20 years or so of repeated plug and unplug), i've told him to send it to an electronics shop to resolder or change the jack, but he refuses he is a bit fatalist way of thinking and i hate that, he wnats to throw it to the trash.

He has no Digital files, just CDs and some LPs


----------



## Whitigir

Did you guys (people who cares about _*materials purity*_) know that the Audiophile MicroSD card from Sony is a real deal ?   $165 only, And is a perfect match with your 1Z.  I am a _*materials purity freak*_.  So this is my setup.

_*Wm1Z + Utopia:*_

*1Z:* internal wires of UPOCC Solid silver wires (8 cores), and _*SR-64HXA*_ MicroSD
_*Cables*_: UPOCC Copper, And Silverplated UPOCC coppers, hybrid configuration inspired by Sony Z1R Flagship stock cables (_is the next best after Silver-Gold in my experiences but much cheaper for *Utopia*_). *Authentic *OFC Pentaconn plug, and *authentic LEMO plugs
Utopia *

*. *The ultimate portable system, I can only listen to my Utopia at 75 knots over 120 on high-gain btw.


----------



## Stephen George

nc8000 said:


> Yeah that would be great but would probably cost the same as a 1Z



at first, but will come down in time


----------



## Stephen George

Whitigir said:


> Did you guys (people who cares about _*materials purity*_) know that the Audiophile MicroSD card from Sony is a real deal ?   $165 only, And is a perfect match with your 1Z.



very skeptical and way too small, plus 5X the cost of a "normal" microsd

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/201...sound-microsdxc-card-to-audiophiles-in-japan/


----------



## blazinblazin

Whitigir said:


> Did you guys (people who cares about _*materials purity*_) know that the Audiophile MicroSD card from Sony is a real deal ?   $165 only, And is a perfect match with your 1Z.  I am a _*materials purity freak*_.  So this is my setup.
> 
> _*Wm1Z + Utopia:*_
> 
> ...



I was thinking what if you upgarde the internals then one day Sony decided to release a new firmware and it screwed up the sound.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 10, 2017)

Stephen George said:


> very skeptical and way too small, plus 5X the cost of a "normal" microsd
> 
> https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/201...sound-microsdxc-card-to-audiophiles-in-japan/


LOL i think that one is just 64GB for $100 more i got the 400GB (not including shipping & handling costs). you're talking of 6.2x the size for 100USD more


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 10, 2017)

blazinblazin said:


> I was thinking what if you upgarde the internals then one day Sony decided to release a new firmware and it screwed up the sound.


Materials purity has nothing to be worried off.  Typically, better wires - better conductivity, but if it happened one day like that by firmware, then reverse the firmware will be fine.  Put it this way, Kimber stock wires were OFC and not OCC, so any wires of better purity grade, will always only be an improvement


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> Some Beethoven chamber music to de-stress



What?  No Lamb of God, Mudvayne, or Hellyeah?  LOL


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> What?  No Lamb of God, Mudvayne, or Hellyeah?  LOL


You will be amused when i tell you this... that massive Music lib. you see there with 50,354 Tracks, 2, 991 Albums, totaling 921GB (21 DSD albums, 31 Hi-res 24bit and rest CD quality flac) is  100% Classical "classical" music (no 20th century also called contemporary)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Balanced brings most of the audio files, all the finesse details are there present like never befor, like rediscovering songs i already know , wow after almost one year with my 1A balanced doesn't ceases to awesome me


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> You will be amused when i tell you this... that massive Music lib. you see there with 50,354 Tracks, 2, 991 Albums, totaling 921GB (21 DSD albums, 31 Hi-res 24bit and rest CD quality flac) is  100% Classical "classical" music (no 20th century also called contemporary)



I grew up a metal head, because it blocked out my arguing parents. Lately, I have warmed up to classical and jazz a lot more.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 10, 2017)

Quadfather said:


> I grew up a metal head, because it blocked out my arguing parents. Lately, I have warmed up to classical and jazz a lot more.


Whhen i was a kid prob. between 4 and 6, if I behaved bad my parents tortured me with Rock music, they literally put a vinyl and turned up the volume so loud until i yelled at them to stop ...  My mom did this more often than dad. "Shut up or i Cranck the volume to Max" my mom said

My dad likes Classic Rock from the 60s, 70s
my sister all rock, heavy metal pop and little very little classic
My mom grew up with 60s, 70s pop

I turned the Blacksheep


----------



## emrelights1973

Whitigir said:


> Did you guys (people who cares about _*materials purity*_) know that the Audiophile MicroSD card from Sony is a real deal ?   $165 only, And is a perfect match with your 1Z.  I am a _*materials purity freak*_.  So this is my setup.
> 
> _*Wm1Z + Utopia:*_
> 
> ...



Ultimate yes portable open for debate ))


----------



## sne4me

gerelmx1986 said:


> LOL i think that one is just 64GB for $100 more i got the 400GB (not including shipping & handling costs). you're talking of 6.2x the size for 100USD more



In some cases, such as with the PS Vita, Sony used seemingly normal flash memory with a proprietary physical specification making normal SDXC cards incompatible. Sony has always priced their memory cards much higher.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yes I have seen Sony cards priced higher than the others.

For home storage i'll buy a 4TB hard drive as my one TB drive has only 1.48GB free


----------



## pietcux

Quadfather said:


> Does anyone out there feel this way after burn in? I love the Sony-NW-WM1A, but I am curious.


As a short haired hippie style guy you simply must own the golden brick, you must............


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> Does anyone out there feel this way after burn in? I love the Sony-NW-WM1A, but I am curious.


The way WM1A presents my music experience CD quality (balanced) is quite great, let alone hi-res wm1a sounds real


----------



## Acemcl

Any recommendations for a CIEM to pair with the 1Z? I was looking at the Noble Encores but Brannan informed me that they were having trouble with the right canal boring and were unable to make me the prestige model i was looking to get.


----------



## nanaholic

Acemcl said:


> Any recommendations for a CIEM to pair with the 1Z? I was looking at the Noble Encores but Brannan informed me that they were having trouble with the right canal boring and were unable to make me the prestige model i was looking to get.



Just ear.


----------



## kubig123

Acemcl said:


> Any recommendations for a CIEM to pair with the 1Z? I was looking at the Noble Encores but Brannan informed me that they were having trouble with the right canal boring and were unable to make me the prestige model i was looking to get.



Empire Ears Zeus, SE5U, check this thread:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ran...ut-introduction-and-reviews-on-page-1.826876/


----------



## kubig123

Listening to Eric Clapton and Merk Knopfler with my WM1Z and SE5U.
Nice warm touch to emphasize the vocals and great extension for the instruments.

Like @gerelmx1986 wrote cd quality music sound great with the Sony!


----------



## Acemcl

nanaholic said:


> Just ear.


don't think they will be easy to get here in the states!


----------



## Acemcl

kubig123 said:


> Empire Ears Zeus, SE5U, check this thread:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ran...ut-introduction-and-reviews-on-page-1.826876/


Will check those out. Any thoughts on the VE8?


----------



## proedros

do some reading to see what kind of sound you want , there are way too many great TOTL ciems atm 

se5 , zeus xr , a18 , ve8 - the list goes on 

buying custom , means you need to think twice as much as the resell takes a way bigger hit that your usual universal buy

cheers


----------



## bana

EE Zeus XR with 1Z combo works for me.


----------



## Mimouille

gerelmx1986 said:


> Any recommendations for a CIEM to pair with the 1Z? I was looking at the Noble Encores but Brannan informed me that they were having trouble with the right canal boring and were unable to make me the prestige model i was looking to get.


SE5U, VE8 both work well.


----------



## kubig123

Acemcl said:


> Any recommendations for a CIEM to pair with the 1Z? I was looking at the Noble Encores but Brannan informed me that they were having trouble with the right canal boring and were unable to make me the prestige model i was looking to get.



If I may ask, what is the problem with your ear canal?
The SE5U that is an amazing ciem but require an ear canal that is not too small due to the 5 bore configuration.
A silicon ciem, even if it’s require slightly more care it’s extremely comfortable and has the best insulation.


----------



## Acemcl

kubig123 said:


> If I may ask, what is the problem with your ear canal?
> The SE5U that is an amazing ciem but require an ear canal that is not too small due to the 5 bore configuration.
> A silicon ciem, even if it’s require slightly more care it’s extremely comfortable and has the best insulation.


Noble said my right canal was small for the specific prestige material but it would accommodate an acrylic or silicone model. Based on everything i have read sounds like VE8 might be a good fit....


----------



## sne4me (Dec 11, 2017)

Does the WM1A/Z upsample? Would we get better sound reproduction of redbook if it was upsampled in the file from 16/44.1 to 24/88.2? (and separately from (16or24)/48 to 24/96.
If so, can anyone recommend a software and plugin that can faithfully upsample the material without introducing bad data.


----------



## eddie0817

I have both VE6XC LSE, VE8, Zeus XR, Flamenco and RE2000,  those IEM pair pretty well with WM1Z, excpet RE2000, some data is showing the power for 1Z is around 136 mW@32 ohm, very hard to drive RE2000 which have 60 ohm Rs.


----------



## ezekiel77 (Dec 11, 2017)

Acemcl said:


> Will check those out. Any thoughts on the VE8?


Further down the super long thread which is 30% information and 60% useless banter and 10% puppy gifs, the TS @flinkenick did mention that VE8 is within his top tier (along with SE5U, A18, Zeus). I've also read a few times that if you want one CIEM that can do it all, VE8 is it.


----------



## Jazzi

bana said:


> EE Zeus XR with 1Z combo works for me.



Same recommendation.  I have this combo and to my ears, I haven't heard anything better.


----------



## Jazzi

eddie0817 said:


> I have both VE6XC LSE, VE8, Zeus XR, Flamenco and RE2000,  those IEM pair pretty well with WM1Z, excpet RE2000, some data is showing the power for 1Z is around 136 mW@32 ohm, very hard to drive RE2000 which have 60 ohm Rs.


What cable is that -- bottom center?


----------



## eddie0817

Jazzi said:


> What cable is that -- bottom center?


PWaudio 1960s 4 wire


----------



## Jazzi

eddie0817 said:


> PWaudio 1960s 4 wire



Thanks.  I'm currently using a PWAudio #5, but that 1960s 4 wire is great looking.  I see you have a #5, too.  Is there much difference in the sound?


----------



## proedros

is the Zeus XR cable the pw1960s 2-wire ? curious how much of an upgrade it is over the no5 i am using on my XR now


----------



## sbho1

Whitigir said:


> 1A And 1Z are different, and confirmed by Sony engineers.
> 
> 1A is faster and thinner in comparison to 1Z which is more fluidity and warmth, Sony made both A (solid state signature) and Z (tube like signatures), so the buyers has his/her own preferences can choose.  There is no winner.
> 
> ...



I just repeat what I had previously said .... Sony just needs to create multiple sound signatures for selection ... .. in this way not only will not upset those original owner who likes and get use to the original sounds , newly added sounds will also give new excitement to those like the new sound stage .... .. why so unwise to create a new sound to replace any existing sounds .... ? ! ? ! ? ! ?


----------



## eddie0817

Jazzi said:


> Thanks.  I'm currently using a PWAudio #5, but that 1960s 4 wire is great looking.  I see you have a #5, too.  Is there much difference in the sound?


I would like to say both two Cable present totally different, no 5 is a warmer singature cable, you can easy enjoy in the vocal , but compare to 1960s 2 wire, it’s is more clear and solid in resolution, Soundstage is wider , and background is more dark.

For 4 wire soundstage is even wider.

Don’t miss this great cable


----------



## Acemcl

eddie0817 said:


> I have both VE6XC LSE, VE8, Zeus XR, Flamenco and RE2000,  those IEM pair pretty well with WM1Z, excpet RE2000, some data is showing the power for 1Z is around 136 mW@32 ohm, very hard to drive RE2000 which have 60 ohm Rs.


that is some collection !!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I've noticed the walkman doesn't beep when you play DSD files, with PCM every play-button press makes a beep


----------



## ledzep

Fresh in from the land of the rising sun, heard good things about these classics so off to balanced and mod them see what the 1A can do for them.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I've noticed the walkman doesn't beep when you play DSD files, with PCM every play-button press makes a beep



You can disable the beeps in Settings


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 12, 2017)

Yes i know we can disable beeping, but how curious beep set to ON, PCM yeah beeps, DSD no beep, so i must pay attention before removing HPs to ensure is really paused

BTW I'm loving the sound of DSD


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes i know we can disable beeping, but how curious beep set to ON, PCM yeah beeps, DSD no beep, so i must pay attention before removing HPs to ensure is really paused
> 
> BTW I'm loving the sound of DSD



It automatically pauses when you remove the headphone plug


----------



## Jazzi

eddie0817 said:


> I would like to say both two Cable present totally different, no 5 is a warmer singature cable, you can easy enjoy in the vocal , but compare to 1960s 2 wire, it’s is more clear and solid in resolution, Soundstage is wider , and background is more dark.
> 
> For 4 wire soundstage is even wider.
> 
> Don’t miss this great cable



Ha, I don't want to miss it, but my wallet is telling me to enjoy the #5.


----------



## Jazzi

proedros said:


> is the Zeus XR cable the pw1960s 2-wire ? curious how much of an upgrade it is over the no5 i am using on my XR now



You mean the stock cable with the Zeus?  My Zeus came with BTG Starlight, but I think it might be coming with something different now.  I upgraded to the PWAudio #5 and love it with the WM1Z, but the PW1960 is a great cable with the Sony WM1Z that is probably out of my price range.


----------



## Drewligarchy

Does the Dynamic Normalizer function just increase the sound so all peaks are at 0 dB, or does it add any type of dynamic compression or limiting as well?


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 12, 2017)

Man, I love Wm1Z on 2.0 Firmware and Utopia ! WOOOooooo.  Everything is so good, especially the deep and rumbling *bass* in the while rippling away extensions !  The trebles gets very Sparkly but no sibilants.  Amazing! For a portable setup


----------



## meomap

Whitigir said:


> Man, I love Wm1Z on 2.0 Firmware and Utopia ! WOOOooooo.  Everything is so good, especially the deep and rumbling *bass* in the while rippling away extensions !  The trebles gets very Sparkly but no sibilants.  Amazing! For a portable setup



Curious question, did you do internal wires yourself?
Is it easy to do it like open the unit out?


----------



## gerelmx1986

meomap said:


> Curious question, did you do internal wires yourself?
> Is it easy to do it like open the unit out?


opening the unit is easy, the rubber grip back is glued with an easy to remove glue, experience with my zx100


----------



## samycinema

eddie0817 said:


> I have both VE6XC LSE, VE8, Zeus XR, Flamenco and RE2000,  those IEM pair pretty well with WM1Z, excpet RE2000, some data is showing the power for 1Z is around 136 mW@32 ohm, very hard to drive RE2000 which have 60 ohm Rs.


Nice collection indeed!
How do the Encores stand against those beasts? 
What FW are you running?


----------



## eddie0817

samycinema said:


> Nice collection indeed!
> How do the Encores stand against those beasts?
> What FW are you running?



I am using 2.0 Firmware, I can't tell the different on the firmware update, because during that time I am also have 1Z mod from Music Sanctuary in SG, follow the same package,
but with different inner wire cable, by default they use PWaudio 1960s, but I am use
Nordost Odin 2  8 wire for my 1Z.

Quite hard to do the modification due to it's solid core wire is hard for use.
But the sounding is really amazing.... 
















[/IMG] 

I


----------



## ezekiel77

eddie0817 said:


> I am using 2.0 Firmware, I can't tell the different on the firmware update, because during that time I am also have 1Z mod from Music Sanctuary in SG, follow the same package,
> but with different inner wire cable, by default they use PWaudio 1960s, but I am use
> Nordost Odin 2  8 wire for my 1Z.
> 
> ...


Truly one of a kind! My WM1A just underwent the PW 1960s mod from Music Sanctuary. Just got it back yesterday, and it sounds heavenly...


----------



## xba3

gerelmx1986 said:


> Can the TA-Z1HES Power speakers too? and can be fed from a CD player or a pre-amp? the only con i see right now is the steep pricing of it. My man told me his fischer Amp HP jack finally gave out (after 20 years or so of repeated plug and unplug), i've told him to send it to an electronics shop to resolder or change the jack, but he refuses he is a bit fatalist way of thinking and i hate that, he wnats to throw it to the trash.
> 
> He has no Digital files, just CDs and some LPs



THE TA ZH1ES cannot drive the speakers unfortunately so gonna need another amplifier for your speakers.


----------



## rtjoa

ezekiel77 said:


> Truly one of a kind! My WM1A just underwent the PW 1960s mod from Music Sanctuary. Just got it back yesterday, and it sounds heavenly...


Which mod do you use? Nick previously posted 3 mod options from MS.


----------



## ezekiel77

rtjoa said:


> Which mod do you use? Nick previously posted 3 mod options from MS.


8-wire balanced, 4-wire SE.


----------



## blazinblazin (Dec 13, 2017)

Gratz to SONY getting Gold Award for most of the brackets.


----------



## nanaholic

Well deserved.  All the new Walkmans released since the formation of the Signature Series are both truly technologically innovative as well as having the whole package to back it up in terms of quality of craftsmanship, UI and design.


----------



## ledzep

ledzep said:


> Fresh in from the land of the rising sun, heard good things about these classics so off to balanced and mod them see what the 1A can do for them.


 
Mission accomplished just waiting for the new memory foam pads to finalize the upgrade. Unique set of headphones are these no boomy bass no tinnitus inducing highs, mid perfection ! with a hint of low end and a hint of top end when needed. Been experimenting with different genres of music and 50% of it just doesn't suit it but feed these beauties smooth vocals or jazz or most classical pieces and wow you forget they only cost $120, I can see why they still make these amazing classics and are still widely used by Japanese sound engineers.


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 13, 2017)

meomap said:


> Curious question, did you do internal wires yourself?
> Is it easy to do it like open the unit out?


I posted about this in another thread ways back when no one cared about the internal wires mod 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/

You can read about the improvements here posted from @purk
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1013#post-13795232

Finally, the search function of the site is improved


----------



## harishmirror

Hi Folks, 

I am new to this thread. Just picked up a WM1Z from a pawn shop for an unbelievable price. But the documentation is missing in the box and I got only the inner black Sony box with the device, so I am not sure how to identify if the device was EU or US/Elsewhere. 


Device imprint says "Sony Corp blah blah.. Japan" and "Made in Malaysia". Firmware version was on 1.0 and I updated it to 2.0. I am awaiting my balanced cable, I am using the standard Jack to my XBA Z5 and able to hit the entire 120 on the volume meter and still listen, but 100 on the volume meter seems to be the appropriate point for me. I am aware that upgrading to version 2.0 will remove the volume limited, but how to confirm the same? I notice any difference in volume between v1.0 and v2.0 in-terms of volume.


Can someone point out how to confirm if the device was EU and has a volume cap on it? 

Also do let me know if anyone is willing to sell their 4.4 balanced cable terminated at MMCX.


Any help is greatly appreciated.


----------



## kubig123

harishmirror said:


> Hi Folks,
> 
> I am new to this thread. Just picked up a WM1Z from a pawn shop for an unbelievable price. But the documentation is missing in the box and I got only the inner black Sony box with the device, so I am not sure how to identify if the device was EU or US/Elsewhere.
> 
> ...



Check if you can select High Gain in the setting menu, if it does then there is no volume cap.

[Settings] – [Output Settings] – [High Gain Output]


----------



## proedros

wm1z on a pawn shop ? wow , economic crisis at it fullest


----------



## harishmirror

kubig123 said:


> Check if you can select High Gain in the setting menu, if it does then there is no volume cap.
> 
> [Settings] – [Output Settings] – [High Gain Output]




I do not have [Settings] – [Output Settings] – [High Gain Output], 

instead I see [Settings] – [Output Settings] - [Select Filtering/Gain] - [Gain - 0db or -3DB]

So is this EU? 
I updated to v2.0 so I should have the volume cap removed already is that correct?


----------



## harishmirror

proedros said:


> wm1z on a pawn shop ? wow , economic crisis at it fullest



I got an almost new ZX2 for $375 at the same pawn shop last year. These pawn shop guys really don't know what they are buying and selling and their sources are always a real mystery.


----------



## proedros

you can find zx2 here for almost 500$ so it's not such a big difference , if you found though this wm1z for around 1000$ then yeah this is amazingly cheap (i am sure that wm1z will show up here later for maybe even 1500$ - just need another 6-12 months though)


----------



## twister6

harishmirror said:


> I got an almost new ZX2 for $375 at the same pawn shop last year. These pawn shop guys really don't know what they are buying and selling and *their sources are always a real mystery*.



Probably fell off a truck


----------



## harishmirror (Dec 13, 2017)

proedros said:


> you can find zx2 here for almost 500$ so it's not such a big difference , if you found though this wm1z for around 1000$ then yeah this is amazingly cheap (i am sure that wm1z will show up here later for maybe even 1500$ - just need another 6-12 months though)



 It was last year, I think WM1 series was not even on sale in the US. The average used price was $800, when I picked it up. But sold the ZX2 on Headfi as it didn't power my Z5s well. They did call me about an AK and opus daps that came up for sale, didnt show any interest. If interested PM me, will give you the details, its in Chicago but I guess they are a chain and do have a website too.

PS: It was a little lesser than $1000


----------



## harishmirror (Dec 13, 2017)

twister6 said:


> Probably fell off a truck



An Ice-cream truck is my guess.


----------



## nc8000

harishmirror said:


> I do not have [Settings] – [Output Settings] – [High Gain Output],
> 
> instead I see [Settings] – [Output Settings] - [Select Filtering/Gain] - [Gain - 0db or -3DB]
> 
> ...



No you need to use the Rockbox tool to change the region


----------



## harishmirror

nc8000 said:


> No you need to use the Rockbox tool to change the region


 

Thanks for the advice, 

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool is this the correct tool? and do let me know if there is a thread that describes the steps. Thanks in advance.


----------



## proedros

harishmirror said:


> If interested PM me, will give you the details, its in Chicago but I guess they are a chain and do have a website too.
> 
> PS: It was *a little lesser than $1000*



thanx for the heads up but i am on the other side of the Atlantic 

holy crap , less than 1000$ !!!! ???? wow , this is a HUGE bargain , well done and enjoy it - you lucky dog


----------



## nc8000

harishmirror said:


> Thanks for the advice,
> 
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool is this the correct tool? and do let me know if there is a thread that describes the steps. Thanks in advance.



Yes that is the right tool description of the use is on that site and also described in this thread


----------



## samycinema

ledzep said:


> Mission accomplished just waiting for the new memory foam pads to finalize the upgrade. Unique set of headphones are these no boomy bass no tinnitus inducing highs, mid perfection ! with a hint of low end and a hint of top end when needed. Been experimenting with different genres of music and 50% of it just doesn't suit it but feed these beauties smooth vocals or jazz or most classical pieces and wow you forget they only cost $120, I can see why they still make these amazing classics and are still widely used by Japanese sound engineers.


Awesome, @ledzep . I grew up listening to music on one of those (my dad's) and a tape walkman (later discman). Used to love it.
What kinds of music don't suit it, in your opinion?
Also, what memory foams are you upgrading to?


----------



## harishmirror

nc8000 said:


> Yes that is the right tool description of the use is on that site and also described in this thread



Changed the destination from CEW2 (Western Europe) to U (US), after reboot the high gain setting is showing up. You Rock, thanks a million.


----------



## Whitigir

Damn, that is a steal.  Congratulations! Any pictures ?


----------



## ledzep

samycinema said:


> Awesome, @ledzep . I grew up listening to music on one of those (my dad's) and a tape walkman (later discman). Used to love it.
> What kinds of music don't suit it, in your opinion?
> 
> Also, what memory foams are you upgrading to?



Brainwavz Sheepskin Memory Foam, 
Flat ones not the angled ones just enough depth not to affect the original sound, found it wasn't any good on certain rock like Guns N Roses or certain types of electronic style music where it scales up and down fast it seems to get a bit muddled, but these are designed for studio monitoring after all and that's why I then step over to the 7210's I modded to pick up the slack. Managed to pick up a pair of xb700's to play with this week see what I can get out of them bass beauties.


----------



## gerelmx1986

My Walkman case is not arriving, hope is not the same crap as the MDR-Z7 last year so same for my AJ cable shipment, tu etwas told me hk post hasn't got any news from mexican post


----------



## nc8000

Well the case has cleared Mexico customs over 2 weeks ago so that must be an internal Mexico problem


----------



## gerelmx1986

One knows how to track Amazon parcels shipped with "AMZMX"? I can see on my orders page but I was wondering ifnon can track it with DHL or FedEx (I chose intl. Expedite)


----------



## Quadfather

Can somebody please share their image of the 1Z inside a red Dignis case?


----------



## jamato8

Quadfather said:


> Can somebody please share their image of the 1Z inside a red Dignis case?


Red and gold should look nice together.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Dec 14, 2017)

Quadfather said:


> Can somebody please share their image of the 1Z inside a red Dignis case?





Quadfather said:


> Can somebody please share their image of the 1Z inside a red Dignis case?




 

WM1Z with red Digniz, PW 1960 4 core cable and Warbler Prelude iem


----------



## kubig123

hamhamhamsta said:


> WM1Z with red Digniz, PW 1960 4 core cable and Warbler Prelude iem



That's lot of gold!!!

Beautiful combo, I'm sure it sound sublime.


----------



## Tawek

New cable hybryd UPOCC copper + UPOCC silver 4.4mm from Forza


----------



## ledzep

samycinema said:


> Awesome, @ledzep . I grew up listening to music on one of those (my dad's) and a tape walkman (later discman). Used to love it.
> What kinds of music don't suit it, in your opinion?
> Also, what memory foams are you upgrading to?





ledzep said:


> Brainwavz Sheepskin Memory Foam,
> Flat ones not the angled ones just enough depth not to affect the original sound, found it wasn't any good on certain rock like Guns N Roses or certain types of electronic style music where it scales up and down fast it seems to get a bit muddled, but these are designed for studio monitoring after all and that's why I then step over to the 7210's I modded to pick up the slack. Managed to pick up a pair of xb700's to play with this week see what I can get out of them bass beauties.



@samycinema 

Pads arrived and now fitted vast improvement over stock


----------



## samycinema

ledzep said:


> @samycinema
> 
> Pads arrived and now fitted vast improvement over stock


Wow, that's a helluva difference! Must be much more comfortable too.
I may get those soon.


----------



## Ofir_A

How do I know LDAC is working? I use the Sony WH-1000XM2's with the WM1Z. would that work automatically?
Ofir


----------



## ledzep

Ofir_A said:


> How do I know LDAC is working? I use the Sony WH-1000XM2's with the WM1Z. would that work automatically?
> Ofir


Yeah LDAC is standard default connection you can change it to a steady connection ( of lesser quality) if needed to if it breaks up, but I've never had any problems at all with the WM player to the M2's


----------



## Ofir_A

ledzep said:


> Yeah LDAC is standard default connection you can change it to a steady connection ( of lesser quality) if needed to if it breaks up, but I've never had any problems at all with the WM player to the M2's



Thanks. Is there a way I can view this is indeed a connection using LDAC?
Ofir


----------



## ledzep

Ofir_A said:


> Thanks. Is there a way I can view this is indeed a connection using LDAC?
> Ofir


From what I remember when you first connect it via NFC it tells you it's connected via LDAC so you might have to disconnect and reconnect to see.


----------



## ledzep (Dec 14, 2017)

You can check it in the Bluetooth settings

Not my pictures though but it's the same whether your using the X or m2 or the in ears


----------



## Quadfather

hamhamhamsta said:


> WM1Z with red Digniz, PW 1960 4 core cable and Warbler Prelude iem



Thank you.  I am laying in bed listening to Fleetwood Mac in 96/24 on Lotoo Paw Gold Diana using Audioquest Nighthawk headphones.  It is a very sweet combination.  No EQ.  Do you have experience with this player, and how does it compare to the Sony NW-WM1Z? I may save for the 1Z.


----------



## twister6

Quadfather said:


> Can somebody please share their image of the 1Z inside a red Dignis case?



Dignis page has lots of pictures with red case: http://dignis.co.kr/product/detail.html?product_no=133&cate_no=85&display_group=1


----------



## pietcux

Let me introduce you to a new decent combo:
The Sennheiser HD660S >balanced 4.4mm>WM1A


----------



## Quadfather

I got a price I couldn't resist, so I just ended up getting another Sony NW-WM1A. Most of my headphones are a little warmer or darker, and I think they'll pair better. I only listen out of the balanced port.


----------



## pietcux

Quadfather said:


> I got a price I couldn't resist, so I just ended up getting another Sony NW-WM1A. Most of my headphones are a little warmer or darker, and I think they'll pair better. I only listen out of the balanced port.


That's the spirit!


----------



## Ofir_A

ledzep said:


> You can check it in the Bluetooth settings
> 
> Not my pictures though but it's the same whether your using the X or m2 or the in ears



Thank you!
Ofir


----------



## ledzep

pietcux said:


> Let me introduce you to a new decent combo:
> The Sennheiser HD660S >balanced 4.4mm>WM1A



MP3 320 kbps what is this strange format you use ?


----------



## pietcux

ledzep said:


> MP3 320 kbps what is this strange format you use ?


A friend of mine always uses this. Obviously I need to purchase the CD. Thanks for the heads up. But it sounds great anyways.


----------



## Drewligarchy

Took a break from the 64 Audio A18 today - for my favorite portable headpnone. Thanks to Moon Audio for reterminating my Audeze Sine to a 4.4 MM. While portable, these headphones need some juice -and sound great out of the WM1A balanced!


----------



## gerelmx1986

pietcux said:


> A friend of mine always uses this. Obviously I need to purchase the CD. Thanks for the heads up. But it sounds great anyways.


I bet so, it isn't 192 or 224kbps which I found quite discernible vs a flac file


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> MP3 320 kbps what is this strange format you use ?


I still use. Mp3 , but only in the car, or to try out an album before CD quality (minimum) purchase.

I used  franhoffer Institut coded which is German (but is pretty bad), now I use lame.

Al my music is flac tough, nice to have the backup and then I can convert to whatever I want to


----------



## Quadfather (Dec 15, 2017)

So, let's hear some of you favorite IEM and headphone pairings...with Sony DAPs of course.  I can tell you synergy is real.  I like the Audioquest Nighthawk headphones better with my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana than any other headphone I own.  The headphones sound sludgy with any other player I have, but they come to life with Brilliance with the Paw Gold.


----------



## gerelmx1986

All sony approach  WM1A--> MDR-Z7 | XBA-Z5


----------



## Edric Li (Dec 16, 2017)

If you need some decent accessories for your WM1, please pm me for prices as I got extras in NY, US.

1x Leather Case http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000118223/
2x Silicone Case https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Sony-NW-WM1A-NW-WM1Z-Case-Cover-TPU-Gel-Case-Clear-Black/112337536979
1x Glass Screen Protector http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000108347/


----------



## soundkist

@Quadfather 

WM1A --> Dita Truth Cu --> Campfire Andromeda


----------



## sne4me

gerelmx1986 said:


> All sony approach  WM1A--> MDR-Z7 | XBA-Z5



Same for me. I never had any true audiophile equipment until I got to do extended listening of the collection. I knew then


----------



## ledzep

Done all the hi end stuff $2000+ and now that my ears have been in use 48 years 14khz is my peak hearing. I've managed to drop down and mod to my hearing abilities with some good old time tested classics and the new 1000xm2's when I'm soldering ( nothing worse than the smell of melting cables and then silence )
MDR-7510 MDR-CD900ST rewired internally  to balanced with pure silver wire and silver solder, damping and loading where needed, detachable cables and thicker leather pads for better isolation and comfort, Etymotic ER4XR custom snugs fitted with a plusSound Tri metal cable modified by me and finally XB700 still messing with these bass monsters, they will get the basic silver balanced make over but these may or may not be modded further untill I try on 4.4mm.
......... Well you did ask.


----------



## audionewbi

Okay what is the big deal about DSD, well try this album guys http://eudorarecords.com/recordings/mozart-chopin-dialogue/

Even if you are not into classical recording the quality and sound of this album should be enough to start you into the amazing world of classical recordings.


----------



## Tanjiro

WM1A + EE Zeus R!  I am already in heaven even listening with SE output (patiently waiting for my new 4.4 balanced cable)


----------



## nc8000

1Z with either JH13 or Z1R, both balanced. Couldn’t be happier


----------



## proedros

any new feedback on whether the wm1a users prefer  FW 1.20 or 2.00 ?


----------



## Dithyrambes

I go against the grain and I like 1.20. 2.00 is more detailed, but the sound is more boring, it is texturally weaker, bass is weaker for subbass, and impact seems to take a notch down for a more euphoric presentation. Swapped back mulitple times.....i would say 1.20 is better for me.


----------



## hattrick15

1Z > Effect Audio Lionhart balanced > 64 Audio A18

I had the opportunity to have for about a week two WM1Z units that each had slightly over 200 hours on them.  I loaded 1.2 on one unit and 2.0 on the other.  Then I compared the sound using multiple tracks at the same volume.  In the end, I decided to stick with 2.0.  To me, it has better layering of the sound and greater soundstage. I could hear individual instruments more clearly.  It is a bit more reference sounding than 1.2, but for my tastes, I like that.  I found 1.2 to be a bit too dark and a little bit congested compared to 2.0.


----------



## twister6

Here it is, my review of WM1Z DAP with a MASSIVE pair up, comparison, and sound analysis sections, detailed look at S-Master HX digital amp and DSP effects, all the ins and outs of the GUI, and accessories.  Enjoy the read, it's a long one!

https://twister6.com/2017/12/16/sony-nw-wm1z-dap/


----------



## Tanjiro

proedros said:


> any new feedback on whether the wm1a users prefer  FW 1.20 or 2.00 ?


I like FW 2.0 much more.


----------



## 480126

twister6 said:


> Here it is, my review of WM1Z DAP with a MASSIVE pair up, comparison, and sound analysis sections, detailed look at S-Master HX digital amp and DSP effects, all the ins and outs of the GUI, and accessories.  Enjoy the read, it's a long one!
> 
> https://twister6.com/2017/12/16/sony-nw-wm1z-dap/


Great Review! Thanks!


----------



## TSAVJason

Prices so low they can’t be published ....TODAY ONLY .....US shipping only


----------



## Drewligarchy

twister6 said:


> Here it is, my review of WM1Z DAP with a MASSIVE pair up, comparison, and sound analysis sections, detailed look at S-Master HX digital amp and DSP effects, all the ins and outs of the GUI, and accessories.  Enjoy the read, it's a long one!
> 
> https://twister6.com/2017/12/16/sony-nw-wm1z-dap/



Great review, Twister!


----------



## rumina

my portable dream team, crazy in every aspect, wm1z/dita copper cable/obravo ra c

and a small tribute to johnny hallyday, rip


----------



## twister6

rumina said:


> my portable dream team, crazy in every aspect, wm1z/dita copper cable/obravo ra c
> 
> and a small tribute to johnny hallyday, rip



oBravo RA C - that's $9,000 pair of IEMs 

I like DiTA cable, have both SPC and CU, but so damn springy   Did you get spare connectors from oBravo to terminate the cable?


----------



## rumina (Dec 16, 2017)

@twister6 don't have the copper obravos, this is the "basic" alluminium casing model, the the c stands for the ceramic dome. these are 2k+ less. the 9k are the obravo ra c cu. crazy but after having the eamt-1c and let them go i missed them asap. the tia fourte was very fine but not as fine as the old or even the new obravos. due i know the sound signature of the eamt-1c i choosed the allumnium housing. now the tia have a new home und i'm very happy again.

obravo are very nice people, simply send them a request for some custom mmcx connectors and be surprised what happens . and yes a springy cable but sounds so nice, needed some courage to cut the cable whitout knowing the inside. btw was a surprise how thin the wire are, like a awg26 cable.


----------



## ledzep

samycinema said:


> Wow, that's a helluva difference! Must be much more comfortable too.
> I may get those soon.



Day off work so I thought I'd have a go with the 700's see If I could ease off the full on bass and open the mids a bit without loosing the deep punching bass. Easier than i thought changed the internals to pure silver wire put a small amount of damping around the middle of the cup where there is none of that white fibre type paper, used a stuff called goreshield  helps with isolation, and added a detachable balanced cable mod so I could plug them into the 4.4mm socket. Excellent results mids spot on , highs not changed which is good and the bass is now a perfect fit with the mids and highs and still has a heavily hitting bass. Massive Attacks Unfinished Symphony is a prime evaluation track , thumping baseline, clear classical strings arrangement with clear smooth vocals.
Now need to get hold of a pair of 1000's to see what can be achieved. Having a lot more fun messing with the low end headphones than i ever did with the high end stuff too worried in case i destroy a $2000 pair of cans. 
So MDR-7520 and XB1000 are my prime targets for the next stage of modding, do recommend the memory foam leather pads for your 900ST's if you get the chance to buy some and they are only $30/35 (£25) from Amazon.


----------



## twister6

rumina said:


> @twister6 don't have the copper obravos, this is the "basic" alluminium casing model, the the c stands for the ceramic dome. these are 2k+ less. the 9k are the obravo ra c cu. crazy but after having the eamt-1c and let them go i missed them asap. the tia fourte was very fine but not as fine as the old or even the new obravos. due i know the sound signature of the eamt-1c i choosed the allumnium housing. now the tia have a new home und i'm very happy again.
> 
> obravo are very nice people, simply send them a request for some custom mmcx connectors and be surprised what happens . and yes a springy cable but sounds so nice, needed some courage to cut the cable whitout knowing the inside. btw was a surprise how thin the wire are, like a awg26 cable.



I know, oBravo makes very unique IEMs. i have reviewed ERIB1C, very impressive sound!  Wish they would have standard mmcx connectors to try aftermarket cables with balanced termination, would be cool to try it with WM1Z.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

ledzep said:


> Day off work so I thought I'd have a go with the 700's see If I could ease off the full on bass and open the mids a bit without loosing the deep punching bass. Easier than i thought changed the internals to pure silver wire put a small amount of damping around the middle of the cup where there is none of that white fibre type paper, used a stuff called goreshield  helps with isolation, and added a detachable balanced cable mod so I could plug them into the 4.4mm socket. Excellent results mids spot on , highs not changed which is good and the bass is now a perfect fit with the mids and highs and still has a heavily hitting bass. Massive Attacks Unfinished Symphony is a prime evaluation track , thumping baseline, clear classical strings arrangement with clear smooth vocals.
> Now need to get hold of a pair of 1000's to see what can be achieved. Having a lot more fun messing with the low end headphones than i ever did with the high end stuff too worried in case i destroy a $2000 pair of cans.
> So MDR-7520 and XB1000 are my prime targets for the next stage of modding, do recommend the memory foam leather pads for your 900ST's if you get the chance to buy some and they are only $30/35 (£25) from Amazon.


You are a magician sir.

I like


----------



## rumina

twister6 said:


> I know, oBravo makes very unique IEMs. i have reviewed ERIB1C, very impressive sound!  Wish they would have standard mmcx connectors to try aftermarket cables with balanced termination, would be cool to try it with WM1Z.



true, it is good that the mmcx connector can't rote and is thus less fragile but you can't buy them anywhere. i made 4 different cables for them, so you get the connectors . the obravo cable is ok but these iem have a great potential as written in your review. they deserve a better cable. very transparent to the source and imo (eamt-1c and ra c) in the league of totl headphones. btw you have a great site with nice reviews, thanks for your effort


----------



## equalspeace

I have to say power coming from the balanced output of the WM1A is pretty darned good. It can drive some harder to drive headphones fairly authoritatively.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I also like the high-gain, currently, enganged to drive mor epower on the Beethoven string quartets (remaster) with ABQ, no need to cranck volume to near 100, with some 50/120H is good


----------



## gerelmx1986

One of my HDDs is running low on space

Folder jpgs take rougly 400MB
but PDF booklets 7.5GB - got rid of these


----------



## AnakChan

I'm doing a bit of a catching up here and just want to check, with FW 2.0, has that narrowed the volume output gap between the balanced 4.4mm TRRS and the 3.5mm SE?


----------



## flyer1 (Dec 17, 2017)

Just did some Xmas shopping on Amazon.de.

Had been monitoring WM1Z prices for a few months and it's finally down at €2k. If anyone interested this is your chance to get it as it will probably go back up in price soon!


----------



## flyer1 (Dec 17, 2017)

By the way this is replacing my trusty Japanese Z1050 which I greatly enjoyed over the past 5 years or so.

Only need to get me now something like a Xba Z5 and a balanced cable..

Looking forward to hear how Walkman sound has evolved during this time!


----------



## Redcarmoose

You will not believe how big the Z5 sounds balanced!


----------



## flyer1 (Dec 17, 2017)

Redcarmoose said:


> You will not believe how big the Z5 sounds balanced!



As I prefer a warmer less reference kind of sound I expect I will like the Z5 +1Z combo. I have no way to try either before buying where I live. So these forums have been of great use to me in deciding how to find a worthy follow up to my Z1050.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 17, 2017)

Even WM1A has this warmish Sound signature, which i like, enjoying L.V. Beethoven String quartets with Alban berg Quartett (ABQ) EMI 1999 remastering


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 17, 2017)

flyer1 said:


> By the way this is replacing my trusty Japanese Z1050 which I greatly enjoyed over the past 5 years or so.
> 
> Only need to get me now something like a Xba Z5 and a balanced cable..
> 
> Looking forward to hear how Walkman sound has evolved during this time!


 They sound great balanced, I am using currently an adapter for 4.4mm Male to dual 3,5mm females, while it ounds great... i find it does lack some details (stock cables suck) compared to my MDR-Z7 with MDR-Z1R cable (balanced). So i bought a sony MUC-series cable for the XBA-Z5, which still doesn't arrive.

I had a NW-X1060 too, mexico sony sold me it for nearly 8000 pesos at that times (2009) , i don't have it anymore as to make a direct comparo against the WM1A


----------



## samycinema

Can someone confirm whether WM1 displays album (cover) art sized Jpeg 1000x1000 pixels?


----------



## gerelmx1986

flyer1 said:


> Just did some Xmas shopping on Amazon.de.
> 
> Had been monitoring WM1Z prices for a few months and it's finally down at €2k. If anyone interested this is your chance to get it as it will probably go back up in price soon!


Don't know what files you use in your X1060, but we all here recommend use any lossless (WAV AIFF, FLAC, ALAC, DSD, APE (new addition in FW 2.0))


----------



## gerelmx1986

samycinema said:


> Can someone confirm whether WM1 displays album (cover) art sized Jpeg 1000x1000 pixels?


Maybe yes, size mine to 900x900 and just fine


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 17, 2017)

flyer1 said:


> As I prefer a warmer less reference kind of sound I expect I will like the Z5 +1Z combo. I have no way to try either before buying where I live. So these forums have been of great use to me in deciding how to find a worthy follow up to my Z1050.



I prefer that same sound, and I think you’ll like the combo, as it walks that fine line of being slightly warm but still highly detailed. The feeling of detail may come from the soundstage you seem to get balanced as well as the deeper black background and snappy fast response. I use the Mee cable adapter system which gets a 2.5mm to 4.4 Pentaconn then to the MMCX. My other IEMs, the Encore K10’s are more classic reference so I use the tone dials and take one notch off the treble and three notches off the midrange. It arrives slightly more detailed than the Z5 but still warm and a little more bass noticed, than normal with the EQ. First thing I have EQed in about 20 years.


----------



## flyer1 (Dec 17, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Even WM1A has this warmish Sound signature, which i like



I read this as well and for that reason almost bought the 1A today when I noticed the price drop for the 1Z on Amazon Germany.

Somehow managed to justify the 1Z for myself as I plan to use this player for at least as long as my Z1050(and probably longer if the battery is as good as my still ok'ish X1050 from 08 ) Also because of the noted differences here between the 1Z and 1A though I know these are minor.


----------



## Lavakugel

WM1A plays MQA....NICE


----------



## Redcarmoose

The WM ZX 300, 1A and 1Z all sounded slightly warm when I heard them together. This subtle warmth is a cool direction Sony is going with tone.


----------



## gerelmx1986

flyer1 said:


> I read this as well and for that reason almost bought the 1A today when I noticed the price drop for the 1Z on Amazon Germany.
> 
> Somehow managed to justify the 1Z for myself as I plan to use this player for at least as long as my Z1050(and probably longer if the battery is as good as my still ok'ish X1050 from 08 ) Also because of the noted differences here between the 1Z and 1A though I know these are minor.


I use SOURCE DIRECT always i can
the first hours of burn arround 20 something i had to EQ to compensate light bass but then again i went back to source direct as soon the circuit matured enough

Other times i don't use source direct is to fix some bad recordings (some get magically fixed just by using balanced , but some i must EQ, or use the L/R balance to balance the hard-panning)


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 17, 2017)

I will give sony music center a try for a second time.... Let's see how it handles nearly 50,400 files

EDIT:

Seems to be faster now at importing a library 11% in 16 min


----------



## Quadfather

pietcux said:


> After testing the HD650 with the WM1A to proof your findings, I went back to my Z1r balanced out of the same DAP. Boy, what a difference regarding dynamics and speed. Not to mention the bass and everything else.... Sorry, but the HD650 needs and deserves more power than any DAP out there can offer. It really scales well with the rig you use.



The Lotoo Paw Gold Diana is an aggressive lady!  As a DAP, she can power most headphones well.


----------



## meomap

Hi all,

Let me go home and open up.the new spanking 1Z arrived last night.
See if my Utopia can handle it or not.


----------



## Quadfather

Who has used Sennheiser HD 650 out of the Sony NW-WM1A in balanced? How does that sound?


----------



## superuser1

Has any one tried the Meze 99c on balanced with either the 1A/1Z?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Finally there, little container Big Space

 

WM1A see full specs 366.75GB


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> Finally there, little container Big Space
> 
> 
> 
> WM1A see full specs 366.75GB



I got the same one.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> I got the same one.


 My excuse for buying it  " I have huge DSD files"


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> My excuse for buying it  " I have huge DSD files"



Most of my stuff is 96/24.  I have Dark Side of the Moon and a handful of classical albums in DSD.


----------



## Quadfather

Doesn't anyone use HD650 with Sony NW-WM1A?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> Most of my stuff is 96/24.  I have Dark Side of the Moon and a handful of classical albums in DSD.


My hi-res content takes 107GB of the 924GB of my collection, rest is 16/44.1


----------



## NoMythsAudio

samycinema said:


> Can someone confirm whether WM1 displays album (cover) art sized Jpeg 1000x1000 pixels?


I have albums with 1500X1500 and a few with 2000X2000. All displays with no problem as long as the jpg is not baseline saved.


----------



## normie610

Just want to share my recent (& a bit funny) experience of traveling to Dubai from Jakarta via Bangkok while having my 1Z with me all along. Everytime I went through an x-ray security check in each airport (Jakarta, Bangkok and Dubai), the security officer would always ask me what is that big square thing in your bag? (I kept my 1Z in my backpack) So I would have to take it out of my bag, show it to the officer, and explained that it's actually an audio player. Usually it took them half a minute just to hold and observe the 1Z, and they checked with their peers whether it's ok to proceed.

Has anyone ever experienced such thing with airport security before? Just a word of caution for traveling 1Z/1A owners that there's a chance that you need to explain what it does and that it really is a harmless piece of brick


----------



## pietcux

Quadfather said:


> Doesn't anyone use HD650 with Sony NW-WM1A?


I made some comparisons with the new HD660S balanced cable on the 650. I still prefer the HD660S.


----------



## Mathieulh

Quadfather said:


> Doesn't anyone use HD650 with Sony NW-WM1A?


I have the Sennheiser HD6XXX (aka HD650) with the NW-ZX300 and it can drive these headphones just fine over balanced on high gain, the NW-WM1A has slightly more power so it should drive those with ease assuming you are on high gain using the balanced output. These headphones cannot be driven properly through the Single Ended output, so you will need to invest on a proper 4.4mm pentaconn balanced cable for the HD650.


----------



## Mathieulh (Dec 18, 2017)

pietcux said:


> I made some comparisons with the new HD660S balanced cable on the 650. I still prefer the HD660S.


Sadly the HD660S don't scale as good as the HD650 does with high end audio equipment, it's not a bad pair of headphones by any stretch of the imagination, and it does sound better on mid and low tier audio sources, but its driver (which is the same as the one in the HD700 series) is known not to scale as well as the previous one does. Sennheiser also sacrificed the warm signature of the HD650 for accessibility on the HD660S by lowering the impedance, some may like this, others may prefer to have that infamous Sennheiser warm signature tob their headphones, the HD660S do have slightly more detail on the mid range though so it's not an entire loss either.
One good thing though is that the HD660S are supplied with a 4.4mm balanced cable, which is something else you don't need to invest in, I had to buy a balanced cable for my Sennheiser HD6XX which cost me €200, that's about as much as the headphones itself (the HD6XX is a full spec HD650 that cost $200) had I paid the full price for my HD650, that would have been very steep after adding the cost for the cable itself and I may have been tempted by the HD660S which would have been cheaper (it's only €100 more than what I paid for my HD6XX + balanced cable combo)

I encourage to listen to both headphones separately on the DAP or the AMP you use the most and forge your own opinion.

Here is a link to a very good review of the HD660S if you are interested


----------



## pietcux

Mathieulh said:


> Sadly the HD660S don't scale as good as the HD650 does with high end audio equipment, it's not a bad pair of headphones by any stretch of the imagination, and it does sound better on mid and low tier audio sources, but its driver (which is the same as the one in the HD700 series) is known not to scale as well as the previous one does. Sennheiser also sacrificed the warm signature of the HD650 for accessibility on the HD660S by lowering the impedance, some may like this, others may prefer to have that infamous Sennheiser warm signature tob their headphones, the HD660S do have slightly more detail on the mid range though so it's not an entire loss either.
> One good thing though is that the HD660S are supplied with a 4.4mm balanced cable, which is something else you don't need to invest in, I had to buy a balanced cable for my Sennheiser HD6XX which cost me €200, that's about as much as the headphones itself (the HD6XX is a full spec HD650 that cost $200) had I paid the full price for my HD650, that would have been very steep after adding the cost for the cable itself and I may have been tempted by the HD660S which would have been cheaper (it's only €100 more than what I paid for my HD6XX + balanced cable combo)
> 
> I encourage to listen to both headphones separately on the DAP or the AMP you use the most and forge your own opinion.
> ...



I have the HD660S since nearly two month now. It got at least 90% of my time that I listen to music with headphones. I only drive it from my best DAP balanced on high gain. There us no need to scale for me, as the DAP is endgame for me. All my cans need to sound great out of this device.


----------



## Mathieulh

pietcux said:


> I have the HD660S since nearly two month now. It got at least 90% of my time that I listen to music with headphones. I only drive it from my best DAP balanced on high gain. There us no need to scale for me, as the DAP is endgame for me. All my cans need to sound great out of this device.


Out of curiosity, which DAP are you using? If it's the NW-WM1A in my experience the HD650 scale better on it, after all the WM1A is already a high end audio source albeit a portable one, of course this is a matter of perspective and personal preference, your mileage may vary, the HD660S are very good headphones no matter what, so if they suit your tastes better, you should stick to those, you really can't go wrong with either the HD650 or the HD660S. (Or even the HD600 although keep in mind that these are a lot harder to drive than the HD650 despite having the same impedance) 
In fact I would recommend the HD600/650/660S series over the HD700 (they are less expensive and sound better), overall though the HD800S blows them all out of the water but those are way over the $1000 mark.


----------



## pietcux

Mathieulh said:


> Out of curiosity, which DAP are you using? If it's the NW-WM1A in my experience the HD650 scale better on it, after all the WM1A is already a high end audio source albeit a portable one, of course this is a matter of perspective and personal preference, your mileage may vary, the HD660S are very good headphones no matter what, so if they suit your tastes better, you should stick to those, you really can't go wrong with either the HD650 or the HD660S. (Or even the HD600 although keep in mind that these are a lot harder to drive than the HD650 despite having the same impedance)
> In fact I would recommend the HD600/650/660S series over the HD700 (they are less expensive and sound better), overall though the HD800S blows them all out of the water but those are way over the $1000 mark.


Yes it is the WM1A. The HD660S sounds perfectly fast detailed and balanced out of this DAP. The HD650 even though it scales compared to be driven out of lesser sources, is miles behind in tempo, has this muffled bass response and less details. You can probably force more juice out of it with very large and expensive devices, but where is the balance there? Drive a 300 € can with things like Yiggy/Rag.


----------



## samycinema

NoMythsAudio said:


> I have albums with 1500X1500 and a few with 2000X2000. All displays with no problem as long as the jpg is not baseline saved.


Thank you for the info.


----------



## kubig123

normie610 said:


> Just want to share my recent (& a bit funny) experience of traveling to Dubai from Jakarta via Bangkok while having my 1Z with me all along. Everytime I went through an x-ray security check in each airport (Jakarta, Bangkok and Dubai), the security officer would always ask me what is that big square thing in your bag? (I kept my 1Z in my backpack) So I would have to take it out of my bag, show it to the officer, and explained that it's actually an audio player. Usually it took them half a minute just to hold and observe the 1Z, and they checked with their peers whether it's ok to proceed.
> 
> Has anyone ever experienced such thing with airport security before? Just a word of caution for traveling 1Z/1A owners that there's a chance that you need to explain what it does and that it really is a harmless piece of brick



I had the same experience going through few airport security but I have to say the pickiest one was when I went to see the Freedom Tower observatory, they ask me to turn it on to make sure it was working.

It happened only with the WM1Z and the AK380cu, it looks like the copper chassis reflect the x ray better that other materials.


----------



## bana

audionewbi said:


> Okay what is the big deal about DSD, well try this album guys http://eudorarecords.com/recordings/mozart-chopin-dialogue/
> 
> Even if you are not into classical recording the quality and sound of this album should be enough to start you into the amazing world of classical recordings.



Thank you for shearing this beautiful interpretation of two great masters! On days when I'm stressed this will work just fine.


----------



## Fred Wang

Quadfather said:


> Doesn't anyone use HD650 with Sony NW-WM1A?



I have both the HD650 and the NW-WM1A, but no balanced cable for the HD650. Is there something in particular you want to know about it?


----------



## Quadfather

Was just wondering about the pairing... But I'm going to get a balanced cable...


----------



## Jamiroquai

Could anyone recommend a Taobao agent that’s easy (can use PayPal) to purchase from. I’d like to get the dust plugs and a couple of screen protectors. Thank you!


----------



## kubig123

I used this one in the past.

https://tbfocus.com


----------



## ledzep

Anyone tried out of the 1Z/1A , Beyers dt770 250ohms dt990 250ohms and the dt1770 250ohms a mate needs to know if it's got the juice on high gain to drive them without maxing out on the vol.


----------



## Dogmatrix

ledzep said:


> Anyone tried out of the 1Z/1A , Beyers dt770 250ohms dt990 250ohms and the dt1770 250ohms a mate needs to know if it's got the juice on high gain to drive them without maxing out on the vol.


Could be a problem as these cans are not easily converted to balanced and the se output could struggle


----------



## ledzep

Dogmatrix said:


> Could be a problem as these cans are not easily converted to balanced and the se output could struggle


I can convert them easy enough, it's just will the balanced out have the power to drive them.


----------



## Jazzi

kubig123 said:


> I used this one in the past.
> 
> https://tbfocus.com



Be aware that if there's a problem with the order, they require you to pay postage to return it, plus the postage of them returning it to you.  So, if they send you a defective product, you have to pay shipping 3 times.


----------



## normie610

kubig123 said:


> I had the same experience going through few airport security but I have to say the pickiest one was when I went to see the Freedom Tower observatory, they ask me to turn it on to make sure it was working.
> 
> It happened only with the WM1Z and the AK380cu, it looks like the copper chassis reflect the x ray better that other materials.



Yeah maybe it's more because of the size rather than the material


----------



## Fred Wang

Quadfather said:


> Was just wondering about the pairing... But I'm going to get a balanced cable...



From single ended, I'd say it sounds good, especially if you like a slightly warmer sound. I don't know if it's just to my ear, but there's a pretty noticeable difference between sounds in the mid-bass and into the higher-mids. It was particularly noticeable to me on a duet with a male and female vocalist, where the male just felt closer and more present. That being said, I haven't encountered that issue on the same track with other headphones over the balanced connection and didn't notice it with my HD650 on my desktop amp. So, perhaps the added power from the balanced connector would fill that hole.


----------



## AvijitSingh

normie610 said:


> Yeah maybe it's more because of the size rather than the material


 It can also be due to the gold plating showing up on the xray, I once had some gold leafed Cards in my carry on and they searched through it, they said it was because of how it showed up on the scanner


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 18, 2017)

Music center is still lacking in User experience and performance. scrolling is still choppy and slow. Search still doesnt grab all tags if you hit "Telemann" it will only get albums that contain the word "Telemann" and not search the composer tag Georg Philipp Telemann.  When you hit a keyboard letter for example "E" it doesn't jump to the albums that start with the letter E.

I will test the walkman transfer with a new CD i got today, i removed the permanent scrolling album list, for me, is distracting and set the Artist Search Tag Cloud, wih it had a Composer one too

It took like 10h to scan and index my files, Media Go did this in 3 h


EDIT: WALKMAN TRANSFER SPEED: seemed fast, i havent tried many albums, just tried one


----------



## equalspeace

The WM1A has been driving my HD 580 beautifully from the balanced output on high gain. The sound quality is quite good with this pairing


----------



## Aliv3

Do you guys use direct source on the wm1a?


----------



## ledzep

Yep don't mess with perfection if you've managed to find a good match with your headphones.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Aliv3 said:


> Do you guys use direct source on the wm1a?


I do


----------



## Lemieux66

Aliv3 said:


> Do you guys use direct source on the wm1a?



I play DSD tracks using Direct, also most hi-res PCM too. I use the DSEE for 16/44.1 and MP3 files. I sometimes use the Phase Lineariser for old Jazz music too.


----------



## equalspeace

Aliv3 said:


> Do you guys use direct source on the wm1a?



I use EQ and phase linearizer


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am still surprised that some people still use windows media audio files in this age.  Someone's having trouble with his Zx300 playing wma.

I think the default capability xml file does t include wma anymore in the supported Codecs


----------



## Aliv3

I was just asking because  I have a few tracks in dsd and  I was wondering if it was worth using the direct source. 
Any of you guys want to share some equalizer settings?


----------



## Lavakugel

Is anybody using Grado headphones on their WM1A/Z. How do you like it?


----------



## blazinblazin

Aliv3 said:


> Do you guys use direct source on the wm1a?


Direct all the way


----------



## Quadfather

Direct only!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

EQ only. Try eq, 1A/1Z with EQ. They are really good.


----------



## hattrick15

I use DSEE HX (usually Male Vocal) and DC Phase Lienarizer (usually Type B Standard).  Don't use EQ or Dynamic Normalizer.


----------



## nc8000

Direct source always. Prefer the sound and it gets the longest battery life


----------



## gerelmx1986

I discovered a bug with music center it displays no Artist below Album, if the album has multiple artists, media go used to group this on V.A.  typical


----------



## Tawek

Obravo eamt-3w one of the best synergy +1Z ..


----------



## Quadfather

bsimms99 said:


> It can drive those headphones but the HD650 and any other Senheiser's I will flat out tell you no, you will get sound, but it will be flat and bassless. You will need an AMP for it. If you go back a few pages I did quite a write up with the Sen's and ANY DAPS, Senheisers are amazing headphones when you have the power to drive them and there is not one DAP on the market that does. The Audeze lineup can be played well with the WM1Z/A is solid but and this is a huge but, you will notice a difference if you use a desktop or portable amp.



I personally think that the Lotoo Paw Gold Diana makes the hd650 sound stunning.  It makes sense since it was designed to drive Abyss headphones.


----------



## kms108

Tawek said:


> Obravo eamt-3w one of the best synergy +1Z ..


what cable is this.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Got another DSF album, the sound is soo natural, I can perceive it on the bass and overall sound less fatiguing and more expanded stage


----------



## Lavakugel

Some covers do display wonderfully, others don't and I'm not able to turn them on. I hate this mess with missing covers...can anybody help me. I use Mac.


----------



## kubig123

Lavakugel said:


> Some covers do display wonderfully, others don't and I'm not able to turn them on. I hate this mess with missing covers...can anybody help me. I use Mac.



Why waist time on the covers?
Enjoy the music!

But if you really want to fix all your covers, you can use “tag editor free”, or swinsian.

Usually the dimension of the cover should be less than 700x700.


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> Got another DSF album, the sound is soo natural, I can perceive it on the bass and overall sound less fatiguing and more expanded stage


If you are going to convert to dsf album, be ready to get a big HD, these files are heavy!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lavakugel said:


> Some covers do display wonderfully, others don't and I'm not able to turn them on. I hate this mess with missing covers...can anybody help me. I use Mac.


maybe the covers are not jpg or if the are, they are progressive jpg, must be baseline standard jpg for it to work


----------



## gerelmx1986

kubig123 said:


> If you are going to convert to dsf album, be ready to get a big HD, these files are heavy!!!


Already have 52GB worth it f DSD files  and yeah I need a 4TB drive already


----------



## Lavakugel

gerelmx1986 said:


> maybe the covers are not jpg or if the are, they are progressive jpg, must be baseline standard jpg for it to work



How do I convert them to baseline? They are jpg files!


----------



## nc8000

Lavakugel said:


> How do I convert them to baseline? They are jpg files!



Open them with an editor and use Save as or find a conversion program.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lavakugel said:


> How do I convert them to baseline? They are jpg files!


I use photoshop for this, on the save as


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> Already have 52GB worth it f DSD files  and yeah I need a 4TB drive already



Buy at least a 6TB, they are cheap right now.


----------



## Quadfather

Screaming for vengeance live and 48 kilohertz 24-bit! I was able to turn my DVD into a quite excellent album.


----------



## Quadfather

I worked and worked but now I have a cover on every single album or song. I saved it on my hard drive specially under Sony Music one and Sony music two


----------



## gerelmx1986

Haydn Antal Dorati philhsrmonia Hungarica the compkete symphonies (including alternative versions)


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Haydn Antal Dorati philhsrmonia Hungarica the compkete symphonies (including alternative versions)


----------



## Lavakugel

I'm not getting it with covers...!?! Do I have to rename that it works? Is there any good free program for mac to use?


----------



## nc8000

I name my art cover.jpg using a 300x300 baseline jpg file. I always embed this into my music files and on my player I only have the flac files. Can’t help you with a program as I work on pc


----------



## superuser1

Lavakugel said:


> I'm not getting it with covers...!?! Do I have to rename that it works? Is there any good free program for mac to use?


Try this


----------



## PCheung

Reminder ,
Cover art won't work on WM1 if it is a wav files


----------



## samycinema

superuser1 said:


> Try this


I tried that one and prefer this one: https://amvidia.com/tag-editor


----------



## samycinema

PCheung said:


> Reminder ,
> Cover art won't work on WM1 if it is a wav files


Really?? That sucks! What about AIFF?


----------



## gerelmx1986

PCheung said:


> Reminder ,
> Cover art won't work on WM1 if it is a wav files


Or DFF files (must be DSF) for DSD


----------



## gerelmx1986

samycinema said:


> Really?? That sucks! What about AIFF?


Wave, aiff and DFF never meant to be tagged in their original specifications  as like flac, alac, dsf


----------



## Lemieux66

I've got DFF and DSF files with cover art showing. Just added the cover art using MediaGo.


----------



## samycinema

Lemieux66 said:


> I've got DFF and DSF files with cover art showing. Just added the cover art using MediaGo.


That's a bit of a relief, although MediaGo doesn't run on Mac. Is it showing cover art on WAV files for you?


----------



## Lemieux66

samycinema said:


> That's a bit of a relief, although MediaGo doesn't run on Mac. Is it showing cover art on WAV files for you?



I don't 't have any WAV files. Never saw the point in them tbh.


----------



## samycinema

Lemieux66 said:


> I don't 't have any WAV files. Never saw the point in them tbh.


They sound better than FLAC/ALAC at 16/44. Slightly, but better.


----------



## Lemieux66

samycinema said:


> They sound better than FLAC/ALAC at 16/44. Slightly, but better.



But those files are expanded to full resolution before conversion, so there's no practical difference. Unless the uncompressing causes noise which affects the audio circuits. But I can't see how if could. Sounds like an imagined difference if you think about it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

samycinema said:


> They sound better than FLAC/ALAC at 16/44. Slightly, but better.


Here we go yet again, one of those discussions leading to no where


----------



## gerelmx1986

Example of pretty damn good mastering


----------



## PCheung

samycinema said:


> Really?? That sucks! What about AIFF?



no problem on AIFF , I have a few AIFF files and all works


----------



## hattrick15

Back to tagging files with cover art topic for a second.  i am using Mp3tag for the PC to tag my files.  In that application, every album I own shows that I have embedded the cover art in my music files.  I then drag the files onto my WM-1Z, but the cover art only shows up on about 80% of my files.  Here's the wierd thing.  I then went back to the 20% of the files that didn't show the cover art and re-embeded the exact same cover art jpgs using Mp3tag on those files, recopied the files to the WM-1Z and some of the cover art appeared on the 1Z.  I have no idea why repeating the process with the same files worked for some files.  

Any thoughts on where I go from here as I still have about 15% of my files that show that they have embeded art in them on Mp3tag, but the cover art doesn't show up on the WM-1Z?


----------



## nc8000

The missing cover art files are probably progressive jpg, these players only support baseline jpg


----------



## Lavakugel

After hours of trying to get a cover displayed I quit.

Downloaded GIMP. Very simple. Open cover. Export cover. Save as .jpg. Disable save as progressive but it still don't work as no cover is showed on WM1a.


----------



## Quadfather

I will say that as much as I love my Paw Gold Diana, there is something just so special about the Sony signature.  I have a Sony NW-WM1A.


----------



## blazinblazin

I would think SONY's DAP is very versatile in firmware wise. We still don't know to what extend do just updating a firmware do. They just updated the sound and add in new format support just like this.

Do you think WM1 series will continue for a few more years before an update release? Meanwhile they will just update the sound and functions by firmware.

Will they release a slimmer WM1 instead with the same spec or a high-end Android based player next?


----------



## Quadfather

blazinblazin said:


> I would think SONY's DAP is very versatile in firmware wise. We still don't know to what extend do just updating a firmware do. They just updated the sound and add in new format support just like this.
> 
> Do you think WM1 series will continue for a few more years before an update release? Meanwhile they will just update the sound and functions by firmware.
> 
> Will they release a slimmer WM1 instead with the same spec or a high-end Android based player next?



I really hope they don't go Android. I really don't want the battery to be bogged down by needless phone apps and having emails and text messages interrupt me.  Music only with a closed system please.


----------



## Quadfather

PROTECTION!


----------



## buzzlulu

Have a link to that case?  Can the stock leather case of the 1Z for inside?


----------



## samycinema

blazinblazin said:


> I would think SONY's DAP is very versatile in firmware wise. We still don't know to what extend do just updating a firmware do. They just updated the sound and add in new format support just like this.
> 
> Do you think WM1 series will continue for a few more years before an update release? Meanwhile they will just update the sound and functions by firmware.
> 
> Will they release a slimmer WM1 instead with the same spec or a high-end Android based player next?


I wonder if they will release a 40th anniversary Walkman in 2019 and how much better it will be than WM1. 
2 things I wish they had included on WM1 - dual micro-SD slots and 512 GB internal storage (at least on 1Z).


----------



## Quadfather (Dec 22, 2017)

It is an extra S3 case that a set of Shure SE846 came in.  The inner foam is what the Dignis case I ordered from eBay came in.  It fit perfectly inside the Shure watertight case.


https://www.amazon.com/Shure-EAHRDCASE-CLEAR-Durable-Polishing-Earphones/dp/B00IVPG0Y6

It's called a T2000 S3 case

https://s3cases.com/s3-case-line/t2000-protective-case/

https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Sony-N...714687?hash=item3d346f4dbf:g:ZXcAAOSwOgdYtEuO

The leather Dignis case comes in the foam.


----------



## nc8000




----------



## buzzlulu

Quadfather
Thanks for the reply

Nc8000
I believe I looked at that one on Amazon however the 1Z with the stock Sony case will not fit in it???


----------



## ledzep

buzzlulu said:


> Quadfather
> Thanks for the reply
> 
> Nc8000
> I believe I looked at that one on Amazon however the 1Z with the stock Sony case will not fit in it???



The 320 model is a the one you need


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> Quadfather
> Thanks for the reply
> 
> Nc8000
> I believe I looked at that one on Amazon however the 1Z with the stock Sony case will not fit in it???



No neither the stock case nor the Dignis Walkman case I had bought fit, as mentioned you need the 320 for that but the 320 is a fair bit bigger so the player will be ratteling around in it.


----------



## ledzep

Pelicase ? Or even pick and pull foam to fill the gaps.


----------



## twister6

Who needs a hard case, when you can get a Dignis man-purse for your WM1


----------



## nc8000

Got my Christmas present for my self. Benks TPU case, screen protector and 400GB microSD so can now continue ripping my cd collection.


----------



## Lavakugel

Are the newer WM1 models with high res sticker on them. Mine has none.


----------



## JML (Dec 23, 2017)

Every once in a while I have issues with AIFF album cover art showing up properly on my Mac (in iTunes and Audirvana, which share the same music data), but not on the WM-1A, even though the images were all properly embedded in the AIFF files using Metadatics or Yate, and showing up in the Mac Finder. These have all been for images not found via iTunes image search for a ripped file, but found via Metadatics or just a web search. The problem, as noted, is likely the file type for the image found online outside of iTunes. 

The easiest solution I found was to go into iTunes, get the existing album/track image via File Info's tab for Artwork, copy it to the clipboard, then paste the image into the album's files opened in Metadatics. Or, for a new album/track, instead of saving the image from the web and then embedding that file as the album art, copy the image to your clipboard and then paste the image into the file(s). So it's possible that regardless of your OS, if you copy the image to the clipboard and then paste it back into the files, you may cure the problem because of an image conversion done in the copy/paste routine.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lavakugel said:


> Are the newer WM1 models with high res sticker on them. Mine has none.


Mine niether, but perhaps you can buy a set of stickers and put one yourself


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> Mine niether, but perhaps you can buy a set of stickers and put one yourself


None of the newer sony's has them except the ZX1, ZX2 and the ZX100 i think has the stickers.

You can buy them direct from Sony Japan for 108 yen inclusive tax, I had my Sony put a new screen and battery in my ZX2, so I asked them, I didn't get any as I have about 15 pieces, but I got a few WM Port caps, 3.5mm caps and 4.4mm caps.

I would like to also thank @AnakChan for all his help in getting three of my cables reterminated to Pentaconn OFC and NON OFC right angle, cost a fortune, but you spend money on holiday.


----------



## soundkist

kms108 said:


> None of the newer sony's has them except the ZX1, ZX2 and the ZX100 i think has the stickers.
> 
> You can buy them direct from Sony Japan for 108 yen inclusive tax, I had my Sony put a new screen and battery in my ZX2, so I asked them, I didn't get any as I have about 15 pieces, but I got a few WM Port caps, 3.5mm caps and 4.4mm caps.
> 
> I would like to also thank @AnakChan for all his help in getting three of my cables reterminated to Pentaconn OFC and NON OFC right angle, cost a fortune, but you spend money on holiday.



By chance is there a link for those 3.5/4.4mm port caps?  Thanks!


----------



## meomap

twister6 said:


> Who needs a hard case, when you can get a Dignis man-purse for your WM1



Oh this, I like. 
Where to buy from?

My new 36 hrs 1Z sounds started to open up more.
Appreciate more than current DX200 with amp3.
More engaging into the music.
Stage is much wider, deph is more, more 3D imaging.
No wonder Sony dropped everything and concentrating on pure sound design in mind.
I guess WM1Z finally is product of 2017 from StereoPhile and some other audio site.

Can't wait until 500 hrs.
Great with Utopia, Encore,  and K10C with balanced 2.5 mm connected 4.4 mm pigtail.


----------



## kubig123

meomap said:


> Oh this, I like.
> Where to buy from?
> 
> My new 36 hrs 1Z sounds started to open up more.
> ...




Here is the direct link

http://mobile--shop2.dignis.cafe24....1-leather-bag/179/?cate_no=84&display_group=1


----------



## kms108 (Dec 23, 2017)

meomap said:


> Oh this, I like.
> Where to buy from?
> 
> My new 36 hrs 1Z sounds started to open up more.
> ...



You have to buy them separate from dignis which is expensive.


----------



## kms108

soundkist said:


> By chance is there a link for those 3.5/4.4mm port caps?  Thanks!



I got them direct from Sony during my visit to Japan, may be you can search for benks, they also have a set with one 3.5mm, 4.4mm and a wm port caps.


----------



## Quadfather (Dec 23, 2017)

buzzlulu said:


> Quadfather
> Thanks for the reply
> 
> Nc8000
> I believe I looked at that one on Amazon however the 1Z with the stock Sony case will not fit in it???





meomap said:


> Oh this, I like.
> Where to buy from?
> 
> My new 36 hrs 1Z sounds started to open up more.
> ...



It's little brother is quite remarkable too.  I have the Sony NW-WM1A, and it is delightful with Shure SRH1540 headphones with a Surf Cables, balanced 4.4 mm terminated cable.  I really love my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, but there is just something really intoxicating about the Sony sound signature.  I just installed the 400 gigabyte mini SD card too.  I honestly don't know how the sound could improve anymore, but I'm saving for the 1Z so I'll find out.


----------



## proedros

the 3.5 mm cap is very helpful , ever since i got my cables into 4.4 the 3.5 port gets no use so the 3.5 cap keeps it closed from dust/dirt


----------



## kms108

Here are the parts number for the official Sony caps, you can try contacting you local sony repair centre.


----------



## buzzlulu

Does Sony US carry these?


----------



## soundkist

kms108 said:


> Here are the parts number for the official Sony caps, you can try contacting you local sony repair centre.



Thanks!  I found the Benks ones you mentioned over at Taobao, but I much prefer the smaller profile of the Sony ones.  I'll shoot an email over to Sony and see what they tell me...


----------



## kms108

Just for more information.

4.4mm cost 108 yen
3.5mm cost 65 yen
wm port cost 108 yen

price all include tax, this is the Japanese price, so expect something like this.


----------



## Mimouille

twister6 said:


> Who needs a hard case, when you can get a Dignis man-purse for your WM1


This must be a very efficient contraceptive.


----------



## bana

kms108 said:


> Just for more information.
> 
> 4.4mm cost 108 yen
> 3.5mm cost 65 yen
> ...




How do you get them in the US? Sony US does not carry them.


----------



## Quadfather

bana said:


> How do you get them in the US? Sony US does not carry them.



I would like to know that as well.


----------



## tompaz909

Anyone know of a store in Portland, Oregon where one could try out one of these players?


----------



## AnakChan

kms108 said:


> None of the newer sony's has them except the ZX1, ZX2 and the ZX100 i think has the stickers.
> 
> You can buy them direct from Sony Japan for 108 yen inclusive tax, I had my Sony put a new screen and battery in my ZX2, so I asked them, I didn't get any as I have about 15 pieces, but I got a few WM Port caps, 3.5mm caps and 4.4mm caps.
> 
> ...


Glad the cables worked out in the end. Sorry about the troubles initially.

I didn't know you could buy the caps from Sony!? What do you mean directly? Sony Ginza? I asked Sony at one of the e-earphone shows and the staff at the exhibit told me to call Sony support. Good to see I'm learning from folks overseas about Japan even though I'm here .


----------



## Dogmatrix

After all fees and postage about $25 Au from taobao via agent to Australia


----------



## kubig123 (Dec 23, 2017)

Dogmatrix said:


> After all fees and postage about $25 Au from taobao via agent to Australia




Not a big fan of these the caps are quite wide and thin, I feel like I would loose them easily.


----------



## Dogmatrix

Not a big fan of these the caps are quite wide and thin, I feel like I would loose them easily.[/QUOTE]

Have you tried them ?
Only official Sony I could find was the wm cover on Ebay and that was $25 alone


----------



## meomap

Dogmatrix said:


> Not a big fan of these the caps are quite wide and thin, I feel like I would loose them easily.



Have you tried them ?
Only official Sony I could find was the wm cover on Ebay and that was $25 alone[/QUOTE]

Save your money and buy hi rez music better than these plugs.


----------



## twister6 (Dec 23, 2017)

Mimouille said:


> This must be a very efficient contraceptive.



It's [Dignis man-purse] designed for married men


----------



## Quadfather

twister6 said:


> It's designed for married men



Well, I'm married with 18 year old quadruplets, and a 24 year old daughter, and I don't think I will be using a man purse anytime soon.


----------



## twister6

Quadfather said:


> Well, I'm married with 18 year old quadruplets, and a 24 year old daughter, and I don't think I will be using a man purse anytime soon.



If you ever look at the pictures from the various audio shows in Japan, you can't miss people carrying Van Nuys belt and shoulder small bags with DAPs and other portable audio gadgets.  Perhaps a cultural thing, but these kind of bags are very popular in East Asia.  Dignis was smart to design a shoulder bag for a DAP that weight 460g and not easy to carry in your pocket.  The bag itself fits WM1Z/1A with your Dignis case (or you can get a set with this bag and a matching color Dignis case, where the case is half the price of a regular MIDAS case).  The WM1 w/Dignis case are very easy to take out of this bag, the charging port is open so you don't have to take it out to charge or to transfer files, and all the control buttons are imprinted on the side of the bag and perfectly aligned with imprinted buttons on the side of the Dignis case.  So, you can control WM1 through a bag and a case without a problem.  Plus, the flip magnetic cover has a recessed pockets for 4 uSD cards.

Here in US on East Coast you probably going to get a sh!t kicked out of you by walking around with a case like this over your shoulder, but I'm seriously considering taking it with me to CanJam NYC, the only place where it's accepted   ... btw, writing this as my wife and my pre-teen daughter are laughing at me lol!!!

Besides, like nobody have seen this before


----------



## Quadfather

twister6 said:


> If you ever look at the pictures from the various audio shows in Japan, you can't miss people carrying Van Nuys belt and shoulder small bags with DAPs and other portable audio gadgets.  Perhaps a cultural thing, but these kind of bags are very popular in East Asia.  Dignis was smart to design a shoulder bag for a DAP that weight 460g and not easy to carry in your pocket.  The bag itself fits WM1Z/1A with your Dignis case (or you can get a set with this bag and a matching color Dignis case, where the case is half the price of a regular MIDAS case).  The WM1 w/Dignis case are very easy to take out of this bag, the charging port is open so you don't have to take it out to charge or to transfer files, and all the control buttons are imprinted on the side of the bag and perfectly aligned with imprinted buttons on the side of the Dignis case.  So, you can control WM1 through a bag and a case without a problem.  Plus, the flip magnetic cover has a recessed pockets for 4 uSD cards.
> 
> Here in US on East Coast you probably going to get a sh!t kicked out of you by walking around with a case like this over your shoulder, but I'm seriously considering taking it with me to CanJam NYC, the only place where it's accepted   ... btw, writing this as my wife and my pre-teen daughter are laughing at me lol!!!
> 
> Besides, like nobody have seen this before



I like using shirts with the zipper pockets and I like using pants with a belt that have really sturdy Pockets without rivets. I will probably use the 1Z, whenever I get it, at home only and the NW-WM1A out on the road.


----------



## rhull1973

tompaz909 said:


> Anyone know of a store in Portland, Oregon where one could try out one of these players?


Echo Audio.


----------



## kubig123

Dogmatrix said:


> Not a big fan of these the caps are quite wide and thin, I feel like I would loose them easily.



Have you tried them ?
Only official Sony I could find was the wm cover on Ebay and that was $25 alone[/QUOTE]

Yes, almost year ago, like a said very flimsy. 
since I use only the 4.4mm plug I bought some 3.5 mm dust plugs from amazon, made of hard plastic, the cap is smaller and impossible to loose them.


----------



## hattrick15

Lavakugel said:


> After hours of trying to get a cover displayed I quit.
> 
> Downloaded GIMP. Very simple. Open cover. Export cover. Save as .jpg. Disable save as progressive but it still don't work as no cover is showed on WM1a.



Don't give up just yet.  I tried GIMP (for Windows) and finally got it to work (after not working initially).  If you haven't tried this, here were the steps that worked for me.

1) From GIMP main menu, select File, then Open
2) Find the .JPG artwork and Open
3) From GIMIP main menu, select File, then Export As
4) Select the .JPG artwork file (same as in Step 2), and click Export
5) Click Replace in the dialog box
6) Click the "Advanced Options" drop down box
7) Uncheck "Progressive" box
8) Click "Export" 

That's it!  

Before I tried the above, I was trying to "Save As" and that didn't work.


----------



## tompaz909

rhull1973 said:


> Echo Audio.



Thanks, appreciate it!


----------



## TSAVJason

hattrick15 said:


> Don't give up just yet.  I tried GIMP (for Windows) and finally got it to work (after not working initially).  If you haven't tried this, here were the steps that worked for me.
> 
> 1) From GIMP main menu, select File, then Open
> 2) Find the .JPG artwork and Open
> ...



Very solid contribution to thread


----------



## aisalen

TSAVJason said:


> Very solid contribution to thread


Agree. Will try those for my problematic artwork music files.


----------



## kms108

bana said:


> How do you get them in the US? Sony US does not carry them.


They are sold a replacement parts, you can get them from you local Sony repair centre, not Sony store, if they don't have them in stock, they should be able to order them.

The parts code is used international,  but it's up to Sony if they will get them for you.


----------



## kms108 (Dec 24, 2017)

AnakChan said:


> Glad the cables worked out in the end. Sorry about the troubles initially.
> 
> I didn't know you could buy the caps from Sony!? What do you mean directly? Sony Ginza? I asked Sony at one of the e-earphone shows and the staff at the exhibit told me to call Sony support. Good to see I'm learning from folks overseas about Japan even though I'm here .


They are sold as spare parts, so you have to go to the Sony repair centre in Akihabara, and it should take about 2-3 day to arrive for you to collect.

It only popped up when I got pissed after lossing the 4.4 cap, I think it was at e earphones, and I remembered that in the HK I always order spare parts this way if it's not a off the shelves product.


----------



## flyer1 (Dec 24, 2017)

Just received my 1Z from Amazon.  Impressive device!

Bit strange had to plug the cable first as the battery was flat when I tried to boot it. Thought they all came with a good precharge..

I would say the player is new though, manufacturer sealed packaging and wrapped in protective plastic. Firmware 1.20 was already on it so can't be much older then April this year I guess?

Anybody else had to charge before first use and what charging time with a standard USB charger can I expect to full?

Eager to start using this Damn.. my Z5 will take another week to arrive..


----------



## aisalen

flyer1 said:


> Just received my 1Z from Amazon.  Impressive device!
> 
> Bit strange had to plug the cable first as the battery was flat when I tried to boot it. Thought they all came with a good precharge..
> 
> ...



Congrats, your Z5 will be a great pair for sure. I am using xba-a3 with cheap balance cable from amazon connected my wm1a listening to Eagles Greatest Hits. I am like listening to my two channel setup. Just wow.


----------



## kms108

flyer1 said:


> Just received my 1Z from Amazon.  Impressive device!
> 
> Bit strange had to plug the cable first as the battery was flat when I tried to boot it. Thought they all came with a good precharge..
> 
> ...


From my understanding, sony DAP are not sealed, they are only wrapped with a plastic clear wrapper with one piece of cellotape on the plastic wrapper which is reusable and resealable, no manufacture has their players with a dead battery out of the box. are you sure it's new and not a returned item.


----------



## ledzep

On the Z7 / Z1R  cup inputs what actually makes contact the tip and ring + & - and blank sleeve or tip and sleeve etc need to make a cable for someone and using TRS jack's not mono ones so just need the solder points for the jacks, I know it's tip ring (99%) but just a double check.


----------



## flyer1 (Dec 24, 2017)

kms108 said:


> From my understanding, sony DAP are not sealed, they are only wrapped with a plastic clear wrapper with one piece of cellotape on the plastic wrapper which is reusable and resealable, no manufacture has their players with a dead battery out of the box. are you sure it's new and not a returned item.



My bad but that's what I meant to say: I got it with the small clear seal on the packaging intact and the DAP in the clear wrapper as you described, not re-used I would say though..

I have little  doubt it is a new player  but found it strange it had lost it's charge.

Got it charged now and this took a few hours. Not 7 hours though as I read in the WM1 manual I downloaded a full charge would take?


----------



## kms108

I have the ZX2 and ZX300, still considering the WM1A, they all had the same wrapping, so I would say the WM1A should be the same. I think sony's charging times goes by the standard USB 500mAh which is the basic figure, but should support anything upto 800mAh or 1000mAh, that's probably why it's much faster, my ZX2 also charge very slow, but my ZX300 charges much faster than stated figures. So it seems normal, I think someone also stated this in this forum.


----------



## proedros

flyer1 said:


> My bad but that's what I meant to say: I got it with the small clear seal on the packaging intact and the DAP in the clear wrapper as you described, not re-used I would say though..
> 
> I have little  doubt it is a new player  but found it strange it had lost it's charge.
> 
> Got it charged now and this took a few hours. Not 7 hours though as I read in the WM1 manual I downloaded a full charge would take?




chec into settings/info how many hours of use it shows

if it's new it should be like less than 1-2

if you see like 50 hours , it may be refurbished/returned


----------



## ledzep

ledzep said:


> On the Z7 / Z1R  cup inputs what actually makes contact the tip and ring + & - and blank sleeve or tip and sleeve etc need to make a cable for someone and using TRS jack's not mono ones so just need the solder points for the jacks, I know it's tip ring (99%) but just a double check.



Anyone ??


----------



## Dvdlucena

kubig123 said:


> I own a WM1Z and a Hugo 2, for a while also a Mojo that I sold at the beginning of the year.
> 
> The Hugo 2 outperform the WM1Z but on the other side it's quite big to travel with, I use it as my desk dac connected to my MacBook Pro, while for traveling without any doubt I prefer the WM1Z, it has more storage than any smartphone and the battery can last for over 20 hours, you'll never get the same performance using a smartphone and a mojo/Hugo.


For me hugo 2 plays louder, much louder and you should A B them with marched volume. Sony is better only losing to hugo 2 when connected to speakers. Of course Chord fan boys will start to cry... but it’s MHO, and several people feels the same.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 24, 2017)

flyer1 said:


> Just received my 1Z from Amazon.  Impressive device!
> 
> Bit strange had to plug the cable first as the battery was flat when I tried to boot it. Thought they all came with a good precharge..
> 
> ...



You’ll love the Z5s with it. Mine came with zero charge. It charges from zero to full in about 3.5 hours I estimate as I have only charged it that first time from zero. The date of manufacture will be will be listed as month and year on the sticker on the side lower corner, also listing where it was made.


Photo of sticker provided by https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/


----------



## AnakChan

kms108 said:


> They are sold as spare parts, so you have to go to the Sony repair centre in Akihabara, and it should take about 2-3 day to arrive for you to collect.
> 
> It only popped up when I got pissed after loading the 4.4 cap, I think it was at e earphones, and I remembered that in the HK I always order spare parts this way if it's not a off the shelves product.


Thx mate. I gather this is the repair centre like 5 mins walk from e-earphone. I'll swing by there after work one of these days.


----------



## flyer1 (Dec 24, 2017)

proedros said:


> chec into settings/info how many hours of use it shows
> 
> if it's new it should be like less than 1-2
> 
> if you see like 50 hours , it may be refurbished/returned




Thanks. It had zero hours but I believe the counter resets with a firmware update?


----------



## flyer1 (Dec 24, 2017)

Redcarmoose said:


> You’ll love the Z5s with it. Mine came with zero charge. It charges from zero to full in about 3.5 hours I estimate as I have only charged it that first time from zero. The date of manufacture will be will be listed as month and year on the sticker on the side lower corner, also listing where it was made.
> 
> 
> Photo of sticker provided by https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/



That seems about right then. Good to hear that mine wasn't the only one without charge.

Will check the code as you suggested. Cheers!


----------



## proedros

flyer1 said:


> Thanks. It had zero hours but I believe the counter resets with a firmware update?



nope , FW update does not reset the counter

if it shows zero , it is new

enjoy.


----------



## PCheung (Dec 24, 2017)

flyer1 said:


> Just received my 1Z from Amazon.  Impressive device!
> 
> Bit strange had to plug the cable first as the battery was flat when I tried to boot it. Thought they all came with a good precharge..
> 
> ...


http://www.batteryspace.com/Lithium-Battery-Shipping-Regulations.aspx

Due to the safely regulation on shipping Li -ion batteries I believe, Sony have to discharge it to around 30% before shipping

Then the battery depleted in Amazon warehouse


----------



## meomap

Hi,

I bought mine from Amazon also.
1 bar of battery when powered ON.
0 hrs when checked inside Info.
Made in Sep, 2017. Malaysia. 
Still has the clear seal then placed into the Sony case to last longer.

I told my work colleagues I carried gold bar in my Jean . I get used to the weight in my Jean now.

About 45 hrs now and sounds amazing so far.
My DX200 might collecting dust now, but I had and waiting for balanced IC cable from DHC to use with CDM then this pair might be close to or same with WM1Z.


----------



## kms108

AnakChan said:


> Thx mate. I gather this is the repair centre like 5 mins walk from e-earphone. I'll swing by there after work one of these days.


Yep about 5 minutes on the same side of the road, i just realised I had a typo in my post.

You can speak to them directly or copy these parts number.

SE plugs 4-591-290-01
4.4mm plugs 4-591-289-01
WM Port plugs 4-574-056-01


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 24, 2017)

Merry Xmas to all of you

I've hit the msrk of 3000 hours


----------



## audionewbi

Dvdlucena said:


> For me hugo 2 plays louder, much louder and you should A B them with marched volume. Sony is better only losing to hugo 2 when connected to speakers. Of course Chord fan boys will start to cry... but it’s MHO, and several people feels the same.


When I switch from my Hugo to WM1A the transition is rather easy however when I switch to Hugo after listening to WM1A I struggle to enjoy the sound.

Sony has got the sound so right.


----------



## Quadfather (Dec 24, 2017)

audionewbi said:


> When I switch from my Hugo to WM1A the transition is rather easy however when I switch to Hugo after listening to WM1A I struggle to enjoy the sound.
> 
> Sony has got the sound so right.



I once thought nothing could top my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, but Sony did get the sound just drop dead gorgeously correct.  I have the NW-WM1A.  It is fairly powerful, but I wish it had just a little bit more like the Paw...I want the 1Z too.


----------



## Dvdlucena

audionewbi said:


> When I switch from my Hugo to WM1A the transition is rather easy however when I switch to Hugo after listening to WM1A I struggle to enjoy the sound.
> 
> Sony has got the sound so right.


You are talking about Hugo2? 
Hugo 1 is so ****ing bad. I really don’t know how people live 30 min listening to that


----------



## Quadfather

The Sony NEVER GETS FATIGUING! Ever!


----------



## audionewbi

Quadfather said:


> I once thought nothing could top my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, but Sony did get the sound just drop dead gorgeously correct.  I have the NW-WM1A.  It is fairly powerful, but I wish it had just a little bit more like the Paw...I want the 1Z too.



I dont own the Diana however I own the original LPG and ever since I got the WM1A i have recommend few of my friends and few members who PM me regarding the two to get the WM1A. Sony has gotten the tonality right and LPG is just too sterile after one experience the Sony sound. 

Perhaps LPG is a natural upgrade for those who liked the Sony NW-ZX1/ZX2 however the ZX1/2 have nothing in common with the WM1 family. 


Dvdlucena said:


> You are talking about Hugo2?
> Hugo 1 is so ****ing bad. I really don’t know how people live 30 min listening to that


Yes I am talking about the first generation HUGO. I have tested the HUGO and HUGO 2 on few occasion for a long hours and I could not convince myself to trade my HUGO to HUGO 2. However I'm now been told that HUGO 2 requires a number of good hours to burn in and that HUGO 2 that I tried was basically a brand new units.
I would have revisited HUGO 2 however the gap between hugo and current portable devices becoming less and less, at least when we are looking into portable IEM and not desktop setups.


----------



## Quadfather

audionewbi said:


> I dont own the Diana however I own the original LPG and ever since I got the WM1A i have recommend few of my friends and few members who PM me regarding the two to get the WM1A. Sony has gotten the tonality right and LPG is just too sterile after one experience the Sony sound.
> 
> Perhaps LPG is a natural upgrade for those who liked the Sony NW-ZX1/ZX2 however the ZX1/2 have nothing in common with the WM1 family.
> 
> ...



The Diana is an aggressive lady and very powerful and detailed, but it just becomes too much at times.  Sony never becomes too much.


----------



## Quadfather

Is anybody using Sennheiser HD 650 headphones with the Sony out of the balance port?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> Merry Xmas to all of you
> 
> I've hit the msrk


Holy Molly! You are a beast!


----------



## twister6

Quadfather said:


> The Diana is an aggressive lady and very powerful and detailed, but it just becomes too much at times.  Sony never becomes too much.



Diana is just an optimized fw version of the original LPG, the hw is the same


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> Merry Xmas to all of you
> 
> I've hit the msrk



Holy cow!

How many hours per day?


----------



## Quadfather

kubig123 said:


> Holy cow!
> 
> How many hours per day?



Are you retired?


----------



## kubig123

Quadfather said:


> Are you retired?


???


----------



## Quadfather

kubig123 said:


> ???



LOL that is just an awful lot of hours to put on a player... I quoted the wrong person sorry


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> Merry Xmas to all of you
> 
> I've hit the msrk



Dang! Are you retired?


----------



## samycinema

Quadfather said:


> Is anybody using Sennheiser HD 650 headphones with the Sony out of the balance port?


I intend to, but first I need to get a balanced cable with 4.4mm Pentaconn for the HD650 (preferably something affordable). 
Any tips?


----------



## Quadfather

samycinema said:


> I intend to, but first I need to get a balanced cable with 4.4mm Pentaconn for the HD650 (preferably something affordable).
> Any tips?



Surf Cables...around $130 USD
LQi Cables...$147


----------



## gerelmx1986

kubig123 said:


> Holy cow!
> 
> How many hours per day?


Arround 6 to 11h a day


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 24, 2017)

Quadfather said:


> Dang! Are you retired?


No, but I wish I was for sure , a softe are dev sitting on the desk programming web stuff, I need music to be concentrated


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> Arround 6 to 11h a day



And I thought I listen to a lot of music


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> No, pero what should I was for sure , a softe are dev sitting on the desk programming web stuff, I need music to be concentrated



Sweet!  That's awesome.  I do 4 to 5 hours a day usually.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sometime I do only 5 hours, usually the se times when the project is closing and we have lots of meetings, or when I have lots to do like today, prep Christmas dinner, give the cat the IV medicines


----------



## Quadfather

YYZ is the airport code for Toronto.


----------



## NoMythsAudio

kubig123 said:


> Usually the dimension of the cover should be less than 700x700



Not true. I have covers 2000x2000 and displays perfectly. The only caveat is the jpg must have been saved as baseline and not progressive. So for the jpgs not showing you have to extract them, save as baseline and then embed them again in the music file.


----------



## flyer1 (Dec 25, 2017)

Redcarmoose said:


> You’ll love the Z5s with it. Mine came with zero charge. It charges from zero to full in about 3.5 hours I estimate as I have only charged it that first time from zero. The date of manufacture will be will be listed as month and year on the sticker on the side lower corner, also listing where it was made.
> 
> 
> Photo of sticker provided by https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/



Just saw a YouTube video from 2016 showing a 1Z with the same 1-7-1 code as mine on the CE sticker. Maybe this code is referring to something else then manufacturing date!

Looking at my other Sony DAP's it might be that the serial number provides more info on the production batch of the DAP and then specifically the third digit: 500,501,502 in case of the WM1.


Merry Xmas to all!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mine says 5-2017


----------



## Lavakugel

hattrick15 said:


> Don't give up just yet.  I tried GIMP (for Windows) and finally got it to work (after not working initially).  If you haven't tried this, here were the steps that worked for me.
> 
> 1) From GIMP main menu, select File, then Open
> 2) Find the .JPG artwork and Open
> ...



Many thanks. I did exactly this and copied this file into my player as Cover.jpg but my wm1a isn't showing it. I tried different files sizes and copied about 3 .jpg files but it isn't showing anything.


----------



## audionewbi

Your only gurranted solutions is to attach the cover art using Sony music center software.


----------



## nc8000

Lavakugel said:


> Many thanks. I did exactly this and copied this file into my player as Cover.jpg but my wm1a isn't showing it. I tried different files sizes and copied about 3 .jpg files but it isn't showing anything.



If there is an embedded image in the music file that will take prority over a cover.jpg file even if the embedded file is a progressive jpg that the player can’t handle


----------



## Gibraltar

hattrick15 said:


> Don't give up just yet.  I tried GIMP (for Windows) and finally got it to work (after not working initially).  If you haven't tried this, here were the steps that worked for me.
> 
> 1) From GIMP main menu, select File, then Open
> 2) Find the .JPG artwork and Open
> ...



A much simpler solution:
1. Open the jpg in MS Paint
2. File -> Save
3. Done!

MS Paint doesn't support progressive jpg, so will automatically convert to baseline when you save.


----------



## gerelmx1986

In photoshop
1) click File -> Open
2) open  the art work you want to convert
3) click File->Save as...
4) in the save dialog, in the File fromat drop-down choose JPEG. in the file name write f.e Folder or cover
5) click save if propmted the file exists and replace clikc OK
6) JPEG options dialog opens
7) select your desired quality
8)in Format options choose Baseline ("standard")
9) click OK and done


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lavakugel said:


> After hours of trying to get a cover displayed I quit.
> 
> Downloaded GIMP. Very simple. Open cover. Export cover. Save as .jpg. Disable save as progressive but it still don't work as no cover is showed on WM1a.


 try this https://head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/


----------



## ledzep

Gibraltar said:


> A much simpler solution:
> 1. Open the jpg in MS Paint
> 2. File -> Save
> 3. Done!
> ...



That's all I've used for over 2tb of music and not one mistake just add resize to 500x500 which displays perfectly and saves that bit more space.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 25, 2017)

I have read that weiss SARACON (costs 1700 USD to license) is the best DSD to pcm converter.

I used a set of tools called SACDIso2EMFLAC and installed weiss saracon, the result was LOSS OF FIDELITY compared to native DSD layback or even "Onthe fly" WM1A down conversion to PCM 24/176.4KHz, stunning, a pro-tool that shaves quality significantly to be notable.

sound more darker and deccay faster , there is distortion in the higher frequencies and warble.

Now I just sue these tools SACD2EMFLAC but uninstalled saracon and quit when it has extracted the DSD stream and just keep the DSD file

These tools used Weiss saracon to make a .CAF file (core audio file) in 24/88.2 or 176.4, configurable in weiss saracon

then used foobar2000 to serach for peaks, deemed useless as i hear high freq distortion. I want to htink it also used foobar to convert them to FLAC

DSD in native sounds awesome, as well when i wand to be it down converted by WM1A and apply the filters to have fun, sounds transparent compared to saracon tools, my two cents


----------



## hattrick15

Lavakugel said:


> Many thanks. I did exactly this and copied this file into my player as Cover.jpg but my wm1a isn't showing it. I tried different files sizes and copied about 3 .jpg files but it isn't showing anything.



You actually need to embed the cover.jpg into each song file, not just copy the cover.jpg onto the WM-1A.  To do this, download Mp3tag (https://www.mp3tag.de/en/download.html).  Then do the following:

1) Clcik the folder icon along the top that has the green check mark on it.  Then find the folder that has your album in it.  Click "Select Folder" at the bottom of the dialog after you have highlighted the folder that has your album in it.
2) You should now see all of the songs in the main part of the main screen
3) From here, click in the bottom part of the main screen (the white area where no songs are listed).  Then press Ctrl+A.  Then will select all songs that are in your album.
4) On the far left side of the screen, you will see a square area.  If your filed have cover art associated with it, it will appear here.  Even if you see artwork here, you want to delete it now.  To do this, right click on the square area and select "Remove Cover".  If there is cover art associated with your files, then "Remove Cover" won't be able to be selected.
5) Right click on the square area again, and select "Add cover...".  A dialog box will appear and will be open to the folder where you song files were located.  Find the .jpg file that you previously converted to a standard jpg.  Clcik "Open" at the bottom of the dialog box.
6) Lastly, click the floppy disc icon at the far left at that top of the main screen.  This will now copy any changes you've made back to your song files.
7) If you want to change any other data associated with your files, you can change it on the main screen.  Just remember to clcik the floppy disc icon at the far left to save your changes.
8) To make changes to other albums, just start again at Step 1 with a new album
9) Finally, copy the song files over to your WM-1A.  

Hopefully this works for you.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 25, 2017)

hattrick15 said:


> You actually need to embed the cover.jpg into each song file, not just copy the cover.jpg onto the WM-1A.  To do this, download Mp3tag (https://www.mp3tag.de/en/download.html).  Then do the following:
> 
> 1) Clcik the folder icon along the top that has the green check mark on it.  Then find the folder that has your album in it.  Click "Select Folder" at the bottom of the dialog after you have highlighted the folder that has your album in it.
> 2) You should now see all of the songs in the main part of the main screen
> ...


If you see my thread of sony walkman tips and tricks i expain this and BatCh MODE, this comes in handy when you have multiple albums to tag but just make sure to select *FRONT COVER*


----------



## nc8000

I’ve put all my DSD and super his FLAC files on my 1Z and yes they do sound better than red book FLAC of the same recordings. The problem is I only really notice the difference when actively doing A/B listening. If I just play some music with intention of enjoying rather than analyzing it the red book version sounds just as good so I’ll just load the red book versions onto the 1Z and then get room for more music and longer battery life. For just enjoying the music the difference is simply not worth it for me which naturally does not mean that the same will be the case for everybody else


----------



## hattrick15

gerelmx1986 said:


> If you see my thread of sony walkman tips and tricks i expain this and BatCh MODE, this comes in handy when you have multiple albums to tag but just make sure to select *FRONT COVER*



Awesome thread!  Wish I had known about your thread.  I had to figure your it out by trial and error.  Love that you have images to support each step.  That is very helpful.


----------



## gerelmx1986

hattrick15 said:


> Awesome thread!  Wish I had known about your thread.  I had to figure your it out by trial and error.  Love that you have images to support each step.  That is very helpful.


Yes mostly i did trial and error since my first walkman OS walkman in 2007, suffered same woes of progressive Jpegs and so on


----------



## Lavakugel

gerelmx1986 said:


> try this https://head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/



This one works fine but it's time consuming, maybe I'll try paint for a quicker result.


----------



## gerelmx1986

WM1A in Christmas mode


----------



## Quadfather

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.


----------



## audionewbi

With WM1A any day is Merry


----------



## twister6

WM1Z + IE800S = Fantastic pair up! and convenience of the modular cable with 4.4mm termination!

Just reviewed IE800S here.  As a matter of fact, I haven't come across a bad pair up with WM1Z yet


----------



## audionewbi

Is the new tip feel grippy or is it a smooth silicon? I had maybe 20 hours of usage of my IE800 as it simply doesnt stay put in my ear. Thanks in advance and love your reviews.


----------



## twister6

audionewbi said:


> Is the new tip feel grippy or is it a smooth silicon? I had maybe 20 hours of usage of my IE800 as it simply doesnt stay put in my ear. Thanks in advance and love your reviews.



Included silicone tips feel silky smooth.  I think the ear anatomy and how oily your skin or how much wax you have can all play contributing factors   From my personal experience, I have used IE800S with silicone tips (the largest one) for many hours in the last few weeks, and found them to be very secure, super comfortable, and providing great seal and isolation.  I was seriously worried about sound leakage and passive isolation due to those large vents in the back.  Found no problem at all, even after extended listening session.  Also, after multiple uses with pulling them out of my ears, the plastic nozzle inside eartips always stayed securely latched.

Btw, US Senns will lend me IE800 for a few days so I can compare the sound; looking forward to that.


----------



## superuser1

We all know the quirky fit of the IE800, did they do anything substantially good with the fit and comfort this time around? Sorry for the off topic.


----------



## twister6

superuser1 said:


> We all know the quirky fit of the IE800, did they do anything substantially good with the fit and comfort this time around? Sorry for the off topic.



The only way to find out is to compare it side-by-side...

and back on topic - the soundstage expansion is unreal driving IE800S with WM1Z from balanced.  Also, such a pleasure using right angled 4.4mm connector without any adapters.


----------



## Mimouille

To those looking for an affordable case, check out the Dignis Midas in my signature !


----------



## samycinema

Quadfather said:


> Surf Cables...around $130 USD
> LQi Cables...$147


Thank you @Quadfather


----------



## JML

In the USA, you can order the 3 Sony plugs online at www.encompassparts.com (one of the two Sony parts distributors) or call 1.800.432.8542, using part #'s 4-574-056-01 ($2.82),4-591-289-0 ($2.34) & 4-591-290-01 ($2.25). They're not in stock, but I placed an order this morning.


----------



## hattrick15

JML said:


> In the USA, you can order the 3 Sony plugs online at www.encompassparts.com (one of the two Sony parts distributors) or call 1.800.432.8542, using part #'s 4-574-056-01 ($2.82),4-591-289-0 ($2.34) & 4-591-290-01 ($2.25). They're not in stock, but I placed an order this morning.



Very helpful.  Thanks for making it so easy to get these plugs.


----------



## Quadfather

hattrick15 said:


> Very helpful.  Thanks for making it so easy to get these plugs.



I just ordered three of each plug


----------



## Fixxer6671

Hey gang. Hope everyone is well. I’ve read as much of this post as I could and searched everything in here so I need to ask:

What is the largest micro card I can use is the 1A unit?

Any help would be appreciated.


----------



## kubig123

Fixxer6671 said:


> Hey gang. Hope everyone is well. I’ve read as much of this post as I could and searched everything in here so I need to ask:
> 
> What is the largest micro card I can use is the 1A unit?
> 
> Any help would be appreciated.



The SanDisk 400gb.


----------



## ezekiel77

Fixxer6671 said:


> Hey gang. Hope everyone is well. I’ve read as much of this post as I could and searched everything in here so I need to ask:
> 
> What is the largest micro card I can use is the 1A unit?
> 
> Any help would be appreciated.


400GB but it'll come up as 366.75GB. As pictured here https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1173#post-13933856


----------



## Fixxer6671

ezekiel77 said:


> 400GB but it'll come up as 366.75GB. As pictured here https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1173#post-13933856



Do you lose 40 gig from the card due to formatting or can you use all of it?


----------



## nc8000 (Dec 27, 2017)

Fixxer6671 said:


> Do you lose 40 gig from the card due to formatting or can you use all of it?



You loose some to formatting but most to marketing as the 2 uses of GB are not the same. 

The 400GB are metric or marketing GB 400x1000x1000x1000 bytes whereas the 366GB formatted capacity are binary GB 366x1024x1024x1024 bytes


----------



## Fixxer6671

Thanks so much for the overview, that helps. 

One last question, anybody into rock / metal blues and have adjusted their EQ on the Sony for it?

I’m used to the Rock EQ on my phone and would like to get a similar cirve in the 10 band EQ. 

When I get sorted I’ll look to do a proper write up. So far the WM1A is a good step up from the iPhone. The extra batter life is nice as well.


----------



## Quadfather

Fixxer6671 said:


> Thanks so much for the overview, that helps.
> 
> One last question, anybody into rock / metal blues and have adjusted their EQ on the Sony for it?
> 
> ...



I love Lamb of God, Hellyeah, Mudvayne, Approaching Dawn, War Curse, Godsmack, Iron Maiden (earlier stuff), Black Sabbath, Dio, Megadeth, Metallica, Judas Priest, and more.  I always listen in direct using Shure SRH1540 headphones in balanced.


----------



## gerelmx1986

You can try to approximate the eq curve on the wm1a eq. There's also a tone control.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Finally there, little container Big Space
> 
> 
> 
> WM1A see full specs 366.75GB


This is the max you can use in both 1A and 1Z


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> This is the max you can use in both 1A and 1Z



Actually this is just the max you can buy at the monent. I fully expect these players to support larger when they eventually come out


----------



## Fixxer6671

gerelmx1986 said:


> You can try to approximate the eq curve on the wm1a eq. There's also a tone control.



Yeah I saw that but can’t get to the tone knobs. So far just the 10 band EQ. I need to play with it more....


----------



## hattrick15

Fixxer6671 said:


> Yeah I saw that but can’t get to the tone knobs. So far just the 10 band EQ. I need to play with it more....



It's confusing on how to access the Tone Control.  To access it, go to the Equalizer screen (swipe up after selecting a song).  Tap the settings icon in the lower right corner.  Then select Tone Control.  This will bring up the knobs.  To revert back to the Equalizer, tap the settings icon again and select Equalizer.


----------



## gerelmx1986

It would have been more intuitive as a toggle switch equalizer <---> tone control


----------



## ledzep

Ha ha ha Amazon what you like !


----------



## Fixxer6671

That’s crazy. I’m loving this player more and more. When I get some more hours on it I’ll write my review.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> Ha ha ha Amazon what you like !


Is av joke or it is real?


----------



## kubig123

ledzep said:


> Ha ha ha Amazon what you like !


Only 400 pounds from a questionable seller.

Sound like a great deal!


----------



## ledzep (Dec 27, 2017)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Is av joke or it is real?



400gb micro and the 512gb SD cards by sandisk are the max

It is on Amazon but it's fake for sure.


----------



## gerelmx1986

MDR-Z7 w/MDR-Z1R balanced cable--> 4,4mm NATIVE DSD playback


----------



## samycinema

flinkenick said:


> Hello everybody,
> 
> A few weeks back I had my 1Z modded, with as highlights quality platinum-based solder and PW Audio 1960 4-Wire internal cabling (which is actually an 8-wire cable due to its coaxial design, that retails as a $2K iem cable). The mod is the second product that iem and cable specialist Music Sanctuary has released under their own brand name, which consists of modifications of existing products by upgrading components; the other being the recently released cable Eos in cooperation with Effect Audio, which uses the same high-grade solder.
> 
> ...


Hi @flinkenick, 
How do you compare the sound of WM1Z with 8-wire/4-wire mod to that of the SP1000?


----------



## Quadfather

Fixxer6671 said:


> That’s crazy. I’m loving this player more and more. When I get some more hours on it I’ll write my review.



I love multiple players for multiple reasons. I do have the Sony in my stable.


----------



## Quadfather

Rush is sounding quite nice on my Sony NW-WM1A!


----------



## gerelmx1986

DSD-files chug the battery, but ah, they sound so amazing


----------



## gerelmx1986

When i upload blurry pics, i am uing a sony xperia XA cellphone, guess camera can't handle screen refresh rate

But pics like last ones of DSD i am using my Alpha NEX a5000 in MF (Manual focus) mode


----------



## kms108

need some help, how do I extract DFF or DSF from a SACD ISO file, which software do I need for this to get good results.


----------



## gerelmx1986

kms108 said:


> need some help, how do I extract DFF or DSF from a SACD ISO file, which software do I need for this to get good results.


I found a set of tools called *sacdISOs2EMflac* It tells you to install weiss engineering saracon, i no longer run weiss saracon as it degrades SQ when converting to 24/88.2 FLAC, i just extract the DFF and keep it as is (DSD)


----------



## superuser1

Even foobar does it however i am unsure about the sound quality.
This is what i used sometime back.
http://www.sonore.us/iso2dsd.html


----------



## gerelmx1986

The one i use is pure command prompt , when foobar lite launches and starts scanning the DSD for peaks, to create a CAF file, which will fail as i don't have the saracon.exe. then I hit CTL+C to quit (once it has extracted the DFF stream!)


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 28, 2017)

If i want to convert my DSFs to FLAC instead i use DbpowerAMP DSD-decoder and set FLAC 16 or 24 bit and multiples of 44.1KHz, for car i convert to mp3 320k also with dbPower

DBPower amp's DSD codec outputs 24/176.4 as nearly as transparent as the DSD-file, the difference is negligible but decided to keep originals


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 28, 2017)

kms108 said:


> need some help, how do I extract DFF or DSF from a SACD ISO file, which software do I need for this to get good results.


Good choice for going DSD. There's something magical on them, that wow me.

I didn't like so much these Marais Pieces de Violes albums, too dark sounding, unamusing, boring viol too little basso continue... problem was saracon 24/88.2 output was as bad as to remove so much high-end detail that turned the recordings rather dark...

Now listening to same Marais Pieces de violes x5 albums in their native DSD and i am thrilled, hearing the details that i never heard before, if you chose to download SACIsos2EMFLAC don't bother with saracon! Bother with a bigger hard drive instead


----------



## Fixxer6671

Does anyone have a preferred card for the Walkman? I’m going to pick one up here shortly. 

This thing is pretty amazing. I have the Stereo unit and this thing is every bit as fun. 

Also bought some Metallica hi-Res reissues and they sound great on this. MOP sounding smoother than the DCC version. Listening. With the Shure 846’s. 

Full review to follow.


----------



## Quadfather

Fixxer6671 said:


> Does anyone have a preferred card for the Walkman? I’m going to pick one up here shortly.
> 
> This thing is pretty amazing. I have the Stereo unit and this thing is every bit as fun.
> 
> ...



Shure SRH1540 headphones are amazing out of the balanced output on the NW-WM1A.  I just sold my SE846.  I have been heavily favoring full-size headphones as of late. I use SanDisk 400gb card.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I second quadfather with the sandisk 400GB mammoth card


----------



## Fixxer6671 (Dec 29, 2017)

Quadfather said:


> Shure SRH1540 headphones are amazing out of the balanced output on the NW-WM1A.  I just sold my SE846.  I have been heavily favoring full-size headphones as of late. I use SanDisk 400gb card.



Your reviews of the 846 were helpful to me when looking to make a purchase as well as demoing other monitors. Now I want to try the filter mods you mentioned.

Anyway I’ll look into this SanDisk 400 card. If that happens I might be able to essentially get a good chunk of my music in there. It’s like my iPod but 10000 times better.

I’ll check out the full size earphones next year.

In the meantime I ordered the 4.4 Sony chord for the 846’s.


----------



## meomap

kms108 said:


> need some help, how do I extract DFF or DSF from a SACD ISO file, which software do I need for this to get good results.



I believe PS3 and utube videos.
People will show how to extract.
I don't have time to look into yet, but I will later.  I have about 20 sacd to try.


----------



## Fixxer6671

Thanks to everyone that has responded. Super helpful. 

Review to come soon.


----------



## kms108

Thanks to all who has recommended the right software for SACD extraction , I will try them out.


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> I found a set of tools called *sacdISOs2EMflac* It tells you to install weiss engineering saracon, i no longer run weiss saracon as it degrades SQ when converting to 24/88.2 FLAC, i just extract the DFF and keep it as is (DSD)


Hi

For output do you use sony or phillips.


Thanks


----------



## hattrick15

gerelmx1986 said:


> I found a set of tools called *sacdISOs2EMflac* It tells you to install weiss engineering saracon, i no longer run weiss saracon as it degrades SQ when converting to 24/88.2 FLAC, i just extract the DFF and keep it as is (DSD)



Can you post a link on where to get *sacdISOs2EMflac*?  A Google search led me nowhere.  Thanks.


----------



## kms108

hattrick15 said:


> Can you post a link on where to get *sacdISOs2EMflac*?  A Google search led me nowhere.  Thanks.


there is a link, back a page.


----------



## nc8000

The problem is getting the iso image in the first place. I have plenty of sacd discs but no hw to rip them


----------



## gerelmx1986

I can put a Dropbox link with the zip files that come with that sacd iso extractor sacdIsos2emflac


----------



## Quadfather

Can somebody post a link to a screen protector that isn't a total pain in the ass to install?


----------



## kubig123

Quadfather said:


> Can somebody post a link to a screen protector that isn't a total pain in the ass to install?


get this one, as long as the screen in dust free it's easy to install.

https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Temp...2?ie=UTF8&qid=1514578196&sr=8-2&keywords=wm1z


----------



## kms108

If you're crap at putting a screen protector on, doesn't matter which one you get, they are all the same to install  Find which ever one you can get hold off and have someone to do it for you, the best is probably the Benks or gamas brand, you can find those on ebay, aliexpress or amazon.


----------



## Quadfather

kubig123 said:


> get this one, as long as the screen in dust free it's easy to install.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Temp...2?ie=UTF8&qid=1514578196&sr=8-2&keywords=wm1z



Funny, I just ordered the same one off eBay


----------



## Quadfather

kms108 said:


> If you're crap at putting a screen protector on, doesn't matter which one you get, they are all the same to install  Find which ever one you can get hold off and have someone to do it for you, the best is probably the Benks or gamas brand, you can find those on ebay, aliexpress or amazon.



I never was able to find the Benks one. Is it specifically for the Sony? I think I'm okay at putting the protectors on I just got that one effing piece of dust on there that screwed it all up...


----------



## Fixxer6671

Wipe it down with alcohol wipes first then spray it with an air can to get all the dust out of the way.


----------



## Quadfather

Fixxer6671 said:


> Wipe it down with alcohol wipes first then spray it with an air can to get all the dust out of the way.



How important is a screen protector if you always have the thing inside an airtight case or a soft velvety pocket with no other stuff in it?


----------



## kubig123

Quadfather said:


> How important is a screen protector if you always have the thing inside an airtight case or a soft velvety pocket with no other stuff in it?



For sure less than gor a smartphone which you use more often.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mine is naked screen and up to now, not a single scratch, just don't put any coins or keys on the same pocket


----------



## proedros

put a screen protector guys , it costs nothing and saves you from all the stress

this is a no-brainer.


----------



## Fixxer6671

I’d say do it but it’s really up to you. If you clean it down first like I mentioned it should be fine. 

That said I don’t handle my Walkman the same as I do my smartphone and I don’t have a screen on my smartphone..... so don’t listen to me I don’t know what I’m doing any more.


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> Mine is naked screen and up to now, not a single scratch, just don't put any coins or keys on the same pocket





proedros said:


> put a screen protector guys , it costs nothing and saves you from all the stress
> 
> this is a no-brainer.



I'm going to try the 9N glass protector for the Sony...


----------



## hattrick15

kms108 said:


> there is a link, back a page.



The only link I see is to Sonore's software (http://www.sonore.us/iso2dsd.html), not *sacdISOs2EMflac. *


----------



## hattrick15

gerelmx1986 said:


> I can put a Dropbox link with the zip files that come with that sacd iso extractor sacdIsos2emflac



Thank you.


----------



## Mimouille

proedros said:


> put a screen protector guys , it costs nothing and saves you from all the stress
> 
> this is a no-brainer.


I bought 4 WM1Z, 2 for my dog and 2 for me, so if I scratch the screen I'll just just give it to my 1 year old son as a chew toy.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 29, 2017)

I will be checing the dropbox or other hoster, trying w/google drive


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> I will be checing the dropbox or other hoster, trying w/google drive


https://drive.google.com/open?id=10kYHBPUgSb71dm6RXNFWVaA29Uo5L0CO

Here it is the zipped folder for SACDIsos2EMFLAC


----------



## hattrick15

gerelmx1986 said:


> https://drive.google.com/open?id=10kYHBPUgSb71dm6RXNFWVaA29Uo5L0CO
> 
> Here it is the zipped folder for SACDIsos2EMFLAC



Got it.  Much appreciated!


----------



## gerelmx1986

HOW TO USE SacdISOs2EMFLAC files​Here i will show how to use the files, donot rename any files dont move any program from the folder called "prgrams"

Step 1. Copy to where you want the SacdIsos2EMFLAC zip and uncompress


Step 2. Once you have unzipped the SACDISOs2EMFLAC , copy your SACD ISO file to the root of SACDISOs2EMFLAC folder

3.  Once your ISO is copied, Click one of the Bat files, a) 2CHsacdISOs2EMflac will output a stereo DFF file, b) MCHsacdISOs2EMflac will output a Multi-channel DFF file and finally C) MCH_and_2CHsacdISOs2EMflac will output both a multi-channel and a stereo dff files

Step 4. Once clicked it will start extracting the DSD-Stream, when it finishes, a Foobar 2000 portable window will open and start Foo DR (OPTIONAL IF YOU WANT TI TO BE MADE INTO FLAC 24/88.2 by installing weiss SARACON)

step 5. If you only want the DFF files, Close fooBar 200 and in Command line Hit CTRL + C to end, if propmted to end Batch Jobs (Y/N)? hit Y


step 6. You will see a generated folder with the DFF file in it, copy that dff to whatever place you want and finish


REPEAT for other SACD ISOs


----------



## gerelmx1986

Optional step Split that huge DFF into smaller DFF or DSF tracks With TEAC HI-RES EDITOR (Free)


----------



## samycinema

Can I run 4.4mm Pentaconn to RCA unbalanced?


----------



## kms108

hattrick15 said:


> The only link I see is to Sonore's software (http://www.sonore.us/iso2dsd.html), not *sacdISOs2EMflac. *


Sorry, I though it was until I looked closer, anyway the program in the link is pretty easy to use.


----------



## kms108 (Dec 29, 2017)

What is the differences between dff and dsf, all I know I can use mp3tag to rename the information on the dsf, but diff is not possible, anyone know a program that can rename the tag info for dff files.


----------



## gerelmx1986

sacdISOs2EMflac.  May look difficult to perform, but IMHO it produces the best Sound, heavenly details i never heard before (if we skip flac conversion) even with TEAC hi-res editor track splitting the sound is quite amazing


----------



## nc8000

samycinema said:


> Can I run 4.4mm Pentaconn to RCA unbalanced?



No


----------



## samycinema

nc8000 said:


> No


Even with an adaptor?


----------



## ttt123

samycinema said:


> Even with an adaptor?


On the RCA equipment side (whatever you plug the RCA into), the ground is common, so that shorts the WM1x balanced/separate grounds together.  Not a good idea.


----------



## ledzep

Female 4.4mm trrrs wanted to re terminate a PHA3 cable any ideas who's selling them


----------



## kms108

most of them are available in taobao or aliexpress, its also available in Japan but much more expensive.


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> Optional step Split that huge DFF into smaller DFF or DSF tracks With TEAC HI-RES EDITOR (Free)


can this program convert DFF to DSF.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 30, 2017)

kms108 said:


> can this program convert DFF to DSF.


 yes select export and then DSF


----------



## gerelmx1986

kms108 said:


> What is the differences between dff and dsf, all I know I can use mp3tag to rename the information on the dsf, but diff is not possible, anyone know a program that can rename the tag info for dff files.


DSF and DFF are the same data.-stream but DSF has the additional Tagging fields


----------



## AnakChan

Made an XLR to 4.4mm (Effect Audio) adapter today. Soldering the 4.4mm end was. PITA esp with the Oyaide Augline Pt+ PTFE 0.6mm single solid core :-






Primarily for the Massdrop Focal Elex :-


----------



## flyer1 (Dec 30, 2017)

After 10 hours in on my 1Z listening with Z5's on balanced high gain, having tried all firmwares,  I have to say I am deeply impressed with it.

Coming from my Z1060 which I used since 2012 it must have left an imprint in my brain.

Using the 1Z on FW 2.0 making use of the phase linearizer on Standard B and no EQ, it is like a much improved Z1060 to me. Much more detail, 3d like positioning of instruments and higher quality bass though a bit less in quantity.

With the phase linearizer on it provides me with the analog type of sound I enjoyed from my previous DAP and also provides a bit more bass.

As both my Z5 and 1Z are new I believe I can expect changes in sound with burn in? What will happen in the bass department over time?


----------



## Lavakugel

Is this Z5 iem good sounding? Is this comparable with CA or Noble?


----------



## mw7485 (Dec 30, 2017)

flyer1 said:


> After 10 hours in on my 1Z listening with Z5's on balanced high gain, having tried all firmwares,  I have to say I am deeply impressed with it.
> 
> Coming from my Z1060 which I used since 2012 it must have left an imprint in my brain.
> 
> ...



Its been a long time since I started listening with this combination, and so my memory is somewhat veiled. However, for me, I think I am prepared to say that the listening experience in general has become more refined in terms of bass, detail, clarity and separation as time has gone on. Its a great combination. I've changed to the JVC Spiral Dots tips (large), as I find they sit better in my ears than the stock tips. I also use the Kimber balanced cable as I find the stock X5 cable too long and weeney.  I would not now part with this setup for anything else portable-wise. I have attained portable sonic enlightenment  (for now!).


----------



## kms108

I now use the software from sonore to extract DSF from SACD iso and the teac software for converting DFF to DSF, will get very busy now downloading iso and DSF files that i ignored before as I didnt know how to deal with it.

Thanks to all especially @gerelmx1986 and @superuser1 for the information and help.


----------



## flyer1

mw7485 said:


> Its been a long time since I started listening with this combination, and so my memory is somewhat veiled. However, for me, I think I am prepared to say that the listening experience in general has become more refined in terms of bass, detail, clarity and separation as time has gone on. Its a great combination. I've changed to the JVC Spiral Dots tips (large), as I find they sit better in my ears than the stock tips. I also use the Kimber balanced cable as I find the stock X5 cable too long and weeney.  I would not now part with this setup for anything else portable-wise. I have attained portable sonic enlightenment  (for now!).



Thanks. I did notice that eartip fit is crucial in the experience of the Z5's. None of the Sony supplied tips worked for me but luckily I have a supply of tips from my ATH cks 77 that are a good fit. Will definitely also try those spiral dot tips. Thanks for the tip!


----------



## gerelmx1986

kms108 said:


> I now use the software from sonore to extract DSF from SACD iso and the teac software for converting DFF to DSF, will get very busy now downloading iso and DSF files that i ignored before as I didnt know how to deal with it.
> 
> Thanks to all especially @gerelmx1986 and @superuser1 for the information and help.


I am looking for this in DSD iso but I haven't found it yet, I had it converted to FLAC with disastrous results, now the iso is no where to be found 

http://www.glossamusic.com/glossa/reference.aspx?id=256


----------



## Lemieux66

What disc drive do you use to extract DFF files from SACDs?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lemieux66 said:


> What disc drive do you use to extract DFF files from SACDs?


I don't rip SACD, I just download iso from the internet and extract the DFF


----------



## ledzep

flyer1 said:


> Thanks. I did notice that eartip fit is crucial in the experience of the Z5's. None of the Sony supplied tips worked for me but luckily I have a supply of tips from my ATH cks 77 that are a good fit. Will definitely also try those spiral dot tips. Thanks for the tip!



Spinfit twin blades work a treat and I've tried a lot of tips .... A lot !


----------



## Lemieux66

gerelmx1986 said:


> I don't rip SACD, I just download iso from the internet and extract the DFF



Ah I see. A friend recently showed me how to download DFF and DSF files but not ISOs. I'd love to rip my Classical SACDs but the method I saw on Computer Audiophile involving Oppo and Pioneer disc players sounds very technical.


----------



## kms108

There are a few drives that also do this, including the first generation PS3.


----------



## kubig123

Lemieux66 said:


> Ah I see. A friend recently showed me how to download DFF and DSF files but not ISOs. I'd love to rip my Classical SACDs but the method I saw on Computer Audiophile involving Oppo and Pioneer disc players sounds very technical.



It’s not so complicated, you need an oppo 103 or 203 or, cheaper, a pioneer 160 and change some parameters in the setting

The most delicate part is the usb drive and the files you need to copy into.
The disc player needs to be connected to a router.
I took me few trials to make it work, but once it worked I was able to download a sacd in less than 15 minutes.


----------



## Lemieux66

kubig123 said:


> It’s not so complicated, you need an oppo 103 or 203 or, cheaper, a pioneer 160 and change some parameters in the setting
> 
> The most delicate part is the usb drive and the files you need to copy into.
> The disc player needs to be connected to a router.
> I took me few trials to make it work, but once it worked I was able to download a sacd in less than 15 minutes.



I'll have to get my friend to help me. As I've got a lot of SACDs to rip, it'll save a lot of money buying an Oppo/Pioneer player given the inexplicably high price of DSD downloads.


----------



## Quadfather

Time for an adventure!


----------



## kubig123

Lemieux66 said:


> I'll have to get my friend to help me. As I've got a lot of SACDs to rip, it'll save a lot of money buying an Oppo/Pioneer player given the inexplicably high price of DSD downloads.



The cheapest option is the pioneer, not easy to find them. I got 2 from buyee. I used it only to import sacds.

The oppo is a good investment is you are considering to use it as cd and DVD player.


----------



## Jamiroquai

Am I correct in that the equalizer doesn't work when playing native dsd files in balanced mode.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yes EQ and DSPs don't work in Native mode, i also noted it doesn't beep (when you press a button) . and i heard a very faint click when switching from PCM to DSD album or visceversa


----------



## Jamiroquai

Cool, that was my experience as well. Just the relay click and tasty music.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Music center music transfers to walkman are slow. It transfer a bunch of files, stops to think something for a very long time, transfers another bunch and again stops to think, repeats this until it finishes


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 1, 2018)

Music center does not detect FILE CHANGES, i had to redownload osme Haydn box-set due to bad cue splitting, re did the files correctly and did tag copy/paste in  MP3TAG but mudic center did not detctect new track timings

Had to delete the albums and hit import folder again to make it refresh the new changes

EDIT: Media GO downloads are still active, But during installation, the video playback engine download gives an error that cannot be downloaded. Howerver the Music part of Media Go installed just fine


----------



## gerelmx1986

Goldberg Variations on a Silbermann Organ in Dresden Germany


----------



## Mimouille

gerelmx1986 said:


> Goldberg Variations on a Silbermann Organ in Dresden Germany


Is that the version with Rihanna?


----------



## Mathieulh

I purchased both of these cables:

http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=5812
http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=5804

which according to the description were supposed to be balanced (I must admit, I have had my doubts), I tested both using my voltmeter as soon as they arrived today both of them appear to have the R+ and L- connections as well as the R+ and R- connections shorted, (which goes against the pentaconn 4.4mm specifications), equipment using pentaconn 4.4mm require balanced cable, it seems the grounds are shorted once connecting the cables to their respective headphones, if I am to use these cables I would likely short/damage my audio source (NW-ZX300), I tried one of the cables for about 20 seconds at low volume and they display the distinctive hum that happens when grounds are shorted, I would not dare use further.

I contacted lunashops support who gave me this reply:



> It will not cause any damage, don't worry, just like a balance cable to normal cable converter cable, will not cause any damage...



My somewhat relative knowledge in electronics screams at me not to trust this statement though, unless anyone here proves me wrong I feel tempted to start a paypal claim, what do you think?


----------



## Matrix Petka

Mathieulh said:


> I purchased both of these cables:
> 
> http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=5812
> http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=5804
> ...



You are absolutely right. Luna shop have no idea what they are doing. 3 contacts conector to headphones explatiins everything - both grounds are shorted. To use balanced with such tipe of headphones, you need not even change cable, but internal wiring of headphones and connector. 
Just ask for refund.


----------



## nc8000

Mathieulh said:


> I purchased both of these cables:
> 
> http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=5812
> http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=5804
> ...



Yes neither of those cables will ever work and may damage your player. You can’t go from balanced output to single ended.


----------



## Mathieulh (Jan 2, 2018)

Matrix Petka said:


> You are absolutely right. Luna shop have no idea what they are doing. 3 contacts conector to headphones explatiins everything - both grounds are shorted. To use balanced with such tipe of headphones, you need not even change cable, but internal wiring of headphones and connector.
> Just ask for refund.


Here you go, paypal claim filled:


----------



## Shureman

Just when you think the there is no room for improvement on the WM1A/1Z. I tried this local mod shop. They changed the capacitance, internal wires, put shielding all around the unit. After listening to the test unit (A modded WM1A), I made the jump. I just got my WM1Z back yesterday. So far, I can say it's the best DAP I have heard. I love it.


----------



## kms108

Mathieulh said:


> Here you go, paypal claim filled:


TBH did you ask for a refund first before this claim, as I don't trust Paypal anymore, from one of my claim with paypal, for all I know they only go by the details on what they think is right, my claim was a listing from Ebay (i was the seller), and they say they only go for information what they claim is right, and don't take the information listed as references, and it's 50/50 chance, plus I hate the 180 days claim policies instead of the previous 45 days.

I only use Paypal to transfer money and to make credit card purchase now.


good luck.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mimouille said:


> Is that the version with Rihanna?


LOL no, but certainly Rihanna would be better than beiber lol


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> LOL no, but certainly Rihanna would be better than beiber lol



Not sure Sony Music Center can manage Beiber


----------



## gerelmx1986

I still struggle to find a correct timing for a Screenshot on the wm1a, if Sony had implemented a power-off /Screenshot menu like Android


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have noted that sound changes when switching source direct on and off, even with all DSP set to off there is a warmer signature than on direct on


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have noted that sound changes when switching source direct on and off, even with all DSP set to off there is a warmer signature than on direct on


Even if direct is off, the signal is still passing through the circuit, with direct on, you are sure every thing is totally off.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 2, 2018)

Good news, got contacted by qobuz, after I wrote an email to them. They will begin offering DSD downloads in summer 2018

"Hello,

Thank you for your message.

We have decided to upload DSD files.
This will happen by the summer of 2018.
We are reluctant to give you a date, but, know it, this point is at the forefront of future improvements.

Thank you for your suggestion,
Best regards.

QOBUZ
Customer Service"


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Shureman said:


> Just when you think the there is no room for improvement on the WM1A/1Z. I tried this local mod shop. They changed the capacitance, internal wires, put shielding all around the unit. After listening to the test unit (A modded WM1A), I made the jump. I just got my WM1Z back yesterday. So far, I can say it's the best DAP I have heard. I love it.



Can you comment on sound changes eg treble, mids, bass, clarity, resolution, dynamics etc?


----------



## Fixxer6671

This is the next logical step.  If the DAP can be modded with Kimber cables, and shielding then you are getting closer to the 1Z. If the cost of a few hundred dollars it a tough one but at some point you are better off just going all in with the 1Z. 

For me I’d have to hear significant improvement, but even then I think I’d rather buy music the. Keep dumping money into a DAP.


----------



## ledzep

Better off investing in a good pair of headphones that match well with the player than pumping more money into an already great player just to get a placebo effect.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Why is a lossy process converting DSD to PCM?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 2, 2018)

Vol. 90-100/120 with DSD, no problem with my MDR-Z7


----------



## blazinblazin (Jan 2, 2018)

Looks like Spotify got hit by Copyright lawsuits.

Guess SONY somehow made a right choice afterall.


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> Looks like Spotify got hit by Copyright lawsuits.
> 
> Guess SONY somehow made a right choice afterall.


 Stand-alone Offline Lossless  Music Library FTW!!


----------



## Quadfather

Fixxer6671 said:


> This is the next logical step.  If the DAP can be modded with Kimber cables, and shielding then you are getting closer to the 1Z. If the cost of a few hundred dollars it a tough one but at some point you are better off just going all in with the 1Z.
> 
> For me I’d have to hear significant improvement, but even then I think I’d rather buy music the. Keep dumping money into a DAP.




I would like to buy this...


----------



## Fixxer6671

Quadfather said:


> I would like to buy this...



That's pretty portable!


----------



## Quadfather

Fixxer6671 said:


> That's pretty portable!



Since my HD650 are hard to drive, I will make them part of my amped home setup.  My Lotoo Paw Gold Diana drives them, but I believe they will give me more with a nice tube amp.


----------



## Quadfather

My 4.4mm balanced cable is out for repair.  Unfortunately I don't get the magical combination of Shure SRH1540 headphones with the Sony NW-WM1A.  I love my paw gold, but the 1540s just aren't as magical on it so I'll switch over to my Nighthawks.


----------



## meomap

Hi,

Listening right now with 1Z / AFC / Moon Audio Silver Dragon 4.4 mm cable ( just bought ) = Very good synergy.

137 hrs of play times.
Sultan of Swing.
Hell Yeh.


----------



## Quadfather (Jan 4, 2018)

I have some really great players considered higher end, but when I put my Sony NW WM1A into my listening rotation and get wowed.  Such beautiful presentation.


----------



## Shureman

hamhamhamsta said:


> Can you comment on sound changes eg treble, mids, bass, clarity, resolution, dynamics etc?



Upon AB the old unit, the mod unit is much better on clarity without "thining" the sound. You probably familiar with how the stock unit sounds on the bass. The mod clear up the "fog" and the bass goes much deeper and tighter.  I have the Audio 64 A18, it now sounds much more neutral. Overall, it brings a cleaner and more dynamic sound.


----------



## roses77

hattrick15 said:


> 1Z > Effect Audio Lionhart balanced > 64 Audio A18
> 
> I had the opportunity to have for about a week two WM1Z units that each had slightly over 200 hours on them.  I loaded 1.2 on one unit and 2.0 on the other.  Then I compared the sound using multiple tracks at the same volume.  In the end, I decided to stick with 2.0.  To me, it has better layering of the sound and greater soundstage. I could hear individual instruments more clearly.  It is a bit more reference sounding than 1.2, but for my tastes, I like that.  I found 1.2 to be a bit too dark and a little bit congested compared to 2.0.



Yes I agree I changed back to 2.0v as on my Sony WM1Z I has over 425hrs burn in, I use direct source it has enough bass for songs that need it. 3D soundstage & depth as when I turn on EQ it has deeper bigger bass, that I switch back to direct source turn up volume to 50-55, will prolong battery life. Direct source sounds better with 2.0v has more resolution & instrument separation.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Today I have one year with my WM1A, in this year I've clocked a total of 3097 hours


----------



## Gosod

I would be interested to know how this player will play with headphones HD650?


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Today I have one year with my WM1A, in this year I've clocked a total of 3097 hours



1100 hours in 11 months


----------



## gerelmx1986

I bet cables do make a difference, while my z5 cables don't arrive yet, but I can attest this because my mdr-z7 have the z1r cables... Xba-z5 with stock cables sound less resolving and smaller Soundstage than the MDR-Z7 with z1r cables, z7 sound resolving, big spacious stage.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Sony Kimber Cables for Z5 makes the player sound stunning. I bought an XBA-A2 also for more casual use and need to get one kimber for that. I have had the Z5 from release but I need to prolong its life with the A2


----------



## Gosod

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Sony Kimber Cables for Z5 makes the player sound stunning. I bought an XBA-A2 also for more casual use and need to get one kimber for that. I have had the Z5 from release but I need to prolong its life with the A2


What is this cable? and what changes in sound?


----------



## Fixxer6671

Gosod said:


> What is this cable? and what changes in sound?



The cable is a collaboration with Kimber for their 4.4mm jack. It has MMCX connectors as well. 

I ordered this and expect to get it shortly. I ordered it over the moon audio cause I figure Sony did enough research and R&D to know how this should pair with the player.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I feel xba-z5 want to go e more performance out of my WM1A but are bottlenecked by the stock cables, hope my MUC-M12SNB1 arrives soon


----------



## flyer1 (Jan 4, 2018)

roses77 said:


> Yes I agree I changed back to 2.0v as on my Sony WM1Z I has over 425hrs burn in, I use direct source it has enough bass for songs that need it. 3D soundstage & depth as when I turn on EQ it has deeper bigger bass, that I switch back to direct source turn up volume to 50-55, will prolong battery life. Direct source sounds better with 2.0v has more resolution & instrument separation.



About 30 hours in on my 1z listening on balanced with Z5's I just went back from FW2.0 to 1.2.

I noticed quicker  listening fatigue on 2.0 and while it is more detailed somehow missing some 'fun' in its sound signature. Maybe the extra detail and seperation tires me and makes me overanalyse its sound. Direct source I often didn't like on 2.0 but is always great for me on 1.2. Guess I am a bit of a basshead as well..


----------



## proedros

probably a dumb question

my wm1a shut down as i was listening (battery drained out)

does it need some charging up before being put back on ?

i press the power key after charging it for 5 minutes but i get nothing

what gives ?

edit : nvm , after charging some more it came back to life hurrah


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> probably a dumb question
> 
> my wm1a shut down as i was listening (battery drained out)
> 
> ...


yes when it shuts down due to low battery for me after some 10 minutes it comes back to life. 

One word of caution, don't drain your battery to  shutdown too often otherwise you will kill it sooner, ich argentino when it has either one bar left or flashing icon, tho I let it drain to zero once every two or once every month


----------



## TSAVJason

proedros said:


> probably a dumb question
> 
> my wm1a shut down as i was listening (battery drained out)
> 
> ...


 
Stop trying to use it when partially charge or drained. Let it get to a full charge again and avoid like hell letting it drop to the point of shut down. When you do you are affecting the battery memory and will no longer take a full charge.


----------



## proedros

TSAVJason said:


> Stop trying to use it when partially charge or drained. Let it get to a full charge again and avoid like hell letting it drop to the point of shut down. When you do you are affecting the battery memory and will no longer take a full charge.



this was the first time it shut down due to battery drainage as i was enjoying music too much and lost tarck of the battery

 i usually recharge it fully (up to 90%) and start hearing again , once it has reached one bar if battery


----------



## Blueoris (Jan 4, 2018)

Gosod said:


> I would be interested to know how this player will play with headphones HD650?



I have been enjoying 1Z with HD600. Please note that I listen at lower volume levels than the average person. 

I am very happy with this combination. The HD600 (subjectively) won't add or take anything from the 1Z.

I drive these headphones through the single ended output, at normal gain. The volume levels are between 70 and 95, depending on the song (most of the time, I am on 80).

I haven't listen the 1A or the HD650, but according to what I have read, I believe that for me, it will be the preferred combination.


----------



## Quadfather

Who has used Lqi Cables on Sony balanced with Audioquest Nighthawks?


----------



## TSAVJason

proedros said:


> this was the first time it shut down due to battery drainage as i was enjoying music too much and lost tarck of the battery
> 
> i usually recharge it fully (up to 90%) and start hearing again , once it has reached one bar if battery




I know it’s not always convenient but do your best to let it get to 100% charged up over night when you go to bed. You’ll get much better battery life and your battery will last longer on each charge


----------



## DONTGIVEUP (Jan 4, 2018)

Gosod said:


> What is this cable? and what changes in sound?



Sony own Kimber cable. Sounds good to my ears.


----------



## sbho1

flyer1 said:


> About 30 hours in on my 1z listening on balanced with Z5's I just went back from FW2.0 to 1.2.
> 
> I noticed quicker  listening fatigue on 2.0 and while it is more detailed somehow missing some 'fun' in its sound signature. Maybe the extra detail and seperation tires me and makes me overanalyse its sound. Direct source I often didn't like on 2.0 but is always great for me on 1.2. Guess I am a bit of a basshead as well..



Yes, I have the same finding as you ....in fact I don’t feel FW1.2 lack any details , in my case I use Sony’s flagship headphone Z1R, with the upgraded Sony Kimble Cable which actually delivering full quantity of treble with fine details, very well match with FW1.2.  For those who use Sony’s stock cable for Z1R, might say FW2.0 sound better, this is because the stock cable is very much inferior it actually reduce and smoothen the high frequency details, making it seems as FW2.0 sound better matching with the system.  In fact it is true , if using Sony inferior stock cable u need FW2.0 to make it sound better. If your are using Sony Kimbler cable which is actually delivery full details , the Fw1.2 just sufficient., and similarly if the Sony Kimbler Cable is use on Fw2.0 , the quantity of treble become very much excessive , will make one fatigue of using Fw2.0.  
By the way, my advise for those who only has the stock cable from Z1R , better get a better cable Sony Kimbler cable to replace it to enjoy the full capacity of the headphone when using with the premium player 1Z... ... else no point to spend so much money on such flagship products.


----------



## flyer1 (Jan 4, 2018)

sbho1 said:


> Yes, I have the same finding as you ....in fact I don’t feel FW1.2 lack any details , in my case I use Sony’s flagship headphone Z1R, with the upgraded Sony Kimble Cable which actually delivering full quantity of treble with fine details, very well match with FW1.2.  For those who use Sony’s stock cable for Z1R, might say FW2.0 sound better, this is because the stock cable is very much inferior it actually reduce and smoothen the high frequency details, making it seems as FW2.0 sound better matching with the system.  In fact it is true , if using Sony inferior stock cable u need FW2.0 to make it sound better. If your are using Sony Kimbler cable which is actually delivery full details , the Fw1.2 just sufficient., and similarly if the Sony Kimbler Cable is use on Fw2.0 , the quantity of treble become very much excessive , will make one fatigue of using Fw2.0.
> By the way, my advise for those who only has the stock cable from Z1R , better get a better cable Sony Kimbler cable to replace it to enjoy the full capacity of the headphone when using with the premium player 1Z... ... else no point to spend so much money on such flagship products.



Using the 1z on FW 1.2 together with the Z5 and muc12sb1 cable seems like best synergy to me as well..  I bet Sony tunes their stuff to match well together especially when introducing a new high end DAP.

No clue why they changed this with FW 2.0 other then to please a bigger crowd who is using mainstream inputs on SE and making use of other brands. The Z5 for example is not sold anymore here in Europe.. 

At least they made sure we can easily switch between FW. They knew they would otherwise disappoint us.
Switching between FW easy has not always been the case with Sony DAP's in the past..


----------



## proedros

TSAVJason said:


> I know it’s not always convenient but do your best to let it get to 100% charged up over night when you go to bed. You’ll get much better battery life and your battery will last longer on each charge



sony has an ''optimum charge'' option , where the batery goes to 90%

i also read some articles which state that a charge between 20/80-90% is optimum

your feedback here is welcome , i am not an expert on battery usage/drainage

cheers


----------



## TSAVJason

proedros said:


> sony has an ''optimum charge'' option , where the batery goes to 90%
> 
> i also read some articles which state that a charge between 20/80-90% is optimum
> 
> ...



What you don’t want to happen is to cause battery memory limits. So letting it drain down to 20 is good and giving it a full charge  makes the battery understand it’s storage better.


----------



## sbho1

flyer1 said:


> Using the 1z on FW 1.2 together with the Z5 and muc12sb1 cable seems like best synergy to me as well..  I bet Sony tunes their stuff to match well together especially when introducing a new high end DAP.
> 
> No clue why they changed this with FW 2.0 other then to please a bigger crowd who is using mainstream inputs on SE and making use of other brands.
> 
> ...



Yes, u have exactly same opinion as me that Sony should provides an easy, flexible way of selections of past and new sound signatures. You may refer to my past few posts , advocates for such features ..... not sure Sony will be so nice to us coming out another new FW with such selection features.


----------



## flyer1 (Jan 5, 2018)

proedros said:


> sony has an ''optimum charge'' option , where the batery goes to 90%
> 
> i also read some articles which state that a charge between 20/80-90% is optimum
> 
> ...



The manual does specifically state to perform a full charge, meaning 100% after every shutdown due low power. I guess for charge calibration reasons.


----------



## gerelmx1986

flyer1 said:


> The manual does specifically state to perform a full charge, meaning 100% after every shutdown due low power.


But don't do a full discharge too often or you'll end up killing your battery sooner, I've ruined two laptop batteries like this and many Walkman and my ipod battery too


----------



## ttt123

gerelmx1986 said:


> But don't do a full discharge too often or you'll end up killing your battery sooner, I've ruined two laptop batteries like this and many Walkman and my ipod battery too


Agree, here is a good article:  http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries 
Similar to a mechanical device that wears out faster with heavy use, the depth of discharge (DoD) determines the cycle count of the battery. The smaller the discharge (low DoD), the longer the battery will last. If at all possible, avoid full discharges and charge the battery more often between uses. Partial discharge on Li-ion is fine. There is no memory and the battery does not need periodic full discharge cycles to prolong life. *The exception may be a periodic calibration of the fuel gauge on a smart battery or intelligent device. *(See BU-603: How to Calibrate a “Smart” Battery)

Good general practice is:
- avoid deep discharge/charge.  Stresses the battery, and a high current charge rate caused by a depleted battery creates heat, which is the nemesis of li-ion batteries.  Check how hot a fully discharged battery gets, when on the charger.  
- A charge circuit does not use constant current.  It uses high current for a depleted battery, and lowers the current as the charge level increases.
- partial discharged battery charges at a lower current (this is controlled by the battery or device charge circuit), which is less stress, and causes less heat.
Other than these general guidelines, li-ion batteries are pretty forgiving.


----------



## Matrix Petka

My new Christmas toy to play with WM1A


----------



## Quadfather

kubig123 said:


> does the WM1A/Z support such card?



Yes indeed. I am using one now.


----------



## Lavakugel

Is this meaning to unmark box charge until 90% so it's fully charging to 100%. Doing opposite as sony says?


----------



## ttt123

Lavakugel said:


> Is this meaning to unmark box charge until 90% so it's fully charging to 100%. Doing opposite as sony says?


No, leave the box checked.  There is more than enough battery life at 90% anyways.  Only charging to 90% extends the battery life.  This option is also found on PCs, and other devices.


----------



## kms108

When checked, do we just charge the unit to full, which is equal to 90%.


----------



## liquidsn

Dignis case owners. I hear you can’t fit on a case on if you have tempered glass screen for protection. Is this true?  Or is the fit too tight


----------



## kubig123

liquidsn said:


> Dignis case owners. I hear you can’t fit on a case on if you have tempered glass screen for protection. Is this true?  Or is the fit too tight



Absolutely no, the wm1 fit perfectly with the glass screen on.


----------



## nc8000

kms108 said:


> When checked, do we just charge the unit to full, which is equal to 90%.



Exactly. As I understand it also turns off the unit when the charge reaches 5% rather than going to 0%


----------



## kms108

It's a shame, many companies offer many features, but lack detailed information, just a basic explanation, and even the companies staff knows nothing about it.


----------



## twister6

kubig123 said:


> Absolutely no, the wm1 fit perfectly with the glass screen on.



And you can easily slide the case out and back in without a problem?  Case fit is very tight, I'm worried it will lift the glass screen protector up when sliding in.


----------



## kubig123

twister6 said:


> And you can easily slide the case out and back in without a problem?  Case fit is very tight, I'm worried it will lift the glass screen protector up when sliding in.



Yes, even if the fit is very tight the glass will stay on without any issue.

I use the back of a pencil to push the player out of the case.


----------



## Mimouille

liquidsn said:


> Dignis case owners. I hear you can’t fit on a case on if you have tempered glass screen for protection. Is this true?  Or is the fit too tight


No issue there. And by the way, I have a spare Dignis for sale


----------



## ezekiel77

Matrix Petka said:


> My new Christmas toy to play with WM1A


Wonderful! Does the WM1A drive the 800S well? I have yet to try because I don't have a balanced 4.4mm cable for it yet.


----------



## samycinema

ezekiel77 said:


> Wonderful! Does the WM1A drive the 800S well? I have yet to try because I don't have a balanced 4.4mm cable for it yet.


I’d think 800S is more suited for 1Z than 1A, given the 1Z has more warmth and less articulation than 1A? 
In fact I’m considering getting one for my 1Z, just not sure how it’ll drive them, since they’re 300 ohms.


----------



## Lavakugel

Driving my HD600 on Wm1a SE but be aware that direct mode will not sound good, you have to disable it and work with EQ to reach full potential.


----------



## Matrix Petka

ezekiel77 said:


> Wonderful! Does the WM1A drive the 800S well? I have yet to try because I don't have a balanced 4.4mm cable for it yet.


SE output lack a bit of power. Balanced - strong enough to drive properly. HD800 S passed first stage of moding - internal wires changed to silver (original one tooo thin), custom made leather earpads with perfect seal and positioning, modificated acousting chamber to minimize vibrations and distortion. Stage II coming soon.


----------



## Fixxer6671

For those of you looking at this, this is my experience with the 400gb card.

The 400gb micro SD card works as advertised, so that is a good to go.  What is a little annoying is you need to manually manage the internal sotrage until full, then kick over to the external storage using the music import app.

Said differently, you can't select 300 gb of music and let it transfer automagically as it will not automatically flip to loading the external micro sd without manual intervention.

That said, this player sounds fantastic.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Fixxer6671 said:


> For those of you looking at this, this is my experience with the 400gb card.
> 
> The 400gb micro SD card works as advertised, so that is a good to go.  What is a little annoying is you need to manually manage the internal sotrage until full, then kick over to the external storage using the music import app.
> 
> ...


You are using Music center? or media Go, i don't remember if media lo lets you do this and automatically switches storage after one fills completely


----------



## gerelmx1986

MUSIC CENTER = Sonicstage V... They just renamed Sonicstage to Music center, see images of the UI it is the same Ux


----------



## Fixxer6671

gerelmx1986 said:


> You are using Music center? or media Go, i don't remember if media lo lets you do this and automatically switches storage after one fills completely



I'm on a MAC, and using the sony software.

What do I need to get?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Fixxer6671 said:


> I'm on a MAC, and using the sony software.
> 
> What do I need to get?


I am using windows hence i have media Go and yes media Go automatically switches storage spaces after f.e the internal fills out it switches to the micro SD card


----------



## Mimouille

For those looking for an outside pouch, Moleskine does the trick.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Question for those who use DSEE HX.

How much battery life you get (only using dsee hx)? I am using it right now to drain my battery and do a battery reset procedure and found some CDs to sound weird but some sound fabulous


----------



## gerelmx1986

Do DSD files include a CRC or MD5 checksum like flac?


----------



## Stephen George

for those aching to get rid of some of the cabling

tested the sony MUC-M1BT1 wireless mmcx cable with beyerdynamic teslas

connects great with aptx and  NFC, very nice sound

beyerdynamic is coming out with their own and hopefully lighter wireless BT mmcx cable


----------



## Fixxer6671

Anybody using a leather case with their unit and care to share?  I have a rubber case that forms to the unit and is very nice, but would like something leather.  Any ideas out there?


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

Have a WM1A bought here in Japan.
Any way to set language to english? Not available in menu


----------



## Stephen George

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Have a WM1A bought here in Japan.
> Any way to set language to english? Not available in menu



easy to fix, you have to re-firmware it, don't have the link handy, but it's right in the forum over and over

u need a pc to do this


----------



## superuser1

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Have a WM1A bought here in Japan.
> Any way to set language to english? Not available in menu


you have to use the rockbox tool to change the region code.
https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

Stephen George said:


> easy to fix, you have to re-firmware it, don't have the link handy, but it's right in the forum over and over
> 
> u need a pc to do this



Thanks, I got a PC searching threads is a nightmare now if anyone reads this and knows that link i would be much appreciative


----------



## Stephen George

superuser1 said:


> you have to use the rockbox tool to change the region code.
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool



truly superuser!


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

superuser1 said:


> you have to use the rockbox tool to change the region code.
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool



Be my co pilot bro...which file, how do i do this ?


----------



## superuser1

Stephen George said:


> truly superuser!


Glad to be of help.


----------



## superuser1 (Jan 7, 2018)

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Be my co pilot bro...which file, how do i do this ?


There are detailed instructions here:
https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#Getting_the_tool


----------



## Stephen George

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Be my co pilot bro...which file, how do i do this ?



I used E as the dest code as you get the BT remote setting and HG


----------



## gerelmx1986

Using dB power amp to compute both CRC and MD5 checksums for every dsd folder and save the text file as checksum data. Txt

 
Sight it takes just too long to output the checksums


----------



## Quadfather

Fixxer6671 said:


> Anybody using a leather case with their unit and care to share?  I have a rubber case that forms to the unit and is very nice, but would like something leather.  Any ideas out there?



In a word, Dignis.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

OMG !!!!!!!!!!
YES


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

woops...not yet 

EDIT...


YEAH BABY!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Bina

Finally got the ibasso adapter, now can use my Effect Audio Ares II ! 

Not the most practical for the pocket, but I use it mainly on my desk, so no worries.


----------



## AnakChan

Got my spare dust protectors from Sony Service, thx to @kms108 for the tip.


----------



## Mathieulh (Jan 8, 2018)

ezekiel77 said:


> Wonderful! Does the WM1A drive the 800S well? I have yet to try because I don't have a balanced 4.4mm cable for it yet.


Over balanced, yes, SE however lacks the power to properly drive these headphones (or the HD600 and HD650 for that matter) sure you can get enough sound over SE if you crank the volume up but they won't sound as good as they are supposed to.
Keep in mind you should be running these over high gain as well.
Also, if your WM1A is the volume capped version (sold in Western Europe), don't bother trying these headphones until you change the destination of your unit to something that isn't capped.


----------



## Mathieulh

Gosod said:


> I would be interested to know how this player will play with headphones HD650?


Yes, assuming you are using those through the balanced output in high gain mode. Forget about using SE for these 60mW is just not enough to properly drive them.


----------



## Mathieulh (Jan 8, 2018)

Blueoris said:


> I drive these headphones through the single ended output, at normal gain. The volume levels are between 70 and 95, depending on the song (most of the time, I am on 80).



You have been doing it wrong, you may get enough sound while cranking up the volume but these won't scale properly over the SE output, you really need to use those over balanced, it's a night and day difference.

These are also high impedance headphones so they are meant to be driven through high gain, even at low volume.
I am sorry to say this and I will be blunt, you are currently wasting your NW-WM1Z potential.


----------



## Mathieulh

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Sony Kimber Cables for Z5 makes the player sound stunning. I bought an XBA-A2 also for more casual use and need to get one kimber for that. I have had the Z5 from release but I need to prolong its life with the A2


Actually, it's the balanced output that makes the Z5 (or any other headphones) sound as stunning as they do, I tried the kimber cables over the regular Sony balanced cable and I found the regular cable to sound better than the kimber ones (which sounded a little more bland in my opinion), of course this is subjective and everyone is entitled to a personal opinion. I ended up purchasing the regular Sony balanced cable which was 10000JPY cheaper than its kimber branded counterpart and (to my ears) sounded slightly better. Either way you can't go wrong since the balanced output just sounds so much better than the Single Ended one.


----------



## Mathieulh

gerelmx1986 said:


> Why is a lossy process converting DSD to PCM?


Because you are changing the way the sound is encoded, as DSD is processed over 1 bit at a 2.8224 Mhz sampling rate (or higher) while PCM is processed over 16 bits (or higher) at a 44.1Khz sampling rate (or higher), so the way sound is stored/encoded isn't the same at all, with every conversion comes some losses (encoding from one lossless PCM format to another, such as ALAC to FLAC does not constitute a conversion per se as the information stored on both tracks remains identical once inflated into raw PCM). You may need to document yourself about the DSD format to understand things further https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_Stream_Digital


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

Welcome to the Machine....indeed


----------



## Quadfather

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Welcome to the Machine....indeed



Great player.  Love it!


----------



## Stephen George

Hawaiibadboy said:


> YEAH BABY!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I went though this almost exactly 1 year ago (if you look back through the thread)

and just the way i felt, too when i saw english for the first time...originally bought at a discount, didn't even realize the japan one would not have english
was kinda shocked at first and was sweating until i found this forum

thank you craftyclown once again!!!


----------



## samycinema

How's the synergy between WM1Z and A18t?   
Any thoughts on A18t versus EE Zeus XR, SE5wUlt or Tia Fourte?


----------



## proedros (Jan 8, 2018)

samycinema said:


> How's the synergy between WM1Z and A18t?
> Any thoughts on *A18t* versus *EE Zeus XR, SE5wUlt or Tia Fourte*?




can't go wrong with any of these 4 babies - you probably picked top-4 (c)iems atm , great selection there


----------



## samycinema

proedros said:


> i need to sit and fix my covers , i
> 
> 
> 
> can't go wrong with any of these 4 babies - you probably picked top-4 (c)iems atm , great selection there



Good to know, however, how to choose between them?! LOL


----------



## soundkist

Anyone use the off-brand wm port data/charging cables with great success?  Any reason I should avoid these, and pay the extra loot for the Sony ones?


----------



## samycinema

Anyone figured out how to display cover art with WAV files?


----------



## nc8000

samycinema said:


> Anyone figured out how to display cover art with WAV files?



Only way I could imagine would work would be to put a cover.jpg file with the music files but I don’t know if Sony supports that as I only use flac or dsd with embedded artwork


----------



## twister6

samycinema said:


> How's the synergy between WM1Z and A18t?
> Any thoughts on A18t versus EE Zeus XR, SE5wUlt or Tia Fourte?



I have covered pair up with over a dozen of IEMs, including U18t and Fourte here.


----------



## twister6

Glad to see Senns new HD820 announcement (closed back version of HD800) which supports 4.4mm termination as a standard balanced connection!


----------



## Matrix Petka

twister6 said:


> Glad to see Senns new HD820 announcement (closed back version of HD800) which supports 4.4mm termination as a standard balanced connection!



2,4K for decades old driver in new plastic with glass window (not the best acoustic material) and pleather earpads? Thank you, definitely no.


----------



## twister6

Matrix Petka said:


> 2,4K for decades old driver in new plastic with glass window (not the best acoustic material) and pleather earpads? Thank you, definitely no.



The point of my post was just to recognize pentaconn 4.4mm connector and Senns solid support of it   Nothing more or less.  Regarding HD820, will check it out at CanJam NYC, hopefully.  I'm curious how it stacks up against HD800S and IE800S.


----------



## fiascogarcia

twister6 said:


> I have covered pair up with over a dozen of IEMs, including U18t and Fourte here.


Thanks for the input on this.  I have the Tia Fourte and love it with a dac/amp set up, but have been looking for a great DAP to use as a stand alone.  Contemplated the WM1Z and the SP1000, so it looks like the AK might be way too neutral for the Tia.  Is the 1.2 FW available to download for a better match?  Thanks!


----------



## gerelmx1986

fiascogarcia said:


> Thanks for the input on this.  I have the Tia Fourte and love it with a dac/amp set up, but have been looking for a great DAP to use as a stand alone.  Contemplated the WM1Z and the SP1000, so it looks like the AK might be way too neutral for the Tia.  Is the 1.2 FW available to download for a better match?  Thanks!


This has been posted here, but I think for Windows and Mac fw downloads


----------



## kubig123

fiascogarcia said:


> Thanks for the input on this.  I have the Tia Fourte and love it with a dac/amp set up, but have been looking for a great DAP to use as a stand alone.  Contemplated the WM1Z and the SP1000, so it looks like the AK might be way too neutral for the Tia.  Is the 1.2 FW available to download for a better match?  Thanks!



here is the link for the 1.20 FW.

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.exe


----------



## Lemieux66

Some visual distraction for the thread 

WM1A and Z1R playing a CD rip of Far Away Trains Passing By - Ulrich Schnauss.


----------



## 480126

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Welcome to the Machine....indeed





Hawaiibadboy said:


> Welcome to the Machine....indeed


Hi from Germany. Can you tell me the difference to Fiio X7 II! Thanks


----------



## Imusicman

twister6 said:


> The point of my post was just to recognize pentaconn 4.4mm connector and Senns solid support of it   Nothing more or less.  Regarding HD820, will check it out at CanJam NYC, hopefully.  I'm curious how it stacks up against HD800S and IE800S.



I quite liked the HD800S when I gave it a demo about 18 months back. I can't get on with the fit of the IE800, just doesn't work for me unfortunately. I will demo the HD820 if it's a this years London CanJam but tbh im hoping Focal will do a closed version of Utopia or Clear


----------



## bana

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am using windows hence i have media Go and yes media Go automatically switches storage spaces after f.e the internal fills out it switches to the micro SD card



Had no idea Media Go did that, thanks.

I have a question for you. When I loaded my WAV files from Itunes, the music in Media library shows all albums correctly, but now in my 1z I have about a 1000 files not in their albums, but just individual files.
Any suggestions?

Thanks.


----------



## nc8000

bana said:


> Had no idea Media Go did that, thanks.
> 
> I have a question for you. When I loaded my WAV files from Itunes, the music in Media library shows all albums correctly, but now in my 1z I have about a 1000 files not in their albums, but just individual files.
> Any suggestions?
> ...



Since wav files can’t be tagged I’m guessing that the meta data for them recides in iTunes and you don’t get any of that along to the Sony player


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 8, 2018)

bana said:


> Had no idea Media Go did that, thanks.
> 
> I have a question for you. When I loaded my WAV files from Itunes, the music in Media library shows all albums correctly, but now in my 1z I have about a 1000 files not in their albums, but just individual files.
> Any suggestions?
> ...


Yup as NC800 says, wave files can't be tagged, the format wasn't meant to be taggesble like f. E flac or dsf, however I am not sure if you Tag your wavs with mp3tag you could fit some tagging info. (going contrary to what the specs for wave meant originally)


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

Frida309 said:


> Hi from Germany. Can you tell me the difference to Fiio X7 II! Thanks



Sounds more dynamic and the transient response of something like a guitar string pull from pull to harmonic decay sound reference quality on this while the X7II sounds like an excellent offering by a company getting better and better at making DAP's but not as good as Sony it seems....to me 

This thing is really nice on any genre using any gear that I have

Some album arts are being a PITA but besides that love this thing


----------



## superuser1

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Sounds more dynamic and the transient response of something like a guitar string pull from pull to harmonic decay sound reference quality on this while the X7II sounds like an excellent offering by a company getting better and better at making DAP's but not as good as Sony it seems....to me
> 
> This thing is really nice on any genre using any gear that I have
> 
> Some album arts are being a PITA but besides that love this thing


For PITA album art please see that you are saving the file as baseline jpeg and not progressive jpeg.


----------



## samycinema

twister6 said:


> I have covered pair up with over a dozen of IEMs, including U18t and Fourte here.


Thank you @twister6 that's an amazing review


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

superuser1 said:


> For PITA album art please see that you are saving the file as baseline jpeg and not progressive jpeg.



Progressive jpeg? What do they believe PNG deserve more rights? lol  What is the diff?


----------



## kubig123

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Progressive jpeg? What do they believe PNG deserve more rights? lol  What is the diff?



https://www.liquidweb.com/kb/what-is-a-progressive-jpeg/


----------



## hattrick15

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Progressive jpeg? What do they believe PNG deserve more rights? lol  What is the diff?



Search this thread and you'll find posts (a few from me and others) on how to convert Progressive jpegs to baseline jpegs and get them to be read by the WM-1A/Z.


----------



## Sleepow

Sorry to ask, but checking few pages back it was not clear; what is the latest version of FW available?


----------



## bvng3540

Sleepow said:


> Sorry to ask, but checking few pages back it was not clear; what is the latest version of FW available?


2.0


----------



## Quadfather

I have decided I don't like having things in my ears, so I am selling my ALO Reference 8, 4.4mm balanced audio cables with the MMXC connectors.  I am much more of a headphone guy. You also get more bang for your buck with headphones.


----------



## samycinema

Quadfather said:


> I have decided I don't like having things in my ears, so I am selling my ALO Reference 8, 4.4mm balanced audio cables with the MMXC connectors.  I am much more of a headphone guy. You also get more bang for your buck with headphones.


I'm interested in it. Shoot me a PM?


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

Rebuilding my libraries.

Master of Reality....always gotta be one thing needing attention


----------



## Quadfather (Jan 9, 2018)




----------



## Quadfather

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Rebuilding my libraries.
> 
> Master of Reality....always gotta be one thing needing attention



All of my Black Sabbath covers show up beautifully.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

Just fixed it


----------



## Quadfather

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Just fixed it



That is always a stellar moment!


----------



## samycinema

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Just fixed it


How? 
16/44 WAV?


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

samycinema said:


> How?
> 16/44 WAV?


No just a missing album tag. flac file


----------



## Blacktulipx

Guys, is it possible to rewrite Japanese firmware to international? I've  bought japanese version of Sony WM1Z and thought that I can change to english language without problems. Or may be are there another ways of changing to english language?


----------



## Blommen

Blacktulipx said:


> Guys, is it possible to rewrite Japanese firmware to international? I've  bought japanese version of Sony WM1Z and thought that I can change to english language without problems. Or may be are there another ways of changing to english language?


look back a couple of pages


----------



## bana

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yup as NC800 says, wave files can't be tagged, the format wasn't meant to be taggesble like f. E flac or dsf, however I am not sure if you Tag your wavs with mp3tag you could fit some tagging info. (going contrary to what the specs for wave meant originally)



Thanks guys, you always have an answer.


----------



## Matrix Petka

twister6 said:


> The point of my post was just to recognize pentaconn 4.4mm connector and Senns solid support of it   Nothing more or less.  Regarding HD820, will check it out at CanJam NYC, hopefully.  I'm curious how it stacks up against HD800S and IE800S.


Adopting 4,4mm jack - good for all. Will see about sound - glass reminds me scullcandy


----------



## gerelmx1986

Blacktulipx said:


> Guys, is it possible to rewrite Japanese firmware to international? I've  bought japanese version of Sony WM1Z and thought that I can change to english language without problems. Or may be are there another ways of changing to english language?


Search this thread for rockbox dest tool


----------



## Fixxer6671

Gang - I took delivery of the Sony / Kimber cable today and plugged my shures into it (SE 846) and it’s impressive how much better the balanced jack is. Definitely more powerful and doesn’t seem to cloud things. Very very good.

For those on the fence, get a balanced cable. I can’t speak to comparisons and don’t plan on buying any more.

I can say the Sony cable is very nice and worth the upgrade.


----------



## audionewbi

I recently a review sample case by Miter, I will test it and report. Full disclosure it was sent to me free of charge.I dont know much about the case, so I have to find more details about it.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

audionewbi said:


> I recently a review sample case by Miter, I will test it and report. Full disclosure it was sent to me free of charge.I dont know much about the case, so I have to find more details about it.



Good stuff




I got one coming for the WM1A probably today and will do a little vid.

I am at the decoration stage of this DAP 

Got another Musashino case coming from a fellow Head-Fi member so big thanks to him as well


----------



## ledzep

Fixxer6671 said:


> Gang - I took delivery of the Sony / Kimber cable today and plugged my shures into it (SE 846) and it’s impressive how much better the balanced jack is. Definitely more powerful and doesn’t seem to cloud things. Very very good.
> 
> For those on the fence, get a balanced cable. I can’t speak to comparisons and don’t plan on buying any more.
> 
> I can say the Sony cable is very nice and worth the upgrade.



Not a bad cable apart from the mmcx connectors being it's weak point, leave them connected as after only a few disconnections / re connections they become loose and will need a re termination ( eidolic premium's are the best I've found ).


----------



## imparanoic

nanaholic said:


> Was walking around in Tokyo and found this interesting new product from Audio Technica.
> The AT-PHA55BT is a BT receiver+headphone amp combo that supports AAC, aptX AND LDAC. The gut is a ESS Saber ES9118 dac/amp SoC and the entire unit outputs 50mW per channel @ 16ohm via a 3.5mm SE output.  It also has two output modes - one for dynamic drivers and one for BA drivers (what about us folks using hybrids? oversight there AT...) It lasts 8 hours on a single charge, and the unit is very compact and flat.
> 
> This would be an interesting product for anyone thinking of turning their favourite pairs of wired headphones into wireless headphones to pair with their Walkmans. It's great to see that Sony's move to include LDAC in Android Oreo is yielding the desired results, inspiring OEMs to make accessories that supports the codec.




this is ideal wireless high bitrate receiver/headphone amp, great for me as I have xperia xzs and nw-zx100, thus, ideal for me, i might order one, it's rather strange that Sony has not designed one, after all, then have had this ldac standard since 2016 with xperia z4, z5/z5 premium/ z5 compact, the nearest they have is muc-m2bt1 which does not use 3.5mm.

but my only concerns, is that it's possible future versions will support aptx HD and even bluetooth 5.0


----------



## soundkist

imparanoic said:


> this is ideal wireless high bitrate receiver/headphone amp, great for me as I have xperia xzs and nw-zx100, thus, ideal for me, i might order one, it's rather strange that Sony has not designed one, after all, then have had this ldac standard since 2016 with xperia z4, z5/z5 premium/ z5 compact, the nearest they have is muc-m2bt1 which does not use 3.5mm.
> 
> but my only concerns, is that it's possible future versions will support aptx HD and even bluetooth 5.0



The Fiio BTR3, successor to the BTR1(a great little companion to the WM1A!), allegedly will support both LDAC and aptX HD.  Dunno about BT 5.0... or release date.


----------



## imparanoic

soundkist said:


> The Fiio BTR3, successor to the BTR1(a great little companion to the WM1A!), allegedly will support both LDAC and aptX HD.  Dunno about BT 5.0... or release date.



that sounds also interesting


----------



## obileye obiyemi

@Hawaiibadboy      In your review,  could you please also, include an SQ comparison with the Hiby R6?      Thanks


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

obileye obiyemi said:


> @Hawaiibadboy      In your review,  could you please also, include an SQ comparison with the Hiby R6?      Thanks



Will do,

Thanks to the member for the case!

Much mahalo's bro!


----------



## kms108

AnakChan said:


> Got my spare dust protectors from Sony Service, thx to @kms108 for the tip.


Their service is really good, even compared to other Sony service centre in Hong Kong or other countries, I had my ZX2 repaired, replaced the glass display and whiles I was doing the repair, might as well change the battery since i've had the ZX2 for 2 years. After the repair, they return back to you the old screen and battery, they never do that in other countries, this shows they actually did the replacement, whiles in other countries it's a guessing game if you are doing a internal repair.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy




----------



## gerelmx1986

Let's see what @Hawaiibadboy thinks of owning both the WM1A and the ZX300 (IMHO pointless yo own both, perhaps WM1Z and Zx300 would make more sense)


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

I learned that when you put a person on ignore you don't see them or when they are quoted which is better than the old site. Only gmail notifications will show a quote of a blocked dudes mail.

Works awesome. Just put another on the list so I can enjoy this hobby.

Oh...
300 is a loaner
WM1A is mine


----------



## Blommen (Jan 10, 2018)

Let me share a couple of pics I took when I had the Dita cable on loan:





















\m/


----------



## samycinema

Fixxer6671 said:


> Gang - I took delivery of the Sony / Kimber cable today and plugged my shures into it (SE 846) and it’s impressive how much better the balanced jack is. Definitely more powerful and doesn’t seem to cloud things. Very very good.
> 
> For those on the fence, get a balanced cable. I can’t speak to comparisons and don’t plan on buying any more.
> 
> I can say the Sony cable is very nice and worth the upgrade.


Where did you get? How much?


----------



## Quadfather (Jan 10, 2018)

Hawaiibadboy said:


> I learned that when you put a person on ignore you don't see them or when they are quoted which is better than the old site. Only gmail notifications will show a quote of a blocked dudes mail.
> 
> Works awesome. Just put another on the list so I can enjoy this hobby.
> 
> ...



That is why I left Facebook, too many annoying posts about fine meals and damn politics. It almost became like a Christmas letter every day from people you barely know. I totally understand the concept of blocking people. I am here to enjoy audio equipment and audio equipment only.  I'm not here to insult anybody or think less of them for what they do or don't like, or what they do or don't do in regard to portable audio or desktop audio...  Twitter? HELL NO!  I'm not real fond of hyperbole.


----------



## Blommen

Now re-sized lol...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sony did unintentional cannibalizing between wm1a and Zx300 or not? Base on what I've read on a couple of posts on the ZX300 thread, the following sound pretty similar. The question is how mich close they sound, maybe balanced they sound almost the same.

But as I said when I had the zx100, perhaps Sony is using it as testing platform for USB-DAC hence we didn't get any... Don't see other features other than DAC as the "testing subject"


----------



## gerelmx1986

Blommen said:


> Let me share a couple of pics I took when I had the Dita cable on loan:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Can be used on any iem p had to be only for ditta?


----------



## twister6

gerelmx1986 said:


> Can be used on any iem p had to be only for ditta?



any iem, it's a removable cable you can order with either 2pin or mmcx connections, and optional awesome plug termination to switch between 2.5mm, 3.5mm, or 4.4mm.  Comes with 2.5mm and 3.5mm by default, 4.4mm is optional.  Great cables (pure copper and SPC wire versions), but very stiff, which causes a serious memory effect.

http://www.ditaaudio.com/index.php/products/truth-replacement-cable.html


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> Can be used on any iem p had to be only for ditta?



The dita cable comes with the regular 2 pin 0.78mm or a mmcx connector therefore it can be used with the majority of the earphones on the market.

You just have to pay attention if your iems have recessed sockets, this is the only case you cannot use the dita cable.


----------



## kms108

The last time I used the dita, it was heavy on bass, bass is not my thing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

twister6 said:


> any iem, it's a removable cable you can order with either 2pin or mmcx connections, and optional awesome plug termination to switch between 2.5mm, 3.5mm, or 4.4mm.  Comes with 2.5mm and 3.5mm by default, 4.4mm is optional.  Great cables (pure copper and SPC wire versions), but very stiff, which causes a serious memory effect.
> 
> http://www.ditaaudio.com/index.php/products/truth-replacement-cable.html


Thanks for information 


kubig123 said:


> The dita cable comes with the regular 2 pin 0.78mm or a mmcx connector therefore it can be used with the majority of the earphones on the market.
> 
> You just have to pay attention if your iems have recessed sockets, this is the only case you cannot use the dita cable.


oh dang, xba-z5 have recessed mmcx sockets, thanks for info


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks for information
> oh dang, xba-z5 have recessed mmcx sockets, thanks for info



I dont remember very well the z5 sockets but I'm afraid the dita plugs won't work there.

I really like the cable since you can change the plug, but it's not very ergonomic.


----------



## kms108

kubig123 said:


> I dont remember very well the z5 sockets but I'm afraid the dita plugs won't work there.
> 
> I really like the cable since you can change the plug, but it's not very ergonomic.


The Z5 supports sony's own kimber kable MMCX, so if the dita is anything like a normal MMCX it should work.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 10, 2018)

Now I got it, why the CRC and MD5 hashes took so long for DSD, it (dB power amp) calculates the actual audio stream CRC and/or MD5 hash, not the whole file as I tought (headers + tags + audio stream). I saw this as I did CRC checksum in t he other hard drive and got same hashes for the same files in different locations 

Haydn piano trios (CD quality) original instruments.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Has anyone tried the folder. Jpg route on the Walkman, just to see if it detects it and loads the cover art as if it was embedded? Currently tly have all my covers embedded into each track, and media go shows in the other files a Space waste of roughly 2GB


----------



## ttt123

kubig123 said:


> I dont remember very well the z5 sockets but I'm afraid the dita plugs won't work there.
> 
> I really like the cable since you can change the plug, but it's not very ergonomic.


The Z5 recessed socket is quite wide.  The Dita MMCX fits, but needs to be aligned to the right angle, and pressed firmly in with a slight rotation to seat it.  It is a tight fit, with the positive that the plug will not rotate, as it is a snug fit.


----------



## Dim666

Nobody wants to get rid of a 1Z that would take the direction of France ?


----------



## meomap

Dim666 said:


> Nobody wants to get rid of a 1Z that would take the direction of France ?



WHAT?????


----------



## proedros

he probably means that he lives in France and wants to buy someone's WM1Z


----------



## Quadfather

proedros said:


> he probably means that he lives in France and wants to buy someone's WM1Z



Maybe he wants a 1Z that takes orders from the French government...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Dim666 said:


> Nobody wants to get rid of a 1Z that would take the direction of France ?


I doubt one would want to get rid of such a player with such a sound quality. Simply the best to get rid of it so easily


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> I doubt one would want to get rid of such a player with such a sound quality. Simply the best to get rid of it so easily



It all depends on the offering price


----------



## proedros

curious how WM1Z sounds compared to the AK1000

are these 2 the 'best' DAPs out at the moment ?


----------



## Dim666

And SP1000..not an insult here ahahaha !!


----------



## Dim666

Quadfather said:


> Maybe he wants a 1Z that takes orders from the French government...



E. MACRON has in his possession several 1z, you think what pfff ...


----------



## gerelmx1986

I consider both the 1Z and the 1A to be very capable... Thus is the first case (for Sony as I remember) of co-flagship models being released at the same time.


----------



## Dim666

I would like to buy the 1Z to take time and compare it to 1A then sell ... the least heavy


----------



## kms108

deleted


----------



## Quadfather

Dim666 said:


> E. MACRON has in his possession several 1z, you think what pfff ...





gerelmx1986 said:


> I consider both the 1Z and the 1A to be very capable... Thus is the first case (for Sony as I remember) of co-flagship models being released at the same time.



Then came 64 Audio tia Fourte and U18 Tzar...in second...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Dim666 said:


> I would like to buy the 1Z to take time and compare it to 1A then sell ... the least heavy


One thing you could do before selling is swap circuit boards to the opposite chassis and tedt the sound of each board in the "wrong" chassis


----------



## Hawaiibadboy (Jan 10, 2018)

Spoiler alert:








Mythbusters tested it to be legit 


Had forgotten the song, and that 2 members commited suicide partly because their manager was a mobbed up con guy that kept them poor. itunes went wild after the finale so i hope their families got some loot.
Anyway...vocals of this track sound fantastic. Love this DAP


----------



## 397324

Hi

Does the NW WM1A work with 400gb cards?

Regards

Darren


----------



## ezekiel77

Darren Cotter said:


> Hi
> 
> Does the NW WM1A work with 400gb cards?
> 
> ...



Yes it does. See link below.



ezekiel77 said:


> 400GB but it'll come up as 366.75GB. As pictured here https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1173#post-13933856


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

proedros said:


> curious how WM1Z sounds compared to the AK1000
> 
> are these 2 the 'best' DAPs out at the moment ?


Yes.

Check out my small article about that: https://www.headfonia.com/aultima-sp1000-ss-and-ak380cu-vs-sony-wm1z/


----------



## Dim666

Darren Cotter said:


> Hi
> 
> Does the NW WM1A work with 400gb cards?
> 
> ...




yes it works I confirm


----------



## 397324 (Jan 11, 2018)

Hi ezekiel77. 

Thanks for the reply. I've got a FiiO X7ii and am thinking about getting the NW WM1A. I see you also have a QP1R, which I have owned, but sold because of the battery indicator issue.

How would you compare the two and does the NW WM1A issues that have yet to be resolved?

I've always had DAPs from specialist manufacturers like Fiio, iBasso and Questyle and never from a mainstream company like Sony or Pioneer. So I'm not sure if the larger companies with their financial clout and R & D capabilities will prove to be a more pleasurable experience.

Regards

Darren


----------



## Quadfather (Jan 11, 2018)

Darren Cotter said:


> Hi
> 
> Does the NW WM1A work with 400gb cards?
> 
> ...



Yes, I am using one.  The Sony sounds great from balanced after burn in.  User interface is great, and battery life rules. It is one of my favorites.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

9 hours...

9 HOURS and the battery is still topped off.
Hip hop, high gain, balanced....9 hours. That's a usual ideal limit. I would be happy with that. This is apparently just getting warmed up.


----------



## proedros

the sony battery is why i don't see myself moving to another dap manufacturer

1 battery drainage/week , this is insane


----------



## ezekiel77

Darren Cotter said:


> Hi ezekiel77.
> 
> Thanks for the reply. I've got a FiiO X7ii and am thinking about getting the NW WM1A. I see you also have a QP1R, which I have owned, but sold because of the battery indicator issue.
> 
> ...


I've compared QP1R and WM1A twice before, here,



ezekiel77 said:


> Comparison between *WM1A* balanced out vs *QP1R*.
> *IEM:* AAW W900
> *Cables:* Kumitate Lab 4.4mm balanced (SPC) for 1A, Effect Audio Eros I (copper/silver hybrid) for QP1R. Can't control this as I have only one balanced cable for Sony.
> *Album:* Fleetwood Mac "Rumours" (24/96 FLAC), with The Chain played the most bcos Guardians of the Galaxy 2!
> ...



And here.



ezekiel77 said:


> Not sure who you addressed it to bud, but I'll give my two cents.
> 
> My WM1A is at the 800-hour mark, with most of the hours coming from balanced out. SE is er... like everyone and their grandma says, meh.
> 
> ...



The only thing IMO that needs work is not all album art is displayed, but that's because of Sony not being able to read progressive jpgs.


----------



## 397324 (Jan 11, 2018)

Thanks for the info. The wheel issue is fixed on units manufactured after late 2016 and a new firmware released in December 2016 was supposed to fix the battery indicator.

Some are still having problems though and both the Uk and USA distributors will only advise people still having problems to PM them for the supposed fix and neither will post on here what they are advising, despite numerous requests to do so.

It is pointless emailing Questyle themselves as they never and I mean NEVER answer emails from customers.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Darren Cotter said:


> Hi
> 
> Does the NW WM1A work with 400gb cards?
> 
> ...


Sure a Pic is worth more than 1000 words


----------



## gerelmx1986

Darren Cotter said:


> Hi ezekiel77.
> 
> Thanks for the reply. I've got a FiiO X7ii and am thinking about getting the NW WM1A. I see you also have a QP1R, which I have owned, but sold because of the battery indicator issue.
> 
> ...


hi, Sony for me has been always pleasure to use, be it the nice sound, which WM1A has exceeded my expectations in both SE and balance. The battery is another area in which Sony deserves praise. User interface too very intuitive, only minor quirks like you need to tap and hold then slide the seek slider. And the jpg issue that only reads baseline jpg. 

The sound ni describe from my WM1A is sodann real, sometimes gives you the impression of being there live, depends on the recording, but overall quite nice organic presentation, large Soundstage and proper separation between instruments.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

The Sony original balanced cables that shipped with the Z5 have 2 separate (3.5mm?) L & R jacks whereas the Kimber has one 4.4mm jack. How is it possible to say that one is better than the other unless using a balanced amplifier like PHA-3. 
Straight through the WM-1A the 4.4mm can be tested but not the original balanced cable supplied by Sony. 





Mathieulh said:


> Actually, it's the balanced output that makes the Z5 (or any other headphones) sound as stunning as they do, I tried the kimber cables over the regular Sony balanced cable and I found the regular cable to sound better than the kimber ones (which sounded a little more bland in my opinion), of course this is subjective and everyone is entitled to a personal opinion. I ended up purchasing the regular Sony balanced cable which was 10000JPY cheaper than its kimber branded counterpart and (to my ears) sounded slightly better. Either way you can't go wrong since the balanced output just sounds so much better than the Single Ended one.


----------



## asquare3376

DONTGIVEUP said:


> The Sony original balanced cables that shipped with the Z5 have 2 separate (3.5mm?) L & R jacks whereas the Kimber has one 4.4mm jack. How is it possible to say that one is better than the other unless using a balanced amplifier like PHA-3.
> Straight through the WM-1A the 4.4mm can be tested but not the original balanced cable supplied by Sony.


It all comes down to what source you want the Z5 to be used with. If you have PHA-3, get the dual 3.5mm (not stock, the upgrades because they are definitely better), if you have a WM1A or the 1Z, get the 4.4. I own both, one with the PHA-3 and other with the 1Z. To each its own unless you want to plot frequency graphs and compare.


----------



## gerelmx1986

DONTGIVEUP said:


> The Sony original balanced cables that shipped with the Z5 have 2 separate (3.5mm?) L & R jacks whereas the Kimber has one 4.4mm jack. How is it possible to say that one is better than the other unless using a balanced amplifier like PHA-3.
> Straight through the WM-1A the 4.4mm can be tested but not the original balanced cable supplied by Sony.


I have an adapter for my xba-z5, the cables of the original balanced cable for z5 suck, they are not of quality as the Sonys own upgrade cables offers


----------



## soundkist

For those of you who ordered those plastic jack/port caps from Encompass.com, have any of your orders shipped?  I just keep getting extensions on the when it'll be in stock again date...


----------



## kubig123

soundkist said:


> For those of you who ordered those plastic jack/port caps from Encompass.com, have any of your orders shipped?  I just keep getting extensions on the when it'll be in stock again date...



I got an email informing me that they have been shipped, but no tracking number.


----------



## soundkist

kubig123 said:


> I got an email informing me that they have been shipped, but no tracking number.



Excellent--thanks for info!


----------



## gerelmx1986

The sound of the castagnettes Holy moly! DSD 2.8MHz,


----------



## ledzep

For anyone who's looking for a leather case handmade at a very reasonable price lots of custom choices too.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/332217241818


----------



## bana

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Will do,
> 
> Thanks to the member for the case!
> 
> Much mahalo's bro!



This looks like a fine case, do you have a link to purchase?

Thanks,


----------



## Hawaiibadboy (Jan 12, 2018)

bana said:


> This looks like a fine case, do you have a link to purchase?
> 
> Thanks,



It is an awesome case!

https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/e-earphone/4589962102398.html

item i.d. is
CP-NWWM1LCP/B
http://www.cmpg.co.jp/musashino/nwwm1lcp/index.html


----------



## yakitoroi

Hawaiibadboy said:


> It is an awesome case!
> 
> https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/e-earphone/4589962102398.html
> 
> ...



Thank you for this, you Sir are my hero.  I have been looking for something like this for a while to replace with the sony flip up case and I am not fan of cases that doesn't cover the screen. Thank you.


----------



## SoLame

DONTGIVEUP said:


> The Sony original balanced cables that shipped with the Z5 have 2 separate (3.5mm?) L & R jacks whereas the Kimber has one 4.4mm jack. How is it possible to say that one is better than the other unless using a balanced amplifier like PHA-3.
> Straight through the WM-1A the 4.4mm can be tested but not the original balanced cable supplied by Sony.



My guess is he was referring to the Sony MUC-M12NB1 as 'regular cable', not the stock balanced cable that comes with the Z5.


----------



## asquare3376

SoLame said:


> My guess is he was referring to the Sony MUC-M12NB1 as 'regular cable', not the stock balanced cable that comes with the Z5.


No. He specifically mentioned dual 3.5mm, so balanced stock cables which goes with PHA-3 and the likes


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 13, 2018)

Did the experiments and WM1A and 1Z don't support Folder.jpg nor Cover.jpg (files with no cover embedded), therefore the covers must be present in every file as embedded option. My older NWZ-A818 did this, it supported external covers


----------



## flyer1

Others have the same experience that the Sony Kimber balanced cable sounds a bit dull? 

Also wasn't impressed by the build quality of the Sony Kimber Cable especially the connectors. 

I just ordered the 'regular' MUC-M12NB1 in addition to use with my 1Z just to see how I like the difference between both cables.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy




----------



## audionewbi

flyer1 said:


> Others have the same experience that the Sony Kimber balanced cable sounds a bit dull?
> 
> Also wasn't impressed by the build quality of the Sony Kimber Cable especially the connectors.
> 
> I just ordered the 'regular' MUC-M12NB1 in addition to use with my 1Z just to see how I like the difference between both cables.


I find the kimber cable dull and not worth the purchase. However Sonys own cable is rather good, but bit stiff. MUC-M12NB1 gets my vote.


----------



## ledzep (Jan 13, 2018)

flyer1 said:


> Others have the same experience that the Sony Kimber balanced cable sounds a bit dull?
> 
> Also wasn't impressed by the build quality of the Sony Kimber Cable especially the connectors.
> 
> I just ordered the 'regular' MUC-M12NB1 in addition to use with my 1Z just to see how I like the difference between both cables.



Initially I was excited to see these Kimbers for the Sony range but after the mmcx connectors became loose on them I decided to re terminate and check out the build quality overall by opening the splitter up to check the solder joints etc not good really loose strands, solder balls and flux residue not what you'd expect from a "premium cable" but in saying that once it was cleaned up and re soldered with silver solder and a pair of eidolic premium connectors and a 100 hour burn in it wasn't that bad a cable for the price, but there are plenty of other custom built cables around that price point to consider so don't buy in haste and repent at leisure as they say. In saying that I sold my kimbers and bought a plussound tri metal from a fellow headfier and re terminated it with a furutech 4.4mm and the eidolics and it leaves the kimber for dead soundwise.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy (Jan 13, 2018)

Wine ,Dark Blue and Black.

Wine one looks pretty nice


MITER cases...thank you!


----------



## Fixxer6671

ledzep said:


> Initially I was excited to see these Kimbers for the Sony range but after the mmcx connectors became loose on them I decided to re terminate and check out the build quality overall by opening the splitter up to check the solder joints etc not good really loose strands, solder balls and flux residue not what you'd expect from a "premium cable" but in saying that once it was cleaned up and re soldered with silver solder and a pair of eidolic premium connectors and a 100 hour burn in it wasn't that bad a cable for the price, but there are plenty of other custom built cables around that price point to consider so don't buy in haste and repent at leisure as they say. In saying that I sold my kimbers and bought a plussound tri metal from a fellow headfier and re terminated it with a furutech 4.4mm and the eidolics and it leaves the kimber for dead soundwise.



I have the limbers and they sound really good with my SE 846’s.


----------



## Fixxer6671

How is everyone charging their device? 

I currently have the charge up to 90% box checked. 

Do you leave the device on between uses or is everyone powering on and off?

I know this sounds basic but really want to get as much life out of the battery as possible. 

Thanks


----------



## Fixxer6671

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Wine ,Dark Blue and Black.
> 
> Wine one looks pretty nice
> 
> ...



Who makes these cases again? I like that blue one.


----------



## twister6

Fixxer6671 said:


> Who makes these cases again? I like that blue one.



MITER cases.


----------



## Fixxer6671

twister6 said:


> MITER cases.



The back flap, does it get in the way, or does it hold pretty close to the case?


----------



## jamato8

Fixxer6671 said:


> The back flap, does it get in the way, or does it hold pretty close to the case?


I have the Miter case. I would prefer it without the back flap. I never use the flap and frankly, it just adds to the thickness.


----------



## nc8000

Fixxer6671 said:


> How is everyone charging their device?
> 
> I currently have the charge up to 90% box checked.
> 
> ...



90% checked and never turn it off and never let the battery run empty. Usually charge once a week.


----------



## liquidsn

Can anyone direct me to where I can find end caps for the Audio outputs and USB output?  Thanks!


----------



## nc8000

liquidsn said:


> Can anyone direct me to where I can find end caps for the Audio outputs and USB output?  Thanks!



Search this thread, info is in here


----------



## gerelmx1986

I use 90% for a week and 100% for a week, alternating


----------



## liquidsn

nc8000 said:


> Search this thread, info is in here


sorry about that.  Found out i had to search for "Dust".  Plug and Cover wasn't getting it.
Just an FYI if anyone is searching too. found them here.

https://www.englishtaobao.net/product/551640671233/


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Fixxer6671 said:


> How is everyone charging their device?
> 
> I currently have the charge up to 90% box checked.
> 
> ...


I almost never switch off my ZX2 and WM1A.


----------



## kms108

I just let it auto power off after a 3 hrs.


----------



## Fixxer6671

Virtu Fortuna said:


> I almost never switch off my ZX2 and WM1A.




Ok this is all good to know. I do find the battery to go faster on DSD files and hi res files. 

Overall very happy with this unit. It’s a killer set up.


----------



## Quadfather

The Sony NW-WM1A is a sexy machine!


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

Fixxer6671 said:


> Who makes these cases again? I like that blue one.



https://www.amazon.com/NW-WM1A-MITE...srs=14574969011&ie=UTF8&qid=1515893654&sr=8-6

Flap does not get in way. held by magnet. I am actually using the musashino case mostly but that is expensive and these are half that price. I like the wine color so i will use that sometimes


----------



## Quadfather

Laying in bed, listening to my Sony NW-WM1A, dreaming of acquiring a Sony NW-WM1Z.


----------



## proedros

Quadfather said:


> Laying in bed, listening to my Sony NW-WM1A,* dreaming of acquiring a Sony NW-WM1Z*.



don't we all ?


----------



## Quadfather

proedros said:


> don't we all ?



I think so.  LOL


----------



## gerelmx1986

Me too i dream of adquiring a WM1Z or wait till sony walkman 40th anniversary edition next year


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

proedros said:


> don't we all ?



No we don't


----------



## SoLame

asquare3376 said:


> No. He specifically mentioned dual 3.5mm, so balanced stock cables which goes with PHA-3 and the likes


Okay...but with all due respect to you, I don't think my 'he' and your 'he' are the same person.


----------



## asquare3376

SoLame said:


> Okay...but with all due respect to you, I don't think my 'he' and your 'he' are the same person.


Lol *peace*


----------



## roses77

Fixxer6671 said:


> Ok this is all good to know. I do find the battery to go faster on DSD files and hi res files.
> 
> Overall very happy with this unit. It’s a killer set up.



How many hrs playback do you get on high Rez flac 16/44. I usually get 20hrs balanced out & I get less using EQ.


----------



## nc8000

roses77 said:


> How many hrs playback do you get on high Rez flac 16/44. I usually get 20hrs balanced out & I get less using EQ.



That’s about what I get as well


----------



## gerelmx1986

roses77 said:


> How many hrs playback do you get on high Rez flac 16/44. I usually get 20hrs balanced out & I get less using EQ.



With 16/44.1 FLAC on balance side i get 22h approx, with 24 bit flac (hi-res), i get like 18-20 and with DSD 1-bit/2.8MHz i get like 15-17h (depends on screen use and brightness, currently have it at brightness 5 and susually dont fiddle that much with it)


nc8000 said:


> That’s about what I get as well


same here


----------



## animalsrush

nc8000 said:


> That’s about what I get as well


Me too..


----------



## kubig123

roses77 said:


> How many hrs playback do you get on high Rez flac 16/44. I usually get 20hrs balanced out & I get less using EQ.



I have almost 50% of dsd feels therefor ether battery drains faster approx. 12-15 hours.

What I really like that the unit NEVER gets warm playing dsd files, I remember the ak380, it was getting so hot I could not keep in my pocket during the summer...


----------



## sne4me

Does anyone have a recommendation for editing out noise or pops from vinyl? I have been looking in audacity but didn’t have the time to autist the effect tolerances and find something good.

For loud pops does anyone simply delete them from time since the pop covers all sound in that position?


----------



## Fixxer6671

roses77 said:


> How many hrs playback do you get on high Rez flac 16/44. I usually get 20hrs balanced out & I get less using EQ.




i honestly don't know  I never played it straight through, but I am charging once a week, and getting more than I need from it.  I was also turning it on and off, and loading music so it was charging between then as well.  To be blunt was not following the best practices here.

I'll see how it goes this week, but looking to get all I can from it.  I couldn't imagine a player without this type of power supply, it would be dreadful.


----------



## Quadfather

Fixxer6671 said:


> i honestly don't know  I never played it straight through, but I am charging once a week, and getting more than I need from it.  I was also turning it on and off, and loading music so it was charging between then as well.  To be blunt was not following the best practices here.
> 
> I'll see how it goes this week, but looking to get all I can from it.  I couldn't imagine a player without this type of power supply, it would be dreadful.



Some AK products have much less battery life.


----------



## kubig123

Quadfather said:


> Some AK products have much less battery life.



I would say all the AK don't have the same battery life, I'm sure their combo cpu/os is not optimized as the Sony one, but some of them sound really good too...


----------



## Hawaiibadboy (Jan 14, 2018)

kubig123 said:


> I would say all the AK don't have the same battery life, I'm sure their combo cpu/os is not optimized as the Sony one, but some of them sound really good too...



Well I disagree with the quality of that brand but that's subjective. The double,Dallas to Hong kong (insert any of the 15-18 hour longest commercial flight routes in the world) while listening to a single charge and some listening time for the layover in ...oh pick a fun place...is closer to objective.

TL/DR

The guy you quoted mentioned battery life only. That is a objective exercise that someone could do but Sony likely at least doubles the AK and you throw in the ultimate subjective counter that nobody could ever confirm. Seems pointless to throw that in


----------



## gerelmx1986

as @nc8000 once said, he can't stand charging a DAP every day... I had some experience like this with a Fiio x3 first gen... had to recharge it coming from work, that was only with FLAC 16/44.1, if i dared to play 24-bit flacs the battery would die sooner. The WM1A even with DSD files it surpasses the damned battery life of that fiio (8h)


----------



## Hawaiibadboy




----------



## Zaroff

sne4me said:


> Does anyone have a recommendation for editing out noise or pops from vinyl? I have been looking in audacity but didn’t have the time to autist the effect tolerances and find something good.
> 
> For loud pops does anyone simply delete them from time since the pop covers all sound in that position?



OT: Adobe Audition's click removal is VERY efficient at that sort of things.


----------



## Witcher

Is there a "total play time" counter in the WM1A? it'll be nice to track how long the DAP has been running since start.


----------



## kms108

Check setting, information.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 15, 2018)

DONTGIVEUP said:


> The Sony original balanced cables that shipped with the Z5 have 2 separate (3.5mm?) L & R jacks whereas the Kimber has one 4.4mm jack. How is it possible to say that one is better than the other unless using a balanced amplifier like PHA-3.
> Straight through the WM-1A the 4.4mm can be tested but not the original balanced cable supplied by Sony.



You can buy any number of MMCX connector Pentaconn cables. Though I use my Z5 with the WM 1Z 4.4mm and the Mee adapter kit.

It seems to fit better than the original Z5 rubbery cables, though maybe some kind of over-ear guide-wrap could improve it.

The kit is $99
https://www.amazon.com/MEE-audio-Universal-balanced-adapter/dp/B076PWSSSJ

If you had a way to listen to the supplied 3.5mm Z5 cables then switch to the single 4.4mm you may be able to tell the difference sonically, but most are just trying to get away from how the Z5 cables fit, and go out of place.

A comparison could be made with the choice of cable outs with....
https://www.sony.com/electronics/audio-components/ta-zh1es

But the whole issue is you don’t want to ever try and switch the MMCX cables of the Z5s. More than a couple times switching cables and you have effectively ruined your Z5 MMCX connector plug.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Witcher said:


> Is there a "total play time" counter in the WM1A? it'll be nice to track how long the DAP has been running since start.


Tap settings (toolbox) > tap settings > scroll al the way down and tap Unit information >the total count is in Audio played


----------



## kms108

Redcarmoose said:


> You can buy any number of MMCX connector Pentaconn cables. Though I use my Z5 with the WM 1Z 4.4mm and the Mee adapter kit.
> 
> It seems to fit better than the original Z5 rubbery cables, though maybe some kind of over-ear guide-wrap could improve it.
> 
> ...




I'm considering this at USD 166, it's a original 5 Pentaconn plug out of the box.


----------



## soundkist

Zaroff said:


> OT: Adobe Audition's click removal is VERY efficient at that sort of things.



I'll second this!


----------



## Witcher

gerelmx1986 said:


> Tap settings (toolbox) > tap settings > scroll al the way down and tap Unit information >the total count is in Audio played


Thanks! So mine says something like 209:35. What units is that in?


----------



## nc8000

Witcher said:


> Thanks! So mine says something like 209:35. What units is that in?



Hours and minutes of playing music


----------



## equalspeace (Jan 15, 2018)

Both jacks have to be burned in separately, so a separate tally is needed if you use different inputs at times. Mine looks like this:


----------



## nc8000

equalspeace said:


> Both jacks have to be burned in separately, so a separate tally is needed if you use different inputs at times. Mine looks like this:



I did about 100 hours on the single ended until I got my 4.4 cable and have not used single ended since then. Have about 1100 hours on balanced


----------



## equalspeace

nc8000 said:


> I did about 100 hours on the single ended until I got my 4.4 cable and have not used single ended since then. Have about 1100 hours on balanced




Yes, there's no reason to go back unless you need to, for instance, listen to a closed pair of cans that you don't have a balanced cable for in a quiet environment. I have to do this when I'm in a room where my GF is reading or I'll be quickly banished.. I like being in the room with the GF so I switch cans lol


----------



## gerelmx1986

Witcher said:


> Thanks! So mine says something like 209:35. What units is that in?


Hours and minutes


----------



## Quadfather

Quadfather said:


> I am I'm love with my Audioquest Nighthawk headphones.  They are phenomenal out of Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, but sound muted and muddy from Sony NW-WM1A.   Have not purchased balanced yet...may be a synergy thing, because other cans sound awesome.



FOLLOWUP:

My headphones and my player must not have been burned in, because now out of balanced the Sony Audioquest combination is really good.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Quadfather said:


> FOLLOWUP:
> 
> My headphones and my player must not have been burned in, because now out of balanced the Sony Audioquest combination is really good.


Go and get the 1Z and mod it. Its awesome, out of this world!


----------



## Quadfather

hamhamhamsta said:


> Go and get the 1Z and mod it. Its awesome, out of this world!



Did you do your own mod, or did you get someone else to do it?


----------



## ledzep

Bit of me time I feel


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Quadfather said:


> Did you do your own mod, or did you get someone else to do it?


Someone mod for me. I dont know any soldering. Pm me if interested. The person is in US, its not me though.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Anyone looking for excellent iem tips, get the Symbio Mandarine W tips. Its the best tip there is. I tried almost all of them, jvc tips, comply tips, etc. It has both advanrages of foam and silicone tips with excellent seals and none of their disadvantages. Excellent bass, trebles, greater clarity and focus. And long lasting, unlike foam. Try it.

Its available in ebay
https://m.ebay.com/itm/SYMBIO-W-Wid...ecial-Hybrid-Universal-Ear-Tips-/122905925154


----------



## Quadfather

hamhamhamsta said:


> Someone mod for me. I dont know any soldering. Pm me if interested. The person is in US, its not me though.



Still saving.  LOL.  What are the major changes in sound from stock? Did you wait until the warranty expired?


----------



## Witcher

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hours and minutes


So it's 209 hrs and 35 mins. thanks!


----------



## soundkist

hamhamhamsta said:


> Anyone looking for excellent iem tips, get the Symbio Mandarine W tips. Its the best tip there is. I tried almost all of them, jvc tips, comply tips, etc. It has both advanrages of foam and silicone tips with excellent seals and none of their disadvantages. Excellent bass, trebles, greater clarity and focus. And long lasting, unlike foam. Try it.
> 
> Its available in ebay
> https://m.ebay.com/itm/SYMBIO-W-Wid...ecial-Hybrid-Universal-Ear-Tips-/122905925154



I have these as well--big fan.


----------



## all999

hamhamhamsta said:


> Anyone looking for excellent iem tips, get the Symbio Mandarine W tips. Its the best tip there is. I tried almost all of them, jvc tips, comply tips, etc. It has both advanrages of foam and silicone tips with excellent seals and none of their disadvantages. Excellent bass, trebles, greater clarity and focus. And long lasting, unlike foam. Try it.
> 
> Its available in ebay
> https://m.ebay.com/itm/SYMBIO-W-Wid...ecial-Hybrid-Universal-Ear-Tips-/122905925154




Tips for WM1A? It's a new and fresh idea


----------



## fiascogarcia

I'm a new owner, and my searches on this thread and manual haven't led me to how you can see battery charge level reading.  Is there some way to see percentage, or do you have to rely on the little battery icon on the upper right hand corner of the screen?  Thanks for helping a newbie!


----------



## proedros

fiascogarcia said:


> I'm a new owner, and my searches on this thread and manual haven't led me to how you can see battery charge level reading.  Is there some way to see percentage, or do *you have to rely on the little battery icon on the upper right hand corner of the screen*?  Thanks for helping a newbie!



bold part is your answer


----------



## fiascogarcia

proedros said:


> bold part is your answer


Thanks for the response!  I'm actually pretty pleased that if you owned one of the older Walkmans, the new ones are pretty easy to navigate.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fiascogarcia said:


> Thanks for the response!  I'm actually pretty pleased that if you owned one of the older Walkmans, the new ones are pretty easy to navigate.


And good sounding


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> And good sounding



The sound out of mine with Audioquest Nighthawks in balanced can bring me to tears it sounds so beautiful!


----------



## Ginge

Quick question for owners. Are the rings around the headphone jacks supposed to move? If I press my finger on either and rotate clockwise, I notice both rings move. There're a little loose for my liking, but not too bad. I just wondered if this was common on all models or if I got some sort of defect. Thanks!


----------



## neoku

So, new owner here, quick question: If I have a HD600 with balanced cables terminated in a 4 pin XLR (Neutrik), would and adapter like this be enough to enjoy the 4.4mm balanced output available in my WM1A? OR I absolutely need to buy a 4.4mm balanced cable for them? Whatever might be the case, could you wonderful people recommend good adapters (or, if necessary, cables) for the HD600?


----------



## kubo

Looks like it would work fine imo


----------



## roses77 (Jan 18, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> Some AK products have much less battery life.



Yes that’s true Ak Daps have 7hrs battery life the 1st 3 generations as it uses more battery power as you don’t need to use EQ in flac format & Ak Daps Sound more energetic. Using direct source on Sony battery life is longer. If you use EQ it doesn’t last as long as I charge it to 90% uses more battery power.


----------



## roses77

Ginge said:


> Quick question for owners. Are the rings around the headphone jacks supposed to move? If I press my finger on either and rotate clockwise, I notice both rings move. There're a little loose for my liking, but not too bad. I just wondered if this was common on all models or if I got some sort of defect. Thanks!



Yes mine does that too. So does my old MP3 Sony Dap, SE is little loose. But nothing to worry about it.


----------



## flyer1

Ginge said:


> Quick question for owners. Are the rings around the headphone jacks supposed to move? If I press my finger on either and rotate clockwise, I notice both rings move. There're a little loose for my liking, but not too bad. I just wondered if this was common on all models or if I got some sort of defect. Thanks!



They are designed to be loose on purpose to help with stress relief on the jack caused by plug movement.


----------



## kms108

I like to add also, the socket unlike most units, it's not soldered direct to the mainboard, but held in place by the whole aluminum body.


----------



## ttt123

kms108 said:


> I like to add also, the socket unlike most units, it's not soldered direct to the mainboard, but held in place by the whole aluminum body.


To add to that: Designs where the socket pins are soldered to the MB(Mother Board), the pressure of the socket putting pressure on the pins, can result in breaking the solder joint, due to the pressure of many, many inserts of the jack into the socket.  With the Sony layout, the socket is mounted to the case, and there are wires from the socket pins to the MB.  This means that there is no pressure applied to the solder joint, as there is no mechanical linkage from the socket to the MB.  The socket itself has some play in it's holder, which is what you are seeing.  So nothing to worry about.  The play is not an indication of bad construction.  The amount of thought that Sony put into the configuration/mechanicals, gives an idea of how the designer(s) accounted for very small details.


----------



## fiascogarcia

neoku said:


> So, new owner here, quick question: If I have a HD600 with balanced cables terminated in a 4 pin XLR (Neutrik), would and adapter like this be enough to enjoy the 4.4mm balanced output available in my WM1A? OR I absolutely need to buy a 4.4mm balanced cable for them? Whatever might be the case, could you wonderful people recommend good adapters (or, if necessary, cables) for the HD600?


Looks like that would do the trick!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Ginge said:


> Quick question for owners. Are the rings around the headphone jacks supposed to move? If I press my finger on either and rotate clockwise, I notice both rings move. There're a little loose for my liking, but not too bad. I just wondered if this was common on all models or if I got some sort of defect. Thanks!


The rings I do t know, but the jacks are connected to PCB via cables so they wiggle a bit


----------



## Quadfather (Jan 18, 2018)

roses77 said:


> Yes that’s true Ak Daps have 7hrs battery life the 1st 3 generations as it uses more battery power as you don’t need to use EQ in flac format & Ak Daps Sound more energetic. Using direct source on Sony battery life is longer. If you use EQ it doesn’t last as long as I charge it to 90% uses more battery power.



All of my stuff is FLAC, and I never EQ it. The Audioquest Nighthawks are beautiful with it out of the balanced just as it is...without any sound enhancements.  Some of my headphones sound great with the Sony, some of them not so much.  Having said that, the Nighthawk combination is to die for.  I had an AK240SS and thought it sounded so thinly analytical and weak in terms of the amp, that I sent it back.  It always amazes me how different all of our ears hear. I suppose that is why there are so many digital audio player options.  The Sony is my absolute favorite player at the moment. I want to save for the 1Z.


----------



## Sonic Defender

Quadfather said:


> All of my stuff is FLAC, and I never EQ it. The Audioquest Nighthawks are beautiful with it out of the balanced just as it is...without any sound enhancements.  Some of my headphones sound great with the Sony, some of them not so much.  Having said that, the Nighthawk combination is to die for.  I had an AK240SS and thought it sounded so thinly analytical and weak in terms of the amp, that I sent it back.  It always amazes me how different all of our ears hear. I suppose that is why there are so many digital audio player options.  The Sony is my absolute favorite player at the moment. I want to save for the 1Z.


If you ever want to try a closed I loved the Audioquest Nightowl, it was a really nice signature after getting used to the tuning.


----------



## Quadfather

Sonic Defender said:


> If you ever want to try a closed I loved the Audioquest Nightowl, it was a really nice signature after getting used to the tuning.



I do plan to try it and have been looking on the for sale forums


----------



## Sonic Defender

Quadfather said:


> I do plan to try it and have been looking on the for sale forums


I'll let you know. Mine that I sold to a friend might become available. If it does it is absolutely mint, very low hours. I'll PM you if he moves them which I suspect he will as he is selling his large collection and going down to only a few headphones.


----------



## Ginge

roses77 said:


> Yes mine does that too. So does my old MP3 Sony Dap, SE is little loose. But nothing to worry about it.



Thanks, I feel relieved now! They felt a little too loose for me, but if that's how they're supposed be by design, I'm fine with it.


----------



## Quadfather (Jan 18, 2018)

Well, my tempered glass screen protector went on beautifully. It's time for a little 24-bit Judas Priest live in 1982.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> Well, my tempered glass screen protector went on beautifully. It's time for a little 24-bit Judas Priest live in 1982.


Are you a mac user? I see aiff and alac files in your wm1a


----------



## Quadfather (Jan 18, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Are you a mac user? I see aiff and alac files in your wm1a



I'm actually using Windows 10 on an HP Envy 17.3 in laptop computer. It is smoking fast, and I love it.  I have meticulously organized music files, where everything goes under the artist, than the album under that, with album art embedded.  I am also an audiobook freak and go with Graphic Audio. They have voice actors, theme songs, and sound effects.  It's awesome.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> I'm actually using Windows 10 on an HP Envy 17.3 in laptop computer. It is smoking fast, and I love it.  I have meticulously organized music files, where everything goes under the artist, than the album under that, with album art embedded.  I am also an audiobook freak and go with Graphic Audio. They have voice actors, theme songs, and sound effects.  It's awesome.


I also use a Sony vaio multi-flip PC laptop with windows 10, is fast for a dual core i5 4th gen. I use flac and I am organized by composer then the albums. Also my files are meticulously tagged with the basic tags like artist, genre, year, album, track title, composer, album art, disc and disc total and track track total.

BTW why you use aiff? Are wav files bad or buggy?


----------



## Quadfather (Jan 18, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I also use a Sony vaio multi-flip PC laptop with windows 10, is fast for a dual core i5 4th gen. I use flac and I am organized by composer then the albums. Also my files are meticulously tagged with the basic tags like artist, genre, year, album, track title, composer, album art, disc and disc total and track track total.
> 
> BTW why you use aiff? Are wav files bad or buggy?



I find AIFF exponentially easier to tag. I can also work with them in iTunes or other programs. I have 4 8 terabyte drives into 6 terabyte drives, so space isn't really a concern.  It is great to have everything well organized. I am a bit crazy about backing everything up 4 times over as well.  It is a pain to get album art and wav files.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I also have triple backup of my music and other files, on two 2TB  and one 4TB drive.

I imagined something about wave being tricky to tag for your choice of aiff, same I got Flac and DSF


----------



## Jazzi

Quadfather said:


> Some AK products have much less battery life.



I've owned 4 AK products, and never had one that approached the battery life of the WM1Z/1A.


----------



## Quadfather

Jazzi said:


> I've owned 4 AK products, and never had one that approached the battery life of the WM1Z/1A.



To me it seemed totally asinine to spend $2,500 on a player and then have to carry around an external battery pack everywhere.


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> I also have triple backup of my music and other files, on two 2TB  and one 4TB drive.
> 
> I imagined something about wave being tricky to tag for your choice of aiff, same I got Flac and DSF



I had to downsample Judas Priest to 16-bit when I took it off of the DVD, So AIFF allowed me to restore it to its proper bit depth.  I also have Pink Floyd The Wall the movie version in audio that way.  Oh yeah some Pink Floyd live at Pompeii as well as their live 8 concert.


----------



## Ginge

Can you guys recommend a good screen protector?


----------



## Quadfather

Ginge said:


> Can you guys recommend a good screen protector?




https://www.ebay.com/itm/Premium-Fr...480462?hash=item1a29812a0e:g:TwoAAOSwmNlZZuxI


----------



## captblaze

Quadfather said:


> I had to downsample Judas Priest to 16-bit when I took it off of the DVD, So AIFF allowed me to restore it to its proper bit depth.  I also have Pink Floyd The Wall the movie version in audio that way.  Oh yeah some Pink Floyd live at Pompeii as well as their live 8 concert.



if you want to Rip DVD audio and keep the original bit depth and choose the format (.wav /.flac and others) try DVD Audio Extractor. It also does some primitive tagging. I'm sure there is a Sony compatible format you could rip to


----------



## Quadfather

captblaze said:


> if you want to Rip DVD audio and keep the original bit depth and choose the format (.wav /.flac and others) try DVD Audio Extractor. It also does some primitive tagging. I'm sure there is a Sony compatible format you could rip to



I believe that is the program I used. I would have to look at my home computer.


----------



## captblaze

Quadfather said:


> I believe that is the program I used. I would have to look at my home computer.



I've been using it to rip some Blu Ray audio discs Doesn't get updated all that often, but has gotten me through with non CD format discs


----------



## gerelmx1986

Nice album that gives damn Binaural -iike sound, don't know how they recorded it (mic placement)


----------



## Hawaiibadboy




----------



## fiascogarcia

Quadfather said:


> Well, my tempered glass screen protector went on beautifully. It's time for a little 24-bit Judas Priest live in 1982.


What screen protector did you use and where did you get it?  Thanks!!


----------



## fiascogarcia

Can someone enlighten me regarding the option to charge the battery to 90% to extend life?  I'm not familiar with this practice.  Thanks.


----------



## Quadfather

fiascogarcia said:


> What screen protector did you use and where did you get it?  Thanks!!




https://www.ebay.com/itm/Premium-Fr...or-Film-For-Sony-NW-WM1A-NW-WM1Z/112365480462


----------



## Matrix Petka

fiascogarcia said:


> Can someone enlighten me regarding the option to charge the battery to 90% to extend life?  I'm not familiar with this practice.  Thanks.


There is "Baterry saver" (or something like this) mode in the settings. Easy. Just turn it on.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Matrix Petka said:


> There is "Baterry saver" (or something like this) mode in the settings. Easy. Just turn it on.


Yeah, I saw that, I was just interested in proper battery care.  Did some research, and the recommendations for battery care covers a pretty broad range of what to do.  Still don't understand it, but I guess, from what I've read thus far, is that I'll go with "shallow" charges and discharges to prolong battery life, with an occasional full discharge to keep the meter reading more accurate.  Thanks!


----------



## dougi555

So guys, have been using a NW-ZX2 with a PHA-3 Amp into MDR- Z1R Phones..... Love it, but thinking of jumping into a WM1Z.... Thoughts? Really significantly better? Not bothered about streaming, use my Xperia-xz-premium phone for that (it's gorgeous I have to say and sounds beautiful through the PHA-3).....


----------



## nanaholic

fiascogarcia said:


> Yeah, I saw that, I was just interested in proper battery care.  Did some research, and the recommendations for battery care covers a pretty broad range of what to do.  Still don't understand it, but I guess, from what I've read thus far, is that I'll go with "shallow" charges and discharges to prolong battery life, with an occasional full discharge to keep the meter reading more accurate.  Thanks!



TL;DR, Lithium-ion batteries lasts longer if they aren't fully charged/discharged and their longativity aren't susceptible to partial charge/discharges, it's just the chemistry of the material at work. 
There's a lot of confusion because previously the most common rechargeable batteries are Nickel Cadmium batteries, but their chemical property is exactly the OPPOSITE of Lithium-ion batteries (ie they work better when fully charged and fully discharged). So a lot of the "common sense" build up from the Nickel Cadmium era gets passed on and seem to go in conflict to what is being said today which are instructions for Lithium-ion batteries.


----------



## denis1976 (Jan 20, 2018)

dougi555 said:


> So guys, have been using a NW-ZX2 with a PHA-3 Amp into MDR- Z1R Phones..... Love it, but thinking of jumping into a WM1Z.... Thoughts? Really significantly better? Not bothered about streaming, use my Xperia-xz-premium phone for that (it's gorgeous I have to say and sounds beautiful through the PHA-3).....


the 1Z is not significantly better ,is absolutly better(to me ears of course)


----------



## Quadfather

denis1976 said:


> the 1Z is not significantly better ,is absolutly better(to me ears of course)



How do you like it stacked against a Sony NW-WM1A?  I love my 1A...


----------



## cocolinho

Today I had the chance to compare both. 
Same songs same format same iems same cable so both on balanced (tg334 with btg audio) Both devices uncaped so same volume.
I was expecting greater differences. So before firing 2k on 1z try to compare both like I did.  Personally I keep my excellent 1a which is 95% the same as 1z. Really


----------



## gerelmx1986

cocolinho said:


> Today I had the chance to compare both.
> Same songs same format same iems same cable so both on balanced (tg334 with btg audio) Both devices uncaped so same volume.
> I was expecting greater differences. So before firing 2k on 1z try to compare both like I did.  Personally I keep my excellent 1a which is 95% the same as 1z. Really


 I was expecting something like this, so honest, as they have the same circuit on balanced (forget the other premium components on SE side or the F-resisyors on wm1z)


----------



## proedros

there is a *used wm1a for 700 euros* at the FS threads atm


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> I was expecting something like this, so honest, as they have the same circuit on balanced (forget the other premium components on SE side or the F-resisyors on wm1z)



Does this mean I should stop Desiring the 1Z if I already have the 1A?


----------



## Fr_eak

Quadfather said:


> Does this mean I should stop Desiring the 1Z if I already have the 1A?


They are sort of similar but definitely not the same. Devil in the fine details and as always, you pay a premium for a difference especially at the upper end of the spectrum.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think so yes, paying 2k for 128GB more... a couple of "premium" components... and a Gold chassis hmmm, for that i slap a 400GB card on my wm1A and done... perhaps modding it but i am sceptical about mods and fearful about damage


----------



## kms108

You forgot one think, just cut and paste the word below on the unit, and start painting.

WM1Z


----------



## cocolinho

If money is 0 object then go ahead. Or try something else like sp1000.
Otherwise my advice is compare by yourself with your gear and with honesty and then decide.
I was targeting 1z since I really like my 1a and I personally let it go.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Quadfather said:


> Does this mean I should stop Desiring the 1Z if I already have the 1A?


As a member of Head-fi, you are not allowed to stop desiring!  You might actually be banned!


----------



## Quadfather

fiascogarcia said:


> As a member of Head-fi, you are not allowed to stop desiring!  You might actually be banned!



To quote Gollum, "Me wantses it."


----------



## Blommen

Well, having not tried a wm1a I would say that it would be perfectly fine for me. I just wanted no doubt of "what could have been". Not worth it probably but yeah, that is it.


----------



## dougi555

Yeah that's the problem..... It just looks so damn gorgeous...... It MUST sound better.  But seriously, I'm not sure there's much point in upgrading from my NW-ZX2 if I'm only going to the WM1A, may as well to the whole hog for the 1Z...


----------



## proedros (Jan 20, 2018)

dougi555 said:


> Yeah that's the problem..... It just looks so damn gorgeous...... It MUST sound better.  But seriously, *I'm not sure there's much point in upgrading from my NW-ZX2 if I'm only going to the WM1A*, may as well to the whole hog for the 1Z...



haven't heard wm1z , but i went from zx2 to wm1a after resisting for 1 year and i sold my zx2 3 days after - wm1a is a definite improvement , especially with the 4.4 balanced thing

in fact i wish i had done the zx2>wm1a jump sooner and not wait that long because i was thining like you 'ah the wm1a will not be an improvement' - it is and it's easily heard from the 1st moment


----------



## Quadfather

proedros said:


> haven't heard wm1z , but i went from zx2 to wm1a after resisting for 1 year and i sold my zx2 3 days after - wm1a is a definite improvement , especially with the 4.4 balanced thing
> 
> in fact i wish i had done the zx2>wm1a jump sooner and not wait that long because i was thining like you 'ah the wm1a will not be an improvement' - it is and it's easily heard from the 1st moment



I like my Sony NW-WM1A as much as my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and my Questyle QP1R.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 20, 2018)

I f you use hi-end daps like the WM1A use Lossless files  I did an experiment on mp3 vbr V0 lame, from 944GB lossless to just 319GB in lossy mode... that's "huge space savings" but a greta loss in SQ for sure... MP3 was good in the times we were space limited back in the late 90's early 2000's... Now with terabyte drives i consider mp3 so obsolete and retrograde algorithm

AVG album size in mp3 120MB... 3GB DSD albums reduced to 89MB lol


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> I f you use hi-end daps like the WM1A use Lossless files  I did an experiment on mp3 vbr V0 lame, from 944GB lossless to just 319GB in lossy mode... that's "huge space savings" but a greta loss in SQ for sure... MP3 was good in the times we were space limited back in the late 90's early 2000's... Now with terabyte drives i consider mp3 so obsolete and retrograde algorithm
> 
> AVG album size in mp3 120MB... 3GB DSD albums reduced to 89MB lol



My minimum is 44.1kHz/16bit...have tons of 96kHz/24bit and DSD too.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Since i discovered FLAC in late 2011... i haven't looked back into lossy codecs... Ironically an iPod led me to heard the difference when walkman with DSEE hid the defects of mp3 very good... Now my WM1A is a bliss


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> Since i discovered FLAC in late 2011... i haven't looked back into lossy codecs... Ironically an iPod led me to heard the difference when walkman with DSEE hid the defects of mp3 very good... Now my WM1A is a bliss



I have FLAC and Apple Lossless, or ALAC.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

cocolinho said:


> Today I had the chance to compare both.
> Same songs same format same iems same cable so both on balanced (tg334 with btg audio) Both devices uncaped so same volume.
> I was expecting greater differences. So before firing 2k on 1z try to compare both like I did.  Personally I keep my excellent 1a which is 95% the same as 1z. Really



I had both for 2 weeks and went with 1A

I don't like the gold but would have gone for it at 50% or free if I taught English and boxing to his son. 13 year old mommies boy. I passed.
The free option was too obligation oriented in a Japanese tatemae society and woulda been tough to cut him as a student.
The 50% off on store demo unit was more of Gold not being my thing, it is damn heavy and the sonics are not really niticable for me with Sony ex1000 IEM in balanced. If folks like it...cool. Not worth it for me but this hobby is all really a massive subjective social exercise


----------



## equalspeace

I can't answer whether the WM1Z sounds 2k better than the WM1A from experience, but I'd willing to bet 2k that it doesn't.


----------



## aisalen

I got hd650 and jotunheim as I am curious since it seems everybody swears by it and want a setup for my desktop, unfortunately it did not tops my wm1a/it03 combo in terms of sq, soundstage and resolution. Wm1a with it03 is an end game for me in terms of the sound I like.


----------



## boomtube

WTB a 1A, if anyone is considering selling.


----------



## Dtuck90

Through SE is the WM1A £400 better than the Zx300? I’d only be using SE due to me having B&W P9s. 

Also does anybody know how the sound compares with both to a Pono Player?


----------



## nc8000

Dtuck90 said:


> Through SE is the WM1A £400 better than the Zx300? I’d only be using SE due to me having B&W P9s.
> 
> Also does anybody know how the sound compares with both to a Pono Player?



My guess would be that single ended ZX300 would be the better buy but I’ve heard neither


----------



## nc8000

equalspeace said:


> I can't answer whether the WM1Z sounds 2k better than the WM1A from experience, but I'd willing to bet 2k that it doesn't.



I’m sure it’s not 2K better, I just took the step right away so not to risk buyers remorse and speculation


----------



## dougi555

Yup, that's me...... Think my mind is made up......


----------



## Steen Pihl

boomtube said:


> WTB a 1A, if anyone is considering selling.


I have one for you to consider. PM me about state, hours and price!


----------



## ttt123 (Jan 21, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> Does this mean I should stop Desiring the 1Z if I already have the 1A?


The answer to that question is within yourself (this is true for all of us).  If you are perfectly happy with your current choice, then there is no need to look further.   But if/when the itch becomes too much, and you start to think of how the 1Z might be better, then that is a sign that the itch to see what is next is reaching the incurable stage, where there is only one answer possible....

The deeper question is how some people can live happily with a solution until it dies, and they need to replace it, and how others are unable to stop looking, and must make continual changes, no matter what they have.  And which type of person are you?  If you are the latter, then you may as well give in, because you know what you will do eventually.  Know yourself, and enjoy...


----------



## emrelights1973

The deeper question is how some people can live happily with a solution until it dies, and they need to replace it, and how others are unable to stop looking, and must make continual changes, no matter what they have.  And which type of person are you?  If you are the latter, then you may as well give in, because you know what you will do eventually.  Know yourself, and enjoy...[/QUOTE]

Very well put

I ordered a 1z and still looking at sp1000, I am sick)


----------



## Fr_eak

emrelights1973 said:


> Very well put
> 
> I ordered a 1z and still looking at sp1000, I am sick)


 I'd say they are complimentary rather than replaceable!


----------



## pietcux

Quadfather said:


> To quote Gollum, "Me wantses it."


Instead of changing the sound a little bit by buying a WM1Z, you could try some more cans, like the Z1R the Pioneer TOTL or many others. The sound differences will be much more noticeable. The WM1A is a perfect player, I would never have expected to be produced at any time soon.


----------



## aisalen

^^^
I agree on Z1R hp upgrade than 1Z, it will sure put the sq of 1A to another level than upgrading to 1Z.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

2pac..@ 5.6MHz


----------



## emrelights1973

Fr_eak said:


> I'd say they are complimentary rather than replaceable!



Still it is way too expensive to buy bought but looks like i will


----------



## ttt123

emrelights1973 said:


> Still it is way too expensive to buy bought but looks like i will



Only James Bond lives twice....


----------



## fiascogarcia (Jan 21, 2018)

"Demo" units at great prices ($2250 - well, I guess it's all relative!) at Razordog Audio.  Says they're used less than 5 hours.


----------



## Lavakugel

Any good advice for a first IEM for my WM1a on balanced? Let's say under 500 bucks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I really love my WM1A, nice classic black color, nice weighty feel but not like carrying a ton of lead. Very organic and analogue SQ BTW, the Digital audio player will be 20 yeasr old this year who remmebers that Rio carbon or MPMan ? My first was a sony network walkman core of 1GB for 130 mp3 songs


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lavakugel said:


> Any good advice for a first IEM for my WM1a on balanced? Let's say under 500 bucks.


hmm sony XBA-Z5 (499 on accessoryJack) but doesn't has a 4.4mm out of the box, it has a dual 3,5mm balanced atndard


----------



## twister6

nc8000 said:


> I’m sure it’s not 2K better, I just took the step right away so not to risk buyers remorse and speculation



It wasn't suppose to sound $2k better   The bulk of that price difference is due to pure copper chassis, gold plating is just to prevent corrosion.  I had a chance to speak with another manufacturer who considered special edition copper chassis for their dap, but they changed their mind after finding out the cost.


----------



## denis1976

If the 1Z is only 5% better than the 1A ....i never heard such a wonderfull 5%....


----------



## buzzlulu

Posted on the TA thread however I thought I would also post here due to more activity.

I am using Utopia's and Z1R's with my WM1Z.
Has anyone done an in-depth comparison between the WM1Z and Sony TA-ZH1ES?
I recall reading one report which stated the difference was not that big ie not worth the exercise


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Lavakugel said:


> Any good advice for a first IEM for my WM1a on balanced? Let's say under 500 bucks.


If you can find in sale forum, ASG 2.5. 1A will tighten the bass and provide the much needed treble. But you will need to eq and use all other enhancements to sound best. 1A/ 1Z does eq very well.


----------



## RuiPP

Do you have any idea when Sony will release the next great DAPs like these?


----------



## nc8000

RuiPP said:


> Do you have any idea when Sony will release the next great DAPs like these?



A good bet is for the 40 years jubilee of the Walkman in 2019


----------



## RuiPP

nc8000 said:


> A good bet is for the 40 years jubilee of the Walkman in 2019


I believe you're right.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Ok, so I'm still waiting on a 4.4 adapter to try out the balanced on my 1Z.  In the meantime, I have about 50 hours on the SE jack, and it still sounds like there is no channel separation, let alone any width to the soundstage. I've played songs where I know there are definitive left/right instrument placements, and everything sounds like it's coming direct center.  Does burn in really make that much impact on this, or should I be looking at other possible reasons?  Thanks for the advice!


----------



## gerelmx1986

fiascogarcia said:


> Ok, so I'm still waiting on a 4.4 adapter to try out the balanced on my 1Z.  In the meantime, I have about 50 hours on the SE jack, and it still sounds like there is no channel separation, let alone any width to the soundstage. I've played songs where I know there are definitive left/right instrument placements, and everything sounds like it's coming direct center.  Does burn in really make that much impact on this, or should I be looking at other possible reasons?  Thanks for the advice!


 quality of your music files... what file format are you suing? i use FLAC and DSD no lossy mp3 or mp4 AAC here


----------



## ttt123

fiascogarcia said:


> Ok, so I'm still waiting on a 4.4 adapter to try out the balanced on my 1Z.  In the meantime, I have about 50 hours on the SE jack, and it still sounds like there is no channel separation, let alone any width to the soundstage. I've played songs where I know there are definitive left/right instrument placements, and everything sounds like it's coming direct center.  Does burn in really make that much impact on this, or should I be looking at other possible reasons?  Thanks for the advice!


Burn in makes quite a difference, in my experience.  When not using it, I leave it plugged into power, and playing continuously, when it was new and I wanted to speed up the time it takes.  Sony recommends 200 hrs.  You can try  following Sony's recommendation, as it does not take that long, and you can use it along the way, and decide whether it makes a difference or not.


----------



## equalspeace (Jan 21, 2018)

fiascogarcia said:


> Ok, so I'm still waiting on a 4.4 adapter to try out the balanced on my 1Z.  In the meantime, I have about 50 hours on the SE jack, and it still sounds like there is no channel separation, let alone any width to the soundstage. I've played songs where I know there are definitive left/right instrument placements, and everything sounds like it's coming direct center.  Does burn in really make that much impact on this, or should I be looking at other possible reasons?  Thanks for the advice!



It is a chore, but you definitely want to burn in both inputs. Sony says 200hrs minimum. My experience is that everything really started to come together on my WM1A at 150. I'm probably at 180 or so on balanced with my LQI custom copper cable connecting my HD 650 on high gain. Using this combo I can safely say nothing I've tried thus far touches it.


----------



## fiascogarcia

gerelmx1986 said:


> quality of your music files... what file format are you suing? i use FLAC and DSD no lossy mp3 or mp4 AAC here





equalspeace said:


> It is a chore, but you definitely want to burn in both inputs. Sony says 200hrs minimum. My experience is that everything really started to come together on my WM1A at 150. I'm probably at 180 or so on balanced with my LQI custom copper cable connecting my HD 650 on high gain. Using this combo I can safely say nothing I've tried thus far touches it.





ttt123 said:


> Burn in makes quite a difference, in my experience.  When not using it, I leave it plugged into power, and playing continuously, when it was new and I wanted to speed up the time it takes.  Sony recommends 200 hrs.  You can try  following Sony's recommendation, as it does not take that long, and you can use it along the way, and decide whether it makes a difference or not.


Thanks for the response!  Guess I'll keep plugging away with the burn in on both jacks.  Can't be the files, as I've used the digital port to play through my Hugo and the stereo separation plays through fine.  I'm using anywhere from 44.1/16 through 192/24 and DSD files with same results.  I'll put more faith in what I'm hearing when I start using the balanced jack and it's burned in properly!


----------



## Hawaiibadboy




----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 22, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> hmm sony XBA-Z5 (499 on accessoryJack) but doesn't has a 4.4mm out of the box, it has a dual 3,5mm balanced atndard



I second this suggestion as a $499 IEM recommendation, and yes the issue is getting them to go 4.4 Pentaconn, which adds a little expense.

 But the Sony Signature Walkmans take the Z5 to such an amazing level in 4.4 mode. Everything is so natural, and reverb, as in digital or room recorded reverb has such a world class magic. The bass is big but controlled and does not bleed into the mids. If your used to listening to BA arrays, Sony’s humble two BAs may not exhibit the “wow” factor at first.............but after giving the Z5s fair running time there ends up a natural coherent playback which is non-fatiguing and “all-in-place”.

The only thing that keeps them from 100% perfect is the form factor/fit and supplied cables. But as audiophiles, we will sleep on beds of nails regularly to gain SQ.

Edit:
My dream IEM would be the Z5s placed in a custom-fit design. I know Sony offers custom IEMs but I’m not sure they sound like the Z5?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 22, 2018)

fiascogarcia said:


> Ok, so I'm still waiting on a 4.4 adapter to try out the balanced on my 1Z.  In the meantime, I have about 50 hours on the SE jack, and it still sounds like there is no channel separation, let alone any width to the soundstage. I've played songs where I know there are definitive left/right instrument placements, and everything sounds like it's coming direct center.  Does burn in really make that much impact on this, or should I be looking at other possible reasons?  Thanks for the advice!



The epiphany needs to occur where your mind gets used to portables.

I love my WM1Z but truth be said, I have a Rega Planet CD transport going to a $300 AV DAC going to a Schiit Asgard One that beats out the 1Z on every level in audio with all my IEMs.

That’s why when I read reviews where they state the 1A or 1Z is a complete replacement for desktop units, I simply laugh. Even putting a humble $800 desktop rig together is going to win out over these new Walkmans if you choose and group your equipment right.

The primary difference is the portable DAP and IEM group are placing more soundstage imaging inside of your ears. So if your used to headphones and home systems, it’s like “ What’s the fuss about?”


It’s just that one system is apples and one system is oranges, you can’t actually compare. But even if someone is expecting to spend $5K on a portable rig and think it’s going to win out over a $5K well chose desktop, they are simply delusional. What you do get with the Signature Walkmans is a personal intimate relationship, where everything is there just in smaller size. Again stuff is more inside the cranium and some outside, where with large soundstage (full-size) headphones it’s 5 inches out side your head. Though I did notice a nice 1Z soundstage improvement after 50 hours of burn in and at that time going to FW 2.0.

You may want to try different IEMs too. I have come across a 1/4” to 3.5mm adapter which made all my headphones sound like they were mono. I actually tossed it in the trash as I was tired of being fooled by it.

But it’s a strange issue that occurs after you get a large collection of headphones, adapters and IEMs, truth be said, they at rare times don’t work together. Some members have made strict plans always keeping the adapters with the same headphones for this reason.


----------



## Fr_eak (Jan 22, 2018)

emrelights1973 said:


> Still it is way too expensive to buy bought but looks like i will





fiascogarcia said:


> Thanks for the response!  Guess I'll keep plugging away with the burn in on both jacks.  Can't be the files, as I've used the digital port to play through my Hugo and the stereo separation plays through fine.  I'm using anywhere from 44.1/16 through 192/24 and DSD files with same results.  I'll put more faith in what I'm hearing when I start using the balanced jack and it's burned in properly!


 In my humble opinion burn-in does help but it will not make a day and night difference from having no soundstage (as you described) to a very expansive one. My guess is that the signature of the 1Z is not your cup of tea, as in all fairness, having a 1Z myself as well, it is not the most airy and having the biggest stage. 1Z's signature is more intimate and warm, the details are all there but not presented upfront to you. The slightly soft treble and lower treble probably gives the impression that the sound is not that airy as well. IMHO.

By the way what headphone / IEM are you using? Perhaps the 1Z is not capable of driving them properly?


----------



## aisalen

fiascogarcia said:


> Ok, so I'm still waiting on a 4.4 adapter to try out the balanced on my 1Z.  In the meantime, I have about 50 hours on the SE jack, and it still sounds like there is no channel separation, let alone any width to the soundstage. I've played songs where I know there are definitive left/right instrument placements, and everything sounds like it's coming direct center.  Does burn in really make that much impact on this, or should I be looking at other possible reasons?  Thanks for the advice!


There is a big difference in sq from SE and balance with 1a/1z. My xba-a3 sounds meh with my 1a and I regret buying it at first but become one of my favorite iem when I use balance cable on it. The sound stage becomes big and balanced.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Redcarmoose said:


> The epiphany needs to occur where your mind gets used to portables.
> 
> I love my WM1Z but truth be said, I have a Rega Planet CD transport going to a $300 AV DAC going to a Schiit Asgard One that beats out the 1Z on every level in audio with all my IEMs.
> 
> ...





Fr_eak said:


> In my humble opinion burn-in does help but it will not make a day and night difference from having no soundstage (as you described) to a very expansive one. My guess is that the signature of the 1Z is not your cup of tea, as in all fairness, having a 1Z myself as well, it is not the most airy and having the biggest stage. 1Z's signature is more intimate and warm, the details are all there but not presented upfront to you. The slightly soft treble and lower treble probably gives the impression that the sound is not that airy as well. IMHO.
> 
> By the way what headphone / IEM are you using? Perhaps the 1Z is not capable of driving them properly?


Yeah, I'll give it some time.  Maybe I was expecting too much, but I realize I'm still very early in the burn in stage.  I'm using a set of Tia Fourte's  with a 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter on it so I don't think power is the issue.  The strange thing thus far is that I tested the Fourte's straight out of my ZX1, which I use as a transport for my Hugo/LC setup, and the ZX1 plays with a balanced left/right separation.  So I don't think the adapter is the issue either.  It's just crazy that the 1Z SE jack currently does sound like it's playing in mono, much less offering any level of soundstage.  I just need to wait for my 4.4mm adapter, and if that works I won't care what the 3.5mm jack sounds like!  Thanks to all for the great feedback!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> I second this suggestion as a $499 IEM recommendation, and yes the issue is getting them to go 4.4 Pentaconn, which adds a little expense.
> 
> But the Sony Signature Walkmans take the Z5 to such an amazing level in 4.4 mode. Everything is so natural, and reverb, as in digital or room recorded reverb has such a world class magic. The bass is big but controlled and does not bleed into the mids. If your used to listening to BA arrays, Sony’s humble two BAs may not exhibit the “wow” factor at first.............but after giving the Z5s fair running time there ends up a natural coherent playback which is non-fatiguing and “all-in-place”.
> 
> ...


I agree on what you say. I noted exactly what you said about d when switch to balanced, they are another set of IEM, all. More natural and organic.

Regarding fit I agree too on this, wish their Form factor was like that of shure or the new Sony 1000x Bluetooth IEMs.

I am still waiting for my cables to ditch the stock ones


----------



## thebratts

Love my WM1Z! Now with even better company:
Enjoyed work a little more today


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> I agree on what you say. I noted exactly what you said about d when switch to balanced, they are another set of IEM, all. More natural and organic.
> 
> Regarding fit I agree too on this, wish their Form factor was like that of shure or the new Sony 1000x Bluetooth IEMs.
> 
> I am still waiting for my cables to ditch the stock ones


This is correct, my XBA300 was totally dead, andI was just going to throw them away, but after connecting the Sony kimber kable, the SQ is on par with much more expensive IEM, but a friend was into a new IEM, I just gave him my XBA300, but not with the Sony kimber kable .

I'm also in a difficult situation, have to decide which IEM to use daily from my Sony EX600, Sony EX800ST, Sony EX1000 and the BD Xelento, I like them all, apart from the EX800ST being SE, the rest are reterminated to Pentaconn 4.4mm.
Some how my Sony EX800ST seem to work at it's best with stock cable, and I can't confirm if the stock cable will support balanced.


----------



## yakitoroi

kms108 said:


> This is correct, my XBA300 was totally dead, andI was just going to throw them away, but after connecting the Sony kimber kable, the SQ is on par with much more expensive IEM, but a friend was into a new IEM, I just gave him my XBA300, but not with the Sony kimber kable .
> 
> I'm also in a difficult situation, have to decide which IEM to use daily from my Sony EX600, Sony EX800ST, Sony EX1000 and the BD Xelento, I like them all, apart from the EX800ST being SE, the rest are reterminated to Pentaconn 4.4mm.
> Some how my Sony EX800ST seem to work at it's best with stock cable, and I can't confirm if the stock cable will support balanced.


Hello KMS108,
How would you describe the Xelento? Similar to you, I am also in a tough spot and is looking for a more comfortable traveling rig. I have the universal laylas and live the north east, it's tough fitting my hat with the laylas and I was looking for a iem thats hat friendly. I had the shure se846, but didn't like the sound quality with the 1z. Let me know. I can't wait for canjam nyc to audition.


----------



## Sound Eq

Hawaiibadboy said:


> I had both for 2 weeks and went with 1A
> 
> I don't like the gold but would have gone for it at 50% or free if I taught English and boxing to his son. 13 year old mommies boy. I passed.
> The free option was too obligation oriented in a Japanese tatemae society and woulda been tough to cut him as a student.
> The 50% off on store demo unit was more of Gold not being my thing, it is damn heavy and the sonics are not really niticable for me with Sony ex1000 IEM in balanced. If folks like it...cool. Not worth it for me but this hobby is all really a massive subjective social exercise



Man you are an asset to us, as you keep things real especially for people like us who live in countries where we can not audition things, I learned the hard way when once I bought the ak380 and amp, and hugo and I said I will never ever follow hype people again

thanks man for being here


----------



## proedros

someone asked me via PM if i get any noise from WM1A and the answer is no ,even with the so-called hissy Zeus XR i get zero noise

leaving it also here in case another member has the same question

also thanx to those who audition both wm1a and wm1z and keep us informed on how much difference they hear


----------



## pietcux

fiascogarcia said:


> Yeah, I'll give it some time.  Maybe I was expecting too much, but I realize I'm still very early in the burn in stage.  I'm using a set of Tia Fourte's  with a 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter on it so I don't think power is the issue.  The strange thing thus far is that I tested the Fourte's straight out of my ZX1, which I use as a transport for my Hugo/LC setup, and the ZX1 plays with a balanced left/right separation.  So I don't think the adapter is the issue either.  It's just crazy that the 1Z SE jack currently does sound like it's playing in mono, much less offering any level of soundstage.  I just need to wait for my 4.4mm adapter, and if that works I won't care what the 3.5mm jack sounds like!  Thanks to all for the great feedback!


My SONY EX1000 sounds quite similar out of the ZX1 and the WM1A unbalanced as they are with the original cable only. They are easy to drive anyways. The HD660S has a tighter bass and larger soundstage on the balanced tab of the WM1A though compared to the unbalanced tab. The unbalanced output stage of the WM1A has around 100 hours runtime up to now.


----------



## GoDiSLoVe

I hope this was not asked before but I couldn't find it after some brief search.
Has anyone found a proper cable to connect WM1Z to TA-ZH1ES?  The cable that comes in the box is super short (and looks cheap) which makes it such a pain in the a...  when using it when its connected to the amp.
Any recommendations?


----------



## asquare3376 (Jan 22, 2018)

GoDiSLoVe said:


> I hope this was not asked before but I couldn't find it after some brief search.
> Has anyone found a proper cable to connect WM1Z to TA-ZH1ES?  The cable that comes in the box is super short (and looks cheap) which makes it such a pain in the a...  when using it when its connected to the amp.
> Any recommendations?



I am using Sony's dock connected via Audioquest's Cinnamon micro USB.


----------



## GoDiSLoVe

asquare3376 said:


> I am using Sony's dock connected via Audioquest's Cinnamon micro USB.



BCR-NWH10? I couldn't even see another dock but asking to be sure since the specs do not mention wm1z as a supported device.


----------



## nc8000

GoDiSLoVe said:


> BCR-NWH10? I couldn't even see another dock but asking to be sure since the specs do not mention wm1z as a supported device.



As far as I’m aware it works with all wm port players. It certainly works with 1Z


----------



## asquare3376

GoDiSLoVe said:


> BCR-NWH10? I couldn't even see another dock but asking to be sure since the specs do not mention wm1z as a supported device.


Yes, that's it. Dock came way before the Signature series and accepts the wm port. It works well with 1A, 1Z, ZX100 and many others. Go for it. You can play, charge simultaneously. Also, use another cable and connect to your computer, toggle a switch at the back and start transferring music.


----------



## Blacktulipx

flinkenick said:


> Hello everybody,
> 
> A few weeks back I had my 1Z modded, with as highlights quality platinum-based solder and PW Audio 1960 4-Wire internal cabling (which is actually an 8-wire cable due to its coaxial design, that retails as a $2K iem cable). The mod is the second product that iem and cable specialist Music Sanctuary has released under their own brand name, which consists of modifications of existing products by upgrading components; the other being the recently released cable Eos in cooperation with Effect Audio, which uses the same high-grade solder.
> 
> ...


Hi, could you say: have you already compared AK Sp1000 to rewired Sony Z1?


----------



## equalspeace (Jan 22, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> The epiphany needs to occur where your mind gets used to portables.
> 
> I love my WM1Z but truth be said, I have a Rega Planet CD transport going to a $300 AV DAC going to a Schiit Asgard One that beats out the 1Z on every level in audio with all my IEMs.
> 
> ...



Nm. I see what you're saying now. Had to do a bit of research on that Rega Planet CD transport. It is an interesting point you make.


----------



## ledzep

Don't know about that actual set up being better, but I do agree with the matching things together well to achieve the best possible sound.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

Sound Eq said:


> Man you are an asset to us, as you keep things real especially for people like us who live in countries where we can not audition things, I learned the hard way when once I bought the ak380 and amp, and hugo and I said I will never ever follow hype people again
> 
> thanks man for being here



Thanks and no prob!

I am a fanboy of Sony but cannot point to a part of a song I know and like and say one WM sounds better than the other so I have the 1A


----------



## Quadfather

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Thanks and no prob!
> 
> I am a fanboy of Sony but cannot point to a part of a song I know and like and say one WM sounds better than the other so I have the 1A



So far, I love my Sony NW-WM1A, but still covet the NW-WM1Z.


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> Yes, that's it. Dock came way before the Signature series and accepts the wm port. It works well with 1A, 1Z, ZX100 and many others. Go for it. You can play, charge simultaneously. Also, use another cable and connect to your computer, toggle a switch at the back and start transferring music.



That’s great information to share here brother.


----------



## Whitigir

I second the Dock station for wm1z/A.  I use it in my End-game setup, and it is so satisfying that I have been away from HF for a while .  Just checking in to see if Sony is going to be exciting anytime soon!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 23, 2018)

@
https://www.head-fi.org/members/equalspeace.457139/


I've had Sony and Panasonic portables ever since the late 1980s, and absolutely the 1Z is one of the best I've heard. Though Ray Samuels once showed me a balanced Audio Emmeline F-35 and "Baby Orpheus?" combo at a home meet that was mind blowing.

https://www.moon-audio.com/ray-samu...he-lightning-fully-balanced-portable-amp.html

It's just that your paying for the fact that everything is small. The benefits are that it's an all in one unit; the variables are lowered. There is no choice of having to get power regulators or RCA interconnects. So Sony can give the consumer one complete package. Our control is simply IEM choices and IEM cable choices. And our final improvement choice is obviously music file choices.

And all this is fully subjective, with maybe the best IEM reviewers simply  talking about sound image placement being different after they take their IEMs out of the Z1 and plug them into a reference home rig. In many ways there is such a delicate balance and smoothness from the Z1 which ends up being natural and organic. Mid-Fi home systems are simply going to change the overall IEM sound. But in my humble opinion (depending on equipment) the sound is more reference than the Sony Signature Walkman.

Sony must know this to include the TA-ZH1ES amp and extra docking system (or cord) to get the 1A and 1Z to performance of home rigs. But the ease of use is you can take your Walkman to work then listen at home all with one integrated system. We can now see companies like Sennheiser are adapting 4.4mm Pentaconn cables to everything new so far, even the new Flagship HD820 full-size headphone.

But it would be interesting to hear from folks using their 1Z or 1A with an extra portable amp. If you look back into this thread maybe a couple hundred posts, you will see I'm not the only one simply pointing out that there are limitations to the amp in the 1Z/1A.

After seeing graphs it's pretty much accepted that even easy to drive IEMs as well as normal full-size headphones are going to sound like they have more bass coming from a more powerful amp. After studying graphs it's almost always a fact that the bass has only been increased by about 1 decibel, that what's occurring is actually much more wonderful. Even with easy to drive IEMs (more with dynamic driver IEMs).......the bass seems like more but it's only more delineated and clear. The slight increase in amp power is just making the bass more clear.

And besides the slight image placement changes using home equipment with your IEMs, it's that bass clarify which is most noticeable in direct comparison with using the the Walkman Signatures with your IEMs.

The whole argument with using a CD transport attempting at better timing is also a highly subjective matter. As using the Signature Series normally bypasses any and all USB timing issues we may encounter with a computer. That's really one of the main reasons I love the Z1 so much, and my idea of maybe why they will never upgrade the FW to make it a computer DAC.


----------



## ledzep

Redcarmoose said:


> @
> https://www.head-fi.org/members/equalspeace.457139/
> 
> 
> ...


1A via dock into the PHA3 feeding my Beyer DT1770's on balanced output. 1A has enough in balanced and  high gain to drive the 250 ohm Beyers on average at 90 - 105 on the volume but hook it up to the amp and it definitely makes use of those Tesla 2 drivers.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Well, to be truthfull I went to purchase the 1Z in hopes of replacement of much of my home rigs. In many reviews and maybe in an advertisement or two, that's the level these things are pushed to. But I'm totally happy to be able to be closer to changing files and having it all in my hands as a nice home rig. I have yet to listen to a ton of full size headphones with it. but the Sony Z5 IEMs sound pretty darn close to full size headphones in balanced mode. So it's win-win. 

This talk maybe only effects those who are on the fence about purchasing a 5K home rig or a Walkman as their home rig?


----------



## nanaholic (Jan 23, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> @
> But it would be interesting to hear from folks using their 1Z or 1A with an extra portable amp. If you look back into this thread maybe a couple hundred posts, you will see I'm not the only one simply pointing out that there are limitations to the amp in the 1Z/1A.
> 
> After seeing graphs it's pretty much accepted that even easy to drive IEMs as well as normal full-size headphones are going to sound like they have more bass coming from a more powerful amp.



If you are referring to graphs that were posted in the Focal Clear thread (pointing to these measurements) - they didn't really point to a powerful amp having more bass, but rather how the impedance matching of the headphone with the amp output will have a very noticeable effect on the bass response. In this case the comparison was between 0.2ohm vs 120ohm impedance. However the take away is not there is any limitation to the amp in the Walkman (which has very low impedance), but rather pointing to that dreadful word which some people don't like to use - the "synergy" of the pairing.  The result is then a completely subjective matter, as some may not prefer the boosted bass response, and one cannot jump to conclude that either setup is better/worse, just different.


----------



## GoDiSLoVe

asquare3376 said:


> Yes, that's it. Dock came way before the Signature series and accepts the wm port. It works well with 1A, 1Z, ZX100 and many others. Go for it. You can play, charge simultaneously. Also, use another cable and connect to your computer, toggle a switch at the back and start transferring music.


Cool, thanks for help!


----------



## fiascogarcia

Redcarmoose said:


> Well, to be truthfull I went to purchase the 1Z in hopes of replacement of much of my home rigs. In many reviews and maybe in an advertisement or two, that's the level these things are pushed to. But I'm totally happy to be able to be closer to changing files and having it all in my hands as a nice home rig. I have yet to listen to a ton of full size headphones with it. but the Sony Z5 IEMs sound pretty darn close to full size headphones in balanced mode. So it's win-win.
> 
> This talk maybe only effects those who are on the fence about purchasing a 5K home rig or a Walkman as their home rig?


I'm in the same boat as far as my interest in the 1Z.  I use a modest transportable home setup of a ZX1 on a docking station connected to a Hugo and Cavalli LC, and frankly the sound is about perfect for me with my iems.  But I too was intrigued with the idea of having a single DAP that could at least come close to replacing this setup.  Maybe wishful thinking, but the thought of simplifying and being able to move more easily around the house (I don't listen much out in public)  was what inspired me to do the research and purchase the 1z. I've truly reached a point in this hobby where I don't swap equipment for listening and want to just use the one setup that pleases me most with all genres of music. So simplicity is the ideal and I no longer have an inventory of equipment I don't use.  My wife certainly liked the idea so she wouldn't have to worry about where my setup was when she decides to move furniture around! lol  Still waiting to try out the 4.4mm conncection, so we'll see!


----------



## flinkenick (Jan 23, 2018)

Blacktulipx said:


> Hi, could you say: have you already compared AK Sp1000 to rewired Sony Z1?


Hi man apologies for the late reply. I'm trying to stay away from Head-Fi for a bit to focus on other things.

I listened to the Ultima SS last year at Canjam London. I listened on both days for a while, but it was a busy show so take my impressions with a grain of salt.

The Ultima and 1Z are polar opposites; the 1Z is one of the warmer players, tuned for timbre. The AK in turn is tuned for maximum detail based on clarity, besides resolution. People might have different preferences for tonality, with some preferring the brighter AK, and others the warmer and smoother 1Z. An analogy would be comparing iems as Zeus or Katana to something like the 5-Way or Prelude. Personally, I find timbre important, and objectively, the 1Z has a significantly more accurate timbre. The Ultima's pursuit of detail comes at the cost of its tonality. I wanted to like it, but found it sterile. Of course, to each their own. I'm still hoping to try the Cu sometime.

I find the 1Z mod brings more balance between its midrange and treble, while improving resolution. But it retains a predominantly warmer than neutral signature, when compared to daps as the LPG or Ultima; the mod doesn't make it neutral or bright altogether. However, for me it is the perfect balance between tonality and performance; it presents a high level of detail in a smooth and natural manner. By contrast, if you generally prefer a brighter signature, the Ultima might be a better fit.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> @
> https://www.head-fi.org/members/equalspeace.457139/
> 
> 
> ...




Yeah, 1Z + Docking cradle into my Stax 009 + T2 is simply amazing.  

The battery would last for weeks, if I leave the 1Z on the shelves alone without plugging it in.

Yes, Sony included Cables are _*horrible for cables data transfer for audio performances.  M*_atter of facts, I upgraded cables inside my docking cradles and USB cables too.

The 1Z is fairly awesome for what it can do, the audio quality performances, battery life, and powerful enough to power the Utopia which is a full-size headphones.  Yeah, it is a Portable Player, so if you want to run any Othors, I don’t even think any Portable amplifier can help vastly.  _The point I am trying to make is that, if you look for Portable amplifier, you are sitting half way into real performances that you can get for your cans out of a properly functional desktop amplifier.
_


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 23, 2018)

@ https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/
@https://www.head-fi.org/members/fiascogarcia.344740/
@https://www.head-fi.org/members/nanaholic.159131/
It’s unlocking the future potential attempting to take the players into other uses. And that’s the cool part of this thread, as where else are you going to find different success stories all different and all using different extra equipment to help integrate the Walkmans into the owners needs and sound preferences?

 But at the same time I’ve spent most of my day with other equipment just to go back to the 1Z and use it on it’s own to try to establish maybe a view of quality that it has which is unique. Call it the color, or character or whatever, but the sound is a coherent and cohesive composite of sorts with my IEMs. And..........as we all know much of finding stuff to work...........in the end is all about subjective “mind-tricks” when, as listeners with IEMs (as in contrast to full-size headphones) we can trick ourselves and mentally tunnel the audio perception to a point of forgetting about any inability at hand and bask in the musical bliss. And musical bliss isn’t always about certain cymbals being extended out the widest or bass going the lowest or being the most detailed. IMO

And just like low power full-range single driver tube amp speaker set-ups, these concepts normally start with an idea of audio pristine sources and simplicity in equipment choices.

In many ways by itself the Z1 offers that lower power slightly warm tube sound with just a hint of character, yet not blurry in details. Just offering a cohesive soundstage, where all things are correct.

So much of this hobby is always about getting to the next level. And this next few months I am going to try and adapt the 1Z to full size cans in what may seem like the best way. In earlier posts I did admit to getting a more reference sound from other equipment, but again as always it’s not always the flat response that’s makes a stereo product magic, but simply the unique character it holds. In the next 60 days or so, I guess l’ll have to figure out how to transport that character into full size headphones if possible?

Thanks for the advice!


----------



## Stephen George

asquare3376 said:


> I am using Sony's dock connected via Audioquest's Cinnamon micro USB.



 does the 1a/1z fit with a case still on?


----------



## kubig123

Stephen George said:


> does the 1a/1z fit with a case still on?



no, not with the dignis case.


----------



## asquare3376

Stephen George said:


> does the 1a/1z fit with a case still on?


No, you must take the case off


----------



## Cagin

What about with the Benks clear TPU skin case? Does it fit on the craddle?


----------



## Matrix Petka

Redcarmoose said:


> In the next 60 days or so, I guess l’ll have to figure out how to transport that character into full size headphones if possible?
> 
> Thanks for the advice!



That's easy.
1.Get balanced cable.
2.Get DSD record.
3.Plug cable into 4,4mm socket.
4.Click on "Play".
5.Enjoy.



P.S. Enjoyed even with hard to drive 800S.


----------



## nc8000

Cagin said:


> What about with the Benks clear TPU skin case? Does it fit on the craddle?



Yes that just fits if you go without a spacer in the dock


----------



## Blacktulipx

flinkenick said:


> Hi man apologies for the late reply. I'm trying to stay away from Head-Fi for a bit to focus on other things.
> 
> I listened to the Ultima SS last year at Canjam London. I listened on both days for a while, but it was a busy show so take my impressions with a grain of salt.
> 
> ...



Hi, Nick

Thanks for reply! 

Okay I understand the difference between moded Sony and AK. I have stock 1Z and to my ears stock AK has better subbass and highs, by the way 1Z has much bigger and colorful midbass. On the one hand I really like AK subbass, clearance, highs on the other hand Sony enjoys more natural mid-range. So I've thought may be rewiring will give 1Z more subbass and a lit bit more resolution.

In future could you possibly write a review with comparing moded 1Z and AK SS or Cu version side by side?

Cheers, 
Nikolay


----------



## Lavakugel

Did anybody try Sennheiser HD600 on balanced mode with WM1a?


----------



## flinkenick

Blacktulipx said:


> Hi, Nick
> 
> Thanks for reply!
> 
> ...


Hi buddy, if you or somebody else wants to send an Ultima my way I'd be more than happy to, but other than that I don't see it happening hehe. If a Cu comes available in the FS section I might take a risk, but I'd ideally like to try it somewhere. 

Yes the AK has great power in its sub-bass, I remember it having great authority in its low end. The mod won't really change much of the Sony's bass unfortunately, but it will improve its resolution. Similarly, its treble will still be nowhere nearly as bright as the AK's, but it will have more balance and a nice touch of sparkle.


----------



## Blacktulipx

flinkenick said:


> Hi buddy, if you or somebody else wants to send an Ultima my way I'd be more than happy to, but other than that I don't see it happening hehe. If a Cu comes available in the FS section I might take a risk, but I'd ideally like to try it somewhere.
> 
> Yes the AK has great power in its sub-bass, I remember it having great authority in its low end. The mod won't really change much of the Sony's bass unfortunately, but it will improve its resolution. Similarly, its treble will still be nowhere nearly as bright as the AK's, but it will have more balance and a nice touch of sparkle.



Hi! Thanks for info) Okay, I understand the situation. With pleasure  I would send you AK but I have only 1Z ( 

Nevertheless I can image the difference between AK and moded Sony due to your words, thanks)

Cheers


----------



## dougi555

Matrix Petka said:


> That's easy.
> 1.Get balanced cable.
> 2.Get DSD record.
> 3.Plug cable into 4,4mm socket.
> ...



Even better, use Sonys own MDR-Z1R.... Gorgeous...


----------



## twister6

flinkenick said:


> Hi buddy, if you or somebody else wants to send an Ultima my way I'd be more than happy to, but other than that I don't see it happening hehe. If a Cu comes available in the FS section I might take a risk, but I'd ideally like to try it somewhere.
> 
> Yes the AK has great power in its sub-bass, I remember it having great authority in its low end. The mod won't really change much of the Sony's bass unfortunately, but it will improve its resolution. Similarly, its treble will still be nowhere nearly as bright as the AK's, but it will have more balance and a nice touch of sparkle.



Oh, you just wait 3+ weeks, will be auditioning side-by-side at AK's table


----------



## Redcarmoose

dougi555 said:


> Even better, use Sonys own MDR-Z1R.... Gorgeous...



I have sat with the simple two piece combination/4.4mm and yes it was lovely. And it’s like “dah”......why try to reinvent the wheel Sony has given us. It’s not like I spent more than 15 minutes with it, but the more I read about the Z1R, the more I think that’s it. A plus too is the cable included! I’m on the edge of being a Sony fanboy........


----------



## somnarium

For anyone using 400gb card, how is the scan time?


----------



## nc8000

somnarium said:


> For anyone using 400gb card, how is the scan time?



With about 30000 files total on the 1Z rebuilding the database takes 3-5 minutes


----------



## somnarium

nc8000 said:


> With about 30000 files total on the 1Z rebuilding the database takes 3-5 minutes


Cool, thanks for the quick reply.


----------



## buzzlulu

New 512gb card introduced at CES!  Google it - a Sandisk competitor

Speaking of which - previous posts are asking how long to scan the database on a 400gb card - 3-5 minutes.
That sounds long.  I have a 256 card and about 430gb of files and it probably takes a minute or so.

Here is my question - as cards get bigger (is 512 mentioned above) scan times get longer.  Does the 1Z needs to scan each and every time it is powered up?


----------



## ttt123

buzzlulu said:


> New 512gb card introduced at CES!  Google it - a Sandisk competitor
> 
> Speaking of which - previous posts are asking how long to scan the database on a 400gb card - 3-5 minutes.
> That sounds long.  I have a 256 card and about 430gb of files and it probably takes a minute or so.
> ...



Yes, it scans each time on power up.  320GB used, 10,121 songs, takes 45 secs scan on power up.  If adding or deleting files, the database rebuild takes longer, but the scanning on powerup,(with no files changed), is pretty fast.  Quite acceptable.


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> New 512gb card introduced at CES!  Google it - a Sandisk competitor
> 
> Speaking of which - previous posts are asking how long to scan the database on a 400gb card - 3-5 minutes.
> That sounds long.  I have a 256 card and about 430gb of files and it probably takes a minute or so.
> ...



I only rescan when new files have been added as I never power the device down. I assume scan time depends on number of files rather than size.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy (Jan 24, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m on the edge of being a Sony fanboy........






 

 

 




I used to swear off Sony stuff when I first got on here.
VAIO computer horror experience and the rootkit fiasco they were in with copyright protection stuff.....not gonna be a part of their ecosystem.

Now they own me.

Life's a trip


----------



## nanaholic

Hawaiibadboy said:


> I used to swear off Sony stuff when I first got on here.
> VAIO computer horror experience and the rootkit fiasco they were in with copyright protection stuff.....not gonna be a part of their ecosystem.
> 
> Now the own me.
> ...



Different departments. 

I really enjoy Sony's audio products, but I still avoid a lot of their other things. For example I still have no plans to ever buy another PlayStation.


----------



## superuser1 (Jan 24, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> Different departments.
> 
> I really enjoy Sony's audio products, but I still avoid a lot of their other things. For example I still have no plans to ever buy another PlayStation.


And not play God of War???


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 24, 2018)

Last thing I loved from Sony, besides PS1.


----------



## nanaholic

superuser1 said:


> And not play God of War???



I've played and finished God of War to like the third instalment, never really that impressed with the series to be honest.
Actually I find most of the Sony exclusives to be pretty meh or down right offensively boring, including much hyped games like Uncharted (I HATE Nathan Drake, I simply cannot sympathise with that character).


----------



## superuser1

nanaholic said:


> I've played and finished God of War to like the third instalment, never really that impressed with the series to be honest.
> Actually I find most of the Sony exclusives to be pretty meh or down right offensively boring, including much hyped games like Uncharted (I HATE Nathan Drake, I simply cannot sympathise with that character).


Yes thats one of the things i like about the game apart from the greek mythology backdrop and some decent CGI. You can actually pin Zeus down .. Nathan Drake.. no love there and i agree with you.


----------



## kms108

Hawaiibadboy said:


> I used to swear off Sony stuff when I first got on here.
> VAIO computer horror experience and the rootkit fiasco they were in with copyright protection stuff.....not gonna be a part of their ecosystem.
> 
> Now they own me.
> ...


Would you call me a Sony fan boy, the EX collection with cables, also have the Zx2, and ZX300, still considering the WM1A or just skip it for the 2019 anniversary/special edition release. Have other stuff, non Sony brand.


----------



## muffin9988

nanaholic said:


> I've played and finished God of War to like the third instalment, never really that impressed with the series to be honest.
> Actually I find most of the Sony exclusives to be pretty meh or down right offensively boring, including much hyped games like Uncharted (I HATE Nathan Drake, I simply cannot sympathise with that character).



I thought Horizon Zero Dawn was a rare PlayStation gem, main storyline is fantastic and graphics/gameplay well done, the DLC is pretty solid as well


----------



## nanaholic

muffin9988 said:


> I thought Horizon Zero Dawn was a rare PlayStation gem, main storyline is fantastic and graphics/gameplay well done, the DLC is pretty solid as well



I don't have a PlayStation 4.  
The last PlayStation I bought was the 3, and I bought that for the Blu-ray player mostly.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

kms108 said:


> Would you call me a Sony fan boy, the EX collection with cables, also have the Zx2, and ZX300, still considering the WM1A or just skip it for the 2019 anniversary/special edition release. Have other stuff, non Sony brand.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Back on topic, the DC phase linearizer and the dsee strings gives the recording a nadie ce holographic feeling, but eats battery like crazy


----------



## pietcux

Lavakugel said:


> Did anybody try Sennheiser HD600 on balanced mode with WM1a?


Does a HD650 count?


----------



## Quadfather

pietcux said:


> Does a HD650 count?



300 ohm cans...definitely counts


----------



## pietcux (Jan 24, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> 300 ohm cans...definitely counts


I have the HD660S since 3 month now. I love it from the SONY WM1A.  I comes with a 3m cable terminated in 4.4mm Pentacon.

This cable also fits all other HD580 to HD650 cans. So right now I have the HD650 running balanced out of the SONY WM1A.  Volume is 65 to 80 of 120 depending on the music. The Bass gets more exact, the mids a little clearer and the treble a little more detailed. Overall a more engaging, but still laid back sound. The cable will soon be available as spare part from Sennheiser, it's worth a try. The HD660S needs less volume about 8 steps less and is more detailed across the board in comparison without getting out of the HD line's perfect balance in my honest opinion. But again both cans benefit by large from the balanced output of the WM1A/Z.


----------



## Quadfather

pietcux said:


> I have the HD660S since 3 month now. I love it from the SONY WM1A.  I comes with a 3m cable terminated in 4.4mm Pentacon.
> 
> This cable also fits all other HD580 to HD650 cans. So right now I have the HD650 running balanced out of the SONY WM1A.  Volume is 65 to 80 of 120 depending on the music. The Bass gets more exact, the mids a little clearer and the treble a little more detailed. Overall a more engaging, but still laid back sound. The cable will soon be available as spare part from Sennheiser, it's worth a try. The HD660S needs less volume about 8 steps less and is more detailed across the board in comparison without getting out of the HD line's perfect balance in my honest opinion. But again both cans benefit by large from the balanced output of the WM1A/Z.



Soon I will be running my hd650 headphones out of a Bottlehead Crack tube amp with the 1.1 Speedball upgrade and a Dale attenuater.  I plan to use Big Sur Audioquest 3.5 mm to RCA input.


----------



## pietcux

Quadfather said:


> Soon I will be running my hd650 headphones out of a Bottlehead Crack tube amp with the 1.1 Speedball upgrade and a Dale attenuater.  I plan to use Big Sur Audioquest 3.5 mm to RCA input.


Sounds like a plan, not very portable though.....


----------



## Quadfather

pietcux said:


> Sounds like a plan, not very portable though.....



I have Shure SRH1540 and Audioquest Nighthawks to use with the Sony and both sound really good from balanced.  I think the HD650 will become my home rig headset.


----------



## dougi555

nc8000 said:


> With about 30000 files total on the 1Z rebuilding the database takes 3-5 minutes




30,000…?  Ermmm, what kind of files? Haha


----------



## dougi555 (Jan 24, 2018)

kms108 said:


> Would you call me a Sony fan boy, the EX collection with cables, also have the Zx2, and ZX300, still considering the WM1A or just skip it for the 2019 anniversary/special edition release. Have other stuff, non Sony brand.




Yup, I'm there also.... Plus a pair of WH-1000XM2,a pair of the new WF-1000X and an Xperia-xz-premium phone crammed full of 24/192...... But I have to say I'm sticking with Apple for desk and laptops, primarily because I love OSX.  Oh, and a PSHX500 turntable....


----------



## nc8000

dougi555 said:


> 30,000…?  Ermmm, what kind of files? Haha



Flac 16/44


----------



## indrakula

Guys, need info on EU volume cap on WM1A, i bought WM1A from Sony Malaysia to avoid volume cap issue(There was no volume cap). Today i have updated Firmware 2.0 from sony.co.uk site. AVLS checkbox in output settings is still unchecked after Soft 2.0 Update so max volume is still 120. I am not sure if EU volume cap is a hardware or software based on country of progin ? Any thoughts...

Thanks


----------



## nc8000

indrakula said:


> Guys, need info on EU volume cap on WM1A, i bought WM1A from Sony Malaysia to avoid volume cap issue(There was no volume cap). Today i have updated Firmware 2.0 from sony.co.uk site. AVLS checkbox in output settings is still unchecked after Soft 2.0 Update so max volume is still 120. I am not sure if EU volume cap is a hardware or software based on country of progin ? Any thoughts...
> 
> Thanks



Volume cap is a bios thing, not hardware, but is is not affected by fw upgraded.


----------



## ezekiel77

indrakula said:


> Guys, need info on EU volume cap on WM1A, i bought WM1A from Sony Malaysia to avoid volume cap issue(There was no volume cap). Today i have updated Firmware 2.0 from sony.co.uk site. AVLS checkbox in output settings is still unchecked after Soft 2.0 Update so max volume is still 120. I am not sure if EU volume cap is a hardware or software based on country of progin ? Any thoughts...
> 
> Thanks


It's a software cap. If you can turn on high gain, then there's no volume cap.


----------



## sne4me

I have a Sandisk Ultra 200gb micro SDXC and wow this thing is junk. Every day I hear distortions at least once, the data does not transfer out of it correctly for playback.


----------



## haiku

sne4me said:


> I have a Sandisk Ultra 200gb micro SDXC and wow this thing is junk. Every day I hear distortions at least once, the data does not transfer out of it correctly for playback.



Format? Exfat or fat32?


----------



## tienbasse

sne4me said:


> I have a Sandisk Ultra 200gb micro SDXC and wow this thing is junk. Every day I hear distortions at least once, the data does not transfer out of it correctly for playback.


Yours has issues so it's junk ?
Please, if you have issues, get it replaced while it is under warranty.
Many people here use Sandisk cards without any issue, so no, it is not junk.

And please also consider the possibility that the issue can sometimes come from the DAP.
I had an extremely bad time while demo-ing a WM-1A at a shop in Paris: it wouldn't correctly read any of my 200Gb cards (I had 3 of them), while they could be read on any other DAP they had (Cowon, Cayin, Lotoo and smartphones). So yes, s**t can happen.


----------



## Quadfather (Jan 25, 2018)

sne4me said:


> I have a Sandisk Ultra 200gb micro SDXC and wow this thing is junk. Every day I hear distortions at least once, the data does not transfer out of it correctly for playback.



I have a 400 gigabyte card and I love it. Did you format it in the actual digital audio player? If it isn't formatted properly, it'll work like crap. Mine works without any issues, because I always format it in the player. If you did yours in the player and it's still not working, then it is defective and I would replace it.


----------



## Stephen George

Quadfather said:


> I have a 400 gigabyte card and I love it.



*get ready for 512!!!*!


----------



## Quadfather

Stephen George said:


> *get ready for 512!!!*!



I have not even filled up the 400 gigabyte one yet.


----------



## kms108

It's definitely a card most people won't buy because of the brand, many will still wait for Sandisk, Kingston, Toshiba or other well-known brands.


----------



## kms108

Quadfather said:


> I have not even filled up the 400 gigabyte one yet.


I haven't even filled my 64GB card.


----------



## gerelmx1986

sne4me said:


> I have a Sandisk Ultra 200gb micro SDXC and wow this thing is junk. Every day I hear distortions at least once, the data does not transfer out of it correctly for playback.


Could be corrupted flac files


----------



## tompaz909

Anyone looking to sell their WM1A for a reasonable price. Had a tentative deal with a seller on Ebay but they backed out.


----------



## hattrick15

gerelmx1986 said:


> Back on topic, the DC phase linearizer and the dsee strings gives the recording a nadie ce holographic feeling, but eats battery like crazy



I’m not sure what you mean by “nadie ce holographic feeling“.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I meant nice, stupid auto correct


----------



## gerelmx1986

Finally after two months I got it. The fit is so damn tight. It smells like a new car hehe


----------



## nanaholic

https://twitter.com/eear_maririn/status/956761977291915264

Nobunaga female 4.4mm jacks going on sale soon.  Can probably expect more of these rolling out in the next few months which means easier for DIYers as well as makers to offer female 4.4mm to whatever-male-plug conversion cables very soon.


----------



## Lemieux66

After ripping a lot of CDs I've noticed to my annoyance that the albums have been distributed between dozens of genres. This makes it hard to search by genre because it's not general enough.

I'd like all my Classical albums to be filed under Classical, rather than the huge number of sub-genres they are filed under currently. Equally with my Jazz albums too.

Do I have to correct the genre info tags in Media Go then re-copy the albums over to the WM1A again, or can I edit the albums already of the player?


----------



## asquare3376

Lemieux66 said:


> After ripping a lot of CDs I've noticed to my annoyance that the albums have been distributed between dozens of genres. This makes it hard to search by genre because it's not general enough.
> 
> I'd like all my Classical albums to be filed under Classical, rather than the huge number of sub-genres they are filed under currently. Equally with my Jazz albums too.
> 
> Do I have to correct the genre info tags in Media Go then re-copy the albums over to the WM1A again, or can I edit the albums already of the player?


Using MediaGo,  browse music in your walkman. Select files, right click, properties. Should be able to change whatever you wish.


----------



## Lemieux66

@asquare3376 

Thank you!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Stephen George said:


> *get ready for 512!!!*!


My biggest card is 16GB. Lol.


----------



## econaut

Hey guys,

I am at a loss which balanced cable to get for WM1A and my Andromedas:


ALO Reference 8 IEM
Sony MUC-M12SB1
Forza Audioworks, probably Copper Series IEM Mk2

I'd like more bass / slam / impact / oomph and prefer an angled plug.

Any tips are welcome


----------



## asquare3376

econaut said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I am at a loss which balanced cable to get for WM1A and my Andromedas:
> 
> ...


I am using MUC-M12SB1 on XBA-Z5. Perfection!!!


----------



## Lemieux66

asquare3376 said:


> Using MediaGo,  browse music in your walkman. Select files, right click, properties. Should be able to change whatever you wish.



I thought this advice would work, but after editing a lot of albums it turns out I only edited the files on my laptop :/

How do I see and edit only the albums that are on my Walkman?


----------



## asquare3376

Lemieux66 said:


> I thought this advice would work, but after editing a lot of albums it turns out I only edited the files on my laptop :/
> 
> How do I see and edit only the albums that are on my Walkman?


Top left, under my devices or similar heading, you'll be able to browse contents of your walkman. PM me if you can't find it


----------



## kubig123

econaut said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I am at a loss which balanced cable to get for WM1A and my Andromedas:
> 
> ...



Effect Audio Ares II or ll+, both cables add a warm note to the iems without killing the treble.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lemieux66 said:


> After ripping a lot of CDs I've noticed to my annoyance that the albums have been distributed between dozens of genres. This makes it hard to search by genre because it's not general enough.
> 
> I'd like all my Classical albums to be filed under Classical, rather than the huge number of sub-genres they are filed under currently. Equally with my Jazz albums too.
> 
> Do I have to correct the genre info tags in Media Go then re-copy the albums over to the WM1A again, or can I edit the albums already of the player?


I use mp3 tag to fix this


----------



## Quadfather

econaut said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I am at a loss which balanced cable to get for WM1A and my Andromedas:
> 
> ...



The ALO cable is the only one that didn't get all loosey-goosey on my in-ear-monitors.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 26, 2018)

Lemieux66 said:


> I thought this advice would work, but after editing a lot of albums it turns out I only edited the files on my laptop :/
> 
> How do I see and edit only the albums that are on my Walkman?


Select your folders that have f.e rock music and right click and choose mp3tag. In mp3tag edit the genre field and you are done.

Because I have classical I list my genres on periods f. e Baroque, classic, Renaissance, romantic, medieval etc.

Don't know if. Mp3tag works outside windows world but assuming you have some windows and mp3tag installed... This should solve your genre woes


----------



## proedros

tompaz909 said:


> Anyone looking to sell their WM1A for a reasonable price. Had a tentative deal with a seller on Ebay but they backed out.



https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-sony-wm1a-mint-with-silicone-case.870699/


----------



## gerelmx1986

I forgot to say the dignis case has easy access to the sd slot and WM port


----------



## tompaz909

proedros said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-sony-wm1a-mint-with-silicone-case.870699/



Thanks, I actually bought that one earlier this morning!  

Looking forward to being a member of the club.


----------



## econaut

Quadfather said:


> The ALO cable is the only one that didn't get all loosey-goosey on my in-ear-monitors.



Which other cables did you try?


----------



## tieuly1

Hey guys, does anyone try Eros 2 plus on balanced wm1a with andromeda, as I saw ares 2 plus significantly alter to warmer sound than Eros 2 plus. Hope I did not make a wrong call with Eros


----------



## Quadfather

econaut said:


> Which other cables did you try?



ALO and Moon


----------



## dougi555

gerelmx1986 said:


> Don't know if. Mp3tag works outside windows world but assuming you have some windows and mp3tag installed... This should solve your genre woes



Works perfect in OSX, I use it to tag all the vinyl I digitize.....


----------



## ledzep

econaut said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I am at a loss which balanced cable to get for WM1A and my Andromedas:
> 
> ...



I'd avoid the Sony one cheap and nasty build quality when you pull it apart, mmcx connectors last around 2/3 unplugs before they become loose.


----------



## kms108

ledzep said:


> I'd avoid the Sony one cheap and nasty build quality when you pull it apart, mmcx connectors last around 2/3 unplugs before they become loose.


I've had my Sony cable for over a year, not a problem.


----------



## Stephen George

ledzep said:


> I'd avoid the Sony one cheap and nasty build quality when you pull it apart, mmcx connectors last around 2/3 unplugs before they become loose.



2-3 times ?! 

have this cable and used it with the 3 headphones i have that use mmcx, shure 1540s, beyerdynamic teslas, fender x7, for months now..probably 10 times of unplugging per and still tight and fine

do like the ALO cable though...much lighter


----------



## kms108

Stephen George said:


> 2-3 times ?!
> 
> have this cable and used it with the 3 headphones i have that use mmcx, shure 1540s, beyerdynamic teslas, fender x7, for months now..probably 10 times of unplugging per and still tight and fine
> 
> do like the ALO cable though...much lighter


I've probably done it over 20 times.


----------



## ledzep

Stephen George said:


> 2-3 times ?!
> 
> have this cable and used it with the 3 headphones i have that use mmcx, shure 1540s, beyerdynamic teslas, fender x7, for months now..probably 10 times of unplugging per and still tight and fine
> 
> do like the ALO cable though...much lighter



You've been lucky then, i had to replace the connectors on the two I bought for myself and I've changed 4 sets for other people.


----------



## vilhelm44

tieuly1 said:


> Hey guys, does anyone try Eros 2 plus on balanced wm1a with andromeda, as I saw ares 2 plus significantly alter to warmer sound than Eros 2 plus. Hope I did not make a wrong call with Eros



Hi, I had that combo last year, it's really nice.  You get the best of both worlds as it tightens up the bass with a very slight lift in quantity plus touch of warmth and keep the highs airy without being sibilant. Don't expect a night and day difference, it's subtle but worth it.

Hope you enjoy the combo as much as I did.


----------



## roses77

Jazzi said:


> I've owned 4 AK products, and never had one that approached the battery life of the WM1Z/1A.



Yes I agree with battery life of Astell&kern it’s only 7hrs as I own 3. I only have to charge my Sony Dap once a week.


----------



## roses77

Has anyone approached 500hrs burn in, mine is nearly 500hrs burned in about 454hrs. I can tell you when I changed back to firmware 2.0, it sounds better on direct source it has enough Bass when you turn up the volume on high gain. When I turn on EQ it does sound fuller, on some songs no need for EQ. 

So please share your impressions if you reached 500hrs burn in, what sonic difference in SQ you noticed. Thanks.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Can someone explain the purpose of the two symbols I circled in red?  I see the left one shows the current play/pause function, but to what purpose?  And the one on the right, I have no idea what that is?  Thanks!


----------



## superuser1

fiascogarcia said:


> Can someone explain the purpose of the two symbols I circled in red?  I see the left one shows the current play/pause function, but to what purpose?  And the one on the right, I have no idea what that is?  Thanks!


The right one is NFC on and the left one indicated state of play or pause on any screen (to know if media state is on play or pause)


----------



## Stephen George

superuser1 said:


> The right one is NFC



"near field  communication" 

certain headphones can be tapped on the device to connect

it works


----------



## tieuly1

fiascogarcia said:


> Can someone explain the purpose of the two symbols I circled in red?  I see the left one shows the current play/pause function, but to what purpose?  And the one on the right, I have no idea what that is?  Thanks!


It is NFC function, u can turn off in setting


----------



## sne4me

roses77 said:


> Has anyone approached 500hrs burn in, mine is nearly 500hrs burned in about 454hrs. I can tell you when I changed back to firmware 2.0, it sounds better on direct source it has enough Bass when you turn up the volume on high gain. When I turn on EQ it does sound fuller, on some songs no need for EQ.
> 
> So please share your impressions if you reached 500hrs burn in, what sonic difference in SQ you noticed. Thanks.



I am only at 310 hours unbalanced, but I also use source direct almost always on fw 2.0. The amplification on wm1a is really good balanced/not, but the mixing of the track most often yields the SQ differences you notice. I think its tricky, some music is shockingly dynamic and detailed and it really makes me pause, but generally, I feel as if I am still burning in at 300+ hrs.



fiascogarcia said:


> Can someone explain the purpose of the two symbols I circled in red?  I see the left one shows the current play/pause function, but to what purpose?  And the one on the right, I have no idea what that is?  Thanks!



So the Bluetooth with NFC function is really nice. For example, if you have MMCX IEM you could use a Sony MUC-M2BT1 and it pairs just by physically touching/nearing the NFC symbols on the back of the WM1 with the M2BT1. Also, this headset does LDAC so technically you would get HR Audio wirelessly. 

Im going to get one when I get my Just Ear delivery, for biking or lifting.


----------



## Icekuma

Hello everyone,

I just got WM1A. I have my old ATH-AD900. I am quite happy with the sound with WM1A SE output on high-gain. I am wondering if it is worth the cost/effort to convert it to balanced cable. I am thinking of getting it rework as detachable therefore i have option to have balanced and standard.

For balanced output, I am using ATH-E70 with custom balanced cable that i got it done locally with decent price and quality. 

Alternatively, I could look into other open headphone with already balanced cable or detachable. any recommendation for non Sennheiser brand? I was looking at Grado GS1000e but it is also not balanced. I'd say budget is about USD 500-700. 

Thank you


----------



## Hawaiibadboy




----------



## Imusicman

equalspeace said:


> I can't answer whether the WM1Z sounds 2k better than the WM1A from experience, but I'd willing to bet 2k that it doesn't.



To me the 1Z does sound better, however im not sure how anyone could quantify the diff in money terms. I owned both players for a while and sold the 1A. Im also not sure where anyone is getting the 2k diff from on pricing?


----------



## denis1976

What is sound 2k better? There are guys in home hi end audio that spents 10k or 20k to have 5 or 10% better sound quality, you can't put the things that way, the 1Z has a better SQ than the 1A period....


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

denis1976 said:


> What is sound 2k better? There are guys in home hi end audio that spents 10k or 20k to have 5 or 10% better sound quality, you can't put the things that way, the 1Z has a better SQ than the 1A period....



 It's all in your head. 
When 1 of 3 cited points of difference is kimber cable between socked and board of plugs, well, that's about as useful as when Sony advertised the Z7 as going up to 100,000Khz 

(e.g.)Sony MDR Z7
*Frequency Response (Hz)*
4-100,000Hz
 If a bottle nosed dolphin is the target then cool but we hear to 19Khz with science to back it up so that leaves an extra 81,000 Hz...that over 4x what is needed but hey..advertising.

So 1 copper chassis, more storage, and...the kimber cable are among stated differences. I am a Sony fanboy but I am not a ...whatever it's called when no driver or music is cited to make definitive assessments in an almost totally subjective hobby.

My cars   both have systems over 15k and my home system is well towards doubling that. Spending money is fun. I get that part. I agree.


----------



## appleidappleid

Hello, just wondering if anyone knows where I can find a BCR-NWH10 cradle for my WM1A in Europe? I have started a WTB post to see if anyone is selling one. I can also see that there are sellers on eBay from Japan who sell them but it will cost me an extra 30% due to customs charges and handling fees. Thanks a lot!


----------



## Fr_eak (Jan 28, 2018)

Hawaiibadboy said:


> It's all in your head.
> When 1 of 3 cited points of difference is kimber cable between socked and board of plugs, well, that's about as useful as when Sony advertised the Z7 as going up to 100,000Khz
> 
> (e.g.)Sony MDR Z7
> ...



I think it's a known fact that in audio (and other parts of the consumer world), the cost increases exponentially against improvement, especially towards the upper end?

I think I tend to agree the the 1A has higher C/P ratio than the 1Z, but I don't get all the bashing from the 1A users in this thread against the 1Z. For me the 1Z does sound different from the 1A, I believe (in my view at least) this is a fact. Whether you agree with this is another issue but is it necessary for all the bashings? People who think the improvement (or shall I say difference?) is worth the penny is entirely up to them, which we should respect and simply move on?


----------



## Quadfather

Hawaiibadboy said:


> It's all in your head.
> When 1 of 3 cited points of difference is kimber cable between socked and board of plugs, well, that's about as useful as when Sony advertised the Z7 as going up to 100,000Khz
> 
> (e.g.)Sony MDR Z7
> ...




My wife would have my privates in a jar if I spent that much money.   She was pissed that I bought a Bottlehead Crack with the 1.1 Speedball for my Sennheiser HD 650 headphones.  Well, we do have quadruplets and they're expensive.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

It's a hobby and to be 100% honest i am teaching Google home to talk to me in a sexy voice and call me "Superstar" everytime I ask it anything cuz my students will love it and i will too so whatever. Call me superstar or ignore me..there is no in between anymore.


----------



## kms108

appleidappleid said:


> Hello, just wondering if anyone knows where I can find a BCR-NWH10 cradle for my WM1A in Europe? I have started a WTB post to see if anyone is selling one. I can also see that there are sellers on eBay from Japan who sell them but it will cost me an extra 30% due to customs charges and handling fees. Thanks a lot!


It's a Japan only thing, expect to pay more if it's not official in your own country.


----------



## Quadfather

Fr_eak said:


> I think it's a known fact that in audio (and other parts of the consumer world), the cost increases exponentially against improvement, especially towards the upper end?
> 
> I think I tend to agree the the 1A has higher C/P ratio than the 1Z, but I don't get all the bashing from the 1A users in this thread against the 1Z. For me the 1Z does sound different from the 1A, I believe (in my view at least) this is a fact. Whether you agree with this is another issue but is it necessary for all the bashings? People who think the improvement (or shall I say difference?) is worth the penny is entirely up to them, which we should respect and simply move on?



I am saving for a NW-WM1Z


----------



## ledzep

appleidappleid said:


> Hello, just wondering if anyone knows where I can find a BCR-NWH10 cradle for my WM1A in Europe? I have started a WTB post to see if anyone is selling one. I can also see that there are sellers on eBay from Japan who sell them but it will cost me an extra 30% due to customs charges and handling fees. Thanks a lot!



https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/292003763875

Msg this guy and he will gladly mark it as a $30 item for you, did for me and it arrived in 6 days and avoided the claws of the penny pinching thieving SOB customs and excise !


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> I've probably done it over 20 times.


Maybe they have improved the QA department since I bought mine Xmas 2016.


----------



## kms108

ledzep said:


> Maybe they have improved the QA department since I bought mine Xmas 2016.


I purchased mine just after when the 1A/1Z was released, it was a time that a few members here purchased them from Jaben malaysia at a fraction of the price stated, due to Sony malaysia quoted a wrong price.


----------



## denis1976 (Jan 28, 2018)

Hawaiibadboy said:


> It's all in your head.
> When 1 of 3 cited points of difference is kimber cable between socked and board of plugs, well, that's about as useful as when Sony advertised the Z7 as going up to 100,000Khz,
> 
> 
> ...


I had both the 1A and the 1Z and with the same iem and headphones the 1Z to my ears is a much real sound device, i respect you tought but i don't agree with it, if someo e likes more of the 1A lucky him, don't need to spent more 2k but i don't discuss tastes, by the way you can spent 10 times more in your car audio system than in your home audio (a serious hifi system of course, not a mini hifi)but you will never will have better result , i have heard wonderfull car audio system that played very well FOR CARAUDIO,i know i have been there for years


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> I purchased mine just after when the 1A/1Z was released, it was a time that a few members here purchased them from Jaben malaysia at a fraction of the price stated, due to Sony malaysia quoted a wrong price.



Likewise guess unlucky then being same on two pairs, still stand by the build quality overall when I opened up connectors and Y splitter  blobby solder and flux residue still there.


----------



## appleidappleid

ledzep said:


> https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/292003763875
> 
> Msg this guy and he will gladly mark it as a $30 item for you, did for me and it arrived in 6 days and avoided the claws of the penny pinching thieving SOB customs and excise !



Thanks I will try messaging him. I get over 20 hours of battery life if I play music through 4.4 balanced (high gain at around volume 50), but only 8 hours if I play through USB output through the WMC-NWH10 conversion cable to my DAC (Schiit Jotunheim). Does this sound normal? I see that I can charge my WM1A and use the USB output at the same time on the cradle. That's why I am interested in it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fiascogarcia said:


> Can someone explain the purpose of the two symbols I circled in red?  I see the left one shows the current play/pause function, but to what purpose?  And the one on the right, I have no idea what that is?  Thanks!


 left one is PLAYBACK status idicator, right one is NFC bluetooth


----------



## fiascogarcia

Quadfather said:


> My wife would have my privates in a jar if I spent that much money.   She was pissed that I bought a Bottlehead Crack with the 1.1 Speedball for my Sennheiser HD 650 headphones.  Well, we do have quadruplets and they're expensive.


Simple solution.  Trade school. 

PS - My wife absolutely does not get it either!


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

denis1976 said:


> you will never will have better result


----------



## denis1976

Well if you ever heard one i am happy for you ,must be awsome


----------



## Ofir_A

I take my WM1Z with me when I travel abroad (which happens usually once a month). I must say that it is becoming more and more irritating as the airport experience is getting pretty ridiculous. Going through the Frankfurt airport twice on this trip having the WM1Z with me send me to "special treatment" although the player was out and examined with my laptop and iPad. In the US I have a mixed experience. This makes it frustrating, and I am seriously thinking on leaving the player home on my next travel.


----------



## kms108

Ofir_A said:


> I take my WM1Z with me when I travel abroad (which happens usually once a month). I must say that it is becoming more and more irritating as the airport experience is getting pretty ridiculous. Going through the Frankfurt airport twice on this trip having the WM1Z with me send me to "special treatment" although the player was out and examined with my laptop and iPad. In the US I have a mixed experience. This makes it frustrating, and I am seriously thinking on leaving the player home on my next travel.


They probably through you melted a block of gold to make it.


----------



## Quadfather

Ofir_A said:


> I take my WM1Z with me when I travel abroad (which happens usually once a month). I must say that it is becoming more and more irritating as the airport experience is getting pretty ridiculous. Going through the Frankfurt airport twice on this trip having the WM1Z with me send me to "special treatment" although the player was out and examined with my laptop and iPad. In the US I have a mixed experience. This makes it frustrating, and I am seriously thinking on leaving the player home on my next travel.



I am saving for a NW-WM1Z.  I'm glad I don't have to travel nor will I be. Vacation for me is grilling out in the backyard not going to the French Riviera.  I am also thankful to God that I do not have to travel for work.  I am not afraid of flying, but I hate being up in airplanes.


----------



## equalspeace (Jan 28, 2018)

denis1976 said:


> What is sound 2k better? There are guys in home hi end audio that spents 10k or 20k to have 5 or 10% better sound quality, you can't put the things that way, the 1Z has a better SQ than the 1A period....



Dudes have their panties in a bunch over my post i see.. Listen, if you want to open your wallet for 1-5% sound difference for 2k that's your business. Imo it's not worth it. I think the price for the 1Z is absolutely ridiculous.


----------



## dongster

has any one compared the LG V30 with wm1a/?
zx300?

for sensitive iem, no need for high power, UE18+


----------



## Quadfather

equalspeace said:


> Dudes have there panties in a bunch over my post i see.. Listen, if you want to open your wallet for 1-5% sound difference for 2k that's your business. Imo it's not worth it. I think the price for the 1Z is absolutely ridiculous.



I agree, the price is ridiculous. However, I find myself coveting this damn player.


----------



## PCheung

Dignis released the ALCANTARA case for WM1A/1Z
now with the top covered 

http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/prod...nw-wm1az-case/185/?cate_no=85&display_group=1


----------



## Quadfather

PCheung said:


> Dignis released the ALCANTARA case for WM1A/1Z
> now with the top covered
> 
> http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/prod...nw-wm1az-case/185/?cate_no=85&display_group=1



Sweet, but I am sticking with this sexy Dignis case...


----------



## denis1976

What is ridiculous is someone that wants to quantify in terms of sound diference/quality how much is 2k of price diference in this forum...i think we allready past that fase...the problem is allways the wallet , if the wallet is not big enough even a 100 euros dap has to play good


----------



## Quadfather (Jan 28, 2018)

denis1976 said:


> What is ridiculous is someone that wants to quantify in terms of sound diference/quality how much is 2k of price diference in this forum...i think we allready past that fase...the problem is allways the wallet , if the wallet is not big enough even a 100 euros dap has to play good



Just because I think it's overpriced, doesn't mean I won't be buying it. LOL.   I totally get that you are paying for a lot of intangibles and a core amount of tangibles.


----------



## Fr_eak

PCheung said:


> Dignis released the ALCANTARA case for WM1A/1Z
> now with the top covered
> 
> http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/prod...nw-wm1az-case/185/?cate_no=85&display_group=1


Fabulous! I like it more than the leather case


----------



## denis1976 (Jan 28, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> Just because I think it's overpriced, doesn't mean I won't be buying it. LOL.   I totally get that you are paying for a lot of intangibles and a core amount of tangibles.


this "hobby" is full of overpriced stuffs, for exemple my proacs costs more than 2k and if you sum the price of all speakers (mid bass plus tweeters from peerless) they sum 400 euros...so what i find strange is someone call that ridiculous...is the price of pleasure..does anyone notice the price of a balanced armature? And them you get iem for more than 3k...???? God bless Sony and AK


----------



## Quadfather

denis1976 said:


> this "hobby" is full of overpriced stuffs, for exemple my proacs costs more than 2k and if you sum the price of all speakers (mid bass plus tweeters from peerless) they sum 400 euros...so what i find strange is someone call that ridiculous...is the price of pleasure..does anyone notice the price of a balanced armature? And them you get iem for more than 3k...???? God bless Sony and AK



I understand where you're coming from.  I probably said that out of a "Oh, ****!  I have to come up with a bit of cash." attitude.


----------



## kubig123

PCheung said:


> Dignis released the ALCANTARA case for WM1A/1Z
> now with the top covered
> 
> http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/prod...nw-wm1az-case/185/?cate_no=85&display_group=1



that's an improvement, I hope they will come out with more color combination.


----------



## Fr_eak

denis1976 said:


> What is ridiculous is someone that wants to quantify in terms of sound diference/quality how much is 2k of price diference in this forum...i think we allready past that fase...the problem is allways the wallet , if the wallet is not big enough even a 100 euros dap has to play good


Let's just leave it like this. The ruler for what the return for $2k should be is different for everyone. There will not be any consensus. 

Like I said, people who go for the top of the chain product know that they are paying a premium for a product not with the highest C/P (if not the lowest), but they get the best (which is subjective). Similarly there are certainly other products down the chain with much higher C/P thus value for money with slightly inferior performance (or with similar performance or even better in someone's view,, which is again subjective). 

It's always like this and what's the fuss about it ...


----------



## roses77

Fr_eak said:


> Let's just leave it like this. The ruler for what the return for $2k should be is different for everyone. There will not be any consensus.
> 
> Like I said, people who go for the top of the chain product know that they are paying a premium for a product not with the highest C/P (if not the lowest), but they get the best (which is subjective). Similarly there are certainly other products down the chain with much higher C/P thus value for money with slightly inferior performance (or with similar performance or even better in someone's view,, which is again subjective).
> 
> It's always like this and what's the fuss about it ...




Hi can you please explain what is C/P as I read the WM1A has an higher C/P than WM1Z. What does it do? Thanks


----------



## nc8000

roses77 said:


> Hi can you please explain what is C/P as I read the WM1A has an higher C/P than WM1Z. What does it do? Thanks



I assume it means value for money but I don’t know what the words are, perhaps cost/performance. There is probably no arguing that 1A is better in the value for money stakes than 1Z


----------



## roses77

Quadfather said:


> Just because I think it's overpriced, doesn't mean I won't be buying it. LOL.   I totally get that you are paying for a lot of intangibles and a core amount of tangibles.



I bought it because it’s unlikely Sony will release another Sony Copper Gold Version as it was for 70th anniversary celebration. You can blame it on Astell&kern Daps for putting such a high price on their flagships. Sony Daps rarely go on sale. Astell&kern Daps go on sale, when the next flagship will be released is a good time to buy. 

P.S. I love My Sony Copper Gold it’s very musical very addictive sound.


----------



## nc8000

I bought the 1Z because at the time I could afford to (couldn’t today) and just wanted to avoid the “what if” nagging question. I love it and fully expect to keep it until it dies. Charging it once a week the battery should last near 10 years


----------



## roses77

nc8000 said:


> I assume it means value for money but I don’t know what the words are, perhaps cost/performance. There is probably no arguing that 1A is better in the value for money stakes than 1Z



I read some reviews that Sony WM1A is more solid state sound & Sony WM1Z is more analogue tubey Sound as both these players have different capacitors.


----------



## nc8000

roses77 said:


> I read some reviews that Sony WM1A is more solid state sound & Sony WM1Z is more analogue tubey Sound as both these players have different capacitors.



Yes that is what it seems. I never heard the 1A


----------



## twister6

nc8000 said:


> Yes that is what it seems. I never heard the 1A



another thing to keep in mind when reading comparisons is fw rev, 1.2 vs 2.0.  I mean, all is just a relative comparison per ones perception, but to my ears with 1Z the change from 1.2 to 2.0 was noticeable enough, especially with 3.5mm SE output, and also the reason why we had so many discussions about some people going back to 1.2 because they want more of that "tubey" sound


----------



## roses77

PCheung said:


> Dignis released the ALCANTARA case for WM1A/1Z
> now with the top covered
> 
> http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/prod...nw-wm1az-case/185/?cate_no=85&display_group=1




Lovely bag I’ve already got 3 dignis cases for WM1Z. I got the latest the chocolate brown colour & matching carry bag as it was limited edition.


----------



## Tawek

if someone prefers a reference sound from 1z I recommend firmware  2.0 ( simular to sp1000cu) if someone prefers analog I recommed 1.02 ( dark and analog tube ) I'm very happy to have two" daps" in one


----------



## Fr_eak

roses77 said:


> Hi can you please explain what is C/P as I read the WM1A has an higher C/P than WM1Z. What does it do? Thanks


Cost over performance ratio. It's like how muxh you pay and how much in return you get.


----------



## Fr_eak

Any idea how to revert back to 1.02 when I'm on 2.0?


----------



## roses77

Tawek said:


> if someone prefers a reference sound from 1z I recommend firmware  2.0 ( simular to sp1000cu) if someone prefers analog I recommed 1.02 ( dark and analog tube ) I'm very happy to have two" daps" in one



Which Dap do you prefer better the Sony WM1Z or the SP1000cu I heard has deeper bass slam than Sony.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 28, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> I bought the 1Z because at the time I could afford to (couldn’t today) and just wanted to avoid the “what if” nagging question. I love it and fully expect to keep it until it dies. Charging it once a week the battery should last near 10 years



I got WM1A because is the only thing AccessoryJack was offering (and i didn't know after some time you can import some stuff, not all, from Aamzon US to mexico) and is what i can generally afford, as a software engineer, i get a crappy salary of 800 euro/month over here in mexico, But i determined to save for the supposed 40th walkman jubilee edition release somewhere between 2018-2019



roses77 said:


> I read some reviews that Sony WM1A is more solid state sound & Sony WM1Z is more analogue tubey Sound as both these players have different capacitors.


Not really, some CDs if not all, depends how they were mastered, but i get close to analogue sound, more if i use Hi-res and DSD


----------



## roses77 (Jan 28, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I got WM1A because is the only thing AccessoryJack was offering (and i didn't know after some time you can import some stuff, not all, from Aamzon US to mexico) and is what i can generally afford, as a software engineer, i get a crappy salary of 800 euro/month over here in mexico
> 
> 
> Not really, some CDs if not all, depends how they were mastered, but i get close to analogue sound, more if i use Hi-res and DSD



Which one do you have the WM1A or WM1Z. 

I wouldn’t buy from accessory jack it’s not an autnorised dealer I heard some people had problems with their Daps.


----------



## gerelmx1986

roses77 said:


> Which one do you have the WM1A or WM1Z.
> 
> I wouldn’t buy from accessory jack it’s not an autnorised dealer I heard some people had problems with their Daps.


 WM1A. what you say is correct, I had problems with my previous DAP which also bought from AccessoryJack. But they handled warranty seamslessly, except that i had to pay for shipping for and from accesory jack


----------



## roses77

gerelmx1986 said:


> WM1A. what you say is correct, I had problems with my previous DAP which also bought from AccessoryJack. But they handled warranty seamslessly, except that i had to pay for shipping for and from accesory jack



Please don’t buy from accessory jack in future it’s to be avoided you don’t know if it’s counterfeit either they sell it cheaper. Always buy from an authorised dealer because if something goes wrong warranty is covered by Sony it’s genuine product. So did accessory jack fixed the problem. 

I


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 28, 2018)

when sony releases the 40th anniversary edition walkman (walkman will be 40 in 2019) i promise i will buy the top model...  i fear that maybe sony will have plans like apple to slash their walkman line (apple killed almost all iPods, except for iTouch) so if osny releases a 40th i get the top model...

I do certainly doubt sony has such drastic plans like apple did with their iPod, but the fear remains as streaming is catching over downloads to own forever or CD media


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 28, 2018)

I bet there is a difference between WM1Z and WM1A... if i can detect small nuances such as "lossy" process when converting a DSD to PCM, yes there is a difference but minimal and the 1A has sufficient resolution to unmask this. and hearing a big improvement over SE using BAL, from canny toilet-recorded sounding Haydn wind divertimenti to a church recording, with defects in damping the echoeing but whoa a vast improvement, i was left shoked

for this recording i had to ddo some sonic makeup to somehow fix it but not perfectly, heavy EQ and L/R balance, DSEE HX and DC phase linearizer


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> when sony releases the 40th anniversary edition walkman (walkman will be 40 in 2019) i promise i will buy the top model...  i fear that maybe sony will have plans like apple to slash their walkman line (apple killed almost all iPods, except for iTouch) so if osny releases a 40th i get the top model...
> 
> I do certainly doubt sony has such drastic plans like apple did with their iPod, but the fear remains as streaming is catching over downloads to own forever or CD media



Ya! Let's hope they don't have some idea to go Way-Way back.


----------



## blazinblazin

1A 1Z there are difference in components.
There sure are sound differences. Owning 1A, to me 1Z has a darker background and some qualities that attracts me more than 1A. That was fw 1.2. I have not get to try fw 2.0 yet.

C/P ratio is very subjective. It is down to what you use it to compare with.

1A and 1Z fits user of different price points.
It's more fair if you compare each with players that are near that price point or range. Like what the Japanese Audio awards do.

1A and 1Z is a family along with ZX-300, please don't do internal fights.


----------



## roses77

gerelmx1986 said:


> when sony releases the 40th anniversary edition walkman (walkman will be 40 in 2019) i promise i will buy the top model...  i fear that maybe sony will have plans like apple to slash their walkman line (apple killed almost all iPods, except for iTouch) so if osny releases a 40th i get the top model...
> 
> I do certainly doubt sony has such drastic plans like apple did with their iPod, but the fear remains as streaming is catching over downloads to own forever or CD media



The reason Apple ditched the IPods & classic as they were getting less sales of their iPods. As the iPhone does the same thing as their iPod except iPod was not a phone. I doubt Sony will do the same thing unless they don’t get many sales, & want to focus on the Sony smart phone. I particularly don’t like streaming as it loses sound quality. Some streaming companies don’t last long either. It was ITunes or high Rez downloads that caused most of the music shops to shut down which is shame I like the physical CD. With streaming you don’t own the music either. 

If the 40th Anniversary Walkman premium sounds better than the Sony WM1Z I’ll buy it. Bring on 2019 we have time to save.


----------



## roses77

gerelmx1986 said:


> I bet there is a difference between WM1Z and WM1A... if i can detect small nuances such as "lossy" process when converting a DSD to PCM, yes there is a difference but minimal and the 1A has sufficient resolution to unmask this. and hearing a big improvement over SE using BAL, from canny toilet-recorded sounding Haydn wind divertimenti to a church recording, with defects in damping the echoeing but whoa a vast improvement, i was left shoked
> 
> for this recording i had to ddo some sonic makeup to somehow fix it but not perfectly, heavy EQ and L/R balance, DSEE HX and DC phase linearizer



Some Audiophiles I know have said that Sony WM1Z has fuller sound, lush, meaty bass has better resolution. The Sony WM1A has less resolution you can notice difference after burn in. I have not listened to Sony WM1A.


----------



## Quadfather

roses77 said:


> I read some reviews that Sony WM1A is more solid state sound & Sony WM1Z is more analogue tubey Sound as both these players have different capacitors.



I have read the same thing. Sometimes I'm in the mood for more solid state sound, and sometimes I'm in the mood for more of a tube sound.  I guess I'll need both models.


----------



## ttt123

Quadfather said:


> I have read the same thing. Sometimes I'm in the mood for more solid state sound, and sometimes I'm in the mood for more of a tube sound.  I guess I'll need both models.


----------



## animalsrush

twister6 said:


> another thing to keep in mind when reading comparisons is fw rev, 1.2 vs 2.0.  I mean, all is just a relative comparison per ones perception, but to my ears with 1Z the change from 1.2 to 2.0 was noticeable enough, especially with 3.5mm SE output, and also the reason why we had so many discussions about some people going back to 1.2 because they want more of that "tubey" sound


So true.. I listen balanced 4.4 mm and I am one of those switched back to fw 1.2.. love the lush organic sound.. the beauty is it works both for my k10 CIEM and Sony z1r.

Pc


----------



## Jalo

Just to confirm my understanding with regard to line out option for the IZ. As there is no dedicated line out connection on the 1z, the only way to get a line out is to connect through the 3.5 headphone out to an external amp and set the volume to the max. Is that right?


----------



## ttt123

I also thought the price difference was ridiculous and bought the WM1A.  After a couple of months of adjusting to it, I worked myself around to believing the WM1Z had a greater ability to resolve  micro details, stage, and most important, emotion.  So I made the jump, sold the WM1A and bought the WM1Z.  The final result, with modded silver wires for the internal headphone wires (plus other things), is that I am happy with the WM1Z, and it's ability to play music that I can get immersed in.  Some well recorded (even 44.1), feel holographic, and just amazes.  And unexpectedly, I am finding great synergy between the WM1Z and the IE800 that I had not listened to for awhile, as I was using other IEMs that were more resolving.

So I still feel that the WM1Z price is ridiculous, but that's life.  Sometimes, the ridiculous decisions work out, sometimes not.    If I had bought it, and then after using it, decided that it did not do what I expected, then that would be one of the bad decisions that I have to write the cost off as an expensive lesson.  However, if  I am happy with the end result, and would make the same choice again if I had to repeat it, then while it is an expensive path, it was the right one for me.  For me, it was a good decision that I am happy with.

It is up to each person to decide whether they want to stop somewhere along a path, or keep going to the end.  And then keep looking, and never stop.  I have always felt that the people who were happy, without going to extremes, were fortunate.  If you can achieve happiness with simple(er) things, that is a great situation.  

However, an audiophile who has found the perfect solution and stopped looking for anything better, is a description of an oxymoronic situation.  Everybody who is on this forum has/are already spending much more than most "normal" people would think is sane.  To argue about how much is sane, and how much is not, is pretty silly for us.  We're all crazy, just to what degree.  Personally, I don't want to look too closely, as any logical analysis would bring into question some of those decisions.  But I rationalize it by believing that this addiction has also helped to keep me sane....


----------



## productred (Jan 30, 2018)

roses77 said:


> Some Audiophiles I know have said that Sony WM1Z has fuller sound, lush, meaty bass has better resolution. The Sony WM1A has less resolution you can notice difference after burn in. I have not listened to Sony WM1A.



Having both in hand I am reaching for the 1A almost exclusively for the past month. There was a time when the preference was reversed, with the 1Z in my bag for consecutive weeks. As the now well known interview from the developers told us, the 1A and 1Z started off as one concept of two different sound profiles, then spun off with the 1Z became the exponentially more expensive to build sibling, while they could probably achieve the 1A sound profile with less costly components.

I have lived with them for quite some time now. I cannot stress enough that they overall performance of the 2 is definitely on the same level. I never found the 1A is inferior in resolution to the 1Z. On the contrary, when listening the classical or progressive rock the extra snappiness of the 1A brought out the layers and hidden lines better than the 1Z (that's not about resolving power, rather it's about how one perceive resolution). The 1Z's warmer, more relaxed and euphoric profile is always welcoming, and that's why I still cannot make up my mind to flip it even that it is now less frequently used (have flipped many other gears during this time). But curiously enough, I found that with the DSEE on the difference between the two became smaller, with the 1A also sounding somewhat warmer and more relaxed. Maybe one day the preference will switch again, but the 1Z's weight is still a very nagging factor in considering which to bring with me for the day.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Jalo said:


> Just to confirm my understanding with regard to line out option for the IZ. As there is no dedicated line out connection on the 1z, the only way to get a line out is to connect through the 3.5 headphone out to an external amp and set the volume to the max. Is that right?


Yes the only option set vol. 120/120 and high gain


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have no regrets buying the WM1A, for my tastes (of music) I think it suits them better, accounting the headphone choice as being Dark (MDR-Z7/XBA-Z5), as ProductRed says, the speed of WM1A reveals all the layering and nuances of classical music, even micro-reverb phase/pitch changes in sound with female vocals in church environments


----------



## roses77 (Jan 29, 2018)

productred said:


> Having both in hand I am reaching for the 1A almost exclusively for the past month. There was a time when the preference was reversed, with the 1Z in my bag for consecutive weeks. As the now well known interview from the developers told us, the 1A and 1Z started off as one concept of two different sound profiles, then spun off with the 1Z became the exponentially more expensive to build sibling, while they could probably achieve the 1A sound profile with less costly components.
> 
> I have lived with them for quite some time now. I cannot stress enough that they overall performance of the 2 is definitely on the same level. I never found the 1A is inferior in resolution to the 1Z. On the contrary, when listening the classical or progressive rock the extra snappiness of the 1A brought out the layers and hidden lines better than the 1Z (that's not about resolving power, rather it's about how one perceive resolution). The 1Z's warmer, more relaxed and euphoric profile is always welcoming, and that's why I still cannot make up my mind to flip it even that it is now less frequently used (have flipped many other gears during this time). But curiously enough, I found that with the HSEE on the difference between the two became smaller, with the 1A also sounding somewhat warmer and more relaxed. Maybe one day the preference will switch again, but the 1Z's weight is still a very nagging factor in considering which to bring with me for the day.[/QUOTE


----------



## roses77

Please read mine right at the bottom it ended up as a quote, ha ha


----------



## roses77

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have no regrets buying the WM1A, for my tastes (of music) I think it suits them better, accounting the headphone choice as being Dark (MDR-Z7/XBA-Z5), as ProductRed says, the speed of WM1A reveals all the layering and nuances of classical music, even micro-reverb phase/pitch changes in sound with female vocals in church environments



Have you compared it to the Sony WM1Z as well. The Sony WM1A doesn’t have Kimber Kable. Sony WM1Z does, so that’s the difference.


----------



## roses77

productred said:


> Having both in hand I am reaching for the 1A almost exclusively for the past month. There was a time when the preference was reversed, with the 1Z in my bag for consecutive weeks. As the now well known interview from the developers told us, the 1A and 1Z started off as one concept of two different sound profiles, then spun off with the 1Z became the exponentially more expensive to build sibling, while they could probably achieve the 1A sound profile with less costly components.
> 
> I have lived with them for quite some time now. I cannot stress enough that they overall performance of the 2 is definitely on the same level. I never found the 1A is inferior in resolution to the 1Z. On the contrary, when listening the classical or progressive rock the extra snappiness of the 1A brought out the layers and hidden lines better than the 1Z (that's not about resolving power, rather it's about how one perceive resolution). The 1Z's warmer, more relaxed and euphoric profile is always welcoming, and that's why I still cannot make up my mind to flip it even that it is now less frequently used (have flipped many other gears during this time). But curiously enough, I found that with the HSEE on the difference between the two became smaller, with the 1A also sounding somewhat warmer and more relaxed. Maybe one day the preference will switch again, but the 1Z's weight is still a very nagging factor in considering which to bring with me for the day.



Wow that’s a very good review unfortunately in my city I couldn’t demo the Sony WM1Z/A as it’s not sold here. I had to go by reviews so I bought the WM1Z. You having owned both & kept both that’s great you can compare. It sounds like from what you wrote that the WM1A has better bass slam, than Sony WM1Z I have burned mine in at least 454hrs so far it sounds great. I also own the Astell&kern Daps 1st 3 flagships generations I’d say the Ak240 has faster bass slam. Owning the Sony WM1Z is good to have a different signature. I’m not sure if I’d own both of Sony’s if the SQ is similar. But a different Dap. So far it’s the best Sony has made as I still have my old Sony MP3 from 2010 which was high End. I’ve heard some Audiophiles had modded theirs, so it sounds better than AkSP1000. I didn’t mode mine as too much hassle to ship out of the country and back.


----------



## nanaholic

Jalo said:


> Just to confirm my understanding with regard to line out option for the IZ. As there is no dedicated line out connection on the 1z, the only way to get a line out is to connect through the 3.5 headphone out to an external amp and set the volume to the max. Is that right?



You don't have to set the volume to max. Some (most?) amp's analogue output will distort at the maximum output level so it's not where you want it to be.  100 of 120 clicks should be sufficient.  

The idea is to feed a clean signal to the external amp and let the external amp do the amplification, after all why put in an external amp in the chain if you aren't letting it actually do its work?


----------



## sne4me

Everyone holding out for some mythical 2019 model is completely insane since the signature collection is in celebration for Sony 70th anniversary


----------



## ledzep

I'd like to think I can hold out for the 100th anniversary Walkman made from unobtainium and fitted with nano chips that hold holographic visual and audio data of real bands and orchestra's so you get the full sight and sound experience, but I'll probably be deaf or dead by then. So is it crazy of me to just enjoy what I've got at the moment ? Any advice would be appreciated


----------



## ledzep

Quadfather said:


> My wife would have my privates in a jar if I spent that much money.   She was pissed that I bought a Bottlehead Crack with the 1.1 Speedball for my Sennheiser HD 650 headphones.  Well, we do have quadruplets and they're expensive.



We all know that the oldest memories are remembered by sounds and smells and also the crack and 650's should be still going strong when the quads grow up. So you've basically bought a memory creating family heirloom, I'd say money well spent.


----------



## Jalo

nanaholic said:


> You don't have to set the volume to max. Some (most?) amp's analogue output will distort at the maximum output level so it's not where you want it to be.  100 of 120 clicks should be sufficient.
> 
> The idea is to feed a clean signal to the external amp and let the external amp do the amplification, after all why put in an external amp in the chain if you aren't letting it actually do its work?



Thanks for the thoughts, I started out thinking like you and in fact set the volume to the lowest level to avoid double amping for the exact reason you stated above, but then people started saying maxing the volume out, so I just want to get some feedback from folks.  Thanks again.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

Jalo said:


> Thanks for the thoughts, I started out thinking like you and in fact set the volume to the lowest level to avoid double amping for the exact reason you stated above, but then people started saying maxing the volume out, so I just want to get some feedback from folks.  Thanks again.



You cannot avoid double amping in that way.Double amping increases distortion which is like tube amps as they often have a higher THD particularly in the low end and thus you will get that 1Z sound....

LOL

I coukd not resist...I keeeed I keeeeed!!


----------



## nc8000

sne4me said:


> Everyone holding out for some mythical 2019 model is completely insane since the signature collection is in celebration for Sony 70th anniversary



Well 2019 would be to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Walkman so in my opinion very likely


----------



## nanaholic

Jalo said:


> Thanks for the thoughts, I started out thinking like you and in fact set the volume to the lowest level to avoid double amping for the exact reason you stated above, but then people started saying maxing the volume out, so I just want to get some feedback from folks.  Thanks again.



If you connect an external amplifier to the headphone output you are already double amping, no matter what level you set the source.


----------



## pietcux

appleidappleid said:


> Hello, just wondering if anyone knows where I can find a BCR-NWH10 cradle for my WM1A in Europe? I have started a WTB post to see if anyone is selling one. I can also see that there are sellers on eBay from Japan who sell them but it will cost me an extra 30% due to customs charges and handling fees. Thanks a lot!


l am afraid the Sony does no CE certification for most accessories that would not sell in bigger quantities. So no cables and other nice stuff in Europe, Nada.


----------



## pietcux

Fr_eak said:


> I think it's a known fact that in audio (and other parts of the consumer world), the cost increases exponentially against improvement, especially towards the upper end?
> 
> I think I tend to agree the the 1A has higher C/P ratio than the 1Z, but I don't get all the bashing from the 1A users in this thread against the 1Z. For me the 1Z does sound different from the 1A, I believe (in my view at least) this is a fact. Whether you agree with this is another issue but is it necessary for all the bashings? People who think the improvement (or shall I say difference?) is worth the penny is entirely up to them, which we should respect and simply move on?


If we could agree on your term "different" then I am fine. But most WM1Z owners say better, here is the problem I think. That is in reverse WM1A bashing, isn't it?


----------



## nanaholic

pietcux said:


> But most WM1Z owners say better, here is the problem I think. That is in reverse WM1A bashing, isn't it?



No - because the 1Z is quite a bit more expensive, which in a very general and broad brush, one would usually expect the more expensive item to be better to justify the increase in cost, especially when the two items are so similar in the general design. So it isn't bashing the 1A to say the 1Z is better because one would usually expect the 1Z to BE better.


----------



## pietcux

nanaholic said:


> No - because the 1Z is quite a bit more expensive, which in a very general and broad brush, one would usually expect the more expensive item to be better to justify the increase in cost, especially when the two items are so similar in the general design. So it isn't bashing the 1A to say the 1Z is better because one would usually expect the 1Z to BE better.


Agree it must be better at twice the weight, lol.


----------



## nanaholic (Jan 29, 2018)

pietcux said:


> Agree it must be better at twice the weight, lol.



Sony specifically list out what the differences are and it's not just the chassis, besides the well known larger storage and the Kimber Kable for the internals you still have the more of the FT caps and the higher quality large resistors etc that are in the 1Z but not in the 1A. So it's not like they don't tell you where you are paying the difference in the money.

Seriously, when one pays more for an item, we are usually right to assume that we are paying more money in increase quality and performance in several areas; this may include but not limited to better material, better design, better craftsmanship, miniaturisation (eg a smaller and thinner laptop is more expensive than a thicker and bigger laptop even if the spec is exactly the same) etc. In the case of the WM1 Walkmans, as the size and design is roughly the same/almost identical, then it is okay to assume that the increase cost partially goes into paying for more premium things such as better components, which by extension one could assume to be an increase in performances, ergo, there are several components in the 1Z that is of better quality than the 1A as being disclosed by Sony themselves. So this is just common sense. So in no way that saying the 1Z is better than the 1A is reverse bashing, because that should be the DEFAULT position to take when Sony is very clear where they put in more effort and resources in the 1Z. If you choose to ignore that and just be snarky about the weight - the fault shouldn't be on those pointing out your lack of knowledge on the difference, but your lack of effort in finding out those differences (when the differences are pretty well documented).

Also given that the 1Z/1A is now more than a year old and has been in the hands of many people, there's already plenty of time and material which scrutinises the difference between the two - either objectively or subjectively, so I think we are well past the stage where people can just throw out random speculations on the matter.


----------



## pietcux

nanaholic said:


> Sony specifically list out what the differences are and it's not just the chassis, besides the well known larger storage and the Kimber Kable for the internals you still have the more of the FT caps and the higher quality large resistors etc that are in the 1Z but not in the 1A. So it's not like they don't tell you where you are paying the difference in the money.
> 
> Seriously, when one pays more for an item, we are usually right to assume that we are paying more money in increase quality and performance in several areas; this may include but not limited to better material, better design, better craftsmanship, miniaturisation (eg a smaller and thinner laptop is more expensive than a thicker and bigger laptop even if the spec is exactly the same) etc. In the case of the WM1 Walkmans, as the size and design is roughly the same/almost identical, then it is okay to assume that the increase cost partially goes into paying for more premium things such as better components, which by extension one could assume to be an increase in performances, ergo, there are several components in the 1Z that is of better quality than the 1A as being disclosed by Sony themselves. So this is just common sense. So in no way that saying the 1Z is better than the 1A is reverse bashing, because that should be the DEFAULT position to take when Sony is very clear where they put in more effort and resources in the 1Z. If you choose to ignore that and just be snarky about the weight - the fault shouldn't be on those pointing out your lack of knowledge on the difference, but your lack of effort in finding out those differences (when the differences are pretty well documented).
> 
> Also given that the 1Z/1A is now more than a year old and has been in the hands of many people, there's already plenty of time and material which scrutinises the difference between the two - either objectively or subjectively, so I think we are well past the stage where people can just throw out random speculations on the matter.


All is good.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

pietcux said:


> All is good.



Read the PMR review which was one of the first ever done of the 2.
The emotional investment by owners is not shared by the engineers. 
I have some stuff like a vid comparing them but it has bad language and I have built a semi relationship with 2 Sony people. 1 retired and 1 not. It is shooting myself in the foot and serves no point. I thought the PMR review was a promo thing and never read it until 2 weeks ago and it turns out he explains their differences in exactly the way the folks I spoke to did. It is surprising. PMR was not hyping at all.

This situation of 2 daps substantially different in price being in 1 thread.. .I understand why initially but they should have been separated soon after.

The emotions and assertive claims made by owners is understandable but it is also far more than anyone at Sony... outside of the build and PR teams (they were one in the same, pretty much).


----------



## soundkist

The Sony plugs are really sweet; thanks again to whoever posted the Encompass link!


----------



## Jalo

Can you repost the link to the Sony plugs?  Thanks


----------



## kubig123 (Jan 29, 2018)

Jalo said:


> Can you repost the link to the Sony plugs?  Thanks



Here is the links of the 3 different plugs:
https://encompass.com/item/10990089/Sony/4-574-056-01/Rubber,_Cap(wm)
https://encompass.com/item/10990728/Sony/4-591-289-01/Cap_(jack),_Btl
https://encompass.com/item/10990729/Sony/4-591-290-01/Cap_(jack),_Se

SE plugs 4-591-290-01
4.4mm plugs 4-591-289-01
WM Port plugs 4-574-056-01


----------



## Jalo

@Kubig, thank you very much for the above info.


----------



## Quadfather

soundkist said:


> The Sony plugs are really sweet; thanks again to whoever posted the Encompass link!




Did you get the cover for the bottom Walkman port?


----------



## ledwight

gerelmx1986 said:


> Vol. 90-100/120 with DSD, no problem with my MDR-Z7


sir! how to take a screenshot? i'm using Sony Walkman A35


----------



## soundkist

Quadfather said:


> Did you get the cover for the bottom Walkman port?



No, just the 4.4 & 3.5 plugs; my case has a connected flap with a plug built in for the wm port, which actually works pretty well!


----------



## ledzep

On the subject of dust stopper plugs, here in the UK we don't get s**t from Sony apart from the very basic supplies. For the 3.5mm just a standard stopper plenty on fleabay 5 for £1 etc and for the 4.4mm bought a bag of rubber stoppers that you put in self assembly furniture etc , 10 for £1 get the 5mm ones and just slight trim a slither 0.5mm around the peg.


----------



## boomtube

Looking for tips on getting a LOD to connect to Hugo 2...I know there's a member on Head- fi that made me one for my ZX2, but can't remember the name? Any help would be appreciated.


----------



## ledzep

ledzep said:


> For anyone who's looking for a leather case handmade at a very reasonable price lots of custom choices too.
> https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/332217241818



Turned up today very impressed, quality handmade leather case for a 3rd of the price of the dignis I bought don't get me wrong the dignis are quality cases but for the price and colour / finish range they are excellent.


----------



## TSAVAlan

Give us a call at 310-534-9900 to order now!


----------



## hemipowered007

Ohhhhh no....maybe now is my time to hop on the wm1a train


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledwight said:


> sir! how to take a screenshot? i'm using Sony Walkman A35


Press vol +, vol - and then power for 3 seconds, is pretty trickt getting it rightras I get the power off dialog


----------



## hemipowered007

I've read alot of pages here lately, but havnt found a detailed answer, so here it goes. I'm looking at possibly ditching my ifi micro black label/fiio x3i stack and going for the wm1a. My concern is, right now I can use the ifi as dac/dac+preamp into my pioneer sx1010 at home. The wm1a lacks true analogue line out or ish dac capabilities so I would be double Amping if I used lineout. I do plan on getting an r2r dac for desktop in the future, but for now I just rarely get the chance to use my home desktop rig. So the lineout isnt a dealvreaker, but what I wanted to know is, how bad sonically are we talking here if I use the lineout of thewm1a to an external amp. I get every amp is different so unless someone else here has tried it on a vintage pioneer I won't know for sure. But, I mean, will it sound ok do you think?


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

hemipowered007 said:


> I've read alot of pages here lately, but havnt found a detailed answer, so here it goes. I'm looking at possibly ditching my ifi micro black label/fiio x3i stack and going for the wm1a. My concern is, right now I can use the ifi as dac/dac+preamp into my pioneer sx1010 at home. The wm1a lacks true analogue line out or ish dac capabilities so I would be double Amping if I used lineout. I do plan on getting an r2r dac for desktop in the future, but for now I just rarely get the chance to use my home desktop rig. So the lineout isnt a dealvreaker, but what I wanted to know is, how bad sonically are we talking here if I use the lineout of thewm1a to an external amp. I get every amp is different so unless someone else here has tried it on a vintage pioneer I won't know for sure. But, I mean, will it sound ok do you think?



With the chase of perfect sound whaaaaaatever that is??...being the goal of an audiophile double amping the signal ...really...amping the noise from the first amplification and amping _that_ sounds horrible to read  but in fact it is often barely noticeable and if it is it adds a analogue ish sound since the consistent area of THD is low freq and double amping that just adds warmth if anything.

Never had any issue with double amping unless it was in basshead thread where we amp amp amp amp the hell outta stuff and that low freq THD will be a distortion issue at not safe for ears levels.


----------



## NickL33

Just wondering how does wm1a comparing to opus2


----------



## aisalen

NickL33 said:


> Just wondering how does wm1a comparing to opus2


I had opus#1 before and probably have same signature with #2. I sold it as I found it too thin sounding for my taste, I like aune m2 pro more than #1 which I sold also. Since I got wm1a, I stop looking for a new dap.


----------



## hemipowered007

Hawaiibadboy said:


> With the chase of perfect sound whaaaaaatever that is??...being the goal of an audiophile double amping the signal ...really...amping the noise from the first amplification and amping _that_ sounds horrible to read  but in fact it is often barely noticeable and if it is it adds a analogue ish sound since the consistent area of THD is low freq and double amping that just adds warmth if anything.
> 
> Never had any issue with double amping unless it was in basshead thread where we amp amp amp amp the hell outta stuff and that low freq THD will be a distortion issue at not safe for ears levels.



Ok great, looks like my next goal is to join you in the wm1a+ex1000 club.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

hemipowered007 said:


> Ok great, looks like my next goal is to join you in the wm1a+ex1000 club.



 Get on board!
I got a 4.4 cable coming from @PETEREK  so I will not need my current musashino adapter. I like that but my Peterek stuff is boss!


----------



## janolisboa

Did anyone find out how to uncap the WM1Z? The link posted here says it won't work with Android devices... Thank you.


----------



## ledzep

janolisboa said:


> Did anyone find out how to uncap the WM1Z? The link posted here says it won't work with Android devices... Thank you.


Yeah the 1z 1a ain't android


----------



## Quadfather

janolisboa said:


> Did anyone find out how to uncap the WM1Z? The link posted here says it won't work with Android devices... Thank you.



The Sony Walkmans use a Sony platform.  These devices are non Android, thank God.


----------



## all999

janolisboa said:


> Did anyone find out how to uncap the WM1Z? The link posted here says it won't work with Android devices... Thank you.



Here - https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool

Android? What about it?


----------



## janolisboa

all999 said:


> Here - https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool
> 
> Android? What about it?


Thanks my bad I misread. Thanks again.


----------



## gerelmx1986

There was a time indeed, before the release, sony pages showed WM1Z had android and sony 1A original OS but they later changed both to sony Orig. OS


----------



## gsiu33

After upgrade 1Z to Firmware V2.0, it is found that it will go back to Track 1 of the album if you power off/on the player. Anyway to make it stay at where it stop?


----------



## bvng3540

gsiu33 said:


> After upgrade 1Z to Firmware V2.0, it is found that it will go back to Track 1 of the album if you power off/on the player. Anyway to make it stay at where it stop?


Yes, don’t turn off the device


----------



## pietcux

ledzep said:


> Yeah the 1z 1a ain't android


The ZX1 and ZX2 run Android. I have the ZX1 EU capped. It is ok for low impedance cans. Btw. the WM1A is much heavier capped than the ZX1. At least on the single ended output.


----------



## ledzep

pietcux said:


> The ZX1 and ZX2 run Android. I have the ZX1 EU capped. It is ok for low impedance cans. Btw. the WM1A is much heavier capped than the ZX1. At least on the single ended output.



True, but you can  un cap (gain control) the  WM1A/1Z on both single and balanced, but you can get line out with the X1/2 so amping is always a good option I guess......... Crazy nanny state EU laws !!!


----------



## ledzep

I did a notepad doc step by step un cap guide for a fellow headfier a while back, easy to do really but if your not computer friendly this can help.


----------



## pietcux

ledzep said:


> I did a notepad doc step by step un cap guide for a fellow headfier a while back, easy to do really but if your not computer friendly this can help.


I uncapped already long ago.


----------



## ledzep

pietcux said:


> I uncapped already long ago.


Great to hear that


----------



## gerelmx1986

I buy from hongHKong and no cap


----------



## Stealer

I just realised that in  firmware 2., If checked `Disable touch panel when HOLD switch is on,
The buttons on the player side are all disable too.
If I'm not wrong, in the 1.2 only the touchscreen is disable...
CAn someone who are still on 1.2 kindly confirm this.


----------



## nc8000

Stealer said:


> I just realised that in  firmware 2., If checked `Disable touch panel when HOLD switch is on,
> The buttons on the player side are all disable too.
> If I'm not wrong, in the 1.2 only the touchscreen is disable...
> CAn someone who are still on 1.2 kindly confirm this.



When the hold swith is on the buttons are disabled which is the whole point of the switch. If you then check the touch screen option the hold switch also disables the touch screen


----------



## flyer1

Glad that I didn't penny pinch in finding the right eartips after going all out on my 1Z/ Z5 setup. The difference they make in fit and their effect on sound for me personally is huge. Wasn't impressed with Sony's own offerings incl EP-TC50,Comply,Spinfit etc.but very pleased with the JVC spiral dots


----------



## pietcux

flyer1 said:


> Glad that I didn't penny pinch in finding the right eartips after going all out on my 1Z/ Z5 setup. The difference they make in fit and their effect on sound for me personally is huge. Wasn't impressed with Sony's own offerings incl EP-TC50,Comply,Spinfit etc.but very pleased with the JVC spiral dots


Yes it is all about seal.


----------



## Lord Mike

blazinblazin said:


> You can reset the remote pairing by Holding "play/pause" + "Vol -" for 10secs.
> 
> With "Hold" switched off that is.
> 
> You will see flashing alternating Red and Blue lights which is pairing.



You're an absolute lifesaver. I discarded my box/paperwork; so I totally forgot the steps when it came to pairing it with my ZX300!
Thank you, crisis averted!


----------



## Redcarmoose

flyer1 said:


> Glad that I didn't penny pinch in finding the right eartips after going all out on my 1Z/ Z5 setup. The difference they make in fit and their effect on sound for me personally is huge. Wasn't impressed with Sony's own offerings incl EP-TC50,Comply,Spinfit etc.but very pleased with the JVC spiral dots



The 1Z/Z5 combo is amazing with the right tips. The Z5 is still kind of an  untalked about flagship considering how many reviews you see. Though in this thread you have more people into Sony, so there are more Z5s around. But the match IS stellar!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I like the xba-z5 with wm1a


----------



## blazinblazin

I am using Acoustune HS1551 CU with WM1A.
DD type IEM. Absolutely good.


----------



## fiascogarcia (Feb 2, 2018)

Barely started burning in the 1Z, but very impressed so far through the balanced output!  Sounds like I might be in the minority regarding the degree of difference between the jacks, but the balanced is significantly better than single ended in regard to staging and detail.  Single ended sounds almost like it is playing in mono.  IMO.


----------



## Stealer (Feb 3, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> When the hold swith is on the buttons are disabled which is the whole point of the switch. If you then check the touch screen option the hold switch also disables the touch screen


Hmmm, sound logical. So I must have got it wrong on how it should function in the 1st place. Anyway, I personally prefer it on the 1.2 firmware..


----------



## zardos

This one sounds so f... good


----------



## gerelmx1986

I was going to pull the trigger on a pair of MDR-Z1R but eye doctor told me cataract surgery: IMPORTANT ASAP.. so, MDR-Z1R post-poned 

If i get eventually the Z1R, I will not sell MY MDR-Z7, because they are good HPs and because i think i can't get a good re-sell value, but most important i love the Z7s as hell, solid construction


----------



## nc8000

All my cd’s ripped to flac 16/44 and all my hires downsampled to flac 16/44 or 16/48 just fits on the 1Z with a 400GB microSD card. About 2.300 albums. Should keep me happy for a very long time.


----------



## proedros

596 GB of music, nice

i currently have just 297 GB on my wm1a (128gb memory + 200 gb card) , but since i am also being using 16/44 FLAC i am fine (although i am considering getting a 400 GB card which would give me an extra 183 GB of space)


----------



## Drumonron (Feb 4, 2018)

Received my WM1A from Razordog yesterday, she's burning in and I have 12 hours on her - I'm pleased with another Sony purchase.
I never would have guessed it but I think I'm becoming a Sony guy.  I transferred 16Gig or so of Flac so far and have been letting it play.
Question, I have 1.2 FW on it - should I upgrade?  What advantages will I gain?  This meshes so nicely with my Z1R and my TA.
This 1A is a solid piece of kit that gives good hand and sounds so fantastic - can't wait 'til she hits 200 hrs and settles in.

Had some fun bluetoothing to my 1000s with the LDAC - choice wireless setup up.

Used as the source from the walkman port on the TA - great convenience and heavenly setup
for the Z1R - would describe it as a lively combo - low volume listening for me and I truly believe the Z1R excels
at separation and imaging and brings you into the music.  So happy - This setup truly allows one to realize and appreciate 
the Z1R like never before.  Each instrument has it's own placement in space.


----------



## Bart147

CraftyClown said:


> Cracked it!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for the link , the WM1A is indeed very fussy on how SD cards are formatted . 
Once I've received my  4.4mm AresII+ cable the proper testing can begin .


----------



## proedros (Feb 4, 2018)

do you perceive any differences between using high/low gain in the 4.4 balanced ?

i feel like the high gain makes the WM1A sound more punchy but also more ''piercing'', not sure if it's real or just a listening placebo


----------



## Bart147

proedros said:


> do you perceive any differences between using high/low gain in the 4.4 balanced ?
> 
> i feel like the high gain makes the WM1A sound more punchy but also more ''piercing'', not sure if it's real or just a listening placebo


Right now i'm still listening single ended with the regular cable supplied with my Harmony 8.2 , I'm still waiting for my first 4.4mm cable . 
I have the European volume capped version , so no high or low gain for me .


----------



## haiku

Bart147 said:


> Right now i'm still listening single ended with the regular cable supplied with my Harmony 8.2 , I'm still waiting for my first 4.4mm cable .
> I have the European volume capped version , so no high or low gain for me .



I also have the capped wm1z, and it really doesn´t matter because I only listen to IEMs. It plays more than loud enough, even when listening with se .


----------



## Bart147

Battery longevity question for experienced users of WM1A / WM1Z : when used once a day for about 1,5 hours is better to leave the unit in stand by or switch it on/off ?
I've ticked the "Battery care"  box in the presumption this helps.


----------



## kubig123

proedros said:


> do you perceive any differences between using high/low gain in the 4.4 balanced ?
> 
> i feel like the high gain makes the WM1A sound more punchy but also more ''piercing'', not sure if it's real or just a listening placebo



when I was using my Encore with the WM1z, it felt the treble were slightly brighter on high gain.


----------



## nc8000

Bart147 said:


> Battery longevity question for experienced users of WM1A / WM1Z : when used once a day for about 1,5 hours is better to leave the unit in stand by or switch it on/off ?
> I've ticked the "Battery care"  box in the presumption this helps.



I just leave mine on and charge once a week. Has not been turned of in a year and only rebootet when a new fw version has been installed. Did the same with ZX2


----------



## gerelmx1986

Drumonron said:


> Received my WM1A from Razordog yesterday, she's burning in and I have 12 hours on her - I'm pleased with another Sony purchase.
> I never would have guessed it but I think I'm becoming a Sony guy.  I transferred 16Gig or so of Flac so far and have been letting it play.
> Question, I have 1.2 FW on it - should I upgrade?  What advantages will I gain?  This meshes so nicely with my Z1R and my TA.
> This 1A is a solid piece of kit that gives good hand and sounds so fantastic - can't wait 'til she hits 200 hrs and settles in.
> ...


How would you describe the sound of Z1R with the WM1A? have you used the MDR-Z7 are diffrences between those sonic wise? i have read mixed bag reviews that MDR-Z1R are and some that are not suited for classical music. Tyl from Inner Fidelity said these (Z1R) suck so i am worried


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> All my cd’s ripped to flac 16/44 and all my hires downsampled to flac 16/44 or 16/48 just fits on the 1Z with a 400GB microSD card. About 2.300 albums. Should keep me happy for a very long time.





proedros said:


> 596 GB of music, nice
> 
> i currently have just 297 GB on my wm1a (128gb memory + 200 gb card) , but since i am also being using 16/44 FLAC i am fine (although i am considering getting a 400 GB card which would give me an extra 183 GB of space)


 I bet those 596 Gigs are just some part of his bigger library, like my WM1A 114.15GB (formatted internal) + 366GB fro 400GB card represents a bit of my bigger (942GB library)


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I bet those 596 Gigs are just some part of his bigger library, like my WM1A 114.15GB (formatted internal) + 366GB fro 400GB card represents a bit of my bigger (942GB library)



That is actually my entire library of about 2.500 albums. All my 1TB hires has just been downsampled to Red Book so it could just fit. I found that while I usually could detect the differences between hires and Red Book when doing critial A/B tests I couldn’t really tell when I was just listenig and enjoying music so went for choice over outright quality. All my hires is on the Auralic in my home rig.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Better redbook downsampling than MP3  i did just for curiosity an experiemnt with mp3 and my whole library fit on the 400GB card using LAME V0 mp3, was just experiemnt, my lossless are safe.

On the other hand, of those 942GB 118GB are Hi-res


----------



## fiascogarcia

Drumonron said:


> Received my WM1A from Razordog yesterday, she's burning in and I have 12 hours on her - I'm pleased with another Sony purchase.
> I never would have guessed it but I think I'm becoming a Sony guy.  I transferred 16Gig or so of Flac so far and have been letting it play.
> Question, I have 1.2 FW on it - should I upgrade?  What advantages will I gain?  This meshes so nicely with my Z1R and my TA.
> This 1A is a solid piece of kit that gives good hand and sounds so fantastic - can't wait 'til she hits 200 hrs and settles in.
> .


On the 1Z I tried both the 1.2 and 2.0, and the 1.2 gave it a slightly warmer signature, but not a huge difference.  My impression is with a still burning in unit.  Also, I didn't really notice, but I think I read that the 2.0 gives you the ability to shuffle and repeat on the playback screen, which the 1.2 doesn't have.  I may stand corrected on this.  Search firmware on this thread and someone has a post to a link to download 1.2 if you try the upgrade and decide to go back.  Hope that helps!


----------



## Stephen George

proedros said:


> although i am considering getting a 400 GB card which would give me an extra 183 GB of space)



i just picked up one on ebay for $150 (it came from Poland)...took a week, but what a deal


----------



## proedros

Stephen George said:


> i just picked up one on ebay for $150 (it came from Poland)...took a week, but what a deal



great price , this comes to sth like 135 euros , when the cheapest i have seen is 200 euros

is there a link ?


----------



## Stephen George

proedros said:


> 596 GB of music, nice
> 
> i currently have just 297 GB on my wm1a (128gb memory + 200 gb card) , but since i am also being using 16/44 FLAC i am fine (although i am considering getting a 400 GB card which would give me an extra 183 GB of space)





proedros said:


> great price , this comes to sth like 135 euros , when the cheapest i have seen is 200 euros
> 
> is there a link ?



i just got it a week or 2 ago and there were multiple sellers at $150

now, not

but if you add "400GB microsd" to your searches ..ebay will email you when these deals come back

in another month or two the 512GB will be out


----------



## tienbasse

proedros said:


> great price , this comes to sth like 135 euros , when the cheapest i have seen is 200 euros
> 
> is there a link ?


Wouldn't trust a microsd card on eBay, things tend to go sour when it comes to warranty.
And indeed the cheapest EU Amazon price was 199€ a few weeks ago, I got one. At least if something goes wrong, I know I can get a refund or replacement for a year.


----------



## flyer1

After first use of the 'Sensme' function of my 1Z I notice quite a few songs without 12 tone analysis.

 Can this be also be done on the player itself? Also don't see an option in Sony music center to analyse music already transferred...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Aside FW 2.0 gives the players that much need stability and are virtually bug-free, no more hanging n' reboot up to now


----------



## Omega139 (Feb 4, 2018)

Hey guys,

I was curious if there was a difference in sound quality between the american made model and the japanese made one for the WM1Z. I'm debating wether to get an SP1000SS or WM1Z. I've heard the SP1000SS and the sound was amazing, but it was kind of bright.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Can anyone think of a reason the Sony manual makes no mention of charging the Walkmans using a wall wart, or did I miss it?  I know it works, but I was just curious about it.


----------



## nc8000

Omega139 said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I was curious if there was a difference in sound quality between the american made model and the japanese made one for the WM1Z. I'm debating wether to get an SP1000SS or WM1Z. I've heard the SP1000SS and the sound was amazing, but it was kind of bright.



As far as I’m aware all WM1 are made in Malaysia and not in Japan or America


----------



## Omega139

nc8000 said:


> As far as I’m aware all WM1 are made in Malaysia and not in Japan or America



Hmm..because I was wondering what the deal was here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-NWWM1...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Seems super cheap for a brand new one.


----------



## Omega139

I would like to clarify my question: I'm debating over an SP1000SS or WM1Z. I had a chance to listen to a friends SP1000SS through Tia fourte headphones paired with leonidas cables, and the sound was very crisp, and kind of fatiguing.


----------



## roses77

flyer1 said:


> After first use of the 'Sensme' function of my 1Z I notice quite a few songs without 12 tone analysis.
> 
> Can this be also be done on the player itself? Also don't see an option in Sony music center to analyse music already transferred...



How does the ‘senseme function ’work never tried it. I know I used to use on the creative media centre, but the creative media centre had discontinued. Not sure if Jriver media centre Music anaylisis. I wonder if the same as ‘senseme’. If anyone used this feature does it improve the music.


----------



## roses77

Omega139 said:


> I would like to clarify my question: I'm debating over an SP1000SS or WM1Z. I had a chance to listen to a friends SP1000SS through Tia fourte headphones paired with leonidas cables, and the sound was very crisp, and kind of fatiguing.



Sony WM1Z has just the right tone for music non-fatigue listening. It has addictive sound. The latest Ak Sp1000 Flagship is very neutral SQ.


----------



## kms108

Omega139 said:


> I would like to clarify my question: I'm debating over an SP1000SS or WM1Z. I had a chance to listen to a friends SP1000SS through Tia fourte headphones paired with leonidas cables, and the sound was very crisp, and kind of fatiguing.


Just get what ever sounds best for you.


----------



## Drumonron (Feb 4, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> How would you describe the sound of Z1R with the WM1A? have you used the MDR-Z7 are diffrences between those sonic wise? i have read mixed bag reviews that MDR-Z1R are and some that are not suited for classical music. Tyl from Inner Fidelity said these (Z1R) suck so i am worried



Can't speak for how some others are interpreting the sound from the Z1R - each ear is different. 
I listen to the Z1R out of the TA on -35dB - I like my hearing UNdamaged and the combo does not
struggle on lows, mids, or highs and the transients are magnificent.  From the 1A - with only 20 hrs playtime -
I'm at about 45 on volume meter with high gain.  The Z1Rs are NOT bloated to my ears but do give a punch to the
sub bass / Bass without being overbearing to other frequencies.  Listen, this headphone has the sweetest mids
and releases each and every morsel of detail that's on the mix.  It will assume it's rightful position in the annals of head-
phone history -- eventually...regardless, it's on my list.

It's a sweet headphone and comfortable to wear - close ones eyes and it allows me to see into the music and FEEL the music.


----------



## NickL33

Is there a 4.4mm female to male xlr 4pin balance?


----------



## buzzlulu

NickL33 said:


> Is there a 4.4mm female to male xlr 4pin balance?



+1
I would love to know if this exists


----------



## nanaholic

NickL33 said:


> Is there a 4.4mm female to male xlr 4pin balance?



4.4mm female jacks are now available (there is one made by Nobunaga and apparently is entirely Made in Japan), shouldn't be a problem to get one made or just buy the parts and bash one together yourself.


----------



## kubig123

NickL33 said:


> Is there a 4.4mm female to male xlr 4pin balance?


Yes,
There are few, pentaconn has one but is quite bulky.
There are some cheaper versions on lunashops.com.
Ask your cable guy, I’m sure he can fulfill your needs.


----------



## Stephen George

NickL33 said:


> Is there a 4.4mm female to male xlr 4pin balance?



you mean this?

https://www.amazon.com/Cores-4-pin-...8&qid=1517802622&sr=1-8&keywords=4.4mm+female


----------



## NickL33

Stephen George said:


> you mean this?
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Cores-4-pin-...8&qid=1517802622&sr=1-8&keywords=4.4mm+female




Oh yea... just want i am looking for...


----------



## haiku

MQA!


----------



## zardos

Omega139 said:


> Hmm..because I was wondering what the deal was here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-NWWM1Z-Signature-Series-Hi-Res-Walkman-USA-Model/122928670855?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
> 
> Seems super cheap for a brand new one.



For about that price I bought my second 1Z from Amazon. Had to wait a few month though. The „USA model“ does reference to the country setting of the firmware, not to country of manufacture.


----------



## AnakChan

NickL33 said:


> Is there a 4.4mm female to male xlr 4pin balance?


There's definitely quite a few around. Here is what I borrowed from Brise Audio last year for my Utopia & Susvara comparison :-


----------



## denis1976

Omega139 said:


> I would like to clarify my question: I'm debating over an SP1000SS or WM1Z. I had a chance to listen to a friends SP1000SS through Tia fourte headphones paired with leonidas cables, and the sound was very crisp, and kind of fatiguing.


you need to ear the right sp1000 for you, and that is the CU version not the SS


----------



## bana

fiascogarcia said:


> Barely started burning in the 1Z, but very impressed so far through the balanced output!  Sounds like I might be in the minority regarding the degree of difference between the jacks, but the balanced is significantly better than single ended in regard to staging and detail.  Single ended sounds almost like it is playing in mono.  IMO.



What case is that, I have a clear case but yours looks good?


----------



## kubig123

bana said:


> What case is that, I have a clear case but yours looks good?



That's the Dignis case.

www.dignis.co.kr/product/detail.html?product_no=133&cate_no=85&display_group=1

www.dignis.co.kr/product/detail.html?product_no=169&cate_no=89&display_group=1


----------



## fiascogarcia

bana said:


> What case is that, I have a clear case but yours looks good?





kubig123 said:


> That's the Dignis case.
> 
> www.dignis.co.kr/product/detail.html?product_no=133&cate_no=85&display_group=1
> 
> www.dignis.co.kr/product/detail.html?product_no=169&cate_no=89&display_group=1


Right! Dignis, and the quality and fit is quite good IMO.


----------



## pietcux

fiascogarcia said:


> Right! Dignis, and the quality and fit is quite good IMO.


I have the same on my WM1A.It is high qualty and helps to protect the dap. Mine survived some drops already...


----------



## gerelmx1986

pietcux said:


> I have the same on my WM1A.It is high qualty and helps to protect the dap. Mine survived some drops already...


 and it imroves grip, in the case of mine, the special edition walkman case, has a bit of friction so it sits secure in the desk without sliding away


----------



## fiascogarcia

pietcux said:


> I have the same on my WM1A.It is high qualty and helps to protect the dap. Mine survived some drops already...


I just hope I never drop this thing on my foot! It is one heavy DAP, but I do appreciate its build quality.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Omega139 said:


> I would like to clarify my question: I'm debating over an SP1000SS or WM1Z. I had a chance to listen to a friends SP1000SS through Tia fourte headphones paired with leonidas cables, and the sound was very crisp, and kind of fatiguing.


Don't know if you've seen this, but it might interest you!
https://www.headfonia.com/aultima-sp1000-ss-and-ak380cu-vs-sony-wm1z/


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 5, 2018)

Interesting to read 80% of this thread and still we only have ideas on how to approximate the tone the of 1Z prior to the last 2.0 firmware update.

I’m now using slight EQ changes taking three notches off the mid-band dial and one single notch back off the treble dial in the dial EQ settings. I did try to use the other setting changes which were first suggested by members here after the update to 2.0 occurred, but feel the suggestive settings did not replicate the warmth of the prior sound signature.


Am I missing something here, or would it not simply be standard for Sony themselves to suggest a way to get the old sound signature? I like the changes in volume power and extended sound-stage with 2.0 but would like to detour Direct Source (Direct) and get a slightly warmer tone without going back to the older FW?

I know this may have something to do with Sony basically saying “OK” it’s better now? Still it seems beyond my ability to test the frequency response and obtain a quality profile frequency graph to try and replicate the old warmer FW prior to the update. It seems as it would be simple EQ science or maybe beyond such stuff?


----------



## bana

pietcux said:


> I have the same on my WM1A.It is high qualty and helps to protect the dap. Mine survived some drops already...



Thanks, but they are sold out on almost everything.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Redcarmoose said:


> Interesting to read 80% of this thread and still we only have ideas on how to approximate the tone the of 1Z prior to the last 2.0 firmware update.
> 
> I’m now using slight EQ changes taking three notches off the mid-band dial and one single notch back off the treble dial in the dial EQ settings. I did try to use the other setting changes which were first suggested by members here after the update to 2.0 occurred, but feel the suggestive settings did not replicate the warmth of the prior sound signature.
> 
> ...



On page 1136 Kubig123 had a post that has a link to re-install 1.02.


----------



## dougi555

haiku said:


> MQA!



Ermmm..... How?


----------



## kubig123

dougi555 said:


> Ermmm..... How?


With the latest firmware you can play mqa and ape file on your wm1a/z.


----------



## Fr_eak

kubig123 said:


> With the latest firmware you can play mqa and ape file on your wm1a/z.


And the result is fabulous!


----------



## gerelmx1986

But as i have read the MQA is a kind of a lossy compression.. i'd stick with 24-bit FLAC and DSD


----------



## Fr_eak (Feb 5, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> But as i have read the MQA is a kind of a lossy compression.. i'd stick with 24-bit FLAC and DSD


No definitely not... I know MQA is a bit controversial in many discussion forums but from my own experience comparing the Buena Vista Social Club album between 24/96 flac and MQA the difference is apparent that the MQA is better. The soundstage, the precise positioning of equipment and timing is superior.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Fr_eak said:


> No definitely not... I know MQA is a bit controversial in many discussion forums but from my own experience comparing the Buena Vista Social Club album between 24/96 flac and MQA the difference is apparent that the MQA is better. The soundstage, the precise positioning of equipment and timing is superior.


 Sounds kinda like i hear with DSD files (2.8224MHz). On the other hand good sony is opening their minds up and accepting Ape files, personally i don't use ape files but for those folks who have ape libraries good to have an alternative


----------



## kubig123

Fr_eak said:


> No definitely not... I know MQA is a bit controversial in many discussion forums but from my own experience comparing the Buena Vista Social Club album between 24/96 flac and MQA the difference is apparent that the MQA is better. The soundstage, the precise positioning of equipment and timing is superior.



I read that too.
The album could be also a new remastered version, the one I bought (the doors) was remaster but not I a good way.
But if you like it enjoy it, this is what matter!


----------



## gerelmx1986

APE playback test and evidencee ibused high compression, plays fine


----------



## mw7485

kubig123 said:


> I read that too.
> The album could be also a new remastered version, the one I bought (the doors) was remaster but not I a good way.
> But if you like it enjoy it, this is what matter!



All MQA stuff is re-mastered as part of the MQA process - at least, stuff that wasn't mastered with MQA as part of the original mastering process (if that makes sense!). 

I like MQA and to date, the few (classical) albums I have bought in MQA have all sound very good indeed. Not a duff entry in the list. The one thing I would like to know is to what extent the Walkman can unfold an MQA file? Sony has been curiously quiet on this front, and I think they should come clean so that people understand better exactly what the unit is capable of.


----------



## Redcarmoose

fiascogarcia said:


> On page 1136 Kubig123 had a post that has a link to re-install 1.02.



Yes, like I said, I’ve read almost this whole thread. Perfectly aware of how to go back to FW 1.02. 

Just asking if anyone else has been able to approximate the warmth of FW 1.02 other than the EQ. I know there has already been other posts on the subject. My question came as wondering why Sony has not released something like an EQ setting to get to the sound of 1.02?

I’m perfectly happy using EQ and think I’m getting both the warmth of 1.02 as well as the soundstage and power increase of 2.0 FW update. 

It just seems something like this would be more documented and scientific, like a graph which shows frequency responses equally measured with 1.02 flat............and FW 2.0 with EQ. 


I’m happy doing a simple EQ for one set of IEMs and maybe would not be one of the 1.02 Luddites.


----------



## equalspeace

The stage on this 1A man... so damn good.


----------



## Steen Pihl

Fr_eak said:


> No definitely not... I know MQA is a bit controversial in many discussion forums but from my own experience comparing the Buena Vista Social Club album between 24/96 flac and MQA the difference is apparent that the MQA is better. The soundstage, the precise positioning of equipment and timing is superior.


Hi Fr_eak. 
I bought this album on your recommendation and you’re absolutely right! I’ve read about all the controversial discussions and “held back”, but it sounds so much better! If you’re going to try MQA, this is a great album to try out! Thanks for your advice!


----------



## flyer1 (Feb 6, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, like I said, I’ve read almost this whole thread. Perfectly aware of how to go back to FW 1.02.
> 
> Just asking if anyone else has been able to approximate the warmth of FW 1.02 other than the EQ. I know there has already been other posts on the subject. My question came as wondering why Sony has not released something like an EQ setting to get to the sound of 1.02?
> 
> ...



After extensive auditioning of several firmwares I decided I like the sound of 1.02  the best on my 1Z+XBAZ5 setup.

With every update the sound signature became brighter and less pleasantly analogue to my ears, less of what Sony does usually so well with their specific Sony house sound. I do get what they are trying to achieve with 2.0, like in extracting more detail and a more powerfull sound or even better soundstage etc.

That may not be what I like but I do understand it is hard to please alI of us. I guess the Sony Marketing department knows best what the majority wants..Hope that in future updates there will be more choice to keep a specific sound signature with presets as already mentioned by several on here. 

As it is now Sony is disappointing quite a few of its longterm clientèle.


----------



## nc8000

haiku said:


> MQA!



Seems the mqa version can only by bought from onkyomusic and only when the credit card is based in US, UK or Germany. The normal hires flac can be bought other places.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_Quality_Authenticated#Criticism

I have zero lossy files on my WM1A and I will not break that policy by adding anything M.Q.A  (a.k.a, another lossy format)

Just my view but I thought I'd add it.  For streaming? Maybe. For a regular file? No way....doesn't make any sense.


----------



## haiku

nc8000 said:


> Seems the mqa version can only by bought from onkyomusic and only when the credit card is based in US, UK or Germany. The normal hires flac can be bought other places.



Yes, I bought Linda Ronstadt´s "Simple Dreams" album. Sounds horrible, so that´s it for me with mqa.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 6, 2018)

flyer1 said:


> After extensive auditioning of several firmwares I decided I like the sound of 1.02  the best on my 1Z+XBAZ5 setup.
> 
> With every update the sound signature became brighter and less pleasantly analogue to my ears, less of what Sony does usually so well with their specific Sony house sound. I do get what they are trying to achieve with 2.0, like in extracting more detail and a more powerfull sound or even better soundstage etc.
> 
> ...



Thank-you so much for the input. Funny too as the Z5s are a set of IEMs that actually sound perfect to my ears with Direct and 2.0 FW. Lol. But the two of us may also be using different cables which some believe has an effect. The XBA-Z5s continue to amaze me, especially how they deal with reverb tone and delays, ever so natural!


Back to the Firmware:
But again it’s simply how subjective all this DAP tone preference IS. And..... not to add convolution to an already confusing subject; everyone is getting a sound which fits with what they are used to and music genre choice.

I updated to FW 2.0 only days after getting the unit, where I can presume many spent hours and hours with 1.02 before trying out FW 2.0.

It’s actually a concept which must be beyond simple EQ. But the players offer other variations of amplifier emulations, which frankly don’t seem to do much for my ears. Same as the MP3 to HD upgrade processing, which sounds like a cool idea, though I fail to hear the improvement there?

As mentioned in the past in this thread, it would be nice if Sony could offer different FW update sound signature settings in an EQ style format, which we could change on the fly.

But I’m getting the idea that the FW updates must be doing something more than EQ and amplifier choices, like we have? And don’t get me wrong I’m 101% satisfied but simply trying to dial the sound in closer to not having to use EQ.


----------



## gerelmx1986

haiku said:


> Yes, I bought Linda Ronstadt´s "Simple Dreams" album. Sounds horrible, so that´s it for me with mqa.


Record label playing trick or simply they ruined it as DG did it with thr mozart edition 225


----------



## Drumonron

Hawaiibadboy said:


> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_Quality_Authenticated#Criticism
> 
> I have zero lossy files on my WM1A and I will not break that policy by adding anything M.Q.A  (a.k.a, another lossy format)
> 
> Just my view but I thought I'd add it.  For streaming? Maybe. For a regular file? No way....doesn't make any sense.



What format, may I ask do you use?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Feb 7, 2018)

Drumonron said:


> What format, may I ask do you use?


what do you mean by format?

File format? I use FLAC & DSD (.dsf because these can be tagged as opposed to dff)

Sd card format? exFAt fro cards >64GB fat32 fro anything <64GB = Sony walkman is smart to chose the right FAT system as i noted formatting my smartphone 32GB card and my 400G card


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

Drumonron said:


> What format, may I ask do you use?



50% 44.1 / 16    FLAC
20% 192, 96 / 24, 16  FLAC
30%  D.S.D


----------



## nc8000

Hawaiibadboy said:


> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_Quality_Authenticated#Criticism
> 
> I have zero lossy files on my WM1A and I will not break that policy by adding anything M.Q.A  (a.k.a, another lossy format)
> 
> Just my view but I thought I'd add it.  For streaming? Maybe. For a regular file? No way....doesn't make any sense.



Well as I understand it mqa is only lossy if you play it on devices that don’t support mqa and then it is lossy hires so still better than red book. On the other hand, again as I understand it, mqa don’t (like traditional lossless formats) recreate the original waveform but rather an “improved” version that one may or may not like.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

It is a lossy compression form. The methods, quality are all subjective but it is in fact a lossy format regardless of what it plays from.


----------



## Fr_eak

Hawaiibadboy said:


> It is a lossy compression form. The methods, quality are all subjective but it is in fact a lossy format regardless of what it plays from.


Have you got any reference to support this statement?


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

*Master Quality Authenticated* (MQA) is an audio codec using lossy compression[1] and a form of file fingerprinting, intended for high fidelity digital audio internet streaming and file download.[2] Launched in 2014 by Meridian Audio, it is now owned and licensed by MQA Ltd.


----------



## captblaze

Benchmark Media has some thoughts on MQA also


https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/163302855-is-mqa-doa


----------



## NickL33

Has anyone try premium sound sd card?


----------



## kms108

NickL33 said:


> Has anyone try premium sound sd card?


Yes


----------



## NickL33

kms108 said:


> Yes




Worth it?? Any realy differance?


----------



## dougi555

Drumonron said:


> What format, may I ask do you use?



AIFF 24/192.....


----------



## tienbasse

NickL33 said:


> Has anyone try premium sound sd card?


Jesus, not again...
Scientific BS incoming!


----------



## ledzep

NickL33 said:


> Has anyone try premium sound sd card?



Crock of S#*t .... Now premium alcohol, that's a different matter altogether !


----------



## NickL33

Wo... chill guys

Just being curious....


----------



## gerelmx1986

64GB for a "premium" price  i'd better get a 256 or the 400GB


----------



## tienbasse

NickL33 said:


> Wo... chill guys
> 
> Just being curious....


I put a smiley so no worries. 
Digital music is stored as digital files, so they're decoded perfectly or they're not at all, it's black or white.
You can always argue about interferences / electronic noise, which Sony tried without being very convincing in their marketing materials, so there is absolutely nothing serious that was properly demonstrated.

For me, the only reason to pay more would be to get a card with faster transfer rates, which they already sell so for hi-res video/picture capturing. At least, this is measurable. 
And assuming that the DAP USB bus would not be the limiting factor, which is usually the case with most DAPs.
So far my only DAP being remotely fast at transfering files is AK380, due to the USB 3.0 bus. Everything else was a miserable sub-10Mo/s. Cheap DAPs are often sub-5Mo/s, which makes you want to invest in a proper card reader for transfers.


----------



## sne4me (Feb 9, 2018)

couldn't wait, getting a 400gb sandisk.
also, my IEM, MMCX type Sony Just Ear are schedule to deliver tomorrow.
I got 350 hours on my unbalanced, can't wait to start the balanced burn-in.

also, be careful with this market, it is officially in correction (bearish)


----------



## Mathieulh

tienbasse said:


> I put a smiley so no worries.
> Digital music is stored as digital files, so they're decoded perfectly or they're not at all, it's black or white.
> You can always argue about interferences / electronic noise, which Sony tried without being very convincing in their marketing materials, so there is absolutely nothing serious that was properly demonstrated.
> 
> ...


I transfer files at about 30MB/s on my NW-ZX300 which does use a USB 2.0 bus, that's not too bad, more than enough for what I need, and I filled a whole 400GB SD card that way.


----------



## equalspeace

Have to take back what I said about the HD650 and the 1A on balanced being the best I've heard. After some testing against lower impedance cans, I have to admit the 1A doesn't really drive the HD650 to their potential. They sound good, but my HD558 sounds better from the 1A on balanced, particularly in the mids. Sounds so much fuller in that region. I think with the 1A lower impedance cans is def the way to go


----------



## Quadfather (Feb 9, 2018)

equalspeace said:


> Have to take back what I said about the HD650 and the 1A on balanced being the best I've heard. After some testing against lower impedance cans, I have to admit the 1A doesn't really drive the HD650 to their potential. They sound good, but my HD558 sounds better from the 1A on balanced, particularly in the mids. Sounds so much fuller in that region. I think with the 1A lower impedance cans is def the way to go



Shure SRH1540 and Audioquest Nighthawks both sound beautiful out of the 1A from the balanced output. The Nighthawks a little more so.  The HD650 headphones are wonderful out of the Bottlehead Crack with the 1.1 Speedball upgrade. I am using a Questyle QP1R for the input and audioquest Big Sur interconnect cables.


----------



## ledzep

I find the 1A superb in playing 128k mp3's into my apple buds the imaging and depth are unreal !


----------



## Quadfather

ledzep said:


> I find the 1A superb in playing 128k mp3's into my apple buds the imaging and depth are unreal !



Redbook CD quality, 24 bit, and DSD sound amazing on this player. I am sure that even the lower bit depth step sounds decent


----------



## equalspeace

Quadfather said:


> Shure SRH1540 and Audioquest Nighthawks both sound beautiful out of the 1A from the balanced output. The Nighthawks a little more so.  The HD650 headphones are wonderful out of the Bottlehead Crack with the 1.1 Speedball upgrade. I am using a Questyle QP1R for the input and audioquest Big Sur interconnect cables.




Yeah it's weird because the Shanling M3s drives the HD650 beautifully, easily to deafening levels with good fullness and texture.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Feb 9, 2018)

ledzep said:


> I find the 1A superb in playing 128k mp3's into my apple buds the imaging and depth are unreal !


 so LAME  so 1990's early 2000's..

DSD and FLAC 16/24-BIT 44.1-192KHz sound superb on the WM1A using audiophile-grade "ibuds" XBA-Z5 

PS: i found LAME encoder to have a distortion bug, haven't tried the LAME included in sony mediaGo to test on car unit


----------



## roses77 (Feb 10, 2018)

Omega139 said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I was curious if there was a difference in sound quality between the american made model and the japanese made one for the WM1Z. I'm debating wether to get an SP1000SS or WM1Z. I've heard the SP1000SS and the sound was amazing, but it was kind of bright.



The Sony WM1Z Japanese model still supports Atrac compression Audio, it’s only has Japanese language, it’s only for Japan market can’t be used in Asia market. the American/Asia version doesn’t have volume capped, it doesn’t support Atrac compression. The EU version is volume capped.

Astell&kern Daps have brighter SQ if you like analytical listening. Sony WM1Z sounds more musical to my ears.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

Thank you @PETEREK 

my tails are complete!!

3.5
3.5 smartdevice
2.5 balanced
4.4 balanced


----------



## sne4me

Not sure if yall covered this, but I just found out Media Go is discontinued and a new software, Media Center is available for sync with our WM1s.
I'm actually a bit saddened, because I am relatively new to Sony and only had been using Media Go for about five months. I liked it alot, only bug was something with the tags would occasionally go out of order.
Hopefully this media center works better.


----------



## denis1976

I don't understand way the volume EU cap is so allways worth the mention...is been so long solved...if people want a more analitycal sound go for the sp1000ss if you want a extremly musical sound go for 1z if you want the middle term go for the 1000cu,is has simple has that


----------



## Steen Pihl

denis1976 said:


> I don't understand way the volume EU cap is so allways worth the mention...is been so long solved...if people want a more analitycal sound go for the sp1000ss if you want a extremly musical sound go for 1z if you want the middle term go for the 1000cu,is has simple has that


Hi Denis 1976.
The volume EU cap makes the Walkman sound more "closed" to my ears. That also seems to be the common opinion here, so that's why it's mentioned ever so often! The other devices you mention might have other "problems", I wouldn't know, I go for the real deal! Thank you Sony!


----------



## gerelmx1986

sne4me said:


> Not sure if yall covered this, but I just found out Media Go is discontinued and a new software, Media Center is available for sync with our WM1s.
> I'm actually a bit saddened, because I am relatively new to Sony and only had been using Media Go for about five months. I liked it alot, only bug was something with the tags would occasionally go out of order.
> Hopefully this media center works better.


I still have medis go installed in my pc as I found out that music center is damn slow for my library (50900+ track)


----------



## fiascogarcia

sne4me said:


> Not sure if yall covered this, but I just found out Media Go is discontinued and a new software, Media Center is available for sync with our WM1s.
> I'm actually a bit saddened, because I am relatively new to Sony and only had been using Media Go for about five months. I liked it alot, only bug was something with the tags would occasionally go out of order.
> Hopefully this media center works better.


Yeah, my computer just yesterday gave up the ghost, so I ended up having to load Media Center on a spare laptop I have.  I have no idea how to edit (such as loading album art) the files already loaded on the Walkman with this.  It seems that all you can really do with it is transfer files back and forth.  Seems like it's a step backward to me unless I'm really missing the boat with this.


----------



## Stephen George

fiascogarcia said:


> Yeah, my computer just yesterday gave up the ghost, so I ended up having to load Media Center on a spare laptop I have.  I have no idea how to edit (such as loading album art) the files already loaded on the Walkman with this.  It seems that all you can really do with it is transfer files back and forth.  Seems like it's a step backward to me unless I'm really missing the boat with this.




i tag everything before i move it

after it's on the drive it is a bit slower to tag/copy etc

just map a drive letter to the 2 cards (i internal, 1 external) and you can use them on the pc side like a normal HD, just a little slower when it's on the wm


----------



## denis1976 (Feb 10, 2018)

Steen Pihl said:


> Hi Denis 1976.
> The volume EU cap makes the Walkman sound more "closed" to my ears. That also seems to be the common opinion here, so that's why it's mentioned ever so often! The other devices you mention might have other "problems", I wouldn't know, I go for the real deal! Thank you Sony!


hello, none have "problems" just diferent sound signatures,both AK and Sony have the best TOTL daps of the moment ,i know because i had the Sony and now i have the AK,but if you want the real deal , save money and pay a real band to play in your room...thats the real thing ,the capped sony after the uncap is has capable has any other, other thing than that are just rumors...


----------



## Steen Pihl

denis1976 said:


> hello, none have "problems" just diferent sound signatures,both AK and Sony have the best TOTL daps of the moment ,i know because i had the Sony and now i have the AK,but if you want the real deal , save money and pay a real band to play in your room...thats the real thing ,the capped sony after the uncap is has capable has any other, other thing than that are just rumors...


Hi Denis1976.http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/131548
I Think I understand you and from what I translate, I agree! Please explain to me what this means:
“the capped sony after the uncap is has capable has any other, other thing than that are just rumors...”


----------



## tompaz909

Anyone have a dignis case they’re considering selling? I’m tempted to pick up a used one, can’t bring myself to pay the new price.


----------



## denis1976 (Feb 10, 2018)

Steen Pihl said:


> Hi Denis1976.http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/131548
> I Think I understand you and from what I translate, I agree! Please explain to me what this means:
> “the capped sony after the uncap is has capable has any other, other thing than that are just rumors...”


hello, what i mean is that ,you buy a EU capped 1A or Z and after you remove the volume limit that is a thing that you do in 5 minuts , the sound is equal to the Japan or USA version , so the volume cap is a no problem


----------



## pietcux

equalspeace said:


> Have to take back what I said about the HD650 and the 1A on balanced being the best I've heard. After some testing against lower impedance cans, I have to admit the 1A doesn't really drive the HD650 to their potential. They sound good, but my HD558 sounds better from the 1A on balanced, particularly in the mids. Sounds so much fuller in that region. I think with the 1A lower impedance cans is def the way to go


You might want to try the HD660S.  It is a much better companion to the WM1A. And it brings the correct 4.4mm balanced cable out of the box. I love that combo. The HD650 sounds a bit anemic in comparison. The 4.4mm cable can also be used on the HD650 for comparison.


----------



## Steen Pihl

denis1976 said:


> hello, what i mean is that ,you buy a EU capped 1A or Z and after you remove the volume limit that is a thing that you do in 5 minuts , the sound is equal to the Japan or USA version , so the volume cap is a no problem


Ok then! Exactly, that's why we are here!


----------



## Quadfather

pietcux said:


> You might want to try the HD660S.  It is a much better companion to the WM1A. And it brings the correct 4.4mm balanced cable out of the box. I love that combo. The HD650 sounds a bit anemic in comparison. The 4.4mm cable can also be used on the HD650 for comparison.



Did someone say HD650?


----------



## gerelmx1986

fiascogarcia said:


> Yeah, my computer just yesterday gave up the ghost, so I ended up having to load Media Center on a spare laptop I have.  I have no idea how to edit (such as loading album art) the files already loaded on the Walkman with this.  It seems that all you can really do with it is transfer files back and forth.  Seems like it's a step backward to me unless I'm really missing the boat with this.




Did you found music center still slow (unbearable slow) or for you is just fine?

I have a sony VAIO flip PC 14'', Intel core i5 4th gen  dual core + hyperthreading, 8GB DD3 RAM, 240GB sandisk SSD and my library is via external USB 3.0 2TB WD my passport (51,191 Tracks, 3031 albums)


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> Did you found music center still slow (unbearable slow) or for you is just fine?
> 
> I have a sony VAIO flip PC 14'', Intel core i5 4th gen  dual core + hyperthreading, 8GB DD3 RAM, 240GB sandisk SSD and my library is via external USB 3.0 2TB WD my passport (51,191 Tracks, 3031 albums)



forget music center and buy a Mac


----------



## fiascogarcia

gerelmx1986 said:


> Did you found music center still slow (unbearable slow) or for you is just fine?
> 
> I have a sony VAIO flip PC 14'', Intel core i5 4th gen  dual core + hyperthreading, 8GB DD3 RAM, 240GB sandisk SSD and my library is via external USB 3.0 2TB WD my passport (51,191 Tracks, 3031 albums)


Incredibly slow, but then again I can't judge speed because the old laptop I'm using only has USB 2 portal.  Won't be able to tell until it gets replaced.


----------



## ledzep

ledzep said:


> I find the 1A superb in playing 128k mp3's into my apple buds the imaging and depth are unreal !


I was actually joking, the English sense of humour isn't for everyone. My music collection is DSD/ 24/16 bit dynamic ranged original pressings unless a remaster was better not just louder.


----------



## pietcux

Quadfather said:


> Did someone say HD650?


Now you need a steam driven generator to complete the steam punk rig. Tubes and steam, that's the real thing....


----------



## Quadfather

pietcux said:


> Now you need a steam driven generator to complete the steam punk rig. Tubes and steam, that's the real thing....



I have many portable headphones and mainly use the Audioquest Nighthawks with my Sony. My HD650 headphones usually stay home with the Bottlehead Crack.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> I was actually joking, the English sense of humour isn't for everyone. My music collection is DSD/ 24/16 bit dynamic ranged original pressings unless a remaster was better not just louder.


IknowI you werr joking  sosi replied joking too haha jokingjonj the lame MP3 encoder


----------



## Quadfather

equalspeace said:


> Yeah it's weird because the Shanling M3s drives the HD650 beautifully, easily to deafening levels with good fullness and texture.



I haven't tried the Sony balanced output with the HD650.


----------



## noobandroid

Quadfather said:


> I haven't tried the Sony balanced output with the HD650.


yeh, im waiting on anybody to comment on pentaconn hd650 setup


----------



## equalspeace

The HD650 definitely needs more power than the 1A can provide. I had the HD660s, but didn't like it. So I sold it but kept the 4.4m pentagon cable. Then I purchased a copper pentagon cable from LQI cables, which really works well with the 1A, but still not enough power going to the 650. So I will have to have them reterm'd for use with my Nighthawk. I'll probably sell the HD650 with the Senn pentagon cable lol


----------



## Leogaluc666 (Feb 13, 2018)

Hey everybody,

Just received my WM1A today, direct upgrade from the Ibasso DX80, I'm at only 6 hours of burn in and I can honestly say that I am in heaven ! I'm rediscovering every single track I listen to it's crazy the details I missed !

I'm using the Isine 20 single end output on high gain, really good pairing ! Can't wait until my custom balanced cable arrives !!

By the way fun fact, mine is a EU version, but I checked the sound pressure option and it was by default set at 0 BUT the high gain option wasn't showing, I had to change it again to 0 and use to "U2" USA code, and then after a reset it was correctly showing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Are headphones safe to use afteraa cataraca surgery? F. E mdr-z7 and xba-z5  I am worried the pressure applied to the head sidess by the cups is enough to cause injury?

Or the presdure from inserting /removing the IEM


----------



## pietcux

gerelmx1986 said:


> Are headphones safe to use afteraa cataraca surgery? F. E mdr-z7 and xba-z5  I am worried the pressure applied to the head sidess by the cups is enough to cause injury?
> 
> Or the presdure from inserting /removing the IEM


Please ask your doctor. It is a too serious issue. You could loose part of your vision.


----------



## tieuly1

Yeah, u can but at minimum volume as a new lens needs time to stablize with posterior capsule. But anw they just require u no shampoo or swimming for at least 1 week, I think


----------



## NickL33

Wm1a is truely biss combo with K10 combine with Eros II


----------



## noobandroid

NickL33 said:


> Wm1a is truely biss combo with K10 combine with Eros II


wait till you get their plus series, i have ares 2+ and it is significantly different than ares 2


----------



## NickL33

noobandroid said:


> wait till you get their plus series, i have ares 2+ and it is significantly different than ares 2



XD.... I know but 22awg is a bit too thick and heavy

Commute with this cable already good enough for me


----------



## gerelmx1986

Thanks for the replies guys, I will ask the doctor still to see what she thinks


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Feb 13, 2018)

So as new lens needs time to stabilize, muwic with earth-shaking bass is not the best choice  Organ music with shaking bass WOW


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> So as new lens needs time to stabilize, muwic with earth-shaking bass is not the best choice  Organ music with shaking bass WOW



Wow! Danger is your middle name


----------



## zardos




----------



## sne4me

zardos said:


>



Looks like we have a winner


----------



## gerelmx1986

Finally the cables arrivedaa, psPipam blurry visiob as us had the cataract surgery a while a gig


----------



## all999

Hope You guys don't mind if I leave my ad here. Letting go my WM1A.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-sony-nw-wm1a-case-remote.872305/


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Finally the cables arrivedaa, psPipam blurry visiob as us had the cataract surgery a while a gig



About time too


----------



## gerelmx1986

More pics,, sorry if I wrote strange stuff last message, having blurry near-distance vision is not nice


----------



## ccschua

some advice needed. how is opus #2 compared to wm1a ? some seems to rate opus #2 to wm1z ?


----------



## superuser1

all999 said:


> Hope You guys don't mind if I leave my ad here. Letting go my WM1A.
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-sony-nw-wm1a-case-remote.872305/


Why are you letting it go if I may ask.


----------



## ccschua (Feb 15, 2018)

i m deciding between wm1a and opus #2. some review say the opus #2 is in the wm1z range.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...ber-october-2016.819708/page-12#post-13143498


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Finally the cables arrivedaa, psPipam blurry visiob as us had the cataract surgery a while a gig


They arrived 4 months late, the case that i bought NC800 2 months late... never ordering shipping per mexPost


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> They arrived 4 months late, the case that i bought NC800 2 months late... never ordering shipping per mexPost


How do you like balance compared to unbalanced? Any comment on the difference?


----------



## gerelmx1986

hamhamhamsta said:


> How do you like balance compared to unbalanced? Any comment on the difference?


Balanced is more open and wider soundstage, more air between instruments, more details and inner resolution, controlled tighter bass. If Single-end was like FullHD, balanced is like 8K


----------



## hamhamhamsta

I just got EA eos 4.4mm balanced cable. Color me very impressed! Its bold and powerful, sound quality definitely punched above its usd 300 price. Question to anyone who have heard eos and lets say lionheart or leonidas and other higher EA cables. Are they better than eos soundwise? 

Im very impressed with eos, and by extension EA. Do EA also offer 4.4 rhodium connector, just wondering


----------



## proedros

hamhamhamsta said:


> I just got EA eos 4.4mm balanced cable. Color me very impressed! Its bold and powerful, sound quality definitely punched above its usd 300 price. Question to anyone who have heard eos and lets say lionheart or leonidas and other higher EA cables. Are they better than eos soundwise?
> 
> Im very impressed with eos, and by extension EA. Do EA also offer 4.4 rhodium connector, just wondering



how does eos affect the sound in general , which ciems are you using it with ? I am thinking of getting it too for my Zeus XR , any more feedback would be great

cheers


----------



## hattrick15

hamhamhamsta said:


> I just got EA eos 4.4mm balanced cable. Color me very impressed! Its bold and powerful, sound quality definitely punched above its usd 300 price. Question to anyone who have heard eos and lets say lionheart or leonidas and other higher EA cables. Are they better than eos soundwise?
> 
> Im very impressed with eos, and by extension EA. Do EA also offer 4.4 rhodium connector, just wondering



Where did you buy you eos 4.4 cable?  I don’t see it for sale anywhere.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

I got one of the last few from music sanctuary before they remove all EA cables from their offering. I think its gone now.


----------



## kubig123

hattrick15 said:


> Where did you buy you eos 4.4 cable?  I don’t see it for sale anywhere.



I'm afraid Music Sanctuary phase out the eos.


----------



## Whitigir

ccschua said:


> i m deciding between wm1a and opus #2. some review say the opus #2 is in the wm1z range.
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...ber-october-2016.819708/page-12#post-13143498



It depends, but in the right given conditions, the wm1Z will still be superior.  The Opus #2 is also a very very worthy contender, and that is for sure.  I may be spoiled too hard by the Walkman and it simplistic interface and the long lasting battery life.  But it would be very easy for me to pick if I was you


----------



## hamhamhamsta

proedros said:


> how does eos affect the sound in general , which ciems are you using it with ? I am thinking of getting it too for my Zeus XR , any more feedback would be great
> 
> cheers


Proedros,

Eos is quite interesting. Its a cable on steroids soundwise. Bass, mids, treble, dynamics seem to be maxed, on scale 1 to 10, probably 9.5 or more. Everything seems more energetic, clearer, louder. But on the negative, sounds are a little unrefined compared to more expensive cable. Its quite interesting cable, I like it a lot.


----------



## proedros (Feb 16, 2018)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Proedros,
> 
> Eos is quite interesting. Its a cable on steroids soundwise. Bass, mids, treble, dynamics seem to be maxed, on scale 1 to 10, probably 9.5 or more. Everything seems more energetic, clearer, louder. But on the negative, sounds are a little unrefined compared to more expensive cable. Its quite interesting cable, I like it a lot.



thank you , i appreciate the thorough impressions

does it pair well with Zeus ? Zeus is already an extrovert CIEM so not sure if i want more of what you say eos brings to the sonic table - which cable would you suggest for XR ?

edit - i see you have the pw1960s cable - how much better is it than eos ? i know tht one cble costs 300$ and the other 2K , but very curious still

thank you once more


----------



## buduba0604

I am having a tiny issue. I have unplugged my WM1A from the computer after loading new music on it, and I check out my recently added section only to see my entire library listed instead of my newest additions. It has done this the last 2-3 times I have added music and I am not sure why the recently added isn't working properly.
Any suggestions?


----------



## Fr_eak (Feb 17, 2018)

Let me share a few photos and feedback on the Dignis Alcantara case for Sony WM1.I received mine a week ago.


   

It fits very tightly and cut out is good. Protection wise it covers the player well and my only complaint is that protection for the upper corners (next to the headphone out) is not very well. If I accidentally dropped the player onto the ground top down it wouldn't survive.

Being made from Alcantara it provides much better grip. I have no problem identifying the buttons as well.

Aesthetically it's personal judgement .I find the back looks smart but the front a bit dull.

Overall I like the case but is it worth the asking price (plus the hefty custom charges I paid), I am not sure 100% sure .


----------



## ledzep

Fr_eak said:


> Let me share a few photos and feedback on the Dignis Alcantara case for Sony WM1.I received mine a week ago.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Sorry to say but it looks like a block of black sponge, I agree the back looks nice but considering the cost of dignis in general ( plus I also have import and Vat duties as well to pay ) it's not a good look not to mention the fluff this is going to attract, I'd use their returns policy and treat yourself to one that goes nicely with your slab of gold goodness.


----------



## fiascogarcia

buduba0604 said:


> I am having a tiny issue. I have unplugged my WM1A from the computer after loading new music on it, and I check out my recently added section only to see my entire library listed instead of my newest additions. It has done this the last 2-3 times I have added music and I am not sure why the recently added isn't working properly.
> Any suggestions?


Mine has never done this.  Possibly if you are using Music Center to transfer, you could try transferring directly from Windows explorer, or vice versa if you are currently using Windows explorer.  Just a thought, and also assuming you are using windows and not a Mac.


----------



## Whitigir

Well, I stick with my Clear TPU case


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Well, I stick with my Clear TPU case



Yes that is what I have also ended up with as the player fits in the dock with it on as opposed to the otherwise lovely Dignis Walkman case


----------



## sne4me

here it all is


----------



## aisalen

I also like the TPU gel case more than my sony original case, which for me is bulky. This is only way to protect and at the same time to show off the player.


----------



## superuser1

sne4me said:


> here it all is


Is that a yamazaki or a hibiki?


----------



## bana

ledzep said:


> Sorry to say but it looks like a block of black sponge, I agree the back looks nice but considering the cost of dignis in general ( plus I also have import and Vat duties as well to pay ) it's not a good look not to mention the fluff this is going to attract, I'd use their returns policy and treat yourself to one that goes nicely with your slab of gold goodness.



I got one as well, classy, but I'm think of going back to my clear case.


----------



## buduba0604 (Feb 17, 2018)

fiascogarcia said:


> Mine has never done this.  Possibly if you are using Music Center to transfer, you could try transferring directly from Windows explorer, or vice versa if you are currently using Windows explorer.  Just a thought, and also assuming you are using windows and not a Mac.



I will try downloading music center and see if that fixes the problem. It's worked for the past six months, but just decided to stop the past few times.

EDIT: Nope, it didn't work. I am quite puzzled.


----------



## gerelmx1986

As I like mefia go i decided to keep the installer


----------



## fiascogarcia

gerelmx1986 said:


> As I like mefia go i decided to keep the installer


Me too.  I like it much better than Music Center!


----------



## buduba0604

So I manually rebuilt the database from the settings menu, plugged my WM1A into the computer and added an album. Unplugged it from the computer and it looks like it works! Shows only the single album I added to my WM1A in the recently added section.
I am happy now! Woo!


----------



## sne4me

superuser1 said:


> Is that a yamazaki or a hibiki?



Hibiki.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy




----------



## 480126

ledzep said:


> Sorry to say but it looks like a block of black sponge, I agree the back looks nice but considering the cost of dignis in general ( plus I also have import and Vat duties as well to pay ) it's not a good look not to mention the fluff this is going to attract, I'd use their returns policy and treat yourself to one that goes nicely with your slab of gold goodness.


I think the best looking and cheapest case come from valentinum, Polen (etsy.com)


----------



## Fr_eak

Frida309 said:


> I think the best looking and cheapest case come from valentinum, Polen (etsy.com)


Now I really need to look into the return policy from Dignis ...


----------



## proedros

amazon uk has the 400gb Sandisc card selling at 175 pounds


----------



## ledzep

Frida309 said:


> I think the best looking and cheapest case come from valentinum, Polen (etsy.com)


Just had a look at them, nice looking cases at a very reasonable price.


----------



## hattrick15

Frida309 said:


> I think the best looking and cheapest case come from valentinum, Polen (etsy.com)



I’ve bought several cases from Valentinum (https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/shop/VALENTINUM?ref=pr_shop_more).  All of them have been beautifully made and inexpensive.  The cases have a homemade look to them that I really like.  I think it is great to support small businesses as well.


----------



## pietcux

hattrick15 said:


> I’ve bought several cases from Valentinum (https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/shop/VALENTINUM?ref=pr_shop_more).  All of them have been beautifully made and inexpensive.  The cases have a homemade look to them that I really like.  I think it is great to support small businesses as well.


It is a Ukrainien company, not Polish. But thanks for the link, looks good.


----------



## 480126

pietcux said:


> It is a Ukrainien company, not Polish. But thanks for the link, looks good.


That´s right! Polen is Forza Audio!!


----------



## Ofir_A

Hawaiibadboy said:


>



How do you find the new campfire audio's?

Ofir


----------



## Cagin

Indeed well made cases and very affordable. Quite tempting but I think I’ll stick with my Benks case which covers everything.

I’ve finally opened up the packaging of the 400gb Sandisk I had bought back in Black Friday for €170ish (Amazon.es). Card paird smoothly with my wm1a. I can go on another Bandcamp flac buying spree 

The only other thing I bought during BF was the AAW Q iems. To this day I’m still get surprised how good they sound for being so tiny and just 1 DD. The bass is impactful. They replaced my Zeus for daily commuting. They are just 3.5mm trs, but they pair damn well with the wm1a.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sony's Balanced cable for MMCX (XBA-Z5 my case) works like a charm in high gain, it drives the Z5s like a charm, lots of nice details retrieval while still being warm'ish


----------



## flyer1 (Feb 19, 2018)

Never expected this big of a change in sound from my WM1Z/Z5 due burn in and am quite surprised after switching back from FW 1.02/1.2 to 2.0.

After a little over a 100hours total and 10hours on 2.0, I now prefer FW 2.0 over the older fw's. It provides me with deeper, punchy bass, more detail and a wider soundstage. Feels like a clear improvement,  sounding also tubey/analogue with a smoother user interface as a bonus. Everything on Direct Source.

Also compared the Sony standard balanced cable MUC M12NB1 which I bought after the Kimber M12SB1 out of curiosity after reading the positive reviews here. The standard cable M12NB1  maybe provides a tiny bit more detail/clarity in highs but I much prefer the Kimber cable SB1 with more punchy and detailed bass compared to the standard NB1 cable.


----------



## Lookout57

I'm joining the club as I ordered a WM1Z and have a question.

I read reviews, looked at the Sony site and checked the manual and couldn't find an answer to this question:

Does the WM1A/Z support importing m3u playlists? 

I have 144 Playlist that I created on my computer for my OPUS#2 that I don't want to have to recreate.


----------



## gerelmx1986

flyer1 said:


> Never expected this big of a change in sound from my WM1Z/Z5 due burn in and am quite surprised after switching back from FW 1.02/1.2 to 2.0.
> 
> After a little over a 100hours total and 10hours on 2.0, I now prefer FW 2.0 over the older fw's. It provides me with deeper, punchy bass, more detail and a wider soundstage. Feels like a clear improvement,  sounding also tubey/analogue with a smoother user interface as a bonus. Everything on Direct Source.
> 
> Also compared the Sony standard balanced cable MUC M12NB1 which I bought after the Kimber M12SB1 out of curiosity after reading the positive reviews here. The standard cable maybe provides a tiny bit more detail/clarity in highs but I much prefer the Kimber cable with more punchy and detailed bass compared to the standard cable.


 Of course both are an upgrade to standard stock cable which is so thin compared even to the silver/copper MUC-M12NB1 which i have and i like. the thing that bothers me is the spin of the MMCX connectors as no lock mechanism in these new connectors


----------



## proedros

6 months after purchasing , i am still so much in love with my WM1A 

*if anyone here pairs wm1a with Zeus XR , let me ask you - what 4.4 cable are you using and how does it sound with Zeus ?*

thanx


----------



## pietcux

flyer1 said:


> Never expected this big of a change in sound from my WM1Z/Z5 due burn in and am quite surprised after switching back from FW 1.02/1.2 to 2.0.
> 
> After a little over a 100hours total and 10hours on 2.0, I now prefer FW 2.0 over the older fw's. It provides me with deeper, punchy bass, more detail and a wider soundstage. Feels like a clear improvement,  sounding also tubey/analogue with a smoother user interface as a bonus. Everything on Direct Source.
> 
> Also compared the Sony standard balanced cable MUC M12NB1 which I bought after the Kimber M12SB1 out of curiosity after reading the positive reviews here. The standard cable M12NB1  maybe provides a tiny bit more detail/clarity in highs but I much prefer the Kimber cable SB1 with more punchy and detailed bass compared to the standard NB1 cable.


Talking about bass, you might want to try out the Z1r. Enjoying how Alanis Morisette massages my ears with the album Supposed former infatuation Junkie.


----------



## Cagin

proedros said:


> 6 months after purchasing , i am still so much in love with my WM1A
> 
> *if anyone here pairs wm1a with Zeus XR , let me ask you - what 4.4 cable are you using and how does it sound with Zeus ?*
> 
> thanx


Your quest is a hard one my friend. So many variables and unfortunate factors. Willing to bet most of those who own both, only have one 4.4 cable or maybe 2 at best. Seeing how we tend to sell one after getting another. Sometimes selling one before getting the new one to afford it. But I imagine there must be someone that likes to collect cables and keep em. Then your next hurdle (or boss fight challenge if we go by the holy grail metaphore), is to figure out the hearing of the person who owns those. What's are his dips in his hearing, and what are his tolerances/treshold to peaks, sibilances, and then his preferences of sound sig so you can extract meaningful info to you from his description of the sound of a combo. And I didn't even mention the psychological and health of the person that varies day to day. What a holy grail you're in bro.
Then again I know you're a master statistician and you'll figure it out


----------



## ledzep

gerelmx1986 said:


> Of course both are an upgrade to standard stock cable which is so thin compared even to the silver/copper MUC-M12NB1 which i have and i like. the thing that bothers me is the spin of the MMCX connectors as no lock mechanism in these new connectors



Treat those connectors with kid gloves


----------



## proedros (Feb 19, 2018)

Cagin said:


> Your quest is a hard one my friend. So many variables and unfortunate factors. Willing to bet most of those who own both, only have one 4.4 cable or maybe 2 at best. Seeing how we tend to sell one after getting another. Sometimes selling one before getting the new one to afford it. But I imagine there must be someone that likes to collect cables and keep em. Then your next hurdle (or boss fight challenge if we go by the holy grail metaphore), is to figure out the hearing of the person who owns those. What's are his dips in his hearing, and what are his tolerances/treshold to peaks, sibilances, and then his preferences of sound sig so you can extract meaningful info to you from his description of the sound of a combo. And I didn't even mention the psychological and health of the person that varies day to day. What a holy grail you're in bro.
> Then again I know you're a master statistician and you'll figure it out



Hey long time no see - i guess you are selling your Zeus to fund a Phantom ?

as for the cable thing , i would love to get the pw1960 2-wire but it's 1000$ so nope 

probably will end up with Eos or Lionheart (at least this is what @Deezel177  proposed , and he has gone a few blocks around here)

i also have a mint/zero hours Whiplash Twag v3 (8-braid) for sale so yeah all is good


----------



## Cagin

proedros said:


> Hey long time no see - i guess you are selling your Zeus to fund a Phantom ?
> 
> as for the cable thing , i would love to get the pw1960 2-wire but it's 1000$ so nope
> 
> ...


Well, sold the LCD-i4 today, so I could afford the Bravado or the Phantom, but for the Legend X, I need to sell the Zeus too. I think I'll give the Onso cable along if the buyer has a Sony walkman, as I wouldn't need it if I get a new EE ciem, since they now offer the 4.4mm termination option with the Ares 2 cable.


----------



## proedros

Cagin said:


> Well, sold the LCD-i4 today, so I could afford the Bravado or the Phantom, but for the Legend X, I need to sell the Zeus too. I think I'll give the Onso cable along if the buyer has a Sony walkman, as I wouldn't need it if I get a new EE ciem, since they now offer the 4.4mm termination option with the Ares 2 cable.



i would probably have gone for bravado(as mini legend) and phantom , and be done with it

@Deezel177  speaks very highly of bravado , he sold me there 100%


----------



## buzzlulu

What exactly does this cable do?

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH...00FF086HE/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Everyone complains about the USB cable included with the TA-ZH1ES and how it downgrades the 1Z/1A going into the TA Dac/Amp?  Is this any better?


----------



## ledzep

buzzlulu said:


> What exactly does this cable do?
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH...00FF086HE/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
> 
> Everyone complains about the USB cable included with the TA-ZH1ES and how it downgrades the 1Z/1A going into the TA Dac/Amp?  Is this any better?



Either this or the dock is your best option to transfer digital from player to another dac, I modded the cable to a solid silver one to use with the PHA3 far better than the stock cable.


----------



## buzzlulu

Question - the 1Z can only output a digital signal I.e. it cannot output an analogue signal which can be connected to a headphone amp?  It must be connected to a DAC - Correct?


----------



## gerelmx1986

buzzlulu said:


> Question - the 1Z can only output a digital signal I.e. it cannot output an analogue signal which can be connected to a headphone amp?  It must be connected to a DAC - Correct?


 it does if you use one of the headphone jacks


----------



## buzzlulu

I already assumed that - and then assumed that it would not be an ideal source when used that way


----------



## PCheung

ledzep said:


> Either this or the dock is your best option to transfer digital from player to another dac, I modded the cable to a solid silver one to use with the PHA3 far better than the stock cable.



Hi there, I also have this cable and would like to mod it to a better cable.
But is it hard to open that case of the WM port?
Any tools you could recommend? A screw driver maybe?


----------



## ledzep

PCheung said:


> Hi there, I also have this cable and would like to mod it to a better cable.
> But is it hard to open that case of the WM port?
> Any tools you could recommend? A screw driver maybe?



Just gently run a scalpel or other small sharp knife over the join on the case and gently prise open from the bottom left or right.


----------



## NickL33

PCheung said:


> Hi there, I also have this cable and would like to mod it to a better cable.
> But is it hard to open that case of the WM port?
> Any tools you could recommend? A screw driver maybe?




Modding?  If i want to go down that root maybe I will pass it to professional?

Maybe someone here know who can do it?


----------



## Mathieulh

buzzlulu said:


> Question - the 1Z can only output a digital signal I.e. it cannot output an analogue signal which can be connected to a headphone amp?  It must be connected to a DAC - Correct?


It does if you use a Fiio L5 or one of these cables: 
https://www.ebay.fr/itm/1-ft-30cm-L...245559?hash=item45f79169b7:g:TgQAAOSw5VFWJacV
https://www.ebay.fr/itm/Line-Out-LO...263857?hash=item3afb3e3f71:g:Ze8AAOSw~QRaGm~Z
https://www.ebay.fr/itm/6ft-2M-LINE...773233?hash=item45f77af271:g:5KgAAOSwA4dWJava


----------



## ledzep

Mathieulh said:


> It does if you use a Fiio L5 or one of these cables:
> https://www.ebay.fr/itm/1-ft-30cm-L...245559?hash=item45f79169b7:g:TgQAAOSw5VFWJacV
> https://www.ebay.fr/itm/Line-Out-LO...263857?hash=item3afb3e3f71:g:Ze8AAOSw~QRaGm~Z
> https://www.ebay.fr/itm/6ft-2M-LINE...773233?hash=item45f77af271:g:5KgAAOSwA4dWJava



Only the Fiio L27 will work the others are line out cables L/R/GND connections and the 1A/1Z doesn't do true line out.


----------



## Mathieulh (Feb 20, 2018)

ledzep said:


> Only the Fiio L27 will work the others are line out cables L/R/GND connections and the 1A/1Z doesn't do true line out.


How so? Did they ground the L/R audio out pins on the walkman? I haven't tried these cables myself but I have not seen any mention of the line out being disabled on recent walkman.

UPDATE: Hum... I just checked, according to some reports they did not connect the S-Master X audio out pin to the ones of the WM-PORT in order to decrease possible noise, that would explain it. I wonder if the same is true for NW-ZX300 as well.


----------



## ccschua

so now I bought the WM1A. I going to put the ZX300 up for sale. 

surprisingly ZX300 and WM1A is very close in sound quality, and similar too.


----------



## Mathieulh (Feb 20, 2018)

ccschua said:


> so now I bought the WM1A. I going to put the ZX300 up for sale.
> 
> surprisingly ZX300 and WM1A is very close in sound quality, and similar too.


Once burned in, they sound exactly the same, that was the whole point when Sony designed the ZX300 in the first place.

The SE output sounds noticeably worse on the ZX300 before burn-in than it does on the WM1A in the same conditions though, once the burn-in is done however you will be hard pressed to notice any difference on either outputs between the ZX300 and the WM1A.
The balanced output before the 200hrs burn-in sounds the same as the one on the WM1A with a similar amount of burn-in.

Once the burn in is done on both units, they will sound the same provided the WM1A is on firmware 2.00 or higher (Sony has made changes that tweaked the sound signature in firmware 2.00, the changes were already made on the ZX300 1.00 firmware so there is no way to go back to the "older sound" on those units)

The advantage of the WM1A over the ZX300 are:

1. The screen real estate
2. The more premium look and feel
3. The extra 10mW power output on SE and extra 50mW powwer output on balanced.
4. The extra 64GB of internal storage
5. You can have a different sound signature if you downgrade the firmware to a version lower than 2.00 (some like it, some don't)

The ZX300 on the other hand has the following advantages:

1. Lower MSRP
2. Smaller footprint/form factor
3. Lighter
4. Has the built-in DAC feature

If you want a different sound signature, (not a better mind you, although opinions are subjective), you might want to turn to the (much more expensive and less portable) WM1Z unit instead which sounds warmer than the WM1A giving it a slightly more "analog feel", that said, the WM1A is brighter than the WM1Z, so it's mostly all about your preferences and how deep your pockets are.


----------



## Luckyleo

Stephen George said:


> i had moon audio modify my ie800s for balanced input, they did a great job



I’ve used Moon Audio for all of my recabling.  They are quick, professional, and their products improve the performance of my equipment by a noticeable amount.  I couldn’t been happier.  Right now listening to the Grateful Dead, live at RFK stadium.  JH Audio Lola, Sliver Dragon Balanced Cable (Moon Audio) and the 1Z.

Highly recommend the combo!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I was  considering Windows Groove Music as an alternative to mediaGO, nut it doesn't even load DSF files, not to mention it doesn't seem to have DAP transfer feature


----------



## animalsrush (Feb 20, 2018)

Question - there is definitely a difference in sound signature between 1.2 vs 2.0 FW.. so if direct source  bypasses sound settings and fw affects only Sony sound settings.. then sound signature on source direct must be same irrespective of the fw..  I tested it by upgrading my fw from 1.2 to 2.0 .. I couldn’t tell difference between fw on direct source on both Sony z1r or k10s. has anyone experienced this?

I was a huge fan of 1.2 and actually downgraded my fw when 2.0 was released and my player was still in burn-in phase. However my wm1z hit 300 hr on balanced today and I thought I would give 2.0 a shot again. It have to say I love the sound.. it is airy, vocals still good and bass kicks way too deep..also looks soundstage has expanded..it can’t say it is fatiguing or not as I have not done long session yet.. but so far it sounds excellent

Btw I didn’t like sound signature using source direct on both fw , I use non source direct with all settings to off and eq set 0. (Tone not selected). This gives the typical Sony sound

So people still on fw 1.2 wait for player burn in beyond 300 hrs and give it a shot .. you may be surprised

Pc


----------



## Quadfather

proedros said:


> 6 months after purchasing , i am still so much in love with my WM1A
> 
> *if anyone here pairs wm1a with Zeus XR , let me ask you - what 4.4 cable are you using and how does it sound with Zeus ?*
> 
> thanx



I love my NW-WM1A as well, but I'm still lusting after the NW-WM1Z.


----------



## surfratt

Currently reading through this thread, but was wondering how the Sony WM1A compares to ak120ii. My current iem is Kumitate Trio.  I would be listening through balanced. Would it be a worthy upgrade to go from the ak to the 1a?  Any thoughts/impressions would be appreciated.


----------



## Bart147

Quadfather said:


> I love my NW-WM1A as well, but I'm still lusting after the NW-WM1Z.


I'm suffering from upgradeitis as well


----------



## NickL33

Quadfather said:


> I love my NW-WM1A as well, but I'm still lusting after the NW-WM1Z.


----------



## Wyville

Bart147 said:


> I'm suffering from upgradeitis as well


Not me... Not at all... It is all entirely practical. After giving away my A15 and buying the AK70 I found that 9 hours of battery life is just not enough, so naturally I will at some point need to get the WM1A, although perhaps I could convince myself that "end game" would be the WM1Z. ...modded, because you know "end game".

See, I have no issues at all. I am being perfectly sensible.


----------



## bana

Quadfather said:


> I love my NW-WM1A as well, but I'm still lusting after the NW-WM1Z.



Luckly for me I ordered my Zeus XR with the balanced cable so I'm set.


----------



## Quadfather

bana said:


> Luckly for me I ordered my Zeus XR with the balanced cable so I'm set.



I love my Sony NW-WM1A.  I also own Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and Questyle QP1R.


----------



## Jamiroquai

Hi, I was wondering if someone can tell me exactly what I need to hook up my Fiio A5 to the line out on the WM1a. Do I need a usb dock and dongle?

I have a dock but it doesn't work because evidently the Sony doesn't do analog over the line out.

Thanks everyone!


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 21, 2018)

New Flagship 1Z with Older references headphones Sa5000 (back when Sony was still hardcore about headphones). A portable setup that is Recommended for details and treble freaks


----------



## asquare3376

Jamiroquai said:


> Hi, I was wondering if someone can tell me exactly what I need to hook up my Fiio A5 to the line out on the WM1a. Do I need a usb dock and dongle?
> 
> I have a dock but it doesn't work because evidently the Sony doesn't do analog over the line out.
> 
> Thanks everyone!


Fiio5 only does analog 3.5 in, correct? So, you can only use the 3.5 SE out of 1A. You have to utilize the 1A DAC.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I've been listening exclusively to my XBA-Z5 this whole recovery week. and i Can say the sony MUC-M12SNB1 is a pretty good cable between bass quality and quantity and detail retrieval.

PS. surgery was a success: from being 20/200 (no glasses) (only seeing the Huge E at the top of the chart) to be 20/70


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 21, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I've been listening exclusively to my XBA-Z5 this whole recovery week. and i Can say the sony MUC-M12SNB1 is a pretty good cable between bass quality and quantity and detail retrieval.
> 
> PS. surgery was a success: from being 20/200 (no glasses) (only seeing the Huge E at the top of the chart) to be 20/70



Congratulations,  now you have the real Hawkeyes


----------



## Bart147

NickL33 said:


>


I couldn't resist any longer ... Upgradeitis got the better of me so i bought the WM1Z !
After selling the Calyx M , Questyle QP2R and Opus#1 last week it's time to find new owners for both my AK240 end WM1A . 
Looking forward to next week now....


----------



## Imusicman

Enjoy your new WM1Z


----------



## Bart147

Thx , if all goes well it should arrive next Tuesday


----------



## gerelmx1986

I use high gain to drive the XBA-Z5 when a) i am in a mood because i want  and B) when the master volume is quiet


----------



## mosh_2k7

Quick question! I sold my WM1A (BLACK) and kept the WM1Z (GOLD).

Which IEM’s would you recommend for this player? I recently got a pair of the JH Lola’s but found that I had to turn up the volume to a very high level, in order to get a loud enough sound to hear the music properly. Is this a common issue with the Lola’s? I’m thinking of getting a pair of the JH16V2  Would these go well with the WM1Z?


----------



## Whitigir

Come ! Come to the dark side of the Walkman ! 1Z is awesome


----------



## mw7485

mosh_2k7 said:


> Quick question! I sold my WM1A (BLACK) and kept the WM1Z (GOLD).
> 
> Which IEM’s would you recommend for this player? I recently got a pair of the JH Lola’s but found that I had to turn up the volume to a very high level, in order to get a loud enough sound to hear the music properly. Is this a common issue with the Lola’s? I’m thinking of getting a pair of the JH16V2  Would these go well with the WM1Z?




What impedance are the Lola's? Are you using high gain?


----------



## Fixxer6671

Whitigir said:


> Come ! Come to the dark side of the Walkman ! 1Z is awesome



STOP IT.  I was fine until I was reading these posts!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## mw7485

Fixxer6671 said:


> STOP IT.  I was fine until I was reading these posts!!!!!!!!!!!!!



...Resistance is futile.....feel the draw.....look into my eyes......


----------



## NickL33

Fixxer6671 said:


> STOP IT.  I was fine until I was reading these posts!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## mosh_2k7

mw7485 said:


> What impedance are the Lola's? Are you using high gain?



The impendence is 16 ohm’s

No I wasn’t using high gain. It was turned off! I didn’t even know about this option! Lol! Since turning it on, it’s gotten significantly louder! Thanks for your help  The music sounds so much better now!


----------



## Luckyleo

mosh_2k7 said:


> Quick question! I sold my WM1A (BLACK) and kept the WM1Z (GOLD).
> 
> Which IEM’s would you recommend for this player? I recently got a pair of the JH Lola’s but found that I had to turn up the volume to a very high level, in order to get a loud enough sound to hear the music properly. Is this a common issue with the Lola’s? I’m thinking of getting a pair of the JH16V2  Would these go well with the WM1Z?


I have both Lola and JH16v2. Like the Lola’s better. I listen on high gain and have sound level to burn. Fantastic combo.  The 16’s are very good as well if you have the Lola’s tho, I recommend you stick with them (by the way, I have the Z1).


----------



## mosh_2k7

Luckyleo said:


> I have both Lola and JH16v2. Like the Lola’s better. I listen on high gain and have sound level to burn. Fantastic combo.  The 16’s are very good as well if you have the Lola’s tho, I recommend you stick with them (by the way, I have the Z1).



Thanks! I’ll stick with the Lola’s then! I’ve only had them for a few days. I had the Version 1 Roxanne’s before I brought the Lola’s. I miss the thundering Bass of the Roxanne’s but loving the clarity of the instruments on the Lola’s.


----------



## NickL33

Have anyone try MrSpeaker Aeon Close? Able to drive efficiently and hows the combination?


----------



## tieuly1

Hi Guys,
Does anyone still keep Medio Go ver 3.2 as internet only showed ver 2.5 which I am able to listen to DSD file  
thank U guys


----------



## meomap

NickL33 said:


> Have anyone try MrSpeaker Aeon Close? Able to drive efficiently and hows the combination?


Yes.
AFC burned in about 200 hrs with Moon Audio Silver Dragon terminated with 4.4 mm balanced.
3.5 mm SE feels lifeless.
Listening to High Gain from 83 to 90.
I like to EQ to let AFC sings more with Bass and Treble. I would say very good combination.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tieuly1 said:


> Hi Guys,
> Does anyone still keep Medio Go ver 3.2 as internet only showed ver 2.5 which I am able to listen to DSD file
> thank U guys


 I did kept the installer


----------



## tieuly1

gerelmx1986 said:


> I've been listening exclusively to my XBA-Z5 this whole recovery week. and i Can say the sony MUC-M12SNB1 is a pretty good cable between bass quality and quantity and detail retrieval.
> 
> PS. surgery was a success: from being 20/200 (no glasses) (only seeing the Huge E at the top of the chart) to be 20/70





gerelmx1986 said:


> I did kept the installer


Hi gerelmx, would you able to send it through my email- quanganh426@gmail.com
Btw, happy to hear you had successful cataract Sx


----------



## aisalen

tieuly1 said:


> Hi gerelmx, would you able to send it through my email- quanganh426@gmail.com
> Btw, happy to hear you had successful cataract Sx



You may try this http://media-go.findmysoft.com/

I download it too and will try once I have my personal laptop with me as I am using my company laptop currently.


----------



## ttt123

mw7485 said:


> ...Resistance is futile.....feel the draw.....look into my eyes......



"We are the Borg. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile."

You will be much happier after assimilation!


----------



## tieuly1

thank u ). 


aisalen said:


> You may try this http://media-go.findmysoft.com/
> 
> I download it too and will try once I have my personal laptop with me as I am using my company laptop currently.


----------



## alexandros a

giovvanie said:


> I don’t think so , if other people have a same experience . It’s really shame that expensive device behaves so odd .... Also same here i haven’t got any hum or pop / crack sound with my HD800 ( except balanced ) , even HD800 on balanced behaves same as other my iems ... I’m currently on Rose BR5 mk2 , they are very sensitive iems , but that much background hum i’m getting through balanced output simply  dissiclaims me of comfort listening experience, i can easy forget about listen to the jazz because of that .... SE output no background hum ( white noise however you call it ) only those pop crack sound wih volume and dsd ... Sony has disappointed me ...


Maybe its the BR5 MKII responsible for that only.....
Saying that ...cause i ve got BR5 (not BR5 MKII) from ROSE TECHNICS as well for my self and using those with DX80 & PB3 amp (balanced) creates lot of background noise using the volume knob of PB3 on balanced mode....BR5 seems to be extremelly sensitive....Easily pick ups any background noise there ....even the turn of the amp volume knob creates noise...


----------



## gerelmx1986

tieuly1 said:


> Hi gerelmx, would you able to send it through my email- quanganh426@gmail.com
> Btw, happy to hear you had successful cataract Sx


It's like 125MB in size must upload to the cloud storage


----------



## NickL33

300hours in... loving it!


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 23, 2018)

I recently bought a WM1A coming from a zx100 i can already tell it sounds great!, i have a question regarding iems, can some iem damage the amplifier?, im refering to chinese iem or some cheap ones.. i sometimes like using KZ or ther chinese brands call me silly... thank you in advance sorry for being ignorant in this matter, also frequent plug unplugcan damage?


----------



## sne4me

*What is the difference between “Music Center for PC” and “Media Go”?*


----------



## nc8000

sne4me said:


> *What is the difference between “Music Center for PC” and “Media Go”?*



2 generations of Sony’s music management software


----------



## aisalen

Midnstorms said:


> I recently bought a WM1A coming from a zx100 i can already tell it sounds great!, i have a question regarding iems, can some iem damage the amplifier?, im refering to chinese iem or some cheap ones.. i sometimes like using KZ or ther chinese brands call me silly... thank you in advance sorry for being ignorant in this matter, also frequent plug unplugcan damage?



No, iem will not damage your player unless maybe your cable is shorted. I am using kz also with mine during travel so I can care less with my iem.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Midnstorms said:


> I recently bought a WM1A coming from a zx100 i can already tell it sounds great!, i have a question regarding* iems, can some iem damage the amplifier?*, im refering to chinese iem or some cheap ones.. i sometimes like using KZ or ther chinese brands call me silly... thank you in advance sorry for being ignorant in this matter, also frequent plug unplugcan damage?


 if you connect a Single-ended headphone to a doubtful quality adapter surely it will short the amp and damage it. I used Z5 with an adapter made by a head-fier, recently changed to a sony brand 4.4mm cable..

you can go 4.4mm pigtail (female) to 3.5 SE but you can't go the "wring side" e.g. 3.5mm female to 4.4mm unless your 3,5mm jack is a form of TRRS with separate grounds for L and R channels like the ZX2


----------



## gerelmx1986

sne4me said:


> *What is the difference between “Music Center for PC” and “Media Go”?*


 Media GO could do aside from muisc formats, aso could do video and picture ´playback, Music center is Music ONLY.

Media Go transfer way faster to the walkman /micro SD vs turtle slow Music center
Music center is buggy and choppy animations, Media Go doesn't  haha thats the difference


----------



## bana

NickL33 said:


> 300hours in... loving it!



I hope that was in the evening!
It don't get much better than that.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Feb 23, 2018)

Dracula in DSD anyone?


----------



## FortisFlyer75

sne4me said:


> *What is the difference between “Music Center for PC” and “Media Go”?*



One major flaw from my POV is Media Go will not decode properly with 3rd party dacs such as the Mojo or Hugo dacs which is I think the real reason they brought out Music Centre as the software will work with other dacs than just a Sony PHA dac amp but the execution of Music centre is shocking even after the updates, to date...

Saying that Media Go used to be rough around the edges and needed many updates to correct major flaws and after several years worth of updates is now a very polished piece of software to use despite the external dac issue which seems cannot be resolved by the programmers otherwise they would not of brought out Music Centre, so with any luck in several years time Music centre will be as polished around the edges as Media Go...


----------



## Bart147

gerelmx1986 said:


> Dracula in DSD anyone?


I prefer the beauty :


----------



## northixora

Got this as a gift,.. are there any differences with the Kimber Kable version ones?


----------



## nanaholic

northixora said:


> Got this as a gift,.. are there any differences with the Kimber Kable version ones?



This uses silver plated copper wires. Kimber Kable is pure OFC.


----------



## northixora

while I myself not an audiophile, I just love beautiful sound. Anyway, curious to know whether it got a huge margin of sound quality difference between the two? ...


----------



## audionewbi

nc8000 said:


> 2 generations of Sony’s music management software


They are both Sh!t.


----------



## kms108

northixora said:


> Got this as a gift,.. are there any differences with the Kimber Kable version ones?


There is clearly a differences, why would Sony offer two types, but I do think it's only a slighty, clearly not night and day, but you will notice a difference between this, kimber and SE.


----------



## ledzep

audionewbi said:


> They are both Sh!t.


When you can just copy and paste it's pointless having either.


----------



## nc8000

audionewbi said:


> They are both Sh!t.



Don’t know, never used either. Use foobar2000 for music management, mp3tag for metadata, eac for ripping and Windows Explorer for copying music to the player


----------



## audionewbi

ledzep said:


> When you can just copy and paste it's pointless having either.


we can drag and drop however they both suffer from things which will effect your data integrity.


----------



## audionewbi

nc8000 said:


> Don’t know, never used either. Use foobar2000 for music management, mp3tag for metadata, eac for ripping and Windows Explorer for copying music to the player


I wish I never used those software, they both decided to tag my music files despite me not wanting auto tag. Good think I had my clone.


----------



## kms108

I have always just drag and drop, and keep a HD clone of all my music individually.


----------



## ledzep

northixora said:


> Got this as a gift,.. are there any differences with the Kimber Kable version ones?



That's a pretty decent cable , if your going to upgrade to 4.4 I would skip the Kimber ( I know it's got fans on here) and the sound is good but for the price the build quality when taken apart is shocking dry flux, loose strands and dry looking solder, I'd expect more from a premium product. Make one yourself or buy a decent 3rd party one either new or used. There are plenty of us on here that will go with that option.


----------



## ledzep

audionewbi said:


> we can drag and drop however they both suffer from things which will effect your data integrity.


Like what exactly


----------



## NickL33

bana said:


> I hope that was in the evening!
> It don't get much better than that.


 
Hahaha.. midnight apparently


----------



## Mindstorms

aisalen said:


> No, iem will not damage your player unless maybe your cable is shorted. I am using kz also with mine during travel so I can care less with my iem.


Can you tell me if it sounds good? plenty of bass out of that combo?, also you have zs5?, Ty Isalen and gerelemx1986 for your quick replies


----------



## aisalen

Midnstorms said:


> Can you tell me if it sounds good? plenty of bass out of that combo?, also you have zs5?, Ty Isalen and gerelemx1986 for your quick replies


I am using this zs6 with balanced cable, make sure that if you want to go balance. Have a balance cable not adaptor from 3.5mm deafult wire by kz to 4.4mm, it will short. In regards with the sounds, yes it is sound good and bass is plenty but not in the same level as it03 or xba-a3. Problem with zs6 is it has piercing high. I have zs5 too but not yet test with 1a and still with se cable. The high on zs5 is not piercing compare to zs6. At home or office, I usually use my it03 or xba-a3 for critical listening.


----------



## Ryokan (Feb 24, 2018)

Now I've reached 384 hours (SE and balanced) on my ZX300 I'm very impressed with the sound, would the WM1Z be a significant step up?

Also does the WM1Z get very warm, like other totl daps? Is the playing time comparable to the ZX?

I've read many pages on this thread but there are a lot!


----------



## nanaholic

Ryokan said:


> Also does the WM1Z get very warm, like other totl daps? Is the playing time comparable to the ZX?



No, the WM1Z doesn't get warm - it's completely cool like the ZX300.

Play time the WM1Z is listed to be slightly longer due to the slightly bigger battery, but in general it's fair to say roughly comparable.


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> I wish I never used those software, they both decided to tag my music files despite me not wanting auto tag. Good think I had my clone.


Thats why i set my files as read only


----------



## Ryokan (Feb 24, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> No, the WM1Z doesn't get warm - it's completely cool like the ZX300.
> 
> Play time the WM1Z is listed to be slightly longer due to the slightly bigger battery, but in general it's fair to say roughly comparable.




I notice you own both nana, if I hooked up the same iem to each, what differences would be immediately noticeable? Is the WM1Z leagues ahead, or are the differences subtle. Thank you.


----------



## nanaholic

Ryokan said:


> I notice you own both nana, if I hooked up the same iem to each, what differences would be immediately noticeable? Is the WM1Z leagues ahead, or are the differences subtle. Thank you.



Let's just say that in a sighted test I'll be pretty confident in picking out all the difference, but I wouldn't be as confident in a blind test. 
I'd urge you to try them out for yourself, it's the only way to know.


----------



## sne4me

northixora said:


> Got this as a gift,.. are there any differences with the Kimber Kable version ones?



What is this part number?


----------



## mrbooboy

Quick question for users of the NW-WM1A. Can the unit select/play random albums from a playlist? This is my preferred way to listen - something my iPod Classic can do - but not my NW-ZX1. Thanks!


----------



## Lookout57

mrbooboy said:


> Quick question for users of the NW-WM1A. Can the unit select/play random albums from a playlist? This is my preferred way to listen - something my iPod Classic can do - but not my NW-ZX1. Thanks!


Can you explain this better? Are you saying on the iPod you can have a playlist that just contains album names? If that is what you are looking for then no and I'm not aware of any player that does that. What you can do on the Sony is add an album to a playlist and it adds all tracks on that album to the playlist. I just tried it and added 3 albums to a new playlist on the player and the playlist contained all the tracks from those albums. The ability to turn random/shuffle play on is very easy on the Sony and done from the playback screen.

I find that the UI on the Sony is one of the best I've see for a portable player, very easy to navigate and you can quickly get to any setting or browse your media.


----------



## Mindstorms

aisalen said:


> I am using this zs6 with balanced cable, make sure that if you want to go balance. Have a balance cable not adaptor from 3.5mm deafult wire by kz to 4.4mm, it will short. In regards with the sounds, yes it is sound good and bass is plenty but not in the same level as it03 or xba-a3. Problem with zs6 is it has piercing high. I have zs5 too but not yet test with 1a and still with se cable. The high on zs5 is not piercing compare to zs6. At home or office, I usually use my it03 or xba-a3 for critical listening.


Where did you purchase that cable ali? do you have a link of the cable? thank you...


----------



## mrbooboy

Lookout57 said:


> Can you explain this better? Are you saying on the iPod you can have a playlist that just contains album names? If that is what you are looking for then no and I'm not aware of any player that does that. What you can do on the Sony is add an album to a playlist and it adds all tracks on that album to the playlist. I just tried it and added 3 albums to a new playlist on the player and the playlist contained all the tracks from those albums. The ability to turn random/shuffle play on is very easy on the Sony and done from the playback screen.
> 
> I find that the UI on the Sony is one of the best I've see for a portable player, very easy to navigate and you can quickly get to any setting or browse your media.



Yes... the playlist would contain all the album tracks. In the playlist you created with 3 albums, are you able to play full albums randomly? Once one album is complete, does it randomly select the next album? I am not interested in playing random tracks. I hope this makes sense. Thanks!


----------



## nc8000

mrbooboy said:


> Yes... the playlist would contain all the album tracks. In the playlist you created with 3 albums, are you able to play full albums randomly? Once one album is complete, does it randomly select the next album? I am not interested in playing random tracks. I hope this makes sense. Thanks!



Only random tracks. I've never heard of any device that could do random album


----------



## Lookout57

mrbooboy said:


> Yes... the playlist would contain all the album tracks. In the playlist you created with 3 albums, are you able to play full albums randomly? Once one album is complete, does it randomly select the next album? I am not interested in playing random tracks. I hope this makes sense. Thanks!


The Sony and most others use the M3U format for playlists which only allows for containing tracks by file name. So there is no concept of an album in a playlist. When you randomize or shuffle the contents of a playlist it is by track.

The only way you could get the same capability on the Sony or others is to join all the tracks from an album into a single file.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Feb 24, 2018)

mrbooboy said:


> Quick question for users of the NW-WM1A. Can the unit select/play random albums from a playlist? This is my preferred way to listen - something my iPod Classic can do - but not my NW-ZX1. Thanks!


I think you referred the ipod can play whole albums shuffled  I loved that feature

Instead of playing Bach cantatas in a row you can then play a entire mozart cd and next a rachmaninov

Sadly this does not exist in the. Walkman


----------



## audionewbi

@nanaholic You are the only person whom I know who owns the sony CIEM. It is one of those IEM that I love to own (someday). I was wondering have you had a chance to try the version which is tuned for the WM1 family?
Have you review the current IEM you own or do you know of a place which has review it, I find it very hard to find a place which has done so.

Many thanks in advance.


----------



## Cagin

Got a Keepa price alert set up for the WM1Z, it triggered today for 450pounds. It's a too good to be true scam one, *so be aware*: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B01LHGLALI/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used 
*The seller is asking to be contacted by email before buying. The true mark of a scam.*


----------



## asquare3376

sne4me said:


> What is this part number?


MUC-M12NB1


----------



## ledzep

Cagin said:


> Got a Keepa price alert set up for the WM1Z, it triggered today for 450pounds. It's a too good to be true scam one, *so be aware*: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B01LHGLALI/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used
> *The seller is asking to be contacted by email before buying. The true mark of a scam.*



100% scam and on UK Amazon of all places that price is the Vat alone to us in the UK


----------



## sne4me

asquare3376 said:


> MUC-M12NB1



Thank you.



audionewbi said:


> @nanaholic You are the only person whom I know who owns the sony CIEM. It is one of those IEM that I love to own (someday). I was wondering have you had a chance to try the version which is tuned for the WM1 family?
> Have you review the current IEM you own or do you know of a place which has review it, I find it very hard to find a place which has done so.
> 
> Many thanks in advance.



I have the XJE-MH/WM1 and use it with a WM1A, although I have only burned in my balanced to about 70 hours (350 hours on unbalanced), I posted impressions in the Just Ear thread. What would you like to know specifically?


----------



## animalsrush

Enough said..


----------



## aisalen

Midnstorms said:


> Where did you purchase that cable ali? do you have a link of the cable? thank you...


Sorry, got it free when I bought my wm1a from the 1st owner. Some of my balance, I got from Amazon.


----------



## Luckyleo

NaiveSound said:


> The silver dragon just arrived,   I hate how it feels, I bet the microphonics are aweful.  I like the big solid plug tho.
> 
> Any moment the Zeus earpiece is coming back and I'm gonna try it out., but The feel of The cable sucks... For me anyway.
> 
> First and last moon audio cable I'll have. But I'm thankful to have it... But only out of need


I like my silver dragon quite a bit. Micro phonics are actually really good.  Hope you’ve enjoyed them.


----------



## Snowball0906

Any news on whether Sony will be releasing the next WM1A in near future? Im planning to get WM1A but im worried that im too late..


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Snowball0906 said:


> Any news on whether Sony will be releasing the next WM1A in near future? Im planning to get WM1A but im worried that im too late..


Never to late to get a wm1a.
Look to next year which is Sony's big anniversary which is when they will replace the current flagship signature line, so only another 9 months till ces 2019 !

Written whilst listening to 1a with vibro mayas 4.4bal dita truth cable.


----------



## Whitigir

As long as you are walking the earth and breathing this polluted air, you are never too late to do anything.


----------



## TSAVJason

Snowball0906 said:


> Any news on whether Sony will be releasing the next WM1A in near future? Im planning to get WM1A but im worried that im too late..



You’re definitely not too late. The current model will be available until september 2018. After that they will be more difficult to find until the new model reaches the stores


----------



## Snowball0906

TSAVJason said:


> You’re definitely not too late. The current model will be available until september 2018. After that they will be more difficult to find until the new model reaches the stores



Should I wait until September or should I just go for wm1a? Hmm..


----------



## Snowball0906

Whitigir said:


> As long as you are walking the earth and breathing this polluted air, you are never too late to do anything.



I like this. So motivating. Thanks! hahaha


----------



## Snowball0906

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Never to late to get a wm1a.
> Look to next year which is Sony's big anniversary which is when they will replace the current flagship signature line, so only another 9 months till ces 2019 !
> 
> Written whilst listening to 1a with vibro mayas 4.4bal dita truth cable.



Seems like you're really enjoying wm1a. Envy! hehe


----------



## TSAVJason

Snowball0906 said:


> Should I wait until September or should I just go for wm1a? Hmm..



It’s really up to you. I’m not much of a sales person so do what you feel comfortable with doing. You won’t be sad if you do get it now


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Snowball0906 said:


> Seems like you're really enjoying wm1a. Envy! hehe



Like tsavjason said September will be maybe when what stock is left to sell is run down until new model hits shelfs probably 1st or 2nd Q of next year, if Sony do surprise us with a release this year then maybe Nov /Dec shipping in my vanilla sky lucid dream state I say that!

Can you wait that long though!?


----------



## kms108

TSAVJason said:


> You’re definitely not too late. The current model will be available until september 2018. After that they will be more difficult to find until the new model reaches the stores


These are the best of the best, Sony will probably have these available for a longer period and sold along side of the 2019 release. The 1Z is too expensive for me, but the anniversary will be cheap enough for me no matter the cost.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I love mine, beautiful sound quality for CD, HI-RES and DSD


----------



## Snowball0906

TSAVJason said:


> It’s really up to you. I’m not much of a sales person so do what you feel comfortable with doing. You won’t be sad if you do get it now



Which is true. But I would be sad if they release a new one too soon hahah


----------



## Snowball0906

kms108 said:


> These are the best of the best, Sony will probably have these available for a longer period and sold along side of the 2019 release. The 1Z is too expensive for me, but the anniversary will be cheap enough for me no matter the cost.



Hardcore fan yes? hahah


----------



## Snowball0906

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Like tsavjason said September will be maybe when what stock is left to sell is run down until new model hits shelfs probably 1st or 2nd Q of next year, if Sony do surprise us with a release this year then maybe Nov /Dec shipping in my vanilla sky lucid dream state I say that!
> 
> Can you wait that long though!?



Good question. Can I wait that long though? hahaha. Based on previous experience, will new product actually improve sq a lot? or its just slight difference ?


----------



## asquare3376

TSAVJason said:


> You’re definitely not too late. The current model will be available until september 2018. After that they will be more difficult to find until the new model reaches the stores


@TSAVJason , take my preorder for the 2019 model


----------



## Whitigir

TSAVJason said:


> It’s really up to you. I’m not much of a sales person so do what you feel comfortable with doing. You won’t be sad if you do get it now



Fortunately you are not much of a sale person, otherwise my pocket would have been burned through ? Or has it already ?


----------



## somnarium

Late 2018/early 2019 gives us time to:
1. Start saving the $$$
2. Think of excuses/justification to significant other


----------



## TSAVJason

Snowball0906 said:


> Which is true. But I would be sad if they release a new one too soon hahah


 
Not real likely.


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> @TSAVJason , take my preorder for the 2019 model



Hahaha you bet!


----------



## TSAVJason

Whitigir said:


> Fortunately you are not much of a sale person, otherwise my pocket would have been burned through ? Or has it already ?



The Audio Dealer!


----------



## blazinblazin

TSAVJason said:


> You’re definitely not too late. The current model will be available until september 2018. After that they will be more difficult to find until the new model reaches the stores


Wow... you actually have news on when the stock stops. 

Probably when the new ones released old WM1A would be easy to find in 2nd hand market.


----------



## proedros

Really enjoying my WM1A , a clear upgrade over ZX2 , the 4.4 brings easy to see improvements and the battery is a BEAST 

You only live once , so go for it and if a new model comes out you can always sell your WM1A and buy the new one

btw , is it official that there will be a new model next year as a celebration for 40 years of SONY ?


----------



## flyer1 (Feb 27, 2018)

Anybody interested in the Sony balanced cable,  MUC M12NB1,  drop me a PM. Only used for an hour or so as I decided to stick with the Kimber variant.

 Shipping from EU to everywhere.


----------



## asquare3376

flyer1 said:


> Anybody interested in the Sony balanced cable,  MUC M12NB1,  drop me a PM. Only used for an hour or so as I decided to stick with the Kimber variant.
> 
> Shipping from EU to everywhere.


How they differ in sound signature? I own the Kimber variant


----------



## flyer1 (Feb 27, 2018)

asquare3376 said:


> How they differ in sound signature? I own the Kimber variant



Slightly more pronounced bass and forward mids on the Kimber. Bit more neutral on the MUC M12NB1 and I do understand why some people here prefer it over the Kimber which is also like twice the price.


----------



## gerelmx1986

As @proedros says, the 4,4mm brings noticeable improvements to the music, from having listened to some "bad" recordings that i "hated", seems like the joining of the two minuses on the 3,5mm was always to blame. Really 4,4mm made me unhate these albums and they were like cleaned and rediscovered their music.. from a wind ensemble recorded in a Bathroom (3.5mm SE) to a proper church (with it's sound engineering defects like little damping of echo) (4.4mm BAL) just wow.

Really wondering what will the grand anniversary walkman bring to us? perhaps DSD-REmastering engine?, DSPs like VTP studio will come back? who knows, maybe an android and a non-android version release? lets see


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 27, 2018)

In the end, Cables do matter, and everything will effect the sound quality.  Extra solder joins, adapters, plugs...etc...

The best is a straight connections.  Only use adapters when convenience is what you must ( I kept saying this)


----------



## 480126

Without words!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> In the end, Cables do matter, and everything will effect the sound quality.  Extra solder joins, adapters, plugs...etc...
> 
> The best is a straight connections.  Only use adapters when convenience is what you must ( I kept saying this)


 Thats why i bought the MUCM12SNB1 for my XBA-Z5 and got the Z1R cables for the Z7. the adapters you made are there stored as a backup together with their stock dual 3.5mm for each headphone

Everything matter in this hobby, from the recording chain and engineering to the encoder/CD-ripper you use
, to the SACD iso extractor tool you use (some one here told me he found a nice GUI SACD extractor but he heard in the whole resulting dff a sound like pssssssssss!!!!!!!, the one i use is a pure CMD and no hissing heard, all clean)


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


>


With this recording what the XBA-Z5 are capable of is shown


----------



## Whitigir

Mhm, Hmm, that is why I only use high-end quality materials in my craft


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> With this recording what the XBA-Z5 are capable of is shown


Its seems most of the recordings you have can release the 1Z/1A full potentials.


----------



## kms108

Whitigir said:


> Mhm, Hmm, that is why I only use high-end quality materials in my craft


we are not like you we have no money


----------



## fiascogarcia

Does it seem that DSD recordings are always output at lower volume level than the other high res formats?  I'm finding this with the 1Z.


----------



## kms108

Not just your problem, I have this also with many of my DSD, especially on my chinese language files.


----------



## hattrick15

gerelmx1986 said:


> Everything matter in this hobby, from the recording chain and engineering to the encoder/CD-ripper you use, to the SACD iso extractor tool you use (some one here told me he found a nice GUI SACD extractor but he heard in the whole resulting dff a sound like pssssssssss!!!!!!!, the one i use is a pure CMD and no hissing heard, all clean)



Can you provide a link to the SACD iso extractor tool that you have had good results with?


----------



## kms108

I think you can do it with a earlier PS2 or PS3 player.


----------



## Snowball0906

proedros said:


> Really enjoying my WM1A , a clear upgrade over ZX2 , the 4.4 brings easy to see improvements and the battery is a BEAST
> 
> You only live once , so go for it and if a new model comes out you can always sell your WM1A and buy the new one
> 
> btw , is it official that there will be a new model next year as a celebration for 40 years of SONY ?



Thanks for ur trigger. I've made purchase. Now im waiting for it to be sent to me!


----------



## gerelmx1986

hattrick15 said:


> Can you provide a link to the SACD iso extractor tool that you have had good results with?


Up to now i haven't ripped (extracted) a SACD disc using a PS3 or other players, I just download the isos al ready extracted by someone else in the torrents and use that iso extractor which is CMD to extract the DSD stream from the iso


----------



## proedros

Snowball0906 said:


> Thanks for ur trigger. I've made purchase. Now im waiting for it to be sent to me!



enjoy it , it's a very nice dap me thinks

cheers


----------



## gerelmx1986

@proedros  you must venture into the Hi-res/DSD world, will make your WM1A truly shine , come to the Dark side


----------



## ledzep

fiascogarcia said:


> Does it seem that DSD recordings are always output at lower volume level than the other high res formats?  I'm finding this with the 1Z.



Higher the dynamic range lower the volume it's the dynamics Vs loudness thing, I have a lot of Japanese 1st pressing cd's that have a high dynamic range and are soft on the volume side but turn them up a bit more and they shine rather than just blare out at your. For anyone lucky enough to own the Black triangle 1st press of darkside will know what I mean.


----------



## Sonic Defender (Feb 27, 2018)

kms108 said:


> we are not like you we have no money


Yes, not everybody has as much money as they want to spend on this hobby. It is nice for those who can spend what they like, most of us have to make choices.


----------



## ledzep

kms108 said:


> we are not like you we have no money




Headphone Inventory:
Sony XBA 3
Sony XBA 300
Sony MDR EX600 Japanese Version
Sony MDR EX800ST Japanese Version
Sony MDR EX1000 Japanese Version Balanced
Beyerdynamic Xelento with Final Audio Cable Balanced
Headphone Amp Inventory:
Sony NW-ZX2
Sony ZX300

Yeah I can see your potless


----------



## kms108 (Feb 27, 2018)

ledzep said:


> Headphone Inventory:
> Sony XBA 3
> Sony XBA 300
> Sony MDR EX600 Japanese Version
> ...


My IEM are nothing compared to many members here, only the Xelento is considered expensive, the rest are just cheap stuff.
And they were purchased over a course of time, about 10-11 years.


----------



## Mindstorms

just a question can you tell me a litlle about 1A bass? is it plenty?, have you heard zx2 they say that zx2 has more bass quantity... ty guys in advance i had zx100 i feel it already has more bass after 30hs burning


----------



## sebanumb77

Anyone can speak about comparison between the wm1a and the a&k kann??


----------



## Blueoris

Midnstorms said:


> just a question can you tell me a litlle about 1A bass? is it plenty?, have you heard zx2 they say that zx2 has more bass quantity... ty guys in advance i had zx100 i feel it already has more bass after 30hs burning



Depending on the recording, headphones, and personal taste, bass in the 1A (and 1Z) may or may nor be plenty. ZX2 (and any device with the clear bass feature) will have more bass quantity over the WM1 DAPS.

But I will say that bass quantity issues (whether it is too much or too little) should be fixed at the headphone side, not at the DAP side. But this is just an opinion


----------



## Whitigir

Wrong, if u fix bass at headphones side.  U are getting fake bass

True fidelity bass will only come from sources like amplifiers, and Players, assuming your DAC dont suck.  Then u thrown in references headphones which is capable, neutral, and u will hear this true fidelity bass

However, for DAP and the majority of gears are using flavors such as a boost here, a bump there to custom a vast varieties to the consumer liking.

To get true fidelity bass out of WM walkman, you can use Utopia.  However, Utopia still has a slight mid bass bump.  But close enough


----------



## Luckyleo

sebanumb77 said:


> Anyone can speak about comparison between the wm1a and the a&k kann??


I have the Kann and 1z...Bought the Kann first and then 1z. Used JH Lola’s with both. I don’t think the differences between the A and Z would be that pronounced. 

I’m not the best at these comparisons.  The 1z has a larger sound stage, better instrument separation, and in my mind a much warmer sounding presentation. Kann sounds a bit more sterile. After listening to the Kann for 3-4 months and listening to the Z for the first time (no burn in) it was a WOW moment. The differences have only become more pronounced.


----------



## Whitigir

KANN is a mid tier player

1Z is a flagship from Sony.  It is only fair to put 1Z against SP1000.  But many people has already prefer the 1Z as the better player

No wonder why the differences are pronounced?


----------



## Luckyleo

Whitigir said:


> KANN is a mid tier player
> 
> 1Z is a flagship from Sony.  It is only fair to put 1Z against SP1000.  But many people has already prefer the 1Z as the better player
> 
> No wonder why the differences are pronounced?



U are correct my friend.  However, based on what I’ve read I should have bought the 1a before buying the Kann.


----------



## Whitigir

Luckyleo said:


> U are correct my friend.  However, based on what I’ve read I should have bought the 1a before buying the Kann.



And then turn around to end up with 1Z.  The same end result, with different routes LOL!


----------



## asquare3376

Sandisk 400 gb micro sd card on sale @ Amazon NA


----------



## gerelmx1986

WM1 series has quality bass, good fidelity bass, for me it depends on recordings and headphones, if i deem a recording too bassy i tweak the EQ


----------



## blazinblazin (Feb 28, 2018)

WM1A have quality bass, it is very clear in lows and sparkly in highs.

Bass quantity comes from headphone.

So pairing is important.


----------



## Blueoris

Whitigir said:


> Wrong, if u fix bass at headphones side.  U are getting fake bass
> 
> True fidelity bass will only come from sources like amplifiers, and Players, assuming your DAC dont suck.  Then u thrown in references headphones which is capable, neutral, and u will hear this true fidelity bass
> 
> ...



I was talking about bass quantity, not bass fidelity. But it is just opinion from a guy with a 44 years old ears LOL. Anyway, will leave this thread continue.....


----------



## gerelmx1986

Blueoris said:


> I was talking about bass quantity, not bass fidelity. But it is just opinion from a guy with a 44 years old ears LOL. Anyway, will leave this thread continue.....


 WOW get a pair of headphones with that b on them and you'll have the bass you want


----------



## gerelmx1986

Id prefer bass QUALITY over QUANTITY


----------



## Mindstorms

Thank you!


----------



## fiascogarcia

So with the great battery life of the Sony, I'm curious if a lot of users turn theirs off after each use, or just leave them on to pick up next time where they left off?


----------



## productred

fiascogarcia said:


> So with the great battery life of the Sony, I'm curious if a lot of users turn theirs off after each use, or just leave them on to pick up next time where they left off?



Always keep mine on. You'd never know when there'd be an emergency..........urge to listen to great music


----------



## aisalen

I am not turning off mine. Only when removing/inserting the sdcard but now that I see the option to unmount sdcard from the settings, I even not turning off mine when removing or inserting it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I just "restart" mine to save the played audio hours in case of an unexpected system hang (never happened again after FW 2.0 upgrade) but no wi keep it on


----------



## Deezel177

Hey guys, I recently acquired a Sony WM1A modded by Music Sanctuary. I've spent a few weeks with this DAP and a wide variety of IEMs, and now I'd like to tell you why this mod is one of the most impressive "products" I've come across thus far in 2018. Enjoy! 

*Music Sanctuary's WM1A Mod*

Music Sanctuary’s Walkman mod is a service that aims to maximise sound quality through a number of significant modifications. These include:

*1)* A brand new Pentaconn 4.4mm socket (to ensure that solder used on the socket is fresh and uncontaminated)
*2)* PWAudio 1960s wiring for both single-ended and balanced outputs, as well as DC ground
*3)* Exotic, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries solder used for all solder joints, with all existing solder cleaned off prior to the mod
*4)* Isolation of all inductor coils and capacitors with shielding products from Japan (Oyaide and fo.Q)



Depending on how many 1960s conductors are used within the mod, pricing is separated into the following tiers:

*Basic*
2-wire SE and BAL: *S$549* (single 1960s wire for DC ground)

*Deluxe*
4-wire SE and BAL: *S$699* (dual 1960s wire for DC ground)

*Premium*
4-wire SE, 8-wire BAL: *S$899* (dual 1960s wire for DC ground section)

These impressions apply to the 4.4mm balanced output, via the _Premium_ option applied to a Sony WM1A purchased stock from E-Earphone in Japan.

*Sound Impressions*

Before I move on to impressions of the MS mod, I should mention that I’ve had my fair share of reservations towards Sony’s WM1A in stock form. Although I enjoyed its tonal balance, smoothness and body, I found its dynamic performance lacking; struggling to conjure any sense of immediacy or punch due to a lack of extension on either end. Despite a relatively prominent peak in the lower treble, articulation does not make up for what sounds like a lack of note definition; a missing contrast between the player’s background and the notes up above. I liked what its warmer, heftier tilt was going for, but it was clear to me that the 1Z is the superior player - even at its luxurious price and its egregious weight.

Which is why I was immensely surprised when I heard the MS1A. Maintaining its excellent sense of weight, the MS mod gives the 1A vast improvements in dynamic energy, bidirectional extension, stage stability and resolution. Note definition and body are the hallmarks of its new signature, presenting instruments as fully formed objects fanned out across a romantic, intimate stage, as well as a pitch-perfect black background. Although technical improvements from the stock 1A are quite significant, the tonality it ends up producing may not be for everyone. Because of a full, meaty and warm upper-bass - in conjunction with a calmer upper-treble - the MS1A exudes a thick, warm and natural timbre; a significant departure from - say - my airy, open and clarity-focused AK70-Kai. But, where the AK70-Kai excels in sparkle, the MS1A bathes in organicity; producing a textured, resolving and smooth signature that promotes naturalness above all.



The most impressive - and most noticeable - change the mod achieves is bass extension and sub-bass performance. The MS1A produces the most palpable, visceral and textured low-end response I have personally ever heard. It’s a guttural rumble that obviously requires an equally-capable IEM to highlight, but this gorgeous quality is audible from my $650 Custom Art FIBAE 3, all the way to the $2699 Unique Melody Mason V3. A linear mid-bass and a thick upper-bass complement this to form a warm, physical and romantic low-end; creating a strong foundation for the midrange and treble to stand upon. This player/mod won’t be for those looking for either a neutral response, or a cleaner signature, but it does impart a tinge of richness that sounds beautifully organic with everything I’ve heard it with. Infusing meatiness, heft and definition to the entire presentation, the MS1A’s low-end defies expectation; producing a sub-bass that’s as devilishly satisfying as it is wonderfully natural.

This warmth then flows through unto the midrange. The MS mod gives the 1A a beautifully textured vocal presentation with vast improvements in depth, body and three-dimensionality. Instruments pop against the background as fully-realised, physical objects; benefitting realism through tactility and heft. The MS1A also utilises overtones to form its sizable notes. Harmonics fill the stage with an organic warmth, but excellent bidirectional extension prevents the stage from ever becoming hazy or veiled. Instead, timbre benefits from this phenomenon in naturalness and ease. The upper-midrange echoes this sentiment; minimizing on sparkle for smoothness’ sake. Doing away with the stock 1A’s articulative vocal presentation, this renewed sense of coherence benefits the MS1A’s linearity - complementing thick notes with a feathered release. But, despite these inhibitions toward articulation, the MS1A uses its black background and stable stage to produce well-resolved and exceptionally-defined instruments; full, organic and transparent at all times.

The lower-treble is where the MS1A is most like its unmodded counterpart. A slight emphasis here is the MS1A’s sole source of articulation and air. It’s a necessary touch of sparkle that cuts through its warm, romantic stage - even if it can approach brittle with the wrong pairing. The peak isn’t as noticeable as the one on the stock unit, but it is certainly present. Despite this accentuation, the MS1A’s middle-and-upper-treble display excellent coherence. Extension is the DAP’s forte, and its performance in this regard endows it with a rock solid, exceptionally layered and effortlessly transparent stage - mating bodied organicity with great finesse. The MS1A’s highest registers can lack excitement for some. While it isn’t as mellow as a partially-modded WM1Z I heard months ago, it’s also not as bright as my AK70-Kai. It strikes a healthy in-between where sparkle and openness offset the player’s richer overtones; benefitting the player’s hefty midrange and spectacular low-end with an open stage to strut their stuff.



In the end, only one question still remains: Is the mod worth the cash? Subjectively speaking, the MS1A is a departure from the WM1A’s stock signature, and that may not be universally appreciated. In place of the latter’s articulative and neutral-natural signature, the MS1A yields a more organic, weighty and rich listen. But, when it comes to technical performance, there is absolutely no contest. Experiencing boosts in extension, dynamics and resolution, the MS1A affords its effortless, life-like and engaging signature without any real compromise; naturalising the WM1A yet besting it in solidity and impact. Manifesting three-dimensional instruments within a fully-realised, physical soundscape, the MS1A is truly a class above its peers. If you’re capable of enjoying a warmer and more organic signature, Music Sanctuary’s Walkman mod is a worthwhile investment - turning Sony’s middle son into the alpha of the pack.


----------



## ledzep

Alternatively just buy a good set of matching iems / headphones that you can use in the future with the anniversary player or any future dap, that is unless you have the hearing of a dog or bat then yeah go for it !


----------



## Deezel177

ledzep said:


> Alternatively just buy a good set of matching iems / headphones that you can use in the future with the anniversary player or any future dap, that is unless you have the hearing of a dog or bat then yeah go for it !



Alternatively, you can give it a go yourself at CanJam SG and see whether or not the changes are appreciable to you first-hand.


----------



## ledzep

I have listened to a modded Z1 sounded no different to me, not saying don't get it done just saying there is a alternative, I must have a different form of ear drum to the rest of mankind not to be able to hear all you describe.


----------



## Deezel177

ledzep said:


> I have listened to a modded Z1 sounded no different to me, not saying don't get it done just saying there is a alternative, I must have a different form of ear drum to the rest of mankind not to be able to hear all you describe.



Well, there are definitely alternatives in terms of how you spend your money. I'm not specifically saying you should spend money on this mod over purchasing other products; I'm saying that it's worth a listen and/or an investment if you already have an optimal set-up (and sizeable change) at hand. Critical listening also expands much further beyond human anatomy. Although some are undoubtedly born with more "talented" ears than others, it does take a fare amount of practice to be able to analyse sound. Four years ago, I literally wasn't able to distinguish between an in-ear Shure SE535 and a full-sized ATH-50X! It was only after listening to - probably - close to 100 IEMs and headphones and tens of DAPs, reading tons of literature on frequency ranges and how they co-relate, *and* getting my Diploma in Music Production and Audio Engineering plus a full year of constant mixing and mastering was I able to gain the amount of insight I have now. Even then, I'm sure I still have a lot to learn.


----------



## proedros

1000$ cables and 700$ mods , these are clearly for the rich people

me , i am happy i managed to afford a normal WM1A and i will keep it there

but seriously , all this nitpicking/improving is for those with loaded wallets (which i wish i was one of them)


----------



## Deezel177

proedros said:


> 1000$ cables and 700$ mods , these are clearly for the rich people
> 
> me , i am happy i managed to afford a normal WM1A and i will keep it there
> 
> but seriously , all this nitpicking/improving is for those with loaded wallets (which i wish i was one of them)



The mod also comes in more affordable iterations, so it’s definitely not limited to the “more fortunate”.


----------



## rtjoa

Deezel177 said:


> The mod also comes in more affordable iterations, so it’s definitely not limited to the “more fortunate”.


Which mod do you have on that 1A?


----------



## Deezel177

rtjoa said:


> Which mod do you have on that 1A?



As I mentioned in the review, it’s the _Premium_ option.


----------



## ledzep

Deezel177 said:


> Well, there are definitely alternatives in terms of how you spend your money. I'm not specifically saying you should spend money on this mod over purchasing other products; I'm saying that it's worth a listen and/or an investment if you already have an optimal set-up (and sizeable change) at hand. Critical listening also expands much further beyond human anatomy. Although some are undoubtedly born with more "talented" ears than others, it does take a fare amount of practice to be able to analyse sound. Four years ago, I literally wasn't able to distinguish between an in-ear Shure SE535 and a full-sized ATH-50X! It was only after listening to - probably - close to 100 IEMs and headphones and tens of DAPs, reading tons of literature on frequency ranges and how they co-relate, *and* getting my Diploma in Music Production and Audio Engineering plus a full year of constant mixing and mastering was I able to gain the amount of insight I have now. Even then, I'm sure I still have a lot to learn.



Yeah I guess there's no right or wrongs, people like what people like, some say silver cables better than copper and visa versa so each time his own, I'm probably just not as open minded (or eared) as some when it comes to people's findings on various upgrade subjects, you'd think having a Master's in Audio Engineering and electronic engineering and a degree in RF and microwave engineering and working in the Sat coms industry for 30 years I'd not be so closed off to the findings of others, so apologies if you think I'm trashing your review not my intention there's room for everyone's opinion, life would be pretty boring if we all thought the same.


----------



## Deezel177

ledzep said:


> Yeah I guess there's no right or wrongs, people like what people like, some say silver cables better than copper and visa versa so each time his own, I'm probably just not as open minded (or eared) as some when it comes to people's findings on various upgrade subjects, you'd think having a Master's in Audio Engineering and electronic engineering and a degree in RF and microwave engineering and working in the Sat coms industry for 30 years I'd not be so closed off to the findings of others, so apologies if you think I'm trashing your review not my intention there's room for everyone's opinion, life would be pretty boring if we all thought the same.



I don’t think that at all. I’m just saying that this mod may be more or less sensible than others, but it’s neither universally the former nor the latter. No one can fault being a skeptic, but having an open mind to everything is always important.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Here we begin sighs. Cable talk


----------



## prince4ever

Soooooooooooo
I don't whether to be grumpy with you all, or just very glad and appreciative.
I'll backtrack.
I posted my 1st post topic on head-fi just before Christmas. I have a Sony EU Sony ZX2 and have been increasingly frustrated with it. And needed help and advice.
The months went by and not a single sausage replied. No-one. Not even a vaguely troll-ish reply about my total n00b-ness in all this Hi-Fi talk.
Then I read on Amazon UK about a thread here, being able to remove the volume cap on a Sony WM1A. I spent hours reading through some of the posts on this thread and discovered nothing to help me my ZX2. But I still needed to address my volume problem. So I got the WM1A (about 4 hours ago to be precise) and then did the volume / region change thingy.
Now I am not the easiest person to please, nor do I expect things to go smoothly, especially when it comes to electronic gadgets. So I was entering into all this hocus-pocus gadgetry with a slight sense of fear and dread and an enormous dose of expected disappointment.
But OOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGG...
Even out of the box after virtually no burning the volume is amazing once removed.
It's not even difficult to do.
I am so happy.
So two things:
1) If there are any lurkers out there like me who are struggling with the ZX2 I can honestly say sell it and get the WM1A, remove the volume cap and enjoy. It's awesome!
2) I just cannot be grumpy with any of you regulars! I'm so happy I can listen to music at ridiculous levels. Thank you!

Once the burning in period is over I'm going to bore you all to sleep with my thoughts on it - comparing the different headphones I have, along with the test drive for i800s's with the WM1A!
Interesting to know how many have that set-up.
There will be an EU ZX2 and some Sony MDR-1000X headphones for sale soon.


----------



## nc8000

prince4ever said:


> Soooooooooooo
> I don't whether to be grumpy with you all, or just very glad and appreciative.
> I'll backtrack.
> I posted my 1st post topic on head-fi just before Christmas. I have a Sony EU Sony ZX2 and have been increasingly frustrated with it. And needed help and advice.
> ...



Yes there is no way to remove the cap on an EU ZX2. That being said I very much enjoyed my EU ZX2 for the 1 1/2 year I had it as I didn’t need to drive anything it couldn’t handle, but the (in my case) 1Z is just SO much better.


----------



## fiascogarcia

prince4ever said:


> Soooooooooooo
> I don't whether to be grumpy with you all, or just very glad and appreciative.
> I'll backtrack.
> I posted my 1st post topic on head-fi just before Christmas. I have a Sony EU Sony ZX2 and have been increasingly frustrated with it. And needed help and advice.
> ...


Sorry you had no response previously!  People are usually good about helping out. But glad you came up with a great resolution!


----------



## Liono

prince4ever said:


> Soooooooooooo
> I don't whether to be grumpy with you all, or just very glad and appreciative.
> I'll backtrack.
> I posted my 1st post topic on head-fi just before Christmas. I have a Sony EU Sony ZX2 and have been increasingly frustrated with it. And needed help and advice.
> ...



I have a japanese ZX1 so never experienced the EU capped volume (except for my Hi-MD players). It was a concern of mine when looking at a UK WM1A, i didn't realise there was a work around that one can implement, that is good news! Just wish the UK version supported ATRAC files . I've posted in the ZX1 thread wondering about differences in SQ between the two units.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Got a new DSD album on my WM1A, love the performance of DSD on the WM series


----------



## nc8000

Liono said:


> I have a japanese ZX1 so never experienced the EU capped volume (except for my Hi-MD players). It was a concern of mine when looking at a UK WM1A, i didn't realise there was a work around that one can implement, that is good news! Just wish the UK version supported ATRAC files . I've posted in the ZX1 thread wondering about differences in SQ between the two units.



I think the same fix should allow your UK WM to play ATRAC if you choose Japan as region


----------



## Liono

nc8000 said:


> I think the same fix should allow your UK WM to play ATRAC if you choose Japan as region



Mm, but I guess would force the language menu to Japanese only ?


----------



## nc8000

Liono said:


> Mm, but I guess would force the language menu to Japanese only ?



No I think you can have Japan as region but maintain english as gui language so as to gave atrac and english at the sane time


----------



## fiascogarcia

Does anyone have any experience with AccousticSounds website for DSD downloads?  Thanks!


----------



## kubig123

fiascogarcia said:


> Does anyone have any experience with AccousticSounds website for DSD downloads?  Thanks!



I did, I bought quite few albums from them.

No problem at all.


----------



## imparanoic

roses77 said:


> The reason Apple ditched the IPods & classic as they were getting less sales of their iPods. As the iPhone does the same thing as their iPod except iPod was not a phone. I doubt Sony will do the same thing unless they don’t get many sales, & want to focus on the Sony smart phone. I particularly don’t like streaming as it loses sound quality. Some streaming companies don’t last long either. It was ITunes or high Rez downloads that caused most of the music shops to shut down which is shame I like the physical CD. With streaming you don’t own the music either.
> 
> If the 40th Anniversary Walkman premium sounds better than the Sony WM1Z I’ll buy it. Bring on 2019 we have time to save.




I presume the 40th anniversary walkman will be announced next year and should be successor to nw-wm1a/z (could be modeled nw-wm40)

What would be interesting is werherw they use Linux based Walkman os or start using Android again, both have advantages and disadvantages


----------



## kms108

imparanoic said:


> I presume the 40th anniversary walkman will be announced next year and should be successor to nw-wm1a/z (could be modeled nw-wm40)
> 
> What would be interesting is werherw they use Linux based Walkman os or start using Android again, both have advantages and disadvantages


I suppose it will be chrome in colour.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 1, 2018)

And It will most likely be much like the 1 A/Z in this thread. The 40th Anniversary will most likely have a slightly different in-house DAC. It will have a slightly more powerful amplifier section than what we have seen in this thread. The operational interface will have the same software and functionality. But it will appear as a refinement in finish and tone. Could be silver in color?


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> And It will most likely be much like the 1 A/Z in this thread. The 40th Anniversary will most likely have a slightly different in-house DAC. It will have a slightly more powerful amplifier section than what we have seen in this thread. The operational interface will have the same software and functionality. But it will appear as a refinement in finish and tone. Could be silver in color?



Yep, let’s just say every new Walkman will have a Slight boost !


----------



## kms108

Whitigir said:


> Yep, let’s just say every new Walkman will have a Slight boost !


I hope it's not the same design, just prefer something new.,


----------



## Whitigir

kms108 said:


> I hope it's not the same design, just prefer something new.,



We have a brick now, next time we will have a Slab for the design...kinda 10 commandments slab


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 1, 2018)

kms108 said:


> I hope it's not the same design, just prefer something new.,



Just found a leaked photo! I can’t believe it! I’m really surprised they are going with something soo chrome looking? I guess that’s the Anniversary thing?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I just beg for dual microSD slots, 256 or more internal storage, DSD-remaster, premium SQ


----------



## kms108

Redcarmoose said:


> Just found a leaked photo! I can’t believe it! I’m really surprised they are going with something soo chrome looking? I guess that’s the Anniversary thing?


Thats a anniversary walkman (cassette), I had one, the adapter for the headphones is a pain, you have to open the lid and move a switch so that the adapter comes out, but most of the time I pulled it by mistake, which ruins the thread.
Anyway, lets just say it should have a improvenment, mostly the sound, and keep the unit plain and simple.


----------



## imparanoic

Redcarmoose said:


> Just found a leaked photo! I can’t believe it! I’m really surprised they are going with something soo chrome looking? I guess that’s the Anniversary thing?



that looks very similar to the 20th anniversary walkman, looks like a cassette player


----------



## imparanoic

considering the NW-X1000 series was the 30th anniversary walkman, the aesthetics of the successor 40th year model could look anything


----------



## kms108 (Mar 1, 2018)

normal version against anniversary


----------



## animalsrush

fiascogarcia said:


> So with the great battery life of the Sony, I'm curious if a lot of users turn theirs off after each use, or just leave them on to pick up next time where they left off?


I have never turned mine off yet and it is about 400 hrs so far..


----------



## gerelmx1986

Bach four orchestral suites


----------



## 480126

Maybe a stupid Question? If I open SD Card or internale storage there there are my Alben but no Picture in the list - Picture 1. When I open the Album I saw the tracks and the Picture -Picture 2! Same when I Play a song - Picture 3!
Is it normal that I can´t see the Picture in the list?


----------



## thebratts

Frida309 said:


> Maybe a stupid Question? If I open SD Card or internale storage there there are my Alben but no Picture in the list - Picture 1. When I open the Album I saw the tracks and the Picture -Picture 2! Same when I Play a song - Picture 3!
> Is it normal that I can´t see the Picture in the list?


When you folder browse this is correct. You will see folder icons for the album like this. Try to browse by album instead to see the difference.


----------



## 329161

How is the driving power on the 1a? Could they drive a 250 ohm headphone well?


----------



## 480126 (Mar 2, 2018)

thebratts said:


> When you folder browse this is correct. You will see folder icons for the album like this. Try to browse by album instead to see the difference.


Thanks. I don´t browse by Album because it don´t see the correct Tracks/Album how I like it!


----------



## northixora

Hi, anyone here still keep the V1.20 firmware - Japan version?


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## buzzlulu

What brand balanced cable is that?


----------



## nc8000

northixora said:


> Hi, anyone here still keep the V1.20 firmware - Japan version?



I have all released FW. There is no specific Japan FW, it is the same for all countries.


----------



## proedros

has there been an official announcement by SONY about a 40-year anniversary Walkman next year or is this just wishful speculation  ?


----------



## aisalen

buzzlulu said:


> What brand balanced cable is that?


That is Mee.

https://www.amazon.com/MEE-audio-CM...93443&sr=8-4-fkmr1&keywords=mee+balance+cable


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 2, 2018)

buzzlulu said:


> What brand balanced cable is that?


Yep. 
That’s the Mee Adapter set.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076PWSSSJ?tag=3340693-headfi-20

Don’t know about walking around town with that big plug, which could hook onto something unexpected, but around the house... it’s cool.


----------



## Cagin

Frida309 said:


> Thanks. I don´t browse by Album because it don´t see the correct Tracks/Album how I like it!


I hear your plight, but it was necessary in order to not have too much of a lagging experience while scrolling the folder list.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Frida309 said:


> Maybe a stupid Question? If I open SD Card or internale storage there there are my Alben but no Picture in the list - Picture 1. When I open the Album I saw the tracks and the Picture -Picture 2! Same when I Play a song - Picture 3!
> Is it normal that I can´t see the Picture in the list?


The first picture is the folder browser  it displays folder icons, and sadly you cannot change that


----------



## northixora

nc8000 said:


> I think the same fix should allow your UK WM to play ATRAC if you choose Japan as region



How do I choose Japan region?


----------



## nc8000

northixora said:


> How do I choose Japan region?



When using the rockbox tool you select destination J


----------



## northixora

Oo yes., already found the answer on page#452.. Tqvm


----------



## donunus

Whitigir said:


> Let's just say, by design, Walkman Wm1A/Z is not dependent on load resistances, and therefore double amplifications is not a thing to be worrying about


Just curious if you know if this is the same with the smaller zx300


----------



## Whitigir

donunus said:


> Just curious if you know if this is the same with the smaller zx300



Very similar, although I am not sure what inductors are being used on the Zx300.  However, for it to pump out the power the 300 does in such small package, it is very powerful.  I think the next Walkman will be using those as they are being tested in 300


----------



## prince4ever

Me again!
So a few more questions (ones that don't seem to be on the Sony website) about the WM1A:
1) What is the maximum size mSD card it can take? Will it take 256GB / 400GB?
2) Is there a Sony balanced cable that I can get that will fit my Westone W40 & Shure 535? (If no Sony cable exists, what 3rd party ones that are reasonably priced can peeps recommend?)
3) I see there is a firmware upgrade available to 2.0 - will upgrading to this affect the region change thing / does 2.0 still reduce the volume cap in any way?


----------



## Giraku

prince4ever said:


> Me again!
> So a few more questions (ones that don't seem to be on the Sony website) about the WM1A:
> 1) What is the maximum size mSD card it can take? Will it take 256GB / 400GB?
> 2) Is there a Sony balanced cable that I can get that will fit my Westone W40 & Shure 535? (If no Sony cable exists, what 3rd party ones that are reasonably priced can peeps recommend?)
> 3) I see there is a firmware upgrade available to 2.0 - will upgrading to this affect the region change thing / does 2.0 still reduce the volume cap in any way?


Just for your first question, 400GB mSD card works fine on both 1A and 1Z.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 2, 2018)

prince4ever said:


> Me again!
> So a few more questions (ones that don't seem to be on the Sony website) about the WM1A:
> 1) What is the maximum size mSD card it can take? Will it take 256GB / 400GB?
> 2) Is there a Sony balanced cable that I can get that will fit my Westone W40 & Shure 535? (If no Sony cable exists, what 3rd party ones that are reasonably priced can peeps recommend?)
> 3) I see there is a firmware upgrade available to 2.0 - will upgrading to this affect the region change thing / does 2.0 still reduce the volume cap in any way?


1)400GB max
2)depends if your IEM has MMCX then yes, otherwise look at Plussound or other cable manufactures, there are plenty
3) No it won't affect the region Flags


----------



## Whitigir

That picture is horribly out focused....


----------



## nc8000

prince4ever said:


> Me again!
> So a few more questions (ones that don't seem to be on the Sony website) about the WM1A:
> 1) What is the maximum size mSD card it can take? Will it take 256GB / 400GB?
> 2) Is there a Sony balanced cable that I can get that will fit my Westone W40 & Shure 535? (If no Sony cable exists, what 3rd party ones that are reasonably priced can peeps recommend?)
> 3) I see there is a firmware upgrade available to 2.0 - will upgrading to this affect the region change thing / does 2.0 still reduce the volume cap in any way?



Should take a 2TB card if and when they ever appear


----------



## 480126

Whitigir said:


> That picture is horribly out focused....


Yes, but I can read it without glasses!


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 2, 2018)

1Z sounds so good! 0_0.  I have been enjoying it as a transport into my T2 for ways too long.  Today I just tossed my SA5000 on it again and it still impress me very much


----------



## kubig123

prince4ever said:


> Me again!
> So a few more questions (ones that don't seem to be on the Sony website) about the WM1A:
> 1) What is the maximum size mSD card it can take? Will it take 256GB / 400GB?
> 2) Is there a Sony balanced cable that I can get that will fit my Westone W40 & Shure 535? (If no Sony cable exists, what 3rd party ones that are reasonably priced can peeps recommend?)
> 3) I see there is a firmware upgrade available to 2.0 - will upgrading to this affect the region change thing / does 2.0 still reduce the volume cap in any way?



The Sony cable for the Weston/Shure is the model MUC-M12SB1.

If your intention is to swap cable between earphones, I would recommend to choose other manufacture, Effect Audio, PW Audio, Plussound, you can find better quality cables for the same price or cheaper (the Effect Audio Ares II sell for $150 plus shipping) 
I'm not a big fan on the MUC-M12SB1 since the mmcx connectors are quite weak and they have the tendency to bend.


----------



## kubig123

nc8000 said:


> Should take a 2TB card if and when they ever appear



yes, but is going cost more than the player


----------



## Redcarmoose

kubig123 said:


> yes, but is going cost more than the player


----------



## kubig123

Redcarmoose said:


>



one of the weirdest gif I saw lately


----------



## Whitigir

Took me a while to analyze it....

“What the F did you just squeeze ?” Lol, double takes from the Do-er point of view and the dog expression point of view...funny like heck


----------



## Redcarmoose

I don’t know what I’m posting, my hands are working on their own here?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> That picture is horribly out focused....


My cellphone is having trouble with the camera, maybe i need to set it to manual?


----------



## kms108

buzzlulu said:


> What brand balanced cable is that?


mee cable


----------



## kubig123

Redcarmoose said:


> I don’t know what I’m posting, my hands are working on their own here?



TGIF


----------



## Fixxer6671

proedros said:


> 1000$ cables and 700$ mods , these are clearly for the rich people
> 
> me , i am happy i managed to afford a normal WM1A and i will keep it there
> 
> but seriously , all this nitpicking/improving is for those with loaded wallets (which i wish i was one of them)



I'd rather buy music at that point.  Buying a 1k player to dump 1k worth of mods into it and void a warranty doesn't pass my common sense test. That said I'm sure its a great player and the mods are worthy to the buyer!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Fixxer6671 said:


> I'd rather buy music at that point.  Buying a 1k player to dump 1k worth of mods into it and void a warranty doesn't pass my common sense test. That said I'm sure its a great player and the mods are worthy to the buyer!


Agree, at that point i'd rather get a WM1Z


----------



## tienbasse

gerelmx1986 said:


> Agree, at that point i'd rather get a WM1Z


This exactly!
When mods are the price of the DAP, it is screaming BS...


----------



## Blommen

tienbasse said:


> This exactly!
> When mods are the price of the DAP, it is screaming BS...



Haha, I am actually considering selling of my wm1z and getting a zx300 modded


----------



## Redcarmoose

What do you mean, I was going to get a Kimber modded tape player and sell my beloved 1Z!


----------



## ledzep

Once I get this modded you'll all want one ! Taking orders now $100,000


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 3, 2018)

Blommen said:


> Haha, I am actually considering selling of my wm1z and getting a zx300 modded





ledzep said:


> Once I get this modded you'll all want one ! Taking orders now $100,000



https://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-Diamond-feet-Braided-Cable/dp/B003CT08E4

Actually I’m not even planning on listening, I was just going to simply hold the $850 HDMI cable in my hands, sit quietly alone in a dark room.........makes me feel like Mayor of the town?


This is the expression on my face normally.


----------



## Luckyleo

sne4me said:


> This is such a pain in the butt. I have a 2 disc album and i keep getting tracks in disc 2 stuck between tracks in disk one in the sony software. It doesnt matter if the album is different and the track numbers are different, like its locked that way in a tag outside the program, idk.
> 
> 
> 
> you are lucky, but that case is incredible. Ive dropped my 1A twice while sitting, slid out of shallow pockets, not a scratch. need to take better care


I have no issues with multi disc albums.  ITunes ... just works


----------



## Giraku

Luckyleo said:


> I have no issues with multi disc albums.  ITunes ... just works


Just to make sure that the disc # and # of discs info for each track is correct using one of tag editors


----------



## nc8000

Giraku said:


> Just to make sure that the disc # and # of discs info for each track is correct using one of tag editors



I just renumber the tracks from disc 2 and onwards and completely get rid of any disc tags


----------



## superuser1

Deleted


----------



## gerelmx1986

I use for FLAC vorbis comments discnumber and disctotal.   For dsd I use disc/disctotal in the disc number tag


----------



## Snowball0906

Finally received my Wm1a and I really love it! Mind to share EQ setting of yours? I’m really new to this EQ setting. Is there anything recommended setting for Jpop?


----------



## proedros

is there a way to get snapshots of the WM1A - while playing music- screen ?


----------



## rtjoa

proedros said:


> is there a way to get snapshots of the WM1A - while playing music- screen ?


Press vol +, vol - and then power for 3 seconds, is pretty trickt getting it rightras I get the power off dialog
Posted previously by gerelmx1986

display off, Volume+ ⇒　Volume-　⇒　Power(long press Until display on)
Posted previously by Kk-android

You can search this thread using screenshot keyword


----------



## proedros

rtjoa said:


> *display off, Volume+ ⇒　Volume-　⇒　Power(long press Until display on)*
> Posted previously by Kk-android



thank you , worked like a charm


----------



## kayman

Anyone using this player with spotify or a streaming music service? Is it possible?


----------



## kubig123

kayman said:


> Anyone using this player with spotify or a streaming music service? Is it possible?


No, this player doesn’t offer any streaming option.


----------



## Whitigir

I freaking love Wm1Z ! It is an excellent digital transport, and awesome Portable player !


----------



## dougi555

kubig123 said:


> No, this player doesn’t offer any streaming option.



... And that's what's keeping me back from buying it.  With QOBUZ now offering 24/192 streaming and offline listening I'm waiting for a top DAP to access it.


----------



## kubig123

dougi555 said:


> ... And that's what's keeping me back from buying it.  With QOBUZ now offering 24/192 streaming and offline listening I'm waiting for a top DAP to access it.



Than I would recommend you the ibasso dx200 with the amp4.


----------



## ledzep

dougi555 said:


> ... And that's what's keeping me back from buying it.  With QOBUZ now offering 24/192 streaming and offline listening I'm waiting for a top DAP to access it.



Most of the stuff on  Qobuz / HD tracks is a waste of time it's the old remastered BS to sell you what you've already had again and again. The majority of my digital audio is 16/44 and that's as good as it gets with the dynamic range available, all you are getting is bigger file size and not a higher quality sounding audio, research before you buy.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> Most of the stuff on  Qobuz / HD tracks is a waste of time it's the old remastered BS to sell you what you've already had again and again. The majority of my digital audio is 16/44 and that's as good as it gets with the dynamic range available, all you are getting is bigger file size and not a higher quality sounding audio, research before you buy.


97% of my music is 16/44.1, the remaining 3% is Hi-res which are new recording or analog tape remaster and I am happy with it as 16/44 sounds as good as Hi-res when properly done


----------



## ledzep

gerelmx1986 said:


> 97% of my music is 16/44.1, the remaining 3% is Hi-res which are new recording or analog tape remaster and I am happy with it as 16/44 sounds as good as Hi-res when properly done



Ditto


----------



## Redcarmoose

That's the thing. The Sony players are concentrating in purest areas. They didn't use off the shelf DACs, offer no Wi/Fi or video, or second party applications. They use innovative amplifier topography never found in a portable application before now. And while the lack of features may be off-putting to some, the folks who get with the program, love the simplicity. When you have a giant media library, streaming second rate files seems.........well .......so 2015.


----------



## dougi555

ledzep said:


> Most of the stuff on  Qobuz / HD tracks is a waste of time it's the old remastered BS to sell you what you've already had again and again. The majority of my digital audio is 16/44 and that's as good as it gets with the dynamic range available, all you are getting is bigger file size and not a higher quality sounding audio, research before you buy.



Really..... You're not looking very hard. They have by far the best selection of newly released esoteric electronica..... Between them and Bandcamp.  Anyway, for me it's like the modern day equivalent of going to the record store and asking to hear something.  Then, if I like it, I'll import it and listen whilst walking to work.  If, after a few weeks I still like it, I'll either jump into Discogs and by the vinyl, or if I can't, I'll buy the 24/192 digital version.   

Streaming is so 2015.....  Hahaha....


----------



## nanaholic (Mar 4, 2018)

Sometimes I can't help but think that people who want streaming on their DAPs is just a very vocal minority. I wish there is some study out there which can put some numbers and percentage of owners actually using that feature on their DAPs, rather than people just asserting that it is a needed feature. Because let's face it anyone can put forward anecdotal evidence, for example I know NO one amongst my 50 or so audio enthusiasts friends who even have a streaming service subscription, but then again I don't go around proclaiming that streaming is a waste of time base just on my own experience.


----------



## dougi555 (Mar 4, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> Sometimes I can't help but think that people who want streaming on their DAPs is just a very vocal minority. I wish there is some study out there which can put some numbers and percentage of owners actually using that feature on their DAPs, rather than people just asserting that it is a needed feature. Because let's face it anyone can put forward anecdotal evidence, for example I know NO one amongst my 50 or so audio enthusiasts friends who even have a streaming service subscription, but then again I don't go around proclaiming that streaming is a waste of time base just on my own experience.


Ermmm, I don't think I said it was needed feature..... Only for me it is...... That's a different thing entirely.....

In fact, to be honest, what I'm considering is a WM1Z for my vinyl collection to replace the NW-ZX2 I've had for years and an iBasso DX200 for streaming and reviewing.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 4, 2018)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/dougi555.438167/

Your on a non-streaming device thread talking about streaming. Wrong neighborhood? Just saying. Move along......


----------



## ledzep

dougi555 said:


> Really..... You're not looking very hard. They have by far the best selection of newly released esoteric electronica..... Between them and Bandcamp.  Anyway, for me it's like the modern day equivalent of going to the record store and asking to hear something.  Then, if I like it, I'll import it and listen whilst walking to work.  If, after a few weeks I still like it, I'll either jump into Discogs and by the vinyl, or if I can't, I'll buy the 24/192 digital version.
> 
> Streaming is so 2015.....  Hahaha....



My apologies I thought you were just buying Hi Res downloads from Qobuz not try before you buy, Electronica is always a low dynamic range anyway so that's not going to change between 16/44 to 24/192, streaming although popular with millions it's not for me. Bandcamp ? I'll have to Google that due to my age I thought that was something quoted in American Pie.


----------



## donunus

I'll use my phone if I need streaming. It also helps that we don't have Tidal here in the Philippines. Spotify and apple music for parties and discovering music is fine on a phone for throwing the sound to a bluetooth speaker or something like that. For dedicated music listening with your own personal files, I prefer having a more stripped down player with a clean interface like the sony. I need to buy one now. Looking at youtube vids and reading this thread is poisonous lol.


----------



## nanaholic

dougi555 said:


> Ermmm, I don't think I said it was needed feature..... Only for me it is...... That's a different thing entirely.....
> 
> In fact, to be honest, what I'm considering is a WM1Z for my vinyl collection to replace the NW-ZX2 I've had for years and an iBasso DX200 for streaming and reviewing.



I'm just saying that as a general comment, not really directed at your comment at all.

Because what is often seen on reviews/threads regarding the Walkmans is that they don't support streaming and then finding a whole slew of negative comments and "not buying cos it doesn't do streaming" or "What no streaming at this price?" etc that if someone only go from such impressions then they can easily be led to the conclusion that WiFi/streaming is a necessity - yet we've never seen any hard numbers to confirm whether that is necessarily true or not. My own theory is that because of the easy implementation of Android and cheap powerful SoC due to the explosion of smartphones that most companies took that short cut to make DAPs using those pieces, thus leading to having streaming as a side effect and thus the illusion that such feature was need to sell these devices, rather than because there is actually high demand for such feature in high end DAPs. But then again I'm only speculating, as nobody really has any numbers to say for certain, and we also don't see makers disclosing numbers either.


----------



## dougi555

nanaholic said:


> I'm just saying that as a general comment, not really directed at your comment at all.
> 
> Because what is often seen on reviews/threads regarding the Walkmans is that they don't support streaming and then finding a whole slew of negative comments and "not buying cos it doesn't do streaming" or "What no streaming at this price?" etc that if someone only go from such impressions then they can easily be led to the conclusion that WiFi/streaming is a necessity - yet we've never seen any hard numbers to confirm whether that is necessarily true or not. My own theory is that because of the easy implementation of Android and cheap powerful SoC due to the explosion of smartphones that most companies took that short cut to make DAPs using those pieces, thus leading to having streaming as a side effect and thus the illusion that such feature was need to sell these devices, rather than because there is actually high demand for such feature in high end DAPs. But then again I'm only speculating, as nobody really has any numbers to say for certain, and we also don't see makers disclosing numbers either.



Actually I like the fact it's so pure.  I'll learn to live with two devices (well two more I should more accurately say). WM1Z here I come.......


----------



## Cecala

Isn't the replacement player for this due very soon now based on Sony's two year cycle?


----------



## nc8000

Cecala said:


> Isn't the replacement player for this due very soon now based on Sony's two year cycle?



2019 is my guess for the 40th anniversay of the Walkman


----------



## Redcarmoose

Cecala said:


> Isn't the replacement player for this due very soon now based on Sony's two year cycle?








Why yes..................................yes it is.


----------



## dougi555

OH


Redcarmoose said:


> Why yes..................................yes it is.



Oh gawd....... Just as I'd decided to jump in to the 1Z pool.....


----------



## Cecala

Sorry.


----------



## Redcarmoose

“
Oh gawd....... Just as I'd decided to jump in to the 1Z pool....”


----------



## proedros

there is still more than plenty of time to enjoy our A/Z though until SONY releases (if they do - still no news about such a release) an anniversary WM in 2019

don't freak out guys


----------



## zardos

I‘m a streaming guy. It is too time-consuming for me to handle a big local music library whose content often changes. Streaming is so much easier. I use Spotify only. Can‘t detect any differences compared to 16/44.1. Therefore I really would appreciate USB-DAC functionality.


----------



## Cecala

proedros said:


> there is still more than plenty of time to enjoy our A/Z though until SONY releases (if they do - still no news about such a release) an anniversary WM in 2019
> 
> don't freak out guys


Yes this one will be made out of solid gold and weigh 35 kilos(77 Pounds).


----------



## Snowball0906

dougi555 said:


> OH
> 
> 
> Oh gawd....... Just as I'd decided to jump in to the 1Z pool.....



Go ahead and jumped.. just 2 days ago I’ve jumped into 1A pool and now I’m enjoying it. Wait until they release a new one and if you think that’s worth an upgrade, then go for it. Hehe.


----------



## nc8000

zardos said:


> I‘m a streaming guy. It is too time-consuming for me to handle a big local music library whose content often changes. Streaming is so much easier. I use Spotify only. Can‘t detect any differences compared to 16/44.1. Therefore I really would appreciate USB-DAC functionality.



In that scenario I would not hesitate to go with the ZX300


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> there is still more than plenty of time to enjoy our A/Z though until SONY releases (if they do - still no news about such a release) an anniversary WM in 2019
> 
> don't freak out guys



I don’t see myself going for any new dap until my 1Z dies, hopefully many years into the future. My main investment will be in a bigger microSD card as they grow in size


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 4, 2018)

Cecala said:


> Yes this one will be made out of solid gold and weigh 35 kilos(77 Pounds).


I can’t wait to exersise with it.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> I can’t wait to exersise with it.



Amazing how you could have used 2 headphones at the same time from the older walkmans ? Crazy....and nowadays, it is barely enough for 1 LOL!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Cecala said:


> Isn't the replacement player for this due very soon now based on Sony's two year cycle?


Maybe


----------



## Giraku

Whitigir said:


> Amazing how you could have used 2 headphones at the same time from the older walkmans ? Crazy....and nowadays, it is barely enough for 1 LOL!


Probably they used a y-splitter, which was once popular for Walkmans and iPods.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Amazing how you could have used 2 headphones at the same time from the older walkmans ? Crazy....and nowadays, it is barely enough for 1 LOL!



If that photograph was taken today......those would be kids skating and looking at cell phones.


----------



## gerelmx1986

zardos said:


> I‘m a streaming guy. It is too time-consuming for me to handle a big local music library whose content often changes. Streaming is so much easier. I use Spotify only. Can‘t detect any differences compared to 16/44.1. Therefore I really would appreciate USB-DAC functionality.


The content doesn't changes that often, if you mean adding new songs like i did after purchasing the recently released CPE bach the solo keyboard Music, vol. 35. I just grab the previous volume (34) and tag based on one file and voila! and yes i grab all volumes and just retag discTotal to 35 in bath mode

Yes handling a big local library can be daunting, but with MP3TAG automation it is easier, and is rewarding having my own files paying just once and use many times as i like, do what ever i want with the files. What if streaming an artist gets pissed-off because they didn't get paid royalties? and withdraws all his catalogue?... I prefer staying local


----------



## pithyginger63

should i save up to get one of these or should I just get a mojo? 

1. first things first, i primarily use sensitive iems, does the wm1a exhibit any hiss with them? 
2. second, what I'm currently looking for is a replacement for my old desktop dac/amp, can the wm1a be used as a dac for a computer? if so, does it exhibit any lag (i may game with it )
3. lastly, and most importantly, how does it compare to the mojo in terms of resolution?


----------



## nc8000

pithyginger63 said:


> should i save up to get one of these or should I just get a mojo?
> 
> 1. first things first, i primarily use sensitive iems, does the wm1a exhibit any hiss with them?
> 2. second, what I'm currently looking for is a replacement for my old desktop dac/amp, can the wm1a be used as a dac for a computer? if so, does it exhibit any lag (i may game with it )
> 3. lastly, and most importantly, how does it compare to the mojo in terms of resolution?



No hiss and no dac


----------



## donunus

Sorry if I missed it, what is the output impedance of the wm1a?


----------



## pithyginger63

nc8000 said:


> No hiss and no dac


hek (for the no dac part)


----------



## proedros

pithyginger63 said:


> should i save up to get one of these or should I just get a mojo?
> 
> 1. first things first, i primarily use sensitive iems, does the wm1a exhibit any hiss with them?
> 2. second, what I'm currently looking for is a replacement for my old desktop dac/amp, can the wm1a be used as a dac for a computer? if so, does it exhibit any lag (i may game with it )
> 3. lastly, and most importantly, how does it compare to the mojo in terms of resolution?




*zx300* (in 4.4 balanced) is what you want

sound like wm1a (so they say people who have heard both in balanced , which imo is the only way to listen to this dap otherwise get an ipod) and also has usb-dac function

enjoy your new purchase


----------



## nc8000

donunus said:


> Sorry if I missed it, what is the output impedance of the wm1a?



Unknown and Sony say that the way these dap’s are constructed it is irrellevant


----------



## gerelmx1986

pithyginger63 said:


> hek (for the no dac part)


Maybe he was referring to the USB-Dac functionality nd not that it does (not) have a proper DAC per se, as we all here know it does have a class D amp/DAC in the same chip die


----------



## denis1976

proedros said:


> *zx300* (in 4.4 balanced) is what you want
> 
> sound like wm1a (so they say people who have heard both in balanced , which imo is the only way to listen to this dap otherwise get an ipod) and also has usb-dac function
> 
> enjoy your new purchase


Hello, i have an ipod...even in SE the zx300 is the best , in Balanced is not comparable...


----------



## donunus

nc8000 said:


> Unknown and Sony say that the way these dap’s are constructed it is irrellevant


It would matter to people that want to tweak the sound of certain very low impedance iems like andromedas though to get an idea if the jack behaves like a 3 ohm jack or a .5 ohm jack for example since those iems drop down to 4 ohms in the bass region.


----------



## gerelmx1986

donunus said:


> It would matter to people that want to tweak the sound of certain very low impedance iems like andromedas though to get an idea if the jack behaves like a 3 ohm jack or a .5 ohm jack for example since those iems drop down to 4 ohms in the bass region.


I don't hear any hiss with my WM1A.. if i take as baseline the older walkmen models i had, these pre hi-res-audio era players hissed like angry snakes. The ipod i think it hissed a bit, my fiio x3 first gen was pitch dark background, virtually no hiss on NWZ-A17 and NW-ZX100, but WM1A has for me, pitch dark background


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> I don't hear any hiss with my WM1A.. if i take as baseline the older walkmen models i had, these pre hi-res-audio era players hissed like angry snakes. The ipod i think it hissed a bit, my fiio x3 first gen was pitch dark background, virtually no hiss on NWZ-A17 and NW-ZX100, but WM1A has for me, pitch dark background



No hiss or noise.  NONE!


----------



## Giraku

Whitigir said:


> And then turn around to end up with 1Z.  The same end result, with different routes LOL!


My route:
WM1A -> AK240 -> X7mk2 -> SP1000Cu -> WM1Z
Hope this is the end...


----------



## nc8000

donunus said:


> It would matter to people that want to tweak the sound of certain very low impedance iems like andromedas though to get an idea if the jack behaves like a 3 ohm jack or a .5 ohm jack for example since those iems drop down to 4 ohms in the bass region.



I only know that Sony states that this construction is unaffected by and dont change any regardless of the load


----------



## donunus

Thanks for the replies! I am getting one


----------



## sne4me

donunus said:


> Thanks for the replies! I am getting one


I’ve put 450 hours on mine, and I’m just seven months in. You’re going to love it!


----------



## zardos

Output impedance:

„WM1Z and the WM1A are 0.94 ohms and 0.92 ohms respectively“

https://pmrreviews.com/?p=1193


----------



## zardos (Mar 5, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> In that scenario I would not hesitate to go with the ZX300



But I already own 1 x 1A and 2 x 1Z


----------



## nc8000

zardos said:


> But I already own 1 x 1A and 2 x 1Z



You wanted spotify streaming and usb dac. As the 1A and 1Z dont do either that is why I suggest ZX300. Seems you have bought the wrong players


----------



## gerelmx1986

I listened to Vivaldi arie dÓpera as DSD on the SE jack of my WM1A, sounded quite good to be non-native DSD playback (connected to the car AUX IN). some one know to which KHz/bit depth does DSD gets downconverted in SE?


----------



## dougi555

zardos said:


> But I already own 1 x 1A and 2 x 1Z



..... TWO 1Zs.... For Spotify?  Really?


----------



## Luckyleo

Giraku said:


> My route:
> WM1A -> AK240 -> X7mk2 -> SP1000Cu -> WM1Z
> Hope this is the end...



What was it about the 1Z/SP1000 CU comparison that put you in the 1Z camp?  I’d like to know.

Thanks


----------



## Giraku

Luckyleo said:


> What was it about the 1Z/SP1000 CU comparison that put you in the 1Z camp?  I’d like to know.
> 
> Thanks


I guess it's already been said elsewhere, but SP1000 is technically superior to WM1Z in terms of resolution/separation/staging. SP1000 is analytic and sometimes sounds kind of cold even with the copper version, while WM1Z provides more organic and musical presentation that I like. I'm keeping both. I use SP1000 as a reference and some analytic listening. For the rest of the time and for my pure musical enjoyment, I use WM1Z.
BTW, I found U18 Tzar is excellent with WM1Z and Tia Fourte is sublime with SP1000Cu.


----------



## zardos

dougi555 said:


> ..... TWO 1Zs.... For Spotify?  Really?



Two 1Zs, yeah I love them. I have a big local music library that fits in two 1Zs, but I would like to get rid of it and be able to somehow use Spotify with my WM1 players.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 5, 2018)

zardos said:


> Two 1Zs, yeah I love them. I have a big local music library that fits in two 1Zs, but I would like to get rid of it and be able to somehow use Spotify with my WM1 players.



There is no way to get spoty on the WM1 series... unless sony decides to patch the FW and give us a USB-DAC update

How big is your music library? mne has grown to 960GB


----------



## bearwarrior

Question:

Has anyone tried to use Fiio X5iii to stream Tidal to WM1A? (Wifi--X5iii--USB--WM1A)
Will it be better than iPhone? (iPhone--BT--WM1A)

Or what is the best way to stream Tidal to WM1A?

Guidance will be much appreciated.

Thanks!


----------



## zardos

gerelmx1986 said:


> There is no way to get spoty on the WM1 series... unless sony decides to patch the FW and give us a USB-DAC update
> 
> How big is your music library? mne has grown to 960GB



I know that. I had asked nothing, just told that I love streaming and therefore wish that USB-DAC function will come with the FW update. No advice needed ... 

I‘m in the same ball park, about 1 TB.


----------



## nc8000

bearwarrior said:


> Question:
> 
> Has anyone tried to use Fiio X5iii to stream Tidal to WM1A? (Wifi--X5iii--USB--WM1A)
> Will it be better than iPhone? (iPhone--BT--WM1A)
> ...



The WM1 players can only play on board music files. No wifi, streaming og usb dac functionality. They support bluetooth for headphones, speakers and remote control


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have a Vivaldi album from naive records that I'd 16 bit 96KHz is a pretty odd album bit depth, yes sony recognized as HR


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 6, 2018)

how can it be that it takes so long to sony to realize we need those extra functions, ability to USB DAC posibility to change soundstage as seen on firmware updates.... why dont i have an option to opt from diferent sound signatures, firm 1.0 2.0 etc sony please wake up... also some spectrum analizer options regarding colour its that so hard? if sony realizes this no one could stop them what sony players lack its flexibility and soundstage narrwoing option... widening! maybe a heavy bass mode that boost 30 and below frecuencies like old pioneer stereos...yes i know it could lead to problems.. but i want to have full control of this amazing product... if they realize this i will keep buying to the end of times... get a 3D alter mode..  in my zx100 if i go to the options it has a headphone select options it completly alters sound... also clear audio totally inacurate... couse to deam bright and oversaturated but this modes im talking also we all miss DSP get studio hall and maybe a decent club mode.... and get them to the 1Z series too they deserve it for 3000 dont you guys think so? SONY WAKE UP... and a 19Khz boost will be nice but thats not sony haha they get as far as 16Khz


----------



## Hawaiibadboy




----------



## gerelmx1986

Midnstorms said:


> how can it be that it takes so long to sony to realize we need those extra functions, ability to USB DAC posibility to change soundstage as seen on firmware updates.... why dont i have an option to opt from diferent sound signatures, firm 1.0 2.0 etc sony please wake up... also some spectrum analizer options regarding colour its that so hard? if sony realizes this no one could stop them what sony players lack its flexibility and soundstage narrwoing option... widening! maybe a heavy bass mode that boost 30 and below frecuencies like old pioneer stereos...yes i know it could lead to problems.. but i want to have full control of this amazing product... if they realize this i will keep buying to the end of times... get a 3D alter mode..  in my zx100 if i go to the options it has a headphone select options it completly alters sound... also clear audio totally inacurate... couse to deam bright and oversaturated but this modes im talking also we all miss DSP get studio hall and maybe a decent club mode.... and get them to the 1Z series too they deserve it for 3000 dont you guys think so? SONY WAKE UP... and a 19Khz boost will be nice but thats not sony haha they get as far as 16Khz


They took so long to support FLAC and APE, and to add micro SD support, like 7 years for FLAC and micro SD support, and like 10 years for APE


----------



## Mindstorms

so, maybe in 40 years lol


----------



## Snowball0906

Hawaiibadboy said:


>



May I know what is the “line bar with H” on top for? How do u switch it on?


----------



## Quadfather

Snowball0906 said:


> May I know what is the “line bar with H” on top for? How do u switch it on?



It is high gain.  If you have uncapped version you can turn it on High Gain


----------



## Snowball0906

Quadfather said:


> It is high gain.  If you have uncapped version you can turn it on High Gain



May I know what is uncapped version?


----------



## Quadfather

Snowball0906 said:


> May I know what is uncapped version?



The EU players are capped.  Go to output settings, click high gain output and make sure to check the boxes.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Snowball0906 said:


> May I know what is the “line bar with H” on top for? How do u switch it on?


Its high-gain for more power, tap settings (tool box) >then tap settings (the first item on menu) >tap Output settings > tap high gain output > check either Jakcs to increase power


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> how can it be that it takes so long to sony to realize we need those extra functions, ability to USB DAC posibility to change soundstage as seen on firmware updates.... why dont i have an option to opt from diferent sound signatures, firm 1.0 2.0 etc sony please wake up... also some spectrum analizer options regarding colour its that so hard? if sony realizes this no one could stop them what sony players lack its flexibility and soundstage narrwoing option... widening! maybe a heavy bass mode that boost 30 and below frecuencies like old pioneer stereos...yes i know it could lead to problems.. but i want to have full control of this amazing product... if they realize this i will keep buying to the end of times... get a 3D alter mode..  in my zx100 if i go to the options it has a headphone select options it completly alters sound... also clear audio totally inacurate... couse to deam bright and oversaturated but this modes im talking also we all miss DSP get studio hall and maybe a decent club mode.... and get them to the 1Z series too they deserve it for 3000 dont you guys think so? SONY WAKE UP... and a 19Khz boost will be nice but thats not sony haha they get as far as 16Khz



We don’t need any of that. You might but I certainly don’t.


----------



## aisalen

nc8000 said:


> We don’t need any of that. You might but I certainly don’t.


Same with me, all that feature with 8 hours battery capacity. No way!


----------



## ledzep

Snowball0906 said:


> May I know what is the “line bar with H” on top for? How do u switch it on?



"Hell" mode setting , listen to Ozzy on this setting and that's where your going.


----------



## ledzep

nc8000 said:


> We don’t need any of that. You might but I certainly don’t.


Add me to that list as well

Music - DAC - Amp - Me =


----------



## Decreate

ledzep said:


> "Hell" mode setting , listen to Ozzy on this setting and that's where your going.


I have Hell mode on all the time, but then being a metal head I guess that's where I'm gonna end up anyway.


----------



## ledzep

Decreate said:


> I have Hell mode on all the time, but then being a metal head I guess that's where I'm gonna end up anyway.



Yeah for sure


----------



## Snowball0906

gerelmx1986 said:


> Its high-gain for more power, tap settings (tool box) >then tap settings (the first item on menu) >tap Output settings > tap high gain output > check either Jakcs to increase power



Thanks Pal!


----------



## Snowball0906

ledzep said:


> "Hell" mode setting , listen to Ozzy on this setting and that's where your going.



Is “hell” in positive meaning or negative meaning? Hahah


----------



## Giraku (Mar 7, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> We don’t need any of that. You might but I certainly don’t.


Well said. I second to that.


----------



## 480126 (Mar 7, 2018)

Hawaiibadboy said:


>


What is the Icon next the battery?


----------



## Giraku

Frida309 said:


> What is the Icon next the battery?


That's Near-field communication (NFC) icon.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

Frida309 said:


> What is the Icon next the battery?



That's OZZY

He is truly an icon!


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 7, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> We don’t need any of that. You might but I certainly don’t.


Yup, digital effects destroy SQ

Btw I am on hell mode right now with DSEE on


----------



## gerelmx1986

Love the Soundstage of the XBA-Z5 with the sony cable


----------



## gerelmx1986

High gain for bigger dynamic range albums (aka low volume)


----------



## bana

ledzep said:


> Add me to that list as well
> 
> Music - DAC - Amp - Me =



Add me to the list, I don't need anything more.

When I'm at home I have outboard DAC, tube pre/amp efficient speakers.

1Z servers all my needs.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have a Vivaldi album from naive records that I'd 16 bit 96KHz is a pretty odd album bit depth, yes sony recognized as HR


Never mind  read @nanaholic post on zx300 thread

Bit depth == 16 AND (Sample rate ==44.1khz OR sample rate == 48khz) not catalogue as HR on the DAP
Bit depth == 16 AND sample rate >= 88.2khz then is catalogued as HR

Bit depth >= 24 catalogued as HR

But then I read bit depth < 16 is not HR, then how is DSD catalogued as HR if it's bit depth = 1, perhaps a logic there based on extension. .dsf or .dff


----------



## fiascogarcia

gerelmx1986 said:


> Never mind  read @nanaholic post on zx300 thread
> 
> Bit depth == 16 AND (Sample rate ==44.1khz OR sample rate == 48khz) not catalogue as HR on the DAP
> Bit depth == 16 AND sample rate >= 88.2khz then is catalogued as HR
> ...


I don't even admit to understanding this stuff, but I pulled this off the Cambridge Audio website.

"DSD stands for Direct Stream Digital. It’s a high-resolution format that produces a high-resolution signal in a different way to that employed by the PCM system that can be transmitted as WAV, FLAC, ALAC or AIFF. If we were to look at a ’24 bit 96kHz’ file- a commonly used high resolution sample rate, this contains a stream of information 24 bits in size. This stream of information is then sampled 96,000 times a second- giving us the 96kHz part- to produce a signal that is then converted to an analogue signal by a DAC. The system has been used since the dawn of CD (which uses a 16/44.1kHz signal) and it also represents the basis of how our ATF upsampling process works.

DSD takes a different approach to the creation of a high resolution audio signal. Instead of using many bits of information in the signal, DSD uses a single bit. However, instead of sampling the information several thousand times a second, this single bit samples 2.8_ million_ times a second to generate the audio signal. The result is still a high-res signal it’s just generated in a completely different way. " -  Cambridge Audio -


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 7, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> We don’t need any of that. You might but I certainly don’t.


We may argue who is the average consumer you or me, and who isent, i dont care carring a 10000w external batery... hell even 20000 i have a backpack ... we may argue who's right... i need those functions and the 8h batery mode capped. Also dont mix things up... funtions can be disabled to save battery you are totally not getting my point...  and mixing things that are not within my observation. thank you also for pointing me that 8/30 hours is garbage  compared to my zx100 wich hase nearly 50 i dont care about battery life on this product (it is not superlight nor portable with confort anyway)... is  a top tier product fill it with functions that user may apreciate ( unles you guys work for sony lol) not useless stuff, i dont share your vision hope you figure by now also if you guys read my post im not asking anything that may destroy sound you can always go direct mode... but i miss club and hall efect for a change DSP certanly lowers audio Quality but im just plain hard old school on this.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Midnstorms  Depends on the DSP implementation, perhaps a little stereo image widening, to give the ffect of more soundstage would be nice, Bass bosst, i think we cna achieve that with the tone control  or EQ already.

Which VTP surround i like was club and perhaps the Matrix one, the others were not good-sounding.
ClearBass is implemented in the WM1x EQ as the 32Hz sub-band
ClearAudio, actually BS

I've heard cowon jet effects are quiet good, hmm perhaps sony can implemet his own version of these


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> We may argue who is the average consumer you or me, and who isent, i dont care carring a 10000w external batery... hell even 20000 i have a backpack ... we may argue who's right... i need those functions and the 8h batery mode capped. Also dont mix things up... funtions can be disabled to save battery you are totally not getting my point...  and mixing things that are not within my observation. thank you also for pointing me that 8/30 hours is garbage  compared to my zx100 wich hase nearly 50 i dont care about battery life on this product (it is not superlight nor portable with confort anyway)... is  a top tier product fill it with functions that user may apreciate ( unles you guys work for sony lol) not useless stuff, i dont share your vision hope you figure by now also if you guys read my post im not asking anything that may destroy sound you can always go direct mode... but i miss club and hall efect for a change DSP certanly lowers audio Quality but im just plain hard old school on this.



No you don’t get it. You write WE need it thereby saying that EVERBODY needs what you want and I don’t want to be included in what YOU want. As these players obviously don’t have the feature set you want I don’t understand what you are even doing in this thread.


----------



## Icekuma

Hi

What case is this? Looks good. Dignis is to expensive. Thanks 



Frida309 said:


> Without words!


----------



## kms108

nc8000 said:


> No you don’t get it. You write WE need it thereby saying that EVERBODY needs what you want and I don’t want to be included in what YOU want. As these players obviously don’t have the feature set you want I don’t understand what you are even doing in this thread.


All I want is a virgin player, just excellent SQ, no features and functions, nothing that will affect the SQ in anyway.


----------



## 480126

What case is this? Looks good. Dignis is to expensive. Thanks[/QUOTE]
It´s from Valentinum.
https://www.etsy.com/de/listing/539...wm1a-wm1z-ledertasche?ref=shop_home_active_43. It shows the black case. You can make a Special Order if you want another colour! The builing is great and shipping time very fast!


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 8, 2018)

Talking on DSP effects, i do like the new ones introduced in the WM1x series, such as the various flavors of DSEE HX, tho i can't really distinguish between them. And the DC pase linearizer.

I do wish they included a bit more of soundstage expansion, but thinking it twice, after experiencing with the VTP in older walkman, sometimes the reverb destroyed the sound quality in a bad way, making the recording sound artificial, metallic-sounding artifacts (FLAC files here) orlike if it was recorded in a  bathroom with ceramic tiles.

MegaBass bost it can be bad for sure, until the bass becomes boomy, i had a JVC Discman and had a bass boost feature, it overwhelmed the bass frequencies. the only one good bass bosst i've heard and i think is the only one in all my life, was the Oppo HA-2 bass+ switch (it was done in Hardware processing).

I had some creative labs portable speakers, long before bluetooth audio ever caught up, and they had a stereo widener effect, and it made the music sound really good, bigger soundstage or as if the speakers were placed really at a good distance to give a proper stereo image.
Those two devices, the creative labs speakers and the Oppo HA-2 were the only devices that featured really good DSPs that really didn't mess with the sound quality at all.

I think the key for a good DSP let it be bass bosst or stereo widening or what ever, it must be done in hardware or if done by software part, the software would need to be really food, really optimized for speed and faster processing and the maths involved..


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 8, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> No you don’t get it. You write WE need it thereby saying that EVERBODY needs what you want and I don’t want to be included in what YOU want. As these players obviously don’t have the feature set you want I don’t understand what you are even doing in this thread.


I own 3 sony walkmans just like you, plus if I say we.... that doesnt necesary includes you, also your questions and answers are kind of childish (best word that comes to my mind, some other come to it but maybe too much), as your overall reasoning so avoid any further contact or reply to me i will much apreciate that! Thank you
PD: I sayed WE and you sayed that we is  EVERYBODY so keep fighting your own ideas..


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Midnstorms  Depends on the DSP implementation, perhaps a little stereo image widening, to give the ffect of more soundstage would be nice, Bass bosst, i think we cna achieve that with the tone control  or EQ already.
> 
> Which VTP surround i like was club and perhaps the Matrix one, the others were not good-sounding.
> ClearBass is implemented in the WM1x EQ as the 32Hz sub-band
> ...


they should rebuild DSP from scratch, even cowon has awesome DSP and some batery life.. in some products..


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> I own 3 sony walkmans just like you, plus if I say we.... that doesnt necesary includes you, also your questions and answers are kind of childish (best word that comes to my mind, some other come to it but maybe too much), as your overall reasoning so avoid any further contact or reply to me i will much apreciate that! Thank you
> PD: I sayed WE and you sayed that we is  EVERYBODY so keep fighting your own ideas..



Ah so it’s the royal we


----------



## gerelmx1986

I used to like these DSP  but once I tried WM1A, I say no to overly processed audio signals


----------



## Lookout57

gerelmx1986 said:


> I used to like these DSP  but once I tried WM1A, I say no to overly processed audio signals


Amen brother


----------



## TSAVJason

gerelmx1986 said:


> I used to like these DSP  but once I tried WM1A, I say no to overly processed audio signals



No your talking sense!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

But yeah DSEE hx strings and DC phase linearizer type A low, nice effect


----------



## Quadfather

I come here to enjoy myself...what is all the snarkiness about? It's getting as bad in here as it is in the political arena.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yes better stop this nonsense and stick to the plate thread


----------



## Hellvis

I'm thinking about this model, but anyone compare it to some of the newer A&K models around the same price point?


----------



## ledzep

Been at work all day, what have I missed


----------



## Quadfather

ledzep said:


> Been at work all day, what have I missed



Just people arguing over features or what features should or shouldn't be...


----------



## Luckyleo

Hellvis said:


> I'm thinking about this model, but anyone compare it to some of the newer A&K models around the same price point?


Which model?  I have the A&K Kann.  I think $$ wise, it’s close to the 1A in price.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Battery life no DSP enables 24h for me,

Battery life with only DSEE enabled 18h

Test of DSEE plus phase linearizer coming soon

Btw I am using atm 16/44 FLAC


----------



## fiascogarcia

ledzep said:


> Been at work all day, what have I missed


----------



## Ryokan (Mar 8, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> We don’t need any of that. You might but I certainly don’t.



I gave up on Cowon players because of all the sound options, 'standard' didn't sound right and switching stuff on often resulted in fatiguing sound. I listen to my Sony only through Direct Source now.
If Cowon showed the settings of their presets that would greatly help when tweaking. Sometimes too much choice isn't so good.


----------



## Luckyleo

Hawaiibadboy said:


> I had both for 2 weeks and went with 1A
> 
> I don't like the gold but would have gone for it at 50% or free if I taught English and boxing to his son. 13 year old mommies boy. I passed.
> The free option was too obligation oriented in a Japanese tatemae society and woulda been tough to cut him as a student.
> The 50% off on store demo unit was more of Gold not being my thing, it is damn heavy and the sonics are not really niticable for me with Sony ex1000 IEM in balanced. If folks like it...cool. Not worth it for me but this hobby is all really a massive subjective social exercise


What?


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 8, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Ah so it’s the royal we


At least you understood the part where i sayed stop talking to me, thats nice to see!

I WANT DSP you can all whant whatever you like! DSP is not a Direct Mode enemy they can coexist so you guys know!!!

You can have pure audio and also a cathederal feeling or studio i think in Zx100 was really good studio mode, some theater maybe? this is classic vintage DSP come on even a 2000 AIWA Home radio had it its 2018 sony please REDO DSP in 24bit/192 lol i dont care if battery drains in ten minutes I honestly dont care....

I assume WE dont need DAC mode neither right?


----------



## Mindstorms

Ryokan said:


> I gave up on Cowon players because of all the sound options, 'standard' didn't sound right and switching stuff on often resulted in fatiguing sound. I listen to my Sony only through Direct Source now.
> If Cowon showed the settings of their presets that would greatly help when tweaking. Sometimes too much choice isn't so good.


I highly agree about fatigue on cowon, but what about DSP i know the tone its fatiguing but a really good reverb specialey on tech house music  its wellcome also some soundstage maybe Narrow medium and wide its that so hard being medium the 2.0 i want this you guys can disagree i respect that...


----------



## gerelmx1986

I haven't emptied my MicroSD since hmm october i got it ? haha copious amount of space loving it, 400GB


----------



## Ryokan (Mar 8, 2018)

Midnstorms said:


> I highly agree about fatigue on cowon, but what about DSP i know the tone its fatiguing but a really good reverb specialey on tech house music  its wellcome also some soundstage maybe Narrow medium and wide its that so hard being medium the 2.0 i want this you guys can disagree i respect that...



I experimented a good while before I decided to leave enhancements and equaliser well alone. My QP1R, Opus and now ZX300 all sound superb on default settings I don't feel like I'm missing out not having myriad options . Though I can understand others more knowledgeable liking the practically infinite options available on some players.
I don't listen to tech house (or anything else so adventurous) and have always wondered why Cowons had so many reverb options and such. I guess I've chosen players that reflect the music I listen to and understand from your post now why some like reverb, mach bass, narrow, wide stage etc.


----------



## gerelmx1986

What causes distortion in a recording, otherwise that seems good?

Is FLAC 16/44.1 from a CD "Villancicos de la colonia" with the Coro de la catedral metropolitana de la ciudad de méxico, the spectograph reaches the full 22KHz of a CD, however there are (many) parts when the full chorus sings the distortion comes a crackles, pops, i assumed the Microphone just go overwehlmed by the loudness (not enough room for DR), but switching to analogue level meter display on my WM1A it never reaches "0db"..

a would have been perfect recording ruined by distortion (kind if you speak on a laptop microphone that has no anti-wind cover


----------



## Cecala

Luckyleo said:


> What?


This is very funny....I think.


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> At least you understood the part where i sayed stop talking to me, thats nice to see!
> 
> I WANT DSP you can all whant whatever you like! DSP is not a Direct Mode enemy they can coexist so you guys know!!!
> 
> ...



Well I personally don’t need or want usb dac and if I did I would have bought a dap that had it instead of complaining about these ones not having it. It’s not that it should come as a surprise to anybody that these don’t have that feature.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have the Number of the beast of DSF files on my drives  (666)


----------



## PCheung

Owned ZX100 and those DSP setting come in handy on badly mastered / mixed songs (virtual surrounded, preset EQ, ect.)
Although I turn it off most of the time.

Welcomed if sony include those setting on WM1Z, least we can choose to turn it on or off, or just bypass all DSP using direct mode.

Since A35/45 still have those DSP setting and using the same S-master chip and walkman OS as WM1Z, I guess it can be done by some FW update. 

For the USB-DAC function, it is a bonus if Sony include it in the next FW update. 
Won't yell at Sony for something not listed on the spec sheet in the beginning


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

Quadfather said:


> Just people arguing over features or what features should or shouldn't be...



Yup, I'm outta here. 
Owners (me) 
and visitors
*Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 3, Guests: 7)*

Nobody wants to read this stuff.


----------



## Lookout57

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Yup, I'm outta here.
> Owners (me)
> and visitors
> *Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 3, Guests: 7)*
> ...


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 9, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Well I personally don’t need or want usb dac and if I did I would have bought a dap that had it instead of complaining about these ones not having it. It’s not that it should come as a surprise to anybody that these don’t have that feature.


Its an important feature I have DAPS also i still need it i think i well payed the price for it... dough product doesnt includes it remindst me of Daniel K and creative....


Ryokan said:


> I experimented a good while before I decided to leave enhancements and equaliser well alone. My QP1R, Opus and now ZX300 all sound superb on default settings I don't feel like I'm missing out not having myriad options . Though I can understand others more knowledgeable liking the practically infinite options available on some players.
> I don't listen to tech house (or anything else so adventurous) and have always wondered why Cowons had so many reverb options and such. I guess I've chosen players that reflect the music I listen to and understand from your post now why some like reverb, mach bass, narrow, wide stage etc.


Thank you for that answer... i feel the same way... i allways loved cowons DSP, but the sound its subpar to to his sony im refering cowon plenue m2 vs 1A i feel its not as refined dough definitly powerfull if any one concurs or not it will be nice...

sorry for being borring guys you can spice up the topic too


----------



## sne4me

Has anyone ever had the bug where they add artwork to dsf, and it shows up in MediaGo as an invisible image with the selected border highlit. Then when you hit apply it displays the image as a second artwork in the track, which can be removed, but the invisible “ghost” artwork can not be removed. I just can’t remove it. The file properties in windows won’t see the tags for dsf. I have no idea how to delete this ghost artwork. Happened on two different albums artworks today, first time I’ve ever seen it


----------



## Hawaiibadboy




----------



## kms108

sne4me said:


> Has anyone ever had the bug where they add artwork to dsf, and it shows up in MediaGo as an invisible image with the selected border highlit. Then when you hit apply it displays the image as a second artwork in the track, which can be removed, but the invisible “ghost” artwork can not be removed. I just can’t remove it. The file properties in windows won’t see the tags for dsf. I have no idea how to delete this ghost artwork. Happened on two different albums artworks today, first time I’ve ever seen it


Try using mp3tag, it might help.


----------



## ledzep

Hawaiibadboy said:


>



How do the cascades sound with the Sony ?


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

ledzep said:


> How do the cascades sound with the Sony ?




Sounds great. 

I did a vid for em and talked about Zep and Jimmy Page as they sound really good on the Cascade


----------



## Giraku

ledzep said:


> How do the cascades sound with the Sony ?


Audio nirvana to my ears. Just sublime.


----------



## gerelmx1986

sne4me said:


> Has anyone ever had the bug where they add artwork to dsf, and it shows up in MediaGo as an invisible image with the selected border highlit. Then when you hit apply it displays the image as a second artwork in the track, which can be removed, but the invisible “ghost” artwork can not be removed. I just can’t remove it. The file properties in windows won’t see the tags for dsf. I have no idea how to delete this ghost artwork. Happened on two different albums artworks today, first time I’ve ever seen it


Mp3tag  right click on the folder where your problematic files are, click Mp3tag. Once there, select all songs in the list, right-click on the artwork and select remove, then hit save. After th change is saved, in the same area again do right click, add album art select cover type as "front cover" hit save and done


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> Mp3tag  right click on the folder where your problematic files are, click Mp3tag. Once there, select all songs in the list, right-click on the artwork and select remove, then hit save. After th change is saved, in the same area again do right click, add album art select cover type as "front cover" hit save and done


I like to also add, sometimes a music file my have more than one few art work added, so after removing the art work, another one might show, just repeat untill you see no art work.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 10, 2018)

kms108 said:


> I like to also add, sometimes a music file my have more than one few art work added, so after removing the art work, another one might show, just repeat untill you see no art work.



Remove cover- removes the covert art, must hit save to save changes
Add cover add the cover from a picture file (for sony walkman makesure is BASELINE Jpeg) also hit save to embed it into each file.
Extract cover this is handy for extracting the cover from a download that does not include the "folder.jpg" and you cna save the embeded cover as a picture in your album folder.
Set cover type, to set what type of cover art it is f.e booklet, leaflet, artist picture, composer picture, album art jacket, here the important is Front cover

The other options i haven't used them up to now


----------



## 480126

gerelmx1986 said:


> Remove cover- removes the covert art, must hit save to save changes
> Add cover add the cover from a picture file (for sony walkman makesure is BASELINE Jpeg) also hit save to embed it into each file.
> Extract cover this is handy for extracting the cover from a download that does not include the "folder.jpg" and you cna save the embeded cover as a picture in your album folder.
> Set cover type, to set what type of cover art it is f.e booklet, leaflet, artist picture, composer picture, album art jacket, here the important is Front cover
> ...


I have the same Problem with my 1A. Art Cover are all jpg. Some Picture Shows at A1 and some not. On Fiio X7 ii there Shows me all cover art! It´s a shame for Sony! Maybe a next update will fixed it.!


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 10, 2018)

My first color-display walkman i got in 2007 , had this problem of some covers showing, some not, i discovered the pattern was baseline jpg SHOW, non-baseline e.g progressive ones NO-SHOW, at that times it was daunting to fix my covers for like 3000 mp3s.... glad i know by now (51, 809 Lossless files)

EDIT >>>>> i read in some sony website it can display cover art in PNG, haven't tried it as my std is jpg for max compatibility


----------



## Kira69

Frida309 said:


> I have the same Problem with my 1A. Art Cover are all jpg. Some Picture Shows at A1 and some not. On Fiio X7 ii there Shows me all cover art! It´s a shame for Sony! Maybe a next update will fixed it.!


It's your fault. Be sure your jpg are baseline. You can use imagemagick or jpegtran to check the encoding. jpegtran also can convert a progressive jpg to a baseline one losslessly. If you want the best quality also try to match any of this width sizes: 400, 600 or 800px.


----------



## 480126 (Mar 10, 2018)

Kira69 said:


> It's your fault. Be sure your jpg are baseline. You can use imagemagick or jpegtran to check the encoding. jpegtran also can convert a progressive jpg to a baseline one losslessly. If you want the best quality also try to match any of this width sizes: 400, 600 or 800px.


Maybe I make it not good!. I tried gimb and changed the Picture! If jpegtran is a Programm I will test it! Thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

This is how a cover art in 800x800 or 900x900 or greater looks like in full screen (Media Go)


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> Remove cover- removes the covert art, must hit save to save changes
> Add cover add the cover from a picture file (for sony walkman makesure is BASELINE Jpeg) also hit save to embed it into each file.
> Extract cover this is handy for extracting the cover from a download that does not include the "folder.jpg" and you cna save the embeded cover as a picture in your album folder.
> Set cover type, to set what type of cover art it is f.e booklet, leaflet, artist picture, composer picture, album art jacket, here the important is Front cover
> ...


I just use windows paint to convert to BASELINE, just open the art work using windows paint and save, it's converted.


----------



## gerelmx1986

DSEE + DC phase linearizer, already been playing for 10h 30m and the battery is on the last bar


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 10, 2018)

So for me

Source DIRECT > 26H avg
DSEE HX (strings) > 18-20h avg
DSEE HX (Strings) + DC Phase Lienearizer (Type A LOW) > 12h 30m - 13h 40m avg


----------



## Giraku

gerelmx1986 said:


> So for me
> 
> Source DIRECT > 26H avg
> DSEE HX (strings) > 18-20h avg
> DSEE HX (Strings) + DC Phase Lienearizer (Type A LOW) > 12h 30m - 13h 40m avg


Thank you for the report.
What kind of music files did you play? Sampling rate is known to have some significant impact on battery consumption.
DSD consumes lots more than FLAC as well.
In my case with source DIRECT, it never reach 20 hours. But half of the time I play DSD 64/128.


----------



## LukeW

Have Focal Utopias and JH Harvey Laylas.  Going back and forth between AKUltima SP 1000 and WM1z.  If I get the WM1Z, burn it in and still wish for more treble clarity and air (classical pianist and small jazz ensemble and vocal) and wish to try a wire mod, is there anyplace other than Singapore or HongKong to get that done?  I'm in USA.  Thanks for any guidance.


----------



## TSAVJason

LukeW said:


> Have Focal Utopias and JH Harvey Laylas.  Going back and forth between AKUltima SP 1000 and WM1z.  If I get the WM1Z, burn it in and still wish for more treble clarity and air (classical pianist and small jazz ensemble and vocal) and wish to try a wire mod, is there anyplace other than Singapore or HongKong to get that done?  I'm in USA.  Thanks for any guidance.



Yes there is a way to have it modded here in the US. Be advised it does void your factory warranty


----------



## gerelmx1986

Giraku said:


> Thank you for the report.
> What kind of music files did you play? Sampling rate is known to have some significant impact on battery consumption.
> DSD consumes lots more than FLAC as well.
> In my case with source DIRECT, it never reach 20 hours. But half of the time I play DSD 64/128.


on the Source direct i played mixed files from FLAC 16/44.1 TO 24/96 and DSD64.
for the others tests DSEE and DSEE plus DC phase used only 16/44 FLAC

on


----------



## hattrick15

TSAVJason said:


> Yes there is a way to have it modded here in the US. Be advised it does void your factory warranty



Do you have a link to a place in the US?


----------



## Giraku

gerelmx1986 said:


> on the Source direct i played mixed files from FLAC 16/44.1 TO 24/96 and DSD64.
> for the others tests DSEE and DSEE plus DC phase used only 16/44 FLAC
> 
> on


I see. I’m also playing a mix but most of them are 24/96 and DSDs. 
I hope that the battery in my unit is ok.


----------



## nc8000

I never reach 20 hours with flac 16/44, source direct, 4.4 and battery saver ticked, closer to 15 hours, but that’s enough for one weeks use. Also I never tun it off.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 10, 2018)

I run mine for 8 hours average each day so every third day i charge it and i charge it when it has the flashing battery icon, maybe mine has a super-power battery in it , who knows, maybe one day it goes Poom! arghh i hope it never happens, i have seen battery incident at the office for real, smoking nasty


----------



## kms108

You should only turn the player off if you don't intend to use it for a long time, turning the player on and off will actual drain alot of the battery power, and reduces the battery life span.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Now i never turn mine off unless i know i won't be using it for a long time


----------



## TSAVJason

hattrick15 said:


> Do you have a link to a place in the US?



I do but it’s at my office. Send me a pm on Monday and I’ll send it to you


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 10, 2018)

Media Go doesn't refresh Artwork after being changed, but i found a quick way. You need to go to %Appdata% folder in windows and go to sony subfolder and then Media go folder and delete the Artwork database file.

Open media go again and voila it will start reindexing the folder jpgs

There is no need to delete all the content from the media go folder in app data, just the artwork DB file, otherwise the program must be reinitalized, media re-added and is slower than just reindexing the artworks changes


----------



## ledzep

Any ideas for a pair of headphones to match with the player must be over ear, drives well no high gain 100 + setting and good isolation, cable inputs not a problem as I'll be modding them to 4.4 balanced whatever they are , let me know your thoughts.


----------



## Giraku

ledzep said:


> Any ideas for a pair of headphones to match with the player must be over ear, drives well no high gain 100 + setting and good isolation, cable inputs not a problem as I'll be modding them to 4.4 balanced whatever they are , let me know your thoughts.


I suggest Campfire Cascade.


----------



## meomap

ledzep said:


> Any ideas for a pair of headphones to match with the player must be over ear, drives well no high gain 100 + setting and good isolation, cable inputs not a problem as I'll be modding them to 4.4 balanced whatever they are , let me know your thoughts.



I have Aeon closed and Utopia. They are very good with 1Z.


----------



## Lookout57

Giraku said:


> I suggest Campfire Cascade.


I second that and would also suggest the SXC 8 balanced cable.


----------



## Giraku

Lookout57 said:


> I second that and would also suggest the SXC 8 balanced cable.


Yes, that's what I use. Great combo and matching.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy




----------



## Mindstorms

Giraku said:


> Audio nirvana to my ears. Just sublime.



try this for audio nirvana on your WM1A/1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have adumb question: A CD ripped with FLAC encode 1.2x is not as good sounding as a FLAC made with the v 1.3x (newer)? i think both are the same just curious


----------



## nc8000 (Mar 11, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have adumb question: A CD ripped with FLAC encode 1.2x is not as good sounding as a FLAC made with the v 1.3x (newer)? i think both are the same just curious



Since flac is lossless there should be no difference in sound but there might be difference in file size and some older gear might not be able to decode the newer version if flac is not backward compatible. The new version might also fix possible bugs.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 11, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Since flac is lossless there should be no difference in sound but there might be difference in file size and some older gear might not be able to decode the newer version if flac is not backward compatible. The new version might also fix possible bugs.


Thanks for the info , I just Had some Dietrich Buxtehude CDs from the Opera omnia ebcoded in FLAC 1.2 and found more of it and redownloaded some discs i had in V1.2 and replaced with the FLACs with the 1.3.

I've seen some of my presto classical purchases say FLAC lavf55.40.100 is that another encoder ? i bet is non-offcial, but still files sound superb

EDIT >> Qobuz downloads don't show this info


----------



## nc8000 (Mar 11, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks for the info , I just Had some Dietrich Buxtehude CDs from the Opera omnia ebcoded in FLAC 1.2 and found more of it and redownloaded some discs i had in V1.2 and replaced with the FLACs with the 1.3.
> 
> I've seen some of my presto classical purchases say FLAC lavf55.40.100 is that another encoder ? i bet is non-offcial, but still files sound superb
> 
> EDIT >> Qobuz downloads don't show this info



Flac also has up to 12 compression levels that define how small the file can become. Level 0 produces the largest files while level 11 produces the smallest files but the harder the compression the more cpu power is  required when decoding on the player. Also level 9-11 might not be supported by all decoders. There are at lest 3 implementations of the flac standard that I know of.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Flac also has up to 12 compression levels that define how small the file can become. Level 0 produces the largest files while level 11 produces the smallest files but the harder the compression the more cou power is  required when decoding on the player. Also level 9-11 might not be supported by all decoders. There are at lest 3 implementations of the flac standard that I know of.


 Good to know. I will keep the other music i have from D. Buxtehude aside from the Opera omnia 30 discs with Ton Koopman, he is a great organ and harpsichord player. additional to his Buxtehude opera omnia I have from the Danish/Dutch composer the organ works with Harald Vogel on MDG (still as of 2018 considered the best set) the Kammermusik on label Marco polo and Membra jesu nostri with channel classics records


----------



## ledzep

nc8000 said:


> Flac also has up to 12 compression levels that define how small the file can become. Level 0 produces the largest files while level 11 produces the smallest files but the harder the compression the more cpu power is  required when decoding on the player. Also level 9-11 might not be supported by all decoders. There are at lest 3 implementations of the flac standard that I know of.



Use setting 5 myself think it's regarded as default, never had any problems.


----------



## nc8000

ledzep said:


> Use setting 5 myself think it's regarded as default, never had any problems.



Yep that’s what I use as well


----------



## ledzep

Giraku said:


> I suggest Campfire Cascade.



These have caught my eye a few times, just need to find a UK/EU distributor, bought some vega's from the states and got stung with import duty and vat broke my heart.


----------



## ledzep

Giraku said:


> I suggest Campfire Cascade.



Does the 70's porn moustache have to be grown to join the owners club ?


----------



## nc8000

ledzep said:


> These have caught my eye a few times, just need to find a UK/EU distributor, bought some vega's from the states and got stung with import duty and vat broke my heart.



Well a UK distributor will also have to pay vat and duty so I doubt they would be any cheaper that way


----------



## ledzep

nc8000 said:


> Well a UK distributor will also have to pay vat and duty so I doubt they would be any cheaper that way



$799 will be £799 if they sell in the UK, but $799 plus shipping and import duty , royal mail collection fees converted to £'s will still be more than £799 I'm sure of it. Looks like I'll just have to suck it up.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Yep that’s what I use as well


 me three  FLAC level 5


----------



## Fixxer6671

Hey Everyone,

I've been reading a lot of the posts here and basically enjoying my player.  I read the mods by one poster, and was wondering if anyone has looked into swapping the memory in the unit for the 400 gb card?  It would be pretty awesome to have two 400 gb cards paired with the battery life of the unit!

Is there any way to do this or is it basically open heart surgery?


----------



## kubig123

Fixxer6671 said:


> Hey Everyone,
> 
> I've been reading a lot of the posts here and basically enjoying my player.  I read the mods by one poster, and was wondering if anyone has looked into swapping the memory in the unit for the 400 gb card?  It would be pretty awesome to have two 400 gb cards paired with the battery life of the unit!
> 
> Is there any way to do this or is it basically open heart surgery?


The internal memory is soldered to the motherboard.


----------



## sne4me

Any wm1a owners notice an electrical clicking sound from the actual wm1a (not in the headphones) when changing songs?

Often I hear two different clicks (sorta like tick-tock) and sometimes it’s four like (tick-tock-tick-tock)

I have balanced plug in use, nothing else plugged in, no dsp just source direct. Noise is quite loud actually.


----------



## Fixxer6671

sne4me said:


> Any wm1a owners notice an electrical clicking sound from the actual wm1a (not in the headphones) when changing songs?
> 
> Often I hear two different clicks (sorta like tick-tock) and sometimes it’s four like (tick-tock-tick-tock)
> 
> I have balanced plug in use, nothing else plugged in, no dsp just source direct. Noise is quite loud actually.



I have not heard or felt anything from the unit as I have had my IEMs in  

That said the sony HAP-Z1ES does indeed make clicking noises when going from Hi-RES to standard definition audio formats.  It's not bad but it is indeed there.  MY guess is the these units re calibrate to the format its playing to a lessor extent.


----------



## Fixxer6671

kubig123 said:


> The internal memory is soldered to the motherboard.



ugh... why?  That is a bummer.


----------



## Snowball0906

sne4me said:


> Any wm1a owners notice an electrical clicking sound from the actual wm1a (not in the headphones) when changing songs?
> 
> Often I hear two different clicks (sorta like tick-tock) and sometimes it’s four like (tick-tock-tick-tock)
> 
> I have balanced plug in use, nothing else plugged in, no dsp just source direct. Noise is quite loud actually.



Yes. It is the clicking sound of relay. U can refer to its help guide : http://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449016.html

The internal circuit of the Walkman uses a relay. When a pair of headphones is connected to the headphone jack (Balanced Standard), you may hear sound from the relay in the following cases.


When you change the output device.
When you change the content or the sound quality settings.
When you turn the power on or off.
While the screen is off.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 11, 2018)

sne4me said:


> Any wm1a owners notice an electrical clicking sound from the actual wm1a (not in the headphones) when changing songs?
> 
> Often I hear two different clicks (sorta like tick-tock) and sometimes it’s four like (tick-tock-tick-tock)
> 
> I have balanced plug in use, nothing else plugged in, no dsp just source direct. Noise is quite loud actually.


Magnetic relay engangin/disenganging
*When playing a file that has 48KHz multiple coming form a file that was a multiple from 44.1KHz and visceversa
*Plugging/unplugging HPs from/to the the balanced jack
*Playing DSD see above (first point)
*Enganging/Disenganging Source direct
*Unit entering into srand-by mode/waking-up, regardless of HPs plugged or not

I use last point as reference to know when to unplug safely my HPs/IEMs: when i hear the tick-tock


----------



## gerelmx1986

Fixxer6671 said:


> ugh... why?  That is a bummer.


 I have a library that is 965GB in size and with 128GB + 400GB i think i have more than enough for months worth of listening and this is with a mixed bag of 16/44.1 FLAC, HR FLAC and DSD


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> So for me
> 
> Source DIRECT > 26H avg
> DSEE HX (strings) > 18-20h avg
> DSEE HX (Strings) + DC Phase Lienearizer (Type A LOW) > 12h 30m - 13h 40m avg


 Didn't realize i was using BatteryCare ON, still at 90% charge, pretty impressive battery life


----------



## nc8000

Fixxer6671 said:


> ugh... why?  That is a bummer.



I don’t know of any player where the internal memory is not soldered to the motherboard.


----------



## nanaholic

nc8000 said:


> I don’t know of any player where the internal memory is not soldered to the motherboard.



Venturecraft Valoq.  The player reads and boots off a internal microsd card.


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> Venturecraft Valoq.  The player reads and boots off a internal microsd card.



Interesting, never heard about that one. According to the spec sheet though it has about 6GB of internal memory plus one microSD slot


----------



## nanaholic

nc8000 said:


> Interesting, never heard about that one. According to the spec sheet though it has about 6GB of internal memory plus one microSD slot



Yep, there's an internal card slot which is only accessible when you open up the player, and an external card slot.

You can even get the Valoq officially upgraded with more internal memory by taking the player back to distributors and they will swap the internal card for a bigger one for a fee. Can't do it yourself though because Venturecraft did some thing to those cards, probably writing the firmware and boot sector somewhere or something like that.


----------



## Giraku

gerelmx1986 said:


> Didn't realize i was using BatteryCare ON, still at 90% charge, pretty impressive battery life


That's indeed impressive. You got a lucky unit.


----------



## fiascogarcia

I prefer to listen to the 1z with Direct Source, but I also like the Dynamic Normalizer function.  Has anyone noticed a difference in sq between playing with Direct Source, vs turning off the other sound adjustment functions, flat lining the equalizer and just leaving the Dynamic Normalizer on?  I'm still playing with these two options.  Thanks for your opinions!


----------



## gerelmx1986

fiascogarcia said:


> I prefer to listen to the 1z with Direct Source, but I also like the Dynamic Normalizer function.  Has anyone noticed a difference in sq between playing with Direct Source, vs turning off the other sound adjustment functions, flat lining the equalizer and just leaving the Dynamic Normalizer on?  I'm still playing with these two options.  Thanks for your opinions!


I think source direct gives you the best sound, next best soun IMHO is DSEE HX + DC Phase lienarizer and next best SQ is just DSEE HX. The normalizer just  compresses dynamic range to make tracks sound louder, not my like.

DIRECT gives you more warmth, more organic sound, on the other hand DSEE HX + dc phase lienarizer gives you a more expanded sound, mor eveloping, more details, tracks sound with more details (at the expense of high battery consuption)


----------



## Giraku

fiascogarcia said:


> I prefer to listen to the 1z with Direct Source, but I also like the Dynamic Normalizer function.  Has anyone noticed a difference in sq between playing with Direct Source, vs turning off the other sound adjustment functions, flat lining the equalizer and just leaving the Dynamic Normalizer on?  I'm still playing with these two options.  Thanks for your opinions!


Any post-hoc processing affects sound quality. These features (e.g. normalizer, EQ, even DSEE HX) add additional components in signal processing. Usually SQ gets deteriorated to a certain degree, or at least it becomes something different from the original recording. Especially, the normalizer directly manipulate the dynamic range so that loud music gets compressed digitally. This is quite different from adjusting the amplitude gain in analogue domain. That's why I personally do not use any of these processing. Just my 2 cents.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 12, 2018)

Yikes! DSD downloads are expensive 22 euro per album on Channel classics, but well worth, all my three channel classics albums upgraded from CD FLAC to DSD64

I used to hate DSD, because i misinterpreted some people who said DSD was a lossy format/process... really the lossy part is only when you do DSD to PCM or visceversa, PCM to DSD. Now i love it, to have spent 64 euros for three "upgrades" hehe


----------



## gerelmx1986

@fiascogarcia  Sound effects such as the Dynamic normalizer, DC phase linearizer, DSEE HX and EQ, don't work with DSD in native mode


----------



## gerelmx1986

Next time i will try drag and drop to my WM1A and see how much albums i can fit, mediago strangely reports 970MB of "other files", therefore wasted space


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 13, 2018)

MusicBee download site is working again, I downloaded latest version of it.

Will give it a shot, i've had it before and was faster than Media Go at indexing.

Quite similar to Media Go, acceptes Folder monitoring (handy for changes), accepts ransfer to walkman, I last tried with ZX100 and its SD card. New version supposedly plays DSD up to DSD256. I onli have DSD64 up to now, there's no word on MQA support (i don't care as i don't have any MQA and don't plan to have a file on that format). Album interface is similar to iTunes 12



as i finish writing this post, it has already indexed 10k files out of 51911 tracks

EDIT >> it crashed when i was configuring it 

EDIT #2 >> It plays DSD, in my case it gets downsampled to PCM 88.2KHz


----------



## dougi555

ledzep said:


> Any ideas for a pair of headphones to match with the player must be over ear, drives well no high gain 100 + setting and good isolation, cable inputs not a problem as I'll be modding them to 4.4 balanced whatever they are , let me know your thoughts.



With my newly acquired WM1A I'm using Sony's own MDR-Z1R's, sublime......!


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 13, 2018)

Music Bee is a nice alternative to Media go and *cough* Music Center *cough*

Runs fast, plays DSD, depending on your setup can do it natively or downsampled to PCM, the important part is that i handles DSD (for me all are 2.8224Mhz, so sorry for that yo guys who have higher rate DSDs)
Later will test walkman transfer (my new DSD upgrades )


EDIT >> Walkman & Walkman Micro SD transfer success


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Tw Chia

Hi guys... had a listen to the zx300 last week, pretty much decided to get it. So I went down to the Sony store do demo again with my own iem(Westone W60), but find that I need to crank up the vol quite a bit.. switch over to the 1A and was immediately wowed by the power it had. Music came alive and the dynamics become so much better.. did some A/B comparison and the 1A does much better...
Did a search and found that the ZX300 has 50mw vs the 1A 60mw output for the se.. does 10mw makes such a diff?


----------



## denis1976 (Mar 13, 2018)

Maybe the 1A was in high gain, or the zx300 was capped...i have a zx300 and had a 1A and i can tell for sure 10 mw in se don't make a diference, the 1Z yes, has the same power of the 1A but has a much more powerfull sound, not a more "louder" sound but a more powerfull sound


----------



## Tw Chia

Thanx  would probably make another trip to test again...


----------



## audioaudioaudio

Couple of questions on the NW-WM1Z / 1A:

1) Has anyone tried a 512gb Integral card in either 1Z or 1A https://www.amazon.co.uk/Integral-microSDXC-Memory-Smartphones-Tablets/dp/B0798DW5NW/ref=sr_1_2 ? Any joy if so?

2) Can anyone recommend a good pairing of IEMs and On-Ear headphones with the 1A (and maybe the 1Z although I imagine they'd be the same. Different budgets will be possible, I have Ultrasone Pro 750, 1More Triple and some Soundmagic's E10 which always surprise me on quality considering the price. However, if I was to buy either of these Sonys I would love some new headphones to match the quality of those. Will probably keep the Ultrasone's as I don't really use over ear headphones so often.

Thanks


----------



## dougi555

audioaudioaudio said:


> Couple of questions on the NW-WM1Z / 1A:
> 
> 1) Has anyone tried a 512gb Integral card in either 1Z or 1A https://www.amazon.co.uk/Integral-microSDXC-Memory-Smartphones-Tablets/dp/B0798DW5NW/ref=sr_1_2 ? Any joy if so?
> 
> ...



I'm using the Sony Signature MDR-Z1R's with my WM1A....   Ive said it before, just sublime.....


----------



## piksnz

Hello folks. Recently purchased the wm1z and it's on its way . I have got the kse1500 and after some research it seems it doesn't pair well. Could you please recommend over the ear headphones both balanced and single ended and iem which will be good match with this player. I am guessing it is z1r but looking for your recommendations. Thanks


----------



## kubig123

audioaudioaudio said:


> Couple of questions on the NW-WM1Z / 1A:
> 
> 1) Has anyone tried a 512gb Integral card in either 1Z or 1A https://www.amazon.co.uk/Integral-microSDXC-Memory-Smartphones-Tablets/dp/B0798DW5NW/ref=sr_1_2 ? Any joy if so?
> 
> ...



I dont think the 512 microsd card is already available on the market.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 13, 2018)

Continuing on my review of music bee, you can configure how it will transfer to your devices, pretty neat. Is not just that simple convert to mp3 or aac or FLAC when needed. Well it also lets you transfer in the folder structure you want, for. Example if i want composer >album>track #- title, I can change so. Default is artist >album>disc-track#-title


----------



## captblaze

gerelmx1986 said:


> Continuing on my review of music bee, you can configure how it will transfer to your devices, pretty neat. Is not just that simple convert to mp3 or aac or FLAC when needed. Well it also lets you transfer in the folder structure you want, for. Example if i want composer >album>track #- title, I can change so. Default is artist >album>disc-track#-title



did they ever add DSD support? I used Musicbee in the past, but left it once I started ripping my SACD collection and my DSD catalog grew. out of all the music formats I play on the WM1a, DSD seems to provide the most consistent listening experience. Now that might be partially due to the SACDs I have (chosen for best mastered sound) or not, but at least that is my perception


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 13, 2018)

captblaze said:


> did they ever add DSD support? I used Musicbee in the past, but left it once I started ripping my SACD collection and my DSD catalog grew. out of all the music formats I play on the WM1a, DSD seems to provide the most consistent listening experience. Now that might be partially due to the SACDs I have (chosen for best mastered sound) or not, but at least that is my perception


I mentioned in an earlier post yesterday, Yup they seem to have added DSD support, i played my new three Channel classics DSF64 downloads and they played on musicBee, i don't have any DAC for my PC up to now so i played using the crappy integrated sound chip downsampled to PCM unknow bit depth 88.2KHz. MusicBee transferred those DSFs blazingly fast to my walkman memory, even faster than media GO.

I agree with you DSD seems to have the best listening experience on the WM1A (using native as well downsampled to PCM to play with filterings for fun), i had zero DSD albums until 2017 and now i have like 34 SACD rips and these three direct DSF downloads, too bad Linn records don't offer DSD, only PCM.

MusicBee may not be as fancy as Media Go or Music Center like showing that HR mark on each album that is Hi-res or having a Hi-res audio View, but you can tweak MB with lots of options to look for, f.e. I have The left pane set to COMPOSER to filter my albums by composer and center pane ALBUM view


----------



## meomap

piksnz said:


> Hello folks. Recently purchased the wm1z and it's on its way . I have got the kse1500 and after some research it seems it doesn't pair well. Could you please recommend over the ear headphones both balanced and single ended and iem which will be good match with this player. I am guessing it is z1r but looking for your recommendations. Thanks



Hi,
I am using both Noble K10C and Encore with 4.4mm cables = wonderful killer sound, definitely great pairing.
I also use AFC and Utopia = very good.
Hopes this help.


----------



## Giraku

audioaudioaudio said:


> Couple of questions on the NW-WM1Z / 1A:
> 
> 1) Has anyone tried a 512gb Integral card in either 1Z or 1A https://www.amazon.co.uk/Integral-microSDXC-Memory-Smartphones-Tablets/dp/B0798DW5NW/ref=sr_1_2 ? Any joy if so?
> 
> ...


1) 400GB is confirmed, while 512GB is not. I don't have any experience with 512GB card, but theoretically it should work (not official though).
2) For IEM, I suggest trying 64 Audio Tia series (U18t, U12t, or new N8t). If you are ok with over-ear, I highly recommend Campfire Cascade. I don't have any on-ear cans.


----------



## Giraku

piksnz said:


> Hello folks. Recently purchased the wm1z and it's on its way . I have got the kse1500 and after some research it seems it doesn't pair well. Could you please recommend over the ear headphones both balanced and single ended and iem which will be good match with this player. I am guessing it is z1r but looking for your recommendations. Thanks


I have 1Z and am thoroughly enjoying 64 Audio Tia Fourte and U18 Tzar. For over-ear cans, I highly recommend Campfire Cascade if you are not allergic to powerful bass.


----------



## Stephen George

audioaudioaudio said:


> Couple of questions on the NW-WM1Z / 1A:
> 
> 1) Has anyone tried a 512gb Integral card in either 1Z or 1A https://www.amazon.co.uk/Integral-microSDXC-Memory-Smartphones-Tablets/dp/B0798DW5NW/ref=sr_1_2 ? Any joy if so?



this was supposed to be available in feb and it's showing available in 1 to 2 months
best bet is to wait for sandisk's 512...in the meantime if you look around you can find the 400GB pretty cheap...i got one for $160 a month or so ago


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 13, 2018)

I've managed to create a "Hi-res Audio" Tab on MusicBee, however the filters don't seem to include a field for Bit-depth (not the same as Bitrate, which is included). so far i've only filtered by Sample rate > 48000, therefore, it is not perfect as it is skipping all 24-bit/44.1 and 24-bit/48

On the picture below, you can see the filter has included all 88.2 to 192 FLAC and DSD (five albums shown, some cropped  haha)


----------



## 480126

audioaudioaudio said:


> Couple of questions on the NW-WM1Z / 1A:
> 
> 1) Has anyone tried a 512gb Integral card in either 1Z or 1A https://www.amazon.co.uk/Integral-microSDXC-Memory-Smartphones-Tablets/dp/B0798DW5NW/ref=sr_1_2 ? Any joy if so?
> 
> ...


I drive my A1 with Focal Elear. I think it´s great. Will Change elear to clear soon!


----------



## nanaholic

Frida309 said:


> I drive my A1 with Focal Elear. I think it´s great. Will Change elear to clear soon!




 

Well I can say the Clear sounds great out of the 1Z - very punchy and dynamic pair of headphones.


----------



## surfratt

Got my balanced cables today Now the burn in starts over again. More pics coming


----------



## surfratt

Sorry for horrible pics


----------



## surfratt

and sorry for the size   Did on phone


----------



## gerelmx1986

surfratt said:


> and sorry for the size   Did on phone


No problem Bro! most of the times i get blurry pics from my sony xperia cellphone


----------



## surfratt

Excited to get balanced burned in, to hear the goodness!


----------



## surfratt

Wow, so far hearing a big difference with no burn in.  Separation, details...  Can hear the singers breath (inhale) before singing, fingers on strings...  So stoked I got my balanced cables!!  Can't wait until I have 200+ hours on balanced.  Making my iem's sing!


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 13, 2018)

Gosh Microsoft groove streaming is dead . I could say i give a  as i have my Local lossless library. But yeah an eerie reminder that your spotify collection can one day go pooff. Glad i still have local FLAC & DSD files and i don't care about investing in storage space, tiding my collection, better than seeing it going the dodo forever.

For me streaming never seemed quite right:
a) I feel spotify or any other music streamer: the music doesn't belong to me, therefore i can't take control over what happens to it.
b)The company or an artist decided to go away: like above no control on whats going on their minds, suddenly you lose everything.

with a local library i feel the music belongs to me, i can do what i want with the tunes, cellphone doesnt support DSD? no prob, i convert those to mp3 or AAC, sony dap does support DSD no prob, i just copy as is


----------



## surfratt

Thank you Jason & The Source AV for my WM1A


----------



## surfratt

This pic for Hawaiibadboy, WM1A > Kumitate Lab Erde cable  > Kumitate Lab Trio. So #%^* good.


----------



## TSAVJason

surfratt said:


> Thank you Jason & The Source AV for my WM1A



Thank you  happy to help!


----------



## audioaudioaudio

Thanks for all the headphone tips, will try to give them a go at some point soon.


----------



## sne4me

gerelmx1986 said:


> me three  FLAC level 5



Why not use flac level 8?


----------



## nc8000

sne4me said:


> Why not use flac level 8?



In principle no reason. It is within the core levels that should be supported most places. 5 is just normally the default so one has to do something to use level 8


----------



## Whitigir

Hawaiibadboy said:


>


Still not much of a fan of the WM1Z ?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 14, 2018)

sne4me said:


> Why not use flac level 8?


I tried as a test and to save just 2 to 4MB space hmmm, i'll stick with level 5, if it was like APE, savings of 10-15MB then i would reconsider it. But IMHO i think that would make FLAC CPU intensive and defeat it's original purpose FAST encode/Decode with very little CPU usage


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 14, 2018)

I wish there was a FLAC for packing DSD data to reduce the file sizes, I've read there's wavpack but as i hace understood, the process is not reversible as it is made into a permanent DoP file.

HELL DSD sound is growing more and more on me.. Let's hope next WM series iteration (the rumored sony walkman 40 years edition) included DSD remaster to all PCM


----------



## Liono

I currently have a Japanese NW-ZX1 i bought in 2014 and now have a code that allows me to get the NW-WM1a for £770. mmmm..


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Liono said:


> I currently have a Japanese NW-ZX1 i bought in 2014 and now have a code that allows me to get the NW-WM1a for £770. mmmm..


I had the Japan ZX1 until it died from one of it's most common issues it had with rebooting loop fault which then forced my hand to buy a new DAP and the WM1A happened to be on an Amazon offer at £750 a year ago now and have to say I have not regretted it at all... Nice as the ZX1 was with it's lovely design and sounded a lot better than my old X1060 the 1A is another quite big leap in both sound and ergonomics of use over the ZX1.  It is of course a bit bigger and heavier but what the 1A delivers far "out weighs"! the ZX1.  Plus throw in the ability to use this with the remote they do for it and SD card expansion, MILES better battery life to the ZX1 etc - the list goes on... @ £770 GET IT!  ; )

The ZX1 sounded wooly and soft, boxed in after hearing the 1A and that was before the 1A had the F/W update with the new sound change which I think in the end was better for clarity and resolution I know have a Walkman that will be hard to beat when they bring the next model equivelant out maybe next year when it's their anniversary year.  How they will improve the sound and ergomonics I don't know?  Yes, buy it now or regret it!


----------



## audioaudioaudio

Liono said:


> I currently have a Japanese NW-ZX1 i bought in 2014 and now have a code that allows me to get the NW-WM1a for £770. mmmm..



Want to share that code?


----------



## Liono

audioaudioaudio said:


> Want to share that code?



 it's not really a code, rather at a hifi show I filled in a slip and Sony gave me access to a discount site that only works for with my details.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have read on multiple occassions that supposedly FLAC is not lossless, well i did my own experiment: grabbed one of my DSD purchses (because i know these come from a faithful master from Channel classics), converted this DSD to wav, next, i extracted the CRC and MD5  hashes from the WAV, then converted the wav to FLAC, extrcated the MD5 and CRC from the FLAC (SAME NUMBERS), and finally deleted the wave and reconverted the FLAC to wav and again did the CRC and MD5 again Obtained SAME NUMBERS, so conclusion FLAC IS LOSSLESS PERIOD.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

surfratt said:


> Got my balanced cables today Now the burn in starts over again. More pics coming



Which IEMs and cable are these with your Walkman?  

The photos are fine, nice shooting tex!


----------



## Stephen George

gerelmx1986 said:


> ell i did my own experiment: grabbed one of my DSD purchses (because i know these come from a faithful master from Channel classics), converted this DSD to wav, next, i extracted the CRC and MD5  hashes from the WAV, then converted the wav to FLAC



I knew this, but to see those steps...CLASSIC!

have always wanted to "verify" as I just blindly "trust" its lossless


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 14, 2018)

Stephen George said:


> I knew this, but to see those steps...CLASSIC!
> 
> have always wanted to "verify" as I just blindly "trust" its lossless



1. I grabbed My most recent Channel classics DSD-album purchase, just a file "Violin Fantasia No. 2 in G" from Telemann's 12 Fantasias for Solo Violin DSF64 file



2. I converted this to WAVE 24/96 Default settings on dbPowerAMP


3. I calculated the CRC and MD5 hashes from the result WAV


4. I converted the WAV to FLAC (using default settings on DbPowerAMP)


5. I computed the CRC and MD5 hashes from the resulting FLAC


6. I unpacked the FLAC back to WAV


7. I Computed the CRC and MD5  hashes from the WAV result


as you can ee FLAC is really lossless, all three times got the same CRC  and MD5.

I did this as currently i have time... I was fired from my work after the sick leave period , still i gave them the correct forms and paperwork from the hospitals, but they didn't like it me going to so many follow-ups...


----------



## Sleepow

Hi,
Does anyone has a recommendation on  a cable 4.4mm to 3 pin xlr to use as a source for my preamp?
Also, what is the recommended setting regarding gain and volume?
Cheers


----------



## surfratt

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Which IEMs and cable are these with your Walkman?
> 
> The photos are fine, nice shooting tex!


iem: Kumitate Lab Trio
cable: Kumitate Lab Erde


----------



## Snowball0906

Very much enjoying WM1A...


----------



## blazinblazin (Mar 14, 2018)

Snowball0906 said:


> Very much enjoying WM1A...



Yup, Me too.
I am using with the blue tips they provided now, sound more balanced.

From the same company that makes the Pentaconn 4.4mm plug


----------



## Snowball0906

blazinblazin said:


> Yup, Me too.
> I am using with the blue tips they provided now, sound more balanced.
> 
> From the same company that makes the Pentaconn 4.4mm plug



I see that you bought the aluminium version.. hehe. How was it? Did u mod ur Wm1a to pentaconn input?


----------



## dougi555

110 hours into burn in..... Sounding sublime...


----------



## blazinblazin (Mar 15, 2018)

Snowball0906 said:


> I see that you bought the aluminium version.. hehe. How was it? Did u mod ur Wm1a to pentaconn input?


Nope, mine is same as yours, just that it's blue version instead of red.

My cable is from Effect Audio.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

surfratt said:


> iem: Kumitate Lab Trio
> cable: Kumitate Lab Erde


Thankyou kind sir, will look them up. 
They look intriguing...


----------



## audioaudioaudio

Giraku said:


> I suggest trying 64 Audio Tia series (U18t, U12t, or new N8t)



If only I had that sort of money to spend!


----------



## audioaudioaudio

Liono said:


> it's not really a code, rather at a hifi show I filled in a slip and Sony gave me access to a discount site that only works for with my details.


I thought so but worth a shot


----------



## ledzep

audioaudioaudio said:


> If only I had that sort of money to spend!



You can survive on one kidney... Just a thought


----------



## audioaudioaudio

ledzep said:


> You can survive on one kidney... Just a thought


Ha ha, true, but then I'd be running in mono.


----------



## prince4ever (Mar 15, 2018)

Hi all
I just wrote a massive amount of text about my thoughts on the WM1A with the Shure 535 bronze vs Westone W40. Then my browser crashed and I lost it all. Feeling a bit gutted as it was 90 mins of time wasted.
To re-cap but now briefly ... The 535's are clearer, brighter and have a jaw-dropping soundstage but they are painful (from the start) to wear. Even with using the Westone braided cable and Westone rubber tips my ears felt sore and tired after 30 mins. The bass, while present and controlled and strong, is never deep, never purring like a dirty, wild cat and never enough. The Westone W40s, on the other hand, have a distant sound like listening to speakers rather than being dropped into the middle of all the instruments making the music, they're devoid of any engaging soundstage, have insufficient register on mids, whilst the vocals / highs are never on the edge of your ear-drums but somehow they work. It's bizarre. I really enjoy listening to music with them. If only the soundstage was a little more engrossing and the mids and highs perked up a bit they would be awesome. The bass, whilst not at Funkadelic levels, is like a medium sized cat with a twinkle in it's eye...
Sooooo my questions are thus:
1) What would a balanced cable bring to the Westone W40 / WM1A - is worth getting a balanced cable? And if so which one? I've seen the Sony one, but it's currently about £170. And for a cable, "dat's a spicy meatball!". I know you can pay silly money anything but the degrees of improvement drop off after a certain price point!
2) Would I be better off just going for an improved version of the W40? E.G W60? I did read a few reviews of the W40 vs W60 which said the W40's were bright. And the W60's less so - in which case they might not be the IEM for me.
3) Is there a significant difference in characteristics with the balanced output vs 3.5 output on the WM1A?
4) Sony and cases. They are naughty. I had to get the nice leather case for the ZX2, so I ordered the one for the WM1A only to discover it's a flip not a fold case. Grrrrrrr. Had a look for the 3rd party cases but can't find anywhere that ships to the UK. Any suggestions?
5) I'm going for a demo of the ie800s soon, any thoughts on them with the WM1A?

Apologies for typos, it's late and I lost my mahoosive review...


----------



## ledzep

prince4ever said:


> Hi all
> I just wrote a massive amount of text about my thoughts on the WM1A with the Shure 535 bronze vs Westone W40. Then my browser crashed and I lost it all. Feeling a bit gutted as it was 90 mins of time wasted.
> To re-cap but now briefly ... The 535's are clearer, brighter and have a jaw-dropping soundstage but they are painful (from the start) to wear. Even with using the Westone braided cable and Westone rubber tips my ears felt sore and tired after 30 mins. The bass, while present and controlled and strong, is never deep, never purring like a dirty, wild cat and never enough. The Westone W40s, on the other hand, have a distant sound like listening to speakers rather than being dropped into the middle of all the instruments making the music, they're devoid of any engaging soundstage, have insufficient register on mids, whilst the vocals / highs are never on the edge of your ear-drums but somehow they work. It's bizarre. I really enjoy listening to music with them. If only the soundstage was a little more engrossing and the mids and highs perked up a bit they would be awesome. The bass, whilst not at Funkadelic levels, is like a medium sized cat with a twinkle in it's eye...
> Sooooo my questions are thus:
> ...



Well looks like your lucky day regarding the case ! I might just have what your looking for in black nubuck leather used on player for a few days , still in mint condition with bag and box. Let us know you want it before I put it on the for sale classifieds here, £30 Inc PayPal and shipping, pay today I'll ship tomorrow and it will be  on your player Sat !!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

prince4ever said:


> I lost my mahoosive review...


 next time try to write it in word and then paste all on head-fi and hit post reply. Same happened to me some times so when i will write long text such a a review i write it in word and then paste it all on HF, hit "post reply" and then edit to add images


----------



## blazinblazin

prince4ever said:


> Hi all
> I just wrote a massive amount of text about my thoughts on the WM1A with the Shure 535 bronze vs Westone W40. Then my browser crashed and I lost it all. Feeling a bit gutted as it was 90 mins of time wasted.
> To re-cap but now briefly ... The 535's are clearer, brighter and have a jaw-dropping soundstage but they are painful (from the start) to wear. Even with using the Westone braided cable and Westone rubber tips my ears felt sore and tired after 30 mins. The bass, while present and controlled and strong, is never deep, never purring like a dirty, wild cat and never enough. The Westone W40s, on the other hand, have a distant sound like listening to speakers rather than being dropped into the middle of all the instruments making the music, they're devoid of any engaging soundstage, have insufficient register on mids, whilst the vocals / highs are never on the edge of your ear-drums but somehow they work. It's bizarre. I really enjoy listening to music with them. If only the soundstage was a little more engrossing and the mids and highs perked up a bit they would be awesome. The bass, whilst not at Funkadelic levels, is like a medium sized cat with a twinkle in it's eye...
> Sooooo my questions are thus:
> ...


Maybe you want to give Acoustune HS1551 CU a try


----------



## Rin1990

So...I spent some time with the WM1Z demo on my local audio shop.

Here's my impression write up on it. It's not a review though, just an impression. So take it with a grain of salt. 

http://arthurchor.blogspot.my/2018/03/quick-impression-sony-nw-wm1z.html


----------



## ruthieandjohn

I just read the amazon product description of the Sony NW-WM1Z.  All I can say is...”Wow!  I HAVE to get one!!”

Here are the magic words that persuaded me:

*Product description*
Product Description ★ Bring up feelings that are put in the "sound". Oxygen-free copper cutting housing model to reproduce until the acoustic area in the natural ★ Walkman is bringing together the full digital amplifier technology that has been developed over many years. WM1 series was thoroughly pursue the true high-quality sound ● From the majestic sound of the orchestra until the amount of heat outpouring of live, the music there is a space that you want to share with feelings that I want to tell artists respectively. The moment the performance begins, up to the perfect silence last note from the sign of out sing Kieiri music. The air, the expressive power of the higher the temperature and humidity is felt, even very small sound when off of sound was the pursuit of sound quality that can be reproduced. Then, to enhance the sense of scale and dynamism of the time of a large volume with to pursue the reproducibility of micro-sound, further accentuated the contrast of sound, you should be able to feel the dynamism of music. WM1 series, the best music experience can be considered now by the headphone, and we aim to deliver the very best impression of the music. ◆ Oxygen-free copper cutting housing model to reproduce until the acoustic area in the natural ◆ Full digital amplifier, which evolved significantly "S-Master HX" ◆ Corresponding to the balance connection. Adopt a high connection stability Φ4.4mm


----------



## cj3209

ruthieandjohn said:


> Here are the magic words that persuaded me:
> 
> *Product description*
> Product Description ★ Bring up feelings that are put in the "sound". Oxygen-free copper cutting housing model to reproduce until the acoustic area in the natural ★ Walkman is bringing together the full digital amplifier technology that has been developed over many years. WM1 series was thoroughly pursue the true high-quality sound ● From the majestic sound of the orchestra until the amount of heat outpouring of live, the music there is a space that you want to share with feelings that I want to tell artists respectively. The moment the performance begins, up to the perfect silence last note from the sign of out sing Kieiri music. The air, the expressive power of the higher the temperature and humidity is felt, even very small sound when off of sound was the pursuit of sound quality that can be reproduced. Then, to enhance the sense of scale and dynamism of the time of a large volume with to pursue the reproducibility of micro-sound, further accentuated the contrast of sound, you should be able to feel the dynamism of music. WM1 series, the best music experience can be considered now by the headphone, and we aim to deliver the very best impression of the music. ◆ Oxygen-free copper cutting housing model to reproduce until the acoustic area in the natural ◆ Full digital amplifier, which evolved significantly "S-Master HX" ◆ Corresponding to the balance connection. Adopt a high connection stability Φ4.4mm



Dude, I suggest you try to listen to this before purchasing instead of buying from Sony marketing.  You may find that the WM1a is a better purchase given that it's around half the price of the 1z - law of diminishing returns...


----------



## Rin1990

cj3209 said:


> Dude, I suggest you try to listen to this before purchasing instead of buying from Sony marketing.  You may find that the WM1a is a better purchase given that it's around half the price of the 1z - law of diminishing returns...



Pretty much this.

_*Diminishing Returns*_ - The two words that many probably can't understand until they felt the inevitable weight of it eventually when it catches up to their wallets.


----------



## ruthieandjohn (Mar 16, 2018)

cj3209 said:


> Dude, I suggest you try to listen to this before purchasing instead of buying from Sony marketing.  You may find that the WM1a is a better purchase given that it's around half the price of the 1z - law of diminishing returns...


Here is a most interesting comparison of the 1z and the 1a, as well as several others, including the Lotoo PAW Gold and the ZX1, both of which I have.  This is a chart from here on head-fi, in a thread “Portable DAP Comparison Chart,” by reviewer @Virtu Fortuna , posted here:  https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dap-score-chart.874423/  .


----------



## Giraku

ruthieandjohn said:


> Here is a most interesting comparison of the 1z and the 1a, as well as several others, including the Lotoo PAW Gold and the ZX1, both of which I have.  This is a chart from here on head-fi, in a thread “Portable DAP Comparison Chart,” by reviewer @Virtu Fortuna , posted here:  https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dap-score-chart.874423/  .


Excellent comparison chart!! Now I'm interested in Lotoo Gold...


----------



## kubig123

Giraku said:


> Excellent comparison chart!! Now I'm interested in Lotoo Gold...



You should wait for the new Paw Gold, bugge screen, 4.4mm balance connector.
It’s looking very interesting.


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> You should wait for the new Paw Gold, bugge screen, 4.4mm balance connector.
> It’s looking very interesting.


Where are the news about it ?


----------



## blazinblazin

Oh thats the new Paw Gold. I saw teaser of new DAP from Lotoo


----------



## rtjoa

Whitigir said:


> Where are the news about it ?


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/introducing-lotoo-paw-gold.744346/page-272#post-14053910


----------



## fiascogarcia

Rin1990 said:


> So...I spent some time with the WM1Z demo on my local audio shop.
> 
> Here's my impression write up on it. It's not a review though, just an impression. So take it with a grain of salt.
> 
> http://arthurchor.blogspot.my/2018/03/quick-impression-sony-nw-wm1z.html


Nice write up!  I'm in agreement; SE output is not so great, 4.4mm is sublime!


----------



## Rin1990

fiascogarcia said:


> Nice write up!  I'm in agreement; SE output is not so great, 4.4mm is sublime!



Most appreciated and glad you liked it. But yeah, 3.5mm is meh, but 4.4mm is beautiful sounding.


----------



## Whitigir

Interesting, not sure how their DPS will be with android OS.  The Walkman OS from Sony is excellent.  I have not yet come to any DAP like the Walkman on the battery longevity.  I can literally leave it on the shelves for 2 weeks without touching it, and come back to hear it playing music with 30% battery again.  That is crazy.  The other DAP would last up to 5 days max


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> Interesting, not sure how their DPS will be with android OS.  The Walkman OS from Sony is excellent.  I have not yet come to any DAP like the Walkman on the battery longevity.  I can literally leave it on the shelves for 2 weeks without touching it, and come back to hear it playing music with 30% battery again.  That is crazy.  The other DAP would last up to 5 days max



Yes, battery longevity will never be the selling point for any android OS player, unfortunately there are not many companies that can invest money like Sony to develop an OS.


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> Yes, battery longevity will never be the selling point for any android OS player, unfortunately there are not many companies that can invest money like Sony to develop an OS.



And that is exactly why I justify spending 3k on a 1Z as a good investment.  Luckily, Sony also release 1A which is the same as 1Z with slight different components and fancy exotic materials chassis.  Sony just keeps on winning


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Interesting, not sure how their DPS will be with android OS.  The Walkman OS from Sony is excellent.  I have not yet come to any DAP like the Walkman on the battery longevity.  I can literally leave it on the shelves for 2 weeks without touching it, and come back to hear it playing music with 30% battery again.  That is crazy.  The other DAP would last up to 5 days max


Agree, ability to play for three days of 8 - 9 hours each with a mix of 16/44.1 , 24-bit, and DSD is just amazing


----------



## blazinblazin

Even for their gaming devices PSVita. I left it for 1 month and there's still battery left for me to play. SONY's battery technology is crazy.


----------



## audioaudioaudio

Whitigir said:


> Luckily, Sony also release 1A which is the same as 1Z with slight different components and fancy exotic materials chassis. Sony just keeps on winning


Out of interest, is it the same OS on the ZX300? I thought that was the case but good to have it confirmed!


----------



## Lookout57

ZX-300 uses the same OS. However there are a few minor differences in the UI and features. For example on the ZX-300 you cannot create a playlist on the player, only modify. So you need to create the playlist file on your computer, copy it to the ZX and then you can add songs to it. Also if you create a complete playlist on the computer the file paths are different between the 1A/Z and the ZX-300.


----------



## audioaudioaudio

Ah that's interesting, I didn't know that, I've been playing the pros and cons of the 1A and the ZX300 for a couple of weeks now, shame about the playlists on the computer thing, that seems a harsh restriction on Sony's part.


----------



## Giraku

kubig123 said:


> You should wait for the new Paw Gold, bugge screen, 4.4mm balance connector.
> It’s looking very interesting.


Wow... When is it going to be released? Thank you!!


----------



## kubig123

Giraku said:


> Wow... When is it going to be released? Thank you!!



Unfortunately there are not too many news about it, Mim will try to give us some updates in the Paw Gold thread.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I personally prefer sony. The UI and battery life are stellar, chinese players often have pretty terrible UX & battery life


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 16, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I personally prefer sony. The UI and battery life are stellar, chinese players often have pretty terrible UX & battery life


I still have my DX200, and when left alone for 2-3 days, there won’t be any juice left to do anything.  It is like constantly charging, hell even my phone will last longer without using and not charging

Hell, it sound good, different taste and sound signature.  But after a while spending with it, I would say the 1Z is a long term winner.  The organic and musical timbres signatures are easier to carry on than the more exciting but a bit more boring in comparison.  

The majority of the many reasons that determine it is the battery longevity


----------



## Snowball0906

blazinblazin said:


> Nope, mine is same as yours, just that it's blue version instead of red.
> 
> My cable is from Effect Audio.



How's effect audio cable? i got mine from acoustune.. tried null audio and its not my thing..


----------



## ledzep

How well do the Sony MDR Z7's drive with the WM1A or Z in single and balanced and what volume number on each and opinions on the pairing in general, someone has asked me but that was many headphone bought and sold ago !


----------



## kubig123

Snowball0906 said:


> How's effect audio cable? i got mine from acoustune.. tried null audio and its not my thing..



I really like them, excellent quality, great customer service.
They usually ship their cable in less than a week (excluding the top off the line, for these it takes longer)
Regarding the sound I really like the Eros and the Ares, the Ares is definitely warm, while the eros has a better treble extension.
I tried at CanJam NYC the Janus (not for sale yet) and it's really impressive the lever of details and sound stage, if you have a chance you should try them


----------



## Giraku

kubig123 said:


> I really like them, excellent quality, great customer service.
> They usually ship their cable in less than a week (excluding the top off the line, for these it takes longer)
> Regarding the sound I really like the Eros and the Ares, the Ares is definitely warm, while the eros has a better treble extension.
> I tried at CanJam NYC the Janus (not for sale yet) and it's really impressive the lever of details and sound stage, if you have a chance you should try them


Second to that. My vote also goes to Effect Audio. I have Eros II+ and Horus and now thinking about Janus.


----------



## rtjoa

kubig123 said:


> I really like them, excellent quality, great customer service.
> They usually ship their cable in less than a week (excluding the top off the line, for these it takes longer)
> Regarding the sound I really like the Eros and the Ares, the Ares is definitely warm, while the eros has a better treble extension.
> I tried at CanJam NYC the Janus (not for sale yet) and it's really impressive the lever of details and sound stage, if you have a chance you should try them


Which Janus do you prefer (Dynamic or Basso)?  How does it compare with PWAudio 1960 2 wire? Thanks


----------



## Whitigir

Giraku said:


> Second to that. My vote also goes to Effect Audio. I have Eros II+ and Horus and now thinking about Janus.



I consider myself to be a Cables fanatic as I absolutely adore, experienced, making different cables, and can tell the differences.  But to go to the extends that you are doing is “admirable” by me and my point of view.  You get a rep up from me, simply for that


----------



## kubig123

I think was the basso, but I have to ask Eric, just to be 100% sure, it was the warmer one.

it has been a while since I used the 1960, and never win the Encore, as far as I remember the 1960 is more neutral, with a nice extension to the treble, not as warm as any other copper cable, I mostly used it with the SE5U.
The janus is definitely warmer with much bigger/wider sound stage and has a great resolution.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 16, 2018)

ledzep said:


> How well do the Sony MDR Z7's drive with the WM1A or Z in single and balanced and what volume number on each and opinions on the pairing in general, someone has asked me but that was many headphone bought and sold ago !


Yje y are driven well on both SE and Balance, but prefer balanced as the details retrieval and bass punch is better, i use volume 60-75/120 depending on recording on Low Gain, i can go lower in volumes 50-65/120 on High gain

For SE output, i don't remember very well as i don't use it anymore other than aux input for car, if i do remember the volume steps was on the likes of 75-90 on L-gain for SE

* take note that i am using the MDR-Z1R 4.4MM stock cable on my Z7s


----------



## ledzep

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yje y are driven well on both SE and Balance, but prefer balanced as the details retrieval and bass punch is better, i use volume 60-75/120 depending on recording on Low Gain, i can go lower in volumes 50-65/120 on High gain
> 
> For SE output, i don't remember very well as i don't use it anymore other than aux input for car, if i do remember the volume steps was on the likes of 75-90 on L-gain for SE
> 
> * take note that i am using the MDR-Z1R 4.4MM stock cable on my Z7s



Thanks


----------



## surfratt

Stupid question, but how do I get the VU meter to show on my 1A?  Do I have to have EQ on, or do something special?  Also from which screen (and which direction do I swipe) do I access it from.  Loving my 1A.  Only about 70 hours burn in on balanced so far.


----------



## gerelmx1986

surfratt said:


> Stupid question, but how do I get the VU meter to show on my 1A?  Do I have to have EQ on, or do something special?  Also from which screen (and which direction do I swipe) do I access it from.  Loving my 1A.  Only about 70 hours burn in on balanced so far.


Tap the toolbox icon > Change playback screen > Analogue level meter


----------



## surfratt

gerelmx1986 said:


> Tap the toolbox icon > Change playback screen > Analogue level meter


Thanks   Knew I was doing something stupid.


----------



## ledzep

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yje y are driven well on both SE and Balance, but prefer balanced as the details retrieval and bass punch is better, i use volume 60-75/120 depending on recording on Low Gain, i can go lower in volumes 50-65/120 on High gain
> 
> For SE output, i don't remember very well as i don't use it anymore other than aux input for car, if i do remember the volume steps was on the likes of 75-90 on L-gain for SE
> 
> * take note that i am using the MDR-Z1R 4.4MM stock cable on my Z7s


 How did you find the Z1R cable over the 7's stock and have you or considered the
mod Peterek did ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> How did you find the Z1R cable over the 7's stock and have you or considered the
> mod Peterek did ?


 I found the cable of the Z1R to have more detail retrieval, more finesse, sounds more open, soundstage expands better and more natural. The stock dual 3,5mm sounded lackluster, muddy, not much detail got thru this cable


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I found the cable of the Z1R to have more detail retrieval, more finesse, sounds more open, soundstage expands better and more natural. The stock dual 3,5mm sounded lackluster, muddy, not much detail got thru this cable



Isn’t the Z1R stock cables priced like $550 if bought as parts ?


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Isn’t the Z1R stock cables priced like $550 if bought as parts ?



No that is about halfway between Sony/Kimber and Axios. I would expect the stock cable to be around $100-150


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Isn’t the Z1R stock cables priced like $550 if bought as parts ?


 really don't know as i got it  literally Gratis from a fellow head-fier


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Whitigir I found this

https://www.audiosanctuary.co.uk/sony-mdr-z1r-replacement-4.4mm-balanced-headphone-cable.html

according to google's currency converterd this equals to 488 USD


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Whitigir I found this
> 
> https://www.audiosanctuary.co.uk/sony-mdr-z1r-replacement-4.4mm-balanced-headphone-cable.html
> 
> according to google's currency converterd this equals to 488 USD



that's not cheap at all!

You can have one from Plussound at a better price and quality.


----------



## gerelmx1986

kubig123 said:


> that's not cheap at all!
> 
> You can have one from Plussound at a better price and quality.


At least i got mine 100% OFF , yep you read it right, I paid nothing for it


----------



## Snowball0906

kubig123 said:


> I really like them, excellent quality, great customer service.
> They usually ship their cable in less than a week (excluding the top off the line, for these it takes longer)
> Regarding the sound I really like the Eros and the Ares, the Ares is definitely warm, while the eros has a better treble extension.
> I tried at CanJam NYC the Janus (not for sale yet) and it's really impressive the lever of details and sound stage, if you have a chance you should try them



I’ll wait for Janus and give it a try!


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> At least i got mine 100% OFF , yep you read it right, I paid nothing for it


Well, that’s a good deal!


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> Well, that’s a good deal!



That is not even a deal...it is a *steal!*


----------



## TSAVJason

gerelmx1986 said:


> At least i got mine 100% OFF , yep you read it right, I paid nothing for it



That is what we call in Redondo Beach California “A Raging Deal!”


----------



## blazinblazin

Snowball0906 said:


> How's effect audio cable? i got mine from acoustune.. tried null audio and its not my thing..


If you have the chance try them.

I am using Leonidas, it's more expensive than HS1551CU... it's great, i was using Andromeda previously till it when back for repairs. It pairs well with any IEM. It has a non fatique smooth and organic sound signature.

I got it due to the lows and highs extension.


----------



## noobandroid

Snowball0906 said:


> How's effect audio cable? i got mine from acoustune.. tried null audio and its not my thing..


i have the ares 2+ for my sage, does improve in some part and is tangle free, microphonics free


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Whitigir I found this
> 
> https://www.audiosanctuary.co.uk/sony-mdr-z1r-replacement-4.4mm-balanced-headphone-cable.html
> 
> according to google's currency converterd this equals to 488 USD



That’s crazy, that’s near double the prize of a Sony Kimber cable


----------



## ledzep (Mar 17, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> Isn’t the Z1R stock cables priced like $550 if bought as parts ?


Welcome to The UK
Blatant theft, but that's what it's like in the UK for nearly everything, could make one in pure silver with quality terminations for a third of the price.


----------



## Snowball0906

noobandroid said:


> i have the ares 2+ for my sage, does improve in some part and is tangle free, microphonics free



Thanks!


----------



## Snowball0906

blazinblazin said:


> If you have the chance try them.
> 
> I am using Leonidas, it's more expensive than HS1551CU... it's great, i was using Andromeda previously till it when back for repairs. It pairs well with any IEM. It has a non fatique smooth and organic sound signature.
> 
> I got it due to the lows and highs extension.



Thanks!


----------



## Snowball0906

Any thoughts on Xelento? Does it still worth an invest?


----------



## noobandroid

Snowball0906 said:


> Any thoughts on Xelento? Does it still worth an invest?


tried xelento remote at last year canjam, cant recall sound sig but for design, it's really light and ergonomic, cable is ok-ish


----------



## ledzep

ledzep said:


> Welcome to The UK
> Blatant theft, but that's what it's like in the UK for nearly everything, could make one in pure silver with quality terminations for a third of the price.



And in saying that I think I will, question is should i use Furutech or Pentaconn for the 4.4mm and Furutech or  Oyaide for the headphone input connectors with solid silver cables ? 
Opinions greatly appreciated


----------



## sheridant

HELP needed. I want to get a balanced 4.4 cable for my campfire Vega headphones, but is still want to use them with other devices that use a standard 3.5 se, but I don't want to keep switching cables as the mmcx connectors from cable to headphone never feel that robust.

Is there an adaptor to plug the 4.4mm into to so it can also be plugged into a standard 3.5mm socket on a headphone amp? I can't find one anywhere

really appreciate any advice


----------



## PCheung (Mar 17, 2018)

sheridant said:


> HELP needed. I want to get a balanced 4.4 cable for my campfire Vega headphones, but is still want to use them with other devices that use a standard 3.5 se, but I don't want to keep switching cables as the mmcx connectors from cable to headphone never feel that robust.
> 
> Is there an adaptor to plug the 4.4mm into to so it can also be plugged into a standard 3.5mm socket on a headphone amp? I can't find one anywhere
> 
> really appreciate any advice



http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopd...000000134773&search=CP-3544P1&sort=price_desc

The easier way, this cable from musaahino  is nicely made but high price, with a 4.4 female to 3.5 male plug

Use agent such as buyee if you don't know Japanese

The cheaper way, go to taobao china and many 4.4 female to 3.5 male adaptor available, or just buy the 4.4 female jack and DIY your own adaptor.
But from my experience quality are a bit poor. I did had a 4.4 female jack DOA, which two phase shorted inside the jack.

You will need agent to buy on Taobao if shipping outside of China


----------



## 480126




----------



## aisalen

sheridant said:


> HELP needed. I want to get a balanced 4.4 cable for my campfire Vega headphones, but is still want to use them with other devices that use a standard 3.5 se, but I don't want to keep switching cables as the mmcx connectors from cable to headphone never feel that robust.
> 
> Is there an adaptor to plug the 4.4mm into to so it can also be plugged into a standard 3.5mm socket on a headphone amp? I can't find one anywhere
> 
> really appreciate any advice



Like this?

https://www.amazon.com/hi-end-coppe...id=1521298727&sr=8-17&keywords=4.4mm+to+3.5mm


----------



## nc8000

PCheung said:


> http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopd...000000134773&search=CP-3544P1&sort=price_desc
> 
> The easier way, this cable from musaahino  is nicely made but high price, with a 4.4 female to 3.5 male plug
> 
> ...



I’ve got that Musashini adaptor. Nice but pricy


----------



## Giraku

sheridant said:


> HELP needed. I want to get a balanced 4.4 cable for my campfire Vega headphones, but is still want to use them with other devices that use a standard 3.5 se, but I don't want to keep switching cables as the mmcx connectors from cable to headphone never feel that robust.
> 
> Is there an adaptor to plug the 4.4mm into to so it can also be plugged into a standard 3.5mm socket on a headphone amp? I can't find one anywhere
> 
> really appreciate any advice


I highly recommend this. Actually I use the cable for my Andromeda and use the other adapters with various cables terminated with 2.5mm plug.
https://www.amazon.com/MEE-audio-CM...&qid=1521305024&sr=8-1&keywords=mee+audio+4.4


----------



## prince4ever

Midnight musings:
For use with the WM1A thoughts on: 
Campfire Vega vs Westone W80 vs Shure 846...
Throw in any other suggestions too!


----------



## Lookout57 (Mar 17, 2018)

Campfire Vega FtW or Campfire Andromeda is you prefer the sound of BA.


----------



## Holdmyown83

Sad sad day for me. Those Sony Kimber replacement cables for the Z5 everybody here said were a piece of crap decided to stop working on the left side. Didn’t even last 6months. Any recommendations? Thanks


----------



## blazinblazin

Holdmyown83 said:


> Sad sad day for me. Those Sony Kimber replacement cables for the Z5 everybody here said were a piece of crap decided to stop working on the left side. Didn’t even last 6months. Any recommendations? Thanks



Effect Audio Ares II or II+


----------



## ledzep

Holdmyown83 said:


> Sad sad day for me. Those Sony Kimber replacement cables for the Z5 everybody here said were a piece of crap decided to stop working on the left side. Didn’t even last 6months. Any recommendations? Thanks


If your in the UK send them to me and I'll re terminate the mmcx's if you send some with it ( suggest eidolic premiums ) or I'll source some and just pay me for me connectors and return postage, offers there if you want as cable is ok so is the 4.4 side of things it's just those cheapo connectors.


----------



## Holdmyown83

ledzep said:


> If your in the UK send them to me and I'll re terminate the mmcx's if you send some with it ( suggest eidolic premiums ) or I'll source some and just pay me for me connectors and return postage, offers there if you want as cable is ok so is the 4.4 side of things it's just those cheapo connectors.


I am in the U.S


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> That is not even a deal...it is a *steal!*



To be typically English and correct you it actually was a gift


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> To be typically English and correct you it actually was a gift


Correct it was a gift


----------



## ledzep

gerelmx1986 said:


> Correct it was a gift



And a very nice gift might I add.


----------



## Mython

gerelmx1986 said:


> At least i got mine 100% OFF , yep you read it right, I paid nothing for it





kubig123 said:


> Well, that’s a good deal!





Whitigir said:


> That is not even a deal...it is a *steal!*





ledzep said:


> To be typically English and correct you it actually was a gift




Either that or it was _an error of judgement!   _(as in _'no good deed goes unpunished...'_ LOL)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Rin1990 said:


> So...I spent some time with the WM1Z demo on my local audio shop.
> 
> Here's my impression write up on it. It's not a review though, just an impression. So take it with a grain of salt.
> 
> http://arthurchor.blogspot.my/2018/03/quick-impression-sony-nw-wm1z.html


 Nice write-up, You mention That 1.0TB drives are sufficent, I already filled one last year and had to upgrade to 4.0TB , DSD takes space


----------



## prince4ever

Thanks for the offer, but I had already ordered the Sony case...
Also those of you lucky enough to own a wm1a and a wm1z - how significant is the difference?
UK’ers, any idea where I can get Campfire Vega IEM’s? At a decent price?
Any with regards to cable 4.4 balanced - what’s the best combo with wm1a? And the Vega, which I’ve mentally committed to...!


----------



## Lookout57

I have the WM1Z and Vega and like the ALO SXC 8 cable.


----------



## cj3209

Just picked up the WM1a.  Initial impressions via 24 bit files:  made me feel like I was a part of the performance!  Very good soundstage; very pleasing sound via SE Zeus XRA.  I am very impressed.

CJ


----------



## gerelmx1986

Don't know why ZIP is not good with PCM data.

But i zipped  some DSD albums for testing, i got in 30 minutes (playing with memory size and word length can speed times and better compression ratio) i got a 55%-60% ratio so the album was 3.11GB and got reduced to a 1.61GB zip archive.

BUUUUT, I think i will leave them as they are, huge, because i don't trust zip files lol. What if scenario pops in my mind.. what if a bit corruption and the files is made unexpandable, unaccessible hmmm


----------



## beaux

roses77 said:


> The reason Apple ditched the IPods & classic as they were getting less sales of their iPods. As the iPhone does the same thing as their iPod except iPod was not a phone. I doubt Sony will do the same thing unless they don’t get many sales, & want to focus on the Sony smart phone. I particularly don’t like streaming as it loses sound quality. Some streaming companies don’t last long either. It was ITunes or high Rez downloads that caused most of the music shops to shut down which is shame I like the physical CD. With streaming you don’t own the music either.
> 
> If the 40th Anniversary Walkman premium sounds better than the Sony WM1Z I’ll buy it. Bring on 2019 we have time to save.


Someone in CES heard from sony engineer that they are designing a new walkman at price of 1 million yuen.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Don't know why ZIP is not good with PCM data.
> 
> But i zipped  some DSD albums for testing, i got in 30 minutes (playing with memory size and word length can speed times and better compression ratio) i got a 55%-60% ratio so the album was 3.11GB and got reduced to a 1.61GB zip archive.
> 
> BUUUUT, I think i will leave them as they are, huge, because i don't trust zip files lol. What if scenario pops in my mind.. what if a bit corruption and the files is made unexpandable, unaccessible hmmm



In that case you can’t trust flac either as that is a compression just like zip


----------



## gerelmx1986

At least with FLAC the file is still playable, you may hear some popping or skipping noises, unlike zip when you try to open it, it refuses to open saying the CRC was corrupted


----------



## Cagin

beaux said:


> Someone in CES heard from sony engineer that they are designing a new walkman at price of 1 million yuen.


7.6K euro... I see, I see. They hired Charles Altmann or what?


----------



## Quadfather

Cagin said:


> 7.6K euro... I see, I see. They hired Charles Altmann or what?



At some point the price becomes ridiculous.


----------



## ledzep

Quadfather said:


> At some point the price becomes ridiculous.




 
If I and others hadn't bought this in 1980 there wouldn't be any 40th anniversary Walkman so if you want to thank me you can crowd fund me one if you want !


----------



## sne4me

Quadfather said:


> At some point the price becomes ridiculous.



No more ridiculous than a Bugatti or Lexus LFA. For example, Paris Hilton owns one. You make them in super limited quantities and only VIP can access it, which greatly improves the value of the brand.

Plus with the push into High resolution audio at Sony music, I wouldn’t be surprised to see their label produce some of the best recordings of the next 10 years. This further insulates their profitability against companies like apple which are pushing wireless low resolution products. Its really a smart move


----------



## kubig123

Cagin said:


> 7.6K euro... I see, I see. They hired Charles Altmann or what?


Well, if it will make coffee too, I could consider it.


----------



## Quadfather

kubig123 said:


> Well, if it will make coffee too, I could consider it.



I own a Questyle QP1R, a Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, and a Sony NW-WM1A. I love them all and there are minor degrees of sound quality separating them but they are all different.  $9,000 for the new Sony? No. I may find a used Sony NW-WM1Z for a few thousand dollars but that's about the most


----------



## gerelmx1986

158K pesos, mmm i'd better get a brand new WM1Z lol


----------



## Whitigir

Funny....$9000 for a Walkman ? Ok, Sony is not out to rip people off.  The price seems like a funny goal and target, but what technology will it have ? Beside, the pricing rumor may be just a “hoax”.

The good news is that, new Walkman is being developed.

Hell, I am ready to sell my 1Z...lol!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 19, 2018)

Spoiler:  Million 



.     





beaux said:


> Someone in CES heard from sony engineer that they are designing a new walkman at price of 1 million yuen.


----------



## Jalo

Well if the new Walkman is made of a solid piece of Silver, comes with 1Tb SSD and 1watt of output power, I will be interested.


----------



## sne4me (Mar 20, 2018)

Jalo said:


> Well if the new Walkman is made of a solid piece of Silver, comes with 1Tb SSD and 1watt of output power, I will be interested.



Well that’s just the thing, people’s big complaints with wm1a were the storage. Add in nvme chips you will get a super fast sync and tons of storage but the price goes up significantly 1 buck a GB practically.

You know, people would like a wm1a that can do radio, maybe a really nice screen, requires expensive new processors to lower power, that requires new development costs. They want an amp feature, it’s got to really work great too. I could easily see a $5000 player at this point.

If sony sold a package that was iems and a walkman that could be $6000+

The iPhone X is what, 1200 bucks and it’s a piece of junk


----------



## Tawek

The radio in the walkman is nothing unusual is in Nwz x1060 and works great


----------



## sne4me

Ok so here is my wishlist for the next flagship walkman.

Hardware:
Super high dpi oled screen; no bezel
10-15% bigger in all 3 dimensions.
256/512/1tb of nvme.
Two micro sdxc uhs-II ready
Hardware radio switch, activity lights
Source amp
Am/fm radio/international radio.
USB-C

Software:
New Linux os, with ability to connect to USB-c monitor and run a full sized computer workstation with Linux packages inside virtual machines (core machine locked down to prevent accidental malware)

When running without external screen, core os is just walkman software, phone virtual machine, android package virtual machine, and file manager.

each a separate VM: phone and sms, Android package launcher, thunderbird, Firefox, libre office.

When plugged into a monitor allows a full privileged VM to install any os, windows/Linux and boot the vm to the monitor out.

This is the device that wins the future


----------



## Redcarmoose

Jalo said:


> Well if the new Walkman is made of a solid piece of Silver, comes with 1Tb SSD and 1watt of output power, I will be interested.


Funny.......I view the 1Z as close to perfect. I don’t need anything more? 

So if this Anniversary Edition is expensive, it’s not something I would even want? What does anyone need with more than a 500GB card and 250GB of internal storage. Also the walkmans are loud enough now. 

Call me a Luddite, but I don’t think stuff can be improved on. The only improvement could be a miniature size?


----------



## Tawek (Mar 20, 2018)

my wishlist for the next flagship walkman 
size the same as in nwz x1060 weight up to 250 gr , memory 500 gb, radio,  quality of sound like in 1z ( balance)


----------



## sne4me (Mar 20, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Call me a Luddite, but I don’t think stuff can be improved on. The only improvement could be a miniature size?



I used physical coins in america a few weeks back, they still make those; felt like a luddite. Even plastic cards (visa/MasterCard) are quickly becoming archaic. 

Probably going to see a ton of innovation, flexible screens that won’t crack, more environmentally friendly, ultra low energy processors, software has so far to go.


----------



## nanaholic

Sound quality wise I think the 1Z is pretty much near perfect, so rather I hope Sony can do a bit more on the software/usage side of things. Copying other DAP devices so that the player can read folder.jpg for cover art display (good for formats which doesn't support cover art like wav and dff) and progressive jpg would be a good small features to help people migrate from other DAPs.  I would also like bi-directional Bluetooth so the DAP can be remotely controlled by a smartphone app as well as able to channel the voice call from a phone would be brilliant....


----------



## Decreate

nanaholic said:


> Sound quality wise I think the 1Z is pretty much near perfect, so rather I hope Sony can do a bit more on the software/usage side of things. Copying other DAP devices so that the player can read folder.jpg for cover art display (good for formats which doesn't support cover art like wav and dff) and progressive jpg would be a good small features to help people migrate from other DAPs.  I would also like bi-directional Bluetooth so the DAP can be remotely controlled by a smartphone app as well as able to channel the voice call from a phone would be brilliant....


Fully agree, especially the part about being able to control the device via a smartphone.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 20, 2018)

sne4me said:


> I used physical coins in america a few weeks back, they still make those; felt like a luddite. Even plastic cards (visa/MasterCard) are quickly becoming archaic.
> 
> Probably going to see a ton of innovation, flexible screens that won’t crack, more environmentally friendly, ultra low energy processors, software has so far to go.




You mean Media Go?

Yes, there is some organizational stuff with files (on the device), but besides the glichyness of Media Go, you only use it to rip CDs, then put everything on a card. I haven't used Media Go in months. I'm thinking Sony is only going to make the _*Big 40th Edition*_ pretty.


----------



## Redcarmoose

As a whole we are tech people, we have lots of tech stuff and like innovative things. But that was the revelation with the ZX300-1Z/1A........they were two steps back and five steps forward. They don't want to add a bunch of android features. IMO


----------



## Sleepow

@Whitigir 
I think I remember you use your Blue Hawaï straight from the 1Z.
Is it really good or just ok? And which cable are you using?
Due to changes in my speaker system, my DAC outpoput is already used so need something else to feed my DIY KGST.

Cheers


----------



## Whitigir

Sleepow said:


> @Whitigir
> I think I remember you use your Blue Hawaï straight from the 1Z.
> Is it really good or just ok? And which cable are you using?
> Due to changes in my speaker system, my DAC outpoput is already used so need something else to feed my DIY KGST.
> ...



It is surprisingly good for a portable analog source, but it can not get to the level of dedicated desktop DAC that I have, the lks ma-004. I used the cables that I made


----------



## BigPoppa99 (Mar 20, 2018)

hung031086 said:


> Anyone know how to register this 1A if you bought from ebay ? I couldn't type ebay in Place of Purchase box.


I put it in as other and it accepted it

nevermind i didnt have my coffee yet and responded to a year old post


----------



## Quadfather

Redcarmoose said:


> Funny.......I view the 1Z as close to perfect. I don’t need anything more?
> 
> So if this Anniversary Edition is expensive, it’s not something I would even want? What does anyone need with more than a 500GB card and 250GB of internal storage. Also the walkmans are loud enough now.
> 
> Call me a Luddite, but I don’t think stuff can be improved on. The only improvement could be a miniature size?



The 1Z is what I want.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 20, 2018)

Radio is meh, I don't care about am/fm radio, inferior SQ..

256GB onboard memory and two micro SD slots.
No android, I consider the sony os to be perfect
Agree on folder.jpg read and progressive jpg support.
USB DAC
DSD remastering engine
The gold color of 1z, hope there is better choices like f. E white gold, rose gold, greenish gold
Bigger screen hopefully OLED
keep the stellar battery life
500mw output power


----------



## sne4me

Redcarmoose said:


> What does anyone need with more than a 500GB card and 250GB of internal storage.



Several members on here have already filled up the storage of a 512gb SDXC and the internal storage. Just take a look how many megabytes dsd uses. Hint: you can measure single albums in the gigabytes.



Redcarmoose said:


> You mean Media Go?



Media Go is discontinued so I wouldn’t be talking about improving it. I was talking about the Linux OS the wm1a/z runs. Its nice but it feels very first generation. I want to see it improved into a platform.


----------



## Redcarmoose

sne4me said:


> Several members on here have already filled up the storage of a 512gb SDXC and the internal storage. Just take a look how many megabytes dsd uses. Hint: you can measure single albums in the gigabytes.
> 
> 
> 
> Media Go is discontinued so I wouldn’t be talking about improving it. I was talking about the Linux OS the wm1a/z runs. Its nice but it feels very first generation. I want to see it improved into a platform.



I guess 500 gigs fills up fast? For me I only have a couple DSD files. It’s not like I don’t hear a slight increase in SQ, but I’m fine with the HD, 16bit-44.1s I listen to. But still how hard is it to change out a card?

As far as the software in use now, I really like how it works. It’s not perfect but it’s a far cry from the Chi-Fi traumas and Apple IOS I’m used to.



Quadfather said:


> The 1Z is what I want.


 Well it’s maybe just a matter of time? Yes!


----------



## Quadfather (Mar 20, 2018)

.


----------



## Quadfather

Redcarmoose said:


> I guess 500 gigs fills up fast? For me I only have a couple DSD files. It’s not like I don’t hear a slight increase in SQ, but I’m fine with the HD, 16bit-44.1s I listen to. But still how hard is it to change out a card?
> 
> As far as the software in use now, I really like how it works. It’s not perfect but it’s a far cry from the Chi-Fi traumas and Apple IOS I’m used to.
> 
> Well it’s maybe just a matter of time? Yes!



Hellyeah!!!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 20, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> Hellyeah!!!



Can’t think of a better cause at this moment in time?


----------



## Liono

What's the likelihood that this new 40th Anniversary Walkman (presumably will be announced at IFA in Sept 18) will have WI-FI? I suppose if no android then unlikely. Even though I have loads of lossless music that I have on my NW-ZX1, I still use streaming to listen to new albums I perhaps intend to buy and like the superior quality of the unit over doing the same with my phone. This is what is stopping me from purchasing a NW-WM1A.

As an aside what the XBA-H3's like with the NW-WM1A, without balanced connection and with?


----------



## Whitigir

I do not think People in Japan care about WiFi.  The modern folks do care about USB DAC function, but only the minority of them.  I think if the next Walkman to come out, we will more than likely to see the next version of S-Master (chip) that is unlike any current production one, and will not be shared.  For example, 1A and 1Z is sharing the same S-Master.  Then we will have more powerful circuitry and beefed up power delivery.  Some more to appeal to people such as designs specific, exotic materials, and even Limited runs


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 21, 2018)

Liono said:


> What's the likelihood that this new 40th Anniversary Walkman (presumably will be announced at IFA in Sept 18) will have WI-FI? I suppose if no android then unlikely. Even though I have loads of lossless music that I have on my NW-ZX1, I still use streaming to listen to new albums I perhaps intend to buy and like the superior quality of the unit over doing the same with my phone. This is what is stopping me from purchasing a NW-WM1A.
> 
> As an aside what the XBA-H3's like with the NW-WM1A, without balanced connection and with?



I should be at the Sony Flagship store in Tokyo in about 20 days.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075...=RHHJN435FYT6NT6D80PF&dpPl=1&dpID=51-yaXDqK2L

Probably getting the XBA-N3 instead of the H3 as it comes with the 4.4mm cable option. H3 as some think is superior to the XBA-Z5.....but I’m probably not going to get one? The Z5 is way better balanced so maybe the H3 would be too?


----------



## Liono (Mar 21, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> I do not think People in Japan care about WiFi.  The modern folks do care about USB DAC function, but only the minority of them.  I think if the next Walkman to come out, we will more than likely to see the next version of S-Master (chip) that is unlike any current production one, and will not be shared.  For example, 1A and 1Z is sharing the same S-Master.  Then we will have more powerful circuitry and beefed up power delivery.  Some more to appeal to people such as designs specific, exotic materials, and even Limited runs



So if that is true then the next one could be even more expensive than current models. Regarding WI-FI, I suppose a USB DAC would be v.useful as one could stream using a phone and use the Walkman as a USB DAC. I wouldn't be bothered about more power etc as my headphones are not hard to drive. I'm more interested in the aesthetics of the new models, hopefully there will be a silver version. I like the dual tone of the ZX1 and the WMZ.



Redcarmoose said:


> I should be at the Sony Flagship store in Tokyo in about 20 days.
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075...=RHHJN435FYT6NT6D80PF&dpPl=1&dpID=51-yaXDqK2L
> 
> Probably getting the XBA-N3 instead of the H3 as it comes with the 4.4mm cable option. H3 as some think is superior to the XBA-Z5.....but I’m probably not going to get one? The Z5 is way better balanced so maybe the H3 would be too?



Interesting the XBA-N3 seems similar to the old XBA-H2's i.e. one BA. H3 superior to Z5? wow, I thought it was be the other way round. Are you sure you don't mean the A3?  ... to be honest I am very very happy with my XBA-H3's beats the socks off some of my overhead cans. If and when I get a player with a balanced output I'll get a balanced cable for the H3's, probably the Meijunter or MiCity cable: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079NR1...colid=28Y1LUQXGTQI&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it rather than the hugely expensive Sony MUC-M12SB1.

Anyway... slightly off topic.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 21, 2018)

Liono said:


> So if that is true then the next one could be even more expensive than current models. Regarding WI-FI, I suppose a USB DAC would be v.useful as one could  using a phone and use the Walkman as a USB DAC. I wouldn't be bothered about more power etc as my headphones are not hard to drive. I'm more interested in the aesthetics of the new models, hopefully there will be a silver version. I like the dual tone of the ZX1 and the WMZ.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Like most things here it's I guess opinion. I'm at a point where I have not heard the H3. But.....one particular member does not seem to hear a difference, kept his H3 sold his Z5?

My main thing is getting away from the form factor of both the H3 and Z5. I know placing the driver closer to the ear is enabling Sony to get the sound where the N3 bass driver is in the back yard. lol

Sorry if off topic here?


----------



## Liono

Redcarmoose said:


> Like most things here it's I guess opinion. I'm at a point where I have not heard the H3. But.....one particular member does not seem to hear a difference. My main thing is getting away from the form factor of both the H3 and Z5. I know placing the driver closer to the ear is enabling Sony to get the sound where the N3 bass driver is in the back yard. lol
> 
> Sorry if off topic here?



Yes the form-factor of the H3/Z5 is rather cumbersome, but liveable. Sorry I wasn't saying it was off topic, but there should have been a question mark in my post. Some forum moderators get a little sensitive.


----------



## aisalen

Liono said:


> As an aside what the XBA-H3's like with the NW-WM1A, without balanced connection and with?



Using the two stock SE cable , its meh but using a cheap balance cable I purchased from Amazon. The sq is very nice, like I am listening with the speaker system and I can able to listen with it for 8 hours straight without fatigue using spinfit. I like it more than my it03.


----------



## Quadfather

The Sony NW-WM1A is also great for Audiobooks.  Graphic Audio is cool because it has voice actors, digital sound effects, theme songs, and music of cinematic quality...


----------



## Snowball0906

I wonder does effect audio’s cable increase acoustune’s hs1551cu sq?


----------



## kubig123

Snowball0906 said:


> I wonder does effect audio’s cable increase acoustune’s hs1551cu sq?


Which cable are you looking into and what kind of improvements are you interested?

I have the ares, eros, thor and Leonidas and they all affect the sound signature of my iems.


----------



## azabu

Redcarmoose said:


> I should be at the Sony Flagship store in Tokyo in about 20 days.
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075...=RHHJN435FYT6NT6D80PF&dpPl=1&dpID=51-yaXDqK2L
> 
> Probably getting the XBA-N3 instead of the H3 as it comes with the 4.4mm cable option. H3 as some think is superior to the XBA-Z5.....but I’m probably not going to get one? The Z5 is way better balanced so maybe the H3 would be too?



Make sure you check out e earphones in Akihabara. You can audition all the Effect Audio cables and other brands, I've found the Encores and Lionheart are a match made in heaven.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Akihabara it is! Thank-you!


----------



## Jalo

Does anyone know if there is an audiophile level USB line out dock for the 1/A or 1/Z besides the cheap stock version?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 21, 2018)

Jalo said:


> Does anyone know if there is an audiophile level USB line out dock for the 1/A or 1/Z besides the cheap stock version?


Only the modified one, which is modified from stock dock or dongle.  I currently am using the solid OCC silver dock version to transport my 1Z into my Stax 009 setup


----------



## gerelmx1986

My WM1A has suficient power to drive some 2004 DELL Computer powered-speakers w/Subwoofer module, it needs only 90/120 Normal gain in SE, and to be heard in the whole house 120/120 SE normal gain


----------



## Jalo

Whitigir said:


> Only the modified one, which is modified from stock dock or dongle.  I currently am using the solid OCC silver dock version to transport my 1Z into my Stax 009 setup


Where do you get this? Or do you mod it yourself?


----------



## Jalo

Also is it a dongle or do you make it into a USB cable?


----------



## Whitigir

Jalo said:


> Where do you get this? Or do you mod it yourself?





Jalo said:


> Also is it a dongle or do you make it into a USB cable?



I modify it myself, and the dongle can be modified to be usb cables


----------



## Jalo

Whitigir said:


> I modify it myself, and the dongle can be modified to be usb cables


Thank you, wish I have your talent. Would you mind post a picture of it for me to enjoy?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 21, 2018)

I didn' take any picture of the internal shot.  I can post the dock with a hi-res sticker on it .  I don't use the modified dongle anymore, so I have sold it.  Let me see if I still have pic of it somewhere


----------



## BigPoppa99

I'm a little late to the party.  I just got my WM1A. Mine was already at version 2.0  Been using it with bluetooth with my 1000x's on my daily commute.  Enjoying it so far.  Been getting drops outs on my commute.  I was not getting them with my iphone and 1000x's.  I also been using the SE port with my HD-6xx at home.  Almost have to have them at 100 to listen to them.   I also been going through the older threads.  Up to page 620 so far.  Is balanced really that much better?   I was looking at balanced for my commute  I ordered the fiio 9 pro and the MEE balanced audio cable set.  I got these because I can upgrade the iem's in the future if need be.


----------



## Giraku

BigPoppa99 said:


> I'm a little late to the party.  I just got my WM1A. Mine was already at version 2.0  Been using it with bluetooth with my 1000x's on my daily commute.  Enjoying it so far.  Been getting drops outs on my commute.  I was not getting them with my iphone and 1000x's.  I also been using the SE port with my HD-6xx at home.  Almost have to have them at 100 to listen to them.   I also been going through the older threads.  Up to page 620 so far.  Is balanced really that much better?   I was looking at balanced for my commute  I ordered the fiio 9 pro and the MEE balanced audio cable set.  I got these because I can upgrade the iem's in the future if need be.


Yes, there are significant differences in sound quality between balanced and single ended. You will enjoy the balanced output for sure.


----------



## sne4me

BigPoppa99 said:


> Been getting drops outs on my commute.


You should check your Bluetooth configuration on the wm1. There are options which are designed to improve connection robustness.


----------



## Snowball0906

kubig123 said:


> Which cable are you looking into and what kind of improvements are you interested?
> 
> I have the ares, eros, thor and Leonidas and they all affect the sound signature of my iems.



I’m looking improvements for wider soundstage, clearer instruments and vocal.


----------



## kubig123

Snowball0906 said:


> I’m looking improvements for wider soundstage, clearer instruments and vocal.


Usually a 8 wire cable opens up the soundstage, for vocals and instrument, I think the best is the eros, but it also depends which earphones do you have.


----------



## kubig123

Forgot to mention the new cable EA is introducing right now, the Janus, it's a 8 wire cable that comes with 2 distinct sound signature, the basso and the dynamic, for what you are looking for I think the dynamic is the one, it's slightly warmer, what impressed me from the beginning is the great soundstage, unfortunately it cost $1400.


----------



## rtjoa

kubig123 said:


> Forgot to mention the new cable EA is introducing right now, the Janus, it's a 8 wire cable that comes with 2 distinct sound signature, the basso and the dynamic, for what you are looking for I think the dynamic is the one, it's slightly warmer, what impressed me from the beginning is the great soundstage, unfortunately it cost $1400.


Cant wait to try Janus at CanJam


----------



## rtjoa

Coffee was nice but that place had lots of mosquitoes


----------



## meomap

rtjoa said:


> Coffee was nice but that place had lots of mosquitoes



Hi,
Why there are two Z1 there?


----------



## meomap

Hi,
Need some help with sd card with MBP format.

Received a new SanDisk 256 gb.
Formated card using exFAT.
Transferred some music from ITunes. 
Loaded into Z1. Saw unit reading and create database sequence, but at the end SDCARD still show as 0.
What should I do next?


P.S. Connected Z1 to MBP and transferred ITunes Music OK.


----------



## Giraku

meomap said:


> Hi,
> Need some help with sd card with MBP format.
> 
> Received a new SanDisk 256 gb.
> ...


Did you create "Music" folder on the card? WM series assumes that all the music files are in the "Music" folder.


----------



## meomap

Giraku said:


> Did you create "Music" folder on the card? WM series assumes that all the music files are in the "Music" folder.



Hi,
I did not. Let me create Music folder and see.
Thank you very much.


----------



## meomap

Giraku said:


> Did you create "Music" folder on the card? WM series assumes that all the music files are in the "Music" folder.



I noticed when I copied and paste albums from iTunes/Music to my Sd Card, it created a MUSIC folder. I did not know where/what/how is that folder got created, so I ignored.
Once you mentioned it then I looked again inside the 256 GB card and there it is.
Moved all albums to MUSIC.
Put card into Z1, read, and voila.
Thanks a lot @Giraku.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 23, 2018)

Hope Sony can make a software fix so they get rid of that music folder and just read music files from whatever folder  they are stored. That would provide an easier migration from player x to Walkmans


----------



## Ryokan

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hope Sony can make a software fix so they get rid of that music folder and just read music files from whatever folder  they are stored. That would provide an easier migration from player x to Walkmans



It doesn't bother me too much, but is a little odd/quaint. It was the same for a Sony player I had over 10 years ago. I wonder what their reason is.


----------



## Giraku

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hope Sony can make a software fix so they get rid of that music folder and just read music files from whatever folder  they are stored. That would provide an easier migration from player x to Walkmans


Fully agreed.


----------



## Giraku

Ryokan said:


> It doesn't bother me too much, but is a little odd/quaint. It was the same for a Sony player I had over 10 years ago. I wonder what their reason is.


I guess the software engineers at Sony like that way of organizing files.
They always like their "own" way.


----------



## blazinblazin

It's SONY way of organising files in their SONY ecosystem.


----------



## fiascogarcia

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hope Sony can make a software fix so they get rid of that music folder and just read music files from whatever folder  they are stored. That would provide an easier migration from player x to Walkmans


It would be nice if you could also play an all songs shuffle within each of those folders as an option.  You could actually create your own genre folders.  Wishful thinking.


----------



## BigPoppa99

sne4me said:


> You should check your Bluetooth configuration on the wm1. There are options which are designed to improve connection robustness.


thanks.  I did the adjustment


----------



## tienbasse

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hope Sony can make a software fix so they get rid of that music folder and just read music files from whatever folder  they are stored. That would provide an easier migration from player x to Walkmans


Agreed 100x times.
This is such a pain in the b*tt, it makes demo-ing these DAPs a horrendous experience, because you usually come with your own microsd cards and end-up not being able to use them... Sony's obsession not to do things following standards...


----------



## BigPoppa99

What is the best way to recharge the battery?   Simply plugging it into a pc anc charging it that way?   Is the iphone ac adapter a good way to recharge it?  I used the search function and have not found any thing.


thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

BigPoppa99 said:


> What is the best way to recharge the battery?   Simply plugging it into a pc anc charging it that way?   Is the iphone ac adapter a good way to recharge it?  I used the search function and have not found any thing.
> 
> 
> thanks


Both ways are fine


----------



## 480126

BigPoppa99 said:


> What is the best way to recharge the battery?   Simply plugging it into a pc anc charging it that way?   Is the iphone ac adapter a good way to recharge it?  I used the search function and have not found any thing.
> 
> I take my Samsung charger with sony cable. No Problems!
> thanks


----------



## fiascogarcia

BigPoppa99 said:


> What is the best way to recharge the battery?   Simply plugging it into a pc anc charging it that way?   Is the iphone ac adapter a good way to recharge it?  I used the search function and have not found any thing.
> 
> 
> thanks


I've never used my laptop usb because it quits charging if the laptop goes to sleep.  I've only used my iPhone wall wart and it's worked fine, no problems.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Sony is making it easy for the system to ‘fast read’ the files by placing it in a folder.
Do you want it to scan non music files too every time without this folder?
Jeez talk about whining


----------



## Giraku

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Sony is making it easy for the system to ‘fast read’ the files by placing it in a folder.
> Do you want it to scan non music files too every time without this folder?
> Jeez talk about whining


How many music files do you have on your card? I don't have many. Also reading through files happens when you correct it to computers, which is not often. I prefer having better compatibility to sticking to a not-widely-used method.


----------



## zardos

meomap said:


> Hi,
> Why there are two Z1 there?



Two Monoblocks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

meomap said:


> Hi,
> Why there are two Z1 there?


maybe one for him/her and one for his/her GF/BF, I would the WM1A HIS and the 1Z mine


----------



## gerelmx1986

my Hi-res collection at 144GB surpasses the internal memory of WM1A , alone  my 35 SACDs are 87GB


----------



## Snowball0906

kubig123 said:


> Usually a 8 wire cable opens up the soundstage, for vocals and instrument, I think the best is the eros, but it also depends which earphones do you have.



Im getting for my HS1551CU. May i know which cable fo u suggest?


----------



## Snowball0906

kubig123 said:


> Usually a 8 wire cable opens up the soundstage, for vocals and instrument, I think the best is the eros, but it also depends which earphones do you have.



How about eres2?


----------



## kubig123

Snowball0906 said:


> How about eres2?


Yes, the Eros is an excellent cable, I never tried the acoustune but I’m sure it have excellent bass, the ares would be too warm.


----------



## sne4me

BigPoppa99 said:


> What is the best way to recharge the battery?   Simply plugging it into a pc anc charging it that way?   Is the iphone ac adapter a good way to recharge it?  I used the search function and have not found any thing.
> thanks



I have found a 1.1 amp charger would not charge the unit, and so I am using a 1.3 amp charger in a wall plug because the lower amps gives a deeper charge. I prefer not to leave it connected to a pc and only have it connected when syncing.


----------



## sne4me (Apr 23, 2018)

e


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 24, 2018)

sne4me said:


> got this one, the complete bach organ by hans fagius, its 5 disks but each is 10gb because its super extended play sacd, total playtime is 20 hours! 50gb for 20 hours lol.


 i heard of that one but i am doubtful if it is really DSD or just 44,1KHz jampacked into a DVD-sized disk (4,7GB)... I read originally BIS released this in the late 80's early 90's as CD, recorded in 44.1KHz/16bit.... My 21 CDs or bach organ works with hanssler and naxos  and a sony classical remaster in SACD (from tapes) gives me 20+ hours. My 5 SACD set from ALIA vox Marais pieces de violes is 10,4GB


----------



## sne4me (Apr 23, 2018)

d


----------



## gerelmx1986

sne4me said:


> yeah its 44.1/16 but when u make the file it takes the 4gb disk and outputs 10gb of material in dsd. at that point its like, ok well lets go back to flac.


 are you selecting stereo or 5.1 multi-channel DSD output? i accidentally did this with one and putpputed a 7GB file yikes!, i checked back and saw 5.1 channels


----------



## gerelmx1986

sne4me said:


> yeah its 44.1/16 but when u make the file it takes the 4gb disk and outputs 10gb of material in dsd. at that point its like, ok well lets go back to flac. still i dont know any other offering that is a complete.
> 
> its actually a great deal at about 45 bucks for 20 hours of organ. I think somewhere else you can find the complete works on organ but idk maybe not in true dsd. I think the other one is like 18 disks or something


Ah yes that 18 disk set, i demoed it, and didn't like the sound quality


----------



## sne4me

gerelmx1986 said:


> are you selecting stereo or 5.1 multi-channel DSD output? i accidentally did this with one and putpputed a 7GB file yikes!, i checked back and saw 5.1 channels



Well thats the thing, its stereo, because the the super extended play packs in the other tracks of 44.1/16 as like they are the multichannel portion of a dsd. So somehow it makes them all dsd containers that have tons of empty space and it uses all channels possible to the full size of the disk, basically, and the end result each disk makes about 10gb of stereo material in dsd.  or something.


----------



## gerelmx1986

roughly the same size as my 6 SACD set of Cesar franck Complete organ works with Hans ebehard Ross 16.7GB (for the isos i am downloading of the fagius set)


----------



## sne4me

gerelmx1986 said:


> roughly the same size as my 6 SACD set of Cesar franck Complete organ works with Hans ebehard Ross 16.7GB (for the isos i am downloading of the fagius set)



The fagius recordings are nice, the materials shows the 6 organs it was recorded on:
Organ in leufsta bruk - largest surviving baroque organ in Sweden, built between 1725-1728, only minor restoration.
Organ in mariefreds kyrka
Organ in fredrikskyrkan
Choir Organ in Kristine Kyrka
Organ in missionskyrkan


----------



## blazinblazin

Snowball0906 said:


> Im getting for my HS1551CU. May i know which cable fo u suggest?


I would say try first before you make decision.

It's very subjective, you might want either highs or lows more or both.

Their cables are not cheap.

I am using Leonidas for my hs1551cu.


----------



## kubig123

blazinblazin said:


> I would say try first before you make decision.
> 
> It's very subjective, you might want either highs or lows more or both.
> 
> ...


Leonidas is a very nice cable, mostly transparent with lot of details


----------



## rtjoa

meomap said:


> Hi,
> Why there are two Z1 there?


The left one is mine and the other one belongs to my cousin


----------



## ttt123

sne4me said:


> I have found a 1.1 amp charger would not charge the unit, and so I am using a 1.3 amp charger in a wall plug because the lower amps gives a deeper charge. I prefer not to leave it connected to a pc and only have it connected when syncing.


 My recommendation is to use a high current charger from a branded company, and to stay away from cheap, or low power chargers.  I use a 40W (8A) 5 outlet charger at my desk, which charges everything.  My understanding is this:
A well built, high output current charger has a lot of reserve, and runs cool most of the time, and has plenty of margin in reserve.  This way, it never gets pushed beyond it's capacity, where it will overheat, and potentially break down, outputting damaging voltages/noise as components fry.
Using a small low power charger is a bad way to limit current.
- the device (phone, pad, dap, etc.) internal charge circuit decides whether it needs more current (if very low charge level) or less current if almost full.  Get a cheap USB test circuit, which goes in between the cable and charger, and shows the voltage and current, and you can see the different current requirements that any device has when almost empty, versus when almost full.
- If the device is trying to pull 1-2 amps, and the cheap/small charger is only able to put out .8 amps clean, the charger will go into overload trying to provide the current asked of it.  Typically, it will overheat, and break down, which YOU DO NOT WANT TO HAPPEN.  The worse is a cheap charger that uses cheap components, overstates it's output current, and has unknown/bad quality...a disaster waiting to happen.
- when a charger states 1 amp output(almost always overstated), it does not cut off at 1 amp.  It will typically try to deliver more, if the device is trying to pull more, and will be driven into overload.
- A hefty, high current charger, on the other hand, is idling providing 1-2 amps on multiple ports, and just gets warm.  It has so much capacity that it is running way below its design limits.

In my opinion, using small, low current chargers is a very bad idea.


----------



## FlyingTrotter

I uploaded all my music to my WM1A via media go but I understand it’s now discontinued - does that mean it no longer functions - if I use the new Sony solftwsre are there any issues or will it work fine with files on the player previously uploaded via media go?


----------



## nanaholic

FlyingTrotter said:


> I uploaded all my music to my WM1A via media go but I understand it’s now discontinued - does that mean it no longer functions - if I use the new Sony solftwsre are there any issues or will it work fine with files on the player previously uploaded via media go?



It still works, but you can no longer download the installer from Sony's website. So archive that installer somewhere safe if you prefer to keep using it.


----------



## FlyingTrotter

Many thanks - in a nutshell is there any benefit to swapping - I have the internal storage filled plus most of a 250card so a fair bit of content but nothing like some on here - I have stupidly put some of  the same content on both internal and card so it’s duplicated on the player and need to remove the duplicates - can’t see any automatic way to de-dupe in media go - perhaps I have missed it - is there any way to address my own stupidity other than manual album removal ?


----------



## Leogaluc666

I just received a custom 4.4 balanced cable for my WM1A, but I have one question : 

Is it normal that with the balanced output my Kaiser 10 are hissing quite a bit ? Because they are dead silent out of the 2.5 balanced output of my Hiby R6.

Even out of the 3.5 of the WM1A they're hissing but less than out of the balanced output I thought it was supposed to be quieter.

Thanks


----------



## Giraku

Leogaluc666 said:


> I just received a custom 4.4 balanced cable for my WM1A, but I have one question :
> 
> Is it normal that with the balanced output my Kaiser 10 are hissing quite a bit ? Because they are dead silent out of the 2.5 balanced output of my Hiby R6.
> 
> ...


What is your gain setting on the balanced output? Try switching it to low (or normal) gain. My Campfire Andromeda is dead quiet, which is supposed to be hyper sensitive.


----------



## Leogaluc666

I tried switching to low gain, hiss is still there in exact same quantity.


----------



## meomap

Leogaluc666 said:


> I just received a custom 4.4 balanced cable for my WM1A, but I have one question :
> 
> Is it normal that with the balanced output my Kaiser 10 are hissing quite a bit ? Because they are dead silent out of the 2.5 balanced output of my Hiby R6.
> 
> ...



My k10c and Encore are dead silent using High.


----------



## Leogaluc666

meomap said:


> My k10c and Encore are dead silent using High.



I tried with my Isine 20 they are dead silent, so would the k10 be defective or something ?


----------



## Giraku

Leogaluc666 said:


> I tried with my Isine 20 they are dead silent, so would the k10 be defective or something ?


Or maybe the cable or the connector.


----------



## Leogaluc666

Giraku said:


> Or maybe the cable or the connector.



Since I tried both K10 and Isine 20 with the same 4.4 balanced cable, the cable should be out of cause right ?


----------



## meomap

Leogaluc666 said:


> Since I tried both K10 and Isine 20 with the same 4.4 balanced cable, the cable should be out of cause right ?


K10 sounds normal good?


----------



## kubig123

Leogaluc666 said:


> I tried switching to low gain, hiss is still there in exact same quantity.


Doesn’t sound right.
I have the 1Z and I never experienced a hiss from my Encore.

Can you try another cable?


----------



## Leogaluc666

kubig123 said:


> Doesn’t sound right.
> I have the 1Z and I never experienced a hiss from my Encore.
> 
> Can you try another cable?


 
unfortunately, no I only have one 4.4 balanced cable. but it's almost quiet from the hiby r6 2.5 balanced output so I'm a bit worried


----------



## Giraku

Leogaluc666 said:


> Since I tried both K10 and Isine 20 with the same 4.4 balanced cable, the cable should be out of cause right ?


In that case, if K10 is the only one hissing, possibly something went wrong with K10.
Still under warranty?


----------



## Leogaluc666 (Mar 24, 2018)

Giraku said:


> In that case, if K10 is the only one hissing, possibly something went wrong with K10.
> Still under warranty?


Yes I just received it on monday. But since it's almost quiet from the Hiby R6 I wonder if it could come from the WM1A.


----------



## meomap

Leogaluc666 said:


> Yes I just received it on monday.


You should contact vendor asap.


----------



## Fr_eak

I can notice hiss from my Katana connected to my 1Z too, either single ended or balanced, using a variety of cables. But the hiss is acceptable for me.


----------



## gerelmx1986

When I think I am hearing hiss, turns out to be my laptop CPU fan running at max RPM


----------



## Snowball0906

blazinblazin said:


> I would say try first before you make decision.
> 
> It's very subjective, you might want either highs or lows more or both.
> 
> ...





kubig123 said:


> Leonidas is a very nice cable, mostly transparent with lot of details



Thank you guys. I'll give their premium series a try first, before investing in plus or heritage series. I've placed order for Eros II. Hehe. Hope it wont disappoint me. Unfortunately, there's no effect audio cable available for me try in my place..  So i could only seek opinion from u all.


----------



## sne4me

FlyingTrotter said:


> I uploaded all my music to my WM1A via media go but I understand it’s now discontinued - does that mean it no longer functions - if I use the new Sony solftwsre are there any issues or will it work fine with files on the player previously uploaded via media go?



While I prefer the media go interface, the music center program is in fact smaller, and does not have as many functions as media go. Actually for processing bit-perfect audio using ASIO, maybe music center does a better job; can’t say.

Just seems like a faster and uses less resources which is an A+ since I have no interest in using media go video features.


----------



## sne4me

sne4me said:


> Just seems like a faster and uses less resources which is an A+ since I have no interest in using media go video features.


Regarding music center:
Sony: please release music center for Linux.


----------



## fiascogarcia

sne4me said:


> While I prefer the media go interface, the music center program is in fact smaller, and does not have as many functions as media go. Actually for processing bit-perfect audio using ASIO, maybe music center does a better job; can’t say.
> 
> Just seems like a faster and uses less resources which is an A+ since I have no interest in using media go video features.


One thing media go is much better at is adding or editing album art.  I haven't seen that music center gives you any functionality for that.


----------



## nanaholic

sne4me said:


> While I prefer the media go interface, the music center program is in fact smaller, and does not have as many functions as media go. Actually for processing bit-perfect audio using ASIO, maybe music center does a better job; can’t say.
> 
> Just seems like a faster and uses less resources which is an A+ since I have no interest in using media go video features.



You are not wrong - the plumbing of Music Center does seem to be more modern with better ASIO as well as WASAPI support. Also Media Go won't allow the library be hosted on removable media, which can get problematic if you spread your library over different media, but the the interface (playlist generation and management, tag editing), actual device syncing of media and speed of Music Center is pretty terrible and has taken many steps backwards. Since I've moved to Roon for music playback so I only care about media syncing and speed and things like that, and I simply think Music Center doesn't do a good job of it at the moment compared to Media Go.

I've been meaning to test MusicBee and see how the syncing will go with the Walkmans, haven't gotten around to it though.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 25, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> I've been meaning to test MusicBee and see how the syncing will go with the Walkmans, haven't gotten around to it though.



Is pretty fast, 12 tracks of FLAC 16/44.1 in less than a minute, and this with CPU overloaded converting a SACD iso to DSF. Set format conversion with the converter your like f.e. LAME MP3 to convert to mp3 on the fly and so on.

MusicBee is also highly customizable, i had the "Jump list" set to composer, and the show-library-area set to display cover arts.

@nanaholic you can also customize on MB, both, the SD card and the WALKMAN (internal memory) to whatever transfer structure you want. f.e I have ti set to ../MUSIC/<Composer>/<Album>/<Track#>-<Title>

I also created a custom Tab for HI-RES AUDIO, though, not perfect, as it can't select filtering by Bit depth. It is skipping all 24/44.1 and 24/48 albums


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> Is pretty fast, 12 tracks of FLAC 16/44.1 in less than a minute, and this with CPU overloaded converting a SACD iso to DSF



That sounds promising. What about two way syncing, because that's the core feature that I am looking for if it is to replace Media Go.
 I'm already really happy with the Smart Playlist generation of MusicBee as it is fully GUI/pull down menu driven (they ripped off easily the best part of iTunes IMNSHO), unlike Media Go where I have to learn the syntax and all that, while Music Center's smart playlist options are limited and the way they are handled is messy.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 25, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> That sounds promising. What about two way syncing, because that's the core feature that I am looking for if it is to replace Media Go.
> I'm already really happy with the Smart Playlist generation of MusicBee as it is fully GUI/pull down menu driven (they ripped off easily the best part of iTunes IMNSHO), unlike Media Go where I have to learn the syntax and all that, while Music Center's smart playlist options are limited and the way they are handled is messy.


I haven't yet tested two way sync, as i no longer need playlists with MB "Composer jumping lists" e.g to Jump-off from all composers to f.e Ludwig van Beethoven and show all albums i have of him.

The only thing i reckon from musicBee is that hopefully they implement a Bit-depth filter so my HI-RES Audio tab works properly.

Is also pull-down menu customizable (the tabs) to set filters, so, i've set only as Sample Rate >48000


----------



## cpetrillo (Mar 25, 2018)

I haven't had time to read all the way through this thread so please forgive me if it's already been covered. Can someone outline the changes in sound from brand new to 200 hours break in? I have less than 40 hours on my wm1a and less than 20 hours on my mdr-z7 phones. Sound is a little hard with lots of glare in upper mids. Female vocals and even high pitched male vocals can be painfull to listen to. Sound is not very fluid or musical in the mids.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cpetrillo said:


> I haven't had time to read all the way through this thread so please forgive me if it's already been covered. Can someone outline the changes in sound from brand new to 200 hours break in? I have less than 40 hours on my wm1a and less than 20 hours on my mdr-z7 phones. Sound is a little hard with lots of glare in upper mids. Female vocals and even high pitched male vocals can be painfull to listen to. Sound is not very fluid or musical in the mids.


Yes it will take time, arround 100h will start to go musical, as for MDR-Z7 i can't comment as the ones i got were not brand new


----------



## cpetrillo

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes it will take time, arround 100h will start to go musical, as for MDR-Z7 i can't comment as the ones i got were not brand new


Thank you for the reply. So you think what I'm hearing could smooth out with more time on the wm1a or maybe even both?


----------



## prince4ever

Hi all

I have finally received my Campfire Vegas, the Reference 8 cable (for balanced 4.4mm) and the Sony case for the WM1A. I’m in the process of burning in the cable and IEMs but I’ve still been listening to all my IEMs (W40s, 535bronze & Vegas) with all the cables and it’s been a very enjoyable education so far.

My thoughts so far:

The case. Sony CKL-NWWM1.

It sucks. (Which most of you probably already know).

The plastic skeleton that holds the fake or naff leather case together has a cheap, hollow feel to it. It barely does its function; it’s certainly not nice or premium or even compliments the WM1A for quality. One wonders how Sony took such a step backwards from the (2nd) case they made for the ZX2, which was of decent quality and felt sturdy, whilst still being quite practical. All in all the case is not worth the (any?!) money and I’ll be looking for alternatives shortly. Please feel free to offer alternative suggestions as to where I can buy an improved alternative.

The Cable. ALO Reference 8 (4.4mm balanced)
Wow. What a difference. Right out the box all three IEMs, especially the W40s, seem cleaner and tighter, with a detailed but not intrusive sound stage. 

The IEMs. Campfire Vega.
Judging by the other posts, I am not the first to be wow’d by them. Obviously this is a significant upgrade for me, going from Shure 535(Bronze) and Westone W40s to Campfire Vegas. What has really surprised me about the Vegas (burning in time currently about 40 hours) has not been the bass but how (relatively) balanced they are, considering what they are. Uppers are crisp, defined and engaging whilst mids are present but not jarring.
The bass is awesome though. What I’m about to suggest (for those of you with Vegas) is perhaps sacrilegious for fans of modern classical but I will anyway! The fantastic album Elements by Ludovico Einaudi (he’s a total genius) has a bass pulse on the first track, Petricor, starting at about 38 seconds. Listening to this at a decent volume level with the Vegas is a must. It is an experience not to forget.

Most of the listening comparisons were done in the direct mode of the WM1A with high gain off, but I was surprised (and perhaps this is a pat on the back for the WM1A) at how positive the EQ changes were to all three IEMs with the 4.4mm balanced cable. Usually EQ changes result in a rather processed sound, where the frequencies that have less EQ manipulation sound very fake but this hasn't been the case with the WM1A.

There is one aspect of the Vegas that is troubling me though, and that is the comfort level / fatigue when wearing them for any significant period of time. After 45 minutes my ears had had enough and I was more focused on the discomfort that the music. The output is quite intense, which doesn’t help with listening fatigue either. For those of you contemplating getting the Vegas, beware they are very heavy and the silicone tips provided are flimsy, which means the casing can easily dig into your ear. Whereas the Westone silicone tips feel more durable and protective. Whilst not being phenomenally difficult to pop into your ears and get a decent seal, they Vegas are no Westone W40s. I kid you not. I can pop the W40 in my ears and within 10 seconds I am sorted. Which begs two questions?


How can I use the Westone supplied tips with the Vegas? The nozzle sizes are quite different so I’m assuming the two are not compatible. I prefer silicone to foam as there is less pressure and less fiddling. Can anyone recommend silicone tips that are the same size as the large (orange) Westone silicone tips but which would fit the larger nozzle of the Vegas?


Are there any of you with the WM1A, Campfire Vegas and Westone W80s? If so I’d be fascinated to hear what you have to say in comparing the two IEMs when using the WM1A. I’d contemplate getting the W80s if they were about the same quality as the Vegas. (I’m assuming the W80s would have an almost identical fit and fatigue level to that as the W40s).

Any other thoughts would be most welcome on how to get the Vegas as comfy as possible. I think they are awesome and I’m going to keep them. I just need to find a way of making them usable for extended listening.

A big thank you to all those who have given me advice so far. Getting the WM1A with the region hack has been awesome. Sorry if this rushed too!


----------



## cpetrillo

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes it will take time, arround 100h will start to go musical, as for MDR-Z7 i can't comment as the ones i got were not brand new


Forgot to ask. Do think the mdr-z7 are a good match for the 1a? Do you run them balanced or single ended, high or low gain?


----------



## ledzep

cpetrillo said:


> I haven't had time to read all the way through this thread so please forgive me if it's already been covered. Can someone outline the changes in sound from brand new to 200 hours break in? I have less than 40 hours on my wm1a and less than 20 hours on my mdr-z7 phones. Sound is a little hard with lots of glare in upper mids. Female vocals and even high pitched male vocals can be painfull to listen to. Sound is not very fluid or musical in the mids.



I have 1000 + on mine now but I would say I haven't noticed a change player wise from about 400 -500 , as far as the Z7's go I have a pair of stock and a pair I've modded and I'm testing them out with occ copper and solid silver cables on balanced output to find the sweet spot between player / headphone / cable / modding, hang in there it will improve.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cpetrillo said:


> Thank you for the reply. So you think what I'm hearing could smooth out with more time on the wm1a or maybe even both?


Maybe both, i heard my XBA-Z5, those were brand new bought, i heard they improved after just mere 50h burn in


----------



## cpetrillo

Thanks guys, I actually bought 2 headphones to try out with it. They are polar opposites I think. The z7's and Senn hd660s. Haven't received the 660's yet and will have to make a decision quickly so I can send one pair back.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cpetrillo said:


> Thanks guys, I actually bought 2 headphones to try out with it. They are polar opposites I think. The z7's and Senn hd660s. Haven't received the 660's yet and will have to make a decision quickly so I can send one pair back.


You can speed burn in  by leaving the player with headphones plugged in and playing f.e during your sleep


----------



## audionewbi

I hope the next generation of Walkman has DSD up sampling. 
Despite all the war and fights over PCM va DSD i prefer how most dac chips deal with DSD.
I also hope the next generation of s master is able to produce the sound of 1Z our of something the size of Zx300. I wouldn’t mind the price too much as long as I can get the the wm1 sound out of zx300.

Now days my main DAP is my phone, I honestly get why people choose convince over quality.


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> I hope the next generation of Walkman has DSD up sampling.
> Despite all the war and fights over PCM va DSD i prefer how most dac chips deal with DSD


What i want too  DSD-RE(MASTER) engine found in the TA-HA1ZES and yeah smaller size would be great too


----------



## Lookout57

prince4ever said:


> Hi all
> 
> I have finally received my Campfire Vegas, the Reference 8 cable (for balanced 4.4mm) and the Sony case for the WM1A. I’m in the process of burning in the cable and IEMs but I’ve still been listening to all my IEMs (W40s, 535bronze & Vegas) with all the cables and it’s been a very enjoyable education so far.
> 
> ...


The Westone tips nozzle is too small to be used the Vega.  I have the W50 an use the the Westone Star tips but use the Campfire foam tips on the Vega. What I found with the Vega is I need to use a larger tip otherwise they are uncomfortable as you described. With the correct size tips the Vega is ultra comfortable. I insert them and then enjoy them, no need to fiddle once they are set.

If you want a BA IEM look at the Campfire Andromeda, I find it's sound to be warmer with even better details and soundstage than the W50.


----------



## fiascogarcia

prince4ever said:


> Hi all
> 
> I have finally received my Campfire Vegas, the Reference 8 cable (for balanced 4.4mm) and the Sony case for the WM1A. I’m in the process of burning in the cable and IEMs but I’ve still been listening to all my IEMs (W40s, 535bronze & Vegas) with all the cables and it’s been a very enjoyable education so far.
> 
> ...


For case:
Two options I really like.  Dignis; beautifully made but expensive, bought on Ebay.  Benks, really nice translucent silicone, well made and purchased on Amazon.


----------



## 480126

valentinum (etsy.com) make also great case!


----------



## 480126




----------



## Jalo

@prince4ever, if I were you, I wouldn't even burn in the Vega at all, enjoy the beginning stage of the Vega where the bass is awesome with slam and visceral thundering bass.  Once it is burned in, the bass will settle down and you will loose it forever until you buy another new one. The stock foam is the best for the Vega I wouldn't change it.  It will pair really well with the 1A. The cable doesn't need to burn in.  Just enjoy what you have.


----------



## prince4ever

Frida309 said:


> valentinum (etsy.com) make also great case!


Do you have a link for it? I couldn't find it on google...


----------



## prince4ever

Lookout57 said:


> The Westone tips nozzle is too small to be used the Vega.  I have the W50 an use the the Westone Star tips but use the Campfire foam tips on the Vega. What I found with the Vega is I need to use a larger tip otherwise they are uncomfortable as you described. With the correct size tips the Vega is ultra comfortable. I insert them and then enjoy them, no need to fiddle once they are set.
> 
> If you want a BA IEM look at the Campfire Andromeda, I find it's sound to be warmer with even better details and soundstage than the W50.



Do you know if there are any 3rd party (large) silicone tips available anywhere?


----------



## kubig123

prince4ever said:


> Do you have a link for it? I couldn't find it on google...



https://www.etsy.com/search?q=wm1z


----------



## prince4ever

kubig123 said:


> https://www.etsy.com/search?q=wm1z



Thanks a lot! Ordered! Now just to get some decent (extra) large silicone tips for the Vegas!


----------



## Lookout57

prince4ever said:


> Do you know if there are any 3rd party (large) silicone tips available anywhere?


Campfire recommends foam tips and that is what I use. 

A lot of users here like SpiralDots or a hybrid silicon (forget the name).


----------



## kubig123

Lookout57 said:


> Campfire recommends foam tips and that is what I use.
> 
> A lot of users here like SpiralDots or a hybrid silicon (forget the name).



The "hybrid" are the SYMBIO (https://www.ebay.com/itm/SYMBIO-W-Wide-Bore-Silicone-Memory-Foam-Special-Hybrid-Universal-Ear-Tips/123031131307?hash=item1ca53a14ab:g:G5IAAOSwN6JY~ug)
Quite few people are using them, but I don't like them, they are not comfortable to me.

While I really like the spiral dots with their wide bore.

A lot of people are using the Final Audio tips,i never tried, but I'm 99% positive they'll fit the Vega.


----------



## 480126

prince4ever said:


> Do you have a link for it? I couldn't find it on google...


https://www.etsy.com/de/shop/VALENTINUM/items


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> i dont care about DSD all my music is FLAC, aisde DSD intouces more errors than PCM is what i hav read


LOL, I can't belive i just said this in 2016... until i heard DSD in NATIVE mode i changed my mind and thinking towards DSD format, now have like 35 DSD albums, i love it.


----------



## Blommen

Jalo said:


> @prince4ever, if I were you, I wouldn't even burn in the Vega at all, enjoy the beginning stage of the Vega where the bass is awesome with slam and visceral thundering bass.  Once it is burned in, the bass will settle down and you will loose it forever until you buy another new one. The stock foam is the best for the Vega I wouldn't change it.  It will pair really well with the 1A. The cable doesn't need to burn in.  Just enjoy what you have.



I agree, liked the Vega way more in the beginning.


----------



## productred (Mar 26, 2018)

Blommen said:


> I agree, liked the Vega way more in the beginning.



Never said this before as I thought it was only me.............can't agree more


----------



## kira2sheryl

Hey guys. I got a question to ask. I used to put my "5 star" songs into bookmark. However, when i switch a new sd card, songs from sd card were deleted from the bookmark. Can I find the exact file of the list of bookmark to copy with when I switch a new sd card? Otherwise I need to manually add those songs from new sd card into bookmark list again. That was annoying thanks for your help!


----------



## gerelmx1986

kira2sheryl said:


> Hey guys. I got a question to ask. I used to put my "5 star" songs into bookmark. However, when i switch a new sd card, songs from sd card were deleted from the bookmark. Can I find the exact file of the list of bookmark to copy with when I switch a new sd card? Otherwise I need to manually add those songs from new sd card into bookmark list again. That was annoying thanks for your help!


Bookmark lists are temporary so they get deleted when removing the SD card or formatting, but you can create a playlist


----------



## tokyoskies

Jesus!!! I just removed my original Sony case, which didnt come off easily. Not sure why. Anyway, that damn case scratched the side of my WM1Z. Anyone had that before?


----------



## 480126

Sorry, to hear that. I use Valentinum Cases. I have two and I sell one in Brown https://www.ebay.de/itm/152960951882?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 27, 2018)

Retracted.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I've read that the ZX2 downsampled DSD to PCM, as the engineers were concerned over battery life if DSD was played natively... I tought the other way around, that downsampling DSD to PCM was a battery hog contrasted to playing DSD native, as CPU must  work hard to do the conversion. I note this CPU overload f.e when i convert a DSD album to MP3 for the car, or FLAC 24/96 to check the spectrograph


----------



## Down4wotever

tokyoskies said:


> Jesus!!! I just removed my original Sony case, which didnt come off easily. Not sure why. Anyway, that damn case scratched the side of my WM1Z. Anyone had that before?


Oh yes, such a shame and you'd think they'd at least redesign and offer free/discounted cases. I've always used the Sony cases, never had issues with the ZX1 or ZX2


----------



## fiascogarcia

tokyoskies said:


> Jesus!!! I just removed my original Sony case, which didnt come off easily. Not sure why. Anyway, that damn case scratched the side of my WM1Z. Anyone had that before?


I hate getting a scratch on my equipment!  Fortunately, I got an aftermarket case straight away.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

ZX2 case has slight giveaway compared to the WM-1A/Z case which is tight as...a person with a 36 waist trying on a 30 waist jeans.

Wish the next gen model will be thinner, remove the 3.5mm jack and come with a balanced earphone specially for this series. I can only hope.


----------



## cpetrillo

Anyone know if the WM1A can drive the Audeze LCD2 Classic?


----------



## ltanasom

cpetrillo said:


> Anyone know if the WM1A can drive the Audeze LCD2 Classic?


It can drive LCD2C with good results with high-gain 4.4mm balance mode.


----------



## cpetrillo

ltanasom said:


> It can drive LCD2C with good results with high-gain 4.4mm balance mode.


May have to wait a while to get a balanced cable for it. Will it be listenable single ended on high gain until then?


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

The dap on the left is wedged in tight too. For the Sony I just use a $9 dollar TPU case I purchased almost at the time of WM1A launch.


----------



## ledzep

DONTGIVEUP said:


> The dap on the left is wedged in tight too. For the Sony I just use a $9 dollar TPU case I purchased almost at the time of WM1A launch.


It's not the case I'd be worried about it's the fact you have Michael Bolton on your WM1A !


----------



## Partlys4int

Could someone here instruct me how to turn on the rmt-nws20 remote? 
I've just received it and I can't get it to light up. I fear mine might be defective...


----------



## soundkist




----------



## flyer1

Partlys4int said:


> Could someone here instruct me how to turn on the rmt-nws20 remote?
> I've just received it and I can't get it to light up. I fear mine might be defective...



Press '-' on the remote and make sure its not on 'hold'. Turn on the remote function in the player as well.


----------



## Partlys4int

flyer1 said:


> Press '-' on the remote and make sure its not on 'hold'. Turn on the remote function in the player as well.


Thank you but nothing happens when I try that. Bluetooth remote function is activated on the device;


----------



## flyer1

Partlys4int said:


> Thank you but nothing happens when I try that. Bluetooth remote function is activated on the device;




Keep it pressed and make sure the hold button is down. The led on the remote should be flashing. Also check the battery is properly seated in the battery compartment.


----------



## kubig123

Partlys4int said:


> Thank you but nothing happens when I try that. Bluetooth remote function is activated on the device;



you should check also the region in your player, if I'm not mistaken the remote doesn't work with all the regions.
(https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool)


----------



## Stephen George

kubig123 said:


> you should check also the region in your player, if I'm not mistaken the remote doesn't work with all the regions.
> (https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool)



yes, there should be a separate bluetooth remote config in settings


----------



## Partlys4int

flyer1 said:


> Keep it pressed and make sure the hold button is down. The led on the remote should be flashing. Also check the battery is properly seated in the battery compartment.


I've pressed it several times, well over ten seconds. I've also checked the battery sits properly. No led whatsoever. I'll buy a new battery tomorrow and see if that resolves the issue. 


kubig123 said:


> you should check also the region in your player, if I'm not mistaken the remote doesn't work with all the regions.
> (https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool)



I've got a ZX300 which is an asia-pacific model, so it should work. (Also: several other users already tested the remote with the ZX300, the device is not the issue)


----------



## Partlys4int

Stephen George said:


> yes, there should be a separate bluetooth remote config in settings


Separate bluetooth remote settings are all present. Pairing is not the issue (yet?). I can't get the remote to light up, it seems totally dead for now lol


----------



## gerelmx1986

Wondering why sony didn't include filters for PCM as well, not just for DSD downsampled (non-Native mode).


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sony, for the next Walkman release, can you get rid of that wrist-strap hole and instead put a second micro SD slot in its place?


----------



## blazinblazin

Partlys4int said:


> I've pressed it several times, well over ten seconds. I've also checked the battery sits properly. No led whatsoever. I'll buy a new battery tomorrow and see if that resolves the issue.
> 
> 
> I've got a ZX300 which is an asia-pacific model, so it should work. (Also: several other users already tested the remote with the ZX300, the device is not the issue)



No blue light?


----------



## PCheung

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sony, for the next Walkman release, can you get rid of that wrist-strap hole and instead put a second micro SD slot in its place?



I like that wrist strap hole, in fact it saved my 1Z a few time
I strongly request sony keep that hole on the next walkman


----------



## gerelmx1986

PCheung said:


> I like that wrist strap hole, in fact it saved my 1Z a few time
> I strongly request sony keep that hole on the next walkman


Or at least make it smaller/slim profile


----------



## 480126

PCheung said:


> I like that wrist strap hole, in fact it saved my 1Z a few time
> I strongly request sony keep that hole on the next walkman


I think not many wm owners use the strap - like I. A second sd Slot is better!


----------



## ltanasom

Frida309 said:


> I think not many wm owners use the strap - like I. A second sd Slot is better!


+1


----------



## Giraku

Frida309 said:


> I think not many wm owners use the strap - like I. A second sd Slot is better!


Agreed.


----------



## Panohm

I think most Japanese Portafiles use the strap, it's a must for the Japanese market.


----------



## Lookout57

I've had the wrist strap save me a couple of times from dropping my 1Z. It's a keeper in my opinion. 

A second microSD slot would be nice but with 400GB cards available and 512GB cards soon it's not as critical as it used to be.


----------



## Partlys4int

blazinblazin said:


> No blue light?


I can confirm that the remote works now. The original battery was shaped too small: another battery and now it works perfectly fine. Thank you


----------



## Luckyleo

My remote doesn’t pair.  I read somewhere that there are differences between Asia/Japan remotes and N. American remotes in terms of  inability to sync.  Is this true?  If so, is there a work around?  If not, do I simply turn on blue tooth sync and add device?  Thanks for your help!


----------



## Partlys4int

Luckyleo said:


> My remote doesn’t pair.  I read somewhere that there are differences between Asia/Japan remotes and N. American remotes in terms of  inability to sync.  Is this true?  If so, is there a work around?  If not, do I simply turn on blue tooth sync and add device?  Thanks for your help!


To my understanding, this remote doesn't have a North-American version. It's just the one: the Asia/Japan version. 
I would try to reboot your player. And if that doesn't work, you could try if your player's bluetooth works with other devices: if yes, your remote is faulty and you should get a refund.
Best of luck


----------



## Partlys4int

Luckyleo said:


> My remote doesn’t pair.  I read somewhere that there are differences between Asia/Japan remotes and N. American remotes in terms of  inability to sync.  Is this true?  If so, is there a work around?  If not, do I simply turn on blue tooth sync and add device?  Thanks for your help!


In addition to that: if your remote doesn't light up (shows a blue or red light in the middle of the control pad), you might have the same issue I had. Then another battery might resolve it


----------



## Stephen George

Luckyleo said:


> My remote doesn’t pair.  I read somewhere that there are differences between Asia/Japan remotes and N. American remotes in terms of  inability to sync.  Is this true?  If so, is there a work around?  If not, do I simply turn on blue tooth sync and add device?  Thanks for your help!



like someone else said,,,you can only get the remotes from the asian market, there's a separate BT sync for the remote (in the settings) that has nothing to do with the main BT..and yes...for the first sync, that blue light on the remote should be blinking


----------



## rtjoa

Brimar cables at Can Jam


----------



## kubig123

rtjoa said:


> Brimar cables at Can Jam



That's not healthy


----------



## kubig123

Got a couple of Nobunaga 4.4mm female connector.
Really nice quality, much more compact that the pentaconn one, I just wished the soldering pins were slightly bigger, especially for someone like me that doesn't really master the soldering art.


----------



## rtjoa

kubig123 said:


> That's not healthy


That is so true and nobody warned me. I was there for one hour. Who do I need to seek for help? I cannot sleep well since Can Jam . Creevy bought me a coffee after the show. I don't know if it is a problem with that coffee or his cables..


----------



## Leogaluc666

Can a bad cable cause channel imbalance ? Out of the balanced output of my WM1A, the voices are not centered but on the right, and when I try the SE output (not the same cable) the problem is fixed.

I'm waiting for another 4.4 balanced to see if it's coming from the output itself or the cable.


----------



## rtjoa

kubig123 said:


> Got a couple of Nobunaga 4.4mm female connector.
> Really nice quality, much more compact that the pentaconn one, I just wished the soldering pins were slightly bigger, especially for someone like me that doesn't really master the soldering art.



Where did you buy that Nobunaga 4.4mm female connector?

Here is my 2.5mm to 4.4mm Nobunaga adapter. It is more compact than iBasso converter.


----------



## kubig123

rtjoa said:


> Where did you buy that Nobunaga 4.4mm female connector?
> 
> Here is my 2.5mm to 4.4mm Nobunaga adapter. It is more compact than iBasso converter.



Nice job!!!

I bought them from e-earphone through buyee
(http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopd...000172659&search=nobunaga+4.4&sort=price_desc)


----------



## kubig123

Leogaluc666 said:


> Can a bad cable cause channel imbalance ? Out of the balanced output of my WM1A, the voices are not centered but on the right, and when I try the SE output (not the same cable) the problem is fixed.
> 
> I'm waiting for another 4.4 balanced to see if it's coming from the output itself or the cable.



Did you try to swap the left and right connectors? to see if the problem still persist?
assuming that the soldering has not done in the right way it could add some resistance on one channel.

If you have a multimeter you could try to see if there is an electrical imbalance.


----------



## kubig123

rtjoa said:


> That is so true and nobody warned me. I was there for one hour. Who do I need to seek for help? I cannot sleep well since Can Jam . Creevy bought me a coffee after the show. I don't know if it is a problem with that coffee or his cables..



I've been to CanJam NYC, but looking at the pictures from Singapore it looks like that was the earphone forbidden planet!!!

Not sure how to convince my wife that I have to fly to Singapore to attend the next CanJam


----------



## Tw Chia

Well if anything the discount is pretty awesome  and if the vendors carries stock you save on the shipping as well


----------



## 480126

rtjoa said:


> Where did you buy that Nobunaga 4.4mm female connector?
> 
> Here is my 2.5mm to 4.4mm Nobunaga adapter. It is more compact than iBasso converter.


Same Price (shipping cost?) as ibasso. I bought the ibasso adapter for ca. 16 € incl. shipping. I like the ibasso Color more than black Nobunaga!  Have anybody compare SQ both Adapter?


----------



## rtjoa

Frida309 said:


> Same Price (shipping cost?) as ibasso. I bought the ibasso adapter for ca. 16 € incl. shipping. I like the ibasso Color more than black Nobunaga!  Have anybody compare SQ both Adapter?


My sister bought Nobunaga adapter in Hong Kong and it costs around 3 times more expensive than iBasso. I thought that I lost my Nobunaga adapter in Singapore so I bought the iBasso one.

I have never compared both adapters as all my cables are terminated in 4.4 mm.


----------



## Tw Chia

Just a heads up.,, there was a few threads many pages back on some interest regarding the 4.4mm L plug. (Pentaconn)
Do note that it may only take 4wire 26g or less due to the small opening at the side for cable routing.. even that is a tight squeeze. Given most guys using balance may go for 4 wires for balance it’s a consideration..


----------



## Whitigir

Tw Chia said:


> Just a heads up.,, there was a few threads many pages back on some interest regarding the 4.4mm L plug. (Pentaconn)
> Do note that it may only take 4wire 26g or less due to the small opening at the side for cable routing.. even that is a tight squeeze. Given most guys using balance may go for 4 wires for balance it’s a consideration..



That is a good post, and this is the exact reason why I have not made any cables using those L-angled connector.  The original is much better


----------



## tienbasse

Whitigir said:


> That is a good post, and this is the exact reason why I have not made any cables using those L-angled connector.  The original is much better


There have pros and cons to angled versus straight plugs.
Personally I think that angled plugs are disaster waiting to happen in case of unexpected pulling on the cable, but if you're careful enough...


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think angled plugs are better for putting your DAP in your Pockets


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2018)

tienbasse said:


> There have pros and cons to angled versus straight plugs.
> Personally I think that angled plugs are disaster waiting to happen in case of unexpected pulling on the cable, but if you're careful enough...



Agree, and so does everything in the world.  You just have to decide, which one suit your needs better 


gerelmx1986 said:


> I think angled plugs are better for putting your DAP in your Pockets



Definitely, but it suits IEMS needs more than headphones just because the limited wire sizes that can fit it

I like the original because you can use it for desktop to full-size headphones to IEMS.  The only limitations is that it maybe too bulky for IEMS usages, hence we have angled 4.4mm.  I have not been using it because I don’t use IEMS


----------



## Giraku

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think angled plugs are better for putting your DAP in your Pockets


Fully agreed. That's the reason why I'm using BEE 4.4mm adaptor for 2.5mm balanced plug. I carry WM1Z in my pocket for my long commute (1.5 hours one way on public transportations).


----------



## San Man

Slightly off topic: can anyone recommend a 4.4 to 3.5 SE adaptor to use with my old paw gold?


----------



## Whitigir

San Man said:


> Slightly off topic: can anyone recommend a 4.4 to 3.5 SE adaptor to use with my old paw gold?


No, never use balanced out to single ended in, never.

On a side note, has anyone been wondering that every IEMS or Ciems are using 1Z as a source for shows and so on (reference DAP), and someone claims the 1Z hiss ?
https://headfonics.com/2018/03/canjam-singapore-2018-show-report-part-1/

I wonder if it is the 1Z that hiss, or the people ears that hiss ?


----------



## San Man (Mar 30, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> No, never use balanced out to single ended in, never.


No sir, I'm looking for an adaptor for 4.4 terminated headphone cables to 3.5 single ended plug 

Should have been more specific, my apologies


----------



## San Man

Something like this, but hopefully in stock


----------



## Lookout57 (Mar 30, 2018)

FYI, if anyone in the US is looking to pickup the 1A or 1Z, Moon Audio has them and all in stock Sony products on sale.

Just use the code SAVE at checkout.


----------



## Whitigir

San Man said:


> No sir, I'm looking for an adaptor for 4.4 terminated headphone cables to 3.5 single ended plug
> 
> Should have been more specific, my apologies


I don’t get what you are trying to do.  It doesn’t matter if you are asking for 4.4mm out into a female or male Single ended.  What you are asking is essentially shorting 2 very different signals together.  Even if you were to split them into RCA which is using 2 separated plugs, because they will end up being joined at the device that you are plugging it in.

You can split the signals, but can not join it up.  That means you can split any single ended signals into balanced, but you can not join any balanced signals into single ended.


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> I don’t get what you are trying to do.  It doesn’t matter if you are asking for 4.4mm out into a female or male Single ended.  What you are asking is essentially shorting 2 very different signals together.  Even if you were to split them into RCA which is using 2 separated plugs, because they will end up being joined at the device that you are plugging it in.
> 
> You can split the signals, but can not join it up.  That means you can split any single ended signals into balanced, but you can not join any balanced signals into single ended.



How many times have you answered this question ? Sometimes knowledge is your downfall.


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> I don’t get what you are trying to do.  It doesn’t matter if you are asking for 4.4mm out into a female or male Single ended.  What you are asking is essentially shorting 2 very different signals together.  Even if you were to split them into RCA which is using 2 separated plugs, because they will end up being joined at the device that you are plugging it in.
> 
> You can split the signals, but can not join it up.  That means you can split any single ended signals into balanced, but you can not join any balanced signals into single ended.



His phones are balanced terminated in male 4.4 and he want’s a female 4.4 to male 3.5 so he can use his phones with single ended sources and that works just fine


----------



## Whitigir

If that is the case, then keep in mind the socket  4.4mm alone is about $50 for parts.  I have not seen any cheaper alternative beside authentic Pentaconn


----------



## San Man

nc8000 said:


> His phones are balanced terminated in male 4.4 and he want’s a female 4.4 to male 3.5 so he can use his phones with single ended sources and that works just fine



Yes sir, thank you.   See below 



Whitigir said:


> If that is the case, then keep in mind the socket  4.4mm alone is about $50 for parts.  I have not seen any cheaper alternative beside authentic Pentaconn



I understand it will be around 75-100, but I'm buying a new 4.4 balanced DAP soon (Sony or new Lotoo), and I have a Legend X on order terminated in a 4.4 plug.  I wanted an adapter to be able to use the Legend X cable with my current Paw Gold.


----------



## fiascogarcia (Mar 30, 2018)

San Man said:


> Yes sir, thank you.   See below
> 
> 
> 
> I understand it will be around 75-100, but I'm buying a new 4.4 balanced DAP soon (Sony or new Lotoo), and I have a Legend X on order terminated in a 4.4 plug.  I wanted an adapter to be able to use the Legend X cable with my current Paw Gold.


Plussound can make one for you at about that price.
http://www.plussoundaudio.com/customcables/interconnect.html

Scroll down the page to "micro series termination adapter".


----------



## San Man

fiascogarcia said:


> Plussound can make one for you at about that price.
> http://www.plussoundaudio.com/customcables/interconnect.html
> 
> Scroll down the page to "micro series termination adapter".



Thanks, I saw that one.  But their build time is 20 working days, so I'm trying to see if there's anything more readily available


----------



## Whitigir

San Man said:


> Thanks, I saw that one.  But their build time is 20 working days, so I'm trying to see if there's anything more readily available



Lol! I have been trying to find a source that carry these 4.4mm socket in the states, but have not found one.  If ordered from Japan, it would take about 2 weeks (14 days) to arrive.  So, if it only takes 20 days, that is a good solution


----------



## San Man

Double Helix offers one too, but no mention of stock or build time wait


----------



## kubig123

San Man said:


> Double Helix offers one too, but no mention of stock or build time wait



Plussound is much more reliable than doublehelix


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## San Man

kubig123 said:


> Plussound is much more reliable than doublehelix



In what way (I've never dealt with either)?


----------



## Saraband

I ordered the 4.4mm TRRRS to 3.5mm SE plug from Plussound in early February.  After 4 weeks, I emailed Christian, and he told me it would actually be 8, so hopefully it ships soon.


----------



## fiascogarcia

San Man said:


> Double Helix offers one too, but no mention of stock or build time wait


Makes really good stuff, takes forever.


----------



## kubig123

San Man said:


> In what way (I've never dealt with either)?



Better customer service, good luck to try to reach Peter at DH, his cables are great, but difficult deal with.

On the other hand Plussound is great, Christian is always available and even if the waiting time are not short, you can be sure that your cable will be ready in less than 2 months.


----------



## San Man

Saraband said:


> I ordered the 4.4mm TRRRS to 3.5mm SE plug from Plussound in early February.  After 4 weeks, I emailed Christian, and he told me it would actually be 8, so hopefully it ships soon.



Holy crap lol


----------



## Saraband

San Man said:


> Holy crap lol



Just to clarify, Christian has been responsive and straightforward about the wait time, so it's all fine.


----------



## San Man

Saraband said:


> Just to clarify, Christian has been responsive and straightforward about the wait time, so it's all fine.



As expected of his service (from everything I've read), but that wait time


----------



## superuser1

Saraband said:


> Just to clarify, Christian has been responsive and straightforward about the wait time, so it's all fine.


Time to give Christian a try.


----------



## kubig123

superuser1 said:


> Time to give Christian a try.


You won’t regret, and the new cables they have are quite interesting, they are extremely supple, hardly had any cable so flexible.


----------



## proedros

have you understood *how low/high gain changes the dynamics in WM1A* ?

I think High Gain makes the sound more punchy and more v-shaped , while Low Gain makes it more mid-centric

what ar your impressions ?


----------



## Luckyleo

Stephen George said:


> like someone else said,,,you can only get the remotes from the asian market, there's a separate BT sync for the remote (in the settings) that has nothing to do with the main BT..and yes...for the first sync, that blue light on the remote should be blinking



Thanks!  Where is the setting for the separate BT sync that you mention above?  I can't for the life of me find it....


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> have you understood *how low/high gain changes the dynamics in WM1A* ?
> 
> I think High Gain makes the sound more punchy and more v-shaped , while Low Gain makes it more mid-centric
> 
> what ar your impressions ?


 I haven't noted this but I have noted if you play higher volumes, the unit starts crumbling apart, ti compresses the dynamic range and no longer sounds with wide soundstage(i note when you up the volume past 80 or 90 the soundstage crunches )


----------



## fiascogarcia

gerelmx1986 said:


> I haven't noted this but I have noted if you play higher volumes, the unit starts crumbling apart, ti compresses the dynamic range and no longer sounds with wide soundstage(i note when you up the volume past 80 or 90 the soundstage crunches )


Just curious, but what phones do you play at 90?  I've only used iems with it, so I was curious about headphones.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fiascogarcia said:


> Just curious, but what phones do you play at 90?  I've only used iems with it, so I was curious about headphones.


MDR-Z7 but i don't do it often, just if the recording requires, often good Dynamic range CDs or Hi-res audio (most often DSD), but yes i note the soundstage starts to crunch and compress


----------



## ledzep

Don't know what your doing wrong but my player and headphone combo do nothing of the sort at them volumes.


----------



## Giraku

gerelmx1986 said:


> I haven't noted this but I have noted if you play higher volumes, the unit starts crumbling apart, ti compresses the dynamic range and no longer sounds with wide soundstage(i note when you up the volume past 80 or 90 the soundstage crunches )


On low or high gain setting? Or maybe both?
Anyway, I noticed high gain setting makes the sound signature very slight v-shaped, but I have never noticed soundstage crunch with high volume. With Ultrasone Edition 15 and Grado GH2, sometimes I go 90+ on high gain, especially on low volume tracks (DSD256 or some classical).


----------



## gerelmx1986

Giraku said:


> On low or high gain setting? Or maybe both?
> Anyway, I noticed high gain setting makes the sound signature very slight v-shaped, but I have never noticed soundstage crunch with high volume. With Ultrasone Edition 15 and Grado GH2, sometimes I go 90+ on high gain, especially on low volume tracks (DSD256 or some classical).


Most of times happens with High-gain


----------



## kubig123

Luckyleo said:


> Thanks!  Where is the setting for the separate BT sync that you mention above?  I can't for the life of me find it....



Go back few pages, I posted the link with the instructions and hack in order to change region


----------



## tienbasse

Just got a Wm1Z from friend Blommen at a good price. 
It is smaller than I remember when I demo-ed the WM1A, but heavier for sure!

I hate that gold color but fortunately the black Sony case is gorgeous.
Damn, the sound is very atypical, very slightly warm, in-your-face soundstage but with natural tone and awesome detail retrieval. Drums sound as detailed and cymbals as relaxed as with the AK380, which is the downfall of many cheaper DAP, including my beloved Opus #1/#1S.

Due to the intimate soundstage, it doesn't pair well with everything (a bit claustrophobic with Kennerton Vali for example).
My best pairings so far (using 8-core hybrid 2.5mm balanced cables with a 4.4mm adaptor, I was waiting for the DAP to order 4.4mm cables):

1) AK T8iE. Typical analog-type result, visceral, awesome bass slam, really pleasant for rock/progressive, less so with classical music.
2) Fidue Sirius. Excellent all-rounder, you get a ton of details in the mids, plus some good mid-bass, it sounds just right with most genres.

With Magasoi K5, I had to EQ bass up and decrease the1-5 kHz area significantly because lower treble sound aggressive otherwise. Not the best pairing, K5 sound better with my V20 by far (smoother treble). But it is still impressive that 160$ IEMs can sound as detailed in that pricerange (and very ergonomic as well).


----------



## gerelmx1986

apparently @Mimouille hates DSD for what i've read on the Lotoo Paw Gold touch thread... i have 38 DSD albums now and i am pleased with DSD64x


----------



## gerelmx1986

Wow very nice album


----------



## rcoleman1

Hey guys. Best way to connect WM1Z to Hugo 2? Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks in advance.


----------



## gerelmx1986

rcoleman1 said:


> Hey guys. Best way to connect WM1Z to Hugo 2? Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks in advance.


You need to buy this cable WMC-NWH10


----------



## gerelmx1986

tienbasse said:


> Due to* the intimate soundstage, *it doesn't pair well with everything (a bit claustrophobic with Kennerton Vali for example).
> My best pairings so far (using 8-core hybrid 2.5mm balanced cables with a 4.4mm adaptor, I was waiting for the DAP to order 4.4mm cables):



I've read since day one, people started getting WM1Zs, they stated it has a cavernous soundstage, like a Concert Hall experience... you are the first one i hear that says it has an intimate stage.... I do fnd the stage of the WM1A to be accurate to what i heard in the recording and then  i read where it was recorded


----------



## rcoleman1

gerelmx1986 said:


> You need to buy this cable WMC-NWH10


Thanks @gerelmx1986 I’ve seen that cable. Anyone making something a little less “obtrusive” or custom?


----------



## fiascogarcia

rcoleman1 said:


> Thanks @gerelmx1986 I’ve seen that cable. Anyone making something a little less “obtrusive” or custom?


Maybe the Fiio L27?  Haven't really checked into that one, but might be a consideration.


----------



## tienbasse

gerelmx1986 said:


> I've read since day one, people started getting WM1Zs, they stated it has a cavernous soundstage, like a Concert Hall experience... you are the first one i hear that says it has an intimate stage.... I do fnd the stage of the WM1A to be accurate to what i heard in the recording and then  i read where it was recorded


The voices do sound a bit cavernous (like you get very slight reverb), but they don't sound like they're far away from you and the distance for most instruments is not very far either.
You get a wider soundstage when listening to Opus DAPs, although they don't sound cavernous at all.

I didn't get that feeling when demo-ing the 1A though, and people tend to say soundstage is a bit narrower with 1Z than with 1A.

It's not necessarily a bad point anyway, and the result is partially affected by pairing.


----------



## prince4ever

Total agreement with the earlier poster about the change in Vegas. From about 25 hours onwards the bass changed quite dramatically. It tightened up a lot and lost a lot of its flabby wobble! I miss it!


----------



## prince4ever

On another note - how to create a playlist on the WM1A - if I don't use iTunes or Media (no)Go? Is there a way to create them on the fly? Like ZX2?


----------



## silvahr

rcoleman1 said:


> Hey guys. Best way to connect WM1Z to Hugo 2? Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks in advance.



Hi, I bought this cable (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N3AZPKW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and works well connecting WM1A to H2.


----------



## Lookout57

prince4ever said:


> On another note - how to create a playlist on the WM1A - if I don't use iTunes or Media (no)Go? Is there a way to create them on the fly? Like ZX2?


Yes, you need to select a song then add to either new or existing playlist that was created on the player.


----------



## Whitigir

rcoleman1 said:


> Thanks @gerelmx1986 I’ve seen that cable. Anyone making something a little less “*obtrusive*” or custom?


? Obstrusive ? Well, be known that the stock dongle has internal components that aids the Walkmans in digital out transport purposes.  The cheaper and smaller Chinese one is simply just a WM Plug.  No one know WM port as Sony does.  So, if sound quality is not important, do pickup those Chinese made and less obstructive cables


----------



## bvng3540

rcoleman1 said:


> Thanks @gerelmx1986 I’ve seen that cable. Anyone making something a little less “obtrusive” or custom?



Or you can get that cable, it work with my Hugo and Wm1a assumes will work with wm1z


----------



## bvng3540

silvahr said:


> Hi, I bought this cable (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N3AZPKW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and works well connecting WM1A to H2.


Yes that one also work with Wm1a and Hugo


----------



## briant4pres

still no usb dac? :C


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 2, 2018)

briant4pres said:


> still no usb dac? :C



 No, but the 300ZX does do a USB DAC function only there is a delay so movies have the dialogue unmatched.

But with music all is well, obviously.

Still after listening to the 300ZX and the 1A side by side, the improvement in sound makes getting the 1A the choice for my ears. Anyone may simply get the 300ZX for the DAC function, price and portable size? 

Still I plan on getting a 1A on Thursday.


----------



## Tw Chia

Redcarmoose said:


> No, but the 300ZX does do a USB DAC function only there is a delay so movies have the dialogue unmatched.
> 
> But with music all is well, obviously.
> 
> ...


For portability the ZX300’s hard to beat... I usually use a belt pouch to hold my dap so size and weight is a main consideration.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Tw Chia said:


> For portability the ZX300’s hard to beat... I usually use a belt pouch to hold my dap so size and weight is a main consideration.



Your right. At this point I use an IPod Touch due to size and weight.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

Redcarmoose said:


> Still after listening to the 300ZX and the 1A side by side, the improvement in sound makes getting the 1A the choice for my ears. Anyone may simply get the 300ZX for the DAC function, price and portable size?
> 
> Still I plan on getting a 1A on Thursday.


@Redcarmoose , your profile indicates that you have the 1Z... why also get the 1A?  What does it provide that the 1Z does not?  Thanks!


----------



## tienbasse

Something is probably finishing cooking at Sony, because 2 famous French retailers are now proposing WM1A/WM1Z with significant rebates.
WM1A: 1299€ ==> 849€
WM1Z: 2999€ ==> 1999€

Since French retailers are not exactly notorious for proposing the best prices, new models are probably around the corner.
Which is great news since novelty freaks will get the new models, and smart people will get the previous flagships at great prices (always a good idea in terms of performance/value ratio).


----------



## Redcarmoose

ruthieandjohn said:


> @Redcarmoose , your profile indicates that you have the 1Z... why also get the 1A?  What does it provide that the 1Z does not?  Thanks!



Well I don’t take the 1Z anywhere. So the 1A is more low weight, may take it places? Also Sony actually made them to be complementary devices. Each has a slightly different sound, that may be beyond what’s achievable with EQ. Even if Sony does come out with new editions soon, I still kinda feel both the 1A and 1Z are classics, plus I’ve never heard portable audio sound like they do.


----------



## Cagin

tienbasse said:


> Something is probably finishing cooking at Sony, because 2 famous French retailers are now proposing WM1A/WM1Z with significant rebates.
> WM1A: 1299€ ==> 849€
> WM1Z: 2999€ ==> 1999€
> 
> ...


Yeehaw!


----------



## gerelmx1986

tienbasse said:


> Something is probably finishing cooking at Sony, because 2 famous French retailers are now proposing WM1A/WM1Z with significant rebates.
> WM1A: 1299€ ==> 849€
> WM1Z: 2999€ ==> 1999€
> 
> ...


Same for the WM1A in sony mexico eShop, like the french retailers, sony mexico is not know for cheap prices... but i saw the WM1A from $20,000 MXN down to 14,000


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 2, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Well I don’t take the 1Z anywhere. So the 1A is more low weight, may take it places? Also Sony actually made them to be complementary devices. Each has a slightly different sound, that may be beyond what’s achievable with EQ. Even if Sony does come out with new editions soon, I still kinda feel both the 1A and 1Z are classics, plus I’ve never heard portable audio sound like they do.


If sony releases a 40th anniversary, I won't sell my 1A, for me it is a classic (more than a classic, a special edition for the Brand's 70th).

And like you say I've never came across a portable that sounds as good as the WM1A, to render the greatness of La Chapelle Royale du Versailles and its Grand Orgue in 16/44.1 with grandeur it says much about the high-quality DAC, it plays well with CD, HI-RES and DSD


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 2, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> If sony releases a 40th anniversary, I won't sell my 1A, for me it is a classic (more than a classic, a special edition for the Brand's 70th).
> 
> And like you say I've never came across a portable that sounds as good as the WM1A, to render the greatness of La Chapelle Royale du Versailles and its Grand Orgue in 16/44.1 with grandeur it says much about the high-quality DAC, it plays well with CD, HI-RES and DSD


I could be wrong here, but I feel that the 2 players do pretty much all I could want. And don’t get me wrong, there is a chance I’m deluded here. If you’ve ever read some reviews, the reviewer is defending his purchase. It’s almost as if the reviewer can’t see any flaws due to the money he spent. That is the ego side of our hobby. But to try and be realistic, I’m not sure what else I would want? The volume is more power than I need, the firmware works smooth, and the battery lasts. Add a memory card and you have enough songs. So when I listen it’s like..........this is enough.

But there will always be new technology. I’m thinking that Graphene is going to completely change headphones in the coming 5-10 years. And who knows maybe there will be some improvements in DAP technology? But the players seem to work great.


----------



## yakitoroi

I have the 1z and is quiet happy and satisfied with it, what intrigues me the most is if they update their IEM’s. It would be awesome if they release a complimentary IEM with the Z1Rs sound sig on the go.


----------



## Whitigir

Damn, the new LPG does upconvert PCM to DSD .....
From twister
https://twister6.com/2018/04/02/lotoo-paw-gold-touch-the-introduction/

This maybe what you ask for @gerelmx1986


----------



## gerelmx1986

I agree, the UI is smooth and i think the best i've seen so far, second best Old walkman OS and third best Ipod classic OS.

They are the perfect dap for me, however, I have a couple of High importance wishes  for next release:
*Dual micro-SD slot and memory of 256GB or larger
*High fs DSD upsampling for PCM and for lower DSD fs, like the DSD remaster found on their tabletop amplifiers
*Text input (keyboard) search, tired of trying to look for an english/German/Italian/French song title by scrolling 
*Sound like WM1Z on aluminum or if copper, sony pelase, Get rid of that gold color and at least make it green gold, rose gold, white gold


----------



## Whitigir

Lol! A lot of wishes.  Where is Santa ?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 2, 2018)

I read about the Lotoo PAW Gold touch DSD upscaling, but the battery life.... 2.5 times less than the WM1A. I'll keep with sony


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> I agree, the UI is smooth and i think the best i've seen so far, second best Old walkman OS and third best Ipod classic OS.
> 
> They are the perfect dap for me, however, I have a couple of High importance wishes  for next release:
> *Dual micro-SD slot and memory of 256GB or larger
> ...



How about magic sparkle finish?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> How about magic sparkle finish?


If i remember the X1060 walkman had some sparkly finish on the back


----------



## Whitigir

Roflmao, unicorn with sparkling rainbow ? Who would have thought lol!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Roflmao, unicorn with sparkling rainbow ? Who would have thought lol!


Well the X1060 hadn't exactly that..  it was more like a starry night sparks (silvery dusting speks) on it's back which had some kind of Glass backing


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 2, 2018)

Some dude is having trouble playing FLAC and DSD on his ZX300, the only way i can think of... A) File corruption is so bad that no longer can be accessed or B) Multi-channel.

Personally I haven't had no issues playing my FLACs and DSFs on my WM1A at all... I make sure they are all stereo versions, i don't bother with MCH as i don't have a home theater to begin with


----------



## blazinblazin

Whitigir said:


> Damn, the new LPG does upconvert PCM to DSD .....
> From twister
> https://twister6.com/2018/04/02/lotoo-paw-gold-touch-the-introduction/
> 
> This maybe what you ask for @gerelmx1986



Is it only me or I find some parts looks a lot like a SONY


----------



## Whitigir

blazinblazin said:


> Is it only me or I find some parts looks a lot like a SONY


It does resemble the wm1A side buttons and shapes


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> Is it only me or I find some parts looks a lot like a SONY


It looks a lot like a WM1A


----------



## Whitigir

Today listening to Wm1Z with SR009.  It makes me recall the impression on the 1Z and the vertical rendering of soundstage.  I have yet to hear anything that render the soundstage this way, beside the Ta-ZH1ES


----------



## briant4pres

does anyone know if the ground pin on the 4.4mm jack on the nwwm1a is connected to anything?


----------



## Whitigir

briant4pres said:


> does anyone know if the ground pin on the 4.4mm jack on the nwwm1a is connected to anything?


Does not connect


----------



## briant4pres

so when using a 4.4 to dual 3 pin xlr there is no point of having a sheild connected to the ground pin?


----------



## Whitigir

briant4pres said:


> so when using a 4.4 to dual 3 pin xlr there is no point of having a sheild connected to the ground pin?



It depends on how you look at it, but to correctly engineer a Cables, the Source should not have any shield or ground connected toward itself, and in this case, the Wm1Z.  So the 1Z leaves the ground not connected just in case some people make the cables with ground shield being connected to this terminal.  Sony is very well engineered stuff my friend


----------



## gerelmx1986

The sony walkmans don't support Multichannel audio, if i ever encountered a Multichannel DSD how i would make a stereo version of it, asumming it is not a SACD iso, but a DFF or DSF.


----------



## Magnepan Man (Apr 3, 2018)

Just upgraded to this player from the zx-300, as I had a strange issue with the zx-300. My zx had about 175 hours, but fresh out of the box even,  the WM1A is the obvious better player in all regards. I know the zx-300 is said to be indistinguishable once broken in with the WM1A, but I don’t think so. It’s very close, but there is a certain magic that the WM1A has, that is missing from the zx.  It is more transparent and the extra 10mw does a lot more to the sound than they would suggest.  Sub bass is improved and it just sounds more refined and high end. Looking forward to burning in the WM1A. I mean; let’s be honest it may sound similar, but it’s not the same circuit, so it isn’t a replacement  or a free lunch to the wm1.  It is however a fantastic sound DAP, but it isn’t as good sounding the wm1.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Magnepan Man said:


> Just upgraded to this player from the zx-300, as I had a strange issue with the zx-300. My zx had about 175 hours, but fresh out of the box even,  the WM1A is the obvious better player in all regards. I know the zx-300 is said to be indistinguishable once broken in with the WM1A, but I don’t think so. It’s very close, but there is a certain magic that the WM1A has, that is missing from the zx.  It is more transparent and the extra 10mw does a lot more to the sound than they would suggest.  Sub bass is improved and it just sounds not erefined and high end. Looking forward to burning in the WM1A. I mean; let’s be honest it may sound similar, but it’s not the same circuit, so it isn’t a replacement  or a free lunch to the wm1.  It is however a fantastic sound DAP, but it isn’t as good sounding the wm1.


And with your WM1A you don't have that weird Pitch issue you had with the ZX? perhaps the ZX300 you owned is defective unit, from where you got it?


----------



## Magnepan Man (Apr 4, 2018)

To be honest, the WM1A does exhibit some of that weird pitch “issue”. At this point,  I do not think that my ZX300 had a true defect after all, now listening to the WM1A.

But to add to the madness, today I was listening to a file that was downloaded to my cars internal hard drive via the in dash CD player and noticed a similar higher pitch to what I’m used to the track sounding like. so I’m done with chasing my tail with this.  I’m just going to chalk it all up to different players all sounding slightly different.  It is what it is.  The WM1A I got today is also not defective, maybe my brain is defective lol, jk. But I will say this- my whole life, I have noticed that digital files of the same song almost never match the perfect pitch of a perfectly locked in turntable.  Just my observation, ymmv.


----------



## Whitigir

The universe you live in is existed due to imperfections.  A little mishap here and a little mismatch there is what make the universe possible.  So, there is no “perefection” in this universe, good luck with the next dude


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Magnepan Man  I recommedn you (if you had your ZX300 for 175h) to leave the WM1A circuits "mature", expect a 550h burn-in time till it is fully matured and seasoned


----------



## Magnepan Man

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Magnepan Man  I recommedn you (if you had your ZX300 for 175h) to leave the WM1A circuits "mature", expect a 550h burn-in time till it is fully matured and seasoned


 I definitely will, but I can already tell that the wm1 will be the victor. Really in love with its sound, even in its infancy.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

I just realized, after wistfully ogling the WM1A and WM1Z, that neither has an actual volume knob.  That is a real disadvantage for me, as I rely on it to easily change the volume while the unit is in my pocket.  Both the Lotoo and the AK do have a volume knob.  Those are points in their favor.


----------



## Lookout57

The way the volume buttons are laid out on the WM1x players it is very easy to change the volume with it in your pocket.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 3, 2018)

Magnepan Man said:


> I definitely will, but I can already tell that the wm1 will be the victor. Really in love with its sound, even in its infancy.


Me too, as soon as i Heard mine for the first time, I inmediately knoew it was a huge step-up from the ZX100 i owned before the WM1A, now running close to 4000 hours audio played


----------



## productred

Lookout57 said:


> The way the volume buttons are laid out on the WM1x players it is very easy to change the volume with it in your pocket.



Never really happened to mine which is in my pocket all the time when in use - the volume buttons are quite stiff and, if anything, somehow "guarded" by the wide shoulder and the on/off button. And a full leather case such as Dignis' protects it from accidental pressing further.

If that's a problem to you though, maybe consider using the lock button?


----------



## Quadfather

productred said:


> Never really happened to mine which is in my pocket all the time when in use - the volume buttons are quite stiff and, if anything, somehow "guarded" by the wide shoulder and the on/off button. And a full leather case such as Dignis' protects it from accidental pressing further.
> 
> If that's a problem to you though, maybe consider using the lock button?



Change intentionally?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think volume buttons such as ones in the WM1 series are the best for in pocket placement of the DAP. I feel that a volume knob is more prone to slipping and loud volume blasting accidents, that happened to me when i had the Oppo HA-2


----------



## productred

Quadfather said:


> Change intentionally?



Perhaps? I reread the post and yes think it could be read that way XD but still tends to think it's more of a problem to the poster from his way of saying it Lol

On a sidenote, I think the layout means it won't be easy to press the buttons even intentionally while keeping the player in the pocket, which is a tradeoff but on balance it is more convenient that way. Accident slips and pumping up the volume unintentionally is way more troublesome. For me I'd put my hand in the pocket, feel for the right button and press if I dun wanna take the player out - that's quite a easy thing to do even with a case on.


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 4, 2018)

To anyone who want 4.4mm female socket.  Amazon is now surged with a few in Prime purchase

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=4.4mm+female

In case anyone want to customize to anything else, you just need to wait a couple months, I guess 

Here is female 4.4mm to single 3.5mm

https://www.amazon.com/KK-Cable-Bal...0905&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=4.4mm+female&psc=1


----------



## ledzep

ruthieandjohn said:


> I just realized, after wistfully ogling the WM1A and WM1Z, that neither has an actual volume knob.  That is a real disadvantage for me, as I rely on it to easily change the volume while the unit is in my pocket.  Both the Lotoo and the AK do have a volume knob.  Those are points in their favor.


Get yourself a remote control then your not messing with your pocket and looking like your up to no good !


----------



## nanaholic (Apr 4, 2018)

ruthieandjohn said:


> I just realized, after wistfully ogling the WM1A and WM1Z, that neither has an actual volume knob.  That is a real disadvantage for me, as I rely on it to easily change the volume while the unit is in my pocket.  Both the Lotoo and the AK do have a volume knob.  Those are points in their favor.



The volume buttons on the Walkman has little nipples on them and they are all different sizes relative to each other which makes them really easy to use inside the pocket control blind. The buttons are also recessed and housed inside a cavity, the tactile design of the Walkman buttons are extremely well done and very easy to tell apart by feel and to operate without looking.

Also the AK players don't have button hold feature, brushing against the volume knob and you risk sudden big jumps in volume, that's actually a big minus for the AK players using volume knob. Also the tiny button on AK players are all of the same size and placed extremely close together which makes them impossible to tell apart and prone to mis-operation when used blind. The physical control of AK players is actually quite terrible.

Owning both brands of players (including the AK380 which I sold), the Walkmans physical controls is miles ahead of AK players, it's not even close.


----------



## kubig123

I never, ever, had any problem with the volume buttons on the wm1z, if I compare into the SP1000, AK70, I feel the Sony solution is the better one.
also since the shape of the player gets wider on top of the buttons, this is a further protection that virtually eliminate any possibility to accidentally press the buttons


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> I never, ever, had any problem with the volume buttons on the wm1z, if I compare into the SP1000, AK70, I feel the Sony solution is the better one.
> also since the shape of the player gets wider on top of the buttons, this is a further protection that virtually eliminate any possibility to accidentally press the buttons



I agree, my personal opinion, I dislike dealing with volume wheel, and I have it from Opus 2,3, dx200.  Nope, not a fan, I rather have Walkman button.  Total control


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> To anyone who want 4.4mm female socket.  Amazon is now surged with a few in Prime purchase
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=4.4mm+female
> 
> ...



These are the same connectors Lunashop has been selling for  while, they are definetly cheaper than a Pentaconn or Nobunaga (which are not easier to find them) but you dont get teh same quality.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

ledzep said:


> Get yourself a remote control then your not messing with your pocket and looking like your up to no good !


Excellent...didn’t know there was one...where can I find it ( or what is its model number).  I don’t see any on Amazon, but might not be searching on the right term.  Thanks!


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> These are the same connectors Lunashop has been selling for  while, they are definetly cheaper than a Pentaconn or Nobunaga (which are not easier to find them) but you dont get teh same quality.



For sure, just that Lunashop items always take 4 weeks to come to the USA.  This availability on prime store is just so convenient, and Moreover, it will satisfy people who simply looking for cheap adaptor to pass the time by.  Sad thing is that Pentaconn do not offer complete 4.4mm female


----------



## Whitigir

ruthieandjohn said:


> Excellent...didn’t know there was one...where can I find it ( or what is its model number).  I don’t see any on Amazon, but might not be searching on the right term.  Thanks!


Go to eBay 

*RMT-NWS20*


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> For sure, just that Lunashop items always take 4 weeks to come to the USA.  This availability on prime store is just so convenient, and Moreover, it will satisfy people who simply looking for cheap adaptor to pass the time by.  Sad thing is that Pentaconn do not offer complete 4.4mm female


Absolutely!
I would never order from lunashop if I can find the same cable on amazon, I was just pointing out the quality.

Nobunaga makes a great female connector.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ruthieandjohn said:


> Excellent...didn’t know there was one...where can I find it ( or what is its model number).  I don’t see any on Amazon, but might not be searching on the right term.  Thanks!


if you want a volume knob, yes, the wm1 series have a virtual volume knob


----------



## Lookout57

Whitigir said:


> To anyone who want 4.4mm female socket.  Amazon is now surged with a few in Prime purchase
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=4.4mm+female
> 
> ...


I bought this cable https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07967D5J9/. I order it on 3/22, was shipped from China and delivered on 4/3 to eastern US.

This cable at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Cable-Headphone-Adapter-AK100II/dp/B076326KTB/ is $50, the same cable on lunashop is $33.


----------



## Liono

tienbasse said:


> Something is probably finishing cooking at Sony, because 2 famous French retailers are now proposing WM1A/WM1Z with significant rebates.
> WM1A: 1299€ ==> 849€
> WM1Z: 2999€ ==> 1999€
> 
> ...



Yeah just noticed Amazon UK is now £890 for the A1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LHGL...colid=28Y1LUQXGTQI&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it


----------



## 480126

Liono said:


> Yeah just noticed Amazon UK is now £890 for the A1
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LHGL...colid=28Y1LUQXGTQI&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it


Is that cheap?


----------



## 480126

kubig123 said:


> Absolutely!
> I would never order from lunashop if I can find the same cable on amazon, I was just pointing out the quality.
> 
> Nobunaga makes a great female connector.


ibasso make also a good connector! I a Review sony wm1z tested very good!


----------



## kubig123

Frida309 said:


> ibasso make also a good connector! I a Review sony wm1z tested very good!


ibasso makes a great 2.5mm to 4.4mm connector, great quality and very affordable.


 

But we were talking about a female 4.4mm connector and right now, ibasso doesn't produce one.


----------



## tienbasse

Funny to see how many people starts selling their WM1Z for all kinds of "good reasons" when massive sales now starts with WM1A/WM1Z, announcing the launch of new models in a near future...

Just as a reminder: new prices for brand new units: WM1A for 849€ / WM1Z for 1999€, so I won't comment the "amazing" pricings here...

Same nonsense as one year ago with AK380... don't expect easy sales if you're not willing to lose half of your money with high-end audio stuff, this was never a good "investment" to start with.


----------



## fiascogarcia

tienbasse said:


> Funny to see how many people starts selling their WM1Z for all kinds of "good reasons" when massive sales now starts with WM1A/WM1Z, announcing the launch of new models in a near future...
> 
> Just as a reminder: new prices for brand new units: WM1A for 849€ / WM1Z for 1999€, so I won't comment the "amazing" pricings here...
> 
> Same nonsense as one year ago with AK380... don't expect easy sales if you're not willing to lose half of your money with high-end audio stuff, this was never a good "investment" to start with.


Lucky enough to get mine brand new for $2,300 US.  Have no regrets, given the great sq that suits my taste.  If Sony releases a new model, I won't have an immediate compulsion to buy just because it's new.  Might as well let others put a few miles on it before I think about it.  Not only that, but the whole process of announcing the new model, excited speculation, then the impatient wait for an often times moving release date is a process I try to stay away from.  So my 1Z will serve me very well for a good long time I think.  Usually, if resale prices on my things are super low, I will give them to friends and family.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 4, 2018)

tienbasse said:


> Funny to see how many people starts selling their WM1Z for all kinds of "good reasons" when massive sales now starts with WM1A/WM1Z, announcing the launch of new models in a near future...
> 
> Just as a reminder: new prices for brand new units: WM1A for 849€ / WM1Z for 1999€, so I won't comment the "amazing" pricings here...
> 
> Same nonsense as one year ago with AK380... don't expect easy sales if you're not willing to lose half of your money with high-end audio stuff, this was never a good "investment" to start with.



Obviously the most mean spirited post in the thread. Haters guna hate! Lol.

Got mine for $2600 tax free with a free pair of Z5s, and really don’t care what comes down the line, in fact I’m buying a new 1A in a day or so; call me a Luddite.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Yeah... a lot of people lose their money selling their gear at ridiculously low prices while companies laugh and dance all night long.
I see ZX2, WM-1A/Z sell for $500-$700 lower than original price past couple of months of their release. Even now it’s the same thing.
But I do notice their lower end retain their price somewhat losing only a max. of $200-$300.
Guess the majority who want the higher end, buy it within 1 year of its launch. I don’t see how anyone would spend $1000 above for a product that can’t be serviced and used a little before its shelf life,
A risk one has to take buying expensive walkmans but ca t be said of Rolexs’.


----------



## Whitigir

Rolex is different, it is like comparing carrot to an orange ....lol


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Nice to know ppl know differences between carrots and oranges


----------



## Redcarmoose

What many may not realize is that the Sony 1Z/1A Walkmans provide something that's actually not quantifiable in monetary terms. For us owners, who were willing to take the risk, they provided life experiences which are irreplaceable. That's what the players are about. So any petty talk of investment loss is simply sour grapes.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> What many may not realize is that the Sony 1Z/1A Walkmans provide something that's actually not quantifiable in monetary terms. For us owners, who were willing to take the risk, they provided life experiences which are irreplaceable. That's what the players are about. So any petty talk of investment loss is simply sour grapes.



So is Dave from Chord ? Kakaka

In the hobby, if you want to put the word “good investment”, may want to put Stock market as your hobby then...lol


----------



## gerelmx1986

If a new model comes out this year or next, I will buy the top model and still keep my WM1A


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> If a new model comes out this year or next, I will buy the top model and still keep my WM1A


Don’t worry, it would only cost 10k.  You better start saving now


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> So is Dave from Chord ? Kakaka
> 
> In the hobby, if you want to put the word “good investment”, may want to put Stock market as your hobby then...lol




Hold on..........Let me check..............OK.............Just checked.

Yep!...... I didn't get into this hobby to save money.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Hold on..........Let me check..............OK.............Just checked.
> 
> Yep!...... I didn't get into this hobby to save money.



I hope you know my respond wasn’t specifically targeting any specific self individual at all


----------



## Redcarmoose

Cheers!


Whitigir said:


> I hope you know my respond wasn’t specifically targeting any specific self individual at all


----------



## Magnepan Man (Apr 4, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> What many may not realize is that the Sony 1Z/1A Walkmans provide something that's actually not quantifiable in monetary terms. For us owners, who were willing to take the risk, they provided life experiences which are irreplaceable. That's what the players are about. So any petty talk of investment loss is simply sour grapes.


Exactly.  Very well put. People look at me like I’m absolutely insane when they ask how much I’ve “invested” into my home setup.  Some of them wouldn’t spend that kind of money on a car, let alone a “stereo”.  When I go home, I can call up anyone I want, I have them sing for me like I’m a sultan.  But see, this is what makes ME happy.  Someone else may not understand the want for high end audio.  He price tag of a WM1A, considering what it gives you on an emotional level, indeed cannot be quantifiable.  That little black aluminum brick in your pocket becomes in a way, a “friend”.  One that can always calm you down, or amp you up.  It can make a commute on a train a completely different amd meditative experience, a walk on the beach on vacation a memorable time of reflection, etc.  redcarmoose, I get you. If the unit cannot get you on an emotional level, then it’s not worth the price of admisssion, unless you are buying something simply to plug in your ears to cover up outside noise


----------



## TSAVJason

Whitigir said:


> Don’t worry, it would only cost 10k.  You better start saving now



FAKE News! Not even close to that for the new flagship


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 4, 2018)

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Yeah... a lot of people lose their money selling their gear at ridiculously low prices while companies laugh and dance all night long.
> I see ZX2, WM-1A/Z sell for $500-$700 lower than original price past couple of months of their release. Even now it’s the same thing.
> But I do notice their lower end retain their price somewhat losing only a max. of $200-$300.
> Guess the majority who want the higher end, buy it within 1 year of its launch. I don’t see how anyone would spend $1000 above for a product that can’t be serviced and used a little before its shelf life,
> A risk one has to take buying expensive walkmans but ca t be said of Rolexs’.





Magnepan Man said:


> Exactly.  Very well put. People look at me like I’m absolutely insane when they ask how much I’ve “invested” into my home setup.  Some of them wouldn’t spend that kind of money on a car, let alone a “stereo”.  When I go home, I can call up anyone I want, I have them sing for me like I’m a sultan.  But see, this is what makes ME happy.  Someone else may not understand the want for high end audio.  He price tag of a WM1A, considering what it gives you on an








"Sorry sir you've invested way too much of your hard earned money on audio." " I hope you know that was a non-serviceable item with limited shelf-life." "I'm just going to write you a warning for tomfoolery."


----------



## Whitigir

TSAVJason said:


> FAKE News! Not even close to that for the new flagship


I was just teasing him LOL!

Anyways, not close, then half close ? $5k ? Spill us some beans ! Lol


----------



## TSAVJason

Whitigir said:


> I was just teasing him LOL!
> 
> Anyways, not close, then half close ? $5k ? Spill us some beans ! Lol



I got beans but I’m not spilling until I’m told it’s ok


----------



## Magnepan Man

Redcarmoose said:


> "Sorry sir you've invested way too much of your hard earned money on audio." " I hope you know that was a non-serviceable item with limited shelf-life." "I'm just going to write you a warning for tomfoolery."


Hahaha.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Not even close?
1Z will be their last +3000 Walkman?

Maybe $2500


----------



## TSAVJason

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Not even close?
> 1Z will be their last +3000 Walkman?
> 
> Maybe $2500



The new flagship will not be anywhere close to the $10k @Whitigir posted in jest.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Investment loss is sour grapes for anyone. And that will be bad life experience which shouldn’t happen for anyone.
So please Sony, take back your WM Walkman.
I like my grapes sweet and seedless.


Redcarmoose said:


> What many may not realize is that the Sony 1Z/1A Walkmans provide something that's actually not quantifiable in monetary terms. For us owners, who were willing to take the risk, they provided life experiences which are irreplaceable. That's what the players are about. So any petty talk of investment loss is simply sour grapes.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

TSAVJason said:


> The new flagship will not be anywhere close to the $10k @Whitigir posted in jest.


She was talking about Rolex I presume.


----------



## asquare3376

TSAVJason said:


> The new flagship will not be anywhere close to the $10k @Whitigir posted in jest.


Jason, take my preorder please


----------



## TSAVJason

asquare3376 said:


> Jason, take my preorder please



Hahaha another Fan Boy!  cheers Amit


----------



## gerelmx1986

TSAVJason said:


> The new flagship will not be anywhere close to the $10k @Whitigir posted in jest.


That would be sonys Suicide if they ever did that


----------



## ruthieandjohn

TSAVJason said:


> The new flagship will not be anywhere close to the $10k @Whitigir posted in jest.


Lessee...$49,999 price tag for the new flagship....
Yep! Not anywhere CLOSE to $10k!


----------



## Magnepan Man (Apr 4, 2018)

Can anyone recommend a very plush aftermarket carrying case that fits the wm1 well? I’m looking for one that is extremely plush.  Not one that fits the unit like a glove, but more  like a case for storing the unit.  Lowepro? Anything nicer?


----------



## BigPoppa99

I just got the Massdrop Sennheiser HD 6XX,  Was listening to my 1A single ended.  Is it worth it to get a balanced 2.5mm balanced cable for it?  I'm using the Fiio F9 pro with the MEE 2.5mm cable and 4.4mm adapter for my daily commute and I am really enjoying them. Only about 60 hours in balanced. 10 single ended.


----------



## Quadfather (Apr 5, 2018)

ruthieandjohn said:


> Lessee...$49,999 price tag for the new flagship....
> Yep! Not anywhere CLOSE to $10k!



Dr. Evil says, "$1,000,000."


----------



## proedros

TSAVJason said:


> The *new flagship* will not be anywhere close to the $10k @Whitigir posted in jest.



so there is a new player coming up

can you estimate when is the release date ?

interesting , SONY is back for good


----------



## superuser1

I am glad i held off on the WM1A.. wonder when more info will be out.


----------



## Redcarmoose

superuser1 said:


> I am glad i held off on the WM1A.. wonder when more info will be out.



Yes, but if you could get a brand new WM1A for $1000.00 it would be worth it still. It’s the 4.4mm balanced that makes it still attractive.


----------



## Liono

Liono said: [URL='https://www.head-fi.org/goto/post?id=14150021#post-14150021']↑[/URL]
Yeah just noticed Amazon UK is now £890 for the A1
[URL='https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LHGLG3A/?coliid=I13BX18NONST8N&colid=28Y1LUQXGTQI&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it']https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LHGL...colid=28Y1LUQXGTQI&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it[/URL]

Frida309 said:


> Is that cheap?



Well cheaper than it was at £999, but I can get for £770, but can't bring myself to replace my ZX1 with the 1A knowing a new model is round the corner. Also as I've said before I need wi-fi, so 1A is out for me.


----------



## nc8000

Can’t see me replacing my 1Z for many years


----------



## blazinblazin

If they follows the way they do version 2 of their headphones and stuffs... the new player retail price might be slightly cheaper than the first version.


----------



## nanaholic

I don't think Sony has ever released V2 of their digital Walkmans.


----------



## quodjo105

Just received my 1a. Firmware  on the player is 1.2 . I know there's an update,but I've also read that the sound did change with the latest firmware . My question is , does the new update improve or fix any known bugs in the software?. Thanks


----------



## ruthieandjohn

How does the sound quality of the WM1A compare to that of the Sony PHA-3?  They are of similar price, once you add a digital source such as the Sony A35 to the PHA-3.


----------



## gerelmx1986

quodjo105 said:


> Just received my 1a. Firmware  on the player is 1.2 . I know there's an update,but I've also read that the sound did change with the latest firmware . My question is , does the new update improve or fix any known bugs in the software?. Thanks


 The new FW 2.0 is more stable i havent had any hanging since i upgraded to FW 2.0. It adds suport for MQA and APE file formats as well BT APTX HD, adds new tag support for Disc/Dics total Track/Track total


----------



## quodjo105

gerelmx1986 said:


> The new FW 2.0 is more stable i havent had any hanging since i upgraded to FW 2.0. It adds suport for MQA and APE file formats as well BT APTX HD, adds new tag support for Disc/Dics total Track/Track total


Alright thanks


----------



## Tw Chia

Just to continue on a much earlier post regarding the 4.4mm L-plug Pentaconn, attached is the EA Leo. 
Much thanks to Eric@EA, according to him is as thick a cable as the plug can take..


----------



## Blommen

I will say, the reason I sold my wm1z here was to downsize, like literally, to the zx300 (which will be modded).

I loved the wm1z but it became too stationary for me. I like mountain biking, I work outside and go hiking a lot and I felt bad about bringing the gold brick with me, which resulted in me using my phone for music... and I'd rather not.

I am committed to the Sony eco system and might even buy it back later or a new model in couple of years.

Right now I miss it though


----------



## kubig123

Tw Chia said:


> Just to continue on a much earlier post regarding the 4.4mm L-plug Pentaconn, attached is the EA Leo.
> Much thanks to Eric@EA, according to him is as thick a cable as the plug can take..



Really nice, now I'm jealous!!!

Eric is a great guy.


----------



## Whitigir

Is that silver goldplating cables ? And definitely the Lshape was meant for IEMS.  It look to be 26AWG each wire


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> Is that silver goldplating cables ? And definitely the Lshape was meant for IEMS.  It look to be 26AWG each wire



You nail it!
 It's the Leonidas, gold silver "hybrid" cable and it's a 26awg.


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> You nail it!
> It's the Leonidas, gold silver "hybrid" cable and it's a 26awg.


Now, what is that pricing


----------



## larzy (Apr 5, 2018)

I just received the WM1Z today, and already out of the box with no burn-in it's a HUGE difference from my WM1A - I'm by all means not very technical and definitely not as big an audiophile as many others in this thread, but this is what I've been hoping and craving to hear for years. It really brings out all the best in the music just by listening a few hours. I can tell this will be my new best friend for years  Pairing the dap with the Sony Z1R.

Got it for about 1/2 the retail price here in Denmark, and wouldn't have bought it if it wasn't this "cheap". A too good to be true deal.


----------



## Whitigir

Congratulations and welcome to the club


----------



## bvng3540

Is there a new version of the 1a/z come out soon? As I notice there a whole bunch of 1z for sale on the sale forum


----------



## gerelmx1986

bvng3540 said:


> Is there a new version of the 1a/z come out soon? As I notice there a whole bunch of 1z for sale on the sale forum


Nope this time, that usually happens either in September (IFA, Berlin) or january (CES, USA)


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Nope this time, that usually happens either in September (IFA, Berlin) or january (CES, USA)


And going with typical Sony, nothing gets to the customer hands until November if lucky....


----------



## gerelmx1986

I saw some pics of WM1Zs with PTU Benks case or so the color of the case + the gold color of the 1Z creates an interesting color  illusion


----------



## blazinblazin

Tw Chia said:


> Just to continue on a much earlier post regarding the 4.4mm L-plug Pentaconn, attached is the EA Leo.
> Much thanks to Eric@EA, according to him is as thick a cable as the plug can take..


Did you bought the L-plug? Or Effect audio has the plug? I am interested.
I am using a Leo too.


----------



## Tw Chia

blazinblazin said:


> Did you bought the L-plug? Or Effect audio has the plug? I am interested.
> I am using a Leo too.


Got the plug from -FromJapan.


----------



## Whitigir

Tw Chia said:


> Got the plug from -FromJapan.


It makes sense, since the plug itself is about $100


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Whitigir

No DSD upsampling  ? You are wasting it lol


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 6, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> No DSD upsampling  ? You are wasting it lol



I’ve been a horrible waister most of my life. Waiting for the docking station which I’ll pick-up in Tokyo to get to DSD. I know.....the side USB is not full tilt.


----------



## cocolinho

larzy said:


> I just received the WM1Z today, and already out of the box with no burn-in it's a *HUGE *difference from my WM1A -


I'm sorry but I really doubt about this... did you compare both side by side with exact same song, volume matched? I'm far from having golden ears but I did.
Do you know technically the differences on the 4.4 output between 1A et 1Z? Nothing except wires for connection. So allow me to doubt about "HUGE", marginal at best I would say. I even think it is more a question of synergy with IEMs than really being sonically better actually.


----------



## fiascogarcia

gerelmx1986 said:


> I saw some pics of WM1Zs with PTU Benks case or so the color of the case + the gold color of the 1Z creates an interesting color  illusion


I've been using the Benks case rather than the Dignis because it allows easier use of the side control buttons.  It's a great case, and yes, it does slightly mute the gold color in a very nice way.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 6, 2018)

Quote:
larzy said: ↑
“I just received the WM1Z today, and already out of the box with no burn-in it's a *HUGE *difference from my WM1A -“

————————————————————————————————-

So true, and they were designed to complement each other and be different. I was doing a side by side today with the 1A the 1Z and the Z1R headphones and found the opposite where the 1A joined up much better with the Z1R.

Also I read a review yesterday where the reviewer insisted that he liked the 1A with the Z1R headphones better due to the 1Z making the combo “gooey”....his words. I feel his review was spot on.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

Redcarmoose said:


> Quote:
> larzy said: ↑
> “I just received the WM1Z today, and already out of the box with no burn-in it's a *HUGE *difference from my WM1A -“
> 
> ...


Ken Ho, in a PMRREVIEWS article titled "Sony NW-WM1A and NW-WM1A" (November 24, 2016), an excellent and thorough review in my opinion, also finds that he prefers the 1A with the Z1R headphones:

"SOUND
"At A Glance

"The difference between the two players frankly isn't huge - the NW-WM1Z sound wise is not so much a direct upgrade as it is a variation on the NW-WM1A's existing signature.  This may perhaps be cause for consternation, so I will attempt to explain this in greater detail.  To start we begin with a baseline examination of the sonic characteristics of the WM1A.  Of the two, the WM1A is the more balanced player with a good mix of detail retrieval, dynamics, and staging.  The NW1a's reproduction of bass in fast and punchy with good extension.  It is cleaner and the perceived decay is spot on.  Midrange has clarity of sound and upper end is articulate and pristine.  However there is a subjective grain in this frequency band that provides a slight edge to the player's otherwise smooth presentation of sounds.  Overall it is a transparent player with slight forwardness.

"The WM1Z features a richer signature with an enhanced bass section.  I hesitate to make this comparison, but the WM1Z is sort of like a MDR-Z1R in DAP form (also one of the reasons why I do indeed prefer the WM1A-Z1R pairing)..."


----------



## 480126

fiascogarcia said:


> I've been using the Benks case rather than the Dignis because it allows easier use of the side control buttons.  It's a great case, and yes, it does slightly mute the gold color in a very nice way.


I´m using valentinums leather case! Looks good, fit well and it´s not expencive!


----------



## Lookout57

Redcarmoose said:


> I’ve been a horrible waister most of my life. Waiting for the docking station which I’ll pick-up in Tokyo to get to DSD. I know.....the side USB is not full tilt.


A great alternative to the dock is to use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FF086HE/ and something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041EH0WW/. This combo made a huge improvement over the Walkman cable included with the TA-ZH1ES.


----------



## larzy

Lookout57 said:


> A great alternative to the dock is to use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FF086HE/ and something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041EH0WW/. This combo made a huge improvement over the Walkman cable included with the TA-ZH1ES.



So you are running it as USB instead of Walkman setting in the Sony dac?

Is it something about this way of connecting is true digital whilst the supplied cable running Walkman setting is analog or converted?


----------



## Lookout57

Yes, I'm using the USB port instead of the Walkman port which is a micro USB port. When using either port my 1Z is displaying USB Audio.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Lookout57 said:


> A great alternative to the dock is to use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FF086HE/ and something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041EH0WW/. This combo made a huge improvement over the Walkman cable included with the TA-ZH1ES.



Yes, read up on that combo in the TA-ZH1ES thread. Nice to see more confidence on the process you show.


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 6, 2018)

larzy said:


> So you are running it as USB instead of Walkman setting in the Sony dac?
> 
> Is it something about this way of connecting is true digital whilst the supplied cable running Walkman setting is analog or converted?



Nope! Walkman can Digital transport out by TA-ZH1ES simple WM to usb cable, or it can be used with a Dock, which is more likely to have extra processing prowess to do regeneration, reclocking and so on to further enhance the performances of the digital line out.  The dongle linked above also does the same thing but with less processing prowess as the Dock can constantly charge and play music (it does work without being plugged in too), and the dongle can not charge simultaneously

Here is processing components inside that dongle VS your typical Direct plug from China or the like of TA-SH1ES stock cable.  There is a whole lot more with bigger components inside the dock.  I would say that no one understand Digital Processing as much as Sony, and especially Walkman and it eco
 

Typical cheap one here


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 6, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> Nope! Walkman can Digital transport out by TA-ZH1ES simple WM to usb cable, or it can be used with a Dock, which is more likely to have extra processing prowess to do regeneration, reclocking and so on to further enhance the performances of the digital line out.  The dongle linked above also does the same thing but with less processing prowess as the Dock can constantly charge and play music (it does work without being plugged in too), and the dongle can not charge simultaneously
> 
> Here is processing components inside that dongle VS your typical Direct plug from China or the like of TA-SH1ES stock cable.  There is a whole lot more with bigger components inside the dock.  I would say that no one understand Digital Processing as much as Sony, and especially Walkman and it eco
> 
> ...


Much of this is facinating stuff, and even more so, in a way, after the fact. Meaning that the Signature Collection came out but the dock was Japan only, yet a second tier USB side connection was found to be included with the DAC/amp. Thank you for all your research, your information becomes a foundation here for owners like myself.

And I wonder which folks have both set ups; dongle and dock? Still it’s nice to know of an alternative route, especially if the dock becomes sold out.


----------



## Lookout57

Whitigir said:


> Nope! Walkman can Digital transport out by TA-ZH1ES simple WM to usb cable, or it can be used with a Dock, which is more likely to have extra processing prowess to do regeneration, reclocking and so on to further enhance the performances of the digital line out.  The dongle linked above also does the same thing but with less processing prowess as the Dock can constantly charge and play music (it does work without being plugged in too), and the dongle can not charge simultaneously
> 
> Here is processing components inside that dongle VS your typical Direct plug from China or the like of TA-SH1ES stock cable.  There is a whole lot more with bigger components inside the dock.  I would say that no one understand Digital Processing as much as Sony, and especially Walkman and it eco


Thanks for the in-depth analysis of the USB audio cables and the dock. I originally wasn't going to get the dock and just use the Sony USB audio cable. But after seeing these pictures I'm ordering the dock for the TA-ZH1ES and use the USB audio cable on my office setup.


----------



## Giraku

Lookout57 said:


> A great alternative to the dock is to use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FF086HE/ and something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041EH0WW/. This combo made a huge improvement over the Walkman cable included with the TA-ZH1ES.


I have been using this dock:
https://www.amazon.com/Walkman-Crad...d=1523062995&sr=8-4&keywords=sony+walkman+zx2
This was designed for ZX2. But it works well with WM1Z/A even with the official case. There is a built-in circuit for USB output. I don't know exactly what it is doing. But to my ears, sound quality is better through this dock compared to direct USB cable connection. I tested this dock with TA-ZH1ES and Hugo 2.


----------



## Whitigir

Yes, and that is the dock I am using


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lets see next year or this, but if the new sony walkman flagship is way too expensive I'll end getting a WM1Z, but lets see, first let me enjoy my WM1A


----------



## Lookout57

Giraku said:


> I have been using this dock:
> https://www.amazon.com/Walkman-Crad...d=1523062995&sr=8-4&keywords=sony+walkman+zx2
> This was designed for ZX2. But it works well with WM1Z/A even with the official case. There is a built-in circuit for USB output. I don't know exactly what it is doing. But to my ears, sound quality is better through this dock compared to direct USB cable connection. I tested this dock with TA-ZH1ES and Hugo 2.


That is the dock I ordered earlier today on Amazon. Odd the one I ordered was from a different seller that said they only had 1 left in stock and at a lower price. But when I look at my order it shows this seller and a higher price. I guess I got lucky.


----------



## Snowball0906

Magnepan Man said:


> Exactly.  Very well put. People look at me like I’m absolutely insane when they ask how much I’ve “invested” into my home setup.  Some of them wouldn’t spend that kind of money on a car, let alone a “stereo”.  When I go home, I can call up anyone I want, I have them sing for me like I’m a sultan.  But see, this is what makes ME happy.  Someone else may not understand the want for high end audio.  He price tag of a WM1A, considering what it gives you on an emotional level, indeed cannot be quantifiable.  That little black aluminum brick in your pocket becomes in a way, a “friend”.  One that can always calm you down, or amp you up.  It can make a commute on a train a completely different amd meditative experience, a walk on the beach on vacation a memorable time of reflection, etc.  redcarmoose, I get you. If the unit cannot get you on an emotional level, then it’s not worth the price of admisssion, unless you are buying something simply to plug in your ears to cover up outside noise



Well said!


----------



## Snowball0906

Magnepan Man said:


> Can anyone recommend a very plush aftermarket carrying case that fits the wm1 well? I’m looking for one that is extremely plush.  Not one that fits the unit like a glove, but more  like a case for storing the unit.  Lowepro? Anything nicer?



Try benks?


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> Lets see next year or this, but if the new sony walkman flagship is way too expensive I'll end getting a WM1Z, but lets see, first let me enjoy my WM1A



I love my NW-WM1A, but hope prices for NW-WM1Z come down to where I can own both.  I often get in moods for different sound signatures.


----------



## Magnepan Man

Snowball0906 said:


> Try benks?


Thanks


----------



## Magnepan Man

Anybody know why I can’t get capital letters to input when I’m trying to lable a playlist? I hit the key for upper case and lower case, and it does nothing. the keyboard displays uppercase only, and then types lowercase only. What am I doing wrong?


----------



## Magnepan Man

So today someone in the lounge at my job noticed the WM1A in my hand and it turned into wild fire, with the cheapskates,having to justify a stand alone “MP3” player, let alone a high end Dap. Everyone was laughing at me like I was an idiot.  Haha. Way to much to explain to ignorant non believers.  They will never understand.  They think they know  it all. It’s like those with a supped up Honda civic pretending that their car is as well engineered as a Porsche and making the Porsche owner feel like he got ripped off.  Men vs. boys.  It’s not my fault they haven’t been lucky enough to be exposed to good sound.


----------



## asquare3376

Magnepan Man said:


> So today someone in the lounge at my job noticed the WM1A in my hand and it turned into wild fire, with the cheapskates,having to justify a stand alone “MP3” player, let alone a high end Dap. Everyone was laughing at me like I was an idiot.  Haha. Way to much to explain to ignorant non believers.  They will never understand.  They think they know  it all. It’s like those with a supped up Honda civic pretending that their car is as well engineered as a Porsche and making the Porsche owner feel like he got ripped off.  Men vs. boys.  It’s not my fault they haven’t been lucky enough to be exposed to good sound.


Hahahaha.. You don't want to know how people have reacted to my 1Z


----------



## aisalen

Magnepan Man said:


> So today someone in the lounge at my job noticed the WM1A in my hand and it turned into wild fire, with the cheapskates,having to justify a stand alone “MP3” player, let alone a high end Dap. Everyone was laughing at me like I was an idiot.  Haha. Way to much to explain to ignorant non believers.  They will never understand.  They think they know  it all. It’s like those with a supped up Honda civic pretending that their car is as well engineered as a Porsche and making the Porsche owner feel like he got ripped off.  Men vs. boys.  It’s not my fault they haven’t been lucky enough to be exposed to good sound.


Let them hear it and be amazed. Tell them that you want your home speaker setup always stays with you.


----------



## proedros

Magnepan Man said:


> So today someone in the lounge at my job noticed the WM1A in my hand and it turned into wild fire, with the cheapskates,having to justify a stand alone “MP3” player, let alone a high end Dap. Everyone was laughing at me like I was an idiot.  Haha. Way to much to explain to ignorant non believers.  They will never understand.  They think they know  it all. It’s like those with a supped up Honda civic pretending that their car is as well engineered as a Porsche and making the Porsche owner feel like he got ripped off.  Men vs. boys.  It’s not my fault they haven’t been lucky enough to be exposed to good sound.



sending my thoughts , it's always a bummer when being surrounded by idiots 

but this has been the story of humanity , ignorance and bad taste have always been the loudest 

cheers


----------



## muffin9988

Magnepan Man said:


> Anybody know why I can’t get capital letters to input when I’m trying to lable a playlist? I hit the key for upper case and lower case, and it does nothing. the keyboard displays uppercase only, and then types lowercase only. What am I doing wrong?



Hit the capitalize button after you're done with the letter you want to capitalize, not before

So if you want to create a playlist called "New" then hit the MNO button twice to start with "n" then hit the capitalize button to turn it into capital "N"


----------



## Giraku

aisalen said:


> Let them hear it and be amazed. Tell them that you want your home speaker setup always stays with you.


Similar things happened to me as well. And I did let them hear. Unfortunately, they could not appreciate the difference. They are happy when they can hear "sound" and "melody/rhythm". Quality does not matter.


----------



## Whitigir

Giraku said:


> Similar things happened to me as well. And I did let them hear. Unfortunately, they could not appreciate the difference. They are happy when they can hear "sound" and "melody/rhythm". Quality does not matter.



Talk about that. I will kindly join and share my experiences with my best friend.  He is my best friend in life but with different cores hobby.  I am into music, and he is into gambling.  That one day I let him listen to WM1Z+Utopia out of 4.4mm balanced.  He turned around, and mentioned that it sound good, but for this price, he is happy to enjoy his Galaxy S8 and stock galaxy earbuds.  He called me insane and laughed lol!  We are both a fool for our hobby.

I told him that at least I don’t hand my money to the (dealer) who smiling and taking it away....in the casino.. LOL! I have problem with people who smile and take my money away for free, while burning up my life time.

After all, we are human, much alike and yet much different.  When someone is so serious about something, they will be a fool in other people eyes who don’t share the same mindset ! Lol


----------



## Magnepan Man

muffin9988 said:


> Hit the capitalize button after you're done with the letter you want to capitalize, not before
> 
> So if you want to create a playlist called "New" then hit the MNO button twice to start with "n" then hit the capitalize button to turn it into capital "N"


Thanks!


----------



## Tw Chia

We all have our weaknesses... add that to different phase of our lives and mid life crisis the list of what we are crazy about can be endless.., some like cars tuning, watches, diving, RCs, drones... just to name a few.
One thing for certain is that we are a lazy bunch! We just sit back, relax and enjoy our music and grow fat.. hahaha


----------



## Whitigir

Tw Chia said:


> We all have our weaknesses... add that to different phase of our lives and mid life crisis the list of what we are crazy about can be endless.., some like cars tuning, watches, diving, RCs, drones... just to name a few.
> One thing for certain is that we are a lazy bunch! We just sit back, relax and enjoy our music and grow fat.. hahaha



My soul and hearing experiences will grow fat with music and satisfactions, but physically Fat ? Nope, I care about my health and body more than that


----------



## meomap

Magnepan Man said:


> So today someone in the lounge at my job noticed the WM1A in my hand and it turned into wild fire, with the cheapskates,having to justify a stand alone “MP3” player, let alone a high end Dap. Everyone was laughing at me like I was an idiot.  Haha. Way to much to explain to ignorant non believers.  They will never understand.  They think they know  it all. It’s like those with a supped up Honda civic pretending that their car is as well engineered as a Porsche and making the Porsche owner feel like he got ripped off.  Men vs. boys.  It’s not my fault they haven’t been lucky enough to be exposed to good sound.



I told them that you don't deserve to hear a really good setup music for your ears.
To them, music from phone and Beats are the best.
I let them tried my DX200 connected to CDM and AFC. Once they heard the music then they just shut the heLL up.
They truly don't deserve my 1Z and Utopia.


----------



## proedros (Apr 7, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> Talk about that. I will kindly join and share my experiences with my best friend.  He is my best friend in life but with different *cores hobby*.  I am into music, and *he is into gambling*.  That one day I let him listen to WM1Z+Utopia out of 4.4mm balanced.  He turned around, and mentioned that it sound good, but for this price, he is happy to enjoy his Galaxy S8 and stock galaxy earbuds.  He called me insane and laughed lol!  We are both a fool for our hobby.
> 
> I told him that at least I don’t hand my money to the (dealer) who smiling and taking it away....in the casino.. LOL! I have problem with people who smile and take my money away for free, while burning up my life time.
> 
> After all, we are human, much alike and yet much different.  When someone is so serious about something, they will be a fool in other people eyes who don’t share the same mindset ! Lol



gambling is a disease , not a hobby

saying buying totl ciems and dap is like gambling is absurd - you should tell your friend that gambling is a disease and that it will probably leave him selling his house

cheers


----------



## gerelmx1986

Magnepan Man said:


> So today someone in the lounge at my job noticed the WM1A in my hand and it turned into wild fire, with the cheapskates,having to justify a stand alone “MP3” player, let alone a high end Dap. Everyone was laughing at me like I was an idiot.  Haha. Way to much to explain to ignorant non believers.  They will never understand.  They think they know  it all. It’s like those with a supped up Honda civic pretending that their car is as well engineered as a Porsche and making the Porsche owner feel like he got ripped off.  Men vs. boys.  It’s not my fault they haven’t been lucky enough to be exposed to good sound.


Same happened with my crappy bully boss at my job, that spotify is better than having  a separate DAP, my phone can do all the things with music my WM1A can why wasted my money?

LOL as soon as he heard my FLAC files he was mute and shut his mouth up haha, and i told him ah yes and music on cellphone only drains the battery so fast


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> Same happened with my ****ty bully boss at my job, that spotify is better than having  a separate DAP, my phone can do all the things with music my WM1A can why wasted my money?
> 
> LOL as soon as he heard my FLAC files he was mute and shut his mouth up haha, and i told him ah yes and music on cellphone only drains the battery so fast



I had a few bosses like that years ago, and I only hope that hell is real!


----------



## Rchandra

I'm gonna say this. About this product after buying it. I think the wm1a will have a good resell value. Definitely a great digital audio player. I have noticed that with my sony z1r pairs better with the wm1a vs the 1z. Anyone have a tempered glass screen protector for these? I had the zx300 and kinda sorta wish the wm1a had that matte screen.


----------



## roses77

Rchandra said:


> I'm gonna say this. About this product after buying it. I think the wm1a will have a good resell value. Definitely a great digital audio player. I have noticed that with my sony z1r pairs better with the wm1a vs the 1z. Anyone have a tempered glass screen protector for these? I had the zx300 and kinda sorta wish the wm1a had that matte screen.



I saw the review video WM1A Vs WM1Z he used the Kimber cable balanced on both of these Daps and said the WM1Z sounds like the Z1R on WM1Z in a dap. He did not use the balanced stock cable. I have the Sony MDRZ1R headphones use the stock cable & Sony WM1Z it pairs quite well. I tried with the Kimber cable doesn’t pair too well. So I’ll stick with stock cable. No you can order tempered glass from amazon if they deliver to your country. 

How does the Zx300 sound compared to the WM1A.


----------



## Magnepan Man

Rchandra said:


> I'm gonna say this. About this product after buying it. I think the wm1a will have a good resell value. Definitely a great digital audio player. I have noticed that with my sony z1r pairs better with the wm1a vs the 1z. Anyone have a tempered glass screen protector for these? I had the zx300 and kinda sorta wish the wm1a had that matte screen.


I agree. I too had the zx-300 before the WM1A. I miss that matte screen.  It was extremely classy looking.  Would have really been a perfect match for the WM1A.


----------



## Snowball0906

roses77 said:


> I saw the review video WM1A Vs WM1Z he used the Kimber cable balanced on both of these Daps and said the WM1Z sounds like the Z1R on WM1Z in a dap. He did not use the balanced stock cable. I have the Sony MDRZ1R headphones use the stock cable & Sony WM1Z it pairs quite well. I tried with the Kimber cable doesn’t pair too well. So I’ll stick with stock cable. No you can order tempered glass from amazon if they deliver to your country.
> 
> How does the Zx300 sound compared to the WM1A.



Based on my previous comparison, wm1a is more micro-detail, and smooth. Zx300’s sq is a lil too rough. The sound is just not as precise and smooth as wm1a. Which is why I bought wm1a. Hope it helps. Just my 2 cents. Cheers!


----------



## Dogmatrix

Magnepan Man said:


> I agree. I too had the zx-300 before the WM1A. I miss that matte screen.  It was extremely classy looking.  Would have really been a perfect match for the WM1A.


I bought this one it works and looks great no sensitivity problems . They have many options I went for the cheap
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2x-BROT...Walkman-NW-WM1A-Protection-Film-/192217856588


----------



## Magnepan Man (Apr 7, 2018)

roses77 said:


> I saw the review video WM1A Vs WM1Z he used the Kimber cable balanced on both of these Daps and said the WM1Z sounds like the Z1R on WM1Z in a dap. He did not use the balanced stock cable. I have the Sony MDRZ1R headphones use the stock cable & Sony WM1Z it pairs quite well. I tried with the Kimber cable doesn’t pair too well. So I’ll stick with stock cable. No you can order tempered glass from amazon if they deliver to your country.
> 
> How does the Zx300 sound compared to the WM1A.[/QUOTE





Snowball0906 said:


> Based on my previous comparison, wm1a is more micro-detail, and smooth. Zx300’s sq is a lil too rough. The sound is just not as precise and smooth as wm1a. Which is why I bought wm1a. Hope it helps. Just my 2 cents. Cheers!


I agree with with snowball.  The sound quality is excellent with the ZX300.  It is, however not in the same league as the WM1A.  I don’t care how much break-in, SE vs. balanced, bla bla bla.  It simply is not the same circuit. I heard it from the first note.  The wma1 has the ability to split hairs that the zx does not. My zx had about 175 hours on it when I returned it and bought the WM1A, and my WM1A sounded better out of the box than the ZX300 and continues to sound better and better.   If you listen to the ZX300, it sounds clear, concise with great separation.....until you hear the WM1A.  I know it is said that the ZX300 was designed to be a smaller, more pocketable version of the wm series, and I agree you can tell the family resemblance but the WM1A is the prettier sister, sound wise.   The WM1A just has  better sound, period.


----------



## Magnepan Man

Dogmatrix said:


> I bought this one it works and looks great no sensitivity problems . They have many options I went for the cheap
> https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2x-BROT...Walkman-NW-WM1A-Protection-Film-/192217856588


Nice find!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Magnepan Man said:


> I agree with with snowball.  The sound quality is excellent with the ZX300.  It is, however not in the same league as the WM1A.  I don’t care how much break-in, SE vs. balanced, bla bla bla.  It simply is not the same circuit. I heard it from the first note.  The wma1 has the ability to split hairs that the zx does not. My zx had about 175 hours on it when I returned it and bought the WM1A, and my WM1A sounded better out of the box than the ZX300 and continues to sound better and better.   If you listen to the ZX300, it sounds clear, concise with great separation.....until you hear the WM1A.  I know it is said that the ZX300 was designed to be a smaller, more pocketable version of the wm series, and I agree you can tell the family resemblance but the WM1A is the prettier sister, sound wise.   The WM1A just has  better sound, period.


And if you Load it with 16/44.1 FLAC files it will sing, forget MP3s or AACs. And if you load Hi-res FLAC or DSD files it will shine even better


----------



## nc8000

Dogmatrix said:


> I bought this one it works and looks great no sensitivity problems . They have many options I went for the cheap
> https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2x-BROT...Walkman-NW-WM1A-Protection-Film-/192217856588



That’s the one I use as well


----------



## ltanasom

nc8000 said:


> That’s the one I use as well


is this tempered glass screen protector or just plastic one?


----------



## nc8000

ltanasom said:


> is this tempered glass screen protector or just plastic one?



The double pack matte one is not glass but they also have a single pack glass one but that one is not matte


----------



## roses77 (Apr 8, 2018)

Snowball0906 said:


> Based on my previous comparison, wm1a is more micro-detail, and smooth. Zx300’s sq is a lil too rough. The sound is just not as precise and smooth as wm1a. Which is why I bought wm1a. Hope it helps. Just my 2 cents. Cheers!




Thankyou for describing the SQ of ZX300 as I don’t like it when the SQ is too rough or harsh. I just did an comparison of the Sandisk & Samsung microsd cards. They do sound different. I bought the Samsung 256gb card and I can say it has an very black background it sounds much more crispier brighter and sounds harsh on some songs  The sandisk 256gb Sound more analogue warm sound & better bass but with black background. I have a programme in which I converted the YouTube to flac on the Samsung it sounds digital & sandisk more tubey SQ.  The good thing about Sony is it upscales music To CD quality & high Rez. It certainly works wonders.

So it may depend on the microsd card you use & headphones.


----------



## superuser1

mSD cards making a difference in sound? too much for me to handle!


----------



## quodjo105

superuser1 said:


> mSD cards making a difference in sound? too much for me to handle!


Lmao..


----------



## Blommen

Magnepan Man said:


> I agree with with snowball.  The sound quality is excellent with the ZX300.  It is, however not in the same league as the WM1A.  I don’t care how much break-in, SE vs. balanced, bla bla bla.  It simply is not the same circuit. I heard it from the first note.  The wma1 has the ability to split hairs that the zx does not. My zx had about 175 hours on it when I returned it and bought the WM1A, and my WM1A sounded better out of the box than the ZX300 and continues to sound better and better.   If you listen to the ZX300, it sounds clear, concise with great separation.....until you hear the WM1A.  I know it is said that the ZX300 was designed to be a smaller, more pocketable version of the wm series, and I agree you can tell the family resemblance but the WM1A is the prettier sister, sound wise.   The WM1A just has  better sound, period.



Please stop spreading this BS!

It is a fact that there is a difference between BAL and SE. If you refuse to use the dap at its best that is your problem but drawing conclusions based on this for others... Just misleading.


----------



## roses77

superuser1 said:


> mSD cards making a difference in sound? too much for me to handle!



Yes the Samsung & sandisk microsd cards do have different SQ as they are 2 different companies & brands. I didn’t believe it myself until I tested it with the same songs. The beauty about Sony WM1Z/A it can upscale music to CD quality or higher with EQ turned on. I prefer the sandisk SQ.


----------



## aisalen

roses77 said:


> Yes the Samsung & sandisk microsd cards do have different SQ as they are 2 different companies & brands. I didn’t believe it myself until I tested it with the same songs. The beauty about Sony WM1Z/A it can upscale music to CD quality or higher with EQ turned on. I prefer the sandisk SQ.


It is like saying that picture you took and save to this two different card can render different color. Sorry, but no way.


----------



## Magnepan Man (Apr 8, 2018)

Blommen said:


> Please stop spreading this BS!
> 
> It is a fact that there is a difference between BAL and SE. If you refuse to use the dap at its best that is your problem but drawing conclusions based on this for others... Just misleading.


With all due respect, I know what I hear.  Take it for what it’s worth, you can take my opinion and throw it in the trash, and that’s your perogative. I was lead to believe that they do sound the same, which is why I bought the zx in the first place, and after owning them both,  It is my opinion that the WM1A is the superior sounding player.  this is the conclusion I came to.  YMMV


----------



## Whitigir

Of course there has to be differences between zx300 and 1A.  Why would Sony or anyone for the matter be selling a cheaper product but superior performances and newer release ? Make no senses. The Zx300 is ways much more portable though


----------



## ledzep

aisalen said:


> It is like saying that picture you took and save to this two different card can render different color. Sorry, but no way.



I'm with you on that, there is no difference in audio quality between cards it's wishful thinking nothing more.


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 8, 2018)

There are sciences behind the Memory card and sound quality.

1/ when being read, the card maybe noisy.  This will not affect the pictures or documents.  It will certainly affect video quality being read or audio being played

2/ better materials being used , simply put, the tolerances and the materials excel in providing less noises when being read or even written on

Could you hear the differences ? Who knows ?

_*Fact*_ is that Transistors can be noisy, and memory card is just a bunches of them compressed together.  When transistor switch or flip/flop there is a noise click in those high powering one.  Don’t believe me, go listen to DX200 for yourself.  *When the player switch sample rate, it clicks*.  But it was only a 1 click as relay.  Now, imagine continuous switching and flowing of data toward your Digital Streams.  Ofcourse clicking is noise, so it will not have a whole in your ass on the picture, but certainly will click to your ears

Sony even published the measured electrical noises and try to tell people about that.  But that is Sony problem, when they try to do something that people don’t understand, the market fail.

Did you even read about why the Engineer used Relay instead on the 1A/Z ? Because the *click noise is mechanical* and not *electrical, *so you will not hear this annoying pop when the player click and switch through headphones or speakers


----------



## roses77

aisalen said:


> It is like saying that picture you took and save to this two different card can render different color. Sorry, but no way.



Well why don’t you test the cards for yourself if you don’t believe it. As far as I know for myself what I hear. What picture are talking about. I haven’t posted any pictures in here..


----------



## roses77

ledzep said:


> I'm with you on that, there is no difference in audio quality between cards it's wishful thinking nothing more.



That’s your opinion, as these are two different companies producing microsd cards. It’s best that you test it for yourself. As I trust my ears what I hear.


----------



## ruthieandjohn (Apr 8, 2018)

I gave up logic when I first questioned the effect of digital cables, such as cheap vs. bespoke USB cables, when I thought “bits is bits and cables cannot make a difference.”

But then, when I bought some Moon Audio cables to connect my sources to the rather tortuous inputs to my (original version) Chord Hugo, I really did hear an improvement in sound over that from the cheap USB cables I had sitting around.

So though I cannot explain it, I certainly believe that one brand of microSD card can sound different than another.  Folk on the Lotoo PAW Gold thread state the same, recommending the SanDisk over other brands.  Lotoo even has a disk transfer rate diagnostic in its system menu to check the speed of your card.


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 8, 2018)

ruthieandjohn said:


> I gave up logic when I first questioned the effect of digital cables, such as cheap vs. bespoke USB cables, when I thought “bits is bits and cables cannot make a difference.”
> 
> But then, when I bought some Moon Audio cables to connect my sources to the rather tortuous inputs to my (original version) Chord Hugo, I really did hear an improvement in sound over that from the cheap USB cables I had sitting around.
> 
> So though I cannot explain it, I certainly believe that one brand of microSD card can sound different than another.  Folk on the Lotoo PAW Gold thread state the same, recommending the SanDisk over other brands.  Lotoo even has a disk transfer rate diagnostic in its system menu to check the speed of your card.



My explanation may not be scientific, but I am not into science forum.  So here is my explanation

Usb digital music is Data retrieved by the Source, for example your 1Z or 1A, and then continuously stream toward the USB port and into your USB cables.  In a sense it is almost Analog waves but is in 1-0 streams.  So it will be effected just as much as your analog headphones cables.  it is different than picture or even videos, these are send as package.  You can not open the files or picture if the package transfer is not complete.  However, digital music will play, except when you yank out your usb Cables, it stops playing.  It does not need to wait for the whole package to be delivered.

Why does cables affect sound ? Because of how it conduct the signals.  Every thing affect sound quality.  Because conductivity in sound reproduction is not simply conducting, but how it is conducted.  For example, I asked/commanded/insisted that you drive from your house to me in 1 hour, and given clear traffic condition.  You can choose to drive constant speed 60mph and arrived in 60 minutes.  The ride is smooth and flawless.  Or you can choose to drive with varied maniac speed at 200 mph and then down to 10 mph and so on,  but make sure to arrive at 60 minutes later.  The ride will be sickening...is it ?  What is the differences here ? The speed, it is not the matter of what car you are driving, or when you arrived, because you are given the 60 minutes limit.  So take speed for Frequency, 200mph is trebles, and 10mph is bass .  Therefore, certain materials will attenuate certain frequency, and amplify certain frequency, hence affecting the sound.

Wires purity is the road, impure road is like potholes on the road. You will ride rough, doesn’t matter if you keep constant speed.  But if the purity is excellent, then less pot holes, or 0 pot holes.  The ride results will be much different

I hope it makes senses, because in reality, everything effect sound

At first, I thought silver conducts much better than Copper.  So the better conductivity property result in better performances.  It is true that silver has better sound quality than copper, but the signature is so much different...more brightness, tighter bass, less blooms.  I could not explain to myself why it is like certain bass is being attenuated down while certain high are amplified up.  If conductivity is just conducting, then it have to be that the whole spectrum be boosted evenly rather than this.  Then silver-gold wires also does this too.  Finally, I could only relate it to driving experiences in the real world to explain it, and it makes senses


----------



## roses77

ruthieandjohn said:


> I gave up logic when I first questioned the effect of digital cables, such as cheap vs. bespoke USB cables, when I thought “bits is bits and cables cannot make a difference.”
> 
> But then, when I bought some Moon Audio cables to connect my sources to the rather tortuous inputs to my (original version) Chord Hugo, I really did hear an improvement in sound over that from the cheap USB cables I had sitting around.
> 
> So though I cannot explain it, I certainly believe that one brand of microSD card can sound different than another.  Folk on the Lotoo PAW Gold thread state the same, recommending the SanDisk over other brands.  Lotoo even has a disk transfer rate diagnostic in its system menu to check the speed of your card.



How cool is that I wish all Daps had a feature like that of testing the disk rate diagnostic to check speed of your card. Thankyou for confirming you notice the difference in SQ with different brands of cards. Sandisk is great for music playback.


----------



## Magnepan Man

Whitigir said:


> My explanation may not be scientific, but I am not into science forum.  So here is my explanation
> 
> Usb digital music is Data retrieved by the Source, for example your 1Z or 1A, and then continuously stream toward the USB port and into your USB cables.  In a sense it is almost Analog waves but is in 1-0 streams.  So it will be effected just as much as your analog headphones cables.  it is different than picture or even videos, these are send as package.  You can not open the files or picture if the package transfer is not complete.  However, digital music will play, except when you yank out your usb Cables, it stops playing.  It does not need to wait for the whole package to be delivered.
> 
> ...


right on!


----------



## ruthieandjohn

I guess the other question I have is...

At what point does a “wire” become a “cable?”

Any DAP, DAC, or amp has its signal running inside its box through wires, printed circuit board leads, and the like.

But some designers choose rather fancy means to route their signals, even while still within the chassis.  Joseph Grado, in his first headphone amplifier, the HPA-1, used interesting multi conductor shielded wires to run the signal around the discrete components on the board inside.  More recently, Sony distinguishes its WM1Z from the WM1A by using Kimber cables to route the signal to the panel jack on the WM1Z.

Hence, while I had thought that cables were outside the box and wires were inside, there is a blending of the two within the box on some top-end designs.


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 8, 2018)

ruthieandjohn said:


> I guess the other question I have is...
> 
> At what point does a “wire” become a “cable?”
> 
> ...




Everything on the circuit board are engineered with components and to the max performances by using copper traces.  Given everything is recorded in the studio productions are copper.  It doesn’t matter.  What matter is the end result that connect toward your headphones end.

_People prefer as much onboard mounted connectors instead of wires which pose extra solder joins
_
However, in the case of Sony, you can believe that they chose Kimber tuning reason, a little changes here can change a lot.  Take a cup of water from me, I already add vanilla, and it doesn’t matter if you pour/transfer it into your fancy diamond cups (your headphones cables) the vanilla will stay with it.  However, under conducting and how it is manner, vanilla may be amplified or reduced, but it is still vanilla 

Wires became “cables” when it has the meaning to easily remove and connect.  Otherwise it is chassis wiring

***what about extra solder joins*** well, here Sony chose to Op for the best reliability as much as possible.  Given Walkman as portable, people will plug/unplug very often, in the pocket, yanking in all directions by accident.  It is no good to do direct soldering onto the board.  The connections need to be able to flex to accommodate and last longer.  Sony chose to opt for chassis wiring instead

Many other manufacturers also op for chassis wiring too for this reason and purposes

I hope that answered it


----------



## sebanumb77

Hi everyone: just a question,

At almost the same price SONY WM1A or Astell&Kern Kann??
And why??
Ok,they are two questions


----------



## Whitigir

sebanumb77 said:


> Hi everyone: just a question,
> 
> At almost the same price SONY WM1A or Astell&Kern Kann??
> And why??
> Ok,they are two questions



Different purposes. Research more for practical purposes that may or may not fit you

Sound quality ? Not too sure, but I would say 1A.  Because it is the little brother of the big sister 1Z which is on the same scale if not better than 1000SP from AK, but only different sound signature and maybe the slightly less performing, but that should be a clear answer.

The best answer for sound quality would be for you to go and experiences the comparison for yourself


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 8, 2018)

roses77 said:


> Thankyou for describing the SQ of ZX300 as I don’t like it when the SQ is too rough or harsh. I just did an comparison of the Sandisk & Samsung microsd cards. They do sound different. I bought the Samsung 256gb card and I can say it has an very black background it sounds much more crispier brighter and sounds harsh on some songs  The sandisk 256gb Sound more analogue warm sound & better bass but with black background. I have a programme in which I *converted the YouTube to flac *on the Samsung it sounds digital & sandisk more tubey SQ.  The good thing about Sony is it upscales music To CD quality & high Rez. It certainly works wonders.
> 
> So it may depend on the microsd card you use & headphones.


You won't be gaining anything, nada, data compressed using YT, lossy algorithm for video (mp4 i bet), can't be brought back with FLAC, only wasting space.

Wasting space, reason No. 1 I ditched a fake hi-res album and replaced with the CD version (in fact the Fake HR album was CD with a Low pass filter, bad)


----------



## Whitigir

YouTube is only worth streaming.  There is a huge different from streaming YouTube even at HD (only graphic), the sound still suck in comparison to a real CD FLAC.  Ask me how I know, just because I am crazy for sound performances ...


----------



## Stephen George

Whitigir said:


> YouTube is only worth streaming.  There is a huge different from streaming YouTube even at HD (only graphic), the sound still suck in comparison to a real CD FLAC.  Ask me how I know, just because I am crazy for sound performances ...



agree, IF you can find a better source, however i find the 1Z and it's sister product the HAP, when using DSEE, can really make crappy MP3s/streamed aac sound excellent

i don't think any other DAP can make such a warm analog sound out of harsh digitall sources (even good ones)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> YouTube is only worth streaming.  There is a huge different from streaming YouTube even at HD (only graphic), the sound still suck in comparison to a real CD FLAC.  Ask me how I know, just because I am crazy for sound performances ...


Agree and more ++ i am also crazy about recording performance, so had to let Trevor pinnock Handel concerti grossi Op. 6 and Op. 3 go, ended replacing with more modern recordings more lively performances, faster pace, and the good SACD rip


----------



## roses77

Whitigir said:


> YouTube is only worth streaming.  There is a huge different from streaming YouTube even at HD (only graphic), the sound still suck in comparison to a real CD FLAC.  Ask me how I know, just because I am crazy for sound performances
> 
> On YouTube I converted to flac but you search for the HD quality as some of the music it’s hard to find on vinyl or CD to convert to flac. So it’s only the hard to find & rare songs, so I’ve found them dj remixes or out of print albums on YouTube.  Some I converted sound fantastic of course I delete the bad recordings. The beauty of Sony Daps it upscales to CD quality compared to other Daps so low quality songs sound good on Sony. I still have at least 18811 MP3S hard to find music.


----------



## roses77

Whitigir said:


> YouTube is only worth streaming.  There is a huge different from streaming YouTube even at HD (only graphic), the sound still suck in comparison to a real CD FLAC.  Ask me how I know, just because I am crazy for sound performances ...



On YouTube I converted to flac but you search for the HD quality as some of the music it’s hard to find on vinyl or CD to convert to flac. So it’s only the hard to find & rare songs, so I’ve found them dj remixes or out of print albums on YouTube. Some I converted sound fantastic of course I delete the bad recordings. The beauty of Sony Daps it upscales to CD quality compared to other Daps so low quality songs sound good on Sony. I still have at least 18811 MP3S hard to find music.


----------



## Whitigir

Sure, whichever float your boats, and if you have no choices, then that is that.  I can’t even listen to MP3, they are so lifeless and flat out DeaD...but don’t take me too seriously, because I even care about cables and wires quality, connectors, and so on  LoL!

MP3 to me is like Sound+noises.  I am in this hobby for Music+fidelity !!! And Eargasm!


----------



## ledzep

roses77 said:


> That’s your opinion, as these are two different companies producing microsd cards. It’s best that you test it for yourself. As I trust my ears what I hear.



Well I trust in God and he told me they are the same.


----------



## fiascogarcia

ledzep said:


> Well I trust in God and he told me they are the same.


Yeah, he calls me on my Birthday too.


----------



## ledzep

fiascogarcia said:


> Yeah, he calls me on my Birthday too.



Jesus is that you ?


----------



## Rchandra

If I were to compare to the zx300 now I would say that in all honesty it depends on if you are using both the wm1a or zx300 in balanced mode. You get a higher output on the wm1a and honestly that extra 50mw to me makes a difference. To amp every little bit of the frequency to listen to as comfortable as you can. And also the type of headphones you are using most importantly. I think if you spending $700 on the zx300 you may as well spend the extra on the wm1a. At least for me I would go that way.


----------



## Blommen

Magnepan Man said:


> With all due respect, I know what I hear.  Take it for what it’s worth, you can take my opinion and throw it in the trash, and that’s your perogative. I was lead to believe that they do sound the same, which is why I bought the zx in the first place, and after owning them both,  It is my opinion that the WM1A is the superior sounding player.  this is the conclusion I came to.  YMMV



I don't discredit your opinion, you can of course think what you will. I am not trying to bash you.

What I am saying is that the SE outputs don't really compare on the same level. The wm1a wins, no doubt. It is only the balanced output which can be compared, and if you don't try/use this you are robbing yourself of the best these daps can offer.


----------



## roses77

ledzep said:


> Well I trust in God and he told me they are the same.



Well as I said that’s your opinion it’s your ears, your hearing that tells you it’s the same. Have you tested both of these cards Samsung & Sandisk to come to an conclusion they sound the same. It’s like comparing 2 different Daps Sony & Astell&kern do they sound the same to you as well. They are 2 different brands.


----------



## roses77

Whitigir said:


> Sure, whichever float your boats, and if you have no choices, then that is that.  I can’t even listen to MP3, they are so lifeless and flat out DeaD...but don’t take me too seriously, because I even care about cables and wires quality, connectors, and so on  LoL!
> 
> MP3 to me is like Sound+noises.  I am in this hobby for Music+fidelity !!! And Eargasm!



My MP3s consist of DJ remixes dance music are very hard to get, converting YouTube video in HD to flac, it sounds better than my MP3 version. Sony is fantastic in upscaling music to high Rez CD quality sound. I can confirm it works with a EQ turned on, not on direct source. That’s the reason why I also bought Sony WM1Z. I still can’t find all of these mixes.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Seems sony kept quiet over Music center, perhaps too buggy? and they pulled it from downloads or are they planning an update in the upcoming months?


----------



## blazinblazin

Maybe release a new software with upcoming Player~


----------



## Rchandra

I don't think sony will release a dap to best the 1z or the 1a. But I do think that perhaps they could release a new type of mid fi player an better software for sure... Like a search option for your music LOL


----------



## San Man

roses77 said:


> Well as I said that’s your opinion it’s your ears, your hearing that tells you it’s the same. Have you tested both of these cards Samsung & Sandisk to come to an conclusion they sound the same. It’s like comparing 2 different Daps Sony & Astell&kern do they sound the same to you as well. They are 2 different brands.



There's a whole lot more stuff crammed into a DAP when compared to a SD card.


----------



## Tw Chia

Well ppl hear what ppl hear... and we all hear different. Some of us are blessed, or cursed with better hearing that’s all... calling someone’s experience BS, snake oil is probably not what this forum is about... you’re probably better off in some science/engineering forum what everything they say can be backed up by numbers/chart.. 
there’s a reason why they call music to be the ‘food of the soul’... we all taste different as well.. 
Imagine we tell our friends that this place serves good food, and before they even try they say ‘ah BS, snake oil, or worse, Prove it’s better! Show me the numbers that shows so!!! 
Well guys we share experience here that all.., and all in good faith too  pls dun put someone down just bcos..

Cheers


----------



## roses77

Tw Chia said:


> Well ppl hear what ppl hear... and we all hear different. Some of us are blessed, or cursed with better hearing that’s all... calling someone’s experience BS, snake oil is probably not what this forum is about... you’re probably better off in some science/engineering forum what everything they say can be backed up by numbers/chart..
> there’s a reason why they call music to be the ‘food of the soul’... we all taste different as well..
> Imagine we tell our friends that this place serves good food, and before they even try they say ‘ah BS, snake oil, or worse, Prove it’s better! Show me the numbers that shows so!!!
> Well guys we share experience here that all.., and all in good faith too  pls dun put someone down just bcos..
> ...



Thankyou & well said it’s all about sharing our experiences in audio how it makes us happy. Some of us a blessed with golden ears we hear every minute detail. We all hear differently. I prefer an warm sound signature, tubey Sound.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 9, 2018)

Why doubleo posting , there is an edit button just below our signature.

Speaking about cards, I had a samsung and now i have a sandisk (400GB), and I couldn't hear any difference at all, only when changing the Firmware or messing with the EQ  settings


----------



## gerelmx1986

Rchandra said:


> I don't think sony will release a dap to best the 1z or the 1a. But I do think that perhaps they could release a new type of mid fi player an better software for sure... Like a search option for your music LOL


Of course they can it can be this year or next (Remember sony Walkman will be 40 years old in 2019)

Is like i said A&K will not release a DAP to compete with AK 380, and they did, the A&Ultima SP1000


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 9, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Of course they can it can be this year or next (Remember sony Walkman will be 40 years old in 2019)
> 
> Is like i said A&K will not release a DAP to compete with AK 380, and they did, the A&Ultima SP1000



A&K did not release the SP1000 to Compete stains AK380.  It is released to _*compete against wm1Z *_.  The 380 has amp modules, the 1000SP do not

 hwahwahwa


----------



## blazinblazin (Apr 9, 2018)

The timing A&K release KANN and SP1000 is obviously aiming at 1A and 1Z according to pricing and output power.

But hey, this time SONY really gave the DAP line a push in output power. If not DAP will still remains low power output.


----------



## Whitigir

blazinblazin said:


> The timing A&K release KANN and SP1000 is obviously aiming at 1A and 1Z according to pricing and output power.
> 
> But hey, this time SONY really gave the DAP line a push in output power. If not DAP will still remains low power output.



Sony didn’t even do their best yet. The best so far is their using meticulous components and parts in the 1Z.  I mean the chassis for 1Z is unique and by part alone, it will cost $750.  To machines and select the purity of a solid block of copper and then gold plating it.  Obviously not going to be cheap.  Sony is the only one who can pull this off, and not even A&K.  This is to show you what Sony is capable of.  They can virtually custom and make any things they want.

Now, let’s say the next Walkman will be an upgrade in technology such as the next generation S-Master HX ? But I doubt.  It will still be this S-Master HX, but maybe newer analog circuitry, more power, and 2 versions of common grade parts, and next is the meticulous grade parts.  I doubt Sony will be using Copper Gold chassis again.

Let’s face it, the S-Master Hx in WM series is newest, and DAC is not the only thing in the player, but the power rail and how it is designed, and then the amplification circuitry.  Basically take the 1A or 1Z, upgrade and swap out components, you get different sound signatures, yeah throw in more power to pull and haul those power hungry headphones.  Sure, you get the next Walkman.  If Sony does this, you can bet that 1Z will be the original and the best meticulous and exotic parts ever been used by Sony for this (S-Master HX generations).  If I was Sony, I would do just this, and maybe throwing in more internal memory too, probably upgrade the main CPU.

Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised that by the anniversary Walkman, they will unbound and unchain the Walkman typical limitations, the power delivery, more memory, and everything is borrowed and related to this generation WM1 Series 

Just guessing*


----------



## ledzep

roses77 said:


> Well as I said that’s your opinion it’s your ears, your hearing that tells you it’s the same. Have you tested both of these cards Samsung & Sandisk to come to an conclusion they sound the same. It’s like comparing 2 different Daps Sony & Astell&kern do they sound the same to you as well. They are 2 different brands.



Yeah tested various cards including the so called Sony premium  card and there is no difference and I've had the player plugged into various test equipment including a noise figure analyser and all reading are the same, so if your hearing a difference you've got faulty ears.


----------



## Rchandra

No. I don't think they're making a new Walkman to beat the 1z especially.. Maybe the 1a...maybe. To be honest I couldn't wait. I love the wm1a and the more I listen to it especially out the box it just sounds so damn good. I rather enjoy this investment for the year and worst case scenario sell the wm1a to get a newer model if it is indeed "better" to me the best part of this hobby is when you stop worrying and start enjoying. With the money I spend on this hobby a few g's isn't gonna kill me. Especially with the hd820 I'm planning to buy when it releases.


----------



## Whitigir

This hobby is cheaper than GF and wife for sure


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

it’s funny how these audiophile players are so ‘brick-like’ compared to a cellphone that have managed to slim down components. It could be another 5-8 years when it will ‘catchup’ to an Xperia or iPhone size.


----------



## 480126

Whitigir said:


> This hobby is cheaper than GF and wife for sure


What´s GF?


----------



## nc8000

Frida309 said:


> What´s GF?



Girl friend


----------



## aisalen (Apr 9, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Why doubleo posting , there is an edit button just below our signature.
> 
> Speaking about cards, I had a samsung and now i have a sandisk (400GB), and I couldn't hear any difference at all, only when changing the Firmware or messing with the EQ  settings


Same with me, I have Samsung Evo and Sandisk and can't hear the difference. Although, I admit that it seems Sandisk is more reliable and is my preferred sdcard. I re-formatted my samsung once as there are some tracks that can't be read by my 1A.


----------



## 480126

nc8000 said:


> Girl friend


Thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

aisalen said:


> Same with me, I have Samsung Evo and Sandisk and can't hear the difference. Although, I admit that it seems Sandisk is more reliable and is my preferred sdcard. I re-formatted my samsung once as there are some tracks that can't be read by my 1A.


I didn't had any troubles with a sammy nor Sandisk, but yes Kingston, three kingston Sd cards killed out of nothing, My dad lost some pictures from FIFA world cup 2014, I formatted two kingstons and they also died.

So far i haven't yet emptied the 400GB card i have on my 1A, lets see when they release the 1TB microSD , to carry all those 54, 536 tracks (1001GB)


----------



## fiascogarcia

Whitigir said:


> This hobby is cheaper than GF and wife for sure


Especially if wife finds out about GF.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 9, 2018)

@roses77 You are right about that DSEE, Sony's Upsampling tech, is damn Good for "converting" MP3 and lossy audio to CD and HR audio equivalent. I've tried that tech since 2007 and It is so good that the MP3 i had sounded clean and like CD. I did a bad job of trying to get a better quality file by upconverting the 96Kbps mp3 to 192 kbps, until i got the iPod in 2012, it revealed the hard truth  bad sound. That's when i decided to go full Lossless. I currently some times play with my FLACs that are CD quality and apply the DSEE HX, sometimes good, some times weird sound. So I think this is primarily designed for lossy files not for lossless.

In fact last year is when i found my last standing Lossy album as FLAC on presto classical, it took me roughly 6 years to replace all lossy to FLAC and DSD, most took me just 2 years.

I do apply DSEE HX with the following albums of Brilliant Classics:
* Andrea Gabrielli: complete keyboard Music
* Georg Philip Telemann: Concertos and sonatas for Viola da Gamba (complete)
*Handel: Harpsichord music (Discs 5 to 8)

Because all these i listed were badly and catastrophically mastered, the engineer (probably a N00B) applied a nasty low-pass filter and instead of getting CD quality on a CD I and other customers ended getting lossy CD, wondering as today why they doin't dind out? and corrected)


----------



## roses77

aisalen said:


> Same with me, I have Samsung Evo and Sandisk and can't hear the difference. Although, I admit that it seems Sandisk is more reliable and is my preferred sdcard. I re-formatted my samsung once as there are some tracks that can't be read by my 1A.



I’m going to stick with the sandisk cards it’s more reliable. I only bought one Samsung card to see if I notice difference in sound. My ak380DR can’t read it even formatted correctly. It’s an defective card unfortunately. Never buying Samsung cards again.


----------



## roses77

gerelmx1986 said:


> @roses77 You are right about that DSEE, Sony's Upsampling tech, is damn Good for "converting" MP3 and lossy audio to CD and HR audio equivalent. I've tried that tech since 2007 and It is so good that the MP3 i had sounded clean and like CD. I did a bad job of trying to get a better quality file by upconverting the 96Kbps mp3 to 192 kbps, until i got the iPod in 2012, it revealed the hard truth  bad sound. That's when i decided to go full Lossless. I currently some times play with my FLACs that are CD quality and apply the DSEE HX, sometimes good, some times weird sound. So I think this is primarily designed for lossy files not for lossless.
> 
> In fact last year is when i found my last standing Lossy album as FLAC on presto classical, it took me roughly 6 years to replace all lossy to FLAC and DSD, most took me just 2 years.
> 
> ...


----------



## roses77

Don’t convert MP3s to flac it looses SQ. I only converted YouTube to flac choose HD videos to do so. If it’s a bad recording I delete.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 9, 2018)

roses77 said:


> Don’t convert MP3s to flac it looses SQ. I only converted YouTube to flac choose HD videos to do so. If it’s a bad recording I delete.


I didn't convert any MP3 to flac, I re-ripped my CDs and redownloaded all what i could from Torrents and bought what i couldn't find

Even better I replaced some CD albums or even 24-bit FLAC albums for DSD


----------



## roses77

ledzep said:


> Yeah tested various cards including the so called Sony premium  card and there is no difference and I've had the player plugged into various test equipment including a noise figure analyser and all reading are the same, so if your hearing a difference you've got faulty ears.



It’s not nice to make fun of what people hear. I don’t have faulty ears as I may blessed with golden ears in which I can hear every detail. In fact is I won’t be buying an Samsung card again as it proved to be defective that Needs  to be taken back. I’ll stick with sandisk cards as it’s more reliable.


----------



## Whitigir

fiascogarcia said:


> Especially if wife finds out about GF.


Uh huh, and that is why this hobby is a blessing , you can divorce with your gears and marry something new,

Now @twister6 has done us another favor for SP100SS/CU VS 1Z

https://twister6.com/2018/04/09/ak-sp1000-ss-vs-cu/

Guess what, 1Z wins under my point of view, and is by far the better players than everything I have owned so far.  I just wished that it has much more power like 3X more, and then larger soundstage.  I don’t mind it being 1000G, just bring it to me....damn it


----------



## Whitigir

roses77 said:


> It’s not nice to make fun of what people hear. I don’t have faulty ears as I may blessed with golden ears in which I can hear every detail. In fact is I won’t be buying an Samsung card again as it proved to be defective that Needs  to be taken back. I’ll stick with sandisk cards as it’s more reliable.



It is actually a curse  very sad, but it is true.


----------



## roses77

Whitigir said:


> It is actually a curse  very sad, but it is true.



It’s not a curse, it’s a gift. Ever since I bought my first high Rez Dap I was amazed by the SQ. Couldn’t go back to listening to my iPod. I got the iPod 4 touch which used the wolfson dac was meant to be the best sounding iPod made to this date.


----------



## Whitigir

roses77 said:


> It’s not a curse, it’s a gift. Ever since I bought my first high Rez Dap I was amazed by the SQ. Couldn’t go back to listening to my iPod. I got the iPod 4 touch which used the wolfson dac was meant to be the best sounding iPod made to this date.



Gift ? Sure, until you are able to hear the tubes, the cables, the minutes differences here and there, and spending more and more just for cables different amps...etc...etc...

I used to consider it as a gift.  Now it is a curse to me, I can buy a *Car* with what I have here


----------



## roses77

Whitigir said:


> Uh huh, and that is why this hobby is a blessing , you can divorce with your gears and marry something new,
> 
> Now @twister6 has done us another favor for SP100SS/CU VS 1Z
> 
> ...



I agree I love My Sony WM1Z it’s so Musical compared to my Astell&kern Daps can sound dry at times, but has very fast bass.


----------



## roses77 (Apr 9, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> Gift ? Sure, until you are able to hear the tubes, the cables, the minutes differences here and there, and spending more and more just for cables different amps...etc...etc...
> 
> I used to consider it as a gift.  Now it is a curse to me, I can buy a *Car* with what I have here



Now I understand your point. To be honest I can’t notice much difference with cables. I have bought after market cables it failed on me the soldering was poor and stopped working. Only 2 cables company I can notice difference is crystal cable & brimar cables. It’s all to do with the soldering needs to be solid for it to work well how it’s inserted in the equipment and angle to not get distorted SQ. It’s hard to explain what I mean.


----------



## roses77

gerelmx1986 said:


> I didn't convert any MP3 to flac, I re-ripped my CDs and redownloaded all what i could from Torrents and bought what i couldn't find
> 
> Even better I replaced some CD albums or even 24-bit FLAC albums for DSD



Okay that’s good I know some people who have done that. Always rip in wav or flac as an back up. Then convert it but not to files bigger than it was recorded looses SQ. I’m stuck with 1792 MP3 files I still can’t find original wav file.


----------



## Whitigir

No, you are absolutely correct.  Poor soldering and poor solder quality will result in distortions.  Bad connectors and plugs will bring losses of details or even increase harshness.  I only make my own cables because I know what the hell I am hearing, and because I can do better job than ....you know what I mean


----------



## roses77

Whitigir said:


> No, you are absolutely correct.  Poor soldering and poor solder quality will result in distortions.  Bad connectors and plugs will bring losses of details or even increase harshness.  I only make my own cables because I know what the hell I am hearing, and because I can do better job than ....you know what I mean



Your very lucky you make your own cables, I’m not good with making my own cables it’s too fiddly Would drive me insane.


----------



## roses77

Rchandra said:


> No. I don't think they're making a new Walkman to beat the 1z especially.. Maybe the 1a...maybe. To be honest I couldn't wait. I love the wm1a and the more I listen to it especially out the box it just sounds so damn good. I rather enjoy this investment for the year and worst case scenario sell the wm1a to get a newer model if it is indeed "better" to me the best part of this hobby is when you stop worrying and start enjoying. With the money I spend on this hobby a few g's isn't gonna kill me. Especially with the hd820 I'm planning to buy when it releases.



You never know Sony might surprise us. If there next Walkman sounds better than Sony WM1Z I might buy.


----------



## Whitigir

roses77 said:


> Your very lucky you make your own cables, I’m not good with making my own cables it’s too fiddly Would drive me insane.



I can make a hell lot more than cables.  Anyways, that skill is also a curse...because I spend ways too much money in cables to hear and observe for my curiosity


----------



## gerelmx1986

Also distortion comes from bad recording/mastering, some new albums i got are always peaking at near 0dB and they distort undless the peak cedes back to less than near 0dB


----------



## ledzep

roses77 said:


> It’s not nice to make fun of what people hear. I don’t have faulty ears as I may blessed with golden ears in which I can hear every detail. In fact is I won’t be buying an Samsung card again as it proved to be defective that Needs  to be taken back. I’ll stick with sandisk cards as it’s more reliable.



Well I guess you could be right then, as I recall when I was younger I used to listen to SW radio and swear I heard extra terrestrial life forms comunicating with me in Morse code.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Whitigir said:


> It is actually a curse  very sad, but it is true.


The curse of confirmation bias.


----------



## Quadfather

fiascogarcia said:


> Especially if wife finds out about GF.



I'm glad I love my wife so much that I don't need a girlfriend.


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> Gift ? Sure, until you are able to hear the tubes, the cables, the minutes differences here and there, and spending more and more just for cables different amps...etc...etc...
> 
> I used to consider it as a gift.  Now it is a curse to me, I can buy a *Car* with what I have here



That is why I drive a $650 car LOL. More money for sound equipment and music.


----------



## flyer1 (Apr 9, 2018)

DONTGIVEUP said:


> it’s funny how these audiophile players are so ‘brick-like’ compared to a cellphone that have managed to slim down components. It could be another 5-8 years when it will ‘catchup’ to an Xperia or iPhone size.[/QUOTE
> 
> I like my 1Z heavy,  big and full of clicking relays. Sure that Sony intended it to be just like that on purpose. The whole feel of operating its buttons reminds me of my Dad's seventies hifi equipment I admired as a kid. It just adds to the overall quality feel and is in balance with the tubey,  analogue type of sound it provides.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Whitigir said:


> My explanation may not be scientific, but I am not into science forum.  So here is my explanation
> 
> Usb digital music is Data retrieved by the Source, for example your 1Z or 1A, and then continuously stream toward the USB port and into your USB cables.  In a sense it is almost Analog waves but is in 1-0 streams.  So it will be effected just as much as your analog headphones cables.  it is different than picture or even videos, these are send as package.  You can not open the files or picture if the package transfer is not complete.  However, digital music will play, except when you yank out your usb Cables, it stops playing.  It does not need to wait for the whole package to be delivered.
> 
> ...


Your explanation is not only not scientific, it is actively anti scientific. I know we want a “feel good” and “trust your ears” feeling around here but this is just lying. USB DACs are asynchronous and have a buffer on the DAC side where the signal is reclocked into the actual DAC chip. The cable cannot affect this. Furthermore, with USB if for some reason a packet fails a CRC check, there is time for the packet to be resent, since USB is a 2-way communication.

Conductivity of a cable has nothing, and I mean nothing, to do with the attenuation of signals at audio frequencies, period. Physics doesn’t care how much you paid for your cables, but the fallibility of human hearing does.


----------



## superuser1

If i keep the 1A on a wood table and a metal table, would it sound different. Of course im talking about the 1A without a case.


----------



## blazinblazin (Apr 9, 2018)

Still for audio stuffs... Listen to believe.
If you like what you hear, the price you think is worth... buy it.

If you keep making it scientific... you won't want to try. And your comments without trying will be just speculations according to your scientific knowledges.

How much can science proof? Do the written evidences known to man now really proof it all or is there anything deeper that is not known to man?

From the starting of mankind people explore, research and confirm the results and make it science. If you don't explore and stick to current science, mankind would not improve, advance and discover new logics and stuffs.


----------



## colonelkernel8

superuser1 said:


> If i keep the 1A on a wood table and a metal table, would it sound different. Of course im talking about the 1A without a case.


No. Emphatically.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Quadfather said:


> I'm glad I love my wife so much that I don't need a girlfriend.


Me too!!


----------



## colonelkernel8 (Apr 9, 2018)

blazinblazin said:


> Still for audio stuffs... Listen to believe.
> If you like what you hear, the price you think is worth... buy it.
> 
> If you keep making it scientific... you won't want to try. And your comments without trying will be just speculations according to your scientific knowledges.
> ...


Science can prove every single facet of audio reproduction down to the most minute audible and inaudible detail. If it couldn’t, how could we even build a device such as this? How can we design products with technologies not known to man? By exploiting unknown scientific phenomena? How would we even know if it worked or not? This is the lie that sells $3000 portable audio players.


----------



## blazinblazin (Apr 9, 2018)

colonelkernel8 said:


> Science can prove every single facet of audio reproduction down to the most minute audible and inaudible detail. If it couldn’t, how could we even build a device such as this? How can we design products with technologies not known to man, by exploiting unknown scientific phenomena? How would we even know if it worked or not? This is the lie that sells $3000 portable audio players.



If science can proof everthing, there's already one true headphones/IEM everyone likes using science and makers do not need to let people test out prototypes? Correct?


----------



## colonelkernel8

blazinblazin said:


> If science can proof everthing, there's already one true headphones/IEM everyone likes using science and makers do not need to let people test out prototypes? Correct?


I’m glad you mentioned it. The headphone transducer (the thing that makes the sound) is actually the hardest part of the problem. It’s not that we can’t measure perfection, we could, but this is one instance where physics does actually get in the way of achieving perfection. Transducers (almost) always have mass and other dampening factors (for a dynamic driver this might be the suspension) that cannot behave perfectly without increasingly large amounts of power, so there is an engineering problem that *can* be worked on and improved with science. It’s one of the few truly audible changes that can be made in hi-fi today aside from better recording techniques. In a portable audio player however, these physical limitations have been utterly overcome, and measurable perfection across the audible spectrum has been attained.


----------



## blazinblazin

colonelkernel8 said:


> I’m glad you mentioned it. The headphone transducer (the thing that makes the sound) is actually the hardest part of the problem. It’s not that we can’t measure perfection, we could, but this is one instance where physics does actually get in the way of achieving perfection. Transducers (almost) always have mass and other dampening factors (for a dynamic driver this might be the suspension) that cannot behave perfectly without increasingly large amounts of power, so there is an engineering problem that *can* be worked on and improved with science. It’s one of the few truly audible changes that can be made in hi-fi today aside from better recording techniques. In a portable audio player however, these physical limitations have been utterly overcome, and measurable perfection across the audible spectrum has been attained.


This does proof the limitation of science doesn't it?


----------



## Quadfather (Apr 9, 2018)

blazinblazin said:


> Still for audio stuffs... Listen to believe.
> If you like what you hear, the price you think is worth... buy it.
> 
> If you keep making it scientific... you won't want to try. And your comments without trying will be just speculations according to your scientific knowledges.
> ...



Science can prove frequencies and sounds, then recreate them. The science of sound waves getting through your ear to your brain is identical in everyone. However, the complexities of the brain make it very possible that each one of us hear sounds substantially differently.  Even though we all can identify the same song, that doesn't mean it  doesn't sound completely different for each of us.


----------



## colonelkernel8

blazinblazin said:


> This does proof the limitation of science doesn't it?


Quite the opposite. It proves the limitation of physics. A limitation I’m confident will eventually be overcome *by* science in the audible realm.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Quadfather said:


> Science can prove frequencies and sounds, then recreate them. The science of sound waves getting through your ear to your brain is identical in everyone. However, the complexities of the brain make it very possible that each one of us hear sounds substantially differently.


Correct. Differently. But it doesn’t mean you can hear sounds that aren’t there.


----------



## superuser1

@colonelkernel8 I figured if different memory cards can sound different, a wood table would too.


----------



## colonelkernel8 (Apr 9, 2018)

superuser1 said:


> @colonelkernel8 I figured if different memory cards can sound different, a wood table would too.


Thanks for your good humor...I hope. 

The notion of SD cards sounding different is beyond ludicrous: by the time the data is anywhere near being converted to analog, it's already been wholly loaded into memory. It's not even close to the media.


----------



## superuser1

colonelkernel8 said:


> Thanks for your good humor...I hope.
> 
> The notion of SD cards sounding different is beyond ludicrous: by the time the data is anywhere near being converted to analog, it's already been wholly loaded into memory. It's not even close to the media.


Thanks for noticing my feeble attempt at humour


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am downloading my very first DSD128 album, Holy cow, 5.4GB


----------



## Tw Chia

Reminds me of my old car audio days... 
‘A watt is a watt’   
Relax guys... I think it’s hard enough(for the wallet and mind) for the guys that can hear minute differences in sound and tone and what not... let just enjoy music in our own ways


----------



## EagleWings

Hey guys, what's the battery life on the 1A when it is used as a digital transport?

(I'm actually planning on getting the ZX300 as a digital transport. I asked the question on the ZX300 thread but haven't got a response yet. Given the similarities in their (ZX300 and WM1A) internal design and their similar playback time, I actually think their battery life as transport should also be fairly close.)


----------



## ledzep

Tw Chia said:


> Reminds me of my old car audio days...
> ‘A watt is a watt’
> Relax guys... I think it’s hard enough(for the wallet and mind) for the guys that can hear minute differences in sound and tone and what not... let just enjoy music in our own ways



Ear ear, well said


----------



## Snowball0906

By any chance, anyone dropped by canjam and tried out Campfire’s comet with wm1a?


----------



## nanaholic (Apr 10, 2018)

colonelkernel8 said:


> Thanks for your good humor...I hope.
> 
> The notion of SD cards sounding different is beyond ludicrous: by the time the data is anywhere near being converted to analog, it's already been wholly loaded into memory. It's not even close to the media.



I think a test can be established that it's not the cards "flipping bits" to change the sound (which IS ludicrous) - it's the EMI noise generated by the card (any active component that has current running through it must generate EMI noise - it's just how much) that gets transmitted into circuit - that idea however isn't ludicrous.

Rob Watts of Chord talks a lot about noise floor modulation and how that a higher/lower noise floor can trick the brain to hear things differently (even when the FR is exactly the same), I would think that's probably the phenomenon that's leading to people thinking how SD cards can sound different - not better/worse, just different, due to how much EMI they generate. I think this is especially telling with Sony's own "hi-res" SD cards, which ironically Sony themselves had to recall because they weren't actually up to card spec.  My hypothesis here would be bad card with lots of internal noise, the noise gets passed into the analogue output either via radiation or travelling along the wires and components raised the overall noise floor (NOT "flipping bits"), brain interprets that noise as a sonic change.


----------



## colonelkernel8 (Apr 10, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> I think a test can be established that it's not the cards "flipping bits" to change the sound (which IS ludicrous) - it's the EMI noise generated by the card (any active component that has current running through it must generate EMI noise - it's just how much) that gets transmitted into circuit - that idea however isn't ludicrous.
> 
> Rob Watts of Chord talks a lot about noise floor modulation and how that a higher/lower noise floor can trick the brain to hear things differently (even when the FR is exactly the same), I would think that's probably the phenomenon that's leading to people thinking how SD cards can sound different - not better/worse, just different, due to how much EMI they generate. I think this is especially telling with Sony's own "hi-res" SD cards, which ironically Sony themselves had to recall because they weren't actually up to card spec.  My hypothesis here would be bad card with lots of internal noise, the noise gets passed into the analogue output and raised the noise floor, brain interprets that noise as a sonic change.


Majority of all SD cards are produced in the exact same fabrication facility, with the same process, yielding the same chip placed in plastic cases of varying brands. I can think of no electrical mechanism in flash memory that would cause one chip to produce more EMI than another, even if they were fabricated in different fabs with different underlying architectures. The noise generated by SD cards is exclusively from the clocking signal and data lines, which are generated by the device itself, not the card, and need to be filtered anyway (it’s noise in the couple hundred of megahertz, so it’s extremely easy to keep out of the audible range, and something that a $2800 audio player would certainly account for).

Instead of trying to concoct convoluted schemes to justify what we thought we heard that have no basis in reality, maybe we should consider the possibility that our ears lie to us when our cognitive biases get in the way. A phenomena that is well studied and understood.


----------



## nanaholic (Apr 10, 2018)

colonelkernel8 said:


> Majority of all SD cards are produced in the exact same fabrication facility, with the same process, yielding the same chip placed in plastic cases of varying brands. I can think of no electrical mechanism in flash memory that would cause one chip to produce more EMI (or really any measureable EMI at all, we’re talking microamps and millivolts) than another, even if they were fabricated in different fabs with different underlying architectures.
> 
> Instead of trying to concoct convoluted schemes to justify what we thought we heard that have no basis in reality, maybe we should consider the possibility that our ears lie to us when our cognitive biases get in the way. A phenomena that is well studied and understood.



As I said, there's no phenomenon where the SD card is flipping bits to change the frequency response - that is established fact which I'm not disputing. However the idea proposed by Rob Watts regarding noise floor modulation and how the brain interpret noise is not a well studied field, that's an entirely different sector which has yet to be tested or understood. In Rob's test he is showing a lowering of just a couple of dBs even at -100dB to -120dB levels leading to a perceived change by the brain, since dB is a logarithmic scale microamps and millivolts difference introduced to the system is well within the possibility of that happening.


----------



## colonelkernel8

nanaholic said:


> As I said, there's no phenomenon where the SD card is flipping bits to change the frequency response - that is established fact which I'm not disputing. However the idea proposed by Rob Watts regarding noise floor modulation and how the brain interpret noise is not a well studied field, that's an entirely different sector which has yet to be tested or understood. In Rob's test he is showing a lowering of just a couple of dBs even at -100dB to -120dB levels leading to a perceived change by the brain, since dB is a logarithmic scale microamps and millivolts difference introduced to the system is well within the possibility of that happening.


I’m well aware. But as I said (granted, I forgot it initially and had to add it in) is that SD card EMI is already filtered because it is generated by the device itself, not the card. So if the noise floor of the device is -120 dB with one card, it’s -120 dB with every card.

Rob Watts needs to do more than propose an idea before he has anything approaching a scientific theory. He should publish a paper and get it peer reviewed to see if anyone can replicate his results.


----------



## papa_mia

colonelkernel8 said:


> Correct. Differently. But it doesn’t mean you can hear sounds that aren’t there.


Dude I would've given you a like but it would ruin the "69" likes that you've had and I cannot be the one who committed this crime.
Sorry.


----------



## proedros (Apr 10, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am downloading my very first DSD128 album, Holy cow, 5.4GB



please stop posting all those ''no information at all'' posts about yourself - you are the only one doing it and you just fill this thread with useless posts

you have like 8K posts and i bet 6K of them are posts like this

you are like @nanaholic  (which posts rarely but all his posts are useful and informative) on the opposite - learn from him , you can do it

so once more - please , stop posting useless comments and start posting something substantial

really thinking of blocking you , it would make this thread way more informative

cheers


----------



## Lemieux66

I've noticed a few posts referencing a new Sony DAP on the way. Does anyone have any hard facts about this?

Still happy with the WM1A and Z1R here btw.


----------



## Whitigir

Lemieux66 said:


> I've noticed a few posts referencing a new Sony DAP on the way. Does anyone have any hard facts about this?
> 
> Still happy with the WM1A and Z1R here btw.


People just speculating based on Sony schedule and so on, some people do also be dreaming.  Whenever it is coming, you will have to wait an antagonizing 3-4 months before it comes to the shores in the states, which happened to 1A/Z


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> People just speculating based on Sony schedule and so on, some people do also be dreaming.  Whenever it is coming, you will have to wait an antagonizing 3-4 months before it comes to the shores in the states, which happened to 1A/Z



Well Jason has confirmed that something is coming but that he is in no position to talk about it yet


----------



## Lemieux66

Nowhere near as bad as Rolex waiting lists, 3-4 months is nothing!


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Well Jason has confirmed that something is coming but that he is in no position to talk about it yet



Ah yes, ofcourse.  If Sony is on track, we will see leaks about the player in July or so, and more official reveals around September-October.  Then that antagonizing release for November December in Japan first, rest of Asia.  Then the US will be dripping in after Christmas and Newyear .  That was what happened with the signature series lol


----------



## tienbasse

Lemieux66 said:


> I've noticed a few posts referencing a new Sony DAP on the way. Does anyone have any hard facts about this?
> 
> Still happy with the WM1A and Z1R here btw.


No hard facts.
But people talk about it in the back, and the facts that websites that are usually not cheap are now discounting brand new WM1A/Z at -35% is usually a sign that stocks have to go before a new line-up comes in.


----------



## Lerrens

I remember someone mentioned WM1A would be phasing out after september and a new model would take its place.

I saw another rumor from a Chinese forum talking about another flagship walkman which is twice the price of WM1Z to be released before year end to celebrate Walkman’s 40th anniversary in 2019. Same source there also mentioned no upgrades for WM1Z this year.

Eagerly waiting for more teases and leaks


----------



## Whitigir

Lerrens said:


> I remember someone mentioned WM1A would be phasing out after september and a new model would take its place.
> 
> I saw another rumor from a Chinese forum talking about another flagship walkman which is twice the price of WM1Z to be released before year end to celebrate Walkman’s 40th anniversary in 2019. Same source there also mentioned no upgrades for WM1Z this year.
> 
> Eagerly waiting for more teases and leaks



1Z was $3,200 in MSRP.  If twice the price it would be $6,400.  If Jason is trust worthy, which, to me that he is, then that is way too close to the mark $10,000.  I have no doubt that the new Walkman for the anniversary maybe $4,300 or so.  But I heavily doubt it to be $6,400.


----------



## Lemieux66

I thought the 1Z was as good as they could build? What could've changed since then?

If they make anything I'dike to see a new version of the Signature Series headphone amplifier and DAC with an HDMI input. All these Sony BD/universal disc players with SACD playback and yet no way to connect digitally to a Sony 2ch device :/


----------



## Lerrens

Whitigir said:


> 1Z was $3,200 in MSRP.  If twice the price it would be $6,400.  If Jason is trust worthy, which, to me that he is, then that is way too close to the mark $10,000.  I have no doubt that the new Walkman for the anniversary maybe $4,300 or so.  But I heavily doubt it to be $6,400.



Yeah I also think it’s highly unlikely that the final pricing would be so insane... but I do believe the rumors are pointing to something  that costs more than WM1Z though.

Anybody interested in the rumors can have a look here (in Chinese): https://tieba.baidu.com/p/5507709004?pn=0&


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 10, 2018)

I tried something

Hd800S and Wm1Z vs Dx200+amp4 and out of 4.4mm balanced.* Dx200+Amp4 can not drive Hd800s....
*
Wm1Z ? No problem.  Punchy and crunchy no problem! 4.4mm.  Sony wasn’t lying about the Wm1Z was made to be able to take on Full-size headphones.  Amazing, high-gain and at 91 Volume only


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> I tried something
> 
> Hd800S and Wm1Z vs Dx200+amp4 and out of 4.4mm balanced.* Dx200+Amp4 can not drive Hd800s....
> *
> Wm1Z ? No problem.  Punchy and crunchy no problem! 4.4mm.  Sony wasn’t lying about the Wm1Z was made to be able to take on Full-size headphones.  Amazing, high-gain and at 91 Volume only


 How do you exactly know when a headphone is being driven correctly?


----------



## fiascogarcia (Apr 10, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> How do you exactly know when a headphone is being driven correctly?


It sounds good at a volume level you want. IMO that's really the only way to consider it.  More critically, you could draw a comparison after listening to the headphone on a desktop system.


----------



## gerelmx1986

fiascogarcia said:


> It sounds good at a volume level you want. IMO that's really the only way to consider it.  More critically, you could draw a comparison after listening to the headphone on a desktop system.


Hmm, I once had some headphones, a pair of sony noise cancellers that with NC off had a impedance of 150 Ohm, i had a sony NWZ-A818 and Z1060, but the headphones sounded really bad, like telephone music... so if they sound bad they arent being driven correctly or b) are junk headphones


----------



## tienbasse

Lemieux66 said:


> I thought the 1Z was as good as they could build? What could've changed since then?


That's just marketing talk.
I really doubt anyone working in R&D would say this in real life if they value the ir job and are really passionate about R&D (I work in R&D). 


Lemieux66 said:


> If they make anything I'dike to see a new version of the Signature Series headphone amplifier and DAC with an HDMI input. All these Sony BD/universal disc players with SACD playback and yet no way to connect digitally to a Sony 2ch device :/


No way it's happening.
There is a certain belief that you can sell more units by avoiding at all costs to mix the hi-fi and home-cinema world. Marketing in all its glory.

Like you, I'd like a hi-fi amp that can do a little home cinema (=hdmi) but it seems you HAVE to buy amps and speakers twice [irony mode ON] because they can't possibly be good for both uses.[irony mode OFF] 
Marketing monkeys...


----------



## Sound Eq

well i heard the wm1a and compared to my cowon plenue s, the wm1a sounded really nice, but still the cowon plenue s had the upper hand in details and ease of use.

scanning a 200 gb sd card was a bit frustrating on the wm1a while super fast on cowon

wm1a is a great dap, and now my interest is to try to listen to a wm1z and compare it to my cowon plenue s which is till this date the best dap I own


----------



## San Man

tienbasse said:


> No hard facts.
> But people talk about it in the back, and the facts that websites that are usually not cheap are now discounting brand new WM1A/Z at -35% is usually a sign that stocks have to go before a new line-up comes in.



Where did you see that at?


----------



## tienbasse

San Man said:


> Where did you see that at?


On 2 major audiophile websites in France. Same price change at the same moment, and since they're usually not competing on prices at all, the rebate is certainly not their decision, but rather some sales from Sony.


----------



## San Man

tienbasse said:


> On 2 major audiophile websites in France. Same price change at the same moment, and since they're usually not competing on prices at all, the rebate is certainly not their decision, but rather some sales from Sony.



Ah, thank you.   Don't see anything like that yet in the US (I'll search more).


----------



## sne4me

Sony music center is practically unusable for me. It wont do snap assist in windows, it doesnt have hotkeys to open file properties (alt + enter), when you grab an album and edit properties without opening the tracklisting, the properties lacks fields for album name, what the heck is a titles initial and artists initial field anyway, is that even a standardized metadata?


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 10, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> How do you exactly know when a headphone is being driven correctly?



It is not the _*loudness.*_ It is the _*Dynamics *_. It is pretty easy to observe.  You will feel like the headphones has no life to it, kind of like lifeless.  When it is driven properly or something is able to drive it, the channel separations shall be crystal clear, details, resolutions, dynamics are all presenting.  Now, if you want to know whether it can be driven better ? You need to try it from different amplifiers to hear it.  When something is being driven Properly and optimized, the soundstage and layering, separations shall be vastly increased.  Especially the punchy dynamics, it shall be stronger, denser and more energetic.

The 1Z is warmer, and I do think the 800S is a perfect synergy for the 1Z.  The 800s is super Flat, huge soundstage that compliment the 1Z narrower soundstage, the vertical sense of rendering is nicely done on this combination.  Trebles is dense and have the right kind of sparkling to it.  I will be upgrading the cables for the 1Z soon.

Now, you can question me the next one, what is the Dynamic I keep talking about.  It is the inner forces of an instrument that is making sound by the external forces applied on it, resonating within it housing, and creates a sound.  If you are able to tell a healthy bass (resonates from the drum housing) and then the vibrating energy of it.  I use example of the drums is because it is the easiest to understand and observe.  When you can only hear Flat bass that you can not tell whether or not it is drum set 1 or 2 or 3 or where it is coming from, that is a headphones being under driven.

I hope that answered your question

The Dynamic is the punches and the energy that tell you different sizes of drums being played.

The fidelity is similar to the Dynamic, but take it a little further, it will show you the sound of that specific instrument from the beginning to the end of the plays and can not be confused by something else, even the same kind, but different size, or different plays.  When the Fidelity is good, you will be able to pick and take a part virtually every instrument, note, play, from the beginning to the end of it.  This usually only present in desktop of high quality system, and will cost an arm and a leg


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> It is not the _*loudness.*_ It is the _*Dynamics *_. It is pretty easy to observe.  You will feel like the headphones has no life to it, kind of like lifeless.  When it is driven properly or something is able to drive it, the channel separations shall be crystal clear, details, resolutions, dynamics are all presenting.  Now, if you want to know whether it can be driven better ? You need to try it from different amplifiers to hear it.  When something is being driven Properly and optimized, the soundstage and layering, separations shall be vastly increased.  Especially the punchy dynamics, it shall be stronger, denser and more energetic.
> 
> The 1Z is warmer, and I do think the 800S is a perfect synergy for the 1Z.  The 800s is super Flat, huge soundstage that compliment the 1Z narrower soundstage, the vertical sense of rendering is nicely done on this combination.  Trebles is dense and have the right kind of sparkling to it.  I will be upgrading the cables for the 1Z soon.
> 
> ...


Thanks, so boomy bass can be a sign of HPs being under driven? (or can be sign they are crap). Listening to last movement of Mozart String quartet No. 15, hell those Z7s  wow, man it's like i am rediscovering those mozart Quartets, the subtle sound of a pianissimo cello with it's distictive deep rumble surprised me , a moment of eargasm.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 10, 2018)

sne4me said:


> Sony music center is practically unusable for me. It wont do snap assist in windows, it doesnt have hotkeys to open file properties (alt + enter), when you grab an album and edit properties without opening the tracklisting, the properties lacks fields for album name, what the heck is a titles initial and artists initial field anyway, is that even a standardized metadata?


If you still have Media Go setup exe then uninstall Music center and reinstall media Go. But If you want to edit your tags, why not try MP3Tag, it handles every format you can think of, even DSD

Tagging standard hmm thats the problem, FLAC uses TRACKTOTAL and DISCTOTAL for disc and track count, but DSD uses IDV3 tags so it does not has fields for these two items


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks, so boomy bass can be a sign of HPs being under driven? (or can be sign they are crap). Listening to last movement of Mozart String quartet No. 15, hell those Z7s  wow, man it's like i am rediscovering those mozart Quartets, the subtle sound of a pianissimo cello with it's distictive deep rumble surprised me , a moment of eargasm.



Yes, it can be said so, just as long as the headphones bass or drum kicks or drum slams feel like it is flat on it face.  There is no distinctive dynamic energy behind the plays, it is under driven


----------



## colonelkernel8

Whitigir said:


> Yes, it can be said so, just as long as the headphones bass or drum kicks or drum slams feel like it is flat on it face.  There is no distinctive dynamic energy behind the plays, it is under driven



I fear this is not an honest assessment Whitigir. I don't want you to give incorrect advice. @gerelmx1986, I want you to know that unless the WM1Z/A is a variable gain volume control, what you're hearing is not an underdriven headphone. An underdriven headphone will only sound quieter than its well-driven cousin.


----------



## Rchandra

Does anyone's hold switch wiggle a tiny bit when they touch it.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Rchandra said:


> Does anyone's hold switch wiggle a tiny bit when they touch it.


Mine is pretty tight.


----------



## Rchandra

Yeah mines wiggles a bit when I put my thumb on it and move it up and down ha.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I just wish they could release a slimmer balanced dap with all the bells and whistles. Don’t get me wrong it’s nice for its size, but it’s just reminds me of their F100 walkmans which were much slimmer.
If a cassette Walkman can be slimmed to the size of cassette, I don’t want the Walkman slimmed to an sd card size but something in between the WM and Z1060


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 10, 2018)

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I just wish they could release a slimmer balanced dap with all the bells and whistles. Don’t get me wrong it’s nice for its size, but it’s just reminds me of their F100 walkmans which were much slimmer.
> If a cassette Walkman can be slimmed to the size of cassette, I don’t want the Walkman slimmed to an sd card size but something in between the WM and Z1060



NW-ZX300

Also, if 1Z drive 800s to acceptable level, then z7 shall be np @gerelmx1986


----------



## roses77

ledzep said:


> Well I guess you could be right then, as I recall when I was younger I used to listen to SW radio and swear I heard extra terrestrial life forms comunicating with me in Morse code.



Yeah whatever what planet are you from. Your comments are very negative. If you haven’t anything nice to say to,people. Please don’t comment at all.


----------



## Rchandra

crap I think I have to return my wm1a the hold switch for some odd reason wiggles a bit when I rub my thumb on the switch.


----------



## ledzep

roses77 said:


> Yeah whatever what planet are you from. Your comments are very negative. If you haven’t anything nice to say to,people. Please don’t comment at all.



None of my comments are negative just full of truth, sorry if that bursts your "golden ears" bubble. I'm not interested in continuing the memory card conversation just real findings and facts that add value to the thread, which 99% of  people on here add on a regular basis so consider our channel of dialect closed.


----------



## Whitigir

Let’s move on from memory card sound quality.  I will be damn honest that I can’t tell between sandisk microSD and Sony audiophile $200 card 64gb...***...I however can hear cables and regardless of what you folks debates against me, I love what I love and I prefer what I hear 

Now back to 1Z please.  I am addicted to 1Z with even 800S.  Oh my gawd that soundstage and synergies


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> Let’s move on from memory card sound quality.  I will be damn honest that I can’t tell between sandisk microSD and Sony audiophile $200 card 64gb...***...I however can hear cables and regardless of what you folks debates against me, I love what I love and I prefer what I hear
> 
> Now back to 1Z please.  I am addicted to 1Z with even 800S.  Oh my gawd that soundstage and synergies



Common sense will always prevail !


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 10, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> NW-ZX300
> 
> Also, if 1Z drive 800s to acceptable level, then z7 shall be np @gerelmx1986


Yeah i Know, even my XBA-Z5 get perfectly driven, bass tight but not boom boom, i think as you said, the Kettle drums in symphonic peices used to sound like a Boom boomm, but since hearing the 1A they sounds like a crispy Bang Bang (unless the recording has some thing bad in its chain), the slam of the membrane is feels just right.

I wish i had those sony NC phones to test these 150 ohms impedance driveability on High gain


----------



## blazinblazin (Apr 11, 2018)

Non of the headphone's bass i plug into WM1A will sound bad and non will sound sharp or sibilance with WM1A either.

It's what i observe.


----------



## roses77

ledzep said:


> None of my comments are negative just full of truth, sorry if that bursts your "golden ears" bubble. I'm not interested in continuing the memory card conversation just real findings and facts that add value to the thread, which 99% of  people on here add on a regular basis so consider our channel of dialect closed.



Well why don’t you leave people alone and not comment at all on their posts if you don’t wish to continue the discussion. Stop wasting people’s tiime.


----------



## roses77

Whitigir said:


> Let’s move on from memory card sound quality.  I will be damn honest that I can’t tell between sandisk microSD and Sony audiophile $200 card 64gb...***...I however can hear cables and regardless of what you folks debates against me, I love what I love and I prefer what I hear
> 
> Now back to 1Z please.  I am addicted to 1Z with even 800S.  Oh my gawd that soundstage and synergies[/QUOTE
> 
> Yep that’s fine


----------



## Tw Chia

A quick question... using high gain se output vs normal gain bal output... anyone did a comparison? 
Thanx


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Tw Chia said:


> A quick question... using high gain se output vs normal gain bal output... anyone did a comparison?
> Thanx


In terms of power or sound quality?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 11, 2018)

Interms of Power High gain vs normal, on Balance out i can go as low as 35 on XBA-Z5 and as low as 50 on MDR-Z7. on SE Normal gain, I found it was sufficient to drive some DELL powered-speakers on vol. 80 for in the Desk listening and vol. 110 for whole house (some times they distort) , something like this @Tw Chia  ?


----------



## Tw Chia

Thanx guys.. ya both in terms of power, dynamics and SQ.. so let say for some reasons I holding out upgrading my cables to the bal plug, by just turning up to high gain, will I be missing much? 
It’s just for simple comparison sake, cos when upgrading to bal plug most of us upgrade the cable as well.. so my questions is for same/similar cable comparison .. 

Thanx guys


----------



## Whitigir

Tw Chia said:


> Thanx guys.. ya both in terms of power, dynamics and SQ.. so let say for some reasons I holding out upgrading my cables to the bal plug, by just turning up to high gain, will I be missing much?
> It’s just for simple comparison sake, cos when upgrading to bal plug most of us upgrade the cable as well.. so my questions is for same/similar cable comparison ..
> 
> Thanx guys



Yes, you will.  Balanced out is always 2X the power in comparison.  If you put all sound performances aside.  Coincidently, better power is also better performances.

If you don’t care about sound performances, grab a cheap cables and have better power, at least


----------



## pietcux

Rchandra said:


> **** I think I have to return my wm1a the hold switch for some odd reason wiggles a bit when I rub my thumb on the switch.


That looks like a fail, mine is perfectly firm unless I move it.


----------



## Rchandra

pietcux said:


> That looks like a fail, mine is perfectly firm unless I move it.




Yeah I'm gonna go to best buy and switch it out. A few of my friends however did say that the switches on general should always have wiggle room. Apparently a switch could break easier if it is to firm. But I don't care I like a solid feeling product lol.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 11, 2018)

Do you use your WM1A/1Z on your car stereo via aux in (or USB device, be it Digital out DAC or as USB hard drive)? or just use another USB dongle such a Sandisk?

I was using my WM1A with aux-in, while it sounded good, the problems with insecurity and crime rising, made me switch to a dongle. Preferrable the Sandisk USB to be stolen than my more expensive WM1A at the expense of waiting for on-the-fly conversion to MP3 to take place


----------



## superuser1

Rchandra said:


> Yeah I'm gonna go to best buy and switch it out. A few of my friends however did say that the switches on general should always have wiggle room. Apparently a switch could break easier if it is to firm. But I don't care I like a solid feeling product lol.


Though i dont have a WM1A, the few I checked at Sony store had the wiggle and so does my zx300.


----------



## Rchandra

superuser1 said:


> Though i dont have a WM1A, the few I checked at Sony store had the wiggle and so does my zx300.



Woah dude that's creepy I'm at best buy right now and yeah even the store model has a wiggle when you have your thumb against it going up and down a bit. I think it's normal good. I spent to much time putting my bookmarks together on the device. Thanks bro


----------



## aisalen

Rchandra said:


> Woah dude that's creepy I'm at best buy right now and yeah even the store model has a wiggle when you have your thumb against it going up and down a bit. I think it's normal good. I spent to much time putting my bookmarks together on the device. Thanks bro


Yes, I think it is normal that some unit have a little wiggle and it is not defective. There is probably some protection on how they design it to not detach. And probably you do not use this switch that much. Mine, I just switch it only once just to test and I have mine for a year already. All of the button are stiff so, it is hard to accidentally press it even inside your pocket.


----------



## Rchandra

aisalen said:


> Yes, I think it is normal that some unit have a little wiggle and it is not defective. There is probably some protection on how they design it to not detach. And probably you do not use this switch that much. Mine, I just switch it only once just to test and I have mine for a year already. All of the button are stiff so, it is hard to accidentally press it even inside your pocket.




Hey thanks, yeah you're right I'll probably never use the hold switch as much anyway. I think maybe the units that are as stiff maybe just due to non use. But needless to say I don't think it's a defect at all anymore.


----------



## aisalen

Rchandra said:


> Hey thanks, yeah you're right I'll probably never use the hold switch as much anyway. I think maybe the units that are as stiff maybe just due to non use. But needless to say I don't think it's a defect at all anymore.


My advice is, if you do not have one yet is to protect your unit with at least a Benk TPU gel case. It is very nice and cheap, I like it more than my original case from Sony. I get mine from Amazon.


----------



## Rchandra

I just need to take a minute and acknowledge how many awesome people there are on this site, thank you all for responding to my worry and always helping me and others on this site. God bless you guys have a great rest of the week.


----------



## torifile

When transferring music to the device, how does it work? In my initial transfer, obviously everything needs to be copied over, but after that, what happens? Say I have the "content transfer" application watching a particular folder, is it smart enough to only transfer *new* items or does it do it all over again?


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I think your missing out with your Walkman. Although Z5 is a great earphone, I feel it best suits the ZX2/ZX1 & PHA amplifiers. Testing balanced with iSine 20 for example (in my case) just drowns the Z5 in terms of sound. The sound is much cleaner and the bass is lowered making the isine20 a clear winner. I’m pretty sure there are other earphones but for me the Z5 is paired better with the above. 





gerelmx1986 said:


> Yeah i Know, even my XBA-Z5 get perfectly driven, bass tight but not boom boom, i think as you said, the Kettle drums in symphonic peices used to sound like a Boom boomm, but since hearing the 1A they sounds like a crispy Bang Bang (unless the recording has some thing bad in its chain), the slam of the membrane is feels just right.
> 
> I wish i had those sony NC phones to test these 150 ohms impedance driveability on High gain


----------



## Whitigir

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I think your missing out with your Walkman. Although Z5 is a great earphone, I feel it best suits the ZX2/ZX1 & PHA amplifiers. Testing balanced with iSine 20 for example (in my case) just drowns the Z5 in terms of sound. The sound is much cleaner and the bass is lowered making the isine20 a clear winner. I’m pretty sure there are other earphones but for me the Z5 is paired better with the above.



Personal preferences, synergy is a real thing


----------



## flyer1

Whitigir said:


> Personal preferences, synergy is a real thing



XBA Z5 displays great synergy with my 1Z. 

Sony most probably used these as a reference for tuning when developing the 1Z /1A as well.


----------



## gerelmx1986

torifile said:


> When transferring music to the device, how does it work? In my initial transfer, obviously everything needs to be copied over, but after that, what happens? Say I have the "content transfer" application watching a particular folder, is it smart enough to only transfer *new* items or does it do it all over again?


Content transfer is manual transfer


----------



## Whitigir

flyer1 said:


> XBA Z5 displays great synergy with my 1Z.
> 
> Sony most probably used these as a reference for tuning when developing the 1Z /1A as well.



Cables will also help with the synergy.  If one is serious about keeping the system, may want to invest into some real cables that can cater to the synergy to improve it


----------



## gerelmx1986

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I think your missing out with your Walkman. Although Z5 is a great earphone, I feel it best suits the ZX2/ZX1 & PHA amplifiers. Testing balanced with iSine 20 for example (in my case) just drowns the Z5 in terms of sound. The sound is much cleaner and the bass is lowered making the isine20 a clear winner. I’m pretty sure there are other earphones but for me the Z5 is paired better with the above.


I love how well the Z5 pair with my WM1A using balanced high gain, Isines are the ugliest phones i have ever seen IMHO


----------



## torifile

gerelmx1986 said:


> Content transfer is manual transfer


There’s actually an automatic setting and yoon can even set it to watch a folder.


----------



## gerelmx1986

torifile said:


> There’s actually an automatic setting and yoon can even set it to watch a folder.


Much like MusicBee, constantly monitor a Folder for changes. and you can even set it to transfer specific playlists or "Inbox" for new songs. Long story shorter: MusicBee is customizable as screw


----------



## torifile

What the heck is going on with my music transfers? I have my music folder on my computer organized into folders and when I look at the Music folder on the DAP, it's all one big list with no directories at all. Is that how it's supposed to be? Just a flat folder?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 11, 2018)

torifile said:


> What the heck is going on with my music transfers? I have my music folder on my computer organized into folders and when I look at the Music folder on the DAP, it's all one big list with no directories at all. Is that how it's supposed to be? Just a flat folder?


Nope, also you can sync folders


*This is how Sony MediaGo transferred Artist folder structure, however i have my structure as Composer\Album\<Tracks>


----------



## roses77

torifile said:


> What the heck is going on with my music transfers? I have my music folder on my computer organized into folders and when I look at the Music folder on the DAP, it's all one big list with no directories at all. Is that how it's supposed to be? Just a flat folder?



That’s how I organise my huge music library into as album artist so it’s easier for me to find what I’m looking for. As I do delete songs I don’t like and rename the album as well. So I prefer to use folders. With tons of compilations as well.


----------



## roses77

gerelmx1986 said:


> Nope, also you can sync folders



Yes it’s supposed to look like that but mine is organised under artist name


----------



## gerelmx1986

roses77 said:


> Yes it’s supposed to look like that but mine is organised under artist name


Yup media go transferred with Artist Name\Album\Tracks

Now that sony quit giving support to media Go, i have installed music bee and there i customized my transferring scheme


----------



## roses77

gerelmx1986 said:


> Nope, also you can sync folders
> 
> *This is how Sony MediaGo transferred Artist folder structure, however i have my structure as Composer\Album\<Tracks>



I usually manually transfer without MediaGo I drag & drop transfer is easier.


----------



## roses77

torifile said:


> There’s actually an automatic setting and yoon can even set it to watch a folder.



Where is the automatic setting for this feature.


----------



## torifile

gerelmx1986 said:


> Nope, also you can sync folders


That's what I thought. i'm confused about what happened then. I'm deleting all the files and starting over. I have been having issues with my cover.jpg files not showing for some albums (I think it's an interlacing problem). 

Ok. The fresh transfer directly through the finder to the [music] folder worked. I’m still having trouble with the cover art not showing. Next problem to solve. At some point I’ll get to listening to music. Lol


----------



## torifile

roses77 said:


> Where is the automatic setting for this feature.


This is on the Mac version. I don’t know if windows is the same. There a little disclosure triangle in the bottom right corner of the small window. Click that and you’ll see it under the automatic transfer tab.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 11, 2018)

roses77 said:


> I usually manually transfer without MediaGo I drag & drop transfer is easier.


MusicBee rules:


I know some could argue and say put the Composer as the artist, but nope, i dislike this approach, there are tags for these two fields appropiangly


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 11, 2018)

Finally got to hear some difference between DC phase linearizer OFF vs ON, the bass more tight and punchier and more runbly, more warm sound.


also using DSEE strings, these two settings give a nice more holographic sound too (recording too has this kind of feeling so it expands it beyond "out of head" experience), Philips Mozart edition is better than the new 225 from Deutsche gramophon in terms of SQ and mastering quality (i kept some discs from the DG edition but not that many, only new pieces or alternative performances i often sought)


----------



## SirGin (Apr 11, 2018)

roses77 said:


> I usually manually transfer without MediaGo I drag & drop transfer is easier.



SyncMate works very well on Mac, both for Sonys and A&Ks. It preserves the folder structure and syncs whatever has changed.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Whitigir said:


> Yes, you will.  Balanced out is always 2X the power in comparison.  If you put all sound performances aside.  Coincidently, better power is also better performances.
> 
> If you don’t care about sound performances, grab a cheap cables and have better power, at least


Depends on if it’s a bridge-tied load balanced circuit, where you are effectively getting twice the power or something like an active ground control balanced circuit where it’s closer to 50% more power.


----------



## nc8000

torifile said:


> That's what I thought. i'm confused about what happened then. I'm deleting all the files and starting over. I have been having issues with my cover.jpg files not showing for some albums (I think it's an interlacing problem).
> 
> Ok. The fresh transfer directly through the finder to the [music] folder worked. I’m still having trouble with the cover art not showing. Next problem to solve. At some point I’ll get to listening to music. Lol



Sony don’t like progressive jpg only baseline. Progressive worked fine on their Android based players though


----------



## rolandpsp

If someone can help : Is there any SQ difference between E and E2 region / destination through rockbox ? I see that many choose E2 but only E has the remote control option, and i wonder if.... you get it


----------



## torifile

nc8000 said:


> Sony don’t like progressive jpg only baseline. Progressive worked fine on their Android based players though


That’s what I figured based on my reading. Now I need to figure out how to batch convert all my cover art from progressive to baseline... anyone on a Mac have any ideas? I can use windows or Linux, too, but I’d prefer to use the Mac.


----------



## roses77

SirGin said:


> SyncMate works very well on Mac, both for Sonys and A&Ks. It preserves the folder structure and syncs whatever has changed.



Can you post the link of syncmate thanks


----------



## SirGin

roses77 said:


> Can you post the link of syncmate thanks


https://www.sync-mac.com/
It is not free, but worth it, IMHO.


----------



## roses77

gerelmx1986 said:


> Finally got to hear some difference between DC phase linearizer OFF vs ON, the bass more tight and punchier and more runbly, more warm sound.
> 
> 
> also using DSEE strings, these two settings give a nice more holographic sound too (recording too has this kind of feeling so it expands it beyond "out of head" experience), Philips Mozart edition is better than the new 225 from Deutsche gramophon in terms of SQ and mastering quality (i kept some discs from the DG edition but not that many, only new pieces or alternative performances i often sought)



Wow I have the Mozart 225 edition, it sounds so sweet on the Sony WM1Z. Yes turning EQ on using all the settings upscales the music to sound better. But it can also depend on how it’s mastered. The Bonnie Tyler remixes & rarities is an bright recording. Not even EQ turned on helps to tone down the treble sparkle. Rock music is the most difficult to EQ correctly


gerelmx1986 said:


> Finally got to hear some difference between DC phase linearizer OFF vs ON, the bass more tight and punchier and more runbly, more warm sound.


----------



## roses77

SirGin said:


> https://www.sync-mac.com/
> It is not free, but worth it, IMHO.



Thankyou can it be used on PC


----------



## SirGin

roses77 said:


> Thankyou can it be used on PC


It is Mac only.


----------



## roses77

torifile said:


> This is on the Mac version. I don’t know if windows is the same. There a little disclosure triangle in the bottom right corner of the small window. Click that and you’ll see it under the automatic transfer tab.



Can you please post a picture where I can find this on Mac thanks


----------



## roses77

SirGin said:


> It is Mac only.


 
Oh okay thanks so it can still be sorted in folders as that’s how I have it set up as I have an very large music library. You’ll be surprised on how many songs are in my library about 2.3TB is 85,000 songs.


----------



## bvng3540

Is it True?


----------



## nanaholic

A transportable all-in-one DAC/player sounds interesting, if only to see what Sony manages to crams inside it as extreme miniaturisation of components that is never been done before is usually what justifies Sony's price tag for the most part.


----------



## proedros

i just put geremlx1986 on my ignore list (only person i have there , mind you) , and it makes  this thread a joy to read

unbelievable how many empty,useless posts this dude had all over here


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 12, 2018)

70,000 Chinese Yuan equals
11,140.85 US Dollar

Wonder if Sony makes you buy your own headphones for it?


----------



## nanaholic

Redcarmoose said:


> 70,000 Chinese Yuan equals
> 11,140.85 US Dollar
> 
> Wonder if Sony makes you buy your own headphones for it?



If you are asking that question then this isn't for you, obviously.

It's like asking if Chord makes you buy your own headphones for the Chord Dave (which is about 11000 dollars as well).


----------



## ruthieandjohn

gerelmx1986 said:


> MusicBee rules:
> I know some could argue and say put the Composer as the artist, but nope, i dislike this approach, there are tags for these two fields appropiangly


For classical music, I place composer first, but for everything else (jazz, pop, folk), I place the artist first.  Might seem strange, but I tend to remember thencomposer for classical music and the artist for more modern types.


----------



## torifile

roses77 said:


> Can you please post a picture where I can find this on Mac thanks


Yes. I’ll post one later today.


----------



## nc8000

ruthieandjohn said:


> For classical music, I place composer first, but for everything else (jazz, pop, folk), I place the artist first.  Might seem strange, but I tend to remember thencomposer for classical music and the artist for more modern types.



That’s what I do as well and for classical it is last name, first name


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 12, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> If you are asking that question then this isn't for you, obviously.
> 
> It's like asking if Chord makes you buy your own headphones for the Chord Dave (which is about 11000 dollars as well).



Yes, your maybe right. Plus, I’m pretty happy with what I have now. But it’s really a little off to compare Sony to Cord table tops. But if that is the direction Sony has it’s sights on, more power to them. I think most here are simply focused on Sony coming up with new Walkmans. The emotion maybe contains both fear that it could render their players in second place, combined with the idea that Sony could do anything.

Note most of their gear hovers around the 1K to 2K level. 
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new-sony-high-end-dsd-gear-including-a-usb-dac.680611/


----------



## nanaholic

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, your maybe right. Plus, I’m pretty happy with what I have now. But it’s really a little off to compare Sony to Cord table tops. But if that is the direction Sony has it’s sights on, more power to them.



I wouldn't say that to be honest, considering that Sony's audio branch (can't say the same for some of their other divisions) is only one of the few companies that produces their own silicon and components, and crams them into impossibly small chassis and still delivering a quality product as in the case of their new Walkmans, I think Sony at least deserves the benefit of the doubt for this product, if not just due to their own R&D expenses, at least in comparison to other makers sourcing off the shelf DAC chips and still asks for insane money.

Sony's image as a producer of mass consumer items does disservice to these very niche products, they are their own worst enemy. I would bet if they don't sell as Sony but some other boutique brand while still touting the same level of in-house R&D and unique technology, they will attract much less criticism.


----------



## Redcarmoose

nanaholic said:


> I wouldn't say that to be honest, considering that Sony's audio branch (can't say the same for some of their other divisions) is only one of the few companies that produces their own silicon and components, and crams them into impossibly small chassis and still delivering a quality product as in the case of their new Walkmans, I think Sony at least deserves the benefit of the doubt for this product, if not just due to their own R&D expenses, at least in comparison to other makers sourcing off the shelf DAC chips and still asks for insane money.
> 
> Sony's image as a producer of mass consumer items does disservice to these very niche products, they are their own worst enemy. I would bet if they don't sell as Sony but some other boutique brand while still touting the same level of in-house R&D and unique technology, they will attract much less criticism.



Well I’m newly amazed at the camera line. Gaining traction 8 years ago and now becoming a full tour-de-force, with bigger lens selections at stores at times than Canon or Nikon. If they chose to enter the Cord arena of Hi/Fi I have no doubt they could do some harm!


----------



## gerelmx1986

ruthieandjohn said:


> For classical music, I place composer first, but for everything else (jazz, pop, folk), I place the artist first.  Might seem strange, but I tend to remember thencomposer for classical music and the artist for more modern types.





nc8000 said:


> That’s what I do as well and for classical it is last name, first name


I used to do this, but Well after a while it felt strange. Some people ask me who's playing? and it was when i was with an Uh-oh? face. Perhaps the other approach would have been Artist - the composer, Album artist- the Performer. Glad sony finally listened to this and finally added a Composer listing


----------



## nanaholic

Redcarmoose said:


> Well I’m newly amazed at the camera line. Gaining traction 8 years ago and now becoming a full tour-de-force, with bigger lens selections at stores at times than Canon or Nikon. If they chose to enter the Cord arena of Hi/Fi I have no doubt they could do some harm!



I believe their full frame mirrorless cameras like the A9 aren't necessarily more expensive than top of the line Canon and Nikon, while actually having more new features, which makes them very competitive and attractive for people whom haven't already bought into Canon/Nikon ecosystem and has so much finger muscle memory that changing to a different system results in a drastic decrease in productivity. 

I think an more apt analogy would be like Toyota and Lexus. Toyota's image of very affordable and durable family cars prevents them from moving up market with 100k luxury car market, even when Toyota themselves has all the know-how to make a luxury car that is as competitive as those by BMW and Mercedes Benz. That is why they created Lexus so they don't get associated with the mass market Toyota brand. Sony may actually need to do that if they keep pushing upwards with their audio products, but somehow I don't think anyone in that company has the courage to do it.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 12, 2018)

If the sony anniversary edition rumor is true, then a portable/sdesktop DAC sounds like in the lines of Chord Hugos, who knows, what if it is like the Nintendo switch console, a attachmento for standalone on-TV console and it can be detached to be a mobile (game boy)


----------



## meurglys0

I'm planning to get a 4.4mm balanced IEM cable with 2 pin connectors. I found this wonderful set which is something I'd love to have and the price is good, too, however it has only 4 pole connectors. 

http://www.meeaudio.com/CMB-BAL-SET

I'm looking for such a set with 2 pin connector option.  

Please point me the way, if you know of such reasonable products.

Also, is there an IEM which comes with 4.4mm balanced cable&connectors? I might as well get a whole IEM rather than just cables, for my IEMs are giving out bad signals lately...


----------



## nanaholic (Apr 12, 2018)

I would believe if they have something that is a blend of the TA amp with full DSD remastering engine and analogue input to DSD conversion as well as the hybrid Class A/Class D noise reduction design, crossed with the 1Z with its screen and UI, all rolled into a Hugo size like package while still keeping 30 hours playback time while spitting out say 500mW+ per channel at 32ohms, they'll definitely have a very unique product on their hands where demanding 10 grand is understandable (not to be confused with reasonable though!).


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> I would believe if they have something that is a blend of the TA amp with full DSD remastering engine and analogue input to DSD conversion as well as the hybrid Class A/Class D noise reduction design, crossed with the 1Z with its screen and UI, all rolled into a Hugo size like package while still keeping 30 hours playback time while spitting out say 500mW+ per channel at 32ohms, they'll definitely have a very unique product on their hands where demanding 10 grand is understandable (not to be confused with reasonable though!).



You are correct, but anything beside class D is not as power efficient.  But I can totally seeing something like that could be priced that ridiculous.  I mean, just look at Wm1Z, it can drive 800S to acceptable level.  What if it can do better ? That is all I want, more power, more soundstage for being really portable device.  Yes, there is nothing as comparable as a proper desktop system, but I mean at least going 80-90% there on a portable is surely desirable.

Imagine a Chord Dave Portable in a Chord Hugo 2 package and 20-30 hours play time.....yummmm, it can even be $15,000 in price, and still make senses.  Dave is already $13,000+Hugo2 for $2000.  Oh, count in the all in one package for an extra $3000, portability $2000.  I will understand if it cost $20,000

Anyways, let’s stop dreaming.  I love 1Z, and if the next Walkman can top it, and around similar pricing, count me in


----------



## pietcux

Whitigir said:


> You are correct, but anything beside class D is not as power efficient.  But I can totally seeing something like that could be priced that ridiculous.  I mean, just look at Wm1Z, it can drive 800S to acceptable level.  What if it can do better ? That is all I want, more power, more soundstage for being really portable device.  Yes, there is nothing as comparable as a proper desktop system, but I mean at least going 80-90% there on a portable is surely desirable.
> 
> Imagine a Chord Dave Portable in a Chord Hugo 2 package and 20-30 hours play time.....yummmm, it can even be $15,000 in price, and still make senses.  Dave is already $13,000+Hugo2 for $2000.  Oh, count in the all in one package for an extra $3000, portability $2000.  I will understand if it cost $20,000
> 
> Anyways, let’s stop dreaming.  I love 1Z, and if the next Walkman can top it, and around similar pricing, count me in



We should stop the price dicussion, while Sony does not directly talk with us here they read our price proposals. Any other supplier does.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 12, 2018)

I am listening to an album in DSD 64x, an analogue Tape to DSD transfer, these sound marvelous on the WM1A. Pentatone remaster of Philips  Mozart Church Sonatas.

The level of resolution and microdetailing is juts stunning, not to mention the reverb feels natural, as they say they used Reverb effects to recreate the original ambience present on the Tapes. The Organ sounds present, no need to bump the volume to hear the flue wooden pipes, as well the string orchestra sounds proper in sync with the soloist, in proper position and separation of the instruments, the Air between them is nice distributed.  The Organ Low-end, impressed me, is not Rumbling bass but hell super Low-bass you only get with very Huge and Tall organ pipes, something i didn't heard with the CD version

I had the CD remaster before the DSD iso, hell DSD makes a big difference in sound, The CD version, even with DSEE HX, sounded quite unnatural to me, very boosted highs, reduced reverb and often the need to bump volume to hear the organ. Instruments not as well as spread as in the DSD remaster.

The WM1 was really tuned to HR audio, speaking of this and using DSEE, has any one noted that when you seitch from Source direct ON to OFF (to use DSP) the internal relays engange?


----------



## Whitigir

I can’t wait to make a shorter more portable cables for my 800S into WM1Z.  This combination has wonderful “references signatures” for a probable setup.


----------



## Giraku

meurglys0 said:


> I'm planning to get a 4.4mm balanced IEM cable with 2 pin connectors. I found this wonderful set which is something I'd love to have and the price is good, too, however it has only 4 pole connectors.
> 
> http://www.meeaudio.com/CMB-BAL-SET
> 
> ...


Try Effect Audio. Premium Series lineup is here:
https://www.effectaudio.com/iem-premium-series.html
You can configure a cable to your liking, like terminating with a 4.4mm balanced or 2.5mm balanced + 4.4mm adaptor.


----------



## Rchandra

If there is anyone who is wondering weather or not the wm1a is worth it let me start off by saying YES. It makes you rediscover your headphone and provides just such an amazing balance of sound for your over ear headphones and iems. I at first was happy with the nw45 then I got the zx300 then the wm1a and I have to say that if the wm1a is totally worth the money. It's built like a tank, it has a great battery life and most importantly it makes you enjoy your music. If I had to go back in time I would have just purchased this instead of new headphones. You have to experience it to believe it. This product is a gem of our times. So much fun letting people listen to headphones through these and go "yep I get it now".


----------



## Bart147

Giraku said:


> Try Effect Audio. Premium Series lineup is here:
> https://www.effectaudio.com/iem-premium-series.html
> You can configure a cable to your liking, like terminating with a 4.4mm balanced or 2.5mm balanced + 4.4mm adaptor.


Even their  "entry level" cables are very good : 
Ares II + : 

 
Based on the advice from @flinkenick i went back to the Ares II :


----------



## Whitigir

Cables, depends on the materials to cater to meet your needs in synergies.  Pay attention to what you need out of the system, specifically ask and request your cables maker to provide the best assistance to meet your goals.  That is the point of custom cables

You can also custom the look, the flexibility or microphonic of the cables to, just make sure to request the vendors regarding it.  They are expensive for a reason 

Just my 2 cents


----------



## roses77 (Apr 12, 2018)

proedros said:


> i just put geremlx1986 on my ignore list (only person i have there , mind you) , and it makes  this thread a joy to read
> 
> unbelievable how many empty,useless posts this dude had all over here



Yes I just put Ledzep on my ignore list as he attacked me, my beliefs, he puts people down for having different opinions to him. Me too find it more enjoyable to read this thread without negativity.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 12, 2018)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/meurglys0.83285/
The Sony XBA-N3BP IEM comes with 4.4mm Pentaconn cables.

The XBA-N3BP has a new idea form factor which has the bass driver in the back area of the IEM in contrast to many of Sony's flagship IEMs of late. It's not priced as a flagship, around $300 USD, and comes off as an IEM which really promotes the new Sony sound, but is maybe a little more middle of the road, conservative sounding in comparison to the Z5. The Z5 has two propiraty BAs but here we only have one in addition to the DD.  But it's nice, at first it's very much a little straight laced but starts to show it's individual personality in time. Slightly V shaped with less bass than then Z5 due to DD circumference and distance from nozzle. But in the end the cable and ergonomics in general are fantastic. It would be interesting if Sony uses the ergonomic ideas of this IEM in addition to bring us a Z6 flagship!

I do own the Mee Electronics MMCX connector set. It works well if you wanted to keep one cable on a IEM and never worry about wearing out an MMCX connector with constant cable switch-outs. And that's the thing.....even with the industry standard two pin plugs, folks are instructed that you could wear out the two pin connections on the IEM with continued cable changeouts. So a style of Mee system would work well there too.


The Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP DSD remastering upsample engine works amazingly well, though I don't hear it do anything on the 1Z or 1A Walkmans. The Sony technology is unique in the field of DACs. Also we can find a huge level of versatility with the TA-ZH1ES, if you need it for a preamp the volume knob can be activated and it comes with a remote. If you wanted it to be a stand-alone DAC it can go into line-out mode, so you can hook it up to another amp.

So far it may seem the TA-ZH1ES has maybe a slightly less over all warmth than using IEMs or headphones straight out of the 1Z. But amazingly the Z1R full-size headphones needs no more amplification power from both the TA-ZH1ES or 1A and 1Z. It's like Sony made the three amplifiers to be perfectly matched as a complete ecosystem with the Z1R.

This is also one reason why there are a number of 1/2 way correct reviews on the Z1R. While the reviews are true on some points, you have most reviewers not in ownership of the complete Signature series. The series works best only using the Signature components. And while reviews have stated that the Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP may lack some slam, it actually contains all the slam you would ever want with the Z1R. And while the Z1R may be just a smidge lacking in male vocal presence  at times, it's completely cohesive when used with the Sony amps.

It would not surprise me if Sony included a matched headphone with new DAC/AMP products. Matching this equipment seems is what they are about. And even though they don't tell folks to only use their equipment with-in the Signature egosystem, they do show any photographs exclusively with the Signature products in use.


----------



## roses77

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/meurglys0.83285/
> The Sony XBA-N3BP IEM comes with 4.4mm Pentaconn cables.
> 
> The XBA-N3BP has a new idea form factor which has the bass driver in the back area of the IEM in contrast to many of Sony's flagship IEMs of late. It's not priced as a flagship, around $300 USD, and comes off as an IEM which really promotes the new Sony sound, but is maybe a little more middle of the road,conservative sounding in comparison to the Z5.  But it's nice, at first it's very much a little straight laced but starts to show it's individual personality in time. Slightly V shaped with less bass than then Z5 due to DD circumference and distance from nozzle. Also only one BA as opposed to two in the Z5. But in the end the cable and ergonomics in general are fantastic.
> ...



I use my Sony MDRZ1R headphones with my Astell&kern Daps and is a good match it sounds fantastic as well as using it with my Sony WM1Z balanced. I’m waiting for the portable version to be released soon.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Whitigir said:


> They are expensive for a reason



You'll definitely need to elaborate...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 12, 2018)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/roses77.447035/

It does seem that any slightly brighter detail would be in nice contrast to the Z1R warm-whisky personality. Cheers!

I'm pleasantly amazed how powerful the 1A and 1Z portable players sound with the Z1R. And while just going out of a DAP is surprisingly clear and detailed, I don't reach endgame until plugging into the Sony table-top.


----------



## buzzlulu

How much of a difference would you say there is between the Z1R going into the 1Z vs. the TA?
I own both however have not experimented enough to come to a conclusion.

How are you feeding your TA - with the 1Z?  Or with something else?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 12, 2018)

Yes, feeding it with both the 1A and 1Z side connection. Have yet to see what improvements simply going Coaxial or Toslink from a CD player. But in about two weeks I will be able to see if there is a difference with the Sony dock. Also adding the Sony dongle and upgrade USB cable at that point in time.

Also everyone is different. Everyone cues into different parts of the end-sound. So for me the TA cleaned up a little of the murk in the lower midrange. And as we all know it’s the lower midrange definition which ends up being a achilles heel in the Z1R response. Personally I do like the added detail in that department, but at the same time realize that, to love the Z1R means loving that one aspect in lower midrange. Funny too as my main headphone in the mid-late 1990s (The CD-870) was a Sony with extended lower midrange?

But I, so far, think that the TA also offers a wider soundstage and with that spreading out the upper midrange and treble detail about. Thus helping to define the upper areas as well. IMO

Using the MUC-B20SB1 with all listening.

It would be interesting to compare damping factor from TA/1A and 1Z as much of the added lower detail could be a direct result of more damping. It’s also a slightly different case, where there is maybe only a slightly different improvement in bass response, but the bass quality and control (which the Z1R lacks) is improved upon.

I did find the TA to be lacking power to drive the k701, so reviews about slam being lacking could definitely be true when the TA is used with other headphones. But the energy when combined with the Z1R is astounding! 

Later this year I’ll have my Woo Audio 5LE so the Z1Rs will most likely get used in single ended mode and the TA will have it’s potentiometer removed into line-out.


----------



## Rchandra

The z1r does indeed have great synergy with the wm1a I can only imagine with the dac the signature series was meant to be experienced together. It's the cost as a whole I suspect that would make people cautious but owning the z1r and the wm1a I can tell you that i can't imagine the awesomeness that the complete package could give.


----------



## buzzlulu

Redcarmoose 
Thank you for your detailed observations.  My understanding from multiple posts on this thread is that you will experience a substantial upgrade when using either the:
Dock with upgraded USB cable
OR
1Z > dongle > upgraded usb cable

I am currently feeding the TA with a Sonore Sonicorbiter (lower priced version of the MicroRendu) connected with a generic USB cable.  The Sonicorbiter acts as a ROON endpoint.  Cable is a Kimberly Axios imho a significant upgrade over stock.  In this configuration quick playing around yields an improvement over simply connected to the 1Z however I am not really sure exactly how much - 10-15%?

I am reticent to keep throwing money at it.  A dock and usb cable will add cost - and I don’t want to use the 1Z as a transport.  I like the ability to access my ENTIRE music collection via the Sonore Sonicorbiter as a ROON endpoint.  To improve upon that would require stepping up to a Sonore MicroRendu and power supply ie another $1k.  I do not want to go there as instead I would prefer throwing that money in another direction.  

I am at a bit of indecision with the TA - also compounded by the fact that I have an UBER source in my two channel system with a MOON headphone amp which allows me to access both that digital source and vinyl.  There the issue becomes imho the fact that I feel the Z1R sounds better running balanced instead of single ended.  I got a cheap 4.4 > XLR dongle from Amazon however I feel like that dongle is holding things back.  A proper Axios dongle from Kimber is most likely around $300.  I also wonder about the synergy of the Z1R with the MOON vs something like a Headamp GSX MK2


----------



## buzzlulu

Rchandra said:


> The z1r does indeed have great synergy with the wm1a I can only imagine with the dac the signature series was meant to be experienced together.



The strange thing is that all Sony product photos show the Z1R simply connected to the TA however there is no 1Z on the table.  I wonder what they are inferring on how to feed the TA?


----------



## Whitigir

1Z is simply too expensive to be in there LOL


----------



## buzzlulu

Funny but so true
TA + 1Z + Z1R = $2200 + $3200 + $2200 = WOW
TA + Z1R + something like an iPhone = much easier

The product photos are funny though as they show NOTHING feeding the TA. I guess it’s magic


----------



## Giraku

buzzlulu said:


> Funny but so true
> TA + 1Z + Z1R = $2200 + $3200 + $2200 = WOW
> TA + Z1R + something like an iPhone = much easier
> 
> The product photos are funny though as they show NOTHING feeding the TA. I guess it’s magic


These numbers are now different. Shops are giving deep discounts on Sony products now.
1Z = $2700 (-$500)
Z1R = $1700 (-$500)
Strangely, TA price has not changed yet. 
Maybe it's time to get the trio.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 12, 2018)

buzzlulu said:


> How much of a difference would you say there is between the Z1R going into the 1Z vs. the TA?
> I own both however have not experimented enough to come to a conclusion.
> 
> How are you feeding your TA - with the 1Z?  Or with something else?





buzzlulu said:


> Redcarmoose
> Thank you for your detailed observations.  My understanding from multiple posts on this thread is that you will experience a substantial upgrade when using either the:
> Dock with upgraded USB cable
> OR
> ...



Yes, it’s all about seeking out the sound you want. For me the mixture of TA with Z1R was rather surprising as in many ways it was far from standard audiophile flatness. The bass bump, the ever so slight drop in male vocals. In many circles this would be the stuff of outrage, though here we have a giant electronics conglomerate go ahead and make the tone be the signature sound, no less.

But it sounds like your finding ways to hear differences from the digital supply. I’m funny in that I believe CDs sound best and am actually waiting a while to test that. My best sounding digital is an actual CD spinning and going coaxial to a DAC.  I’m of the belief that computer USB adds jitter or some kind of timing or interference issue. So maybe the 1Z runs a little quieter, and your Sonore bypasses the computer interference issues?

And we arrive at the perception point. The point where if you tell your brain it’s better then perception tells you it in-fact IS better. That’s my issue with CD is that I believe it’s better so it sounds better.

But using a 1Z or 1A is in-fact a great transport. I still need to get a remote. No Windows bells going off in the middle of your favorite song, no updates going off randomly. Plus you have the ability to find the files really fast. My first attraction to the Signature Series was the lack of computer used in the play-back loop! I still need to rip my collection with MediaGo to some 400GB cards. And again, having files on external cards makes joining them to the 1A or 1Z an ease. The 1A may sound better with the Z1R as it’s aluminum sounding, where the 1Z is copper sounding?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, it’s all about seeking out the sound you want. For me the mixture of TA with Z1R was rather surprising as in many ways it was far from standard audiophile flatness. The bass bump, the ever so slight drop in male vocals. In many circles this would be the stuff of outrage, though here we have a giant electronics conglomerate go ahead and make the tone be the signature sound, no less.
> 
> But it sounds like your finding ways to hear differences from the digital supply. I’m funny in that I believe CDs sound best and am actually waiting a while to test that. I’m actually of the belief that computer USB adds jitter or some kind of timing or interference issue. So maybe the 1Z runs a little quieter, and your Sonore bypasses the computer interference issues?
> 
> ...


 Better use a Bit-perfect / secure ripper like EAC or db Power AMP CD ripper with accuRip & error correction support


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> Better use a Bit-perfect / secure ripper like EAC or db Power AMP CD ripper with accuRip & error correction support



Good point, though I fail to hear a difference? Some CDs I'm really close with sounded absolutely perfect from Media Go? Again it's maybe perception, if you think it's there, your mind says "it's there".


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> Good point, though I fail to hear a difference? Some CDs I'm really close with sounded absolutely perfect from Media Go? Again it's maybe perception, if you think it's there, your mind says "it's there".


Well i started ripping with MediaGo back in 2012 and soon discovered some rips had error, stuttering, clicks, static etc. and i switched to secure ripping, error free, is worth the investment despite some rips take 20 minutes to complete but you get bit-perfect and error-free copies pf ypur media


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> Well i started ripping with MediaGo back in 2012 and soon discovered some rips had error, stuttering, clicks, static etc. and i switched to secure ripping, error free, is worth the investment despite some rips take 20 minutes to complete but you get bit-perfect and error-free copies pf ypur media



Never found a single skip with MediaGo though there are a multitude of issues on the other hand, dealing with how it works in general. I just fill cards, rarely using it to fill up device memory.


----------



## meurglys0 (Apr 13, 2018)

Giraku said:


> Try Effect Audio.





Bart147 said:


> Ares II



Thank you very much for your responses.

I have an Earsonics SM3 IEM with a 2 pin connector and 3.5mm unbalanced termination.

If I go with Effect Audio I should go with this, right?







Though, I must admit I don't like the color of that copper wire...

I was also considering Moon Audio products.
https://www.moon-audio.com/black-dragon-iem-headphone-cable-v1.html

If I go with them, I should get this, right?




And I would like to use my IEM with sources other than my WM1A, so I'd also need a connector. What kind of a connector do I need to be able to plug my balanced cable with 4.4mm termination to 3.5mm sockets?

Would a selection from here do the job? Indeed I don't know what to select from this menu either!
https://www.moon-audio.com/black-dragon-iem-extension-adapter-cable-v1.html

Are there simpler and cheaper options?

Thank you very much in advance for your help.


----------



## blazinblazin (Apr 13, 2018)

You can either go 2.5mm or 4.4mm as main, then For 2.5mm use adapter 2.5mm to 4.4mm or 3.5 | For 4.4mm would be 4.4mm to 2.5mm or 3.5mm.

My cable is mainly for my WM1A so i go for 4.4mm as main plug, adapter for others.
See which fits your usage best.

My opinion is 2.5mm is small and contact surface is smaller so if i use a 2.5mm to 4.4mm adapter, I am afraid there will be a bottleneck situation.

I treat 4.4mm as the "bigger pipe"


----------



## Giraku

meurglys0 said:


> Though, I must admit I don't like the color of that copper wire...


You can ask Effect Audio to change the color of the cable (outside shielding).


----------



## Giraku

blazinblazin said:


> You can either go 2.5mm or 4.4mm as main, then For 2.5mm use adapter 2.5mm to 4.4mm or 3.5 | For 4.4mm would be 4.4mm to 2.5mm or 3.5mm.


Since I use both SP1000Cu (2.5mm) and WM1Z (4.4mm), my cables are terminated to 2.5mm. I use Effect Audio and Brise Audio adaptor for 4.4mm. I don’t hear any degradation in sq.


----------



## tienbasse

gerelmx1986 said:


> Well i started ripping with MediaGo back in 2012 and soon discovered some rips had error, stuttering, clicks, static etc. and i switched to secure ripping, error free, is worth the investment despite some rips take 20 minutes to complete but you get bit-perfect and error-free copies pf ypur media


If it's the case, that means the CDs were damaged to the point that some bits were lost. You can't "correct" errors when the disc is deeply scratched. And if the CD and the player are in good state, there should never be any error during extraction because you're extracting simple 1/0 data, not some analog signal.

Most softwares (including free ones like the antique but efficient CDex) will show you when some crap happened during extraction.
If the software doesn't, yes people should look for one that does at least report errors so you know that your image isn't bit-perfect.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tienbasse said:


> If it's the case, that means the CDs were damaged to the point that some bits were lost. You can't "correct" errors when the disc is deeply scratched. And if the CD and the player are in good state, there should never be any error during extraction because you're extracting simple 1/0 data, not some analog signal.
> 
> Most softwares (including free ones like the antique but efficient CDex) will show you when some crap happened during extraction.
> If the software doesn't, yes people should look for one that does at least report errors so you know that your image isn't bit-perfect.


They were not scratched but the drive couldn't handle certain Wraner classic CDs well using media Go. By using dbpowerAmp CD ripper it could correct the Offset and finally ripped fine with no skips, also a bach CD (all my CD are in good state, never scratched)


----------



## Tw Chia

Giraku said:


> Since I use both SP1000Cu (2.5mm) and WM1Z (4.4mm), my cables are terminated to 2.5mm. I use Effect Audio and Brise Audio adaptor for 4.4mm. I don’t hear any degradation in sq.


Brise Audio STR7?


----------



## Giraku

Tw Chia said:


> Brise Audio STR7?


Yes. It's really good.


----------



## YorkshireBloke

Set up with my new Van Nuys case. 

Not easy to get hold of in the UK, but glad I sourced this ....


----------



## YorkshireBloke




----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I have been eyeing that case from God knows when. 
But I ended up using a CaseLogic minidisc cases purchased from a thrift store.
Is there a compartment where you can store the iems when not in use?


YorkshireBloke said:


>


----------



## Stealer (Apr 13, 2018)

Wrong thread.... Deleted


----------



## Whitigir

Allow me to share you guys the next Cables that I specially made to cater to Hd800s and WM1Z synergies andaximize performances.

Silver-gold-platinum Oyaide wires
4.4mm furutech rhodium plating
800s furutech rhodium plating 

Wooo!! Very expensive


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> Allow me to share you guys the next Cables that I specially made to cater to Hd800s and WM1Z synergies andaximize performances.
> 
> Silver-gold-platinum Oyaide wires
> 4.4mm furutech rhodium plating
> ...



Price per ft ?


----------



## Whitigir

Probably $8-9 for 1 wire per feet.  I made 8 wires for 1.5m


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> Probably $8-9 for 1 wire per feet.  I made 8 wires for 1.5m


Nice, was looking for a match for some Oyaide platinum / palladium and silver / rhodium plugs and this has stirred my interest, can you reveal your source ?


----------



## rolandpsp

I have wm1z and after comparing it with my desktop solution which costs half the price i think people should go for dx200.


----------



## nanaholic (Apr 14, 2018)

rolandpsp said:


> I have wm1z and after comparing it with my desktop solution which costs half the price i think people should go for dx200.



The software of the DX200 is known to be really buggy, whereas the WM1 software is rock solid. The number of post discussing bad software/instability in this huge thread is close to zero - except for people asking for a search feature.   Can't be said the same of the DX200.

People don't often realise or discuss that the money don't only go to paying for sound quality, and getting software right is actually pretty damn hard. it's often poor software that takes several points off certain DAPs and knocking them down from “good buys” to “avoid”, rather than sound quality, which in this age is arguably easier to get right especially if you are just sourcing off the shelf DAC chips and the DAC chip practically comes with instructions on how to wire them up like a Lego kit.


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 14, 2018)

rolandpsp said:


> I have wm1z and after comparing it with my desktop solution which costs half the price i think people should go for dx200.


While I agree dx200 is pretty good, if anyone ever think about driving headphones full-size like HD800, the 1Z does a better job



ledzep said:


> Nice, was looking for a match for some Oyaide platinum / palladium and silver / rhodium plugs and this has stirred my interest, can you reveal your source ?


Check this out.

Authentic Stuff

Or oyaide shop

Oyaide to make a complete Cables, just have to contact them and order.  More expensive, but you get it done by oyaide themselves.

These wires are the real deal.  I think Oyaide is going to reveal more exotic materials soon.  The cables I made for Hd800s is the largest conductors I can fit 26awgx2 equal 23awg per conductor.  There is no doubt about furutech plugs in my experiences.  So what improvements do I have over stock cables ?

Sound signature: much smoother, more musicality, and less grainy.  It still remains neutral as neither warm nor brighter but rather sweeter.

The stuff that I notice right away is sub-bass and soundstage.  Sub bass dives deeper and rumbles more proudly, soundstage is hugely increased, the cues of positioning on the stock cables leave me wandering and confused as where it is coming from.  On this Cables it is lay out very clearly, and that it helps both the layering and positioning to be more vividly presenting.  

Then closer listening reveals.

Tonal body is more realistic, it improves up another notch.  Stock cables, the 800s out of 1Z was showing a good synergy, but the tonal body was leaving me the feeling (0_0 what is this string instruments ?). This Cables improves that a further step and make it less confusing, together with more vivid resolutions.  The instruments is now easier to be picked apart like when guitar 1 and guitar 2 being played together.

Anyways, the total investments into this Cables materials is so Expensive that I am a complete nut to do so.  But hey ! I know my tastes, and I know what I hear.  Just sharing my experiences.  No one have to agree with me.  Back to slamming with my cables in this portable setup


----------



## riotgrrl (Apr 14, 2018)

proedros said:


> i just put geremlx1986 on my ignore list (only person i have there , mind you) , and it makes  this thread a joy to read
> 
> unbelievable how many empty,useless posts this dude had all over here



The dude ruins this thread with his posts, most of which seem to be him talking to himself.

I have recently bought the 1Z and so wanted to try and read as much of this thread as possible. Without the ignore feature I would be certifiably insane by now.

I would recommend this to anyone planning to similarly trawl through the thread.

Username > People you ignore > Member to ignore: > gerelmx1986 > Save Changes


----------



## proedros

this thread would have been 800 pages without his empty, self-centered posts

indedd


----------



## 480126

Whitigir said:


> Allow me to share you guys the next Cables that I specially made to cater to Hd800s and WM1Z synergies andaximize performances.
> 
> Silver-gold-platinum Oyaide wires
> 4.4mm furutech rhodium plating
> ...


Nice!
If you Play 1z with hd800s classic like Beethoven 9. or womens voice like Diana Krall/Holly Cole how much volume Shows the 1z? Is it loud enough?
Thanks


----------



## Whitigir

Frida309 said:


> Nice!
> If you Play 1z with hd800s classic like Beethoven 9. or womens voice like Diana Krall/Holly Cole how much volume Shows the 1z? Is it loud enough?
> Thanks



Depends, Loud listening is 85-90, I never crank over 95.  Medium listening to me is about 75-80, and medium low comfortable level is about 65-70.  Mid night listening level is 30-35


----------



## Whitigir

colonelkernel8 said:


> You'll definitely need to elaborate...


I meant cables that are made by vendors *are expensive for a reason
*
That reason is : synergies 

Not only the different materials and constructs that has different sound signature, but if it was well made with the intentions to provide the best synergies to your system, then it will be worth the money.  One of the example is that you want soundstage.  Cables can help, but which one help better ? In order to judge the performances, any good vendors shall have already had equipments similar to your with countless of experiences to guide you to the right way.  That is what I meant.


----------



## rolandpsp (Apr 14, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> The software of the DX200 is known to be really buggy, whereas the WM1 software is rock solid. The number of post discussing bad software/instability in this huge thread is close to zero - except for people asking for a search feature.   Can't be said the same of the DX200.
> 
> People don't often realise or discuss that the money don't only go to paying for sound quality, and getting software right is actually pretty damn hard. it's often poor software that takes several points off certain DAPs and knocking them down from “good buys” to “avoid”, rather than sound quality, which in this age is arguably easier to get right especially if you are just sourcing off the shelf DAC chips and the DAC chip practically comes with instructions on how to wire them up like a Lego kit.




I admit it, it's as smart as it is stable. Like a rock.

The only ... and i mean ONLY real benefit to this machine is the unique battery life. Which is a big benefit in some cases, a moderate one in others. For some it should surely make the difference. I thought it would for me too, but really, for the price in my very honest opinion, it is a pretty big disappointment. Will hold off from buying sony in the future when it comes to DAP's. I feel that people are in love with the brand and they like it more than they would any other DAP sounding the same way.

I don't deny its driving capability, which is very good but not great, what i deny is its reference quality sound. If my soekris can dismantle it, running from a 1.5 meter PRINTER usb cable from a AMD PC plugged in a non-grounded socket, which is as noisy as the highway in the midday i can't help disliking the entire package(For the money). Yes i'm sure it kills 80% of the DAPS but i'm also pretty certain (though i didn't hear it yet ) that the DAC stage of the dx200 destroys it. Because i know what 2x sabre does in desktop DAC and the dx200 (or SP1000 but that doesn't count because DX200 should be as good in the DAC ) shouldn't be far behind the average desktop sabre, maybe beating some. Yes, maybe the digital amp is a great thing for battery life but the sound....i can hear it but don't feel it. Sony should change their tune !


----------



## YorkshireBloke

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I have been eyeing that case from God knows when.
> But I ended up using a CaseLogic minidisc cases purchased from a thrift store.
> Is there a compartment where you can store the iems when not in use?



There is a pocket on the front, but it’s only suitable for a few credit cards or notes really, it’s too tight to the rest of the case to fit in the iems.  The case is excellent quality and it’s very adjustable, with lots of velcro straps and drawstrings if you enjoy meddling with stuff!   The only problem was I had to pay £21 (on top of the case cost) to get it through UK customs.


----------



## Mython

Whitigir said:


> I meant cables that are made by vendors *are expensive for a reason
> *
> That reason is : synergies



It's OK; you just keep telling yourself that, mate


----------



## PCheung (Apr 14, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Good point, though I fail to hear a difference? Some CDs I'm really close with sounded absolutely perfect from Media Go? Again it's maybe perception, if you think it's there, your mind says "it's there".



I also found the MediaGo ripped file have error, so I switched to EAC or just use a AK ripper with AK player while I'm lazy.


----------



## torifile

I’m still having a hard time with cover art. I’ve tried saving it as a different file format then back to jpg. I’ve tried downloading a new image from the internet. Any other thoughts? I’m fine doing each album individually.


----------



## nanaholic

rolandpsp said:


> I admit it, it's as smart as it is stable. Like a rock.
> 
> The only ... and i mean ONLY real benefit to this machine is the unique battery life. Which is a big benefit in some cases, a moderate one in others. For some it should surely make the difference. I thought it would for me too, but really, for the price in my very honest opinion, it is a pretty big disappointment. Will hold off from buying sony in the future when it comes to DAP's. I feel that people are in love with the brand and they like it more than they would any other DAP sounding the same way.
> 
> I don't deny its driving capability, which is very good but not great, what i deny is its reference quality sound. If my soekris can dismantle it, running from a 1.5 meter PRINTER usb cable from a AMD PC plugged in a non-grounded socket, which is as noisy as the highway in the midday i can't help disliking the entire package(For the money). Yes i'm sure it kills 80% of the DAPS but i'm also pretty certain (though i didn't hear it yet ) that the DAC stage of the dx200 destroys it. Because i know what 2x sabre does in desktop DAC and the dx200 (or SP1000 but that doesn't count because DX200 should be as good in the DAC ) shouldn't be far behind the average desktop sabre, maybe beating some. Yes, maybe the digital amp is a great thing for battery life but the sound....i can hear it but don't feel it. Sony should change their tune !



It's kinda ironic you say people buy for the brand and then you spout off that the DX200 has dual sabre chips and saying you know what they can do, are you not then buying for the Sabre brand?   Also "feeling" it is pretty subjective, so let's not even get into which beats which.

I've had many DAPs and DACs before from many different brands - AK, Venturecraft, Onkyo etc. and of course Sony. There are many times where I thought I want to try something different, like Fiio, Cowon, or even Cayan or Shanling, but also within 2 minutes of messing around with the interface I know they weren't for me, even when they sound good. That's because I'm a strong believer that a terrible interface gets in the way of enjoying the music, especially when you are carry hundreds of gigabytes worth of them in one device and you have to wrestle with the device to get what you want. A stable, smooth device that interfaces well with the PC is essential and should be the baseline, anything with the level of complaints that the DX200 gets regarding the quality of its firmware and requires community effort to fix it at the base OS level isn't worth the price it asks even when it is "cheap", because that means the product is not finished nor fully tested, the money you are not paying/saved should as well be donate to those helpful people dedicating their own time in fixing it.


----------



## PCheung

torifile said:


> I’m still having a hard time with cover art. I’ve tried saving it as a different file format then back to jpg. I’ve tried downloading a new image from the internet. Any other thoughts? I’m fine doing each album individually.



Are your file .wav ?
Cover art won't display with .wav files on WM1A/Z player.


----------



## endlesswaves (Apr 14, 2018)

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Here:
> 
> _"To anyone that wonder how the DC phase linearizer feel like ? It is rather strange. There are 6 modes
> 
> ...



Originally posted by Whitigir.

Hi, Bought WM1A in January this year. Have been reading thru from page 1 and am at 804 now. Wanted to post after I have gone thru every earlier post but found something which I wish to share.

Tried the D.C. Phase linearization and DSEE HS setting recommended by when 1 set got this set. Used it with Sony's Kimber MUC-M12SB1 (4.4mm balanced with mmcx) and the JVC FX1200. Was not impressed with the effect and stick to direct source all the way.

Yesterday after reading about that again I tried it again, this time with Whitigir's recommendation and using Effect Audio Thor Silver II with JVC FX1200 and was literally blown away.

Let me elaborate. JVC FX1200 can be bassy and muddy to some. Using it with Sony's Kimber cable with WM1A can be overwhelming to some but I like it's layered sub bass, texture/timbre and smooth treble. This is a thick and syrupy combination. Good at less complex or congested songs. i.e. Down tempo EDM. Claustrophobic in orchestra and so on. Using the D.C. Phase linearization makes it even more congested and claustrophobic. So it was direct source all the way for me.

Bought an used Effect Audio Thor Silver II last month and was rediscovering new details from songs that I am familiar with. This silver cable is amazing and even lower sub bass than Sony's Kimber cable. Female vocals becomes more standout and attention grabbing, in a good way. Only gripe was male vocals seems a bit recessed. This combo with Whitigir's D.C. Phase Linearization: Type A Low and DSEE HX: Strings, the sub bass went down a few more levels and better layering, mids seems to carry more weight and body and treble details is still there. Close to what I felt from WM1Z. Close, but doesn't mean it will change your 1A to 1Z.

Thanks to Whitigir for this valuable information. Am loving my WM1A anew.

Thanks to other contributor as well. Learnt a lot of tips and tricks.

Edit: Just realised I accidentally enabled EQ when turning off Direct Source. Retested with flat EQ. Sub Level was the same before engaging the D.C. Phase linearization. Difference not immediately noticeable. Need more critical listening. However, with Thor Silver II, I was not immediately put off by the congestion I heard with Kimber cable when switching off direct source.


----------



## torifile

PCheung said:


> Are your file .wav ?
> Cover art won't display with .wav files on WM1A/Z player.


All FLAC files.


----------



## Whitigir

I am glad that it helped you enjoying your player more @endlesswaves .  Cheer!


----------



## PCheung (Apr 14, 2018)

torifile said:


> All FLAC files.



Maybe the Baseline JPEG vs. Progressive JPEG problem? You may try solution discussed a few pages ago.

Or use other program like MediaGo to re-tag your flac files?


----------



## flyer1 (Apr 14, 2018)

Tried the OEM Sony leather case on for the first time today. Very good looking case but have tried now for an hour to take the player out of the case again without succes.

The latch under the strap hole opens without a problem but the latch which goes underneath the sd card slot will not move even with a lot of force used.

Anybody had this as well and able to help with advice?


----------



## nc8000

rolandpsp said:


> I admit it, it's as smart as it is stable. Like a rock.
> 
> The only ... and i mean ONLY real benefit to this machine is the unique battery life. Which is a big benefit in some cases, a moderate one in others. For some it should surely make the difference. I thought it would for me too, but really, for the price in my very honest opinion, it is a pretty big disappointment. Will hold off from buying sony in the future when it comes to DAP's. I feel that people are in love with the brand and they like it more than they would any other DAP sounding the same way.
> 
> I don't deny its driving capability, which is very good but not great, what i deny is its reference quality sound. If my soekris can dismantle it, running from a 1.5 meter PRINTER usb cable from a AMD PC plugged in a non-grounded socket, which is as noisy as the highway in the midday i can't help disliking the entire package(For the money). Yes i'm sure it kills 80% of the DAPS but i'm also pretty certain (though i didn't hear it yet ) that the DAC stage of the dx200 destroys it. Because i know what 2x sabre does in desktop DAC and the dx200 (or SP1000 but that doesn't count because DX200 should be as good in the DAC ) shouldn't be far behind the average desktop sabre, maybe beating some. Yes, maybe the digital amp is a great thing for battery life but the sound....i can hear it but don't feel it. Sony should change their tune !



Rather than Sony should change their tune to suit you, you should probably just go buy a product that suits your taste.


----------



## 480126

Whitigir said:


> Depends, Loud listening is 85-90, I never crank over 95.  Medium listening to me is about 75-80, and medium low comfortable level is about 65-70.  Mid night listening level is 30-35


Thanks!


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 14, 2018)

rolandpsp said:


> I admit it, it's as smart as it is stable. Like a rock.
> 
> The only ... and i mean ONLY real benefit to this machine is the unique battery life. Which is a big benefit in some cases, a moderate one in others. For some it should surely make the difference. I thought it would for me too, but really, for the price in my very honest opinion, it is a pretty big disappointment. Will hold off from buying sony in the future when it comes to DAP's. I feel that people are in love with the brand and they like it more than they would any other DAP sounding the same way.
> 
> I don't deny its driving capability, which is very good but not great, what i deny is its reference quality sound. If my soekris can dismantle it, running from a 1.5 meter PRINTER usb cable from a AMD PC plugged in a non-grounded socket, which is as noisy as the highway in the midday i can't help disliking the entire package(For the money). Yes i'm sure it kills 80% of the DAPS but i'm also pretty certain (though i didn't hear it yet ) that the DAC stage of the dx200 destroys it. Because i know what 2x sabre does in desktop DAC and the dx200 (or SP1000 but that doesn't count because DX200 should be as good in the DAC ) shouldn't be far behind the average desktop sabre, maybe beating some. Yes, maybe the digital amp is a great thing for battery life but the sound....i can hear it but don't feel it. Sony should change their tune !



I am sorry to burst your bubbles.  But then again, let me just say this, I have dx200 + amp1 + amp3 + amp4 + incoming amp4s, and wm1Z.  None of those amp cards can drive my Hd800S.  The WM1Z can drive my Hd800s singing effortlessly.  Now, on the sa5000 / Utopia headphones, both are good with dx200 being different in sound signatures.  But let me make it very simple here

Wm1Z still win.  Like I said, dx200 does very well side to side on Wm1Z on iems and easy to drive headphones such as sa5000, Utopia.  But it loses when it can not drive HD800s, and my 1Z make 800s Sing




To be very fair, the dx200 *can drive Hd800s *but it *can not drive the Hd800s as well as Wm1Z*.  The reason why I say that is because it is very obvious when you have them next to another.  The fidelity on the 1Z and Hd800s is just above that of dx200 and Hd800s, where as they used to be almost on the same ground when I paired with Utopia (but with different sound signatures)

That is why I say dx200 can not drive Hd800s, because out of dx200, all I hear is just loudness, details and very lifeless performances, and that is not Dx200 typical performances out of Utopia.  But if you have no choice, and want to run dx200 with 800/s ? No one is gonna stop you, but I would only question why.


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 14, 2018)

finally, some properly done female 4.4mm

This can be chassis mounted, or made into a beautiful adaptor.  Unlike the authentic Pentaconn which is only PCB mounted.  So there are now 2 choices of good 4.4mm connectors !

And there is no saying how beautiful the 4.4mm Furutech plugs is


----------



## Rchandra

If anyone is curious, though I would recommend flac and higher resolution files, I will say that if you have lower quality files that the wm1a still plays the track effortlessly, as a matter of fact I was listening to some tracks at 320kbs and to be honest I could be perfectly happy listening to lower compressed music files. So don't feel the need to have to upgrade this right off the bat if you're a new owner. Just enjoy the awesome journey this player will take you on over time


----------



## Whitigir

Upgrade to what ? 1A to 1Z ? Lol, the rumored anniversary Walkman is still a rumor


----------



## nc8000

Rchandra said:


> If anyone is curious, though I would recommend flac and higher resolution files, I will say that if you have lower quality files that the wm1a still plays the track effortlessly, as a matter of fact I was listening to some tracks at 320kbs and to be honest I could be perfectly happy listening to lower compressed music files. So don't feel the need to have to upgrade this right off the bat if you're a new owner. Just enjoy the awesome journey this player will take you on over time



Yes I have about 200 albums left in 320kb aac and they are perfectly acceptable


----------



## Rchandra

nc8000 said:


> Yes I have about 200 albums left in 320kb aac and they are perfectly acceptable



It is awesome sauce isn't it?.. Another thing I like about this player is I don't feel like sony will stop production on these in a while, as supposed to there headphone (sony z1r) where in my opinion I think they will stop producing in time (only time will tell) I feel like the wm1a can be more mass produced.


----------



## Whitigir

Rchandra said:


> It is awesome sauce isn't it?.. Another thing I like about this player is I don't feel like sony will stop production on these in a while, as supposed to there headphone (sony z1r) where in my opinion I think they will stop producing in time (only time will tell) I feel like the wm1a can be more mass produced.



Huh ? What does anything have to do with production and end circle ? Usually when new products are made, older products are rendered Out of productions as not being made anymore.  Z1R will have something to eventually replace it, same as 1A.  The 1Z may not see another replacement with fancy and meticulous parts, but I suspect it will also be stopped when new Walkman come out.  The 1Z May be the collection Walkman that uses fancy chassis and so on? Or new Walkman may even be better, no clues.


----------



## Rchandra

Whitigir said:


> Huh ? What does anything have to do with production and end circle ? Usually when new products are made, older products are rendered Out of productions as not being made anymore.  Z1R will have something to eventually replace it, same as 1A.  The 1Z may not see another replacement with fancy and meticulous parts, but I suspect it will also be stopped when new Walkman come out.  The 1Z May be the collection Walkman that uses fancy chassis and so on? Or new Walkman may even be better, no clues.



Sometimes replacements can be a downgrade. Especially when people have a signature they prefer.


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> While I agree dx200 is pretty good, if anyone ever think about driving headphones full-size like HD800, the 1Z does a better job
> 
> 
> Check this out.
> ...



It starts with the idea of a new cable then ordering the parts, then when they arrive the building to your own high soldering standards followed by the adulation of your hard work followed by the final stage of testing it out, now if that doesn't get your creative juices flowing there is something wrong.


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 14, 2018)

ledzep said:


> It starts with the idea of a new cable then ordering the parts, then when they arrive the building to your own high soldering standards followed by the adulation of your hard work followed by the final stage of testing it out, now if that doesn't get your creative juices flowing there is something wrong.



Although it is very fruitful to harvest your own growth.  But it is not always true.  Take my latest example of this XLR interconect toward my T2 + 009 system

17.5 Awg of UPOCC copper Litz going into Platinum-Silver plated Cardas connectors with properly shielding and 1.5m in length.  It was meant for more Low-end and get ready for brighter sound signature if needed.

 

It is however not to be used in Stax T2+009 and LKS MA004 system.  Because everything is already carrying warmth sound signatures.  This XLR cables just make my T7-009 system to become a bass head level of headphones.  Honestly didn’t expect that much bass level

It will be useful in brighter sound signature systems  but not what I have now.  It just disappoint.  You just need to know what you want, and have enough experiences to know what is to look for.  *It is not always about putting yourself at works and easily be satisfied.  It is actually the opposite.  When you can work on something, and know what you want, it is harder to satisfy yourself because you can work on it and make it better.  When you have no choice, whatever is advertised or said to be good, you still have no choice but to take it as is*


----------



## 480126

Got a new black case from Valentinum ! Now waiting for 1z. For 1a i take the brown leather case from valentinum


----------



## torifile

PCheung said:


> Maybe the Baseline JPEG vs. Progressive JPEG problem? You may try solution discussed a few pages ago.
> 
> Or use other program like MediaGo to re-tag your flac files?


Can you point it out to me? These threads that are thousands of pages long have limited utility, TBH.


----------



## gerelmx1986

torifile said:


> Can you point it out to me? These threads that are thousands of pages long have limited utility, TBH.


try out searching on head-fi for Walkman tips and tricks thread


----------



## proedros

is it my idea or does the sound seems to be more hard-hitting when in High Gain ?

or let me put it another way , does Low Gain keep the sound more mellow/mushy ?


----------



## blazinblazin

proedros said:


> is it my idea or does the sound seems to be more hard-hitting when in High Gain ?
> 
> or let me put it another way , does Low Gain keep the sound more mellow/mushy ?



High gain does gives more punch.

But the sound will become more like a 2D flat than 3D sound, when i use my IEM, so i choose to use low gain. 

I don't know about other headphones.


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> is it my idea or does the sound seems to be more hard-hitting when in High Gain ?
> 
> or let me put it another way , does Low Gain keep the sound more mellow/mushy ?


More punch but don't note soundstage reduction other than at high volumes on both gain modes


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 14, 2018)

Low gain and high gain probably be affecting the sound some what different depends on the headphones or iems being used, I guess.  I am testing high-low gain like you guys have been mentioning for a few days now.  Lately I am addicted to 800s from Wm1Z

Anyways: low gain gives the 800s more finesses on timbres, there are sweeter edges and lines.  Also the soundstage appears to be even deeper.  In the mean whiles the sound ofcourse became lower that I have to crank up higher.  Beside the soundstage being deeper, the panning effects of music flows now have no abruptiveness from left to right.  It is rather very smooth and fluidly

High-gain, the timbres becomes a little more rough or grainy.  Soundstage appears more intimidating as the depth is reduced a bit.  The volume becomes louder that I have to turn down a bit.  The panning effect or flows of music now have some mini abruptiveness from left to right that I can not clearly keep tracking it.

*the player does automatically turn the volume down* just high gain has louder volume at a given values in comparison 


blazinblazin said:


> High gain does gives more punch.
> 
> But the sound will become more like a 2D flat than 3D sound, when i use my IEM, so i choose to use low gain.
> 
> I don't know about other headphones.



Perhap soundstage get affected.  Strangely, I did not notice it with Utopia before.  Even stranger, I now prefer Hd800s out of low-gain due to these findings



proedros said:


> is it my idea or does the sound seems to be more hard-hitting when in High Gain ?
> 
> or let me put it another way , does Low Gain keep the sound more mellow/mushy ?



In a sense, yes.  Low gain keep the sound sweeter and more fluidly rather than mushy.  High-gain does appear to be more rough and grainy from my experiences, not exactly harder hitting

It is crazy but I still listen to 800s Low-gain at 90-95.


----------



## blazinblazin

Whitigir said:


> Low gain and high gain probably be affecting the sound some what different depends on the headphones or iems being used, I guess.  I am testing high-low gain like you guys have been mentioning for a few days now.  Lately I am addicted to 800s from Wm1Z
> 
> Anyways: low gain gives the 800s more finesses on timbres, there are sweeter edges and lines.  Also the soundstage appears to be even deeper.  In the mean whiles the sound ofcourse became lower that I have to crank up higher.  Beside the soundstage being deeper, the panning effects of music flows now have no abruptiveness from left to right.  It is rather very smooth and fluidly
> 
> ...


 I think you described what i heard on the soundstage depth reduction.


----------



## torifile

pithyginger63 said:


> should i save up to get one of these or should I just get a mojo?
> 
> 1. first things first, i primarily use sensitive iems, does the wm1a exhibit any hiss with them?
> 2. second, what I'm currently looking for is a replacement for my old desktop dac/amp, can the wm1a be used as a dac for a computer? if so, does it exhibit any lag (i may game with it )
> 3. lastly, and most importantly, how does it compare to the mojo in terms of resolution?


A little late to this question, but I’m extremely hiss sensitive and I’ve got a pair of hiss monsters in the Andromeda. I had a FiiO Q5 and I had to send it back because the hiss was unbearable. On the WM1A, there is no noticeable hiss when Music is playing. That’s with both SE and balanced cables.


----------



## colonelkernel8

torifile said:


> A little late to this question, but I’m extremely hiss sensitive and I’ve got a pair of hiss monsters in the Andromeda. I had a FiiO Q5 and I had to send it back because the hiss was unbearable. On the WM1A, there is no noticeable hiss when Music is playing. That’s with both SE and balanced cables.


Maybe an ifi iematch is the product for you? I use one with my dynamic driver/balanced armature hybrid IEMs and it does a great job.


----------



## torifile

colonelkernel8 said:


> Maybe an ifi iematch is the product for you? I use one with my dynamic driver/balanced armature hybrid IEMs and it does a great job.


I would have probably gone that route if the Wm1a hadn’t solved the problem for me. I was able to score a great deal that put it at just a couple hundred $ more than the Q5 + IEMatch would have been. And I get to play lossless without having to encumber my iPhone with it. I am really liking having 2 separate devices even if it means I have to manually move music over.


----------



## colonelkernel8

torifile said:


> I would have probably gone that route if the Wm1a hadn’t solved the problem for me. I was able to score a great deal that put it at just a couple hundred $ more than the Q5 + IEMatch would have been. And I get to play lossless without having to encumber my iPhone with it. I am really liking having 2 separate devices even if it means I have to manually move music over.


Oh! I misread! I thought you said you were having the hiss issue with this WM1A.


----------



## torifile

colonelkernel8 said:


> Oh! I misread! I thought you said you were having the hiss issue with this WM1A.


No worries.


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 15, 2018)

Oh wow! I just got a confirmation from Sony engineering team, sir Sato.  Below is the quote

_Hi, Thank you. We have also HD800S/HD660S and HD800/HD650/HD600 also. Our player was difficult to drive old type of HD series,  but *HD800S/660S is good combination with our WM1Z*. Old type of Sennheiser headphones has bad sensibility of headphones driver with hi-impedance, but recent new model become good sensibility driver with more low-impedance. It's welcome for portable player._

I was curious as of why the 800S was being driven so beautifully and musically out of Wm1Z !  There is the answer .  Again, the Dx200+amp4 just can not do it .  We will see if Amp4S and Dx200 is capable soon, but so far WM1Z is awesome with it

Now, there is new HD820 ! soon ! W000000!

Oh ghost! Now I am hyped up for the next Walkman anniversary ! Oh ghost.....*Hyper ventilating*....gotta control myself !


----------



## Rchandra

I prefer the low gain over high gain in the wm1a... I dunno the sound to me is just much more cleaner. I do wonder using the balanced connection without the high gain enabled do you get those extra mw of power


----------



## Redcarmoose

Rchandra said:


> If anyone is curious, though I would recommend flac and higher resolution files, I will say that if you have lower quality files that the wm1a still plays the track effortlessly, as a matter of fact I was listening to some tracks at 320kbs and to be honest I could be perfectly happy listening to lower compressed music files. So don't feel the need to have to upgrade this right off the bat if you're a new owner. Just enjoy the awesome journey this player will take you on over time



I listen to a bunch of 320 MP3s. And even though I have handful of DSD files as well as a bunch of 24/96, and they do sound better. My greatest joy with the Signature Series is how they make low quality files musical. I have sold off a rather substantial vinyl collection, so there’s nothing better than finding a system which brings back much of that warmth. Also at times it’s hit or miss on the digital master. Basicly vinyl is mastered for vinyl and CDs are mastered for CDs. But so much of a bad master can be beautifully braught back to life in playback. 

Now this concept originally sounds easy. Just get the clearest most high-end equipment and call it a day. But much of the time even the best equipment money can buy simply amplifies the digititus.


----------



## pietcux

Whitigir said:


> Oh wow! I just got a confirmation from Sony engineering team, sir Sato.  Below is the quote
> 
> _Hi, Thank you. We have also HD800S/HD660S and HD800/HD650/HD600 also. Our player was difficult to drive old type of HD series,  but *HD800S/660S is good combination with our WM1Z*. Old type of Sennheiser headphones has bad sensibility of headphones driver with hi-impedance, but recent new model become good sensibility driver with more low-impedance. It's welcome for portable player._
> 
> ...


The HD800 is electrically identical to the HD800S.  They only changed the sound by adding a Helmholz resonator in the center of the donut shaped driver. And the colour of course. That is why my WM1A can drive the my HD800 even on the unbalanced 3.5 mm outlet.


----------



## zardos

pietcux said:


> The HD800 is electrically identical to the HD800S.  They only changed the sound by adding a Helmholz resonator in the center of the donut shaped driver. And the colour of course. That is why my WM1A can drive the my HD800 even on the unbalanced 3.5 mm outlet.



I own HD800, HD800S, IE800, IE800S and I also think the old HD800 is driven as good as the newer HD800S from my WM1Z (or WM1A). The HD800S is the more balanced sounding one though. Besides I think IE800S tops both. WM1Z + IE800S is my favourite Sony/Sennheiser combo.


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 15, 2018)

zardos said:


> I own HD800, HD800S, IE800, IE800S and I also think the old HD800 is driven as good as the newer HD800S from my WM1Z (or WM1A). The HD800S is the more balanced sounding one though. Besides I think IE800S tops both. WM1Z + IE800S is my favourite Sony/Sennheiser combo.



That is awesome and good to know.  I do love 800s out of the Wm1Z , and I can’t deal well with iems.  So I can’t go with ie800s iems.  It is understandable that Ears bud does better


----------



## zardos

IE800S is one of the least physically invasive highend IEMs I know. You might have luck with those. Soundstage from HD800/S is of course better, but the bass from IE800/S is much better I think.


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 15, 2018)

zardos said:


> IE800S is one of the least physically invasive highend IEMs I know. You might have luck with those. Soundstage from HD800/S is of course better, but the bass from IE800/S is much better I think.



I love 800s soundstage from 1Z, nothing is gonna take it away from me 

I was able to squeeze out more bass-subbass and soundstage with the upgraded cables.  I love fullsize headphones


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Oh wow! I just got a confirmation from Sony engineering team, sir Sato.  Below is the quote
> 
> _Hi, Thank you. We have also HD800S/HD660S and HD800/HD650/HD600 also. Our player was difficult to drive old type of HD series,  but *HD800S/660S is good combination with our WM1Z*. Old type of Sennheiser headphones has bad sensibility of headphones driver with hi-impedance, but recent new model become good sensibility driver with more low-impedance. It's welcome for portable player._
> 
> ...


You are not the only one hyperventilating and drooling for the next generation walkman


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> You are not the only one hyperventilating and drooling for the next generation walkman



Just give me something like Wm1Z, but more driving power ! All I ask for


----------



## alphanumerix1

New walkman on the Horizon?


----------



## Whitigir

alphanumerix1 said:


> New walkman on the Horizon?



We hope so


----------



## Rchandra

I think now toying with the high gain that there was a reason why the default on the wm1a is low gain


----------



## torifile

Rchandra said:


> I think now toying with the high gain that there was a reason why the default on the wm1a is low gain


I rather like the high gain setting. As others have said, it gives some extra punch to the low end without too drastically altering the rest of the mix, IMHO.


----------



## torifile

My cover art problem has been solved. It’s a convulsed process thT will be time consuming for the first major transfer of music but should be easier now that I know what’s happening. 

I have to 
1) use photoshop to save the jpg as baseline
2) then use MP3tag to add the cover art to the files. 
3) Save and copy them back over. 

I tried just doing the step 1 and then copying just the newly saved baseline jpg and that didn’t work. I tried using MP3tag to downlod cover art from discogs and that didn’t work. I guess the cover art from discogs is also progressive. 

Like I said, for these first 100 or so albums, it’s time consuming but after this it should be easy.


----------



## productred

torifile said:


> My cover art problem has been solved. It’s a convulsed process thT will be time consuming for the first major transfer of music but should be easier now that I know what’s happening.
> 
> I have to
> 1) use photoshop to save the jpg as baseline
> ...



I usually look for the cover art online, save in the destination folder, then open it with MS Paint then just press save. It'd automatically be converted to baseline. Then MP3tag.


----------



## rcoleman1 (Apr 16, 2018)

productred said:


> I usually look for the cover art online, save in the destination folder, then open it with MS Paint then just press save. It'd automatically be converted to baseline. Then MP3tag.


This works for me as well. MP3tag is a godsend for Windows...besides it's free.


----------



## torifile

rcoleman1 said:


> This works for me as well. MP3tag is a godsend for Windows...besides it's free.


It works on Mac too through Wine. If you’re on Mac, don’t fall for those ones that are OS X native. They are not the app. You’ve got to download it from the .de site and run it in wine. It’s easy as it’s packaged that way, it’s just butt ugly.


----------



## Lookout57

The best free tag for the Mac is kid3, the best tag is Metadatics and worth the money.


----------



## gerelmx1986

productred said:


> I usually look for the cover art online, save in the destination folder, then open it with MS Paint then just press save. It'd automatically be converted to baseline. Then MP3tag.


I didn't know this also did the trick, cool to know


----------



## Whitigir

I always love mp3 tags.  So easy, friendly, and u can custom whatever the heck you want, like putting a kinky picture of you and your partners as an album cover art! 

Anyways, dont get that idea.  It is just to say, mp3tag is the best program I ever used for tag and album art on different tracks


----------



## BigPoppa99

Is there an easy way to delete duplicate tracks off the wm1a?  I'm using the Sony music software to load the player.  I can not remember the name of that software.

thanks


----------



## Whitigir

Just use windows folders and name list to delete duplicates


----------



## BigPoppa99

Whitigir said:


> Just use windows folders and name list to delete duplicates


the software created folders by artist on my player.  I have 380 folders 

I'm just going to delete and do a fresh transfer

thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 16, 2018)

you can tap the album and in the Track list there is an ellipsis ... tap this and tap delete (for each track) and than tap OK

 
Or by using the folder browse feature


----------



## BigPoppa99

thanks!


----------



## sne4me

Anyone here into HDCD? What are some decent titles? I'm seeing lots from hong kong and japan


----------



## nc8000

sne4me said:


> Anyone here into HDCD? What are some decent titles? I'm seeing lots from hong kong and japan



Reference Recordings have done a lot of good ones


----------



## zardos

For sure one of the best Ambient albums ever produced.


----------



## Hellvis

Just got my unit and love it! As for the balanced plug...do you folks use an adapter? If so what one would you recommend? I've got some nice cans and would love to finally try this balanced thing!


----------



## Giraku

Hellvis said:


> Just got my unit and love it! As for the balanced plug...do you folks use an adapter? If so what one would you recommend? I've got some nice cans and would love to finally try this balanced thing!


For XLR connector, I use:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XKJWNXS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For 2.5mm balanced plug, I use Effect Audio 4.4mm to 2.5mm adaptor and Brise Audio 4.4mm (L-shaped) to pigtailed 2.5mm adaptor:
https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B071D8559S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.co.jp/Brise-Audi...=1523919925&sr=1-6&keywords=brise+audio+4.4mm


----------



## fiascogarcia

Hellvis said:


> Just got my unit and love it! As for the balanced plug...do you folks use an adapter? If so what one would you recommend? I've got some nice cans and would love to finally try this balanced thing!


If you like it so far, you will really love the balanced by comparison.  I started with an adapter before I got a 4.4mm balanced cable.


----------



## Rchandra

OKAY EVERYONE PLEASE BE CAREFUL BUYING BALANCED CABLES ON AMAZON. I purchased one for the heck of it and my balanced output began clicking when I would change songs and turn the direct mode on and off... Yikes please be careful when purchasing cables. It can ruin your device.


----------



## TSAVJason

Rchandra said:


> OKAY EVERYONE PLEASE BE CAREFUL BUYING BALANCED CABLES ON AMAZON. I purchased one for the heck of it and my balanced output began clicking when I would change songs and turn the direct mode on and off... Yikes please be careful when purchasing cables. It can ruin your device.



You think Amazon is a headphone expert company? Nah! I know why you shop there. It’s not their expertise is it


----------



## Rchandra

TSAVJason said:


> You think Amazon is a headphone expert company? Nah! I know why you shop there. It’s not their expertise is it



Haha, well I've spent $22,000 on audio equipment this week, and I know where I'm happy I didn't purchase it.  going back to the cables I would definitely purchase the authentic cables from kimber kable or moon audio.


----------



## TSAVJason

Rchandra said:


> Haha, well I've spent $22,000 on audio equipment this week, and I know where I'm happy I didn't purchase it.  going back to the cables I would definitely purchase the authentic cables from kimber kable or moon audio.



We are both happy you made your purchase from anyone you like. I can also say we’re happy with where you didn’t buy from. I personally think your Felon friends on Amazon are about as smart as it gets. What’s that name again? Oh yeah buywise.


----------



## Rchandra

Solved.


----------



## 480126

Hellvis said:


> Just got my unit and love it! As for the balanced plug...do you folks use an adapter? If so what one would you recommend? I've got some nice cans and would love to finally try this balanced thing!


I use for 2,5 ibasso C02.


----------



## nc8000

Hellvis said:


> Just got my unit and love it! As for the balanced plug...do you folks use an adapter? If so what one would you recommend? I've got some nice cans and would love to finally try this balanced thing!



If your phones are single ended you can’t get an adapter as you can’t go from single ended into a balanced output. If your phones are already balanced (2.5mm, xlr or the like) you can get adapters from many different cable builders


----------



## Whitigir

I am still amazed at how well Wm1Z is driving HD800s in comparison to DX200 amp4/S


----------



## Hellvis

I ended up getting the Pentaconn from Moon Audio.


----------



## sne4me

Whitigir said:


> I am still amazed at how well Wm1Z is driving HD800s in comparison to DX200 amp4/S



I want a WM1Z sooooo bad.


----------



## kdphan

Picked up a WM1A last night and so far i'm really impressed with how it drives the Andromeda.

Played some of my favorite albums again and they sound spectacular compared to my LG V30. It's not that the V30 is bad, it's just the WM1A is that good...

Now hunting for 4.4mm balanced cable


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> I am still amazed at how well Wm1Z is driving HD800s in comparison to DX200 amp4/S


Haven't you tried the Fiio AMP3B with 4.4mm for the fiio X7 MKII?


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Haven't you tried the Fiio AMP3B with 4.4mm for the fiio X7 MKII?



Nope, could only spend money on 1 other dap, and the choices was either X7 II or dx200.  I went to dx200 due to better customer responds and dual es9038Pro vs single chip on x7


----------



## Rchandra

Does anyone charge the wm1a via computer or via a plug in on a anker charger?


----------



## fiascogarcia

Rchandra said:


> Does anyone charge the wm1a via computer or via a plug in on a anker charger?


I've used both the computer usb and and iPhone wall wart plug on my 1Z.  Both work fine.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Rchandra said:


> Does anyone charge the wm1a via computer or via a plug in on a anker charger?


I use both PC nad xperia wall charger. Though it won't charge any faster even using a Fast charger, I read somewhere Walkmans have a current limiter


----------



## Rchandra

Thanks guys. Anyone get the 30hr playback? For me I get more around 20ish hours.


----------



## nc8000

Rchandra said:


> Thanks guys. Anyone get the 30hr playback? For me I get more around 20ish hours.



About 20 is where I’m at as well playing 16/44 flac in balanced out in low gain


----------



## fiascogarcia (Apr 17, 2018)

Rchandra said:


> Thanks guys. Anyone get the 30hr playback? For me I get more around 20ish hours.


About 20 myself, playing everything from aac and 44/16 to 2.8 DSD.  You could probably get 30 or so playing all mp3 files, I would guess.


----------



## Rchandra

Yeah that makes the most sense to me. The unit itself is built to play higher resolution files. So using more power does indeed make the most sense.


----------



## flyer1 (Apr 17, 2018)

Rchandra said:


> Thanks guys. Anyone get the 30hr playback? For me I get more around 20ish hours.



When I first got my 1Z and let it play overnight from first full 100% charge for around 12hrs,high gain, Direct Source, mostly 16bit flac, it still showed full 4 bars when I checked again in the morning.

Absolutely amazing bat.life this DAP has!


----------



## torifile

kdphan said:


> Picked up a WM1A last night and so far i'm really impressed with how it drives the Andromeda.
> 
> Played some of my favorite albums again and they sound spectacular compared to my LG V30. It's not that the V30 is bad, it's just the WM1A is that good...
> 
> Now hunting for 4.4mm balanced cable


That’s the same setup I’ve got. I got tired of all the various possibilities and just bought a 4.4mm cable direct from Campfire. Probably more than I should have paid or less quality or whatever. But it was easy. I just wanted to enjoy my music.


----------



## gerelmx1986

i get also between 18 and 22 hours playback , Everything thrown from FLAC 16/44.1, FLAC 24-bit and DSD 2.8


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> i get also between 18 and 22 hours playback , Everything thrown from FLAC 16/44.1, FLAC 24-bit and DSD 2.8



Same here !


----------



## animalsrush

20 hrs flac 16/44 only


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 17, 2018)

Philips Mozart edition
Divertimenti for Winds. Time for some relaxing after doing taxes


----------



## bvng3540

gerelmx1986 said:


> Philips Mozart edition
> Divertimenti for Winds. Time for some relaxing after doing taxes


Wow that is very loud, just curious to how loud everyone listen on their 1a/z and what headphones or IEM

For me I have the volume at 1 with ciem empire Ears savage 9, I also work in the very noisy environment, I can’t pass 1, at 1 the music is very loud already, and at home at night I can’t listen to it because it will hurt my ears because of how loud it is, is anyone have sensitive ears like mine


----------



## nc8000

bvng3540 said:


> Wow that is very loud, just curious to how loud everyone listen on their 1a/z and what headphones or IEM
> 
> For me I have the volume at 1 with ciem empire Ears savage 9, I also work in the very noisy environment, I can’t pass 1, at 1 the music is very loud already, and at home at night I can’t listen to it because it will hurt my ears because of how loud it is, is anyone have sensitive ears like mine



At 1 I’m nowhere near even getting any sound. I’m at 50 with my JH13 and 90 with my Z1R on balanced low gain give or take depending on the recording. With the HE-6 I was at 120 balanced high gain and that was not really enough


----------



## productred

bvng3540 said:


> Wow that is very loud, just curious to how loud everyone listen on their 1a/z and what headphones or IEM
> 
> For me I have the volume at 1 with ciem empire Ears savage 9, I also work in the very noisy environment, I can’t pass 1, at 1 the music is very loud already, and at home at night I can’t listen to it because it will hurt my ears because of how loud it is, is anyone have sensitive ears like mine



This is unimaginable. There is no sound at all at 1 even with sensitive ciem like my MH335. When outside with my 335 my volume is at around 75 to 80 on normal gain. With UERR and ER4SR have to crank it up to above 90. Never need to use hi gain tho. When indoors or in quiet environment I do around 50 sth to 60 with my 335. All these are when listening to pop/rock. Add 10 to 15 when I listen to classical.

If you find 1 listenable and anything higher than 1 unbearable, I'm pretty sure your unit is flawed - very very wrong indeed. I won't say it's your ear problem, since if your ear is THAT sensitive your ears would bleed with a snap of finger and definitely can't survive daily living noises.


----------



## bvng3540

productred said:


> This is unimaginable. There is no sound at all at 1 even with sensitive ciem like my MH335. When outside with my 335 my volume is at around 75 to 80 on normal gain. With UERR and ER4SR have to crank it up to above 90. Never need to use hi gain tho. When indoors or in quiet environment I do around 50 sth to 60 with my 335. All these are when listening to pop/rock. Add 10 to 15 when I listen to classical.
> 
> If you find 1 listenable and anything higher than 1 unbearable, I'm pretty sure your unit is flawed - very very wrong indeed. I won't say it's your ear problem, since if your ear is THAT sensitive your ears would bleed with a snap of finger and definitely can't survive daily living noises.


I had 2 1a and 2 1z all are at 1, also zx100 at 3 and zx2 at 3 so I don’t think the units are flawed at all, I must have sensitive hearing I guess


----------



## nc8000 (Apr 18, 2018)

bvng3540 said:


> I had 2 1a and 2 1z all are at 1, also zx100 at 3 and zx2 at 3 so I don’t think the units are flawed at all, I must have sensitive hearing I guess



You must have hearing like a bat and living in the modern world with hearing like that must cause constant pain and discomfort. I have average hearing for my age (had it tested last year) and I have to go to 5 to even get any meaningful sound from my 1Z


----------



## productred

bvng3540 said:


> I had 2 1a and 2 1z all are at 1, also zx100 at 3 and zx2 at 3 so I don’t think the units are flawed at all, I must have sensitive hearing I guess



Maybe I should not sound too skeptical, but pal I really can't help it. It must NOT be sensitive hearing. As I have said, if you can't stand volume 2 or above on the 1a/1z then you must also be unable to stand the sound like, for example, keyboard typing, door opening, or even the sound of the pen scratching the paper when writing, or the key turning in the lock, or ANY sound coming from a vehicle, or your wife's whispering in the ears. Volume 1 means soooooooooooooo little sound that its way less than a mosquito's noise. You'd have to use earplugs the moment you step out of your house.

Purely out of curiosity, I just plugged in my ER4 and try playing something at 1. I am in my office and background noise is almost non-existent. And I have to say, there is sound coming out - but not only is it far from being listenable, the balance is wholly off no matter how hard I listen to it. I don't think any earphones are designed to work properly with that little current.........

Apologies if I sound too questioning, but there MUST be something wrong, something other than sensitive hearing.......there must be a more scientific explanation of this?


----------



## Whitigir

Scientific explaination is 1 o’clock position as in 55% volume wheel. The Wm1Z is 120 max.  So 55% shall put it at 75 mark.


----------



## productred

Whitigir said:


> Scientific explaination is 1 o’clock position as in 55% volume wheel. The Wm1Z is 120 max.  So 55% shall put it at 75 mark.



Believe it or not I have thought about that one but no @bvng3540 would not have meant that, he was saying @gerelmx1986 listening at 79 too loud (just 4 levels north of 75) and continued to say he's listening at 1. So..............please try again I'm afraid that's not scientific enough lollllll


----------



## bvng3540

productred said:


> Maybe I should not sound too skeptical, but pal I really can't help it. It must NOT be sensitive hearing. As I have said, if you can't stand volume 2 or above on the 1a/1z then you must also be unable to stand the sound like, for example, keyboard typing, door opening, or even the sound of the pen scratching the paper when writing, or the key turning in the lock, or ANY sound coming from a vehicle, or your wife's whispering in the ears. Volume 1 means soooooooooooooo little sound that its way less than a mosquito's noise. You'd have to use earplugs the moment you step out of your house.
> 
> Purely out of curiosity, I just plugged in my ER4 and try playing something at 1. I am in my office and background noise is almost non-existent. And I have to say, there is sound coming out - but not only is it far from being listenable, the balance is wholly off no matter how hard I listen to it. I don't think any earphones are designed to work properly with that little current.........
> 
> Apologies if I sound too questioning, but there MUST be something wrong, something other than sensitive hearing.......there must be a more scientific explanation of this?


I have normal hearing like everyone else, I know that it is very hard to believe me, but there no benefit for me to lie, I’m just curious if anyone is in my shoes


----------



## bvng3540

productred said:


> Believe it or not I have thought about that one but no @bvng3540 would not have meant that, he was saying @gerelmx1986 listening at 79 too loud (just 4 levels north of 75) and continued to say he's listening at 1. So..............please try again I'm afraid that's not scientific enough lollllll


Yes my volume is at 1, uno, one not at 1 o’clock


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 18, 2018)

productred said:


> Believe it or not I have thought about that one but no @bvng3540 would not have meant that, he was saying @gerelmx1986 listening at 79 too loud (just 4 levels north of 75) and continued to say he's listening at 1. So..............please try again I'm afraid that's not scientific enough lollllll



If 1 as in 0 to 1 literally out of 120, then I am not sure if anyone can hear music like that.  It is not bat ears level, but daredevil and Superman hearing levels.

Superman and daredevil have super hearing senses, and they can filter out with trained attention skills to focus on special sounds of which they want to hear, ignoring the rest and work on it from there.  It is possible to train this way.  Let’s say I believe @bvng3540 .  One day, he may disappear from head-fi because the government have the tendency to seek out superhuman for some probing 

This hearing level is like you can hear somebody fart accross the room if you focus toward him/her.  You can hear their underwear scraping against their thigh, if you focus enough....it is scary to think about


----------



## ezekiel77

bvng3540 said:


> I have normal hearing like everyone else, I know that it is very hard to believe me, but there no benefit for me to lie, I’m just curious if anyone is in my shoes


I listen to my IEMs in low gain at volume 50-65 depending on the recording. Guess you're on your own man!


----------



## bvng3540

Whitigir said:


> If 1 as in 0 to 1 literally out of 120, then I am not sure if anyone can hear music like that.  It is not bat ears level, but daredevil and Superman hearing levels.
> 
> Superman and daredevil have super hearing senses, and they can filter out with trained attention skills to focus on special sounds of which they want to hear, ignoring the rest and work on it from there.  It is possible to train this way.  Let’s say I believe @bvng3540 .  One day, he may disappear from head-fi because the government have the tendency to seek out superhuman for some probing
> 
> This hearing level is like you can hear somebody fart accross the room if you focus toward him/her.  You can hear their underwear scraping against their thigh, if you focus enough....it is scary to think about


Hahaha I wish I have superhuman hearing, like I said before I have normal hearing like everyone else, but when I listen to music on my 1a with my ciem volume at ONE is the most I can handle, I listen to it 4 hours straight and then rest 30 minutes because it is my lunch time and then listen again for another 4.5 hours, I’m average about 9-10 hours a day of listen to 1a


----------



## Whitigir

bvng3540 said:


> Hahaha I wish I have superhuman hearing, like I said before I have normal hearing like everyone else, but when I listen to music on my 1a with my ciem volume at ONE is the most I can handle, I listen to it 4 hours straight and then rest 30 minutes because it is my lunch time and then listen again for another 4.5 hours, I’m average about 9-10 hours a day of listen to 1a



Then you must have super hearings and don’t know about it.  Trust me, there is no freaking way to listen to music at 1 literally out of 120


----------



## bvng3540

Whitigir said:


> Then you must have super hearings and don’t know about it.  Trust me, there is no freaking way to listen to music at 1 literally out of 120


Oh I forgot to mention that it is on high gain and on balanced as well, don’t know if that increase the sound at all


----------



## productred

bvng3540 said:


> Hahaha I wish I have superhuman hearing, like I said before I have normal hearing like everyone else, but when I listen to music on my 1a with my ciem volume at ONE is the most I can handle, I listen to it 4 hours straight and then rest 30 minutes because it is my lunch time and then listen again for another 4.5 hours, I’m average about 9-10 hours a day of listen to 1a





Whitigir said:


> Then you must have super hearings and don’t know about it.  Trust me, there is no freaking way to listen to music at 1 literally out of 120



With a more scientific mindset, @bvng3540  would it be your EE Savage being flawed? Like a few blown resistors? You tried with other iems?

I totally agree - there is simply no friggin way anyone having any sort of hearing could listen to music at 1 out of 120 on the 1a/1z. I tried it further with my MH335........it's like you are listening to silence (with some unrecognizable sound coming from two floors above) instead of music.

Urgh.................I wanna believe it, and I'm aware everyone should be on their own, but Christ this is driving me insane hahahaha. It's not just superhuman, it's supernatural.


----------



## Whitigir

Facts, high gain and balanced is louder than low gain and single ended.

It could be a defect unit, but didn’t he mentioned that he had 2 wm1A and 2 WM1Z to compare before ?


----------



## productred

Whitigir said:


> Facts, high gain and balanced is louder than low gain and single ended.
> 
> It could be a defect unit, but didn’t he mentioned that he had 2 wm1A and 2 WM1Z to compare before ?



If it's his iems that's blown then that could happen on every DAP he pairs with the same iems

BTW I just tried, high gain and balanced (before I tried on normal balanced). Louder yes. Listenable no. Again it's not only about the volume, fact is the balance is wholly off - this time vocals are a bit clearer, but the instruments are non-existent. No high, no lows. Mids barely felt and could be made out.


----------



## bvng3540

productred said:


> With a more scientific mindset, @bvng3540  would it be your EE Savage being flawed? Like a few blown resistors? You tried with other iems?
> 
> I totally agree - there is simply no friggin way anyone having any sort of hearing could listen to music at 1 out of 120 on the 1a/1z. I tried it further with my MH335........it's like you are listening to silence (with some unrecognizable sound coming from two floors above) instead of music.
> 
> Urgh.................I wanna believe it, and I'm aware everyone should be on their own, but Christ this is driving me insane hahahaha. It's not just superhuman, it's supernatural.


there is nothing wrong with my EE Savage and again I do not have any superhuman or supernatural, I can’t not hear what people saying to each other 50 feet away from me, I also have ak380 cu and on that the volume is at 3 out of 150


----------



## Whitigir

lol, ok, I am taking a break from this conversation


----------



## bvng3540

productred said:


> With a more scientific mindset, @bvng3540  would it be your EE Savage being flawed? Like a few blown resistors? You tried with other iems?
> 
> I totally agree - there is simply no friggin way anyone having any sort of hearing could listen to music at 1 out of 120 on the 1a/1z. I tried it further with my MH335........it's like you are listening to silence (with some unrecognizable sound coming from two floors above) instead of music.
> 
> Urgh.................I wanna believe it, and I'm aware everyone should be on their own, but Christ this is driving me insane hahahaha. It's not just superhuman, it's supernatural.


I do have Layla and the volume is a little higher which is at 3


----------



## productred

bvng3540 said:


> there is nothing wrong with my EE Savage and again I do not have any superhuman or supernatural, I can’t not hear what people saying to each other 50 feet away from me, I also have ak380 cu and on that the volume is at 3 out of 150



With that, I'd say............................................cool man you are on your own. I still won't say it's about sensitive hearing - see reasoning above - but rather it seems to be something with your highly extraordinary music listening habits. It's fine as long as you find that enjoyable. I hope you would enjoy going to concerts and shows, but bet you won't, as the sound level there is likely to be 120 or even 130 out of 120 by the 1a/1z standards...............


----------



## yakitoroi

bvng3540 said:


> I do have Layla and the volume is a little higher which is at 3


Dont want to throw a monkey wrench in this but i have similar listening preference. I have the layla ii and tried balance with high gain and was only able to go up to 7, i am good at 3/4 as well. You guys might call me crazy but i like SE over the balanced. In SE with the layla ii i listen at 15 and it sounds great to my ears, outstanding to my ears. On balanced with my z1r i listen at 29. I dont use high gain.


----------



## bvng3540

yakitoroi said:


> Dont want to throw a monkey wrench in this but i have similar listening preference. I have the layla ii and tried balance with high gain and was only able to go up to 7, i am good at 3/4 as well. You guys might call me crazy but i like SE over the balanced. In SE with the layla ii i listen at 15 and it sounds great to my ears, outstanding to my ears. On balanced with my z1r i listen at 29. I dont use high gain.


See @productred im not on my own


----------



## Lemieux66

Listening on volume 1/120? I don't believe it. People don't have huge differences in how their hearing works, how would a person who can only stand volume 1 live in the real world. A car journey would be impossible for them due to road and engine noise measuring somewherr around the equivalent of 90 on the WM1A scale. This guy is either full of BS or has such severr hearing damage that he'd have to wear ear defenders 24/7. Sorry but this is total BS.

BTW I listen at around 80+ for most music with the Z1R.


----------



## Whitigir

Plausible to listen to Z1R at 29 balanced highgain.  I do it Hd800s at midnight and not normal volume.  Normal volume would have to be 75-80 to be acceptable.  Let me create a thread for you folks who have so normal hearing and can listen at 1/120.  Let’s get back to the 1A/Z sound performances here


----------



## yakitoroi

Whitigir said:


> Plausible to listen to Z1R at 29 balanced highgain.  I do it Hd800s at midnight and not normal volume.  Normal volume would have to be 75-80 to be acceptable.  Let me create a thread for you folks who have so normal hearing and can listen at 1/120.  Let’s get back to the 1A/Z sound performances here


Don’t create a separate thread, we are all hear to enjoy the music and our Walkmans, was not trying to be offensive in anyway, love reading everyone’s post. It’s just a preference, that’s all. I used my Layla’s while commuting. Oh and here is a interesting tip if haven’t already known. I get most of my CDs from my local library, free of charge. The older CDs are sometimes beaten up, but the newer ones are in great shape, can’t remember the last time i purchase songs unless it’s above flac.


----------



## nc8000

yakitoroi said:


> Don’t create a separate thread, we are all hear to enjoy the music and our Walkmans, was not trying to be offensive in anyway, love reading everyone’s post. It’s just a preference, that’s all. I used my Layla’s while commuting. Oh and here is a interesting tip if haven’t already known. I get most of my CDs from my local library, free of charge. The older CDs are sometimes beaten up, but the newer ones are in great shape, can’t remember the last time i purchase songs unless it’s above flac.



In Denmark ripping cd’s you don’t own is illegal which also implies that if you sell your cd’s you have to delete the rips


----------



## ledzep

I used to hear voices when the player was turned off, but with the new meds I'm on now I hear nothing. Still can see dead people though.


----------



## fiascogarcia

bvng3540 said:


> Wow that is very loud, just curious to how loud everyone listen on their 1a/z and what headphones or IEM
> 
> For me I have the volume at 1 with ciem empire Ears savage 9, I also work in the very noisy environment, I can’t pass 1, at 1 the music is very loud already, and at home at night I can’t listen to it because it will hurt my ears because of how loud it is, is anyone have sensitive ears like mine


With 1z, at low gain, I'm at  49 to 51 with Tia Fourte. which is about 70 to 79 decibels avg.


----------



## yakitoroi

nc8000 said:


> In Denmark ripping cd’s you don’t own is illegal which also implies that if you sell your cd’s you have to delete the rips



Of course reselling anything you don’t own the rights to is illegal but using for personal use is fine. What you also described is the same as buying from online sites and try to resell.


----------



## yakitoroi

ledzep said:


> I used to hear voices when the player was turned off, but with the new meds I'm on now I hear nothing. Still can see dead people though.


Hahaha, maybe you are not looking in the right places.


----------



## nc8000

yakitoroi said:


> Of course reselling anything you don’t own the rights to is illegal but using for personal use is fine. What you also described is the same as buying from online sites and try to resell.



What I’m saying is that I can’t rip cd’s I borrow at the library or from friends and I can’t sell the cd’s I own but then keep my rips of them.


----------



## ledzep

nc8000 said:


> In Denmark ripping cd’s you don’t own is illegal which also implies that if you sell your cd’s you have to delete the rips



Music is everybody's possession. It's only publishers who think that people own it.
John Lennon.


----------



## yakitoroi

fiascogarcia said:


> With 1z, at low gain, I'm at  49 to 51 with Tia Fourte. which is about 70 to 79 decibels avg.


Thank you for this @fiascogarcia so i owned the U18s and was not able to enjoy them, I tried everything, different cables everything, but wasnt able to because it’s sonic performance is similar to an open back. I don’t listen to open back because in order to hear the music, I would have to turn it up louder than the background noise and I couldn’t, too loud. Which made me believe you guys are the ones with superhuman hearing to be able withstand that so ci performance.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 18, 2018)

bvng3540 said:


> Wow that is very loud, just curious to how loud everyone listen on their 1a/z and what headphones or IEM
> 
> For me I have the volume at 1 with ciem empire Ears savage 9, I also work in the very noisy environment, I can’t pass 1, at 1 the music is very loud already, and at home at night I can’t listen to it because it will hurt my ears because of how loud it is, is anyone have sensitive ears like mine


in average I listen to 60-90 on MDR-Z7 low gain, 45-60 on High gain
35-50 XBA-Z5 IEM low gain, 25-35 on high gain i can go low as 18

This also depends on the dynamic range of the CD, in this case good DR contrasted with the new DG 225 complete edition which is LOUD.

But how cool you can listen to at 001/120 i can't even hear a thing


----------



## gerelmx1986

bvng3540 said:


> I have normal hearing like everyone else, I know that it is very hard to believe me, but there no benefit for me to lie, I’m just curious if anyone is in my shoes


The only expalin i can get that you listen to as low as 001 , hmm too sensitive IEMS?, too Loudly mastered recordings and/or edited with a wave editor program to raise the volume?

i have the case the other way around with a Purcell CD the last track was forgotten the Mixer volume or something with the microphones went wrong , that track is sooooooo quiet that* the needles of the analogue level meter barely move*, i have to crank to 120/120 High gain. also have LOUD albums that i must quick turn the volume down to 40 on MDR-Z7


----------



## Ryokan

If someone listens at volume '1' that would mean Sony don't know how to calibrate their players properly. And most here are very happy with their dap.

Hi-gain 50-70 here (iem's).


----------



## captblaze

Primarily a low gain user... AKG Q701 110, Audeze Sine (on ear) 100,UE 18+Pro 66. Waiting on a new cable to give my 800S a go


----------



## Giraku

yakitoroi said:


> Thank you for this @fiascogarcia so i owned the U18s and was not able to enjoy them, I tried everything, different cables everything, but wasnt able to because it’s sonic performance is similar to an open back. I don’t listen to open back because in order to hear the music, I would have to turn it up louder than the background noise and I couldn’t, too loud. Which made me believe you guys are the ones with superhuman hearing to be able withstand that so ci performance.


Even with M20 module? I use both Fourte and U18t daily for my commute and never bothered by the surrounding city noise. To my ears, their isolation is pretty good.
As for the volume level on my WM1Z, I use 52-60 (High Gain) and 72-85 (Low Gain) on both Tia Fourte and U18t. These numbers are for Balanced output. I prefer high gain sound.


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> What I’m saying is that I can’t rip cd’s I borrow at the library or from friends and I can’t sell the cd’s I own but then keep my rips of them.



life is short , do something crazy


----------



## proedros

also hoping that we go from ''i listen to X/120' into more useful posts

cheer


----------



## Tawek

I listen to 1z  balanced 4.4 mm 90-102 on mdr ex1000 low gain, 75 -83 on High gain


----------



## Giraku

Out of curiosity, I tried volume setting of "1" on WM1Z balanced with high gain through Tia Fourte. To my surprise, I could hear music. But it requires completely quiet environment with lots of concentration to "listen". Certainly, music is there but for me to enjoy music, I had to turn it up at least to 7. I listened to some music at volume level of 7 for about 20 minutes, and I felt so tired because my concentration doesn't last that long.
Now the real surprise was after this "minimal volume" session, I'm happy with much lower volume than my usual setting like 35 instead of 52. In order to keep my hearing ability "healthy", maybe it is a good idea to have "minimal volume" listening session once in a week or so.


----------



## meomap

ledzep said:


> I used to hear voices when the player was turned off, but with the new meds I'm on now I hear nothing. Still can see dead people though.



Can you see ME now?


----------



## meomap

Just kidding. 
1Z here with Encore, 4.4 mm, high, around 35.


----------



## yakitoroi

Giraku said:


> Even with M20 module? I use both Fourte and U18t daily for my commute and never bothered by the surrounding city noise. To my ears, their isolation is pretty good.
> As for the volume level on my WM1Z, I use 52-60 (High Gain) and 72-85 (Low Gain) on both Tia Fourte and U18t. These numbers are for Balanced output. I prefer high gain sound.


Hello @Giraku even with the m20 module, th m15 modules are by far the best for me. To my ears, the m20 changes the sound sig. Make no mistake, my 1z with with U18s where great but I can only listen at 16 on the volume clicker. The U18s are like surgical knifes, you do indeed hear everything and they sound like overhead cans.  
I visit this thread and i am happy that everyone shares their experience because i get to learn a lot and appreciate it. We all love music and its my escape gateway at the end of the work day. So thank you guys and gals for sharing.


----------



## ledzep

meomap said:


> Can you see ME now?


Yeah and what your doing is disgusting and illegal so stop.


----------



## nugerhood

thats awesome


----------



## gerelmx1986

There is, I can hear music on volume 1/120 on high gain  but I he tips of the XBA-Z5 must be airtight, barely hearable Sound. It becomes audible at 10


----------



## ledzep

gerelmx1986 said:


> There is, I can hear music on volume 1/120 on high gain  but I he tips of the XBA-Z5 must be airtight, barely hearable Sound. It becomes audible at 10



Try this then you'll be amazed ! 
Put a shell up to your ear and you can hear the sea.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> Try this then you'll be amazed !
> Put a shell up to your ear and you can hear the sea.


Well,  i did a crazy experiment with a shell and speakers LOL, the music just sounded weird through a shell


----------



## Whitigir

Weird ? Because the speakers wasn’t made for it.  The Qualia Q10 legendary from Sony picked up after the seashells.  Guess what ? HD800/S has very similar design, and the sound is also amazing


----------



## Gosod

gerelmx1986 said:


> Well,  i did a crazy experiment with a shell and speakers LOL, the music just sounded weird through a shell


you have had in the past Zx100, you can tell how he plays NW-WM1A with headphones MDR-Z7?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gosod said:


> you have had in the past Zx100, you can tell how he plays NW-WM1A with headphones MDR-Z7?


well, i never heard the MDR-Z7 with ZX100, but i can tell you the Z7 sound damn good with the WM1A, pretty smooth and balanced, not too reference but nice musical sound without emphasis on bass or highs, amazing soundstage with a bit of holography into it


----------



## ledzep

Gosod said:


> you have had in the past Zx100, you can tell how he plays NW-WM1A with headphones MDR-Z7?



Added a thin layer of damping and rewired with silver internals and my custom silver widow cable running out of the balanced socket makes them shine like a crazy diamond.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Sony Flagship Tokyo


----------



## Redcarmoose

meomap said:


> Just kidding.
> 1Z here with Encore, 4.4 mm, high, around 35.



What cable do you use?


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 18, 2018)

Very nice! You will be in for a big surprises.  Because not many people experienced with how good the Walkman and the docking system can be as a digital USB transport, I have never mentioned about this now.  But using the Walkman and the dock, you don’t lose out details like when you are using any other usb reclock-regen devices.  I used IFi reclock-regen, and it loses out details in comparison to the Walkman+dock system.

Not sure how the dongles and the dock are helping the Walkman, but there are obvious improvements from the dongles and then further on docking system.  Using Walkman with cheap TA-ZH1ES stock cables +IFi regen-reclock is a horrible idea that I conducted.

My best transport is a Walkman + dock cradle and a good usb Cables, that is it!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Very nice! You will be in for a big surprises.  Because not many people experienced with how good the Walkman and the docking system can be as a digital USB transport, I have never mentioned about this now.  But using the Walkman and the dock, you don’t lose out details like when you are using any other usb reclock-regen devices.  I used IFi reclock-regen, and it loses out details in comparison to the Walkman+dock system.
> 
> Not sure how the dongles and the dock are helping the Walkman, but there are obvious improvements from the dongles and then further on docking system.  Using Walkman with cheap TA-ZH1ES stock cables +IFi regen-reclock is a horrible idea that I conducted.
> 
> My best transport is a Walkman + dock cradle and a good usb Cables, that is it!


Still need to find USB cable, what do you use?


----------



## Giraku

Whitigir said:


> Very nice! You will be in for a big surprises.  Because not many people experienced with how good the Walkman and the docking system can be as a digital USB transport, I have never mentioned about this now.  But using the Walkman and the dock, you don’t lose out details like when you are using any other usb reclock-regen devices.  I used IFi reclock-regen, and it loses out details in comparison to the Walkman+dock system.
> 
> Not sure how the dongles and the dock are helping the Walkman, but there are obvious improvements from the dongles and then further on docking system.  Using Walkman with cheap TA-ZH1ES stock cables +IFi regen-reclock is a horrible idea that I conducted.
> 
> My best transport is a Walkman + dock cradle and a good usb Cables, that is it!


Second to that. I have been enjoying the doc a lot, especially with the Sony leather case. Not necessary to take out from the case to put it in the dock. Very nice!!!


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Still need to find USB cable, what do you use?



I use my DIY cables, but if you don’t DIY, the brand I recommend and tried out would be AudioQuest


----------



## Giraku

Redcarmoose said:


> Still need to find USB cable, what do you use?


I use AudioQuest Cinnamon and Carbon.


----------



## bvng3540

Lemieux66 said:


> Listening on volume 1/120? I don't believe it. People don't have huge differences in how their hearing works, how would a person who can only stand volume 1 live in the real world. A car journey would be impossible for them due to road and engine noise measuring somewherr around the equivalent of 90 on the WM1A scale. This guy is either full of BS or has such severr hearing damage that he'd have to wear ear defenders 24/7. Sorry but this is total BS.
> 
> BTW I listen at around 80+ for most music with the Z1R.


I’m not BSING anyone, believe it or not is your business am not stopping you, it is what it is, like I said many times before I have normal hearing like everyone else, and i built airplane as my work so the environment is very loud, volume at 1 is what I listen at work, again if you don’t believe I don’t need to proof it to you, so let move on from this, but if anyone local stop by anytime


----------



## kdphan

Just tried listening at volume step 1 with andromeda. I can hear music clearly, but details are not there.

Yeah, i'm turning it back to around 30.


----------



## Lookout57

AudioQuest Carbon with dock.


----------



## meomap

Redcarmoose said:


> What cable do you use?



I use DHC Symbiote SP V3 OCC Silver Type 4 Litz 8 braided,  2.5mm balanced.
Later broken then Moon Audio fixed for me with 4.4 mm Furutech. 

Don't if I should go for Symbiote Elite 19 awg OCC Silver later but 2.5x the price and probably too heavy.

Too many options to buy but little money. 
I still have to upgrade my 2 channel audio downstair also.


----------



## meomap

Whitigir said:


> Very nice! You will be in for a big surprises.  Because not many people experienced with how good the Walkman and the docking system can be as a digital USB transport, I have never mentioned about this now.  But using the Walkman and the dock, you don’t lose out details like when you are using any other usb reclock-regen devices.  I used IFi reclock-regen, and it loses out details in comparison to the Walkman+dock system.
> 
> Not sure how the dongles and the dock are helping the Walkman, but there are obvious improvements from the dongles and then further on docking system.  Using Walkman with cheap TA-ZH1ES stock cables +IFi regen-reclock is a horrible idea that I conducted.
> 
> My best transport is a Walkman + dock cradle and a good usb Cables, that is it!



How do you use that dock out to?
A DAC?
I bought the usb conversion the same time as 1Z. Still not open yet.
Use that for what?
May I ask?

Out to DAC like Yggdrasil or Holo Spring Level 3 Dac or similar?


----------



## Lookout57

When you use either the WMC-NWH10 USB Conversion Cable or the dock the WM1A/Z is a transport for connection to a DAC. So you could use the Yggdrasil or Holo Spring Level 3.


----------



## meomap

Lookout57 said:


> When you use either the WMC-NWH10 USB Conversion Cable or the dock the WM1A/Z is a transport for connection to a DAC. So you could use the Yggdrasil or Holo Spring Level 3.



Hi,
So 1Z could not use it to transfer by itshelf with its conversion?
Does that dock has usb as output or Coax as well?


----------



## Lookout57

Dock is USB only, no coax or optical.


----------



## Whitigir

Lookout57 said:


> Dock is USB only, no coax or optical.


And you can use the usb as transport or files transfer with a switch on the back


----------



## piksnz

I am using the diginis leather case with my wm1z and it has extremely tight fit. Any suggestions on how to remove from the case without impacting the case or player.


----------



## captblaze

hold case firmly and push upwards with pencil




piksnz said:


> I am using the diginis leather case with my wm1z and it has extremely tight fit. Any suggestions on how to remove from the case without impacting the case or player.


----------



## pietcux

captblaze said:


> hold case firmly and push upwards with pencil


Before doing so lifthat that backside off the backside of theach Walkman. This releases the adhesion of the cover on the leather backside of the Walkman.  Then you push the device like on the picture above. Your finger should do.


----------



## Whitigir

Common .... fingering a Walkman ? Just use a pencil for professional gears


----------



## fiascogarcia

piksnz said:


> I am using the diginis leather case with my wm1z and it has extremely tight fit. Any suggestions on how to remove from the case without impacting the case or player.


Hold case with one hand, with the other I slip my fore and mid finger and slightly lift up the edge of the case at the bottom of the screen and gently push with my thumb through the opening where the digital port is exposed.


----------



## Redcarmoose

meomap said:


> I use DHC Symbiote SP V3 OCC Silver Type 4 Litz 8 braided,  2.5mm balanced.
> Later broken then Moon Audio fixed for me with 4.4 mm Furutech.
> 
> Don't if I should go for Symbiote Elite 19 awg OCC Silver later but 2.5x the price and probably too heavy.
> ...



Nice!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Common .... fingering a Walkman ? Just use a pencil for professional gears


Fingering walkman, LOL , I actually removed my case quite a few times and now i can remove it easily


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> Just use a pencil for professional gears



Make sure your dust plug is seated firmly or you may get some bits of eraser in your port


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> Make sure your dust plug is seated firmly or you may get some bits of eraser in your port


Vacuum it out


----------



## Rchandra

Anyone know how much output power the wm1a has on balanced with low gain settings? I know high gain is 200mw and am curious to know if both balanced and standard have the same mw output on the low gain settings


----------



## blazinblazin (Apr 19, 2018)

Only 4.4mm balanced have 240mw. 3.5mm is only 60mw.

High or low gain... 4.4mm balanced still have more power.


----------



## Hanafuda (Apr 19, 2018)

In June, I'm making a buy while in Japan (actually my wife and daughter will while there to visit family, from my shopping list) and the plan is for the zx300 and Z1R, Right now I need a closed headphone. But I prefer open and plan on adding to the stable eventually. Also, just a few days ago all the big Japanese retailers (Bic, Yodobashi, Sofmap) bumped their price on the Z1R back up to full retail, where it had been discounted by several hundred bucks before. I have no way of knowing if the in-store price is really full retail, or discounted. So, although unlikely, I am considering instead buying the WM1A and a cheaper closed headphone. In evaluating whether this would be a better plan, I'm interested in knowing if the WM1A's output power advantage vs. the zx300 (250mw/channel vs. 200mw/channel, on balanced) would make a big difference in the headphones that can be driven adequately. I do not, at this time, own a stationary/home headphone amp. One piece at a time.

I know this question is nearly impossible to answer inclusively, the list would be too long and probably cause disagreements. So let's try for exclusively: what fullsize headphones are _outside_ the range of the WM1A/Z's power to drive adequately? Also, are there any headphones for which the WM1A/Z has just enough power on balanced HG to do it justice, but the zx300 at 4/5 that output would be short? I'm thinking, for instance, Eikon/Atticus, hd800s, hd820, Audeze LCD series, etc.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Hanafuda said:


> In June, I'm making a buy while in Japan (actually my wife and daughter will while there to visit family, from my shopping list) and the plan is for the zx300 and Z1R, Right now I need a closed headphone. But I prefer open and plan on adding to the stable eventually. Also, just a few days ago all the big Japanese retailers (Bic, Yodobashi, Sofmap) bumped their price on the Z1R back up to full retail, where it had been discounted by several hundred bucks before. I have no way of knowing if the in-store price is really full retail, or discounted. So, although unlikely, I am considering instead buying the WM1A and a cheaper closed headphone. In evaluating whether this would be a better plan, I'm interested in knowing if the WM1A's output power advantage vs. the zx300 (250mw/channel vs. 200mw/channel, on balanced) would make a big difference in the headphones that can be driven adequately. I do not, at this time, own a stationary/home headphone amp. One piece at a time.
> 
> I know this question is nearly impossible to answer inclusively, the list would be too long and probably cause disagreements. So let's try for exclusively: what fullsize headphones are _outside_ the range of the WM1A/Z's power to drive adequately? Also, are there any headphones for which the WM1A/Z has just enough power on balanced HG to do it justice, but the zx300 at 4/5 that output would be short? I'm thinking, for instance, Eikon/Atticus, hd800s, hd820, Audeze LCD series, etc.



I'm in Tokyo right now and was at the Flagship Store. I was going to get the ZX300 but they said all of them were Japan home editions, which were only in Japanese. Now there may be a work around, but I chose not to purchase. Also I'm not saying that there are other "tourist editions" for sale........but not at Sony.


----------



## kms108 (Apr 20, 2018)

There are work around to convert region without voiding warranty,  less than a minute to do, but I prefer to buy from Amazon Japan, they have a good return policies, whiles shops in Japan don't allow exchange, everything is delt with sony service center directly.

The zx300 does not have a tourist version so warranty has to be done in Japan, there is no international warranty, whiles the 1Z tourist version is available in Japan from Sony store, and includes international warranty, do note, only the tourist version sold in the sony store has international warranty, ones sold in bic camera or other store other than sony store, are local japan warranty.


----------



## pietcux

​


Hanafuda said:


> In June, I'm making a buy while in Japan (actually my wife and daughter will while there to visit family, from my shopping list) and the plan is for the zx300 and Z1R, Right now I need a closed headphone. But I prefer open and plan on adding to the stable eventually. Also, just a few days ago all the big Japanese retailers (Bic, Yodobashi, Sofmap) bumped their price on the Z1R back up to full retail, where it had been discounted by several hundred bucks before. I have no way of knowing if the in-store price is really full retail, or discounted. So, although unlikely, I am considering instead buying the WM1A and a cheaper closed headphone. In evaluating whether this would be a better plan, I'm interested in knowing if the WM1A's output power advantage vs. the zx300 (250mw/channel vs. 200mw/channel, on balanced) would make a big difference in the headphones that can be driven adequately. I do not, at this time, own a stationary/home headphone amp. One piece at a time.
> 
> I know this question is nearly impossible to answer inclusively, the list would be too long and probably cause disagreements. So let's try for exclusively: what fullsize headphones are _outside_ the range of the WM1A/Z's power to drive adequately? Also, are there any headphones for which the WM1A/Z has just enough power on balanced HG to do it justice, but the zx300 at 4/5 that output would be short? I'm thinking, for instance, Eikon/Atticus, hd800s, hd820, Audeze LCD series, etc.


The Sennheisers are driven excellent with the WM1A/Z, even on the unbalanced 3.5 mm tab on high gain.


----------



## azabu

Redcarmoose said:


> I'm in Tokyo right now and was at the Flagship Store. I was going to get the ZX300 but they said all of them were Japan home editions, which were only in Japanese. Now there may be a work around, but I chose not to purchase. Also I'm not saying that there are other "tourist editions" for sale........but not at Sony.



there should be tourist / English versions @ Yodobashi Camera and Bic Camera. There is one Yodobashi Camera and two Bic Camera stores in Shinjuku.

Btw, if you like books and stuff, make sure you go to Tsutaya in Ginza6 and also Daikanyama! Have a blast in Japan


----------



## sne4me (Apr 20, 2018)

Anyone want to buy my NW-WM1A? Its 7 months old and in perfect condition. Been stored in a case with screen protector on it. mint, like new condition. Only accessories are the charging cable and the plugs for the headphone jacks. Also, it is the Japanese localized version. Been burned in 350 hours unbalanced, 200 hours balanced. I'll even throw in a 200gb micro SDXC. This is being offered only locally, in the Fukuoka, Osaka, and Tokyo areas


----------



## Hanafuda (Apr 20, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> I'm in Tokyo right now and was at the Flagship Store. I was going to get the ZX300 but they said all of them were Japan home editions, which were only in Japanese. Now there may be a work around, but I chose not to purchase. Also I'm not saying that there are other "tourist editions" for sale........but not at Sony.




Thanks but the language barrier on the player isn't a problem, plus as kms108 already mentioned there's a workaround. I wasn't even planning on converting it to English for at least several months (ever?) to make sure everything was a-ok first.







Also we have friends there, so warranty claim would be inconvenient and take some time but not a problem.

I know the WM1 has a superior unbalanced side vs. the zx300, has double the internal capacity, weighs 267g vs. the zx300 is 157g, glossy screen instead of matte, no DAC (don't really care). According to most posts I've read here the zx300's balanced out is as near on par for SQ with the WM1 as to be imperceptible to a mid-fi guy like me, but it does push only 80% as much power. Just wanted to know if that would really make that much difference in what headphones could be adequately (not perfectly) driven out of each. 

And if there are other differences, pro or con, b/n the WM1A and zx300, drop 'em here please.


----------



## torifile

I’m curious for those of you who have both, is there any perceptible scrolling speed difference between the zx300’and WM1A? My WM1A is a little laggy when scrolling even with the only 35 gigs or so of music (all FLAC files) I’ve got loaded.


----------



## sne4me

torifile said:


> I’m curious for those of you who have both, is there any perceptible scrolling speed difference between the zx300’and WM1A? My WM1A is a little laggy when scrolling even with the only 35 gigs or so of music (all FLAC files) I’ve got loaded.




my experience with lets say hundreds of gigs is that the scroll doesnt get worse, thats just the experience


----------



## proedros

there is a wm1a FS here for just *630 euros* , why buy zx300 beats me


----------



## Hanafuda

proedros said:


> there is a wm1a FS here for just *630 euros* , why buy zx300 beats me



Another member here who lives in the US has also made me a decent offer by pm. I'm considering it.


----------



## DHXD

Redcarmoose said:


> I'm in Tokyo right now and was at the Flagship Store. I was going to get the ZX300 but they said all of them were Japan home editions, which were only in Japanese. Now there may be a work around, but I chose not to purchase. Also I'm not saying that there are other "tourist editions" for sale........but not at Sony.



Actually they have another sector in the store selling international version of their products to tourists.
I’m not sure about the flagship store in Tokyo but I’m sure that Sony Style Ginza have this separate section on a different floor.


----------



## kms108

DHXD said:


> Actually they have another sector in the store selling international version of their products to tourists.
> I’m not sure about the flagship store in Tokyo but I’m sure that Sony Style Ginza have this separate section on a different floor.


All Sony stores has tourist section, the point is the Zx300 in Japan is not available as a tourist model, only the 1A/Z are.


----------



## Blommen

proedros said:


> there is a wm1a FS here for just *630 euros* , why buy zx300 beats me



Size, and it's under 300€ on joybuy. But it is a good price for the wm1a


----------



## flyer1 (Apr 20, 2018)

Thinking of getting a cable upgrade for my 1Z/XBA-Z5. Currently got the Sony Kimber Cable.

Shortlisted so far: ALO ref sxc 8 ,Effect audio Thor Silver ii and Ares II.

 Anyone got some advice for me which to get for better highs but with deep visceral bass?


----------



## Gosod

ledzep said:


> Added a thin layer of damping and rewired with silver internals and my custom silver widow cable running out of the balanced socket makes them shine like a crazy diamond.


I hope it won't disappoint me.
How old is he official warranty?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gosod said:


> I hope it won't disappoint me.
> How old is he official warranty?


All sony warranties (outside europe) are of just one year


----------



## FlyingTrotter

WM1A with JH Roxanne and silver dragon cable out of balanced low gain and 65-70

Listening on 1 simply makes no sense from my perspective


----------



## silvahr

Hello,

Can someone please tell me if I can use an 4.4mm female (TRRRS) to 3.5mm male (TRRS) cable adaptor to be able to use ALO Ref.8 4.4mm cable with Chord Hugo 2?
Thank you in advance.


----------



## nc8000

silvahr said:


> Hello,
> 
> Can someone please tell me if I can use an 4.4mm female (TRRRS) to 3.5mm male (TRRS) cable adaptor to be able to use ALO Ref.8 4.4mm cable with Chord Hugo 2?
> Thank you in advance.



Yes you can always use a balanced headphone via an adaptor with any other source both balanced and unbalanced as long as it is wired correctly for your source and headphone


----------



## fiascogarcia

silvahr said:


> Hello,
> 
> Can someone please tell me if I can use an 4.4mm female (TRRRS) to 3.5mm male (TRRS) cable adaptor to be able to use ALO Ref.8 4.4mm cable with Chord Hugo 2?
> Thank you in advance.


You'll need a 4.4 to 3.5 TRS, not TRRS, as the Hugo is a single ended output jack.


----------



## Gosod

gerelmx1986 said:


> All sony warranties (outside europe) are of just one year


Year, it's too small for a player with such a value!


----------



## Tawek




----------



## sne4me

I will sell my NW-WM1A for $700/7万円/€600
Just want to move up to 1Z. Perfect condition, really good value. will include a 200gb micro sdxc


----------



## superuser1

sne4me said:


> I will sell my NW-WM1A for $700/7万円/€600
> Just want to move up to 1Z. Perfect condition, really good value. will include a 200gb micro sdxc


How long have you had it? I am on the fence re: the 1A/Z conundrum too.


----------



## endlesswaves

I wonder if this have been posted before. I am reading from page 1 and now on page 982.

I am usually on balanced with volume around 45-50 on high gain. Suddenly I found it a bit loud today and down volume to 30-35 which seems more to the loudness I am accustomed to. 

My player is 185 hours mostly on balanced. Is this normal? Thanks in advance.


----------



## gerelmx1986

endlesswaves said:


> I wonder if this have been posted before. I am reading from page 1 and now on page 982.
> 
> I am usually on balanced with volume around 45-50 on high gain. Suddenly I found it a bit loud today and down volume to 30-35 which seems more to the loudness I am accustomed to.
> 
> My player is 185 hours mostly on balanced. Is this normal? Thanks in advance.


I did note this also, that the balance out, even at normal gain, after the 190-ish hours it got louder


----------



## endlesswaves

gerelmx1986 said:


> I did note this also, that the balance out, even at normal gain, after the 190-ish hours it got louder



Thanks for the info. Thought my hearing was getting better


----------



## sne4me

superuser1 said:


> How long have you had it? I am on the fence re: the 1A/Z conundrum too.



had it about 7 months. I actually ran out of memory and so I think that the 1Z is worth exploring. I may actually get a 1Z and keep my 1A since its such a nice player.


----------



## endlesswaves

superuser1 said:


> How long have you had it? I am on the fence re: the 1A/Z conundrum too.



Same here. But after auditioning 1Z twice and owning the 1A for 3 months, my conclusion is it depends on the other part of your chain of gears. Bass heavy IEMS with thick notes with normal copper cables will sounds a bit congested. This combo will be a better match for 1A. 

Neutral IEMS with good silver cables will sounds heavenly.

Just my 2 cents.


----------



## sheridant

has anyone gone back to the wm1a from the wm1z? - On paper it seems like a clear upgrade - but from comments the wm1z seems to be different more than better - what types of music does each suit better


----------



## Cagin

I remember at least one in this thread that did so after buying both. I don't remember who it was. One person did for the weight/portability, and the other for the sound actually.


----------



## Rchandra

I wonder how much a lithium ion battery replacement will cost on the Walkman when the battery essentially dies out. I hope not as much as a mdrz7 lol


----------



## Quadfather

sne4me said:


> I will sell my NW-WM1A for $700/7万円/€600
> Just want to move up to 1Z. Perfect condition, really good value. will include a 200gb micro sdxc



I will have both the 1A and 1Z... I just need the 1Z now.  It will go really well with my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and my Questyle QP1R.


----------



## Whitigir

Rchandra said:


> I wonder how much a lithium ion battery replacement will cost on the Walkman when the battery essentially dies out. I hope not as much as a mdrz7 lol



Last time I researched about this, it should be around $100-200


----------



## animalsrush

Whitigir said:


> Last time I researched about this, it should be around $100-200


That is cheap and good to know.. thanks for sharing

Pc


----------



## Rchandra

Whitigir said:


> Last time I researched about this, it should be around $100-200




Bro you're like a sony genius, cool to have you here  thanks


----------



## sne4me

Integral memory has 7 days before I rage because they have missed their ship eta twice, first february, now april.


----------



## nc8000

sne4me said:


> Integral memory has 7 days before I rage because they have missed their ship eta twice, first february, now april.



512GB microSD ?


----------



## Hanafuda

sne4me said:


> Integral memory has 7 days before I rage because they have missed their ship eta twice, first february, now april.





nc8000 said:


> 512GB microSD ?



That was my guess too. Has anyone actually confirmed the 512gb will work in Sony's players? Is sne4me our guinea pig? 

Best thing about a 512gb microsd finally hitting the market is it'll cause the price on the 400's to drop a bit.


----------



## Hellvis

Anyone use this with JRiver Software...no issues transferring albums but having a hell of a time transferring playlists!


----------



## ezekiel77

silvahr said:


> Hello,
> 
> Can someone please tell me if I can use an 4.4mm female (TRRRS) to 3.5mm male (TRRS) cable adaptor to be able to use ALO Ref.8 4.4mm cable with Chord Hugo 2?
> Thank you in advance.


I bought an ultrashort 4.4mm female to 3.5mm TRS male adapter from Plussound. The pic is here https://www.head-fi.org/threads/plussound-audio-thread.701384/page-55#post-14186724

If you're using a stationary setup then this adapter is good enough. If you want one on-the-go it's better to get a pigtail adapter like this one http://www.cmpg.co.jp/musashino/3544p1/


----------



## alphanumerix1

I've done abit of search but couldn't find a direct comparison between the dx200 and wm1a has anyone tested both together or owns both who can comment on how they compare in sound.


----------



## Giraku

alphanumerix1 said:


> I've done abit of search but couldn't find a direct comparison between the dx200 and wm1a has anyone tested both together or owns both who can comment on how they compare in sound.


Not a direct comparison, but this may help:


Virtu Fortuna said:


> _Click the picture to see it in full resolution._​


----------



## alphanumerix1 (Apr 24, 2018)

Giraku said:


> Not a direct comparison, but this may help:



Very interesting do you know who the author of this is? Is it you? Is there a link.


----------



## nc8000

alphanumerix1 said:


> Very interesting do you know who the author of this is? Is it you? Is there a link.



https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dap-score-chart.874423/


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

alphanumerix1 said:


> Very interesting do you know who the author of this is? Is it you? Is there a headfi thread.


It's me. Hello


----------



## alphanumerix1

Virtu Fortuna said:


> It's me. Hello



Hello, it's me. I'm alpha ;p


----------



## Giraku

alphanumerix1 said:


> Very interesting do you know who the author of this is? Is it you? Is there a link.


Just click the arrow above the chart in my post.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Hey all,

New member here. I had a quick search for case l couldn't find what I was looking for. Do any of you have a few links to some leather cases for the NW-WM1A? Looking for something like this, but cant find a store thats US friendly:


 

J


----------



## captblaze

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Hey all,
> 
> New member here. I had a quick search for case l couldn't find what I was looking for. Do any of you have a few links to some leather cases for the NW-WM1A? Looking for something like this, but cant find a store thats US friendly:
> 
> ...



This?

https://www.microsofttranslator.com...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B01MS4B0F8


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

captblaze said:


> This?


Yup, but Im looking for something I can order and get shipped to the USA .


----------



## captblaze

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Yup, but Im looking for something I can order and get shipped to the USA .



sorry bout that... it states delivered to the United States on it


----------



## kubig123

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Yup, but Im looking for something I can order and get shipped to the USA .



You can order from amazon Japan through buyee.jp, but between fees and shipping the cost of the case could become quite expensive.

Dignis makes some really nice cases
http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/category/dap/85/
http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/category/refurbish/89/

Also on Etsy you can find Valentinum that makes cases that are not too expensive (you can also choose the leather color and stitching)
https://www.etsy.com/search?q=wm1z

On ebay you can find the Miter case
https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Sony-N...633917&hash=item1a242b01f3:g:0tEAAOSwjDZYgcSq

I use the Benks gel case, it comes with a tempered screen protector included in the price.
https://www.amazon.com/NW-WM1A-NW-W...UTF8&qid=1524600895&sr=8-1&keywords=wm1z+case


----------



## Whitigir

If it was me, the Wm1Z would be on top , oh...it also doesn’t hiss


----------



## linux4ever

alphanumerix1 said:


> I've done abit of search but couldn't find a direct comparison between the dx200 and wm1a has anyone tested both together or owns both who can comment on how they compare in sound.



I've both dx200 and WM1A. 

I use dx200 with AMP4 (more than 200 hours of burn-in). I also have AMP4S (150 hrs burn-in). WM1A has 100 hours of burn-in. Given that background, I prefer dx200 with AMP4. dx200 with AMP4S is slightly colored and had better punch in the lows and good extension in the highs. As of now I would slot WM1A between dx200 with AMP4S and dx200 with AMP4. quite closer to AMP4S in sound signature. all listening with 4.4mm balanced output. At this level it is based on one's preference. Going with either one of them, one can't go wrong.

The dx200 is just slightly longer/taller and just wider than WM1A. Barely. Thickness is more or less the same. WM1A weighs more, but is easier to hold an operate with one hand because of how it is shaped. 

No wi-fi, no streaming etc on WM1A. dx200 runs on a version of Android 6 and custom ROMs can be installed. Playstore and apps is also easy on dx200.

Battery life is 7 hours on dx200 and that with 320kbps MP3. Sony WM1A gives solid 22 hours even while playing FLAC. 

Charging takes longer with WM1A. dx200 is very quick and fast (USB-C).


----------



## alphanumerix1 (Apr 24, 2018)

linux4ever said:


> I've both dx200 and WM1A.
> 
> I use dx200 with AMP4 (more than 200 hours of burn-in). I also have AMP4S (150 hrs burn-in). WM1A has 100 hours of burn-in. Given that background, I prefer dx200 with AMP4. dx200 with AMP4S is slightly colored and had better punch in the lows and good extension in the highs. As of now I would slot WM1A between dx200 with AMP4S and dx200 with AMP4. quite closer to AMP4S in sound signature. all listening with 4.4mm balanced output. At this level it is based on one's preference. Going with either one of them, one can't go wrong.
> 
> ...



Thank you! So basically you cant go wrong. Sony's battery life is a big selling point.

I keep seeing impressions that the dx200 with amp4 approaches wm1z ak380 levels and that the zx300 basically sounds the same as the wm1a which would also put it in the mix if thats the case.


----------



## linux4ever

I haven't heard zx300, but from what I've read it might be close to 80% or so of WM1A. dx200 with amp4 is simply an outstanding experience.I haven't heard nor I've any interest to listen to wm1z ak380. Dx200 with AMP4/AMP4S or WM1A is super good enough and leaves more cash in my pocket on top of that.


----------



## superuser1

Huge difference in battery life will force my logical mind to choose the 1A, even otherwise id prefer not to be joined at the hip with the charger.


----------



## linux4ever

Yes. WM1A battery life is crazy good. I don't think any DAP in the market gives that long a run time. And marry that with an outstanding sound quality it goes higher in the ranking. And thrown in the retail price of $1000-$1200, it offers an excellent price to performance ratio. 

And talking about excellent price to performance ratio, Massdrop Plus Universal is an outstanding iem. $300 is insane for the sound quality it offers. And combine it with the excellent fit, this iem is a no brainer to have for any audiophile. Massdrop should really be proud of this iem. Many times you forget that it is a $200 iem and just lose yourself in the high audio quality.

I keep reaching out to Massdrop Plus Universal with PW Audio No.5 terminated in 4.4mm paired with WM1A. Outstanding combo.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sony walkman have had stellar battery life, even having between 18 and 22 hours on my WM1A doesn't feel like a big drop compared to the ZX100 battery life of 35 h with FLAC. If you go sony, you can easily say bye bye to the hassle of charging every day


----------



## sklaus28

linux4ever said:


> I've both dx200 and WM1A.
> 
> I use dx200 with AMP4 (more than 200 hours of burn-in). I also have AMP4S (150 hrs burn-in). WM1A has 100 hours of burn-in. Given that background, I prefer dx200 with AMP4. dx200 with AMP4S is slightly colored and had better punch in the lows and good extension in the highs. As of now I would slot WM1A between dx200 with AMP4S and dx200 with AMP4. quite closer to AMP4S in sound signature. all listening with 4.4mm balanced output. At this level it is based on one's preference. Going with either one of them, one can't go wrong.
> 
> ...



Interesting! How is the clarity and detail both compared?

Thank you


----------



## 480126

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Hey all,
> 
> New member here. I had a quick search for case l couldn't find what I was looking for. Do any of you have a few links to some leather cases for the NW-WM1A? Looking for something like this, but cant find a store thats US friendly:
> 
> ...


I´m selling a Brown Valentinum leather case - 40 $ incl. shipping (registered letter)


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 24, 2018)

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Hey all,
> 
> New member here. I had a quick search for case l couldn't find what I was looking for. Do any of you have a few links to some leather cases for the NW-WM1A? Looking for something like this, but cant find a store thats US friendly:
> 
> ...



If you do find a Musashino case you'll like it, though the leather does scratch easy.


----------



## linux4ever

sklaus28 said:


> Interesting! How is the clarity and detail both compared?
> 
> Thank you


Clarity and details - almost the same in both between WM1A and dx200 with AMP4/AMP4S. 

dx200 with AMP4 is more close to neutral than dx200 with AMP4s (in comparison between the two). Somehow I get the feeling that the virtual stage in WM1A is slightly curved. The left and right corners are slightly forward and the rest are slightly behind. Not so with the dx200. WM1A is closer to dx200 with AMP4S.

Side note: I also find that dx200 with AMP4s is slightly more deeper than dx200 with AMP4. The width is slightly more on dx200 with AMP4.


----------



## Whitigir

it is expected that dx200 + amp4/s can outperform 1A.  This combination can hold ground against Wm1Z but shy off just a bit in resolutions and dynamic fidelity.  If money is no object and unique is a must, Wm1Z is a better option.  If money is a consideration and no need to be unique, dx200 and amp modules will be a good buy with potentials fun from amps modules


----------



## proedros

the WM1A battery is what eventually sold me (besides the great sound)

getting 20-25 hours on a charge means i have to charge it once every 4-5 days instead of every day

that to me alone is priceless


----------



## endlesswaves

@linux4ever did you try the DC Phase Linearizer with DSEE HX on the WM1A, with a good silver cable, I can hear some improvements. This I think is a commonly overlooked features of WM1A/Z. Someone mentioned in previous post this feature alone makes WM1A/Z stands out.

Been using DSEE EX with Strings, DC Phase Linearizer with Type A Low recommended by @Whitigir and have never looked back.


----------



## alphanumerix1

proedros said:


> the WM1A battery is what eventually sold me (besides the great sound)
> 
> getting 20-25 hours on a charge means i have to charge it once every 4-5 days instead of every day
> 
> that to me alone is priceless



That alone is putting the wm1a over the dx200 for me.


----------



## Redcarmoose

endlesswaves said:


> @linux4ever did you try the DC Phase Linearizer with DSEE HX on the WM1A, with a good silver cable, I can hear some improvements. This I think is a commonly overlooked features of WM1A/Z. Someone mentioned in previous post this feature alone makes WM1A/Z stands out.
> 
> Been using DSEE EX with Strings, DC Phase Linearizer with Type A Low recommended by @Whitigir and have never looked back.


I just started to hear a difference with this set of setting too. I somehow started to hear what the setting did while using the Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP.


----------



## endlesswaves

Redcarmoose said:


> I just started to hear a difference with this set of setting too. I somehow started to hear what the setting did while using the Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP.



I see you have both WM1A and 1Z. Have you tried the settings on both? Could not hear any difference when using with the MUC-M12SB1 Sony Kimber Kable. I was able to hear some differences after switching to EA Thor II Silver cable.


----------



## Tawek

Eamt- 2c the best highs i know...


----------



## Tawek




----------



## gerelmx1986

linux4ever said:


> Yes. WM1A battery life is crazy good. I don't think any DAP in the market gives that long a run time. And marry that with an outstanding sound quality it goes higher in the ranking. And thrown in the retail price of $1000-$1200, it offers an excellent price to performance ratio.
> 
> And talking about excellent price to performance ratio, Massdrop Plus Universal is an outstanding iem. $300 is insane for the sound quality it offers. And combine it with the excellent fit, this iem is a no brainer to have for any audiophile. Massdrop should really be proud of this iem. Many times you forget that it is a $200 iem and just lose yourself in the high audio quality.
> 
> I keep reaching out to Massdrop Plus Universal with PW Audio No.5 terminated in 4.4mm paired with WM1A. Outstanding combo.


The same i can say for the sony XBA-Z5/MDR-Z7 they can conpete with $1000+ IEMs/Cans for their decent price i got them $400/300 EUR respectively


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

A question for you on playlist format.

Lets say I had a rock.m3u8 playlist I wanted to hit both ACDC and ZZTop.
And lets assume that ACDC is on Walkman and ZZTop is on SD_Card
Is there a way to have playlists reference songs on each storage area:

#EXTM3U
\WALKMAN\Music\ACDC\Albumname\01 Song One.M4A
\SD_CARD\Music\ZZTOP\Album\01 Song Two.M4A


----------



## fiascogarcia

JeremyLaurenson said:


> A question for you on playlist format.
> 
> Lets say I had a rock.m3u8 playlist I wanted to hit both ACDC and ZZTop.
> And lets assume that ACDC is on Walkman and ZZTop is on SD_Card
> ...


Hopefully someone has figured something out, because I've not found a way to create a playlist with music from both hard and sd drive. The message I got on the Sony when I tried indicates to me that you can't do it.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

fiascogarcia said:


> Hopefully someone has figured something out, because I've not found a way to create a playlist with music from both hard and sd drive. The message I got on the Sony when I tried indicates to me that you can't do it.


This was the case with the NWZX300


----------



## Lookout57

This is my only pet peeve with the Sony. A playlist can only contain songs on the same medium unlike all other DAPs.

The only thing that does allow for songs on the player and on the SD card is bookmark lists. I have been unable to find where they are stored on the device and it's format.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 25, 2018)

JeremyLaurenson said:


> This was the case with the NWZX300


WM1 series store playlist in the root of each storage area, so you must have the playlist for ACDC in the root of the WALKMAN ovolume and the ZZTop on the root of the SD_CARD volume the file can be anemd rock.m3u8 on both areas but i think the User Interface will combine them as single playlist

What i have seen is the following, but i am not sure if this works with playlists files

You can have an album folder splitted across the two volumes f.e a part of Vivaldi: Concerti per due Violini in walkman and the rest on SD_CARD and the software will combine them as single Album


----------



## linux4ever

endlesswaves said:


> @linux4ever did you try the DC Phase Linearizer with DSEE HX on the WM1A, with a good silver cable, I can hear some improvements. This I think is a commonly overlooked features of WM1A/Z. Someone mentioned in previous post this feature alone makes WM1A/Z stands out.
> 
> Been using DSEE EX with Strings, DC Phase Linearizer with Type A Low recommended by @Whitigir and have never looked back.



No I haven't. I use it in plain mode. I'll play with this setting and see how it is.


----------



## nc8000

linux4ever said:


> No I haven't. I use it in plain mode. I'll play with this setting and see how it is.



Be aware that using any of the sound effects will reduce battery life from not too much and all the way up to reducing it by half. To me that is just not worth it as the huge battery life is one of the major points of these players


----------



## endlesswaves

nc8000 said:


> Be aware that using any of the sound effects will reduce battery life from not too much and all the way up to reducing it by half.



I agree the effects does reduce the battery but not sure by how much. It's a sacrifice I gladly make. Imagine how much we are willing to spend just to get those extra few percents of perceived improvements. This at least cured my upgraditis for now. Was thinking of WM1Z day and night before this.


----------



## pietcux

endlesswaves said:


> I agree the effects does reduce the battery but not sure by how much. It's a sacrifice I gladly make. Imagine how much we are willing to spend just to get those extra few percents of perceived improvements. This at least cured my upgraditis for now. Was thinking of WM1Z day and night before this.


I am not like that. I do absolutely not care about the WM1Z. The WM1A is that good. Running a Sennheiser HD800SD from the 3.5 mm unbalanced port as of now. This player can easily do that. Each headphone I take makes more sound difference as the WM1Z could ever do. Switching between the Sony Z1R and the HD800SD what a joy! I will soon get a balanced cable for the HD800SD. Again the WM1A is the perfect player to me.


----------



## endlesswaves

pietcux said:


> I am not like that. I do absolutely not care about the WM1Z. The WM1A is that good. Running a Sennheiser HD800SD from the 3.5 mm unbalanced port as of now. This player can easily do that. Each headphone I take makes more sound difference as the WM1Z could ever do. Switching between the Sony Z1R and the HD800SD what a joy! I will soon get a balanced cable for the HD800SD. Again the WM1A is the perfect player to me.



WM1A is a very good player. Pairs well with a lot of IEMs. But I just can't get the sound signature of the WM1Z out of my head after auditioned it twice. What they did to female vocals was so sweet with more weight and emotional. Certain songs that I am happy with WM1A but was not as enjoyable with WM1Z due to too much bass when paired with my JVC FX1200 with Sony Kimberkable. So there will be certain trade offs switching between these 2.

Find it strange your HD800SD can be driven nicely with unbalanced while my Audeze LCD2C with lesser impedance just doesn't sounds right from unbalanced. Need to push the volume to 105ish and still feels like missing certain dynamics.


----------



## blazinblazin

endlesswaves said:


> WM1A is a very good player. Pairs well with a lot of IEMs. But I just can't get the sound signature of the WM1Z out of my head after auditioned it twice. What they did to female vocals was so sweet with more weight and emotional. Certain songs that I am happy with WM1A but was not as enjoyable with WM1Z due to too much bass when paired with my JVC FX1200 with Sony Kimberkable. So there will be certain trade offs switching between these 2.
> 
> Find it strange your HD800SD can be driven nicely with unbalanced while my Audeze LCD2C with lesser impedance just doesn't sounds right from unbalanced. Need to push the volume to 105ish and still feels like missing certain dynamics.


Then i think you would like WM1A with Acoustune HS1551CU.

Its a warm IEM that compliments WM1A neutral tuning.


----------



## endlesswaves

blazinblazin said:


> Then i think you would like WM1A with Acoustune HS1551CU.
> 
> Its a warm IEM that compliments WM1A neutral tuning.



It's on my radar. Thanks for the recommendation.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Hopefully we'll get some cheaper 4,4mm female to 3.5mm single ended adapters soon:


 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Are...y-NW-WM1Z-Female-Converter-1/32851388303.html


----------



## gerelmx1986

endlesswaves said:


> WM1A is a very good player. Pairs well with a lot of IEMs. But I just can't get the sound signature of the WM1Z out of my head after auditioned it twice. What they did to female vocals was so sweet with more weight and emotional. Certain songs that I am happy with WM1A but was not as enjoyable with WM1Z due to too much bass when paired with my JVC FX1200 with Sony Kimberkable. So there will be certain trade offs switching between these 2.
> 
> Find it strange your HD800SD can be driven nicely with unbalanced while my Audeze LCD2C with lesser impedance just doesn't sounds right from unbalanced. Need to push the volume to 105ish and still feels like missing certain dynamics.


I have the MDR-Z7 running balanced out of WM1A and they have a lovely signature, musical yet, detailed, listening to Mozart's  Die Zauberflöte, the Overtura, so damn holographic sound. They are 70-ohm (on paper), if you can auction one of these, give them a try.


----------



## endlesswaves

Tried the Z1R with TA-ZH1ES and WM1Z. Z1R and MDR-Z7 are quite similar right? They have the same 70-ohm. WM1Z can drive them well enough thru balance. Did not try Z1R with WM1Z single ended.

My LCD2C is 70-ohm on paper. Sounds a little off with WM1A single ended. My Shanling M3s (sold) single ended (130mw) are able to drive them better.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 26, 2018)

endlesswaves said:


> Tried the Z1R with TA-ZH1ES and WM1Z. Z1R and MDR-Z7 are quite similar right? They have the same 70-ohm. WM1Z can drive them well enough thru balance. Did not try Z1R with WM1Z single ended.
> 
> My LCD2C is 70-ohm on paper. Sounds a little off with WM1A single ended. My Shanling M3s (sold) single ended (130mw) are able to drive them better.


I haven't tried the Z1R but by what i have read, they are quite similar on sig. maybe the the sensitivity of your LCDs is a bit lower hence what you perceive

I call the DSEE HX Strings + DC Phase Linearizer LOW A "The bad record fixer or the record enhancer"


----------



## Rob49

Does anyone have any idea what the cheapest price for the WM1A has been, please ? It's presently £893 on Amazon.


----------



## linux4ever

Rob49 said:


> Does anyone have any idea what the cheapest price for the WM1A has been, please ? It's presently £893 on Amazon.


The used in mint condition goes for $700-750. Some good ones keep showing up in the classifieds here.


----------



## Rob49

linux4ever said:


> The used in mint condition goes for $700-750. Some good ones keep showing up in the classifieds here.



Thanks, but i'm a stickler for buying brand new, even though i could save money.


----------



## frost15

Rob49 said:


> Does anyone have any idea what the cheapest price for the WM1A has been, please ? It's presently £893 on Amazon.


There was one in the forum for 630€ shipping included, which was the best deal I've ever seen of the unit. I don't know if it's already sold though...


----------



## proedros

Rob49 said:


> Does anyone have any idea what the cheapest price for the WM1A has been, please ? It's presently £893 on Amazon.



a used one popped here last month for 630 euros , cheapest i have seen so far - a bargain, imo

unless you are OCD and want it brand new i suggest you be on the look here as they pop 

bought my zx2 and wm1a both used/like new from here , had zero problems with them 

cheers


----------



## Bart147

Rob49 said:


> Does anyone have any idea what the cheapest price for the WM1A has been, please ? It's presently £893 on Amazon.


Next saturday i'll pick up a brand new WM1A bought for 849 euro via a trusted French retailer .


----------



## proedros

Bart147 said:


> Next saturday i'll pick up a brand new WM1A bought for 849 euro via a trusted French retailer .



great price - you also have 1Z ? are you gonna compare and keep the one you like best ?


----------



## Bart147

proedros said:


> great price - you also have 1Z ? are you gonna compare and keep the one you like best ?


 I was clumsy enough to cause some damage on my WM1Z so i decided to cut my losses and sell it at a considerable loss . I had both the WM1A and WM1Z side by side for 2 weeks (both bought used ) before i sold the WM1A and last week the WM1Z. I like both very much so i've decided to buy the WM1A and start saving again for WM1Z .


----------



## Rob49

proedros said:


> a used one popped here last month for 630 euros , cheapest i have seen so far - a bargain, imo
> 
> unless you are OCD and want it brand new i suggest you be on the look here as they pop
> 
> ...



I think i must have OCD ! LOL

( Thanks everyone for replies. )


----------



## meomap

Bart147 said:


> I was clumsy enough to cause some damage on my WM1Z so i decided to cut my losses and sell it at a considerable loss . I had both the WM1A and WM1Z side by side for 2 weeks (both bought used ) before i sold the WM1A and last week the WM1Z. I like both very much so i've decided to buy the WM1A and start saving again for WM1Z .



Duhh. I don't get your analogy here.


----------



## Bart147

meomap said:


> Duhh. I don't get your analogy here.


i wasn't trying to make an analogy . For certain genres of music i like the more reference sounding WM1A and for other genres i like the richer sounding WM1Z . I like both for easy & fast UI and stellar battery life .


----------



## ledzep

Bart147 said:


> I was clumsy enough to cause some damage on my WM1Z so i decided to cut my losses and sell it at a considerable loss . I had both the WM1A and WM1Z side by side for 2 weeks (both bought used ) before i sold the WM1A and last week the WM1Z. I like both very much so i've decided to buy the WM1A and start saving again for WM1Z .



If you damage the next one's let us know your considerable loss pricing on the 1Z and I'll take it off your hands


----------



## Bart147

ledzep said:


> If you damage the next one's let us know your considerable loss pricing on the 1Z and I'll take it off your hands


 No way ! Expensive lesson learned


----------



## San Man

Dogmatrix said:


> I bought this one it works and looks great no sensitivity problems . They have many options I went for the cheap
> https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2x-BROT...Walkman-NW-WM1A-Protection-Film-/192217856588



Anyone in the US ordered this protector?  If you did, how long did it take to arrive?


----------



## Magnepan Man (Apr 26, 2018)

While not officially related to the wm1a/z, I just wanted to let you in a little "secret" for getting the best out of your headphones.  Put a super light layer of  caig pro gold on your phones male plugs, give it a good wipe and enjoy a more delineated soundstage with better separation and imaging. Even dynamics are slightly improved.  There is a maturing of the sound after treatment. Noise floor even is a little lower. Things literally float in air around you.  It is definitely better than a non treated connector.    I use it on the connections on my home system, and wouldn't be without it.  Easily as noticeable as changing a cable.   Don't over do it.  A little goes a long way.  After wiping my h3's stock cable with pro gold, I am even more impressed with the wm1a.  Mine now has 70 hours, and nowhere near broken  in, but it's gaining micro detail, but the pro gold could have a big part of that perception. Either way, it still sounds great.  I recommend it highly. This is nothing new, but figured it may help some that are unaware of it, over here.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Magnepan Man said:


> While not officially related to the wm1a/z, I just wanted to let you in a little "secret" for getting the best out of your headphones.  Put a super light layer of  caig pro gold on your phones male plugs, give it a good wipe and enjoy a more delineated soundstage with better separation and imaging. Even dynamics are slightly improved.  There is a maturing of the sound after treatment. Noise floor even is a little lower. Things literally float in air around you.  It is definitely better than a non treated connector.    I use it on the connections on my home system, and wouldn't be without it.  Easily as noticeable as changing a cable.   Don't over do it.  A little goes a long way.  After wiping my h3's stock cable with pro gold, I am even more impressed with the wm1a.  Mine now has 70 hours, and nowhere near broken  in, but it's gaining micro detail, but the pro gold could have a big part of that perception. Either way, it still sounds great.  I recommend it highly. This is nothing new, but figured it may help some that are unaware of it, over here.


progold is used to clean and remove dirt and grease or oxide?


----------



## aisalen

San Man said:


> Anyone in the US ordered this protector?  If you did, how long did it take to arrive?


Ordered mine on April 12, arrived April 26 with the same vendor via Amazon.


----------



## San Man

aisalen said:


> Ordered mine on April 12, arrived April 26 with the same vendor via Amazon.


Thank you!


----------



## nc8000 (Apr 27, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> progold is used to clean and remove dirt and grease or oxide?



A set comes with two small bottles (it can also be bought different other ways). One product is a deoxidiser/cleaner and the other is a gold contact enhancer. I have been using this on all plugs for well over 10 years


----------



## ledzep

Magnepan Man said:


> While not officially related to the wm1a/z, I just wanted to let you in a little "secret" for getting the best out of your headphones.  Put a super light layer of  caig pro gold on your phones male plugs, give it a good wipe and enjoy a more delineated soundstage with better separation and imaging. Even dynamics are slightly improved.  There is a maturing of the sound after treatment. Noise floor even is a little lower. Things literally float in air around you.  It is definitely better than a non treated connector.    I use it on the connections on my home system, and wouldn't be without it.  Easily as noticeable as changing a cable.   Don't over do it.  A little goes a long way.  After wiping my h3's stock cable with pro gold, I am even more impressed with the wm1a.  Mine now has 70 hours, and nowhere near broken  in, but it's gaining micro detail, but the pro gold could have a big part of that perception. Either way, it still sounds great.  I recommend it highly. This is nothing new, but figured it may help some that are unaware of it, over here.



I tried autoglym metal polish on a pair of iPod buds and now they sound just like my IE800s, if anyone wants to buy the new improved ibuds I'll take £400 or swap for a pair of 846's.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Magnepan Man said:


> While not officially related to the wm1a/z, I just wanted to let you in a little "secret" for getting the best out of your headphones.  Put a super light layer of  caig pro gold on your phones male plugs, give it a good wipe and enjoy a more delineated soundstage with better separation and imaging. Even dynamics are slightly improved.  There is a maturing of the sound after treatment. Noise floor even is a little lower. Things literally float in air around you.  It is definitely better than a non treated connector.    I use it on the connections on my home system, and wouldn't be without it.  Easily as noticeable as changing a cable.   Don't over do it.  A little goes a long way.  After wiping my h3's stock cable with pro gold, I am even more impressed with the wm1a.  Mine now has 70 hours, and nowhere near broken  in, but it's gaining micro detail, but the pro gold could have a big part of that perception. Either way, it still sounds great.  I recommend it highly. This is nothing new, but figured it may help some that are unaware of it, over here.


lol. That’s not how physics works pal.


----------



## nc8000

colonelkernel8 said:


> lol. That’s not how physics works pal.



Deoxit removes oxydisation from the plugs and progold enhances conductivity


----------



## ttt123 (Apr 27, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Deoxit removes oxydisation from the plugs and progold enhances conductivity


These are very effective oxide cleaners, well known in Audio circles, to clean interconnect/speaker  plugs/connectors.  These Caig products replace a German product called Cramolin, which is no longer available.  My experience is with using them on volume pots on old amplifiers, that would crackle so bad, that people got rid of the amplifiers.  Get some of this oxide cleaner into the pot internal wiper area, and it would clean them up 100%, and permanently.  No other contact cleaner, (spray, alcohol, etc.), would work. 

Oxide buildup is an invisible layer that builds up on contact surfaces, and is resistant to most cleaners.  Only the special oxide cleaners like the Deoxit/ProGold are effective.  These cleaners are expensive, but well worth it, and nothing else works.  I clean new headphone plugs as part of normal preventive maintenance, and periodically clean all plugs and connectors.  Also leave a light film on a plug and insert it into a socket, to get the oxide cleaner onto the plug internal contacts, and seat/unseat the plug a few times.

So if you have never used an oxide cleaner like Caig Deoxit, it is highly recommended.  A 5 gram bottle lasts a long time, as you need very little.  And you'll be amazed at how much of a change there is when you remove the built up oxide on a plug.

Some user feedback on this site.  60 reviews, with a combined rating of 4.8 out of 5.
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro...--rejuvenator-5-oz#pr-header-back-to-top-link

And some more reviews, all positive.
https://www.guitarcenter.com/CAIG/D...act-Cleaner-Rejuvenator-5-oz-1274115056546.gc

https://www.parts-express.com/caig-deoxit-d5s-6-spray-5-oz-with-perfect-straw--341-200


----------



## ledzep

ttt123 said:


> These are very effective oxide cleaners, well known in Audio circles, to clean interconnect/speaker  plugs/connectors.  These Caig products replace a German product called Cramolin, which is no longer available.  My experience is with using them on volume pots on old amplifiers, that would crackle so bad, that people got rid of the amplifiers.  Get some of this oxide cleaner into the pot internal wiper area, and it would clean them up 100%, and permanently.  No other contact cleaner, (spray, alcohol, etc.), would work.
> 
> Oxide buildup is an invisible layer that builds up on contact surfaces, and is resistant to most cleaners.  Only the special oxide cleaners like the Deoxit/ProGold are effective.  These cleaners are expensive, but well worth it, and nothing else works.  I clean new headphone plugs as part of normal preventive maintenance, and periodically clean all plugs and connectors.  Also leave a light film on a plug and insert it into a socket, to get the oxide cleaner onto the plug internal contacts, and seat/unseat the plug a few times.
> 
> ...



As seen on QVC !


----------



## Magnepan Man

ttt123 said:


> These are very effective oxide cleaners, well known in Audio circles, to clean interconnect/speaker  plugs/connectors.  These Caig products replace a German product called Cramolin, which is no longer available.  My experience is with using them on volume pots on old amplifiers, that would crackle so bad, that people got rid of the amplifiers.  Get some of this oxide cleaner into the pot internal wiper area, and it would clean them up 100%, and permanently.  No other contact cleaner, (spray, alcohol, etc.), would work.
> 
> Oxide buildup is an invisible layer that builds up on contact surfaces, and is resistant to most cleaners.  Only the special oxide cleaners like the Deoxit/ProGold are effective.  These cleaners are expensive, but well worth it, and nothing else works.  I clean new headphone plugs as part of normal preventive maintenance, and periodically clean all plugs and connectors.  Also leave a light film on a plug and insert it into a socket, to get the oxide cleaner onto the plug internal contacts, and seat/unseat the plug a few times.
> 
> ...


Well said.  I Don't know why  people are scofffing  at progold around here. Caig is not a "snake oil" company.  A cleaner connection is a better connection. What's there to disagree about?


----------



## endlesswaves

Bart147 said:


> i wasn't trying to make an analogy . For certain genres of music i like the more reference sounding WM1A and for other genres i like the richer sounding WM1Z . I like both for easy & fast UI and stellar battery life .



Agree.


----------



## ledzep (Apr 27, 2018)

Magnepan Man said:


> Well said.  I Don't know why  people are scofffing  at progold around here. Caig is not a "snake oil" company.  A cleaner connection is a better connection. What's there to disagree about?



Its said to contain carcinogenic properties so I'll pass, don't want to be listening to a cleaner sound while I'm have chemotherapy.

Lemon juice will do the trick oxidation wise and if the connection was that bad / tarnished I'd rework it with a new piece.


----------



## Magnepan Man

gerelmx1986 said:


> progold is used to clean and remove dirt and grease or oxide?


Progold is a light cleaner and preservative  for connectors already in good condition.  Caig has otherbproducts for connectors in need of greater attention.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 27, 2018)

endlesswaves said:


> I see you have both WM1A and 1Z. Have you tried the settings on both? Could not hear any difference when using with the MUC-B20SB1Sony Kimber Kable. I was able to hear some differences after switching to EA Thor II Silver cable.



Sorry for late reply.

I didn’t hear any changes in the beginning with my Z5 or other headphones. Just started noticing the setting make a difference with the Z1R with both 1A and 1Z and TA amp. Using MUC-B20SB1 only as I don’t use the included cables or don’t use any other aftermarket cables for Z1R. It surprised me, and I attribute it to the Z1R. I thought the settings were just an added thing that didn’t do anything?

But the added sounds simply like higher smooth resolution, like the slight air you seem to hear when going from 16/24 to 24/96. And.......that’s what it’s intended to do. Why I don’t hear it with the other headphones, I don’t know?

The first I heard the setting work was with the TA amp/DAC. In hindsight the effect with the amp is by far the strongest difference between the three players. But that makes complete sense as the amp is the most detailed anyway.


----------



## alphanumerix1

I demoed the zx300 and wm1a via balanced today and was hard pressed in find any notable differences in sound. To me they both sounded similar if not exactly the same. Tested with t8iemkII.

Now do I want to spend xxx more for a bigger screen slightly more power and more storage but lose out on portability is the question but save some $$$..


----------



## AeroSatan

Just a quick story of how I came about this wonderful DAP ( WMA1) 

I own the ZX2 along with the PHA-3 and wanted to upgrade the cables on my Z5's. So I went with the Kimber Kable and when it arrived I've realized I've bought a two hundred dollar cable without realizing it was a 4.4mm balanced variant, I must've been browsing Amazon drunk.

Instead of selling the cable at a loss, i monitored eBay for a week and managed to buy a virtually brand new unit which ended up up being a Chinese variant ( Not capped! Whew!) for around $740. The seller also threw in the official leather and the silicon cases along with the official port cover (score!) 


The WMA1 connected to the Z5's with the 4.4mm Kimbers turned out to be acombination I did not  expect. It's everything I ever expected out of a portable set up and more. I'll admit I'm partial to Sony and have for the most part always been their fan boy, but like I said this combination exceeded all my expectations.

I'll probably still keep my other portable set up with the Cowon Plenue S, but the Plenue P is going on the auction block. 

/fanboyrantover


----------



## endlesswaves (Apr 28, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> The first I heard the setting work was with the TA amp/DAC. In hindsight the effect with the amp is by far the strongest difference between the three players. But that makes complete sense as the amp is the most detailed anyway.



Your impression and others from TA-ZH1ES thread is making really me to really want this AMP.

I have a Massdrop SDAC + Cavalli Liquid Carbon on the way next month. But wanted the TA-ZH1ES. Don't what to do with that Liquid Carbon if I get a TA...

Wanted to get a good balanced cable for my LCD2C but not sure which termination should I choose now. XLR balanced or 4.4mm to use with my WM1A and TA (if I get it).


----------



## ltanasom

endlesswaves said:


> Your impression and others from TA-ZH1ES thread is making really me to really want this AMP.
> 
> I have a Massdrop SDAC + Cavalli Liquid Carbon on the way next month. But wanted the TA-ZH1ES. Don't what to do with that Liquid Carbon if I get a TA...
> 
> Wanted to get a good balanced cable for my LCD2C but not sure which termination should I choose now. XLR balanced or 4.4mm to use with my WM1A and TA (if I get it).


if you get TA amp, you should get 4.4mm since it can be used with both sony dap and TA dac/amp.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 28, 2018)

endlesswaves said:


> Your impression and others from TA-ZH1ES thread is making really me to really want this AMP.
> 
> I have a Massdrop SDAC + Cavalli Liquid Carbon on the way next month. But wanted the TA-ZH1ES. Don't what to do with that Liquid Carbon if I get a TA...
> 
> Wanted to get a good balanced cable for my LCD2C but not sure which termination should I choose now. XLR balanced or 4.4mm to use with my WM1A and TA (if I get it).



If your in Singapore go to *Stereo *they have a TA-ZH1ES to try out, they are super nice there, also they have the Z1R which seems by many to be "the" headphone for the amp. Sorry don't know how this set up compares to the Liquid Carbon?

They also have a 1Z to try.


----------



## endlesswaves

Redcarmoose said:


> If your in Singapore go to *Stereo *they have a TA-ZH1ES to try out, they are super nice there, also they have the Z1R which seems by many to be "the" headphone for the amp. Sorry don't know how this set up compares to the Liquid Carbon?
> 
> They also have a 1Z to try.



Tried in 2 Sony stores. Interested in the TA DAC/AMP. Z1R is good. But not enough to replace my LCD2C. It will be more like a side grade.

The brief time I had trying them, I could not tell the difference between WM1Z only or WM1Z as transport to the TA. Tried with stock cables and Sony Kimberkable balanced.

Sorry to the others for being out of topic.


----------



## Redcarmoose

endlesswaves said:


> Tried in 2 Sony stores. Interested in the TA DAC/AMP. Z1R is good. But not enough to replace my LCD2C. It will be more like a side grade.
> 
> The brief time I had trying them, I could not tell the difference between WM1Z only or WM1Z as transport to the TA. Tried with stock cables and Sony Kimberkable balanced.
> 
> Sorry to the others for being out of topic.



Using the TA is a pretty big improvement over just the portable?


----------



## vovkinson

Whitigir said:


> You will need to read up on AK380 balanced port and stuff. The reason why ? Is because Sony polished their 4.4mm port to be the best performer. See ? Native DSD and 250mwx2 only available with 4.4mm



From my experience  unbalanced 3.5mm output is much better for my JH13 Pro ear buds than 4.4 balanced and I don't know why.  There's much more details when the JH13 is hooked  up to 3.5


----------



## endlesswaves

Redcarmoose said:


> Using the TA is a pretty big improvement over just the portable?



My 1st audition was at Sony Store Wisma Atria. Was disappointed with Z1R with the TA and stock cables. 

2nd audition was at Sony Store at Sim Lim Square. They have a pc connected to the TA with thick looking cables. They have Sony Kimblekable for the Z1R as well. Z1R was a lot better with the Sony Kimberkable. 

Regarding the TA being better than WM1Z, based on my listening from both location, there is no day and night difference. With the time lapse between switching them, I cannot objectively tell the difference except the WM1Z was a bit warmer and there is more headroom for volume to play with with the TA.

Both are better than WM1A but the difference isn't day and night too. This is with the Z1R. With my LCD2C with stock single ended cable, I am really unhappy with my WM1A. 

Will report back when I get a balanced cable for my LCD2C.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 28, 2018)

Kimberkable is not spelled that way? https://www.kimber.com/

 Are you referring to the Sony MUC-B20SB1? That’s the 4.4mm Pentaconn balanced to 3.5mm cable.

Anyway, the difference between using the Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP or the 1A/1Z is actually very much a night and day difference, with the Z1R. Not to be condescending in any way, but if you spend some time with them you’ll find out.


----------



## ltanasom

Redcarmoose said:


> Kimberkable is not spelled that way? https://www.kimber.com/
> 
> Are you referring to the Sony MUC-B20SB1? That’s the 4.4mm Pentaconn balanced to 3.5mm cable.
> 
> Anyway, the difference between using the Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP or the 1A/1Z is actually very much a night and day difference, with the Z1R. Not to be condescending in any way, but if you spend some time with them you’ll find out.


you mean playing with TA is much better than 1z/1a?


----------



## endlesswaves

Yes you are right. It's Sony MUC-B20SB1 collab with Kimber Kable. A handful to memorise. Getting lazy with short cut names. Apologise for causing confusions. 

Definitely need more time in a quieter environment. Both auditions was not perfect as there are people waiting and ambient noises of a typical shopping mall.


----------



## nc8000

vovkinson said:


> From my experience  unbalanced 3.5mm output is much better for my JH13 Pro ear buds than 4.4 balanced and I don't know why.  There's much more details when the JH13 is hooked  up to 3.5



I by far prefer my JH13 from the balanced port on both 1Z and TA


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 28, 2018)

endlesswaves said:


> Yes you are right. It's Sony MUC-B20SB1 collab with Kimber Kable. A handful to memorise. Getting lazy with short cut names. Apologise for causing confusions.
> 
> Definitely need more time in a quieter environment. Both auditions was not perfect as there are people waiting and ambient noises of a typical shopping mall.



Honestly I dislike using the night and day term, but if by chance someone was on the fence about possibly getting the amp, well that’s where the emotion sets in. The combination is fantastic. I’m not sure if there is any difference between using the 1A or 1Z as a file player? Also there are a lot of variables. You have the docking station or the dongle. The side USB is the lesser quality way to go. I’m still experimenting and need to get a better Audioquest USB cable. But each way to connect to the amp sounds slightly different. And.......if someone was not using the Z1R these differences may not ever be so dramatic or noticeable? 

Sorry for being off topic, I’m simply passionate.......


----------



## endlesswaves

Redcarmoose said:


> Sorry for being off topic, I’m simply passionate.......



I was reading stuffs from here since 2015 gaining valuable advices and knowledge all from the posts by contributors here. All these are from your experiences and passion. I am new here. Apologise if I made the wrong impressions. Please take my posts with a grain of salt. 

My impressions of TA-ZH1ES with WM1Z as transport and of the WM1Z alone was not in an enclosed listening room. Ambient noises with with people waiting in line to audition, it was not ideal. With the short time I am with these 2. I cannot tell the difference immediately (with IEMs). With Z1R, I feel the TA-ZH1ES can bring out it's potentials. But those extra details are not immediately noticeable in the noisy environment. 

@Redcarmoose you have all 2 DAPs and TA-ZH1ES and I trust your inputs.



Redcarmoose said:


> I’m not sure if there is any difference between using the 1A or 1Z as a file player? Also there are a lot of variables. You have the docking station or the dongle. The side USB is the lesser quality way to go. I’m still experimenting and need to get a better Audioquest USB cable. But each way to connect to the amp sounds slightly different.



Awaiting the results of your experiments.


----------



## Redcarmoose

My first impressions of the 1A and 1Z were at The Sony Flagship store on Somerset. I maybe would have not even purchased them based on the listening experience. Listening in stores is tuff no matter how you slice it.

And being you don’t use the Z1R, there could definitely be better amp choices. The TA-ZH1ES can’t drive my k701s. So it’s maybe this thing of synergy with the Z1R? And I don’t mean to belittle the 1A or the 1Z with the Z1R, as I’m not sure there is a semi portable configuration which sounds better? With-out the amp the combination is great too, just not the same.


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 28, 2018)

Ok, let me rephrase the important of TA-ZH1ES and Walkman performances.  Back then when I had the trio: Z1R, WM1Z and TAZH1ES

In my experiences

#1 scenario:

Using WM1Z as a transport directly into TA-SH1ES

By stock TAZH1ES WM-USB Cables.  There were no vast differences between TA-SH1ES vs Walkman WM1Z.  Yes, more volume for sure.

#2 Scenario:

Using WM1Z as transport directly into TA-ZH1ES

_*Using Sony docking cradle and upgraded USB cables *_.  Now, the differences are _*days and nights differences *.  Notice* I meant Days and nights as in you can observe the differences in seconds.

*My conclusion on this was from a long time ago.  Stock usb cables for Walkman by Sony suck! Period.  Buy docking cradle or dongle usb accessory
*_
*Btw,* this is the same as Walkman + Pha-3 and it stock digital cables.  They just suck the monkey balls, period.


----------



## Redcarmoose

endlesswaves said:


> I was reading stuffs from here since 2015 gaining valuable advices and knowledge all from the posts by contributors here. All these are from your experiences and passion. I am new here. Apologise if I made the wrong impressions. Please take my posts with a grain of salt.
> 
> My impressions of TA-ZH1ES with WM1Z as transport and of the WM1Z alone was not in an enclosed listening room. Ambient noises with with people waiting in line to audition, it was not ideal. With the short time I am with these 2. I cannot tell the difference immediately (with IEMs). With Z1R, I feel the TA-ZH1ES can bring out it's potentials. But those extra details are not immediately noticeable in the noisy environment.
> 
> ...


Sorry if off topic. 

@
https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/

How do you use the dongle. I have the Sony dongle but it looks like you can only use it by hooking it into the docking cube?


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Sorry if off topic.
> 
> @
> 
> How do you use the dongle. I have the Sony dongle but it looks like you can only use it by hooking it into the docking cube?



You will need to buy USB cables from A into B

Something Ike this

The link is for References, you can buy whatever cables you desire.  I always recommend Audio quest because I tried it and it stood it ground, but that is personal preferences.  I make my own LoL!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 28, 2018)

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE

Yes, but then it seems to become exactly like what’s included? But your saying after you combine it with a high end audioquest cable then it becomes a high-end Walkman connection? So it hooks up to the back of the docking cube or the back of the TA-ZH1ES? Ok.


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 28, 2018)

I think I have repeated this topic for ways too long

*This is additional processing circuitry by Sony that makes the Dongles extra bulky but somehow it improves the digital music as a transport vs the stock cables or cheap China made cables 


 
 

This is Cheap stock cables or China cheap WM-USB cables **notice** no additional circuitry.
Please don’t ask me what these circuitry do.  That question is for Sony engineer.



Then the docking cradle has this circuitry even more beefy. Beside the ability to charge and play together with transferring files, it also has further improved upon the sound as well*


----------



## Whitigir

Wm1Z and docking cradle system is just so good at being digital transport ! I confirm it after an Awakening with my newest DAC the R2R7


----------



## fiascogarcia

Whitigir said:


> Wm1Z and docking cradle system is just so good at being digital transport ! I confirm it after an Awakening with my newest DAC the R2R7


It does work well as a transport!


----------



## alphanumerix1 (Apr 29, 2018)

looks good ^


----------



## alphanumerix1

ledzep said:


> Thanks , just checked it out and it works out the same as ebay. Found something more suited to me as I only need it to hold and charge while i used it for line out and the use the remote, don't need the digital out for now and this ones only 25% of the NWH10.



Where can i purchase  this?


----------



## ledzep

alphanumerix1 said:


> Where can i purchase  this?


Was about $18 off eBay.


----------



## alphanumerix1

ledzep said:


> Was about $18 off eBay.



whats the name of the item?


----------



## ledzep

alphanumerix1 said:


> whats the name of the item?



Was something like BCR-NWU ... I think I just searched for Sony WM port cradle / charging stand.


----------



## ledzep

I know people  seem to like the dock on here but although it is well made I really didn't like how it sat perched on the top, its asking for trouble in my house. So I ended up modding the NWH10 cable with a view to printing my own stand / dock.


----------



## alphanumerix1

ledzep said:


> I know people  seem to like the dock on here but although it is well made I really didn't like how it sat perched on the top, its asking for trouble in my house. So I ended up modding the NWH10 cable with a view to printing my own stand / dock.



Ive had at look on ebay and googled abit but was unable to find it unfortunately.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson (Apr 29, 2018)

alphanumerix1 said:


> Ive had at look on ebay and googled abit but was unable to find it unfortunately.


STD-NWU10

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...D-NWU10-B.TRS0&_nkw=Sony-STD-NWU10-B&_sacat=0


----------



## alphanumerix1

JeremyLaurenson said:


> STD-NWU1



thank you


----------



## fiascogarcia

ledzep said:


> I know people  seem to like the dock on here but although it is well made I really didn't like how it sat perched on the top, its asking for trouble in my house. So I ended up modding the NWH10 cable with a view to printing my own stand / dock.


Yeah, plus the DAP sounds so great I almost always use it standalone anymore.


----------



## gerelmx1986

less than a year and a Half of WM1A ownership, i've clocked 4000+ hours


----------



## Whitigir

I am sorry, did I ever mentioned that WM1Z+Docking Cradle is the best Portable player that can act as HDD Digital Transportation ? It can even Native DSD out.  The Walkman WM1Z, probably WM1A as well, are *worth every pennies*

I confirm that again.  It helped me to navigate through my curious phenomenon on my latest purchase AudioGD R2R7.  Also, this DAC is unbelievable


----------



## prince4ever

I've finally managed to convert all my music to flac and get it on the WM1A and the mSD card. Hurrah! Sounds good, but looks &*%$.
Almost none of my files are tagged, nor do they have appropriate artwork. I remember 3-4 years ago using mp3 tag and managed (back then) to do about a dozen albums. I tried it again today but I just can't get it to work. Obviously I'm doing something wrong with mp3 tag as the albums I'd tagged and added artwork show up just fine - but none of the ones I've tried today work. I've looked at some of the online guides for mp3 tag - but it's still not happening. Any pointers?


----------



## cthomas

prince4ever said:


> I've finally managed to convert all my music to flac and get it on the WM1A and the mSD card. Hurrah! Sounds good, but looks &*%$.
> Almost none of my files are tagged, nor do they have appropriate artwork. I remember 3-4 years ago using mp3 tag and managed (back then) to do about a dozen albums. I tried it again today but I just can't get it to work. Obviously I'm doing something wrong with mp3 tag as the albums I'd tagged and added artwork show up just fine - but none of the ones I've tried today work. I've looked at some of the online guides for mp3 tag - but it's still not happening. Any pointers?



Try baseline jpg.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson (Apr 29, 2018)

cthomas said:


> Try baseline jpg.



Aha!

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/


----------



## animalsrush

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Aha!
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/



@gerelmx1986 - kudos to you for taking time to create such detailed thread on "how to". Thanks for doing that .. I think that should be anchored on first page of this thread as well

Thanks 
Pc


----------



## gerelmx1986

I decided to make that thread so users of sony walkmans, avoid the same woes i used to have


----------



## San Man

gerelmx1986 said:


> I decided to make that thread so users of sony walkmans, avoid the same woes i used to have



It's awesome, bravo to you!


----------



## San Man

So, my 1a will be taking a plane ride over to Singapore, to get "fixed."   

My short time spent with it has been seriously addicting;  I'm finding the UI very easy to use and downright bulletproof.   The screen and touch interface is most welcomed, and the difference in sound signature versus the LPG is immediately apparent.   

It will be a long 2 weeks, but I'll use them to my advantage and continue to burn in my Legend X.


----------



## sne4me

Whitigir said:


> Ok, let me rephrase the important of TA-ZH1ES and Walkman performances.  Back then when I had the trio: Z1R, WM1Z and TAZH1ES



I have the WM1A, Just Ear, MDR-Z1R, & TAZH1ES. I use pc and WM1A as transport to the TAZH1ES using the ifi Gemini 2.0 .7m. (they also make 1.5m, .7 its a bit short of a cable from the rear of TAZH1ES) from the Gemini to the walkman i use WMC-NWH10 which sony describes has the most audiophile adapter.

My Just Ear CIEM are designed for the WM1 series and so they sound absolutely amazing. The Z1R was a bit lacking in amplification from the WM1 and really opened up when used on the TAZH1ES.

It makes sense really, Z1R are not designed for portability and the CIEM is, so the whole engineering is better matched to the DAC-AMP and portable sources respectively


----------



## tienbasse

prince4ever said:


> I've finally managed to convert all my music to flac and get it on the WM1A and the mSD card. Hurrah! Sounds good, but looks &*%$.
> Almost none of my files are tagged, nor do they have appropriate artwork. I remember 3-4 years ago using mp3 tag and managed (back then) to do about a dozen albums. I tried it again today but I just can't get it to work. Obviously I'm doing something wrong with mp3 tag as the albums I'd tagged and added artwork show up just fine - but none of the ones I've tried today work. I've looked at some of the online guides for mp3 tag - but it's still not happening. Any pointers?


My whole Library is tagged with MP3tag and does display correctly on all my DAPs including WM1Z.
As long as you use normal JPEG covers, it should work fine.


----------



## proedros

San Man said:


> So, my 1a will be taking a plane ride over to Singapore, to get "fixed."
> 
> My short time spent with it has been seriously addicting;  I'm finding the UI very easy to use and downright bulletproof.   The screen and touch interface is most welcomed, *and the difference in sound signature versus the LPG is immediately apparent*.



is wm1a  LPG-level ?


----------



## Virtu Fortuna (Apr 30, 2018)

proedros said:


> is wm1a  LPG-level ?


No, but you can choose the 1A over it because of its relaxed, wide and yet musical sound compared to LPG, which can be a little aggressive and its narrow stage can be a problem with IEMs that don't sound very wide themselves. Those aside, LPG is technically superior, but I'd go with 1A for enjoyment, which I did, and the technical difference is not amazing.


----------



## Tawek

I own LPG and from my  all iem-s colecion  only sound good with se5ult ( FAD-XG, MDR-EX1000 very bad ) I will recommend  1z perfect with all from 4.4mm especially with OBravo eat 2-c and se5ult = endgame


----------



## Tawek




----------



## Gosod

Tawek said:


>


This hybrid cable?


----------



## Tawek

For Se5ult  it's hybrid cable copper & silver  really good combination


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Gosod

Tawek said:


> For Se5ult  it's hybrid cable copper & silver  really good combination


This is probably the last release.


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> I am sorry, did I ever mentioned that WM1Z+Docking Cradle is the best Portable player that can act as HDD Digital Transportation ? It can even Native DSD out.  The Walkman WM1Z, probably WM1A as well, are *worth every pennies*
> 
> I confirm that again.  It helped me to navigate through my curious phenomenon on my latest purchase AudioGD R2R7.  Also, this DAC is unbelievable



That is a very nice piece of kit ..... Very nice.


----------



## ledzep

Redcarmoose said:


>


Smart looking case where did one obtain it ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


>


Nice case, color Matches the golden of the 1Z very well


----------



## prince4ever

Thanks for the pointers. I only have paint. Are there any free tools to convert and easy ways for me to check what type the jpg is? I've been using the Discogs link for tagging and (other than the album art) all the details are showing up on the player now. But I've noticed it's not saving the album art in the directory (unlike the ones I did years ago) - could that be the reason the art is not showing up or does it embed the album art onto the flac files?


----------



## ledzep

prince4ever said:


> Thanks for the pointers. I only have paint. Are there any free tools to convert and easy ways for me to check what type the jpg is? I've been using the Discogs link for tagging and (other than the album art) all the details are showing up on the player now. But I've noticed it's not saving the album art in the directory (unlike the ones I did years ago) - could that be the reason the art is not showing up or does it embed the album art onto the flac files?


Paint is fine, just open the image and resize it to 500x500 and save as jpeg.


----------



## Gosod

gerelmx1986 said:


> Nice case, color Matches the golden of the 1Z very well


what case do you use?


----------



## Lemieux66

How are people arranging their music on the 1A/Z players?

I've just started today to try to organise it a bit better after realising I had albums from the same artist split over internal and SD card storage. I thought this might make it a bit tricky in future if I get a new DAP one day. I'm keeping the internal 128GB storage for my hi-res files and then using my Sandisk 400GB microSD card for the rest of my music (mainly 16/44.1 files).

Any tips from posters here?


----------



## Lookout57

FYI, Sony doesn't allow you to make playlists with songs split between internal and external storage.


----------



## Lemieux66

Lookout57 said:


> FYI, Sony doesn't allow you to make playlists with songs split between internal and external storage.



I've only ever made one playlist as I tend to listen to whole albums. But that does seem odd.


----------



## Lemieux66

It's taking a long time to transfer everything onto the microSD card. I've got over 3000 tracks to move so that everything is on the card. After that I'll transfer back the HD tracks to the internal memory.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gosod said:


> what case do you use?


The Retro-walkman-design case by Dignis


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 30, 2018)

Lemieux66 said:


> How are people arranging their music on the 1A/Z players?
> 
> I've just started today to try to organise it a bit better after realising I had albums from the same artist split over internal and SD card storage. I thought this might make it a bit tricky in future if I get a new DAP one day. I'm keeping the internal 128GB storage for my hi-res files and then using my Sandisk 400GB microSD card for the rest of my music (mainly 16/44.1 files).
> 
> Any tips from posters here?



When i Tag new music, I try to first search the Artist and composer names if they do exist in my library, to be consistent, i coy the artist and then the composer field and paste the values to the corresponding tags of the new music, and then set my music files as read-only to avoid being touched by the software that i use to organize music.

I do this of copy/paste tags because i've found that if you tag Berliner Philharmoniker and accidentally on new music you tagged berliner philharmoniker and then Berliner philharmoniker, the sony walkman OS is stupid enough to take an artist with proper case letters and the same with lower cases as different artists

The i configured musicbee to trasnfer using the composer and album tags to create the folder tree, rather than having a million of artists on the SD card i have few composer folders


----------



## prince4ever

I've tried that and it still doesn't work. I've tried looking at the tips but I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. Too old and stupid!
This is what I am doing:
1: Log into Discogs
2: Find item code in Discogs
3: Find files (on WM1A connected to computer) & select files in mp3tag
4: (from Tag Sources menu) Enter Discogs release ID - The details (including album art) appear and I click ok, and it writes the tags.
5: Disconnect WM1A from computer to check if it works - and hey presto - it still doesn't show the art work.
Flummoxed. Tired. And OCD. I've had a look at a few online guides and I didn't manage to get any results from them either. Something is working as the tags and detailed song info shows up, just no artwork...


----------



## prince4ever

I've tried that and it still doesn't work. I've tried looking at the tips too but I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. Too old and stupid!
This is what I am doing:
1: Log into Discogs
2: Find item code in Discogs
3: Find files (on WM1A connected to computer) & select files in mp3tag
4: (from Tag Sources menu) Enter Discogs release ID code - The details (including album art) appear and I click ok, and it writes the tags.
5: Disconnect WM1A from computer to check if it works - and hey presto - it still doesn't show the art work.
Flummoxed. Tired. And OCD. I've had a look at a few online guides and I didn't manage to get any results from them either. Something is working as the tags and detailed song info shows up, just no artwork...


----------



## prince4ever

Sorry for double post, computer has suddenly started being very slow too!


----------



## Lemieux66

@gerelmx1986 

Wow, that sounds pretty complex. I use MediaGo software that came with the Walkman which seems fine for my uses.

One problem I had was when I deleted most of my albums and changed the Genres to fewer simpler terms. There seem to be dozens of genres which make it very difficult to navigate, for example my Jazz albums were split into so many sub-genres it was absurd. I edited them all to just 'Jazz' which makes searching much simpler. The problem came when I was re-transferring the albums onto the Walkman. Sometimes I copied the same album twice and ended up with some albums having two of every track. Took ages to resolve but I'm nearly there.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 30, 2018)

prince4ever said:


> I've tried that and it still doesn't work. I've tried looking at the tips too but I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. Too old and stupid!
> This is what I am doing:
> 1: Log into Discogs
> 2: Find item code in Discogs
> ...


Sony walkman OS doesn't support the following for Artwork:
A) Artwork that is not JPG file format (a PNG, BMP won't work)
B) Progressive JPG (must be baseline standard Jpg)
C)Multiple artworks, just single FRONT COVER are accepted, for this you must use mp3tag remove EACH artwork and save, Make sure to have removed ALL of the artworks hit save, then add the jpg artwork FRONT COVER and save again


----------



## prince4ever

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sony walkman OS doesn't support the following for Artwork:
> A) Artwork that is not JPG file format (a PNG, BMP won't work)
> B) Progressive JPG (must be baseline standard Jpg)
> C)Multiple artworks, just single FRONT COVER are accepted, for this you must use mp3tag remove EACH artwork and save, Make sure to have removed ALL of the artworks hit save, then add the jpg artwork FRONT COVER and save again



Thanks.
All the artwork is jpg but how do I find out if the artwork is progressive or baseline if I don't have photoshop (or equivalent)?
Just want front sleeve and not multiple artwork.
Also why does all the old stuff that I (somehow) managed to do for the ZX2 years ago work fine and dandy with the WM1A?


----------



## gerelmx1986

prince4ever said:


> Thanks.
> All the artwork is jpg but how do I find out if the artwork is progressive or baseline if I don't have photoshop (or equivalent)?
> Just want front sleeve and not multiple artwork.
> Also why does all the old stuff that I (somehow) managed to do for the ZX2 years ago work fine and dandy with the WM1A?


ZX2 is android, WM1A and WM1Z aren't, hence it worked out n the zx but not  the WM


----------



## bana

Gosod said:


> what case do you use?


Did we ever find out what case that was?


----------



## pietcux (Apr 30, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> ZX2 is android, WM1A and WM1Z aren't, hence it worked out n the zx but not  the WM


I still use Sony Media Go for ripping. 99% of the rips get the correct artwork automatically. Why don't you all use Media Go? And miising artwork can be found on the web and just copy and pasted into Media Go too. Is that too simple?


----------



## Zaroff

bana said:


> Did we ever find out what case that was?


Musashino Label. Japanese stuff, rather hard to find if not ordering directly from Japan. I have the black one, couldn't be more satisfied. Very high quality.


----------



## Lemieux66

pietcux said:


> I still use Sony Media Go for ripping. 99% of the rips get the correct artwork automatically. Why don't you all use Media Go? And miising artwork can be found on the web and just copy and pasted into Media Go too. Is that too simple?



I agree, but then I'm a computer luddite so what do I know!


----------



## mw7485

prince4ever said:


> I've tried that and it still doesn't work. I've tried looking at the tips too but I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. Too old and stupid!
> This is what I am doing:
> 1: Log into Discogs
> 2: Find item code in Discogs
> ...



Hmm. I've never edited tags directly on the Walkman. I always work on a master library and copy across from it manually. One thing I have noticed is that the Walkman doesn't always pick up tag changes even with manual copying. I sometimes have to delete the offending material on the Walkman, let the database rebuild, copy across the newly tagged stuff and rebuild the database again. Then everything is fine. Can I suggest you try a similar approach on a small number of files - just s a test? It would certainly rule this out as your issue.....


----------



## mw7485

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sony walkman OS doesn't support the following for Artwork:
> A) Artwork that is not JPG file format (a PNG, BMP won't work)



Not true. I have a number of albums that slipped through the net with .png artwork and they display just fine.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Good to know that png works


----------



## mw7485

gerelmx1986 said:


> Good to know that png works



It was when I was extracting all the artwork via mp3tag that I noticed about a dozen albums had png images - it was all a total accident, and up until that point my assumption was that jpg was the only image format supported.


----------



## Kira69 (Apr 30, 2018)

Edited.


----------



## Zaroff (Apr 30, 2018)

Kira69 said:


> So use any 400 multiple (400, 800, 1200) as the size of your cover image. I recommend mozjpeg to encode your cover image.


Not necessary. Most of my covers are 600x600 and a few various other resolutions that have nothing to do with being a multiple of 400, and they show up perfectly without resizing artifacts.


----------



## Kira69

Zaroff said:


> Not true. Most of my covers are 600x600 and a few various other resolutions that have nothing to do with being a multiple of 400.


What's not true? I never said only images of 400/800/1200 pixels will be shown.

Of course you can use an image of 761x576px if you want. I said 800 or 1200 because of interpolation.


----------



## Zaroff

Kira69 said:


> What's not true? I never said only images of 400/800/1200 pixels will be shown.
> 
> Of course you can use an image of 761x576px if you want. I said 800 or 1200 because of interpolation.



I corrected the post in the meantime you replied  Wrong choice of words.


----------



## Whitigir

Can someone hack the Walkman to do Usb DAC yet ? Lol


----------



## Redcarmoose

ledzep said:


> Smart looking case where did one obtain it ?


http://www.cmpg.co.jp/musashino/nwwm1_leather_case.html

Hard to get outside of Japan, though your shipping would be less than my airfare was.


----------



## Whitigir

Ok, how do u reach the memory slot ? In that case? I am not smart, so I just ask


----------



## Zaroff

Whitigir said:


> Ok, how do u reach the memory slot ? In that case? I am not smart, so I just ask


You have openings at the bottom of the case for the µcard slot and WM port, as well as the wrist thing.


----------



## ttt123

Lemieux66 said:


> How are people arranging their music on the 1A/Z players?
> 
> I've just started today to try to organise it a bit better after realising I had albums from the same artist split over internal and SD card storage. I thought this might make it a bit tricky in future if I get a new DAP one day. I'm keeping the internal 128GB storage for my hi-res files and then using my Sandisk 400GB microSD card for the rest of my music (mainly 16/44.1 files).
> 
> Any tips from posters here?


 I've struggled with using folders around genre, and artist.  And Hi-res, and MQS, and Asian, and Compilations, etc..  With an ever larger collection, It got more and more disorganized, as I started getting multiple copies, in different locations, and it was a headache to decide where a music file belonged, or even if it was already on the DAP.  Currently, I have gone to having folders only for major artists that I have a lot of files for (i.e. Mozart), and a few broad categories.  These, and everything else, are filed alphabetically.  i.e. internal memory, A - J,  MicroSD card, K - Z.  This simpler system is not perfect either, but I have found it easier to manage than the previous system.  The above is merely trying to manage the folder structure.  Once they are on the DAP, then music can be selected by genre, artist, etc., if they have been tagged properly.  And that is another large area needing work in the future, as I have not gone through everything to make sure they are tagged properly.


----------



## frost15

Another interesting update for sorting operations should be the sorting by Artist+Release Date, which is something I always found useful for my music, specially for those artists with a lot of albums.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am amazed with the WM1A, little bugger, great sound. I can't believe i am hearing "new sounds" in the music i am listening to: Mozart serenades for Orchestra, a chrous and then a solo Cembalo in what i tought i was hearing only orchestral serenade "Galimathias Musicum KV 32"


----------



## Gosod

bana said:


> Did we ever find out what case that was?


just wondering.


----------



## Gosod

gerelmx1986 said:


> The Retro-walkman-design case by Dignis


Can you give me the link in a *PM* where I can purchase it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gosod said:


> Can you give me the link in a *PM* where I can purchase it.


I bought it from @nc8000 he must have gotten it from the Dignis website


----------



## nc8000

Yep, it’s a limited edition case that pops up from time to time on the Dignis home page


----------



## Snowball0906

Hi all, I wonder is wm1a strong enough to drive HD650? plan to get one headphone. Either hd600, 650 or 660s


----------



## Whitigir

Snowball0906 said:


> Hi all, I wonder is wm1a strong enough to drive HD650? plan to get one headphone. Either hd600, 650 or 660s



My Wm1Z was enough to drive HD800S.  That is as much as I can say


----------



## nc8000

Snowball0906 said:


> Hi all, I wonder is wm1a strong enough to drive HD650? plan to get one headphone. Either hd600, 650 or 660s



I would probably get 660s if for no other reason that it comes with a 4.4 cable and is easier to drive


----------



## Snowball0906

Whitigir said:


> My Wm1Z was enough to drive HD800S.  That is as much as I can say


Thanks!


----------



## Snowball0906

nc8000 said:


> I would probably get 660s if for no other reason that it comes with a 4.4 cable and is easier to drive



But I’ve read some reviews that hd650 sounds better than 660s? What do u think?


----------



## nc8000

Snowball0906 said:


> But I’ve read some reviews that hd650 sounds better than 660s? What do u think?



I’ve never heard the 660s or 600 and it has been many years since I heard the 650 so can’t comment on the actual sound


----------



## pietcux

Snowball0906 said:


> But I’ve read some reviews that hd650 sounds better than 660s? What do u think?


I prefer the HD660S over the HD650. Both sound great out of the WM1A.


----------



## pietcux

Whitigir said:


> My Wm1Z was enough to drive HD800S.  That is as much as I can say


Was??


----------



## 480126

pietcux said:


> Was??


Why Was???


----------



## pietcux

Frida309 said:


> Why Was???


Because he just got the HD800S. Seems he either sold those or the WM1Z. I am just curious. That is why "WAS?"


----------



## Whitigir

pietcux said:


> Because he just got the HD800S. Seems he either sold those or the WM1Z. I am just curious. That is why "WAS?"



LOL! Because I have not been listening to WM1Z+800S anymore.  I have been too busy on my T2-Sr009 and the new member in the family, AudioGD R2R7 DAC

Now, they are men in Black.  They just sound mesmerizing and addicting that I don’t care about other stuff much LoL

 

Here are shots of my Wm1Z + that $650 Cables that I made, and the very fancy HD800s.  They are excellent for early morning or late night listening


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> Here are shots of my Wm1Z + that $650 Cables that I made, and the very fancy HD800s.  They are excellent for early morning or late night listening



You sir, are definitely addicted! 
Only you would have a cable for a specific time of the day, LOL! What does your daytime cable look/sound like ?


----------



## Whitigir (May 1, 2018)

mw7485 said:


> You sir, are definitely addicted!
> Only you would have a cable for a specific time of the day, LOL! What does your daytime cable look/sound like ?



Lol, no, day/night is different.  Night = in bed - portability, so that is why the Cables was needed, to maximize the performances of the player and headphones

Day Cables ?

You are looking at Stax SR-009 Cables by the way.



Hd800S is the closest to Stax Sound signatures, so clean, so fast, balanced, and full of details.  Huge soundstage!  That is driving out of WM1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am wondering what is @Whitigir  Job (a senior engineer or something very very high paid like his own-boss?), wow he has too many audio equipment  worth of envy


----------



## Snowball0906

pietcux said:


> I prefer the HD660S over the HD650. Both sound great out of the WM1A.



May I know why? Can u tell me more on the differences? I read that some might find Hd660s shouty. What do u think?


----------



## Whitigir

Hmm, someone mentioned about WM1Z battery ? I have it ready  LOL!


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am wondering what is @Whitigir  Job (a senior engineer or something very very high paid like his own-boss?), wow he has too many audio equipment  worth of envy



I am poor like hell. Don’t let those audio equipments fool you LoL!


----------



## Tawek (May 1, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> Hmm, someone mentioned about WM1Z battery ? I have it ready  LOL!


 I want One  where can I order


----------



## Whitigir (May 1, 2018)

Tawek said:


> I want One  where can I order



Sony service centers ? I had a friend helped me to purchase it.  Though shipping to the US would be a Pita, but I had helps getting it to the states too! I was lucky! Thanks @Overkill Red


----------



## pietcux

Snowball0906 said:


> May I know why? Can u tell me more on the differences? I read that some might find Hd660s shouty. What do u think?


We had lengthy discussions about it in the dedicated thread. To me the HD660S is better in all regards, even the colour, lol. And no it is not shouty at all. Especially with the balanced cable the matching with the WM1A is a no brainer. But please, you need to find out yourself.


----------



## frost15

Whitigir said:


> Hmm, someone mentioned about WM1Z battery ? I have it ready  LOL!


Why did you get one? Did the stock one drain too fast or anything like that?


----------



## Whitigir

frost15 said:


> Why did you get one? Did the stock one drain too fast or anything like that?


Nope, just a back up plan for 5 years from now


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> Nope, just a back up plan for *5 years from now*



you are one crazy dude lol


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> Nope, just a back up plan for 5 years from now


Do you have the parts number?
I wonder if Encompass carries them.


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> Do you have the parts number?
> I wonder if Encompass carries them.


Nope, all of those numbers on them probably means something 


proedros said:


> you are one crazy dude lol



Well, can’t blame me.  The Wm1Z is an excellent player


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> Nope, all of those numbers on them probably means something



Does the battery looks like this?


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> Does the battery looks like this?



That is NFC assembly, and the battery had to come with it when I placed order.  But it could have changed now ? No clues.  My parts had both, the battery and the nfc assembly.  In fact what distinct the part from 1A vs 1Z is this assembly, which is copper gold plated for 1Z and copper alloy gold plated for 1A ? I am not too sure


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> That is NFC assembly, and the battery had to come with it when I placed order.  But it could have changed now ? No clues.  My parts had both, the battery and the nfc assembly.  In fact what distinct the part from 1A vs 1Z is this assembly, which is copper gold plated for 1Z and copper alloy gold plated for 1A ? I am not too sure



Thanks,
I'll give it a try, it has the same description: Sony Svx Case Battery Assy

If somebody else is interested, here is the link
https://encompass.com/item/11596702/Sony/X-2594-164-1/Svx_Case_Battery_Assy


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> Thanks,
> I'll give it a try, it has the same description: Sony Svx Case Battery Assy
> 
> If somebody else is interested, here is the link
> https://encompass.com/item/11596702/Sony/X-2594-164-1/Svx_Case_Battery_Assy



Nice find, I would ask the folks if it has battery or not  lol


----------



## JeremyLaurenson (May 2, 2018)

You could just consult the service manual:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7z2DypmySvnclhZYjZiLTlLZ2M/view

Battery part is 1-853-588-11
available here: 
https://encompass.com/item/10955862/Sony/1-853-588-11/Battery,_Lithium_Ion_Storage


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

By the way, what happens if I plug in headphone to both 4.4 and 3.5mm jacks?


----------



## gerelmx1986

JeremyLaurenson said:


> By the way, what happens if I plug in headphone to both 4.4 and 3.5mm jacks?


4.4mm takes FIRST PRIORITY , therefore the 3.5mm jack is muted, no sound


----------



## ledzep

JeremyLaurenson said:


> By the way, what happens if I plug in headphone to both 4.4 and 3.5mm jacks?



Don't cross the streams .... Don't ever cross the streams !


----------



## Zaroff

Whitigir said:


> Nope, just a back up plan for 5 years from now


What's your plan for conserving such a battery for so long without it being degraded because it's not used nor charged up? Genuine question.


----------



## Whitigir

Zaroff said:


> What's your plan for conserving such a battery for so long without it being degraded because it's not used nor charged up? Genuine question.



Just storage, without doing anything to it, the battery as parts can be stored up to 10 years.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I've read about Battery (Li-ion tech) degradation even when not in use. Most Li-ions have a cut-off voltage of like 3.something volts and when the charge voltage drops below this cut-off, the protector circuit engages and the battery cannot be brought back to life. This according to the Battery university website


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I've read about Battery (Li-ion tech) degradation even when not in use. Most Li-ions have a cut-off voltage of like 3.something volts and when the charge voltage drops below this cut-off, the protector circuit engages and the battery cannot be brought back to life. This according to the Battery university website



I am not into battery and it technology..but..

Well, you would never known.  It is typical for electrical components to last up to 10 years shelves storage life in a cool dry place.  Even so, they can last much longer.  I will be able to tell you 5 years from now.  If 5 years from now, my battery in the player died, and the back up isn’t working, then Sony better have them parts in stock.  If they don’t, they are going to have lawsuit, period LOL!


----------



## Hanafuda

JeremyLaurenson said:


> You could just consult the service manual:
> https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7z2DypmySvnclhZYjZiLTlLZ2M/view
> 
> Battery part is 1-853-588-11
> ...




Service manual! Whoa. 

Got a link to the zx300 service manual by any chance??


----------



## Ryokan (May 2, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> Just storage, without doing anything to it, the battery as parts can be stored up to 10 years.



I wonder what we'll be listening with in 10 years time? Probably a DAP powered by a mini sun  which wont need charging for a good month streaming our music stored on a nearby planet, Arthur C Clarke type prediction


----------



## alphanumerix1

JeremyLaurenson said:


> By the way, what happens if I plug in headphone to both 4.4 and 3.5mm jacks?



It blows up lol


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Hanafuda said:


> Service manual! Whoa.
> 
> Got a link to the zx300 service manual by any chance??




Nope:

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNW


----------



## tienbasse

Ryokan said:


> I wonder what we'll be listening with in 10 years time? Probably a DAP powered by a mini sun  which wont need charging for a good month streaming our music stored on a nearby planet, Arthur C Clarke type prediction


Polymer-ion already beat the crap out of Li-ion batteries.
But they still cost twice the price, so they are barely used.

You would think that they represent nothing in the manufacturing cost of high-end DAPs, but greediness being what rules the world...


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Ok, how do u reach the memory slot ? In that case? I am not smart, so I just ask



You are exactly right. You must slide off the case to place a new memory card in. Yet as audiophiles we make many adjustments. You know.......like warming up tube amps 45 minutes before use, or buying batteries for use in the year 2023.


----------



## Whitigir

tienbasse said:


> Polymer-ion already beat the crap out of Li-ion batteries.
> But they still cost twice the price, so they are barely used.
> 
> You would think that they represent nothing in the manufacturing cost of high-end DAPs, but greediness being what rules the world...


What about li-polymer


----------



## ledzep

Whitigir said:


> What about li-polymer



What about nuclear ?


----------



## cthomas

JeremyLaurenson said:


> By the way, what happens if I plug in headphone to both 4.4 and 3.5mm jacks?



Quadraphonic sound!!!


----------



## Redcarmoose

In 2023 I’ll just send my Walkmans to Music Sanctuary in Singapore for a new battery and the Kimber Fiberoptic rewire. Maybe the new batteries will last a month by that time, as well as charge by Wi/Fi.


----------



## Blommen

Redcarmoose said:


> In 2023 I’ll just send my Walkmans to Music Sanctuary in Singapore for a new battery and the Kimber Fiberoptic rewire. Maybe the new batteries will last a month by that time, as well as charge by Wi/Fi.



If they figure out a battery mod I will be all over that!


----------



## Ryokan (May 4, 2018)

tienbasse said:


> Polymer-ion already beat the crap out of Li-ion batteries.
> But they still cost twice the price, so they are barely used.
> 
> You would think that they represent nothing in the manufacturing cost of high-end DAPs, but greediness being what rules the world...




Also Lithium ion batteries are degrading as soon as they leave the factory, their lifespan isn't just dependent on the amount of charge cycles it gets (as gerelmx1986 stated above).

I'm not familiar with Polymer Ion batteries.


----------



## Whitigir (May 4, 2018)

Blommen said:


> If they figure out a battery mod I will be all over that!



Why not ? It can even be a removable battery mod if you don’t mind having it a bit more chunky, and you believe it has nothing to do with sound performances.  Just get something up to specs, some modification to the chassis back, running some wires and some soldering.

You can even have a battery as thick as a book that can last for months and removable Roflmao, if you don’t care about the “resell” values.

There is nothing impossible, just how crazy you want for it, and how much you pay for it.  Period



Ryokan said:


> Also Lithium ion batteries are degrading as soon as they leave the factory, their lifespan isn't just dependent on the amount of charge cycles it gets (as gerelmx1986 stated above).
> 
> I'm not familiar with Polymer Ion batteries.



So, Tesla doesn’t sell cars ? They sell battery ? LOL.  Mega Battery manufacturing places in the US, and their cars running on it.  I can see that they are doing the HP printer and Ink business models


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Hopefully we'll get some cheaper 4,4mm female to 3.5mm single ended adapters soon:
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Are...y-NW-WM1Z-Female-Converter-1/32851388303.html



Done... spent $20 and still have 3 x 4.4mm sockets


----------



## Ryokan (May 4, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> So, Tesla doesn’t sell cars ? They sell battery ? LOL.  Mega Battery manufacturing places in the US, and their cars running on it.  I can see that they are doing the HP printer and Ink business models



I'm not familiar with their  longevity or suitability for powering a Dap (Polymer lithium ion batteries) , so I don't feel knowledgeable enough in this instance to comment, was my point.


----------



## ledzep

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Done... spent $20 and still have 3 x 4.4mm sockets



Bit too much solder on that, you want to cut it off and start again. Solder isn't there to add more conduction it's there to anchor the metals together...... Just saying


----------



## proedros

has anybody compared the 1.20 and 2.00 FWs on how they make the WM1*A* sound ?

i am on 2.00 atm , was 1.20 more warm ? what are your experiences ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Firmware 2.00 Imho best


----------



## zardos

If there was a change in sound, and yes I also hear a tiny difference between 1.2 and 2.0, I think that change was not intended by Sony.


----------



## Whitigir

zardos said:


> If there was a change in sound, and yes I also hear a tiny difference between 1.2 and 2.0, I think that change was not intended by Sony.


Well, you would never known....now where the heck is my USB-DAC feature ! Lol...


----------



## Cagin

Still at previous fw, didn't even try the newer one after seeing all the feedback. Still happy with the sound, so didn't feel the need to upgrade


----------



## kms108

Whitigir said:


> Well, you would never known....now where the heck is my USB-DAC feature ! Lol...


Next release.


----------



## sklaus28

kms108 said:


> Next release.



of sony daps 

I dont think this dap will get USB DAC feature. Guess they will keep them for the next sony walkman dap (this year?), so the next ones have more selling point to upgrade from WM1 series. I could be wrong though..


----------



## kms108

sklaus28 said:


> of sony daps
> 
> I dont think this dap will get USB DAC feature. Guess they will keep them for the next sony walkman dap (this year?), so the next ones have more selling point to upgrade from WM1 series. I could be wrong though..


My mistake, should of put it more detailed, yep next walkman release, not f/w.


----------



## roses77

Whitigir said:


> Hmm, someone mentioned about WM1Z battery ? I have it ready  LOL!



Where did you buy the WM1Z battery


----------



## mwhals

What is the difference between the 2017 version and original version of the WM1A? The former is $100 more on Amazon.


----------



## nc8000

mwhals said:


> What is the difference between the 2017 version and original version of the WM1A? The former is $100 more on Amazon.



There is only one version


----------



## San Man

mwhals said:


> What is the difference between the 2017 version and original version of the WM1A? The former is $100 more on Amazon.



Amazon prices from Amazon itself and 3rd party sellers are all jacked up


----------



## mwhals

nc8000 said:


> There is only one version



Thanks. The Amazon site has a MW1A Premium for $100 more, which looked like the same exact thing, except it stated 2017.


----------



## Hanafuda

sklaus28 said:


> of sony daps
> 
> I dont think this dap will get USB DAC feature. Guess they will keep them for the next sony walkman dap (this year?), so the next ones have more selling point to upgrade from WM1 series. I could be wrong though..




If you go to Sony's jp website, from the main Walkman page (https://www.sony.jp/walkman/?s_pid=jp_top_PRODUCTS_WALKMAN) if you click on "WM1 series" it jumps only to the 1Z product page. In order to see the 1A now, you have to go back to the main Walkman page, then use the view all link, which is a blue bar below with the number 14 in it. That takes you to (https://www.sony.jp/walkman/lineup/) where the WM1A is included .... and so is the zx100. I've also noticed that the mdr-z1r suddenly went back to its full retail price recently at websites for all the major Japanese retailers. Bic Camera, Yodobashi, Yamada Denki etc. are all listing the Z1R at full retail where until about a month ago it was at about 166000 yen ($1510-ish). Using the 'check store stock' link on the Bic Camera website, I was able to see that the Z1R is back-ordered at almost every BicCamera store in the Tokyo area. Just guessing, but either something interrupted production at Sony Taiyo, or they could be tooling up for the next thing.


----------



## alphanumerix1

mwhals said:


> Thanks. The Amazon site has a MW1A Premium for $100 more, which looked like the same exact thing, except it stated 2017.



its wrong.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 6, 2018)

Hanafuda said:


> If you go to Sony's jp website, from the main Walkman page (https://www.sony.jp/walkman/?s_pid=jp_top_PRODUCTS_WALKMAN) if you click on "WM1 series" it jumps only to the 1Z product page. In order to see the 1A now, you have to go back to the main Walkman page, then use the view all link, which is a blue bar below with the number 14 in it. That takes you to (https://www.sony.jp/walkman/lineup/) where the WM1A is included .... and so is the zx100. I've also noticed that the mdr-z1r suddenly went back to its full retail price recently at websites for all the major Japanese retailers. Bic Camera, Yodobashi, Yamada Denki etc. are all listing the Z1R at full retail where until about a month ago it was at about 166000 yen ($1510-ish). Using the 'check store stock' link on the Bic Camera website, I was able to see that the Z1R is back-ordered at almost every BicCamera store in the Tokyo area. Just guessing, but either something interrupted production at Sony Taiyo, or they could be tooling up for the next thing.




I keep my Z1R in a climate controlled 1600 Pelican case with a dehumidifier. If just by chance it ends up being my favorite headphone ever?


----------



## alphanumerix1

looking for case for my m1a

miter is out 

musashino label looks good as well as dignis anything else i'm missing?

Also any prefered 4.4 adapters? this seems decent 

https://www.amazon.co.jp/ノブナガラボ-バラン...525586225&sr=8-2&keywords=nobunaga+labs+4.4mm

I guess there is also the fiio one

i prefer the adapters with cables


----------



## San Man

I'm probably going to sell my Dignis case and strap if you're interested.    Shipping to you might be expensive though


----------



## alphanumerix1

San Man said:


> I'm probably going to sell my Dignis case and strap if you're interested.    Shipping to you might be expensive though



Yeah shipping from the U.S is a killer. I may of found a local who is selling a case which would be ideal.

I see that you can purchase from dignis direct for only 18.95 international shipping not bad if you ask me.


----------



## 480126

alphanumerix1 said:


> looking for case for my m1a
> 
> miter is out
> 
> ...


I used ibasso co2 without wire with very good result. In a review about Sony WM1z is was very good testet. Penon sell it ca. 16 Dollar! Maybe it is a choice for you.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

San Man said:


> I'm probably going to sell my Dignis case and strap if you're interested.    Shipping to you might be expensive though


I am interested if you dm me


----------



## alphanumerix1

Excuse my ignorance 

But what does the SONY Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10 do besides charge?


----------



## Giraku

alphanumerix1 said:


> Excuse my ignorance
> 
> But what does the SONY Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10 do besides charge?


It makes a WM1Z/A great sound source for a desktop/portable DAC. Of course, you can connect it to your computer easily as well.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 7, 2018)

alphanumerix1 said:


> Excuse my ignorance
> 
> But what does the SONY Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10 do besides charge?



The Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP comes with a side USB connection. Though your other two options to join the 1A or 1Z to the Sony TA-ZH1ES are the rear USB with the Dongle or the Cradle. Both alternative ways are reputed to get a higher level of SQ. The ZX300 may also work too? I still don't have an upgraded USB cable (so it's hard to comment myself on the improvements), though I have been testing the side USB, Dongle and Cradle. So far though I have not got the Cradle to do the switch over to my Mac Book Air when joined to the TA-ZH1ES. You have to realize you only have one back USB in to the TA-ZH1ES so Sony supplies a slider switch (on the back of the Cradle) where your suppose to choose the 1A/1Z or your computer as a USB source. I'm OK not getting the Apple to work as I never use it as a source. Though getting a standard USB to get the Apple to join with the TA-ZH1ES was really easy and sounded great just switching to outside audio with the Mac.

Keep in mind the Cradle also comes with form factor adaptors to allow the Cradle to adapt to a wide range of Sony DAPs, I don't own other Sony DAPs so I don't know how the system works. But I guess you could join just about any Sony DAP to the TA-ZH1ES AMP/DAC, you don't just have to have Signature series DAPs. They just have to have the Walkman connections?

But in simple terms the Cradle lets you charge and play where the Dongle just plays but does not charge. The side USB connection (included with the TA-ZH1ES) both plays and charges at the same time. There may be some benefits of music transfer speed using the Dongle, I don't notice a big difference using the Dongle or the supplied cable, but I guess you can also transfer files to your player with the Cradle too. I mainly use cards so all this music transfer ability is not an issue.

Maybe other members can introduce more information about the direct DSD streaming from the devices (1A/1Z)? I'm pretty much a 16/44.1 listener as well as I feel the system upgrades 320 kbps to a rewarding tone with the active upsampling the TA-ZH1ES does. I'm also pretty happy how 16/44.1 is improved with the Sony upsampling system using the portable players, though the overall sound improvements are less than what is achieved or perceived upsampling with the DAC/AMP. At first I was a non-believer thinking this upsampling was BS, but I use it now across the board with the 1A 1Z and the TA AMP/DAC.

After getting an upgraded USB cable I hope to do some comparisons using CDs and a digital toslink using actual CDs in a transport into the DAC/AMP in comparison to ripped 16/44.1 files played off the Z1 into the DAC/AMP. I have a feeling CDs in a transport are going to win, but I'm not sure, as with the upsampling.................Sony is full of surprises.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 7, 2018)

Giraku said:


> It makes a WM1Z/A great sound source for a desktop/portable DAC. Of course, you can connect it to your computer easily as well.



So the Cradle lets you off-board your 1Z/1A to any old DAC/DAP around the house? I'll have to try that if true!


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> So the Cradle lets you off-board your 1Z/1A to any old DAC/DAP around the house? I'll have to try that if true!



Yes the cradle gives you usb out to connect it to any dac


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 7, 2018)

I can just imagine that 512GB microSD ...Filled the 400GB sandisk + 128GB internal storage of WM1A mostly CD quality but more hi-res content than before, still plenty of albums and tracks, 24, 270 tracks, arround 1200+ albums.

Now that i've found a little treasure… the edizione Vivaldi on 49 LPs and have most of them all as 24/96 and added three new DSD purchases, i crave for a WM1Z … because its storage of 256GB.. 204GB of Hi-res music (126 albums)


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 7, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Yes the cradle gives you usb out to connect it to any dac



Oh.....great.....there is another cable better than mine (which you have) for the Z1R.

It never ends..... now I have to get one!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Another great thing is doing a one file back-up. Simply getting your entire 1A or 1Z internal library moved over to a PC or extra back-up drive is as easy as 1-2. 

You will have to make sure you have no other folders on the drive named “music” but there it will sit, incase you want to delete your library on the portable device or use the library somewhere else.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 7, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Another great thing is doing a one file back-up. Simply getting your entire 1A or 1Z internal library moved over to a PC or extra back-up drive is as easy as 1-2.
> 
> You will have to make sure you have no other folders on the drive named “music” but there it will sit, incase you want to delete your library on the portable device or use the library somewhere else.


The PC can get a virus  a file-deleting virus... I don't have any file son PC, instead, i have all mirrored into three external hard drives.. all three harddrives contain the exact same copy, so if one fails i still have two


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> The PC can get a virus  a file-deleting virus... I don't have any file son PC, instead, i have all mirrored into three external hard drives.. all three harddrives contain the exact same copy, so if one fails i still have two



Funny I had a one terabyte drive fail this week. First one ever and I’ve had external drives from 2010 on. Lucky I had a back-up. 

All of a sudden every reader said there was no information on the drive and that it needed to be formatted to be used?


----------



## captblaze

Redcarmoose said:


> Funny I had a one terabyte drive fail this week. First one ever and I’ve had external drives from 2010 on. Lucky I had a back-up.
> 
> All of a sudden every reader said there was no information on the drive and that it needed to be formatted to be used?



is it windows pc? if it is... remove the hard drive and connect it to a Linux box. I have done that many times over the years and had moderate success recovering data. Now if the needle isn't tracking the discs anymore you are sunk, but if you just received the error and haven't tampered with the drive attempting to recover anything to this point it may be worth a try.

And to keep things on topic... I finally have enough hours on my WM1A that the sound quality no longer fluctuates and provides a consistent listening experience. I now believe that she is a keeper


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 7, 2018)

captblaze said:


> is it windows pc? if it is... remove the hard drive and connect it to a Linux box. I have done that many times over the years and had moderate success recovering data. Now if the needle isn't tracking the discs anymore you are sunk, but if you just received the error and haven't tampered with the drive attempting to recover anything to this point it may be worth a try.
> 
> And to keep things on topic... I finally have enough hours on my WM1A that the sound quality no longer fluctuates and provides a consistent listening experience. I now believe that she is a keeper


Sorry an external drive, not the PC drive, I should have worded that differently. 


No, I now have it with replaced back-up files, so all is good.

I was really surprised how my 1Z sounded straight out of the box. I actually thought I could hear abrupt volume changes. At first I thought it was the song, and that I was hearing more detail, then I realized it was amp fluctuations.


----------



## captblaze (May 7, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> At first I thought it was the song, and that I was hearing more detail, then I realized it was amp fluctuations.



Your are correct... the fluctuations in the amp section is what I was hearing, but in turn it does end up changing the tonal quality and consistency of the presentation. I will also be looking for the coming of the 40th anniversary mythical unicorn DAP. it is the reason I opted for the WM1A over the 1Z. Now lets hope I doesn't cost as much as 1 FL oz. of that Unicorn's


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 7, 2018)

captblaze said:


> Your are correct... the fluctuations in the amp section is what I was hearing, but in turn it does end up changing the tonal quality and consistency of the presentation. I will also be looking for the coming of the 40th anniversary mythical unicorn DAP. it is the reason I opted for the WM1A over the 1Z. Now lets hope I doesn't cost as much as 1 FL oz. of that Unicorn's



It’s all part of the complete over-the-top-ness of the Signature Series. That’s what I love about it.

Sony releases a DAP that requires 200 hours per amp. Only crazy audiophiles would spend the effort to burn in their DAPs. Let’s put a balanced amp on the back and another single-ended amp on the front. We’ll put a little note in the firmware telling the owners they need 400 total hours before the amp section sounds right.

Ya, ya....the listeners will be sure to read it and believe it if we write the dam message right into the players firmware. Lol

Oh, and we are going to use Panasonic capacitors never used before. Ok we will make one out of copper, one out of aluminum. Let’s make a new 4.4mm 5 poll plug. Oh ........you designers can make it anyway you want, we will charge.....  whatever!

Ya.... we will charge .....well....whatever. That’s what that truck with the copper ingots is for. We are going to machine the bodies out of those bars. 

Gold-plated? OK sure...... one pound weight? Sure go ahead. We have no grasp on reality.......just make sure they sound good, and like nothing else the world has ever seen.

File system and album art? Who cares these are for audiophiles.

The amp, well we’ll amplify everything digitally then go to anologue at the last stage.


----------



## Giraku

Redcarmoose said:


> So the Cradle lets you off-board your 1Z/1A to any old DAC/DAP around the house? I'll have to try that if true!


Yes, as long as your DAC/DAP has USB input.
This cradle has a specific circuits with some capacitors for USB output (I guess noise suppression). I use Audio Quest Cinnamon USB cable to connect the cradle with my various DACs (Hugo 2, Klipsch Heritage, iFi xDSD, AK ACRO L1000, etc.).


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Oh.....great.....there is another cable better than mine (which you have) for the Z1R.
> 
> It never ends..... now I have to get one!



I’ve felt absolutely no desire to upgrade or replace anything the last year since I got the Sony signature products apart from the Beoplay E8 true wireless in ears


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> I’ve felt absolutely no desire to upgrade or replace anything the last year since I got the Sony signature products apart from the Beoplay E8 true wireless in ears


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I’ve felt absolutely no desire to upgrade or replace anything the last year since I got the Sony signature products apart from the Beoplay E8 true wireless in ears


Currently i am just upgrading Music files from CD to HR


----------



## Redcarmoose

In truth, other than an Audioquest USB cable, I’m pretty much done spending for now. I’m very happy with the Z1R/TAZH1ES combo. It’s going to be fun to hear the combo with a vinyl front-end in about 10 days too. 

I’m sure there are upgrades in sound from the Sony MUC-B20SB1 cable, but I’m pretty happy the way things sound now.


----------



## zardos

I‘m also done, since I have decided that 1Z+IE800S is a portable dream team.


----------



## animalsrush

nc8000 said:


> I’ve felt absolutely no desire to upgrade or replace anything the last year since I got the Sony signature products apart from the Beoplay E8 true wireless in ears


Same here.. I got 2 of the 3 Sony signature products.. the Sony wm1z and Sony z1r, got balanced kimber cable for z1r and effect audio lion heart cable balanced for my kaiser k10 CIEM.. this should hold me for a long time..

Pc


----------



## animalsrush

gerelmx1986 said:


> Currently i am just upgrading Music files from CD to HR


that could get expensive quick..


----------



## mwhals

gerelmx1986 said:


> Currently i am just upgrading Music files from CD to HR



Wow! With over 700 CDs, it would cost me a fortune to do that, so 16/44 is fine for me. Only my absolute favorite CDs  would have a chance to get upgraded.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 7, 2018)

I am not upgrading all, just the one i can find as HR or the ones i like most. New purchases first check if is Hi-res available then CD version... i've got 3,157 albums (of these 126 are Hi-res,and a s subset of Hi-res 46 are SACD rips) most of them CD quality


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 8, 2018)

mwhals said:


> Wow! With over 700 CDs, it would cost me a fortune to do that, so 16/44 is fine for me. Only my absolute favorite CDs  would have a chance to get upgraded.


Amazingly I think the upscale effect does fine adding just a slight boost of air to 16bit-44.1mHz. I also have around 3000 CDs and could never find them in HD, I don’t think. I also listen to a lot of eclectic and underground music I never see being brought out in HD.

That’s what the Signature Series is about I think. “Making the most out of your music.” It’s a digital microscope which allows the listener to get slighly closer and slightly more intimate with music they have known for years. All this detail with slight warmth getting digital closer to the musicality of analog. Yet bringing along an ease of use and clarity which surpasses analog in joyful daily playback. The only time we are in trouble in when that vinyl master was remastered for CD and they missed the mark. There is no help in that situation, but the Signature Series makes the best of it allowing brickwalled or wrongfully mastered stuff to at least sound warm and palpable.



@https://www.head-fi.org/members/gerelmx1986.404906/


Quote:

I am not upgrading all, just the one i can find as HR or the ones i like most. New purchases first check if is Hi-res available then CD version... i've got 3,157 albums (of these 126 are Hi-res,and a s subset of Hi-res 46 are SACD rips) most of them CD quality


----------



## aisalen

I didn't have the desires to update my DAP since I got my wm1a.


----------



## alphanumerix1

I've had the wm1a for about a week now and it's great so far. Yet to try balanced waiting on cables and adapters we'll see I don't expect night and day changes. Battery life is really a winner.


----------



## Redcarmoose

alphanumerix1 said:


> I've had the wm1a for about a week now and it's great so far. Yet to try balanced waiting on cables and adapters we'll see I don't expect night and day changes. Battery life is really a winner.



You may be pleasantly surprised by 4.4mm?


----------



## San Man

alphanumerix1 said:


> I've had the wm1a for about a week now and it's great so far. Yet to try balanced waiting on cables and adapters we'll see I don't expect night and day changes. Battery life is really a winner.



You will be pleasantly surprised by the swap to 4.4


----------



## alphanumerix1

Redcarmoose said:


> You may be pleasantly surprised by 4.4mm?



Maybe  

On another note are people really hearing a difference after 200 hours? Ive noticed a slight difference from 0 to 100. I feel like i have dial down the volume slightly also not sure if brain burn in.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 8, 2018)

alphanumerix1 said:


> Maybe
> 
> On another note are people really hearing a difference after 200 hours? Ive noticed a slight difference from 0 to 100. I feel like i have dial down the volume slightly also not sure if brain burn in.



For me the biggest changes happened in the first 100 hours, though I changed to firmware 2.0 at the same time, and had new IEMs which were burning in too. So I could be confused.

But I’m of the opinion that “Brain Burn-In” is under-rated. Much of how people understand their new equipment is getting used to new perception abilities.


----------



## meomap

alphanumerix1 said:


> Maybe
> 
> On another note are people really hearing a difference after 200 hours? Ive noticed a slight difference from 0 to 100. I feel like i have dial down the volume slightly also not sure if brain burn in.



I noticed bass is more controlled and treble more airy starting from 75 hrs on my 1Z.


----------



## Redcarmoose

alphanumerix1 said:


> Maybe
> 
> On another note are people really hearing a difference after 200 hours? Ive noticed a slight difference from 0 to 100. I feel like i have dial down the volume slightly also not sure if brain burn in.



The units appearing to become louder is always such a fascinating conclusion.


----------



## ledzep

gerelmx1986 said:


> Currently i am just upgrading Music files from CD to HR



I'd be selective what you update, you'll find dynamics wise 85% of 16/44 won't need it or its actually better than the hi res upscaled take your money and run tracks ..... Research first !


----------



## frost15

ledzep said:


> I'd be selective what you update, you'll find dynamics wise 85% of 16/44 won't need it or its actually better than the hi res upscaled take your money and run tracks ..... Research first !


I'm actually on the "never upscale" boat. It consumes a lot of space for little to no-benefit on most cases, I've even come across albums that sounded worse when upscaled, so I recommend everyone to stop milking the cow, nothing to get there mostly, not worth the time.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 8, 2018)

Do you use DSEE HX?

“While there are plenty of great High-Resolution Music downloading sites, Sony engineers have made it possible for you to listen to your regular music library in near High-Resolution Audio quality by developing Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE HX™) Technology.”


----------



## nc8000

I have a fair lot of hires music but have to admit that I haven’t bought any for several years now. Instead I’m buying cd’s that I then rip. I have only 16/44 or 16/48 flac (cd rips and downsampled hires) on my WM and always use source direct to maximise the amount of music on the player and the battery time. The hires sits on my Auralic at home


----------



## frost15

Redcarmoose said:


> Do you use DSEE HX?
> 
> “While there are plenty of great High-Resolution Music downloading sites, Sony engineers have made it possible for you to listen to your regular music library in near High-Resolution Audio quality by developing Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE HX™) Technology.”


I try to avoid it to stay as close as posible to direct source, but I've used with some mp3s yes.


----------



## frost15 (May 8, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> I have a fair lot of hires music but have to admit that I haven’t bought any for several years now. Instead I’m buying cd’s that I then rip. I have only 16/44 or 16/48 flac (cd rips and downsampled hires) on my WM and always use source direct to maximise the amount of music on the player and the battery time. The hires sits on my Auralic at home


The only hi-res I've been buying once in a while for a long time now is NativeDSD classical or jazz records. I dislike most other hi-res formats, because most times original cd's sound better and closer to the original. Many hi-res music use "tricks" and effects to create the illusion that they sound better, but a closer and calm observation made me love original cd's more. Not to mention the fact that most hi-res recordings are using remastered versions as source...
I must say I listen to rock and metal music mostly.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 8, 2018)

ledzep said:


> I'd be selective what you update, you'll find dynamics wise 85% of 16/44 won't need it or its actually better than the hi res upscaled take your money and run tracks ..... Research first !


Is what i do i check first how it sounds if i like more the CD version than the hi-res then i keep the CD, also i do a spek spectrum check on the CD file before purchasing the hi-res to see the basence of "hard"- brick wall filtering. like the Vivaldi Philips reissue hard brick walled vs the LP rips 24/96. The phantom of the opera CD version very processed to get that pop-muisc essence (PO is not a true classical opera, but more of a fusion between pop and classic), The LP rip also at 24/96 sounded more relaxedand non-rpocessed


----------



## ruthieandjohn (May 8, 2018)

I’m considering (planning for?) the purchase of a 1Z or 1A for my balanced headphones, which end in a 4 pin XLR connector.   I also have some Sonys that end in two 3.5 mm jacks, one foe each channel.

What is a good way to get from the 4.4 mm of the Sony 1A to the XLR? 

Also, what is the simplest headphone to connect?  Is there a headphone with a balanced 4.4 mm jack?

Thanks!


----------



## Whitigir

ruthieandjohn said:


> I’m considering (planning for?) the purchaser of a 1Z or 1A for my balanced headphones, which end in a 4 pin XLR connector.   I also have some Sonys that end in two 3.5 mm jacks, one foe each channel.
> 
> What is a good way to get from the 4.4 mm of the Sony 1A to the XLR?
> 
> ...



Adapters for any 4.4mm into any female sockets.  You can also ask for 3.5mm female into 4.4mm 

Simplest headphones that come with 4.4mm is Sony MDR-Z1R.  The upcoming Sennheiser HD820


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Adapters for any 4.4mm into any female sockets.  You can also ask for 3.5mm female into 4.4mm
> 
> Simplest headphones that come with 4.4mm is Sony MDR-Z1R.  The upcoming Sennheiser HD820



Or Sennheiser HD660 or their new top end iem


----------



## captblaze

ruthieandjohn said:


> What is a good way to get from the 4.4 mm of the Sony 1A to the XLR?



something like this?


----------



## alphanumerix1 (May 9, 2018)

Got my dignis case. Loving the colour!

Edit: here's a better pic


----------



## ledzep

alphanumerix1 said:


> Got my dignis case. Loving the colour!
> 
> Edit: here's a better pic



Nice case .... Shame about the single end


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 9, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Or Sennheiser HD660 or their new top end iem



You mean the HD660s.


----------



## alphanumerix1 (May 9, 2018)

ledzep said:


> Nice case .... Shame about the single end



Ok


----------



## meomap

Redcarmoose said:


> You mean the HD660s.



Hi,
I think new version, IE800S with cables swapped to 4.4 mm or 3.5 mm.


----------



## kdphan

alphanumerix1 said:


> Got my dignis case. Loving the colour!
> 
> Edit: here's a better pic


that's a good looking case. Where did you get this again?


----------



## superuser1

alphanumerix1 said:


> Got my dignis case. Loving the colour!
> 
> Edit: here's a better pic


Its a beautiful colour!


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 9, 2018)

Spoiler: The Product You Are Mentioning 



In the world of high-end sound quality, which is definitely the world of the IE 800 S, details can make a significant difference. The cable connection, for example. So, in addition to the standard cable with a 3.5 mm jack, the IE 800 S comes with a choice of cables with 4.4 mm Pentaconn and 2.5 mm balanced connectors.





meomap said:


> Hi,
> I think new version, IE800S with cables swapped to 4.4 mm or 3.5 mm.



Yes it can, I was just correcting his suggestion as the product is called the HD660s not the HD660. There is no such product called the HD660.

That’s a full size headphone.


----------



## gerelmx1986

alphanumerix1 said:


> Got my dignis case. Loving the colour!
> 
> Edit: here's a better pic


nice color


----------



## alphanumerix1

Case is from dignis (sky blue)


----------



## mwhals

alphanumerix1 said:


> Case is from dignis (sky blue)



I am having a hard time finding where to get this case.


----------



## alphanumerix1

mwhals said:


> I am having a hard time finding where to get this case.



Yeah it was limited edition so it's sold out most places.


----------



## San Man

If anyone is interested I'm gonna well my dark brown Dignis case and strap soon


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

They’re mostly back in stock:
http://mobile--shop2.dignis.cafe24....y-nw-wm1-case/133/?cate_no=92&display_group=1


----------



## Redcarmoose

In a perfect world the 1A would have come with the 1Z case.

Sony XBA-N3BP IEM With RHA Tips
1A WALKMAN
1Z Case


----------



## alphanumerix1

Neato one my adapters arrived let's give balanced a listen.


----------



## Quadfather

I just got Earmax 4.4mm, balanced cable for my HD650 to pair with a NW-WM1A. So far, it sounds very good. Very three-dimensional.


----------



## mwhals

Quadfather said:


> I just got Earmax 4.4mm, balanced cable for my HD650 to pair with a NW-WM1A. So far, it sounds very good. Very three-dimensional.



How does the WM1A compare to the QP1R?


----------



## Quadfather

mwhals said:


> How does the WM1A compare to the QP1R?



I would have to say the Sony is the most complete player of the two with better battery life. I love the way it displays album art and artist scroll art.  My AKG K812 headphones sound a lot better on the QP1R, so it might be somewhat headphone dependent.


----------



## Amielcris

Dear everyone, just got my WM1A 2 weeks ago, and like everyone else in this thread--am very, very satisfied.  First time to spend so much (relative to me) on a DAP or anything audio related for that matter. But I have no regrets at all.  I have a few questions please indulge my ignorance:

1. I've seen several topics on file tagging during my back reads, but can't seem to remember which is the best for the Walkman.  I'm on windows by the way, tried the one that came with sony doesn't seem to intuitive to me.  Any suggestions?
2. Next project is am IEM that matches well with the Walkman, I'm leaning towards acoustune or Polaris.  No real strict preference, but my perception is more driver=better?  Though I really like acoustune pairing single ended, tried the balanced not so impressed maybe because of the cable used? Effect audio cant remember if copper or silver. 

Thank you!


----------



## blazinblazin

Acoustune is a 1 Dynamic Driver wonder. 

Polaris is a Hybrid. 

Doesn't means more drivers the better it is.

For Acoustune, depends on the silicon tips you use, it can make a difference. There are 2 sets of silicon tips included... the blue core and yellow core tips. I prefer it with blue core tips for my HS1551CU.


----------



## alphanumerix1

ive been listening to balanced output for a couple hours now and im not noticing any differences.


----------



## ledzep

alphanumerix1 said:


> ive been listening to balanced output for a couple hours now and im not noticing any differences.



Well you did tell me SE was the best so I guess your were right after all, nice colour case though.


----------



## alphanumerix1

ledzep said:


> Well you did tell me SE was the best so I guess your were right after all, nice colour case though.


----------



## pietcux

alphanumerix1 said:


> ive been listening to balanced output for a couple hours now and im not noticing any differences.


With the Sennheiser HD650/660S and Sony Z1R/Z7 it is an audible difference.


----------



## alphanumerix1

pietcux said:


> With the Sennheiser HD650/660S and Sony Z1R/Z7 it is an audible difference.



May matter more with headphones using that extra power to drive them properly?

I've tried 3 different iems and heard nothing noticeable between  the two outputs (volume matching)


----------



## pietcux (May 10, 2018)

alphanumerix1 said:


> May matter more with headphones using that extra power to drive them properly?
> 
> I've tried 3 different iems and heard nothing noticeable between  the two outputs (volume matching)


Yes I guess that is correct. Both my favorite iems the Sennheiser IE800 and the Sony EX1000 are superb from the SE output stage. The beauty of this DAP is that it has two separate output stages built in. Both are the best they could think of. Right now, I run my HD800SD from the SE stage and it sounds fantastic already. But I have a Pentacon cable from Forza incoming.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Amielcris said:


> Dear everyone, just got my WM1A 2 weeks ago, and like everyone else in this thread--am very, very satisfied.  First time to spend so much (relative to me) on a DAP or anything audio related for that matter. But I have no regrets at all.  I have a few questions please indulge my ignorance:
> 
> 1. I've seen several topics on file tagging during my back reads, but can't seem to remember which is the best for the Walkman.  I'm on windows by the way, tried the one that came with sony doesn't seem to intuitive to me.  Any suggestions?
> 2. Next project is am IEM that matches well with the Walkman, I'm leaning towards acoustune or Polaris.  No real strict preference, but my perception is more driver=better?  Though I really like acoustune pairing single ended, tried the balanced not so impressed maybe because of the cable used? Effect audio cant remember if copper or silver.
> ...


For tagging Our personal favorite MP3TAG. Related to the 2nd question, nope, more drivers doesn't mean better, i consider fine 3 or 4 drivers max


----------



## superuser1

gerelmx1986 said:


> For tagging Our personal favorite MP3TAG. Related to the 2nd question, nope, more drivers doesn't mean better, i consider fine 3 or 4 drivers max


Or TagScanner


----------



## haarvi

I recently acquired the WM1Z.
I'm using it in balanced mode with the Z!R.
I have less than 30 hours on it, but it the sound, after the first listening session or two, is already quite pleasing.

Two questions:
1. Does the player have a readout of the number of gigabytes of music which has been downloaded?
Where?

2.  Has anyone here used a Fostex TH-900 with the WM1Z... out of the balanced socket?
Impressions?


----------



## gerelmx1986

haarvi said:


> I recently acquired the WM1Z.
> I'm using it in balanced mode with the Z!R.
> I have less than 30 hours on it, but it the sound, after the first listening session or two, is already quite pleasing.
> 
> ...


Gigabytes counter,, tap toolbox icon > settings >scroll down to the bottom > unit information


----------



## ledzep

If anyone's in the market for a 1Z cheap, just noticed this on fleabay
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/153011144557


----------



## haarvi

gerelmx1986 said:


> Gigabytes counter,, tap toolbox icon > settings >scroll down to the bottom > unit information



Thanks gerelmx... for the info I asked about.
And for taking the trouble to send a screen photo... nice touch.


----------



## Cagin (May 10, 2018)

ledzep said:


> If anyone's in the market for a 1Z cheap, just noticed this on fleabay
> https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/153011144557


Very nice! Was tempting. But the Cayin N8’s siren call lures away from that deal


Ps: come on Sony! start to leak some of the good stuff! We got the Lotoo Paw Touch, the Astell&bowtie/futura, the Cayin N8, etc...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Cagin said:


> Very nice! Was tempting. But the Cayin N8’s siren call lures away from that deal
> 
> 
> Ps: come on Sony! start to leak some of the good stuff! We got the Lotoo Paw Touch, the Astell&bowtie/futura, the Cayin N8, etc...


The good: Cayin supports 4.4mm and many are jumping n it's support incl. fiio for x7... the only remainning to support 4.4 is A&K, wonder if they will some day finally support 4.4mm?


----------



## blazinblazin

gerelmx1986 said:


> The good: Cayin supports 4.4mm and many are jumping n it's support incl. fiio for x7... the only remainning to support 4.4 is A&K, wonder if they will some day finally support 4.4mm?


I think they would rather support their own 2.5mm.


----------



## Snowball0906

blazinblazin said:


> Acoustune is a 1 Dynamic Driver wonder.
> 
> Polaris is a Hybrid.
> 
> ...



If u like airy ss, u should try to pair it with JVC Spiral Dot. I love it! 



Amielcris said:


> Dear everyone, just got my WM1A 2 weeks ago, and like everyone else in this thread--am very, very satisfied.  First time to spend so much (relative to me) on a DAP or anything audio related for that matter. But I have no regrets at all.  I have a few questions please indulge my ignorance:
> 
> 1. I've seen several topics on file tagging during my back reads, but can't seem to remember which is the best for the Walkman.  I'm on windows by the way, tried the one that came with sony doesn't seem to intuitive to me.  Any suggestions?
> 2. Next project is am IEM that matches well with the Walkman, I'm leaning towards acoustune or Polaris.  No real strict preference, but my perception is more driver=better?  Though I really like acoustune pairing single ended, tried the balanced not so impressed maybe because of the cable used? Effect audio cant remember if copper or silver.
> ...



Maybe u can try it with Effect audio's Eros 2+ [hybrid - copper + silver]. I've just received it and im already loving it. Thank you @kubig123 for introducing it to me. Hehe


----------



## Snowball0906

Snowball0906 said:


> If u like airy ss, u should try to pair it with JVC Spiral Dot. I love it!
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe u can try it with Effect audio's Eros 2+ [hybrid - copper + silver]. I've just received it and im already loving it. Thank you @kubig123 for introducing it to me. Hehe


----------



## kubig123

Snowball0906 said:


>


Glad to help, it's a great cable!
Next one to try is the Leonidas .


----------



## productred

Amielcris said:


> Dear everyone, just got my WM1A 2 weeks ago, and like everyone else in this thread--am very, very satisfied.  First time to spend so much (relative to me) on a DAP or anything audio related for that matter. But I have no regrets at all.  I have a few questions please indulge my ignorance:
> 
> 1. I've seen several topics on file tagging during my back reads, but can't seem to remember which is the best for the Walkman.  I'm on windows by the way, tried the one that came with sony doesn't seem to intuitive to me.  Any suggestions?
> 2. Next project is am IEM that matches well with the Walkman, I'm leaning towards acoustune or Polaris.  No real strict preference, but my perception is more driver=better?  Though I really like acoustune pairing single ended, tried the balanced not so impressed maybe because of the cable used? Effect audio cant remember if copper or silver.
> ...



1. For me, itunes for my own CD rips and MP3tag for everything else

2. More driver =/= better, that clear as day, tho the number of drivers obviously plant bias in people's minds, even many hardcore audiophiles. Well, can't fault them as listening is itself a mindgame. Between those two you have named, I very much prefer the acoustune, for reasons of a way more coherent frequency response and detailed-yet-lush mids. And acoustune is the mother of the 4.4mm balanced system so (bias bias) it should sound best with the Sony 4.4 balanced (biased and unscientific but fairly logical eh) - they got a nice and cheap 4.4 balanced cable too.


----------



## harishmirror (May 10, 2018)

productred said:


> 1. For me, itunes for my own....



Sorry for off topic. I have the 1Z paired with Z5 & EX1000 (dark&bright). Planning to go for the Tzar, how do they compare? Also have you ever auditioned the Andromedas on 1z?


----------



## productred

harishmirror said:


> Sorry for off topic. I have the 1Z paired with Z5 & EX1000 (dark&bright). Planning to go for the Tzar, how do they compare? Also have you ever auditioned the Andromedas on 1z?



If you have the budget to go for the 18 then you dun really need to consider the Andromeda, which is basically a more relaxed and smooth sounding 18. 18 MAY sound harsh to some tho even on the lusher sounding 1Z.

I still consider the 1Z and the Z5 one of the very best audio combos out there.


----------



## harishmirror

productred said:


> I still consider the 1Z and the Z5 one of the very best audio combos out there.


 A million likes, glad that you spoke out loud. Honestly I never found a competition to my Z5/1Z or PHA3 combo. Tried the 846 and IE800 they dont offer anything close to Z5's presentation and staging.


----------



## Amielcris

productred said:


> 1. For me, itunes for my own CD rips and MP3tag for everything else
> 
> 2. More driver =/= better, that clear as day, tho the number of drivers obviously plant bias in people's minds, even many hardcore audiophiles. Well, can't fault them as listening is itself a mindgame. Between those two you have named, I very much prefer the acoustune, for reasons of a way more coherent frequency response and detailed-yet-lush mids. And acoustune is the mother of the 4.4mm balanced system so (bias bias) it should sound best with the Sony 4.4 balanced (biased and unscientific but fairly logical eh) - they got a nice and cheap 4.4 balanced cable too.



Thank you for the reply, really loved how the acoustune sounded with the wm1a, will consider your suggestions, thanks much!


----------



## Amielcris

Snowball0906 said:


> If u like airy ss, u should try to pair it with JVC Spiral Dot. I love it!
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe u can try it with Effect audio's Eros 2+ [hybrid - copper + silver]. I've just received it and im already loving it. Thank you @kubig123 for introducing it to me. Hehe



Will try as suggested, thanks!


----------



## blazinblazin

Snowball0906 said:


> If u like airy ss, u should try to pair it with JVC Spiral Dot. I love it!



Oh. I have those, i have not try them on my Acoustune yet.

I tried the Symbio but dont like it on Acoustune.

I will try the Spiral dots tonight.


----------



## frost15

Cagin said:


> Very nice! Was tempting. But the Cayin N8’s siren call lures away from that deal
> 
> 
> Ps: come on Sony! start to leak some of the good stuff! We got the Lotoo Paw Touch, the Astell&bowtie/futura, the Cayin N8, etc...


Well, it depends on the starting price of the N8. I love Cayin, having owned an i5 for a year I must say I got way more than I paid for and their sponsor un this forum is a very responsive guy, so I really love them as a company, but I highly doubt their player will surpass the 1Z sound quality, yet if the price of the unit is good enough I could see people prefering the N8 over the 1Z. In any case the 1Z price will drop a lot by the end of this year (I think it will drop to 1500$ brand new, so expect used ones for 1000$...). I got one used for 1400$ aprox and I could not be more happy than I am right now. I do not see myself changing Dap for a long time. Specially since my Cayin i5 is awesome as a second player.


----------



## zardos

harishmirror said:


> Sorry for off topic. I have the 1Z paired with Z5 & EX1000 (dark&bright). Planning to go for the Tzar, how do they compare? Also have you ever auditioned the Andromedas on 1z?



Andromeda on 1Z is nothing special. First Andromeda isn‘t known to scale very well and second it likes more OI to sound the most balanced.


----------



## denis1976 (May 11, 2018)

Cagin said:


> Very nice! Was tempting. But the Cayin N8’s siren call lures away from that deal
> 
> 
> Ps: come on Sony! start to leak some of the good stuff! We got the Lotoo Paw Touch, the Astell&bowtie/futura, the Cayin N8, etc...


You're going to see things the other way around , the Lotoo the Ultima,N8 etc is the answer they gave to fight the 1Z is not Sony that has to fight them now, when sony release the 2Z the cayin will have to do a N9 to keep up


----------



## 480126 (May 11, 2018)

Listen to my favorite Alben with new silver balanced Cable from an english guy. Teminated with Furutech 4,4 plug for 1A and Sennheiser HD 800s: https://www.ebay.de/itm/Sennheiser-...719605?hash=item3630d85bb5:g:KwMAAOSwgptat7jc
It was not expencive, built well and sounds good!


----------



## ruthieandjohn

@Frida309 , where DO. you find that jazz collection, “The Cover Art Of The Blue Note” that appears on your 1Z?  I can only find a book, not music, on amazon!


----------



## gerelmx1986

ruthieandjohn said:


> @Frida309 , where DO. you find that jazz collection, “The Cover Art Of The Blue Note” that appears on your 1Z?  I can only find a book, not music, on amazon!


Some albums are pretty hard to find, i cannot find the dsf download of Striggio's mass for 40 & 60 voice w/Herve Niquet & Le concert spirituel of glossa, all i cna find is the physical SACD but i don't have PS3 to do the ripping


----------



## captblaze

gerelmx1986 said:


> all i cna find is the physical SACD but i don't have PS3 to do the ripping



you no longer need to rely on a PS3. my pioneer elite BDP-80FD (with easily available tools) will rip SACDs (can buy at local big box store in US). I have ripped my entire collection and have my WM1A loaded with DSD64 goodness (although other lossless files sound good also)


----------



## Giraku

captblaze said:


> you no longer need to rely on a PS3. my pioneer elite BDP-80FD (with easily available tools) will rip SACDs (can buy at local big box store in US). I have ripped my entire collection and have my WM1A loaded with DSD64 goodness (although other lossless files sound good also)


Wow, that's great news!! What software do you use?


----------



## 480126

ruthieandjohn said:


> @Frida309 , where DO. you find that jazz collection, “The Cover Art Of The Blue Note” that appears on your 1Z?  I can only find a book, not music, on amazon!


Look at eBay.de


----------



## Quadfather

Just looking for opinions from any head fi members using the Sony in balanced with Sennheiser hd650 Headphones.


----------



## Quadfather

I also really like the Earmax balanced cables from eBay for the hd650


----------



## Whitigir

Frida309 said:


> Listen to my favorite Alben with new silver balanced Cable from an english guy. Teminated with Furutech 4,4 plug for 1A and Sennheiser HD 800s: https://www.ebay.de/itm/Sennheiser-...719605?hash=item3630d85bb5:g:KwMAAOSwgptat7jc
> It was not expencive, built well and sounds good!



From that link, it seems the wires is Silver-plated.  Good pricing, and better that it sound good


----------



## 480126

Whitigir said:


> From that link, it seems the wires is Silver-plated.  Good pricing, and better that it sound good


----------



## ledzep

Anyone know the positive / negative pin on the 64audio iems ? Always thought the pin markers signified the positive and went to the back pin, but someone's sent me a 4.4mm / 2 pin cable to repair and the marker pins are reading negative,


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

ledzep said:


> Anyone know the positive / negative pin on the 64audio iems ? Always thought the pin markers signified the positive and went to the back pin, but someone's sent me a 4.4mm / 2 pin cable to repair and the marker pins are reading negative,



On 2 pin IEM cables, when you connect them to the IEM the dot faces up when they're in your ears.
The dot on the cable is on the +ve side. (The other side is usually ground)
Therefore, the top of your 64 audio IEM is +ve and presumably then the other will be -ve.


----------



## ledzep

JeremyLaurenson said:


> On 2 pin IEM cables, when you connect them to the IEM the dot faces up when they're in your ears.
> The dot on the cable is on the +ve side. (The other side is usually ground)
> Therefore, the top of your 64 audio IEM is +ve and presumably then the other will be -ve.



Thanks for the confirmation, looks like whoever made the cable hasn't paid attention to the dots or polarity.


----------



## Whitigir

ledzep said:


> Thanks for the confirmation, looks like whoever made the cable hasn't paid attention to the dots or polarity.


A lot of people do that  regarding cables and being 3rd party


----------



## gerelmx1986

Surprisingly i've managed to keep my WM1A scratch-free, fall-free for this 1.5 years, some times i wish i haven't sold my NWZ-A17 and keep that one as a on-the-move walkman and leave the WM1A at home


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Surprisingly i've managed to keep my WM1A scratch-free, fall-free for this 1.5 years, some times i wish i haven't sold my NWZ-A17 and keep that one as a on-the-move walkman and leave the WM1A at home


You are screaming Zx300, that does 4.4mm


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> You are screaming Zx300, that does 4.4mm



On the go I’m perfectly happy with my iPhone with Tidal hifi and fully wireless Beoplay E8, so very convenient and still decent sounding


----------



## mwhals

nc8000 said:


> On the go I’m perfectly happy with my iPhone with Tidal hifi and fully wireless Beoplay E8, so very convenient and still decent sounding



I use my iPhone and Sony WH-1000x MK2 when traveling by plane.


----------



## imparanoic

nc8000 said:


> On the go I’m perfectly happy with my iPhone with Tidal hifi and fully wireless Beoplay E8, so very convenient and still decent sounding



once you heard nw-zx300 ( or even a older nw-zx100) on ldac wireless, it will make any regular bluetooth headphones so compressed and lifeless, but if you have happy with it, then that's great


----------



## nc8000

imparanoic said:


> once you heard nw-zx300 ( or even a older nw-zx100) on ldac wireless, it will make any regular bluetooth headphones so compressed and lifeless, but if you have happy with it, then that's great



On the go in noisy public transport and walking in the street most of the finess of better gear is lost in my opinion and I can’t be bothered to carry extra gear or full size phones and fully wireless is really addictive


----------



## buzzlulu

imparanoic said:


> once you heard nw-zx300 ( or even a older nw-zx100) on ldac wireless, it will make any regular bluetooth headphones so compressed and lifeless, but if you have happy with it, then that's great



However you are then limited to the headphones which support the LDAC standard - not exactly a stellar bunch


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> On the go in noisy public transport and walking in the street most of the finess of better gear is lost in my opinion and I can’t be bothered to carry extra gear or full size phones and fully wireless is really addictive


Same for road noise, i compress music to 192 kbps MP3 for the car stereo USB, there is no point of FLAC as the finesse gets often masked


----------



## mwhals

gerelmx1986 said:


> Same for road noise, i compress music to 192 kbps MP3 for the car stereo USB, there is no point of FLAC as the finesse gets often masked



I use 256 kbps AAC on my iPhone for use in the vehicle or with noise canceling headphones on airplanes. No point in my FLAC files at that point since the Sony NW-1000x MK2 headphones and my vehicle stereos are no where as good as my home stereo, desktop system or portable system.


----------



## Whitigir

mwhals said:


> I use 256 kbps AAC on my iPhone for use in the vehicle or with noise canceling headphones on airplanes. No point in my FLAC files at that point since the Sony NW-1000x MK2 headphones and my vehicle stereos are no where as good as my home stereo, desktop system or portable system.



On the go I would do unlimited YouTube streaming plus Beats by Dre! Now I understand why Beats by Dre are selling so well, even Bose


----------



## proedros

i use my 2.5K ciems on the go , with 16/44 FLAC files

**** beats and dr dre and all lame-ass crappy-sounding headphones

(just my 2 cents ofc)


----------



## Quadfather (May 14, 2018)

proedros said:


> i use my 2.5K ciems on the go , with 16/44 FLAC files
> 
> **** beats and dr dre and all lame-ass ****ty-sounding headphones
> 
> (just my 2 cents ofc)



44.1/16 bit, 96KHz/24 bit, and DSD for me.
Shure SRH1540, Sennheiser HD650, Audioquest Nighthawks, AKG K812, and Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7...Sony NW-WM1A, Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, and Questyle QP1R.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

I use my 1a like it’s supposed to be... mobile wherever I go.


----------



## rcoleman1

Whitigir said:


> On the go I would do unlimited YouTube streaming plus Beats by Dre! Now I understand why Beats by Dre are selling so well, even Bose


Beats by Dre...for me NO WAY!


----------



## nc8000

My 1Z and JH13 is used mostly in the evening in the hotel room (I travel about 150 nights per year) and in bed at night at home. About 100 hours per month


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

nc8000 said:


> My 1Z and JH13 is used mostly in the evening in the hotel room (I travel about 150 nights per year) and in bed at night at home. About 100 hours per month


We should compare notes on listening levels. I have Laylas with a 1a and listening currently on the plane at 47 balanced, low gain


----------



## nc8000

JeremyLaurenson said:


> We should compare notes on listening levels. I have Laylas with a 1a and listening currently on the plane at 47 balanced, low gain



I’m normally at 50 balanced low gain


----------



## gerelmx1986

Home WM1A (flac, Hi-res, DSD) + MDR-Z7
Office or travel accomodation/airplane/train/subway WM1A (Flac, Hi-res, DSD) + XBA-Z5
Car USB stick with MP3's


----------



## mwhals

I just use my iPhone to avoid carrying two devices. I do take my QP1R and JH Angie II with me for overnight stays.


----------



## AeroSatan

I'm looking for iems that are a step up from the Z5's and would also ideally work with the Sony mcmx (sp?) headphone connection

Does anyone know if such Iems exist?


----------



## productred

AeroSatan said:


> I'm looking for iems that are a step up from the Z5's and would also ideally work with the Sony mcmx (sp?) headphone connection
> 
> Does anyone know if such Iems exist?



The WM!/Z5 combo is really a class of its own and despite there are many iems costing many times more than the Z5 I have never found one combo that can do what that combo could do, not to say better.

Instead you might be in for a signature change? Can try the Campfire Andromeda (clean and airy) or the Acoustune HS1551 (warm and beefy), both with mmcx connectors.


----------



## Edric Li

JeremyLaurenson said:


> We should compare notes on listening levels. I have Laylas with a 1a and listening currently on the plane at 47 balanced, low gain





nc8000 said:


> I’m normally at 50 balanced low gain



Yall pretty deaf lol


----------



## Edric Li (May 15, 2018)

-


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 16, 2018)

productred said:


> The WM!/Z5 combo is really a class of its own and despite there are many iems costing many times more than the Z5 I have never found one combo that can do what that combo could do, not to say better.
> 
> Instead you might be in for a signature change? Can try the Campfire Andromeda (clean and airy) or the Acoustune HS1551 (warm and beefy), both with mmcx connectors.



I’ve been on a two day 1A and Z5 combo roll using the Sony/China made MUC-M12NB1 Headphone Cable 4.4mm Pentaconn-MMCX.

The ergonomics are such a plus with this cable. I’m not sure how the sound quality will stack up in comparison to what’s out there? Still I’m just going with it.

Don’t know why there is a Z5 back-lash at times, yes, it’s an older flagship. Yes, maybe there is better sound quality out there. It’s funny though.....  as you even have folks invading the Z5 thread to explain how there is so much better out there.

It’s like common, we are enjoying these things, leave us alone. The more you get into them the more they start to reveal, but it’s a slow process as in a way the Z5 in 4.4mm mode is reserved, especially from the WM-1A..........but then it’s like hay “ Jimmy Page’s guitar from HD Physical Graffiti sounds amazing, warm crunchy!” It’s like they are V shaped but at the same time sleepers.
http://www.sony.com.tw/en/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-m12nb1
https://www.amazon.com/XBA-Z5-Balanced-Armature-Headphones-International/dp/B00PF89YXG

https://www.amazon.com/Headphone-Connection-Supported-MUC-M12NB1【Japan-products】/dp/B071WWFG1K


1A DAP now $1098!
https://www.amazon.com/digital-audio-player-Walkman-NW-WM1A/dp/B01LRQZQHW


----------



## gerelmx1986

That is the exact combo i have WM1A + muc-M12NB1 + XBA-Z5


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 16, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> That is the exact combo i have WM1A + muc-M12NB1 + XBA-Z5



It’s pretty good. I actually had the 1Z before and when purchasing the 1A sat and said “ This 1A DAP offers an alternative sound signature you maybe can’t get using EQ with the 1Z?” I still think that. In many ways I look at the two DAPs as being the same. The 1Z is slightly warmer and has maybe slightly more low end, but the 1A offers a surprisingly different soundstage placement of elements. Maybe more midrange, and a faster midrange? It’s like a mechanical midrange?

The 1Z is slightly more intimate and polished, but they are both on the same level in ways?


----------



## meomap

Hi all,

SanDisk 400 gb on sale for 160 usd on Amazon today only.
I just grabbed 1 today with another 50 usd off.


----------



## AeroSatan

Thank you. Will check those out 




productred said:


> The WM!/Z5 combo is really a class of its own and despite there are many iems costing many times more than the Z5 I have never found one combo that can do what that combo could do, not to say better.
> 
> Instead you might be in for a signature change? Can try the Campfire Andromeda (clean and airy) or the Acoustune HS1551 (warm and beefy), both with mmcx connectors.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Thanks, saved $1 less. 





meomap said:


> Hi all,
> 
> SanDisk 400 gb on sale for 160 usd on Amazon today only.
> I just grabbed 1 today with another 50 usd off.


----------



## cthomas

AeroSatan said:


> I'm looking for iems that are a step up from the Z5's and would also ideally work with the Sony mcmx (sp?) headphone connection
> 
> Does anyone know if such Iems exist?



Any IEM with MMCX should work but the fit may not be 100% perfect. I had SE846 on Sony balanced cable and was pretty loose but it worked.


----------



## productred

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s pretty good. I actually had the 1Z before and when purchasing the 1A sat and said “ This 1A DAP offers an alternative sound signature you maybe can’t get using EQ with the Z1?” I still think that. In many ways I look at the two DAPs as being the same. The 1Z is slightly warmer and has maybe slightly more low end, but the 1A offers a surprisingly different soundstage placement of elements. Maybe more midrange, and a faster midrange? It’s like a mechanical midrange?
> 
> The 1Z is slightly more intimate and polished, but they are both on the same level in ways?



As said before I had kept both for quite a long while then in the end I let the 1Z go. In the long run I prefer the sound of the 1A by a not-so-small margin.

Both were fully burnt in while listening. The detail levels are very much the same - the 1A may sound a tiny bit more detailed at the beginning due to the sharper and crisper sound but in the end I found the 1Z just equally as detailed, with details less pronounced and were presented in a lusher way. The 1Z sounds warmer, which I like at times and on certain tracks but dislike at other times. The 1Z soundstage is that kind of euphonic all embracing sort where sounds comes from everywhere, while the 1A soundstage is more precise and focused, and placements of vocals and instruments are positioned with pinpoint accuracy. In the terminology of iems the 1Z may be the flagship audiophile model while the 1A may be the studio monitor version.

The 1A / 1Z debate / discussion can go on forever...................down to preference really. Weight matters to some (me included) too. Both are top dogs no doubt. Definitely same level.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hope next Flagship comes with a least 512GB internal


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 15, 2018)

productred said:


> As said before I had kept both for quite a long while then in the end I let the 1Z go. In the long run I prefer the sound of the 1A by a not-so-small margin.
> 
> Both were fully burnt in while listening. The detail levels are very much the same - the 1A may sound a tiny bit more detailed at the beginning due to the sharper and crisper sound but in the end I found the 1Z just equally as detailed, with details less pronounced and were presented in a lusher way. The 1Z sounds warmer, which I like at times and on certain tracks but dislike at other times. The 1Z soundstage is that kind of euphonic all embracing sort where sounds comes from everywhere, while the 1A soundstage is more precise and focused, and placements of vocals and instruments are positioned with pinpoint accuracy. In the terminology of iems the 1Z may be the flagship audiophile model while the 1A may be the studio monitor version.
> 
> The 1A / 1Z debate / discussion can go on forever...................down to preference really. Weight matters to some (me included) too. Both are top dogs no doubt. Definitely same level.



The strange part is besides tone, the sound-stage instrument placement is different. For me I was listening to see if the 1A was worth adding, as if it was simply the same but slightly more mid-range, there would have been no value to get it. But with songs I knew, the instruments were in a different place?

That's great you sold your 1Z when you could get good resale. Even used as a digital transport, I think there is no difference. Also many like the 1A response better with the Z1R. I like both, but in the beginning the 1A/Z1R combo had more detail.IMO. The low weight of the 1A is a plus too. Holding one pound of copper is not always a great thing. It also looks like memory cards are starting to drop in price, making internal memory issues a thing of the past. I have not heard all the DAPs out there, but I can't imagine $1098.00 getting more?


1A DAP now $1098!
https://www.amazon.com/digital-audio-player-Walkman-NW-WM1A/dp/B01LRQZQHW


----------



## San Man

It's even better when you get a gently used one for hundreds less


----------



## AeroSatan

cthomas said:


> Any IEM with MMCX should work but the fit may not be 100% perfect. I had SE846 on Sony balanced cable and was pretty loose but it worked.


Just wasn't sure which headphones had those. I've tried the SE846's, they're way too bright for me. I was looking for for something similar to the Z5's dark sound signature


----------



## alphanumerix1




----------



## cthomas

AeroSatan said:


> Just wasn't sure which headphones had those. I've tried the SE846's, they're way too bright for me. I was looking for for something similar to the Z5's dark sound signature



Plenty of them use MMCX. If you want warmer I can suggest Westone, maybe the W40. I've never heard the Z5 so not sure what's similar in the IEM world.


----------



## Quadfather

productred said:


> As said before I had kept both for quite a long while then in the end I let the 1Z go. In the long run I prefer the sound of the 1A by a not-so-small margin.
> 
> Both were fully burnt in while listening. The detail levels are very much the same - the 1A may sound a tiny bit more detailed at the beginning due to the sharper and crisper sound but in the end I found the 1Z just equally as detailed, with details less pronounced and were presented in a lusher way. The 1Z sounds warmer, which I like at times and on certain tracks but dislike at other times. The 1Z soundstage is that kind of euphonic all embracing sort where sounds comes from everywhere, while the 1A soundstage is more precise and focused, and placements of vocals and instruments are positioned with pinpoint accuracy. In the terminology of iems the 1Z may be the flagship audiophile model while the 1A may be the studio monitor version.
> 
> The 1A / 1Z debate / discussion can go on forever...................down to preference really. Weight matters to some (me included) too. Both are top dogs no doubt. Definitely same level.



I have the NW-WM1A.  I have been lusting after the NW-WM1Z.


----------



## quodjo105

So we're saying the 1a/1z can't drive the hd 650/800 even in balanced with high gain ?..


----------



## Whitigir

quodjo105 said:


> So we're saying the 1a/1z can't drive the hd 650/800 even in balanced with high gain ?..



Say who ? I know I didn’t.  Though, for a while I thought I was gonna downsize to portable....to hell with it...I am upsizing into a full blown desktop.  This hobby is addictive!


----------



## quodjo105

Whitigir said:


> Say who ? I know I didn’t.  Though, for a while I thought I was gonna downsize to portable....to hell with it...I am upsizing into a full blown desktop.  This hobby is addictive!


Well I've read it sounds thin and not dynamic. True ?


----------



## Whitigir

quodjo105 said:


> Well I've read it sounds thin and not dynamic. True ?


Not for me, no


----------



## mwhals

Whitigir said:


> Say who ? I know I didn’t.  Though, for a while I thought I was gonna downsize to portable....to hell with it...I am upsizing into a full blown desktop.  This hobby is addictive!



Why not both? I have a full blown desktop, portable and full size (doubles as movie surround sound).


----------



## Lookout57

cthomas said:


> Plenty of them use MMCX. If you want warmer I can suggest Westone, maybe the W40. I've never heard the Z5 so not sure what's similar in the IEM world.


I find the W50 to be too bright and switched to Campfire. Their Hybrid or DD only IEMs are much warmer than Westone.


----------



## Edric Li

quodjo105 said:


> So we're saying the 1a/1z can't drive the hd 650/800 even in balanced with high gain ?..



Regarding the HD800: 1A, no. Not enough bass. 1Z, yes. I do it with low gain.


----------



## 480126

Edric Li said:


> Regarding the HD800: 1A, no. Not enough bass. 1Z, yes. I do it with low gain.


For my old ears 1A + HD800s have enough bass! We all have other ears!


----------



## quodjo105

I've just ordered a 4.4mm cable for my hd650 , can't wait to hear it will sound with my 1a in high gain .


----------



## Quadfather

quodjo105 said:


> I've just ordered a 4.4mm cable for my hd650 , can't wait to hear it will sound with my 1a in high gain .



I really enjoy my Sennheiser HD650 headphones on my Sony NW-WM1A from balanced output, in high gain.  I got $59 Earmax balanced cables and they work really well.


----------



## Whitigir

mwhals said:


> Why not both? I have a full blown desktop, portable and full size (doubles as movie surround sound).


I only have a set of ears and limited time to listen


----------



## mwhals

Whitigir said:


> I only have a set of ears and limited time to listen



True. My full size system is used for surround sound with movies 95% of the time. My desktop system when at my desk and my portable system for everything else.


----------



## TSAVJason

mwhals said:


> True. My full size system is used for surround sound with movies 95% of the time. My desktop system when at my desk and my portable system for everything else.



Ah modern man! Audio/Video on demand! ON THE GO!


----------



## aisalen

mwhals said:


> Why not both? I have a full blown desktop, portable and full size (doubles as movie surround sound).


I have the same except that my full size is just a two channel setup.


----------



## mwhals

aisalen said:


> I have the same except that my full size is just a two channel setup.



I use 2 channel for music. Never got into surround music.


----------



## Whitigir

mwhals said:


> I use 2 channel for music. Never got into surround music.


Why not ? Holographic soundstage ?


----------



## nanaholic (May 17, 2018)

In the relevent "why doesn't this DAP have streaming it's such a failure streaming is the future!" sort of way:

https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/16/17361646/tidal-late-royalty-payments

6 months behind on royalty payments does NOT look good for Tidal, looks like Tidal is about to go bottoms up very soon unless they get more funding or a buyer. And people saying streaming is the future aren't really putting money where their mouth is (no surprises there, happens a lot on the internet where the loudest is not the majority). CDs, vinyls and digital downloads-to-own is still the way to go if you really want to build a collection.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> In the relevent "why doesn't this DAP have streaming it's such a failure streaming is the future!" sort of way:
> 
> https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/16/17361646/tidal-late-royalty-payments
> 
> 6 months behind on royalty payments does NOT look good for Tidal, looks like Tidal is about to go bottoms up very soon unless they get more funding or a buyer. And people saying streaming is the future aren't really putting money where their mouth is (no surprises there, happens a lot on the internet where the loudest is not the majority). CDs, vinyls and digital downloads-to-own is still the way to go if you really want to build a collection.



I never “tidal”! I rather collect my own and listen to what I want.  The only streaming I use is YouTube! And that is 5% of time where my iPad can do just fine


----------



## blazinblazin (May 17, 2018)

It's like paying price of 1-2 albums per month and you get access to the whole music database.

Not sure how their financial works and how much per month they pay for the licence of the songs.

For Japan music buying site, you are required to pay for the album or each song price before you get a link to download the songs. Much like buying a soft copy CD. I would think this is a better way for artist.


----------



## aisalen

blazinblazin said:


> It's like paying price of 1-2 albums per month and you get access to the whole music database.
> 
> Not sure how their financial works and how much per month they pay for the licence of the songs.
> 
> For Japan music buying site, you are required to pay for the album or each song price before you get a link to download the songs. Much like buying a soft copy CD. I would think this is a better way for artist.


I also believe this is the way to do it for the artist and the music industry to survive. Me, I don't do streaming and buying physical CD and burning it to flac, it is something of a physical proof of purchase and a collection that you can touch not just heard. Youtube is also my way of discovering new artist. If I like the music, I buy the CD.


----------



## gerelmx1986

For me, the only way to go is CD/Vinyl and digital-download... as in contrary to what @nanaholic says... ANALEKTA sent their customers an email, including me, they are closing down their downloads store because customers changes on how they consume music, STREAMING IS THE FUTURE.. what the hell? Fortunately i have my purchase from them backed-up


----------



## fiascogarcia (May 17, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> In the relevent "why doesn't this DAP have streaming it's such a failure streaming is the future!" sort of way:
> 
> https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/16/17361646/tidal-late-royalty-payments
> 
> 6 months behind on royalty payments does NOT look good for Tidal, looks like Tidal is about to go bottoms up very soon unless they get more funding or a buyer. And people saying streaming is the future aren't really putting money where their mouth is (no surprises there, happens a lot on the internet where the loudest is not the majority). CDs, vinyls and digital downloads-to-own is still the way to go if you really want to build a collection.


Seemed to me that Tidal actually changed when Jay Z and his investors bought it.  The home page with new releases definitely started slanting towards rap and hip hop (what's it called these days?).  I ended up using it less and less and ultimately unsubscribed.  The sound quality, however, is really top notch.


----------



## captblaze

fiascogarcia said:


> Seemed to me that Tidal actually changed when Jay Z and his investors bought it.  The home page with new releases definitely started slanting towards rap and hip hop (what's it called these days?).  I ended up using it less and less and ultimately unsubscribed.  The sound quality, however, is really top notch.



I have a family account and it is a better value @ $30/month for 6 slots, then $20/month for one. I use Tidal primarily to hunt new music and listen  while mobile, then purchase a (SACD if possible) physical copy for my WM1A and other gear later on


----------



## Quadfather (May 17, 2018)

fiascogarcia said:


> Seemed to me that Tidal actually changed when Jay Z and his investors bought it.  The home page with new releases definitely started slanting towards rap and hip hop (what's it called these days?).  I ended up using it less and less and ultimately unsubscribed.  The sound quality, however, is really top notch.



I either own the music, or I don't listen to the music. No streaming for this boy. What the hell happens if your service goes out?  Additionally, like you, I like rap about as much as a head wound.  Give me rock, metal, classical, jazz, and blues please.  Listened to some Hilary Hahn violin last night.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Quadfather said:


> I either on the music, or I don't listen to the music. No streaming for this boy. What the hell happens if your service goes out?  Additionally, like you, I like rap about as much as a head wound.  Give me rock, metal, classical, jazz, and blues please.  Listen to some Hilary Hahn violin last night.


Tidal was always a pretty stable streaming site, but I mostly used my own library of music on my DAP anyway.  I have to admit, Tidal was pretty handy when I would think of some old vinyl I used to own that I would want to hear again, but I just never used it consistently.


----------



## mwhals

I prefer physical CDs that I burn to FLAC files. I have no interest in streaming..


----------



## proedros

rateyourmusic.com for lists etc
youtube to check what seems interesting
web download what i like

WM1A is just what i need for now


----------



## tienbasse

Quadfather said:


> Additionally, like you, I like rap about as much as a head wound.


This made my day.


----------



## kdphan

There are a few reasons why I still keep my Tital hi-fi account active, (1) it's the "ultimate dad rock playlist" they have which has 500 or so tracks in the playlist.  The other reason is to explore new music.

I've streamed less and less this past month.

I think I might cancel it again in a few months once the CD collection builds up again.  

I've started buying CDs again to rip to flac for my walkman.


----------



## ledzep

Tidal / tide  a body of water that washes up crap onto the beach ... Nuff said


----------



## rcoleman1 (May 17, 2018)

Anybody need a BRAND NEW 2.5mm to 4.4mm balanced adapter? Link: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-effect-audio-2-5mm-to-4-4mm-adapter-brand-new-never-used.879973/


----------



## gerelmx1986

I like download to own, not to rent, i pay once for an album i use many times i want. and despite I cannot feel the digital files as a Jewel case or a CD, i know they are on that small box called HDD as 1's and 0's and at least i can feel my walkman touch screen when scrolling my digital files. Which i know i downloaded and transferred to my walkman


----------



## rcoleman1

rcoleman1 said:


> Anybody need a BRAND NEW 2.5mm to 4.4mm balanced adapter? Link: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-effect-audio-2-5mm-to-4-4mm-adapter-brand-new-never-used.879973/


SOLD.


----------



## blazinblazin (May 17, 2018)

For Japan online, not only you can buy lostless flac 16bits, also HR 24bits and DSD version of the albums only can be found online exclusive.

Sometimes i am not sure i want to buy physical CD for the freebies that comes with the album or a HR 24bit format.


----------



## emrelights1973

Actually Tidal sells Flac Albums as well


----------



## Luckyleo

Snowball0906 said:


> But I’ve read some reviews that hd650 sounds better than 660s? What do u think?



What do you think?  That's what counts IMHO.  That being said, my 660s is great all round headphone.  I enjoy it, but can't comment on the others as I've not listened to them.  Good luck in your search.


----------



## Audiophonicalistic

One thing I dont enjoy about streaming is how you select your favorite artists and then the algorithm still gives you the super mainstream pop/rap playlists. Cmon man I dont like that music. 

Tidal is in some trouble apparently for faking streaming plays. I buy pretty much all my music, but I do use apple to see if I like an album though. Very handy.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

I have notice a lot more “current” music on HdTracks the last few months. 

Anyone know how long after a red book release it usually takes them to get content?


----------



## gerelmx1986

JeremyLaurenson said:


> I have notice a lot more “current” music on HdTracks the last few months.
> 
> Anyone know how long after a red book release it usually takes them to get content?


Dunno for HD tracks but qobuz is even before the atucl redbook release. Presto classical, two months after the redbook CD is released they get as digital downloads (not all are such- some are just sold as CDs)


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I hate classical music . I hear that cr@p on flights and airport and I wish I could jump off the plane. Not to mention most online download stores have a vast majority of that music.


----------



## gerelmx1986

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I hate classical music . I hear that cr@p on flights and airport and I wish I could jump off the plane. Not to mention most online download stores have a vast majority of that music.


Oh you´d be my perfect Classical-music guantanamo torture victim , haha i would lock all the car doors with the child lock haha and pump the volum eup loud to Mozart operas , Chopin piano music LOL, yeah i can lock you in a cublicle fullof speakers and torture you with Harpsichord music


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Even writing that post tortured me.

As for being your victim, I will pass out before I know what’s happening.

Knowing you’re into that kinda of music please dont abuse the Walkman with that genre


----------



## kdphan

Anyone know how to bypass the french site for buying music on Qobuz?


----------



## gerelmx1986

kdphan said:


> Anyone know how to bypass the french site for buying music on Qobuz?


You need to write an email to them asking if they can unblok your account. That happened to me and i worte to them i couldn't download a Boccherini album and they unlocked my account


----------



## Hanafuda (May 18, 2018)

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I hate classical music . I hear that cr@p on flights and airport and I wish I could jump off the plane. Not to mention most online download stores have a vast majority of that music.



Hey, wanna check out my Deutsche Grammophon "Herbert von Karajan, Complete Recordings" collection in FLAC? About 330 CD's worth, mostly Berliner Philharmoniker. You'd dig it the most.


----------



## Music junky

anyone having issue with kse1500 and nw 1ma. not wainting to play together ? handshake issues.


----------



## harishmirror (May 19, 2018)

zardos said:


> Andromeda on 1Z is nothing special. First Andromeda isn‘t known to scale very well and second it likes more OI to sound the most balanced.





Hi, hate to document this..... tried the Andromedas in an out since yesterday. Just before listing them for sale the final audio eartips worked for me finally in unleasing the true potential of the Andros. Listening to my 3yr pal Z5s and Andros back to back.. The Andros are a scale up in every aspect including 'bass texure'. No comparison, But the Andros are 3 times the cost of my Z5's though 

This is coming from a die hard sony fan. My gear are listed below, none of them come closer to the Andromedas imaging, I am rediscovering my music albums now.

Cassette/Disk Walkmans, ZX2, WM1Z, EX700LP, XB90EX, EX1000, XBA4, XBA-Z5 etc.


----------



## Darksoul

Man, I never thought I'd call my self an owner of something the caliber of the WM1A, my pockets aren't deep whatsoever, I just save diligently. But I knew I could never save enough, nor rationalize or justify purchasing a 1200 USD DAP, new or used. But I think I lucked out this weekend. I got this for 570 USD NEW at a local Sony store, it's not cheap by any standards, but still. I'm feeling like I robbed the guy who sold me this thing, I asked like three times: "Are you sure that's the price?" The guys was like yes, yes, yes. And here I am, I will post pics as soon as I charge this thing, update the firmware and stock it full of my music collection.


----------



## Hanafuda

Darksoul said:


> Man, I never thought I'd call my self an owner of something the caliber of the WM1A, my pockets aren't deep whatsoever, I just save diligently. But I knew I could never save enough, nor rationalize or justify purchasing a 1200 USD DAP, new or used. But I think I lucked out this weekend. I got this for 570 USD NEW at a local Sony store, it's not cheap by any standards, but still. I'm feeling like I robbed the guy who sold me this thing, I asked like three times: "Are you sure that's the price?" The guys was like yes, yes, yes. And here I am, I will post pics as soon as I charge this thing, update the firmware and stock it full of my music collection.




Even at that price, a round trip to the closest Sony Store from where I live would make up the difference in gas money.


----------



## Mizukage

Darksoul said:


> Man, I never thought I'd call my self an owner of something the caliber of the WM1A, my pockets aren't deep whatsoever, I just save diligently. But I knew I could never save enough, nor rationalize or justify purchasing a 1200 USD DAP, new or used. But I think I lucked out this weekend. I got this for 570 USD NEW at a local Sony store, it's not cheap by any standards, but still. I'm feeling like I robbed the guy who sold me this thing, I asked like three times: "Are you sure that's the price?" The guys was like yes, yes, yes. And here I am, I will post pics as soon as I charge this thing, update the firmware and stock it full of my music collection.


That's a better price than the WM1a I got from the classifieds here.  I paid $800 but it was a never used, still in the sealed box wrapped in plastic.  The seller said new, but I did not think it was never opened.  I'm so happy I purchased it and I'm having a hard time leaving it alone while burning it in.  Happy listening fellow new user


----------



## nc8000

Mizukage said:


> That's a better price than the WM1a I got from the classifieds here.  I paid $800 but it was a never used, still in the sealed box wrapped in plastic.  The seller said new, but I did not think it was never opened.  I'm so happy I purchased it and I'm having a hard time leaving it alone while burning it in.  Happy listening fellow new user



Don’t leave it alone, enjoy it right away and experience the changes as they happen


----------



## Mizukage

nc8000 said:


> Don’t leave it alone, enjoy it right away and experience the changes as they happen


Yeah, I've been failing pretty miserably with the leaving it alone and have settled into my favorite chair enjoying the music.


----------



## Darksoul

Mizukage said:


> That's a better price than the WM1a I got from the classifieds here.  I paid $800 but it was a never used, still in the sealed box wrapped in plastic.  The seller said new, but I did not think it was never opened.  I'm so happy I purchased it and I'm having a hard time leaving it alone while burning it in.  Happy listening fellow new user



Thank you, will do. Now a whole different quest begins. Where do I go about procuring a balanced, silver plated cable, with angled MMCX connectors and a 4.4 mm balanced connector...


----------



## Mizukage

Darksoul said:


> Thank you, will do. Now a whole different quest begins. Where do I go about procuring a balanced, silver plated cable, with angled MMCX connectors and a 4.4 mm balanced connector...


I used LQi Cables from my Cascades. They also custom order cables and they're reasonable.  Check out the Cables thread I'm sure there will be some good recommendations there.


----------



## Darksoul

Mizukage said:


> I used LQi Cables from my Cascades. They also custom order cables and they're reasonable.  Check out the Cables thread I'm sure there will be some good recommendations there.



LQi cables it shall be, ordered exactly what I wanted. Now that I've put most of my music in here, I've noticed that the WM1A doesn't "split"  FLAC files with the .cue files. It reproduces the entire file, the SQ is amazing indeed. However, it irks me a bit that a modest Fiio X3-II can read .cue files and figure everything out. I guess I'm going to have to go about splitting my FLAC files and import them that way. Unless I'm missing something.


----------



## Mizukage

Glad you found what you wanted.  The sound quality is amazing, FLAC is great, but I especially love the way DSDs sound on it.  As far as I know there is no .cue support, but you may want to search the thread to see if someone found a way.


----------



## Hanafuda

I know I read somewhere here(?) that if making playlists the included songs must all be on either the internal memory, or the sd card, i.e. no mixing the two storage areas on playlists. Ok, so question from ignorance - does the player UI differentiate between the two storage areas in any other way? Suppose I have 2 albums of Cheap Trick on the internal memory, and 3 albums of Cheap Trick on the microsd --- assuming everything's been tagged correctly do they all show up together when select Artist: Cheap Trick?


----------



## alphanumerix1 (May 20, 2018)

rad


----------



## kdphan

Darksoul said:


> Man, I never thought I'd call my self an owner of something the caliber of the WM1A, my pockets aren't deep whatsoever, I just save diligently. But I knew I could never save enough, nor rationalize or justify purchasing a 1200 USD DAP, new or used. But I think I lucked out this weekend. I got this for 570 USD NEW at a local Sony store, it's not cheap by any standards, but still. I'm feeling like I robbed the guy who sold me this thing, I asked like three times: "Are you sure that's the price?" The guys was like yes, yes, yes. And here I am, I will post pics as soon as I charge this thing, update the firmware and stock it full of my music collection.


I'll buy a 2nd WM1a at that price


----------



## San Man

You should've bought all that they had at that price and re-sold them


----------



## nc8000

Hanafuda said:


> I know I read somewhere here(?) that if making playlists the included songs must all be on either the internal memory, or the sd card, i.e. no mixing the two storage areas on playlists. Ok, so question from ignorance - does the player UI differentiate between the two storage areas in any other way? Suppose I have 2 albums of Cheap Trick on the internal memory, and 3 albums of Cheap Trick on the microsd --- assuming everything's been tagged correctly do they all show up together when select Artist: Cheap Trick?



They’ll show up together


----------



## Darksoul

San Man said:


> You should've bought all that they had at that price and re-sold them



That's a good idea, If I'd knew anyone who would want to buy a WM1A. There aren't many audiophiles in Colombia, and even if I found someone to sell it outside of my country, I'd make a profit of 300 USD, at most, for one time; also they only had 3. And like I said, my pockets aren't deep; adding the cost of the custom cable, I made a sizable dent in my monthly expenses and savings. So yeah, most I could afford was one.


----------



## flyer1

Reached the 200hours milestone on my 1Z today. Few things I noticed: 

Burn in definitely has an effect on this player though it sounded great from the beginning it only got better and better. Amazing how the 1Z even makes recordings I considered to be harsh in the past sound smooth now, sometimes with the help of DSEE HX. 

Volume levels fluctuated in the first 150hours leading to listening pleasure sometimes being better and at other times worse. Player now seems to be at a steady 5-10% louder all the time. Anyone can explain why the amplifier was behaving like that?


----------



## Quadfather (May 20, 2018)

I am really beginning to enjoy the Sony NW-WM1A, paired with Sennheiser HD650 headphones with Earmax cable.


----------



## gerelmx1986

MDR-Z7, and WM1A


----------



## Hanafuda

gerelmx1986 said:


> MDR-Z7, and WM1A



Nice! Where'd you get a Sony OEM balanced plug cable for the Z7? I know they make one and include it with the Z1R, but afaik they don't sell it separately. I'm considering the exact combo you've got there and I thought the Kimber cable MUC-B20SB1 was the only option from Sony.


----------



## ledzep

gerelmx1986 said:


> MDR-Z7, and WM1A



True unlocked potential of the Z7's 
Damping mod to cups and solid silver re wired internals coupled up with a solid silver cable with a furutech rhodium 4.4mm and 2 X Oyaide platinum and palladium 3.5mm's


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hanafuda said:


> Nice! Where'd you get a Sony OEM balanced plug cable for the Z7? I know they make one and include it with the Z1R, but afaik they don't sell it separately. I'm considering the exact combo you've got there and I thought the Kimber cable MUC-B20SB1 was the only option from Sony.


The OEM plug was a gift from @asquare3376


----------



## BigPoppa99

Just picked these up from Amazon.  2 weeks shipping to the US 

*Magic Mini Dust Plugs For Sony NW-WM1A / NW-WM1Z (Black)*

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BT639LX/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## kms108

BigPoppa99 said:


> Just picked these up from Amazon.  2 weeks shipping to the US
> 
> *Magic Mini Dust Plugs For Sony NW-WM1A / NW-WM1Z (Black)*
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BT639LX/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


 Search for the brand name benks, they also make one of the best protector for the WM1A/1Z


----------



## BigPoppa99

I ddn't know these were on amazon  I tried buying them from the siite that was linked on here a couple of months ago.  With shipping it came out to 40USD and that was with the cheapest shipping.  My package was lost and they issued me a refund and then I saw these on Amazon.  9.99 free shipping.


----------



## kms108

BigPoppa99 said:


> I ddn't know these were on amazon  I tried buying them from the siite that was linked on here a couple of months ago.  With shipping it came out to 40USD and that was with the cheapest shipping.  My package was lost and they issued me a refund and then I saw these on Amazon.  9.99 free shipping.


It does cost more than the original price which should be about USD 4.50, but they are hard to get hold off, even though It's available in China for that price, none of the sellers will ship them out to Hong Kong, but other product they are willing to ship out, so at the end, I just used the original Sony plugs which only cost USD 1 each, and you do get a set with the ZX300, not sure about the WM1a/z models.

Anyway, they are with the money for USD10 with free shipping.


----------



## captblaze

BigPoppa99 said:


> Just picked these up from Amazon.  2 weeks shipping to the US
> 
> *Magic Mini Dust Plugs For Sony NW-WM1A / NW-WM1Z (Black)*
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BT639LX/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



there are these plugs also:

https://encompass.com/item/10990728/Sony/4-591-289-01/Cap_(jack),_Btl

the 2 others are listed on the bottom of the page as "frequently bought together"


----------



## Quadfather

I wonder if there will be a 40th anniversary Walkman...


https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/...tail-shift-away-from-gadgets-in-mid-term-plan


----------



## quodjo105

Just got this 4.4mm cable from a UK cable company (OIDIO sound) . Really nice and well done cable at a good price . The hd650 sound really good from the balanced output of the wm1a. I was a bit skeptical about it's ability to drive the hd650, but I'm actually satisfied with the outcome .


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 21, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> I wonder if there will be a 40th anniversary Walkman...
> 
> 
> https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/...tail-shift-away-from-gadgets-in-mid-term-plan


Maybe it will be the last walkman produced? Of all sony stuff i've bought I like the MDR-Z7, XBA-Z5 and the WM1A for audio and the Alpha mirrorless camera i bought in 2016 and the VAIO multi-flip PC from 2014


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> Maybe it will be the last walkman produced? Of all sony stuff i've bought I like the MDR-Z7, XBA-Z5 and the WM1A for audio and the Alpha mirrorless camera i bought in 2016 and the VAIO multi-flip PC from 2014


That article does not say a thing. I do know we have pretty big Sony camera presence in Asia. Amazing to see Sony get ahead in an arena which was only Canon and Nikon 10 years ago.


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> Maybe it will be the last walkman produced? Of all sony stuff i've bought I like the MDR-Z7, XBA-Z5 and the WM1A for audio and the Alpha mirrorless camera i bought in 2016 and the VAIO multi-flip PC from 2014



Sony is making decent money on audio visual and cameras, smartphone on the other hand they've been losing money for a long time. Logically speaking getting rid of smartphones is probably their first step, though I'd hate to see that happen as that means there's going to be no more widely available Japanese phone makers playing in the Android field (Fujitsu is limited to Japan and their phone quality is quite questionable, and Sharp is no longer Japanese as Foxconn bought them).


----------



## superuser1

nanaholic said:


> Sony is making decent money on audio visual and cameras, smartphone on the other hand they've been losing money for a long time. Logically speaking getting rid of smartphones is probably their first step, though I'd hate to see that happen as that means there's going to be no more widely available Japanese phone makers playing in the Android field (Fujitsu is limited to Japan and their phone quality is quite questionable, and Sharp is no longer Japanese as Foxconn bought them).


Fujitsu made one the best laptops in the late 90s. The build quality was exceptional, i wonder what happened to them!


----------



## nanaholic (May 21, 2018)

superuser1 said:


> Fujitsu made one the best laptops in the late 90s. The build quality was exceptional, i wonder what happened to them!



Same as Toshiba - fell from the top with poor management decisions and not able to adapt to the market conditions. Which is pretty much the same for all the Japanese manufacturers of computers. Sony, Toshiba, Fujitsu, Sharp - all the same. Fujitsu is lucky as they have large government contracts selling domestically made PC (mandated by law I believe - security issues etc) which keeps their PC business going.


----------



## kms108

superuser1 said:


> Fujitsu made one the best laptops in the late 90s. The build quality was exceptional, i wonder what happened to them!


They still do, but only those expensive top of the range one which are still made in japan, mid to cheap laptops are mainly from acer rebadged.


----------



## pietcux

quodjo105 said:


> Just got this 4.4mm cable from a UK cable company (OIDIO sound) . Really nice and well done cable at a good price . The hd650 sound really good from the balanced output of the wm1a. I was a bit skeptical about it's ability to drive the hd650, but I'm actually satisfied with the outcome .


Look what the WM1A can also do:



 
And it does it with authority!


----------



## ledzep

superuser1 said:


> Fujitsu made one the best laptops in the late 90s. The build quality was exceptional, i wonder what happened to them![/QUOTE
> 
> Fujitsu is the world's fifth-largest IT services provider and No.1 in Japan $41billiion last fiscal year, I'd say doing ok


----------



## quodjo105

pietcux said:


> Look what the WM1A can also do:
> 
> And it does it with authority!


Beauty..


----------



## proedros

sony wm1a is amazing with well produced recordings

listening to a Prelude records collection (NYC record company that thrived in good disco/boogie music in late 70s/early 80s) and it's sonic bliss

amazing separation with the 4.4 thing , too

whoever bought wm1a for 570$ , bought himself one hell of a bargain


----------



## quodjo105

Do WM1a owners feel the itch to upgrade to the 1Z?.. Currently going through that phase, but trying hard to ignore..lol


----------



## Quadfather

quodjo105 said:


> Do WM1a owners feel the itch to upgrade to the 1Z?.. Currently going through that phase, but trying hard to ignore..lol



I have the urge, but I would keep both since they have different signatures.


----------



## quodjo105

Quadfather said:


> I have the urge, but I would keep both since they have different signatures.


Good thing for me though is there isn't one available at good price in the sale thread yet . I refuse to pay full retail price for the 1Z.. lol


----------



## Quadfather

quodjo105 said:


> Good thing for me though is there isn't one available at good price in the sale thread yet . I refuse to pay full retail price for the 1Z.. lol



Sometimes Razordog audio has really good sales on demo units.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

Anyone know of a brick-and-mortar store in the Seattle area stocking the 1A?


----------



## yakitoroi

ruthieandjohn said:


> Anyone know of a brick-and-mortar store in the Seattle area stocking the 1A?


Not sure how close you are to one but the Bestbuys where i live carries them and have them paired with mdr-z7’s. I have the 1z and whenever I stop by bestbuy I always go to check out the 1A because i believe if Batman should ever own a portable player it would be the 1A.


----------



## San Man

quodjo105 said:


> Do WM1a owners feel the itch to upgrade to the 1Z?.. Currently going through that phase, but trying hard to ignore..lol



No.   The sound sig of the 1z isn't to my liking


----------



## kdphan

ruthieandjohn said:


> Anyone know of a brick-and-mortar store in the Seattle area stocking the 1A?


Check your local bestbuy

Mine carries both the WM1A and the older ZX2


----------



## ruthieandjohn

yakitoroi said:


> Not sure how close you are to one but the Bestbuys where i live carries them and have them paired with mdr-z7’s. I have the 1z and whenever I stop by bestbuy I always go to check out the 1A because i believe if Batman should ever own a portable player it would be the 1A.


Thanks.   However, closest Best Buy (Spokane) seems to not actually stock them but can get one in a few days if ordered.


----------



## San Man

Get it from Razordog.  It's grey market, but you'll save a lot of money vs BB, or check the classifieds for a new/used one.


----------



## Darksoul

Mah brick, and with the mandatory song with the HR icon on it...


----------



## Hanafuda (May 21, 2018)

Questions: if I buy one of these in Japan, should I do the firmware update using the Japanese file from sony.jp? Should I do the firmware first (assuming it needs it) before Rockbox to English? Or if I do the region change w/ Rockbox first, can I then use the firmware update for that region? Also, is it ok to just jump right to the 2.0 firmware regardless of the firmware version out of the box?


----------



## nc8000

Hanafuda said:


> Questions: if I buy one of these in Japan, should I do the firmware update using the Japanese file from sony.jp? Should I do the firmware first (assuming it needs it) before Rockbox to English? Or if I do the region change w/ Rockbox first, can I then use the firmware update for that region? Also, is it ok to just jump right to the 2.0 firmware regardless of the firmware version out of the box?



There is only one fw for all regions, you can do rocbox before or after and you can go straight to 2.0


----------



## Hanafuda

nc8000 said:


> There is only one fw for all regions, you can do rocbox before or after and you can go straight to 2.0




So I can just pull the file off the US sony site and follow the English instructions? I can actually read Japanese on about a 1st grade level, but yeah that simplifies things considerably lol. Thanks.


----------



## nc8000

Hanafuda said:


> So I can just pull the file off the US sony site and follow the English instructions? I can actually read Japanese on about a 1st grade level, but yeah that simplifies things considerably lol. Thanks.



I belive so yes but as I don’t have a Japan unit I have not actually tried it


----------



## Hanafuda

nc8000 said:


> I belive so yes but as I don’t have a Japan unit I have not actually tried it




I'm sure there are a few here with Japan-bought WM1's who will confirm or elaborate. Anyone? Bueller?


----------



## pietcux

Hanafuda said:


> I'm sure there are a few here with Japan-bought WM1's who will confirm or elaborate. Anyone? Bueller?


We have a search funktion here.


----------



## Hanafuda

pietcux said:


> We have a search funktion here.




I searched the thread for 'japan firmware' and got only 22 results, several of which were the posts above and none of the rest were on point.


----------



## flipper203

I bought my WM1A in singapore and no problem to update it with the english install file. It works like a charm


----------



## hireslover

I owned my LPG for the last 2 to 3 years still sounds great. In my opinion no comparison. I'm looking for something better than the LPG in SQ. Right now I'm having my eyes on WM1Z as an upgrade. Is it like a WOW difference? What do you guys think?


----------



## Tawek

I had lpg for 1.5 year, we all hear differently in my opinion 1z definitely sounds more pleasant in many genres of music is more natural, more engaging...


----------



## nc8000

hireslover said:


> I owned my LPG for the last 2 to 3 years still sounds great. In my opinion no comparison. I'm looking for something better than the LPG in SQ. Right now I'm having my eyes on WM1Z as an upgrade. Is it like a WOW difference? What do you guys think?



I’ve never heard the LPG but my guess would be that the 1Z would be more like a different experience rather than a WOW upgrade/improvement


----------



## blazinblazin

Hmm... using WM1A from few months after it official released till now... i felt that it can last me maybe 10years or more. Unless of cause the battery died.

It is so stable i had little or no problem with it. No hang or auto restart.


----------



## Giraku

Hanafuda said:


> I'm sure there are a few here with Japan-bought WM1's who will confirm or elaborate. Anyone? Bueller?


I bought a Japanese unit. And I confirm that the firmware update downloaded from US site worked without any problem. I converted the country code after that. It also worked no problem.


----------



## Hanafuda

flipper203 said:


> I bought my WM1A in singapore and no problem to update it with the english install file. It works like a charm





Giraku said:


> I bought a Japanese unit. And I confirm that the firmware update downloaded from US site worked without any problem. I converted the country code after that. It also worked no problem.



Thanks guys.


----------



## nc8000

blazinblazin said:


> Hmm... using WM1A from few months after it official released till now... i felt that it can last me maybe 10years or more. Unless of cause the battery died.
> 
> It is so stable i had little or no problem with it. No hang or auto restart.



Yes I can’t see me replacing my 1Z until it fails and can’t be repaired, can’t see what could be better for my use case which is exclusive my own flac library. The same as with my JH13 that I have had for over 8 years now


----------



## Quadfather

Another article...


https://gizmodo.com/sony-please-dont-give-up-on-gadgets-1826205738/amp


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 22, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> Another article...
> 
> 
> https://gizmodo.com/sony-please-dont-give-up-on-gadgets-1826205738/amp


They should ditch smartphones, period, TV i am not sure, Audio No way, it stays


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Hard to believe this gadget will go down in the history books of electronics as a ‘dead format’ if ever it happens. 
We then have to hold on to this Walkman (as Sony lovers) dearly considering the price we paid for it and the few dollars we may get as a second hand product.Also in 20-30 years there will be no Sony enthusiasts to collect it, considering discmans and cassette walkmans are still selling now.





gerelmx1986 said:


> They should ditch smartphones, period, TV i am not sure, Audio No way, it stays


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am just getting on the idea, that maybe in the future we will need to decide between Fiio, A&K, iBasso and others, damn...


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am just getting on the idea, that maybe in the future we will need to decide between Fiio, A&K, iBasso and others, damn...




Never.


----------



## kubig123

Quadfather said:


> Another article...
> 
> 
> https://gizmodo.com/sony-please-dont-give-up-on-gadgets-1826205738/amp



On the other side Sony purchase the majority of EMI, there is still hope...

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-worlds-biggest-music-publisher-idUSKCN1IN01F


----------



## Icekuma

Darksoul said:


> LQi cables it shall be, ordered exactly what I wanted. Now that I've put most of my music in here, I've noticed that the WM1A doesn't "split"  FLAC files with the .cue files. It reproduces the entire file, the SQ is amazing indeed. However, it irks me a bit that a modest Fiio X3-II can read .cue files and figure everything out. I guess I'm going to have to go about splitting my FLAC files and import them that way. Unless I'm missing something.



I use XLD https://sourceforge.net/projects/xld/ to split single flac file provided there is cue. 

Work well


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 22, 2018)

Answer to Japanese Firmware issues, when purchasing 1A from Japan.

https://www.sony.com/electronics/walkman/nw-zx300

I was going to buy a  WM NW ZX300 in Japan from the Sony store but it was not using the international FW. Maybe could have been changed, but I didn’t want one all that much. But the 1A and 1Z are fine getting from Japan and upgrading to 2.0. You simply choose which language you want when it first turns on. I’ve purchased both the 1A and 1Z as Japan Export Models from Singapore, they both worked that way. If you do a complete reset same stuff comes up. It’s simple as you can choose English when first turning them on. If you hook it up to a computer you can download 2.0 and upgrade whenever you choose.


----------



## Hanafuda

Redcarmoose said:


> Answer to Japanese Firmware issues, when purchasing 1A from Japan.
> 
> https://www.sony.com/electronics/walkman/nw-zx300
> 
> I was going to buy a  WM NW ZX300 in Japan from the Sony store but it was not using the international FW. Maybe could have been changed, but I didn’t want one all that much. But the 1A and 1Z are fine getting from Japan and upgrading to 2.0. You simply choose which language you want when it first turns on. I’ve purchased both the 1A and 1Z as Japan Export Models from Singapore, they both worked that way. If you do a complete reset same stuff comes up. It’s simple as you can choose English when first turning them on. If you hook it up to a computer you can download 2.0 and upgrade whenever you choose.



Are you saying you don't even need to use the Rockbox destination tool? Well, either way I'll manage but that's a real selling point for the WM1A if buying in Japan.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 22, 2018)

Hanafuda said:


> Are you saying you don't even need to use the Rockbox destination tool? Well, either way I'll manage but that's a real selling point for the WM1A if buying in Japan.


Yes, but I’m in Indonesia if that matters. Last I used Rockbox was for playing FLAC files on IPods, years ago.

If you go back into this thread a week or four  you will read about this subject before. I think most agree you’ll have no issue with a Japanese 1A or 1Z. For whatever reason the ZX300 was not changeable. The gal at the flagship store told me that since I was used to navigating the 1A and 1Z in English I would have no issues with the same Japanese firmware in the ZX300, but I just wasn’t game. The other ZX300s around Tokyo looked to all be in Japanese(obviously).......but I didn’t look at them that close. The gal at Sony spoke perfect English and knew much.

The 1As from Japan actually say “Japan Tourist Edition” on the box. Still if I remember right the Japan mainland Walkmans had volume caps? But I’m pretty sure all can be uncapped now, with firmware 2.0 update?


----------



## superuser1

Personally i have heard people change the destination code and sound uncapped on 1Z, 1A and zx300.. all Japanese versions.


----------



## Hanafuda (May 22, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, but I’m in Indonesia if that matters. Last I used Rockbox was for playing FLAC files on IPods, years ago.
> 
> If you go back into this thread a week or four  you will read about this subject before. I think most agree you’ll have no issue with a Japanese 1A or 1Z. For whatever reason the ZX300 was not changeable. The gal at the flagship store told me that since I was used to navigating the 1A and 1Z in English I would have no issues with the same Japanese firmware in the ZX300, but I just wasn’t game. The other ZX300s around Tokyo looked to all be in Japanese(obviously).......but I didn’t look at them that close. The gal at Sony spoke perfect English and knew much.
> 
> The 1As from Japan actually say “Japan Tourist Edition” on the box. Still if I remember right the Japan mainland Walkmans had volume caps? But I’m pretty sure all can be uncapped now, with firmware 2.0 update?




First I've heard of a sound cap on Japanese models, of any variety.

I most likely won't be buying a 'tourist version,' nor will I be buying at Sony's store. AFAIK they have tax free, but the price is still full retail. Bic Camera has discounted prices to begin with (on most things, sadly not the Z1R anymore), then tax free, then another 7% off after that. It makes quite a difference. If I walked in their store right now, the 1A would be $956 USD out the door. Sony Store, about $1079.


----------



## kms108

Redcarmoose said:


> Answer to Japanese Firmware issues, when purchasing 1A from Japan.
> 
> https://www.sony.com/electronics/walkman/nw-zx300
> 
> I was going to buy a  WM NW ZX300 in Japan from the Sony store but it was not using the international FW. Maybe could have been changed, but I didn’t want one all that much. But the 1A and 1Z are fine getting from Japan and upgrading to 2.0. You simply choose which language you want when it first turns on. I’ve purchased both the 1A and 1Z as Japan Export Models from Singapore, they both worked that way. If you do a complete reset same stuff comes up. It’s simple as you can choose English when first turning them on. If you hook it up to a computer you can download 2.0 and upgrade whenever you choose.


The Zx300 is only sold in Japan as a domestic only model (Japanese language only), the tourist version wont be released in Japan, on the other hand, the 1Z and 1A in Japan are sold as a domestic version (Japanese Language only) and tourist version (multi language), all the current sony os hi res models can use the rockbox tool to change region.


----------



## kms108

Hanafuda said:


> Are you saying you don't even need to use the Rockbox destination tool? Well, either way I'll manage but that's a real selling point for the WM1A if buying in Japan.


only the tourist version sold at the sony store.


----------



## Hanafuda

kms108 said:


> only the tourist version sold at the sony store.




Yeah I got that now. It's worth thinking about -- we've got family and friends in Japan if warranty coverage were needed, but there's the PITA factor.


----------



## kms108

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, but I’m in Indonesia if that matters. Last I used Rockbox was for playing FLAC files on IPods, years ago.
> 
> If you go back into this thread a week or four  you will read about this subject before. I think most agree you’ll have no issue with a Japanese 1A or 1Z. For whatever reason the ZX300 was not changeable. The gal at the flagship store told me that since I was used to navigating the 1A and 1Z in English I would have no issues with the same Japanese firmware in the ZX300, but I just wasn’t game. The other ZX300s around Tokyo looked to all be in Japanese(obviously).......but I didn’t look at them that close. The gal at Sony spoke perfect English and knew much.
> 
> The 1As from Japan actually say “Japan Tourist Edition” on the box. Still if I remember right the Japan mainland Walkmans had volume caps? But I’m pretty sure all can be uncapped now, with firmware 2.0 update?


I have the Zx300 japanese version, you know this because they don't have a name plate on the back, and I purchased my from Amazon Japan, I have no problem keep the the Japan F/W with english language.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 22, 2018)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/hanafuda.49406/

I went to three Bic Cameras and purchased stuff from two of them. Great to deal with. I think you have to spend more than $50 to get the tax free. Looks like the above two answers answered the question. Nice to know ZX300s can be put in English too!

Enjoy your gear when you get it!


----------



## superuser1

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/hanafuda.49406/
> 
> I went to three Bic Cameras and purchased stuff from two of them. Great to deal with. I think you have to spend more than $50 to get the tax free. Looks like the above two answers answered the question. Nice to know ZX300s can be put in English too!
> 
> Enjoy your gear when you get it!


As far as vat refund (tax free) goes I remember the amount being a minimum of $150 or 200


----------



## Hanafuda

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/hanafuda.49406/
> 
> I went to three Bic Cameras and purchased stuff from two of them. Great to deal with. I think you have to spend more than $50 to get the tax free. Looks like the above two answers answered the question. Nice to know ZX300s can be put in English too!
> 
> Enjoy your gear when you get it!




Bic Camera's definitely my favorite of the big camera/electronics retailers. 

Did you get a chance to see that clock in Ginza?


----------



## Giraku

I bought a WM1A from Bic Camera. That was a pure Japanese version. Later I bought a WM1Z and sold the 1A in here US (eBay). Before selling, I updated the firmware to 2.0 and changed the destination code so that the system shows English. Before changing the destination code, it only showed Japanese (btw, I read Japanese so no problem for me). Anyway, it is relatively easy to change the destination code. So go for the lowest price you can get. I even negotiated to get a discount at Bic Camera. They usually come down a bit.
BTW, there is no volume cap on a Japanese version.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

Awhat is a good way to get from the 4.4mm balanced output of the 1A or 1Z to a 4 pin XLR connector?


----------



## gerelmx1986

ruthieandjohn said:


> Awhat is a good way to get from the 4.4mm balanced output of the 1A or 1Z to a 4 pin XLR connector?


Try Plussound


----------



## hireslover

Giraku said:


> I bought a WM1A from Bic Camera. That was a pure Japanese version. Later I bought a WM1Z and sold the 1A in here US (eBay). Before selling, I updated the firmware to 2.0 and changed the destination code so that the system shows English. Before changing the destination code, it only showed Japanese (btw, I read Japanese so no problem for me). Anyway, it is relatively easy to change the destination code. So go for the lowest price you can get. I even negotiated to get a discount at Bic Camera. They usually come down a bit.
> BTW, there is no volume cap on a Japanese version.


Do Bic Camera ship to the US?


----------



## nanaholic

Regarding the whole "Sony's not going to make gadget" thing:

https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1123073.html

This news piece specifically said that the new strategy is focusing on 3 key areas: Contents, Branded Hardware, maintaining CMOS market lead.  First and third is self explanatory. Branded Hardware is then broken down into Home Entertainment and Sound, Imagining Products and Mobile Communications - that's also self explanatory. eg very little is going to change, Sony is still going to be making Bravia TVs, Walkmans, Alpha Cameras, and Xperia smartphones. The emphasis on "branded" says to me that Sony might have been OEMing stuff and that's losing them money, and that's where the slimming down is going to occur.

I have no idea how the english coverage has turned out completely different, well just tells me again to never trust secondhand translated sources but go directly to the source (if I can read them).


----------



## Redcarmoose

Hanafuda said:


> Bic Camera's definitely my favorite of the big camera/electronics retailers.
> 
> Did you get a chance to see that clock in Ginza?




Thanks for that, I was there looking at the top of the building but was about twenty minutes from a straight up hour. So nice to see the video. I did miss that.


----------



## kms108

I also like to buy from bic camera, apart from tax free, use of CC you get a extra 7% off, if you don't have a CC, go to Bic Camera Facebook page, they always have a 7% discount coupon for unlimited use up to a set date, usually monthly or every few month.


----------



## Giraku

hireslover said:


> Do Bic Camera ship to the US?


I don't think so. But not 100% sure.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> Regarding the whole "Sony's not going to make gadget" thing:
> 
> https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1123073.html
> 
> ...


As much as I love Sony's gadgets, I still consider their TVs and Smartphones to be a let-down. Other areas I like them such as Speakers, headphones, Walkmans and their Cameras


----------



## endlesswaves

gerelmx1986 said:


> As much as I love Sony's gadgets, I still consider their TVs and Smartphones to be a let-down. Other areas I like them such as Speakers, headphones, Walkmans and their Cameras



I am using Sony's 4K HDR LED TV and very happy with it. Comparing between LED TVs (not OLED TVs) of the same price range side by side, IMHO nothing beats Sony's offerings and value for money. The color balance are more natural. Samsung's are more vivid but certain color like red are extremely overcooked. 

I am also using a Sony Z5. Bought it as my 1st attempt of getting a better source. That was from my 1st experience with Head-Fi. IIRC Whitigir was using Z3 Compact before moving on to ZX2. It was the best sounding HP at that time, best camera sensor, waterproof, better battery than most and most important to me, it never screw up with updates (unlike the top selling android smartphones). It's practical to use. It's not bloated with features that I don't use. Best feature I like about them is their double tap to on and off screen. But after Z5, they really need to innovate and catch up. I am still happy with my Z5. It fulfills my needs ably. Only thing I mind is the camera is way behind the latest offerings now but I don't take selfies. 

FWIW, I will not say I am a Sony fan boy. Didn't get their IEMs, headphones or laptops, but love WM1s. Sorry for being out of topic.


----------



## nanaholic (May 23, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> As much as I love Sony's gadgets, I still consider their TVs and Smartphones to be a let-down. Other areas I like them such as Speakers, headphones, Walkmans and their Cameras



I like Xperia phones - they aren't fancy but are instead practical with very little customisation (a GOOD thing), plus the Sony software has been shown by research to be the most stable of all the third party Android OEMs. They aren't making money but I hate to seem go as there's no way I would buy a Chinese made Android phone and I've already been burnt enough times by Samsung. If Sony goes away the only Android phone I'll ever get would be a Google Pixel.

Either way there's apparently no need to worry about no more Walkmans, Sony's not going away there.


----------



## kdphan

Anyone have issues with battery only lasting about 10hrs on balanced out?

Could be me not draining battery all the way before charging.  I'm used to plugging in my phone/dap after end of day even if it's around 75%.


----------



## gerelmx1986

kdphan said:


> Anyone have issues with battery only lasting about 10hrs on balanced out?
> 
> Could be me not draining battery all the way before charging.  I'm used to plugging in my phone/dap after end of day even if it's around 75%.


Check also DSP effects such as EQ, DSEE HX and DC phase linearizer, ep if you combine the last two it will eat the battery


----------



## kdphan

gerelmx1986 said:


> Check also DSP effects such as EQ, DSEE HX and DC phase linearizer, ep if you combine the last two it will eat the battery


I thought DSP had something to do with it as well 

been switching between direct source and DSEE HX and DC Phase

Thanks!


----------



## gerelmx1986

hmm if a new Walkman "40th anniversary edition" is released. Would you like Volume Buttons as Walkmans always have had or a Volume knob with ADC digital volume control like Fiio is doing with their latest Amps?


----------



## ruthieandjohn

Much prefer volume knob!  Enough to make me hesitate to get Sony, as they All seem to have buttons for volume (except the PHA...they have great knobs!). 

There must be a reason that Sony finds buttons preferable to knobs!


----------



## Stealer

I'm too getting around 10hrs using balanced out, but my unit is like more than a yr old..So there is a possibility that is due to battery...


----------



## Darksoul

Anyone else WM1A battery loses one bar over night, when left unplugged and turned off?


----------



## gerelmx1986

ruthieandjohn said:


> Much prefer volume knob!  Enough to make me hesitate to get Sony, as they All seem to have buttons for volume (except the PHA...they have great knobs!).
> 
> There must be a reason that Sony finds buttons preferable to knobs!


I would also like to get a Knob, i had an Oppo HA-2 and like the knob


----------



## San Man

I would like a knob, easier to adjust when not looking at the dap directly


----------



## Mizukage

San Man said:


> I would like a knob, easier to adjust when not looking at the dap directly


I agree, having a knob is easier.


----------



## Giraku

kdphan said:


> Anyone have issues with battery only lasting about 10hrs on balanced out?
> 
> Could be me not draining battery all the way before charging.  I'm used to plugging in my phone/dap after end of day even if it's around 75%.


Since Sony WM series use lithium ion batteries, there is no memory effect. And it is a healthy habit to charge them at 50 to 75%. However, software calibration to estimate the battery charge level can get erroneous with multiple "shallow" charging cycles. So many laptop and tablet manufacturers recommend "conditioning" batteries by almost full discharging once per month. But be aware that discharging down to 5% or below may damage batteries. Therefore, I discharge mine down to ~10% once a month.


----------



## fiascogarcia (May 23, 2018)

Giraku said:


> Since Sony WM series use lithium ion batteries, there is no memory effect. And it is a healthy habit to charge them at 50 to 75%. However, software calibration to estimate the battery charge level can get erroneous with multiple "shallow" charging cycles. So many laptop and tablet manufacturers recommend "conditioning" batteries by almost full discharging once per month. But be aware that discharging down to 5% or below may damage batteries. Therefore, I discharge mine down to ~10% once a month.



So how do you know when you're down to 10%?   Also, what pct. would you be at when the low battery message comes up?  Thanks!


----------



## kdphan

Darksoul said:


> Anyone else WM1A battery loses one bar over night, when left unplugged and turned off?


Mine does this 

No idea why


----------



## Giraku

fiascogarcia said:


> So how do you know when you're down to 10%?   Also, what pct. would you be at when the low battery message comes up?  Thanks!


That's a good question. WM1 series do not show exact percentage. There are only 5 levels of icon indicator. I just assumed each bar is roughly 25%. On the last bar remaining, before it starts blinking, I believe the batter level is approximately between 10 to 25% (just guessing; user's manual does not say anything about this). So in my case, after noticing the battery level becomes one bar, I keep listening for a couple of hours (mainly 24/96 FLAC direct sound), then start charging. That's why I put "~" in front of "10%". Hope this helps.


----------



## sklaus28

kdphan said:


> Anyone have issues with battery only lasting about 10hrs on balanced out?
> 
> Could be me not draining battery all the way before charging.  I'm used to plugging in my phone/dap after end of day even if it's around 75%.



Could be all the sound processing are turned on + high gain + save battery option ticked + high brightness

The save battery feature is to reserve the battery life cycle. The feature only charge the unit to 90%.

All of those combination could make the battery life shorter significantly.


----------



## waxiboy

Anyone modded their WM1A to premium plus Music Sanctuary Project K?


----------



## San Man

waxiboy said:


> Anyone modded their WM1A to premium plus Music Sanctuary Project K?



Mine should be delivered Saturday or next week.


----------



## alphanumerix1 (May 24, 2018)

wm1a + hyla ce-5 mmm


----------



## nanaholic (May 24, 2018)

ruthieandjohn said:


> Much prefer volume knob!  Enough to make me hesitate to get Sony, as they All seem to have buttons for volume (except the PHA...they have great knobs!).
> 
> There must be a reason that Sony finds buttons preferable to knobs!



Buttons are simply better for portables.

The Walkman volume buttons has dimples so you know which one is volume up without having to look at it (there's no standard to volume knob orientation - some daps have turn up as volume down etc). There's also much less chance of accidental volume change when you put the dap into your pocket/bag as simple frictional contact won't activate buttons but can turn knobs unless the knobs are extremely recessed/or barricaded, or made extremely stiff, which means you need to have a Hold button so you don't have this issue (looking at you AK!), but you must then make engaging Hold out of habit, which gets frustrating and isn't particularly user friendly. 

I like knobs for stationary amps, but would not want knobs for portables. Use what is best for each case.


----------



## nc8000

I also much prefer buttons


----------



## endlesswaves

There are some DAPS with good SQ but with screwy volume knobs. Owned a Shanling M3s with a very sensitive scroll wheel that always over shoots when navigating with it in the menu or adjusting volume. Heard that's there is some units with their scroll wheel detaching. It's a nice enough DAP with stable UI and decent SQ but the scroll wheel is a PITA at times. 

I rather stick to buttons.


----------



## Quadfather

endlesswaves said:


> There are some DAPS with good SQ but with screwy volume knobs. Owned a Shanling M3s with a very sensitive scroll wheel that always over shoots when navigating with it in the menu or adjusting volume. Heard that's there is some units with their scroll wheel detaching. It's a nice enough DAP with stable UI and decent SQ but the scroll wheel is a PITA at times.
> 
> I rather stick to buttons.



I love Sony buttons.


----------



## waxiboy

San Man said:


> Mine should be delivered Saturday or next week.


I already have the premium plus mod and i'm not impressed with the 3.5 it cant drive my dita dream well..lacks bass


----------



## alphanumerix1

waxiboy said:


> I already have the premium plus mod and i'm not impressed with the 3.5 it cant drive my dita dream well..lacks bass



what is the mod supposed to improve exactly?

has anyone a/b a stock vs modded wm1/x


----------



## Redcarmoose

nanaholic said:


> Buttons are simply better for portables.
> 
> The Walkman volume buttons has dimples so you know which one is volume up without having to look at it (there's no standard to volume knob orientation - some daps have turn up as volume down etc). There's also much less chance of accidental volume change when you put the dap into your pocket/bag as simple frictional contact won't activate buttons but can turn knobs unless the knobs are extremely recessed/or barricaded, or made extremely stiff, which means you need to have a Hold button so you don't have this issue (looking at you AK!), but you must then make engaging Hold out of habit, which gets frustrating and isn't particularly user friendly.
> 
> I like knobs for stationary amps, but would not want knobs for portables. Use what is best for each case.





nc8000 said:


> I also much prefer buttons





endlesswaves said:


> There are some DAPS with good SQ but with screwy volume knobs. Owned a Shanling M3s with a very sensitive scroll wheel that always over shoots when navigating with it in the menu or adjusting volume. Heard that's there is some units with their scroll wheel detaching. It's a nice enough DAP with stable UI and decent SQ but the scroll wheel is a PITA at times.
> 
> I rather stick to buttons.





Quadfather said:


> I love Sony buttons.



Yes, you get used to the buttons and where they sit. The small relief dots always help. Nothing sticking out too far. The overall look ends up being clean and the buttons never get bumped by accident.

I guess it’s all pretty close to perfect? Once in a while a push is not getting the volume to the exact location place you want, but that’s only part of the time. All and all the interface seems like a great design. The small contours along the edges also add to the experience. Can’t complain, and I’m not sure if there is any button layout quite like what Sony has done?


----------



## iridium7777

i hope this is an appropriate post in this thread:

i'm a starting n00b into the head-fi and my current setup is an Onkyo DP-S1 mated either to IE800 or balanced Sony Z7s.  I like everything about Onkyo, considering it's price bracket, but it does have terrible battery life and I wonder if stepping up to a more expensive DAP will be a noticeable improvement in sound quality.  Someone that started with something that was a little more "budget" than WMA1 and eventually progressed to WMA1, can you please advise?

Specifically what i'm looking at, looking to get used, and hopefully keep budget under $850:

-WMA1 -- love the purity of this device, straight to the point, run your music in possibly the best sound quality available.  great battery life, but i don't like only 1 sim card (in Onkyo i run dual 200gb which are about $80 cheaper than a single 400gb card).

-NW300 -- this seems like a phenomenal compromise and reading through many threads people state that the sound stage is very close to WMA1, especially in balanced mode.  I really like the USB-DAC function, but i wonder if this makes this device a "jack of all trades master of none" type of device?  priced about $300 less than WMA1.  Battery life seems great

-A&K KANN -- like that this has 2 memory cards, battery life seems to be good and it's also somewhat of a flag ship device.  Tidal streaming is a big bonus.  But I am concerned about android system as I have to use a separate Android app on my mac to get it to talk to the device.  I would imagine the sound stage would exceed NW300 and would be closer to WMA1 while offering USB-DAC and other already mentioned benefits

A&K 70II -- seems like a competitor to NW300, benefits would be USB-DAC function, tidal streaming.  Battery life maybe not so good, definitely seems less than Sonys.  How would it compare in sound stage to either of the Sony?

Overall I guess i'm just asking whether it's worth "upgrading" to any of these considering even the cheapest, used, unit above would cost me an additional $350 for what i paid for the Onkyo.  Would the sound stage be 2-4x improvement, night & day, or will it be marginally improved and i'd have to listen very attentively to even find the difference?


----------



## fiascogarcia

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, you get used to the buttons and where they sit. The small relief dots always help. Nothing sticking out too far. The overall look ends up being clean and the buttons never get bumped by accident.
> 
> I guess it’s all pretty close to perfect? Once in a while a push is not getting the volume to the exact location place you want, but that’s only part of the time. All and all the interface seems like a great design. The small contours along the edges also add to the experience. Can’t complain, and I’m not sure if there is any button layout quite like what Sony has done?


I too prefer the buttons.  Additionally, if you use the Benks clear silicone case, it has even more accentuated dimples on the volume up and play/pause buttons, so they're very easy to feel.


----------



## endlesswaves

iridium7777 said:


> i hope this is an appropriate post in this thread:
> 
> i'm a starting n00b into the head-fi and my current setup is an Onkyo DP-S1 mated either to IE800 or balanced Sony Z7s.  I like everything about Onkyo, considering it's price bracket, but it does have terrible battery life and I wonder if stepping up to a more expensive DAP will be a noticeable improvement in sound quality.  Someone that started with something that was a little more "budget" than WMA1 and eventually progressed to WMA1, can you please advise?
> 
> ...



I am quite new too. Progressed from Sony Xperia Z5 to ONN X5 to Shanling M1 to Shanling M3s and finally to Sony WM1A. Just wish to share this:
1. Xperia to Z5 to ONN X5, couldn't really notice any improvement if at all. Hated it's UI.
2. ONN X5 to Shanling M1, perceived a tiny bit of improvement (might be imaginary). But with better UI.
3. Shanling M1 to Shanling M3s, some noticeable improvements (a bit more when upgraded to a balanced cable).
4. Shanling M3s to WM1A, some improvements in the details, deeper stage. But it was WM1A's sound signature that made me fell      in love with it. This is more on my preference. Don't expect 2-4x improvements. 

Apart from SQ, objectively I can say battery life, ease of use, non buggy firmware upgrades of WM1A is the top in your list.

IMHO, we buy a DAP to enjoy our songs on it. SQ will be the 1st consideration. Best to try them (if possible) before you decide.
Or read as many reviews as possible from reviewers with the same preference of music genres as you. Or like me, pulled the trigger just from reading impressions of fellow head-fiers and never looked back. Only problem now is convincing myself not to get the WM1Z. LOL.

1372 pages ATM. Surely this indicates something don't you think?


----------



## nanaholic

iridium7777 said:


> i hope this is an appropriate post in this thread:
> 
> i'm a starting n00b into the head-fi and my current setup is an Onkyo DP-S1 mated either to IE800 or balanced Sony Z7s.  I like everything about Onkyo, considering it's price bracket, but it does have terrible battery life and I wonder if stepping up to a more expensive DAP will be a noticeable improvement in sound quality.  Someone that started with something that was a little more "budget" than WMA1 and eventually progressed to WMA1, can you please advise?
> 
> ...



One thing I reckon you need to be aware of is that Tidal support on AK players is not really known to be particularly good, and there is no offline support. You really need to think hard about your use case before thinking that Tidal support (with a big fat asterisks regarding limitation) is something you would put in the advantage column for AK players.


----------



## Hanafuda

endlesswaves said:


> Apart from SQ, objectively I can say battery life, ease of use, non buggy firmware upgrades of WM1A is the top in your list.



Sony's design and build quality is a factor too, I think. Output jacks are mounted independently inside the device and wired to the mobo, not soldered directly to the mobo (see e.g., Onkyo DP-X1a), housing is a solid machined chunk of aluminum, not an open ended enclosure with plates bolted to the ends as covers, components on the board are top notch.

@iridium7777, I agree with your summary of the zx300 vs. the WM1a. I had chosen the zx300 in favor of the WM1A in fact, until recently. Decided to probably go with the WM1A for the little bit of extra output power, extra internal storage, larger screen (won't need to put on my reading glasses every time I adjust something), and mostly cuz I just want it. But I could be just fine and dandy with the zx300, except maybe for the smaller screen which is only an issue due to my older eyes (presbyopia).


----------



## San Man

waxiboy said:


> I already have the premium plus mod and i'm not impressed with the 3.5 it cant drive my dita dream well..lacks bass



The bass on my 1a was just fine and I expect the player to be better overall with the mod.    

Perhaps there's something wrong with yours


----------



## quodjo105

I have a budget of about $500 . I'm looking for a closed back cans to use  with my 1a . I prefer something with a warmer sound with good details, in short something that can pair nicely with the 1a .  I listened to pretty much anything except, heavy metal, EDM.


----------



## Quadfather (May 25, 2018)

quodjo105 said:


> I have a budget of about $500 . I'm looking for a closed back cans to use  with my 1a . I prefer something with a warmer sound with good details, in short something that can pair nicely with the 1a .  I listened to pretty much anything except, heavy metal, EDM.



Shure SRH1540, with 4.4mm, balanced Surf Audio cable... 150 to 200 hours burn in. Delicious, smooth, buttery, warm yet accurate.


----------



## quodjo105

Quadfather said:


> Shure SRH1540, with 4.4mm, balance Surf Audio cable... 150 to 200 hours burn in. Delicious, smooth, buttery, warm yet accurate.


Thanks, I can see they're available on Amazon , so will be easy to return in I don't like them . How are the mids on these ?


----------



## Quadfather (May 24, 2018)

quodjo105 said:


> Thanks, I can see they're available on Amazon , so will be easy to return in I don't like them . How are the mids on these ?



The mids are beautiful. Shure is known for their warm, pleasant house sound and beautiful, liquid mid-range. Moon audio has open box going on for $374 I think.  I love the treble too,  it is very smooth but yet accurate.


----------



## teknorob23

nanaholic said:


> One thing I reckon you need to be aware of is that Tidal support on AK players is not really known to be particularly good, and there is no offline support. You really need to think hard about your use case before thinking that Tidal support (with a big fat asterisks regarding limitation) is something you would put in the advantage column for AK players.



Its going to be interesting to see if AK have sorted the Tidal/ MQA support out with the new models. From the little there is to read out there it appears MQA is a near future planned firmware update on the Se100. Anyway ive done a reckless thing and pre-ordered one to compare to the W1MA and DX200/Amp4 combo, but the SQ will have to be something very special to outgun the battery/sound/UI benefits of the sony.


----------



## quodjo105

Quadfather said:


> The mids are beautiful. Shure is known for their warm, pleasant house sound and beautiful, liquid mid-range. Moon audio has open box going on for $374 I think.  I love the treble too,  it is very smooth but yet accurate.


Brilliant.. thanks very much


----------



## pietcux

quodjo105 said:


> I have a budget of about $500 . I'm looking for a closed back cans to use  with my 1a . I prefer something with a warmer sound with good details, in short something that can pair nicely with the 1a .  I listened to pretty much anything except, heavy metal, EDM.


Sony MDR-Z7, basta.


----------



## JML

If you're interested in MQA encoded CDs to rip to the WM1A/WM1Z, check out the listing http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/feature/Worlds_First_HiRes_CD_by_Universal_Music_Japan.


----------



## Snowball0906

alphanumerix1 said:


> wm1a + hyla ce-5 mmm



Nice! I just bought HYLA CE-5 and Im loving it!


----------



## Snowball0906

Has anyone tried to drive Audeze isine20 with WM1A?


----------



## waxiboy

alphanumerix1 said:


> what is the mod supposed to improve exactly?
> 
> has anyone a/b a stock vs modded wm1/x


the mod should increase the amount of bass specially in the sub bass and tame the treble a little bit. they mod the 3.5 with 4 wire 1960 so i think even though it doesnt have enough power for the dita it should improve the bass not worsen it


----------



## buzzlulu

waxiboy said:


> the mod should increase the amount of bass specially in the sub bass and tame the treble a little bit.



Sounds like the mod is trying to turn it into a 1Z


----------



## endlesswaves

Snowball0906 said:


> Has anyone tried to drive Audeze isine20 with WM1A?



Tried with iSine20 and LCDi4. Good enough but feels lacking something (not sure what it was or maybe not experienced enough to describe it). Maybe just like my LCD2C. Feels lacking something without engaging the Reveal plugin.

iSine 20 and Unique ME.1 on WM1A, Unique ME.1 was better to me. With a good seal, ME.1's bass was hard hitting, deep and clean. Skipping on the fundamentals I presume you are already familiar with open planar magnetic IEMs.

LCDi4 on WM1A, my 1st impression was WOW! 15 minutes later, same feeling of something was lacking someplace.Maybe EQing will help. 

iSine 20 and LCDi4 without cipher or the Reveal plugin just feel incomplete to me. Despite that, LCDi4, UM ME.1 and iSine 20 (in this order) are the best IEMs I heard from WM1A so far.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Snowball0906 said:


> Has anyone tried to drive Audeze isine20 with WM1A?


Maybe it will work on balanced


----------



## Whitigir

buzzlulu said:


> Sounds like the mod is trying to turn it into a 1Z



Even so, you just can’t.  The chassis for the 1Z by Sony Part itself is like $750-800 LOL!


----------



## tienbasse

Whitigir said:


> Even so, you just can’t.  The chassis for the 1Z by Sony Part itself is like $750-800 LOL!


And it obviously plays such a huge role (refer to AK380 thread for collective mass hysteria with chassis material). 
I'd take WM1Z with WM1A chassis anyday of the week.
The 1Z chassis is just an ugly golden copper brick that is unnecessarily blingy and heavy.
And I do own a 1Z, that I very hastily covered with a Dignis case not to see this golden wonder...


----------



## fiascogarcia

tienbasse said:


> And it obviously plays such a huge role (refer to AK380 thread for collective mass hysteria with chassis material).
> I'd take WM1Z with WM1A chassis anyday of the week.
> The 1Z chassis is just an ugly golden copper brick that is unnecessarily blingy and heavy.
> And I do own a 1Z, that I very hastily covered with a Dignis case not to see this golden wonder...


So be honest, do ya like the golden color or not?


----------



## Stealer

I need to ask again cuz my question was buried ....
Is the iBasso 2.5mm jack pinout -R+R+L-L, TRRS?


----------



## Whitigir

Stealer said:


> I need to ask again cuz my question was buried ....
> Is the iBasso 2.5mm jack pinout -R+R+L-L, TRRS?


I don’t normally do away with A&K style, but the Ibasso 2.5mm is definitely A&K style....be it whatever it is


----------



## nc8000 (May 25, 2018)

Stealer said:


> I need to ask again cuz my question was buried ....
> Is the iBasso 2.5mm jack pinout -R+R+L-L, TRRS?


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 25, 2018)

Interestingly using my Woo5LE I still really like vinyl. Though the Sony Signature Series has finally arrived at a place just as good as some vinyl or better digitally. Now all this comes down to the digital master and obviously many of the files leave something out in comparison to their vinyl counterparts.

But for someone like me getting the Signature System to get along side vinyl (and at times surpassing vinyl) in playback is somewhat of a lifetime achievement and something I’d always hoped for but always remained just slightly out of reach (until now).

Thank-you Sony!


----------



## Quadfather

Will a 300 ohm headphone drain the battery faster than a 36 ohm headphone?


----------



## Cagin

Quadfather said:


> Will a 300 ohm headphone drain the battery faster than a 36 ohm headphone?


often wondered that. The 300ohm is more efficient so should drain less, but if you gotta pump more volume to hear at right level, does it even out?


----------



## Snowball0906

gerelmx1986 said:


> Maybe it will work on balanced





endlesswaves said:


> Tried with iSine20 and LCDi4. Good enough but feels lacking something (not sure what it was or maybe not experienced enough to describe it). Maybe just like my LCD2C. Feels lacking something without engaging the Reveal plugin.
> 
> iSine 20 and Unique ME.1 on WM1A, Unique ME.1 was better to me. With a good seal, ME.1's bass was hard hitting, deep and clean. Skipping on the fundamentals I presume you are already familiar with open planar magnetic IEMs.
> 
> ...



Thanks! hehe. How about HIFIMAN re800?


----------



## bluelavender

Mathieulh said:


> Once burned in, they sound exactly the same, that was the whole point when Sony designed the ZX300 in the first place.
> 
> The SE output sounds noticeably worse on the ZX300 before burn-in than it does on the WM1A in the same conditions though, once the burn-in is done however you will be hard pressed to notice any difference on either outputs between the ZX300 and the WM1A.
> The balanced output before the 200hrs burn-in sounds the same as the one on the WM1A with a similar amount of burn-in.
> ...



I suffer from upgradeitis illness lol. I upgraded from Zx300 to Wm1a. Gotta love Sony sound. Yes, the sound exactly is almost the same. The only thing I can notice is different is the soundstage. It is very wide in Wm1a. Damn wide.


----------



## sklaus28

bluelavender said:


> I suffer from upgradeitis illness lol. I upgraded from Zx300 to Wm1a. Gotta love Sony sound. Yes, the sound exactly is almost the same. The only thing I can notice is different is the soundstage. It is very wide in Wm1a. Damn wide.



Me too. I have WM1a now, but i feel the zx300 is more holographic in terms of soundstage. WM1a is wider though..


----------



## ledzep

Cagin said:


> often wondered that. The 300ohm is more efficient so should drain less, but if you gotta pump more volume to hear at right level, does it even out?



Yes and no, when current passes through a resistor it generates heat and so wastes energy. But with constant voltage, current is inversely proportional to the resistance so the more resistance you inline into the circuit the less current is passed so the less power is consumed.


----------



## Icekuma (May 26, 2018)

Anyone ever charge WM1-A/Z with USB C PD charger? Something used in Macbook. I wonder if it's safe and let us charge quicker.

I mentioned use adapter  to let us draw higher current. 

Cheers


----------



## Whitigir

Icekuma said:


> Anyone ever charge WM1-A/Z with USB C PD charger? Something used in Macbook. I wonder if it's safe and let us charge quicker.
> 
> I mentioned use adapter  to let us draw higher current.
> 
> Cheers



No, it doesn’t work like that, adapter or not, the player will only draw as much current as it was designed to do, regardless of what type of USB you are plugging it into


----------



## quodjo105

Will the Z1R be a good pair with the 1a?..


----------



## pietcux

quodjo105 said:


> Will the Z1R be a good pair with the 1a?..


Yes.


----------



## quodjo105

pietcux said:


> Yes.


Thanks . Just saw an offer for a 2 months old ZIR bundled with MUC B20SB1 kimber cable , i couldn't resist ,so i bought it ...


----------



## pietcux

quodjo105 said:


> Thanks . Just saw an offer for a 2 months old ZIR bundled with MUC B20SB1 kimber cable , i couldn't resist ,so i bought it ...


You mean this:





That is what is on my head right now.


----------



## quodjo105

pietcux said:


> You mean this:
> 
> 
> That is what is on my head right now.


Yes sir... damnn..I hope I don't end up selling my hd650... Not sure I can keep both of them


----------



## pietcux

quodjo105 said:


> Yes sir... damnn..I hope I don't end up selling my hd650... Not sure I can keep both of them


You'd better keep them, most buy them again after selling them. Resistance is futile! Been there, done that.You'd better get the balanced 4.4mm cable that Sennheiser sells with the HD660S and run them balanced from the WM1A. Anther must do, it is a revelation. I even run the HD800SD balanced from the WM1A.


----------



## Quadfather

pietcux said:


> You'd better keep them, most buy them again after selling them. Resistance is futile! Been there, done that.You'd better get the balanced 4.4mm cable that Sennheiser sells with the HD660S and run them balanced from the WM1A. Anther must do, it is a revelation. I even run the HD800SD balanced from the WM1A.



I love the HD650 with my Sony NW-WM1A.


----------



## gerelmx1986

and I love my MDR-Z7 with my WM1A


----------



## pietcux

gerelmx1986 said:


> and I love my MDR-Z7 with my WM1A


So do I.


----------



## Quadfather

pietcux said:


> So do I.



I also love my SRH1540, balanced, on the Sony NW-WM1A.  Maybe I can try MDR-Z7 at some point.


----------



## Quadfather

I just tested my Sony NW-WM1A to see how long the battery would last, using Shure SRH1540 headphones.   I used balanced in high gain and listened anywhere from 85 to 100 in volume.  It was a combination of CD quality, 96 kilohertz/24-bit, and DSD with a fair amount of screen use.  The result is 20 hours and 50 minutes.


----------



## kdphan

Quadfather said:


> I just tested my Sony NW-WM1A to see how long the battery would last, using Shure SRH1540 headphones.   I used balanced in high gain and listened anywhere from 85 to 100 in volume.  It was a combination of CD quality, 96 kilohertz/24-bit, and DSD with a fair amount of screen use.  The result is 20 hours and 50 minutes.


Definitely better than what I'm getting running balanced through jomo samba and some other easy to run IEM.

I have some other EQ settings on though


----------



## mw7485

Never thought I'd see the day this would happen


----------



## Quadfather

kdphan said:


> Definitely better than what I'm getting running balanced through jomo samba and some other easy to run IEM.
> 
> I have some other EQ settings on though



No EQ settings for me, but I do use the screen on about 70% brightness after each album.  Had I just let it play continuously with the dark screen I probably would have gotten another hour or two out of it.


----------



## Icekuma

Icekuma said:


> Anyone ever charge WM1-A/Z with USB C PD charger? Something used in Macbook. I wonder if it's safe and let us charge quicker.
> 
> I mentioned use adapter  to let us draw higher current.
> 
> Cheers


Thanks. Just wish it would charge half the time


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 26, 2018)

mw7485 said:


> Never thought I'd see the day this would happen


Geez, hopefully he doesn't regret it, dang!, what a bold decision. Wondering how he will cope at work to avoid boredom, i am a software developer and hell sitting at the computer with no music is HELL 

Hoffentlich enttäuscht er nicht --> Practicing a bit German


----------



## bluelavender

1375 pages.... I think I nailed the right decision getting the Wm1a .. This is one of the biggest fanbase for dap in headfi


----------



## alphanumerix1

bluelavender said:


> 1375 pages.... I think I nailed the right decision getting the Wm1a .. This is one of the biggest fanbase for dap in headfi



 U won't be disappointed


----------



## Chik0240

Just curious, seems Sony is on a 2 years product life for a major change, any rumours that there will be a signature series replacement layer this year?


----------



## kms108 (May 27, 2018)

Chik0240 said:


> Just curious, seems Sony is on a 2 years product life for a major change, any rumours that there will be a signature series replacement layer this year?


If you have been following the thread, there were many talks about about a anniversary edition, although a rumor, many of us hope this is true.


----------



## Chik0240

kms108 said:


> If you have been following the thread, there were many talks about about a anniversary edition, although a rumor, many of use hope this is true.


Didn’t catch that! I hope they got a wm1a successor which is pretty neutral tone and not sure if android will be possible, fingers crossed for it to not be a special colour version only


----------



## Redcarmoose

mw7485 said:


> Never thought I'd see the day this would happen



Well it’s not about the gear, but the musical life experiences in the end. We obsess on the gear, but......if the equipment didn’t do anything special.......

I figure he needs some funds to make other purchases on his quest to audiophile enlightenment......bigger fish to fry! Lol.


----------



## Whitigir (May 27, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Well it’s not about the gear, but the musical life experiences in the end. We obsess on the gear, but......if the equipment didn’t do anything special.......
> 
> I figure he needs some funds to make other purchases on his quest to audiophile enlightenment......bigger fish to fry! Lol.



Yes, very true.  I struggled for a little and I found a breaking point to commit a full blown desktop setup.  Here is a shot of what is 80% done.  Still waiting on the bridge for I2S.

You are looking at a high-end desktop streamer server with the newest technology


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Yes, very true.  I struggled for a little and I found a breaking point to commit a full blown desktop setup.  Here is a shot of what is 80% done.  Still waiting on the bridge for I2S.
> 
> You are looking at a high-end desktop streamer server with the newest technology


I almost never sell anything, but it’s probably best from a practical standpoint to sell stuff while it’s at peak value. Especially if your dreaming about new gear. Good luck on your quest, and congratulations getting the courage to move forward.


----------



## Quadfather

Quadfather said:


> No EQ settings for me, but I do use the screen on about 70% brightness after each album.  Had I just let it play continuously with the dark screen I probably would have gotten another hour or two out of it.




I forgot to mention that I use battery saver function.  I was actually closer to 23 hours, considering this.


----------



## rcoleman1 (May 27, 2018)

Anyone interested in a new 2.5mm to 4.4mm conversion cable? Link: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-musashino-label-2-5mm-to-4-4mm-conversion-cable-brand-new.880620/.


----------



## Quadfather

This is a shout out to all of those Head-Fi members whom use Sony with Sennheiser HD650 headphones...from balanced of course. What characteristics make you love it?


----------



## cpetrillo

Has anyone found a dac/amp that when used with WM1A offers more power and better sound at a reasonable price point?


----------



## Redcarmoose

cpetrillo said:


> Has anyone found a dac/amp that when used with WM1A offers more power and better sound at a reasonable price point?



And....while simply connecting the 1A to an external amplifier didn’t do anything special and degrade the sound.......the Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP took it all to the next level. Folks have found them lightly used also.


----------



## Quadfather

Where in the Chicago area can I demo a Sony NW-WM1Z?


----------



## buzzlulu

Redcarmoose said:


> And....while simply connecting the 1A to an external amplifier didn’t do anything special and degrade the sound.......the Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP took it all to the next level. Folks have found them lightly used also.



I see you also have the 1Z.

Using headphones such as the Utopia and Z1R how would you compared using them straight out of the 1Z vs. using them out of the TA fed by the 1Z (with the Sony digital out 1Z/1A USB female cable > high grade USB cable into the TA)?


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 27, 2018)

buzzlulu said:


> I see you also have the 1Z.
> 
> Using headphones such as the Utopia and Z1R how would you compared using them straight out of the 1Z vs. using them out of the TA fed by the 1Z (with the Sony digital out 1Z/1A USB female cable > high grade USB cable into the TA)?



While I have never used the Utopia, the Sony Z1R with MUC-B20SB1is a completely different experience with the TA amp. So much so.......I actually would not be able to explain the difference without sounding slighly mental. When reviewers say the 1A or 1Z is like listening to a desktop amp, I always laugh to myself.

And it may be more in what a listener is expecting or desires in the signature? With the amp stuff becomes faster, images become more stable and in-place. The background goes way deeper, and the 3D goes more around and toward the front. Detail retrieval goes up along with added damping factors getting more low-end detail and frequency responce. Depending on your concentration.........it’s probably safe to call it a night and day difference, though I hate to use the terminology?

Even low quality files sound good with the combination, confusing..............you would think the increase in detail would make their inherent quality come to light?

But it’s a pinnacle of sorts, and if the Z1R signature was what someone was after........it simply brings it all to maturity.

Edit:
Still waiting for the Audioquest Carbon USB. My listening is with the doc, or the dongle or regular TA supplied USB. All sound really good, though I still don’t have an upgraded USB cable for contrast.

Obviously the differences are less between using the full-size headphones and IEMs. Though there is a slight difference when using the TA with IEMs, it’s not a purchase I would make if I exclusively used IEMs.


----------



## Icekuma

Interesting that you say that. I have been looking at Gustard H20. I am wondering how the matching and if anyone has tried that pairing. 

once i get my amp sorted, will start looking for full sized headphone. Thinking something along the line of Z7 as start and perhaps others.. currently, I am using ATH-70 iem



Redcarmoose said:


> While I have never used the Utopia, the Sony Z1R with MUC-B20SB1is a completely different experience with the TA amp. So much so.......I actually would not be able to explain the difference without sounding slighly mental. When reviewers say the 1A or 1Z is like listening to a desktop amp, I always laugh to myself
> 
> ....
> 
> IEMs.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Currently using z7 full sized phones on balanced, they drive, very well. The volume is set to that because the high dynamic range of DSF files


----------



## tienbasse

Redcarmoose said:


> While I have never used the Utopia, the Sony Z1R with MUC-B20SB1is a completely different experience with the TA amp. So much so.......I actually would not be able to explain the difference without sounding slighly mental. When reviewers say the 1A or 1Z is like listening to a desktop amp, I always laugh to myself.


Mental ? I don't think so.
Pricewise, it is much cheaper to build a decent desktop dac/amp than it is to design one for portable use.

I have a modest desktop amp (ADL GT40 alpha, about 450€) which has no issue to put my WM1Z to shame with its 300 ohm headphone output, in terms of imaging and treble extension. And it has the peculiar ability to have a turntable input for listening and recording. Truely a very polyvalent solution as a dac/amp for turntables/PC/DAPs.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 28, 2018)

It could be a novelty, but I never get over the IEM miniature effect............something big, being small and easier to see.


tienbasse said:


> Mental ? I don't think so.
> Pricewise, it is much cheaper to build a decent desktop dac/amp than it is to design one for portable use.
> 
> I have a modest desktop amp (ADL GT40 alpha, about 450€) which has no issue to put my WM1Z to shame with its 300 ohm headphone output, in terms of imaging and treble extension. And it has the peculiar ability to have a turntable input for listening and recording. Truely a very polyvalent solution as a dac/amp for turntables/PC/DAPs.


Of course there is the subtle magic of the 1A or the 1Z with IEMs. And.......it’s a slightly different experience all together. The coherence of everything and the soundstage being just slighly inside your head, along with the miniature effect only realized with IEM audio. I guess they are both different things, but can be both done right......also. I’ve always been more into full-size headphones, so maybe I just relate with the experience better? Price-wise it IS easer to get there with full size headphones. Maybe lacking refinement, but $400 gets you into the entertainment zone in the world of full-size DAC/AMP, where in miniature audio, $400 doesn’t even buy a ZX300.


----------



## Quadfather

tienbasse said:


> Mental ? I don't think so.
> Pricewise, it is much cheaper to build a decent desktop dac/amp than it is to design one for portable use.
> 
> I have a modest desktop amp (ADL GT40 alpha, about 450€) which has no issue to put my WM1Z to shame with its 300 ohm headphone output, in terms of imaging and treble extension. And it has the peculiar ability to have a turntable input for listening and recording. Truely a very polyvalent solution as a dac/amp for turntables/PC/DAPs.



The only reason I dislike desktop rigs, no matter how great they sound, is because much like office jobs, I hate being chained to a desk, couch, or chair. I'm a Wanderer.  I am actually thinking of selling my Bottlehead Crack. I never use it...


----------



## Quadfather

Has anybody tried the new Campfire Audio Atlas with their Sony?


----------



## ledzep

gerelmx1986 said:


> Currently using z7 full sized phones on balanced, they drive, very well. The volume is set to that because the high dynamic range of DSF files


Use pure silver cables and you can drop 15/20 on the volume


----------



## Redcarmoose

Icekuma said:


> Interesting that you say that. I have been looking at Gustard H20. I am wondering how the matching and if anyone has tried that pairing.
> 
> once i get my amp sorted, will start looking for full sized headphone. Thinking something along the line of Z7 as start and perhaps others.. currently, I am using ATH-70 iem



The 1Z and 1A get references to desktop audio quality due to their resolution and power. And.........to be fair they do set a new portable standard........as everyone here feels they do. And lists of portable players ranks them in a group with some of the best portable players. 

That said, there is still a canyon of difference between them and a desk top experience while using full-size headphones. Needlesss to say, IEMs don’t need the juice. But I think it’s in the imagination of everyone.......to carry around the desktop audio experience. Even if it’s still a dream, it’s getting closer to reality all the time.


----------



## pietcux

ledzep said:


> Use pure silver cables and you can drop 15/20 on the volume


Can this be explained by much better conductivity? Is there a formula to back it up?


----------



## ledzep

Silver has the least resistance and I've tried a lot of cables over the last year so I'd say my personal formula says yes


----------



## pietcux

ledzep said:


> Silver has the least resistance and I've tried a lot of cables over the last year so I'd say my personal formula says yes


I would expect let's say 1% to 2% difference, but more than 10%?


----------



## sandy1010

Is there any talk of Sony going to an Android based system for their next release, or do we think they’re locked in on their current software?


----------



## ledzep

Well I can only go on my observations and the cable I'm using is solid silver with rhodium and platinum/palladium connectors with silver internal wiring on the Z7's has shaved off 10 on vinyl rips 24/192 and on dark side of the moon DSD 18 and brothers in arms MFSL DSD 15 and 20 off wish you were here DSD and on my iems 64 audio with the same cable build I've turned off high gain and the volume is 45 now


----------



## ruthieandjohn (May 28, 2018)

I am a recent (yesterday) purchaser of a Sony NW-WM1A, and I have newbie question:

How (if at all) do I use it as a digital transport to send bits to my DAC?  I tried the WM Sony Proprietary - to - USB cable to a USB hub to the USB input of my Schiit Gungir Multibit DAC (to convert from the USB A of the Sony cable to the USB B cable of the DAC), but it doesn’t seem to be the right way...I get a red light next to the power switch on the WM1A, the battery life indicator oscillates from 0 to 100%, and I can’t find any signal.

Is there some setting on the WM1A I have to use to inform it that I am trying to get it to send bits out, rather than receive bits of a load or volts of a power line?


----------



## San Man

sandy1010 said:


> Is there any talk of Sony going to an Android based system for their next release, or do we think they’re locked in on their current software?



I personally hope not, the Sony UI is rock solid


----------



## PJBrownSkin

ruthieandjohn said:


> I am a recent (yesterday) purchaser of a Sony NW-WM1A, and I have newbie question:
> 
> How (if at all) do I use it as a digital transport to send bits to my DAC?  I tried the WM Sony Proprietary - to - USB cable to a USB hub to the USB input of my Schiit Gungir Multibit DAC (to convert from the USB A of the Sony cable to the USB B cable of the DAC), but it doesn’t seem to be the right way...I get a red light next to the power switch on the WM1A, the battery life indicator oscillates from 0 to 100%, and I can’t find any signal.
> 
> Is there some setting on the WM1A I have to use to inform it that I am trying to get it to send bits out, rather than receive bits of a load or volts of a power line?



You’re going to need this


----------



## Quadfather

sandy1010 said:


> Is there any talk of Sony going to an Android based system for their next release, or do we think they’re locked in on their current software?



I certainly hope not. I love the Sony user interface.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

PJBrownSkin said:


> You’re going to need this


Thanks... oddly enough, I had ordered one for my ZX1 long before I bought the 1A, but Grand Meister, the amazon supplier, lost the order and I never got it, so I didn't bother to order another.

Now I have... thanks!


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> Use pure silver cables and you can drop 15/20 on the volume


The cables i have are kinda hybrid ones, Copper plated with silver


----------



## Snowball0906

[Just sharing]

  

Never thought that after months and I am still in love with my WM1A.. Love how clean, dark, detail and soft it is. 

P/S: just bought Benks transparent case for my WM1A. Neat. Fitting is good. Protection 7/10. Aesthetic 9/10 (fingerprint).


----------



## blazinblazin

Snowball0906 said:


> [Just sharing]
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Then never try WM1Z. It's darker than WM1A from what i tried in shop.


----------



## endlesswaves

Quadfather said:


> Has anybody tried the new Campfire Audio Atlas with their Sony?


I am curious too.


----------



## Quadfather (May 28, 2018)

blazinblazin said:


> Then never try WM1Z. It's darker than WM1A from what i tried in shop.



What are your overall impressions between the two Sony DAPs, and which do you prefer?  What was burn in time on demo units? Love the 1A, but lusting for the 1Z


----------



## productred

Snowball0906 said:


> [Just sharing]
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Dark as per sound signature or dark as per background?

It sure is one of the darkest player in terms of background but never dark in terms of sound signature. 1Z is a fair bit darker in terms of sound signature.


----------



## blazinblazin

Quadfather said:


> What are your overall impressions between the two Sony DAPs, and which do you prefer?  What was burn in time on demo units? Love the 1A, but lusting for the 1Z



Not sure the burn in time, it probably there more than 1 year since it is released. I am using 4.4mm

If you have a WM1A burn in for more than 500hrs balanced and still wowed by it. That's something. I was listening to the song that was preloaded in.

It sounds like an old slower pace instrumental song, something like jazz. The background is so dark. The feeling was so real, like i am listening it LIVE at the venue with the singer singing to me.

Other more rock or faster pace songs, i have not tried in the player yet. I only have a brief 10mins listen to the player as i am curious. Nice experience i would say.


----------



## Quadfather

blazinblazin said:


> Not sure the burn in time, it probably there more than 1 year since it is released. I am using 4.4mm
> 
> If you have a WM1A burn in for more than 500hrs balanced and still wowed by it. That's something. I was listening to the song that was preloaded in.
> 
> ...



I have 300 hours.  Love it, but upgrade-itis is setting in.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

blazinblazin said:


> Then never try WM1Z. It's darker than WM1A from what i tried in shop.


I wouldn't call WM1Z dark. In fact, it's brighter then WM1A, especially on treble. What creates the "dark" impression is that very strong bass with lush & rich mids.


----------



## pietcux

Virtu Fortuna said:


> I wouldn't call WM1Z dark. In fact, it's brighter then WM1A, especially on treble. What creates the "dark" impression is that very strong bass with lush & rich mids.


So the WM1A is the more neutral player, right?


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

pietcux said:


> So the WM1A is the more neutral player, right?


Yes. If you've read my reviews on both you already know my opinion about them 

But 1Z has better technicalities significantly. Very very special DAP.


----------



## pietcux

Virtu Fortuna said:


> Yes. If you've read my reviews on both you already know my opinion about them
> 
> But 1Z has better technicalities significantly. Very very special DAP.



To me the more neutral DAP is the better one, basta. All headphones or IEMs color the sound more or less by construction. If I can have a powerful and neutral source, that is all I want since starting this hobby in 1974. And all its in my pocket is an unbelievable achievement.


----------



## productred

pietcux said:


> To me the more neutral DAP is the better one, basta. All headphones or IEMs color the sound more or less by construction. If I can have a powerful and neutral source, that is all I want since starting this hobby in 1974. And all its in my pocket is an unbelievable achievement.



I wholeheartedly agree. Being neutral is the basics of hifi audio yet it seems so out of reach even today. I'm glad I've found the 1A, which is something of a pinnacle of highest technicality with neutral signature.


----------



## Redcarmoose

The black one is more even strung, maybe not as crazy as the gold one. Black one is more low weight, easier to take around town. She is also good friends with warmer headphones and always strives to satisfy. 

Gold one is a knock-out......little more formal and more austere. She is more of a standout....but none the less rewards in her league.


----------



## Whitigir

Neutrality ? What is ? The lack of warmth and bass ? You can compare 1A and 1Z in the shade that 1A is more neutral just because of that.  In fact, real instruments  isn’t qualified to be *“neutral” *the way I see this “word” being used around here.


----------



## nanaholic

I still remember the presentation Rob Watts gave regarding his DAC design where the more he reduced timing errors and distortions and what not, he got a WARMER sound, and that distortion actually leads to a brighter sound.  That was absolutely fascinating, especially the 1Z already measures neutral on frequency response.


----------



## pietcux

Whitigir said:


> Neutrality ? What is ? The lack of warmth and bass ? You can compare 1A and 1Z in the shade that 1A is more neutral just because of that.  In fact, real instruments  isn’t qualified to be *“neutral” *the way I see this “word” being used around here.



Just listened to Meddle from Pink Floyd. All the warmth and bass is in the tracks and each and every headphone presents the music different. So do all stereo loudpeakers. What is the rational to have a warmer dap. Let me put on the Z1R or the HD800SD or whatnot and I have it all.


----------



## pietcux

Redcarmoose said:


> The black one is more even strung, maybe not as crazy as the gold one. Black one is more low weight, easier to take around town. She is also good friends with warmer headphones and always strives to satisfy.
> 
> Gold one is a knock-out......little more formal and more austere. She is more of a standout....but none the less rewards in her league.


You can have both plus a lot more by changing the headphones.


----------



## Whitigir

pietcux said:


> You can have both plus a lot more by changing the headphones.


Yep!  Synergies!


----------



## Redcarmoose

pietcux said:


> Just listened to Meddle from Pink Floyd. All the warmth and bass is in the tracks and each and every headphone presents the music different. So do all stereo loudpeakers. What is the rational to have a warmer dap. Let me put on the Z1R or the HD800SD or whatnot and I have it all.



I collect different copies of Floyd. This year the Japan remasters seemed to take the cake. In the beginning of Meddle there was these sounds which I could not identify, though with this remaster it turned out to be a pick sliding on the guitar strings. Much of Floyd is unpredictable and unidentifiable, though with the right CD and playback it really does come to light! 

They are fantastic! 
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/feature/pink_floyd_japan_original_15_mini_lp_reissues


----------



## ledzep

Redcarmoose said:


> I collect different copies of Floyd. This year the Japan remasters seemed to take the cake. In the beginning of Meddle there was these sounds which I could not identify, though with this remaster it turned out to be a pick sliding on the guitar strings. Much of Floyd is unpredictable and unidentifiable, though with the right CD and playback it really does come to light!
> 
> They are fantastic!
> http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/feature/pink_floyd_japan_original_15_mini_lp_reissues



MFSL version of Meddle is far superior to any other version followed very closely by the Japanese first pressing vinyl.


----------



## Hanafuda

I've delved into Pink Floyd so deep I can hardly listen to the studio albums anymore. I'm really looking forward to getting my new rig together and burned in so I can give them all a 'new' listen. This was the state of my PF mp3 collection on my old player, though the total collection (all FLAC) is well over 100 shows. This is just pared down to recordings that were good enough to listen on headphones. Yes, for the most part 'bootlegs' suck in the SQ department, even when they're good ... but there's something 'real' there that just can't be had on studio recordings.


----------



## pietcux

Hanafuda said:


> I've delved into Pink Floyd so deep I can hardly listen to the studio albums anymore. I'm really looking forward to getting my new rig together and burned in so I can give them all a 'new' listen. This was the state of my PF mp3 collection on my old player, though the total collection (all FLAC) is well over 100 shows. This is just pared down to recordings that were good enough to listen on headphones. Yes, for the most part 'bootlegs' suck in the SQ department, even when they're good ... but there's something 'real' there that just can't be had on studio recordings.


You are quite a fan, aren't you? Great collection!


----------



## teknorob23

is anyone using Dapper App to sync itunes on a mac with a WM1A?

I can see it's compatible it would be great to hear from anyone who's running it. thanks


----------



## Icekuma

I went to Sony to have demo. I had Z7 and Z1R both using balanced cable. I agree that Z1R sounded now refined but with that price, I think I am happy with z7. I tried pairing z7-pha3-wn1a. There is slight improvement but not much to warrant extra spending. Now if only I could have denon ah-d7200 side by side...decision....decision...happy problem. 

I took opportunity to try mdr-1am2. Not my taste. Though I found 1000xm2 was quite fun and pleasing especially wireless and all. 

ANy Idea?



Redcarmoose said:


> The 1Z and 1A get references to desktop audio quality due to their resolution and power. And.........to be fair they do set a new portable standard........as everyone here feels they do. And lists of portable players ranks them in a group with some of the best portable players.
> 
> That said, there is still a canyon of difference between them and a desk top experience while using full-size headphones. Needlesss to say, IEMs don’t need the juice. But I think it’s in the imagination of everyone.......to carry around the desktop audio experience. Even if it’s still a dream, it’s getting closer to reality all the time.


----------



## Snowball0906

blazinblazin said:


> Then never try WM1Z. It's darker than WM1A from what i tried in shop.



I've gave WM1Z a try.. Its really good. Smoother, more feelings. the vocals tho. very much enjoyed it but the price is one which i cant afford..


----------



## Snowball0906

blazinblazin said:


> Not sure the burn in time, it probably there more than 1 year since it is released. I am using 4.4mm
> 
> If you have a WM1A burn in for more than 500hrs balanced and still wowed by it. That's something. I was listening to the song that was preloaded in.
> 
> ...



The feelings! the darkness makes it real.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

teknorob23 said:


> is anyone using Dapper App to sync itunes on a mac with a WM1A?
> 
> I can see it's compatible it would be great to hear from anyone who's running it. thanks



I am the author of Dapper and use it daily on my WM1A.


----------



## Hanafuda (May 29, 2018)

pietcux said:


> You are quite a fan, aren't you? Great collection!



Thanks. I've got similar quantities of live shows for LedZep and Talking Heads, and smatterings of other bands. A good bootleg (and honestly, you have to sift your way through a lot of muck to find the few gems) is like a magical time machine. Just step through the door for 2-3 hours in nineteen-sixty/seventy/eighty-something. For example, if you look at that list I've got two different versions of the PF show at the Fillmore West on 1970-04-29. The first one, which is the full show and very well recorded at or above the front of the stage, is presumed to have been an unofficial recording by the venue itself (i.e., Bill Graham). But the recorder 2 version was made by a amateur bootlegger on a portable rig of some sort. Listening to that version puts you _in_ the audience, with distance and imaging to match, and I much prefer it even though it's only half the show (the 2nd set unfortunately has uneven recording speed warping, probably from a dying battery). There's even a bit at the beginning of the recording before the show starts when the guy gets caught and gets told to 'pack it up.' He somehow makes a show of complying, the recording is briefly interrupted, and then starts up again several seconds into the first tune (Grantchester Meadows). After Astronomy Domine blows everyone away, you hear the taper's buddy quietly ask him, "are you recording this?" And you answer back along with the taper, "yeah."


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yesterday i listened to 9h worth of DSD and at the end of day i only had one bar left on the battery , but oh boy it sounds too good


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Hanafuda said:


> I've delved into Pink Floyd so deep I can hardly listen to the studio albums anymore. I'm really looking forward to getting my new rig together and burned in so I can give them all a 'new' listen. This was the state of my PF mp3 collection on my old player, though the total collection (all FLAC) is well over 100 shows. This is just pared down to recordings that were good enough to listen on headphones. Yes, for the most part 'bootlegs' suck in the SQ department, even when they're good ... but there's something 'real' there that just can't be had on studio recordings.


So are these the r could endings you recommend for headphones then?


----------



## superuser1

Hanafuda said:


> I've delved into Pink Floyd so deep I can hardly listen to the studio albums anymore. I'm really looking forward to getting my new rig together and burned in so I can give them all a 'new' listen. This was the state of my PF mp3 collection on my old player, though the total collection (all FLAC) is well over 100 shows. This is just pared down to recordings that were good enough to listen on headphones. Yes, for the most part 'bootlegs' suck in the SQ department, even when they're good ... but there's something 'real' there that just can't be had on studio recordings.


David and Roger would have a fight over that collection!


----------



## proedros

Hanafuda said:


> I've delved into Pink Floyd so deep I can hardly listen to the studio albums anymore. I'm really looking forward to getting my new rig together and burned in so I can give them all a 'new' listen. This was the state of my PF mp3 collection on my old player, though the total collection (all FLAC) is well over 100 shows. This is just pared down to recordings that were good enough to listen on headphones. Yes, for the most part 'bootlegs' suck in the SQ department, even when they're good ... but there's something 'real' there that just can't be had on studio recordings.



being also a big PF/bootlegs fans , let me suggest you find the *1977 montreal show* (amazing SQ and of high historic significance - it's the show where Roger snaps and spits at the fan, apparently here is where he started contemplating  the alienation theme which resulted 3 years later in the making of the wall record) and i also liked very much most of the *1980/81 shows* on the wall tour (which were only some very few in germany/UK/US)

cheers


----------



## Hanafuda (May 29, 2018)

proedros said:


> being also a big PF/bootlegs fans , let me suggest you find the *1977 montreal show* (amazing SQ and of high historic significance - it's the show where Roger snaps and spits at the fan, apparently here is where he started contemplating  the alienation theme which resulted 3 years later in the making of the wall record) and i also liked very much most of the *1980/81 shows* on the wall tour (which were only some very few in germany/UK/US)
> 
> cheers




Oh, I've got it, the Harvested version, HRV CDR0032, "Who Was Trained Not To Spit On The Fan."

I also have a few of the Wall shows, but I'm not crazy about that album. I know, weird.





JeremyLaurenson said:


> So are these the r could endings you recommend for headphones then?



Yes, with a couple caveats. One, a few shows are on that list because the SQ is 'good enough' to bear on headphones, but more importantly there's something special either about the setlist or the particular performance. The San Diego show from 10/17/1971, for instance, is not a fantastic recording, but the version of "Careful with that Axe, Eugene" is extraordinarily better than any other time they played it that I've heard, and I've heard many dozens. Also all of the 1972 shows on the list are very good but less than excellent SQ (to my ears, but I'm picky), but are worth it for the evolution of Dark Side as they performed it for a year before releasing the album. Second, those are my picks for overall best sounding shows, but sometimes there are multiple recorders out there for one show, and sometimes the 'best' version has several versions floating around. I spent about 8 years (and more really, I still check in occasionally) on yeeshkul assembling my collection, and there are a few shows that I've upgraded more than three or four times since the first time I got a copy. Altogether I have over 40 DVD-R's full of live PF flac. It's always an ongoing effort to get the best available. And for a while it was relatively simple because there was a release group, Harvested, and you could be fairly sure with almost any show they released that it was the best one available. But, a few years ago they got a cease & desist served on them, and finding their releases isn't as easy anymore (but they're still out there).

Also, it's my personal list, so it reflects my personal tastes. I don't really like any live performance of "Atom Heart Mother" with orchestral/choir accompaniment, so even though there are a few great-sounding boots out there with AHM performed that way, they're not on that list. I prefer AHM performed by the band only. I also am pretty picky once DSotM was out, and the band started performing predominantly in large arenas and stadiums. Much more difficult to get a good recording under those conditions. And, another bit of pickiness, I don't much like saxophone in Echoes, which was the norm on the 1973 tour. I've got the shows, I just didn't convert them from FLAC to mp3 for portable use. The best recordings from the mid-70's come from a guy named Mike Millard, aka Mike the Mike. He was a despicable person for what he did, which was go to concerts pretending to be handicapped so he could bring in a portable reel-to-reel slung under his wheelchair, and get a great seat too due to his fake disability. But his boots are top-notch, there's no denying. The 1975-04-26 show in Los Angeles and the 1977-05-09 in Oakland are both Millard's, and they're excellent.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

teknorob23 said:


> is anyone using Dapper App to sync itunes on a mac with a WM1A?
> 
> I can see it's compatible it would be great to hear from anyone who's running it. thanks



By the way, HDTracks is having a sale right now, 20% off... theres a new button on the Dapper Utilities tab that finds the music in your Dapper library thats available on HDTracks in hires:


----------



## proedros (May 29, 2018)

Hanafuda said:


> Oh, I've got it, the Harvested version, HRV CDR0032, "Who Was Trained Not To Spit On The Fan."
> 
> I also have a few of the Wall shows, but I'm not crazy about that album. I know, weird.



it's cool , i don't like the syd barrett era for instance

i am also a big fan of bootlegs like you, especially when the band can KILL IT live

there was a time period (around 2008) when i downloaded my ass off with favorite bootlegs (from sites like dime/zomb/traderden) but now i have cooled off , as i also have moved from typical 70s-90s rock into 70s/80s black music (soul/funk/disco/boogie) which is mostly studio-made

btw , since i saw you like talking heads (which is one of my favorite bands as well and they had a thing about killing it onstage) there is an abundance of live stuff from their good period 78-83 at dime , check it out

btw , the best soundboard option for me is something like what pearl jam do , which is they tape their shows and sell them afterwards

if you like Primus (a hit-or-miss band in people's minds) , the 2003-2004 official SBD shows are HUGE , the only band (probably along with tangerine dream) where i really prefer their live sound/stuff over their studio albums

cheers


----------



## Whitigir

For anyone who wonder why I am letting my very lovely WM1Z going

The beast inside me is growing, and I am spoiling it Q_Q so much, that I cry from expenses and audio nirvana


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> For anyone who wonder why I am letting my very lovely WM1Z going
> 
> The beast inside me is growing, and I am spoiling it Q_Q so much, that I cry from expenses and audio nirvana



Cool but not very portable


----------



## Whitigir (May 29, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Cool but not very portable



Nope! Fully tethered in a full blown desktop mode! I can’t even bring that Furman around....that thing is as heavy as a beast! 55 Lbs ! Lol

Those cables cords can strangle me without problems...O_O


----------



## teknorob23

JeremyLaurenson said:


> I am the author of Dapper and use it daily on my WM1A.



All installed and working seemlessly, thank you


----------



## gerelmx1986

I would have a desktop rig for home and a portable such as the WM1 series for on the go


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I would have a desktop rig for home and a portable such as the WM1 series for on the go


I did ventured down that road, but trust me, I only have a set of ears ! Not enough time to do it all ! LoL!


----------



## Hanafuda

Whitigir said:


> For anyone who wonder why I am letting my very lovely WM1Z going
> 
> The beast inside me is growing, and I am spoiling it Q_Q so much, that I cry from expenses and audio nirvana




Ok I'm guessing either divorced, or DINK.


----------



## Whitigir

Hanafuda said:


> Ok I'm guessing either divorced, or DINK.


What is DINK ? LOL!


----------



## Hanafuda (May 29, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> What is DINK ? LOL!



Double Income, No Kids.


----------



## Whitigir

Hanafuda said:


> Double Income, No Kids.



crap...I wished I was DINK, but neither of those above were correct.  I simply am....submitting toward my inner beast....this guy keeps on craving for music, and it keeps hearing (flaws, negativity)....I just keep climbing.

Hear me, please, if you started hearing the differences in your music over cables, and the little things...your beasts are becoming matured, and you are going to be consumed.


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> I did ventured down that road, but trust me, I only have a set of ears ! Not enough time to do it all ! LoL!



I need a good portable rig since I’m away from hone with work about 100-150 nights a year


----------



## gerelmx1986

Ok maybe @Whitigir  is either retired or he works on an environment where he can't have music at work, f.e. Banker, Trader, Chemist, working in a dangerous job such as a metal (steel f.e) processing facility or Nuke plant


----------



## Hanafuda

Icekuma said:


> I went to Sony to have demo. I had Z7 and Z1R both using balanced cable. I agree that Z1R sounded now refined but with that price, I think I am happy with z7.



Was the Z7 vs. Z1R difference a “Wow!” difference, or a, “yeah, I can hear that,” difference?

I had to decide between them too and about 95% sure on the Z7 now, with the benefit that I can afford the WM1A if I get the lower-priced headphone (instead of zx300).


----------



## Whitigir (May 29, 2018)

Hanafuda said:


> Was the Z7 vs. Z1R difference a “Wow!” difference, or a, “yeah, I can hear that,” difference?
> 
> I had to decide between them too and about 95% sure on the Z7 now, with the benefit that I can afford the WM1A if I get the lower-priced headphone (instead of zx300).



I had experienced with them, and Z1R is yes.  Z1R is successor of Z7 which also meant to be higher tier of performances.  However, it depends a lot on your preferences.  I know people who would take modified Z7 over Z1R.  I also know people who rather prefer Z1R over HD800/S.  It is all matter of personal preferences.

All I can say is that Z7 is still one of the top of the mid-tier level, modify it will bring it up a notch.  But Z1R is engineered/designed to be high-end.  Doesn’t warrant that you may like it better than Z7 either


----------



## Hanafuda

Whitigir said:


> I had experienced with them, and Z1R is yes.  Z1R is successor of Z7 which also meant to be higher tier of performances.  However, it depends a lot on your preferences.  I know people who would take modified Z7 over Z1R.  I also know people who rather prefer Z1R over HD800/S.  It is all matter of personal preferences.
> 
> All I can say is that Z7 is still one of the top of the mid-tier level, modify it will bring it up a notch.  But Z1R is engineered/designed to be high-end.  Doesn’t warrant that you may like it better than Z7 either




"Depends." Honest answer. After I forced myself to come off the Z1R pedestal and reconsider my shopping list, it started becoming even more important to me to get the WM1A. Whatever DAP I buy is probably gonna be with me a long time. May sound silly/inconceivable to some of you, but this is to replace a 1st gen Zune. (which was a fine mp3 player, in its time) I bought the Zune brand new in 2006, I still use it almost daily and it still works like the day I bought it. 12 years, one device. But I've been through several different headphones and IEM's with it. That's a trend that probably isn't going to change, so if I'm gonna go large on one item it should be the DAP. (Not 1Z large though - a man's gotta know his limitations lol.)


----------



## Snowball0906

By any chance, has anyone tried re800 with wm1a? Is re800 very bright and fun?


----------



## Quadfather

Has anyone tried the Sennheiser HD650s on both the 1Z and the 1A?  Which combination is better?


----------



## ruthieandjohn

Help!  My WM1A does not recognize the presence of an SD Micro card.  I have been using two SanDisk Ultra 128 GB Micro SD XC, both of which work in my Lotoo PAW 5000 player, but when I try to format one on the WM1A, I get "Cannot Format because the SD card is not mounted."

When I plug it in, the orange light next to the slot flashes twice, not quite going off in between flashes, so in some way it seems to acknowledge that the card is there.

I updated the firmware on the WM1A to 2.00.  No success.

I tried 2 different micro SD cards... no success.

I tried erasing the micro SD card of previous data on my PC before putting it in... no success.

I tried reformatting the micro SD card on my PC, first by eXFAT and then by NTFS... no success either way.

Any idea what else I  might try?  Should I try a completely new card? 

Thanks for any help!


----------



## Hanafuda

Snowball0906 said:


> [Just sharing]
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Snowball, what is your WM1A lying on in these photos? Some kind of wedge stand?


----------



## gerelmx1986

ruthieandjohn said:


> Help!  My WM1A does not recognize the presence of an SD Micro card.  I have been using two SanDisk Ultra 128 GB Micro SD XC, both of which work in my Lotoo PAW 5000 player, but when I try to format one on the WM1A, I get "Cannot Format because the SD card is not mounted."
> 
> When I plug it in, the orange light next to the slot flashes twice, not quite going off in between flashes, so in some way it seems to acknowledge that the card is there.
> 
> ...


or RMA it ,  so you format it in the DAP and throw that error or after you format with PC you dn't see music?


----------



## ruthieandjohn (May 29, 2018)

I cannot format it in the WM1A, because the WM1A does not act like it is there..it acts just as if the SD slot is empty. I don’t know what else to try.


----------



## superuser1

ruthieandjohn said:


> I cannot format it in the WM1A, because the WM1A does not act like it is there..it acts just as if the SD slot is empty. I don’t know what else to try.


if you have a PC handy, format it in exFAT and pop it into the 1A and see what happens..


----------



## Bart147

ruthieandjohn said:


> Help!  My WM1A does not recognize the presence of an SD Micro card.  I have been using two SanDisk Ultra 128 GB Micro SD XC, both of which work in my Lotoo PAW 5000 player, but when I try to format one on the WM1A, I get "Cannot Format because the SD card is not mounted."
> 
> When I plug it in, the orange light next to the slot flashes twice, not quite going off in between flashes, so in some way it seems to acknowledge that the card is there.
> 
> ...


See post #6472


----------



## ruthieandjohn

superuser1 said:


> if you have a PC handy, format it in exFAT and pop it into the 1A and see what happens..


I did that on a PC and popped it in...didn’t work.  Still acted as if not there.

So I tried a 32 GB SanDisk MicroSD with music already on it..  that Works!  It gets updated into the library and plays just fine.   I can’t imagine that 128GB is too big, as I seem to have found some post that got 400GB to work.   Maybe it’s the fact it is an *Ultra* SD.  

Off to read Post 6472 as suggested by @Bart147  above (thank you, Bart!)


----------



## Hanafuda

ruthieandjohn said:


> I did that on a PC and popped it in...didn’t work.  Still acted as if not there.
> 
> So I tried a 32 GB SanDisk MicroSD with music already on it..  that Works!  It gets updated into the library and plays just fine.   I can’t imagine that 128GB is too big, as I seem to have found some post that got 400GB to work.   Maybe it’s the fact it is an *Ultra* SD.
> 
> Off to read Post 6472 as suggested by @Bart147  above (thank you, Bart!)




Make sure to let us know if that works. Enquiring minds want to know.


----------



## superuser1

ruthieandjohn said:


> I did that on a PC and popped it in...didn’t work.  Still acted as if not there.
> 
> So I tried a 32 GB SanDisk MicroSD with music already on it..  that Works!  It gets updated into the library and plays just fine.   I can’t imagine that 128GB is too big, as I seem to have found some post that got 400GB to work.   Maybe it’s the fact it is an *Ultra* SD.
> 
> Off to read Post 6472 as suggested by @Bart147  above (thank you, Bart!)


What the... exFAT worked for me.. tres bizarre.. try FAT32 then please.


----------



## Hanafuda

superuser1 said:


> What the... exFAT worked for me.. tres bizarre.. try FAT32 then please.




Since he got a 32GB card to work but not his new 128GB, the advice he got to use the official SD Association formatting tool is the best option, regardless of format protocol. Since one card worked without issue though, looks like it's not his WM1A, except to the extent it's a stickler for proper formatting. Hope he reports back.


----------



## productred

ruthieandjohn said:


> I did that on a PC and popped it in...didn’t work.  Still acted as if not there.
> 
> So I tried a 32 GB SanDisk MicroSD with music already on it..  that Works!  It gets updated into the library and plays just fine.   I can’t imagine that 128GB is too big, as I seem to have found some post that got 400GB to work.   Maybe it’s the fact it is an *Ultra* SD.
> 
> Off to read Post 6472 as suggested by @Bart147  above (thank you, Bart!)



My "Ultra" 400GB SDXC card works like a charm without the tiniest of issues. Hope you get your cards to work pal...........the FAT and exFAT issues had been on at the beginning of the DAP bloom but now I found myself never having to bother about it anymore. Always just pop in a card and it's ready to go.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Terrific performance, shame they didn't record the complete sonatas


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 30, 2018)

Hanafuda said:


> I've delved into Pink Floyd so deep I can hardly listen to the studio albums anymore. I'm really looking forward to getting my new rig together and burned in so I can give them all a 'new' listen. This was the state of my PF mp3 collection on my old player, though the total collection (all FLAC) is well over 100 shows. This is just pared down to recordings that were good enough to listen on headphones. Yes, for the most part 'bootlegs' suck in the SQ department, even when they're good ... but there's something 'real' there that just can't be had on studio recordings.




That's amazing! I only have the 2CD of Pulse. I had another live bootleg on CD, but no more. I'm so old I remember the blinking LED the Pulse box had in 1995! When the LP of The Dark Side Of The Moon came out, it had stickers and two posters and because everyone had the LP, everyone had the posters in their room. I used to have the British Imports for Meddle too on LP. For the longest time the Alan Parsons quad-mix of TDSOTM was hard to get, though they did release it in digitaly a couple of years ago. I still use TDSOTM as my test record to judge equipment. The heart-beat when TDSOTM starts is always to the right as the human heart is to the left, but if a person was facing you.....you would hear it on the right hand side. Though it's all different on Parsons quad-mix. I have the Shine-On box set, though I'm not sure how the remastering is looked at? So far I like the November 2017 Japan mini-album set the best. I also collect needle drops (and some are amazing) but pretty much stick with the digital remasters, as it all starts to get really confusing. Much of the needle drops out there have a bunch of midrange air and there are some which seem to expand the soundstage with Floyd's work. And.......it may be how the LP really sounds, but I stick with the CDs as everything sounds in place, with nothing exaggerated.

There is also a Japan 1st CD pressing of Wish You Were Here (35DP-4 1A1 CBS/Sony) which is nice to go back to. It's maybe not as hot as the remaster but seems as everything is in place when you hear it.

Probably my greatest Floyd listening experience was hearing the TDSOTM 2003 Kevin Gray master on 180 gram virgin vinyl on a 100K headphone rig. Needless to say they were using HD800s and it was pretty detailed. Though out of my financial range it was the best I've heard the HD800s sound. Though with my modest system Floyd is fine sounding, as I'm not able or willing to spend 90K for that last 10%.


----------



## pietcux

ruthieandjohn said:


> I did that on a PC and popped it in...didn’t work.  Still acted as if not there.
> 
> So I tried a 32 GB SanDisk MicroSD with music already on it..  that Works!  It gets updated into the library and plays just fine.   I can’t imagine that 128GB is too big, as I seem to have found some post that got 400GB to work.   Maybe it’s the fact it is an *Ultra* SD.
> 
> Off to read Post 6472 as suggested by @Bart147  above (thank you, Bart!)


I had the same problem. I tried a lot of things. Finally I put it in my Nikon 1 camera and formatted it there. Worked fine, now the WM1A recognizes the card.


----------



## pietcux

Hanafuda said:


> Was the Z7 vs. Z1R difference a “Wow!” difference, or a, “yeah, I can hear that,” difference?
> 
> I had to decide between them too and about 95% sure on the Z7 now, with the benefit that I can afford the WM1A if I get the lower-priced headphone (instead of zx300).


I use the Z7 in the office very much right now. I think if you do not compare them with the Z1R side by side, the Z7's are all you ever need.


----------



## Hanafuda

pietcux said:


> I use the Z7 in the office very much right now. I think if you do not compare them with the Z1R side by side, the Z7's are all you ever need.



Well as I mentioned in an earlier post, switching to the Z7 on my shopping list makes it possible to afford the WM1A, so I think it's the better combination. It also leaves me in a better financial position going forward to get a nice open headphone (which I generally prefer) sooner rather than later. And, despite the logical, practical cost/benefit analysis perhaps favoring the zx300, I just want the WM1A. Applying some rationality to that choice, with the bigger screen I probably won't need to put my readers on every time I touch it, and the extra output power is extra output power.

My wife and daughter fly out Saturday. Back the first week of July. The wait begins.


----------



## pietcux

Hanafuda said:


> Well as I mentioned in an earlier post, switching to the Z7 on my shopping list makes it possible to afford the WM1A, so I think it's the better combination. It also leaves me in a better financial position going forward to get a nice open headphone (which I generally prefer) sooner rather than later. And, despite the logical, practical cost/benefit analysis perhaps favoring the zx300, I just want the WM1A. Applying some rationality to that choice, with the bigger screen I probably won't need to put my readers on every time I touch it, and the extra output power is extra output power.
> 
> My wife and daughter fly out Saturday. Back the first week of July. The wait begins.


Don't forget this cable: MUC-B20SB21


----------



## ruthieandjohn

As suggested back on Post 6472, this tool worked to format my 128 GB SanDisk MicroSD Ultra so that my WM1A would "see" it:  https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/index.html

This was the same MicroSD that earlier was not recognized as being present by the WM1A.

I formatted on the "Overwrite everything" (second) option, which required about 2 hours for my 128GB card.

I am now writing music to it, but I fully expect it to work.

But... why oh why when the Sony instructions say "Format the card in the WM1A" does the card not format in the WM1A???


----------



## Hanafuda (May 30, 2018)

pietcux said:


> Don't forget this cable: MUC-B20SB21




Oh yes, it's on the list:

NW-WM1A
MDR-Z7
MUC-B20SB1
WMC-NWH10
WMP-NWM10
BKS-WM1G2DF (tempered glass screen protector)

Told my wife to just give the list of items to the guy at the store and he'll have it all in a couple minutes. I'll order a TPU case once they are back. Then start loading it up. I'm hoping for a Black Friday deal on the microsd ... plenty of space to fill before that.

The price for the Z7 _plus_ the Kimber cable after the tourist discount and conversion to USD works out to about $580. WM1A is about $955. I am well under budget.


----------



## Whitigir

Hanafuda said:


> Oh yes, it's on the list:
> 
> NW-WM1A
> MDR-Z7
> ...




What ? You are able to tell your wife to shop for your Audio equipments ? LoL! Wow...respect!


----------



## ledzep

pietcux said:


> Don't forget this cable: MUC-B20SB21



Skip that cable and get a pure silver one made it opens up the 7's nicely, next best thing to modding the cups to rid them of that muddy bass.


----------



## pietcux




----------



## Hanafuda

Whitigir said:


> What ? You are able to tell your wife to shop for your Audio equipments ? LoL! Wow...respect!



She and my daughter are leaving for Japan in a few days. We visit the grandparents and do some travelling every couple years, but I'm not going this time. Finally bought my daughter a violin after 7 years of renting last summer ($7k), changed out the carpet in the house for bamboo ($9k), and my wife's due to replace her car soon. My pockets only go so deep, and unlike both of them I have no biological imperative to see the Land of the Rising Sun every two years. Me ducking out this time saves us almost $10k, so a little shopping on my behalf is a reasonable request.


----------



## Hanafuda (May 30, 2018)

pietcux said:


>




Hey, you finally got it! (cable) What say you about the MUC-B20SB1?




ledzep said:


> Skip that cable and get a pure silver one made it opens up the 7's nicely, next best thing to modding the cups to rid them of that muddy bass.



I'm not really even a cable guy in the first place. But the balanced cable with the Z7 doesn't play nice with the WM1A, so the Kimber's the most expedient and affordable option considering the travel opportunity.


----------



## pietcux (May 30, 2018)

ledzep said:


> Skip that cable and get a pure silver one made it opens up the 7's nicely, next best thing to modding the cups to rid them of that muddy bass.


Btw, I still like how the Z7 sounds stock. This cable is only to enable the balanced mode with the WM1A.  As I said before, they designed the bass as is to be like many people like it. It has visceral components like no other but the Z1R.  I'd be a fool to eliminate that. If you do not like how the can sounds you are free to do so though.


----------



## Icekuma

Those answers by others are great. I could not have said them better. Depends. If I had the cash laying around, site I would get Z1R. The mental note I made its I will have to get it together with the Sony TA-ZH1ES purely the extra juice makes it reveal the true potential. There's still something doesn't quite click with Z7. It's great but not that gives me that emotional wow gotta have it. I vaguely remember the denon when I was in Tokyo. So undecided yet. 

Hope this answers your question. 


QUOTE="Hanafuda, post: 14271066, member: 49406"]Was the Z7 vs. Z1R difference a “Wow!” difference, or a, “yeah, I can hear that,” difference?

I had to decide between them too and about 95% sure on the Z7 now, with the benefit that I can afford the WM1A if I get the lower-priced headphone (instead of zx300).[/QUOTE]


----------



## pietcux

Hanafuda said:


> Hey, you finally got it! (cable) What say you about the MUC-B20SB1?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It is beautiful, built like a tank and get's the signal to the headphones. I had an aftermarket cable made first, but the headphone side connectors did not really fit. Had it converted to be used with my HD800 now. The Kimber is for me also a backup solution for the balanced cable which came with the Z1R. Sound wise I am yet to hear much difference, but that's ok.


----------



## Hanafuda

pietcux said:


> It is beautiful, built like a tank and *get's the signal to the headphones*. I had an aftermarket cable made first, but the headphone side connectors did not really fit. Had it converted to be used with my HD800 now. The Kimber is for me also a backup solution for the balanced cable which came with the Z1R. Sound wise I am yet to hear much difference, but that's ok.



Yep, that’s what I need then.


----------



## Foosdan

I'm looking to upgrade from a Fiio X7II to a WM1A.  Can anyone provide a comparison in terms of SQ?  I'll be using CFA Andromedas.


----------



## 480126

Foosdan said:


> I'm looking to upgrade from a Fiio X7II to a WM1A.  Can anyone provide a comparison in terms of SQ?  I'll be using CFA Andromedas.


I had Fiio X7ii And changed to 1A. Bad is, that the A1 only 1 Sd Slot have and Pics only in jpeg baseline showed. i Take  a lot Time to changed it.
But  the positiv side: more details, naturale sound and netter bass. It was a very good Choice.
I use 1A balanced with sennheiser HD 800s


----------



## Snowball0906

Hanafuda said:


> Snowball, what is your WM1A lying on in these photos? Some kind of wedge stand?



It's Vannuys leather desktop stand. Here's the link for its pictures and description  http://www.vannuys.co.jp/n_desktop_stand/index.html


----------



## Snowball0906

Foosdan said:


> I'm looking to upgrade from a Fiio X7II to a WM1A.  Can anyone provide a comparison in terms of SQ?  I'll be using CFA Andromedas.



I was Fiio x5 iii and x7 ii's user. I would say Fiio sound's signature is neutral, thin, and bright, which doesn't suits my taste. WM1A is clean, dark, detail, soft. So if you are looking for something dark and detail (which is pretty poisonous...) u may give it a try. To me, its really worth the upgrade. It a different SQ. But always, try before u upgrade. So u could find ur "dream sound"


----------



## Hanafuda

ruthieandjohn said:


> As suggested back on Post 6472, this tool worked to format my 128 GB SanDisk MicroSD Ultra so that my WM1A would "see" it:  https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/index.html
> 
> This was the same MicroSD that earlier was not recognized as being present by the WM1A.
> 
> ...




Thanks for letting us know it worked out ok. Good to hear your WM1A is fine and dandy. Next time if you upgrade to a larger card, just take the new microsd straight from the package, copy your existing files from the one you're using now over to it, throw it in the WM1A and see if that works (before doing any formatting). I'm betting it does, but if not, well you know what to do now.


----------



## Bart147

ruthieandjohn said:


> As suggested back on Post 6472, this tool worked to format my 128 GB SanDisk MicroSD Ultra so that my WM1A would "see" it:  https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/index.html
> 
> This was the same MicroSD that earlier was not recognized as being present by the WM1A.
> 
> ...


When i formatted my 200gb sd card in exfat it took less than a minute to complete the job.Then insert the card in your WM1A , it should recognize your card  now . Create a folder via your computer called MUSIC and put all your music in it.


----------



## Rchandra

This has probably already been answered but I don't feel like reading through pages could someone tell me what's a good portable amp to use with the wm1a anyone try the ifi black label with these? Trying to find a good alternative to my hd800S


----------



## Lookout57

If you go balanced you shouldn't need an amp.


----------



## ruthieandjohn (May 30, 2018)

Another WM1A newbie question...

Now that I (finally) have my microSD card recognized by and feeding music to my WM1A, HOW do I make it seamlessly integrate with the onboard storage, so that it looks just like one big mass of storage?

Here is what I mean:  when I go to Library view (Artists, Albums... HiRes), it only seems to cover the songs that are on the internal memory, not the microSD card.  To get to them, I have to go to Folder/SD Card/... .  I already read somewhere that you cannot make a playlist that includes songs from both internal and microSD memory.

Also, how can I assure that album art appears?  Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t.  Worse still, it only appears at the beginning of the line of each along, NOT on the higher-level view that shows the album name (that is must a blank folder shape).

Finally, how do I do the music analysis to build the “Sense Me” channels?  Does that have to be done off line, via say MediaGo, on a PC?

I have already tried “Rebuild database.”  Any other ideas?

Thanks!


----------



## ledzep

Hanafuda said:


> Hey, you finally got it! (cable) What say you about the MUC-B20SB1?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It's nothing to do with being a cable guy its about getting the best from them and the kimber is in not the way to go, made by Sony under licence from kimber and badly put together the soldering under the splitter was appalling and dont get me started on that terrible excuse of the Z5 kimber with the $2 connectors that work loose.
Kimber by name not Kimber by nature .... each to his own i guess.


----------



## ledzep

pietcux said:


> Btw, I still like how the Z7 sounds stock. This cable is only to enable the balanced mode with the WM1A.  As I said before, they designed the bass as is to be like many people like it. It has visceral components like no other but the Z1R.  I'd be a fool to eliminate that. If you do not like how the can sounds you are free to do so though.


Thanks


----------



## San Man

Bart147 said:


> When i formatted my 200gb sd card in exfat it took less than a minute to complete the job.Then insert the card in your WM1A , it should recognize your card  now . Create a folder via your computer called MUSIC and put all your music in it.



I had that problem with my 400gb card.   I did not create the music folder and drag/dropped everything onto the card, but the player didn't see the files.  I'm not sure if the music folder was there, and it may have very well have been, but I don't recall seeing a drop down arrow in windows explorer next to the SD card drive.  I erased everything off the player, including the internal memory which held some files, reformatted the card inside the player, and then dropped a few songs into the music folder to test it.   I don't know how the music folder was generated (I prob missed it the first time), but that was how I got mine to work.


----------



## Hanafuda (May 30, 2018)

ledzep said:


> It's nothing to do with being a cable guy its about getting the best from them and the kimber is in not the way to go, made by Sony under licence from kimber and badly put together the soldering under the splitter was appalling and dont get me started on that terrible excuse of the Z5 kimber with the $2 connectors that work loose.
> Kimber by name not Kimber by nature .... each to his own i guess.




I saw a photo here somewhere showing sloppy soldered-together wiring under the splitter on a Sony/Kimber cable. It came out of China. A member here noted that counterfeiting of these cables in the China domestic market is known. Are you suggesting they're ALL like that? The original post from the Chinese forum also seemed suspect to me, since the purchaser purportedly bought the cable and an NW-WM1A together, brought them home and before even opening the WM1A proceeded to bust open the splitter on the cable (which breaks it). Why? Why did you bust yours open, if all that was needed was replacement of the mmcx connectors?

Apparently the cable you're using with the Z7 involves, "solid silver cable with a furutech rhodium 4.4mm and 2 X Oyaide platinum and palladium 3.5mm's ." How much would that cost from a 3rd party maker? I'm getting the Z7 brand new for $377 or less. Even the $200 I'm paying for the MUC-B20SB1 is stupid, but Sony doesn't sell a standard Z7/Z1R 4.4 balanced cable. They _make_ one, and pack it in with the Z1R, but they don't sell it separately.


----------



## nc8000

ruthieandjohn said:


> Another WM1A newbie question...
> 
> Now that I (finally) have my microSD card recognized by and feeding music to my WM1A, HOW do I make it seamlessly integrate with the onboard storage, so that it looks just like one big mass of storage?
> 
> ...



If your music is placed in a Music folder and tagged properly it will all show up under the various categories, it is only Folder view that seperates it. Album art has to be baseline, the player does not show progressive. In Folder view the art does not show on the higher levels, only on the individual track, but in the various category views it does show on higher levels.


----------



## ledzep

Hanafuda said:


> I saw a photo here somewhere showing sloppy soldered-together wiring under the splitter on a Sony/Kimber cable. It came out of China. A member here noted that counterfeiting of these cables in the China domestic market is known. Are you suggesting they're ALL like that? The original post from the Chinese forum also seemed suspect to me, since the purchaser purportedly bought the cable and an NW-WM1A together, brought them home and before even opening the WM1A proceeded to bust open the splitter on the cable (which breaks it). Why? Why did you bust yours open, if all that was needed was replacement of the mmcx connectors?
> 
> Apparently the cable you're using with the Z7 involves, "solid silver cable with a furutech rhodium 4.4mm and 2 X Oyaide platinum and palladium 3.5mm's ." How much would that cost from a 3rd party maker? I'm getting the Z7 brand new for $377 or less. Even the $200 I'm paying for the MUC-B20SB1 is stupid, but Sony doesn't sell a standard Z7/Z1R 4.4 balanced cable. They _make_ one, and pack it in with the Z1R, but they don't sell it separately.



Mine was bought from Sony Malaysia and 100% genuine, I guess the industry I work in makes me more picky about build quality and the cable I use with my 7's cost me £110. I bust open the splitter on the Z7'S as it was one big ugly lump of plastic and replaced it with a smart looking copper/ carbon fibre one, I only re terminated the mmcx's on the  Kimber for  the Z5's with eidolic terrilium copper ones. But if your happy with your set up as is who am I to tell you otherwise, everyone hears / likes different looks and signatures of headphones and cables so each to is own, difference of opinion is a good thing, would be a very small thread and boring if we all agreed on the same.


----------



## Hanafuda

ledzep said:


> Mine was bought from Sony Malaysia and 100% genuine, I guess the industry I work in makes me more picky about build quality and the cable I use with my 7's cost me £110. I bust open the splitter on the Z7'S as it was one big ugly lump of plastic and replaced it with a smart looking copper/ carbon fibre one, I only re terminated the mmcx's on the  Kimber for  the Z5's with eidolic terrilium copper ones. But if your happy with your set up as is who am I to tell you otherwise, everyone hears / likes different looks and signatures of headphones and cables so each to is own, difference of opinion is a good thing, would be a very small thread and boring if we all agreed on the same.




Well, the cable you made (see: LINK) is certainly handsome and very well done. I expect it must have been the beneficiary of materials and tools on-hand to some extent to build it @ £110, but again well done. I may get up to a project like that sometime - I do at least have a soldering iron, heat gun, and multimeter -  but for starters I was thinking I might reterminate that double-ended balanced cable for the pha-3 that comes in the Z7 box, with a pentaconn plug. Maybe, I dunno. It definitely isn't going to see any use otherwise. But as for a ready-made, near equivalent commercial solution for me here in the US, like for example a Moon-Audio Silver Dragon, with the appropriate connectors it is $360 + tax. Over at lqicables, their Claris series silver cable would be $430 + tax. So I'm happy with the choice of the Sony/Kimber @ $200 for now (if I were trying to buy that cable here in the States on ebay or amazon, $275-$325). If it turns out to be not to my liking for some reason, I'm sure another Z7 or Z1R owner here would be happy to take it off my hands for a reasonable sum.


----------



## pietcux

Hanafuda said:


> Well, the cable you made (see: LINK) is certainly handsome and very well done. I expect it must have been the beneficiary of materials and tools on-hand to some extent to build it @ £110, but again well done. I may get up to a project like that sometime - I do at least have a soldering iron, heat gun, and multimeter -  but for starters I was thinking I might reterminate that double-ended balanced cable for the pha-3 that comes in the Z7 box, with a pentaconn plug. Maybe, I dunno. It definitely isn't going to see any use otherwise. But as for a ready-made, near equivalent commercial solution for me here in the US, like for example a Moon-Audio Silver Dragon, with the appropriate connectors it is $360 + tax. Over at lqicables, their Claris series silver cable would be $430 + tax. So I'm happy with the choice of the Sony/Kimber @ $200 for now (if I were trying to buy that cable here in the States on ebay or amazon, $275-$325). If it turns out to be not to my liking for some reason, I'm sure another Z7 or Z1R owner here would be happy to take it off my hands for a reasonable sum.


I think all this refers to the following picture:




I myself am not sure what is wrong in doing it that way as long as the isolation is taken care of plus good strain relief.


----------



## Hanafuda (May 31, 2018)

pietcux said:


> I think all this refers to the following picture:
> 
> I myself am not sure what is wrong in doing it that way as long as the isolation is taken care of plus good strain relief.




Well, that pic is what I was mentioning, i.e. the Chinese forum post. It's on pg 13 of the Z7 mods thread. But ledzep was commenting on his experience with his own Sony/Kimber cable.

As for the pic from the Chinese forum, I ran the original thread through google translate and think one of the comments there was probably most accurate - roughly translated, someone suggested that the OP was just the unlucky guy at the end of one spool of cable.


----------



## AnakChan

Quadfather said:


> Has anybody tried the new Campfire Audio Atlas with their Sony?


I'm listening to them right now. The Campfire Audio Atlas is very impressive for just a single dynamic driver. I'm listening balanced and there's nice spacious holographic presentation. The Atlas is surprisingly detailed with a nice crispness to percussions. It's a warmer than neutral with good bass impact but I won't call it a warm earphone. Nor would I say that it presents a thick signature - it's quite a speedy and quick on it's feet kinda signature.


----------



## Quadfather

AnakChan said:


> I'm listening to them right now. The Campfire Audio Atlas is very impressive for just a single dynamic driver. I'm listening balanced and there's nice spacious holographic presentation. The Atlas is surprisingly detailed with a nice crispness to percussions. It's a warmer than neutral with good bass impact but I won't call it a warm earphone. Nor would I say that it presents a thick signature - it's quite a speedy and quick on it's feet kinda signature.



Thank you. It's between getting the Atlas or getting the gold Sony.  I have the WM1A already


----------



## ledzep

pietcux said:


> I think all this refers to the following picture:
> 
> I myself am not sure what is wrong in doing it that way as long as the isolation is taken care of plus good strain relief.



Because in my opinion and I'm sure there are others here that can solder pretty good if not mil spec standard, it looks a disgusting mess and you'd expect more from a supposedly high end Sony cable, messy glue and crappy heat shrink not to mention the bottom piece has a bare solder area exposed. In saying that they are still mass produced so time constraints will be in force. I recently re terminated a ALO cable for someone and the soldering in their cables are excellent.


----------



## linux4ever

AnakChan said:


> I'm listening to them right now. The Campfire Audio Atlas is very impressive for just a single dynamic driver. I'm listening balanced and there's nice spacious holographic presentation.[/QUOTE.
> 
> The Campfire Audio Comet when paired with Wm1a and zx300 is similar when hooked up to 4.4mm balanced. And Comet is just a single BA iem.
> 
> With zx300a new going for $400 and Comet new being $200, those two provide one excellent combination for a very low price.


----------



## bvng3540

Quadfather said:


> Thank you. It's between getting the Atlas or getting the gold Sony.  I have the WM1A already


For the value it is best to get Atlas instead of upgrade to 1z I have Atlas thinking of letting it go let me know if you interested


----------



## Quadfather

bvng3540 said:


> For the value it is best to get Atlas instead of upgrade to 1z I have Atlas thinking of letting it go let me know if you interested



Thanks. I have a little more saving to do LOL


----------



## nanaholic

Hanafuda said:


> Well, that pic is what I was mentioning, i.e. the Chinese forum post. It's on pg 13 of the Z7 mods thread. But ledzep was commenting on his experience with his own Sony/Kimber cable.
> 
> As for the pic from the Chinese forum, I ran the original thread through google translate and think one of the comments there was probably most accurate - roughly translated, someone suggested that the OP was just the unlucky guy at the end of one spool of cable.



Or he got a "half-fake".

Think about it - the Sony Kimber Kable is mass produced at much larger quantities than your usual boutique cables, lining up a bunch of workers to solder and heat shrink 8 strand braids to left/right channels and has to make sure all the polarity is correctly split to 4 strands left and and 4 strands right channel is simply NOT efficient at mass quantities. In terms of speed and efficiency it's best to use machines to braid/install Y splitter/stamp the connectors onto the cable and do a quick electric test to get the QA done and throw out the remaining reel that isn't long enough to make a full cable. I think some dodgy worker just scrapped together the excess parts and put together the cable and sold it online for profit, which would be worthwhile if you only had to do it a few times for a quick buck.


----------



## Whitigir (May 31, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> Or he got a "half-fake".
> 
> Think about it - the Sony Kimber Kable is mass produced at much larger quantities than your usual boutique cables, lining up a bunch of workers to solder and heat shrink 8 strand braids to left/right channels and has to make sure all the polarity is correctly split to 4 strands left and and 4 strands right channel is simply NOT efficient at mass quantities. In terms of speed and efficiency it's best to use machines to braid/install Y splitter/stamp the connectors onto the cable and do a quick electric test to get the QA done and throw out the remaining reel that isn't long enough to make a full cable. I think some dodgy worker just scrapped together the excess parts and put together the cable and sold it online for profit, which would be worthwhile if you only had to do it a few times for a quick buck.



While it makes a lot of senses.  But how much exactly is Kimber selling their cables to the point of justifying Stamping and braiding by the machines ?  Remember, these cables are boutique and niche.  Unlike HDMI cables, which sells everywhere on daily basis, where you *have to construct the whole cables by machines*.  I doubt any human can make those cables to meet standards.

Anyways, beside the machining and stamping.  I believe any people can just pull some phony pictures and post online to defame Kimber just fine.  It is freedom of speech anyways.  However, only 1 people posting that, it is doubtable that Kimber Cables can be made that bad.  Unless there are more of them


----------



## nanaholic (May 31, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> While it makes a lot of senses.  But how much exactly is Kimber selling their cables to the point of justifying Stamping and braiding by the machines ?  Remember, these cables are boutique and niche.  Unlike HDMI cables, which sells everywhere on daily basis, where you *have to construct the whole cables by machines*.  I doubt any human can make those cables to meet standards



Thing is all the Sony Kimber Kables while engineered by Kimber are actually manufactured by Sony (read the small print on the package), as Sony makes tones of audio visual cables in the first place for their huge electronic device and headphone line up, they should have all the equipment for cable manufacturing and just merely adopted existing machines to make their Sony Kimber Kables. Equipment cost is going to be the least of Sony's expenditure and capital investment. And remember Sony had been making their own Kimber Kable for quite a while - since the Z7 and MDR-1A/PHA-3 era with single entry, dual 3.5mm balance as well as 6.3mm versions etc, their Kimber Kable line up is way more than just for the new Signature Series such that one could say it's a fairly mature product line.

Even Kimber Kable themselves have braiding machines for the amount of cables they make/sell/charge, though they go with hand soldering for the connectors:


----------



## Hanafuda (May 31, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> Or he got a "half-fake".
> 
> Think about it - the Sony Kimber Kable is mass produced at much larger quantities than your usual boutique cables, lining up a bunch of workers to solder and heat shrink 8 strand braids to left/right channels and has to make sure all the polarity is correctly split to 4 strands left and and 4 strands right channel is simply NOT efficient at mass quantities. In terms of speed and efficiency it's best to use machines to braid/install Y splitter/stamp the connectors onto the cable and do a quick electric test to get the QA done and throw out the remaining reel that isn't long enough to make a full cable. I think some dodgy worker just scrapped together the excess parts and put together the cable and sold it online for profit, which would be worthwhile if you only had to do it a few times for a quick buck.




Fascinating concept, and a very possible scenario. I agree with you that it just doesn't make sense that Sony would have workers manually soldering 8 core braided connections complete with hand-fitted heat shrink wrapping on a mass-produced product. But a little lunchbox embezzlement and home workshop effort can feed a hungry black/gray market. It's just fun speculation, there's no way to KNOW what's going on there. But I do think you're right that the likelihood of every Kimber-style cable made by Sony is being assembled by hand, skillfully or not, is next to zero. Big corps like Sony only employ that kind of 'craftsman' labor for very select products, and make a fuss about showing it off when they do (like the MDR-Z1R production line at Sony Taiyo).


----------



## gerelmx1986

ruthieandjohn said:


> Another WM1A newbie question...
> 
> Now that I (finally) have my microSD card recognized by and feeding music to my WM1A, HOW do I make it seamlessly integrate with the onboard storage, so that it looks just like one big mass of storage?
> 
> ...


Create a folder called MUSIC in the root of the SD card, and pull all your music into that folder


----------



## Whitigir (May 31, 2018)

Yeah, no doubt, Kimber braid wires with machines.  But for these cables to be hand soldered is more senses.  However, I doubt Kimber to have shady business, at the least they should be reputable enough to be in partnership with Sony 


gerelmx1986 said:


> Create a folder called MUSIC in the root of the SD card, and pull all your music into that folder


now I have this Habit...I put every Music I have into a folder called “Music” as main folder, and then goes from there ....everywhere LOL!


----------



## ruthieandjohn (Jun 1, 2018)

For transferring songs in bulk from Music Center on my PC to my 1A, do I need to manually partition part to go to internal memory and part to microSD chip, or will Music Center or the 1A automatically fill one up, then switch to the other?

Also, is there a way to flag duplicate songs for removal in Music Center (I am converging the contents of multiple music players, and some have some of the same favorites).

Thanks!


----------



## Quadfather

I am in love with my Sony NW-WM1A.  I use Sennheiser HD650 headphones in balanced, as well as Shure SRH1540 headphones. As much as I love it, I'm getting the upgrade bug for the 1Z.  I am blown away by how well it drives the 650s. It sounds better than off my Paw Gold Diana, which has much more power. Power alone doesn't dictate how well a headphone sounds.


----------



## quodjo105

Quadfather said:


> I am in love with my Sony NW-WM1A.  I use Sennheiser HD650 headphones in balanced, as well as Shure SRH1540 headphones. As much as I love it, I'm getting the upgrade bug for the 1Z.  I am blown away by how well it drives the 650s. It sounds better than off my Paw Gold Diana, which has much more power. Power alone doesn't dictate how well a headphone sounds.


Did you finally get to listen to the 1z with 650's ?


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 1, 2018)

quodjo105 said:


> Did you finally get to listen to the 1z with 650's ?



No, I'm not finding anywhere in Chicagoland yet that has demos.  If anyone nearby the Wisconsin border has a 1Z for demo in the next few Sundays that would be great


----------



## Audiophonicalistic

Quadfather said:


> I am in love with my Sony NW-WM1A.  I use Sennheiser HD650 headphones in balanced, as well as Shure SRH1540 headphones. As much as I love it, I'm getting the upgrade bug for the 1Z.  I am blown away by how well it drives the 650s. It sounds better than off my Paw Gold Diana, which has much more power. Power alone doesn't dictate how well a headphone sounds.


Im in the same boat. But with all the talk about a new sony dap im going to wait. Id hate to buy full price only for a new one to be coming out soon.


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 1, 2018)

Audiophonicalistic said:


> Im in the same boat. But with all the talk about a new sony dap im going to wait. Id hate to buy full price only for a new one to be coming out soon.



Maybe I will do the same. The only way I could see Improvement is that they make it 500mw/36 ohms or possibly a full watt.  If they add Wi-Fi and apps, I'm out.  Having switchable multiple DACs for two signatures would also be cool. Have it just be a setting. Use the 1A or use the 1Z DAC.  Having the option to go between digital sound and Tube sound would be a total home run.  Especially if you could do it with the actual chips rather than EQ.


----------



## Hanafuda

Quadfather said:


> The only way I could see Improvement is that they make it 500mw/36 ohms or possibly a full watt.  *If they add Wi-Fi and apps, I'm out.*



I like the way you think.


----------



## Lookout57

I don't think they'll add Wi-Fi or apps since they are running their own OS on the ZX-300 / 1A / 1Z. 

I can't see them going back to Android for their successors.


----------



## Quadfather

Hanafuda said:


> I like the way you think.



I added even more to my original comment.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jun 1, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> I am in love with my Sony NW-WM1A.  I use Sennheiser HD650 headphones in balanced, as well as Shure SRH1540 headphones. As much as I love it, I'm getting the upgrade bug for the 1Z.  I am blown away by how well it drives the 650s. It sounds better than off my Paw Gold Diana, which has much more power. Power alone doesn't dictate how well a headphone sounds.



Dude, get Whitigirl modified 1Z, its for 2,200 in the sale forum. Worth every penny.


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 1, 2018)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Dude, get Whitigirl modified 1Z, its for 2,200 in the sale forum. Worth every penny.



I wish I could, but I am only a third of the way there in savings.  I would sell my Paw Gold Diana, but I love that dap too much to get rid of.  Right now the Sony NW-WM1A with the HD650s out of balanced is sounding very good. I do get in the mood for different signatures.


----------



## Bart147

Audio heaven has returned to my home  : 

 
To free up funds for my next audio purchase  I'll put  my WM1A (bought 28/4/2018 , still needs burn in after 30h of use )  up for sale along with an unused blue dignis midas case later this evening .


----------



## Quadfather

Bart147 said:


> Audio heaven has returned to my home  :
> 
> To free up funds for my next audio purchase  I'll put  my WM1A (bought 28/4/2018 , still needs burn in after 30h of use )  up for sale along with an unused blue dignis midas case later this evening .



1A vs 1Z?


----------



## Bart147

Quadfather said:


> 1A vs 1Z?


1A is reference (or digital but in a very good way ) sounding vs 1Z rich (or luscious combined with great detail ) .
To my ears and wallet the 1Z is worth the price difference , YMMV of course .


----------



## pietcux

Quadfather said:


> I am in love with my Sony NW-WM1A.  I use Sennheiser HD650 headphones in balanced, as well as Shure SRH1540 headphones. As much as I love it, I'm getting the upgrade bug for the 1Z.  I am blown away by how well it drives the 650s. It sounds better than off my Paw Gold Diana, which has much more power. Power alone doesn't dictate how well a headphone sounds.


I always imagine the Dwarfs from LOTR hammering their magic into a block of Aluminium and create the WM1A in the process. The WM1Z is more an Elf thing. Not my piece of cake.


----------



## Quadfather

pietcux said:


> I always imagine the Dwarfs from LOTR hammering their magic into a block of Aluminium and create the WM1A in the process. The WM1Z is more an Elf thing. Not my piece of cake.



I put in a wanted classified for someone who can let me Demo their 1Z in the Chicagoland area


----------



## Hanafuda

pietcux said:


> I always imagine the Dwarfs from LOTR hammering their magic into a block of Aluminium and create the WM1A in the process. The WM1Z is more an Elf thing ....




Most of the analogies around here are good for no more than the sensible chuckle, but this is quite brilliant and I did indeed laugh out loud. Bravo.


----------



## pietcux

Hanafuda said:


> Most of the analogies around here are good for no more than the sensible chuckle, but this is quite brilliant and I did indeed laugh out loud. Bravo.


Today I got me the latest two P!nk CDs "Truth about Love" and "Beautiful Trauma". Ripped them both as FLAC with good old Media Go and put them on the WM1A thenafter. I am now rocking away with P!nk on the balanced connected Sennheiser HD660S uhh huuu... I have no can that the WM1A cannot drive with grace and authority. Again some *Dwarwen Magic* is going on there...


----------



## Quadfather

pietcux said:


> Today I got me the latest two P!nk CDs "Truth about Love" and "Beautiful Trauma". Ripped them both as FLAC with good old Media Go and put them on the WM1A thenafter. I am now rocking away with P!nk on the balanced connected Sennheiser HD660S uhh huuu... I have no can that the WM1A cannot drive with grace and authority. Again some *Dwarwen Magic* is going on there...



I love my Sennheiser HD650 headphones on my Sony NW - WM1A.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

I, too, love my 1A after 5 days of use.

However, I have liked the “SenseMe” channels offered by my ZX1 (35th Anniversary) Walkman, and that appear on the 1Z menu.   I understand that the channels are created by “12 Tone Analysis” software performed offline, by either MediaGo or Sony Music Center for PC.

This has caused me to (try to) use the Music Center software to load my 1A.

Boy is that Music Center software a not-yet-ready-for-prime-time DOG!

I have just under 20,000 songs.  It takes at least a minute to search for a song, it continually crunches to try to compute its analyses, and it randomly stops when transferring, sometimes freezing the whole computer.

I have given up and am now doing a simple copy from my Lotoo PAW Gold to my 1A.  At least five times faster transfer not counting the constant restarts of the Music Center software!


----------



## gerelmx1986

pietcux said:


> I always imagine the Dwarfs from LOTR hammering their magic into a block of Aluminium and create the WM1A in the process. The WM1Z is more an Elf thing. Not my piece of cake.


I also think WM1A is magic, i don't think it sounds digital (not even lifeless, that's for the iPod)


----------



## pietcux

ruthieandjohn said:


> I, too, love my 1A after 5 days of use.
> 
> However, I have liked the “SenseMe” channels offered by my ZX1 (35th Anniversary) Walkman, and that appear on the 1Z menu.   I understand that the channels are created by “12 Tone Analysis” software performed offline, by either MediaGo or Sony Music Center for PC.
> 
> ...


Try Media Go. It works very fast and reliable.


----------



## tienbasse

Why bother with a software when you can just manage your library yourself and copy-paste anything you want ?
Most music management software bring more issues than they solve...


----------



## ruthieandjohn (Jun 2, 2018)

tienbasse said:


> Why bother with a software when you can just manage your library yourself and copy-paste anything you want ?
> Most music management software bring more issues than they solve...


This direct approach is indeed what I am doing, of necessity, right now.

However, here is what I must give up, and would LOVE to find a way to do without Sony music management software:

Creating “Sense Me” channels, named such things as “Energetic,” “Lounge,” and the like, which cluster the results of like songs, as determined by offline software “Twelve Tone Analysis,” into random-ordered playlists... the ZX1 can actually perform this analysis on board, but near as I can tell, the 1A cannot;
Editing the tag information...for example, along with “Artisit,” “Album,” and such, the 1A lists “HiRes” as a category, but that category only includes a very small portion of what I actually have as my HiRes songs;
Ability to add album art, which only seems to come through for some of my songs.
Any ideas?  I have heard mention of something called mp3Tag or such that is supposed to let you get under the hood of your song file and manually edit tag and art info, but have no idea where that can be gotten.

(By the way, I used to use MediaGo and it indeed worked MUCH better than Music Center, but Sony withdrew MediaGo from its site and I don’t have my copy any more...any idea where it still might be posted for download?)


----------



## ledzep (Jun 2, 2018)

https://www.mp3tag.de/en/


----------



## nc8000

ruthieandjohn said:


> This direct approach is indeed what I am doing, of necessity, right now.
> 
> However, here is what I must give up, and would LOVE to find a way to do without Sony music management software:
> 
> ...



Mp3tag is a public domain software for Windows the is excelent for tag and art management. 

The art that does not show is probably progressive jpg tha these players don’t support but were supported by the Android based players. 

The HiRes category on the player is based on bit depth and sampling rate and has nothing to do with tags so should show anything above 44khz and/or 16bits


----------



## pietcux

ruthieandjohn said:


> This direct approach is indeed what I am doing, of necessity, right now.
> 
> However, here is what I must give up, and would LOVE to find a way to do without Sony music management software:
> 
> ...


@gerelmx1986 do you still have a link to Media Go, or the .exe to install it?


----------



## fiascogarcia (Jun 2, 2018)

pietcux said:


> @gerelmx1986 do you still have a link to Media G
> o, or the .exe to install it?


Not sure if either of these still work, but worth a try.  I've got mediago loaded on my computer already and didn't want to overwrite my installation, or I would have tried these first.  .exe file is too large to attach here unfortunately.  Hope it helps.

https://media-go.en.softonic.com/

https://download.cnet.com/Media-Go/3000-2141_4-75755757.html

Edit:  Don't think these access Media-Go anymore.  Sorry.


----------



## fiascogarcia

fiascogarcia said:


> Not sure if either of these still work, but worth a try.  I've got mediago loaded on my computer already and didn't want to overwrite my installation, or I would have tried these first.  .exe file is too large to attach here unfortunately.  Hope it helps.
> 
> https://media-go.en.softonic.com/
> 
> https://download.cnet.com/Media-Go/3000-2141_4-75755757.html


Sorry, don't think these have media go anymore!


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Just drag and drop into the player or sad card into My Music folder and you’re set.

Music center should be renamed to Sonicstage 5.0. It’s got so much junk on its menu screen, they need to remove a lot of its functions.


----------



## Foosdan

Is there any important differences between a US version WM1A and an uncapped Asian version?


----------



## nc8000

Foosdan said:


> Is there any important differences between a US version WM1A and an uncapped Asian version?



None and any model can be turned into any other with the rockbox patcher


----------



## BRUCE CONWELL

ledzep said:


> https://www.mp3tag.de/en/


Hi Everyone,
                          This is my very first post so please be gentle! I am just starting to get into buying an excellent DAP and earphones/headphones.
I just purchased the Sony WM1Z. My ear phones are the Noble Audio Encore (my favorite), the Campfire Audio Andromeda and Vega and the Shure SE846.
I want to get the best possible sound from these earphones so I want to use the 4.4mm output.
What completely confuses me are the adapter cables needed to use the 4.4mm output. I think I have read that even if you use an adapter you won't get the full functionality of the 4.4mm output because of the number of wires that must be synced properly.
                          I can get the Sony Kimber Kable ($250.00-$300.00) but that cable will not work with my Noble Audio Encore which uses a two pin configuration.
What I am asking is there an adapter (is it 3.5mm to 4.4mm?) where I can use the balanced 4.4mm output with full "balanced" functionality? 
Any help, explanation or actual link to what I need would be most appreciated. Thank you! Bruce


----------



## nc8000

BRUCE CONWELL said:


> Hi Everyone,
> This is my very first post so please be gentle! I am just starting to get into buying an excellent DAP and earphones/headphones.
> I just purchased the Sony WM1Z. My ear phones are the Noble Audio Encore (my favorite), the Campfire Audio Andromeda and Vega and the Shure SE846.
> I want to get the best possible sound from these earphones so I want to use the 4.4mm output.
> ...



No is the short answer. You can’t use a headphone that is terminated single ended via any form of converter from the 4.4 mm output. You will either need to reterminate your existing cable (provided it has 4 wires all the way to the plug) or get a new cable.


----------



## BRUCE CONWELL

nc8000 said:


> No is the short answer. You can’t use a headphone that is terminated single ended via any form of converter from the 4.4 mm output. You will either need to reterminate your existing cable (provided it has 4 wires all the way to the plug) or get a new cable.



Thank you for your answer.

As I mentioned I guess I can get the Sony Kimber Kable for my other earphones then. Is there a 4.4mm balanced cable that has the two pin configuration that I can use with my Noble Audio Encore which are my most used and favorite earphones?


----------



## kubig123

BRUCE CONWELL said:


> Hi Everyone,
> This is my very first post so please be gentle! I am just starting to get into buying an excellent DAP and earphones/headphones.
> I just purchased the Sony WM1Z. My ear phones are the Noble Audio Encore (my favorite), the Campfire Audio Andromeda and Vega and the Shure SE846.
> I want to get the best possible sound from these earphones so I want to use the 4.4mm output.
> ...



There are better cables to use with the Encore, Effect Audio, PW Sound, Plussound they all make great cables that start from $150.
Right now I'm enjoying my Encore with the EE Eros II.


----------



## superuser1

BRUCE CONWELL said:


> Thank you for your answer.
> 
> As I mentioned I guess I can get the Sony Kimber Kable for my other earphones then. Is there a 4.4mm balanced cable that has the two pin configuration that I can use with my Noble Audio Encore which are my most used and favorite earphones?


Try this: https://www.effectaudio.com/ares-ii-907.html


----------



## fiascogarcia

BRUCE CONWELL said:


> Thank you for your answer.
> 
> As I mentioned I guess I can get the Sony Kimber Kable for my other earphones then. Is there a 4.4mm balanced cable that has the two pin configuration that I can use with my Noble Audio Encore which are my most used and favorite earphones?





superuser1 said:


> Try this: https://www.effectaudio.com/ares-ii-907.html


+1 on that!  Ares II is a nice bang for your buck copper cable which should match up nicely with the 1Z/encore setup!  Nice looking and supple as well!  IMO.


----------



## teknorob23

fiascogarcia said:


> +1 on that!  Ares II is a nice bang for your buck copper cable which should match up nicely with the 1Z/encore setup!  Nice looking and supple as well!  IMO.



The ares is a fantastic cable for the money, but you have Totl iems and dap, so I think you’d be missing out on the full potential of your set up. You can have course spend thousands on cables, but one of the best cables out there bang for buck has to be the EA Leonidas, which admitedly is a bit of a jump in price but not a ridiculous one. I’ve listened to a variety of sources with the encores and this cable and it is stunning in all departments and a massive leap up in quality that you will notice on first listen and that just keeps on giving after that.


----------



## fiascogarcia

teknorob23 said:


> The ares is a fantastic cable for the money, but you have Totl iems and dap, so I think you’d be missing out on the full potential of your set up. You can have course spend thousands on cables, but one of the best cables out there bang for buck has to be the EA Leonidas, which admitedly is a bit of a jump in price but not a ridiculous one. I’ve listened to a variety of sources with the encores and this cable and it is stunning in all departments and a massive leap up in quality that you will notice on first listen and that just keeps on giving after that.


Funny you mention that, as I am using a Leonidas also.  My suggestion was just to keep things closer to the Sony Kimber cable pricing.  Never heard the Eros II, so I couldn't comment on that.


----------



## kubig123

fiascogarcia said:


> Funny you mention that, as I am using a Leonidas also.  My suggestion was just to keep things closer to the Sony Kimber cable pricing.  Never heard the Eros II, so I couldn't comment on that.


Leonidas is my favorite cable, but I feel the Encore has already a good resolution and I'm afraid it would become too bright.
I prefer to use the Leonidas with warmer iems (SE5U, Phantom, Fibae3), I feel they gain transparency and resolution.


----------



## BRUCE CONWELL

kubig123 said:


> Leonidas is my favorite cable, but I feel the Encore has already a good resolution and I'm afraid it would become too bright.
> I prefer to use the Leonidas with warmer iems (SE5U, Phantom, Fibae3), I feel they gain transparency and resolution.



I want to thank everyone for all your responses! They are all very helpful as I am on a big learning curve!..........but a fun one!


----------



## teknorob23

fiascogarcia said:


> Funny you mention that, as I am using a Leonidas also.  My suggestion was just to keep things closer to the Sony Kimber cable pricing.  Never heard the Eros II, so I couldn't comment on that.



I hear ou and there’s definitely nothing wrong with the ares it will sound awesome in that set up, but there are those keystone products in hifi where there’s a tangible leap over what’s beneath and around them price wise and the Leo is IMO defiinitely one of those and worth the stretch if you can. After that you dont really make another big leap in quality until you double the price again.

One cable that doesn’t get the rep it diserves, which is closer to the ares but to my ears is a considerable step up is the Atlas Zeno iem cable. I’m listening to my wm1a via hugo2 at the moment and it’s beautfifully transparent, organised and musical. It’s one of the most uncoloured iem cable’s I’ve heard and really lets you hear the source as it is. Very different from Leo which turns everything up to 11.. in a thoroughly addictive manor though.


----------



## blazinblazin

kubig123 said:


> Leonidas is my favorite cable, but I feel the Encore has already a good resolution and I'm afraid it would become too bright.
> I prefer to use the Leonidas with warmer iems (SE5U, Phantom, Fibae3), I feel they gain transparency and resolution.


Nothing will be too bright if you match it with WM1A or WM1Z.

I tested some phones that is bright on other players but once i plug into WM1A/Z it somehow tames it.


----------



## TokenGesture

Can anyone tell me why my WM1A no longer just shows the most recent music file transfers under Recent Transfers view, but all the music files on the device/card (therefore useless to me)? It used to work great.


----------



## nc8000

TokenGesture said:


> Can anyone tell me why my WM1A no longer just shows the most recent music file transfers under Recent Transfers view, but all the music files on the device/card (therefore useless to me)? It used to work great.



For me it shows what was transferred last time I transferred new files


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Been a lurker here for years and finally posting.

Picked up a preloved WM1A locally and am loving it. However have a small point of confusion.

I have my own library of tracks and everything has been tagged for a while. And I've got several albums names "GREATEST HITS" because they're the greatest hist of the respective artists.

Noticed on the WM1A that when I search for albums... You guessed it... Every, single album called "GREATEST HITS" gets lumped into one record.

I found it odd that the software didn't differentiate between artists.

Apart from using Yate on my Mac and changing all the affected albums' metatag, is there anything I could do or am I doing something wrong?


----------



## nc8000

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Been a lurker here for years and finally posting.
> 
> Picked up a preloved WM1A locally and am loving it. However have a small point of confusion.
> 
> ...



No when you go directly via Albums all tracks with the same album name appears together. This annoys me with my classical music as many composers have a Symphony No. 1, so usualle I go via Genre, Artist, Album


----------



## TokenGesture

nc8000 said:


> For me it shows what was transferred last time I transferred new files


That’s how it used to be for me too... can’t work out what I’ve done


----------



## nc8000

TokenGesture said:


> That’s how it used to be for me too... can’t work out what I’ve done



Do you use some kind of media manager software that might have updated the time stamps on all your files or have you ejected and reinserted the memory card ?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

alphanumerix1 said:


>


What stand is that? Looks like something I could use on my desk!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

quodjo105 said:


> So we're saying the 1a/1z can't drive the hd 650/800 even in balanced with high gain ?..


I'm using some Shukira cables off Amazon, terminated to 2.5mm and an adapter to 4.4mm to connect my HD650 to my WM1A...
Even at high gain, I'm probably pushing the volume to 90... Still not really feeling the oomph. I don't reckon I'm deaf.


----------



## alphanumerix1

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> What stand is that? Looks like something I could use on my desk!



3d printed.


----------



## pietcux

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I'm using some Shukira cables off Amazon, terminated to 2.5mm and an adapter to 4.4mm to connect my HD650 to my WM1A...
> Even at high gain, I'm probably pushing the volume to 90... Still not really feeling the oomph. I don't reckon I'm deaf.


Sennheiser HD650/800 are not designed to have real omph at normal listening levels. You need to either eq them, or get you self a Sony Z7/Z1R. Those omph without eq by design.


----------



## aisalen

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I'm using some Shukira cables off Amazon, terminated to 2.5mm and an adapter to 4.4mm to connect my HD650 to my WM1A...
> Even at high gain, I'm probably pushing the volume to 90... Still not really feeling the oomph. I don't reckon I'm deaf.


I tried mine with both 650/600 using single ended, only been satisfied with the oomph on 118 volume so I think these hp are not for 1A/1Z. HD660 may be better match for it. I do no intend to use the 650/600 with it as I do have DV 336SE/Jot for it but planning in the future to have MDR-Z7 for my 1A in addition to my it03 and xba-a3 iem's.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

pietcux said:


> Sennheiser HD650/800 are not designed to have real omph at normal listening levels. You need to either eq them, or get you self a Sony Z7/Z1R. Those omph without eq by design.


Maybe not a fair comparison then. On my desk at work I have the HD650 connected to a WA7, sourced from my MacBook Pro.
I'd really like to take my HD650 with me every now and then. What do you recommend to add more driving power? PHA-3?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

alphanumerix1 said:


> 3d printed.


You wouldn't happen to have printed an extra one would you?


----------



## nc8000

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I'm using some Shukira cables off Amazon, terminated to 2.5mm and an adapter to 4.4mm to connect my HD650 to my WM1A...
> Even at high gain, I'm probably pushing the volume to 90... Still not really feeling the oomph. I don't reckon I'm deaf.



Volume will go to 120 so you still have some headroom. 1Z could drive my HE-6 so I could enjoy them but clearly not driven to their potential


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Been a lurker here for years and finally posting.
> 
> Picked up a preloved WM1A locally and am loving it. However have a small point of confusion.
> 
> ...



I change album name as follows:

Greatest Hits (Aerosmith)
Greatest Hits (Alabama)
Greatest Hits (Black Sabbath)
Greatest Hits (Boston)

Etc....


----------



## pietcux

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I'm using some Shukira cables off Amazon, terminated to 2.5mm and an adapter to 4.4mm to connect my HD650 to my WM1A...
> Even at high gain, I'm probably pushing the volume to 90... Still not really feeling the oomph. I don't reckon I'm deaf.






All driven from the 4.4mm balanced out on high gain. Volume maxed to my loudness threshold. Song used: Hotel California live from Hell Freezes Over album.  Why? Intro drums! 
HD650  vol 90
HD660S vol 80
HD800SD VOL 90
Z1R VOL 75 best punch of the bunch. Z7 has nearly identical level, only a little less refined.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

pietcux said:


> All driven from the 4.4mm balanced out on high gain. Volume maxed to my loudness threshold. Song used: Hotel California live from Hell Freezes Over album.  Why? Intro drums!
> HD650  vol 90
> HD660S vol 80
> HD800SD VOL 90
> Z1R VOL 75 best punch of the bunch. Z7 has nearly identical level, only a little less refined.


Seriously?
Wow!... OK, I'm gonna go get my ears checked.

Got some new cables ordered off Amazon JP that are terminated 4.4mm... Will post more pics when they arrive.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> I change album name as follows:
> 
> Greatest Hits (Aerosmith)
> Greatest Hits (Alabama)
> ...


Yeah, that works! I'll look into that.


----------



## Hanafuda

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Been a lurker here for years and finally posting.
> 
> Picked up a preloved WM1A locally and am loving it. However have a small point of confusion.
> 
> ...




Sorry but that's actually a little humorous to me sitting here hungover on a Sunday morning. I'm sorry I can't help, and I hope there is a remedy. I don't actually own a WM1A yet, one month to go and counting. Long story. But I wanted to reply just to thank you for the smile.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Hanafuda said:


> Sorry but that's actually a little humorous to me sitting here hungover on a Sunday morning. I'm sorry I can't help, and I hope there is a remedy. I don't actually own a WM1A yet, one month to go and counting. Long story. But I wanted to reply just to thank you for the smile.


Yeah, was funny till I woke up 3 hours into my flight to Beijing wondering why Traci Chapman was still singing and... Hang on... Why does Traci sound like Tom Petty?


----------



## kms108

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> What stand is that? Looks like something I could use on my desk!


 you can consider this OEM Sony stand STD-NWU10, it's available in different colors.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kms108 said:


> you can consider this OEM Sony stand STD-NWU10, it's available in different colors.


That looks nice! Is there enough tolerance to allow the WM1A to connect?


----------



## kms108 (Jun 3, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> That looks nice! Is there enough tolerance to allow the WM1A to connect?




The stand uses the supplied USB cable, the front does move back and forward to support various size, I cannot confirm the 1A/1Z, but my ZX300 and ZX2 fits, I'm sure the 1A/1Z should fit too.

I can post some photo's to you through PM TMR if you want, I have the black one. Here is the pink one, you can see it more clearly.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> That looks nice! Is there enough tolerance to allow the WM1A to connect?


This dock works with the WM.  It charges the DAP, and the USB digital out comes out of the dock, not the DAP.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> No when you go directly via Albums all tracks with the same album name appears together. This annoys me with my classical music as many composers have a Symphony No. 1, so usualle I go via Genre, Artist, Album


Same here i renamed several albums with so "Piano/Keyboard works/Concertos" "symphonies" etc


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

fiascogarcia said:


> This dock works with the WM.  It charges the DAP, and the USB digital out comes out of the dock, not the DAP.


Yeah, seen this online. Listed as a Walkman Cradle.


----------



## nc8000

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Yeah, seen this online. Listed as a Walkman Cradle.



It works well but is expensive, especially if you don’t need the digital out


----------



## ruthieandjohn

For hi-res (.wav) music from HDTracks downloaded directly into the MUSIC folder (and in its own album folder, as received from HDTracks), no album info appears (artist, genre, art), but instead all HDTracks songs get lumped into an "Unknown" folder as a list of songs (no subordinate album folder).

How do I fix this?  Thanks!


----------



## Hanafuda

ruthieandjohn said:


> For hi-res (.wav) music from HDTracks downloaded directly into the MUSIC folder (and in its own album folder, as received from HDTracks), no album info appears (artist, genre, art), but instead all HDTracks songs get lumped into an "Unknown" folder as a list of songs (no subordinate album folder).
> 
> How do I fix this?  Thanks!




I assume you need to retag those files with the appropriate info. I use a (free) program called Tagscanner. There are others that do the same thing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ruthieandjohn said:


> For hi-res (.wav) music from HDTracks downloaded directly into the MUSIC folder (and in its own album folder, as received from HDTracks), no album info appears (artist, genre, art), but instead all HDTracks songs get lumped into an "Unknown" folder as a list of songs (no subordinate album folder).
> 
> How do I fix this?  Thanks!


Convert those to FLAC  it has robust tagging support, wav doesn't meant to be tagged


----------



## kubig123

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> That looks nice! Is there enough tolerance to allow the WM1A to connect?



This one (nwu10) works great with the wm1a/z even if you are using a cover, while the BCR-NWH10 doesn't have any tolerance therefore you have to remove from the case all the time which it can be quite annoying. If you don't have the intention to use the digital output, I would recommend stick with the nwu10.


----------



## kms108

kubig123 said:


> This one (nwu10) works great with the wm1a/z even if you are using a cover, while the BCR-NWH10 doesn't have any tolerance therefore you have to remove from the case all the time which it can be quite annoying. If you don't have the intention to use the digital output, I would recommend stick with the nwu10.


Not to mention, they sell really cheap, although I've had mine since the ZX2 time, about 2-3year, I haven't even used it much, probably less than 5 times. ATM the cheapest one selling on ebay is USD 18.40, sent direct from Japan with free shipping.


----------



## Lookout57 (Jun 3, 2018)

.


----------



## nc8000

ruthieandjohn said:


> For hi-res (.wav) music from HDTracks downloaded directly into the MUSIC folder (and in its own album folder, as received from HDTracks), no album info appears (artist, genre, art), but instead all HDTracks songs get lumped into an "Unknown" folder as a list of songs (no subordinate album folder).
> 
> How do I fix this?  Thanks!



Wav does not support tagging


----------



## ruthieandjohn

Pretty frustrated right now.... I have to convert each WAV file to FLAC (using NCH Switch) AND then type in the tag info (using TagScanner SW).   It is odd, because when I pull a WAV file into TagScanner, it shows all that tag info...it just does not seem to make it into the WM1A unless Inconvert out of WAV and retype all the tag info!


----------



## nc8000

ruthieandjohn said:


> Pretty frustrated right now.... I have to convert each WAV file to FLAC (using NCH Switch) AND then type in the tag info (using TagScanner SW).   It is odd, because when I pull a WAV file into TagScanner, it shows all that tag info...it just does not seem to make it into the WM1A unless Inconvert out of WAV and retype all the tag info!



The generic standard for wav does not support tags but there are some extensions to wav that allow tagging but not many devices support them


----------



## kingdixon

ruthieandjohn said:


> Pretty frustrated right now.... I have to convert each WAV file to FLAC (using NCH Switch) AND then type in the tag info (using TagScanner SW).   It is odd, because when I pull a WAV file into TagScanner, it shows all that tag info...it just does not seem to make it into the WM1A unless Inconvert out of WAV and retype all the tag info!



Well, i ve never used wav files before, but it doesnt seem logical to convert to flac then retag them, specially that your saying the wav file is carrying tag info, there must be a way or an app that converts and also copies the tags ..


----------



## kubig123

ruthieandjohn said:


> Pretty frustrated right now.... I have to convert each WAV file to FLAC (using NCH Switch) AND then type in the tag info (using TagScanner SW).   It is odd, because when I pull a WAV file into TagScanner, it shows all that tag info...it just does not seem to make it into the WM1A unless Inconvert out of WAV and retype all the tag info!


If you save the cover as a jpg file (cover.jpg) the player should automatically associate it with the wav files in the same folder.
I did the same with some sacd converter in dff and it seems working fine.


----------



## Hanafuda

kms108 said:


> Not to mention, they sell really cheap, although I've had mine since the ZX2 time, about 2-3year, I haven't even used it much, probably less than 5 times. ATM the cheapest one selling on ebay is USD 18.40, sent direct from Japan with free shipping.



I got curious and looked it up on the BicCamera website. Unless you just gotta have pink, that stand will set you back a whopping 91 cents (USD) right now. Well, that and the roundtrip airfare to Tokyo.


----------



## kms108

Hanafuda said:


> I got curious and looked it up on the BicCamera website. Unless you just gotta have pink, that stand will set you back a whopping 91 cents (USD) right now. Well, that and the roundtrip airfare to Tokyo.


From what I understand, the online price might not be available in store. but you can use a shipping agent, with all the fee's, it will still be cheap.


----------



## Hanafuda

kms108 said:


> From what I understand, the online price might not be available in store. but you can use a shipping agent, with all the fee's, it will still be cheap.




I just thought it was interesting they're letting it go literally for pocket change.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I use dbpoweramp for conversions and it preserves tags automatically


----------



## PCheung

kubig123 said:


> If you save the cover as a jpg file (cover.jpg) the player should automatically associate it with the wav files in the same folder.
> I did the same with some sacd converter in dff and it seems working fine.


So WM1Z does support cover art with saving a cover.jpg in the same folder?


----------



## Stealer

gerelmx1986 said:


> I use dbpoweramp for conversions and it preserves tags automatically


+1


----------



## gerelmx1986

PCheung said:


> So WM1Z does support cover art with saving a cover.jpg in the same folder?


Nope, i've tried and doesn't work. I tried with Folder.pg and cover.jpg and none worked


----------



## ruthieandjohn

gerelmx1986 said:


> I use dbpoweramp for conversions and it preserves tags automatically


Wow!  Having tried NCH Stamp and TagScanner, neither of which preserves tag information.  dBPoweramp indeed preserves the tags, saving me more than half the work.  It also, at this early date, seems easier to use than the other two.  THANK YOU, @gerelmx1986 .


----------



## buzzlulu

dBPoweramp is the gold standard for everything!


----------



## productred

TokenGesture said:


> Can anyone tell me why my WM1A no longer just shows the most recent music file transfers under Recent Transfers view, but all the music files on the device/card (therefore useless to me)? It used to work great.



It works great now just like ever. Have you removed and reinserted your card, used a new card, hard reset your unit, transferred around the files etc? All these shall result in the affected files shown as recent transfers.


----------



## teknorob23

ruthieandjohn said:


> Pretty frustrated right now.... I have to convert each WAV file to FLAC (using NCH Switch) AND then type in the tag info (using TagScanner SW).   It is odd, because when I pull a WAV file into TagScanner, it shows all that tag info...it just does not seem to make it into the WM1A unless Inconvert out of WAV and retype all the tag info!



Have you tried mediahuman converter. It’s free and it batch converts wav to flac, ALAC aiff and most other formats with meta data and artwork. It’s also the quickest converter I’ve come across


----------



## superuser1

XRECODE3 is audio converter, which supports most of the common audio formats, such as mp3, wav, flac, dsd, etc. It also supports extracting audio file from most video files as well as Audio-CD grabbing. Command Line parameters are supported.

https://xrecode.com/


----------



## Redcarmoose

ruthieandjohn said:


> Pretty frustrated right now.... I have to convert each WAV file to FLAC (using NCH Switch) AND then type in the tag info (using TagScanner SW).   It is odd, because when I pull a WAV file into TagScanner, it shows all that tag info...it just does not seem to make it into the WM1A unless Inconvert out of WAV and retype all the tag info!




I use Foobar2000 and searched to find a couple of the add-ons. You just put any file into Foobar2000 then highlight them and click convert. I’ve successfully converted DVD audio, SACD and Wave into HD Flac files and play them on both my 1A and 1Z with no issues. I just allocate a folder on the desktop then send it to the players memory card. It then shows up as HD albums on the players. The only hassle is you have to search out the SACD codec and DVD audio codec. I don’t remember if I needed a WAVE codec?


----------



## Arion128

Anyone here know if there is a new player coming this year to replace the wm1z


----------



## nc8000

Arion128 said:


> Anyone here know if there is a new player coming this year to replace the wm1z



I don’t know but I don’t expect anything until a possible 40th anniversary model next year


----------



## Foosdan

What is the best way to burn in a new WM1A?  Should I have headphones plugged in while burning in the DAP?


----------



## kms108

Foosdan said:


> What is the best way to burn in a new WM1A?  Should I have headphones plugged in while burning in the DAP?


Headphones in and play


----------



## Hanafuda

Arion128 said:


> Anyone here know if there is a new player coming this year to replace the wm1z



What would you want done to the WM1A and 1Z to improve them? DAC function is low hanging fruit especially since the zx300 has it, but other than that tbh I have my doubts that any 'successor' will really be an upgrade. You never know until the new thing comes along, but for instance I'd much rather own a 1969 Camaro than a 1970.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 4, 2018)

Hanafuda said:


> What would you want done to the WM1A and 1Z to improve them? DAC function is low hanging fruit especially since the zx300 has it, but other than that tbh I have my doubts that any 'successor' will really be an upgrade. You never know until the new thing comes along, but for instance I'd much rather own a 1969 Camaro than a 1970.



Also don’t try and watch movies with your ZX300 DAC as the voice will not be synchronized. Great for music though.

We have discussed this before, any improvements would be a surprise. I would be fine using my players just the way they are. I couldn’t ask for more. Still the machine Sony has to keep moving forward, they have to keep reinventing the wheel. Maybe a new model may be dark black and look like an jet airplane. It will have an anodized coating of glass which is polarized to refract the light into dark rainbows of pearlescent color. When not playing it, you can simply view it, or have it be a conversation starter.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Hanafuda said:


> What would you want done to the WM1A and 1Z to improve them? DAC function is low hanging fruit especially since the zx300 has it, but other than that tbh I have my doubts that any 'successor' will really be an upgrade. You never know until the new thing comes along, but for instance I'd much rather own a 1969 Camaro than a 1970.


Everything about my 1Z is pretty stellar.  Only thing I would like to see is the ability to create a playlist combining both internal and memory card files.


----------



## Redcarmoose

fiascogarcia said:


> Everything about my 1Z is pretty stellar.  Only thing I would like to see is the ability to create a playlist combining both internal and memory card files.



Ahhh....First World Problems.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Redcarmoose said:


> Ahhh....First World Problems.


Yes, I also hate when my champagne gets too warm!


----------



## Lookout57

fiascogarcia said:


> Everything about my 1Z is pretty stellar.  Only thing I would like to see is the ability to create a playlist combining both internal and memory card files.


+1

This would make music management much easier.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kubig123 said:


> This one (nwu10) works great with the wm1a/z even if you are using a cover, while the BCR-NWH10 doesn't have any tolerance therefore you have to remove from the case all the time which it can be quite annoying. If you don't have the intention to use the digital output, I would recommend stick with the nwu10.



Thank you!! This is just what I needed to find out. Will be checking out Amazon JP!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

nc8000 said:


> Volume will go to 120 so you still have some headroom. 1Z could drive my HE-6 so I could enjoy them but clearly not driven to their potential


Been traveling quite a bit and finally tonight got to spend a little more time messing with my new toy.

Sat in the dark to listen to some tracks on the HD650 on high gain. Was good enough for me a rough 90-100. I think I just got anxious I was maxing out the volume and not getting enough headroom.
I was hoping to be able to drive the cans at the same volume around 70... But that's not a reasonable expectation for a portable device, is it?


----------



## Mindstorms

Guys sorry for changing subjet here, anyone knows if its true that leaving wm1A/Z plugged in at all times degrades battery life? thank you in advance


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Redcarmoose said:


> Also don’t try and watch movies with your ZX300 DAC as the voice will not be synchronized. Great for music though.
> 
> We have discussed this before, any improvements would be a surprise. I would be fine using my players just the way they are. I couldn’t ask for more. Still the machine Sony has to keep moving forward, they have to keep reinventing the wheel. Maybe a new model may be dark black and look like an jet airplane. It will have an anodized coating of glass which is polarized to refract the light into dark rainbows of pearlescent color. When not playing it, you can simply view it, or have it be a conversation starter.


This is something I would seriously consider...or not!


----------



## Mindstorms

hamhamhamsta said:


> This is something I would seriously consider...or not!


Not even with all setings off?


----------



## Cagin

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Been traveling quite a bit and finally tonight got to spend a little more time messing with my new toy.
> 
> Sat in the dark to listen to some tracks on the HD650 on high gain. Was good enough for me a rough 90-100. I think I just got anxious I was maxing out the volume and not getting enough headroom.
> I was hoping to be able to drive the cans at the same volume around 70... But that's not a reasonable expectation for a portable device, is it?


No idea why you're worrying though, you're not maxing it out. WM1 goes to 120


----------



## fiascogarcia

Midnstorms said:


> Guys sorry for changing subjet here, anyone knows if its true that leaving wm1A/Z plugged in at all times degrades battery life? thank you in advance


To my knowledge, you can't overcharge your battery, but the effect of creating a "trickle charge", by leaving it on a charger constantly and allowing it to continually re-charge to 100% (battery can drain a tiny bit even when not in use), can decrease the life of your battery.  I could totally be wrong, as I base this on things I've read, not from any personal expert knowledge.


----------



## Mindstorms

fiascogarcia said:


> To my knowledge, you can't overcharge your battery, but the effect of creating a "trickle charge", by leaving it on a charger constantly and allowing it to continually re-charge to 100% (battery can drain a tiny bit even when not in use), can decrease the life of your battery.  I could totally be wrong, as I base this on things I've read, not from any personal expert knowledge.


Ty for the reply i apreciate it, i dont see the batery discharging in anyway... i dont get it.... thats why im asking


----------



## gerelmx1986

well if you leave a battery pluhhed in is not going to discharge because the charging circuit will be "topping it off" to 100%


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> well if you leave a battery pluhhed in is not going to discharge because the charging circuit will be "topping it off" to 100%


so that will degrade the battery? right? Thanks all


----------



## Lookout57

If you use the Battery Saver feature then it's never charged to 100% and should not decrease the battery life.

Also if you use the Sony dock it's always charging.


----------



## Mindstorms

"Also if you use the Sony dock it's always charging."
nice to know man apreciate that, can you tell us how  many Amps does the dock give to the unit? 5v? 1A? 2A?


----------



## Darksoul

Has anyone here experienced issues when connecting via Bluetooth to a car stereo? I've been trying to connect to my car, but it always says: "connection failed." I know when I connect my cellphone to the car via Bluetooth I have to type in the generic password, but I'm not able to do this step with the WM1A. I ended up connecting via the AUX cable, the results were adequate. 

This device is kind of a head-scratcher for me. Coming from a modest Fiio X3-II, I noticed I lost a lot of things: Line out, .cue files support, DAC mode, "original" protective case and a more robust..."decoding" I would call it. I have some files that have some ripping issues, on my Fiio X3-II it would stutter a bit and then the whole song would continue, the WM1A just skips the entire song when it finds the same issue. On one hand the WM1A is a revered flagship, sporting "creme de la creme" in components, build and a plethora of one of a kind design features. But on the other hand, when I compare it with my modest Fiio X3-II; cost wise, I'm not seeing 10 times more value. Sure, I have 128 GB of storage, 4.4 mm balanced out; which is something I've wanted for a while, Bluetooth and  "more" battery life (by the way, using all the enhancements the WM1A has given me roughly the same battery life as the X3-II).

I can't say I'm experiencing buyers remorse, I'm loving the sound I'm getting from the WM1A (I'll have to compare it with my old X3-II when the "burn in" is complete) it's just that...I don't know, it just feels so bare bones. It's missing some things I took for granted on my previous device. I guess these sort of things are niche thing. Don't be mistaken, the WM1A is going to be my daily driver until it can't physically work anymore. Some of the things I've mentioned may sound like nitpicking; still, I had the idea what the WM1A would cover all of the things I was used to and add the things I wanted, more connectivity. I guess time will tell.


----------



## nanaholic

Darksoul said:


> Has anyone here experienced issues when connecting via Bluetooth to a car stereo? I've been trying to connect to my car, but it always says: "connection failed." I know when I connect my cellphone to the car via Bluetooth I have to type in the generic password, but I'm not able to do this step with the WM1A. I ended up connecting via the AUX cable, the results were adequate.
> 
> This device is kind of a head-scratcher for me. Coming from a modest Fiio X3-II, I noticed I lost a lot of things: Line out, .cue files support, DAC mode, "original" protective case and a more robust..."decoding" I would call it. I have some files that have some ripping issues, on my Fiio X3-II it would stutter a bit and then the whole song would continue, the WM1A just skips the entire song when it finds the same issue. On one hand the WM1A is a revered flagship, sporting "creme de la creme" in components, build and a plethora of one of a kind design features. But on the other hand, when I compare it with my modest Fiio X3-II; cost wise, I'm not seeing 10 times more value. Sure, I have 128 GB of storage, 4.4 mm balanced out; which is something I've wanted for a while, Bluetooth and  "more" battery life (by the way, using all the enhancements the WM1A has given me roughly the same battery life as the X3-II).
> 
> I can't say I'm experiencing buyers remorse, I'm loving the sound I'm getting from the WM1A (I'll have to compare it with my old X3-II when the "burn in" is complete) it's just that...I don't know, it just feels so bare bones. It's missing some things I took for granted on my previous device. I guess these sort of things are niche thing. Don't be mistaken, the WM1A is going to be my daily driver until it can't physically work anymore. Some of the things I've mentioned may sound like nitpicking; still, I had the idea what the WM1A would cover all of the things I was used to and add the things I wanted, more connectivity. I guess time will tell.



The WM1 Walkmans are more audio purist devices than audio gadgets, they worked to take out the lesser use features so they can focus on making the core features better.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Midnstorms said:


> Guys sorry for changing subjet here, anyone knows if its true that leaving wm1A/Z plugged in at all times degrades battery life? thank you in advance


I've heard similar about laptops and phones. Personally, I think the convenience of it overcomes the downside. I've found a service here that will handle modding of the WM1A and changing out a battery should be no problem for them too.
However, I don't leave the WM1A plugged in unless I'm burning it in, but I can imagine if you use it as your primary desktop device you'd want to keep it plugged in.

I wonder about trickle charging though... low amperage. Can anyone comment on this? Will a low charge at 500mA while it is being used, i.e. load on the battery, degrade battery life? My understanding is that it's the fast chargers at 2.1-2.4A that will degrade the battery more significantly.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Cagin said:


> No idea why you're worrying though, you're not maxing it out. WM1 goes to 120


Yeah, I know... but I kind of like a little "headroom".


----------



## mozilla77

Does anyone know if WM1Z able to drive HE-1000 to a sufficient volume level? Really like to try this combo...


----------



## koven

mozilla77 said:


> Does anyone know if WM1Z able to drive HE-1000 to a sufficient volume level? Really like to try this combo...



No, it's not powerful enough for HEK.


----------



## Quadfather

koven said:


> No, it's not powerful enough for HEK.



No worries. There are plenty of excellent sounding headphones that this player can drive beautifully.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Why people whine over .CUE support, personally i use cue splitter to split big FLACs to smaller tracks, for 24-bit word length or DSD i split these manually using TEAC hi-res editor


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

fiascogarcia said:


> This dock works with the WM.  It charges the DAP, and the USB digital out comes out of the dock, not the DAP.


Found a much sexier solution!! It's a magnetic phone holder!!! Looks sweet on the desk.
Am a happy camper now!


----------



## Quadfather

Does anybody know where I can demo a Sony NW - WM1Z in the Chicago area?


----------



## Hanafuda

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Found a much sexier solution!! It's a magnetic phone holder!!! Looks sweet on the desk.
> Am a happy camper now!




I'm afraid you're going to need to post more photos and info. (please)

That's really cool, though I've never thought I would really use a desk stand if I had one. It's magnetic you say, but how does that work when the WM1A is aluminum? Did you have to install a lump on the back of the DAP or something?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Jun 5, 2018)

So magnetic phone stands have a strong magnet on the stem and come with a few pieces of small self-adhesive backed, panels of metal
You stick these flat panels--some are round and about an inch across, some about half the size of a credit card--to the back of your phone.
I have a clear TPU case so I stuck the larger rectangular one to the back of the case and, voila! A floating DAP!

Actually had it on my desk for a while and forgot about it. There are LOTS of kiosks and shops in most malls here in Singapore that sell mobile phone accessories. Go Google for "magnetic phone stand". The one I have is from "Remax" and it's very similar to this:
https://m.banggood.com/Baseus-360-D...gMcyQDC4zvT1onx3nTZAysTMW9mavhhRoCunAQAvD_BwE

The one I got is supposed to be able to support an iPad so it's strong enough to support the WM1A. A lighter DAP like a Fiio or an Onkyo should have no problem.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> So magnetic phone stands have a strong magnet on the stem and come with a few pieces of small self-adhesive backed, panels of metal
> You stick these flat panels--some are round and about an inch across, some about half the size of a credit card--to the back of your phone.
> I have a clear TPU case so I stuck the larger rectangular one to the back of the case and, voila! A floating DAP!
> 
> ...


Looks pretty neat indeed. Wondering if it would work for the car f.e if you buy a car stand that has a magnetic thingy, like these to use your iPhone for GPS hands free nav.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Jun 5, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Looks pretty neat indeed. Wondering if it would work for the car f.e if you buy a car stand that has a magnetic thingy, like these to use your iPhone for GPS hands free nav.


Yeah, same thing. I had bought one of the car dashboard ones as well, but it's just a short metal stem, and was intending to stick my phone to the wall or a shelf just to get it off the table.


----------



## Quadfather

*ts: *1,308
*Likes: *454

Shure SRH1540s with the Sony NW-WM1A, using the balanced output, is an amazing pairing.


----------



## Darksoul

Quadfather said:


> *ts: *1,308
> *Likes: *454
> 
> Shure SRH1540s with the Sony NW-WM1A, using the balanced output, is an amazing pairing.



Man I've been hearing nothing but good things about the SRH-1540, I kind of think I've missed out on it when I got the DT-1990.


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 5, 2018)

Darksoul said:


> Man I've been hearing nothing but good things about the SRH-1540, I kind of think I've missed out on it when I got the DT-1990.



They seem to pair really well with the Sony and the Lotoo Paw Gold Diana. I haven't heard the DT - 1990, but would love to.  For my ears, I love the fact that they're just really Musical and the treble extends beautifully without ever being harsh and I mean never.  The soundstage is also huge for a closed back. It sounds nearly as wide as my AKG K812 and my Sennheiser hd650 Headphones


----------



## mcemce13

Another pairing I enjoying very much is the WM1Z with the TIA U18, the warm sound of the Sony tames the high frequencies making it sound very balanced and extended.


----------



## Quadfather

mcemce13 said:


> Another pairing I enjoying very much is the WM1Z with the TIA U18, the warm sound of the Sony tames the high frequencies making it sound very balanced and extended.



I am taking a short break from in-ear-monitors. I got tired of dealing with earwax.  LOL


----------



## Hanafuda

Quadfather said:


> They seem to pair really well with the Sony and the Lotoo Paw Gold Diana. I haven't heard the DT - 1990, but would love to.  For my ears, I love the fact that they're just really Musical and the treble extends beautifully without ever being harsh and I mean never.  The soundstage is also huge for a closed back. It sounds nearly as wide as my AKG K812 and my Sennheiser hd650 Headphones




I thought Shure's 'house sound' was pretty much monitor neutral?


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 6, 2018)

Hanafuda said:


> I thought Shure's 'house sound' was pretty much monitor neutral?



They have a little extra warmth in the bass region and can get really good subbass if the track calls for it, but overall just excluding that touch of warmth, they're pretty neutral.


----------



## Darksoul

nanaholic said:


> The WM1 Walkmans are more audio purist devices than audio gadgets, they worked to take out the lesser use features so they can focus on making the core features better.



Yes, you are absolutely right. It took me a while to change my mindset to acknowledge that fact.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> Right now the Sony NW-WM1A with the HD650s out of balanced is sounding very good. I do get in the mood for different signatures.


You should try a set of 4.4mm balanced cables with the HD650.  Mmmmm...  I'm reluctant to take mine of. They don't cost much off Amazon and sound pretty darn nice. There's  definitely a noticeable improvement over the stock cables in 3.5mm.


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> You should try a set of 4.4mm balanced cables with the HD650.  Mmmmm...  I'm reluctant to take mine of. They don't cost much off Amazon and sound pretty darn nice. There's  definitely a noticeable improvement over the stock cables in 3.5mm.



I am running balanced using Earmax cables.


----------



## kdphan

Cuirous if any of you fellas run the HD800 off the WM1A through balanced?

Just bought the hd800 and now looking for 4.4mm cables for it.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kdphan said:


> Cuirous if any of you fellas run the HD800 off the WM1A through balanced?
> 
> Just bought the hd800 and now looking for 4.4mm cables for it.


I'm curious too, but I've seen others posting that it will work. Where are you getting cables from?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think @pietcux  has ran the HD800 out of the WM1A via balanced and also @Whitigir  but on the 1Z


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think @pietcux  has ran the HD800 out of the WM1A via balanced and also @Whitigir  but on the 1Z


Yes sir! Excellent portable system


----------



## kdphan

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I'm curious too, but I've seen others posting that it will work. Where are you getting cables from?


Trying to find cables at the moment while the HD800 is getting shipped.

Might just try the ones from Amazon and see how they are.


----------



## kubig123

kdphan said:


> Trying to find cables at the moment while the HD800 is getting shipped.
> 
> Might just try the ones from Amazon and see how they are.


I would avoid Amazon, they average quality of the cable you by there is not great, try with Triton Audio cables, Lavricables or Effect Audio (plussound is great but on average you have to wait 8 weeks for the new cable).


----------



## kdphan

kubig123 said:


> I would avoid Amazon, they average quality of the cable you by there is not great, try with Triton Audio cables, Lavricables or Effect Audio (plussound is great but on average you have to wait 8 weeks for the new cable).


Good to know, thanks!

I just don't want to wait for 8 weeks.

I think I've seen Lavricables on ebay. Might just try them.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kubig123 said:


> I would avoid Amazon, they average quality of the cable you by there is not great, try with Triton Audio cables, Lavricables or Effect Audio (plussound is great but on average you have to wait 8 weeks for the new cable).


I don't doubt that. But I reckon even the mediocre cables of Amazon are better than the stock ones.


----------



## Lookout57

I've heard good things about LQIcables. I'm thinking about getting a cable or my LCD-X from them.


----------



## kubig123

Lookout57 said:


> I've heard good things about LQIcables. I'm thinking about getting a cable or my LCD-X from them.



There is a good number of companies that build cables, just check this post, here is a list, it's mostly for earphones, but most of them offer also headphone cables.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hig...ressions-pics-comparisons-and-reviews.804952/


----------



## pietcux (Jun 7, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think @pietcux  has ran the HD800 out of the WM1A via balanced and also @Whitigir  but on the 1Z


I am at work rght now. Was using the Sony Z7 balanced first. NoW that the colleges are gone I switched to the HD800SD. Using a ForzaAudioWorks Noir Hybrid 1.5m terminated to 4.4mm Pentaconn. It is a wonderful combo with the WM1A. The same goes for the Z7. Definitely different but a contender.


----------



## pietcux




----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Hi everyone, if I wanted to buy a Bluetooth speaker in order to play music off of my wm1a  when I’m at a party as an example, which Bluetooth wideband formats do these things actually support? 

Any suggestions?


----------



## fiascogarcia (Jun 7, 2018)

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Hi everyone, if I wanted to buy a Bluetooth speaker in order to play music off of my wm1a  when I’m at a party as an example, which Bluetooth wideband formats do these things actually support?
> 
> Any suggestions?


I don't know anything about Bluetooth, but does this help?
https://esupport.sony.com/US/p/support-info.pl?info_id=1727&kbid=00007501&mdl=NWWM1Z

Edit:  Sorry, I don't think that link helps at all!  Not a lot of specific info on their LDAC format.


----------



## Giraku

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Hi everyone, if I wanted to buy a Bluetooth speaker in order to play music off of my wm1a  when I’m at a party as an example, which Bluetooth wideband formats do these things actually support?
> 
> Any suggestions?


Sony WM1A supports the following codec: SBC, LDAC, aptX, and aptX HD.
Supported codec on a Bluetooth speaker varies a lot so that you need to check the specs on a speaker of your interest.
That being said, SBC is supported by almost all speakers. LDAC is the least popular codec but sounds great. Some speakers support aptX.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Giraku said:


> Sony WM1A supports the following codec: SBC, LDAC, aptX, and aptX HD.
> Supported codec on a Bluetooth speaker varies a lot so that you need to check the specs on a speaker of your interest.
> That being said, SBC is supported by almost all speakers. LDAC is the least popular codec but sounds great. Some speakers support aptX.


And the best out there are LDCA and aptx HD


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Looks like this is a great fit. Ldac, nfc and Sony
https://www.sony.com/electronics/wireless-speakers/srs-hg1/specifications


----------



## Redcarmoose

Noooooo!

Get this! https://www.sony.co.id/en/electronics/hi-fi-systems/gtk-xb7


----------



## Hanafuda

Redcarmoose said:


> Noooooo!
> 
> Get this! https://www.sony.co.id/en/electronics/hi-fi-systems/gtk-xb7




That does look a little more party capable.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

It is the “silent disco”that appeals to me, as well as to headphone manufacturers (and Cambridge Analytica...stay with me on this...]

 

As you see in the picture, each disco dancer has a pair of wireless headphones, rendering the place silent and appealing to the mass market sought by headphones manufacturers.  

But... each individual headphone provides opportunity for individualized subliminal message piped in with an individual’s music.  “Your dance partner’s chest is clean shaven” may be the message muttered to the person whose browsing history, captured and analyzed by Cambridge Analytica as funded by Durex (prophylactics manufacturer) shows a preference for viewing clean-shaven-chested men.

And you thought headphones were just to listen to classical music...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 8, 2018)

@
https://www.head-fi.org/members/hanafuda.49406/

I’ve seen it in a box here, but the store wasn’t ready to “unbox” it yet?

But it’s pretty big.


----------



## endlesswaves

The best wireless speakers I've heard is
https://www.devialet.com/en-eu/buy-gold-phantom/

Costly but earth-shakingly good SQ. Their entry level Phantom/s are good too. 1 pair can fill a big hall.


----------



## Darksoul (Jun 9, 2018)

Before the WM1A I wasn't a believer in "burn in", but I've noticed some discernible changes in the sound over time. I've decided to leave it running on the weekends and hear the changes. I have several; maybe silly, questions.

- Does the WM1A have to be burned in on each output connector? Meaning, 200 on SE and 200 on balanced? If true, why is that so? 
- Do I have to leave the headphone connected for the process to take place?


----------



## superuser1

Darksoul said:


> Before the WM1A I wasn't a believer in "burn in", but I've noticed some discernible changes in the sound over time. I've decided to leave it running on the weekends and hear the changes. I have several; maybe silly, questions.
> 
> - Does the WM1A have to be burned in on each output connector? Meaning, 200 on SE and 200 on balanced? If true, why is that so?
> - Do I have to leave the headphone connected for the process to take place?


Yes both Balanced and SE need to be burned in individually as there are different FTCAPs (MOSFET)? for both the outputs which need the burn in.
HPs need to be connected at normal listening volumes.


----------



## Darksoul

superuser1 said:


> Yes both Balanced and SE need to be burned in individually as there are different FTCAPs (MOSFET)? for both the outputs which need the burn in.
> HPs need to be connected at normal listening volumes.



Bummer, it seems I've wasted several hours leaving it on without headphones. Thank you for the quick reply.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 10, 2018)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/darksoul.367357/






Yes, there is one amp on the back and another amp on the front of the board. So yes, plug in a 4.4mm for 200 hours then run a single ended 3.5mm headphone for 200 hours. Also if you reset the device it erases the tally on hours used.

And while in this case there is noticeable sound changes, it’s due to the style of Panasonic capacitors used. Not all electronics may act this way.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Jun 10, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/darksoul.367357/
> 
> 
> 
> ...



So here's an interesting anecdote. Make of it what you will:

Was at a local IEM store yesterday and had my unmodded WM1A with me (just about 170hrs in, mostly balanced). Met two guys who were regulars there and they were also friends with each other. Both had carried out the same Music Sanctuary PW 1960 mod on their WM1Zs. And we got to talking about burn in. Being the n00b that I am, I asked if there really was a difference. Then the conversation went into the deep end.

They both were absolutely certain that the kind of music you played through your DAP would affect the outcome. I was a little skeptical, then they both let me try their WM1Zs side by side. I borrowed the store's QDC IEMs and lo and behold... there was indeed a difference.

They both had one common album between them, same sampling rate and source: Random Access Memories by Daft Punk. They didn't tell me anything about what to expect and left me to figure it out. And the outcome?

Player #1's WM1Z had a brighter sound with more forward mids. Seems his preference in music is for more vocals and his collection reflected this.
Player #2's WM1Z had a significantly darker sound with more emphasis on the bass. His collection of music was more rock centric and he admitted to loving more bass in his sound.

It was almost a night and day difference but not as obvious like rolling different IEMs, but it was definitely there! I personally preferred the brighter sound.

Both their players had a lot more "depth" to their sound compared to my WM1A and they shared that the mod, while it wouldn't make my player on par with the WM1Z, would definitely close the gap significantly. They shared their theory that the kind of music you run through your DAP will moderate the outcome overtime. Like how soda will stain the inside of a white teacup. Won't change the signature of the player, but it would definitely make a noticeable difference in the sound.

I'm definitely getting my WM1A modded.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

ruthieandjohn said:


> It is the “silent disco”that appeals to me, as well as to headphone manufacturers (and Cambridge Analytica...stay with me on this...]
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Or make them terribly thirsty and buy more drinks at the bar! Ka-ching!!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Jun 10, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> So here's an interesting anecdote. Make of it what you will:
> 
> Was at a local IEM store yesterday and had my unmodded WM1A with me (just about 170hrs in, mostly balanced). Met two guys who were regulars there and they were also friends with each other. Both had carried out the same Music Sanctuary PW 1960 mod on their WM1Zs. And we got to talking about burn in. Being the n00b that I am, I asked if there really was a difference. Then the conversation went into the deep end.
> 
> ...



And on that note... I used to be skeptical about how much a cable could change the sound on a pair of IEMs... but having a friendly environment where they let you "roll" cables on the same pair of IEMs... WOW! No one told me how much the cables cost but I consistently kept going back to the really rich sounding ones... which... unfortunately cost quite abit. That's not to say that the price is directly correlated to the quality, but I've become a believer in quality cables.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 10, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> So here's an interesting anecdote. Make of it what you will:
> 
> Was at a local IEM store yesterday and had my unmodded WM1A with me (just about 170hrs in, mostly balanced). Met two guys who were regulars there and they were also friends with each other. Both had carried out the same Music Sanctuary PW 1960 mod on their WM1Zs. And we got to talking about burn in. Being the n00b that I am, I asked if there really was a difference. Then the conversation went into the deep end.
> 
> ...



I still need to visit Music Sanctuary. Been to Singapore about five times, but I always fail to make it there.

Also the answer to that riddle may be that the players are still burning in and that after 500 hours of the same music, they could sound the same.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> I still need to visit Music Sanctuary. Been to Singapore about five times, but I always fail to make it there.
> 
> Also the answer to that riddle may be that the players are still burning in and that after 500 hours of the same music, they could sound the same.



There's only one way to tell.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jun 10, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> So here's an interesting anecdote. Make of it what you will:
> 
> Was at a local IEM store yesterday and had my unmodded WM1A with me (just about 170hrs in, mostly balanced). Met two guys who were regulars there and they were also friends with each other. Both had carried out the same Music Sanctuary PW 1960 mod on their WM1Zs. And we got to talking about burn in. Being the n00b that I am, I asked if there really was a difference. Then the conversation went into the deep end.
> 
> ...


Intresting theory, hmm i always wondered the same thing if the kind of music one hears really affects the sound character of a DAP. Wonder what would have been a third modded WM1Z but filled with classical music and that random access memories test track. Or what would happen f.e if i bought @Whitigir WM1Z and "healed" it with classical music  would that change the sound sig.?


----------



## fiascogarcia

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> There's only one way to tell.


So you're certain they weren't using EQ?


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 10, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Intresting theory, hmm i always wondered the same thing if the kind of music one hears really affects the sound character of a DAP. Wonder what would have been a third modded WM1Z but filled with classical music and that random access memories test track. Or what would happen f.e if i bought @Whitigir WM1Z and "healed" it with classical music  would that change the sound sig.?



Lol, it is sold, and classic is one of my genres eventhough I am jealous of your collection on Bach and so on .

Speaking theoretically, the best way to burn in the player of any equipments are music, and not whitenoises.  Any music will do it just fine as music has peaks, variations and white-noises ? Well....

Yes, definitely modifying the player has improvements.  

Regarding the different player to have different signatures even with the same mod.  There are plethora of things that could and can affect it.

1/ different components has tolerances, and even being produced by machines to the highest measures, they still varies.  There are no perfections in our universe.  Therefore, even the same equipment coming off the production belt, will have to have “tolerances” 5% ? Or 10% ? Can you hear it ? Doesn’t matter, as long as they meet the standards, they are qualified to release 

2/ take that further, modifying, the applied amount of solder and flux, the wires being braided, used....all of these have variations.  There is no perfections

3/ human being taken into account .  I think human is very interesting, they seek for perfections and while themselves are existed due to imperfections LOL!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

fiascogarcia said:


> So you're certain they weren't using EQ?


Pretty much. I'll try again the next time I see them.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> Lol, it is sold, and classic is one of my genres eventhough I am jealous of your collection on Bach and so on .
> 
> Speaking theoretically, the best way to burn in the player of any equipments are music, and not whitenoises.  Any music will do it just fine as music has peaks, variations and white-noises ? Well....
> 
> ...



Points 1 and 2 generate a random result. But what are the odds that the result matches the listening styles of the owners? While plausible, it's improbable.


----------



## San Man

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Pretty much. I'll try again the next time I see them.



If you're still able to go to MS, my modded 1a is getting some work done to it.   @Deezel177 heard it yesterday after I insisted he try it.    You're welcome to listen to it too, hopefully it hasn't been packed up yet to ship back to me


----------



## Lemieux66




----------



## Lemieux66

1A playing Jordan Peterson's audio book:


----------



## Quadfather

Lemieux66 said:


> 1A playing Jordan Peterson's audio book:



I use my Sony for audio books all the time. I've listened to Pendragon, Harry Potter, the Ranger's Apprentice, and more. My sister is a truck driver. She introduced me to Graphic Audio. They have theme songs, digital sound effects, cinematic music, and voice actors. They are so well done. Great to listen to on the Sony, because they sound stunning and realistic. It's like the old Radio Theater. Deathlands is my favorite.  When the companions have a firefight with the bad guys, it sounds like you're right in the middle of the action.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> I use my Sony for audio books all the time. I've listened to Pendragon, Harry Potter, the Ranger's Apprentice, and more. My sister is a truck driver. She introduced me to Graphic Audio. They have theme songs, digital sound effects, cinematic music, and voice actors. They are so well done. Great to listen to on the Sony, because they sound stunning and realistic. It's like the old Radio Theater. Deathlands is my favorite.  When the companions have a firefight with the bad guys, it sounds like you're right in the middle of the action.


 I have the same impression with Beethoven's Battle symphony and tchaikovsky 1812 overture, that you are in the middle of the "battles"


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have the same impression with Beethoven's Battle symphony and tchaikovsky 1812 overture, that you are in the middle of the "battles"



That is awesome. Can you post a picture of the album cover so I'm sure to get the right one?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Jun 10, 2018)

San Man said:


> If you're still able to go to MS, my modded 1a is getting some work done to it.   @Deezel177 heard it yesterday after I insisted he try it.    You're welcome to listen to it too, hopefully it hasn't been packed up yet to ship back to me


If only you're in Sillypore too. I'd pick up your Dignis case. May I ask why you're selling it?

I'm something of a pouch and bag freak. Went through a tactical gear phase and have a bunch of 1000D Cordura all over, with way too much desert tan. Now I'm just very into leather.
Ordered a Van Nuys case off Amazon JP yesterday. Will post pics here when it gets in.


----------



## howdy

Does anyone have the WH1000 MKII they use with either the 1a or 1z? Wondering if the LDAC makes a big difference over Apt x or HD.


----------



## San Man

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> If only you're in Sillypore too. I'd pick up your Dignis case. May I ask why you're selling it?
> 
> I'm something of a pouch and bag freak. Went through a tactical gear phase and have a bunch of 1000D Cordura all over, with way too much desert tan. Now I'm just very into leather.
> Ordered a Van Nuys case off Amazon JP yesterday. Will post pics here when it gets in.



I'm not a fan of the leather personally, I much like the Benks case more.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

San Man said:


> I'm not a fan of the leather personally, I much like the Benks case more.


Oic. That's what I'm using now. It does have its appeal.
Like nude stockings.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> That is awesome. Can you post a picture of the album cover so I'm sure to get the right one?


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 10, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


>




Thank you.  I appreciate the information. Where did you get these? I am a metalhead, but am expanding into classical and jazz fusion.


----------



## Sonic Defender

howdy said:


> Does anyone have the WH1000 MKII they use with either the 1a or 1z? Wondering if the LDAC makes a big difference over Apt x or HD.


I seriously doubt it could make a difference. People can't tell a 320mp3 file from the lossless master it came from and AptX is already able to transmit at a higher bitrate than that so it should be transparent.


----------



## Shane D

The prices on Sony's Canadian website went blank this weekend for the NW WM1A and the NW WM1Z. I just checked now and the prices are back up.  The NW WM1Z went from $3,999.00 to $3,1999.00, in Canadian dollars. Closer to my world, the NW WM1A just went from $1,499.00 to $1,199.00.  Nice Price drops!  New models on the way or just trying to pump the products?
It is great news as I was leaning towards the NW ZX300 at $699.00, which didn't change at all.  $700 VS $1,500 seems like a much bigger jump than $700.00 VS $1,200.00.

Just some food for thought for the Canadians on the board.

Shane D

PS: Where are Canadian Head-Fi'ers buying Sony DAP's.  They seem to keep their high end dealers on a top secret list somewhere that no one is supposed to see...


----------



## San Man

If you don't mind a grey market, check razordog


----------



## Sonic Defender

Shane D said:


> The prices on Sony's Canadian website went blank this weekend for the NW WM1A and the NW WM1Z. I just checked now and the prices are back up.  The NW WM1Z went from $3,999.00 to $3,1999.00, in Canadian dollars. Closer to my world, the NW WM1A just went from $1,499.00 to $1,199.00.  Nice Price drops!  New models on the way or just trying to pump the products?
> It is great news as I was leaning towards the NW ZX300 at $699.00, which didn't change at all.  $700 VS $1,500 seems like a much bigger jump than $700.00 VS $1,200.00.
> 
> Just some food for thought for the Canadians on the board.
> ...





San Man said:


> If you don't mind a grey market, check razordog


Yep, bought quite a few things from Razordog and never had an issue at all.


----------



## Audiophonicalistic

Lemieux66 said:


> 1A playing Jordan Peterson's audio book:


Nice just purchased his book yesterday.


----------



## Shane D

San Man said:


> If you don't mind a grey market, check razordog



I checked their site out but the pricing is way high as they are American.  They are asking 1,199.00 in US dollars. Then add shipping conversion and duties and it would be a huge total.

But thanks for the heads up.

Shane D


----------



## San Man (Jun 11, 2018)

Shane D said:


> I checked their site out but the pricing is way high as they are American.  They are asking 1,199.00 in US dollars. Then add shipping conversion and duties and it would be a huge total.
> 
> But thanks for the heads up.
> 
> Shane D



Email them and inquire about this:

https://www.razordogaudio.com/colle...kman-digital-music-player-with-hi-res-audio-1

Last time I checked with them, they offered a new unit for this price.   **Edited, Razor Dog is indeed an authorized dealer, my mistake**


----------



## Shane D

San Man said:


> Email them and inquire about this:
> 
> https://www.razordogaudio.com/colle...kman-digital-music-player-with-hi-res-audio-1
> 
> Last time I checked with them, they offered a new unit for this price.   Granted, it's still grey market, but you should be fine.



That works out to the new list price in Canada for new units.

Shane D


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> Thank you.  I appreciate the information. Where did you get these? I am a metalhead, but am expanding into classical and jazz fusion.


The two tchaikovsky albums were bought, the panorama from DG was bought on a Bestbuy in the US, the 182 at Qobuz as digital download the Beethoven is part of the complete DG Beethoven edition that was downloaded from torrents


----------



## Redcarmoose

fiascogarcia said:


> So you're certain they weren't using EQ?



 But also they both were modified models, which seems to add a level of complexity. Was the upgraded wire the same?  Were they upgraded by the same person? Were they upgraded exactly the same way. Way too many variations to state that the music you listen to changes the sound signature after burn in. I would be more inline to belive it if the test was on stock units.

Still if any units were going to show a character change due to style of music used on burn-in..........the 1Z and 1A would be the players. They are pretty much a proven device to change upon burn-in.. unarguably!


----------



## Redcarmoose

San Man said:


> Email them and inquire about this:
> 
> https://www.razordogaudio.com/colle...kman-digital-music-player-with-hi-res-audio-1
> 
> Last time I checked with them, they offered a new unit for this price.   Granted, it's still grey market, but you should be fine.




Just saw that the players play video? 

Video Format(s) Supported: 
AVC(H.264/AVC): MP4 file format, 20 Mbps bitrate, 30 fps frame rate, 1920x1080 max 
MPEG4: 20 Mbps bitrate, 30 fps frame rate, 1920x1080 max 
WMV9: ASF file format, 20 Mbps bitrate, 30 fps frame rate, 1920x1080 max

How could I have missed this all along?


----------



## San Man

Shane D said:


> That works out to the new list price in Canada for new units.
> 
> Shane D



Ah bummer 

Perhaps the classifieds, but I'm not sure if that'll help you or not.   I got mine used and in pretty much new condition for $750


----------



## Shane D

San Man said:


> Ah bummer
> 
> Perhaps the classifieds, but I'm not sure if that'll help you or not.   I got mine used and in pretty much new condition for $750



I am not in a huge rush. I will keep looking around.

Shane D


----------



## 480126

Quadfather said:


> That is awesome. Can you post a picture of the album cover so I'm sure to get the right one?


----------



## Foosdan

San Man said:


> Email them and inquire about this:
> 
> https://www.razordogaudio.com/colle...kman-digital-music-player-with-hi-res-audio-1
> 
> Last time I checked with them, they offered a new unit for this price.   Granted, it's still grey market, but you should be fine.


What do you mean by grey market?  I've been in contact with them and have been assured they are a Sony USA reseller and they sell USA stock direct from Sony.


----------



## San Man

Foosdan said:


> What do you mean by grey market?  I've been in contact with them and have been assured they are a Sony USA reseller and they sell USA stock direct from Sony.



Hmm, I'm not sure then.  RD website says they're authorized, but the Sony USA site doesn't list them.


----------



## Foosdan

San Man said:


> Hmm, I'm not sure then.  RD website says they're authorized, but the Sony USA site doesn't list them.


I see them listed under authorized dealers.  Just making sure someone doesn't know something I don't.  I don't want to be sold something that is advertised as Sony USA version if it isn't.  Does anyone have experience buying a WM1A through Razordog Audio?


----------



## San Man

Good to go then!   As others have said, many have made purchases through them.   I would have too, but they were out of stock of the 1a at the time, so I found a used one.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> Just saw that the players play video?
> 
> Video Format(s) Supported:
> AVC(H.264/AVC): MP4 file format, 20 Mbps bitrate, 30 fps frame rate, 1920x1080 max
> ...


No. Way!

OMG... Need to try this out later!


----------



## San Man

Edited my first post about this to reflect my mistake on RD


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> No. Way!
> 
> OMG... Need to try this out later!



I’m pretty sure we have a misprint here.


----------



## jcdreamer

Foosdan said:


> I see them listed under authorized dealers.  Just making sure someone doesn't know something I don't.  I don't want to be sold something that is advertised as Sony USA version if it isn't.  Does anyone have experience buying a WM1A through Razordog Audio?


I have made three sizable purchases from RazorDog so far and I have been extremely satisfied with each transaction. I've saved over a couple of thousands of dollars thanks to him.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> Just saw that the players play video?
> 
> Video Format(s) Supported:
> AVC(H.264/AVC): MP4 file format, 20 Mbps bitrate, 30 fps frame rate, 1920x1080 max
> ...


Maybe it is reserved for a future version of the new walkman OS to support photos and videos, hope it is for the lower tier models , i am perfectly fine with music only device


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gerelmx1986 said:


> Maybe it is reserved for a future version of the new walkman OS to support photos and videos, hope it is for the lower tier models , i am perfectly fine with music only device


----------



## teknorob23

Hi looking for help/ suggestions as to why i cant get an audio signal from WM port on WM1A to use with an external DAC. ive tried two different adapters it with Hugo2, Mojo and Ifi nano, with an official sony adapter and a purpose built Micro usb to WM port and nothing. I know this should work, but i'm wandering whether theres something that prevents the digital output working with european models. Anyone managed to get this working in the UK? Any suggestions gratefully received. thanks


----------



## Quadfather

teknorob23 said:


> Hi looking for help/ suggestions as to why i cant get an audio signal from WM port on WM1A to use with an external DAC. ive tried two different adapters it with Hugo2, Mojo and Ifi nano, with an official sony adapter and a purpose built Micro usb to WM port and nothing. I know this should work, but i'm wandering whether theres something that prevents the digital output working with european models. Anyone managed to get this working in the UK? Any suggestions gratefully received. thanks



Once I accidentally left Bluetooth on and the Walkman wouldn't recognize the port on balanced


----------



## teknorob23

Quadfather said:


> Once I accidentally left Bluetooth on and the Walkman wouldn't recognize the port on balanced




yep i've tried a myriad of on/off routines inc bluetooth and nothing. I've also factory reset too.. really puzzling


----------



## gerelmx1986

teknorob23 said:


> Hi looking for help/ suggestions as to why i cant get an audio signal from WM port on WM1A to use with an external DAC. ive tried two different adapters it with Hugo2, Mojo and Ifi nano, with an official sony adapter and a purpose built Micro usb to WM port and nothing. I know this should work, but i'm wandering whether theres something that prevents the digital output working with european models. Anyone managed to get this working in the UK? Any suggestions gratefully received. thanks


Try turning the DACs ON before connecting them to the WM1A, also the WM1A must be on is what i've read, so they can initiate a "handsake"


----------



## teknorob23

gerelmx1986 said:


> Try turning the DACs ON before connecting them to the WM1A, also the WM1A must be on is what i've read, so they can initiate a "handsake"



thank you for the suggestion. I have tried both turning the dacs on first then the sony and vice versa. I can connect via bluetooth no probs as well but not a sausage via the USB.


----------



## fiascogarcia

teknorob23 said:


> thank you for the suggestion. I have tried both turning the dacs on first then the sony and vice versa. I can connect via bluetooth no probs as well but not a sausage via the USB.


Only other thing I can think of is that on some micro usb plugs into hugo I've tried, the plastic shielding around the plug is too thick and doesn't allow for a full insertion into the Hugo's jack.  Maybe?


----------



## teknorob23

fiascogarcia said:


> Only other thing I can think of is that on some micro usb plugs into hugo I've tried, the plastic shielding around the plug is too thick and doesn't allow for a full insertion into the Hugo's jack.  Maybe?


Sadly i don’t think it’s that either. Sony’s tech support in UK didn’t think audio via usb was possible, but the person I spoke to has escalated it, so i’ll Let you know if i have any success. Thanks again to everyone in the meantime for all the suggestions


----------



## Shane D

Apparently I was confused last night and was viewing the American website...
No price drop and a dealer told me they don't even have any stock in Canada.

Shane D


----------



## 480126

teknorob23 said:


> Hi looking for help/ suggestions as to why i cant get an audio signal from WM port on WM1A to use with an external DAC. ive tried two different adapters it with Hugo2, Mojo and Ifi nano, with an official sony adapter and a purpose built Micro usb to WM port and nothing. I know this should work, but i'm wandering whether theres something that prevents the digital output working with european models. Anyone managed to get this working in the UK? Any suggestions gratefully received. thanks


Is it the Sony WMC-NWH10 conversion cable you use?


----------



## Music junky

teknorob23 said:


> Hi looking for help/ suggestions as to why i cant get an audio signal from WM port on WM1A to use with an external DAC. ive tried two different adapters it with Hugo2, Mojo and Ifi nano, with an official sony adapter and a purpose built Micro usb to WM port and nothing. I know this should work, but i'm wandering whether theres something that prevents the digital output working with european models. Anyone managed to get this working in the UK? Any suggestions gratefully received. thanks


hi, i had the same problem . my wm1a will connect to my oppo ha2 and my sony pha 2a. But will not connect to my Kse1500. it will read usb audio . but will not pass audio  . had to buy the ak70ll for my kse1500.


----------



## teknorob23

yes and i also have a bespoke cable too (see pics)


----------



## Music junky

teknorob23 said:


> Sadly i don’t think it’s that either. Sony’s tech support in UK didn’t think audio via usb was possible, but the person I spoke to has escalated it, so i’ll Let you know if i have any success. Thanks again to everyone in the meantime for all the suggestions


so it will output usb audio to an amp only?


----------



## Bart147

WM1Z + balanced cable + T5P 2nd gen = by far the best portable combo i've ever listened to  
Dare i say it ? Endgame for me (for chilly days anyway) !


----------



## teknorob23

Music junky said:


> so it will output usb audio to an amp only?


I cant get it to output to anything via the USB/ WM port


----------



## fiascogarcia

Foosdan said:


> I see them listed under authorized dealers.  Just making sure someone doesn't know something I don't.  I don't want to be sold something that is advertised as Sony USA version if it isn't.  Does anyone have experience buying a WM1A through Razordog Audio?


Bought my 1Z from them ($2,399 at the time) and have purchased several headphones from them as well.  Never a problem, and they always responded to my communications.


----------



## roses77

Redcarmoose said:


> But also they both were modified models, which seems to add a level of complexity. Was the upgraded wire the same?  Were they upgraded by the same person? Were they upgraded exactly the same way. Way too many variations to state that the music you listen to changes the sound signature after burn in. I would be more inline to belive it if the test was on stock units.
> 
> Still if any units were going to show a character change due to style of music used on burn-in..........the 1Z and 1A would be the players. They are pretty much a proven device to change upon burn-in.. unarguably!



I listen to an variety of genres except for jazz, & country & rap music. As my Sony WM1Z isn’t modded as it costs $1000 extra. It still sounds fantastic with nearly 500hrs burn in. I


----------



## mw7485

teknorob23 said:


> thank you for the suggestion. I have tried both turning the dacs on first then the sony and vice versa. I can connect via bluetooth no probs as well but not a sausage via the USB.



This is an interesting problem. The Walkman can do digital out via the Walkman port, so that it is used solely as a transport. Thinking a bit sideways, I wonder if the answer lies in the TA ZH1ES and more specifically, how the Walkmans connect to it. Anybody kicking around these forums have the Walkman and the 1ES and care to comment? Looking at the back of the 1ES, there is a USB-B input, but nothing appearing to offer direct support for micro USB as input. Micro USB has 5 pins, USB B has 4......

Another option: Is that funky Sony dock that seems to only be available in Japan any use? Finally, have you talked to Chord? I rather suspect they would be happy to help you out and at least give you some pointers. I can't imagine this problem can't be solved....


----------



## gerelmx1986

It is like 2 or 3 months away for the IFA berlin  let's see what sony has to show us in the walkman range


----------



## haarvi

jcdreamer said:


> I have made three sizable purchases from RazorDog so far and I have been extremely satisfied with each transaction. I've saved over a couple of thousands of dollars thanks to him.





fiascogarcia said:


> Bought my 1Z from them ($2,399 at the time) and have purchased several headphones from them as well.  Never a problem, and they always responded to my communications.




Bought a 1Z from Razor Dog Audio.  Contacted Sony USA by phone and registered it, using the serial number
on the DAP.
No objections were raised; no questions asked.
Technical support was provided.


----------



## Lookout57

mw7485 said:


> This is an interesting problem. The Walkman can do digital out via the Walkman port, so that it is used solely as a transport. Thinking a bit sideways, I wonder if the answer lies in the TA ZH1ES and more specifically, how the Walkmans connect to it. Anybody kicking around these forums have the Walkman and the 1ES and care to comment? Looking at the back of the 1ES, there is a USB-B input, but nothing appearing to offer direct support for micro USB as input. Micro USB has 5 pins, USB B has 4......
> 
> Another option: Is that funky Sony dock that seems to only be available in Japan any use? Finally, have you talked to Chord? I rather suspect they would be happy to help you out and at least give you some pointers. I can't imagine this problem can't be solved....


I have the ZH1ES. It includes a cable that connects directly from the Walkman port to the ZH1ES. This cable will also charge the Walkman. 

You can get the Sony WMC-NWH10 cable and the USB cable of your choice to connect to the ZH1ES. The doiwnside to this is it doesn’t charge the player.

I decided to order the dock from Amazon as it will charge the player. It also has much better components that help improve the sound over the WMC-NWH10 or the included cable.


----------



## Whitigir

The Walkman has a sequences to initial the “handshakes” to the other device it is connected with.  Using the Dock is easier to connect VS the Dongle or the stock cables that comes with 1ES amp.  I don’t remember the exact sequences.  But it involves Power on/off, plugged in the cables here and there.  You need to play with it to find out how.

I remember he time when I had problem with it.  I needed to turn off the External DAC first (power off).  Then Plugged in the Walkman with dongle and Cables whit the screen off.  Then Connected to the powered off external DAC, and then turned on Walkman screen, and then power on the external Device.

Just play around with it this way or similar, and you will get it working


----------



## haarvi (Jun 12, 2018)

As was mentioned a bit back in this thread...
Witigir recently posted a for sale notice advertising a 1Z which he had modded.
I bought it.

As it happens...
Witigir had written about others of his 1 Z mods, but he  has not written about the mod I bought from him,
in which he used, not silver-gold wiring, but, rather, ultra pure silver wiring.

For several reasons...
I don't feel capable of describing how this 1Z mod sounds as compared and contrasted to stock.

Is there, perhaps, someone in the New York City area who is familiar with the 1Z who might be interested
in listening to this unique Whitigir-modded 1Z and, who would be willing, afterward, to write a brief account
of his impressions here?

Anyone???
PM me.

Harvey
Park Slope
Brooklyn, NY


----------



## PCheung

My friend using that official sony USB-Audio out adaptor with his Hugo2 never with problem.
Try another USB-micro cable, or problem on your Hugo2 maybe?


----------



## pietcux

haarvi said:


> As was mentioned a bit back in this thread...
> Witigir recently posted a for sale notice for a 1Z which he had modded.
> I bought it.
> 
> ...


And you also have the stock WM1Z?


----------



## Sonic Defender

haarvi said:


> As was mentioned a bit back in this thread...
> Witigir recently posted a for sale notice advertising a 1Z which he had modded.
> I bought it.
> 
> ...


Make sure they listen blind so that expectation bias isn't part of the comparison. It would be really interesting to know if there is an audible difference once the listener is blind to the device.


----------



## haarvi

pietcux said:


> And you also have the stock WM1Z?



Yes, but I have less than 40 hours on my 1Z.

Also...
I think those who might be curious about this example of Witigir's handiwork would be better served by 
someone whose hearing acuity and listening discrimination were a few levels beyond mine.


----------



## haarvi

Sonic Defender said:


> Make sure they listen blind so that expectation bias isn't part of the comparison. It would be really interesting to know if there is an audible difference once the listener is blind to the device.



Good idea.

It could be accomplished if I handle and switch between the mod and stock 1Zs.

BTW:
My Z1R could be used for the listening session.


----------



## Sonic Defender

haarvi said:


> Good idea.
> 
> It could be accomplished if I handle and switch between the mod and stock 1Zs.
> 
> ...


Love the Z1R, one of my favourite headphones that I have owned.


----------



## proedros

just burn in the stock WM1Z and then keep the one you like best

doesn't matter what other people may hear/think , you are the one whose opinion matters solely here


----------



## gerelmx1986

haarvi said:


> Yes, but I have less than 40 hours on my 1Z.
> 
> Also...
> I think those who might be curious about this example of Witigir's handiwork would be better served by
> someone whose hearing acuity and listening discrimination were a few levels beyond mine.


I could discern differences between a DSF file and the 24 /175,4 FLAC from the same file.


----------



## haarvi

Sonic Defender said:


> Love the Z1R, one of my favourite headphones that I have owned.



I appreciate the interest shown in my suggestion that someone who is familiar with the sound of the fully burned in stock 1Z (and accessible to the New York City area) connect with me for the purpose of taking the temperature of Whitigir's heretofore undocumented (ultra pure silver wiring) 1Z mod.

To report...
So far no one has PM'ed me.

Anyone?


----------



## pietcux

haarvi said:


> I appreciate the interest shown in my suggestion that someone who is familiar with the sound of the fully burned in stock 1Z (and accessible to the New York City area) connect with me for the purpose of taking the temperature of Whitigir's heretofore undocumented (ultra pure silver wiring) 1Z mod.
> 
> To report...
> So far no one has PM'ed me.
> ...


I would like to but I am in Germany. Too much of an effort, lol.


----------



## Lookout57

I'm local to you and have a 1Z, however right now I don't have time to meet up.


----------



## haarvi

proedros said:


> just burn in the stock WM1Z and then keep the one you like best
> 
> doesn't matter what other people may hear/think , you are the one whose opinion matters solely here




Yes...certainly, I can keep the one I like best.
Or keep both.
(The DAPs are relatively heavy, but they don't take up much room.)

What I had in mind is not about having someone help me decide which 1Z I ought to keep...
But rather to help in advancing the science.


By having someone more qualified than I report on any changes of sound quality which an alteration of wiring may have 
effectuated.

BTW:
Whitigir's wiring mod was only done to the balanced output.
So...
Ideally the person who accepts my proposal will have been using his 1Z out of the balanced side.

Still...
So far no one has pm'd me.
Anyone???


----------



## proedros

every person hears differently , in this hobby the only important factor is finding what you like sound-wise and go after it

you don't need another person's opinion , if i were you i would just burn the stock and keep one if they are close by in sound signatures

cheers


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 12, 2018)

haarvi said:


> Yes...certainly, I can keep the one I like best.
> Or keep both.
> (The DAPs are relatively heavy, but they don't take up much room.)
> 
> ...



I would say this, you can compare your 1Z stock vs the Modded 1Z On balanced and see if you can hear the differences.  Then start going from there , post up if you are curious about any specific questions, I may be able to give some inputs .  

I am sure you will be able to find someone in NYC to take you up on this comparisons, just give it some times


----------



## haarvi

Lookout57 said:


> I'm local to you and have a 1Z, however right now I don't have time to meet up.


Lookout,
It's great hearing from you.

We don't have to meet "right now".

Do you listen SE or balanced... or both?


----------



## Lookout57

I only listen to balanced.

I'll PM you when I get some time to meet somewhere in Manhattan.


----------



## haarvi

Lookout57 said:


> I only listen to balanced.
> 
> I'll PM you when I get some time to meet somewhere in Manhattan.



 Only listen to balanced... Great !

Meeting in Manhattan will work.

I'll look for your pm.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

That was a steal. $2600 is too much for me.





fiascogarcia said:


> Bought my 1Z from them ($2,399 at the time) and have purchased several headphones from them as well.  Never a problem, and they always responded to my communications.


----------



## Quadfather

The Shure SRH1540 headphones out of the Sony NW WM1A balanced output is sublime. Both player and headphones are burned in.  This one of my absolute favorite combinations. I have headphones approaching $2,000 that I don't like as much.


----------



## haarvi

Quadfather said:


> The Shure SRH1540 headphones out of the Sony NW WM1A balanced output is sublime. Both player and headphones are burned in.  This one of my absolute favorite combinations. I have headphones approaching $2,000 that I don't like as much.



Are you using a custom made 4.4mm cable... or???


----------



## Quadfather

haarvi said:


> Are you using a custom made 4.4mm cable... or???



A big shout-out to Surf Cables.  They stand by their product.  4.4 balanced cable is awesome and reasonable.


----------



## Darksoul

Quadfather said:


> The Shure SRH1540 headphones out of the Sony NW WM1A balanced output is sublime. Both player and headphones are burned in.  This one of my absolute favorite combinations. I have headphones approaching $2,000 that I don't like as much.



Dude, really. Stop making me regret not getting the SRH-1540.


----------



## Quadfather

Darksoul said:


> Dude, really. Stop making me regret not getting the SRH-1540.



Sorry, I just happened to be listening to it.


----------



## Mindstorms

maybe a dumb question, but anyone uses high gain on SE output for IEMs?? i noticed on some iems you can get more bass (with some eq), but maybe you lose some detail?? anyone agreef?


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## nc8000




----------



## Mindstorms

awesome pictures, wish i have so many BA


----------



## Sonic Defender

Quadfather said:


> Sorry, I just happened to be listening to it.


Try the Pioneer SE Monitor 5 if you ever get a chance. Fantastic headphone and I have a very good feeling that it would have fantastic synergy with these two DAPs. As well, I like spreading the word about the this headphone, easily the best price to performance headphone I may have ever tried is the Fidelio M1 MKII. It is just astoundingly good, and the price (under $100, sometimes under $60) is unbelievable. I picked it up on a lark just to see what the fuss was about and it has shocked me with just how well tuned and dynamic the signature is. I like suggesting it as a nice portable because of the high quality sound and fabulous price. This is really just directed to the thread in general, as I said, I like spreading the word randomly when I find something that I think deserves to be talked about.


----------



## Blommen

nc8000 said:


>



If you are ever in Copenhagen and want to meet up I would really like to compare my modded zx300 with your wm1z (I sold mine before I got the zx) and also try the z1r against my Z7  

Mid tier vs high end. Go!


----------



## Whitigir

Blommen said:


> If you are ever in Copenhagen and want to meet up I would really like to compare my modded zx300 with your wm1z (I sold mine before I got the zx) and also try the z1r against my Z7
> 
> Mid tier vs high end. Go!



That would be very very fun!


----------



## nc8000

Blommen said:


> If you are ever in Copenhagen and want to meet up I would really like to compare my modded zx300 with your wm1z (I sold mine before I got the zx) and also try the z1r against my Z7
> 
> Mid tier vs high end. Go!



PM


----------



## gerelmx1986

Midnstorms said:


> awesome pictures, wish i have so many BA


I am happy with three drivers per side


----------



## Mindstorms

Lol, *gerelmx1986 i wish i had that few BA!! *


----------



## Mindstorms

sad no one uses high gain on SE output for IEMs?? i noticed on some iems you can get more bass (with some eq), but maybe you lose some detail?? can somebody tell me im crazy (for this reason)... lol


----------



## Sonic Defender

Midnstorms said:


> sad no one uses high gain on SE output for IEMs?? i noticed on some iems you can get more bass (with some eq), but maybe you lose some detail?? can somebody tell me im crazy (for this reason)... lol


I can only imagine that you increase the noise floor and the only advantage should be higher gain, but with an IEM, at least the majority of them, the extra gain shouldn't be needed. Not an expert at all, just some educated guessing.


----------



## Mindstorms

Ty for the answer, but if you have more gain you will actualy rise the hole eq spectrum a noth right? giving you some more room for bass? since you actually eleveate all frecuencies, when you tame some... it will ve like overboosting the eq, adding some distortion to the mix?  maybe im delusional lol


----------



## Sonic Defender

Midnstorms said:


> Ty for the answer, but if you have more gain you will actualy rise the hole eq spectrum a noth right? giving you some more room for bass? since you actually eleveate all frecuencies, when you tame some... it will ve like overboosting the eq, adding some distortion to the mix?  maybe im delusional lol


I think it is a zero sum gain, noise and signal rise in lock step, or so I have always believed. I am sure there can be amp gain topologies that may impact this "rule" so the devil is in the details as they say.


----------



## endlesswaves

Midnstorms said:


> sad no one uses high gain on SE output for IEMs?? i noticed on some iems you can get more bass (with some eq), but maybe you lose some detail?? can somebody tell me im crazy (for this reason)... lol



Not able to help much but I've heard of this in other threads of other DAPs. Some mentioned SE gives you more bass but I am not able confirm that as all my SE cables are stock cables and Balanced are aftermarket cables.

If you like more bass, try the dc phase linearizer and EQ just a bit. With DSEE HX set to strings, dc phase linearizer set to low A and a bit of EQ, it's really magical.


----------



## emrelights1973

Anyone crazy enough who own both sp1000 and 1z? 

Will 1z bring a new taste to Utopia/hd800/encore pair?

Or it is just like being totally irresponsible with money?


----------



## pietcux

I have both outputs set to high gain. My Sennheiser IE800 and SONY EX1000 plus my over ear Beyerdynamic headphones run from that setting very well. But they are all our dynamic headphones.


----------



## Mindstorms

endlesswaves said:


> Not able to help much but I've heard of this in other threads of other DAPs. Some mentioned SE gives you more bass but I am not able confirm that as all my SE cables are stock cables and Balanced are aftermarket cables.
> 
> If you like more bass, try the dc phase linearizer and EQ just a bit. With DSEE HX set to strings, dc phase linearizer set to low A and a bit of EQ, it's really magical.


Yes thank you for your answer that its correct its the hall alike efect, its confirmed that i also hear bass changes a lot with dc and DSEE specially in standart its the one i believe it has more bass, and subbass


----------



## Mindstorms

Sonic Defender said:


> I think it is a zero sum gain, noise and signal rise in lock step, or so I have always believed. I am sure there can be amp gain topologies that may impact this "rule" so the devil is in the details as they say.


mmm, if you can elaborate my english its not that good, I think if you have more gain it will be like adding .0db to every frequency thus resolving in a higher margin for EQ... i kind of get what you saying if noise goes up vol goes down right?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Midnstorms said:


> mmm, if you can elaborate my english its not that good, I think if you have more gain it will be like adding .0db to every frequency thus resolving in a higher margin for EQ... i kind of get what you saying if noise goes up vol goes down right?


I have the XBA-Z5 IEM, so sony own IEM Flagship. when i use low gain (balanced output), I feel there is more soundstage, more enveloping feel, slighrly more details retrieval on the upper freqs. As soon i engage the High gain mode, i note the soundstage crunches and diminishes in size, enveloping is still there but not as 3D or holographic as using LG, detail retrieval gets a bit of a hit, usually not that noticiable unless you are so concentrated with the music.

As for bass, i think Z5's are already bassy IEMS so no need to add more of it.


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have the XBA-Z5 IEM, so sony own IEM Flagship. when i use low gain (balanced output), I feel there is more soundstage, more enveloping feel, slighrly more details retrieval on the upper freqs. As soon i engage the High gain mode, i note the soundstage crunches and diminishes in size, enveloping is still there but not as 3D or holographic as using LG, detail retrieval gets a bit of a hit, usually not that noticiable unless you are so concentrated with the music.
> 
> As for bass, i think Z5's are already bassy IEMS so no need to add more of it.


That is the best way to do it, if you want more bass, just get another iems that has more of them


----------



## Blommen

Whitigir said:


> That is the best way to do it, if you want more bass, just get another iems that has more of them



I wish they would implement a modern version of the MegaBass button from the old Walkman days!


----------



## Whitigir

Blommen said:


> I wish they would implement a modern version of the MegaBass button from the old Walkman days!



Roflmao! I knew someone would call it out sooner or later.  I am very surprised that many people would have been calling out Sony latest release to be a little bassy.  However, none really remember the time of “MegaBass” from Sony at all.

I remember the reason why they pushed “MegaBass”, simply headphones and digital music limitation, it doesn’t allow for too much authentic Bass in a true (dynamic punches) feeling.  So, they had to push Mega-Bass feature.  Even so, it wasn’t even enough, and now Beats/Bose are all doing a lot more, so they have been selling quiet well.  But honestly telling you this, I do not understand those bass lines at all, and I meant....not even mid-tier setups.  

I do now though, but my system cost the price of a car Q_Q ! LOL


----------



## Blommen

Whitigir said:


> Roflmao! I knew someone would call it out sooner or later.  I am very surprised that many people would have been calling out Sony latest release to be a little bassy.  However, none really remember the time of “MegaBass” from Sony at all.
> 
> I remember the reason why they pushed “MegaBass”, simply headphones and digital music limitation, it doesn’t allow for too much authentic Bass in a true (dynamic punches) feeling.  So, they had to push Mega-Bass feature.  Even so, it wasn’t even enough, and now Beats/Bose are all doing a lot more, so they have been selling quiet well.  But honestly telling you this, I do not understand those bass lines at all, and I meant....not even mid-tier setups.
> 
> I do now though, but my system cost the price of a car Q_Q ! LOL



I go to a lot of live gigs, and that is why I need that big bass. Sure it's an imitation of real bass, at a live show you feel it in your whole body, in an iem it's in your ear. 
Still though, sometimes your body is fooled


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vivaldi 24/96


----------



## Whitigir

Blommen said:


> I go to a lot of live gigs, and that is why I need that big bass. Sure it's an imitation of real bass, at a live show you feel it in your whole body, in an iem it's in your ear.
> Still though, sometimes your body is fooled



I agree about that energetic atmosphere that you feel at live gigs.  Though, the hearings is really the tools that connect your brain to the sound and music.  A deaf person may feel the energetic atmosphere, but won’t be able to tell you the sound and the music being performed.

The same for us, we rather enjoy both, the music + this energetic warming atmosphere.  This will only come from a very expensive large speaker setup, and not only just that.  It needs to be calibrated very carefully in an acoustic room.  However, you will then be facing (listening positioning).  Out of the whole room, you may only have good enjoyments out of a 5 square feet siting positions 

Now, headphones, you can sit wherever, lay down, do whatever, just as long as your wires are long enough.  If you get to top tier, you will be able to *“hear the real music and realism of instruments, even bass”. * But you will not be able to get that Energetic atmosphere....well, you may around your earlobes, but not the whole body 

There is always compromise here and there.  Even if you buy the whole live gigs and it crews, your music won’t be performed the same everyday as...a high end record 

There is no perfection! Just get what you desire the most at the least compromises


----------



## 480126

gerelmx1986 said:


> Vivaldi 24/96


----------



## Lookout57

Blommen said:


> I go to a lot of live gigs, and that is why I need that big bass. Sure it's an imitation of real bass, at a live show you feel it in your whole body, in an iem it's in your ear.
> Still though, sometimes your body is fooled


Checkout the Campfire Vega and Atlas. They both have the big bass. The Atlas more than the Vega.


----------



## pietcux (Jun 14, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> I agree about that energetic atmosphere that you feel at live gigs.  Though, the hearings is really the tools that connect your brain to the sound and music.  A deaf person may feel the energetic atmosphere, but won’t be able to tell you the sound and the music being performed.
> 
> The same for us, we rather enjoy both, the music + this energetic warming atmosphere.  This will only come from a very expensive large speaker setup, and not only just that.  It needs to be calibrated very carefully in an acoustic room.  However, you will then be facing (listening positioning).  Out of the whole room, you may only have good enjoyments out of a 5 square feet siting positions
> 
> ...


And you sold the Z1R ! You should at least have kept the Z7.


----------



## Whitigir

pietcux said:


> And you sold the Z1R ! You should at least have kept the Z7.


If I had several set of ears , I don’t have enough time for them all LOL


----------



## gerelmx1986

It's been 1.5 years since i have my Z7's and i love them


----------



## NaiveSound

1z vs Hugo 2?  Sound quality differences? What may they be?


----------



## blazinblazin

If you want feel the bass like in a Live concert you probably need a bass vest.

Which some company need to create


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have the XBA-Z5 IEM, so sony own IEM Flagship. when i use low gain (balanced output), I feel there is more soundstage, more enveloping feel, slighrly more details retrieval on the upper freqs. As soon i engage the High gain mode, i note the soundstage crunches and diminishes in size, enveloping is still there but not as 3D or holographic as using LG, detail retrieval gets a bit of a hit, usually not that noticiable unless you are so concentrated with the music.
> 
> As for bass, i think Z5's are already bassy IEMS so no need to add more of it.



I agree


----------



## kingdixon

blazinblazin said:


> If you want feel the bass like in a Live concert you probably need a bass vest.
> 
> Which some company need to create



Subpac, but only read about it, never tried it ..


----------



## ruthieandjohn

How do I search (e.g. song titles, artists, albums)?  I cannot find a “search” function in the 1A menu.

Thanks!


----------



## Whitigir

ruthieandjohn said:


> How do I search (e.g. song titles, artists, albums)?  I cannot find a “search” function in the 1A menu.
> 
> Thanks!


Because there is non!


----------



## gerelmx1986

ruthieandjohn said:


> How do I search (e.g. song titles, artists, albums)?  I cannot find a “search” function in the 1A menu.
> 
> Thanks!


By tapping on each category Songs, Artist, Album, Composer etc and scrolling down


----------



## ruthieandjohn

Hmph.... Silly, silly me!  When I read the Sony spec sheet below, I stupidly inferred that there is a search function!


----------



## Redcarmoose

I too want to do a search now and then. It’s a passing thing, though.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Some times i long for a Text input based search, even iPod classic had this feature, c'mon sony!!!!


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> Some times i long for a Text input based search, even iPod classic had this feature, c'mon sony!!!!



I love scrolling through the artist, because it reminds me of what a wonderful music collection I have as well as how much high resolution music I have...


----------



## Whitigir

Well, search function when implemented will “*degrade*” the sound! So Sony avoided it...





I am joking


----------



## NaiveSound

When will Sony release the  1A and 1Z successor?


----------



## teknorob23

NaiveSound said:


> When will Sony release the  1A and 1Z successor?



It the news stories of Sony cutting back non-profitable lines are to believed, I wouldn’t hold your breath. We might have last of walkman


----------



## nanaholic

teknorob23 said:


> It the news stories of Sony cutting back non-profitable lines are to believed, I wouldn’t hold your breath. We might have last of walkman



The Audio/Visual department of Sony is and has been profitable for many quarters (the only non-profitable electronic arm of Sony is mobile phones), plus that story about Sony cutting back is false anyway.


----------



## Whitigir

NaiveSound said:


> When will Sony release the  1A and 1Z successor?


When search function is implemented .

On another note, we may hear leaks about it in a couple months ?


----------



## fiascogarcia

Whitigir said:


> When search function is implemented .
> 
> On another note, we may hear leaks about it in a couple months ?


I hope they add more letters and numbers to the name!


----------



## teknorob23

nanaholic said:


> The Audio/Visual department of Sony is and has been profitable for many quarters (the only non-profitable electronic arm of Sony is mobile phones), plus that story about Sony cutting back is false anyway.





nanaholic said:


> The Audio/Visual department of Sony is and has been profitable for many quarters (the only non-profitable electronic arm of Sony is mobile phones), plus that story about Sony cutting back is false anyway.



I hope I’m wrong and any way it can’t have cost Sony much to pay the 3 blokes in shed at the back of the staff car pack, that they call the DAP division to develop the wm1a/z.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

NaiveSound said:


> When will Sony release the  1A and 1Z successor?


What will they call it? They've already taken the two extreme ends of the alphabet.

WM1A mk2?
WMX?
WMXA-1XZ-A?


----------



## nc8000 (Jun 16, 2018)

For my use case I can’t think of anything Sony or any other manufacturer could do that would make me consider replacing my 1Z until it irrepairably dies


----------



## northixora

I would like to ask wether the sony kimber muc-s12sb1 can be used with my marshall monitor bluetooth? i'm planning to get one but doubt its compatibility with the headphones


----------



## tienbasse

nc8000 said:


> For my use case I can’t think of anything Sony or any other manufacturer could do that would make me consider replacing my 1Z until it irrepairably dies


I would tend to agree, but as people say: it's the "best thing"... until the "next best thing".
People suffer from novelty bias all the time.


----------



## nanaholic (Jun 16, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> For my use case I can’t think of anything Sony or any other manufacturer could do that would make me consider replacing my 1Z until it irrepairably dies



In terms of sound quality I would agree, I can't imagine the sound getting *so much more better* than it is now.
The things which would make me replace my 1Z are more regarding features, for example if they make a new device being a smaller, thinner and lighter 1Z which only has 4.4 balance output and completely cutting out the 3.5mm headphone out (or maybe set the 3.5mm as a pure clean analogue line out directly from the S-Master to connect to external amps, whichever that cuts out all the amplification circuit for the single end stage and all that), I can see myself being tempted with something like that.


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> In terms of sound quality I would agree, I can't imagine the sound getting *so much more better* than it is now.
> The things which would make me replace my 1Z are more regarding features, for example if they make a new device being a smaller, thinner and lighter 1Z which only has 4.4 balance output and completely cutting out the 3.5mm headphone out (or maybe set the 3.5mm as a pure clean analogue line out directly from the S-Master to connect to external amps, whichever that cuts out all the amplification circuit for the single end stage and all that), I can see myself being tempted with something like that.



Even that would not make me want it as I don’t use it portable but just have it luggage and use it on site in hotels and the like. Also there is no way I’m taking the monetary hit from selling the 1Z and buying nee. I’m hoping to get 5 to 10 years from the 1Z


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Does anyone know where, if anywhere, Sony has a page dedicated to upcoming firmware and feature requests


----------



## nc8000

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Does anyone know where, if anywhere, Sony has a page dedicated to upcoming firmware and feature requests



None that I know of and to be honest I don’t expect any new fw


----------



## nanaholic (Jun 16, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Even that would not make me want it as I don’t use it portable but just have it luggage and use it on site in hotels and the like. Also there is no way I’m taking the monetary hit from selling the 1Z and buying nee. I’m hoping to get 5 to 10 years from the 1Z



Well I won't be selling my 1Z, after I got it signed by Sato-san and all that.   Maybe when the battery dies a couple of years down the track and they had to peel off the pleather to do the battery replacement and the pleather gets damaged and they had to put in a new one, then I'll be more willing to sell it....

I would however be tempted to swap the 1Z for that hypothetical successor as a daily driver if I get those features, especially a weight and size reduction. Ideally if they can thin it off by about 1/3 of the thickness and trim 100 grams off the 1Z, get rid of the rarely use SE while not touching anything else, that would be pretty ideal for me as a refined 1Z, so to speak. Heck one of the reason I have a ZX300 is that there are days where the 1Z does feel a little too weighty and I want something inbetween the AK70 and the 1Z, my hypothetical refined 1Z will mean I can replace both the ZX300 and 1Z at the same time.


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> Well I won't be selling my 1Z, after I got it signed by Sato-san and all that.   Maybe when the battery dies a couple of years down the track and they had to peel off the pleather to do the battery replacement and the pleather gets damaged and they had to put in a new one, then I'll be more willing to sell it....
> 
> I would however be tempted to swap the 1Z for that hypothetical successor as a daily driver if I get those features, especially a weight and size reduction. Ideally if they can thin it off by about 1/3 of the thickness and trim 100 grams off the 1Z, get rid of the rarely use SE while not touching anything else, that would be pretty ideal for me as a refined 1Z, so to speak. Heck one of the reason I have a ZX300 is that there are days where the 1Z does feel a little too weighty and I want something inbetween the AK70 and the 1Z, my hypothetical refined 1Z will mean I can replace both the ZX300 and 1Z at the same time.



For actual portable use I’m just using my iPhone with Tidal and a pair of Beoplay E8 true wireless in ears. The convenience is adictive and I find that out and about in traffic and on public transport the SQ is plenty good enough that I can’t be bothered to carry an extra device or wired phones


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 16, 2018)

So this may be of interest to this thread? Decided to just go ahead and do a comparison between what has been my digital reference...an old Rega Planet CD transport and compare it to using the WM1A as a digital source going into the Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/amp. Both times testing it with the Z1R headphones.

The 1A with a standard USB cable and dongle won out over the CD transport with RCA toslink cable? And not by some small unnoticeable margins either! So it basicly means for better sound I’m going to have to completely rip my CD collection and put the FLAC files on a big card.

I don’t know how or why there is such a big difference? And I was a sceptic as most of my listening has been best going coaxial to a DAC from my CD player before, as it always seemed a little smoother. But now using these players as a digital file player and joining it to the TA amp is somehow a much better way to go. I was actually hoping it wouldn’t have been such a difference as now I’ll have to start ripping CDs.

The difference was improvement of soundstage, greater detail and overall authority. Not stuff you would even think would change with a change of source. The only thing I can figure is there is something great going on between the portable players being used as transports to the TA amp. The regular coaxial toslink sounded thin in comparison too. I’m both amazed and bewildered.


----------



## nanaholic (Jun 16, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> For actual portable use I’m just using my iPhone with Tidal and a pair of Beoplay E8 true wireless in ears. The convenience is adictive and I find that out and about in traffic and on public transport the SQ is plenty good enough that I can’t be bothered to carry an extra device or wired phones



My daily phone usage is heavy enough that if I play music off of it I'll need to be carrying a portable battery pack to top up my phone, so I'm carrying that extra box either way, in that case I'll take the DAP.

If I really want to travel light with next to nothing for the afternoon I'll just take my phone and pick either one of my Sony wireless headphones. Too bad headphone jacks are being removed left and right, else the T8iE Mk2 is also a great portable choice for going extreme light and is small as well as tough enough to not need a case to protect it. Maybe I should get that Shure mmcx lighting headphone cable for my T8iE next so I can just always throw it into the pocket....


----------



## emrelights1973

Redcarmoose said:


> So this may be of interest to this thread? Decided to just go ahead and do a comparison between what has been my digital reference...an old Rega Planet CD transport and compare it to using the WM1A as a digital source going into the Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/amp. Both times testing it with the Z1R headphones.
> 
> The 1A with a standard USB cable and dongle won out over the CD transport with RCA toslink cable? And not by some small unnoticeable margins either! So it basicly means for better sound I’m going to have to completely rip my CD collection and put the FLAC files on a big card.
> 
> ...



Cd players get old with time, fair comparison would be with a similar price new cd player, a new Rega Apollo maybe...

You might be suprised again


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 16, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> So this may be of interest to this thread? Decided to just go ahead and do a comparison between what has been my digital reference...an old Rega Planet CD transport and compare it to using the WM1A as a digital source going into the Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/amp. Both times testing it with the Z1R headphones.
> 
> The 1A with a standard USB cable and dongle won out over the CD transport with RCA toslink cable? And not by some small unnoticeable margins either! So it basicly means for better sound I’m going to have to completely rip my CD collection and put the FLAC files on a big card.
> 
> ...





emrelights1973 said:


> Cd players get old with time, fair comparison would be with a similar price new cd player, a new Rega Apollo maybe...
> 
> You might be suprised again



There are a lot more to learn with digital.  The music digital is a processed kind of digital, and it is different than storage type of digital.  Even with storage type digital, the less corruptions will result in faster writing/reading.

Anyways, the case of Toslink toward TA is easy to understand.  First, Toslink doesn’t sound as good as Coax, and there are articles about how/why.  Regardless, the ears can always tell.  Then even Coax, it is digital music signals, which is processed digital and it depends a lot on how it was processed.  Yeah, people think transports is just transport, they are dead wrong.  Most of the time, please ignore these comments

Now, why would Walkman sound better when you rip CD into Digital ? Simple.  The answer is because storage Digital is general, as long as it is stored completely, it is good.  Why does it sound better ? Because the way Walkman 1A/1Z is processing digital music Data before it output into WM-port and going into your TA-amplifier.  Simply put, your CD-player isn’t capable of good digital music processing.  There are Cd-players that can, and usually isn’t cheap.  If you love Walkman as digital transport, the best is to get a docking cradle, it will sound better and it will also charge together while playing.

Let me clarify this, Yes, Digital transport will matter, and it matter much more than you think.  This is the reason why I have this expensive PC 



Also, MicroSD and storage that you are using will impact the sound quality.  Some people with better gears may observe it better than others.  I was unable to observe it before, but now I can observe it better.  The science behind it is “Cell interferences”.  Samsung has found a way to solve the problems, and it can be seen on their newest NVME SSD.  I briefly tried SATA SSD vs new NVME, the differences were very surprising.  So you can see my NVME sitting right there with zip tie-heatsink .

Samsung has an article about this, and you can read it here .  Turned out, Sony was not lying about their expensive audiophile MicroSD.
https://www.samsung.com/semiconduct...op-flash-storage-and-why-this-matters-to-you/


For people who is more interested into Digital music quality and so on, you can visit this thread I created.  Discuss, and give your findings, feedbacks overthere. 
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-importances-of-good-pc-as-digital-transport.880884/

Here is another interesting reading regarding timing processing
https://www.mouser.com/blog/timing-is-everything-a-look-at-oscillators-clocks-buffers-and-redrivers

To get the thread back on topic, WM1Z with a docking cradle is very good digital-transport for such portable device


----------



## emrelights1973

İ find the toshiba sd cards better


----------



## Whitigir

emrelights1973 said:


> İ find the toshiba sd cards better


Yes, in all 3 brands that I like: Sandisk, Samsung, Toshiba , so I have to agree


----------



## Mindstorms (Jun 16, 2018)

pietcux said:


> I have both outputs set to high gain. My Sennheiser IE800 and SONY EX1000 plus my over ear Beyerdynamic headphones run from that setting very well. But they are all our dynamic headphones.


I though IE800 would be oversensitive iem! surprise surprise! so with IE800 on balanced right?
You dont think it hurts soundstage?


----------



## pietcux

Midnstorms said:


> I though IE800 would be oversensitive iem! surprise surprise! so with IE800 on balanced right?
> You dont think it hurts soundstage?


No the IE800 run unbalanced. The new version IE800S has a balanced splitter connection, which the IE800 has not. So no easy way to go balanced. And no I do not feel differences in soundstage with gain change, only loudness.


----------



## alphanumerix1

Whitigir said:


> There are a lot more to learn with digital.  The music digital is a processed kind of digital, and it is different than storage type of digital.  Even with storage type digital, the less corruptions will result in faster writing/reading.
> 
> Anyways, the case of Toslink toward TA is easy to understand.  First, Toslink doesn’t sound as good as Coax, and there are articles about how/why.  Regardless, the ears can always tell.  Then even Coax, it is digital music signals, which is processed digital and it depends a lot on how it was processed.  Yeah, people think transports is just transport, they are dead wrong.  Most of the time, please ignore these comments
> 
> ...



Can you explain whats going on in that pc? I'll send you a pm.


----------



## Mindstorms

pietcux said:


> No the IE800 run unbalanced. The new version IE800S has a balanced splitter connection, which the IE800 has not. So no easy way to go balanced. And no I do not feel differences in soundstage with gain change, only loudness.


I PM you on this ty... we aero getting out of toppic lol


----------



## Quadfather

pietcux said:


> In my opinion the A1 can easily drive the HD650 unbalanced in high gain mode. I am around 80 to 90 volume out of 120. It sounds very much alive. The A1 has around 80 hours on the unbalaced amp section as of today, the HD650 is a few year old and well broken in. I am using the standard cable with the standard adapter. Going balanced is planned and will probably even improve the performance of this combo.



Even though it doesn't go as loud as my Bottlehead Crack, I like the way my Sony NW - WM1A drives the Sennheiser HD 650 headphones better. Sounds way more natural. And that is saying a lot, because I have the Tung Sol 5998 and the Mullard CV4003 installed on the crack.


----------



## pietcux

Quadfather said:


> Even though it doesn't go as loud as my Bottlehead Crack, I like the way my Sony NW - WM1A drives the Sennheiser HD 650 headphones better. Sounds way more natural. And that is saying a lot, because I have the Tung Sol 5998 and the Mullard CV4003 installed on the crack.


As the Crack is hard to get in Europe, I never got my hands on an exemplar, so I trust you and will skip that one. I have the HD650 balanced from a Sennheiser HDVA600, man that is one hell of a combo... But the WM1A on balanced mode drives the HD650 also really good.


----------



## tgrosu

Hi all!

Any experience on the pairing of WM1A with Sennheiser ie800 (not 800s !)? I recently bought the Walkman and I really don't like what I am hearing. The sound is congested and not clear at all. I have close to 100 hours burn-in.

Any suggestions on IEM pairing would be greatly appreciated since I don't have the opportunity to try different pairings.

Thanks a lot, guys!


----------



## Mindstorms (Jun 17, 2018)

tgrosu said:


> Hi all!
> 
> Any experience on the pairing of WM1A with Sennheiser ie800 (not 800s !)? I recently bought the Walkman and I really don't like what I am hearing. The sound is congested and not clear at all. I have close to 100 hours burn-in.
> 
> ...


wait till 200hs clarity wont change, correct me if im wrong guys i think mostly tone/... also what iem your pairing them with, what are you comparing it to?


----------



## tgrosu

Midnstorms said:


> wait till 200hs clarity wont change, correct me if im wrong guys i think mostly tone/... also what iem your pairing them with, what are you comparing it to?


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 17, 2018)

tgrosu said:


> Hi all!
> 
> Any experience on the pairing of WM1A with Sennheiser ie800 (not 800s !)? I recently bought the Walkman and I really don't like what I am hearing. The sound is congested and not clear at all. I have close to 100 hours burn-in.
> 
> ...



My Shure se846 sounded okay, but the player after full burn and seems to play much nicer with headphones. The sound out of the balanced output on my Shure SRH1540 headphones and my Sennheiser HD650 headphones is absolutely sublime.  Wide-open, huge as a matter of fact... Detailed, delicate, beautifully natural.  My in-ear-monitor experience again acceptable but not fantastic.


----------



## tgrosu

For the moment, I am just analyzing the sound, but i have previous audiophile auditions. However, something doesn't seem to be good, everything is congested, maybe the Walkman is not able to properly drive these ie800. I found some previous posts that refer to this, with opinions being split somewhat. I am curious what are you using as good pairing with the player. I thought Senn ie800 is one of the most versatile IEM, but, again, I don't like what I'm hearing, and to my big surprise.


----------



## tgrosu

Dear Quadfather,

Thank you for the opinion. I have just bought the player, so I only have the iems with me, when i get home, I will try the Sens hd600. However, I am curious as to what IEM would be a good match, since i like more iems on the go then the headphones.

Thanks again and I am waiting  for other opinions.

Tudor


----------



## pietcux

tgrosu said:


> Dear Quadfather,
> 
> Thank you for the opinion. I have just bought the player, so I only have the iems with me, when i get home, I will try the Sens hd600. However, I am curious as to what IEM would be a good match, since i like more iems on the go then the headphones.
> 
> ...


I have the IE800 and I like what I hear. Which earth's do you use? The sound of any IEM first and foremost depends on the fit in the ear canal. I use the large round tips, not the ovals. With the ovals the seal was never perfect for me. Also I wear them over ear cabled, which enhances the fit and sound additionally. I find them rather open sounding not congested.


----------



## Mindstorms (Jun 17, 2018)

tgrosu said:


> For the moment, I am just analyzing the sound, but i have previous audiophile auditions. However, something doesn't seem to be good, everything is congested, maybe the Walkman is not able to properly drive these ie800. I found some previous posts that refer to this, with opinions being split somewhat. I am curious what are you using as good pairing with the player. I thought Senn ie800 is one of the most versatile IEM, but, again, I don't like what I'm hearing, and to my big surprise.


somethins to consider things what firmware are you on? Ie800 must be a sensitive iem... iyou can be hearing piercing.... sound that will end when player its fully burned at 400hs apx.. congested... maybe some other people can answer that i dont hear congestion... depens what a re you comparing to... hope you can keep us inofrmed on this one.. try Over ear headphones good quality ones... try balanced... balanced is the way to go... it should run easy IE800.. its an awesome iem you shouldn have trouble, try the iem on other source... PC maybe DAC...


----------



## Quadfather

tgrosu said:


> Dear Quadfather,
> 
> Thank you for the opinion. I have just bought the player, so I only have the iems with me, when i get home, I will try the Sens hd600. However, I am curious as to what IEM would be a good match, since i like more iems on the go then the headphones.
> 
> ...



Never tried the 600, but I imagine they would be somewhat similar.


----------



## howdy

I really really want to buy this but I need another DAP like I need another wife. I'm really intrigued by everything this offers. Ill have to sell a few DAPs maybe to justify another.
I like that Chris (HBB) finds this to be a keeper and some of the others in this thread that I know and trust that also find to be a great DAP.


----------



## Mindstorms

howdy said:


> I really really want to buy this but I need another DAP like I need another wife. I'm really intrigued by everything this offers. Ill have to sell a few DAPs maybe to justify another.
> I like that Chris (HBB) finds this to be a keeper and some of the others in this thread that I know and trust that also find to be a great DAP.


It is


----------



## gerelmx1986

Loading 15.8GB worth of 7 SACDs Telemann Orchestral suites


----------



## tgrosu

pietcux said:


> I have the IE800 and I like what I hear. Which earth's do you use? The sound of any IEM first and foremost depends on the fit in the ear canal. I use the large round tips, not the ovals. With the ovals the seal was never perfect for me. Also I wear them over ear cabled, which enhances the fit and sound additionally. I find them rather open sounding not congested.



Dear pietcux,

Thank you for the reply. I use the oval tips, but I haven't noticed that the sealing is not good. Anyway, I will aldo try the round tips, just to exclude all possibilities. With regards to the balanced channel, do you have recommendations regarding a pair of cables that could do the trick for the IE800?

Thanks a lot!


----------



## proedros

i am almost 1 year with the WM1A and i have nothing but good things to say about it 

in fact, being with wm1a and zeus XR it's been the first time in my 8 years here where i have stopped looking for the next upgrade and i am simply enjoying the music 

great balanced sound , HUGE battery , small but beautiful looking = good job SONY


----------



## davesday

Hey guys, I recently got the Sony WM1A and it is a great sounding DAP. However I also found some bright pixels new out of box. They are actually bright pixels and a couple of stuck pixels in red and green. They are very noticeable during start up because the display crank to full brightness. I counted between 5-7 of such pixels. Has anyone seen these on their units? 

I wonder if Sony would provide warranty coverage or should I just return it to the shop.


----------



## Giraku

davesday said:


> Hey guys, I recently got the Sony WM1A and it is a great sounding DAP. However I also found some bright pixels new out of box. They are actually bright pixels and a couple of stuck pixels in red and green. They are very noticeable during start up because the display crank to full brightness. I counted between 5-7 of such pixels. Has anyone seen these on their units?
> 
> I wonder if Sony would provide warranty coverage or should I just return it to the shop.


If these pixels are not in the center of the screen, Sony warranty may not cover. I would go to the store where you bought the unit from and ask for an exchange.


----------



## tgrosu

proedros said:


> i am almost 1 year with the WM1A and i have nothing but good things to say about it
> 
> in fact, being with wm1a and zeus XR it's been the first time in my 8 years here where i have stopped looking for the next upgrade and i am simply enjoying the music
> 
> great balanced sound , HUGE battery , small but beautiful looking = good job SONY



How are the ciems driven? Do you feel all the details, the soundstage, all the "drama"?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 18, 2018)

tgrosu said:


> For the moment, I am just analyzing the sound, but i have previous audiophile auditions. However, something doesn't seem to be good, everything is congested, maybe the Walkman is not able to properly drive these ie800. I found some previous posts that refer to this, with opinions being split somewhat. I am curious what are you using as good pairing with the player. I thought Senn ie800 is one of the most versatile IEM, but, again, I don't like what I'm hearing, and to my big surprise.



Disregard this post if you have mentioned your burn-in hours. But if you were to take a Walkman right out of the box on firmware 1.2 it would sound congested. It’s actually one of the main things that can change in the first 50 hours. After 50 hours the soundstage starts to open up. Also it probably doesn’t really matter if you stay with FW1.2 or upgrade to the newest edition firmware, but the narrow soundstage is totally noticeable upon first start up with FW1.2.

What is your play hour count? In case you don’t know Sony recommends 200 hours per amp. The player has a 4.4mm balanced amp and a 3.5mm single ended amp. As mentioned try to go balanced and play around with the firmware editions till you find the sweet spot. Also your IEMs may need the change up to high output on the player and an upgrade to FW2.0 which is utilizing the amps to their full potential. I only use high output with one set of full size headphones, all my IEMs I try to stay in normal output and balalnced if I can. But both my players utilize FW2.0.

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/downloads/00014903

Also if you really don’t like 2.0 and don’t need the latest BT support or don’t need the extra power and/or don’t need to play APE music files simply go back to 1.2. And finally remember that there are folks here which reverted back to FW1.2 simply because it has a different sound.

Here is the support link:
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

howdy said:


> I really really want to buy this but I need another DAP like I need another wife. I'm really intrigued by everything this offers. Ill have to sell a few DAPs maybe to justify another.
> I like that Chris (HBB) finds this to be a keeper and some of the others in this thread that I know and trust that also find to be a great DAP.


Absolute keeper for me.

I had an Onkyo DP-X1A, loved the crisp and clean presentation... But was a tad sterile.

Had the Fiio x7ii and I really hated the interface after a day and the signature didn't work for me. Within 2 days I sold it.

The WM1A is fan-tas-tic! Love the interface, ease and speed of connectivity with my Mac and the build quality. Just top notch.

And the sound works for me. It's not a reference DAP and I love the body it brings to the music. I'm really happy with it and I can't think what else I'd need out of a DAP right now.

Hmmm... Except more power?


----------



## pietcux

tgrosu said:


> Dear pietcux,
> 
> Thank you for the reply. I use the oval tips, but I haven't noticed that the sealing is not good. Anyway, I will aldo try the round tips, just to exclude all possibilities. With regards to the balanced channel, do you have recommendations regarding a pair of cables that could do the trick for the IE800?
> 
> Thanks a lot!


I called Sennheiser service because of that. It is impossible. You would have to replace the splitter. Within this part the grounds from the left and right earpiece are soldered together.  The new IE800S has already a balanced splitter, there you can chose balanced or unbalanced termination.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 18, 2018)

pietcux said:


> I called Sennheiser service because of that. It is impossible. You would have to replace the splitter. Within this part the grounds from the left and right earpiece are soldered together.  The new IE800S has already a balanced splitter, there you can chose balanced or unbalanced termination.



You forgot mention “sorry” for your wallet. Lol.


----------



## pietcux

But I think there is no need to go balanced only. The unbalanced output stage is very good too.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The WM1A has fueled my addiction for Good sound. Good-sounding recordings, rather than Hi-res vs CDs. Yeah i have more and more hi-res music.  I ended replacing Patrick Galois Telemann 12 fantasias for flute seul with a newer recording of the same works with Francois Lazarevitch. and Gathering more SACD rips or DSD downloads.


----------



## Redcarmoose

pietcux said:


> But I think there is no need to go balanced only. The unbalanced output stage is very good too.


It really is. My Encore IEMs are 3.5mm single ended as I still need to find a 4.4mm balanced plug/2pin. I have listened to them since November and the players do great single ended.


----------



## fiascogarcia

pietcux said:


> But I think there is no need to go balanced only. The unbalanced output stage is very good too.





Redcarmoose said:


> It really is. My Encore IEMs are 3.5mm single ended as I still need to find a 4.4mm balanced plug/2pin. I have listened to them since November and the players do great single ended.


My 1Z must be faulty in some way.  The SE jack sounds like it plays in mono, just terrible.  Didn't really bother researching it further as the balanced sounds fantastic and I love the robust 4.4 jack and plug connection.


----------



## Redcarmoose

fiascogarcia said:


> My 1Z must be faulty in some way.  The SE jack sounds like it plays in mono, just terrible.  Didn't really bother researching it further as the balanced sounds fantastic and I love the robust 4.4 jack and plug connection.



Like in the recent past post, the single ended 3.5mm will sound a little like that till about 50 hours of burn-in then it opens up and gets better and better. How many hours on that amp side?


----------



## fiascogarcia

Redcarmoose said:


> Like in the recent past post, the single ended 3.5mm will sound a little like that till about 50 hours of burn-in then it opens up and gets better and better. How many hours on that amp side?


Good to know.  I put 100 hours on it until I went balanced.  Maybe I should burn in the SE jack a while longer to experiment.  Thanks!


----------



## bana

pietcux said:


> No the IE800 run unbalanced. The new version IE800S has a balanced splitter connection, which the IE800 has not. So no easy way to go balanced. And no I do not feel differences in soundstage with gain change, only loudness.



I had my IE800 converted to balanced by Moon Audio, not too expensive. Loving it!


----------



## howdy

I think I will take the plunge! I to have the DP-X1 and love it but time to let it go. I will sell most of my stuff to fund this and do it. I will miss my isine20s the most I think, but time for change. I will just keep CIEMs for the Sony.


----------



## iridium7777

can someone please tell me how sony/wm1a lists artists that have "the" in their name, such as "the beatles".  will they be filed under letter "t" or "b" when you're scrolling around.

Thanks


----------



## Giraku

iridium7777 said:


> can someone please tell me how sony/wm1a lists artists that have "the" in their name, such as "the beatles".  will they be filed under letter "t" or "b" when you're scrolling around.
> 
> Thanks


"The Beatles" is listed under "B" not "T".


----------



## Quadfather

Giraku said:


> "The Beatles" is listed under "B" not "T".



I wonder what it would do with the band The The. LOL


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> The WM1A has fueled my addiction for Good sound. Good-sounding recordings, rather than Hi-res vs CDs. Yeah i have more and more hi-res music.  I ended replacing Patrick Galois Telemann 12 fantasias for flute seul with a newer recording of the same works with Francois Lazarevitch. and Gathering more SACD rips or DSD downloads.



High-res is actually more like a marketing tool.  I don’t even think the file formats is that important.  The most important is how the record was done, and how good your system can connect and interface as a complete system to playback the music.

For example, there is no point to get a DAC that play Native DSD but sound bad and unrealistic VS the DAC that only play PCM but everything is much more realistic. 

So, I do agree with you about this


----------



## sne4me

fiascogarcia said:


> Good to know.  I put 100 hours on it until I went balanced.  Maybe I should burn in the SE jack a while longer to experiment.  Thanks!



I did 300+ on SE and with the right phones it sounded really great by the end, its like it kept sounding better and better



Whitigir said:


> High-res is actually more like a marketing tool.  I don’t even think the file formats is that important.  The most important is how the record was done, and how good your system can connect and interface as a complete system to playback the music.



yes its all about interfacing and compatibility, but overall i feel that the high resolution formats and digital file types are a major improvement over lossy or even redbook


----------



## Darksoul

I'm thinking on setting ablaze this year's bonus on a pair of IEM to go with the WM1AZ. I've narrowed my options to the Andromeda and Shure SE-846. They'll both be able to use the balanced LQi cable I ordered. I just want to know everyone's impressions on both these pairings. I like BASS, and precision. I would like to able to count the amount of times a hi-hat vibrated after it was struck, I want to tell apart how many string of wires the snares of a snare drum has, what part of the bow is making contact with a violin strings...but I also want rumbling bass. Like, hurt-me-bass. 

I know those two may sound like opposing traits, but from what I've gotten out of my SE-535 with the WM1AZ I know there's more to be had. During my research I'm leaning to believe the Andromeda will fit the bill nicely. But the catch is that I would have to pay 19% sales tax and several other taxes that puts me close to a 23% added cost for the Andromeda; that's like 250 USD on taxes alone; for a pair of headphones, which outside of this context is insane by any measure. And even if I find someone who would sell the Andromeda used and mailed it to my country; which I doubt, I'd sill have to pay sales tax because that's mandatory for our customs if the declared value is over 200 USD, and good luck finding someone who would declare the Andromeda for less than 200 USD.

That leaves me with the other option, the SE-846. Shure has a retailer here, they've already paid all their taxes, have the SE-846 in stock and I get the same price here than outside. Since I'm a "regular" customer of them, I'd get like 12% discount, that I can stretch to 15% if I pay in cash...I won't pay in cash; but I'll haggle, that's why I like going to an actual store and talk with a person. The thing is I'd have to buy the SE-846 blind, even with the retailer here since they don't audition IEMs. It boils down to getting the best possible deal, sound wise and...taxwise 

Thus, I return to my original question. Those who have paired the WM1A with the Andromeda and SE-846, which has given the most detail and low end extension?


----------



## Audiophonicalistic

I also spend my bonuses on audio gear. Glad Im not the only one.


----------



## productred

Darksoul said:


> I'm thinking on setting ablaze this year's bonus on a pair of IEM to go with the WM1AZ. I've narrowed my options to the Andromeda and Shure SE-846. They'll both be able to use the balanced LQi cable I ordered. I just want to know everyone's impressions on both these pairings. I like BASS, and precision. I would like to able to count the amount of times a hi-hat vibrated after it was struck, I want to tell apart how many string of wires the snares of a snare drum has, what part of the bow is making contact with a violin strings...but I also want rumbling bass. Like, hurt-me-bass.
> 
> I know those two may sound like opposing traits, but from what I've gotten out of my SE-535 with the WM1AZ I know there's more to be had. During my research I'm leaning to believe the Andromeda will fit the bill nicely. But the catch is that I would have to pay 19% sales tax and several other taxes that puts me close to a 23% added cost for the Andromeda; that's like 250 USD on taxes alone; for a pair of headphones, which outside of this context is insane by any measure. And even if I find someone who would sell the Andromeda used and mailed it to my country; which I doubt, I'd sill have to pay sales tax because that's mandatory for our customs if the declared value is over 200 USD, and good luck finding someone who would declare the Andromeda for less than 200 USD.
> 
> ...



Details: Andro
Bass extension: Andro
Bass quantity and slam: 846


----------



## blazinblazin (Jun 19, 2018)

Darksoul said:


> I'm thinking on setting ablaze this year's bonus on a pair of IEM to go with the WM1AZ. I've narrowed my options to the Andromeda and Shure SE-846. They'll both be able to use the balanced LQi cable I ordered. I just want to know everyone's impressions on both these pairings. I like BASS, and precision. I would like to able to count the amount of times a hi-hat vibrated after it was struck, I want to tell apart how many string of wires the snares of a snare drum has, what part of the bow is making contact with a violin strings...but I also want rumbling bass. Like, hurt-me-bass.
> 
> I know those two may sound like opposing traits, but from what I've gotten out of my SE-535 with the WM1AZ I know there's more to be had. During my research I'm leaning to believe the Andromeda will fit the bill nicely. But the catch is that I would have to pay 19% sales tax and several other taxes that puts me close to a 23% added cost for the Andromeda; that's like 250 USD on taxes alone; for a pair of headphones, which outside of this context is insane by any measure. And even if I find someone who would sell the Andromeda used and mailed it to my country; which I doubt, I'd sill have to pay sales tax because that's mandatory for our customs if the declared value is over 200 USD, and good luck finding someone who would declare the Andromeda for less than 200 USD.
> 
> ...



Your requirements... a DD type might fit you better like Vega or Acoustune HS1551CU(this is a warm iem but very sweet vocal).
Details will be not be as good as Andro but is not lacking either. Details, impact of lows DD type wins BA type.


----------



## tienbasse

blazinblazin said:


> Details, impact of lows DD type wins BA type.


I was thinking the same until I got my CustomArt Fibae ME. Truely amazing bass from BA. And it pairs nicely with the 4.4mm output of WM1Z (no EQ-ing was necessary).
That being said, they have smooth treble, so they may not suit all ears, since some prefer more extended treble, with all the dryness that comes with it (Andromeda is your thing then).


----------



## blazinblazin

tienbasse said:


> I was thinking the same until I got my CustomArt Fibae ME. Truely amazing bass from BA. And it pairs nicely with the 4.4mm output of WM1Z (no EQ-ing was necessary).
> That being said, they have smooth treble, so they may not suit all ears, since some prefer more extended treble, with all the dryness that comes with it (Andromeda is your thing then).



From what i heard, i have both Andro and HS1551CU. Andro dont go as low and bass not as natural sounding as HS1551CU.

Maybe i will try some CustomArt.


----------



## kingdixon

Just received my used wm1a today, it took around 10 min to build database for 400 gb card and working fine, surprisingly the performance is fast and i like sonys ui very much, first device with sony OS, i wish for a search function but whatever.

I only got to try it with th900 and sounds amazing, using high gain between 90 and 100, certainly got enough juice for it compared to my zx2 and also sounds cleaner, using 3.5 trs (not sure how many hours previous owner put into it) but i will try to monitor changes in sound.

Also i got a japanese one so i used the tool to change region to E2, lil dissapointed it doesnt show arabic characters, dont know if other regions will or not, but i will call it a day and continue trying tomorrow.

But its a kickass dap and i love it


----------



## Icekuma

Hi

What's your recommendation for connecting wm1a to home amplifier rig so that I can listen from my big speakers. 

What sort of cable and if you can share the link to buy.  with BCR-NWH10 I think I can use the original cable that came with it.. but thinking of I can just get cable to connect directly. Or should I just bite the bullet and get that dock? Your thought please?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

I use an SE line out to dual RCA to connect my WM1A to my Woo Audio WA7. Thinking of getting a 4.4mm balanced to RCA.


----------



## nc8000

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I use an SE line out to dual RCA to connect my WM1A to my Woo Audio WA7. Thinking of getting a 4.4mm balanced to RCA.



I’m pretty sure you can’t do balanced to rca just like you can’t go balanced to single ended phones


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 21, 2018)

Icekuma said:


> Hi
> 
> What's your recommendation for connecting wm1a to home amplifier rig so that I can listen from my big speakers.
> 
> What sort of cable and if you can share the link to buy.  with BCR-NWH10 I think I can use the original cable that came with it.. but thinking of I can just get cable to connect directly. Or should I just bite the bullet and get that dock? Your thought please?



Sadly there is no line level out. I have the Dock which is for adding the DAPs to a computer or Sony TA headphone amplifier and as an added bonus you can use the Dock to go USB to your outboard DAC......then to an amp. With the dongle you can add the DAPs as file players to an outboard DAC then to an amp or just to a computer; also to the TA amp.

It has been said in this thread that using the Dock has added processing which goes above the Dongle to improve the digital transfer either to your outboard DAC or to the TA headphone amp. I’m not sure if it improves connections between the DAPs and a computer?

But going 3.5mm miniplug to 2X RCA to another headphone amp (Asgard One) was not sounding right due to double amping. Though I do go mini 3.5mm to mini 3.5mm to the input at the front of my A/V receiver, just to play a song or two. It sounds OK, but your still double amping.

Your DAC in most cases is going to have a line level out. Many DAPs do have line level outs, but the Sony does not. In most cases we are always attempting to avoid two volume controls, thus double amping. Double amping almost always degrades the signal.

From what I have read your best getting the Dock and going digital USB out using a Audioquest Carbon or Audioquest Cinnamon upgrade USB cable to an outboard DAC then to your amp. I primarily use the Sony TA amp for headphones but could also go 1Z or 1A to the Sony TA headphone amp then go line out with the regular RCA cables to an amp. The TA headphone amp lets you choose between line level out or even volume controlled out, say if you wanted to go RCA to powered speakers and use the TA as your preamp. The expense in this situation is you have to purchase the TA headphone amp. But the upgrade is you get to use the next level upscaling the TA amp uses and past that upscaling along to your speaker amp.


----------



## Audiophonicalistic

sne4me said:


> I did 300+ on SE and with the right phones it sounded really great by the end, its like it kept sounding better and better
> 
> 
> 
> yes its all about interfacing and compatibility, but overall i feel that the high resolution formats and digital file types are a major improvement over lossy or even redbook


 Agreed. Band of horses dsd is amazing. I'm speechless on how good it sounds on wm1a. I have 2 albums in mqa and first impressions are very positive.


----------



## davesday

Giraku said:


> If these pixels are not in the center of the screen, Sony warranty may not cover. I would go to the store where you bought the unit from and ask for an exchange.


Thought I provide an update. Finally got the OK from the shop to swap for a new one. They had to wait for Sony though which took 4 days. I brought the unit in today for a check up before given the new one. The bright pixels were concentrated on the top edge of the screen. One spot was so bad that it was noticeable under normal brightness. Anyway I checked both of my mates's WM1A and WM1Z, I was surprised to find both unit showing some bright pixels too! But it wasn't as bad as my first unit.

Anyway my replacement unit looks alright even under normal screen brightness. I'm going to keep it that way for fear of uncovering something I cannot un-see.

Cheers for a good outcome. My CA Dorado also suffered a DOA and it was replaced (with an Atlas!). All happened within 2 weeks.


----------



## Redcarmoose

davesday said:


> Thought I provide an update. Finally got the OK from the shop to swap for a new one. They had to wait for Sony though which took 4 days. I brought the unit in today for a check up before given the new one. The bright pixels were concentrated on the top edge of the screen. One spot was so bad that it was noticeable under normal brightness. Anyway I checked both of my mates's WM1A and WM1Z, I was surprised to find both unit showing some bright pixels too! But it wasn't as bad as my first unit.
> 
> Anyway my replacement unit looks alright even under normal screen brightness. I'm going to keep it that way for fear of uncovering something I cannot un-see.
> 
> Cheers for a good outcome. My CA Dorado also suffered a DOA and it was replaced (with an Atlas!). All happened within 2 weeks.


I used to use my 1Z with the screen brightness turned all the way down to save battery life. Though with the screen at that setting it actually starts to flicker a couple of times every time the screen would go black. 

Must have been OCD, but I couldn’t stand the flickering. It simply seemed like almost a defect. So I turned the screen brightness to normal and the flickering is gone.


----------



## tgrosu

To be honest, I also have a dead pixel on the screen, although the unit is 2 weeks old. Does it have anything to do to where the unit is produced? Mine is from Malaysia.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 21, 2018)

Funny I never look at the screen that close as my ears are having an orgasm.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I agree i just only see the screen briefly, and if i see it longer, i've not noticed any dead pixels or flickering on mine.

Currently enjoying Vinyl Rip 24/96 Vivaldi Sonatas Op. 1 for two Violins and Continuo - I Musici - Philips as part of that Edizione Vivaldi of 1978 set of 10 boxes containing alltogether 49 LP


----------



## ledzep (Jun 21, 2018)

Does the MDR-Z1R have the same input pinout as the Z7 ?  2 X 3.5mm pin L / R + and first ring L / R -
Ignore that question, course they are same upgrade kimbers !


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jun 21, 2018)

Finished listening to these Vivaldi Vinyls as 24/96, wow, the resolution of 24/96 simply wins over the Philips later-released CDs Bass impact clearly on a 24/96, same goes for inner resolution and micro detailings. Some instrument get blended and lost in the CD Philips master vs the vinyl Rips at 24/96 Resolution, which retain all the instruments. some minor blemishes associated with vinyls but the benefits of being well preserved vinyls and the 24/96 resolution outshadows the rather minimal negatives.

These vinyl rips presented me with more:

bass impact
more reverb
once-lost instruments, are there, esp the Harpsichord used in these recordings was not a true copy, rather a piano frame with a harpsichord mechanism


----------



## davesday

tgrosu said:


> To be honest, I also have a dead pixel on the screen, although the unit is 2 weeks old. Does it have anything to do to where the unit is produced? Mine is from Malaysia.


Is it a pixel black (dead pixel) or stuck in a bright colour (bright pixel)? I don't think it has anything to do with where it is made. Perhaps they didn't specify for a '100% binned' screen for a product that is intended to 'only' sound excellent? That would be additional costs to a feature that doesn't help the product at all. I'm guessing of course (based on my experience as a product manager). But then it doesn't make sense because my NW-A25 have a perfect screen. Again the screen is low resolution and the yield would have been great anyway. It would annoy me though if Sony did this to keep their margin higher on a luxury product.

But I'm happy with my new unit now. Sounds just as nice as the first one. I need to do the burn in again now.



Redcarmoose said:


> Funny I never look at the screen that close as my ears are having an orgasm.


So true. Its the perspective and usage scenario I guess.


----------



## Icekuma (Jun 22, 2018)

Hi Redcarmoose. Thanks for your detailed response

It sounded to be a real convulted way to enjoy music. If I understand you correctly, or WM1-A will become Transport only connected to external DAC.  I am thinking outlouf that I am better off get the HAP-Z1ES instead of TA-ZH1ES or something similar

I will start saving and wait for a while. I am seeing more product like Cambridge Audio.

Thanks





Redcarmoose said:


> Sadly there is no line level out. I have the Dock which is for adding the DAPs to a computer or Sony TA headphone amplifier and as an added bonus you can use the Dock to go USB to your outboard DAC......then to an amp. With the dongle you can add the DAPs as file players to an outboard DAC then to an amp or just to a computer; also to the TA amp.
> 
> It has been said in this thread that using the Dock has added processing which goes above the Dongle to improve the digital transfer either to your outboard DAC or to the TA headphone amp. I’m not sure if it improves connections between the DAPs and a computer?
> 
> ...


----------



## nc8000

Icekuma said:


> Hi Redcarmoose. Thanks for your detailed response
> 
> It sounded to be a real convulted way to enjoy music. If I understand you correctly, or WM1-A will become Transport only connected to external DAC.  I am thinking outlouf that I am better off get the TA-ZH1ES or something similar
> 
> ...



You’ll still be using the player as just a transport. The only way to get an analog signal to an external amp from these players is via the headphone output


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 22, 2018)

Icekuma said:


> Hi Redcarmoose. Thanks for your detailed response
> 
> It sounded to be a real convulted way to enjoy music. If I understand you correctly, or WM1-A will become Transport only connected to external DAC.  I am thinking outlouf that I am better off get the TA-ZH1ES or something similar
> 
> ...



Well, it not convoluted when your using it as it’s all basicly options. It’s simple when you use it. But the TA amp is nice as again it offers all the options. Any headphone connection it has. Though it’s not the most powerful amp. I heard it wasn’t the most powerful before I purchased it. But it has all the power I need. It can’t drive the k701s well, but that’s kind of normal, almost nothing can.


But for me going analogue out via the 3.5mm single ended  sounded like crap with my Asgard. It was the perfect example of double amping.


----------



## Icekuma

Thanks. Seems.i will.go.with standard route. Will do research. 





Redcarmoose said:


> Well, it not convoluted when your using it as it’s all basicly options. It’s simple when you use it. But the TA amp is nice as again it offers all the options. Any headphone connection it has. Though it’s not the most powerful amp. I heard it wasn’t the most powerful before I purchased it. But it has all the power I need. It can’t drive the k701s well, but that’s kind of normal, almost nothing can.
> 
> 
> But for me going analogue out via the 3.5mm single ended  sounded like crap with my Asgard. It was the perfect example of double amping.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 22, 2018)

Icekuma said:


> Thanks. Seems.i will.go.with standard route. Will do research.



Laughably.............I quoted you the standard route? There is no other choice. It may have seemed confusing but your going to have to get to a DAC and bypass the Sony amplifier stage. There is simply no other way, unless your into bad audio.

It only seems convoluted when your on the learning curve, but once you own a dongle or have the Dock, this stuff is pretty simple stuff.

The cheap route is get the dongle and get a low cost USB DAC, you’ll notice the difference from using a 3.5mm cable to RCA to an amp. 

Good luck.


----------



## Icekuma (Jun 22, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Laughably.............I quoted you the standard route? There is no other choice. It may have seemed confusing but your going to have to get to a DAC and bypass the Sony amplifier stage. There is simply no other way, unless your into bad audio.
> 
> It only seems convoluted when your on the learning curve, but once you own a dongle or have the Dock, this stuff is pretty simple stuff.
> 
> ...


By standard I meant  i get sony hap-z1es and connect to Marantz AVR and call it a day or get integrated DAC & amp connect to Marantz eith HT bypass. I am just getting back to music. I am not in rush and don’t really have luxury to sit and listen without disturbing others. For now i will just sit and learn here ane be happy with Wm1a and headphones.  Have been looking at Gustard product too. Exciting it is. 

I would rather not making too much compromises because I will end up spending more upgrading.

Plus I feel super noob learning all the ropes again with digital files.


----------



## Whitigir

Icekuma said:


> I would rather not making too much compromises *because I will end up spending more upgrading.*



You tell me about it! Lol!  Anyways, if you are happy with portable and the way that it is, don’t bother the little things, otherwise you will be spending your next car on a system LOL


----------



## gerelmx1986

Some pages back there was a discussion over MegaBass and such effects. And that, those were added in because early digital tech didn't deliver the bass impact.

Well, It also depends on mastering. Taking again those Vivaldi CDs with I musici on Philips. The bass on the CD sound muffled, soft. That same bass section on the HD vinyl transfer (24/96) sounds more impactful and more prominent.

So it may be true that early tech played a role in soft bass and thus the megaBass, also the mastering plays a role, fortunately these walkman can EQ quite easily and actually is responsive and works


----------



## Icekuma

Whitigir said:


> You tell me about it! Lol!  Anyways, if you are happy with portable and the way that it is, don’t bother the little things, otherwise you will be spending your next car on a system LOL


are you by chance in Singapore?


----------



## pietcux

ledzep said:


> Does the MDR-Z1R have the same input pinout as the Z7 ?  2 X 3.5mm pin L / R + and first ring L / R -
> Ignore that question, course they are same upgrade kimbers !


Yes, the cables are interchangeable.


----------



## ledzep

pietcux said:


> Yes, the cables are interchangeable.


Thought so thank you for your confirmation though.


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 22, 2018)

Enjoying some hi res Megadeth on my NW-WM1A.  I think the Sony is phenomenal for the genre because that takes some of the screechiness out of it, but it still sounds great.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Quadfather

Redcarmoose said:


>



I just can't part with Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, so I am still saving for that gold beauty.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Icekuma said:


> By standard I meant  i get sony hap-z1es and connect to Marantz AVR and call it a day or get integrated DAC & amp connect to Marantz eith HT bypass. I am just getting back to music. I am not in rush and don’t really have luxury to sit and listen without disturbing others. For now i will just sit and learn here ane be happy with Wm1a and headphones.  Have been looking at Gustard product too. Exciting it is.
> 
> I would rather not making too much compromises because I will end up spending more upgrading.
> 
> Plus I feel super noob learning all the ropes again with digital files.




Oh!.......Enjoy! Cool!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quadfather said:


> I just can't part with Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, so I am still saving for that gold beauty.



My 1A gets more love actually. Though now after all this time, I think I know the SQ differences between the sisters?


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 22, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> My 1A gets more love actually. Though now after all this time, I think I know the SQ differences between the sisters?




Do tell.


----------



## gerelmx1986

XBA-Z5 + WM1A


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quadfather said:


> Do tell.


PM sent.


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> XBA-Z5 + WM1A


 There is a screen capture process, though I only do it by accident?


----------



## Quadfather

I am proud to say there isn't a single song or album on my Sony that doesn't have album art showing.


----------



## meomap

Hi,
Just a curious question.
Would you know why DSD volume is much lower than normal CD to 24/192?
Like 35 to 40 % lower?
Playing with 1Z.


----------



## meomap

meomap said:


> Hi,
> Just a curious question.
> Would you know why DSD volume is much lower than normal CD to 24/192?
> Like 35 to 40 % lower?
> Playing with 1Z.



DX200 does not have that kind of volume lower than normal.


----------



## gerelmx1986

meomap said:


> Hi,
> Just a curious question.
> Would you know why DSD volume is much lower than normal CD to 24/192?
> Like 35 to 40 % lower?
> Playing with 1Z.


are you using balanced or SE output?

if you use balanced, probably it is playing DSD natively, hence the volume lower, but you can uncheck the "Play DSD in native format" checkbox on the output menu. Then you can adjust the Gain to  on that same menu and the filters to fast or slow rolloff


----------



## ltanasom

is wm1z significantly upgraded to wm1a?
thanks


----------



## meomap

gerelmx1986 said:


> are you using balanced or SE output?
> 
> if you use balanced, probably it is playing DSD natively, hence the volume lower, but you can uncheck the "Play DSD in native format" checkbox on the output menu. Then you can adjust the Gain to  on that same menu and the filters to fast or slow rolloff



Thanks. 
I am using balanced . I will check the dsd output parameter.


----------



## alphanumerix1

ltanasom said:


> is wm1z significantly upgraded to wm1a?
> thanks



Imo no, but your better off listening to both And making up your own mind if its worth it.


----------



## davesday

meomap said:


> Would you know why DSD volume is much lower than normal CD to 24/192?
> Like 35 to 40 % lower?


Could this be because of the recommended -3dB Gain for DSD?


----------



## Redcarmoose

meomap said:


> Hi,
> Just a curious question.
> Would you know why DSD volume is much lower than normal CD to 24/192?
> Like 35 to 40 % lower?
> Playing with 1Z.





gerelmx1986 said:


> are you using balanced or SE output?
> 
> if you use balanced, probably it is playing DSD natively, hence the volume lower, but you can uncheck the "Play DSD in native format" checkbox on the output menu. Then you can adjust the Gain to  on that same menu and the filters to fast or slow rolloff




Exactly.....
The strongest and best sound of WM1Z is from the 4.4mm balanced output. Also you have Native DSD from there. Note that DSP settings are disabled while running DSD songs from balanced.

If you have the Dynamic Normalizer on, it goes off I’m pretty sure?


----------



## ledzep

Anyone Know the pinout on the cup input of the Sony MDR-1AM2 for balanced ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I already ditched the packaging for the Z7, Z5 and WM1A, as i am sure i will not sell them


----------



## Hanafuda

ledzep said:


> Anyone Know the pinout on the cup input of the Sony MDR-1AM2 for balanced ?




https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-249#post-12978371

Should be the same on both ends. Note nanaholic's comment re: GND on the plug on the source end. That explains why the plug on the headphone end is only TRRS. It would be best to confirm continuity if you have the means though - I'm just assuming the obvious.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Audiophonicalistic

ltanasom said:


> is wm1z significantly upgraded to wm1a?
> thanks



I had an opportunity to try wm1z. I am a wm1a owner. SE with my legend x sound almost identical with wm1z being a touch warmer and smoother. Balanced though sounds pretty remarkable. Same volume same song wm1z imo is much improved and have a lot more power.  One caveat is my 4.4 balanced from wm1a is actually broken where left side is a lot quieter than right so that could have something to do with it.


----------



## proedros

Audiophonicalistic said:


> I had an opportunity to try wm1z. I am a wm1a owner. SE with my legend x sound almost identical with wm1z being a touch warmer and smoother. Balanced though sounds pretty remarkable. Same volume same song wm1z imo is much improved and have a lot more power.  *One caveat is my 4.4 balanced from wm1a is actually broken where left side is a lot quieter than right so that could have something to do with it.*



you need to fix this , you are not getting the balanced magic from what you say on your post

mising out big time.


----------



## Audiophonicalistic

proedros said:


> you need to fix this , you are not getting the balanced magic from what you say on your post
> 
> mising out big time.


 Haha trust me I know, it just happened after about 300 hours. Sony doesnt believe me even though I have 3 different cables and had 3 iems with them. So I finally tried wm1z and yes my wm1a is broken. Hopefully they will believe me now. Still under warranty.


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> you need to fix this , you are not getting the balanced magic from what you say on your post
> 
> mising out big time.



I’m pretty sure there is a left and right balance knob, until your all fixed up.


----------



## Whitigir

Audiophonicalistic said:


> Haha trust me I know, it just happened after about 300 hours. Sony doesnt believe me even though I have 3 different cables and had 3 iems with them. So I finally tried wm1z and yes my wm1a is broken. Hopefully they will believe me now. Still under warranty.



That is a manufacturing defect, and I hope Sony replace your unit ASAP


----------



## roses77

davesday said:


> Thought I provide an update. Finally got the OK from the shop to swap for a new one. They had to wait for Sony though which took 4 days. I brought the unit in today for a check up before given the new one. The bright pixels were concentrated on the top edge of the screen. One spot was so bad that it was noticeable under normal brightness. Anyway I checked both of my mates's WM1A and WM1Z, I was surprised to find both unit showing some bright pixels too! But it wasn't as bad as my first unit.
> 
> Anyway my replacement unit looks alright even under normal screen brightness. I'm going to keep it that way for fear of uncovering something I cannot un-see.
> 
> Cheers for a good outcome. My CA Dorado also suffered a DOA and it was replaced (with an Atlas!). All happened within 2 weeks.



Sorry but what do you mean by pixels on the Sony Dap which I haven’t noticed. It would’ve been good to post pictures on what it looked like.


----------



## ltanasom

Audiophonicalistic said:


> I had an opportunity to try wm1z. I am a wm1a owner. SE with my legend x sound almost identical with wm1z being a touch warmer and smoother. Balanced though sounds pretty remarkable. Same volume same song wm1z imo is much improved and have a lot more power.  One caveat is my 4.4 balanced from wm1a is actually broken where left side is a lot quieter than right so that could have something to do with it.


thank you


----------



## Hanafuda

Redcarmoose said:


>




Gorgeous.


----------



## davesday

roses77 said:


> Sorry but what do you mean by pixels on the Sony Dap which I haven’t noticed. It would’ve been good to post pictures on what it looked like.



This is what I mean. My previous WM1A unit suffered from bright pixels. It refers to a pixel that is stuck in 'always on' state and of a particular bright colour. Sometimes these bright pixels recover themselves over time. Other times they don't and just stay bright even when the screen is rendered dark for example. I suggest you don't go looking for it on your unit. Thats what I did with my newly replaced unit. Just enjoy the music.


----------



## Hanafuda

davesday said:


> This is what I mean. My previous WM1A unit suffered from bright pixels. It refers to a pixel that is stuck in 'always on' state and of a particular bright colour. Sometimes these bright pixels recover themselves over time. Other times they don't and just stay bright even when the screen is rendered dark for example. I suggest you don't go looking for it on your unit. Thats what I did with my newly replaced unit. Just enjoy the music.




One of the best parts of passing 50yo, I don't see crap like that anymore. Not without my 'readers' anyway.


----------



## davesday

Hanafuda said:


> One of the best parts of passing 50yo, I don't see crap like that anymore. Not without my 'readers' anyway.


Actually not many people will notice this defect. I didn't until I decided to do some listening early in the morning while in bed. During the start up sequence, the unit would crank the display to full brightness. That is when it is most noticeable. Again once I saw the large bright spot (top right corner), I can't 'un-see' it. That spot was particularly bright. It was visible even on 25% brightness.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jun 24, 2018)

Hanafuda said:


> One of the best parts of passing 50yo, I don't see crap like that anymore. Not without my 'readers' anyway.


I just enjoy the Music bro. Yeah like you too i no longe see these things and i am just 31 , i am waiting to get my definitive readers after cataract surgery in Feb this year.

I once saw these bright pixels on a Dell laptop, but because i accidentally smaked the sceen with the power cord, that's one thing i love from dell's complete care warranty  no questions asked, tech sent home to repair


----------



## Hanafuda

BTW guys I've been keeping my head low as the situation developed but I now have confirmed reservations on the WM1A and Z1R at the Ikebukuro main Bic Camera store. My wife'll be picking them up for me on July 3. Major upgrade inbound! This old dude is stoked.


----------



## aisalen

Hanafuda said:


> BTW guys I've been keeping my head low as the situation developed but I now have confirmed reservations on the WM1A and Z1R at the Ikebukuro main Bic Camera store. My wife'll be picking them up for me on July 3. Major upgrade inbound! This old dude is stoked.


You will not regret it for sure, I stopped looking for another DAP since I got my 1A, what more if you are going to pair it with Z1R.


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 24, 2018)

aisalen said:


> You will not regret it for sure, I stopped looking for another DAP since I got my 1A, what more if you are going to pair it with Z1R.



You will not regret it. My Sony goes up quite competitively against some very nice, high-end DAPs.


----------



## Lookout57

Hanafuda said:


> BTW guys I've been keeping my head low as the situation developed but I now have confirmed reservations on the WM1A and Z1R at the Ikebukuro main Bic Camera store. My wife'll be picking them up for me on July 3. Major upgrade inbound! This old dude is stoked.


See if you can get the MUCB12SM1 cable for the Z1R. 

It's an all copper cable and smooths out the highs and improves the bass over the stock silver plated cable. I have it's big brother the AXIOS-CU and it made a huge improvement so it's little brother should make a big improvement.


----------



## Hanafuda

Lookout57 said:


> See if you can get the MUCB12SM1 cable for the Z1R.
> 
> It's an all copper cable and smooths out the highs and improves the bass over the stock silver plated cable. I have it's big brother the AXIOS-CU and it made a huge improvement so it's little brother should make a big improvement.




I know what it is, but it ain't gonna happen lol. Not now anyway. This stretches the wallet enough as it is, since the trip my wife and daughter are on right now is costing ~ $16k. 

Maybe later though.


----------



## AeroSatan

Helluva caveat there buddy 


QUOTE="Audiophonicalistic, post: 14321451, member: 490981"]I had an opportunity to try wm1z. I am a wm1a owner. SE with my legend x sound almost identical with wm1z being a touch warmer and smoother. Balanced though sounds pretty remarkable. Same volume same song wm1z imo is much improved and have a lot more power.  One caveat is my 4.4 balanced from wm1a is actually broken where left side is a lot quieter than right so that could have something to do with it.[/QUOTE]


----------



## Quadfather

Hanafuda said:


> I know what it is, but it ain't gonna happen lol. Not now anyway. This stretches the wallet enough as it is, since the trip my wife and daughter are on right now is costing ~ $16k.
> Maybe later though.



My quadruplets and their older sister stretch my wallet, but I still managed to find a way to buy excellent audio equipment. Can't live without it.  I deliver mail, so I'm not exactly rolling in dough.


----------



## Quadfather

AeroSatan said:


> Helluva caveat there buddy
> 
> 
> QUOTE="Audiophonicalistic, post: 14321451, member: 490981"]I had an opportunity to try wm1z. I am a wm1a owner. SE with my legend x sound almost identical with wm1z being a touch warmer and smoother. Balanced though sounds pretty remarkable. Same volume same song wm1z imo is much improved and have a lot more power.  One caveat is my 4.4 balanced from wm1a is actually broken where left side is a lot quieter than right so that could have something to do with it.


[/QUOTE]

 I would love to get comparisons between the two with both models being
in pristine, burned-in condition.


----------



## rcoleman1

Quadfather said:


> My quadruplets and their older sister stretch my wallet, but I still managed to find a way to buy excellent audio equipment. Can't live without it.  I deliver mail, so I'm not exactly rolling in dough.


Fact: Head-Fiers find a way Lol.


----------



## AeroSatan

I've heard both on balanced with kimber kables connected to the Z1R. And the difference in SQ is so subtle ( to me) that the weight and price difference between the two Daps is not worth it IMHO. The WM1A is 95% if not more of the same you'd get with WM1Z on balanced 




 I would love to get comparisons between the two with both models being
in pristine, burned-in condition.[/QUOTE]


----------



## Quadfather

AeroSatan said:


> I've heard both on balanced with kimber kables connected to the Z1R. And the difference in SQ is so subtle ( to me) that the weight and price difference between the two Daps is not worth it IMHO. The WM1A is 95% if not more of the same you'd get with WM1Z on balanced
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Saving for NW-WM1Z or Campfire Audio Atlas.


----------



## AeroSatan

Quadfather said:


> Saving for NW-WM1Z or Campfire Audio Atlas.




Personally if I already had the WM1A and had to choose I'd go with with the CF Audio Atlas. You wouldn't hear anywhere near the $2k difference in SQ picking up the WM1Z


----------



## Audiophonicalistic

AeroSatan said:


> Personally if I already had the WM1A and had to choose I'd go with with the CF Audio Atlas. You wouldn't hear anywhere near the $2k difference in SQ picking up the WM1Z



Agreed!


----------



## Audiophonicalistic

I would love to get comparisons between the two with both models being
in pristine, burned-in condition.[/QUOTE]

I believe headfonia has a review of wm1z where they compare to wm1a. Sound spot on if I recall.


----------



## Quadfather

Audiophonicalistic said:


> I would love to get comparisons between the two with both models being
> in pristine, burned-in condition.



I believe headfonia has a review of wm1z where they compare to wm1a. Sound spot on if I recall.[/QUOTE]

Thank you. I will look for it.


----------



## davesday

aisalen said:


> You will not regret it for sure, I stopped looking for another DAP since I got my 1A, what more if you are going to pair it with Z1R.





Quadfather said:


> You will not regret it. My Sony goes up quite competitively against some very nice, high-end DAPs



Hanafuda, you won't regret getting this DAP. I am so happy with this purchasing decision. I stopped looking for 'the next DAP' too. In fact I realised I don't need to find out what DAC chip a player has. Because it doesn't matter. Mine sounds really good. It doesn't have a model name on it. Just Sony


----------



## gerelmx1986

Telemann orchestral suites


----------



## gerelmx1986

Every time i try to get a screenshot using the WM1A sequence, i get the turn-off/Restart pop-up in the middle. Cellphone takes crappy pics some times. Resorting to my alpha 5000 DSLR


----------



## Whitigir

AeroSatan said:


> I've heard both on balanced with kimber kables connected to the Z1R. And the difference in SQ is so subtle ( to me) that the weight and price difference between the two Daps is not worth it IMHO. The WM1A is 95% if not more of the same you'd get with WM1Z on balanced
> 
> 
> 
> ...


[/QUOTE]


AeroSatan said:


> Personally if I already had the WM1A and had to choose I'd go with with the CF Audio Atlas. You wouldn't hear anywhere near the $2k difference in SQ picking up the WM1Z



Well, don’t forget that you are paying 2k for 5% from an extremely niche product, and when you compare this price to the price of a simple cables KimBer Axios Silver, you would have thought someone just cracked you a joke while it is serious


----------



## AeroSatan

It's true, sometimes I think that audiophile grade cables must be the most expensive commodity in the world per foot . 



Well, don’t forget that you are paying 2k for 5% from an extremely niche product, and when you compare this price to the price of a simple cables KimBer Axios Silver, you would have thought someone just cracked you a joke while it is serious[/QUOTE]


----------



## davesday

AeroSatan said:


> Personally if I already had the WM1A and had to choose I'd go with with the CF Audio Atlas. You wouldn't hear anywhere near the $2k difference in SQ picking up the WM1Z



I supposed if one's lifetime pursuit of perfection was to get absolute great audio performance and they have the resources to commit for it, more power to them. But I reckon everyone else would have other priorities. Therefore chances are if someone (everyone else) wants to pursue a WM1Z to get an upgrade in audio performance chances are they are not happy with what they have in the first place. I think we can all agree that it is the headphone that makes the most difference. Hence I think that would be a more meaningful spend.

Having said that I must agree that CF Audio Atlas sounds really good on SE.


----------



## nc8000

davesday said:


> Hanafuda, you won't regret getting this DAP. I am so happy with this purchasing decision. I stopped looking for 'the next DAP' too. In fact I realised I don't need to find out what DAC chip a player has. Because it doesn't matter. Mine sounds really good. It doesn't have a model name on it. Just Sony



There is no dac chip in the traditional way in these players, it is all part of the SMaster which is Sony’s own digital design


----------



## davesday

nc8000 said:


> There is no dac chip in the traditional way in these players, it is all part of the SMaster which is Sony’s own digital design



Precisely. This is why I think Sony has found a good differentiation from the Sabres, AKMs, Burr Browns, etc of the world. Its all about the implementation. I don't need to associate a product with what DAC, LPF, AMP, headphone driver components, etc it uses. Because I am no longer comparing DAPs, I can finally focus on what matters most; the sound that it reproduce. It makes my purchasing decision easier and I no longer need to wonder what if that combination works better. Its good for my wallet.


----------



## Jon196

Hi Everybody,
I’ve just purchased a Sony Wm1a and am about 100 hours in, its a firmware 2 version pre installed.
I’m wondering if anybody can help with removing the volume cap. I’ve already downloaded the rockbox tool
But it won’t open on my Mac for obvious reasons is there a Mac compatible tool too do this...? Also I keep getting the volume check warning.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
P.S I hope I’ve not inadvertently posted in the wrong place or hi jacked this thread.


----------



## nc8000

Jon196 said:


> Hi Everybody,
> I’ve just purchased a Sony Wm1a and am about 100 hours in, its a firmware 2 version pre installed.
> I’m wondering if anybody can help with removing the volume cap. I’ve already downloaded the rockbox tool
> But it won’t open on my Mac for obvious reasons is there a Mac compatible tool too do this...? Also I keep getting the volume check warning.
> ...



The rockbox tool only works on Windows and there is no Mac version so you have to get access to a Windows machine, virtual or physical, to use it


----------



## Jon196

Hi nc8000,
Thanks for quick response.
Can you tell me it’s fairly easy to install...? Or do you need a bit of computer savvy as I’m not used to working with windows.


----------



## superuser1

Jon196 said:


> Hi nc8000,
> Thanks for quick response.
> Can you tell me it’s fairly easy to install...? Or do you need a bit of computer savvy as I’m not used to working with windows.


Its just 2 lines in the command prompt.. a no brainer!


----------



## Jon196

Hi Superuser1,
Great thanks, that’s good to know I’ll get onto it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

does any one here knows how to take a screenshot withouth the dialog for turning the unit off/restart appearing in the pic?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Audiophonicalistic said:


> I would love to get comparisons between the two with both models being
> in pristine, burned-in condition.



It’s funny because at times I just listen to the 1A only. And.........as far as trying to differentiate, it’s maybe better to literally concentrate on one for a solid week. But when I switch to the 1Z the difference between the two becomes more noticeable. It’s like if you were to sit at a shop and go back and forth between the two........the differences would seem less, somehow?

The 1Z gets you maybe 5% or 10% more of something. What that something is........is more clarity. The clarity comes from a slight forward and closer sound, combined with slighly more bass and a slighly more detailed-filled-out and expanded treble region.

The music is simply more there, and in more focus. Is that worth the extra money? I guess it depends how much that small difference is worth?

But the 1A is more midrange, slighly more shimmery and maybe speedy? I wonder if the speed takes place due to what’s left out of the lower regions? Still I never think of the 1A as cold? And...... for that matter, I don’t think of the 1Z as warm.........though it is.

But both players are entertaining to me. So much so that on that 1 week with the 1A, I’m thinking it’s all I need. Like Sony says, a set of complementary players. But if going back to the 1Z.............it’s like, OH?

The 1Z is different, so much so that it’s a completely different listening experience. An experience I would not want to part with.


But, ya..........in the end different IEMs are going to change the sound more. But...................that 5% or 10%???? If you mentally focus on that small percentage........it becomes an entire world unto itself.


----------



## Lemieux66 (Jun 25, 2018)

Should be receiving my TA-ZH1ES tomorrow to go with my 1A and Z1R. Will be using it with my Leben CS300XS and Harbeth P3ESR for Tidal over Chromecast and of course, the Walkman connection for the 1A.

It was buying the 1A in January 2017 that finally got me into computer audio and I've nearly ripped all my CDs to my laptop now. Fortunately they all should fit on my Sandisk 400GB microSD card. Really looking forward to using the 1A with the Walkman connection for my Classical DSD files. I know people seem to prefer the rear USB input coupled with the Sony dock for best results, but I'll use the side connection as I'm looking to add a network streaming box (eg. the forthcoming Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra) into the rear USB socket. Until then, Chromecast will provide Tidal connectivity.

On a separate note, does anyone know if the Sony IEMs N1 and N3 have a similar character to the Z1R? Looking for something portable for when I walk around town, nothing too expensive.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 25, 2018)

Lemieux66 said:


> Should be receiving my TA-ZH1ES tomorrow to go with my 1A and Z1R. Will be using it with my Leben CS300XS and Harbeth P3ESR for Tidal over Chromecast and of course, the Walkman connection for the 1A.
> 
> It was buying the 1A in January 2017 that finally got me into computer audio and I've nearly ripped all my CDs to my laptop now. Fortunately they all should fit on my Sandisk 400GB microSD card. Really looking forward to using the 1A with the Walkman connection for my Classical DSD files. I know people seem to prefer the rear USB input coupled with the Sony dock for best results, but I'll use the side connection as I'm looking to add a network streaming box (eg. the forthcoming Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra) into the rear USB socket. Until then, Chromecast will provide Tidal connectivity.
> 
> On a separate note, does anyone know if the Sony IEMs N1 and N3 have a similar character to the Z1R? Looking for something portable for when I walk around town, nothing too expensive.



I haven’t seemed to notice a huge-huge difference changing from the side 1A USB TA amp-connection to the rear, with the Dongle or Dock. The music seems to have more treble detail though, and is slighly clearer, though I’m only using a standard USB cable. Don’t have the Audioquest Carbon or Cinnamon.....yet.

The XBA-N3BP, if you get it...........comes terminated with the 4.4mm TRRRS 5-pole Pentaconn and definitely is a great way to go with the 1A. The Z5 flagship is more like the Z1R if you were really searching. Neither is going to have that both feather-weight and simultaneous massive bass response of the Z1R, due to an IEM just not having a driver size to go there. To answer your question the N3 and Z5 both have the new Sony house sound, so in a way yes........they sound like the Z1R. But the N3 is way-way more ergonomic to wear around town. They fit like a dream. The Z5 is a giant IEM and almost everyone takes the given MMCX rubber-snake cable off right away and goes cable down-aftermarket. The Z5 IEM does not come with 4.4mm in the box, so that’s something to think about.

So getting the N3 is just easy. Though the Z5 is simply more in every way. More of what the N3 sound is.........making the N3 appear to have slighly sloppy bass. The Sony Z5 offers a bigger-wider and expanded-detailed-out treble region. Some die-hard Z5 fans actually think the Z5 can sound like full-size  headphones with some music due to their expanded sound-stage. Where the N3 is simply more reserved in almost every way. The N3 gets way more use from me just because they fit so very well!

Though the XBA-N3BP balanced is actually a sleeper where the Z5 is entertaining right away. Both the N3 and Z5 are more coherent out of the box... not offering that bewildering strangeness the Z1R delivers before your used to them. The more you listen to the N3, the more they grow on you. They sound really-really good once they have a 100 hours of physical and metal burn-in. They sound even better with the 1Z!

The N3 is easy to drive and can be used on the 1A low output, were the Z5  and Z1R need high 1A output.

Have not heard the N1? https://www.sony.com.sg/electronics/in-ear-headphones/xba-n1ap

But I I think it’s the N3, but with 3.5mm single ended cable termination?


Strange but for all they are the Z5 does not isolate outside sound from coming in, which makes the N3 the obvious choice as they always block sound out. I get the best fit with the white double-flange RHA tips.


----------



## Pandaemonaeon

I had my sights set on the AK70 MKii but a used WM1a popped up in my radar for about $200 more. Can someone do a comparison of both players tonally?


----------



## proedros

Pandaemonaeon said:


> I had my sights set on the AK70 MKii but a used WM1a popped up in my radar for about $200 more. Can someone do a comparison of both players tonally?



just get the WM1A


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> just get the WM1A


Haha,
It’s like showing up at a beer bar and asking about whiskey.


----------



## Audiophonicalistic

Pandaemonaeon said:


> I had my sights set on the AK70 MKii but a used WM1a popped up in my radar for about $200 more. Can someone do a comparison of both players tonally?



The only reason why I would get ak70 is it is more portable.


----------



## Whitigir

Audiophonicalistic said:


> The only reason why I would get ak70 is it is more portable.


In that case, nothing is as ever portable as a Sansa clip


----------



## aisalen

Get the WM1A. Now!


----------



## tgrosu

aisalen said:


> Get the WM1A. Now!



What IEMs are there?


----------



## tgrosu

One question for all Sony WM1 owners (I also have the 1A). Is this a bassy player? I don't know if the question makes sense to you...

Today I have auditioned the IE800s with my WM1A, and I have tried for the first time the balanced port. Up until now, I have only used the SE port, so these were my first 50 minutes with the balanced one. As we know, IE800s is not a terribly bassy headphone. However what I've heard was a disappointing outcome: a very bass oriented combination, which I didn't like at all...

I am wondering: could this be the result of the fact that I didn't burn in the balanced port? What is your experience, do the sound change in the direction I am hoping for with more burn-in hours?

Thank you all!


----------



## aisalen

tgrosu said:


> What IEMs are there?


Ibasso IT03. The best iem I paired in terms of seal and sq paired with my 1A. But this is only from what I have.


----------



## proedros

tgrosu said:


> One question for all Sony WM1 owners (I also have the 1A). Is this a bassy player? I don't know if the question makes sense to you...
> 
> Today I have auditioned the IE800s with my WM1A, and I have tried for the first time the balanced port. Up until now, I have only used the SE port, so these were my first 50 minutes with the balanced one. As we know, IE800s is not a terribly bassy headphone. However what I've heard was a disappointing outcome: a very bass oriented combination, which I didn't like at all...
> 
> ...



i consider my WM1A definitely not a bassy DAP but mine is well over burn-in period - obviously yours needs some burn-in (200-500 hours) before showing its true colors

coming from zx2  i find wm1a perfectly balanced - the lows are good the mids are good (always found the zx2 mids a bit hollow) the highs are good , separation and imaging good

nothing to complain about it , really


----------



## tgrosu

Thanks, nice job!
Does the Ibasso IEM comes with balanced cable, or you have used some adapter?


----------



## tgrosu

proedros said:


> i consider my WM1A definitely not a bassy DAP but mine is well over burn-in period - obviously yours needs some burn-in (200-500 hours) before showing its true colors
> 
> coming from zx2  i find wm1a perfectly balanced - the lows are good the mids are good (always found the zx2 mids a bit hollow) the highs are good , separation and imaging good
> 
> nothing to complain about it , really



I guess you are using balanced.
What headphone are you using most of the time?
Thank you!


----------



## gerelmx1986

tgrosu said:


> One question for all Sony WM1 owners (I also have the 1A). Is this a bassy player? I don't know if the question makes sense to you...
> 
> Today I have auditioned the IE800s with my WM1A, and I have tried for the first time the balanced port. Up until now, I have only used the SE port, so these were my first 50 minutes with the balanced one. As we know, IE800s is not a terribly bassy headphone. However what I've heard was a disappointing outcome: a very bass oriented combination, which I didn't like at all...
> 
> ...


I consider my WM1A niether bassy, neither ear-piercing highs, only smooth n´ balanced frequency response. Maybe check your EQ maybe you have it bass bumped all the way up


----------



## aisalen

tgrosu said:


> Thanks, nice job!
> Does the Ibasso IEM comes with balanced cable, or you have used some adapter?


I replace the stock cable with cheap balanced cable I got from Amazon. IIRC about 50usd more or less when I got them, so many choices out there depends on your budget.


----------



## tgrosu

gerelmx1986 said:


> I consider my WM1A niether bassy, neither ear-piercing highs, only smooth n´ balanced frequency response. Maybe check your EQ maybe you have it bass bumped all the way up



I am very careful at all these settings, so no wrong tweaking. Good point, however, thank you!

What headphone do you use, if I may ask...?


----------



## proedros

tgrosu said:


> I guess you are using balanced.
> What headphone are you using most of the time?
> Thank you!



balanced only yeah
using the EE Zeus XR CIEM , which is not considered a bassy CIEM (i find its bass adequate though , never was a heavy basshead)


----------



## tgrosu

proedros said:


> balanced only yeah
> using the EE Zeus XR CIEM , which is not considered a bassy CIEM (i find its bass adequate though , never was a heavy basshead)



Thank you!
Coming back to my previous question, the lack of burn-in on the balanced port may result in too much bass? 

The seller at the shop also told me that there is no need for a separate burn in for the balanced port as long as I did it for the single ended port. Is he right?


----------



## Whitigir

tgrosu said:


> Thank you!
> Coming back to my previous question, the lack of burn-in on the balanced port may result in too much bass?
> 
> The seller at the shop also told me that there is no need for a separate burn in for the balanced port as long as I did it for the single ended port. Is he right?



1/ yes, not too much bass but it could be slightly more warmth emphasis
2/ no, single ended is different from balanced circuits


----------



## tgrosu

Whitigir said:


> 1/ yes, not too much bass but it could be slightly more warmth emphasis
> 2/ no, single ended is different from balanced circuits



Thank you, enlightening!
Anyway, even with this emphasis on warmth, as you say, the balanced output was much better than the SE.

@Whitigir What is your main headphone?


----------



## tgrosu

Do you know of any burn-in cable for the balanced port, similar with what the Ibasso has for the SE port?


----------



## kubig123

tgrosu said:


> Do you know of any burn-in cable for the balanced port, similar with what the Ibasso has for the SE port?



with the dx200 the burn cable comes with 2.5mm TRRS plug


----------



## tgrosu

kubig123 said:


> with the dx200 the burn cable comes with 2.5mm TRRS plug



Can you buy this cable, separate, from somewhere?


----------



## kubig123

Not that I know...
But I’m sure you can find somebody that can build a custom one.


----------



## nc8000

Meetup


----------



## gerelmx1986

tgrosu said:


> I am very careful at all these settings, so no wrong tweaking. Good point, however, thank you!
> 
> What headphone do you use, if I may ask...?


MDR-Z7 or XBA-Z5 both on balanced


----------



## productred

Pairing my 1A with my HYLA CE-5 lately, the outcome is otherworldly. If you live in somewhere where the HYLA is available for demo, I strongly recommend 1A/1Z owners to go give it a spin.


----------



## blazinblazin

tgrosu said:


> One question for all Sony WM1 owners (I also have the 1A). Is this a bassy player? I don't know if the question makes sense to you...
> 
> Today I have auditioned the IE800s with my WM1A, and I have tried for the first time the balanced port. Up until now, I have only used the SE port, so these were my first 50 minutes with the balanced one. As we know, IE800s is not a terribly bassy headphone. However what I've heard was a disappointing outcome: a very bass oriented combination, which I didn't like at all...
> 
> ...


Mine balanced was fully burnt in.

After burnt in you can expect a very clear and detailed low end with good mids and sparkly highs.

My IEM was bassy and boomy on my phone but on WM1A, it is just clear lows and great impact not boomy as on my S8 plus.


----------



## tgrosu

kubig123 said:


> Not that I know...
> But I’m sure you can find somebody that can build a custom one.



That looks a little bit


productred said:


> Pairing my 1A with my HYLA CE-5 lately, the outcome is otherworldly. If you live in somewhere where the HYLA is available for demo, I strongly recommend 1A/1Z owners to go give it a spin.



Very nice suggestion, worth a try! Thank you!


----------



## tgrosu

blazinblazin said:


> Mine balanced was fully burnt in.
> 
> After burnt in you can expect a very clear and detailed low end with good mids and sparkly highs.
> 
> My IEM was bassy and boomy on my phone but on WM1A, it is just clear lows and great impact not boomy as on my S8 plus.



What headphone are you referring to? Thanks!


----------



## blazinblazin

tgrosu said:


> What headphone are you referring to? Thanks!


I am referring to my Acoustune HS1551CU.
Which is a warmer sounding, DD IEM.


----------



## PCheung

gerelmx1986 said:


> does any one here knows how to take a screenshot withouth the dialog for turning the unit off/restart appearing in the pic?



Turn the screen first, then do the screen cap trick.


----------



## davesday

tgrosu said:


> One question for all Sony WM1 owners (I also have the 1A). Is this a bassy player? I don't know if the question makes sense to you...



It is definitely not bassy to my ears. I actually feel it is sounds fuller and the low end more 'powerful'. I also feel the highs are very refined and this is me coming from A&K AK300. WM1A definitely feels balanced and I think this is how it should be because you would add 'flavour/colour' from the IEM/headphone of choice. 



tgrosu said:


> Coming back to my previous question, the lack of burn-in on the balanced port may result in too much bass?



When I got my WM1A new, it sounded not detailed and the bass was a tad loose. Perhaps this is what you are referring to? But by the time it hits 10 hour mark, it is much better. I am using the SE jack with CA Atlas and Balanced jack with 64Audio U4-SE / EA Eros II.


----------



## Whitigir

tgrosu said:


> Thank you, enlightening!
> Anyway, even with this emphasis on warmth, as you say, the balanced output was much better than the SE.
> 
> @Whitigir What is your main headphone?



I have had many and Utopia was one of it, but now I am concentrated to only 2 headphones:  the very cheap Stax SR-009 and expensive HD800S


----------



## fiascogarcia

Whitigir said:


> I have had many and Utopia was one of it, but now I am concentrated to only 2 headphones:  the very cheap Stax SR-009 and expensive HD800S


Hah!  That's the first time I've ever seen "cheap" and "Stax SR009" used in the same sentence!


----------



## Redcarmoose

My gosh, I just newly discovered the Z1 has a magic penchant for Drum And Bass. I simply can’t believe it!!


----------



## rcoleman1

Whitigir said:


> I have had many and Utopia was one of it, but now I am concentrated to only 2 headphones:  the very cheap Stax SR-009 and expensive HD800S


Love the sarcasm in this thread Lol.


----------



## gerelmx1986

PCheung said:


> Turn the screen first, then do the screen cap trick.


turn the screen On or off?


----------



## PCheung

gerelmx1986 said:


> turn the screen On or off?



Turn it off first


----------



## gerelmx1986

PCheung said:


> Turn it off first


Thanks i will give it a try, the screen must turn on after the sequence?


----------



## ledzep

Bit off topic but seeing as I'm taking about getting a pair of Sony Headphones to go with my WM1 but it's still within the thread just ! 
For you US headfiers that have shipped to UK or EU headphones ( over head ) what can you advise on the service used.


----------



## Whitigir

@gerelmx1986 to answer your curiosity regarding upconvert of PCM into DSD.  I don’t see any Portable Walkman to be able to do it anytime soon.  There are 2 very important factors.

1/ Too much processing power required
2/ S-Master and Class D amplifications are too sensitive to noises and circuitry components

You may be able to see it more in desktop equipments such as TA-ZH1ES, but you won’t see it soonin Portable Walkman

I am upconverting my PCM into D512x and it takes a hell lot of work from an I7-8700 CPU with a very beefy PC built.  I do observe that it takes hell lot of resources to do so.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> @gerelmx1986 to answer your curiosity regarding upconvert of PCM into DSD.  I don’t see any Portable Walkman to be able to do it anytime soon.  There are 2 very important factors.
> 
> 1/ Too much processing power required
> 2/ S-Master and Class D amplifications are too sensitive to noises and circuitry components
> ...


I noted this too but with the inverse… down-conversion from DSD to PCM, my computer freezes and locks, even if it is a dual core i5 with hyperthreading (i5-4200)


----------



## Lookout57

I had no issues with down converting DSD to AIFF or FLAC on an i7-7700K Hackintosh using https://www.xivero.com/xisrc/. The down converted files also sound better than the files converted with XLD (macOS only) which uses Open Source libraries.


----------



## Whitigir

Lookout57 said:


> I had no issues with down converting DSD to AIFF or FLAC on an i7-7700K Hackintosh using https://www.xivero.com/xisrc/. The down converted files also sound better than the files converted with XLD (macOS only) which uses Open Source libraries.



I can vouch for Xivero.  It has excellent sound performances whether you upconvert PCM into D256 (which 1Z/A can play natively) or D512 (desktop Systems and DX200) or down conversion into PCM


----------



## iridium7777

how much battery life are you guys getting out of your players?

on a full charge if i played 90% aiff and 10% dsd through the balanced port how many hours can i expect, realistically?


----------



## Giraku

Has anyone tried to rip MQA CD and play on WM1Z/A?
Recently I got one such a CD and ripped. On Roon, the tracks are recognized as MQA 352kHz. My xDSD plays them as MQA at 352kHz. But my WM1Z doesn’t recognize them as MQA and plays at CD rate (44.1kHz). 
Am I the only one having this problem?


----------



## Redcarmoose

I simply use Foobar2000 for everything. You search out the different codecs and add them. Put a folder on your desktop. Open the file in Foobar righclick to quick convert then it does it. Any issues come up at the end if by chance there was a problem. For me it sounds great and saves time and hassle. And.......it’s free.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> I simply use Foobar2000 for everything. You search out the different codecs and add them. Put a folder on your desktop. Open the file in Foobar righclick to quick convert then it does it. Any issues come up at the end if by chance there was a problem. For me it sounds great and saves time and hassle. And.......it’s free.



I gotta admire you, for me, Foobar2000 is like me...being a Foo...Walking into a Bar...LOL


----------



## nc8000

iridium7777 said:


> how much battery life are you guys getting out of your players?
> 
> on a full charge if i played 90% aiff and 10% dsd through the balanced port how many hours can i expect, realistically?



Depends on if you use eq or any of the other effects. I get about 20 hours balanced 16/44 flac files low gain with no dsp effects and never turn the player of which equates to 1 week between charges for my use


----------



## Lacevos

iridium7777 said:


> how much battery life are you guys getting out of your players?
> 
> on a full charge if i played 90% aiff and 10% dsd through the balanced port how many hours can i expect, realistically?



I´m getting around 20 hours playing, mostly, CD quality flacs..


----------



## gerelmx1986

I use DbPoweramp to downconvert DSD to PCM (i keep the original DSD files), and it sounds better than the Weiss Saracon downconversions


----------



## iridium7777

thank you guys for the response, nice to see consistent numbers being quoted.  i currently have the kann but i don't come no where near the quoted 16 hours, i get more like 10-12 hours of it, so pretty much have to charge it after 2 days of listening at work;  wondering if it's worth changing "teams", it definitely would be nice not to charge for a full week of work use.




nc8000 said:


> Depends on if you use eq or any of the other effects. I get about 20 hours balanced 16/44 flac files low gain with no dsp effects and never turn the player of which equates to 1 week between charges for my use





Lacevos said:


> I´m getting around 20 hours playing, mostly, CD quality flacs..


----------



## Whitigir

You will get 6-7 hours if you play Native DSD out of balanced 4.4mm


----------



## gerelmx1986

iridium7777 said:


> thank you guys for the response, nice to see consistent numbers being quoted.  i currently have the kann but i don't come no where near the quoted 16 hours, i get more like 10-12 hours of it, so pretty much have to charge it after 2 days of listening at work;  wondering if it's worth changing "teams", it definitely would be nice not to charge for a full week of work use.


I charge my WM1A every three days of use with 16/44.1. Two days (or less) of use like your KANN if i use mostly DSD files


----------



## Jon196

Hi Everybody,
I’m new to the forum and just wanted to tap into the knowledge and experience of other members.
I’ve e just purchased the Sony WM1a it’s about 180 hours in. I was initially using a pair of Shure SE846 IEM I’d only had them for 4 weeks when the left hand channel/ear piece Stoped working...!!  looking at some of the reviews and comments on here l  decided to try the Sony XBA Z5 as you can pick these up for a good price new at the moment which arrived today.
My Wm1a is the European version firmware v.2. (Volume capped) and rather irritatingly keeps giving me a volume warning....
My first question is the shures were driven reasonably by the Sony but only at about 100-115 on the volume level.
The Sony Z5s are harder to drive and the volume is now flat out for everything pretty much and it’s still not loud enough.
This is all using the balanced output with Sony’s balance Kimber Kable.

So my Question is: does the rockbox Sound pressure tool remedy this completely and increase the volume noticeably...? and is it easy to apply. (Another member on here said it was)  
Also  do the Z5  Require breaking in before they come on song...? as they initially sound small compaired to the shures SE846 and not spacious or as 3 Dimensional or big sounding. (I’m sure the volume cap has something to do with this and them needing more Volume to drive them properly.
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 29, 2018)

Jon196 said:


> Hi Everybody,
> I’m new to the forum and just wanted to tap into the knowledge and experience of other members.
> I’ve e just purchased the Sony WM1a it’s about 180 hours in. I was initially using a pair of Shure SE846 IEM I’d only had them for 4 weeks when the left hand channel/ear piece Stoped working...!!  looking at some of the reviews and comments on here l  decided to try the Sony XBA Z5 as you can pick these up for a good price new at the moment which arrived today.
> My Wm1a is the European version firmware v.2. (Volume capped) and rather irritatingly keeps giving me a volume warning....
> ...



It just sucks when governments babysit our ears like we're little three-year-olds!  Clean the se846 connectors with Deoxit. The cord may be bad, so switch around the sides to see if the left earpiece works. Also, there are ways you can uncap the Sony, which I strongly suggest.  Then you can go into full-size headphones, which sounds better in my opinion.. I listen to my Shure srh1540, full-size headphones at the volume level of 40 with the uncapped version.  When I had SE846, I listened at 15 in high gain.


----------



## Jon196

Yep its really annoying but I suspect this is the sort of nonsense being farmed out by the EU. (as it only seems to be applied too European models)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Jon196 said:


> Hi Everybody,
> I’m new to the forum and just wanted to tap into the knowledge and experience of other members.
> I’ve e just purchased the Sony WM1a it’s about 180 hours in. I was initially using a pair of Shure SE846 IEM I’d only had them for 4 weeks when the left hand channel/ear piece Stoped working...!!  looking at some of the reviews and comments on here l  decided to try the Sony XBA Z5 as you can pick these up for a good price new at the moment which arrived today.
> My Wm1a is the European version firmware v.2. (Volume capped) and rather irritatingly keeps giving me a volume warning....
> ...


I burnt my Z5 for 50 hours in, and yeah under driven they sound boomy. remove the cap and you're for a treat. Go balanced and you are at the tip of heaven


----------



## nc8000

Jon196 said:


> Hi Everybody,
> I’m new to the forum and just wanted to tap into the knowledge and experience of other members.
> I’ve e just purchased the Sony WM1a it’s about 180 hours in. I was initially using a pair of Shure SE846 IEM I’d only had them for 4 weeks when the left hand channel/ear piece Stoped working...!!  looking at some of the reviews and comments on here l  decided to try the Sony XBA Z5 as you can pick these up for a good price new at the moment which arrived today.
> My Wm1a is the European version firmware v.2. (Volume capped) and rather irritatingly keeps giving me a volume warning....
> ...



Yes the RockBox tool will remove the volume limit and warning and also enable high gain for even more power. It only works on Windows


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think in Hi-res audio, the Bit-depth doesn't matter as much as does the Sampling rate (KHz, MHz)


----------



## Audiophonicalistic

If theyre only 4 weeks old theyre still well under warranty. Most of the time its just the cable and theyre easily replaceable if you dont want to shell out money for a new pair.


----------



## Jon196 (Jun 29, 2018)

Hi Guys,
Thanks for promopt responses I’ve replaced the cable same problem switched right to left ect and it’s the Driver. The company I purchased the Shure 846 from are e-infinity they are saying becouse they imported the Shures I’m not covered under the Manufacturers warranty and am therefore only covered by there’s which is a 12 month one and wait for it....... Want me to get it repaired by a third party and then pay for it and then send them the bill or send it back to them so they can get somebody to do the repair. LOL....!!!

So I’ve taken it up with Paypal as only Shure could carry out the work properly.... I’ve asked for a replacement new pair or my money back.
Thanks nc800 and geremlx for your advice I’ll need to get my Samsung powered up as l lost the charger so just ordered one from eBay I’m a Mac user....


----------



## Quadfather

Jon196 said:


> Hi Guys,
> Thanks for promopt responses I’ve replaced the cable same problem switched right to left ect and it’s the Driver. The company I purchased them from e-infinity are saying becouse they import the Shures I’m not covered under the Manufacturers warranty only there’s which is a 12 month one and wait for it, Want me to get it repaired by a third party and then pay for it and then send them the bill.
> LOL....!!
> So I’ve taken it up with Paypal as only Shure could carry out the work properly.... so I’ve asked for a replacement new pair or my money back.
> Thanks nc800 and geremlx for your advice I’ll need to get my Samsung powered up as l lost the charger so just ordered one from eBay.



Have you tried contacting Shure directly?


----------



## Jon196

Hi Quadfarther,
No I haven’t tried yet but I want too box e-infinity into a corner so they’ll either have to give me a new pair or refund me, with Paypal snapping at there heels...... I’m in a pretty good position.
I’m also covered by section 49 of the Consumer Rights act 2015 here in the uk and am up to speed with how this all works and usually get a result.
It’s quite strange though how many things break down these days...... don’t make like they used too.....


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 29, 2018)

Jon196 said:


> Hi Quadfarther,
> No I haven’t tried yet but I want too box e-infinity into a corner so they’ll either have to give me a new pair or refund me, with Paypal snapping at there heels...... I’m in a pretty good position.
> I’m also covered by section 49 of the Consumer Rights act 2015 here in the uk and am up to speed with how this all works and usually get a result.
> It’s quite strange though how many things break down these days...... don’t make like they used too.....



I must have golden luck, because I've never had any piece of audio equipment fail ever.
I own three different high-end DAPs, five pairs of headphones, and five or six different sets of cables.


----------



## Jon196

Quadfather said:


> I must have golden luck, because I've never had any piece of audio equipment fail ever.
> I own three different high-end DAPs, five pairs of headphones, and five or six different sets of cables.


Nothing... That’s remarkable....!!


----------



## Quadfather

Jon196 said:


> Nothing... That’s remarkable....!!



I am really lucky, but I'm very good to everything I own. I have soft bristle brushes to brush any dandruff or anything out of my headphones, I keep every digital audio player in a Pelican case. All my headphones go into the safe when not in use. I am very careful never to drop anything...


----------



## proedros

Quadfather said:


> I am really lucky, but I'm very good to everything I own. I have soft bristle brushes to brush any dandruff or anything out of my headphones, I keep every digital audio player in a Pelican case. All my headphones *go into the safe* when not in use. I am very careful never to drop anything...



someday you will probably make an audiophile burglar very happy (just kidding)

but yeah you have DEDICATION spelled all over yourself


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> I am really lucky, but I'm very good to everything I own. I have soft bristle brushes to brush any dandruff or anything out of my headphones, I keep every digital audio player in a Pelican case. All my headphones go into the safe when not in use. I am very careful never to drop anything...


All your DAPs go in a Pelican case? Wow. I only got a Dignis leather case for my WM1A and stash it in a Gregory pouch. I thought I was a tad extravagant with a Van Nuys pouch incoming from Japan.


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 29, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> All your DAPs go in a Pelican case? Wow. I only got a Dignis leather case for my WM1A and stash it in a Gregory pouch. I thought I was a tad extravagant with a Van Nuys pouch incoming from Japan.



Here are a few... I'm the first to admit I am a little OCD


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 29, 2018)

proedros said:


> someday you will probably make an audiophile burglar very happy (just kidding)
> 
> but yeah you have DEDICATION spelled all over yourself



LOL somebody is always home and I will just say it this way...they have protections beyond the safe.  Beer chug back... I'm not sure how to activate the emoji.  My audio equipment is the only thing I am OCD about. Just about every audio player I own is worth more than the car I drive.  Any four wheels that get there are good enough for me...


----------



## proedros

i feel you bro , i have a 10$ cellphone (even though i am net-addicted , i simply use my laptop to surf etc) but my portable music combo is like 4K

must be the only person in Greece with a 400/1 ratio of money spent on using music/cellphone


----------



## Audiophonicalistic

proedros said:


> i feel you bro , i have a 10$ cellphone (even though i am net-addicted , i simply use my laptop to surf etc) but my portable music combo is like 4K
> 
> must be the only person in Greece with a 400/1 ratio of money spent on using music/cellphone


 Haha yes glad to be among others like me. My legend x cost more than my car.  
Of all my audio equipment just my sony wm1a broke. 4.4mm something went wrong and is not connecting properly so left channel is much quieter than the right. Took 3 calls to sony, 3 different cables, and finally was able to try wm1z and sure enough they all work fine. Sony said they will fix it. Thankful and looking forward to having a working sony again.


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> LOL somebody is always home and I will just say it this way...they have protections beyond the safe.  Beer chug back... I'm not sure how to activate the emoji.  My audio equipment is the only thing I am OCD about. Just about every audio player I own is worth more than the car I drive.  Any four wheels that get there are good enough for me...



I have a friend who is very OCD about their “guns” just like this LoL


----------



## Whitigir

Audiophonicalistic said:


> Haha yes glad to be among others like me. My legend x cost more than my car.
> Of all my audio equipment just my sony wm1a broke. 4.4mm something went wrong and is not connecting properly so left channel is much quieter than the right. Took 3 calls to sony, 3 different cables, and finally was able to try wm1z and sure enough they all work fine. Sony said they will fix it. Thankful and looking forward to having a working sony again.


What is the problem ? Intermittently sound ? Or just very low volume on one side.  If it is the later, the correct procedure is to replace you a new mainboard.  In which case it is faster if they replace you an refurbished Player or...New


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> Here are a few... I'm the first to admit I am a little OCD


I like the case you use for the WM1A. Shure makes cases?


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 29, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I like the case you use for the WM1A. Shure makes cases?



It is a S3Cases... not sure of the model number. You could probably Google it...T2000, I think.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> It is a S3Cases... not sure of the model number. You could probably Google it


I'm rather partial to the see through cover. Alternative is the Nanuk case. I prefer the design over those of Pelicans


----------



## Jon196

Do you listen to your headphones and DAPs in the safe just to be on the safe side....?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Jon196 said:


> Do you listen to your headphones and DAPs in the safe just to be on the safe side....?


I reckon that'd be heavy metal.


----------



## kingdixon

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I like the case you use for the WM1A. Shure makes cases?



My se846 i bought couple of years ago came in the same case, its like a big size portable pelican and branded shure, but from others replys may be it is sold standalone


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 29, 2018)

I use a 1610 with an internal dehumidifier. Lol ..... no joke.
https://www.amazon.com/Pelican-1610-Case-Foam-Black/dp/B000E9PFMA


----------



## Audiophonicalistic

Whitigir said:


> What is the problem ? Intermittently sound ? Or just very low volume on one side.  If it is the later, the correct procedure is to replace you a new mainboard.  In which case it is faster if they replace you an refurbished Player or...New


Yeah left side is quieter than the right. Just happened outnof nowhere and i spent about 2 months making sure it was going on. Once I tried the atlas with them switching ears and even a new unit it was obvious. Theyre going to send a replacement about a 10 day process. Not bad honestly.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> I use a 1610 with an internal dehumidifier. Lol ..... no joke.


W. O. W.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 29, 2018)

Jon196 said:


> Hi Everybody,
> I’m new to the forum and just wanted to tap into the knowledge and experience of other members.
> I’ve e just purchased the Sony WM1a it’s about 180 hours in. I was initially using a pair of Shure SE846 IEM I’d only had them for 4 weeks when the left hand channel/ear piece Stoped working...!!  looking at some of the reviews and comments on here l  decided to try the Sony XBA Z5 as you can pick these up for a good price new at the moment which arrived today.
> My Wm1a is the European version firmware v.2. (Volume capped) and rather irritatingly keeps giving me a volume warning....
> ...



You’ll love the Z5 with the 1A, though best to get an aftermarket cable for the Sony Z5.....also like mentioned before try to get MMCX to 4.4mm TRRRS Pentaconn, so you can go balanced with them. They respond really well to balanced. Also after you uncap your player you may find you simply leave the volume on the low gain setting. It may sound a little less grainy than high gain. Of course everyone has a different take on the subject.

I used to think you needed high gain setting for the Z5, but you really don’t unless your one of those listeners that need INSANE volume. Lol

 You may also want to upgrade to FW 2.0 from the original 1.2 FW. It seems the new firmware lets you play APE lossless codec as well as gets you more power. Though some members here like the sound of FW 1.2 better. It’s a personal thing. Lucky it’s easy to change back and forth.

Here is the aftermarket cable that I use with the Z5, though there are a ton of choices now.
https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-m12nb1#product_details_default

It’s best to change the MMCX cables around as little as possible as the mechanics can weaken with continued changing. But many have issues with the original Z5 cables being an uncontrollable rubber over ear that would twist out of place. They also don’t come as 4.4mm balanced terminated.


----------



## Jon196

Redcarmoose said:


> You’ll love the Z5 with the 1A, though best to get an aftermarket cable for then Z5.....also like mentioned before try to get MMCX to 4.4mm TRRRS Pentaconn, so you can to balanced with them. They respond really well to balanced. Also after you uncap your player you may find you simply leave the volume on the low gain setting. It may sound a little less grainy that high gain. Of course everyone has a different take on the subject. You may also want to upgrade to FW 2.0 from the original 1.2 FW. It seems the new firmware lets you play APE lossless codec as well as gets you more power. Though some members here like the sound of FW 1.2 better. It’s a personal thing. Lucky it’s easy to change back and forth.



Hi Redcarmoose,
Yes thanks mine actually come pre installed with the FW 2 and I managed to get the Sony Kimber Balanced lead 4.4mm
So am already running Balanced. I’ve just had another listen as the Z5 (they only arrived today) and felt it was somewhat underwhelming and sounding shut in with a Processed treble quality and woolly bass, However after 8hours there appears to be a marked improvement as it’s starting too sound more spacious and has gained a soundstage certainly a lot more than when the Z5 were pugged in straight out the box it’s gettin interesting.

Another member mentioned that the Uncapping process was straightforward.......  have you or anybody else had first hand experience doing this I think he said it was just a matter of following two prompts and then done.. I really need to do this as I’m running the volume at maximum just to get a half decent sound anyway.


----------



## gerelmx1986

What comply tips you recommend for XNA-Z5? I solation, comfort? i hate the itchy included sony tips


----------



## Quadfather

Jon196 said:


> Do you listen to your headphones and DAPs in the safe just to be on the safe side....?



I have quadruplet teenagers in the house, so I just worry about leaving stuff out because all their friends are over and such.


----------



## Jon196

Man cave... with no teenagers allowed on the door,  but I hear your anxiety regarding teenagers and breaking things. I had a pair of Koss portable headphones whist staying at a friends house only to find that his cat had chewed through my headphone cable don’t know how old it was though...? but I do remember not being happy about it....!!.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 29, 2018)

Jon196 said:


> Hi Redcarmoose,
> Yes thanks mine actually come pre installed with the FW 2 and I managed to get the Sony Kimber Balanced lead 4.4mm
> So am already running Balanced. I’ve just had another listen as the Z5 (they only arrived today) and felt it was somewhat underwhelming and sounding shut in with a Processed treble quality and woolly bass, However after 8hours there appears to be a marked improvement as it’s starting too sound more spacious and has gained a soundstage certainly a lot more than when the Z5 were pugged in straight out the box it’s gettin interesting.
> 
> Another member mentioned that the Uncapping process was straightforward.......  have you or anybody else had first hand experience doing this I think he said it was just a matter of following two prompts and then done.. I really need to do this as I’m running the volume at maximum just to get a half decent sound anyway.





gerelmx1986 said:


> What comply tips you recommend for XNA-Z5? I solation, comfort? i hate the itchy included sony tips



I actually like the Sony Hydrid Tips, but everyone is different. I am now using the rare Sony Triple Comfort Tips. They are super thick and seem to hold the Z5 in place better. Still the Z5 is never going to be perfect at blocking outside noise. That’s why the Z5s are best for home use.


I guess getting used to the Z5 is different for eveybody. For me, I only had an iPod when I got em. I was waiting for my family outside of Universal Studios Singapore and after about three hours they started to open a little. I thought..... wow this actually is the sound I have always liked. I mainly listen to EDM and Metal, so they work for me.

From then on they just became better after using them with the Signature DAPs and getting different 4.4mm cables. I think they showcase the new Sony house sound well. They are both polite and still  exciting. Though it all depends where your coming from and what your taste is. And you may read folks perceive the Z5s very different, with some reporting in really big soundstage, others normal?

For me they seem to hold a nice fast bass response, holding detail and just the correct amount of V signature. The treble is not the most detailed as compared to something like the Noble Encore IEM, but the Z5 always seems incredibly coherent. They just seem natural. Also this depends on how much time you have used your 1A too. The 1A and 1Z will sound a little woolly in the first 50 hours, then will get clear and soundstage will expand. You need 200 hours per amp. There is a 4.4mm balanced amp and a 3.5mm single-ended amp. So that’s 400 hours!

I do remember the bass being blurry, but because I was using only my IPod, I thought it was due to a lack of power.

The Z5 gets better and better with burn-in. Also they will sound off if underamped.


I have never seen or heard a capped 1A, though you will need Windows to uncap it. The program does not work with Apple products. But if your volume is maxed out, your most likely underpowered......so it’s a combination of things going on. Hold tight, you’ll soon really like them, if you’ve ever liked the new Sony house sound.


----------



## nc8000

Jon196 said:


> Hi Redcarmoose,
> Yes thanks mine actually come pre installed with the FW 2 and I managed to get the Sony Kimber Balanced lead 4.4mm
> So am already running Balanced. I’ve just had another listen as the Z5 (they only arrived today) and felt it was somewhat underwhelming and sounding shut in with a Processed treble quality and woolly bass, However after 8hours there appears to be a marked improvement as it’s starting too sound more spacious and has gained a soundstage certainly a lot more than when the Z5 were pugged in straight out the box it’s gettin interesting.
> 
> Another member mentioned that the Uncapping process was straightforward.......  have you or anybody else had first hand experience doing this I think he said it was just a matter of following two prompts and then done.. I really need to do this as I’m running the volume at maximum just to get a half decent sound anyway.



If you are moderately computer proficient on Windows uncapping is a simple procesd


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

I personally like Sony tips and find Comply tips itchy on occasion. Currently experimenting with Spinfits and Acoustune tips.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I ordered a 3-set of comply comfort TS200 and got a free pack wiht he 4th July promo. Even so they are shipped to mexiko


----------



## Redcarmoose

I try to use the Sony Hybrid Tips for almost everything else but the Z5s. 

It’s a strange coincidence that I like Sony gear......and those tips also seem to just work for me. I use them with the Encore IEM too. 

Go figure?


----------



## Jon196

nc8000 said:


> If you are moderately computer proficient on Windows uncapping is a simple procesd



Hi nc8000,
I’ve tried with a friends Mac who had it partitioned  so it also ran windows. I had to partially disable his defender app as it wouldn’t let me run the rockbox app after that no problem but when I ran it it started and then just disappeared very frustrating so I think I need a computer with just windows which I do have,  but have had to order anther power cord as I seem to have lost the one that came with it.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jun 29, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> I try to use the Sony Hybrid Tips for almost everything else but the Z5s.
> 
> It’s a strange coincidence that I like Sony gear......and those tips also seem to just work for me. I use them with the Encore IEM too.
> 
> Go figure?


I also had no problem with the sony tips. all this itching and redness of my ear canal started with the XBA-A3 tips and now the Z5 tips too, more redness with the foam-filled than the ones without.

I get this unbearable itching and my ear gets red, my friend from germany (when i was there) he noted my canal was red and felt unusually warm


----------



## Jon196

Hi everybody,
Is there anybody about who knows how to install the rockbox app to remove the volume cap from wm1a I’ve actually got to the stage where I’ve downloaded it but every time I press run it disappears.
I’m not a windows user.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jun 29, 2018)

Jon196 said:


> Hi everybody,
> Is there anybody about who knows how to install the rockbox app to remove the volume cap from wm1a I’ve actually got to the stage where I’ve downloaded it but every time I press run it disappears.
> I’m not a windows user.


you must run the command prompt

on the windows taskbar type "cmd" without the quotes on the serach box and this opnes

 
I can o'pen a flac file using the commnad line


----------



## kingdixon

Jon196 said:


> Hi everybody,
> Is there anybody about who knows how to install the rockbox app to remove the volume cap from wm1a I’ve actually got to the stage where I’ve downloaded it but every time I press run it disappears.
> I’m not a windows user.



You have to be on windows OS , download the scsi tool exe file, and a bit down in the article you will find another file open_cmd_here.bat, download it and put it in same folder beside scsi tool file then run it, it will open a dos screen, read the article well, you need 2 commands the one that shows your current configuration and the one that sets the new configuration , after you do it reset the settings from the player.

Sorry i would have given more details but iam not at home right now, if you have any problem you can pm me or ask here for further info


----------



## Jon196

Hi Kingdixon,
Thank you very much I’ll follow your advice and pm if I need more help.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Jon196 said:


> Hi everybody,
> Is there anybody about who knows how to install the rockbox app to remove the volume cap from wm1a I’ve actually got to the stage where I’ve downloaded it but every time I press run it disappears.
> I’m not a windows user.


... What computer are you using?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 29, 2018)

Tips are just such a magic and personal thing. I have had one pair that I use when trying out IEMs. I have had the tips for 9 years. They somehow fit almost everything. So they allow me to just walk into a store and basically fit with what ever IEM is there? It’s such a strange thing as there are so many nozzle diameters? But they work. Don’t know what I would do if I lost them.

I was reading from John Moulton who said the inside of the ear can release fluid so at times a type of rubber can cause issues. I do get a little problem with the hybrids but not enough to be a big thing.

It may be one reason why Sony made the Triple Comfort Tips kind of different?

You just have to try tons of tips in the end.

I have never read of anyone that uses the Sony foam filled tips? Lol


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 29, 2018)

The RHA Double Flange is really a different tip and one that has become the only double flange that has worked for me. Maybe it’s comfortable because your ear has a space in the middle to breath where the two tip-flanges separate?

The shape-dynamics of tips are profound, as how physically-long they are affects how the IEM rests outside your ear, or how far it goes in. The distance from the ending of the sound port to the end of the tip affects soundstage and treble. The diameter of the inside of the tip-end-port affects both treble and bass and soundstage. So besides comfort.....there is a lot to consider. If you don’t have a tight seal between the tube and the inner diameter of the tip it lets air in and out and affects bass response. If the outer-circumference of the tip is too narrow and does not seal at one section of your ear, you loose bass responce. That’s why some folks use different tips for each ear.

You have all these potential concepts going on with universals, but then again some people can never use CIEMs due to a strange ear shape and have to use universals. Better resale with universals too!


----------



## gerelmx1986

And i consider Comply foam tips safer for pressurized-aircraft travel. Sony ones being rubber (silicon) seem to trap air, and i can't imagine my ear drums popping during ascent, descent phases of flight


----------



## honeyjjack

Theres a rumor that sony is replacing the wm1z near the end of this year. Anyone know any info?


----------



## Redcarmoose

honeyjjack said:


> Theres a rumor that sony is replacing the wm1z near the end of this year. Anyone know any info?



We know nothing even though this question comes up once a week here.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Only sony knows about next WM1 series replacement, but i think WM1 series are here to stay a bit more


----------



## Jon196

Hi Everybody,
Big shout for kingdixon who is worthy of such a title...!!  thanks for all your help with removing the volume cap from my Wm1a 
This is a very friendly and helpful forum indeed.


----------



## kingdixon

Jon196 said:


> Hi Everybody,
> Big shout for kingdixon who is worthy of such a title...!!  thanks for all your help with removing the volume cap from my Wm1a
> This is a very friendly and helpful forum indeed.



Hahaha .. it is nothing buddy, hope your enjoyong the player even more now, true it has always been a great forum and community, anytime bro


----------



## superuser1

What a game the Uruguay vs. Portugal match!! Cavani for the win.. I heard someone say that Sony might officially announce something in September regarding any update in the Walkman line-up.


----------



## waxiboy

Why does sony doesn't support reading CUE file I have lots of DSD and FLAC files that is merged and needs cue for it to be separated and sony doesn't even bother to add it in it's feature regarding tjat this is a highend music player!!!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Jul 1, 2018)

honeyjjack said:


> Theres a rumor that sony is replacing the wm1z near the end of this year. Anyone know any info?



Leaked photo of Sony's new TOTL player and cans, as modeled by Patrick Stewart. They'll go beyond WIFI and BT and give users the ability to control it with our minds.

Music will be perfect because it's exactly what we want. The only signature will be our own.

And the cans are so open they're in a whole new category: no ear.

Portability... Meh, overrated.

And obviously the DAP will be called... *drumroll*... NW-WM1*X*!


----------



## fiascogarcia

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Leaked photo of Sony's new TOTL player and cans, as modeled by Patrick Stewart. They'll go beyond WIFI and BT and give users the ability to control it with our minds.
> 
> Music will be perfect because it's exactly what we want. The only signature will be our own.
> 
> ...


I'm waiting for the new model that I hear is in development to replace the NW-WM1X!


----------



## alphanumerix1

i dont know how necessary a new model would actually be.I'm very happy with my wm1a.

In saying that if a new model came out...... hehe

I'd like a search function.
Additional power from the 3.5 and 4.4 would be nice... 
streaming but very unlikely.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Listening to some 80s music today with the 1Z, I don’t know what else I would ever want from a player. It would be fun to simply get something new, but...........seems like I would have more fun simply buying another headphone. I couldn’t ask for a better player, just the way it is.


----------



## buzzlulu

If they enabled streaming (Tidal, Spotify, Apple Music etc.) then yes - I would trade in my 1Z and jump

Sony if you are reading these threads.......


----------



## Whitigir

buzzlulu said:


> If they enabled streaming (Tidal, Spotify, Apple Music etc.) then yes - I would trade in my 1Z and jump
> 
> Sony if you are reading these threads.......



I only let go of my Wm1Z because I move into desktop system


----------



## gerelmx1986

I'd prefer:
* dual MicroSD slots
*at least 256GB internal
*Keyboard search
*More power
*Album shuffle (iPods did this, you played a complete album and insetad of sequential next album, it loaded a random album)
*FPGA implementation of DSD upsampler 
*Color-coded LED light, so we can see what format is playing without turning the screen on
*USB DAC


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Anyone know if there is any support for volume tags ala MP3Gain or whatever? This is something Id like to see implemented.


----------



## gerelmx1986

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Anyone know if there is any support for volume tags ala MP3Gain or whatever? This is something Id like to see implemented.


Volume tags are "soft dynamic range compression"? i don't use the  Dynamic normalizer as it is on-the-fly dynamic compressor made in the DAC, but there is no support for volume tags as i know


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Why not take the tagged info and apply directly to the raw volume level? Its what I haver to end up doing manually anyway. Oh well.


----------



## Icekuma

Hi. 

What's the likelihood for the headphone output spoiled if you plug/unplug on daily basis? Because I use IEM in the office and full headphone at home. Thanks


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Icekuma said:


> Hi.
> 
> What's the likelihood for the headphone output spoiled if you plug/unplug on daily basis? Because I use IEM in the office and full headphone at home. Thanks


I wondered about that too but reckon it would take years. And I know an audio store here that carries out upgrade mods and they can easily replace the connectors.


----------



## Whitigir

Icekuma said:


> Hi.
> 
> What's the likelihood for the headphone output spoiled if you plug/unplug on daily basis? Because I use IEM in the office and full headphone at home. Thanks


Thousands of cycles (plugs/unplug)


----------



## Hanafuda

Icekuma said:


> Hi.
> 
> What's the likelihood for the headphone output spoiled if you plug/unplug on daily basis? Because I use IEM in the office and full headphone at home. Thanks




I've been using a 1st gen Zune (about to be replaced w/ WM1A. About time lol) for 12 years. Many, many thousands of plug/unplug cycles. Still works like the day I bought it, except batt life is about half. I guess Toshiba makes good stuff. Sony does too, especially at this price point.


----------



## davesday

Icekuma said:


> What's the likelihood for the headphone output spoiled if you plug/unplug on daily basis? Because I use IEM in the office and full headphone at home. Thanks


I did a search on the SE stereo 3.5mm jacks to find out what is the typical longevity. A few datasheets are returning the number 5,000 cycles. Seems a bit low but if an average person does it say 5 cycles (plugging in and out) a day. That would be about 2.7 years of consecutive days of usage.


----------



## Whitigir

davesday said:


> I did a search on the SE stereo 3.5mm jacks to find out what is the typical longevity. A few datasheets are returning the number 5,000 cycles. Seems a bit low but if an average person does it say 5 cycles (plugging in and out) a day. That would be about 2.7 years of consecutive days of usage.



Yes, this is typical usages and logically so.  But they can even last longer


----------



## Icekuma

It is comforting to know it would last at least 3 years of use. Just hope no exorbitant charge to repair when it does. 

On separate note. Just bought mdr-z7 and really love the sound with 1A. Now using SE. Decided on kimber because promo USD 125 ish. Waiting for my kimber bslanced MUC to arrive ( out of stock)


----------



## gerelmx1986

My friend from Hamburg, Germany has a desktop system from the early 90's and his jack is failing after 26 years of plugging and unplugging cycles


----------



## davesday

Whitigir said:


> Yes, this is typical usages and logically so. But they can even last longer


Yes, that is true. A lot of engineering designs have safe margins built in. Also, I don't see an average user working that jack that hard (e.g. 5 times a day, every day). Maybe for people working in the industry but they would have access to repairs.


----------



## pietcux

tgrosu said:


> One question for all Sony WM1 owners (I also have the 1A). Is this a bassy player? I don't know if the question makes sense to you...
> 
> Today I have auditioned the IE800s with my WM1A, and I have tried for the first time the balanced port. Up until now, I have only used the SE port, so these were my first 50 minutes with the balanced one. As we know, IE800s is not a terribly bassy headphone. However what I've heard was a disappointing outcome: a very bass oriented combination, which I didn't like at all...
> 
> ...


Even Sony states that each output stage needs 200 hours to really shine, so yes it is common sense here that over time it will get better and better. I own the IE800 and those are not bass light I find. On no player that I own. Not even on the Ipod classic.


----------



## Lacevos

Yes, my WM1A has a good battery (around 20 hours playing cd quality flacs), but at the same time a very poor management of it. 
For every minute it remains disconnected (in standby mode) it takes more than two minutes to recover the lost load. Or does it just happen to me?


----------



## Hanafuda

Lacevos said:


> Yes, my WM1A has a good battery (around 20 hours playing cd quality flacs), but at the same time a very poor management of it.
> For every minute it remains disconnected (in standby mode) it takes more than two minutes to recover the lost load. Or does it just happen to me?




Are you saying it would take you 40 hours to fully recharge it from 'empty?'


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

I am running my 200 hours and noticed that the unit lasts very long but suddenly went from 4/5ths power to “plug me in or I’ll die” in a very short time comparatively. Have you folks seen this? The gauge is essentially not accurate and linear


----------



## Lacevos

Hanafuda said:


> Are you saying it would take you 40 hours to fully recharge it from 'empty?'



According to my tests: I unplugged it for one minute, it was full recharged 2:30 minutes later... then I tried for ten minutes, so it was full 25 minutes later...


----------



## Darksoul (Jul 3, 2018)

Well..my balanced cable from LQi eventually arrived; not because of LQi, it's just crappy customs in my country. I've been listening through the balanced output of this thing. And well, I mean:




It doesn't make sense, whatever little thing I know about physics tells me the sound has no reason to improve with a cable or balanced headphones. Maybe it's the extra power each headphone is getting, maybe it's confirmation bias, maybe it's my brain getting messed up looking for improvements where there are none. Whatever it is, when I hear my IEM with this, they don't sound like IEM. The sound feels "out of my head", not live performance "out of my head". But, It doesn't feel like it's coming from something wedged inside my ears. It's noticeable, it's there, I can't ignore it. More details, the bass it's still...settling.

I've noticed some other things when I turn on the WM1A, and the balanced output is connected, I hear a faint mechanical clicking noise coming out of the device. I'm not worried about it, it's just that didn't happen with SE output. There's also a tidbit that I find...odd. While connected to the balanced output; whenever I switch back and forth from a song that's FLAC 24 bit, to a 16 bit song or a 320 kps song (save it!) I hear a quick crackling noise on the headphones; not mechanical emanating from the device, but..."digital". That wasn't before on the SE output. One thing I really like about the switch to balanced is that the noise floor is gone; or at least, so low I can't tell it apart anymore.

On the SE output, before going to bed when everything is silent and on a particular quiet part of a song, I could feel a faint hiss on the headphones. That hiss is gone on balanced output. So far I'm loving the things I've gained on this thing on the balanced output. Maybe with more burn in time on the balanced output, the other things I've gained will go away. 

Mandatory glamour shot:

(Boy, am I glad I don't make a living out of photography, otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford to feed my self)


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Lacevos said:


> According to my tests: I unplugged it for one minute, it was full recharged 2:30 minutes later... then I tried for ten minutes, so it was full 25 minutes later...



Devices like this don’t charge linearly. They “trickle charge” near the end to avoid battery issues. You’d be better off running it down and checking how long a full charge takes. Mine is just a few hours.


----------



## Icekuma

Hi Darksoul
I think the clicking noise is normal and is not something to worry about. I get it especially playing DSD. 



Darksoul said:


> Well..my balanced cable from LQi eventually arrived; not because of LQi, it's just ****ty customs in my country. I've been listening through the balanced output of this thing. And well, I mean:
> .....
> I've noticed some other things when I turn on the WM1A, and the balanced output is connected, I hear a faint mechanical clicking noise coming out of the device. I'm not worried about it, it's just that didn't happen with SE output. There's also a tidbit that I find...odd. While connected to the balanced output; whenever I switch back and forth from a song that's FLAC 24 bit, to a 16 bit song or a 320 kps song (save it!) I hear a quick crackling noise on the headphones; not mechanical emanating from the device, but..."digital". That wasn't before on the SE output. One thing I really like about the switch to balanced is that the noise floor is gone; or at least, so low I can't tell it apart anymore.
> (Boy, am I glad I don't make a living out of photography, otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford to feed my self)


The clicking


----------



## waxiboy

is there any reason why SONY doesn't support cue file?? I think people here are happy finishing the whole albums without skipping the ugly parts of an image or merged flac file. Or maybe they are happy using cue splitter that takes ages to split DSD or 24bit FLACS.


----------



## PointyFox (Jul 4, 2018)

The 12 tone track analyzer for SensMe..I can't get Sony Music Center to do it without crashing. Anyone know how?


----------



## davesday

tgrosu said:


> One question for all Sony WM1 owners (I also have the 1A). Is this a bassy player? I don't know if the question makes sense to you...
> I am wondering: could this be the result of the fact that I didn't burn in the balanced port? What is your experience, do the sound change in the direction I am hoping for with more burn-in hours?


I don't think the WM1A is a bassy player at all. My first impression of it was 'meaty' and 'substantial' sound. The trebles were refined and not 'shouty'. This is me coming from an AK300. The WM1A made my AK300 feels lean. But I also realise my AK300 has a wider sound stage although not necessarily deep sound stage. 

So got the unit and took it out of the box. First instant of listening on the SE jack, it does somewhat feels bassy. Not sure if its placebo, brain tricks, etc. But I did remember it wasn't as bassy. Obviously I am using the same IEM and cable, etc. I placed it on a 10 hour burn-in and it seems better. It was a completely different story for the Balanced jack though. My 64Audio U4-SE got a major 'uplift' going from SE to Balanced (I also changed from stock SE cable to EA Eros II Balanced cable). I did go back to SE on the same cable (via EA Balanced 2.5mm to 3.5mm SE converter) and was able to confirm that too. By the way 0 hour burn in on the Balanced jack. So I have no explanations for the Balanced jack.

When I got my WM1A new replacement unit, I placed both jacks on a 100 hour burn-in each just for the sake of it. Post burn-in, they sound just the same as my first WM1A player. Sounds great. 



JeremyLaurenson said:


> I am running my 200 hours and noticed that the unit lasts very long but suddenly went from 4/5ths power to “plug me in or I’ll die” in a very short time comparatively. Have you folks seen this? The gauge is essentially not accurate and linear


You do have to factor in power reserve. Lithium batteries does not like being over-drained. So the 'last bar' would go very quickly. It is basically how the firmware engineer programs the battery indicator. Some are 'big steps' while some are 'small steps'. Yes they can be non-linear because they are based on characteristics of a lithium ion battery. 



Darksoul said:


> I've noticed some other things when I turn on the WM1A, and the balanced output is connected, I hear a faint mechanical clicking noise coming out of the device. I'm not worried about it, it's just that didn't happen with SE output.


That is normal and from reading previous posts, it is due to sampling rate changes (dictated by the file you're playing). In some of my IEMs I can hear small 'clicks' and 'pops' while others are completely silent. However I kinda like that when changing tracks, its feels 'analogue' like putting in a record. LOL.


----------



## nc8000

Darksoul said:


> Well..my balanced cable from LQi eventually arrived; not because of LQi, it's just ****ty customs in my country. I've been listening through the balanced output of this thing. And well, I mean:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The mechanical click is normal and due to swaps between the two clocks, the one for multiples of 44khz and the other for multiples of 48khz. 

One scientific reason balanced can sound better is due to the elemination of the common ground wich eliminates possible bleed between left and right usually leading to a darker background.


----------



## nanaholic

The clicking is due to a mechanical protection relay in the headphone output which is triggered whenever some things happen in the circuit such as changing clocks which could lead to a fluctuation in the output and causes damage to the headphone and/or your ears. It is completely normal.


----------



## Whitigir

A scientific reason is that human has 2 ears, and so a separated 2 channels will work better than a 1-0.75 channel (which is single ended) LOL!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 4, 2018)

tgrosu said:


> One question for all Sony WM1 owners (I also have the 1A). Is this a bassy player? I don't know if the question makes sense to you...
> 
> Today I have auditioned the IE800s with my WM1A, and I have tried for the first time the balanced port. Up until now, I have only used the SE port, so these were my first 50 minutes with the balanced one. As we know, IE800s is not a terribly bassy headphone. However what I've heard was a disappointing outcome: a very bass oriented combination, which I didn't like at all...
> 
> ...



Peoples interpretation of bass and too much bass can vary from person to person. But I would completely agree that the woolly sound your getting is simply because the 4.4mm TRRRS Pentaconn amplifier section is not burned in enough. You will notice the biggest differences in the first 50 hours, where the soundstage will open up and the tone will become more balanced. Then after an additional 150 hours you will have reached the time area Sony has recommended for burn-in. It’s due to the style of Panasonic capacitors they use, which are very different. These burn in recommendations are actually written directions built into the firmware for everyone to read and follow; not my opinion.


----------



## rcoleman1

@Redcarmoose which Sony IEM and cable is that pictured above?


----------



## mwhals

Lacevos said:


> For every minute it remains disconnected (in standby mode) it takes more than two minutes to recover the lost load. Or does it just happen to me?



That is just physics. You always get less energy output than what is input, because nothing is 100% efficient.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 4, 2018)

Sony XBA-Z5

Sony Flagship from 2014, still not replaced as their top dog IEM. Though many of us think a new Sony Flagship will be out soon! 
https://www.sony.co.id/en/electronics/in-ear-headphones/xba-z5





rcoleman1 said:


> @Redcarmoose which Sony IEM and cable is that pictured above?



Sony MUC-M12NB1 Headphone Cable 4.4mm Pentaconn-MMCX

“The MUC-M12NB1 audio cable delivers high quality sound, reproducing the atmosphere of the original recording thanks to its Star Quad structure. Silver coated OFC is used, resulting in smooth high frequencies. Separate left and right ground conductors give a feeling of acoustic space and ensure tight bass sound.”

Went for it as it just looked better built than the Kimber next to it at Sony Flagship store Japan. Made in China though! Only $129.

My humble opinion:
Perfect length, sounds good.

http://www.accessoryjack.com/sony-muc-m12nb1-balanced-standard-1-2m-headphone-cable-black.html
They sell em on EBay.
https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-m12nb1


----------



## rcoleman1

Thanks for the Sony info @Redcarmoose. Considering a Sony IEM for my 1Z.


----------



## Redcarmoose

rcoleman1 said:


> Thanks for the Sony info @Redcarmoose. Considering a Sony IEM for my 1Z.


XBA-N3BP Is another and it actually comes with the 4.4mm cable. Also the N3 IEM fits better and has better over-all ergonomics than the Z5. Still the Z5 is a more mature sound.........but it costs 2X as much.


----------



## Hanafuda

Redcarmoose said:


> Peoples interpretation of bass and too much bass can vary from person to person. But I would completely agree that the woolly sound your getting is simply because the 4.4mm TRRRS Pentaconn amplifier section is not burned in enough. You will notice the biggest differences in the first 50 hours, where the soundstage will open up and the tone will become more balanced. Then after an additional 150 hours you will have reached the time area Sony has recommended for burn-in. It’s due to the style of Panasonic capacitors they use, which are very different. These burn in recommendations are actually written directions built into the firmware for everyone to read and follow; not my opinion.





mmmmm .... miyako manju.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Lol. Gone......


----------



## Hanafuda (Jul 4, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Lol. Gone......




Yeah they never last long. When I lived in Japan, I was in Hiroshima where they make momiji manju (shaped like a maple leaf). I suffered withdrawals when I left lol.

Happy 4th.


----------



## kingdixon

Guys any one know where i can get a custom adapter with one side 4.4 mm male right angle and the other side 3.5 mm trrs female, ideally just in one piece, if not, a cable also would be fine, for a reasonable price may be around 50$ more or less


----------



## kubig123

kingdixon said:


> Guys any one know where i can get a custom adapter with one side 4.4 mm male right angle and the other side 3.5 mm trrs female, ideally just in one piece, if not, a cable also would be fine, for a reasonable price may be around 50$ more or less


Sound quite an impossible quest. On buyee you can find some adapters with a right angle 4.4mm plug, but if you consider the fees and shipping, they will cost around $100. If you want to built one your self, pentaconn is the only manufacturer that produces right angle plugs, but just the plug cost over $50.


----------



## kingdixon

kubig123 said:


> Sound quite an impossible quest. On buyee you can find some adapters with a right angle 4.4mm plug, but if you consider the fees and shipping, they will cost around $100. If you want to built one your self, pentaconn is the only manufacturer that produces right angle plugs, but just the plug cost over $50.



Lol, sorry i didnt check the prices of the pentacon plugs, i only searched for ready made ones and couldnt find any, so i was thinking it is just an adapter meh .. hahaha i guess it is different now after knowing the prices, well i will do more searching, and i will tell here if i reached something out, because i cant walk around like this .. too ugly LOL also afraid it affects the socket badly.


----------



## kubig123

kingdixon said:


> Lol, sorry i didnt check the prices of the pentacon plugs, i only searched for ready made ones and couldnt find any, so i was thinking it is just an adapter meh .. hahaha i guess it is different now after knowing the prices, well i will do more searching, and i will tell here if i reached something out, because i cant walk around like this .. too ugly LOL also afraid it affects the socket badly.


Yes,
In the long run it can damage the socket, consider also the possibility to re-terminate the cable, it could be the cheapest option.


----------



## kingdixon

kubig123 said:


> Yes,
> In the long run it can damage the socket, consider also the possibility to re-terminate the cable, it could be the cheapest option.



Ye i will check it out


----------



## joherdi

gerelmx1986 said:


> Terrific performance, shame they didn't record the complete sonatas



Great, amazing


----------



## NaiveSound

When will Sony release the next wm1z/a. Or you know... Their successor


----------



## alphanumerix1

NaiveSound said:


> When will Sony release the next wm1z/a. Or you know... Their successor



Let's me look into my crystal ball.


----------



## kubig123

NaiveSound said:


> When will Sony release the next wm1z/a. Or you know... Their successor


Is your wallet ready?


----------



## NaiveSound

kubig123 said:


> Is your wallet ready?



I got lube, I'm ready to be screwed out of a lot. Maybe.... I didn't find the wm1a worth it. The 1z was very nice  but too steep in $ for a value


----------



## proedros

NaiveSound said:


> I got lube, I'm ready to be screwed out of a lot. Maybe.... I didn't find the wm1a worth it. The 1z was very nice  but too steep in $ for a value



*Selling a mojo /poly combo

Because it's garbage*
*
*
man you are a legend , 


here is one more awesome prog house comp for your pleasure - enjoy


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> *Selling a mojo /poly combo
> 
> Because it's garbage
> 
> ...




Omg I love deep dish 

Hey? Any known playlists or albums on Tidal on the best of Prog House? Of course I've typed it in and listened to all they had listed. But each time you give me a list it's something I love and never heard before.... How do I get all your content?

I can't do the YouTube thing tho... The quality is so bad... I can fart in a megaphone for a higher resolution


----------



## northixora

Redcarmoose said:


> Sony XBA-Z5
> 
> Sony Flagship from 2014, still not replaced as their top dog IEM. Though many of us think a new Sony Flagship will be out soon!
> https://www.sony.co.id/en/electronics/in-ear-headphones/xba-z5
> ...



You'll hate the cable


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 5, 2018)

northixora said:


> You'll hate the cable


It’s just a cable........but why do you think that.......Sunshine?

They only cost $129, been fine for months.


----------



## northixora

it slightly veiled the higher freqs


----------



## AeroSatan

northixora said:


> it slightly veiled the higher freqs


----------



## proedros

NaiveSound said:


> Omg I love deep dish
> 
> Hey? Any known playlists or albums on Tidal on the best of Prog House? Of course I've typed it in and listened to all they had listed. But each time you give me a list it's something I love and never heard before.... How do I get all your content?
> 
> I can't do the YouTube thing tho... The quality is so bad... I can fart in a megaphone for a higher resolution




yt links are just to get an idea , try and download this stuff in FLAC from legal or not so legal places....


----------



## Redcarmoose

northixora said:


> it slightly veiled the higher freqs



It’s not the brightest, but I do like the feel.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I like my XBA-Z5


----------



## NoMythsAudio

For anyone interested, I'm selling my mint Sony wm1a here on head-fi; https://www.head-fi.org/threads/for-sale-sony-nw-wm1a-dignis-case.883503/
Thanks.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

kubig123 said:


> Sound quite an impossible quest. On buyee you can find some adapters with a right angle 4.4mm plug, but if you consider the fees and shipping, they will cost around $100. If you want to built one your self, pentaconn is the only manufacturer that produces right angle plugs, but just the plug cost over $50.



Got a link to a pentagon 4.4 right angle plug? I have 4,4mm female connectors and maybe I’ll make myself a right angle extender


----------



## tgrosu

Hanafuda said:


> Are you saying it would take you 40 hours to fully recharge it from 'empty?'



How about this phenomenon? 

I fully charge the WM1A, I listen to it until the battery shows around 2/3 of the battery still charged, I turn off the screen (not powering off the device!) and in 7 hours time, when I get back home, it is fully discharged and powered off...

Do I need to power it off completely each time I know I won't be using it for several hours? Or is it a power management problem of some sort?

Did you experience it?


----------



## nc8000

tgrosu said:


> How about this phenomenon?
> 
> I fully charge the WM1A, I listen to it until the battery shows around 2/3 of the battery still charged, I turn off the screen (not powering off the device!) and in 7 hours time, when I get back home, it is fully discharged and powered off...
> 
> ...



I leave mine on all the time, has not been powered off in over a year and get about 20 hours play time per charge which for me equates to charging it every Sunday


----------



## tgrosu

nc8000 said:


> I leave mine on all the time, has not been powered off in over a year and get about 20 hours play time per charge which for me equates to charging it every Sunday



Hmm... That's strange, then. My unit is brand new, it shouldn't happen ...


----------



## tgrosu

nc8000 said:


> I leave mine on all the time, has not been powered off in over a year and get about 20 hours play time per charge which for me equates to charging it every Sunday



Do you leave your headphones inserted in the device? I am trying to eliminate possibilities...


----------



## kingdixon (Jul 5, 2018)

tgrosu said:


> How about this phenomenon?
> 
> I fully charge the WM1A, I listen to it until the battery shows around 2/3 of the battery still charged, I turn off the screen (not powering off the device!) and in 7 hours time, when I get back home, it is fully discharged and powered off...
> 
> ...



I don't think there were cases of battery inaccuracy or didn't read about it, so your best bet is either the battery is working ok or not ..

without the battery care option, i fully charged the battery and used it in multiple scenarios.

with screen off mostly all the time and shuffling mix of mp3s and flacs

Direct Sound On, no dsp at all, i got 33 hours
ALL DSP on, got around 20 hours
only Dynamic normalizer and tone control on, WITHOUT  DSEE HX; DC _Phase_ Linearizer   i got around 30 hours

I think thats enough to show status or the health of the battery.

Also iam not sure, what the bars reflect to in numbers on the battery icon, but if you are missing only 1 bar and the player shuts after 7 hours, this doesn't seem logical, thats why i mention inaccuracy although i never witnessed or read about this problem on a sony device

also take care, that playing around in the dap, specially screen on for a long time, switching different dsp on and off alot, and moving between songs alot .. too much of these actions can deplete the battery much faster.

Edited :

Also if your library is all flac or hires, using bluetooth, have nfc on .. it has different calculations for the battery


----------



## tgrosu

kingdixon said:


> I don't think there were cases of battery inaccuracy or didn't read about it, so your best bet is either the battery is working ok or not ..
> 
> without the battery care option, i fully charged the battery and used it in multiple scenarios.
> 
> ...



Thank you for the very detailed answer. I have the battery care option ticked. I will experiment. Thanks again, if everyone else have witnessed something similar, please shoot!


----------



## Whitigir

Also screen brightness if the screen is on all the time.  It warm the player up and also drain battery like a champion.  Especially if you love those spectrum analyzer or Vu-Meters.


----------



## nc8000

tgrosu said:


> Do you leave your headphones inserted in the device? I am trying to eliminate possibilities...



Most of the time yes


----------



## tgrosu

Whitigir said:


> Also screen brightness if the screen is on all the time.  It warm the player up and also drain battery like a champion.  Especially if you love those spectrum analyzer or Vu-Meters.



On mine, screen brightness below half, standard cover album screen, no fancy analyzers. Thanks!


----------



## kingdixon

tgrosu said:


> Thank you for the very detailed answer. I have the battery care option ticked. I will experiment. Thanks again, if everyone else have witnessed something similar, please shoot!



I did those tests, because first time i got the dap, i had battery care on charged it, with all dsp on and i got total 13 hours, so i was worried something is wrong

i had to turn all features off, just to test the battery, battery care is a cool option, but i felt that it takes something like 5 hours off, anyone has a more accurate number please chime in

but after seeing that the battery is fine you can turn it back on and will still give you enough hours


----------



## gerelmx1986

I leave my headphones connected on my WM1A an i haven't noticed a negative effect on battery life


----------



## kubig123

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Got a link to a pentagon 4.4 right angle plug? I have 4,4mm female connectors and maybe I’ll make myself a right angle extender


I found them only in Japan (Buyee, Amazon JP and similar).

These are the Pentaconn part numbers:
NBP1-14-004
NBP1–14–003 (OFC)

https://www.amazon.co.jp/PENTACONN-ペンタコン-L型黄銅-TYPE-NBP1-14-004/dp/B07B8N6WY3?language=en_US

https://www.amazon.co.jp/PENTACONN-...5938&sr=1-2-fkmr0&keywords=pentaconn++L+Shape


----------



## fiascogarcia

tgrosu said:


> How about this phenomenon?
> 
> I fully charge the WM1A, I listen to it until the battery shows around 2/3 of the battery still charged, I turn off the screen (not powering off the device!) and in 7 hours time, when I get back home, it is fully discharged and powered off...
> 
> ...


If the meter shows 2/3 charge, and you turn off the screen, it shouldn't be fully discharged after 7 hours time.  And not to the point that it powers off.  Only additional thoughts I can throw in are:
-It is improperly discharging if you are getting the low battery message after the 7 hours.  That sounds like a bad battery to me.  If you are basing the discharge on the little battery meter, your meter might be miscalibrated.
-On the issue of the unit turning off, you might go to settings and make sure it is not on the shutoff timer, which will turn it off after a chosen period of inactivity.


----------



## tgrosu

fiascogarcia said:


> If the meter shows 2/3 charge, and you turn off the screen, it shouldn't be fully discharged after 7 hours time.  And not to the point that it powers off.  Only additional thoughts I can throw in are:
> -It is improperly discharging if you are getting the low battery message after the 7 hours.  That sounds like a bad battery to me.  If you are basing the discharge on the little battery meter, your meter might be miscalibrated.
> -On the issue of the unit turning off, you might go to settings and make sure it is not on the shutoff timer, which will turn it off after a chosen period of inactivity.



Thank you! 
Regarding your last point  I will check, I don't remember seeing this option in the menu. However, even if it would trigger this option, it still should have some juice, which was not the case...


----------



## fiascogarcia

tgrosu said:


> Thank you!
> Regarding your last point  I will check, I don't remember seeing this option in the menu. However, even if it would trigger this option, it still should have some juice, which was not the case...


In settings go to Device Settings, and select Auto Power off.  Hate to say it, but it sounds like a defective battery.  Having no wi-fi on these, I would have to guess you could turn on every single available function and at 2/3 power not have it totally discharge in a 7 hour period, particularly with it being inactive over that time.  Unless you are getting 12 or more hours of use before you reach the 2/3 meter reading, at which point I would again guess meter calibration.


----------



## tgrosu

fiascogarcia said:


> In settings go to Device Settings, and select Auto Power off.  Hate to say it, but it sounds like a defective battery.  Having no wi-fi on these, I would have to guess you could turn on every single available function and at 2/3 power not have it totally discharge in a 7 hour period, particularly with it being inactive over that time.  Unless you are getting 12 or more hours of use before you reach the 2/3 meter reading, at which point I would again guess meter calibration.



Thank you! 

Actually, I did use it for at least 8-9 hours before showing that it still has 2/3 of battery. If it's a calibration issue, do you have any idea what can be done. Sorry for jumping with my feet literally on the forum with my questions


----------



## mw7485

tgrosu said:


> How about this phenomenon?
> 
> I fully charge the WM1A, I listen to it until the battery shows around 2/3 of the battery still charged, I turn off the screen (not powering off the device!) and in 7 hours time, when I get back home, it is fully discharged and powered off...
> 
> ...



How about these three things:

1) You are pressing pause when you have finished listening to the music aren't you? 
2) Bluetooth on?
3) NFC on?


----------



## fiascogarcia

tgrosu said:


> Thank you!
> 
> Actually, I did use it for at least 8-9 hours before showing that it still has 2/3 of battery. If it's a calibration issue, do you have any idea what can be done. Sorry for jumping with my feet literally on the forum with my questions


I honestly only know what I've read, which is to fully charge it, and then play it until it completely drains.  Not advisable on a regularly basis, but I've heard that will help recalibrate.


----------



## tgrosu

mw7485 said:


> How about these three things:
> 
> 1) You are pressing pause when you have finished listening to the music aren't you?
> 2) Bluetooth on?
> 3) NFC on?



Pause - yes 
BT - no
NFC - no

Thanks for giving it a thought


----------



## tgrosu

fiascogarcia said:


> I honestly only know what I've read, which is to fully charge it, and then play it until it completely drains.  Not advisable on a regularly basis, but I've heard that will help recalibrate.



OK, I will keep monitoring to see what is going on, if it continues to give me the same symptom, I'll try your advice. Thank you indeed!


----------



## proedros

bad battery , it's not logical to discharge in 7 hours of sleep mode

ask for a new wm1a/new battery

cheers


----------



## gerelmx1986

These Vivaldi "Dolby surround" CDs, i never had a dolby decoder, so they are plain stereo FLAC for me, Hell, they sound amazing from my WM1A balanced out, sounds i never heard before in th depths, they may have some sort of channel mapping or so but hell they sound just like notes come from every where


----------



## akãjerovia

gerelmx1986 said:


> These Vivaldi "Dolby surround" CDs, i never had a dolby decoder, so they are plain stereo FLAC for me, Hell, they sound amazing from my WM1A balanced out, sounds i never heard before in th depths, they may have some sort of channel mapping or so but hell they sound just like notes come from every where



Hello gerelmex1986! greetings from Paraguay, Viva Mexico cabrones! i'm currently saving for a wm1a to match with my Z7 and Z1R, can you please describe the difference between single ended Z7 and balanced Z7, does it need an amp? Gracias


----------



## gerelmx1986

akãjerovia said:


> Hello gerelmex1986! greetings from Paraguay, Viva Mexico cabrones! i'm currently saving for a wm1a to match with my Z7 and Z1R, can you please describe the difference between single ended Z7 and balanced Z7, does it need an amp? Gracias



No amp needed for balanced not SE, they shine best with balanced, the stage and instrument separation, micro-detailing is superb, love my MDR-Z7. With these vivaldi Discs, i heard sounds i never heard before, sounds that came from the depths of the recording, who knows where it was recorded seems like a church or cathedral, but yes, sounds that came from far awar wow


----------



## tgrosu

Guys,

Regar


proedros said:


> bad battery , it's not logical to discharge in 7 hours of sleep mode
> 
> ask for a new wm1a/new battery
> 
> cheers



Guys,

I have put the DAP to a test.

I almost fully charged it yesterday and I put it on the playing sequence (no special audio settings = direct).

It took 20 hours to deplete the battery. This time, I have also followed the sequence of messages given by the battery counter and I would say it was quite accurate (no fast, unexplainable depletion).

Given that, I admit that I am a little bit confused as to what is going on...


----------



## fiascogarcia

tgrosu said:


> Guys,
> 
> Regar
> 
> ...


Kind of baffling!  Sounds like the battery is good.  All I can think to do next is to run it to 2/3, then power it down until you use it next and see where the meter is when you turn back on.  And I don't know what that will tell you exactly other than that the battery is holding a charge when not in use.  I have mine set to power off after one hour of inactivity, and don't seem to see any degradation issues.


----------



## tgrosu

I will experiment along the lines you are suggesting. Thank you for the heads up!


----------



## akãjerovia

gerelmx1986 said:


> No amp needed for balanced not SE, they shine best with balanced, the stage and instrument separation, micro-detailing is superb, love my MDR-Z7. With these vivaldi Discs, i heard sounds i never heard before, sounds that came from the depths of the recording, who knows where it was recorded seems like a church or cathedral, but yes, sounds that came from far awar wow



Thanks Man!


----------



## Lacevos

How good, effective or safe is this:


----------



## nc8000

Lacevos said:


> How good, effective or safe is this:



Should be ok provided the cable is a balanced and not a single ended one


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jul 6, 2018)

Lacevos said:


> How good, effective or safe is this:


Is the normal 3.5mm plug and not the dual 3.5mm plugs? doesn't loo any good. It looks like Short circuit time


----------



## Lacevos (Jul 6, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Is the normal 3.5mm plug and not the dual 3.5mm plugs? doesn't loo any good. It looks like Short circuit time


 I thought so..... where did u find that dual adapter? I´m asking assuming that you got it in Mexico....


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lacevos said:


> I thought so..... where did u find that dual adapter? I´m asking assuming that you got it in Mexico....


The dual adapter was made by @Whitigir  and the other cable is one of the sony MUC series cables


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lacevos said:


> I thought so..... where did u find that dual adapter? I´m asking assuming that you got it in Mexico....


I got this for my XBA-Z5s  http://www.accessoryjack.com/sony-muc-m12nb1-balanced-standard-1-2m-headphone-cable-black.html

but there are these too
http://www.accessoryjack.com/acoustune-arc03-pentaconn-4-4mm-mmcx-balanced-re-cables-black.html
http://www.accessoryjack.com/acoustune-arc13-pentaconn-4-4mm-mmcx-balanced-re-cables-black.html

Accessory jack ship to mexico with normal mail (npt recommended as they stink) and FEDEX 10-day


----------



## kingdixon

Lacevos said:


> How good, effective or safe is this:



This shouldnt be used unless the iem cable is terminated into 3.5 trrs, i think if used with normal 3.5 trs cable it might cause a short circuit.


----------



## kingdixon

tgrosu said:


> Guys,
> 
> Regar
> 
> ...



What do you mean by, i almost fully charged it 

Either you did or did not, charge it till it says FULL,
It takes around 4 hours for me i guess.

But as long as the battery is not full, i think the experiment is not complete .. also that with battery care on or off ? And what kind of library, hi res only or mp3 , mixed ?


----------



## tgrosu

Dear kingdixon, 
Almost full means around 3.5 hours of charge. It didn't say full, so I guess just a little bit and I would have been there. 

Battery care: off.

No mp3, just flacs and dsd. 

But you're right, I should run the experiment appropriately. 

Thanks!


----------



## kingdixon

tgrosu said:


> Dear kingdixon,
> Almost full means around 3.5 hours of charge. It didn't say full, so I guess just a little bit and I would have been there.
> 
> Battery care: off.
> ...



Well buddy,

Only dsd and flac, your getting 20 hours with a missing half hour charge, i am pretty sure the battery is fine, according to sony estimations dsd only deplete battery in around 15 hours and flac only around 28 hours, so if your playing both with a 30 min missing battery charge, in average i think it is fine.


----------



## Audiophonicalistic

Update on my wm1a repair. Sent it in last week for a faulty 4.4 connector and will have my new replacement in on Tues. Thought it would take a month but only a week. Cant wait.


----------



## Hanafuda

To those who've run the rockbox destination tool on your WM1(A/Z) to change it to English, what destination code is best? I just opened my Japanese WM1A tonight, it's charging now. I want to make sure playlists and remote control are available. I know this is an issue with the zx300 b/c it doesn't have these features on all models so "E" is the preferred destination instead of "U." Same with the WM1? Or is "U" ok?


----------



## krayzie

Hanafuda said:


> To those who've run the rockbox destination tool on your WM1(A/Z) to change it to English, what destination code is best? I just opened my Japanese WM1A tonight, it's charging now. I want to make sure playlists and remote control are available. I know this is an issue with the zx300 b/c it doesn't have these features on all models so "E" is the preferred destination instead of "U." Same with the WM1? Or is "U" ok?



I changed my WM1A from "U" to "E" in order to gain remote control function.

I thought the JDM version has no English menu?


----------



## Hanafuda (Jul 7, 2018)

krayzie said:


> I changed my WM1A from "U" to "E" in order to gain remote control function.




What I needed to know. Thanks!



krayzie said:


> I thought the JDM version has no English menu?



AFAIK, once I set a new destination (E), it will.

EDIT: Yep. Success.


----------



## krayzie (Jul 7, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> When will Sony release the next wm1z/a. Or you know... Their successor



Sony might cook up something for 2019, the 40th anniversary of the Walkman.

However if history repeats itself, usually Sony would go all out during the high noon phase of a product cycle, then they will never top it again as it moves toward the sunset phase. The technology will keep moving but in terms of product grade level it probably has already reached plateau, unless some technological leap happens.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sony XBA-Z5 + comply foamies "comfort" series... smooth balanced sound with slight bass bump and slight more micro detailing and soundstage, yay no more itch


----------



## Redcarmoose

Classic Rock performance.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Can the WM1A connect to any kind of external storage like an SSD or flash drive?

Have a couple of TB of music and swapping microSD just isn't doing it for me.


----------



## Quadfather

Every now and then, I get on the thread and ask if there is anybody in Chicago or the surrounding suburbs who can let me listen to a Sony NW - WM1Z...


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> Every now and then, I get on the thread and ask if there is anybody in Chicago or the surrounding suburbs who can let me listen to a Sony NW - WM1Z...


I got my WM1A modded at MS. If you're here I'd let you have a listen.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jul 8, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Can the WM1A connect to any kind of external storage like an SSD or flash drive?
> 
> Have a couple of TB of music and swapping microSD just isn't doing it for me.


I have 1.07TB of music and yeah 400GB + 128GB gets me for 4-6 months play time. Like you i want to have ALL on the WM1A  Currently on the SD card i have arround 800 albums


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I got my WM1A modded at MS. If you're here I'd let you have a listen.



I am about 20 minutes south Illinois/Wisconsin state line.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> I am about 20 minutes south Illinois/Wisconsin state line.


I'm more than 20hr flight from you.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have 1.07TB of music and yeah 400GB + 128GB gets me for 4-6 months play time. Like you i want to have ALL on the WM1A  Currently on the SD card i have arround 800 albums


IKR? So hard to choose. Just when you think you've got the music you're most likely to listen to, the suddenly you get a craving for another piece that just isn't loaded. Damn.


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 8, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I'm more than 20hr flight from you.



Oh drats!  It just figures... LOL


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> Oh frats!  It just figures... LOL


Yeah, if you're ever in town...

Isn't there a store or a Sony showroom in Chicago?


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 8, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Yeah, if you're ever in town...
> 
> Isn't there a store or a Sony showroom in Chicago?



I have called several Sony website recommended stores, and nobody seems to have the gold Sony. And I meant drats, not frats.  LOL


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Man, that sucks. We do take the easy access we have here in SG for granted. But then I look at HK and Tokyo and I salivate.


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Man, that sucks. We do take the easy access we have here in SG for granted. But then I look at HK and Tokyo and I salivate.



In the USA, we pretty much have to just rely on headfi reviews.  Or order online and send it back if you don't like it which I always feel funny about.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> IKR? So hard to choose. Just when you think you've got the music you're most likely to listen to, the suddenly you get a craving for another piece that just isn't loaded. Damn.


I know this, the ear-worm strikes and you try to see if you have that song loaded on the walkman.. Damn nope...


----------



## gerelmx1986

One way of cramming more music into theselimited-storage devices, convert Hi-res tracks to 16/44.1 (while retaining originals)


----------



## nc8000

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Can the WM1A connect to any kind of external storage like an SSD or flash drive?
> 
> Have a couple of TB of music and swapping microSD just isn't doing it for me.



No, only micro SD


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> In the USA, we pretty much have to just rely on headfi reviews.  Or order online and send it back if you don't like it which I always feel funny about.


Yeah, I've noticed.
Was chatting with a friend about this. The topic was cable rolling.
We can quite easily walk into one of a few diff stores and just try a variety of cables with our preferred iems, get bored and hit another store in another part of town in 15min. In an afternoon you can hit 3 maybe 4 stores and listen till you're totally confused and fatigued.
And along the way you'll bump into people who have a number of diff players you can chat with.
At MS, for instance, it's like a WM1 club, lots of 1As and 1Zs among the regulars. Very eye opening to drop by and get poisoned by cables and other niceties.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

nc8000 said:


> No, only micro SD


That doth sucketh.


----------



## Hanafuda (Jul 8, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> IKR? So hard to choose. Just when you think you've got the music you're most likely to listen to, the suddenly you get a craving for another piece that just isn't loaded. Damn.



Happens to me too. First world problems. There once was a time when we had to get up off the sofa and flip the record just to hear the other half of the album.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Hanafuda said:


> Happens to me too. First world problems. There once was a time when we had to get up off the sofa and flip the record just to hear the other half of the album.


What's a *destination tool*?


----------



## Hanafuda

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> What's a *destination tool*?




That was a dangling bit of text leftover from a post I didn't have to make last night. I just got my WM1A, and it's a Japan model. I had to use the Rockbox destination tool to change the region so my OS would be in English.


----------



## NaiveSound

Sony Walkman 40th anniversary might be the successor of wm1a/1z release. 
A poster might be right


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

NaiveSound said:


> Sony Walkman 40th anniversary might be the successor of wm1a/1z release.
> A poster might be right


Where do you see these rumors? Your Google-fu must be many levels higher than mine. I can't find anything on this _Sony 40th Anniversary Walkman._

I reckon it'll be a good excuse to get a new toy.


----------



## XP_98

Hello I am a happy new owner of a WM1Z (still waiting for my balanced cable) 
I'd like to use Sense Me, but after installing the "Sense Me Setup" software by clicking on this option in the WM1Z menu, I can't get the function to work properly. It scans the about 7000 flac files (plus a few DSD) already on the Sony (with drag and drop), at the beginning slowly, then very fast. But when it's finished, the DAP tells "all the files could not be analysed", and Sense Me Station shows me only a dozen of files...
How should I proceed ?
Could someone get it to work properly with a large amount of FLAC files ?

Thank your for your help


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

XP_98 said:


> Hello I am a happy new owner of a WM1Z (still waiting for my balanced cable)
> I'd like to use Sense Me, but after installing the "Sense Me Setup" software by clicking on this option in the WM1Z menu, I can't get the function to work properly. It scans the about 7000 flac files (plus a few DSD) already on the Sony (with drag and drop), at the beginning slowly, then very fast. But when it's finished, the DAP tells "all the files could not be analysed", and Sense Me Station shows me only a dozen of files...
> How should I proceed ?
> Could someone get it to work properly with a large amount of FLAC files ?
> ...


Never used it. Don't know what it does.
Still enjoy my WM1A though.


----------



## nc8000

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Where do you see these rumors? Your Google-fu must be many levels higher than mine. I can't find anything on this _Sony 40th Anniversary Walkman._
> 
> I reckon it'll be a good excuse to get a new toy.



Nothing has been announced yet, it is pure speculation based only on Sony track record. Jason has mentioned that something is coming but that he can’t talk about it yet


----------



## emrelights1973

krayzie said:


> Sony might cook up something for 2019, the 40th anniversary of the Walkman.
> 
> However if history repeats itself, usually Sony would go all out during the high noon phase of a product cycle, then they will never top it again as it moves toward the sunset phase. The technology will keep moving but in terms of product grade level it probably has already reached plateau, unless some technological leap happens.



Even a non gold colored z1 is enough to tempt me....


----------



## nc8000

XP_98 said:


> Hello I am a happy new owner of a WM1Z (still waiting for my balanced cable)
> I'd like to use Sense Me, but after installing the "Sense Me Setup" software by clicking on this option in the WM1Z menu, I can't get the function to work properly. It scans the about 7000 flac files (plus a few DSD) already on the Sony (with drag and drop), at the beginning slowly, then very fast. But when it's finished, the DAP tells "all the files could not be analysed", and Sense Me Station shows me only a dozen of files...
> How should I proceed ?
> Could someone get it to work properly with a large amount of FLAC files ?
> ...



I think the files have to be processed/analyzed by the Sony software on a computer first


----------



## XP_98 (Jul 8, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> I think the files have to be processed/analyzed by the Sony software on a computer first


That's not what Sense Me said in his message, but maybe I should try it this way...


----------



## gerelmx1986

I once tried sensme on the MediaGo software and the tool took a week to scan my files


----------



## nc8000

XP_98 said:


> That's not what Sense Me states, but maybe I should try it this way...



*Digital Music PlayerNW-WM1A/WM1Z*







*Using [SensMe™ Channels]*


The [SensMe™ Channels] function automatically groups tracks by theme. You can play tracks to suit your mood, current activity, the time of day, and more.

To use the [SensMe™ Channels] function on the Walkman, tracks must be analyzed by Music Center for PC before you transfer the tracks. To analyze tracks, activate the 12 TONE ANALYSIS function on Music Center for PC. The tracks that are imported to Music Center for PC will be automatically analyzed and the results will be set to the tracks. For details on operation, see the Music Center for PC support website.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 8, 2018)

For many of us we started with Media Go, then finally settled simply transferring files to a card, bypassing the software from Sony. Simply placing a file called “Music” on a big card, or a folder on the device called “Music” then adding music files into it, became way faster. It seems the Sony software takes forever.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_Go


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> Nothing has been announced yet, it is pure speculation based only on Sony track record. Jason has mentioned that something is coming but that he can’t talk about it yet



Who is Jason? What is the probability of anything


----------



## Lookout57

Jason is one of the forum sponsors https://www.head-fi.org/sponsors/thesourceav/.

If you are ever in Southern California you should visit his shop. He has almost every headphone and amp you can think of that you can try.


----------



## NaiveSound

Lookout57 said:


> Jason is one of the forum sponsors https://www.head-fi.org/sponsors/thesourceav/.
> 
> If you are ever in Southern California you should visit his shop. He has almost every headphone and amp you can think of that you can try.



What inside info does he have? Like the area??  You know? What can he know that we can't??


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

emrelights1973 said:


> Even a non gold colored z1 is enough to tempt me....





NaiveSound said:


> What inside info does he have? Like the area??  You know? What can he know that we can't??







I reckon if he's a significant member of the trade he might have developed a network of "little birds" and be sitting like a "spider" in the middle of his web.


----------



## NaiveSound

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I reckon if he's a significant member of the trade he might have developed a network of "little birds" and be sitting like a "spider" in the middle of his web.



Well, can't he tease us just a bit?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

NaiveSound said:


> Well, can't he tease us just a bit?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Just enjoying my WM1A with 24/44.1 Bach Trumpet arrangements


----------



## turbo87 (Jul 9, 2018)

.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Harpsichord music in Hi-res Quality


----------



## PointyFox

"... tracks must be analyzed by Music Center for PC". 
I can't get "Music Center for PC" to analyze my tracks. The program crashes every time.
Maybe it's because I have some tracks with Chinese characters in their names / metadata?


----------



## XP_98 (Jul 9, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> *Digital Music PlayerNW-WM1A/WM1Z*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ok, thank you. When I installed the Sense Me program on my PC by activiting the option on my WM1Z, it told me it would scan the "music already installed on my player"... But obviously it didn't work.
So I try by erasing the files and beginning by analysing on my laptop.
But it runs since yesterday evening (already 8 hours) and still processing...
I have around 7000 FLAC files, how long should it take ?


----------



## nc8000

XP_98 said:


> Ok, thank you. When I installed the Sense Me program on my PC by activiting the option on my WM1Z, it told me it would scan the "music already installed on my player"... But obviously it didn't work.
> So I try by erasing the files and beginning by analysing on my laptop.
> But it runs since yesterday evening (already 8 hours) and still processing...
> I have around 7000 FLAC files, how long should it take ?




I don’t know as I don’t use this feature or software. Gerelmx stated earlier that it took over a week for him


----------



## Redcarmoose

It may depend on your computers processing power too? But a long........long....time.


----------



## kingdixon

I have some questions in mind, don't know if they were asked but i couldn't find them on previous pages.

I wanted to talk pros and cons of native vs dop. (not raising an argument or a debate just checking which is the better way to go for most people here)

Did anyone feel a clear difference between native DSD vs DOP on wm1a, even if there is a track you feel that it shows a difference more evident than other tracks, mention it here. 

I can't touch a difference but my mind keeps telling me go native go native LOL, so about other aspects how is the battery consumption for both, which is more heavy on the battery ?

An advantage for me with the DOP that it responds to dynamic normalizer, i don't need to alter the volume too much, but using native the volume is always lower than flacs when iam shuffling, so i keep changing volume.

Also, on a side note, i always use dynamic normalizer because i like the idea, but i never really compared the music with and without, now i read lots of people hating on dynamic normalizer, i will have to compare it out myself but for people who shuffle, do you use it or not ??


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jul 9, 2018)

XP_98 said:


> Ok, thank you. When I installed the Sense Me program on my PC by activiting the option on my WM1Z, it told me it would scan the "music already installed on my player"... But obviously it didn't work.
> So I try by erasing the files and beginning by analysing on my laptop.
> But it runs since yesterday evening (already 8 hours) and still processing...
> I have around 7000 FLAC files, how long should it take ?


I once did for 45,000+ FLAC files it took 1 week (i made pauses at night by turning the pc off)
Today i have 54, 268 files


----------



## gerelmx1986

One more thing I want included on the sony 40th anniversary or FW update for WM1A is: Simplified Screen-shot making process.

Do the 3s power button press and bring the dialog of turning it off or restart and include an option ofr taking screenshot


----------



## Whitigir

kingdixon said:


> I have some questions in mind, don't know if they were asked but i couldn't find them on previous pages.
> 
> I wanted to talk pros and cons of native vs dop. (not raising an argument or a debate just checking which is the better way to go for most people here)
> 
> ...



Native DSD is only playback within the player, as soon as you go digital output, it gets converted to Multi-bit, and that is going to be DSD over PCM, which is DOP


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Native DSD is only playback within the player, as soon as you go digital output, it gets converted to Multi-bit, and that is going to be DSD over PCM, which is DOP



And only on the balanced side. The single ended side is also converted


----------



## kingdixon

Whitigir said:


> Native DSD is only playback within the player, as soon as you go digital output, it gets converted to Multi-bit, and that is going to be DSD over PCM, which is DOP



I guess i understood wrong then, when i uncheck the native DSD option, what am i listening to now ? i thought it converts to PCM.


----------



## Whitigir

kingdixon said:


> I guess i understood wrong then, when i uncheck the native DSD option, what am i listening to now ? i thought it converts to PCM.


If you uncheck the Native DSD, it probably is down conversion to PcM as it is the thing that Walkman do back in Zx2, zx2 was unable to do Native DSD


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> If you uncheck the Native DSD, it probably is down conversion to PcM as it is the thing that Walkman do back in Zx2, zx2 was unable to do Native DSD


And it is the best DSD to PCM conversion 've heard to date


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kingdixon said:


> I have some questions in mind, don't know if they were asked but i couldn't find them on previous pages.
> 
> I wanted to talk pros and cons of native vs dop. (not raising an argument or a debate just checking which is the better way to go for most people here)
> 
> ...


I have dynamic normalizer turned on all the time. What's there to hate?


----------



## kingdixon

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I have dynamic normalizer turned on all the time. What's there to hate?



Well, i use it as replay gain, and i think thats what it is intended to do, but read other opinions, that it works using a compression algorithm that cause quality loss and affects the dynamics of the song itself, but i don't hear anything wrong LOL, So wanted to see if someone else use it or not


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kingdixon said:


> Well, i use it as replay gain, and i think thats what it is intended to do, but read other opinions, that it works using a compression algorithm that cause quality loss and affects the dynamics of the song itself, but i don't hear anything wrong LOL, So wanted to see if someone else use it or not


Yeah, me neither. Maybe my ears are too old


----------



## Giraku

kingdixon said:


> Well, i use it as replay gain, and i think thats what it is intended to do, but read other opinions, that it works using a compression algorithm that cause quality loss and affects the dynamics of the song itself, but i don't hear anything wrong LOL, So wanted to see if someone else use it or not


It requires one extra step of signal processing that may adversely affect the sound quality. So for the purist (including me), any processing is better to be avoided whenever you can. I realize that this sounds like I'm OCD...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 9, 2018)

Spoiler: As has been noted in other threads, Dynamic Normalizer is not EQ or dynamic volume adjustment, but a sledgehammer compression algorithm, like the infamous Pro Tools Finalizer. It's the same technology that the industry is using in the Loudness War (google) to squash all recorded music into the dynamic equivalent of Death Magnetic. Some critics of the Loudness War say that "hot" (=overcompressed) music has become so prevalent today that younger listeners have come to prefer it. Music with totally squashed dynamics is the new normal. If bricked music is anyone's personal preference, then the Dynamic Squasher, er, Normalizer is the setting for them.



As has been noted in other threads, Dynamic Normalizer is not EQ or dynamic volume adjustment, but a sledgehammer compression algorithm, like the infamous Pro Tools Finalizer. It's the same technology that the industry is using in the Loudness War (google) to squash all recorded music into the dynamic equivalent of Death Magnetic. Some critics of the Loudness War say that "hot" (=overcompressed) music has become so prevalent today that younger listeners have come to prefer it. Music with totally squashed dynamics is the new normal. If bricked music is anyone's personal preference, then the Dynamic Squasher, er, Normalizer is the setting for them.








Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I have dynamic normalizer turned on all the time. What's there to hate?


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sonys-dynamic-normalizer-bad-idea.451513/


----------



## krayzie (Jul 9, 2018)

IIRC the dynamic normalizer was first made available on the MZ-RH1 minidisc recorder. I don't think it was really intended for music use but for speech recordings, then again I could be wrong. On that machine if the normalizer is turned on, any DSP special effects / EQ functions would be disabled.


----------



## Hanafuda

The normalizer doesn't sound like something I want to touch. The 'phase linearizer' is a total mystery to me, but I can't honestly say I dislike the effect. What's the deal with that one?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I don't touch any efefct most of the times


----------



## captblaze

not missing my WA-8 Eclipse as much as I thought I would


----------



## choisan

anyone heard a new model coming this year?


----------



## nanaholic

Hanafuda said:


> The normalizer doesn't sound like something I want to touch. The 'phase linearizer' is a total mystery to me, but I can't honestly say I dislike the effect. What's the deal with that one?



Basically it tries to reproduce the phase response of tube amps.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

nanaholic said:


> Basically it tries to reproduce the phase response of tube amps.


I reckon it's worth playing with. At the end of the day, if you like the "sound" then you like it. No one's forced to listen to what you like.


----------



## Tawek

What a synergy 1z ( 1.02 firmware )+ gold-plated copper cable + ex1000 I have no words ...


----------



## tgrosu

Tawek said:


> What a synergy 1z ( 1.02 firmware )+ gold-plated copper cable + ex1000 I have no words ...


What kind of music do you listen to?


----------



## Whitigir

Tawek said:


> What a synergy 1z ( 1.02 firmware )+ gold-plated copper cable + ex1000 I have no words ...


Very nice color matching.  Now u need to polish your black housing into gold !


----------



## Tawek

Electronic - ambient  (Astronaut Ape , Schiller , Koan ,Enigma, Enya, Blank& Jones , Leon Bolier )  
80's -90's , Pink Floyd ...


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> Very nice color matching.  Now u need to polish your black housing into gold !







Or get one of these. I'd love to see someone speculate how this will change the sound signature. Hahahahaha


----------



## Whitigir

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Or get one of these. I'd love to see someone speculate how this will change the sound signature. Hahahahaha


Best way to c*0*nvert 1A to 1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jul 10, 2018)

Next model or not, we shall wait for the IFA 2018 starting on August 31. And no leaks will pop until sony almost makes their press conference at the IFA.


----------



## denis1976

the new model that will be marketed will be called Sony 1Z cheap, this is what the rumors are for, they are for people to sell what they have at a low price))


----------



## Sarcasmo

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Got a link to a pentagon 4.4 right angle plug? I have 4,4mm female connectors and maybe I’ll make myself a right angle extender


If it's not a Pentaconn original right angled 4.4mm plug you're after then there are a few third party plugs available from various sellers. Average about 10-12USD per plug.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sarcasmo said:


> If it's not a Pentaconn original right angled 4.4mm plug you're after then there are a few third party plugs available from various sellers. Average about 10-12USD per plug.


I saw some one show an original pentaconn right-angled on their packaging. I know also sony Upgrade cables that are 4.4mm balanced have right-angle plugs. The Upgrade cable for my XBA-Z5 is right-angled, smae for the MDR-Z1R stock 4.4mm cable


----------



## Cheekymahony (Jul 10, 2018)

Acoustune do a 4.4 right angled Pentaconn balanced cable (ARK13 I believe). It's a good cable, I used it with a pair of XBA-H3's and now with some Campfire Andromedas. I got mine from Accessory Jack, cheaper than the Sony cable.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Cheekymahony said:


> Acoustune do a 4.4 right angled Pentaconn balanced cable (ARK13 I believe). It's a good cable, I used it with a pair of XBA-H3's and now with some Campfire Andromedas. I got mine from Accessory Jack, cheaper than the Sony cable.


How do the XBA-H3 sound balanced? i never liked them and sold my pair in favor of the XBA-A3, then sold these for the XBA-Z5


----------



## koven

Does anyone know if the Kimber Sony cable right angle 4.4mm is Pentaconn?


----------



## PointyFox

koven said:


> Does anyone know if the Kimber Sony cable right angle 4.4mm is Pentaconn?


All the Sony 4.4mm are Pentaconn. I don't think I've seen a 4.4mm that wasn't.


----------



## gerelmx1986

koven said:


> Does anyone know if the Kimber Sony cable right angle 4.4mm is Pentaconn?


seems like all sony's 4.4mm offerings are Right-angled, even the cheaper version of the upgrade cable i have for my XBA-Z5


----------



## gerelmx1986

Some late night listening


----------



## PointyFox

I have all my music sorted by folder.  Is it possible to play a folder with folders inside it? I know all my previous DAPs could. I can't seem to figure out how to do this on the WM1A.  Say I have it sorted like MUSIC->Bands->Band 1->Album 1, Album 2.  Could I play Band 1 and have it select songs from Album 1 and Album 2?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

PointyFox said:


> I have all my music sorted by folder.  Is it possible to play a folder with folders inside it? I know all my previous DAPs could. I can't seem to figure out how to do this on the WM1A.  Say I have it sorted like MUSIC->Bands->Band 1->Album 1, Album 2.  Could I play Band 1 and have it select songs from Album 1 and Album 2?


I don't know if it can do that since I have never like playing songs from a folder on any of my systems. Sounds like you'd be able to achieve you exact outcome by just selecting by artist and playing ALL.


----------



## koven (Jul 11, 2018)

Anyone have the Dignis case? Is it worth the $?


----------



## aisalen

PointyFox said:


> I have all my music sorted by folder.  Is it possible to play a folder with folders inside it? I know all my previous DAPs could. I can't seem to figure out how to do this on the WM1A.  Say I have it sorted like MUSIC->Bands->Band 1->Album 1, Album 2.  Could I play Band 1 and have it select songs from Album 1 and Album 2?


Yes, if you play Album 1. Once it is finished, it will proceed automatically to next folder Album 2, after that to the next available until you exhaust all your available folder. So it means it will continue to play all your music collection until the last folder under folder starting with letter Z.


----------



## PointyFox

aisalen said:


> Yes, if you play Album 1. Once it is finished, it will proceed automatically to next folder Album 2, after that to the next available until you exhaust all your available folder. So it means it will continue to play all your music collection until the last folder under folder starting with letter Z.



Let's say I have a folder with modern music and one of classical, each containing folders per artist or composer.  Can I play everything in the modern music folder but randomized?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

koven said:


> Anyone have the Dignis case? Is it worth the $?


Oh, hell YES!
I have 2 and thinking of getting a third. All different colours
I'll make a post about this and other cases later


----------



## Elyfantman

Where do you get them? Any US retailers?


----------



## 480126

koven said:


> Anyone have the Dignis case? Is it worth the $?


I don´t have the Dignis case because I think it is to expencive. Have a look a the Valentinum Case - etsy com -. It´s great and fit the Sony very well


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Jul 11, 2018)

Elyfantman said:


> Where do you get them? Any US retailers?


The Dignis case? Get them from their website. They're fast to ship.


----------



## aisalen

PointyFox said:


> Let's say I have a folder with modern music and one of classical, each containing folders per artist or composer.  Can I play everything in the modern music folder but randomized?


Probably not, though I do not have check for it as I am playing all collection in circle from folder starting from A to Z. Also, my style is that in every album, I remove tracks that I do not want to avoid using forward button. I think your best bet is to play by playlist then play randomly, I have no experience either.


----------



## gerelmx1986

You can play by folder going to the library screen, swipe from right to left and there is the folder category


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> The Dignis case? Get them from their website. They're fast to ship.







*This limited edition Dignis case is back.* Got email today that they’re back in stock. I’ve already ordered mine!

http://mobile--shop2.dignis.cafe24....ted-case/175/?cate_no=84&display_group=1#none


----------



## kingdixon

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> *This limited edition Dignis case is back.* Got email today that they’re back in stock. I’ve already ordered mine!
> 
> http://mobile--shop2.dignis.cafe24....ted-case/175/?cate_no=84&display_group=1#none




As much as i love how it looks, i find it very expensive for me, actually the market has gone crazy long time ago, cables and cases that cost hundreds of dollars ..

what happened to normal mobile cases 20$ or 30$ , now i got a couple of daps i need 300$ cases for them, i would rather put those forward to a new iem or a headphone, but thats just me.

sorry , just letting out some anger LOL

Anyway it looks awesome ;P   I might end up getting one, who knows


----------



## Elyfantman

I find this to be the most practical solution for me. It allows me to use a stick on belt clip so I can clip it to a belt or pocket and still have access to the buttons. The cover over the buttons also have reference bumps so I can find the correct button without looking at it. I also use a glass screen protector. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Benks-Flex...653405?hash=item4d71ad211d:g:~jwAAOSwtSJa0JYT

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VVHZZHO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079JPK1L6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kingdixon said:


> As much as i love how it looks, i find it very expensive for me, actually the market has gone crazy long time ago, cables and cases that cost hundreds of dollars ..
> 
> what happened to normal mobile cases 20$ or 30$ , now i got a couple of daps i need 300$ cases for them, i would rather put those forward to a new iem or a headphone, but thats just me.
> 
> ...


You can still get more economical cases. There are a bunch of TPU and silicon cases available for the WM1A and, of course, other DAPs. My first case for the WM1A was a Benks TPU case. 
Was actually a little reluctant to get a leather case at first, but one dark and stormy night, I went stalking online and pulled the trigger. And when it arrived, I still hesitated. But once I slipped my WM1A into the Dignis case, I was absolutely sold!

I also have a Gregory pouch and recently picked up a VanNuys pouch for my favourite toy. Yes, I’m a little obsessive. And a bagaholic. Will post more pics here:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bagaholics-anonymous.881936/#post-14347793


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Elyfantman said:


> I find this to be the most practical solution for me. It allows me to use a stick on belt clip so I can clip it to a belt or pocket and still have access to the buttons. The cover over the buttons also have reference bumps so I can find the correct button without looking at it. I also use a glass screen protector.
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Benks-Flex...653405?hash=item4d71ad211d:g:~jwAAOSwtSJa0JYT
> 
> ...


The clip is very cool!!


----------



## Elyfantman

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> The clip is very cool!!



It works really well. I was worried it might not hold, but I've used it for several weeks now and there is no way its coming off the TPU surface.


----------



## Hanafuda (Jul 11, 2018)

IMHO, TPU FTW. Love it. Tough as nails, near invisible.










Whoa, these pics are huge. Sorry about that lol. I just took the shots with my phone and uploaded them to ibb, didn't think about size. Well, its 2018, I don't think anyone really needs a 56k warning anymore.


----------



## linux4ever

PointyFox said:


> I have all my music sorted by folder.  Is it possible to play a folder with folders inside it? I know all my previous DAPs could. I can't seem to figure out how to do this on the WM1A.  Say I have it sorted like MUSIC->Bands->Band 1->Album 1, Album 2.  Could I play Band 1 and have it select songs from Album 1 and Album 2?



Yeah I couldn't find a way to achieve this in wm1a. Except to create a playlist with all the songs that I want and hit random play or place all the files that I want to play into its own folder.

Dx200 all ak daps does provide the feature that you're describing. But sadly is missing here.

On another note, which iems have you all found to pair well with Wm1a with stick cable and with custom cable?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

linux4ever said:


> Yeah I couldn't find a way to achieve this in wm1a. Except to create a playlist with all the songs that I want and hit random play or place all the files that I want to play into its own folder.
> 
> Dx200 all ak daps does provide the feature that you're describing. But sadly is missing here.
> 
> On another note, which iems have you all found to pair well with Wm1a with stick cable and with custom cable?


That’s like asking what goes well with bacon. Or chocolate.
Answer: Everything!


----------



## kingdixon

I got this musashino case with the dap from the first owner, and it is pretty awesome, then got some dewalt portable bags and other brands from amazon, i remember one was called viiger. All with back hooks to hold to the belt loops for carry purpose.


----------



## Whitigir

Fun fact*

Did you know that WM1A anodized Aluminum Body is not conductive ?

On another hand, WM1Z goldplated body is *Conductive*. 

The question is....will the case be affecting the sound performances ?

Anyways, let’s stop the can of worm here


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> Fun fact*
> 
> Did you know that WM1A anodized Aluminum Body is not conductive ?
> 
> ...


Yes. I remember reading a translated interview with a Sony engineer who explained how grounding the internals to the case changes the sound signature due to the difference in conductivity.

Or maybe I dreamt the whole thing.

And why isn’t aluminium conductive? Is the anodising somehow insulating the metal?


----------



## yakitoroi

kingdixon said:


> I got this musashino case with the dap from the first owner, and it is pretty awesome, then got some dewalt portable bags and other brands from amazon, i remember one was called viiger. All with back hooks to hold to the belt loops for carry purpose.


I like that case, can you provide a photo of the top of the player? Want to see if all is protected. I like the dignis cases but don’t like that the top of the player is left naked.


----------



## Whitigir

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Yes. I remember reading a translated interview with a Sony engineer who explained how grounding the internals to the case changes the sound signature due to the difference in conductivity.
> 
> Or maybe I dreamt the whole thing.
> 
> And why isn’t aluminium conductive? Is the anodising somehow insulating the metal?


That is correct, anodizing will insulate the materials


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

yakitoroi said:


> I like that case, can you provide a photo of the top of the player? Want to see if all is protected. I like the dignis cases but don’t like that the top of the player is left naked.


Id like to know where to order for delivery to USA


----------



## captblaze

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Id like to know where to order for delivery to USA



Dignis does USA shipping, but it will cost >$25. I just was going to order the Walkman case until the shipping price popped up... dark blue will have to suffice.


----------



## Whitigir

Wait...u want a case of $200 and can’t pay $25 shipping ? I used to know a guy who bought  Lamborghini and couldn’t afford insurance or tire changes, so he sold it and glad that he did


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> Wait...u want a case of $200 and can’t pay $25 shipping ? I used to know a guy who bought  Lamborghini and couldn’t afford insurance or tire changes, so he sold it and glad that he did



I already have a dark blue, this would have been a grab just because.... probably TMI on my part, I was just passing on info... #KISS


----------



## Quadfather

A member of the trade is going to let me listen to their NW-WM1Z. I am so excited!


----------



## kingdixon

yakitoroi said:


> I like that case, can you provide a photo of the top of the player? Want to see if all is protected. I like the dignis cases but don’t like that the top of the player is left naked.



It has a thin leather part covering the upper area.


----------



## yakitoroi

kingdixon said:


> It has a thin leather part covering the upper area.


Thank you @kingdixon looking good. I like it.


----------



## Quadfather

kingdixon said:


> It has a thin leather part covering the upper area.



Do you have a link for this?


----------



## kingdixon

Quadfather said:


> Do you have a link for this?



I got it from the first owner, but i cant find any links for it out of japan, amazon jp, yahoo auctions, buyee, it goes by "musashino label"


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kingdixon said:


> I got it from the first owner, but i cant find any links for it out of japan, amazon jp, yahoo auctions, buyee, it goes by "musashino label"


_Yodabashi_ seems to have it but I don't know if they'll ship overseas or if Buyee can do a buy-on-behalf.

https://www.yodobashi.com/category/22052/500000073035/m0000034817/


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> _Yodabashi_ seems to have it but I don't know if they'll ship overseas or if Buyee can do a buy-on-behalf.
> 
> https://www.yodobashi.com/category/22052/500000073035/m0000034817/


Lots more pics here on Kakaku.com


----------



## Audiophonicalistic

Quadfather said:


> A member of the trade is going to let me listen to their NW-WM1Z. I am so excited!



Please leave impressions. Excited to hear what you think.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> A member of the trade is going to let me listen to their NW-WM1Z. I am so excited!


impressions VS WM1A welcome


----------



## Audiophonicalistic

So quick question, recently had the opportunity to demo the wm1z. I used atlas and legend x both with warm cables. Does anyone think a brighter headphone works better with the wm1z?


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> impressions VS WM1A welcome



I will try to do some A and B testing. I cannot imagine myself loving anything more than I love the 1A already! Still, I lust!


----------



## Quadfather

I simply cannot get enough of this song on the NW - WM1A.  I strongly recommend the Sony players for anybody who likes metal, or more aggressive music.  It takes the harshness out, without taking the bite or musicality out. Sony has really accomplished something very special with the signature series. I am in awe, and I'm thankful to God for Sony engineers. I'm not worthy. LOL


----------



## Quadfather

Audiophonicalistic said:


> Please leave impressions. Excited to hear what you think.



 I am still waiting for the player's owner to burn it in


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

captblaze said:


> Dignis does USA shipping, but it will cost >$25. I just was going to order the Walkman case until the shipping price popped up... dark blue will have to suffice.


Looking for the Mashushino case


----------



## AeroSatan

gerelmx1986 said:


> Some late night listening



Just curious, have you ever in your life play anything on your Daps besides Classical music?


----------



## quan61092

My WM1A is on the way, i'll get it tomorrow :cheer:
Can i use it as bluetooth dac amp for my phone, cause despite listening on my own source, i'd like to listen on youtube, too


----------



## gerelmx1986

quan61092 said:


> My WM1A is on the way, i'll get it tomorrow :cheer:
> Can i use it as bluetooth dac amp for my phone, cause despite listening on my own source, i'd like to listen on youtube, too


it doesn't have a Bluetooth DAC neither USB DAC , sadly


----------



## tgrosu

Guys,

What would you choose between Campfire Andromeda and Noble Kaiser Encore to pair with a Sony Wm1A?
For those who had the chance of comparing the two IEMs, is there a noticeable difference between the two?

Thanks a lot in advance!


----------



## proedros

tgrosu said:


> Guys,
> 
> What would you choose between Campfire Andromeda and Noble Kaiser Encore to pair with a Sony Wm1A?
> For those who had the chance of comparing the two IEMs, is there a noticeable difference between the two?
> ...



what's your budget and what signature are you after ?

you should visit @flinkenick 's thread about TOTL iems , they will guide you properly


----------



## tgrosu

proedros said:


> what's your budget and what signature are you after ?
> 
> you should visit @flinkenick 's thread about TOTL iems , they will guide you properly



First, is this the thread?
(https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fli...al-high-end-portable-audio-discussion.826876/)

Coming back to your question, my budget tops at around 1900 dollars. I have to mention that I am not listening to EDM, but to classical electronic (Tangerine Dream etc.), rock, acoustic, folk, classical music (a lot!).

I was looking deeper into the Andromeda, however, the opinions differ in line with the musical preferences of each reviewer (e.g. an EDM fan has told me that Andromeda is "lean").

The Noble Encore seems - again, according to reviews - to be more musical and and to have a higher resolution than the Andromeda. The treble also is said to be more "tamed" when compared to the Andromeda.

What I really need?

Now I am using the IE800 from Sennheiser, but I really don't like their mid section, it's too recessed and congested I would say. Someone was saying (using a nice metaphor), that listening to the IE800 is like listening in a vacuum room...
Relative to this setup, I am interested in a IEM with a more forward mid section and I am (of course) planning to use the balanced port.

Thanks a lot!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Oh, hell YES!
> I have 2 and thinking of getting a third. All different colours
> I'll make a post about this and other cases later



Here's the thread about my Dignis case: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bagaholics-anonymous.881936/#post-14355271


----------



## proedros

tgrosu said:


> First, is this the thread?
> (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fli...al-high-end-portable-audio-discussion.826876/)
> 
> Coming back to your question,* my budget tops at around 1900 dollars*. I have to mention that I am not listening to EDM, but to classical electronic (Tangerine Dream etc.), rock, acoustic, folk, classical music (a lot!).
> ...



@NaiveSound is selling his Zeus XR for 1700 dollars , this is a true TOTL iem with 2 signatures which is crazy helpful (and one of the 2 signatures is Zeus XIV which is mid-forward vocal marvel)

just a thought here


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> @NaiveSound is selling his Zeus XR for 1700 dollars , this is a true TOTL iem with 2 signatures which is crazy helpful (and one of the 2 signatures is Zeus XIV which is mid-forward vocal marvel)
> 
> just a thought here



A great pair with the wm1a/z as well. You have the same combo right proedros?


----------



## proedros

NaiveSound said:


> A great pair with the wm1a/z as well. You have the same combo right proedros?



wm1a + zeus XR , yup


----------



## hamhamhamsta

tgrosu said:


> Guys,
> 
> What would you choose between Campfire Andromeda and Noble Kaiser Encore to pair with a Sony Wm1A?
> For those who had the chance of comparing the two IEMs, is there a noticeable difference between the two?
> ...


If you can swing it, go for EE Phantom.

Its better in many ways than Andromeda and I have both. Its warm  high resolution and good clarity and very versatile. If you can, get custom. Amazing timber, spot on on many instruments.

If you like treble  then get Zeus.


----------



## mwhals

tgrosu said:


> First, is this the thread?
> (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fli...al-high-end-portable-audio-discussion.826876/)
> 
> Coming back to your question, my budget tops at around 1900 dollars. I have to mention that I am not listening to EDM, but to classical electronic (Tangerine Dream etc.), rock, acoustic, folk, classical music (a lot!).
> ...



JH Audio Lola has exceptional mids and is in your price range.


----------



## NaiveSound

hamhamhamsta said:


> If you can swing it, go for EE Phantom.
> 
> Its better in many ways than Andromeda and I have both. Its warm  high resolution and good clarity and very versatile. If you can, get custom. Amazing timber, spot on on many instruments.
> 
> If you like treble  then get Zeus.



Zeus-XR does indeed have world class mid range and treble


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jul 12, 2018)

tgrosu said:


> First, is this the thread?
> (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fli...al-high-end-portable-audio-discussion.826876/)
> 
> Coming back to your question, my budget tops at around 1900 dollars. I have to mention that I am not listening to EDM, but to classical electronic (Tangerine Dream etc.), rock, acoustic, folk, classical music (a lot!).
> ...


I have the XBA-Z5 and they are on your price range. Balanced they sound smooth and wide. Unbalanced, hmm, a bit bloated but not a major issue. They are not completely closed so they let some outside world sounds come in, but that contributes to their large soundstage. (1DD and 2 BA)


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

My wm1a Is stuck in a reboot cycle, holding the power for 10 seconds does not work. Anybody know how to fix this?


----------



## Whitigir

JeremyLaurenson said:


> My wm1a Is stuck in a reboot cycle, holding the power for 10 seconds does not work. Anybody know how to fix this?


Take out the MicroSD card, and reboot by holding power buttons for 30 secs


----------



## kingdixon

Whitigir said:


> Take out the MicroSD card, and reboot by holding power buttons for 30 secs



Mine is stuck also,

And this didnt work for me.


----------



## kingdixon

Whitigir said:


> Take out the MicroSD card, and reboot by holding power buttons for 30 secs



Mine is stuck also,

And this didnt work for me.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

kingdixon said:


> Mine is stuck also,
> 
> And this didnt work for me.


How long has yours been stuck for


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Holding for 30 seconds did not help for me either


----------



## kingdixon

JeremyLaurenson said:


> How long has yours been stuck for



I think uam passing through my third hour now,

It was updating the database and took a very long time exceeding 30 min and it looked stuck to me, so i restarted the player, and has been looping since, feels so stupid and hurtful that i cant even shut it down LOL keeps rebooting.

I tried like others to update to v1.2 ot v2.0, but with no luck till now, on windows it keeps recognizing and unrecognizing the device and the update doesnt feel it at all.

On mac, nothing happens at all, doesnt even recognize thr device for me.

I tried lots of key combinations with the power button also no luck.

Thats all


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

It's very suspicious to me that this all seems to of happened at the same time for both of us. I had exactly the same experience


----------



## rcoleman1

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Holding for 30 seconds did not help for me either


Connect the Walkman USB cable and resync with your computer.


----------



## kingdixon

JeremyLaurenson said:


> It's very suspicious to me that this all seems to of happened at the same time for both of us. I had exactly the same experience



Please dont tell me you were copying some new jazz music, because that will be very very weird and a bit horrifying.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mine has had the issue of database corruption it restarts fine, rebuilds DB but partially, i need to go to settings > reset/format > rebuild database to make  a new DB


----------



## gerelmx1986

what were you doing guys? did you just copied music and ejected the WM1A from pc or just yanked the usv cord from the usb port without doing the safe eject hardware like i do most of times?


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Nope - safe eject all the way.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

rcoleman1 said:


> Connect the Walkman USB cable and resync with your computer.


Nope... no juice. It doesnt work.


----------



## Whitigir

Usually it got stuck trying to build up DB but the files are corrupted, or a bad MicroSD.  Take out MicroSD and use another card like 8Gb or so to boot up


----------



## Hanafuda

No offense guys, but I'm just gonna put this here to ward off the bad juju.


----------



## kingdixon

Hanafuda said:


> No offense guys, but I'm just gonna put this here to ward off the bad juju.




LOL,

That would be my advice too ..

I went out for some time, i just cant keep watching it reboot, wonder how much time would it reboot till battery depletes ..

@JeremyLaurenson Why dont you try putting another sd card like whitigir advise and see if it would make a difference.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Inserted a 200GB Sandisk card. Same thing.

Service manual for those who care: alternative link


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 13, 2018)

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Inserted a 200GB Sandisk card. Same thing.
> 
> Service manual for those who care: alternative link


Try with smaller card, not larger  but if that doesn’t work then I am sorry no other ideas.  It happened to my 1Z once, and I freaked out.  I took out MicroSD card and insert some lower capacity one in, and it read.  Once it did, I safe eject and then turned off.  Put in another card and it worked again.  Turned out my card was bad and it stuck at 50% building DB, then reboot


----------



## gerelmx1986

I read some one also had same problem with his zx300 he did tried many times to isntall FW 2.0 until he succeded to break the rebooting loop


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hanafuda said:


> No offense guys, but I'm just gonna put this here to ward off the bad juju.


what is that? I only see a bunch of feathers, some sort of mortar/small bowl made of mother pearl, a big cigarette of who know what drug  and a stick of wood , d'oh


----------



## kingdixon

gerelmx1986 said:


> I read some one also had same problem with his zx300 he did tried many times to isntall FW 2.0 until he succeded to break the rebooting loop



Ye thats what is making me a bit optimistic about it, also rhull1973 succeded in passing the loop with firmware update.

If you remember the guy with the zx300, mention him to get any steps to try it out.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 13, 2018)

Last time my 1Z froze I was able to summon the ancient elements of the universe which helped transport me into the time/space paradox and wonderfully arrive home with a different 1Z which still works perfect to this day.

Edit:

   Never seen one freeze-up?


----------



## Hanafuda (Jul 13, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> what is that? I only see a bunch of feathers, some sort of mortar/small bowl made of mother pearl, a big cigarette of who know what drug  and a stick of wood , d'oh




I just did a google image search on "ward off bad juju" to see what popped up lol. This image was in the third row of results but looked the most Santeria / Voodoo.

Since you asked, I dug in a little. It's a "Bad Energy Clearing Kit" sold in the Gwyneth Paltrow freaky-deak world of goop, only $195.

https://shop.goop.com/shop/products/energy-clearing-kit


----------



## Quadfather

Hanafuda said:


> I just did a google image search on "ward off bad juju" to see what popped up lol. This image was in the third row of results but looked the most Santeria / Voodoo.
> 
> Since you asked, I dug in a little. It's a "Bad Energy Clearing Kit" sold in the Gwyneth Paltrow freaky-deak world of goop, only $195.
> 
> https://shop.goop.com/shop/products/energy-clearing-kit



I have Pantera, Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth... Oh.. and Lamb of God All on my Sony NW - WM1A.  I don't think that negative energy cleaning kit is going to do any good. LOL. See I'm already being negative about its effectiveness...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Enjoying my WM1A high  (gain H). Always for quiet recordings i use high gain and it reveals the details not apparent even at vol. 95/120 on Low gain


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kingdixon said:


> I think uam passing through my third hour now,
> 
> It was updating the database and took a very long time exceeding 30 min and it looked stuck to me, so i restarted the player, and has been looping since, feels so stupid and hurtful that i cant even shut it down LOL keeps rebooting.
> 
> ...


Maybe just wait it out for the WM to run out of power. Then charge it up to full again before turning it on.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jul 14, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Maybe just wait it out for the WM to run out of power. Then charge it up to full again before turning it on.


Well that quite doesn't work as expected, as soon it reaches like 10% of the battery charge it turns on automatically. But yeah is worth a try to leave it run out of power


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

This sounds to me like a huge problem. How many folks' WM1As have been bricked like this? I wonder if Sony is aware


----------



## Music junky

JeremyLaurenson said:


> This sounds to me like a huge problem. How many folks' WM1As have been bricked like this? I wonder if Sony is aware


my wm1a bitlocked the 200gb sd card yesterday. was unable to load any music . 126gb seems to work ok.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Sony walkmans have allergy to classical music.... remove all classical music... load in some rock music and ur good to go!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Inserted a 200GB Sandisk card. Same thing.
> 
> Service manual for those who care: alternative link


Totally dead in the water?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jul 14, 2018)

This is  a prime example of a critical software flaw and hope sony fxes this soon for their reputation


DONTGIVEUP said:


> Sony walkmans have allergy to classical music.... remove all classical music... load in some rock music and ur good to go!


Mine is crammed with classical music  and no problems


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

JeremyLaurenson said:


> This sounds to me like a huge problem. How many folks' WM1As have been bricked like this? I wonder if Sony is aware



For those who have had or are having the issue, maybe pile on here:  https://us.community.sony.com/s/que...wm1a-continuous-reboot-problem?language=en_US


----------



## gerelmx1986

JeremyLaurenson said:


> For those who have had or are having the issue, maybe pile on here:  https://us.community.sony.com/s/que...wm1a-continuous-reboot-problem?language=en_US


Try reinstalling the FW 2.0 and try many times, that is what i saw from some folks


----------



## Whitigir

So, the verdict is that only wm1A has problem and not 1Z, time to upgrade guys!


----------



## proedros

if you think sony daps have 'brick' problems , you should see what happened to other smalled named daps

never had a problem these last 3 years with my zx2/wm1a , fingers crossed


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> So, the verdict is that only wm1A has problem and not 1Z, time to upgrade guys!



maybe it's a mac thing ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> So, the verdict is that only wm1A has problem and not 1Z, time to upgrade guys!


Because there are few bricks on WM1As i think is more of a MAC OS problem. Mine has had a corrupted database twice and i am using windows. Mine created the database just fine


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Because there are few bricks on WM1As i think is more of a MAC OS problem. Mine has had a corrupted database twice and i am using windows. Mine created the database just fine


Mac is perfect you know ? You can ask any Apple Sheeps


----------



## kingdixon

Woaaaaah thats so uncalled for ..

Anyway for what its worth, iam a windows user with the problem, and i think it is not a problem with the OS.

I have been trying for the last 2 days continously, until i felt being paranoid, i can stay 8 hours looking at the screen trying to solve the problem then take a break and return.

Going from windows to mac to linux, and i totally failed LOL

I think others who solved the problem by updating, had a good working internal storage they can access, yes it seems to keep disconnecting and connecting because of the bootloop but still they can access it, i cant access the internal storage it is like the disk is corrupted.

Well, my advice for others would be, try not to fill it up to the top, i mean before building the database i had around 2gb free on internal storage (dont know if it contributes or not)

Also never power off the player while building the database even if it takes 2 days to build 

At last iam very frusterated that there are no recovery mode or hard reset one that you access with buttons, other than the 8 sec power button restart.

One last thing, i got it used from japan, should i contact sony US, or go directly to sony japan, or perhaps contact both LOL


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

kingdixon said:


> Woaaaaah thats so uncalled for ..



Agreed. Its 2018.



kingdixon said:


> Anyway for what its worth, I am a windows user with the problem, and I think it is not a problem with the OS.
> 
> Well, my advice for others would be, try not to fill it up to the top, I mean before building the database I had around 2gb free on internal storage (don't know if it contributes or not)



Mine had zero data on the internal storage and plenty (10s of GB) on the external.

My concern here would be that its a bug that may occur randomly and essentially take out our players. Sony directed me to send it in for a replacement - so apparently they have no way of "factory resetting"

I'm hoping for FW 2.0.1 as a fix, or I'll be forever paranoid that my unit will brick itself. Alerting Sony as Im trying to do on their site seems appropriate.


----------



## proedros

were you on 1.20 or 2.01 FW, when the brick thing happened ?


----------



## kingdixon

proedros said:


> were you on 1.20 or 2.01 FW, when the brick thing happened ?



2.0 , and i tried the 1.2 update and 2.0 update but it cant access the device.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Fingers crossed.
I've never used the internal storage. Kept everything on my microSD on a whim; just like to know everything is in the same place.


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Fingers crossed.
> I've never used the internal storage. Kept everything on my microSD on a whim; just like to know everything is in the same place.



I'm pretty much full with the 400 GB miniSD and the 128 GB internal storage


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have filled The internal storage with no free space left and never had issues with mine. So i can be boiled into a corrupted music file then if is not mac os or win dependant. It just remembered when i had my NWZ-X1060 rebooted twice when it found a progressive jpg


----------



## kingdixon (Jul 15, 2018)

Sorry guys, it is not intentional to get you worried,
Was just mentioning my case scenario,

But i guess the most apparent cause of this was shutting down while updating the database, and i think as well most of the time it can pass undamaged, may be i was just unlucky.

This left me feeling abit down for 2 days, just now i started to listen to some music ( disturbed - sickness ) on qp1r/th900 and feel like banging my head against the wall .. a bit relieved though


----------



## rtjoa

Upcoming Brimar adapters (from top to bottom):
1. 2.5mm to 3.5mm with Brimar Kaiser 8 wire
2. 4.4mm to 2.5mm with Brimar Ultimate 10 wire and Pentaconn female
3. Interconnect cable with Brimar Ultimate 8 wire and Pentaconn 4.4mm OFC jack


----------



## gerelmx1986

kingdixon said:


> Sorry guys, it is not intentional to get you worried,
> Was just mentioning my case scenario,
> 
> But i guess the most apparent cause of this was shutting down while updating the database, and i think as well most of the time it can pass undamaged, may be i was just unlucky.
> ...


Can you see the device on windows device manager?


----------



## Snowball0906

rtjoa said:


> Upcoming Brimar adapters (from top to bottom):
> 1. 2.5mm to 3.5mm with Brimar Kaiser 8 wire
> 2. 4.4mm to 2.5mm with Brimar Ultimate 10 wire and Pentaconn female
> 3. Interconnect cable with Brimar Ultimate 8 wire and Pentaconn 4.4mm OFC jack



4.4mm to 2.5mm with Brimar Ultimate 10 wire and Pentaconn female << Is this female 4.4mm jack to 2.5mm male? If yes, do u have any idea roughly how much will it cost?


----------



## kingdixon

gerelmx1986 said:


> Can you see the device on windows device manager?



Yee, the drives appear under my computer but not accessible, and no operations can be done to them like format etc.

They appear under device manager as sony walkman, tried uninstalling the drivers also and letting it reinstall but no luck.


----------



## gerelmx1986

i came a cross a post where a ZX1 user had the same problem of continuos reboot looping and he found some instructions and he managed to break free from the loop with the following key combination. Don't know if it would work on the WM1x series as the ZX1 and 2 are android based

anyways i leave the key combo

Press and hold the skip forward button, and while continuing to hold that button, press and hold the Power button for several seconds.


----------



## kingdixon

gerelmx1986 said:


> i came a cross a post where a ZX1 user had the same problem of continuos reboot looping and he found some instructions and he managed to break free from the loop with the following key combination. Don't know if it would work on the WM1x series as the ZX1 and 2 are android based
> 
> anyways i leave the key combo
> 
> Press and hold the skip forward button, and while continuing to hold that button, press and hold the Power button for several seconds.



Tried it now but no luck, i tried too many combinations today.

I even tried to hold the 6 buttons with one hand, but couldnt do it, one button always gets away


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gerelmx1986 said:


> i came a cross a post where a ZX1 user had the same problem of continuos reboot looping and he found some instructions and he managed to break free from the loop with the following key combination. Don't know if it would work on the WM1x series as the ZX1 and 2 are android based
> 
> anyways i leave the key combo
> 
> Press and hold the skip forward button, and while continuing to hold that button, press and hold the Power button for several seconds.


Holy crap! Sony's gone and turned the DAPs into Playstations!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kingdixon said:


> Sorry guys, it is not intentional to get you worried,
> Was just mentioning my case scenario,
> 
> But i guess the most apparent cause of this was shutting down while updating the database, and i think as well most of the time it can pass undamaged, may be i was just unlucky.
> ...


If I can recall, similar used to happen to my iPod if I messed with it during updating.


----------



## Joe Tan

Yes same for my Bose Soundlink mini 2 during software update.
So its a no no to interrupt updating process. End up send back to Bose for repair.


----------



## 480126 (Jul 16, 2018)

rtjoa said:


> Upcoming Brimar adapters (from top to bottom):
> 1. 2.5mm to 3.5mm with Brimar Kaiser 8 wire
> 2. 4.4mm to 2.5mm with Brimar Ultimate 10 wire and Pentaconn female
> 3. Interconnect cable with Brimar Ultimate 8 wire and Pentaconn 4.4mm OFC jack


I


rtjoa said:


> Upcoming Brimar adapters (from top to bottom):
> 1. 2.5mm to 3.5mm with Brimar Kaiser 8 wire
> 2. 4.4mm to 2.5mm with Brimar Ultimate 10 wire and Pentaconn female
> 3. Interconnect cable with Brimar Ultimate 8 wire and Pentaconn 4.4mm OFC jack


Intersting. But is the Company serious? Two head-fier don´t get the cable! Look at the Brimar head-fi thread!


----------



## davesday

proedros said:


> if you think sony daps have 'brick' problems , you should see what happened to other smalled named daps


Hear hear.


----------



## rtjoa

Snowball0906 said:


> 4.4mm to 2.5mm with Brimar Ultimate 10 wire and Pentaconn female << Is this female 4.4mm jack to 2.5mm male? If yes, do u have any idea roughly how much will it cost?


Yes it is female 4.4mm pentaconn jack


Snowball0906 said:


> 4.4mm to 2.5mm with Brimar Ultimate 10 wire and Pentaconn female << Is this female 4.4mm jack to 2.5mm male? If yes, do u have any idea roughly how much will it cost?


Yes, it is female 4.4mm jack to 2.5mm male. Please contact Brimar for the pricing. Sorry I don't know roughly how much as I bought those adapters with 3 iem cables.


----------



## rtjoa

Frida309 said:


> I
> 
> Intersting. But is the Company serious? Two head-fier don´t get the cable! Look at the Brimar head-fi thread!


I met Brimar owner at Singapore Can Jam this year. I bumped into him at food court then we went for coffee. He is a great guy and it was nice talking to him during Can Jam.

Few months later, I bought my first two brimar cables from a headfier member. Last month, I ordered another 3 more cables with adapters and interconnects. I dont have any issues dealing with Brimar.

About that Brimar head-fi thread, I have talked to Honeyjack and Barra at cable head-fi thread. Honeyjack has received an updated about his cable. Barra's adapter was out of stock and I think that has been sorted out.

I am not associate with Brimar. I am just a fan of their cables.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@kingdixon @JeremyLaurenson 

did you try seeing the walkman on windows Computer management > Disk management?


----------



## kingdixon

gerelmx1986 said:


> @kingdixon @JeremyLaurenson
> 
> did you try seeing the walkman on windows Computer management > Disk management?




They are not available in the upper part, they show on the lower part without names, just disk 3 and 4 with size 0 byte and showing no media , right clicking them gives no useful operations only change drive letter which solves nothing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@kingdixon  you bought it in Japan? or at sony in your country? as Far as i know the sony center in your country won't accept your walkman because it was bought overseas. Sending it to sony japan mmmh i don't know. I had an issue with a sony ZX100 which I bought on AccessoryJack. I sent it to AccessoryJack for repair and they send it to sony HK. So better send it to the retailer whom you purchased it from. Unless you bought it from somebody else like f.e a Head-fier then you would need to speak to sony japan first and make arrangements to send it back for repairs.

@JeremyLaurenson  may have more luck if he bought it at sony US, he can send it to repair far easier


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

The label on the side of the unit will show where its "native".
Mine was originally from E, AUS, JE whatever that is...

Sony gave me an RMA so we'll see what happens,.


----------



## kingdixon

gerelmx1986 said:


> @kingdixon  you bought it in Japan? or at sony in your country? as Far as i know the sony center in your country won't accept your walkman because it was bought overseas. Sending it to sony japan mmmh i don't know. I had an issue with a sony ZX100 which I bought on AccessoryJack. I sent it to AccessoryJack for repair and they send it to sony HK. So better send it to the retailer whom you purchased it from. Unless you bought it from somebody else like f.e a Head-fier then you would need to speak to sony japan first and make arrangements to send it back for repairs.
> 
> @JeremyLaurenson  may have more luck if he bought it at sony US, he can send it to repair far easier



Ye i bought it used from japan, the device is not available in my country, so i dont know if they will be of any help .. but i sent sony US and JP.

Waiting for their reply .. if they took a long time, i will call sony US.

I hope it would be smooth process and they would stand for their product .. at the end the device looks new, wasnt abused in any way.

Thanks for your concern though


----------



## tenedosian

Hey friends, 

Got a problem with my WM1A. I cannot use it from 3.5 mm jack, the switch between 4.4 mm and 3.5 mm jacks does not occur when I plug a 3.5mm headphone. (See, it still shows balanced with a 3.5 mm jack plugged) 

It stays balanced, and I am only able to use it with a balanced headphone. Do you have any suggestions?


----------



## Lookout57

Reboot?


----------



## tenedosian

Thanks, but this was the first thing I've tried : ) 

I also resetted the device, tried with various different headphones of 4.4 mm and 3.5 mm jacks, but with no success. It stays in balanced no matter what I did.


----------



## Cheekymahony

Have you tried to unplug all headphones and then activate bluetooth. It sounds as if the magnetic switch is stuck.


----------



## pietcux

Cheekymahony said:


> Have you tried to unplug all headphones and then activate bluetooth. It sounds as if the magnetic switch is stuck.


Or something is stuck inside the 4.4 mm jack. Maybe you look inside and clean it. Sometimes just blowing inside helps.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tenedosian said:


> Thanks, but this was the first thing I've tried : )
> 
> I also resetted the device, tried with various different headphones of 4.4 mm and 3.5 mm jacks, but with no success. It stays in balanced no matter what I did.


Reinstall FW?


----------



## Giraku

gerelmx1986 said:


> Reinstall FW?


Or try factory reset.


----------



## gerelmx1986

What I consider the pinnacle of 16/44.1


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> What I consider the pinnacle of 16/44.1



I got pinnacle , and I got pineapple .  I got pinnacle pineapple. Pineapple pinnacle !  I still don’t know how that song is so famous.  You may want to buy it in original DSD


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> I got pinnacle , and I got pineapple .  I got pinnacle pineapple. Pineapple pinnacle !  I still don’t know how that song is so famous.  You may want to buy it in original DSD


If only more stores offered DSD downloads... Native dsd has a rather limited catalogue, the promise of qobuz launching dsd downloads this summer, seems like how politicians promise and don't make their commitment


----------



## gerelmx1986

tenedosian said:


> Thanks, but this was the first thing I've tried : )
> 
> I also resetted the device, tried with various different headphones of 4.4 mm and 3.5 mm jacks, but with no success. It stays in balanced no matter what I did.


Did you drop it and it hit the corner or some near the 4.4mm socket or near the relays part? did you got it wet?


----------



## Lookout57

FYI, Amazon for Prime Day has the Sandisk 400GB micro SD card for $140.


----------



## rtjoa

Lookout57 said:


> FYI, Amazon for Prime Day has the Sandisk 400GB micro SD card for $140.


Crap I just bought 2 for $185 each 

Thanks for sharing. It is a steal at $140


----------



## Lavakugel

Anybody tried out Sennheiser HD6xx with 4.4mm connection? Where did you buy your cable?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> I got pinnacle , and I got pineapple .  I got pinnacle pineapple. Pineapple pinnacle !  I still don’t know how that song is so famous.  You may want to buy it in original DSD






That song has all the charm of a small kitchen disaster.


----------



## tgrosu

Lavakugel said:


> Anybody tried out Sennheiser HD6xx with 4.4mm connection? Where did you buy your cable?



Hello!

I have a Senn HD600, and I have ordered a balanced cable with a 4.4mm termination from CustomCans in UK. Right now, I am waiting for it to be shipped, so no impressions regarding the symbiosis with the headphone.

I'll be reporting, though ASAP.


----------



## Elyfantman

Lavakugel said:


> Anybody tried out Sennheiser HD6xx with 4.4mm connection? Where did you buy your cable?



I use a 2.5mm to 4.4mm adapter cable I got on Amazon. I bought the 2.5mm cable for the HD6xx from another headfier. Sounds great IMO.


----------



## pietcux

Lavakugel said:


> Anybody tried out Sennheiser HD6xx with 4.4mm connection? Where did you buy your cable?


As I have the HD660S I have the 4.4mm balanced cable on hand. I use it with my HD650 too from my WM1A. It helps a lot to improve the performance of the HD650 from this DAP. It should be availble as spare directly from Sennheiser. Give them a call telling you have the HD660S and the cable is defect.


----------



## Teppka

JML said:


> Yes, it's a new smart fast charger.  Took about 3 to 3.5 hours to go from the warning about low battery to fully-charged (90%) while the player was running (for burn-in).  It has two USB ports and enough voltage to charge from both.  Specs are at https://www.anker.com/products/A2141113.  $14 from Amazon.



Hello, 

I have Oppo PM1 and PM3 and am looking into buying Sony NW-WM1A. Since you also have the whole package pls advise if you are happy with battery life of WM1A and most importantly does it have enough power to drive PM1 and PM3 through none-balanced 3.5mm?

Positive/negatives of Sony NW-WM1A + Oppp PM1/3 coupling?

Thanka


----------



## nc8000

Teppka said:


> Hello,
> 
> I have Oppo PM1 and PM3 and am looking into buying Sony NW-WM1A. Since you also have the whole package pls advise if you are happy with battery life of WM1A and most importantly does it have enough power to drive PM1 and PM3 through none-balanced 3.5mm?
> 
> ...



I am not aware of any dap that can even approach the battery life of these Sony players. 

I would expect that they can easily drive the PM3 since that was designed with portable devices in mind.


----------



## proedros

Teppka said:


> Hello,
> 
> I have Oppo PM1 and PM3 and am looking into buying Sony NW-WM1A. Since you also have the whole package* pls advise if you are happy with battery life of WM1A *and most importantly does it have enough power to drive PM1 and PM3 through none-balanced 3.5mm?



wm1a battery is like the Arnold Scwarzenegger of dap batteries, bro

if you ain't happy with the wm1a battery , then you aint happy with no dap battery

cheers


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> wm1a battery is like the Arnold Scwarzenegger of dap batteries, bro
> 
> if you ain't happy with the wm1a battery , then you aint happy with no dap battery
> 
> cheers


----------



## Teppka

nc8000 said:


> I am not aware of any dap that can even approach the battery life of these Sony players.
> 
> I would expect that they can easily drive the PM3 since that was designed with portable devices in mind.


There was one review on Amazon claiming the amp is underpowered, which made me wander


----------



## nc8000

Teppka said:


> There was one review on Amazon claiming the amp is underpowered, which made me wander



I have not heard it but since the PM3 was designed to be used with smartphones and the like I would expect the WM to drive it fine. 

My 1Z (although on balanced) was even able to drive the HE-6 well enough to be enjoyed though clearly not anywhere near it’s full potential


----------



## Teppka

nc8000 said:


> I have not heard it but since the PM3 was designed to be used with smartphones and the like I would expect the WM to drive it fine.
> 
> My 1Z (although on balanced) was even able to drive the HE-6 well enough to be enjoyed though clearly not anywhere near it’s full potential



Not really. My Galaxy Note 8 can't bring the volume even close to an acceptable level. Oppo HA-2SE is able to drive both PM3 and PM1. Onkyo DP-X1A is kinda close on unbalanced but I need to listen at about 150 (out of 160) on high gain.


----------



## Whitigir

There is loudness and then there is loudness with finesses.  They are 2 different things


----------



## nc8000

Teppka said:


> Not really. My Galaxy Note 8 can't bring the volume even close to an acceptable level. Oppo HA-2SE is able to drive both PM3 and PM1. Onkyo DP-X1A is kinda close on unbalanced but I need to listen at about 150 (out of 160) on high gain.



Well desired loudness is an individual thing so I can’t say if it will be loud enough for you. There have been people in this thread who drive their headphones from the WM in low gain and a volume between 1 and 5 and say that is too loud where I can barely hear sound at that setting. 

Also you really need to go balanced to get the best from the WM


----------



## ltanasom

proedros said:


> wm1a battery is like the Arnold Scwarzenegger of dap batteries, bro
> 
> if you ain't happy with the wm1a battery , then you aint happy with no dap battery
> 
> cheers


totally agree


----------



## Quadfather

proedros said:


> wm1a battery is like the Arnold Scwarzenegger of dap batteries, bro
> 
> if you ain't happy with the wm1a battery , then you aint happy with no dap battery
> 
> cheers





ltanasom said:


> totally agree



I agree as well.


----------



## Quadfather

I am really surprised at how good the Nighthawks sound on single-ended from my Sony NW - WM1A.


----------



## Hanafuda

Teppka said:


> There was one review on Amazon claiming the amp is underpowered, which made me wander



The unbalanced side, depending on your priorities yeah it could be seen to be. The balanced output is where it's at on the WM1A/Z - I think for most of us using these DAPs, the unbalanced jack is there for the same reason they keep 'legacy' ports on PC's for some time after they go out of mainstream use. Almost 5x as much output power from the balanced output, with no appreciable battery life deficit. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


----------



## gerelmx1986

With this WM1A i no longer mourn the death of my iPod classic


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> With this WM1A i no longer mourn the death of my iPod classic



 It took me a while, but I got all my artwork perfect now and everything looks beautiful.  All of my albums are under their respective artist folders. I don't even remotely miss my iPod.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Teppka said:


> There was one review on Amazon claiming the amp is underpowered, which made me wander



One must question which firmware was used for the review. Firmware 2.0 was a considerable boost in power.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> One must question which firmware was used for the review. Firmware 2.0 was a considerable boost in power.



Also if the reviewed sample was an EU volume capped unit that hadn’t been rockboxed


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Teppka said:


> Hello,
> 
> I have Oppo PM1 and PM3 and am looking into buying Sony NW-WM1A. Since you also have the whole package pls advise if you are happy with battery life of WM1A and most importantly does it have enough power to drive PM1 and PM3 through none-balanced 3.5mm?
> 
> ...


*YES!*


----------



## davesday

Quadfather said:


> It took me a while, but I got all my artwork perfect now and everything looks beautiful.


I still have a few albums with 'missing' artwork here and there. Does that involve resizing the album art to a more acceptable resolution?


----------



## nc8000

davesday said:


> I still have a few albums with 'missing' artwork here and there. Does that involve resizing the album art to a more acceptable resolution?



Your missing art is probably progressive jpg but the WM players only accept baseline jpg


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

*So there is certainly something fishy with the US Support of the WM1A...*

I have an NW-WM1A thats about 18 months old. As some of you know, it locked up while creating the database and I had to power it off and on again. Its almost certainly just a software problem.

Its stuck in a continual reboot look - it powers on, I see the logo and then the "wavy lines" for around 45 seconds, and it reboots again.

I called Sony multiple times this last few days and they informed me of a few things:

1... Under warrantee your unit is simply swapped out for a new unit... however they have no actual units available for this.
2... If you are not under warrantee there is a company authorized in the US to do repairs: United Radio Service Inc. at 1-800-634-8606.
3... United Radio tells me that they have called Sony on this particular model and Sony was not willing/able to give them the main board programming software. As a result a WM1A is an "Unservicable item"
4... So right now my case has "been referred to upper management" @ Sony so we'll see what happens.


----------



## rhull1973

JeremyLaurenson said:


> *So there is certainly something fishy with the US Support of the WM1A...*
> 
> I have an NW-WM1A thats about 18 months old. As some of you know, it locked up while creating the database and I had to power it off and on again. Its almost certainly just a software problem.
> 
> ...



I had this issue in the past. I connected it to my Mac (it did not mount on the desktop) and I ran the older fw update. After several attempts it worked and the player booted normally. Good luck!


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

rhull1973 said:


> I had this issue in the past. I connected it to my Mac (it did not mount on the desktop) and I ran the older fw update. After several attempts it worked and the player booted normally. Good luck!



My device is hostage at Sony. What do you mean "older fw update"?


----------



## fiascogarcia

JeremyLaurenson said:


> *So there is certainly something fishy with the US Support of the WM1A...*
> 
> I have an NW-WM1A thats about 18 months old. As some of you know, it locked up while creating the database and I had to power it off and on again. Its almost certainly just a software problem.
> 
> ...


So that is certainly not a good sequence of events!  Hope you have a good resolution to this problem.  Please let us know how this progresses.  Has anyone ever had a problem like this with the 1Z?  I presume the software is the same, though fortunately I haven't had any problems with the 1Z.  Thanks!


----------



## proedros

perhaps ask for a WM1Z since wm1a is out of stock ? or do some noise if they fail to help you as they should

good luck , this is a bummer so hopefully all ends well soon


----------



## rhull1973

JeremyLaurenson said:


> My device is hostage at Sony. What do you mean "older fw update"?


I can’t recall the version number. The fw that was available right before 2.0.0


----------



## nc8000 (Jul 20, 2018)

I have all the fw’s (for Windows not Mac), the service manual and the rockbox tool in this DropBox folder

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0


----------



## bana

nc8000 said:


> Your missing art is probably progressive jpg but the WM players only accept baseline jpg


Still working on getting all my albums sorted. I have around 1000 songs that lost their way when I transferred over.


----------



## nc8000

bana said:


> Still working on getting all my albums sorted. I have around 1000 songs that lost their way when I transferred over.



If you came from iTunes the art might not be in the files at all but in iTunes own art database


----------



## Lookout57

nc8000 said:


> I have all the fw’s, the service manual and the rockbox tool in this DropBox folder
> 
> https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0


FYI, what you have for the service manual is only page 3. If you need it I have the complete manual v1.0.


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> FYI, what you have for the service manual is only page 3. If you need it I have the complete manual v1.0.



Oh I hadn’t noticed that. Yes please I’d like the complete manual


----------



## nc8000 (Jul 20, 2018)

Found the service manual here and it is now in my DropBox shared folder


https://doc-08-8g-docs.googleuserco...6069566&hash=ldcke3701ip8j6qf6a58p343meo66hqs


----------



## Quadfather

davesday said:


> I still have a few albums with 'missing' artwork here and there. Does that involve resizing the album art to a more acceptable resolution?



It has to be progressive jpeg.  Player sizes to fit.


----------



## srosenberg (Jul 21, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> It has to be progressive jpeg.  Player sizes to fit.



Is this perhaps a typo?  I’ve read the Sony players can not properly display progressive JPEGs and all cover art must be baseline.

I’ve been using Metadatics to clean up my tags and embed and resize (500x500 px) all artwork and so far have not encountered any missing graphics on transferring to the DAP.  The process has been completely effective, albeit a bit time consuming.  I’m planning on trying Bliss next to see if it’s a more streamlined solution.


----------



## nc8000

srosenberg said:


> Is this perhaps a typo?  I’ve read the Sony players can not properly display progressive JPEGs and all cover art must be baseline.
> 
> I’ve been using Metadatics to clean up my tags and embed and resize (500x500 px) all artwork and so far have not encountered any missing graphics on transferring to the DAP.  The process has been completely effective, albeit a bit time consuming.  I’m planning on trying Bliss next to see if it’s a more streamlined solution.



Yes must be typo. It has to be baseline not progressive


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 21, 2018)

srosenberg said:


> Is this perhaps a typo?  I’ve read the Sony players can not properly display progressive JPEGs and all cover art must be baseline.
> 
> I’ve been using Metadatics to clean up my tags and embed and resize (500x500 px) all artwork and so far have not encountered any missing graphics on transferring to the DAP.  The process has been completely effective, albeit a bit time consuming.  I’m planning on trying Bliss next to see if it’s a more streamlined solution.



I just keep redoing artwork in iTunes until it shows up on player. Maybe I got it backwards...sorry.


----------



## nc8000

Quadfather said:


> I just keep redoing artwork in iTunes until it shows up on player. Maybe I got it backwards...sorry.



As I understand it iTunes don’t always put the art in the actual files but rather keeps it in it’s own art database


----------



## Quadfather

nc8000 said:


> As I understand it iTunes don’t always put the art in the actual files but rather keeps it in it’s own art database



The program allows you to put in your own jpegs.


----------



## edwardsean

I'm reterminating my Uber Too cable to 4.4 TRRRS. Does anyone have a read on what is currently the best plug? I'm looking at the Furutech CF.-7445 over the Eidolic offering. I was also told by Music Sanctuary that they are expecting some pure copper plugs without plating from Topura. What do you think? 

I'm looking for something smooth and sparkling with the largest soundstage available. Durability isn't an issue as it seems these days I'm regularly reterminating new standards and gear.


----------



## nc8000 (Jul 21, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> The program allows you to put in your own jpegs.



Yes but they don’t always go into the actual music file so they will only show within iTunes and not if you copy the music files to somewhere else or if you access them from other computer software like foobar.

When I moved from iTunes all files showed art inside iTunes but thousands didn’t from foobar as the art was not embedded in the music files but only sat inside iTunes


----------



## Quadfather

nc8000 said:


> Yes but they don’t always go into the actual music file so they will only show within iTunes and not if you copy the music files to somewhere else or if you access them from other computer software like foobar.
> 
> 
> 
> When I moved from iTunes all files showed art inside iTunes but thousands didn’t from foobar as the art was not embedded in the music files but only sat inside iTunes



After changing several files several different times, everything shows on the Sony. And it does embed them in the actual files, at least my iTunes does...


----------



## srosenberg

Quadfather said:


> The program allows you to put in your own jpegs.



This is correct, but are the JPEGs embedded in the music file or does iTunes simply point back to the image file?  I'm no expert, but my understanding is it's the later, which is why the image files from iTunes are not always portable.  One of the more useful features with Metadatics is that it tells you if the image file is embedded within the music file, and if it's not, makes it very easy to find the correct file and embed it.  I found that most of the files from my iTunes library did not have image files embedded, not an issue when using iTunes, but certainly becomes an issue with other programs or DAPs.  Again, take all of this with a grain of salt...


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 21, 2018)

srosenberg said:


> This is correct, but are the JPEGs embedded in the music file or does iTunes simply point back to the image file?  I'm no expert, but my understanding is it's the later, which is why the image files from iTunes are not always portable.  One of the more useful features with Metadatics is that it tells you if the image file is embedded within the music file, and if it's not, makes it very easy to find the correct file and embed it.  I found that most of the files from my iTunes library did not have image files embedded, not an issue when using iTunes, but certainly becomes an issue with other programs or DAPs.  Again, take all of this with a grain of salt...



It seems like they're going into the individual music files, because if I just put an individual music file, then the artwork shows up on the Sony.


----------



## nc8000

Quadfather said:


> After changing several files several different times, everything shows on the Sony. And it does embed them in the actual files, at least my iTunes does...



It may well have changed, it was several years ago I left iTunes. At that point some art got embedded and other art got put in directories inside the iTunes directory. I never figured out under what circumstances it went where


----------



## srosenberg

Quadfather said:


> It seems like they're going into the individual music files, because if I just put an individual music file in the artwork shows up on the Sony.



Hey Quad, if the process is working for you, that's all that matters!  Good to know... might save me some time cleaning up the rest of my library prior to moving to the 1A.  thanks...


----------



## Quadfather

nc8000 said:


> It may well have changed, it was several years ago I left iTunes. At that point some art got embedded and other art got put in directories inside the iTunes directory. I never figured out under what circumstances it went where



It very well may have changed... I did have to do a lot more work on iTunes after the initial downloads to get everything ready for the Sony... Most of what I did was totally trial and error...


----------



## srosenberg

Has anyone heard anything about the 1A being discontinued?  

I'm currently living in Vietnam and am using a loaner from my local dealer as there is no inventory in the country at present.  He insists they will have new inventory in 30 days, however, another distributor said that Sony recently ceased production and discontinued the model.


----------



## srosenberg

Quadfather said:


> It very well may have changed... I did have to do a lot more work on iTunes after the initial downloads to get everything ready for the Sony... Most of what I did was totally trial and error...



If you're not done yet, you might want to look into Metadatics, or at a little more $$, Bliss.  I've only experience with the former, but am going to experiment with the later shortly.  Takes the guess work out - clearly indicates if the artwork is embedded in the music file.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

An update:

*So there is certainly something fishy with the US Support of the WM1A...*

I have an NW-WM1A thats about 18 months old. As some of you know, it locked up while creating the database and I had to power it off and on again. Its almost certainly just a software problem.

Its stuck in a continual reboot look - it powers on, I see the logo and then the "wavy lines" for around 45 seconds, and it reboots again.

I called Sony multiple times this last few days and they informed me of a few things:

1... Under warrantee your unit is simply swapped out for a new unit... however they have no actual units available for this. *Sony says you need to provide your copy of your receipt and they then look at a buy back.*
2... If you are not under warrantee there is a company authorized in the US to do repairs: United Radio Service Inc. at 1-800-634-8606.
3... United Radio tells me that they have called Sony on this particular model and Sony was not willing/able to give them the main board programming software. As a result a WM1A is an "Unservicable item"
4... So right now my case has "been referred to upper management" @ Sony so we'll see what happens.[/QUOTE]



srosenberg said:


> Has anyone heard anything about the 1A being discontinued?
> 
> I'm currently living in Vietnam and am using a loaner from my local dealer as there is no inventory in the country at present.  He insists they will have new inventory in 30 days, however, another distributor said that Sony recently ceased production and discontinued the model.



This would maybe seem to hit on point #1 above....


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 21, 2018)

edwardsean said:


> I'm reterminating my Uber Too cable to 4.4 TRRRS. Does anyone have a read on what is currently the best plug? I'm looking at the Furutech CF.-7445 over the Eidolic offering. I was also told by Music Sanctuary that they are expecting some pure copper plugs without plating from Topura. What do you think?
> 
> I'm looking for something smooth and sparkling with the largest soundstage available. Durability isn't an issue as it seems these days I'm regularly reterminating new standards and gear.



Just picked up the ......
Han Sound Audio Zen 4 wire OCC litz copper cable terminated Furutech 4.4mm. 

The plug is the same model your interested in. Don’t have enough experience with 4.4mm plugs to answer your question. But the plug is nicely made. I would be worried about 100% copper as it will discolor. 

My pure 100% copper IEMs have discolored.


----------



## gerelmx1986

To avoid hassles of iToons and other music managemeny software not embedding into the music files. I use MP3TAG and voila


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jul 21, 2018)

srosenberg said:


> Has anyone heard anything about the 1A being discontinued?
> 
> I'm currently living in Vietnam and am using a loaner from my local dealer as there is no inventory in the country at present.  He insists they will have new inventory in 30 days, however, another distributor said that Sony recently ceased production and discontinued the model.


So maybe this confirms the rumored sony 40th anniversary edition YAY . In mexico is still in stock (WM1A) but with a 25% off (from $20,000MXN to $14999MXN)


----------



## gerelmx1986

a little mp3tag tutorial

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/


----------



## mwhals

gerelmx1986 said:


> To avoid hassles of iToons and other music managemeny software not embedding into the music files. I use MP3TAG and voila



I love MP3TAG!


----------



## Hanafuda (Jul 21, 2018)

srosenberg said:


> Has anyone heard anything about the 1A being discontinued?
> 
> I'm currently living in Vietnam and am using a loaner from my local dealer as there is no inventory in the country at present.  He insists they will have new inventory in 30 days, however, another distributor said that Sony recently ceased production and discontinued the model.




I've been wondering about that too. If you go to Sony Japan's site and pull up the Walkman main page, the "WM1" series link will only show the WM1Z.

https://www.sony.jp/walkman/?s_pid=jp_top_PRODUCTS_WALKMAN    ->   https://www.sony.jp/walkman/products/NW-WM1Z/

The WM1A doesn't appear, unless you go to the bottom of the Walkman page and click on the blue button with some Japanese and the number (14) on it. (See the whole lineup)

https://www.sony.jp/walkman/lineup/   ->  https://www.sony.jp/walkman/products/NW-WM1A/

I don't know what the significance might be of getting moved to the 'whole lineup' page. It could be that they're just featuring items they want to sell the most. Or, it could be a sort of limbo, where products no longer in production but still with stock on shelves go to wait until they're completely sold out. Until about 2 months ago, for example, you could still see the zx100 on that page. Or, it could mean nothing.

I think you will still get a chance to buy the 1A. The big retailers in Japan such as Bic Camera have 'check stock' links and I was checking them rather furiously a few months ago. My wife got the 1A for me in Tokyo a few weeks ago. I checked Bic Camera just now, and the 'in stock' situation is better for the 1A today than I've seen it for months.

TBH I don't get the people here who are hungry for this rumored (but yet-nonexistent) 40th Anniversary model. If such a thing happens, I expect it to be a crowd-pleaser product and not a step up from the WM1 Walkmans. (Walkmen?)


----------



## emrelights1973

I just bought a 1z so with my bad omen the new one will arrive soon, better and cheaper as well


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 21, 2018)

It may be a WalkWomen .  It seems Sony is very quiet about the 40th anniversary.  If on schedule, expect to see it somewhere around September for announcement


----------



## Hanafuda

emrelights1973 said:


> I just bought a 1z so with my bad omen the new one will arrive soon, better and cheaper as well




What could be better than a Sony Walkman that looks like it was found in the tomb of King Tut?


----------



## Whitigir

Hanafuda said:


> What could be better than a Sony Walkman that looks like it was found in the tomb of King Tut?


That bat headphones in your avatar will be


----------



## emrelights1973

The gold color is the reason that i hold my self buying it for a loooong time, anyway second hand from a friend who bought it 5m ago for 1700$, so it is a good deal


----------



## Hanafuda (Jul 21, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> That bat headphones in your avatar will be










Thanks for noticing. I went 11 years here without an avatar, so it was difficult settling on something.


----------



## NaiveSound

What is the K mod in the wm1a?  How does this kmod compare to the wm1a


----------



## NaiveSound

Whitigir said:


> It may be a WalkWomen .  It seems Sony is very quiet about the 40th anniversary.  If on schedule, expect to see it somewhere around September for announcement


Just curious if the release of 1a/1z was also silent or not?


----------



## Whitigir

NaiveSound said:


> Just curious if the release of 1a/1z was also silent or not?


Not really, it was rumored starting from January where as now ways into July and nothing yet


----------



## superuser1

Whitigir said:


> Not really, it was rumored starting from January where as now ways into July and nothing yet


I agree and that's unsettling.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Strangely I’m now finding IEMs that sound better out of the 1A, then full size headphones which are better from the 1Z. I attribute it to simple synergy. A new player will mean I have to start all over again.


----------



## Whitigir

Synergy always play a big role in hi-fi


----------



## gerelmx1986

2018 will mark 2 years since the WM1 series was released, i think it was the same pattern for ZX2 and ZX1?


----------



## meurglys0

Help please...

I'm finally considering getting a balanced cable for my NW-WM1A after using the single ended socket for 6 months...

I have an Earsonics SM3 v2 which has a 3.5mm single ended termination and 2 pin connections. Also, I want to be able to use my IEM with my laptop after reterminating it to 4.4mm, so I will also need a 4.4mm female to 3.5mm male adaptor.  

However, the products of popular brands such as Effect Audio, Moon Audio and Audio Sanctuary are way too expensive for me.  

I have found some cheaper alternatives from various vendors. Would there be considerable difference between the products of well-known brands (above) and those of alternative vendors (below)?

And of the products below which ones seem to be the better choices?

Alternative 1
Alternative 2
Alternative 3
Alternative 4
Alternative 5
Alternative 6
Alternative 7
Alternative 8
Alternative 9
Alternative 10
Alternative 11
Alternative 12
Alternative 13

And some alternatives for 4.4mm female to 3.5mm male adaptors:

Adapter 1
Adapter 2
Adapter 3
Adapter 4
Adapter 5


I'd really appreciate if you could help me... Thanks in advance...


----------



## Whitigir

If you go for cheap, you need to go for build quality/reliability and not sound performances


----------



## gerelmx1986

meurglys0 said:


> Help please...
> 
> I'm finally considering getting a balanced cable for my NW-WM1A after using the single ended socket for 6 months...
> 
> ...


 Please do your WM1A balanced section a favor, don't purchase any of the 4.4mm male to 3.5mm female for Single-ended or you will short circuit the amp. The 4.4mm recabling options all seem fine for me. In theory you can use the 3.5mm feamle to 4.4mm male but ONLY if your 3.5mm ARE TERMINATED IN TRRS (no not the ones with an inline mic)


----------



## XP_98

Hello
Is there an app that allows me to create a playlist on PC and then import it on WM1Z ?
Or is the only way to create a playlist is to use the internal menu of the WM1Z ?


----------



## rtjoa

meurglys0 said:


> Help please...
> 
> I'm finally considering getting a balanced cable for my NW-WM1A after using the single ended socket for 6 months...
> 
> ...


I would rather save up a bit more and get from a known cable company or get a used cable.

Have you looked at OC Studio in Taiwan? I have 2 cables from them and an adapter 4.4mm female to 2.5mm. you can contact them from their facebook or https://m.ruten.com.tw/class/store_list.php?s=davidboyman

They are not super cheap but their cables are good values for money


----------



## Elyfantman

What is inserted in the 3.5mm jack in the first picture?


----------



## Lookout57

XP_98 said:


> Hello
> Is there an app that allows me to create a playlist on PC and then import it on WM1Z ?
> Or is the only way to create a playlist is to use the internal menu of the WM1Z ?


You can create playlists on the player for either the internal memory songs or the sd card songs. Playlists can't contain songs that cross media. The song in the playlist must be on the media the playlist is stored on.

On the computer you can create playlists and import them as long as the path to the song is correct. The imported playlist path must start with /MUSIC/ or \MUSIC\ depending on the OS it was created on.


----------



## meurglys0 (Jul 22, 2018)

Thanks for the replies.



Whitigir said:


> If you go for cheap, you need to go for build quality/reliability and not sound performances



Is there a brand and model out there that would give me good sound and still be not more than 100 $?



gerelmx1986 said:


> Please do your WM1A balanced section a favor, don't purchase any of the 4.4mm male to 3.5mm female for Single-ended or you will short circuit the amp. The 4.4mm recabling options all seem fine for me. In theory you can use the 3.5mm feamle to 4.4mm male but ONLY if your 3.5mm ARE TERMINATED IN TRRS (no not the ones with an inline mic)



Thanks for the warning. Though, I'm considering 4.4mm female to 3.5mm male adapter. That would be OK, right?  



rtjoa said:


> I would rather save up a bit more and get from a known cable company or get a used cable.
> 
> Have you looked at OC Studio in Taiwan? I have 2 cables from them and an adapter 4.4mm female to 2.5mm. you can contact them from their facebook or https://m.ruten.com.tw/class/store_list.php?s=davidboyman
> 
> They are not super cheap but their cables are good values for money



Thanks. It's still too expensive for me...

I'm also considering, instead of reterminating my 5 year old IEM, purchasing a headphone which natively has a balanced cable and a 4.4mm jack. Which brands/models should I look at? What headphone matches greatly with the WM1A considering I like neutral sound?

Of course I'd have a larger budget for the headphone...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Tha





meurglys0 said:


> Thanks for the replies.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the warning. Though, I'm considering 4.4mm female to 3.5mm male adapter. That would be OK, right?


That adapter (4.4mm ffemale) is fine


----------



## Whitigir

The best sound quality for the cheapest price and also great reliability ? Is the cables that you make it yourself LOL! Anyways, you can only pick 2: cheap, reliable, performances


----------



## nc8000

Elyfantman said:


> What is inserted in the 3.5mm jack in the first picture?



A dust plug I would guesd


----------



## rtjoa

Elyfantman said:


> What is inserted in the 3.5mm jack in the first picture?


Dust plug pin


----------



## Elyfantman

Oh. Thanks!


----------



## aisalen

meurglys0 said:


> Help please...
> 
> I'm finally considering getting a balanced cable for my NW-WM1A after using the single ended socket for 6 months...
> 
> ...


I am using this one for a year already with my XBA-A3.
https://www.amazon.com/4-4mm-5-pole...2313195&sr=8-43&keywords=4.4mm+balanced+cable

My logic is that I do not use cable pricier than my iem, and if my iem needs pricier cable to sound good then I need to replace it.


----------



## meurglys0

aisalen said:


> I am using this one for a year already with my XBA-A3.
> https://www.amazon.com/4-4mm-5-pole...2313195&sr=8-43&keywords=4.4mm+balanced+cable
> 
> My logic is that I do not use cable pricier than my iem, and if my iem needs pricier cable to sound good then I need to replace it.



I like your logic, though my IEMs (Earsonics SM3 v2) were 400 Euros when they were still sold on the Earsonics online shop.  

So, I take it you're happy with the sound coming from those cables, is that so?


----------



## kingdixon

Guys, any one with a dissassembled wm1a pictures, or know what brand is the nand flash or internal storage used inside ?

I found only 2 pieces of info, some picture of a disassembeled wm1z which shows sk hynix e-nand used, 

While the service manual has a picture that shows nand flash as toshiba, but this might be a picture from an older device.


----------



## Blommen

kingdixon said:


> Guys, any one with a dissassembled wm1a pictures, or know what brand is the nand flash or internal storage used inside ?
> 
> I found only 2 pieces of info, some picture of a disassembeled wm1z which shows sk hynix e-nand used,
> 
> While the service manual has a picture that shows nand flash as toshiba, but this might be a picture from an older device.



Maybe @Whitigir knows, I believe he has disassembled his wm1z at least.


----------



## kingdixon

Ye i saw pictures of wm1z, i dont remember if it was his or someone else, it used a sk hynix e-nand, found no tools for it currently,

Also wanted to be sure wm1a uses the same nand or different.


----------



## Whitigir

kingdixon said:


> Ye i saw pictures of wm1z, i dont remember if it was his or someone else, it used a sk hynix e-nand, found no tools for it currently,
> 
> Also wanted to be sure wm1a uses the same nand or different.



I did modify more than a couple Mw1Z.  However, I have not seen wm1A internal to confirm to you what flash it has


----------



## aisalen

meurglys0 said:


> I like your logic, though my IEMs (Earsonics SM3 v2) were 400 Euros when they were still sold on the Earsonics online shop.
> 
> So, I take it you're happy with the sound coming from those cables, is that so?


Yes, I am happy with the sound more than the stock cable. The stock it replace have 3.5 connector while those is 4.4. Here is another one I bought the same time for my IT03 which I used daily.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074V1KMF6


----------



## Bosk

Whitigir said:


> I did modify more than a couple Mw1Z.  However, I have not seen wm1A internal to confirm to you what flash it has


Out of curiosity Whitigir how do you find the WM1Z stacks up sonically against the DX200 with one of the better AMP cards?


----------



## alphanumerix1

aisalen said:


> I am using this one for a year already with my XBA-A3.
> https://www.amazon.com/4-4mm-5-pole...2313195&sr=8-43&keywords=4.4mm+balanced+cable
> 
> My logic is that I do not use cable pricier than my iem, and if my iem needs pricier cable to sound good then I need to replace it.



How are the microphonics on this cable?


----------



## aisalen

alphanumerix1 said:


> How are the microphonics on this cable?


There is no microphonics, but not to be use for over the ear as the wire is a little tick. I like the 2nd one I post (black one) that I use with my IT03 over the ear. Also zero microphonics.


----------



## NaiveSound

What's a rather cheap cable (4.4mm and 2pin) say 100$ or less?


----------



## Redcarmoose

kingdixon said:


> Guys, any one with a dissassembled wm1a pictures, or know what brand is the nand flash or internal storage used inside ?
> 
> I found only 2 pieces of info, some picture of a disassembeled wm1z which shows sk hynix e-nand used,
> 
> While the service manual has a picture that shows nand flash as toshiba, but this might be a picture from an older device.



Pictures of 1A/1Z


----------



## pororom

Hello
I am interested in *Sony NW-WM1A* european version but I have to clarify a fundamental doubt about the power output of headphone jacks (both unbalanced and balanced).
I am currently using a Shanling M2S with an output impedance of 4.8 ohms and the result is good at the sound power level.
Does *Sony NW-WM1A* european version output impedance offer more output power than the Shanling M2S?

I use the following Iems and headphones:
JH Audio Michelle
JH Audio Rosie
Denon AH-D7200 (impedance of 32 but likes the loud volume)

I'm a bit deaf and I like to listen at a high volume.
I suppose that with JH there should be no problem but with the Denon I do not have anything clear.

Can you clarify my doubts please?


----------



## nc8000

pororom said:


> Hello
> I am interested in *Sony NW-WM1A* european version but I have to clarify a fundamental doubt about the power output of headphone jacks (both unbalanced and balanced).
> I am currently using a Shanling M2S with an output impedance of 4.8 ohms and the result is good at the sound power level.
> Does *Sony NW-WM1A* european version output impedance offer more output power than the Shanling M2S?
> ...



I drive JH13 and the Sony Z1R from my 1Z on balanced low gain with volume 50 and 90 so there is lots more power. You will need to run the rockbox tool on an EU unit to remove the volume cap and enable high gain and you really should use balanced to get the best from these players


----------



## teknorob23 (Jul 25, 2018)

I've had my freshly K Mod'd Wm1a back for a couple of days and Wow, thanks to everyone who recommended doing it. First off the power/ current increase is amazing, not that my IEMs are hungry in that sense but the extra body and definition and layering in pretty much all parts of frequency range is pretty impressive. I'm not a bass head, but the 3d resolution with the mod is something else and finally just edge the DX200/amp4 combo which was the best i'd heard from a DAP, although its still not quite as good as the Hugo2 which to my mind is not really fair comparison anyway.

The whole process of dealing with Music Sanctuary from the UK, was as smooth and not far off as quick as it would be dealing with someone here. it took 3 weeks pretty much on the dot to complete the mod, burn it in and test it, the return shipping took 3 days and was included in the cost. The comms with Calvin were great throughout and so far i've not had to wait longer than 24 hours for an email response and i was able to get Calvin on the phone both of the times i needed to.

There is i slight sting in the tale for me though and that is having followed this while i was waiting for the WM1a returned i accidentally bought a pair or A18s, then yesterday i got been thumped by an unexpected tax bill, so i'm having to sell most of my headfi apart from some core bits ie my Hugo2 and the A18s. I might be able to keep the WM1a, if i can sell all my excess cables and SMe9s, but i am testing the water in the classifieds with it. I'm sure theres a cautionary tale or one of Esops fables for that covers the situation i find myself in, but fortunately it all comes in small and similar enough black boxes for my wife to notice my stupidity!


----------



## jasonho

Nice!   Which mod option did you choose?


----------



## siruspan

My portable electrostatic rig 
Sony Wm1a, cardas HPI interconnect and Shure KSE1200


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 25, 2018)

Bosk said:


> Out of curiosity Whitigir how do you find the WM1Z stacks up sonically against the DX200 with one of the better AMP cards?



Wm1Z can only do so much, while Dx200 can practically do so much more.  Especially with different amp modules, the sonic signatures with either improvements or side-stepping have no limits.  One of the best module I love so much now is the latest module Amp8.  It has less than 0.37 ohms output impedance, 1.2W of total power with current upto 2700mAH.  It now driving my Hd800S very nicely.

If you put WM1Z inside it territory and also limited Dx200 under the same circumstances, the Wm1Z will be slightly superior sonically, and majority is battery life.  But if you fully allow Dx200 to extend it features and practicality, the Dx200 is not to be underestimated.  In fact, I have started playing DSD512 stored onto 400Gb cards, and the performances of it is worthy of upper tier desktop performances.  The dx200 can also Do live conversion of DSD512 via USB-DAC features, which heavily relying on the PC and it built, but then even out of my Built PC, the Dx200 still show it limitations of it physically and technically inferiors in compare to Desktop Pieces.  However, Offline conversion is another story

Simply concluded it, if you want just a portable player with great performances and reliability, playing PCM and long lasting battery, the wm1Z is excellent answer.  But if you need anymore than this, the Dx200 will always win, both practicality and sonically.  See ? Playing Offline conversion DSD512, Wm1Z is simply no match (incapable), even desktop piece such as lks004 will shy away from this little player .  There are reasons for this, which I have experienced it myself and not just talking out of my butts


*************
The one thing I have not done while having my wm1Z before.  That I have not taken considerations about converting into DSD256 which both 1A/Z are capable of playing natively.  I do know that battery will considerably be drained down though.  I would advise you guys to try it and report back.

The software I am using is Xivero sampler converter, it is free to demo for 1 minute conversion and it cost $19.99. <==== click on the link

Now, why would you want to do this offline conversion ? Remember I have built my Dedicated PC for my Stax system before ? I came across a very interesting finding regarding the Digital interfaces, the timing, the power supplies....etc...all of these little reasons will affect the sound quality.  Offline conversion is using an algorithm under different sigma-delta modulations.  But because it is a processing conversion, the PC can take all the time and whatever power that it needs to calculate, process and convert at the utmost accuracy.  All you compromise for is storage spaces.

Again, what is DSD ? It is a Processed Digital signals, which was processed from PCM with applied (sigma-Delta algorithm) and it is depends on studios to add or subtracting flavors (they call it remastering).  Majority of the records are based on PCM for ease of edits, and storage, processing reasons.  Then they get converted to DSD.

_Regardless, it is still a can of worm, which I have no interests in debating or picking up wriggling reasons.  *If you are a true enthusiast, your ears will be first, and then reasons later*_.  If so, I urged you to try this offline conversion into DSD256 for your newest Walkman, and then report back it performances.  Surely it will surprise you


----------



## gerelmx1986

About the boot loops and some things i've heard

* Don't directly delete files/folders from your WM1 or ZX300. I've been doing this for ages and never had an issue with my WM1A
*Use the microSD card only with the PC. I've used the SD card mounted and unmounted from my WM1A, again never had an issue. I use it mounted on the 1A when i transfer a few new music, but unmounted whn i am about to transfer huge amounts of muisc to it to benefit from USB 3.0 speeds
*Don't shut it down while it is working on the database. This is right, i usually leave it do its DB update/creation business for a while, I know wiht me it takes for the first time arround 15 minutes to fully  create the DB with both memories filled at max capacity.

I usually as extra careful step and to asses wether i need a new HDD or retransfer the backups, I check my Lossless library for corruption, though for DSD data, it is more complicated as with FLAC because DSD does not have error robustness


----------



## NaiveSound (Jul 25, 2018)

That's actually really cool

I like the dx200 sound better than wm1a, but wm1z is far better than dx200


----------



## NaiveSound

What's a decent adapter 4.4mm? So I can plug in my 3.5mm cable. The 4.4mm adapter is for a balanced player


----------



## Darksoul

siruspan said:


> My portable electrostatic rig
> Sony Wm1a, cardas HPI interconnect and Shure KSE1200


What eartips are those?


----------



## kel77

NaiveSound said:


> What's a decent adapter 4.4mm? So I can plug in my 3.5mm cable. The 4.4mm adapter is for a balanced player


If your 3.5mm is unbalanced, a adapter will not work.The only way is to convert your cables to balanced.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

JeremyLaurenson said:


> I have an NW-WM1A thats about 18 months old. As some of you know, it locked up while creating the database and I had to power it off and on again. Its almost certainly just a software problem.
> 
> Its stuck in a continual reboot look - it powers on, I see the logo and then the "wavy lines" for around 45 seconds, and it reboots again.
> 
> ...



The latest is that after upper management looked at it, Sony is going to ship me a new unit. SO thats great...



gerelmx1986 said:


> About the boot loops and some things i've heard
> 
> * Don't directly delete files/folders from your WM1 or ZX300. I've been doing this for ages and never had an issue with my WM1A
> *Use the microSD card only with the PC. I've used the SD card mounted and unmounted from my WM1A, again never had an issue. I use it mounted on the 1A when i transfer a few new music, but unmounted whn i am about to transfer huge amounts of muisc to it to benefit from USB 3.0 speeds
> ...



I am very concerned about the likelihood that my new WM1A is also bricked in the same way and will, at that point, be well outside of warrantee.

What does "Use the microSD card only with the PC" mean - Sony recommends formatting in the WM1a - are you saying to power down, put card into PC, copy files, replace card back into WM1a and power on each time? This ticking time bomb has me wondering it I should just sell it when it comes, brand new in the box instead of Russian roulette.


----------



## PointyFox

Darksoul said:


> What eartips are those?



Spinfit


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jul 25, 2018)

JeremyLaurenson said:


> The latest is that after upper management looked at it, Sony is going to ship me a new unit. SO thats great...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The WM1A has an option to mount/unmount the SD card without turning it off. Toolbox icon > settings > device settings > Mount/unmount SD card.

My WM1A is already out of warranty period since november 2017


----------



## Hanafuda

Everything's a ticking time bomb. Including you. Relax, avoid doing stupid things as best you can, enjoy, keel over one day.


----------



## aisalen

JeremyLaurenson said:


> The latest is that after upper management looked at it, Sony is going to ship me a new unit. SO thats great...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No need to power down your wm1a when taking out the card, you just need to unmount the card from the menu before getting it out. I sometimes forgot to unmout it removing the card, no problem so far but the tendency of corrupting the card is there so avoid it.


----------



## siruspan

Darksoul said:


> What eartips are those?


Spinfit cp240


----------



## Redcarmoose

Never hear about talk of these here? $14.98

https://www.amazon.com/TERNS-ËWM-PO...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3YK2K2MJBM7VJ8VGK71W


----------



## Sarcasmo

Redcarmoose said:


> Never hear about talk of these here? $14.98
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/TERNS-ËWM-PO...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3YK2K2MJBM7VJ8VGK71W


I've got a couple of them.  Great to keep one with your dap in case you need a little charge time and don't happen to have your main cable with you (there's nearly ALWAYS a micro usb around!). Also works well with the ZX300 when using it as a dac.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Redcarmoose said:


> Never hear about talk of these here? $14.98
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/TERNS-ËWM-PO...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3YK2K2MJBM7VJ8VGK71W


Works great


----------



## milesjunkie

Redcarmoose said:


> Never hear about talk of these here? $14.98
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/TERNS-ËWM-PO...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3YK2K2MJBM7VJ8VGK71W


I remember that way more fondly than the ZX1 I used it with.


----------



## superuser1

Sarcasmo said:


> I've got a couple of them.  Great to keep one with your dap in case you need a little charge time and don't happen to have your main cable with you (there's nearly ALWAYS a micro usb around!). Also works well with the ZX300 when using it as a dac.


So in theory it would work while trying to get UBS digital audio out to a DAC? Has anyone tried that scenario?


----------



## Sarcasmo

superuser1 said:


> So in theory it would work while trying to get UBS digital audio out to a DAC? Has anyone tried that scenario?


Never tried it that way round. I think I read that someone in the ZX300 forum tried and said no.  I'm not sure if someone else can chime in, otherwise I can try later when I'm home.
May need something like the FiiO L27 cable:
http://amzn.eu/8ta1POO


----------



## superuser1

Sarcasmo said:


> Never tried it that way round. I think I read that someone in the ZX300 forum tried and said no.  I'm not sure if someone else can chime in, otherwise I can try later when I'm home.
> May need something like the FiiO L27 cable:
> http://amzn.eu/8ta1POO


I have a fiio L27 cable but sadly its a no go with Micro BL. This would work well if it is compatible. Please do try it at home when you have the time.


----------



## captblaze

superuser1 said:


> So in theory it would work while trying to get UBS digital audio out to a DAC? Has anyone tried that scenario?



this is what I use to allow my WM1A to act as a digital transport to another DAC (without needing the cradle).


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 26, 2018)

I got a chance to listen to the Sony NW-NW1Z today. my Sony NW-WM1A does hold its own, and the differences are smaller than I thought, so I will probably try to find the gold one used.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Quadfather said:


> I got a chance to listen to the Sony NW-NW1Z today. my Sony NW-WM1A does hold its own, and the differences are smaller than I thought, so I will probably try to find the gold one used.


I wouldn’t pay no more than $1000 for a used gold brick knowing it may become paper weight within a few years or less.


----------



## Quadfather

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I wouldn’t pay no more than $1000 for a used gold brick knowing it may become paper weight within a few years or less.



I would definitely have to be careful, and find somebody who took care of their player as well as I take care of all of mine.


----------



## superuser1

captblaze said:


> this is what I use to allow my WM1A to act as a digital transport to another DAC (without needing the cradle).


Thanks. I know this works .. i am wondering if that small adapter works?


----------



## NaiveSound

You guys think  the 1a/1z successor for the 40th anniversary will have wifi capabilities? With the great sound?


----------



## PointyFox

NaiveSound said:


> You guys think  the 1a/1z successor for the 40th anniversary will have wifi capabilities? With the great sound?



WiFi in 2018? Scientific advancement can only happen so fast.


----------



## captblaze

superuser1 said:


> Thanks. I know this works .. i am wondering if that small adapter works?



If I had a USB B female to micro USB adaptor I would try, but unfortunately I don't


----------



## superuser1

captblaze said:


> If I had a USB B female to micro USB adaptor I would try, but unfortunately I don't


No worries. Thanks for giving me as much input as you have.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quadfather said:


> I got a chance to listen to the Sony NW-NW1Z today. my Sony NW-WM1A does hold its own, and the differences are smaller than I thought, so I will probably try to find the gold one used.



It’s great you had a chance to hear the 1Z. Part of your life experience could have been expectation bias. You had read about the 1Z here for years, then upon first test, the sky didn’t open up, nor did mountains move while listening. That said one headphone will show the difference more than another. After time the difference becomes greater, at least in my experience. With my new IEMs, they have an adjustable crossover. Bass boost on, they are better with the 1A. Bass boost off they shine with the 1Z.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I hope the new 40th anniversary walkman does not have wifi, I am not interested in streaming


----------



## gerelmx1986

Seems like the WM1X walkmans are able to decode thru FLAC errors. What? i hear some one whistling on a song i have on my WM1A and on two backup drives the same song, there is no "person whistling"


----------



## emrelights1973

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I wouldn’t pay no more than $1000 for a used gold brick knowing it may become paper weight within a few years or less.



Why it becomes a paper brick? Still is The best dap in the world with sp1000


----------



## Redcarmoose

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I wouldn’t pay no more than $1000 for a used gold brick knowing it may become paper weight within a few years or less.



The classic trajectory could be viewed just like the enthusiasm with Apple IPods in 2008 at Head-Fi. Now if you had an IPod or a Z1 “gold brick” on the coffee table in front of you; which would you choose? 

In 5 years time could members on this thread have the same question put forth with a 40th anniversary and “the gold brick”? Choose one? 

I truly feel we have reached a sonic pinnacle where flagship DAPs are now at the level of sports-cars or rare guitars. They will be of intrinsic value due to their personality. I could always be wrong though?


----------



## AeroSatan (Jul 27, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> I got a chance to listen to the Sony NW-NW1Z today. my Sony NW-WM1A does hold its own, and the differences are smaller than I thought, so I will probably try to find the gold one used.



Told ya, people make a big deal outta the SQ between the two to either justify the price difference or being a victim of the placebo effect. Truth is most pp here wouldn't tell a difference in balanced mode with the same music file and same headphones between the two Daps


----------



## Redcarmoose

AeroSatan said:


> Told ya, people make a big deal outta the SQ between the two to either justify the price difference or being a victim of the placebo effect. Truth is most pp here wouldn't tell a difference in balanced mode with the same music file and same headphones between the two Daps



Again different headphones react different, with some showing a more dramatic difference. It's a 10% improvement at times with the Z1. But with some IEMs the 1A actually sounds better. But I have to disagree with people not noticing the difference. The 1Z simply has way more bass. The 1Z has a different treble. I was the guy who purchased the 1A months after buying the 1Z.

The biggest difference with the 1Z is the sound is closer, clearer and more forward. It's warmer, less midcentric and more V shaped than the 1A. I would have sold my 1Z if they were really that close to the same.


----------



## Sarcasmo

superuser1 said:


> No worries. Thanks for giving me as much input as you have.


Didn't work for me last night with my RHA L1 using micro usb input.  I'm not too confident with my current cable so I'll borrow a friends and try again over the weekend.


----------



## siruspan

Redcarmoose said:


> Again different headphones react different, with some showing a more dramatic difference. It's a 10% improvement at times with the Z1. But with some IEMs the 1A actually sounds better. But I have to disagree with people not noticing the difference. The 1Z simply has way more bass. The 1Z has a different treble. I was the guy who purchased the 1A months after buying the 1Z.
> 
> The biggest difference with the 1Z is the sound is closer, clearer and more forward. It's warmer, less midcentric and more V shaped than the 1A. I would have sold my 1Z if they were really that close to the same.



There is 2,5 price difference so the big question is: should we be angry with sony for making wm1z so expensive or should we be thankfull for making wm1a so cheap 
For example Astell sp1000 copper is the same price as steel one.


----------



## emrelights1973

siruspan said:


> There is 2,5 price difference so the big question is: should we be angry with sony for making wm1z so expensive or should we be thankfull for making wm1a so cheap
> For example Astell sp1000 copper is the same price as steel one.


Both 3500$  and I bought the SS one


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 27, 2018)

siruspan said:


> There is 2,5 price difference so the big question is: should we be angry with sony for making wm1z so expensive or should we be thankfull for making wm1a so cheap
> For example Astell sp1000 copper is the same price as steel one.



I believe there is a 10% difference, and I believe I always hear the same difference out of the same IEM. Maybe eveyone will not perceive the sound differences as I? Though if it’s true that the 10% is there and it is of a different quality it’s always that diminished returns effect.

Headphone audio is nothing if you compare it to full-size stereos. $30,000 power amps, $10,000 DACs. To get that last small percentage has always been costly and not of total smart value.

But it’s true for many they may not hear differences or not see the value in the differences, this whole hobby is subjective in nature. But for those who hear the value then it’s worthwhile. The 1Z is like a car company making some race car where no expense was denied so that a pinnacle of sound/speed/agility could be achieved. Maybe some of that 1Z R and D was sheltered from the 1A, hence the 1A value. I believe the 1A is a tremendous value in personal audio. This value does not become apparent till you play with something like the FiiO flagship.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Again different headphones react different, with some showing a more dramatic difference. It's a 10% improvement at times with the Z1. But with some IEMs the 1A actually sounds better. But I have to disagree with people not noticing the difference. The 1Z simply has way more bass. The 1Z has a different treble. I was the guy who purchased the 1A months after buying the 1Z.
> 
> The biggest difference with the 1Z is the sound is closer, clearer and more forward. It's warmer, less midcentric and more V shaped than the 1A. I would have sold my 1Z if they were really that close to the same.



Not only headphones, but the sound differences can only be achieved by going from 1A to 1Z.  You think that is expensive ? Think about some cables that cost even more than that.

Every % observable is % of undeniable truths.  If you can hold back, that is fine, and congratulation to you.  To some other people, they rather have the best or they don’t .


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 27, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> Not only headphones, but the sound differences can only be achieved by going from 1A to 1Z.  You think that is expensive ? Think about some cables that cost even more than that.
> 
> Every % observable is % of undeniable truths.  If you can hold back, that is fine, and congratulation to you.  To some other people, they rather have the best or they don’t .


Truthfully I just find IEM portable audio fascinating. My first Head-Fi meet had a IEM personal audio table and I laughed at it. I had no respect for IEMs. Then slowly people kept showing me weird IEM audio achievements in systems. I started to get what it was about and I realized that IEMs had a different soundstage placement from full-size headphones.

Later I simply became curious as to where someone could go with the quality of sound. But most of all I came to realize how difficult perception can be. I went to buy the 1Z and it was still not yet upgraded to firmware 2.0; Sony had not released 2.0 yet. I was totally underwhelmed by what I heard. It sounded good but only slighly better than my iPod.

But this hobby is really about perception and the perception and appreciation of small minute details. So after awhile I started to “get” what the 1Z was about.


----------



## 480126

Anybody use Adapter 4,4mm female balanced to 6,3 single ended like plussound Adapter?


----------



## AeroSatan

Redcarmoose said:


> Truthfully I just find IEM portable audio fascinating. My first Head-Fi meet had a IEM personal audio table and I laughed at it. I had no respect for IEMs. Then slowly people kept showing me weird IEM audio achievements in systems. I started to get what it was about and I realized that IEMs had a different soundstage placement from full-size headphones.
> 
> Later I simply became curious as to where someone could go with the quality of sound. But most of all I came to realize how difficult perception can be. I went to buy the 1Z and it was still not yet upgraded to firmware 2.0; Sony had not released 2.0 yet. I was totally underwhelmed by what I heard. It sounded good but only slighly better than my iPod.
> 
> But this hobby is really about perception and the perception and appreciation of small minute details. So after awhile I started to “get” what the 1Z was about.




Are you saying that before the update to 2.0 your 1Z sounded close to your ipod but after the update the difference just came flooding in??


----------



## warrior1975

Redcarmoose said:


> After time the difference becomes greater, at least in my experience. With my new IEMs, they have an adjustable crossover. Bass boost on, they are better with the 1A. Bass boost off they shine with the 1Z.



What iems are those?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jul 27, 2018)

Well i commented about WM1A decoding through slightly corrupted flac. In my HDD Backus (x3) the file is okay. No whitling . The file was transferred to the microSD card with music bee. Other files however, play fine. So music bee is not to blame here. Then is MY FAULT, by not doing the proper unmounting of the Micro SD card from the player. Simply just pulling it out when the DAP in on may have cause this small corruption.

I can think with bigger corruptions the player won't be able to decode. And next times i will go to the toolbox > settings > Device settings >Unmount SD card


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 27, 2018)

AeroSatan said:


> Are you saying that before the update to 2.0 your 1Z sounded close to your ipod but after the update the difference just came flooding in??



I’m simply saying that after all the solid gold hoopla about the 1Z, I was underwhelmed but purchased it anyway. Many like and still use the early software.

I’m saying it took me awhile to hear where the 10% is. And.......you don’t hear that 10% at all if you run into a Sony store expecting the Red Sea to part.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 27, 2018)

They do some crazy colors, as here with the reference V6.









warrior1975 said:


> What iems are those?




qdc Anole V3


Those are a $500 IEM which I liked due to the crossover switches getting the most bass I have heard from a BA. Only 3 BAs....but now I’ve switched over to flat mode as there is more detail, but still V shaped. I’ve heard their whole line, though most are reference sounding.

http://musicen.qdc.com/Product/36.html


----------



## Whitigir

Nice IEMs.  Good to see that they are using some kind of quality wires internally.  The wires of LITZ silver or SPC, unlike the rest of the so called high-end expensive stuff, still showing red, green, Black OFC litz, typical of cheap wires.  The price is awesome though.  Just observations.

I am not an in ears guy, but if I was, I would jump on these to check them out


----------



## Redcarmoose

They sound good from a phone too.


----------



## Quadfather

AeroSatan said:


> Told ya, people make a big deal outta the SQ between the two to either justify the price difference or being a victim of the placebo effect. Truth is most pp here wouldn't tell a difference in balanced mode with the same music file and same headphones between the two Daps



Some have told me that if I own both I would notice bigger difference is over time, but after having heard it, I'm not feeling that horrible emptiness of feeling deprived of something way better...


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> Some have told me that if I own both I would notice bigger difference is overtime, but after haven't heard it... I'm not feeling that horrible emptiness of feeling deprived of something way better...


Deep down, you know there is something better out there


----------



## emrelights1973

1z in the house, loading it from my Nas is painfully slow


----------



## gerelmx1986

emrelights1973 said:


> 1z in the house, loading it from my Nas is painfully slow


so your pc then via the home network into the NAS... then yes painfully slow as ethernet or wifi speed are way slower than if the music was soruced let's say from an USB external HDD connectd to the PC. Or are you using the WM1Z directly plugged into the NAS?


----------



## emrelights1973

No it is connected to pc, nas connection is wireless

I will wait


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quadfather said:


> Some have told me that if I own both I would notice bigger difference is over time, but after having heard it, I'm not feeling that horrible emptiness of feeling deprived of something way better...



At some point in October or September the Anniversary Model will come out, this thread will die down, and everyone will wonder about the new mystery in sound quality....................such is life. I just hope it's not $4000.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> At some point in October or September the Anniversary Model will come out, this thread will die down, and everyone will wonder about the new mystery in sound quality....................such is life. I just hope it's not $4000.



Depends on the features and the quality.  I can say this though, it is within Sony to make R2R ladder Walkman, which hifiman is trying to do now.  If it happened, the Walkman won’t be cheap


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> Depends on the features and the quality.  I can say this though, it is within Sony to make R2R ladder Walkman, which hifiman is trying to do now.  If it happened, the Walkman won’t be cheap



What is RWR ladder?


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> What is RWR ladder?



R2R ladder is resistor ladder type of Processing.  It is unlike Sigma-Delta


----------



## emrelights1973

Redcarmoose said:


> At some point in October or September the Anniversary Model will come out, this thread will die down, and everyone will wonder about the new mystery in sound quality....................such is life. I just hope it's not $4000.



Let me enjoy the 1z for a moment man


----------



## Quadfather

emrelights1973 said:


> Let me enjoy the 1z for a moment man



 Conceivably, how could they make these things sound much better?


----------



## emrelights1973

I Read somewhere that new Sony dap will be über expensive, lets say double 1z! CanJam rumor


----------



## nc8000

Quadfather said:


> Conceivably, how could they make these things sound much better?



I’m certainly planning to stick with my 1Z for many years to come


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Replacement unit has arrived! I don't believe I will ever plug this into a PC or a Mac


----------



## nc8000

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Replacement unit has arrived! I don't believe I will ever plug this into a PC or a Mac



And the burn in starts afresh


----------



## proedros

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Replacement unit has arrived! I don't believe I will ever plug this into a PC or a Mac



zero hours


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

In order to give the NW1A exactly what it likes I formatted a SD card in the unit, ejected and put it into the mac.

Its "unreadable" because by default its formatted NTFS by the player, which is interesting based on "mac compatibility"

At any rate, I reformatted on the mac to FAT32 and am re-copying my music.


----------



## linux4ever

I formatted my card on my wm1a and it is recognized by my mac. That's what I'm using currently.


----------



## Bosk (Jul 27, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> I truly feel we have reached a sonic pinnacle where flagship DAPs are now at the level of sports-cars or rare guitars. They will be of intrinsic value due to their personality. I could always be wrong though?


I suspect only a tiny percentage of flagship model DAPs like the WM1Z will have any kind of value to collectors in future years.

If history has taught us anything the performance of electronic devices will continue to improve at the same rapid pace. There's no reason we shouldn't expect an AK70 or R3 sized DAP with better-than-WM1Z performance and 2GB of storage on the market in 5 or 10 years costing less than an AK70 does now. The rate of DAP improvement may even accelerate as the market grows and heavier investments are made into DAC chip development. User interfaces will improve, battery lives will get longer, DAPs will feature wireless charging, faster file transfer and so on. Unfortunately money spent on electronics is a poor investment for this reason though I'm sure there are people out there with ten year old Macbooks who find they still handle their workloads just fine.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

linux4ever said:


> I formatted my card on my wm1a and it is recognized by my mac. That's what I'm using currently.


Next time you put the sdcard into the Mac will you check out Disk Utility and see what format it thinks it is.


----------



## blazinblazin

I am wondering will Sony try a Walkman phone again? Haha


----------



## srosenberg

It will be interesting to see what Sony releases to mark the anniversary, but speaking for the sonics alone of the 1A, they’ve already set the bar rather high in my book, as I find this to be a very accomplished DAP.  

I was listening to a pair of NCM Bellas (CIEM) yesterday on the 1A and was absolutely astounded by the presentation.  Of course this DAP is not perfect - screen could be better and it’s not as feature rich as some (I don’t miss any of the features it’s lacking... it does everything I need) - but on sonics alone, it’s pretty spectacular in my book.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 28, 2018)

Bosk said:


> I suspect only a tiny percentage of flagship model DAPs like the WM1Z will have any kind of value to collectors in future years.
> 
> If history has taught us anything the performance of electronic devices will continue to improve at the same rapid pace. There's no reason we shouldn't expect an AK70 or R3 sized DAP with better-than-WM1Z performance and 2GB of storage on the market in 5 or 10 years costing less than an AK70 does now. The rate of DAP improvement may even accelerate as the market grows and heavier investments are made into DAC chip development. User interfaces will improve, battery lives will get longer, DAPs will feature wireless charging, faster file transfer and so on. Unfortunately money spent on electronics is a poor investment for this reason though I'm sure there are people out there with ten year old Macbooks who find they still handle their workloads just fine.








I haven’t looked but I can guess you don’t own a Sony of any kind. It’s fine as not everyone may like Sony stuff.

But it’s the sound, if you would have talked about an improvement in sound in your post. As audiophiles I don’t think most of us care about the rest? At least I don’t, the only thing that could get me to want to put my 1Z in a drawer would be way better sound......like portable TA amp sound.

Still there are a lot of classic audio pieces of equipment, and your right the DAP seems to be in the short shelf life category. Lol


----------



## kenjamin0523

I just buy a wm1a with project K mod, can’t wait for try it


----------



## Bosk

Redcarmoose said:


> I haven’t looked but I can guess you don’t own a Sony of any kind. It’s fine as not everyone may like Sony stuff.
> 
> But it’s the sound, if you would have talked about an improvement in sound in your post. As audiophiles I don’t think most of us care about the rest? At least I don’t, the only thing that could get me to want to put my 1Z in a drawer would be way better sound......like portable TA amp sound.
> 
> Still there are a lot of classic audio pieces of equipment, and your right the DAP seems to be in the short shelf life category. Lol


Funnily enough I owned a Sony WM1A before buying my AK380 Redcarmoose, a very nice device. I also owned a series of Sony walkmans - back in the 1980s. 

Things like turntables and speakers are better investments because the technology of both hasn't changed that much in 50 years. Electronics are a different story although some vintage tube amps are an exception because again tube amp circuits haven't changed much either and you can update them to modern performance levels merely by swapping out some capacitors and resistors. Whereas something like the WM1A will dive in value the moment Sony releases an updated model perhaps later this year.

I'm not suggesting we are wasting our money buying these digital products because through the musical enjoyment they provide they pay for themselves many times over, but any DAP will suffer huge depreciation after the first year so they make poor investments.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 28, 2018)

Not only DAP, but everything into the Hi-Fi games.  There is a surge of Hi-Fi demands in the market, be it Digital, Vynils, Large speakers, or Headphones....last but not least...wireless devices.  Because technology has been progressing so very fast at mind blowing speed, and the demand for this which cut into shortage of electrical components and so on, which racked up the price of components.  Then the development, production of these devices. 

High precision components are mostly produced for other industry such as medical, space craft, sensitive communication devices, science....etc....but due to this Hi-Fi demands, they are not up to speed to production

Needless to say, the quality has been vastly improved, but at costs.  Everything is more expensive, and especially from big companies (Sony), then there are smaller companies which relying on “because it sound good” to rip off the consumers.

Anyways, this period will cool down in the future, not sure when.  There are many honest companies Originated from China are doing honest development and production at good price/performances ratios.  After this huge waves of demand, ripoff, competition...etc....whatever remains will be in the game for a while, and things will become more affordable.

There are never any investments in this hobby.  Sometimes, when you are very lucky, you would have something that collectors want, but is out of productions.  Say some of the stuff from the 80-90 .... ? But I am afraid, in the contrast of the new technology.  There won’t be anything at this moment to be called “investments”.  _*Anyways, it is always so foolish to call materials to be an investments*_, neither gold, nor Cash, Diamonds, vehicles....etc...all of them depreciate, but with the scale of the inflation.  Unless you are into the stock market.


----------



## rcoleman1

You only live once. I say enjoy life and the things that make you happy...no matter the cost. Period.


----------



## Whitigir

rcoleman1 said:


> You only live once. I say enjoy life and the things that make you happy...no matter the cost. Period.



Exactly this! And I have been enjoying it


----------



## emrelights1973

İs it me or the 4,4 Sounds better with 1z?


----------



## nc8000

emrelights1973 said:


> İs it me or the 4,4 Sounds better with 1z?



4.4 does sound better than 3.5


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Whitigir said:


> Exactly this! And I have been enjoying it


Second this !


----------



## gerelmx1986

emrelights1973 said:


> İs it me or the 4,4 Sounds better with 1z?


4.4mm is miles ahead in SQ than SE


----------



## Redcarmoose

rcoleman1 said:


> You only live once. I say enjoy life and the things that make you happy...no matter the cost. Period.






It’s difficult to put a price value on sunsets.


----------



## proedros

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s difficult to put a *price value* on sunsets.



airplane tickets + hotel

if this is your backyard sunset , congrats you are a lucky man


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> airplane tickets + hotel
> 
> if this is your backyard sunset , congrats you are a lucky man



No sorry......probably very esoteric sounding. What I’m referring to is a persons quality personal experiences are of an incalculable value, hence priceless. So enjoying music from a Walkman is priceless like a sunset.


----------



## blazinblazin

It's very funny to treat a DAP as an investment.

You buy to listen not buy just to keep and sell off as a profit.

Everything depreciates once it's bought and used. 
You are buying an entertainment not buying an investment.


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> It's very funny to treat a DAP as an investment.
> 
> You buy to listen not buy just to keep and sell off as a profit.
> 
> ...


 Agree with this


----------



## emrelights1973

blazinblazin said:


> It's very funny to treat a DAP as an investment.
> 
> You buy to listen not buy just to keep and sell off as a profit.
> 
> ...



İf somebody Saves and buys a dap instead of spending on caffe lattes and beers it is a some kind of İnvestment, zero vs second hand value


----------



## mwhals

emrelights1973 said:


> İf somebody Saves and buys a dap instead of spending on caffe lattes and beers it is a some kind of İnvestment, zero vs second hand value



My philosophy has been invest into retirement instead of spending money on caffe lattes and beers.


----------



## tgrosu

Two questions to the community, if I may.

Recently I have bought a balanced cable from Custom cans (UK) for my Sony WM1A, which is some two months old. The cable is for a Sennheiser HD600. Never before I have used the balanced connection of the player, except for some very short audition with the IE800.

And now the questions :

1) with the cable inserted in the 4.4 port, I increase the volume of the player. The scale goes up, I see it on the screen, but the actual volume follows with some 1-2 seconds lag. Is this normal?

2) while I listen to some song  I decide to play a different one in a different folder. I go to that file, I push play and before it starts playing, the player makes two clicks: "click click" and then the song starts playing. Did you hear this kind of noise on your devices? 

What I have also noticed is that with this cable, the background noise, such as the needle on a LP is much more audible...

Any opinions are much appreciated.


----------



## gerelmx1986

tgrosu said:


> Two questions to the community, if I may.
> 
> Recently I have bought a balanced cable from Custom cans (UK) for my Sony WM1A, which is some two months old. The cable is for a Sennheiser HD600. Never before I have used the balanced connection of the player, except for some very short audition with the IE800.
> 
> ...


The two clicks you hear is normal, it is the relay swich engaging either:
A)Plug/unplug the headphone from the balanced port
B) sampling frequency changes e.g from 44.1Khz to 48Khz and visceversa
C) player enters stand-by mode

the volume scales goes the opposite direction if you chose high gan or disable high gain to prevent loud volume "accidents" the volume gets lowered.

The needle noise of LP i can imagine being more noticeable, I heard also many details i've never heard before. Today some plucked strings and a Harpsichord continuo line in a Telemann Flute concerto


----------



## nc8000

tgrosu said:


> Two questions to the community, if I may.
> 
> Recently I have bought a balanced cable from Custom cans (UK) for my Sony WM1A, which is some two months old. The cable is for a Sennheiser HD600. Never before I have used the balanced connection of the player, except for some very short audition with the IE800.
> 
> ...



1. Never experienced that. For me volume increases immediately. 

2. The clicks come when you change between the two clocks, one for multiples of 44khz and one for multiples of 48khz


----------



## tgrosu

gerelmx1986 said:


> The two clicks you hear is normal, it is the relay swich engaging either:
> A)Plug/unplug the headphone from the balanced port
> B) sampling frequency changes e.g from 44.1Khz to 48Khz and visceversa
> C) player enters stand-by mode
> ...



Dear *gerelmx1986* and *nc8000*, thank you for your quick answers!

OK, I got it regarding the change of frequencies, any particular reason this was not heard when using the single ended port? 

Regarding the change in volume I imagine it might have something to do with the cable and this is what I try to follow up on here... Maybe the cable is not the right quality or something like that... *Might there be any connection between the way a cable is put together and it transmitting with a delay some (physical) commands from the DAP*?


----------



## nc8000

tgrosu said:


> Dear *gerelmx1986* and *nc8000*, thank you for your quick answers!
> 
> OK, I got it regarding the change of frequencies, any particular reason this was not heard when using the single ended port?
> 
> Regarding the change in volume I imagine it might have something to do with the cable and this is what I try to follow up on here... Maybe the cable is not the right quality or something like that... *Might there be any connection between the way a cable is put together and it transmitting with a delay some (physical) commands from the DAP*?



I hear the clicks on both output. 

I doubt any defect in the cable could delay the sound by 1-2 seconds unles it is miles long


----------



## tgrosu

nc8000 said:


> I hear the clicks on both output.
> 
> I doubt any defect in the cable could delay the sound by 1-2 seconds unles it is miles long



 
OK, I'll keep a watch on it.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

nc8000 said:


> 1. Never experienced that. For me volume increases immediately.
> 
> 2. The clicks come when you change between the two clocks, one for multiples of 44khz and one for multiples of 48khz



Ditto


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

For those in the USA, I bought this pack of 2 screen covers and got them today. Much faster than the others I saw before and so far great quality.

(Clear case on unit too)

[2 PACK] Tempered Glass Screen... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079JPK1L6


----------



## Mindstorms

Guys have anyone gone back in firmware to 1.2 or  other previus Firmwares? ty in advance if you have doned it can you tell if its safe??


----------



## tgrosu

Midnstorms said:


> Guys have anyone gone back in firmware to 1.2 or  other previus Firmwares? ty in advance if you have doned it can you tell if its safe??



I second that question, but in terms of sound quality.


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> Guys have anyone gone back in firmware to 1.2 or  other previus Firmwares? ty in advance if you have doned it can you tell if its safe??



Several in this thread have done it and commented about it


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> Several in this thread have done it and commented about it


Thanks


----------



## tgrosu

nc8000 said:


> Several in this thread have done it and commented about it





Midnstorms said:


> Thanks



I took a look at the previous posts that dealt with this issue. Apparently, no issues with downgrading to 1.2, you just have to look for the link to that firmware... You can find it in previous posts or straight on the internet. 

But I would have an additional question to the forum members: we have been almost endlessly debated the likelihood of Sony releasing a new DAP this year. However, we haven't had asked often enough if Sony is going to release a new firmware for the current DAPs. Any rumors about it?


----------



## nc8000

tgrosu said:


> I took a look at the previous posts that dealt with this issue. Apparently, no issues with downgrading to 1.2, you just have to look for the link to that firmware... You can find it in previous posts or straight on the internet.
> 
> But I would have an additional question to the forum members: we have been almost endlessly debated the likelihood of Sony releasing a new DAP this year. However, we haven't had asked often enough if Sony is going to release a new firmware for the current DAPs. Any rumors about it?



Why would they release a new fw ?


----------



## tgrosu

nc8000 said:


> Why would they release a new fw ?



For one thing, to possibly address the sound signature, besides other things mentioned by members in previous posts. I can always give the example of Ibasso, which, with every firmware release implicitly alters the sound signature of their DAPs. I don't say it's the best approach, but at least you have several options.


----------



## nc8000

tgrosu said:


> For one thing, to possibly address the sound signature, besides other things mentioned by members in previous posts. I can always give the example of Ibasso, which, with every firmware release implicitly alters the sound signature of their DAPs. I don't say it's the best approach, but at least you have several options.



I used to have the DX50 and DX80 and remember that iBasso consistently claimed that they did not alter the sound sig with new fw releases (although most users agreed that it did change).


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

nc8000 said:


> Why would they release a new fw ?


Because the current one bricks devices occasionally.


----------



## nc8000

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Because the current one bricks devices occasionally.



That would be a very valid reason


----------



## audionewbi

What I hope for from the new Fw, if there is ever going to be one,  is a grid display of album cover, similar to what they had I'm their older Walkman series .


----------



## tgrosu

nc8000 said:


> Why would they release a new fw ?



Or to facilitate in some way the incorporation of lyrics, a la Musixmatch  I would really like that ..


----------



## kingdixon

Well, i just got my player up and running !!

My problem has been definitley a database problem, shutting the player while updating it corrupted the database, strange enough that prevented the storage from being mounted to the pc and also thats what made it look abit serious for me, as i thought the storage flash could have been corrupted.

But i managed to format the database partition and it started !! also the storage is mounted !! The database kept giving errors when the player started but after a factory reset, all seems fine and iam copying back my music.

I think the steps i did applies to wm1a but dont know about other players, and i would recommend sending the defective player to sony, or at least keep such way as a last resort.

I accessed an unknown download mode by luck and used a tool called spflash tool to dump the rom to a file.

Then used a tool called wwr mtk to get the exact position of the database partition from the rom file, and formated only this position on the player.

Yesterday i was thinking of formatting the whole flash, just today got the idea of formatting the database only (thanks to god it would have been a bad end)

Iam happy to give the exact details if someone needs them, i am not sure should i post it here or not.

I dont want to jinx my self, so i hope it keeps running for good and i will notify you of any updates.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

kingdixon said:


> Well, i just got my player up and running !!
> 
> My problem has been definitley a database problem, shutting the player while updating it corrupted the database, strange enough that prevented the storage from being mounted to the pc and also thats what made it look abit serious for me, as i thought the storage flash could have been corrupted.
> 
> ...



This is absolutely awesome! Congratulations! I am very interested in the details.


----------



## Quadfather

kingdixon said:


> Well, i just got my player up and running !!
> 
> My problem has been definitley a database problem, shutting the player while updating it corrupted the database, strange enough that prevented the storage from being mounted to the pc and also thats what made it look abit serious for me, as i thought the storage flash could have been corrupted.
> 
> ...



Awesome news! We can't be without our players...


----------



## kingdixon

Yuuuuup it feels good to get it back, 

Thanks guys,

Also, about the details, i was just meaning to ask is it ok to post it here or someone will make a problem out of it.

But i will just post it tomorrow anyway.


----------



## Quadfather

Do I wait for the next Walkman, or do I procure a NW-WM1Z?  I hope the next generation focuses purely on sound quality and self-contained, owned files.  Not a streamer, sorry.


----------



## NaiveSound

Quadfather said:


> Do I wait for the next Walkman, or do I procure a NW-WM1Z?  I hope the next generation focuses purely on sound quality and self-contained, owned files.  Not a streamer, sorry.


I need streaming. Solely for discovering new tracks. Once discovered I like to own my music of course


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 30, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> I need streaming. Solely for discovering new tracks. Once discovered I like to own my music of course



I usually just do that on YouTube with a cheap set of headphones plugged into my laptop. I am just worried that there might be interference from Wi-Fi affecting the sound possibly.  All it takes is a drunk pilot to knock out your Wi-Fi. LOL


----------



## NaiveSound

Quadfather said:


> I usually just do that on YouTube with a cheap set of headphones plugged into my laptop. I am just worried that there might be interference from Wi-Fi affecting the sound possibly



There is, each time I stream, no matter what player I use, RF is there.


----------



## animalsrush

Midnstorms said:


> Guys have anyone gone back in firmware to 1.2 or  other previus Firmwares? ty in advance if you have doned it can you tell if its safe??



Yes I have.. I loved the warm organic sound signature of fw 1.2 and stayed with it.  it is safe.. only your bookmarks get wiped out so convert them to playlists within player. I have done the swap from 1.2 to 2.0 back to 1.2 on mac.. works every time..


----------



## Quadfather

Got this from HDtracks.com.  A pretty phenomenal mastering so far!  As usual, the Sony is best for this kind of music.


----------



## animalsrush

tgrosu said:


> I second that question, but in terms of sound quality.



1.2 more organic and bit warm. Love what 1.2does to bass and vocals .. 
2.0 more detail and bit analytical .. tighter bass, treble enhanced a bit, broader soundstage..


----------



## Mindstorms

animalsrush said:


> Yes I have.. I loved the warm organic sound signature of fw 1.2 and stayed with it.  it is safe.. only your bookmarks get wiped out so convert them to playlists within player. I have done the swap from 1.2 to 2.0 back to 1.2 on mac.. works every time..


ty very much could you upload your firmwares?? here the ones you say are safe?? i have all firmwares from sony mac and windows... you used windows?? friend i value your coment a lot thank you!


----------



## Mindstorms

animalsrush said:


> 1.2 more organic and bit warm. Love what 1.2does to bass and vocals ..
> 2.0 more detail and bit analytical .. tighter bass, treble enhanced a bit, broader soundstage..


this is true for WM1Z it will be nice if we know what it does for 1A from users using 1A  (it is in this thread i know it)
Thanks for the info!


----------



## gerelmx1986

When I want to preview a new release of an album, I usually use YouTube or use the sample on the sites where I buy music. No need for streamer.

@kingdixon  congrats, you are lucky, I remember the fiio x3 brick and despite the Chinese support passed me the tools to Flash the Rom, I wasn't able to do so, the whole memory got corrupted


----------



## Icekuma

Quadfather said:


> Got this from HDtracks.com.  A pretty phenomenal mastering so far!  As usual, the Sony is best for this kind of music.


So you bought super deluxe edition? I have been on the fence on this. I only have 16/44 ripped from CD. Would you care elaborating phenomenal mastering,please? Thanks


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Icekuma said:


> So you bought super deluxe edition? I have been on the fence on this. I only have 16/44 ripped from CD. Would you care elaborating phenomenal mastering,please? Thanks



I got the Deluxe Edition.


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 31, 2018)

It is not so much that the frequency response is any different, it just seems to have more air and space around it and sounds larger to my ears.  There are also a lot of studio and live extras on it as well. I would wait until they have a 20% off sale though


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> It is not so much that the frequency response is there any different, it just seems to have more air and space around it and sounds larger to my ears.  There are also a lot of studio and live extras on it as well. I would wait until they have a 20% off sale though


Let me know when that happens!!
Black Friday?


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Let me know when that happens!!
> Black Friday?



I definitely will.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> I definitely will.


----------



## Quadfather

Today is the last day for 20% off if you order two or more titles.


----------



## nc8000

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Let me know when that happens!!
> Black Friday?



It happens quite frequently actually


----------



## Whitigir

I am craving 1TB MicroSD 0_0.  The newest is PNY-512GB.  How reliable is PNY , anyone have any experiences?


----------



## sne4me

Whitigir said:


> I am craving 1TB MicroSD 0_0.  The newest is PNY-512GB.  How reliable is PNY , anyone have any experiences?



Cant say but linus did a review of the  integral and found it would take something like 9 hours to fill up. 

he said read speeds are much better, but to be honest it looked suspect for a 400 dollar card


----------



## Whitigir

sne4me said:


> Cant say but linus did a review of the  integral and found it would take something like 9 hours to fill up.
> 
> he said read speeds are much better, but to be honest it looked suspect for a 400 dollar card



Lol...what ? That is horrible.  My Sandisk 400Gb takes 3 hours or so to fill up 300Gb


----------



## gerelmx1986

For Hi-res I use qobuz as it is cheaper than HD tracks or Presto classical


----------



## kubig123

gerelmx1986 said:


> For Hi-res I use qobuz as it is cheaper than HD tracks or Presto classical


qobuz is still not available in the US...


----------



## Whitigir

kubig123 said:


> qobuz is still not available in the US...



Have you tried to upconvert your Good quality CD FLAC into DSD256 which supported by Wm1A/Z ?


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> Have you tried to upconvert your Good quality CD FLAC into DSD256 which supported by Wm1A/Z ?


not yet, do you hear a big improvement?


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 31, 2018)

kubig123 said:


> not yet, do you hear a big improvement?


I did not try on WM series, and my WM1Z is sold before I discovered it and why I should be using.  It would be nice to hear from you.  I use it on DX200 but playing DSD512 instead of DSD256.  The improvements from PCM VS DSD256 isn’t *huge*, but it is some improvements for Dx200 which wasn’t justify the cost of extra storage.  However it was huge for DSD512 in which making me now craving for 1Tb MicroSD lol

Try using this software to convert.  You can do a free demo for 1 minute length and compare.
https://www.xivero.com/xisrc/


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> I am craving 1TB MicroSD 0_0.  The newest is PNY-512GB.  How reliable is PNY , anyone have any experiences?



the price for the 400gb sandisc has gone down quite a lot lately (someplaces as low as 125 euros) which leads me to believe that a 500GB (at least) card is coming soon


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> the price for the 400gb sandisc has gone down quite a lot lately (someplaces as low as 125 euros) which leads me to believe that a 500GB (at least) card is coming soon


Yes, PNY is coming with it 512Gb, but not sure how it does.  I never heard good things about PNY lol


----------



## proedros

well i meant that sandisc is probably gonna release its own 512gb card , hence the drastic price drop for the 400gb


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Whitigir said:


> Yes, PNY is coming with it 512Gb, but not sure how it does.  I never heard good things about PNY lol


PNY is a fairly well known brand in the US. I would consider them a 2nd tier company, certainly not obscure.


----------



## kubig123

Whitigir said:


> Yes, PNY is coming with it 512Gb, but not sure how it does.  I never heard good things about PNY lol


I bought the Integral 512GB from amazon uk and it's working fine with my SP1000.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 31, 2018)

kubig123 said:


> I bought the Integral 512GB from amazon uk and it's working fine with my SP1000.


I once had a lexar 128Gb that bricked on me, so now I am wary of 2nd tier company products lol


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

My favorites are still the Samsung EVO 256 - they're MUCH faster than anything out there, and I have never had one die.


----------



## mwhals

Whitigir said:


> I once had a lease 128Gb that bricked on me, so now I am wary of 2nd tier company products lol



I had a 200GB Sandisc go bad and they sent me a replacement free of charge.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Other software I see it does PCM to DSD conversion is teac Hi-res editor. It does max DSD 11MHz  and you must open each file and press export button every time, there is no batch mode


----------



## kingdixon

gerelmx1986 said:


> When I want to preview a new release of an album, I usually use YouTube or use the sample on the sites where I buy music. No need for streamer.
> 
> @kingdixon  congrats, you are lucky, I remember the fiio x3 brick and despite the Chinese support passed me the tools to Flash the Rom, I wasn't able to do so, the whole memory got corrupted



Thanks buddy, also for your support, sorry for your x3 .. believe me i didnt think i was lucky before yesterday but i guess iam


----------



## Lookout57

gerelmx1986 said:


> Other software I see it does PCM to DSD conversion is teac Hi-res editor. It does max DSD 11MHz  and you must open each file and press export button every time, there is no batch mode


XiSRC https://www.xivero.com/xisrc/ allows for batch conversion between any supported format including DSD512.


----------



## animalsrush

Midnstorms said:


> ty very much could you upload your firmwares?? here the ones you say are safe?? i have all firmwares from sony mac and windows... you used windows?? friend i value your coment a lot thank you!


Here is the link for post for firmware 1.2 . You can download the firmware 2.0 directly from Sony site

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1136#post-13887087

I used Mac .. it was quite straight forward.. my only recommendation is that if you have a big Sd card take it out , upgrade or downgrade your fw , rebuilt dB and then insert the sd card and do  a second rebuild.. for me eachrebuild took less than 45 secs..

Pc


----------



## Whitigir

Lookout57 said:


> XiSRC https://www.xivero.com/xisrc/ allows for batch conversion between any supported format including DSD512.



I recommend Xivero.  It sounds freaking awesome and is affordable 

Simple to convert and quick.  It can do DSD512 but is not supported by wm1A/z


----------



## kingdixon

Regardless the quality of the cable used, is there a difference between using a 4.4 terminated cable vs a 3.5 trrs with an adapter to 4.4 mm ?

will the 3.5 trrs + adapter have any limitations running in balanced mode, or will a 4.4 terminated give any advantage over it ?


----------



## nc8000

kingdixon said:


> Regardless the quality of the cable used, is there a difference between using a 4.4 terminated cable vs a 3.5 trrs with an adapter to 4.4 mm ?
> 
> will the 3.5 trrs + adapter have any limitations running in balanced mode, or will a 4.4 terminated give any advantage over it ?



Technically there will probably always be some loss in sq the more links are involved but whether the loss is audible only you can decide. I always terminate my cables with whatever is going to see the most use and then go adaptors for secondary uses


----------



## gerelmx1986

I had a 2x 3.5mm female to 4.4mm and the SQ was good enough for the wait until I got my proper 4.4mm cables which have better SQ than the stock 3.5mm dual cables provided by sony


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I had a 2x 3.5mm female to 4.4mm and the SQ was good enough for the wait until I got my proper 4.4mm cables which have better SQ than the stock 3.5mm dual cables provided by sony


And that was the reason why I wanted you to go for a full Cables instead, back in time


----------



## kingdixon

Well, good to know

Thanks guys


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will try to do an upconversion to DSD 256 of a CD FLAC and test whether there is a difference in SQ  will be using the teac Hi-res editor


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I will try to do an upconversion to DSD 256 of a CD FLAC and test whether there is a difference in SQ  will be using the teac Hi-res editor


Different modulators will sound different.  Some bad algorithms may even degrade the sound.  Try the Xivero, if you please


----------



## Lookout57

Whitigir said:


> Different modulators will sound different.  Some bad algorithms may even degrade the sound.  Try the Xivero, if you please



I agree I was using XLD which uses the open source code to initially convert from AIFF to FLAC. 

After getting XiSRC I found I preferred their FLAC files versus what was produced by XLD.


----------



## Whitigir

Lookout57 said:


> I agree I was using XLD which uses the open source code to initially convert from AIFF to FLAC.
> 
> After getting XiSRC I found I preferred their FLAC files versus what was produced by XLD.



Yes, Xivero is pretty good and very affordable.  Especially if you convert your FLAC into DSD.  I never tried DSD256 on Walkman WM, but theoretically saying, it should be an improvements


----------



## gerelmx1986

For FLAC I use db power amp which uses FLAC official encoder. Indeed the DSD to PCM codec use by db power is pretty good at generating flaca from dsf, quite close in SQ


----------



## proedros

what's this madness guys ?

upscaling a FLAC file into DSD - it only adds thin air (and storage space) or am i wrong ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Too bad the db power amp DSD decoder is read-only, so it only reads the DSF /DFF and generates FLAC but can't generate a DSD from a FLAC file


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 1, 2018)

proedros said:


> what's this madness guys ?
> 
> upscaling a FLAC file into DSD - it only adds thin air (and storage space) or am i wrong ?


 
You are wrong, and it is no madness.  I have already posted about this before.

**actually I did not for this thread***

All DAC will process your PCM (Flac, or Pulses code modulations) of different supported kinds and 24-32 bits by applying over sampling process.

Most Sigma-Delta will apply 2x or 4x or 8X oversampling.  Given 32 bits, you get 32*8=256X oversampling.  This means your normal 32 bits PCM is going to be converted into DSD256X before it goes into Capacitor arrays for Lowpass filters and become Analog 

The differences here are the Power the DAC is consuming, if there are noises, or errors, the sound performances get corrupted, and shows up as distortions or harshness.

The same goes for clocking system, oscillators have to be very precise, and the more precise a clock is, the more money it is going to cost, and the more power it demands.

Because DAC do this process on the fly (live processing), it get affected by everything.  Even cables, power supply, implementations, different components that exhibit noises, or even temperature changing the Co-efficient of such components will affect the performances.

Portable has to be so small, and has to be battery efficient, therefore it compromises Beefy components and designs for form.  Therefore it can only do so much.  However, DAP has a very well implemented Analog sections, for low noises, high power, great current output...etc...etc....

Because DSD is a processed signals, it only need to bypass the DAC, and go straight into the Low-Pass Filters.  Therefore your DAP is not using any power diverting toward other components for _*live processing*_.  It rather just using all power to read the DSD and forward it into the Low-pass capacitors array.

The same applications are being done by PC, but dedicated PC can process upto Live DSD512.  However, it is still being effected by different power supplies, noises, errors, Jitters, and Latency....and so on.  An expensively Built PC will be able to do this but will cost around $12,000 or so.

The alternative way is to offline convert the PCM into DSD512, and PC can take forever to process at the utmost precision on the applied algorithm + modulators, it is not effected by Jitters, timing errors, and other technical errors.  Stored DSD512 only then need to be passed through into the capable DAC to playback.  However, DSD512 or 256 will be super sensitive to Jitters (but not at the level of live conversion can be).  

Therefore, it is best to use offline conversion for both PC, and even Portable.  Especially portable, you can negate all the compromises, and go straight to a good performances by taking advantage of the analog sections.

Walkman can only do DSD256, and not higher.  Theoretically speaking, offline DSD256 shall be an improvement to Walkman as well.  All you compromises is Storage !

Hope it makes senses


----------



## proedros

so what , the upscaling process releases extra/hidden sonic elements ?

doesn't make sense from a scientific POV


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> so what , the upscaling process releases extra/hidden sonic elements ?
> 
> doesn't make sense from a scientific POV



Yes, it does.  PCM can be edited, add, subtract....etc....you can EQ your PCM, then Algorithm can add and subtracts as well.  

DSD is just a processed signals of PCM 

This is why a bad program will degrade the sound, not all modulators or software are created equals

Beside, it is not about adding or subtracting information.  It is about how much information you have been compromised due to the implementations of your devices and it components


----------



## Whitigir

By the way, S-Master is simply a design of NOS (Non-Over-Sampling) DAC, which only use PWM to pass through a Low-pass filters and make sounds.

This was the original reason why S-Master on Zx2 was not capable of DSD Native because it consumes too much power and is not necessary 

Until WM series, Sony decided to go back to DSD Native again, and even TA-ZH1ES can do On the Fly conversion into DSD256.  Depends on what algorithm Ta-ZH1ES used, but the TA-ZH1ES is actually pretty good at it.  However, it technicality limitations shall be a barriers as well, where as offline conversion will be better


----------



## proedros

@Whitigir  it's all Greek to me my friend , but if you guys hear a sonic improvement by this upscaling procedure i am fine with it i guess 

( being Greek , i had to make that pun )


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> @Whitigir  it's all Greek to me my friend , but if you guys hear a sonic improvement by this upscaling procedure i am fine with it i guess
> 
> ( being Greek , i had to make that pun )



Show me your true enthusiasm, and go do that conversion, then observe it


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Show me your true enthusiasm, and go do that conversion, then observe it



Theoretically there should be no difference but I assume it is all down to how each player implements support for the various formats so I expect that there might be players where flac could sound better than dsd


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 1, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Theoretically there should be no difference but I assume it is all down to how each player implements support for the various formats so I expect that there might be players where flac could sound better than dsd



Software aside, I already mentioned that clocking and timing issues is a limitations to many devices, and that including Desktop, expensive high-end systems as well.  There are also other limitations such as components, designs, power supplies...etc...

Live processing will be affected by this, where as off line conversion will not be effected by it

So theoretically speaking, there will be improvements.

I am tired of explaining it just to have you guys open the cans of worm without hearing for yourself and judge.  There is no point.

Again, if you are an enthusiast and curious, use your ears first, then seek down the technicality later.

Xivero, and upconvert your flac to DSD256 and observe


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Software aside, I already mentioned that clocking and timing issues is a limitations to many devices, and that including Desktop, expensive high-end systems as well.  There are also other limitations such as components, designs, power supplies...etc...
> 
> Live processing will be affected by this, where as off line conversion will not be effected by it
> 
> ...



Indeed. However I’m more interested in just enjoying the music and having a big library to choose from rather than disecting the music for minute details from a small library so I’m perfectly happy with having all my music in 16/44 flac on the 1Z, it still sounds fantastic.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 1, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Indeed. However I’m more interested in just enjoying the music and having a big library to choose from rather than disecting the music for minute details from a small library so I’m perfectly happy with having all my music in 16/44 flac on the 1Z, it still sounds fantastic.



It won’t even be “minutes details”.  I have converted my stuff into DSD512, and even with my “expensive $5k desktop PC”. It is still worth it to offline conversion DSD512.  I already did so many comparisons from live conversion to offline.  That is why I want to spread the news.

I was once a non-believer in upconversion to DSD.  But I was wrong, it is not Upconversion.  It is a processing conversion.  Upconversion only applies to MP3 upconvert to FLAC 16/44.1 and or 16/44.1 into 24/96...etc....DSD is a processed conversion.

Anyways, I will stop here as I have said enough.  

Again, if you are a real audio enthusiast, you would be curious to see how much improvements if at all, or would there be worthy ? You would download a free software and do a comparisons.


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> It won’t even be “minutes details”.  I have converted my stuff into DSD512, and even with my “expensive $5k desktop PC”. It is still worth it to offline conversion DSD512.  I already did so many comparisons from live conversion to offline.  That is why I want to spread the news.
> 
> I was once a non-believer in upconversion to DSD.  But I was wrong, it is not Upconversion.  It is a processing conversion.  Upconversion only applies to MP3 upconvert to FLAC 16/44.1 and or 16/44.1 into 24/96...etc....DSD is a processed conversion.
> 
> ...



Well in that case we will just have to conclude that I’m not an audio enthusiast and leave it at that. You sound like Tyll when he reviewed the Z1R saying that anybody who could like that headphone did not know how to listen. I get fed up with that smug I know better than everybody else attitude.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 1, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Well in that case we will just have to conclude that I’m not an audio enthusiast and leave it at that. You sound like Tyll when he reviewed the Z1R saying that anybody who could like that headphone did not know how to listen. I get fed up with that smug I know better than everybody else attitude.



The thing is my friend. Have you tried it ? If you tried DSD256 conversion and tell me you don’t like it, I wouldn’t tell you that you don’t know how to listen.  Jumping conclusions much ?  You are interested in the topic enough to respond, and yet you refuse to try to listen to the music to see whether you like it or not, but jumping to a conclusion that I am saying “I know better ?” Common ...


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 1, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> The thing is my friend. Have you tried it ? If you tried DSD256 conversion and tell me you don’t like it, I wouldn’t tell you that you don’t know how to listen.  Jumping conclusions much ?  You are interested in the topic enough to respond, and yet you refuse to try to listen to the music to see whether you like it or not, but jumping to a conclusion that I am saying “I know better ?” Common ...



I have some dsd albums and yes when I concentrate on listening for differences they are better than a hires or 16/44 flac version but that is not how I listen nor my main interest. I listen to enjoy and be immersed in the music not analyzing it so to me the difference is just not worth it given the huge file sizes, I’ll much rather have a much larger library of still execelent sounding 16/44 flac files. This is also why I love the Z1R and sold my (probably technically better and more accurate) HE-6.

So in a sense you are right, I’m a music enthusiast, not an audio enthusiast


----------



## Quadfather

nc8000 said:


> I have some dsd albums and yes when I concentrate on listening for differences they are better than a hires or 16/44 flac version but that is not how I listen nor my main interest. I listen to enjoy and be immersed in the music not analyzing it so to me the difference is just not worth it given the huge file sizes, I’ll much rather have a much larger library of still execelent sounding 16/44 flac files. This is also why I love the Z1R and sold my (probably technically better and more accurate) HE-6.
> 
> So in a sense you are right, I’m a music enthusiast, not an audio enthusiast



I totally agree. I have a humongous library of every conceivable album. Many are out of print or very difficult to get. And my main focus is the music. Yes, it has to meet minimum quality standards but yet the main focus is still on the collection and enjoying the sound. I happen to enjoy my Sony better than my LPG Diana even though the LPG Diana cost twice as much. Having said that, I still use the LPG Diana mainly for classical and jazz fusion. My main Love, Heavy Metal, is way way better on the Sony


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Well in that case we will just have to conclude that I’m not an audio enthusiast and leave it at that. You sound like Tyll when he reviewed the Z1R saying that anybody who could like that headphone did not know how to listen. I get fed up with that smug I know better than everybody else attitude.


Better not press @whitighir atomic bomb angry button


----------



## gerelmx1986

As @Quadfather  and @nc8000 say, I also tend to enjoy my music as I was there live  be inmersed into it, sure I do have some Hi-res and some dsd albums, the 97% is 16/44.1, no problems with that, and many of these albums are now out of print and sound beautiful. I have many to choose from


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 1, 2018)

I am converting some 16/44 FLAC files to DSD 256, they take a hell of time to convert and CPU is running super hot, not even the laptop fan can dissiapte this heat and not even with the aid of an external fan . I'll report later what i found.

My Laptop a Sony VAIO multiflip 14'', sure it is not like @Whitigir 5000 USD PC, it is a humble 1K USD laptop with an Intel core i5 4200U (base 1.6GHz, max clock 2.5GHz, dual core with hyperthreading, so i see "4" cores)


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am converting some 16/44 FLAC files to DSD 256, they take a hell of time to convert and CPU is running super hot, not even the laptop fan can dissiapte this heat and not even with the aid of an external fan . I'll report later what i found.
> 
> My Laptop a Sony VAIO multiflip 14'', sure it is not like @Whitigir 5000 USD PC, it is a humble 1K USD laptop with an Intel core i5 4200U (base 1.6GHz, max clock 2.5GHz, dual core with hyperthreading, so i see "4" cores)


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 1, 2018)

Well i tried DSD 256 upconversion of FLAC 16/44... very very very minuscule differences to be worth of it (in both time spent to convert and the insane storage space required almost 1.2GB per file!).

I noted just very very faint amounts of air and teeny bity more soundstage, volume decreases. at the end i perceived the CD to be sounding better (the original unprocessed file) VS the DSF conversion ( the original processed more what it was already processed in the recording studio). Just my 2 Cents.


Maybe with DSD 512  there is a difference but what i perceived with my WM1A at DSD256 almost nothing. As i say you are processing a file that was already processed and i see this a like "trying to get some Gandalf magic trick to put magically mor einformation by UPconverting. It simply won't happen you are just adding "air" to the bag of chips. It was recorded at 44.1K so captured 22Khz you can't add those extra 100K or more Hz when you natively record at 24/358 or native DSD recorder). It is like trying to make an 192kbps MP3 sound CD quality by converting it to FLAC


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Well i tried DSD 256 upconversion of FLAC 16/44... very very very minuscule differences to be worth of it (in both time spent to convert and the insane storage space required almost 1.2GB per file!).
> 
> I noted just very very faint amounts of air and teeny bity more soundstage, volume decreases. at the end i perceived the CD to be sounding better (the original unprocessed file) VS the DSF conversion ( the original processed more what it was already processed in the recording studio). Just my 2 Cents.
> 
> ...



Analyzing it further, I applied a different algortihm to process the PCM file which is multi-bit and DSD is one bit, it may have resulted in a lossy process, so actually worse than what @Whitigir  claims to benefits. You are losing resolution as there are no more multi-bits to represent the amplitude. And possibly the air and slight soundstage comes from actual distortions.

Both PCM to DSD abd DSD to PCM will inevitably result in lossy, better keep originals untouched and only downconvert Hi-res to CD flac on the portable device while keeping the original files untouched on the Hard drive


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 2, 2018)

Try Xivero @gerelmx1986 , as I mentioned before, different modulator and different algorithms will affect your outcome

DSD is different than converting FLAC from MP3 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1463#post-14396537

Anyways, if you don’t hear much differences, it is alright, which also make senses, and there is no denying that WM Walkman has very good technology

Walkman are more of NOS which differentiate it away from Sigma/Delta as Sony is Using S-Master.  Their pinnacles of S-Master lying on TA-ZH1ES.  I would love to keep it, if it was able to do RCA out correctly for my set-up Q_Q.....I still miss it.



nc8000 said:


> I have some dsd albums and yes when I concentrate on listening for differences they are better than a hires or 16/44 flac version but that is not how I listen nor my main interest. I listen to enjoy and be immersed in the music not analyzing it so to me the difference is just not worth it given the huge file sizes, I’ll much rather have a much larger library of still execelent sounding 16/44 flac files. This is also why I love the Z1R and sold my (probably technically better and more accurate) HE-6.
> 
> So in a sense you are right, I’m a music enthusiast, not an audio enthusiast



That is fine.  There are differences in NOS and D/S processing, and when done right NOS is a superior ways to enjoy the music.  Just as much as I am enjoying my NOS Desktop system .

My apologize for asking you folks to do this experiment on the Walkman.  I should have done it before letting go of wm1Z....but at that time, I was still too ignorant and didn’t know this much


----------



## NaiveSound

How does pha3 compare to wm1a in sound?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

NaiveSound said:


> How does pha3 compare to wm1a in sound?


Someone else had posted that the sound sigs are very similar. I'd be keen to know if there are other impressions too.


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> How does pha3 compare to wm1a in sound?




The pha3 gets too hot though.


----------



## Whitigir

Back when I was comparing with what I could remember.  Pha-3 still offer larger soundstage and has a warmer sound signature.  Then it needs a good usb cables to shine and it last barely 5 hours.  The wm1Z has a bit of a compromise but is an all in 1 device and can last for 20 hours or so


----------



## NaiveSound

When l look at the pha3 the balanced section has an L and R? What dual cable system does one need for that wow?​


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> When l look at the pha3 the balanced section has an L and R? What dual cable system does one need for that wow?​



I have two Sony products which support that system. The Z7 Flagship full-size and the Z5 IEM. It’s just two 3.5mm cables with one for the right side and one for the left. The Pentaconn 4.4mm TRRRS 5pole replaced it.


----------



## NaiveSound

Where can I get a 3.5mm double cable like that?


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> Where can I get a 3.5mm double cable like that?


Ask plussound audio


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 3, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> Where can I get a 3.5mm double cable like that?


It’s interesting as the cables are regular 3.5mm stereo cables but only have a mono signal being sent. Meaning you could have them made pretty easy? I guess?

This was maybe the best quality retail pair from Sony! 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...c_b20bl1_high_performance_balanced_audio.html


----------



## proedros

hey @NaiveSound when did you get DX200 ? another stellar review i see


----------



## iridium7777

is there a way to stop WM1A from automatically playing the next album in folder or artist list when the current album comes to an end?

thanks


----------



## Dtuck90

iridium7777 said:


> is there a way to stop WM1A from automatically playing the next album in folder or artist list when the current album comes to an end?
> 
> thanks



I don’t have the WM1A but on the A45 its settings>playback settings>playback range>selected range


----------



## iridium7777

thank you @Dtuck90


Dtuck90 said:


> I don’t have the WM1A but on the A45 its settings>playback settings>playback range>selected range


!


----------



## proedros

Dtuck90 said:


> I don’t have the WM1A but on the A45 its *settings>playback settings>playback range>selected range*




what he said , same on my WM1A


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

proedros said:


> what he said , same on my WM1A


Sony is consistent.


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s interesting as the cables are regular 3.5mm stereo cables but only have a mono signal being sent. Meaning you could have them made pretty easy? I guess?
> 
> This was maybe the best quality retail pair from Sony!
> 
> https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...c_b20bl1_high_performance_balanced_audio.html


I need it for a 2pin iem 

But I'm very curious how similar the sound of wm1a to pha3 is


----------



## kubig123

NaiveSound said:


> I need it for a 2pin iem
> 
> But I'm very curious how similar the sound of wm1a to pha3 is


it's more convenient to order an adapter/interconnect cable so you can use all the cables you already have.


----------



## nc8000

kubig123 said:


> it's more convenient to order an adapter/interconnect cable so you can use all the cables you already have.



But that requires the existing cables to already have some kind of balanced termination


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> But that requires the existing cables to already have some kind of balanced termination


I have a 2.5mm cable


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> I have a 2.5mm cable



In that cas as suggested get somebody to make you a 2.5 female to 2 x 3.5 male adaptor


----------



## gerelmx1986

There are moments not even music from a heavenly WM1A can calm you , total nerve wreck moments before my YAG Laser capsulotomy. All fine now with my sight. No need to use a magnifier to read-out my WM1A screen


----------



## NaiveSound

Does the wm1a receive Bluetooth audio or only send Bluetooth audio? I wish I could use its dac only in any form


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 3, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> Does the wm1a receive Bluetooth audio or only send Bluetooth audio? I wish I could use its dac only in any form


It only sends audio via BT, so for BT speakers/HP's, it doesn't let you transfer files from pc via BT (anyways transferring huge FLAC/DSD files over BT would be painfully slow)

EDIT I misunderstood you, I tought you meant if you could receive files over BT, but you mean if it can be used as a DAC, Nope, it doesn't support USB DAC nor BT DAC


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 3, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> There are moments not even music from a heavenly WM1A can calm you , total nerve wreck moments before my YAG Laser capsulotomy. All fine now with my sight. No need to use a magnifier to read-out my WM1A screen



In my mid twenties I spent 5 years helping Drs....we had a YAG and primarily did posterior capsule openings. They have to leave the membrain there till everything heals.....but it’s only a 7 minute operation. You must have been stressed until you realized how easy the procedure was.

Pertaining to this thread, there with the YAG is a perfect example of high technology staying relevant for 30 years. YAGs are the same as they were 30 years ago. They work exactly the same.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> In my mid twenties I spent 5 years helping Drs....we had a YAG and primarily did posterior capsule openings. They have to leave the membrain there till everything heals.....but it’s only a 7 minute operation. You must have been stressed until you realized how easy the procedure was.
> 
> Pertaining to this thread, there with the YAG is a perfect example of high technology staying relevant for 30 years. YAGs are the same as they were 30 years ago. They work exactly the same.


My procedure took 5x longer, 1 hour, as they did on my only seeing eye with the lowest power setting on the laser machine, they proceeded very slowly, Two docs did it


----------



## Redcarmoose

Congratulations!


----------



## gerelmx1986

The whole family of XBA-Z5/MDR-Z7/MDR-Z1R i think it was tought to be perfect synergy with sony house sound. F.E. WM1A/Z, ZX300


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 4, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> The whole family of XBA-Z5/MDR-Z7/MDR-Z1R i think it was tought to be perfect synergy with sony house sound. F.E. WM1A/Z, ZX300



They did something right?


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> They did something right?


 
To me they did


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> They did something right?


Of course  they sound right and natural


----------



## emrelights1973

İ wonder will it make sense to add 1zR to my current line up th900,Utopia, Encore,hd800...?

Will it shine with 1z?


----------



## tieuly1

gerelmx1986 said:


> My procedure took 5x longer, 1 hour, as they did on my only seeing eye with the lowest power setting on the laser machine, they proceeded very slowly, Two docs did it


It sounded like you have primary closure angle glaucoma or posterior capsular opacity to me!! Btw, congratulation


----------



## gerelmx1986

tieuly1 said:


> It sounded like you have primary closure angle glaucoma or posterior capsular opacity to me!! Btw, congratulation


I had PCO after a Cataract surgery. Finally reduced the brightness on my WM1A screen after having it at 25 of 100 reduced to 9 of 100. BTW it seems I am getting lesser battery life now from my WM1A after 2 years of use. now at the second day of use it can be half icon full or last bar only and usually it lasts with last bar a day, so by end of 3rd day charge obbligated. Perhaps i need a recalibration


----------



## bvng3540

4.4mm female to 3.5mm se Male, will it work?


----------



## kubig123

NaiveSound said:


> I have a 2.5mm cable


I would recommend Triton Audio Cables, prices are really down to earth and he extremely fast, usually doesn’t take more than a week to build a cable.


----------



## gerelmx1986

bvng3540 said:


> 4.4mm female to 3.5mm se Male, will it work?


yes that will work for sure


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Aug 5, 2018)

bvng3540 said:


> 4.4mm female to 3.5mm se Male, will it work?


Edit: Deleted bad advice. But don't stick metal into microwave ovens when heating food.


----------



## bvng3540

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> No. Bad for your DAP. Like, short your DAP, kind of bad.


How you know it bad or short your Dap, happen to you?


----------



## gerelmx1986

bvng3540 said:


> How you know it bad or short your Dap, happen to you?


You meant a female 4.4mm so you can use your converted headphones with normal (legacy) 3.5mm devices i bet, that is why i said it shall work fine with standard 3.5mm devices


----------



## bvng3540




----------



## bvng3540




----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 4, 2018)

bvng3540 said:


>


As i tought, this works perfectly fine Balanced 4.4mm to SE 3.5MM ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEMS. The troublemaker is the other way arround so 3.5mm SE female to 4,4mm male that would actually short circuit


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

bvng3540 said:


> How you know it bad or short your Dap, happen to you?


My bad. I meant the other way around: SE phones to balanced source.

Balanced phones to SE source works OK.


----------



## bvng3540

gerelmx1986 said:


> As i tought, this works perfectly fine Balanced 4.4mm to SE 3.5MM ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEMS. The troublemaker is the other way arround so 3.5mm SE female to 4,4mm male that would actually short circuit


Have you try the 3.5mm se female to 4.4mm male and how you know it cause short circuit


----------



## gerelmx1986

bvng3540 said:


> Have you try the 3.5mm se female to 4.4mm male and how you know it cause short circuit


because connecting a SE headphone to a balanced source such as WM1A will join the minuses of the L and R headphones and that will short the amplifier which expect each path to be separated


----------



## bvng3540

You mean this little guy is the trouble maker?


----------



## bvng3540

gerelmx1986 said:


> because connecting a SE headphone to a balanced source such as WM1A will join the minuses of the L and R headphones and that will short the amplifier which expect each path to be separated


Such Bs I has owned both adapter and been used it since the 1a first come out and both sound as it come straight out of the normal cable


----------



## gerelmx1986

bvng3540 said:


> You mean this little guy is the trouble maker?


Yeah that one will short your DAP, that will join the L- and R- and short your WM1 balanced section of the  amplifier


----------



## bvng3540

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yeah that one will short your DAP, that will join the L- and R- and short your WM1 balanced section of the  amplifier


BS anyone that said it will short or damaged your sources do not know what the hell you guy talking about, like I said I been using it since the 1a first come out and my sources still going strong


----------



## gerelmx1986

bvng3540 said:


> Such Bs I has owned both adapter and been used it since the 1a first come out and both sound as it come straight out of the normal cable


Look, i don't feel that well right now to start a war, this ****ing dry eye (YAG capsulotomy yesterday). ask other members the same question "Will a 3.5mm TRS SE female to 4.4mm balanced male cause a short"? and they will agree with me.


----------



## bvng3540

gerelmx1986 said:


> Look, i don't feel that well right now to start a war, this ****ing dry eye (YAG capsulotomy yesterday). ask other members the same question "Will a 3.5mm TRS SE female to 4.4mm balanced male cause a short"? and they will agree with me.


I’m trying to start anything, the reason I’m not agreed is that I been using it for a long time and nothing happen, does the people said it will not work try it, like you for example, you said it will short your Dap but have you try it, my guess is NOT


----------



## mwhals

bvng3540 said:


> I’m trying to start anything, the reason I’m not agreed is that I been using it for a long time and nothing happen, does the people said it will not work try it, like you for example, you said it will short your Dap but have you try it, my guess is NOT



Why would he try something that he thinks will short out a $1000+ DAP?


----------



## gerelmx1986

bvng3540 said:


> I’m trying to start anything, the reason I’m not agreed is that I been using it for a long time and nothing happen, does the people said it will not work try it, like you for example, you said it will short your Dap but have you try it, my guess is NOT


Some have reported hearing buzzing and other nosies characteristic of short circuit when connecting thier 4.4mm male to 3.5mm SE female adapter, just search this forum, even there was a sony user manual that stated that to never connect a 3.5mm SE to the balanced connection as that could cause damage to the amplifier


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> You may well short circuit the source damaging it





Whitigir said:


> It is a fact that you would short out the Circuit, and there was one member who had tried it, he had unpleasant “hums”.  Never ever do this



here more users saying the same


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> Summary
> 
> 3.5mm Single-Ended Female -> 4.4mm Balanced Male = No, Will short circuit.
> 
> ...


 definitive guide


----------



## NaiveSound

How does the 1z compare to Hugo 2 in sound?


----------



## bvng3540

gerelmx1986 said:


> here more users saying the same


They can said whatever they think they know,  but have they try it is my question


----------



## NaiveSound

I think I'll get a 1z.  I hated the 1a sound but maybe 1z is better? 

I have an opportunity to get one at 1k$ used but still wondering if it's gonna let me down


----------



## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> I think I'll get a 1z.  I hated the 1a sound but maybe 1z is better?
> 
> I have an opportunity to get one at 1k$ used but still wondering if it's gonna let me down



 I absolutely love the 1A sound.   did you listen to a unit that had three or four hundred hours on it?


----------



## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> How does the 1z compare to Hugo 2 in sound?



I have not heard Hugo 2, but I am betting on Sony 1Z


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> I had PCO after a Cataract surgery. Finally reduced the brightness on my WM1A screen after having it at 25 of 100 reduced to 9 of 100. BTW it seems I am getting lesser battery life now from my WM1A after 2 years of use. now at the second day of use it can be half icon full or last bar only and usually it lasts with last bar a day, so by end of 3rd day charge obbligated. Perhaps i need a recalibration



 I am so glad that your eyesight is getting tended to by competent physicians.  According to my neurologist, my stroke came a whiskers breath away from robbing me of my hearing. I have always loved music, and I feel so grateful. Life is good, even with all the crap that sometimes is in it.


----------



## NaiveSound (Aug 4, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> I absolutely love the 1A sound.   did you listen to a unit that had three or four hundred hours on it?



No but it had plenty hours. North of 100, I doubt hours will radically change the sound that much, I think the said signature is there and will carry on further but you aren't getting another player just because you burn it in. I hated the wm1a and thought It was bogus (sq wise)


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 4, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> No but it had plenty hours. North of 100, I doubt hours will radically change the sound that much, I think the said signature is there and will carry on further but you aren't getting another player just because you burn it in. I hated the wm1a and thought It was bogus (sq wise)



 I am definitely not trying to argue, because I realize that everybody hears differently.   One thing I will say about the Sony is that they can really suck with the wrong headphones.   I use the Shure SRH1540 in The audioquest Nighthawks with my Sony 1A, And I am in love with the sound. If my LPG Diana wasn't so damn powerful, it would be sold in a heartbeat to get the gold Sony.   Oh, I forgot to mention that I only listen in balanced.   also, I don't think a hundred hours is nearly enough. 400 to 500 is good


----------



## NaiveSound

Quadfather said:


> I am definitely not trying to argue, because I realize that everybody hears differently.   One thing I will say about the Sony is that they can really suck with the wrong headphones.   I use the Shure srh1540 in The audioquest Nighthawks with my Sony 1A, And I am in love with the sound. If my LPG Diana wasn't so damn powerful, it would be sold in a heartbeat to get the gold Sony.



I had Zeus-XR with wm1a and I could fart in a megaphone for a higher resolving sound


----------



## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> I had Zeus-XR with wm1a and I could fart in a megaphone for a higher resolving sound



I am sorry to hear that Sony doesn't meet your needs, and I hope that you find something that does work well.


----------



## NaiveSound

Quadfather said:


> I am sorry to hear that Sony doesn't meet your needs, and I hope that you find something that does work well.



Well I'm hoping this wm1z is a significantly better sound
I can get it for 1k$ so I feel I should... Even if I hate it lol


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 4, 2018)

@NaiveSound  What kind of music do you listen to? I am a big I am a big metal
head, and  Sony seems to work really well for that.   everybody's ears are so different, I have pretty much hated every Astel & Kern I've listened to


----------



## NaiveSound

Quadfather said:


> @NaiveSound  What kind of music do you listen to? I am a big I am a big metal
> head, and  Sony seems to work really well for that.   everybody's ears are so different, I have pretty much hated every Astel & Kern I've listened to



I like electronic music, techno, minimal, electro,. 80s rock/pop, some modern garbage as well


----------



## NaiveSound

Anyone have a 4.4mm cable for sale?


----------



## Whitigir

bvng3540 said:


> They can said whatever they think they know,  but have they try it is my question



You want to try it ? You are welcome to try it.  I don’t think that I know thing...I do know as a fact.  Again, I say do never short out your 4.4mm by plugging Single ended Into it, but if you are going to try it, go ahead, and if you don’t think anything bad will happen, then enjoy it


----------



## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> Well I'm hoping this wm1z is a significantly better sound
> I can get it for 1k$ so I feel I should... Even if I hate it lol



SWEET!


----------



## bvng3540

Whitigir said:


> You want to try it ? You are welcome to try it.  I don’t think that I know thing...I do know as a fact.  Again, I say do never short out your 4.4mm by plugging Single ended Into it, but if you are going to try it, go ahead, and if you don’t think anything bad will happen, then enjoy it


I had try it and still currently using it since the dap first came out and nothing shorted, what bug me is that people say crap that they dont know what they saying, just jump on other people hype


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 4, 2018)

I've reached the conclusion That listening to music is an Art. To enjoy the melodies and be immersed into them, getting lost in the music. Enjoying every note, dissecting every detail, no, not for measuring the device as other people do, which is fine and okay. But to discern what the composer intended to transmit with his/her works.

I try to find the harmony between the main part and the accompaniment, like to follow the imitation notes in fugues/preludes/canons and follow the motif in the coming instruments. Love listening to the voicing of the instruments and feel their air.

I love that i have a big library mostly 16/44.1 as my minimum for quality and that i can choose tracks for every occasion. F.e driving can be a symphonic work or organ works with high energy and fast -paced rythm. On the other hand a dinner for two a romantic chopin piano piece, some bach/L. Weiss suites for lute.

Listening to music is like tasting wine, you smell it and then taste it and discern the flavours in it, same for music you hear it, immerse in it, listen to each instrument, to the melody as a whole. I am not saying to concentrate as to "i'am measuring my WM1A to see if DSD 256 upsacle of a CD 16/44 sounds better than the original CD file". Just fall on bed, on the couch and plug your Headphone, your stereo system and press play. Imagine you're the  spectator or the artist playing the instrument or the conductor conducting the orchestra/ensemble.

I concentrate as to discern minute differences when i try various versions of some piece/work as to decide which Album is the keeper.

Like @Quadfather  I love music so much, there is no single day i don't listen to music (unless i forget my headphones at home ). With no music i tend to get bored 

And to reach this conclusion i had to have all my music as lossless and a good source. This started with the apple iPod classic and progressed to a FiiO x3 frist gen, NWZ-A17, ZX100 and WM1A


----------



## Whitigir

bvng3540 said:


> I had try it and still currently using it since the dap first came out and nothing shorted, what bug me is that people say crap that they dont know what they saying, just jump on other people hype


Dude, that is good for you.  You officially know more than I do.  

Word of advice to other people, never connect single ended into a balanced output socket.  Unless you want to damage your DAP


----------



## FortisFlyer75

gerelmx1986 said:


> Look, i don't feel that well right now to start a war, this ****ing dry eye (YAG capsulotomy yesterday). ask other members the same question "Will a 3.5mm TRS SE female to 4.4mm balanced male cause a short"? and they will agree with me.



Noticed this conversation on the SE to Balanced shorting subject (read this a while back when it was topical but fear I may of read it round the wrong way months ago and just want to be sure here as seen couple of photos where they are cable conversion plugs (pigtails) where you guys are talking about this subject so would the same apply to the 3.5SE female to 4.4 Balanced male adaptor plug that does not have a pigtail cable in between the male and female section that is now readily available on say Amazon? 

And if so is this a process that would slowly happen over time damaging the amplifier board or could it be a case of it can just blow like a  trip switch on the fuse box once you insert it and play something and also I take it the volume load used would be irrelevant here and just playing something through it no matter what volume would cause the shorting?  

I must admit I have one of these adaptors a little while now and only used a few times and nothing untowards has happened (yet) hence I ask is it one of those things that would gradually degrade the amp board over time until it gives out or should happen from the word go plugging it in as in my case not happened (as of yet!) 

It's just crazy to think if this is the case there are people making the adaptors for this config if it can damage (short the circuits).  Is this what happens when the Chinese make something to go with something designed by the Japanese!?
...if it is the case the adaptor is a health risk to the Sony.


----------



## Whitigir

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Noticed this conversation on the SE to Balanced shorting subject (read this a while back when it was topical but fear I may of read it round the wrong way months ago and just want to be sure here as seen couple of photos where they are cable conversion plugs (pigtails) where you guys are talking about this subject so would the same apply to the 3.5SE female to 4.4 Balanced male adaptor plug that does not have a pigtail cable in between the male and female section that is now readily available on say Amazon?
> 
> *And if so is this a process that would slowly happen over time damaging the amplifier board* or could it be a case of it can just blow like a  trip switch on the fuse box once you insert it and play something and also I take it the volume load used would be irrelevant here and just playing something through it no matter what volume would cause the shorting?
> 
> ...



This is more likely the case, because the output signals won’t be strong enough to damage things like a fuse blowing.   But you will slowly be killing your buffers and related components.

Balanced out has 4 separated active signals, and the Negative of L- is separated from Negative of R-  .  These are Negatives active Signals and not common ground like Single Ended.  Therefore. *You will damage it.*


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> This is more likely the case, because the output signals won’t be strong enough to damage things like a fuse blowing.   But you will slowly be killing your buffers and related components.
> 
> Balanced out has 4 separated active signals, and the Negative of L- is separated from Negative of R-  .  These are Negatives active Signals and not common ground like Single Ended.  Therefore. *You will damage it.*


That is why the WM1 series have this relay that goes on and off when you plug/unplug the 4.4mm headphones so to disable the Active control GND balanced circuit from the SE circuits and i think this is the reason on why you cannot play the two outputs at the same time


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> That is why the WM1 series have this relay that goes on and off when you plug/unplug the 4.4mm headphones so to disable the Active control balanced circuit from the SE circuits and i think this is the reason on why you cannot play the two outputs at the same time


That is correct


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 4, 2018)

Ima beginning to understand, so 3.5mm SE "minuses" (L-, R-) are just plain earth-Grounded paths, and Active ground "minuses" are lie Alternating current found in our houses/offices that the power plant ot the distribution to our home/office and we connect a device f.e a Lamp, the current flows thru the bulb and goes back to the power station via the return signal path forming a "loop". same applies to direct current circuits.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Whitigir said:


> This is more likely the case, because the output signals won’t be strong enough to damage things like a fuse blowing.   But you will slowly be killing your buffers and related components.
> 
> Balanced out has 4 separated active signals, and the Negative of L- is separated from Negative of R-  .  These are Negatives active Signals and not common ground like Single Ended.  Therefore. *You will damage it.*



I was afraid I was reading it correctly but wanted to be in denial!  Thanks for confirming that query, I'd rather play safe than find out a few months down the line it starts to play up because I a have burnt out the buffers etc inside.  

Anyone want to buy a 3.5se to 4.4 male adaptor?! 

Cheers Whitgir


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> I've reached the conclusion That listening to music is an Art. To enjoy the melodies and be immersed into them, getting lost in the music. Enjoying every note, dissecting every detail, no, not for measuring the device as other people do, which is fine and okay. But to discern what the composer intended to transmit with his/her works.
> 
> I try to find the harmony between the main part and the accompaniment, like to follow the imitation notes in fugues/preludes/canons and follow the motif in the coming instruments. Love listening to the voicing of the instruments and feel their air.
> 
> ...


This is art in written form


----------



## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> No but it had plenty hours. North of 100, I doubt hours will radically change the sound that much, I think the said signature is there and will carry on further but you aren't getting another player just because you burn it in. I hated the wm1a and thought It was bogus (sq wise)



I honestly think we all must hear differently, because I find myself reaching for the Sony over LPG Diana most times. I also have a QP1R.  That must be because of the music I listen to it as well... I do find I like LPG more for classical and jazz fusion.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

NaiveSound said:


> I think I'll get a 1z.  I hated the 1a sound but maybe 1z is better?
> 
> Better as improvement in some areas like separation and better control of notes so made it easier to listen to some busy rock song passages but i only heard my 1A in comparison to the 1Z before the 1A received the 2.0 FW which made the 1A actually more resolving and less thick sounding, more linear with dynamics very present still with the 2.0 FW, so not sure which yours has? Apart from what I heard between them both it was more a case of which signature you prefer as they were both different (prior my FW2.0 upgrade) so was a case if talking new prices if you really fall in love with the Gold enough to of stretched that wallet further.
> 
> ...



Er, only one way to find out, please see above!



Quadfather said:


> I absolutely love the 1A sound.   did you listen to a unit that had three or four hundred hours on it?



I agree totally with Quadfather here Naivesound as it was quite scary how much it did change in that period upto 400-500 hour mark. Again only one way to find out is to give it that chance to know for sure and go down that road mileage wise then if it does nothing for you... 



Quadfather said:


> I have not heard Hugo 2, but I am betting on Sony 1Z



I think they are both resolving but in different ways with the sig so again will come down to personal preference if it floats you boat when you plug those cans in and again will come down to what you are pairing might be better with one than the other. I personally liked both and found the Hugo2 a big improvement on the original Hugo but I don't quite get why a lot of people have been asking for that comparison when they are two different tools with what you can do with them. 



Quadfather said:


> I am definitely not trying to argue, because I realize that everybody hears differently.   One thing I will say about the Sony is that they can really suck with the wrong headphones.   I use the Shure SRH1540 in The audioquest Nighthawks with my Sony 1A, And I am in love with the sound. If my LPG Diana wasn't so damn powerful, it would be sold in a heartbeat to get the gold Sony.   Oh, I forgot to mention that I only listen in balanced.   also, I don't think a hundred hours is nearly enough. 400 to 500 is good



Yes we do for sure, i hear voices in my head, Eh? who said that... I have heard some IEMs that sound shocking through my Sony as a pairing, and expensive ones at that, pairing and synergy is everything,  just because two things do not pair well does not make either one of them bad as that said piece of gear could light fires with another bit of kit and you could possibly even change your mind on that said bit of kit that didn't pair in the first place with your source, iem or whatever it may be.  I heard the 1A with the Shure 1200 amp/ electrostatics iems at Canjam London and blew me away as I never got on with the dac personally that is in the 1540 model. 




NaiveSound said:


> I had Zeus-XR with wm1a and I could fart in a megaphone for a higher resolving sound



Lol, Have to say a pun here but you come across as a little Naive here Naivesound! I'm only going by that quote but have you heard it with any other iems other than the Zues-XR as maybe it's like what I mentioned above here to Quadfathers quote it's just not a good pairing or marriage the two together rather than the Sony been worse than your arse in a Megaphone! as otherwise whats not to say its the Zeus that sounds like wet farts down a megaphone? 

If it is the case you find this with other gear than just the Zues then fair enough ignore me and keep farting down that megaphone ; ) 




Quadfather said:


> @NaiveSound  What kind of music do you listen to? I am a big I am a big metal
> head, and  Sony seems to work really well for that.   everybody's ears are so different, I have pretty much hated every Astel & Kern I've listened to



I listen to most genres out there and find the 1A a good all rounder even though I am like you more predominantly a rock head but love Jazz, blues, female vocals, orchestra / big bands, classical, OST's so the 1A needs to sound okay with those for me which I think it does... more so since the 2.0 FW upgrade when it happened. 

Have to totally agree with you and say much as i have wanted to love the A&K players just for their cool polished designs like trying to be the Audi of the Dap world I have really struggled with their sound and what they offer for the money on SQ alone even more so when going up their model range and actually have found one player I think sounds okay by them now which is the AK70 mrkII which i think gives the Onkyo Dp-S1 a run for it's money but actually prefer the AK70 to it's flagship Sp1000 model which is a piece of art in itself even though it weight feels like more than the Gold Sony brick. I just feel the A&Ks try to be too flat and linear losing out on natural dynamics (and no I don't mean loud volume making it rock the rafters = dynamics).  But then again I may just have more wax than the next guy!? 

This if the first time I have actually posted on Head-fi for a while but found yourself Quadfather & Naivesounds conversation interesting as well as the SE to Bal topic about shorting on here tonight actually got my fingers working whilst listening to my 1A which by the way I love listening to with my now defunct Vibro Labs Mayas which I have found to have better synergy than many of the so called flagship iems I have heard the last year costing the equivalent to a 1Z. 

So Luke I know you will never read this but you had some ears man and will be missed as I think you worked magic on the Mayas whatever you done with them and a shout out to "LEDZEP" who visits these threads for doing my pure silver cables which now really make this pairing rock even more than all these fancy cables with gold magic mixed in in with enriched plutonium that cost as much as a 1A or 1Z once again.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Quadfather said:


> I honestly think we all must hear differently, because I find myself reaching for the Sony over LPG Diana most times. I also have a QP1R.  That must be because of the music I listen to it as well... I do find I like LPG more for classical and jazz fusion.



I love the QPR1 sound a lot also (we probably have similar signatures tastes then) although not so keen on the ergonomics of the QPR1 to operating the Sony touchscreen even though a lot better than their first gen issues they had a few years ago with their click wheel.


----------



## NaiveSound

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Er, only one way to find out, please see above!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Briefly heard the 1a with u18 and Forte and it wasn't anything worth listening to after a few tracks, out of 3 totl iems I don't think it's a synergy thing, I belive wm1a is not for my tastes. 

The issue today is... Do I spend a grand on this thing wm1z and expect it to sound entirely different than the hated wm1a?


----------



## Quadfather

FortisFlyer75 said:


> I love the QPR1 sound a lot also (we probably have similar signatures tastes then) although not so keen on the ergonomics of the QPR1 to operating the Sony touchscreen even though a lot better than their first gen issues they had a few years ago with their click wheel.



The QP1R is a very capable DAP.


----------



## NaiveSound

Quadfather said:


> The QP1R is a very capable DAP.


How is the sound difference from qp1r to wm1a?


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 4, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> How is the sound difference from qp1r to wm1a?



To me, it seems as though the QP1R is more detailed and is more of a reference sound.  It sounds more vivid. The reason I like the Sony so much is for its smoothness, which is exactly the same reason why others may hate it. The 1Z is similar just with better bass and better extension of treble...and slightly more expansive stage. The battery life of course on the Sony is awesome. The Sony to me is the best player if you're really into extreme metal. I'm talking Lamb of God, Sepultura, Slayer and stuff like that.


----------



## Quadfather

FortisFlyer75 said:


> I love the QPR1 sound a lot also (we probably have similar signatures tastes then) although not so keen on the ergonomics of the QPR1 to operating the Sony touchscreen even though a lot better than their first gen issues they had a few years ago with their click wheel.



The click wheel doesn't seem bad at all to me. I just got mine back from battery indicator repair in China and it works perfectly now.  I just wish the player didn't cut album artwork off like it does. The Sony scales it to the size of the screen


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 4, 2018)

emrelights1973 said:


> İ wonder will it make sense to add 1zR to my current line up th900,Utopia, Encore,hd800...?
> 
> Will it shine with 1z?



You mean the Z1R? The 1ZR is a Toyota engine?

It’s a nice experience, though at times the lesser cost 1A is a better match. The 1A is more midcentric so it fills the Z1R mid area. Both the 1Z and the Z1R are slighly pronounced in the lower bass region making the two together almost an overkill in that area. But maybe if it was as all someone had it would be magnificent. And......you can always EQ.

From looking at your collection I can assure you, you own nothing that sounds like the Z1R. In fact nothing on earth sounds like them. They are an enigma. That said they can take about two days to get used to. Stuff that sounds off the first day, slowly somehow corrects itself as you mentally get used to their signature.

As time goes on I also have started to realize the difference the Sony MUC-B20SB1 cable effect has on the over all sound with the 1A-1Z. And.....crazy as it sounds there may be some truth to........
https://axios.kimber.com/


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> You mean the Z1R? The 1ZR is a Toyota engine?
> 
> It’s a nice experience, though at times the lesser cost 1A is a better match. The 1A is more midcentric so it fills the Z1R mid area. Both the 1Z and the Z1R are slighly pronounced in the lower bass region making the two together almost an overkill in that area. But maybe if it was as all someone had it would be magnificent. And......you can always EQ.
> 
> ...



Are the mids in 1z recessed when compared to 1a?


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> Briefly heard the 1a with u18 and Forte and it wasn't anything worth listening to after a few tracks, out of 3 totl iems I don't think it's a synergy thing, I belive wm1a is not for my tastes.
> 
> The issue today is... Do I spend a grand on this thing wm1z and expect it to sound entirely different than the hated wm1a?



1Z for 1K? There must be drugs involved.


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> 1Z for 1K? There must be drugs involved.



A rich friends pity, I bottom feed off of whatever he gets into


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> Are the mids in 1z recessed when compared to 1a?



Yes.


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> A rich friends pity, I bottom feed off of whatever he gets into



I used to buy racing bicycle parts off a rich buddy the same way. The next year some new titanium part would come out making last years product obsolete.


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes.


Well shoot... I didn't want to hear that... I like a forward mid presence. Intimate sound... Not in the 1z I see?


----------



## Quadfather

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes.



 That's probably why I really love the Shure SRH1540, Audioquest Nighthawks, and Sennheiser HD650 s with my NW-WM1A...


----------



## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> A rich friends pity, I bottom feed off of whatever he gets into



 I will take a large order of pity to go please


----------



## Quadfather

We be jamming!!!


----------



## Elyfantman

I'm loving the Hifiman Edition X v2 with my WM1A lately.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 4, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> That's probably why I really love the Shure SRH1540, Audioquest Nighthawks, and Sennheiser HD650 s with my NW-WM1A...



There are a number of specific variables involved with consistent synergy. Though the X factor is at times is the perception of synergy can change. The change must always be a mental thing, as what else could it be?

Matching of equipment.

Matching of music subgenre.

Matching of sound preference.

Matching of signature due to prior headphone used.


The last one is a doozy........as it’s often underrated. It could mean that if you’ve been listening to one system, with one headphone for a week, you could walk into a store and listen to what would be perfect for you, and not like it.


----------



## Quadfather

Redcarmoose said:


> There are a number of specific variables involved with consistent synergy. Though the X factor is at times the perception of synergy can change. The change must always be a mental thing, as what else could it be?
> 
> Matching of equipment.
> 
> ...



 This is one of the greatest posts I have ever read. When I first heard The Audioquest Nighthawks with my NW - WM1A, I hated it. Now I am loving it and I have no idea why


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 4, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> This is one of the greatest posts I have ever read. When I first heard The Audioquest Nighthawks with my NW - WM1A, I hated it. Now I am loving it and I have no idea why



Thanks!

Maybe that’s why time is needed; why we learn from using equipment at home for a week.

I say all this, but I’m totally known for making 2 minute headphone or IEM judgments. I have to fly into places to demo gear. I only have two days or so and have to get transportation to the different shops. The good part is I can hear a fairly fresh collection of gear. But the bad part is the limited time. I purchased the 1Z, not even being that impressed by it. Then 2.0 FW upgrade, burn-in and mental burn-in had me loving it.

The other concept is pre-expected bias or pre-expectation bias. Which I believe can go both ways.

If you thought something would sound great, it does. Or you could be expecting more; so it’s a let down.


----------



## Quadfather

Redcarmoose said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Maybe that’s why time is needed; why we learn from using equipment at home for a week.
> 
> ...



I really need that rich friend... I so very much want a NW - WM1Z


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 5, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> I really need that rich friend... I so very much want a NW - WM1Z



I envision a new 1Z MK2 in the near future. I actually have plans to go to the Flagship Store in Tokyo in March, as I figure “something?” new will be out.

At that time the for-sale section will maybe have 1K 1Zs. Though be aware the copper is really soft, and they are really heavy, so the combo lends itself to small “dents”. My 1Z has one, though you would not notice it unless you were shown. The 1A is more tough. Still it’s all part of life, none of us look like when we were young........except Cher!


----------



## Bosk

WM1Z owners, would you consider using it to commute if you had to walk around with it in your pocket or would the weight put you off?


----------



## thebratts

Bosk said:


> WM1Z owners, would you consider using it to commute if you had to walk around with it in your pocket or would the weight put you off?



I have mine in my Jeans pocket everyday for about 60 minutes when walking and traveling by train.  No issues, except for summertime if I have shorts that is loose, feels like they will drop of me so then I might walk with the wm1z in my hand.. ☺️


----------



## jcdreamer

It doesn't feel really good if you are wearing shorts without a belt.  That's why I find myself wearing a fanny pack for the first time in my life.


----------



## ttt123

Bosk said:


> WM1Z owners, would you consider using it to commute if you had to walk around with it in your pocket or would the weight put you off?


I use a belt pouch, so do not notice the weight at all.  Though need the BT remote control to make it work.  I have the BT remote on a strap on my wrist, and the combination works great.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Aug 5, 2018)

bvng3540 said:


> They can said whatever they think they know,  but have they try it is my question



I for one didn't try because I subscribe to the common understanding that connecting an SE jack into a balanced port will cause harm to the system.

That you didn't experience anything untoward is definitely very good for you and is no indication that damage isn't being done. There could be cumulative effects over time. As the adage goes, your mileage may vary, but if it works for you, please do carry on and enjoy your music in good health.

I don't need to have done something myself in order to realise detrimental effects could exist. For instance I've never left a metal fork in a microwave when I'm heating up food, but hey, you might want to give that a shot since you don't belive in subscribing to the masses. You might be able to prove all of us wrong.


----------



## kaikai1805

Unable to find any used wm1a locally. Should i consider buying the SRP or should i wait awhile more to see if theres anything new coming out?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kaikai1805 said:


> Unable to find any used wm1a locally. Should i consider buying the SRP or should i wait awhile more to see if theres anything new coming out?


A used one pops up every now and then. I reckon the cost saving is worth the wait if you're not in a rush. What country are you in?


----------



## kaikai1805 (Aug 5, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> A used one pops up every now and then. I reckon the cost saving is worth the wait if you're not in a rush. What country are you in?


Singapore, any news whether there will be something new coming out? Am just worried after buying they will launch something new


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kaikai1805 said:


> Singapore, any news whether there will be something new coming out? Am just worried after buying they will launch something new


Fellow countryman. Hahaha. Look on Carousell. About 1 pops up every month.
I got my 1A from there, made a new friend in the process and subsequently upgraded mine through the Project K mod by MS.
And alternative is to get a friend to buy a second hand one for you from E-earphone in Japan.


----------



## kaikai1805

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Fellow countryman. Hahaha. Look on Carousell. About 1 pops up every month.
> I got my 1A from there, made a new friend in the process and subsequently upgraded mine through the Project K mod by MS.
> And alternative is to get a friend to buy a second hand one for you from E-earphone in Japan.


Hi =) yep have been looking at carousell for few weeks. Got the urge to get it from Sony store actually.


----------



## nc8000

bvng3540 said:


> I had try it and still currently using it since the dap first came out and nothing shorted, what bug me is that people say crap that they dont know what they saying, just jump on other people hype



I have no intention of trying this. I have been using balanced amps for at least 10 years and it is common knowledge and science that you should never try to connect single ended headphones to balanced outputs as you join the 2 active negative lines together. It may be that Sony have some kind of protection circuit that protects users doing silly things and actually damaging the player. There have been several posts in this thread where sound has been compromised with buzzing/hissing doing this.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Bosk said:


> WM1Z owners, would you consider using it to commute if you had to walk around with it in your pocket or would the weight put you off?







I use the smaller gold player made by Apple.


----------



## Bosk

Redcarmoose said:


> I use the smaller gold player made by Apple.


That QDC case is gorgeous and looks to be a good size too.


----------



## Redcarmoose

kaikai1805 said:


> Singapore, any news whether there will be something new coming out? Am just worried after buying they will launch something new



Talk with those folks at Music Sanctuary. They obviously are not a Sony dealer, but do internal wire mods to both the 1A and 1Z. They may know of used around.

There is not even a sent of info on a new player. Not even a spy photo.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> Talk with those folks at Music Sanctuary. They obviously are not a Sony dealer, but do internal wire mods to both the 1A and 1Z. They may know of used around.
> 
> There is not even a sent of info on a new player. Not even a spy photo.


A good idea. It's like a WM1 club there. Hahahaha!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 5, 2018)

Bosk said:


> That QDC case is gorgeous and looks to be a good size too.



Thank-you.
Well the custom bass BA must be giant; they have the same sound signature as the Z5 and Z1R, though not the upper detail or sparkle. They are my newest IEM and the most costly IEM I take out and about.

Amazingly qdc even includes that case with their entry level IEMs.


----------



## NaiveSound

jcdreamer said:


> It doesn't feel really good if you are wearing shorts without a belt.  That's why I find myself wearing a fanny pack for the first time in my life.


Oh no


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> Well the custom bass BA must be giant; they have the same sound signature as the Z5 and Z1R, though not the upper detail or sparkle. They are my newest IEM and the most costly IEM I take out and about.
> 
> Amazingly qdc even includes that case with their entry level IEMs.


Which model are these? Was eyeing a pair... Anole v6, I think, I can't recall exactly, but they sounded really good.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Aug 5, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> Oh no


Almost a half a kilogram. You'll need a separate holster or pouch and a belt. I reckon you'll have clothing malfunction accidents if you use elasticised pants.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Which model are these? Was eyeing a pair... Anole v6, I think, I can't recall exactly, but they sounded really good.



They are the Anole V3, which is their fun tune. As you go up the ladder the extra drivers increases the form factor. So the V6s are slighly bigger, and even though they have the user adjustable crossover switches, they are a reference tune, and never get to the bass level of the V3. I listened to the whole line except the Neptune. 

But the V3s are small and somehow fit really deep inside my ear, thus creating sound isolation with Sony Hybrid tips. It’s a different style of bass as it goes as deep as the DD in the Z5, but because it’s a BA it’s different in character. It’s slightly softer and rounded in the bass department though still going down there frequency wise. I don’t know of a lower BA?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> They are the Anole V3, which is their fun tune. As you go up the ladder the extra drivers increases the form factor. So the V6s are slighly bigger, and even though they have the user adjustable crossover switches, they are a reference tune, and never get to the bass level of the V3. I listened to the whole line except the Neptune.
> 
> But the V3s are small and somehow fit really deep inside my ear, thus creating sound isolation with Sony Hybrid tips. It’s a different style of bass as it goes as deep as the DD in the Z5, but because it’s a BA it’s different in character. It’s slightly softer and rounded in the bass department though still going down there frequency wise. I don’t know of a lower BA?


Sounds like I need to drop by MS to have a listen again


----------



## llamaluv

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Almost a half a kilogram.


My hope when I got the WM1A was that if I'd be able to put up with the the extra inconvenience of the size and weight if I really liked the sound quality. But now that I've had it long enough, it turns out the weight is becoming too much of an issue to ignore. 

So now I'm starting the burn-in process on a ZX300, and when that's complete, I'm going have to make a hard decision between usability (ZX300) or sound quality (WM1A). I'm secretly hoping that I'll find the ZX300 to sound decisively worse, or almost identical (preferably the latter  ).


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Sounds like I need to drop by MS to have a listen again



They can also help you with aftermarket cables for them. The Han Sound Audio Zen 4 wire OCC litz copper cable terminated Furutech 4.4mm goes right on, but keep in mind qdc cables are upside down. Also if you look close there is a male protruding two pin affair exiting the IEM and the stock qdc cables are female and go over them.

The Han Sound just joins at the edges, but it works. I actually have two pairs of V3s one pair connected to the 4.4mm cable for the Sony players and one pair with the stock cable for my iPod.

That way you don’t wear out the pin connectors.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> They can also help you with aftermarket cables for them. The Han Sound Audio Zen 4 wire OCC litz copper cable terminated Furutech 4.4mm goes right on, but keep in mind qdc cables are upside down. Also if you look close there is a male protruding two pin affair exiting the IEM and the stock qdc cables are female and go over them.
> 
> The Han Sound just joins at the edges, but it works. I actually have two pairs of V3s one pair connected to the 4.4mm cable for the Sony players and one pair with the stock cable for my iPod.
> 
> That way you don’t wear out the pin connectors.


Yeah, I've been worried about wearing out the 2 pin connectors on my IEMs.
MS has a good range of cables to roll. I'll have a field day.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

llamaluv said:


> My hope when I got the WM1A was that if I'd be able to put up with the the extra inconvenience of the size and weight if I really liked the sound quality. But now that I've had it long enough, it turns out the weight is becoming too much of an issue to ignore.
> 
> So now I'm starting the burn-in process on a ZX300, and when that's complete, I'm going have to make a hard decision between usability (ZX300) or sound quality (WM1A). I'm secretly hoping that I'll find the ZX300 to sound decisively worse, or almost identical (preferably the latter  ).


Keep them both!!


----------



## Redcarmoose

llamaluv said:


> My hope when I got the WM1A was that if I'd be able to put up with the the extra inconvenience of the size and weight if I really liked the sound quality. But now that I've had it long enough, it turns out the weight is becoming too much of an issue to ignore.
> 
> So now I'm starting the burn-in process on a ZX300, and when that's complete, I'm going have to make a hard decision between usability (ZX300) or sound quality (WM1A). I'm secretly hoping that I'll find the ZX300 to sound decisively worse, or almost identical (preferably the latter  ).



I think you will find the ZX300 way warmer than the 1A. Though that does not mean you can’t get some IEMs to sound great with it.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Keep them both!!



You will miss your 1A like an old friend.


----------



## Redcarmoose

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/quasimodosbelfry.84855/

I have always wondered if the pin process could be repaired if worn.

Though worse case scenario, you have to get new IEMs. That’s not a bad excuse.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Aug 5, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/quasimodosbelfry.84855/
> 
> I have always wondered if the pin process could be repaired if worn.
> 
> Though worse case scenario, you have to get new IEMs. That’s not a bad excuse.


Yeah, I wondered that a lot reckon they'd have to be sent back to the manufacturer to be repaired.

I wondered about tinning the 20pin connectors just to make the connection tighter.

Buying a bunch of new IEMs just coz the connector is loose seems wasteful. Haha, and it's not like we need an excuse to buy another pair.


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> Well shoot... I didn't want to hear that... I like a forward mid presence. Intimate sound... Not in the 1z I see?



This question needs to be addressed. It’s like everything is more forward with the 1Z. There is a pronounced V, and the 1A is more even tempered. And in the end the 1A is wonderful how much detail goes on in the mid area; much of musical information is in the mids. 

But everything is more front and center with the 1Z. It’s clearer has more dynamics and slighly more bass. The 1Z bass is slower with the 1A bass fast and lean. And after spending time with both players; the 1A IS slighly thinner sounding, but the 1Z has a treble spike.


----------



## llamaluv

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Keep them both!!


Argh! Hehe...



Redcarmoose said:


> I think you will find the ZX300 way warmer than the 1A. Though that does not mean you can’t get some IEMs to sound great with it.


Thanks, I'll watch out for that. I'll being using the DAP with just one thing, which is the Vega, so that difference may important with the already-bottom-heavy Vega.


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> This question needs to be addressed. It’s like everything is more forward with the 1Z. There is a pronounced V, and the 1A is more even tempered. And in the end the 1A is wonderful how much detail goes on in the mid area; much of musical information is in the mids.
> 
> But everything is more front and center with the 1Z. It’s clearer has more dynamics and slighly more bass. The 1Z bass is slower with the 1A bass fast and lean. And after spending time with both players; the 1A IS slighly thinner sounding, but the 1Z has a treble spike.




I guess I'll buy, hopefully I can get 1800 if I don't like it


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> I really need that rich friend... I so very much want a NW - WM1Z


I really need a rich husband  or Living in Germany to earn more as a software developer there


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> I guess I'll buy, hopefully I can get 1800 if I don't like it



I spend about 90% of the time in low output mode. Also if you go back around December maybe late November in this thread, you’ll note how many didn’t like the tone of 2.0 firmware update. Many after updating went back to the prior firmware due to it sounding warmer and more analogue. 2.0 kind of expanded the upper midrange to achieve more detail, but there was complaints of grain. Google in WM 1Z firmware and it will take you to posts in this thread with links to either update to 2.0 or reverse to the prior update. 2.0 is the only firmware that lets the player play Ape files.

The bottom line is 2.0 makes em louder.


----------



## ttt123

nc8000 said:


> I have no intention of trying this. I have been using balanced amps for at least 10 years and it is common knowledge and science that you should never try to connect single ended headphones to balanced outputs as you join the 2 active negative lines together. It may be that Sony have some kind of protection circuit that protects users doing silly things and actually damaging the player. There have been several posts in this thread where sound has been compromised with buzzing/hissing doing this.


It's quite likely that manufacturers have built their balanced circuits to handle the R-grd and L-grd being shorted together.  Not doing so would result in too many amp failures, when somebody accidentally, or purposefully, plugs in a new cable.  In general, even though the design will prevent failures, manufacturers do not want you creating shorts on purpose, as that is not what they designed for.  Maybe it will actually be an improvement over SE, but the situation is that this is uncharted territory.  

There are many similar situations, like ejecting a memory card without unmounting it.  I myself did this for years with no issues.  Then I ran across a couple of card failures, and decided to follow the recommendations to always unmount a memory card first, before ejecting it.  No guarantee that this will prevent future failures, or even if it was the cause of the original failures.  Just a personal decision.

I see this discussion of shorting a Balanced amplifier as similar.  The recommendation is correct to not do it.  This is good practice.
However, if through experience, somebody finds that they can do it and get good results, then they have found justification for themselves that the commonly accepted practice does not need to be followed.  As there is no guarantee that there will not be incremental damage, or cause a shorter lifetime, or will have similar results on other pieces of equipment, this cannot be a general recommendation to everybody, on all equipment.  This is just a successful experiment that others can follow if they want, and these others are also adventurous, and willing to go against accepted practices because they want the gains that this can bring.  

Now, I expect that most people would prefer to stick with getting balanced cables and plugs, but there will always be people willing to push the boundaries.  There is room for both viewpoints.  I personally have done both.  If I go against the normal practice, I am willing to pay the price if it fails.   There are some views I believe to be wrong, and false, and I will state those.  There are others more in the camp of "I got away with doing x", and I will also state that.  Let's just be clear which situation we are talking about, and what it is that we are recommending.


----------



## kaikai1805

Redcarmoose said:


> Talk with those folks at Music Sanctuary. They obviously are not a Sony dealer, but do internal wire mods to both the 1A and 1Z. They may know of used around.
> 
> There is not even a sent of info on a new player. Not even a spy photo.



Tried FB msging MS, sadly its a no. Tempting much, but maybe i should hold on for another month till Sept to see if Sony announce anything?


----------



## Quadfather

kaikai1805 said:


> Tried FB msging MS, sadly its a no. Tempting much, but maybe i should hold on for another month till Sept to see if Sony announce anything?



Perfect would be 500mw/32 ohms or possibly 1,000mw/32 ohms.    That is the only thing they really could change.


----------



## NaiveSound

Buddy selling me is getting the ak1000, I heard it briefly, which nice sound I don't like ak products much, but anyways,  after the 1z and ak1k, you can't go further can you?


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Just going back to the SE into 4.4 conversation briefly I take it then a 2.5 female balanced to 4.4 male adaptor would be safe to use on the 1A?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Just going back to the SE into 4.4 conversation briefly I take it then a 2.5 female balanced to 4.4 male adaptor would be safe to use on the 1A?


Yeah, balanced ---> balanced = ok.
I have a couple of those adapters.


----------



## nc8000

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Just going back to the SE into 4.4 conversation briefly I take it then a 2.5 female balanced to 4.4 male adaptor would be safe to use on the 1A?



Yes going from any balanced headphone into 4.4 is OK as is going from any balanced headphone into single ended


----------



## gerelmx1986

Trying out the xivero to see how much dsd 256 sonic changes on the WM1A can I detect


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Yeah, balanced ---> balanced = ok.
> I have a couple of those adapters.





nc8000 said:


> Yes going from any balanced headphone into 4.4 is OK as is going from any balanced headphone into single ended



Cheers guys, much appreciated, I thought it was but just wanted to make sure after learning about the 3.5se to 4.4 bal restriction as I will now get my skates on and order an adaptor so I can listen to my Meze premium cable which they terminate in 2,5 bal. 

Is there one in particular that's worth going for at all?, (I thought Norne Audio done a Eidolic 2.5 to 4.4 adaptor but couldn't see it unless I imagined it a while back whilst browsing.)  

Cheers anyway guys, hats off ; )


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

FortisFlyer75 said:


> Cheers guys, much appreciated, I thought it was but just wanted to make sure after learning about the 3.5se to 4.4 bal restriction as I will now get my skates on and order an adaptor so I can listen to my Meze premium cable which they terminate in 2,5 bal.
> 
> Is there one in particular that's worth going for at all?, (I thought Norne Audio done a Eidolic 2.5 to 4.4 adaptor but couldn't see it unless I imagined it a while back whilst browsing.)
> 
> Cheers anyway guys, hats off ; )



There are quite a few options available. I have the following and can recommend them:





Musashino Label 




Astrotec




PW Audio

Ended up with 2 of the straight adapters because I was caught out once without an adapter and thought I had lost the Astrotec.
The pigtail from Musashino Label was bought at E-earphone in Akihabara. Saw it and thought it was a good idea to relieve stress on the Pentaconn connector.


----------



## nc8000

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> There are quite a few options available. I have the following and can recommend them:
> 
> 
> Musashino Label
> ...



Yes I have a 3.5 to 4.4 RA Musashino adaptor that does a good job but it was expensive to get to Europe, but when I got it, it was virtually the only option


----------



## kingdixon

I find it puzzling why single to balanced adapters exist,

Or is it all balanced female to balanced male but people just plug single end headphones to it.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> There are quite a few options available. I have the following and can recommend them:
> 
> 
> Musashino Label
> ...



Thank you for that info QBelfry, had just been looking on Amazon to see what Prime options there was here in UK but all there was is two Chinese sounding straight adaptors, one by Hzjundasi
with no reviews at all and a Geekria which has had one poor review regarding been one channel down so think I will stay clear of them. 

I like the look of the PW audio one for it's smaller footprint which looks like something I can lose easy enough! The Astrotec looks nice also.  Not sure about having another type of cable in the chain with the Musashino adaptor good as quality build as it looks I will only have the player static on the settee anyway listening to my Meze classics.  Think I will head over to Astro and PW first and put an order in for one of each so got that back up spare also.  Still could of sworn I had seen Eidolic done one unless they discontinued it as on their site they seem to have discontinued some of the connectors to make way for newer versions by what i can tell possibly...

Adaptors are so much fun!  Cheers again for the recommendations ; )


----------



## gerelmx1986

as per @Whitigir  request I converted some of my files (both 16/44 and 24/88) to DSD256 using xivero as test mode.

This is what i heard and i think the WM1x walkmans are already too good at decoding PCM in 16-bit and 24-bit. I heard the DSD256 had less resolution than the originals untouched, even for 24-bit FLAC these sounded fuller than their DSD-up conversion counterpart.

The DSD upconversions lost resolution through the frequency range (from bass to highs), you could note for example bass having less bite and slam power in the DSD256 upconverts, some high  and mids frequencies details easily noticiable as less prominent or gone. However there is a thing that struck me. In contrast to Weiss engineering Saracon tool which made the resulting PCM sound darker and less refined. The xivero made the resulting DSFs sound brighter and sometimes out of tune! and less refined or with some artifacts like warbling, "birdies", mettalic whine. 

AT times with certain files there was no difference at all mostly organ or orchestral. But hell listening to  a Monteverdi madrigal from his Ottavo libro dei Madrigali, made inmediately noticeable, the prominent Bass man singing had less prominence and sounded dull on the DSD256, switching to the original 16/44 his deep voice rumbled and hit deep low.

so A) WM1 walkmans are already too good at decoding signals that you get the minimum amount of imperfections listeneable during playback.
B) perhaps DSD512 is different or C) his iBasso DX200 (priced about the same as my WM1A) is either fooling him with a DSP or it is not as good as the Walkman.


----------



## fiascogarcia (Aug 5, 2018)

kingdixon said:


> I find it puzzling why single to balanced adapters exist,
> 
> Or is it all balanced female to balanced male but people just plug single end headphones to it.


Adapters have balanced female and either balanced male or SE male plugs.  You can go from balanced to SE, but you can't plug an SE plug into a balanced female adapter.  Remember that  3.5mm plugs can be either balanced or SE.  Some adapters may be all SE, to change from 3.5mm SE to 6.4mm SE, or vice versa.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 5, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> as per @Whitigir  request I converted some of my files (both 16/44 and 24/88) to DSD256 using xivero as test mode.
> 
> This is what i heard and i think the WM1x walkmans are already too good at decoding PCM in 16-bit and 24-bit. I heard the DSD256 had less resolution than the originals untouched, even for 24-bit FLAC these sounded fuller than their DSD-up conversion counterpart.
> 
> ...




Thanks for observing the differences.  Walkman and DSD are different technologies .  There is no way to tamper with DSD unless you down convert it into PCM, which Zx2 did, and DX200 does no such thing.  The matter of DSD would come down to Analog Filters, which is capacitor arrays and the amplification sections.

Now, Walkman and S-Master is what called Direct Digital.  It is similar to Non-Over-Sampling DAC which don’t apply Sigma/Delta modulation in the process.  With a good implementations, the NOS systems has a more organic flows and feeling than Sigma/Delta.  But Sigma/Delta shall always have better dynamic than any NOS (as in what I hear from both of my desktop systems and even in theory).  I am not sure why you lost the Dynamic slams ? Which makes no senses as Xivero applies Sigma Delta at the utmost precision and negates out the timing errors.

It also makes no senses that the Capacitors arrays in the Dx200 is to be better than Walkman either.  Because, if the capacitors arrays and amplification sections are better on dx200, then the Dx200 should outperform the Wm1Z in Dynamic (given that ES9028Pro has a dynamic range of 129Db and measured to be 125Db on Dx200) when I was comparing PCM on both, which was not the case.

The only explanation I can speculate here is that Walkman and S-Master with it choices of DSP interface was not meant for DSD Native.  PCM has always been better on Walkman than any DSD.  Perhap, Sony did not play Native DSD but rather DOP in a senses of DSD over PCM, and somehow during the process, the sound degraded (probably the clocking systems that can’t keep up).  _Not all DAC or system can play Native DSD at a good performances_, and as I just said, the interface could degrade it.  It is a good thing to confirm that DX200 and even my lks004 can do wonderful with Native DSD.  Thanks to the newest generation of Sabres, ES9028Pro and ES9038Pro

Again, thanks @gerelmx1986 .  This gives me a confirmations to ES Sabres Pro line to have an excellent engineered DSD Bypass and internal clocking system.  I can not wait to find out how to do DSD1024 on my LKS004 with ES9038Pro


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 5, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> Thanks for observing the differences.  Walkman and DSD are different technologies .  There is no way to tamper with DSD unless you down convert it into PCM, which Zx2 did, and DX200 does no such thing.  The matter of DSD would come down to Analog Filters, which is capacitor arrays and the amplification sections.
> 
> Now, Walkman and S-Master is what called Direct Digital.  It is similar to Non-Over-Sampling DAC which don’t apply Sigma/Delta modulation in the process.  With a good implementations, the NOS systems has a more organic flows and feeling than Sigma/Delta.  But Sigma/Delta shall always have better dynamic than any NOS (as in what I hear from both of my desktop systems and even in theory).  I am not sure why you lost the Dynamic slams ? Which makes no senses as Xivero applies Sigma Delta at the utmost precision and negates out the timing errors.
> 
> ...


I was thinking that DSD was really meant for analogue case scenarios such as: Native DSD recorder apparatus or analogue-tape transfers to DSD with minimum processing. I have both cases and in such cases i think DSD played back on the WM1A outperforms PCM in every aspect including bass deepness and slam. but doing DSD of an already digitized file seems like it is not worth of it (at least in the walkman case scenario). 

Some of these albums include purchases from native DSD (Vivaldi: concertos for the emperor, Biber: Missa Christi Resurgentis) and sony, Pentatone re-releases such as Bach: The four great toccatas and fugues and Mozart the complete church sonatas


----------



## JeremyLaurenson (Aug 5, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> No. Bad for your DAP. Like, short your DAP, kind of bad.



This is incorrect.

A 4.4mm TRRRs Male to 3.5 SE TRS female is a problem and will short the walkman potentially.

A 4.4Mm TRRRS female to 3.5mm se cable (which will never be plugged into your walkman but will convert your 4.4mm terminated headpohnes into "normal" 3.5mm) will not


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 5, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I was thinking that DSD was really meant for analogue case scenarios such as: Native DSD recorder apparatus or analogue-tape transfers to DSD with minimum processing. I have both cases and in such cases i think DSD played back on the WM1A outperforms PCM in every aspect including bass deepness and slam. but doing DSD of an already digitized file seems like it is not worth of it (at least in the walkman case scenario).
> 
> Some of these albums include purchases from native DSD (Vivaldi: concertos for the emperor, Biber: Missa Christi Resurgentis) and sony, Pentatone re-releases such as Bach: The four great toccatas and fugues and Mozart the complete church sonatas



Actually, All DSD is Remastered and upconverted from PCM.  Normally recorded at higher bit depth and rate 24/96 or 32/198.  You can not edit DSD recording.  So, it is safe to say most DSD from SACD are all upconverted DSD

Again, the software used will matter whether you upsample or down coversion.  Especially from DSD to PCM, you need a good software with good filters and setting otherwise you easily degrade the performances.  People think down conversion from DSD to PCM an easy and simple process, but it isnt so

I am not surprised that PCM outperform DSD in Walkman due to the nature of S-Master. The DX200 uses Xmos U208 for DSP.  I am certain Walkman does not use it, and it matters a lot

You did notice all Sigma Delta DAC upsample anyways right ? In upsampling process, with a good modulators, offline upsampling to DSD is the way to go, especially for DAP

In the case of analogue or Vynils, they are theoretically lower dynamic range than their counter part CD redbook


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Aug 5, 2018)

JeremyLaurenson said:


> This is incorrect.
> 
> A 4.4mm TRRRs Male to 3.5 SE TRS female is a problem and will short the walkman potentially.
> 
> A 4.4Mm TRRRS female to 3.5mm se cable (which will never be plugged into your walkman but will convert your 4.4mm terminated headpohnes into "normal" 3.5mm) will not


Yup. Acknowledged that just a couple of posts later.

Have gone back and deleted the erroneous advice.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kingdixon said:


> I find it puzzling why single to balanced adapters exist,
> 
> Or is it all balanced female to balanced male but people just plug single end headphones to it.


Dunno. Might be a simple case of "monkey see, monkey do".
Maker A makes a balanced 3.5 to balanced 4.4 cable.
Along comes Maker B, wanting to tap into a new market segment with 4.4 and just orders up a batch from an OEM factory. It really could be that simple.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Dunno. Might be a simple case of "monkey see, monkey do".
> Maker A makes a balanced 3.5 to balanced 4.4 cable.
> Along comes Maker B, wanting to tap into a new market segment with 4.4 and just orders up a batch from an OEM factory. It really could be that simple.



Funny how the situation takes some technical understanding of reading the connection bands, but if you look, retailers are selling plugs that don’t actually do as they are listed to do.


----------



## NaiveSound

I have a 2.5mm cable that obviously won't work in the 1z I'm About to get Tuesday. I have an adapter from Amazon, but between my totl iem and 1z (I guess totl dap) the adapter (30$) will be a weak link in my system.   I got an ares 2 but at 3.5mm....i need a 4.4mm cable but while I hunt for one... I hope someone shoots me a pm with a cable offer. 

Or


Should I buy a quality 4.4mm to. 2.5mm adapter. Would a quality adapter still weaken Sq over a straight connection?


----------



## artpiggo

NaiveSound said:


> I have a 2.5mm cable that obviously won't work in the 1z I'm About to get Tuesday. I have an adapter from Amazon, but between my totl iem and 1z (I guess totl dap) the adapter (30$) will be a weak link in my system.   I got an ares 2 but at 3.5mm....i need a 4.4mm cable but while I hunt for one... I hope someone shoots me a pm with a cable offer.
> 
> Or
> 
> ...



Just buy quality adapter. 
http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopd...7201&search=musashino+2.5+4.4&sort=price_desc
http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000147925/


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 5, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> I have a 2.5mm cable that obviously won't work in the 1z I'm About to get Tuesday. I have an adapter from Amazon, but between my totl iem and 1z (I guess totl dap) the adapter (30$) will be a weak link in my system.   I got an ares 2 but at 3.5mm....i need a 4.4mm cable but while I hunt for one... I hope someone shoots me a pm with a cable offer.
> 
> Or
> 
> ...



I have used the Mee cable adapter set. It starts with a 2.5mm and ends MMCX (Though you may only need 2pin?) the 2.5 plugs into a set of plugs they give you. A single ended 3.5mm, a balanced 3.5mm and a balanced 4.4mm that I used with the 1Z. The problem is it would not be wise to take the player with the cable connection around as you have this giant protruding plug, which could get bent.

It sounded fine though. It’s best to get the dictated cables though.
https://www.amazon.com/MEE-audio-CMB-BAL-SET-Universal-balanced/dp/B076PWSSSJ


The above recommendation is probably better and safer.
http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000147925/

Though I would probably break out my Mee set again if I was to get another MMCX IEM. I tend to avoid MMCX IEMs. But who knows something like the Atlas could get me to dance with the devil.


----------



## proedros

NaiveSound said:


> I have a 2.5mm cable that obviously won't work in the 1z I'm About to get Tuesday.




Vegas bookies give you 1 week before posting 'wm1z sucks' and put it for sale 

just a hunch


----------



## NaiveSound

Jeez I hope not, I'm spending 1k on it, I hope it's good, that's a lot of cash , if I sell I hope 2k or at least 1.8


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> Jeez I hope not, I'm spending 1k on it, I hope it's good, that's a lot of cash , if I sell I hope 2k or at least 1.8



Just wait for the new one, it may look like this?


----------



## 480126

Redcarmoose said:


> Just wait for the new one, it may look like this?


It Looks ugly!


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> Just wait for the new one, it may look like this?




That's not nice, I mean it looks like I can find it at Walmart for. 79.99 on the bottom right shelf tucked away and barely getting sold, on the verge of being on clearance. 

But if it streams and sounds better than 1a (which ain't hard to do) and 1z(?) then hell yeah


----------



## NickL33

Redcarmoose said:


> Just wait for the new one, it may look like this?



Nah dont think so either.....

I like zx300 shape


----------



## iridium7777

hi guys -- i have some questions about wm1a sound setting and overall signature.  my main player was/is the kann and i got wm1a to compare the two because i was always wondering in the back of my mind and i really like the battery life of the sony.

anywho, some questions about the SQ for the sony, all relating to the balanced port:

1) what is the Direct Source setting? should i be using this to be turned on or should i be setting it to some eq with upsamples, etc.?

2) i read somewhere that burn-in required is around 200hrs per jack.  my player is used but was right at 200 hours, i don't know on which jack though, so i'm assuming i still have to do burn in.  can someone explain how the sound changes over the burn in?  currently to me the sony is a little brighter than the kann and i'm not sure i like that.  will the sony level out or will it get even brighter?  or less bright?


thanks


----------



## NaiveSound

iridium7777 said:


> hi guys -- i have some questions about wm1a sound setting and overall signature.  my main player was/is the kann and i got wm1a to compare the two because i was always wondering in the back of my mind and i really like the battery life of the sony.
> 
> anywho, some questions about the SQ for the sony, all relating to the balanced port:
> 
> ...



I didn't find the Sq to change too much with burn in, but I do belive in *brain burn in*


----------



## nc8000

iridium7777 said:


> hi guys -- i have some questions about wm1a sound setting and overall signature.  my main player was/is the kann and i got wm1a to compare the two because i was always wondering in the back of my mind and i really like the battery life of the sony.
> 
> anywho, some questions about the SQ for the sony, all relating to the balanced port:
> 
> ...



Direct source means all dsp processing is disabled. That’s what I use but you should use whatever you like best. Be aware that using dsp will reduce battery life.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The design mock up, looks cheap 'n ugly


----------



## llamaluv

What's the provenance of those pictures?


----------



## JeremyLaurenson (Aug 6, 2018)

That has nothing to do with reality.
Its based on a 5 month old mockup of the Slip AC100 done by PH Concepts. Worry not.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 6, 2018)

iridium7777 said:


> hi guys -- i have some questions about wm1a sound setting and overall signature.  my main player was/is the kann and i got wm1a to compare the two because i was always wondering in the back of my mind and i really like the battery life of the sony.
> 
> anywho, some questions about the SQ for the sony, all relating to the balanced port:
> 
> ...



The first thing you should do is verify the firmware. 2.0 is going to get the loudest. Next check the output setting as some headphones need high output. You just go into setting and find output.

The Direct Source turns off EQ and DC Phase Linearizer amp modeling and DSEE HX upscaling processing. Finally it turns off the Dynamic Normalizer.


The hours can be reset in the device just by resetting everything so there is no real way to know if the hour count is real. 200 balanced and 200 single ended is needed. That’s low or medium volume with headphones attached.

The sound gets louder as most agree in the first 50 hours of burn in. But also the capacitors get stabilization from slight volume discrepancy after burn in.

The 1A is midcentric and will not get any warmer than say after 150 hours. The 1Z is the warmer of the two. It may take a while but after brain burn in the 1A can be a great match for many IEMs, never gets hot or even warm.

Make sure your using the 4.4mm balanced plug and use the correct cables with your IEMs or headphones to truly experience the Sony sound.

Cheers!


----------



## Redcarmoose

llamaluv said:


> What's the provenance of those pictures?



From the wonderful land of BS.


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 6, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> That's not nice, I mean it looks like I can find it at Walmart for. 79.99 on the bottom right shelf tucked away and barely getting sold, on the verge of being on clearance.
> 
> But if it streams and sounds better than 1a (which ain't hard to do) and 1z(?) then hell yeah



Sweet Lord that thing has no Style!!!  I have over 500 hours on my one and I think it sounds actually quite good. At least it does with the right headphones


----------



## AeroSatan

Does anyone know if it's theoretically possible to replace the glass on the WM1A. Messed up and kicked the power cord while the DAP was charging in its stupid Sony leather case, slipped off the table and had a little piece of glass chip off on the bottom left corner which sprouted spider like tiny cracks outward. Everything is working great but the anesthetic of that chip is bothering me. Got the Dignis case to not see it as much but was just wondering if anyone has cracked the outer screen glass and had it replaced.

Thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> Sweet Lord that thing has no Style!!!  I have over 500 hours on my one and I think it sounds actually quite good. At least it does with the right headphones


Five hundred hours is the amount that of time I started to notice lesser changes. Wild period of burn in is the first 100-150 hours


----------



## gerelmx1986

AeroSatan said:


> Does anyone know if it's theoretically possible to replace the glass on the WM1A. Messed up and kicked the power cord while the DAP was charging in its stupid Sony leather case, slipped off the table and had a little piece of glass chip off on the bottom left corner which sprouted spider like tiny cracks outward. Everything is working great but the anesthetic of that chip is bothering me. Got the Dignis case to not see it as much but was just wondering if anyone has cracked the outer screen glass and had it replaced.
> 
> Thanks


How much time do you have with it  if less than a year, ask for exchange under warranty


----------



## AeroSatan

gerelmx1986 said:


> How much time do you have with it  if less than a year, ask for exchange under warranty



I bought it off Ebay and even though it was brand new it was originally purchased in China so I doubt Sony would exchange anything for me. Do you think Sony would replace the glass if I paid for it?


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

AeroSatan said:


> I bought it off Ebay and even though it was brand new it was originally purchased in China so I doubt Sony would exchange anything for me. Do you think Sony would replace the glass if I paid for it?



If you're int he US you can call Sony sport and ask. I was told they didn't repair these units. Which is crazy.


----------



## AeroSatan

JeremyLaurenson said:


> If you're int he US you can call Sony sport and ask. I was told they didn't repair these units. Which is crazy.



They told me a company called United Radio does their repairs in USA. Send them a message, we'll see what they say if they reply.

So upset at being so careless, virtually brand new unit that I was baying and the moment I've reached about 500 burn in on the balanced mode i kick the cable in the dark and it slides off and hits the one sharp thing on the way to landing on the carpet which had any chance to damage the glass. believe it if I didn't see it.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

AeroSatan said:


> They told me a company called United Radio does their repairs in USA. Send them a message, we'll see what they say if they reply.
> 
> So upset at being so careless, virtually brand new unit that I was baying and the moment I've reached about 500 burn in on the balanced mode i kick the cable in the dark and it slides off and hits the one sharp thing on the way to landing on the carpet which had any chance to damage the glass. believe it if I didn't see it.


Music Sanctuary could do it. Have had a convo with them about spare parts and Sony here sells them.
You can contact off Facebook and see what they say, if you're really desperate. I don't reckon it will be cheap with shipping 2 ways, to and from Singapore. You might want to consider the Project K mod while you're at it.


----------



## AeroSatan

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Music Sanctuary could do it. Have had a convo with them about spare parts and Sony here sells them.
> You can contact off Facebook and see what they say, if you're really desperate. I don't reckon it will be cheap with shipping 2 ways, to and from Singapore. You might want to consider the Project K mod while you're at it.



Dare I ask, what's a Project K mod?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

AeroSatan said:


> Dare I ask, what's a Project K mod?


Here you go:
https://music-sanctuary.com/collections/services/products/1960s-mod-wm1-zx300

I'm not affiliated with them. Just been to their store several times and enjoy the chats I've had there.
Oh, and I got the Project K Premium Plus mod done on my WM1A.  Loving it.


----------



## NaiveSound

Other than dignis and miter  what are some really cool looking cases for wm1?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

NaiveSound said:


> Other than dignis and miter  what are some really cool looking cases for wm1?


I personally use a VanNuys case on top of the Dignis. I have a thread on my bag and case obsession here:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bagaholics-anonymous.881936/#post-14299441


----------



## 480126

NaiveSound said:


> Other than dignis and miter  what are some really cool looking cases for wm1?


Have a look at https://www.etsy.com/de/listing/539...-wm1a-wm1z-ledertasche?ref=shop_home_active_6
It fits the 1A/1Z , Looks great and it is not expencive


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 7, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> Other than dignis and miter  what are some really cool looking cases for wm1?




Best case there is.

http://www.cmpg.co.jp/musashino/nwwm1_leather_case.html


To find them for sale google this.
CP-NWWM1LC1/N


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Frida309 said:


> Have a look at https://www.etsy.com/de/listing/539...-wm1a-wm1z-ledertasche?ref=shop_home_active_6
> It fits the 1A/1Z , Looks great and it is not expencive


Have the same album
Hard Times is one of the better song there


----------



## alphanumerix1

Redcarmoose said:


> Just wait for the new one, it may look like this?



Disgusting


----------



## meurglys0 (Aug 7, 2018)

I'm ready to order this 4.4mm balanced cable to upgrade my IEM. 

And as an 4.4mm female to 3.5mm male adapter I'm considering one of these:

Option 1
Option 2
Option 3

Which one do you think seems to be the better option?

Thanks in advance.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> Best case there is.
> 
> http://www.cmpg.co.jp/musashino/nwwm1_leather_case.html
> 
> ...


This is really nice!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> This is really nice!



I can assure anyone they will like it. Only thing, no way to change cards, while case on.


----------



## Redcarmoose

alphanumerix1 said:


> Disgusting


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> I can assure anyone they will like it. Only thing, no way to change cards, while case on.


I kinda like all the buttons covered, like the Dignis case. But I like how the ML case covers the top.


----------



## NaiveSound

Tomorrow I get the 1z. I'm exited  I sure hope it isn't a bust


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 7, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> Tomorrow I get the 1z. I'm exited  I sure hope it isn't a bust


Honestly, from what I see from your impressions on Dx200.  I doubt you would like the 1Z much.  But I do hope so for you.  Why don’t you do Hugo2 instead ?

Wm1Z has no internet and or wireless connections, and you need Tidal don’t you?


----------



## bana

Redcarmoose said:


> Best case there is.
> 
> http://www.cmpg.co.jp/musashino/nwwm1_leather_case.html
> 
> ...




Second that! After using the Dignis, Benks clear case, this one is the best, soft leather, and you can personalize with name, etc.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Honestly, from what I see from your impressions on Dx200.  I doubt you would like the 1Z much.  But I do hope so for you.  Why don’t you do Hugo2 instead ?
> 
> Wm1Z has no internet and or wireless connections, and you need Tidal don’t you?


He needs to burn the player in before making a final judgment, at first I was slightly disappointed with the sound of the WM1A, but after burn in passed I ended liking the sound


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> Tomorrow I get the 1z. I'm exited  I sure hope it isn't a bust



Don’t jump to conclusions. Just be patient with it.


----------



## NaiveSound

Whitigir said:


> Honestly, from what I see from your impressions on Dx200.  I doubt you would like the 1Z much.  But I do hope so for you.  Why don’t you do Hugo2 instead ?
> 
> Wm1Z has no internet and or wireless connections, and you need Tidal don’t you?



I'm getting it for 1k$,if i dislike I'll sell it, make the necessary profit for Hugo 2.
Got a mojo again for tidal needs for the moment. 


Redcarmoose said:


> Don’t jump to conclusions. Just be patient with it.


Oh boy.. Sounds like a disappointment already  at 2700 or whatever it retails for it should wow at the first track.. Sorry I'm just not the type to lie to myself about things


----------



## gerelmx1986

Things are starting to get hot, according to the Walkman blog, Sony will introduce a new dac and a MDR-Z7M2  three new IEMS IER-M7, IER-M9 and IER-Z1R


----------



## NaiveSound (Aug 7, 2018)

So definitely a 1a/1z replacement too.in there somewhere, possibly following up. Had to spell it out I see


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 7, 2018)

Z7 MkII ? Roflmao, that is freaking crazy.  I wouldn’t call the DAC. Is WM1A/Z successor...it is priced $7,500 Euros.  That is freaking insane roflmao.  I am so done with Sony


----------



## NaiveSound

Whitigir said:


> Z7 MkII ? Roflmao, that is freaking crazy.  I wouldn’t call the DAC. Is WM1A/Z successor...it is priced $7,500 Euros.  That is freaking insane roflmao.  I am so done with Sony


Me too if the 1z is a dud


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> Me too if the 1z is a dud



1Z er certainly not a dud but you might just not like it which is fine


----------



## AeroSatan

JeremyLaurenson said:


> If you're int he US you can call Sony sport and ask. I was told they didn't repair these units. Which is crazy.



So they do have a place in USA which does wm1a repairs. But apparently they can't just replace the glass without swapping out the whole lcd module which they quoted around $225-$250

Wonder if I should do it or see if the hairline crack starts to get worse. 

Decisions decisions


----------



## NaiveSound

AeroSatan said:


> So they do have a place in USA which does wm1a repairs. But apparently they can't just replace the glass without swapping out the whole lcd module which they quoted around $225-$250
> 
> Wonder if I should do it or see if the hairline crack starts to get worse.
> 
> Decisions decisions


That's quite high....

As an idea: I've one had a gps screen that I cracked and manufacturer didn't care. I went to a local phone repair shop and they did at reasonable price

Call a few around


----------



## hamhamhamsta

AeroSatan said:


> So they do have a place in USA which does wm1a repairs. But apparently they can't just replace the glass without swapping out the whole lcd module which they quoted around $225-$250
> 
> Wonder if I should do it or see if the hairline crack starts to get worse.
> 
> Decisions decisions


Go get project K mod, its worth it

The harder part would be waiting for it to come back. In meantime, I recommend you getting EarStudio ES100 bluetooth wireless dac. Sounds really good and its only $99 on Amazon Prime


----------



## AeroSatan

NaiveSound said:


> That's quite high....
> 
> As an idea: I've one had a gps screen that I cracked and manufacturer didn't care. I went to a local phone repair shop and they did at reasonable price
> 
> Call a few around



I assumed that the cell phone places just carry glass for the common type of cell phones and that a specific sized and thickness glass would be required to make it fit as new. Also according to the email I received back it seems like there's no way to replace just the glass and it's attached to the lcd itself?


----------



## AeroSatan

hamhamhamsta said:


> Go get project K mod, its worth it
> 
> The harder part would be waiting for it to come back. In meantime, I recommend you getting EarStudio ES100 bluetooth wireless dac. Sounds really good and its only $99 on Amazon Prime



If I didn't have to ship it all the way out to Singapore I'd prolly do it. Really don't want to be without my favorite DAP for that long


----------



## hamhamhamsta

AeroSatan said:


> If I didn't have to ship it all the way out to Singapore I'd prolly do it. Really don't want to be without my favorite DAP for that long


Do you want to take your fav DAP to greater height? At least a level or two higher? If fund is not a concern, its worth it. Besides ES100 has very good sound quality.


----------



## AeroSatan

hamhamhamsta said:


> Do you want to take your fav DAP to greater height? At least a level or two higher? If fund is not a concern, its worth it. Besides ES100 has very good sound quality.



For the price of their most expensive mod one can buy a wm1z and fix the glass on my 1a lol


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

AeroSatan said:


> For the price of their most expensive mod one can buy a wm1z and fix the glass on my 1a lol


You can get a WM1Z and a replacement screen for S$1k? I'll take 2 from you, shipping on me.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

NaiveSound said:


> Oh boy.. Sounds like a disappointment already  at 2700 or whatever it retails for it should wow at the first track.. Sorry I'm just not the type to lie to myself about things


Did your rich friend ever let you listen to it before this?
As for expecting it to work magic like Unicorn fuzz might be a little bit of a stretch. Even Sony, in their lit, recommended burning in the player for 200 hours per amplification circuit. That's 200hrs for the balanced output and another 200hrs for the SE output.
Of course it doesn't change the signature, there's the house sound after all. But it does bring out more resolution and smooths out some minor bumps. Just like a single malt: there's the house flavour signature but a well-aged single malt is going to be smoother.


----------



## NaiveSound (Aug 7, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Did your rich friend ever let you listen to it before this?
> As for expecting it to work magic like Unicorn fuzz might be a little bit of a stretch. Even Sony, in their lit, recommended burning in the player for 200 hours per amplification circuit. That's 200hrs for the balanced output and another 200hrs for the SE output.
> Of course it doesn't change the signature, there's the house sound after all. But it does bring out more resolution and smooths out some minor bumps. Just like a single malt: there's the house flavour signature but a well-aged single malt is going to be smoother.



My bud is a business man always traveling and I rarely get to see him, maybe every 2 months for half a day.
When I spend time with him we catch up and talk about life ect... No time for gear. But he tires of things very easily and quickly  he said the 1z gas 32 hours on it but now he bought the r2r2000 and he is getting rid of the 1z as he likes the r2r2000 better.
(when he tires of that I'm sure I'll bottom feed and buy if off of him)
He sells me his gear quite often and at massive discounts just because we have been buds for our whole lives.

Without him I wouldn't be able to have had some of the best iems/gear in general  because while I'm not hurting... It doesn't take much cash for me to blow on audio before I start feeling like an idiot

Also I have a bad gun habit I gotta fund


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Z7 MkII ? Roflmao, that is freaking crazy.  I wouldn’t call the DAC. Is WM1A/Z successor...it is priced $7,500 Euros.  That is freaking insane roflmao.  I am so done with Sony



Of course they have a 7.5K priced DAC. That’s the tragectory they have been heading. Glad I like my humble headphone amp. Anyone know the price of the Z7 Mk2? That’s going to be cool!


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> Me too if the 1z is a dud


See you later. Just don’t come back to the 1Z thread and talk crap, we helped you all we could. Have fun out there.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The only player i know that is a dud, the iPod classic, nver heard such a boring sound quality.


----------



## Redcarmoose

If you look it does say new Walkmans at the start!

“
_In August 2018, Sony Sony will release a new series of alcohol sounds during the Hong Kong Advanced Audiovisual Exhibition HKAVSHOW 2018, including the Walkman and new headphones: Signature alcohol series new brothers: IER-Z1R and DMP-Z1, Sony in the ear Stage monitor headphones series: IER-M7 and IER-M9, as well as upgraded headphones - MDR-Z7M2 (MDR-Z7 upgrade)!
1, Signature alcohol series new brothers: IER-Z1R and DMP-Z1
The new Signature Alcohol series, the new brothers IER-Z1R and DMP-Z1, enhances the high-definition sound quality experience, from listening to sublimation to the level of experience, providing a better music experience for audiophiles.
DMP-Z1 product concept: suitable for indoor use, such as home, cafe, hotel and so on. Sit back and enjoy listening to music and put the player on the desk or on the side table.
IER-Z1R product concept: Shows excellent 100kHz effect in the ear, the core is the sound and experience.
2, Sony in-ear stage monitor headphones series: IER-M7 and IER-M9
Provides the best tone balance and absolute noise isolation for stage monitoring, while also providing you with a stable wearing experience that avoids the loss of headphones during the show. This is Sony's music experience tailored for professionals and audiophiles. The IER-M7 is Sony's first in-ear stage monitor, and the IER-M9 is a high-end advanced in-ear stage monitor. Equipped with a newly developed balanced armature (BA) drive and linear acoustic reproduction system for superior sound and precise sound performance.
What M7 and M9 have in common:_

_Drive unit structure: T-type armature instead of U-type to achieve low distortion and return without compromising sound_
_Audio-grade film capacitors for cross-network circuits are applied to provide sophisticated sound with low distortion_
_Optimized material and shape, lightweight, comfortable and stable_
_M9 upgrades:_

_M7 is a quadruple balanced armature drive unit, M9 is a five-fold drive armature unit_
_The M9 housing is made of aluminum-magnesium alloy and M7 is made of resin._
_The IER-M9's newly developed super tweeter uses a magnesium alloy diaphragm with high hardness and high internal friction, a gold-plated terminal and a silver-plated brass voice coil to increase the driving force of the super tweeter. These wires are used in the symphony to faithfully reproduce the original sound without losing a slight faint signal and ensuring low distortion when delivering rich and clear sound._
_The IER-M9 uses a shell molded waveguide as the sound path to the human ear. Through a short, wide sound path, this waveguide achieves an ideal frequency response, thereby suppressing spike acoustic resonance._
_3, upgraded headset - MDR-Z7M2 (MDR-Z7 upgrade)
The entry-level model of the high-quality audio world, the development of the "Sony sound effect" of the Z1R technology, support for high-resolution audio playback, and the use of the new 70mm HD drive unit, with Fibonacci spiral grid, high aluminum-plated LCD Molecular diaphragm. There are also 3.0m silver-plated OFC lines and gold-plated stereo mini plugs, as well as 1.2m silver-plated OFC and gold-plated balanced standard plugs, as well as gold-plated plug adapters._
End of the post from iavlife.com.  Perhaps Sony China or even Sony asked for it to be taken down. Below are the links to photos of the post:
“


----------



## syke

Redcarmoose said:


> If you look it does say new Walkmans at the start!
> 
> “
> _In August 2018, Sony Sony will release a new series of alcohol sounds during the Hong Kong Advanced Audiovisual Exhibition HKAVSHOW 2018, including the Walkman and new headphones: Signature alcohol series new brothers: IER-Z1R and DMP-Z1, Sony in the ear Stage monitor headphones series: IER-M7 and IER-M9, as well as upgraded headphones - MDR-Z7M2 (MDR-Z7 upgrade)!
> ...



Will be there this weekend


----------



## Redcarmoose

syke said:


> Will be there this weekend



Your mission if you choose to accept it..............


Report Back.


----------



## gerelmx1986

let's see what walkman shows, if it's that NW-A50, then boo, if it is a secret WM1XM2 then welcome  (but pricing lol)


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> let's see what walkman shows, if it's that NW-A50, then boo, if it is a secret WM1XM2 then welcome  (but pricing lol)



I have a feeling the new Walkmans will look new, but I bet there will be discussion of if they actually DO sound better. I figure the DAC they put out, the new headphones and IEMs will sound better, but the Walkmans will only get a face change.


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> See you later. Just don’t come back to the 1Z thread and talk crap, we helped you all we could. Have fun out there.


Don't get butthurt, I want to like it and I have an open mind. But I am expecting a lot at how much this player is praised and costs.

I guess if it is a dud I will sell buy still will try thr future successor.


----------



## superuser1

The iems definitely look interesting! err i mean sound..


----------



## cpetrillo (Aug 8, 2018)

I have been using my WM1A more at home lately  than I have portable. It is connected to my TA-ZH1ES with the Sony doc so the 1A battery is constantly being charged and never discharged. Will this hurt the battery?


----------



## Redcarmoose

cpetrillo said:


> I have been using my WM1A more at home lately  than I have portable. It is connected to my TA-ZH1ES with the Sony doc so the 1A battery is constantly being charged and never discharged. Will this hurt the battery?


Do you have your battery saver up to 90% charge switch on? 

Other than that I have no idea?


----------



## Redcarmoose

superuser1 said:


> The iems definitely look interesting! err i mean sound..



You saw the IEMs? 

Do post!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 8, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> Don't get butthurt, I want to like it and I have an open mind. But I am expecting a lot at how much this player is praised and costs.
> 
> I guess if it is a dud I will sell buy still will try thr future successor.



Your being way too impatient. Though I’m the same way with IEMs.

The 1Z is like a fine woman. She looks pretty but has demands. Her demands are good IEMs placed on the back of 4.4mm. She also needs to be broke-in as her virgin temperament is unsophisticated and rough.

She is a fine woman but you need to structure yourself to appreciate what she truly is. She does not show her charms on the first date, but requires some romance and patience. If your not up to the job Fii0 has some cheap women down the street that will satisfy for a night or two. But if your looking for a companion of the first order from a respectable linage the 1Z is the one.


----------



## cpetrillo

Redcarmoose said:


> Do you have your battery saver up to 90% charge switch on?
> 
> Other than that I have no idea?



Yes I do.


----------



## superuser1

Redcarmoose said:


> You saw the IEMs?
> 
> Do post!


I wish i did Sir, however i meant on paper.


----------



## syke

Redcarmoose said:


> Your mission if you choose to accept it..............
> 
> 
> Report Back.



wait for the pictures.


----------



## syke

cpetrillo said:


> I have been using my WM1A more at home lately  than I have portable. It is connected to my TA-ZH1ES with the Sony doc so the 1A battery is constantly being charged and never discharged. Will this hurt the battery?



yes of course. But without understanding the switch design it would be hard to understand the potential impact.


----------



## cpetrillo

syke said:


> yes of course. But without understanding the switch design it would be hard to understand the potential impact.



I don't understand what you mean by "switch design". Can you explain?


----------



## Liono

One thing that is intriguing is the REC button! I use my NW-ZX1 (Japanese version) to record to 320Kbps MP3 every now again.. looks like this might have similar functionality.


----------



## Redcarmoose

cpetrillo said:


> I have been using my WM1A more at home lately  than I have portable. It is connected to my TA-ZH1ES with the Sony doc so the 1A battery is constantly being charged and never discharged. Will this hurt the battery?





syke said:


> yes of course. But without understanding the switch design it would be hard to understand the potential impact.





cpetrillo said:


> I don't understand what you mean by "switch design". Can you explain?



It’s simply called battery saver. It lets the 1A and 1Z only obtain 90% of charge then turns off power to fully charge battery to 100%.


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> Your being way too impatient. Though I’m the same way with IEMs.
> 
> The 1Z is like a fine woman. She looks pretty but has demands. Her demands are good IEMs placed on the back of 4.4mm. She also needs to be broke-in as her virgin temperament is unsophisticated and rough.
> 
> She is a fine woman but you need to structure yourself to appreciate what she truly is. She does not show her charms on the first date, but requires some romance and patience. If your not up to the job Fii0 has some cheap women down the street that will satisfy for a night or two. But if your looking for a companion of the first order from a respectable linage the 1Z is the one.



I get it, I'll give it time, but still  really . At this price it should wow on the first fvk.  For example  fourte  u18, Zeus-XR  they were truly impressive on first listen. Which is fair given their price.... We must never forget the price of gear, regardless how poor or rich one is.


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> I get it, I'll give it time, but still  really . At this price it should wow on the first fvk.  For example  fourte  u18, Zeus-XR  they were truly impressive on first listen. Which is fair given their price.... We must never forget the price of gear, regardless how poor or rich one is.



That basic signature will not change through burn in but everything will tighten up, get refined and generally settle in. So if at first you really don’t like it burn in is not likely to change your oppinion


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> That basic signature will not change through burn in but everything will tighten up, get refined and generally settle in. So if at first you really don’t like it burn in is not likely to change your oppinion


I agree


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> I get it, I'll give it time, but still  really . At this price it should wow on the first fvk.  For example  fourte  u18, Zeus-XR  they were truly impressive on first listen. Which is fair given their price.... We must never forget the price of gear, regardless how poor or rich one is.



What are you comparing to? It’s not going to be exactly like some giant desktop. But the integration of the DAC, the amplification process and overall character are special. It is expensive and the difference over the 1A is absolutely there, but you pay for it. Part of the expense is the fact that it’s portable. The Sony TA amp/DAC is way better and costs less, but it’s not portable. But for the people who appreciate the 1Z; they spent time and effort to match IEMs or headphones that arrived at their desired sound signature. There is always a chance of a DAP not being the best with all IEMs. Even though the Sony Z1 is what it is, it still needs to be matched with the right IEMs for the user. Also there is kind of a learning curve where the brain starts to take note of tone, which is easy to get into after repeated listening sessions. 

Then of course there are expectations from reading this thread, or simply due to the 1Z cost that may psychologically place the unit in an area where being slighly better than a phone is a let down. These audiophile improvements are almost always small.


----------



## Whitigir

Every gears have to be synergize well with the gears, otherwise it would not sound good at all.  Also, I don’t think the $7500 is the replacement for the flagship WM1A/Z at all.  It is like a semi-transportable similar to TA-ZH1ES, but with the differences is that this DMP-1ZR or whatever, will be able to connect to External drives ? By far, the rumor leaking is that it is only prototype.


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> What are you comparing to? It’s not going to be exactly like some giant desktop. But the integration of the DAC, the amplification process and overall character are special. It is expensive and the difference over the 1A is absolutely there, but you pay for it. Part of the expense is the fact that it’s portable. The Sony TA amp/DAC is way better and costs less, but it’s not portable. But for the people who appreciate the 1Z; they spent time and effort to match IEMs or headphones that arrived at their desired sound signature. There is always a chance of a DAP not being the best with all IEMs. Even though the Sony Z1 is what it is, it still needs to be matched with the right IEMs for the user. Also there is kind of a learning curve where the brain starts to take note of tone, which is easy to get into after repeated listening sessions.
> 
> Then of course there are expectations from reading this thread, or simply due to the 1Z cost that may psychologically place the unit in an area where being slighly better than a phone is a let down. These audiophile improvements are almost always small.


I might have to just get the TA. I don't mind if it's transportable like the Hugo. I rarely listen to stuff outside my couch  
Is the ta transportable ?(does it have battery or direct power necessary )?


----------



## Whitigir

NaiveSound said:


> I might have to just get the TA. I don't mind if it's transportable like the Hugo. I rarely listen to stuff outside my couch
> Is the ta transportable ?(does it have battery or direct power necessary )?



TA is not transportable, it is a desktop DAC/amp, and given it form, it is still heavy like heck.  Both Wm1Z and TA-ZH1ES has that Warmth to mimics Analog signatures, and given that you disliked DX200 saying it is less resolving than Mojo, I doubt you would like either of these.

If, and just if, you really meant that you love the Mojo Warmth signature, then possibly that you would love these 2 (Sony warmth signature is different than Chord)  But I still don’t see how you would make use of them as you like Tidal and streaming more.  You are looking to upgrade away from Mojo and love Tidal.  I say the best match for you would be to get Hugo 2 as it is Chord house sound and streaming ability + transportable


----------



## gerelmx1986

The warmth I disliked was that of the fiio x3 1st gen. It was overwhelmingly  warm that  the stage was too narrow in both width and height


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> I might have to just get the TA. I don't mind if it's transportable like the Hugo. I rarely listen to stuff outside my couch
> Is the ta transportable ?(does it have battery or direct power necessary )?





Whitigir said:


> TA is not transportable, it is a desktop DAC/amp, and given it form, it is still heavy like heck.  Both Wm1Z and TA-ZH1ES has that Warmth to mimics Analog signatures, and given that you disliked DX200 saying it is less resolving than Mojo, I doubt you would like either of these.
> 
> If, and just if, you really meant that you love the Mojo Warmth signature, then possibly that you would love these 2 (Sony warmth signature is different than Chord)  But I still don’t see how you would make use of them as you like Tidal and streaming more.  You are looking to upgrade away from Mojo and love Tidal.  I say the best match for you would be to get Hugo 2 as it is Chord house sound and streaming ability + transportable



It has to be said too, that much of this can come down to things as little as cable differences. I don’t mean to sound too audiophile, but this hobby ends up being about small details in the end. When the dust settles part of getting a sound your into can be as small as choosing a different headphone cable. Or choosing a different headphone for an amp. Or choosing a different amp for the same headphone.

It’s kind of like shooting arrows at a target, you get closer and closer to the bullseye. Then after you hit the bullseye, you live with the combination for a week. If everything seems stable after that your there.

I can say the 1Z may have a slight treble peak with a different cable that makes some IEMs sound even better than the same IEM with it’s stock cable from the TA amp. Then again the TA amp makes my full-size headphones sound better than the 1Z. And adding the additional Kimber cable combo with the TA amp and the full-size headphones is perfect.

It’s all about trying different combinations as stuff always sounds different together. Some of this mixing and matching is luck, but in a way it’s an art form because you can at times guess how stuff is going to work, then at times it’s a good or bad surprise.

And........the foundation to all this is spending enough time to think you know your own sound signature. Though that at times never is truly known till exposing yourself to equipment. As far as treble heads go, they think they have a limit to their tolerance to prolonged treble but can, after experimentation find they can tolerate more. Same with bass heads or warm signatures, the mind can at times adapt into an area you thought would never work.


----------



## Jonathan Lerner

By any chance do you guys know how to turn off demo mode on the wm1a/z


----------



## Whitigir

I totally agree with the above statements.  This is the reason why I don’t even think customized 3rd party cable companies are doing the correct job at.  They do release flagship level of cables that cost 4-5k....yet, still universally applicable in both look and performances


----------



## nc8000

Jonathan Lerner said:


> By any chance do you guys know how to turn off demo mode on the wm1a/z



Demo mode ???


----------



## Jonathan Lerner

nc8000 said:


> Demo mode ???



It's the mode they put display models in for people to demo units in a store


----------



## NaiveSound

Thanks moose and whitegirl


----------



## kingdixon

Jonathan Lerner said:


> By any chance do you guys know how to turn off demo mode on the wm1a/z



This is the only available info that used to work for old walkman devices, Don't know if it will work for new devices or not ..

*Go to the Home Screen*
*Turn on the Hold button*
*Press Left < Key 5 times*
*Press Center > || Key 5 times*
*Press Right > Key 5 times
*


----------



## Whitigir

I do that on Nintendo switch


----------



## kingdixon

Whitigir said:


> I do that on Nintendo switch



Apparently they stole that from sony


----------



## proedros

still no news of a 2019 Walkman ,right ?

or is it too early to announce anything ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 8, 2018)

proedros said:


> still no news of a 2019 Walkman ,right ?
> 
> or is it too early to announce anything ?


No they have been announced though no model numbers or photos.

“
_In August 2018, Sony Sony will release a new series of alcohol sounds during the Hong Kong Advanced Audiovisual Exhibition HKAVSHOW 2018, including the Walkman and new headphones: Signature alcohol series new brothers: IER-Z1R and DMP-Z1, Sony in the ear Stage monitor headphones series: IER-M7 and IER-M9, as well as upgraded headphones - MDR-Z7M2 (MDR-Z7 upgrade)!
1, Signature alcohol series new brothers: IER-Z1R and DMP-Z1
The new Signature Alcohol series, the new brothers IER-Z1R and DMP-Z1, enhances the high-definition sound quality experience, from listening to sublimation to the level of experience, providing a better music experience for audiophiles.
DMP-Z1 product concept: suitable for indoor use, such as home, cafe, hotel and so on. Sit back and enjoy listening to music and put the player on the desk or on the side table.
IER-Z1R product concept: Shows excellent 100kHz effect in the ear, the core is the sound and experience.
2, Sony in-ear stage monitor headphones series: IER-M7 and IER-M9
Provides the best tone balance and absolute noise isolation for stage monitoring, while also providing you with a stable wearing experience that avoids the loss of headphones during the show. This is Sony's music experience tailored for professionals and audiophiles. The IER-M7 is Sony's first in-ear stage monitor, and the IER-M9 is a high-end advanced in-ear stage monitor. Equipped with a newly developed balanced armature (BA) drive and linear acoustic reproduction system for superior sound and precise sound performance.
What M7 and M9 have in common:_

_Drive unit structure: T-type armature instead of U-type to achieve low distortion and return without compromising sound_
_Audio-grade film capacitors for cross-network circuits are applied to provide sophisticated sound with low distortion_
_Optimized material and shape, lightweight, comfortable and stable_
_M9 upgrades:_

_M7 is a quadruple balanced armature drive unit, M9 is a five-fold drive armature unit_
_The M9 housing is made of aluminum-magnesium alloy and M7 is made of resin._
_The IER-M9's newly developed super tweeter uses a magnesium alloy diaphragm with high hardness and high internal friction, a gold-plated terminal and a silver-plated brass voice coil to increase the driving force of the super tweeter. These wires are used in the symphony to faithfully reproduce the original sound without losing a slight faint signal and ensuring low distortion when delivering rich and clear sound._
_The IER-M9 uses a shell molded waveguide as the sound path to the human ear. Through a short, wide sound path, this waveguide achieves an ideal frequency response, thereby suppressing spike acoustic resonance._
_3, upgraded headset - MDR-Z7M2 (MDR-Z7 upgrade)
The entry-level model of the high-quality audio world, the development of the "Sony sound effect" of the Z1R technology, support for high-resolution audio playback, and the use of the new 70mm HD drive unit, with Fibonacci spiral grid, high aluminum-plated LCD Molecular diaphragm. There are also 3.0m silver-plated OFC lines and gold-plated stereo mini plugs, as well as 1.2m silver-plated OFC and gold-plated balanced standard plugs, as well as gold-plated plug adapters._
End of the post from iavlife.com. Perhaps Sony China or even Sony asked for it to be taken down. Below are the links to photos of the post:
“


----------



## proedros

Redcarmoose said:


> No they have been announced though no model *numbers* or photos.




so there is more than one coming ?

nice.


----------



## Redcarmoose

It’s hard to tell, but read the edit to the prior post.


----------



## mrhizzo

Anyone selling one WM1Z?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 8, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> I totally agree with the above statements.  This is the reason why I don’t even think customized 3rd party cable companies are doing the correct job at.  They do release flagship level of cables that cost 4-5k....yet, still universally applicable in both look and performances



I don’t understand your post. I always thought there was a wide selection of price and tone with aftermarket cables. Are you saying they could get even more drastic at changing tone and lower their price?

Edit: 
Oh.... your just saying many are overpriced.


----------



## Redcarmoose

mrhizzo said:


> Anyone selling one WM1Z?






Nope........mine is going in the matching coffin with me.


----------



## Whitigir

Now that is starting to be creepy


----------



## mrhizzo

Redcarmoose said:


> Nope........mine is going in the matching coffin with me.


hahahahahahahahaha
very well said and done.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Nope........mine is going in the matching coffin with me.



Hmm. I expect to last longer than my 1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Quadfather (Aug 8, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> I get it, I'll give it time, but still  really . At this price it should wow on the first fvk.  For example  fourte  u18, Zeus-XR  they were truly impressive on first listen. Which is fair given their price.... We must never forget the price of gear, regardless how poor or rich one is.



I really did not believe that the Sony DAPs needed that much burn in time when I started, but I can confirm that it is true. The character of my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana or my Questyle QP1R did not change nearly as dramatically with burn in.   I truly thought it was BS, but was patient, and rewarded. I Love Audioquest Nighthawk headphones and Shure SRH1540 headphones with the Sony NW-WM1A.  The 1Z  Has the same burn-in usage recommendations.  They would not have been able to use the awesome sounding internals they did, without the burn-in requirement.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Just leave them playing and a week and a half later you're done... Not sure why folks worry too much for burnin.


----------



## Kildras

The DMP-Z1 I guess isn't a flagship level product? They aren't keeping the code name WM which should be their TOTL series. 

Kinda strange that it isn't a ZX series too


----------



## gerelmx1986

Has anyone tried XBA-H3 running on balanced?


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Hmm. I expect to last longer than my 1Z


My WM1A battery is starting to show signs of less duration (2 to 2.5 days against 3 to 3.5 days in the first year)


----------



## syke

Let's see what's going on display tomorrow.


----------



## gerelmx1986

syke said:


> Let's see what's going on display tomorrow.


Is that a WM1Z MK2?


----------



## Kildras (Aug 9, 2018)

Well there it is. I ain't sure if this is portable or not lol

Link here: https://tieba.baidu.com/mo/q/album?...mg_width=1080&img_height=2000&img_quality=100


----------



## mrhizzo

Anyone can tell me if the WM1Z can work as DAC connected to my computer? I couldn't find this information.


----------



## mrhizzo

And any comparison about the sound with the WM1Z and AK SP1000?


----------



## jasonho




----------



## PJBrownSkin

mrhizzo said:


> Anyone can tell me if the WM1Z can work as DAC connected to my computer? I couldn't find this information.



No at the moment. But everyone’s hoping that a future firmware update will add that feature.


----------



## Snowball0906

mrhizzo said:


> Anyone can tell me if the WM1Z can work as DAC connected to my computer? I couldn't find this information.



I don’t think it can.. hmm.


----------



## Kildras

Snowball0906 said:


> I don’t think it can.. hmm.


It's coming via an update. Saw the sina post (Chinese Twitter) on baidu (Chinese forum/Google), reliable source apparently


----------



## mrhizzo

Kildras said:


> It's coming via an update. Saw the sina post (Chinese Twitter) on baidu (Chinese forum/Google), reliable source apparently



WM1A also?


----------



## Kildras

mrhizzo said:


> WM1A also?


Yes and zx300 also.
The update will have one extra effect to simulate vinyl too


----------



## pietcux

Kildras said:


> Well there it is. I ain't sure if this is portable or not lol
> 
> Link here: https://tieba.baidu.com/mo/q/album?word=walkman&tid=5832523535&template=slide_image&title=给你们看索尼6w的播放器&album_from=frs_abstract&direction=2&pic_id=&img_width=1080&img_height=2000&img_quality=100


DMP=desktop music player I guess.


----------



## bvng3540 (Aug 9, 2018)

jasonho said:


>


It look more like the mk2 of zh1es rather then new DAP

Another noteworthy product is the DMP-Z1 - a new DAC / Amp model and possibly the more advanced version of the ZH1ES at an expected price. up to 7,500 euros. This is a DAC / Amp model aimed at home users who want to enjoy the hottest and most hated music.


----------



## purk

bvng3540 said:


> It look more like the mk2 of zh1es rather then new DAP
> 
> Another noteworthy product is the DMP-Z1 - a new DAC / Amp model and possibly the more advanced version of the ZH1ES at an expected price. up to 7,500 euros. This is a DAC / Amp model aimed at home users who want to enjoy the hottest and most hated music.



Is the DMP-Z1 aiming at a lifestyle product?  It sure is a looker from the picture above.  Rather a smallish to medium size desktop amp/dac unit.  Eager to find out more.


----------



## audionewbi (Aug 9, 2018)

Sony is releasing a hole new line of product, new iem, headphone!

https://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.com/2018/08/sony-to-introduce-new-signature-series.html


IER-Z1R
IER-M7
IER-M9
MDR-Z7Mk2


----------



## alphanumerix1

7500 euros lol wow.


----------



## alphanumerix1

No word of dap replacements though.


----------



## bvng3540

alphanumerix1 said:


> 7500 euros lol wow.


Not bad, I think it very reasonable, I will buy a pair


----------



## papa_mia

bvng3540 said:


> Not bad, I think it very reasonable, I will buy a pair


Or two. It depends on my mood or what day of the month it is.


----------



## unknownguardian

I guess it is still “portable?”


----------



## papa_mia

unknownguardian said:


> I guess it is still “portable?”


Yeap, still portable and does come with a bodyguard whenever you carrying it oitside.


----------



## audionewbi

IER-Z1R pre-release mark up are truly ugly.


----------



## jasonho (Aug 9, 2018)

Photos deleted as posted earlier

Double ak4497 DAC ?
Weight 1.5kg?


----------



## audionewbi

i sure hope the suggest price tag is just a rumour.


----------



## proedros

being a SONY fanboy ever since the early 80s (when i always and only bought sony cassette walkmans, then minidisc , then discmans and now DAPs) i am happy to see them being back in the (trans)portable audio arena for good 

let's see if they release any new DAP walkman next year


----------



## Kildras

Tonnes of info dump now on the baidu page. https://tieba.baidu.com/p/5832711585?lp=5028&mo_device=1&is_jingpost=0&pn=0&


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 9, 2018)

Kildras said:


> Yes and zx300 also.
> The update will have one extra effect to simulate vinyl too



Well ZX300 can already function as a usb dac


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 9, 2018)

The DMP-Z1 isn't a Walkman, so it's not the WM1Z successor you are looking for.

EDIT: as said it seems to be using an AKM DAC and is 1.5kg with no Walkman marking either in the branding or the product name (Walkmans starts with NW, this is DMP which stands for Digital Music Player). This is some sort of freak transportable all-in-one stationary player.


----------



## audionewbi

You got to leave to Sony to release products that gets people scratching their heads.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 9, 2018)

Ok, remind me again....how does using AKM 4497EQ DAC and Amp chips justify $7500 in price ? All of a sudden, Astel Kern is a kid around the block.

Where in the heck is Sony S-Master

I think I found the answer 

1/ customers keep buying Kimber Axios Silver 4-5k which leads to #2

2/ DMP has to be more expensive than a set of cables.....ok $8,300.  Deal!


----------



## jasonho

Transportable ?   Hmm........


----------



## nanaholic

audionewbi said:


> You got to leave to Sony to release products that gets people scratching their heads.



From a Japanese stand point, they aren't that hard to understand. A small stationary player that has it's own UI (doesn't require a PC source) and doesn't need a lot of mixing and matching makes a lot of sense, as Japanese people (especially the older boomers) don't usually own or want to mess around with a PC.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> From a Japanese stand point, they aren't that hard to understand. A small stationary player that has it's own UI (doesn't require a PC source) and doesn't need a lot of mixing and matching makes a lot of sense, as Japanese people (especially the older boomers) don't usually own or want to mess around with a PC.



That is fine, but what is with the price point and the use of AKM ? Lol....

Even if that is RK50 Attenuators I am seeing, still doesn’t justify the cost


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> That is fine, but what is with the price point and the use of AKM ? Lol....
> 
> Even if that is RK50 Attenuators I am seeing, still doesn’t justify the cost



Is the price point confirmed?


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Is the price point confirmed?


It is not, but I don’t think it is cheaper than that.  This rumor price point and semi-transportable Walkman has been around forever since the release of wm1Z, and here is DMP.  Even at $5000, it is still ridiculous


----------



## audionewbi

nanaholic said:


> From a Japanese stand point, they aren't that hard to understand. A small stationary player that has it's own UI (doesn't require a PC source) and doesn't need a lot of mixing and matching makes a lot of sense, as Japanese people (especially the older boomers) don't usually own or want to mess around with a PC.





Whitigir said:


> It is not, but I don’t think it is cheaper than that.  This rumor price point and semi-transportable Walkman has been around forever since the release of wm1Z, and here is DMP.  Even at $5000, it is still ridiculous



I'm with Whitigir on this one, price is crazy, it what is speculated is in fact true . I'm also the kind who has a large collection of album and I'm very happy with what I have and I only use Tidal to see what new music is out there and I eventually purchase it so I appreciate the devices that reduce distraction, which laptops tend to be. 

However for 6500 Euro, I simply can't see where the cost is, as it appears to be a slightly a less technologically advance DAC/amp compared to the TA-ZH1ES.


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> It is not, but I don’t think it is cheaper than that.  This rumor price point and semi-transportable Walkman has been around forever since the release of wm1Z, and here is DMP.  Even at $5000, it is still ridiculous



Well for starters they got it fundamentally wrong - this isn't a Walkman. So I don't think they got the price right either. 

At best I reckon this is some sort of TA-WM1 combo, at most I would think it is going to be a bit pricer than the WM1Z.


----------



## nanaholic

audionewbi said:


> I'm with Whitigir on this one, price is crazy, it what is speculated is in fact true . I'm also the kind who has a large collection of album and I'm very happy with what I have and I only use Tidal to see what new music is out there and I eventually purchase it so I appreciate the devices that reduce distraction, which laptops tend to be.
> 
> However for 6500 Euro, I simply can't see where the cost is, as it appears to be a slightly a less technologically advance DAC/amp compared to the TA-ZH1ES.



If the price point isn't confirmed, why say it is ridiculous? That's just a straw man.


----------



## NickL33

Humm...... IER Z1R... very intresting...


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Well for starters they got it fundamentally wrong - this isn't a Walkman. So I don't think they got the price right either.
> 
> At best I reckon this is some sort of TA-WM1 combo, at most I would think it is going to be a bit pricer than the WM1Z.


It is not even close to TA-WM1 Combo.

Off the shelves DAC, no S-Master...

Ofcourse this isn’t a Walkman...how can you man walk a 1.5Kg brick ? But they still predicted the device correctly, an all in one player that sit on the desk, and to be priced around $9k


----------



## audionewbi

nanaholic said:


> If the price point isn't confirmed, why say it is ridiculous? That's just a straw man.


I hope I stand corrected but based on previous leaks the prices tend to be rather accurate.


----------



## jasonho (Aug 9, 2018)

Official price launch for HK  : HKD 61880

 

Official website : http://www.sonystyle.com.cn/products/media_player/dmp_z1_app.htm


----------



## Whitigir

jasonho said:


> Official price launch for HK  : HKD 61880
> 
> Official website : http://www.sonystyle.com.cn/products/media_player/dmp_z1_app.htm


Right...$7,800 USD....with this price, Any dedicated setup will do ways better...especially off the shelves DAC....Hell, this makes Chord products suddenly becoming more appealing.  At least they don’t use off the shelves stuff for this price point


----------



## NickL33

jasonho said:


> Official price launch for HK  : HKD 61880
> 
> Official website : http://www.sonystyle.com.cn/products/media_player/dmp_z1_app.htm




HKD 61880!!??


----------



## PCheung

All new product price are announced 
https://www.facebook.com/JabenHK/posts/1963454860341626?comment_tracking={"tn":"O"}

Sony DMP-Z1 HKD 61880 (Around USD 7,950)

Sony IER-Z1R HKD 13990 (Around USD 1,800)

Sony IER-M9 HKD 9490 (Around USD 1,220)

Sony IER-M7 HKD 5190 (Around USD 670)

Sony MDR-Z7M2 HKD 5490 (Around USD 700)


----------



## NickL33

Wondering why they ditch the their in house S-Master for 4497


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 9, 2018)

Ok, let’s recap

1/. The most expensive Sony device is AKM4497EQ.....

2/. The Signal to noise ratio is measured 128Db....which is similar to any modern DAP such as AK SP1000 or even a DX200.  Is this real measurement or is it marketing measurement specifications pulled from AKM 4497EQ data sheets?

3/. Output power is 1W at 32 ohms, and Dx200 can already output 1.2W at 32 ohms and 2750mAH

4/. DSD 5.6Mhz or DSD128....hell, the WM1Z does DSD256 and Dx200 does DSD512...4497EQ is capable of DSD512....or, perhap your battery implementations for the device can’t meet the demand of DSD512 on current draw, together with battery longevity ?


Common, Sony

This is not the Sony that I know and love


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> It is not even close to TA-WM1 Combo.
> 
> Off the shelves DAC, no S-Master...
> 
> Ofcourse this isn’t a Walkman...how can you man walk a 1.5Kg brick ? But they still predicted the device correctly, an all in one player that sit on the desk, and to be priced around $9k



I mean in terms of functionality and positioning this is a TA-WM1 combo, and it's not a Walkman. 

The prediction was way off actually, they keep saying this is the anniversary Walkman and the successor to the 1Z. This isn't a Walkman, it's an entirely different product line. Again, even the model numbering indicated this.

Yeah the price is ridiculous. Just saw it.


----------



## syke




----------



## Whitigir

NickL33 said:


> Wondering why they ditch the their in house S-Master for 4497


Noises has always been the issue with S-Master for super sensitive gears, hence they can not make a powerful S-Master.  The case of TA-ZH1ES was solved with the use of Active Op-Amp on the negative signal path eliminated this, but in turn it created ground loops under some circumstances when the Op-Amp is active.  At least, that was what I observed


----------



## kingdixon

May be it would have been a great idea if the center part with the screen is a portable device that you can take out and dock it when your home in the desktop rig, so its both a desktop rig and portable device LOL

like Nintendo switch


----------



## Whitigir

kingdixon said:


> May be it would have been a great idea if the center part with the screen is a portable device that you can take out and dock it when your home in the desktop rig, so its both a desktop rig and portable device LOL
> 
> like Nintendo switch



Well, at least, Nintendo doesn’t turn their back against customer interest with a glare full of “greed” my friend.  Yes, your idea is excellent LOL!


----------



## jeffhawke

Target market: bats?



Redcarmoose said:


> Shows excellent 100kHz effect in the ear


----------



## nanaholic

kingdixon said:


> May be it would have been a great idea if the center part with the screen is a portable device that you can take out and dock it when your home in the desktop rig, so its both a desktop rig and portable device LOL
> 
> like Nintendo switch



I mean if that is the case, then I would buy a TA amp, the cradle, and a 1A/1Z. And still keep the change or buy the Z1Rs. :/

This time I really don't get this DMP device.


----------



## Whitigir

jeffhawke said:


> Target market: bats?


Exactly! Well, Chord claim to be able to observe -200Db improvements.  So this claim is not off .  For the first time in history, allow me to bash Sony


----------



## jeffhawke

Whitigir said:


> Exactly! Well, Chord claim to be able to observe -200Db improvements.  So this claim is not off .  For the first time in history, allow me to bash Sony


Probably just something "lost in translation". At least, I hope so.


----------



## kingdixon

Whitigir said:


> Well, at least, Nintendo doesn’t turn their back against customer interest with a glare full of “greed” my friend.  Yes, your idea is excellent LOL!



agreed


----------



## nc8000

For the price of the DMP I would have expected it to have sevaral TB of build in SSD, 256GB plus one microSD is just not enough


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2018)

jeffhawke said:


> Target market: bats?


Normal hearing 20hz to 20,000hz

100 kHz is in where HD starts ?


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Normal hearing 20hz to 20,000 kHz.
> 
> 100 kHz is in the normal range? No?


20-20Khz....no human can hear 200Khz LOL!


----------



## jeffhawke

Redcarmoose said:


> Normal hearing 20hz to 20,000 kHz.
> 
> 100 kHz is in the normal range? No?


Nope. 20Hz to 20'000Hz, i.e. 20kHz. 20'000kHz is 20 MILLION Hz


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> 20-20Khz....no human can hear 200Khz LOL!



Yes, I figured that out later.
Remember those super tweeters audiophiles used to put on top of the speakers? You could not here them. But .....they did something?


----------



## NickL33

Truely agreed the IER Z1R range is really too nuts... But still really looking forward to listen to it.... As Sony haven release TOTL for a while unless you place Justear in


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2018)

NickL33 said:


> Truely agreed the IER Z1R range is really too nuts... But still really looking forward to listen to it.... As Sony haven release TOTL for a while unless you place Justear in



I have both the Z1R and the Z5. That said the Z5 has been out for 4 years. Sony has not really pushed the Justear. When asked at seeing them in the case, they were like, it takes 6 weeks.....,,almost like they didn’t want to sell them. Still I was a tourist at their Tokyo Flagship Store. So most maybe don’t order them.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-announces-the-just-ear-brand-of-custom-iems.739725/


The Z5 is like a miniature Z1R, but that’s just it, it’s great but IEMs can only do so much, in comparison to something like the Z1R. If the name is correct that’s a stretch to name an IEM the Z1R aka IER-Z1R.


----------



## jeffhawke

Redcarmoose said:


> Normal hearing 20hz to 20,000hz
> 
> 100 kHz is in where HD starts ?


HD has nothing to do with frequency range. Besides, 100kHz is 5 times the upper threshold of human audibility.


----------



## NickL33

Redcarmoose said:


> I have both the Z1R and the Z5. That said the Z5 has been out for 4 years. Sony has not really pushed the Justear. When asked at seeing them in the case, they were like, it takes 6 weeks.....,,almost like they didn’t want to sell them. Still I was a tourist at their Tokyo Flagship Store. So most maybe don’t order them.
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-announces-the-just-ear-brand-of-custom-iems.739725/
> 
> 
> The Z5 is like a miniature Z1R, but that’s just it, it’s great but IEMs can only do so much, in comparison to something like the Z1R. If the name is correct that’s a stretch to name an IEM the Z1R aka IER-Z1R.




Thats true, really looking forward on how it sound. Really hoping for true successor to EX1000 but judging to its name... maybe not??

I will be at HK this Sunday, hopefully can have enough time to rush to the HK AV show to demo it..


----------



## superuser1

Three Brand New Earphones: Sony IER-Z1R, IER-M9 and IER-M7
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/three-brand-new-earphones-sony-ier-z1r-ier-m9-and-ier-m7.886121/


----------



## nanaholic

Redcarmoose said:


> I have both the Z1R and the Z5. That said the Z5 has been out for 4 years. Sony has not really pushed the Justear. When asked at seeing them in the case, they were like, it takes 6 weeks.....,,almost like they didn’t want to sell them. Still I was a tourist at their Tokyo Flagship Store. So most maybe don’t order them.
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-announces-the-just-ear-brand-of-custom-iems.739725/



That's because the Sony Ginza Store really doesn't sell JE. For Tokyo, all JE orders (except the now and then Sony Store limited editions) is done via Tokyo Hearing Center.


----------



## Whitigir

Anything beyond 21KHz is already uncomfortable and painful to human according to this Wiki quote:

The device works by emitting an ultra-high frequency blast (around 19–20 kHz) that teenagers or people under approximately 20 are susceptible to and find uncomfortable

End quote


----------



## audionewbi

If this was priced the same as WM1Z I would have bought it.
The only exciting release in this line up is the upgraded Z7.


----------



## kingdixon

It has a very long golden knob, you can see it from the glass part on top of the device


----------



## Whitigir

kingdixon said:


> It has a very long golden knob, you can see it from the glass part on top of the device



That golden body is actually the body of RK50, like what I used to put in my Stax amplifier 

This DMP has a knob of Gold color though, and if this is the real RK50, then it is priced $1,000 alone when buy individually for DIY project.  It is also one of the best in both physical feeling and sound performances


----------



## Snowball0906

Estimated  price. Hmm


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2018)

Well I’m actually relieved by all this. And I had a feeling that they could not improve on the 1Z. A couple of pages back I said the Walkmans may get a facelift but it will debatable if they sound better.
They didn’t even introduce something you could walk with.

I have the TA/DAC amp and love it, glad it’s the same. Looks like maybe they will stop production of the 1A. It was too good of a deal really. How could it last.

I have the Z1R and the Z7......the new Z7 MK2 is a great offering as it let’s people maybe buy a corrected Z7 for $700. I love my Z7 but it does need a slight adjustment in the midrange. By the looks of it they are still using the magnesium cups, and the rest is the same but with dark finish. If the Z7 is corrected it’s going to be a bargain and an all out winner. If the midrange was just slighly adjusted then I almost wouldn’t even want a Z1R, especially for what they cost if you could get 80-90% of the EDM sound for a cool $700. They are smaller and fit better too! 

Not sure if I’m game for an $1800 IEM with those cables. They look dangerously close to the Z5 over ear cables that would flop out of place.

But I love Sony, so I do have to try them.


Looks like the 1Z is not going to be bettered any time soon! Of course I knew that......  I mean how could it?


----------



## Whitigir

@Redcarmoose , your mind is blown by Wm1Z and signature series, the way I used to be....however, now, my mind is blown by this DMP


----------



## Redcarmoose

audionewbi said:


> If this was priced the same as WM1Z I would have bought it.
> The only exciting release in this line up is the upgraded Z7.




Exactly as I’m the sucker who paid $360 for an open box new Z7 about two weeks ago. And I totally love them, though that slight difference with the Z1R is a massive smooth-out of the midrange. The regular Z7 has a slight midrange compression and it sounds unnatural. I mostly listen to EDM so the V structure of the music goes around it. But I can imagine folks who listen to acoustic music noticing it.

Hopefully they put the midrange smoothnesss they learned from the Z1R to make this new Z7 Two, special.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> @Redcarmoose , your mind is blown by Wm1Z and signature series, the way I used to be....however, now, my mind is blown by this DMP



Remember I don’t buy a lot of stuff, I just keep what I have. I still have my first Fisher Price turntable from 1965.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> @Redcarmoose , your mind is blown by Wm1Z and signature series, the way I used to be....however, now, my mind is blown by this DMP



I have only had my 1Z since November of last year. I’m still just starting to really, really like it. 

I knew they could not top it. But...........you never know. This whole release of products could be just the start of a giant wave of new stuff? 

I could be totally wrong!


----------



## kingdixon

Whitigir said:


> That golden body is actually the body of RK50, like what I used to put in my Stax amplifier
> 
> This DMP has a knob of Gold color though, and if this is the real RK50, then it is priced $1,000 alone when buy individually for DIY project.  It is also one of the best in both physical feeling and sound performances



Woaaah,

thats for the volume pot only, i just checked the alps RK501 and mouser got one for 1200+ eur, thats crazy !

At the rate of these materials iam starting to feel it's a normal cost, but would it be the best performance at this value, thats another thing..


----------



## Redcarmoose

nanaholic said:


> That's because the Sony Ginza Store really doesn't sell JE. For Tokyo, all JE orders (except the now and then Sony Store limited editions) is done via Tokyo Hearing Center.



Got ya. I will be in Tokyo in March, I may stop by the Tokyo Hearing Center. I heard you could order them with different tunings.


----------



## Redcarmoose

It will be interesting to find out where these are made. The original Z7 was made in Japan as is the Z1R. 

Honestly I don’t think I have ever encountered a better made headphone. Medical grade stainless steel. They are super low weight. Aluminum and steel frame with Magnesium alloy cups. The cables are some of the nicest cables you could ever ask for. They use aluminum locking rings and click into place. 

The Z7 pads were not replaceable so hopefully the MK2 has the ability to change out pads, without breaking glue.


----------



## Whitigir

Every parts on the Z7 can be changed out, unless you mean to pad rolling, then neither Z7 nor Z1R has that ability as Sony designs are too complicated for 3rd party to dip in


----------



## NaiveSound

I like that there is no replacement for the 1z. Getting mine today, finally lol


----------



## purk

They can easily upgrade the Z1 by focusing on the balanced out only and remove SE output.

The price of the DMP is ridiculous despite having the RK50.  You can easily use the DAC-T for a third of the cost.  Who will want to take this thing outside at nearly $7k.   If your desktop space is at extreme, then go for it.  If they bling up the ZH1ES with the very best parts possible then it makes sense.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Every parts on the Z7 can be changed out, unless you mean to pad rolling, then neither Z7 nor Z1R has that ability as Sony designs are too complicated for 3rd party to dip in



The Z7 pads come off? Are you sure? The Z1R pads come off with a slight turn. But I’ll have to do some research, I’m pretty sure the Z7 pads are fixed? Which sucks because protein leather does not last. My Z7s and Z1Rs stay in a climate controlled case due to the pads.


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> I like that there is no replacement for the 1z. Getting mine today, finally lol



We though your Z1 already came and went?


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> We though your Z1 already came and went?


It was supposed to come Tuesday, butmy buddy had a delay so its happening today. 
Idk why you thought it came and went....? I would of either gushed or bashed.


----------



## nanaholic

Enough with the DMP Z1, it's a different product line and has no overlap with the WM1 series.

I haven't seen anyone mentioned it yet but apparently we can expect a further firmware update for the WM1 which would enable DAC functionality and BT receiver mode, as well as some new DSP settings which will mimic vinyl sound quality. Not sure about the last one, but the first two feature is very welcomed.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Every parts on the Z7 can be changed out, unless you mean to pad rolling, then neither Z7 nor Z1R has that ability as Sony designs are too complicated for 3rd party to dip in


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-mdr-z7-upgrades-and-mods-thread.794373/page-5#post-12367530

I see you are also the authority on the Z7! Thank you. I still haven’t figured out how they come off, but knowing they do it a great thing. Thank-you! 

Your the master again as always!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> Enough with the DMP Z1, it's a different product line and has no overlap with the WM1 series.
> 
> I haven't seen anyone mentioned it yet but apparently we can expect a further firmware update for the WM1 which would enable DAC functionality and BT receiver mode, as well as some new DSP settings which will mimic vinyl sound quality. Not sure about the last one, but the first two feature is very welcomed.



The mimic of vinyl sound will be like when you pour milk on rice crispies.


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 9, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Got ya. I will be in Tokyo in March, I may stop by the Tokyo Hearing Center. I heard you could order them with different tunings.



There're two tiers with the Just ears: MH1 and MH2.
MH1 is the full personal customisation deal - you have to book a tuning session with Sony headphone/earphone master Matsuo Bandai-san and get a 1 on 1 session to customise the sound to however you like it.
MH2 is the lower tier and comes in 3 presets sound signatures: Monitor, Listening and Club.

Needless to say the MH1 is much more expensive at 300k yen, the MH2 on the other hand are 200k yen. Also you can't walk in and buy, you have to book a session to have your ear impressions made as well, which takes at least 30 minutes and upwards to an hour by the pro Sugano-san at Tokyo Hearing Center.


----------



## NaiveSound

nanaholic said:


> Enough with the DMP Z1, it's a different product line and has no overlap with the WM1 series.
> 
> I haven't seen anyone mentioned it yet but apparently we can expect a further firmware update for the WM1 which would enable DAC functionality and BT receiver mode, as well as some new DSP settings which will mimic vinyl sound quality. Not sure about the last one, but the first two feature is very welcomed.


Wishful thinking on that dac implementation  I'm hopeful too, would love it.


----------



## nanaholic

NaiveSound said:


> Wishful thinking on that dac implementation  I'm hopeful too, would love it.



I've been saying it for a long time, DAC mode and BT streaming is to please those who wants Spotify/Tidal services and will be increasingly common in TOTL DAPs which increasingly won't be using Play Store certified Android and thus cannot get approval from streaming services to have the app support. The best Spotify/Tidal source will always be your smartphone/tablet as the official app will be constantly updated to support the latest features by the service provider themselves, the DAP should only be used as the DAC to decode the music stream for the best sound experience. It's going to be that way in the future.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2018)

So there is this

https://www.google.co.id/amp/s/www.cool3c.com/article/136987/amp


----------



## alphanumerix1




----------



## syke

Nice packaging


----------



## alphanumerix1

7500 euros you would want the best packaging ever.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 9, 2018)

5 battery packs and can’t do DSD512 or DSD256.  Also, how long will $8K last you on the battery ? Unless it comes with free battery replacement for life.

Also, it is a shame to see a device by Sony from off the shelves parts that is costing $8K...Shame! At least Chord is using their proprietary and make it further improved


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Kildras said:


> Well there it is. I ain't sure if this is portable or not lol
> 
> Link here: https://tieba.baidu.com/mo/q/album?word=walkman&tid=5832523535&template=slide_image&title=给你们看索尼6w的播放器&album_from=frs_abstract&direction=2&pic_id=&img_width=1080&img_height=2000&img_quality=100


Doesn't look very portable


----------



## mrhizzo

Whitigir said:


> 5 battery packs and can’t do DSD512 or DSD256.  Also, how long will $8K last you on the battery ? Unless it comes with free battery replacement for life.
> 
> Also, it is a shame to see a device by Sony from off the shelves parts that is costing $8K...Shame! At least Chord is using their proprietary and make it further improved




I know that this is the point, but where in this planet I can find music in DSD 256 and 512?


----------



## kingdixon

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Doesn't look very portable



says who ??!


----------



## Lookout57

Looking at the design and features I keep thinking that this is targeting the Japanese market. I would be shocked if it is sold in the US.


----------



## NaiveSound

Whitigir said:


> 5 battery packs and can’t do DSD512 or DSD256.  Also, how long will $8K last you on the battery ? Unless it comes with free battery replacement for life.
> 
> Also, it is a shame to see a device by Sony from off the shelves parts that is costing $8K...Shame! At least Chord is using their proprietary and make it further improved


Yet when I'm bashing in just being unreasonable


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> Looking at the design and features I keep thinking that this is targeting the Japanese market. I would be shocked if it is sold in the US.



If it had much greater storage capacity it would be the kind of product I would be interested in, though not at that price, not even if I could afford it. Would love my TA amp and Aries in one box


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 9, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> 5 battery packs and can’t do DSD512 or DSD256.  Also, how long will $8K last you on the battery ? Unless it comes with free battery replacement for life.
> 
> Also, it is a shame to see a device by Sony from off the shelves parts that is costing $8K...Shame! At least Chord is using their proprietary and make it further improved



It does decode DSD256.

From what I can tell, the battery is really there as power conditioning in place of using a DC transformer, with the claim that a battery is a much cleaner power source than a transformer thus leading to better SQ. The side effect is then this thing can be ran purely on batteries, but that's not the intended goal. They really aren't expecting you to use this portable at all, and thus the battery cycle life is not going to be their concern even when it degrades to 50% or less.


----------



## proedros (Aug 9, 2018)

jeffhawke said:


> Target market: bats?



my guess on their 7K DMP

SONY probably sold a lot of wm1z and for once thought 'hey there is a market here - we can milk all these rich suckers, let's puts some flashy gold knob and a ludicrous price to lure them in'

no interest there , we move on and wait for the new Walkman.


----------



## PointyFox

Redcarmoose said:


> So there is this
> 
> https://www.google.co.id/amp/s/www.cool3c.com/article/136987/amp



That's all so hideous


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 9, 2018)

proedros said:


> my guess , SONY probably sold a lot of wm1z and for once thought 'we can milk all these rich suckers, let's puts some flashy gold dials to lure them in'
> 
> no interest there , we move on and wait for the new Walkman.



The "(reproduce sound) all the way to 100kHz (with little distortion)" thing has been with Sony way before the 1Z, it began with the whole Hi-res thing with the MDR-1A even which is a 200 dollar headphone and that's almost 4 years ago. It's got nothing to do with any recent development.


----------



## Whitigir

Don’t tell me that battery is clean and pure for music.  Yes, it is Linear, but battery can be very noisy.  

What happened to their super capacitor designs ?

Chord and other companies are doing Supercapacitors nowadays


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 9, 2018)

PointyFox said:


> That's all so hideous


I don’t care what market analysts they have or whatever statistic they got.  They should ask themselves these questions.

For $8,000 would they buy and use this product ?

How long will it last ? Reliability, and product life cycle 

How frequently will the firmware and software be updated ?

How long will servicing and spare parts be existed for such products ?

How close to the customer relations can they bring ?

General questions for consumers


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will get a second brand new z5, the new MDR-Z7M2 and perhaps the ier-z1r


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 9, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> Don’t tell me that battery is clean and pure for music.  Yes, it is Linear, but battery can be very noisy.
> 
> What happened to their super capacitor designs ?
> 
> Chord and other companies are doing Supercapacitors nowadays



Modifier being "can", they've obviously got that bit figured out already in their Walkman designs, and it looks like they are just applying the "tried and tested" here, what with a battery feeding into all those familiar looking OS-CONs and P-caps, and the end result has induce enough confident in them to ask for the price.

Ignoring the price for the moment, we all know there's no single approach to the same problem, you should know this better than most I would assume.

Again I think we should just move away from all these DMP-Z1 talk and bashing, it really has no relevant to Walkmans at all. Move it to a dedicated thread, start one if you must. Just keep it out of here.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kingdixon said:


> says who ??!


LOL! Looks like you can stuff a few piglets in those jeans!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

nanaholic said:


> Modifier being "can", they've obviously got that bit figured out already in their Walkman designs, and it looks like they are just applying the "tried and tested" here, what with a battery feeding into all those familiar looking OS-CONs and P-caps, and the end result has induce enough confident in them to ask for the price.
> 
> Ignoring the price for the moment, we all know there's no single approach to the same problem, you should know this better than most I would assume.
> 
> Again I think we should just move away from all these DMP-Z1 talk and bashing, it really has no relevant to Walkmans at all. Move it to a dedicated thread, start one if you must. Just keep it out of here.


Yeah, there does seem to be quite a bit of bashing of the new products. While I do think they're pricey, who's to say that Sony needs to make cheap electronics all the time? We've all got the freedom of choice to not buy them.

It'd be nice to get back to the chats about the WMs and not get ourselves mired in the negativity.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 9, 2018)

New thread created for the DMP here

Click this link 

I do t care how much you want to price your own product, but you better know your ground as in pros and cons of your own brand and productivity.  Simply slapping the letter Z and 1 will not make it to be priced like WM1Z.

See ? Why was I happy with WM1Z ? Because it is Sony very own proprietary technology and unique on it own.  Not off the shelves stuff


----------



## kaikai1805

So it seems that its kinda confirmed there will be no new dap release this year?

Continue the search for a used wm1a then =(


----------



## papa_mia

8k Trump units........
Lul AK SP1000 peasants


----------



## gerelmx1986

So the Wm1 will have the long waited USB DAC update  that's great news


----------



## kms108

gerelmx1986 said:


> So the Wm1 will have the long waited USB DAC update  that's great news


where did you get the information that the DAC will be available.


----------



## gerelmx1986

A couple of posts above some one said from a Chinese source


----------



## NaiveSound

gerelmx1986 said:


> A couple of posts above some one said from a Chinese source



I wouldn't rely on that


----------



## sne4me (Aug 9, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> 5 battery packs and can’t do DSD512 or DSD256.  Also, how long will $8K last you on the battery ? Unless it comes with free battery replacement for life.
> 
> Also, it is a shame to see a device by Sony from off the shelves parts that is costing $8K...Shame!



Whitigir, I think you are just wrong here buddy. DSD512 files are so freaking huge, if you are playing it you are probably using the TA-ZH1ES anyway and loading the audio from a server by USB.

Next, because its 8K in parts you feel offended? The world must really bug you out then with the president making 1BN dollar houses for himself and single Bugatti cars costing more than most peoples entire life earnings. The reason this costs 8K is because its a veblen good. Its price is literally correlated to the demand they want to serve, which is essentially the top 1% of earners. This product is basically completely unnecessary, and sony has priced their product lines so you can buy better overall equipment for less. For example, a TA-ZH1ES and a MDR-Z1R and a WM1A (the exact setup I bought) runs about 7K, so at 8K what do you get? Basically you get a smaller device than the TAZH1ES which sounds better than a WM1Z, and you can walk around your house or take it on the airplane or boat, easily.  Have you ever felt the weight of the TA-ZH1ES? its absurdly heavy. Have you seen the price of the WM1Z compared to the WM1A? Its absurdly more expensive.

I want all of them, I just bought what I can afford.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 9, 2018)

I don’t care what you want to come up as an excuse to this Sony DMP.  I am not a sucker in a corner that has money and pour into such “BS”.  I am sensible, and I *know* enough to spot BS.  By the way 7K is nothing compare to my desktop setup.  My Stax KG-T2 amplifier is twice as much

Am I offended by the pricing ? Nope, that is for kids, and your assumption is also not very mature.  Or perhap you don’t know me well enough, that is fine.  But hey, if you have money, go for it.

I am offended, yes.  Why ? Because such a simple design, with off the shelves components and priced like an exotic and unique product...that is BS.  I am offended because I am an enthusiast and love Sony for what they had been doing, but this is not the Sony I love.  This is a cold water splash into enthusiast faces.

Would anyone be buying a Bugatti with Toyota Engine ? If you think that is fine, then that is you.  I would appreciate that you stop assuming about what/why I personally feel.

*DSD512 ?* My DX200 plays it all day long


----------



## gerelmx1986

I Consider the XBA-Z5 and original MDR-Z7 to be classics as well the wm1 series


----------



## sne4me

Whitigir said:


> Would anyone be buying a Bugatti with Toyota Engine ? If you think that is fine, then that is you.  I would appreciate that you stop assuming about what/why I personally feel.



I'm curious whitigir, what is your background in engineering?


----------



## Whitigir

sne4me said:


> I'm curious whitigir, what is your background in engineering?


Enough to build my own amplifiers and so on.  There is no need to get specific on the Internet


----------



## bvng3540

Whitigir said:


> I don’t care what you want to come up as an excuse to this Sony DMP.  I am not a sucker in a corner that has money and pour into such “BS”.  I am sensible, and I *know* enough to spot BS.  By the way 7K is nothing compare to my desktop setup.  My Stax KG-T2 amplifier is twice as much
> 
> Am I offended by the pricing ? Nope, that is for kids, and your assumption is also not very mature.  Or perhap you don’t know me well enough, that is fine.  But hey, if you have money, go for it.
> 
> ...


If you think it simple, why not built yourself one and sell it for half price, see if anyone even look at it, even with that price I still buy it


----------



## bvng3540

He so pissed off at Sony that he even created it own thread, who does that


----------



## Whitigir

bvng3540 said:


> If you think it simple, why not built yourself one and sell it for half price, see if anyone even look at it, even with that price I still buy it



No need, people who knows me enough is already wanting to buy many of my stuff.

But I am not in this hobby to make it a business.  I am into this hobby to help out my friends, and to enjoy the music to my heart content


bvng3540 said:


> He so pissed off at Sony that he even created it own thread, who does that


I created the thread to get away from derailing Wm1A/Z thread.

Thank you for your assumption

For now, I will exit this thread.


----------



## proedros

like i said before - i love SONY , being a huge fanboy of them since 1981 when i got my first cassette walkman as a kid

all these new products are indifferent to me , so i don't care what's their price (unless it signals a new era of overpriced products)


hope they sell a shitload of their new products , to people with DEEP pockets and even deeper hearing 

now let's get back to WM1A/WM1Z talk.


----------



## gerelmx1986

While all fight the pricing details, I enjoy my WM1A, just as proedros


----------



## NaiveSound

I fvkkking love it
Spacious yet intimate, emotional, truly musical...best player I've ever heard. Technical yet relaxed. Clear but not sharp  Space but intimate.... How can that be? 
Omg..... Ive been missing out this long? U18t/fourte /Zeus never sounded better!

Far far far from wm1a.  An entire other beast! There should only be one wm1.  Absolutely gorgeous sound.  There can't be a successor..

Time to rediscover my whole collections. 

This is amazing !


----------



## NaiveSound

Only at 30 something hours... But it can't get better... This is amazing!!  Mojo, dx200, ak1000, wm1a are kindergarten compared to this.


----------



## NaiveSound

Desktop quality sound  ***

I'm gonna Cum


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 9, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> Only at 30 something hours... But it can't get better... This is amazing!!  Mojo, dx200, ak1000, wm1a are kindergarten compared to this.



It will get better. Are you balanced ?


----------



## proedros

@NaiveSound  and you only paid 1000$ , you lucky person 

btw didn't you sell your Zeus ? how are you pairing with it ?


----------



## NaiveSound

Black background 
Just you and music.  Musical  fun but very technical at the same time. This is unbelievable  I won't be surprised if there isn't a successor, this is as good as it gets portable... Ak1000 is just not like this , the Ultima is just a better dx200   none of those players touch wm1z,  this is Insane, I haven't been this exited about audio since a few years back when I got my First zeus


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> @NaiveSound  and you only paid 1000$ , you lucky person
> 
> btw didn't you sell your Zeus ? how are you pairing with it ?



U18. A bud has the Zeus and I get to wet my ears with it once a while. Like right now. Good god.  Zeus scales so high with this 1z.  Proedros ... Buy you one. . You need this. 
Progressive house for the rest of the day for me on this player


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> It will get better. Are you balanced ?


Yes balanced right now. However the weak link is a 30$. 4.4mm to 2.5mm adapter ... So I suppose sound can only improve


----------



## NaiveSound

Enveloping musical sweet clear sound.

I'm still not over it.... How can something spacious be so close and intimate ?


----------



## beaux

Whitigir said:


> I don’t care what market analysts they have or whatever statistic they got.  They should ask themselves these questions.
> 
> For $8,000 would they buy and use this product ?
> 
> ...


Easy my friend. Sony's market research shows Asia is their priority and people there are fond of high-priced iem and DAP. (You can find the ppt) I come from China. I can tell people in China like expensive products. If they are not expensive, they are not good. If not most expensive, not the best.


----------



## NaiveSound

What could possibly happen at 200 hrs?


----------



## proedros

NaiveSound said:


> U18. A bud has the Zeus and I get to wet my ears with it once a while. Like right now. Good god.  Zeus scales so high with this 1z.  Proedros ... Buy you one. . You need this.
> *Progressive house for the rest of the day for me on this player*



i have been hearing prog mixes for the last 2 months here , I just downloaded 3 more mixes from the russian place

internet is our eldorado


----------



## mrhizzo

proedros said:


> i have been hearing prog mixes for the last 2 months here , I just downloaded 3 more mixes from the russian place
> 
> internet is our eldorado



Russian place?


----------



## beaux

NaiveSound said:


> I wouldn't rely on that


It's true. Also sony introduced another feature to wm1z/a which mimics a vinyl-like sound. These are from sony authorized dealer in Hong Kong


----------



## DONTGIVEUP (Aug 9, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I will get a second brand new z5, the new MDR-Z7M2 and perhaps the ier-z1r



I like ur posts. No continuity to the previous posts before yours. Just babble babble.


----------



## NaiveSound

1z such a clean black spacious sound   pinpoint imaging


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

proedros said:


> i have been hearing prog mixes for the last 2 months here , I just downloaded 3 more mixes from the russian place
> 
> internet is our eldorado


Russia produces some good progressive stuff.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

It’s irony. Made in China is in almost every product here in the US since it saves money and ppl don’t want to spend that kind of cash except for cars, clothes and house. 





beaux said:


> Easy my friend. Sony's market research shows Asia is their priority and people there are fond of high-priced iem and DAP. (You can find the ppt) I come from China. I can tell people in China like expensive products. If they are not expensive, they are not good. If not most expensive, not the best.


----------



## Redcarmoose

There is the look ......right there. 





alphanumerix1 said:


>


----------



## proedros

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Russia produces some good progressive stuff.



the russian place is just a russian tracker for downloading music , most of my prog house stuff is from UK/US artists


----------



## alphanumerix1




----------



## DONTGIVEUP

DJ Feel, Denis Kenzo, Arty and Bobina although labeled trance IMO produce some great tracks which can come under progressive house.
Not a fan of UK/ US big room music with no melody





proedros said:


> the russian place is just a russian tracker for downloading music , most of my prog house stuff is from UK/US artists


----------



## beaux

DONTGIVEUP said:


> It’s irony. Made in China is in almost every product here in the US since it saves money and ppl don’t want to spend that kind of cash except for cars, clothes and house.


We are talking about audiophiles. Do you know how many 50,000 euro sennheiser he1s sold in China? You will be shocked. If you live in Shanghai, Beijing, as well as second tier cities in east near coast, you will know the true purchasing power of Chinese audiophile.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP (Aug 9, 2018)

beaux said:


> We are talking about audiophiles. Do you know how many 50,000 euro sennheiser he1s sold in China? You will be shocked. If you live in Shanghai, Beijing, as well as second tier cities in east near coast, you will know the true purchasing power of Chinese audiophile.


I don’t know in China but in the US I see ppl happy to buy Chinese branded laptops and TVs. Not saying their bad but it saves a lot of money compared to competitors.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 9, 2018)

beaux said:


> Easy my friend. Sony's market research shows Asia is their priority and people there are fond of high-priced iem and DAP. (You can find the ppt) I come from China. I can tell people in China like expensive products. If they are not expensive, they are not good. If not most expensive, not the best.



They can show whatever, I have many friends from Asia, and we share the point of views.

1/ yes, expensive but unique is good
2/ yes, expensive but isn’t unique is not good

iPhone and Mac eco are being sold very well because it is uniquely Mac and IOS, period.  At least, Apple makes their own chips.  Sony is not making S-Master on the most expensive product.  Do I need to keep repeating this ?



beaux said:


> We are talking about audiophiles. Do you know how many 50,000 euro sennheiser he1s sold in China? You will be shocked. If you live in Shanghai, Beijing, as well as second tier cities in east near coast, you will know the true purchasing power of Chinese audiophile.



I am familiar with this, where Communist officials and their children have money fallen out of the sky, by robbing off their citizen.  They spend money on everything expensive, regardless of quality.  Uh huh, I know.  Doesn’t mean it is good or the best either.

But look, you need to know your grounds well to pull such thing off.  Do you know how many Chinese are not looking at Susvara ? It is expensive !

HE-1 is* UNIQuE! And so is Chord products, and so is WM1Z.*  This DMP is not, unique in what ? Using AKM4497EQ ?


----------



## beaux

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I don’t know in China but in the US I see ppl happy to buy Chinese branded laptops and TVs. Not saying their bad but it saves a lot of money compared to competitors.


However, hi-fi and hi-end products are at a different price range. They are able to justify the price of a 500usd dap made in china. But with 5000 usd in hand, they will be more happy with made in Japan and Germany. I haven't noticed the manufacturer of dmp z1. I suspect it is still made in Malaysia.


----------



## beaux (Aug 9, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> They can show whatever, I have many friends from Asia, and we share the point of views.
> 
> 1/ yes, expensive but unique is good
> 2/ yes, expensive but isn’t unique is not good
> ...


Well. I can see susvara, abyss, utopia, shangri-la all sells very well. WM1Z and sp1000 sells equivalently well. And I live in China for more than 20 years..


----------



## bvng3540

Whitigir said:


> They can show whatever, I have many friends from Asia, and we share the point of views.
> 
> 1/ yes, expensive but unique is good
> 2/ yes, expensive but isn’t unique is not good
> ...


I thought you said you leaving this thread, why still here


----------



## beaux

Whitigir said:


> They can show whatever, I have many friends from Asia, and we share the point of views.
> 
> 1/ yes, expensive but unique is good
> 2/ yes, expensive but isn’t unique is not good
> ...



I think using ak4497 is fine and not a point to criticize. Many hi-end players use just ak4497 such like  linn klimax DS/3 and esoteric k1, which cost more than 15,000 usd. Let's see how well this 8000usd dmp sells.


----------



## bvng3540

beaux said:


> I think using ak4497 is fine and not a point to criticize. Many hi-end players use just ak4497 such like  linn klimax DS/3 and esoteric k1, which cost more than 15,000 usd. Let's see how well this 8000usd dmp sells.


Guarantee will sell like cupcake, just ignore him, he so pissed off at sony because he cant afford it


----------



## Whitigir

beaux said:


> Well. I can see susvara, abyss, utopia, shangri-la all sells very well. WM1Z and sp1000 sells equivalently well. And I live in China for more than 20 years..


That is fine.  Just saying, I don’t just talk about being an enthusiast and loving Sony.  I was one of the first to adopt in full Signature series WM1Z, Z1R, TA-ZH1ES.  Everybody can talk, put your money where your mouth is, that is what count.


beaux said:


> I think using ak4497 is fine and not a point to criticize. Many hi-end players use just ak4497 such like  linn klimax DS/3 and esoteric k1, which cost more than 15,000 usd. Let's see how well this 8000usd dmp sells.


You are comparing a full desktop vs a half-baked in features, designs ? ofcourse AK4497EQ is fine, but this is Sony you are talking about.  You can buy a Lotus with Camry engine in it, and still expensive.  That is fine.  But are you going to buy an expensive Porsche with a Camry engine in it ?

Anyways, back to WM1Z.  I valued WM1Z for everything that it is, uniquely presenting Sony.  Truly a Signature production, and I still hold it in high regard.


----------



## NaiveSound

I love my 1z


----------



## Redcarmoose

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I like ur posts. No continuity to the previous posts before yours. Just babble babble.



*I say we give him a ticket for disorderly posting in public.*


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am considering getting a Wm1Z, but whatever @Quadfather  said about it against the WM1A. It puts me on hold being wide on my finances


----------



## beaux

Whitigir said:


> That is fine.  Just saying, I don’t just talk about being an enthusiast and loving Sony.  I was one of the first to adopt in full Signature series WM1Z, Z1R, TA-ZH1ES.  Everybody can talk, put your money where your mouth is, that is what count.
> 
> You are comparing a full desktop vs a half-baked in features, designs ? ofcourse AK4497EQ is fine, but this is Sony you are talking about.  You can buy a Lotus with Camry engine in it, and still expensive.  That is fine.  But are you going to buy an expensive Porsche with a Camry engine in it ?
> 
> Anyways, back to WM1Z.  I valued WM1Z for everything that it is, uniquely presenting Sony.  Truly a Signature production, and I still hold it in high regard.



To some extent, I agree with your point. Esoteric has its unique vrds. DCS has its ring dac and up sampling algorithm. However according to sony's financial report, they earned a huge profit in game, music, picture, entertainment, imaging product. I believe sony did their homework and know what they are making.


----------



## NaiveSound

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am considering getting a Wm1Z, but whatever @Quadfather  said about it against the WM1A. It puts me on hold being wide on my finances


Finances should be the only reason holding you back against 1z. Otherwise... My god. I hated the 1a. But the 1z is just amazing


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 9, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> Finances should be the only reason holding you back against 1z. Otherwise... My god. I hated the 1a. But the 1z is just amazing



Everybody needs to remember that everybody's hearing is unique to them. The 1A to me was very close to the 1Z with the headphones I have. That could be a totally different situation for somebody else with different equipment to match it with as well as different hearing.  I did like the 1Z better, had better treble extension and presentation as well as better bass. With the headphones I have, I like the mid-range presentation on the 1A a better.  Overall, if cost wasn't a factor, I would get the 1Z.


----------



## NaiveSound

Quadfather said:


> Everybody needs to remember that everybody's hearing is unique to them. The 1A to me was very close to the 1Z with the headphones I have. That could be a totally different situation for somebody else with different equipment to match it with as well as different hearing.  I did like the 1Z better, had better treble extension and presentation as well as better bass. With the headphones I have, I like the mid-range presentation on the 1A a better.  Overall, if cost wasn't a factor, I would get the 1Z.


How is lpg


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 10, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> How is lpg



It was the top dog when I first got it, but for some reason I am liking it less and less lately. It is the Diana Edition.... And yes, I'm very frustrated I can't afford the gold Sony. I had a massive stroke 3 years ago and was off for 8 months with zero pay.  I would have the damn thing already if it weren't for that!  I am finding that my ears don't do real well with more aggressive sound.   The stroke changed my hearing a little bit, but I came a whisker's breath away from losing it altogether, so I'm grateful.


----------



## NaiveSound

Quadfather said:


> it was the top dog when I first got it, but for some reason I am liking it less and less lately. It is the Diana Edition.... And yes, I'm very frustrated I can't afford the gold Sony. I had a massive stroke 3 years ago and was off for 8 months with zero pay.  I would have the damn thing already if it weren't for that!



I'm glad you recovered and seem to function just great  !
Well can you sell the lpg?  If you don't like it anymore why hold on?


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 9, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> I'm glad you recovered and seem to function just great  !
> Well can you sell the lpg?  If you don't like it anymore why hold on?



 I am seriously considering selling that, and my Bottlehead Crack amp with Tung Sol 5998 and Mullard CV4003.   I have discovered I hate pretty much all desktop situations because I don't like being tied down to a room.   I am almost 100%, except for I lose my balance once in awhile and my mood is still screwed up at times.   My ears got more sensitive to high frequency and my eyesight is also more sensitive to light now.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## NaiveSound

Quadfather said:


> I am seriously considering selling that, and my Bottlehead Crack amp with Tung Sol 5998 and Mullard CV4003.   I have discovered I hate pretty much all desktop situations because I don't like being tied down to a room.   I am almost 100%, except for I lose my balance once in awhile on my mood still screwed up at times.   My ears got more sensitive to high frequency and my eyesight is also more sensitive to light now.


I'm glad you are here and able to be with us. 
Sell and buy the 1z


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 10, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> I'm glad you are here and able to be with us.
> Sell and buy the 1z



Thank you.  Your kind words are much appreciated!  Probably the reason I like the Sony signatures is because the treble isn't so in-your-face, even though the gold Sony extends better.  The crazy thing is some days I love the LPG.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Remember too, the 1A and 1Z are designed to be complementary. And.....they are, one is good with some headphones, then the other is good with different headphones or desired sound signature. It’s not that one is better...........or maybe one is a little better. 

They found out that the case and wiring made them sound different and monopolized on it.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Quadfather said:


> Everybody needs to remember that everybody's hearing is unique to them. The 1A to me was very close to the 1Z with the headphones I have. That could be a totally different situation for somebody else with different equipment to match it with as well as different hearing.  I did like the 1Z better, had better treble extension and presentation as well as better bass. With the headphones I have, I like the mid-range presentation on the 1A a better.  Overall, if cost wasn't a factor, I would get the 1Z.



I did make this point about twenty pages back when I see you and Naive discussing this before he got the 1Z...

I think fair enough if someone likes one over the other because they think one is better...

I'm probably one of the few that actually likes both players sounds a lot in their own respective ways but I felt that even though there are certain sonic improvements on the 1Z to the 1A which there should be for the extra money but felt largely those sonic improvements for me personally did not justify the extra outlay at the time for the diminishing returns like hi-fi separates especially when you do not get to compare them side by side each day as felt it largely is a signature change than enough actual sonic improvements and man did I want the Gold finish so bad when it came out to the black finish! ...

But that is all irrelevant if the next head-fier feels differently because we all have different taste in how it should sound as we all do hear differently (not to forget the different chain of equipment used by each user) which is perfectly normal.  Why did Sony bring two different flavoured signature players out to start with (apart from make a statement they are back and more more money)... because they knew there would be people out there that preferred those two different signatures regardless of the price on each model as there are some on here that prefer the black model even though they could probably afford to go for the Gold 1Z.

So maybe to assume someone should like one product more than the other because they like it more I have always found to be funny statements on here, but stating you personally find it better to your taste and a description of why is fair enough. That is why I think so many people I think get caught up in needless bickering about one thing is better than the other on here and maybe why I don't post half as much as I used to. 

There's my head-fi Boris moment for those in the UK!


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> Remember too, the 1A and 1Z are designed to be complementary. And.....they are, one is good with some headphones, then the other is good with different headphones or desired sound signature. It’s not that one is better...........or maybe one is a little better.
> 
> They found out that the case and wiring made them sound different and monopolized on it.




Moose you said v1.2 is warmer. (balanced my only interest ) , should I try it out?  Player is v2. 0


Also what are the chances of it getting usb dac usage


----------



## gerelmx1986

@NaiveSound  The USB DAC function is not yet released, this is to be a future FW update


----------



## FortisFlyer75

NaiveSound said:


> Moose you said v1.2 is warmer. (balanced my only interest ) , should I try it out?  Player is v2. 0
> 
> 
> Also what are the chances of it getting usb dac usage



I had the 1.2 for quite a while before going 2.0 and the difference was night and day for me and 1.2 was a warmer with a thicker low end which was less defined to the bass rendering detail on the 2.0 which gives it a better balance there to start with plus the openes and spatial cues became better and for me in some respects nudged it nearer to the 1z sound with the 2.0 fw change. For me the 2.0 was not small change in sig which is why so many debated for many pages about this when it came out and some preferred it like me and some hated it and went back to their warm thicker low end sound.  It was nothing like when the ZX1 came out and the mids were sucked out of it and they quickly done a FW fix to bring the mids forward to where they should be when a lot of ZX1 owners moaned about it, this was a very deliberate sig change by the Sony team to make the 1A more balanced sound to what the original 1.2 version was.... if that helps?


----------



## cpetrillo

I asked this before but never really got an answer so I'll try again. Can anyone tell me how the sound of the wm1a + TA compares to the sound of the wm1z hy itself?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

cpetrillo said:


> I asked this before but never really got an answer so I'll try again. Can anyone tell me how the sound of the wm1a + TA compares to the sound of the wm1z hy itself?


I vaguely recall this being mentioned quite a few pages ago. The conclusion being:

TA > WM1Z > WM1A

But that's comparing three very good components which are in leagues of their own.


----------



## NaiveSound

FortisFlyer75 said:


> I had the 1.2 for quite a while before going 2.0 and the difference was night and day for me and 1.2 was a warmer with a thicker low end which was less defined to the bass rendering detail on the 2.0 which gives it a better balance there to start with plus the openes and spatial cues became better and for me in some respects nudged it nearer to the 1z sound with the 2.0 fw change. For me the 2.0 was not small change in sig which is why so many debated for many pages about this when it came out and some preferred it like me and some hated it and went back to their warm thicker low end sound.  It was nothing like when the ZX1 came out and the mids were sucked out of it and they quickly done a FW fix to bring the mids forward to where they should be when a lot of ZX1 owners moaned about it, this was a very deliberate sig change by the Sony team to make the 1A more balanced sound to what the original 1.2 version was.... if that helps?


I got the 1z so I need info based on that  but thank you


----------



## NaiveSound

gerelmx1986 said:


> @NaiveSound  The USB DAC function is not yet released, this is to be a future FW update


I know but how probable/likely is that to happen


----------



## FortisFlyer75

gerelmx1986 said:


> @NaiveSound  The USB DAC function is not yet released, this is to be a future FW update



Do you think they will?  Been long enough to release this feature now, would of thought Sony would of done this by now?, not even Onkyo took that long to implement it on their DP-S1 even after mucking it up rolling it back and re-releasing it a few months later as it should of been in the first place with a full bit rate ability. 

Be nice to think Sony are looking at rolling this feature out and I hope they do as would be a nice feature to have all the same, but has there been any recent news on another FW upgrade and what worries me is even though I do not think they will now is that those little geek heads in the Sony team start to tweak the sound around again!

Here's to hoping anyway...


----------



## FortisFlyer75

NaiveSound said:


> I got the 1z so I need info based on that  but thank you



Lol, no problems, forgot the 1Z had it, probably as going by memory back then in the threads like 20,000 pages back somewhere that the 1Z fw change was not so big as the 1A's change possibly?  from reports at the time but even the smallest changes could make all the difference if you prefer it, but will leave that to a 1Z expert to chime in and answer definitely on that as I think I only ever heard the 1Z in 1.2 a year ago. 

It can also be rolled back if need be even though it is not meant to be again from back when it all happened on here regarding the FW upgrade with people rolling back to compare the sound change or just revert back for good but again someone who actually remembers that procedure might be able to guide you on that ; )


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> Moose you said v1.2 is warmer. (balanced my only interest ) , should I try it out?  Player is v2. 0
> 
> 
> Also what are the chances of it getting usb dac usage



It’s funny as you were here in November 2017 asking the very same questions. Lol
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1087#post-13844729




It’s slighly confusing for me as I received my 1Z and 2.0 came out two days after I started using my player. 1.2 was warmer, but my player was not burned in. At the time last November there were a number of people who went back to 1.2 because it was warmer and had less grain they thought. 90% of my headphones and IEMs are on the warm side, also I need the 2.0 power boost for the Z5 the Z7 and the Z1R. So I have never gone back to try 1.2 again.







cpetrillo said:


> I asked this before but never really got an answer so I'll try again. Can anyone tell me how the sound of the wm1a + TA compares to the sound of the wm1z hy itself?



The TA amp/DAC and 1A is always the way to go to get the most bang for the buck. It surpasses absolutely all qualities of the 1Z. It’s way louder has a blacker background and more stable and defined image placement. High damping of the TA means about 1 decibel more bass, but the bass is profoundly more detailed from the damping so it sounds like more. The only headphones I own that the TA amp has trouble with are my k701s, but they are some of the hardest to drive headphones. They are powered perfect from the Woo 5LE.

The 1Z has maybe a slight treble spike that the TA does not? I’m really not 100% sure even after ownership.


But if some one told me I could take the 1A and TA amp or just the 1Z to an island for a year. I would take the prior combo.



The above answer about the two product choices is fairly definitive but still there maybe could be some random headphone that the 1Z sounds better.

Remember though the engineers had more room and could use bigger and better parts for the TA amp. The parts are placed apart so there is less interference. The giant case protects the amp from RFI and it comes with a remote. The TA amp already acts as a DAC with optical and RCA toslink.

It has USB in and offers both line out (to a headphone amp) or volume controlled out acting as a preamp. The 1A and TA are only slighly more money than the 1Z which means if you don’t need portable.....it’s a no brainer.


Even putting a SPDIF Toslink digital cable from a high end CD transport does not come close to what the TA amps DAC does with the USB output of the 1A player/DAP.

I used to think USB added jitter or interfering noise, but maybe Sony is using USB just as a connection terminal and you seem to bypass the noise you would get from a computer. It’s beyond my comprehension but by doing side by side comparison the 1A or 1Z is the best source I have found for the TA DAC/Amp.

Still it sounds great from a computer. I still need to get the Audioquest upgrade Cinnamon or Carbon cable, but they don’t sell them on this side of the planet.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> But if someone told me I could take the 1A and TA amp or just the 1Z to an island for a year. I would take the prior combo.



Hahahaha. Had a good chuckle to myself. You'd need cans or IEMs too. Otherwise you'd just be staring at the screen of your 1A and imagining how good it sounds.

Oh, and solar panels and a good power distribution system. Otherwise a coconut would sound as good as the 1A after a few hours. Hahahaha!


----------



## jasonho

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Hahahaha.....
> 
> Oh, and solar panels and a good power distribution system. Otherwise a coconut would sound as good as the 1A after a few hours. Hahahaha!



I heard Durians sound better


----------



## Whitigir

jasonho said:


> I heard Durians sound better


Be perfect color for a wm1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

When i saw the Benks clear TPU case, it made a nice visual effect as to change the color of the WM1Z, making it look like nicier


----------



## Magnepan Man

gerelmx1986 said:


> Has anyone tried XBA-H3 running on balanced?



I have finally gone balanced after 160 hours of burn in on my wm1a's single ended output with xba-h3's....literally  20 min ago. Honestly, I'm not floored yet.    I was expecting a night and day difference.  There is a sort of nasally character to the sound, foggy would be another way to describe it. Sounds like the high's are slightly masked and not as extended. the soundstage, while more defined, seems more centralized and more "in my head" sounding than before. Midbass is more present, and clearer, but sub bass isn't really there.  It IS an overall improvement, but it's obvious we're going to be startimg over in the burn in department.  I hope the highs start to extend again, and meet the extension of the single ended output with the stock Sony cable. 

The new cable is virgin, and the balanced output has no time whatsoever on it, so I'm really starting from complete scratch. I'm literally just firing up the balanced caps for the first time now.  The cable is a kinboofi  12 core silver copper hybrid- around 50 usd.  It's very nice quality, not sure how it will hold up I'm the gym, but there are no microphonics and it's very comfortable.   Overall im happy, and look forward to hearing the balanced side blossom.  The single ended on the wm1a is awesome, so I'm hoping the balanced will eventually be everything the single ended is and more and not be too much a departure in sound signature, but more of a general improvement.


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> I know but how probable/likely is that to happen



It was mentioned a few pages back as a rumor/info from a Hong Kong Sony dealer that usb dac and Bluetooth receiver should be coming in the next fw release. No official Sony info yet as far as I know


----------



## teknorob23

alphanumerix1 said:


> No word of dap replacements though.



For what it’s worth effect audio at canjam london were adamant the new dap was being announced between now and beginning of September, essentially 1z + networking capabaility for 6-7,000 usd. This obviously isn’t that. As new convert from ak to 1z I struggle to hear where the sound can be improved, but networking would end the any debate for me at least. Shame they’ve blown 6k on a big golden knob


----------



## nc8000

teknorob23 said:


> For what it’s worth effect audio at canjam london were adamant the new dap was being announced between now and beginning of September, essentially 1z + networking capabaility for 6-7,000 usd. This obviously isn’t that. As new convert from ak to 1z I struggle to hear where the sound can be improved, but networking would end the any debate for me at least. Shame they’ve blown 6k on a big golden knob



Well they’ve blown 1K retail on that Alps volume pot


----------



## nanaholic

USB DAC, BT receiver and the new Vinyl Processor confirmed for next WM1 update.

Also personally confirmed with the two Sato-san that the next update will support cover art jpeg placed in the folder for files that don't support meta data like wav.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Magnepan Man said:


> I have finally gone balanced after 160 hours of burn in on my wm1a's single ended output with xba-h3's....literally  20 min ago. Honestly, I'm not floored yet.    I was expecting a night and day difference.  There is a sort of nasally character to the sound, foggy would be another way to describe it. Sounds like the high's are slightly masked and not as extended. the soundstage, while more defined, seems more centralized and more "in my head" sounding than before. Midbass is more present, and clearer, but sub bass isn't really there.  It IS an overall improvement, but it's obvious we're going to be startimg over in the burn in department.  I hope the highs start to extend again, and meet the extension of the single ended output with the stock Sony cable.
> 
> The new cable is virgin, and the balanced output has no time whatsoever on it, so I'm really starting from complete scratch. I'm literally just firing up the balanced caps for the first time now.  The cable is a kinboofi  12 core silver copper hybrid- around 50 usd.  It's very nice quality, not sure how it will hold up I'm the gym, but there are no microphonics and it's very comfortable.   Overall im happy, and look forward to hearing the balanced side blossom.  The single ended on the wm1a is awesome, so I'm hoping the balanced will eventually be everything the single ended is and more and not be too much a departure in sound signature, but more of a general improvement.



Yes, you really can't do any kind of comparison if your 4.4mm TRRRS has zero hours on it. You will start to get a glimpse of reality at 50 hours then best improvement at 100 hours. I heard only marginal improvements after 100 hours but there are others who think the amp improves after 200 hours.

Your basically trying to drive a car down the street with no tires on it.


----------



## mrhizzo

Anyone have or had the WM1Z and the AK SP1000? Which one would you choose?


----------



## Redcarmoose

nanaholic said:


> USB DAC, BT receiver and the new Vinyl Processor confirmed for next WM1 update.
> 
> Also personally confirmed with the two Sato-san that the next update will support cover art jpeg placed in the folder for files that don't support meta data like wav.



None of the ZX300 users can use the DAC function for movies due to a long delay. Hopefully the 1A/1Z will be in real-time.


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> USB DAC, BT receiver and the new Vinyl Processor confirmed for next WM1 update.
> 
> Also personally confirmed with the two Sato-san that the next update will support cover art jpeg placed in the folder for files that don't support meta data like wav.



Cool. I have no use for usb dac but streaming Tidal from my iPhone could be usefull from time to time


----------



## jcdreamer

NaiveSound said:


> What could possibly happen at 200 hrs?


You'll want to buy back your EE Zeus.


----------



## endlesswaves (Aug 10, 2018)

cpetrillo said:


> I asked this before but never really got an answer so I'll try again. Can anyone tell me how the sound of the wm1a + TA compares to the sound of the wm1z hy itself?



Sound signature of WM1Z is the warmest among the signature series. The TA is in between the 1A and 1Z. Technicality wise, TA is the best of the 3 but is not portable. I have the WM1A only and had 2 audition sessions with the TA and 1Z. Take this with a grain of salt.

@Redcarmoose have all 3 and should be able to give you a more comprehensive answer.

Edit* Just saw Redcarmoose replied you. Sorry for redundant posting.


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> What could possibly happen at 200 hrs?


----------



## Bosk

Whitigir said:


> I don’t care what you want to come up as an excuse to this Sony DMP.  I am not a sucker in a corner that has money and pour into such “BS”.  I am sensible, and I *know* enough to spot BS.  By the way 7K is nothing compare to my desktop setup.  My Stax KG-T2 amplifier is twice as much
> 
> Am I offended by the pricing ? Nope, that is for kids, and your assumption is also not very mature.  Or perhap you don’t know me well enough, that is fine.  But hey, if you have money, go for it.
> 
> ...


The Lotus Elise Cup 260 uses a supercharged 1.8L Toyota Camry engine and does 0-60 in 3.8 seconds. Granted it isn't a supercar, I'm merely pointing out that machines & gadgets built with off-the-shelf-parts can be phenomenal if the engineering behind them is good enough. 

I certainly take your point about the worrying recent trend of audio companies charging vast amounts for TOTL products, perhaps to appeal to luxury buyers instead of audio enthusiasts. Like real estate, it isn't a nice feeling being priced out of the market and it feels like every new stratospherically priced DAP or IEM encourages prices across the entire market to inch upwards.


----------



## captblaze (Aug 10, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


>



reminds me of an MDA experience from years ago. amazing where your mind will go when free to do so. here is also hoping that the Sony road map will be followed through to completion. My long range DAP plans will change drastically if all mentioned features end up in a future firmware release.


----------



## Redcarmoose

captblaze said:


> reminds me of an MDA experience from years ago. amazing where your mind will go when free to do so. here is also hoping that the Sony road map will be followed through to completion. My long range DAP plans will change drastically if all mentioned features end up in a future firmware release.



Well most of what was posted seems easy....the vinyl sound, the usb DAC......but if Bluetooth is going to be a thing, they must have placed some kind of hardware in starting 2016?


----------



## cpetrillo

endlesswaves said:


> Sound signature of WM1Z is the warmest among the signature series. The TA is in between the 1A and 1Z. Technicality wise, TA is the best of the 3 but is not portable. I have the WM1A only and had 2 audition sessions with the TA and 1Z. Take this with a grain of salt.



Thanks for the replies guys. I have the 1A and the TA but have never heard the 1Z so I was curious.


----------



## captblaze

Redcarmoose said:


> Well most of what was posted seems easy....the vinyl sound, the usb DAC......but if Bluetooth is going to be a thing, they must have placed some kind of hardware in starting 2016?



my thoughts exactly


----------



## Whitigir

Are we talking about Bluetooth DAC feature for wm1Z ? I am still not sure what DSP is used inside the wm1A/Z.  I only know for sure is that the battery will last long if playing internal or MicroSD PCM on the WM1A/Z, but any kind of processing such as Digital out or DOP, it only last about 5 hours.....assuming USB DAC features and so on


----------



## syke

They could have swayed the AK user base with these features right from the onset, but they didn't. Now, the WM1Z is really going to be hard to beat. Even for the successor...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 10, 2018)

cpetrillo said:


> Thanks for the replies guys. I have the 1A and the TA but have never heard the 1Z so I was curious.



And different IEMs and headphones show the differences more. Like if you plug the Z1R into the 1Z and listen for 30 minutes then take the 1Z and plug it into the TA and plug your Z1R headphones into the 4.4mm balanced you will realize it’s all at a slighly better level.

But even my Encore IEMs sounded different with the TA amp in comparison to the 1A and 1Z. You will not be sorry you purchased a TA amp. Though you’ll notice one member here who has sold his and moved on. There is maybe better out there, but I still love mine?

Also ask Whitigir how much he spent to get improvement?


----------



## siruspan

Anyone have a clue what is Vinyl Processor that is coming in with the autumn update?


----------



## captblaze

Redcarmoose said:


> Also ask Whitigir how much he spent to get improvement?



A gentleman never tells...

Although there seems to be an exponential rise in the amount of money a small improvement will buy. I am guilty of such spending, but as long as I am pleased with the end result the amount spent becomes less relevant


----------



## gerelmx1986

siruspan said:


> Anyone have a clue what is Vinyl Processor that is coming in with the autumn update?


I have that same question. Will it improve vinyl rips? Will it de noise or de click vinyl rips? Who knows let's wait hehe


----------



## proedros

nanaholic said:


> Also personally confirmed with the two Sato-san that the next update will support *cover art jpeg placed in the folder for files that don't support meta data* like wav.



so this means that if i have a cover jpeg inside my *16-44 flac files* folder , it will be shown to my screen ? do i get this right ?


----------



## proedros

jcdreamer said:


> You'll want to buy back your EE Zeus.



what if.....this rich friend who sold him wm1z is really @Jack Vang  and did so that @NaiveSound gets back into the Zeus love train ?

(Mission Impossible music playing in the back as the camera shows this rich friend taking off his face mask and being Jack EE Vang....)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Magnepan Man said:


> I have finally gone balanced after 160 hours of burn in on my wm1a's single ended output with xba-h3's....literally  20 min ago. Honestly, I'm not floored yet.    I was expecting a night and day difference.  There is a sort of nasally character to the sound, foggy would be another way to describe it. Sounds like the high's are slightly masked and not as extended. the soundstage, while more defined, seems more centralized and more "in my head" sounding than before. Midbass is more present, and clearer, but sub bass isn't really there.  It IS an overall improvement, but it's obvious we're going to be startimg over in the burn in department.  I hope the highs start to extend again, and meet the extension of the single ended output with the stock Sony cable.
> 
> The new cable is virgin, and the balanced output has no time whatsoever on it, so I'm really starting from complete scratch. I'm literally just firing up the balanced caps for the first time now.  The cable is a kinboofi  12 core silver copper hybrid- around 50 usd.  It's very nice quality, not sure how it will hold up I'm the gym, but there are no microphonics and it's very comfortable.   Overall im happy, and look forward to hearing the balanced side blossom.  The single ended on the wm1a is awesome, so I'm hoping the balanced will eventually be everything the single ended is and more and not be too much a departure in sound signature, but more of a general improvement.


Thanks bro, I was only curious as I had these IEM back in its time and never quite liked the signature, I wait for your further impressions once you've burned it fully 


nanaholic said:


> USB DAC, BT receiver and the new Vinyl Processor confirmed for next WM1 update.
> 
> Also personally confirmed with the two Sato-san that the next update will support cover art jpeg placed in the folder for files that don't support meta data like wav.


The BT I am not interested, but the USB DAC for sure, I am curious about vinyl processor


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> what if.....this rich friend who sold him wm1z is really @Jack Vang  and did so that @NaiveSound gets back into the Zeus love train ?
> 
> (Mission Impossible music playing in the back as the camera shows this rich friend taking off his face mask and being Jack EE Vang....)


Wish


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> so this means that if i have a cover jpeg inside my *16-44 flac files* folder , it will be shown to my screen ? do i get this right ?



That’s what I assume it means


----------



## sne4me

cpetrillo said:


> I asked this before but never really got an answer so I'll try again. Can anyone tell me how the sound of the wm1a + TA compares to the sound of the wm1z hy itself?



As a previous poster said, I believe the primary characteristic of the TA-ZH1ES which separates it from portable sources is the power which it can drive big headphones. For example, I have beyer dynamics as well as the MDR-Z1R. The beyers are very difficult to push, but the TA-ZH1ES absolutely brings them to their maximum potential, possibly too powerfully for its 80ohm? The WM1A/Z are actually designed, as I understand, to be used with Sony CIEM. Like the MDR-Z1R comes with a leather and wood box, because, they're huge and you would be crazy to be walking around with them. So its mostly about pairing the device with the phone. In this way, bigger is better again.

Secondly, the TA-ZH1ES has a complicated signal processing system which is different than the WM1A/Z so it cannot actually be directly compared. Depending on the input you use to the TA-ZH1ES and its configuration, the amp takes the digital signal, uses a DAC to convert it to analog, then converts the analog signal back to digital encapsulated in DSD before output. This is a very unique approach of this amp, and the execution is brilliant.



nanaholic said:


> USB DAC, BT receiver and the new Vinyl Processor confirmed for next WM1 update.
> Also personally confirmed with the two Sato-san that the next update will support cover art jpeg placed in the folder for files that don't support meta data like wav.



Nanaholic brings it again. What a day, everything I thought wouldn't come to the WM1A, suddenly is on deck, what more could anyone really want?? ((more gigabytes))


----------



## Redcarmoose

audionewbi said:


> Dude we havent even heard it, how can anyone know it is even remotely good, whatever good is.





sne4me said:


> As a previous poster said, I believe the primary characteristic of the TA-ZH1ES which separates it from portable sources is the power which it can drive big headphones. For example, I have beyer dynamics as well as the MDR-Z1R. The beyers are very difficult to push, but the TA-ZH1ES absolutely brings them to their maximum potential, possibly too powerfully for its 80ohm? The WM1A/Z are actually designed, as I understand, to be used with Sony CIEM. Like the MDR-Z1R comes with a leather and wood box, because, they're huge and you would be crazy to be walking around with them. So its mostly about pairing the device with the phone. In this way, bigger is better again.
> 
> Secondly, the TA-ZH1ES has a complicated signal processing system which is different than the WM1A/Z so it cannot actually be directly compared. Depending on the input you use to the TA-ZH1ES and its configuration, the amp takes the digital signal, uses a DAC to convert it to analog, then converts the analog signal back to digital encapsulated in DSD before output. This is a very unique approach of this amp, and the execution is brilliant.
> 
> ...




Yes, the 1A and 1Z don’t offer DSD remastering; good point!


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> so this means that if i have a cover jpeg inside my *16-44 flac files* folder , it will be shown to my screen ? do i get this right ?


That would be nice, I can leave the computer files with embedded image  and on the Walkman remove all embedded jpg and just leave the folder/cover. Jpg, as this saves plenty of space.

For 400GB of flac files, the jpg take easily 1GB to 3GB


----------



## NaiveSound

If wm1a/wm1z receive an update that would allow us to use its dac, when would such an update be probable for release?


----------



## siruspan

gerelmx1986 said:


> That would be nice, I can leave the computer files with embedded image  and on the Walkman remove all embedded jpg and just leave the folder/cover. Jpg, as this saves plenty of space.
> 
> For 400GB of flac files, the jpg take easily 1GB to 3GB



Can't you just leave embedded jpg and cancel folder/cover when you copy music to walkman?


----------



## siruspan

NaiveSound said:


> If wm1a/wm1z receive an update that would allow us to use its dac, when would such an update be probable for release?



There is picture on last page that there will be an update in Autumn 2018


----------



## nanaholic

siruspan said:


> Anyone have a clue what is Vinyl Processor that is coming in with the autumn update?


It's something created by Sato-san's teacher. From what I can understand from Sato-san's explanation is that they found for digital amps the fast and sharp voltage start/stop between individual note fall and attacks causes the driver to slows down to almost stopping and then to start moving again causes the listener to feel the notes being interpreted as slower/sloppier, but if they introduce some low voltage to keep the driver slightly vibrating and constantly moving (perhaps because of the inherit background noise in a vinyl setup which accidentally leading to this effect) between the note falls and attacks the sense of speed between notes could be increased. It's something they created in the DMP-Z1 and they found it as an interesting DSP effect so they tricked it down to the Walkmans. 



proedros said:


> so this means that if i have a cover jpeg inside my *16-44 flac files* folder , it will be shown to my screen ? do i get this right ?


I don't know what the priority is ie whether the player will display embedded artwork over the folder jpeg, but at the least for wav files and DFF where embedded artwork is not supported, the home screen as well as the track selector in the various part of the OS will now show the jpeg in the folder instead of the music note picture. So essentially they are at feature parity with other players on the market when it comes to folder.jpg handling.


----------



## sne4me

I just want to hear def leppard in high res.


----------



## gerelmx1986

siruspan said:


> Can't you just leave embedded jpg and cancel folder/cover when you copy music to walkman?


What I do I use musicbee for my music manager and transfer to Walkman, but if you use windows explorer or. Mac finder, you can search for *.jpg and all the jogs will be listed, select all, bring on the right-click menu and hit delete


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 10, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> It's something created by Sato-san's teacher. From what I can understand from Sato-san's explanation is that they found for digital amps the fast and sharp voltage start/stop between individual note fall and attacks causes the driver to slows down to almost stopping and then to start moving again causes the listener to feel the notes being interpreted as slower/sloppier, but if they introduce some low voltage to keep the driver slightly vibrating and constantly moving (perhaps because of the inherit background noise in a vinyl setup which accidentally leading to this effect) between the note falls and attacks the sense of speed between notes could be increased. It's something they created in the DMP-Z1 and they found it as an interesting DSP effect so they tricked it down to the Walkmans.
> 
> 
> I don't know what the priority is ie whether the player will display embedded artwork over the folder jpeg, but at the least for wav files and DFF where embedded artwork is not supported, the home screen as well as the track selector in the various part of the OS will now show the jpeg in the folder instead of the music note picture. So essentially they are at feature parity with other players on the market when it comes to folder.jpg handling.



So, this is explained to be a Pre-ringing and Post-ringing affect ? Which other DAC has already been offering, including AK4497EQ.  However, the S-Master inside the Wm1Z/A will be an interesting observation

Actually, pre-post ringing are a negative side effects of Sigma/Delta architecture.  Hence why people who can observe it, prefer to stay with NOS, or R2R, or Chord in-house Pulse arrays.  AKM call their filters to be “velvet sound” signature.  Sony S-Master also is similar to NOS designs, but their homegrown chips is too noisy.  Again, noisy is not the limitations of the S-Master, simply because Sony refuses to further invest into perfecting the S-Master.

Therefore, to admit defeat from S-Master point of view vs Sigma/Delta is a lazy excuse.  The modern technology can do much more than that


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Also ask Whitigir how much he spent to get improvement?



More than the cost of DMP-Z1 for sure


----------



## PCheung (Aug 10, 2018)

talked with sato-san and watched their slideshow this afternoon,
I think they are trying to push the boundaries of "all in one" DAP,
interesting idea and that player sound fantastic, really.
although they still recommend user to buy WM-1Z for the best portable experience.



Whitigir said:


> Again, noisy is not the limitations of the S-Master, simply because Sony refuses to further invest into perfecting the S-Master.
> 
> Therefore, to admit defeat from S-Master point of view vs Sigma/Delta is a lazy excuse.  The modern technology can do much more than that



They seems working on the next S-master chip but at this moment, they choose AK4497 cos the end-result is better with greater power.
Not meaning that Sony refuses to further invest into S-master, you are totally wrong


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 10, 2018)

PCheung said:


> talked with sato-san and watched their slideshow this afternoon,
> I think they are trying to push the boundaries of "all in one" DAP,
> interesting idea and that player sound fantastic, really.
> although they still recommend user to buy WM-1Z for the best portable experience.



All in one Music player is an excellent idea, really, but at the MSRP, I would appreciate a full blown design


----------



## PCheung (Aug 10, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> All in one Music player is an excellent idea, really, but at the MSRP, I would appreciate a full blown design



The way they try to push the boundaries, I mean.
Like the RK50 used are tailor made for sony with modification, newly developed caps, the battery design. All for the best sound results, the finest details, greatest output power in an "all in one" machine.

Yes, the price is crazy
but I can see they put many effort on it and I think Sony themselves don't expect to sell much of it
Sato-san said sorry to me many many time that the cost is so high that really can't sell it cheaper

So I won't be angry with it. I can't buy it, I just leave it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

All in one DAP is nice, but would have been great if the DAP is detaches from the desktop module, like switch from nintendo


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 10, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> Therefore, to admit defeat from S-Master point of view vs Sigma/Delta is a lazy excuse.  The modern technology can do much more than that



As PCheung said you are completely wrong.
The choice for AKM chip + TI amp chip is purely for power delivery reasons which the S-Master cannot currently achieve. The Vinyl processor is something else they made that is not related to that choice.

The way Sato-san refer to the Vinyl Processor - just like the Phase Lineariser in the Walkman - is that he thinks it sounds "interesting" (omoshiroi - the exact Japanese word he used) to them, he said some of his co-workers thinks it sounds "disgusting" and "strange" too (kimochiwarui/hen), but he's not making any judgements but just wants to share it with the end users, hoping they will find it interesting too, and if they don't like it they can turn it off. But the act of not sharing something he finds interesting is the bigger sin, yet forcing it onto someone is also a big no no. That's the feeling I get from his description. He doesn't sugar coat or over sell any of it, he's just found something interesting and wants to share it, that is all.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

@kingdixon and I are waiting for a bricked Gold WM1Z to come onto eBay at a cheap price...


----------



## gerelmx1986

I feel sony has put effort in their s-master DAC  I mean before the nw-a10 Walkman, the s-master was noisy as hell, hissing. Beginning from A10 Walkman I noticed the dac is nearly silent in background noise. As of signal noise I am not sure how clean the signal is as I don't have the equipment to measure it


----------



## pietcux

Redcarmoose said:


> The Z7 pads come off? Are you sure? The Z1R pads come off with a slight turn. But I’ll have to do some research, I’m pretty sure the Z7 pads are fixed? Which sucks because protein leather does not last. My Z7s and Z1Rs stay in a climate controlled case due to the pads.


You might want to unscrew this screw. Then the pad can be turned a little bit an will come off. Just be carefull not to loose the screw.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 10, 2018)

PCheung said:


> The way they try to push the boundaries, I mean.
> Like the RK50 used are tailor made for sony with modification, newly developed caps, the battery design. All for the best sound results, the finest details, greatest output power in an "all in one" machine.
> 
> Yes, the price is crazy
> ...



Neither am I angry at it nor I cant buy it.  The thing is that at this pricepoint, there are so many other options that does full discrete components.  Trust me, I know quality electrical components parts.

Best result, finest details...whatever, let see how it competes against other such as Chord TT2.

All in one device is an excellent t ideas, but why substitutes Linear power supply for battery ? Why opamp instead of discrete amps


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 10, 2018)

pietcux said:


> You might want to unscrew this screw. Then the pad can be turned a little bit an will come off. Just be carefull not to loose the screw.


My pads are already destroyed and need replacement, therefore I am considering the MDR-Z7M2 as a replacement. Not totally destroyed as it sounds but the pads peeled off (the leather) and I see a gapping hole and see the sponge where they are sewn


----------



## PCheung (Aug 10, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> Neither am I angry at it nor I cant buy it.  The thing is that at this pricepoint, there are so many other options that does full discrete components.  Trust me, I know quality electrical components parts.
> 
> Best result, finest details...whatever, let see how it competes against other such as Chord TT2.
> 
> All in one device is an excellent t ideas, but why substitutes Linear power supply for battery ? Why opamp instead of discrete amps



with linear power and discrete amps then Sony may ask for a 10,000 price tag 

I don't know much on electrical components but I do trust Sato-san and his team.
They know that's best for their machine during R&D.
But can't afford it anyway, sound very nice, want to own it but just can't afford that 60,000 HKD price tag.


----------



## nanaholic

@Whitigir Usually I respect your input but can you take the rant against DMP-Z1 out of the Walkman thread please? It really doesn't belong in the WM1 thread and it seems every new post you keep derailing the topic back to the Z1.


----------



## Bart147

Just a picture to get the thread back on track :


----------



## PCheung

Another photo


----------



## gerelmx1986

Bart147 said:


> Just a picture to get the thread back on track :


Which DAP is the one left of Wm1Z? Weird that it has two volume pots 
 
My case may look dirty, haha but my WM1A is clean and protected


----------



## siruspan

@gerelmx1986 Cayin n8 - dap with tube output.


----------



## NaiveSound

How does one take care of the 1a/1z battery for best longevity life


----------



## gerelmx1986

I can think only of the battery care function  and not let it deplete fully and then charge it fully,. Lithium ion batteries love partial charges


----------



## gerelmx1986

Difficult situation, concentrate on music or concentrate on coding


----------



## rtjoa

Bart147 said:


> Just a picture to get the thread back on track :


What do you think of Cayin N8?


----------



## Bart147

rtjoa said:


> What do you think of Cayin N8?


The Cayin is easy to operate , my very limited time comparing both using my T5P 2nd gen revealed a powerful and detailed sound on the N8 . The 1Z sounded a little warmer and intimate to me but the N8 proves to be a worthy competitor .


----------



## ttt123

HK Audio Show posters.  From a friend.  I have not gone yet, so have not seen or tried any of the new items.


----------



## sne4me

I'm actually very pleased with what Sony is bringing into the market.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

gerelmx1986 said:


> Difficult situation, concentrate on music or concentrate on coding


Music of course.


----------



## NaiveSound

I am begging for dac support on 1a/1z


----------



## FortisFlyer75

NaiveSound said:


> I am begging for dac support on 1a/1z



It's coming though...


----------



## NaiveSound

FortisFlyer75 said:


> It's coming though...


Tease me a little more. How are people sure it's coming?


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> My pads are already destroyed and need replacement, therefore I am considering the MDR-Z7M2 as a replacement. Not totally destroyed as it sounds but the pads peeled off (the leather) and I see a gapping hole and see the sponge where they are sewn



It’s nothing that hasn't already been going on. I have a pair of Sony headphones from 1998; the faux leather look looks like cloth now.


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> Tease me a little more. How are people sure it's coming?


The Bluetooth receiver hardware must have been installed upon first production?


----------



## purk

Thanks!!


----------



## NaiveSound

Omg.. 
Is actually happening


----------



## audionewbi

As a recent tidal convert Bt is very handy feature.


----------



## bflat

Redcarmoose said:


> The Bluetooth receiver hardware must have been installed upon first production?



Wow, I passed on the WM1z specifically due to these missing features. Might be time to jump in.


----------



## proedros

@NaiveSound how is Prog House on wm1z+zeus ?

love how prog plays on wm1a ,


----------



## kdphan

Bart147 said:


> Just a picture to get the thread back on track :


one of my favorite tracks


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> @NaiveSound how is Prog House on wm1z+zeus ?
> 
> love how prog plays on wm1a ,


The spaciousness and intimacy it offers while being music yet super technical is just sexual. Best source I've ever heard. I love it over Hugo2 (I only had a small brief encounter with h2 however only 15 mins) but the 1z(now at 43 hrs) is absolutely gorgeous sounding  

Mind you, I still have a weak link.... A 30$  4.4 to 2.5 adapter. 
I got a ares 2 but it's a 3.5,id like to make that a 4.4mm but idk how to go about it


----------



## proedros

NaiveSound said:


> The spaciousness and intimacy it offers while being music yet super technical is just sexual. Best source I've ever heard. I love it over Hugo2 (I only had a small brief encounter with h2 however only 15 mins) but the 1z(now at 43 hrs) is absolutely gorgeous sounding
> 
> Mind you, I still have a weak link.... A 30$  4.4 to 2.5 adapter.
> I got a ares 2 but it's a 3.5,id like to make that a 4.4mm but idk how to go about it




4.4 is a must , imho 

now get yourself Zeus again and you are good to go


----------



## headsman

Ive kind of been waiting on a ZX300 hardware update but it looks like the current DAP models might be flying the flag for a while.


----------



## NaiveSound

What is the nicest case you guys have seen for 1a/1z


----------



## Lookout57

Dignis http://shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/product/midas-sony-nw-wm1-case/133/?cate_no=92&display_group=1


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> What is the nicest case you guys have seen for 1a/1z


Fun -  the Dignis Limited edition Retro Walkman case
Cool - the TPU benks clear case
Stylish - these Dignis brown leather cases, these match the gold well


----------



## NaiveSound

gerelmx1986 said:


> Fun -  the Dignis Limited edition Retro Walkman case
> Cool - the TPU benks clear case
> Stylish - these Dignis brown leather cases, these match the gold well


Pictures?


----------



## srosenberg

NaiveSound said:


> What is the nicest case you guys have seen for 1a/1z





gerelmx1986 said:


> Fun -  the Dignis Limited edition Retro Walkman case
> Cool - the TPU benks clear case
> Stylish - these Dignis brown leather cases, these match the gold well




I would also include Musashino Label amoung the best options for leather cases for the 1A/1Z.


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> Pictures?


some users here have put pictures of the Benks clear case. I hve some pics of my WM1A with the retro walkman case


----------



## superuser1

srosenberg said:


> I would also include Musashino Label amoung the best options for leather cases for the 1A/1Z.


1+ for Musashino label


----------



## bvng3540

NaiveSound said:


> Pictures?


https://images.search.yahoo.com/sea...rmob&fr2=p:s,v:i,m:sb-top&ei=UTF-8&n=60&x=wrt


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

The 2 of the 3 IEMs due to come out cost roughly the same or more than a WM-1A.
Honestly I’m sick of the over the ear models companies are coming out with. 
I feel the distance from my ear to the head has increased a bit‍♂️


----------



## bvng3540

DONTGIVEUP said:


> The 2 of the 3 IEMs due to come out cost roughly the same or more than a WM-1A.
> Honestly I’m sick of the over the ear models companies are coming out with.
> I feel the distance from my ear to the head has increased a bit‍♂️


DONTGIVEUP


----------



## blazinblazin (Aug 11, 2018)

I guess WM series have been built very versatile for easy upgrades by software.

I dont think we get a new V2 model so soon.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> The Bluetooth receiver hardware must have been installed upon first production?


BT was always there. The remote is a BT controller and the WM1 pairs with speakers.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Aug 11, 2018)

blazinblazin said:


> I guess WM series have been built very versatile for easy upgrades by software.
> 
> I dont think we get a new V2 model so soon.


The essential hardware is already in place, except for WiFi.


----------



## alphanumerix1

Whats BT receiver though?

Like similiar to what the shanling daps have?


----------



## NickL33

Question... isit ok to connect to an amp RCA using 4.4?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> BT was always there. The remote is a BT controller and the WM1 pairs with speakers.



I know Bluetooth was always sending. I have used it. But receiving BT from a phone and being a DAC and amplifier is what a BT receiver does. So what I was saying “is a receiver inside the 1Z/1A? Do you have to buy the remote? Seems wild as the only place the remote is sold in the world is Japan. Though I would almost believe it as Japan likes to have “Japan Only Stuff”.


----------



## Redcarmoose

NickL33 said:


> Question... isit ok to connect to an amp RCA using 4.4?



It’s fine to do but your double amping. Most of the time we try to avoid the process as it adds a noticeable degradation. I tried the dongle to go digital out to a separate DAC, but it didn’t work. The dongle does get digital out to the TA headphone amp. The TA has a line out for headphone amplifiers. You would switch to volume adjusted line out if you were in connection to a power amp.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 11, 2018)

alphanumerix1 said:


> Whats BT receiver though?
> 
> Like similiar to what the shanling daps have?



Most use it if you have a steaming provider for music on your phone.

But in theory you could watch You-Tube videos on your phone as listen with the DAC/amp of the 1Z/1A or use either in combination with the TA amp.


----------



## Redcarmoose

srosenberg said:


> I would also include Musashino Label amoung the best options for leather cases for the 1A/1Z.





superuser1 said:


> 1+ for Musashino label







 

I also have to agree it’s the best case; especially the feel.


----------



## Redcarmoose

blazinblazin said:


> I guess WM series have been built very versatile for easy upgrades by software.
> 
> I dont think we get a new V2 model so soon.



That’s what I was saying a day before this new set of products. Even giant R/D companies have spurts in technology and technology design implementation. The 1Z/1A was that advancement. They truly are different than anything. It’s maybe true that sound quality will keep making small advancements, but the overall package the 1A/1Z exhibits will still be very far off till it’s topped. If anything it will be repackaged to look new, but it will not be new technology.

I could be wrong, in fact I would love a new WALKMAN!


----------



## NickL33

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s fine to do but your double amping. Most of the time we try to avoid the process as it adds a noticeable degradation. I tried the dongle to go digital out to a separate DAC, but it didn’t work. The dongle does get digital out to the TA headphone amp. The TA has a line out for headphone amplifiers. You would switch to volume adjusted line out if you were in connection to a power amp.




Yea good to know... I am thinking to used wm1a as a source to Yamamoto HA02 to my TH900 in my bedroom


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 11, 2018)

NickL33 said:


> Yea good to know... I am thinking to used wm1a as a source to Yamamoto HA02 to my TH900 in my bedroom


So you have something like a 4.4mm to 2X RCA? I’ve never heard of that? When I answered your question it was in reference to myself going 3.5mm single ended to 2X RCA.

So actually I don’t know if using a plug like that would work. I’m only familiar with 3.5mm single ended. You have to be cautious with off style plugs. A lot to risk.


----------



## NickL33

Redcarmoose said:


> So you have something like a 4.4mm to 2X RCA? I’ve never heard of that? When I answered your question it was in reference to myself going 3.5mm single ended to 2X RCA.



I was asking... as I saw somewhere in the net they have 4.4 to rca

Personally I only have 3.5 to rca


----------



## Redcarmoose

Before I received my TA amp I went 3.5mm single ended to 2X RCA and connected to my Asgard One. The sound was a perfect example of how bad such an idea was. Though every situation is different, I don’t think the sound will WOW you.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 11, 2018)

NickL33 said:


> I was asking... as I saw somewhere in the net they have 4.4 to rca
> 
> Personally I only have 3.5 to rca



There are also lots of plugs which are one thing but advertised to do something completely different. It actually gets edgy as you wonder about the included plug wire scenarios listed. It’s like the retailers don’t know what they have or are misrepresenting what they have. In the end it’s a little scary. Unless your an electrician with the equipment to test everything; then maybe it’s a walk in the park?


----------



## nc8000

NickL33 said:


> I was asking... as I saw somewhere in the net they have 4.4 to rca
> 
> Personally I only have 3.5 to rca



I would go 3.5 to rca or 4.4 to xlr but not 4.4 to rca


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> I also have to agree it’s the best case; especially the feel.


I can't find their store in English, could you link me up please? 

Also if anyone has a case they wanna sell, plz pm me


----------



## gerelmx1986

NickL33 said:


> I was asking... as I saw somewhere in the net they have 4.4 to rca
> 
> Personally I only have 3.5 to rca


RCA is not balanced


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 11, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> I can't find their store in English, could you link me up please?
> 
> Also if anyone has a case they wanna sell, plz pm me


Sorry can’t help. I had to fly to Japan for mine. Though keep asking maybe someone has one they want to sell. I have seen them of EBay from time to time.

Edit:

Here is one on eBay for the ZX300.
https://m.ebay.com/itm/Japan-musash...CP-NWZX30LC1-N-for-NW-ZX300-F-S-/232592245631


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> RCA is not balanced


Oh, so that means there could be trouble with RCA X 2 to 4.4mm?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> Oh, so that means there could be trouble with RCA X 2 to 4.4mm?


Yes, i haven't never seen a 4-connector RCA cable. and on the back of many Pre-amps and amps under UN-BALANCED label you find the RCAs


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

srosenberg said:


> I would also include Musashino Label amoung the best options for leather cases for the 1A/1Z.


Just almost impossible to get depending where you live.


----------



## animalsrush

NaiveSound said:


> What is the nicest case you guys have seen for 1a/1z


The leather case that came with it.. nice sturdy and compact..

Pc


----------



## ltanasom

Sony to release new firmware update for wm1z/wm1a/zx300 in Autumn 2018.
The firmware will include USB DAC, BT Receiver and new Vinyl Processor.
Super cool!

https://porta-fi.com/sony-announces-autumn-update-for-wm-1z-wm-1a-and-zx300/


----------



## purk

Glad that they are doing the right thing to the 1A/1Z owners.


----------



## ttt123

NickL33 said:


> Question... isit ok to connect to an amp RCA using 4.4?


No, it is not.  The RCA grd goes to chassis grd on all amps I have seen, so you will be shorting the two balanced grds together in the Walkman.  As in a previous discussion, you can do it if you are not worried about going against conventional advice to not short the balanced grds.  While it may work, I personally would not want to do that.


----------



## buzzlulu

So with the new firmware if someone wants to stream full res Tidal from an iPhone they could theoretically:

1) connect the iPhone to the 1Z via a lightning/Sony proprietary USB type male connector cable

2) wirelessly stream via Bluetooth

Correct?

Can Bluetooth handle streaming a full res signal from the iPhone to the 1Z or will it be limited to 320 mp3 quality due to the physical size of the file streams and the inability of the Bluetooth protocol to handle it?


----------



## bflat

Question on importing playlists - on my PC all my files are in one folder so my M3U file path is the same for each track. On the WM1z, I will have tracks in both internal and SD card. How do I import the M3U file and make sure all tracks are found?


----------



## bflat

ttt123 said:


> No, it is not.  The RCA grd goes to chassis grd on all amps I have seen, so you will be shorting the two balanced grds together in the Walkman.  As in a previous discussion, you can do it if you are not worried about going against conventional advice to not short the balanced grds.  While it may work, I personally would not want to do that.



The 4.4mm spec allows for an dual RCA adapter. Such an adapter uses the 5th tap for common ground. If Sony has wired the 5th tap, then it should work. If Sony hasn't wired the 5th tap, then you will not get sound.



buzzlulu said:


> So with the new firmware if someone wants to stream full res Tidal from an iPhone they could theoretically:
> 
> 1) connect the iPhone to the 1Z via a lightning/Sony proprietary USB type male connector cable
> 
> ...



Yes, but iOS supports only SBC and AAC codecs. You have to go with Android to get Apt-X and LDAC.


----------



## buzzlulu

But do the Codecs even come into play here?  The 1Z is functioning as a DAC so perhaps the stream is just raw data - like a normal file stream of printer data, off etc - so full res is possible?


----------



## bflat

buzzlulu said:


> But do the Codecs even come into play here?  The 1Z is functioning as a DAC so perhaps the stream is just raw data - like a normal file stream of printer data, off etc - so full res is possible?



No these are BT codecs. If you have a lossless file on your iPhone, iOS BT will convert it to AAC before it is transmitted to your receiving device. Your receiving end with then convert to PCM which then goes directly to the DAC. There is no high bandwidth BT codec on iOS. With Android if your phone/tablet supports is, your lossless file will convert to Apt-X which is about 600 kbps or LDAC which goes up to 990 kbps.


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> But do the Codecs even come into play here?  The 1Z is functioning as a DAC so perhaps the stream is just raw data - like a normal file stream of printer data, off etc - so full res is possible?



Over wire yes, over bt you are limited to the codecs that are in common between your 2 devices. Ios supports sbc, aac and aptx (but not aptxhd). What Sony will support is unknown I would assume


----------



## bflat

nc8000 said:


> Over wire yes, over bt you are limited to the codecs that are in common between your 2 devices. Ios supports sbc, aac and aptx (but not aptxhd). What Sony will support is unknown I would assume



iOS does not support Apt-X, but Mac OS does. You can also install a USB BT adapter on a Mac that gives you other options.


----------



## ttt123 (Aug 11, 2018)

bflat said:


> The 4.4mm spec allows for an dual RCA adapter. Such an adapter uses the 5th tap for common ground. If Sony has wired the 5th tap, then it should work. If Sony hasn't wired the 5th tap, then you will not get sound.



As far as I know, the pentaconn plug is only wired for L+, L-, R+, R-, and the 5th contact is not used.  I don't see any easy way to convert a balanced output with separate grds to an unbalanced with common grds.


----------



## NaiveSound

In order to prepare for the 1a/1z ussb dac update... 
What otg cable I need for sony proprietary connector and a type C USB to connect to my note 8.


----------



## bflat

ttt123 said:


> As far as I know, the pentaconn plug is only wired for L+, L-, R+, R-, and the 5th contact is not used.  I don't see any easy way to convert a balanced output with separate grds to an unbalanced with common grds.



Hifiman has wired their devices to work in all scenarios, but don't know if Sony has. This is all part of the full 4.4mm spec:


----------



## Redcarmoose

I thought the Bluetooth receiver was a wireless thing. You check on your phone for Bluetooth device and pair it when 1Z or 1A comes up. After that it’s just like sending Bluetooth to a pair of Bluetooth headphones, only it’s going to the DAP and the DAP is your player you plug your headphones in.

Is not this how Bluetooth receiving works?


----------



## proedros

i know that w1a plays flac image files , which is one long track (instead of say 12 short album tracks) and they usually have a cue file as well which you drop in foobar and plays each track alone

can i use this cue file in wm1a to play the image file separated as tracks ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 11, 2018)

For the DAC function from a computer it’s going to be interesting to find out how it works. The easy way they will probably do it is use the USB cable we already have for syncing music into the device. That way everyone has the cable. I figure this is how it works on the ZX300?

They sell a dongle that you can plug a normal USB cable into then it has the Sony Proprietary plug on the other end. Only they only sell that dongle in Japan.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> I thought the Bluetooth receiver was a wireless thing. You check on your phone for Bluetooth device and pair it when 1Z or 1A comes up. After that it’s just like sending Bluetooth to a pair of Bluetooth headphones, only it’s going to the DAP and the DAP is your player you plug your headphones in.
> 
> Is not this how Bluetooth receiving works?



It is a wireless thing but the sound signal has to be encoded using a codec that both sender and receiver understand. All bt devices understand the common denominator sbc and the you have aac, aptx, aptxhd and ldac. Some devices understand more and others less


----------



## bflat

NaiveSound said:


> In order to prepare for the 1a/1z ussb dac update...
> What otg cable I need for sony proprietary connector and a type C USB to connect to my note 8.



Most likely will need a custom OTG cable unless Sony announces an official one. However, "USB DAC" doesn't necessarily mean it will support OTG. It may just be PC/Mac USB support. Given the addition of BT as a receiver, I don't think Sony will incorporate OTG imho.



Redcarmoose said:


> I thought the Bluetooth receiver was a wireless thing. You check on your phone for Bluetooth device and pair it when 1Z or 1A comes up. After that it’s just like sending Bluetooth to a pair of Bluetooth headphones, only it’s going to the DAP and the DAP is your player you plug your headphones in.
> 
> Is not this how Bluetooth receiving works?



That's right. It works just like a headphone. You have to remember to set the volume to 100% from your source device.


----------



## NaiveSound

bflat said:


> Most likely will need a custom OTG cable unless Sony announces an official one. However, "USB DAC" doesn't necessarily mean it will support OTG. It may just be PC/Mac USB support. Given the addition of BT as a receiver, I don't think Sony will incorporate OTG imho.
> 
> 
> 
> That's right. It works just like a headphone. You have to remember to set the volume to 100% from your source device.



I would be devastated if I can't use phone otg... 
Would there be vla workaround  ?


----------



## bflat

NaiveSound said:


> I would be devastated if I can't use phone otg...
> Would there be vla workaround  ?



Assuming the feature is the same as the ZX300 USB DAC, I believe folks have tried various workarounds in the ZX300 thread.


----------



## ttt123

bflat said:


> Hifiman has wired their devices to work in all scenarios, but don't know if Sony has. This is all part of the full 4.4mm spec:


I guess Hifiman has engineered their amp circuit to support this common grd.  The Sony ZX2 (and the WM1x) has the feature of detecting if a 3.5mm  TRS or TRSS plug is inserted, and will operate in a separated grd mode if it detects TRSS.  Not true balanced, but a definite improvement in SQ.  So I guess anything is possible, if the designer wants to build it into the circuit.


----------



## animalsrush

@gerelmx1986 .. you are a big fan of classical music.. I love classical music as well but a noob when it comes to interpreting the emotion of the composer behind each movement.. saw these series on YouTube and have now even greater appreciation for classical music.. also why it is important to listen such masterpieces on good source rather cheap mp3 and iPod.. Sony wm1z IMO is best suited to bring the organic emotion out of music.. anyway thought you might enjoy this as well .. 



Pc


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 11, 2018)

animalsrush said:


> @gerelmx1986 .. you are a big fan of classical music.. I love classical music as well but a noob when it comes to interpreting the emotion of the composer behind each movement.. saw these series on YouTube and have now even greater appreciation for classical music.. also why it is important to listen such masterpieces on good source rather cheap mp3 and iPod.. Sony wm1z IMO is best suited to bring the organic emotion out of music.. anyway thought you might enjoy this as well ..
> 
> 
> 
> Pc



I am thinking of getting the IER-Z1R, MDR-Z7M2, a 2nd pair of XBA-Z5 and perhaps a WM1Z.

Yes, i appreciate classical music, but it was no until, 2012 that i decided to go full-blown Lossless to greater appreciate the minute differences and emotions on the music. Also the master plays a role on the recording.


----------



## gerelmx1986

pietcux said:


> You might want to unscrew this screw. Then the pad can be turned a little bit an will come off. Just be carefull not to loose the screw.


Do you know the size of screw driver one must use?


----------



## Lookout57

bflat said:


> Question on importing playlists - on my PC all my files are in one folder so my M3U file path is the same for each track. On the WM1z, I will have tracks in both internal and SD card. How do I import the M3U file and make sure all tracks are found?


Playlists must be stored on the same media that the track is loaded on. 

Sony doesn't support cross media playlists. I wish they did as it would make media management simpler.

Some have hypothesized that it's because it's their own OS. But I bet that it's roots are Linux or Android so it shouldn't be too tough to add.

If anyone knows how to send feature requests to Sony we should all request this feature.


----------



## bflat

Lookout57 said:


> Playlists must be stored on the same media that the track is loaded on.
> 
> Sony doesn't support cross media playlists. I wish they did as it would make media management simpler.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the details. That is what I thought. Can you tell me if this workaround can be used?

I create 2 copies of the same playlist and rename each 1 and 2.
I copy "1" to the internal memory and "2" to the sd card
I import both. I assume the imported playlist will only add the tracks it finds on the respective storage
I open playlist "2" in the Sony WM1z UI and select all of the tracks and select add the tracks to playlist "1"
I now have a single playlist "1" that contains both sets tracks, making it whole. I delete playlist "2".


----------



## Lookout57

bflat said:


> Thanks for the details. That is what I thought. Can you tell me if this workaround can be used?
> 
> I create 2 copies of the same playlist and rename each 1 and 2.
> I copy "1" to the internal memory and "2" to the sd card
> ...


Wishful thinking but imported playlists are not editable on the player. 

Also, I already tried creating a playlist on the player and and tried to add songs from different media and it wouldn't allow it.


----------



## Magnepan Man

Rchandra said:


> OKAY EVERYONE PLEASE BE CAREFUL BUYING BALANCED CABLES ON AMAZON. I purchased one for the heck of it and my balanced output began clicking when I would change songs and turn the direct mode on and off... Yikes please be careful when purchasing cables. It can ruin your device.


I just recently bought an inexpensive balanced cable from amazon, and I as well as others have reported a slight clicking sound from the player when changing tracks, but I do believe this is a function of the balanced output section and is normal and nothing to worry about.


----------



## Lookout57

Yes it's normal as it's a relay that opens and closes as the sample rate changes.


----------



## bflat

Lookout57 said:


> Wishful thinking but imported playlists are not editable on the player.
> 
> Also, I already tried creating a playlist on the player and and tried to add songs from different media and it wouldn't allow it.



LOL pretty fascist of Sony!


----------



## gerelmx1986

OK @pietcux never mind I've removed the pads and washed them to remove most of the flaky pleather 
 et


----------



## gerelmx1986

Magnepan Man said:


> I just recently bought an inexpensive balanced cable from amazon, and I as well as others have reported a slight clicking sound from the player when changing tracks, but I do believe this is a function of the balanced output section and is normal and nothing to worry about.


It's the clock base change, the WM1 have two clocks one for 44.1Khz and other for 48Khz


----------



## Mindstorms (Aug 11, 2018)

guys have you tsaw this??? any opinions on this im no expert but owning a wm1a i feel something its not ok... any one agree on this article... then i should have bought a phone lol
http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-sony-nw-wm1z-24-bit


----------



## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> The spaciousness and intimacy it offers while being music yet super technical is just sexual. Best source I've ever heard. I love it over Hugo2 (I only had a small brief encounter with h2 however only 15 mins) but the 1z(now at 43 hrs) is absolutely gorgeous sounding
> 
> Mind you, I still have a weak link.... A 30$  4.4 to 2.5 adapter.
> I got a ares 2 but it's a 3.5,id like to make that a 4.4mm but idk how to go about it



You suck! LOL just kidding... I'm only jealous.


----------



## Quadfather

Midnstorms said:


> guys have you tsaw this??? any opinions on this im no expert but owning a wm1a i feal something its not ok...
> http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-sony-nw-wm1z-24-bit



Oh for Christ's sake, not this serpent talk of hissing again!  What damn hissing?   you can show me charts until the cows run out of milk and come home, and it still won't convince me.


----------



## Mindstorms

Quadfather said:


> Oh for Christ's sake, not this serpent talk of hissing again!  What damn hissing?   you can show me charts until the cows run out of milk and come home, and it still won't convince me.


lol!!!  the article its clear as this icon lol


----------



## Quadfather

Midnstorms said:


> lol!!!  the article its clear as this icon lol



Personally, I cannot think of a bad thing to say about the two Sony DAPs


----------



## Quadfather

This is totally off topic, but I just wanted to shout out my love to headfi. thank you very much for sticking to our beloved hobby, and not spiraling down into politics or acrimony.  Love to all of you!  This organization is the greatest thing since sliced bread!


----------



## NaiveSound

Quadfather said:


> You suck! LOL just kidding... I'm only jealous.


Sell some unused gear and buy it


----------



## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> Sell some unused gear and buy it



Yesterday I did some more tweaking of the PMEQ and fell in love with Diana all over again.  I am so paranoid to sell anything, because my ears seem to change from day-to-day.


----------



## robertjwarren

Is that a WM 1a in your pocket or are you just glad to...


----------



## Whitigir

Sometimes my ears hiss in it own without anything attached to it.  It gets worse when I think that my Wm1Z hiss when I have it on , but when i take it off, then it hiss even worse.

Finally, I understand that sometime I biased because I dislike the brand or my ears were filled by wife earlier rages

A lot of sacarsm


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> Sometimes my ears hiss in it own without anything attached to it.  It gets worse when I think that my Wm1Z hiss when I have it on , but when i take it off, then it hiss even worse.
> 
> Finally, I understand that sometime I biased because I dislike the brand or my ears were filled by wife earlier rages
> 
> A lot of sacarsm



All sarcasm is permitted. That is probably why I love George Carlin so much.


----------



## proedros

Quadfather said:


> All sarcasm is permitted. That is probably why I love *George Carlin* so much.



carlin and *Bill Hicks* are 2 of my heroes , such amazing minds 

if only all humanity was as smart like them


----------



## Quadfather

proedros said:


> carlin and *Bill Hicks* are 2 of my heroes , such amazing minds
> 
> if only all humanity was as smart like them



 Oh alright! You get the homerun award for the evening.


----------



## proedros

Quadfather said:


> Oh alright! You get the homerun award for the evening.



looks like we both got an RBI of good taste there buddy


----------



## jasonho




----------



## Whitigir

Does it scratches too ? Lol


----------



## jasonho

It only spins and turns during playback


----------



## Whitigir

jasonho said:


> It only spins and turns during playback



Next features, the ability to turn Vynil to start remixing your collection with AI for a party experiences . Be your own DJ!  That is awesome firmware btw


----------



## Quadfather

jasonho said:


>


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Does it scratches too ? Lol


ROFLMAO  Does it get broken too and start repeating over and over too?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Midnstorms said:


> guys have you tsaw this??? any opinions on this im no expert but owning a wm1a i feel something its not ok... any one agree on this article... then i should have bought a phone lol
> http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-sony-nw-wm1z-24-bit




Measurements are for the mind..................the 1A/1Z are for the soul.


----------



## NaiveSound

jasonho said:


>


I wish there was a way to use otg from a phone to the USB DAC feature that is coming soon


----------



## DONTGIVEUP




----------



## ttt123

Midnstorms said:


> guys have you tsaw this??? any opinions on this im no expert but owning a wm1a i feel something its not ok... any one agree on this article... then i should have bought a phone lol
> http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-sony-nw-wm1z-24-bit


Lots of measurements.  Not a single word on it's ability to make music.  It's like looking at charts to decide if a Stradivarius will be musical or not, and judging solely based on the charts.


----------



## Quadfather

ttt123 said:


> Lots of measurements.  Not a single word on it's ability to make music.  It's like looking at charts to decide if a Stradivarius will be musical or not, and judging solely based on the charts.



Did somebody say music?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

jasonho said:


>


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quasimodosbelfry said:


>



Don't get your hopes up.


----------



## Decreate

Bart147 said:


> The Cayin is easy to operate , my very limited time comparing both using my T5P 2nd gen revealed a powerful and detailed sound on the N8 . The 1Z sounded a little warmer and intimate to me but the N8 proves to be a worthy competitor .


That's what I found as well, the high frequencies sounded a bit more extended and the sound stage seemed a bit bigger. I also liked how they had a mobile app to control the device via Bluetooth.


----------



## alphanumerix1

bflat said:


> Hifiman has wired their devices to work in all scenarios, but don't know if Sony has. This is all part of the full 4.4mm spec:



AFAIK the sony's 4.4 are the same.


----------



## 480126

DONTGIVEUP said:


>


Did you download the cd? Where?


----------



## Magnepan Man

gerelmx1986 said:


> It's the clock base change, the WM1 have two clocks one for 44.1Khz and other for 48Khz


Mine also double clicks when going in and out of direct mode.  I assume this is also normal when using the balanced connection. The single ended does not do this, as far as I can hear.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Let's hope the Autumn update also addresses the Bricking bug


----------



## sne4me

jasonho said:


>



LEAK THE ROM!


----------



## waxiboy

proedros said:


> i know that w1a plays flac image files , which is one long track (instead of say 12 short album tracks) and they usually have a cue file as well which you drop in foobar and plays each track alone
> 
> can i use this cue file in wm1a to play the image file separated as tracks ?


I ask that question here many times but people here don't care maybe they are allergic or annoyed by that because it has been ask too many times..No it doesn't you neet to split it manually by a .cue splitter or a converter which sucks!! Hope sony will add a feature to read .cue files for all formats including SACD(.iso) or Wav Pack(.wv)


----------



## NaiveSound

sne4me said:


> LEAK THE ROM!


Yes please


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said earlier that when usb dac feature comes out, we MIGHT not be able to use out phone (technically OTG). How likely is this  and what is a workaround


----------



## Whitigir

NaiveSound said:


> Redcarmoose said earlier that when usb dac feature comes out, we MIGHT not be able to use out phone (technically OTG). How likely is this  and what is a workaround


The DSP inside the WM1Z is similar to TA-ZH1ES, which is fine with USB input from smartphones OTG.  I expect this to be a 0 issue when UsB DAC feature come out


----------



## NaiveSound

Whitigir said:


> The DSP inside the WM1Z is similar to TA-ZH1ES, which is fine with USB input from smartphones OTG.  I expect this to be a 0 issue when UsB DAC feature come out



Whitgurl  I sure hope you are right. 

Now... I'm a nagging little bltch.. It said autumn ... September/oct/Nov  .... In the past updated , what autumn month has Sony dumped a Sw update  ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

waxiboy said:


> I ask that question here many times but people here don't care maybe they are allergic or annoyed by that because it has been ask too many times..No it doesn't you neet to split it manually by a .cue splitter or a converter which sucks!! Hope sony will add a feature to read .cue files for all formats including SACD(.iso) or Wav Pack(.wv)


wapack is not supported in the walkmans, neither does  SACD iso (tho it supports DSD in .dff and .dsf)


----------



## NaiveSound

How do I check how many played hrs on the 1z?


----------



## captblaze

NaiveSound said:


> How do I check how many played hrs on the 1z?



Settings / Unit Information 

If the unit has been factory reset, bye bye goes the tally


----------



## NaiveSound

O ok,  3hr.25min

I wish for gapless


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> O ok,  3hr.25min
> 
> I wish for *gapless*


I t has gapless but only with Lossless files like ALAC, FLAC WAV or AIFF and DSD


----------



## NaiveSound

gerelmx1986 said:


> I t has gapless but only with Lossless files like ALAC, FLAC WAV or AIFF and DSD


How do I activate it? 
All I got is flac and wav, just a few mp3


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> How do I activate it?
> All I got is flac and wav, just a few mp3


There is no function to activate it, ti does it automatically, i have many flacs that are played perfectly gapless (classical music, especially opera and some short n fast keyboard variations are some examples of gapless, i've heard that pink Floyd also needs gapless)


----------



## NaiveSound

I meant gapless as In the tracks overplay each other at the end of each song. 5 seconds or whatever, mine doesn't do it at all, no matter what files


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> I meant gapless as In the tracks overplay each other at the end of each song. 5 seconds or whatever, mine doesn't do it at all, no matter what files


Yes i know what you mean with gapless playback, i had also a problem with this, badly splitted files (single files with cue and i splitted these to single tracks), had to ditch all the Mozart edition (180 CDs) and start all over again to correct the issues, now all fine with correct splitting, (removed all indexes that are not index 01)


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> Redcarmoose said earlier that when usb dac feature comes out, we MIGHT not be able to use out phone (technically OTG). How likely is this  and what is a workaround



Never said that; if your going to quote me......quote me.


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> Never said that; if your going to quote me......quote me.


My bad moose.. What did you exactly say ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I hate taking these hard decisions, but as I need money for my prescription eye glasses (i am healed now from the cataract and their surgeries, removal/YAG laser but need new glasses). I will be putting my loved MDR-Z7 for sale. Look signature


----------



## Redcarmoose

One DAC I tried with the dongle didn’t work. The dongle is suppose to allow you to use the 1Z as a digital transport to other DACs. Though it was just a test as I have the TA amp, and don’t really need anything else. Other than Bluetooth it seems the digital is going out for music. I understand you want a OTG cable, presumably to use your phone as a file transport to the 1Z.


----------



## Mindstorms

guys you shure USB DAC comming? i hope sony do it...


----------



## animalsrush

NaiveSound said:


> I meant gapless as In the tracks overplay each other at the end of each song. 5 seconds or whatever, mine doesn't do it at all, no matter what files



Did you burn from cd or did you download them from valid store.. if yes to both then gapless is OOB.i have various pink Floyd albums, rush live album, Paul van dyk trance albums and classical.. all coveted using XLD on Mac and they play gaplless on wm1z

Pc


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> One DAC I tried with the dongle didn’t work. The dongle is suppose to allow you to use the 1Z as a digital transport to other DACs. Though it was just a test as I have the TA amp, and don’t really need anything else. Other than Bluetooth it seems the digital is going out for music. I understand you want a OTG cable, presumably to use your phone as a file transport to the 1Z.



I'm more confused than ever. 

Will I be able to connect my android phone to wm1z via a otg cable and play Tidal using wm1z dac?


----------



## gerelmx1986

animalsrush said:


> Did you burn from cd or did you download them from valid store.. if yes to both then gapless is OOB.i have various pink Floyd albums, rush live album, Paul van dyk trance albums and classical.. all coveted using XLD on Mac and they play gaplless on wm1z
> 
> Pc


I use db power amp for windows (there's also for Mac) same as XLD, and like @animalsrush says I have FLAC and DSD which play perfectly gapless, no click no thing, just perfect smooth silky flow of music...
either Bad splitted files (assumming you ripped a CD image w/.cue file and thn en you splitted it and not checking for sub-indexes before splitting. (I use medieval software "cue splitter") but now i rip as separate tracks. Also damaged files can be the issue? And the lossy formats won't play gapless on sony walkmans, they have never done this


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> I'm more confused than ever.
> 
> Will I be able to connect my android phone to wm1z via a otg cable and play Tidal using wm1z dac?


I think the USB DAC feature will work with the included sony cable we use to transfer music to our walkmans, so there should be an adapter like some fiio cable or so


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 12, 2018)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/naivesound.438309/
 I do know that Bluetooth will probably be the way many listen to their phones with the 1Z.


----------



## superuser1

DAC would work as i have tested the zx300 with the supplied wm-port cable. Using a usb A to micro usb (or usb type C) connected my android phone and was able to use the zx300 as a DAC.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 12, 2018)

superuser1 said:


> DAC would work as i have tested the zx300 with the supplied wm-port cable. Using a usb A to micro usb (or usb type C) connected my android phone and was able to use the zx300 as a DAC.



Above is the answer!


Below is the A/V presentation with confirmation of 1A/1Z DAC use.
But........if you were watching movies off a computer there was a delay with the dialogue using the ZX300, which made it not function correctly. Music obviously was fine. Hopefully the new software for the 1A/1Z will allow the DAC to function in real-time. I would love to use the DAPs as DACs with movies from a laptop.


----------



## Kira69 (Aug 12, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> But........if you were watching movies off a computer there was a delay with the dialogue using the ZX300, which made it not function correctly. Music obviously was fine.


Easy to solve. Just add delay to the video stream on the video player until both streams sync again.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Kira69 said:


> Easy to solve. Just add delay to the video stream on the video player until both streams sync again.


Some players allow that, though with YouTube your stuck.


----------



## proedros

why would you use a 3K dap/dac to listen to crappy mp3-quality clips from youtube ?

you people....


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> why would you use a 3K dap/dac to listen to crappy mp3-quality clips from youtube ?
> 
> you people....



As It sound better than an iPod


----------



## Quadfather

It is rare, out-of-print music night with the Sony! Enjoying the music is what it is all about.


----------



## proedros

it's 6 am here and i can not shutdown my wm1a and go to bed - this is addiction.

no drug like musica.


----------



## Mindstorms (Aug 12, 2018)

awesome thanks for the answer!! i hope when I update no vol cap is added to my model you guys will help me with my fears lol!! I have the uncaped version... the vinil procesor loks interesting!!


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 12, 2018)

proedros said:


> why would you use a 3K dap/dac to listen to crappy mp3-quality clips from youtube ?
> 
> you people....



I have to agree. The only thing I feed my machine, is a bare minimum of CD quality with more than half of it being hi-rez.   I totally hate relying on being in service as well


----------



## gerelmx1986

Agree with @proedros and @Quadfather  no crappy lossy streams, with the USB dac i won't need to change from 4.4mm to 3.5mm connector whenener i want to use PC as source


----------



## Magnepan Man

jasonho said:


>


Ooooh this is exciting!! I think I’ve had mine for about 4 months and in that time put about 170 hours on my  Wm1a. 

 I finally bought a balanced cable as a special treat for a little vacation Im on.  I figured it was a perfect time to get the wm1a what it needs to truly sing. I’m very pleased with the improvement even after 10 hours of burn in on the balanced side and new cable.  

Now that I’m reading about the new firmware, I’m even more excited to own this DAP. Still no search added though? ☹️  


My portable listening has come a looong way in the last few months.  Very happy.  
Hopefully when the new SONY earbuds come out, there will be some z-5’s for sale and I’ll upgrade my H3. For now, they are fine sounding for sure, but not exactly linear. I won’t be looking to upgrade them until my balanced side is fully burned in. And that could take a while.


----------



## waxiboy

gerelmx1986 said:


> wapack is not supported in the walkmans, neither does  SACD iso (tho it supports DSD in .dff and .dsf)


That is why I'm hoping that sony will add it in the future because it will be convenient to us  and Wav Pack( .wv) is a very nice format.


----------



## sne4me

Magnepan Man said:


> more excited to own this DAP. Still no search added though?



I would love to see a new playing screen that shows the metadata for the tracks, which checkboxes to add or remove fields. Would be nice to look at music and see:
Composer, Year, Genre, Number of plays.. etc.

Would be nice if we can name playlists. Would also be nice to add whole albums, or groups of songs, that shuffle the album/group rather than the track.

Would like to get a vinyl pop remover filter. If it worked well, that would be so dope.


----------



## pietcux

DONTGIVEUP said:


> The 2 of the 3 IEMs due to come out cost roughly the same or more than a WM-1A.
> Honestly I’m sick of the over the ear models companies are coming out with.
> I feel the distance from my ear to the head has increased a bit‍♂️


Somebody told me that the earlobes permanently grow the whole life. I outgrew the round Beyer earpads already, Sennheiser HD6XX and HD8XX and Sony Z1R / Z7 still nicely fit.


----------



## Quadfather

I am curious as to how the new powerhouse, Cayin N8, will Stack Up against Sony NW-WM1Z.  It has a tube amp internally and a balanced solid-state amp with 4.4mm output. It's 750mw/32ohms.  That is 50% more powerful than Paw Gold Diana!


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Hey, anyone las have some links to some good desktop background Wm1A  >= 2560x1440?
Eg:


Spoiler: High res images


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> why would you use a 3K dap/dac to listen to crappy mp3-quality clips from youtube ?
> 
> you people....



Hah.....I listen to 320kbps and 16 bit/44.1 kHz and whatever. But the 1Z and 1A makes everything sound good to me? 

You don’t watch YouTube? Wouldn’t you want it to sound the best? 

Sometimes YouTube has some really old classic rock videos, so there is no way to make them sound better except a better DAC and better headphones.


----------



## aisalen

Redcarmoose said:


> Hah.....I listen to 320kbps and 16 bit/44.1 kHz and whatever. But the 1Z and 1A makes everything sound good to me?
> 
> You don’t watch YouTube? Wouldn’t you want it to sound the best?
> 
> Sometimes YouTube has some really old classic rock videos, so there is no way to make them sound better except a better DAC and better headphones.


Me usuall


proedros said:


> why would you use a 3K dap/dac to listen to crappy mp3-quality clips from youtube ?
> 
> you people....


I usually do, to discover new music. I do listen using my laptop with either my DV336/Jots and HD600/650. There are some that are good to watch and listen to.


----------



## syke (Aug 13, 2018)

Dim666 said:


> It's possible to have an adapter 4.4mm (female) to another (2.5-3.5-6.335 or XLR) termination male ?





superuser1 said:


> Yes its possible but i haven't found many that i could buy without breaking the bank.



http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=5729






I want a better one a female 4.4mm to male 2.5mm and 3.5mm

Double Helix Cables have an ultra short 4.4mm to 2.5mm and 3.5mm... But I am wary of ordering after reading through an entire thread about his infamous lead times and sparse replies.

https://doublehelixcables.com/product/ultrashort-adapter-for-adapting-amp-terminations/


----------



## syke

Owners of the BCR-NWH10...





Would you be able to fit a WM1A/WM1Z with a Dignis case with this cradle?

I have the below STD-NWU10 and I had to make massive modifications on it with Sugru, in order for it to fit the WM1Z with Dignis case. Modifications are going to be much harder with BCR-NWH10, and I don't want to risk buying it if it wouldn't work out. Anyone knows what are the measurements at the narrowest gap?


----------



## rhull1973

syke said:


> Owners of the BCR-NWH10...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No. It doesn’t fit with the case on.


----------



## BaltColts

Recarmoose, can you give us any more information about the upcoming firmware updates?


----------



## superuser1

*Sony announces Autumn Update for WM-1Z, WM-1A and ZX300*


----------



## NaiveSound

superuser1 said:


> *Sony announces Autumn Update for WM-1Z, WM-1A and ZX300*


That's no new info. 

Likely when will this happen?


----------



## Mindstorms (Aug 13, 2018)

Hope they add new functions to the player haha but they wont add better eq options and stage changing tools nor DSP


----------



## superuser1

NaiveSound said:


> That's no new info.
> 
> Likely when will this happen?


Apologies .. I hadn't seen an article regarding this therefore posted.


----------



## Redcarmoose

BaltColts said:


> Recarmoose, can you give us any more information about the upcoming firmware updates?



That’s it. Mystery is fun, how will the sound change? That is the biggest mystery.


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> That’s it. Mystery is fun, how will the sound change? That is the biggest mystery.



I've only Listened to 2.0 (with under 50hrs)
Im hoping the new fw wont change the sound much, it would be a dilemma to give a new FW with cool new features but a hindered Sq, I just doubt they'd do that


----------



## captblaze

Redcarmoose said:


> That’s it. Mystery is fun, how will the sound change? That is the biggest mystery.



As long as you can roll back the firmware it is a good mystery and not a misery


----------



## aisalen

Autumn in Japan approximately start September 23 based on google search so maybe the firmware is already available before that date?


----------



## syke

Autumn starts in September ends in November. It is still going to be a while before the update comes.


----------



## NaiveSound

Fml


----------



## Mindstorms

I wonder why they remove Clearaudio+ and clear-stereo option for the WM series


----------



## nc8000

syke said:


> Owners of the BCR-NWH10...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It didn’t fit the vintage Walkman case which is why I sold the case. It snugly without any insert fits the Benks clear tpu case


----------



## gerelmx1986

Midnstorms said:


> I wonder why they remove Clearaudio+ and clear-stereo option for the WM series


Clear stereo I think this is not needed as of you use proper headphones, you get excellent result with stereo separation and imaging. 

ClearAudio+ is utter junk


----------



## Lookout57

syke said:


> Owners of the BCR-NWH10...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have both and the Dignis case. The 1Z and Dignis barely fits in the BCR-NWH10 if you remove the rubber spacer. I ended up taking it out of the case and put the case on when I take it out of the dock.

I ended up breaking the WM port housing of the cable to the TA-ZH1ES with the 1A in the Dignis case in the STD-NWU10. I ended up using the TPU case for the 1A and it fits fine in the STD-NWU10 as this is the player I travel with the most.


----------



## syke

Lookout57 said:


> I have both and the Dignis case. The 1Z and Dignis barely fits in the BCR-NWH10 if you remove the rubber spacer. I ended up taking it out of the case and put the case on when I take it out of the dock.
> 
> I ended up breaking the WM port housing of the cable to the TA-ZH1ES with the 1A in the Dignis case in the STD-NWU10. I ended up using the TPU case for the 1A and it fits fine in the STD-NWU10 as this is the player I travel with the most.



Thanks.. very much appreciated. That's a real bummer... It is a real pain taking it out of the Dignis case.


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> Clear stereo I think this is not needed as of you use proper headphones, you get excellent result with stereo separation and imaging.
> 
> ClearAudio+ is utter junk


I will decide when is junk  haha yeah but maked zx100 sounded better in some cases... too bad you dont have zx100 anymore friend


----------



## Lookout57

syke said:


> Thanks.. very much appreciated. That's a real bummer... It is a real pain taking it out of the Dignis case.


It is tough for the first 3 or 4 times and then gets easier once the leather stretches out.


----------



## BaltColts

Please excuse my ignorance. Can someone explain what BT receiver would mean for the WM1A?


----------



## nc8000

BaltColts said:


> Please excuse my ignorance. Can someone explain what BT receiver would mean for the WM1A?



You will be able to stream over bluetooth from a phone to the WM so allowing you to use Tidal, Spotify and so on


----------



## bflat

Burn in questions - I plan to use both 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs.

1) Is it best to burn in each one?
2) Can both outputs be used at the same time to burn in at the same time?


----------



## gerelmx1986

bflat said:


> Burn in questions - I plan to use both 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs.
> 
> 1) Is it best to burn in each one?
> 2) Can both outputs be used at the same time to burn in at the same time?


No, you cannot use both outputs at the same time, balanced takes priority, as there is a relay switch that can be ntrols the power to the balanced and unbalanced circuits


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> Burn in questions - I plan to use both 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs.
> 
> 1) Is it best to burn in each one?
> 2) Can both outputs be used at the same time to burn in at the same time?



1) you have to burn them both in as they are seperate circuits
2) no. 4.4 takes precedence if both are plugged in


----------



## proedros

bflat said:


> Burn in questions - I plan to use both 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs.
> 
> 1) Is it best to burn in each one?
> 2) Can both outputs be used at the same time to burn in at the same time?



1) if you are gonna be using a 4.4 cable , use the balanced output and burn it in while listening - you need 500 hours for each port (or 200 if lazy) so no point burning in the SE output if you are gonna be listening in balanced mode (or vice versa)
2) balanced takes priority over SE


----------



## NaiveSound

Sometimes when I press the volume up or down on my 1z I hear clicks, but not each time


----------



## XP_98

Hello

I'm disturbed : I need to connect my WM1Z to a heaphone amp (Fostex HPV1, with 3,5mm analog audio input), what do I need : 
- a special cable like this one https://www.ebay.com/itm/Line-Out-L...-WM-Prot-To-Headphone-Amplifier-/282640398090https://www.ebay.com/itm/Line-Out-L...-WM-Prot-To-Headphone-Amplifier-/282640398090
- a 3.5 / 3.5 audio cable ?

Thank you for your advice


----------



## bvng3540 (Aug 14, 2018)

XP_98 said:


> Hello
> 
> I'm disturbed : I need to connect my WM1Z to a heaphone amp (Fostex HPV1, with 3,5mm analog audio input), what do I need :
> - a special cable like this one https://www.ebay.com/itm/Line-Out-L...-WM-Prot-To-Headphone-Amplifier-/282640398090https://www.ebay.com/itm/Line-Out-L...-WM-Prot-To-Headphone-Amplifier-/282640398090
> ...


Yes, I have a few pm me


----------



## purk (Aug 14, 2018)

No line out on the WM1Z.  You will need a 1/8" mini (male) to 1/8" mini (male) to your amp.  If your amp accepts balanced then you will need TRRRS (Pentaconn) male to dual 3-pin XLRs.


----------



## XP_98

purk said:


> No line out on the WM1Z.  You will need a 1/8" mini (male) to 1/8" mini (male) to your amp.  If your amp accepts balanced then you will need TRRRS (Pentaconn) male to dual 3-pin XLRs.


The Fostex manual only says "3.5mm audio input", so I presume I can't use the 4.4 mm balanced output (supposing I would find a 4.4mm to 3.5mm male-male LOD) ?


----------



## purk

You will need to use the headphone output in single-end and set the volume to max.  mini to mini will do the trick.


----------



## XP_98

Ok, I'll loose the native DSD handling (only on balanced), but win the easier finding of LOD (3.5 to 3.5 seems to be very common)...
Thank you for quick answering


----------



## bvng3540

purk said:


> No line out on the WM1Z.  You will need a 1/8" mini (male) to 1/8" mini (male) to your amp.  If your amp accepts balanced then you will need TRRRS (Pentaconn) male to dual 3-pin XLRs.


No line out but will work with wm port to 3.5mm like the picture from the link, so no need for 3.5 to 3.5


----------



## bvng3540

purk said:


> You will need to use the headphone output in single-end and set the volume to max.  mini to mini will do the trick.


With the WM port no need to turn the volume as once the wm port is in your Dap volume is disabled, can only turn the volume up or down on the amp


----------



## XP_98

So there are 2 possibilities ?
What would give me the best sound quality : connection with a WM dongle to 3.5 amp input, or headphone 3.5 output to 3.5 amp input ?


----------



## bvng3540

XP_98 said:


> So there are 2 possibilities ?
> What would give me the best sound quality : connection with a WM dongle to 3.5 amp input, or headphone 3.5 output to 3.5 amp input ?


WM port for sure


----------



## nc8000

XP_98 said:


> So there are 2 possibilities ?
> What would give me the best sound quality : connection with a WM dongle to 3.5 amp input, or headphone 3.5 output to 3.5 amp input ?



The wm port will only do digital out not analog


----------



## XP_98 (Aug 14, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> The wm port will only do digital out not analog


*If you are sure of this, then it's a no go *: the amp needs an analog audio input...


----------



## Liono

I'm fairly annoyed with myself really, as I was tempted to upgrade my ZX1 to the WM1A in February/March and had a discount code to get one for about £700, but the lack of streaming capability and supposed new Walkman on the horizon stopped me.


----------



## Whitigir

According to the presentation, Sony Vynil-Processors also reproduces those magical tiny surfaces noises (aka scratches)


----------



## audionewbi

Whitigir said:


> According to the presentation, Sony Vynil-Processors also reproduces those magical tiny surfaces noises (aka scratches)


I was looking into it, they might be adding the noise feature, hoping it is a joke as I dont see the point. However there is a reason behind it. LP never stops feeding voltage to the preamp unit so the speakers connect are always active during the quiet passage and track to track changes. In the DAP domain this doesnt happen, the headphone/iem only gets voltage when there is a request for it, hence a more "unnatural, note transition".

I see the logic, and I'm happy to be able to try it for myself.


----------



## NaiveSound

I hear clicks when using volume up or down  sometimes... Why


----------



## alphanumerix1

So if I wanted to connect the woo audio wa11 I would need 4.4 to 4.4 cable?


----------



## PJBrownSkin

NaiveSound said:


> I hear clicks when using volume up or down  sometimes... Why



I think it’s normal in single ended. Don’t hear clicks in balanced when changing volume.


----------



## NaiveSound

I'm in Balanced


----------



## XP_98

nc8000 said:


> The wm port will only do digital out not analog





XP_98 said:


> *If you are sure of this, then it's a no go *: the amp needs an analog audio input...



Can someone confirme this for certain, because it will determine the type of cable I will buy...


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> According to the presentation, Sony Vynil-Processors also reproduces those magical tiny surfaces noises (aka scratches)



I'm all for being nostalgic, but wasn't one of the reasons to go digital was to lose the clicks, pops and the sound of the needle tracking?


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> I'm all for being nostalgic, but wasn't one of the reasons to go digital was to lose the clicks, pops and the sound of the needle tracking?


You are correct, but human always strive for things they don’t have.  So basically our greeds lead us round and round, and hence people with greed will never be satisfied


----------



## nc8000

alphanumerix1 said:


> So if I wanted to connect the woo audio wa11 I would need 4.4 to 4.4 cable?



Either that or the Sony wm port digital cable to use the Woo dac in place of the Sony dac


----------



## Whitigir

NaiveSound said:


> I hear clicks when using volume up or down  sometimes... Why


It is only supposed to click at sample changing and nothing with volume control


----------



## nc8000

captblaze said:


> I'm all for being nostalgic, but wasn't one of the reasons to go digital was to lose the clicks, pops and the sound of the needle tracking?



Yes but some prefer the analog sound of lp to the digital sound so this is what Sony try to emulate. The Sony designer said that it was a feature he found interesting so he wanted to give us the chances to try it and decide for ourself


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> It is only supposed to click at sample changing and nothing with volume control



Yes I don’t get any clicks from the volume control only when the sampke rate clock shifts and as I always play entire albums and don’t shuffle I never get the click


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> You are correct, but human always strive for things they don’t have.  So basically our greeds lead us round and round, and hence people with greed will never be satisfied





nc8000 said:


> Yes but some prefer the analog sound of lp to the digital sound so this is what Sony try to emulate. The Sony designer said that it was a feature he found interesting so he wanted to give us the chances to try it and decide for ourself



Well since Sony insists on adding that feature, the least I can do is give it a listen. The worst thing that can happen is I enjoy the way it is implemented


----------



## NaiveSound

Whitigir said:


> It is only supposed to click at sample changing and nothing with volume control


It still does it in certain tracks


----------



## nc8000

XP_98 said:


> Can someone confirme this for certain, because it will determine the type of cable I will buy...



It seems that the wm port spec does support analog audio. Sony used to sell a wm port to 3.5 cable but no more. Similar cables are available on eBay. Wether they will work with the WM players or only older devices I have no idea


----------



## XP_98

nc8000 said:


> It seems that the wm port spec does support analog audio. Sony used to sell a wm port to 3.5 cable but no more. Similar cables are available on eBay. Wether they will work with the WM players or only older devices I have no idea


So if I can't have no certainty, security will be to go for an high quality analog audio 3.5 to 3.5 cable...


----------



## nanaholic

XP_98 said:


> Can someone confirme this for certain, because it will determine the type of cable I will buy...



While the WM port has pins for analogue line out in the spec and were used in the past, they are not wired in the WM1.  So no, the WM1 doesn't support line out via the WM port.


----------



## kingdixon

NaiveSound said:


> I hear clicks when using volume up or down  sometimes... Why





Whitigir said:


> It is only supposed to click at sample changing and nothing with volume control





nc8000 said:


> Yes I don’t get any clicks from the volume control only when the sampke rate clock shifts and as I always play entire albums and don’t shuffle I never get the click



Well, I remember i got clicks with volume change previously but i didn't care much,

When i read your messages, i tried one more time now while in balanced, i can't hear anything while music is playing, but if paused then while adjusting volume, i can hear clicks in certain scenarios, i hear nothing when going volume up, when volume down i start to hear clicks between 84 to 60 now thats with direct mode off .. when i switch direct mode on i hear clicks when going volume down but from 112 to 80, it starts a bit loud and fades by the end of that range then i hear no clicks if i keep lowering volume after that range.

thats on my wm1a, now i don't know if that is normal or not, but may be try to pause music and go from lowest to highest and back in reverse, see if you hear anything.

also i think nothing else had impact like dsd settings or gain, the only impact is with direct sound on and off.


----------



## XP_98

nanaholic said:


> While the WM port has pins for analogue line out in the spec and were used in the past, they are not wired in the WM1.  So no, the WM1 doesn't support line out via the WM port.


Ok, it's clear. 
Thanks to all those who took the time to answer me


----------



## gerelmx1986

1/8'' is the same as 3.5mm for us metric folks, 1/4'' is the same as 6.3mm


----------



## Mindstorms

It will be awesome that sony improved their firmware a little more, even letting us decide DSP.. and eq options via diferent software i cant tell this enough..or at least give a couple of DSP options.. so this is a step up... (According to the presentation, Sony Vynil-Processors also reproduces those magical tiny surfaces noises (aka scratches) )


----------



## syke

NaiveSound said:


> It still does it in certain tracks



Try searching the forum... It was commented previously that the clicks do happen when changing volume. Someone even as far as asking Sony, and they replied it is normal. 
Mine only clicks at pause from 60-83. During play, there are no clicks.


----------



## NaiveSound

syke said:


> Try searching the forum... It was commented previously that the clicks do happen when changing volume. Someone even as far as asking Sony, and they replied it is normal.
> Mine only clicks at pause from 60-83. During play, there are no clicks.



I can't find info, can you help please?


----------



## syke

NaiveSound said:


> I can't find info, can you help please?



Google it... It's pretty easy to find


----------



## NickL33

nanaholic said:


> While the WM port has pins for analogue line out in the spec and were used in the past, they are not wired in the WM1.  So no, the WM1 doesn't support line out via the WM port.



Awww... sucks


----------



## pietcux

NickL33 said:


> Awww... sucks


The line out from my older Sony DAPs was never good, found it mute and noisy compared to my Ipod.


----------



## pietcux

The probably best DAP with the classic MDR-EX1000. A lovely combo on the go and everywhere during hot and humid weather.


----------



## proedros

marcus miller + stanley clarke , boss team

i always cringe when i see 3K setups used for shi.tty/plastic music

i am like 'you could hear this garbage with a 20$ bud'


----------



## PCheung (Aug 14, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> I hear clicks when using volume up or down  sometimes... Why





Whitigir said:


> It is only supposed to click at sample changing and nothing with volume control



There are click sound on my WM1Z 4.4 jack (tried with my Justear MH2 & Fitear AIR)
from vol 10-25 and 60-85
also on the 3.5 jack (with my Final audio LAB1 and campfire Andromeda)
from vol 20-90

pulse any music and change the volume, will notice it if listen carefully at quiet place
the click sound is unnoticeable while playing music

guess that is some limitation on the S-master chip


----------



## ledzep

pietcux said:


> The probably best DAP with the classic MDR-EX1000. A lovely combo on the go and everywhere during hot and humid weather.


Indeed they are an excellent pairing


----------



## Whitigir

Ah, you meant the volume increments clicks.  That is normal


----------



## gerelmx1986

ledzep said:


> Indeed they are an excellent pairing


Wait for the IER-Z1R


----------



## NaiveSound

Anyone got a spare case to sell?


----------



## Lookout57

Where are you located and what type of case are you looking for?


----------



## Whitigir

For


NaiveSound said:


> Anyone got a spare case to sell?


 wm1Z ? I recommend TPU


----------



## NaiveSound

Whitigir said:


> For
> 
> wm1Z ? I recommend TPU


Link?


----------



## Whitigir

NaiveSound said:


> Link?


Lol, common !  But here you go

Click on this


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> Link?


There's Google isn't it?


----------



## 480126

NaiveSound said:


> Anyone got a spare case to sell?


https://www.ebay.de/itm/153135235853
leather case from valentinum


----------



## pietcux

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wait for the IER-Z1R


I don't think so for me. I have a spectacular sound from the MDR-EX1000 and a great fit with them, and the IER-Z1R was already quoted by a few persons as problematic fitting. That is a no go for me. I had the XBA-H3 for some time and was totally disappointed by the sound and the fit.


----------



## Whitigir

pietcux said:


> I don't think so for me. I have a spectacular sound from the MDR-EX1000 and a great fit with them, and the IER-Z1R was already quoted by a few persons as problematic fitting. That is a no go for me. I had the XBA-H3 for some time and was totally disappointed by the sound and the fit.



I agree pretty much with everything, in IEMs, fitting is the most important factors.  Next up is comfortability.  Doesn’t matter how much or how good an IeMs is, if it doesn’t fit well enough, it is useless.

We will see how this IeMs come out to be


----------



## fiascogarcia

NaiveSound said:


> Anyone got a spare case to sell?





Whitigir said:


> Lol, common !  But here you go
> 
> Click on this


Yeah, it's a great little case that fits really well, with all the button impressions aligned perfectly.  I actually use it more than my Dignis case; maybe not quite as protective but it does give the 1Z a cool kind of goldish/bronze color.


----------



## Whitigir

fiascogarcia said:


> Yeah, it's a great little case that fits really well, with all the button impressions aligned perfectly.  I actually use it more than my Dignis case; maybe not quite as protective but it does give the 1Z a cool kind of goldish/bronze color.



Nope, it actually protect even more than any cases that I know.  That TPU case is very tough, I remember one member here dropped his 1A upon a concrete pavement, and the TPU took all the beating with 1A unscratches


----------



## bflat

TPU is cheap so buy a couple especially if you plan to stack another component. Add some double sided 3M clear stickers on one case and it will hold any component without leaving sticky residue and without silicon bands. I will likely do just that with my KSE1200. I just need to find some type of case for KSE1200 and I'll be set!


----------



## bana

NaiveSound said:


> Anyone got a spare case to sell?



I've got this one. It didn't work for me.


----------



## captblaze

bana said:


> I've got this one. It didn't work for me.



What was the deal breaker with that case?


----------



## spitfire777 (Aug 14, 2018)

SONY ANNOUNCES FROM WHAT HIFI
DMP-Z1 and IER-Z1R
The player features a 3.1in touch-screen, mirror-finished aluminium top plate and spin-finished aluminium playback control keys. The focal point, though, has to be that gold-plated, analogue, rotary volume control.

Unsurprisingly, the player comes packing full high-res audiosupport and includes DSD compatibility up to 11.2MHz.

Inside, you'll find a high-quality headphone amp, dual Asahi Kasei Microdevices AK4497EQ DACs and an analogue ampifier section.

Interestingly, the DMP-Z1 can be powered via mains or the player's independent battery power system, which uses five separate battery cells to power both the player's digital and analogue blocks. A full charge should be enough for around ten hours of playback of non-high-res tunes (up to 128kbps) and around nine hours of high-res tracks (24bit/96kHz).

There's 256GB of built-in storage to fill, with the ability to expand this via dual micro SD card slots. USB Type-C connections and a Bluetooth receiver (including aptX HD) are also built in.

Sony's DSD Remastering Engine is included, which allows you to convert all PCM music sources to DSD 5.6MHz. The player even has a new Vinyl Processor feature, which Sony claims can recreate "the acoustic phenomenon unique to vinyl playback, such as the tone-arm resonance, tiny surface noise and the rich sound from the vibration by acoustic feedback from the speakers to the turntable". Interesting
In a double whammy of high-end releases, Sony has also unveiled the IER-Z1R in-ear headphones. With a price tag of HKD13,990 (£1395) they're aimed squarely at serious audiophiles and, quite possibly, prospective owners of a DMP-Z1.

The Z1Rs use Sony's "HD hybrid driver system", which combines a 5mm dynamic driver, 12mm magnesium alloy domed dynamic driver and a Balanced Armature driver made from the same material.

Their outer housing is made from Zirconium alloy and includes faceplates that boast an eye-catching Perlage pattern.

Both the DMP-Z1 and IER-Z1R are due to go on sale in the Asia Pacific region in November, but no word on whether they'll both be on their way to Europe. Could we hear more at IFA 2018? Stay tuned to _What Hi-Fi?_ over the coming weeks

I'm still clutching my WM Z1 tightly I love it so much.


----------



## gerelmx1986

spitfire777 said:


> SONY ANNOUNCES FROM WHAT HIFI
> DMP-Z1 and IER-Z1R
> The player features a 3.1in touch-screen, mirror-finished aluminium top plate and spin-finished aluminium playback control keys. The focal point, though, has to be that gold-plated, analogue, rotary volume control.
> 
> ...


DMP-Z1 is not even a Walkman. As it is not portable like the Walkman essence implies. But yeah ier-z1r in my bucket list


----------



## bflat

Strange. Sony's next gen TOTL DAP seems to be going backwards:

Significantly larger and heavier
Smaller touch screen
Off the shelf DAC chips
No change in sampling rates
Shorter battery life
Proprietary power supply
Well, it makes the buying decision for the WM1z easier I suppose.


----------



## Whitigir

It is not Walkman...it is Digital Music Player (D-M-P) as oppose of NW (New-Walkman), WM1Z (Walk Man 1st generation Z* best).  Then NW-WM1A (Walk Man 1st generation Assistant).  There , I spelled the name out for you.  We will have WM2Z and WM2A later in the future


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

JHA Laylas, Black Midas case by Dignis


----------



## Magnepan Man

pietcux said:


> I don't think so for me. I have a spectacular sound from the MDR-EX1000 and a great fit with them, and the IER-Z1R was already quoted by a few persons as problematic fitting. That is a no go for me. I had the XBA-H3 for some time and was totally disappointed by the sound and the fit.


I have the xba-h3. I’m ready to graduate to something better.  AKG 5005?  I  love resolution, and I definitely feel the H3 have midbass bloat, especially on high gain.  I would love something that sounds like my proac speakers on the road.  I definitely feel like the H3 are the weak link, even though at times they do sound excellent.  It’s strange.  Sometimes I love them, sometimes I think they sound crappy.


----------



## Lookout57

The Campfire Audio Andromeda in balanced mode might be what you are looking for.


----------



## NaiveSound

I'm still gushing over the wm1z. I belive it beats Hugo2 in sound and sp1000


----------



## gerelmx1986

Guess who loves his player so much


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gerelmx1986 said:


> Guess who loves his player so much


Wow. That's dedication! Did you put a ring on it?


----------



## Magnepan Man

Lookout57 said:


> The Campfire Audio Andromeda in balanced mode might be what you are looking for.


I think you may be right. After searching this thread in regard to the andromeda, it appears that hiss seems to be a concern, but wm1a owners say it's a non issue. My H3's were my first real "better" IEM's, but now since I've gone balanced, it's become a blessing and a curse.  Hiss would be a deal breaker for me

My H3's have never sounded better since going balanced with  the inexpensive kinboofi 50 dollar cable (bought it just to test drive the balanced out on the wm1a finally) but I can now  hear the signature more easily and the relative limitations of these IEM's.   I can hear the wm1a greatness trying to peer  through the H3's and can tell that there is still a lot of sonic greatness to be realized, but the H3 is not a TOTL iem, but more of an excellent intermediate stepping stone of an IEM.  I wish I could hear the andromeda before purchasing, though.

I can only imagine what a high end balanced cable adds to the mix over an entry level one like the one I have.   But I will say this, 17 hours into my balanced mode journey and I can tell that the upgaditis is brewing.  Must resist until full burn in!!!  But I know in my heart of hearts, that there are IEM's that will slay my first love H3's, and it's  just a matter of time.....This wm1a has really changed my listening world.


----------



## NaiveSound

gerelmx1986 said:


> Guess who loves his player so much




Wow  and the battery held up that long? That's super impressive, how do you take care of your battery?


----------



## gerelmx1986

i usually don't charge it full and rarely let it discharge fully, only hen  i want to recalibrate it


----------



## NaiveSound

gerelmx1986 said:


> i usually don't charge it full and rarely let it discharge fully, only hen  i want to recalibrate it


Should I deplete it all the way the first time?


----------



## syke

Magnepan Man said:


> I think you may be right. After searching this thread in regard to the andromeda, it appears that hiss seems to be a concern, but wm1a owners say it's a non issue. My H3's were my first real "better" IEM's, but now since I've gone balanced, it's become a blessing and a curse.  Hiss would be a deal breaker for me
> 
> My H3's have never sounded better since going balanced with  the inexpensive kinboofi 50 dollar cable (bought it just to test drive the balanced out on the wm1a finally) but I can now  hear the signature more easily and the relative limitations of these IEM's.   I can hear the wm1a greatness trying to peer  through the H3's and can tell that there is still a lot of sonic greatness to be realized, but the H3 is not a TOTL iem, but more of an excellent intermediate stepping stone of an IEM.  I wish I could hear the andromeda before purchasing, though.
> 
> I can only imagine what a high end balanced cable adds to the mix over an entry level one like the one I have.   But I will say this, 17 hours into my balanced mode journey and I can tell that the upgaditis is brewing.  Must resist until full burn in!!!  But I know in my heart of hearts, that there are IEM's that will slay my first love H3's, and it's  just a matter of time.....This wm1a has really changed my listening world.



I wouldn't worry about it, cos I haven't heard anything hissing with the Andromeda.


----------



## teknorob23 (Aug 15, 2018)

1z + a18t + 1960s 2 wire best portable set-up I have heard. Auditioned against aksp1000 SS & CU, but it’s dark background, heaps of detail and beautifully layered organic sound made it no contest. It’s even usurped my hugo2 for home listening...for now .


----------



## PCheung (Aug 15, 2018)

pietcux said:


> I don't think so for me. I have a spectacular sound from the MDR-EX1000 and a great fit with them, and the IER-Z1R was already quoted by a few persons as problematic fitting. That is a no go for me. I had the XBA-H3 for some time and was totally disappointed by the sound and the fit.



Tried IER-Z1R, M7 & M9 

M7 & M9 fit the best and the Z1R also fit much better than EX1000 to me


----------



## Redcarmoose

PCheung said:


> Tried IER-Z1R, M7 & M9
> 
> M7 & M9 fit the best and the Z1R also fit much better than EX1000 to me


Does IER-Z1R have bass like the Z5?


----------



## Whitigir

PCheung said:


> Tried IER-Z1R, M7 & M9
> 
> M7 & M9 fit the best and the Z1R also fit much better than EX1000 to me



How is the Z1R soundstage ? Timbres ? ThAt is all I want to know


----------



## sne4me (Aug 15, 2018)

spitfire777 said:


> SONY ANNOUNCES FROM WHAT HIFI
> DMP-Z1 and IER-Z1R
> Unsurprisingly, the player comes packing full high-res audiosupport and includes DSD compatibility up to 11.2MHz.
> There's 256GB of built-in storage to fill, with the ability to expand this via dual micro SD card slots. USB Type-C connections and a Bluetooth receiver (including aptX HD) are also built in.
> ...



I'm truely surprised that this player did not come with 512gb onboard storange. I would have thought they would double the 1Z storage to convey to the buyer the necessity of greater storage, but I suppose they did this by having two SD card slots. Still, it does not have the same effect on me as doubling the internal storeage. Perhaps they did not want people to feel like the 1Z is shorting them on storage either. Does anyone have information about the memory specifications of the WM1A/Z and DMP-1Z? Truely it seems as if this player is a more advanced TA-ZH1ES, I will be looking forward to comparing the sound in store. I too will be clutching my WM1A until death parts us, however, if I was a new buyer I would be seriously considering the DMP-1Z. I think many new buyers will not understand the storage requirements of FLAC and DSD, and will pass over the device, which is a shame since it seems like a logical upgrade.

It almost looks as if we wont see upgrades to our WM1A/Z soon, and instead the line is being expanded lower (NW-ZX300) and higher (DMP-1Z). I would assume if these updates come they will be in 1.5-2 years, and would be a better screen and storage options, which lower power consumption (thinner lighter?)

Wouldnt be surprised if they release a DMP-1A in the future.


----------



## pietcux (Aug 15, 2018)

PCheung said:


> Tried IER-Z1R, M7 & M9
> 
> M7 & M9 fit the best and the Z1R also fit much better than EX1000 to me


If they fit you better than they will not necessarily fit me better. As I wrote the EX1000 fit me big time and that is with medium sized Sony standard tips. But good for you and sorry for your wallet


----------



## Whitigir

sne4me said:


> I'm truely surprised that this player did not come with 512gb onboard storange. I would have thought they would double the 1Z storage to convey to the buyer the necessity of greater storage, but I suppose they did this by having two SD card slots. Still, it does not have the same effect on me as doubling the internal storeage. Perhaps they did not want people to feel like the 1Z is shorting them on storage either. Does anyone have information about the memory specifications of the WM1A/Z and DMP-1Z? Truely it seems as if this player is a more advanced TA-ZH1ES, I will be looking forward to comparing the sound in store. I too will be clutching my WM1A until death parts us, however, if I was a new buyer I would be seriously considering the DMP-1Z. I think many new buyers will not understand the storage requirements of FLAC and DSD, and will pass over the device, which is a shame since it seems like a logical upgrade.
> 
> It almost looks as if we wont see upgrades to our WM1A/Z soon, and instead the line is being expanded lower (NW-ZX300) and higher (DMP-1Z). I would assume if these updates come they will be in 1.5-2 years, and would be a better screen and storage options, which lower power consumption (thinner lighter?)
> 
> Wouldnt be surprised if they release a DMP-1A in the future.



You know this DMP-Z1 is priced 3X more than your TA-ZH1ES and 2.5X more than a WM1Z.  Then 8X more than your WM1A right ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> Should I deplete it all the way the first time?


Yes and charge fully


----------



## sne4me (Aug 15, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> You know this DMP-Z1 is priced 3X more than your TA-ZH1ES and 2.5X more than a WM1Z.  Then 8X more than your WM1A right ?



Well thats exactly it. The cost of a TA-ZH1ES and NW-WM1A together cost a little over half what a DMP-Z1 costs, but the WM1A/Z wont sound as nice as the DMP-Z1 costs. Plus i ran out of storage space and cant find a micro sdcard big enough.

So basically, if I could do it over, yeah for me it would be worth it because I would have what i presume is TA-ZH1ES like sound in a portable form factor with the storage capability I need. its a win win. By the way, the DMP-Z1 is a portable source so i think you put the thread in the wrong forum.


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 15, 2018)

sne4me said:


> Well thats exactly it. The cost of a TA-ZH1ES and NW-WM1A together cost a little over half what a DMP-Z1 costs, but the WM1A/Z wont sound as nice as the DMP-Z1 costs. Plus i ran out of storage space and cant find a micro sdcard big enough.
> 
> So basically, if I could do it over, yeah for me it would be worth it because I would have what i presume is TA-ZH1ES like sound in a portable form factor with the storage capability I need. its a win win. By the way, the DMP-Z1 is a portable source so i think you put the thread in the wrong forum.



It is at best a transportable piece of kit, not really portable. 

The sound will probably be different to the WM or TA sound as it is completely different components


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 15, 2018)

sne4me said:


> Well thats exactly it. The cost of a TA-ZH1ES and NW-WM1A together cost a little over half what a DMP-Z1 costs, but the WM1A/Z wont sound as nice as the DMP-Z1 costs. Plus i ran out of storage space and cant find a micro sdcard big enough.
> 
> So basically, if I could do it over, yeah for me it would be worth it because I would have what i presume is TA-ZH1ES like sound in a portable form factor with the storage capability I need. its a win win. By the way, the DMP-Z1 is a portable source so i think you put the thread in the wrong forum.


Wrong

TA_ZH1ES and WM1A isn’t even half of DMP-Z1 at all.  It is a $3,400 Stack and stationary where you can unplug 1A and on the go portable.

DMP-Z1 is $7,999 and it is Carriable



nc8000 said:


> It is at best a transportable piece of kit, not really portable.
> 
> The sound will probably be different to the WM or TA sound as it is completely different components



Not only direct components, but different design as well.  The ZH1ES only has 1 Op-Amp inside to accommodate the S-Master negative signal.  The rest is discrete class D amp.  The DMP-Z1 is Op-Amp based from TPA, but with discrete supportive components.  This Op-Amp is Class A/B and is a current feedback amps.  The 1ES is also more powerful than the DMP-Z1 but has no battery for portability


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 15, 2018)

Also, some more details that I think I get correctly from Sony.

The DSP (Digital Signals Processor) inside WM1A/Z and Ta-ZH1ES, even DMP-Z1 are all the same from Sony in-house grown technology.  This DSP chip is capable of DSD remastering with Sony in-house customized software.  It is capable upto DSD256.  However, it is not suitable for S-Master.  Therefore, FPGA has to be used inside TA-ZH1ES for this feature, and Walkmans will not have this feature “enabled”.  Where as DMP-Z1 will have it enabled by using the “pure By-Pass mode of DSD playback by AKM4497EQ”.

Sony deemed that this is the best of “Native DSD playback in sound performances, also the tonality of AKM chips” are the reason why Sony has decided to go with AKM4497EQ

Sony is back into the game to produce high performances audio equipments and focusing into transportable and portable, and we have already been blessed with the portable WM line of Walkman which will see foreseeable considerable upgrades by Firmwares.  For example, the firmware has been under the table cooking for more than a year to perfect the USB DAC features and now is coming to WM lines.  *The DSP inside WM is meant for a long lasting future with firmware upgrades and additional features*. _ However, at this moment, the momentum, the investigations, the engineering are always limited, which resulted in the limits of the current S-Master limitations, which after many trials and errors, _*was deemed to be outperformed for the purposes intended on the DMP-Z1 by the AKM4497EQ*.  _This doesn’t meant that Sony is abandoning the signature unique S-Master, but the team is working very hard to keep improving and soon will be releasing for the next foreseeable products lines_.  _This doesn’t mean that the S-Master inside the existed productions lines are lower performances than AK4497EQ or other Sigma-Delta architecture, just simply S-Master was not _*suitable for DMP-Z1 intended designs and purposes*.  For the best of S-Master, there is dedicated Desktop TA-ZH1ES, and then there is portable WM1Z.

Again, let’s repeat.  The DSP inside the current productions line are all firmware upgradeable for foreseeable features, and improved performances.

I hope this post was valuable, and help people to see the picture more clearly as of why Sony is doing what it does


----------



## nc8000

You should probably put this in the DMP thread as well


----------



## Quadfather

captblaze said:


> I'm all for being nostalgic, but wasn't one of the reasons to go digital was to lose the clicks, pops and the sound of the needle tracking?



 That is the one reason I do not like vinyl at all and do not own a turntable. I absolutely hated that clicky, static BS when I used to use records.


----------



## Lookout57

sne4me said:


> Well thats exactly it. The cost of a TA-ZH1ES and NW-WM1A together cost a little over half what a DMP-Z1 costs, but the WM1A/Z wont sound as nice as the DMP-Z1 costs. Plus i ran out of storage space and cant find a micro sdcard big enough.
> 
> So basically, if I could do it over, yeah for me it would be worth it because I would have what i presume is TA-ZH1ES like sound in a portable form factor with the storage capability I need. its a win win. By the way, the DMP-Z1 is a portable source so i think you put the thread in the wrong forum.


Did you see this? https://www.pny.com/512GB-PNY-Elite-microSDXC-Card-CL-10-90MB/s-with-Adapter

Hopefully Sandisk will be releasing their version soon.

Also why did Sony go with microSD slots instead of full sized SD slots. Then you could have had 2 TB of SD to allow for lot's of hi-res once Sandisk ships the 1 TB card..


----------



## bflat

I was really hoping that the new TOTL DAP would be a tweaked WM1z, but in a size of a ZX300.


----------



## iridium7777

i really hope sony's new 'vinyl' sound engine is much better than what you can find on the interwebz when every moron with a turntable decides to rip their junk into 24/96 "hires" files that are absolutely unbearable.  digital "vinyl" is death to ears.


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> I was really hoping that the new TOTL DAP would be a tweaked WM1z, but in a size of a ZX300.



Well we don’t know since there is no new dap yet. Probably next year


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> That is the one reason I do not like vinyl at all and do not own a turntable. I absolutely hated that clicky, static BS when I used to use records.


Agree music should sound clean


----------



## sne4me

Lookout57 said:


> Did you see this? https://www.pny.com/512GB-PNY-Elite-microSDXC-Card-CL-10-90MB/s-with-Adapter



Yeah I see it, and the button that says "add to Wishlist"


----------



## Lookout57

On Amazon US it was available for a day or two and is now listed as out of stock.


----------



## proedros

sandisc 400gb had dropped down to *125 euros* in german amazon , so i guess there is a 512gb coming out soon


----------



## sne4me

proedros said:


> sandisc 400gb had dropped down to *125 euros* in german amazon , so i guess there is a 512gb coming out soon



Wake me up when we get the 800GB cards.


----------



## rtjoa (Aug 15, 2018)

Sony WM1Z with Brimar Omni King 10x
iBasso DX200Ti and AMP8 with Brimar Ultimate 10x


----------



## tgrosu

Guys, 

If you haven't seen it yet..  
Have fun! 

https://www.headfonia.com/sony-hi-res-interview/


----------



## bflat

tgrosu said:


> Guys,
> 
> If you haven't seen it yet..
> Have fun!
> ...



ok, I am embarrassed to say that I recognize a number of those ancient devices...


----------



## mrhizzo

Lookout57 said:


> Did you see this? https://www.pny.com/512GB-PNY-Elite-microSDXC-Card-CL-10-90MB/s-with-Adapter
> 
> Hopefully Sandisk will be releasing their version soon.
> 
> Also why did Sony go with microSD slots instead of full sized SD slots. Then you could have had 2 TB of SD to allow for lot's of hi-res once Sandisk ships the 1 TB card..



I have the Sandisk microSD 400 GB. I just bought because it was the only option, but it's SO SLOW to transfer... It's like a nightmare. I think it takes 5 to 8 hours to fill all.
This PNY microSD is the same, extremely slow. It will take even more time to transfer and fill all the card, unfortunately.

Lexar released one microSD 512 GB a bit faster, but I can't find anywhere to buy yet. Here there is more information: http://www.thessdreview.com/compute...test-sd-cf-cards-computex-2018-taipei-update/

They say it can reach 70 mb/s of transfer speed. Reasonable and near the Samsung microsSD 256 GB EVO Plus that I have.


----------



## Lookout57 (Aug 15, 2018)

I have the Sandisk microSD 400 GB but I copy all the content to it via a USB3 card reader. Otherwise at USB2 speeds it's way slow.

It looks like Lexar showed it at that show but it's not shipping yet.


----------



## mrhizzo

Lookout57 said:


> I have the Sandisk microSD 400 GB but I copy all the content to it via a USB3 card reader. Otherwise at USB2 speeds it's way slow.
> 
> It looks like Lexar showed it at that show but it's not shipping yet.



But what speed do you get when you are transferring files?


----------



## gerelmx1986

mrhizzo said:


> But what speed do you get when you are transferring files?


Inside WM like 20 - 25 MB/s, on SD card reader between 50 and 80 MB/s, a SanDisk 400GB


----------



## captblaze

mrhizzo said:


> But what speed do you get when you are transferring files?



connected to my PC via Walkman port cable I sustain 30 mb/s. would have to wait till later to try with a card reader, but I believe 45-60 mb/s is the average for my sandisk 400gb sd


----------



## Whitigir

Slow ? You guys need NVME which does 3.5Gb a second or so


----------



## bflat (Aug 15, 2018)

Using a USB3 card reader on Windows 10, I get 40 MB/s write and 90 MB/s read. That 2-1 ratio is usually the case with all U1 flash media. There are other factors:

exFat format is a little faster the Fat32
The peak rated read of 100 MB/s is only for large files. If you are copying a large number of small files like song tracks, your performance will be less because there is a error checking after each file is transferred. You will see hi res files transfer faster than lossy files.


----------



## mrhizzo

Whitigir said:


> Slow ? You guys need NVME which does 3.5Gb a second or so



I have NVME in my notebook. I would love to have this speed at least in the memory inside the WM1Z, but it's just 30 mb/s. For me it's ridiculous this speed. Any microSD has better speed than this.


----------



## bflat

mrhizzo said:


> I have NVME in my notebook. I would love to have this speed at least in the memory inside the WM1Z, but it's just 30 mb/s. For me it's ridiculous this speed. Any microSD has better speed than this.



You would need a U3 Class SD card to get similar read/write performance, however those tend to be lower capacity. Next step up would be UHS-II spec cards that use extra data lanes to transfer 200-300 MB/s but that requires your device to have those extra data lanes enabled. Highly doubtful that Sony did that for DAPs but they do have them for their digital cameras.

How much data are you reading and writing on a daily basis where speed is a factor? I know the initial loading of all you tracks takes hours, but for me its a CD or 2 per month addition.


----------



## Whitigir

mrhizzo said:


> I have NVME in my notebook. I would love to have this speed at least in the memory inside the WM1Z, but it's just 30 mb/s. For me it's ridiculous this speed. Any microSD has better speed than this.


Good things come to those who wait LOL


----------



## gerelmx1986

@bflat I load music every 3 - 6 months, hell this 400gb has plenty of space


----------



## bflat

gerelmx1986 said:


> @bflat I load music every 3 - 6 months, hell this 400gb has plenty of space



Yes, and from what I learned about playlists, it's better to put all of your tracks on one large media and reserve the internal memory for albums that you never intend to put on playlists. However, since the DMP has 2 slots, maybe Sony will fix this limitation with the next firmware release. On AK DAPs all the tracks on both internal and external storage appear as though they are all on one directory. I read the WM1a/z manual and it clearly states that playlist cannot include tracks from both internal and external storage. There is no hardware reason why internal and external tracks are mutually exclusive.


----------



## mrhizzo

bflat said:


> You would need a U3 Class SD card to get similar read/write performance, however those tend to be lower capacity. Next step up would be UHS-II spec cards that use extra data lanes to transfer 200-300 MB/s but that requires your device to have those extra data lanes enabled. Highly doubtful that Sony did that for DAPs but they do have them for their digital cameras.
> 
> How much data are you reading and writing on a daily basis where speed is a factor? I know the initial loading of all you tracks takes hours, but for me its a CD or 2 per month addition.



The problem is that I have other DAPs and sometimes I need to change the microsd from one to another. Sometimes this doesn't work and I need to format and transfer again.
With my two Samsung 256 GB Evo Plus it's fine, the transfer speed is around 70 mb/s, but the Sandisk 400 GB is much slower. And 256 GB is not enough for all my music. That's all.


----------



## Whitigir

512gb MicroSD is coming.  If you buy DMP-Z1, you can have 1Tb external memories  woaaa


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> 512gb MicroSD is coming.  If you buy DMP-Z1, you can have 1Tb external memories  woaaa


I have 1.08TB of music


----------



## mrhizzo

Whitigir said:


> 512gb MicroSD is coming.  If you buy DMP-Z1, you can have 1Tb external memories  woaaa



512 GB microsd already exist, the other guy post the link (PNY brand) but it's slow.

Sandisk has one version of the 400 GB microsd very fast, but you can't find to buy. Here is the link: https://www.sandisk.com/home/memory-cards/microsd-cards/extreme-microsd-400gb


----------



## bflat

mrhizzo said:


> The problem is that I have other DAPs and sometimes I need to change the microsd from one to another. Sometimes this doesn't work and I need to format and transfer again.
> With my two Samsung 256 GB Evo Plus it's fine, the transfer speed is around 70 mb/s, but the Sandisk 400 GB is much slower. And 256 GB is not enough for all my music. That's all.



That's correct. Samsung is U3 class so write and read speed are similar so that is why you see 70 mb/s. Sandisk 400 GB is U1 class so write speed drops to around 40.

It's not surprising that you are unable to universally use the same SD card across different DAPs. I have not seen a consistent pattern of exFAT or FAT32 supported DAPs and these formats are not compatible with each other.


----------



## mrhizzo

bflat said:


> That's correct. Samsung is U3 class so write and read speed are similar so that is why you see 70 mb/s. Sandisk 400 GB is U1 class so write speed drops to around 40.
> 
> It's not surprising that you are unable to universally use the same SD card across different DAPs. I have not seen a consistent pattern of exFAT or FAT32 supported DAPs and these formats are not compatible with each other.




Yes, I know, and this is ok. I know that I will need to format, the only complain is that they are not releasing U3 microsd with 512 GB, or even the 400 GB. It's taking a long time.


----------



## Whitigir

I am using that sandisk 400Gb.  It sound good, and is not expensive


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have 1.08TB of music


You need 2TB NVMe 970Evo line.  It has 2Tb capacity and does 3.5Gb/Sec.  It cost almost the price of your Wm1A


----------



## bflat

Whitigir said:


> You need 2TB NVMe 970Evo line.  It has 2Tb capacity and does 3.5Gb/Sec.  It cost almost the price of your Wm1A



I just did an NVME to NVME copy of about 200 GB of albums. Got around 800 MB/s transfer speed which is only 50% of the rated. Again, a lot of small files kill performance since the writes are not sequential and there is error checking. Still very fast though.


----------



## Lookout57

sne4me said:


> Yeah I see it, and the button that says "add to Wishlist"





mrhizzo said:


> 512 GB microsd already exist, the other guy post the link (PNY brand) but it's slow.
> 
> Sandisk has one version of the 400 GB microsd very fast, but you can't find to buy. Here is the link: https://www.sandisk.com/home/memory-cards/microsd-cards/extreme-microsd-400gb


That page says that card is:

*Coming Soon*


----------



## bflat

Well, decided to get the WM1z and purchased from Crutchfield where I get all my Sony and Samsung products. They shipped UPS 3-Day on Monday 8/13 which means Thurs 8/16 delivery. However, with UPS I've seen a few times where the shipment arrives early if you live next to a major hub like I do. But each time they literally will hold the package an extra day rather than deliver early like FEDEX does. Look at the tracking:




 

It was about to depart to my local hub 20 miles away from Oakland at 9:49PM on 8/14, but then somebody goes "oh wait they only paid for 3 day so put that package back" at 14 minutes later LOL. Nothing to do with audio, but something I have suspected and proven true time and time with UPS. One of many reasons why I hate UPS and only use USPS or FEDEX when I ship stuff from classified. Don't even get me started on UPS delivery of iPhones .

Anyhow, looking forward to checking the WM1z out tomorrow with my Laylas and KSE1200 - balanced and unbalanced. SD card is already loaded and ready for business!


----------



## proedros

all these people who whine about sd cards speeds , while people are dying all over the world of thirst/hunger/wars - you are filed under *soft/impatient/spoiled crybabies*

when the zombies (or a war in your town() come , i am sure you will be the first one to go 

grow up


----------



## mrhizzo

Lookout57 said:


> That page says that card is:
> 
> *Coming Soon*



Yes, many months ago they put this in the website, and nothing till now. So the coming soon it's like never.


----------



## rcoleman1

proedros said:


> all these people who whine about sd cards speeds , while people are dying all over the world of thirst/hunger/wars - you are filed under *soft/impatient/spoiled crybabies*
> 
> when the zombies (or a war in your town() come , i am sure you will be the first one to go
> 
> grow up


Hilarious! Lol


----------



## mrhizzo

proedros said:


> all these people who whine about sd cards speeds , while people are dying all over the world of thirst/hunger/wars - you are filed under *soft/impatient/spoiled crybabies*
> 
> when the zombies (or a war in your town() come , i am sure you will be the first one to go
> 
> grow up



Sorry for my thinking but I don't care about others feeling hungry, thirsty or any other kind of suffering. I have my problems, that I it doesn't matter here and every person has your issues.
If we will focus in the world poverty, you will never buy a 3000 usd mp3 player or earphones.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Don’t forget those who complain of which ones to use in the work or toilet, the tip that itch and the guy you reads posts in the toilet.


----------



## sne4me

mrhizzo said:


> Sorry for my thinking but I don't care about others feeling hungry, thirsty or any other kind of suffering.



Seriously. Let other people help themselves, because at this point, 2018, its having a deleterious effect on the first world to be banging the SJW drum. Its just not going to be equal, and i anticipate the gap between first world and third world technology is only going to get much wider before it begins to narrow.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I think it’s wide enough. 

On topic.
I don’t think the idea of USB-DAC on a player that is 2 years old is a good idea as it will just deplete the charging hold of the battery in years to come.


----------



## sne4me

I'm certain we are going further before they catch up. It doesnt matter how we feel about it. Somalia is not going to get to where we are anytime soon.


----------



## alphanumerix1

I dropped my m1a unfortunately and there's a large dent/scratch across the top of the 4.4 connector. Anyone know where i can get a replacement?


----------



## Quadfather

alphanumerix1 said:


> I dropped my m1a unfortunately and there's a large dent/scratch across the top of the 4.4 connector. Anyone know where i can get a replacement?



 the only thing I could think of is to have a jeweler buff it out and replate it.   I don't know how they would get the circular grooves in there though. Maybe contact Sony.


----------



## Quadfather

When the Cayin N8 comes out, I wonder what will happen to the price of the Sony NW - WM1Z?


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> When the Cayin N8 comes out, I wonder what will happen to the price of the Sony NW - WM1Z?


Staying the same as always.  Sony isn’t afraid of China DAP, and it actually is Cayin who is playing catch-up.

Remember, WM-1 Is all Sony uniqueness...unlike Cayin...it is a different story for the upcoming DMP-Z1 lol..


----------



## alphanumerix1

Quadfather said:


> When the Cayin N8 comes out, I wonder what will happen to the price of the Sony NW - WM1Z?



Nothing.


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> Staying the same as always.  Sony isn’t afraid of China DAP, and it actually is Cayin who is playing catch-up.
> 
> Remember, WM-1 Is all Sony uniqueness...unlike Cayin...it is a different story for the upcoming DMP-Z1 lol..



 I love Sony products, but I do have to admit, even with off-the-shelf parts, The new Cayin DAP is very interesting for its internal tube amp, Nutube on spring-loaded chassis.   having said that, the knobs on that new DAP are completely ridiculous looking...


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 15, 2018)

alphanumerix1 said:


> Nothing.



When people perceive that it might be an upgrade, they may be selling their players.   having said that, I try to buy my digital audio players new with warranties.   As intriguing as the new dap is, I prefer Sony, because battery life is very important to me.   I also love what Sony sound signature does to heavy metal music.   Half of my metal collection is completely unlistenable on other digital audio players.   Sony has literally giving me a huge chunk of my collection back to me.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> I* love Sony products*, but I do have to admit, even with off-the-shelf parts, The new Cayin DAP is very interesting for its internal tube amp, Nutube on spring-loaded chassis.   having said that, the knobs on that new DAP are completely ridiculous looking...


Reason i am looking at the MDR-Z1R (deal set) and the IER-Z1R


----------



## blazinblazin

The bass of SONY WM1A series is why i like it.

My DD IEM on my S8 phone is bassy but when it is on WM1A the bassy characteristic clears up to a clear and impactful low end. Quite impressive.


----------



## Quadfather

blazinblazin said:


> The bass of SONY WM1A series is why i like it.
> 
> My DD IEM on my S8 phone is bassy but when it is on WM1A the bassy characteristic clears up to a clear and impactful low end. Quite impressive.



I love what the NW-WM1A does to the bass on my Shure SRH1540 headphones as well.


----------



## NaiveSound

Anyone know a decent cable with a mid forward signature??


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 15, 2018)

I am curious as to what headphones people recommend for the NW - WM1A, and the NW - WM1Z...across price points.


----------



## mrhizzo

alphanumerix1 said:


> Nothing.


I don’t know about recent buyers like me, but I paid “just” 2300 usd, comparing to the official price, last week, in a official seller.

I think the price will keep dropping.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 16, 2018)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/naivesound.438309/

Honestly after trying the Sony MUC-M12NB1 Headphone Cable 4.4mm Pentaconn-MMCX it’s ok with ergonomics but folks have suggested the

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MUC-M12SB1-SONY-Headphone-cable/dp/B01M3TK66F

I could have actually purchased it at the same time but there was some complaints about build quality for the big price? 

And I think the above may be my next cable purchase. It’s just startling that the Sony MUC-B20SB1 Headphone Cable 4.4mm Pentaconn 3.5mm brings so much to the table. And it’s primarily in the treble and midrange soundstage dept. with the Z1R and Z7. Just so much better than the Sony standard stock cables provided with the product. If the Kimber/Sony does the same thing then that will be my next cable purchase.

Don’t know if you need 2pin or MMCX......you should list that.


----------



## Redcarmoose

mrhizzo said:


> I don’t know about recent buyers like me, but I paid “just” 2300 usd, comparing to the official price, last week, in a official seller.
> 
> I think the price will keep dropping.



That’s a great price! Enjoy!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 16, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> I am curious as to what headphones people recommend for the NW - WM1A, and the NW - WM1Z...across price points.



Headphones:

Probably wait for the new Z7 MK2 as it will be improved. $600
I like the original Z7 but it has enemies. And.......the Z7s are maybe not meant for the 1A/1Z but they are easy to drive and actually don’t sound half bad.

Z1R greatest headphone made by man $2000-2000+ Disclaimer: You will see them placed in PR photographs with the 1A and 1Z though they were not totally made to go with with the devices; per engineering dept. Though they are pretty incredible from the 1A, other home amps take them to their rightful glory.

As you may know Sony built the 1A and 1Z for IEMs exclusively! There I said it.


IEMs:

Sony XBA-N3BP 4.4mm Pentaconn balanced IEM $300-$400 somewhat heavy bass but really a rock tune. Makes you remember how important fit is every time you wear them as they fit fantastically! Very close in shape and layout to the new IER-Z1R, funny too as I kind of knew the next flagship may expand on the shape. They are sleepers really, as at first they can sound slighly reserved and boring; but after many hours their personality starts to show.


qdc Anole V3 IEM #817993 a slightly hard to get China import almost too smooth but never not detailed enough. Added cost is getting a two pin 4.4mm aftermarket cable. Price $600 This is my current favorite headphone, I listen to them almost 100% of the time since I purchased them. I love them, but they may be too layed back for some. With the Sony Hybrid tips they fit like a glove. I have a pair for outside and a pair for inside. They block out about 90% of outside sound. Never seen anything like it. These are unique as there is a custom made 3 BA array with switchable crossover network on the side of the shell allowing a number of tone changes. They go as low on bass, or lower than even the Z5 with it’s DD???? So it’s like super bass from a BA driver; very strange?



Sony XBA-Z5 No. #017526 4.4mm Pentaconn balanced IEM these range from $400-$700. Great with rock and metal and electronic. Fit issues are a nightmare due to the stock cable and they are rather heavy but stick out of the center of your ear which makes matters worse. Though with the right cable and tips it’s IEM heaven. They are one of the few legends.


1More Triple Driver (Model E1001) IEM $99 dollars and sound great with the Sony DAPs


Noble Kaiser 10 Encore IEM Universal $1850.... really the audio microscope of my collection; still their reputation is not being the most detailed. More midrange expanded, and expanded out everywhere all over around your head. Fun to listen to live recordings and classic rock. The signature is not really warm, definitely try before you buy. They could be described as fun reference.


----------



## auronthas

Hi all, I was told Sony is going to launch USB DAC firmware update this Fall for both WM1Z/WM1A.  Is it true?


----------



## Redcarmoose

auronthas said:


> Hi all, I was told Sony is going to launch USB DAC firmware update this Fall for both WM1Z/WM1A.  Is it true?


----------



## aisalen

Redcarmoose said:


> Headphones:
> 
> Sony XBA-N3BP 4.4mm Pentaconn balanced IEM $300-$400 somewhat heavy bass but really a rock tune. *Makes you remember how important fit is every time you wear them*. Very close in shape and layout to the new IER-Z1R, funny too as I kind of knew the next flagship may expand on the shape. They are sleepers really, as at first they can sound slighly reserved and boring; but after many hours their personality starts to show.


In a sense that the IEM does not have a good fit or the fit is very good? Interested to know, as this still interest me and planning to purchase in the future.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 16, 2018)

aisalen said:


> In a sense that the IEM does not have a good fit or the fit is very good? Interested to know, as this still interest me and planning to purchase in the future.



Sorry I should have made that more clear. They are my second best fitting IEMs. It seemed that the Z5 was a dramatic experiment to get the driver closer to the ear, thus sidways. And while most of us that love the new Sony house sound loved the Z5, it’s fit was surprising. So ya......they fixed everything. I can’t begin to explain why they fit so good but they do, and they fit well for most everyone. They are remarkably nice to wear, maybe my most comfortable?

Not only do they fit, but due to low weight; they stay right in place, like sports IEMs.


----------



## Whitigir

I would buy IEM-Z1R if I needed multi drivers iems


----------



## Redcarmoose

I’m saving money for November. But I’m going to have to listen to it for awhile.


----------



## aisalen

Redcarmoose said:


> Sorry I should have made that more clear. They are my second best fitting IEMs. It seemed that the Z5 was a dramatic experiment to get the driver closer to the ear, thus sidways. And while most of us that love the new Sony house sound loved the Z5, it’s fit was surprising. So ya......they fixed everything. I can’t begin to explain why they fit so good but they do, and they fit well for most everyone. They are remarkably nice to where, maybe my most comfortable?
> 
> Not only do they fit, but due to low weight; they stay right in place, like sports IEMs.


Thank you very much for your clarification, good to know. Yes, I got you in regards with the fitment of Z5 though I do not have it, I do have the H3 which is similar in design. Really not possible to listen while walking and requires you to just sit and listen in my case whatever the tip I used.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m saving money for November. But I’m going to have to listen to it for awhile.


To get DMP-Z1 ? I would do this, if it outperform my desktop, which is doubtfully


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> To get DMP-Z1 ? I would do this, if it outperform my desktop, which is doubtfully



I’m very happy with my TA plus Auralic for home use and 1Z for travel use so plus my Z1R, Z5 and JH13 so am not even lusting for any of the new gear (luckily as I don’t have money to buy any)


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> I’m very happy with my TA plus Auralic for home use and 1Z for travel use so plus my Z1R, Z5 and JH13 so am not even lusting for any of the new gear (luckily as I don’t have money to buy any)


For the price of DMP-Z1. The combination of WM1Z and TAZH1ES is a way much better combination for desktop stationary and then 1Z on the go.  The only other things you may need is a cradle and high quality usb cables


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 16, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> To get DMP-Z1 ? I would do this, if it outperform my desktop, which is doubtfully



I would buy IEM-Z1R. That desktop amp is not something I cherish, even if it sounded better than my TA desktop. But what can I say I’m romanced by Sony House sound. I think they have some amazing geniuses in engineering. The DMP-Z1 simply is not useful to me........and it’s expensive as HE-doubletoothpicks.


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> For the price of DMP-Z1. The combination of WM1Z and TAZH1ES is a way much better combination for desktop stationary and then 1Z on the go.  The only other things you may need is a cradle and high quality usb cables



I’ve got the cradle but I only use it for charging the 1Z not connecting it to anything. I have an Auralic Aries Mini with a 2TB ssd that holds all my music in it’s highest resolution and this is connected to the TA via usb. The Auralic is controlled via an app on my iPhone or iPad and it also includes full Tidal integration including mqa support


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> I’ve got the cradle but I only use it for charging the 1Z not connecting it to anything. I have an Auralic Aries Mini with a 2TB ssd that holds all my music in it’s highest resolution and this is connected to the TA via usb. The Auralic is controlled via an app on my iPhone or iPad and it also includes full Tidal integration including mqa support


That is even better 


Redcarmoose said:


> I would buy IEM-Z1R. That desktop amp is not something I cherish, even if it sounded better than my TA desktop. But what can I say I’m romanced by Sony House sound. I think they have some amazing geniuses in engineering. The DMP-Z1 simply is not useful to me........and it’s expensive as HE-doubletoothpicks.



Yes, I love Sony house sound, the organic timbres is the thing that Sony always has it done right for it category, and that bass.  Eventhough it could be much better but you would spend ways....too much LOL


----------



## gerelmx1986

auronthas said:


> Hi all, I was told Sony is going to launch USB DAC firmware update this Fall for both WM1Z/WM1A.  Is it true?


Already confirmwd


----------



## auronthas

gerelmx1986 said:


> Already confirmwd


Great, hope by the time firmware update and new DAP , the price of WM1A/Z will drop …


----------



## Whitigir

auronthas said:


> Great, hope by the time firmware update and new DAP , the price of WM1A/Z will drop …


Price can always drop if you contact an authorized dealer  (MSRP is simply Suggested retail pricing, that means the dealer has room to flex). If you are in the US, pm me, I can refer someone to you


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

alphanumerix1 said:


> I dropped my m1a unfortunately and there's a large dent/scratch across the top of the 4.4 connector. Anyone know where i can get a replacement?



Service manual: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7z2DypmySvnclhZYjZiLTlLZ2M/view  (Which includes details on the jack)

You need parts:  4-590-471-01 SHEET (RING), ADHESIVE and 4-590-446-01 RING (B), JACK (for Balanced Standard side)

Available here: https://encompass.com/item/10990682/Sony/4-590-471-01/  $3.62
and here: https://encompass.com/item/10990666/Sony/4-590-446-01/  $20.98


----------



## alphanumerix1

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Service manual: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7z2DypmySvnclhZYjZiLTlLZ2M/view  (Which includes details on the jack)
> 
> You need parts:  4-590-471-01 SHEET (RING), ADHESIVE and 4-590-446-01 RING (B), JACK (for Balanced Standard side)
> 
> ...



Cheers mate! Appreciate it.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

alphanumerix1 said:


> Cheers mate! Appreciate it.


Let us know how it goes. Sony seems like they're not referring units to be repaired very often, which makes my suspicious of availability of parts. 
We're assuming here too that the balanced jack works just fine for you still.


----------



## alphanumerix1

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Let us know how it goes. Sony seems like they're not referring units to be repaired very often, which makes my suspicious of availability of parts.
> We're assuming here too that the balanced jack works just fine for you still.



No issues with jack itself. Just cosmetic damage.


----------



## Lookout57

Quadfather said:


> I am curious as to what headphones people recommend for the NW - WM1A, and the NW - WM1Z...across price points.


Campfire Cascade - $799 - Great choice for metal and bass heavy music.
Sony MDR-Z1R - $2,298 - The most organic enveloping headphone. You get lost in the music. Best with Kimber Kable AXIOS Cu balanced cable.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lookout57 said:


> Campfire Cascade - $799 - Great choice for metal and bass heavy music.
> *Sony MDR-Z1R - $2,298 - The most organic enveloping headphone. You get lost in the music*. Best with Kimber Kable AXIOS Cu balanced cable.


I scored one of these for a great deal - $1, 500


----------



## pietcux

gerelmx1986 said:


> I scored one of these for a great deal - $1, 500


Hopefully you don't get a book inside the box again....


----------



## Whitigir

pietcux said:


> Hopefully you don't get a book inside the box again....


Lol, you still remember that event ? Such craziness, those customs agents.  At least I can tell that he is buying from a trusted friend of mine


----------



## gerelmx1986

pietcux said:


> Hopefully you don't get a book inside the box again....


Hope so too. Don't. Make. Me remember that torment


----------



## bflat

Some warranty advice on buying Sony electronics in the US. If you purchase an "international version" and live in the US, your warranty service is locked to the country that you made the purchase and must pay international shipping too and from that country for service which also means there could be duty fees to and from. I have heard of 3rd party service centers in the US that somehow get around this but have not tried this myself. Also any "gray market" Sony products for US dealers are international versions that are warrantied in the US via 3rd party warranty services in the US and may not have access to OEM parts.


----------



## NaiveSound

How does the sound of wm1z change with burn in ?  I got just 50 hrs on mine. What is the difference in sound burnt in vs no burn in


----------



## Whitigir

NaiveSound said:


> How does the sound of wm1z change with burn in ?  I got just 50 hrs on mine. What is the difference in sound burnt in vs no burn in


It is just better when burned in vs not burned in LoL


----------



## NaiveSound

Whitigir said:


> It is just better when burned in vs not burned in LoL


Lol, I wish it was an answer


----------



## sne4me

auronthas said:


> Hi all, I was told Sony is going to launch USB DAC firmware update this Fall for both WM1Z/WM1A.  Is it true?



Yes, in the Autumn.


----------



## pietcux

Whitigir said:


> Lol, you still remember that event ? Such craziness, those customs agents.  At least I can tell that he is buying from a trusted friend of mine


You have to meet at the border to make sure he gets it...


----------



## robertjwarren

I'm in the market so to speak and considering the Sony DAP's.  I'm curous if any of you Sony DAP owners think that not having access to streaming media is a reason not to purchase.  With many of the competing products containing streaming ability, does this affect your satisfaction with the Sony DAP's?

Thank you in advance for your thoughts. (I think)...


----------



## Bart147

So far i've listened for hundreds of hours on both 1A and  1Z to FLAC cd-rips , hi-res PCM and DSD always with direct source : On  . 
For the first time i've put some lossy (256 kbps) classical music :

 
Question to those who often use DSP : which DSP setting is the best for classical music ?


----------



## bflat

LOL, my WM1z arrived today.....with firmware 1.02. Guess these were not exactly flying off the shelves at Crutchfield. I was very surprised to see the internal and external drives show up in Mac OS Finder without the dreaded Android AFT app. Also, I wish I knew updating the 2.0 firmware would also require a full re-scan of my 400 GB card. Waiting another 20 min before I can do anything.

I am relieved that my Laylas sound great. I've had a heck of a time trying to figure why it sounds muddy and veiled on some devices and still don't have a common technical reason why. For example, every AK DAP I've tried prior to SP1000 was bad. All Onkyo DAPs I've tried also bad. The "correct" sound should be neutral with some weight to the mids and well extended and airy treble. WM1z is most certainly "correct". And now for the burn in LOL.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 16, 2018)

Bart147 said:


> So far i've listened for hundreds of hours on both 1A and  1Z to FLAC cd-rips , hi-res PCM and DSD always with direct source : On  .
> For the first time i've put some lossy (256 kbps) classical music :
> 
> Question to those who often use DSP : which DSP setting is the best for classical music ?


I don't use DSP and I listen to classical music only  though only Lossless FLAC, Hi-res flac and DSD, my headphones are capable of delivering the stage and warmth of classical music. I find the WM1A is very suited for classical due to its signature
 
Maybe you want to try using the DSEE hx to upsampler lossy to Hi-res quality


----------



## NaiveSound

robertjwarren said:


> I'm in the market so to speak and considering the Sony DAP's.  I'm curous if any of you Sony DAP owners think that not having access to streaming media is a reason not to purchase.  With many of the competing products containing streaming ability, does this affect your satisfaction with the Sony DAP's?
> 
> Thank you in advance for your thoughts. (I think)...



I too am a streamer (to discover tracks,) but usb dac is a feature soon coming with the next update sometime this autumn season (probably Japan autumn season)  also Bluetooth receiver  but you can stream to it via usb otg. (when thr update comes)


----------



## Lookout57

robertjwarren said:


> I'm in the market so to speak and considering the Sony DAP's.  I'm curous if any of you Sony DAP owners think that not having access to streaming media is a reason not to purchase.  With many of the competing products containing streaming ability, does this affect your satisfaction with the Sony DAP's?
> 
> Thank you in advance for your thoughts. (I think)...


I have a DAP that supports it, the OPUS#2 and never used it. 

After hearing hi-res on the ZX-300 I realized it blew away my OPUS#2 at half the price. I ended up with a NW-WM1Z for critical listening as I wanted the best sound along with one of the best user experiences. I also purchased the NW-WM1A to use at my desk and when taking the train into NYC.


----------



## fiascogarcia

robertjwarren said:


> I'm in the market so to speak and considering the Sony DAP's.  I'm curous if any of you Sony DAP owners think that not having access to streaming media is a reason not to purchase.  With many of the competing products containing streaming ability, does this affect your satisfaction with the Sony DAP's?
> 
> Thank you in advance for your thoughts. (I think)...


Truly, it comes down to how much you use streaming right now.  I had a Tidal subscription for a really long time before I decided I just wasn't using it very often.  So lack of that feature really didn't bother me when purchasing the 1Z,  I personally find it refreshing not to have to flush through all the background apps that can come with streaming capable DAPs.  As NaiveSound mentioned, you would be able to the USB dac function for streaming if they implement that in the next firmware.  So you could get the great WM SQ using another source for streaming.


----------



## NaiveSound

Anyone seen a wm1a/1z connector to usb C? 

Trying to prepare for the usb dac function we will be awarded! 

I will want to connect my phone to it! My phone has a USB type c


----------



## Lookout57

You'll need to use the WMP-NWM10 adapter and a Micro-USB to USB C cable.


----------



## NaiveSound

Lookout57 said:


> You'll need to use the WMP-NWM10 adapter and a Micro-USB to USB C cable.


There is no cable to accommodate in 1 piece?


----------



## Lookout57

None that I am aware of.


----------



## bvng3540

Lookout57 said:


> None that I am aware of.


I have one, also 1 with micro usb


----------



## animalsrush

NaiveSound said:


> Anyone know a decent cable with a mid forward signature??


 
Effect audio lion heart .. love it with my k10 and wm1z.. does wonders to vocals and mids

PC


----------



## animalsrush

Quadfather said:


> I am curious as to what headphones people recommend for the NW - WM1A, and the NW - WM1Z...across price points.



I love k10s with effect audio lionheart cable - it makes these CIEMs sing with wm1z . For headphone Sony z1R with Sony kimber cable.. organic sound with great bass , soundstage with just the right amount of treble .. 

Pc


----------



## auronthas

Lookout57 said:


> I have a DAP that supports it, the OPUS#2 and never used it.
> 
> After hearing hi-res on the ZX-300 I realized it blew away my OPUS#2 at half the price. I ended up with a NW-WM1Z for critical listening as I wanted the best sound along with one of the best user experiences. I also purchased the NW-WM1A to use at my desk and when taking the train into NYC.



With the USB DAC , Bluetooth receiver feature coming soon, the desire of getting WM1A is higher


----------



## proedros

which cable would i need to use my wm1a as DAC with my Dell Laptop (Foobar app) ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> which cable would i need to use my wm1a as DAC with my Dell Laptop (Foobar app) ?


Most likely the one included w/walkman


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 17, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Most likely the one included w/walkman


I think so as the TA-ZH1ES does the same with Walkman Input if selected and connected toward smartphones or so.  You will need an Audiophile grade WM-usb cables then 

I see you guys are excited about the USB-DAC features on Walkman.  I am on another hand excited about USB-DAC feature in the Dx200.  It handles native DSD512 and is damn good at it

I finally understand why Walkman is not doing DSD natively as good as PCM....because S-Master (not Sony DSP as I guessed before) wasn’t meant to do all that DSD handling.  It is confirmed by Sony that the DSP in Walkman is able to do DSD remastering, but S-Master is not compatible, so it will not be enabled.


----------



## proedros (Aug 17, 2018)

i have a feeling that DX200 sounds better than both wm1a/wm1z but i am spoiled by the sony batteries , it gives me over 20 hours

i can not stand a dap that has like 6-8 hours anymore

hey @Whitigir can i use my 4.4 cables with dx200 and its new amp8 ?

if so , i may try dx200 if it's as good as you say....


----------



## bvng3540

proedros said:


> i have a feeling that DX200 sounds better than both wm1a/wm1z but i am spoiled by the sony batteries , it gives me over 20 hours
> 
> i can not stand a dap that has like 6-8 hours anymore
> 
> ...


Do not try it, firmware suck like an elephant ass, slower than my laptop that had windows 95 on it, when press the skip button took 15 second for the next song to play


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> i have a feeling that DX200 sounds better than both wm1a/wm1z but i am spoiled by the sony batteries , it gives me over 20 hours
> 
> i can not stand a dap that has like 6-8 hours anymore
> 
> ...



My guess is that at this level it will just sound different rather than better but in any way it’s all down to personal preference. For my use and preferences I can’t see any dap bettering my 1Z


----------



## Icekuma (Aug 17, 2018)

Sharing. It is great quality. TOP notch. The only thing should have gotten the burgundy red but was out of stock.


----------



## nc8000

Icekuma said:


> Sharing. It is great quality. TOP notch. The only thing should have gotten the burgundy red but was out of stock.



Burgundy red what ??? These players are either black or gold, no other options


----------



## Icekuma

nc8000 said:


> Burgundy red what ??? These players are either black or gold, no other options


The case. I wish there were burgundy red wm1a. I will Be all Over it


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 17, 2018)

proedros said:


> i have a feeling that DX200 sounds better than both wm1a/wm1z but i am spoiled by the sony batteries , it gives me over 20 hours
> 
> i can not stand a dap that has like 6-8 hours anymore
> 
> ...



1/ depend on personal preferences, if you are a must in tonality, stick with WM, if you are a must into soundstage, separation, layering, details, then look into dx200.  But if you are mainly staying with in ear monitors, try to audition Dx200 first and see if you like it.  I observed that many people found problems with dx200 hiss and or radio interferences with sensitive iems, and some don’t.  I use full size headphones, even desktop amplifiers using dx200 as analog preamp out, and have no problem by far.  Ibasso offers 15 days money back guarantee.  Or buy used dx200 from people who is currently using iems and don’t have these problems ?

2/ dx200 stays around 6-8 hours or worse if you feed it DSD natively

3/ yes, all 4.4mm is standardized and the same globally just like XLR


----------



## bvng3540

NaiveSound said:


> Anyone seen a wm1a/1z connector to usb C?
> 
> Trying to prepare for the usb dac function we will be awarded!
> 
> I will want to connect my phone to it! My phone has a USB type c


----------



## mrhizzo

bvng3540 said:


>



How much? Who? How? When?


----------



## 480126

Icekuma said:


> Sharing. It is great quality. TOP notch. The only thing should have gotten the burgundy red but was out of stock.





Icekuma said:


> Sharing. It is great quality. TOP notch. The only thing should have gotten the burgundy red but was out of stock.


I search for a shop in english but I found only in chinese/Japan! Where have you bought the case? english language shop?


----------



## bvng3540

mrhizzo said:


> How much? Who? How? When?


----------



## mrhizzo

Frida309 said:


> I search for a shop in english but I found only in chinese/Japan! Where have you bought the case? english language shop?



You can buy with Dignis (Dignis case on google). Just select English on the top right of the page. They are extremely good and beautiful.


----------



## mrhizzo

bvng3540 said:


>



You will not tell us?


----------



## bvng3540

mrhizzo said:


> You will not tell us?


Ok here how and where


----------



## 480126

Frida309 said:


> I search for a shop in english but I found only in chinese/Japan! Where have you bought the case? english language shop?


Thanks. I know the dignis Shop. Ím Looking for a shop who Shells musashino cases!


----------



## mrhizzo

Frida309 said:


> Thanks. I know the dignis Shop. Ím Looking for a shop who Shells musashino cases!



Oh ok! Sorry for this. lol


----------



## mrhizzo

bvng3540 said:


> Ok here how and where



Probably in my next life hahahahaha. I have zero skills and patience for this. But thank you.

And it looks very well done.


----------



## bvng3540

mrhizzo said:


> Probably in my next life hahahahaha. I have zero skills and patience for this. But thank you.
> 
> And it looks very well done.


It not that hard at all, shouldn't take more than 30 minutes


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Frida309 said:


> Thanks. I know the dignis Shop. Ím Looking for a shop who Shells musashino cases!


Just order it - takes a week to get to the USA.


----------



## mrhizzo

bvng3540 said:


> It not that hard at all, shouldn't take more than 30 minutes



Maybe. But without skills I think it's more like 30 days. hahahahah

Thank you anyway.


----------



## NaiveSound

bvng3540 said:


>


But did it have otg ? Or does it just charge


----------



## Redcarmoose

Icekuma said:


> Sharing. It is great quality. TOP notch. The only thing should have gotten the burgundy red but was out of stock.



Sexy!


----------



## Redcarmoose

bflat said:


> LOL, my WM1z arrived today.....with firmware 1.02. Guess these were not exactly flying off the shelves at Crutchfield. I was very surprised to see the internal and external drives show up in Mac OS Finder without the dreaded Android AFT app. Also, I wish I knew updating the 2.0 firmware would also require a full re-scan of my 400 GB card. Waiting another 20 min before I can do anything.
> 
> I am relieved that my Laylas sound great. I've had a heck of a time trying to figure why it sounds muddy and veiled on some devices and still don't have a common technical reason why. For example, every AK DAP I've tried prior to SP1000 was bad. All Onkyo DAPs I've tried also bad. The "correct" sound should be neutral with some weight to the mids and well extended and airy treble. WM1z is most certainly "correct". And now for the burn in LOL.



Ya, before 50 hours of burn in they can sound murky.


----------



## Icekuma

Frida309 said:


> I search for a shop in english but I found only in chinese/Japan! Where have you bought the case? english language shop?


They are musashino. I bought online in Japan yodobashi using forwarding service. Alternatively people swear by dignis too korean made.


----------



## Icekuma

I hope it's not heresy. Had anyone tried or own Gustard. I am writing letter to Santa. Cannot decide whether getting TA-ZH1ES or just headphone amp using 3.5/RCA or 4.4/XLR (if that's possible). Currently using Mdr-z7 balanced but planning to get hifiman 1000 or other. I hope that I get my priority in correct order, ie amp first before another headphone. 

While I like Z7, think I prefer open like my Audio Technical 2000. 

Any advice is highly appreciated. 

Thanks


----------



## mrhizzo

Icekuma said:


> They are musashino. I bought online in Japan yodobashi using forwarding service. Alternatively people swear by dignis too korean made.



They sell it in Amazon Japan?


----------



## Redcarmoose

mrhizzo said:


> They sell it in Amazon Japan?


https://www.amazon.co.jp/WALKMAN-NW-WM1シリーズ用-本革レザー-キャメル-CP-NWWM1LC1/dp/B01N0XRRYI

Cheers!

Exact case I have.


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.amazon.co.jp/WALKMAN-NW-WM1シリーズ用-本革レザー-キャメル-CP-NWWM1LC1/dp/B01N0XRRYI
> 
> Cheers!
> 
> Exact case I have.



But if your in usayou can't order?


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> But if your in usayou can't order?



You have to use a brokering service like Buyee


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> You have to use a brokering service like Buyee



Cheers!


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Cheers!



I used them to get my Musashino 4.4 female to 3.5 male adapter a year ago


----------



## gerelmx1986

Seems like Sony has abandoned music center for PC, no new updates since last year, while content transfer for. Mac has received a recent update


----------



## bflat (Aug 17, 2018)

A few non-audio observations from AK SP1000 to WM1z

Sony has battery care feature that limits max charge to 90%. This is very important for LiON battery life and mandatory on Tesla battery packs. Tesla has run tests and found by keeping battery use between 80% and 20% (never top off, never fully drain), the battery degradation is less than 5% over 5 years. Even more important - you can leave the power connected 24x7 without fear of degrading life. This is huge for the upcoming USB DAC feature. With the AK, I would charge then use battery for USB DAC mode, then recharge as needed.
Album artist sort - yes, AK has yet to add this feature. Work around was to use folder view which sucks because you have 2 separate volumes instead of one nice streamlined directory.
There seems to be a couple mechanical relays where I hear clicking when sampling rates change and when I played around with the direct sound options. Now, one might ask What, why not solid state relays? Mechanical relays need very little power and are fully off or on (e.g. low noise). Solid state has the potential for problems in this regard and have a habit staying shorted when they fail. Schiit uses mechanical relays too. I suspect AK uses solid state because I never heard any clicking noises.
4.4mm is the future. More robust than AK 2.5mm and much higher quality connection with large pads/springs to connector surface. Also can be wired in numerous ways to connect to other components.
The upcoming BT receiver function will be great for videos and lossy streaming from your phone/PC without the need for wires and very low power usage. LDAC is the future for hi-res BT since Sony has given it away to Android. Only wish Apple would do the same.
Sony battery life and management - goes without saying but this is head and shoulders above everyone else. I had a Sony smartphone that I used as a transport. I left it unused for about 3-4 months. When I turned it on, it only lost 5% charge over that time. This and the long operating time makes a week of use on the road very possible without having to take a charger along.
Buttons versus rotary dials. While a matter of personal preference, I feel anything that is going to be used on the go should only have buttons for controls so no inadvertent changes in volume.
WM-Port - why Sony why????? This is about the only criticism I have. If there was a robust ecosystem like Apple, I can understand, but What does Sony offer on the other end of this WM-Port? In fact the other end is just standard USB!
No wifi and no DLNA support. I personally don't need this, but anyone who does will need to look elsewhere. I am not 100% convinced there are audio benefits to leaving wifi out given the signal is in the 5 GHz band, but I do like the fact that if I don't need it, then don't add it.
Feature request to Sony - when USB DAC mode comes out, how about a power on sequence like power + volume up that boots up in DAC mode?
I think this shows that Sony put a lot more thought into their flagship DAPs than the likes of AK and numerous ChiFi brands. I remember having a conversation with a colleague who was critical of the "alphabet soup" of Sony marketing fluff. While some of that may be true, Sony also has a lot of nuanced features that as a whole really do make sense. I suspect that many will call the new DMP "brilliant" a year or 2 from now.

Audio impressions coming after burn in and incoming new cable with 4.4 plug.


----------



## syke

mrhizzo said:


> Probably in my next life hahahahaha. I have zero skills and patience for this. But thank you.
> 
> And it looks very well done.



http://www.chinaglobalmall.com/products/560753357040

Don't know why this site is in hebrew... but here you go..


----------



## bvng3540

syke said:


> http://www.chinaglobalmall.com/products/560753357040
> 
> Don't know why this site is in hebrew... but here you go..


Ouch $145 for usb c, it might not work as those WM port doesn't have chip in it to transfer digital, the big one does


----------



## syke

bvng3540 said:


> Ouch $145 for usb c, it might not work as those WM port doesn't have chip in it to transfer digital, the big one does











I guess these 2 in combination then


----------



## bvng3540

syke said:


> I guess these 2 in combination then


Nope that wont work neither, as that wm port is for charging only, I had it before and it doesn't work, only the combo below work, for a total of under $50


----------



## NaiveSound

bvng3540 said:


> Nope that wont work neither, as that wm port is for charging only, I had it before and it doesn't work, only the combo below work, for a total of under $50


Thank you, lots of parts, a link possible


----------



## bvng3540

NaiveSound said:


> Thank you, lots of parts, a link possible


There only 2 part you need and both can be bought on Amazon 

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH...ot&pf_rd_t=9701&qid=1534526369&ref=mp_s_a_1_1

https://www.amazon.com/JSER-24pin-U...sb+c+diy&qid=1534526420&sr=8-2&ref=mp_s_a_1_2


----------



## sne4me (Aug 17, 2018)

proedros said:


> which cable would i need to use my wm1a as DAC with my Dell Laptop (Foobar app) ?





bvng3540 said:


>



Actually when the DAC function is enabled, this cable WMC-NWH10 is the recommended cable adapter. Sony stores in Japan actually market this as the most High-Res option (When connecting to audiophile USB) to passing signal out to an AMP, and so it will work the same in reverse for DAC function.


----------



## bvng3540

sne4me said:


> Actually when the DAC function is enabled, this cable WMC-NWH10 is the recommended cable adapter. Sony stores in Japan actually market this as the most High-Res option (When connecting to audiophile USB) to passing signal out to an AMP, and so it will work the same in reverse for DAC function.


That is correct, as this cable have the chip in it and the chip capability is for digital hi res transfer, as for the normal wm port that doesn't have the chip, it doesn't have the capability to transfer digital hi res, it can only do analog, so by converting the female end of the cable to usb c or micro usb is the best way to go, same way go with chord hugo and mojo, this is the only cable that will work


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 17, 2018)

sne4me said:


> Actually when the DAC function is enabled, this cable WMC-NWH10 is the recommended cable adapter. Sony stores in Japan actually market this as the most High-Res option (When connecting to audiophile USB) to passing signal out to an AMP, and so it will work the same in reverse for DAC function.



Also let’s not forget about the dock. As has been posted numerous times the dock blows the dongle out of the water in sound. Also not mentioned is the imperative AudioQuest Cinnamon or Carbon USB.



You are infact suggesting the second best senerio here; be advised of that.

https://www.amazon.com/Walkman-Cradle-BCR-NWH10-NW-ZX2-Japan/dp/B00S94R5RK
https://www.audioquest.com/cables/digital-cables/usb-a-to-b/cinnamon
https://www.audioquest.com/cables/digital-cables/usb-a-to-b/carbon


----------



## Whitigir

I can vote for the Dock, it brings the best out of the Walkman in digital source


----------



## proedros (Aug 17, 2018)

so you can use this 40$ sony cable 

*https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FF086H...colid=BKCAT754U053&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it*

or the cradle/dock when the usb dac option will be available for wm1a , in order to hear music from your laptop but using the wm1a dac circuit ?

both options work but the cradle gives better quality of the dac sound , am i correct ?


----------



## bvng3540

Redcarmoose said:


> Also let’s not forget about the dock. As has been posted numerous times the dock blows the dongle out of the water in sound. Also not mentioned is the imperative AudioQuest Cinnamon or Carbon USB.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The original question asked was for used wm1z dac to his cellphone with type c usb, dock is not convenient at all


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> so you can use this 40$ sony cable
> 
> *https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FF086H...colid=BKCAT754U053&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it*
> 
> ...



That is correct as the cradles has extra clocks and processing prowess  ask @purk , he now own both modified docks uniquely by himself LoL


----------



## Redcarmoose

sne4me said:


> Actually when the DAC function is enabled, this cable WMC-NWH10 is the recommended cable adapter. Sony stores in Japan actually market this as the most High-Res option (When connecting to audiophile USB) to passing signal out to an AMP, and so it will work the same in reverse for DAC function.





bvng3540 said:


> The original question asked was for used wm1z dac to his cellphone with type c usb, dock is not convenient at all



That’s fine. But read his post again it never talks about moble. 

My bad. I go on my way now..........


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> That is correct as the cradles has extra clocks and processing prowess  ask @purk , he now own both modified docks uniquely by himself LoL





 

 
Clocks....


----------



## bvng3540

Redcarmoose said:


> Clocks....


Great PORTABLE setup you got there


----------



## bflat (Aug 17, 2018)

I plan to use the my iFi iGalvanic plus iDefender and LPS once USB DAC feature is unleashed. I am just getting the simple mechanical cradle since I couldn't find a smartphone stand that is going to work.

BTW, I got a tempered glass protector:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079JPK1L6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I am probably the worse person in the world when installing screen protectors. This one is very simple to do and I nailed it on the first try. I comes with 2 screens in case you screw up the first time.


----------



## proedros

sne4me said:


> Actually when the DAC function is enabled, this cable WMC-NWH10 is the recommended cable adapter. Sony stores in Japan actually market this as the most High-Res option (When connecting to audiophile USB) to passing signal out to an AMP, and so it will work the same in reverse for DAC function.



thanx for the answer - so if i want to listen to music stored in my laptop but using the wm1a DAC i just need this cable , nothing else correct ?

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH...34526369&ref=mp_s_a_1_1&tag=3340693-headfi-20

isn't it too short to use ? or do i also use the given sony usb cableincluded in the wm1a pack (to charge/transfer music) ?

i am a noob here so bear with me

cheers


----------



## buzzlulu

So the above mentioned cable can also be used with an iPhone to stream Tidal? (obviously with the Apple CCK cable)


----------



## bvng3540

buzzlulu said:


> So the above mentioned cable can also be used with an iPhone to stream Tidal? (obviously with the Apple CCK cable)


Yes


----------



## sne4me (Aug 18, 2018)

proedros said:


> thanx for the answer - so if i want to listen to music stored in my laptop but using the wm1a DAC i just need this cable , nothing else correct ?
> https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output


This is just a high resolution adapter (contains high resolution passing microchips); from the NW-WM1A/Z Connector to a USB Type-A Female.

You would also need a USB Type-A Male to whatever you are trying to plug into. If you are trying to use a cellphone, it would most likely be a Thunderbolt USB 3.1 Type-C, or a USB Micro, or a Apple Lightning Connector. For a computer, probably a USB Type-C or a USB Type-A. The idea would be to pair it with a nice sounding (audiophile) USB, there are many options so I recommend you experiment with cables you own or can borrow first.

So please think ahead how you might use it!


----------



## ezekiel77

I've just received the FiiO BTR3 Bluetooth receiver, and curiously, this is the maximum distance allowed between the two before the signal goes bad and the sound distorts.

 

Pairing with NFC is quick, and the sound quality is good so long as this comical distance is maintained. I've tried the BTR3 with my phone and the signal only drops after the phone is a few feet away from the BTR3.

Admittedly, this is the first time I've tested the Bluetooth function of my 1A in a year plus of ownership. I have a pair of Bluetooth earphones I can try with the 1A later on. But for now, does anyone with the BTR3 have the same problem? I've tried restarting the 1A, unpairing and re-pairing, and also fully charging the BTR3 but the results were similar.


----------



## superuser1

ezekiel77 said:


> I've just received the FiiO BTR3 Bluetooth receiver, and curiously, this is the maximum distance allowed between the two before the signal goes bad and the sound distorts.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


So does Fiio strike again?


----------



## Donamo

Hey, this might be the wrong place to ask this but I have a zx300(it's like the younger brother of the 2 badass 1A/1Z) and would like to pair it with an open back headphone. Will be listening 80% orchestra with that headphone. Any recommendations?

Or would you recommend me also getting a AMP to complement with the open back headphone.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 18, 2018)




----------



## buzzlulu

sne4me said:


> This is just a high resolution adapter (contains high resolution passing microchips); from the NW-WM1A/Z Connector to a USB Type-A Female.
> 
> You would also need a USB Type-A Male to whatever you are trying to plug into. If you are trying to use a cellphone, it would most likely be a Thunderbolt USB 3.1 Type-C, or a USB Micro, or a Apple Lightning Connector.



I think a USB/A > Lightning will not work with an iPhone.  The Apple CCK should be required to take a digital signal out of the iPhone first.  Then a USB/A / Lightning cable between the Sony cable and CCK.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 18, 2018)

Donamo said:


> Hey, this might be the wrong place to ask this but I have a zx300(it's like the younger brother of the 2 badass 1A/1Z) and would like to pair it with an open back headphone. Will be listening 80% orchestra with that headphone. Any recommendations?
> 
> Or would you recommend me also getting a AMP to complement with the open back headphone.


Getting the amp depends if your headphones are power hungry. But in general balanced should do the trick with no amp


----------



## sne4me

buzzlulu said:


> I think a USB/A > Lightning will not work with an iPhone.  The Apple CCK should be required to take a digital signal out of the iPhone first.  Then a USB/A / Lightning cable between the Sony cable and CCK.



Ah, that wouldnt surprise me actually. If true its certainly a strong reason to ditch the spy phone.



ezekiel77 said:


> I've just received the FiiO BTR3 Bluetooth receiver, and curiously, this is the maximum distance allowed between the two before the signal goes bad and the sound distorts.
> 
> Pairing with NFC is quick, and the sound quality is good so long as this comical distance is maintained. I've tried the BTR3 with my phone and the signal only drops after the phone is a few feet away from the BTR3.
> 
> Admittedly, this is the first time I've tested the Bluetooth function of my 1A in a year plus of ownership. I have a pair of Bluetooth earphones I can try with the 1A later on. But for now, does anyone with the BTR3 have the same problem? I've tried restarting the 1A, unpairing and re-pairing, and also fully charging the BTR3 but the results were similar.



Which bluetooth configuration are you using? The NW-WM1A/Z has different broadcast options intended to improve transmission quality


----------



## ezekiel77

sne4me said:


> Which bluetooth configuration are you using? The NW-WM1A/Z has different broadcast options intended to improve transmission quality



Ah it seems I was using LDAC connection preferred. They suggested SBC connection preferred if sound was breaking up... I'll give it a go later and report back. Thanks!


----------



## buzzlulu

sne4me said:


> Ah, that wouldnt surprise me actually. If true its certainly a strong reason to ditch the spy phone.




I think when you talk about Android, Google, Amazon Echo, Facebook and then Apple you will find that Apple has the best non tracking non spying record of the entire bunch


----------



## proedros

Gosod said:


> I would be interested to hear how the ape will play on the Sony.



wm1a plays ape files just fine on the latest 2.00 FW


----------



## NaiveSound

When the 1a/1z is new, how many times do you have to drain the battery to 0 and charge to 100?

Just want to get the best battery out of this thing, gonna have it for years!!


----------



## bvng3540

NaiveSound said:


> When the 1a/1z is new, how many times do you have to drain the battery to 0 and charge to 100?
> 
> Just want to get the best battery out of this thing, gonna have it for years!!


To prolong your battery life, expert suggests that not to drain your battery and also not to fully charged it, charged when it hit 15% and charged it up to 90% or turn on your battery option on your 1z


----------



## NaiveSound

bvng3540 said:


> To prolong your battery life, expert suggests that not to drain your battery and also not to fully charged it, charged when it hit 15% and charged it up to 90% or turn on your battery option on your 1z



But when it's new, you are supposed to drop to 0 and to 100 the first few times right?


----------



## bvng3540

NaiveSound said:


> But when it's new, you are supposed to drop to 0 and to 100 the first few times right?


Yes but your not new since you bought it used from your friend


----------



## NaiveSound

bvng3540 said:


> Yes but your not new since you bought it used from your friend


True, but this guy didn't take care of his things, so this player probably never got that treatment 

So how many discharges from 100 to 0 and charges of 0 to 100 do I need to do?


----------



## bflat

NaiveSound said:


> True, but this guy didn't take care of his things, so this player probably never got that treatment
> 
> So how many discharges from 100 to 0 and charges of 0 to 100 do I need to do?



Only do it once for calibration if you want more accurate battery life indicator. Otherwise never let your LiON battery run down to zero or past 90% if you want the battery to last as long as possible with minimum degradation.


----------



## NaiveSound

I wish it had a procent indicator


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> I wish it had a procent indicator


I see the battery icon as a "five state" indicator 4 bars plus "flashing" bar so 100% / 5 = 20% each state 
4 bars showing =between 100 and 80%
3 bars showing between 80% - 60%
2 bars showing between 60-40%
1 bar showing between 40-20%
and last bar flashing between 20-0%


----------



## NaiveSound

When using wm1a/1z.if I charge it while playing does it bypass the battery? Or does it still drain battery?? 
I want to burn it in to 200 hrs but I don't want to just make the battery charge/discharge that many times. So I wonder if I keep it plugged in, if that's better for the battery life


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> When using wm1a/1z.if I charge it while playing does it bypass the battery? Or does it still drain battery??
> I want to burn it in to 200 hrs but I don't want to just make the battery charge/discharge that many times. So I wonder if I keep it plugged in, if that's better for the battery life



Just listen to it for the first 200 hours and enjoy all of life!


----------



## Mindstorms

And get autum firm upgrade?


----------



## bflat

NaiveSound said:


> When using wm1a/1z.if I charge it while playing does it bypass the battery? Or does it still drain battery??
> I want to burn it in to 200 hrs but I don't want to just make the battery charge/discharge that many times. So I wonder if I keep it plugged in, if that's better for the battery life



Just enable the battery feature that keeps max charge at 90%. That way you don't have to worry about charge/discharge cycles.


----------



## endlesswaves

Redcarmoose said:


> Just listen to it for the first 200 hours and enjoy all of life!



Agree. 

1. Every Electronic components have a MTBF = Mean Time Before Failure. They won't lasts forever and I am going to enjoy every minute of it as long as it lasts, unless Sony comes out with something revolutionary.

2. My WM1A was good from the 1st hour and I hear some improvements at 50 hours. Still hearing incremental improvements here and there at 400 hours. Discovering new things from the same song from below 50 hours and at 400+ hours. It's like watching a baby grows up and slowly learning to walk and run. Listening from 0 hours onward and never left it burning by itself makes me love and appreciate my WM1A more and more.


----------



## Mindstorms

Im on 289? you think it will keep changing?


----------



## fiascogarcia

NaiveSound said:


> When using wm1a/1z.if I charge it while playing does it bypass the battery? Or does it still drain battery??
> I want to burn it in to 200 hrs but I don't want to just make the battery charge/discharge that many times. So I wonder if I keep it plugged in, if that's better for the battery life





Redcarmoose said:


> Just listen to it for the first 200 hours and enjoy all of life!


I agree.  Listen to it while it's burning in!  It sounds great from hour 1, so enjoy it even during the burn in phase.  I've never kept the charger on while playing it, and I don't think the charging process bypasses the battery, so I've charged it up, played it until it needs recharging, and charged it up again.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 18, 2018)

fiascogarcia said:


> I agree.  Listen to it while it's burning in!  It sounds great from hour 1, so enjoy it even during the burn in phase.  I've never kept the charger on while playing it, and I don't think the charging process bypasses the battery, so I've charged it up, played it until it needs recharging, and charged it up again.



About 10 years ago I had a new amp go a little sideways while in the unattended burn-in process. It was sent back for an inspection and all is well. But since then I only burn in headphones unattended. My attitude is, enjoy the music all the way.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 19, 2018)

endlesswaves said:


> Agree.
> 
> 1. Every Electronic components have a MTBF = Mean Time Before Failure. They won't lasts forever and I am going to enjoy every minute of it as long as it lasts, unless Sony comes out with something revolutionary.
> 
> 2. My WM1A was good from the 1st hour and I hear some improvements at 50 hours. Still hearing incremental improvements here and there at 400 hours. Discovering new things from the same song from below 50 hours and at 400+ hours. It's like watching a baby grows up and slowly learning to walk and run. Listening from 0 hours onward and never left it burning by itself makes me love and appreciate my WM1A more and more.



It’s really difficult to address but has become a subject of very little discussion over the years; the fact that all electronics will fail someday.
Of course there are the long lasters, like the fridge that’s been running non-stop in your grandparents garage. But we really should address the facts about finite lifespan; if anything it can add appreciation.


----------



## bflat

It will be a rare Head-fi member who does not upgrade their electronics before MTBF is exceeded. DAPs especially have a very long way to go before technology reaches its' limit similar to smartphones.


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> It will be a rare Head-fi member who does not upgrade their electronics before MTBF is exceeded. DAPs especially have a very long way to go before technology reaches its' limit similar to smartphones.



I would be surprised if anyone who purchased the such of DMP-Z1 to upgrade that early


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> I would be surprised if anyone who purchased the such of DMP-Z1 to upgrade that early



Why, because they shot their expense wad?


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Why, because they shot their expense wad?


Because there is nothing like DMP-Z1 in the market .  First of it kind and prices.  I am eager to see the new market for the so called *Carriable device*


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Because there is nothing like DMP-Z1 in the market .  First of it kind and prices.  I am eager to see the new market for the so called *Carriable device*


Asian (Japan/China) business personal take it to work and put it on their desk. Those CEO audiophiles are the target sector. They will buy it due to the (good-luck) prestigious gold hardware. It’s not all bad. If I had skills I could hand make a DC power supply for my TA amp. Though I don’t have any skills like that, so instead of hurting myself, I don’t.


----------



## Whitigir

Interesting idea to make a battery supply for your TA


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 19, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> Interesting idea to make a battery supply for your TA


Something, maybe a regenerator?

I just don’t like the idea of big batteries in my bedroom. Seen lots of battery  mishaps in my career.


----------



## proedros

how much does Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP cost ? and would it be a good match for wm1a ? is it worth getting as an wm1a sidekick/upgrade ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 19, 2018)

proedros said:


> how much does Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP cost ? and would it be a good match for wm1a ? is it worth getting as an wm1a sidekick/upgrade ?



The TA is about $2200 USD but people find them for a little less. Honestly the 1A is the perfect match and has the ability of making the TA sound better than USB computer connections. Though I haven’t experienced the Sony Hi Res software where folks play DSDs off their computers? So I don’t know how that sounds.

The test for me was listening to 16 bit 44.1 MHz files played off a Redbook CD off my reference transport, then switching to the 1A.

The 1A was so much better. I was using the Sony dongle with an HP stationary store USB cable.

And when I say better, the sound was of a darker background, had better dynamics, better image placement and stabilization. Everything was more in focus and clear. But most of all it was the sound I have always been after. It seemed to have less grain than the computer too, though that could have been pure placebo?

The TA for what ever reason never gained that much popularity at Head-Fi? I can’t answer why? But it’s hands down one of the best audio systems you can put with the 1A for the money in my book. It’s both smooth and detailed. It’s easy to use and runs cool. It’s build quality is like art, and looks sexy as heck. I’m so done looking for anything else, it’s all I need. But it may be a little too smooth or too warm for some? It has an analog sound to it. I’ve always been from that camp so it’s fine.

The 3.5mm balanced X2, 4.4mm balanced, single ended 1/4” and 3.5mm and 4pin balanced let you use pretty much anything.

It sounds absolutely amazing, that’s the bottom line! It takes it all not to the next level, but about 6 levels above.

It will improve the sound of any headphone too, in comparison to using only the 1A. Bigger sound, bigger headstage, more bass, more focused treble details. Just better all around.

It can be used as a passive pre or a line out. Accepts optical SPDIF as well as RCA, and usb. Has analog inputs to add a phono stage or whatever.

And that’s what’s crazy...not only is it one of the worlds best headphone amps. It’s made for the 1A/1Z and the Z1R and it can become the central hub of a power amp speaker system. All this at once. You can add powered speakers or match it to a giant monoblock X2 and it’s a world class pre/DAC. Some like it better than the Chord Dave?

For it’s potential and what you can do, it’s a bargain.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Something, maybe a regenerator?
> 
> I just don’t like the idea of big batteries in my bedroom. Seen lots of battery  mishaps in my career.



Are you saying DMP-Z1 can burn up anytime ? 

Joking, but I agree about batteries mishaps.  Cheap battery packs with they BMS shot is a disaster.  But battery with good BMS is another story.  Though the newest battery technology has allow AC output portable packs

You can check out different battery packs and AC inverter here


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 19, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> Are you saying DMP-Z1 can burn up anytime ?
> 
> Joking, but I agree about batteries mishaps.  Cheap battery packs with they BMS shot is a disaster.  But battery with good BMS is another story.  Though the newest battery technology has allow AC output portable packs
> 
> You can check out different battery packs and AC inverter here



I know people do it, and maintenance free sealed batteries have been around a while. If anything battery technology has gone crazy the last 15 years. I just would never have the size of battery to run the TA in my bedroom, never. I have seen too much. Lol

But yes, if the DMP-Z1 has something cross up some connections that device has all the potential of a vape pen!


----------



## Whitigir

People love it enough to sit in a car filled up with battery my friend (Tesla) ....that is another joke.  But to people who thinks battery is safe and safe...that is naive.  Hell, even Toroid transformer and Linear power supply, class A amps, they get scary when they start the magic smoke


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 19, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> People love it enough to sit in a car filled up with battery my friend (Tesla) ....that is another joke.  But to people who thinks battery is safe and safe...that is naive.  Hell, even Toroid transformer and Linear power supply, class A amps, they get scary when they start the magic smoke



I have many stories of the white smoke before the storm, but here is not the place. Funny thing is there are 1000X more batteries around than 1974.

But again:
“
But yes, if the DMP-Z1 has something cross up some connections that device has all the potential of a vape pen!”


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> Asian (Japan/China) business personal take it to work and put it on their desk. Those CEO audiophiles are the target sector. They will buy it due to the (good-luck) prestigious gold hardware. It’s not all bad. If I had skills I could hand make a DC power supply for my TA amp. Though I don’t have any skills like that, so instead of hurting myself, I don’t.








You should make the battery pack about the same size and weight then add a harness that will run the power cable round the back.
Add a small cloak and you could look like this.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> You should make the battery pack about the same size and weight then add a harness that will run the power cable round the back.
> Add a small cloak and you could look like this.


Hoping they don't confuse you with a suicide bomber at the Airport security


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> You should make the battery pack about the same size and weight then add a harness that will run the power cable round the back.
> Add a small cloak and you could look like this.







Notice the balanced IEM: one piece in each hand. You'd have to miniaturise them, of course. LOL!


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hoping they don't confuse you with a suicide bomber at the Airport security


There is no confusion, battery is definitely Bomb


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hoping they don't confuse you with a suicide bomber at the Airport security


I've had my WM1A pulled from my bags at the airport. They didn't understand what a DAP was, nor MP3 player. But they got "Walkman".


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> There is no confusion, battery is definitely Bomb


Only if it's >10,000mAh


----------



## Whitigir

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I've had my WM1A pulled from my bags at the airport. They didn't understand what a DAP was, nor MP3 player. But they got "Walkman".


Walkman is just the man that is still walking .  Anyways, who wouldn’t know what a Walkman is ? Lol


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 19, 2018)

“Phelps please pass over the Sony DMP-Z1, Casandra here has had way too much bubbly.......and I just can’t seem to shut her up.”


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> “Phelps please pass over the Sony DMP-Z1, Casandra here has had way too much bubbly.......and I just can’t shut her up.”








"Certainly. You'll be needing the Z1R as well. I told you so."


----------



## bflat

....and to think that a couple decades ago, people thought the idea of a 100 CD changer/player was cool.


----------



## Whitigir

Nah, juke box is still the best IMO


----------



## purk

bflat said:


> ....and to think that a couple decades ago, people thought the idea of a 100 CD changer/player was cool.



I love those "300-Disc Mega Changers".  I owned the Sony SCD-C555ES twice and mine had SACDmods treatment.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

bflat said:


> ....and to think that a couple decades ago, people thought the idea of a 100 CD changer/player was cool.


Wait, they weren't cool?
My life is a lie!


----------



## bflat

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Wait, they weren't cool?
> My life is a lie!



Got to admit though, house guests were pretty entertained watching the CDs getting shuffled around. Things were so much simpler back in the day.


----------



## NaiveSound

bflat said:


> Got to admit though, house guests were pretty entertained watching the CDs getting shuffled around. Things were so much simpler back in the day.


I enjoy the simpler times, but that's what every generation have said. I think it's just our own mind.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

bflat said:


> Got to admit though, house guests were pretty entertained watching the CDs getting shuffled around. Things were so much simpler back in the day.


Never mind the guests. I liked watching the carousel myself!


----------



## fiascogarcia

purk said:


> I love those "300-Disc Mega Changers".  I owned the Sony SCD-C555ES twice and mine had SACDmods treatment.





Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Wait, they weren't cool?
> My life is a lie!


Can't believe I gave mine away!  It was a real bitch unloading all the CD's at the end.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

fiascogarcia said:


> Can't believe I gave mine away!  It was a real bitch unloading all the CD's at the end.


Yeah, I used to be bloody anal with the jewel cases. I eventually gave up and migrated to albums but even those sucked.
Eventually used individual soft plastic sleeves from Case Logic in a wooden carton sized for jewel cases. This saved a ton of space and made it v easy to access. And the whole carton could be put in a cupboard to be kept dust free.


----------



## Redcarmoose

fiascogarcia said:


> Can't believe I gave mine away!  It was a real bitch unloading all the CD's at the end.



You gave yours away after hand writing the album names on all 300 slots?


----------



## fiascogarcia

Redcarmoose said:


> You gave yours away after hand writing the album names on all 300 slots?


Nah, I embraced the concept of random access after loading about the first 100.  Dutifully burned all my cd's to my laptop and never touched my cd's again!


----------



## proedros

Redcarmoose said:


> The TA is about $2200 USD but people find them for a little less. Honestly the 1A is the perfect match and has the ability of making the TA sound better than USB computer connections. Though I haven’t experienced the Sony Hi Res software where folks play DSDs off their computers? So I don’t know how that sounds.
> 
> The test for me was listening to 16 bit 44.1 MHz files played off a Redbook CD off my reference transport, then switching to the 1A.
> 
> ...



i am sold. now if i could only find somewhere in the house 2000$......


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Yeah, I used to be bloody anal with the jewel cases. I eventually gave up and migrated to albums but even those sucked.
> Eventually used individual soft plastic sleeves from Case Logic in a wooden carton sized for jewel cases. This saved a ton of space and made it v easy to access. And the whole carton could be put in a cupboard to be kept dust free.
> 
> ​


This stack of CDs now in a single microSD card , how tech has evolved at giant leap pace


----------



## fiascogarcia

gerelmx1986 said:


> This stack of CDs now in a single microSD card , how tech has evolved at giant leap pace


Now here's some hi tech.  8 track carousel player.  I want one!


----------



## Jonathan Lerner

How good is the wm1a at driving full sized cans through balanced


----------



## nc8000

Jonathan Lerner said:


> How good is the wm1a at driving full sized cans through balanced



It will drive most but not all at least quite well and many very well


----------



## Jonathan Lerner

Thankyou


----------



## Quadfather

Jonathan Lerner said:


> How good is the wm1a at driving full sized cans through balanced



I really like my Shure SRH1540 headphones out of the balanced output.


----------



## captblaze (Aug 19, 2018)

Jonathan Lerner said:


> How good is the wm1a at driving full sized cans through balanced



Sennheiser HD800S through balanced work well, HD700 not so much

My planars - HE400i and Audeze Sine need almost full throttle in balanced, and don't really do it for me

update - I listen primarily to jazz, fusion, r&b, rock and classical although there isn't much that I avoid (I'm talking to you hip hop / rap)


----------



## cpetrillo

Jonathan Lerner said:


> How good is the wm1a at driving full sized cans through balanced



I have a pair of V1 Th900 that have been recabled with Silver Dragon cable and they sound really good from the balanced output of my 1A. The Z1R are also very good.


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> It will drive most but not all at least quite well and many very well


The 1z..is it stronger in power in this aspect?


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> i am sold. now if i could only find somewhere in the house 2000$......



Well that’s the thing..........the imagination is always bigger than the billfold. Someone found a used one once for $1500 around here.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 19, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Well that’s the thing..........the imagination is always bigger than the billfold. Someone found a used one once for $1500 around here.


It is me, but it wasn't a "Tazzy" it is a pair of Z1R's with nice cable bundles , a 3.5mm TRRS terminated cable, the normal 3.5mm stereo mini and a 4.4mm to XLR (which I inted to use on my friends Fischer audio stack analougue BALANCED IN), I already have a 4.4mm Z1R cable from long a go


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> The 1z..is it stronger in power in this aspect?



It’s not......both the 1A/1Z power full size headphones to the same extent, though their inherent personalities go better with some headphones. Like I thought the 1A was better with the Z1R. 

Also it should be noted Sony puts the DAPs with full size headphones in their PR material, though engineering has said they were never designed for such use. 

It’s nice because the music gets loud, but never are the full-size taken to potential.


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> It is me, but it wasn't a "Tazzy" it is a pair of Z1R's with nice cable bundles , a 3.5mm TRRS terminated cable, the normal 3.5mm stereo mini and a 4.4mm to XLR (which I inted to use on my friends Fischer audio stack analougue BALANCED IN), I already have a 4.4mm Z1R cable from long a go



That was not what I was referring too.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Well that’s the thing..........the imagination is always bigger than the billfold. Someone found a used one once for $1500 around here.


TA-ZH1ES can definitely be found by $1,500 or so...used


----------



## sne4me

buzzlulu said:


> I think when you talk about Android, Google, Amazon Echo, Facebook and then Apple you will find that Apple has the best non tracking non spying record of the entire bunch



Edward Snowden disagrees.


----------



## EdibleMind_X

Hi guys. I wanted to explore more potentials of my 1a. So I was thinking to use it as pure dac/amp sourced from my iPhone. Is this kind of setup legit? I guess iPhones only have audio out, so 1a could only act as an amp in this case, am I right?


----------



## nc8000

EdibleMind_X said:


> Hi guys. I wanted to explore more potentials of my 1a. So I was thinking to use it as pure dac/amp sourced from my iPhone. Is this kind of setup legit? I guess iPhones only have audio out, so 1a could only act as an amp in this case, am I right?



When the new FW gets released you will be able (at least we assume so) your iPhone to the WM and use the WM as dac/amp. At the moment you cant, not even as amp as the WM dont have analog in


----------



## bvng3540

nc8000 said:


> When the new FW gets released you will be able (at least we assume so) your iPhone to the WM and use the WM as dac/amp. At the moment you cant, not even as amp as the WM dont have analog in


The regular wm port dont, but the one with chip in it can


----------



## EdibleMind_X

nc8000 said:


> When the new FW gets released you will be able (at least we assume so) your iPhone to the WM and use the WM as dac/amp. At the moment you cant, not even as amp as the WM dont have analog in


All right. It’s good to know. Thanks a lot!


----------



## proedros

i am gonna demo the WM1Z tomorrow , finaly there is a demo in my SONY store

i am very afraid of what i will hear , the upgraditis voices will awaken ????


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 21, 2018)

proedros said:


> i am gonna demo the WM1Z tomorrow , finaly there is a demo in my SONY store
> 
> i am very afraid of what i will hear , the upgraditis voices will awaken ????


You only have one life to live, and so much time to listen before your ears degrade into deafness (all by itself due to aging).  So....

1/ is this your passionated hobby ?

2/ can you pocket it ?


----------



## fiascogarcia

proedros said:


> i am gonna demo the WM1Z tomorrow , finaly there is a demo in my SONY store
> 
> i am very afraid of what i will hear , the upgraditis voices will awaken ????


Oh yeah.  To me the 1Z is quite the aural, visual, and tactile pleasure!


----------



## Bosk

proedros said:


> i am gonna demo the WM1Z tomorrow , finaly there is a demo in my SONY store
> 
> i am very afraid of what i will hear , the upgraditis voices will awaken ????


Have you owned any AK DAPs proedros? If you love the Zeus then I'd assume detail and resolution are two of your priorities which the new AK SE100 reputedly has in spades, and is a fair bit cheaper than the WM1Z. Of course you may prefer Sony DAPs for the extra battery life.

One thing I didn't like about owning the WM1A is the interface and scrolling in particular was noticeably more sluggish even with the latest firmware than my AK380, which is itself slightly more sluggish than my newer AK70MKII, and it too is less snappy than the newest SP1000 and SE100. Not everyone is terribly fussed about player responsiveness but the micro-stuttering is one of those little things that can irk you if you use your player every day.


----------



## Dtuck90

I decided to buy the WM1A this morning from Amazon UK. 

I wasn’t planning on buying one any time soon but I’ve got a feeling it’s about to be discontinued in the UK at least. Amazon only have 4 left in stock, Sony’s website list it as unavailable and other store online say it is discontinued. 

Hopefully it will be a good upgrade from my PonoPlayer which was my first foray into hi res. 

Now I’ve just got to try and justify it to my girlfriend


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> When the new FW gets released you will be able (at least we assume so) your iPhone to the WM and use the WM as dac/amp. At the moment you cant, not even as amp as the WM dont have analog in


Why do you say we?


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> Why do you say we?



Because the feature does not exist yet so nobody knows what will actually be possible, it’s just guesses and assumptions based on what is possible with ZX300 and other similar devices


----------



## Mindstorms

oh i thought it was the royal we... sorry


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> oh i thought it was the royal we... sorry





No it was we as in the head-fi community


----------



## Mindstorms

Oh right! you are the comunity voice, the representative elected I forgot sorry... haha


----------



## iridium7777

can someone confirm what's the best way to use WM1A as a source into an amp/receiver on a home stereo?  is it advisable to put it simply into the direct mode on the EQ setting and that's it?

I'm coming from KANN and that player has specific out ports which bypass the amp and automatically sets volume to max.  I was reading on here that WM1A somehow doesn't have an amp in a traditional sense and thus doesn't require a separate out port - is that correct?  if so, what volume do i turn the wm1a to before the amp?

thanks


----------



## Mindstorms

it does not have a line out, i think you need a cable to output 0 and 1 to a sony amplifier but thats it someone may have it clearer...


----------



## captblaze

Dtuck90 said:


> I decided to buy the WM1A this morning from Amazon UK.
> 
> Now I’ve just got to try and justify it to my girlfriend



Send your girl and her mom on a Spa day... works like a charm for me


----------



## nc8000

iridium7777 said:


> can someone confirm what's the best way to use WM1A as a source into an amp/receiver on a home stereo?  is it advisable to put it simply into the direct mode on the EQ setting and that's it?
> 
> I'm coming from KANN and that player has specific out ports which bypass the amp and automatically sets volume to max.  I was reading on here that WM1A somehow doesn't have an amp in a traditional sense and thus doesn't require a separate out port - is that correct?  if so, what volume do i turn the wm1a to before the amp?
> 
> thanks



The WM players don’t have a dedicated line out so you will either use one of the headphone out and then be double amping og use the WM port with the correct cable to an external dac. Normally when using a headphone out you would set the volume to max on the WM but try it and use what you find sound the best


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> Oh right! you are the comunity voice, the representative elected I forgot sorry... haha



Very funny ......


----------



## Mindstorms (Aug 21, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Very funny ......


it actually is when a retard start taking a word you say and attacks you.. no reason why... (specially when you are a newcomer to a friendly comunity) you should be laughing... a lot... cheer up! friend


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 21, 2018)




----------



## NaiveSound

Omg... AT 55 hrs now and it really has smoothed out over 30 hrs.  The 1z is amazing  
I'm so happy it's getting dac usb so I can stream to it. My god. I'm done for some years!! Lol I hope the wm1a/1z don't get upgraded for a while hahah


----------



## hamhamhamsta

NaiveSound said:


> Omg... AT 55 hrs now and it really has smoothed out over 30 hrs.  The 1z is amazing
> I'm so happy it's getting dac usb so I can stream to it. My god. I'm done for some years!! Lol I hope the wm1a/1z don't get upgraded for a while hahah


Lol!! It took you so long to see the Light


----------



## Redcarmoose

hamhamhamsta said:


> Lol!! It took you so long to see the Light


----------



## proedros

just when Naive started praising WM1Z , a demo finally lands in my town - is this a sign from the 'wallet-bleeding' gods  ?

hey @NaiveSound here is some more excellent 2000 prog - I have been in an irritating insomnia cycle last 2-3 weeks but i find that this music is awesome when you are sleep deprived , check it out


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 22, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


>



Forget Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet, that my friend is artwork!


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I see the walkmans has improved your photo skills. Maybe a reason to get the 1Z. 





Redcarmoose said:


>


----------



## Dtuck90

received my WM1A today. I love it straight away. Decided to put Ryan Adams - Love is Hell 24/96 on first as its an album I know inside out and being able to pinpoint different instruments playing the same parts was so easy and something I hadn't noticed on my Pono. Can't wait to burn this in.


----------



## Magnepan Man

35 hours in on the balanced side.  I’m hearing a slight increase in micro detail, and instruments in the soundstage are starting to sound  more delineated. Bass is getting cleaner and more controlled less wooly.   Could still use a light increase in air and resolution, but time will tell. Sound is excellent.  “Please sir, can I have some more?”


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 22, 2018)

Dtuck90 said:


> received my WM1A today. I love it straight away. Decided to put Ryan Adams - Love is Hell 24/96 on first as its an album I know inside out and being able to pinpoint different instruments playing the same parts was so easy and something I hadn't noticed on my Pono. Can't wait to burn this in.



You will love it! I have one and I'm saving up for the NW - WM1Z.  I was thinking about the Cayin N8,  which is just coming out...but it seems a little too experimental for that kind of purchase price. The battery life isn't quite as good, actually it's nowhere near as good.   I currently have 600 hours on my Sony NW - WM1A.


----------



## blazinblazin

Rocking these on WM1A


----------



## auronthas

I have multiple 2.5mm balanced MCMX cables, I am not plan to change to 4.4mm at the moment.  

Is 4.4mm to 2.5mm TRRRS adaptor workable, will it affect sound quality?


----------



## Whitigir

auronthas said:


> I have multiple 2.5mm balanced MCMX cables, I am not plan to change to 4.4mm at the moment.
> 
> _Is 4.4mm to 2.5mm TRRRS adaptor workable, will it affect sound quality_?



It should be fine, and they are on Amazon.  Will it affect quality ? Yes, but majority of the people won’t be able to tell.  However to get the best out of your gears, do direct 4.4mm instead


----------



## ezekiel77

auronthas said:


> I have multiple 2.5mm balanced MCMX cables, I am not plan to change to 4.4mm at the moment.
> 
> Is 4.4mm to 2.5mm TRRRS adaptor workable, will it affect sound quality?


I was like you about a year ago. Now all my cables have been re-terminated to 4.4mm.

But yeah Effect Audio and PW Audio should have the adapter you mentioned.


----------



## auronthas

Whitigir said:


> It should be fine, and they are on Amazon.  Will it affect quality ? Yes, but majority of the people won’t be able to tell.  However to get the best out of your gears, do direct 4.4mm instead






ezekiel77 said:


> I was like you about a year ago. Now all my cables have been re-terminated to 4.4mm.
> 
> But yeah Effect Audio and PW Audio should have the adapter you mentioned.



Many thanks guys. Will gradually upgrade the audiogears


----------



## Lemieux66

Anyone else had the issue where albums you've already transferred and played on the 1A magically disappear from the SD card?

Noticed today that an album I played yesterday - Good Stuff by Eric Bibb - is now not on the player. I rememebr once a Neil Young album got erased from my 1A and my laptop when I connected them together.


----------



## sne4me

I am so excited to get FW 3.0!!

Cant wait for bluetooth audio passthrough so I can use my WM as an audio output for my notebook!!


----------



## bana

Team,
I'm still using Media Go to manage my music which I believe is no longer supported by Sony and was wondering if there is a consensus of the next best software recommended here?
I'll take your opinions on what's best.


----------



## nc8000

bana said:


> Team,
> I'm still using Media Go to manage my music which I believe is no longer supported by Sony and was wondering if there is a consensus of the next best software recommended here?
> I'll take your opinions on what's best.



Windows File Explorer drag and drop


----------



## gerelmx1986

bana said:


> Team,
> I'm still using Media Go to manage my music which I believe is no longer supported by Sony and was wondering if there is a consensus of the next best software recommended here?
> I'll take your opinions on what's best.


Musicbee


----------



## Mindstorms

bana said:


> Team,
> I'm still using Media Go to manage my music which I believe is no longer supported by Sony and was wondering if there is a consensus of the next best software recommended here?
> I'll take your opinions on what's best.


why you use this? its better windows/Mac File Explorer as other have mentioned, also if you need a good tagging mp3 I can recommend you music Brainz Picard also I think sony media go changed its name to a diferent program suported by sony... correct me if im wrong...


----------



## bana

Midnstorms said:


> why you use this? its better windows/Mac File Explorer as other have mentioned, also if you need a good tagging mp3 I can recommend you music Brainz Picard also I think sony media go changed its name to a diferent program suported by sony... correct me if im wrong...



I will check out Musicbee. What about Jriver, footbar? Any users here?


----------



## gerelmx1986

bana said:


> I will check out Musicbee. What about Jriver, footbar? Any users here?


Musicbee is customizable as hell, you can even customize transfer folder structures


----------



## fiascogarcia

gerelmx1986 said:


> Musicbee is customizable as hell, you can even customize transfer folder structures


Checking it out!  What's the difference between Installer Edition and Windows Store Edition?  Thanks!


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Those cables seem a bit cheap but for the price may be worth it?





Whitigir said:


> It should be fine, and they are on Amazon.  Will it affect quality ? Yes, but majority of the people won’t be able to tell.  However to get the best out of your gears, do direct 4.4mm instead


----------



## gerelmx1986

fiascogarcia said:


> Checking it out!  What's the difference between Installer Edition and Windows Store Edition?  Thanks!


The installer is the .exe, i haven't tried the windows store edition


----------



## animalsrush

bana said:


> Team,
> I'm still using Media Go to manage my music which I believe is no longer supported by Sony and was wondering if there is a consensus of the next best software recommended here?
> I'll take your opinions on what's best.



Drag and drop on Mac.. burn files via xld using redbook cd so ID tagged properly.


----------



## animalsrush

Noob battery optimization question.. I checked the battery saver option on WM1Z . This technically charges device only 90%. But how is this different from charging your device when it is at 10% and charge full 100%.  The best practice is never let your device drain completely.. so in essence if you have some juice left you are never charging device 100%.. any thoughts

PC


----------



## bflat

animalsrush said:


> Noob battery optimization question.. I checked the battery saver option on WM1Z . This technically charges device only 90%. But how is this different from charging your device when it is at 10% and charge full 100%.  The best practice is never let your device drain completely.. so in essence if you have some juice left you are never charging device 100%.. any thoughts
> 
> PC



You don’t want to keep you battery at 100% charged either for battery health.


----------



## animalsrush

Ahh.. makes sense.. the idea never charge or deplete full. Thanks


----------



## auronthas (Aug 24, 2018)

I will join this club ... my WM1A will be arriving soon...


----------



## captblaze (Aug 24, 2018)

auronthas said:


> I will join this club ... my WM1A will be arriving soon...



Congratulations on your membership, now get a good nights sleep... you will be busy tomorrow and a whole lot of days in the future enjoying your new acquisition


----------



## auronthas

captblaze said:


> Congratulations on your membership, now get a good nights sleep... you will be busy tomorrow and a whole lot of days in the future enjoying your new acquisition


Thanks mate ! Hope it will be a long weekend to test lmao.

Just curious captblaze , your inventory are without Sony ?


----------



## ejong7

Hey guys. Just checked my local Jaben store (Malaysia) and they're having a sale in lieu with our upcoming National Day and impending end of our tax holiday through the introduction of SST (WELP!). 

Both the WM1A and WM1Z are on discount so check them out if you were already previously eyeing on one!. Apparently it's only for this week so everyone (more like myself) have the weekend to consider it.

Decisions. decisions.


----------



## proedros

i see both wm1a and wm1z being *20% off *at the Jaben site


----------



## auronthas

ejong7 said:


> Both the WM1A and WM1Z are on discount so check them out if you were already previously eyeing on one!. Apparently it's only for this week so everyone (more like myself) have the weekend to consider it.
> 
> Decisions. decisions.



Go for 1Z if I were you


----------



## Dtuck90

I’m only 6 and a half hours in and I’m already falling in love with my music all over again


----------



## San Man

I seemed to have misplaced the USB interface cable , has anyone ever purchased a third party cable that worked as good as the Sony one?


Thanks


----------



## jasonho

ejong7 said:


> Hey guys. Just checked my local Jaben store (Malaysia) and they're having a sale in lieu with our upcoming National Day and impending end of our tax holiday through the introduction of SST (WELP!).
> 
> Both the WM1A and WM1Z are on discount so check them out if you were already previously eyeing on one!. Apparently it's only for this week so everyone (more like myself) have the weekend to consider it.
> 
> Decisions. decisions.



Buy both


----------



## kaikai1805

proedros said:


> i see both wm1a and wm1z being *20% off *at the Jaben site


How i hope they have offer in SG too.


----------



## Quadfather

Well, I have hit 600 hours finally. It would have happened sooner if I didn't also own the Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and the Questyle QP1R.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 24, 2018)

I want to listen to my MDR-Z1R . It would be delayed, thanks to a bank error that duped the charge and the final payment is stuck in limbo, waiting to clear up and thaw. Good thing I just got charged only once.


----------



## bana

gerelmx1986 said:


> Musicbee is customizable as hell, you can even customize transfer folder structures


I'm liking Musicbee.
Thanks.


----------



## sne4me

fiascogarcia said:


> Checking it out!  What's the difference between Installer Edition and Windows Store Edition?  Thanks!




A good one is the portable version. you run the installer and then it spits out the application folder on the desktop which can be configured ot tweaked then backed up to any storage


----------



## Bart147

Quadfather said:


> Well, I have hit 600 hours finally. It would have happened sooner if I didn't also own the Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and the Questyle QP1R.



Since wednesday i have the same " problem "


----------



## Quadfather

Bart147 said:


> Since wednesday i have the same " problem "



I really want the 1Z, but only have the 1A at the moment. Do you love them both like I love my Sony and my Questyle?


----------



## Bart147

Quadfather said:


> I really want the 1Z, but only have the 1A at the moment. Do you love them both like I love my Sony and my Questyle?


1Z is by far still my favourite DAP , later today i'll give them both a proper listen. I'll shoot you a PM in order not to derail this thread .


----------



## Quadfather

Bart147 said:


> 1Z is by far still my favourite DAP , later today i'll give them both a proper listen. I'll shoot you a PM in order not to derail this thread .



That sounds great.


----------



## ezekiel77

ejong7 said:


> Hey guys. Just checked my local Jaben store (Malaysia) and they're having a sale in lieu with our upcoming National Day and impending end of our tax holiday through the introduction of SST (WELP!).
> 
> Both the WM1A and WM1Z are on discount so check them out if you were already previously eyeing on one!. Apparently it's only for this week so everyone (more like myself) have the weekend to consider it.
> 
> Decisions. decisions.


Both are good deals. I've never seen a 1Z go below RM10k or a 1A below RM4K. My shortcut to the 1Z sound was the Music Sanctuary mod for the 1A but now that 1Z is relatively affordable and has twice the storage with that nice copper housing...


----------



## proedros

Bart147 said:


> 1Z is by far still my favourite DAP , later today i'll give them both a proper listen. I'll shoot you a PM in order not to derail this thread .



if it's a 1A/1Z please share here too , many people interested in how these 2 compare

cheers


----------



## alphanumerix1

I have audiogd nfb1 amp on the way an want to do 4.4 to dual 3pin xlr into the amp from m1a will that be fine?

E.g


----------



## nc8000

alphanumerix1 said:


> I have audiogd nfb1 amp on the way an want to do 4.4 to dual 3pin xlr into the amp from m1a will that be fine?
> 
> E.g



Yes that should be fine


----------



## sne4me (Aug 25, 2018)

auronthas said:


> I will join this club ... my WM1A will be arriving soon...





ejong7 said:


> Apparently it's only for this week so everyone (more like myself) have the weekend to consider it.



Think about getting the benks tpm case. ive seen people damage the players with the dignis case (if it drops top down the headphone input area is unprotected), but the benks case with its included screen protector has perfectly protected my walkman everytime. its just the same as when i bought it over a year ago


----------



## endlesswaves

alphanumerix1 said:


> I have audiogd nfb1 amp on the way an want to do 4.4 to dual 3pin xlr into the amp from m1a will that be fine?



Interesting. But won't you be double amping it? Are you using it to drive some power hungry headphones?

Still waiting for my XLR to 4.4mm pigtail adapter to arrive to try if WM1A are able to drive LCD2C and Eikon properly.


----------



## alphanumerix1

endlesswaves said:


> Interesting. But won't you be double amping it? Are you using it to drive some power hungry headphones?
> 
> Still waiting for my XLR to 4.4mm pigtail adapter to arrive to try if WM1A are able to drive LCD2C and Eikon properly.



I read awhile ago double amping wouldn't be an issue. I think @Whitigir covered this. 

I'll be driving lcd2c hd600/800.


----------



## nc8000

endlesswaves said:


> Interesting. But won't you be double amping it? Are you using it to drive some power hungry headphones?
> 
> Still waiting for my XLR to 4.4mm pigtail adapter to arrive to try if WM1A are able to drive LCD2C and Eikon properly.



Yes it will be double amped but the S-Master is so clean that it should be fine


----------



## Redcarmoose

alphanumerix1 said:


> I read awhile ago double amping wouldn't be an issue. I think @Whitigir covered this.
> 
> I'll be driving lcd2c hd600/800.


Double volume controls is always an issue, truly it is.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 25, 2018)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/san-man.441915/

$16 for the real Mcoy!
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WM-PORT-Cable-Walkman-WMC-NW20MU/dp/B000O2Q9DG

Also there is that little Sony tip that lets you use any usb cable.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009...g_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=KV857Y7955KJE11FW637


----------



## alphanumerix1

nc8000 said:


> Yes it will be double amped but the S-Master is so clean that it should be fine



That's what I hoped, like I mentioned @Whitigir might be able to tune in. 




Redcarmoose said:


> Double volume controls is always an issue, truly it is.



To the point where its detrimental to the units or the sound?


----------



## San Man

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/san-man.441915/
> 
> $16 for the real Mcoy!
> https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WM-PORT-Cable-Walkman-WMC-NW20MU/dp/B000O2Q9DG
> ...



Thanks bro, I found that the other night and ordered one.  But, knowing my luck, once it arrives the other one will turn up haha!


----------



## Redcarmoose

San Man said:


> Thanks bro, I found that the other night and ordered one.  But, knowing my luck, once it arrives the other one will turn up haha!



Well it’s true, if you loose that cable the party ends. Lol


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 25, 2018)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/alphanumerix1.475581/


The Walkmans just don’t sound that great used that way. I’m pretty sure with the right cable it’s totally safe. But before I received my TA amp, I used a 3.5mm to 2X RCA and plugged my 1Z into my Asgard One; it sounded really bad. And even if you get the dongle, there is no guarantee it’s going to communicate with another DAC. I plugged my 1Z into my Cambridge DAC Plus and they didn’t work together.

You can try and see if you like the arrangement’s sound? Still it’s not an optimal way to go.


----------



## Whitigir

alphanumerix1 said:


> That's what I hoped, like I mentioned @Whitigir might be able to tune in.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You will be fine to use 4.4mm as line out


----------



## Dtuck90

What sort of changes should I expect during burn in for WM1A and when? Currently about 9 hours in


----------



## blazinblazin

Dtuck90 said:


> What sort of changes should I expect during burn in for WM1A and when? Currently about 9 hours in


550hrs for optimum performance


----------



## Whitigir

@alphanumerix1 , by using the Wm1Z lineout from 4.4mm, I would only worry about the affect of the external amps, and how it could alter the sound of wm1Z.  Only do this when the 1Z is not powerful enough to drive something properly.


----------



## sne4me

blazinblazin said:


> 550hrs for optimum performance



Do you mean 225 on each 3.5mm and 4.4mm? I understood it to be 200 hours each


----------



## alphanumerix1

Whitigir said:


> @alphanumerix1 , by using the Wm1Z lineout from 4.4mm, I would only worry about the affect of the external amps, and how it could alter the sound of wm1Z.  Only do this when the 1Z is not powerful enough to drive something properly.



Nfb1 amp is touted for its neutrality so in theory would it be just amplifying sonys signature?


----------



## blazinblazin

sne4me said:


> Do you mean 225 on each 3.5mm and 4.4mm? I understood it to be 200 hours each


I would say 550hrs each port... thats like 1100hrs haha.

I only have 200hrs on 3.5mm and 550hrs on 4.4mm


----------



## Whitigir

alphanumerix1 said:


> Nfb1 amp is touted for its neutrality so in theory would it be just amplifying sonys signature?


In theory, every amplifications will alter the original source .  There is no such thing as neutral amplifier.  More precisely, neutral sound signature is _much different_ than being neutral on incoming input signal to amplify and keep the original at the output.  However, It is more than safe to assume that neutral sound signature will be the best external amplifier.  I think you are just fine


----------



## auronthas

sne4me said:


> Think about getting the benks tpm case. ive seen people damage the players with the dignis case (if it drops top down the headphone input area is unprotected), but the benks case with its included screen protector has perfectly protected my walkman everytime. its just the same as when i bought it over a year ago


Thanks for your advise. What about screen protector with dignis case ? Worry there will be dust accumulated into benks tpm case overtime , is it UV resistant ?


----------



## Bart147

proedros said:


> if it's a 1A/1Z please share here too , many people interested in how these 2 compare
> 
> cheers




 
Today I had some quality time with two of my all time favourite DAPs : WM1Z and Questyle QP1R , listening was done single ended and in low gain with my beloved Beyerdynamic T5P 2nd gen while volume matching was done by ear .
I bought the QP1R again on a whim , knowing that with the improved scroll wheel and modified battery circuit Questyle fixed two of the major reasons i sold my first unit  (the other being upgradeitis ) .
Tracks uses to compare :
Fleetwood Mac : Rumours ( 24/96 FLAC )
Till Brönner & Dieter Ilg : A Thousand Kisses Deep ( 24/96 FLAC )
Beethoven : Symphony N°5 performed by Berliner Philharmoniker conducted by Herbert Von Karajan (DSD)
General obeservations : the 1z has a warmer and fuller presentation while the QP1R sounds more reference with a slightly smaller soundstage . 
User interface and battery life are superior on the 1Z wile the QP1R has the weight advantage and is far less fussy when it comes to accept memory cards . 
As far as general sound quality goes I would put the QP1R at 90% compared to the 1Z but only in single ended mode , balanced there would be a much bigger gap .

please note that I'm an audio enthousiast , not a professional reviewer and that YMMV .


----------



## animalsrush

I am really surprised by volume bump once I crossed 500 hrs on wm1z.. maybe it is mind thing..

Here is the new adjustment I had to do

On k10s - I use 40 clicks volume for comfortable listening and at 45 it is too loud
On Sony z1r I use 72 clicks for comfortable listening and 80 is too loud

All this on low gain, all effects off but not direct source and eq selected but set to zero instead of tone selection in the Sony settings  and FW 1.2. This is about 10-15 clicks lower than before.. interesting..

IMO wm1z has enough power to drive some decent headphones even on low gain

PC


----------



## gerelmx1986

animalsrush said:


> I am really surprised by volume bump once I crossed 500 hrs on wm1z.. maybe it is mind thing..
> 
> Here is the new adjustment I had to do
> 
> ...


Yup i note the same effect. fot my XBA-Z5 I use 50, 55-60 is too loud (depends on mastering volume though), for my MDR-Z7 (Upcoming MDR-Z1R)ni use 70, 80-90 too loud and also depends on the master volume of the track


----------



## nc8000

I generally run both Z5 and Z1R at 90 low gain and JH13 at 45 low gain but can vary depending on the recording


----------



## teknorob23

rtjoa said:


> Sony WM1Z with Brimar Omni King 10x
> iBasso DX200Ti and AMP8 with Brimar Ultimate 10x



Would love to hear any comparitive impressions that you might want to share of these two.


----------



## alphanumerix1

Whitigir said:


> In theory, every amplifications will alter the original source .  There is no such thing as neutral amplifier.  More precisely, neutral sound signature is _much different_ than being neutral on incoming input signal to amplify and keep the original at the output.  However, It is more than safe to assume that neutral sound signature will be the best external amplifier.  I think you are just fine



Fair, thanks for your Input.


----------



## sne4me

auronthas said:


> Thanks for your advise. What about screen protector with dignis case ? Worry there will be dust accumulated into benks tpm case overtime , is it UV resistant ?



Yeah I thought there could be a problem with dust, actually dust fingerprints, oil it doesnt seem to have any problem. I love this case its the best one because its so tight, protective, and it lets you see the body of the WM which is so nice.


----------



## animalsrush

My kind of bling...


----------



## Magnepan Man

45 hours on the balanced side and there has been a very noticable increase from 35 to 45 hours.  It’s like someone turned on more lights in the venue so I can more easily see the instrument.    The sound is getting clearer and more easily intelligible without getting brighter. If this is what 45 hours sounds like 600 must be just rediculous. These capacitors seem to really bloom like flowers. And at 45 hours they are barely open? Wow!!!

Im going to take a listen to some new IEM’s. I’m going to try find some andromeda’s to listen too, but would also like to hear what a quality full dynamic IEM would sound like. My only introduction to quality IEM are the hybrid H3.  I wonder what a full dynamic brings to the table or take away.  Any suggestions for a serious IEM that doesn’t use BA’s?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Magnepan Man said:


> 45 hours on the balanced side and there has been a very noticable increase from 35 to 45 hours.  It’s like someone turned on more lights in the venue so I can more easily see the instrument.    The sound is getting clearer and more easily intelligible without getting brighter. If this is what 45 hours sounds like 600 must be just rediculous. These capacitors seem to really bloom like flowers. And at 45 hours they are barely open? Wow!!!
> 
> Im going to take a listen to some new IEM’s. I’m going to try find some andromeda’s to listen too, but would also like to hear what a quality full dynamic IEM would sound like. My only introduction to quality IEM are the hybrid H3.  I wonder what a full dynamic brings to the table or take away.  Any suggestions for a serious IEM that doesn’t use BA’s?


 The new sony IER-Z1R has dual DD, plus a single BA. the first DD is a 5mm super tweeter, the BA is new development adn the second DD is a miniaturised version of that, the MDR-Z1R driver with a magnesium dome, yeah it costs a fortune, and it is yet to be released something arround Nov


----------



## blazinblazin (Aug 26, 2018)

Magnepan Man said:


> 45 hours on the balanced side and there has been a very noticable increase from 35 to 45 hours.  It’s like someone turned on more lights in the venue so I can more easily see the instrument.    The sound is getting clearer and more easily intelligible without getting brighter. If this is what 45 hours sounds like 600 must be just rediculous. These capacitors seem to really bloom like flowers. And at 45 hours they are barely open? Wow!!!
> 
> Im going to take a listen to some new IEM’s. I’m going to try find some andromeda’s to listen too, but would also like to hear what a quality full dynamic IEM would sound like. My only introduction to quality IEM are the hybrid H3.  I wonder what a full dynamic brings to the table or take away.  Any suggestions for a serious IEM that doesn’t use BA’s?



Acoustune HS1650CU or HS1670SS.

1650 is a warm iem with sweet vocal and full low end.

HS1670SS is said to be like Andromeda with bass but a slightly colder sounding than Andro.


----------



## superuser1

blazinblazin said:


> Acoustune HS1650CU or HS1670SS.
> 
> 1650 is a warm iem with sweet vocal and full low end.
> 
> HS1670SS is said to be like Andromeda with bass but a slightly colder sounding than Andro.


Have you come across any reviews of the HS1670SS?


----------



## blazinblazin (Aug 27, 2018)

superuser1 said:


> Have you come across any reviews of the HS1670SS?


No detailes reviews yet but in some HongKong audio forum, people are talking about it with impressions and unboxing pics.

https://digital.discuss.com.hk/viewthread.php?tid=27643607&extra=page=2

https://digital.discuss.com.hk/viewthread.php?tid=27632107&extra=page=2


----------



## proedros (Aug 27, 2018)

wm1a is a beautiful DAP , and that battery - oh man....there must be a SONY magic sauce to produce such battery strength

now i am sure that wm1z is better, but i think that wm1a is the better bang-for-buck by a mile, is more portable and probably has a less colored sound

plus there is no way that wm1z is 3x better (since it's 3x pricier), and i would need at least a 40% improvement to commit to such a spending fee

i was gonna go and try wm1z last week but i like wm1a so much that i haven't bothered yet

just my 2 cents ofc


----------



## Magnepan Man (Aug 27, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> The new sony IER-Z1R has dual DD, plus a single BA. the first DD is a 5mm super tweeter, the BA is new development adn the second DD is a miniaturised version of that, the MDR-Z1R driver with a magnesium dome, yeah it costs a fortune, and it is yet to be released something arround Nov


Wow, just read about them.  2k usd.. nope nope nope.  I think maybe getting a pair of liquidated or lightly used  z5 in the upcoming months might prove to be a worthwhile upgrade to my h3' and be the best bang for the buck....But I still need to go listen to what's out there.


----------



## imacaverage




----------



## ehjie

Hanafuda said:


> I've delved into Pink Floyd so deep I can hardly listen to the studio albums anymore. I'm really looking forward to getting my new rig together and burned in so I can give them all a 'new' listen. This was the state of my PF mp3 collection on my old player, though the total collection (all FLAC) is well over 100 shows. This is just pared down to recordings that were good enough to listen on headphones. Yes, for the most part 'bootlegs' suck in the SQ department, even when they're good ... but there's something 'real' there that just can't be had on studio recordings.


Didn't see the '88 Delicate Sound of Thunder...


----------



## superuser1

ehjie said:


> Didn't see the '88 Delicate Sound of Thunder...


----------



## ezekiel77

superuser1 said:


> Have you come across any reviews of the HS1670SS?


I wrote some impressions here. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kua...av-show-kliav-2018-impressions-thread.886935/

TLDR: 1650CU is warmish and more fun, 1670SS is brighter and more reference. I prefer 1650CU by a mile.


----------



## superuser1 (Aug 27, 2018)

ezekiel77 said:


> I wrote some impressions here. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kua...av-show-kliav-2018-impressions-thread.886935/
> 
> TLDR: 1650CU is warmish and more fun, 1670SS is brighter and more reference. I prefer 1650CU by a mile.


Thanks you so very much for that. Would it be accurate to say that the 1670SS is Andro with bass? Personally the bass is almost right in the Andros for the analytical iems they are. What would you say is similar sounding to the 1650CU?
Appreciate it.

EDIT: My apologies its getting off topic so ill take it to PM.


----------



## ehjie

ezekiel77 said:


> I wrote some impressions here. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kua...av-show-kliav-2018-impressions-thread.886935/
> 
> TLDR: 1650CU is warmish and more fun, 1670SS is brighter and more reference. I prefer 1650CU by a mile.


The latter should match Unmodded 1As & the former DX200s or 240s (or any other neutral sources) correct?


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> wm1a is a beautiful DAP , and that battery - oh man....there must be a SONY magic sauce to produce such battery strength
> 
> now i am sure that wm1z is better, but i think that wm1a is the better bang-for-buck by a mile, is more portable and probably has a less colored sound
> 
> ...



My goodness, I thought 1z is a 100% better than 1a,but all that matters is one's enjoyment


----------



## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> My goodness, I thought 1z is a 100% better than 1a,but all that matters is one's enjoyment



I compared to a new NW-WM1Z against a  500/600 hour NW-WM1A, so it wasn't really a fair comparison.


----------



## Lookout57

Magnepan Man said:


> 45 hours on the balanced side and there has been a very noticable increase from 35 to 45 hours.  It’s like someone turned on more lights in the venue so I can more easily see the instrument.    The sound is getting clearer and more easily intelligible without getting brighter. If this is what 45 hours sounds like 600 must be just rediculous. These capacitors seem to really bloom like flowers. And at 45 hours they are barely open? Wow!!!
> 
> Im going to take a listen to some new IEM’s. I’m going to try find some andromeda’s to listen too, but would also like to hear what a quality full dynamic IEM would sound like. My only introduction to quality IEM are the hybrid H3.  I wonder what a full dynamic brings to the table or take away.  Any suggestions for a serious IEM that doesn’t use BA’s?


Campfire Atlas or Vega. Both are great matches.


----------



## endlesswaves

Just thinking maybe a warm pair of iems are better with WM1A while neutral ones will pair nicely with WM1Z.

My lust for WM1Z was diminishing after my WM1A reached 200 hours and getting less at 300+ hours with current warm iems.

Might get an used WM1Z if the opportunity arised but will not lose sleep not getting one now.


----------



## proedros

NaiveSound said:


> My goodness, I thought 1z is a *100% better* than 1a,but all that matters is one's enjoyment



classic Naive , gotta love him


----------



## gerelmx1986

superuser1 said:


>


I am like you still using CD 1 and so on


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> classic Naive , gotta love him


I secretly want you to splurge and enjoy


----------



## Lookout57

If you have the ability to splurge, go for it, you won't be disappointed.


----------



## blazinblazin

ehjie said:


> The latter should match Unmodded 1As & the former DX200s or 240s (or any other neutral sources) correct?



I would say Acoustune made warm 1551/1650CU version for WM1A and 1503AL/1670SS version for WM1Z.


----------



## ehjie (Aug 27, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> My goodness, I thought 1z is a 100% better than 1a,but all that matters is one's enjoyment


Pairing w/ your source player is as important as the front end's (IEM or HP) Sound signature. I auditioned the 1Z, 1A & the old ZX2. They all have varied degrees of warmness. Other than that, the price difference should mean durability & reliability. I still have Sony's flag ship walkman. Still playing. A very close friend and fellow headfier auditioned yesterday the 1650 & 1670 SS. According to his ears, the 1670 was super squeaky clean & I confirmed thro' him if it had the Andro's tonality but w/ bass, said he "Yes"...


----------



## gerelmx1986

I saw that accessory jack has the IER-M7 and IER-M9 for pre-order, they no. Longer show the XBA-Z5 as for sale


----------



## ezekiel77

ehjie said:


> Pairing w/ your source player is as important as the front end's (IEM or HP) Sound signature. I auditioned the 1Z, 1A & the old ZX2. They all have varied degrees of warmness. Other than that, the price difference should mean durability & reliability. I still have Sony's flag ship walkman. Still playing. A very close friend and fellow headfier auditioned yesterday the 1650 & 1670 SS. According to his ears, the 1670 was super squeaky clean & I confirmed thro' him if it had the Andro's tonality but w/ bass, said he "Yes"...


Had the ZX2 once. Smooth to the point of playing too safe. Much prefer WM1A in stock form. I listened to 1Z only once so my memory is hazy, but 1Z reminds me of a ZX2 with bolder, thicker notes, more emotion and more dynamism. Sorta like ZX2 on double dose steroids.

The Pentaconn jacks by default in Acoustune IEMs are one of the main pulling points for me, when paired with Sony DAPs it's like coming home... 

And yes squeaky clean is a good way to describe 1670.


----------



## auronthas

Guys, I am looking at 4.4mm male to 2.5mm female direct adaptor. 

How to verify if they are balanced internal wiring/connection? 

Or should i buy 4.4mm male with short cable to 2.5mm female adaptor?


----------



## Joe Tan

All 4.4-2.5mm adaptor should by right be balance.

Direct adaptor tent to be more cumbersome cause it sticks out alot with your 2.5mm jack plug in.

Pigtail cable adaptor is more or less like a slightly longer cable and definitely more convenient and comfortable for usage.


----------



## bvng3540

auronthas said:


> Guys, I am looking at 4.4mm male to 2.5mm female direct adaptor.
> 
> How to verify if they are balanced internal wiring/connection?
> 
> Or should i buy 4.4mm male with short cable to 2.5mm female adaptor?





 

Plussound cable 4.4mm male to 2.5mm female, let me know if you want to buy it


----------



## proedros

ezekiel77 said:


> Had the ZX2 once. Smooth to the point of playing too safe. Much prefer WM1A in stock form. I listened to 1Z only once so my memory is hazy, but 1Z reminds me of a ZX2 with bolder, thicker notes, more emotion and more dynamism. Sorta like ZX2 on double dose steroids.



what i remember most from the zx2/wm1a comparison , zx2 sounded like it was kinda hollow in the mids section , like there was a gap

wm1a is way more balanced without sounding clinical/sterile , plus it pairs well with any ciem i have trid it , not being too colored

will probably go and try wm1z today , although i am happy with wm1a

speaking of wm1a, i was listening to this album in 16/44 FLAC last night on wm1a with my Zeus XR (and some nice 'hash' in my bloodstream  )and i was mesmerized - i remember thinking 'this is why you have a 10$ cellphone and a 3K portable music combo - cause music is like drugs+sex combined'

@NaiveSound if i find a wm1z  for 1000$ brother like you did , i would probably buy it in a heartbeat - but at 2K , ouch.....


----------



## sne4me (Aug 28, 2018)

Hey gals and guys,

If anyone is interested in HDCD, i have dug up pretty solid lists of inventory for the western and japanese markets. Please see:
Western Markets:
https://web.archive.org/web/2005030...log/music.asp?action=AtoZ&alph=Print&submit=1

Japan Market:
https://web.archive.org/web/20061214032434/http://homepage1.nifty.com:80/~ayumi/hdcd_list.pdf


----------



## DarginMahkum

Hi all,

although I already checked the manual, I wanted to ask you to confirm: The WM1Z only works as a Bluetooth transmitter, and it is not able to function as a receiver, eg. playing on my mobile phone and transmitting over Bluetooth/(aptX-HD/LDAC) to WM1Z where it is decoded and converted to analog is not possible, right?

Cheers


----------



## jasonho

DarginMahkum said:


> Hi all,
> 
> although I already checked the manual, I wanted to ask you to confirm: The WM1Z only works as a Bluetooth transmitter, and it is not able to function as a receiver, eg. playing on my mobile phone and transmitting over Bluetooth/(aptX-HD/LDAC) to WM1Z where it is decoded and converted to analog is not possible, right?
> 
> Cheers



Sony announced that BT receiver feature will be added in the next firmware release, though i am not sure if its aptX-HD/LDAC.

Check out https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1509#post-14419641


----------



## Edric Li

Magnepan Man said:


> Now that I’m reading about the new firmware, I’m even more excited to own this DAP. Still no search added though? ☹️



This to me is gonna be the feature to convince me from moving on to Lotoo Paw Gold Touch
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/lot...sb-dac-bluetooth.875802/page-29#post-14426802


----------



## bana

What are those speakers under the 1Z?


----------



## sne4me

People people.. how about we don't post 40 gigapixel photos to the forum. Perhaps some cropping and scaling.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I try to do this 1000px is fine


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 28, 2018)

endlesswaves said:


> Just thinking maybe a warm pair of iems are better with WM1A while neutral ones will pair nicely with WM1Z.
> 
> My lust for WM1Z was diminishing after my WM1A reached 200 hours and getting less at 300+ hours with current warm iems.
> 
> Might get an used WM1Z if the opportunity arised but will not lose sleep not getting one now.



I agree with this post except there is also the chance of getting a super warm laid back IEM which sounds better with the 1Z due to the 1Z treble getting a little more forward clarity. So at times it’s not so easy to just have a blanket answer of warm/1A and neutral/1Z. It’s the elusive clarity of the 1Z that can make some bottom heavy IEMs have treble detail. Or maybe said; it’s the 1Z forward dynamics that have the potential to wake some warmer laid back IEMs over the 1A. IMO

Another way to describe the IEM would be to call it “too smooth” in this 1Z being better situation.

The 1A is simply reserved on the treble and bass ends, and has a more midrange detail area, where the 1Z has both a slight treble detail boost and bass boost  with the sonic information being displayed front, center and spacious. The 1Z is more holographic.

Edit:
In this isolated situation, I’m using a bass heavy, laid back triple BA IEM. So the 1Z bass extension should also be taken into account; as well as the treble enhancement, somehow complementary to the IEM. Due to custom giant BA drivers, still not having DD characteristics, this situation may become different with a laid back DD IEM?


----------



## proedros

Redcarmoose said:


> The 1A is simply reserved on the treble and bass ends, and *has a more midrange detail area*, where* the 1Z has both a slight treble detail boost and bass boost*  with the sonic information being displayed front, center and spacious. The 1Z is more holographic.



so is 1Z mids-recessed ?

i also found zx2 to lack some mids presence next to the (more balanced - to my ears at least) wm1a


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 28, 2018)

proedros said:


> so is 1Z mids-recessed ?
> 
> i also found zx2 to lack some mids presence next to the (more balanced - to my ears at least) wm1a



My humble opinion is that it’s a perception illusion. The midrange of the 1A could in reality be under the V shape of the 1Z? Though we will never know. It’s like food, where different flavors can overpower others upon our taste buds?
http://persci.mit.edu/gaz/publications/gazzan.dir/gazzan.htm

Remember too the 1Z has a different soundstage than the 1A, which adds drastically to this conundrum.


----------



## audionewbi

Call me crazy but each time I get a chance to listen to 1Z I end up liking my 1A more and more.
Sure I like to own the 1Z but not at the expense of selling the 1A.

I very much prefer the 1A paired with my dynamic driver IEM than i do with 1Z.

I most likely will have mine modded but honestly 1A, for me is the best value for money dap to date.


----------



## Malevolint

Hey guys. Is this DAP worth getting if I won't be using the balanced output, or at least not for a long time. I know it's silly that I can spend so much for the DAP but not on cables, but that's my situation! 

I can get the player for 700 refurbished, and I'll be using both er4xr's as well as Dunu dn2002's as well. I'm also just considering getting the old zx2, since it seems to get so much love.


----------



## kubig123

Mrcojocaru said:


> Hey guys. Is this DAP worth getting if I won't be using the balanced output, or at least not for a long time. I know it's silly that I can spend so much for the DAP but not on cables, but that's my situation!
> 
> I can get the player for 700 refurbished, and I'll be using both er4xr's as well as Dunu dn2002's as well. I'm also just considering getting the old zx2, since it seems to get so much love.



Consider this the first step, if you really like the player go for, eventually you can also re-terminate the cables without spending a fortune on new cables.


----------



## Malevolint

kubig123 said:


> Consider this the first step, if you really like the player go for, eventually you can also re-terminate the cables without spending a fortune on new cables.



That's true, but then I won't be able to use my IEMs on my phone or anything else, right? How big is the difference between the 3.5 and balanced output?


----------



## bflat

Mrcojocaru said:


> That's true, but then I won't be able to use my IEMs on my phone or anything else, right? How big is the difference between the 3.5 and balanced output?



"Big" is a relative term that will be hard to calibrate to your absolute reference. It use to be 3-5 years ago that DAPs had balanced out as more of a marketing feature and the 3.5 SE output was virtually the same. There were a few exceptions of course in the very high end. More recently, this has flipped. Most mid to high end DAPs in the past couple years were designed for balanced and the 3.5mm was just a legacy add on and check box feature. This means that sound is optimized for balanced out. In Sony's case they went even further in creating a new plug standard for balanced - 4.4mm. Why would they go through all that trouble if they didn't feel the difference wasn't "big"?

The biggest upgrade you can make in an audio system is still the headphone/speaker. Upgrading to a near TOTL Sony balanced DAP without an equally classed headphone is not getting the full potential of your gear.


----------



## Malevolint

bflat said:


> "Big" is a relative term that will be hard to calibrate to your absolute reference. It use to be 3-5 years ago that DAPs had balanced out as more of a marketing feature and the 3.5 SE output was virtually the same. There were a few exceptions of course in the very high end. More recently, this has flipped. Most mid to high end DAPs in the past couple years were designed for balanced and the 3.5mm was just a legacy add on and check box feature. This means that sound is optimized for balanced out. In Sony's case they went even further in creating a new plug standard for balanced - 4.4mm. Why would they go through all that trouble if they didn't feel the difference wasn't "big"?
> 
> The biggest upgrade you can make in an audio system is still the headphone/speaker. Upgrading to a near TOTL Sony balanced DAP without an equally classed headphone is not getting the full potential of your gear.




That's interesting! Thanks for all of that background. After browsing around a bit, I'm left less frustrated after seeing that balanced mmcx cables can be had for quite cheap, so that takes care of one of my IEMs. Now I'm excited  seems that Ety has a more proprietary connection so that will be more expensive, but I can deal with it later. I love both of these IEMs and after a year of owning then, I still have no desire to upgrade. Maybe someday I'll get a CA Andromeda but I'm good for a long time. Now I'll have a good DAP and I'll be set for a good while! Thanks again  I'll report back once I have my wm1a.


----------



## auronthas

bvng3540 said:


> Plussound cable 4.4mm male to 2.5mm female, let me know if you want to buy it


Thanks for your offer , will private message you after further study on this.


----------



## alphanumerix1

audionewbi said:


> Call me crazy but each time I get a chance to listen to 1Z I end up liking my 1A more and more.
> Sure I like to own the 1Z but not at the expense of selling the 1A.
> 
> I very much prefer the 1A paired with my dynamic driver IEM than i do with 1Z.
> ...



Same I preferred the 1a over the 1z.


----------



## nc8000

Mrcojocaru said:


> That's interesting! Thanks for all of that background. After browsing around a bit, I'm left less frustrated after seeing that balanced mmcx cables can be had for quite cheap, so that takes care of one of my IEMs. Now I'm excited  seems that Ety has a more proprietary connection so that will be more expensive, but I can deal with it later. I love both of these IEMs and after a year of owning then, I still have no desire to upgrade. Maybe someday I'll get a CA Andromeda but I'm good for a long time. Now I'll have a good DAP and I'll be set for a good while! Thanks again  I'll report back once I have my wm1a.



The new ER4 (SR and XR) are mmcx. If you have an older ER4 you can get these and then use a mmcx cable

https://m.ebay.com/itm/FOR-ETYMOTIC-ER4-IN-EARPHONE-CABLE-ADAPTOR-P-MMCX-VERSION-/291713126721


----------



## Dtuck90

Up to 21 hours on my WM1A now and even though it is still early days I am starting to notice it is becoming more dynamic and that is also starting to develop more clarity. I can’t wait to get it to 200 Hours.


----------



## endlesswaves (Aug 29, 2018)

Guys, really excited to share this. Got my XLR to 4.4mm adapter today from SGaudiohive. Good workmanship. Costs SGD30.

Tried it with my Eikon with high gain on, volume at 75-80 and on direct source, it sounds as good as my Massdrop LCX.

It sounds great when I turned off the direct source with DC Phase Linearizer set to Type A low and DSEE HX set to Strings, I perceived the volume had went a few db higher. This never happen with IEMs. Everything seems livelier.

Conclusion, this is on par or better than my desktop amp. Thinking of getting the TA-ZH1ES...


----------



## davesday

Anyone tried MrSpeakers Aeon Flow Open on WM1A single ended? I am using this setup and found myself running 3.5mm SE jack on High Gain and volume at least 100-105. Seems not much different from Normal Gain (which require about 110). I haven't run it at 4.4mm yet.


----------



## jasonho

endlesswaves said:


> Guys, really excited to share this. Got my XLR to 4.4mm adapter today from SGaudiohive. Good workmanship. Costs SGD30.
> 
> Tried it with my Eikon with high gain on, volume at 75-80 and on direct source, it sounds as good as my Massdrop LCX.
> 
> ...



Excellent cable!  Wheres SGAudiohive ? I will like to pop-by one of these days to check it out.


----------



## endlesswaves

jasonho said:


> Excellent cable!  Wheres SGAudiohive ? I will like to pop-by one of these days to check it out.



It's at Block 3014 Ubi Road 1. Can't remember the unit number. 


Found this on internet. Notice the green and yellow sign board? Go in look for Yong.


----------



## Icekuma

endlesswaves said:


> Guys, really excited to share this. Got my XLR to 4.4mm adapter today from SGaudiohive. Good workmanship. Costs SGD30.
> 
> Tried it with my Eikon with high gain on, volume at 75-80 and on direct source, it sounds as good as my Massdrop LCX.
> 
> ...


Which desktop amp you use in your comparison. Curious to know. Thanks


----------



## endlesswaves

Icekuma said:


> Which desktop amp you use in your comparison. Curious to know. Thanks



Massdrop LCX+SDAC


----------



## proedros

so i tried 1z today , although it only had 15 hours (probably 0 on balanced) and FW 1.00 (demo in sony store)

it was good , damn it was very good - even though not broken in i could instantly tell that it's more spacious/effortless/authoritative than wm1a 

i liked it a lot (unfortunately) but i can not afford nor justify a 2K buy for a 20% improvement over wm1a

yet.


----------



## Malevolint

proedros said:


> so i tried 1z today , although it only had 15 hours (probably 0 on balanced) and FW 1.00 (demo in sony store)
> 
> it was good , damn it was very good - even though not broken in i could instantly tell that it's more spacious/effortless/authoritative than wm1a
> 
> ...



This is why I stay away from things I can't afford but really want lol.


----------



## Quadfather

My power button stopped working!  It won't shut off or bring display back on.  Now what?


----------



## Quadfather

Quadfather said:


> My power button stopped working!  It won't shut off or bring display back on.  Now what?



Nevermind.  I held down for 8 seconds and it rebooted and is working properly again.  THANK GOD!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> Nevermind.  I held down for 8 seconds and it rebooted and is working properly again.  THANK GOD!!!


You almost had the pretext for buying a WM1Z


----------



## sne4me

.


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> You almost had the pretext for buying a WM1Z



I will get the 1Z eventually


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Quadfather said:


> I will get the 1Z eventually


1Z, 1Z, 1Z, 1Z....
lol


----------



## Quadfather

hamhamhamsta said:


> 1Z, 1Z, 1Z, 1Z....
> lol



Believe me, it is not because it's a lack of wanting it.


----------



## Hanafuda

ehjie said:


> Didn't see the '88 Delicate Sound of Thunder...




Well I saw Pink Floyd in 1988, and it was a great show and I'm of course glad I can say I saw Pink Floyd. But it wasn't the same band without Roger. I'm not really into any Floyd after The Final Cut. And, ironically I guess, I'm not real hot on that album or The Wall, either. Too much Roger in those last two albums, and obviously not enough once he was out. Just my opinion. My favorite Floyd stuff is live and my favorite live stuff is all from before 1973.


----------



## proedros

Quadfather said:


> I will get the 1Z eventually



did you try it finally ?

wm1a is a very nice DAP , wm1z is better but not 2.5x better , more like 20% better (at best)

i just put the DSEE option on wm1a and it sounds great , i think we are good with wm1a

now if some rich uncle died and left us money well then yeah i would buy wm1z (and se6 and pw1960s 2-wire and dx208ti and you get my drift)


----------



## bvng3540

proedros said:


> did you try it finally ?
> 
> wm1a is a very nice DAP , wm1z is better but not 2.5x better , more like 20% better (at best)
> 
> ...


You dont need a rich uncle, just sell one of your kidney, should be able to buy all that


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Aug 30, 2018)

bvng3540 said:


> You dont need a rich uncle, just sell one of your kidney, should be able to buy all that


Hmmm ...tough choices 
Good music or eating thru straws the rest of your lives…


----------



## proedros

has anyone played with the *DSEE / DC Phase settings* ?

what do they actually do sound-wise , have you noticed any sonic changes when using them ?


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> has anyone played with the *DSEE / DC Phase settings* ?
> 
> what do they actually do sound-wise , have you noticed any sonic changes when using them ?



I’ve noticed very small changes but nothing that to me make it worth the price in shorter battery life


----------



## bvng3540

hamhamhamsta said:


> Hmmm ...tough choices
> Good music or eating thru straws the rest of your lives…


I take music all day long


----------



## endlesswaves

proedros said:


> has anyone played with the *DSEE / DC Phase settings* ?
> 
> what do they actually do sound-wise , have you noticed any sonic changes when using them ?



IEMs with a good cable, the difference are more detectable (copper vs silver). 

With my Eikon, the difference are like in your face different. (Initial findings: louder by a few db, soundstage got wider, note timbre got fleshed out) Was wondering about this. Anybody else with this experience on a full size headphones using the 4.4mm? 

Note these views are based on balanced 4.4mm.


----------



## Quadfather

proedros said:


> did you try it finally ?
> 
> wm1a is a very nice DAP , wm1z is better but not 2.5x better , more like 20% better (at best)
> 
> ...



Yes, I did try it. I thought the bass and treble were better, and would peg it about 15% better than the NW - WM1A.  The NW-WM1A is a phenomenal value.


----------



## Ryokan

Quadfather said:


> Yes, I did try it. I thought the bass and treble were better, and would peg it about 15% better than the NW - WM1A.  The NW-WM1A is a phenomenal value.



Have you listened to the ZX300 Quadfather? it would be interesting to hear how you rate it compared to the wm1a


----------



## Quadfather

Ryokan said:


> Have you listened to the ZX300 Quadfather? it would be interesting to hear how you rate it compared to the wm1a



Unfortunately, I don't have access to it. I will say that the NW - WM1A does really well with warm headphones.  It plays real nicely with v-shaped headphones.


----------



## proedros

Quadfather said:


> Yes, I did try it. I thought the bass and treble were better, and would peg it about 15% better than the NW - WM1A.  *The NW-WM1A is a phenomenal value*.



this.

the upgraditis fever has subsided today like 90% , looks like my wallet is safe.

btw i put on the DSEE thing (percussion option) and i thin it makes wm1a sound even clearer/beefed up

we are good , brother.


----------



## Quadfather (Aug 30, 2018)

proedros said:


> this.
> 
> the upgraditis fever has subsided today like 90% , looks like my wallet is safe.
> 
> ...



I will only upgrade when the price comes down, or when I can get a really good mint condition used one for a bargain.  For some reason the Sony players seem to really change with different headphones more than most players.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Aug 30, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> I will only upgrade when the price comes down, or when I can get a really good Mint Condition use one for a bargain.  For some reason the Sony players seem to really change with different headphones more than most players.


Yeah... I can't bear to try other DAPS and I'm eyeing a good minty pre-loved Z too despite having had my A modded.
I don't think I've enjoyed a piece of electronics as much since I got my first iPod years ago.

Unlike my first iPhone which was some thing I wanted to show to friends, the iPod, and now the 1A, was something I was quietly enjoying a great deal. Kinda like a secret guilty pleasure I don't want to bother sharing with others because most people around me can't comprehend the concept of a standalone DAP. They're all so used to a mobile phone and stock earbuds for their music.


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Yeah... I can't bear to try other DAPS and I'm eyeing a good minty pre-loved Z too despite having had my A modded.
> I don't think I've enjoyed a piece of electronics as much since I got my first iPod years ago.
> 
> Unlike an my first iPhone which was some thing I wanted to show to friends, the iPod, and now the 1A, was something I was quietly enjoying a great deal. Kinda like a secret guilty pleasure I don't want to bother sharing with others because most people around me can't comprehend the concept of a standalone DAP. They're all so used to a mobile phone and stock earbuds for their music.



I can't stand listening to crappy sounding music on a phone. I also can't stand products that do everything, because they don't do any one thing particularly well. I don't need my car to make coffee. I don't need my digital audio player to have email.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> I can't stand listening to crappy sounding music on a phone. I also can't stand products that do everything, because they don't do any one thing particularly well. I don't need my car to make coffee. I don't need my digital audio player to have email.


Exactly!!!! While there's a place for a wanna-do-all device, I don't need more than one: i.e. One smart phone is enough.
I want my other gear to do at least ONE thing bloody well.
Like my knife collection. All users, and none of them have more than one blade each.


----------



## nanaholic

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Yeah... I can't bear to try other DAPS and I'm eyeing a good minty pre-loved Z too despite having had my A modded.
> I don't think I've enjoyed a piece of electronics as much since I got my first iPod years ago.
> 
> Unlike my first iPhone which was some thing I wanted to show to friends, the iPod, and now the 1A, was something I was quietly enjoying a great deal. Kinda like a secret guilty pleasure I don't want to bother sharing with others because most people around me can't comprehend the concept of a standalone DAP. They're all so used to a mobile phone and stock earbuds for their music.



Completely different here.
I loved showing friends my iPod when it came out - because while initially everyone will think it is expensive (compared to bulky disposable portable CD players - not the good slim ones) it really was revolutionary to be able to carry thousands of songs in a package that is the size of a deck of cards. I've got at least 10 or so friends into buying them by showing them how it works, using the scroll wheel, read the song title from the tags, create playlists and just listening to it. It was such a joy to use compared to bulky portable CD players that is bigger but carries less that the value proposition quickly makes a case for itself.
As for the Walkman - again I don't need to defend it, I just put on a song I know my friends like, give them a pair of earbuds and let them listen and watch them go speechless and just leave it at that. No need to sell it and they'll eventually come to me for recommendation because they've never heard their favourite song sound like that before and can't go back (but I don't push them straight to that high end price bracket of the 1A - and the ZX300 now makes a good entry point to recommend).


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

nanaholic said:


> Completely different here.
> I loved showing friends my iPod when it came out - because while initially everyone will think it is expensive (compared to bulky disposable portable CD players - not the good slim ones) it really was revolutionary to be able to carry thousands of songs in a package that is the size of a deck of cards. I've got at least 10 or so friends into buying them by showing them how it works, using the scroll wheel, read the song title from the tags, create playlists and just listening to it. It was such a joy to use compared to bulky portable CD players that is bigger but carries less that the value proposition quickly makes a case for itself.
> As for the Walkman - again I don't need to defend it, I just put on a song I know my friends like, give them a pair of earbuds and let them listen and watch them go speechless and just leave it at that. No need to sell it and they'll eventually come to me for recommendation because they've never heard their favourite song sound like that before and can't go back (but I don't push them straight to that high end price bracket of the 1A - and the ZX300 now makes a good entry point to recommend).


Yeah, I've let some close friends listen to my WM1A with my IEMs or headphones... A few are wowed and a couple just go, "Oh, it nice" without much excitement.
But almost all of them are incredulous that anyone would want to spend that much on a DAP and spend again on a mod. They're all happy with music out of their phones/laptops and using stock generic earphones .
So my 1A is a very personal private pleasure and a very private indulgence.


----------



## Malevolint

Ryokan said:


> Have you listened to the ZX300 Quadfather? it would be interesting to hear how you rate it compared to the wm1a



I've been reading around a lot and people say mixed things. Some people say that you can't tell the difference if you're using the balanced output, and others say that the WM1A is better by varying degrees from 10 to 20 percent. IDK what to think.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

ZX2 vs ZX300? Anyone?
I think this is more fair comparison


----------



## bvng3540

hamhamhamsta said:


> ZX2 vs ZX300? Anyone?
> I think this is more fair comparison


Advantage zx300 as it has 4.4mm balanced but zx2 not far behind as it also has 3.5mm balanced


----------



## rawrster

Mrcojocaru said:


> I've been reading around a lot and people say mixed things. Some people say that you can't tell the difference if you're using the balanced output, and others say that the WM1A is better by varying degrees from 10 to 20 percent. IDK what to think.



The only way to tell is to hear it for yourself. I have the ZX300A and recently got the chance to hear the wm1a and it confirmed my purchase. I use the ZX300A primarily during my work commute, in my office or in coffee shops so there is more background noise than normally. The increase in sound quality is difficult to hear in my environment and definitely not worth the $900 price difference to me. The wm1a is also larger, heavier and not as pocket friendly. 

Of course the differences for me could be worth it for someone else. A 10-20% increase for one person may be 1% for one person and 50% for another person.


----------



## nc8000

bvng3540 said:


> Advantage zx300 as it has 4.4mm balanced but zx2 not far behind as it also has 3.5mm balanced



Technically the ZX2 is just seperate ground and not properly balanced


----------



## Malevolint

hamhamhamsta said:


> ZX2 vs ZX300? Anyone?
> I think this is more fair comparison



Perhaps all three should be compared:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dap-score-list.874423/

Also, interestingly, the zx2 has Spotify support.


----------



## Malevolint (Aug 30, 2018)

rawrster said:


> The only way to tell is to hear it for yourself. I have the ZX300A and recently got the chance to hear the wm1a and it confirmed my purchase. I use the ZX300A primarily during my work commute, in my office or in coffee shops so there is more background noise than normally. The increase in sound quality is difficult to hear in my environment and definitely not worth the $900 price difference to me. The wm1a is also larger, heavier and not as pocket friendly.
> 
> .
> 
> Of course the differences for me could be worth it for someone else. A 10-20% increase for one person may be 1% for one person and 50% for another person.




I actually ordered both to compare. Kinda feel bad because I'll have to return one, but I have no other way to compare. If the WM1A is that much better, I'll keep it since there's only a 200 dollar difference between the two deals that I found.

Either one will be a huge upgrade from my Fiio X5 2nd gen


----------



## proedros

Mrcojocaru said:


> I actually ordered both to compare. Kinda feel bad because I'll have to return one, but I have no other way to compare. If the WM1A is that much better, I'll keep it since there's only a 200 dollar difference between the two deals that I found.
> 
> Either one will be a huge upgrade from my Fiio X5 2nd gen



wm1a needs 200-500 hours of burn-in , so not sure if your return window will make you get so many hours with it

however for only 200$ difference , wm1a is the logical pick no question about it

whichever you keep , make sure you go balanced 4.4


----------



## linux4ever

I've both the ZX300A and the WM1A. ZX300A is compact and sturdy. Its sound signature is slightly unique and different compared to WM1A. Can't go wrong with either. Yet the WM1A has more resolution and more of everything compared to ZX300A. If that more is justified in the more money being spent is up to each individual.

I use WM1A at work. I just put it in my shirt pocket. Doesn't get warm (like ibasso dx200) and I don't feel it that heavy with it in my shirt pocket. And the sound just keeps everything else at bay.

WM1A surely comes of age around the 400 hour mark and it just sounds extra awesome from that mark.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Aug 30, 2018)

proedros said:


> wm1a needs 200-500 hours of burn-in , so not sure if your return window will make you get so many hours with it
> 
> however for only 200$ difference , wm1a is the logical pick no question about it
> 
> whichever you keep , make sure you go balanced 4.4


Proedros,

Instead of having to have 1Z, why don't you mod 1A? I have a feeling you will like this very much. You're a treblehead, so I think you'll like modded 1a since treble are much more alive. Bass hits harder and clarity and resolution are a little better than unmodded.


----------



## proedros

hamhamhamsta said:


> Proedros,
> 
> Instead of having to have 1Z, why don't you mod 1A? I have a feeling you will like this very much. You're a treblehead, so I think you'll like modded 1a since treble are much more alive. Bass hits harder and clarity and resolution are a little better than unmodded.



i cooled off with getting wm1z , so we are good for now

as for the mod , i haven't warmed up to the idea (yet) , not sure what ind of sonic changes i will get plus i need to ship wm1a outside EU which means i may have custom taxes hassles when they return

if i was gonna buy wm1z used  it would probably have to be from a EU seller 

btw i just remembered how wm1z sounded 

damn.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

proedros said:


> i cooled off with getting wm1z , so we are good for now
> 
> as for the mod , i haven't warmed up to the idea (yet) , not sure what ind of sonic changes i will get plus i need to ship wm1a outside EU which means i may have custom taxes hassles when they return
> 
> ...


I guess when 1Z or modded 1A is in Sale Forum; you better snatch it asap(If the price is right).
Save some money and then resell your 1A.


----------



## Malevolint

proedros said:


> wm1a needs 200-500 hours of burn-in , so not sure if your return window will make you get so many hours with it
> 
> however for only 200$ difference , wm1a is the logical pick no question about it
> 
> whichever you keep , make sure you go balanced 4.4



Definitely going balanced! From everything I've read, it seems silly not to. Already ordered cables. Also, I cancelled my zx300 order and am just committing to the WM1A. 



linux4ever said:


> I've both the ZX300A and the WM1A. ZX300A is compact and sturdy. Its sound signature is slightly unique and different compared to WM1A. Can't go wrong with either. Yet the WM1A has more resolution and more of everything compared to ZX300A. If that more is justified in the more money being spent is up to each individual.
> 
> I use WM1A at work. I just put it in my shirt pocket. Doesn't get warm (like ibasso dx200) and I don't feel it that heavy with it in my shirt pocket. And the sound just keeps everything else at bay.
> 
> WM1A surely comes of age around the 400 hour mark and it just sounds extra awesome from that mark.



Thank you for your comparison. I feel like I can't find enough of these from personal first-person accounts. I decided to just cancel the zx300 order and commit because from what you're saying , the wm1a sounds exactly like what I want


----------



## Hanafuda

proedros said:


> has anyone played with the *DSEE / DC Phase settings* ?
> 
> what do they actually do sound-wise , have you noticed any sonic changes when using them ?




If you're speaking of 'phase linearizer', I like it with classic rock and live music. Very slightly thicker, fuzzy low end. It's fitting with some Hendrix or Santana. But it's pretty subtle, and as mentioned above not necessarily justified considering the battery drain that comes with it.


----------



## EdibleMind_X

Hi guys. I’m selling my wm1a due to the lacking of enough power to drive my th900 MK2. Can’t stand the sibilance it creates. Perhaps I need a desktop dac/amp with more power and better control to go along with my headphone? Or I’m not setting my wm1a up probably?  Can anyone persuade me to hold it, because I’m not sure whether I have made the best out of it. I use balance output btw.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

In honesty, ZX2 beats all Sony releases because it also has
1. Internet capability
2. Video Capability
 This is what is expected in our digital age. Not just blah balanced.


hamhamhamsta said:


> ZX2 vs ZX300? Anyone?
> I think this is more fair comparison


----------



## nc8000

DONTGIVEUP said:


> In honesty, ZX2 beats all Sony releases because it also has
> 1. Internet capability
> 2. Video Capability
> This is what is expected in our digital age. Not just blah balanced.



Provided you want those 2 things. I for one don’t care one bit for either, all I want is the best device to play my on board music collection


----------



## nc8000

EdibleMind_X said:


> Hi guys. I’m selling my wm1a due to the lacking of enough power to drive my th900 MK2. Can’t stand the sibilance it creates. Perhaps I need a desktop dac/amp with more power and better control to go along with my headphone? Or I’m not setting my wm1a up probably?  Can anyone persuade me to hold it, because I’m not sure whether I have made the best out of it. I use balance output btw.



I assume you are using the balanced output and high gain ?


----------



## proedros

also perhaps he has the EU volume-capped version ?


----------



## EdibleMind_X

nc8000 said:


> I assume you are using the balanced output and high gain ?


Balanced without high gain. But I tried high before. The sound was loud enough but the quality wasn’t that good. Especially the harsh vocal. I know th900 has that problem, so I’m looking for something that can combat that issue.


----------



## bvng3540

EdibleMind_X said:


> Balanced without high gain. But I tried high before. The sound was loud enough but the quality wasn’t that good. Especially the harsh vocal. I know th900 has that problem, so I’m looking for something that can combat that issue.


Highly recommend lawton tune up kit for your th900


----------



## EdibleMind_X

bvng3540 said:


> Highly recommend lawton tune up kit for your th900


How does the kit work? Will it be I buying it online and tuning the headphone myself? And another question is wm1a good enough for full size headphones? Thanks a lot.


----------



## nc8000

EdibleMind_X said:


> How does the kit work? Will it be I buying it online and tuning the headphone myself? And another question is wm1a good enough for full size headphones? Thanks a lot.



WM players are plenty good enough for most full size but there are some that are probably too hard to drive or just don’t match the signature of the WM


----------



## bvng3540

EdibleMind_X said:


> How does the kit work? Will it be I buying it online and tuning the headphone myself? And another question is wm1a good enough for full size headphones? Thanks a lot.


Lawtonaudio.com


----------



## EdibleMind_X

nc8000 said:


> WM players are plenty good enough for most full size but there are some that are probably too hard to drive or just don’t match the signature of the WM


I see. Then I might give it another chance. Cheers.


----------



## EdibleMind_X

bvng3540 said:


> Lawtonaudio.com


All good. Thanks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Provided you want those 2 things. I for one don’t care one bit for either, all I want is the best device to play my on board music collection


I agree with you, all I want is a device to play music, video, I hate watching videos on such tiny screens. A laptop ot TV is better for this purpose. Internet  same as videos better a PC


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## auronthas

At 15 hours... Long way to go... meanwhile enjoy the music .


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## purk

auronthas said:


> At 15 hours... Long way to go... meanwhile enjoy the music .



You are using the wrong headphone output.


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## gerelmx1986

auronthas said:


> At 15 hours... Long way to go... meanwhile enjoy the music .


Wait until you go the other side, and you'll be surprised


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## proedros

is it a 4.4 cable ? he is using the SE output


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## auronthas (Aug 31, 2018)

purk said:


> You are using the wrong headphone output.


LOL, it's 3.5mm SE output. I only have 2.5mm BAL cable at the moment. Run in SE side first 

Placed order for 4.4mm male to 2.5mm female adaptor and 4.4mm silver cable MMCX type.



gerelmx1986 said:


> Wait until you go the other side, and you'll be surprised



Let try one side first then the other side , I will patiently wait to observe the progressive changes and enjoy the music .



proedros said:


> is it a 4.4 cable ? he is using the SE output



No, it's 3.5mm High 4 Strands 19 Core Silver-Plated cable


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> is it a 4.4 cable ? he is using the SE output



In which case it clearly is not a 4.4


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## DONTGIVEUP

I need it for both purposes and audio. Whatever Sony puts out, its the best at that time of release. 
So I don’t under what’s your point. But it doesnt matter. Since balanced daps are out now and no one needs legacy features.
You’re probably one of those who think new is better. 



nc8000 said:


> Provided you want those 2 things. I for one don’t care one bit for either, all I want is the best device to play my on board music collection


----------



## nc8000

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I need it for both purposes and audio. Whatever Sony puts out, its the best at that time of release.
> So I don’t under what’s your point. But it doesnt matter. Since balanced daps are out now and no one needs legacy features.
> You’re probably one of those who think new is better.



I don’t at all get what you are trying to say nor how you get to your conclusion about what I prefer. I had the ZX2 and now have the 1Z as I think it sounds considerably better and I don’t agree that the market expects internet nor video in a MUSIC player, I just expect it to play music and couldn’t care less about the presence of internet and video capabilities, didn’t use them on ZX2.


----------



## proedros

are people still comparing zx2 to wm1z ?

wm1z sounded quite better than my wm1a which sounded quite better than my zx2 , so i don't think that zx2/wm1z are in the same ballpark (nor should they be , considering their vast price difference)

to me , sony is amazing as it gifted us with 2 amazing DAPs, at 2 different price levels, so as to cater to a wide range of music lovers/junkies 

if you can afford it , go for wm1z - if not is wm1a is a great alternative  (without breaking your wallet)

everybody wins , very happy to see SONY back on top


----------



## Lavakugel

Is there a big step up from SE to Balanced with Sennheiser HD6xx / HD600 / HD650?


----------



## bflat

300 hours of burn in and here are my impressions paired with my Laylas with a 2.5mm to 4.4mm balanced adapter.

In brief, the WM1z sounds a lot like ALO CDM. Up until now, I have proclaimed the ALO CDM as the best pairing with Laylas. WM1z has equaled ALO CDM imho and surpassed it from a technology perspective since the ALO still needed a top class DAC to be at its' best, like a Hugo 2. My ALO CDM is up for sale in classified. My impressions of the WM1z below are pretty much the same for ALO CDM (as an amp only). I also used Direct Sound mode in the WM1z with volume at 68-72, normal gain. My Layla bass dials are at middle 12'0clock (+0 db).

More in-depth - Many have characterized WM1z as "warm", however that is a very broad statement and personally, I find the term "warm" over used on audio impressions. I think most folks will describe something as "warm" as long as it doesn't sound thin and shrill like an IEM that's not fully sealed in one's ear. My point is, I don't think it helps a whole lot to say WM1z sounds "warm" so here are my notes and also comparison to my former SP1000 (stainless steel).

Lows - I would describe WM1z low end as accurate, moderately fast, and very well extended. Absolutely no fat in the mid bass. There is a little bit of liquidity to the low end which is what I prefer. The SP1000 on the other hand was faster and tighter with a bit more extension. Note, Laylas use BA drivers so my impressions may not apply to dynamic drivers.

Mid - Very nice presentation. Not too forward and not too laid back. Compared to SP1000, WM1z has a little more weight in the mids making the sound not quite as fast as SP1000. The difference is not as much as the lows though. While a little thicker in sound, there is no loss of definition and separation.

Highs - This was the most surprising to me in a good way. The WM1z is very clear, spacious, sparkly, but not fatiguing. SP1000 sounded slightly more diffused than WM1z that gives the perception of a wider sound stage, whereas the WM1a is more intimate in comparison. I prefer WM1z. This is also where I think some people mistakenly take "warm" to mean rolled off treble. This is 100% not the case with WM1z. Don't expect a hot treble sounding headphone to sound tame with WM1z. It will still be quite hot. You may get less distortion to take some edge (ringing) off but that's about it.

Details and Presentation - I would say SP1000 and WM1z are pretty much equal in the amount of micro details that they can dish out. Both are especially impressive in the amount of details in the bass and sub bass areas. SP1000 imho has a larger sound stage but not by much. I do have one caveat about sound stage comparison. With SP1000 I had a 2.5mm terminated cable. With WM1z, I have to use an adapter. I don't believe I have an optimal level of signal separation using and adapter and must try a 4.4mm terminated cable to really compare apples to apples. I should have a new cable for my Laylas in a few weeks so will update once I receive.

Summary - I don't think anyone would find WM1z lacking in sound capability. It will not color your headphones so you will hear what your headphones were designed to do. The real question is the price. Is the huge premium worth it over 1a or even ZX300? That really depends on each and every owner. Yes, it's a cliche statement so let me add my twist to that. If your are the type who starts off with something below the top model and find yourself trading up over time, then I would say just cut to the chase and get the WM1z. If you don't get those impulses and have very good fiscal discipline, then I think the WM1a is a much better choice although I have not tried it myself. At the end of the day, it's about enjoying your music and part of that is not feeling regret for spending what you did on your sound system. You know what I regret? Having to buy 8 wire cables every time because of the 4 pin connectors on JH Laylas! Yes, they are literally twice as expensive as normal cables.


----------



## proedros

bflat said:


> 300 hours of burn in and here are my impressions paired with my Laylas with a 2.5mm to 4.4mm balanced adapter.
> 
> here are my notes and also comparison to my former SP1000 (stainless steel).
> 
> With SP1000 I had a 2.5mm terminated cable. With WM1z, I have to use an adapter. I don't believe I have an optimal level of signal separation using and adapter and must try a 4.4mm terminated cable to really compare apples to apples. I should have a new cable for my Laylas in a few weeks so will update once I receive.



great impressions , and i bet your wm1z will get even better until 500 hours , plus the sub-cable issue is killing some SQ too

looks like wm1z is as good (if not better) than SP1000 , and seeing that a)it has a much bigger battery , b)has a more natural sound , c) can be had (used/mint) for way less money than a SP1000

makes me think that wm1z is the winner in this ''battle of the dap titans''

ps :  i need to get a wm1z when money comes around (keep on dreaming huh)


----------



## nc8000

Lavakugel said:


> Is there a big step up from SE to Balanced with Sennheiser HD6xx / HD600 / HD650?



I’ve previously (several years ago) found that the Sen HD6.. phones are some of the ones that most benefit from balanced


----------



## teknorob23

proedros said:


> great impressions , and i bet your wm1z will get even better until 500 hours , plus the sub-cable issue is killing some SQ too
> 
> looks like wm1z is as good (if not better) than SP1000 , and seeing that a)it has a much bigger battery , b)has a more natural sound , c) can be had (used/mint) for way less money than a SP1000
> 
> ...



after 10 days with spcu and 1z this was my surprise conclusion too.. and unlike the SPcu, it doesnt look like something off my great aunt's mantel piece above the fire just a really subdued golden house brick


----------



## proedros

teknorob23 said:


> after 10 days with spcu and 1z this was my surprise conclusion too.. and unlike the SPcu, it doesnt look like something off my great aunt's mantel piece above the fire just a really subdued golden house brick



you are not helping here (never try what you can not afford - the first rule of the headfi club)


----------



## teknorob23

proedros said:


> you are not helping here (never try what you can not afford - the first rule of the headfi club)



and the 2nd rule?


----------



## proedros

teknorob23 said:


> and the 2nd rule?



the 2nd rule is - never take seriously the first rule , you are in headfi


----------



## blazinblazin

Looks like currently audio is at it's peak for Sony and AK.

Wonder who will have the next big move on new TOTL DAP.

With the update coming, i don't think Sony is moving yet for at least for 1-2 more year.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 31, 2018)

EdibleMind_X said:


> Hi guys. I’m selling my wm1a due to the lacking of enough power to drive my th900 MK2. Can’t stand the sibilance it creates. Perhaps I need a desktop dac/amp with more power and better control to go along with my headphone? Or I’m not setting my wm1a up probably?  Can anyone persuade me to hold it, because I’m not sure whether I have made the best out of it. I use balance output btw.



With your 1A as a file source; I bet a balanced cable would make your Fostex headphones sound good from the TA amp.
https://www.moon-audio.com/fostex-balanced-headphone-cable-for-th900-mkii.html


----------



## EdibleMind_X

Redcarmoose said:


> With your 1A as a file source; I bet a balanced cable would make your Fostex headphones sound good from the TA amp.
> https://www.moon-audio.com/fostex-balanced-headphone-cable-for-th900-mkii.html


Thank you for your recommendation. Actually I’m using that balanced cable right now. My theory now is that 1a doesn’t have the control level TH900 deadly needs. What about the sound control quality of TA amp? Actually can I have a full name of the amp? Cheers.


----------



## Redcarmoose

EdibleMind_X said:


> Thank you for your recommendation. Actually I’m using that balanced cable right now. My theory now is that 1a doesn’t have the control level TH900 deadly needs. What about the sound control quality of TA amp? Actually can I have a full name of the amp? Cheers.


Sony TA-ZH1ES

Your balanced is 4 pin XLR? 

Just a suggestion and this is rare as I almost never ever recommend something I have not heard. But the TA is on the warm side and may smooth the treble some. Also the damping factor will get you more controlled bass, which will sound cleaner and seem to have better controlled bass extension. Though keep in mind this is all a pure guess on my part. But the 1A is the best sounding file player for the amp; better than computer or CD.


----------



## EdibleMind_X

Redcarmoose said:


> Sony TA-ZH1ES
> 
> Your balanced is 4 pin XLR?
> 
> Just a suggestion and this is rare as I almost never ever recommend something I have not heard. But the TA is on the warm side and may smooth the treble some. Also the damping factor will get you more controlled bass, which will sound cleaner and seem to have better controlled bass extension. Though keep in mind this is all a pure guess on my part. But the 1A is the best sounding file player for the amp; better than computer or CD.


Yeah, it’s 4pin XLR. 

All right. I might try a demo in shops. Thanks anyway.


----------



## bflat

EdibleMind_X said:


> Yeah, it’s 4pin XLR.
> 
> All right. I might try a demo in shops. Thanks anyway.



There is no shame in using the EQ. As a former TH900 owner, I think the majority of owners EQ to some extent. You don't need to a lot - +3-4 dB in the mids and -3-4 dB in the hot peaky treble region.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Lavakugel said:


> Is there a big step up from SE to Balanced with Sennheiser HD6xx / HD600 / HD650?



In the first month I had my 1A, I was pretty obsessive when it came to switching cables and using adapters to make sure I plugged in to the 4.4mm balanced jack.
But over time, I've gotten lazy and just left whichever cable I have on and just connect to either SE or balanced. Either way, I still enjoy my music very much because the 1A has demonstrated that it's a very solid platform either way.


----------



## EdibleMind_X

bflat said:


> There is no shame in using the EQ. As a former TH900 owner, I think the majority of owners EQ to some extent. You don't need to a lot - +3-4 dB in the mids and -3-4 dB in the hot peaky treble region.


Yes. Agree with you. EQ helps. But in my case, the sibilance still exists even when I dampened the highs (3KHz - 8KHz) to the lowest which is -10dB.


----------



## bflat

EdibleMind_X said:


> Yes. Agree with you. EQ helps. But in my case, the sibilance still exists even when I dampened the highs (3KHz - 8KHz) to the lowest which is -10dB.



In all seriousness, -10 dB would indicate you should go with different headphones. TH900 isn't for everyone and a good number of owners spend a lot on mods. Given the fact that TH900 is an open back headphone for all intent and purposes, you have a wide selection of full size headphones in that price range. I will admit, the bass on TH900 is something unique.


----------



## Redcarmoose

bflat said:


> There is no shame in using the EQ. As a former TH900 owner, I think the majority of owners EQ to some extent. You don't need to a lot - +3-4 dB in the mids and -3-4 dB in the hot peaky treble region.



I only EQ my Noble Encore IEMs. Same way too, just a little off the mid and a little off the treble. If you have a headphone that you really like and can someway slightly EQ your way around; it’s a good thing. Everyone’s sensitivity to hot treble is different. Tube amps can add harmonic complexity to smooth it out also. Copper cables can tune the signature to a smoother area too. Though there is nothing wrong with eventually coming to the conclusion you need different headphones. Life is too short to put up with the wrong signature.


----------



## Quadfather

Lavakugel said:


> Is there a big step up from SE to Balanced with Sennheiser HD6xx / HD600 / HD650?



I can check and get back to you later today.


----------



## Aliv3

Hi. 
I've been a bit away from this thread.
is there a list of different price and performance categories for iems or headphones that work well with wm1a? I need to reform my sennheiser ie80. It's time to upgrade.
Thanks.


----------



## nc8000

Going through security in Copenhagen airport my tray went through the scanner 3 times and they finally quizzed me on what that heavy block that the scanner couldn’t penetrate was.

They’d never seen a 500 gram lump of copper like that before


----------



## gerelmx1986

Finally completed the MDR-Z1R payment to @purk, Now i can't wait to have them in my hands


----------



## animalsrush

nc8000 said:


> Going through security in Copenhagen airport my tray went through the scanner 3 times and they finally quizzed me on what that heavy block that the scanner couldn’t penetrate was.
> 
> They’d never seen a 500 gram lump of copper like that before




I used to get flagged often due to my wm1z. The TSA officer at ohare airport showed me the scan . It is bright on X-ray hence flagged.. nowadays I remove it with my laptop with case open and player on.. not flagged even once since at most international airports..

Pc


----------



## nc8000

animalsrush said:


> I used to get flagged often due to my wm1z. The TSA officer at ohare airport showed me the scan . It is bright on X-ray hence flagged.. nowadays I remove it with my laptop with case open and player on.. not flagged even once since at most international airports..
> 
> Pc



I always put it in the tech tray with laptop, iPad, Kindle and reMarkable tablet so in full view


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am trying out @nc8000 trick, of downsampling DSD & HR to 16/44 or 48 and i've tranferred way more music, and this is just the 400GB card


----------



## gerelmx1986

animalsrush said:


> I used to get flagged often due to my wm1z. The TSA officer at ohare airport showed me the scan . It is bright on X-ray hence flagged.. nowadays I remove it with my laptop with case open and player on.. not flagged even once since at most international airports..
> 
> Pc


Wonder if it is the same with the WM1A? better put on the tray with the Laptop, XBA-Z5's, belt, pass etc


----------



## nc8000 (Sep 1, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am trying out @nc8000 trick, of downsampling DSD & HR to 16/44 or 48 and i've tranferred way more music, and this is just the 400GB card



Yes I can just fit all my music in 400+256GB like that apart from 3 100 disc box sets so awaiting the 512GB microSD card.

For critical listening I will admit that the hires files usually do sound better, but I hardly ever listen that critically, I just listen to the music and don’t feell I’m missing any enjoyment from having it in red book format and it is far outweighed by having a lot more choice. 

I have also downsampled it all to 320aac and it just about fits on a 256GB card that sits in the car where that quality is plenty good enough


----------



## nanaholic

animalsrush said:


> I used to get flagged often due to my wm1z. The TSA officer at ohare airport showed me the scan . It is bright on X-ray hence flagged.. nowadays I remove it with my laptop with case open and player on.. not flagged even once since at most international airports..
> 
> Pc



I never got flagged by the X-ray for security checks, however I got asked by Japanese customs before because they are currently cracking down on gold smuggling coming in from other countries. The officer asked me whether I have any gold bars or gold jewellery on me and I said no. He frisked my backpack and found the 1Z and gave me a "Why did you lie to me?" dirty look and asked in threatening voice "What is this?". I then showed him how it played music and pointed to the Sony logo and said it's a Walkman.


----------



## syke

nc8000 said:


> Going through security in Copenhagen airport my tray went through the scanner 3 times and they finally quizzed me on what that heavy block that the scanner couldn’t penetrate was.
> 
> They’d never seen a 500 gram lump of copper like that before





animalsrush said:


> I used to get flagged often due to my wm1z. The TSA officer at ohare airport showed me the scan . It is bright on X-ray hence flagged.. nowadays I remove it with my laptop with case open and player on.. not flagged even once since at most international airports..
> 
> Pc



I get it all the time (I fly approximately 3-4 times a month) and I am getting pretty annoyed trying to explain what it is.


----------



## gerelmx1986

syke said:


> I get it all the time (I fly approximately 3-4 times a month) and I am getting pretty annoyed trying to explain what it is.


Get a WM1A


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Yes I can just fit all my music in 400+256GB like that apart from 3 100 disc box sets so awaiting the 512GB microSD card.
> 
> For critical listening I will admit that the hires files usually do sound better, but I hardly ever listen that critically, I just listen to the music and don’t feell I’m missing any enjoyment from having it in red book format and it is far outweighed by having a lot more choice.
> 
> I have also downsampled it all to 320aac and it just about fits on a 256GB card that sits in the car where that quality is plenty good enough


Yup, i know that too. I have my HR music intact on hard drives, just mobile i decided to play with your trick and see how much i fitted…. 1280 albums, and i haven't yet began to transfer to the WM1A


----------



## Lookout57

animalsrush said:


> I used to get flagged often due to my wm1z. The TSA officer at ohare airport showed me the scan . It is bright on X-ray hence flagged.. nowadays I remove it with my laptop with case open and player on.. not flagged even once since at most international airports..
> 
> Pc


You need to get TSA Pre-check as I have that and no issues flying with my 1Z. I go right thru, no questions asked.


----------



## purk (Sep 1, 2018)

Back about 15 years ago a concept of a headphones amplifier was not very well known.  I remember trying to explain to the TSA agents that this particular device makes headphones listening a lot better and they just shook their heads and thankfully let me go thru the security check point.  I think that amp was either a META42 or Larocco Pocket Reference.


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> Finally completed the MDR-Z1R payment to @purk, Now i can't wait to have them in my hands



Get ready! Get ready for amazement!


----------



## Bosk

gerelmx1986 said:


> He is probably autistic, refuses  to get out of his world. There are smartphones and tablets and computes that can do video and internet better (bigger screens, faster processors, less cramped space etc)
> 
> I don't mind carrying two devices on my backpack / briefcase, I had Walkman with FM radio, never used it. I also had two Walkman with video  and never used that either


The question of whether DAPs need internet capability is a really interesting one. I'm more than happy to use my AK380 only to play music files, and it its not like it would suddenly replace my phone even if I used it for streaming. After saying that, being able to use it for podcasts and maybe the occasional Youtube clip would be terribly nice. Would I choose my next DAP based on one that has those capabilities? Probably not, but if two competing DAPs offer similar sound at a similar price and one offers the use of Android apps then that might plausibly sway me. 

One issue is wifi and how much a built-in antenna affects the sound quality of a device. Sony obviously thinks it does. The other is Android, putting aside Astell & Kern players which use a very restricted customized version, none of the Android DAPs I know reputedly offer the sound quality of the WM1Z or SP1000. Does that mean its impossible for a DAP that runs vanilla Android to offer top-notch sound due to all the OS's background processes going on? At some point an Android DAP starts being a gimped phone that can't send texts and doesn't sound as good as the competition, which is fine for the low end of the market but anyone who spends a few thousand on a device either demands ultimate sound quality or just wants a blingy gadget to show off how rich they are.

One final point, the trend in DAPs is moving towards faster processors with larger screen sizes and better pixel density. No wifi seems more reasonable in devices that wouldn't be terribly usable as internet browsers anyway, but as DAPs become more powerful it'll feel more like that power isn't being fully utilized if they only play music files.


----------



## linux4ever

Bosk said:


> The question of whether DAPs need internet capability is a really interesting one. I'm more than happy to use my AK380 only to play music files, and it its not like it would suddenly replace my phone even if I used it for streaming. After saying that, being able to use it for podcasts and maybe the occasional Youtube clip would be terribly nice. Would I choose my next DAP based on one that has those capabilities? Probably not, but if two competing DAPs offer similar sound at a similar price and one offers the use of Android apps then that might plausibly sway me.
> 
> One issue is wifi and how much a built-in antenna affects the sound quality of a device. Sony obviously thinks it does. The other is Android, putting aside Astell & Kern players which use a very restricted customized version, none of the Android DAPs I know reputedly offer the sound quality of the WM1Z or SP1000. Does that mean its impossible for a DAP that runs vanilla Android to offer top-notch sound due to all the OS's background processes going on? At some point an Android DAP starts being a gimped phone that can't send texts and doesn't sound as good as the competition, which is fine for the low end of the market but anyone who spends a few thousand on a device either demands ultimate sound quality or just wants a blingy gadget to show off how rich they are.
> 
> One final point, the trend in DAPs is moving towards faster processors with larger screen sizes and better pixel density. No wifi seems more reasonable in devices that wouldn't be terribly usable as internet browsers anyway, but as DAPs become more powerful it'll feel more like that power isn't being fully utilized if they only play music files.



Ibasso dx200 is android dap and has been implemented in a thoughtful manner. Thus it has the advantages of Android and it also sounds so good. And doesn't cost a leg or a kidney like the ak players


----------



## NaiveSound

linux4ever said:


> Ibasso dx200 is android dap and has been implemented in a thoughtful manner. Thus it has the advantages of Android and it also sounds so good. And doesn't cost a leg or a kidney like the ak players


Bad RF noise, high noise floor,, pops and clicks between streaming songs.


----------



## linux4ever

I haven't had any of that problem with my dx200. I can speak only about my unit and my experience with it.


----------



## jcdreamer

I had the same thing happened to me back in May at the LAX in Los Angeles.


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> Going through security in Copenhagen airport my tray went through the scanner 3 times and they finally quizzed me on what that heavy block that the scanner couldn’t penetrate was.
> 
> They’d never seen a 500 gram lump of copper like that before



I had an expensive turntable in a Pelican case with full size padlocks. Checked in in and forgot about it. NSA cut off the locks as they didn't maybe like the case or what they saw? I was happy to get my turntable all in one piece. About a one day later I quickly broke the needle off; that's another story.


----------



## nanaholic

Redcarmoose said:


> I had an expensive turntable in a Pelican case with full size padlocks. Checked in in and forgot about it. NSA cut off the locks as they didn't maybe like the case or what they saw? I was happy to get my turntable all in one piece. About a one day later I quickly broke the needle off; that's another story.



IIRC locks on luggage has to be TSA approved such that they can use a "master key" to open them and check the contents, so if TSA sees a non-TSA approved lock they'll definitely cut it, it's like a giant "kick me" sign on your luggage if they see those and they'll definitely kick it harder. 

There was a big stink earlier that one of those master keys got leaked and was made available as a 3D printer compatible file on the internet.


----------



## Redcarmoose

nanaholic said:


> IIRC locks on luggage has to be TSA approved such that they can use a "master key" to open them and check the contents, so if TSA sees a non-TSA approved lock they'll definitely cut it, it's like a giant "kick me" sign on your luggage if they see those and they'll definitely kick it harder.
> 
> There was a big stink earlier that one of those master keys got leaked and was made available as a 3D printer compatible file on the internet.



Haha I meant to say TSA.


----------



## Quadfather

Quadfather said:


> I can check and get back to you later today.



I like the balanced output better with the 650. Surprisingly, single-ended still sends the headphones into an acceptable volume level. Personally, I like the Shure SRH1540 headphones better with the Sony players.


----------



## NehPets

gerelmx1986 said:


> Get a WM1A


https://darko.audio/2018/09/ifa-2018-sony-launch-e8500-2-5kg-dmp-z1-walkman/

Turns out that aluminium has superior sound quality.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> I had an expensive turntable in a Pelican case with full size padlocks. Checked in in and forgot about it. NSA cut off the locks as they didn't maybe like the case or what they saw? I was happy to get my turntable all in one piece. About a one day later I quickly broke the needle off; that's another story.


Takes a brave man to check in expensive electronics. I'd have hand carried it through.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Takes a brave man to check in expensive electronics. I'd have hand carried it through.



They put everything back the way it was!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> They put everything back the way it was!


I err on the side of paranoia.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Maybe the TSA agents were audiophiles?


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 2, 2018)




----------



## proedros

flashes of *Breaking Bad* , using chemical names in it titles


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> Maybe the TSA agents were audiophiles?


Then I doubt you'd get it back. Hahahahahahaha!


----------



## artpiggo (Sep 2, 2018)

Quadfather said:


>





Edited: the mentioned quote has been edited.


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 2, 2018)

artpiggo said:


> Edited: the mentioned quote has been edited.



I noticed that copper is redder than aluminum and misread the chart at first.  Having said that, I doubt red and yellow are very easily discernible by human hearing. Personally, I think most players come down to tuning rather than what the casing it is made of.


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> I noticed that copper is redder than aluminum and misread the chart at first.  Having said that, I doubt red and yellow are very easily discernible by human hearing. Personally, I think most players come down to tuning rather than what the casing it is made of.


And that is why Wm1Z has more FT-Capacitors and F-Resistors in it circuitry.  It never was the casing of special Copper and gold plating to begin with (just look at it as a special bonus).  I love Sony and WM1Z, but I can’t stand what the newer DMP-Z1 is about


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> And that is why Wm1Z has more FT-Capacitors and F-Resistors in it circuitry.  It never was the casing of special Copper and gold plating to begin with (just look at it as a special bonus).  I love Sony and WM1Z, but I can’t stand what the newer DMP-Z1 is about



I thought about saving for the Cayin N8, since I own the NW-WM1A.  But,  I have decided Sony just can't be beat due to their low operating heat and durability. I am still saving for the NW - WM1Z.


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> I thought about saving for the Cayin N8, since I own the NW-WM1A.  But,  I have decided Sony just can't be beat due to their low operating heat and durability. I am still saving for the NW - WM1Z.


And battery life.  The longer the battery last, the longer the Walkman last.  My zx2 is still running like a champ, where as my Note4 needs battery replacement already, and Dx200 battery lasts about 2 years from what I observe by other people doing.  

The differences is that Walkman battery is not user replaceable


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> And battery life.  The longer the battery last, the longer the Walkman last.  My zx2 is still running like a champ, where as my Note4 needs battery replacement already, and Dx200 battery lasts about 2 years from what I observe by other people doing.
> 
> The differences is that Walkman battery is not user replaceable



I would hope and think that there are service centers somewhere that can replace the battery.


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> I would hope and think that there are service centers somewhere that can replace the battery.


I think you will as the battery in DMP-Z1 is serviced the same as Walkman would.  So, I expect battery life on Walkman to last a typical 5 years with normal usage and storage.


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> I think you will as the battery in DMP-Z1 is serviced the same as Walkman would.  So, I expect battery life on Walkman to last a typical 5 years with normal usage and storage.



I love my Sony, and I wish I could pull the trigger on selling my LPG Gold and my Questyle QP1R, but I also love them LOL
Well, I guess it's save your money for the 1Z time


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> I would hope and think that there are service centers somewhere that can replace the battery.


The regular Sony service centers should do the job, otherwise you can have them serviced at the shops that will carry out electronic repairs.
Unfortunately, I don't think either option will be cheap, but it's still a good way to prolong the life of your WM.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Sep 2, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> I love my Sony, and I wish I could pull the trigger on selling my LPG Gold and my Questyle QP1R, but I also love them LOL
> Well, I guess it's save your money for the 1Z time


I was kinda itching to get another DAP a few weeks ago... But after looking through all the head-fi porn, I realised two things:

a) Can't find a DAP that I'd want to swap the 1A for... Other than a 1Z.

b) Since I have my 1A with me all the time, I haven't found a situation where it was just not portable enough and I needed a smaller device.

c) I only have a few hundred GB of music that I want to cycle through so the onboard capacity works for me... Even though there are times when I feel the greed and I want ALL my music with me.

d) I don't need Wi-Fi on my DAP, don't sweat about Tidal.

Eventually I just decided not to waste so much time looking at the head-fi porn, making notebooks in Evernote to log all the different pages of information to make comparisons... And just lie back and enjoy my modded 1A more.

Heck, I'm not even sure what headphone I want to get next! Hmmm.... Oh wait... There are a few... Hmmm


----------



## Whitigir

Here in the us, those services shop will not repair what they are not listed or registered to service, due to insurances and purposes, unless you know them personally and do it after hours ?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> Here in the us, those services shop will not repair what they are not listed or registered to service, due to insurances and purposes, unless you know them personally and do it after hours ?


That seriously sucks. It surprises me that you can't find an electronics repair guy in some obscure neighborhood mall that will do this. Whatever happened to the old school TV repairman and his ilk?
Here, we have a slew of tiny stores that do independent repairs of mobile phones with third party parts ordered from Chinese online stores. There are also a few hobbyist repairman on the online shopping forums and a couple of social community forums.
And then there's Music Sanctuary, which carries out the WM mods in the first place. And the local service centers are pretty responsive; had heard that the local Sony service Centre will sell or order virtually any part you need for your WM, from screen to shielding.
Plus our dense geography places it all within a pretty reasonable proximity. I dropped an email to Sennheiser about getting padding for the headband and they responded with a price quote and a time estimate for their tech to make the replacement.


----------



## gerelmx1986

For agood device like the WM1A some good heapfhones like the MDR-Z1R and top notch recordings. My MDR-Z7a re on their last days of ear-times  If i haven0t sold them by then (my Z1R arrive) i'll do a comparison.. Z1R VS Z7


----------



## proedros

Quadfather said:


> I love my Sony, and I wish I could pull the trigger on selling my LPG Gold and my Questyle QP1R, but I also love them LOL
> Well, I guess it's save your money for the 1Z time



try wm1z first before selling all your other daps (and a kidney)

as much as i liked WM1Z (and i liked it a lot) i still think that paying 3x the wm1a price for a 20% improvement is not worth it (yet - there's that magic word again)

some days i wake up remembering how wm1z sounded and sighing with longing , other days i wake up and realize that wm1a is the better bang-for-buck by a mile and the sighing goes away

just my personal experience ofc (dictated as well by my dire financial state - if i had the money to burn i would have bought it already)


----------



## Quadfather

proedros said:


> try wm1z first before selling all your other daps (and a kidney)
> 
> as much as i liked WM1Z (and i liked it a lot) i still think that paying 3x the wm1a price for a 20% improvement is not worth it (yet - there's that magic word again)
> 
> ...



I agree with you, but still...


----------



## proedros

Quadfather said:


> I agree with you, but still...



...this is headfi , sorry for your wallet

i know man hahahahahahaha


----------



## Quadfather

Well, I am taking a rare, short break from my Sony while it charges LOL


----------



## deewy (Sep 2, 2018)

Hi guys, I have just pulled trigger on WM1z. I should receive this beauty in couple of days and will be AK convert  I would like to ask a question about 4,4 TRRS. I own EA Lionheart 3,5 cable TRS cable is it possible to re-terminate it to 4,4 TRRS? I would not want to buy all new cables. Thx in advance for your help.


----------



## Quadfather

deewy said:


> Hi guys, I have just pulled trigger on WM1z. I should recive this beaaty in couple of day. I would like to ask a q



Not to be insulting, but you dog!  I wish I were you right now LOL


----------



## nc8000

deewy said:


> Hi guys, I have just pulled trigger on WM1z. I should receive this beauty in couple of days and will be AK convert  I would like to ask a question about 4,4 TRRS. I own EA Lionheart 3,5 cable TRS cable is it possible to re-terminate it to 4,4 TRRS? I would not want to buy all new cables. Thx in advance for your help.



If you have 4 wires going into the 3.5 plug then you should be able to reterminate. If oly 3 wires you can’t


----------



## deewy

Quadfather said:


> Not to be insulting, but you dog!  I wish I were you right now LOL



Not at all m8 LOL. Sry for incomplete post, I am writing from iPad and it always comes to missing characters here and there. Anyhow my question about retermination stands.


----------



## deewy

nc8000 said:


> If you have 4 wires going into the 3.5 plug then you should be able to reterminate. If oly 3 wires you can’t



Yes its is 4 wire Effect Audio cable. Two wires per side I suppose I will snap a picture.


----------



## nc8000

deewy said:


> Yes its is 4 wire Effect Audio cable. Two wires per side I suppose I will snap a picture.



That should be fine for retermination then


----------



## Quadfather

DAMN I HATE WAITING FOR A SONY NW-WM1Z!  LOL. Okay, I am back down and breathing hard.


----------



## deewy

nc8000 said:


> That should be fine for retermination then



Thank you. 



Quadfather said:


> DAMN I HATE WAITING FOR A SONY NW-WM1Z!  LOL. Okay, I am back down and breathing hard.



I ordered mine from Amazon.de they offer slight discount per say. Pitty I cant order from Japan as anything outside EU would imply 21% VAT and 4% customs charge.


----------



## deewy

So I orderdered this jack http://www.furutech.com/2017/09/19/15553/


Thankk god I got skilled electricians in my job as I would not be able to make it myself probably.


----------



## nc8000

deewy said:


> So I orderdered this jack http://www.furutech.com/2017/09/19/15553/
> 
> 
> Thankk god I got skilled electricians in my job as I would not be able to make it myself probably.



Yes I had a skilled friend of mine do the retermination on my cable as well


----------



## gerelmx1986

deewy said:


> Thank you.
> 
> 
> 
> I ordered mine from Amazon.de they offer slight discount per say. Pitty I cant order from Japan as anything outside EU would imply 21% VAT and 4% customs charge.


Man, that's nothing lol 21% + 4% … i purchased some comply foam tips from USA and upon arrival to mexico i got imposed a 65% import fee only because they mislabeled the tips as hearing-aid components


----------



## deewy (Sep 2, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Man, that's nothing lol 21% + 4% … i purchased some comply foam tips from USA and upon arrival to mexico i got imposed a 65% import fee only because they mislabeled the tips as hearing-aid components



Oh man, that’s absurd. I feel you. But thankfully that was not something for couple grand.


----------



## NaiveSound

I am so b excited for the 1a/1z software update


----------



## blazinblazin

deewy said:


> Hi guys, I have just pulled trigger on WM1z. I should receive this beauty in couple of days and will be AK convert  I would like to ask a question about 4,4 TRRS. I own EA Lionheart 3,5 cable TRS cable is it possible to re-terminate it to 4,4 TRRS? I would not want to buy all new cables. Thx in advance for your help.



Not problem. I had my EA Leonidas reterminate into EA 4.4mm by them.


----------



## deewy

blazinblazin said:


> Not problem. I had my EA Leonidas reterminate into EA 4.4mm by them.



Awesome, thank you.


----------



## XP_98 (Sep 4, 2018)

Did someone try to pair the WM1Z with the DT990 250 ohms (on balanced output), or another 250 ohms headphone ?
Is the Sony on balanced powerful enough to drive it properly ?
I mean not just acceptable, but really making the headphone shine (or sing) like it should be with a good pairing.


----------



## sne4me (Sep 4, 2018)

XP_98 said:


> Did someone try to pair the WM1Z with the DT990 250 ohms (on balanced output), or another 250 ohms headphone ?
> Is the Sony on balanced powerful enough to drive it properly ?
> I mean not just acceptable, but really making the headphone shine (or sing) like it should be with a good pairing.



I tested the WM1A and Z in a sony store using DT-770pro 80 as well as DT-1350 against the MDR-Z1R and MDR-Z7. It seemed like in fact the WM1A/Z is intended for IEMS and low resistance phones. Actually I did not feel it could drive anything other than the DT-1350 adequately. I also ran these headphones out of the TA-ZH1ES which I felt like was an excellent pairing for the MDR-Z1R, but possibly too strong for my DT-770pro, although I do believe there maybe damage to the DT-770pros since they are quite old which is causing a distortion/blowout sound at certain frequencies through the TA-ZH1ES. The bottom line was the TA-ZH1ES was required to open up my DT-770 to a level I had never heard before, it was excellent.

But at the end of the day the Walkman lineup is mostly intended for IEMs and on the go use, amplification is recommended for larger headsets. Just my opinion.


----------



## XP_98

So if you felt the Sony was not strong enough to drive two 80 ohms headphones, should be even more noticeable with the 250 ohms DT990...

Did you try in balanced mode ?


----------



## sne4me

XP_98 said:


> So if you felt the Sony was not strong enough to drive two 80 ohms headphones, should be even more noticeable with the 250 ohms DT990...
> 
> Did you try in balanced mode ?



Ah, the most critical point, these were all tested unbalanced.


----------



## proedros

wm1a owners , do you perceive any sound changes (and if so what kind?) when moving from Low Gain to High Gain on the balanced port ?

i feel like there is a change in sound between those 2 Gain settings , not sure if it's just personal bias due to High gain being well more loud....


----------



## nc8000

sne4me said:


> Ah, the most critical point, these were all tested unbalanced.



High gain or low gain ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

The MDR-Z1R must be slightly easier to drive than the Z7 even Form SE, but for better results balanced is the way to go


----------



## linux4ever

proedros said:


> wm1a owners , do you perceive any sound changes (and if so what kind?) when moving from Low Gain to High Gain on the balanced port ?
> 
> i feel like there is a change in sound between those 2 Gain settings , not sure if it's just personal bias due to High gain being well more loud....



There is a difference. More energy. Could be because of the extra current to the iems. Because of that the dynamics (is that the correct word?) seems to be better.

And definitely more louder. I use iems mostly and have to turn down the volume when on high gain. The battery lasting the same time though on both the gain modes. Mostly I use low gain with iems

I also upgraded to a Premium plus K-Mod (from Music Sanctuary) and for a week I had both the modded and unmodded WM1a. I didn't do a A/B test, but used the same audio tracks and used the same cable and the same iem to compare both.

The unmodded one and the modded one is equally relishable. So those that have unmodded wm1a need not feel that they've missed out any. It is just two different takes on the sound signature. There would be some that would prefer one and not like the other one.

Especially after the 400 hour mark, the unmodded WM1A started getting into its groove. Such addictive sweetness.

Now to the Premium plus modded Wm1a:

The punch and impact in the low end is improved. It doesn't boost it nor increase the quantity, but just has the extra impact. It extends slightly more too. Compared to it, the unmodded seems to have a soft, gentle bass.

The vocals don't sound thin nor lean. And the midrange is neither forward nor recessed. The vocals have good body. 

The treble extends much better than the unmodded one. Also there's a lively sparkle without it getting too bright in the top. unmodded treble is a little smooth by comparison. Some may prefer it that way.

For those of you that have heard DX200, the difference in sound going from unmodded to modded is like going form DX200 + AMP4 to DX200 + AMP4S. Both are equally relishable.


----------



## endlesswaves

XP_98 said:


> So if you felt the Sony was not strong enough to drive two 80 ohms headphones, should be even more noticeable with the 250 ohms DT990...
> 
> Did you try in balanced mode ?



My LCD2C 70 ohms sounded hollow with unbalanced and high gain with at 100 volume. It was loud enough but just doesn't sound right. 

My Eikon 300 ohms is lively with balance and high gain with volume at 75-80 and DC Phase on. Not lacking compare with my Massdrop LCX but the battery drain is quite noticeable. 

Itching to get the TA-ZH1ES. Less time with IEMs as I spend less time commuting to work and more time at home with full size cans.


----------



## deewy

Oh my, so happy now


----------



## sne4me

nc8000 said:


> High gain or low gain ?



high gain


----------



## gerelmx1986

I had a pair of Sony noise canceling headphones. Wish I had them to test the high gain capabilities of the Walkman 

They had a peculiarity, the impedance rose to 150 ohm when the NC circuit was off, but dropped to 32 ohm if the NC was turned on. Therefore these tended to sound hollow thus the need of having the NC always on


----------



## deewy

Thank you Sony for making such wonderful device. Even though my unit is fresh out of box and using SE output it is still miles ahead of my previous daps.


----------



## Whitigir

deewy said:


> Thank you Sony for making such wonderful device. Even though my unit is fresh out of box and using SE output it is still miles ahead of my previous daps.


Until you hear DMP-Z1, it is supposedly be oceans ahead of WM1Z X_X


----------



## deewy

Whitigir said:


> Until you hear DMP-Z1, it is supposedly be oceans ahead of WM1Z X_X



Yeah as well as price comes oceans ahead of WM1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Until you hear DMP-Z1, it is supposedly be oceans ahead of WM1Z X_X


Wondering what is sony brewing for the Walkman next year


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 4, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wondering what is sony brewing for the Walkman next year


Seeing the trend ? The next Walkman would be priced 2.5X the price of the DMP-Z1 LOL!

Wm1Z was $3,200.  The DMP-Z1 is $8000, and that is 2.5X multiplier.

The next Walkman will be $20,000 as you would follow this trend of $8,000 and apply the 2.5X multiplier


----------



## proedros

@Whitigir i remember you saying how dx208 sounded as good as wm1z

i may end up getting one just to satisfy my curiosity - if it's that good while costing 1/4 of the wm1z then damn......


----------



## Whitigir

Idk, Purk had a chance to listen to my Dx208Titanium, May want to tak his name and ask how he like it ?  Me, my 1Z is gone, and I am keeping 208ti


----------



## 480126

deewy said:


> Thank you Sony for making such wonderful device. Even though my unit is fresh out of box and using SE output it is still miles ahead of my previous daps.


Congrats. You bought from Amazon.de. Is it a EU-Version with leather sony case?


----------



## deewy

Frida309 said:


> Congrats. You bought from Amazon.de. Is it a EU-Version with leather sony case?



Thank you m8. Yeah, it is from amazon.de and comes with the sony leather case. For sure it is EU version with volume limit, but it is easy to remove and I will do it tomorrow. 

I will soon share my initial impressions in comparison to AK SE100, which is a good DAP in my opinion but it does not reach to Sony WM1z ankles .


----------



## sne4me (Sep 5, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wondering what is sony brewing for the Walkman next year



I want to see them make the DMP a full on linux computer which runs its own music player software on the device or using the thunderbolt to a monitor. I would pay what they are asking for that

Only problem is because GPU makers dont make graphics cards with thunderbolt, it seems like display makers havent adopted it either; except for the LG 5K.


----------



## ayang02 (Sep 5, 2018)

Woah, just saw the news on a few Japanese websites about the upcoming firmware update for WM1A/Z due in October.

Notable new functions:
- USB DAC mode
- Bluetooth receiving mode

If this is true, great job Sony!

Source: 
https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1139699.html


----------



## nc8000

ayang02 said:


> Woah, just saw the news on a few Japanese websites about the upcoming firmware update for WM1A/Z due in October.
> 
> Notable new functions:
> - USB DAC mode
> ...



Yes it’s true


----------



## aisalen

And we are patiently waiting


----------



## auronthas

ayang02 said:


> Woah, just saw the news on a few Japanese websites about the upcoming firmware update for WM1A/Z due in October.
> 
> Notable new functions:
> - USB DAC mode
> ...


That's one of the reason I purchase WM1A 

Hope able to see battery percentage status in next firmware


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 5, 2018)

sne4me said:


> I tested the WM1A and Z in a sony store using DT-770pro 80 as well as DT-1350 against the MDR-Z1R and MDR-Z7. It seemed like in fact the WM1A/Z is intended for IEMS and low resistance phones. Actually I did not feel it could drive anything other than the DT-1350 adequately. I also ran these headphones out of the TA-ZH1ES which I felt like was an excellent pairing for the MDR-Z1R, but possibly too strong for my DT-770pro, although I do believe there maybe damage to the DT-770pros since they are quite old which is causing a distortion/blowout sound at certain frequencies through the TA-ZH1ES. The bottom line was the TA-ZH1ES was required to open up my DT-770 to a level I had never heard before, it was excellent.
> 
> But at the end of the day the Walkman lineup is mostly intended for IEMs and on the go use, amplification is recommended for larger headsets. Just my opinion.



That’s so true that the 1A and 1Z were made for IEMs. Though they still get the Z1R and Z7 so loud that you can’t listen at 100% volume at high gain. It’s still a real enjoyable experience listening to these two headphones from the 1A and 1Z.

Though with many of my IEMs I switch to low gain mode, as I suspect it sounds better?

That small difference the TA amp is definitely still there! Better bass, wider soundstage and faster cleaner speed.

Though the 1Z and Z1R are a great experience unto themselves.


----------



## purk

Whitigir said:


> Idk, Purk had a chance to listen to my Dx208Titanium, May want to tak his name and ask how he like it ?  Me, my 1Z is gone, and I am keeping 208ti



The DX200Ti is one impressive machine.  It is more transparent and powerful than my modded 1Z.  However, the tonality on my modded 1Z is better and sweeter with greater sense bloom in the bass and midrange when driving my HD800 and I value these quality more..  I personally think that the DX200TI is likely on par if not better than the stock 1Z.  Even with the software and UI issues, the DX200Ti is one heck of impressive DAP.  If I don't already have the modded 1Z (thanks @Whitigir !), I would be searching high and low for the DX200Ti and get myself an Amp 8 already.


----------



## Whitigir

purk said:


> The DX200Ti is one impressive machine.  It is more transparent and powerful than my modded 1Z.  However, the tonality on my modded 1Z is better and sweeter with greater sense bloom in the bass and midrange when driving my HD800 and I value these quality more..  I personally think that the DX200TI is likely on par if not better than the stock 1Z.  Even with the software and UI issues, the DX200Ti is one heck of impressive DAP.  If I don't already have the modded 1Z (thanks @Whitigir !), I would be searching high and low for the DX200Ti and get myself an Amp 8 already.


Ouch! You flatten me .  I am glad you love both the 1Z and dx200TI.  I agree with the above.  The Wm1Z has the senses of smoothness and organism in a different way than dx200Ti, but the clarity and separations is different from dx200ti compares to wm1Z.  Both are very different beasts, but equally performing in a crazy way.  I like dx200 more because it was more practical and I also do love the tonality of wm1Z, but I am leaning toward DSD512 more, together with power output and amp modules from Ibasso.

Since wm1Z is going to get the Bluetooth and usb DAC functions...I resent myself a bit for letting it go  damn it..I just want to cry lol.


----------



## auronthas

I encounter WM1A will power on by itself (my 2nd charge) when it's charged. Is if normal ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yes perfectly normal to power on after plugging the USB cable


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes perfectly normal to power on after plugging the USB cable


It is possessed by the evil usb cables , you would hear the spirits sing in it


----------



## buzzlulu

Just to confirm again - once the firmware update comes out - when using an iPhone to play Tidal

A) full resolution playback achieved when using the Apple CCK plugged into the iPhone and the Sony proprietary cable between the CCK and 1Z

B) compromised resolution when streaming WIRELESSLY between the iPhone and 1Z using the AAC codec

Correct?

I know it will never happen however it would be great to have a single cable (instead of two) between the iPhone and 1Z.
Apple licensing issues, and the 1Z's proprietary plug, prevent that from happening.

No complaints though as I know a 1Z/iPhone setup will beat a Mojo/iPhone setup


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 5, 2018)

buzzlulu said:


> Just to confirm again - once the firmware update comes out - when using an iPhone to play Tidal
> 
> A) full resolution playback achieved when using the Apple CCK plugged into the iPhone and the Sony proprietary cable between the CCK and 1Z
> 
> ...



Does iPhones support AptX-HD ?

I think you are correct though, I would pm Moon-Audio and ask them to come up with such OTg cables WM and lightning ?


----------



## bflat

Whitigir said:


> Does iPhones support AptX-HD ?
> 
> I think you are correct though, I would pm Moon-Audio and ask them to come up with such OTg cables WM and lightning ?



iOS does not support anything from Qualcomm. There is a very slight chance that LDAC will get supported if Sony goes full open source. Pure speculation on that and I wouldn't bet on it.

As for better OTG lightning cable, checkout Penon Audio. They have a single cable solution where they take apart a CCK and create a single cable for it. Expensive, but guaranteed to work.


----------



## buzzlulu

iPhones do not support AptX or AptX-HD.  
Desktop Mac's can be "forced" to utilize AptX through a legitimate backdoor.

Moon audio, nor anyone else, will be able to do anything.  There is a licensing issue with Apple which requires an authentication chip to appear inside the connector/cable.  This is one of the issues with Chord and why they did not want to implement the "Apple certified" program (even though so many of their customers use a Mojo with an iPhone).  They did not want to pay the royalty fee's - and submit their engineering diagrams to Apple for certification.  Thus the reason for the jumble of TWO cables between any Chord mobile device and iPhones.  So it will be the same with the 1Z - jumble of two cables.  The upside - it will sound better


----------



## buzzlulu

bflat said:


> As for better OTG lightning cable, checkout Penon Audio. They have a single cable solution where they take apart a CCK and create a single cable for it. Expensive, but guaranteed to work.



Don't quote me however I believe some encountered problems with the Penon cable (I recall reading ie they ultimately failed).  That's what happens when it is a cobbled together solution


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> @Whitigir i remember you saying how dx208 sounded as good as wm1z
> 
> i may end up getting one just to satisfy my curiosity - if it's that good while costing 1/4 of the wm1z then damn......



Oh boy, oh boy...


----------



## SebaE2012

Bosk said:


> The question of whether DAPs need internet capability is a really interesting one. I'm more than happy to use my AK380 only to play music files, and it its not like it would suddenly replace my phone even if I used it for streaming. After saying that, being able to use it for podcasts and maybe the occasional Youtube clip would be terribly nice. Would I choose my next DAP based on one that has those capabilities? Probably not, but if two competing DAPs offer similar sound at a similar price and one offers the use of Android apps then that might plausibly sway me.
> 
> One issue is wifi and how much a built-in antenna affects the sound quality of a device. Sony obviously thinks it does. The other is Android, putting aside Astell & Kern players which use a very restricted customized version, none of the Android DAPs I know reputedly offer the sound quality of the WM1Z or SP1000. Does that mean its impossible for a DAP that runs vanilla Android to offer top-notch sound due to all the OS's background processes going on? At some point an Android DAP starts being a gimped phone that can't send texts and doesn't sound as good as the competition, which is fine for the low end of the market but anyone who spends a few thousand on a device either demands ultimate sound quality or just wants a blingy gadget to show off how rich they are.
> 
> One final point, the trend in DAPs is moving towards faster processors with larger screen sizes and better pixel density. No wifi seems more reasonable in devices that wouldn't be terribly usable as internet browsers anyway, but as DAPs become more powerful it'll feel more like that power isn't being fully utilized if they only play music files.



I know I'm jumping in late into this conversation and that my opinion is, quite possibly, not very popular. I think top DAPs should have WiFi connectivity. While I do most of my listening with self-owned files (most, Red Book flac files ripped from CDs, a few Hi-Res albums ripped off DVD-A or purchased as digital downloads), streaming capabilities have become increasingly important for me. As physical media becomes harder and harder to find where I live (South America) and digital stores have limited catalogues due to region licensing restrictions, often the only (legal) way to get acess to new music is through streaming services. Also, I found them quite useful to explore new music before purchasing it. Of course, there's no comparison in quality and I much rather listed to high quality files stored in the DAP. But given this situation where access to music is becoming more difficult through other means, I can hardly justify paying for a hi-end DAP that will not offer this feature. I'm still enjoying my ZX2 a lot and waiting for a new Walkman with streaming capabilities. Also looking into other options to be ready when the time to get a new DAP comes (I'm fairly new to this hobby, so I'm saving to get different headphones/IEMs). Just thought this might add a different perspective to the conversation. 

Cheers,


----------



## blazinblazin (Sep 5, 2018)

For highest quality audio it is still best to play on the DAP itself rather than streaming, it will let the engineers focus resources purely on the sound quality than trying to fix problems/interference coming from other parts, might incur extra cost to the player too if extra parts are needed to add in to solve the problems.


----------



## NaiveSound

Firmware update


----------



## nanaholic

SebaE2012 said:


> I know I'm jumping in late into this conversation and that my opinion is, quite possibly, not very popular. I think top DAPs should have WiFi connectivity. While I do most of my listening with self-owned files (most, Red Book flac files ripped from CDs, a few Hi-Res albums ripped off DVD-A or purchased as digital downloads), streaming capabilities have become increasingly important for me. As physical media becomes harder and harder to find where I live (South America) and digital stores have limited catalogues due to region licensing restrictions, often the only (legal) way to get acess to new music is through streaming services. Also, I found them quite useful to explore new music before purchasing it. Of course, there's no comparison in quality and I much rather listed to high quality files stored in the DAP. But given this situation where access to music is becoming more difficult through other means, I can hardly justify paying for a hi-end DAP that will not offer this feature. I'm still enjoying my ZX2 a lot and waiting for a new Walkman with streaming capabilities. Also looking into other options to be ready when the time to get a new DAP comes (I'm fairly new to this hobby, so I'm saving to get different headphones/IEMs). Just thought this might add a different perspective to the conversation.
> 
> Cheers,



It's not really about sound quality, but streaming on a DAP is simply too much effort for very little gain for the maker, and very possibly will greatly reduce the lifecycle of the player. 
If you need to implement streaming, then having an Android based OS is pretty much a must else you wouldn't get all the features such as offline streaming from the streaming service and they simply will not give you full access to all their bells and whistles if you try to write your own app (just look at how much trouble Hiby R3 or AK is having with streaming support and never getting it even to good enough), also having the OS being tied to Android and Play Store means being tied to Google's update schedule and certification process, which will then have to be factored into the cost of the player (yes Chinese OEM just like to use AOSP and make people download APKs or hack their firmware, but if I pay TOTL price I'd rather not have to do that either), in which case it just encourages the OEM to refresh their player quicker to get a fatter profit margin from the selling of a new device instead of supporting old players for longer with a massive sink cost involved in upgrading the software.

A DAP being USB DAC capable and act as a BT receiver is the best compromise for everyone - because using your smartphone as the digital source which will be running the latest streaming service app of your liking will always ensure you get the best experience from the streaming service as it is in their best interest to keep their apps running in top condition on smartphones (remember, each country also have different streaming services, it is practically impossible to implement support for ALL services of every country for a single DAP and try to negotiate a deal to have it run on a non-Android based device, the cost would be astronomical) and have the DAP being used as a DAC is simply the best way to go, and Sony is going to give that ability to the WM1 series next month.


----------



## SebaE2012

nanaholic said:


> It's not really about sound quality, but streaming on a DAP is simply too much effort for very little gain for the maker, and very possibly will greatly reduce the lifecycle of the player.
> If you need to implement streaming, then having an Android based OS is pretty much a must else you wouldn't get all the features such as offline streaming from the streaming service and they simply will not give you full access to all their bells and whistles if you try to write your own app (just look at how much trouble Hiby R3 or AK is having with streaming support and never getting it even to good enough), also having the OS being tied to Android and Play Store means being tied to Google's update schedule and certification process, which will then have to be factored into the cost of the player (yes Chinese OEM just like to use AOSP and make people download APKs or hack their firmware, but if I pay TOTL price I'd rather not have to do that either), in which case it just encourages the OEM to refresh their player quicker to get a fatter profit margin from the selling of a new device instead of supporting old players for longer with a massive sink cost involved in upgrading the software.
> 
> A DAP being USB DAC capable and act as a BT receiver is the best compromise for everyone - because using your smartphone as the digital source which will be running the latest streaming service app of your liking will always ensure you get the best experience from the streaming service as it is in their best interest to keep their apps running in top condition on smartphones (remember, each country also have different streaming services, it is practically impossible to implement support for ALL services of every country for a single DAP and try to negotiate a deal to have it run on a non-Android based device, the cost would be astronomical) and have the DAP being used as a DAC is simply the best way to go, and Sony is going to give that ability to the WM1 series next month.



Hey, thanks for the reply. I hadn't really thought about it from the perspective of the costs associated to having to use Android and the possible consequences in terms of a DAP life cycle. What you say makes a lot of sense. I never really believed the sound quality argument was the real reason behind the abandonment of Android and WiFi (and probably technology will allow for the sound quality gap to close fairly soon, anyway). While still think it's an inconvenience to have to use a smartphone as the source for streaming services, I now see how this might be an acceptable compromise. It's clearly the road Sony is going down with both the firmware update to WM1Z/A and the new A50. I surely will consider this alternative then.
Do you think other makers will follow this route? iBasso, FiiO and others) are using Android... I haven't had the chance of trying any of their TOTL DAPs so I don't know how well their UI work...Where I live, people use their smartphones for music. I only know of one other person who owns a ZX2 (and who purchased it after trying mine) and occasionally I see someone with a lower end Walkman or an iPod on domestic flights. So, basically, any and all knowledge I can have about these topics must be had through reading. This forum is a very rich source of great insights.
Thanks!!!


----------



## nanaholic (Sep 6, 2018)

SebaE2012 said:


> Hey, thanks for the reply. I hadn't really thought about it from the perspective of the costs associated to having to use Android and the possible consequences in terms of a DAP life cycle. What you say makes a lot of sense. I never really believed the sound quality argument was the real reason behind the abandonment of Android and WiFi (and probably technology will allow for the sound quality gap to close fairly soon, anyway). While still think it's an inconvenience to have to use a smartphone as the source for streaming services, I now see how this might be an acceptable compromise. It's clearly the road Sony is going down with both the firmware update to WM1Z/A and the new A50. I surely will consider this alternative then.
> Do you think other makers will follow this route? iBasso, FiiO and others) are using Android... I haven't had the chance of trying any of their TOTL DAPs so I don't know how well their UI work...Where I live, people use their smartphones for music. I only know of one other person who owns a ZX2 (and who purchased it after trying mine) and occasionally I see someone with a lower end Walkman or an iPod on domestic flights. So, basically, any and all knowledge I can have about these topics must be had through reading. This forum is a very rich source of great insights.
> Thanks!!!



It's not just Sony - a lot of recent TOTL players are already not Android based, such as Lotoo Paw Touch, Cayin N8, Cowon Plenue 2 MkII and Hifiman R2R2000 - all use Linux based OS written from scratch rather than use Android, and also notice they all tend to be very wishy-washy when it comes to promising support for streaming service on these TOTL devices, with some just staying silent, others paying lip service that they may and even others outright say they won't.

I think whether a DAP will use Android or not now is going to heavily depend on the positioning of the device. Those who wants to sell their DAP on being feature rich, flexible, best "bang for bucks" and will market it more as a high tech gadget brands such as FiiO, iBasso and Hiby will continue to use Android for their mid-fi devices, but will be cutting cost at the entry level and go Linux instead (already seeing many entry level device that aren't Android from all sorts of makers).  Those aiming for the audiophile market which is a super low volume market with internal design which could change drastically between each generation will also not be using Android either because it is not cost effective as development cost cannot be spread over several generations. With that said I predict in the next few years only mid-fi DAPs ($300-600 range) will be running some sort of Android that can support installing of APK by the user. AK doesn't count as their Android is so customised that it is effectively closed.

There's also the fact that most (all?) music streaming services are struggling to make money, nobody would want to spend time and money to negotiate with companies that are on the brink of bankruptcy any day. Best to leave it to the streaming services themselves to keep their own stuff together on the smartphone side, which is the smart thing to do to reduce unwanted risks and cost for the DAP makers.


----------



## Quadfather

Redcarmoose said:


> That’s so true that the 1A and 1Z were made for IEMs. Though they still get the Z1R and Z7 so loud that you can’t listen at 100% volume at high gain. It’s still a real enjoyable experience listening to these two headphones from the 1A and 1Z.
> 
> Though with many of my IEMs I switch to low gain mode, as I suspect it sounds better?
> 
> ...



One of my favorite combinations is Sony NW-WM1A with Shure SRH1540 headphones. I listen out of the 4.4 mm balanced output. These headphones get pushed perfectly and I actually like it more than I do out of my LPG Diana.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quadfather said:


> One of my favorite combinations is Sony NW-WM1A with Shure SRH1540 headphones. I listen out of the 4.4 mm balanced output. These headphones get pushed perfectly and I actually like it more than I do out of my LPG Diana.



For many of us using the equipment we have in slightly less than ideal situations can help us appreciate when stuff gets put together well. I think the power reputation of the Sony DAPs precedes them as it was a dream of many to have a DAP which could drive full size headphones.

It all comes down to musical enjoyment, though if possible it’s always better to hear your full-size headphones from a desktop amp, before going out and breaking the rules. But the Z7 and Z1R are incredibly easy to drive. The other thing is portability; being able to go anywhere without a cord is something special in itself. The power was out where I live most of the day yesterday. That said having the Sony DAPs and acoustic guitars around meant music was still easy to acquire.


----------



## gerelmx1986

SebaE2012 said:


> I know I'm jumping in late into this conversation and that my opinion is, quite possibly, not very popular. I think top DAPs should have WiFi connectivity. While I do most of my listening with self-owned files (most, Red Book flac files ripped from CDs, a few Hi-Res albums ripped off DVD-A or purchased as digital downloads), streaming capabilities have become increasingly important for me. As physical media becomes harder and harder to find where I live (South America) an*d digital stores have limited catalogues due to region licensing restrictions,* often the only (legal) way to get acess to new music is through streaming services. Also, I found them quite useful to explore new music before purchasing it. Of course, there's no comparison in quality and I much rather listed to high quality files stored in the DAP. But given this situation where access to music is becoming more difficult through other means, I can hardly justify paying for a hi-end DAP that will not offer this feature. I'm still enjoying my ZX2 a lot and waiting for a new Walkman with streaming capabilities. Also looking into other options to be ready when the time to get a new DAP comes (I'm fairly new to this hobby, so I'm saving to get different headphones/IEMs). Just thought this might add a different perspective to the conversation.
> 
> Cheers,


Reason #1 why i download from filesharing services and Bittorrents


----------



## Quadfather

Redcarmoose said:


> For many of us using the equipment we have in slightly less than ideal situations can help us appreciate when stuff gets put together well. I think the power reputation of the Sony DAPs precedes them as it was a dream of many to have a DAP which could drive full size headphones.
> 
> It all comes down to musical enjoyment, though if possible it’s always better to hear your full-size headphones from a desktop amp, before going out and breaking the rules. But the Z7 and Z1R are incredibly easy to drive. The other thing is portability; being able to go anywhere without a cord is something special in itself. The power was out where I live most of the day yesterday. That said having the Sony DAPs and acoustic guitars around meant music was still easy to acquire.



I actually like the combination I originally mentioned as much as I like Sennheiser HD 650 out of a Bottlehead Crack with the Speedball.  Maybe even a little more...  and I never use that, I much prefer being untethered and mobile.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quadfather said:


> I actually like the combination I originally mentioned as much as I like Sennheiser HD 650 out of a Bottlehead Crack with the Speedball.  Maybe even a little more...  and I never use that, I much prefer being untethered and mobile.



Even though it’s enjoyable, there is a profound difference getting either the Z7 or Z1R connected to the TA amp. I don’t think there is any admirable sound quality differences better than the TA amp with the DAPs but it’s still nice sounding. I just listened to the new remaster of Moontan 1973 by Golden Earring. I used the 1Z and Z7 and found it to really be all I needed at the time. Though it’s a loud remaster, where the needle drops of the same album don’t actually get loud enough with that specific combo.


----------



## Whitigir

You do realize that a lot of people is saying DMP-Z1 and Z1R is a god like combo ? From Sony anyways ....I exaggerated it, but I saw people mentioning about it being very very good together.  Someone should be excited !


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

buzzlulu said:


> Just to confirm again - once the firmware update comes out - when using an iPhone to play Tidal
> 
> A) full resolution playback achieved when using the Apple CCK plugged into the iPhone and the Sony proprietary cable between the CCK and 1Z
> 
> ...



I don't think anyone here can *actually* answer this properly at this point. It all just opinions until its released.


----------



## kaikai1805

Just ordered the wm1a to pair with my ee phantom and fitear435   hope i wont regret


----------



## bvng3540

kaikai1805 said:


> Just ordered the wm1a to pair with my ee phantom and fitear435   hope i wont regret


You will regret for sure, should have bought the 1z instead


----------



## proedros

unless he is rich he is gonna be fine with wm1a

paying 3x for a 20% improvement , definitely a move for people with money to burn

looks like it's gonna be wm1a for me , i can not justify buying it (if i win a lottery or sth like that , everything changes ofc)


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> unless he is rich he is gonna be fine with wm1a
> 
> paying 3x for a 20% improvement , definitely a move for people with money to burn
> 
> looks like it's gonna be wm1a for me , i can not justify buying it (if i win a lottery or sth like that , everything changes ofc)


Dude, money can be made, your hearing distingerations can not be stopped whether you listen to an iPod or a DMP-Z1


----------



## bvng3540

proedros said:


> unless he is rich he is gonna be fine with wm1a
> 
> paying 3x for a 20% improvement , definitely a move for people with money to burn
> 
> looks like it's gonna be wm1a for me , i can not justify buying it (if i win a lottery or sth like that , everything changes ofc)


In this hobby doesn’t matter if the items you buy is $10s or $1000s you always end up burning money because people keep trying to buy the next best thing and sell their old stuff which you end up losing/burning money


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> Dude, money can be made, your hearing distingerations can not be stopped whether you listen to an iPod or a DMP-Z1



I got my first high-resolution audio player and excellent headphones after a massive stroke came very close to killing me.  PayPal credit...


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 6, 2018)

I used to think I would not need a pair of MDR - Z1R's, and ended buying them from @purk for a nice price, when you have saved enough money and you have a dream like me of having a nice set of HPs ot doesn't matter how much the price was, money will be recovered with investment funds


----------



## Audiophonicalistic

Quadfather said:


> I got my first high-resolution audio player and excellent headphones after a massive stroke came very close to killing me.  PayPal credit...


Glad youre still with us ☺
I use paypal credit quite a bit. Just pay it off in the 6 months they give you.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 6, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> I got my first high-resolution audio player and excellent headphones after a massive stroke came very close to killing me.  PayPal credit...


Thank goodness for Paypal credit!

Kidding aside, it's true our hearing deterioriate as we get older.
Once upon a time I could hear like a bat, now its lucky if I can hear above 16khz
Well just saying, once its gone, its gone for good; so plan accordingly


----------



## Quadfather

hamhamhamsta said:


> Thank goodness for Paypal credit!
> 
> Kidding aside, it's true our hearing deterioriate as we get older.
> Once upon a time I could hear like a bat, now its lucky if I can hear above 16khz
> Well just saying, once its gone, its gone for good; so plan accordingly



My last hearing test at age 50 to have me going up to about 18,500 Hz... I guess that's pretty good for being in your 50s


----------



## nc8000

Quadfather said:


> My last hearing test at age 50 to have me going up to about 18,500 Hz... I guess that's pretty good for being in your 50s



At 55 I can hear about 17khz but have a serious dip at 7-9khz on my left ear


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> At 55 I can hear about 17khz but have a serious dip at 7-9khz on my left ear


That makes it more immersive isn’t it ?


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 6, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> That makes it more immersive isn’t it ?



I wish I had worn ear plugs as a teenager when at concerts


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> unless he is rich he is gonna be fine with wm1a
> 
> paying 3x for a 20% improvement , definitely a move for people with money to burn
> 
> looks like it's gonna be wm1a for me , i can not justify buying it (if i win a lottery or sth like that , everything changes ofc)



I have to say again, it's 100% improvement


----------



## Gosod

Who compared with zx300? which one is better?


----------



## Whitigir

Gosod said:


> Who compared with zx300? which one is better?


Ask @purk the man has everything to do so


----------



## iron2k

Whitigir said:


> 1/ depend on personal preferences, if you are a must in tonality, stick with WM, if you are a must into soundstage, separation, layering, details, then look into dx200.  But if you are mainly staying with in ear monitors, try to audition Dx200 first and see if you like it.  I observed that many people found problems with dx200 hiss and or radio interferences with sensitive iems, and some don’t.  I use full size headphones, even desktop amplifiers using dx200 as analog preamp out, and have no problem by far.  Ibasso offers 15 days money back guarantee.  Or buy used dx200 from people who is currently using iems and don’t have these problems ?
> 
> 2/ dx200 stays around 6-8 hours or worse if you feed it DSD natively
> 
> 3/ yes, all 4.4mm is standardized and the same globally just like XLR


Which one you can say have the warmer sound??? I like some bass. I already have a X5 3rd gen. but i don't feel it shining through my 64audio U8 iems, unless I use an external amp like the iFi micro iDSD.
Right know I'm trying to decide between WM1A or DX200 with amp7 and 8.


----------



## linux4ever

Gosod said:


> Who compared with zx300? which one is better?



I own both zx300a (same as zx300 but with 16gb internal storage. Zx300 has 64gb if I recall correctly) and wm1a (has 128gb internal storage)

The zx300 is quite compact and has good heft. 

Wm1a is thicker and bulkier in comparison, yet pocketable still. But I normally keep it in my shirt pocket at work and listen to it.

Each of them have a unique sound signature. I liked both.

Wm1a has more details and more resolution. The difference could be easily heard. If that improvement is worth the cost is up to each individual.

The battery lasts longer with wm1a. While zx300 is no slouch either.

Zx300a retails for $375-400. The zx300 for $699. Used wm1a in mint condition can be obtained for $700-800.

So zx300a or wm1a are two options that I would consider.

Zx300 has a feature wherein it can be used as an external dac.

Sony is coming with a firmware upgrade to wm1a and wm1z this September that will add external dac and Bluetooth receiver features.


----------



## NaiveSound

linux4ever said:


> I own both zx300a (same as zx300 but with 16gb internal storage. Zx300 has 64gb if I recall correctly) and wm1a (has 128gb internal storage)
> 
> The zx300 is quite compact and has good heft.
> 
> ...


Are you sure it's this September? The new fw That's gonna get me hard?


----------



## linux4ever

If I recall correctly, the firmware upgrade is to be released this fall. So September-November is the time period. Earlier the better


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 6, 2018)

iron2k said:


> Which one you can say have the warmer sound??? I like some bass. I already have a X5 3rd gen. but i don't feel it shining through my 64audio U8 iems, unless I use an external amp like the iFi micro iDSD.
> Right know I'm trying to decide between WM1A or DX200 with amp7 and 8.



Dx200Ti or Ibasso is very much on the analytical and references sound.  Then amp8 has some warmth to the touch, but I wouldn’t call it “warmth”...it is just warmer than the rest of Dx200 modules, but when comparing to other players, it is still very analytical sounding 

If you like some bass and warmth, nothing can beat wm1Z in this organic warmth, excellent bass, and organic timbres...nothing....as of yet.  The only down fall is that wm1Z doesn’t have that expansive soundstage that carries as wide, but it has a very tall vertical rendering


----------



## Lookout57

sne4me said:


> I want to see them make the DMP a full on linux computer which runs its own music player software on the device or using the thunderbolt to a monitor. I would pay what they are asking for that
> 
> Only problem is because GPU makers dont make graphics cards with thunderbolt, it seems like display makers havent adopted it either; except for the LG 5K.


Something like this? https://www.sony.com/electronics/audio-components/hap-z1es


----------



## iron2k

Whitigir said:


> Dx200Ti or Ibasso is very much on the analytical and references sound.  Then amp8 has some warmth to the touch, but I wouldn’t call it “warmth”...it is just warmer than the rest of Dx200 modules, but when comparing to other players, it is still very analytical sounding
> 
> If you like some bass and warmth, nothing can beat wm1Z in this organic warmth, excellent bass, and organic timbres...nothing....as of yet.  The only down fall is that wm1Z doesn’t have that expansive soundstage that carries as wide, but it has a very tall vertical rendering


Thanks, unfortunately the wm1Z is out of my budget. 
I'm looking for the wm1A, could you say that the bass and warmth is also better in this model or is different?


----------



## kaikai1805

Anyone from Singapore, am trying to search for places to get the wm1a case and screen protector locally.


----------



## Whitigir

iron2k said:


> Thanks, unfortunately the wm1Z is out of my budget.
> I'm looking for the wm1A, could you say that the bass and warmth is also better in this model or is different?



I can’t say as I never heard it, perhap you could ask @hamhamhamsta as he once had both


----------



## gerelmx1986

what happens if you touch accidentally a headphone's driver and make a dent to it? just curious as a coworker showed his headphones with a dent on the driver (i think Yamaha Hps) i didn't heard nothing or maybe i was allucinating some light crackle


----------



## Malevolint

iron2k said:


> Thanks, unfortunately the wm1Z is out of my budget.
> I'm looking for the wm1A, could you say that the bass and warmth is also better in this model or is different?



I just got my WM1A coming from a Fiio X5II. I hope this is going to make sense.. I have a pair of Ety er4xr's and they didn't have a ton of bass on the Fiio. On the WM1A, they sound more full, but perhaps a bit less warm. There's more bass for sure. What's crazy is the detail I've noticed. When I'm listening to a violin solo, you don't just hear the tone and sound, you can hear the texture of the sound. What I mean is that you can hear the strings slightly scratched when the bow hits, or shuffling papers in the background. 



I have a question.. if I go to the settings and info to see the total play counter, does that time ever reset if you do a factory reset? I got my unit refurbished and am curious about how much it was used previously.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mrcojocaru said:


> I just got my WM1A coming from a Fiio X5II. I hope this is going to make sense.. I have a pair of Ety er4xr's and they didn't have a ton of bass on the Fiio. On the WM1A, they sound more full, but perhaps a bit less warm. There's more bass for sure. What's crazy is the detail I've noticed. When I'm listening to a violin solo, you don't just hear the tone and sound, you can hear the texture of the sound. What I mean is that you can hear the strings slightly scratched when the bow hits, or shuffling papers in the background.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a question.. if I go to the settings and info to see the total play counter, does that time ever reset if you do a factory reset? I got my unit refurbished and am curious about how much it was used previously.


Nope, you do a factory reset, counter reset to zero


----------



## iron2k

Mrcojocaru said:


> I just got my WM1A coming from a Fiio X5II. I hope this is going to make sense.. I have a pair of Ety er4xr's and they didn't have a ton of bass on the Fiio. On the WM1A, they sound more full, but perhaps a bit less warm. There's more bass for sure. What's crazy is the detail I've noticed. When I'm listening to a violin solo, you don't just hear the tone and sound, you can hear the texture of the sound. What I mean is that you can hear the strings slightly scratched when the bow hits, or shuffling papers in the background.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a question.. if I go to the settings and info to see the total play counter, does that time ever reset if you do a factory reset? I got my unit refurbished and am curious about how much it was used previously.


Thanks for sharing, it makes sense.


----------



## blazinblazin

kaikai1805 said:


> Anyone from Singapore, am trying to search for places to get the wm1a case and screen protector locally.


For me i got from Taobao the screen protector and Korea Dignis for the case.

Local i think Zeppelin & Co. at sim lim square sells Dignis cases. But Dignis cases are not cheap.


----------



## Dtuck90

57 hours in now. Absolutely love the sound of this player.

Currently downloading the new Grateful Dead boxset in 24/192 so can't wait to load that up and listen. 42gb to go......


----------



## NaiveSound

blazinblazin said:


> For me i got from Taobao the screen protector and Korea Dignis for the case.
> 
> Local i think Zeppelin & Co. at sim lim square sells Dignis cases. But Dignis cases are not cheap.


I wish I could find any used cases on here for sale


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

blazinblazin said:


> For me i got from Taobao the screen protector and Korea Dignis for the case.
> 
> Local i think Zeppelin & Co. at sim lim square sells Dignis cases. But Dignis cases are not cheap.


Order the case online from Dignis directly. Fast to ship and I reckon it's way more reasonable.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

NaiveSound said:


> I wish I could find any used cases on here for sale


Hahahahaha You've just spent a grand on your player. The Dignis case is worth the expense.


----------



## NaiveSound

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Hahahahaha You've just spent a grand on your player. The Dignis case is worth the expense.


It's the wait Im afraid of


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

NaiveSound said:


> It's the wait Im afraid of


What do you mean? I've received my cases from them in under a week.


----------



## NaiveSound

So I tried adding something to my case using superglue  
Anyways   did a horrible job and messed up. Now I have dry superglue on this silicone case... How do I remove the dried up super glue?


----------



## fiascogarcia (Sep 7, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> So I tried adding something to my case using superglue
> Anyways   did a horrible job and messed up. Now I have dry superglue on this silicone case... How do I remove the dried up super glue?


Acetone is the best for super glue, but can't guarantee it won't cloud up the clear of the case. Try to peel as much off as you can with your fingernails before you try anything.  Might need a new case.


----------



## NaiveSound

fiascogarcia said:


> Acetone is the best for super glue, but can't guarantee it won't cloud up the clear of the case. Try to peel as much off as you can with your fingernails before you try anything.  Might need a new case.



Fingernail doesn't work. Do I just rub it in acetone or let the case be submerged overnight?


----------



## kaikai1805

blazinblazin said:


> For me i got from Taobao the screen protector and Korea Dignis for the case.
> 
> Local i think Zeppelin & Co. at sim lim square sells Dignis cases. But Dignis cases are not cheap.





Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Order the case online from Dignis directly. Fast to ship and I reckon it's way more reasonable.



Thanks thanks, i found sony center at sls has the screen protector.

Is it cheaper, if i order direct from dignis with shipping compared to getting zep.

Other than dignis what other case are out there?


----------



## fiascogarcia

NaiveSound said:


> Fingernail doesn't work. Do I just rub it in acetone or let the case be submerged overnight?


No, don't soak it in acetone.  Hold a clean cloth that's wet with it against the stained area.  Then try rubbing with the cloth.  If it doesn't come off, I'm afraid I don't know of a better alternative.


----------



## bflat

NaiveSound said:


> Fingernail doesn't work. Do I just rub it in acetone or let the case be submerged overnight?



Your case looks like it's made from TPU which is a plastic so it is quite possible it dissolves with acetone. Try rubbing some acetone to see if it reacts with the case. If it does, you can't use it to remove the superglue so you will need a new case. If nothing happens, then go ahead and use a soft cloth and rub the superglue off with acetone. I would bet your case will react with acetone though. Superglue is basically liquid plastic.


----------



## NaiveSound

bflat said:


> Your case looks like it's made from TPU which is a plastic so it is quite possible it dissolves with acetone. Try rubbing some acetone to see if it reacts with the case. If it does, you can't use it to remove the superglue so you will need a new case. If nothing happens, then go ahead and use a soft cloth and rub the superglue off with acetone. I would bet your case will react with acetone though. Superglue is basically liquid plastic.


The acetone does not hurt the case, I rubbed it vigorous but not even a little of the super glue is off. I will submerge overnight. Either way looks like I got to buy a new case. 

Do they make any *goo off*?


----------



## blazinblazin (Sep 7, 2018)

kaikai1805 said:


> Thanks thanks, i found sony center at sls has the screen protector.
> 
> Is it cheaper, if i order direct from dignis with shipping compared to getting zep.
> 
> Other than dignis what other case are out there?


From what i know there's another Japanese brand and china clear silicon case which you can see a few post away. Not recommended for Sony case, someone got their Walkman scratched i think.
Other cases i think you need to get overseas also

If not you can get a pouch. Mine i slot in a Dignis case and in a cloth pouch.


----------



## audionewbi

I cant wait to get my WM1A modded using the K project. Finally, the 400 GB MicroSD arrive, fun times ahead.


----------



## Darksoul

blazinblazin said:


> Your requirements... a DD type might fit you better like Vega or Acoustune HS1551CU(this is a warm iem but very sweet vocal).
> Details will be not be as good as Andro but is not lacking either. Details, impact of lows DD type wins BA type.



Thank you for the suggestion. I picked up the Vega today, and they perfectly fit everything I was looking for in an IEM. The stock cable that came with the Vega is something out of this world. For the sake of vanity I may get a 4.4 mm ALO audio cable. And even if I don't get the ALO cable, the WM1A + Vega are my portable end game, I really don't know what else is "up" there for me.


----------



## Lookout57

The best cable to get for the Vega is the SXC 8 4.4MM.


----------



## blazinblazin

Darksoul said:


> Thank you for the suggestion. I picked up the Vega today, and they perfectly fit everything I was looking for in an IEM. The stock cable that came with the Vega is something out of this world. For the sake of vanity I may get a 4.4 mm ALO audio cable. And even if I don't get the ALO cable, the WM1A + Vega are my portable end game, I really don't know what else is "up" there for me.


Glad that i am able to help.
That's really good as you had your end game.

I am currently satisfied too with my WM1A + HS1650CU setup.

It is important to be satisfied or you will be in an endless upgrading loop.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Sep 8, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> So I tried adding something to my case using superglue
> Anyways   did a horrible job and messed up. Now I have dry superglue on this silicone case... How do I remove the dried up super glue?


That's not silicone. It's the BENKS case, isn't it? That's TPU, thermoplastic polyurethane. Acetone will probably melt it if you soak it in for too long.

I think you're stuck with the super glue. Pardon the pun.

On the upside, the TPU cases are cheap and you can easily get another one. I've found from experience that double sided adhesive tape is the best for when you want to experiment. And even then, there are time this tape will lift the top layer of dye and varnish from leather.

TPU is kinda annoying. Resistant to a lot of adhesives and paints but once bonded it also takes stains. If you want to keep experimenting, you can try using a small piece of 500 grit sandpaper, smoother the glue and toughen the TPU around it then use tape to cover it or get a glue formulated for TPU and do your experiment again.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kaikai1805 said:


> Thanks thanks, i found sony center at sls has the screen protector.
> 
> Is it cheaper, if i order direct from dignis with shipping compared to getting zep.
> 
> Other than dignis what other case are out there?


That's convenient but also not cheap. How much did the Sony store there charge you?
I go by that way some weekends to listen to the Sony headphones and then to Zep for some food and more listening.


----------



## audionewbi

blazinblazin said:


> Glad that i am able to help.
> That's really good as you had your end game.
> 
> I am currently satisfied too with my WM1A + HS1650CU setup.
> ...


That is one of the IEM on top of my to try list. I've heard so many great things regarding this IEM paired with WM1A, and even better the LPTG.


----------



## kaikai1805

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> That's convenient but also not cheap. How much did the Sony store there charge you?
> I go by that way some weekends to listen to the Sony headphones and then to Zep for some food and more listening.



Not too sure, am typing this while otw over.


----------



## blazinblazin

audionewbi said:


> That is one of the IEM on top of my to try list. I've heard so many great things regarding this IEM paired with WM1A, and even better the LPTG.


It's quite value for money too.


----------



## sne4me

Lookout57 said:


> Something like this? https://www.sony.com/electronics/audio-components/hap-z1es



More like this:


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 8, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> You do realize that a lot of people is saying DMP-Z1 and Z1R is a god like combo ? From Sony anyways ....I exaggerated it, but I saw people mentioning about it being very very good together.  Someone should be excited !





Whitigir said:


> Dx200Ti or Ibasso is very much on the analytical and references sound.  Then amp8 has some warmth to the touch, but I wouldn’t call it “warmth”...it is just warmer than the rest of Dx200 modules, but when comparing to other players, it is still very analytical sounding
> 
> If you like some bass and warmth, nothing can beat wm1Z in this organic warmth, excellent bass, and organic timbres...nothing....as of yet.  The only down fall is that wm1Z doesn’t have that expansive soundstage that carries as wide, but it has a very tall vertical rendering



I’ve been EQing the Encore with the 1Z since November 2017. Interestingly the TA is made by a different team at Sony and has a completely different sound. It maybe does not have the warmth that the 1Z has, but the TA doesn’t have that pesky treble spike that makes the 1Z so V like in signature. Using the 1Z as a file source I can use the Encore IEM and TA completely EQ free all day. Really the TA is the performance solution for the Encore IEM.

Just saying........


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 8, 2018)

iron2k said:


> Thanks, unfortunately the wm1Z is out of my budget.
> I'm looking for the wm1A, could you say that the bass and warmth is also better in this model or is different?



The 1A is great sounding. Folks at times think that there could be something wrong with it due to the cost being less than the 1Z.

But mostly it’s what IEMs or headphones you choose. There are some IEMs which sound slightly better from the 1A and some which sound slightly better from the 1Z. Still the diffences are so slight that maybe one day you think you like one combo better then another day your perception changes? So goes this hobby.

When Sony designed the two sound signatures, they were looking for two players which complemented each other; and that’s what they do.

The 1Z is more V shaped as it has a slower and more pronounced bass responce. The 1Z also has a slight emphasis in an area of the treble which adds sparkle. Also the overall soundstage is slightly more forward  and in your face with the 1Z.

That said the 1A ends up being more neutral and flat. Many prefer this signature as it appears as less color and the bass is faster.

I own both and enjoy both for their different merits. The 1A is an insane deal; where the 1Z being a little more involving with some IEMs but due to diminishing returns never being a value. Though that special quality is there none the less, making the 1Z a value too, for those looking along those lines.

But the 1A is that super detailed and more mid-centric player. Don’t get me wrong; it still has warmth and dynamics along with detail and presence. It’s just compared to the 1Z the 1A comes off a little more mid-detailed. It’s signature culls a slight bit off the treble and bass responce in comparison to the 1Z. And it’s maybe a slight sleeper in that at very first the 1A can come off just slightly underwhelming in comparison to the 1Z. Though after  time and mental burn-in, the detail and wonderful personality of the 1A starts to come to light. If I only owned the 1A, I would be happy as heck!


----------



## svsabado

audionewbi said:


> I cant wait to get my WM1A modded using the K project. Finally, the 400 GB MicroSD arrive, fun times ahead.


have you heard a modded wm1a? thinking about doing this too.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

svsabado said:


> have you heard a modded wm1a? thinking about doing this too.


It's worth it


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> It's worth it



Where do you get them done? Do they take PayPal? And how long are you with you without your player?


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> I’ve been EQing the Encore with the 1Z since November 2017. Interestingly the TA is made by a different team at Sony and has a completely different sound. It maybe does not have the warmth that the 1Z has, but the TA doesn’t have that pesky treble spike that makes the 1Z so V like in signature. Using the 1Z as a file source I can use the Encore IEM and TA completely EQ free all day. Really the TA is the performance solution for the Encore IEM.
> 
> Just saying........



What bands are spiked on the 1z? What does the EQ look like when you want to tame the treble


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> Where do you get them done? Do they take PayPal? And how long are you with you without your player?


Music Sanctuary in Singapore. I believe they do take PayPal but the duration depends on how busy they are. Try contacting them.
I think a number of guys here have had the Project K mod.


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Music Sanctuary in Singapore. I believe they do take PayPal but the duration depends on how busy they are. Try contacting them.
> I think a number of guys here have had the Project K mod.



Is it real expensive?


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> What bands are spiked on the 1z? What does the EQ look like when you want to tame the treble



For the Noble Encore I add about 3 notches of bass using the tone knobs. Then I take about two notches off the center in the midrange knob. I then take off one notch from the treble tone knob. 

Still the Encore was and is the only headphone or IEM I’ve EQed in years and years. It’s just the Encore. It’s a ten BA IEM that can be maybe slightly cold; I’m simply trying to warm it up with the 1Z. 

The TA amp has none of that treble energy with the Encore. Remember it’s all about how an IEM and a DAP would work together in relation to the listeners preference. 

The Encore is midcentric but also can have a little treble brightness, but only slightly. And.......that would only be noticed after hours with the 1Z and if you were even slightly treble sensitive. 

With everything else I own the 1Z treble spike simply adds the perception of spacious detail in the treble. It’s smooth treble though maybe some few treble style IEMs may not be of a listeners preference because of the specific response?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Sep 8, 2018)

How does everyone carry their WM1A/Z around? Do you just use a TPU or leather case then throw it into you bag or pocket? Do you use another pouch for it? Do you have a special pocket in your backpack or other carrier?

Do you baby your DAP or do you not care about scratches and nicks and just chalk that up to character?

I have an oleophobic glass screen protector on my 1A, and an assortment of Dignis cases and a Benks TPU case that I ocassionally rotate. Then my EDC case is a VanNuys case designed for the WM1A/Z, which I added some simple leather mods to. And every week or so, I give ithe player a wipe down with antiseptic wipes made for spectacles, just in case.

I tend to baby my toys and try to keep it as pristine a condition as I can.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> Is it real expensive?


There are different tiers to the mod and you can choose how far off the deep end you want to go. The whole works costs just over SGD1,000.


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> How does everyone carry their WM1A/Z around? Do you just use a TPU or leather case then throw it into you bag or pocket? Do you use another pouch for it? Do you have a special pocket in your backpack or other carrier?
> 
> Do you baby your DAP or do you not care about scratches and nicks and just chalk that up to character?
> 
> ...



I buy pants and shorts that only have velvety soft pockets in the right position to carry my beloved Sony digital audio player properly. The clothes fit the player, or I do not get them!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> There are different tiers to the mod and you can choose how far off the deep end you want to go. The whole works costs just over SGD1,000.



I know some might think it's overkill, but it does close the gap with the Z and when I'm lying in bed, eyes closed in the dark and I'm plugged in, I don't remember the cost and it's just a sweet musical sensation washing over me.

Plus MS knows how to replace practically everything in the player so I'm not worried about the batt dying and I am expecting to keep this player by my side for a long long long time.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> I buy pants and shorts that only have velvety soft pockets in the right position to carry my beloved Sony digital audio player properly. The clothes fit the player, or I do not get them!


No cover or sleeve?
Shorts get tricky with the weight of a Z. Even the A in my trainers starts making my pants sag


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Sep 8, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I know some might think it's overkill, but it does close the gap with the Z and when I'm lying in bed, eyes closed in the dark and I'm plugged in, I don't remember the cost and it's just a sweet musical sensation washing over me.
> 
> Plus MS knows how to replace practically everything in the player so I'm not worried about the batt dying and I am expecting to keep this player by my side for a long long long time.


Oh, and they can reverse the mod if you ever need to send the player back to Sony in case of anything. They save all the pieces they replace and you just need to keep them somewhere you won't lose them, like in the box the player came in.


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> No cover or sleeve?
> Shorts get tricky with the weight of a Z. Even the A in my trainers starts making my pants sag


My shorts have the built-in belt or drawstrings to keep them up.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> My shirts have the built-in belt or drawstrings to keep them up.


Yeah, I can hang the VanNuys case from my belt with a leather belt loop and hook, but I find even drawstring aren't secure enough so I made a leather sling for the case too.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Yeah, I can hang the VanNuys case from my belt with a leather belt loop and hook, but I find even drawstring aren't secure enough so I made a leather sling for the case too.


The VanNuys case also allows me to clip the BT remote to the outside. Makes controlling the player really convenient. I shd post a picture when I get the chance.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

This is another case I used to use before I got the VanNuys case. I still use it if I’m expecting to do something more active where the player might be more exposed to the elements like going to the beach or if I’m expecting inclement weather.

More pics here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bagaholics-anonymous.881936/#post-14299441


----------



## proedros (Sep 8, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> The 1A is great sounding. Folks at times think that there could be something wrong with it due to the cost being less than the 1Z.
> 
> But mostly it’s what IEMs or headphones you choose. There are some IEMs which sound slightly better from the 1A and some which sound slightly better from the 1Z. Still the diffences are so slight that maybe one day you think you like one combo better then another day your perception changes? So goes this hobby.
> 
> ...



i need to print this post and posterize it over my bed , when i start thinking that i would like to get 1Z

seriously though , wm1z is overpriced to me (there's that word again) so i can not justify paying for it

i would be positive to the Music Sanctuary K-mod though , it seems like it's a good upgrade at a fraction of the wm1z purchase cost - only problem is that i will have to send my WM1A all the way to Singapore and i am a bit afraid of potential custom taxes hit

in conclusion like you said , WM1A is the bargain / better bang for buck buy and you are fine just with it


----------



## buzzlulu

This a great case for protecting and traveling with the 1Z

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003WUBIZQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## Lavakugel

Before you guys think of a mod and pay a lot of money I would rec to use EQ to improve listening experience. WM1A with EQ sounds a lot better than direct mode. Just my salt....


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> i need to print this post and posterize it over my bed , when i start thinking that i would like to get 1Z
> 
> seriously though , wm1z is overpriced to me (there's that word again) so i can not justify paying for it
> 
> ...


But.... But.. !  It's 100% better!


----------



## proedros

@NaiveSound  i just saw your signature btw 

you are a Legend.


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> But.... But.. !  It's 100% better!






The small amount that it’s better is 100% there. If you focus on that area it can become quite large though not 100%. Knowing your there is a warm an cozy feeling, though only momentary as possibly something new and better is just around the corner.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> The small amount that it’s better is 100% there. If you focus on that area it can become quite large though not 100%. Knowing your there is a warm an cozy feeling, though only momentary as possibly something new and better is just around the corner.


A human DNA is not 100% different than Ape....it is about 2% differences, and look at the differences that made us.

That said, can you afford that 2% from wm1Z or you can only settle for WM1A until dead without knowing that 2% ?


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 8, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> A human DNA is not 100% different than Ape....it is about 2% differences, and look at the differences that made us.
> 
> That said, can you afford that 2% from wm1Z or you can only settle for WM1A until dead without knowing that 2% ?



You just had to post that! Dang, you're going to make me broke. LOL. That is about the best analogy for why that extra 2% and audio equipment can be huge.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> A human DNA is not 100% different than Ape....it is about 2% differences, and look at the differences that made us.
> 
> That said, can you afford that 2% from wm1Z or you can only settle for WM1A until dead without knowing that 2% ?


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> The small amount that it’s better is 100% there. If you focus on that area it can become quite large though not 100%. Knowing your there is a warm an cozy feeling, though only momentary as possibly something new and better is just around the corner.


Just around the corner it is. That's 100% sure !


----------



## audionewbi

svsabado said:


> have you heard a modded wm1a? thinking about doing this too.


I haven't but I will be soon.


----------



## Ryokan

2%, 100% both mean the same to an audioholic


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> Just around the corner it is. That's 100% sure !



Yes.


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes.


IEMs are affordable but the player is way out of reach


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> IEMs are affordable but the player is way out of reach







For the price you can get two TA amps and two pairs of Z1R headphones; but that’s irrelevant. 

But I’m simply pointing out; the machine never stops. All we can hope for is a quit place of shelter amongst the storm.


----------



## YCHANGE

Yesterday I received a package from Amazon Warehouse fully expecting a WM1A inside.  To my shock a Hifiman HM-901 was in the box.  I sent it back today through UPS.  What a let down.  Now I'm not sure whether to buy a WM1A new or just wait.


----------



## NaiveSound

YCHANGE said:


> Yesterday I received a package from Amazon Warehouse fully expecting a WM1A inside.  To my shock a Hifiman HM-901 was in the box.  I sent it back today through UPS.  What a let down.  Now I'm not sure whether to buy a WM1A new or just wait.


Amazon warehouse has let me down many times as well


----------



## Redcarmoose

YCHANGE said:


> Yesterday I received a package from Amazon Warehouse fully expecting a WM1A inside.  To my shock a Hifiman HM-901 was in the box.  I sent it back today through UPS.  What a let down.  Now I'm not sure whether to buy a WM1A new or just wait.



First your like..........



 

Then your like??


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 9, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> Where do you get them done? Do they take PayPal? And how long are you with you without your player?



Here is the story of modifying a WM1A

I got an idea.

I will take WM1A and dissect it amp sections then modify this section to run on independent battery and make it much more powerful.

Wait, turned out S-Master is too noisy when amplifying too much, ok...let’s put in AK4497EQ....wait....we can’t do single chip because it means we are incompetent against Astel&Kern, so, let’s make dual chips instead.  What else can there be ? Oh yeah, no one has used rk50 attenuators in a device yet, let’s toss it in.

Hmmm...now, this is something no one have done yet, but it is getting quiet large.  Let’s trim down the amplification sections and use TPA chips, but make sure to squeeze every bit out of it.  This thing is impressive of 128Db SNR on paper...

What else ?....hmmm


Knock...knock** somebody is knocking on the door

Who is out there ? Asked, the engineers

“Your executives! Have you done with the 8k project and get ready for IFA 2018 yet ? Have to release at the end of this year”. Asked, the executives

“I believe so!” Responded, the engineers

Look, this is awesome isn’t it ? You see this gold knob here ? It is business, ofcourse I will make it look like a Ferrari ! And people will not care if it cost $8,000

“Wooow! Awesome, this is something that no one have done yet.  Let’s call it carriable in size and set that MSRP ! Well done! Pat on the backs


----------



## AeroSatan

NaiveSound said:


> IEMs are affordable but the player is way out of reach



But... But...but.... It's 100% percent better. You only live once right? Gotta go for it man, it puts that wm1z to shame


----------



## AeroSatan

Whitigir said:


> Here is the story of modifying a WM1A
> 
> I got an idea.
> 
> ...



I'm glad you aren't tired of ranting against this player just yet. Just in case there's that one person left on this thread that doesn't know how you feel about it eh?


----------



## captblaze

AeroSatan said:


> I'm glad you aren't tired of ranting against this player just yet. Just in case there's that one person left on this thread that doesn't know how you feel about it eh?



Just an FYI there are 23438 (now 23439) posts in this thread. rants are part of the territory and are an inevitable part of a free exchange of ideas


----------



## AeroSatan

captblaze said:


> Just an FYI there are 23438 (now 23439) posts in this thread. rants are part of the territory and are an inevitable part of a free exchange of ideas



Yea except he's only ranted against this new Sony DAP for 100 out of those 23440 posts.


----------



## captblaze

AeroSatan said:


> Yea except he's only ranted against this new Sony DAP for 100 out of those 23440 posts.



I have read all of them and yes it does get old. that being said, pairing my WM-1a with a set of UERR (with UE silver cable) has hit a sweet spot with me. even running SE I can keep the player in low gain and get plenty of sonic goodness (and yes there isn't a huge amount of bass slam, but I don't listen to EDM of Hip Hop)


----------



## proedros

so , excluding Naive who is very impulsive but he is also a legend and we love him

*how much better did you find wm1z versus 1a ?*

let's see what the people say here


----------



## nc8000

I could easily have lived with the 1A (and should probably have done so) but at the time I was able to afford the 1Z (couldn’t do that today), wanted the extra 128GB and said what the h... just do it and be done with it


----------



## nc8000

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> How does everyone carry their WM1A/Z around? Do you just use a TPU or leather case then throw it into you bag or pocket? Do you use another pouch for it? Do you have a special pocket in your backpack or other carrier?
> 
> Do you baby your DAP or do you not care about scratches and nicks and just chalk that up to character?
> 
> ...



As I don’t use my 1Z on the go but only transport it I’ve gone with this (the 1Z itself is in a Benks TPU case with screen protector)


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 9, 2018)

proedros said:


> so , excluding Naive who is very impulsive but he is also a legend and we love him
> 
> *how much better did you find wm1z versus 1a ?*
> 
> let's see what the people say here



It’s completely subjective as the 1A may be better for being closer to the sound some folks want. Also it depends what headphones you have. Still the 1Z is probably better..........like 10% to 50% better.....depending how far down the “better” rabbit hole you fall. It’s there as real improvement though I get lost in the music, so even a phone has me loving what I’m listening to. The thing is the 1A is so darn good, it’s all you really need in the end. 

But it’s a difficult question unless you own both. After you listen to the 1A with all your headphones for two weeks straight then switch to the 1Z.....your like “oh” yep.......OK.......well..... ahuh? Yes, ahhh? Well.


----------



## Ryokan

Whitigir said:


> Here is the story of modifying a WM1A
> 
> I got an idea.
> 
> ...



Car manufacturers make concept cars which have the very latest technology which push the knowledge of the engineers, they cost millions to develop and make, ideas trickle down to the next line of production cars. Maybe Sony have done the same with a music player, just seeing what they can achieve and having an exclusive product which sets them apart from most other Dap manufacturers: it's a way of standing out and getting people to talk about their products.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Ryokan said:


> Car manufacturers make concept cars which have the very latest technology which push the knowledge of the engineers, they cost millions to develop and make, ideas trickle down to the next line of production cars. Maybe Sony have done the same with a music player, just seeing what they can achieve and having an exclusive product which sets them apart from most other Dap manufacturers: it's a way of standing out and getting people to talk about their products.


But concept cars aren't sold.

Are they?


----------



## Ryokan

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> But concept cars aren't sold.



Maybe Sony started it off as a concept, seeing what they could achieve, and as development went along decided to make a small number for those who can afford to buy an exclusive product? This was never intended to be bought by 99% of consumers, yet here we are discussing it as if it's like any other high end player. It's a special piece of engineering that acts more of a 'showcase' for Sony to show they're peerless at this point in time.


----------



## nanaholic

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> But concept cars aren't sold.
> 
> Are they?



Concept cars are sometimes auctioned off as a collectors item actually.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Ryokan said:


> Maybe Sony started it off as a concept, seeing what they could achieve, and as development went along decided to make a small number for those who can afford to buy an exclusive product? This was never intended to be bought by 99% of consumers, yet here we are discussing it as if it's like any other high end player. It's a special piece of engineering that acts more of a 'showcase' for Sony to show they're peerless at this point in time.



That is how it’s explained. Sony let the engineers do whatever they wanted, so any creative idea was not held back, in hopes of getting to a special place. It was Sony getting back to big ideas, only it wasn’t a mass market product, but a flagship which showcases Sony imagination. There was then other trickle down technology players like the ZX300 and 1A making the ideas readily accessible to the public.


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> so , excluding Naive who is very impulsive but he is also a legend and we love him
> 
> *how much better did you find wm1z versus 1a ?*
> 
> let's see what the people say here



Don't exclude me out of the fun
. I personally found it to be about 30%** better**
But you know.. It comes down to iem


----------



## nanaholic (Sep 9, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> That is how it’s explained. Sony let the engineers do whatever they wanted, so any creative idea was not held back, in hopes of getting to a special place. It was Sony getting back to big ideas, only it wasn’t a mass market product, but a flagship which showcases Sony imagination. There was then other trickle down technology players like the ZX300 and 1A making the ideas readily accessible to the public.



It's only in recent interviews that I realised the "Signature Series" was named to mean that the product is designed without restriction such that the lead engineer/designer is able to proudly put their signature on them and proclaim the result as their current best effort they could offer. It's no wonder how enthusiastic the engineers could talk about the Signature Series products every time I get to ask them about it, without even a slight hint that they were ever forced to make such a product.


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> It's only in recent interviews that I realised the "Signature Series" was named to mean that the product is designed without restriction such that the lead engineer/designer is able to proudly put their signature on them and proclaim the result as their current best effort they could offer. It's no wonder how enthusiastic the engineers could talk about the Signature Series products every time I get to ask them about it.


And whose signature is it to go on DMP-Z1 ?


----------



## nanaholic

Whitigir said:


> And whose signature is it to go on DMP-Z1 ?



Whoever's in the product video.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> And whose signature is it to go on DMP-Z1 ?


For $10 and a silver paint marker I'll put my signature on it.


----------



## Quadfather

My morning ritual, starting the morning out with my Sony NW - WM1A.


----------



## NaiveSound

Quadfather said:


> My morning ritual, starting the morning out with my Sony NW - WM1A.


Wow it must be a new wm1a, very square look! Sharp angles! Wow. Edge to edge display

It's tilted like ak players


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 9, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> Wow it must be a new wm1a, very square look! Sharp angles! Wow. Edge to edge display
> 
> It's tilted like ak players



I got it about a year ago.  That's pretty much just the darkness of the picture that makes it look that way.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

NaiveSound said:


> Wow it must be a new wm1a, very square look! Sharp angles! Wow. Edge to edge display
> 
> It's tilted like ak players



"I sense a disturbance in the Farce"

"The sarcasm is strong in this one..."


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 9, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> And whose signature is it to go on DMP-Z1 ?



And that’s what so strange, the DMP-Z1 was made by the Walkman team and bears no resemblance to the TA amp. It seems like both the 1Z and 1A were a more successful product than the TA amp? Still Head-Fi is a US based site, so it doesn’t included trends in other parts of the globe. We will never know the numbers, but from what I read the TA is not as popular as you would think it would be? I’m hoping there will be a DMP-Z1 MK2, maybe one with a regular metal knob and a smaller screen for 2K? Maybe the next Walkman will be a miniature DMP-Z1 and the DMP-Z1 is marketing for the new Walkman?


It goes without saying, just look at the post count of this thread, then look for the TA thread. The 1A and 1Z have captured the public imagination.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> And that’s what so strange, the DMP-Z1 was made by the Walkman team and bears no resemblance to the TA amp. It seems like both the 1Z and 1A were a more successful product than the TA amp? Still Head-Fi is a US based site, so it doesn’t included trends in other parts of the globe. Well never know the numbers, but from what I read the TA is not as popular as you would think it would be? I’m hoping there will be a DMP-Z1 MK2, maybe one with a regular metal knob and a smaller screen for 2K? Maybe the next Walkman will be a miniature DMP-Z1 and the DMP-Z1 is marketing for the new Walkman?
> 
> 
> It goes without saying, just look at the post count of this thread, then look for the TA thread. The 1A and 1Z have captured the public imagination.



TA is a desktop integrated device.  Not many people is willing to have a desktop setup.  Even if they do, not many is going with all in one device as they rather go with amplifier and DAC separately.  The unique thing about TA is S-Master, and you are correct.  Headfi is only in the US but has many people reading it around the globe.  TA is popular but not in this forum, it usually sell really quick in used for sale section


----------



## Lookout57

The only reason I think that the TA is not as popular in the US is due to the lack of a docking solution available locally.

If you pair the 1Z with the BCR-NWH10 dock connected using the AudioQuest Carbon USB to the TA, the combination is an unbeatable immersive music experience with the right pair of cans.


----------



## Whitigir

Lookout57 said:


> The only reason I think that the TA is not as popular in the US is due to the lack of a docking solution available locally.
> 
> If you pair the 1Z with the BCR-NWH10 dock connected using the AudioQuest Carbon USB to the TA, the combination is an unbeatable immersive music experience with the right pair of cans.



I agree, the Walkman and the stock cables provided just suck....you need that cradle and a good cables to bring out the best of it.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> I agree, the Walkman and the stock cables provided just suck....you need that cradle and a good cables to bring out the best of it.


But the cradle, like most cradles for mobile devices out there, won't fit the WM with any kind of case, which makes it a real drag.


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 9, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> But the cradle, like most cradles for mobile devices out there, won't fit the WM with any kind of case, which makes it a real drag.


It fit fine, I used it with stock leather case.  This picture was back in the day where I didn’t have Stax and still full on with Sony


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> It fit fine, I used it with stock leather case.  This picture was back in the day where I didn’t have Stax and still full on with Sony


I think the design of the Sony case is intentionally able to accommodate the cradle and vice versa. Would make logical sense.
Any idea if it will fit the BENKS TPU cases or a Dignis leather case?


----------



## gerelmx1986

One solution i've been considering as home setup is a PHONITOR 2 or PHONITOR X + sony HAP-S1


----------



## Whitigir

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I think the design of the Sony case is intentionally able to accommodate the cradle and vice versa. Would make logical sense.
> Any idea if it will fit the BENKS TPU cases or a Dignis leather case?


Not sure of Dignis, but TPU case won’t fit, it needs you to take out the spacer and customize your own spacers.  Without a spacer, it is a huge gap


----------



## nanaholic

Redcarmoose said:


> And that’s what so strange, the DMP-Z1 was made by the Walkman team and bears no resemblance to the TA amp.



Why do you say that it is strange?


----------



## cpetrillo

Whitigir said:


> Not sure of Dignis, but TPU case won’t fit, it needs you to take out the spacer and customize your own spacers.  Without a spacer, it is a huge gap



Works ok for me with the tpu case. A little tricky getting the contact started but works fine once you do.


----------



## cpetrillo




----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> Not sure of Dignis, but TPU case won’t fit, it needs you to take out the spacer and customize your own spacers.  Without a spacer, it is a huge gap


Just watched an unboxing video of it. There’s enough space in the thickness of it to accommodate a modded spacer. I reckon I can use Sugru or even thigh leather to mod it effectively.
Just wondering if the width of it will accommodate the WM1A with a Dignis case.
Heck, I might just pull the trigger on this to try.

Is it worth it? My desktop amp is a Woo WA7. Won’t the digital bypass just use the WA7’s DAC? Er... is that what I really want? Would it be better than just routing it via the analog output through the 3.5 SE jack?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

cpetrillo said:


> Works ok for me with the tpu case. A little tricky getting the contact started but works fine once you do.


Which spacer do you use? The smallest one?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

nanaholic said:


> Why do you say that it is strange?


The design language seems different.


----------



## Lookout57

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I think the design of the Sony case is intentionally able to accommodate the cradle and vice versa. Would make logical sense.
> Any idea if it will fit the BENKS TPU cases or a Dignis leather case?


With the Dignis case you need to remove the spacer and it scratches up the leather. 

So I take mine out of the case before putting in the dock. Also, I keep the 1Z docked more than using it on the go.


----------



## cpetrillo

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Which spacer do you use? The smallest one?



I don't remember which one I used but it was one of the stock spacers included.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Lookout57 said:


> With the Dignis case you need to remove the spacer and it scratches up the leather.
> 
> So I take mine out of the case before putting in the dock. Also, I keep the 1Z docked more than using it on the go.


I assume the scratching takes place in the back where the spacers used to fit? Is there enough room in the back to line it with some thin leather or microfibre? To just at least cover up the sharp bits that scratch the Dignis case?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I assume the scratching takes place in the back where the spacers used to fit? Is there enough room in the back to line it with some thin leather or microfibre? To just at least cover up the sharp bits that scratch the Dignis case?


Watched the unboxing videos again and I have a feeling it’s the rounded right side end of the cradle slot that’s making marks on the Dignis case, isn’t it? The channel is just a little short for the size of the WM1A/Z in that it’s probably just nice for the player and a thin case but will scuff a thicker case like a Dignis or Miter.


----------



## nanaholic

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> The design language seems different.



The DMP-Z1 from Walkmans? If anything to me it has the fingerprints of the Walkman team guys all over it.
The TA amp is from a different team, so that one was inherently different from the Walkman from the get go.


----------



## Whitigir

I was very happy with Stock case and even more so with TPU case.  The docking cradle had no problem for either one.  You use the cradle, you can use headphones out as an analog source or usb out as a digital source.  The best thing is that it charges up while you are running it.  You can also unplug it and run from battery without charging up


----------



## Lookout57

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Watched the unboxing videos again and I have a feeling it’s the rounded right side end of the cradle slot that’s making marks on the Dignis case, isn’t it? The channel is just a little short for the size of the WM1A/Z in that it’s probably just nice for the player and a thin case but will scuff a thicker case like a Dignis or Miter.


The 1Z and Dignis is a really tight fit without using a spacer. The scratches are on the back of the case which is surprising as the back end is some type of rubber or soft plastic.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Sep 9, 2018)

Lookout57 said:


> The 1Z and Dignis is a really tight fit without using a spacer. The scratches are on the back of the case which is surprising as the back end is some type of rubber or soft plastic.


The Dignis cases scuff easily. I’ve experimented with some adhesive metal panels on the back for mounting the 1A to a magnetic stand for mobile phones and found that the leather delaminates pretty easily and the colour is a painted dye. But given the price and the design as well as the scarcity of other options, I felt it was reasonable and even bought two more. I now have two red cases and the blue Walkman edition.
However, to be fair, most leather products with a polished surface will scuff and you really need to just appreciate it over time. My first one is pretty worn looking but it’s still my favourite. And scuffs can be buffed and over time the marks will darken and form part of the patina. Oil helps, even from your palms. Don’t get grossed out but I like to use the oil from my face. Can’t get more organic than that.

Do you reckon there’s room for some micro fiber to be used as lining in the back of the slot in the cradle? Or is it just way too tight?


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Not sure of Dignis, but TPU case won’t fit, it needs you to take out the spacer and customize your own spacers.  Without a spacer, it is a huge gap



It fits perfectly with the Benks tpu case and no spacer in the dock


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Maybe I'm just bored... But has anyone considered any kind of mod to their WM1A/Z other than the Project K mod? It might be as simple as popping in a gold "hold" switch from a Z into an A (incidentally that gold switch is just painted plastic and the tips of the stippled texture will rub off to black. I've seen it in older 1Zs). Or even painting their A in a different colour. Maybe sandblasting it down to bare aluminum and letting that age into a dull grey.

I've thought of the above but haven't got the balls to do it... Except pinstriping my A, but I can't think of a good design.

Anyone thought about it before? Or am I just crazy?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Maybe I'm just bored... But has anyone considered any kind of mod to their WM1A/Z other than the Project K mod? It might be as simple as popping i*n a gold "hold" switch from a Z into an A *(incidentally that gold switch is just painted plastic and the tips of the stippled texture will rub off to black. I've seen it in older 1Zs). Or even painting their A in a different colour. Maybe sandblasting it down to bare aluminum and letting that age into a dull grey.
> 
> I've thought of the above but haven't got the balls to do it... Except pinstriping my A, but I can't think of a good design.
> 
> Anyone thought about it before? Or am I just crazy?


 Better than that hold switch, a motherboard switch, much like a brain switch surgery , put a 1Z moBo into the 1A body


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gerelmx1986 said:


> Better than that hold switch, a motherboard switch, much like a brain switch surgery , put a 1Z moBo into the 1A body


IKR?!?! How's that for a *DECEPTICON*!!!

I went Googljng for Walkman mods... And I stumbled on another whole forum for collectors of... WALKMEN!!! (http://stereo2go.com/forums/) OMG! We're not alone! Has anyone made contact? Are they friendly? Are we? They seem to be analog... Are we too digital?

What's the plural for Walkman? Is it Walkmen? Walkmans?


----------



## Whitigir

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> IKR?!?! How's that for a *DECEPTICON*!!!
> 
> I went Googljng for Walkman mods... And I stumbled on another whole forum for collectors of... WALKMEN!!! (http://stereo2go.com/forums/) OMG! We're not alone! Has anyone made contact? Are they friendly? Are we? They seem to be analog... Are we too digital?
> 
> What's the plural for Walkman? Is it Walkmen? Walkmans?


It is Man walk that walk with the man, so you have Walkman!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> It is Man walk that walk with the man, so you have Walkman!


What if there's more than just one?
And in these more politically correct times, should the Walkman be a Walkperson? Isn't WM short for "woman" already?


----------



## Whitigir

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> What if there's more than just one?
> And in these more politically correct times, should the Walkman be a Walkperson? Isn't WM short for "woman" already?


We carry it a little too far.  Anyways, since the Walkman WM1A/Z, there are even more compact and more powerful capacitors with even better specifications.  Beside the wiring mods to the WM1A, newer capacitors would also bring more life to the WM1A ...

Hell, why wait ? Why modify ? Get DMP-Z1 already


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 9, 2018)

Guys can anyone tell me how many hours you get from WM1A charge all effects on + EQ SE output thanks ina dvance... MP3...


----------



## gerelmx1986

with the DSEE HX set to strings and the DC phase linearizer i get like 15 hour or less


----------



## Quadfather

Midnstorms said:


> Guys can anyone tell me how many hours you get from WM1A charge all effects on + EQ SE output thanks ina dvance... MP3...



I get 21 and a half hours with a 90% charge.  No effects and 96 kHz/24 bit files.


----------



## Mindstorms

Quadfather said:


> I get 21 and a half hours with a 90% charge.  No effects and 96 kHz/24 bit files.


Thank you!!


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> with the DSEE HX set to strings and the DC phase linearizer i get like 15 hour or less


Same than me the effects really consume power right? thanks


----------



## Quadfather

Midnstorms said:


> Thank you!!



You are welcome. Also add minimal screen use to that equation please.


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 9, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> You are welcome. Also add minimal screen use to that equation please.


You use balanced right? thats till the last bar disapears right? about 20% only battery icon shows up no bars left?


----------



## Quadfather

Midnstorms said:


> You use balanced right? thats till the last bar disapears right? about 20% onlu batery icon shows up no bars left



I used balanced output with Shure SRH1540 headphones. I stopped using the device when the battery indicator started blinking.


----------



## NaiveSound

Where do we check for the firmware update  
I want it right now


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 9, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> Where do we check for the firmware update
> I want it right now


+1 but its not out jet, they are all taunting (not refering to you of course lol) the update now but when i posted we needed some new stuff in our wm1a and z they attaked me now they will enjoy but no support...


----------



## NaiveSound

Midnstorms said:


> +1 but its not out jet, they are all taunting (not refering to you of course lol) the update now but when i posted we needed some new stuff in our wm1a and z they attaked me now they will enjoy but no support...


Lots of attacks in this forum   it is the internet, it is what it is


----------



## gerelmx1986

The FW will come out in october, damn, one month to go


----------



## Mindstorms

"The FW will come out in october, damn, one month to go"
Its not that much be patient it will come with Clear Audio+ haha joking i bet you want that DAP function so bad... hope they improve sound a little someway..


----------



## NaiveSound

I hope they don't touch or affect the sound


----------



## Mindstorms

NaiveSound said:


> I hope they don't touch or affect the sound


Refering to SE out on WM1A i know is a cable Issue for what i have read.. but maybe they can add some more Bass to it.. like previous firmwares had and keep the soundstage


----------



## NaiveSound

Midnstorms said:


> Refering to SE out on WM1A i know is a cable Issue for what i have read.. but maybe they can add some more Bass to it.. like previous firmwares had and keep the soundstage


Get the 1z


----------



## blazinblazin

Why not get an IEM with more Bass?


----------



## proedros

NaiveSound said:


> . I personally found it to be *about 30%** better***
> But you know.. It comes down to iem



so it's around 20% tops 

 well wm1a is going nowhere and wm1z can take a raincheck


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> I hope they don't touch or affect the sound



That's the thing, the sound always changes a little.


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> so it's around 20% tops
> 
> well wm1a is going nowhere and wm1z can take a raincheck


I wish you spent the money proedros, you won't regret....


----------



## proedros

NaiveSound said:


> I wish you spent the money proedros, you won't regret....




find me one selling for 1000$ and i will buy it ASAP


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

proedros said:


> find me one selling for 1000$ and i will buy it ASAP


If there's one for $1000, ASAP won't be fast enough!


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

blazinblazin said:


> Why not get an IEM with more Bass?



JHAudio IEMS allow you to tweak to whatever you like.


----------



## sne4me

I doubt they will tweak the sound signature for 3.0


----------



## bflat

You can download the Sony Support app for iOS and Android. It will alert you of software updates or any other service note.


----------



## teknorob23

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Music Sanctuary in Singapore. I believe they do take PayPal but the duration depends on how busy they are. Try contacting them.
> I think a number of guys here have had the Project K mod.



I had my 1a done a couple of months ago, As promised by MS it took 3 weeks from arriving at MS to it arriving back with me in the UK. Is worth it, well depends what you're after soundwise and what you plan to pair it with. It doesnt turn it into a 1z, but it does transform the sound, way more organic/ natural sounding than the 1a, bigger better layered bass, more extension at the top and generally more detail throughout, but and i found it pretty hot in the mids and ultimately too bright for my tastes and my rubbish left ear which is particularly sensitive around the 4-6K mark. Most of my listening was done with 64audio a18s which can be a brutal anyway in the treble department if not paired carefully. If you dont like it, it can be changed back, or theres a big demand in the classifieds, so thats where mine went.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 10, 2018)

sne4me said:


> I doubt they will tweak the sound signature for 3.0



Seems like 100% of the regular thread posters are running 2.0. Never hear of anyone using the early software anymore? So depending on headphones; it seems like 2.0 is a success. But.........if Sony is still tweaking the sound there is the potential that 3.0 will sound different?

Folks will have to run 3.0 to get the new functionality........so in a way they will also be locked-in to accepting 3.0 for whatever it sounds like.

The player could even get louder with 3.0. In fact I’m thinking it’s going to have more power. Probably no one would have guessed these updates would have such dramatic influence on the user experience; I know I never guessed changes would be big with updates. Ape file support, BT recipient......out board DAC functionality.......more power.....and maybe better album cover art functionality? Oh ......and vinyl emulator! Really what else could someone want?


----------



## Quadfather

Just curious to hear from people who have the LPG Diana and the Sony NW - WM1Z. How would you characterize the two?  Which do you like best?  I have my thoughts, but I said always same curious as to what others think...


----------



## Ryokan (Sep 10, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> Just curious to hear from people who have the LPG Diana and the Sony NW - WM1Z. How would you characterize the two?  Which do you like best?  I have my thoughts, but I said always same curious as to what others think...



I've heard both Quadfather and the WM1Z blows the Diana away, you're missing out big time!
Does it heck the LPG Diana is a very fine player don't get sucked down the rabbit hole. Besides the LPGT is out soon then you'll be asking for comparisons with that and your newly bought WM1Z! 

Enjoy what you've got you worked hard for it, peace man


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 10, 2018)

Ryokan said:


> I've heard both Quadfather and the WM1Z blows the Diana away, you're missing out big time!
> Does it heck the LPG Diana is a very fine player don't get sucked down the rabbit hole. Besides the LPGT is out soon then you'll be asking for comparisons with that and your newly bought WM1Z!
> 
> Enjoy what you've got you worked hard for it, peace man



I love my LPG and its power, and I love my Sony NW - WM1A, but I heard the Sony NW - WM1Z, and it was magical!  For whatever reason, I'm not really very curious about the LPG touch.  I was curious about the Cayin N8 dap coming out, but then I heard it runs hot...


----------



## Ryokan

Quadfather said:


> I heard the Sony NW - WM1Z, and it was magical!



 M ..M .. Magical? Great thanks dude. 

Anyone want to buy an Opus#2?


----------



## Quadfather

Ryokan said:


> M ..M .. Magical? Great thanks dude.
> 
> Anyone want to buy an Opus#2?



That is why I have to wait longer for the Sony NW - WM1Z, I never sell players because sometimes I get in the mood for different sounds.


----------



## Mindstorms

Hi, can i go back to 1.2 from 2.0 on wm1a or it may brick? thanks all...


----------



## captblaze

Midnstorms said:


> Hi, can i go back to 1.2 from 2.0 on wm1a or it may brick? thanks all...



you can brick a device anytime you perform a firmware update, but there is no restriction to downgrading that I have experienced


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 11, 2018)

captblaze said:


> you can brick a device anytime you perform a firmware update, but there is no restriction to downgrading that I have experienced


thank you, have you done downgrade?


----------



## captblaze

Midnstorms said:


> thank you, have you done downgreade?



yes I did, but be aware that you will receive a database warning after the downgrade. all you need to do is re initialize the database and it is fixed


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Been listening to Lorde's Pure Heroine on my 1A through Dita Audio Brass Edition IEMs... and... It's. So. Good! This player just brings out wonderment in me every couple of days!

I've been browsing a few different DAP threads and, I may be biased but I haven't found another thread where the users have been as effusive and emotional with their praise as this thread for the WM1A/Z. Does any other player inspire this?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Been listening to Lorde's Pure Heroine on my 1A through Dita Audio Brass Edition IEMs... and... It's. So. Good! This player just brings out wonderment in me every couple of days!
> 
> I've been browsing a few different DAP threads and, I may be biased but I haven't found another thread where the users have been as effusive and emotional with their praise as this thread for the WM1A/Z. Does any other player inspire this?


I don't think so, not even older Walkmans  The WM1A is the first player to bring out the beautiful emotions of music


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gerelmx1986 said:


> I don't think so, not even older Walkmans  The WM1A is the first player to bring out the beautiful emotions of music


There's something in this current pairing that is just making the music incredibly... Atmospheric. It's not a simple depth to the sound stage. My experience tonight has been... An experience of being able to just drift forward and back through the layers of music with each layer still sensually clinging to me as I traverse a different one. These dynamic IEMs are wonderfully warm and lush themselves and it's a sound I prefer but tonight, it's like they're performing differently; I don't remember enjoying them like this 2 months ago when I got them.
I'm going to try the same tracks tomorrow with the IT04 and see if I can get the same reaction.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Been listening to Lorde's Pure Heroine on my 1A through Dita Audio Brass Edition IEMs... and... It's. So. Good! This player just brings out wonderment in me every couple of days!
> 
> I've been browsing a few different DAP threads and, I may be biased but I haven't found another thread where the users have been as effusive and emotional with their praise as this thread for the WM1A/Z. Does any other player inspire this?


That's a nicely produced album BTW!


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

There is the PHA3 dac by Sony that plays balanced via dual 3.5 that sounds equally good but it’s considered bulky when adding a music player to the mix.
But that’s another discussion. 





Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Been listening to Lorde's Pure Heroine on my 1A through Dita Audio Brass Edition IEMs... and... It's. So. Good! This player just brings out wonderment in me every couple of days!
> 
> I've been browsing a few different DAP threads and, I may be biased but I haven't found another thread where the users have been as effusive and emotional with their praise as this thread for the WM1A/Z. Does any other player inspire this?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

fiascogarcia said:


> That's a nicely produced album BTW!


IKR??!! The opening of "Royals" is like floating in a dark bathtub of syrup. In monochrome. And every bass beat is just a palpable wave of energy that penetrates you to the core. Then her vocals come through out of the dark... Wow... That voice isn't too shrill and is like mellow glowing amber in the dark. Omg, am I going overboard with the gushing? I heart my 1A so much right now... Don't want to sleep.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

DONTGIVEUP said:


> There is the PHA3 dac by Sony that plays balanced via dual 3.5 that sounds equally good but it’s considered bulky when adding a music player to the mix.
> But that’s another discussion.


I once wondered about the pairing of that with the 1A but someone said the sound sigs were almost identical and there wouldn't be any point. But yes, I like it that my 1A can drive almost everything I have so I don't need to haul a stack with me.


----------



## Hellraiser86

I really love the 1A even though it isn't the best device in any specific category (ok the playtime is phenomenal).
This love is something special because I've heard many dac’s, dap’s and amp’s (for example Violectric v281, RME ADI 2, AK SP1000...) in comparison.
But these wonderful beasts left me always analysing every single element in my music. Don't get me wrong but this is (at least for me) more suitable for critical listening for example when I am doing the mastering for my clients. Otherwise it would be more difficult if I had a similar sounding converter/amp like the 1A. 

The 1A’s magic is to blend this out and to leave me just listening to the whole music as one simple element. I really appreciate this because I had really problems to just enjoy music till I heard the Sony signature.
That doesn't mean that the 1A is bad in separation or details. This dap makes so many things so good that I simply doesn't care anymore about one specific area.

Sorry for my english. I hope it makes sense to you guys


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Hellraiser86 said:


> I really love the 1A even though it isn't the best device in any specific category (ok the playtime is phenomenal).
> This love is something special because I've heard many dac’s, dap’s and amp’s (for example Violectric v281, RME ADI 2, AK SP1000...) in comparison.
> But these wonderful beasts left me always analysing every single element in my music. Don't get me wrong but this is (at least for me) more suitable for critical listening for example when I am doing the mastering for my clients. Otherwise it would be more difficult if I had a similar sounding converter/amp like the 1A.
> 
> ...



It does! I was searching for the right words and I'd admitted before I don't have the analytical vocabulary. But I get what you mean. Other DAPs I've tried had me blown away with detail and what I think of as a "reference" sound. But this 1A, from the first time I heard it at BIC Camera in Tokyo late one night, was totally immersive! And it has only grown even more enjoyable since burning in and now even more after the Project K mod. I'm afraid if I pursue that rabbit, it will lead me to the 1Z. But that price hurdle and the weight burden is something I'm not mentally prepared for. But I'm actually very partial to the gold. Maybe they should release a special edition of the 1A in brass... It'd be a WM1B!!!! Geddit?? B for brass!!!


----------



## 480126

Hellraiser86 said:


> I really love the 1A even though it isn't the best device in any specific category (ok the playtime is phenomenal).
> This love is something special because I've heard many dac’s, dap’s and amp’s (for example Violectric v281, RME ADI 2, AK SP1000...) in comparison.
> But these wonderful beasts left me always analysing every single element in my music. Don't get me wrong but this is (at least for me) more suitable for critical listening for example when I am doing the mastering for my clients. Otherwise it would be more difficult if I had a similar sounding converter/amp like the 1A.
> 
> ...


Welcome! There are more Germans who love the A1!


----------



## Hellraiser86

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> It does! I was searching for the right words and I'd admitted before I don't have the analytical vocabulary. But I get what you mean. Other DAPs I've tried had me blown away with detail and what I think of as a "reference" sound. But this 1A, from the first time I heard it at BIC Camera in Tokyo late one night, was totally immersive! And it has only grown even more enjoyable since burning in and now even more after the Project K mod. I'm afraid if I pursue that rabbit, it will lead me to the 1Z. But that price hurdle and the weight burden is something I'm not mentally prepared for. But I'm actually very partial to the gold. Maybe they should release a special edition of the 1A in brass... It'd be a WM1B!!!! Geddit?? B for brass!!!


I've never heard the K-Mod (I am pretty happy with my standard device and I don't wanna change it), but I had a chance to listen to the 1Z together with the vision ears erlkönig (at the high-end in munich this year) and to compare it with my 1A. The 1Z does exact the same as the 1A in general. You get lost in the music and in the end it is really just a matter of preferences. For me both are on the same level just different (not night and day) and so I love the 1Z too - but I am still hesitating because of the price tag and the fact that I already own a 1A.

btw. the erlkönig was the best UIEM I've ever heard and for the record it was even better sounding than many highend headphones. these iem are the utopias of all UIEM's (but i had not chance to hear the shure KSE1500 yet).


----------



## Hellraiser86

Frida309 said:


> Welcome! There are more Germans who love the A1!


Thanks Frida309 
At the beginning I was wondering how many germans would be in this hobby, because I always meet people from asia and america at shows like the canjam XD


----------



## nc8000




----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Sep 11, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Been listening to Lorde's Pure Heroine on my 1A through Dita Audio Brass Edition IEMs... and... It's. So. Good! This player just brings out wonderment in me every couple of days!
> 
> I've been browsing a few different DAP threads and, I may be biased but I haven't found another thread where the users have been as effusive and emotional with their praise as this thread for the WM1A/Z. Does any other player inspire this?







Finally got around to posting a photo. This is the Walkman Edition of the Dignis case. And I'm sure you recognize the silhouette.
The black pouch is a VanNuys pouch designed for this player with some brown leather add ons from me. There's also the BT remote clipped to the side. This is my audio EDC.


----------



## bana

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Been listening to Lorde's Pure Heroine on my 1A through Dita Audio Brass Edition IEMs... and... It's. So. Good! This player just brings out wonderment in me every couple of days!
> 
> I've been browsing a few different DAP threads and, I may be biased but I haven't found another thread where the users have been as effusive and emotional with their praise as this thread for the WM1A/Z. Does any other player inspire this?



Every now and then someone mentions music they like and i always give it a try.
I've never even heard "Lorde" but now I have it in my library.
Thanks.


----------



## Whitigir

It is so crazy for different software to claim “bit perfects” in digital out, but then each of them will have different sound quality.  After all, it is the software and firmware that also play an very important role in your journey of seeking out the best sound signature that you want.  I am hearing crazy differences from HQPlayer VS JRiver on my desktop build.

Anyways, for all that said, a friendly reminder, Manufacturer software and OS is also as important as the system as a whole.  Let’s assume that the hardware is done right and expensive, the next in line would be software/OS, and Walkman OS is and had been perfected by Sony for decades.  It makes a comeback after the WM1A/Z series being released  with touch OS (which was experimental on ZX100).

Why A&K with custom or reskin Android OS is charging an arm and a leg is beyond me.  It is sad to see Sony unable to resist this direction on the newest DMP-Z1.


----------



## Returnity

After the news of BT receiver support in the upcoming firmware update, I would really love to see a controller app for the smartphones. AFAIK, Hiby did that, so one can only hope...


----------



## kaikai1805

any clue if burn in will help with the hissing issue when paired with sensitive iems? or is there some sort of solution for the hiss?


----------



## Whitigir

kaikai1805 said:


> any clue if burn in will help with the hissing issue when paired with sensitive iems? or is there some sort of solution for the hiss?


If you are hearing hissing * which unfortunately will happen to many multi-drivers gears with a crossover *...the only solution is to get another kind of gears or move on away from the DAP X_X.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> It is so crazy for different software to claim “bit perfects” in digital out, but then each of them will have different sound quality.  After all, it is the software and firmware that also play an very important role in your journey of seeking out the best sound signature that you want.  I am hearing crazy differences from HQPlayer VS JRiver on my desktop build.
> 
> Anyways, for all that said, a friendly reminder, Manufacturer software and OS is also as important as the system as a whole.  Let’s assume that the hardware is done right and expensive, the next in line would be software/OS, and Walkman OS is and had been perfected by Sony for decades.  It makes a comeback after the WM1A/Z series being released  with touch OS (which was experimental on ZX100).
> 
> Why A&K with custom or reskin Android OS is charging an arm and a leg is beyond me.  It is sad to see Sony unable to resist this direction on the newest DMP-Z1.



Well that’s the thing. Different software creates a completely different sound. A perfect example of this is running Winamp then listening to Foobar2000 both at the same time with a PC. Winamp has no soundstage, no clarity and sounds tin like. Foobar, especially with WASAPI implementation is a dream, and mind you this is in a system where the DAC and amplifier.......and headphones are ALL the same.

The source is the most critical part of the chain; and with digital with a computer or DAP the software IS the start of the chain. That’s why I believe we will get some kind of sound change with 3.0; as it’s almost unavoidable. IMHO


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 12, 2018)

nc8000 said:


>



Nice! I’m thinking of upgrading to the Kimber, as the more I listen and more I test the Kimber Kable with the Z7/Z1R combination of full-size headphones; the more I realize how dramatically they improve the clarity.

Edit:

Those; I suspect are Triple Comfort Tips?


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Nice! I’m thinking of upgrading to the Kimber, as the more I listen and more I test the Kimber Kable with the Z7/Z1R combination of full-size headphones; the more I realize how dramatically they improve the clarity.
> 
> Edit:
> 
> Those; I suspect are Triple Comfort Tips?



Yep. Tripple comfort. I bought the Z5 second hand with the Sony Kimber cable so have never tried the stock


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 12, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Yep. Tripple comfort. I bought the Z5 second hand with the Sony Kimber cable so have never tried the stock


My Z5 IEM was a gift from Sony with the 1Z. So I started to use them with no prior research. First thing I found was that I felt they had the sound I have always been into. But..........the stock cables were a weird affair; like having sea-creature tentacles moving around pulling the IEMs in different places at random. But you know how we are as audiophiles; thus having a sea-creature around your neck was a small price to pay for great audio.


----------



## kaikai1805

Whitigir said:


> If you are hearing hissing * which unfortunately will happen to many multi-drivers gears with a crossover *...the only solution is to get another kind of gears or move on away from the DAP X_X.


okie, guess the search shall begin again


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Sep 12, 2018)

bana said:


> Every now and then someone mentions music they like and i always give it a try.
> I've never even heard "Lorde" but now I have it in my library.
> Thanks.


No worries. I discovered Lorde when a friend recommended her to me and found her sound to be quite refreshing and haunting at times while still with enough of an electronica and alt sound influence to pique my interest.
I too pick up a lot of recommendations here. While my personal tastes usually run to R&B, jazz, latin, pop & alt rock and EDM... I'm open to most other genres that provide a moving experience. Went through an aria phase but it took too much concentration from me and I lacked the attention span.
Recently a new acquaintance introduced me to some fantastic Chinese female singers out of HK and TW, and while I can't recall their names and can barely read Chinese, their voices were incredibly on par with some of the best Western jazz singers I'd heard before.
We discussed about how the far eastern production values may favour a different sound signature that places the vocalist in the forefront while the instruments are more reserved without being recessed or veiled. Quite an interesting presentation. Western recordings seem to place almost everything in the fore so the vocalist doesn't truly get the isolation. I hope this makes sense.
He'd copied his entire library of Chinese songs for me but they're all in a mess of folders and my language deficiency is making it slow going for me to pick the right singer again. Very slow going. I hope to fill a whole SD card with just Chinese songs that I can review at leisure. One of the few times I wish the WM1A had more capacity and a second SD card slot.

Anyway I love the spirit of sharing here.


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


>





gerelmx1986 said:


>


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


>


Damn, I want to join the club too! All I have is a pair of A3.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Damn, I want to join the club too! All I have is a pair of A3.


I fear is too late as they are being discontinued in favor of the IER line up


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gerelmx1986 said:


> I fear is too late as they are being discontinued in favor of the IER line up


Managed to find a couple of pre-loved pairs on a local sales site for around US$380. Is that the going price?


----------



## nc8000

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Managed to find a couple of pre-loved pairs on a local sales site for around US$380. Is that the going price?



I paid about $550 but that included the balanced Sony Kimber and shipping


----------



## Malevolint (Sep 12, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> No worries. I discovered Lorde when a friend recommended her to me and found her sound to be quite refreshing and haunting at times while still with enough of an electronica and alt sound influence to pique my interest.
> I too pick up a lot of recommendations here. While my personal tastes usually run to R&B, jazz, latin, pop & alt rock and EDM... I'm open to most other genres that provide a moving experience. Went through an aria phase but it took too much concentration from me and I lacked the attention span.
> Recently a new acquaintance introduced me to some fantastic Chinese female singers out of HK and TW, and while I can't recall their names and can barely read Chinese, their voices were incredibly on par with some of the best Western jazz singers I'd heard before.
> We discussed about how the far eastern production values may favour a different sound signature that places the vocalist in the forefront while the instruments are more reserved without being recessed or veiled. Quite an interesting presentation. Western recordings seem to place almost everything in the fore so the vocalist doesn't truly get the isolation. I hope this makes sense.
> ...



Oooh give me some of your favorites! I love that style of music! I know if Woong San only, but I love listening to her. It feels like she's singing to me instead of me listening to music. She sings in English but it resounded with what you said.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Mrcojocaru said:


> Oooh give me some of your favorites! I love that style of music!


Which style? And I'm pretty sure trading of music files is frowned upon here.


----------



## Malevolint

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Which style? And I'm pretty sure trading of music files is frowned upon here.



The Chinese vocals you were talking about. Sorry I didn't mean to send me files, just the names of your favorite artists when you find them . I can try to find the music.


----------



## nc8000

Mrcojocaru said:


> The Chinese vocals you were talking about. Sorry I didn't mean to send me files, just the names of your favorite artists when you find them . I can try to find the music.



The only Chinese vocal I have is Sa Dingding. I got her Alive cd in the Christmas cd swap here on head-fi several years ago


----------



## kenjamin0523

Hi all, anyone use wm1z with a warm and bassy sound like legend X ? How does it sound is it over bass, or becomes coloured ?


----------



## Whitigir

kenjamin0523 said:


> Hi all, anyone use wm1z with a warm and bassy sound like legend X ? How does it sound is it over bass, or becomes coloured ?


I used with Z1R and the sound was colored but in a fun way


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 12, 2018)




----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 12, 2018)




----------



## NaiveSound

Fw update.  Please


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 13, 2018)

I love the REM version too, but this is really good! It has a much sadder, dreamy component to it. Very appropriate for the content of the lyrics.  Cristina Scabbia's voice is awesome.


----------



## 480126

I like this Version. It´s from Stereoplay audiophile Coversongs Vol. 3


----------



## gerelmx1986

Some Handel music


----------



## Lacevos

A great mexican jazz-funk-progressive band.


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 13, 2018)

A helpful hint is when you're doing images for album art, just type in the album artist, the album name, and then the word Amazon. All Amazon jpegs are Baseline I have not found a single one that has failed to show up on my Sony digital audio player.  Make sure the image says amazon.com when you scroll over it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I scan mine from CD or search for high quality images on Google and then use Photoshop to make them baseline in case they need to


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> I scan mine from CD or search for high quality images on Google and then use Photoshop to make them baseline in case they need to



The Amazon images, especially the larger ones, are actually pretty high-quality and don't really need any work. I'm all about doing as little as I have to.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Quadfather said:


> A helpful hint is when you're doing images for album art, just type in the album artist, the album name, and then the word Amazon. All Amazon jpegs are Baseline I have not found a single one that has failed to show up on my Sony digital audio player.


How do you tell what's baseline?  Is it the .jpg vs .jpeg?  I have one HDTracks download in particular that I can't for the life of me get the album art on. Thanks.


----------



## Quadfather

fiascogarcia said:


> How do you tell what's baseline?  Is it the .jpg vs .jpeg?  I have one HDTracks download in particular that I can't for the life of me get the album art on. Thanks.



I had that happen, so I converted it to apple lossless, added an Amazon jpeg into it, and it was fine. I used iTunes though to put the album art in


----------



## Quadfather

fiascogarcia said:


> How do you tell what's baseline?  Is it the .jpg vs .jpeg?  I have one HDTracks download in particular that I can't for the life of me get the album art on. Thanks.



I really don't know how to tell, it's just that after a period of time I realized that all of the Amazon jpegs I was using we're going on the Sony as album art perfectly first try every time


----------



## linux4ever (Sep 13, 2018)

I upgraded to wm1z and I've my premium plus k-mod wm1a that I'm thinking of letting go.

In fact I bought them both this month within a week of each other from here on head fi.

[Edited by Mod]


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 13, 2018)

linux4ever said:


> I upgraded to wm1z and I've my premium plus k-mod wm1a that I'm thinking of letting go.
> 
> In fact I bought them both this month within a week of each other from here on head fi.
> 
> [Edited by Mod]


Moving onto DMP-Z1 ? I can’t wait to hear the impressions


----------



## linux4ever

Whitigir said:


> Moving onto DMP-Z1 ? I can’t wait to hear the impressions


That requires selling body parts. So stopping at wm1z.


----------



## Whitigir

linux4ever said:


> That requires selling body parts. So stopping at wm1z.


Lol! You literally made me laugh so hard.  Enjoy your 1Z


----------



## iron2k (Sep 13, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> A helpful hint is when you're doing images for album art, just type in the album artist, the album name, and then the word Amazon. All Amazon jpegs are Baseline I have not found a single one that has failed to show up on my Sony digital audio player.[/QUOT





linux4ever said:


> I upgraded to wm1z and I've my premium plus k-mod wm1a that I'm thinking of letting go.
> 
> In fact I bought them both this month within a week of each other from here on head fi.
> 
> [Edited my Mod]


Oh, I remember you selling a wm1a to @LAcruisin and I was also interested.


----------



## proedros

iron2k said:


> Hi all, finally I'm ready to jump into the WM1 world and I would like to know if there is someone wiling or thinking on selling his WM1A (in the US)???
> 
> Regards




there are 2 WM1A for sale now , at the 1st page of 'sources for sale'

don't be lazy , do some search there are plenty coming up FS

cheers


----------



## linux4ever

Yes that was unmodded wm1a. 

@LAcruisin let me know that it was like new and really liking it.

To my ears and based 9n my preferences: K-mod wm1z > k-mod wm1a > unmodded wm1a.

Even the unmodded wm1a sounded very good. The premium plus k-mod wm1a improved on it with good extension in both ends and more punch.

The wm1z adds the needed warmth and body (that I like) and not too much of warmth with good sparkle at the top. 

Just perfect and exactly the way I like it end to end. Thanks to @flinkenick.


----------



## iron2k

proedros said:


> there are 2 WM1A for sale now , at the 1st page of 'sources for sale'
> 
> don't be lazy , do some search there are plenty coming up FS
> 
> cheers


I'm not being lazy, those wm1a are from europe and manila if you read well.

I posted here because I'm just trying to open my options,  is there a problem with that???


----------



## NaiveSound

iron2k said:


> I'm not being lazy, those wm1a are from europe and manila if you read well.
> 
> I posted here because I'm just trying to open my options,  is there a problem with that???


Try Amazon.  They sell used as well
If it's available now or not idk but they do sell used electronics
Ebay, reverb  av forums, reddit even


----------



## Lacevos

fiascogarcia said:


> How do you tell what's baseline?  Is it the .jpg vs .jpeg?  I have one HDTracks download in particular that I can't for the life of me get the album art on. Thanks.



Maybe the art is saved as "progressive jpg", you have to change that and save it as regular jpg.


----------



## bflat

Easy way to check jpeg encoding:

http://techslides.com/demos/progressive-test.html

Better solution would be for Sony to support progressive jpegs.


----------



## NaiveSound

Remember the Walkman phones?


----------



## iron2k

NaiveSound said:


> Try Amazon.  They sell used as well
> If it's available now or not idk but they do sell used electronics
> Ebay, reverb  av forums, reddit even


Thanks, I'm already checking almost every day also there.


----------



## Kira69

Just use *exiftool*:

```
exiftool -filename -encodingprocess -t *.jpg
```


----------



## Quadfather

I wonder how much longer this Sony NW - WM1Z will be offered for sale brand new...


----------



## YCHANGE

iron2k said:


> Thanks, I'm already checking almost every day also there.



I"m trying my luck with a refurb WM1A for 799$. No prime although it shipped and supposed to arive next week.  Giving it another go after the Amazon Warehouse Debacle (HM-901 in package)


----------



## cukis350

Hi guys, i have recently purchase a NW-WM1A to use with my KSE1200 and having a few problems hopefully you guys can help with.  i did a quick search but nothing comes up.  Now I am using single-ended output from the sony and i've experienced the following playing DSD files (.DSF).  
1)  Files name showed up on my SD cards from the player but when played the file, it does not show the name, only show "unkown and some digits ####"
2)  There are a lot of noise and popping sounds when playing DSD 2.8 files, but 5.6mHz files sound fine.

thanks in advance!

Cuki


----------



## gerelmx1986

cukis350 said:


> Hi guys, i have recently purchase a NW-WM1A to use with my KSE1200 and having a few problems hopefully you guys can help with.  i did a quick search but nothing comes up.  Now I am using single-ended output from the sony and i've experienced the following playing DSD files (.DSF).
> 1)  Files name showed up on my SD cards from the player but when played the file, it does not show the name, only show "unkown and some digits ####"
> 2)  There are a lot of noise and popping sounds when playing DSD 2.8 files, but 5.6mHz files sound fine.
> 
> ...


That is weird, all my 2.8mhz files play fine, I only have one album in 5.6mhz and it plays fine too, perhaps your encoder ? I extracted isos with a cmd tool


----------



## Malevolint

iron2k said:


> Thanks, I'm already checking almost every day also there.


What I did was get mine from eBay refurbished. I waited got a day when they had a 15% off everything sale and got it for 700  good luck


----------



## cukis350

gerelmx1986 said:


> That is weird, all my 2.8mhz files play fine, I only have one album in 5.6mhz and it plays fine too, perhaps your encoder ? I extracted isos with a cmd tool


I just tried and listen to my Shure SE846 with the sony player and it sounds really good, no popping sound or hissing.  The problem only appears when using the player with Shure KSE1200, playing DSD files.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 15, 2018)

My shipment of the Z1Rs got stopped by the customs  and is under special procedures under a customs officer… I bet i will have to pay the VAT 16% of the a) exceeding value (max tax-free $1000 usd, didn't know this until i dialed the customs to inquiry the wehereabouts of my package)… or B) VAT 16% of the whole value (1500 USD).
Customs  lol

I didn't got thru this with my WM1A as i ordered Johny from AJ to lower the value to 800 USD (well below 1000 allowance)


----------



## gerelmx1986

cukis350 said:


> I just tried and listen to my Shure SE846 with the sony player and it sounds really good, no popping sound or hissing.  The problem only appears when using the player with Shure KSE1200, playing DSD files.


Perhaps something to do with the KSE1200, which is even weirder as it is only AMP, no DAC... volume too high perhaps and the amp distorts (clipping) ? i can't think of ny other limit as there is no dac in the KSE1200 (KSE1500 has a dac which is only limited to 24/96)


----------



## Whitigir

Some DSP has problems with certain DSD format and frequency.  It could either be the one inside the KSE1200 or the one inside the Walkman.  I have not encountered an issue where a Walkman DSD digital out is a problem


----------



## gazzington

I'm considering a wma1 or lotoo paw gold Diana.  I'm an avid metal listener but also pretty much all genres. Thoughts on which would suit me best?


----------



## tgrosu

gerelmx1986 said:


> My shipment of the Z1Rs got stopped by the customs  and is under special procedures under a customs officer… I bet i will have to pay the VAT 16% of the a) exceeding value (max tax-free $1000 usd, didn't know this until i dialed the customs to inquiry the wehereabouts of my package)… or B) VAT 16% of the whole value (1500 USD).
> Customs  lol
> 
> I didn't got thru this with my WM1A as i ordered Johny from AJ to lower the value to 800 USD (well below 1000 allowance)



This is always bad news. In my country we have a much lower threshold, I think it's in the vicinity of 100 USD. So, yes, I always try to find creative solutions in order to avoid paying such a large amount of money to the customs.  Do not think, though, that I cheat... It's either I pick up the goods when I travel outside the European Union, or ask someone that is a resident of that foreign country to help me. But you can imagine it doesn't work all the time...

Esp. when you want to have the item ASAP..


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gazzington said:


> I'm considering a wma1 or lotoo paw gold Diana.  I'm an avid metal listener but also pretty much all genres. Thoughts on which would suit me best?


@Quadfather i reckon this one is yours to answer!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gerelmx1986 said:


> My shipment of the Z1Rs got stopped by the customs  and is under special procedures under a customs officer… I bet i will have to pay the VAT 16% of the a) exceeding value (max tax-free $1000 usd, didn't know this until i dialed the customs to inquiry the wehereabouts of my package)… or B) VAT 16% of the whole value (1500 USD).
> Customs  lol
> 
> I didn't got thru this with my WM1A as i ordered Johny from AJ to lower the value to 800 USD (well below 1000 allowance)


This seriously sucks.


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 16, 2018)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> @Quadfather i reckon this one is yours to answer!



For metal I would go with the 1A. You have to give it about 300 hours and listen out of balanced with a nice warm set of headphones. I use Shure SRH1540 headphones with Surf balanced cables.  Do not get headphones with treble peeks.


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 16, 2018)

gazzington said:


> I'm considering a wma1 or lotoo paw gold Diana.  I'm an avid metal listener but also pretty much all genres. Thoughts on which would suit me best?



For metal I would go with the 1A. You have to give it about 300 hours and listen out of balanced with a nice warm set of headphones. I use Shure SRH1540 headphones with Surf balanced cables.  Do not get headphones with treble peeks.
There are some rare metal songs or albums that sound better on Diana, but overall things are way better on the Sony. It is like metal is put into a powerful, velvet glove, and you can listen to it all day long without your ears getting tired!


----------



## gazzington

Quadfather said:


> For metal I would go with the 1A. You have to give it about 300 hours and listen out of balanced with a nice warm set of headphones. I use Shure SRH1540 headphones with Surf balanced cables.  Do not get headphones with treble peeks.
> There are some rare metal songs or albums that sound better on Diana, but overall things are way better on the Sony. It is like metal is put into a powerful, velvet glove, and you can listen to it all day long without your ears getting tired!


I see you also hav


Quadfather said:


> For metal I would go with the 1A. You have to give it about 300 hours and listen out of balanced with a nice warm set of headphones. I use Shure SRH1540 headphones with Surf balanced cables.  Do not get headphones with treble peeks.
> There are some rare metal songs or albums that sound better on Diana, but overall things are way better on the Sony. It is like metal is put into a powerful, velvet glove, and you can listen to it all day long without your ears getting tired!


I see you also have a qp1r dap. How does that compare to your other daps?


----------



## Quadfather

gazzington said:


> I see you also hav
> 
> I see you also have a qp1r dap. How does that compare to your other daps?



The Diana is by far the most powerful and aggressive, the Sony is very Musical and non fatiguing, and the qp1r is beautiful for detail and is very neutral.  My next Conquest is the Sony NW - WM1Z.


----------



## gazzington

I think the Sony sounds like the one to cover many genres and that possibly the lotoo would give me a headache! Thanks


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 16, 2018)

gazzington said:


> I think the Sony sounds like the one to cover many genres and that possibly the lotoo would give me a headache! Thanks



The QP1R with AKG K812 headphones also does pretty damn well with metal. The Diana gets shouty.  The burned in Sony with the Shure headphones, and the QP1R with the AKG headphones are both magical combinations. The AKG headphones have a more detail, but the Sony combination is just beautiful for metal and very musical.  I am fortunate enough to own different players and different headphones, and never sell them because my moods change.  As an example I am listening to Annihilator Never, Neverland on the QP1R now. I've been in the mood for that player lately.  The Sony is a great all-rounder.  I love the way it displays artists and albums if they're well organized.  In making your choices, remember that everybody hears differently. Currently I can hear it to about 18,500 Hertz.   from what I have heard that is very high for a person my age.


----------



## gazzington

I have a Sony z300, as far as you know is it a big upgrade on that?


----------



## Quadfather

gazzington said:


> I have a Sony z300, as far as you know is it a big upgrade on that?



I am sorry to say that I have never heard that model.


----------



## gazzington

Just pondering on wm1a or qp1r now.....


----------



## Redcarmoose

gazzington said:


> I have a Sony z300, as far as you know is it a big upgrade on that?



Are you referring to the ZX300 model DAP?


----------



## NaiveSound

gazzington said:


> Just pondering on wm1a or qp1r now.....


If it matters to you... 

Upcoming FW update will include Bluetooth received And usb dac functionality , if you care to push streaming to it


----------



## gazzington

Redcarmoose said:


> Are you referring to the ZX300 model DAP?


Yes


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 16, 2018)

gazzington said:


> Just pondering on wm1a or qp1r now.....



I wish I could telepathically transmit my listening experiences of both to you!  I love both, and it is a difficult choice.  The Sony interface and Bluetooth make it more versatile.  The QP1R makes a wider variety of headphones sound better.  I have achieved perfect-match for both players. If you listen for hours a day, battery life becomes very important also.


----------



## gazzington

Quadfather said:


> I wish I could telepathically transmit my listening experiences of both to you!  I love both, and it is a difficult choice.  The Sony interface and Bluetooth make it more versatile.  The QP1R makes a wider variety of headphones sound better.  I have achieved perfect-match for both players. If you listen for hours a day, battery life becomes very important also.


I can get the qp1r for a lot cheaper than WM1A and matter of fact qp2r is also cheaper than the Sony.  Help! Just want a top end dap that will keep me happy for a few years rather than buying loads of mid level ones!


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 16, 2018)

gazzington said:


> I can get the qp1r for a lot cheaper than WM1A and matter of fact qp2r is also cheaper than the Sony.  Help! Just want a top end dap that will keep me happy for a few years rather than buying loads of mid level ones!



There is absolutely nothing about the Questyle DAPs that sounds mid-tier. They are amazing.  If sound is your primary concern, and you'll be using headphones that are easier to drive like the AKG then you can't go wrong.  I really love both pretty equally but for different reasons...Their DAPs sound very clean and are built very well.


----------



## gazzington

I really appreciate all this help.  Do you know if the 2nd model is much better than the 1st?


----------



## NaiveSound

Are we nerds?


----------



## Lookout57

gazzington said:


> I have a Sony z300, as far as you know is it a big upgrade on that?


The ZX300 is a great player for it's price. I prefer it over my OPUS#2. 

To me the WM1A is a big upgrade over the ZX300 and the the WM1Z is yet another step up but pricey.


----------



## gazzington

NaiveSound said:


> Are we nerds?


Yeap all of us...


----------



## Quadfather

gazzington said:


> I really appreciate all this help.  Do you know if the 2nd model is much better than the 1st?



I never tried their second generation. I was more interested in having an optical 3.5 mm line out, rather than a 2.5 mm balanced output.


----------



## gazzington

Ok haggling on eBay. WM1A with rha220 iems for £775 or qp2r gold £799? Which one?


----------



## Scorpio1957

I have both models, both fantastic in their own right, but yes QP2R is far better than QP1R totally rebuilt from the ground up, the majority of people prefer the sound of my QP2R to my AK 380 Copper with Copper Amplifier, three were musicians, WM1A better battery life. Again all great players in their own right including the Sony.


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 16, 2018)

Scorpio1957 said:


> I have both models, both fantastic in their own right, but yes QP2R is far better than QP1R totally rebuilt from the ground up, the majority of people prefer the sound of my QP2R to my AK 380 Copper with Copper Amplifier, three were musicians, WM1A better battery life. Again all great players in their own right including the Sony.



Love the first generation Questyle sound with the optical out. How does the sound differ?

I strongly prefer the first generation Questyle to the AK240SS


----------



## proedros

gazzington said:


> Ok haggling on eBay. *WM1A with rha220 iems for £775 *or qp2r gold £799? Which one?



you can find wm1a selling here for as cheap as 750$ , btw 

just a friendly thought


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

NaiveSound said:


> Are we nerds?


You say it like it's a bad thing.


----------



## rcoleman1

NaiveSound said:


> Are we nerds?


Or geeks my wife says Lol.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

rcoleman1 said:


> Or geeks my wife says Lol.


That's a badge I wear with pride.


----------



## gerelmx1986

More than nerds, or geeks, I think we are Music Lovers


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> If it matters to you...
> 
> Upcoming FW update will include Bluetooth received And usb dac functionality , if you care to push streaming to it


I only want that USB-DAC fucntionality , glad it is finally coming


----------



## NaiveSound

Every time Iisten to wm1z I am wowed on how musical intimate yet very spacious it sounds, most special thing I ever heard


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

NaiveSound said:


> Every time Iisten to wm1z I am wowed on how musical intimate yet very spacious it sounds, most special thing I ever heard


Yeah, I love the emotional response I get when listening to different genres. It's like a different experience each time.
Spent a few days reliving my youth listening to 80s pop and just relishing how musical it all sounds. I don't recall enjoying it this much back when I was a teen listening to these same tracks on cassette tapes and cheap earphones on CD players.
Tonight switched to jazz standards and it's like a whole different experience! Granted the mastering and production values on the original tracks play a huge part, as does how my ears and brain have gotten used to the 80s sound, but the depth and resolution I'm getting from the WM1A is just upping the whole experience for me.
Yes, nothing scientific about this, but I personally don't think something as subjective as a listening experience can be easily distilled into mere graphs and numbers.
Past 1am and I'm reluctant to unplug and go to sleep.


----------



## NaiveSound

Proedros, please buy the 1z


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Yeah, I love the emotional response I get when listening to different genres. It's like a different experience each time.
> Spent a few days reliving my youth listening to 80s pop and just relishing how musical it all sounds. I don't recall enjoying it this much back when I was a teen listening to these same tracks on cassette tapes and cheap earphones on CD players.
> Tonight switched to jazz standards and it's like a whole different experience! Granted the mastering and production values on the original tracks play a huge part, as does how my ears and brain have gotten used to the 80s sound, but the depth and resolution I'm getting from the WM1A is just upping the whole experience for me.
> Yes, nothing scientific about this, but I personally don't think something as subjective as a listening experience can be easily distilled into mere graphs and numbers.
> Past 1am and I'm reluctant to unplug and go to sleep.


Got a new toy in the form of a pair of pre-loved Final Audio E5000 from a local seller, practically brand new. A bit bright but has lovely controlled bass and nice forward mids.  Been enjoying them with the WM1A the last couple of days. Finding that the WM1A has just enough body to pair nicely with phones that are a little bright. Fills them out nicely with just a touch of body.


----------



## tgrosu

NaiveSound said:


> Proedros, please buy the 1z



Are you serious?! Please, give him the money to buy it and call it a day


----------



## Whitigir

NaiveSound said:


> Proedros, please buy the 1z


I am serious @NaiveSound , please buy the DMP-Z1!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> I am serious @NaiveSound , please buy the DMP-Z1!


----------



## syke

proedros said:


> you can find wm1a selling here for as cheap as 750$ , btw
> 
> just a friendly thought



There's an used WM1Z & Z1R for sale on Yahoo Japan auction currently at $1850. Comes with remote as well.

http://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/m279968338


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

syke said:


> There's an used WM1Z & Z1R for sale on Yahoo Japan auction currently at $1850.
> 
> http://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/m279968338


O. M. G.


----------



## Quadfather

I for one am not going beyond the 1Z.


----------



## proedros

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> ​



don't sell your kidney(s) kids , start making/selling meth 

Breaking Wi-Fi , the new show for nerds/geeks that just had to have that lovely WM1Z


----------



## syke

Forget the rest, just go straight for the WM1Z. Once the DAC functionality gets released, the WM1Z will be pretty much attached to my PC 24/7.


----------



## gazzington

I think I'm going wm1a as I found one that is also full of dsd albums I like


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Sep 16, 2018)

Guys, don't laugh... But how do I use Bookmarks on the WM? I understand Playlist and know how to use an editor to edit my own... But for the life of me I can't figure out Bookmarks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

You can get the DMP-Z1 if you have the money of El chapo guzman  or trick Trump and make a nice scam and get some of his money


----------



## Quadfather

gerelmx1986 said:


> You can get the DMP-Z1 if you have the money of El chapo guzman  or trick Trump and make a nice scam and get some of his money



The NW-WM1Z is all I need.


----------



## kingdixon (Sep 16, 2018)

gazzington said:


> Just pondering on wm1a or qp1r now.....



Soundwise, its always better to get a listen yourself, but i feel the qp1r is brighter with a tad more resolution, details and power.

But usability wise, i think the sony totally owns it with sony os, very little lags if available and i dont see anything missing except may be a search function which is not available on both.

The qp1r os is nothing great but its ok if your only focus is sound quality, it has a file limitation of 20000, it contradicts featuring two sd slots but anyway with dsds and flacs you should manage to fill it up with a lower number of songs than the limit, 

there used to be problems with the wheel but it was fixed or at least it is not that annoying or apparent for me, 

also a problem with battery inaccuracy, that supposedly was just fixed, but i dont know market available devices have the fix or not, mine keeps showing wrong battery and its irritating you never know when it needs to be charged, i had to send it to them for the fix but i passed since iam pretty far away.

I think qp2r doesnt have these issues,

I guess for a more complete package go for the wm1a, if your only about sound quality, pass qp1r and check qp2r, lurk around its thread for sometime, see if users have any issues with it, or everything is smooth there, and ask there for comparisons i think someone must have both


----------



## gerelmx1986

kingdixon said:


> Soundwise, its always better to get a listen yourself, but i feel the qp1r is brighter with a tad more resolution, details and power.
> 
> But usability wise, i think the sony totally owns it with sony os, very little lags if available and i dont see anything missing except may be a search function which is not available on both.
> 
> ...


One thing i like from sony DAPs, is that they have never displayed signs of file limits, i've fitted like 25000 FLAC/DSD files and no issues


----------



## NaiveSound

Will search function be available with next wm1a/1z firmware update ?


----------



## kingdixon

gerelmx1986 said:


> One thing i like from sony DAPs, is that they have never displayed signs of file limits, i've fitted like 25000 FLAC/DSD files and no issues



Well, i filled more than the limit already on the sdcards, dont get me wrong they can be accessed by file explorer, but not included in the indexed database, so when i shuffle only indexed 20000 are included, its not a problem for most users i think, a couple including me wanted the limit removed, but i doubt it can be done or the ram can handle it.

Ye sony handles it greatly even on zx2..



NaiveSound said:


> Will search function be available with next wm1a/1z firmware update ?



I dont think this will be added, i also dont think that sony cares, they just have their own way.

But honestly i would love to see it !! I always use it on zx2


----------



## mt-hifidelity

I know this has been covered to some degree but I'm curious to hear any recent reviews of the premium plus Music Sanctuary K-mod for the WM1Z.   I have been considering this for a while.  In addition to the WM1Z, I have an AK SP1000CU that I'm about to sell.   I don't need both, but I will miss the touch of extra resolution and separation that the SP1000 brings over the 1Z.  I'm hoping the mod will provide the best of both worlds.  Any thoughts?


----------



## gerelmx1986

kingdixon said:


> Well, i filled more than the limit already on the sdcards, dont get me wrong they can be accessed by file explorer, but not included in the indexed database, so when i shuffle only indexed 20000 are included, its not a problem for most users i think, a couple including me wanted the limit removed, but i doubt it can be done or the ram can handle it.
> 
> Ye sony handles it greatly even on zx2..
> 
> ...


I wonder why no search , they have a database file already on the flash memory. and they have a keyboard too, they could some sort of SQL query like select * from Songs whete title like %search_term% OR albumTitle like%....%


----------



## kingdixon

gerelmx1986 said:


> I wonder why no search , they have a database file already on the flash memory. and they have a keyboard too, they could some sort of SQL query like select * from Songs whete title like %search_term% OR albumTitle like%....%



lol, yea its really puzzling, they have a database but no keyboard i guess, also iirc only their android devices have the search function, and may be their walkman mobiles, which both have a keyboard already implemented, i guess sony os just dont have a keyboard, otherwise they would have let you rename bookmarks, or even eq presets, they are only 3 but it would be cool to call preset 3 isine 20 and preset 2 th900, may be they didnt add keyboard and search, so that people doesnt ask for such stupid ideas as renaming eq presets ;D


----------



## NaiveSound

mt-hifidelity said:


> I know this has been covered to some degree but I'm curious to hear any recent reviews of the premium plus Music Sanctuary K-mod for the WM1Z.   I have been considering this for a while.  In addition to the WM1Z, I have an AK SP1000CU that I'm about to sell.   I don't need both, but I will miss the touch of extra resolution and separation that the SP1000 brings over the 1Z.  I'm hoping the mod will provide the best of both worlds.  Any thoughts?



I love the 1z ans to me there is nothing I want changed. While I can't wait to get the new fw due to usb dac. I fear the fw release will change the sound.
Which I don't want...


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

mt-hifidelity said:


> I know this has been covered to some degree but I'm curious to hear any recent reviews of the premium plus Music Sanctuary K-mod for the WM1Z.   I have been considering this for a while.  In addition to the WM1Z, I have an AK SP1000CU that I'm about to sell.   I don't need both, but I will miss the touch of extra resolution and separation that the SP1000 brings over the 1Z.  I'm hoping the mod will provide the best of both worlds.  Any thoughts?


I have the Premium K mod on my A and love it. Can't help with a specific comparison of the same mod on a Z compared to an.SP1000CU. But I vaguely recall someone here having both these players as stock.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kingdixon said:


> lol, yea its really puzzling, they have a database but no keyboard i guess, also iirc only their android devices have the search function, and may be their walkman mobiles, which both have a keyboard already implemented, i guess sony os just dont have a keyboard, otherwise they would have let you rename bookmarks, or even eq presets, they are only 3 but it would be cool to call preset 3 isine 20 and preset 2 th900, may be they didnt add keyboard and search, so that people doesnt ask for such stupid ideas as renaming eq presets ;D


They have an annoying keyboard: it's used when you name playlists. It's worse than the ones on the old candy bar phones.
I reckon I can live with a prettier scrolling in artist view. The UI should be able to display random art in that view.
What would also be nice is a tiled layout in album view. Saw that on someone's AK and I thought it looked so good.
Sony's OS UI is nice in that it offers functionality in 4 cardinal directions: NSEW. This should be exploited more in the database view?


----------



## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> I love the 1z ans to me there is nothing I want changed. While I can't wait to get the new fw due to usb dac. I fear the fw release will change the sound.
> Which I don't want...



The reasons I don't think I'm interested in modification are warranty issues, number 1, and number 2, it literally changes the player into something else.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> The reasons I don't think I'm interested in modification are warranty issues, number 1, and number 2, it literally changes the player into something else.


The mod can be reversed and it enriches the sound, not change it into another beast.


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> The mod can be reversed and it enriches the sound, not change it into another beast.



After hearing the 1Z, I am afraid to change anything.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> After hearing the 1Z, I am afraid to change anything.


That's like saying you've kissed the girl and can't imagine anything better.


----------



## gazzington

Bought one, in in the wm1a club. Now to sell some other stuff!


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> That's like saying you've kissed the girl and can't imagine anything better.



My wife was the second one and I said that after her.  LOL. 31 One years later...Still married.


----------



## kingdixon

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> They have an annoying keyboard: it's used when you name playlists. It's worse than the ones on the old candy bar phones.
> I reckon I can live with a prettier scrolling in artist view. The UI should be able to display random art in that view.
> What would also be nice is a tiled layout in album view. Saw that on someone's AK and I thought it looked so good.
> Sony's OS UI is nice in that it offers functionality in 4 cardinal directions: NSEW. This should be exploited more in the database view?



woaah, i never saw that keyboard, i guess i haven't played with playlists since i got it but i will check it out, now it is not a problem with the keyboard either if it is already available comoon SONY !

Well, i think NSEW design could have many more uses, but i think they are keeping it simple, and its nice ..

tiled layout, for me i have no use for it, but it sure looks sexy, actually what i think would also look really good, if the album art can take much larger ratio of the screen instead of only a small square in the middle, i mean the screen is not a hiby r6 screen which looks hot but it would still be great.

One thing i just tried and never used before, i connected the device to pc and loaded the library to foobar, and automatically downloaded the lyrics to the whole library or at least what it could find lyrics for, if everything is tagged correctly it should download a fair amount, either synchronized .lrc files, or text .txt files.

first time i use this feature and it is great, the synchronized ones automatically scroll while song is playing, and you can even move to a certain part of the song by pressing the lyrics which is very nice .. the txt files only shows text that you need to scroll through manually.


----------



## denis1976

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I have the Premium K mod on my A and love it. Can't help with a specific comparison of the same mod on a Z compared to an.SP1000CU. But I vaguely recall someone here having both these players as stock.


i have both, they are two masterpieces , changing the 1Z in my opinion is damaging a masterpiece, but i respect who does that....diferences between both...one sligtly more musical ,(1z) other with more resolution(cu) i love both...


----------



## Redcarmoose

denis1976 said:


> i have both, they are two masterpieces , changing the 1Z in my opinion is damaging a masterpiece, but i respect who does that....diferences between both...one sligtly more musical ,(1z) other with more resolution(cu) i love both...




Completely agree with your two descriptions.
I have both and seem to spend a month with one then a month with another. The change of sound can simply come from the different IEMs or headphones used. I have no interest in modding mine, though I do understand the allure. It’s like IEM cables changing the sound. Part of this hobby is the interest in making slight improvements here and there.

I’m lazy though too, it seems like a lot of work to send the player out, wonder what the sound will be like, then get used to a new sound. I like the sound the way it is with both players; plus I know the sound after putting hundreds of listening hours on both. Why start over?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 17, 2018)

My Z1R's are in the way to home, no need to f for a customs agent broker, that I will need to pay tax  it's okay


----------



## Quadfather

I still can't get over how great the Sony digital audio players are!


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 17, 2018)

I love my NW-WM1A!!!


----------



## AxelCloris

Let's please keep the discussion within the Posting Guidelines. Thanks all.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Sep 17, 2018)

Mellowing out to Bebel Gilberto on my sweet 1A and her pal, E5000. There's something to be said for this kind of indulgence...

Changed my avatar to match.


----------



## gazzington

Quadfather said:


> I love my NW-WM1A!!!


I hope I'm going to love mine too!


----------



## 480126

Quadfather said:


> I love my NW-WM1A!!!


me too!


----------



## Quadfather

Frida309 said:


> me too!





gazzington said:


> I hope I'm going to love mine too!



First quote, glad you love yours. Second quote, did you buy one with the hours on it? Do not make any judgements until you hear it with warm headphones out of the balanced output


----------



## gazzington

Quadfather said:


> First quote, glad you love yours. Second quote, did you buy one with the hours on it? Do not make any judgements until you hear it with warm headphones out of the balanced output


The owner says it's had 25 hrs on it.  How many does it need?


----------



## Quadfather

gazzington said:


> The owner says it's had 25 hrs on it.  How many does it need?



It will really start sounding beautiful north of 200 hours.  I currently have 700 hours on mine. You will also need to make sure you have about 50 to 100 hours on the cable for the headphones out of the balanced output.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gazzington said:


> The owner says it's had 25 hrs on it.  How many does it need?


200 hours per connection.


----------



## proedros

and should continue to improve up until 500 hours , so patience and enjoy it as it burns in

ps : i also love my wm1a


----------



## Whitigir

gazzington said:


> The owner says it's had 25 hrs on it.  How many does it need?


Every 50 hours, you would hear changes.  They really need about 500 hours to really sing.  But the major improvements will only be observed up until about 300 hours.  The rest is very little


----------



## gazzington

Cool, I have a lot of listening to do.  Need to sell my zx300 and Emu teak headphones to keep my wife happy!


----------



## Quadfather

gazzington said:


> Cool, I have a lot of listening to do.  Need to sell my zx300 and Emu teak headphones to keep my wife happy!



I hope you find the perfect headphones.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gazzington said:


> Cool, I have a lot of listening to do.  Need to sell my zx300 and Emu teak headphones to keep my wife happy!


Convince the wife that you keeping the EMU will save money since you won't have to go out to buy another pair of headphones


----------



## gazzington

Quadfather said:


> I hope you find the perfect headphones.


I'll be probably using meze 99s with this player at first and maybe try my hd650s


----------



## gazzington

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Convince the wife that you keeping the EMU will save money since you won't have to go out to buy another pair of headphones


Ha, I have several headphones. Something had to give way!


----------



## Quadfather

gazzington said:


> I'll be probably using meze 99s with this player at first and maybe try my hd650s



The 650s sound very nice, but they don't always go up high enough in volume for softer recordings. I just love the Shure but the 650 sounds very nice too.  You will definitely have to use the balanced output.


----------



## gazzington

Quadfather said:


> The 650s sound very nice, but they don't always go up high enough in volume for softer recordings. I just love the Shure but the 650 sounds very nice too.  You will definitely have to use the balanced output.


I'll probably get the Shure in a couple of months


----------



## NehPets

Quadfather said:


> ... You will also need to make sure you have about 50 to 100 hours on the cable for the headphones out of the balanced output.


Does that include UP-OCC cables?


----------



## gazzington

What case do you all recommend for a wm1a?


----------



## fiascogarcia

gazzington said:


> What case do you all recommend for a wm1a?


I use Benks and Dignis.  Love them both.  Benks is much less expensive (Amazon) and offers good coverage and protection, as well as easy access to the side buttons.  Dignis if you prefer a more luxurious but streamlined look.


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 17, 2018)

NehPets said:


> Does that include UP-OCC cables?



Supposedly any cable...I am more inclined to believe that the actual moving parts of the drivers need broken in more than cables. I know Moon Audio recommends 100 to 150 hours on cables.  they are OCC


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gazzington said:


> What case do you all recommend for a wm1a?


And a glass screen protector. Get one that's oleophobic, this will prevent smudges


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 17, 2018)

Things turned complicated for my MDR-Z1R shipment… it is being held by customs because they exceeded the maximum import value of $1,000 US dollar. I must hire a Customs broker/agent to help me import it. So far they asked me for the Paypal receipts, the name and address of @purk, copy of my National ID card, the tracking # for the parcel and the mexican Postal service internal control code which i had to write an email for it (answer in 24 to 48h).

The estimate payment i must do to the broker is:
1500 pesos of VAT 16% , this is the VAT 16% applied only to the exceeding quantity, so over $500 dollars
between 5000 and 7000 pesos + VAT for the fees of the broker services


----------



## Whitigir

Sound much of a hassle. But you are getting it, the best of Sony yet


----------



## Cagin

proedros said:


> you can find wm1a selling here for as cheap as 750$ , btw
> 
> just a friendly thought


I'll be there to help out fellow head-fiers again once I sell the DX200Ti/Amp8. I'll let go of my WM1A for 500eur. It served (still is) so well. Got 2 Shanling M0 that'll help me pass the time before Hifiman gets its marbles in order in regards to the R2R2000...


----------



## superuser1

Cagin said:


> I'll be there to help out fellow head-fiers again once I sell the DX200Ti/Amp8. I'll let go of my WM1A for 500eur. It served (still is) so well. Got 2 Shanling M0 that'll help me pass the time before Hifiman gets its marbles in order in regards to the R2R2000...


I have the envelope ready for you


----------



## Mindstorms

Guys when you say you get 20hs playback out of your wm1a you mean volume pass 100? high gain or low? SIngle playback or you actually turn off the thing? im only getting 12 hs at best...SE output MP3 playback thanks for any help


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> Guys when you say you get 20hs playback out of your wm1a you mean volume pass 100? high gain or low? SIngle playback or you actually turn off the thing? im only getting 12 hs at best...SE output MP3 playback thanks for any help



I get about 20 hours playing flac 16/44 on balanced low gain direct sound (so no effects what so ever) and volume of about 50 backlight at minimum and very little screen use. I never turn the player of


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 18, 2018)

Thanks nc8000 i have volume around 108 on SE that might be the problem... i feel it heating a little but very minor heat I like its volume near  max... on SE that might be the issue all efects on, heavy bass EQ


----------



## Whitigir

Midnstorms said:


> Thanks nc8000 i have volume around 108 on SE that might be the problem... i feel it heating a little but very minor heat I like its volume near  max... on SE that might be the issue all efects on, heavy bass EQ


If you are using DSP in the WM Walkman, your battery will be drained waysss and waysss faster.  It also heat up a bit too, but that is nothing.  I have seen ways hotter than that .  The DSP on Sony is quiet good though


----------



## mt-hifidelity

I've noticed this as well.  It also seems that engaging the DSP options will reduce detail/resolution ever so slightly but not as much as it does with other DAPs.    Sony seems to do digital processing really really well.  Certainly true for their video processing.


----------



## Darksoul

gerelmx1986 said:


> Things turned complicated for my MDR-Z1R shipment… it is being held by customs because they exceeded the maximum import value of $1,000 US dollar. I must hire a Customs broker/agent to help me import it. So far they asked me for the Paypal receipts, the name and address of @purk, copy of my National ID card, the tracking # for the parcel and the mexican Postal service internal control code which i had to write an email for it (answer in 24 to 48h).
> 
> The estimate payment i must do to the broker is:
> 1500 pesos of VAT 16% , this is the VAT 16% applied only to the exceeding quantity, so over $500 dollars
> between 5000 and 7000 pesos + VAT for the fees of the broker services



Would have been cheaper to fly out, pick it up on person, theb fly back with the DAP in hand.


----------



## Whitigir

Darksoul said:


> Would have been cheaper to fly out, pick it up on person, theb fly back with the DAP in hand.


And take a trip to the US, get to see Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift Live


----------



## gazzington

My WM1A has arrived and it’s full of dsd files ofloads of stuff I like! awesome


----------



## Mindstorms

mt-hifidelity said:


> I've noticed this as well.  It also seems that engaging the DSP options will reduce detail/resolution ever so slightly but not as much as it does with other DAPs.    Sony seems to do digital processing really really well.  Certainly true for their video processing.


I love the DSP lol how many hours you get with DSP on? how old is your WM1A thanks in advance


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gazzington said:


> My WM1A has arrived and it’s full of dsd files ofloads of stuff I like! awesome


That you're happy, is its own reward.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gazzington said:


> My WM1A has arrived and it’s full of dsd files ofloads of stuff I like! awesome


and among the DSD stuff you don't happen to see this album?

Alessandro striggio: mass for 40 and 60 voices
Le concert spirituell /Herve niquet
Label glosa


----------



## Snowball0906

Hi. I wonder if wm1a can support aaif files?


----------



## mt-hifidelity

Midnstorms said:


> I love the DSP lol how many hours you get with DSP on? how old is your WM1A thanks in advance


I was referring to the WM1Z although I noticed it on the WM1A as well.   Hmm, not sure how many hours are on the device but its at least 150.   When I say the DSP has a minor impact on detail level, I mean MINOR.   But its noticeable when I'm paying attention.


----------



## gazzington

gerelmx1986 said:


> and among the DSD stuff you don't happen to see this album?
> 
> Alessandro striggio: mass for 40 and 60 voices
> Le concert spirituell /Herve niquet
> Label glosa


No I don’t see that.  I had never heard dsd albums before.  This little player has slayed me, listening to dsd of pink floyd.  I’ve never heard it sound like this using 4.4 zen earbuds. Wow


----------



## iridium7777

yes.  100% of my music is  is only in aiff/alac and dsd/dsf and i've never had any issue on WMA1 nor any other player for that matter.



Snowball0906 said:


> Hi. I wonder if wm1a can support aaif files?


----------



## iron2k

Hi all,
where do you usually get/buy your Hi-Res files (flac, dsd, etc)


----------



## 480126 (Sep 18, 2018)

Just  ordered a new case from valentinum. I have the case without - see Picture 2 - and the handcraft are super and fits the 1a very well


----------



## rcoleman1

In case any Sony Walkman/Chord Hugo 2 owners are interested: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-wm-port-to-micro-usb-interconnect-for-chord-hugo-2-mojo.889200/


----------



## idimonius (Sep 18, 2018)

I am patiently waiting (not really lol ) for mine to arrive tomorrow. Got a lightly used one for a good price. Decided to simplify my setup that can be used both at home and on the go. Been thinking about getting qp2r first but decided on 1A due to a touch screen, solid OS, and build quality. Ordered a clear case and a screen protector recommended several posts above too. Thanks for that! Seems like it`s better to run the dap balanced but I don`t have any 4.4 balance cables. Once I get my eBay bucks next month, I am going to buy an LQI 4.4 cable for my D7200 headphones. For more portable, I got Andro S, so I hope the hype is real


----------



## gazzington

idimonius said:


> I am patiently waiting (not really lol ) for mine to arrive tomorrow. Got a lightly used one for a good price. Decided to simplify my setup that can be used both at home and on the go. Been thinking about getting qp2r first but decided on 1A due to a touch screen, solid OS, and build quality. Ordered a clear case and a screen protector recommended several posts above too. Thanks for that! Seems like it`s better to run the dap balanced but I don`t have any 4.4 balance cables. Once I get my eBay bucks next month, I am going to buy an LQI 4.4 cable for my D7200 headphones. For more portable, I got Andro S, so I hope the hype is real


What case did you get?


----------



## idimonius

gazzington said:


> What case did you get?


I got this one Case Cover TPU Gel Case Clear Black. I wanted a thin and simple case.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074XQVZC3


----------



## gazzington

idimonius said:


> I got this one Case Cover TPU Gel Case Clear Black. I wanted a thin and simple case.
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074XQVZC3


Looks nice.  I've ordered a case off Amazon this evening plus a screen protector.  Now I'm properly broke!


----------



## gazzington

What albums in dsd are essential? I want to get the most out of this magical dap.


----------



## iron2k

idimonius said:


> I got this one Case Cover TPU Gel Case Clear Black. I wanted a thin and simple case.
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074XQVZC3


I ordered the same one  and also this screen protector
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079JPK1L6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## gerelmx1986

gazzington said:


> What albums in dsd are essential? I want to get the most out of this magical dap.


Id prefer DSD albums that are remaster fron analogue tapes or pure DDD DSD with no down conversion to PCM as those sold by nativedsd.com, rather than those which are from 24-bit PCM to DSD.


----------



## Quadfather

gazzington said:


> What albums in dsd are essential? I want to get the most out of this magical dap.



What genres?


----------



## gazzington

Quadfather said:


> What genres?


Rock, jazz classical etc


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 19, 2018)

idimonius said:


> I am patiently waiting (not really lol ) for mine to arrive tomorrow. Got a lightly used one for a good price. Decided to simplify my setup that can be used both at home and on the go. Been thinking about getting qp2r first but decided on 1A due to a touch screen, solid OS, and build quality. Ordered a clear case and a screen protector recommended several posts above too. Thanks for that! Seems like it`s better to run the dap balanced but I don`t have any 4.4 balance cables. Once I get my eBay bucks next month, I am going to buy an LQI 4.4 cable for my D7200 headphones. For more portable, I got Andro S, so I hope the hype is real



The hype IS real !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    Enjoy!


----------



## gazzington

Where do you people buy dsd files from?


----------



## Quadfather

gazzington said:


> Where do you people buy dsd files from?



hdtracks.com...nativedsd.com... I guess not all DSD recordings are equal, so I usually try to read reviews of what's offered out there...


----------



## Tawek

this is pure magic ex1000 + Forza(pyre - hybrid) + 1z ( 1.02 firmware )


----------



## AxelCloris

Once again, let's please keep the discussion within the Posting Guidelines. Thanks all.


----------



## Whitigir

Tawek said:


> this is pure magic ex1000 + Forza(pyre - hybrid) + 1z ( 1.02 firmware )


You will be drunk in music when IER-Z1R is released.  The first of it kind that employ unique and exotic materials throughout


----------



## gerelmx1986

gazzington said:


> Rock, jazz classical etc


For classical music the world ne I asked for 'striggio mass for 40 & 60 voices " le concert spirituel, glossa

Vivaldi six violin concertos for Anna Maria, L' arte del arco, cpo
Marín Marais cinq livres de pieces de violes  Jordi savall /Ton koopman, aliavox 
Biber miss Christi resirgensis, the English concert & choir, harmonica mundi, 
Telemann the complete orchestral suites volá 1-4, Pratum integrum orchestra, carus mitis 
Bach the four great tocatas and fugues, E. Power Biggs, Sony classical/Columbia records


----------



## captblaze

gazzington said:


> Where do you people buy dsd files from?



My WM-1a is filled with DSD files ripped directly from SACD, plus I have some upconverted 24 bit FLAC files in DSD256


----------



## Redcarmoose

A couple of hours ago they announced the PlayStation classic to go on sale in Dec for $99. It has 20 games from the era preinstalled though no one knows the complete game list? It will have Metal Gear Solid though!

Sorry if this is off topic, though I’m too excited!


----------



## Whitigir

Does it sound as good as wm1A/Z ? Otherwise, no interests.

The last time I saw the news about WM1A/Z, the next firmware is Octorber isn’t it ? 2 more weeks ? Will be interesting to see how it will be


----------



## Tawek

Redcarmoose said:


> A couple of hours ago they announced the PlayStation classic to go on sale in Dec for $99. It has 20 games from the era preinstalled though no one knows the complete game list? It will have Metal Gear Solid though!
> 
> Sorry if this is off topic, though I’m too excited!



it would be beautiful 1z in size Nwz  x1061


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Does it sound as good as wm1A/Z ? Otherwise, no interests.
> 
> The last time I saw the news about WM1A/Z, the next firmware is Octorber isn’t it ? 2 more weeks ? Will be interesting to see how it will be



Then you’ll have to rebuy a 1Z or get a 1A.......yes! Especially if 3.0 sounds good.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Tawek said:


> this is pure magic ex1000 + Forza(pyre - hybrid) + 1z ( 1.02 firmware )



Ahh......a retro firmware Luddite. Nice to see! I need to go back and revisit 1.02 now that my players are all burned-in. I still need the extra juice for full-size headphones from time to time and play Ape files from time to time; though?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 19, 2018)

Funny you would mention such thing as they where found to be audiophile CD players? Just the very first production run.

https://www.stereophile.com/cdplayers/708play/index.html




Whitigir said:


> Does it sound as good as wm1A/Z ? Otherwise, no interests.
> 
> The last time I saw the news about WM1A/Z, the next firmware is Octorber isn’t it ? 2 more weeks ? Will be interesting to see how it will be


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Never heard of Sony reintroducing a discontinued product. I hope it catches on cause I wonder if the newer generation will be excited about this or us 30+ years old going back to our childhood memories.

Don’t know what the specs are. Wonder be cool if they introduced some new specs like Blu-ray or 4K support to catch up with times but I doubt it or even hdmi support



Redcarmoose said:


>


----------



## Kira69

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Never heard of Sony reintroducing a discontinued product. I hope it catches on cause I wonder if the newer generation will be excited about this or us 30+ years old going back to our childhood memories.
> 
> Don’t know what the specs are. Wonder be cool if they introduced some new specs like Blu-ray or 4K support to catch up with times but I doubt it or even hdmi support


Will be emulation. 20 games installed on a flash rom. Mostly Linux, some crappy shaders for upscaling and a nostalgia infused menu. Nothing else.


----------



## Redcarmoose

At least HDMI.


----------



## teknorob23

rcoleman1 said:


> In case any Sony Walkman/Chord Hugo 2 owners are interested: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-wm-port-to-micro-usb-interconnect-for-chord-hugo-2-mojo.889200/



Price is a bit punchy 

I bought one of these @
$34 with right angle connectors 

https://www.amazon.com/KPM-M1-Walkman-Cable-PHA-1£¬PHA-2£¬PHA-3£¬CHORD-Electronics/dp/B01N3AZPKW


----------



## Redcarmoose

Every household should have at least one?


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Every household should have at least one?



Starting with you, my friend !


----------



## Icekuma (Sep 20, 2018)

Hello guys

I asked this before and read the previous post. I want to make sure because this aint cheap affair.

Is it possible to do this before I commission custom cable please? The use case is i want to connect to headphone amp. The A20H has DAC which is nice option should i want to connect to imac.

Thinking out loud if the output from 4.4 is already analog thus it should not matter Right?

I prefer the 4.4 so I can still charge it while playing.

*1) male 4.4. TRRS to AES/EBU male --> WM1A female 4.4 TRRS to female AES/EBU (Gustard A20H)*

*2) male 4.4. TRRS to 2*XLR 3 pin (R - L)--> WM1A female 4.4 TRRS to to female 3-pin XLR (Gustard H20)

I refered to this thread. 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1539#post-14444124

Thanks 
*


----------



## 480126

Icekuma said:


> Hello guys
> 
> I asked this before and read the previous post. I want to make sure because this aint cheap affair.
> 
> ...


Ask Trevor from Norne Audio 
www.norneaudio.com/litzheim/index.php?route=common/home
it´s not cheap, but he build very good cables - see thread Norne Audio in head fi


----------



## gerelmx1986

I love how the z5 pairs with the WM1A, with nice minds and high details and nice bass rumble


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I love how the z5 pairs with the WM1A, with nice minds and high details and nice bass rumble


Don’t worry, there are more, like Z1R, ier-Z1R


----------



## bflat

Icekuma said:


> *1) male 4.4. TRRS to AES/EBU male --> WM1A female 4.4 TRRS to female AES/EBU (Gustard A20H)*



No, AES/EBU is a digital signal while 4.4 TRRS is only analog. However, when the next firmware is releases for WM1a, you can connect it directly to your PC and it will function as a DAC and stay charged at the same time.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Well that’s the Sony we know. Would have been cool if they integrated PS vita download store with this console for newer games.

On topic of having the the WM1A for almost 2 years I just noticed I have about 12 hours 
of playback‍♂️  





Kira69 said:


> Will be emulation. 20 games installed on a flash rom. Mostly Linux, some crappy shaders for upscaling and a nostalgia infused menu. Nothing else.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Well, here's to hoping with latest update, it would allow us to play PS4 games on 1A/1Z


----------



## NaiveSound

Update!


----------



## NickL33

Does anyone experiance... song playing halfway have some skip a beat?


----------



## Icekuma (Sep 21, 2018)

bflat said:


> No, AES/EBU is a digital signal while 4.4 TRRS is only analog. However, when the next firmware is releases for WM1a, you can connect it directly to your PC and it will function as a DAC and stay charged at the same time.



I am not technically inclined when comes to all these.   Thanks. That;s what I am afraid of.

What about this? 4.4 Bal to 4-pin XLR Bal. i can use that to feed input directly to headamp. AFAIK, XLR is analogue

https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-16c...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=9WF4HTNTT3KKQXHFM9V0

if above still doesn't work, i guess the last option is to use 4.4 out to RCA .

Thanks a lot for your patience. Learning the ropes here.

Cheers


----------



## nc8000

Icekuma said:


> I am not technically inclined when comes to all these.   Thanks. That;s what I am afraid of.
> 
> What about this? 4.4 Bal to 4-pin XLR Bal. i can use that to feed input directly to headamp. AFAIK, XLR is analogue
> 
> ...



That should work. You’ll be double amping but might not be able to hear any downside


----------



## fiascogarcia

Icekuma said:


> I am not technically inclined when comes to all these.   Thanks. That;s what I am afraid of.
> 
> What about this? 4.4 Bal to 4-pin XLR Bal. i can use that to feed input directly to headamp. AFAIK, XLR is analogue
> 
> ...


I noticed the adapter you linked to is a female 4pin xlr.  Wouldn't you need a male, as I would guess you amp's inputs are female?  These adapters you see usually are intended to be used to allow your headphone cables to be used with different output jacks.  Sorry if I'm off base from what you're trying to do!


----------



## Whitigir

fiascogarcia said:


> I noticed the adapter you linked to is a female 4pin xlr.  Wouldn't you need a male, as I would guess you amp's inputs are female?  These adapters you see usually are intended to be used to allow your headphone cables to be used with different output jacks.  Sorry if I'm off base from what you're trying to do!


You are right, the amplifier usually and as a standard, always have female input, and is XLR-3 female, and not XLR-4 female.  You will need something 4.4mm male to dual XLr-3 Male to connect your WM player as an analog source into your big amplifier .

Something like this.  Don’t ask me where I buy it  because I made it.


----------



## Icekuma

fiascogarcia said:


> I noticed the adapter you linked to is a female 4pin xlr.  Wouldn't you need a male, as I would guess you amp's inputs are female?  These adapters you see usually are intended to be used to allow your headphone cables to be used with different output jacks.  Sorry if I'm off base from what you're trying to do!


You are right. Oversight. Seeing what @Whitigir said, look like I need to custom it. Pity I am not in States. 

Thanks. Once I make up my mind will let to know how it turns out.


----------



## Quadfather

This music is so incredibly relaxing.


----------



## NaiveSound

Quadfather said:


> This music is so incredibly relaxing.


Is it electronic like *chill house/chill techno*? I love that genre


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 21, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> Is it electronic like *chill house/chill techno*? I love that genre



Very mellow.  I would say it's more an easy listening, instrumental new age type music


----------



## iron2k

hung031086 said:


> Can 1A drive ve zen 2 SE ? I need a earbud to listen when im sleeping, my bad habit .


Did you ever get your answer??

I also need to know


----------



## blazinblazin (Sep 22, 2018)

After new firmware update, ZX300, WM1A/Z... all are able to be used as Wireless DAC. Stream from phone via wireless to player. Which will be same as the new A50 series.


----------



## proedros (Sep 22, 2018)

amazon.de has the *400gb* sandisc card at *100 euros* (+ postage)

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B074RNRM2B...olid=15Z8NJP91HFRU&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it


----------



## 480126

blazinblazin said:


> After new firmware update, ZX300, WM1A/Z... all are able to be used as Wireless DAC. Stream from phone via wireless to player. Which will be same as the new A50 series.


Maybe someone knows if after update digital Transfer is okay with a normal usb cable  (without Sony cradle or WMC-NWH10 c)?


----------



## nc8000

Frida309 said:


> Maybe someone knows if after update digital Transfer is okay with a normal usb cable  (without Sony cradle or WMC-NWH10 c)?



No as the players only have a WM port and not a normal usb port so you will always need the special Sony cables


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Happy Autumn Equinox! Can't wait for the 3.0 update


----------



## gerelmx1986

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Happy Autumn Equinox! Can't wait for the 3.0 update


I can't wait for it too  just a week more for October


----------



## nc8000

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Happy Autumn Equinox! Can't wait for the 3.0 update



Could easily be several more months before it is out


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> Could easily be several more months before it is out


Omg seriously ?


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> Omg seriously ?



Yep. Sony just announced autumn, not October


----------



## Kira69

nc8000 said:


> Yep. Sony just announced autumn, not October


Source? Latest news all stated it will be released on October or later.


----------



## nc8000

Kira69 said:


> Source? Latest news all stated it will be released on October or later.



All the slides from the Sony presentation posted earlier in this thread just states Autumn


----------



## Kira69

It seems you missed this press release.

Press release from September 5: https://www.sony.jp/CorporateCruise/Press/201809/18-0905B/


> "Expected to be available from October"


----------



## Whitigir

Kira69 said:


> It seems you missed this press release.
> 
> Press release from September 5: https://www.sony.jp/CorporateCruise/Press/201809/18-0905B/


For Japan ? Or global , that is the question


----------



## Kira69

Whitigir said:


> For Japan ? Or global , that is the question


Ask Sony USA yourself:

Phone number: 1-239-245-6374
Email support: https://esupport.sony.com/US/p/contact-email.pl?mdl=NWWM1A&mdltype_id=69&subject=portable


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

That's cold.


----------



## gazzington

Sold a few items today that's covering money spent on wm1a which makes me able to enjoy my purchase more now. Kinda wish I'd only bought top tier stuff to begin with


----------



## nc8000

Kira69 said:


> It seems you missed this press release.
> 
> Press release from September 5: https://www.sony.jp/CorporateCruise/Press/201809/18-0905B/



Did indeed. Don’t read Japaneese



Whitigir said:


> For Japan ? Or global , that is the question



All other fw releases have been the one and same globally so I would expect that to be true this time as well.


----------



## audionewbi

Does anyone know how the Sony own S-Master HX technology handles conversion compared to the older R2R chips? I ask as an owner of R2R2000 who owns all the other major daps and the Hugo 2 has said that ever since he got hold of his r2r2000 he can't listen to the delta-sigma chips based DAC the same way he used to before. His words, there seems to no distortion with the R2R2000 and the sound is pure, clean at all volumes.

I can't find any material regarding the handling of digital data with the Sony own S-Master chips. Thanks in advance.


----------



## Quadfather

gazzington said:


> Sold a few items today that's covering money spent on wm1a which makes me able to enjoy my purchase more now. Kinda wish I'd only bought top tier stuff to begin with



I have the Sony NW - WM1A, the Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, and the Questyle QP1R. Still, I am jonesing for the Sony NW - WM1Z. The torture never ends.


----------



## Kira69 (Sep 22, 2018)

audionewbi said:


> Does anyone know how the Sony own S-Master HX technology handles conversion compared to the older R2R chips? I ask as an owner of R2R2000 who owns all the other major daps and the Hugo 2 has said that ever since he got hold of his r2r2000 he can't listen to the delta-sigma chips based DAC the same way he used to before. His words, there seems to no distortion with the R2R2000 and the sound is pure, clean at all volumes.
> 
> I can't find any material regarding the handling of digital data with the Sony own S-Master chips. Thanks in advance.



Depending on the input. Quick resume.

PCM:

Input sampling rate (fs) = 32 kHz to 384 kHz
If enabled: DSP (DSEE HX, etc.)
If enabled: DSD RE. transition to on-time DSD11.2MHz conversion DSD process (Only on TA-ZH1ES and DMP-Z1)
Clean Data Cycle (384KHz → DC Phase Linearizer and Noise Shaper)
Synchronous Time Accuracy Controller (S-TACT) (Output = 2048 fs = PWM (C-PLM) 90MHz or 98MHz)
Pulse Height Volume Control (LDO regulator)

Audio Pulse Driver hybrid amplified output
DSD (only on balanced):

Input sampling rate (fs) = 2.8 MHz, 5.6 MHz, 11.2 MHz
Synchronous Time Accuracy Controller (S-TACT) (output = 2048 fs = PDM 90 MHz)
Pulse Height Volume Control (LDO regulator)

Audio Pulse Driver hybrid amplified output








More about S-Master HX:

https://www.sony.jp/audio/products/TA-ZH1ES/feature_3.html
https://www.sony.jp/walkman/products/NW-WM1Z/feature_1.html#L2_80
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Master
https://docs.sony.com/release/ES_STR_05_Final.pdf (a bit dated but still relevant)


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 22, 2018)

audionewbi said:


> Does anyone know how the Sony own S-Master HX technology handles conversion compared to the older R2R chips? I ask as an owner of R2R2000 who owns all the other major daps and the Hugo 2 has said that ever since he got hold of his r2r2000 he can't listen to the delta-sigma chips based DAC the same way he used to before. His words, there seems to no distortion with the R2R2000 and the sound is pure, clean at all volumes.
> 
> I can't find any material regarding the handling of digital data with the Sony own S-Master chips. Thanks in advance.



I think he has some biases from his feedbacks.  You are asking for 3 different technology here.  I am not an expert about them, but I did read about them.  Here is what I found out

1/ R2R2000 is a resistor ladder type of conversion.  Resistor ladders are full of errors and mistakes, and without a good FPGA+firmware, it would sound really really bad.  Ask Rob from a Chord, and read his posts for more details

2/ Chord Hugo 2 is neither Resistor ladder, nor S-Master.  Chord is Pulse-Arrays.  It is more similar to S-Master but also different.  Chord uses FPGA to control these Arrays (multiple elements of pulse driver), while Sony has it all built-In onto a chip.  Lately, Sony mentioned that their S-Master limitations did not allow them to achieve higher power output.  This limitations is not existed with Chord

3/ S-Master, is it Sony own just as much as Chord own design.  It is also Pulse Code drivers as @Kira69 showed above, but my guess is that it was designed under a different method and language.  Chord is increasing their element counts where as Sony has been improving the S-Master too, but not sure what they had been doing

All 3 technologies are very similar to Non Over Sampling, which is not found in any Delta-Sigma as they are natively oversampling.  However, to claim that Delta-sigma has more distortions is more like biasing.  Theoretically speaking, Non over Sampling has more distortions, and lower details, lower dynamic range with even higher noise floor but higher analog natural resemblances .  By applying oversampling, the noise floor can be pushed further out of human hearing range while retaining and extracting all the details within the meaningful dynamic range, and ofcourse with different modulations, there are different sound signatures. 


From what I have been observing, anything NOS that is done well, it has a very natural and organic timbres that is just right, for example WM1Z.  For Delta-Sigma that is done right, the dynamic punches and bites are excellent, but details could be a little bit over saturated and less natural or less organic.  About distortions, NOS would distort more than Sigma-Delta.  But that is just me and my experiences.  Neither has it done perfectly, you just need to know your preferences, and how you enjoy them.  I have both, and R2R7 DAC and an LKS004 DAC, and previously had WM1Z, but traded for Dx200Titanium (unexpected)


----------



## NaiveSound

Quadfather said:


> I have the Sony NW - WM1A, the Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, and the Questyle QP1R. Still, I am jonesing for the Sony NW - WM1Z. The torture never ends.


Could you sell a few of those and get one?


----------



## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> Could you sell a few of those and get one?



I switch between them a lot and love all three of them.


----------



## alphanumerix1

gazzington said:


> Sold a few items today that's covering money spent on wm1a which makes me able to enjoy my purchase more now. Kinda wish I'd only bought top tier stuff to begin with



Gotta go through the journey to appreciate the destination


----------



## NaiveSound

Quadfather said:


> I switch between them a lot and love all three of them.


Could you eat some ramen and blogna sandwiches(no cheese, no mustard)  For a while and make it happen? 
Buy cheaper toilet paper and drink faucet water. It can all happen!!  6 minute max shower time and no more than 1 bulb on in the house at any one time? 
Pay the minimum payment on your cards and you can make this happen!!


----------



## idimonius

I might be a couple of years late to the party, but I`ve been enjoying my 1A ever since I got it earlier this week. Such a great DAP indeed. Build quality is excellent, build like a tank, nothing rattles, great battery life too. Just a joy to hold it. The OS is simple, yet very functional, solid and intuitive. Oh, sounds great as well. Great job Sony! Looking forward to the USB DAC feature.
My temp balanced setup


----------



## purk

idimonius said:


> I might be a couple of years late to the party, but I`ve been enjoying my 1A ever since I got it earlier this week. Such a great DAP indeed. Build quality is excellent, build like a tank, nothing rattles, great battery life too. Just a joy to hold it. The OS is simple, yet very functional, solid and intuitive. Oh, sounds great as well. Great job Sony! Looking forward to the USB DAC feature.
> My temp balanced setup



From your picture, I would get a better 3.5 mm to 4.4 mm adapter when you have more money.  That Geekria is built on the cheap and actually degrade the sound of your balanced output quite a bit.  I own one and it sounds bad next to the Pentaconn adapter that I built myself.  You will thank me later when you have better adapter.


----------



## gazzington

purk said:


> From your picture, I would get a better 3.5 mm to 4.4 mm adapter when you have more money.  That Geekria is built on the cheap and actually degrade the sound of your balanced output quite a bit.  I own one and it sounds bad next to the Pentaconn adapter that I built myself.  You will thank me later when you have better adapter.


Do know of any decent 4.4 to 3.5 adapter that I can buy?


----------



## gazzington

Quadfather said:


> I switch between them a lot and love all three of them.


I think I'm going to save and try and get a good second hand lotoo paw gold in the future


----------



## purk

gazzington said:


> Do know of any decent 4.4 to 3.5 adapter that I can buy?



I think Norne Audio can make you one.  You can contract Drew of moon-audio and I'm sure that you can make some for you.  Can you DIY?  If so, I highly recommend it as such adapter can easily cost $150.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 23, 2018)

gazzington said:


> Do know of any decent 4.4 to 3.5 adapter that I can buy?


Actually I am in process of buying a 4.4mm female to 3.5mm male converter cable and another 4.4 to 2.5 mm silver from Triton Audio. I already got the same adapter although it’s for 2.5mm hybrid
It’s about $65 more or less. Sound Quality is really good
My advice go and get Triton 8 hybrid 4.4 cable and the 4.4 to 3.5mm converter cable; it is very reasonably priced around $270 or so and sound quality is comparable to $500 cable
It would make your 1A sing; increased clarity and resolution, bass hits harder and so on but may thin out the music； so may not be so good if your item is already thin sounding since Triton 8 can be very ruthless. On the other hand if your iem sound too thick and sounds veiled - this cable is the perfect solution in clearing up that veil and upping clarity and resolution

It takes less than 2 days to make the cable and probably you’ll get it in a week

Talk with @alpha@421 here on headfi. He is the owner


----------



## syke

idimonius said:


> I might be a couple of years late to the party, but I`ve been enjoying my 1A ever since I got it earlier this week. Such a great DAP indeed. Build quality is excellent, build like a tank, nothing rattles, great battery life too. Just a joy to hold it. The OS is simple, yet very functional, solid and intuitive. Oh, sounds great as well. Great job Sony! Looking forward to the USB DAC feature.
> My temp balanced setup


Is that a TRS 3.5mm into a TRRS 4.4mm? You can't plug SE into BAL... You are killing it


----------



## idimonius

purk said:


> From your picture, I would get a better 3.5 mm to 4.4 mm adapter when you have more money.  That Geekria is built on the cheap and actually degrade the sound of your balanced output quite a bit.  I own one and it sounds bad next to the Pentaconn adapter that I built myself.  You will thank me later when you have better adapter.



Yeah, it was a quite cheap 4.4 to 2.5 adapter. I only got it to check if the balanced output works since it was a used unit and I don`t have any 4.4 cables. Thanks for the suggestion, I will get something different until I decide on a better iem pair. P1 is fine but I would like more bass


----------



## idimonius (Sep 23, 2018)

syke said:


> Is that a TRS 3.5mm into a TRRS 4.4mm? You can't plug SE into BAL... You are killing it


That`s a 2.5 cable into 4.4 male to 2.5 female adapter. Not the best adapter but works for now.


----------



## syke

idimonius said:


> That`s a 2.5 cable into 4.4 male to 2.5 female adapter. Not the best adapter but works for now.



All is good then. Well, as a temporary solution, adapters are fine. I have re-terminated most of my cables from 2.5mm to 4.4mm, as I foresee myself in the Sony eco-system for a long time to come. Besides, the 4.4mm is a much sturdier connection. 

Now, I am in the camp of removing all 3.5mm from mobile phones.... Why are they still around at this day and age? They ought be replaced not by USB C or Lightning but by 4.4mm.. LOL....


----------



## gerelmx1986

syke said:


> Is that a TRS 3.5mm into a TRRS 4.4mm? You can't plug SE into BAL... You are killing it


The same applies for 4.4 to RCA as RCA is unbalanced


----------



## Whitigir

Guys, the 400gb MicroSD is on sale in amazon again ?!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Guys, the 400gb MicroSD is on sale in amazon again ?!


Perhpas a sign that Sandisk is about to release their take on the 512GB microSD?


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Perhpas a sign that Sandisk is about to release their take on the 512GB microSD?


I don’t care the move from 400-512Gb...how about 1Tb


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> I don’t care the move from 400-512Gb...how about 1Tb



512 (plus the 256 build in) would just be enough to fit all my music in 16/44 flac with a little left over so would be perfect for me


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> I think he has some biases from his feedbacks.  You are asking for 3 different technology here.  I am not an expert about them, but I did read about them.  Here is what I found out
> 
> 1/ R2R2000 is a resistor ladder type of conversion.  Resistor ladders are full of errors and mistakes, and without a good FPGA+firmware, it would sound really really bad.  Ask Rob from a Chord, and read his posts for more details
> 
> ...


I can attest this, I find the implementation of sony's S-Master on the WM1A (I know the TA-HAZ1ES has the 3rd gen of S-master HX) sounds pretty life like, analogue and organic, silky smooth flow of music


----------



## gazzington

So what do you recommend for open back headphones to go with wm1a?


----------



## NaiveSound (Sep 23, 2018)

gazzington said:


> So what do you recommend for open back headphones to go with wm1a?


I've found both 1a/1z weak for most hp
Plenty spunk for iems


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> I've found both 1a/1z weak for most hp
> Plenty spunk for iems



The 1Z on high gain balanced could make my HE-6 enjoyable but they clearly were not driven anywhere near their best. All other full size phones I have tried have been fine


----------



## syke

NaiveSound said:


> I've found both 1a/1z weak for most hp
> Plenty spunk for iems



That's why the DMP-Z1 is calling out for you.


----------



## NaiveSound

syke said:


> That's why the DMP-Z1 is calling out for you.


I like iems  sold all my hps


----------



## gerelmx1986

I prefer HPs versus IEM, IEM only for mobile use


----------



## NaiveSound

gerelmx1986 said:


> I prefer HPs versus IEM, IEM only for mobile use


Not a problem  wm1a will play them to audiable levels.


----------



## KaiserTK

Coming from the ZX300, I was a bit surprised at how the SE out was actually pretty good out of the WM1A. 

I really like the synergy of a bit laid back and warm IEMs with the Sonys.


----------



## gerelmx1986

KaiserTK said:


> Coming from the ZX300, *I was a bit* surprised at how the SE out was actually pretty good out of the WM1A.
> 
> I really like the synergy of a bit laid back and warm IEMs with the Sonys.


 A bit or a lot?  I came from a ZX100 and i was impressed by how the SE on the WM1A sounded like... but go balanced and thats another story


----------



## Jalo

I thought the Samsung 512 Gb microSD has been out or is it not?


----------



## nc8000

Jalo said:


> I thought the Samsung 512 Gb microSD has been out or is it not?



The only one I’ve seen is the one from Integral and I’m not sure how trustworthy that is


----------



## rcoleman1

PNY on Amazon but I haven't tried it: https://www.amazon.com/PNY-Elite-Pe...&pf_rd_p=b841581f-e864-5164-afa6-4c18a8348879


----------



## SoundSquare

rcoleman1 said:


> PNY on Amazon but I haven't tried it: https://www.amazon.com/PNY-Elite-Pe...&pf_rd_p=b841581f-e864-5164-afa6-4c18a8348879



this is a SD card, not a microSD, the only 512gb microSD is the Integral, which is slow as hell.


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I prefer HPs versus IEM, IEM only for mobile use



Now, I see you have progressed ! Yet, one more step further.

I love headphones too! Single driver that cut away the cohesiveness problems from the crossover tuning by the multi-drivers design.  Also, by eliminating the crossover, less chance to get hiss problems.  Headphones has the dynamic punches and soundstage that iems will not have.  Also, I don’t hurt my ears canals anymore by stuffing them inside.  Crazy enough is that wm1Z can drive Hd800s to an acceptable level


----------



## superuser1

Whitigir said:


> Now, I see you have progressed ! Yet, one more step further.
> 
> I love headphones too! Single driver that cut away the cohesiveness problems from the crossover tuning by the multi-drivers design.  Also, by eliminating the crossover, less chance to get hiss problems.  Headphones has the dynamic punches and soundstage that iems will not have.  Also, I don’t hurt my ears canals anymore by stuffing them inside.  Crazy enough is that wm1Z can drive Hd800s to an acceptable level


On a different note ... you have got me hooked to JRiver upscaling to DSD


----------



## rcoleman1

SoundSquare said:


> this is a SD card, not a microSD, the only 512gb microSD is the Integral, which is slow as hell.


True. Forgot we were talking about microSD here.


----------



## Dtuck90

94 hours in and one of the things that become most apparent is how real drums sound. Not only do they sound so real, you can also hear the room they are played in.


----------



## proedros

*Sandisk 400GB Ultra microSDXC Class 10 Memory Card and Adaptor up to 100MB/sec, U1, 400GB A1*


*Deal of the Day: EUR 95.99 

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B074RNRM2B...&ascsubtag=068c5e435d06b14483683d81b66df04d_S*


----------



## Stephen George

Jalo said:


> I thought the Samsung 512 Gb microSD has been out or is it not?



  should be very soon, but with a hefty price tag, something like $350 each


----------



## Quadfather

This sounds great! The Lord of the Rings, Return of the King.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> This sounds great! The Lord of the Rings, Return of the King.


Myyyy preeeciousssss


----------



## jasonho

Listening it as much as I can before i send it to K-Mod tomorrow.


----------



## gerelmx1986

jasonho said:


> Listening it as much as I can before i send it to K-Mod tomorrow.


Dein Walkman wird schon bald zum Schönheitschirurg? Hoffe alles gut für ihm. 

LOL English so your Walkman is going soon with the th the plastic surgeon? Hope all good with him


----------



## gerelmx1986

Did sony really quit developing music center? No update since last year


----------



## Lookout57

SoundSquare said:


> this is a SD card, not a microSD, the only 512gb microSD is the Integral, which is slow as hell.


PNY has released a 512GB microSD card. 

It was available on Amazon US for like a day or 2 and now shows 1-3 month lead time, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DGT2DL5/

I've had a couple of PNY SSD drives and SD cards die. Even though they replaced for free under warranty. I'll wait for the Sandisk or Samsung cards as I don't want the hassle of having to reload the card.


----------



## Bart147

proedros said:


> *Sandisk 400GB Ultra microSDXC Class 10 Memory Card and Adaptor up to 100MB/sec, U1, 400GB A1*
> 
> 
> *Deal of the Day: EUR 95.99
> ...


Thanks for the link , just ordered one !


----------



## NaiveSound

I wish I could send it in somewhere if I could just get a pentaconn plug installed in the balanced section , but I wonder if other than placebo,, if it even offers any real benefit... Any change in sound.


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> I wish I could send it in somewhere if I could just get a pentaconn plug installed in the balanced section , but I wonder if other than placebo,, if it even offers any real benefit... Any change in sound.



You mean if balanced offer any benefit over single ended ?


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> You mean if balanced offer any benefit over single ended ?


No  

A pentacon female plug instead of stock


----------



## tgrosu

A question to all of you who long to buy the 1Z. Are you sure that the upgrade is worth all the money as long as you didn't quite fully explore the upscale range of IEMs? Many of you own the Sony proprietary IEM and while in no way I would like to play down this option, there might be some alternatives out there (more expensive, though), that may bring sonic upgrades (and possibly quite significant ones). I, for one, have learned that you have to try to extract as much value as you can from a given setup before thinking of changing things altogether.

Personally, I use the U18t from 64audio and without auditioning the 1Z, I wonder how much can you increase the sound quality beyond what I am already hearing...


----------



## nc8000

tgrosu said:


> A question to all of you who long to buy the 1Z. Are you sure that the upgrade is worth all the money as long as you didn't quite fully explore the upscale range of IEMs? Many of you own the Sony proprietary IEM and while in no way I would like to play down this option, there might be some alternatives out there (more expensive, though), that may bring sonic upgrades (and possibly quite significant ones). I, for one, have learned that you have to try to extract as much value as you can from a given setup before thinking of changing things altogether.
> 
> Personally, I use the U18t from 64audio and without auditioning the 1Z, I wonder how much can you increase the sound quality beyond what I am already hearing...



Only you by auditioning can say if it is worth it to you


----------



## Malevolint

idimonius said:


> I might be a couple of years late to the party, but I`ve been enjoying my 1A ever since I got it earlier this week. Such a great DAP indeed. Build quality is excellent, build like a tank, nothing rattles, great battery life too. Just a joy to hold it. The OS is simple, yet very functional, solid and intuitive. Oh, sounds great as well. Great job Sony! Looking forward to the USB DAC feature.
> My temp balanced setup


You could probably use it for home defense if need be lol. Glad you're enjoying it.


----------



## nc8000 (Sep 24, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> No
> 
> A pentacon female plug instead of stock



I doubt the type of plug would make any sound difference. I did like the Kobiconn connector when I had several of Ray Samuels balanced amps


----------



## gazzington

Quadfather said:


> This sounds great! The Lord of the Rings, Return of the King.


Absolutely love everything to do with lord of the rings. That soundtrack is supurb


----------



## linux4ever

tgrosu said:


> A question to all of you who long to buy the 1Z. Are you sure that the upgrade is worth all the money as long as you didn't quite fully explore the upscale range of IEMs? Many of you own the Sony proprietary IEM and while in no way I would like to play down this option, there might be some alternatives out there (more expensive, though), that may bring sonic upgrades (and possibly quite significant ones). I, for one, have learned that you have to try to extract as much value as you can from a given setup before thinking of changing things altogether.
> 
> Personally, I use the U18t from 64audio and without auditioning the 1Z, I wonder how much can you increase the sound quality beyond what I am already hearing...


I've the 64audio a18 and I had unmodded wm1a, premium plus k-mod wm1a and i upgraded to k-mod wm1z.

I certainly prefer the sound signature in the modded wm1z. 

The unmodded and modded wm1a were good too. I would still say the sound quality is noticeably better despite my sound signature preference


----------



## Quadfather

gazzington said:


> Absolutely love everything to do with lord of the rings. That soundtrack is supurb



I have the movie in Blu-ray extended. I totally agree, the soundtrack is awesome. And that is coming from a dedicated Metalhead... starting to Branch out into some different genres just to try and see if I like other stuff and I'm finding stuff that's good like Sublime.


----------



## idimonius

Mrcojocaru said:


> You could probably use it for home defense if need be lol. Glad you're enjoying it.


This little brick can probably stop a bullet  1Z might be even better in that regard.
Thanks, enjoying the flight so far


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 25, 2018)

tgrosu said:


> A question to all of you who long to buy the 1Z. Are you sure that the upgrade is worth all the money as long as you didn't quite fully explore the upscale range of IEMs? Many of you own the Sony proprietary IEM and while in no way I would like to play down this option, there might be some alternatives out there (more expensive, though), that may bring sonic upgrades (and possibly quite significant ones). I, for one, have learned that you have to try to extract as much value as you can from a given setup before thinking of changing things altogether.
> 
> Personally, I use the U18t from 64audio and without auditioning the 1Z, I wonder how much can you increase the sound quality beyond what I am already hearing...



Right, trying different IEMs IS going to make the most noticeable AND dramatic improvement in sound. And the 1Z is not a value to some. The 1A is the deal as you get 70% to 90% of the 1Z sound at a fraction of the cost. With some IEMs the 1A IS actually better. But it’s safe to say the 1Z IS a different animal. That difference is actually there, under it all. It’s more forward, it’s warmer, it’s closer in sound with a more detailed and upfront display. For those who dwell on the difference it’s like studying beauty; the difference becomes all encompassing and profound.

Also the 1Z can take some headphones and IEMs to a different place than the 1A. Some transducers simply respond to the 1Z character in a special way. It’s safe to say the 1Z has a V shape tone with more bass and more treble sparkle; but the soundstage is different too. Strangely if you went to a Sony store with your IEMs and 1A switching a memory card over to the 1Z and plugging your headphones in it may not seem so dramatic? But if you had both players for two weeks the differences become pretty big. Audio differences can be elusive that way.

Every IEM sounds different and every DAP is a different story. Finding your personal sound preference is probably the most important; as you could drop bank on the wrong sound signature and not have value. But using synergy, some IEMs are going to effortlessly get to your desired sound signature and some will be a deviation from it. It’s the perfect choice of DAP and IEMs which is going to hit the mark. Due to the diminishing returns, the TOTL IEMs are going to show the same loss of value to some as the TOTL DAPs. Gaining value or justification of value is totally subjective.

No TOTL headphone or IEM is really worth $2000 to $4000. All headphones should be no more than $900. IMO......But such things offer something you can’t buy any other way. Same as the 1Z, it’s not worth $3199...... but you can’t get it any other way. But to some the life experiences with the 1Z are priceless, no real way to put value on them.


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> Right, trying different IEMs IS going to make the most noticeable AND dramatic improvement in sound. And the 1Z is not a value to some. The 1A is the deal as you get 70% to 90% of the 1Z sound at a fraction of the cost. With some IEMs the 1A IS actually better. But it’s safe to say the 1Z IS a different animal. That difference is actually there, under it all. It’s more forward, it’s warmer, it’s closer in sound with a more detailed and upfront display. For those who dwell on the difference it’s like studying beauty; the difference becomes all encompassing and profound.
> 
> Also the 1Z can take some headphones and IEMs to a different place than the 1A. Some transducers simply respond to the 1Z character in a special way. It’s safe to say the 1Z has a V shape tone with more bass and more treble sparkle; but the soundstage is different too. Strangely if you went to a Sony store with your IEMs and 1A switching a memory card over to the 1Z and plugging your headphones in it may not seem so dramatic? But if you had both players for two weeks the differences become pretty big. Audio differences can be elusive that way.
> 
> Every IEM sounds different and every DAP is a different story. Finding your personal sound preference is probably the most important; as you could drop bank on the wrong sound signature and not have value. But using synergy, some IEMs are going to effortlessly get to your desired sound signature and some will be a deviation from it. It’s the perfect choice of DAP and IEMs which is going to hit the mark. Due to the diminishing returns, the TOTL IEMs are going to show the same loss of value to some as the TOTL DAPs. Gaining value or justification of value is totally subjective.


But... But.... It's 100% better... Tho!


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> But... But.... It's 100% better... Tho!



Yes, and if everyone paid what you paid....maybe it’s a value!


----------



## Gibraltar

NaiveSound said:


> No
> 
> A pentacon female plug instead of stock



If I recall correctly the 1A/1Z come stock with a Pentacon 4.4 jack.


----------



## NaiveSound

Gibraltar said:


> If I recall correctly the 1A/1Z come stock with a Pentacon 4.4 jack.


Thanks for clarifying haha  I didn't know


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> Thanks for clarifying haha  I didn't know



Hmm. Did we both mean Kobiconn like on the Ray Samuels amps ?


----------



## NaiveSound

nc8000 said:


> Hmm. Did we both mean Kobiconn like on the Ray Samuels amps ?


Sir... It's quite possible we sure did


----------



## bflat

Update on my WM1z impressions. Finally got my PW Audio 8 wire Xerxes cable for my JH Laylas. Opted for the upgraded Furutech Rhodium 4.4mm plug too. That is a lot of change from my 4 wire Silver/Gold Plussound cable with 2.5mm plug. I can't honestly say what part(s) of the change did what to the sound from my previous impressions but when I A/B the cables the new PW Audio cable has a noticeable increase in sound stage width and even more separation and air in the treble without adding sharpness or glare. I get slightly less sub bass quantity with the PW so need to dial closer to 1 o'clock on the bass dials whereas the Plussound was fine at 12. However, I will need to get my ears adjusted because I am hearing more depth to sub bass with the PW, but just a touch less impact.

I am a full 4.4mm convert now and will no longer use the 2.5mm balanced products. I feel it is just a superior connecting in every way possible.


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> Update on my WM1z impressions. Finally got my PW Audio 8 wire Xerxes cable for my JH Laylas. Opted for the upgraded Furutech Rhodium 4.4mm plug too. That is a lot of change from my 4 wire Silver/Gold Plussound cable with 2.5mm plug. I can't honestly say what part(s) of the change did what to the sound from my previous impressions but when I A/B the cables the new PW Audio cable has a noticeable increase in sound stage width and even more separation and air in the treble without adding sharpness or glare. I get slightly less sub bass quantity with the PW so need to dial closer to 1 o'clock on the bass dials whereas the Plussound was fine at 12. However, I will need to get my ears adjusted because I am hearing more depth to sub bass with the PW, but just a touch less impact.
> 
> I am a full 4.4mm convert now and will no longer use the 2.5mm balanced products. I feel it is just a superior connecting in every way possible.



Yes, 4.4 is superior.  An example of larger soundstage is due to the geometry and construction of the 8 wires braid, and that is only one of the many other reasons 

Anyways, congratulation on the new cables, and now you will truly hear what WM Walkman can do


----------



## bflat

Whitigir said:


> Yes, 4.4 is superior.  An example of larger soundstage is due to the geometry and construction of the 8 wires braid, and that is only one of the many other reasons
> 
> Anyways, congratulation on the new cables, and now you will truly hear what WM Walkman can do



Thanks! When I was checking out cable options for 2.5mm, I honestly could not tell the difference between 4 and 8 wires for the JH Laylas.

Just a side note - you can use 4 wires for JH Siren series that require 8 separate signals. If you get litz wire, you can get some custom cable makers to create 2 sets of signals by separating the internal litz strands into 2 groups out of one litz wire. Wire must be litz since each internal strand is insulated. Also why litz is a major PITA to solder.


----------



## Malevolint (Sep 25, 2018)

Just wanted to share some pictures I took of mine. I've been enjoying the hell out of it every day!


----------



## Malevolint (Sep 25, 2018)




----------



## Quadfather

Redcarmoose said:


> Right, trying different IEMs IS going to make the most noticeable AND dramatic improvement in sound. And the 1Z is not a value to some. The 1A is the deal as you get 70% to 90% of the 1Z sound at a fraction of the cost. With some IEMs the 1A IS actually better. But it’s safe to say the 1Z IS a different animal. That difference is actually there, under it all. It’s more forward, it’s warmer, it’s closer in sound with a more detailed and upfront display. For those who dwell on the difference it’s like studying beauty; the difference becomes all encompassing and profound.
> 
> Also the 1Z can take some headphones and IEMs to a different place than the 1A. Some transducers simply respond to the 1Z character in a special way. It’s safe to say the 1Z has a V shape tone with more bass and more treble sparkle; but the soundstage is different too. Strangely if you went to a Sony store with your IEMs and 1A switching a memory card over to the 1Z and plugging your headphones in it may not seem so dramatic? But if you had both players for two weeks the differences become pretty big. Audio differences can be elusive that way.
> 
> ...



I think the 1A is just beautiful with Shure SRH1540 headphones on the balanced output.


----------



## NaiveSound (Sep 25, 2018)

Just wild!

When I had the 1a, I used the cheap akg iems that came with my note 8. Sound was fantastic and I loved it. Truly surprised how good the 20$ iems could sound .

My Zeus XR was getting work on and I couldn't use it .  When they returned I plugged them in the 1a and sound was god aweful, Zeus started to sound like it cost 500$ and was just poor poor sound. Hated it. Sold 1a that week and haven't looked back
However  oh boy, 1z really really takes it up 5 notches! Truly impressed.

1a made 20$ iems sound really really good, and I'm sure it makes other iems sound good too

Based on how cheap I am I would price the 1a at 399 retail the 1 z at 899, Zeus XR at 999, u18 at 1299,fourte at 899.

Not this inflated prices we payin (pain)


----------



## Redcarmoose

bflat said:


> Update on my WM1z impressions. Finally got my PW Audio 8 wire Xerxes cable for my JH Laylas. Opted for the upgraded Furutech Rhodium 4.4mm plug too. That is a lot of change from my 4 wire Silver/Gold Plussound cable with 2.5mm plug. I can't honestly say what part(s) of the change did what to the sound from my previous impressions but when I A/B the cables the new PW Audio cable has a noticeable increase in sound stage width and even more separation and air in the treble without adding sharpness or glare. I get slightly less sub bass quantity with the PW so need to dial closer to 1 o'clock on the bass dials whereas the Plussound was fine at 12. However, I will need to get my ears adjusted because I am hearing more depth to sub bass with the PW, but just a touch less impact.
> 
> I am a full 4.4mm convert now and will no longer use the 2.5mm balanced products. I feel it is just a superior connecting in every way possible.



Is that cable also referred to as the “Audio 8 wire Xerxes Vanquish”?


----------



## bflat

Redcarmoose said:


> Is that cable also referred to as the “Audio 8 wire Xerxes Vanquish”?



That's the one. Got mine from Music Sanctuary and took about 4 weeks for delivery.


----------



## Redcarmoose

bflat said:


> That's the one. Got mine from Music Sanctuary and took about 4 weeks for delivery.



Could you give me the price you paid in Singapore and 4.4mm plug brand? Thank-you.


----------



## bflat

Redcarmoose said:


> Could you give me the price you paid in Singapore and 4.4mm plug brand? Thank-you.



Just go to the website and configure for the price. Plug is Furutech rhodium plated. That was extra but checking the website now I see they have the option listed. Don't know if that's rhodium plated or not though.


----------



## NaiveSound

Hmm I like me some water based lube tonight  just me and the 1z


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> Just go to the website and configure for the price. Plug is Furutech rhodium plated. That was extra but checking the website now I see they have the option listed. Don't know if that's rhodium plated or not though.


All 4.4mm furutech is R-plated, and I definitely love it


----------



## gerelmx1986

My WM1A will finally have another companion of the signature series  I expect today to finally have the MDR-Z1R


----------



## NaiveSound




----------



## ehjie

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Yeah... I can't bear to try other DAPS and I'm eyeing a good minty pre-loved Z too despite having had my A modded.
> I don't think I've enjoyed a piece of electronics as much since I got my first iPod years ago.
> 
> Unlike my first iPhone which was some thing I wanted to show to friends, the iPod, and now the 1A, was something I was quietly enjoying a great deal. Kinda like a secret guilty pleasure I don't want to bother sharing with others because most people around me can't comprehend the concept of a standalone DAP. They're all so used to a mobile phone and stock earbuds for their music.


+ 1 me in Right there. Only Fellow enthusiasts get that where we are when we put on our DAPs. We'd move along when we start to hear their comment "they sound the same". Well, they don't...


----------



## sne4me

Has anyone experienced a loss of sound through pentaconn which is immediately corrected by rotating the plug in the jack? I almost never unplug my pentaconn, but typically when I don't use it for a day or two then start using it, the sound wont come out of one channel. Its like there is something interrupting the signal. i'm not sure what is happening ive never experienced it elsewhere


----------



## syke

sne4me said:


> Has anyone experienced a loss of sound through pentaconn which is immediately corrected by rotating the plug in the jack? I almost never unplug my pentaconn, but typically when I don't use it for a day or two then start using it, the sound wont come out of one channel. Its like there is something interrupting the signal. i'm not sure what is happening ive never experienced it elsewhere



Never. Not once if it is indeed a 4.4mm Pentaconn branded plug. And I have a couple of OFC ones.


----------



## Whitigir

syke said:


> Never. Not once if it is indeed a 4.4mm Pentaconn branded plug. And I have a couple of OFC ones.


Definitely only happen to something not Pentaconn


----------



## endlesswaves

sne4me said:


> Has anyone experienced a loss of sound through pentaconn which is immediately corrected by rotating the plug in the jack? I almost never unplug my pentaconn, but typically when I don't use it for a day or two then start using it, the sound wont come out of one channel. Its like there is something interrupting the signal. i'm not sure what is happening ive never experienced it elsewhere



I have this problem with my EA 4.4mm Pentaconn. Twisting it helps. 

I only unplug it for charging. Had to remove my Dignis case to see the red charging LED.

Anyone else with problem?


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 27, 2018)

endlesswaves said:


> I have this problem with my EA 4.4mm Pentaconn. Twisting it helps.
> 
> I only unplug it for charging. Had to remove my Dignis case to see the red charging LED.
> 
> Anyone else with problem?





Whitigir said:


> Definitely only happen to something not Pentaconn



The problems was caused by the cramps on the 2 sides of the Pentaconn sockets.  When 3rd party plugs which is not Pentaconn to be plugged in, they easily got damaged, and so the plating materials are gone and expose the core metal.  It can either alternate sound on one channel or intermittently or....no sound.  It should not be a problem when used with authentic Pentaconn plug as the tolerances, materials for plating, and all other parameters were Pentaconn designs that meet and or exceed their own engineering

Needless to say, 3rd party vendor is still struggling to meet real authentic Pentaconn tolerances.  This is the sole reason why I am sticking to Pentaconn strictly, and found Furutech to be extremely good as well.


----------



## endlesswaves

Whitigir said:


> The problems was caused by the cramps on the 2 sides of the Pentaconn sockets.  When 3rd party plugs which is not Pentaconn to be plugged in, they easily got damaged, and so the plating materials are gone and expose the core metal.  It can either alternate sound on one channel or intermittently or....no sound.  It should not be a problem when used with authentic Pentaconn plug as the tolerances, materials for plating, and all other parameters were Pentaconn designs that meet and or exceed their own engineering
> 
> Needless to say, 3rd party vendor is still struggling to meet real authentic Pentaconn tolerances.  This is the sole reason why I am sticking to Pentaconn strictly, and found Furutech to be extremely good as well.



Mine looks ok. Saw one of the same model with part of the plating between the 2nd and 3rd ring peeled off but owner


Whitigir said:


> The problems was caused by the cramps on the 2 sides of the Pentaconn sockets.  When 3rd party plugs which is not Pentaconn to be plugged in, they easily got damaged, and so the plating materials are gone and expose the core metal.  It can either alternate sound on one channel or intermittently or....no sound.  It should not be a problem when used with authentic Pentaconn plug as the tolerances, materials for plating, and all other parameters were Pentaconn designs that meet and or exceed their own engineering
> 
> Needless to say, 3rd party vendor is still struggling to meet real authentic Pentaconn tolerances.  This is the sole reason why I am sticking to Pentaconn strictly, and found Furutech to be extremely good as well.



Sorry. Saw the small Furutech wordings engraved on the barrel of my plug. Getting old...bad eye sight.
Will need to get a new plug.


----------



## Audiophonicalistic (Sep 27, 2018)

sne4me said:


> Has anyone experienced a loss of sound through pentaconn which is immediately corrected by rotating the plug in the jack? I almost never unplug my pentaconn, but typically when I don't use it for a day or two then start using it, the sound wont come out of one channel. Its like there is something interrupting the signal. i'm not sure what is happening ive never experienced it elsewhere



I had it happen to me. At first I thought I was crazy, but after a few different iems I finally realized it was the jack. Tried multiple cables and iems and made the call to sony. They didnt believe me and it took 3 calls. I actually purchased the wm1z for a bit to make sure it was indeed the player. Once I told them they all work fine on the new player they exchanged the wm1a for a brand new one. Whole process took about 7 days. Not bad at all. Goodluck.

Mine never corrected after rotating it or putting pressure on it. Left channel was always lower in volume then right.


----------



## al91

I got a question, for the WM1A Japanese model, is there any difference between it and the international models in terms of sound quality?


----------



## syke

I would suggest sticking with Pentaconn exclusively, or Furutech as the last option. I wouldn't even touch Eidolic 4.4mm. I've changed all my cables to be terminated with Pentaconn to be on the safe side.


----------



## syke

al91 said:


> I got a question, for the WM1A Japanese model, is there any difference between it and the international models in terms of sound quality?



Not that I can remember. But I must say recordings of Jpop, Kpop or East Asian music in general does sound better on the WM series.


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 27, 2018)

syke said:


> I would suggest sticking with Pentaconn exclusively, or Furutech as the last option. I wouldn't even touch Eidolic 4.4mm. I've changed all my cables to be terminated with Pentaconn to be on the safe side.



Exactly my experiences, and I did post about this a long while back.  Now, I think @gerelmx1986 see what I did tell him about when he wanted me to help him making an adaptor .  Pentaconn is expensive, but it is worth it.  The majority of cheap 4.4mm cables are all the result of counterfeit 4.4mm plugs (authentic Pentaconn plugs is $35+ or about, and the socket is $50+ or so).  They will soon damage either your player sockets or itself.  So, take this as a warning, and take care.

Buy your cables from authentic dealer and trust worthy places that confirm they use Pentaconn only.  Don’t judge upon the pricing alone.  I can spot real authentic Pentaconn away from counterfeit one visually, but even so, I can’t rely on it.  I always buy them from authentic places

Furutech is good, and I love it too


----------



## sne4me

My cable is actually a sony branded kimber. apologies for the mistake


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 27, 2018)

sne4me said:


> My cable is actually a sony branded kimber. apologies for the mistake


In this case, take a couple pictures of your plugs and post up here, side to side.  I may give you some ideas.  Also, what exactly is the channel (L/R?) that poses problematic?


----------



## endlesswaves (Sep 27, 2018)

Got mine used. Seller said the Furutech plug itself costs USD70+.



Whitigir said:


> Also, what exactly is the channel (L/R?) that poses problematic?



Left side sounded muffled, volume got lower and hollow. A slight twist, everything sounds ok again.

Was considering the K mod to fix this problem.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Y




My pentaconn plugs made by @Whitigir stayed strong despite many plug unplug, sold them with my mdr-z7


----------



## nc8000

al91 said:


> I got a question, for the WM1A Japanese model, is there any difference between it and the international models in terms of sound quality?



Should be identical


----------



## gerelmx1986

endlesswaves said:


> Got mine used. Seller said the Furutech plug itself costs USD70+.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sounds exactly like the  Jack of my friend Fisher amp  whose solder points are beginning to fail  I had to twist to find x volume imbalance, this is a 6.3mm jack that is 20+ years old


----------



## NaiveSound

What week of October was the last year's update?


----------



## Whitigir

endlesswaves said:


> Got mine used. Seller said the Furutech plug itself costs USD70+.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





gerelmx1986 said:


> Sounds exactly like the  Jack of my friend Fisher amp  whose solder points are beginning to fail  I had to twist to find x volume imbalance, this is a 6.3mm jack that is 20+ years old



Yes, it’s sounds like a solder joint inside the plug.  The plug look great, and I have not seen counterfeit furutech 4.4mm , yet...don’t know if there are.

Have you tried other 4.4mm plugs ? If problems don’t exist, it is your cable plug solder joint


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> What week of October was the last year's update?




Are you talking about firmware update ?

Don’t know if there was one in October, there have been 4 upgrades since the players first came out


----------



## endlesswaves

Whitigir said:


> Yes, it’s sounds like a solder joint inside the plug.  The plug look great, and I have not seen counterfeit furutech 4.4mm , yet...don’t know if there are.
> 
> Have you tried other 4.4mm plugs ? If problems don’t exist, it is your cable plug solder joint



Yes the Sony MUC-M12SB1. Thanks. Trying it now. Not able to replicate that problem. It just happens 2-3 times a month.


----------



## al91

nc8000 said:


> Should be identical


hmmm i have been told by a friend that the international model sounds veiled as compared to the Japanese domestic sales model.  Is there anyone who can verify/debunk ? Am thinking of getting it.


----------



## nc8000

al91 said:


> hmmm i have been told by a friend that the international model sounds veiled as compared to the Japanese domestic sales model.  Is there anyone who can verify/debunk ? Am thinking of getting it.



Don’t know if anybody has access to both models and with similar levels of burn in


----------



## bflat

al91 said:


> hmmm i have been told by a friend that the international model sounds veiled as compared to the Japanese domestic sales model.  Is there anyone who can verify/debunk ? Am thinking of getting it.



Makes no sense for Sony to create different versions from a hardware perspective. Firmware, on the other hand. can vary due to regulatory reasons for the respective market. Perhaps your friend was comparing two different firmware versions.


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> Makes no sense for Sony to create different versions from a hardware perspective. Firmware, on the other hand. can vary due to regulatory reasons for the respective market. Perhaps your friend was comparing two different firmware versions.



As far as I know there is only one firmware for the whole world but the region code decides the feature set for each region


----------



## Whitigir

endlesswaves said:


> Yes the Sony MUC-M12SB1. Thanks. Trying it now. Not able to replicate that problem. It just happens 2-3 times a month.


The next thing you can do is to ask whoever provided you that cables, to take a look at the solder joints perhap ? Has the MUC-M12SB1 ever encountered the problem ?


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> As far as I know there is only one firmware for the whole world but the region code decides the feature set for each region


Probably he meant the older version vs newer ? There were changes in the sounds


----------



## endlesswaves

Whitigir said:


> The next thing you can do is to ask whoever provided you that cables, to take a look at the solder joints perhap ? Has the MUC-M12SB1 ever encountered the problem ?



Nope no problem at all but only used them like 2 months.


----------



## Whitigir

endlesswaves said:


> Nope no problem at all but only used them like 2 months.


Definitely ask the cable maker to check out the solder joints.  Or open it and look ? I would think that it is more like a solder joints


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Probably he meant the older version vs newer ? There were changes in the sounds



Ah yes. The sound did change with fw 2.0


----------



## endlesswaves

Whitigir said:


> Definitely ask the cable maker to check out the solder joints.  Or open it and look ? I would think that it is more like a solder joints





 
Don't know what to lookout for. Eye sight not good. See more detail in photo than my own eyes.


----------



## Whitigir

endlesswaves said:


> Don't know what to lookout for. Eye sight not good. See more detail in photo than my own eyes.



I see warranty seal.  That is fine, turn around so I can see the solder from wires to the joints, take a few more angled pictures.  Focus on the lower part of it, toward the bottom on your picture


----------



## endlesswaves

Whitigir said:


> I see warranty seal.  That is fine, turn around so I can see the solder from wires to the joints, take a few more angled pictures.  Focus on the lower part of it, toward the bottom on your picture




 

 Here you go.


----------



## syke

Cold solders do happen. If it can happen in semiconductor manufacturing, it can happen any where.


----------



## syke

endlesswaves said:


> Here you go.


Is that epoxy or glue within the heat shrink tubing? Looks gooey..


----------



## Whitigir

syke said:


> Is that epoxy or glue within the heat shrink tubing? Looks gooey..


Honestly, I can’t tell from the pictures


----------



## endlesswaves

syke said:


> Is that epoxy or glue within the heat shrink tubing? Looks gooey..



I have no idea. Not squishy or anything.


----------



## PCheung

syke said:


> Is that epoxy or glue within the heat shrink tubing? Looks gooey..



owned a few cable with Furutech rhodium plated plug, they are harder to solder on and go off easier than gold plated one
not only effect audio put some heat glue in the heat shrink, the local repair workshop here in HK also do


----------



## Whitigir

PCheung said:


> owned a few cable with Furutech rhodium plated plug, *they are harder to solder on* and go off easier than gold plated one
> not only effect audio put some heat glue in the heat shrink, the local repair workshop here in HK also do



I definitely agree with this.  Pentaconn is easier to work with.  Cold and weak solder joints could happen more with furutech plugs if cares were not taken to details.


----------



## PCheung (Sep 27, 2018)

i recommend the Bispa if you want some affordable also well made 4.4 plug
https://bispa.co.jp/1728
http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000112507/

this maker 'to-pura' OEM for Sony and NOBUNAGA Labs and so
http://www.to-pura.com/index.html
made in Japan, quality ensured
the same plug are already used by Fitear and ORB


----------



## bflat

Just an FYI for those with decent soldering skills, but never soldered Litz wire before - don't try unless you have a solder pot.


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 27, 2018)

bflat said:


> Just an FYI for those with decent soldering skills, but never soldered Litz wire before - don't try unless you have a solder pot.



Lol! People with decent soldering skills can work around many things...including Litz even without a pot.  You meant amateur level ?  It is true though, litz is harder to work with


----------



## bflat

Whitigir said:


> Lol! People with decent soldering skills can work around many things...including Litz even without a pot.  You meant amateur level ?  It is true though, litz is harder to work with



I was being nice.


----------



## syke

PCheung said:


> i recommend the Bispa if you want some affordable also well made 4.4 plug
> https://bispa.co.jp/1728
> http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000112507/
> 
> ...



I have a Bispa Duracon 4.4mm female connector for an extender, it's ok. But mainly because there are no other options available.


----------



## syke

Lesson. Don't skim on these components. Just go buy a couple of Pentaconn, and you can sleep easy at night.
If I am not wrong, even the 4.4mm males on the Sony cables aren't even Pentaconn.


----------



## proedros

al91 said:


> hmmm i have been told by a friend that the international model sounds veiled as compared to the Japanese domestic sales model.  Is there anyone who can verify/debunk ? Am thinking of getting it.



your friend also believes that aliens killed JFK , right ?

tell your friend to stop saying such thing , makes him look stupid

cheers


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 27, 2018)

syke said:


> Lesson. Don't skim on these components. Just go buy a couple of Pentaconn, and you can sleep easy at night.
> If I am not wrong, even the 4.4mm males on the Sony cables aren't even Pentaconn.



You and I have the same guess.  But I do think Sony had the deal with them so that they (and Kimber) could read and follow the design and data from Pentaconn.  I think the problem with 3rd party is because they don’t know the data of the Pentaconn design parameters

So I totally agree with you, Pentaconn if you can, and Furutech if you must.


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> your friend also believes that aliens killed JFK , right ?



When was the last time I read a good laugh from you ? Thanks for the laugh


----------



## PCheung

syke said:


> I have a Bispa Duracon 4.4mm female connector for an extender, it's ok. But mainly because there are no other options available.



I have a few converter made with Bispa jack and they work extremely well imo.

 

Honestly, nobody would expect the Bispa plug have the same quality as Pentaconn OFC, but it only cost around 15 USD or so and it is precisly made in Japan, why not?


Upper Bispa , below Pentaconn OFC


----------



## PCheung

Whitigir said:


> You and I have the same guess.  But I do think Sony had the deal with them so that they (and Kimber) could read and follow the design and data from Pentaconn.  I think the problem with 3rd party is because they don’t know the data of the Pentaconn design parameters
> 
> So I totally agree with you, Pentaconn if you can, and Furutech if you must.



Friendly reminder
The 4.4 is a JEIT standard - RC-8141C
Pentaconn is just a brand name, and all parameters are open to anyone.
http://www.ndics.com/en/products/pentaconn/
(but the U sharped female jack seems patented though)


----------



## Whitigir

PCheung said:


> Friendly reminder
> The 4.4 is a JEIT standard - RC-8141C
> Pentaconn is just a brand name, and all parameters are open to anyone.
> http://www.ndics.com/en/products/pentaconn/
> (but the U sharped female jack seems patented though)


 Nice find  and the female is always hard to get, and married to


----------



## syke

PCheung said:


> I have a few converter made with Bispa jack and they work extremely well imo.
> 
> 
> Honestly, nobody would expect the Bispa plug have the same quality as Pentaconn OFC, but it only cost around 15 USD or so and it is precisly made in Japan, why not?
> ...



Pricey stuff you got there. lol...
Not one but 2 Bispa to Furutech adaptors, one for 2.5mm and the other for 3.5mm. That's $115 a piece.


----------



## Whitigir

syke said:


> Pricey stuff you got there. lol...
> Not one but 2 Bispa to Furutech adaptors, one for 2.5mm and the other for 3.5mm. That's $115 a piece.


In this hobby, we go nuts for any performances gains....like Wm1A into Wm1Z


----------



## iron2k (Sep 27, 2018)

Trying out my Grado SR325e with my WM1A... very nice so far.
BTW I was looking here in head-fi to get an used WM1A and I ended up founding a new sealed WM1A for around $700 dlls online at a department store in Mexico .


----------



## Malevolint

Aw man I didn't think I'd have to worry about having a spec made connector. I bought two cables and spent 100 to have balanced connections and really don't want to spend more. Anyone see any obvious issues with these?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 27, 2018)

Look what arrived to my doorstep , thanks @purk


----------



## iron2k

gerelmx1986 said:


> Look what arrived to my doorstep


 nice


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 27, 2018)

Preliminary findings (fully burned by @purk thanks for this again ) .

They sound better than the Z7, like more clear, that Z7 veil is lifted. Those have bass presence but more controlled, not boomy. Mo crispy and foward mids, Highs seem like that of the Z7 or a bit more, for these i need to listen more and get a definitive review.

Stage is big, damn, like If i was sitting at 1st to 3rd row at a Berliner philharmoniker, wow

edit on stage hmm i am not sure how to define it: as if i  was listening to speakers on a big room or like being there live on a concert Hall. CPE Bach Harpsichord concerto H. 415


----------



## animalsrush

sne4me said:


> My cable is actually a sony branded kimber. apologies for the mistake



This happens to me maybe once in a while with Sony kimber cable for z1r but never with EA lionheart cable.. both have 4.4 mm connector. I assume the Sony connector is inferior

Pc


----------



## gerelmx1986

Time to let the slappa case go, it fit the MDR-Z7 fine, but the MDR-Z1R are just too big for it


----------



## Redcarmoose

_*Just a matter of two weeks till the Z5 gives up it's position to the IER-Z1R.*_


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mrcojocaru said:


> Aw man I didn't think I'd have to worry about having a spec made connector. I bought two cables and spent 100 to have balanced connections and really don't want to spend more. Anyone see any obvious issues with these?



Bigger is better with plugs I think. Those look great. Folks who have issues have maybe slightly bent their internal connection parts. That's the thing, bigger plug results more leverage to do damage.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Time to let the slappa case go, it fit the MDR-Z7 fine, but the MDR-Z1R are just too big for it



I use that case with my Z1R and have no problem with the size but it is a very snug fit and the cable has to be removed


----------



## syke

Any good portable case suggestions for the Z1R?


----------



## nc8000

syke said:


> Any good portable case suggestions for the Z1R?



I use the above Slappa and am happy with it


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I use that case with my Z1R and have no problem with the size but it is a very snug fit and the cable has to be removed


Thanks I will try again, I did remove cable, but feel it cannot zip closed, was thinking to give it to a friend


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks I will try again, I did remove cable, but feel it cannot zip closed, was thinking to give it to a friend



There is a lot of flex in the case and it will shut, but yes it is tight


----------



## NoMythsAudio

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks I will try again, I did remove cable, but feel it cannot zip closed, was thinking to give it to a friend


I use that case too and it fits. Cables removed and headband extension collapsed.


----------



## Love Music

hi, i am deciding to get either the kann or wm1a but can't decide wgich one to get..and cant find much comparisons of both players. whivh one has better sq?


----------



## linux4ever

Love Music said:


> hi, i am deciding to get either the kann or wm1a but can't decide wgich one to get..and cant find much comparisons of both players. whivh one has better sq?


I would go with wm1a just for the sound quality alone.

And that sumptuous bAttery life is an added bonus.


----------



## Love Music

linux4ever said:


> I would go with wm1a just for the sound quality alone.
> 
> And that sumptuous bAttery life is an added bonus.



in what way is the sq better may i ask?


----------



## linux4ever

The sound is so natural and very balanced. Brings out all the details without sounding dry or analytical. 

It is closer to reference and remains musical.

if needed,  the k-mod option from music sanctuary can be used for an extra cost to take it to the next level.

The 4.4 balanced is much better than 2.5mm balanced. More dynamic to my ears and better soundstage especially the width.

The physical dimebsions are also quite nice on wm1a. I've carried it in my shirt pocket. So not bulky or heavy.

And that battery life. It keeps playing and playing and....

Sony has really done it excellently with wm1a and wm1z.

And near mint wm1a can be obtained for U.S.$700, I would always recommend it.

But burn-in is definitely a factor with wm1a. I have never seen another player that change so significantly with burn-in.

At 200 hrs, at 400 hrs and at 500 hrs. After 400 hrs it just rocks.

I was pleasantly surprised. I've iwned and used unmodded and premium plus mod wm1a. Both were extremely fine dap.

Now I'm with wm1z to take it up to another higher level


----------



## teknorob23

sorry to side track the thread into old ground, but please can some one point me in the direction or help withe uncapping process for an EU 1z. 

Ive got this link https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNW , but i need something more slightly spoon feeding on how to actually do this using Mac OS. thanks in advance, Rob


----------



## nc8000

teknorob23 said:


> sorry to side track the thread into old ground, but please can some one point me in the direction or help withe uncapping process for an EU 1z.
> 
> Ive got this link https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNW , but i need something more slightly spoon feeding on how to actually do this using Mac OS. thanks in advance, Rob



You can’t. It’s a Windows only procedure


----------



## teknorob23

nc8000 said:


> You can’t. It’s a Windows only procedure



that makes life a little harder  I do have access to window's machine. Is it a simple process for someone uses a pc but isnt techie? thanks


----------



## Love Music

linux4ever said:


> The sound is so natural and very balanced. Brings out all the details without sounding dry or analytical.
> 
> It is closer to reference and remains musical.
> 
> ...



I see . thanks for the detailed reply.


----------



## nc8000

teknorob23 said:


> that makes life a little harder  I do have access to window's machine. Is it a simple process for someone uses a pc but isnt techie? thanks



I found it simple


----------



## Bart147

Love Music said:


> in what way is the sq better may i ask?





linux4ever said:


> The sound is so natural and very balanced. Brings out all the details without sounding dry or analytical.
> 
> It is closer to reference and remains musical.
> 
> ...


My experience and opinion are very similar to @linux4ever : I listened to the Kann for about 20 minutes before I got tired of the sterile sound it produced. The only plus about the Kann is storage capacity IMHO  . 
First i owned a used WM1A before I bought a new one (with a used WM1Z in between) , from that experience I know that the 1A indeed needs at least 100 hours to "open up"   and start to  show it's true potential . 
On both 1A and 1Z the balanced output sounds much better than  single ended , User interface is easy to adapt to and battery life is superior to any other DAP on the market .


----------



## Malevolint

Redcarmoose said:


> Bigger is better with plugs I think. Those look great. Folks who have issues have maybe slightly bent their internal connection parts. That's the thing, bigger plug results more leverage to do damage.




Aaah that makes total sense thank you. One of them is not a 90 degree angle plug so I'll have to be extra careful with it


----------



## Malevolint (Sep 28, 2018)

Love Music said:


> I see . thanks for the detailed reply.


I agree with everything he says. I used to have a Fiio X5 2ng gen. It's a pretty warm and musical dap. This, however, is very balanced and fill of clarity compared to my Fiio. I wasn't expecting for a dap to be so different in sound signature. I thought it would get more clear but that's it. I love it! And yes it does play forever. Definitely make sure you appreciate a balanced sound, though. It doesn't have a lot of warmth, but it's not analytical either.



Bart147 said:


> My experience and opinion are very similar to @linux4ever : I listened to the Kann for about 20 minutes before I got tired of the sterile sound it produced. The only plus about the Kann is storage capacity IMHO  .
> First i owned a used WM1A before I bought a new one (with a used WM1Z in between) , from that experience I know that the 1A indeed needs at least 100 hours to "open up"   and start to  show it's true potential .
> On both 1A and 1Z the balanced output sounds much better than  single ended , User interface is easy to adapt to and battery life is superior to any other DAP on the market .


I got my WM1A refurbished and I'm curious if the sound will change. I feel like it might have slightly, but it could be gazebos


----------



## Lavakugel

I got my new 4.4mm cable today and join club of balanced-boys 

Is it possible that it sounds quite damn good after 1 h


----------



## iron2k

Lavakugel said:


> I got my new 4.4mm cable today and join club of balanced-boys
> 
> Is it possible that it sounds quite damn good after 1 h


I'm still waiting for mines... a Toxic cables Virus and EA Thor II


----------



## Dizzle77

Any idea if Sony are planning on releasing the successor to the 1A anytime soon? Only reason I ask is that i’m thinking of getting one and have noticed that the price on Amazon UK has dropped by about £100 in the last few days. Just wondering if newer models are on the horizon


----------



## Redcarmoose

Lavakugel said:


> I got my new 4.4mm cable today and join club of balanced-boys
> 
> Is it possible that it sounds quite damn good after 1 h



It changes even in the first hour, but a big change starts to happen from the 1-50 hour mark. Then like everyone says, it changes at 100-200 and a big change from 200-400 hours. Enjoy!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Lavakugel said:


> I got my new 4.4mm cable today and join club of balanced-boys
> 
> Is it possible that it sounds quite damn good after 1 h


Wait till 200 hrs, then 400 hrs, then 1000 hrs
It keeps on improving, mine is now at 1,356 hrs and still improving 
The big improvement is around 200 hr and 400-500 hrs mark


----------



## gerelmx1986

New album


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 28, 2018)

linux4ever said:


> The sound is so natural and very balanced. Brings out all the details without sounding dry or analytical.
> 
> It is closer to reference and remains musical.
> 
> ...



I love my Sony NW- WM1A, but I'm currently taking a break to listen to my Questyle QP1R with my AKG K812 headphones, which is another fantastic combination.  You are right about the burn-in; I currently have about 715 hours on my 1A.  It is one of those perfect Synergy combinations, much like my Shure SRH1540 headphones are with my Sony.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 29, 2018)

Well it’s out......

My review of the DMP Z1
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-dmp-z1-digital-music-player-signature-series.23308/


Spoiler



Not really........I’m joking.....I would never buy one


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Well it’s out......
> 
> My review of the DMP Z1
> https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-dmp-z1-digital-music-player-signature-series.23308/
> ...



Don’t see any review, only a copy of all Sony’s marketing text


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 29, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Don’t see any review, only a copy of all Sony’s marketing text



Joking....I’m joking I would never buy one.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Joking....I’m joking I would never buy one.


Dude!

The DMP-Z1 is pretty exotic on the parts that they are using, but the price ....the price!!...I can’t even swallow the ideas


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Dude!
> 
> The DMP-Z1 is pretty exotic on the parts that they are using, but the price ....the price!!...I can’t even swallow the ideas



As we both know the TA amp was made by the regular amp engineering section of Sony Electronics. A super long history with lots of amp designs.....going back years and years. 

But now the Walkman Team get free tickets to make a portable/semi-portable device. I’m now thinking that it’s a marketing tool as the new Walkman could actually be simplified down. A smaller DMP-Z1 could emerge? I hope it sounds great! It maybe will sound great; and you have to give it to Sony for letting engineering go on unbridled. 

We may actually see a new Z1 MK2 with little or no features. Carved out of a single block of aluminum?


----------



## nc8000

Dizzle77 said:


> Any idea if Sony are planning on releasing the successor to the 1A anytime soon? Only reason I ask is that i’m thinking of getting one and have noticed that the price on Amazon UK has dropped by about £100 in the last few days. Just wondering if newer models are on the horizon



Nobody knows (or if they do they can’t tell), but many guess that something will come out next year to celebrate 40 years of Walkman


----------



## Lavakugel

Shouldn't I see playtime with SE and Balanced. I only see playtime together in settings....


----------



## nc8000

Lavakugel said:


> Shouldn't I see playtime with SE and Balanced. I only see playtime together in settings....



Only one counter so no way to see how much on each output


----------



## WindowsX

DMP-Z1 sounds great but it can't be used as a portable dap so I modded 1A model instead.


----------



## syke (Sep 29, 2018)

I only had a short time with the DMP-Z1 paired with the MDR-Z1R and they were limited to a few tracks I wasn't familiar with. But compared to the TA-ZH1ES, they resolve better and on a much bigger scale (It better well be). Did I like what I hear, yes of course. Was there the Wow factor? yes of course. Whether it is worth the price difference, I shan't comment, it was never in my sights anyway.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Lavakugel said:


> Shouldn't I see playtime with SE and Balanced. I only see playtime together in settings....


Yep, they sum it up in settings. So....you have to run it 200 hours balanced then 200 hours single-ended. Also if you reset the player to a factory reset you erase your time played. Most of us simply played the player and kept track of the side which fit the headphone we were using. But because of different capacitors had to start over counting if we went to the other side as one board is on the back and another on the front, and both need burn in 200 hours minimum.


----------



## Redcarmoose

WindowsX said:


> DMP-Z1 sounds great but it can't be used as a portable dap so I modded 1A model instead.



That’s what I’m saying; there will be an evolution here maybe. If not from Sony; from someone like you. The TA amp is great with most of my headphones, but it is slighly different than the treble sparkle which comes from the 1Z. 

What would you expect the TA and 1Z are two different amps; even though Sony pushes one signature sound, it’s simply not exactly true to a point. Yes, they both have warm and smooth sound, but they are two different amps made by two different departments of Sony Engineering. 

At times some headphones sound better on the 1Z due to the treble spike, though most of the time, 90% the TA rules.


----------



## Redcarmoose

WindowsX said:


> DMP-Z1 sounds great but it can't be used as a portable dap so I modded 1A model instead.



To me it’s astounding that Sony would leave the 1Z and promote a very different concept. Most of the time in construction and company marketing; there ends up a refinement of technology. Companies don’t just throw concepts away right away unless there is a good reason.


----------



## nanaholic

Redcarmoose said:


> To me it’s astounding that Sony would leave the 1Z and promote a very different concept. Most of the time in construction and company marketing; there ends up a refinement of technology. Companies don’t just throw concepts away right away unless there is a good reason.



Firstly, the DMP-Z1 is not a Walkman, secondly the engineers admitted that the 1Z is currently the best they can do in that specific size and form factor. So it's not that surprising that they leave the box to try something else hoping to learn something new in the process. I for one hope the new H-shaped chassis can make it to the next Walkman to achieve complete EMI separation between digital block and the analogue block, that looks like something that could trickle down when they can figure out how to miniaturise its application.


----------



## WindowsX

Glad to see people liking my mod. Easier way to handle EMI from inductor to output caps is changing from standing vertical caps to smaller horizontal tantalum caps. You can greatly reduce surface area to be affected with EMI and improve caps quality at the same time without shielding required.


----------



## duaned

So who has gone from the ZX300 to the 1A and are happy with the return on investment?


----------



## WindowsX

duaned said:


> So who has gone from the ZX300 to the 1A and are happy with the return on investment?



I heard both and I must say both are good for its price. ZX300 seems to have better price / performance ratio but some parts in 1A will let you know it's one of better DAPs to keep for a long while.


----------



## Lookout57

duaned said:


> So who has gone from the ZX300 to the 1A and are happy with the return on investment?


I started with a WM1Z for serious listening and the ZX300 for commuting. To me the ZX300 was a huge upgrade from my OPUS#2 at half the cost. But I felt it lacking compared to the WM1Z so I bought the WM1A for commuting and gave the ZX300 to my wife. 

I've found that the WM1A has a larger soundstage, more details and better bass than the ZX300. For the money the WM1A is a steal as it can compete against other DAP brands costing twice as much. But the WM1Z is to me the ultimate DAP as it sounds significantly better than the WM1A in regards to details and low end slam. Also with the WM1Z I feel the soundstage is the same width but much deeper, more 3 dimensional. But remember it's 2.5X the cost of the WM1A. So the ROI on the WM1A over the ZX300 is a no brainer to me.


----------



## proedros

thermo-nuclear LSD jazz on WM1A sounds quite good


----------



## l1tchi

Had one before, only worth it if u choose to use the 4.4(and still sounds weird)


----------



## NaiveSound

I use 4.4 on 1z, never bothered with 3. 5mm  so not worth burning the battery for the 3.5mm side


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 29, 2018)

Guys any experience on the wm1a reboot loop? a friend here in head fi has one ATM, im asking this because im worried, any xp on this issue?


----------



## linux4ever

Lookout57 said:


> I started with a WM1Z for serious listening and the ZX300 for commuting. To me the ZX300 was a huge upgrade from my OPUS#2 at half the cost. But I felt it lacking compared to the WM1Z so I bought the WM1A for commuting and gave the ZX300 to my wife.
> 
> I've found that the WM1A has a larger soundstage, more details and better bass than the ZX300. For the money the WM1A is a steal as it can compete against other DAP brands costing twice as much. But the WM1Z is to me the ultimate DAP as it sounds significantly better than the WM1A in regards to details and low end slam. Also with the WM1Z I feel the soundstage is the same width but much deeper, more 3 dimensional. But remember it's 2.5X the cost of the WM1A. So the ROI on the WM1A over the ZX300 is a no brainer to me.


My experience mirror these impressions.


----------



## NaiveSound

I want the fw update. 

Do any Sony products offer gapless playback ? What are the odds of it being released for 1a/1z?


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> I want the fw update.
> 
> Do any Sony products offer gapless playback ? What are the odds of it being released for 1a/1z?


Yes they do gapless, but only with lossless files


----------



## Kira69

NaiveSound said:


> I want the fw update.
> 
> Do any Sony products offer gapless playback ? What are the odds of it being released for 1a/1z?


Every DAP should have gapless playback. Of course, every Walkman starting from NW-A series have gapless playback.


----------



## NaiveSound

Kira69 said:


> Every DAP should have gapless playback. Of course, every Walkman starting from NW-A series have gapless playback.


I mean like fade in and out between tracks... No pause.


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> I mean like fade in and out between tracks... No pause.



Gapless means seemless play with no gap between tracks, nothing about fade in and out. The NW players have perfect gapless


----------



## haarvi

In deleting albums from my 1Z, I find that I have to delete each of the songs in the album
individually.
Is there a simpler way to delete an entire album ?


----------



## Quadfather

nc8000 said:


> Gapless means seemless play with no gap between tracks, nothing about fade in and out. The NW players have perfect gapless



Yes they do! The Paw gold plays FLAC gaplessly, but not Apple Lossless


----------



## gerelmx1986

haarvi said:


> In deleting albums from my 1Z, I find that I have to delete each of the songs in the album
> individually.
> Is there a simpler way to delete an entire album ?


by browsing the D card or system storage file browsers and deleting the entire Folder


----------



## proedros

haarvi said:


> In deleting albums from my 1Z, I find that I have to delete each of the songs in the album
> individually.
> Is there a simpler way to delete an entire album ?



press your finger on the album title/folder in the music folder you have stored it

you get a delete album option that way


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Gapless means seemless play with no gap between tracks, nothing about fade in and out. The NW players have perfect gapless


Yes they do but not with lossy 

In fact I am playing right now an album that must be played back gap less


----------



## NaiveSound

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes they do but not with lossy
> 
> In fact I am playing right now an album that must be played back gap less


Exactly


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Redcarmoose said:


> Well it’s out......
> 
> My review of the DMP Z1
> https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-dmp-z1-digital-music-player-signature-series.23308/
> ...


Dang it, I got taken in!


----------



## Whitigir

hamhamhamsta said:


> Dang it, I got taken in!


I know you would, and so did I.  But if I am willing to bet anyone to get the DMP-Z1 here, it would be you .  I do think though, the 40th Walkman anniversary will be good


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> I know you would, and so did I.  But if I am willing to bet anyone to get the DMP-Z1 here, it would be you .  I do think though, the 40th Walkman anniversary will be good






I do have expensive cables but everyone has their ceiling. And the price of the DMP-Z1 puts me to the left in the chart above. 


......... but you know what’s going to happen here right? 

A member IS going to buy one and tell us all about it in verbose and dreamy adjectives.


----------



## Quadfather

Redcarmoose said:


> I do have expensive cables but everyone has their ceiling. And the price of the DMP-Z1 puts me to the left in the chart above.
> 
> 
> ......... but you know what’s going to happen here right?
> ...



I wonder when the news of the new Walkmans will come???  Same machines with 50% to 100% more power and slightly faster interface would be perfect.  I don't even want their appearance to change...


----------



## syke (Sep 30, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> I wonder when the news of the new Walkmans will come???  Same machines with 50% to 100% more power and slightly faster interface would be perfect.  I don't even want their appearance to change...



I would rather the new ones come out at least 2 years later. I don't see a need for a new revision, and with the most anticipated firmware coming out next month that addresses most of my needs. I am more than happy to stay status quo.
For them delving in other projects like the DMP-Z1, spreading their breadth, exploring new frontiers is what I would like to see more of.
It would also be beneficial for Sony to milk as much financially on the R&D and manufacturing spent on these current WM models. Unless of course if they are seeing dips in sales figures and/or the competition is getting a huge leg up on them, then that's a different story. But at this point I don't see anyone else doing anything that is of a real threat.

Besides, I deplore the business strategies that Astell & Kern has for their DAPs, constantly churning out new models, irking their own loyal consumer base. I would rather Sony not do that.


----------



## Quadfather (Sep 30, 2018)

syke said:


> I would rather the new ones come out at least 2 years later. I don't see a need for a new revision, and with the most anticipated firmware coming out next month that addresses most of my needs. I am more than happy to stay status quo.
> For them delving in other projects like the DMP-Z1, spreading their breadth, exploring new frontiers is what I would like to see more of.
> It would also be beneficial for Sony to milk as much financially on the R&D and manufacturing spent on these current WM models. Unless of course if they are seeing dips in sales figures and/or the competition is getting a huge leg up on them, then that's a different story. But at this point I don't see anyone else doing anything that is of a real threat.
> 
> Besides, I deplore the business strategies that Astell & Kern has for their DAPs, constantly churning out new models, irking their own loyal consumer base. I would rather Sony not do that.



I'm totally happy with the current edition. That was just a suggestion as to what they could do if they wanted to "upgrade it."  I am way more happy with Sony, Questyle, and Lotoo. I can't stand Astel & Kern.  I sent an AK240SS back, because its battery life stunk, and it was the most underpowered DAP I've ever had


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quadfather said:


> I wonder when the news of the new Walkmans will come???  Same machines with 50% to 100% more power and slightly faster interface would be perfect.  I don't even want their appearance to change...





syke said:


> I would rather the new ones come out at least 2 years later. I don't see a need for a new revision, and with the most anticipated firmware coming out next month that addresses most of my needs. I am more than happy to stay status quo.
> For them delving in other projects like the DMP-Z1, spreading their breadth, exploring new frontiers is what I would like to see more of.
> It would also be beneficial for Sony to milk as much financially on the R&D and manufacturing spent on these current WM models. Unless of course if they are seeing dips in sales figures and/or the competition is getting a huge leg up on them, then that's a different story. But at this point I don't see anyone else doing anything that is of a real threat.
> 
> Besides, I deplore the business strategies that Astell & Kern has for their DAPs, constantly churning out new models, irking their own loyal consumer base. I would rather Sony not do that.



Look at the industry of DAPs. FiiO comes out with new products pretty fast. A&K have been making a bunch of releases. Still the UI and general feel of other DAPs I have tested don’t seem exciting. As we read there could be better sounding DAPs out already; though it’s a subjective stance. 

This has been two long years for Sony, and even though I don’t have experience with the stuff they made and named Sony Walkmans before 2016; I kinda think the 1Z and 1A are different. They are maybe different to the point of being revolutionary? But this is just speculation on my part. 

I would be fine just holding on to my Sony DAPs and simply upgrading the sound by getting and experiencing new IEMs. There may be a small issue or two with the firmware, but the DAPs are 99% perfect. I don’t need any more power. They could be smaller.....strangely the 1Z still feels absolutely heavy. But I’ll be the guy with these old DAPs years from now. They do what I always wanted. 

In some science fiction world, there could be a future DAP that has the sound quality of a full flagship desk-top amp; but I don’t foresee that anytime soon? 

Still Sony was in the red for so long, and the Signature Series is a bright statement about their health. They could always surprise us with new super exciting DAPs with features we never dreamed we had to have? 

That was how the old Sony did it!


----------



## nc8000

I can not see myself upgrading to anything else until my 1Z dies, hopefully many years down the road.


----------



## Quadfather

nc8000 said:


> I can not see myself upgrading to anything else until my 1Z dies, hopefully many years down the road.



I am saving


----------



## NaiveSound

While new to me, something about the 1z is starting to look dated.


----------



## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> While new to me, something about the 1z is starting to look dated.



It just looks perfect to me.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Love my WM1A paired with my Z1R, They smooth the harshness of music and the same time sound very 3d and spacious. Very musical


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> While new to me, something about the 1z is starting to look dated.



Go try some other players, then you’ll be happy to come home.


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> While new to me, something about the 1z is starting to look dated.


My WM1A looks dated and prehistoric with the Walkman retro case from Dignis . But it looks modern and flashy with no case


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> I do have expensive cables but everyone has their ceiling. And the price of the DMP-Z1 puts me to the left in the chart above.
> 
> 
> ......... but you know what’s going to happen here right?
> ...


make an effort and buy, for all the guys that will never have it here like me!


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> Go try some other players, then you’ll be happy to come home.


Oh I love the sound is why I'm here , just saying , it's the case with most electronics


----------



## gerelmx1986

Tested the slappa case fit on the Z1R's and yeah, they do fit, it is a pretty tight fit though. Thanks @nc8000 for the remark regarding the fit


----------



## syke

gerelmx1986 said:


> My WM1A looks dated and prehistoric with the Walkman retro case from Dignis . But it looks modern and flashy with no case



I think it is safe to generalise that Sony designs tend to be on built around practicality and the design cues are rather simplistic, safe, with that 80's/90s feel. 
To give credit when credit is due, A&K or Korean designs tend to push the envelope a little more. It might not be to the taste of the general population, but they are definitely refreshing.

Japanese manufacturers bloomed in the 80s, then came the Koreans by the turn of the century. I wonder how the Chinese manufacturers will take this forward.

And before anyone goes around saying Chinese products suck... This used to be the exact same situation with the Japanese and Koreans. Everyone started off making copies and cheap variations of everything.

Remember all the crappy Goldstar (aka LG), Samsung, Hyundai products...


----------



## SoundSquare (Sep 30, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> I mean like fade in and out between tracks... No pause.



You odn't mean gapless you mean crossfade. There is no crossfade on most high end players as it's imply impossible when playing tracks with different bitrate, unless you downsample or upsample everything and that's not somehting you wanna do.


----------



## Whitigir

I don’t know, to me Stax is still the best out there .  Stax is totally Japan 


syke said:


> I think it is safe to generalise that Sony designs tend to be on built around practicality and the design cues are rather simplistic, safe, with that 80's/90s feel.
> To give credit when credit is due, A&K or Korean designs tend to push the envelope a little more. It might not be to the taste of the general population, but they are definitely refreshing.
> 
> Japanese manufacturers bloomed in the 80s, then came the Koreans by the turn of the century. I wonder how the Chinese manufacturers will take this forward.
> ...


----------



## syke (Sep 30, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Tested the slappa case fit on the Z1R's and yeah, they do fit, it is a pretty tight fit though. Thanks @nc8000 for the remark regarding the fit


Saw the Slappa, I don't think I want to squeezing and shoving my Z1R into it. Think I might just get a Pelican. At least I know nothing could ever go wrong with that sort of protection. Besides, the only time I will be taking the Z1R out is when I am going on a long trip of more than a week.

How about storage at home? I dread using a handphone stand, due to what it does to the headband over long periods of time. I am looking a for a soft bag, whether fleece or velvet, but subtle, lofty and soft enough to provide minimal protection and prevent dust collection.


----------



## syke

Whitigir said:


> I don’t know, to me Stax is still the best out there .  Stax is totally Japan



That's the futuristic theme and look in the 80's..


----------



## gerelmx1986

syke said:


> Saw the Slappa, I don't think I want to squeezing and shoving my Z1R into it. Think I might just get a Pelican. At least I know nothing could ever go wrong with that sort of protection. Besides, the only time I will be taking the Z1R out is when I am going on a long trip of more than a week.
> 
> How about storage at home? I dread using a handphone stand, due to what it does to the headband over long periods of time. I am looking a for a soft bag, whether fleece or velvet, but subtle, lofty and soft enough to provide minimal protection and prevent dust collection.


It is not like you are crushing the Z1R's when you shut the slappa closed. Just the zipper thingy flexe and provides just the enough room to fit the Z1R with no more room to spare, but it is not a headphone crusher


----------



## nc8000

syke said:


> Saw the Slappa, I don't think I want to squeezing and shoving my Z1R into it. Think I might just get a Pelican. At least I know nothing could ever go wrong with that sort of protection. Besides, the only time I will be taking the Z1R out is when I am going on a long trip of more than a week.
> 
> How about storage at home? I dread using a handphone stand, due to what it does to the headband over long periods of time. I am looking a for a soft bag, whether fleece or velvet, but subtle, lofty and soft enough to provide minimal protection and prevent dust collection.



The Slappa case has plenty of flex in it so no problem at all with the Z1R. At Home I just have them hanging on a wideish hook on the wall, no problem after 1 1/2 years


----------



## NaiveSound

SoundSquare said:


> You odn't mean gapless you mean crossfade. There is no crossfade on most high end players as it's imply impossible when playing tracks with different bitrate, unless you downsample or upsample everything and that's not somehting you wanna do.




Thanks for clarifying  I appreciate it


----------



## mozilla77

Do you guys keep 1Z plugged in to the power source during the burn-in? I feel like I need to put more hours on the balanced output when not using it.
I also have the 'optimum charge' option checked which goes to 90% fully charged.

Sorry if I miss any comments on the previous thread. Thanks.


----------



## syke

gerelmx1986 said:


> It is not like you are crushing the Z1R's when you shut the slappa closed. Just the zipper thingy flexe and provides just the enough room to fit the Z1R with no more room to spare, but it is not a headphone crusher





nc8000 said:


> The Slappa case has plenty of flex in it so no problem at all with the Z1R. At Home I just have them hanging on a wideish hook on the wall, no problem after 1 1/2 years



Alright, I will take your word for it, and order one. Just to confirm, it is this model in the picture below?
Not sure about the color, but I suppose it will blend in well with the WM1Z.


----------



## nc8000

syke said:


> Alright, I will take your word for it, and order one. Just to confirm, it is this model in the picture below?
> Not sure about the color, but I suppose it will blend in well with the WM1Z.



Yep that’s the one. Mine’s charcoal grey


----------



## syke

nc8000 said:


> Yep that’s the one. Mine’s charcoal grey



I saw something similar to the Slappa. It is the Mr.Speakers case. Would the Z1R sit comfortably in it?


----------



## nc8000

syke said:


> I saw something similar to the Slappa. It is the Mr.Speakers case. Would the Z1R sit comfortably in it?



No idea


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Picked up a pair of XBA-Z5 while on a work trip a few days ago. Found them at the Sony store at Changi Airport (Singapore) at 50% off. Hesitated for a second and grabbed them.

Used them for the last 3 days and I must say that I'm loving them. On my WM1A, they feel more energetic than the Witch Girl Pro and Dita Brass and aren't as dark as either. What comes to mind is "crisp".  But they have a better bass than either the IT04 or the E5000. However the way the cables fit is annoying though and take getting used to.

It's probably psychological but they feel more "aligned" to the Sony sound I'm expecting and thus seem to pair better with the WM1A than the others, which seem to impart more of the individual IEM's own signature. However, they don't come across as "smooth". Not rough or anything, just not "smooth" the way the Dita are. Hope a little burn in will help.


----------



## stenog

syke said:


> I saw something similar to the Slappa. It is the Mr.Speakers case. Would the Z1R sit comfortably in it?



No doesn't fit, the Z1R is too big.


----------



## syke

stenog said:


> No doesn't fit, the Z1R is too big.


Thanks!


----------



## NaiveSound

In anticipation of the update, 
What are things of quality I need to connect my note 8(usb type c) to the 1z proprietary connector to use the USB DAC option that is getting me hard?


----------



## animalsrush

nc8000 said:


> Yep that’s the one. Mine’s charcoal grey



Are you talking about this.. ? I am thinking of getting one but looks tight

https://smile.amazon.com/Slappa-Ful...1p1QMLsVgL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch&th=1

Pc


----------



## Redcarmoose

syke said:


> I think it is safe to generalise that Sony designs tend to be on built around practicality and the design cues are rather simplistic, safe, with that 80's/90s feel.
> To give credit when credit is due, A&K or Korean designs tend to push the envelope a little more. It might not be to the taste of the general population, but they are definitely refreshing.
> 
> Japanese manufacturers bloomed in the 80s, then came the Koreans by the turn of the century. I wonder how the Chinese manufacturers will take this forward.
> ...



So true in the seventies they called it Jap-cra#p. But by the early eighties Japanese cars were already known for reliability. Then in 82 I purchased a Samsung integrated amp, due to being good and dirt cheap. First I had ever seen the Samsung name; now my house is full of Samsung stuff. Still I’m pretty sure there is a deep deep difference between Japanese products and Chinese products which may never change?


----------



## gerelmx1986

animalsrush said:


> Are you talking about this.. ? I am thinking of getting one but looks tight
> 
> https://smile.amazon.com/Slappa-Full-Sized-HardBody-Headphone-Protection/dp/B009NE7B06/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1538359269&sr=8-3&keywords=slappa+headphones+case&dpID=61p1QMLsVgL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch&th=1
> 
> Pc


Yes that one


----------



## Quadfather

syke said:


> Saw the Slappa, I don't think I want to squeezing and shoving my Z1R into it. Think I might just get a Pelican. At least I know nothing could ever go wrong with that sort of protection. Besides, the only time I will be taking the Z1R out is when I am going on a long trip of more than a week.
> 
> How about storage at home? I dread using a handphone stand, due to what it does to the headband over long periods of time. I am looking a for a soft bag, whether fleece or velvet, but subtle, lofty and soft enough to provide minimal protection and prevent dust collection.



Pelican cases are awesome. They guarantee waterproof and Total Protection.


----------



## echineko

Spoiler






Redcarmoose said:


> So true in the seventies they called it Jap-cra#p. But by the early eighties Japanese cars were already known for reliability. Then in 82 I purchased a Samsung integrated amp, due to being good and dirt cheap. First I had ever seen the Samsung name; now my house is full of Samsung stuff. Still I’m pretty sure there is a deep deep difference between Japanese products and Chinese products which may never change?





And then there's the Korean brands...


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Whitigir said:


> I know you would, and so did I.  But if I am willing to bet anyone to get the DMP-Z1 here, it would be you .  I do think though, the 40th Walkman anniversary will be good


Nice bait; if anyone gonna get DMP-Z1, it's probably you or purk


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 1, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> Pelican cases are awesome. They guarantee waterproof and Total Protection.





 



If you have a big enough case, and live in a climate that is humid; you put these inside the Pelican case and take them out every two-four days, plug them into a wall socket to heat them up and remove the water they absorbed. Works like a charm, a lot of work though.


----------



## Malevolint

Redcarmoose said:


> Yep, they sum it up in settings. So....you have to run it 200 hours balanced then 200 hours single-ended. Also if you reset the player to a factory reset you erase your time played. Most of us simply played the player and kept track of the side which fit the headphone we were using. But because of different capacitors had to start over counting if we went to the other side as one board is on the back and another on the front, and both need burn in 200 hours minimum.


Dang so if you factory reset, you have to start your burn in all the way over? (Kidding )


----------



## iron2k

I have a pair of MEEletroniccs M6 Pro that I no longer use, but this makes a good carrying case


----------



## animalsrush (Oct 1, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> Pelican cases are awesome. They guarantee waterproof and Total Protection.



Is it pelican 1120?


----------



## Malevolint

Why is the 1z so heavy? Just looked it up and it's a full pound, or .45 kg! That's insane. I thought the 1a was heavy lol


----------



## linux4ever

Because of copper body. It's a solid block of copper. And gold plated to prevent copper oxidization.


----------



## sne4me

NaiveSound said:


> In anticipation of the update,
> What are things of quality I need to connect my note 8(usb type c) to the 1z proprietary connector to use the USB DAC option that is getting me hard?



Are you doing audio out via usb-c? if so, you get the WMC-NWH10

Of course you could always do the bluetooth to wm1a/z after the update!!!!


----------



## sne4me

Quadfather said:


> Pelican cases are awesome. They guarantee waterproof and Total Protection.



if you have to scuttle your yacht, well at least you can use your headphones as a floaty.. please dont count on them to keep u alive when you sail directly into the hurricane


----------



## Quadfather

sne4me said:


> if you have to scuttle your yacht, well at least you can use your headphones as a floaty.. please dont count on them to keep u alive when you sail directly into the hurricane



I'm safe LOL. I can't stand boating.


----------



## Quadfather (Oct 2, 2018)

animalsrush said:


> Is it pelican 1120?



A 1400 case.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 2, 2018)

Mrcojocaru said:


> Why is the 1z so heavy? Just looked it up and it's a full pound, or .45 kg! That's insane. I thought the 1a was heavy lol


Not only is it heavy, but copper is extremely soft. It’s like making a DAP out of play-doe or clay. The 1A is very low weight in comparison, and I’m pretty sure the aluminum is harder. The 1Z is so heavy it attempts to persuade you not to take it anywhere; which is a good thing. Lol


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I wonder when there is a threatening situation in the house would the audiophile with WM run out first with it and leave everyone else inside.
1Z is a beautiful peace of technology and luckily it didn’t $4000 mark. But hopefully TOTL time will stay at this price while I can see transportable daps surpassing it. Who would of thought Sony would come out with the DMP player after all these years





Redcarmoose said:


> Not only is it heavy, but copper is extremely soft. It’s like making a DAP out of play-doe or clay. The 1A is very low weight in comparison, and I’m pretty sure the aluminum is harder. The 1Z is so heavy it attempts to persuade you not to take it anywhere; which is a good thing. Lol


----------



## NaiveSound

Did Sony say 1z is best they can do at this footprint?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 2, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> Did Sony say 1z is best they can do at this footprint?



That’s why the DMP-Z1 is bigger; it had to be to sound better. It’s all they can pack into the 1Z form factor at this point.

https://www.sony.com/electronics/walkman/dmp-z1


----------



## Malevolint (Oct 2, 2018)

linux4ever said:


> Because of copper body. It's a solid block of copper. And gold plated to prevent copper oxidization.



Ah I see. I'm sad because that makes it not very portable, which the WM1A is already struggling to be. If I wear my basketball shorts it makes them sag down my ass . Not that I should even be thinking about this.. just got the 1a a month ago.



Redcarmoose said:


> Not only is it heavy, but copper is extremely soft. It’s like making a DAP out of play-doe or clay. The 1A is very low weight in comparison, and I’m pretty sure the aluminum is harder. The 1Z is so heavy it attempts to persuade you not to take it anywhere; which is a good thing. Lol



I love taking my dap for a walk though lol. I take my WM1A everywhere . It definitely feels sturdy. I don't have a case on mine, just a glass screen protector. Pretty sure it would dent whatever concrete it falls onto.


----------



## Quadfather

Mrcojocaru said:


> Ah I see. I'm sad because that makes it not very portable, which the WM1A is already struggling to be. If I wear my basketball shorts it makes them sag down my ass . Not that I should even be thinking about this.. just got the 1a a month ago.
> 
> 
> 
> I love taking my dap for a walk though lol. I take my WM1A everywhere . It definitely feels sturdy. I don't have a case on mine, just a glass screen protector. Pretty sure it would dent whatever concrete it falls onto.



I would at least put a gel case on it


----------



## Quadfather (Oct 2, 2018)

Do Sennheiser HD650 headphones go better with the Sony NW - WM1Z or the Sony NW - WM1A?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> Do Sennheiser HD650 headphones go better with the Sony NW - WM1Z or the Sony NW - WM1A?


I would say WM1Z as they are said to be bright and fatiguing, for example i think my WM1A is a perfect match for the MDR-Z1R, which are darker in sound


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> I would say WM1Z as they are said to be bright and fatiguing, for example i think my WM1A is a perfect match for the MDR-Z1R, which are darker in sound


Yes, the Z1R is maybe slightly better from the flat mid-centered sound of the 1A over the 1Z. But the next day it was different? One thing that stays consistent is the overall better sound of the Sony TA amp with the Z1R. So that makes me think the 1A is simply cleaning up the bass detail over the 1Z except neither have the damping factor of the TA, which 3 dementionitizes the bass soundstage; as well as tidies it up.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I would say WM1Z as they are said to be bright and fatiguing, for example i think my WM1A is a perfect match for the MDR-Z1R, which are darker in sound



That is the first time I’ve heard HD650 described as bright and fatiguing


----------



## purk

nc8000 said:


> That is the first time I’ve heard HD650 described as bright and fatiguing



Same here.  The HD650 has long been considered a warm and bassy headphones.  When they are properly driven, man they are pretty spectacular.  I would pick the 1A to go along with the HD650.


----------



## Quadfather

purk said:


> Same here.  The HD650 has long been considered a warm and bassy headphones.  When they are properly driven, man they are pretty spectacular.  I would pick the 1A to go along with the HD650.



I enjoy the 650s out of the 1A, but I've never heard them out of the 1Z.  They could go up a little louder, but they still sound very good.


----------



## NaiveSound

Where do I check if the new update is out ?


----------



## pietcux

You might want to check the HD660S. It is easier to drive and comes with a Pentacon terminated cable. I can use that cable on both the HD650 and the HD660S now. I prefer the HD660S as it sounds more dynamic out of a DAP. On my HDVA 600 amp they still sound different, but the HD650 can nearly be as dynamic as the HD660S.


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> Where do I check if the new update is out ?



Install the Sony Support app on your smartphone and you will get notifications. Nothing yet


----------



## nanaholic (Oct 4, 2018)

Looks like Sony China is the one charging out the gate with the new firmware.

http://m.service.sony.com.cn/download.html?dpath=/data/download/92203.xml&locationback=-2

The new firmware with will take the device to version 3.0.
I'm not home at the moment but I've already seen Hong Kong owners successfully updated, and there are reports that the DAC/BT receiver function has no delays/out of sync issues which should be great news.

EDIT: JP link is up
https://www.sony.jp/walkman/update/WM1.html


----------



## JML (Oct 4, 2018)

The US Sony site has new versions of the user manual and help guide referring to the v.3.0 firmware update, but the update itself isn't out.  https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/digital-music-players-nw-wm-series/nw-wm1a#/downloadTab

This is what they say about 3.0 in the help guide:

The Bluetooth Receiver function has been added.
Vinyl Processor has been added to the sound quality settings.
Digital Peak Meter has been added to the layout options for the playback screen.
A function for manually adding cover art images to albums has been added.
The USB-DAC function has been added.


----------



## sne4me

Great! its lke christmas come early..

Get your FW 3.0 now!


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> Looks like Sony China is the one charging out the gate with the new firmware.
> 
> http://m.service.sony.com.cn/download.html?dpath=/data/download/92203.xml&locationback=-2
> 
> ...



It has not turned up in the Sony Support app yet. What has turned up is a usb driver for Windows for use with the NW players. The funny bit is that this notification is dated 23rd October 2017


----------



## cpetrillo

I just updated mine and am already broadcasting by bluetooth from my mac to my 1a


----------



## moondabor (Oct 4, 2018)

These make a great pairing https://twitter.com/MinhP765/status/1047733099465822209


----------



## tieuly1

they had delay but a little


----------



## NickleCo

3.00 update is now out folks


----------



## NickleCo (Oct 4, 2018)

What I noticed after updating:
-less warm
-better ADSR and PRaT
-New playback screen (Digital peak meter)
-wider stage and better imaging
-BT Reciever, not so noticable delay when playing tidal but is pretty noticable when playing youtube vids
-Vinyl processor (dont have any comment on this yet)

Note that all of these are tested with direct source off, eq off, volume normalizer one, DSEE HX (Standard), DC Phase (Type A Standard). And like with everything on the internet, take it with a grain of salt  Good'day y'all!.


----------



## Snowball0906

I've updated to the new firmware but my mac, iphone and WM1A couldn't detect each other through bluetooth. Anyone facing the same issue?


----------



## Snowball0906

Ahh. I forgot to turn on the bluetooth receiver. > <" Sorry


----------



## NickleCo

UPDATE: Restarting the youtube app fixed the weird delay


----------



## Snowball0906

DatDudeNic said:


> What I noticed after updating:
> -less warm
> -better ADSR and PRaT
> -New playback screen (Digital peak meter)
> ...



Agreed that there's better imaging and wider soundstage. The placement seems to be improved as well. Do u think it's slightly more laid back?


----------



## officeboy20

Can anyone confirm if the USB DAC feature is working if the WM1Z/A is in the walkman cradle? Thanks


----------



## Nostoi

Hello all, I plan on getting the WM1A, can anyone confirm the following:

1. Does it handle 400gb cards ok?
2. Can someone confirm the output on the SE output? I've read it's about 57mw, which sounds a bit feeble to me. I know the balanced has more output.

Many thanks.


----------



## Kervsky

officeboy20 said:


> Can anyone confirm if the USB DAC feature is working if the WM1Z/A is in the walkman cradle? Thanks



Yes it does hehehehe


----------



## Dtuck90

First thing that’s instantly noticeable from the update is the soundstage. WOW. Going to try the USB DAC now with my iPad Pro


----------



## blazinblazin

I guess this marks the completion of WM1 series.


----------



## Dtuck90

Delay is there with videos but aside from that it sounds great


----------



## nanaholic

For those who wants to display cover art for files like wav dff etc, you need to place the picture (baseline jpg or non-interlace png,  no larger than 4096 px x 4096 px) in the folder and then rename the cover art file with the same name as the folder. Once you've done that it will show up.


----------



## siruspan

And now there are also streaming services


----------



## NickleCo

Snowball0906 said:


> Agreed that there's better imaging and wider soundstage. The placement seems to be improved as well. Do u think it's slightly more laid back?


I wouldnt really say its laid back tbh i think its abit more upfront now.


----------



## NickleCo

DatDudeNic said:


> I wouldnt really say its laid back tbh i think its abit more upfront now.


Ah wait i take it back on some tracks it sounds abit laidback while on some its quite forward, for treble heavy tracks it sounds abit more forward.


----------



## pietcux

This update comes via MediaGo too. Nice and easy.


----------



## Blueoris

JML said:


> The US Sony site has new versions of the user manual and help guide referring to the v.3.0 firmware update, but the update itself isn't out.  https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/digital-music-players-nw-wm-series/nw-wm1a#/downloadTab
> 
> This is what they say about 3.0 in the help guide:
> 
> ...



Reading through that link, I found a  bullet point under “Before you upgrade” that states 

After updating, the firmware cannot be reverted to an earlier version.
Is this restriction something new that will prevent manual firmware downgrades?


----------



## nc8000 (Oct 4, 2018)

Blueoris said:


> Reading through that link, I found a  bullet point under “Before you upgrade” that states
> 
> After updating, the firmware cannot be reverted to an earlier version.
> Is this restriction something new that will prevent manual firmware downgrades?



They said the same for 2.0 but people still downgrade to earlier. I think you just have to rebuild the database as the internal format has changed, or perhaps do a factory reset (thereby loosing your play time counter). I don't know as I have not personally tried to downgrade


----------



## Kervsky (Oct 4, 2018)

Things I've tested that works:
Sony Walkman stock cable (and the cheapo replacement cable) + WM1a + PC/laptop = works as a DAC for the PC/laptop
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10 (on PC mode) + WM1a = works as a DAC from the PC/laptop
SONY Walkman Micro USB Plug Adapter WMP-NWM10 + WM1a + microusb to usb type c interconnect + phone = works as a DAC
iphone 4s + apple camera kit + walkman cable = the connected device takes too much power (doesn't work)
Sony XZ Premium on bluetooth + WM1a as Bluetooth receiver = Works perfectly fine, little to no lag

Edit: There is an option in settings for USB DAC Settings, uncheck the Charge this player from the connected device, and iPhone 4s works, so I'd assume that current iPhones will work as well.


----------



## proedros (Oct 4, 2018)

DatDudeNic said:


> What I noticed after updating:
> *-less warm
> -better ADSR and PRaT*
> -New playback screen (Digital peak meter)
> ...



wm1a or wm1z ?



Blueoris said:


> Reading through that link, I found a  bullet point under “Before you upgrade” that states
> 
> *After updating, the firmware cannot be reverted to an earlier version.*
> Is this restriction something new that will prevent manual firmware downgrades?



can anybody confirm/deny this , please ?

would love to try 3.0 but 2.0 is ok so may wanna revert to it if 3.0 is not to my liking


----------



## Tawek

after having installed 3.0 firmware , I returned to 1.20 without any problem


----------



## proedros

any sound changes with the new 3.0 FW ?

wm1a users only , please


----------



## alphanumerix1

Sounds the same to me, What i do notice is a noticable more snappy experience in the UI. Everything runs smoother and faster. The bluetooth function is quite nice with no major lag. Not tried the usb dac feature yet.


----------



## duaned

Agree, I cannot detect any change in sound quality.


----------



## NickleCo

proedros said:


> wm1a or wm1z ?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ah sorry forgot to mention it, im using the wm1a


----------



## NickleCo

After the update, zeus+wm1a is just so perfect! Though it might need a bit bump in bass since i noticed that the new update made the bass much leaner.


----------



## proedros

DatDudeNic said:


> After the update, zeus+wm1a is just so perfect! Though it might need a bit bump in bass since i noticed that the new update made the bass much leaner.



i am sold , as we have the same setup (zeus +wm1a) , what cable do you have on zeus ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> For those who wants to display cover art for files like wav dff etc, you need to place the picture (baseline jpg or non-interlace png,  no larger than 4096 px x 4096 px) in the folder and then rename the cover art file with the same name as the folder. Once you've done that it will show up.


Works for FLAC? To avoid transferring  the cover embedded in t he file?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

_*What 3.0 is upon us already? Wow! Time to turn on the computer. Update Tool.*_

https://www.sony.com/electronics/su...ayers-nw-wm-series/nw-wm1a/downloads/00015425

_*Here is the driver to use the Walkman as a DAC with a PC.*_

https://www.sony.co.th/en/electronics/support/downloads/00014879


----------



## Nayparm

gerelmx1986 said:


> Works for FLAC? To avoid transferring  the cover embedded in t he file?



Just tried it for FLAC and it works  why can't they just use cover.jpg :/ (maybe in v4.0)


----------



## fiascogarcia

Did everyone back up their music folders to their PC?  More importantly, has anyone  suffered any corrupted music files while upgrading?  Thanks!


----------



## Stephen George (Oct 4, 2018)

cpetrillo said:


> I just updated mine and am already broadcasting by bluetooth from my mac to my 1a



these FW files universal? originally bought mine from JP, installed AUS FW to get english menus//can i use the chinese fw to upgrade, but keep the english menus ?

TIA


Looks like the US one is live?


----------



## syke (Oct 4, 2018)

Ohh.. the new FW has made the WM1Z less warm, less bassy, wider soundstage. The Z1R + WM1Z combo sounds more palatable now. First impressions, the WM1Z & the TA-ZH1ES sounds closer now


----------



## blazinblazin (Oct 4, 2018)

DatDudeNic said:


> Ah wait i take it back on some tracks it sounds abit laidback while on some its quite forward, for treble heavy tracks it sounds abit more forward.


Ya i think some of my songs female vocal sounds not as laid back as fw 2.0

I love this update 3.0.

Overall i find fw3.0 more refined for WM1A.


----------



## nanaholic

Nayparm said:


> Just tried it for FLAC and it works  why can't they just use cover.jpg :/ (maybe in v4.0)



I understand the reason, if you use the same filename it's can cause trouble.
I use MusicBee for my syncing now and the program allows you to specify how to name the cover art file, a couple of clicks later and I'm done.


----------



## proedros

so if i have a music album/folder named abx - dyz , i need to name the cover pic abx-dyz and wm1a fw3.0 will see it ?


----------



## endlesswaves

Found that I need to increase the volume by 2-3 steps to volume match after updating to 3.0. Anybody have this impression?


----------



## nanaholic

proedros said:


> so if i have a music album/folder named abx - dyz , i need to name the cover pic abx-dyz and wm1a fw3.0 will see it ?



Yes that's correct.


----------



## cpetrillo (Oct 4, 2018)

I just tried to stream Tidal to the 1a while connected to my ta-zh1es through the doc and the 1a tells me I can't when usb is in use?


----------



## Mathieulh

To the ones who have updated, is it still possible to change the destination using https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool on firmware 3.00?


----------



## syke

I noticed there is some lag watching YouTube while in DAC mode


----------



## Redcarmoose

syke said:


> Ohh.. the new FW has made the WM1Z less warm, less bassy, wider soundstage. The Z1R + WM1Z combo sounds more palatable now. First impressions, the WM1Z & the TA-ZH1ES sounds closer now



I totally agree the soundstage IS wider which gets slighly more space between the instruments. Absolutely less warm, at least with the 1Z, haven’t listened to the 1A yet. Due to the less warmth, there now exists a slighly faster decay of notes and the presence of increased detail. IMO

3.0 in one word.........3.0 is clean.


----------



## Nayparm

Mathieulh said:


> To the ones who have updated, is it still possible to change the destination using https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool on firmware 3.00?



Works fine


----------



## cpetrillo

Thought I was going to be able to stream tidal from my phone to my 1a and use my ta-zh1es but apparently usb output is unavailable when in bluetooth receiver mode. This is very disappointing to me.


----------



## Redcarmoose

endlesswaves said:


> Found that I need to increase the volume by 2-3 steps to volume match after updating to 3.0. Anybody have this impression?



Didn’t analyze it to exactly 2-3 extra volume steps, but I did notice it’s seems slighly less loud. Like the notes are coming from slighly farther away hence less loud. Like the sound is dampend slighly from the last update. More clear and detailed but less upfront or something? Like a speaker with more padding placed in the box. Less warmth, less reverberations.


----------



## syke

cpetrillo said:


> Thought I was going to be able to stream tidal from my phone to my 1a and use my ta-zh1es but apparently usb output is unavailable when in bluetooth receiver mode. This is very disappointing to me.



RCA... What's there to be disappointed? This is a huge upgrade tbh. Very positive.


----------



## cpetrillo

syke said:


> RCA... What's there to be disappointed? This is a huge upgrade tbh. Very positive.



RCA?


----------



## Lookout57

Has anyone tried the Vinyl Processor feature yet?

Could this possibly return some of the warmth that some are saying is now missing compared to v2.0?


----------



## syke

cpetrillo said:


> RCA?



4.4mm output to the RCA inputs of the TA-ZH1ES


----------



## cpetrillo

syke said:


> 4.4mm output to the RCA inputs of the TA-ZH1ES



Oh, gotcha. Analog input on TA is not great so still kind of disappointed.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Nayparm said:


> Just tried it for FLAC and it works  why can't they just use cover.jpg :/ (maybe in v4.0)


Cool, thanks, yes a bummer they didn't use folder or cover but with mp3 tag automation all over a a breeze


----------



## captblaze

Lookout57 said:


> Has anyone tried the Vinyl Processor feature yet?
> 
> Could this possibly return some of the warmth that some are saying is now missing compared to v2.0?



yes I have and turntable resonance is my favorite in terms of my preference. standard and arm resonance were less bright and surface noise was too much of a good thing for me. all my listening with the vinyl processor has been with DSD64 and DSD256 files.


----------



## Whitigir

Congratulations guys! Enjoy your new firmware.

What struck me is that with many people who is programmers here, no one could have enabled the USB DAC features or Bluetooth DAC features by a custom firmware


----------



## denis1976

IT'S A SONY....


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

cpetrillo said:


> Thought I was going to be able to stream tidal from my phone to my 1a and use my ta-zh1es but apparently usb output is unavailable when in bluetooth receiver mode. This is very disappointing to me.



That will be in Update 4.0.


----------



## Whitigir

cpetrillo said:


> Thought I was going to be able to stream tidal from my phone to my 1a and use my ta-zh1es but apparently usb output is unavailable when in bluetooth receiver mode. This is very disappointing to me.



Has there been any devices like this ? Taking digital in Bluetooth, and then digital out into another device ? Why don’t you just digital in directly into another device instead ?


----------



## Returnity

I agree that the sound has become just a little less warm. I think v2.0 nailed it for my sound preferences, so this made me kinda sad but the bluetooth receiver function is like a gift from gods. 

Are there some reverse engineers among us who can integrate the usb dac and bt receiver functions from v3 to v2 without touching the sound signature of v2 LOL


----------



## sne4me (Oct 4, 2018)

Returnity said:


> I agree that the sound has become just a little less warm.



Alot of people are saying the imaging is better, a wider soundstage, more separation. I wonder if the vinyl processor effectively warms the sound to the v2?
Is it possible that we are not changing sound signatures but accumulating them?

I would like to see a firmware update every 9-12 months until the WM1A/Z series is cancelled. Would like to see better playlists and customized viewing of metadata options. Also some new screen visualizers.


----------



## syke

I actually like the v3 sound. Now I can just leave it in Direct Sound when listening to the Z1R. Perfect.
Very likely, the sound tweak must have been shaped from consumer feedback and user tests, the re-alignment of their current offerings and of course the new IEMs that are out or coming out.


----------



## syke

cpetrillo said:


> Oh, gotcha. Analog input on TA is not great so still kind of disappointed.



Really? Not that I have ever used the RCA inputs on the TA-ZH1ES, but I've heard from others that the analogue input was better than digital-in when used with the Chord Qutest.


----------



## shrekito

syke said:


> I actually like the v3 sound. Now I can just leave it in Direct Sound when listening to the Z1R. Perfect.
> Very likely, the sound tweak must have been shaped from consumer feedback and user tests, the re-alignment of their current offerings and of course the new IEMs that are out or coming out.


Interesting, I had assumed that the people that could hear a difference were not using Direct Sound - which is the way I always use it and I don't hear any sonic changes on either the 1Z or 1A - direct from the headphone out. 

Although perhaps my audio memory is too short!


----------



## iridium7777

is the bluetooth streamer/receiver capable of processing dsd/dsf files?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I need to spend more time with the vinyl processor, specially with mdr-z1r to see if can detect a difference, right now with XBA-Z5 I can't only that turn it off and music is clearer


----------



## bflat

My quick notes on firmware 3.0 and WM1z

USB DAC works well with Mac OS Mojave
Very noticeable lag with Youtube video, but I don't care about that
JRiver works perfectly, including DoP DSD

OTG - iOS
I uncheck the "Charge" option under DAC settings
Will connect to my iPhone and DAC shows in iOS but can't get any sound

BT Receiver works well with my iPhone Xs Max iOS 12
Confirms AAC Codec when paired with iPhone
Very noticeable lag with Youtube
Netflix downloaded and streaming video has a tiny bit of lag but completely acceptable. This is exactly what I wanted so pretty satisfied.

Have not tried vinyl sound
Have not noticed any obvious change in tone
In brief - this is exactly what I was hoping for.


----------



## Hellraiser86

Nostoi said:


> Hello all, I plan on getting the WM1A, can anyone confirm the following:
> 
> 1. Does it handle 400gb cards ok?
> 2. Can someone confirm the output on the SE output? I've read it's about 57mw, which sounds a bit feeble to me. I know the balanced has more output.
> ...


Yes it does 400GB. I use the SanDisk Ultra A1 micro SDXC and it works just fine


----------



## Nostoi

Hellraiser86 said:


> Yes it does 400GB. I use the SanDisk Ultra A1 micro SDXC and it works just fine


Marvellous, thanks very much! I have the same card myself.


----------



## idimonius

Everything works after the update. UI was fast before but it`s even faster now and more fluid. Also noticed that youtube sound a bit delayed on W10 using USB DAC mode. Wish it can be fixed somehow?
Other than that youtube sound lag, I really like the update.


----------



## iron2k

Bluetooth receiver working fine


----------



## headblid

Sony really did a great job following through with this. The bluetooth receiver feature is going to have me spending even more time with the 1A. Well done.


----------



## Aliv3

I swear something is not right with the Bluetooth on my walkmam. I can not connect to Audeze Mobius, I can not connect to Zeppelin wireless and now I can not connect to my Galaxy S6 with the new receiver mode. 
Suggestions?


----------



## rabidsquid (Oct 4, 2018)

*Update: I got it working via my Windows 10 VM...

Anyone have trouble updating firmware on Mac OS Mojave? Updater app seems to die as soon as I connect WM1A...


----------



## kubig123

rabidsquid said:


> *Update: I got it working via my Windows 10 VM...
> 
> Anyone have trouble updating firmware on Mac OS Mojave? Updater app seems to die as soon as I connect WM1A...


i'll try tonight, as soon as i'm back home.
All the mac and pc in my office require the admin password, i'm dying to install this new firmware!!!!


----------



## proedros (Oct 4, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> Yes that's correct.



so i installed 3.0 , no problems there

however , cover-wise it still does not 'seem' them

i named for instance the cover pic in one bob dylan vinyl rip as the folder title *Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited (US Mono) (PBTHAL Vinyl Rip 2017)
*
but i get no cover on my wm1a screen

the pics are baseline jpeg , so why no screen cover ?

ps : i just saw this in the FW 3.0 info txt , what does it do and where is it located ?


*A function for manually adding cover art images to albums has been added*


----------



## Dtuck90

I see playlist creation is now available as well


----------



## proedros

so , is *progressive jpeg* the only way to add album covers to V3.0 ?


----------



## rhull1973

kubig123 said:


> i'll try tonight, as soon as i'm back home.
> All the mac and pc in my office require the admin password, i'm dying to install this new firmware!!!!


Worked on Mojave for me. I did have to allow security access to an extension that required a restart


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> so , is *progressive jpeg* the only way to add album covers to V3.0 ?



No it has to be baseline as always


----------



## proedros

oh well i can live without seeing the album cover on my wm1a screen

sound and battery are what really matter


----------



## Tawek

hey  it's just me or SE Wm1z  sounds much better with the 3.0 software I listen to and I'm positively surprised


----------



## NaiveSound

Omg Omg. Just found out about update  how do I update?


----------



## iron2k

NaiveSound said:


> Omg Omg. Just found out about update  how do I update?


you can use Music Center app, it will detect it automatically


----------



## NaiveSound

iron2k said:


> you can use Music Center app, it will detect it automatically


I found a link Redcarmoose added and I'm just installing it raw. I don't like bloatware apps. But thanks I appreciate you


----------



## NaiveSound

I wonder how the sound will be. Hopefully not too compromised. Real happy with the sound I have now (pre 3.0)


----------



## NaiveSound

Omg love it still  not as warm but that's ok. Feed me the details more. Treble is better than previous version. 
But bass is not as pronounced 
Bluetooth works great  this is sexual! 


Now... So I keep my phone volume at max while it pushes over Bluetooth? Or does that not matter? For best quality over Bluetooth? (while I wait for my USB cables to come in) haha


----------



## tonehk

Can someone check if you use this as a usb dac whether it can process mqa tidal?
Thanks


----------



## rabidsquid

tonehk said:


> Can someone check if you use this as a usb dac whether it can process mqa tidal?
> Thanks



WM1A seems to read PCM 48 kHz regardless of hifi or MQA track. This is with option set "passthrough MQA" turned on in Tidal.


----------



## captblaze

rabidsquid said:


> WM1A seems to read PCM 48 kHz regardless of hifi or MQA track. This is with option set "passthrough MQA" turned on in Tidal.


I have tidal MQA passthrough set to off and it reads PCM 98kHz


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hey @nanaholic  what settings do you use in music bee for the USB driver so it can output DSD and correct PCM data f.e if i play a 24/96 it outputs currently 24/48


----------



## alphanumerix1

So the wider soundstage people are claiming is that se or bal or both? 

Anyone with 2 wm1a? Test 2.0 vs 3.0


----------



## quan61092

after upgrading to 3.0, my bal output... deaf right side....
but right side still sound if i pull the jack a little bit off, and i use 2.5 to 4.4 adapter (i pull the 2.5 jack off)
i dont know, maybe sony change the configuration of the balance output :-?
please help me, or give me firmware 2.0, if u still have it


----------



## alphanumerix1

@twister6 v3.0 impressions soon?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 4, 2018)

you can remove the embedded cover files form files using mp3tag and export a  single picture witht he folder name under quick actions

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/page-9#post-14521182


----------



## Stealer

hi, I kind of late here so if you can pls direct me a link or explain what is these 2 functions for.
And what is needed to enable them or use them?
I really have no idea here..

"The Bluetooth Receiver & The USB-DAC functions have been added."

thanks


----------



## NickleCo

proedros said:


> i am sold , as we have the same setup (zeus +wm1a) , what cable do you have on zeus ?


Im using the stock btg starlight cable since I like its bright nature


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hey @nanaholic  what settings do you use in music bee for the USB driver so it can output DSD and correct PCM data f.e if i play a 24/96 it outputs currently 24/48



Can't help you I don't use MusicBee for playback only file management.


----------



## Shawn Wang

quan61092 said:


> after upgrading to 3.0, my bal output... deaf right side....
> but right side still sound if i pull the jack a little bit off, and i use 2.5 to 4.4 adapter (i pull the 2.5 jack off)
> i dont know, maybe sony change the configuration of the balance output :-?
> please help me, or give me firmware 2.0, if u still have it


Here u are.
http://service.sony.com.cn/91738.htm


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 4, 2018)

syke said:


> RCA... What's there to be disappointed? This is a huge upgrade tbh. Very positive.



Don’t know why anyone would double amp their Walkman to the TA amp with an RCA cable? There is the dongle to go directly in the back, the included side mini USB and the cradle option.

But maybe the slight tone difference matches synergy with your headphones and bypasses any distortion issues?

3.0 is super exciting with the 1Z. I have to admit I’ve been using the 1Z over the 1A the last three weeks. 3.0 didn’t seem to change the 1A?

But.......... the 1Z is a whole new world. The soundstage went crazy wide with the 3.0 FW. The IEMs with wide soundstage went even wider! And......inside the soundstage was rock solid imaging surrounded by a nice fluidity. Holy crap. The 1Z may be 100% better now???

Also strangely there could be a mix of reality and placebo perception at this point in time. Though it seems the 1Z treble is now also slighly more smooth? Anyone else think that with 3.0 and the 1Z?


----------



## AnakChan

Stealer said:


> hi, I kind of late here so if you can pls direct me a link or explain what is these 2 functions for.
> And what is needed to enable them or use them?
> I really have no idea here..
> 
> ...


I've not tried the upgrade myself but it seems with USB-DAC, you can output from, say, your iPad with camera connector to use the NW-WM1(A/Z) as a DAC/Amp.

As for Bluetooth Receiver, seems to be like the above where you have a separate source (like your phone) which will stream via bluetooth to your NW-WM1(A/Z).


----------



## endlesswaves

Oh no...please don't. I thought I have already got over my craving of getting the 1z. Now it's 100% better? My wallet has gone screaming and hiding somewhere now.


----------



## Stealer

AnakChan said:


> I've not tried the upgrade myself but it seems with USB-DAC, you can output from, say, your iPad with camera connector to use the NW-WM1(A/Z) as a DAC/Amp.
> 
> As for Bluetooth Receiver, seems to be like the above where you have a separate source (like your phone) which will stream via bluetooth to your NW-WM1(A/Z).


Thanks,  so
For USB dac u will requires a driverdriver from Sony ?


----------



## WindowsX

My last WM1A client told me he loved SP1000SS so much asked me to try improving the mod to make it sound good like that so I tried some usual stuff with highend grade Nordost conductor and upgraded some more components. It has very similar sound signature to SP1000SS as I predicted and it probably sound even better than WM1Z stock with these massive upgrades. 

Regards,
Keetakawee


----------



## nc8000

Stealer said:


> Thanks,  so
> For USB dac u will requires a driverdriver from Sony ?



For Windows pc’s you need to download and install the Sony usb dac driver


----------



## twister6

Just spent the whole evening testing and analyzing FW3.0 update, and wrote a detailed mini-review going over all the new features.  You can read it here.


----------



## Redcarmoose

endlesswaves said:


> Oh no...please don't. I thought I have already got over my craving of getting the 1z. Now it's 100% better? My wallet has gone screaming and hiding somewhere now.


I’m sorry! But it maybe that I’ve always been a soundstage junky. I keep headphones around which I actually only like for the soundstage. But I have to say it’s different. Also I may like 2.0 with the 1A as it had personality? 3.0 with the 1Z is smoother, faster and imaging is different, like the background got an increase in blackness. But I have to say I would have never guessed this soundstage change. Especially if you listen to electronic music; just these spacious sound cues out and about around you? Sorry! But to my ears (now) the players are really different. And if this was placebo the 1A would be different, but it's not?


----------



## cpetrillo

Redcarmoose said:


> Don’t know why anyone would double amp their Walkman to the TA amp with an RCA cable? There is the dongle to go directly in the back, the included side mini USB and the cradle option.



That is exactly why I was disappointed with the new bluetooth receiver function. I connect my 1A to my TA with the doc and usb cable, bypassing the the DAC and amp in the 1A for the better DAC and amp in the TA. The new bluetooth feature does not allow this because USB connection is "not available" when in bluetooth receiver mode. So the only way to stream Tidal to my TA is the inferior analog connection mentioned which I don't want to do. This is disappointing to me.


----------



## Redcarmoose

cpetrillo said:


> That is exactly why I was disappointed with the new bluetooth receiver function. I connect my 1A to my TA with the doc and usb cable, bypassing the the DAC and amp in the 1A for the better DAC and amp in the TA. The new bluetooth feature does not allow this because USB connection is "not available" when in bluetooth receiver mode. So the only way to stream Tidal to my TA is the inferior analog connection mentioned which I don't want to do. This is disappointing to me.



Well the option for you I guess would be some other BT receiver which you could connect to the TA with optical or RCA SPDIF Toslink?


----------



## cpetrillo

Redcarmoose said:


> Well the option for you I guess would be some other BT receiver which you could connect to the TA with optical or RCA SPDIF Toslink?



Yes I realize that, it was just kind of a letdown when it didn't work. I had been looking forward to doing this since I heard of the USB receiver function.


----------



## Vlad0

Any impressions between 1.2 and 3.0 firmware? I do not like 2.0 and downgraded to 1.2 as it is more warm and "sony" like signature. 
Now tempted to have all software benefits with 3.0, but after all sound is most important to me.


----------



## AnakChan

twister6 said:


> Just spent the whole evening testing and analyzing FW3.0 update, and wrote a detailed mini-review going over all the new features.  You can read it here.



Good write up Twister6.



Vlad0 said:


> Any impressions between 1.2 and 3.0 firmware? I do not like 2.0 and downgraded to 1.2 as it is more warm and "sony" like signature.
> Now tempted to have all software benefits with 3.0, but after all sound is most important to me.


Take a look at Twister6's firmware review in his link.


----------



## Vlad0

I check it, nice review but it compares 2.0 and 3.0. So can I assume that 3.0 is even brighter compared to 1.2?


----------



## NaiveSound

Vlad0 said:


> I check it, nice review but it compares 2.0 and 3.0. So can I assume that 3.0 is even brighter compared to 1.2?


Just butting in right quick. 

3.0 seems brighter over 2. 0 for  Me. Never heard 1.2

But why not try and downgrade if you don't like?


----------



## Vlad0

I will, just removing nice features is not a pleasant experience... and was looking for some initial impressions.


----------



## XP_98 (Oct 5, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> But why not try and downgrade if you don't like?


Who tried reverting from 3.0 to 2.0 ?
Works flawlessly ?

[EDIT] Twister6 did it (just red his mini review), and doesn't report any difficulty...


----------



## alphanumerix1

twister6 said:


> Just spent the whole evening testing and analyzing FW3.0 update, and wrote a detailed mini-review going over all the new features.  You can read it here.



Nice work thanks alex.


----------



## Tawek

3.0 is definitely an improvement
it's like mix 2.0 + 1.2 = 3.0
sound is very fluid, the vocal has this magic of 1.2 is definitely more warm has more soul than  2.0 and definitely 3.0 is more coherent and more analog Sound has that color and tonality , and  character of Sony house tuning ...


----------



## XP_98

The only missing improvement, for me, is an eq with finer tuning and more bands (like Plenue 2), for better tuning to specific headphones...


----------



## roses77

shrekito said:


> Interesting, I had assumed that the people that could hear a difference were not using Direct Sound - which is the way I always use it and I don't hear any sonic changes on either the 1Z or 1A - direct from the headphone out.
> 
> Although perhaps my audio memory is too short!



The 3.0 update has wider soundstage with all EQ settings turned on, more detail. Vinyl processor is an great feature as it makes it sound more analog & warmer. On direct source it sounds more refined & bass is thinner. On 2.0 firmware they nailed it, the SQ on direct source. 3.0 It sounds better with EQ on. I have some music that are vinyl rips so the vinyl processor is an good addition. I have converted YouTube videos to flac so the upscale feature is amazing to CD quality.


----------



## roses77

Aliv3 said:


> I swear something is not right with the Bluetooth on my walkmam. I can not connect to Audeze Mobius, I can not connect to Zeppelin wireless and now I can not connect to my Galaxy S6 with the new receiver mode.
> Suggestions?



The Bluetooth receiver mode is used to pair with a smartphone. You can still pair headphones using the add Bluetooth device feature on Sony Walkman.


----------



## audionewbi (Oct 5, 2018)

WM1A is getting harder and harder to beat every day.

edit: meant beat, not bear


----------



## shrekito

roses77 said:


> The 3.0 update has wider soundstage with all EQ settings turned on, more detail. Vinyl processor is an great feature as it makes it sound more analog & warmer. On direct source it sounds more refined & bass is thinner. On 2.0 firmware they nailed it, the SQ on direct source. 3.0 It sounds better with EQ on. I have some music that are vinyl rips so the vinyl processor is an good addition. I have converted YouTube videos to flac so the upscale feature is amazing to CD quality.



I guess that because most of my source material is SACD and HiRes Flac that I don't hear any difference. It sounds like the changes are mainly heard with any material that has additional processing. I had a play with the Vinyl processor but preferred the direct sound. Maybe my headphones are warm enough.


----------



## Aliv3

roses77 said:


> The Bluetooth receiver mode is used to pair with a smartphone. You can still pair headphones using the add Bluetooth device feature on Sony Walkman.


I know that the problem is that my headphones  does not appear to pair on the add Bluetooth device feature or my smartphone appear on the Bluetooth receiver mode. I can not pair them because they do not appear to me on the Walkmam.


----------



## roses77

Aliv3 said:


> I know that the problem is that my headphones  does not appear to pair on the add Bluetooth device feature or my smartphone appear on the Bluetooth receiver mode. I can not pair them because they do not appear to me on the Walkmam.



Ring Sony for support. I haven’t tried to pair my headphones yet.


----------



## roses77

audionewbi said:


> WM1A is getting harder and harder to bear every day.



What do mean it’s harder to bear everyday.


----------



## roses77

shrekito said:


> I guess that because most of my source material is SACD and HiRes Flac that I don't hear any difference. It sounds like the changes are mainly heard with any material that has additional processing. I had a play with the Vinyl processor but preferred the direct sound. Maybe my headphones are warm enough.



That’s a good Point as you have High Rez Audio it doesn’t upscale it stays the same. So Direct source is the preferred option. In direct source you don’t notice much difference with software updates. It’s very subtle. You notice the SQ difference when you turn on all EQ settings.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

Vlad0 said:


> I check it, nice review but it compares 2.0 and 3.0. So can I assume that 3.0 is even brighter compared to 1.2?




Right it goes bright to brighter as you transition from 1.2 to 2.0.....then brighter again from 2.0 to 3.0 with the 1Z. 1A stays almost the same from 2.0 to 3.0, I don.t know how 1.2 was with the 1A?

Still it's more than bright or too bright. Though if your a diehard smooth low power warm 1.2 fan you will maybe not like 3.0. FW 3.0 adds soundstage and detail.

*It's great. They are finished I guess?*


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

rabidsquid said:


> *Update: I got it working via my Windows 10 VM...
> 
> Anyone have trouble updating firmware on Mac OS Mojave? Updater app seems to die as soon as I connect WM1A...



Yes, it seems the DAC feature is not working with my MacBook Air? It sees the Walkman but flashes off. Only a driver for Windows now, mabe later Apple will get one??

_*FW 3.0*_
https://www.sony.com/electronics/su...ayers-nw-wm-series/nw-wm1a/downloads/00015425

_*Here is the driver to use the Walkman as a DAC with a PC.*_
https://www.sony.co.th/en/electronics/support/downloads/00014879


----------



## blazinblazin

WM1 series just trying to be perfect walkman which have good lows, good highs and beautiful mids.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> I found a link Redcarmoose added and I'm just installing it raw. I don't like bloatware apps. But thanks I appreciate you



Exactly as Music Center takes and tries to arrange all your music. Just go and download the updater. Load it off your browser.  I updated both players in under 10 minutes.

_*FW 3.0*_
https://www.sony.com/electronics/su...ayers-nw-wm-series/nw-wm1a/downloads/00015425

_*Here is the driver to use the Walkman as a DAC with a PC.*_
https://www.sony.co.th/en/electronics/support/downloads/00014879


----------



## Redcarmoose

syke said:


> Ohh.. the new FW has made the WM1Z less warm, less bassy, wider soundstage. The Z1R + WM1Z combo sounds more palatable now. First impressions, the WM1Z & the TA-ZH1ES sounds closer now



I have not tried the Z1R yet, but the update changes the soundstage the most with big soundstage IEMs. The soundstage must get bigger with the Z1R? The bass must be tighter now with the Z1R/1Z combo and more detailed.


----------



## proedros

*Function for manually adding cover art images to albums.*

what does this do , and how is it put into use ?


----------



## siruspan (Oct 5, 2018)

Did anyone noticed random restarts on the 3.0 firmware. I've had two already in the last 24 hours and I haven't had any in the past year of owning wm1a.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

siruspan said:


> Did anyone noticed random restarts on the 3.0 firmware. I've go two already in the last 24 hours and I haven't had any in the past year of owning wm1a.



Have you ever formatted your 1A memory with a computer?
https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449058.html

Also how much free memory do you have left?


----------



## Kervsky

bflat said:


> My quick notes on firmware 3.0 and WM1z
> 
> USB DAC works well with Mac OS Mojave
> Very noticeable lag with Youtube video, but I don't care about that
> ...



What's your iPhone? I tried on my 4s (yeah, no new iPhone yet), it needed the camera kit and yes, charge this device from the source to work. but it did output audio.


----------



## siruspan

Redcarmoose said:


> Have you ever formatted your 1A memory with a computer?
> https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449058.html
> 
> Also how much free memory do you have left?



The only thing that has changed was that I installed new firmware...


----------



## Redcarmoose

siruspan said:


> The only thing that has changed was that I installed new firmware...



If you card is not totally seated in place it can happen. If your memory is too full it can happen. Sorry can’t help much more?


----------



## Redcarmoose

bflat said:


> My quick notes on firmware 3.0 and WM1z
> 
> USB DAC works well with Mac OS Mojave
> Very noticeable lag with Youtube video, but I don't care about that
> ...



I can’t believe you think it sounds the same as 2.0?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Can anyone actually hear a difference? By the way screen capture is volume up volume down hold power button till message shows up.


----------



## proedros (Oct 5, 2018)

i think wm1a with 3.0 sounds leaner compared to 2.0

not sure if this is good or bad , need to spend some more time with the new FW as at some albums i feel the sound as being sonewhat more 'metallic' , like going from Zeus XR on a copper cable to a silver one

gonna try the vinyl thing setting, maybe this will make the sound more warm/balanced


----------



## JML

I can't install it via my Mac running Sierra.  The update crashes repeatedly.  The instructions say to connect the Sony, then download, and run the updater.  The on-screen instructions say to remove the Sony, then reconnect it.  As soon as I do, the updater crashes.  If I don't remove it, the updater crashes.


----------



## siruspan

Redcarmoose said:


> Can anyone actually hear a difference? By the way screen capture is volume up volume down hold power button till message shows up.



Changes are subtle but easily audible on WM1A

Standard - thicker notes acros all frequencies with lower clarity and softer attack compared to Direct Mode
Arm resonance - a little thinner and with added crosstalk so it sounds less focused.
Turntable - resonance - same as arm resonance but more subtle effect - more focused but still thinner than Standard
Surface Noice - notes as thick as Standard but less and softer upper midrange and highs.
Direct Mode - most nuanced, best clarity and transparency, best attack


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

proedros said:


> i think wm1a with 3.0 sounds leaner compared to 2.0
> 
> not sure if this is good or bad , need to spend some more time with the new FW as at some albums i feel the sound as being sonewhat more 'metallic' , like going from Zeus XR on a copper cable to a silver one
> 
> gonna try the vinyl thing setting, maybe this will make the sound more warm/balanced



Yes, I think it’s just slightly leaner, which I actually don’t like. Probably going back to 2.0 with the 1A.


----------



## Redcarmoose

siruspan said:


> Changes are subtle but easily audible on WM1A
> 
> Standard - thicker notes acros all frequencies with lower clarity and softer attack compared to Direct Mode
> Arm resonance - a little thinner and with added crosstalk so it sounds less focused.
> ...



Man you have good ears! Must be in your 20s.


----------



## Redcarmoose

JML said:


> I can't install it via my Mac running Sierra.  The update crashes repeatedly.  The instructions say to connect the Sony, then download, and run the updater.  The on-screen instructions say to remove the Sony, then reconnect it.  As soon as I do, the updater crashes.  If I don't remove it, the updater crashes.



I think the driver software is PC only. Can’t run the DAC on either my PC or Mac. But I don’t really care as it wasn’t a priority on the update for me.


----------



## auronthas

Aliv3 said:


> I know that the problem is that my headphones  does not appear to pair on the add Bluetooth device feature or my smartphone appear on the Bluetooth receiver mode. I can not pair them because they do not appear to me on the Walkmam.


Try to pair from smartphone side by hitting scan, I did the other way round and detect WM1A. Make sure both devices with Bluetooth on, or toggle on/off to make another device search.


----------



## siruspan (Oct 5, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Man you have good ears! Must be in your 20s.



Haha, I wish! I'm over 30 actually. I've tested myself and I hear up to 16khz so that's a standard for my age. I think that after some time with this hobby (over 10 years in my case) the ears get more "trained" so they are more sensitive to subtle changes. Oh and using probably te most transparent electrostatic iems in the world helps too


----------



## JML

Redcarmoose said:


> I think the driver software is PC only. Can’t run the DAC on either my PC or Mac. But I don’t really care as it wasn’t a priority on the update for me.



The update downloaded is for Mac.  The first part of the error log:

Process:               SoftwareUpdateTool [5676]
Path:                  /Volumes/VOLUME/SoftwareUpdateTool.app/Contents/MacOS/SoftwareUpdateTool
Identifier:            Sony-Video-and-Sound-Products-Inc.SoftwareUpdateTool
Version:               1.9.04260 (0.0.1)
Code Type:             X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process:        ??? [1]
Responsible:           SoftwareUpdateTool [5676]
User ID:               501

Date/Time:             2018-10-05 09:31:16.661 -0400
OS Version:            Mac OS X 10.12.6 (16G1510)
Report Version:        12
Anonymous UUID:        313357B7-1ABA-D297-2F7F-F476FA51E3E6

Sleep/Wake UUID:       AEAC286F-1EE1-4026-8E94-1E4AFD0CDCF8

Time Awake Since Boot: 19000 seconds
Time Since Wake:       8500 seconds

System Integrity Protection: enabled

Crashed Thread:        7

Exception Type:        EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV)
Exception Codes:       KERN_INVALID_ADDRESS at 0x0000000000000000
Exception Note:        EXC_CORPSE_NOTIFY

Termination Signal:    Segmentation fault: 11
Termination Reason:    Namespace SIGNAL, Code 0xb
Terminating Process:   exc handler [0]


----------



## Redcarmoose

JML said:


> The update downloaded is for Mac.  The first part of the error log:
> 
> Process:               SoftwareUpdateTool [5676]
> Path:                  /Volumes/VOLUME/SoftwareUpdateTool.app/Contents/MacOS/SoftwareUpdateTool
> ...



I went looking today and could only find the Windows driver. That’s why I though there was no Apple support yet. Good luck.


----------



## Redcarmoose

siruspan said:


> Haha, I wish! I'm over 30 actually. I've tested myself and I hear up to 16khz so that's a standard for my age. I think that after some time with this hobby (over 10 years in my case) the ears get more "trained" so they are more sensitive to subtle changes. Oh and using probably te most transparent electrostatic iems in the world helps too



I started with a main system in 1982 with Koss open-back headphones; so maybe my ears have too much burn-in? Lol


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> I went looking today and could only find the Windows driver. That’s why I though there was no Apple support yet. Good luck.



He is talking about the 3.0 FW updater crashing, there is a Win and a Mac installer. The usb driver only exist for Windows, Mac normally don’t require driverd


----------



## Redcarmoose

Interesting the ZX300 just received an update.


----------



## Lookout57

JML said:


> I can't install it via my Mac running Sierra.  The update crashes repeatedly.  The instructions say to connect the Sony, then download, and run the updater.  The on-screen instructions say to remove the Sony, then reconnect it.  As soon as I do, the updater crashes.  If I don't remove it, the updater crashes.


I updated my WM1A and WM1Z with no problems on High Sierra.

In the crash log you posted it states that thread 7 was the thread that crashed. Look further down in the crash log to get the actual thread name.


----------



## proedros (Oct 5, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, I think it’s just slightly leaner, which I actually don’t like. Probably going back to 2.0 with the 1A.



i reverted back to 2.0 (easy like a breeze so if you guys wanna do the same fear not), 3.0 made my WM1A sound too lean and 'metalic'

ah back to sonic bliss


----------



## NaiveSound

proedros said:


> i reverted back to 2.0 , 3.0 made my WM1A sound too lean and 'metalic'
> 
> ah back to sonic bliss



I too prefer the 2.0 for 1z, but the bt and usb dac I prefer  fml


----------



## aisalen

Just like others here, I notice too that the sound stage with the new firmware got wider. The bass has more impact than before. This is with my WM1A. Very nice, thank you Sony!


----------



## NaiveSound

I'm very very surprised about the Bluetooth sound capability on 1z, I feel it's very close to regular play or USB dac  very surprising  usually Bluetooth is a bigger compromised in other daps/players .   I have to say to to convenience  I'll be using Bluetooth receiver for Tidal instead of USB, and when I feel for a more serious sound, I'll just direct play from player memory. 
Wow


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> i reverted back to 2.0 (easy like a breeze so if you guys wanna do the same fear not), 3.0 made my WM1A sound too lean and 'metalic'
> 
> ah back to sonic bliss



Is there a link where I could download 2.0 again for the 1A? All the 2.0 links I have have been updated to 3.0?



NaiveSound said:


> I'm very very surprised about the Bluetooth sound capability on 1z, I feel it's very close to regular play or USB dac  very surprising  usually Bluetooth is a bigger compromised in other daps/players .   I have to say to to convenience  I'll be using Bluetooth receiver for Tidal instead of USB, and when I feel for a more serious sound, I'll just direct play from player memory.
> Wow



I ran BT out of my iPod and thought it was better than most BT devices listening to the 1Z, but it seemed degraded. I don’t really need BT receiving with the 1Z anyway. I’m truly surprised you thought it was close to other file playback?


----------



## proedros (Oct 5, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Is there a link where I could download 2.0 again for the 1A? All the 2.0 links I have have been updated to 3.0?



i have saved all wm1a FWs in my laptop

i am uploading it to sendspace and will send you a DL link in 30 minutes


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> He is talking about the 3.0 FW updater crashing, there is a Win and a Mac installer. The usb driver only exist for Windows, Mac normally don’t require driverd



Of course, thanks for clarification on that.


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> i have saved all wm1a FWs in my laptop
> 
> i am uploading it to sendspace and will send you a DL link in 30 minutes


Your the best! Seems strange that Sony doesn’t offer all the updates?


----------



## proedros

Redcarmoose said:


> Your the best! Seems strange that Sony doesn’t offer all the updates?



no worries , i have saved all wm1a FWs , just in case

3.0 though was not for me , maybe for people who have warm/veiled iems may be a better fit but with zeus the combo is not optimal


----------



## nc8000 (Oct 5, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Is there a link where I could download 2.0 again for the 1A? All the 2.0 links I have have been updated to 3.0?
> 
> 
> 
> I ran BT out of my iPod and thought it was better than most BT devices listening to the 1Z, but it seemed degraded. I don’t really need BT receiving with the 1Z anyway. I’m truly surprised you thought it was close to other file playback?



All Windows FW installers, user manual and service manual are in my DropBox

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> Is there a link where I could download 2.0 again for the 1A? All the 2.0 links I have have been updated to 3.0?
> I found it a 15 percent difference  However thought the 1z via Bluetooth was significantly better than 1a (local play)
> 
> 
> I ran BT out of my iPod and thought it was better than most BT devices listening to the 1Z, but it seemed degraded. I don’t really need BT receiving with the 1Z anyway. I’m truly surprised you thought it was close to other file playback?


----------



## siruspan

Redcarmoose said:


> Your the best! Seems strange that Sony doesn’t offer all the updates?



https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1092#post-13848302


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Pity about the database rebuild every time.


----------



## Redcarmoose

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Pity about the database rebuild every time.



You mean everytime you turn on your player, or if you use it as a DAC?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

kubig123 said:


> here the links for pc and Mac
> 
> _http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe_
> 
> ...


Don’t use these unless you want to go back to FW 1.02.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> You mean everytime you turn on your player, or if you use it as a DAC?



Probably after each FW update


----------



## auronthas

nc8000 said:


> He is talking about the 3.0 FW updater crashing, there is a Win and a Mac installer. The usb driver only exist for Windows, Mac normally don’t require driverd



I can see Walkman from Sound Setting (Output) at System Preference.  But it appears on and off, not stable, try another USB port, similar problem.  I have reported to Sony Support team.
Btw, my Mac OS is Mojave .


----------



## fiascogarcia

nc8000 said:


> All Windows FW installers, user manual and service manual are in my DropBox
> 
> https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0


Nice. Thanks!  Are those Windows version firmware installers?

Edit:  Sorry, you already said they were!


----------



## iridium7777

question for iPhone users:

1) For bluetooth, when i pair my output says "AAC" which i believe is lossy even though i'm streaming music from Qobuz or Deezer in HD quality -- is a limitation of iPhone or do i have some setting incorrect?

2) for actual USB DAC i use the apple camera dongle and even with unchecking the "charge when using" option on the Sony i still do not get any sound coming out from iPhone stream.

do i have some settings incorrect for both BT quality somewhere?

thanks


----------



## fiascogarcia

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes! THX!


Aren't those version 1.02?  Or am I reading them incorrectly?


----------



## Redcarmoose

fiascogarcia said:


> Nice. Thanks!  Are those Windows version firmware installers?
> 
> Edit:  Sorry, you already said they were!



Just so you know, I used his Dropbox to go back to 2.0 with the 1A. They worked perfect. He has all the FW listed so you just look for the one you want to roll back to.


----------



## Redcarmoose

fiascogarcia said:


> Aren't those version 1.02?  Or am I reading them incorrectly?



Yes, they are my mistake and his! Funny too as I rolled back with those till I found out they were 1.02!


----------



## Piotr Michalak

iridium7777 said:


> question for iPhone users:
> 1) For bluetooth, when i pair my output says "AAC" which i believe is lossy even though i'm streaming music from Qobuz or Deezer in HD quality -- is a limitation of iPhone or do i have some setting incorrect?
> 2) for actual USB DAC i use the apple camera dongle and even with unchecking the "charge when using" option on the Sony i still do not get any sound coming out from iPhone stream.
> do i have some settings incorrect for both BT quality somewhere?
> thanks



Yes, unfortunately iPhone doesn't have a quality bluetooth option ;-( no APTX or anything like that. It sucks, yes. For example, with Hugo2, my iPhone as a source was generating some unaudible hissing.


----------



## iron2k

iridium7777 said:


> question for iPhone users:
> 
> 1) For bluetooth, when i pair my output says "AAC" which i believe is lossy even though i'm streaming music from Qobuz or Deezer in HD quality -- is a limitation of iPhone or do i have some setting incorrect?
> 
> thanks


As far as I know, yes that's an iOS limitation, no LDAC support.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, they are my mistake and his! Funny too as I rolled back with those till I found out they were 1.02!


Yeah, I'm a day late and a dollar short on my posts today.  Just noticed you had already discovered this!  So, what version are you going to use with the 1Z?  I haven't yet listened enough with 3.0 to make a judgement.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

After today I’m running 3.0 with the 1Z but found FW 2.0 to be better sounding with the 1A. Oh.... and that early 1.02FW was causing issues with the 1A for some reason? Scary. 

Disclaimer:
Everyone has different IEMs and different likes in sound signature; your results may vary from mine. Cheers!


To get slightly wordy.......3.0 with the 1Z is like Christmas. I had this feeling that I rarely get after I started to get used to what I was hearing. To me 3.0 with the 1Z is an experience. It’s like the old Sony sound but updated into the future? I love it. Makes the 1Z a whole new player.


----------



## auronthas

auronthas said:


> I can see Walkman from Sound Setting (Output) at System Preference.  But it appears on and off, not stable, try another USB port, similar problem.  I have reported to Sony Support team.
> Btw, my Mac OS is Mojave .


Photo below describe my problem encountered


----------



## kubig123

Redcarmoose said:


> Don’t use these unless you want to go back to FW 1.02.



Here the links of the most recent FW

*V.1.20 - Mar. 22,2017
*
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.dmg


*V. 2.00 - Nov. 09,2017*

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.dmg


*V. 3.00 Oct. 04,2018*

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_00.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_00.dmg


----------



## normie610

Contrary to many, I find the 3.0 on 1Z to be warmer by quite a margin. Soundstage goes wider but not too much. Notes are more solid and controlled with less reverb. I really like the vinyl option surface noise, as vocals become even more lush, truly analog-like. All in all, a really nice update, great job Sony!


----------



## bflat

Kervsky said:


> What's your iPhone? I tried on my 4s (yeah, no new iPhone yet), it needed the camera kit and yes, charge this device from the source to work. but it did output audio.



iPhone Xs Max with CCK 2.0. I only plan to steam Apple Music and Netflix so don't see the need for wired mode. AAC BT is exactly what I was looking for.



Redcarmoose said:


> I can’t believe you think it sounds the same as 2.0?



I just got my 4.4mm cable and relatively new WM1z owner so certainly not an authority. Either way, I am very pleased with how my Laylas sound.


----------



## Redcarmoose

bflat said:


> iPhone Xs Max with CCK 2.0. I only plan to steam Apple Music and Netflix so don't see the need for wired mode. AAC BT is exactly what I was looking for.
> 
> 
> 
> I just got my 4.4mm cable and relatively new WM1z owner so certainly not an authority. Either way, I am very pleased with how my Laylas sound.



Started with the 1Z in November right as FW 2.0 came out. It was confusing learning how the sound changed with burn in and the change to 2.0. But I was able to get a better understanding with the player at 200 hours of burn in with 2.0. 

But it really is a personal thing and everyone perceives things different. Plus we all have different IEMs. There is also the new toy phenomenon. At times anything new sounds better, when in reality it’s just new. 

But my understanding is we tend to notice things right off then other things start to emerge days and days later. 

We will read how everyone reacts to this update. I can kinda tell already that there will be both DAC implementing issues with folk’s computers as well different perceptions of the sound of the update on the three players Sony made.


----------



## Stephen George

gerelmx1986 said:


> you can remove the embedded cover files form files using mp3tag and export a  single picture



  very curious to see how much i would save, but stuck on the export step

so i just selected 1 album to test it and when i highlight, go to quick tools, export cover to file, add %_directory% and then ok...it processes files, but comes up with zeros and nothing is in the directory..i then tried click front cover only and same results

is the filename generated cover.jpg or folder.jpg?

TIA


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

normie610 said:


> Contrary to many, I find the 3.0 on 1Z to be warmer by quite a margin. Soundstage goes wider but not too much. Notes are more solid and controlled with less reverb. I really like the vinyl option surface noise, as vocals become even more lush, truly analog-like. All in all, a really nice update, great job Sony!



Are you trying to listen to older recordings which are thin sounding and listening if the player is adding warmth, or listening to modern recordings?

I say this because 3.0 will sound almost warmer if you listening to a modern HD track with a bunch of low end. It’s strange because more detail on a bass heavy track CAN make 3.0 sound super warm?

3.0 sounds warmer with this track in 192/24?

I think it’s the capacity now which we have?


But who knows? We have only had this for a day. Anything could happen as far as folks perception!


----------



## NaiveSound

Yeah the more I listen the more I like 2.0 over 3.0.   2.0 to me is warmer...3.0 being a little brighter but I don't know if there are any more details really . It's just brighter. I wish I could have 2.0 sound with 3.0 software 
My friends fourte is too sharp with 3.0 for example. Unpleasantly so. And I'm not sensitive to sibilance  

Well. 

Another thing.  All dap manufacturers don't recognize or admit that software does alter sound... I find that a little *elementary school temperament *...

I guess I'll keep 3. 0 because of the awesome Bluetooth/usb dac features that should of been available from day one of this player.


----------



## normie610

Redcarmoose said:


> Are you trying to listen to older recordings which are thin sounding and listening if the player is adding warmth, or listening to modern recordings?
> 
> I say this because 3.0 will sound almost warmer if you listening to a modern HD track with a bunch of low end. It’s strange because more detail on a bass heavy track CAN make 3.0 sound super warm?
> 
> ...




Most of my tracks are modern Hi-Res tracks but not necessarily bass heavy as I listen to mostly jazz and classical music. Perhaps it’s just how the 3.0 sounds with my i4.


----------



## bflat

Redcarmoose said:


> Started with the 1Z in November right as FW 2.0 came out. It was confusing learning how the sound changed with burn in and the change to 2.0. But I was able to get a better understanding with the player at 200 hours of burn in with 2.0.
> 
> But it really is a personal thing and everyone perceives things different. Plus we all have different IEMs. There is also the new toy phenomenon. At times anything new sounds better, when in reality it’s just new.
> 
> ...



Completely agree. I was using an AK SP1000 with my Laylas and when I switched to the WM1z, I had to redo everything on my Laylas - cable, termination, ear tips, and bass tuner settings. I'm still tweaking those so it will be a while longer before I settle on what I find optimal for me. I will have a better idea of sound changes when 4.0 comes around LOL.


----------



## Piotr Michalak

Guys, I've just measured what 3.0 different settings do to the sound. 

Measurements were made using WM1Z + Shure KSE1500 + full shell by sensaphonics (clear) + Forza Noir Hybrid (UPOCC 7N+silver) + miniDSP EARS set. 

Here are the findings:

Direct is the same as direct turned off with all the settings turned off.
Normalisation turns the bass down by almost 2dB, and gives highs a very slight boost. 
DSEE looks the same in all it's settings. Also DSEE looks the same as normalisation without DSEE. 
Phase A high and Phase B high lower down the sub bass from 40-50 Hz downwards by about 1-2 dB, the lowest point being at 20 Hz. 
Other phase settings look the same. They also look the same as if they were turned off. 
Vinyl standard slightly lowers the volume of 45Hz and bumps the 55Hz, but only about 0.5 to 1dB  Second "resonance" setting also looks like Standard setting. 
The first resonance setting looks like the fourth vinyl setting. On the 4th setting, the bass is slightly less smooth. 
Summing things up, there are almost no differences between these settings in terms of sound QUANTITY. The biggest difference is normalisation. There are some distortions in the vinyl settings. There also have to be some differences in other places which I can't measure using my cheap rig, especially since I hear clear differences between different Vinyl settings. 

Here are some screenshots for you guys.


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> Yeah the more I listen the more I like 2.0 over 3.0.   2.0 to me is warmer...3.0 being a little brighter but I don't know if there are any more details really . It's just brighter. I wish I could have 2.0 sound with 3.0 software
> My friends fourte is too sharp with 3.0 for example. Unpleasantly so. And I'm not sensitive to sibilance
> 
> Well.
> ...



Well the whole thing with us having to share roll back software is crazy. Sony should have it all as a choice to modify the tone to each persons liking. But they don’t admit there is a tone change each FW release, but it’s totally obvious they know they sound different. I mean they tuned the sound of the FW.

 Though I guess it just depends on the person to decide which FW sounds best. See to me it’s not brighter only. Like with the soundtrack I posted above it’s like there is a greater frequency band. It actually goes both higher and deeper? They didn’t offer the DAC/BT receivership feature at the start as the 1Z was to be a minimized feature device.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

bflat said:


> Completely agree. I was using an AK SP1000 with my Laylas and when I switched to the WM1z, I had to redo everything on my Laylas - cable, termination, ear tips, and bass tuner settings. I'm still tweaking those so it will be a while longer before I settle on what I find optimal for me. I will have a better idea of sound changes when 4.0 comes around LOL.



So for you it isn’t just mental burn in but you EQ with cables, tips, filters. I hardly us the players EQ either, only a dash with my Encore IEMs. Though I’m trying to see if I can go EQ free with 3.0? It actually doesn’t sound much brighter than 2.0 with the Encore IEM? Again though it’s just something that takes time. I actually don’t think we will ever see a 4.0. Sony will move on, just like Media Go and drop updates.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

Piotr Michalak said:


> Guys, I've just measured what 3.0 different settings do to the sound.
> 
> Measurements were made using WM1Z + Shure KSE1500 + full shell by sensaphonics (clear) + Forza Noir Hybrid (UPOCC 7N+silver) + miniDSP EARS set.
> 
> ...



What you are doing is a ton of work! But you may find some options on the player are beyond the ability of your testing methodology to determine. IMO

Just like some of us can hear settings and some can’t. What would really be a gift is if you could measure the distinct frequency differences between 2.0 and FW 3.0.

As some already hear no differences from 2.0 to 3.0. And...... some hear 3.0 warm and others think 3.0 is less bass heavy. Lol


----------



## Returnity

Another thing I noticed is that the SE output's sound quality got insanely close to the one of balanced output. 

They weren't much different beforehand either but I enjoy SE with v3 much more than before. 

BTW, I was using direct source with v2. The changes in bass can easily be remedied by using tone control and adding +1 or 2 to bass. I was a purist before and hated using EQ and such, but the basic tone control gives back the device's authority in bass quite successfully IMHO. 

I think v3 will mostly benefit to those with XBA-Z5 or Z1R from a purist's standpoint. I'm on the lookout for an IEM to complement my Andromedas with a fun signature and eyeing the Z5. This may be the perfect time to grab one I guess. Any tips?


----------



## bflat

Got to say, the WM1z in DAC mode with my Laylas is about as good as an all-in-one unit can be. With the battery saver option on (90% charge limit) I can leave it plugged in and on 24x7 and not worry about battery health.

I have another cross country flight coming up and look forward to trying the BT receiver with my iPhone and Netflix.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

normie610 said:


> Most of my tracks are modern Hi-Res tracks but not necessarily bass heavy as I listen to mostly jazz and classical music. Perhaps it’s just how the 3.0 sounds with my i4.



It WOULD be crazy if Sony really got to the HD area they sought after? The fact that the player is warmer with only HD and 3.0? Stranger things have happened. I actually don’t have many DSD or HD tracks to test this phenomena. But it could be broader frequency responce? The bass does sound pretty good in HD. All my IEMs sound different with 3.0? It’s hard to generalize at this point. But my first impression was it was less warm like others have stated. But your right HD is a different world? This is wild.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

Returnity said:


> Another thing I noticed is that the SE output's sound quality got insanely close to the one of balanced output.
> 
> They weren't much different beforehand either but I enjoy SE with v3 much more than before.
> 
> ...



I spent a small while today with 3.0 1Z and the Z5. It was nice but I can’t really report on the combo as of yet. Just remember you may not like the included cable and there is no way to go 4.4 balanced with the Z5 until you purchase an aftermarket MMCX to 4.4mm 5 pole Pentaconn cable. Just saying......

But they are going on sale, one post here stated a member got his this week for 1/2 price. I got mine for free with the 1Z last November.


----------



## Returnity

Redcarmoose said:


> I spent a small while today with 3.0 1Z and the Z5. It was nice but I can’t really report on the combo as of yet. Just remember you may not like the included cable and there is no way to go 4.4 balanced with the Z5 until you purchase an aftermarket MMCX to 4.4mm 5 pole Pentaconn cable. Just saying......
> 
> But they are going on sale, one post here stated a member got his this week for 1/2 price. I got mine for free with the 1Z last November.




I already have a 4.4mm to mmcx balanced cable, so that should work hopefully!


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Well the whole thing with us having to share roll back software is crazy. Sony should have it all as a choice to modify the tone to each persons liking. But they don’t admit there is a tone change each FW release, but it’s totally obvious they know they sound different. I mean they tuned the sound of the FW.
> 
> Though I guess it just depends on the person to decide which FW sounds best. See to me it’s not brighter only. Like with the soundtrack I posted above it’s like there is a greater frequency band. It actually goes both higher and deeper? They didn’t offer the DAC/BT receivership feature at the start as the 1Z was to be a minimized feature device.



iBasso never admitted that the sound changed with the various fw updates on the DX90 but they did


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

Returnity said:


> I already have a 4.4mm to mmcx balanced cable, so that should work hopefully!



The thing is the Z5 is not the best fitting IEM. The whole structure sits in the air outside your ear, where most IEMs sit along the side of your ear.

So many of us have gone to Sony Triple Comfort Tips. They are thick as heck and mount the Z5 like a giant USB stick plugged into your ear.

I Iove the Z5 and now they can be like $360-$400 maybe. But you have to deal with some aspects which are not perfect.......like wives. Lol


----------



## Returnity

Redcarmoose said:


> The thing is the Z5 is not the best fitting IEM. The whole structure sits in the air outside your ear, where most IEMs sit along the side of your ear.
> 
> So many of us have gone to Sony Triple Comfort Tips. They are thick as heck and mount the Z5 like a giant USB stick plugged into your ear.
> 
> I Iove the Z5 and now they can be like $360-$400 maybe. But you have to deal with some aspects which are not perfect.......like wives. Lol



Yeah they definitely do look awkward! My wife probably will laugh at sight of it and ask "is this the one you paid that much money for?" After my reply I hope she will continue laughing, Lol


----------



## Redcarmoose

Piotr Michalak said:


> Guys, I've just measured what 3.0 different settings do to the sound.
> 
> Measurements were made using WM1Z + Shure KSE1500 + full shell by sensaphonics (clear) + Forza Noir Hybrid (UPOCC 7N+silver) + miniDSP EARS set.
> 
> ...



It sure would be interesting if HD files reproduced a different frequency response in your testing with 3.0?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

Returnity said:


> Yeah they definitely do look awkward! My wife probably will laugh at sight of it and ask "is this the one you paid that much money for?" After my reply I hope she will continue laughing, Lol



Well they are from way back in 2014.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sonys-new-2014-flagship-iem-xba-z5.733404/
https://www.amazon.com/XBA-Z5-Balanced-Armature-Headphones-International/dp/B00PF89YXG


----------



## xjaynine

Piotr Michalak said:


> Guys, I've just measured what 3.0 different settings do to the sound.]



This is incredible and very informative. Thank you for measuring and posting!


----------



## JML

Lookout57 said:


> I updated my WM1A and WM1Z with no problems on High Sierra.
> 
> In the crash log you posted it states that thread 7 was the thread that crashed. Look further down in the crash log to get the actual thread name.



Since my post this morning I went to work, found someone with a Windows laptop, and updated that way.  Thanks.


----------



## proedros

You've got a file called NW-WM1_V2_00.exe, (115.2 MB) waiting to be downloaded

Description: wm1a 2.0

You can use the following link to retrieve your file:

https://www.sendspace.com/file/5tbhrt


The file may be available for a limited time only.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

proedros said:


> You've got a file called NW-WM1_V2_00.exe, (115.2 MB) waiting to be downloaded
> 
> Description: wm1a 2.0
> 
> ...



Thank-you


----------



## JML (Oct 5, 2018)

The built-in storage "WALKMAN" folder seems to have only one visible folder and three visible files that need to be kept:

MUSIC (the folder in which I have music stored, obviously)
default-capability.xml
DevIcon.fil
DevLogo.fil

The three files were changed with the 3.0 update.  The same folder and file names can be found on the removable storage card.

There are other folders and files that can be deleted (at least there's been no change on my unit as a result, but I've copied them over to my laptop just in case):

FOR_MAC (has two files: a url for Content Transfer and  a Help_Guide installer, both of which are the original files, not any of the updated files since the initial release))
FOR_WINDOWS (two files: a url for Media Go and the Help_Guide installer, both of which are the ancient files, too)
Help_Guide (contains one file, the Guide_Package.zip, which is the ancient version)
Playlists (empty folder, forever - my playlists are in the MUSIC folder, not here!)
7 png files with "screenshot" at the start of the file name, all of which date to the v.20 update and which are no longer accurate, but seem to be of my own machine's screen)


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

This is crazy.......but I think 3.0 with the 1Z is showing the differences of bit rate? My guilty days of 320kbps are maybe over?


----------



## Lookout57

I couldn't sleep last night and spent a lot of time listening to 3.0 on my WM1A with the Campfire Vega using SXC 8 balanced cable. What I heard is the the bass seems a lot cleaner now, more defined. It's as though their was a slight bloom or bloat to the bass that is now gone. The soundstage is larger, more 3D. But on tracks that I know go deep, that deepness is still there, just different.

An example of this was on Don't Give Up from my DSD rip of the Peter Gabriel So SACD. With 2.0 Tony Levin's bass was more muddled. Now with 3.0 the notes are cleaner and more defined. It now reminds me of what I heard listening to it on vinyl on a extremely high end system at a hifi show in San Mateo many years ago. That set the benchmark for that song for me and I've been trying to get back there ever since. 

I need to try listening to it with the CA Atlas / Silver Balanced Litz which has more bass for a comparison. I also need to try my Z1R with AXIOS Cu. Then compare all these combinations on the WM1Z.


----------



## nc8000

Just had my first ever crash and reboot with the 1Z using it as BT receiver and upon restarting it has now been stuck for 15 minutes on Creating Database without any movement for at least 10 minutes


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> Just had my first ever crash and reboot with the 1Z using it as BT receiver and upon restarting it has now been stuck for 15 minutes on Creating Database without any movement for at least 10 minutes



Are you using a 400GB card?


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Are you using a 400GB card?



Yes and have about 30.000 files on the player. It finished after 20 minutes, normally never takes that long


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 5, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Yes and have about 30.000 files on the player. It finished after 20 minutes, normally never takes that long



I also found 3.0 to maybe be a slight slower on creating database? Though for sound quality us audiophiles will put up with a lot. Lol.

Did it stop at about the 88% mark? Mine stops there now. But I have around 10K files so it’s not too slow.

By the way 30,000 files on the player is smaller than mp3 songs?.......no?


----------



## siruspan

iridium7777 said:


> question for iPhone users:
> 
> 1) For bluetooth, when i pair my output says "AAC" which i believe is lossy even though i'm streaming music from Qobuz or Deezer in HD quality -- is a limitation of iPhone or do i have some setting incorrect?
> 
> ...



As far as i know aac on apple is the best there is. You should switch to android where there is LDAC


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> I also found 3.0 to maybe be a slight slower on creating database? Though for sound quality us audiophiles will put up with a lot. Lol.
> 
> Did it stop at about the 88% mark? Mine stops there now. But I have around 10K files so it’s not too slow.
> 
> By the way 30,000 files on the player is smaller than mp3 songs?.......no?



It is all 16/44 flac and yes 88% is about right


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> It is all 16/44 flac and yes 88% is about right



Oh, your grand total is 30,000 with internal memory and card.


----------



## kubig123

Redcarmoose said:


> I also found 3.0 to maybe be a slight slower on creating database? Though for sound quality us audiophiles will put up with a lot. Lol.
> 
> Did it stop at about the 88% mark? Mine stops there now. But I have around 10K files so it’s not too slow.
> 
> By the way 30,000 files on the player is smaller than mp3 songs?.......no?


Same here,
it looks like it takes more time to rebuilt the database and when it's around 80% it doesn't progress for few minutes.

My unit crashed twice since i installed the new FW, always on the same song.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Oh, your grand total is 30,000 with internal memory and card.



Yep. The total content of the player


----------



## Redcarmoose

No crashes at all. Not yet?

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/kubig123.450042/


----------



## siruspan

So its not only me with the restarts after all. I've had two within 24 hours after installing 3.0 and also rebuilding database is slower than before. I'm using 200gb card.


----------



## NaiveSound

Could we all send Sony an email about crashes and how the sound has changed? If enough people do it...it might make Sony have a response?


----------



## Lookout57

Is it always crashing on the same song(s)?

Can you reproduce it constantly?

If it's always the same song(s) look at the ID3 tags and analyze the song to see if there are any encoding errors in it.


----------



## siruspan

It crashed on me on two different songs and i didnt have any problems with playing them after restart so its hard to reproduce.


----------



## buzzlulu

Ok - so what am I doing wrong?
Firmware updated (yes database rebuild is slow) and I am able to stream Tidal via Bluetooth from a iPhone XS Max.

Now - if I connect Apple CCK cable to the iPhone and then use the included USB cable with the 1Z I get no music coming out of the phone into the 1Z.

What am I doing wrong?  I assume the included USB cable which came with the 1Z is what needs to plug into the Apple CCK cable??


----------



## purk

Love the Bluetooh DAC function.  Such a great update.  A+ 
 I have 512GB microSD on mine.


----------



## Piotr Michalak

Redcarmoose said:


> What you are doing is a ton of work! But you may find some options on the player are beyond the ability of your testing methodology to determine. IMO
> Just like some of us can hear settings and some can’t. What would really be a gift is if you could measure the distinct frequency differences between 2.0 and FW 3.0.
> As some already hear no differences from 2.0 to 3.0. And...... some hear 3.0 warm and others think 3.0 is less bass heavy. Lol


 
It'd be great to measure different firmwares... I'm afraid I have no patience for that, though  

From what I currently hear, I like 3.0 very much. I remember my colleague recommending 1.02 as the darkest and most euphonic. I tried downgrading from 2.0 to two different firmwares you guys post here and - surprise! - I loved the darkish tone. 

Albeit after a few hours I could listen no more. It was just less coherent and made my ears were bleeding during longer sessions. 

I see that Sony is trying to go more neutral and natural with these upgrades each time since 1.02. 

Thus they compete with Ultima and Hugo2, while at the same time providing us with cool "vinyl" features if anybody likes to force some colour and euphony into this neutrality. 

 I like that.


----------



## NaiveSound

Is there any way to keep the bt receiver/usb dac yet still rollback to 2.0? Lol? Lol..... Nooooooo

Why have you forsaken me?


----------



## MyAstroBOY

The firmware update 3.0 (mac) always crashed everytime when I followed the instruction where WM1Z is connected to the Mac using USB Mass Storage mode... once it is connected, the next step of updating automatically quits...
Has anyone encountered the similar issue?


----------



## AnakChan

MyAstroBOY said:


> The firmware update 3.0 (mac) always crashed everytime when I followed the instruction where WM1Z is connected to the Mac using USB Mass Storage mode... once it is connected, the next step of updating automatically quits...
> Has anyone encountered the similar issue?


Just upgraded mine this morning. No crashes at all. iMac Pro on Mojave.


----------



## kubig123

MyAstroBOY said:


> The firmware update 3.0 (mac) always crashed everytime when I followed the instruction where WM1Z is connected to the Mac using USB Mass Storage mode... once it is connected, the next step of updating automatically quits...
> Has anyone encountered the similar issue?


You have to unplug the player from the Mac, run the installer and only when you get the message from the installer you have to connect the player back to the Mac.


----------



## MyAstroBOY

That's exactly the procedure I followed  
I didnt encounter this issue when it was upgraded to 2.0... not sure what exactly caused the crash


----------



## NaiveSound

This thread is on fire!


----------



## Malevolint

moondabor said:


> These make a great pairing https://twitter.com/MinhP765/status/1047733099465822209



Lol you did not. That is so funny


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 5, 2018)

Stephen George said:


> very curious to see how much i would save, but stuck on the export step
> 
> so i just selected 1 album to test it and when i highlight, go to quick tools, export cover to file, add %_directory% and then ok...it processes files, but comes up with zeros and nothing is in the directory..i then tried click front cover only and same results
> 
> ...


For me it generated the picture as <name of the folder>.jpg


----------



## buzzlulu

Has anyone figured out how to use an iPhone as a source (for example with Tidal) for the new USB DAC feature in the 1Z.  I cannot get it to work (bluetooth streaming does) and I have seen another poster also having problems.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I didnt saw any space savings with removing the folder.jpgs embedded in each flac and using as external picture.


----------



## kel77 (Oct 5, 2018)

I doubt iOS works with the USB dac function. I tried the iPad pro running iOS 12 and connected the Apple Camera Adapter. Received a prompt saying the player was drawing too much power. Disabled the setting in the Walkman to charge the device through USB but still get the same error prompt.

OK. Finally managed to get it sorted. The Walkman needs to be set to USB DAC mode before you connect to the iPad.


----------



## NaiveSound

How do I find album art? Any track I buy on Beatport doesn't come with album art?


----------



## Malevolint

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m sorry! But it maybe that I’ve always been a soundstage junky. I keep headphones around which I actually only like for the soundstage. But I have to say it’s different. Also I may like 2.0 with the 1A as it had personality? 3.0 with the 1Z is smoother, faster and imaging is different, like the background got an increase in blackness. But I have to say I would have never guessed this soundstage change. Especially if you listen to electronic music; just these spacious sound cues out and about around you? Sorry! But to my ears (now) the players are really different. And if this was placebo the 1A would be different, but it's not?


I think I like 2.0 on the 1A better too. They took away my bass! While I'm downloading l downgrading, I'm going to take it all the way and just try out 1.2.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Guys, you note a difference between the diverse modes of the vinyl processor? i can't


----------



## buzzlulu

kel77 said:


> I doubt iOS works with the USB dac function. I tried the iPad pro running iOS 12 and connected the Apple Camera Adapter. Received a prompt saying the player was drawing too much power. Disabled the setting in the Walkman to charge the device through USB but still get the same error prompt.
> 
> OK. Finally managed to get it sorted. The Walkman needs to be set to USB DAC mode before you connect to the iPad.



I disabled the charge setting as well however still not connecting.  I assume the USB DAC setting is the icon DAC inside a circle at the top - which is next to the Bluetooth icon  as well?


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> How do I find album art? Any track I buy on Beatport doesn't come with album art?


Try googling and under image search options try to look for size: Large


----------



## kel77

buzzlulu said:


> I disabled the charge setting as well however still not connecting.  I assume the USB DAC setting is the icon DAC inside a circle at the top - which is next to the Bluetooth icon  as well?



After you have connected the devices, close off the apps if they were previously running. Once I had the app started again eg Spotify, the sound output was able to be passed through the DAC.


----------



## audionewbi

Only one shame, the USB DAC doesn't seem to be working with MQA. So, for now, MQA only decoded to its "full" resolution internally.


----------



## blazinblazin (Oct 5, 2018)

I think on WM1A now with the fw 3.0 is smoother, more refined in sound, slightly lesser sub bass impact but bass is still there, they add in more highs which makes the soundstage bigger, which WM1A does indeed a bit short of.
Details, resolution wise still not much difference.

Now female vocals sounds better on WM1A.

I have not encountered any reboot or crash issues.
I updated WM1A using MediaGo on PC.


----------



## Malevolint

Redcarmoose said:


> I spent a small while today with 3.0 1Z and the Z5. It was nice but I can’t really report on the combo as of yet. Just remember you may not like the included cable and there is no way to go 4.4 balanced with the Z5 until you purchase an aftermarket MMCX to 4.4mm 5 pole Pentaconn cable. Just saying......
> 
> But they are going on sale, one post here stated a member got his this week for 1/2 price. I got mine for free with the 1Z last November.


On sale? Where!?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 6, 2018)

Mrcojocaru said:


> On sale? Where!?


It was at an airport in Japan, but remember 1/2 price is still $350 or so. Though you must be able to find them around now for $400? Especially with the IER-Z1R arriving in a couple weeks. I found a brand new Z7 at a flagship Sony store for $360; as the MK2 Z7 is out now. The Z5 does show up on Amazon for $400 NIB from time to time.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 6, 2018)

Mrcojocaru said:


> Lol you did not. That is so funny



_*No.......they do pair up nicely, the best BT I ever did hear........But your right....the DAC arrangement with the 1A does not work with the Sony cables? *_


----------



## BrianLHR

sorry if someone asked before in this massive thread but anyone tried tweaking 1z firmware to fit on 1a? since firmware changes sound 1a should be able to sound like 1z if the firmware is tweaked? i recognize hardware still different so wont be exact but it should close the gap am i right


----------



## audionewbi

BrianLHR said:


> sorry if someone asked before in this massive thread but anyone tried tweaking 1z firmware to fit on 1a? since firmware changes sound 1a should be able to sound like 1z if the firmware is tweaked? i recognize hardware still different so wont be exact but it should close the gap am i right



Isn’t the FW the same?


----------



## BrianLHR

oh let me clarify i meant is modding the fw to sound like 1z. imnot sure if this is a thing but just curious


----------



## blazinblazin (Oct 6, 2018)

I don't think anyone here mod the fw so far from what i read. The only firmware mod is changing region and installing different version of official firmware.

1A and 1Z is using the same firmware update file, so i don't understand how you want to mod a firmware?


----------



## Redcarmoose

BrianLHR said:


> sorry if someone asked before in this massive thread but anyone tried tweaking 1z firmware to fit on 1a? since firmware changes sound 1a should be able to sound like 1z if the firmware is tweaked? i recognize hardware still different so wont be exact but it should close the gap am i right



The firmware is the same I think. The player reaction of different sound comes from the case material, the capacitors and the wires? Just a guess? But you can EQ the 1A to be closer in tone to the 1Z. But quite possibly there are things that are intrinsic. Soundstage and imaging seem to be properties of the hardware here? The sound field positioning does not seem like something that can be adjusted with EQ? Also you have the Head-Fi train of thought which states you can’t EQ something to be something else, it’s always going to be what it is.


----------



## BrianLHR

yup this answers my question thanks  i just wanted to know if anyone has/its possible to mod the fw to such an extent since people have said that fw changes affect soundstage etc apart from just the sound sig

i know eq exists but just seeing if anyone has modded the fw to alter sound properties. im an eq user fyi haha



blazinblazin said:


> I don't think anyone here mod the fw so far from what i read. The only firmware mod is changing region and installing different version of official firmware.
> 
> 1A and 1Z is using the same firmware update file, so i don't understand how you want to mod a firmware?


----------



## siruspan

The easiest would be to change internal wiring to the same kimber cable that is found in the wm1z.


----------



## Redcarmoose

It’s like the sound is a combination of everything.


----------



## blazinblazin (Oct 6, 2018)

BrianLHR said:


> yup this answers my question thanks  i just wanted to know if anyone has/its possible to mod the fw to such an extent since people have said that fw changes affect soundstage etc apart from just the sound sig
> 
> i know eq exists but just seeing if anyone has modded the fw to alter sound properties. im an eq user fyi haha


IF there is, it would be codes in the firmware, and you need to know Sony's type of coding and software they used for the codings. That i don't think people has access to. Most of this player is built from scratch by Sony, hardware and software wise, no one can easily clone a WM1.


----------



## Redcarmoose

blazinblazin said:


> IF there is, it would be codes in the firmware, and you need to know Sony's type of coding and software they used for the codings. That i don't think people has access to. Most of this player is built from scratch by Sony, hardware and software wise.



Easiest thing to do is get different IEMs instead.


----------



## Malevolint

Redcarmoose said:


> _*No.......they do pair up nicely, the best BT I ever did hear........But your right....the DAC arrangement with the 1A does not work with the Sony cables? *_


I guess that i just don't understand the purpose. What does it do to do this?


----------



## blazinblazin

Mrcojocaru said:


> I guess that i just don't understand the purpose. What does it do to do this?


It's called WM1-ception or Luxury amping


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 6, 2018)

Mrcojocaru said:


> I guess that i just don't understand the purpose. What does it do to do this?



 Nothing......it does nothing other than what you could do by changing a memory card. But there was a post earlier which showed in Instagram that the DAC function worked, but it does not. All it would do is give you more memory really. But the Bluetooth function does work and sounds better than the Apple codec. Again.....an actual downgrade in sound not an upgrade from playing in-house files. Why do it? Because you can.

If all you had other than Sony Walkmans and an iPhone it would show you how maybe another device would sound with optimal Bluetooth sound. People are wanting to stream music or play files and use the DAC/amp function of their 1Z. If you were using simply an IPhone this set up could replicate (as a test) what a better Bluetooth device would sound like.


----------



## proedros

interested in buying a 4.4 ares ii (8-wire) , if you have one for sale hit me up


----------



## NickleCo

proedros said:


> no worries , i have saved all wm1a FWs , just in case
> 
> 3.0 though was not for me , maybe for people who have warm/veiled iems may be a better fit but with zeus the combo is not optimal


Which update do you recommend for the zeus pairing? I kinda like the 3.00 fw with mine. Since i have the xiv 2.00 was abit, albeit the mids sounded very good, claustrophobic.


----------



## proedros

DatDudeNic said:


> Which update do you recommend for the zeus pairing? I kinda like the 3.00 fw with mine. Since i have the xiv 2.00 was abit, albeit the mids sounded very good, claustrophobic.



if you like 3.0 you should stay with it , there is no universal right/wrong here - it comes down to personal preference and iems synergy

i am happy with 2.0 , 3.0 made the sound kinda screechy to my ears

besides, i don't use wm1a as a dac/bluetooth so i had zero concern whether i should get back to 2.0 

you only have XIV ? well XIV brings the mids closer but also lifts the upper mids a bit , 3.0 was not optimal with both of my XR settings , but like i said we all hear differently so use the FW you like best


----------



## Piotr Michalak

Redcarmoose said:


> It sure would be interesting if HD files reproduced a different frequency response in your testing with 3.0?


 
This kind of testing is done by importing a WAV file generated by Room EQ Wizard (free app). It contains a swipe file from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. I've tested using longer swipes and have found practically no difference. From what I see since making my first 400 measurements, I think there would be completely no difference if I used the same file but in DSD, for example.


----------



## Piotr Michalak

gerelmx1986 said:


> Guys, you note a difference between the diverse modes of the vinyl processor? i can't


Yes, they sound slightly different. It's nothing huge, though! I like the last one most, it feels a bit brighter and spacious.


----------



## Piotr Michalak (Oct 6, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> What would really be a gift is if you could measure the distinct frequency differences between 2.0 and FW 3.0.
> As some already hear no differences from 2.0 to 3.0. And...... some hear 3.0 warm and others think 3.0 is less bass heavy. Lol



So you inspired me maybe not to switch firmwares too many times, but rather to compare WM1Z to Ultima and to AK380SS. Here we go.



As you may see, they are practically identical.

I've even tested to see if setting the volume up would make any changes. It does not.

I've also tested balanced vs unbalanced, using an additional pigtail to single endd. There is practically no difference in terms of the QUANTITY of bass, highs or anything (!!!).

We may see some differences in the highs, but they are really negligible and should be taken into account of measuring fault tolerance. These are only +/- 1dB or less, note the scale on the left. This is like a huge zoom into the highest registers.



Here's the one biggest difference I could find:

So yeah, WM1Z may be a tad... brighter than Ultima Cu  But also, maybe not.

This was done on direct settings, no EQ or anything.

I hope that kinda destroys any theories about hearing more bass or less highs on anything. What we really hear is not a change in quantity of bass, mids, highs or anything. We just listen to it after having a good sleep and every day we hear a bit differently because of weather changes and other circumstances, and we also don't remember perfectly up to +/- 1dB what we heard the day before.

We probably hear real differences (because I hear them also!), but in phase, jitter, impulse response, etc. That's what makes us feel that something is a bit brighter or anything.

Hope that clears things up. Have a nice weekend guys!

PS as we also see, there really should be no difference in terms of QUANTITY of tones between 2.0 and 3.0. I'm not sure about the dark 1.02, though  But it was probably only a matter of not using the DAC properly and producing some distortions which made it warmer, I reckon.


----------



## Stephen George

gerelmx1986 said:


> I didnt saw any space savings with removing the folder.jpgs embedded in each flac and using as external picture.



good to know
i was able to get it to work with %_filename%, but then there was a .jpg for each song
before i stick tunes on the 1z i make sure .jpg used is super tiny anyway


----------



## Stephen George

NaiveSound said:


> How do I find album art? Any track I buy on Beatport doesn't come with album art?



tag and rename has a really neat feature that will do the google image search as the you have the album art gadjet open and you can drag and drop right on
also, tag and rename resizes the art to 200k


----------



## 480126

With 2.0 loading were slow! But with 3.0 it is very Long! Round About 3 Minutes!!! Maybe I go back to 2.0?


----------



## NaiveSound

Stephen George said:


> tag and rename has a really neat feature that will do the google image search as the you have the album art gadjet open and you can drag and drop right on
> also, tag and rename resizes the art to 200k


I appreciate it, but how to do I add it to my 1z after I download to my pc?


----------



## Stephen George

NaiveSound said:


> I appreciate it, but how to do I add it to my 1z after I download to my pc?



you can do it right on the 1z with the unit attached via usb, or do it in a "staging" folder (which i how i usually do it as it's slower on the 1z itself)

i'll copy all the songs out to the staging folder and check tags before transfer


----------



## siruspan

Frida309 said:


> With 2.0 loading were slow! But with 3.0 it is very Long! Round About 3 Minutes!!! Maybe I go back to 2.0?



You mean starting the player is slow? It should be always on in standby.


----------



## iridium7777

somebody here asked about tidal streaming --

my comments from a mac/iphone user

on mac:
- if you use tidal app master tracks only play in 44.1khz resolution, the tidal app does not detect WMA1 as an MQA device like it does with another DAC, for example dragonfly red.
- on audiorvana it seems like anything up to 96khz it'll plan in native resolution but then it caps out at that, the 192khz files get downsampled to 96.

on iPhone
- in usb dac mode through regular tidal app the most you'll get is 44.1khz
- in usb dac mode through something like 'mconnect' you'll get up to 48khtz but it does state that it's at 24bit and the bit rates seem to be in excess of 1600kbps so it makes me believe it actually is 24bit stuff that gets through
- in BT dac mode all you get is AAC, i don't know what sample rate it's at but definitely not even CD quality no matter what you stream. 

hope this answers some questions for people.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna (Oct 6, 2018)

I find it amazing to see several people reporting sound changes. To be honest, it's most probably a placebo effect or your brain having different expectations after the update. Or, it may have something to do with listening the player more carefully after the update to "catch" some changes. Don't underestimate our brains' impact on sound.

Also, the impressions are contradicting. Some report it has more bass, more warmth and everything, and some say it's brighter, leaner, metallic etc. etc...

No disrespect whatsoever about your ears or your experiences, but I can't take these impressions seriously. Changing the firmware back and forth and listening to it after several minutes, is not a reliable practice to share conclusive thoughts about a "changed sound".

Everyone has their opinion, but I've been using my 1A for a very long period of time, and I ran through all the updates including this 3.0 FW, and I've never ever heard a difference in sound with any of them.


----------



## auronthas

Has anyone successfully paired WM1A/Z with Car Audio system via Bluetooth Receiver ?

My Honda HRV unable to detect Bluetooth audio devices


----------



## blazinblazin

Can it measure spaciousness of the sound?
Can it measure the depth/placement of each instruments/vocal presented in your headphones.

I don't think so.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 6, 2018)

Piotr Michalak said:


> This kind of testing is done by importing a WAV file generated by Room EQ Wizard (free app). It contains a swipe file from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. I've tested using longer swipes and have found practically no difference. From what I see since making my first 400 measurements, I think there would be completely no difference if I used the same file but in DSD, for example.



What we have here is an idea that the 1Z was actually warmer with 3.0. Many also said it was colder. But then after listening to HD tracks with the 1Z and 3.0 it actually seemed to have more bass or maybe more detailed bass, plus a more refined bass. All that almost makes the 3.0/1Z combo seem warmer with HD tracks only. But MP3s and standard 16/44.1 stayed about the same or slightly thinner.

So the question was to measure an HD track for frequency reaponce with the Z1 and FW 3.0 then go and roll back to FW 2.0 and play the same HD track and measure again. I say this because the 1Z seems actually warmer with HD tracks and 3.0? It’s like 3.0 is clearer at replicating the quality of the source file more accurate?



Virtu Fortuna said:


> I find it amazing to see several people reporting sound changes. To be honest, it's most probably a placebo effect or your brain having different expectations after the update. Or, it may have something to do with listening the player more carefully after the update to "catch" some changes. Don't underestimate our brains' impact on sound.
> 
> Also, the impressions are contradicting. Some report it has more bass, more warmth and everything, and some say it's brighter, leaner, metallic etc. etc...
> 
> ...



It is a totally subjective thing but the general conclusion was that the firmware before 2.0 was of lower volume and warmer. Most today agree. But because 3.0 is new it’s confusing. Myself and others felt the 3.0 update made the 1A have a slight steely quality. That 3.0 actually made the 1A have a slightly bigger soundstage and a cooler sound. Most have actually agreed with this and I have reverted back to 2.0 with the 1A.

The 1Z on the other hand is a different story. Most all of us agree with this review. Though HD tracks could maybe be different? 
https://twister6.com/2018/10/04/sony-wm1z-a-fw3-0-update/

But again the change was more dramatic with 3.0 and the 1Z. The 1A change was more subtle. Also everyone hears different as well as some IEMs will show the changes more; just as listed in the above review of the firmware.


----------



## Piotr Michalak

Redcarmoose said:


> So the question was to measure an HD track for frequency reaponce with the Z1 and FW 3.0 then go and roll back to FW 2.0 and play the same HD track and measure again. I say this because the 1Z seems actually warmer with HD tracks and 3.0? It’s like 3.0 is clearer at replicating the quality of the source file more accurate?



Unfortunately there's no way to do it that I know of. Someone would have to take this WAV file generated by Room EQ Wizard analyser and change it to mp3 and the other one into an HD track. Still I believe we would see nothing on the graph. The differences you guys hear are not because of the quantity of sound. I also hear differences between AK380SS and Ultima and WM1Z. But they are not because of the quantity of bass. As I wrote, we hear them because of different things, maybe phase, maybe distortions, who knows  



Redcarmoose said:


> the firmware before 2.0 was of lower volume and warmer



Exactly. And it was also of *lower quality*. If we perceive by quality "perfection with no distortions or resonances and lowest possible noise". Some people love coloration. In the long term, perfection wins, I'm afraid. And I don't mean "bright" by that, in terms of quantity of highs, although we perceive it as brighter, because of other aspects. 

Also guys let's remember that all our IEMs are somewhat coloured. My measurements even found that SR-009 is brightly coloured, at least on 007t. So everything really depends on your personal IEM.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 6, 2018)

blazinblazin said:


> Can it measure spaciousness of the sound?
> Can it measure the depth/placement of each instruments/vocal presented in your headphones.
> 
> I don't think so.



That’s the thing many times in the IEM world a cable change changes the impedance slightly and that can actually be measured electronically with the cable. But changes of copper or silver adding color are too subtle to ever be graphed on paper.

The spacial image details of course can’t be measured with equipment sensitivity at this point. Amazingly though many of the things we used to argue about do get proven with measurement. Room responce is an extra slight add of lower tones from the side of a speaker adding a frequency to a listening room. Stuff like that can be proven now.


----------



## blazinblazin

Twister's sound changes for fw 3.0 stated in the site is accurate for 1A too.


----------



## auronthas

Virtu Fortuna said:


> I find it amazing to see several people reporting sound changes. To be honest, it's most probably a placebo effect or your brain having different expectations after the update. Or, it may have something to do with listening the player more carefully after the update to "catch" some changes. Don't underestimate our brains' impact on sound.
> 
> Also, the impressions are contradicting. Some report it has more bass, more warmth and everything, and some say it's brighter, leaner, metallic etc. etc...
> 
> ...



I didn't hear any sound difference as well.

But I have problem connecting my WM1A to my Macbook Pro (Mojave) via USB DAC. As reported earlier , there's intermittent detect WALKMAM in the sound setting , it's on and off.  Anyone has similar problem ?  Anyway I reported my case to Sony Support . Do advise and share if I missed something. Thanks in advance


----------



## Piotr Michalak

Also in response to some of you guys, I have just succesfully connected my iPhone X as a source to WM1Z as a bluetooth DAC. The SQ is quite acceptable, even though it's AAC. 

Seems my Hugo2 was not good with AAC, since it hissed like a snake after such connection.


----------



## Redcarmoose

blazinblazin said:


> Twister's sound changes for fw 3.0 stated in the site is accurate for 1A too.



If the firmware is exactly the same it would be the same change. He states his review is only for the 1Z because that is what he owns. But the change did seem to be parallel to both players when I had both players running 3.0. I mean how could it not? It’s the same software?

The differences start to occur because of the hardware ability of the 1Z to resolve the changes in a different fashion. Remember the 1Z was always noted as more bass heavy and warm. So the changes of the 1Z were maybe more in line with the players personality. The 1Z could lose some bass because it had extra to spare; where the 1A was lean on bass and it just made it leaner. IMO

But somehow the soundstage changes on 3.0 were more dramatic and inline with the 1Z. They are still there in the 1A but due to the hardware differences are less noticeable. IMO


----------



## Redcarmoose

auronthas said:


> I didn't hear any sound difference as well.
> 
> But I have problem connecting my WM1A to my Macbook Pro (Mojave) via USB DAC. As reported earlier , there's intermittent detect WALKMAM in the sound setting , it's on and off.  Anyone has similar problem ?  Anyway I reported my case to Sony Support . Do advise and share if I missed something. Thanks in advance



Same issue with my Apple. Can’t get the DAC function to work with Windows either. But I use the TA amp so the function is not needed.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Same issue with my Apple. Can’t get the DAC function to work with Windows either. But I use the TA amp so the function is not needed.



Have you installed the driver on your pc ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> Have you installed the driver on your pc ?



Yes.


----------



## NaiveSound

Stephen George said:


> you can do it right on the 1z with the unit attached via usb, or do it in a "staging" folder (which i how i usually do it as it's slower on the 1z itself)
> 
> i'll copy all the songs out to the staging folder and check tags before transfer


Stephen, I really appreciate all your help! 
However I'm an idiot and just can't figure it out unless someone spoon feeds me step by step instructions ... May you spare a time?


----------



## bflat

auronthas said:


> But I have problem connecting my WM1A to my Macbook Pro (Mojave) via USB DAC. As reported earlier , there's intermittent detect WALKMAM in the sound setting , it's on and off.  Anyone has similar problem ?  Anyway I reported my case to Sony Support . Do advise and share if I missed something. Thanks in advance



Try to connect to your Macbook with the DAC charging option turned off. If that fixes the problem it means that your Macbook is not supplying enough current to charge your WM1A. Assuming that is the case, you need a powered USB hub or an "audiophile" solution would be an iFi iDefender plus a low noise power supply like iPower.


----------



## buzzlulu

kel77 said:


> After you have connected the devices, close off the apps if they were previously running. Once I had the app started again eg Spotify, the sound output was able to be passed through the DAC.



THANKS - now it works like a charm!


----------



## ltanasom

Anyone likes new FW (3.0) on WM1a than earlier version in terms of sound quality?


----------



## Lookout57

Yes, I like the improved bass details and larger more 3D soundstage.


----------



## headphones1999

guys, so I understand the new update allows the WM1A to work as external dac\amp for android phones like the ZX300 could do all along?

if so is it worth investing almost X2 the price to get the WM1A sound wise? info i have read is confusing, people say the zx300 sound almost the same, I planned to get ZX300 this week to use my phone but this might change my plans


----------



## Lookout57

I found the WM1A has a larger soundstage, more details and deeper bass than the ZX300.The WM1A also has a more powerful  amp.


----------



## Kira69 (Oct 7, 2018)

An interview with Takashi Kanai about the new "Vinyl processor":
https://www.sony.jp/feature/products/vinyl/?s_pid=feature_products_86

I loved "Vinyl processor" btw. Best DSP I've heard regarding analog feel reproduction.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am trying out the 3.5mm TRRS as purk's nice offer of MDR-Z1R came with his DIY 3.5 TRRS and, yep, FW 3.0 brings out more clarity (less bass bloat and more resolution on the mids/highs) on the SE separate grounds, haven't tested balanced yet


----------



## proedros

headphones1999 said:


> guys, so I understand the new update allows the WM1A to work as external dac\amp for android phones like the ZX300 could do all along?
> 
> if so is it worth investing almost X2 the price to get the WM1A sound wise? info i have read is confusing, people say the zx300 sound almost the same, I planned to get ZX300 this week to use my phone but this might change my plans



get a used wm1a for 700$ and you are good .


----------



## KaiserTK

I asked Tomo-san about the firmware 3.0 making the sound less warmer on the WM1A and he says that you guys are not burning-in the new firmware long enough... lol. He claims that it really should sound identical in the end. 
Well time will tell I guess.


----------



## FortisFlyer75

Has anyone who has the same that I take it this 3.0 update will not affect anything if ones walkman is an EU model running the Japanese o/s on it like mine is...?


----------



## gerelmx1986

KaiserTK said:


> I asked Tomo-san about the firmware 3.0 making the sound less warmer on the WM1A and he says that you guys are not burning-in the new firmware long enough... lol. He claims that it really should sound identical in the end.
> Well time will tell I guess.


I note balanced side to be the same SQ as 2.00 but SE i think it is clearer in V3.00


----------



## audionewbi

BTW I had a chance to try Project K-WM1 mod. It is perhaps the closest thing to 1000SS without needing to pay such kind of pricing. For me it took away the sound of WM1A, and gave more resolution, however for those who love the sound of 1000SS, getting a second hand WM1A and getting it modded works out 60% cheaper than getting the 1000SS.


----------



## NaiveSound

I'm desperate. Idk how to add artwork to my tracks on 1z?


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> I'm desperate. Idk how to add artwork to my tracks on 1z?


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/


----------



## Stephen George

NaiveSound said:


> Stephen, I really appreciate all your help!
> However I'm an idiot and just can't figure it out unless someone spoon feeds me step by step instructions ... May you spare a time?



do you use a PC or Mac?


----------



## NaiveSound

Stephen George said:


> do you use a PC or Mac?


Pc sir


----------



## Stephen George

NaiveSound said:


> Pc sir



so after you hook your sony to the pc, you note the new drives, one will be labeled walkman

both drives will have a folder labeled MUSIC

it's inside here your music files are stored

this is where you point whatever tagging software you decide on

this one is free

https://www.mp3tag.de/en/

take a look at gerelmx1986's trick and tips and see if you can follow it

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 6, 2018)

It seems the vonyl processor in general, it acrifces a bit of resolution for a more fuller sound with rich warm emphasis. Seems like bass decay is a bit slower than usual, this seems evident on these Froberger edition by bob Asperen, the bass notes of this Harpsichord sustain for a bit longer


----------



## Blueoris (Oct 6, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Nothing......it does nothing other than what you could do by changing a memory card. But there was a post earlier which showed in Instagram that the DAC function worked, but it does not. All it would do is give you more memory really. But the Bluetooth function does work and sounds better than the Apple codec. Again.....an actual downgrade in sound not an upgrade from playing in-house files. Why do it? Because you can.
> 
> If all you had other than Sony Walkmans and an iPhone it would show you how maybe another device would sound with optimal Bluetooth sound. People are wanting to stream music or play files and use the DAC/amp function of their 1Z. If you were using simply an IPhone this set up could replicate (as a test) what a better Bluetooth device would sound like.



That was nice from you to try and post 

Some audiophiles will subjectively and arguably state that a cable connection between two nw-wm1's will produce better sound quality than a single DAP operation as one device takes care of the transport functionality and the other only takes care digital-analogue conversion.


----------



## headphones1999 (Oct 6, 2018)

proedros said:


> get a used wm1a for 700$ and you are good .


lol we are still talking about double the price of a used zx300

also tbh what i really need is a dac/amp
i really wonder about the PHA2\3\2A vs. the different sony daps, i have spent lot of time reading about these models but it seems that people`s opinions are so damn biased regarding who is better,
some say PHA3 is better than WM1Z. some say it sounds like WM1A, some say the PHA3 is the worst and PHA2 is much better, and the PHA-2A is basically WM1A?
i dont know what to think anymore :/
sorry im bringing this subject again but the opinions about the various sony dac\amp are all over the place.


----------



## NaiveSound

headphones1999 said:


> lol we are still talking about double the price of a used zx300
> 
> also tbh what i really need is a dac/amp
> i really wonder about the PHA2\3\2A vs. the different sony daps, i have spent lot of time reading about these models but it seems that people`s opinions are so damn biased regarding who is better,
> ...


Amazon return policy is great


----------



## named name

headphones1999 said:


> lol we are still talking about double the price of a used zx300
> 
> also tbh what i really need is a dac/amp
> i really wonder about the PHA2\3\2A vs. the different sony daps, i have spent lot of time reading about these models but it seems that people`s opinions are so damn biased regarding who is better,
> ...



Depends on your intended application, if what you are looking for is a dac/amp then it might be better to get a dedicated dac amp. From my experience if connected to a computer or phone as a source, there are latency issues. So watching video content would not be ideal, Furthermore you could potentially get more driving power from a dac/amp as compared from the WM1A / 300ZX, which then would matter depend on what your transducers maybe.


----------



## Malevolint

headphones1999 said:


> guys, so I understand the new update allows the WM1A to work as external dac\amp for android phones like the ZX300 could do all along?
> 
> if so is it worth investing almost X2 the price to get the WM1A sound wise? info i have read is confusing, people say the zx300 sound almost the same, I planned to get ZX300 this week to use my phone but this might change my plans


I would absolutely not pay twice the price of a zx300. I've never heard the zx300, but I've read that the sound quality on the wm1a is better. It is also more balanced, compared to the zx300's warm signature. Why wouldn't I pay twice the price? Because you can get it much cheaper. I bought mine refurbished from ebay. I also bought it on a day where there was a 15 percent off sale, so my total came to 700. 

The other difference is portability. The wm1a is a bit of a tank. It weighs a bit over 9oz. The zx300 is 5.5. The zx300 has 64gb vs 128 on the wm. Those are all the differences I can think of.


----------



## Quadfather

Have any Sony NW - WM1Z owners had a chance to compare it against the Cayin N8 DAP?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 7, 2018)

Blueoris said:


> That was nice from you to try and post
> 
> Some audiophiles will subjectively and arguably state that a cable connection between two nw-wm1's will produce better sound quality than a single DAP operation as one device takes care of the transport functionality and the other only takes care digital-analogue conversion.


A couple of posts back there was photos and a description; so it was curiousness at hand. Bluetooth worked of course but the photo of the A1 being a file transport for the Z1 DAC simply does not work. Though the cable didn’t look like a stock Sony cable in the Instagram photo? I can just say in my experience with the Sony USB and dongle; the pair does not communicate.

But.....   Bluetooth sounds pretty good?
I don’t have any portable Bluetooth players except iPods and iPhones, so the A1 is a great Bluetooth generator sounding way better than the Apple codec. It’s nice to hear in case someone wanted to explore high quality Bluetooth codec players to use with the 1Z.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 7, 2018)

headphones1999 said:


> lol we are still talking about double the price of a used zx300
> 
> also tbh what i really need is a dac/amp
> i really wonder about the PHA2\3\2A vs. the different sony daps, i have spent lot of time reading about these models but it seems that people`s opinions are so damn biased regarding who is better,
> ...



With the old firmware the SX300 was noticeably warmer than the 1A. It’s true that whenever someone makes an investment here they defend it; so you will read conflicting reports about players.Your best advice could maybe be from the folks who had the ZX300 and upgraded to the 1A?

I don’t even take the 1A out of the house as I feel it’s too big. But the ZX300 is a nice size and weight. IMO. For me IPod Touch size is perfect for walking around. I was close to getting the ZX300 when I was in Japan, but the Sony people explained the local ZX300 players are Japanese launguge only. At the time I didn’t know you could Rockbox a ZX300 and change the geography. I think you can on the Japan ZX300s?

Your other choice is the 16GB Joybuy ZX300 is which is super low cost. It can even take a 400GB card and have lots of songs. I have no experience with the Joybuy but many on the ZX300 thread have made the purchase.

Direct from China $379.
https://m.joybuy.com/600198203.html


----------



## blazinblazin

For audio things. Best is try it yourself with your gear. Believe in your ears.

No people have same ear and gears as you.

People can only give you references.


----------



## Tawek

Now with 3.0 I'm very happy- impressed ,amazing synergy  1z -SE  +ex1000


----------



## Redcarmoose

Anyone like the new meter? Screen capture is ..volume up....volume down...hold on/off switch till message comes up.


----------



## headphones1999

NaiveSound said:


> Amazon return policy is great


some of us arent blessed with amazon in their country.



named name said:


> Depends on your intended application, if what you are looking for is a dac/amp then it might be better to get a dedicated dac amp. From my experience if connected to a computer or phone as a source, there are latency issues. So watching video content would not be ideal, Furthermore you could potentially get more driving power from a dac/amp as compared from the WM1A / 300ZX, which then would matter depend on what your transducers maybe.


The question is which amp, and i kinda want more power, its always a good thing.



Redcarmoose said:


> With the old firmware the SX300 was noticeably warmer than the 1A. It’s true that whenever someone makes an investment here they defend it; so you will read conflicting reports about players.Your best advice could maybe be from the folks who had the ZX300 and upgraded to the 1A?
> 
> I don’t even take the 1A out of the house as I feel it’s too big. But the ZX300 is a nice size and weight. IMO. For me IPod Touch size is perfect for walking around. I was close to getting the ZX300 when I was in Japan, but the Sony people explained the local ZX300 players are Japanese launguge only. At the time I didn’t know you could Rockbox a ZX300 and change the geography. I think you can on the Japan ZX300s?
> 
> ...


 portability is also a factor here for me but if someone could come up and say the PHA-3\2A are well worth it even with their size i would still get one of them instead of the ZX300.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> Anyone like the new meter? Screen capture is ..volume up....volume down...hold on/off switch till message comes up.


I like it too, and also the analogue peak meter


----------



## auronthas

bflat said:


> Try to connect to your Macbook with the DAC charging option turned off. If that fixes the problem it means that your Macbook is not supplying enough current to charge your WM1A. Assuming that is the case, you need a powered USB hub or an "audiophile" solution would be an iFi iDefender plus a low noise power supply like iPower.



No luck, I have turned off DAC charging as suggested , problem persists. USB port at MacBook Pro not enough power to drive WM1A DAC ?


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> No luck, I have turned off DAC charging as suggested , problem persists. USB port at MacBook Pro not enough power to drive WM1A DAC ?



I assume you have turned the WM into dac mode ?


----------



## DeeTeeSe7en

Really like the new 3.0 FW. Pairs my FitEar MH335DW very well with the WM1A.


----------



## auronthas

nc8000 said:


> I assume you have turned the WM into dac mode ?


Yes USB DAC is turned ON. I can see WALKMAN ticked in sound icon, but it's intermittent on/off when I play Spotify. No sound from WM1A, only from Macbook Pro internal speaker.


----------



## gerelmx1986

auronthas said:


> Yes USB DAC is turned ON. I can see WALKMAN ticked in sound icon, but it's intermittent on/off when I play Spotify. No sound from WM1A, only from Macbook Pro internal speaker.


What i do before connecting to my VAIO laptop is put the walkman in DAC mode before plugging  it into the laptop USB port


----------



## zardos

I‘m happy now after firmware 3.0


----------



## auronthas

gerelmx1986 said:


> What i do before connecting to my VAIO laptop is put the walkman in DAC mode before plugging  it into the laptop USB port


Same, , I turned on  USB DAC mode first before connect WM1A to my Macbook Pro.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I installed sony hi-res audio player for windows and it sends correct PCM or native DSD to my walkman. Music bee audio interfacing to DACs is not well implemented


----------



## Mindstorms

Is 3.0 Safe and better? thanks in advance wich link did you guys use?


----------



## syke

gerelmx1986 said:


> I installed sony hi-res audio player for windows and it sends correct PCM or native DSD to my walkman. Music bee audio interfacing to DACs is not well implemented



Sony Music Center & Media Go is also working well, sending the correct PCM to the WM1Z. MusicBee is only sending PCM @ 44.1kHz 16 Bit, but DSD is fine. 
This happens to my TA-ZH1ES too. 

MusicBee has issues with ASIO, but I can live with it as their UI is much better.


----------



## Stephen George

FYI

wm1z->bt recevier->LDAC->samsung note 8

very stable


----------



## gerelmx1986

i will give a shot to the Music center V2.00


----------



## fiascogarcia

Midnstorms said:


> Is 3.0 Safe and better? thanks in advance wich link did you guys use?


Haven't used it long enough to know about safer or better.  I used this site and it worked for windows.

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/digital-music-players-nw-wm-series/nw-wm1z


----------



## Lookout57

Redcarmoose said:


> I don’t even take the 1A out of the house as I feel it’s too big. But the ZX300 is a nice size and weight. IMO. For me IPod Touch size is perfect for walking around.


I started with the 1Z for serious listening and bought the ZX300 to use out and about along with commuting. I found the sound difference to be very significant, less, bass, less details and a smaller soundstage. So I gave it to the wife to use at the gym and bought the 1A. I found the 1A to get me closer to what I had on the 1Z.

As for size and weight the 1A is not that much bigger physically than the ZX300.

ZX300:
2.28" x 4.75" x 0.59" (57.7 x 120.4 x 14.9 mm
5.54 oz (157 g)

WM1A:
2.87" x 4.89" x 0.78"
9.42 oz

I found that the 1A works fine for out and about along with commuting.The only time the size might be of concern is if you have smaller hands. Luckily I don't have that problem.

As for the 1Z, that is too heavy to carry around, but with the sound it produces you just want to sit and listen to it anyway.


----------



## syke (Oct 7, 2018)

Lookout57 said:


> I started with the 1Z for serious listening and bought the ZX300 to use out and about along with commuting. I found the sound difference to be very significant, less, bass, less details and a smaller soundstage. So I gave it to the wife to use at the gym and bought the 1A. I found the 1A to get me closer to what I had on the 1Z.
> 
> As for size and weight the 1A is not that much bigger physically than the ZX300.
> 
> ...



You need a fanny pack.


----------



## Kervsky

Tawek said:


> hey  it's just me or SE Wm1z  sounds much better with the 3.0 software I listen to and I'm positively surprised



On the WM1a, the sound quality definitely improved, a lot more engaging while still being more balanced than the v2.0 firmware.


----------



## Mindstorms

Kervsky said:


> On the WM1a, the sound quality definitely improved, a lot more engaging while still being more balanced than the v2.0 firmware.


Thanks


----------



## bflat

auronthas said:


> No luck, I have turned off DAC charging as suggested , problem persists. USB port at MacBook Pro not enough power to drive WM1A DAC ?



One last thing to try is a SMC reset on your Macbook. If that doesn't do it, then you may want to stop by an Apple store for help.


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> Is 3.0 Safe and better? thanks in advance wich link did you guys use?



I don’t know what you mean by safe, but I and others have experienced crashes with 3.0 and have never had crashes with the older versions


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> I don’t know what you mean by safe, but I and others have experienced crashes with 3.0 and have never had crashes with the older versions


thats what i meand crash or brick... wich version you stayed on? my nemesis friend...


----------



## Mindstorms

Can anyone confirm that there is less bass on SE on 3.0 vs 2.0 I onely use SE ATM so i mostly care about bass on the 50hz and below...


----------



## Darksoul

I hear no sound differences with the 3.0 firmware. Also does anyone know what does DC Phase Linearizer do? I keep turning it on and off and hear nothing different.


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> thats what i meand crash or brick... wich version you stayed on? my nemesis friend...



I’m staying with 3.0


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> I’m staying with 3.0


Nice, do you know if someone had any issue from volume capping when upgrading?


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> Nice, do you know if someone had any issue from volume capping when upgrading?



Mine is an EU unit that I have changed region on to uncap and this has never been affected by fw update including to 3.0


----------



## vilhelm44

audionewbi said:


> BTW I had a chance to try Project K-WM1 mod. It is perhaps the closest thing to 1000SS without needing to pay such kind of pricing. For me it took away the sound of WM1A, and gave more resolution, however for those who love the sound of 1000SS, getting a second hand WM1A and getting it modded works out 60% cheaper than getting the 1000SS.



I have a WM1A with the K-mod. It's certainly nicer than the normal SQ, the bass has slightly more oomph and texture, plus more resolution. Sounds great with FW 3.0. I'm looking at getting further mods via WindowsX by upgrading all internal caps and resisters too to see where that takes the SQ.  I used to have the WM1Z which was amazing but it got tiresome carrying it out and about, so went back to the lighter unit and want to see how far these mods can take the SQ.


----------



## rcoleman1

@vilhelm44 Link to the WindowsX mod? I'm interested in gaining more info about it. Thanks.


----------



## nc8000 (Oct 7, 2018)

Just had my second 3.0 crash, this time playing on board flac, first time was in usb receiver mode. 3.0 does seem rather unstable, not like Sony at all, never had a crash before with ZX2 or 1Z. Wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t take 20 minutes to create the database after a crash. Will go back to 2.0, don’t really need any of the new features, and the wait for 3.01 to fix the bugs


----------



## gerelmx1986

personally i have't had a single crash with 3.0


----------



## Lemieux66

Using the new USB DAC and Vinyl Processor functions (plus the Z1R) to play Bill Evans Trio from my laptop, with iPad as the Roon remote. Love these new features!


----------



## NaiveSound

You know what's strange? 

When using BT receiver on the 1z, with Tidal or other streaming apps... If I turn the volume on my phone to max. The 1z is overall louder vs direct file use. 

So when using direct file for the same song and format. I stay around level 50 depending on track. 

When using by (same file/song) I can't go north of 30 to 35...just too loud. 

How come?


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> Just had my second 3.0 crash, this time playing on board flac, first time was in usb receiver mode. 3.0 does seem rather unstable, not like Sony at all, never had a crash before with ZX2 or 1Z. Wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t take 20 minutes to create the database after a crash. Will go back to 2.0, don’t really need any of the new features, and the wait for 3.01 to fix the bugs


My advice for you friend Is that you erase all mp3 from your device and start Fresh... also do a rollback to 2.0 then go back to 3.0 again.. download file from US server both... dont use other ppl file just an idea...


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> My advice for you friend Is that you erase all mp3 from your device and start Fresh... also do a rollback to 2.0 then go back to 3.0 again.. download file from US server both... dont use other ppl file just an idea...



I only have flac files and did download 3.0 from the US server. Playing the same file again after reboot did not crash and neither did streaming the same film that caused the first crash so it's not related to the specific media.


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> I only have flac files and did download 3.0 from the US server. Playing the same file again after reboot did not crash and neither did streaming the same film that caused the first crash so it's not related to the specific media.


Thats weird maybe try going back to 2.0? then you go up again?


----------



## Mindstorms

I will not upgrade atm... since this experiencies im reading can make me regret... i will wait a little a few days maybe..


----------



## Lemieux66 (Oct 7, 2018)

Is it possible to Bluetooth from a Sony XZ1 Compact to the 1A? I couldn't make it work for my phone, but it does work with my 2018 iPad *

I've not experienced any crashes yet here in the UK btw.


* Managed to connect now.


----------



## roses77

Lookout57 said:


> Is it always crashing on the same song(s)?
> 
> Can you reproduce it constantly?
> 
> If it's always the same song(s) look at the ID3 tags and analyze the song to see if there are any encoding errors in it.



I use DBPOWERAMP to rip all my CDs and it corrects errors. It’s the most accurate ripping software on the market. EAC corrects errors as well. I have had no crashes. Creating database had always been the same for me.


----------



## Malevolint

nc8000 said:


> Just had my second 3.0 crash, this time playing on board flac, first time was in usb receiver mode. 3.0 does seem rather unstable, not like Sony at all, never had a crash before with ZX2 or 1Z. Wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t take 20 minutes to create the database after a crash. Will go back to 2.0, don’t really need any of the new features, and the wait for 3.01 to fix the bugs


You might need to do a factory reset. I didn't like 3.0 and downgraded to 1.2 to try it out. I kept getting error messages and was continuously told to restart my device.  Finally did a factory reset and I'm having no issues


----------



## nc8000

Mrcojocaru said:


> You might need to do a factory reset. I didn't like 3.0 and downgraded to 1.2 to try it out. I kept getting error messages and was continuously told to restart my device.  Finally did a factory reset and I'm having no issues



Yes you have to factory reset if going back from 3.0 and 2.0 as I understand it


----------



## proedros

i went back to 2.0 after trying (and not liking sonically) 3.0 and have had no issues without having to do a factory reset

is the factory reset really necessary or just a precaution ?


----------



## pietcux

nc8000 said:


> Just had my second 3.0 crash, this time playing on board flac, first time was in usb receiver mode. 3.0 does seem rather unstable, not like Sony at all, never had a crash before with ZX2 or 1Z. Wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t take 20 minutes to create the database after a crash. Will go back to 2.0, don’t really need any of the new features, and the wait for 3.01 to fix the bugs


I have a feeling that this crash thing might be related to what file type you have stored and maybe the Expansion card. I only use Flac and still have no expansion card. And had no crashes as of now.


----------



## nc8000

pietcux said:


> I have a feeling that this crash thing might be related to what file type you have stored and maybe the Expansion card. I only use Flac and still have no expansion card. And had no crashes as of now.



Have only flac 16/44. First crash was streaming a film from my iPad second crash playing a local flac file. Have played 10 hours with no crashes including the same things that caused the crashes


----------



## Malevolint

proedros said:


> i went back to 2.0 after trying (and not liking sonically) 3.0 and have had no issues without having to do a factory reset
> 
> is the factory reset really necessary or just a precaution ?


I'd only factory reset if you're having issues. No reason to otherwise imo


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 7, 2018)

I tried the new music center, while is faster now and not choppy as before. The interface seems Odd, you cannot select a specific track from an album to play, just play the whole album.

I will keep both Music bee and Music center: MB for management and transfers to WM1A, Music center for playback


----------



## nc8000

Crash number 3, this time on a different flac file


----------



## linux4ever

auronthas said:


> Yes USB DAC is turned ON. I can see WALKMAN ticked in sound icon, but it's intermittent on/off when I play Spotify. No sound from WM1A, only from Macbook Pro internal speaker.



did you go into Mac Os x system preferences and select sound under it? There you would have the option to specify where the audio output should go to. Yours is defaulting to speaker output. You should see your WM!A DAC as another output to choose from. Once you select it, you should have audio output from your DAC.


----------



## Soundizer

I understand EU versions have some kind of volume cap.

Is it loud enough with this limitation when driving SONY MDRZ1R?


----------



## nc8000

Soundizer said:


> I understand EU versions have some kind of volume cap.
> 
> Is it loud enough with this limitation when driving SONY MDRZ1R?



You can just remove the cap


----------



## NaiveSound

You know what's strange? 

When using BT receiver on the 1z, with Tidal or other streaming apps... If I turn the volume on my phone to max. The 1z is overall louder vs direct file use. 

So when using direct file for the same song and format. I stay around level 50 depending on track. 

When using by (same file/song) I can't go north of 30 to 35...just too loud. 

How come?


----------



## auronthas

linux4ever said:


> did you go into Mac Os x system preferences and select sound under it? There you would have the option to specify where the audio output should go to. Yours is defaulting to speaker output. You should see your WM!A DAC as another output to choose from. Once you select it, you should have audio output from your DAC.


Yes, as mentioned in my post earlier, my MacBook Pro detected WALKMAN, i have selected and it appears in sound icon but it's not stable , intermittent on/off . When I play Spotify, the sound still come from internal speaker with intermittent lost of sound ... Weirdo.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Crash number 3, this time on a different flac file


perhaps corrupted files? hpw often do you perform integrity check in your FLAC files?


----------



## bflat (Oct 8, 2018)

Couple more observations on Firmware 3.0:

The creating database startup is annoying long. I'm tempted to just erase everything and reset to see if that clears it up. Probably a good idea anyway seeing as how infrequent Sony updates firmware.
UI is definitely faster in every way. Nice!
Only one crash when I tried to connect to my iPhone without disabling the charge feature. All my lossless tracks are ALAC with embedded album art.
I am amazed at how great WM1z pairs with JH Laylas. If I can only have one setup this would be it.

Edit - Prior comment on DSEE feature removed due to inadvertent setting of EQ.


----------



## Quadfather (Oct 7, 2018)

Audioquest Nighthawks pair amazingly well with the NW-WM1A from the balanced output!  Rush Moving Pictures is SUBLIME!!!


----------



## NoMythsAudio

Lemieux66 said:


> Using the new USB DAC and Vinyl Processor functions (plus the Z1R) to play Bill Evans Trio from my laptop, with iPad as the Roon remote. Love these new features!


Is that not a remote for TA-ZH1ES? If so, why would you use 1Z as dac for your laptop instead of ZH1ES? Just my own curiosity.


----------



## Malevolint (Oct 7, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Crash number 3, this time on a different flac file


Try a factory reset lol. Updates can always cause all kinds of issues, even on phones. I know it's a hassle to move your music, but crashes are more annoying


----------



## Redcarmoose

Kervsky said:


> On the WM1a, the sound quality definitely improved, a lot more engaging while still being more balanced than the v2.0 firmware.



My first impression was I didn’t like 3.0 with the 1A, but I may revisit 3.0.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Lemieux66 said:


> Using the new USB DAC and Vinyl Processor functions (plus the Z1R) to play Bill Evans Trio from my laptop, with iPad as the Roon remote. Love these new features!



Haha that is the TA remote? Wonder if it works with the 1Z?


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> personally i have't had a single crash with 3.0



Knock on wood; no crashes here.


----------



## tgrosu

Guys, 

I really don't like the sound signature of the new update. Long story short, I have tried to do a factory reset, but to my surprise, after the supposedly reset, I end up with the same version 3, instead of what I thought it would be version 1.2! Any idea how to get to version 2?Any link to the previous firmware?

Thanks!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Darksoul said:


> I hear no sound differences with the 3.0 firmware. Also does anyone know what does DC Phase Linearizer do? I keep turning it on and off and hear nothing different.



I hear a pretty big change with the 1Z and FW 3.0 update. The 1A was a smaller change but I thought the lower midrange and bass were affected in a bad way; though I may go back. 

Many of us don’t hear the extra settings like the upscaling or vinyl filters, though some have really sensitive ears/IEMs and can hear differences. 

Much may depend on your headphones or hearing abilities. But the overall consensus is 3.0 makes a wider soundstage and makes the tone more articulate and slighly thin.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 7, 2018)

tgrosu said:


> Guys,
> 
> I really don't like the sound signature of the new update. Long story short, I have tried to do a factory reset, but to my surprise, after the supposedly reset, I end up with the same version 3, instead of what I thought it would be version 1.2! Any idea how to get to version 2?Any link to the previous firmware?
> 
> Thanks!



You need to go back a couple days in this thread, when the 2.0 firmware roll-back was posted. Factory reset will always go to 3.0 now that you have updated.

Be sure it’s 2.0 because many of us accidentally rolled back to 1.2 by accident. That FW is posted back there to!

Edit:
https://www.head-fi.org/members/nc8000.54845/

Go back into his last posts in this thread as he posted his entire cloud back-up of all the Sony software. Be careful as all the firmwares are posted there and look for 2.0. You need to open an account to save the software, but that’s easy. Then open the software in your browser and roll-back.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> perhaps corrupted files? hpw often do you perform integrity check in your FLAC files?



Never, but after restart of the 1Z the same file that crashed plays fine and I’ve never in 1 1/2 years had crashes with any other fw. Am now back on 2.0 and so far no crashes


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mrcojocaru said:


> Try a factory reset lol. Updates can always cause all kinds of issues, even on phones. I know it's a hassle to move your music, but crashes are more annoying



Yes, you can move the whole “Music” folder to an external drive, as long as there is no other “Misic” folder there; then put in back into the player after a master reset.


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> Never, but after restart of the 1Z the same file that crashed plays fine and I’ve never in 1 1/2 years had crashes with any other fw. Am now back on 2.0 and so far no crashes



Did you like the sound of 3.0 with your player? Seems like there could be some other solutions other than 2.0?


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Did you like the sound of 3.0 with your player? Seems like there could be some other solutions other than 2.0?



Didn’t notice all that much change in sound apart from perhaps larger sound stage


----------



## proedros

you can also get the 2.0 FW (for windows) here 

You've got a file called *NW-WM1_V2_00.exe, (115.2 MB)* waiting to be downloaded

Description: wm1a 2.0

You can use the following link to retrieve your file:

https://www.sendspace.com/file/5tbhrt


The file may be available for a limited time only.


----------



## blazinblazin

I think best to update through SONY's Media Go or Music Center


----------



## sne4me (Oct 8, 2018)

blazinblazin said:


> I think best to update through SONY's Media Go or Music Center



I did the standalone updater and have had no crashes, not a single one.

I did it once although i took care to disconnect from the internet, reboot my PC, and i powered off and on my  WM1A before connecting and updating

the update was quick and rebuilding the database took about as long as the update, on 4000 tracks


----------



## Returnity

Crash report:

Once during normal playback of a flac file, which did not create such a problem when it was played on v2.0

And once when I activated USB DAC function. The player was not connected to anything at that point. 

Other:
- The Database creation was annoying as hell on v2.0, and now it's completely unbearable. It takes almost double the amount of time compared to v2. I normally turn the machine off in order to prolong battery life, but now it's impossible. I wish they added an option in the settings to do it manually and not every time the machine turns on. 

- I concur that the UI is noticably faster now!


----------



## Malevolint

Redcarmoose said:


> My first impression was I didn’t like 3.0 with the 1A, but I may revisit 3.0.



Let us know how you like it the second time around


----------



## roses77

Returnity said:


> Crash report:
> 
> Once during normal playback of a flac file, which did not create such a problem when it was played on v2.0
> 
> ...



We should all write to Sony about manually updating. It’s annoying everytime it creates database as it doesn’t prolong battery nor listening playback.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mrcojocaru said:


> Let us know how you like it the second time around



Honestly I did this to myself. I was listening to the 1Z only for three weeks. Then the update hit. The 1A was updated, but I had not listened to it for three weeks. There is no real way to like the update, going from memory and the 1Z back to the 3.0 1A. I think.


----------



## Dizzle77

Probably going to be ordering a 1A soon. What cases have people got? I’ve seen the Miter one, but too keen on the flip back


----------



## Mindstorms

I update to 3.0, ill keep you guys posted the firs inicialize takes a lot of time... is it necesary to manually rebuild database after 3.0 upgrade, also have anyone go back to 2.0 without issues?


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> I update to 3.0, ill keep you guys posted the firs inicialize takes a lot of time... is it necesary to manually rebuild database after 3.0 upgrade, also have anyone go back to 2.0 without issues?



I’m back on 2.0 after my 3 3.0 crashes and so far all works fine without any crashes. 

And no you don’t have to manually rebuild the database.


----------



## Returnity

Got another crash when listening to a FLAC file which was previously causing no issues as well.

Opened a ticket with Sony, let's see where that goes. 

Meanwhile I did a factory reset, reinstalled v3.0, and did another factory reset afterwards. Now waiting for my files to be transferred to the internal memory. Will report back!

BTW I just noticed that the crashes happened during the playback of files on the internal memory if that means sth.


----------



## Mindstorms

is true ab the sound diference I hear it too... it sounds a little cleaner and less boomy I will keep it a few weeks dont hear the vinyl procesor so much.. its a detail...


----------



## nc8000

Returnity said:


> Got another crash when listening to a FLAC file which was previously causing no issues as well.
> 
> Opened a ticket with Sony, let's see where that goes.
> 
> ...



My 3 crashes were: 

BT streaming from iPad
Flac 16/44 from internal
Flac 16/44 from external


----------



## Aliv3

Well my Wakman will have to go for warranty due to bluetooth that can not find any device. I unlocked at the time because mine was the uncapped version. Do you guys think it i should send the WM1A how it came from the factory?


----------



## aisalen

Since I updated mine, I start to hear the sound of the leather from the bass kick. I love it, like how you hear it from the actual performance.


----------



## Mindstorms

The sound is diferent to my ears stage is a little bigger sound cleaner at the same time less dinamic and less boomy also can confirm a change in the upper mids...


----------



## Mindstorms (Oct 8, 2018)

wish i could here 1.2, can someone repost the vinyl procesor features explained here?, no crash so far 3.0


----------



## endlesswaves

Weird seeing so many crashes. Did you guys have 200mb free space? Think it's best to have more free space during the update and then copy back you music files later. Suspect the crashes occurs during errors in rebuilding database.

Further impression after more hours on WM1A with 3.0 FW:
I can understand why Redcarmoose mentioned that WM1A sounds metallic after the update. With my warm gooey JVC FW01 I hear tingling trebles, slightly more air, separations, detail and wider soundstage. Sub bass are more nuanced now. Reported earlier I noticed volume was lower by 2-3 notches and had since lower them back. 

I can imagine with a neutral or bright IEM might sound more metallic but I am keeping FW 3.0 even though I won't be using those new functions any time soon. YMMV.


----------



## Mindstorms

endlesswaves said:


> Weird seeing so many crashes. Did you guys have 200mb free space? Think it's best to have more free space during the update and then copy back you music files later. Suspect the crashes occurs during errors in rebuilding database.
> 
> Further impression after more hours on WM1A with 3.0 FW:
> I can understand why Redcarmoose mentioned that WM1A sounds metallic after the update. With my warm gooey JVC FW01 I hear tingling trebles, slightly more air, separations, detail and wider soundstage. Sub bass are more nuanced now. Reported earlier I noticed volume was lower by 2-3 notches and had since lower them back.
> ...


Why will you keep it you like the space?


----------



## Mindstorms

I will try it a little more but for my iems 2.0 was better


----------



## rtjoa

Midnstorms said:


> wish i could here 1.2, can someone repost the vinyl procesor features explained here?, no crash so far 3.0


Here you go:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1624#post-14524864

No crash so far with 3.0 on my 1z.


----------



## endlesswaves

Midnstorms said:


> Why will you keep it you like the space?



Sorry do you mean the free 200mb space? That free space is needed for the update. After the update you can copy back your music files if you did not meet the minimum requirement of 200mb free space before the update. 

Or do you keeping FW 3.0 because I like the slightly wider soundstage?

I am not reverting back to FW 2.0 because of the my perceived improvements.


----------



## Mindstorms

endlesswaves said:


> Sorry do you mean the free 200mb space? That free space is needed for the update. After the update you can copy back your music files if you did not meet the minimum requirement of 200mb free space before the update.
> 
> Or do you keeping FW 3.0 because I like the slightly wider soundstage?
> 
> I am not reverting back to FW 2.0 because of the my perceived improvements.


The space in sound friend i left 1GB


----------



## endlesswaves

Midnstorms said:


> The space in sound friend i left 1GB



The JVC FW01 is my favourite IEM at the moment due to it's timbre, warm gooey mids, bass and sub bass. Only problem is that it can be muddy and congested to some people. A little air/separation  (space) do wonders to this IEM. That's why YMMW.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Midnstorms said:


> I update to 3.0, ill keep you guys posted the firs inicialize takes a lot of time... is it necesary to manually rebuild database after 3.0 upgrade, also have anyone go back to 2.0 without issues?



I went back to 2.0 from 3.0 with the 1A, but still run 3.0 in the 1Z. Not a crash in sight on either player.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Midnstorms said:


> wish i could here 1.2, can someone repost the vinyl procesor features explained here?, no crash so far 3.0



If you want to hear 1.2 with your 1A just go back in this thread a couple pages. The links for 1.2 were posted by someone who thought they were links to 2.0; and the original poster and myself updated to 1.2. Still I was getting some kind of warning message with my 1A. I went to 2.0 right after and all was/is well.


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> If you want to hear 1.2 with your 1A just go back in this thread a couple pages. The links for 1.2 were posted by someone who thought they were links to 2.0; and the original poster and myself updated to 1.2. Still I was getting some kind of warning message with my 1A. I went to 2.0 right after and all was/is well.


I fear going to that FW


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 8, 2018)

Midnstorms said:


> I fear going to that FW



I’m pretty sure both my players came with it. Though 2.0 came out last November about two days after I was listening to my 1Z for the first time. Media Go simply asked if I wanted to update the FW. The 1Z was at no burn-in hours but I remember the firmware as being the darkest and quieter than 2.0? But it’s cool that we still have people on this thread that like FW 1.2 the best. I don’t know why I received error messages when I mistakenly loaded it into my 1A? But I’m sure you could try it with no issues. If I put it in again, it may work fine? I have stayed with 2.0 and 3.0 as at times I use my DAPs with full size headphones and need the 2.0 and 3.0 extra juice. But I’m pretty sure 1.2 sounds pretty good out of a fully burned in Walkman.


----------



## Dizzle77

Dizzle77 said:


> Probably going to be ordering a 1A soon. What cases have people got? I’ve seen the Miter one, but too keen on the flip back



Decided to place my order. Went with a clear black TPU case for now as couldnt find a leather one that suited what i was after.

Was tempted to go for a matte/anti-reflective screen protector at first, but wasn’t sure. Anyone use one of these?

Anyway can’t wait to get my hands on this


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m pretty sure both my players came with it. Though 2.0 came out last November about two days after I was listening to my 1Z for the first time. Media Go simply asked if I wanted to update the FW. The 1Z was at no burn-in hours but I remember the firmware as being the darkest and quieter than 2.0? But it’s cool that we still have people on this thread that like it the best. I don’t know why I received error messages when I mistakenly loaded it into my 1A? But I’m sure you could try it with no issues. If I put it in again, it may work fine? I have stayed with 2.0 and 3.0 as at times I use my DAPs with full size headphones and need the 2.0 and 3.0 extra juice. But I’m pretty sure 1.2 sounds pretty good out of a fully burned in Walkman.


It will be awesome if you tell me how you downgrade and what luck do you have at that firmware and also if a dark FW helps sounding more like 1Z Bass or even worst... than on 2.0


----------



## proedros (Oct 8, 2018)

Midnstorms said:


> It will be awesome if you tell me how you downgrade and what luck do you have at that firmware and also if a dark FW helps sounding more like 1Z Bass or even worst... than on 2.0



listen for yourself and keep which one you like best

downgrading to 1.2/2.0 is the same as upgrading to 3.0 , just follow the instructions i sent you

and stop being afraid like a liitle boy , you are not installing nuclear warhead , but a simple FW


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 8, 2018)

Midnstorms said:


> It will be awesome if you tell me how you downgrade and what luck do you have at that firmware and also if a dark FW helps sounding more like 1Z Bass or even worst... than on 2.0



I spent no time listening to 1.2 with the 1A, plus the player was brand new with 1.2 with no burn in......so listening would not have given a valid  review in my case. I will go back in this thread and post the roll-back links. Just remember though at times dark tones are not always an improvement; most of the time it’s both resolution and warm darkness which walks a line; being thought of as good. It’s probably not going to be the bass your thinking of. But I’m not one to talk. There has to be members here who love 1.2 with the 1A and are still using it daily.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I wonder if updating with the SD card installed gives ppl the problem. Although there is no mention of it I could see it as a problem that could occur after an update.

Totally out of product talk here but I know some of the earlier Vaio laptops with SD card can’t be read by Windows 10.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Midnstorms said:


> It will be awesome if you tell me how you downgrade and what luck do you have at that firmware and also if a dark FW helps sounding more like 1Z Bass or even worst... than on 2.0





proedros said:


> listen for yourself and keep which one you like best
> 
> downgrading to 1.2/2.0 is the same as upgrading to 3.0 , just follow the instructions i sent you
> 
> and stop being afraid like a liitle boy , you are not installing nuclear warhead , but a simple FW



Sounds like you already have the link Midnstorms.


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> I spent no time listening to 1.2 with the 1A, plus the player was brand new with 1.2 with no burn in......so listening would not have given a valid  review in my case. I will go back in this thread and post the roll-back links. Just remember though at times dark tones are not always an improvement; most of the time it’s both resolution and warm darkness which walks a line; being thought of as good. It’s probably not going to be the bass your thinking of. But I’m not one to talk. There has to be members here who love 1.2 with the 1A and are still using it daily.


It will be awesome if you can enlighten us now that we have 3.0


----------



## Quadfather

I am sure that Sony's low heat performance will greatly lengthen the life of their Walkman products. Therefore, I am leaning towards the 1Z versus the Cayin N8 DAP.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Midnstorms said:


> It will be awesome if you can enlighten us now that we have 3.0



I just realized that my mishap this week was putting in the very very first firmware. 

But here are the links to 1.20

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1616#post-14522121


----------



## Kira69

Midnstorms said:


> It will be awesome if you can enlighten us now that we have 3.0


Download installer. Run installer. Done.


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> Sounds like you already have the link Midnstorms.


yes i have all FW thanks


----------



## Mindstorms

Kira69 said:


> Download installer. Run installer. Done.


im on 3.0


----------



## Mindstorms

normie610 said:


> Contrary to many, I find the 3.0 on 1Z to be warmer by quite a margin. Soundstage goes wider but not too much. Notes are more solid and controlled with less reverb. I really like the vinyl option surface noise, as vocals become even more lush, truly analog-like. All in all, a really nice update, great job Sony!


What about bass and warm in the bass area i feel its more controlled...


----------



## roses77

A lot of people reporting crashes I haven’t had any so far. As I didn’t delete an music files during file update. As it wasn’t necessary for the 3.0 update. Are some of you using Apple Mac for file transfer or windows. I updated my software using windows. I noticed there is bug during playback using dac on computer that there is constant clipping & the volume isn’t loud enough I’d have to turn it up to 76. I’ve also noticed in sound settings DSHEE upscale doesn’t work when vinyl processor is turned on. So I turn off DSHEE & keep vinyl processor on. The sound is so subtle with it turned on, no significant difference might just have only EQ turned on.


----------



## Mindstorms

roses77 said:


> A lot of people reporting crashes I haven’t had any so far. As I didn’t delete an music files during file update. As it wasn’t necessary for the 3.0 update. Are some of you using Apple Mac for file transfer or windows. I updated my software using windows. I noticed there is bug during playback using dac on computer that there is constant clipping & the volume isn’t loud enough I’d have to turn it up to 76. I’ve also noticed in sound settings DSHEE upscale doesn’t work when vinyl processor is turned on. So I turn off DSHEE & keep vinyl processor on. The sound is so subtle with it turned on, no significant difference might just have only EQ turned on.


Use direct mode its the best way and do sound procesing via PC


----------



## roses77

Midnstorms said:


> Use direct mode its the best way and do sound procesing via PC



Thankyou so this is when using Dac on computer I’ll try that next time.


----------



## linux4ever

Just took the plunge and upgraded the firmware to 3.0 on my 1Z. I like it so far, especially with Vinyl processor. Went from 1.2 to 3 directly.

Without Vinyl processor, the sound had less warmth and little more brightness. The bass sounds even more nicer on 3.0. Looks like Sony sound engineers have fine tuned it even more.


----------



## Mindstorms

linux4ever said:


> Just took the plunge and upgraded the firmware to 3.0 on my 1Z. I like it so far, especially with Vinyl processor. Went from 1.2 to 3 directly.
> 
> Without Vinyl processor, the sound had less warmth and little more brightness. The bass sounds even more nicer on 3.0. Looks like Sony sound engineers have fine tuned it even more.


mmm it since that is perfect for 1Z i wonder if 1A owners are so happy too.. for me its a case of I dont know if I was better or not i miss some of the bass but stage its improved i also feel now Type A low + strings sound more desync... making it a little better


----------



## nc8000

endlesswaves said:


> Weird seeing so many crashes. Did you guys have 200mb free space? Think it's best to have more free space during the update and then copy back you music files later. Suspect the crashes occurs during errors in rebuilding database.
> 
> Further impression after more hours on WM1A with 3.0 FW:
> I can understand why Redcarmoose mentioned that WM1A sounds metallic after the update. With my warm gooey JVC FW01 I hear tingling trebles, slightly more air, separations, detail and wider soundstage. Sub bass are more nuanced now. Reported earlier I noticed volume was lower by 2-3 notches and had since lower them back.
> ...



No the crashes do not occur during rebuilding the database but during playing flac files and when acting as a bt streaming receiver


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> No the crashes do not occur during rebuilding the database but during playing flac files and when acting as a bt streaming receiver


I havent had a single crash, 10 hs running mp3 dsd flac and DAC, do you find any diference in bass sound? and stage?


----------



## Chadwick852

Hi, does anyone know how to use the following feature:

A function for manually adding cover art images to albums has been added


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> I havent had a single crash, 10 hs running mp3 dsd flac and DAC, do you find any diference in bass sound? and stage?



I belive I found the soundstage a bit wider but not much other change


----------



## krayzie (Oct 8, 2018)

Interesting with FW 3.0 the slight sibilance at the upper mid-range of my MDR-Z1R has been tamed and no longer an issue, yet the overall sound at the same time has gotten slightly cooler. And I'm not even listening directly out of the 1A headphone jack but thru the PHA-3 balanced and DSD 2.8MHz files only.

Now my audio chain sounds much closer to the old Sony Cassette Walkman from before the mid 90's (WM-EX1/EX2 and prior to about the late 80's WM-501/701C era) only that my current Sony rig costs 10x more just for the cleaner more consistent output lmao!


----------



## Malevolint (Oct 8, 2018)

Never mind.


----------



## Soundizer

Quadfather said:


> Audioquest Nighthawks pair amazingly well with the NW-WM1A from the balanced output!  Rush Moving Pictures is SUBLIME!!!



You must be using a special cable as my Nighthawks don’t fit into the 4.4 balanced output.


----------



## Soundizer

nc8000 said:


> You can just remove the cap



How can I do this? Thank you


----------



## Malevolint (Oct 8, 2018)

Soundizer said:


> You must be using a special cable as my Nighthawks don’t fit into the 4.4 balanced output.


You're just not trying hard enough lol

You might have to install FW from another region to remove the cap.


----------



## Quadfather

Soundizer said:


> You must be using a special cable as my Nighthawks don’t fit into the 4.4 balanced output.



I am using a Surf Cable 4.4 mm balanced specially-made cable.


----------



## nc8000

Soundizer said:


> How can I do this? Thank you



With the RockBox tool

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool


----------



## nc8000

Mrcojocaru said:


> You're just not trying hard enough lol
> 
> You might have to install FW from another region to remove the cap.



There is only one fw for all regions


----------



## nc8000

Mrcojocaru said:


> Hey guys.. Something interesting happened. I downgraded back from 3.0 to 1.2. Bluetooth functionally is still there. I haven't had time to play with it, but as of now I can't find the WM1A on my s9+. And don't worry, the cracked glass is just my screen protector.




That’s to pair with bt headphones or speakers, that has always been there


----------



## Malevolint

nc8000 said:


> That’s to pair with bt headphones or speakers, that has always been there


Oh.. damn lol.


----------



## roses77 (Oct 8, 2018)

Midnstorms said:


> mmm it since that is perfect for 1Z i wonder if 1A owners are so happy too.. for me its a case of I dont know if I was better or not i miss some of the bass but stage its improved i also feel now Type A low + strings sound more desync... making it a little better



I used some of the settings you suggested the vocals are more forward, not so far away. So none of the bass iits just a much more tighter faster bass, similar to Astell&kern Daps. It has more surround sound stage. It has improved for the genre Rock Music which uses guitars. Overall I like the 3.0 using the vinyl surface noise makes vocals sound more lush with EQ on. To me it sounds warm with customised EQ. I have the WM1Z. Using direct source looses a lot of bass, it sounds thin.

The only problem I have in dac mode it sounds terrible with JRiver media center as it has jumping & clipping in songs. I tried direct source no difference it does the same thing.


----------



## bflat

Weird. My comments about DSEE on 3.0 is not right. When I tried it, an old EQ setting was also applied. I thought I had reset the EQ a while ago, but just saw that it was still there.


----------



## NaiveSound

Bt is louder than local play on 3. 0.i wonder why


----------



## Soundizer

nc8000 said:


> With the RockBox tool
> 
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool



Thank you. That is way too complicated for me.

My question then is, with the volume limit is it loud enough to drive Sony MDRZ1R HEADPHONES.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Like @endlesswaves  said, My WM1A had plenty of free space: about 74GB free  and no microSD in, so not a single crash as of now


----------



## superuser1

What format are the msd cards where the device is crashing?


----------



## Mindstorms

could it be that ppl experiencing crashes recieved their walkman on 1.2 or had installed 1.2?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Midnstorms said:


> could it be that ppl experiencing crashes recieved their walkman on 1.2 or had installed 1.2?


mine had 1.0>1.1>1.2>2.0>3.0


----------



## linux4ever

Midnstorms said:


> could it be that ppl experiencing crashes recieved their walkman on 1.2 or had installed 1.2?


I went from 1.2 to 3.0. But I unmounted the sd card (and didn't eject it) and had lots of space on my internal storage.

However DAC isn't working on my MacBook Pro. So far all my other DACs had worked fine on this MacBook pro. I'll have to try it on a windows computer.


----------



## auronthas

linux4ever said:


> However DAC isn't working on my MacBook Pro. So far all my other DACs had worked fine on this MacBook pro. I'll have to try it on a windows computer.



DAC is not working on my MacBook Pro too.  I received email from my local Sony Support team asking me to uninstall and reinstall the firmware 3.0.  Will try again, hope it will work.


----------



## NaiveSound

Those who experienced any problems,has any of you emailed Sony about it


----------



## nc8000

Soundizer said:


> Thank you. That is way too complicated for me.
> 
> My question then is, with the volume limit is it loud enough to drive Sony MDRZ1R HEADPHONES.



Depends on how loud you listen. I would say that single ended probably not but balanced should be fine


----------



## tonehk

Hi, i've been triyng the USB DAC function on a iMac mojave with rather unstable results.  has anybody had a reliable experience with a Mac?


----------



## auronthas

Would like to share reply from Sony Support in regards to firmware 3.0 on Mac, the system requirement is as attached.

So for Mac OS 10.14 (Mojave), firmware 3.0 is not supported it seems.


----------



## auronthas

tonehk said:


> Hi, i've been triyng the USB DAC function on a iMac mojave with rather unstable results.  has anybody had a reliable experience with a Mac?


Similar problem that I face as reported.  See my post above, reply from Sony Support.


----------



## zardos

USB DAC and BT Receiver works fine with iPhoneX here, but I also had one crash so far (reboot of 1Z). I don‘t know exactly when, but it was when using USB DAC or BT Receiver.


----------



## auronthas

Has anyone successfully connected to Car Audio system via BT receiver ? What brand and model of car ?


----------



## linux4ever (Oct 9, 2018)

auronthas said:


> Would like to share reply from Sony Support in regards to firmware 3.0 on Mac, the system requirement is as attached.
> 
> So for Mac OS 10.14 (Mojave), firmware 3.0 is not supported it seems.



I'm on Mac OS X Sierra (10.12) and the Dac feature doesn't work even in that OS version.

Edit: The walkman shows up in sound preferences and in my VOX player on Mac. But the the audio doesn't come through the walkman in DAC mode.


----------



## NaiveSound

What is the link to report our issues to Sony?


----------



## kubig123

auronthas said:


> Would like to share reply from Sony Support in regards to firmware 3.0 on Mac, the system requirement is as attached.
> 
> So for Mac OS 10.14 (Mojave), firmware 3.0 is not supported it seems.



Sony is always a little slow to catch up with the Mac Os versions, i have the Mojave (beta) and i dint have any problem to update the FW.

In the past i installed a previous version of Mac Os on a usb drive just to run the installer.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

auronthas said:


> Would like to share reply from Sony Support in regards to firmware 3.0 on Mac, the system requirement is as attached.
> 
> So for Mac OS 10.14 (Mojave), firmware 3.0 is not supported it seems.



My WM1a worked fine on Mojave as a DAC.. once.


----------



## Mindstorms

Sorry to interupt subjet guys but can anyone tell me if downgrading to 1.2 from 2.0 will produce error? or lose all your setings?


----------



## Mindstorms

XP_98 said:


> Who tried reverting from 3.0 to 2.0 ?
> Works flawlessly ?
> 
> [EDIT] Twister6 did it (just red his mini review), and doesn't report any difficulty...


Flawless


----------



## proedros

i also went to 2.0 back from 3.0 and have had zero glitches since i did so , 3 days ago.


----------



## Soundizer

This product doesn’t seem to be fit for EU Region, with that terrible volume limit. Why would anyone in Europe spend £1000 and then find out the volume is limited. 

Anyone on this thread use a Volume limit model?


----------



## proedros

Soundizer said:


> This product doesn’t seem to be fit for EU Region, with that terrible volume limit. Why would anyone in Europe spend £1000 and then find out the volume is limited.
> 
> Anyone on this thread use a Volume limit model?



take the volume limit off with the rockbox app , that's what everybody here has done.


----------



## syke

Soundizer said:


> This product doesn’t seem to be fit for EU Region, with that terrible volume limit. Why would anyone in Europe spend £1000 and then find out the volume is limited.
> 
> Anyone on this thread use a Volume limit model?



EU regulations maybe?


----------



## bana

Soundizer said:


> This product doesn’t seem to be fit for EU Region, with that terrible volume limit. Why would anyone in Europe spend £1000 and then find out the volume is limited.
> 
> Anyone on this thread use a Volume limit model?



Don't blame Sony, It's an EU regulation,so you rockers don't blast your ears!


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Maybe the installers are specific to region and having conflict?

I have Korean wm and downloaded from SE Asia Sony website. Also I have US zx300 and downloaded the install program from US website.


----------



## nc8000

Soundizer said:


> This product doesn’t seem to be fit for EU Region, with that terrible volume limit. Why would anyone in Europe spend £1000 and then find out the volume is limited.
> 
> Anyone on this thread use a Volume limit model?



That unfortunately is the law in EU but you can just remove the cap


----------



## nc8000

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Maybe the installers are specific to region and having conflict?
> 
> I have Korean wm and downloaded from SE Asia Sony website. Also I have US zx300 and downloaded the install program from US website.



The fw installers should be identical for alle regions since it is not the fw that implements region differences


----------



## Ryokan (Oct 9, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> That unfortunately is the law in EU but you can just remove the cap




Seems only Sony implement it though, other players aren't capped.



bana said:


> Don't blame Sony, It's an EU regulation,so you rockers don't blast your ears!



I nearly didn't buy a Sony player because of this.


----------



## nc8000

Ryokan said:


> Seems only Sony implement it though, other players aren't capped.



Yes Sony do seem to be the only ones. Perhaps because of their size and market penetration they don’t want to be seen breaking regulations. 

As I remember Apple also complied with the iPod


----------



## bflat

nc8000 said:


> Yes Sony do seem to be the only ones. Perhaps because of their size and market penetration they don’t want to be seen breaking regulations.
> 
> As I remember Apple also complied with the iPod



The specification is 85 dB max, but users can override up to 100 dB. Of course the ridiculousness of this regulation is that no 2 headphones will produce the same volume at a given power level so even 100 dB may be too low. Sony apparently has decided not to add the override option for whatever reason.


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> The specification is 85 dB max, but users can override up to 100 dB. Of course the ridiculousness of this regulation is that no 2 headphones will produce the same volume at a given power level so even 100 dB may be too low. Sony apparently has decided not to add the override option for whatever reason.



As I remember the original regulation was that the limit had to based on the included headphones but was then changed. And yes it totally depends on the load


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

No it can’t be. The EU versions probably have the volume regulation in their installer for example. 





nc8000 said:


> The fw installers should be identical for alle regions since it is not the fw that implements region differences


----------



## bflat

These amps are illegal in EU too:


----------



## 480126

It‘s the same Regulation in EU for Sony cradle! I bought a cradle from Japan. But Customer don‘t Hand it out because the cradle had no CE registration!


----------



## nc8000

DONTGIVEUP said:


> No it can’t be. The EU versions probably have the volume regulation in their installer for example.



If that was the case the cap should be reestablished when installing a new fw version but it isn’t, once removed with the rockbox tool it stays removed, so I don’t beleive that the cap comes from the fw and I’m sure that there is only one fw for all regions


----------



## Soundizer

proedros said:


> take the volume limit off with the rockbox app , that's what everybody here has done.



Rockbox App.

Any instructions on how to install it and then turn off the volume limit, step by step. I use a Mac Computer..


----------



## Soundizer

Also, who makes the Software? How do we know it doesn’t install spyware and other stuff. If it’s free it probably will do.


----------



## Soundizer

nc8000 said:


> Yes Sony do seem to be the only ones. Perhaps because of their size and market penetration they don’t want to be seen breaking regulations.
> 
> As I remember Apple also complied with the iPod



Yes but it was easy to turn off - just go into settings. No need to install didgy third party software not approved by Sony.


----------



## Malevolint

Soundizer said:


> Also, who makes the Software? How do we know it doesn’t install spyware and other stuff. If it’s free it probably will do.


On your dap? What are they gonna spy on lol. Your music tastes?


----------



## krayzie (Oct 9, 2018)

Soundizer said:


> Rockbox App.
> 
> Any instructions on how to install it and then turn off the volume limit, step by step. I use a Mac Computer..



The posted site for the rockbox app does have step by step instructions and would only make sense to a DOS/Windows user and is already quite straight forward.

Perhaps find a friend or family member with a Windows PC?

BTW I changed mine from region CA to region E to allow for the Sony Bluetooth remote.


----------



## nc8000

Soundizer said:


> Rockbox App.
> 
> Any instructions on how to install it and then turn off the volume limit, step by step. I use a Mac Computer..



Can't be done, only works in Windows


----------



## nc8000 (Oct 9, 2018)

Soundizer said:


> Yes but it was easy to turn off - just go into settings. No need to install didgy third party software not approved by Sony.



You can't remove the EU volume cap in settings, you must run the rockbox tool to change the region. 
You don't install anything, just run the tool to change the region of the player


----------



## nc8000

double post


----------



## bflat

Mrcojocaru said:


> On your dap? What are they gonna spy on lol. Your music tastes?



Network sniffer that will transmit a copy of all of your home's networking traffic to an external server.


----------



## nc8000

Soundizer said:


> Also, who makes the Software? How do we know it doesn’t install spyware and other stuff. If it’s free it probably will do.



It's done by the rockbox community that for many, many years have been fiddeling with daps, making tools and the rockbox operating system as an alternative to the stock software on players including iPods


----------



## krayzie

Soundizer said:


> Also, who makes the Software? How do we know it doesn’t install spyware and other stuff. If it’s free it probably will do.



As opposed to built in spyware which requires no installation from Google M$ and Apple? LMAO!


----------



## Dim666

What do you use as a player to operate the Sony dac on Mac ?

Do you know Audirvana ? Because I can't make both (the dac of WM1A/1Z and Audirvana) Do you have a plan ?


----------



## bflat

Dim666 said:


> What do you use as a player to operate the Sony dac on Mac ?
> 
> Do you know Audirvana ? Because I can't make both (the dac of WM1A/1Z and Audirvana) Do you have a plan ?



Mac OS uses USB Audio 2.0 spec so you don't need anything specific to run the WM1a/z as a DAC. You can set your system audio to the Sony and use iTunes as your player. Audirvana or any other media player will work fine too. I use JRiver without issue.


----------



## Dim666

Oh yes ! But how do you concretely ?


----------



## bflat

Dim666 said:


> Oh yes ! But how do you concretely ?



1) Update your WM1a/z walkman to firmware 3.0
2) While powered on, connect your walkman to your Mac using the Sony WM-Port to USB cable
3) When walkman asks you if you want USB Mass Storage, go to main menu instead
4) Select DAC mode from main menu
5) DAC should show up under System Preferences as "WALKMAN"
6) Select "WALKMAN" for system sound and/or within your media player options


----------



## Dim666

Many thanks


----------



## Dim666

...and no it doesn't work
..


----------



## bflat

Dim666 said:


> ...and no it doesn't work
> ..



Somebody else couldn't get their MacBook to work. All I can say is that my 2016 MacBook Pro running Mojave works fine. You may need to reach out to Sony support.


----------



## NaiveSound

1z 3.0  no crashes, just love


----------



## auronthas

kubig123 said:


> Sony is always a little slow to catch up with the Mac Os versions, i have the Mojave (beta) and i dint have any problem to update the FW.


I need to clarify that I am able to install this 3.0 firmware and installed in WM1A via Mojave.  The only problem I encountered is only the USB DAC with MacBook Pro in Mojave OS.

USB DAC with my Note 8 via USB OTG has no issue at all.

BT receiver with Note 8 working flawlessly but not detected by my car audio system …


----------



## auronthas

linux4ever said:


> I'm on Mac OS X Sierra (10.12)
> 
> Edit: The walkman shows up in sound preferences and in my VOX player on Mac. But the the audio doesn't come through the walkman in DAC mode.


Exactly what I experience


----------



## auronthas

bflat said:


> Somebody else couldn't get their MacBook to work. All I can say is that my 2016 MacBook Pro running Mojave works fine. You may need to reach out to Sony support.


Strange , mine is Macbook Pro 2016 too.

I think I need to remove and reinstall this firmware installer in my Macbook.

How to overwrite firmware 3.0 inside WM1A?


----------



## HiFiGuy528 (Oct 9, 2018)

the new v3.0 firmware is awesome! Works great with my 2017 MacBook Pro running High Sierra and iPhone X. A great way to add TIDAL to Walkman.


----------



## linux4ever

Works awesomely well on my Windows 10 but not on Mac OS X Sierra (10.12). May be windows 10 bonded with my WM1Z when upgrading the firmware to 3.0 on it


----------



## tonehk

bflat said:


> 1) Update your WM1a/z walkman to firmware 3.0
> 2) While powered on, connect your walkman to your Mac using the Sony WM-Port to USB cable
> 3) When walkman asks you if you want USB Mass Storage, go to main menu instead
> 4) Select DAC mode from main menu
> ...



Hi, may I ask what music playback software you used on your Mac with successful results?
iTunes, audirvana, Spotify tidal?


----------



## linux4ever

After trying with Windows 10, I plugged it again onto my MacBook. This time I opened up iTunes and played a song. This time WM1Z got the audio. Then I tried VOX player and it also worked. 

iTunes didn't allow me to change volume, but VOX player does allow it. This is in addition to the volume control on WM1Z. 

So for some reason MacBook is playing audio fine in the DAC mode. The above steps that I did might help others too.


----------



## auronthas (Oct 9, 2018)

linux4ever said:


> After trying with Windows 10, I plugged it again onto my MacBook. This time I opened up iTunes and played a song. This time WM1Z got the audio. Then I tried VOX player and it also worked.
> 
> iTunes didn't allow me to change volume, but VOX player does allow it. This is in addition to the volume control on WM1Z.
> 
> So for some reason MacBook is playing audio fine in the DAC mode. The above steps that I did might help others too.



I only have Mac at home.  I think I would do a PRAM reset on my Macbook Pro to restore sound setting as default, then try again.


----------



## Quadfather

Just curious to hear from people in the thread... Are there any digital audio players that you believe top NW - WM1Z?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Quadfather said:


> Just curious to hear from people in the thread... Are there any digital audio players that you believe top NW - WM1Z?


Most likely comparable is SP1000; I heard it last year in Canjam. Seems to be clearer but lacking in dynamics and that was compared to 2.0 firmware

I know, probably DMP Z1


----------



## linux4ever

I upgraded my MacBook from MacOS Sierra to Mojave. And Vox player had the same issue. So I opened iTunes and the audio played through WM1Z DAC. Then I switched to VOX player, and it played instantly.


----------



## Quadfather (Oct 10, 2018)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Most likely comparable is SP1000; I heard it last year in Canjam. Seems to be clearer but lacking in dynamics and that was compared to 2.0 firmware
> 
> I know, probably DMP Z1



I often wonder how the new Cayin N8 digital audio player compares.  I have no desktop system, because I really only prefer truly portable Solutions.


----------



## purk

Quadfather said:


> Just curious to hear from people in the thread... Are there any digital audio players that you believe top NW - WM1Z?



A modded Sony NW-WM1Z?  I heard the stock and the modded side by side and prefer the modded unit with kimber replaced by Muldof silber/gold cable.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Oct 10, 2018)

purk said:


> A modded Sony NW-WM1Z?  I heard the stock and the modded side by side and prefer the modded unit with kimber replaced by Muldof silber/gold cable.


You’re talking about mine it’s at 1393 hrs 

Sounds really good with Sony EX1000


----------



## Tawek

Yes ex1000 +1z   one of the best synergy


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Oct 10, 2018)

Tawek said:


> Yes ex1000 +1z   one of the best synergy


I may agree with you; maybe better than Phantom but it’s been a while since I listen to it. I am captivated by the sound quality. The treble feels very free, can reach really high, clarity’s and resolution extremely high and I think I may hear things I didn’t even hear with Phantom but needs to check again. Soundstage sounds so open, bass can hit hard; it sounds so open and free


----------



## Tawek

I just got ex1000 for 250$   with "pyre hybrid " from Forza 4.4mm just pure bliss  I prefer then obravo eamt2c and other


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 10, 2018)

Tawek said:


> I just got ex1000 for 250$   with "pyre hybrid " from Forza 4.4mm just pure bliss  I prefer then obravo eamt2c and other



I thought the EX1000 used a special connection to the cable, not MMCX?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Tawek said:


> I just got ex1000 for 250$   with "pyre hybrid " from Forza 4.4mm just pure bliss  I prefer then obravo eamt2c and other


EX1000 must be matched with dark sounding DAP to sound its best


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Redcarmoose said:


> I thought the ex1000 used a special connection to the cable, not MMCX?


You can buy EX1000 4.4 mm cable on eBay; it’s not optimum but you make with what you have, not the best but it is what it is.
I pay $79.99 for 8 core silver copper mix cable from Ebay


----------



## sne4me

Soundizer said:


> Also, who makes the Software? How do we know it doesn’t install spyware and other stuff. If it’s free it probably will do.



When you plug the DAP into windows, the OS creates a file on the DAP which specifies the full range of its I/O capabilities, right down to the audio resolution. If you are concerned about spyware, then I suggest you think more about the system you attach it to, and start wiping the system with everything after every time you connect to it. Of course at that point the firmware spyware in your motherboard will probably realize you wipe your crap all the time and beacon back to the NSA anyway, so you would just be attracting more attention.


----------



## Tawek (Oct 10, 2018)

hamhamhamsta said:


> I may agree with you; maybe better than Phantom but it’s been a while since I listen to it. I am captivated by the sound quality. The treble feels very free, can reach really high, clarity’s and resolution extremely high and I think I may hear things I didn’t even hear with Phantom but needs to check again. Soundstage sounds so open, bass can hit hard; it sounds so open and free



what makes ex1000+1z  different   is the sense of sound coherence outside of the head,huge wilde soundstage , ( on pf-x-g level )three-dimensional ( on se5ult level ) , it's all the resolution, speed, sound very calm and natural,  euphoric and natural vocals ,instrument  seperation very  good and spread 
for me in some respects definitively ex1000 deserves the status of the legend is the iem 
  from 2010 !!! and until now I have heard nothing much better


----------



## hireslover

Hello All,

I am a happy owner of a 1Z. I upgraded from fw 2.0 to 3.0 since release. I've been enjoying it so much until this morning it ran into the rebooting issue with me. Is there any way to solve that rebooting problem? I am using Windows. All the help will be appreciated.

Thank you


----------



## Returnity

hireslover said:


> Hello All,
> 
> I am a happy owner of a 1Z. I upgraded from fw 2.0 to 3.0 since release. I've been enjoying it so much until this morning it ran into the rebooting issue with me. Is there any way to solve that rebooting problem? I am using Windows. All the help will be appreciated.
> 
> Thank you



What I did was to reset to factory settings, reinstall 3.0 and then do another factory reset. So far, the crashes stopped. Let's hope it goes on like this...


----------



## Redcarmoose

Tawek said:


> what makes ex1000+1z  different   is the sense of sound coherence outside of the head,huge wilde soundstage , ( on pf-x-g level )three-dimensional ( on se5ult level ) , it's all the resolution, speed, sound very calm and natural,  euphoric and natural vocals ,instrument  seperation very  good and spread
> for me in some respects definitively ex1000 deserves the status of the legend is the iem   from 2010 !!! and until now I have heard nothing much better



I have always wanted to try that IEM.


----------



## hireslover

Returnity said:


> What I did was to reset to factory settings, reinstall 3.0 and then do another factory reset. So far, the crashes stopped. Let's hope it goes on like this...


Thanks for the quick reply. When resetting to factory settings, will the audio played time reset to zero as well?


----------



## Redcarmoose

hireslover said:


> Thanks for the quick reply. When resetting to factory settings, will the audio played time reset to zero as well?



Yes


----------



## hireslover

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes


Thanks for the help


----------



## tgrosu

Redcarmoose said:


> Just so you know, I used his Dropbox to go back to 2.0 with the 1A. They worked perfect. He has all the FW listed so you just look for the one you want to roll back to.



I did exactly the same thing. To me, version 3.0 was absolutely unbearable, sonically.


----------



## Hellraiser86

my wm1a had restart loop after i added some playlists. so i've sent it to the german support. unfortunately i've got the message back, that a necessary required part is no longer obtainable. sony offered me to repay me the money.

because of this i need to buy a new dap and i would buy preferably another wm1a or maybe a wm1z. what concerns me is the fact that there are already parts which can't be replaced anymore. so is this the first sign of the next generation players or has someone similar experiences with the repair service?


----------



## auronthas (Oct 10, 2018)

I am a happy man today 

After SMC and PRAM reset (attached photo) for Macbook Pro , finally WM1A USB DAC is working for iTunes, Spotify and Tidal. You may follow the steps given for Macbook Pro if you have USB DAC problem .


----------



## Soundizer (Oct 10, 2018)

Mrcojocaru said:


> On your dap? What are they gonna spy on lol. Your music tastes?



Correct me if I am wrong here. The software you install on your Computer right?
Also As it is 3rd party in EU your Warranty is invalidated.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson (Oct 10, 2018)

Hellraiser86 said:


> my wm1a had restart loop after i added some playlists. so i've sent it to the german support. unfortunately i've got the message back, that a necessary required part is no longer obtainable. sony offered me to repay me the money.
> 
> because of this i need to buy a new dap and i would buy preferably another wm1a or maybe a wm1z. what concerns me is the fact that there are already parts which can't be replaced anymore. so is this the first sign of the next generation players or has someone similar experiences with the repair service?



This is absolute garbage from Sony. It is a software problem (I bet it rebooted or was turned off during build database function).

@kingdixon has fixed this with software on his unit.

This kind of support from Sony is downright dishonest. If @kingdixon heps get it going, I would report to EU authorities.

I would document the hell out of your entire experience and resurrection of the wm1az


----------



## JeremyLaurenson (Oct 10, 2018)

FYI: Apple lightning to USB adapter no workee

Have to go back and turn off "charge from connected device" and try again :/


----------



## kingdixon

Hellraiser86 said:


> my wm1a had restart loop after i added some playlists. so i've sent it to the german support. unfortunately i've got the message back, that a necessary required part is no longer obtainable. sony offered me to repay me the money.
> 
> because of this i need to buy a new dap and i would buy preferably another wm1a or maybe a wm1z. what concerns me is the fact that there are already parts which can't be replaced anymore. so is this the first sign of the next generation players or has someone similar experiences with the repair service?





JeremyLaurenson said:


> This is absolute garbage from Sony. It is a software problem (I bet it rebooted or was turned off during build database function).
> 
> @kingdixon has fixed this with software on his unit.
> 
> This kind of support from Sony is downright dishonest. If @kingdixon heps get it going, I would report to EU authorities.



Well, yee i solved my bootloop a while ago, no problems since, also updated to 3.0 firmware 2 or 3 days ago and have no problems but i am not using any of the new features may be only the vinyl one.

my problem was a corrupted database that caused the bootloop, but i don't know about his case, may be its absolute garbage from them, or may be a piece of his hardware gone bad for ex: internal memory or something .. who knows !! but for sure they are not being open and honest about it, i think one deserves a more clear explanation of what exactly happened.


----------



## nc8000

Soundizer said:


> Correct me if I am wrong here. The software you install on your Computer right?
> Also As it is 3rd party in EU your Warranty is invalidated.



You don’t install anything on your computer, but yes you run a prom on your computer that changes the region con on the WM player. Yes if you send it in for repair to Sony with the region code changed you might have invalidated your warranty but unless your player is in a state where it can’t be started you can just change the region back


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

JeremyLaurenson said:


> FYI: Apple lightning to USB adapter no workee
> 
> Have to go back and turn off "charge from connected device" and try again :/



With power charging turned off it works like a charm


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

I can also confirm that the WM1A works on my Mojave Mac with power turned off in DAC settings


----------



## bflat

tonehk said:


> Hi, may I ask what music playback software you used on your Mac with successful results?
> iTunes, audirvana, Spotify tidal?



I have set the WM1z as system audio so it plays from iTunes and from Safari. That's how I experienced youtube video being out of sync. I also set WM1z from both JRiver and Audirvana and both work. Basically if you can use the DAC feature as system audio, then it will work with whatever media player you like.


----------



## NaiveSound

I'm having a blast using the bt receiver !


----------



## Mindstorms (Oct 10, 2018)

ABout FW .1.2 it has a diferent layering an positioning of the sound elements voice is more aligned to head... center, trebble sounds splashy bass sounds good in amount best bass amount in all three versions, 2,0 sounds cleaner less congested voice is a little forward stage is a little bigger, less bass and a more analitical trebble also a little more harsh trebble, 3.0 sounds even cleaner but vocals lack the warm of the other two...and treblle is a notch up again..


----------



## Mindstorms (Oct 10, 2018)

Hellraiser86 said:


> my wm1a had restart loop after i added some playlists. so i've sent it to the german support. unfortunately i've got the message back, that a necessary required part is no longer obtainable. sony offered me to repay me the money.
> 
> because of this i need to buy a new dap and i would buy preferably another wm1a or maybe a wm1z. what concerns me is the fact that there are already parts which can't be replaced anymore. so is this the first sign of the next generation players or has someone similar experiences with the repair service?


GO Z or go other brand sony did the same thing to me in an really expensive TV it briked...sony must learn to take care of their customers more seriously


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Was expecting Sony to have this around for at least 5-6 years from initial release. Not a promising sign considering it’s still listed in Sony website. So ppl are taking a chance but atleast they are offering money back!


Hellraiser86 said:


> my wm1a had restart loop after i added some playlists. so i've sent it to the german support. unfortunately i've got the message back, that a necessary required part is no longer obtainable. sony offered me to repay me the money.
> 
> because of this i need to buy a new dap and i would buy preferably another wm1a or maybe a wm1z. what concerns me is the fact that there are already parts which can't be replaced anymore. so is this the first sign of the next generation players or has someone similar experiences with the repair service?


----------



## krayzie (Oct 10, 2018)

Hellraiser86 said:


> my wm1a had restart loop after i added some playlists. so i've sent it to the german support. unfortunately i've got the message back, that a necessary required part is no longer obtainable. sony offered me to repay me the money.
> 
> because of this i need to buy a new dap and i would buy preferably another wm1a or maybe a wm1z. what concerns me is the fact that there are already parts which can't be replaced anymore. so is this the first sign of the next generation players or has someone similar experiences with the repair service?



So they can't even get a hold of a new WM1A to replace yours? I was told that the ZX2 had a replacement warranty and no repairs would be attempted within the warranty period.

I was suspicious if production has stopped since it was quite hard for me to even find a place with stock of the WM1A when I had to replace my ZX2 this summer. I ended up just buying the last one from amazon.ca themselves. The local hi-fi shop was back-ordered for over a month and refused to sell me the demo unit so I cancelled my order with them.


----------



## roses77 (Oct 10, 2018)

Hellraiser86 said:


> my wm1a had restart loop after i added some playlists. so i've sent it to the german support. unfortunately i've got the message back, that a necessary required part is no longer obtainable. sony offered me to repay me the money.
> 
> because of this i need to buy a new dap and i would buy preferably another wm1a or maybe a wm1z. what concerns me is the fact that there are already parts which can't be replaced anymore. so is this the first sign of the next generation players or has someone similar experiences with the repair service?



That’s a worry if Sony doesn’t have the required part to fix the WM1A. That’s good they offered your money back, so was it out of warranty. So why buy another WM1A if the same thing is going to happen if they don’t have the parts. So when my Sony WM1Z runs out of battery, they won’t have the required part to fix it. I’d have to buy another Sony Dap.


----------



## roses77

krayzie said:


> So they can't even get a hold of a new WM1A to replace yours? I was told that the ZX2 had a replacement warranty and no repairs would be attempted within the warranty period.
> 
> I was suspicious if production has stopped since it was quite hard for me to even find a place with stock of the WM1A when I had to replace my ZX2 this summer. I ended up just buying the last one from amazon.ca themselves. The local hi-fi shop was back-ordered for over a month and refused to sell me the demo unit so I cancelled my order with them.



On the Sony Australian Website the WM1A is built to order which takes 8 weeks to build. So I’m sure they’ll still have parts. I would contact directly Sony support where you bought it from.


----------



## NaiveSound

Does Sony suck?


----------



## Mindstorms

Anyone got the error on 1.2 entering settings where it says an error has ocurred please restar player by presing power 8 sec bla bla... you have to reset player to its factory defaults right?


----------



## bvng3540

NaiveSound said:


> Does Sony suck?


If it was a female then yes


----------



## buzzlulu

Well - I wanted to post this earlier however I decided to do more testing.
Scenario - WM1Z > Sony supplied USB cable> Apple CCK > iPhone XS Max

It seems that the FIRST time trying to use the USB DAC function results in no music being played - both in Tidal and Spotify (I initially thought it was only a Tidal problem)
You need to quit out of the app (Tidal or Spotify) and open it again - Music then plays on the second attempt.

The short of it is that the USB DAC function does not work on the initial attempt - only on the second.

Anyone else having this problem?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Man the 1Z with the Sony N3 IEMs is a refreshing combination now with  FW 3.0. The N3 used to get a little criticism with the bass not being quite as tight as the flagship Z5. Though the N3 has many other things going for it. And it seems the update actually improved the N3 bass across the board. 

1) The N3 comes with both Sony Hybrid and Triple Comfort Tips.
2) The N3 is one of the most comfortable IEMs out there.
3) Many love the way the N3 does vocals.
4) We now have some special synergy with FW 3.0 and the 1Z
5) The N3 can be purchased stock with Sony Pentaconn 4.4mm.


----------



## quodjo105

Since 1z is less warm, less bassy with the latest update , could anyone who has the sp1000 copper or has heard it before, confirm if there any similarities?.


----------



## Torq

The USB DAC mode, with macOS (Mojave), results in a whole bunch of duplicated output options appearing in the Audio-Midi Utility (e.g. multiple selections for 2ch, 16-bit, 44.1 kHz, etc.).

If you pick the right one, it plays fine with everything from iTunes to Audirvana+.

Though with Audirvana+, so far, I've had to turn off exclusive mode, large buffers and integer output to get it to work reliably.  And if your playlist switches sample rates, there's a better than even chance that the settings Audirvana+ picks for the output will be one of those that doesn't work (and you have to manually pick one that does ... which you can do on the fly).


----------



## Mindstorms

Im loving V 1.2 its awesome Stage and bass IMO better than 2.0 and 3.0 may be delusion...


----------



## Redcarmoose

Midnstorms said:


> Im loving V 1.2 its awesome Stage and bass IMO better than 2.0 and 3.0 may be delusion...


----------



## bflat

Torq said:


> The USB DAC mode, with macOS (Mojave), results in a whole bunch of duplicated output options appearing in the Audio-Midi Utility (e.g. multiple selections for 2ch, 16-bit, 44.1 kHz, etc.).
> 
> If you pick the right one, it plays fine with everything from iTunes to Audirvana+.
> 
> Though with Audirvana+, so far, I've had to turn off exclusive mode, large buffers and integer output to get it to work reliably.  And if your playlist switches sample rates, there's a better than even chance that the settings Audirvana+ picks for the output will be one of those that doesn't work (and you have to manually pick one that does ... which you can do on the fly).



I saw that too. It's definitely trial and error for system audio, but once you get it to work, system will remember it. I am using JRiver and have had no issues with all the sampling rates up to 196 and switching on the fly per track. I am on about 80 hrs of continuous play of my burn in playlist which contain an even distribution of 44 to 196 sampling rates. I have exclusive mode and integer enabled in JRiver and MacBook Pro 2016 Mojave.


----------



## NaiveSound

Lol, it's embarrassing but I mostly use my 1z with Bluetooth to stream to it. When I find a track I download it and store it in the player  but bt is almost exclusively  

The problem is the battery drains far faster and I'm afraid it will shorten the 1z overall life

BT is offering me 85% perceived Sq over local play, im happy enough for that for casual listening/discovery


----------



## nc8000

4 days back on fw 2.0 and not a single crash compared with a crash every 2-3 hours on fw 3.0. I'll stay on 2.0 as I didn't really need any of the 3.0 features


----------



## sklonchpower

Hi everybody,
So, FW 3.0 is present. And as far as I had read some of you hear less bass and wider soundstage and more cold sound, some of you hear a warmer sound then 2.0.
Am I right that some of you complain only when using non-direct mode?????

For me 2.0 is perfect and very analogue sound  - I always listen DIRECT MODE.

Does it mean that 1.0 -warmest, 2.0 - warm, 3.0- less warm???))))))

I just confused....
Or its just mind-games that our brain do to us??????)))))

If someone write that he hear sibilants - some percent will hear it even didn't hear it before))))))

Thanx


----------



## Mindstorms (Oct 11, 2018)

Hi everybody,
So, FW 3.0 is present. And as far as I had read some of you hear less bass and wider soundstage and more cold sound, some of you hear a warmer sound then 2.0.
Am I right that some of you complain only when using non-direct mode?????

For me 2.0 is perfect and very analogue sound - I always listen DIRECT MODE.

Does it mean that 1.0 -warmest, 2.0 - warm, 3.0- less warm???))))))

I just confused....
Or its just mind-games that our brain do to us??????)))))

If someone write that he hear sibilants - some percent will hear it even didn't hear it before))))))
+1


----------



## Mindstorms

4 days back on fw 2.0 and not a single crash compared with a crash every 2-3 hours on fw 3.0. I'll stay on 2.0 as I didn't really need any of the 3.0 features
this is weird...


----------



## flyer1

Very pleased with 3.0 on my 1Z. Analogue, detailed but warm as in a typical Sony warmth which I can listen to for hours on end. Surface noise vinyl processing as only effect in use. Thankyou Sony!


----------



## Vlad0

Start to use to 3.0. Still 1.2 for me is best, but with vinyl processor it is less obvious.
Very happy with DAC Bluetooth receiver option. Streaming Deezer Hi-Fi  from S9+ with LDAC is almost the same as local play.
Very convenient also, to use this gorgeous display to navigate and browse while the Sony is in my pocket...

No crash with 3.0 at all. Installed standard, over 1.2 directly, without reset or any else voodoo magic...


----------



## NaiveSound

Vlad0 said:


> Start to use to 3.0. Still 1.2 for me is best, but with vinyl processor it is less obvious.
> Very happy with DAC Bluetooth receiver option. Streaming Deezer Hi-Fi  from S9+ with LDAC is almost the same as local play.
> Very convenient also, to use this gorgeous display to navigate and browse while the Sony is in my pocket...
> 
> No crash with 3.0 at all. Installed standard, over 1.2 directly, without reset or any else voodoo magic...


What is ldac, does my note 8 have it?


----------



## iron2k

NaiveSound said:


> What is ldac, does my note 8 have it?


Yes it does

https://www.google.com/url?q=https:...FjACegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw0IAh_8WYkoN4WfqbGk7VDE


----------



## NaiveSound

iron2k said:


> Yes it does
> 
> https://www.google.com/url?q=https:...FjACegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw0IAh_8WYkoN4WfqbGk7VDE



But my iz doesn't say ldac


----------



## bflat

NaiveSound said:


> But my iz doesn't say ldac



Make sure your Note 8 has at least Android 8. Next, go to developer options and make sure Bluetooth is set to LDAC as default.


----------



## NaiveSound

bflat said:


> Make sure your Note 8 has at least Android 8. Next, go to developer options and make sure Bluetooth is set to LDAC as default.


I have latest Android and I went to developef option and selected it but it goes to sbc once connecting to 1z



 

Once i select ldac. When it connects to 1z goes to sbc. . Both


----------



## bflat

NaiveSound said:


> I have latest Android and I went to developef option and selected it but it goes to sbc once connecting to 1z
> 
> 
> 
> Once i select ldac. When it connects to 1z goes to sbc. . Both



Very strange. At the very least, it should go to Apt-X. You probably will have better luck on an Android forum.


----------



## NaiveSound

bflat said:


> Very strange. At the very least, it should go to Apt-X. You probably will have better luck on an Android forum.


Omg... Fml... Please..... Don't send me there.... Plz .... Why have you forsaken me


----------



## flyer1

3.0 perfected the 1Z. Even with vinyl processer off I like the bass on my Z better on 3.0 as compared to previous FW's and I tried all of them. 3.0 is so much more than improvements in the bass department only though..


----------



## Stephen George

NaiveSound said:


> Omg... Fml... Please..... Don't send me there.... Plz .... Why have you forsaken me



works great on my note8 (running v8)

i paired with wm1z, then click the gear next to right of the device and you should have the option for ldac...you also need "media audio" enabled


----------



## NaiveSound

Stephen George said:


> works great on my note8 (running v8)
> 
> i paired with wm1z, then click the gear next to right of the device and you should have the option for ldac...you also need "media audio" enabled



When I click the gear, this is what I get


----------



## bflat

Here is a DAC mode tip. I think the Sony Docks are too tall and causes unnecessary strain on headphone cables. I initially just tried to lay down flat but found the volume controls a little hard to use. I then found a gadget I use for my phone and really like the usability with the WM1z positioned right next to my MacBook.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DRFK4RY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## auronthas

JeremyLaurenson said:


> With power charging turned off it works like a charm


Yes, power charging takes more of the power of USB DAC. Got to turn off power charging .  Even turn


NaiveSound said:


> But my iz doesn't say ldac


If I recall correctly , you can choose LDAC in Bluetooth setting WM1A, but it should be default pairing with LDAC codec. Please have a check


----------



## Stephen George

NaiveSound said:


> When I click the gear, this is what I get




 what version of android? (in settings) (i am running 8)

also turn on developer mode 

If using stock Android, go to Settings > About phone > Build number. On a Samsung Galaxy device, go to Settings > About device > Build number. ...
Tap Build number seven times. ...
Go back to Settings, where you'll find a *Developer options *entry in the menu.
once in developer mode, scroll down and there's some BT options, and it should have the option to make ldac the default (along with playbak quality)


----------



## Mindstorms

flyer1 said:


> 3.0 perfected the 1Z. Even with vinyl processer off I like the bass on my Z better on 3.0 as compared to previous FW's and I tried all of them. 3.0 is so much more than improvements in the bass department only though..


What improvement you hear in the bass friend....


----------



## NaiveSound

Stephen George said:


> what version of android? (in settings) (i am running 8)
> 
> also turn on developer mode
> 
> ...



8.1

In developer settings when I choose *ldac* it defaults automatically to sbc
 Android forums of no help either... Sbc blows yo


----------



## Sonyvores

LDAC is in the core of android oreo but it also depends of the brand company to enable it or not. And last year many smartphones while having Oreo OS didn't have LDAC capability 
You better ask Samsung customer service to be sure


----------



## blazinblazin

Mine is Galaxy S8+


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> 8.1
> 
> In developer settings when I choose *ldac* it defaults automatically to sbc
> Android forums of no help either... Sbc blows yo


Check the blietooth quality setting in your WM1Z


----------



## Stephen George

NaiveSound said:


> 8.1
> 
> In developer settings when I choose *ldac* it defaults automatically to sbc
> Android forums of no help either... Sbc blows yo




  like gerelmx says...you also have to make sure you have the corresponding setting on the sony side

again, i have a verizon note8 running latest greatest

and both note8 and z1a properly use LDAC on BT headphones (like the RBH prostereo r2s)


----------



## hamhamhamsta

NaiveSound said:


> 8.1
> 
> In developer settings when I choose *ldac* it defaults automatically to sbc
> Android forums of no help either... Sbc blows yo


Ooohh...you’re on for great treat with LDAC


----------



## kingdixon

NaiveSound said:


> 8.1
> 
> In developer settings when I choose *ldac* it defaults automatically to sbc
> Android forums of no help either... Sbc blows yo



Forget about the developers settings, mine also revert to sbc, but i didnt need to alter this setting to connect with ldac..

Just before opening the bluetooth receiver, go to settings, set audio device connectiin setting to ldac sound quality prefered .. and also set receiver playback quality to sound quality prefered .. then open bluetooth receiver and pair with your note 8, access the pairing settings on note 8 and switch the ldac on.


----------



## NaiveSound

Omg people .. Ooomggg... Thanks to you guys I have ldac working and it takes a dump over sbc
Omg..... Fukkkkk ywaaaaaaahh


----------



## quodjo105

If anyone has a spare dignis leather case they’d like to sell please Pm me . Thanks


----------



## siruspan

3.0 errors are very strange in my case. I've had 2 in the first 24 hours after update and after that nothing and I've been using my wm1a for 3-5 hours each day.


----------



## Stephen George

kingdixon said:


> Forget about the developers settings, mine also revert to sbc, but i didnt need to alter this setting to connect with ldac..
> 
> Just before opening the bluetooth receiver, go to settings, set audio device connectiin setting to ldac sound quality prefered .. and also set receiver playback quality to sound quality prefered .. then open bluetooth receiver and pair with your note 8, access the pairing settings on note 8 and switch the ldac on.



you'll want to make sure ldac is set to "optimized for audio quality" as that's the one that's streaming at 900kbps


----------



## syke

Ryokan said:


> Seems only Sony implement it though, other players aren't capped.
> 
> 
> 
> I nearly didn't buy a Sony player because of this.



There are other companies that do the same. I was working on a couple of "DAP" projects in my previous company, and we had to implement the same cap.

Obviously, the small boutique labels can choose to ignore it. But the multinational corporations can't.


----------



## auronthas

[QUOTE="auronthas, post: 14533880, member: 476487"］

If I recall correctly , you can choose LDAC in Bluetooth setting WM1A, but it should be default pairing with LDAC codec. Please have a check[/QUOTE]

My guess was right


----------



## Fsilva

Anyone using Mr. Speakers AFC on balanced with the WM1A/Z? 
If so, how is the sound? I have been using the Lime Ears Aether CIEM for the last 16 months on balanced with my WM1A and i love the synergy between both, but i´m considering on getting the AFC to use while at home.


----------



## syke

bflat said:


> Here is a DAC mode tip. I think the Sony Docks are too tall and causes unnecessary strain on headphone cables. I initially just tried to lay down flat but found the volume controls a little hard to use. I then found a gadget I use for my phone and really like the usability with the WM1z positioned right next to my MacBook.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DRFK4RY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



It would be great if someone with access to a metal workshop can replicate the same stand as the Sony's signature series mockup.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 12, 2018)

syke said:


> It would be great if someone with access to a metal workshop can replicate the same stand as the Sony's signature series mockup.



Just get the cradle, less hassle and it charges, and you get a SQ improvement. The side Mini-USB is the weakest link; the way it’s shown in the picture. I’m pretty sure the picture predates the cradle.


----------



## syke

Redcarmoose said:


> Just get the cradle, less hassle and it charges, and you get a SQ improvement. The side Mini-USB is the weakest link; the way it’s shown in the picture. I’m pretty sure the picture predates the cradle.



I have both official cradles. Functionality wise it is great but from daily usage point of view it is not that good.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 12, 2018)

Didn’t know there was two models? You find it difficult to choose songs?

What about using the 1Z remote?

Or...

https://www.amazon.com/NW-WM1A-MITE...ed/dp/B01MRYUGII#immersive-view_1539352233577


----------



## gsiu33

My 1z reboot three times since upgrade to FW3.0 in a week. Every time has similar pattern, it reboot on the first track of hires FLAC 
on internal memory after listened to DSD on external SD card.

I may re-install FW 3.0 next week but not want to do a factory reset as it also reset the counter.


----------



## Redcarmoose

syke said:


> I have both official cradles. Functionality wise it is great but from daily usage point of view it is not that good.







This must be the other cradle? Never seen it before?


----------



## Silvano

syke said:


> It would be great if someone with access to a metal workshop can replicate the same stand as the Sony's signature series mockup.



I can make such support machined from solid stainless steel 316N, the most non magnetic to not affect the sound signature: the body from metal to assure stability and the cradle from Ertalyte ( thermoplastic polyester) to not scratch the DAP.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Silvano said:


> I can make such support machined from solid stainless steel 316N, the most non magnetic to not affect the sound signature: the body from metal to assure stability and the cradle from Ertalyte ( thermoplastic polyester) to not scratch the DAP.



That’s one thing reason they didn’t silver plate the 1Z, magnetization.


----------



## Silvano

Redcarmoose said:


> That’s one thing reason they didn’t silver plate the 1Z, magnetization.



Actually silver plate over copper mainly acts as voltage generator effect more than magnetic.


----------



## 480126

syke said:


> I have both official cradles. Functionality wise it is great but from daily usage point of view it is not that good.


I know the cradle like a cube! Have the other cradle digital ou?. Do you have Number or Internet site?


----------



## syke

Frida309 said:


> I know the cradle like a cube! Have the other cradle digital ou?. Do you have Number or Internet site?


----------



## syke

Silvano said:


> I can make such support machined from solid stainless steel 316N, the most non magnetic to not affect the sound signature: the body from metal to assure stability and the cradle from Ertalyte ( thermoplastic polyester) to not scratch the DAP.



I am in. A cradle like this is good for a variety of DAPs


----------



## 480126

syke said:


>


Thx!


----------



## Mindstorms

anyone on 1.2 knows how to remove the settings error factory reset right? ayone still on 1.2? im planning on staging for a while on it...


----------



## Silvano

syke said:


> I am in. A cradle like this is good for a variety of DAPs



Ok, give me some time to make a prototype and the expenses evaluation, I'll post here some pictures and if it will result in your liking we could consider a small production for the Head-Fi's  fellows.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 12, 2018)

FW 3.0 with the 1Z is futuristic. Gone is the warm rough fluidity, and you think you would miss it? But the bass texture is replaced by this speedy clean and kinda 1996 PlayStation bass sound. It’s retro and futuristic but tight, and I always take to wanting a warm bass, but 3.0 with the 1Z is delightful? Honestly it’s the imaging and soundstage that make the 1Z special now. They actually improved the 1Z personality in a way not expected.

It now has the 1Z sound like a 1980s boombox turned on low volume? It’s a small mini world with an electro sound. Like a little electronic world, in a Walkman way? Like a tape player?


----------



## Whitigir

Silvano said:


> Ok, give me some time to make a prototype and the expenses evaluation, I'll post here some pictures and if it will result in your liking we could consider a small production for the Head-Fi's  fellows.



If I could give some ideas.

1/ the cradle NBC model has Digital boards in it.  It also has a dedicated clock to correct timing and filtering with OSCON capacitors.  It may be a good ideas to use this board or engineer up something similar ?

2/ the WM1Z body is fully conductive.  May want to leave the Stainless Steel base uncounted, X_X if the chassis affect the sound quality, isn’t better conductive metals to lay it on also affect it ? Or so does the casing ?


----------



## Silvano

Whitigir said:


> If I could give some ideas.
> 
> 1/ the cradle NBC model has Digital boards in it. It also has a dedicated clock to correct timing and filtering with OSCON capacitors. It may be a good ideas to use this board or engineer up something similar ?
> 
> 2/ the WM1Z body is fully conductive. May want to leave the Stainless Steel base uncounted, X_X if the chassis affect the sound quality, isn’t better conductive metals to lay it on also affect it ? Or so does the casing ?




1_My idea is just for, let me say, a simple and  "passive" table stand,  so everyone can connect the WM cable or not, actually I don't like so much the Sony solution where you have to insert the DAP over it, found this a weak point.

2_ Think it should be better to leave the DAP  electrically not connected with  the stand but insulated by the cradle in order to not alter the signals running inside it.


----------



## Kira69 (Oct 12, 2018)

Future is now (aka New DSEE HX): https://www.sony.jp/feature/products/dseehx/

Until now only on NW-A50 Series.


----------



## Whitigir (Oct 12, 2018)

DSEE HX is already a standard on WM series, and so for the S-Master HX. The way I see how Sony doing it, they are probably doing something similar to OverSampling but is based on the S-Master foundation which is non-oversampling platform.  The DSEE-HX never have been appealing to me, even before I found out about oversampling, and even now, not sure what it is going to do ....lol


----------



## Kira69

Whitigir said:


> DSEE HX is already a standard on WM series, and so for the S-Master HX. The way I see how Sony doing it, they are probably doing something similar to OverSampling but is based on the S-Master foundation which is non-oversampling platform.  The DSEE-HX never have been appealing to me, even before I found out about oversampling, and even now, not sure what it is going to do ....lol


DSEE HX has nothing to do with oversampling. S-Master HX oversamples by default (Fs*2048), whether or not DSEE HX is enabled.

DSEE HX restored missing data based on existing frequencies. For that, used fundamental frequencies to restore harmonics (above 22kHz). Think about exciters. And I'm pretty sure it does more such as restore quantization errors, pre-ringing and some other lossy and 16-bit related issues.

New DSEE HX is built around DNN. That's a giant step forward. In the interview they explain it more in depth.


----------



## Whitigir

Kira69 said:


> DSEE HX has nothing to do with oversampling. S-Master HX oversamples by default (Fs*2048), whether or not DSEE HX is enabled.
> 
> DSEE HX restored missing data based on existing frequencies. For that, used fundamental frequencies to restore harmonics (above 22kHz). Think about exciters. And I'm pretty sure it does more such as restore quantization errors, pre-ringing and some other lossy and 16-bit related issues.
> 
> New DSEE HX is built around DNN. That's a giant step forward. In the interview they explain it more in depth.



Any source about how S-Master HX is working in oversampling?


----------



## Kira69

Whitigir said:


> Any source about how S-Master HX is working in oversampling?


https://www.sony.jp/walkman/products/NW-WM1Z/feature_1.html


----------



## Whitigir

Kira69 said:


> https://www.sony.jp/walkman/products/NW-WM1Z/feature_1.html


I fail to see the claim from Sony that it is working in oversampling mode ?


----------



## Kira69 (Oct 12, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> I fail to see the claim from Sony that it is working in oversampling mode ?


It's well documented, but there you have a more explicit explanation: https://www.sony.jp/audio/products/TA-ZH1ES/feature_1.html#L2_120

Regarding S-Master HX: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1586#post-14499739


----------



## Whitigir (Oct 12, 2018)

Kira69 said:


> It's well documented, but there you have a more explicit explanation: https://www.sony.jp/audio/products/TA-ZH1ES/feature_1.html#L2_120
> 
> Regarding S-Master HX: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1586#post-14499739



You are telling me that the S-Master inside the TA-ZH1ES is the same as in the Walkman WM1Z/A ?  Probably so, but it was implemented very different.  Because DSD on TA sounded very good, even with remastered, and it did not sound as good on Walkman

By your second link quote:

If enabled: DSD RE. transition to on-time DSD11.2MHz conversion DSD process (Only on TA-ZH1ES and DMP-Z1)

Anyways, it is very interesting to know that TA-SH1ES despite having the S-Master HX, it still enable 8X oversampling.  It has a built in FPGA to help handling all those, and together with Analog DSP chips.  DMP-Z1 has AKM to handle DSD natively...The Walkman has no such thing inside WM

Also, 8X oversampling is equal to DSD256.  How the Walkman only enable DSD playback on balanced out is still unknown to me.

In the end, I am a fan of Upsampling from DSD remastering engine, and also offline DSD conversion, but never DSEE-HX...my ears may have been fooling me too much


----------



## gerelmx1986

Music center is still crappy slow and has a bug when I import a new album it doesn't get added to my library. Got rid of it, along with it gone 5GB of artwork database files....

Installed and keeping Soy Hi-res audio player


----------



## roses77

gerelmx1986 said:


> Music center is still crappy slow and has a bug when I import a new album it doesn't get added to my library. Got rid of it, along with it gone 5GB of artwork database files....
> 
> Installed and keeping Soy Hi-res audio player



Are you talking about the JRiver Media Centre. Music center doesn’t exist anymore on Windows with .8.1. So which media centre are you using to listen to music on your computer. I googled Soy High Res Audio player I can’t find it. Do you have the link.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 12, 2018)

roses77 said:


> Are you talking about the JRiver Media Centre. Music center doesn’t exist anymore on Windows with .8.1. So which media centre are you using to listen to music on your computer. I googled Soy High Res Audio player I can’t find it. Do you have the link.


Sony has a software replacement ofr its defunct MediaGo, which is called Music center for PC.

I got rid of it for performance issues, instead kept this light app sony hi-res audio player

EDIT: LINK https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/downloads/Z0005381


----------



## roses77 (Oct 12, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sony has a software replacement ofr its defunct MediaGo, which is called Music center for PC.
> 
> I got rid of it for performance issues, instead kept this light app sony hi-res audio player
> 
> EDIT: LINK https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/downloads/Z0005381



Thankyou so you can download it on your computer & listen to music without the dac. I never used media Go. The Sony High Res Audio player doesn’t list Sony WM1Z/A it isn’t compatible. I’ll stick with JRiver media Center.


----------



## gerelmx1986

roses77 said:


> Thankyou so you can download it on your computer & listen to music without the dac. I never used media Go. The Sony High Res Audio player doesn’t list Sony WM1Z/A it isn’t compatible. I’ll stick with JRiver media Center.


----------



## syke

Silvano said:


> Ok, give me some time to make a prototype and the expenses evaluation, I'll post here some pictures and if it will result in your liking we could consider a small production for the Head-Fi's  fellows.



Sweet!


----------



## captblaze

Bob Marley's Exodus sounds exceptionally good through my HD700s while streaming Tidal from iPhone X to the WM-1A running in high gain with no EQ, DSEE HX or Dynamic Normalization. DC Phase Linearizer set to Type A High and Vinyl Processor set to Turntable resonance.

I generally run the HD700s through a tube amp, but was trying as many combos as I can possibly put together and found this one pretty engaging


----------



## Darksoul (Oct 13, 2018)

I must be going deaf, but I notice no difference in ANY of the DC phase Linearizer settings, DSEE HX or Vinyl processor. With the exception of the EQ and Dynamic Normalization. All other settings give or take nothing to the sound; to my ears that is. The fact there's a pause in the sound after each setting is toggled, makes it all the harder for me to find any change whatsoever in the sound. Are people imagining things? is my device defective? Is there something wrong in my ears? Can ANYONE get some measurements in here to show how all these settings change the signal in ANY way?


----------



## superuser1

roses77 said:


> Thankyou so you can download it on your computer & listen to music without the dac. I never used media Go. The Sony High Res Audio player doesn’t list Sony WM1Z/A it isn’t compatible. I’ll stick with JRiver media Center.


JRiver is one of the best out there!


----------



## Mindstorms

I hope sony bring DSEE HX with inteligent scene selection to de 1A and fix the warmness of the player and bass all in one big FW Named Head Fi special FW 4.0


----------



## Silvano

.Dxf file under construction .....first step to make a piece with CMC machine from solid.
I will keep you updated on the progress.


----------



## nc8000

Darksoul said:


> I must be going deaf, but I notice no difference in ANY of the DC phase Linearizer settings, DSEE HX or Vinyl processor. With the exception of the EQ and Dynamic Normalization. All other settings give or take nothing to the sound; to my ears that is. The fact there's a pause in the sound after each setting is toggled, makes it all the harder for me to find any change whatsoever in the sound. Are people imagining things? is my device defective? Is there something wrong in my ears? Can ANYONE get some measurements in here to show how all these settings change the signal in ANY way?



I think there are a whole lot of measurements with charts in this thread about a week ago


----------



## syke

Silvano said:


> .Dxf file under construction .....first step to make a piece with CMC machine from solid.
> I will keep you updated on the progress.



Can't wait.


----------



## roses77

superuser1 said:


> JRiver is one of the best out there!



Thankyou I agree. The only problem is you gotta pay every year to support the program & updates. Yes it’s one of the best for very large music libraries, like mine. Some Media Centres don’t support more than 25,000 nor more than 50,000 songs. Mine is 100,000 songs, classical, film score music combined JRiver supports it.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Darksoul said:


> I must be going deaf, but I notice no difference in ANY of the DC phase Linearizer settings, DSEE HX or Vinyl processor. With the exception of the EQ and Dynamic Normalization. All other settings give or take nothing to the sound; to my ears that is. The fact there's a pause in the sound after each setting is toggled, makes it all the harder for me to find any change whatsoever in the sound. Are people imagining things? is my device defective? Is there something wrong in my ears? Can ANYONE get some measurements in here to show how all these settings change the signal in ANY way?


It might be your headphone/ iem not sensitive enough? What are you using?


----------



## flyer1 (Oct 13, 2018)

Midnstorms said:


> I hope sony bring DSEE HX with inteligent scene selection to de 1A and fix the warmness of the player and bass all in one big FW Named Head Fi special FW 4.0



I consider myself quite a basshead and with my 1Z/Z5 combo I dont notice any lack of warmth or bass compared to 2.0.

3.0 is a  leap forward. Never expected this level of improvement especially when we consider WM1 has been in the market for 2 years now. 3.1 should be around the corner  as I also experienced one forced reboot in about 12hours of use during DSD playback(no SD card). On restart my library rebuilds in under 30seconds though.

Redcarmoose greatly summed up 3.0 in a nutshell a few posts back. Choice of eartips for best fit/IEM/cable is crucial however as it is all about synergies in this game!


----------



## Piotr Michalak

I'd like to share with you guys some photos of WM1Z and Final Sonorous X for a good weekend  Cables used are: Final silver coated OFC upgrade cable and 20-core pure silver Lavricable (unique, there's no way to normally do 20 cores for Sonorous, had to order special plugs straight from Final). WM1Z looks really nice with golden S-X. Enjoy!


----------



## Whitigir

Holy cow! I almost blinded by it bling


----------



## 480126 (Oct 13, 2018)

my new valentinum case!


----------



## Mindstorms

hamhamhamsta said:


> It might be your headphone/ iem not sensitive enough? What are you using?


It is very slightly diference not a very pronounced effect it depends on your iem capacity also as others has stated try Type A Low and strings vs the rest i really notice that combo and Arm resonances changes the bass a lot


----------



## Mindstorms

flyer1 said:


> I consider myself quite a basshead and with my 1Z/Z5 combo I dont notice any lack of warmth or bass compared to 2.0.
> 
> 3.0 is a  leap forward. Never expected this level of improvement especially when we consider WM1 has been in the market for 2 years now. 3.1 should be around the corner  as I also experienced one forced reboot in about 12hours of use during DSD playback(no SD card). On restart my library rebuilds in under 30seconds though.
> 
> Redcarmoose greatly summed up 3.0 in a nutshell a few posts back. Choice of eartips for best fit/IEM/cable is crucial however as it is all about synergies in this game!


1Z owners are loving 3.0 I hate it lol


----------



## Darksoul

hamhamhamsta said:


> It might be your headphone/ iem not sensitive enough? What are you using?



Campfire Vega, Shure SE-535 and occasionally DT-1990.Still no difference.


----------



## captblaze (Oct 13, 2018)

today I had a glass half full moment regarding Sony's new firmware and being able to rollback. I own many devices that are dependent on firmware to function properly. most are set to prevent rollback once applied. this means try at your own peril for there is no rollback.

Sony on the other hand has chosen to allow rollback on firmware as long as you are willing to forgo any added features or improvements. That to me is a bonus because I am one of those that just has to try and at least Sony hasn't decided to punish those like me for wanting to try.

That is my glass half full moment for today... Thank you Sony


----------



## Mindstorms (Oct 13, 2018)

captblaze said:


> today I had a half glass full moment regarding Sony's new firmware and being able to rollback. I own many devices that are dependent on firmware to function properly. most are set to prevent rollback once applied. this means try at your own peril for there is no rollback.
> 
> Sony on the other hand has chosen to allow rollback on firmware as long as you are willing to forgo any added features or improvements. That to me is a bonus because I am one of those that just has to try and at least Sony hasn't decided to punish those like me for wanting to try.
> 
> That is my glass half full moment for today... Thank you Sony


I agree apple sucks in that sense i stopped buying their products after they decide to impose customers what is better for them... will keep it that way...   I think sony should go further and let us decide what stage/ bass do we really need im happy on 1.2 atm when i get tired of it i will get to 2.0 if they may allow me to preserve its stage on 2.0 i will be even happier and if i could preserve some of 2.0 bass in 3.0 i will be happier! not everyone has sony iems or really expensive iems.. i gues sony bet is that are forced to go balanced wich is a good thing but expensive..


----------



## proedros

wm1a on 2.0 hits my sweet post with Zeus XR , after 1700 hours i am still in love with this DAP

i guess 3.0 will be perfect with a more veiled/rolled off iem , so just play with FWs and keep the one you like best - this is definitely a synergy/personal taste thing


----------



## quodjo105

Anybody willing to help me with the 2.0 firmware update files ?. Please you can just forward to me via pm . Cheers


----------



## Tawek

Now 3.0 with 1z +ex1000 +4.4 = perfection,  even Se it's wordenful very colse to balanced


----------



## NaiveSound

Can I out put 2.1 v charging iz?


----------



## roses77

flyer1 said:


> I consider myself quite a basshead and with my 1Z/Z5 combo I dont notice any lack of warmth or bass compared to 2.0.
> 
> 3.0 is a  leap forward. Never expected this level of improvement especially when we consider WM1 has been in the market for 2 years now. 3.1 should be around the corner  as I also experienced one forced reboot in about 12hours of use during DSD playback(no SD card). On restart my library rebuilds in under 30seconds though.
> 
> Redcarmoose greatly summed up 3.0 in a nutshell a few posts back. Choice of eartips for best fit/IEM/cable is crucial however as it is all about synergies in this game!



The 3.0 update does not lack bass at all with EQ settings turned on. I do notice difference with linear PCM and vinyl processor, it takes time to perfect the Custome EQ settings. They do need an update to 3.1 as the creating database everytime it’s turned on drains the battery playback, it should only be done once.


----------



## roses77

Midnstorms said:


> 1Z owners are loving 3.0 I hate it lol



Change your linear PCM and vinyl settings you’ll notice on one them has bass slam, suited to pop music.


----------



## Hanafuda

Jeez Louise ... 3.0 sounds great.


----------



## nc8000

Yes I liked the 3.0 sound but could not live with it crashing every 2-3 hours so staying happily on 2.0 which is rock stable


----------



## alphanumerix1

crashing? Wonder if that's isolated i haven't had any issues personally.


----------



## nc8000

alphanumerix1 said:


> crashing? Wonder if that's isolated i haven't had any issues personally.



Some have crashes and some don’t, there don’t seem to be a pattern


----------



## Duncan

Just had a WM1A delivered to me, happy days 

Probably doing it all wrong, seeing that I'm not looking through the previous 1647 pages, however - as an EU player, I've swapped the region with the RockBox program (although it doesn't tell me what region it is set in, it acknowledges the region is changed - I presume that is normal behaviour) - also, came with fw2.0 out of the box, but - I'm going to jump, without even listening to fw3.0

Hopefully all will be good


----------



## Hanafuda

nc8000 said:


> Yes I liked the 3.0 sound but could not live with it crashing every 2-3 hours so staying happily on 2.0 which is rock stable




Haven't had this happen yet but I just did the update yesterday. It's a cold, gloomy, rainy day here today, so I'm gonna keep on with the testing.


----------



## Piotr Michalak

My 3.0 crashes only sometimes, definitely not every 3 hours, but once per a few days. I'm using a 400gb card with it.


----------



## aisalen

Mine is rock solid not experiencing this restart problem, installed 3.0 on the first day of firmware release for my 1A. I am using Sandisk 200GB card.


----------



## Mindstorms

so guys think i think it was tone arm resonance + Type B right? that one was the bassy one? it will be awesome if we could vote on FW for 1A And 1Z


----------



## ltanasom

aisalen said:


> Mine is rock solid not experiencing this restart problem, installed 3.0 on the first day of firmware release for my 1A. I am using Sandisk 200GB card.


Do you like the sound of your 1A with FW3.0?


----------



## NaiveSound

What format does an SD card need to be to work with 1a/1z?


----------



## quodjo105

I’ve been on 3.0 on my 1z for a few days now . Happy with the sound . No bugs or crashes yet .


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> What format does an SD card need to be to work with 1a/1z?



Pretty sure it’s https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExFAT

The reason was mentioned six months ago?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Duncan said:


> Just had a WM1A delivered to me, happy days
> 
> Probably doing it all wrong, seeing that I'm not looking through the previous 1647 pages, however - as an EU player, I've swapped the region with the RockBox program (although it doesn't tell me what region it is set in, it acknowledges the region is changed - I presume that is normal behaviour) - also, came with fw2.0 out of the box, but - I'm going to jump, without even listening to fw3.0
> 
> Hopefully all will be good


The way you can know the region was changed is to go to settings >output settings >high gain output. If you have this option,  the region was successfully changed


----------



## Sonyvores

Redcarmoose said:


> Pretty sure it’s https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExFAT



Yes! Walkman won't see it if formated in NTSF


----------



## Redcarmoose

Sonyvores said:


> Yes! Walkman won't see it if formated in NTSF


But also is it not the only way if you have a card 64GB or larger?


----------



## davidmolliere

That 3.0 firmware has me considering the 1Z (BT receiver feature, yeah), I have always loved the Sony house sound and the price drop on the Z makes it a compelling option  

I had dropped the WM1A because of the lack of this feature (yeah I do like streaming to discover music) a while back and recently got a ZX300 on a whim and I like it so much (actually very close to WM1A only warmer) I am itching for a 1Z. Anyone had a listen at both and how much of a gap is there?


----------



## krayzie (Oct 14, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> But also is it not the only way if you have a card 64GB or larger?



No you can download a DOS program called fat32format.exe to handle the larger sizes.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 14, 2018)

davidmolliere said:


> That 3.0 firmware has me considering the 1Z (BT receiver feature, yeah), I have always loved the Sony house sound and the price drop on the Z makes it a compelling option
> 
> I had dropped the WM1A because of the lack of this feature (yeah I do like streaming to discover music) a while back and recently got a ZX300 on a whim and I like it so much (actually very close to WM1A only warmer) I am itching for a 1Z. Anyone had a listen at both and how much of a gap is there?



I have spent limited time with the ZX300, though own both 1A and 1Z.  Though I’m not big on streaming. 3.0 takes the 1Z to a very different place. The bass is tighter as well as an expanded soundstage. I like it a lot. The same FW 3.0 tone change happened with the 1A but due to the 1A personality it was of a smaller noticeable degree. I personally feel the 1A and FW3.0 tone didn’t work well with the lack of bass the 1A has naturally; still I didn’t try it that long; and just came to the 3.0 1A after weeks of only using the 1Z.  So my 1A is back to FW 2.0 probibly permanently? When I heard the ZX300 it was on FW 2.0 I think. But to compare the ZX300 to the 1Z, the 1Z is more clear, more upfront with more focus. Even more focus now with FW 3.0, being a far cry from the analog smoothness of the 1Z with FW 1.2. With streaming these differences may be way less?

But you will read a bunch of different opinions here. This maybe takes place due to concentration on a specific area of sound. If you contemplate the difference it really does get big. Also it depends on the scalability and tone of your headphones. Some transducers are better with the 1A and some seem better with the 1Z; depending on your style of preference in tone. Though 3.0 has widened the differences today between the 1A and 1Z.

While both players ran on 2.0 the 1A was more flat. The 1A had a faster bass, and a more mid-centric tone. It almost seemed to have more detail at times? The 1A also had a very different soundstage, where instrument placement was slighly less 3D than the 1Z. Sony’s goal was to have the 1A and 1Z complement each other and they do. Some audiophiles want a flat “R-10” style of sound, and I guess the 1A achieves that. Interestingly the 1Z became less warm with 3.0 but in a really good way.


----------



## davidmolliere

@Redcarmoose Thanks for the detailed feedback 

As long as the 1Z is significantly warmer than the 1A then it's more my kind of thing... I listen to hires content but I discover music via streaming for convenience thus the requirement.
I have read @twister6 post on 3.0 firmware, I guess this is an improvement retaining the inherent qualities of the 1Z. Food for thought... DX200 Ti might get up for sale soon...


----------



## Lookout57

Both my 1A and 1Z have 400GB cards and are running 3.0 with no crashes.

I'm very happy with the 3.0 sound on both.


----------



## NaiveSound

Lookout57 said:


> Both my 1A and 1Z have 400GB cards and are running 3.0 with no crashes.
> 
> I'm very happy with the 3.0 sound on both.


Exfat right?


----------



## Tawek

No crashes  3.0 +1z


----------



## Lookout57 (Oct 14, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> Exfat right?


I formatted the 400GB cards in the player.

In the past I've had issues with formatting on the computer and always now format in the player to be safe.


----------



## NaiveSound

Is it safe to plug 1z in this?


----------



## Dtuck90

I’m running multiple different cards on my 1A with no crashes. I have no music on the internal memory though (aside from the preinstalled tracks). Not sure if that makes any difference


----------



## roses77 (Oct 14, 2018)

Piotr Michalak said:


> My 3.0 crashes only sometimes, definitely not every 3 hours, but once per a few days. I'm using a 400gb card with it.



Then it may happen with the 400gb card it crashes. Sony support recommends the 512gb when it’s released it probably won’t crash.


----------



## gerelmx1986

roses77 said:


> Then it may happen with the 400gb card it crashes. Sony support recommends the 512gb when it’s released it probably won’t crash.


I did format my microSD (also 400GB) on the walkman and it outed as ExFAT. I did leave enough free space for the update. no crashes so far


----------



## Darksoul

NaiveSound said:


> Is it safe to plug 1z in this?



The manual says you shouldn't.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Darksoul said:


> The manual says you shouldn't.


The manual says that?


----------



## roses77

gerelmx1986 said:


> I did format my microSD (also 400GB) on the walkman and it outed as ExFAT. I did leave enough free space for the update. no crashes so far


That’s good it’s been resolved.


----------



## linux4ever

davidmolliere said:


> That 3.0 firmware has me considering the 1Z (BT receiver feature, yeah), I have always loved the Sony house sound and the price drop on the Z makes it a compelling option
> 
> I had dropped the WM1A because of the lack of this feature (yeah I do like streaming to discover music) a while back and recently got a ZX300 on a whim and I like it so much (actually very close to WM1A only warmer) I am itching for a 1Z. Anyone had a listen at both and how much of a gap is there?



I've ZX300A and WM1Z. I used to own WM1A and Premium plus K-mod WM1A. WM1Z is really good and has that right amount of warmth and body. The details, resolution and texture is significantly better in WM1Z.

I've the DX200Ti with AMP4 and AMP4S. They are on par with WM1A and slightly more holographic in DX200Ti+AMP4S. 

To my ears, WM1Z is the best sounding of the lot.


----------



## NaiveSound

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> The manual says that?




Well what is the most optimal charging I can do for my 1z for best longevity of the battery?  I don't care if it's a slow or rapid charge  I just want it to last 3 years


----------



## roses77

linux4ever said:


> I've ZX300A and WM1Z. I used to own WM1A and Premium plus K-mod WM1A. WM1Z is really good and has that right amount of warmth and body. The details, resolution and texture is significantly better in WM1Z.
> 
> I've the DX200Ti with AMP4 and AMP4S. They are on par with WM1A and slightly more holographic in DX200Ti+AMP4S.
> 
> To my ears, WM1Z is the best sounding of the lot.



I agree the WM1Z is the best sounding Dap Sony has made.


----------



## roses77

NaiveSound said:


> Well what is the most optimal charging I can do for my 1z for best longevity of the battery?  I don't care if it's a slow or rapid charge  I just want it to last 3 years


In Sony settings I charge my battery up to 90% not 100% to prolong longevity of the battery. I wish Sony didn’t have to create database everytime we turn it on. I set it to auto power off automatically in 1hr it turns off.


----------



## davidmolliere

linux4ever said:


> I've ZX300A and WM1Z. I used to own WM1A and Premium plus K-mod WM1A. WM1Z is really good and has that right amount of warmth and body. The details, resolution and texture is significantly better in WM1Z.
> 
> I've the DX200Ti with AMP4 and AMP4S. They are on par with WM1A and slightly more holographic in DX200Ti+AMP4S.
> 
> To my ears, WM1Z is the best sounding of the lot.



Great, thanks!

So happy I found a good deal on a recent second hand 1Z unit


----------



## nc8000

roses77 said:


> In Sony settings I charge my battery up to 90% not 100% to prolong longevity of the battery. I wish Sony didn’t have to create database everytime we turn it on. I set it to auto power off automatically in 1hr it turns off.



I’ve never turned mine off in 1 1/2 years (except for the 3.0 crashes and the other fw updates), always leave it on. With my use that equates to charging the player once every week and I also only charge to 90%


----------



## sne4me

roses77 said:


> In Sony settings I charge my battery up to 90% not 100% to prolong longevity of the battery. I wish Sony didn’t have to create database everytime we turn it on. I set it to auto power off automatically in 1hr it turns off.



as the other poster said, i also do the charge to 90% but do not use auto power off. the standby mode of this DAP is super low energy and I often dont touch it for days only to come back to it and get a dozen+ hours of playtime


----------



## Tawek

This album  Astronaut ape 
"Flight 420 "with 1z 3.0 ( firmware + ex1000 SE sounds unbelievable just pure perfection,  thank You Sony for SE  improvement.


----------



## siruspan (Oct 15, 2018)

I've changed from 3.0 to 1.2 on my WM1A and woah there is a huge change in sound.
1.2 is warmer, thicker, more intimate, bass is rounded and has more oomph, highs are less refined and not as smooth.
3.0 is colder, has wider soundstage, harder and more controlled bass, more details.

Obviously there are features missing in 1.2 from newer firmwares and UI works slower and less fluid.
After the downgrade a had to reset all settings because some of the menus like equalizer wasn't correctly displayed but basically very painless procedure.


----------



## proedros

did you try 2.0 ? looks like it's the golden balance between warm 1.2 and cold 3.0


----------



## proedros

brand ne*w WM1A *selling for *660 euros *, this is why i consider it the best bang-for-buck DAP atm

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-sony-zx100hn-wm1a-worldwide-shipping.891125/


----------



## roses77

sne4me said:


> as the other poster said, i also do the charge to 90% but do not use auto power off. the standby mode of this DAP is super low energy and I often dont touch it for days only to come back to it and get a dozen+ hours of playtime



How do you put Sony in standby mode, what settings do you use.


----------



## siruspan (Oct 15, 2018)

proedros said:


> did you try 2.0 ? looks like it's the golden balance between warm 1.2 and cold 3.0



Yes, I'm at 2.0 at the moment and it appears to be a mix of both worlds. It has some the warmth of the 1.2, bigger soundstage, smoother highs but it's got less clarity then 3.0.

3.0 is the clearest, has the most detail, the biggest soundstage but it also is the coldest. 2.0 looses some clarity to keep the warmth.


----------



## davidmolliere

proedros said:


> did you try 2.0 ? looks like it's the golden balance between warm 1.2 and cold 3.0



When you say cold 3.0, that's by WM1Z intital firmware standards?

I just acquired the 1Z and will get it soon, I need the features of 3.0 and I want smooth warm organic signature


----------



## siruspan

We're saying about wm1A not Z 

I always thought compared to other daps that wm1a was close to neutral but with a splash of warmth. On the 3.0 it's colder than od 2.0 but it's still not a cold or bright sounding dap per se. It's just closer to being neutral than on 2.0.


----------



## ttt123

NaiveSound said:


> Is it safe to plug 1z in this?


You can charge from any decent quality charger.  Use the highest capacity charger available, as it will have the most headroom.  The current draw is determined by the device, not the charger.  But a weak or low quality charger can be easily overloaded, and probably has weak or non-existent built in protection, and may put out damaging voltages or spikes.  General guidelines are to use a good quality charger, with lots of capacity, so that it is running cool, and way below its rated output.  (I use an 8A or 10A multiport charger myself.)  Do top up charging, as that is lower current/heat, and the best for liithium batteries.   Your picture looks like it is the USB ports on a power bar.  It is prbably OK, if the power strip is a proper one, and not a cheapie.  But that is a weak area, as the quality of the components of a charger built into a power bar is iffy, as that is not its main purpose, and adding more features just squeezes the money they spend on parts.  My recommendation is to get a proper high current multi-port charger, like Anker, Aukey, or similar.   That way, you have more assurance that the charger is designed properly.  Don't be cheap in this area, as it is not worth taking chances with any device, regardless of whether it is cheap or expensive.  Just not worth the risk.


----------



## Redcarmoose

davidmolliere said:


> When you say cold 3.0, that's by WM1Z intital firmware standards?
> 
> I just acquired the 1Z and will get it soon, I need the features of 3.0 and I want smooth warm organic signature



Don’t worry!


----------



## davidmolliere (Oct 15, 2018)

siruspan said:


> We're saying about wm1A not Z
> I always thought compared to other daps that wm1a was close to neutral but with a splash of warmth. On the 3.0 it's colder than od 2.0 but it's still not a cold or bright sounding dap per se. It's just closer to being neutral than on 2.0.



Oops I misread thanks for clarifying 

That was my take on WM1A when I owned it as well.


----------



## nc8000

roses77 said:


> How do you put Sony in standby mode, what settings do you use.



You just don’t turn it of


----------



## Dizzle77

So I got my 1A a few days ago, I put on 3.0 over the weekend and only started listening to it today. My initial impressions are that the bass doesn’t sound as full as zx300, but the soundstage seems wider. Unfortunately I don’t have my zx300 with me to listen side by side. Another thing I notice is that the sound seems to slightly veiled. Maybe this is due to unit being brand new and needing burn-in?

I’m thinking of reverting back to 2.0 and giving that a try. I initially planned on keeping it on 2.0 for a while, but I couldn’t resist the BT receiver feature, which seems to work well with youtube on my iPhone8+. 

From what i can gather after reading this thread, 3.0 seems to have less bass than 2.0. Also I suppose I have to take into account the fact that the 1A is brand new and characteristics will change anyway after burn-in.


----------



## proedros

you need 200-500 hours for wm1a to settle , do final evaluations after the 500th hour mark

meanwhile go with whichever FW suits you best


----------



## blazinblazin

After testing a while. Not really less a lot of bass, just more refine, or due to the bigger soundstage, it felt less. 
Try tune the volume up by 3-4 your normal listening volume.


----------



## sne4me

Has anyone here gotten the 512gb micro sdxc card in use? I'm curious what its formatted capacity is, how reliable performance is, how long it takes to write data to


----------



## Dizzle77

I think I definitely need to give it a chance to burn in. Did anyone else feel that it sounded a bit veiled out the box?


----------



## linux4ever

Dizzle77 said:


> I think I definitely need to give it a chance to burn in. Did anyone else feel that it sounded a bit veiled out the box?


Yes. It definitely did for me. 

Expect it to change a lot at 200 hrs and then again at 400 hrs.

No other dap or iem that I've used has eve changed that much with burn in. 

Contrary to what the naysayers say, this dap needs burn in


----------



## endlesswaves

I think the 3.0 FW lowers the quantity of mid bass. You get tighter mid bass and less bleed into the lower mids. Found no difference in quantity for the sub bass. I do miss the mid bass on certain songs. But at the same time I get to appreciate more details in lower mids region, more air and separations. This is with JVC FW01, a warm bassy IEM. Might revert back to 2.0 if am using a neutralish IEMs.


----------



## Dizzle77

Cheers. Think i’m going to stick with 3.0 at least for the next 200hrs and before doing some side by side listening with the zx300 which has a 280hr headstart.

Aside from the sound the 1A looks and feels like a premium product. Certainly for my hands it’s form make it ideal for one handed use although i’d stick to doing that whilst sat at my desk rather than walking around. The extra screen real estate is a nice upgrade too


----------



## ledzep

Anyone got the pin out for the WMC-NWH10 cable need to re wire a faulty one, thanks in advance


----------



## Edric Li (Oct 15, 2018)

1. Search bar
2. Read file meta in the background so I can browse in folder view immediately after inserting a new micro sd card. Similar to how AK does it.

Make it happen Sony


----------



## Stephen George

Edric Li said:


> 1. Search bar
> 2. Read file meta in the background so I can browse in folder view immediately after inserting a new micro sd card. Similar to how AK does it.
> 
> Make it happen Sony



as long as we are talking AK (i have an ak240 as well), that album view is killer too, fills the screen with tiles


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Edric Li said:


> 1. Search bar
> Make it happen Sony



Feedback sent to WM designer. 

I made a short video on v3.0. I like that it displays artwork for my .WAV files now.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

siruspan said:


> I've changed from 3.0 to 1.2 on my WM1A and woah there is a huge change in sound.
> 1.2 is warmer, thicker, more intimate, bass is rounded and has more oomph, highs are less refined and not as smooth.
> 3.0 is colder, has wider soundstage, harder and more controlled bass, more details.



Are you using "Direct" mode in both firmware comparison?


----------



## roses77

Edric Li said:


> 1. Search bar
> 2. Read file meta in the background so I can browse in folder view immediately after inserting a new micro sd card. Similar to how AK does it.
> 
> Make it happen Sony


That’s a good suggestion please write to Sony support.


----------



## NaiveSound

Search bar... I wonder why not yet.... We have to wait a year?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

NaiveSound said:


> Search bar... I wonder why not yet.... We have to wait a year?


Small team, limited resources, tight deadlines, too much management.

A search bar would mean a better text input than the crappy keyboard they had. Which would also mean a multi-lingual library Unless you only wanted to search English titles. Loading multiple language keyboard libraries would mean a bloated system OS which would, in turn, hinder operations.

So the lesser of 2 evils, I guess.


----------



## Redcarmoose

HiFiGuy528 said:


> Are you using "Direct" mode in both firmware comparison?



Some have found the FW3.0 sound to not be pleasing with the 1A, myself included. The control of bass and added coolness really enhances the 1Z listening experience, though with the 1A, not so much. IMO

I like FW3.0 with 1Z and 2.0 with 1A.


----------



## siruspan

HiFiGuy528 said:


> Are you using "Direct" mode in both firmware comparison?



Yes, i've compared only in direct mode.


----------



## roses77

siruspan said:


> Yes, i've compared only in direct mode.


I like direct mode with 2.0 but not with 3.0 I use EQ settings on my WM1Z to get the best slam bass I’ve heard.


----------



## Redcarmoose

roses77 said:


> I like direct mode with 2.0 but not with 3.0 I use EQ settings on my WM1Z to get the best slam bass I’ve heard.



I only EQ the Noble Encore with the 1Z; everything else I leave in direct mode. 

Noble Encore
Treble -4
Midrange -4
Bass +4


----------



## roses77

Redcarmoose said:


> I only EQ the Noble Encore with the 1Z; everything else I leave in direct mode.
> 
> Noble Encore
> Treble -4
> ...


I suppose it depends on the genre you listen to & Headphones. What genres do you listen to.


----------



## ledzep

Already removed the volume cap off my player but a friend is trying to do his following my written method and the player keeps coming up as device not found any ideas ?


----------



## nc8000

ledzep said:


> Already removed the volume cap off my player but a friend is trying to do his following my written method and the player keeps coming up as device not found any ideas ?



It might be that it has a different drive letter than yours did


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 16, 2018)

roses77 said:


> I suppose it depends on the genre you listen to & Headphones. What genres do you listen to.



It really depends on the persons hearing and signature preferences as well as music genre files. I use the Encore for movie soundtracks and classic rock. But to be honest I primarily listen to EDM. So.....long listening periods of EDM requires a smoother response along with some bass character. I actually use my Walkmans primarily with a little known Chinese 3BA $500 IEM called the qdc Anole V3. The Anole has a bass character and fit that works. Also the slight treble spike and detail with the FW3.0 and 1Z do good with them. I use balanced with an aftermarket cable and it all works out. Though technically the Encore is way more detailed and proficient; at times it’s all about tone?


----------



## ledzep

nc8000 said:


> It might be that it has a different drive letter than yours did


No that has been check


----------



## T.R.A.N.C.E.

I'm a Sony fanboi.


----------



## siruspan

T.R.A.N.C.E. said:


> I'm a Sony fanboi.



That statement is heck of a celebration of 3000 posts


----------



## ledzep

Need the schematic for the Sony WMC-NWH10 cable if anyone has it or knows how to obtain it


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 16, 2018)

T.R.A.N.C.E. said:


> I'm a Sony fanboi.



Ditto


----------



## quodjo105

My 1z just rebooted itself this morning whiles I was listening to a track . First time it’s happened since the firmware update .


----------



## flyer1

quodjo105 said:


> My 1z just rebooted itself this morning whiles I was listening to a track . First time it’s happened since the firmware update .



Had this so far once also on my 1Z. Been ok now for 12 hours or so since.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I never heard of such a ‘super upgrade’ of software on a 2 year old product. Would have been nice if Sony implemented this before anyone got their hands on a WM1 series Walkman.
Too me it’s a risk to take on a $1000/$3000 product at this time.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 16, 2018)

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I never heard of such a ‘super upgrade’ of software on a 2 year old product. Would have been nice if Sony implemented this before anyone got their hands on a WM1 series Walkman.
> Too me it’s a risk to take on a $1000/$3000 product at this time.



 No.....you don’t get it. Sony is running at break-neck speed to make cool gadgets for our entertainment. If you choose to go along for the ride they will inform you it’s cutting edge which could mean crashes and changes of FW sound in different directions. It’s all part of the experience. At times it’s great and at times edgy. Both players could be fine with 2.0. Sony never promised any of these extras. These extras are just gifts to improve the experience because if your along for the ride, Sony wants to be the best.


----------



## davidmolliere

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I never heard of such a ‘super upgrade’ of software on a 2 year old product. Would have been nice if Sony implemented this before anyone got their hands on a WM1 series Walkman.
> Too me it’s a risk to take on a $1000/$3000 product at this time.



If they had I would have stuck with WM1A back when I owned it, BT receiver and USB DAC is a must... that firmware got me to jump on the 1Z in fact


----------



## Duncan

Okay, so another newbie question...  Is it normal that every time you turn off the player that when you turn it on again it rebuilds the database? Really tedious if you're after a quick listen!

Otherwise, does everyone just leave it on all the time?

Thanks!


----------



## fiascogarcia

Duncan said:


> Okay, so another newbie question...  Is it normal that every time you turn off the player that when you turn it on again it rebuilds the database? Really tedious if you're after a quick listen!
> 
> Otherwise, does everyone just leave it on all the time?
> 
> Thanks!


Yes it does rebuild every time you turn it on.  And I don't, but I believe many do just leave it on.


----------



## siruspan

Mine is on all the time. Often i dont even turn on the screen, i just press play and put headphones in. Always in stand by is one of the best features.


----------



## kubig123

I'll keep mine on most of the time, up to FW 2.0 rebuilding the database didn't take that long, with the new 3.0 it's extremely slow, another reason to keep it on all the time.

BTW, not sure why, my 1Z crashed and rebooted twice in the first 24 hours i updated the firmware, but in the last 4 days I never experienced another crash.


----------



## proedros

always on , baby.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Ok, so here's the question.  Does the power up process use up more battery than, say, leaving it on standby for 24 hours?  I'm not too concerned about the database build when I start it up.


----------



## NaiveSound

I have some very poorly recorded songs I love, garbage masters but I love them. They are bright and sharp and uncomfortable. How can I make 1z at its warmest setting using the enhancements it comes with  What do you recommend best combo


----------



## linux4ever

I always leave it on. And when I put in my backpack I turn hold on. 

Fw3.0 does scanning of the library when switching between player and dac mode.

And sometimes the time of the song that's displayed is more than the actual length of the song. 

That issue goes away after another database scanning. Quite weird bug actually.

Does Sony ever release the source code? If they do then we can take a look at it.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 16, 2018)

Looks like the ZX300 rounded edges and Sony made gold plug areas. Even the finish looks like Sony.

“*Imitation* is the sincerest form of *flattery” Thank-you FiiO*


----------



## NaiveSound

Waffles.fm.      And    tranceroute invites! Free to anyone who is common in this thread.


----------



## davidmolliere

Quick first impressions of the 1Z






This is something else!
I am gathering notes for detailed impressions... and it's late here in Paris so later... but oh my, I am happy


----------



## NaiveSound

davidmolliere said:


> Quick first impressions of the 1Z
> 
> 
> 
> ...



What version? U enjoy it over dx200 variants.?


----------



## jasonho

davidmolliere said:


> Quick first impressions of the 1Z
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Same thought here when I tried 1z a few weeks ago,  VE8+1z is almost a perfect match 
 

contrary to my beliefs, 1z's clarity is excellent despite being warm.  And bass extension (with VE8) is very good!  And i can listen to it for hours without getting fatigue or it getting too hot for me to handle


----------



## NaiveSound

jasonho said:


> Same thought here when I tried 1z a few weeks ago,  VE8+1z is almost a perfect match
> 
> 
> contrary to my beliefs, 1z's clarity is excellent despite being warm.  And bass extension (with VE8) is very good!  And i can listen to it for hours without getting fatigue or it getting too hot for me to handle


I find it better than Hugo 2 as far as signature goes.


----------



## Whitigir

davidmolliere said:


> Quick first impressions of the 1Z
> 
> 
> 
> ...



No doubt, the 1Z has unbeatable timbres....previous firmwares had a narrower soundstage, but if newest firmware improved it, then that would be jaw dropping


----------



## Tawek

davidmolliere said:


> Quick first impressions of the 1Z
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


the only thing you need now is ex1000


----------



## linux4ever

NaiveSound said:


> What version? U enjoy it over dx200 variants.?


I do definitely. Even though Dx200 and Dx200Ti are excellent, WM1Z is definitely a few steps above them.

I would say Wm1/k-mod premium plus wm1a and Dx200/Dx200Ti to be in the same neighborhood as far as sound signature and sound quality goes.


----------



## Whitigir (Oct 16, 2018)

linux4ever said:


> I do definitely. Even though Dx200 and Dx200Ti are excellent, WM1Z is definitely a few steps above them.
> 
> I would say Wm1/k-mod premium plus wm1a and Dx200/Dx200Ti to be in the same neighborhood as far as sound signature and sound quality goes.



I am not so sure about putting modified wm1Z to be ahead of Dx200Ti.  I sold my modified Wm1Z, but I am happily staying with dx200Ti and Modified Amp8 module out of Hd800S.  A friend of mine briefly compared Modified 1Z to stock Dx200Ti and Stock Amp8, which he totally agreed that stock for stock, Dx200Ti and Amp8 would be on par, but his modified wm1Z is still more favorable to his preferences as it was modified under that specific goal.  Anyways, if he was to listen to Dx200Ti and Modified Amp8, I am sure he would love it just as much

IMO, both wm1Z and Dx200Ti is about the same level, with only different in practicality such as DSD512 capability on Dx200Ti and WM1Z is not capable of that.  Before this 3.0 firmware, Wm1Z was less useful because it couldn’t offer Bluetooth/DAC function or usb/DAC function.  Battery life Wm1Z wins obviously, but power output the Dx200Ti will be pulling ahead.  Both are very enjoyable in different ways.  Separations, soundstage-width, airiness, articulations, and details retrieval goes to Dx200, where as Timbres, inner resolutions, fluidity, musicality, soundstage-Vertical rendering goes to Wm1Z.

But that is just me.  I sold WM1Z and I don’t regret owning Dx200Ti and Amp8 for my Hd800S enjoyment.  Strangely enough, I sold Wm1Z to get out of DAP and sticking to Stax desktop only, but I am quiet happy with Dx200Ti ...LOL.

If you are so much lucky to have both, enjoy them all.  Perhap, if you are extremes Sony fan, look toward DMP-Z1, I guess Ibasso had steered me

In the end of the day, DAP will compromise some to gain some, there is no perfect DAP...hell, there is no perfect Desktop systems either.  It is your absolute satisfaction that will make them perfect.  Can you reach that ? If you can’t, you are not alone


----------



## linux4ever

Yes I enjoy both K-mod Wm1Z & Dx200Ti. Pairing them with 64 Audio A18 + 1960 2 wire cable.


----------



## davidmolliere (Oct 17, 2018)

The WM1Z had such a profound effect on me that I only slept 2 hours 
Note that it's my first secondhand DAP and it clocked 190 hours when I got it (closer to 200 now). So it's already to minimal burn in 



NaiveSound said:


> What version? U enjoy it over dx200 variants.?



Not modded, "vanilla" WM1Z with firmware 3.0 (uncapped).

Yes I do enjoy it a lot, it has a power and authority that it very reminiscent of great desktop amp, maybe even something tubey to the sound. Analogue sounding.
The bass is simply out of this world, quantity comes to mind but more importantly quality with great textures and dynamics... wow.
Treble is not mentioned often but it's much airier than I would have thought from reading reviews!

And mids are very clean, highly articulate and musical (at least firmware 3.0). Vocals have so much textures and convey minute nuances... yum!

DX200(and Ti) are a very different flavor, much more reference tuned, smooth detailed and to me a lot more balanced but well, listening to the WM1Z I like the immensely rich sound that comes out of it with a sense of grandeur (that soundstage ! In particular depth...). I loved it with ZX2, liked it with WM1A (firmware 1.x) and I am thrilled by WM1Z. There is something to the Sony house sound that appeals to me...



jasonho said:


> Same thought here when I tried 1z a few weeks ago,  VE8+1z is almost a perfect match
> Contrary to my beliefs, 1z's clarity is excellent despite being warm.  And bass extension (with VE8) is very good!  And i can listen to it for hours without getting fatigue or it getting too hot for me to handle



Exactly! The VE8 pairing is exquisite and quite frankly it's up to par with the best... @popof94 Flamenco with SP1000Cu and 1960 4 wires comes to mind.
This pairing kept me up until 5 in the morning!

I had spent a lot of time with the Phantom on the DX200, I think the VE8 is going to get more listening time now. Not that the Phantom doesn't pair well, but the best synergy is with VE8.



Whitigir said:


> IMO, both wm1Z and Dx200Ti is about the same level, with only different in practicality such as DSD512 capability on Dx200Ti and WM1Z is not capable of that.  Before this 3.0 firmware, Wm1Z was less useful because it couldn’t offer Bluetooth/DAC function or usb/DAC function.  Battery life Wm1Z wins obviously, but power output the Dx200Ti will be pulling ahead.  Both are very enjoyable in different ways.  Separations, soundstage-width, airiness, articulations, and details retrieval goes to Dx200, where as Timbres, inner resolutions, fluidity, musicality, soundstage-Vertical rendering goes to Wm1Z. But that is just me.  I sold WM1Z and I don’t regret owning Dx200Ti and Amp8 for my Hd800S enjoyment.  Strangely enough, I sold Wm1Z to get out of DAP and sticking to Stax desktop only, but I am quiet happy with Dx200Ti ...LOL.
> If you are so much lucky to have both, enjoy them all.  Perhap, if you are extremes Sony fan, look toward DMP-Z1, I guess Ibasso had steered me. In the end of the day, DAP will compromise some to gain some, there is no perfect DAP...hell, there is no perfect Desktop systems either.  It is your absolute satisfaction that will make them perfect.  Can you reach that ? If you can’t, you are not alone



Yeah I wished I could have kept both (DX200 Ti sale financed the 1Z), I mostly agree with what you're saying. It's more about signature preference than pure performance.
One thing I didn't expect is the driving power of the 1Z, I know specs favor clearly the DX200(Ti) but the authority with which the WM1Z drives is pretty impressive. Probably also a matter of signature, WM1Z is denser.


----------



## auronthas

auronthas said:


> Has anyone successfully connected to Car Audio system via BT receiver ? What brand and model of car ?



Finally able to connect my 1A bluetooth connection to my car audio system via SBC ... not by BT receiver.


----------



## quodjo105

Has any UK member bought a dignis case recently?. How much did you  get charged for import duty?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 17, 2018)

davidmolliere said:


> Quick first impressions of the 1Z
> 
> 
> 
> ...



First impressions are great, but I feel it takes a couple days to get the full idea of the 1Z. So....... you may be getting even less sleep....in the future. Lol

Congratulations


----------



## davidmolliere (Oct 17, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> First impressions are great, but I feel it takes a couple days to get the full idea of the 1Z. So....... you may be getting even less sleep....in the future. Lol



Thanks, I sure think I still have a lot to discover about the amazing capabilities of the 1Z... I'll sure clock much more time than the previous owner 190h in 4 months, my monthly average being more like 150/180 hours 

I fear I might become antisocial and lost in the beauty of music, I have to schedule breaks 

It's cliché but I am rediscovering albums right now, hearing layers I never heard before (more than details it's more about how the soundstage is rendered, the incredible depth, the beautiful transients and nuances with a very emotional portraying of both instruments and vocals...). I am also rediscovering CL2, Phantom and VE8...

Bass has such texture, electric guitar such bite... yum !


----------



## Vlad0

Is there a way to set WM1A with 3.0 to sound warmer like 1.2?
I really like new features in 3.0 but the sound is so bright and flat for me that reversed to 1.2 now. Really tried to like it but  just cant...
Listen and listen, 3.0 has bigger soundstage, more clear but hights are so engaging that anointed me. There is no way just to relax while listening, always look for something missing in the sound. Yesterday try my old ZX2, was not used half a year, and boom, everething missing from WM1A with 3.0 was there, relaxing, full bodied, i can "touch" the music...after that just installed 1.2...

Tried and with my wife......Put as identical, known for here song on both players, WM1A with 3.0 and ZX2, first was 1A, she likes it, listen a bit, the suddenly says - Something is missing here...Was not surprised at all. Put the same song with same earphones on ZX2, she said - Excellent, I can touch the music. What is wrong with the new model?  /she means 1A/.

So for now I'm in the group for 1.x lovers... So good features in 3.0...such a waste for me.


----------



## kaikai1805

Might be out of thread, is there any difference pentaconn and non 4.4mm plug? Thinking of getting a diy cable


----------



## ledzep

kaikai1805 said:


> Might be out of thread, is there any difference pentaconn and non 4.4mm plug? Thinking of getting a diy cable


Decent but overpriced


----------



## rcoleman1

@nc8000: Just wanted to say thanks. I used your DropBox link to the FW installers. Reverted back to 2.0 for my 1Z from 3.0 with no issues. I'm strictly a library listener so the other features don't matter so much.


----------



## nc8000

rcoleman1 said:


> @nc8000: Just wanted to say thanks. I used your DropBox link to the FW installers. Reverted back to 2.0 for my 1Z from 3.0 with no issues. I'm strictly a library listener so the other features don't matter so much.



You’re welcome. I’m in exactly the same position so 2.0 is fine since 3.0 keeps crashing


----------



## captblaze

in an effort to answer a question in my head regarding the 3.0 firmware reboots.. would all affected list the region that the unit was originally made for and whether or not it was rockboxed and which region it is now?

trying to determine if it the condition is widespread or focused on a specific region player


----------



## nc8000

captblaze said:


> in an effort to answer a question in my head regarding the 3.0 firmware reboots.. would all affected list the region that the unit was originally made for and whether or not it was rockboxed and which region it is now?
> 
> trying to determine if it the condition is widespread or focused on a specific region player



Bought in EU (CEW or CEW2) and changed to region E


----------



## linux4ever

Vlad0 said:


> Is there a way to set WM1A with 3.0 to sound warmer like 1.2?
> I really like new features in 3.0 but the sound is so bright and flat for me that reversed to 1.2 now. Really tried to like it but  just cant...
> Listen and listen, 3.0 has bigger soundstage, more clear but hights are so engaging that anointed me. There is no way just to relax while listening, always look for something missing in the sound. Yesterday try my old ZX2, was not used half a year, and boom, everething missing from WM1A with 3.0 was there, relaxing, full bodied, i can "touch" the music...after that just installed 1.2...
> 
> ...


You could try vinyl processor mode and select "surface noise". It adds the warmth and the much needed body to the sound.


----------



## Vlad0

linux4ever said:


> You could try vinyl processor mode and select "surface noise". It adds the warmth and the much needed body to the sound.



Tried all, there is a change in sound, but not like SQ of 1.2. Re flashed several times already, just to compare. I think that is also related with used earphones. Som with nice sineggy with 1.2 just cannot sound good with 3.0 and via versa. 
For example my AT CKR100 plays very nice with 1.2, but with 3.0 is unbearable. My other primary ones are JVC HA-FX1100 they can handle 3.0 good, just because they have a lot of bass. I'm curious, what earphones, some more bassy and warm, L shaped may be, could be recommended for WM1A  with 3.0? Target is to keep 3.0 features and wider sound-stage but add some warm and bass?


----------



## linux4ever

I have custom art harmony 8.2 and a18 that I use everyday. Both are fine on 1.2 and 3.0.

To my ears wm1z is that much better than wm1a (unmodded and premium plus kmod)


----------



## blazinblazin

Vlad0 said:


> Tried all, there is a change in sound, but not like SQ of 1.2. Re flashed several times already, just to compare. I think that is also related with used earphones. Som with nice sineggy with 1.2 just cannot sound good with 3.0 and via versa.
> For example my AT CKR100 plays very nice with 1.2, but with 3.0 is unbearable. My other primary ones are JVC HA-FX1100 they can handle 3.0 good, just because they have a lot of bass. I'm curious, what earphones, some more bassy and warm, L shaped may be, could be recommended for WM1A  with 3.0? Target is to keep 3.0 features and wider sound-stage but add some warm and bass?



I am using Acoustune HS1650CU, which is nicer on 3.0 than 2.0.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 17, 2018)

Vlad0 said:


> Tried all, there is a change in sound, but not like SQ of 1.2. Re flashed several times already, just to compare. I think that is also related with used earphones. Som with nice sineggy with 1.2 just cannot sound good with 3.0 and via versa.
> For example my AT CKR100 plays very nice with 1.2, but with 3.0 is unbearable. My other primary ones are JVC HA-FX1100 they can handle 3.0 good, just because they have a lot of bass. I'm curious, what earphones, some more bassy and warm, L shaped may be, could be recommended for WM1A  with 3.0? Target is to keep 3.0 features and wider sound-stage but add some warm and bass?



This is maybe what happens when you build two players with different sound. It seems Sony concentrated on the 1Z with 3.0 as FW 3.0 is a complement to it’s intrinsic strengths and weaknesses. Sadly there is no headphones in my collection that are that great with 3.0/1A combo? Even the L shaped signatures are messed up with it. Best to roll the 1A back to FW 2.0. It’s sad because so many aspects are great with 3.0 as far as soundstage, imaging and much of the personality overall. It’s just that the 1A would benefit from a slight change in lower frequencies from maybe a new software called FW3.1 if Sony ever addressed the issue.

I typically don’t use EQ, but have you explored the tone knobs? I do use EQ with one IEM.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> This is maybe what happens when you build two players with different sound. It seems Sony concentrated on the 1Z with 3.0 as FW 3.0 is a complement to it’s intrinsic strengths and weaknesses. Sadly there is no headphones in my collection that are that great with 3.0/1A combo? Even the L shaped signatures are messed up with it. Best to roll the 1A back to FW 2.0. It’s sad because so many aspects are great with 3.0 as far as soundstage, imaging and much of the personality overall. It’s just that the 1A would benefit from a slight change in lower frequencies from maybe a new software called FW3.1 if Sony ever addressed the issue.
> 
> I typically don’t use EQ, but have you explored the tone knobs? I do use EQ with one IEM.


I feel with FW 3.0 the MDR-Z1R and XBA-Z5 spund very very nice and detailed


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> I feel with FW 3.0 the MDR-Z1R and XBA-Z5 spund very very nice and detailed



Those are two pair I own too, they are better.


----------



## Malevolint

Duncan said:


> Just had a WM1A delivered to me, happy days
> 
> Probably doing it all wrong, seeing that I'm not looking through the previous 1647 pages, however - as an EU player, I've swapped the region with the RockBox program (although it doesn't tell me what region it is set in, it acknowledges the region is changed - I presume that is normal behaviour) - also, came with fw2.0 out of the box, but - I'm going to jump, without even listening to fw3.0
> 
> Hopefully all will be good


I would try 2.0. A lot of people are not fans of the sound on 3.0.


----------



## animalsrush

From distilling all comments I am thinking 3.0 is probably a subtler upgrade of 2.0 with leaner bass and wider soundstage.. can someone confirm . I am using wm1z and I have downgraded to 1.2 and stayed with it because i absolutely love the organic nature of the sound. Not a big fan of lean or neutral sound.. 

So hold off migration.. I don’t want to go through the whole process of upgrade/downgrade again.. hope fw didn’t change sound

Pc


----------



## animalsrush

Vlad0 said:


> Is there a way to set WM1A with 3.0 to sound warmer like 1.2?
> I really like new features in 3.0 but the sound is so bright and flat for me that reversed to 1.2 now. Really tried to like it but  just cant...
> Listen and listen, 3.0 has bigger soundstage, more clear but hights are so engaging that anointed me. There is no way just to relax while listening, always look for something missing in the sound. Yesterday try my old ZX2, was not used half a year, and boom, everething missing from WM1A with 3.0 was there, relaxing, full bodied, i can "touch" the music...after that just installed 1.2...
> 
> ...




Thanks for your impressions. in same boat here with 1z. Still sticking to 1.2 as I love the organic nature of the sound. Very hesitant to upgrade


----------



## NaiveSound

I enjoyed 2.0 more overall but the dsc/bt features are a must for me so I have to stay at 3.0

Sony doesn't care


----------



## Malevolint

Vlad0 said:


> Is there a way to set WM1A with 3.0 to sound warmer like 1.2?
> I really like new features in 3.0 but the sound is so bright and flat for me that reversed to 1.2 now. Really tried to like it but  just cant...
> Listen and listen, 3.0 has bigger soundstage, more clear but hights are so engaging that anointed me. There is no way just to relax while listening, always look for something missing in the sound. Yesterday try my old ZX2, was not used half a year, and boom, everething missing from WM1A with 3.0 was there, relaxing, full bodied, i can "touch" the music...after that just installed 1.2...
> 
> ...


I hear ya! I keep hopping between 1.2 and 2.0.


----------



## Malevolint

I know everyone is talking about firmware right now but I've been doing some experimenting and wanted to discuss it. 

I got a pair of HD6XX's and they're pretty awesome. They sounded amazing out of my 1A after I put a balanced cable on them. Everyone is saying that they sound way better with a proper amp. I read around and settled on a Topping D30 and a Schiit Magni 3. 

I finally got everything today and did some comparing. I only had about 20 minutes to compare, but I was shocked to find that I couldn't hear much of a difference in that time. I tested some bass heavy tracks, then some detailed vocal tracks and that wm1a sounds just as damn good. The volume gets more than loud enough through the 1A, but the Magni 3 can get much louder. 

After so many people talking about how hard the HD6Xx/650 is to drive properly, I'm kinda scratching my head over here lol. 

I'll probably still keep the amp for when I want to get some truly power hungry cans and so that I can save the 1A from excessive usage though. 

That's all lol. I love my WM1A


----------



## KaiserTK

I think the 1A does an ok job at powering the 650s, but even if it can provide enough volume, in my opinion there’s not enough depth and ‘meatiness’ to the sound like being powered off a desktop tube amp. For this reason I felt the 660S/58X a much better fit with the 1A. 

*I did this comparison off SE so 4.4 out might give you different results.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 18, 2018)

animalsrush said:


> From distilling all comments I am thinking 3.0 is probably a subtler upgrade of 2.0 with leaner bass and wider soundstage.. can someone confirm . I am using wm1z and I have downgraded to 1.2 and stayed with it because i absolutely love the organic nature of the sound. Not a big fan of lean or neutral sound. But it’s safe to say 1.2 was more tube sounding and 2.0 was more solid-state. 3.0 is still solid-state, only more clear and refined.
> 
> So hold off migration.. I don’t want to go through the whole process of upgrade/downgrade again.. hope fw didn’t change sound
> 
> Pc



It is a subtle upgrade of 2.0. I don’t have much experience with the software before 1.2 but 2.0 was way, way louder. 1.2 was this analog and narrow rather dreamy and narrow soundstage slow and grainy affair. 2.0 pushed the technicalities of both players and widened the soundstage adding speed besides the added power.

Though to be honest my 1.2 was before my 1Z had hours on it, so I’m just going on first impressions. It’s probibly great after burn in, as you know!

But 3.0 is a rearrangement of the imaging with some musical information going way way out in the soundstage. It may actually be slighly quieter, though no one really notices it. 3.0 has bass attenuation and the bass ends up pulled into the mix and focused. So 3.0 is going farther with the direction of 2.0. IMO


----------



## denis1976

Hello, i try to reverse to 1.2 firmware and had a problem , it don't have acess to the music library and apears an error message, does anyone has the solution for this?
Thank you


----------



## Vlad0

Rebuild music database manually. Option is under reset submenu


----------



## blazinblazin

gerelmx1986 said:


> I feel with FW 3.0 the MDR-Z1R and XBA-Z5 spund very very nice and detailed


I guess 3.0 is great with warmer headphones.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

davidmolliere said:


> Thanks, I sure think I still have a lot to discover about the amazing capabilities of the 1Z... I'll sure clock much more time than the previous owner 190h in 4 months, my monthly average being more like 150/180 hours
> 
> I fear I might become antisocial and lost in the beauty of music, I have to schedule breaks
> 
> ...


This guy has been poisoned by 1Z.


blazinblazin said:


> I guess 3.0 is great with warmer headphones.


Yes, 3.0 definitely is great with warmer headphones. . In fact my Seinheiser Momentum sounds really great out of SE.

So yeah, any warmer phones work very well with 3.0, especially 1Z


----------



## davidmolliere

hamhamhamsta said:


> This guy has been poisoned by 1Z.
> Yes, 3.0 definitely is great with warmer headphones. . In fact my Seinheiser Momentum sounds really great out of SE.
> So yeah, any warmer phones work very well with 3.0, especially 1Z



Yeah I have, this is what I liked about the ZX2 times 100! I expected great SQ but not that amazing...
Since I own warm or neutral warm IEMs this is a great fit in terms of synergy


----------



## Tawek

hamhamhamsta said:


> This guy has been poisoned by 1Z.
> 
> Yes, 3.0 definitely is great with warmer headphones. . In fact my Seinheiser Momentum sounds really great out of SE.
> 
> So yeah, any warmer phones work very well with 3.0, especially 1Z



Yes since I update 1z to 3.0, now I'm only listening to the SE for me it sounds as good as the balance


----------



## denis1976

Vlad0 said:


> Rebuild music database manually. Option is under reset submenu


Thank you


----------



## Dtuck90

I can confirm that WM1A 3.0 sounds great on my B&W P9s


----------



## NickleCo

auronthas said:


> Has anyone successfully paired WM1A/Z with Car Audio system via Bluetooth Receiver ?
> 
> My Honda HRV unable to detect Bluetooth audio devices


Car audio with sony daps in general is a hit or miss. Of all the 3 sony daps ive tested and out of the 4 cars ive tried them on, 2 out of 4 are stable but i need to delete the bluetooth device and pair them again everytime i disconnect them. The other 2 were just plain hell to connect to. It would connect for a few seconds but it would disconnect after a while but on some occassions when there wasnt a device connected prior to turning the cars on, it would connect but the car controls (pause for/backward) would not work.


----------



## auronthas

DatDudeNic said:


> Car audio with sony daps in general is a hit or miss. Of all the 3 sony daps ive tested and out of the 4 cars ive tried them on, 2 out of 4 are stable but i need to delete the bluetooth device and pair them again everytime i disconnect them. The other 2 were just plain hell to connect to. It would connect for a few seconds but it would disconnect after a while but on some occassions when there wasnt a device connected prior to turning the cars on, it would connect but the car controls (pause for/backward) would not work.



Thanks for your feedback and noted on the instability bluetooth connection.  

Couple of days ago, I managed to get the WM1A connected to my car audio system via bluetooth, with security code sent from car audio system . WM1A has been added into bluetooth audio device, but i have not connected for 2nd time.  Will try out this weekend.


----------



## buzzlulu

Vlad0 said:


> Rebuild music database manually. Option is under reset submenu



Wait a minute - I am a bit confused.
Is it possible to deactivate  -  rebuild music database automatically - so that on each power up the 1Z will not by default do the rebuild??


----------



## Uncle Monty

Thinking about getting the Sony TA-ZH1ES headphone amp to use with either the 1Z or 1A.

I've been advised that the 1A will perform just as well as the 1Z in this capacity as it will effectively be just a digital transport.

Can any 1Z / 1A experts on this forum confirm? 


Apologies if this has been discussed before.


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> Wait a minute - I am a bit confused.
> Is it possible to deactivate  -  rebuild music database automatically - so that on each power up the 1Z will not by default do the rebuild??



No


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

buzzlulu said:


> Wait a minute - I am a bit confused.
> Is it possible to deactivate  -  rebuild music database automatically - so that on each power up the 1Z will not by default do the rebuild??



Nope, but it would be easy for Sony to save the "amount of free space on the card" when they power down and check again at power up. If it hasn't changed.... don't bother to rebuild =)

Unfortunately, I doth see any Sony people on here asking for feedback...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 18, 2018)

Uncle Monty said:


> Thinking about getting the Sony TA-ZH1ES headphone amp to use with either the 1Z or 1A.
> 
> I've been advised that the 1A will perform just as well as the 1Z in this capacity as it will effectively be just a digital transport.
> 
> ...



They both seem the same to me, but I haven’t given it much thought, as I believe they would be the same? But you need the dock really and a AudioQuest Cinnamon or Carbon USB cable. The second best is to use the dongle. I get my Carbon USB in about two weeks. But I can confirm the dock Is the best, the dongle is second best and the side miniUSB connection is the third best. Of course the side (third best) is a Sony USB included with a miniUSB and stabilizer plug with the Sony Walkman plug on the other end. They also include a regular USB cable with the amp.The dock has added circuits which is the understanding method which changes the sound.

So the promotional photographs all show the Walkman and TA in the third best configuration.

The Audioquest upgrade USB has been reported to really work wonders in this thread.

No one has reported the Diamond to be better than the Carbon though?
https://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-Diamond-Cable-Type-75m/dp/B004LR7HP4

The Walkman input is miles better than SPDIF Toslink RCA into the TA from CD transport. Couldn’t tell you why? But I’ve checked it side by side.


----------



## Xbmyc

I find WM1A's 3.5mm sounds way too bright after upgrading to 3.0, the sound from 2.0 was perfect for my ie800, now its almost not bearable in a lot of songs so I factory reset back to 2.0.


----------



## ryaneagon

Can both the 1Z and 1A utilize a 512gb microSD? If not what are the current capacities. Thanks!


----------



## kubig123

ryaneagon said:


> Can both the 1Z and 1A utilize a 512gb microSD? If not what are the current capacities. Thanks!


Yes,
I've been using a 512gb microsd card in my 1Z without any issues.


----------



## davidmolliere

Fun fact : the playing time unit stat doesn't clock any time when streaming from BT receiver so those burn in hours won't count, I haven't checked USB DAC.


----------



## ryaneagon

kubig123 said:


> Yes,
> I've been using a 512gb microsd card in my 1Z without any issues.



Righteous!


----------



## ryaneagon (Oct 18, 2018)

Hey guess, I know for the most part this is subjective. I'm relatively new to portable audio, I mainly listen at home with a good DAC and Amp, I use Focal Elear, Shure SE846's (IEMS) and Audeze iSine's 20's and have a few others...I'm in the market for a higher end DAP, I've been looking at the Sony WM1A, WM1Z, AK SP100M, and possibly others. Besides the Sony being strictly a music player (no wifi or apps) How do the sound signatures differ? Being the Elear and SE846's are pretty laid back on the top end my ears really enjoy this sound...warm and great punch low end, obviously not the most resolving or analytical signature, but I like that. I do stream using Tidal and have Google Play Premium for music and ad free videos, and use them occasionally on my iphone, do you think by having wifi and these streaming services affects the sound of these devices? Thanks for any input.

I also see the price difference between the WM1A and 1Z. Crazy! Is the sound signature that much better with copper and better internal wiring? I've heard it does make music a tad warmer and maybe a better soundstage. Is that subjective?


----------



## purk

Redcarmoose said:


> They both seem the same to me, but I haven’t given it much thought, as I believe they would be the same? But you need the dock really and a AudioQuest Cinnamon or Carbon USB cable. The second best is to use the dongle. I get my Carbon USB in about two weeks. But I can confirm the dock Is the best, the dongle is second best and the side miniUSB connection is the third best. Of course the side (third best) is a Sony USB included with a miniUSB and stabilizer plug with the Sony Walkman plug on the other end. They also include a regular USB cable with the amp.The dock has added circuits which is the understanding method which changes the sound.
> 
> So the promotional photographs all show the Walkman and TA in the third best configuration.
> 
> ...


Confirmed regarding that the dock is the best following by the dongle and the included digital cable is good but placed last.


----------



## nc8000

ryaneagon said:


> Hey guess, I know for the most part this is subjective. I'm relatively new to portable audio, I mainly listen at home with a good DAC and Amp, I use Focal Elear, Shure SE846's (IEMS) and Audeze iSine's 20's and have a few others...I'm in the market for a higher end DAP, I've been looking at the Sony WM1A, WM1Z, AK SP100M, and possibly others. Besides the Sony being strictly a music player (no wifi or apps) How do the sound signatures differ? Being the Elear and SE846's are pretty laid back on the top end my ears really enjoy this sound...warm and great punch low end, obviously not the most resolving or analytical signature, but I like that. I do stream using Tidal and have Google Play Premium for music and ad free videos, and use them occasionally on my iphone, do you think by having wifi and these streaming services affects the sound of these devices? Thanks for any input.
> 
> I also see the price difference between the WM1A and 1Z. Crazy! Is the sound signature that much better with copper and better internal wiring? I've heard it does make music a tad warmer and maybe a better soundstage. Is that subjective?



With the latest firmware they can act as bluetooth receivers and usb dacs


----------



## ryaneagon (Oct 18, 2018)

I thought this was a wonderful comparison/review. I'm sure most have seen it. It's pretty old article. 

https://pmrreviews.com/?p=1193


----------



## ryaneagon

nc8000 said:


> With the latest firmware they can act as bluetooth receivers and usb dacs



That's great, I would actually love to use it in conjunction with my Nivida Shield via Bluetooth.


----------



## Uncle Monty

Redcarmoose said:


> They both seem the same to me, but I haven’t given it much thought, as I believe they would be the same? But you need the dock really and a AudioQuest Cinnamon or Carbon USB cable. The second best is to use the dongle. I get my Carbon USB in about two weeks. But I can confirm the dock Is the best, the dongle is second best and the side miniUSB connection is the third best. Of course the side (third best) is a Sony USB included with a miniUSB and stabilizer plug with the Sony Walkman plug on the other end. They also include a regular USB cable with the amp.The dock has added circuits which is the understanding method which changes the sound.
> 
> So the promotional photographs all show the Walkman and TA in the third best configuration.
> 
> ...


That's a lot to take in - I don't even think the Sony dock is available in the UK - I've certainly never seen or heard of it until now. 

So, sound-quality wise, would it matter whether I used the 1Z or the 1A with the dock?


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

It’s been couple of days with my 3.0 and I must say all is well. I think it’s region specific software for some models that are having issues.


----------



## captblaze

ryaneagon said:


> That's great, I would actually love to use it in conjunction with my Nivida Shield via Bluetooth.



it is very much possible, if you find a way to get it to connect with a different protocol than SBC let me know


----------



## nc8000

Uncle Monty said:


> That's a lot to take in - I don't even think the Sony dock is available in the UK - I've certainly never seen or heard of it until now.
> 
> So, sound-quality wise, would it matter whether I used the 1Z or the 1A with the dock?



I’ve got a dock in Denmark that I might consider letting go. Pm me if you are interested. And yes I don’t think it’s available in Europe, got mine from Japan


----------



## bflat

If you want the very best DAC USB connection setup, I would recommend the following:

1) USB Galvanic isolation device like iFi or Intona. This will eliminate any USB line noise from your source.
2) USB power isolator like iFi iDefender or an USB cable that separates power and signal.
3) Low noise or linear power supply like iFi iPower or Uptone LPS. This allows your WM1z to charge with a clean power source.

Probably the best priced solution is the iFi iGalvanic promotion that includes all of the above for $368, but hard to find now. You also don't need special USB cables for this either, except you want to go as short length as possible. This setup is also just as good for any desktop DAC too. I am using the iFi iGalvanic bundle for my WM1z and it works/charges perfectly.


----------



## Duncan

Can someone point me in the direction of the older FW, so that I can pick and mix...

Thanks


----------



## proedros

Duncan said:


> Can someone point me in the direction of the older FW, so that I can pick and mix...
> 
> Thanks



2.0  for windows

Sendspace File Delivery Notification:

You've got a file called *NW-WM1_V2_00.exe, (115.2 MB)* waiting to be downloaded 



*Description: wm1a 2.0

You can use the following link to retrieve your file:

https://www.sendspace.com/file/5tbhrt*


The file may be available for a limited time only


----------



## nc8000

Duncan said:


> Can someone point me in the direction of the older FW, so that I can pick and mix...
> 
> Thanks



They are all in my DropBox link that I shared earlier in the thread


----------



## Stephen George

captblaze said:


> it is very much possible, if you find a way to get it to connect with a different protocol than SBC let me know




 from just a quick search, the shield tablet does not include any "fancy" bluetooth protocol, just standard (sbc)

better would be apt-x, best would be ldac


----------



## Uncle Monty

nc8000 said:


> I’ve got a dock in Denmark that I might consider letting go. Pm me if you are interested. And yes I don’t think it’s available in Europe, got mine from Japan


Thanks - I'll keep that in mind - I only recently started thinking about going down the Sony route and, as always happens with these things, it grows arms and legs and ends and ends up not being as straightforward as first thought....


----------



## Sonyvores

purk said:


> Confirmed regarding that the dock is the best following by the dongle and the included digital cable is good but placed last.



Yep you're right!


----------



## purk (Oct 18, 2018)

Uncle Monty said:


> Thanks - I'll keep that in mind - I only recently started thinking about going down the Sony route and, as always happens with these things, it grows arms and legs and ends and ends up not being as straightforward as first thought....




Another benefit of getting a digital out Dock is  to ensure compatibility with older DACs and newer DACs that need to see the 5V power rail from a USB input.  For instance, none of my Sony Walkman with USB digital out will work with the Yggy and  Matrix DACs unless a coonection is made via the USB digital out from the dock.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 18, 2018)

Uncle Monty said:


> That's a lot to take in - I don't even think the Sony dock is available in the UK - I've certainly never seen or heard of it until now.
> 
> So, sound-quality wise, would it matter whether I used the 1Z or the 1A with the dock?



I thought they had different capacitors in the 1Z, but I could be wrong?Though it’s true the wiring and case work are different between the two. None of these differences affect the digital transport quality; so I’d guess they are the same. The dock is a Japan only product, but they do sell them on Amazon.com. I purchased mine from the Sony store in Tokyo.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 18, 2018)

Uncle Monty said:


> Thanks - I'll keep that in mind - I only recently started thinking about going down the Sony route and, as always happens with these things, it grows arms and legs and ends and ends up not being as straightforward as first thought....



You may think this beginning learning curve is aggressive, but after you own the products it’s stuff a 10 year old could use correctly. The TA amp is absolutely simplistic. Turning on and listening is how easy it is. Now vinyl turntables? That’s another story.

If your planing to use the Z1R look into the into the MUC-B20SB1 cable by Kimber or even the Axios. I haven’t tried the Axios, but the MUC-B20SB1 is such a dramatic improvement it almost has to be mentioned. So it’s like this Sony gear is fine out of the box; but surprisingly scales up with added stuff.


----------



## buduba0604

Had my first crash while trying to create a playlist. Let the "creating database" commence!


----------



## sne4me

Redcarmoose said:


> Turning on and listening is how easy it is. Now vinyl turntables? That’s another story.



Funny, I thought turntables we're pretty simple too. Get a brand new record, make sure its clean, play it with a decent needle and record. Because it wont sound as good after the first play ever again. Care to comment?

I have a copy of Thom Yorke - The Eraser on vinyl and its so scratched to crap, it sounds absolutely great.


----------



## Duncan

buduba0604 said:


> Had my first crash while trying to create a playlist. Let the "creating database" commence!


Mine randomly crashed whilst listening to a track on the player (ie not on the card), volume down, volume up, volume down...  eurgh, look at the screen and it has that wiggly intro line of impending time wasted waiting for a rebuild.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 19, 2018)

sne4me said:


> Funny, I thought turntables we're pretty simple too. Get a brand new record, make sure its clean, play it with a decent needle and record. Because it wont sound as good after the first play ever again. Care to comment?
> 
> I have a copy of Thom Yorke - The Eraser on vinyl and its so scratched to ****, it sounds absolutely great.



There are more pages on a single aspect of vinyl sound reproduction; like cartridges, which fills internet pages 100 times more than this 1/A 1/Z thread. I don’t want to wonder too far off topic, considering I started this off topic. Lol

But I agree in theory the vinyl starts to wear out starting with the first play. Though with a careful set up a normal person should not notice the wear with regular use of the album. A microscope will show it after 10 years, but the record will sound fine. I’m so beyond the whole digital vs vinyl debate........I was sick of it in 2010. I don’t care. People should just find what makes them happy. I used to collect records like a crack addict, though now I only have a few. I’ll just say this and leave the subject.

Vinyl is a hassle but it can be wonderful with good effort. Digital is easer. At times vinyl sounds better. But if you were into 1960s-1980s music; much of the original masters of the albums were mixed and mastered for vinyl. Those masters are different. There is a digital master and a vinyl master. Much of that 60s-80s music never received a correct master for CD. Still it’s hit or miss, I think my digital copies of RUSH are far superior to the vinyl I collected using my vinyl reference system. I’m pretty much all digital now, but also because vinyl is difficult to find where I live. Also I’m too lazy to put the effort into vinyl, I’ve been there; done that.

The sound too is very subjective. People who are used to clean digital can be appalled by the noisy pops and cracks from their new $100 vinyl 180 gram repressing. They think because it’s cool and they spent 5K on a turntable, cartridge and phono preamp that all’s well. Sadly it’s not that easy. It takes the brain about one to two weeks to learn to filter those pops out. Every turntable on earth has ground hum. And that’s just the start of the iceberg. Proper set-up and enjoyment is better left to those tweekers who want to fiddle around for 30 minutes before they hear a song.

Also for those curious, they really should wait to hear a good system before making any judgment. A really good turntable tracks different and will set the needle way farther down in the groove reducing most surface noise and pops by about 50%. The only way you would even learn concepts like this would be spending years with a set of records and a garage sale medium level turntable then jumping to a 2K set-up. There is still ground hum, hum and 50% less pops and surface noise so it’s a little more easy to get used to. Also if you were to only listen to your digital for two months, you would need to train your brain to filter out the noise all over again.

Deep down though I feel the bass is different. The cool part about today’s technology is we can have warm DAPs like the 1Z and warm headphones like the ZR1 and they can actually warm up some aspects of digital. We didn’t have gear like we have today even 10 years ago. Part of the industry has changed what it thought reference tone was, so equipment is actually getting warmer and contains a better way to exhibit digital bass. The digital bass is different but charming in it’s own way.


----------



## emrelights1973 (Oct 19, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> There is more pages on a single aspect of vinyl sound reproduction; like cartridges, which fills internet pages 100 times more than this 1/A 1/Z thread. I don’t want to wonder too far off topic, considering I started this off topic. Lol
> 
> But I agree in theory the vinyl starts to wear out starting with the first play. Though with a careful set up a normal person should not notice the wear with regular use of the album. A microscope will show it after 10 years, but the record will sound fine. I’m so beyond the whole digital vs vinyl debate........I was sick of it in 2010. I don’t care. People should just find what makes them happy. I used to collect records like a crack addict, though now I only have a few. I’ll just say this and leave the subject.
> 
> ...



My excat feelings on turntables after owning them for last 20 years Way before they were cool.....

They Are Easy Solutions like Rega but put the gloves, wash the record etc is way too much hassle for me

You can not beat those new pressings of blue note with a good turntable but too much money for jazz, the rest is not very different

My ideal turntable would be Kronos Sparta perfect but my CD is not bad as well, i tried 1z with my Stereo and it is also very good but not as good as the CD player, detail and sound stage separation is not there, but I am using a very cheap 3.5mm/rca which I will change soon


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 19, 2018)

Right those Blue Note repressings on a 100K home system with 6K in room treatments sound better than digital ever could. This is what I believe. And it’s amazing what can be achieved at a medium expenditure; so my hats off to those who go ahead and jump into vinyl. I also spent 30-40 years concentrating on records. My problem is I like authority in my music. So much of the time my last big run of buying records was troublesome with half the records not having the authority I wanted. So it gets expensive fast. And you only like half of what you invested in. Digital may not be quite everything but it’s easy to use and is more predictable. Plus vinyl is delicate, you can grab your favorite record to find it warped for no reason at all. You can bend your needle cantilever in 1 second and need to send it in for a re-tip. I have tried to make digital like vinyl and I enjoy the ease of use.


----------



## emrelights1973

I tried only one time the turntable tweak on 1z., if i miss my turtable

But i never sold my records, 1000+ in a depot boxed in my home country waiting for my retierment, my Dr Fieckert is up for sale, i did bring it to my new country

I am still trying to undertand the bluetooth connection with z1, using a phone with bluetooth for source to a "pure" walkman sounds funny

It worked very good witg my lg30 phone - still without oreo so no ldac-


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 19, 2018)

Bluetooth sounds OK watching YouTube videos, though far from prefect. Though it seems better codecs get better quality. Streaming Bluetooth from the 1A to the 1Z sounds good, though there is no practical reason for it. As more devices get better codecs it could become useful.


----------



## auronthas

Received customized leather case from EASECASE , satisfy with their craftsmanship. Ordered from Chinese Taobao. Many colour choices , leather pattern type to choose from.  It's selling cheaper in Chinese Taobao than AliExpress.


----------



## Duncan

Whitigir said:


> To anyone that wonder how the DC phase linearizer feel like ? It is rather strange. There are 6 modes
> 
> Type A (low, standard, high)
> Type B (Low, standard, high)
> ...


Yup, this combination works rather well for me too on the 1A, glad I found this post!


----------



## bana

Duncan said:


> Yup, this combination works rather well for me too on the 1A, glad I found this post!


I never really messed with phase linearizer before. Thanks for the insight I am now investigating to find my favourite setting.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 19, 2018)

emrelights1973 said:


> My excat feelings on turntables after owning them for last 20 years Way before they were cool.....
> 
> They Are Easy Solutions like Rega but put the gloves, wash the record etc is way too much hassle for me
> 
> ...



The 1Z is not going to sound that great hooked up to a stereo with something like a 3.5mm to 2X RCA. It’s because your double amping. It would probably be OK going directly to a poweramp using only the Z1 and a cable, but I haven’t tried it.  Typically though the 1Z is going to be better going to a DAC then to a stereo. One way is to go from the 1Z to the TA DAC/amp then select volume adjusted out to a poweramp.


----------



## emrelights1973

It is ok to stream as a secondary source.... I don’t want to invest to a new streamer/dac 

İnteresting Times for sp1000 and 1z as well as a serious source


----------



## iron2k

Has anyone tried this???
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-Walkm...k-To-Headphone-Amplifier-Adapter/281118806230


----------



## purk

That line out will not work with any walkman with a USB digital out feature.


----------



## iron2k

purk said:


> That line out will not work with any walkman with a USB digital out feature.


Thanks!
So I need to use any heaphone jack to connect to an amp, correct???


----------



## Sonyvores

purk said:


> That line out will not work with any walkman with a USB digital out feature.



Actually it only applies to ZX300, 1A & 1Z
F (HiRes) series, A (HiRes) series and ZX1,ZX2, ZX100 can do both


----------



## ryaneagon (Oct 19, 2018)

Just Purchased a WM1A and an ALO Reference 8 IEM cable for my Shure 846's. I'm looking forward to some quality time with it. I'll be using Shure 846's, Focal Elears, and Audeze iSine20's. I've been researching DAPS's for a few weeks now. I narrowed it down to this, AK SP1000m, AKSE1000,  and DX200.
  I'm super stoked! The last thing I purchased from Sony was back in the 90's, a MiniDisc Walkman, and MiniDisc player/recorder form my home, I still use them! I have roughly 100 or more "mixes" and a few other pre recorded disc. A Sony ES SACD/ CD player still lives in my home theater rack that is also in heavy rotation. Cheers!


----------



## br4lin (Oct 19, 2018)

For those who regret updating the 3.0 firmware and want to revert the change, the 2.0 firmware is still online.

Now for 'potential' legal reasons I cannot link it myself, but its still hosted on sony's very website.

Go download the 3.0 firmware, and just change the URL where it says NW-WM1_V3_00.exe to NW-WM1_V2_00.exe
That is all. Have fun.

Edit: I saw it has been posted earlier here already.


----------



## ryaneagon

Why are some wanting to revert back to 2.0?  To be honest I'm looking forward to USB Dac and using it as a Bluetooth receiver.


----------



## br4lin

they say they dont like the sound quality or that it crashes or something. idk.


----------



## ryaneagon

Interesting Sony would want to change the sound signature, or I assume they didn't or don't realize that these changes have done so....


----------



## Mindstorms

Have anyone dropped a WM1A or 1Z and any damage to it? thanks lol


----------



## Mindstorms

ryaneagon said:


> Why are some wanting to revert back to 2.0?  To be honest I'm looking forward to USB Dac and using it as a Bluetooth receiver.


Im on 2.0 on SE it sounded just better than 3.0 on 1A


----------



## gerelmx1986

ryaneagon said:


> Interesting Sony would want to change the sound signature, or I assume they didn't or don't realize that these changes have done so....


I perceived a change in sound, but for good, more soundstage, more details, SE is better than 2.0


----------



## nc8000

ryaneagon said:


> Why are some wanting to revert back to 2.0?  To be honest I'm looking forward to USB Dac and using it as a Bluetooth receiver.



I don’t really need the new features and on 3.0 my player crashed every 2-3 hours and upon restart would spend 15-20 minutes rebuilding the database. Back on 2.0 and everything is once again rock stable with no crashes


----------



## Quadfather (Oct 19, 2018)

kubig123 said:


> Why waist time on the covers?
> Enjoy the music!
> 
> But if you really want to fix all your covers, you can use “tag editor free”, or swinsian.
> ...



I use a PC, but I always Google the album cover images and then add Amazon and get it from Amazon's images. They are always baseline, and rarely fail to show up.  I'm in iTunes without signing on, so the album artists aren't automatically added, and then I just look for the ones that are blank and fix them.


----------



## jasonho (Oct 19, 2018)

I am facing with some issues with my friend wm1a unit

When playing some Chinese songs (wav format) , I sometimes get garbish characters displayed as shown below.  It doesn’t happen all the time but only for some wav files.  The file name displayed ok but during playback, it shows garbage characters.

I tried editing the tag but it doesn’t seem to fix the problem

Other files type (dsd , flac) works file except wav.  Is this a known bug ?


  

PS : english characters work fine for wav file though


----------



## captblaze

jasonho said:


> I am facing with some issues with my friend wm1a unit
> 
> When playing some Chinese songs (wav format) , I sometimes get garbish characters displayed as shown below.  It doesn’t happen all the time but only for some wav files.  The file name displayed ok but during playback, it shows garbage characters.
> 
> ...



.WAV doesn't play well with metadata which may explain your issue. try converting to FLAC or some other metadata friendly format and things should get better


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 19, 2018)

iron2k said:


> Has anyone tried this???
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-Walkm...k-To-Headphone-Amplifier-Adapter/281118806230





purk said:


> That line out will not work with any walkman with a USB digital out feature.



And....that is how you would go out to a stereo pre-amp. I haven’t tried it but that IS line-out for the 1Z-1A. They removed line out for the series, but this brings it back..... if it actually works?

Edit:

It will not work as the 1A and 1Z and ZX300 is only digital out, works with the others though.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 20, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> I use a PC, but I always Google the album cover images and then add Amazon and get it from Amazon's images. They are always baseline, and rarely fail to show up.  I'm in iTunes without signing on, so the album artists aren't automatically added, and then I just look for the ones that are blank and fix them.





jasonho said:


> I am facing with some issues with my friend wm1a unit
> 
> When playing some Chinese songs (wav format) , I sometimes get garbish characters displayed as shown below.  It doesn’t happen all the time but only for some wav files.  The file name displayed ok but during playback, it shows garbage characters.
> 
> ...



You can actually take complete screen shots by using “volume down, volume up, then hold power button till you see the message”

Edit: it’s volume up then volume down.


----------



## jasonho

captblaze said:


> .WAV doesn't play well with metadata which may explain your issue. try converting to FLAC or some other metadata friendly format and things should get better



But these wav files tag info shows up well on my DX200......is there workaround beside converting the file format?


----------



## Redcarmoose

ryaneagon said:


> Why are some wanting to revert back to 2.0?  To be honest I'm looking forward to USB Dac and using it as a Bluetooth receiver.



I like the sound better with the 1A. But everyone is different.


----------



## Redcarmoose

br4lin said:


> For those who regret updating the 3.0 firmware and want to revert the change, the 2.0 firmware is still online.
> 
> Now for 'potential' legal reasons I cannot link it myself, but its still hosted on sony's very website.
> 
> ...



That is such a help.


----------



## jasonho

Redcarmoose said:


> You can actually take complete screen shots by using “volume down, volume up, then hold power button till you see the message”



My friend unit is on 3.0 firmware and when I press Vol + Vol - and power button, it didn't work.  Perhaps they change that in firmware 3.0?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 20, 2018)

jasonho said:


> My friend unit is on 3.0 firmware and when I press Vol + Vol - and power button, it didn't work.  Perhaps they change that in firmware 3.0?




Sorry it’s volume up volume down.
It’s works with 3.0. Also works with the ZX300.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/page-4#post-13148863


----------



## blazinblazin

Midnstorms said:


> Have anyone dropped a WM1A or 1Z and any damage to it? thanks lol


I dropped a few times with Dignis case on inside a soft pouch. So i guess no dmg lol.
Working as new.


----------



## nc8000

jasonho said:


> But these wav files tag info shows up well on my DX200......is there workaround beside converting the file format?



There is no standard for tagging wav so what works one place might not work somewhere else


----------



## captblaze

jasonho said:


> But these wav files tag info shows up well on my DX200......is there workaround beside converting the file format?



Some players handle them better than others, but FLAC seems to handle metadata in a more complete fashion, the same holds true with DSD files. .dff poor metadata ability .dsf handles metadata properly. Since I have a 24 Tb  NAS in my home. I have my music collection ripped in various formats and rotate them depending on the player I am using


----------



## captblaze

after spending time with my LPGD last night I awoke this morning craving some WM-1A goodness (with an assist from a set of HD800S).

 



Saturday morning fun fact: Keith Jarrett is the only person to gain writing credit on a Steely Dan album other than Fagen and Becker. This is the song he claims Steely Dan copied. Can you name the song KJ has credit on? Hint: you will find your answer "High in the Custerdome"


----------



## proedros

captblaze said:


> after spending time with my LPGD last night I awoke this morning craving some WM-1A goodness (with an assist from a set of HD800S).
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Gaucho , one of my favorite SD albums.


----------



## captblaze

proedros said:


> Gaucho , one of my favorite SD albums.



and probably the one of the more underrated albums. having to follow Aja and all the other troubles with engineering screw ups, legal battles and drug addiction couldn't have helped things. I have a gaucho outtakes album and has a few tracks not released and an alternate version of "Third World Man" entitled "Were You Blind That Day". A definite gem (for those that enjoy the Dan) although it is not in the best resolution, nevertheless I am glad I have it in my collection


----------



## Mindstorms

blazinblazin said:


> I dropped a few times with Dignis case on inside a soft pouch. So i guess no dmg lol.
> Working as new.


thanks, I droped my zx100 once nothing bad happened to it i wonder if the oscilators and inside stuff is fragile...


----------



## proedros

captblaze said:


> and probably the one of the more underrated albums. having to follow Aja and all the other troubles with engineering screw ups, legal battles and drug addiction couldn't have helped things. I have a gaucho outtakes album and has a few tracks not released and an alternate version of "Third World Man" entitled "Were You Blind That Day". A definite gem (for those that enjoy the Dan) although it is not in the best resolution, nevertheless I am glad I have it in my collection




the triad scam-aja-gaucho is SD firing on all cylinders

they don't make bands/albums like that anymore


----------



## tgrosu

Edric Li said:


> 1. Search bar
> 2. Read file meta in the background so I can browse in folder view immediately after inserting a new micro sd card. Similar to how AK does it.
> 
> Make it happen Sony



- reading one file albums and being able to decode it and play it track by track (also being able to skip any particular tracks); it would save us valuable time doing it manually and album by album;

- (maybe not useful to some of you): making a beep whenever it has finished playing the files in a specific folder; that way, you would know another album is going to start; it makes for a nice addition when you try discovering new albums and want to know when it ends.


----------



## captblaze

proedros said:


> the triad scam-aja-gaucho is SD firing on all cylinders
> 
> they don't make bands/albums like that anymore



I agree, but I also have a soft spot for Everything Must Go. "Lunch With Gina" playing through my WM-1A and HD800S makes for some toe tapping fun on a dreary Saturday morning


----------



## Kira69

Maybe someone will find this useful: http://oss.sony.net/Products/Linux/Audio/NW-WM1A.html


----------



## gerelmx1986

captblaze said:


> after spending time with my LPGD last night I awoke this morning craving some WM-1A goodness (with an assist from a set of HD800S).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have with Keith Jarrett and Michala petri, Bach the sonatas for flute (for recorder on the album)  and Cembalo


----------



## captblaze

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have with Keith Jarrett and Michala petri, Bach the sonatas for flute (for recorder on the album)  and Cembalo



thanks for the tip

I've got them queued up in a Tidal playlist and will get to them after some yard work.


----------



## sne4me

Did anyone see the news from photokina 2018, that lexar will release 1tb micro sdxc cards in 2019.

I'm assuming some people here will be waiting for this upgrade.


----------



## gerelmx1986

sne4me said:


> Did anyone see the news from photokina 2018, that lexar will release 1tb micro sdxc cards in 2019.
> 
> I'm assuming some people here will be waiting for this upgrade.


OMG WOOOT! i want one lol


----------



## denis1976 (Oct 20, 2018)

Hello i reverted the firmware to 1.2...conclusion, is awsome...i had the 1Z with the 1.2 in the past and when i bought it again i felt like the 2.0 had removed some of the magic that the 1Z had (in my opinion of course) the 3.0 i have mixed feelings, i thing is the mix of the1.2 and 2.0 , it is more organic than the 2.0 but not so much like the 1.2 but rewards you with space and air, both 2.0 and 3.0 are less thick and warm than the sp1000cu ,the sp1000 has a little more bass, with 1.2 the1Z is a bass master...wonderfull, the only thing that bothers me is a error warning saying to press 8 seconds blablabla every time i go to settings, i don't know how to make to that dissapear


----------



## Tawek

denis1976 said:


> Hello i reverted the firmware to 1.2...conclusion, is awsome...i had the 1Z with the 1.2 in the past and when i bought it again i felt like the 2.0 had removed some of the magic that the 1Z had (in my opinion of course) the 3.0 i have mixed feelings, i thing is the mix of the1.2 and 2.0 , it is more organic than the 2.0 but not so much like the 1.2 but rewards you with space and air, both 2.0 and 3.0 are less thick and warm than the sp1000cu ,the sp1000 has a little more bass, with 1.2 the1Z is a bass master...wonderfull, the only thing that bothers me is a error warning saying to press 8 seconds blablabla every time i go to settings, i don't know how to make to that dissapear


and for this 1Z for me it is the most universal and close to perfection DAP  
Everyone will find in it sound that he likes , changing the firmware  and everyone will adjust the sound under each headphone and iem .I agree in 100% 3.0 = mix 1.2 + 2.0
1z + ex1000 with 3.0 is perfect


----------



## Returnity

Midnstorms said:


> thanks, I droped my zx100 once nothing bad happened to it i wonder if the oscilators and inside stuff is fragile...



Well, I dropped the 1A once and I can sadly report that the screen is way way too fragile. Luckily it was a very minor crack at the edge of the screen. BTW dropping the DAP is not the only way to experience this, my IEM once slipped from my hands just 10 cm above the dap and caused a 1 mm dent on the screen as well. 

These things really need babysitting!


----------



## Soundizer

Midnstorms said:


> ABout FW .1.2 it has a diferent layering an positioning of the sound elements voice is more aligned to head... center, trebble sounds splashy bass sounds good in amount best bass amount in all three versions, 2,0 sounds cleaner less congested voice is a little forward stage is a little bigger, less bass and a more analitical trebble also a little more harsh trebble, 3.0 sounds even cleaner but vocals lack the warm of the other two...and treblle is a notch up again..




That is very bad news. Seems Base is getting worse after every update.


----------



## Quadfather

What's everyone's opinion a battery saver function? Do you think it really works?


----------



## captblaze

Quadfather said:


> What's everyone's opinion a battery saver function? Do you think it really works?



more life between charges or more potential charging cycles? its a simple answer for me...

more potential charging cycles and only time will tell if it was the wisest choice


----------



## bitonio (Oct 20, 2018)

Hello there,

I would like to share some feedback with the firmware 3.0 upgrade on WM1A.
I am using MacOS 10.13.6 (17G65)

My 2 units were uncapped while running FW 2.0 - both units were European model, upgrade went well and still have the uncap version options (as expected)

*Make sure you turn on the automatic USB Mass Storage option* before running the upgrade
I got a strange message at the end with the Mac installer like upgrade didn't went well, a bit scary but the unit was fine (and upgraded)

*FW 3.0 does not work with Roon*, made it work see my post in their forum (feel free to post your test as well)
I haven't spend a lot of time with this new FW, I smashed my IEMs recently, so much for the comparison before and after :-/
I really like the horizontal animated bar with peak, really cool addition Sony

Anyone knows how if there is a way to disable the message "USB connected", I found it useless before, even more now with the DAC option.


----------



## Mindstorms

Returnity said:


> Well, I dropped the 1A once and I can sadly report that the screen is way way too fragile. Luckily it was a very minor crack at the edge of the screen. BTW dropping the DAP is not the only way to experience this, my IEM once slipped from my hands just 10 cm above the dap and caused a 1 mm dent on the screen as well.
> 
> These things really need babysitting!


THANK you for the info friend


----------



## Mindstorms

Quadfather said:


> What's everyone's opinion a battery saver function? Do you think it really works?


Yes it works, it changes batery at 90% wich is better than stressing baterry to 100% and thanks to that making posible more cicle charges but from less duration...


----------



## animalsrush

Sticking to 1.2 fw on my wm1z. Tried 3.0 even though soundstage is bigger , details in your face there is something missing.. atleast for me that is the lush organic sound with deep bass and vocals that are sublime.. the details are there but not so much in your face with 1.2. 3.0 as with 2.0 is very fatiguing for my tastes. As I really don’t care much for the new features 1.2 fw hits the spot for my gear and my tastes. Imo Sony should have never changed the sound signature but added new features.. but preserved the Sony sound. Now it isounds like most analytical players on market.. well good thing for people like me it allows you to downgrade to fw 1.2

Pc


----------



## Mindstorms

Soundizer said:


> That is very bad news. Seems Base is getting worse after every update.


I think the update its more aimed at 1A thats my 2cents...


----------



## Mindstorms (Oct 20, 2018)

animalsrush said:


> Sticking to 1.2 fw on my wm1z. Tried 3.0 even though soundstage is bigger , details in your face there is something missing.. atleast for me that is the lush organic sound with deep bass and vocals that are sublime.. the details are there but not so much in your face with 1.2. 3.0 as with 2.0 is very fatiguing for my tastes. As I really don’t care much for the new features 1.2 fw hits the spot for my gear and my tastes. Imo Sony should have never changed the sound signature but added new features.. but preserved the Sony sound. Now it isounds like most analytical players on market.. well good thing for people like me it allows you to downgrade to fw 1.2
> 
> Pc


Give us customers more options in zx100 you where able to chose between Clearaudio+ wich will be more like 2.0 or 3.0 sound and a flater signature narrower more like 1.2 with loads of bass... i remember when i enable clearaudio bass since to diminish a lot.. and soundstage got bigger... I have 1 A dough.. not Z


----------



## Quadfather

animalsrush said:


> Sticking to 1.2 fw on my wm1z. Tried 3.0 even though soundstage is bigger , details in your face there is something missing.. atleast for me that is the lush organic sound with deep bass and vocals that are sublime.. the details are there but not so much in your face with 1.2. 3.0 as with 2.0 is very fatiguing for my tastes. As I really don’t care much for the new features 1.2 fw hits the spot for my gear and my tastes. Imo Sony should have never changed the sound signature but added new features.. but preserved the Sony sound. Now it isounds like most analytical players on market.. well good thing for people like me it allows you to downgrade to fw 1.2
> 
> Pc



Where do you find 1.2 at?


----------



## animalsrush (Oct 20, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> Where do you find 1.2 at?



I had downloaded a local copy last time I upgraded to 2.0.. also few pages back someone posted links to all 3 fw


----------



## Quadfather

Does anybody remember what page all 3 firmware links are on?


----------



## Quadfather

Well, it's time for a movie in your mind. Doing a little Deathlands tonight.


----------



## jasonho

Quadfather said:


> Does anybody remember what page all 3 firmware links are on?



heres the link : https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1616#post-14522121


----------



## Mindstorms

Could we open some sort of votation for firmwares 1A and 1Z...? no way?


----------



## Quadfather

jasonho said:


> heres the link : https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1616#post-14522121




I hate to sound ignorant, but what is the difference between a dmg file and an exe file? Which one do I use?


----------



## PJBrownSkin

Quadfather said:


> I hate to sound ignorant, but what is the difference between a dmg file and an exe file? Which one do I use?



dmg if you use a Mac, exe for Windows


----------



## Quadfather

PJBrownSkin said:


> dmg if you use a Mac, exe for Windows



I love this community. Comparatively speaking, Facebook sucks LOL


----------



## KaiserTK

Decided to compare the 1A 2.0 vs 3.0 firmwares from a slightly different approach so I don't have to rely on my fuzzy long-term audio memory.
Took two 1As with similar total playtime (all test done on SE) and one of them has had 3.0 fw for a while. 
Ran through some Chesky and other familiar tracks going back and forth and noticed they were noticeably different.
2.0 fw has a harder hitting bass and treble. Acoustic guitars really shined through as it had the 'thump' of the low-end plucks and 'tingy-ness' of the high-end plucks.
3.0 fw seemed to neutralize and soften the sound. Orchestral music seemed to sound slightly more airy due to a bit more detail in the visceral sounds.
Also to note was I had to be 2 volume ticks higher on the 3.0 fw to be what I perceived as volume matching (could be wrong though). 
All these fw developers claim it shouldn't affect the sound, but I really don't know what's causing this difference. 
Perhaps someone with more knowledge can chime in?


----------



## purk

KaiserTK said:


> Decided to compare the 1A 2.0 vs 3.0 firmwares from a slightly different approach so I don't have to rely on my fuzzy long-term audio memory.
> Took two 1As with similar total playtime (all test done on SE) and one of them has had 3.0 fw for a while.
> Ran through some Chesky and other familiar tracks going back and forth and noticed they were noticeably different.
> 2.0 fw has a harder hitting bass and treble. Acoustic guitars really shined through as it had the 'thump' of the low-end plucks and 'tingy-ness' of the high-end plucks.
> ...



Could be variation in units?  I used to have two ZX2 and they were not quite identical sound wise.  I certainly didn't discern obvious difference between 2.0 & 3.0 firmware on my 1Z.  I do welcome the added features on version 3.0.


----------



## Duncan

One thing that annoys me with Sony firmware (not just on these units but older ones too), is if you have two (or more) albums with the same name (different artist and everything else), that it bundles them together (so one album with 20 tracks 1,1,2,2,3,3 etc rather than two times 10 tracks)...

Don't suppose there is any way to resolve that short of changing tags?


----------



## denis1976 (Oct 21, 2018)

The benefits and disadvantages of the 1.2 to 3.0 firmware are variable acording to the iem or headphone that is pluged, the hifiman 400i has sligtly more body with the 1.2 but the ie800s has nearly no diference sound bodywise but sounds more closed so for the ie800s the 3.0 is the match, i am getting the conclusion that the 3.0 is a more universal firmware


----------



## Tawek

since I have 3.0 +1z I use only SE with ex1000. for me 3.0 SE is phenomenal, before 3.0 Only 4.4 Balanced !!!


----------



## nc8000

Duncan said:


> One thing that annoys me with Sony firmware (not just on these units but older ones too), is if you have two (or more) albums with the same name (different artist and everything else), that it bundles them together (so one album with 20 tracks 1,1,2,2,3,3 etc rather than two times 10 tracks)...
> 
> Don't suppose there is any way to resolve that short of changing tags?



None I’ve found


----------



## proedros

depending on whether you have 1a or 1z
depending on whether you have warm or neutral/cold iems

you will see which FW fits you best

for me , 1A + zeus XR (a neutral iem) on 3.0 sounded off

don't remember how 1.2 sounded but for now 2.0 sounds fine

when 4.0 comes around , we'll see how it matches

so just go with whichever FW fits your combos best


----------



## Redcarmoose

KaiserTK said:


> Decided to compare the 1A 2.0 vs 3.0 firmwares from a slightly different approach so I don't have to rely on my fuzzy long-term audio memory.
> Took two 1As with similar total playtime (all test done on SE) and one of them has had 3.0 fw for a while.
> Ran through some Chesky and other familiar tracks going back and forth and noticed they were noticeably different.
> 2.0 fw has a harder hitting bass and treble. Acoustic guitars really shined through as it had the 'thump' of the low-end plucks and 'tingy-ness' of the high-end plucks.
> ...



I have always thought 3.0 was slighly less loud, one other person mentioned it before. I agree with you.


----------



## captblaze

Redcarmoose said:


> I have always thought 3.0 was slighly less loud, one other person mentioned it before. I agree with you.



I am guessing that Sony has to tread a fine line between power and noise. a little tweak might cause the noise floor to jump and a slight correction in power output might be a necessary evil. I remember something @Whitigir mentioned regarding this many posts ago. 

this is all contingent on my memory being accurate


----------



## Mindstorms

KaiserTK said:


> long-term audio memory.
> Took two 1As with similar total playtime (all test done on SE) and one of them has had 3.0 fw for a while.
> Ran through some Chesky and other familiar tracks going back and forth and noticed they were noticeably different.
> 2.0 fw has a harder hitting bass and treble. Acoustic guitars really shined through as it had the 'thump' of the low-end plucks and 'tingy-ness' of the high-end plucks.





KaiserTK said:


> Decided to compare the 1A 2.0 vs 3.0 firmwares from a slightly different approach so I don't have to rely on my fuzzy long-term audio memory.
> Took two 1As with similar total playtime (all test done on SE) and one of them has had 3.0 fw for a while.
> Ran through some Chesky and other familiar tracks going back and forth and noticed they were noticeably different.
> 2.0 fw has a harder hitting bass and treble. Acoustic guitars really shined through as it had the 'thump' of the low-end plucks and 'tingy-ness' of the high-end plucks.
> ...


can you go 1.2?


----------



## Mindstorms

denis1976 said:


> The benefits and disadvantages of the 1.2 to 3.0 firmware are variable acording to the iem or headphone that is pluged, the hifiman 400i has sligtly more body with the 1.2 but the ie800s has nearly no diference sound bodywise but sounds more closed so for the ie800s the 3.0 is the match, i am getting the conclusion that the 3.0 is a more universal firmware


For 1Z i guess it is but for 1A i doubt it a little


----------



## gerelmx1986

Duncan said:


> One thing that annoys me with Sony firmware (not just on these units but older ones too), is if you have two (or more) albums with the same name (different artist and everything else), that it bundles them together (so one album with 20 tracks 1,1,2,2,3,3 etc rather than two times 10 tracks)...
> 
> Don't suppose there is any way to resolve that short of changing tags?


I had this problem bro, and had to change the album tag
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/page-3#post-12003798


----------



## Soundizer (Oct 21, 2018)

I am still on the fence about buying the NW-WM1A after reading about the following issues:
- Audio volume is capped and no one has been able to clearly explain exactly how to remove the cap. Some program, but how do you install it or access it?
- allot of people have found newer firmware versions to make the Base worse.

I could buy Chord Mojo and Poly for £100 less than the WM1A. And surely the Mojo is superior sound quality right?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Soundizer said:


> I am still on the fence about buying the NW-WM1A after reading about the following issues:
> - Audio volume is capped and no one has been able to clearly explain exactly how to remove the cap. Some program, but how do you install it or access it?
> - allot of people have found newer firmware versions to make the Base worse.
> 
> I could buy Chord Mojo and Poly for £100 less than the WM1A. And surely the Mojo is superior sound quality right?


Volume cap can be removed IT has BEEN TOLD  a MILLION TIMES here search ROCKBOX DEST TOOL

The bass is subjective to each his own


----------



## Quadfather

Duncan said:


> One thing that annoys me with Sony firmware (not just on these units but older ones too), is if you have two (or more) albums with the same name (different artist and everything else), that it bundles them together (so one album with 20 tracks 1,1,2,2,3,3 etc rather than two times 10 tracks)...
> 
> Don't suppose there is any way to resolve that short of changing tags?



On my player, Greatest Hits is the biggest offender. Therefore I put Greatest Hits, space, brackets with the band name inside the brackets, and it separates them.


----------



## Returnity

Soundizer said:


> I am still on the fence about buying the NW-WM1A after reading about the following issues:
> - Audio volume is capped and no one has been able to clearly explain exactly how to remove the cap. Some program, but how do you install it or access it?
> - allot of people have found newer firmware versions to make the Base worse.
> 
> I could buy Chord Mojo and Poly for £100 less than the WM1A. And surely the Mojo is superior sound quality right?



I sold my mojo after I bought the 1A. Mojo is surely good but it's a little overhyped IMHO. It has a very narrow soundstage, no balanced output, it's a hassle to use it on the go with all the cables (poly is definitely overkill!) compared to 1A. And I do think it is quite inferior in sound quality against 1A.


----------



## proedros

Soundizer said:


> I could buy Chord Mojo and Poly for £100 less than the WM1A. *And surely the Mojo is superior sound quality right?*



from what i get , wm1a is way better than mojo  -  hell zx2 was supposed to sound better than mojo and wm1a is a definite improvement over zx2


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 21, 2018)

Some albums i consider they show the best qualities of the MDR-Z1R/WM1A combo.

Soundstage & separation: Buxtehude (The) Organ works MDG Harald Vogel, incredible spacious sound with good layering of the pipes of the organ



Francois Couperin: La Triomphante Bruit de Guerre& Allemande a deux Clavecins, demonstrante the Z1R doesn't collapse on complex passages (i mean by collapsing that they crunch the space and sound congested). They render the two Hapsichords side by side on the allemande a deux clavecins, portraying every detail of the notes. On the La triomphante, Bruit de Guerre, the War march passage where the soloist makes a very thunderous passage of a war march with the Harpsichord complete registers, this tends to sound often congested and just a bunch of notes. THE Z1R manage to get it well layered and displayed, no signs of collapse, all details even the clicks of the Plectra is heard.
 
I do get some Binaural like experience with the MDR-Z1R, i know my records are stereo. this is just WOW. I am thinking if @purk is regretting having sold his Z1R to me , now that we have FW 3.0


----------



## Kira69

In my opinion, Mojo's user experience and design is very poor and amateur.

Sound quality is on par with WM1A, but different. Mojo is more lush and transparent (win combination imo), WM1A is better in everything else.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I had my first FW 3.0 Crash, i was deleting an album from the internal storage and it hanged there, i had to press power for 8s to reboot, the album got deleted and nothing major passed


----------



## bitonio (Oct 21, 2018)

W.r.t to different between firmware, my take as SW developer
You'll never know exactly what happened in the kitchen, meaning the differences in the code: that was added, optimized, bug fixed.
The industry standard is to have each change reviewed and pass through Quality Assurance with appropriate measurement tools.
Anything adding stress on the CPU or DSP may have an effect on the sound. I want to believe Sony has some experience about this 
I am taking the Ocam Razor approach here, why Sony would p*** off their existing customers by changing the sound signature? They introduced the vinyl mode and the DAC to address some requests that have been through extensive triage and been prioritized.



Soundizer said:


> I am still on the fence about buying the NW-WM1A after reading about the following issues:
> - Audio volume is capped and no one has been able to clearly explain exactly how to remove the cap. Some program, but how do you install it or access it?
> - allot of people have found newer firmware versions to make the Base worse.
> 
> I could buy Chord Mojo and Poly for £100 less than the WM1A. And surely the Mojo is superior sound quality right?



- Fairly easy to uncap. It took me 15  minutes research in this forum included 
- I assume it depends on people, I don't find any difference in signature between the few firmware release I put in the unit. Much more difference if I misplace my IEM in my ears, or changing tips.
- The combo/poly give you a lot more feature than WM1 with FW 3.0: WiFi and Roon Endpoint is one of them.


----------



## gerelmx1986

captblaze said:


> thanks for the tip
> 
> I've got them queued up in a Tidal playlist and will get to them after some yard work.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Like @nc8000 did the trick of only CD FLAC file son my walkman, woah lots of songs


----------



## buzzlulu

bitonio said:


> - The combo/poly give you a lot more feature than WM1 with FW 3.0: WiFi and Roon Endpoint is one of them.



With fw 3.0 and my iPhone connected to the 1Z using the Apple CCK the iPhone acts as a Roon endpoint perfectly fine.

WiFi also not necessary as the iPhone streams Tidal, Spotify, Apple Music etc.

imho 1Z stomps all over the Mojo/Poly


----------



## NaiveSound

buzzlulu said:


> With fw 3.0 and my iPhone connected to the 1Z using the Apple CCK the iPhone acts as a Roon endpoint perfectly fine.
> 
> WiFi also not necessary as the iPhone streams Tidal, Spotify, Apple Music etc.
> 
> imho 1Z stomps all over the Mojo/Poly


I second that  

MojoPoly is just far behind 1z


----------



## Quadfather

One of the best combinations for headphones that I have found out of the balanced output on my Sony NW - WM1A, is he Audioquest Nighthawks with Surf Cables balanced cable. Oh my God, this is just sublime!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 21, 2018)

bitonio said:


> W.r.t to different between firmware, my take as SW developer
> You'll never know exactly what happened in the kitchen, meaning the differences in the code: that was added, optimized, bug fixed.
> The industry standard is to have each change reviewed and pass through Quality Assurance with appropriate measurement tools.
> Anything adding stress on the CPU or DSP may have an effect on the sound. I want to believe Sony has some experience about this
> I am taking the Ocam Razor approach here, why Sony would p*** off their existing customers by changing the sound signature? They introduced the vinyl mode and the DAC to address some requests that have been through extensive triage and been prioritized.



You don’t even use a 1A or 1Z but feel it’s necessary to come here and criticize the software?

Sony is simply offering more choices with FW3.0. It’s safe to say there are no portable players on the planet which sound like the 1A/1Z. Sony is not following; they are leading in this technology. When you are in front you take chances as there are no maps.

As you can read we have members with FW 1.2 also people who like 2.0 and folks who enjoy FW 3.0. So no one is upset, except for those who want the new features of 3.0 and the sound signature of an older release.

Sony is changing the signature as they are trying to improve the equipment................... except with audio it’s all subjective. Folks also have different taste in sound signatures and different headphones. If folks have issues they can always go back to a prior FW. The players are great, and Sony is simply being creative with new adds.

Sony doesn’t have to make any changes at all, they are simply trying to make improvements. I’ve never had a crash with 3.0, but it does take more time to update the data base. Our FW here is pretty good all and all. Look at the Chi-Fi DAPs or look at ITunes, if you know of some perfect software out there in a DAP; please post it, I’d like to know what it is?


----------



## jasonho

gerelmx1986 said:


> Like @nc8000 did the trick of only CD FLAC file son my walkman, woah lots of songs



wow 5500 hours with 3.0 firmware?


----------



## Duncan

jasonho said:


> wow 5500 hours with 3.0 firmware?


I was thinking about the number of hours too - mine looks quite pathetic on about 35...

Long way for me to go!


----------



## nc8000

jasonho said:


> wow 5500 hours with 3.0 firmware?


 Not 5500 hours on 3.0 but in total on all versions since it was bought


----------



## captblaze

gerelmx1986 said:


> Like @nc8000 did the trick of only CD FLAC file son my walkman, woah lots of songs



Have you noticed any change in sound quality? I only have 5500 tracks (same storage amount) at the same total used. I wouldn't mind a few more tracks available, but don't want to lose any of the dynamics currently present


----------



## gerelmx1986

captblaze said:


> Have you noticed any change in sound quality? I only have 5500 tracks (same storage amount) at the same total used. I wouldn't mind a few more tracks available, but don't want to lose any of the dynamics currently present


I do note some changes esp in bass less refined and less punch. On high there is a slight loss of details, but for mobile use is not that important. The high resolution versions are on my pc


----------



## gerelmx1986

jasonho said:


> wow 5500 hours with 3.0 firmware?


Total hours played since it was bought and used. It is like the odometer of your car


----------



## jasonho

gerelmx1986 said:


> Total hours played since it was bought and used. It is like the odometer of your car



Yes but I thought it will get reset whenever you upgrade or downgrade the firmware.  maybe I was wrong ...


----------



## Stephen George

jasonho said:


> Yes but I thought it will get reset whenever you upgrade or downgrade the firmware.  maybe I was wrong ...



mine didn't reset...


----------



## gerelmx1986

jasonho said:


> Yes but I thought it will get reset whenever you upgrade or downgrade the firmware.  maybe I was wrong ...


It only gets reset if you perform a factory reset via settings menu


----------



## Joe Tan

@gerelmx1986 
How's the battery holding up after 5,500 hours ?


----------



## 911Peral

Hi guys, I just bought the 1A (in Mexico, about 600 USD now after disccount, lot cheaper than other countries), which I will pair with MDR-1ADAC and Sony-Kimber Kable MUC-S12SB1 to balance the headphones.

My question is if you consider that your bad experience with the sound in FW 3.0, compared to FW 1.2 or 2.0, also to the balanced exit in the 1A, or just for the unbalanced one.

Im analyzing if installing the FW 3.0 as soon as it arrives (tomorrow, according to DHL) or stay with the FW 2.0

I can't stay with FW 1.2 since I have some albums in MQA, which I think is not compatible with the 1.2 FW.

Regarding the MDR-1ADAC, I will compare hearing with the balanced cable and with the Walkman not sure which settings will sound best, but I would bet for the balanced cable directly to the 1A. 

Thanks!


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I’m only at 12 hours and mine is close to 2 years old. I shuffle between different daps and that’s the reason it’s low for me. Also I don’t think I will be upgrading in the next 5 years.
Hopefully the low hours will benefit with longevity on something like the beefy WM





Duncan said:


> I was thinking about the number of hours too - mine looks quite pathetic on about 35...
> 
> Long way for me to go!


----------



## Quadfather

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I’m only at 12 hours and mine is close to 2 years old. I shuffle between different daps and that’s the reason it’s low for me. Also I don’t think I will be upgrading in the next 5 years.
> Hopefully the low hours will benefit with longevity on something like the beefy WM



I shuffle DAPs too, but have 810 hours...one year old


----------



## nc8000

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I’m only at 12 hours and mine is close to 2 years old. I shuffle between different daps and that’s the reason it’s low for me. Also I don’t think I will be upgrading in the next 5 years.
> Hopefully the low hours will benefit with longevity on something like the beefy WM



So you only use it about 30 minutes every month ?


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I use it at night and fall asleep within minutes before I shut it off. 





nc8000 said:


> So you only use it about 30 minutes every month ?




I have not put it through even burn in yet. So that lies the problem?





Quadfather said:


> I shuffle DAPs too, but have 810 hours...one year old



I wish I could get more time with it‍♂️


----------



## cukis350

Has anyone used this LOD with their 1A/Z with Shure KSE1200?  Please let me know if this work and if it's better than SE out.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Line-Out-L...-WM-Prot-To-Headphone-Amplifier-/282640398090


----------



## nc8000

cukis350 said:


> Has anyone used this LOD with their 1A/Z with Shure KSE1200?  Please let me know if this work and if it's better than SE out.
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Line-Out-L...-WM-Prot-To-Headphone-Amplifier-/282640398090



Will not work with the newer WM players as the WM port no longer has analog out


----------



## bflat

cukis350 said:


> Has anyone used this LOD with their 1A/Z with Shure KSE1200?  Please let me know if this work and if it's better than SE out.
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Line-Out-L...-WM-Prot-To-Headphone-Amplifier-/282640398090



Just use the SE out. At normal gain, you can set to 112 volume and KSE amp at 0 dB padding and it sounds fine with no clipping or distortions.


----------



## quodjo105

Those of you with 1z and EE phantom. do you find the combo too warm, thick sounding?.


----------



## linux4ever

I use the WM1Z (FW3.0) with 64Audio A18 + 1960 2 wire cable and the more I listen to it, the more I'm liking it. I've enabled the Vinyl processor mode with surface noise setting.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 22, 2018)

Joe Tan said:


> @gerelmx1986
> How's the battery holding up after 5,500 hours ?


Still pretty strong 3 days befor  need to charge


----------



## Deftone

Is the scrolling/swiping still slow or has this all been fixed since FW1.2?


----------



## PJBrownSkin

Deftone said:


> Is the scrolling/swiping still slow or has this all been fixed since FW1.2?



Yup, the scrolling has been fixed since 1.2


----------



## alphanumerix1

is this a stupid idea lol that fact i even has to ask proves it is

m1a usb dac 3.5> rca into 1amp > headphones


----------



## Duncan

I’m surprised (and concerned with my hearing perhaps, knowing that this divides opinion) that MQA files sound so good on the 1A, not that I have any other reference point - but think I might buy into the file format a bit more!


----------



## captblaze

Duncan said:


> I’m surprised (and concerned with my hearing perhaps, knowing that this divides opinion) that MQA files sound so good on the 1A, not that I have any other reference point - but think I might buy into the file format a bit more!



I do believe the bottom line is to enjoy the music. if MQA gets you there it is a good thing, right?


----------



## flyer1

Tried 2.0 again on my 1Z and keeping it after a few weeks on 3.0. Something with difference in tonality and not having ''playstation' like bass made 2.0 a very pleasant and familiair return. Only miss the soundstage of 3.0..


----------



## denis1976

flyer1 said:


> Tried 2.0 again on my 1Z and keeping it after a few weeks on 3.0. Something with difference in tonality and not having ''playstation' like bass made 2.0 a very pleasant and familiair return. Only miss the soundstage of 3.0..


hello ,can you give me the link of the 2.0 firmware please
Thank you


----------



## Deftone

Yeah id like to keep a back up of 2.0 myself


----------



## nc8000

All fw (only Windows installers) plus user manual and service manual are in my DropBox

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0


----------



## Deftone

nc8000 said:


> All fw (only Windows installers) plus user manual and service manual are in my DropBox
> 
> https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0



Good man, got it.


----------



## proedros

someone mentioned earlier here that *amazon pics *show up on the wm1a/z screen without any more fixing

2 questions

1 - do i name them as *cover* ?
2 - which amazon did you dl them from ?

cheers


----------



## captblaze

proedros said:


> someone mentioned earlier here that *amazon pics *show up on the wm1a/z screen without any more fixing
> 
> 2 questions
> 
> ...



1. not certain, but cover and folder works on other devices
2. do a google image search for the album art and choose an image that points to amazon.com / right click on image and save picture

I avoid all that by imbedding the album art in the song file


----------



## Returnity

captblaze said:


> 1. not certain, but cover and folder works on other devices
> 2. do a google image search for the album art and choose an image that points to amazon.com / right click on image and save picture
> 
> I avoid all that by imbedding the album art in the song file



Embedding alone is not the solution though. Not every image embedded to the file gets shown, it still needs to be one of those specific formats. But yes, embedding the amazon jpg's is a guaranteed solution as of now.


----------



## nc8000

captblaze said:


> 1. not certain, but cover and folder works on other devices
> 2. do a google image search for the album art and choose an image that points to amazon.com / right click on image and save picture
> 
> I avoid all that by imbedding the album art in the song file



For non embedded image files to work (on fw 3.0, on earlier fw only embedded works) they have to be named the same as the folder they recide in


----------



## denis1976 (Oct 24, 2018)

The 2.0 firmware is not my thing , for me the sound is more agressive in the highs more harsh, the 3.0 is more airy and soft, the 1.2 less airy but has more room...is hard to explain...you feel less the air but more the room of the recording...and the mids....ooooo the mids...so organic and natural...anyway 1.2 or 3.0 are for me the best


----------



## GiorgioNuvolari

Hello all from a newbie! I apologize for asking this question - I did try to find an answer but could not, so please point me in the right direction if you know it!
I transferred files and folders using explorer from my NAS to 1z, and folders where FLAC files reside are recognized, whereas WAV files are all grouped in the unknown folder in the player memory.
I would appreciate any help on how to fix this (the files are in the appropriate folder structure - artist>album>file).
Many thanks for your collective help,
GN


----------



## nc8000 (Oct 24, 2018)

GiorgioNuvolari said:


> Hello all from a newbie! I apologize for asking this question - I did try to find an answer but could not, so please point me in the right direction if you know it!
> I transferred files and folders using explorer from my NAS to 1z, and folders where FLAC files reside are recognized, whereas WAV files are all grouped in the unknown folder in the player memory.
> I would appreciate any help on how to fix this (the files are in the appropriate folder structure - artist>album>file).
> Many thanks for your collective help,
> GN



Wav files typically don’t support tagging so you need to access them via the folders view on the player, and even if you manage to get metadata in the file they might be read by some systems but not by otherd


----------



## Nostoi

Hi all,

Can someone tell me if it's possible to play FLAC files from a USB stick via the Sony OTG cable plugged into a WM1A? I tried on mine and it's not happening but I've read it's possible. 

Thanks


----------



## Tawek (Oct 24, 2018)

denis1976 said:


> The 2.0 firmware is not my thing , for me the sound is more agressive in the highs more harsh, the 3.0 is more airy and soft, the 1.2 less airy but has more room...is hard to explain...you feel less the air but more the room of the recording...and the mids....ooooo the mids...so organic and natural...anyway 1.2 or 3.0 are for me the best



 3.0 is my favorite 2.0 right after that I listen to much of the ambient and electronics 1z + ex1000 +3.0 I do not have  words my dream team and one more thing over 3300h and the battery still lasts 24.5 hours


----------



## Bart147

denis1976 said:


> The 2.0 firmware is not my thing , for me the sound is more agressive in the highs more harsh, the 3.0 is more airy and soft, the 1.2 less airy but has more room...is hard to explain...you feel less the air but more the room of the recording...and the mids....ooooo the mids...so organic and natural...anyway 1.2 or 3.0 are for me the best


How would you describe the mids on 1.2 vs 3.0 ? I'm on 3.0 now. TIA


----------



## Edric Li

Nostoi said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Can someone tell me if it's possible to play FLAC files from a USB stick via the Sony OTG cable plugged into a WM1A? I tried on mine and it's not happening but I've read it's possible.
> 
> Thanks



hmmmm


----------



## captblaze

Nostoi said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Can someone tell me if it's possible to play FLAC files from a USB stick via the Sony OTG cable plugged into a WM1A? I tried on mine and it's not happening but I've read it's possible.
> 
> Thanks



no go on mine with 128gb Patriot Blitz USB flash drive

wouldn't recognize drive at all


----------



## nc8000

Nostoi said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Can someone tell me if it's possible to play FLAC files from a USB stick via the Sony OTG cable plugged into a WM1A? I tried on mine and it's not happening but I've read it's possible.
> 
> Thanks



I highly doubt that would work. The WM in dac mode expects to be fed an audio over usb signal from a computer streaming, not accessing a passive storage device


----------



## Nostoi

nc8000 said:


> I highly doubt that would work. The WM in dac mode expects to be fed an audio over usb signal from a computer streaming, not accessing a passive storage device


Thanks very much; that's what I figured, indeed .


----------



## Stephen George

GiorgioNuvolari said:


> I transferred files and folders using explorer from my NAS to 1z, and folders where FLAC files reside are recognized, whereas WAV files are all grouped in the unknown folder in the player memory.
> GN




  there's also a bunch of freeware utils that will convert those .wavs to lossless .flac and save you up to 60-70%


----------



## bana

Had my first reset with FW 3.0 in the middle of listening to Dire Straits, On Every Street, in the middle of my favorite song "you and your friend". 

Those of you in direct contact with Sony, has there been any feedback?

Thanks.


----------



## NaiveSound

I don't think Sony cares.


----------



## Duncan

My only one reset was after deleting some albums via the player, so guessing it's database threw a fit.

Haven't had any since.


----------



## davidmolliere

I haven't had any either, I don't think Sony does not care, as usual with software it's all about how many people report the bug if it's a more general issue they will address it


----------



## bana

NaiveSound said:


> I don't think Sony cares.



Of course they do. It's always about 'saving face', so they have to do something.


----------



## Sonyvores (Oct 24, 2018)

davidmolliere said:


> I haven't had any either, I don't think Sony does not care, as usual with software it's all about how many people report the bug if it's a more general issue they will address it



Exactly, so far it doesn't happen to many users. But Sony does care.
First thing will be to reset to factory settings the walkman (blank like out of the box) to see if it fixes the issue or not
Then you have to tell more about your habbits like how you transfert music? Does it happen randomly or not, with any files? So they can see if they can reproduce the issue to start investigate


----------



## bana

Where do you report the issue or does Sony monitor this site?


----------



## Returnity

NaiveSound said:


> I don't think Sony cares.



I think they do. I reported the issue as detailed as I could and also directed them to this thread. 

They said that they are aware of the issue and that it is under investigation. Let's hope that they are telling the truth!


----------



## denis1976

Bart147 said:


> How would you describe the mids on 1.2 vs 3.0 ? I'm on 3.0 now. TIA


hello, the 1.2 has a more organic mids with more presence, the  3.0  still very good but are more distante, all the mid region has to my ears more realism with the 1.2 fw


----------



## flyer1

denis1976 said:


> hello, the 1.2 has a more organic mids with more presence, the  3.0  still very good but are more distante, all the mid region has to my ears more realism with the 1.2 fw



I used 1.2 quite a bit as well but didn't like that it sounded congested, less detailed and highs subdued compared to 2.0.


----------



## denis1976

Maybe is the match with the iem and headphones that you use, the 1.2 only sounds a little congested with warm iems or without the burning hours made,the layering and flesh of this device is awsome


----------



## flyer1 (Oct 24, 2018)

denis1976 said:


> Maybe is the match with the iem and headphones that you use, the 1.2 only sounds a little congested with warm iems or without the burning hours made,the layering and flesh of this device is awsome



For my 1Z/Z5 combo 2.0 is my favourite FW. Gives me a organic, analogue yet detailed Sony type of sound in direct mode, absolutely wonderfull.

 3.0 only does soundstage better but sacrefices were made to achieve that I guess eg I don't like it that much in direct mode. With vinyl processing it becomes ok though.


----------



## ryaneagon

I assume the WM1A's balanced output can be used as a line level out using low gain?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

I have had zero issues with v3.0 on Mac. My friend received his new 1Z last week and updated to v3.0, zero issues as well. 

If you are experiencing issues, communicate with the Sony member here and be as detailed as possible on how he/she can replicate your concerns. Keep in mind that the person helping you ONLY knows what you share. A short video would also help them help you. 

I know Sony cares, especially the Signature Series products. It is why SS products are only sold by select dealers.


----------



## Redcarmoose

ryaneagon said:


> I assume the WM1A's balanced output can be used as a line level out using low gain?



I could never get a good sound that way. I would guess it’s not good due to the fact that your double amping.


----------



## blazinblazin

I would say as the new firmware releases, it gets better and better for DD iems. More space.


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> I could never get a good sound that way. I would guess it’s not good due to the fact that your double amping.


Is this how I turn high gain on? For my balanced section?? Or will it blow my iems?


----------



## ryaneagon

Redcarmoose said:


> I could never get a good sound that way. I would guess it’s not good due to the fact that your double amping.



I thought that might be the case. What are my options? I would be using this at a music venue 4.4mm out to XLR. Would I have to purchase a dock of some sort?


----------



## blazinblazin

NaiveSound said:


> Is this how I turn high gain on? For my balanced section?? Or will it blow my iems?



It will not blow your IEMs.
It will auto lower the volume by a bit.


----------



## Stephen George

bana said:


> Had my first reset with FW 3.0 in the middle of listening to Dire Straits, On Every Street, in the middle of my favorite song "you and your friend".




does it happen every time you get to this spot?


----------



## ryaneagon

Redcarmoose said:


> I could never get a good sound that way. I would guess it’s not good due to the fact that your double amping.



I've read these sort of answers regarding the line out and double amping a few times on this forum, I unfortunately will not be receiving my WM1 until next week so I'm unable to test this. Thank you for your reply.

_"First, Walkman has Coil-inductors on the output for power amplifications, which is less susceptible to any load resistance...if any (according to Sony engineer, output load resistances is a 0 concern). There are 0 operational Amplifiers of any short of which is very sensitive to load resistances, which will heavily be affected by further amplification out to input. Further more, Walkman Wm1a/z doesn't have MOSFET for switching modes within it chains for relay mechanism, but a solid mechanical relay to further suppress noises.

Even further than that, Digital block of S-master is all shielded up and deflecting possible noises from analog block away.

There are even more than that such as the uses of Capacitors....etc...., of which Sony engineers said that Headphones output IS your line-out, period.

Walkman Wm1A/Z is not dependent on load resistances, and therefore double amplifications is not a thing to be worrying about."_


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 25, 2018)

ryaneagon said:


> I've read these sort of answers regarding the line out and double amping a few times on this forum, I unfortunately will not be receiving my WM1 until next week so I'm unable to test this. Thank you for your reply.
> 
> _"First, Walkman has Coil-inductors on the output for power amplifications, which is less susceptible to any load resistance...if any (according to Sony engineer, output load resistances is a 0 concern). There are 0 operational Amplifiers of any short of which is very sensitive to load resistances, which will heavily be affected by further amplification out to input. Further more, Walkman Wm1a/z doesn't have MOSFET for switching modes within it chains for relay mechanism, but a solid mechanical relay to further suppress noises.
> 
> ...




When I plugged a 3.5mm single ended cable then went 2X RCA to my Asgard it really didn't sound good. Though I guess you could go to a power amp and turn the amp on after it was all plugged in with the volume down? The Walkmans sound good going to a DAC, but they have gone away from any line out, only digital out. What you have posted seems to be about the quietness of the amp and the noise floor. My experience was it simply didn't sound good trying to go to an amp. Now I have the Sony TA amp, which allows for digital in from the 1A/1Z.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Strange as I can only get DAC functionality with the dock, though it does sound great with my Macbook Air.


----------



## davidmolliere

Redcarmoose said:


> Strange as I can only get DAC functionality with the dock, though it does sound great with my Macbook Air.



I tried the DAC functionality but didn't work at all with the bundled cable and my MacBook Pro 15, does it work only with the Sony app or can you use it as a full DAC as I expected?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 25, 2018)

davidmolliere said:


> I tried the DAC functionality but didn't work at all with the bundled cable and my MacBook Pro 15, does it work only with the Sony app or can you use it as a full DAC as I expected?



You mean https://musiccenter.sony.net/en/?

I think that’s only PC? I’m not sure? I’m using the dreaded ITunes. But only because I still use iPods walking around. So my music files end up in iTunes. I use DAPs with the TA amp, not really listening off a computer that much. Though I can say Bluetooth was good for movies on the MacBook, but too much delay in DAC mode for me.


----------



## davidmolliere

Redcarmoose said:


> You mean https://musiccenter.sony.net/en/?
> I think that’s only PC? I’m not sure? I’m using the dreaded ITunes. But only because I still use iPods walking around. So my music files end up in iTunes. I use DAPs with the TA amp.



Ok thanks, but you're saying doesn't work either with Mac plugged with the USB cable, only the dock ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 25, 2018)

davidmolliere said:


> Ok thanks, but you're saying doesn't work either with Mac plugged with the USB cable, only the dock ?



People on this thread have been able to get the 1A/1Z to perform the DAC funtion on Macintosh with the supplied cable. I myself can get the MacBook Air to recognize the Walkman but it keeps shutting off DAC function and restarting DAC function inside the computer. So the Sony dock allowed me to use a small mini-USB; which normally is computer pass through to the TA amp. The dock has no DAC function for the Walkmans it just seemed to work. Plus it sounds really good. Though I’m not sure about HD support as if you look at my post the DAC is registering PCM 44.1???

For people with the TA amp, the 1Z/1A DAC function is not that big of deal as we already have computer in to the TA. Probably the one good thing about the dock and laptop is it’s portable where the TA amp is heavy.


----------



## davidmolliere

Redcarmoose said:


> People on this thread have been able to get the 1A/1Z to perform the DAC funtion on Macintosh with the supplied cable. I myself can get the MacBook Air to recognize the Walkman but it keeps shutting off DAC function and restarting DAC function inside the computer. So the Sony dock allowed me to use a small mini-USB; which normally is computer pass through to the TA amp. The dock has no DAC function for the Walkmans it just seemed to work. Plus it sounds really good. Though I’m not sure about HD support as if you look at my post the DAC is registering PCM 44.1???



Ok nice to know I have the same issue you did, I guess it also depends on your Mac mine is a 15" retina with touchbar fairly recent so use of the USB C adapter is mandatory I think that might be the issue...


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> People on this thread have been able to get the 1A/1Z to perform the DAC funtion on Macintosh with the supplied cable. I myself can get the MacBook Air to recognize the Walkman but it keeps shutting off DAC function and restarting DAC function inside the computer. So the Sony dock allowed me to use a small mini-USB; which normally is computer pass through to the TA amp. The dock has no DAC function for the Walkmans it just seemed to work. Plus it sounds really good. Though I’m not sure about HD support as if you look at my post the DAC is registering PCM 44.1???
> 
> For people with the TA amp, the 1Z/1A DAC function is not that big of deal as we already have computer in to the TA. Probably the one good thing about the dock and laptop is it’s portable where the TA amp is heavy.



I’m no Mac perso but somebody in this thread mentioned some reset steps they had todo on parts of the Mac system after which it worked


----------



## Redcarmoose

davidmolliere said:


> Ok nice to know I have the same issue you did, I guess it also depends on your Mac mine is a 15" retina with touchbar fairly recent so use of the USB C adapter is mandatory I think that might be the issue...



I went looking around and found there was no software to enable the 1Z/1A with a Mac. There was a FW update package at Sony and the Mac music transfer software. I haven’t played with the music transfer software as I use a PC and simply put files in the Walkmans and cards from there. 

Maybe more folks who were successful at using their Mac and Walkman as a DAC can chime in on how they did it?


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> I’m no Mac perso but somebody in this thread mentioned some reset steps they had todo on parts of the Mac system after which it worked



Oh, they had to make their Mac, into out of the box style?


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Oh, they had to make their Mac, into out of the box style?



It was something about doing a reset of 2 sub systems


----------



## quodjo105

Redcarmoose said:


> People on this thread have been able to get the 1A/1Z to perform the DAC funtion on Macintosh with the supplied cable. I myself can get the MacBook Air to recognize the Walkman but it keeps shutting off DAC function and restarting DAC function inside the computer. So the Sony dock allowed me to use a small mini-USB; which normally is computer pass through to the TA amp. The dock has no DAC function for the Walkmans it just seemed to work. Plus it sounds really good. Though I’m not sure about HD support as if you look at my post the DAC is registering PCM 44.1???
> 
> For people with the TA amp, the 1Z/1A DAC function is not that big of deal as we already have computer in to the TA. Probably the one good thing about the dock and laptop is it’s portable where the TA amp is heavy.


Go into Audio midi settings , and play with the bitrate options . I changed mine from the default one to the next one and it worked on my MacBook. I faced the same issue like you


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 25, 2018)

Also folks should keep in mind it’s better to switch the DAC funtion on in the DAP before hooking the USB cable to the Mac. Also I found you need to then restart iTunes. Also keep in mind I’m using the dock, not the supplied cable.


----------



## bana

Sonyvores said:


> Exactly, so far it doesn't happen to many users. But Sony does care.
> First thing will be to reset to factory settings the walkman (blank like out of the box) to see if it fixes the issue or not
> Then you have to tell more about your habbits like how you transfert music? Does it happen randomly or not, with any files? So they can see if they can reproduce the issue to start investigate



There was no nefarious activity going on at the time of the crash. I have the 1Z with 256G micro SD card with about 90G free space. All my music are either WAV or FLAC.
I was listening to an album that is currently in my play rotation and one that I have listened to multiple times since upgrading to FW 3.0.
About half way into track #6 of Dire Straits On Every Street, boom crash.

Let me know what else you need?

Thanks.


----------



## captblaze

bana said:


> There was no nefarious activity going on at the time of the crash. I have the 1Z with 256G micro SD card with about 90G free space. All my music are either WAV or FLAC.
> I was listening to an album that is currently in my play rotation and one that I have listened to multiple times since upgrading to FW 3.0.
> About half way into track #6 of Dire Straits On Every Street, boom crash.
> 
> ...



is yours a European model that has been rock boxed?


----------



## bana

captblaze said:


> is yours a European model that has been rock boxed?



The unit has not been Rockboxed. 
It reports Destination code E.


----------



## captblaze

bana said:


> The unit has not been Rockboxed.
> It reports Destination code E.



thanks, I am attempting to compile a list of reboots and what they might have in common. before you the response(s) I received (only 2) were rock boxed EU models. I was looking as that being a possible reason. alas it looks not to be rock boxing as the culprit


----------



## XP_98 (Oct 25, 2018)

I have an issue with the 3 user presets : looks like I can save them (at least I think I can), but when I try to open one of them, the system asks me if I want to continue by replacing with current parameters... So I cannot use a preset, and don't even know if there is something saved...
Any idea ?

P.s. I have FW 3.0 installed, and never tried to use presets before...


----------



## fiascogarcia

XP_98 said:


> I have an issue with the 3 user presets : looks like I can save them (at least I think I can), but when I try to open one of them, the system asks me if I want to continue by replacing with current parameters... So I cannot use a preset, and don't even know if there is something saved...
> Any idea ?
> 
> P.s. I have FW 3.0 installed, and never tried to use presets before...


Their lingo is a little screwy.  When you select a saved setting and it says "Overwrite the saved settings with the current settings.  Do you want to continue?" , hit OK.  It should change your equalizer to that saved setting.  The box on the bottom that says "Save current setting"  is how you create or edit an existing saved setting.  Hope that helps.


----------



## fiascogarcia

captblaze said:


> thanks, I am attempting to compile a list of reboots and what they might have in common. before you the response(s) I received (only 2) were rock boxed EU models. I was looking as that being a possible reason. alas it looks not to be rock boxing as the culprit


Just thinking out loud here.  I've not had any problem whatsoever, but I'm not using an SD card.  Is there any possibility that having any type of SD card loaded is causing the issue for some?


----------



## ryaneagon

Redcarmoose said:


> When I plugged a 3.5mm single ended cable then went 2X RCA to my Asgard it really didn't sound good. Though I guess you could go to a power amp and turn the amp on after it was all plugged in with the volume down? The Walkmans sound good going to a DAC, but they have gone away from any line out, only digital out. What you have posted seems to be about the quietness of the amp and the noise floor. My experience was it simply didn't sound good trying to go to an amp. Now I have the Sony TA amp, which allows for digital in from the 1A/1Z.



Thanks. What digital connection cable are you using out of the Sony? So does it disable the line out and use the digital out as a transport or is the DAC still involved?


----------



## nc8000

fiascogarcia said:


> Just thinking out loud here.  I've not had any problem whatsoever, but I'm not using an SD card.  Is there any possibility that having any type of SD card loaded is causing the issue for some?



I had 3 crashes with 2-3 hours in between before going back to 2.0.

One when streaming over bluetooth from my iPad, one playing a 16/44 flac from build in memory and one playing a 16/44 flac from a 400GB memory card. All 3 instances work without problem after the reboot. Mine is a RockBoxed EU unit. No crashes ever before going to 3.0 and no crashes after going back to 2.0 (2 weeks ago). I have not loaded or deleted any files for several months and the memory card has not been removed for nearly a year.


----------



## captblaze

fiascogarcia said:


> Just thinking out loud here.  I've not had any problem whatsoever, but I'm not using an SD card.  Is there any possibility that having any type of SD card loaded is causing the issue for some?



that is a possibility. unfortunately with different global variants which may or may not contain identically manufactured components (think iPhone and Samsung galaxy) that may not all play well with firmware changes. not that Sony isn't capable of handling all scenarios, I am convinced there is a common issue that would account for this condition. 
to get things started

My WM-1A is a US variant with a 400 Gb SanDisk card / no reboots on 3.0 Firmware. 3.0 installed since release


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

captblaze said:


> I avoid all that by imbedding the album art in the song file



How come? I got really anal and embedded the album art into every song file, using Yate on my Mac. I kinda liked seeing every album art on every track in any software I open the file on.
Are the savings in file size that great? Or are there other benefits?


----------



## XP_98

fiascogarcia said:


> Their lingo is a little screwy.  When you select a saved setting and it says "Overwrite the saved settings with the current settings.  Do you want to continue?" , hit OK.  It should change your equalizer to that saved setting.  The box on the bottom that says "Save current setting"  is how you create or edit an existing saved setting.  Hope that helps.


Yes it helps 
I did not understand that "overwrite" really means "apply preset"...
Thank you for your help


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 25, 2018)

ryaneagon said:


> Thanks. What digital connection cable are you using out of the Sony? So does it disable the line out and use the digital out as a transport or is the DAC still involved?


Mainly the Sony dock with a regular USB to the Sony TA amp/DAC. There is also a dongle which allows using a regular USB cable to go into the back of the TA amp. I have heard you can also use the dock to add the Sony 1Z/1A to other DACs, but I have not tried it. It is said to work as the dock adds the power, which the 1Z/1A does not when hooked to USB, so the DACs accept the signal?

This way the DAC in the Walkmans is disabled. Bluetooth is also disabled in the Walkmans at the time of use. The Walkmans are used as file transports only.

The TA amp comes with a mini USB side connection cable for the Walkmans.


----------



## captblaze

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> How come? I got really anal and embedded the album art into every song file, using Yate on my Mac. I kinda liked seeing every album art on every track in any software I open the file on.
> Are the savings in file size that great? Or are there other benefits?



I have quite a few portables and I find that having the art embedded works best with my devices


----------



## Quadfather

Any whispers of the next generation of Walkmans?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quadfather said:


> Any whispers of the next generation of Walkmans?



This guy may know something?


----------



## auronthas

nc8000 said:


> I’m no Mac perso but *somebody* in this thread mentioned some reset steps they had todo on parts of the Mac system after which it worked


That's my post on reset, here you go @davidmolliere the link below

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1640#post-14531280


----------



## Love Music

I have the zx300 at the moment do you guys think it's worth it to get the wm1a also if you want even better sq?


----------



## Joe Tan

Yes Wm1a is an upgrade in sq over zx300.
But my advise is skip the wm1a , go straight to the Wm1z. Save yourself some $$$ in the long run.
I had a dap then upgrade to wm1a , now im itching for a 1Z !


----------



## proedros

wm1z is 3x the price of 1a , while 20% better

maybe he is on a budget , i have been on wm1a 1 year and i am fine

would i have liked getting 1z ? sure , but only when i start **** euros out of my ashole


----------



## Joe Tan

Yes its logical and sensible to upgrade from dx300 to wm1a , especially base on sq increment(subjective) .

But if he he can afford why not ?


----------



## Soundizer

I tried downloading the RoxkBox software but it didn’t work. And no reference to Sony in the software. ?


----------



## Love Music

Thanks for the input .But yeah ,I can only afford the wm1a and it is more portableportable since the wm1z is so heavy.


----------



## nc8000 (Oct 26, 2018)

Soundizer said:


> I tried downloading the RoxkBox software but it didn’t work. And no reference to Sony in the software. ?



In what way does it not work ?
The RockBox tool is exclusively for the Sony players so plenty of Sony references. It only works on Windows not Mac


----------



## Quadfather

proedros said:


> wm1z is 3x the price of 1a , while 20% better
> 
> maybe he is on a budget , i have been on wm1a 1 year and i am fine
> 
> would i have liked getting 1z ? sure , but only when i start ****ting euros out of my ashole



Or pooping US dollars in a pan in my case.  LOL


----------



## ryaneagon

So just some 100% clear. The Sony WM1A/Z doesn't allow for a digital out or a balanced line level out to connect to an external system? Is it strictly a headphone/IEM device? My plan was hoping to use with my home 2-channel pre/amp setup with or without the dock, I just not 100% sure on using the 4.4mm output to input my preamp via dual XLR. I really don't like the idea of double amping. Sure I could always purchase a Sony HAP-Z1ES, but why? If the WM1A/Z could theoretically do the same thing.


----------



## named name

The Sony WM1A/Z does allow for digital out to be connected to an external DAC, it does not currently have a balanced line level out.


----------



## nc8000

ryaneagon said:


> So just some 100% clear. The Sony WM1A/Z doesn't allow for a digital out or a balanced line level out to connect to an external system? Is it strictly a headphone/IEM device? My plan was hoping to use with my home 2-channel pre/amp setup with or without the dock, I just not 100% sure on using the 4.4mm output to input my preamp via dual XLR. I really don't like the idea of double amping. Sure I could always purchase a Sony HAP-Z1ES, but why? If the WM1A/Z could theoretically do the same thing.



There is no line out be it single ended or balanced but they can do digital out via the WM port


----------



## ryaneagon (Oct 26, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> There is no line out be it single ended or balanced but they can do digital out via the WM port




Good to know. What sort of WM cables are available? I assume this could probably used https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE

to connect to a newer receiver with USB input maybe? 

Anybody know if this USB DI will work with the Sony?

http://www.radialeng.com/product/usb-pro/


----------



## meomap

ryaneagon said:


> So just some 100% clear. The Sony WM1A/Z doesn't allow for a digital out or a balanced line level out to connect to an external system? Is it strictly a headphone/IEM device? My plan was hoping to use with my home 2-channel pre/amp setup with or without the dock, I just not 100% sure on using the 4.4mm output to input my preamp via dual XLR. I really don't like the idea of double amping. Sure I could always purchase a Sony HAP-Z1ES, but why? If the WM1A/Z could theoretically do the same thing.


I am using 1Z 3.5 mm out to 2 RCA to tube Preamp and tube amp.
Sound very good with Magnepan 3.7i
As good as CD player to PA to Amp.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

I keep hearing people say that the 1A/Z can't handle a line out and attempting to do so will result in crappy sound due to double amping.

However this seems to be a gross oversight on the part of Sony and I can't imagine this is so. Others have pointed out that you can put an analog signal out through the 3.5SE to an RCA and that works, and it's apparently even documented somewhere. This is the method I use to connect my 1A to my WA7 and it works fine. I've seen someone explain that this is due to some magic of electronic engineering which I'm not smart enough to understand.

Can we put this to bed once and for all? Is it documented or not? And surely others have done it and it's worked well for them?


----------



## Whitigir

I have always said this, the Wm1A/Z is an excellent analog source from both 4.4mm or 3.5mm


----------



## ryaneagon

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I keep hearing people say that the 1A/Z can't handle a line out and attempting to do so will result in crappy sound due to double amping.
> 
> However this seems to be a gross oversight on the part of Sony and I can't imagine this is so. Others have pointed out that you can put an analog signal out through the 3.5SE to an RCA and that works, and it's apparently even documented somewhere. This is the method I use to connect my 1A to my WA7 and it works fine. I've seen someone explain that this is due to some magic of electronic engineering which I'm not smart enough to understand.
> 
> Can we put this to bed once and for all? Is it documented or not? And surely others have done it and it's worked well for them?


This is great info. I’m asking because I won’t receive my WM1Z until next week to test, also I’m interested in others opinions. I’m trying to get as much info as possible for options. Cheers!


----------



## bflat (Oct 26, 2018)

Here are the potential problems with double amping and why it’s irrelevant for most portable headphone devices:

Short version - Think of your Sony DAP as a variable line out device in the same mould as portable Chord DACs.

1) Obvious distortion and clipping

Line out spec is generally 2.1 - 2.5V. If your source outputs more than that, then you risk exceeding the line in spec of your amp and that could create obvious distortion and clipping. For most portable headphone devices like the Sony DAP, the max output voltage for SE is about 2V. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the official Sony specs, but based on my experience using the SE out to my KSE1200 amp, I’m pretty sure it is around 2V. Even so, most modern amps can accept higher input voltages so this is even less of an issue. As another data point, the default line out voltage for Chord products is 3V. Obviously if you tried double amping with speaker amps, your would most definitely run into this problem.

2) Input voltage too low, therefore increasing the noise floor of the amp

This assumes your amp’s noise floor increases with output volume. Some amps do, better amps don’t. If your input voltage is too low, then you have to crank up the amplification level of your amp, thus raising your noise floor. But for portable headphone devices like the Sony DAP, you have a volume control that can raise your output voltage. Even better, if your output voltage is around 2V, then just set your volume level to 100% and don’t worry about it.

3) Double amping doubles the noise and distortions

Technically this is true. Your net noise and distortions (SNR, THD, etc) is the sum of both amps so more than the individual amps. But ask yourself this - is there any line out source in the world that has zero noise and distortions? Of course not. Unfortunately again, I cannot find the official Sony specs, but I am willing to bet that the headphone out of the WM1a/z measures as good or better than many pure DACs in the same price range. If anyone can confirm this even better.

4) The measurements

All manufacturers post their specs in the most ideal scenario which is no load. Line inputs are universally high impedance in the order of thousands or tens of thousands of ohms. That is basically no current flow and no load. Whatever the Sony DAP measurements are, you will get those when used as a line out source. The same DAP connected to a headphone will meaure worse especially with IEMs that require high load due to low impedance. Want to see a speaker amp literally catch on fire? Connect a home amp to car speakers in parallel that drops impedance to 0.5 ohms.

5) Other considerations

For the SE out, just get a simple dual RCA to 3.5mm adapter. For balanced it’s a little more tricky. I don’t believe Sony DAPs use the 5th rung ground on the 4.4mm jack. Assuming that’s true, you need to know if your XLR balanced uses the 3rd pin for chassis ground. If it doesn’t, then it’s a simple 4.4mm to dual XLR adapter. If 3rd pin is used, you will need to connect ground to something on the Sony DAP. Usually that would be the common ground on the 3.5mm jack, but I would want to confirm that with Sony first. If you don’t close the ground, you will likely get ground noise.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 26, 2018)

ryaneagon said:


> So just some 100% clear. The Sony WM1A/Z doesn't allow for a digital out or a balanced line level out to connect to an external system? Is it strictly a headphone/IEM device? My plan was hoping to use with my home 2-channel pre/amp setup with or without the dock, I just not 100% sure on using the 4.4mm output to input my preamp via dual XLR. I really don't like the idea of double amping. Sure I could always purchase a Sony HAP-Z1ES, but why? If the WM1A/Z could theoretically do the same thing.


I recently tried using the 1Z with the dock to Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus USB and it didn’t work, nor using the dongle and USB.

I also tried to go mini-USB (with dongle) out to a FiiO E17K Alpen 2 to use as an external DAC and it didn’t work.

So i’d think it’s safe to say the dock or dongle isn’t always going to get the 1A/1Z to be a digital transport out for a DAC. Though there is a couple of Sony products that are documented to work; including the TA DAC/amp.

Also be aware there are 4.4mm plugs that don’t seems to be what they are advertised to be on EBay. There are no 4.4mm to 2X RCA cables which exist. Though maybe 4.4mm to dual XLR could be found. Your probibly best going directly to a power amp for speakers with 3.5mm to 2X RCA and turning the volume up and power on after it’s all ajoined; that way you avoid double amping.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Oct 26, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Your probibly best going directly to a power amp for speakers with 3.5mm to 2X RCA and turning the volume up and power on after it’s all ajoined; that way you avoid double amping.



Hang on a sec.
While this is exactly what I do and I get great results from it, isn't this "double amping"? And it's supposedly bad?
And I can understand that in all other DAPs, this would be a no-no, but I'm pretty sure it's been discussed in this thread that Sony had documented that the engineers had designed the 1A/Z to be able to handle this function without the distortions associated with double amping.

Ooh, me head hurts. I'm gonna go sit down and listen to some.music, me thinks.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> I recently tried using the 1Z with the dock to Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus USB and it didn’t work, nor using the dongle and USB.
> 
> I also tried to go mini-USB (with dongle) out to a FiiO E17K Alpen 2 to use as an external DAC and it didn’t work.
> 
> ...





ryaneagon said:


> This is great info. I’m asking because I won’t receive my WM1Z until next week to test, also I’m interested in others opinions. I’m trying to get as much info as possible for options. Cheers!


Get a screen protector and a leather, or silicon, case. You're all set.
My 1A is by my side all day, hanging from my bag. It's my go-to source and great for walking about.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Hang on a sec.
> While this is exactly what I do and I get great results from it, isn't this "double amping"? And it's supposedly bad?
> And I can understand that in all other DAPs, this would be a no-no, but I'm pretty sure it's been discussed in this thread that Sony had documented that the engineers had designed the 1A/Z to be able to handle this function without the distortions associated with double amping.
> 
> Ooh, me head hurts. I'm gonna go sit down and listen to some.music, me thinks.





 

Typically this would be an edgy thing to do. I have a power amp at my Uncles house so I can’t test it where I am. But.......a true power amp is not going to have a preamp in it. You join them with preamps. And it’s not double amping as far as I know because the 1/A 1/Z is the preamp. 

Maybe the better definition is your not using two volume controls.


----------



## aisalen

It is still double amp, but we do not need to worry about it as the output is good and if we do we will not able to enjoy listening from it because of thinking of the technicalities. I am using my WM1A using 3.5mm to 2X RCA into Cayin 265ai Class A amp when I still have my home setup with good results


----------



## emrelights1973

A connecting to a naim pre 3.5/rca works like a charm
I wish i had a remote app to make it a true streamer
Sp1000 is far better in that


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

emrelights1973 said:


> A connecting to a naim pre 3.5/rca works like a charm
> I wish i had a remote app to make it a true streamer
> Sp1000 is far better in that


What kinda app? For it to stream music to another room or something?


----------



## purk

I'm using my 1Z with XLR out to a SuSy Dynalo amplifier with a great result!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 27, 2018)

aisalen said:


> It is still double amp, but we do not need to worry about it as the output is good and if we do we will not able to enjoy listening from it because of thinking of the technicalities. I am using my WM1A using 3.5mm to 2X RCA into Cayin 265ai Class A amp when I still have my home setup with good results



Yes, but your still using two volume controls. It all comes down to what sound you enjoy and what works. Hooking the 1Z with a 3.5mm to 2X RCA to my Asgard One sounded horrible. And the Asgard and Sony TA are relatively the same level of power. But bypassing one volume control and going digitally into the the TA amp is another world.

Two volume controls are truly not optimal and never have been. Unless your this guy?


----------



## emrelights1973

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> What kinda app? For it to stream music to another room or something?


Able to control 1z from my couch
The stereo is far away and having a 3m cable seems funny
Bluetooth and phone is fine with tidal but not feeling very hifi


----------



## nc8000

emrelights1973 said:


> Able to control 1z from my couch
> The stereo is far away and having a 3m cable seems funny
> Bluetooth and phone is fine with tidal but not feeling very hifi



You can get a remote for the WM players, but it does not have a screen so you cant change album and see what you are doing


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> You can get a remote for the WM players, but it does not have a screen so you cant change album and see what you are doing


https://www.sony.com.tw/en/electron...accessories/rmt-nws20#product_details_default

Yes, I forgot to get one of those.


----------



## emrelights1973

nc8000 said:


> You can get a remote for the WM players, but it does not have a screen so you cant change album and see what you are doing


Thank I saw that but no point in it if you can not skip between albums


----------



## aisalen

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, but your still using two volume controls. It all comes down to what sound you enjoy and what works. Hooking the 1Z with a 3.5mm to 2X RCA to my Asgard One sounded horrible. And the Asgard and Sony TA are relatively the same level of power. But bypassing one volume control and going digitally into the the TA amp is another world.
> 
> Two volume controls are truly not optimal and never have been. Unless your this guy?



Well, I am if I use other component between my 1A and the amp but I am not. As I have said, I am only using 3.5mm to 2xRCA and satisfied just like the rest here.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 27, 2018)

aisalen said:


> Well, I am if I use other component between my 1A and the amp but I am not. As I have said, I am only using 3.5mm to 2xRCA and satisfied just like the rest here.



Yes but what your hooking your DAP to has a volume knob thus two volume knobs. Obviously many are happy doing it that way, and I’m glad you like it. But, it still needs to be noted that there are better ways. A way to test would be use your Walkman as a file player and run an actual DAC into the line level input of the 265ai. After you have done that you may like it better.

People should just do what makes them happy, in many ways there is no right or wrong as long as you get great entertainment. Still without testing you don’t know what your missing. Two volume knobs hasn’t worked out for me personally.

If you have to option to make the 265ai into a power amp that runs full-tilt 100% of the time and access an input which bypasses the volume knob it would work.


----------



## ryaneagon

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Get a screen protector and a leather, or silicon, case. You're all set.
> My 1A is by my side all day, hanging from my bag. It's my go-to source and great for walking about.



Got both. Plus the dock, and a few 4.4mm balanced cables from ALO. I think I’m all set. Cheers! \,,/


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes but what your hooking your DAP to has a volume knob thus two volume knobs. Obviously many are happy doing it that way, and I’m glad you like it. But, it still needs to be noted that there are better ways. A way to test would be use your Walkman as a file player and run an actual DAC into the line level input of the 265ai. After you have done that you may like it better.
> 
> People should just do what makes them happy, in many ways there is no right or wrong as long as you get great entertainment. Still without testing you don’t know what your missing. Two volume knobs hasn’t worked out for me personally.
> 
> If you have to option to make the 265ai into a power amp that runs full-tilt 100% of the time and access an input which bypasses the volume knob it would work.



No it has not as it is a pure power amp so he is using the WM as source and preamp


----------



## Dtuck90

Whilst listening to Lindsey Buckingham’s Solo Anthology I’ve just hit 200 hours. Taken 9 and a half weeks.


----------



## bflat

Redcarmoose said:


> If you have to option to make the 265ai into a power amp that runs full-tilt 100% of the time and access an input which bypasses the volume knob it would work.



That’s backwards. You set your Sony DAP to 100% volume which makes it a fixed line out to the integrated amp. The volume control on the integrated amp should be your one and and only variable volume.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 28, 2018)

bflat said:


> That’s backwards. You set your Sony DAP to 100% volume which makes it a fixed line out to the integrated amp. The volume control on the integrated amp should be your one and and only variable volume.


The DAP has a volume thus two volume controls, that’s why the Walkmans sound better going to a DAC then to an amp with volume control. These at least have been my findings. They simply loose the great quality they have with 2 volume controls. If they had line out like the old Walkmans we would be fine, but they don’t. 100% volume doesn’t negate the volume control.

But if you have some documentation in writing which disproves what has been a common understanding for over 50 years, please post it.

The thing is no one has tested this. Everyone just plugs their DAP into an amp with a volume control and says it sounds fine. I myself have tested it both ways and it’s way better going to a DAC with the Walkmans.

We have never had a post where the owner plugged his Walkman into a DAC then went line-level to an amp with a volume control, but said that going straight into the amp with the volume control using a 3.5mm to RCAX2 was better. No one has ever stated that they have done a comparison side by side.


----------



## svinaik

Hi Folks,
Just passing along that 1Z is available on great price (~ USD 1,950) from Jaben. I own the 1A and have now ordered the 1Z from them as the price is really attractive. I think this sale may be just for few more hours ??

Once I get the 1Z, my 1A will be avilable for sale. It is in perfect condition and has 390 hours of pay time on the unit. Mostly on 4.4 balanced out.

https://jaben-the-little-headphone-store.myshopify.com


----------



## Redcarmoose

richard51 said:


> What is very interesting for me with all these photos are the forgotten basic laws of audio installation revealed on many of them:
> 
> _mechanical isolation, electromagnetic shielding and filtering, room treatment_; without that any system is way under his audio delivering  quality potential....Then I advise reading about that...I wish someone has said that to me 7 years ago...But now I know, and I dont plan any future upgrade.... 7 years ago I would have been envious of some of the pricier gear in these photos...But a good system _rightfully installed _dissipate all upgrading rage...





svinaik said:


> Hi Folks,
> Just passing along that 1Z is available on great price (~ USD 1,950) from Jaben. I own the 1A and have now ordered the 1Z from them as the price is really attractive. I think this sale may be just for few more hours ??
> 
> Once I get the 1Z, my 1A will be avilable for sale. It is in perfect condition and has 390 hours of pay time on the unit. Mostly on 4.4 balanced out.
> ...



Looks like it’s already back up to $2700?


----------



## svinaik

Redcarmoose said:


> Looks like it’s already back up to $2700?


Not yet. If you see the main page, it is still on sale....


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> The DAP has a volume thus two volume controls, that’s why the Walkmans sound better going to a DAC then to an amp with volume control. These at least have been my findings. They simply loose the great quality they have with 2 volume controls. If they had line out like the old Walkmans we would be fine, but they don’t. 100% volume doesn’t negate the volume control.
> 
> But if you have some documentation in writing which disproves what has been a common understanding for over 50 years, please post it.
> 
> ...



That does not really prove anything as you are then comparing the sound of the WM dac and amp to the sound of a completely different dac so there is no way you can say the sound difference is just a result of double amping


----------



## rcoleman1

Anyone using Acoustune HS1650CU or HS1670SS with their 1Z? Thoughts or impressions? Thanks.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 28, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> That does not really prove anything as you are then comparing the sound of the WM dac and amp to the sound of a completely different dac so there is no way you can say the sound difference is just a result of double amping



Your right, there can be many convolutions. Lol.

Hay.......and the only reason I push this subject is so people don’t keep doing what they are doing and get improvements. This is a site where all of us are basicly attempting the same cause; sound quality. And I couldn’t count all the help I have been given here and at meets. Things you learn, you tend to keep and forget where you learned it from. The things we have found out, we basicly almost take self credit for.......when in truth someone helped us.

Obviously you own the TA-SH1ES amp and you know what the Z1 added as a file transport sounds like. It’s a level of sound quality with many headphones including the Z1R. It’s safe to say at a meet if it fit a groups desired sound signature they would complement it. So we have a level of quality. It’s truly subjective but most would find something favorable.

Using the different equipment I had it was really really easy to beat what  the 1Z sounded like going single ended 3.5mm to RCAX2 to the different amps I had. And using only my subjective listening it seemed other DACs going line out could beat the 3.5mm to RCAX2 results.

And again it maybe would not be double volume controls adding to cause the issue? But double volumes are consistently talked negatively about on forums across the internet. Even yourself could easily do a side by side comparison by plugging your 1Z into your TA amp analog RCA inputs  with the 3.5mm to 2XRCA. Then go in digitally bypassing the 1Z DAC. And.......of course even in this test we are comparing two DACs, but the differences are drastic, so dramatic you may hear where I’m coming from. 
It’s more than simply two DACs and their intrinsic character. 

It’s not going to be as clear or as audiophile. But obviously it’s all subjective. Of course much of this is depending on what sound your after.


----------



## nanaholic

rcoleman1 said:


> Anyone using Acoustune HS1650CU or HS1670SS with their 1Z? Thoughts or impressions? Thanks.



I've tested both before with my 1Z, vastly prefer the HS1650CU due to the smoother treble. The 1670SS is a little bit too sharp for my taste.


----------



## syke

svinaik said:


> Hi Folks,
> Just passing along that 1Z is available on great price (~ USD 1,950) from Jaben. I own the 1A and have now ordered the 1Z from them as the price is really attractive. I think this sale may be just for few more hours ??
> 
> Once I get the 1Z, my 1A will be avilable for sale. It is in perfect condition and has 390 hours of pay time on the unit. Mostly on 4.4 balanced out.
> ...



That's a fabulous price. Unfortunately it is an import model, warranty could be an issue.

But still, great pricing.


----------



## svinaik

syke said:


> That's a fabulous price. Unfortunately it is an import model, warranty could be an issue.
> 
> But still, great pricing.



Totally agree with you that warranty is always an issue when one buys from other countries. Personally, if I am buying a high end product from a reputable manufacturer, I have never worried about it and warranty only lasts 1 year or so. If anything happens to product beyond warranty, you can still get the unit serviced in your home country. So, just personally speaking, warranty has not stopped me from taking advantage of a super discount which in this case is huge... (versus the US price).


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Your right, there can be many convolutions. Lol.
> 
> Hay.......and the only reason I push this subject is so people don’t keep doing what they are doing and get improvements. This is a site where all of us are basicly attempting the same cause; sound quality. And I couldn’t count all the help I have been given here and at meets. Things you learn, you tend to keep and forget where you learned it from. The things we have found out, we basicly almost take self credit for.......when in truth someone helped us.
> 
> ...



Yes you are quiet right that double amping is normally not a good thing. 

I actually don’t know what the 1Z sounds like as a source for the TA amp as I exclusively use the 1Z as a travel rig with iem’s. At home I use an Auralic Aries Mini as digital source for the TA


----------



## hireslover

What would be the best DAC would you use coming from the WM1Z to a power amp such as your home stereo knowing that  for sure you want to preserve the same 1Z sound?


----------



## nc8000

hireslover said:


> What would be the best DAC would you use coming from the WM1Z to a power amp such as your home stereo knowing that  for sure you want to preserve the same 1Z sound?



If you want to preserve the 1Z sound you have no choice other than going from one of the headphone out. If you go digital you will be listening to the sound of the external dac and not the 1Z


----------



## hireslover

hireslover said:


> What would be the best DAC would you use coming from the WM1Z to a power amp such as your home stereo knowing that  for sure you want to preserve the same 1Z sound?


Thank you and that's what I thought


----------



## davidmolliere

Interesting, a tube amp that is designed to work with Sony 4.4 balanced out, soon to be released, 415$... I might go for it for tube goodness  
https://headfonics.com/2018/10/oriolus-b300s-review/


----------



## Lookout57

That is interesting.


----------



## captblaze

davidmolliere said:


> Interesting, a tube amp that is designed to work with Sony 4.4 balanced out, soon to be released, 415$... I might go for it for tube goodness
> https://headfonics.com/2018/10/oriolus-b300s-review/



Definite must hear for me... I hope MusicTeck carries this once released


----------



## bflat

Redcarmoose said:


> The DAP has a volume thus two volume controls, that’s why the Walkmans sound better going to a DAC then to an amp with volume control. These at least have been my findings. They simply loose the great quality they have with 2 volume controls. If they had line out like the old Walkmans we would be fine, but they don’t. 100% volume doesn’t negate the volume control.
> 
> But if you have some documentation in writing which disproves what has been a common understanding for over 50 years, please post it.
> 
> ...



Definitely trust your own ears and what your wallet allows. Sony S Master HX digital amp, much like the Chord DAC products, combine the DA conversion and amplification into one chip. The volume controls all happen in the digital domain and has no bearing on the analog output. This is both energy efficient and very low distortion and noise. 

I would encourage folks to try using the WM1a/z as a source line out. You can't break anything by doing it and all you risk is purchasing a cheap adapter cable. Please share your results.


----------



## Lookout57

The OPUS#2 doesn't have a dedicated line out but it does have a line out setting which sets the output volume at maximum in low gain and disables the volume control. So you could call this the poor mans line out. 

So why couldn't Sony do something similar?


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> The OPUS#2 doesn't have a dedicated line out but it does have a line out setting which sets the output volume at maximum in low gain and disables the volume control. So you could call this the poor mans line out.
> 
> So why couldn't Sony do something similar?



Yes it’s strange as the WM port used to include line out


----------



## NaiveSound

That oriolus thing supossadly hisses.... That's unfortunate, at least I can rule it out.   3.0 /1z is amazing at a micro hiss. Basically not there. Even with sensitive iems


----------



## bitonio

bflat said:


> I would encourage folks to try using the WM1a/z as a source line out. You can't break anything by doing it and all you risk is purchasing a cheap adapter cable. Please share your results.



First tentative not very conclusive: used the SE output of the WM1A wired into Jotunheim input (cable jack 3.5mm to RCA)
I compared the same track with the WM1 as source and the the Modi Multibit, on a Focal Clear (balanced output)
WM1A sounds dimmed (although volume on the DAC was set to 120), and super flat, without life, completely different from what I get directly from the output.

Not sure if the SE input to Balanced could mess thing up. I was just curious.
I'll try the single ended cable I got in the Clear box and see if it helps.

More tests soon.


----------



## nc8000

bitonio said:


> First tentative not very conclusive: used the SE output of the WM1A wired into Jotunheim input (cable jack 3.5mm to RCA)
> I compared the same track with the WM1 as source and the the Modi Multibit, on a Focal Clear (balanced output)
> WM1A sounds dimmed (although volume on the DAC was set to 120), and super flat, without life, completely different from what I get directly from the output.
> 
> ...



Never mix single ended and balanced, only single ended to single ended and balanced to balanced


----------



## bflat

bitonio said:


> First tentative not very conclusive: used the SE output of the WM1A wired into Jotunheim input (cable jack 3.5mm to RCA)
> I compared the same track with the WM1 as source and the the Modi Multibit, on a Focal Clear (balanced output)
> WM1A sounds dimmed (although volume on the DAC was set to 120), and super flat, without life, completely different from what I get directly from the output.
> 
> ...



You might also try hi gain output on your WM1a.


----------



## bitonio

nc8000 said:


> Never mix single ended and balanced, only single ended to single ended and balanced to balanced



I took my favorite test your headphone playlist (mix of rock, indie and electro, all FLAC, some hires)
Test below all done in single ended mode.







*1st session with the WM1A in DAC mode, wired into the Jot with jack-RCA cable*
WM1A settings:
- Low gain
- volume to 120 on the DAC
Amp settings:
- 10 o'clock on the amp
*
2nd session with the internal multi-bit*
9 o'clock on the amp, still wow effect, this combo gives me goose bump
*
3rd session with the Clear directly in the DAP*
WM1A settings:
- Low gain
- volume to 60 on the DAC
Definitely better than in DAC mode with amp

Summary for this quick Single Ended test:

Modi Multibit module + Jot + Clear >> DAP - Clear > DAP in DAC mode + Jot amp + Clear



bflat said:


> You might also try hi gain output on your WM1a.



I tried, it helps matching the level of the internal DAC (almost) but the overall signature has nothing to do with the internal multibit DAC which is a much better combo with the Clear, crispy details, punchy, great separation.

In the office I tried to pair the DAP with my old Fidelio X1... it is definitely better than my existing DAC (Audio Engine D1), I am gonna sold it for this very reason


----------



## Deftone

bflat said:


> Definitely trust your own ears and what your wallet allows. Sony S Master HX digital amp, much like the Chord DAC products, combine the DA conversion and amplification into one chip. The volume controls all happen in the digital domain and has no bearing on the analog output. This is both energy efficient and very low distortion and noise.
> 
> I would encourage folks to try using the WM1a/z as a source line out. You can't break anything by doing it and all you risk is purchasing a cheap adapter cable. Please share your results.



Talking about low distortion, I have never seen any measurements for the Sony Walkmans 1A/1Z. They could only have a SNR of 85 for all we know, has someone personally measured jitter etc? 

(Yes I know it doesn’t determine sound quality, but I’m still interested)


----------



## nc8000

Deftone said:


> Talking about low distortion, I have never seen any measurements for the Sony Walkmans 1A/1Z. They could only have a SNR of 85 for all we know, has someone personally measured jitter etc?
> 
> (Yes I know it doesn’t determine sound quality, but I’m still interested)



There are charts and measurements several places within this thread


----------



## gerelmx1986

For line out i do High Gain and maxed volume


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> For line out i do High Gain and maxed volume


Same here!  Love my 1Z as a source into other amps.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 28, 2018)

bitonio said:


> First tentative not very conclusive: used the SE output of the WM1A wired into Jotunheim input (cable jack 3.5mm to RCA)
> I compared the same track with the WM1 as source and the the Modi Multibit, on a Focal Clear (balanced output)
> WM1A sounds dimmed (although volume on the DAC was set to 120), and super flat, without life, completely different from what I get directly from the output.
> 
> ...



Exactly......

Though to each his own. Best part is everyone likes the versatility of the Walkmans.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 29, 2018)

bitonio said:


> I took my favorite test your headphone playlist (mix of rock, indie and electro, all FLAC, some hires)
> Test below all done in single ended mode.
> 
> 
> ...



So then you found it was 50/50? Out from the 1A was better than the D1 making a line level signal for the amp, but in other cases.......no?


----------



## bitonio

Redcarmoose said:


> So then you found it was 50/50? Out from the 1A was better than the D1 making a line level signal for the amp, but in other cases.......no?


At my office I used the WM1A as DAC and Amp, no external amp, WM1A has no issue to move the X1 (30 ohms).
The Clear is a lot more difficult to drive (even its only 55 ohms rating), and thus even with the high gain. 

So as a line out/pre-amp with WM1A Single Ended, high gain or not I am not convinced. It works and you'll need to push the volume on the external amp compare to other sources.
I'd love to try the setup fully balanced, I don't have the cable 4.4mm to double 3-pin XLR and don't plan to get one unless someone has one to spare.


----------



## bitonio

Redcarmoose said:


> Exactly......
> 
> Though to each his own. Best part is everyone likes the versatility of the Walkmans.



Totally agree on that, this little thing has so much potential now it can ruin ppl just on cable 
I am really delighted Sony made this move, I too invite folks to try around, the 250 mW (vs. 60 mW) on the balanced output should make a big difference on line output.


----------



## bana

bitonio said:


> Totally agree on that, this little thing has so much potential now it can ruin ppl just on cable
> I am really delighted Sony made this move, I too invite folks to try around, the 250 mW (vs. 60 mW) on the balanced output should make a big difference on line output.



Guys,

For the record, I'm using this cable from my 1Z to a Qimpu A6000 amp in the office, (when no one's around) and to my Mystere IA21 at home.
I'm happy as pig in slop!!


----------



## echineko

davidmolliere said:


> Interesting, a tube amp that is designed to work with Sony 4.4 balanced out, soon to be released, 415$... I might go for it for tube goodness
> https://headfonics.com/2018/10/oriolus-b300s-review/


I'll just leave this here:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/oriolus-ba300s-4-4mm-tube-amp.891769/

Was considering it myself, for fun. But decided not to get distracted.


----------



## davidmolliere

echineko said:


> Was considering it myself, for fun. But decided not to get distracted.



Thanks a lot! 
I am on it, always wanted to try tubes


----------



## echineko

No worries, glad to help. I couldn't make use of it, but at least someone else might


----------



## Redcarmoose

davidmolliere said:


> Interesting, a tube amp that is designed to work with Sony 4.4 balanced out, soon to be released, 415$... I might go for it for tube goodness
> https://headfonics.com/2018/10/oriolus-b300s-review/



It’s interesting how the review mentions the overall lack of power with Sony DAPs? Really? The amount of power is my favorite feature, besides the sound character. I’m surprised the review hints at the amp fixing the power issues well; seems like just adding tube character would be enough for someone to want one?


----------



## nanaholic

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s interesting how the review mentions the overall lack of power with Sony DAPs? Really? The amount of power is my favorite feature, besides the sound character. I’m surprised the review hints at the amp fixing the power issues well; seems like just adding tube character would be enough for someone to want one?



The BA300s outputs 320mw per channel at 32ohms, so it does add quite a bit more compared to the 250mw @ 16ohm of the 1Z.


----------



## auronthas

nanaholic said:


> The BA300s outputs 320mw per channel at 32ohms, so it does add quite a bit more compared to the 250mw @ 16ohm of the 1Z.


Use ohm's law,  I believe 250mW @ 16ohm carries more ampere (A) than 320mW @ 32ohm


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 30, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> The BA300s outputs 320mw per channel at 32ohms, so it does add quite a bit more compared to the 250mw @ 16ohm of the 1Z.



@https://www.head-fi.org/members/auronthas.476487/

So? It puts out less power?


----------



## nanaholic

auronthas said:


> Use ohm's law,  I believe 250mW @ 16ohm carries more ampere (A) than 320mW @ 32ohm



You are also double amping when you connect the amp to the headphone out of the 1Z, so you are combining the power of both the headphone out as well as the amp.


----------



## auronthas

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/auronthas.476487/
> 
> So? It puts out less power?



The more current (A) drives the headphone, the more power (W) , P = VI , where P is power, I is current.


----------



## auronthas

nanaholic said:


> You are also double amping when you connect the amp to the headphone out of the 1Z, so you are combining the power of both the headphone out as well as the amp.


Are you saying to add BA300s into 1Z ? My bad if that's the case... I was thinking comparison one to one on the output power.


----------



## nanaholic (Oct 30, 2018)

auronthas said:


> Are you saying to add BA300s into 1Z ? My bad if that's the case... I was thinking comparison one to one on the output power.



To use the 1Z with the BA300s you have to add the power together as it is not a standalone device, the BA300s is amplifying the 1Z output further. So yes if you use the BA300s you are adding more power.

Also if you apply ohm's law assuming perfect condition, if you double the resistance with Sony's spec of 250mW @ 16ohms, then the power will half, meaning under perfect condition, the 1Z should only output 125mW @ 32ohms, in which case the BA300s's 320mW @ 32ohm is close to outputting 200mW more.


----------



## bvng3540

Any comparison btw wm1z and cayin N8?


----------



## davidmolliere

echineko said:


> No worries, glad to help. I couldn't make use of it, but at least someone else might



Deal is done, I'll be able to chip in on how it sounds 
Thanks again!


----------



## nanaholic

bvng3540 said:


> Any comparison btw wm1z and cayin N8?



I had a chance to try the Cayin N8 over the weekend at Headphone Matsuri. The N8 is only attractive if you plan to use the Nutube, I also find it quite dry sounding in comparison to the 1Z when comparing balance to balance and not as pleasant to listen to such that I just keep going to the tube output.  I would actually be happy if the N8 had just the selectable tube and SS amp stage for the 3.5mm output and get rid of the balance output stage altogether to reduce size/weight/increase battery life/better heat dissipation etc. However when using the Nutube the player gets really hot really quick, I played two songs and the side became hot already, so I would say the N8 is not a practical DAP if your main use is the tube output on the go and thinking it is something you can slip into a pocket or a messenger bag that hugs your body because you would definitely feel that heat, rather it's more of a transportable device where you can sit it down on the table and let it breathe to cool such as in a cafe setting. There's also software issues, several of the demo device crashed and froze and the Cayin engineers had to fix it on the spot which is quite worrying, whereas the 1Z is now pretty much rock solid and mature in terms of software with its firmware being into v3 already. the N8 is an interesting device with big ambitions, but too many short comings which prevents it being actually used as a DAP practically IMO. Maybe the successor will be better, but it's not something that competes with the 1Z in terms of a complete all-round pacakge when everything - not just sound - is taken into consideration in its current form.  If I want to add tube sound in fully balanced form to my 1Z or even a 1A in a transportable situation, I can easily just purchase the Oriolus BA300s which I think is a great bargain to pair with the 4.4mm output Walkmans.


----------



## proedros

anyone in Europe wiling to sell his *4.4 ares ii (8wire) cable* - shoot me a a pm

cheers


----------



## bvng3540

nanaholic said:


> I had a chance to try the Cayin N8 over the weekend at Headphone Matsuri. The N8 is only attractive if you plan to use the Nutube, I also find it quite dry sounding in comparison to the 1Z when comparing balance to balance and not as pleasant to listen to such that I just keep going to the tube output.  I would actually be happy if the N8 had just the selectable tube and SS amp stage for the 3.5mm output and get rid of the balance output stage altogether to reduce size/weight/increase battery life/better heat dissipation etc. However when using the Nutube the player gets really hot really quick, I played two songs and the side became hot already, so I would say the N8 is not a practical DAP if your main use is the tube output on the go and thinking it is something you can slip into a pocket or a messenger bag that hugs your body because you would definitely feel that heat, rather it's more of a transportable device where you can sit it down on the table and let it breathe to cool such as in a cafe setting. There's also software issues, several of the demo device crashed and froze and the Cayin engineers had to fix it on the spot which is quite worrying, whereas the 1Z is now pretty much rock solid and mature in terms of software with its firmware being into v3 already. the N8 is an interesting device with big ambitions, but too many short comings which prevents it being actually used as a DAP practically IMO. Maybe the successor will be better, but it's not something that competes with the 1Z in terms of a complete all-round pacakge when everything - not just sound - is taken into consideration in its current form.  If I want to add tube sound in fully balanced form to my 1Z or even a 1A in a transportable situation, I can easily just purchase the Oriolus BA300s which I think is a great bargain to pair with the 4.4mm output Walkmans.


Thanks for the feedback, I will stick to my 1z and cancel the n8 that I just order.


----------



## Redcarmoose

After almost a year I have finally come to the conclusion the 1A is much better with the Noble Encore IEM than the 1Z. The 1A on FW 2.0 has better treble character as well as maybe some other characteristics which simply make them go together?


----------



## captblaze

Redcarmoose said:


> After almost a year I have finally come to the conclusion the 1A is much better with the Noble Encore IEM than the 1Z. The 1A on FW 2.0 has better treble character as well as maybe some other characteristics which simply make them go together?



My UE 18+ Pro really came alive  with 3.0 firmware on my WM-1A. funny how the synergy shifts with each update


----------



## cpetrillo

captblaze said:


> My UE 18+ Pro really came alive  with 3.0 firmware on my WM-1A. funny how the synergy shifts with each update



I had the same result with my XBA-Z5, really came alive with 3.0 on my 1A. I was able to drop the eq I was using to add some sparkle under 2.0. I have just picked up an AKG N5005 that is also sounding good with 3 0


----------



## NaiveSound

For those that use Android/ldac to BT receiver or 1a/1z.

Make sure you go to developer settings and adjust the kbs per second to the highest possible  Otherwise you default to 320kbs by default  even in ldac.


----------



## davidmolliere

NaiveSound said:


> For those that use Android/ldac to BT receiver or 1a/1z.
> Make sure you go to developer settings and adjust the kbs per second to the highest possible  Otherwise you default to 320kbs by default  even in ldac.



Good catch!


----------



## bflat

Road trip report - the recently added BT receiver function is amazing! On a 6 hour non-stop 50/50 mix of watching videos from my iPhone over AAC and music listening directly from the WM1z, hard to believe I use only one bar of battery life! Both Amazon Prime Video and Neflix downloaded videos have minimum to no lag with lip sync. If you manage to get a window seat in an exit aisle of an A320, the door handle/armrest makes for a perfect place to put your DAP. Very secure! Just slip your DAP vertically in the armrest opening.


----------



## Love Music

Tried the wm1a today . Somehow it feels slightly different than the zx300. Bass doesn't seem to have as much slam and feels less airy. Sound sig seems more neutral and smooth .


----------



## NoMythsAudio

bflat said:


> Very secure! Just slip your DAP vertically in the armrest opening.


And a very secure way to leave it behind!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Love Music said:


> Tried the wm1a today . Somehow it feels slightly different than the zx300. Bass doesn't seem to have as much slam and feels less airy. Sound sig seems more neutral and smooth .



Exactly. Though with more listening it grows on you. Never owned the SX300 but had instore listens.


----------



## gerelmx1986

cpetrillo said:


> I had the same result with my XBA-Z5, really came alive with 3.0 on my 1A. I was able to drop the eq I was using to add some sparkle under 2.0. I have just picked up an AKG N5005 that is also sounding good with 3 0


I feel the same with my Z5 they do really shine with 3.0


----------



## linux4ever

Love Music said:


> Tried the wm1a today . Somehow it feels slightly different than the zx300. Bass doesn't seem to have as much slam and feels less airy. Sound sig seems more neutral and smooth .


A perfect description. Premium plus k-mod adds the bass slam. And as @Redcarmoose said, it still grows on you as it is without the mod.


----------



## Xbmyc

Firmware 3.0 is brighter than 2.0 so its more suitable for iem like Z5. But for my ie800 the older 2.0 is better. I could imagine Sony made firmware 2.0 for their EX1000 iem and 3.0 for the new m7 and m9 iem.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 1, 2018)

Xbmyc said:


> Firmware 3.0 is brighter than 2.0 so its more suitable for iem like Z5. But for my ie800 the older 2.0 is better. I could imagine Sony made firmware 2.0 for their EX1000 iem and 3.0 for the new m7 and m9 iem.



One thing I noticed was the Z5 even scaled higher with the TA amp. Somehow the Z5 even likes more power than a Walkman? Also the TA amp is slightly more layed back from the 1Z, which seems like it would be an issue with the Z5, but it’s not. FW3.0 and 1Z made the soundstage on the Z5 wider and the new sound character did open the detail a tad. No matter which IEM I get the Z5 will always be special.


----------



## archsam

Hi does anyone know if the WM1a is about to be / already discontinued?

I am about to purchase one via Amazon in the UK, but just recently the product page has been removed on the sony.co.uk website. Searching online there doesn't seem to be a replacement DAP coming imminently. Anyone has the scoop on this?


----------



## captblaze

archsam said:


> Hi does anyone know if the WM1a is about to be / already discontinued?
> 
> I am about to purchase one via Amazon in the UK, but just recently the product page has been removed on the sony.co.uk website. Searching online there doesn't seem to be a replacement DAP coming imminently. Anyone has the scoop on this?



https://www.sony.com/electronics/hd-audio/t/walkman-digital-music-players


----------



## proedros

*Music Sanctuary* has a pre-owned *Sony TA-ZH1ES *for sale at 1300SGD (or *950$* if i did the conversion correctly)

definitely a steal

https://music-sanctuary.com/collections/pre-owned-and-ex-demos/products/preowned-sony-ta-zh1es


----------



## archsam

captblaze said:


> https://www.sony.com/electronics/hd-audio/t/walkman-digital-music-players



Thanks for that, but that's the US site. As I mentioned the UK site no longer has the WM1a page.


----------



## Mindstorms (Nov 1, 2018)

it amazes me how much bass there is on 1.2 using SE


----------



## captblaze

archsam said:


> Thanks for that, but that's the US site. As I mentioned the UK site no longer has the WM1a page.



the link was to show you that in some regions it is available. perhaps it will re appear on the UK site, or maybe not?


----------



## Mindstorms

anyone else enjoys 1.2 in 2018? lol


----------



## captblaze (Nov 1, 2018)

Midnstorms said:


> anyone else enjoys 1.2 in 2018? lol



I have thought about going back, but I have set a goal of 300 hours listening on 3.0. Still have 80 hours left

if I remember correctly I had an odd infatuation with my HD700 on v 1.2


----------



## denis1976

Midnstorms said:


> anyone else enjoys 1.2 in 2018? lol


i enjoy it very much


----------



## Tawek

1z  with 1.2  really nice


----------



## bden59

1Z on 1.2 and ZX300 on 2.0 for BT dac


----------



## NaiveSound

Thinking about selling the beloved wm1z, almost at 100hrs. Just involved in other hobbies at the moment .. But Im afraid I'll regret it!


----------



## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> Thinking about selling the beloved wm1z, almost at 100hrs. Just involved in other hobbies at the moment .. But Im afraid I'll regret it!



I'll be saving up for quite some time.


----------



## gerelmx1986

NaiveSound said:


> Thinking about selling the beloved wm1z, almost at 100hrs. Just involved in other hobbies at the moment .. But Im afraid I'll regret it!


How much $$ ?


----------



## Lemieux66 (Nov 2, 2018)

Sony UK website has had a big purge of quality audio equipment. The TA and Z1R are gone, as are both the 1Z and 1A. Looks like the 70th anniversary signature series has been discontinued...Also see that the HAP-Z1ES server/player has gone.

Sony's audio division is a mess. The most expensive things they now offer are a bizarre £8000 desktop DAP, a £2000 IEM, a £1300 car stereo head unit and a £550 AV receiver. No coherent strategy for customers to buy into. Someone should be fired IMO. 

Why can't they put out a line of decent hifi separates like the other big Japanese corporations? With their FPGA DAC technology they could produce some great streamers or amps with built-in DACs. I would've loved to have bought an SACD player which used the DAC from the 1A or TA amp. Missed opportunities.


----------



## archsam

Lemieux66 said:


> Sony UK website has had a big purge of quality audio equipment. The TA and Z1R are gone, as are both the 1Z and 1A. Looks like the 70th anniversary signature series has been discontinued...Also see that the HAP-Z1ES server/player has gone.
> 
> Sony's audio division is a mess. The most expensive things they now offer are a bizarre £8000 desktop DAP, a £2000 IEM, a £1300 car stereo head unit and a £550 AV receiver. No coherent strategy for customers to buy into. Someone should be fired IMO.
> 
> Why can't they put out a line of decent hifi separates like the other big Japanese corporations? With their FPGA DAC technology they could produce some great streamers or amps with built-in DACs. I would've loved to have bought an SACD player which used the DAC from the 1A or TA amp. Missed opportunities.



I completely agreed. The confusion is the reason I am nervous about buying the 1A at this point - if it is indeed discontinued I would rather wait and see if there is a replacement model. It doesn't help that Amazon, being one of the only UK retailer of the Signature Walkmans, just bumped up the price of the 1A by £90 literally on the day when I was going to put in the order. I'm waiting now to see if the price will come back down.

In recent years the other big Japanese electronic companies are all returning to the high end market - Yamaha in particular just announced the 5000 series hifi series, a pre-amp and power amp priced at £6700 each plus a £4600 tuntable, to go with their £15000 NS-5000 speakers from a few years back. Last year I picked up their A-S3000 integrated amp for a very good price, and it is an amazing piece of kit - the headphone output in this amp is actually just as good as my Benchmark DAC1.

I will love to see Sony excel in the high end market again, like their glory days not long ago. Check out some of their TOTL gears back in the 90's - http://www.thevintageknob.org/


----------



## Lemieux66

@archsam 

Yep, so much potential for Sony’s audio division.

I wouldn’t hold your breathe for a new DAP. The Signature Series was possibly unique.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 2, 2018)

But Sony makes a boat load of consumer products. They make a bunch of $35 IEMs, $100 IEMs. They have cheap DAPs.

The 1A and 1Z might be discontinued but they will introduce something along the same level. The crazy priced $8500 DAC/amp and $2300 IEMs are simply show-off products to delineate their design savy. Sony in there time has made numerous ceiling style products; $3000 CD players https://www.stereophile.com/cdplayers/sony_cdp-xa7es_cd_player/index.html all kinds of crazy stuff. It’s just that they were in the red and focusing on phones and stuff. They are back in a big way, showing imagination and focus. Be prepared for some super cool stuff. Don’t forget the other new IEMs; the M7 and M9. Also the N3 comes 4.4mm balanced sounding absolutely fantastic.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/three-brand-new-earphones-sony-ier-z1r-ier-m9-and-ier-m7.886121/

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-xba-n3ap-and-xba-n1ap-—-impressions-thread.818852/page-14



If you look there is nothing to fret about.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I think these could be the last years of walkmans and MP3 players. Looks like apple will be discontinuing the iPod touch as almost everyone on the planet has an iPhone (unless apple releases one next year)
I don’t see the point of companies producing manufacturing plants just for music players. At some point it will all come down to the end.
This was suppose take off way back in 1998-2000 when MP3 were taking off but there wasn’t an idea back then about what we have now. 16 years later we get ‘signature series’ which I feel is too late of a technology for some of us who have been around.
Kids now are happy to watch/listen to music on YouTube for free. It’s all going to go downhill at some point but when is a good question.


----------



## nanaholic (Nov 2, 2018)

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I think these could be the last years of walkmans and MP3 players. Looks like apple will be discontinuing the iPod touch as almost everyone on the planet has an iPhone (unless apple releases one next year)
> I don’t see the point of companies producing manufacturing plants just for music players. At some point it will all come down to the end.
> This was suppose take off way back in 1998-2000 when MP3 were taking off but there wasn’t an idea back then about what we have now. 16 years later we get ‘signature series’ which I feel is too late of a technology for some of us who have been around.
> Kids now are happy to watch/listen to music on YouTube for free. It’s all going to go downhill at some point but when is a good question.



It won't be.
DAPs have moved from mass consumer devices to the high end enthusiaist market and Sony with its Signature Series - especially with the WM1Z - had successfully pivoted their business model from low profit high volume to high profit low volume, and their Audio Visual department is now profitable. Apple has abandon iPod Touch because the Touch is a low profit high volume market that has been folded into the smartphone market. High end DAPs are not disruptable by smartphones so it has no immediate or near danger of being phased out by all-in-one devices (think how mirrorless and DSLR camears aren't being touched by smartphone photography, while the point and shoot compacts are now extinct). Also since Sony's planets don't just make music players, the risk is further spread out as the operation of those planets don't just rely on revenue from Walkmans. So Walkmans will actually last many more years to come.


----------



## Mindstorms (Nov 2, 2018)

guys im having an issue, cant finish creating database after restart? any ideas? wnet back to 2.0 and it created the database ok, but i was loop stuked any ideas? maybe stop messing with firmware? format player and car songs and start over? anyone else had this exprecience in 1.2???


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 2, 2018)

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I think these could be the last years of walkmans and MP3 players. Looks like apple will be discontinuing the iPod touch as almost everyone on the planet has an iPhone (unless apple releases one next year)
> I don’t see the point of companies producing manufacturing plants just for music players. At some point it will all come down to the end.
> This was suppose take off way back in 1998-2000 when MP3 were taking off but there wasn’t an idea back then about what we have now. 16 years later we get ‘signature series’ which I feel is too late of a technology for some of us who have been around.
> Kids now are happy to watch/listen to music on YouTube for free. It’s all going to go downhill at some point but when is a good question.



You have a 1A right? So you probably hear that they are a whole different world in comparison to phone sound quality listening? Now yes, maybe in 10 years there will start to be really crazy high tech BT IEMs with amps and drivers that come to where we are today with our Walkmans....but for the present time the Walkman experience is special.

The magic here is that with the 1A and 1Z (as well as with a few others manufacturers DAPs) have the resulting SQ bridge the quality between desktop and portable. So in recent years this new generation of DAPs have become clear, powerful and mature. The only question is to find the tone you like. Most here like the Sony style.

The package is you can now have a set of IEMs or full-size headphones and go somewhere and have an experience equivalent-close to a home headphone system. Now also that’s not a normal home headphone system, but a really audiophile home headphone system; all in a small package.

In addition, some actually prefer the experience to a desktop home rig. So there is a value. I’ve seen a huge change since 2009. In 2009 there was a couple really great sounding systems which were moble, but nothing like what’s offered today. This technology is actually advancing fast. Stuff is slightly better than it was 10 years ago; and that’s comparing top end stuff. The mid-fi market has become sounding the way high end was 10 years ago, plus it costs a fraction and is more reliable. One of the road bumps was super-crazy-stupid user interfaces just a few years ago, but again that experience has also changed.

Here at Head-Fi you basically have two groups at the extreme and of course the regular simple bell curve of standard listening population. The extreme high edge will spend top dollar for that extra 10% of SQ. Now it may not even be there, or it’s there packaged a slightly different way, but that’s the group which will want the next 1Z. The new 1Z M2 may have faster file transfer, unlimited playlists, more power, way more storage and look pretty...etc etc.

 But a 1A or 1Z will still always bridge that valley between wanting the sound quality of a desktop in an easy to use small form factor. That’s now, that’s what they did, that’s why this thread is here. And that is why even after the new models arrive, whenever they do........the 1A and 1Z will still offer a value.


----------



## NaiveSound

I'm gonna miss the 1z so much


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> I'm gonna miss the 1z so much



Get a 1A they are greeeat.


----------



## gerelmx1986

If the 70th anniversary signature series is being discontinued, glad I have two of the products  namely that WM1A and the MDR-Z1R


----------



## Lemieux66

gerelmx1986 said:


> If the 70th anniversary signature series is being discontinued, glad I have two of the products  namely that WM1A and the MDR-Z1R



I’ve got three - WM1A, TA-ZH1ES and Z1R...really glad I’ve got them. Would love to own the 1Z but just can’t justify the expense over the 1A, particularly as I use a Roon Nucleus with the TA for home listening now. I mainly use my 1A for in-car sound, plus occasional walks.

One thing’s for sure, Sony did a great job with the Signature Series components.


----------



## nc8000

NaiveSound said:


> I'm gonna miss the 1z so much



Then don’t sell it


----------



## proedros

NaiveSound said:


> I'm gonna miss the 1z so much



you should cause this is typical hybris , my friend

getting a mint 1Z for 1000$ and then selling it even though you enjoy it ?

like i said , pure hybris


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> I'm gonna miss the 1z so much



Before you sell it play a little game. Give it to someone to hold for you for two weeks; and see how you miss it.


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> I'm gonna miss the 1z so much



Let me get this straight...........you have been on this thread for a year........you get a 1Z only two months ago...........and now.....you want to sell it?


----------



## rcoleman1 (Nov 2, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> I'm gonna miss the 1z so much


Well for me...I bought a 1A. I liked it. After about six months I upgraded the 1A to a 1Z. Loved it. Sold it after about four months to try the DX200. Big mistake...I totally missed the 1Z sound signature, build quality and the stable UI. And my iPhone X couldn't replace it either. Bought another 1Z and I've been happy again ever since.


----------



## Redcarmoose

rcoleman1 said:


> Well for me...I bought a 1A. I liked it. After about six months I upgraded the 1A to a 1Z. Loved it. Sold it after about four months to try the DX200. Big mistake...I totally missed the 1Z sound signature, build quality and the stable UI. And my iPhone X couldn't replace it either. Bought another 1Z and I've been happy again ever since.



You don’t know what you have till it’s gone. Maybe in a couple years a brand new 1Z will fall out of the sky for 1K, for him?


----------



## bvng3540

rcoleman1 said:


> Well for me...I bought a 1A. I liked it. After about six months I upgraded the 1A to a 1Z. Loved it. Sold it after about four months to try the DX200. Big mistake...I totally missed the 1Z sound signature, build quality and the stable UI. And my iPhone X couldn't replace it either. Bought another 1Z and I've been happy again ever since.


Same here first start with 1a, then sold it bought 1z, sold it and try dx200, ak380, opus#2, went back 1a and 1z, so total I had about 8, 1a, and 3, 1z, just bought a modded 1z I think I will stop at this point


----------



## proedros

@NaiveSound  sell me your 1Z for 1000$ bro , make a fellow headfier happy

go on do it


----------



## nc8000

I went straight for the 1Z as I had the money at the time. So glad I did, have loved it for 1 1/2 years and today I would not have been able to afford to buy it


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> Let me get this straight...........you have been on this thread for a year........you get a 1Z only two months ago...........and now.....you want to sell it?



Lately while super happy with my rig, I'm starting to drift away from the hobby, I have other hobbies to fund and some 1z money would be very nice


----------



## bflat (Nov 2, 2018)

Anyone on Mac OS Mojave able to use USB DAC mode with Audirvana or JRiver? It's strange, I got this to work initially but now it will only work as system audio. When I select WALKMAN on Audirvana or JRiver, the player starts, but I get nothing on the WM1z. Only player that works is iTunes, using system audio.

Update - after disabling/enabling integer mode DAC is working again. Looking at the sampling rates Mac OS recognizes, there are several duplicate rates where only one actually outputs. Perhaps, it's a matter of rolling the dice and getting the right one connected to the media player. Once locked in, all sampling rates work. I did have my WM1z unplugged from my Mac for a week so maybe it "forgot"?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 2, 2018)

bflat said:


> Anyone on Mac OS Mojave able to use USB DAC mode with Audirvana or JRiver? It's strange, I got this to work initially but now it will only work as system audio. When I select WALKMAN on Audirvana or JRiver, the player starts, but I get nothing on the WM1z. Only player that works is iTunes, using system audio.
> 
> Update - after disabling/enabling integer mode DAC is working again. Looking at the sampling rates Mac OS recognizes, there are several duplicate rates where only one actually outputs. Perhaps, it's a matter of rolling the dice and getting the right one connected to the media player. Once locked in, all sampling rates work. I did have my WM1z unplugged from my Mac for a week so maybe it "forgot"?



This was offered as a solution a couple pages back. Hopefully it’s not the Apple equivalent to Delete System32.


----------



## gazzington

I will never sell my wm1a. I'd sell my dx200 first. However, it's more difficult between wm1a and my ak se100


----------



## blazinblazin

1A and 1Z is probably one of SONY's legendary releases that makes a mark in their history timeline.


----------



## nanaholic

blazinblazin said:


> 1A and 1Z is probably one of SONY's legendary releases that makes a mark in their history timeline.



I agree.
If the first cassette Walkman count as the first legendary portable analogue audio product for Sony, then the WM1 series counts as their first successful portable digital audio product IMO. For decades their mp3 Walkman business was overshadowed by iPods (though partially a fault that was their own making) and they had been trying to mimic what Apple was doing and failed miserably, the WM1 series is the one where they really stepped out from the shadows and blasted open their own path and thus rewarded with well deserved success. The Japanese makers in general are most charming when they make quirky devices and stand tall and proud of their own personality, "me too" products had only ever hurt them, and the WM1 demostrates that perfectly.


----------



## harishmirror (Nov 2, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> I agree.
> If the first cassette Walkman count as the first legendary portable analogue audio product for Sony, then the WM1 series counts as their first successful portable digital audio product IMO. For decades their mp3 Walkman business was overshadowed by iPods (though partially a fault that was their own making) and they had been trying to mimic what Apple was doing and failed miserably, the WM1 series is the one where they really stepped out from the shadows and blasted open their own path and thus rewarded with well deserved success. The Japanese makers in general are most charming when they make quirky devices and stand tall and proud of their own personality, "me too" products had only ever hurt them, and the WM1 demostrates that perfectly.



+1 Huge Sony Fanboy here.. Totally addicted to their walkman cassette players from the late 90s and I see my 1z as a true tribute.

Just now upgraded to the version 3.0 firmware and my 1z is sounding much more musical now. Hats off to Sony..


----------



## NaiveSound

Sony audio is just awesome  they got stuff for everyone's pocket


----------



## Mindstorms

I agree you have to consider all factors  beforme making a decition like this one.... i would love to have 1z i would only sell it couse of battery in the future i wouldent like to have a 3000 us brick that only holds power for about an hour, it makes more sense in this way to get TA... dough i dunno if its exactly the same.... so you can sell it and save 500 us get a TA... still be happy...


----------



## Mindstorms

harishmirror said:


> +1 Huge Sony Fanboy here.. Totally addicted to their walkman cassette players from the late 90s and I see my 1z as a true tribute.
> 
> Just now upgraded to the version 3.0 firmware and my 1z is sounding much more musical now. Hats off to Sony..


Are you on Balanced?


----------



## harishmirror (Nov 2, 2018)

Midnstorms said:


> Are you on Balanced?



1000% on balanced all the time, 3.5mm jack is never used. I upgraded to V 3.0 and still on the last bar for the past 2 hrs, may be your unit is faulty. Try contacting Sony, but their customer service is lousy.. never had a +ve experience with them.


----------



## koven

gazzington said:


> However, it's more difficult between wm1a and my ak se100



Yeah I struggled for a long time between 1Z and SPK. Both top notch in their own regard. Ultimately found the AK a bit more transparent and resolving but close call.


----------



## linux4ever

harishmirror said:


> 1000% on balanced all the time, 3.5mm jack is never used. I upgraded to V 3.0 and still on the last bar for the past 2 hrs, may be your unit is faulty. Try contacting Sony, but their customer service is lousy.. never had a +ve experience with them.


Is this WM1A in the photo?

A question to WM1Z owners - With V3.0, how long the battery lasts on standby without powering off?


----------



## ruthieandjohn

With my other Sony players, e.g., the NW-ZX1 and the -45, I can analyze my on-board library within my DAP to extract the parameters that it uses to set up the “mood” playlists., e.g. “morning” or “energetic.”

My WM1A will not do this, but instead advises me that I need to do it off line.  I am not able to to that, but even if I could (using the old or new Sony tool whose name escapes me), I don’t know how I would download the analysis info.

Any ideas? Thanks!


----------



## nc8000

ruthieandjohn said:


> With my other Sony players, e.g., the NW-ZX1 and the -45, I can analyze my on-board library within my DAP to extract the parameters that it uses to set up the “mood” playlists., e.g. “morning” or “energetic.”
> 
> My WM1A will not do this, but instead advises me that I need to do it off line.  I am not able to to that, but even if I could (using the old or new Sony tool whose name escapes me), I don’t know how I would download the analysis info.
> 
> Any ideas? Thanks!



I would guess that the info gets imbedded in tags in the files


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## Mindstorms

Is it  too much ask for sony to make a bass boost buton next to the direct mode or the EQ? is it to much ask for 3D alterrendering mode well the second for shure bat a freaking bass boost? is it too much i wont go balanced and i want SE ATM why sony why... please make a new FIrmware with bass in SE... im stiking to 2.0 ATM since 1.2 I get the freaking database error on building iand i dont feel like starting over with songs and player counter to 0


----------



## Gibraltar

Has anyone been able to get the 1Z working as a USB DAC with an iPhone? Using the iPhone camera adapter and the standard 1Z USB cable I can get the DAC screen on the 1Z with the volume to show up but no sound no matter what I play on the iPhone. I set the 1Z to not charge over USB, but can't find any other settings on either the DAP or iPhone that help. Any ideas? It's an iPhone X running the latest iOS.


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## flyer1 (Nov 3, 2018)

ruthieandjohn said:


> With my other Sony players, e.g., the NW-ZX1 and the -45, I can analyze my on-board library within my DAP to extract the parameters that it uses to set up the “mood” playlists., e.g. “morning” or “energetic.”
> 
> My WM1A will not do this, but instead advises me that I need to do it off line.  I am not able to to that, but even if I could (using the old or new Sony tool whose name escapes me), I don’t know how I would download the analysis info.
> 
> Any ideas? Thanks!



I transferred all my content to my 1Z with Sony music centre software. It supposed to do a 12 tone analysis automatically for the whole library to enable a 'mood' listing. 

However the player still reports some files not analysed and don't have a clue which ones.  I agree they should have included this capability within the firmware like it was in previous Sony players..


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## NaiveSound

linux4ever said:


> Is this WM1A in the photo?
> 
> A question to WM1Z owners - With V3.0, how long the battery lasts on standby without powering off?


About 27 hrs for me, with about 3 hrs of music played.


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## Nostoi

Hi, this may be a dumb question - is there a way to connect a non-balanced headphone amp to the WM1A while still using the 4.4mm input on the WM1A? I.e., as a pre-amp? I would like to try an amp my LCD2C on the balanced input of my WM1A - do I need an amp with a 4.4 input to do this? Thanks


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## iron2k

Nostoi said:


> Hi, this may be a dumb question - is there a way to connect a non-balanced headphone amp to the WM1A while still using the 4.4mm input on the WM1A? I.e., as a pre-amp? I would like to try an amp my LCD2C on the balanced input of my WM1A - do I need an amp with a 4.4 input to do this? Thanks


Maybe you can use something like this


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## nc8000

Nostoi said:


> Hi, this may be a dumb question - is there a way to connect a non-balanced headphone amp to the WM1A while still using the 4.4mm input on the WM1A? I.e., as a pre-amp? I would like to try an amp my LCD2C on the balanced input of my WM1A - do I need an amp with a 4.4 input to do this? Thanks



You can connect the 3.5 output of the WM to a single ended input on something else or the 4.4 output of the WM to a balanced input of something else. Never mix balanced and single ended


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## Nostoi

iron2k said:


> Maybe you can use something like this


Thanks, that looks handy. But that would still suggest that I'd have to use something like this for the balanced end of my LCD2's right? I was basically to seeing if there's a workaround to avoid spending another $1k on a headphone amp with a 4.4mm input to get more power to the Audeze's (such as Sony's own one or the WA11). Thanks.


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## harishmirror (Nov 3, 2018)

linux4ever said:


> Is this WM1A in the photo?
> 
> A question to WM1Z owners - With V3.0, how long the battery lasts on standby without powering off?



Its a 1z in a silicone case. The battery lasts about 6-7 hrs depending on how much I keep the screen on. Also I have enabled the 90% charge option.

Most of my tracks are in DSD, Few in Wav and Flac.


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## nc8000

Nostoi said:


> Thanks, that looks handy. But that would still suggest that I'd have to use something like this for the balanced end of my LCD2's right? I was basically to seeing if there's a workaround to avoid spending another $1k on a headphone amp with a 4.4mm input to get more power to the Audeze's (such as Sony's own one or the WA11). Thanks.



The WM on it's own is unlikely to be able to power something as demanding as the LCD


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## nc8000

linux4ever said:


> Is this WM1A in the photo?
> 
> A question to WM1Z owners - With V3.0, how long the battery lasts on standby without powering off?



I charge my player once a week and never turn it off. I get about 20 hours play time during that week playing 16/44 flac with direct source on balanced low gain


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## linux4ever

harishmirror said:


> Its a 1z in a silicone case. The battery lasts about 6-7 hrs depending on how much I keep the screen on. Also I have enabled the 90% charge option.
> 
> Most of my tracks are in DSD, Few in Wav and Flac.


I've my wm1z in a black silicone just like you do


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## fiascogarcia

Nostoi said:


> Thanks, that looks handy. But that would still suggest that I'd have to use something like this for the balanced end of my LCD2's right? I was basically to seeing if there's a workaround to avoid spending another $1k on a headphone amp with a 4.4mm input to get more power to the Audeze's (such as Sony's own one or the WA11). Thanks.


You mentioned that your amp is unbalanced, so you can't really get balanced output to your headphones using that amp.  If you decide to get another amp with balanced output, it doesn't necessarily have to have a 4.4mm input.  You could use a 4.4mm adapter to connect the 1Z's balanced output to a balanced amp's RCA or other type of balanced input.  The adapter shown above would allow you to use your current amp, but it would still be in SE output to your headphones.


----------



## iron2k

Nostoi said:


> Thanks, that looks handy. But that would still suggest that I'd have to use something like this for the balanced end of my LCD2's right? I was basically to seeing if there's a workaround to avoid spending another $1k on a headphone amp with a 4.4mm input to get more power to the Audeze's (such as Sony's own one or the WA11). Thanks.


Take a look to this one

https://penonaudio.com/oriolus-ba300s.html


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## Nostoi

iron2k said:


> Take a look to this one
> 
> https://penonaudio.com/oriolus-ba300s.html


Thanks, that looks very nice, indeed. I was actually looking for a balanced equivalent of my Fostex HP-V1, and this looks like it could fit the bill. Cheers.


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## cpetrillo

Just want to mention that my 1A (3.0) is sounding very nice with the AKG N5005. I am listening balanced on the stock 2.5mm cable with a 4.4mm adapter.


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## Nostoi

fiascogarcia said:


> You mentioned that your amp is unbalanced, so you can't really get balanced output to your headphones using that amp.  If you decide to get another amp with balanced output, it doesn't necessarily have to have a 4.4mm input.  You could use a 4.4mm adapter to connect the 1Z's balanced output to a balanced amp's RCA or other type of balanced input.  The adapter shown above would allow you to use your current amp, but it would still be in SE output to your headphones.


Great, thanks this is helpful. I'm somewhat new to desktop amps, so this is good. I do have the NW-H10 cable, so would be ready to go with the RCA connection.


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## NaiveSound

Is there just a thing

(can I plug my 4.4mm cable to an adapter that goes to a male 2.5mm balanced  )?


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## cpetrillo

NaiveSound said:


> Is there just a thing
> 
> (can I plug my 4.4mm cable to an adapter that goes to a male 2.5mm balanced  )?



Yes
https://www.amazon.com/Female-Balanced-Adapter-weaving-Coloer7/dp/B07D77RDJ4


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## Mindstorms

guys is the 4.4 to SE any good? ive seen a couple of cheap ones in aliexpress can it damage my unit? thanks in advance


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## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> guys is the 4.4 to SE any good? ive seen a couple of cheap ones in aliexpress can it damage my unit? thanks in advance



No you might damage the equipment both ends. Never mix balanced and single ended


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## bvng3540

nc8000 said:


> No you might damage the equipment both ends. Never mix balanced and single ended


I been using it since the 4.4mm introduce, used it with my wm1a/1z and sony amp, zero problems, lots of people keep saying it will damaged your devices, but they never used it themself


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## nc8000 (Nov 4, 2018)

bvng3540 said:


> I been using it since the 4.4mm introduce, used it with my wm1a/1z and sony amp, zero problems, lots of people keep saying it will damaged your devices, but they never used it themself



Good for you. In that case Sony must have build some kind of protection into it to bail out people from doing something stupid


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## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> Is there just a thing
> 
> (can I plug my 4.4mm cable to an adapter that goes to a male 2.5mm balanced  )?



My understanding is that balanced to balanced is fine.


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## Quadfather (Nov 4, 2018)

I currently have the Sony NW-WM1A and it has 800 hours on it. It is perfect for heavy metal. My Paw Gold Diana and Questyle QP1R are great, but metal becomes fatiguing after an hour. No such problem with the Sony. I have heard the NW-WM1Z and fell in love...still saving. I NEVER sell players, because my tastes change from time to time.


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## bflat

nc8000 said:


> Good for you. In that case Sony must have build some kind of protection into it to bail out people from doing something stupid



Not stupid. 4.4 TRRRS spec allows for balanced to dual SE using the 5th rung as GND. If somebody with one of these adapters can confirm that the GND signal from the RCA is wired to the 5th rung then it is fully within specs. If the wiring is to the 4.4 spec, then the worse that can happen is no sound. I'm going to email the adapter maker out of curiosity.


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## nc8000

bflat said:


> Not stupid. 4.4 TRRRS spec allows for balanced to dual SE using the 5th rung as GND. If somebody with one of these adapters can confirm that the GND signal from the RCA is wired to the 5th rung then it is fully within specs. If the wiring is to the 4.4 spec, then the worse that can happen is no sound. I'm going to email the adapter maker out of curiosity.



Yes that would be true, I didn’t think of the ground line on the 4.4, but I suppose that requires it to be implemented in the Sony ?

Joining the 2 minus signals to the 3.5 ground on the other hand should produce a short.


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## bflat

nc8000 said:


> Yes that would be true, I didn’t think of the ground line on the 4.4, but I suppose that requires it to be implemented in the Sony ?
> 
> Joining the 2 minus signals to the 3.5 ground on the other hand should produce a short.



That's right. Sony manual says 5th rung is non connect, but unclear whether they are talking about the headphone plug or the internal wiring of the jack. However, seeing as how Sony co-authored the spec, it would be strange that they don't have the full spec implemented on their DAPs. It would be very simple to wire the 5th rung to the common GND. Looking at the PCB image below, you can clearly see the 4 wires but there is also one more red wire that appears to be soldered to the 5th rung. I emailed the adapter maker on eBay so will share once I hear back.


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## ryaneagon

Quadfather said:


> My understanding is that balanced to balanced is fine.



Correct. Balanced to Balanced is perfectly fine.


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## ttt123 (Nov 4, 2018)

bflat said:


> That's right. Sony manual says 5th rung is non connect, but unclear whether they are talking about the headphone plug or the internal wiring of the jack. However, seeing as how Sony co-authored the spec, it would be strange that they don't have the full spec implemented on their DAPs. It would be very simple to wire the 5th rung to the common GND. Looking at the PCB image below, you can clearly see the 4 wires but there is also one more red wire that appears to be soldered to the 5th rung. I emailed the adapter maker on eBay so will share once I hear back.


I just did a quick continuity check on my WM1Z.  On the 3.5 mm TRS plug, the S is the common grd, and there is continuity from the S lead to the chassis, as measured  on the edge of the gold ring around the 3.5 mm TRS plug.  The 4.4 mm plug 5th ring grd is actually the case grd on the plug.    There is no continuity to the same point that I measured the  3.5 mm TRS plug S lead to.  So it does not look like the 4.4 mm 5th ring is connected to chassis GRD.

If a 4.4 mm 5th ring Grd is all that is needed, then a workaround would be to wire a 4.4 mm 5th ring  to the S connector on a 3.5 TRS plug.  Plug the 3.5 plug in along with the 4.4mm, and the 5th ring will have a Grd, the same grd as the 3.5 mm S lead uses.  This is assuming that all the 4.4 plug needs is a common chassis grd. on the 5th ring.   No idea if that will work, but easy enough for somebody with the right setup to try out.


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## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> No you might damage the equipment both ends. Never mix balanced and single ended


thanks


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## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> thanks



Read the above discussion. It might be safe if the 5th point on the 4.4 is wired to ground inside the WM and then wired to the common ground on the 3.5


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## Mindstorms

bvng3540 said:


> I been using it since the 4.4mm introduce, used it with my wm1a/1z and sony amp, zero problems, lots of people keep saying it will damaged your devices, but they never used it themself


maybe its adapter dependent


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## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> Read the above discussion. It might be safe if the 5th point on the 4.4 is wired to ground inside the WM and then wired to the common ground on the 3.5


how in earth im going to be shure about that lol?


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## gerelmx1986

There is one  i love more than my WM1A/MDR-Z1R combo and that is my dude Wilhem from wiesbaden


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## ttt123

nc8000 said:


> Read the above discussion. It might be safe if the 5th point on the 4.4 is wired to ground inside the WM and then wired to the common ground on the 3.5


The workaround I suggested would be connecting the 5th ring from a 4.4mm plug with one end of a wire, and the other end of the wire to the S lead of a 3.5mm plug.  That way, you can use the  3.5mm plug, plugged in and connected to chassis grd, and the grd is then bridged to the 4.4mm S 5th ring via the wire.  So you have tapped onto  chassis grd from the TRS socket to TRS plug S grd, wired to the 4.4mm S lead.  This is not as good as wiring the 4.4mm S internally to chassis grd, but it is an electrical equivalent, with the advantage of not having to open up the WM1x and does not involve any soldering on the 4.4mm socket, or chassis, and also no need to open the back of the WM1x.  If this works, then the internal grd can be added at a later date, as a more direct grd.  And if it does not work, then it was 100% non-intrusive to the WM1x, and you can just cut the S lead off and salvage the plugs for other uses.


----------



## nc8000

ttt123 said:


> The workaround I suggested would be connecting the 5th ring from a 4.4mm plug with one end of a wire, and the other end of the wire to the S lead of a 3.5mm plug.  That way, you can use the  3.5mm plug, plugged in and connected to chassis grd, and the grd is then bridged to the 4.4mm S 5th ring via the wire.  So you have tapped onto  chassis grd from the TRS socket to TRS plug S grd, wired to the 4.4mm S lead.  This is not as good as wiring the 4.4mm S internally to chassis grd, but it is an electrical equivalent, with the advantage of not having to open up the WM1x and does not involve any soldering on the 4.4mm socket, or chassis, and also no need to open the back of the WM1x.  If this works, then the internal grd can be added at a later date, as a more direct grd.  And if it does not work, then it was 100% non-intrusive to the WM1x, and you can just cut the S lead off and salvage the plugs for other uses.



Indeed. However I don’t see why anybody would want to go to all this trouble just to get a single ended signal, why not just use the 3.5 to get that.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Midnstorms said:


> guys is the 4.4 to SE any good? ive seen a couple of cheap ones in aliexpress can it damage my unit? thanks in advance



As mentioned earlier in the thread, many times those plugs are advertised as doing one thing but the included diagram shows they do another.


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## Tawek

since the 3.0 update 1z Se is as good as balanced even the power  is very similar .


----------



## Redcarmoose

Tawek said:


> since the 3.0 update 1z Se is as good as balanced even the power  is very similar .


That is funny they did that with the update.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> That is funny they did that with the update.



Well they can't have changed the physics of the power so the balanced must still have more unless they have limited the volume on balanced


----------



## Tawek

nc8000 said:


> Well they can't have changed the physics of the power so the balanced must still have more unless they have limited the volume on balanced



check yourself ex1000 listen direct mode off
103- Se and 101-balanced
the volume is the same


----------



## nc8000

Tawek said:


> check yourself ex1000 listen direct mode off
> 103- Se and 101-balanced
> the volume is the same



I’m back on 2.0 as 3.0 kept crashing and I didn’t need the new features


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## Tawek

nc8000 said:


> I’m back on 2.0 as 3.0 kept crashing and I didn’t need the new features



for me, 3.0 is very stable and I have never had a problem  with crash  ... not once


----------



## nc8000

Tawek said:


> for me, 3.0 is very stable and I have never had a problem  with crash  ... not once



Crashed every 2-3 hours for me both in BT receiver mode and playing flac from internal and external memory. No crash in 4 weeks since downgrading and never had a crash in 1 1/2 years before upgrading to 3.0


----------



## ttt123

nc8000 said:


> Indeed. However I don’t see why anybody would want to go to all this trouble just to get a single ended signal, why not just use the 3.5 to get that.


True, and I am not advocating this, just exploring options for anybody who has a setup where they think there may be a benefit to utilizing the 4.4.  If it can be done easily (for a DIY'er), then it is worth a try.  Never know what you will get.  Maybe something worth the effort, maybe not.  I personally think it makes more sense to just stay with the WM1x in standalone, and if wanting to feed a higher quality desktop rig, then get one with a balanced input.  I'm currently feeding the 3.5 into an Audio Pro Addon Five powered speaker, and it is small and compact, and sounds pretty good.  When I get around to it, I'm planning to feed the 3.5 into a PS Audio Sprout.   So all moderate, small physical dimensions equipment, to fit onto a desktop.


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## Tawek

3.0 I have been using for a month and I have not had any crash, I do not use any sd card


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## fiascogarcia

Tawek said:


> 3.0 I have been using for a month and I have not had any crash, I do not use any sd card


Same here and I haven't used an SD card since upgrading firmware.  I had suggested earlier that it may have something to do with the SD card interface, but I have no basis to guess why.


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## Duncan

fiascogarcia said:


> Same here and I haven't used an SD card since upgrading firmware.  I had suggested earlier that it may have something to do with the SD card interface, but I have no basis to guess why.


I had one crash early on, but all good since, that is with a 400gb card bursting at the seams (just over 15k tracks).


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## oradev

Hello everybody.

I've got the same problem, when using 1A as DAC with MBP PRO.
Testing with VLC player, VOX, Deezer. MBP showing WALKMAN in sound preferences, but there is no sound...


----------



## kingdixon

Tonight my Wm1a on 3.0 was sounding more awesome than ever with se846, i guess its a mood thing ;D

Also tonight i experienced my first crash since the firmware was released, it was in my pocket suddenly the sound stopped, i thought it was the cable but no, also kept pressing buttons in my pocket, until i took it out and found it creating the database .. i also dont use the new features as much but i like to have them available, also leaning to sound on 3.0, but its pretty frusturating dont know if i should revert or stay.


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## Duncan

I use my 1A for 2hrs a day in receiver mode (as soon as FW3.0 dropped that convinced me to get this to retire the Shanling M0 that held that duty for a few months) - even if it crashed twice a day, the LDAC convenience and SQ would keep me here.


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## nc8000

Duncan said:


> I use my 1A for 2hrs a day in receiver mode (as soon as FW3.0 dropped that convinced me to get this to retire the Shanling M0 that held that duty for a few months) - even if it crashed twice a day, the LDAC convenience and SQ would keep me here.



It takes 20-30 minutes to rebuild the database after a crash so that really is a no go if it crashes ever 2-3 hours playtime


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## Tawek

nc8000 said:


> It takes 20-30 minutes to rebuild the database after a crash so that really is a no go if it crashes ever 2-3 hours playtime


20-30min crazy! !  3 min to rebuild the database-  6800 tracks


----------



## NaiveSound

Has anyone here heard the R2R2000 as well as the 1z?what were your thoughts?


----------



## nc8000

Tawek said:


> 20-30min crazy! !  3 min to rebuild the database-  6800 tracks



I have about 30.000 16/44 flac tracks. Build time went up at least 50% with 3.0


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## Mindstorms

I see that my question was good since you guys keeped entertained debating a lot lol, i fixed the dearned loop... for anyone having that issue on 1.2 i formated systems storage... reseted all player settings, it kept my EQ and player count time and deleted all files in the SD not the songs the 3 files it creates then let the player created database with 0 songs then inserted SD it created ok then formated system memory again then copy most of my mp3s there too. i dunno what fixed but it aperared to have fixed it...


----------



## ryaneagon

Just some basic troubleshooting. 

I had experienced a couple crashes using 3.0.

I noticed they occurred when playing music stored on the SD card. I moved all those files to the internal hard drive, removed the card, haven't had a single crash since. Not sure if this is the root, but figured I'd share.


----------



## nc8000

ryaneagon said:


> Just some basic troubleshooting.
> 
> I had experienced a couple crashes using 3.0.
> 
> I noticed they occurred when playing music stored on the SD card. I moved all those files to the internal hard drive, removed the card, haven't had a single crash since. Not sure if this is the root, but figured I'd share.



Mine crashed in BT receiver mode, playing files in internal memory and playing songs in external memory. After each reboot what made it crash played fine


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## Lookout57 (Nov 5, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> It takes 20-30 minutes to rebuild the database after a crash so that really is a no go if it crashes ever 2-3 hours playtime


How many songs do you have and what format?

The first thing I did when I got my players was to do a factory reset and I formatted the SD cards in the player. All content was copied to either the SD card using a USB3 card reader or player internal memory using the macOS Finder. I also used BlueHarvest to clean the macOS metadata from both volumes (internal and SD card).

So I have 8806 songs on my 1Z spread between internal and a 400GB card with only a couple of hundred MB free on each. On my 1A I have 7108 songs spread between internal and a 400GB card with a couple of GB free on each. On both DAPs the songs are either FLAC 16/44.1 up to 24/192 or DSF (downloads and rips). It takes either player approximately 5 minutes to rebuild the database (I haven't timed it to get exact numbers) and I've never had a crash.

What I did do is go painstakingly went thru every track and rescaled all artwork with Metadatics to 600x600. I also verified that all the required tags were there and clean (found some that had tabs and/or carriage returns in them using Kid3).

I wonder could the long rebuild time and crashes be due to either a corrupt database or possibly a tag that the player doesn't like.

Does anyone know if the manual database rebuild deletes the old version or just updates what's in place? If it deletes it, maybe you should try that. Otherwise you might have to do a factory reset and reload all your content to be safe if the tags and artwork is clean.


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## nc8000 (Nov 5, 2018)

Lookout57 said:


> How many songs do you have and what format?
> 
> I have 8806 songs on my 1Z spread between internal and a 400GB card with only a couple of hundred MB free on each. On my 1A I have 7108 songs spread between internal and a 400GB card with a couple of GB free on each. On both DAPs the songs are either FLAC 16/44.1 up to 24/192 or DSF (downloads and rips). It takes either player approximately 5 minutes to rebuild the database (I haven't timed it to get exact numbers) and I've never had a crash.
> 
> ...



I have about 30.000 16/44 flac tracks with embedded cover art 300x300 baseline jpg. All tags and artwork are perfect and I only have the bare minimum tags (album name, artist name, track name, track number, genre). 

Build time went up by at least 50% with 3.0 and came back down when I went back to 2.0.

As I don’t need any of the 3.0 features I can’t be bothered to spend time dealing with it.


----------



## bflat

I got a response from the eBay seller of this adapter - https://www.ebay.com/itm/122592817765?ul_noapp=true

The seller states the RCA GND is connected to the respective R- and L- rungs of the 4.4mm plug. I don't plan to order one of these just to confirm. Assuming this is true, I don't see how this works without shorting the balanced amp.


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## NaiveSound

I love the new turntable effects. Very subtle and cool!


----------



## auronthas

nc8000 said:


> It takes 20-30 minutes to rebuild the database after a crash so that really is a no go if it crashes ever 2-3 hours playtime


For those who has taken long time to rebuild database, why not split into few microSD cards . It took much shorter time and also to avoid crash. So far so good, no crash in my WM1A as I power off everytime.


----------



## NaiveSound

auronthas said:


> For those who has taken long time to rebuild database, why not split into few microSD cards . It took much shorter time and also to avoid crash. So far so good, no crash in my WM1A as I power off everytime.


 How come it has to rebuild database each time?


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## Redcarmoose (Nov 6, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Well they can't have changed the physics of the power so the balanced must still have more unless they have limited the volume on balanced





Tawek said:


> check yourself ex1000 listen direct mode off
> 103- Se and 101-balanced
> the volume is the same


Balanced and single ended are fairly close with volume output in 3.0. I actually have two sets of the exact same IEM only a couple serial numbers apart. I plugged one into balanced and one into single ended.

The 1Z shuts off the single-ended output when in balanced mode. So I stuck both IEMs in my ears the balanced on the right and single ended on the left. Single-ended is still slightly lower on volume. I know IEM cables have slightly different resistance from time to time, but have no way to test the two cables.

Balanced is also still the better way to go due to the noise cancellation process inherent in the balanced process. Though somehow it may be true there IS less difference between the two methods on the 1Z than there was.


----------



## auronthas

NaiveSound said:


> How come it has to rebuild database each time?


Isn't it rebuild database when one turn on? I have noticed it in 2.0 too.

Please correct me if I am wrong


----------



## bitonio (Nov 6, 2018)

auronthas said:


> Isn't it rebuild database when one turn on? I have noticed it in 2.0 too.
> 
> Please correct me if I am wrong


The main difference between 2.0 and 3.0 is the latest version is significantly slower than 2.0, by a factor of 2 or 3 times.
I had the auto power off feature on and this is no longer usable, so I leave the unit on, idle. It doesn't lose a lot of battery and it is ready to go immediately.

*Sony, if you read us*, I'd love to have some user experience improvement here.
If this database building process can't be accelerated, please introduce an auto-power off feature, and we could have an auto-pause after some time (1h, 2h, 4h...), or when no headphones are connected (either balanced or SE).​


----------



## AllenWalker

Shoutout for anyone out here. 

Have tried several top-end IEMs like QDC Gemini, Jomo Audio Flamenco, Xelento and Acoustune HS1650CU. Was disappointed with the first two as the sound didn't blend well and impressed with the rest.  

Any recommendations on other IEM/CIEM that I should pair with WM1Z? No budget for purchase


----------



## rcoleman1

@AllenWalker I've been contemplating picking up the Acoustune HS1650CU as well for my 1Z. Can you offer any additional thoughts? Thanks.


----------



## Edric Li

The whole thing about rebuilding database doesn't make sense. We know it takes time to read and parse some thousands of song metadata (unless it is a Lotoo player), so how about read them in the background, and let us browse and listen via folder view???

AK can do it, why can't you Sony???


----------



## bflat

dB increase is as follows:

+3 dB = 2x power (mW)
+6 dB = 2x amplitude (voltage)
+10 dB = perceived doubling of sound volume

At most, I would expect the NW-WM1a/z balanced to output no more than +6 dB versus SE.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I think most messed up with the installer. Instead of looking up the region code of their WM, they just downloaded whatever was there or here.


Edric Li said:


> The whole thing about rebuilding database doesn't make sense. We know it takes time to read and parse some thousands of song metadata (unless it is a Lotoo player), so how about read them in the background, and let us browse and listen via folder view???
> 
> AK can do it, why can't you Sony???


----------



## nc8000

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I think most messed up with the installer. Instead of looking up the region code of their WM, they just downloaded whatever was there or here.



The FW is supposed to be exactly the same no matter where you download it from


----------



## NaiveSound

How does one load lyrics easily?


----------



## Zaroff

nc8000 said:


> Build time went up by at least 50% with 3.0 and came back down when I went back to 2.0.



This. As I don't particularly need the new features of 3.0, the ridiculous amount of time it took with it to rebuild the database every time I added something was a deal-breaker. I just can't be bothered and reverted back to 2.0 where things are back to normal.


----------



## Darksoul

NaiveSound said:


> How does one load lyrics easily?



Best way I found was use Lyrics show panel 3 with Foobar to get the lyrics of the song. Then copy the text file Lyrics show panel 3 generates and add it on the same folder as the song, with the same name.


----------



## ryaneagon

I could use some screen protector recommendations, initially I wasn't going to use one, but after receiving my WM1Z today and how beautiful and immaculate it is...I'd like to try and keep it that way.  



This thing is a work of ART! \,,/


----------



## blazinblazin

AllenWalker said:


> Shoutout for anyone out here.
> 
> Have tried several top-end IEMs like QDC Gemini, Jomo Audio Flamenco, Xelento and Acoustune HS1650CU. Was disappointed with the first two as the sound didn't blend well and impressed with the rest.
> 
> Any recommendations on other IEM/CIEM that I should pair with WM1Z? No budget for purchase



You seems to go towards Dynamic Drivers, maybe try those with at least 1 DD iems, eg Campfire Audio Solaris.


----------



## NaiveSound

Is the pha-3 similar to 1a or 1z at all?


----------



## linux4ever

AllenWalker said:


> Shoutout for anyone out here.
> 
> Have tried several top-end IEMs like QDC Gemini, Jomo Audio Flamenco, Xelento and Acoustune HS1650CU. Was disappointed with the first two as the sound didn't blend well and impressed with the rest.
> 
> Any recommendations on other IEM/CIEM that I should pair with WM1Z? No budget for purchase


WM1Z with K-mod. Pairs well with most of the IEM/CIEM I paired it with. 

CustomArt Harmony 8.2. 64Audio A18. Both paired with Effect Audio Leonidas Ver1 & 1960 2 wire.

AAW A3H Ver2 with null audio 8 wire copper cable. Campfire Audio Comet with Kimber Audio cable.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have like 26000 16/44.1 files on mine and not a single crash yet, reformatted both memories before transfer the new batch of songs


----------



## bvng3540

ryaneagon said:


> I could use some screen protector recommendations, initially I wasn't going to use one, but after receiving my WM1Z today and how beautiful and immaculate it is...I'd like to try and keep it that way.
> 
> 
> 
> This thing is a work of ART! \,,/



Go on Amazon, there plenty, get the tempered glass one


----------



## ryaneagon (Nov 7, 2018)

Hoping for some help/suggestions.

Just received my WM1Z (ver.3.0) I'm having some issues getting all the album work to display, from what I've read on the innerweb is that Sony uses imbedded ID tags to display them. I'd say out of 200 albums maybe 15 of them are not displaying art work

I'm really meticulous when it comes to organization, here is how my files are laid out. Windows 10>Artist folder>Album folder>folder.jpg inside of album folder.  From there I use dbpoweramp or Foobar to imbedded the album artwork, I typically use 800x800 or 1000x1000, I use larger resolution jpg's
because I also display album artwork using a couple media players (Shield and Med8er) hence why I drop a folder.jpg in the album folder.

Like I said the majority pop up but some don't.

Troubleshooting:  I've tried re-editing those albums that are not displaying, usually by deleting the artwork and re-downloading the art work  (from album art exchange website) and some of them started displaying, but most did not. I've also tried using the Sony import software on both Windows and Mac. I don't have issues with album artwork on my media players or other DAP's.

Any other suggestions?


----------



## nc8000

ryaneagon said:


> Hoping for some help/suggestions.
> 
> Just received my WM1Z (ver.3.0) I'm having some issues getting all the album work to display, from what I've read on the innerweb is that Sony uses imbedded ID tags to display them. I'd say out of 200 albums maybe 15 of them are not displaying art work
> 
> ...



All album art has to be baseline jpg, these players do not support progressive jpg and this is most likely the problem


----------



## ryaneagon

nc8000 said:


> All album art has to be baseline jpg, these players do not support progressive jpg and this is most likely the problem



How do I save or covert jpg's under "baseline" type?


----------



## nc8000

ryaneagon said:


> How do I save or covert jpg's under "baseline" type?



Depends on the image editor you use. I use SnagIt and when I save the is an Options button where I can choose all sorts of things


----------



## Quadfather

ryaneagon said:


> How do I save or covert jpg's under "baseline" type?



I always make sure to pull album art off Amazon and it works because it's Baseline


----------



## ryaneagon

nc8000 said:


> Depends on the image editor you use. I use SnagIt and when I save the is an Options button where I can choose all sorts of things



Thanks.

I'm going to give XnViewMP a shot and try and batch process, if that doesn't work I'll pull from Amazon, being I'm having an issue with only a few albums.

Thank you sir!


----------



## Quadfather (Nov 7, 2018)

ryaneagon said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I'm going to give XnViewMP a shot and try and batch process, if that doesn't work I'll pull from Amazon, being I'm having an issue with only a few albums.
> 
> Thank you sir!



I have several terabytes of music and I am now through the letter q for having it all Baseline and workable on the Sony. I am making real progress LOL in a few more weeks, I will be done and then I'll back it up on five different hard drives.  Does anybody know of a good program to scan for any audio file corruption?


----------



## NaiveSound

Quadfather said:


> I always make sure to pull album art off Amazon and it works because it's Baseline


How is this done? Because music is bought on Amazon ?Or how else?


----------



## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> How is this done? Because music is bought on Amazon ?Or how else?



In Google image search you put the artist, album name, and Amazon and make sure the image you choose is hosted on Amazon.  Michael Jackson Thriller Amazon.  I usually choose one of their large or one of their medium sized images.


----------



## ryaneagon

Quadfather said:


> I have several terabytes of music and I am now through the letter q for having it all Baseline and workable on the Sony. I am making real progress LOL in a few more weeks, I will be done and then I'll back it up on five different hard drives.  Does anybody know of a good program to scan for any audio file corruption?



Sounds like a party! Well, I'm going to just stick with the few that have issues displaying on the Sony. Downloading from Amazon did work.


----------



## Quadfather

ryaneagon said:


> Sounds like a party! Well, I'm going to just stick with the few that have issues displaying on the Sony. Downloading from Amazon did work.



I am glad it worked.


----------



## ryaneagon

Quadfather said:


> I am glad it worked.



What an inconvenience, too bad Sony can't design the software to accommodate progressive images, sucks that all my other devices work without issue...Oh, well, can't have everything.


----------



## NoMythsAudio (Nov 7, 2018)

ryaneagon said:


> Sounds like a party! Well, I'm going to just stick with the few that have issues displaying on the Sony. Downloading from Amazon did work.


Download and install Tag Scanner (Windows only). Connect your 1z via usb to the computer. Open Tag Scanner. Locate the MUSIC folder from 1z, drag it into Tag scanner, select all (ctrl+A), click save; Tag scanner will re-encode all the images in baseline jpg. And you’re done. Saves you a lot of manual work and time.

**pay attention to the image size in the preferences section of the program as you can use this to also resize to smaller images. I can’t remember the default size of cover in the program as I changed mine long ago.


----------



## ryaneagon

NoMythsAudio said:


> Download and install Tag Scanner (Windows only). Connect your 1z via usb to the computer. Open Tag Scanner. Locate the MUSIC folder from 1z, drag it into Tag scanner, select all (ctrl+A), click save; Tag scanner will re-encode all the images in baseline jpg. And you’re done. Saves you a lot of manual work and time.
> 
> **pay attention to the image size in the preferences section of the program as you can use this to also resize to smaller images. I can’t remember the default size of cover in the program as I changed mine long ago.



Perfect! Thanks for the info.


----------



## ryaneagon

NoMythsAudio said:


> Download and install Tag Scanner (Windows only). Connect your 1z via usb to the computer. Open Tag Scanner. Locate the MUSIC folder from 1z, drag it into Tag scanner, select all (ctrl+A), click save; Tag scanner will re-encode all the images in baseline jpg. And you’re done. Saves you a lot of manual work and time.
> 
> **pay attention to the image size in the preferences section of the program as you can use this to also resize to smaller images. I can’t remember the default size of cover in the program as I changed mine long ago.



Well not much luck with tag scanner. I didn't have a problem importing via walkman music folder, set the embedded covers to 800x800, ctrl-a, and save...took a bit save, but that didn't solve the problem with the albums with missing art. Any idea?


----------



## Dtuck90

My WM1A has crashed 4 times in the past 24 hours since I used USB DAC with my MacBook Air. This is the first time it’s crashed since upgrading to 3.0 the day it was released and was only the second time I’ve used USB DAC. Can’t be a coincidence.


----------



## Stephen George

NaiveSound said:


> How is this done? Because music is bought on Amazon ?Or how else?



it doesn't have to be..i use a product on the PC called "Tag & Rename"

you select the files, press the globe and it'll do the google search for you

you can then just drag the cover you want and it does the rest

i found the smaller the cover the better...T&R will set everything to 200X200

higher res pics do nothing for you


----------



## Stephen George

ryaneagon said:


> Well not much luck with tag scanner. I didn't have a problem importing via walkman music folder, set the embedded covers to 800x800, ctrl-a, and save...took a bit save, but that didn't solve the problem with the albums with missing art. Any idea?





ryaneagon said:


> Well not much luck with tag scanner. I didn't have a problem importing via walkman music folder, set the embedded covers to 800x800, ctrl-a, and save...took a bit save, but that didn't solve the problem with the albums with missing art. Any idea?



smaller the better....the sw i use sets it to 200X200 and haven't had any issues

supposedly with 3.0 you can do away with embedding them and just use folder.jpg


----------



## NaiveSound

I've had difficulty trying tag


----------



## jasonho (Nov 7, 2018)

this is from the sony website



> You can add cover art images for albums manually so that the image will appear on the Walkman screen. First, *rename the image file with the same name as the folder for the album*. (Do not change the extension for the image file at this time.) Then, add the image file to the folder for the album.
> The Walkman displays the following files for cover art images.
> 
> Baseline JPEG
> ...



It works for me.


----------



## ryaneagon

Trying out the Bluetooth receiver tonight. Sounds pretty exceptional paired with my Nivida Shield, LDAC is sounding just as good as direct from the player, I'm pretty impressed.


----------



## buduba0604

I use mp3tag for all my tagging needs.
For covers, Amazon works but I prefer using the iTunes database:
https://bendodson.com/projects/itunes-artwork-finder/
You can search through all regions. Just select "album" for album artwork


----------



## Notrix

ryaneagon said:


> Well not much luck with tag scanner. I didn't have a problem importing via walkman music folder, set the embedded covers to 800x800, ctrl-a, and save...took a bit save, but that didn't solve the problem with the albums with missing art. Any idea?


Though I can't take credit for the HACK below, it has worked perfectly for me.  I found this some time ago on the NW-A40 Series thread by a poster named @bandario.  This process works great even if you don't use Music Center for PC.  Just disregard that portion of the guide.  Hope this helps... Cheers!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How I fixed 100% of my album art, a quick guide. Note, I already had album art either embedded in tags or in folder titled cover.jpg before I started this process. I was just missing 80% being displayed on the NW-A45 due to either wrong version ID3v2 tags or jpgs stored as progressive rather than baseline. As discussed earlier in the thread, Baseline is required by the NW-A45 in order to display correctly AND it has trouble with id3V2.4. I was not about to spend an entire day doing all of this manually so here is the closest I came to an automated solution. I now have 100% of tags showing correctly apart from one folder full of V/A compilations which just seem to be handled really badly by just about all software and will have to be done manually.

This solution can be done without re-transferring all of your files which is a big deal. We will be using TagScanner and Sony Music Center.
------------------------------
First: open TagScanner, go to program options in the top right and under TAGS, ensure you have it set to ID3v2.3, and that your coverart filename matches the bulk of what you are dealing with (cover.jpg). I set quality to 90% @ 600x600 pixels.
Click the back arrow in the top left.
Next: Click the folder icon with the green + sign and point it to the MUSIC directory on your WALKMAN device, ensuring search subfolders is checked.
Once all of the music has been imported, press CTRL-A to select all files, drop down the KEEP menu and select Recompress. This by default should have discogs cleanup selected, I'm not sure if this matters.
Press SAVE down the bottom right and TagScanner will start processing your files and saving tags and art in a proper, readable format.

Once this is done, repeat the process for the music directory on your microSD card.

If you are still struggling, select all files and extract album artwork from tags to file, saving as cover.jpg and overwriting.

Then, send them back to tags and the correct format will be applied.
-----------------------------

Disconnect your device and let it update the database. Now, go to album view and scroll through your albums. You will notice now that *most of the lag is gone!* I think this is a side effect of having all of your tags + artwork recompressed into correct format.
Use a pen and paper or notepad etc to write down any remaining albums that still don't have artwork.

Open Sony music centre and delete your entire library making sure to select delete library only, not the files on your computer. Let's face it, this software is terrible apart from the one thing we are about to do with it.
Also turn off automatically analyse imported tracks and 12-tone analysis. This is what crashes Music Center constantly, and also what messes up all of your perfectly organised music.

Open My Computer and drag both of your music folders from the walkman to Music Center. When asked if you want to copy it to managed location, select NO.

Now, go through the list you made earlier and either drag appropriate cover art to the albums that are missing it or use the Get Cover Art function from gracenote.

That's it. This has been extraordinarily frustrating; I can't work out for the life of me why the walkman has such a hard time dealing with album art.


----------



## bvng3540

How do we go back to 2.0 from 3.0?


----------



## nc8000

bvng3540 said:


> How do we go back to 2.0 from 3.0?



Install the 2.0 FW


----------



## fiascogarcia

bvng3540 said:


> How do we go back to 2.0 from 3.0?





nc8000 said:


> Install the 2.0 FW



nc8000, does your dropbox still work?
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0


----------



## nc8000

fiascogarcia said:


> nc8000, does your dropbox still work?
> https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0



Should do


----------



## PointyFox

The only way to use Music Center is to disable all its features.


----------



## Redcarmoose

fiascogarcia said:


> nc8000, does your dropbox still work?
> https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0



His drop box saved me too! Big thank-you! FW2.0 on the 1A/ FW 3.0 1Z.


----------



## Duncan

Not that I can afford the 1Z but, a question for those that have both...  If you used one on day one exclusively, and swapped to the other on day two (ie a break from listening, rather than a direct a/b) is the difference still very obvious, you feel that something is missing or extra versus the day before?

Why do those that have both have both? Does one seem to suit some genres better than the other? (As in does the 1A actually beat out the 1Z at any point?)

Loving the 1A, but having one of those what if moments.

Thanks!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 8, 2018)

Duncan said:


> Not that I can afford the 1Z but, a question for those that have both...  If you used one on day one exclusively, and swapped to the other on day two (ie a break from listening, rather than a direct a/b) is the difference still very obvious, you feel that something is missing or extra versus the day before?
> 
> Why do those that have both have both? Does one seem to suit some genres better than the other? (As in does the 1A actually beat out the 1Z at any point?)
> 
> ...


The 1A has a treble curve which suits my Encore better than the 1Z. So they have a sound difference that’s massive. After you own both for awhile you find that they each garner their own IEMs in your collection and you don’t ever want to mix and match.

It takes about an hour to fully acclimate between the 2 players still. I don’t know about genre matching but maybe someone would, it makes sense?

The 1Z treble curve enhances a darker IEM I have. So the 1A/1Z really are complementary to each other.


----------



## linux4ever

Duncan said:


> Not that I can afford the 1Z but, a question for those that have both...  If you used one on day one exclusively, and swapped to the other on day two (ie a break from listening, rather than a direct a/b) is the difference still very obvious, you feel that something is missing or extra versus the day before?
> 
> Why do those that have both have both? Does one seem to suit some genres better than the other? (As in does the 1A actually beat out the 1Z at any point?)
> 
> ...


WM1A and WM1Z have unique sound signatures. Both are immensely likable. But 1z (and mine has k-mod as well) has that resolution that wasn't available even in Premium plus k-mod WM1A. The sound is definitely a step above WM1A. The unmoved WM1A bass has punch, yet still feels softer at times. thePremium plus k-mod WM1A punches well and has the slam. It opens up a lot across all frequencies compared to the unmodded WM1A. 

Some times it is easier to carry WM1A around. Wm1Z is quite HEAVY . It is still manageable though. But not as easy as WM1A. Campfire Audio Comet sounds so lovely even on unmodded WM1A. That $200 iem is a beast.


----------



## NaiveSound

I love the 1z...almost tempted to keep it.


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> I love the 1z...almost tempted to keep it.



I once had a 79 Les Paul Standard. I was moving and had too much stuff so I sold it. I have always missed that guitar. You won’t know till you miss it.


----------



## Quadfather

NaiveSound said:


> I love the 1z...almost tempted to keep it.



 I would just keep it. I have been tempted to sell some of my players and I'm so glad I have kept all three of my main players.


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> I once had a 79 Les Paul Standard. I was moving and had too much stuff so I sold it. I have always missed that guitar. You won’t know till you miss it.


Tell me about the TA and what about it has significant improvement over 1z


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 9, 2018)

NaiveSound said:


> Tell me about the TA and what about it has significant improvement over 1z



Strangely it’s an IEM amp. You get it and it comes with cables and a small remote, but it’s probably best suited suited as a DAC and amp with a computer or the 1A/1Z. It’s not the best going analog in or Toslink SPDIF in RCA, from a transport with 16/44.1 disks.

It’s maybe not going to be the total best with layed back dark IEMs; the treble enthusiasm of the 1Z adds some energy getting the signature to slip out of the woods.

Remember though this is just my opinion using the Z1R, Z7, N3, Z5 and Anole V3 and Encore. It’s nice with everything but maybe slightly too dark with the Anole V3.

Though word on the street is they are great to hook a DVD player up optical; I have not tried it. But as a DAC it does the DA conversion then takes the analog back into the digital realm in a DSD envelope. So it uses an effect much like upsampling, along with proper DSEE HX. It has very few controls really. No EQ. I leave the DSEE HX and DSD remastering engine on all the time. It has 3.5mm single ended, 1/4” single ended, XLR 4pin, 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mmX2 balanced.

As a preamp it has a choice of line out or volume control out. Strangely you could plug an analog vinyl preamp into it and upsample the signal to DSD. Have not tried that yet. But in daily use HD sounds especially nice, though I mainly use 320 kbps and FLAC. I especially like how it makes MP3 sound...........................I know that is silly, but MP3s are special with it.

It’s super heavy with a EMF enclosure and the connections like gold plate RCA are comparable to the highest end gear you will ever see. Though it is only as powerful as my Asgard One. Which it’s way more than you need with the Z1R and Z7, but couldn’t drive a k701 very well. I leave it on low gain for the Z1R and Z7. What’s truly amazing is what it can do to the Z5. Just an experience where the soundstage opens and this thick buttery bass in a fixed lockdown image prevails. Z5 soundstage gets the best I have ever heard too. All and all it’s just blacker in background but also is more flat than the 1Z. The 1Z has a treble spike that enhances some IEMs and is a detriment to others. Also it’s kinda warm, warmer than the 1A. Remember it’s made by the TA team, who have been making amps ever since, I don’t know, the late 1970s? It’s their first headphone amp.

It’s a nice compromise as it’s dead quiet with IEMs.

As far as sound goes it’s a noticeable improvement over the 1Z-1A. Better stable image production and blacker background; both notable qualities with IEMs and headphones. Tighter bass on the headphones and of course amazing synergy with Sony headphones, taking them to a place few products can. Super easy to use too, never ever gets more warm than body temperature.


----------



## NaiveSound

Redcarmoose said:


> Strangely it’s an IEM amp. You get it and it comes with cables and a small remote, but it’s probably best suited suited as a DAC and amp with a computer or the 1A/1Z. It’s not the best going analog in or Toslink SPDIF in RCA, from a transport with 16/44.1 disks.
> 
> It’s maybe not going to be the total best with layed back dark IEMs; the treble enthusiasm of the 1Z adds some energy getting the signature to slip out of the woods.
> 
> ...


I appreciate you


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> I appreciate you



Honestly it’s one of the nicest pieces of gear I have ever owned.....and I’m almost 57. Cheers!


----------



## flyer1

Anybody uses Dynamic Normalizer? 

Just tried it for longer and didn't expect to like it this much as it is supposed to compress dynamics.

As most of my tracks are well mastered it seems to give a nice boost to them and I can lower volume and not notice lesser dynamic range.


----------



## AllenWalker

linux4ever said:


> WM1Z with K-mod. Pairs well with most of the IEM/CIEM I paired it with.
> 
> CustomArt Harmony 8.2. 64Audio A18. Both paired with Effect Audio Leonidas Ver1 & 1960 2 wire.
> 
> AAW A3H Ver2 with null audio 8 wire copper cable. Campfire Audio Comet with Kimber Audio cable.


If without K-mod, what do you recommend?


----------



## AllenWalker

blazinblazin said:


> You seems to go towards Dynamic Drivers, maybe try those with at least 1 DD iems, eg Campfire Audio Solaris.


Oh that's nice idea. Maybe got bored of BA drivers...thanks


----------



## AllenWalker

Duncan said:


> Not that I can afford the 1Z but, a question for those that have both...  If you used one on day one exclusively, and swapped to the other on day two (ie a break from listening, rather than a direct a/b) is the difference still very obvious, you feel that something is missing or extra versus the day before?
> 
> Why do those that have both have both? Does one seem to suit some genres better than the other? (As in does the 1A actually beat out the 1Z at any point?)
> 
> ...


AK SE100


----------



## AllenWalker

rcoleman1 said:


> @AllenWalker I've been contemplating picking up the Acoustune HS1650CU as well for my 1Z. Can you offer any additional thoughts? Thanks.


Really smooth. The details are there. Was surprised, considering the price point and how it performed. Better to demo first


----------



## nc8000

flyer1 said:


> Anybody uses Dynamic Normalizer?
> 
> Just tried it for longer and didn't expect to like it this much as it is supposed to compress dynamics.
> 
> As most of my tracks are well mastered it seems to give a nice boost to them and I can lower volume and not notice lesser dynamic range.



I would never use it. What it does is make sure that all tracks play with the same max volume which totally kill the dynamic range especially in classical music where there can be huge swings in what max volume is from track to track within a pice of music. I always plays full albums end to end, but I guess it could be usefull if one does a lot of shuffle/random track playing


----------



## krayzie (Nov 9, 2018)

IIRC when the dynamic normalizer was first introduced with the MZ-RH1 it was primarily used for field recording playback (i.e. interviews, etc). It was never really intended for music playback.


----------



## 480126

New! Great with Sony WM 1A FW 2.0 Norne Audio Solvine and HD 800S


----------



## ryaneagon

Got my WM1Z a few days ago. In short, it's the best sounding, best interface, best feeling DAP I've ever owned. It'd defiantly going to be apart of my collection of gear for many year!

I see that some of you have posted pictures with a plug in the 3.5mm input? Were the walkman's supposed to come with these? (mine didn't) 

If not can one of you post a link where I might obtain them? \,,/


----------



## nc8000

ryaneagon said:


> Got my WM1Z a few days ago. In short, it's the best sounding, best interface, best feeling DAP I've ever owned. It'd defiantly going to be apart of my collection of gear for many year!
> 
> I see that some of you have posted pictures with a plug in the 3.5mm input? Were the walkman's supposed to come with these? (mine didn't)
> 
> If not can one of you post a link where I might obtain them? \,,/



It does not come with the player. I bought an assortment on eBay a few years ago


----------



## 480126

ryaneagon said:


> Got my WM1Z a few days ago. In short, it's the best sounding, best interface, best feeling DAP I've ever owned. It'd defiantly going to be apart of my collection of gear for many year!
> 
> I see that some of you have posted pictures with a plug in the 3.5mm input? Were the walkman's supposed to come with these? (mine didn't)
> 
> If not can one of you post a link where I might obtain them? \,,/



 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Benks-Blac...A-WM1Z-ZX300-ZX300A-3-5MM-4-4MM-Jack-/3326362


----------



## ryaneagon

Frida309 said:


> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Benks-Blac...A-WM1Z-ZX300-ZX300A-3-5MM-4-4MM-Jack-/3326362



Thanks. Although the link is missing.


----------



## ryaneagon

A search would be a welcome feature.


----------



## 480126

ryaneagon said:


> Thanks. Although the link is missing.


Sorry! Look at eBay and search Benks magic mini dust plugs!


----------



## hireslover (Nov 10, 2018)

www.amazon.com/Magic-Plugs-ZX300A-NW-WM1A-NW-WM1Z


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hey i got this question. Folks talk about k mode. Are you referring to kimberly cable wirring used inside the 1z? Its a stock feature in 1z as i see on the sony website...

I am very curious about this new fw 3.0 it adds mqa and more neutral kind off sound sig thats really good.

Can folks tell me what kind of dac chip is used in 1z and how does it stands against new ak 4497 chip please.


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hey i got this question. Folks talk about k mode. Are you referring to kimberly cable wirring used inside the 1z? Its a stock feature in 1z as i see on the sony website...
> 
> I am very curious about this new fw 3.0 it adds mqa and more neutral kind off sound sig thats really good.
> 
> Can folks tell me what kind of dac chip is used in 1z and how does it stands against new ak 4497 chip please.



The chips are Sony’s own S-master that fully integrates dac and amplification. 

K-mod is a number of internal modifications done to the 1Z and 1A by a company in the far east (think in Singapore but am not sure).

MQA support came in 2.0


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> The chips are Sony’s own S-master that fully integrates dac and amplification.
> 
> K-mod is a number of internal modifications done to the 1Z and 1A by a company in the far east (think in Singapore but am not sure).
> 
> MQA support came in 2.0



So kmode is something really worth it?


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> So kmode is something really worth it?



No idea as I have not tried but there a several descriptions of it in this thread by people who have tried it


----------



## Lookout57

ryaneagon said:


> Got my WM1Z a few days ago. In short, it's the best sounding, best interface, best feeling DAP I've ever owned. It'd defiantly going to be apart of my collection of gear for many year!
> 
> I see that some of you have posted pictures with a plug in the 3.5mm input? Were the walkman's supposed to come with these? (mine didn't)
> 
> If not can one of you post a link where I might obtain them? \,,/


You can get them on Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BT639LX/


----------



## rtjoa

Vitaly2017 said:


> So kmode is something really worth it?


https://music-sanctuary.com/collections/services/products/1960s-mod-wm1-zx300
There are several mod options ranging from S$500 to S$1000. I have heard it once with 1Z firmware 1.2 at Can Jam Singapore. I am not sure how it sounds with firmware 3.0 since there is a big difference from 1.2 to 3.0. I liked it but I decide to buy Brimar cables instead.


----------



## Love Music

i was checking out the list of the best selling daps in Japan and found out that chinese players like fiio x7ii, lotoo paw gold etc are the best sellers. Is there a reason why sony players are not as popular in Japan? or is it because they think Chinese brands sound better or match Japanese music more?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Love Music said:


> i was checking out the list of the best selling daps in Japan and found out that chinese players like fiio x7ii, lotoo paw gold etc are the best sellers. Is there a reason why sony players are not as popular in Japan? or is it because they think Chinese brands sound better or match Japanese music more?


Show us this list.


----------



## Love Music

Redcarmoose said:


> Show us this list.



i cant seem to find it anymore. but its the best selling daps of 2018 from the fujiya avic list.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 10, 2018)

Vitaly2017 said:


> So kmode is something really worth it?



I may have heard one, but I was concentrating on IEM testing, and one was around. Really if your in demonstration mode you should try and replicate what you have at home so the IEMs sound like what you actually heard at the store. So I switched over to a stock Walkman the store had.

So I wasn't looking for a change and didn’t notice one with a modified Walkman. That’s not to say the modification could not be a nice change when listening to a player under the right conditions.

The deal with cables is very subjective. It’s seems cables make a huge difference for some and a slight or unnoticed difference for others. The truth is maybe somewhere in the middle.

Most likely the tone character different metals and wire geometry produce is not able to be quantified with equipment at this time. Though electrical resistance can differ from IEM cable to IEM cable, that’s something that has been tested and proven without a doubt.

Changing cables makes a big difference in my eyes. Though perception can be coerced in to thinking there are giant improvements. Call it placebo or a lead in, but humans will think they perceive dramatic changes if they think there is a cause introduced. The power of suggestion has always worked, though if trying to change the end sound and spending big money in the process; it would be nice to know the truth.

I do know the aftermarket Kimber cable for the Z1R and Z7 provides a nice change month in and month out in comparison to the stock provided cables. Kimber also has a flagship Axios cable line that many members have purchased and felt offered improvements.

But most likely the best money spent is reaching for an end goal. Literally attempting to use cable metal properties to influence the amp to result in a new tone.........affecting the end-goal sound wanted. And.........with some IEM headphones, a big change will not be noted, then there are other IEMs which end up highly responsive to cable changes. The next level here really is mixing and matching equipment, attempting an end result in tone. The 1A and 1Z both have there intrinsic sound qualities. A persons success is many times hanging on weather the tone matches the listeners preference in sound. Maybe if you hade a favorite dark IEM and found you wanted slight boost in treble detail or in opposite wanted strictly warmth, a cable changeout either internally or externally, could get good results.

Many feel cables can do what people try to do with EQ. Typically cables are noted for changing soundstage also.

So in theory if a special cable was put in the players, it could theoretically change the sound for the better. What happens here normally is listeners focus on small changes and those changes can at times start to seem much bigger than maybe they are in reality. Nothing wrong as it’s just how the human brain focuses; how it functions in life.


----------



## kubig123

Love Music said:


> i cant seem to find it anymore. but its the best selling daps of 2018 from the fujiya avic list.


well, if the list is about the best seller, it makes sense, I really doubt that Sony sells as many ($3K) WM1Z as Fiio the ($700) x7ii.

it's like putting on the same plate the Toyota Corolla and a Ferrari, for sure in term of sales, the Toyota outperform Ferrari any give day


----------



## rtjoa

Love Music said:


> i cant seem to find it anymore. but its the best selling daps of 2018 from the fujiya avic list.


Are you referring to this list? http://s.kakaku.com/item/K0000907179/?lid=sp_bbs_detail_top_to_hikaku


----------



## rtjoa

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hey i got this question. Folks talk about k mode. Are you referring to kimberly cable wirring used inside the 1z? Its a stock feature in 1z as i see on the sony website...
> 
> I am very curious about this new fw 3.0 it adds mqa and more neutral kind off sound sig thats really good.
> 
> Can folks tell me what kind of dac chip is used in 1z and how does it stands against new ak 4497 chip please.


K-mod 1Z review
http://earphonia.com/earphone-review/sony-wm1z-k-project-premium-mod/


----------



## Love Music

kubig123 said:


> well, if the list is about the best seller, it makes sense, I really doubt that Sony sells as many ($3K) WM1Z as Fiio the ($700) x7ii.
> 
> it's like putting on the same plate the Toyota Corolla and a Ferrari, for sure in term of sales, the Toyota outperform Ferrari any give day



yeah, your absolutely right. but they have a few sections. the best selling low-fi, mid-fi and hi-fi. the paw gold touch is yhe best sellin hifi, while the x7ii is second in the hifi section. but even wm1a is not there...


----------



## Love Music

nope. Not that one.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 10, 2018)

It is funny but back a while ago, I guessed the next Sony Walkman was to cost about 8-9k...now we have DMP-Z1.

You want to hear another prediction ? The next signature headphones successor is going to cost 2X your Utopia ! With Sony Proprietary Voice-Coil of Silverplating wires, and proprietary diaphragm with the ground breaking technology (layered-graphenes).  

*disclaimer* the above is my personal predictions , there is no source , except me lol


----------



## rtjoa

Tonight's setup


----------



## Whitigir

I love that cable, is it Goldplating ?


----------



## rtjoa

Whitigir said:


> I love that cable, is it Goldplating ?


Yes it is silver gold plated. That cable is Brimar Omni King 10 wire.


----------



## Whitigir

rtjoa said:


> Yes it is silver gold plated. That cable is Brimar Omni King 10 wire.


Very very nice.  Must be as expensive as the 1Z itself


----------



## rtjoa

Whitigir said:


> Very very nice.  Must be as expensive as the 1Z itself


It costs more but it is worth


----------



## linux4ever

Vitaly2017 said:


> So kmode is something really worth it?


Having bought and used unmodded WM1A, Premium plus K-mod WM1A and K-mod WM1Z, I would say k-mod is a worthy upgrade if one can afford it. 

Compared to unmodded WM1A, the Premium plus K-mod WM1A opens up a lot and the bass punches so nicely. And the top end opens up too. 

Having said that, try pairing the unmodded WM1A with Campfire Audio Comet (yeah that tiny $200 beast) with Sony Kimber cable (4.4 mm balanced) for an unbelievable sound in a compact portable set up. This pairing is with FW3.0 and vinyl mode (Surface-noise) setting enabled. It adds a nice, subtle warmth and the entire frequency range is quite balanced, with details, air at the top.

Unmodded WM1A in near mint condition with less than 100 hours usage on it can be had for US$650-750. Campfire Audio Comet new is US$200 and used  (in near mint condition) can be had for around $150. The Sony Kimber cable can be obtained used for around $200. So for around US$1000 one can get an unbelievable sound in a compact portable set up.


----------



## Edric Li

rtjoa said:


> It costs more but it is worth



I really hope more cable makes can adopt the L-shape connector.

https://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000152184
https://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000152185


----------



## linux4ever

Edric Li said:


> I really hope more cable makes can adopt the L-shape connector.
> 
> https://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000152184
> https://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000152185


Sony 4.4.mm kimber cable provides the L-Shape connector.


----------



## syke (Nov 10, 2018)

Edric Li said:


> I really hope more cable makes can adopt the L-shape connector.
> 
> https://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000152184
> https://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000152185


​
All my cables are terminated by Pentaconn, and I agree that right angle connectors are really convenient especially with DAPs. But for desktop situations, I prefer straight connectors.
The amount of mechanical stress on the connection when you accidentally pull hard on it, can do great damage. Happened to me, and I had parts of the female connector dislodged.


----------



## Edric Li

linux4ever said:


> Sony 4.4.mm kimber cable provides the L-Shape connector.



I am aware of that. My Onso iect 04 cable comes with an L-shape connector too.
I hope more cable makers start using them, e.g. moon audio.


----------



## ryaneagon

I decided to check out version 2.0 and 1.20 even though I seem to enjoy the sonic properties of 3.0, also use the USB dac and vinyl setting a lot. To be honest being it took some time to change and re-build the database, I couldn't tell a whole lot between 2.0 and 3.0, maybe a bit thicker on the bottom end using 2.0...but maybe not.

I tried loading 1.20 but kept getting device, and data base errors. 

In short, I'm going to stick with 3.0


----------



## rtjoa

Edric Li said:


> I really hope more cable makes can adopt the L-shape connector.
> 
> https://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000152184
> https://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000152185


If I am not mistaken, the L connector has a smaller cable hole. It may be too small for 10 wire. I prefer that L shape connector over a straight one.


----------



## ryaneagon

Anyone else using the FooBar2000 lyric add-on? they display using FooBar and a few other sources but not the Walkman, any idea? I was maybe thinking they needed to be inputed manually via ID TAG...Wouldn't surprise me.


----------



## Darksoul

ryaneagon said:


> Anyone else using the FooBar2000 lyric add-on? they display using FooBar and a few other sources but not the Walkman, any idea? I was maybe thinking they needed to be inputed manually via ID TAG...Wouldn't surprise me.



The .LRC file must have the same file name as the song and must be in the same location. Cumbersome? YES! So I only did that process with my DSD songs and my favorite albums:

https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449033.html


----------



## captblaze

its been a sad Saturday. my 18+ Pro (right side) has had a catastrophic failure. as a result, I am "forced" into listening to this (with a set of HD800S) :




I am pleased that this here WM-1A has enough under the hood to make nice with a well recorded jazz album and my transducers du jour


----------



## NoMythsAudio

rtjoa said:


> Tonight's setup


Pictures like this always make me jealous and want to pull the trigger even though I will be over-stretching. I had wm1a, I sold it in July, now massively regrets it. I looking to reacquire it again especially now that I have Andromeda S. But this crazy 1z always seem to show up and causes me heartache .


----------



## rcoleman1

captblaze said:


> its been a sad Saturday. my 18+ Pro (right side) has had a catastrophic failure. as a result, I am "forced" into listening to this (with a set of HD800S) :
> 
> 
> 
> I am pleased that this here WM-1A has enough under the hood to make nice with a well recorded jazz album and my transducers du jour


Great jazz album. Unfortunately I only have the CD.


----------



## rtjoa

NoMythsAudio said:


> Pictures like this always make me jealous and want to pull the trigger even though I will be over-stretching. I had wm1a, I sold it in July, now massively regrets it. I looking to reacquire it again especially now that I have Andromeda S. But this crazy 1z always seem to show up and causes me heartache .


Well you are not alone. I feel the same when looking at Cayin N8 and Iem threads.
You can find used 1Z at good price now. I bought mine from a headfier about 2 years ago. I really like it but it does not play DTS format and Cue file. I have DX200 and DX200Ti to play that format. 
The temptation is always there and it is probably just the nature of this hobby . Sometimes I am glad that there is no good audio store nearby me.


----------



## NoMythsAudio

rtjoa said:


> DX200 and DX200Ti


 Kind of curious, what's the difference between these two besides that the Ti is limited edition and the price is 3x regular DX200.


----------



## rtjoa (Nov 11, 2018)

NoMythsAudio said:


> Kind of curious, what's the difference between these two besides that the Ti is limited edition and the price is 3x regular DX200.


The Ti price is about 2x regular DX200. I bought a used DX200 then I bought a new Ti few days later. I cant comment on sound differences as I have not used my regular DX200. My cousin has my DX200 and my Ti is going back to iBasso for servicing.

There are a few hardware differences besides titanium chassis. It has new power regulators for the dac, power system has been utlized with Toshin UTSJ and Nichicon Audio Grade capacitors. The amp1ti has a new motherboard with 6 high grade capacitors. (Taken from ibasso)

Ti (left) and regular (right). The power module is on top left corner. The regular one belongs to a friend which has been modified with copper stickers and rosenkranz from Japan. He helped me testing Ti with regular DX200 battery before sending Ti back to iBasso.


----------



## NoMythsAudio

rtjoa said:


> The Ti price is about 2x regular DX200. I bought a used DX200 then I bought a new Ti few days later. I cant comment on sound differences as I have not used my regular DX200. My cousin has my DX200 and my Ti is going back to iBasso for servicing.
> 
> There are a few hardware differences besides titanium chassis. It has new power regulators for the dac, power system has been utlized with Toshin UTSJ and Nichicon Audio Grade capacitors. The amp1ti has a new motherboard with 6 high grade capacitors. (Taken from ibasso)
> 
> Ti (left) and regular (right). The power module is on top left corner. The regular one belongs to a friend which has been modified with copper stickers and rosenkranz from Japan. He helped me testing Ti with regular DX200 battery before sending Ti back to iBasso.


Thanks. Appreciated.


----------



## ryaneagon

What is with what sounds like a relay click when a file switches between 24bit and 16bit? do they use different hardware in the player?


----------



## Whitigir

ryaneagon said:


> What is with what sounds like a relay click when a file switches between 24bit and 16bit? do they use different hardware in the player?


Clock switching and relay is clicking to enable that


----------



## nc8000

ryaneagon said:


> What is with what sounds like a relay click when a file switches between 24bit and 16bit? do they use different hardware in the player?



It’s mechanical relays and it is not when switching between 16 and 24 bits but when when switching between the 44khz and 48khz clocks


----------



## sne4me

I've experienced the freezing restart rebuilding of db twice. Never had a problem on 2.0. Anyone have any thoughts about why this happens?


----------



## bitonio

Anyone knows an Apple Lightning to Sony WM-Port cable? Theoretically since we now have our favorite player acting as a DAC, I think it should be doable with a single cable right?
For Streaming service it might be just the perfect solution for iOS owners.


----------



## Python002

NoMythsAudio said:


> Pictures like this always make me jealous and want to pull the trigger even though I will be over-stretching. I had wm1a, I sold it in July, now massively regrets it. I looking to reacquire it again especially now that I have Andromeda S. But this crazy 1z always seem to show up and causes me heartache .


. 

Same here. I keep looking at reviews and impressions and can not get the Sony out of my head. I was set on adding the mojo with my hiby r3 and just calling it a day, but I think I'm going to grab a 1a. The 1z is a stretch even with a couple nice deals in the classifieds


----------



## jmtocali

Hi. About three weeks ago the colombian Sony store had a sale and I got a brand new WM1A in $500!. I'm so happy with it as DAP and USB Dac. As Dac I'm using it with HQplayer Desktop in my MacBook pro combined with Roon and my Tidal Hifi plan.


----------



## Python002

That price is amazing. I won't hold my breath on any deals anywhere close to that, even with the holidays coming.


----------



## alphanumerix1

jmtocali said:


> Hi. About three weeks ago the colombian Sony store had a sale and I got a brand new WM1A in $500!. I'm so happy with it as DAP and USB Dac. As Dac I'm using it with HQplayer Desktop in my MacBook pro combined with Roon and my Tidal Hifi plan.



up sample via hqplayer?


----------



## jmtocali

alphanumerix1 said:


> up sample via hqplayer?


Yes, sounds great passing to my old Marantz SR4002


----------



## captblaze

bitonio said:


> Anyone knows an Apple Lightning to Sony WM-Port cable? Theoretically since we now have our favorite player acting as a DAC, I think it should be doable with a single cable right?
> For Streaming service it might be just the perfect solution for iOS owners.



is it even possible? this is the message I get both on an iPhone X and iPad mini 4 when connecting to my WM-1A ( and yes the USB DAC charging option is set to off)


----------



## bitonio (Nov 12, 2018)

captblaze said:


> is it even possible? this is the message I get both on an iPhone X and iPad mini 4 when connecting to my WM-1A ( and yes the USB DAC charging option is set to off)



Thanks for testing the dongle way 

The DAP is not in DAC mode here right?
Does the DAP exits the DAC mode when you plug it in the ios device?


----------



## captblaze

bitonio said:


> Thanks for testing the dongle way
> 
> The DAP is not in DAC mode here right?
> Does the DAP exits the DAC mode when you plug it in the ios device?



Silly me... I did not have the DAC out engaged (thanks for the reminder) this is as short as I can go on the cable. would be much more convenient to have a single cable though


----------



## named name

captblaze said:


> is it even possible? this is the message I get both on an iPhone X and iPad mini 4 when connecting to my WM-1A ( and yes the USB DAC charging option is set to off)



Works as a DAC for my iPhone.


----------



## captblaze

named name said:


> Works as a DAC for my iPhone.



 it does for me too now that I turned the USB DAC on


----------



## sne4me

What screen brightness level are people using? I feel like 50 gets a bit dark in sunlight, and 58 is better for artwork clarity, thoughts?


----------



## nc8000

sne4me said:


> What screen brightness level are people using? I feel like 50 gets a bit dark in sunlight, and 58 is better for artwork clarity, thoughts?



I use 1 for extended battery life


----------



## proedros

sne4me said:


> What screen brightness level are people using? I feel like 50 gets a bit dark in sunlight, and 58 is better for artwork clarity, thoughts?



i tried 69 , but it was a bit distracting 

so i went for (sweet) 16


----------



## ryaneagon

nc8000 said:


> I use 1 for extended battery life



Same here.


----------



## bitonio

captblaze said:


> it does for me too now that I turned the USB DAC on


Cool, thanks for confirming. We just need a nice manufactor to get us a proper MFI Certified (if it applies here) Lightning to WM-Port


----------



## captblaze

bitonio said:


> Cool, thanks for confirming. We just need a nice manufactor to get us a proper MFI Certified (if it applies here) Lightning to WM-Port



is this short enough? after this mornings experiment I decided to look through some cables I had lying around and I found this little gem from Forza Audioworks. Not even sure if they make this anymore


----------



## ryaneagon

captblaze said:


> is it even possible? this is the message I get both on an iPhone X and iPad mini 4 when connecting to my WM-1A ( and yes the USB DAC charging option is set to off)



What cables are needed to use an iPhone? I have a WMC-NW10 cable I assume I can't use that with a Apple lightning to USB cable correct?


----------



## bitonio

captblaze said:


> is this short enough? after this mornings experiment I decided to look through some cables I had lying around and I found this little gem from Forza Audioworks. Not even sure if they make this anymore


Really cool! That is I think about short enough.
You customized it right? The closest I can find on their website is https://forzaaudioworks.com/en/product.php?id_product=97


----------



## captblaze

ryaneagon said:


> What cables are needed to use an iPhone? I have a WMC-NW10 cable I assume I can't use that with a Apple lightning to USB cable correct?



Apple Lightning CCK connected to a short USB micro cable and then the Sony Walkman USB micro adapter.

it all works, now that I have been reminded to turn the USB DAC on that is. if you check up a post or two I have unearthed a short apple mfi certified lightning to USB micro adapter that really shortens things up


----------



## captblaze

bitonio said:


> Really cool! That is I think about short enough.
> You customized it right? The closest I can find on their website is https://forzaaudioworks.com/en/product.php?id_product=97



that is the one, but the picture shows it with the Pyre hybrid cable. mine is the OCC cable


----------



## ryaneagon

captblaze said:


> Apple Lightning CCK connected to a short USB micro cable and then the Sony Walkman USB micro adapter.
> 
> it all works, now that I have been reminded to turn the USB DAC on that is. if you check up a post or two I have unearthed a short apple mfi certified lightning to USB micro adapter that really shortens things up



So the sony usb micro adapter (WNP-NWM10) had to be used with an iDevice? not the lightning CCK and the stock Sony USB cable? I use that with my Macbook so I know that works.


----------



## captblaze

ryaneagon said:


> So the sony usb micro adapter (WNP-NWM10) had to be used with an iDevice? not the lightning CCK and the stock Sony USB cable? I use that with my Macbook so I know that works.



it works that way also


----------



## ddmt

bitonio said:


> Cool, thanks for confirming. We just need a nice manufactor to get us a proper MFI Certified (if it applies here) Lightning to WM-Port



There are a few on taobao. Just don't know how to buy from taobao  I think they are using lightning from CCK cable. 
https://s.taobao.com/search?q=zx300...all:1&initiative_id=staobaoz_20181113&ie=utf8


----------



## buzzlulu

ryaneagon said:


> So the sony usb micro adapter (WNP-NWM10) had to be used with an iDevice? not the lightning CCK and the stock Sony USB cable? I use that with my Macbook so I know that works.



Yes - the last few posts are starting to confuse me as well.
I am currently (successfully) using the supplied Sony USB cable which came with my 1Z and simply plugging it into the Apple CCK cable which then goes into my iPhone.

The WMC-NWH10 cable listed above - what is the point?  It simply looks like a shorter version of the supplied cable which came with the 1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

WMC - NWH10 is used to digital out from. The wm1 Walkman to an external DAC, so it acts as a transport


----------



## Quadfather

It is new music Tuesday for me on the NW-WM1A...


----------



## buzzlulu

gerelmx1986 said:


> WMC - NWH10 is used to digital out from. The wm1 Walkman to an external DAC, so it acts as a transport



Got it
So the cable supplied with the 1Z will bring a digital signal from an iPhone INTO the Walkman


----------



## captblaze (Nov 13, 2018)

allow me to straighten up any confusion from yesterday's demo. My purpose was to show (after a question was posed) if there was a single cable alternative to setting up the WM-1A USB DAC with an iPhone as the transport. Unfortunately I forgot to engage the USB DAC function so my first post was a fail. after being made aware of the mistake I went on to correct it and subsequently I posted more configurations.

image #1 shows all the cables I used throughout
image #2 shows the first config (albeit a fail until the DAC function was enabled)
image #3 shows the config using the included charge cable
image #4 shows how short I can take it with one cable and one adapter

sorry for the confusion and I hope that clears things up
also... WMC - NWH10 is a totally different kind of cable than what I was using in the demo


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> Got it
> So the cable supplied with the 1Z will bring a digital signal from an iPhone INTO the Walkman



Yes but not a digital signal out of the WM


----------



## Dizzle77

Am I right to think that wm1a supports 400gb sd cards?


----------



## nc8000

Dizzle77 said:


> Am I right to think that wm1a supports 400gb sd cards?



Yes and 512GB but microSD not SD


----------



## ryaneagon

captblaze said:


> allow me to straighten up any confusion from yesterday's demo. My purpose was to show (after a question was posed) if there was a single cable alternative to setting up the WM-1A USB DAC with an iPhone as the transport. Unfortunately I forgot to engage the USB DAC function so my first post was a fail. after being made aware of the mistake I went on to correct it and subsequently I posted more configurations.
> 
> image #1 shows all the cables I used throughout
> image #2 shows the first config (albeit a fail until the DAC function was enabled)
> ...



Thank you sir!


----------



## Stephen George

Quadfather said:


> It is new music Tuesday for me on the NW-WM1A...



you should check out Stockdale's *new solo album*!!!


----------



## Dizzle77

nc8000 said:


> Yes and 512GB but microSD not SD



Thanks. Ye meant microSD.


----------



## Lookout57

I just bought this https://www.teamgroupinc.com/en/product/color-card and it's working fine in my WM1A


----------



## Stephen George

Lookout57 said:


> I just bought this https://www.teamgroupinc.com/en/product/color-card and it's working fine in my WM1A



512? How much was it?


----------



## ryaneagon

Stephen George said:


> 512? How much was it?



$250 USD....Give or take.


----------



## Lookout57

Stephen George said:


> 512? How much was it?


I paid $254.99 at Newegg.com


----------



## Quadfather

Stephen George said:


> you should check out Stockdale's *new solo album*!!!



I will. Thank you for the suggestion.


----------



## Quadfather

Dizzle77 said:


> Am I right to think that wm1a supports 400gb sd cards?



I am using a 400 GB card in my Sony.


----------



## Stephen George

Lookout57 said:


> I paid $254.99 at Newegg.com



$100 bucks cheaper than the competition, nice!


----------



## Returnity

I've been away from this topic for a few weeks since I just gave up on v3.00 due to frequent crashes and returned to 1.2. I've been waiting for v3.01 ever since, but alas, nothing so far.

Do we have a new method to eradicate this problem or any info regarding a new FW on the horizon?


----------



## Jalo

Which brand of microSD 512gb is out, Sandisk or Samsung?


----------



## OppoGuy

Hello

I have just ordered this player with a Samsung 256GB microSD card.

I don't have time to read all 1700 pages in this thread.

Is the internal and microSD memory "seamless"?

i.e. is the library handled automatically between locations, or do I need to navigate internal and microSD memory separately?

Thanks


----------



## duaned

Returnity said:


> I've been away from this topic for a few weeks since I just gave up on v3.00 due to frequent crashes and returned to 1.2.



Interesting. I haven't had a single crash or fault on V3.00.


----------



## 480126

OppoGuy said:


> Hello
> 
> I have just ordered this player with a Samsung 256GB microSD card.
> 
> ...


Congrats! You must navigate witch storage you want (in german: Systemspeicher or SD-Karte)!


----------



## OppoGuy

Ah, OK. So no way of using *both *internal and microSD for the library?


----------



## 480126

OppoGuy said:


> Ah, OK. So no way of using *both *internal and microSD for the library?


No! internal or Micro SD. I have all classical Music on internal and the other - Jazz, Blues, Pop usw. - on SD! Or you select in ABC (for exampel internal A-H and I-Z SD!


----------



## nc8000

Jalo said:


> Which brand of microSD 512gb is out, Sandisk or Samsung?



Neither yet, it’s only some (at least to me) unknown manufacturers as of yet


----------



## nc8000 (Nov 14, 2018)

OppoGuy said:


> Hello
> 
> I have just ordered this player with a Samsung 256GB microSD card.
> 
> ...



The library category views (genre, artist and so on) span both storage locations seamlessly, it is only Folder view and playlists that destinguishes between the 2


----------



## Jalo

@nc8000 thanks so much


----------



## kingdixon

Jalo said:


> @nc8000 thanks so much





nc8000 said:


> Neither yet, it’s only some (at least to me) unknown manufacturers as of yet



I was exploring amazon just now, and i saw a kingston 512gb micro sd priced at 165$ (thats a good price i think)

well kingston is not sandisk or samsung, but i think still it is a nice brand, i might pull the trigger on one but i guess i will wait for black friday and see how the rest of the prices will go.


----------



## Dizzle77

Ye i’m tempted to pull tge trigger on Sandisk 400gb. Amazon reduced it to £83 overnight


----------



## kingdixon

OppoGuy said:


> Ah, OK. So no way of using *both *internal and microSD for the library?



The only missing feature for me is a search bar,

other than that i find Sony UI to be the best of any dap i have tried ( i didn't try any AK )

but no library limitations that i know of, i am using internal memory 128gb + micro sd 400gb, library around 25000 songs, the UI is fluid and fast, no features are missing for me and very easy to operate.

as for your question, when you navigate by library (All Songs, Artists, Genres etc..) both internal and external are included seamlessly, and shuffle works on both. only when you navigate by file explorer as folders you will find internal memory and sdcard.


----------



## OppoGuy

kingdixon said:


> as for your question, when you navigate by library (All Songs, Artists, Genres etc..) both internal and external are included seamlessly, and shuffle works on both. only when you navigate by file explorer as folders you will find internal memory and sdcard.



Thanks. That is what I was hoping for.


----------



## nc8000

kingdixon said:


> I was exploring amazon just now, and i saw a kingston 512gb micro sd priced at 165$ (thats a good price i think)
> 
> well kingston is not sandisk or samsung, but i think still it is a nice brand, i might pull the trigger on one but i guess i will wait for black friday and see how the rest of the prices will go.



Haven’t seen the Kingston yet. Just searched Amazon UK and the 512 Samsung is out at £210, that’s new since I last searched


----------



## Jalo

Too bad US Amazon does not have it yet.


----------



## proedros (Nov 14, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Haven’t seen the Kingston yet. Just searched Amazon UK and the 512 Samsung is out at £210, that’s new since I last searched



indeed , thanx for the heads up

still the 400gb card is down to *£83*, lowest i have seen

to me the 400gb is the best bang for buck atm , if there was something like a 800Gb well then yes i would consider it - but to pay an extra 130 pounds for just 100GB more....nope.


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> indeed , thanx for the heads up
> 
> still the 400gb card is down to *£83*, lowest i have seen
> 
> to me the 400gb is the best bang for buck atm , if there was something like a 800Gb well then yes i would consider it - but to pay an extra 130 pounds for just 100GB more....nope.



A 512GB will allow me to fit all of my 2.500 albums on the 1Z in 16/44 flac with a bit to spare so I’ll be getting one and then I’m done


----------



## JML

OppoGuy said:


> Ah, OK. So no way of using *both *internal and microSD for the library?



Playlists cannot span the internal and microSD locations; in other words, a playlist can be set for only one location's files.  You can have playlists in each location.


----------



## roses77

flyer1 said:


> Anybody uses Dynamic Normalizer?
> 
> Just tried it for longer and didn't expect to like it this much as it is supposed to compress dynamics.
> 
> As most of my tracks are well mastered it seems to give a nice boost to them and I can lower volume and not notice lesser dynamic range.



Yes I use dynamic normaliser it’s good to keep the volume of the tracks very close volume. As some songs are louder than others so you’d have to adjust the volume for each song. With Dynamic Normalizer you don’t have to that.


----------



## Lookout57

The initial 512GB cards released are ADATA, PNY and Team in the US and Integral in the UK.

Hopefully Samsung and Sandisk will be releasing theirs soon.


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> The initial 512GB cards released are ADATA, PNY and Team in the US and Integral in the UK.
> 
> Hopefully Samsung and Sandisk will be releasing theirs soon.



Samsung is available on UK Amazone


----------



## nc8000

roses77 said:


> Yes I use dynamic normaliser it’s good to keep the volume of the tracks very close volume. As some songs are louder than others so you’d have to adjust the volume for each song. With Dynamic Normalizer you don’t have to that.



Depends on the music. It totally kills a piece of classical music where individual parts of the music can intentionally have very different loudness. On the other hand if you do playlists or a lot of random/shuffle it might be usefull


----------



## roses77

nc8000 said:


> Depends on the music. It totally kills a piece of classical music where individual parts of the music can intentionally have very different loudness. On the other hand if you do playlists or a lot of random/shuffle it might be usefull



That’s a good point. You can turn off all EQ just use direct source, you just have to turn up the volume it’s good to use with very well remastered albums. With the 3.0 firmware the music sounds better than before very wide sound stage, excellent bass slam, better instrument separation. It’s good to use dynamic  normalizer for MP3S & as I have YouTube music converted to Flac use DSHEE to upscale to CD quality really works.


----------



## roses77

NaiveSound said:


> I love the 1z...almost tempted to keep it.



You’ll miss the Sony WM1Z if you sell it as Sony may not make another Copper gold version in future. Next year is the 40th anniversary for Sony Walkman, if maybe they’ll be a new one next year.


----------



## Whitigir

roses77 said:


> You’ll miss the Sony WM1Z if you sell it as Sony may not make another Copper gold version in future. Next year is the 40th anniversary for Sony Walkman, if maybe they’ll be a new one next year.



They don’t make Copper gold plated body, they do make copper goldplated volume knob on DMP-Z1 , that price range and product probably won’t come around the second time


----------



## Redcarmoose

The BGVP DM6


----------



## Whitigir

Beautiful pictures ! I love it !


----------



## shootertwist

Hi guys, i'm a recent owner of the ZX300 and like it a lot that i'm considering jumping ship to the WM1A and get one over the weekend... just want to be sure that the features are the same and i'm not missing out on anything the zx300 has, can the WM1A also be used as 
1. USB dac when connected to an iphone via the walkman cable and apple's camera adaptor (i think previous posts show this works just want to be sure)
2. The WM1A can be used as bluetooth adaptor and connect it to other bluetooth devices/phones and stream tidal, spotify etc
3. USB dac on mac/pc
4. using the WMC-NWH10 USB, i can use it as transport and connect it to dac/amps such as chord mojo, etc

And of course lastly, since i'm buying it late in the game is it still worth getting one? are there any expected new releases in the next month? if its about 3 months or more before a new one is introduced, i will most likely go for it, especially since sony products arrive about a month after US releases here in our country... thanks in advance looking forward to your inputs


----------



## kubig123

Lookout57 said:


> The initial 512GB cards released are ADATA, PNY and Team in the US and Integral in the UK.
> 
> Hopefully Samsung and Sandisk will be releasing theirs soon.


Lexar is available on Adorama
https://www.adorama.com/ilxhpuhsi512.html


----------



## WindowsX (Nov 15, 2018)

Some people sent modded WM1Z to me fixing output short circuit issues and want me to complete the mod without losing original Sony sound signature.





By the way, it seems ground channel on 4.4 connector isn't used at all (and I thought it was reserved for gold plated body version). So, I added ground connection to make proper use of 4.4 ground channel here. If you have 4.4 cable with ground connection, you can make use of it better than just connector's ground.


----------



## Whitigir

Ground connection is not used by Sony for a reason.  But I see how excited it is to work on the 1Z


----------



## WindowsX (Nov 15, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> Ground connection is not used by Sony for a reason.  But I see how excited it is to work on the 1Z



Yeah. That's understandable as many TVs I modded for client has ground connection on ac but not used in my region too. Maybe it's not used for similar reason.

I also checked circuit connection with electrician and oscilloscope to make sure it won't pose such risks in known scenarios including connecting both 3.5 and 4.4 at the same time. At least it seems to withstand short circuit on output connection before fixing it which has greater risks than 4.4  ground channel tweak to reduce noise with supported cables.


----------



## linux4ever

The k mod from music sanctuary also upon request provide a similar grounding connection on wm1z.


----------



## WindowsX

linux4ever said:


> The k mod from music sanctuary also upon request provide a similar grounding connection on wm1z.



https://music-sanctuary.com/products/1960s-mod-wm1-zx300

They offer DC ground wiring in website. I didn't see any mention about 4.4 ground wiring there. Adding 4.4 ground different concept from DC ground.


----------



## OppoGuy

My player just arrived.
Really liking the look of it. Physically and the GUI.

I have just updated to firmware 3.0.

I have disabled AVLS (Volume Limit) in the Output Settings.

However, I'm listening on full volume (120) through Oppo PM2 headphones.

Will the player not go any louder?

My existing player is a really small Cowon Plenue D.
Really small but has no issue driving Oppo PM2 and PM3 headphones.

I have a 4.4mm balanced cable coming from the US to the UK, but no idea how long this will take to arrive.


----------



## nc8000 (Nov 15, 2018)

OppoGuy said:


> My player just arrived.
> Really liking the look of it. Physically and the GUI.
> 
> I have just updated to firmware 3.0.
> ...



If it is an EU unit you need to remove the volume cap with the RockBox tool, this will enable the high gain mode. Also balanced has more driving power


----------



## Quadfather

Sony doing what it does best!


----------



## OppoGuy

nc8000 said:


> If it is an EU unit you need to remove the volume cap with the RockBox tool, this will enable the high gain mode. Also balanced has more driving power



Rockblox does not appear to support the WM1A.

https://build.rockbox.org/

I've downloaded and ran it, but it will not recognise the Sony.


----------



## nc8000

OppoGuy said:


> Rockblox does not appear to support the WM1A.
> 
> https://build.rockbox.org/
> 
> I've downloaded and ran it, but it will not recognise the Sony.



Not the RockBox OS, just the region tool

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool


----------



## ryaneagon

Redcarmoose said:


> The BGVP DM6



I just ordered a set of these, I currently am using Shure 8546's. How do they sound? I have the WM1Z.


----------



## Lookout57

Dizzle77 said:


> Am I right to think that wm1a supports 400gb sd cards?





kubig123 said:


> Lexar is available on Adorama
> https://www.adorama.com/ilxhpuhsi512.html


Nice, if I had known Lexar was available I would have bought that instead of the Team.


----------



## OppoGuy

nc8000 said:


> Not the RockBox OS, just the region tool
> 
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool



Thanks. I've run the tool and I now have high gain 
Thanks a lot, nc8000.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 16, 2018)

ryaneagon said:


> I just ordered a set of these, I currently am using Shure 8546's. How do they sound? I have the WM1Z.






Jump aboard, a nice assistant can get you a placebo cocktail and all is wonderful. I hope in reality they really are the best Chi-Fi IEM ever made in history? I mean......I guess they are, my senses say they are? I think they are great, as I liked them even before I knew they were popular. I listened to the top KZ line, the King Pro, Secret Garden and Queen by TFZ and the FH5 FiiO flagship, and liked them better? They just don’t do vocals well. Mine only have a day of burn-in and even though BAs don’t need burn-in the crossovers might? But they are noted for sounding better after 4 days of continuous play. Not familiar with your 8546s so......

They will not sound right till you get a good seal. I use Sony Hybrid tips. Though they fit better and are more comfortable than any IEM I have ever put in my ear.

The great part is it’s probable you have a 4.4mm/MMCX cable on hand?


----------



## linux4ever

WindowsX said:


> https://music-sanctuary.com/products/1960s-mod-wm1-zx300
> 
> They offer DC ground wiring in website. I didn't see any mention about 4.4 ground wiring there. Adding 4.4 ground different concept from DC ground.


 That is why I mentioned "upon request" .

It is not part of k mod. But when that mod is being done and if requested, music sanctuary will do that additional grounding task on wm1z.


----------



## WindowsX

linux4ever said:


> That is why I mentioned "upon request" .
> 
> It is not part of k mod. But when that mod is being done and if requested, music sanctuary will do that additional grounding task on wm1z.



I see. That's why it's not shown in my friend's mod.


----------



## proedros

shootertwist said:


> Hi guys, i'm a recent owner of the ZX300 and like it a lot that i'm considering jumping ship to the WM1A and get one over the weekend... just want to be sure that the features are the same and i'm not missing out on anything the zx300 has, can the WM1A also be used as
> 1. USB dac when connected to an iphone via the walkman cable and apple's camera adaptor (i think previous posts show this works just want to be sure)
> 2. The WM1A can be used as bluetooth adaptor and connect it to other bluetooth devices/phones and stream tidal, spotify etc
> 3. USB dac on mac/pc
> ...



i think all 4 points are valid on wm1a

and no news for a new wm1x model so go ahead and buy wm1a


----------



## bana

Redcarmoose said:


> The BGVP DM6



Looks nice! Do you get a balanced cable for this?


----------



## Vitaly2017

linux4ever said:


> That is why I mentioned "upon request" .
> 
> It is not part of k mod. But when that mod is being done and if requested, music sanctuary will do that additional grounding task on wm1z.





WindowsX said:


> I see. That's why it's not shown in my friend's mod.




But whats the real thing about the ground option ? Why you need to tweak the ground for? Didnt sony would have done it if it was needed to be this way?


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 15, 2018)

Vitaly2017 said:


> But whats the real thing about the ground option ? Why you need to tweak the ground for? Didnt sony would have done it if it was needed to be this way?



Simply put, battery devices doesn’t have a real ground....or earth ground.  So any additional absorbed electrical manners (RFI/EMI....Noises...etc...)of any kind is not recommended ...but I am speaking out of my Ars....Sony engineers probably don’t know enough 

4.4mm ground plane is excellent to implement on any desktop devices that has ground plane drain to earth ground.  This is the reason why I love 4.4mm.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Simply put, battery devices doesn’t have a real ground....or earth ground.  So any additional absorbed electrical manners (RFI/EMI....Noises...etc...)of any kind is not recommended ...but I am speaking out of my Ars....Sony engineers probably don’t know enough



lol well thats what I am thinking to, why add something if it not supposed to be that way or any further improvements are involved hmmm.

though reading about the K mode is quiet very interesting, cause it seems to improve hiss as its very important here lmao for tiger ears health for long longevity audio enjoyment...
K mode seems to improve sound quality and reduce bass slam and warmth to a more natural timber and add more sub bass in quality. Got me quiet intrigued...

1z seems to be a good dap if you add all the features it comes along and it also support mqa, but for you no dsd 512 lol sorry 
I personally listen to spotify lol and I hope sony enhancements going to do a nice job for me 



And Tiger Ears for ever


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 15, 2018)

Vitaly2017 said:


> lol well thats what I am thinking to, why add something if it not supposed to be that way or any further improvements are involved hmmm.
> 
> though reading about the K mode is quiet very interesting, cause it seems to improve hiss as its very important here lmao for tiger ears health for long longevity audio enjoyment...
> K mode seems to improve sound quality and reduce bass slam and warmth to a more natural timber and add more sub bass in quality. Got me quiet intrigued...
> ...



Well, I am a modder myself, and even more than that.  But I have principles  simply doing things....is just to be doing things....is not my style.  Every modder has their own ways and theory to do with their modifications, there is no wrong or right, but there is people who knows nothing and don’t even want to do anything...only criticize, and I am allergic to those folks .  The only thing is that I don’t modify gears for a living, only enthusiasm and chasing performances within My principles 

Back onto DSD512 , well....for any Delta-Sigma with a properly implemented DSP or Direct I2S from a good Digital Source is preferable.  However, Sony has S-Master which is not your typical Delta-Sigma design, and Sony implementations, the FLAC quality on the 1Z is stunning in the timbres and tonal body.  Simply put, I prefer FLAC on Walkmans and TA-ZH1ES and even R2R DAC.

I simply gave up on the 1Z for other reasons, and as you known, I use headphones, so hiss has never been an issues.  I also opted for Dx200Ti for other reasons, and ofcourse hiss again isn’t posing a threat 

Keep us all updated on your journey  I can guess where it would lead you, but the journey is more blissful when you personally taking it


----------



## Quadfather

OppoGuy said:


> Thanks. I've run the tool and I now have high gain
> Thanks a lot, nc8000.



What I wonder, is whether or not the Hearing Safety European police will now come after you LOL


----------



## roses77

Whitigir said:


> They don’t make Copper gold plated body, they do make copper goldplated volume knob on DMP-Z1 , that price range and product probably won’t come around the second time


The Sony WM1Z is copper gold plated body, as I have the Sony WM1Z it sounds brilliant with 3.0 firmware update. It sounds like pure stereo. On the Sony website it explains how the Sony WM1Z is made.


----------



## Whitigir

roses77 said:


> The Sony WM1Z is copper gold plated body, as I have the Sony WM1Z it sounds brilliant with 3.0 firmware update. It sounds like pure stereo. On the Sony website it explains how the Sony WM1Z is made.


I know the 1Z very well, I was directing in regarding of your saying about Sony May not make any *more *copper gold plated body Walkman....they don’t, but they do make copper gold-plated Volume knob on the DMP-Z1, and it is expensive with a lot of exotic parts


----------



## roses77

Whitigir said:


> I know the 1Z very well, I was directing in regarding of your saying about Sony May not make any *more *copper gold plated body Walkman....they don’t, but they do make copper gold-plated Volume knob on the DMP-Z1, and it is expensive with a lot of exotic parts[/QUOTE
> 
> Thank you for clarifying what you mean.


----------



## roses77

Whitigir said:


> I know the 1Z very well, I was directing in regarding of your saying about Sony May not make any *more *copper gold plated body Walkman....they don’t, but they do make copper gold-plated Volume knob on the DMP-Z1, and it is expensive with a lot of exotic parts



Thank you for clarifying what You mean.


----------



## superuser1

@Redcarmoose That shop, Indygadget... did it carry cables too?


----------



## WindowsX (Nov 16, 2018)

Vitaly2017 said:


> But whats the real thing about the ground option ? Why you need to tweak the ground for? Didnt sony would have done it if it was needed to be this way?



Some headphone cables has shielding terminated on ground connection. Adding ground connector to ground circuit will make proper use of shielding with WM1A/Z's ground to reduce noise and improve audio performance.

For safety reason with poorly terminated cable, Sony decided not to implement ground connection from 4.4 connector to PCB. As I can see how it can withstand output short circuit from issues with previous mod, I don't think grounding will pose much threat. I wonder if I should disclose the name of mod that caused short circuit issues.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 16, 2018)

WindowsX said:


> Some headphone cables has shielding terminated on ground connection. Adding ground connector to ground circuit will make proper use of shielding with WM1A/Z's ground to reduce noise and improve audio performance.
> 
> For safety reason with poorly terminated cable, Sony decided not to implement ground connection from 4.4 connector to PCB. As I can see how it can withstand output short circuit from issues with previous mod, I don't think grounding will pose much threat. I wonder if I should disclose the name of mod that caused short circuit issues.



I wonder that too, but I guess it would bring pretty bad reputation to someone business, but also let’s not make this thread into something else.  Agree that adding ground to pcb won’t pose such threat and for safety reason, Sony did not implemented it, IMO, I would only do it on desktop pieces, but then, even my mini Dynalo does not have ground for 4.4mm.  I am also not a fan of shielding on cables either.  I honestly do love Sony engineering, simplistic and have principle


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 16, 2018)

bana said:


> Looks nice! Do you get a balanced cable for this?



I’m not really up to speed with nice 4.4mm balanced MMCX. Though I do use a Mee audio adapter set 4.4mm to MMCX with the blue pair. Though it’s strange as it has a giant L plug; which you can see in the photograph. I will probably get a nice 4.4mm cable in the future. Though so far 4.4mm does make a difference. The black pair is using the included stock copper cable. As far as I know there is a choice of silver (treble centric) or copper (bass centric) as an option. Where I purchased they only came with the copper cable standard. Though strangely both my sets had different plugs, though no mention of this on the box. (Typically a Chi-Fi charm) but........ one 3.5mm was bigger and L shaped, one had a smaller straight plug. Though I have to say the included copper cable is super nice!



superuser1 said:


> @Redcarmoose That shop, Indygadget... did it carry cables too?



They had no 4.4mm cables but a couple 3.5mm aftermarket copper cables, and some moderately pricy cables I think too, though maybe $500 was top tier IEM for the store. So your planning to go to Thailand? They had two pairs of BGVP DM6 IEMs when I was there.


----------



## superuser1

Redcarmoose said:


> They had no 4.4mm cables but a couple 3.5mm aftermarket copper cables, and some moderately pricy cables I think too, though maybe $500 was top tier IEM for the store. So your planning to go to Thailand? They had two pairs of BGVP DM6 IEMs when I was there.


Well its right around the corner so why not  
Last time i got to the other but somehow missed this one.


----------



## Redcarmoose

superuser1 said:


> Well its right around the corner so why not
> Last time i got to the other but somehow missed this one.



I never went to Thailand to look at audio gear; never did the prelanding Google search, but I guess fate had the DM6 in store for me? 

Good Luck! You may like what you find there, and the lady is nice.


----------



## WindowsX (Nov 16, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> Simply put, battery devices doesn’t have a real ground....or earth ground.  So any additional absorbed electrical manners (RFI/EMI....Noises...etc...)of any kind is not recommended ...but I am speaking out of my Ars....Sony engineers probably don’t know enough
> 
> 4.4mm ground plane is excellent to implement on any desktop devices that has ground plane drain to earth ground.  This is the reason why I love 4.4mm.



You know I was talking about TV's power supply circuit, right? I agree that shielding is more suitable for full size headphone cables. It'd hardly portable for IEMs to have shielding. But ground channel termination can help with 4.4 connector's chassis ground too.



Whitigir said:


> I wonder that too, but I guess it would bring pretty bad reputation to someone business, but also let’s not make this thread into something else.  Agree that adding ground to pcb won’t pose such threat and for safety reason, Sony did not implemented it, IMO, I would only do it on desktop pieces, but then, even my mini Dynalo does not have ground for 4.4mm.  I am also not a fan of shielding on cables either.  I honestly do love Sony engineering, simplistic and have principle



Yeah. It's mixed feelings about modding issues. That's why I always check with electrician with oscilloscope to make sure the worst will not happen. Shielding headphone cable can be good for some headphones like Beyerdynamic T1 where shielding has direct connection to headphone directly. It can be good for some full size cables with separated shielding to isolate left/right channel too.

So far I haven't seen any downside of adding ground connection to ground PCB or chassis yet. Even if cable itself doesn't have shield, chassis ground termination to ground channel and reduce noise floor improving audio performance. Dynalo is a great amp. Wish I could buy one but now I settled down with Rudistor RP030 for now.


----------



## Stephen George

Dizzle77 said:


> Ye i’m tempted to pull tge trigger on Sandisk 400gb. Amazon reduced it to £83 overnight



just picked up a pair of Samsung EVO Plus 512GB MicroSDXC With SD Adapter for $149 ea on Fleabay, price has since gone up to $199...but it looks as if these are finally available 
we'll see on Tuesday if they're legit


----------



## Dizzle77

Stephen George said:


> just picked up a pair of Samsung EVO Plus 512GB MicroSDXC With SD Adapter for $149 ea on Fleabay, price has since gone up to $199...but it looks as if these are finally available
> we'll see on Tuesday if they're legit



Bargain....hopefully it really is the real deal. My sandisk 400gb came today


----------



## Whitigir

Dizzle77 said:


> Bargain....hopefully it really is the real deal. My sandisk 400gb came today


Woaaaa, that is a steal ! I hope it is real and not some fake stuff.  Keeping fingers crossed for you


----------



## Stephen George

Whitigir said:


> Woaaaa, that is a steal ! I hope it is real and not some fake stuff.  Keeping fingers crossed for you




will let you know

one for my ak240 and the other for the z !!

he upped the price to $199, but even that is a good deal if it's a legit samsung


----------



## bflat

I can confirm that the new Apple iPad Pro with USB-C works with DAC mode with just a standard USB-C to micro USB cable and WMP-NWM10 adapter. It will also work with or without charging enabled. iPad Pro will charge the WM1a/z!


----------



## OppoGuy

Anyone know what the name of the file needs to be for the album cover?

Is it (for example):
cover.jpeg

A lot of my FLAC files have embedded covers, but they are progressive and not baseline, so the player won't show them.
It will be easier if I just drop a JPEG file in each folder to fix this.


----------



## Kira69

OppoGuy said:


> Anyone know what the name of the file needs to be for the album cover?
> 
> Is it (for example):
> cover.jpeg
> ...


Easy. https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449029.html


----------



## Bepli

Hey People,
I just saw a guy on Twitter with a CUE file option on his WM1Z. I was wondering if this is new ? 
Some people were saying that CUE files dont work and I thought only the ZX300 is limited in that option.
Picture:



Spoiler


----------



## rtjoa

Bepli said:


> Hey People,
> I just saw a guy on Twitter with a CUE file option on his WM1Z. I was wondering if this is new ?
> Some people were saying that CUE files dont work and I thought only the ZX300 is limited in that option.
> Picture:
> ...


I dont have that option on my 1Z firmware 3.0. Could that be a newer firmware?
I really hope that 1Z supports CUE files and DTS format. I bought DX200Ti and DX200 just to play those two.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Nov 17, 2018)

Bepli said:


> Hey People,
> I just saw a guy on Twitter with a CUE file option on his WM1Z. I was wondering if this is new ?
> Some people were saying that CUE files dont work and I thought only the ZX300 is limited in that option.
> Picture:
> ...


Als ich vorgestellt habe, Ihr Walkman musste in der Japanische Region stattfindet. Mein WM1A aus HK hat diese Option nicht dort


----------



## gerelmx1986

OppoGuy said:


> Anyone know what the name of the file needs to be for the album cover?
> 
> Is it (for example):
> cover.jpeg
> ...


Same as folder of the music files.
Example i have bach golberg variations in folder Goldberg Variationen BWV 988

the album art must be named the same as the folder Golberg Variationen BWV 988.jpg


----------



## Bepli

gerelmx1986 said:


> Als ich vorgestellt habe, Ihr Walkman musste in der Japanische Region stattfindet. Mein WM1A aus HK hat diese Option nicht dort


The Hong Kong region does not work, but the Chinese region does have the CUE Sheet option


----------



## Redcarmoose

Magaosi K5


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Nov 18, 2018)

Bepli said:


> The Hong Kong region does not work, but the Chinese region does have the CUE Sheet option


Zum Gluck nutze ich keine CUE Dateien, Ich teile ein Grosse FLAC in kleinen Tracks auf. Danke Medieval cue splitter, die Nachteile, es geht nicht mit 24-bit FLAC, Diese muss ich hand bearbeiten in Kleinen Tracks.

PS. i am writing in German on purpose, so that users like @DONTGIVEUP  don't understand a pepp, as he said once that my post were just blabber


----------



## Bepli

gerelmx1986 said:


> Zum Gluck nutze ich keine CUE Dateien, Ich teile ein Grosse FLAC in kleinen Tracks auf. Danke Medieval cue splitter, die Nachteile, es geht nicht mit 24-bit FLAC, Diese muss ich hand bearbeiten in Kleinen Tracks.
> 
> PS. i am writing in German on purpose, so that users like @DONTGIVEUP  don't understand a pepp, as he said once that my post were just blabber


Du bist nicht aus Zufall in Deutschland oder ? Würde gerne nochmal ein paar MDR-Z1R und XBA-Z5 ausprobieren  Hier in der Nähe hat kein Laden die


----------



## proedros

Bepli said:


> Du bist nicht aus Zufall in Deutschland oder ? Würde gerne nochmal ein paar MDR-Z1R und XBA-Z5 ausprobieren  Hier in der Nähe hat kein Laden die



english please


----------



## ryaneagon (Nov 18, 2018)

Why is that when you have 2 albums that have the same album title, searching through albums the WM1Z lumps them together? This is the only DAP I own that does this. Not cool when the "greatest hits" albums come up....Any resolve?


----------



## nc8000

ryaneagon said:


> Why is that when you have 2 albums that have the same album title, searching through albums the WM1Z lumps them together? This is the only DAP I own that does this. Not cool when the "greatest hits" albums come up....Any resolve?



Because they go strictly on the tags. No fix other than giving them individual named


----------



## ryaneagon

nc8000 said:


> Because they go strictly on the tags. No fix other than giving them individual named



Not sure I understand. The tags are different, other than the album name, why doesn't Sony sort this when viewing albums. So, basically I would have to give every "greatest hits" album a different album name? Wonder how other players sort this, seems Sony should improve their software.


----------



## nc8000

ryaneagon said:


> Not sure I understand. The tags are different, other than the album name, why doesn't Sony sort this when viewing albums. So, basically I would have to give every "greatest hits" album a different album name? Wonder how other players sort this, seems Sony should improve their software.



If they are all called Greatest Hits then the Album tag is the same and they will be shown together


----------



## ryaneagon

nc8000 said:


> If they are all called Greatest Hits then the Album tag is the same and they will be shown together



Gotcha. 


Dumb.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Bepli said:


> Du bist nicht aus Zufall in Deutschland oder ? Würde gerne nochmal ein paar MDR-Z1R und XBA-Z5 ausprobieren  Hier in der Nähe hat kein Laden die


Leider nicht, bin aus Mexiko, aber ich werde bald mein Kerl aus Wiesbaden Heiraten. Daher können wir uns in der Zukunft treffen, so dass du meine Kophörer Probeirst


----------



## bvng3540

gerelmx1986 said:


> Leider nicht, bin aus Mexiko, aber ich werde bald mein Kerl aus Wiesbaden Heiraten. Daher können wir uns in der Zukunft treffen, so dass du meine Kophörer Probeirst


I think BOTH of you are in a wrong language forum, last I check this is English not german


----------



## NoMythsAudio

ryaneagon said:


> Gotcha.
> 
> 
> Dumb.


Agree dumb.
I solved it by ... Greatest Hits [2Pac], Greatest Hits [Radiohead], etc.


----------



## Lookout57

When I browse by album I see each Greatest Hits with the album cover and then artist name under it. No problems figuring out who is who.


----------



## Quadfather

Lookout57 said:


> When I browse by album I see each Greatest Hits with the album cover and then artist name under it. No problems figuring out who is who.



My tags:

Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Greatest Hits (Aerosmith)

Artist: Jim Croce
Album: Greatest Hits (Jim Croce)


Problem solved...


----------



## Dtuck90

I don’t know for sure but will setting the album artist solve the issue?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Dtuck90 said:


> I don’t know for sure but will setting the album artist solve the issue?


Nope i does not, the only solution we can give, Like quadfather did


----------



## ryaneagon

NoMythsAudio said:


> Agree dumb.
> I solved it by ... Greatest Hits [2Pac], Greatest Hits [Radiohead], etc.



That's exactly what I did.


Lookout57 said:


> When I browse by album I see each Greatest Hits with the album cover and then artist name under it. No problems figuring out who is who.



Could you take a picture of this and upload to us please. I contacted Sony support and was told the only remedy is to add the artist name after the album title, or anything really as long as they all have different titles. I did what "quadfather" suggested. I'm curios how you found a solution.


----------



## Lookout57

This is what I see:




 


I use the official album name as found on Allmusic or in Wikipedia. I only change the album name to denote if it's a Hi-Res or DSD album.

So even if I hadn't named Greatest Hits 2 [Hi-Res] for the Journey album, it would still be easy to see that it's different than the Bob Seger Greatest Hits 2 due to the album artwork and the album artist name.

Otherwise if you really want to have them listed as different albums by name the only solution is to retag the album name like Quadfather or NoMythsAudio has done.


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> This is what I see:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Well naturally you do as each album has a unique title


----------



## NoMythsAudio

Lookout57 said:


> This is what I see:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Greatest Hits 2 is different from Greatest Hits II, so naturally sorted appropriately right. This is no different from the solutions been proposed here.


----------



## ryaneagon

Lookout57 said:


> So even if I hadn't named Greatest Hits 2 [Hi-Res] for the Journey album, it would still be easy to see that it's different than the Bob Seger Greatest Hits 2 due to the album artwork and the album artist name.




Actually, if you any album with the same "album title" it will lump them together if you are scrolling through albums. The best solution I found is to add the artist name in parenthesis. Thanks all for the quick solution. 


.


----------



## Lookout57 (Nov 19, 2018)

There are two Greatest Hits 2 albums, Bob Seger and Journey.

If I hadn't named the Journey album to Greatest Hits 2 [Hi-Res] they would show up as:

Greatest Hits 2
Bob Seger

Greatest Hits 2
Journey

Easy to see they are different albums by the artwork and artist names.

I don't see what the big deal is and why adding the artist name to the album makes a difference.

To each his own.


----------



## ryaneagon (Nov 19, 2018)

Lookout57 said:


> There are two Greatest Hits 2 albums, Bob Seger and Journey.
> 
> If I hadn't named the Journey album to Greatest Hits 2 [Hi-Res] they would show up as:
> 
> ...



But you wouldn't see them separated when scrolling through your albums if the were both labeled as "Greatest Hits 2" they would be lumped together. Try It, name them the same and look for yourself....I'll upload a photo to show.


----------



## ryaneagon (Nov 19, 2018)

ryaneagon said:


> But you wouldn't see them separated when scrolling through your albums if the were both labeled as "Greatest Hits 2" they would be lumped together. Try It, name them the same and look for yourself....I'll upload a photo to show.



This is what is displayed when both albums have the same album title. Both "Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers" and "The Red Hot Chili Peppers" have the same album title (greatest hits) Only Greatest hits shows, and "Tom Petty" only displays not both albums, the next page shows them lumped together. Hope this helps. 

The reason I first asked is because my AKSE1000 will display albums correctly and separately when albums have the same album title, I just figured Sony would have built a UI that could do the same...


----------



## Stephen George

Whitigir said:


> Woaaaa, that is a steal ! I hope it is real and not some fake stuff.  Keeping fingers crossed for you



got 'em today, $149 (free shipping) and also with 8% ebucks ($137 each) also paid with paypal credit, 6 months to pay off...should have bought them all

now to clone the 400GB to 512GB


----------



## roses77

ryaneagon said:


> Why is that when you have 2 albums that have the same album title, searching through albums the WM1Z lumps them together? This is the only DAP I own that does this. Not cool when the "greatest hits" albums come up....Any resolve?



That’s why I use folders as I have it Organized with artists names & Or group with albums of the same title. I never search via albums. I don’t search via song as songs of the same title will come up. So use search via folders.


----------



## roses77 (Nov 19, 2018)

ryaneagon said:


> This is what is displayed when both albums have the same album title. Both "Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers" and "The Red Hot Chili Peppers" have the same album title (greatest hits) Only Greatest hits shows, and "Tom Petty" only displays not both albums, the next page shows them lumped together. Hope this helps.
> 
> The reason I first asked is because my AKSE1000 will display albums correctly and separately when albums have the same album title, I just figured Sony would have built a UI that could do the same...


That’s a good way to create a playlist with the same album title. Please search via folders I have it organized with solo artists & group name eg Thompson Twins, Culture Club, Richard Marx.


----------



## roses77

Lookout57 said:


> There are two Greatest Hits 2 albums, Bob Seger and Journey.
> 
> If I hadn't named the Journey album to Greatest Hits 2 [Hi-Res] they would show up as:
> 
> ...



Please use Folders & search through artists names that will solve the problem. I have many albums titled the same too with greatest hits etc.


----------



## ryaneagon

roses77 said:


> That’s a good way to create a playlist with the same album title. Please search via folders I have it organized with solo artists & group name eg Thompson Twins, Culture Club, Richard Marx.



Why would I search via the folder menu? Really, that just adds more steps, a lot of them, also has limitations...Only lets you sort by artist, both SD card and system storage are separate, no album artwork...I think you missed the point of this thread, but I'm glad it works for you. Speaking for myself, I wish Sony would make a change so that albums with the same title show up SEPARATELY not combined via the album menu. Cheers.


----------



## roses77

ryaneagon said:


> Why would I search via the folder menu? Really, that just adds more steps, a lot of them, also has limitations...Only lets you sort by artist, both SD card and system storage are separate, no album artwork...I think you missed the point of this thread, but I'm glad it works for you. Speaking for myself, I wish Sony would make a change so that albums with the same title show up SEPARATELY not combined via the album menu. Cheers.



It’s easier to search via folders if you have 520gb of music I can find it faster & more efficiently. Than using albums, no I haven’t missed the point I understood what you meant. I was just pointing out an easier way to search music you want to play. As I searched via albums it annoys me going through so many Albums to get to the artist I want to play. I’m talking about clicking folders not clicking on artists.


----------



## buduba0604 (Nov 19, 2018)

For those wondering about separating albums with the same album title.
You could edit the "Album Sort" tag, like in mp3tag.
You would have to input into the album sort field "Greatest Hits (BB King)", but keep the album title as "Greatest Hits".
It's under extended tags in mp3tag. If you don't see it, then you can "add field" and add the album sort tag that way. 
Then it will show as Greatest Hits in your library while separating each album.


----------



## roses77

buduba0604 said:


> For those wondering about separating albums with the same album title.
> You could edit the "Album Sort" tag, like in mp3tag.
> You would have to input into the album sort field "Greatest Hits (BB King)", but keep the album title as "Greatest Hits".
> It's under extended tags in mp3tag. If you don't see it, then you can "add field" and add the album sort tag that way.
> Then it will show as Greatest Hits in your library while separating each album.



I use Tag&Rename software to sort out my folders. I downloaded MP3 Tag & I don’t find it easy to use. How do you upload photos on here I tried that it won’t upload for me.


----------



## buduba0604

roses77 said:


> I use Tag&Rename software to sort out my folders. I downloaded MP3 Tag & I don’t find it easy to use. How do you upload photos on here I tried that it won’t upload for me.


I uploaded my image to imgur, copied the image address and inserted the image that way.


----------



## roses77

This is how how I browse via using folders. Now I know how to upload photos I figured it out. If you have an huge music library like I do browse via folders.


----------



## buduba0604

I don't usually browse by albums, I prefer to browse by artist


----------



## ryaneagon

buduba0604 said:


> For those wondering about separating albums with the same album title.
> You could edit the "Album Sort" tag, like in mp3tag.
> You would have to input into the album sort field "Greatest Hits (BB King)", but keep the album title as "Greatest Hits".
> It's under extended tags in mp3tag. If you don't see it, then you can "add field" and add the album sort tag that way.
> Then it will show as Greatest Hits in your library while separating each album.


Perfect! Thank you, exactly what I was looking for.


----------



## ryaneagon

roses77 said:


> This is how how I browse via using folders. Now I know how to upload photos I figured it out. If you have an huge music library like I do browse via folders.



I understand, I find it easier to use the scroll on the right side, it scrolls through the alphabet making it easy to land close to the album I'm looking for, and I find it much easier than going to folder - system storage - SD card - and in case file type - artist and finally...album.
To each his own. Cheers!


----------



## roses77

ryaneagon said:


> I understand, I find it easier to use the scroll on the right side, it scrolls through the alphabet making it easy to land close to the album I'm looking for, and I find it much easier than going to folder - system storage - SD card - and in case file type - artist and finally...album.
> To each his own. Cheers!


That’s great if you find it easier to search albums. it’s personal preference.


----------



## nc8000

My docking cradle is now for sale in case anybody want one. Probably best for an EU buyer. 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-bcr-nwh10-wm-port-cradle.893665/


----------



## awpshotdown (Nov 20, 2018)

K-mod Premium on fw 3.0, the soundstage is sublime!


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Hello fellow Sony Fans! long time fan of sony audio products 
I have a serious question and i'm in no way "trolling". i sincerely would like to know if anyone has compared the NW-WMA1 with the Astell & Kern A&norma SR15?
I'm currently looking for a new DAP and i've come to the choice of either the WMA1 or the SR15. I wont be using it for super hard to drive headphones but some headphones i use or have used are a little power hungry. i'm wondering now thats its been a while since the WMA1 has been out if firmwares have fixed most issues and what kind of battery life people are experiencing.

also sound signature between the two daps i've mentioned. i've heard that the WMA1 has a warmer sound in general. i wonder if this is true?

thank you for your time everyone 

PS: are there a good selection of cases for the WMA1? hopefully decently priced in a nice padded leather.


----------



## Whitigir

Tsukuyomi said:


> Hello fellow Sony Fans! long time fan of sony audio products
> I have a serious question and i'm in no way "trolling". i sincerely would like to know if anyone has compared the NW-WMA1 with the Astell & Kern A&norma SR15?
> I'm currently looking for a new DAP and i've come to the choice of either the WMA1 or the SR15. I wont be using it for super hard to drive headphones but some headphones i use or have used are a little power hungry. i'm wondering now thats its been a while since the WMA1 has been out if firmwares have fixed most issues and what kind of battery life people are experiencing.
> 
> ...



What do you like more ? Soundstage and separations or do you like a more realistic timbres body ? Wm1Z was great driving HD800S out of 4.4mm, I would wager WM1A would still be able to pull it too


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Whitigir said:


> What do you like more ? Soundstage and separations or do you like a more realistic timbres body ? Wm1Z was great driving HD800S out of 4.4mm, I would wager WM1A would still be able to pull it too


I do like soundstage, but i dont want it too wide as i find it pulls the center stage thin.
I've noticed from varied listening to devices that the wider the soundstage it gets a bit thin and i dont like how female vocals sound when that happens.
but separation and sound stage are always something beautiful to have. timbers i can be ok with as long as some classical sounds come out as authentic and not overwhelming. ex: violins and pianos, if its not done right i feel the harshness of the tone drowns out the resonance of the actual instrument which makes it feel like it has no detail.


----------



## Whitigir

Tsukuyomi said:


> I do like soundstage, but i dont want it too wide as i find it pulls the center stage thin.
> I've noticed from varied listening to devices that the wider the soundstage it gets a bit thin and i dont like how female vocals sound when that happens.
> but separation and sound stage are always something beautiful to have. timbers i can be ok with as long as some classical sounds come out as authentic and not overwhelming. ex: violins and pianos, if its not done right i feel the harshness of the tone drowns out the resonance of the actual instrument which makes it feel like it has no detail.



Excellent! And you had a right calls on current DAPs limitations 

You will be very happy with 1A, but that is my guess.  To be sure, you go try it in person with your favorite pairing before making your call


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Whitigir said:


> Excellent! And you had a right calls on current DAPs limitations
> 
> You will be very happy with 1A, but that is my guess.  To be sure, you go try it in person with your favorite pairing before making your call


I would love to, but there arent any offical Sony stores in my city anymore (they closed up due to poor business and left.) and other music stores where i buy daps, headphones, and other equipment dont carry sony dap or dac equipment. my only way is if i buy and find out myself or find someone in my city who has it where i can borrow for a bit to try before buying.  audio community in my city is terribly small.


----------



## Whitigir

Tsukuyomi said:


> I would love to, but there arent any offical Sony stores in my city anymore (they closed up due to poor business and left.) and other music stores where i buy daps, headphones, and other equipment dont carry sony dap or dac equipment. my only way is if i buy and find out myself or find someone in my city who has it where i can borrow for a bit to try before buying.  audio community in my city is terribly small.



I am very confident that you would love Wm1A from what you described above 

Given that Wm1Z could drive my Hd800S so wel with 4.4mml, there is no reason why WM1A can not


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Whitigir said:


> I am very confident that you would love Wm1A from what you described above
> 
> Given that Wm1Z could drive my Hd800S so wel with 4.4mml, there is no reason why WM1A can not


the only problem for is i dont own anything thats 4.4mm, also, its almost 2x the price of the A&K SR15... im wondering if it is 2x more the DAP. i tired the iBasso DX200 and i was very unimpressed comparing it to my FiiO X5 Gen3. i know the fiio is no match for the sony but i'd like to make sure its justifying the price.. its almost 1800$ in my city after tax from sony... :X and in that price range... a lot more daps become available.


----------



## nc8000

Tsukuyomi said:


> the only problem for is i dont own anything thats 4.4mm, also, its almost 2x the price of the A&K SR15... im wondering if it is 2x more the DAP. i tired the iBasso DX200 and i was very unimpressed comparing it to my FiiO X5 Gen3. i know the fiio is no match for the sony but i'd like to make sure its justifying the price.. its almost 1800$ in my city after tax from sony... :X and in that price range... a lot more daps become available.



What $ is that, surely not US ?


----------



## ryaneagon

Personally I'm not a fan of most AK units, Although I really like the AK SP1000M, had a lot of body and weight that the WMZ1 possesses, maybe the AK4497 dac? Not sure....Personally if you don't have the $ for the 1Z and don't need streaming the WM1A is a great sounding DAP, and has a great UI.


----------



## Whitigir

Tsukuyomi said:


> the only problem for is i dont own anything thats 4.4mm, also, its almost 2x the price of the A&K SR15... im wondering if it is 2x more the DAP. i tired the iBasso DX200 and i was very unimpressed comparing it to my FiiO X5 Gen3. i know the fiio is no match for the sony but i'd like to make sure its justifying the price.. its almost 1800$ in my city after tax from sony... :X and in that price range... a lot more daps become available.



Pretty hard to say here.  I was not impressed by Dx200 and it stock amp1 module.  But with the upgraded modules from Amp3 up to Amp8 now are all wonderful to my ears, and in fact I sold my 1Z to get away from portable DAP....but got pulled back in by their Dx200Titanium version as you can see in my avatar


----------



## Stephen George

FYI

Going from 400GB to 512GB gets you an additional 145GB!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Stephen George said:


> FYI
> 
> Going from 400GB to 512GB gets you an additional 145GB!


I calculated 100GB , as follows. 400GB formatted 91.5% usable space so 366GB. Thesame for 512GB *0.915 = 468


----------



## Whitigir

Where is the link to that 512Gb plz.  I need to store my DSD512 files LoL!


----------



## proedros

Stephen George said:


> FYI
> 
> Going from 400GB to 512GB gets you an additional 145GB!



how is that possible ?


----------



## Stephen George

proedros said:


> how is that possible ?



the 400GB is 392GB and the 512GB is 536GB (formatted)

Also, with FW3.0 there's something weird how the z1 does cards...i always just formatted as exfat and copied using a small microsd adapter card with usb3, not even using the player

the z1 would *not* recognize the card until i formatted it in the z1

comes up as "SD_CARD"


----------



## Stephen George

Whitigir said:


> Where is the link to that 512Gb plz.  I need to store my DSD512 files LoL!



search ebay

there's 1 going for $179 from the same guy...he's got a bunch at $199 (shipping from PA)..can vouch they're legit


----------



## Stephen George

gerelmx1986 said:


> I calculated 100GB , as follows. 400GB formatted 91.5% usable space so 366GB. Thesame for 512GB *0.915 = 468



i leave a minimum of 600MB free on each

512GB actually formats out to 535.9 

used space: 1,087,897,600 bytes 1.01 GB
free space: 535,683,399,680 bytes 498GB

capacity: 536,771,292,280 bytes 499GB


----------



## Tsukuyomi

nc8000 said:


> What $ is that, surely not US ?


Canadian.


----------



## Tsukuyomi

ryaneagon said:


> Personally I'm not a fan of most AK units, Although I really like the AK SP1000M, had a lot of body and weight that the WMZ1 possesses, maybe the AK4497 dac? Not sure....Personally if you don't have the $ for the 1Z and don't need streaming the WM1A is a great sounding DAP, and has a great UI.


I currently use my FiiO X5 Gen 3, and its fitting me well but the UI is annoying the **** out of me.
I think im better off switching to a DAP that has their own fast proprietary UI rather than Android.
but, the main reason im a bit hesitant about the WM1Z is that 
a) it has its own unique usb to sony plug. which if anything happens to that cable im kinda... stuck :S
b) im scared it might not be able to power certain headphones i might end up getting that may be power hungry.


----------



## Malevolint

Tsukuyomi said:


> I currently use my FiiO X5 Gen 3, and its fitting me well but the UI is annoying the **** out of me.
> I think im better off switching to a DAP that has their own fast proprietary UI rather than Android.
> but, the main reason im a bit hesitant about the WM1Z is that
> a) it has its own unique usb to sony plug. which if anything happens to that cable im kinda... stuck :S
> b) im scared it might not be able to power certain headphones i might end up getting that may be power hungry.


I came from the Fiio X5 2nd gen.. It was so bad lol. I think android is bad on most daps because they are underpowered and have outdated versions of android. 

Keep in mind that the WM1Z is a full pound, or .45 kg.. so if you want portability, it's kind of an issue. My WM1A is kinda pushing it, even. I think it's 9 oz. The cables are readily available and pretty cheap. I bought 4 just in case anything happens and to have one in my car. These are the exact ones I have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06ZZSHC67/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you want to use actual headphones, the best way to do that is to get a a balanced cable. The WM1A powers my HD6XX ok. They sound great except it sounds like some of the bass is missing. I tried my new ZMF Eikon and they seem a bit less power hungry than the Senns and have more bass, even through single ended.


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Mrcojocaru said:


> I came from the Fiio X5 2nd gen.. It was so bad lol. I think android is bad on most daps because they are underpowered and have outdated versions of android.
> 
> Keep in mind that the WM1Z is a full pound, or .45 kg.. so if you want portability, it's kind of an issue. My WM1A is kinda pushing it, even. I think it's 9 oz. The cables are readily available and pretty cheap. I bought 4 just in case anything happens and to have one in my car. These are the exact ones I have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06ZZSHC67/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> 
> If you want to use actual headphones, the best way to do that is to get a a balanced cable. The WM1A powers my HD6XX ok. They sound great except it sounds like some of the bass is missing. I tried my new ZMF Eikon and they seem a bit less power hungry than the Senns and have more bass, even through single ended.


I'm glad to see that there are cheap cables available on amazon. thanks very much for that 
as for weight, its not an issue because the DAP usually sits in my jacket breast pocket or if its summer, my jeans pocket or in my backpack.

as for power output, i do use the DT1990 pros, B&O H6 Gen II, and in future im hoping to buy the Audeze LCD2C(Classic) and possibly a AKG K712 Pro. i might even get a Mr.Speakers Aeon (undecided if open/closed) so these headphones mentioned do require some power. I'm not an IEM user so, i would def require more power if the Sony can't handle it


----------



## ryaneagon

Tsukuyomi said:


> I'm glad to see that there are cheap cables available on amazon. thanks very much for that
> as for weight, its not an issue because the DAP usually sits in my jacket breast pocket or if its summer, my jeans pocket or in my backpack.
> 
> as for power output, i do use the DT1990 pros, B&O H6 Gen II, and in future im hoping to buy the Audeze LCD2C(Classic) and possibly a AKG K712 Pro. i might even get a Mr.Speakers Aeon (undecided if open/closed) so these headphones mentioned do require some power. I'm not an IEM user so, i would def require more power if the Sony can't handle it



I've tested the LCD2C with my WM1Z, seemed to have enough power, they sounded pretty good. My reference headphones are Focal Clear, personally I think they are a better headphone, sound and comfort. Of course this is my preference so....I'd recommend giving the Focal range a listen if possible. The Massdrop Elex is pretty much the Clear model but at have the price, and The Elear model sounds almost identical to both models with the Clear pads. The Utopia models are also fantastic, but too much for me to spend and didn't think the sound upgrade was justifiable. Cheers!


----------



## Tsukuyomi

ryaneagon said:


> I've tested the LCD2C with my WM1Z, seemed to have enough power, they sounded pretty good. My reference headphones are Focal Clear, personally I think they are a better headphone, sound and comfort. Of course this is my preference so....I'd recommend giving the Focal range a listen if possible. The Massdrop Elex is pretty much the Clear model but at have the price, and The Elear model sounds almost identical to both models with the Clear pads. The Utopia models are also fantastic, but too much for me to spend and didn't think the sound upgrade was justifiable. Cheers!


I'm also considering the Elegia from Focal. my friend has the Utopia and he said its so efficient that it can run on almost anything even smartphones easily.
im leaning a bit towards the classics because i dont own a pair of Orthodynamic Planars at the moment and want that thicker deep sound again. i hate having to EQ things myself and i'd rather the headphone does it for me by itself.


----------



## ryaneagon

Tsukuyomi said:


> I'm also considering the Elegia from Focal. my friend has the Utopia and he said its so efficient that it can run on almost anything even smartphones easily.
> im leaning a bit towards the classics because i dont own a pair of Orthodynamic Planars at the moment and want that thicker deep sound again. i hate having to EQ things myself and i'd rather the headphone does it for me by itself.



I get you, that's what drew me to Focal I love their "tuning" I always run them direct (Sony) or I'll add the Vinyl processor (Sony) from time to time. The only Audeze I own are the iSines, they are fantastic with the cipher cable and iPhone, but seem to lack a bit of spark unless eq'ed via the WM1Z but they are fun from time to time.


----------



## jcdreamer

Tsukuyomi said:


> I'm also considering the Elegia from Focal. my friend has the Utopia and he said its so efficient that it can run on almost anything even smartphones easily.
> im leaning a bit towards the classics because i dont own a pair of Orthodynamic Planars at the moment and want that thicker deep sound again. i hate having to EQ things myself and i'd rather the headphone does it for me by itself.


I can tell you from first hand experience that the Sony 1Z does not have enough power even out of the 4.4 balanced to maximize the Focal Utopia's full capabilities. I never tried it on high gain, however.


----------



## ryaneagon

jcdreamer said:


> I can tell you from first hand experience that the Sony 1Z does not have enough power even out of the 4.4 balanced to maximize the Focal Utopia's full capabilities. I never tried it on high gain, however.



I have a WM1Z and a set of Elear's and the Sony has plenty of power at low gain. I would assume being the are both 80ohm cans they should act the same in these regards. I have had to bump to high gain on a few MFLS releases that were mastered with a greater dynamic range, but high gain was more than enough, and to be honest low gain was plenty, unless I wanted to make my ears hurt. Just my 2 cents. 

I did try a set of Elegia's at a Focal demo in Spokane WA a couple weeks ago, they had all 4 models out, and to be fair I didn't have much time to compare all side by side, and it was kind of noisy, I thought the Elegia's sounded great, they didn't have the width as the rest, but giving they are closed backs...I still thought they had that signature "Focal" sound signature.   The Clears are still my favorite all around model, with the Elears coming in second for their fun sound. (at least I think so)


----------



## lmfboy01

selling my WM1A, included case and everything!


----------



## endlesswaves

I have LCD2C and Eikon. Both are ok thru 4.4mm balanced. Sounds limp thru 3.5mm.


----------



## iron2k

SanDisk Ultra 400GB Micro SDXC UHS-I Card with Adapter for 79$
www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Ultra-microSDXC-Adapter-SDSQUAR-256G-GN6MA/dp/B074RNRM2B


----------



## rcoleman1

iron2k said:


> SanDisk Ultra 400GB Micro SDXC UHS-I Card with Adapter for 79$
> www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Ultra-microSDXC-Adapter-SDSQUAR-256G-GN6MA/dp/B074RNRM2B


Yup...picked me up one. Hoping for a reasonably-priced 512GB next.


----------



## Lookout57

Here is a reasonably priced 512GB https://www.amazon.com/Kingston-Digital-SDCR-512GB-microSDXC/dp/B07JJH38PN/


----------



## ltanasom

iron2k said:


> SanDisk Ultra 400GB Micro SDXC UHS-I Card with Adapter for 79$
> www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Ultra-microSDXC-Adapter-SDSQUAR-256G-GN6MA/dp/B074RNRM2B


Is it fake? Looking at review makes me pause.


----------



## rcoleman1

ltanasom said:


> Is it fake? Looking at review makes me pause.


Amazon's return policy is the best there is (as long it's not a third party seller) so for me it's worth the risk IMO.


----------



## OppoGuy

Ordered a 4.4mm balanced cable from LQi Cables in the US. For Oppo PM2 headphones.
Arrived in the UK today.




 


Detected as balanced.


----------



## Ricky64

FYI,
The TOTL Final D8000 is easily driven by the 1Z.


----------



## 480126

OppoGuy said:


> Ordered a 4.4mm balanced cable from LQi Cables in the US. For Oppo PM2 headphones.
> Arrived in the UK today.
> 
> 
> ...


Is it a EU Version with volume cap?


----------



## bflat

Lookout57 said:


> Here is a reasonably priced 512GB https://www.amazon.com/Kingston-Digital-SDCR-512GB-microSDXC/dp/B07JJH38PN/



The OEM website has it listed at $168 USD so this looks legit. Very surprised at the price.


----------



## OppoGuy

Frida309 said:


> Is it a EU Version with volume cap?



Aye. But I used this tool to change the region to US:

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool

Though I'm not sure if I need the high gain output on 4.4mm balanced.
The seller at LQi says burn in for 50 hours.
I will leave high gain disabled for 4.4mm balanced unless I really need it.


----------



## syke

Ricky64 said:


> FYI,
> The TOTL Final D8000 is easily driven by the 1Z.



The Final D8000 is one lovely headphone.


----------



## ryaneagon

OppoGuy said:


> Ordered a 4.4mm balanced cable from LQi Cables in the US. For Oppo PM2 headphones.
> Arrived in the UK today.
> 
> 
> ...



Nice! I have a 4.4 LQi Esprit for Focal cans. Great build quality and customer service.


----------



## bitonio

iron2k said:


> SanDisk Ultra 400GB Micro SDXC UHS-I Card with Adapter for 79$
> www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Ultra-microSDXC-Adapter-SDSQUAR-256G-GN6MA/dp/B074RNRM2B


Thanks mate! A pretty sweet deal!
For the curious, I attached the price of this particular card over the last few month:


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hi I am a happy new owner of 1z and tia forte,

Got a question is it normal when transferring music to 1z into music folder it only goes at 16mbps , thats kinda slow is it normal?  took me 3.5 hours to transfer 211 gigs!


----------



## bitonio

Vitaly2017 said:


> (...)when transferring music to 1z into music folder it only goes at 16mbps , thats kinda slow is it normal?  took me 3.5 hours to transfer 211 gigs!



Congratulations 

You are transfering to the internal memory?
If so, I have similar experience. 

For faster(ish) transfer, I'd recommend to use a MicroSD card with an an external USB3 card reader (or built-in if your computer has one). It is often the speed of the card itself the bottleneck, not the USB2/3 speed itself.


----------



## Vitaly2017

bitonio said:


> Congratulations
> 
> You are transfering to the internal memory?
> If so, I have similar experience.
> ...



Thanks     I now own 1z tia and phantoms its crazzy good

I see no I am transfering right into the dap it self, cause I have enouf room for my content, its only 211gig and sony has 230gigs.  So I assume that is normal... Dam sony could made the internal speed faster even if its an old device.  I use my sd card in my phone its a 400gig one, I stream spotify to 1z haha. With new update on spotify we now can download 10k songs !


----------



## Dizzle77

After picking up the sandisk 400gb on Amazon UK last week for £82, I didn’t think it would drop any further. Now £75 and cheaper than the 256gb


----------



## OppoGuy

gerelmx1986 said:


> Same as folder of the music files.
> Example i have bach golberg variations in folder Goldberg Variationen BWV 988
> 
> the album art must be named the same as the folder Golberg Variationen BWV 988.jpg



This does not work.
Maybe because I have progressive JPEGs embedded inside the FLAC files?
i.e. the presence of the JPEG in the folder (with the same name of the folder) is not fixing the thumbnail.
Do I need to remove all progressive images embedded inside FLAC files?


----------



## nc8000

OppoGuy said:


> This does not work.
> Maybe because I have progressive JPEGs embedded inside the FLAC files?
> i.e. the presence of the JPEG in the folder (with the same name of the folder) is not fixing the thumbnail.
> Do I need to remove all progressive images embedded inside FLAC files?



I don’t know which one gets used if there is an embedded and one in the folder but my guess would be that the embedded take priority and yes progressive is not supported


----------



## Stephen George

gerelmx1986 said:


> I calculated 100GB , as follows. 400GB formatted 91.5% usable space so 366GB. Thesame for 512GB *0.915 = 468





Whitigir said:


> Where is the link to that 512Gb plz.  I need to store my DSD512 files LoL!




hope you didn't buy as i got snookered...and i should have seen it right off the bat..they were clever counterfeits...the 512 on the front of the actual product (not the manufacturers picture) shows the 512 spread apart and on every samsung microsd i have seen the numbers are kerned very close...also on the back, did not have real look serial number that samsung cards have

i think these cards were only 16gb but the FW is fooled so it does try to copy everything out ...but when you look at the data..it's corrupt..the weird thing is...only the A&K240 flagged it as a bad card...the samsung note 8 was fooled along with the z1a

i ended up finding some kingston canvas react for $150 ea...will report on this when they arrive


----------



## bitonio

OppoGuy said:


> This does not work.
> Maybe because I have progressive JPEGs embedded inside the FLAC files?
> i.e. the presence of the JPEG in the folder (with the same name of the folder) is not fixing the thumbnail.
> Do I need to remove all progressive images embedded inside FLAC files?


I personnally use MusicBrainz Picard to retag properly all FLAC files, you can use either their database JPEG file or upload yours, it works great.


----------



## proedros

OppoGuy said:


> Detected as balanced.




ah Mirage by FM , one of my favorites 80s albums - great taste.

*You'll probably hate me for saying it and making you noticing , but ever paid attention to how it seems like there is a witch head between Lindsey and Stevie ?

also Christine's head seems like 180o rotated , exorcist-style*

it's one of those illusions , once you see it you can not unsee it

cheers


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> ah Mirage by FM , one of my favorites 80s albums - great taste.
> 
> *You'll probably hate me for saying it and making you noticing , but ever paid attention to how it seems like there is a witch head between Lindsey and Stevie ?
> 
> ...



Same as when I hear something, I can never unheard it....LOL, and so upgradatis is real...


----------



## OppoGuy

Dizzle77 said:


> After picking up the sandisk 400gb on Amazon UK last week for £82, I didn’t think it would drop any further. Now £75 and cheaper than the 256gb



Shittin hell. I bought the 256G one last week.


----------



## OppoGuy

bitonio said:


> I personnally use MusicBrainz Picard to retag properly all FLAC files, you can use either their database JPEG file or upload yours, it works great.



Thanks. I'll try it this weekend.


----------



## Aliv3

Have you guys ever had a malfunction in your WM1A / 1Z? mine had a problem on bluetooth and went for the warranty. they called me today that they had no parts to repair and they exchanged me for another. It's a little worrying for long ownership.

By the way, I'm going to use the topic to ask a few questions. Where I live does not have a store with a wide variety of headphones to try out. sometimes it can be good and bad at the same time. I'm thinking of taking advantage of this Christmas time and giving socks to my family so I can upgrade my iems / headphones. 

The genres I usually listen to are pop / rock / metal / alternative / edm 80% of the time. the iems are to be used exclusively on the WM1A while the headphones can also be used on the walkmam but also on the PC for multimedia / movie consumption etc. I thought about buying Andromeda's and the Sony Z1r / Lcd-x. but I was thinking and also would not be bad thought to buy two headphones a bit opposite each other as for example Vega and the HD800S. What do you guys think? Sorry for the long text.


----------



## OppoGuy

proedros said:


> You'll probably hate me for saying it and making you noticing , but ever paid attention to how it seems like there is a witch head between Lindsey and Stevie ?



I've given up trying to keep track of the internal politics of Fleetwood Mac.
I've met Mick Fleetwood twice before concerts at one of those "meet & greet" things. Think he lives in Maui now.


----------



## Edric Li

Anyone knows why the Kingston 512GB micro sd goes for $150 while almost every other brands are going for $250? Seems to me the specs are better on the Kingston, too.


----------



## Stephen George (Nov 23, 2018)

Edric Li said:


> Anyone knows why the Kingston 512GB micro sd goes for $150 while almost every other brands are going for $250? Seems to me the specs are better on the Kingston, too.



there's only a few working options at this time and hopefully this is competition...all legit brands are selling out as they come online

should have mine in a couple days, will report back on them


----------



## hke3g2006

anyone experienced more hangs and crashes than before after upgrading to version 3.00??? I experienced this twice within 4 days  already......i am using wm1z...


----------



## nc8000

hke3g2006 said:


> anyone experienced more hangs and crashes than before after upgrading to version 3.00??? I experienced this twice within 4 days  already......i am using wm1z...



Yes so went back to 2.0, never had a crash before 3.0


----------



## Stephen George

Lookout57 said:


> Here is a reasonably priced 512GB https://www.amazon.com/Kingston-Digital-SDCR-512GB-microSDXC/dp/B07JJH38PN/



although out of stock in most places, you can still buy reasonably on the kingston site


----------



## boomtube

Whenever I put an SD card in the slot (I've tried 3 different cards)... It always says there's no music on the card? What am I doing wrong? These cards are full of FLAC files and work just fine with other DAP's.


----------



## iron2k

boomtube said:


> Whenever I put an SD card in the slot (I've tried 3 different cards)... It always says there's no music on the card? What am I doing wrong? These cards are full of FLAC files and work just fine with other DAP's.


must be the format of the SD, did you ever format it directly form your 1A/1Z  ?


----------



## Bepli

boomtube said:


> Whenever I put an SD card in the slot (I've tried 3 different cards)... It always says there's no music on the card? What am I doing wrong? These cards are full of FLAC files and work just fine with other DAP's.


They have to be in a Folder called "Music", all your files and folders should be under "C:\MUSIC\....."


----------



## Stephen George

boomtube said:


> Whenever I put an SD card in the slot (I've tried 3 different cards)... It always says there's no music on the card? What am I doing wrong? These cards are full of FLAC files and work just fine with other DAP's.





iron2k said:


> must be the format of the SD, did you ever format it directly form your 1A/1Z  ?





Bepli said:


> They have to be in a Folder called "Music", all your files and folders should be under "C:\MUSIC\....."



Onl format within player as a LAST resort

make sure it's exfat (allows for files over 4GB) and all files are in a folder on the root named MUSIC (a&k uses this convention also)


----------



## audionewbi

WM1A owner should seriously have a look into the IER-M9. If you are into monitoring sound, this will be a setup very hard to beat. GIGO will apply if you have all the DSP features off, but with them engaged, it can be more forgiving.


----------



## sne4me

nc8000 said:


> Yes so went back to 2.0, never had a crash before 3.0



Ive experienced 3 crashes although I havent listened a whole lot. one I vaguely realized happened, another happened when i set down the player and picked it up and opened the screen; crash. another crashed mid playing.

Actually I'm rather disappointed they have crashes since 2.00 never crashed. seems to be going backwards


----------



## nc8000

Integral 512GB microSD on Amazon.co.uk at £120 atm. No idea if it’s legit. Just bought a Samsung 512GB in Denmark for £160


----------



## Lookout57

I've never seen a crash with 3.0 on my WM1A or WM1Z. 

All my music is FLAC 16/44.1 upto 24/192 or DSD with embed artwork.


----------



## captblaze (Nov 25, 2018)

been spending the weekend with this...




and to answer the does it sound better question.

it doesn't sound better or worse just different. a little bit tubey and it allows me a 10 click volume reduction. I will admit I do like the way it sounds with a set of HD 800S at the end of the chain. it doesn't lend itself to being portable or pocketable. it does get warm (it is a tube amp), but not hot although I wouldn't stack it.

all in all (well probably 8 hours this weekend) I plan on keeping this amp. it adds a little something different to the WM-1A without having to mod it


----------



## Quadfather

Mrcojocaru said:


> I came from the Fiio X5 2nd gen.. It was so bad lol. I think android is bad on most daps because they are underpowered and have outdated versions of android.
> 
> Keep in mind that the WM1Z is a full pound, or .45 kg.. so if you want portability, it's kind of an issue. My WM1A is kinda pushing it, even. I think it's 9 oz. The cables are readily available and pretty cheap. I bought 4 just in case anything happens and to have one in my car. These are the exact ones I have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06ZZSHC67/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> 
> If you want to use actual headphones, the best way to do that is to get a a balanced cable. The WM1A powers my HD6XX ok. They sound great except it sounds like some of the bass is missing. I tried my new ZMF Eikon and they seem a bit less power hungry than the Senns and have more bass, even through single ended.



Shure SRH1540s work beautifully out of the balanced output on the Sony DAPs.


----------



## Malevolint

Quadfather said:


> Shure SRH1540s work beautifully out of the balanced output on the Sony DAPs.


Nice. I've never heard anything from Shure, tbh. I was going to buy something from them back in the day but heard about some cable issues and decided against it. I've lived my Dunu iems though.


----------



## McCol

Bit late to the party but my WM1A arrived yesterday, reasonable price from amazon warehouse with 20% off the price bringing it down to £670, very happy with that.  It's in perfect condition and was described as 'like new' by Amazon.

The sound coming from using a ZX300 up until a few days ago seems more layered with more depth and width.  Listening with Senn 660s as I type through balanced and the sound is simply stunning, making my 660s come to life.


----------



## Quadfather

Mrcojocaru said:


> Nice. I've never heard anything from Shure, tbh. I was going to buy something from them back in the day but heard about some cable issues and decided against it. I've lived my Dunu iems though.



I use surf cables out of the balanced on the Sony


----------



## Whitigir

I would love a WM1A to experiment on an throughout invasive modifications in order to focus and direct toward audio improvements X_X sounds like a lot of work for what I don’t need.  Ideally to have a cheap one 0_0


----------



## Sasazaki

Hi fellow audio addicts! 

I'm new here and also relatively new owner of a wm1a . Been checking out this thread for reviews of the firmware 3.0. 

Just wanna say that I've been through various daps (dpx1, dx200, ak240ss, zx300) and all daps have their pros and cons. But for those wondering if they should opt for zx300 or wm1a...please go for the wm1a as it's just a matter of time.

Cheers!


----------



## flyer1

FW 3.0 sounds absolutely amazing on my 1Z.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Aliv3 said:


> Have you guys ever had a malfunction in your WM1A / 1Z? mine had a problem on bluetooth and went for the warranty. they called me today that they had no parts to repair and they exchanged me for another. It's a little worrying for long ownership.
> 
> By the way, I'm going to use the topic to ask a few questions. Where I live does not have a store with a wide variety of headphones to try out. sometimes it can be good and bad at the same time. I'm thinking of taking advantage of this Christmas time and giving socks to my family so I can upgrade my iems / headphones.
> 
> The genres I usually listen to are pop / rock / metal / alternative / edm 80% of the time. the iems are to be used exclusively on the WM1A while the headphones can also be used on the walkmam but also on the PC for multimedia / movie consumption etc. I thought about buying Andromeda's and the Sony Z1r / Lcd-x. but I was thinking and also would not be bad thought to buy two headphones a bit opposite each other as for example Vega and the HD800S. What do you guys think? Sorry for the long text.



It can make the hobby a little interactive and mentally taxing trying to get used to two opposite sound signatures, though I do, do it. If anything it shows you the personality of whatever headphone your listening to due to the drastic change. Also you can explore what your preferences are, if still searching. The two can be paired to be complementary too, where one does music in one way and another is excellent with a different style of music. 

Still at times using only one IEM helps to become more intimate with the single unit as you mentally focus in more.


----------



## Tawek

Yes I agree in 100% now I love my obravo eamt2c sounds phenomenal with 1z


----------



## Tsukuyomi

I went to 3 audio stores over the weekend and to another yesterday. nobody is carrying any sony DAPs of any kind let alone the WM1A that i want :'( im unable to try it to decide if i should get it. and the only way for me to buy it is through amazon for a whopping 1,500$+tax+shipping..


----------



## proedros

buy one used/like new from here , sell it if you don't like it

the small resell loss is a fair price to kill your curiosity


----------



## whitemouse (Nov 28, 2018)

Mrcojocaru said:


> I came from the Fiio X5 2nd gen.. It was so bad lol. I think android is bad on most daps because they are underpowered and have outdated versions of android.
> 
> 
> If you want to use actual headphones, the best way to do that is to get a a balanced cable



Android is OS, nothing to do with DAC and nothing to do with amplifier section of a DAP.

May as well say Windows does not sound good.


----------



## nc8000

whitemouse said:


> Android is OS, nothing to do with DAC and nothing to do with amplifier section of a DAP.
> 
> May as well say Windows does not sound good.



I think what he tried to say is that the cpu in daps seem to lack power to properly run an OS like Android


----------



## pietcux

captblaze said:


> been spending the weekend with this...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Did you ever  try the HD800 balanced from the 4.4mm out? I do this and love it.


----------



## whitemouse

pietcux said:


> Did you ever  try the HD800 balanced from the 4.4mm out? I do this and love it.



I must admit I never owned HD800, but friend of mine does, and I've listened to them for hours, alas, never with Sony DAP.  Very nice headphones, power hungry tho, if Sony can feed them, then you are all set!


----------



## Tsukuyomi

whitemouse said:


> I must admit I never owned HD800, but friend of mine does, and I've listened to them for hours, alas, never with Sony DAP.  Very nice headphones, power hungry tho, if Sony can feed them, then you are all set!


I thought the HD800 and HD800S were more efficient than other new Sens.


----------



## ryaneagon

Tsukuyomi said:


> I went to 3 audio stores over the weekend and to another yesterday. nobody is carrying any sony DAPs of any kind let alone the WM1A that i want :'( im unable to try it to decide if i should get it. and the only way for me to buy it is through amazon for a whopping 1,500$+tax+shipping..



Yeah, the downside to Amazon is the lack of negations...I guess the upside is if you purchase through Amazon and not a third party you are able to demo the unit, if it doesn’t meet your expectations, send it back. Cheers!


----------



## Tsukuyomi

ryaneagon said:


> Yeah, the downside to Amazon is the lack of negations...I guess the upside is if you purchase through Amazon and not a third party you are able to demo the unit, if it doesn’t meet your expectations, send it back. Cheers!


Do you know by chance what kind of DAC chip the Sony WM1A is using? also, i hear a lot of people say the WM1A doesnt have lots of power for headphones  which is greatly disappointing. as i would like to use Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pros, possibly Audeze LCD2C(maybe, i know they're planar so im not gonna worry too much if they cant) and my H6(2nd gen) and P7wired.


----------



## whitemouse

Tsukuyomi said:


> I thought the HD800 and HD800S were more efficient than other new Sens.



They are! As in they are not 600 ohm impedance. 
300 ohm impedance is still heavy load for portable gear. You must chose your DAP carefully.

I have a sad story, involved Sony DAP and HD800.

Several years ago Sony released true high end DAP, WM ZX1 (Sony would do well to explore alphabet, their Z, ZX, 1 are little bit confusing).

I listened to the just released WM ZX1 in Bangkok, with my Grado RS1, walk around headphones, very easy load. The sound from Sony was best I had heard from DAP at that point. Some of the best DAC/amp combinations, tied together with rubber bands sounded inferior.

I immediately announced my discovery to Australian friend if mine, he walked to Sony Center and bought the WM ZX1 without even listening to it.
Unfortunately his main headphones at the time  happened to be HD800. WM ZX1 wasn't able to drive them, not even close.

I feel bad to this day.

Here, the WM ZX1. I include a pic, because Sony's X and Z and 1 are truly confusing. There are other letters in alphabet, Sony!


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Agreed, right now im stuck between 3 players.
Sony WM1A
A&K SR15 Norma
A&K  SE100 Futura

I just can't make up my mind at all  i dont use IEMs so for me it has to be able to drive atleast a Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro.


----------



## whitemouse

Tsukuyomi said:


> Do you know by chance what kind of DAC chip the Sony WM1A is using? also, i hear a lot of people say the WM1A doesnt have lots of power for headphones  which is greatly disappointing. as i would like to use Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pros, possibly Audeze LCD2C(maybe, i know they're planar so im not gonna worry too much if they cant) and my H6(2nd gen) and P7wired.



Sony never tells. They use their own chip for DAC, and amplifier section, the only manufacturer to do so I'm aware of. Everyone else uses off the shelf chips.


----------



## nc8000

Tsukuyomi said:


> Do you know by chance what kind of DAC chip the Sony WM1A is using? also, i hear a lot of people say the WM1A doesnt have lots of power for headphones  which is greatly disappointing. as i would like to use Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pros, possibly Audeze LCD2C(maybe, i know they're planar so im not gonna worry too much if they cant) and my H6(2nd gen) and P7wired.



They use Sony’s own integrated chips called S-Master. In my opinion, as long as you go balanced and high gain, they have power enough for most full size headphones


----------



## Tsukuyomi

This might sound a bit odd but comparing the WM1A to the SR15, which would be better for headphones and not IEMs?
I thought switching to high gain adds noise to the sound.


----------



## nc8000

Tsukuyomi said:


> This might sound a bit odd but comparing the WM1A to the SR15, which would be better for headphones and not IEMs?
> I thought switching to high gain adds noise to the sound.



Not to my ears


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am getting now, frequent crashes while playing FLAC files from SD card (16/44.1) one yesterday and one today, i was like listening to some tracks and then suddely withouth warning reboot. Today it was doing nothing, paused, just pressed power button to check wether it was paused or not, as i received a call and when i returned from the call it was rebooting.

PS also had two crashes in different days when disconnecting from USB DAC mode


----------



## Tsukuyomi

I think if the sony WM1A can run HD660S it can run my DT1990Pro they're similar in power requirement despite having different ohm amounts.


----------



## syke (Nov 28, 2018)

Touch wood, never gotten a single crash on mine. Does one have to reboot into safe mode, re-format the drive and re-install the OS? 










Just kidding...


----------



## Tsukuyomi

syke said:


> Touch wood, never gotten a single crash on mine. Does one have to reboot into safe mode, re-format the drive and re-install the OS?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


is that even possible since its using Sony OS and not android?


----------



## nc8000 (Nov 28, 2018)

Tsukuyomi said:


> is that even possible since its using Sony OS and not android?



No  but you can go back to FW 2.0, it is only FW 3.0 that crashes and not for all users either


----------



## silvahr

When you go back to FW 2.0 do you need to do a factory reset?
TYIA


----------



## Malevolint (Nov 28, 2018)

whitemouse said:


> Android is OS, nothing to do with DAC and nothing to do with amplifier section of a DAP.
> 
> May as well say Windows does not sound good.



The only thing I meant was that Daps don't have sufficient hardware to run Android well. The OS can run like crap (poop) because of a bad processor, but it can still sound amazing!




Tsukuyomi said:


> Agreed, right now im stuck between 3 players. Sony WM1A A&K SR15 Norma A&K  SE100 Futura I just can't make up my mind at all  i dont use IEMs so for me it has to be able to drive atleast a Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro.



Here's my take on running the WM1A with headphones: it mostly depends on what kind of music you listen to. I use my hd6xx with through the balanced output and on high Gain at 80-90 volume. The issue comes with bassy music. That's where you'll notice the pack of power. There's still bass but it's not amazing. Admittedly, the HD6XX if power hungry and has crappy bass anyway.

I just got a pair of ZMF Eikons and will try them when I get home. I don't have a balanced cable (it's on the way, though). They're bassy af. I'll compare with my thx 789 amp.


I'm curious about how and where you want to use open and full sized cans with a dap. Why don't you just get some IEMs for it? A dap is made for portable use with iems, and open cans mostly for stationary listening. I imagine that any dap with enough power for hungry cans won't have great battery life.


----------



## whitemouse (Nov 28, 2018)

Agreed. Many Android devices are lacking. But it is fault of poor hardware.


----------



## nc8000

silvahr said:


> When you go back to FW 2.0 do you need to do a factory reset?
> TYIA



No


----------



## silvahr

nc8000 said:


> No



Thank you!


----------



## pietcux

Tsukuyomi said:


> Agreed, right now im stuck between 3 players.
> Sony WM1A
> A&K SR15 Norma
> A&K  SE100 Futura
> ...


The WM1A can easily drive a DT1990 Pro. I did this quite often. It can also drive a HD800, HD660S and a HD650. Ecken better with a balanced cable.


----------



## Malevolint

I plugged my ZMF Eikons into the WM1A and they sound amazing even out of the standard output! I EQed a little bass and they sounded fantastic.


----------



## Stephen George

New 512GB microsd cards came, $170 ea delivered

Kingston 512 "canvas react"
USED: 1048576 bytes 1.00mb
FREE: 500,496,859,136 bytes 466GB

500497907712 bytes TOTAL

Found out, you cannot use PC usb 3.0 ports to get any kind of speed copying...tried using the device (z1a and an AK240), tried using usb 3.0 memory card adapters...could only get 1MB/s (about 40 hours to copy the 400-->512)

BUT

if you use the SD card slot on a laptop, and those same USB 3.0 card adapters, I was getting over 30MB/s 

so, 2 dell laptops (e6440s) and tomorrow should have another 100+ GB of storage


----------



## octobeard

Anyone have a link to the 2.0 firmware for Mac? Grabbed the Windows installer from nc8000's dropbox linked earlier, but as I only have a mac it would be a challenge to downgrade if I need to. Currently on 3.0 with a new unit, but curious to play around with 2.0 for the sound differences and in case this puppy starts crashing with 3.0.


----------



## jasonho (Nov 28, 2018)

octobeard said:


> Anyone have a link to the 2.0 firmware for Mac? Grabbed the Windows installer from nc8000's dropbox linked earlier, but as I only have a mac it would be a challenge to downgrade if I need to. Currently on 3.0 with a new unit, but curious to play around with 2.0 for the sound differences and in case this puppy starts crashing with 3.0.



Here the links of the most recent FW

*V.1.20 - Mar. 22,2017*

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.dmg


*V. 2.00 - Nov. 09,2017*

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.dmg


*V. 3.00 Oct. 04,2018*

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_00.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_00.dmg

shared by @kubig123 over at this post .  i recommend every wm1a/z owner to bookmark this url


----------



## jcdreamer

I wonder if anyone has ever had this experience.  I have had my 1Z for a over seven months now and it has been acting up the last few weeks.  With the IEM plugged in to the balanced side, if I paused it for a little while and resumed play I would get very low volume out of the left side.  I literally have to give the dap a couple of whacks and I will get balanced volume again.  It's like a loose connection even if the 1Z has not been moved.

Any thoughts?


----------



## Tsukuyomi

pietcux said:


> The WM1A can easily drive a DT1990 Pro. I did this quite often. It can also drive a HD800, HD660S and a HD650. Ecken better with a balanced cable.


Youre making it so hard for me to pick between the sr15(and save a bit a cash for another pair of headphones) or the wm1a!


----------



## emrelights1973

sr15 has Tidal etc...so if you are into Tidal etc might be a better choice.... 

also if you have 2.5 cables etc it will be convenient..

İ just order sr15 for mobile use vs my 1z which is at my home, safe and secure....


----------



## syke

Tsukuyomi said:


> Youre making it so hard for me to pick between the sr15(and save a bit a cash for another pair of headphones) or the wm1a!


SR15 for full sized headphones? Are you trying to tickle me?


----------



## Tsukuyomi

emrelights1973 said:


> sr15 has Tidal etc...so if you are into Tidal etc might be a better choice....
> 
> also if you have 2.5 cables etc it will be convenient..
> 
> İ just order sr15 for mobile use vs my 1z which is at my home, safe and secure....


well thats the thing, its purely for outside mobile use to and fro from work and school and home.
at home i have a dedicated setup, soon im gonna be getting my RME ADI-2 DAC  so excited for that!


----------



## Tsukuyomi

syke said:


> SR15 for full sized headphones? Are you trying to tickle me?


no im being serious 
when i work out at home or wanna sit next to the window and relax with a cuppa. i'd like to still be able to wear my full sized headphones around the house. like my DT1990 Pros.
i asked in the SR15 thread and a rep and some ppl said it can drive DT1770 Pros and HD660S. (sens being balanced with the balanced output) and thats not bad for a small little player.
Im sure the Sony WM1A can drive DT1990 Pros and even LCD2C or LCD-Xs?


----------



## endlesswaves (Nov 29, 2018)

Tsukuyomi said:


> Im sure the Sony WM1A can drive DT1990 Pros and even LCD2C or LCD-Xs?



Yes just tested LCD2C with WM1A via balanced, high gain and volume at 70/120. Volume at 90 /120 and high gain for Eikon. Sounds even better with DC phase linearizer, DSEE HX and Vinyl processor.


----------



## 911Peral

Hey guys, I noticed something using the 1A with balanced output wired to Sony MDR-1ADAC or MDR-100aap: when swithching from any HR song (mostly MQA 96 kHz) to any FLAC (44.1 kHz/16 bit) or back, there is a small noise (like when you plug the speaker to sound system).

Does anyone else have experienced this? Could it be that my headphones are not "truly balanced"?


----------



## nc8000

911Peral said:


> Hey guys, I noticed something using the 1A with balanced output wired to Sony MDR-1ADAC or MDR-100aap: when swithching from any HR song (mostly MQA 96 kHz) to any FLAC (44.1 kHz/16 bit) or back, there is a small noise (like when you plug the speaker to sound system).
> 
> Does anyone else have experienced this? Could it be that my headphones are not "truly balanced"?



It’s the switch between the 2 clocks, it’s mechanical relays


----------



## Quadfather

My bottlehead Crack Powers my HD650s much louder than my Sony NW - WM1A, but I just love the way my Sennheiser headphones sound out of the Sony.  Seems a fuller more three-dimensional sound.


----------



## Edric Li (Nov 30, 2018)

Feature request, Sony.

1. Search bar. I'm an Asian user but really English keyboard is all I need. So don't worry about multilingual, English is better than nothing.

2. Read file meta in the background so I can browse by folder immediately after swapping in a new card. Similar to how AK does it. With the wide availability of 512gb card these days, I literally have to wait 20 minutes to play music every time I insert a new card. Not acceptable.

3. It's stupid that I lose my playlists when I swap a card out. How about putting a place holder there even when the file path does not exist, an prompt "file not found" when I click on it? Similar to how lotoo does it.


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Hey guys, i wasnt able to buy the SR15 norma from A&K because of A&K having supplier issues. this in turn as aggravated me because of all the running around.

Now! im going to be making the choice, which DAP in your opinion is more worth the money in terms of powering headphones and sound, the Sony WM1A or the Sony ZX300?

headphones i use daily:
Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro
Bang and Olufsen H6 (2nd Gen)
Bower and wilkins P7 (wired)

headphones im borrowing and i might end up buying based on if the DAP can handle them.
Audeze LCD2C
Audeze LCD-X
Focal Elegia

PS: I dont use IEMs, i'll never use IEMs because i dont like how they fit in my ear and fall out all the time, i also dont find it comfortable sticking something in my ear.


----------



## Quadfather

Tsukuyomi said:


> Hey guys, i wasnt able to buy the SR15 norma from A&K because of A&K having supplier issues. this in turn as aggravated me because of all the running around.
> 
> Now! im going to be making the choice, which DAP in your opinion is more worth the money in terms of powering headphones and sound, the Sony WM1A or the Sony ZX300?
> 
> ...



I left IEMs forever.


----------



## nc8000

Quadfather said:


> I left IEMs forever.



If I ever was allowed only one headphone it would be a top of the line custom iem


----------



## captblaze

Quadfather said:


> I left IEMs forever.



if you have a set of well fitting customs headphones seem like a chore while out and about (especially mowing the grass or shoveling snow).


----------



## Quadfather

nc8000 said:


> If I ever was allowed only one headphone it would be a top of the line custom iem



I am lusting after the new Meze Audio Empyrean


----------



## nc8000

Quadfather said:


> I am lusting after the new Meze Audio Empyrean



Yes looks good and interesting, however my use case never allows for open headphones


----------



## Quadfather

nc8000 said:


> Yes looks good and interesting, however my use case never allows for open headphones



My workplace is kind of off on its own. Also I listen a lot at home


----------



## Quadfather

captblaze said:


> if you have a set of well fitting customs headphones seem like a chore while out and about (especially mowing the grass or shoveling snow).



I had Customs once, for whatever reason, my ears are just sensitive to having anything inserted into them.


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Tsukuyomi said:


> Hey guys, i wasnt able to buy the SR15 norma from A&K because of A&K having supplier issues. this in turn as aggravated me because of all the running around.
> 
> Now! im going to be making the choice, which DAP in your opinion is more worth the money in terms of powering headphones and sound, the Sony WM1A or the Sony ZX300?
> 
> ...


also, i know sony doesnt like to give too much info on its products but does anyone know power output for the WMA1 and ZX300 from 3.5 ? and 4.4 ?


----------



## nc8000

Quadfather said:


> My workplace is kind of off on its own. Also I listen a lot at home



So do I but there is almost always somebody around who don’t like sound leaking. When I’m alone I use speakers


----------



## ltanasom

for wm1a owners, anyone likes 3.5mm output more than 4.4mm balance? are 4.4mm a lot better than 3.5mm?
thanks


----------



## Tsukuyomi

ltanasom said:


> for wm1a owners, anyone likes 3.5mm output more than 4.4mm balance? are 4.4mm a lot better than 3.5mm?
> thanks


hey Itanasom, have you tried your LCD-2C(Classics) and HD660S on the WM1A on 3.5? does it have enough power to run them fully?  would super appreciate this reply.


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Also @ltanasom how do you find the sound diffirence between the zx300 and wm1a ?


----------



## Quadfather

nc8000 said:


> So do I but there is almost always somebody around who don’t like sound leaking. When I’m alone I use speakers



Everybody at my pathetic workplace are at each other's throats, so the sound leakage keeps them away from my area. I normally play the most obnoxious heavy metal I can think of.  When I get home I will switch to smooth jazz or classical.


----------



## gerelmx1986

911Peral said:


> Hey guys, I noticed something using the 1A with balanced output wired to Sony MDR-1ADAC or MDR-100aap: when swithching from any HR song (mostly MQA 96 kHz) to any FLAC (44.1 kHz/16 bit) or back, there is a small noise (like when you plug the speaker to sound system).
> 
> Does anyone else have experienced this? Could it be that my headphones are not "truly balanced"?


Perfectly normal, it is the relay switching the clocks (from 48KHz base to 44.1KHz base)


----------



## ltanasom

Tsukuyomi said:


> Also @ltanasom how do you find the sound diffirence between the zx300 and wm1a ?


I think the sound of wm1a is better than zx300. the soundstage is wider and less congested on wm1a. the sound is more transparent as well. however, one thing the zx300 is better may be the bass quantity.


----------



## ltanasom (Nov 30, 2018)

Tsukuyomi said:


> hey Itanasom, have you tried your LCD-2C(Classics) and HD660S on the WM1A on 3.5? does it have enough power to run them fully?  would super appreciate this reply.


Normally, I listen to them through 4.4mm output. I have just tried briefly driving HD660S from 3.5mm output with high gain. I think wm1a with 3.5mm high gain has enough power to run them but I may need to turn the volume close to 100/120 for my level of listening . From 4.4mm output with the same song and level of listening, I open volume about 80-85. I don't know and cannot say whether they can drive fully but I am satisfied with it.
On the other hand, LCD2C may need a little more power than HD660S. When driving though 4.4mm output, I overall are happy with them. However, on some songs (especially the one recorded in low volume such as Sheffield Labs), I feel the sound is loud but the bass is not as good as it should be. It may be a sign of needing more power or current. For LCD2C, I think you may need an amp to get the best out of them. The sound of LCD2C is noticeably better when they are driven by Sony TA-ZH1ES.
Hope this helps.


----------



## Tsukuyomi

ltanasom said:


> Normally, I listen to them through 4.4mm output. I have just tried briefly driving HD660S from 3.5mm output with high gain. I think wm1a with 3.5mm high gain has enough power to run them but I may need to turn the volume close to 100/120 for my level of listening . From 4.4mm output with the same song and level of listening, I open volume about 80-85. I don't know and cannot say whether they can drive fully but I am satisfied with it.
> On the other hand, LCD2C may need a little more power than HD660S. Even when driving though 4.4mm output, I feel the sound is loud but for some songs I feel the bass is not as good as it should be. For LCD2C, I think you may need an amp to get the best out of them. The sound of LCD2C is noticeably better when they are driven by Sony TA-ZH1ES.
> Hope this helps.


it helps get an idea, i know the DT1990 Pros are a tiny bit harder to drive than the 660S so gives me an idea as to the power output of the 3.5. unfortunately i dont own any balanced gear anymore atm. (sold my TH900mk2s a long while ago because the comfort wasnt for me despite having good sound).


----------



## octobeard

A couple things to share:

1. Be wary of upgrading to OS X Mojave. The WM1x firmware installers don't work on it. Had to use a laptop with High Sierra on it to change the firmware.

2. For the discussion re: the SR15 vs WM1A, I had the pleasure of testing both out a week before buying. The SR15 has significantly worse sound quality and a far different sound sig to my ears than the WM1A, but is FAR FAR more responsive and practical in terms of portability and features. The sound sig out of the SR15 has a wide but flat soundstage (think IMAX theater), the upper mids and treble seem brighter than necessary (almost as if the tuning emphasizes these frequencies to make it sound on first blush that it's higher resolution than it truly is), the bass is tight but lacking. Was a fatiguing listen for me. Very HD800 in signature. The WM1A had a very wide, but deep and round soundstage, like sitting in the middle of a planetarium. The sound is significantly more detailed and fluid, especially the mids, and far more enjoyable to listen to and less fatiguing. However, as has been noted in this thread, the WM1x is not the most practical device, outside of its amazing battery life. FWIW I am using a 64 Audio A12t, not full sized cans (these pair extremely well with the WM1A, especially v3.0 of the firmware)


----------



## bflat

octobeard said:


> A couple things to share:
> 
> 1. Be wary of upgrading to OS X Mojave. The WM1x firmware installers don't work on it. Had to use a laptop with High Sierra on it to change the firmware.
> 
> 2. For the discussion re: the SR15 vs WM1A, I had the pleasure of testing both out a week before buying. The SR15 has significantly worse sound quality and a far different sound sig to my ears than the WM1A, but is FAR FAR more responsive and practical in terms of portability and features. The sound sig out of the SR15 has a wide but flat soundstage (think IMAX theater), the upper mids and treble seem brighter than necessary (almost as if the tuning emphasizes these frequencies to make it sound on first blush that it's higher resolution than it truly is), the bass is tight but lacking. Was a fatiguing listen for me. Very HD800 in signature. The WM1A had a very wide, but deep and round soundstage, like sitting in the middle of a planetarium. The sound is significantly more detailed and fluid, especially the mids, and far more enjoyable to listen to and less fatiguing. However, as has been noted in this thread, the WM1x is not the most practical device, outside of its amazing battery life. FWIW I am using a 64 Audio A12t, not full sized cans (these pair extremely well with the WM1A, especially v3.0 of the firmware)



My neck would hurt with the SR15 screen:


----------



## Lookout57

That is an epic design fail


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> My neck would hurt with the SR15 screen:


If you hold that naturally on the right hand, it will be straightened out, but would be double crooked if you hold it on the left palm ...lol


----------



## buduba0604

I decided to downgrade my firmware back to 2.0
The insanely long database rebuilding every time I unplug from the computer is kind of driving me nuts.
I am also noticing a bit more drainage on my battery life. It might just be in my head, but it feels like my battery doesn't last as long as it did before 3.0 update.
I do really like the vinyl processor though!


----------



## XP_98

WM1Z output sound quality : when connecting to an external amp, is there a difference in *pure sound quality* (power doesn't matter) between the unbalanced 3.5 mm output and the balanced 4.4 mm output of the WM1Z ?


----------



## YCHANGE

jcdreamer said:


> I wonder if anyone has ever had this experience.  I have had my 1Z for a over seven months now and it has been acting up the last few weeks.  With the IEM plugged in to the balanced side, if I paused it for a little while and resumed play I would get very low volume out of the left side.  I literally have to give the dap a couple of whacks and I will get balanced volume again.  It's like a loose connection even if the 1Z has not been moved.
> 
> Any thoughts?



I'm having the same experience with my refurbed 1A on balanced.  The temporary solution for me is go to settings and press Direct Source option until the sound balances out between the left and right.  Sometimes it takes one press or multiple presses but it always works.


----------



## endlesswaves

YCHANGE said:


> I'm having the same experience with my refurbed 1A on balanced. The temporary solution for me is go to settings and press Direct Source option until the sound balances out between the left and right. Sometimes it takes one press or multiple presses but it always works.



Just twisting the connector clockwise solved this problem for me. Funny thing is this only happens when I am using Effect Audio's Thor II and never with Sony MUC-M12SB1.


----------



## YCHANGE

endlesswaves said:


> Just twisting the connector clockwise solved this problem for me. Funny thing is this only happens when I am using Effect Audio's Thor II and never with Sony MUC-M12SB1.



Whats interesting when I first got the 1A I tried burning in with Andromeda and a cheap 8-wire balanced cable.  Came back from work and took a listen and had no sound on the left side.  Single Ended with adapter works perfectly every time.  Balanced and single end with the ZX300 no imbalances.  Now I'm using EA Ares II 8-wire with the Lyra II and only get occasional imbalance after pausing.  Kinda nervous to use Andromeda balanced with the 1A since burn in experience.


----------



## endlesswaves

YCHANGE said:


> Whats interesting when I first got the 1A I tried burning in with Andromeda and a cheap 8-wire balanced cable. Came back from work and took a listen and had no sound on the left side. Single Ended with adapter works perfectly every time. Balanced and single end with the ZX300 no imbalances. Now I'm using EA Ares II 8-wire with the Lyra II and only get occasional imbalance after pausing. Kinda nervous to use Andromeda balanced with the 1A since burn in experience.



Totally no sound? Did that problem ever occurs again? Kinda serious. I am wondering if it's the EA 4.4mm plug's problem. Just a wild guess.


----------



## YCHANGE

endlesswaves said:


> Totally no sound? Did that problem ever occurs again? Kinda serious. I am wondering if it's the EA 4.4mm plug's problem. Just a wild guess.



I haven't had the no sound on the left side problem, but I've been exclusively using the Lyra II and same EA cable with the 1A.  I have 2 more EA cables coming later this month.  I'll test them with a different iem.


----------



## ttt123

endlesswaves said:


> Just twisting the connector clockwise solved this problem for me. Funny thing is this only happens when I am using Effect Audio's Thor II and never with Sony MUC-M12SB1.


This is one of the symptoms of an oxidized connector.  The surface looks clean, but there is an invisible oxide layer  that results in a bad contact.  Twisting it scrapes the surfaces, and cuts through the oxide temporarily.  Another way is to insert and  remove the plug a couple of times, which also has the same result of scraping/cleaning the contact surfaces.  Oxide is not easily removed, though.  I highly recommend Caig Deoxit, which is the only effective oxide remover I have found,  aside from the first product I used, called Cramolin, from Germany, which is no longer manufactured.    It is also something that is worthwhile to have around, as it is useful for cleaning any metal to metal contact surface.  RCA jacks, speaker lugs, Sim/memory card contacts, etc.  I find it an indispensable cleaner to have around.  

Trying an oxide cleaner is the easiest and simplest thing to try first, before going deeper into possible bad plug contacts/ defective female socket, etc.


----------



## ryaneagon

I’ve been loving the sound signature with 3.0 using 846’s and Focal Elear, really the analog VU meters, (especially on media that has great DR) also digging the vinyl processor and the Bluetooth receiver. 

My question: I use the Bluetooth receiver with my Nivida Shield, using Kodi app for media, using LDAC. I’ve noticed about a 3-5 millisecond delay in audio...thankfully Kodi has a audio sync option to line up audio. Has anybody else noticed this? Obviously just listening to music isn’t a problem. 

I haven’t done much troubleshooting, using the 1Z with other devices, etc. 

BTW LDAC is pretty amazing, I can’t tell much difference between Bluetooth and wired. Cheers!


----------



## nc8000

512GB card inserted and I now have my entire music collection of about 2.700 albums in flac 16/44 on my 1Z with a little room left


----------



## ruthieandjohn

ltanasom said:


> for wm1a owners, anyone likes 3.5mm output more than 4.4mm balance? are 4.4mm a lot better than 3.5mm?
> thanks





XP_98 said:


> WM1Z output sound quality : when connecting to an external amp, is there a difference in *pure sound quality* (power doesn't matter) between the unbalanced 3.5 mm output and the balanced 4.4 mm output of the WM1Z ?


I have heard no difference in quality between the 4.4mm balanced and the 3.5mm single ended for my balanced headphones and IEMs, which include the Grado PS2000e, Grado GS200e, Sony MDRZ7, Fostex TH900, and FiiO FH5.  I had hoped to (that’s why I spend the extra $270 to get the two Grados balanced, plus another $300 to render the Fostex and the Sony balanced), but I haven’t heard a difference.  Also, I am stuck with the bulky XLR connectors on my two balanced Grados.


----------



## octobeard

Pretty impressed the sound this gives to the HD650 on the SE out.


----------



## jcdreamer

endlesswaves said:


> Just twisting the connector clockwise solved this problem for me. Funny thing is this only happens when I am using Effect Audio's Thor II and never with Sony MUC-M12SB1.


I have the problem when using both the EA Eros II and the Ares 8 wires.  Tried using the Caig oxide cleaner. Twisting and removing the connector occasionally worked. One time I put the 1Z down a bit hard on the table out of frustration and the sound was balanced again. I've been whacking the back of the dap since.  

I never have any problem on the SE side and with another non EA balanced cable.


----------



## ltanasom

ruthieandjohn said:


> I have heard no difference in quality between the 4.4mm balanced and the 3.5mm single ended for my balanced headphones and IEMs, which include the Grado PS2000e, Grado GS200e, Sony MDRZ7, Fostex TH900, and FiiO FH5.  I had hoped to (that’s why I spend the extra $270 to get the two Grados balanced, plus another $300 to render the Fostex and the Sony balanced), but I haven’t heard a difference.  Also, I am stuck with the bulky XLR connectors on my two balanced Grados.


Thank you


----------



## ttt123

jcdreamer said:


> I have the problem when using both the EA Eros II and the Ares 8 wires.  Tried using the Caig oxide cleaner. Twisting and removing the connector occasionally worked. One time I put the 1Z down a bit hard on the table out of frustration and the sound was balanced again. I've been whacking the back of the dap since.
> 
> I never have any problem on the SE side and with another non EA balanced cable.


Well, trying the Caig eliminates one possible cause for you.  The internal connections, the output components, would be the next suspect area, as the balance shifting is not a normally seen symptom. One thought would be to try another player with the same cables, or swap cables with somebody with the same set up.  This may be difficult/impossible to do, though.


----------



## alphanumerix1 (Dec 2, 2018)




----------



## jcdreamer (Dec 2, 2018)

@ttt123  I really don't mind the inconvenience verses sending the unit back to Sony for warranty repair and be without it for a while.  I am just worried that eventually it'll worsen to point that nothing will make the channels balanced again.

I do appreciate your suggestions though.


----------



## klyzon

wondering if i can justify getting a wm1z over my current zx300 which i love to bits for its size. Will the improvement in SQ be worth it?


----------



## denis1976

The 1Z is from another galaxy compared with zx300


----------



## klyzon

denis1976 said:


> The 1Z is from another galaxy compared with zx300


$2000 worth? can't remember how it compares


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 2, 2018)

klyzon said:


> wondering if i can justify getting a wm1z over my current zx300 which i love to bits for its size. Will the improvement in SQ be worth it?



It may be hard to figure out how different the two are if listening side by side in a store. Though if someone gave you one to try at home, it may start to sink-in how different the sound is? I have only heard the ZX300 at a store demo so It’s hard to judge in comparison to the 1Z. Though the 1A and 1Z are very different, with the 1A being wonderful as an upgrade I think, and a much better value than the 1Z. But if you have the money and desire the 1Z has a more robust sound. Bigger sound all over, as well as a slight bass and treble boost. The imaging is closer and more forward and backward. It can wake a layed-back IEM with it’s energy. Though if I was trying to save money the 1A is a way better deal. Also I really like the 1A sound; it’s not cold, but flat, articulated and pure.


----------



## AllenWalker

klyzon said:


> wondering if i can justify getting a wm1z over my current zx300 which i love to bits for its size. Will the improvement in SQ be worth it?


You can try listening to AK SE100. Really love the sound, even though have WM1Z


----------



## denis1976

klyzon said:


> $2000 worth? can't remember how it compares


are the wilson audio 200.000 worth???you can not put the things that way,you should know by now


----------



## neoku

So... Something unexpected  happened. My WM1A, when it was in the process of upgrading to the 3.0 firmware, caused a blue screen of death on my PC. Thing is, when I check my Dap, it shows that it is indeed in 3.0, and the USB dac and Bluetooth options are shown. I don't know exactly what happened, but I'm concerned that the firmware update might not be 100% OK. 

If I recall correctly the upgrade was in 67% or so when the BSOD happened. Windows 10 is my current OS. What should I do now?


----------



## fiascogarcia

neoku said:


> So... Something unexpected  happened. My WM1A, when it was in the process of upgrading to the 3.0 firmware, caused a blue screen of death on my PC. Thing is, when I check my Dap, it shows that it is indeed in 3.0, and the USB dac and Bluetooth options are shown. I don't know exactly what happened, but I'm concerned that the firmware update might not be 100% OK.
> 
> If I recall correctly the upgrade was in 67% or so when the BSOD happened. Windows 10 is my current OS. What should I do now?


Honestly, if it were me, I would disconnect the walkman, shut down your computer and restart it.  If it restarts properly, then I would reconnect the walkman and reinstall 3.0 to assure that the full upgrade takes place.


----------



## ttt123

neoku said:


> So... Something unexpected  happened. My WM1A, when it was in the process of upgrading to the 3.0 firmware, caused a blue screen of death on my PC. Thing is, when I check my Dap, it shows that it is indeed in 3.0, and the USB dac and Bluetooth options are shown. I don't know exactly what happened, but I'm concerned that the firmware update might not be 100% OK.
> 
> If I recall correctly the upgrade was in 67% or so when the BSOD happened. Windows 10 is my current OS. What should I do now?


I would leave it as is, and just check if everything is normal.  The reasoning is this...In general, any upgrade does these steps. 1. download the firmware to the device.  There is usually intelligence built into the upgrade process to check that a download has been completed, before progressing to t he next stage. 2. a.save the old, and b.upgrade to the new.  3. If successful, switch to the new.  If not successful, revert to the old.

If step 1 completed successfully, then step 2 is done entirely in the device.  All the host does is transfer the file to the device, so that the device can use it to do the upgrade.    If the host (PC) dies after step 1 has completed, this does not affect the Device upgrade.  Of course, the recommendation is not to touch anything, to lessen the chances of something like a static discharge zapping the device in the middle of an update, which could be catastrophic.  So while the steps I describe here are generic, it is likely that step 1 was completed properly and it was in step 2 when you got the BSOD, which means there is a very good chance that the firmware upgrade completed successfully, as you are seeing that the device is confirming that it is at 3.0.

So you are probably OK.  Of course, if it bothers you that the process was interrupted, and there is even a small uncertainty, then redoing the upgrade would allay that doubt.  Though next time, probably restart the PC first, so that the PC is running clean, resources/memory freed up, OS freshly initialized, etc.  And shut down all unnecessary applications before starting the upgrade.  And don't do anything on the PC while it is upgrading.  This is a precaution that most people will observe, especially after  experiencing a scary upgrade, where you fear that you may have bricked the device!


----------



## Malevolint

Sony really needs to put out a v3.1 with fixes. This isn't acceptable for a $1.2k dap. It's a simple OS compared to what many other Daps have, and I also can't imagine how they thought everyone would like the way 3.0 sounds.


----------



## Hanafuda

Mrcojocaru said:


> Sony really needs to put out a v3.1 with fixes. This isn't acceptable for a $1.2k dap. It's a simple OS compared to what many other Daps have, and I also can't imagine how they thought everyone would like the way 3.0 sounds.



Guess I’ll consider myself one of the lucky ones. I had no issues with the 3.0 update, no issues with it since, database build takes no longer than before, and I love how 3.0 sounds vs. the previous FW which sounded a little thick/veiled to me. 

Excuse me while I knock on this wood here.


----------



## ryaneagon

Hanafuda said:


> Guess I’ll consider myself one of the lucky ones. I had no issues with the 3.0 update, no issues with it since, database build takes no longer than before, and I love how 3.0 sounds vs. the previous FW which sounded a little thick/veiled to me.
> 
> Excuse me while I knock on this wood here.





Hanafuda said:


> Guess I’ll consider myself one of the lucky ones. I had no issues with the 3.0 update, no issues with it since, database build takes no longer than before, and I love how 3.0 sounds vs. the previous FW which sounded a little thick/veiled to me.
> 
> Excuse me while I knock on this wood here.




Same here.


----------



## Tawek

1z -3.0 vs 1a -3.0 different story


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hanafuda said:


> Guess I’ll consider myself one of the lucky ones. I had no issues with the 3.0 update, no issues with it since, database build takes no longer than before, and I love how 3.0 sounds vs. the previous FW which sounded a little thick/veiled to me.
> 
> Excuse me while I knock on this wood here.


Same here, databade when no so much changes done (adding or removing songs) is much quicker, than doing it anew


----------



## Stealer

Same here, no crash so far.


----------



## blazinblazin

I got no crashes then follow by quite frequent crashes then back to no crashes again.

I wonder if the files causes the crash and every crash the file have been fixed lol


----------



## bitonio

No crash here either.

I had a glitch at the installation with MacOS since I have the auto mount USB disabled, the installer was expected - I guess - to see the mounted internal storage.
This was the last step of the installation, it didn't cause any problem, just a scary message.
I did enable USB mount on my wife unit (WM1A as well), no issue at all with the same Mac.

I have been using my WM1A every weekday for 2 to 6 hours/day since FW3.0, never got a single crash on the DAP itself. Using a mix of file on SD Card, internal memory and DAC.
The database takes more time compare to FW 2.0 if you turn off the device and turn it back ON.
In order to get some reasonable Database build time, I followed recommendation posted here: leave the DAP on idle. It works great, you just need to not forget to hit Pause


----------



## ddmt

Crashes can happen because of errors in the file system. maybe you can try to scan & fix the file system, or try a different micro sd, or format the sd card in the device itself.


----------



## aisalen

Hanafuda said:


> Guess I’ll consider myself one of the lucky ones. I had no issues with the 3.0 update, no issues with it since, database build takes no longer than before, and I love how 3.0 sounds vs. the previous FW which sounded a little thick/veiled to me.
> 
> Excuse me while I knock on this wood here.





ryaneagon said:


> Same here.


Same here with my WM1A


----------



## buduba0604 (Dec 4, 2018)

Database rebuilding takes at least 30 minutes for me. This is when I plug my 1A into the computer, add a new album, and then disconnect from the computer. Then it'll take 30 minutes to rebuild database. Used to never take this long on 2.0
I've had two crashes. Once while I was listening to a song, and the other when I attempted to create a playlist. I formatted my micro SD card in my walkman before using and adding music to it a long time ago. It's also the same exact micro SD card I have been using for the past year. The last crash occurred a while ago which I am thankful for.


----------



## proedros

there are 500 people with 1a/1z , hoping not everyone chimes in whether they have crashes or not , nobody really cares since we have already established that yes there are indeed crashes with the new FW and since there is no pattern to what causes these crashes , all these ''i have had many/zero crashes'' are completely useless posts

cheers


----------



## davidmolliere

I must be lucky as I have not had a single crash since I got my 1Z with the 3.0 firmware...


----------



## endlesswaves

My WM1A too have not had a single crash. Maybe it's because I did not use micro sd card. 

Let's do a poll here to see if those with crashes uses micro sd card and those that did not experienced crashes uses micro sd card or not?


----------



## Tawek

Only one crash 1z  -3.0  in the last 1.5 month , i not use micro sd card.


----------



## davidmolliere

Tawek said:


> Only one crash 1z  -3.0  in the last 1.5 month , i not use micro sd card.



Good point, I don't use the micro sd card slot as well


----------



## gerelmx1986

Love my MDR-Z1R with my WM1A, lovely combo


----------



## kingdixon

I have had around 3 crashes since update was released and one of them with no music running, just playing around the settings and it restarted.

Also it might be something with memory management, since the UI is more fluid they might have used the memory heavier than before, if thats the case, then big libraries might be subject to more restarts.


----------



## buduba0604

Has anyone noticed any change in the battery life since the 3.0 update?


----------



## Hanafuda

endlesswaves said:


> My WM1A too have not had a single crash. Maybe it's because I did not use micro sd card.
> 
> Let's do a poll here to see if those with crashes uses micro sd card and those that did not experienced crashes uses micro sd card or not?




Fair point. I am also not using a microsd. Not yet.


----------



## Bart147

I do use a 400gb micro sd card  , 3.0 works flawlessly on my device .


----------



## Dizzle77

Just experienced my first crash. I’ve had my wm1a for 2months and was flashed with fw3.0 on day one. I’m also using a sandisk 400gb card that was flashed in the unit before use. 

Got my first crash whilst playing a FLAC 44.1/24. After it rebooted, I tried the same track again. This time it got further into the track before it crashed again. Since then I've been playing an album of FLAC 44.1/16 tracks and it's been fine. I'll return to the other album later on.

I've never played that specific track/album on this dap before, so do wonder whether it's related to how the tracks have been encoded or something. Going to see how it goes, but if the crashes become more frequent then I'll probably end up reverting back to 2.0


----------



## NiVrA

Hi giuys im planning on buying this dap...but my friend tells me that its price to performance isnt good?talking about the WM1A...if so do you have any other suggestions at this price point?thanks!


----------



## nc8000

NiVrA said:


> Hi giuys im planning on buying this dap...but my friend tells me that its price to performance isnt good?talking about the WM1A...if so do you have any other suggestions at this price point?thanks!



I would say that price/performance on the 1A is pretty good but a lot less so on the 1Z. However price/performance is no really usefull as a very cheap unit that sounds acceptable can have a better price/performance than a unit that sounds a lot better but also cost a lot more. So it depends on if performance or price/performance is your main purchase criteria.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 5, 2018)

buduba0604 said:


> Has anyone noticed any change in the battery life since the 3.0 update?


I do feel it last a bit less than what i was used to before the V3.00 update, like if the bars go out more quickly than before, f.e a the 2nd day i get sometimes if i platy it a lot just one bar


----------



## NiVrA

nc8000 said:


> I would say that price/performance on the 1A is pretty good but a lot less so on the 1Z. However price/performance is no really usefull as a very cheap unit that sounds acceptable can have a better price/performance than a unit that sounds a lot better but also cost a lot more. So it depends on if performance or price/performance is your main purchase criteria.


oh ok thanks! If you were to have only 1k usd budget what would be the best dap to get right now?or is there new dap to be released? i should wait and stick with the HiBy R3?


----------



## nc8000

NiVrA said:


> oh ok thanks! If you were to have only 1k usd budget what would be the best dap to get right now?or is there new dap to be released? i should wait and stick with the HiBy R3?



I honestly couldn’t say. Since I got my 1Z nearly 2 years ago I have totally lost interest in following the dap scene and have not listened to anything else.


----------



## ryaneagon

Personally I think the 1Z is perfect for me, I don't travel a lot with it, it gets mostly used at home. It also doesn't have streaming services (which is fine) I pure audio player, and in my opinion blows away every other DAP I've ever tested, sound quality and UI experience. The Hiby R3 is a great little DAP that does great on the go, with a good set of IEM's, also some over the ear phones, I'd say anything over 50ohm it starts to show it weakness. I Also think the AK Se1000 is great, it's a bit larger and has some crazy sharp corners (needs a case) but sounds great with IEMS and just about every pair of headphone I've thrown at it. I've also tried the DX150 for a month or so, also great interface and sound, a bit "meatier" than the R6, but personally I've had a kinda of wird issues with streaming, SD cards, sluggish UI, and crashes, but it sounded really close to the WM1Z with amp 8 (balanced 4.4)

I'm waiting for the R6 Pro to be released (hopefully soon) That will most likely be my "on the go device" I do like the Hiby sound and UI.   

For now, the Wm1Z is my main listening device, mainly at home, and I use a iPhone with a DragonFly Red on the go. Good Luck. Cheers!


----------



## ryaneagon

nc8000 said:


> I honestly couldn’t say. Since I got my 1Z nearly 2 years ago I have totally lost interest in following the dap scene and have not listened to anything else.



So true! I've only had mine for a few months, But can't see myself itching to get anything else. Nothing I've tested comes close to It's soundstage. I do however want a smaller DAP with streaming capability, although I'm in no rush. I'll most likely go with the R6 Pro mainly because of UI and 4.4mm pentaconn. Personally I had issues with the R6's sound with my IEM's with it's 10ohm output, everything else I enjoyed.


----------



## NiVrA

ryaneagon said:


> So true! I've only had mine for a few months, But can't see myself itching to get anything else. Nothing I've tested comes close to It's soundstage. I do however want a smaller DAP with streaming capability, although I'm in no rush. I'll most likely go with the R6 Pro mainly because of UI and 4.4mm pentaconn. Personally I had issues with the R6's sound with my IEM's with it's 10ohm output, everything else I enjoyed.





nc8000 said:


> I honestly couldn’t say. Since I got my 1Z nearly 2 years ago I have totally lost interest in following the dap scene and have not listened to anything else.


Thanks! if you were going to upgrade one item at a time..what do you upgrade first?My dap or the iem?


----------



## nc8000

ryaneagon said:


> So true! I've only had mine for a few months, But can't see myself itching to get anything else. Nothing I've tested comes close to It's soundstage. I do however want a smaller DAP with streaming capability, although I'm in no rush. I'll most likely go with the R6 Pro mainly because of UI and 4.4mm pentaconn. Personally I had issues with the R6's sound with my IEM's with it's 10ohm output, everything else I enjoyed.



I use my 1Z in the hotel room at night (I travel about 150 nights a year with work) and at the destination on holliday. On the go my iPhone with true wireless iem’s is plenty good enough. At home I have my main rig.


----------



## Whitigir

NiVrA said:


> Thanks! if you were going to upgrade one item at a time..what do you upgrade first?My dap or the iem?



DAP is to upgrade first.  IEMs or headphones tend to be very revealing, and that means they could get a lot of sizzling sibilants if not plugged into a good source (DAP or Amp)....so, DAP first !


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> I use my 1Z in the hotel room at night (I travel about 150 nights a year with work) and at the destination on holliday. On the go my iPhone with true wireless iem’s is plenty good enough. At home I have my main rig.


You can replace them all for DMP-Z1


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> You can replace them all for DMP-Z1



Nope


----------



## NiVrA

Whitigir said:


> DAP is to upgrade first.  IEMs or headphones tend to be very revealing, and that means they could get a lot of sizzling sibilants if not plugged into a good source (DAP or Amp)....so, DAP first !


ok thanks you..from your profile pic I see its a Ibasso DX200..what do you think of it compared to the sony NW-WM1A ?


nc8000 said:


> I use my 1Z in the hotel room at night (I travel about 150 nights a year with work) and at the destination on holliday. On the go my iPhone with true wireless iem’s is plenty good enough. At home I have my main rig.


ok thank you! sony NW-WM1A vs 1Z SQ?does it warrant the big price jump?big difference in terms of sound quality?


----------



## nc8000

NiVrA said:


> ok thanks you..from your profile pic I see its a Ibasso DX200..what do you think of it compared to the sony NW-WM1A ?
> 
> ok thank you! sony NW-WM1A vs 1Z SQ?does it warrant the big price jump?big difference in terms of sound quality?



Have never heard the 1A. At the time I bought the 1Z I was in a position to pay what it cost so simple went for it and am glad I did as I could not afford to do it today however I’m sure I would have been happy with the 1A as well. A huge draw for me with Sony is the looong battery time compared to anything else out there and I only need pure playback of files stored locally.


----------



## ryaneagon

NiVrA said:


> Thanks! if you were going to upgrade one item at a time..what do you upgrade first?My dap or the iem?



Personally I would upgrade your IEM's. Headphones or IEM's will effect/change the listening experience much more than a new player. As far as recommendations...Well, that's tough...Everyone has their preferences and hear things different. Are you looking for analytical, bass heavy, smiley face, a lot of mid presence?...The list goes on. 

I can tell you this, I'm a huge fan of Shure products, for their build quality and sound, their IEM's fit my ears perfectly. I'm a touring musician and have used the E5's-SE535 for over 10 years, not one issue if you ask me their mids / vocal presence is hard to beat for the price. 

I also use the 846's for more audiophile listening, as they are tuned more for recorded music, they also have 3 removable filters to tailer the highs to your liking. 

I also have a set of A12t (custom IEM's) I use for touring, They are really great for isolation and live performance, not so good for home or audiophile listening. I've also tested the JH audio LAYLA and 16v2Pro, If you have the money...Man those are nice too. 

the only other set I use for on the go, are the newer (to me) BGVP DM6, they a 5 driver balanced armature IEM for $200 that in my opinion rival the Shure 846's. Can't say enough positive things about them. They come from China and take anywhere from 3-5 weeks to arrive in the US. But, they are worth the wait. 
https://www.linsoul.com/product-page/BGVP-DM6-Earphone

Cheers!


----------



## Whitigir

NiVrA said:


> ok thanks you..from your profile pic I see its a Ibasso DX200..what do you think of it compared to the sony NW-WM1A ?
> 
> ok thank you! sony NW-WM1A vs 1Z SQ?does it warrant the big price jump?big difference in terms of sound quality?



The one in my profile is a Limited Edition , the DX200Titanium, of Dx200.  I liked the Dx200 as I would look at it and 1Z side by side.  The 200 has a different ways to present the music and soundstage than the 1Z.  But the 1Z should be more realistic and with emotions in compare to 200 which is more about details and air.

I do opt for Dx200 further because I only use full-size headphones, so I need power, and Dx200 has the ability to swap modules to satisfy driving power.  I also love soundstage and airy presentations.  Therefore, I opted for DX200Titanium.  The Dx200 is also able to be used as External USB/DAC that can play DSD512 too.

Ounce quality the DX200Titanium is slightly better or at least equal to 1Z, and 1Z is slightly better than 200.  Depends on what features you want, and how practical each players are for your desires, hen you can grade them a bit different.  In overall general, I would rate Dx200Ti >= 1Z >= 200


----------



## ryaneagon

nc8000 said:


> Have never heard the 1A. At the time I bought the 1Z I was in a position to pay what it cost so simple went for it and am glad I did as I could not afford to do it today however I’m sure I would have been happy with the 1A as well. A huge draw for me with Sony is the looong battery time compared to anything else out there and I only need pure playback of files stored locally.



Totally forgot to mention battery life. I can leave my WM1Z on in standby for weeks at a time, all the other players I have demoed barley get a day or more. I guess that's what you get when you don't have Wifi, or Android UI.


----------



## nc8000

ryaneagon said:


> Totally forgot to mention battery life. I can leave my WM1Z on in standby for weeks at a time, all the other players I have demoed barley get a day or more. I guess that's what you get when you don't have Wifi, or Android UI.



Yep. With my use pattern I charge it every Sunday and get a weeks use on a charge and never turn it off


----------



## ryaneagon

Whitigir said:


> The one in my profile is a Limited Edition , the DX200Titanium, of Dx200.  I liked the Dx200 as I would look at it and 1Z side by side.  The 200 has a different ways to present the music and soundstage than the 1Z.  But the 1Z should be more realistic and with emotions in compare to 200 which is more about details and air.
> 
> I do opt for Dx200 further because I only use full-size headphones, so I need power, and Dx200 has the ability to swap modules to satisfy driving power.  I also love soundstage and airy presentations.  Therefore, I opted for DX200Titanium.  The Dx200 is also able to be used as External USB/DAC that can play DSD512 too.
> 
> Ounce quality the DX200Titanium is slightly better or at least equal to 1Z, and 1Z is slightly better than 200.  Depends on what features you want, and how practical each players are for your desires, hen you can grade them a bit different.  In overall general, I would rate Dx200Ti >= 1Z >= 200



What Amp are you using for the 200? When I compared the 1Z with the DX200 with the stock amp 1, there was no comparison, at least to my ears, the iBasso sounded like garbage. I tested using Focal Clear, Shure 846, JH LAYLA, and DM6's all of these sounded better on the WM1Z. However the AMP 8 on the DX150 was surprisingly close, the Wm1z was a bit fuller, wider, and more laid back on the top end 8k and on. Didn't get a chance to try the DX200 with Amp 8 though. I personally prefer the AK44 chip of the Sabre DAC's though.


----------



## Whitigir

ryaneagon said:


> What Amp are you using for the 200? When I compared the 1Z with the DX200 with the stock amp 1, there was no comparison, at least to my ears, the iBasso sounded like garbage. I tested using Focal Clear, Shure 846, JH LAYLA, and DM6's all of these sounded better on the WM1Z. However the AMP 8 on the DX150 was surprisingly close, the Wm1z was a bit fuller, wider, and more laid back on the top end 8k and on. Didn't get a chance to try the DX200 with Amp 8 though. I personally prefer the AK44 chip of the Sabre DAC's though.



Mehhzzz...Amp1 stock on Dx200 is trash, period.  Any amp modules from Amp3 and up would be a lot better

I use Amp8, a Modified Amp8.  I also now use modified DX200Titanium.

I love Sabres, if done right.  Unfortunately, sabres are very intolerances toward bad components and bad implementations, which put Sabres into “glares, and bright” being from the general consensus


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Nope


But your inner voice is craving for it (DMP-Z1)


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> But your inner voice is craving for it (DMP-Z1)



Not even close


----------



## bflat

gerelmx1986 said:


> But your inner voice is craving for it (DMP-Z1)



I will ask my inner voice when it stops laughing from the initial announcement.


----------



## Malevolint

NiVrA said:


> Thanks! if you were going to upgrade one item at a time..what do you upgrade first?My dap or the iem?


Always your headphones/IEMs. Good iemd will sound great even ito of a phone, but crap IEMs won't sound good from a good dap .


----------



## Malevolint

NiVrA said:


> ok thanks you..from your profile pic I see its a Ibasso DX200..what do you think of it compared to the sony NW-WM1A ?
> 
> ok thank you! sony NW-WM1A vs 1Z SQ?does it warrant the big price jump?big difference in terms of sound quality?



Everyone that has a 1Z seems to love it. If you need any portability, you're going to want the 1a,athough. There's an 8oz difference between them. You can find the 1a for 700 refurb on eBay. If you buy on a day where you can get 20% off then it's even less. 

Separately

What I was trying to say about Sony getting it together besides the issues on 3.0 is the sound signature. I hate the tinny/metallic treble and lack of bass (on the 1a). I'm back on 1.2 because it's the only version with organic sounding bass.


----------



## davidmolliere

@Mrcojocaru Or you can get a ZX300, highly portable and the SQ is not so far off from WM1A...


----------



## KaiserTK

Although I also recommend the ZX300, the upgrade to the 1A made a huge difference for me in long listening sessions. While A/B testing both I found the difference generally pretty small; but after listening through entire albums, the 1A kept me engaged with the music while the ZX300 more frequently lost interest. But ofc, YMMV.


----------



## Whitigir

KaiserTK said:


> Although I also recommend the ZX300, the upgrade to the 1A made a huge difference for me in long listening sessions. While A/B testing both I found the difference generally pretty small; but after listening through entire albums, the 1A kept me engaged with the music while the ZX300 more frequently lost interest. But ofc, YMMV.


That is why there is WM1Z


----------



## Malevolint

KaiserTK said:


> Although I also recommend the ZX300, the upgrade to the 1A made a huge difference for me in long listening sessions. While A/B testing both I found the difference generally pretty small; but after listening through entire albums, the 1A kept me engaged with the music while the ZX300 more frequently lost interest. But ofc, YMMV.


Can you pinpoint what it is about it? That's interesting. I have heard that the zx is more warm. 



davidmolliere said:


> @Mrcojocaru Or you can get a ZX300, highly portable and the SQ is not so far off from WM1A...




That's true.. But if you really deal hung, you can find really good deals on the 1a. Got mine for 600. Wish I could have the zx for snowboarding, though. WellW see how it goes with a brick in my pocket lol. Might just take my old Fiio.


----------



## KaiserTK

Yeah, I was tempted by the sale Jaben had on the 1Z.

I think the 1A has a bit more “airiness” and depth to each of the notes than the ZX300. But the ZX300 has a bit more bass body. Honestly, I only have the Noble X and my friend’s B400 for comparison so I can’t say for certain.


----------



## Malevolint

KaiserTK said:


> Yeah, I was tempted by the sale Jaben had on the 1Z.
> 
> I think the 1A has a bit more “airiness” and depth to each of the notes than the ZX300. But the ZX300 has a bit more bass body. Honestly, I only have the Noble X and my friend’s B400 for comparison so I can’t say for certain.



Any idea which firmware version the WM1A was on that you compared? 1.2 had amazing bass.


----------



## KaiserTK

Mrcojocaru said:


> Any idea which firmware version the WM1A was on that you compared? 1.2 had amazing bass.



I’m using 2.0 since I never tried the 1.2 and I didn’t like the 3.0 sound.


----------



## gerelmx1986

WM1 walkmans are compatible with QuickCharge tech? i bought this EasyACC monster power bank 20,000mAh, it has a Green USB port for quick charge, my sony Xperia works with QC 2.0


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 5, 2018)

gerelmx1986 said:


> WM1 walkmans are compatible with QuickCharge tech? i bought this EasyACC monster power bank 20,000mAh, it has a Green USB port for quick charge, my sony Xperia works with QC 2.0


Doesn’t matter which one you plug into, the device will only draw what it is needed.  Unless the power drawn is too little, then it would take longer to charge, but there can never be too much power drawn ....unless your player has a defect in the battery control circuitry

Anyways, to answer your question, the quickcharge is a function of Qualcomm or USB C interface...WM ports has never been able to quick charge.  Needless to say, given enough power, the Walkman charge up quicker


----------



## hamhamhamsta

NiVrA said:


> Thanks! if you were going to upgrade one item at a time..what do you upgrade first?My dap or the iem?


What’s your iem and what improvement are you looking for?


----------



## NiVrA

hamhamhamsta said:


> What’s your iem and what improvement are you looking for?


I have the BGVP DM6 and a HiBy R3 DAP...honestly I dont know...does changing the dap make the SQ even better?


----------



## ryaneagon

NiVrA said:


> I have the BGVP DM6 and a HiBy R3 DAP...honestly I dont know...does changing the dap make the SQ even better?



I have the DM6 as well, switching from the 1Z to a SE1000 that I borrowed made a pretty significant change in sound. The 1Z was far more natural sounding with deeper lows and smoother highs. But Also, the 1Z (too me) has this sort of sound on any IEM or headphone I throw at it.Not to say the SE1000 I demoed sounded bad with the DM6's, they just had a harsher top end, and less punch and low end I expect. (both run with no eq) 

I thought the DM6's sounded good on the DX150 with Amp 8 Too. Kinda in the same boat as the WM1Z, it seems to sound good to my ears no matter what I throw at it. Too be honest The DM6's are a great IEM especially for the money, I think you'd need to step up to $500 plus IEM's to consider it an upgrade. 

You can always reach out to IEM manufacturers, I was able to demo Shure, Campfire, Empire Ears, and JH audio units. Usually just pay shipping and wait until the models you want are available, usually there is a wait list.


----------



## NiVrA

ryaneagon said:


> I have the DM6 as well, switching from the 1Z to a SE1000 that I borrowed made a pretty significant change in sound. The 1Z was far more natural sounding with deeper lows and smoother highs. But Also, the 1Z (too me) has this sort of sound on any IEM or headphone I throw at it.Not to say the SE1000 I demoed sounded bad with the DM6's, they just had a harsher top end, and less punch and low end I expect. (both run with no eq)
> 
> I thought the DM6's sounded good on the DX150 with Amp 8 Too. Kinda in the same boat as the WM1Z, it seems to sound good to my ears no matter what I throw at it. Too be honest The DM6's are a great IEM especially for the money, I think you'd need to step up to $500 plus IEM's to consider it an upgrade.
> 
> You can always reach out to IEM manufacturers, I was able to demo Shure, Campfire, Empire Ears, and JH audio units. Usually just pay shipping and wait until the models you want are available, usually there is a wait list.


ahh ok so what do you suggest for the best sounding iem if my budget is only $500??that would be better than DM6?


----------



## ryaneagon (Dec 5, 2018)

NiVrA said:


> ahh ok so what do you suggest for the best sounding iem if my budget is only $500??that would be better than DM6?



Nothing I could recommend without hearing, in that price range. Are you able to demo any other DAPS locally with your DM6's, maybe see for yourself if you hear much difference...Or start with a phone, does your R3 sound a little better or a lot better than your phone?


----------



## ryaneagon

NiVrA said:


> ahh ok so what do you suggest for the best sounding iem if my budget is only $500??that would be better than DM6?



As most audio enthusiast will tell you, recommending anything audio is tough, it's so personal. All I can do is give you my recommendations and tell you how I feel a certain product sounds...You may hear it the exact opposite, or prefer the opposite. Happy hunting. \,,/


----------



## Malevolint

NiVrA said:


> ahh ok so what do you suggest for the best sounding iem if my budget is only $500??that would be better than DM6?


Look at the Dunu dk3001, it if you prefer more bass, the dn2002. A lot of people say that the dk3001 sounds as good as many $1k+ IEMs


----------



## meomap

NiVrA said:


> ahh ok so what do you suggest for the best sounding iem if my budget is only $500??that would be better than DM6?



How about ibasso IT04 iem?


----------



## NiVrA

meomap said:


> How about ibasso IT04 iem?


yeah I was looking at that still looking for other iems before deciding


----------



## NiVrA

ryaneagon said:


> As most audio enthusiast will tell you, recommending anything audio is tough, it's so personal. All I can do is give you my recommendations and tell you how I feel a certain product sounds...You may hear it the exact opposite, or prefer the opposite. Happy hunting. \,,/


ok sir thank you so much for your help


----------



## proedros

a used wm1a for 700$ is pretty hard to beat as quality sound and monstrous battery without selling a kidney

i tried 1z , liked it but i can not justify paying 3x times the wm1a price for a 15% improvement

if you are on a budget , wm1a is unbeatable - plus it's easier to carry around next to the heavier 1z

if you got money to burn go for 1z


----------



## quodjo105

proedros said:


> a used wm1a for 700$ is pretty hard to beat as quality sound and monstrous battery without selling a kidney
> 
> i tried 1z , liked it but i can not justify paying 3x times the wm1a price for a 15% improvement
> 
> ...


Did you try the 1z with your Zeus ?. How did you find it ? Too warm , or good ?


----------



## Whitigir

I am still waiting on the Walkman anniversary news 

Used 1A will be an excellent platform to modify with much better components


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 6, 2018)

ryaneagon said:


> Personally I would upgrade your IEM's. Headphones or IEM's will effect/change the listening experience much more than a new player. As far as recommendations...Well, that's tough...Everyone has their preferences and hear things different. Are you looking for analytical, bass heavy, smiley face, a lot of mid presence?...The list goes on.
> 
> I can tell you this, I'm a huge fan of Shure products, for their build quality and sound, their IEM's fit my ears perfectly. I'm a touring musician and have used the E5's-SE535 for over 10 years, not one issue if you ask me their mids / vocal presence is hard to beat for the price.
> 
> ...



I really like the BGVP DM6 too. Such a special sound for $199. Though it really takes a different cable purchase too, so you can run them off the 4.4mm plug. They really scale up.


----------



## proedros

quodjo105 said:


> Did you try the 1z with your Zeus ?. How did you find it ? Too warm , or good ?



i see you already own wm1z , so thinking of getting Zeus ?

Zeus paired fine with 1z , i tried  1z for 1 hour on a SONY store so it was probably not burned in (i think i had like 20 houds on it) and with the original FW

Zeus is great if you like clarity/transparency/accurate imaging , i see you own Phantom which should be more mids/lows focused

ares ii 8w pairs great with Zeus btw , very nice cable for the price


----------



## jcdreamer

quodjo105 said:


> Did you try the 1z with your Zeus ?. How did you find it ? Too warm , or good ?


I have the EE Zeus universal and the same two cables you own from Effect Audio.  Paired with the 1Z it's nearly perfect to my ears.  I picked up the 64 Audio U18t from black Friday sale so I can compare with the Zeus and keep one of them.  Well, I'm keeping both.


----------



## Malevolint

jcdreamer said:


> I have the EE Zeus universal and the same two cables you own from Effect Audio.  Paired with the 1Z it's nearly perfect to my ears.  I picked up the 64 Audio U18t from black Friday sale so I can compare with the Zeus and keep one of them.  Well, I'm keeping both.


Lol this happens every time! I don't buy two headphones at the same time anymore .


proedros said:


> a used wm1a for 700$ is pretty hard to beat as quality sound and monstrous battery without selling a kidney
> 
> i tried 1z , liked it but i can not justify paying 3x times the wm1a price for a 15% improvement
> 
> ...



The 1a is also built like a batmobile! Such an incredible dap, in every way.


----------



## Whitigir

The 1A is incredible until you hear 1Z or Z1 , But such is the nature of this hobby....a progressive things that you would have to spend so much money to keep up


----------



## NiVrA

Mrcojocaru said:


> Lol this happens every time! I don't buy two headphones at the same time anymore .
> 
> 
> The 1a is also built like a batmobile! Such an incredible dap, in every way.


someone offered me a NW1A for 530 usd...its 1 year old and hes the second owner while the first owner had it for 3 mos..he says that the bat life is 14 hours?? should I take this?is the bat life good?


----------



## nc8000

NiVrA said:


> someone offered me a NW1A for 530 usd...its 1 year old and hes the second owner while the first owner had it for 3 mos..he says that the bat life is 14 hours?? should I take this?is the bat life good?



Battery life depends on what you play, how you play it and what effects are enabled. I get 20-25 hours


----------



## NiVrA

nc8000 said:


> Battery life depends on what you play, how you play it and what effects are enabled. I get 20-25 hours


he only plays flac on balanced mode..is that the normal battery life?


----------



## nc8000

NiVrA said:


> he only plays flac on balanced mode..is that the normal battery life?



My 20-25 hours are flac 16/44 on balanced low gain with no effects or processing enabled


----------



## NiVrA

nc8000 said:


> My 20-25 hours are flac 16/44 on balanced low gain with no effects or processing enabled


how old is yours?ohh thats pretty big difference xD


----------



## nc8000 (Dec 6, 2018)

NiVrA said:


> how old is yours?ohh thats pretty big difference xD



 1 year 9 months with 2.000 hours on it and it's a 1Z, not that that should make any difference though.

It drives a pair of JH13 ciem at around 50 on the volume


----------



## aisalen

Pairing my newly acquired mdr-1am2 with wm1a. Very nice but setting the 1A with vinyl processor overwhelms the bass so back to Direct Setting.


----------



## NiVrA

nc8000 said:


> 1 year 9 months with 2.000 hours on it and it's a 1Z, not that that should make any difference though.
> 
> It drives a pair of JH13 ciem at around 50 on the volume


is that the same battery life you get from day one until now?It didnt degrade?


----------



## nc8000

NiVrA said:


> is that the same battery life you get from day one until now?It didnt degrade?



About the same yes and I never turn it of


----------



## NiVrA

nc8000 said:


> About the same yes and I never turn it of


ok cool might as well get the dap that was offered to me xD


----------



## 480126

nc8000 said:


> About the same yes and I never turn it of


Thanks for this Information! Now I will my 1a never turn it off and try FW 3


----------



## nc8000

Frida309 said:


> Thanks for this Information! Now I will my 1a never turn it off and try FW 3



I went back to FW2 after repeated crashes on FW3. Never had a crash before FW3 and don't need any of the new features


----------



## Malevolint

NiVrA said:


> someone offered me a NW1A for 530 usd...its 1 year old and hes the second owner while the first owner had it for 3 mos..he says that the bat life is 14 hours?? should I take this?is the bat life good?


I'd probably pass, honestly. That's not very long.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I have seen 1A go down for $440 somewhere in April/May. Sad to think something so expensive is now worth a fraction.
Although I hate buying used electronics, to look at a personal collection and see retail vs current price of my setup makes me depressed at times.





Mrcojocaru said:


> I'd probably pass, honestly. That's not very long.


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 6, 2018)

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I have seen 1A go down for $440 somewhere in April/May. Sad to think something so expensive is now worth a fraction.
> Although I hate buying used electronics, to look at a personal collection and see retail vs current price of my setup makes me depressed at times.



Where ? I would love to buy one for that price and modify the heck out of it  kakaka.  Though, battery for these are hard to come by.  Did someone mention that encompass now carry them ?


----------



## bitonio

Do you know if Sony made an app to control the DAP over Bluetooth? I must realized we can stream music over Bluetooth (with everything that entails quality wise, but that’s handy to listen to something on my phone with just a 4.4mm earphone  so why not just controlling it?


----------



## blazinblazin

My crash only occurs when i resume after i pause a few mins to do something using remote.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## ttt123

bitonio said:


> Do you know if Sony made an app to control the DAP over Bluetooth? I must realized we can stream music over Bluetooth (with everything that entails quality wise, but that’s handy to listen to something on my phone with just a 4.4mm earphone  so why not just controlling it?


There is a Sony BT remote for the Walkman.  It is small, and can be operated without looking at it.
*RMT-NWS20*
*



*


----------



## Macoleco

I am nnew into this and I plan on buying a WM1A. I was wondering if anoyne knows how they work with high end headphones such as the Arya or ADX5000 without an amplifier? Is there a huge difference? Should I use the WM1A with earbuds instead? If yes, which ones do you recommend?


----------



## bitonio

Macoleco,

The Arya is rated 35 ohms so it should be fine, better even if you get a balanced cable to take most of the WM1A.
The ADX5000 on the other hand is rate 420 ohms, that should be work ok-ish with the balanced + high gain, but I am not sure that is very recommendable.


----------



## bitonio

ttt123 said:


> There is a Sony BT remote for the Walkman.  It is small, and can be operated without looking at it.


Thanks. It is a option interesting but I feel like too much stuff to keep around, I prefer reach out the the walkman directly. I often have both my phone in my hands and the DAP in my pocket, so I figured it could be a nice thing to keep the DAP in my pocket. Not the end of the world _ Dear Sony if you read this forum, add this one to a wishlist._


----------



## Malevolint

Macoleco said:


> I am nnew into this and I plan on buying a WM1A. I was wondering if anoyne knows how they work with high end headphones such as the Arya or ADX5000 without an amplifier? Is there a huge difference? Should I use the WM1A with earbuds instead? If yes, which ones do you recommend?


The WM1A does work best with iems, but even though people say it doesn't have enough power, the headphones I've tried with it sound pretty good as well. I have a Sennheiser hd6xx that sounds great, except it could use a bit more bass. My ZMF Eikons sound even better, though not quite as good as with my desktop amp. 


I'm curious. Are there daps that power cans really well, guys?


----------



## Macoleco

bitonio said:


> Macoleco,
> 
> The Arya is rated 35 ohms so it should be fine, better even if you get a balanced cable to take most of the WM1A.
> The ADX5000 on the other hand is rate 420 ohms, that should be work ok-ish with the balanced + high gain, but I am not sure that is very recommendable.


Can you recommend one of those balanced cables?


----------



## bitonio (Dec 7, 2018)

Macoleco said:


> Can you recommend one of those balanced cables?



There are really a lot of options out there, I wish I had a long list to share, here are the few I bookmarked when doing some research for IEM cable:
- Null Audio (my CIEM cable is from them)
- Mimic Cable
- Moon Audio / Dragon cable
- Plus Sound
- LQi
- Onso

Look at forum user signature, very helpful


----------



## Whitigir

Mrcojocaru said:


> The WM1A does work best with iems, but even though people say it doesn't have enough power, the headphones I've tried with it sound pretty good as well. I have a Sennheiser hd6xx that sounds great, except it could use a bit more bass. My ZMF Eikons sound even better, though not quite as good as with my desktop amp.
> 
> 
> I'm curious. Are there daps that power cans really well, guys?



Ibasso DX200 and Amp8.  It drives Hd800s so very well


----------



## NiVrA

Redcarmoose said:


>


how many hours does your NW1A last?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 7, 2018)

NiVrA said:


> how many hours does your NW1A last?



I’ve never gone more than 50% down with the 1A, but it goes on forever. Strangely my 1Z is not so great, maybe 10 hours only? Though I never tested it, it could be 15 hours? A big discrepancy between the two. And both were purchased new. But the 1A is way more efficient? Don’t know why?
Though I’m never selling either, so someday I’ll have a new battery installed in the 1Z, then maybe it will be better? The 1Z must have a Monday battery, or maybe the 1Z is not as good with battery saving? Not a big deal as I never leave the house with them. 

There can be a great difference between each player battery from what I read. Maybe some players were left in 100-113 degree storage facilities before being sent out? Who knows? It’s all over the road with each player if you do the research? Strange!


----------



## jcdreamer (Dec 7, 2018)

I only have the 1Z.  I recently decided to see how long the battery actually last.  I use the battery saver option, so it only charge up to 90%.  I left it on playing FLAC 44.1/ 16 bit out of the balanced output and it went on playing for over twenty two hours and still had one bar left before I aborted the experiment.  I am certain I get less playing time than that in actual daily use due to turning on the screen, adjusting volume and changing tunes, etc. It is still mightily impressive.


----------



## Redcarmoose

jcdreamer said:


> I only have the 1Z.  I recently decided to see how long the battery actually last.  I use the battery saver option, so it only charge up to 90%.  I left it on playing FLAC 44.1/ 16 bit out of the balanced output and it went on playing for over twenty two hours and still had one bar left before I aborted the experiment.  I am certain I get less playing time than that in actual daily use due to turning on the screen, adjusting volume and changing tunes, etc. It is still mightily impressive.



That’s fantastic! Cheers!


----------



## nc8000

jcdreamer said:


> I only have the 1Z.  I recently decided to see how long the battery actually last.  I use the battery saver option, so it only charge up to 90%.  I left it on playing FLAC 44.1/ 16 bit out of the balanced output and it went on playing for over twenty two hours and still had one bar left before I aborted the experiment.  I am certain I get less playing time than that in actual daily use due to turning on the screen, adjusting volume and changing tunes, etc. It is still mightily impressive.



Same for me. I get about 20 hours play time per week and since I never turn it of some charge goes to keeping it in stand by. I charge every Sunday and I also have battery saver enabled


----------



## jcdreamer

I never turn mine off either.  I'm too impatient to wait for the database refresh.


----------



## NiVrA (Dec 7, 2018)

I would like to ask if you have tried the QP1R? My friend told me its better than the NW1A? is the 1A too warm for you and thin?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 7, 2018)

NiVrA said:


> I would like to ask if you have tried the QP1R? My friend told me its better than the NW1A? is the 1A too warm for you and thin?


Typically in my lingo of sound I put thin at the opposite end of the spectrum to warm. Though at times there can maybe be slightly fuzzy midrange which could be considered thin and warm?

I really haven’t listened to a bunch of DAPs, only the full FiiO line which sounded appalling. Just have owned Apple IPods. Of course I own a Flagship SET 300b tube amp by Woo Audio and the Sony TA amp.

But I’m not the guy to do DAP comparisons. I can say that the 1A is fairly middle of the road. It doesn’t enhance a color of any one type. It’s simply detailed, transparent and engaging. It gets out of the way and lets the headphone have the personality. It’s not warm or cold. Though I insist to use it with FW 2.0 and not FW 3.0 as I like 2.0 better. It does all genres, is easy to use and dependable. It’s built well and looks great. Every time I use it I literally say to myself that it’s all I would ever need. Super powerful too.

I don’t even care about any other DAPs.


----------



## NiVrA (Dec 7, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Typically in my lingo of sound I put thin at the opposite end of the spectrum to warm. Though at times there can maybe be slightly fuzzy midrange which could be considered thin and warm?
> 
> I really haven’t listened to a bunch of DAPs, only the full FiiO line which sounded appalling. Just have owned Apple IPods. Of course I own a Flagship SET 300b tube amp by Woo Audio and the Sony TA amp.
> 
> ...


ok thank you so much!


----------



## Macoleco

What IEM do you recommend for the WM1A and in general? Budget: 500$ - 1k$


----------



## Sylvestyeo

Any tips for optimal burn in time if buying a used Wm1z?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Sylvestyeo said:


> Any tips for optimal burn in time if buying a used Wm1z?



You will notice a big change around 40 hours, after 200 hours they will be great, but continue to climb. Before 100, below quality of potential. IMO


----------



## blazinblazin

Macoleco said:


> What IEM do you recommend for the WM1A and in general? Budget: 500$ - 1k$


Acoustune HS1650CU and HS1670SS is pretty good with WM1A if you like DD iem.


----------



## blazinblazin

Sylvestyeo said:


> Any tips for optimal burn in time if buying a used Wm1z?


Optimal burn in is 550hrs each for 3.5mm and 4.4mm.

If you want to burn in 1 only. Recommend to burn in 4.4mm.


----------



## nc8000

Sylvestyeo said:


> Any tips for optimal burn in time if buying a used Wm1z?



When you get it you can go into settings and see how many hours it has already played but it will not show you how many were single ended and how many were balanced. Sony’s own recommendation is 200 hours per output


----------



## Duncan

Macoleco said:


> What IEM do you recommend for the WM1A and in general? Budget: 500$ - 1k$


Personally I find great synergy with the RHA CL2, lovely rich warm tone...  downside, they take a lot of experimentation with tips and cables to get right.


----------



## Quadfather

Mrcojocaru said:


> The WM1A does work best with iems, but even though people say it doesn't have enough power, the headphones I've tried with it sound pretty good as well. I have a Sennheiser hd6xx that sounds great, except it could use a bit more bass. My ZMF Eikons sound even better, though not quite as good as with my desktop amp.
> 
> 
> I'm curious. Are there daps that power cans really well, guys?



Lotoo Paw Gold, and soon to release Lotoo Paw Touch.  Their output is insane for a portable.


----------



## Malevolint

Quadfather said:


> Lotoo Paw Gold, and soon to release Lotoo Paw Touch.  Their output is insane for a portable.


NICE! Maybe someday I can get one of those. It's nice to not be tethered to a desk sometimes, even if it's just to my room. Battery life doesn't seem to be as good as sony players, but whos is


----------



## lmfboy01

God I love them, but need to part ways!....and find a new home


----------



## NiVrA

lmfboy01 said:


> God I love them, but need to part ways!....and find a new home


Why???Upgrade?


----------



## Dtuck90

Does anybody have any idea why an album that begins with B would now have decided to move to the top of the list above albums above A?


----------



## nc8000

Dtuck90 said:


> Does anybody have any idea why an album that begins with B would now have decided to move to the top of the list above albums above A?



Maybe because there is a blank before the B ?


----------



## Dtuck90

nc8000 said:


> Maybe because there is a blank before the B ?



No nothing like that


----------



## bitonio

Dtuck90 said:


> Does anybody have any idea why an album that begins with B would now have decided to move to the top of the list above albums above A?


Are you sorting by Album Artist or Artist?
Also, your metadata file may contain a Sort Order tag (or two):
- Album Artist Sort Order
- Artist Sort Order


----------



## bitonio (Dec 9, 2018)

Macoleco said:


> What IEM do you recommend for the WM1A and in general? Budget: 500$ - 1k$


The good thing about the WM1 series is they overall neutrality, so it boils down to your very own taste (what your ear will 1. like 2. be comfortable with).
There are tons of good brand in the IEM market. Check out review websites like Headfonia, Innerfidelity etc..., try them if possible
Some brand I considered for mine:
- Earsonic
- Empire Audio
- Audio 64
- Noble Audio
- Campfire Audio
- Shure
- Ultimate Ears
- Jerry Harvey Audio
- ...


----------



## Dtuck90

bitonio said:


> Are you sorting by Album Artist or Artist?
> Also, your metadata file may contain a Sort Order tag (or two):
> - Album Artist Sort Order
> - Artist Sort Order



I was just about to post that I’d solved it. One track had the albums release date in the album sorting tag even though this tag isn’t visible even on the detailed song information on the walkman


----------



## Hanafuda

gerelmx1986 said:


> I do feel it last a bit less than what i was used to before the V3.00 update, like if the bars go out more quickly than before, f.e a the 2nd day i get sometimes if i platy it a lot just one bar




My battery's running out just slightly quicker on 3.0 too, but I'm 99.9% sure it's because I'm using the vinyl processor setting pretty frequently.


----------



## endlesswaves

Hanafuda said:


> My battery's running out just slightly quicker on 3.0 too, but I'm 99.9% sure it's because I'm using the vinyl processor setting pretty frequently.



Turning direct source off and with other DSPs on cuts down my battery by 30-40%.


----------



## audionewbi

Without sounding like a Sony fanboy, I do think Sonys own IER-M9, paired with WM1A provides a new standard, and a solid benchmark for any audio enthusiast/reviewer who wants to get into the hobby of reviewing gears. Looking at the cost of the modding, M9 cost as much as some of those mods. And it just puzzles me how one would pick spending such a sum of money on a money/cable over an IEM.

I see members jumping onto modding a brand new unit, without they first fully understand what the barebone unit is first capable of. Sometimes when sanity takes over me, and I take a step back and look at the current market, I wonder how much of what is out there is based on actual science and research, and if so, why aren't those facts are so well hidden.


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 10, 2018)

audionewbi said:


> Without sounding like a Sony fanboy, I do think Sonys own IER-M9, paired with WM1A provides a new standard, and a solid benchmark for any audio enthusiast/reviewer who wants to get into the hobby of reviewing gears. Looking at the cost of the modding, M9 cost as much as some of those mods. And it just puzzles me how one would pick spending such a sum of money on a money/cable over an IEM.
> 
> I see members jumping onto modding a brand new unit, without they first fully understand what the barebone unit is first capable of. Sometimes when sanity takes over me, and I take a step back and look at the current market, I wonder how much of what is out there is based on actual science and research, and if so, why aren't those facts are so well hidden.



Many times, sciences come from the observation of human.  Human observe a phenomenon, and seek to understand it better, then using tools and other technologies in helping to do so.....human magic comes from their own 5 senses and the brain of curiosity, period.

Have you seen the TDK noise absorber sheets for IC ? It had been so long that enthusiasts mentioned about the noises being generated by IC chips, and the quantum sticker to modify and minimize it.  Now, TDK has released this sheets with real science behind it, and even measurements on noises being absorbed.

Yes, there are phony stuff in this hobby, there are snake oils....but think about it.  Some is true, some is untested science/facts, and some is just ways to make money.  In this hobby, being sensible is kind of hard. But never the less, be confident in what you like and what you don’t, and know yourself.

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/810-IFM10M25BB300200

Yes, sometimes, people do quickly modify their devices.  But it depends on what they want out of their player.  More than often, mass produced players are all about larger profit, and so they are watered down in different places.  These places are where hardcore enthusiasts like us, we want to improve.  IMO, it is not about when to modify or upgrade, but from Whom, the modifications come from._ One thing to keep in mind is that sound performances are subjective, _


----------



## klyzon

I agree with m9 is excellent when paired with the wm1a on v3


----------



## ttt123 (Dec 10, 2018)

audionewbi said:


> Without sounding like a Sony fanboy, I do think Sonys own IER-M9, paired with WM1A provides a new standard, and a solid benchmark for any audio enthusiast/reviewer who wants to get into the hobby of reviewing gears. Looking at the cost of the modding, M9 cost as much as some of those mods. And it just puzzles me how one would pick spending such a sum of money on a money/cable over an IEM.
> 
> I see members jumping onto modding a brand new unit, without they first fully understand what the barebone unit is first capable of. Sometimes when sanity takes over me, and I take a step back and look at the current market, I wonder how much of what is out there is based on actual science and research, and if so, why aren't those facts are so well hidden.


Yes, modding can be looked at as irrational.  But of course that is true of the whole hobby.  Here is one perspective: I felt that  Sony had a weak point in the cable from the MB(Mother Board) to the headphone socket.  This is from trying the same wire in an IEM cable, and comparing it to other cables, it was handicapping what the DAP was capable of.  As these wires were right at the source, from the output of the MB, this meant that everything downstream could not be better than that weak link.  Think back to Linn's focus on the source turntable, following this rationale.  Correcting this source weakness benefits and improves anything you plug into it downstream.  So if you look at the major benefits, it is not as straightforward to KNOW which option is better.  Spending the money on a better IEM gives a major improvement.  But no matter how good the downstream IEM, it is handicapped by the source weakness, and not performing to it's full capabilities.  It's like you have a dirty window glass.  Doesn't matter how powerful the binoculars you use to look through them, or how you change the object so that it is easier to see.  The fog on the glass will blur everything.  Now, what if you could remove this fog?

Actually, I have previously spent a majority of effort and money improving things like the IEM, and the wire.  I spent more money on the IEM, and wires, than what the payback was worth.  Now, a good mod, in a critical area, is actually much cheaper than trying to make up for the weakness with better and better downstream equipment.

Most mods are to correct a weakness, remove a bottleneck, etc., and is similar to putting a pair of glasses on so you can see better.  It is a correction to allow the capabilities that are there to show through.  Improving a power supply, or shielding, or cable, are also mods.  Actually, everything we do is a mod, with the only difference being that most people are averse to touching the inside of a DAP.  And that is understood, because it is too easy to cause unintended damage.  But if there is a reliable/capable modder, or the owner has the skills and the experience, and they are willing to take the risk, then the result can be rewarding.   And far from being a silly thing to do, it may be the saner solution.

Of course, this is just one of the multitude of choices that we have to make.  The only point I want to make is that it is not a clear "good" or "bad" choice.  It is not for everybody, but I would say that it can be a good option, that makes music more enjoyable, and that the price/performance ratio can be positive.  Sometimes very positive. 

As with everything in this hobby,  do what you are comfortable with, and which you believe in. 

The Roman saying is true, "one man's meat is another man's poison".  Whatever you do, enjoy it.  And let the contrarians have their enjoyment also.  It is the differences that make this hobby interesting, as audiophobics will never be accused of being all of one mind.  Very much to the contrary!!


----------



## Whitigir

ttt123 said:


> Yes, modding can be looked at as irrational.  But of course that is true of the whole hobby.  Here is one perspective: I felt that  Sony had a weak point in the cable from the MB(Mother Board) to the headphone socket.  This is from trying the same wire in an IEM cable, and comparing it to other cables, it was handicapping what the DAP was capable of.  As these wires were right at the source, from the output of the MB, this meant that everything downstream could not be better than that weak link.  Think back to Linn's focus on the source turntable, following this rationale.  Correcting this source weakness benefits and improves anything you plug into it downstream.  So if you look at the major benefits, it is not as straightforward to KNOW which option is better.  Spending the money on a better IEM gives a major improvement.  But no matter how good the downstream IEM, it is handicapped by the source weakness, and not performing to it's full capabilities.  It's like you have a dirty window glass.  Doesn't matter how powerful the binoculars you use to look through them, or how you change the object so that it is easier to see.  The fog on the glass will blur everything.  Now, what if you could remove this fog?
> 
> Actually, I have previously spent a majority of effort and money improving things like the IEM, and the wire.  I spent more money on the IEM, and wires, than what the payback was worth.  Now, a good mod, in a critical area, is actually much cheaper than trying to make up for the weakness with better and better downstream equipment.
> 
> ...



I like your perspective, and I do agree too.  The usage of Kimber Kables is more like a marketing contract between companies, and this will be carried on for a while, the DMP-Z1 will also have it inside...an 8K device lol


----------



## rtjoa

ttt123 said:


> Yes, modding can be looked at as irrational.  But of course that is true of the whole hobby.  Here is one perspective: I felt that  Sony had a weak point in the cable from the MB(Mother Board) to the headphone socket.  This is from trying the same wire in an IEM cable, and comparing it to other cables, it was handicapping what the DAP was capable of.  As these wires were right at the source, from the output of the MB, this meant that everything downstream could not be better than that weak link.  Think back to Linn's focus on the source turntable, following this rationale.  Correcting this source weakness benefits and improves anything you plug into it downstream.  So if you look at the major benefits, it is not as straightforward to KNOW which option is better.  Spending the money on a better IEM gives a major improvement.  But no matter how good the downstream IEM, it is handicapped by the source weakness, and not performing to it's full capabilities.  It's like you have a dirty window glass.  Doesn't matter how powerful the binoculars you use to look through them, or how you change the object so that it is easier to see.  The fog on the glass will blur everything.  Now, what if you could remove this fog?
> 
> Actually, I have previously spent a majority of effort and money improving things like the IEM, and the wire.  I spent more money on the IEM, and wires, than what the payback was worth.  Now, a good mod, in a critical area, is actually much cheaper than trying to make up for the weakness with better and better downstream equipment.
> 
> ...


Great thinking. May I ask where do you do your mods?

That is what I like about this hobby. How far will we push to make it sounds better .


----------



## rtjoa

My night time setup: 1Z, VE RoundAbout balance lite amp, LCDi4 In Ear Earphone, Brimar Ultimate 10x cables.


----------



## ttt123

rtjoa said:


> Great thinking. May I ask where do you do your mods?
> 
> That is what I like about this hobby. How far will we push to make it sounds better .


About a year ago, a kind reader in this forum mentioned a shop in Apliu St, Sham Shui Po, HK, which area I frequent.  I  initially did a simpler mod (version 2) on a WM1Z, which was reasonably priced.  I liked the results, and about 6 months later, he had developed the mod much further, so I had the full 3.5 version mod done.  Was happy with it.  Recently, got a ZX300 done.  I mentioned the shop in  earlier posts (Romi Audio on Facebook).  PM me if you can get it done in HK, and want further information.


----------



## rtjoa

ttt123 said:


> About a year ago, a kind reader in this forum mentioned a shop in Apliu St, Sham Shui Po, HK, which area I frequent.  I  initially did a simpler mod (version 2) on a WM1Z, which was reasonably priced.  I liked the results, and about 6 months later, he had developed the mod much further, so I had the full 3.5 version mod done.  Was happy with it.  Recently, got a ZX300 done.  I mentioned the shop in  earlier posts (Romi Audio on Facebook).  PM me if you can get it done in HK, and want further information.


Thanks. I have been following Romi Audio for a while. I hope I can visit him one day


----------



## ttt123

Sandisk 400GB microsd from Amazon ordered Nov 22, arrived Dec 6.  At US$79, a pretty good price.  Everything seems normal.  I've loaded 200+GB onto it via UBS3 card reader.  Write speeds look normal. (fake cards are typically low speed). 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074RNRM2B/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## Whitigir

Damn it...and I thought I bought it for $125 was a good deal!! 

Thanks for sharing lol


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 10, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> Many times, sciences come from the observation of human.  Human observe a phenomenon, and seek to understand it better, then using tools and other technologies in helping to do so.....human magic comes from their own 5 senses and the brain of curiosity, period.
> 
> Have you seen the TDK noise absorber sheets for IC ? It had been so long that enthusiasts mentioned about the noises being generated by IC chips, and the quantum sticker to modify and minimize it.  Now, TDK has released this sheets with real science behind it, and even measurements on noises being absorbed.
> 
> ...



What’s so fascinating to me is the psychology involved in suggesting improvements. If a person listening starts to feel there is a major bottleneck which needs improvement, it’s a reality at times far greater than what’s truly there. IMO

The fact that improvements allow the mind to color sound and enhance perception of better sound indefinitely off into the future. In many ways the 1Z is simply a modded 1A. Also the 1A is a reverse modded 1Z.

But who is to say which is truly better? Many have sold their 1Z because they liked the sound of the 1A more. Also if the mother-board wire has been replaced, the psychological ramifications are abundant; way beyond the slight sound changes. And whatever those sound changes are, the mind can focus on that small percentage and it all becomes vast. That is the great part of a mod; it’s adding psychological improvements, if it’s wanted or not. 

If you placed the 1A/1Z on a table and placed a sheet of TDK noise absorber material across the unprotected back it may make improvements!

On a side note, I finally obtained the AQ Carbon USB cable (on your suggestion) to go between the 1Z/1A dock and TA, with noticeable sighted improvement! THX!

(Their major claim is outside RF noise suppression in the covering)


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> What’s so fascinating to me is the psychology involved in suggesting improvements. If a person listening starts to feel there is a major bottleneck which needs improvement, it’s a reality at times far greater than what’s truly there. IMO
> 
> The fact that improvements allow the mind to color sound and enhance perception of better sound indefinitely off into the future. In many ways the 1Z is simply a modded 1A. Also the 1A is a reverse modded 1Z.
> 
> ...




Yes, you are correct.  Hence it is most important to know yourself and from Whom the mods were suggested and done.  The 1Z is defintely a Modified 1A, and the 1A is a more economical 1Z, period.

This is why I really like the quote few posts above “one man’s meat is another man’s poison”....so, you gotta pick your poison, obviously


----------



## Python002

I was looking for an option for a belt clip type case. Does anyone have one or made one? Thanks!


----------



## ttt123

Redcarmoose said:


> What’s so fascinating to me is the psychology involved in suggesting improvements. If a person listening starts to feel there is a major bottleneck which needs improvement, it’s a reality at times far greater than what’s truly there. IMO
> 
> The fact that improvements allow the mind to color sound and enhance perception of better sound indefinitely off into the future. In many ways the 1Z is simply a modded 1A. Also the 1A is a reverse modded 1Z.
> 
> ...



Psychological coloring/perception due to changes/new equipment does exist.  However, it is not as sure a fact as some people think.  My personal experience:

Listening to something that I expected to be really good, and being disappointed, 

Conversely, situations where I was not expecting much of a change, but realizing that there was in fact a major change.  

Other situations are where a brief comparison of a product gives a positive impression, but after buying it, and living with it for awhile, you realize that it is not as good as you thought.  I am sure this is a common experience! (or maybe this is just "normalization" kicking in)

And then there is the situation where I recently got a freebie cable that sounded good, and got better, the more I listened to it.  I had not bothered to do any comparison initially, as I was not expecting much, but getting curious as to how it actually compared, I took some time and swapped in different, and more expensive cables, and then swapped back, as there was a synergy to the pairing with this freebie cable that was better than other "better" cables I had.

And then there is another common factor, of "normalization".  Hearing a major improvement, and having your SQ expectations/standards move up.  And then after living with the new standard for awhile, it becomes "normal", and is nothing special anymore.  And things stay that way, until you make a negative change, and notice that something is missing, and go looking for what that is.  

Or to realize one day that the unending quest for "technical" improvements has resulted in you spending more and more time on evaluating the sound and planning for the next improvement, and are no longer able to forget about the equipment, and just "enjoy the music".  This is the point where you realize you are sick, and need help!  

Or like most, refuse to accept that there is anything wrong.  The only option then would be forcible re/de-programming ... (Think of the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)


----------



## XP_98

XP_98 said:


> WM1Z output sound quality : when connecting to an external amp, is there a difference in *pure sound quality* (power doesn't matter) between the unbalanced 3.5 mm output and the balanced 4.4 mm output of the WM1Z ?


Nobody could measure this ?


----------



## koven

Personally I don't feel 1Z is worth the extra cost vs 1A.. it is maybe 5-10% better to me.


----------



## lmfboy01

Selling my WM1A


bitonio said:


> The good thing about the WM1 series is they overall neutrality, so it boils down to your very own taste (what your ear will 1. like 2. be comfortable with).
> There are tons of good brand in the IEM market. Check out review websites like Headfonia, Innerfidelity etc..., try them if possible
> Some brand I considered for mine:
> - Earsonic
> ...



Any IEM I’ve thrown at the WM1A, it don’t matter, the 1A has something....Balanced or Single, I can’t say a single bad thing about the 1A.  Any 128K - Flac, the 1A tops everything else I’ve tried.  I haven’t heard the 1Z, but can imagine by the specs I would expect maybe 20% better than 1A, right now it’s a peak, enjoy it while you can


----------



## rwproaudio

Hi all, need help with a brand new wm1z. I used MediaGo to transfer my collection of FLAC DSD hi-res files and noticed about 30% files turned out to unplayable. When I click on one of those “corrupted” files my wm1z basically freezes.


These files are fine as I also played them on my AK240....... I tried firmware 1.2 and 3.0 same issue


----------



## frost15

Hello everyone. I just want to write this post to share my experience with FW 3.0 (1Z with a 512GB microSD). No crashes since update, but definitely takes way longer to rebuild or create database. It went from 1 minute to 3 minutes or so. The UI is faster though, and scrolling down albums is noticeably smoother. About the SQ aspects I love the new sound. More detailed and with wider soundstage. So all in all this update made the device even better, yet the database management times need a fix asap.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 12, 2018)

rwproaudio said:


> Hi all, need help with a brand new wm1z. I used MediaGo to transfer my collection of FLAC DSD hi-res files and noticed about 30% files turned out to unplayable. When I click on one of those “corrupted” files my wm1z basically freezes.
> 
> 
> These files are fine as I also played them on my AK240....... I tried firmware 1.2 and 3.0 same issue



Your best solution is simply putting a file named “Music” somewhere and loading all the music into it. Then either transfer the file to a card and put it in your player or hook your player up and transfer the file into your player. It’s most likely MediaGo is the issue. Only very few use it.

I also used MediaGo at the start but found it too qwerky and slow. Sony has not updated or improved the program. It’s basically too task involved and complicated as it’s doing other functions which slow down the computer and could possibly cause your issues. In the end you will find it’s a huge waste of time; especially if your doing a bunch of music transfers.


----------



## rwproaudio

Redcarmoose said:


> Your best solution is simply putting a file named “Music” somewhere and loading all the music into it. Then either transfer the file to a card and put it in your player or hook your player up and transfer the file into your player. It’s most likely MediaGo is the issue. Only very few use it.
> 
> I also used MediaGo at the start but found it too qwerky and slow. Sony has not updated or improved the program. It’s basically too task involved and complicated as it’s doing other functions which slow down the computer and could possibly cause your issues.


Thanks for your reply! I’ll do a hard reset then try your Music folder suggestion! Have a great day! The WM1Z is truely amazing btw, love it with my ie800s


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 12, 2018)

ttt123 said:


> Psychological coloring/perception due to changes/new equipment does exist.  However, it is not as sure a fact as some people think.  My personal experience:
> 
> Listening to something that I expected to be really good, and being disappointed,
> 
> ...



One of the truly bewildering finds is going back to what you once thought was good quality. (Maybe pulling out a set of headphones out you used to love 7 years ago) only to find the reproduction way off. As we read, much of Head-Fi is folks thinking they are experiencing great sound; when in truth it’s flawed and way less than perfect in any way. If someone never heard a correct reproduction; how would they ever know?

But due to certain traits the holes in the reproduction are somehow missed. This is why they say to take everything written here with a grain of salt. There are whole threads about bad headphones; pages and pages, talked about as good. Not to sound elitist, but there are also tons of DAPs that are simply off on correct reproduction. There may be an amount of color placed in certain areas on purpose to give the DAP an exciting sound; but once your used to the correct way, it’s nothing but blindingly apparent!

Even our very own early impressions of great sound were simply inexperience. Even if we had been exposed to correct sound in life, hearing it on headphones seemed special at the time.

It’s only after you hear true correctness that you can go back to IEMs or headphones you loved 7 years ago, and instantly hear the flaws. In this hobby hindsight is 20/20.

And yes, after the initial excitement of new found fidelity, it becomes normalized. Though I like to think it’s the music we concentrate on from then on.


----------



## Whitigir

There is no perfections in this universe, period, a live performances just has as much flaws or worse lol..


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 12, 2018)

Whitigir said:


> There is no perfections in this universe, period, a live performances just has as much flaws or worse lol..



That’s fine as a statement, but my point is there is audio equipment closer to correct and stuff that’s way-way off. You have to have heard this stuff, and it’s way beyond simply color preference or reproduction style.

Concerts are hit and miss, live acoustic music too, hit and miss. At times it can be fixed and at times it is what it is and they simply try to do their best with what they have. That was the best part of being young.....every concert sounded perfect!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> There is no perfections in this universe, period, a live performances just has as much flaws or worse lol..



Have you ever gone back to using any super old equipment you used to love, only to find it “off”. Thus a window into our own subjective reality of good.


----------



## ttt123

Redcarmoose said:


> One of the truly bewildering finds is going back to what you once thought was good quality. (Maybe pulling out a set of headphones out you used to love 7 years ago) only to find the reproduction way off. As we read, much of Head-Fi is folks thinking they are experiencing great sound; when in truth it’s flawed and way less than perfect in any way. If someone never heard a correct reproduction; how would they ever know?
> 
> But due to certain traits the holes in the reproduction are somehow missed. This is why they say to take everything written here with a grain of salt. There are whole threads about bad headphones; pages and pages, talked about as good. Not to sound elitist, but there are also tons of DAPs that are simply off on correct reproduction. There may be an amount of color placed in certain areas on purpose to give the DAP an exciting sound; but once your used to the correct way, it’s nothing but blindingly apparent!
> 
> ...



Very true.  We are always in a state of transition, as we slowly learn what music should/can be.  And we overlay that with our preferences, for that moment in time. 

There are a couple of truisms, that I feel are valid:
- Less is more: less components, simpler path from source to music, gets you closer to the music.  The experience from home audio, of starting with single driver speakers, and then progressing to multiple driver speakers for a more balanced sound, which led to more and more drivers.  If 2 was better than 1, than 3 was even better, and 5, 6, 10., and onwards.  Then this evolved to reducing the drivers, and more focus on time and phase alignment.  And single point source.  And devolved even further to setups using old super efficient apeakers, driven by a single tube amplifier, for some.  We are paralleling this with IEMs.where the driver count and cost is seen as an indication of "better".
- Trade offs: Everything is a trade off.  It comes down to what aspect of the music is important to you, AT THAT MOMENT,  which determines which trade offs you prefer.  So there is truly no simple answer, as each person is on a complex journey, and nobody knows where the other person has stopped, or paused.  And they don't even know if they themselves have reached the end, or are still going along the path to audio perfection.  So we choose our imperfections.  And depending on where we are, there will always be things that we cannot see, or accept.  We are on a neverending journey.  And it is likely that we will always be changing.  Which is good, I guess.  The lesson from the story of Don Quixote  is that our delusions make life bearable.  And when we lose them, and become sane, we start to die.
- We don't know what we know: Looking back, that is definitely true.  We always think we know, only to discover that we really did not.


----------



## blazinblazin

The truth is every era music are recorded and performed differently.

No one is using the same equipment for sound recording and the music equipments used at that time sounds different from how it will sound now as the equipments improves.

So some things used to sounds right in the older times might not sound right in current time. There's like no way a setup can make every piece of music sounds right haha.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Have you ever gone back to using any super old equipment you used to love, only to find it “off”. Thus a window into our own subjective reality of good.



I will be honest with you, that I never felt anything is “off”.  Well, because Music is an art, and so is this hobby.  If I don’t enjoy something, then I just don’t buy or own it.  But if I do enjoy it, I can just keep on listening and never felt that something is “off”

Now, I do modify my stuff in order to bring out the uniqueness and further improve it.  This is the only time I would feel like “hey, this section could be improved, and in which way”.


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 13, 2018)

blazinblazin said:


> The truth is every era music are recorded and performed differently.
> 
> No one is using the same equipment for sound recording and the music equipments used at that time sounds different from how it will sound now as the equipments improves.
> 
> So some things used to sounds right in the older times might not sound right in current time. There's like no way a setup can make every piece of music sounds right haha.



Also, even if you give the same logs to different artists...it would be performed differently .  Would there be a Right or Wrong ? Nope, just different styles, whether that fit you or not, that is personal.  This is why when I review a device, I mostly just try and find a way to expose what it can do and what I like from it


----------



## frost15

I measured the differences in database management times between 2.0 and 3.0 (1Z) with a 512 GB  MicroSD card and here are the results:

In 2.0:
- Creating the Database for the first time took 5 and a half minutes
- Rebuilding the Database after powering it on took 1 minute aprox.

In 3.0: 
- Creating the Database for the first time took 8 minutes.
. Rebuilding the Database after powering it on took 3 minutes. Now the curious thing here is that this process starts as fast as in 2.0, but somehow it gets stuck at 80% aprox for two minutes and 20 seconds!

I hope they find a fix because it is really annoying.


----------



## nanaholic

https://www.sony.jp/walkman/update/WM1.html

Sony released a new firmware 3.01 today which addresses database and stability issues.


----------



## captblaze (Dec 13, 2018)

nanaholic said:


> https://www.sony.jp/walkman/update/WM1.html
> 
> Sony released a new firmware 3.01 today which addresses database and stability issues.



I do believe that they fixed the laggy database says the happy WM-1A owner. rebuild after firmware update took less than a minute (5500 tracks mixed DSD/FLAC)

update - from cold boot database rebuild 30 secs


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> I will be honest with you, that I never felt anything is “off”.  Well, because Music is an art, and so is this hobby.  If I don’t enjoy something, then I just don’t buy or own it.  But if I do enjoy it, I can just keep on listening and never felt that something is “off”
> 
> Now, I do modify my stuff in order to bring out the uniqueness and further improve it.  This is the only time I would feel like “hey, this section could be improved, and in which way”.



I’ve demoed different $29 IEMs from China and seem to notice they do some stuff right but may have a glaringly noticeable stance in a group of frequencies. Call it excessive color or whatever, but I have older headphones that I couldn’t listen to now?


----------



## kingdixon

nanaholic said:


> https://www.sony.jp/walkman/update/WM1.html
> 
> Sony released a new firmware 3.01 today which addresses database and stability issues.



*Benefits and improvements from the latest update*

Corrects an issue where a time error is displayed while playing some MP3 content
Improves the operability when sorting the Bookmark List

They are joking right ? LOL 

I hope that's not what they fixed only


----------



## Redcarmoose

ttt123 said:


> Very true.  We are always in a state of transition, as we slowly learn what music should/can be.  And we overlay that with our preferences, for that moment in time.
> 
> There are a couple of truisms, that I feel are valid:
> - Less is more: less components, simpler path from source to music, gets you closer to the music.  The experience from home audio, of starting with single driver speakers, and then progressing to multiple driver speakers for a more balanced sound, which led to more and more drivers.  If 2 was better than 1, than 3 was even better, and 5, 6, 10., and onwards.  Then this evolved to reducing the drivers, and more focus on time and phase alignment.  And single point source.  And devolved even further to setups using old super efficient apeakers, driven by a single tube amplifier, for some.  We are paralleling this with IEMs.where the driver count and cost is seen as an indication of "better".
> ...




Speaking of trade-offs........

At this point in time I’m starting to realize that it’s going to be easer to match IEMs with specific sub-genres of music. So it’s not actually calling some IEMs wrong, but looking at them like each one has strong points. Note too......... I’m talking about well regarded, almost legendary IEMs in use here. 

I’ve started to notice it too with people’s hi-fi systems; where one does EDM really well but does Jazz even better. So it’s not being critical but simply observing how good some genres of music sound with some combos. And it makes me wonder if it’s an easier concept to win at than finding well rounded IEMs that do just “OK”.

The delusions that make life bearable quote was heavy!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Nice to find the new firmware speeds up the database building and makes it a joy instead of a pain.

This is great! Way to go Sony!


----------



## ttt123

nanaholic said:


> https://www.sony.jp/walkman/update/WM1.html
> 
> Sony released a new firmware 3.01 today which addresses database and stability issues.


Thanks!  Here's a link from the Sony HK site, in english

https://www.sony-asia.com/electroni...ayers-nw-wm-series/nw-wm1z/downloads/00015731


----------



## BaltColts

Can anyone confirm if this update affects the sound at all?


----------



## ttt123 (Dec 13, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Speaking of trade-offs........
> 
> At this point in time I’m starting to realize that it’s going to be easer to match IEMs with specific sub-genres of music. So it’s not actually calling some IEMs wrong, but looking at them like each one has strong points. Note too......... I’m talking about well regarded, almost legendary IEMs in use here.
> 
> ...


This is a good idea, if you have the space to have a couple of systems set up, and "ready to go".  Though for DAPs, modern players like the WM1x are good all rounders. 

I remember the Calyx M as one DAP that was special for certain types of music.

 The IEMs may be more sensitive to different genres, especially if looking for a bass emphasized SQ.  Though there are some pretty good all rounder IEMs also.


----------



## frost15

Redcarmoose said:


> Nice to find the new firmware speeds up the database building and makes it a joy instead of a pain.
> 
> This is great! Way to go Sony!


Well I've been blessed today! Just a few hours ago I tested the database speed problems and now Sony releases the fix! Very nice! Kudos to Sony for this! I confirm the speed of the database rebuilding has been improved dramatically, to the point of being even less time than in 2.0!


----------



## Joe Tan

Time to get myself a Wm1z


----------



## nc8000

Hope the new fw fixes the crashes


----------



## endlesswaves

Anybody feels that FW3.0 reduces the standby time?


----------



## frost15

endlesswaves said:


> Anybody feels that FW3.0 reduces the standby time?


What do you mean by standby time?


----------



## frost15

nc8000 said:


> Hope the new fw fixes the crashes


I never had any, but I hope it fixes it for anyone who had them


----------



## endlesswaves

I never off the DAP. Battery went totally dead today. Charged to 90% and with total usage about 2 hours on the 30th last month. Has been working at home lately so been using my desktop amp with headphones. Used to last more than 2 weeks on standy... now it's less.


----------



## Redcarmoose

frost15 said:


> Well I've been blessed today! Just a few hours ago I tested the database speed problems and now Sony releases the fix! Very nice! Kudos to Sony for this! I confirm the speed of the database rebuilding has been improved dramatically, to the point of being even less time than in 2.0!



Yes, it’s a snap now!


----------



## Redcarmoose

ttt123 said:


> This is a good idea, if you have the space to have a couple of systems set up, and "ready to go".  Though for DAPs, modern players like the WM1x are good all rounders.
> 
> I remember the Calyx M as one DAP that was special for certain types of music.
> 
> The IEMs may be more sensitive to different genres, especially if looking for a bass emphasized SQ.  Though there are some pretty good all rounder IEMs also.



I’m basically saying using either Sony player.... but having maybe an IEM for EDM and a separate IEM for rock. But if someone was into Classical and Jazz, they may find having two IEMs would be a much easer goal than endless searching for the perfect IEM, which obviously does not exist. But I agree the Sony players are well rounded and do it all. Cheers!


----------



## syke

Dang, this new update is blazing fast....
Load times are so quick now.


----------



## proedros

BaltColts said:


> Can anyone confirm if this update affects the sound at all?



the 1,000,000$ question


----------



## hireslover

proedros said:


> the 1,000,000$ question


As far as I can hear I don't hear a difference other than a much quicker database; but you never know we have people out there who are professional at listenning to all the fine details and sometimes they may even have special tools that can analyse that for us. Let's wait and see.


----------



## Sylvestyeo

Have a quick question on servicing the WM1. Has anyone had experience servicing  an export WM1 from Japan and any experience servicing a modded WM1?

Wondering whats the process for servicing (hopefully never) the WM1 in Japan for an overseas user and if any further issues with a modded version.


----------



## bflat

Redcarmoose said:


> Nice to find the new firmware speeds up the database building and makes it a joy instead of a pain.
> 
> This is great! Way to go Sony!



I would bet this was no more than one line of code change. I'm fairly certain that 3.0 firmware did a full database indexing whereas 3.1 only indexes new files added since that last scan. Basically incremental scan versus full.


----------



## flyer1 (Dec 13, 2018)

BaltColts said:


> Can anyone confirm if this update affects the sound at all?



Using only the Vinyl processor sound effect on standard and no other effects active I believe to notice slightly more bass impact with my 1Z/Z5 on 3.01 vs 3.0.


----------



## ttt123

bflat said:


> I would bet this was no more than one line of code change. I'm fairly certain that 3.0 firmware did a full database indexing whereas 3.1 only indexes new files added since that last scan. Basically incremental scan versus full.


Did a quick test on a Wm1Z.  Internal memory has 213GB and the 400GB microSD has 202 GB on it.  Removed the SD card, wait for the rebuild to finish, then inserted the SD card in.  Took just under 4 minutes to build the database for the SD card.  Then powered down/up.  Database rebuild finished in about 55 secs.  So yes, it does not rebuild the full database if there have been no changes.  Don't know if it is smart enough to only index new files after that.  But not a main worry, as now it can be powered down if people w ant to, without needing a long wait for rebuild on power up.


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> the 1,000,000$ question


----------



## frost15

endlesswaves said:


> I never off the DAP. Battery went totally dead today. Charged to 90% and with total usage about 2 hours on the 30th last month. Has been working at home lately so been using my desktop amp with headphones. Used to last more than 2 weeks on standy... now it's less.


Well, I do off the DAP when I don't use it so I can not tell :S


----------



## Wooglish

Has anyone experienced this before: after the 3.0 update, my 1Z crashes on the same song every time.  It is really, really odd...it has never crashed on another song/ album...I don't see how this is possible, but it has repeated half a dozen times.  I am going to try and re-rip the CD and re-add to the 1Z and see if that helps.


----------



## nc8000

Wooglish said:


> Has anyone experienced this before: after the 3.0 update, my 1Z crashes on the same song every time.  It is really, really odd...it has never crashed on another song/ album...I don't see how this is possible, but it has repeated half a dozen times.  I am going to try and re-rip the CD and re-add to the 1Z and see if that helps.



Have you tried if 3.01 that was released today fixes it ?


----------



## Wooglish

nc8000 said:


> Have you tried if 3.01 that was released today fixes it ?


Will try it tonight and see (THEN will try re-ripping/ re-loading if not)


----------



## nc8000

Wooglish said:


> Will try it tonight and see (THEN will try re-ripping/ re-loading if not)



Cool. You are the first I’ve heard of who is able to reproduce a crash


----------



## Wooglish

nc8000 said:


> Cool. You are the first I’ve heard of who is able to reproduce a crash


The 1Z may just not like "The Band"...!


----------



## Dtuck90

Has anybody tested if it is more stable during/after USB DAC mode? That seemed to be when I had the most crashes


----------



## sne4me

The new firmware 3.01 is an excellent development. Hopefully it fixes all of our problems introduced in 3.00. I do wish sony would issue patch notes


----------



## Wooglish

nc8000 said:


> Have you tried if 3.01 that was released today fixes it ?


Fixed with 3.01!  Love the faster database build as well...!


----------



## nc8000

Wooglish said:


> Fixed with 3.01!  Love the faster database build as well...!



That’s great, I’ll try and install 3.01 when I’m back home in the weekend


----------



## Malevolint

Can


flyer1 said:


> Using only the Vinyl processor sound effect on standard and no other effects active I believe to notice slightly more bass impact with my 1Z/Z5 on 3.01 vs 3.0.


Can anyone else confirm this on the wm1a? I'm also hoping that the treble doesn't sound so metallic like on 3.0.


----------



## bflat

Confirming 3.01 database creation improvement - 48 sec to complete. 500 GB of music on 17K tracks. All of my lossless files are ALAC.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mrcojocaru said:


> Can anyone else confirm this on the wm1a? I'm also hoping that the treble doesn't sound so metallic like on 3.0.



I wonder about this too!


----------



## buduba0604

Oh yes, that faster database rebuilding is so sweet. Took under two minutes for me. That is enough to make me happy.
Haven't sat down and listened to my player yet, so I can't comment on any sounds changes.
I truly hope, this update fixes the crash issues that others were having.


----------



## gerelmx1986

My friend said the WM1A is very dynamic and good sounding


----------



## nc8000

Am now on 3.01 so will have to see if the crashes have been fixed. Initial database build took about 20 minutes with about 35.000 flac 16/44 tracks filling about 700GB


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

My build dime went from 1:20 down to :23 after 3.01


----------



## proedros

looks like 3.01 fixes the bugs , too bad it seems aimed at wm1z devices/owners since 1a becomes inbalanced sonically with it

oh well , 2.0 is just fine for 1a


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> looks like 3.01 fixes the bugs , too bad it seems aimed at wm1z devices/owners since 1a becomes inbalanced sonically with it
> 
> oh well , 2.0 is just fine for 1a



I use 2.0 with the 1A and absolutely love the sound of it. It is fine.


----------



## Quadfather

1008!


----------



## alphanumerix1

sound differences between firmware updates lol...

Is that a thing sony does?


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 14, 2018)

alphanumerix1 said:


> sound differences between firmware updates lol...
> 
> Is that a thing sony does?



It should never be the intentions of any manufacturers to have sound differences VIA firmwares, unless they really intend to do it, which they would then publish in the details.

Anyways, that is what all of them said, but our ears are not easily fooled.  The majority of update firmwares have differences in sound signatures.  This will need some one as an expert in Coding and software to investigate 

I also believe that when your new firmware allow you to have faster processing speed, your battery drains will be down faster too, it only makes senses

I am glad to see finally Sony is releasing firmware for WM1 series more often...in comparison to ZX1 or ZX2 LoL


----------



## gearofwar

Could anyone here confirm if it's still slow loading the library on 3.01? I'm about to go back to 2.0.


----------



## nc8000

gearofwar said:


> Could anyone here confirm if it's still slow loading the library on 3.01? I'm about to go back to 2.0.



For me it took about as long on 3.01 as it did on 3.0 which is noticably slower than on 2.0


----------



## gearofwar

nc8000 said:


> For me it took about as long on 3.01 as it did on 3.0 which is noticably slower than on 2.0


any sonic differences? hopefully improvement


----------



## nc8000

gearofwar said:


> any sonic differences? hopefully improvement



Haven’t tried 3.01 yet but I didn’t really detect anything major between 2.0 and 3.0 as opposed to what some have found


----------



## syke

gearofwar said:


> any sonic differences? hopefully improvement



NC8000 has the most issues with his. 3.0 was slow (but nothing like what NC8000 has experienced). 3.01 is heaps faster than 3.0 (by a lot...), although not as quick as the 2.0 on the library build. But for everything else 3.01 is snappier than 2.0.
Unless you are seeing the similar issues as NC8000, I suggest you go with 3.01. He might be experiencing fatal SW errors on his unit that might warrant a visit to the Sony Centre.


----------



## nc8000

syke said:


> NC8000 has the most issues with his. 3.0 was slow (but nothing like what NC8000 has experienced). 3.01 is heaps faster than 3.0 (by a lot...), although not as quick as the 2.0 on the library build. But for everything else 3.01 is snappier than 2.0.
> Unless you are seeing the similar issues as NC8000, I suggest you go with 3.01. He might be experiencing fatal SW errors on his unit that might warrant a visit to the Sony Centre.



I doubt that as I have had zero issues on 2.0 but we’ll see how I get on with 3.01


----------



## muschem

Didn't have any major issues on 3.0, but as others have noted, 3.01 is much faster for the database build.


----------



## syke (Dec 14, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> I doubt that as I have had zero issues on 2.0 but we’ll see how I get on with 3.01



Without understanding how the SW is written, no one knows. The added features could be the reason for causing havoc on your unit. HW, SW interoperability issue.

I would take it back to Sony if I were you. Obviously there is something wrong with yours.


----------



## ryaneagon

muschem said:


> Didn't have any major issues on 3.0, but as others have noted, 3.01 is much faster for the database build.



Same here. Loving how quick this thing builds after adding library, or turning on.


----------



## Malevolint

syke said:


> Without understanding how the SW is written, no one knows. The added features could be the reason for causing havoc on your unit. HW, SW interoperability issue.
> 
> I would take it back to Sony if I were you. Obviously there is something wrong with yours.


He wasn't the only one. He was just the most vocal. A few people went back to 2.0 for differing reasons


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Using standard jack for the first time on 1A with MDR-10RBT which was not used since ages and I must say the sound ain’t bad for slow music where the bass booms a bit.


----------



## nc8000

Knock on wood. 10 hours play time on 3.01 without a crash. On 3.0 I had 3 crashes in that time.


----------



## Dizzle77

nc8000 said:


> Cool. You are the first I’ve heard of who is able to reproduce a crash



I also got my first crash on 3.0 last week and was able to reproduce it, but only on the same track. Interestingly the unit crashed at different points in the track both times

I’m going to update to the new FW this weekend and try again


----------



## audionewbi

Hi guys, does anyone know of a fasterway to finish sensemse scanning of my music files?


----------



## JML (Dec 15, 2018)

AARGH!  I still can't update the firmware via my MacBook.  The 3.01 updater crashes every time, just like 3.0.


----------



## syke

Mrcojocaru said:


> He wasn't the only one. He was just the most vocal. A few people went back to 2.0 for differing reasons



I didn't say he was the only one. But if anyone is experiencing what he was experiencing, they should go get it fixed by Sony.


----------



## nc8000

syke said:


> I didn't say he was the only one. But if anyone is experiencing what he was experiencing, they should go get it fixed by Sony.



Well it seems Sony have fixed it with 3.01, no crashes after 15 hours both play back of local files and BT receiver


----------



## Lookout57

JML said:


> AARGH!  I still can't update the firmware via my MacBook.  The 3.01 updater crashes every time, just like 3.0.


I had no issues updating my 1Z on my MacBook Pro running Mojave.


----------



## JML (Dec 15, 2018)

Lookout57 said:


> I had no issues updating my 1Z on my MacBook Pro running Mojave.



Fixed and updated. First, I tried Safe Mode on the MacBook Pro. In that mode all applications and many processes are not loaded. In Safe Mode, however, it doesn't see any external drives attached via USB or Thunderbolt, so the Sony updater ran further (until it didn't see the WM1A). So I figured that some application was interfering with the updater. I rebooted back into normal mode and turned off every running application via the Activity Monitor (not the native OS X functions). Then I ran the Sony updater and it worked!


----------



## bflat

audionewbi said:


> Hi guys, does anyone know of a fasterway to finish sensemse scanning of my music files?



LOL good question! I have left my 1z on nearly 24x7 since upgrade to 3.0 and SenseMe is still not done! 17K tracks in my library.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

bflat said:


> LOL good question! I have left my 1z on nearly 24x7 since upgrade to 3.0 and SenseMe is still not done! 17K tracks in my library.


r
What...? Didn’t know the 1Z or 1A even HAD SenseMe on board...at ANY Wait!  Is this part of the new firmware upgrade?


----------



## bflat

ruthieandjohn said:


> r
> What...? Didn’t know the 1Z or 1A even HAD SenseMe on board...at ANY Wait!  Is this part of the new firmware upgrade?



Pretty sure it was there since at least 2.0.


----------



## audionewbi

bflat said:


> LOL good question! I have left my 1z on nearly 24x7 since upgrade to 3.0 and SenseMe is still not done! 17K tracks in my library.


Isn't the 12 tone analysis done on the original file on the media go database ? I thought walkman no longer carried the s scanning.


----------



## bflat

audionewbi said:


> Isn't the 12 tone analysis done on the original file on the media go database ? I thought walkman no longer carried the s scanning.



Have no idea how it works and never used media go.


----------



## audionewbi

bflat said:


> Have no idea how it works and never used media go.



I think the reason why it is taking long is your file aren't getting scanned by your walkman, after reading, the SenseMe data is created by Media Go/Music Center, and upon syncing those data, walkman uses those data to create SenseMe playlist.


----------



## bflat

audionewbi said:


> I think the reason why it is taking long is your file aren't getting scanned by your walkman, after reading, the SenseMe data is created by Media Go/Music Center, and upon syncing those data, walkman uses those data to create SenseMe playlist.



Makes Sense to Me LOL

I don't know if I want to mess with Media Go. I just use iTunes to manage all my playlists and export into my 1z.


----------



## rwproaudio

Pls help, my wm1z cannot play DSD..... I’ve tested multiple versions of firmware and have done hard reset. And all music files are in “MUSIC” folder.


----------



## Whitigir

rwproaudio said:


> Pls help, my wm1z cannot play DSD..... I’ve tested multiple versions of firmware and have done hard reset. And all music files are in “MUSIC” folder.


What DSD are you trying to play ? And are you using 4.4mm ? DSD is only able to play back from 4.4mm


----------



## rwproaudio

Whitigir said:


> What DSD are you trying to play ? And are you using 4.4mm ? DSD is only able to play back from 4.4mm



4.4 balanced, about 70% of my FLAC files plays fine which is odd......


----------



## rwproaudio

Just to rule out any corrupted file, I actually tested the sample DSD track, and my 1z freezes


----------



## nc8000

rwproaudio said:


> Pls help, my wm1z cannot play DSD..... I’ve tested multiple versions of firmware and have done hard reset. And all music files are in “MUSIC” folder.



They play dsf but not dff files


----------



## nc8000

rwproaudio said:


> 4.4 balanced, about 70% of my FLAC files plays fine which is odd......





Whitigir said:


> What DSD are you trying to play ? And are you using 4.4mm ? DSD is only able to play back from 4.4mm



Dsd plays not matter which output but it is only 4.4 that does native, 3.5 converts to pcm


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Dsd plays not matter which output but it is only 4.4 that does native, 3.5 converts to pcm


Yes, that is a more accurate ways to put it.

The funny thing when we complain about zx2 and or WM converting back to PCM from Native DSD...Chord and MScaler argues the opposite and still selling


----------



## rwproaudio

Looks like I have one of those “lucky” wm1z, ive tested multiple versions of firmware, and the dsf samplers don’t even play.....would be a hard fight to get a warranty repair without receipt, anyone has experience with Sony servicing wm1a/1z?


----------



## sbho1

Finally, I found my most preferred sound singanture for my 1Z together with the Z1R headphone+Sony Kimbler cable ... it is Vinyl of FW 3.01 .
It is musical, right amount of warm, right amount of clear bass, non fatique treble, overall clear natural relaxing sound.
I strongly suggest those who currently remain like the FW 1.20, should try this latest FW3.01 Vinyl selection.


----------



## Malevolint

Honestly, I just came from 1.2 and I feel like 3.01 has really good bass but its cleaner. I didn't like 3.0 but I'm enjoying this.


----------



## kingdixon (Dec 16, 2018)

rwproaudio said:


> Looks like I have one of those “lucky” wm1z, ive tested multiple versions of firmware, and the dsf samplers don’t even play.....would be a hard fight to get a warranty repair without receipt, anyone has experience with Sony servicing wm1a/1z?




Did you try to reset to factory settings from the device settings ?

Also, do you mean by the dsf samples, the ones that come preinstalled on the device ?


----------



## gazzington

Offering to swap my as new wm1a for a mint Ibasso dx200 with amp8 if anyone interested


----------



## syke

sbho1 said:


> Finally, I found my most preferred sound singanture for my 1Z together with the Z1R headphone+Sony Kimbler cable ... it is Vinyl of FW 3.01 .
> It is musical, right amount of warm, right amount of clear bass, non fatique treble, overall clear natural relaxing sound.
> I strongly suggest those who currently remain like the FW 1.20, should try this latest FW3.01 Vinyl selection.



Which Vinyl selection do you like? Standard? Arm Resonance? Turntable Resonance? or Surface Noise?


----------



## Dtuck90

When disconnecting USB DAC the database no longer does a rescan


----------



## sbho1

syke said:


> Which Vinyl selection do you like? Standard? Arm Resonance? Turntable Resonance? or Surface Noise?



Standard. As a matter of fact, FW 3.01 really bring out the necessary amount of base, and I equally like the Direct too. 
I haven’t try other choices of Vinyl selection, likely is not my prefer. Right amount of quality and quantity of base is key to make the sound musically pleasant.


----------



## ryaneagon

Dtuck90 said:


> When disconnecting USB DAC the database no longer does a rescan



One of my favorite features!


----------



## Redcarmoose

sbho1 said:


> Finally, I found my most preferred sound singanture for my 1Z together with the Z1R headphone+Sony Kimbler cable ... it is Vinyl of FW 3.01 .
> It is musical, right amount of warm, right amount of clear bass, non fatique treble, overall clear natural relaxing sound.
> I strongly suggest those who currently remain like the FW 1.20, should try this latest FW3.01 Vinyl selection.



Cheers!


----------



## gerelmx1986

No crash so far with 3.01, seems a bit faster on screen render


----------



## gerelmx1986

rwproaudio said:


> Just to rule out any corrupted file, I actually tested the sample DSD track, and my 1z freezes


all my DSD files play fine, I have only 2.8224 and 5.6884 MHz files


----------



## Returnity

It's unbelievable that all my complaints with 3.0 were fixed with this update, namely:

- No crashes so far
- Faster database building (fastest so far)
- No more mandatory database building after turning off USB-DAC
- Just a tad warmer, yet still clean sound

I don't think they can ever top this one. Good job Sony, good job!


----------



## nc8000

Returnity said:


> It's unbelievable that all my complaints with 3.0 were fixed with this update, namely:
> 
> - No crashes so far
> - Faster database building (fastest so far)
> ...



Yes I have used it intensly for 3 days and no crashes. Initial database build after the upgrade still took about 20 minutes but rescan after adding 30 new tracks only took 4-5 minutes. I can't imagine anything Sony could do to make it better now


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am giving my WM1A a test with 3.01, seems like more clarity on top end. Maybe allucinating, after not using it for a week (been busy with wedding paper work here in Wiesbaden


----------



## 21qz

Come vote guys: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/king-of-daps.895618/#post-14663590


----------



## 480126

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am giving my WM1A a test with 3.01, seems like more clarity on top end. Maybe allucinating, after not using it for a week (been busy with wedding paper work here in Wiesbaden


Good luck for wedding. Greatings to my homedown Wiesbaden and enyoy your wm1a


----------



## koven

Anyone have a suggestion for a nice carrying case that fits the 1A and IEM?


----------



## auronthas (Dec 18, 2018)

I noticed 'adding playlist' respond faster in 3.0.1.  Anyone notice?


----------



## Stealer

My 1A with 3.01 will shut-down if I left idle for more than a day . I had been alternating with DX200 for every-day use. 
So when I pwr-up it will go into a startup and re scan process .
not sure this is normal


----------



## ryaneagon

Stealer said:


> My 1A with 3.01 will shut-down if I left idle for more than a day . I had been alternating with DX200 for every-day use.
> So when I pwr-up it will go into a startup and re scan process .
> not sure this is normal



You must have auto power off enabled. Go to settings, device settings, auto power off.


----------



## Stealer

Wow didn't know they added such feature ..
Thx ryaneagon . .


----------



## nc8000

Stealer said:


> Wow didn't know they added such feature ..
> Thx ryaneagon . .



That has always been there


----------



## lmfboy01

koven said:


> Anyone have a suggestion for a nice carrying case that fits the 1A and IEM?



 
like this? either headphones or charge cable fits with ease


----------



## Malevolint

lmfboy01 said:


> like this? either headphones or charge cable fits with ease


What is it?


----------



## lmfboy01

Mrcojocaru said:


> What is it?


Got it with a all copper cable purchased from null audio.  Got lucky as fits pretty nicely!


----------



## Malevolint

lmfboy01 said:


> Got it with a all copper cable purchased from null audio.  Got lucky as fits pretty nicely!


Ah damn yeah that's pretty awesome. It doesn't have any brand name on it?


----------



## bflat

koven said:


> Anyone have a suggestion for a nice carrying case that fits the 1A and IEM?



$10 Fiio case if you don't mind the brand:

http://a.co/d/hQPhCjC


----------



## iron2k

bflat said:


> $10 Fiio case if you don't mind the brand:
> 
> http://a.co/d/hQPhCjC


that looks nice


----------



## koven

bflat said:


> $10 Fiio case if you don't mind the brand:
> 
> http://a.co/d/hQPhCjC



Nice.


----------



## auronthas

bflat said:


> $10 Fiio case if you don't mind the brand:


Thanks for the picture and tips. My current Pelican 1040 only can fit WM1A.

I do have Fiio case too for my X5 Gen 3 previously.

My WM1A with EASECASE leather can't fit into this case, change to Benks plastic cover, perfect. 

A bit bulky with  Andromeda IEM in chair socks LOL. 

Good tips .


----------



## Wooglish

auronthas said:


> Thanks for the picture and tips. My current Pelican 1040 only can fit WM1A.
> 
> I do have Fiio case too for my X5 Gen 3 previously.
> 
> ...


I have to give credit to someone a thousand or do pages back, but Moleskin makes some great cases.  This is a small, which is tight; that also have med and large


----------



## JML

I'm astonished at the improvement version 3.01 makes in the speed the database creation and additions to playlists, when compared to 3.0.  Seems to be faster than every firmware version in the past.


----------



## 21qz

nc8000 said:


> 512GB card inserted and I now have my entire music collection of about 2.700 albums in flac 16/44 on my 1Z with a little room left


Where do you get your music May i ask?


----------



## Stephen George

21qz said:


> Where do you get your music May i ask?



would be interested to know which card too

my 512 (kingston canvas) only shows 466.12 total


----------



## lmfboy01

Mrcojocaru said:


> Ah damn yeah that's pretty awesome. It doesn't have any brand name on it?


It came with an all copper earphone cable i purchased from Null Audio.  IDK if all there cables come with this case but they fit nicely with my WM1A, good luck!


----------



## nc8000

21qz said:


> Where do you get your music May i ask?



Most of it is my own cd’s that I have ripped to flac (about 2.000 cd’s), the rest is my hires purchases that I have down sampled to flac 16/44 so there is about 2.500 albums


----------



## nc8000

Stephen George said:


> would be interested to know which card too
> 
> my 512 (kingston canvas) only shows 466.12 total



The card is a 512GB Samsung


----------



## Stephen George

nc8000 said:


> The card is a 512GB Samsung



nice, 10gb more!
they were non existent in the US a few weeks back...they were giving them as a bonus to note9 buyers (first 1TB phone), a lot of them were selling them instead, but still 10GB is worth the extra $100 over the kingston...


anybody get the PNY? would be nice to know the total size of that one


----------



## nc8000

Stephen George said:


> nice, 10gb more!
> they were non existent in the US a few weeks back...they were giving them as a bonus to note9 buyers (first 1TB phone), a lot of them were selling them instead, but still 10GB is worth the extra $100 over the kingston...
> 
> 
> anybody get the PNY? would be nice to know the total size of that one



Seems strange that there should be a difference 512GB should be 512GB. Only reason I can think of is if they are not formatted to the same file system.


----------



## gazzington

Was going to swap wm1a for dx200 but changed my mind. I think the Sony sounds better


----------



## duaned

gazzington said:


> Was going to swap wm1a for dx200 but changed my mind. I think the Sony sounds better



Please explain?


----------



## gazzington

I think if I invest a lot of money into dx200 with amp8 etc I can probably surpass my wm1a but equally the wm1a sounds amazing with all iems and headphones I use on it.  And that is without me having to tinker.


----------



## aisalen

gazzington said:


> Was going to swap wm1a for dx200 but changed my mind. I think the Sony sounds better


Good decision. Beside of the sq of the 1A, the battery life is a plus. I do have 2 other DAP alternating each day as the battery last for only max of 8 hours.


----------



## Stephen George

nc8000 said:


> Seems strange that there should be a difference 512GB should be 512GB. Only reason I can think of is if they are not formatted to the same file system.



even the samsung ssds are slightly bigger...the kingston reads:

exFat 500497907712 466GB

it also has a small 32MB partition "unallocated" (first partition)

it came that way

these are pretty fast cards for the price


----------



## nc8000

Stephen George said:


> even the samsung ssds are slightly bigger...the kingston reads:
> 
> exFat 500497907712 466GB
> 
> ...



Mine’s exFAT as well. Don’t know about the speed, I loaded it once from the card reader in my laptop and will hardly ever write to it again except when I occasionally get new music


----------



## Duncan

Not happy that LDAC usage doesn’t count toward this, seeing that nearly 2/3rds of my time is listening over LDAC, regardless, I’ll finally collect my 200hr badge!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Duncan said:


> Not happy that LDAC usage doesn’t count toward this, seeing that nearly 2/3rds of my time is listening over LDAC, regardless, I’ll finally collect my 200hr badge!


Also in the dock, you clock in extra hours but the capacitors don’t. Just the opposite. Lol


----------



## bflat

Stephen George said:


> nice, 10gb more!
> they were non existent in the US a few weeks back...they were giving them as a bonus to note9 buyers (first 1TB phone), a lot of them were selling them instead, but still 10GB is worth the extra $100 over the kingston...
> 
> 
> anybody get the PNY? would be nice to know the total size of that one



You may want to contact Kingston. If you are seeing 466 GB formatted, that would indicate the raw size as 500 GB and not 512. 10 GB means about 60 more full lossless CDs.


----------



## Stephen George

bflat said:


> You may want to contact Kingston. If you are seeing 466 GB formatted, that would indicate the raw size as 500 GB and not 512. 10 GB means about 60 more full lossless CDs.



so i got a response, but really cannot make sense of it, first he's talking about what i can fit on it (that wasn't my question) and then segues into  firmware speeds and such (forgot to save that part), that 10GB in relation to 500GB is not something to worry about (I beg to differ)


```
Received [3:39 PM] :
so in any volume you buy, if it states it is 100GB then when you plug it into the pc, you will see that you may only have about 87GB avail

its the basic fundamental of how the any volume interacts with the OS

so if samsung shows that then really the drive may be a 525GB volume and once the OS see it it will then show only 512GB

the OS always uses a small percentage of any attached volume

your hard drive is the same thing

look at the system properties

either volume...ssd, microsd, usb, the numbers you see are all across the board...our card is maked with the correct capacities

the OS or HOST uses some of this volume

Samsung makes their volumes different

different builds to make the same capacity

either volume...ssd, microsd, usb, the numbers you see are all across the board...our card is maked with the correct capacities

the OS or HOST uses some of this volume

Samsung makes their volumes different

different builds to make the same capacity
```


----------



## frost15

After spending more than 250 hr with my wm1z I must say that after the 3.01 FW update I've found what I consder to be the pinnacle of portable sound quality. Paired with my Shure 1540 SRH's listening to any genre is pure bliss. I listen mostly to heavy metal (and every subgenre black, death, progressive, doom...), rock, jazz and classical music and traveling with this setup is incredible. I can lay back in bed at night listening to Patricia Barber's Cafe Blue, listen to Immortal's At the Heart of Winter in the top of a mountain next day, and then chill in the way back while I listen to some The Doors, Miles Davis... All of this with Top Notch quality. Thanks Sony, my faith in you is being restored.


----------



## gazzington

frost15 said:


> After spending more than 250 hr with my wm1z I must say that after the 3.01 FW update I've found what I consder to be the pinnacle of portable sound quality. Paired with my Shure 1540 SRH's listening to any genre is pure bliss. I listen mostly to heavy metal (and every subgenre black, death, progressive, doom...), rock, jazz and classical music and traveling with this setup is incredible. I can lay back in bed at night listening to Patricia Barber's Cafe Blue, listen to Immortal's At the Heart of Winter in the top of a mountain next day, and then chill in the way back while I listen to some The Doors, Miles Davis... All of this with Top Notch quality. Thanks Sony, my faith in you is being restored.


I was listening to that immortal album on the same dap today. Classic


----------



## lmfboy01

Stephen George said:


> so i got a response, but really cannot make sense of it, first he's talking about what i can fit on it (that wasn't my question) and then segues into  firmware speeds and such (forgot to save that part), that 10GB in relation to 500GB is not something to worry about (I beg to differ)
> 
> 
> ```
> ...



Rule of thumb is generally 1/8 exaggerated because of the bits to bytes ratio just multiply by .875, that’s your total minus the OS as well


----------



## bflat

Stephen George said:


> so i got a response, but really cannot make sense of it, first he's talking about what i can fit on it (that wasn't my question) and then segues into  firmware speeds and such (forgot to save that part), that 10GB in relation to 500GB is not something to worry about (I beg to differ)
> 
> 
> ```
> ...



LOL, sounds like a response for Dr. Seuss except it doesn't rhyme. How about this:

So in any volume you buy
its the basic fundamental of why
OS always uses a small amount
Your hard drive is using the same count
Look at the system properties
Our card is marked with the correct capacities
The OS or HOST uses some of this
Samsung can be hit or miss


----------



## Stephen George

bflat said:


> LOL, sounds like a response for Dr. Seuss except it doesn't rhyme. How about this:
> 
> Our card is marked with the correct capacities
> The OS or HOST uses some of this
> Samsung can be hit or miss



i don't have a samsung to test, but i own many microsd and ssd from them and they are accurate and also (although can be hard to get them to respond), they do honor the product

whatever kingston did, it's technically not a 512GB, but a "500gb" card

overall, i am fine with it, it was $100+ cheaper and very fast, i upgraded from the 400 sandisk and still have 90GB to fill

but love the dr. suess reference

and yes, he was concerned about what i could put on it..and all i was asking was the total space doesn't jibe 

i am currently running a 500GB samsung SSD and that is reported as 490638143488 456GB

so i guess TECHNICALLY...if you add 10 or so GB on top of that...it would equal my 466GB reported size with the kingston


----------



## Quadfather

frost15 said:


> After spending more than 250 hr with my wm1z I must say that after the 3.01 FW update I've found what I consder to be the pinnacle of portable sound quality. Paired with my Shure 1540 SRH's listening to any genre is pure bliss. I listen mostly to heavy metal (and every subgenre black, death, progressive, doom...), rock, jazz and classical music and traveling with this setup is incredible. I can lay back in bed at night listening to Patricia Barber's Cafe Blue, listen to Immortal's At the Heart of Winter in the top of a mountain next day, and then chill in the way back while I listen to some The Doors, Miles Davis... All of this with Top Notch quality. Thanks Sony, my faith in you is being restored.



I have the Sony NW-WM1A with the same headphones, and I listen to the identical same music you listen to. I think I must follow you now.


----------



## Dtuck90

Neil Youn releases his iOS Archives app yesterday and I can confirm that with my WM1A in USB DAC mode my iPad Pro is correctly outputting the desired resolution all the way up to 24/192


----------



## gazzington

Quadfather said:


> I have the Sony NW-WM1A with the same headphones, and I listen to the identical same music you listen to. I think I must follow you now.


same with me, he has listed off most of my favourite stuff.  What headphones do you both use with wm1a?


----------



## frost15

Quadfather said:


> I have the Sony NW-WM1A with the same headphones, and I listen to the identical same music you listen to. I think I must follow you now.


We share many interests judging by your signature haha! What a fantastic community this is. Maybe there are some common traits in most audiophiles, who knows...


----------



## frost15

gazzington said:


> same with me, he has listed off most of my favourite stuff.  What headphones do you both use with wm1a?


I do not own the Wm1a so I can not talk about it...


----------



## gazzington

frost15 said:


> I do not own the Wm1a so I can not talk about it...


Apologies you have wm1z.
Even better


----------



## Quadfather

gazzington said:


> same with me, he has listed off most of my favourite stuff.  What headphones do you both use with wm1a?



We both use Shure SRH1540.  I just wish I had the NW-WM1Z...


----------



## gazzington

Quadfather said:


> We both use Shure SRH1540.  I just wish I had the NW-WM1Z...


ha, and me it looks stunning.  Ive just bought myself a dx200 to play with but I got that for below £500


----------



## Quadfather

gazzington said:


> ha, and me it looks stunning.  Ive just bought myself a dx200 to play with but I got that for below £500



I absolutely love the Sony, but the Lotoo Paw Gold Diana is an amazing DAP too and has a special place in my heart as well. I hear the DX200 is good too.


----------



## gazzington

Im planning on getting amp 8 at some point for the ibasso which is suposed to make the sound amazing.  I would love a lotoo paw gold touch but im completely priced out!


----------



## Redcarmoose

frost15 said:


> After spending more than 250 hr with my wm1z I must say that after the 3.01 FW update I've found what I consder to be the pinnacle of portable sound quality. Paired with my Shure 1540 SRH's listening to any genre is pure bliss. I listen mostly to heavy metal (and every subgenre black, death, progressive, doom...), rock, jazz and classical music and traveling with this setup is incredible. I can lay back in bed at night listening to Patricia Barber's Cafe Blue, listen to Immortal's At the Heart of Winter in the top of a mountain next day, and then chill in the way back while I listen to some The Doors, Miles Davis... All of this with Top Notch quality. Thanks Sony, my faith in you is being restored.



Yes, but 3.01 and 3.0 sound the same....right? It was noticeable how 3.0 changed the 1Z for the better, getting a slightly different sound from 2.0.

Am I missing something is 3.01 a sound quality change over 3.0?


----------



## duaned

Redcarmoose said:


> Am I missing something is 3.01 a sound quality change over 3.0?



Oddly, it sounds like there is a reduction to brightness on 3.01.


----------



## Quadfather

gazzington said:


> Im planning on getting amp 8 at some point for the ibasso which is suposed to make the sound amazing.  I would love a lotoo paw gold touch but im completely priced out!



I am saving... Not sure if it will be Sony NW - WM1Z or Lotoo Paw Touch...


----------



## Redcarmoose

duaned said:


> Oddly, it sounds like there is a reduction to brightness on 3.01.



When people suggest things like this I then hear it. Lol

But has anyone thought that 3.01 changed the 1A.....I wonder?


----------



## siruspan

Redcarmoose said:


> When people suggest things like this I then hear it. Lol
> 
> But has anyone thought that 3.01 changed the 1A.....I wonder?



I've installed 3.01 only today straight from 2.0 because I didn't like the 3.0 which was to clean and lacked warmth which 2.0 posseses. To me 3.01 sound almost exactly the same as 2.0, maybe and that's a big MAYBE a little bit cleaner up top but with warmth still in place. 3.0 sounded off immediately but 3.01 looks like a winner so far.

Considering Sony fixed just about everything and left the sound as it was there is no way that someone from their team is not reading this thread


----------



## blazinblazin

Redcarmoose said:


> When people suggest things like this I then hear it. Lol
> 
> But has anyone thought that 3.01 changed the 1A.....I wonder?


Yes, there's a slight reduce of brightness. I felt it on 1A.
Not sure is it me or I heard slightly more detailed sound.


----------



## frost15 (Dec 20, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, but 3.01 and 3.0 sound the same....right? It was noticeable how 3.0 changed the 1Z for the better, getting a slightly different sound from 2.0.
> 
> Am I missing something is 3.01 a sound quality change over 3.0?


No you are not, yet the stability added with 3.01 was determinant in my opinion. I did not notice the supposed brightness reduction in 3.01 in the WM1Z.


----------



## Duncan

I’ve found 3.01 more listenable today compared to 3.0 yesterday on the 1A, but that could be due to many factors - right now I’m not fully prepared to say it is FW difference, unless it is consistent over a few days (i.e. I’m not the difference!)


----------



## gannjunior

Hi guys
What about the volume of wm1z?
Going crazy to test this player.
The headphones in my sign.
Of course I'm using the Xelento ( later I will try with pathos aurium external amp)
What I want to say is that I'm using it at 120 , tried both single end and balanced but it is low so I'm not able to appreciate its sound quality...
No problem with Dx200 or my LG G7 ....


----------



## bflat

gannjunior said:


> Hi guys
> What about the volume of wm1z?
> Going crazy to test this player.
> The headphones in my sign.
> ...



I am using AK's version of Xelento (T8IE MK II) and listen on normal gain balanced at 60/120 volume and I estimate is around 85 dB. If you are at 120/120 then your 1z is not functioning properly or your recordings are flawed.


----------



## gannjunior

@bflat 
Hi
Of course my recordings are ok. As I told you is the first time I encounter this problem with my chain


----------



## bflat

gannjunior said:


> @bflat
> Hi
> Of course my recordings are ok. As I told you is the first time I encounter this problem with my chain



What cable are you using to test balanced? If you are using an adapter that could also be the problem. One important suggestion - don't set the volume to more than 70 when trying the Xelento's. If you have it at 120 and somehow "fix" the issue while listening, it will damage your ear drums.


----------



## gannjunior

Fiio bl44 adapter
But I have the same result using the standard single end output
The other cable are high quality hand maded that with every combination of the materials you can see in my sign perform very good.
The Xelento is the only one is able to let me ear something combined with the ALO amp (in sign)
Setting to 70 I hear low sound...


----------



## nc8000

gannjunior said:


> Fiio bl44 adapter
> But I have the same result using the standard single end output
> The other cable are high quality hand maded that with every combination of the materials you can see in my sign perform very good.
> The Xelento is the only one is able to let me ear something combined with the ALO amp (in sign)
> Setting to 70 I hear low sound...



I assume you are using high gain on the Sony ?


----------



## gannjunior

I tried to search for an high gain setting in the Sony player but without success


----------



## nc8000 (Dec 20, 2018)

gannjunior said:


> I tried to search for an high gain setting in the Sony player but without success



In that case you have a volume capped EU unit that you need to uncap using the rockbox tool

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool


----------



## bana

gannjunior said:


> Fiio bl44 adapter
> But I have the same result using the standard single end output
> The other cable are high quality hand maded that with every combination of the materials you can see in my sign perform very good.
> The Xelento is the only one is able to let me ear something combined with the ALO amp (in sign)
> Setting to 70 I hear low sound...



Noticed you are in Europe, ( go Juve) which means your unit has a volume cap. You need to uncap the unit.


----------



## siruspan (Dec 20, 2018)

It's the EU volume level cap. Thank god for the workaround on rockbox site. I really dont understand why only sony is so strict about it. Literally every other dap that is sold in europe is louder then volume capped sony players. Even my phone is louder. I wanted to jump on sony zx2 when it was new but it also was useless, even iems struggled with that player and there was no solution as far as i know at the time because it was on android


----------



## Duncan

bana said:


> Noticed you are in Europe, ( go Juve) which means your unit has a volume cap. You need to uncap the unit.


Just don't switch to the JPN version, unless you speak the language - There is no way to change the language (that I could find) - had me in a panic on my (at the time) brand new unit!

One other side effect is that it'll reset your hours used counter, if that is a big deal to you.


----------



## nc8000

Duncan said:


> Just don't switch to the JPN version, unless you speak the language - There is no way to change the language (that I could find) - had me in a panic on my (at the time) brand new unit!
> 
> One other side effect is that it'll reset your hours used counter, if that is a big deal to you.



It does not reset the hours played counter, only doing a factory reset will do that


----------



## nc8000

siruspan said:


> It's the EU volume level cap. Thank god for the workaround on rockbox site. I really dont understand why only sony is so strict about it. Literally every other dap that is sold in europe is louder then volume capped sony players. Even my phone is louder. I wanted to jump on sony zx2 when it was new but it also was useless, even iems struggled with that player and there was no solution as far as i know at the time because it was on android



You can’t really blame Sony for obeying the law even if the law is stupid. I assume they are too big to wan’t to be seen breaking it. The smaller makers probably have an easier time flying under the radar


----------



## bflat

Worst volume would probably be DSD playback on a EU limited device.


----------



## siruspan

nc8000 said:


> You can’t really blame Sony for obeying the law even if the law is stupid. I assume they are too big to wan’t to be seen breaking it. The smaller makers probably have an easier time flying under the radar



Maybe but ma samsung phone just warns me sometimes that im going over the limit and thats acceptable as i only need to tap ok


----------



## gannjunior

Great Scott guyss!!!!!!!!!! as Doc would have had said !!!
Thank you ALL !!!

so there was an (incredible) explanation.
Anyway I'm happy..otherwise the player was broken...

Now I go to donwload the tool.
Just some quick question:

Is there a way to count the player running hrs? where?
If I "uncap" my sony the warranty is void? is a reversable process? simply "reset" the player and the uncap is lost?

Thank you!!!!


----------



## nc8000

gannjunior said:


> Great Scott guyss!!!!!!!!!! as Doc would have had said !!!
> Thank you ALL !!!
> 
> so there was an (incredible) explanation.
> ...



Yes you can see the hours in Settings then scroll right down to Unit Information. The uncap is reversible. I have no idea if it voids the warranty


----------



## AnakChan (Dec 20, 2018)

Duncan said:


> Just don't switch to the JPN version, unless you speak the language - There is no way to change the language (that I could find) - had me in a panic on my (at the time) brand new unit!
> 
> One other side effect is that it'll reset your hours used counter, if that is a big deal to you.


JP language, yes you can with scsitool. Did that to mine.


----------



## Stephen George

bflat said:


> So in any volume you buy
> its the basic fundamental of why
> OS always uses a small amount
> Your hard drive is using the same count
> ...



got another laugh off this, a second response from kingston :


```
This is pretty standard in the world of storage devices. generally about 10% of the drive will be unavailable for storage because it has to use storage to tell the data where to be stored.
```


----------



## Stephen George

AnakChan said:


> JP language, yes you can with rockbox. Did that to mine.



it seemed to me he meant, if you change it to JPN region, that's the only language available on the device


----------



## Malevolint

I have to agree about the sound being more warm. Coming from 1.2 (which had tons of bass) I was very skeptical, but there's still way more bass than 3.0 and the treble is not as sharp to my ears anymore.


----------



## meomap

Mrcojocaru said:


> I have to agree about the sound being more warm. Coming from 1.2 (which had tons of bass) I was very skeptical, but there's still way more bass than 3.0 and the treble is not as sharp to my ears anymore.



So, 1.20 still the best?
Haven't upgraded yet.


----------



## AnakChan

Stephen George said:


> it seemed to me he meant, if you change it to JPN region, that's the only language available on the device


Ah, my bad. I misunderstood.


----------



## koven (Dec 21, 2018)

Selling a used Dignis case if anyone is interested.. 
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-leather-dignis-case-for-wm1a.895864/#post-14670206

Edit: Nevermind it has sold, well that was fast..


----------



## flyer1 (Dec 21, 2018)

meomap said:


> So, 1.20 still the best?
> Haven't upgraded yet.



I liked 1.20 in the past, then 2.0 a bit more  but switching between them, 3.01 is my clear favourite now.

Sound in 3.01 was definitely tuned for the better to my ears. More analogue, vinyl like but with great soundstage and detail.


----------



## Duncan

Stephen George said:


> it seemed to me he meant, if you change it to JPN region, that's the only language available on the device


Correct, apologies if there was any ambiguity there...

What cannot be confused is how much quicker the database creation is on 3.01fw - much improved


----------



## Sylvestyeo

nc8000 said:


> Yes you can see the hours in Settings then scroll right down to Unit Information. The uncap is reversible. I have no idea if it voids the warranty



Can confirm after changing from J to E region with no loss in hours played under Unit Information


----------



## Stephen George

Duncan said:


> how much quicker the database creation is on 3.01fw - much improved




and how crazy fast was sony to fix this? that is a very good sign


----------



## Duncan

Sylvestyeo said:


> Can confirm after changing from J to E region with no loss in hours played under Unit Information


It stays until you factory reset the player to swap it to the zone...  for those with a cap, they have to reset for it to stick, for those where the cap doesn’t apply, they are okay, I moved from J to E after my crazy mess up, but have never reset as all I needed was the language option to pop up


----------



## nc8000

Duncan said:


> It stays until you factory reset the player to swap it to the zone...  for those with a cap, they have to reset for it to stick, for those where the cap doesn’t apply, they are okay, I moved from J to E after my crazy mess up, but have never reset as all I needed was the language option to pop up



I never had to do a factory reset after region change on my UK 1Z and have never heard of any who have done it


----------



## Duncan

nc8000 said:


> I never had to do a factory reset after region change on my UK 1Z and have never heard of any who have done it


Strange, it mentions in the instructions twice in big scary red text that this needs to be done.

No harm done either way


----------



## nc8000

Duncan said:


> Strange, it mentions in the instructions twice in big scary red text that this needs to be done.
> 
> No harm done either way



It certainly does, I just don’t remember doing it, but then again it has been nearly 2 years since I did the region change so I might just have forgotten that I did it


----------



## Quadfather

nc8000 said:


> It certainly does, I just don’t remember doing it, but then again it has been nearly 2 years since I did the region change so I might just have forgotten that I did it



Sometimes I forget 5 minutes ago, so don't feel bad. LOL


----------



## Python002 (Dec 21, 2018)

just got my wm1a on 1.2 and im not sure what im doing wrong. it came with a card (fat 32) with music on it, but 1a reads sd card no songs (0). i put more music on and same thing. i then take a different card out of my hiby, it bulids the data base for a while, and same thing, no songs


----------



## kingdixon

Python002 said:


> just got my wm1a on 1.2 and im not sure what im doing wrong. it came with a card (fat 32) with music on it, but 1a reads no sd card no songs (0). i put more music on and same thing. i then take a different card out of my hiby, it bulids the data base for a while, and same thing, no songs



Music must be inside a folder called music on the root to be read


----------



## meomap

Hi all,

Need some assistance please.
In order for 1Z to be a Source to an external DAC, one must buy a cradle? Output of this cradle has Sony ip USB ONLY? Or some other different connector too?
I have the Sony special USB adapter during the 1Z purchased, but I don't know how or what to use it for.

And this cradle to be purchased, where? Not Amazon USA the last time I checked.

Thank you for your time to respond to my questions.


----------



## Python002

kingdixon said:


> Music must be inside a folder called music on the root to be read



that worked, thank you. 

i noticed now the track number (01) and so on comes before the song name. it was not like that on my hiby. so its not in alphabetical order.


----------



## Wooglish

meomap said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Need some assistance please.
> In order for 1Z to be a Source to an external DAC, one must buy a cradle? Output of this cradle has Sony ip USB ONLY? Or some other different connector too?
> ...


I have a cradle, but had to purchase through eBay; I don't think they retail them in the US.  You don't need it (although it is very nice to use; I use it with the ZH1ES).  When I use a smaller DAC (like Hugo 2) I use the special adapter you have > separate USB cable > DAC and it works very well.


----------



## meomap

Wooglish said:


> I have a cradle, but had to purchase through eBay; I don't think they retail them in the US.  You don't need it (although it is very nice to use; I use it with the ZH1ES).  When I use a smaller DAC (like Hugo 2) I use the special adapter you have > separate USB cable > DAC and it works very well.



But you have to use cradle output, correct?


----------



## Python002 (Mar 2, 2019)

Not sure if keeping, thing is heavy


----------



## auronthas (Dec 21, 2018)

Is there a way to charge WM1A under power off mode ?

When I turn off my WM1A and then start charging , it will wake up (turn on) WM1A, is it supposed to be the way ?


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> Is there a way to charge WM1A under power off mode ?
> 
> When I turn off my WM1A and then start charging , it will walk up (turn on) WM1A, is it supposed to be the way ?



Yes it turns on when charging


----------



## nc8000

meomap said:


> But you have to use cradle output, correct?



You have to use the WM port at the bottom of the unit. You can use either a special Sony cable or the cradle. The cradle gives the better result but also cost more. I have a cradle for sale


----------



## mw7485

meomap said:


> But you have to use cradle output, correct?



No, you can use the 1A/1Z as a digital source using the walkman port with the supplied USB/Walkman port cable - or the dock. The dock can charge at the same time and apparently "sounds" better. Some folks around here know far more about external connectivity than me. Stick around, and someone will be along shortly.

I believe the dock will have to be bought (new) from the far east, as it is not officially marketed in the US or Europe.


----------



## Wooglish

mw7485 said:


> No, you can use the 1A/1Z as a digital source using the walkman port with the supplied USB/Walkman port cable - or the dock. The dock can charge at the same time and apparently "sounds" better. Some folks around here know far more about external connectivity than me. Stick around, and someone will be along shortly.
> 
> I believe the dock will have to be bought (new) from the far east, as it is not officially marketed in the US or Europe.


I highly recommend the eBay seller "premium-japan" if you are in the US and want a dock from Japan.  I literally received my dock in three days from Japan.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 21, 2018)

meomap said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Need some assistance please.
> In order for 1Z to be a Source to an external DAC, one must buy a cradle? Output of this cradle has SoUSB ONLY? Or some other different connector too?
> ...



Here it is: $155

https://www.amazon.com/Walkman-Cradle-BCR-NWH10-NW-ZX2-Japan/dp/B00S94R5RK


I only have one other DAC other than the Sony TA-ZH1ES amplifier/DAC. But in my history I have only been able to get the cradle to work with the Sony TA DAC/amp.

My Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus does not register seeing the dock or DAPs hooked up with USB adapter?

The USB adapter ( linked below) gets used as an alternative way to use the 1Z/1A as a source for an external DAC, though it also only works with my Sony TA DAC/amp in my history.

So it may not always work. There is no guarantee it will work for you.

Though with the TA amp and AudioQuest Carbon USB cable the 1Z/1A DAP and dock becomes the ultimate source surpassing the computer and SPDIF digital coaxial RCA from a CD transport as a source.

Strangely I can also use the dock going the reverse way to use a MacBook Air as a source for the DAC in the 1Z by using a small microUSB cable, and the DAC function on the 1Z player.

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output-x/dp/B00FF086HE
$38.99

Here is the USB adapter cable.......but it has less electronics in it than the dock, and it does not sound as good. You will plug this adapter into a standard USB cable and go to town.

So for home 2 channel stereo I use the TA amp as the line out, or switch to preamp out to a power amp; using the TA as the DAC/preamp. The TA amp has switched RCA outputs which can either be a pre out or line out.


----------



## meomap

Redcarmoose said:


> Here it is: $155
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Walkman-Cradle-BCR-NWH10-NW-ZX2-Japan/dp/B00S94R5RK
> 
> ...



Thank you @Redcarmoose for the information.
I will test with my 1Z first + Sony adapter to the Esoteric K05 as dac and see before my approach to the Dock.
Surprise to hear the other dac did not see or recognize the dock or 1Z.


----------



## fiascogarcia

auronthas said:


> Is there a way to charge WM1A under power off mode ?
> 
> When I turn off my WM1A and then start charging , it will wake up (turn on) WM1A, is it supposed to be the way ?


If you plug it into a wall wart, it should charge without turning on.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 22, 2018)

meomap said:


> Thank you @Redcarmoose for the information.
> I will test with my 1Z first + Sony adapter to the Esoteric K05 as dac and see before my approach to the Dock.
> Surprise to hear the other dac did not see or recognize the dock or 1Z.



Yes, it’s weird but I never use that DAC. Just keeping it around as may get balanced powered speakers.

If it ends up being your way to listen you may also want an upgraded USB cable. I still need to do my blind tests. But sighted the AudioQuest Carbon adds a noticeable amount of speed and detail; which is strange as I have never noted a difference between USB cables? 

When you do get something running PM me if you think it’s better or worse than CD transport or computer; I’m curious to your findings.


----------



## Aslshark

Hi, I can confirm that the dock also works with the Chord Dave. I use the dock with the Sony TA-ZH1ES and feed the Dave with CD instead(different rooms). I might get another dock later on for use with the Dave for convenience.
Thomas


----------



## Arghavan

Hey guys, I'm a bit new to this hobby. can somebody help me?
I looked at the specs of WM1A and it apparently has 250mW output power in balanced (16ohms load) which I'm correct is equal to about 2 Vrms (16 ohms). My last DAP (AK300) had 1.95 Vrms (No Load). how does it convert to 16ohms load? what does it equal to? (mW 16ohms)
Thanks


----------



## meomap

Aslshark said:


> Hi, I can confirm that the dock also works with the Chord Dave. I use the dock with the Sony TA-ZH1ES and feed the Dave with CD instead(different rooms). I might get another dock later on for use with the Dave for convenience.
> Thomas


 Hi,
Thank you for reassuring that Sony dock is working with Chord products.
I am thinking of Qutest model too. Cost is reasonable. 
Heard TT2 is astounding but close to $6k usd?
Heard about Denafripps Terminator DAC being very good also around $4300 usd.


----------



## NickleCo

So apparently theres a new update anyone tried it? Would love to load it onto mine but im on a trip and only brought my phone and the 1a.

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/downloads/00015733


----------



## nc8000

DatDudeNic said:


> So apparently theres a new update anyone tried it? Would love to load it onto mine but im on a trip and only brought my phone and the 1a.
> 
> https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/downloads/00015733



Yes it’s been out for a little over a week and there are several comments in this thread. Main things are that the crashes that I and others experienced with 3.0 have been fixed and the database build is a lot faster


----------



## Duncan

nc8000 said:


> Yes it’s been out for a little over a week and there are several comments in this thread. Main things are that the crashes that I and others experienced with 3.0 have been fixed and the database build is a lot faster


Definite that the database loads a truck load faster...

More contentious is, to me - it feels like Sony upped the voltage (well, power) in the output stage, I perceive it as sounding “louder”, but that could well be placebo / expectation bias, regardless - sounds extra good to me now (having started on 3.0)


----------



## NickleCo

nc8000 said:


> Yes it’s been out for a little over a week and there are several comments in this thread. Main things are that the crashes that I and others experienced with 3.0 have been fixed and the database build is a lot faster


Oh cool im goin to find an internet cafe then lol. Thanks for the reply!


----------



## proedros

is *wm1a on 3.01* still metallic-sounding like 3.0 was ? or more balanced/natural like 2.0 ?

wm1a owners only please , thank you


----------



## denis1976 (Dec 22, 2018)

Metallic...maybe in the 1A in the 1Z no way, the 3.01 maybe has a more mids up front like the 1.2 but with a wider soundstage , the 2.0 in the 1Z is the less organic sound firmware, but maybe in the 1A the things are diferent


----------



## denis1976

Sorry i didnt see the 1A owners only....


----------



## blazinblazin

proedros said:


> is *wm1a on 3.01* still metallic-sounding like 3.0 was ? or more balanced/natural like 2.0 ?
> 
> wm1a owners only please , thank you


To me it seems less metallic sounding. More realistic/natural sounding with sharper details. Some songs are not as in your face which i get in 3.0.


----------



## buzzlulu

Has anyone done any comparisons using an iphone as a source (Tidal full res.) and feeding it into the 1Z as a DAC vs. any of the Chord products (Hugo2/new TT/ etc.) as a DAC?

Curious to know how the 1Z as a DAC compares to the Chord products.  I have the 1Z and had a Mojo a while ago (the original Hugo did not impress me that much over the Mojo)


----------



## KaiserTK

Like previously, I did a comparison between the 3.01 and the 2.0 for the 1A. 

No sound quality changes which I can definitively hear. Which is a surprise since I heard a substantial difference between the 2.0 and 3.0. Even more weird to think that fw changes can alter the sound so much...

Anyway, props to Sony for fixing their issues! I’ll definitely be upgrading my 1A to the new fw.


----------



## auronthas

fiascogarcia said:


> If you plug it into a wall wart, it should charge without turning on.


Strange… I charged my WM1A via phone charger plugged into wall power socket, with Sony USB-WMport connected to WM1A, it is still turn on the DAP.


----------



## Redcarmoose

KaiserTK said:


> Like previously, I did a comparison between the 3.01 and the 2.0 for the 1A.
> 
> No sound quality changes which I can definitively hear. Which is a surprise since I heard a substantial difference between the 2.0 and 3.0. Even more weird to think that fw changes can alter the sound so much...
> 
> Anyway, props to Sony for fixing their issues! I’ll definitely be upgrading my 1A to the new fw.




That’s interesting that you think 3.01 and 2.0 sound the same with the 1A? I may have to try 1A/3.01?


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Dec 22, 2018)

I find 3.01 slightly more musical and more clarity compared to 3.0 on 1Z using Sony EX 1000k. Maybe less brightness too. Same with EE Phantom. My cable is Triton 8

I like this better than 3.0 & should have greater clarity than 2.0, assuming they sound similar.


----------



## NickleCo

It may just be placebo but the 3.01 update feels like it had a boost in volume. Before with my zeus i normally go around 14 on high gain with balanced now i go around 10-12. And on my hs1551 (stock everything) it sounds as if its properly driven now, before on 3.00 i constantly feel like it needed more power to optimally make use of its capabilities. Also bass sounds tighter?


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> Strange… I charged my WM1A via phone charger plugged into wall power socket, with Sony USB-WMport connected to WM1A, it is still turn on the DAP.



That’s how I charge mine and it always is on


----------



## AmusedToD

Just a quick question, do the 1A and 1Z support two way Bluetooth? Are they able to receive signal from a smartphone or other Bluetooth enabled devices (for example Apple TV, Nvidia Shield, etc.) or do they only transmit the signal to Bluetooth receivers?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 23, 2018)

Yes, but you can’t go digital out to the dock while in BT mode. The only sound output receiving goes to the 3.5mm or 4.4mm analog output.

Looks like your putting together a 1A/ TA system! Enjoy! You’ll love it!

They broadcast BT out to a phone, and take a BT signal and become the DAC for the internal amplifier only.


----------



## endlesswaves

Just upgraded to FW 3.01. Missing some sparkles and bite and more compressed comparing with 3.0.  Needed more listening but at the moment pining for 3.0's sound signature. Is it just me


----------



## AmusedToD

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, but you can’t go digital out to the dock while in BT mode. The only sound output receiving goes to the 3.5mm or 4.4mm analog output.
> 
> Looks like your putting together a 1A/ TA system! Enjoy! You’ll love it!
> 
> They broadcast BT out to a phone, and take a BT signal and become the DAC for the internal amplifier only.



Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, my intention is to set up a 1A/TA system. The TA will be delivered to me soon, just need to source the 1A (either buy a used one or trade my QP2R for a 1A).

If the 1A is able to receive BT signal, then I can sell both the EarStudio ES100 and the A&K XB10 receivers to free some cash.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 23, 2018)

AmusedToD said:


> Just a quick question, do the 1A and 1Z support two way Bluetooth? Are they able to receive signal from a smartphone or other Bluetooth enabled devices (for example Apple TV, Nvidia Shield, etc.) or do they only transmit the signal to Bluetooth receivers?





AmusedToD said:


> Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, my intention is to set up a 1A/TA system. The TA will be delivered to me soon, just need to source the 1A (either buy a used one or trade my QP2R for a 1A).
> 
> If the 1A is able to receive BT signal, then I can sell both the EarStudio ES100 and the A&K XB10 receivers to free some cash.



Not to throw a monkey wrench into your motor running here; but you should probably be aware of a few things. The 1A only does the reception of BT in firmware 3.0 and firmware 3.01. I only use the 1A in firmware 2.0 and I don’t like the sound of 3.0 with the 1A. Many here have rolled back the 1A to an earlier firmware giving up the BT receiver function but retaining the BT broadcast function of 2.0.

3.0 firmware just doesn’t have enough bass. But if your only concern is to use the 1A as a file transport for the Sony TA you will love it. The TA amp goes way past the abilities of the portable Walkmans in sound.


----------



## AmusedToD

Redcarmoose said:


> Not to throw a monkey wrench into your motor running here; but you should probably be aware of a few things. The 1A only does the reception of BT in firmware 3.0 and firmware 3.01. I only use the 1A in firmware 2.0 and I don’t like the sound of 3.0 with the 1A. Many here have rolled back the 1A to an earlier firmware giving up the BT receiver function but retaining the BT broadcast function of 2.0.
> 
> 3.0 firmware just doesn’t have enough bass. But if your only concern is to use the 1A as a file transport for the Sony TA you will love it. The TA amp goes way past the abilities of the portable Walkmans in sound.



Is it really such a difference? Just a firmware revision? Has anybody contacted Sony?


----------



## Duncan

Am I missing a point? Why would you want two way BT? If you’re connecting a source to the player via BT, and then connecting straight to a BT headphone / speaker, why use the 1A/Z at all? You’re surely just adding an extra cog to the wheel?


----------



## Redcarmoose

AmusedToD said:


> Is it really such a difference? Just a firmware revision? Has anybody contacted Sony?


It maybe depends on personal preference. Also maybe what IEMs you use? I’m just letting you know in case your planning on selling everything. It’s maybe 50/50 around here, who knows? I like 3.01 with the 1Z but leave 2.0 with the 1A. It seems maybe it’s difficult for Sony to do one FW for two different sounding players.


----------



## AmusedToD

Duncan said:


> Am I missing a point? Why would you want two way BT? If you’re connecting a source to the player via BT, and then connecting straight to a BT headphone / speaker, why use the 1A/Z at all? You’re surely just adding an extra cog to the wheel?



I don’t need two way, I just need the BT receiver capability, and I see it has been added with firmware 3.0.


----------



## AmusedToD

And another thing, the European version of the 1A apparently lacks the high gain switch. I see some people are complaining about it. So without the high gain, is the 1A able to drive headphones like the Focal Utopia at all?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 23, 2018)

AmusedToD said:


> And another thing, the European version of the 1A apparently lacks the high gain switch. I see some people are complaining about it. So without the high gain, is the 1A able to drive headphones like the Focal Utopia at all?



It’s maybe subjective if your headphones are powered right. You change the location with Rockbox to remove the volume limit and have all the power like everyone else. I can’t comment on if it’s sufficient for your headphones but my Z7 and Z1R sound way loud enough. The TA gets a slight better damping factor resulting in more defined bass. The TA helps with imaging and speed, maybe the soundstage is even better with most gear, than with the handheld Walkmans? Your getting the Kimber Kable too right? Not sure how it is with your headphones but the TA/Z1R/Kimber is special in my use.

Remember too....you may love how firmware 3.01 sounds with your headphones. It’s just hard to recommend anything if you haven’t heard it, nor should you move ahead without hearing stuff first. IMO

I heard all my gear before purchase. It’s the only correct way to do it.

Though the 1A is so clear and non-colored you can almost recommend it to anyone. I could not see how anyone would not like it, especially with FW 2.0?


----------



## AmusedToD

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s maybe subjective if your headphones are powered right. You change the location with Rockbox to remove the volume limit and have all the power like everyone else. I can’t comment on if it’s sufficient for your headphones but my Z7 and Z1R sound way loud enough. The TA gets a slight better damping factor resulting in more defined bass. The TA helps with imaging and speed, maybe the soundstage is even better with most gear, than with the handheld Walkmans? Your getting the Kimber Kable too right? Not sure how it is with your headphones but the TA/Z1R/Kimber is special in my use.
> 
> Remember too....you may love how firmware 3.01 sounds with your headphones. It’s just hard to recommend anything if you haven’t heard it, nor should you move ahead without hearing stuff first. IMO
> 
> ...




Wow, thanks for the detailed review. You guys figured it all out Would you be kind to explain the Rockbox thing in more detail?

Yes, I am getting the Axios as well. Many people over at the TA thread say that Utopia pairs fantastically with the TA, some claim the match is even better than with the Z1R. Will have to wait and see. 

I suppose the Axios will tame that neutrality (perhaps brightness?) of the 3.0.1 firmware, but then again, I am not a big fan of too warm sound signature. I like neutrality, resolution and clarity, hence the Utopia was my pick.


----------



## nc8000

AmusedToD said:


> Wow, thanks for the detailed review. You guys figured it all out Would you be kind to explain the Rockbox thing in more detail?
> 
> Yes, I am getting the Axios as well. Many people over at the TA thread say that Utopia pairs fantastically with the TA, some claim the match is even better than with the Z1R. Will have to wait and see.
> 
> I suppose the Axios will tame that neutrality (perhaps brightness?) of the 3.0.1 firmware, but then again, I am not a big fan of too warm sound signature. I like neutrality, resolution and clarity, hence the Utopia was my pick.



https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool


----------



## Redcarmoose

AmusedToD said:


> Wow, thanks for the detailed review. You guys figured it all out Would you be kind to explain the Rockbox thing in more detail?
> 
> Yes, I am getting the Axios as well. Many people over at the TA thread say that Utopia pairs fantastically with the TA, some claim the match is even better than with the Z1R. Will have to wait and see.
> 
> I suppose the Axios will tame that neutrality (perhaps brightness?) of the 3.0.1 firmware, but then again, I am not a big fan of too warm sound signature. I like neutrality, resolution and clarity, hence the Utopia was my pick.



Well that’s the cool thing you can plug your headphones into the 4.4mm of the 1A or 4.4mm of the TA. I thought you were getting the regular Kimber? That’s amazing the Axios. Also you may find the 1A is going to be a big source upgrade to the TA from regular CD transport or computer. Some feel so.


----------



## AmusedToD

nc8000 said:


> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool



Thanks!


----------



## AmusedToD

Redcarmoose said:


> Well that’s the cool thing you can plug your headphones into the 4.4mm of the 1A or 4.4mm of the TA. I thought you were getting the regular Kimber? That’s amazing the Axios. Also you may find the 1A is going to be a big source upgrade to the TA from regular CD transport or computer. Some feel so.



I am getting the Axios CU for the Focal Utopia with the 4.4mm plug (+200€ on top the regular Axios price because they charge €100 for the 4.4mm plug and another €100 for the LEMO plugs). But if I get the WM1A, I will be able to use the 4.4mm cable for both the TA and 1A. In that case everything makes sense price wise.

BTW, some people mentioned a specific cradle/docking station for the 1A/1Z that supports aftermarket USB cables (type A input). Any idea which cradle that may be (part number)?


----------



## nc8000

AmusedToD said:


> I am getting the Axios CU for the Focal Utopia with the 4.4mm plug (+200€ on top the regular Axios price because they charge €100 for the 4.4mm plug and another €100 for the LEMO plugs). But if I get the WM1A, I will be able to use the 4.4mm cable for both the TA and 1A. In that case everything makes sense price wise.
> 
> BTW, some people mentioned a specific cradle/docking station for the 1A/1Z that supports aftermarket USB cables (type A input). Any idea which cradle that may be (part number)?


----------



## AmusedToD

nc8000 said:


>



That’s it, many thanks!

I see this cradles uses a 5V power adapter. Does the USB digital out work without the cradle being plugged into power, meaning is it possible to use the 1A as a digital source to the TA through this cradle without having to charge it (and pollute the transfer) at the same time?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 23, 2018)

AmusedToD said:


> I am getting the Axios CU for the Focal Utopia with the 4.4mm plug (+200€ on top the regular Axios price because they charge €100 for the 4.4mm plug and another €100 for the LEMO plugs). But if I get the WM1A, I will be able to use the 4.4mm cable for both the TA and 1A. In that case everything makes sense price wise.
> 
> BTW, some people mentioned a specific cradle/docking station for the 1A/1Z that supports aftermarket USB cables (type A input). Any idea which cradle that may be (part number)?



Here
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1739#post-14671969

All the power does is charge the DAP. DAP runs on battery if dock not plugged in.


----------



## nc8000

AmusedToD said:


> That’s it, many thanks!
> 
> I see this cradles uses a 5V power adapter. Does the USB digital out work without the cradle being plugged into power, meaning is it possible to use the 1A as a digital source to the TA through this cradle without having to charge it (and pollute the transfer) at the same time?



Don’t know but don’t think so. I only ever used it as a(rather expensive) charging cradle which is why I have just sold after finding the much cheaoer cradle that Sony makes that just fits the stock WM cable


----------



## AmusedToD

Redcarmoose said:


> Here
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1739#post-14671969
> 
> All the power does is charge the DAP. DAP runs on battery if dock not plugged in.



Has anybody tried a linear PSU with this cradle, or at least an Ifi iPower 5v? Might help with the AC pollution going into the transfer lines while the DAP is acting as source to an external DAC/amp.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 23, 2018)

AmusedToD said:


> Has anybody tried a linear PSU with this cradle, or at least an Ifi iPower 5v? Might help with the AC pollution going into the transfer lines while the DAP is acting as source to an external DAC/amp.



If that bugs you just unplug and use the DAP off battery power. Your best upgrade will maybe be the AudioQuest Carbon USB. Maybe a power regeneration system for the TA? You may want the AudioQuest Diamond? I use the Carbon with nice results.

But I have a feeling you may notice the biggest change from leaving CD transports and computers and like the 1A as a source file transport to the TA.


----------



## AmusedToD

Redcarmoose said:


> If that bugs you just unplug and use the DAP off battery power. Your best upgrade will maybe be the AudioQuest Carbon USB. Maybe a power regeneration system for the TA? You may want the AudioQuest Diamond? I use the Carbon with nice results.



That was my initial question. Will the DAP work as a source to the TA while being connected to an unplugged cradle (meaning running on its internal battery without being charged at the same time)?


----------



## Redcarmoose

AmusedToD said:


> That was my initial question. Will the DAP work as a source to the TA while being connected to an unplugged cradle (meaning running on its internal battery without being charged at the same time)?



If you look I already explained that.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1742#post-14674270


----------



## AmusedToD

Redcarmoose said:


> If you look I already explained that.



So you have tried this scenario and it works? Does that mean the cradle is powered by the DAP’s battery in this case? Or perhaps it doesn’t need power at all to be just a USB out hub (less likely).

Too many questions, I know. Just trying to figure out the modus operandi of the cradle.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 23, 2018)

Why are you asking me the same question over and over?

I use a power conditioner for the cradle and at times I’m too lazy to turn it on so I drop the DAP in the cradle and run it off battery to the TA. It sounds the same plugged in as not plugged in.

The AC to the cradle is to charge the DAPs.


----------



## AmusedToD

Redcarmoose said:


> Why are you asking me the same question over and over?
> 
> I use a power conditioner for the cradle and at times I’m too lazy to turn it on so I drop the DAP in the cradle and run it off battery to the TA. It sounds the same plugged in as not plugged in.
> 
> The AC to the cradle is to charge the DAPs.



I asked the same question because I couldn’t find a definitive answer in the post you linked above. But now everything is cleared, thank you.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 23, 2018)

AmusedToD said:


> I asked the same question because I couldn’t find a definitive answer in the post you linked above. But now everything is cleared, thank you.



There is a specific reason why the folks think the dock sounds different than the USB adapter when connecting the DAPs to the TA. The DAPs can be side connected with a mini USB which is what is included with the TA. Or you can get the dock or the USB adapter.

But folks have disassembled the dock to reveal parts they believe the USB signal goes past. Now I can’t hear a difference when the dock is unplugged so I think those parts run off USB power? All of these differences are really slight and could border on the power of suggestion. IMO

This transfer is why many of us believe the USB AudioQuest Carbon makes a difference. I still need to do a blind test to confirm there is a real difference and not placebo from the cable in sighted tests.


----------



## AmusedToD

Redcarmoose said:


> There is a specific reason why the folks think the dock sounds different than the USB adapter when connecting the DAPs to the TA. The DAPs can be side connected with a mini USB which is what is included with the TA. Or you can get the dock or the USB adapter.
> 
> But folks have disassembled the dock to reveal parts they believe the USB signal goes past. Now I can’t hear a difference when the dock is unplugged so I think those parts run off USB power? All of these differences are really slight and could border on the power of suggestion. IMO
> 
> This transfer is why many of us believe the USB AudioQuest Carbon makes a difference. I still need to do a blind test to confirm there is a real difference and not placebo from the cable in sighted tests.




No need to disassemble, there is a picture of the cradle’s main board on the Sony Japan website.

 

Apparently it uses OS-CON capacitors.

This is a quote from another forum:

“I bought the BCR-NWH10, as well, because the battery drain when using the WMC cable is insane; the battery life drops to around 6-8 hours in digital out mode, from a full charge. The BCR cradle is self-powered, which allows you to play and charge at the same time, not only fixing the battery drain issue but also allowing the connection to DACs that draw too much power. 

FWIW the OSCONs in the BCR are for power stability only. They do nothing for the output power, per se. The cradle does tend to improve sound somewhat; I suspect there's a fairly dirty or jittery signal, and the cradle improves this somewhat, also allowing something like a USB decrapifier which tends to improve things further-and make it a really rather good transport, at that point. I haven't done any serious comparisons with my MBP, but I use it a lot on my work rig and felt it was good enough to leave the MBP at home.”


----------



## Redcarmoose

AmusedToD said:


> No need to disassemble, there is a picture of the cradle’s main board on the Sony Japan website.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thank-you for that. Also he does not talk about USB cables making a difference in the connection but using a USB filter. You may find a better cable changes things. The Carbon uses silver for contacts as well as has radio interface shielding which some believe helps get the transfer over better. Though this is all very opinionated as a subject, which is why I still need to do a blind test. In sighted tests the better USB cable makes a difference.


----------



## AmusedToD

Redcarmoose said:


> Thank-you for that. Also he does not talk about USB cables making a difference in the connection but using a USB filter. You may find a better cable changes things. The Carbon uses silver for contacts as well as has radio interface shielding which some believe helps get the transfer over better. Though this is all very opinionated as a subject, which is why I still need to do a blind test. In sighted tests the better USB cable makes a difference.



Sure, I have the Lush^2 USB cable which is better than anything I have tried in the past (including Curious cable, Wireworld and Audioquest Cinnamon). 

The guy I quoted says the capacitors are for power stability only. If that’s the case, then they don’t do anything to the output digital signal if the cradle is unplugged while the DAP is playing. As least that’s my understanding, perhaps I got it wrong.


----------



## Redcarmoose

AmusedToD said:


> Sure, I have the Lush^2 USB cable which is better than anything I have tried in the past (including Curious cable, Wireworld and Audioquest Cinnamon).
> 
> The guy I quoted says the capacitors are for power stability only. If that’s the case, then they don’t do anything to the output digital signal if the cradle is unplugged while the DAP is playing. As least that’s my understanding, perhaps I got it wrong.


https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/

Whitigir has thought the electronics where connected with the USB transfer? Though he has moved away from Sony gear onto bigger and better.


----------



## Mindstorms

Guys 3.01 Firm Is out anyone is running it? you think they changed the sound again? Bass?


----------



## captblaze

Japanese DAP + Japanese Amp + ChiFi cable + German Cans = many smiles

I have been cycling through FWs 2.0, 3.0 and 3.01. I can go back to 1.2, but I keep getting a persistent error message asking for a reboot which doesn't fix the error. I would try a factory reset, but I don't want to reset the timer. the above hardware combo with FW 3.01 provides the best overall sound for my ears and I will be hard pressed to change FW in the future


----------



## Fsilva

Is it possible to use the WM1A as a DAC with the Sony BCR-NWH10 connected to my Mac? If so, will i need any special cable?
The idea is to listen to the music i have on my Mac but using the WM1A/Dock through my powered speakers (Yamaha HS7)


----------



## meomap

Hi,
Just ordered the Sony cradle anyway.
Will test after 01012019 to see how the sound.


----------



## Mindstorms (Dec 23, 2018)

captblaze said:


> Japanese DAP + Japanese Amp + ChiFi cable + German Cans = many smiles
> 
> I have been cycling through FWs 2.0, 3.0 and 3.01. I can go back to 1.2, but I keep getting a persistent error message asking for a reboot which doesn't fix the error. I would try a factory reset, but I don't want to reset the timer. the above hardware combo with FW 3.01 provides the best overall sound for my ears and I will be hard pressed to change FW in the future


Friend I FACED this error one of my messages states how to fix it... its a database error you have to go 1.2 and put most files in again and erase all trash files never use playlists reset factory settings, can you give some sound insights??? will be apreciated you on SE? Any diferrence in sound from 3.0 to 3.01? reset didnt solve the issue for me coping the files again did.. and removing SE card... only main memory files where the issue whats your headphones brand name? have in mind that re writing files in main disk may degrade its performance overtime so....


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/
> 
> Whitigir has thought the electronics where connected with the USB transfer? Though he has moved away from Sony gear onto bigger and better.



I had modified 2 cradles, and so I know them well.  The cradles is acting as 2 things.

1/ Charge the Walkman simultaneously
2/ transfer files in and out of Walkman via a switch

The cradles also has reclocking signals and isolation to improve digital signals via USB.  It is the Same principal as the dongles but with bigger capacitors such as film capacitors and os-con, and bigger IC.  If you know IFI I-purifier, the cradle is similar, but with different technology and implementation using Sony patented design and IC, which also charges the Walkman or transfer files.

The cradles is crazily cheap for what it can do, period


----------



## NickleCo

AmusedToD said:


> Just a quick question, do the 1A and 1Z support two way Bluetooth? Are they able to receive signal from a smartphone or other Bluetooth enabled devices (for example Apple TV, Nvidia Shield, etc.) or do they only transmit the signal to Bluetooth receivers?


Like recieve files?


----------



## Redcarmoose

DatDudeNic said:


> Like recieve files?



Only BT music information.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 23, 2018)

Fsilva said:


> Is it possible to use the WM1A as a DAC with the Sony BCR-NWH10 connected to my Mac? If so, will i need any special cable?
> The idea is to listen to the music i have on my Mac but using the WM1A/Dock through my powered speakers (Yamaha HS7)



You use the provided cable to use the 1A as a DAC, no need for a USB adapter; as long as your using 3.0 and above. Just switch the player into DAC mode and plug it in.


----------



## flyer1 (Dec 24, 2018)

Believe I found a bug in 3.01. Trying to select a sound setting in the saved sound settings(1-3) menu it always asks to overwrite the current saved sound setting but there is no way to retrieve the saved setting anymore?

Others have this as well?


----------



## Duncan

flyer1 said:


> Believe I found a bug in 3.01. Trying to select a sound setting in the saved sound settings(1-3) menu it always asks to overwrite the current saved sound setting but there is no way to retrieve the saved setting anymore?
> 
> Others have this as well?


Not used it before, but agree with you - whether you press the save button or not, pressing 1,2 or 3 says it will overwrite.


----------



## kingdixon

flyer1 said:


> Believe I found a bug in 3.01. Trying to select a sound setting in the saved sound settings(1-3) menu it always asks to overwrite the current saved sound setting but there is no way to retrieve the saved setting anymore?
> 
> Others have this as well?



Well, it is working fine, just wrong text.

Press any of the 3 settings, then press ok on the overwrite question and it will load it.

And to save press the save button and choose one of the 3 spots.


----------



## flyer1 (Dec 24, 2018)

Duncan said:


> Not used it before, but agree with you - whether you press the save button or not, pressing 1,2 or 3 says it will overwrite.



Never use it either. Just noticed it when playing around but as Kingdixon correctly mentioned above just the text is wrong..

At least this for me perfect FW can still be perfected even more in a future FW update!


----------



## nc8000

flyer1 said:


> Never use it either. Just noticed it when playing around but as Kingdixon correctly mentioned above the text is wrong..
> 
> At least this for me perfect FW can still be perfected even more in a future FW update!



The overwrite message I think refers to overwriting the current active settings with the settings from the presets


----------



## flyer1

nc8000 said:


> The overwrite message I think refers to overwriting the current active settings with the settings from the presets



Correct but it says it both on tapping a slot to select and on save current setting.


----------



## nc8000

flyer1 said:


> Correct but it says it both on tapping a slot to select and on save current setting.



Yes cause it is overwriting whatever is in current settings or one of the 3 presets depending on which way you go


----------



## Duncan

nc8000 said:


> Yes cause it is overwriting whatever is in current settings or one of the 3 presets depending on which way you go


Makes sense.


----------



## flyer1

nc8000 said:


> Yes cause it is overwriting whatever is in current settings or one of the 3 presets depending on which way you go



I get the point now. No FW update needed then


----------



## AmusedToD

Anybody in Europe who wants to sell a lightly used WM1A, please send me a pm


----------



## Mindstorms

so sound-wise its like 3.0 right? it doesent have more bass than 3.0? couse if its like that i stay 2.0


----------



## Duncan

One maybe coincidental side effect of 3.01 is that the LDAC receiver element seems more stable, happy to have my Xz3 using sound quality preferred option as seems to have no drop outs now whereas on 3.0 I had to have best effort on.


----------



## alphanumerix1

Duncan said:


> One maybe coincidental side effect of 3.01 is that the LDAC receiver element seems more stable, happy to have my Xz3 using sound quality preferred option as seems to have no drop outs now whereas on 3.0 I had to have best effort on.



I've found the same thing


----------



## NickleCo

Okay after extensive listening theres really no difference between fw 3.00 and 3.01.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hey there who rip their SACD to iso. I Bought a SACD and i am currently in Germany, who offers his help to rip it to me if I send the disc to you, thanks


----------



## captblaze

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hey there who rip their SACD to iso. I Bought a SACD and i am currently in Germany, who offers his help to rip it to me if I send the disc to you, thanks



pm me


----------



## Mindstorms

DatDudeNic said:


> Okay after extensive listening theres really no difference between fw 3.00 and 3.01.


THANK YOU! not yeling just taunting a little lol


----------



## Duncan

Definitely feels different to me, albeit as I said in an earlier post, it seems like the output [power] has been boosted slightly - but I don’t have two players side by side.


----------



## nc8000

I have an “interesting” experience. One of the 2-pin connectors on my SuperBax cable had developed a loose connection so a friend of mine (the one who last year reterminated the cable to 4.4 mm) has replaced both 2-pin connectors with Idolic connectors. I use this cable with my JH13 ciem and the 1Z. After getting it back I now have to turn the volume on the 1Z to 70 where I used to be at 50 to get the usual loudness. My Z5 and Z1R are still at the volume they always have been at. Anybody have any idea why this is.


----------



## flyer1

Duncan said:


> Definitely feels different to me, albeit as I said in an earlier post, it seems like the output [power] has been boosted slightly - but I don’t have two players side by side.



My feeling as well,find myself lowering volume levels with 3.01.


----------



## koven

1A balanced sounds awesome  Merry Christmas to the WM1x family!


----------



## NickleCo

Duncan said:


> Definitely feels different to me, albeit as I said in an earlier post, it seems like the output [power] has been boosted slightly - but I don’t have two players side by side.


I initially tought of the same but i noticed that reverting back to 3.00 gave me the same results (louder output). Now i havent done any extensive forms of a/b testing like having 2 players on 3.00 and 3.01 respectively but i think its our brains adjusting to the sound levels right after not listing to music after a certain period of time due to the device updating firmwares. Feel free to ridicule my post hehe since thats one of the joys of this hobby  being able to discuss our different opinions.


----------



## chaturanga

gerelmx1986 said:


> Tap settings (toolbox) > tap settings > scroll al the way down and tap Unit information >the total count is in Audio played



Is that total playing time being reset after firmware upgrades or after reseting the device?


----------



## Duncan

chaturanga said:


> Is that total playing time being reset after firmware upgrades or after reseting the device?


Only after factory resets, but it does NOT include Bluetooth receiver usage


----------



## chaturanga

Duncan said:


> Only after factory resets, but it does NOT include Bluetooth receiver usage



Thank you for quick reply 

I just got a used WM1A. I want to compare with my Opus#2. One of them will go after comparing both.


----------



## Whitigir

chaturanga said:


> Thank you for quick reply
> 
> I just got a used WM1A. I want to compare with my Opus#2. One of them will go after comparing both.


I am sure opus #2 will go 0_0


----------



## chaturanga

Whitigir said:


> I am sure opus #2 will go 0_0





WM1A should win by a huge margin to convince me leaving behind the streaming option of Opus#2.


----------



## aisalen

chaturanga said:


> Thank you for quick reply
> 
> I just got a used WM1A. I want to compare with my Opus#2. One of them will go after comparing both.


I sold my Opus#1 and Aune M2 Pro dap without looking back


----------



## chaturanga

aisalen said:


> I sold my Opus#1 and Aune M2 Pro dap without looking back



Let's see what will happen at my side


----------



## nc8000

chaturanga said:


> WM1A should win by a huge margin to convince me leaving behind the streaming option of Opus#2.



You could always stream from another device over BT to the 1A


----------



## NickleCo

chaturanga said:


> Let's see what will happen at my side


Sold both my hiby r6 and pioneer xdp 300r for the 1a best decision ever my zeus sounds heavenly now


----------



## NickleCo

nc8000 said:


> You could always stream from another device over BT to the 1A


Tbh this is one of the best feature of the device before when i still had my 300r and r6 i was switching between the 2 due to streaming and watching youtube vids. R6 for streaming and 300r for watching vids. I rarely ever used my phone for those stuff.


----------



## NickleCo

You may think using the 1a as a bt reciever is clunky but man its one of those things that you never knew you needed until u have it lol


----------



## chaturanga

DatDudeNic said:


> Sold both my hiby r6 and pioneer xdp 300r for the 1a best decision ever my zeus sounds heavenly now



I did not listen R6 but did 300R about a week. It's a horrible sounding device for me


----------



## Joe Tan

Hi which setting does 1z owners here use on 3.01 filmware ?

More keen on opinions comparing berween std vinyl & direct source. 
(All other setting off)


----------



## nc8000

Joe Tan said:


> Hi which setting does 1z owners here use on 3.01 filmware ?
> 
> More keen on opinions comparing berween std vinyl & direct source.
> (All other setting off)



Always direct source


----------



## Joe Tan (Dec 25, 2018)

@nc8000 , thks for fast reply !

But do vocal sound better or more forward to you on vinyl ?

And you are always on direct mode ? Why ?

For me i uses both , and like both.
Direct more separation (layering , holographic?) and vinyl more intimate ? To me


----------



## nc8000

Joe Tan said:


> @nc8000 , thks for fast reply !
> 
> But do vocal sound better or more forward to you on vinyl ?
> 
> ...



I detect very little sound difference using the various modes so stick to direct source to maximise battery time


----------



## Joe Tan

Roger that , thanks

Merry Christmas to you and all on this tread !


----------



## Tawek

obravo eamt2c + 1z   my preferences are 3.0 - the largest soundstage , the best bass ,great resolution, the best 3d and space rendering,
 sound detached from the head 
 To me the best firmware almost perfect small errors in the software score 9.5 / 10


----------



## buduba0604

Just want to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all here. 
This was my first year taking a deep dive into flourishing my love for music.
Everyone here has been amazing and helpful.
It's been a joy and I am looking forward to what next year brings!
Cheers!!!


----------



## OG10

Have any of you been using the WM1A for a good while with Shure SE846? I am thinking of taking the plunge, but wanted to know what your experiences have been like.


----------



## Lookout57

chaturanga said:


> Thank you for quick reply
> 
> I just got a used WM1A. I want to compare with my Opus#2. One of them will go after comparing both.


No contest, WM1A by a huge margin. 

The Sony ZX300 even beats the OPUS#2 and it costs a lot less.


----------



## ryaneagon

OG10 said:


> Have any of you been using the WM1A for a good while with Shure SE846? I am thinking of taking the plunge, but wanted to know what your experiences have been like.



I use my 846's with a WM1Z. I absolutely love the paring. very well balanced and smooth using the blue filters. They couple other daps I've used I've preferred the black filter.Hope this helps.


----------



## duaned

OG10 said:


> Have any of you been using the WM1A for a good while with Shure SE846? I am thinking of taking the plunge, but wanted to know what your experiences have been like.




Yes it’s a perfect pairing no contest.


----------



## chaturanga

Lookout57 said:


> No contest, WM1A by a huge margin.
> 
> The Sony ZX300 even beats the OPUS#2 and it costs a lot less.



May be you are talking based on 4.4mm out but my 4.4 to 2.5 adapter will arrive tomorrow.

Todays first listening sessions with 3.5 out tells me different story. Opus#2 is up for me. But my Opus#2 is burned in hundreds of hours, WM1A is still below 20 hours.

Let's see what comes out of 4.4 jack tomorrow and what happens after more burn in


----------



## OG10

Thanks for the input guys 

I am going to pull the trigger I think!


----------



## Dtuck90

When you create a playlist on the player itself with songs from a microsd card, is the playlist itself stored on the microsd card or the internal memory?


----------



## Lookout57

chaturanga said:


> May be you are talking based on 4.4mm out but my 4.4 to 2.5 adapter will arrive tomorrow.
> 
> Todays first listening sessions with 3.5 out tells me different story. Opus#2 is up for me. But my Opus#2 is burned in hundreds of hours, WM1A is still below 20 hours.
> 
> Let's see what comes out of 4.4 jack tomorrow and what happens after more burn in


I have the same balanced cable in 2.5 and 4.4 and the Sony still blows the OPUS away.


----------



## Joe Tan

Dtuck90 said:


> When you create a playlist on the player itself with songs from a microsd card, is the playlist itself stored on the microsd card or the internal memory?



Its stored and memorize on sd card.
When i use the card on my phone its still has the playlist.
Hope that helps.


----------



## ryaneagon

Joe Tan said:


> Its stored and memorize on sd card.
> When i use the card on my phone its still has the playlist.
> Hope that helps.



Both internal and SD. One of the few drawbacks of this device, you cannot build a playlist with both internal and SD music they have to stay separate. So in my case,  I have all my Hi-res audio on the internal, my Lossless and Lossy reside on the SD card, I can't build a playlist with all 3 formats.


----------



## chaturanga

Lookout57 said:


> I have the same balanced cable in 2.5 and 4.4 and the Sony still blows the OPUS away.



So you mean even on 3.5mm comparison WM1A "blowns away" Opus#2? Sorry but I disagree (at least for now). They are very very compatible and no need to change either, if someone already owns one of them.

And please keep in mind my WM1A is below 20 hours of burn in. If burn in will make a serious gap and I will be blown away, that will make me happy only.


----------



## chaturanga (Dec 26, 2018)

Someone please can help how to use Bluetooth receiver mode properly?

I have LG V20 (supports AptX HD). I set Bluetooth quality to AptX HD on WM1A and turned on BT receiver mode.

When I pair both, then WM1A shows "AAC connected" and my V20 shows just a BT device is connected.

But normally when I pair with an AptX HD device, V20 should say "AptX HD device is connected"

Is there something I am doing wrong?


----------



## nc8000

chaturanga said:


> Someone please can help how to use Bluetooth receiver mode properly?
> 
> I have LG V20 (supports AptX HD). I set Bluetooth quality to AptX HD on WM1A and turned on BT receiver mode.
> 
> ...



I think those settings only refer to connections going out from the Sony player not going in


----------



## chaturanga

nc8000 said:


> I think those settings only refer to connections going out from the Sony player not going in



So you mean probably AptX HD is not available when WM1A is receiving side?


----------



## nc8000

chaturanga said:


> So you mean probably AptX HD is not available when WM1A is receiving side?



That's my guess but I only have iOS devices streaming to my 1Z so I'm always on aac


----------



## proedros

chaturanga said:


> So you mean even on 3.5mm comparison WM1A "blowns away" Opus#2? Sorry but I disagree (at least for now). They are very very compatible and no need to change either, if someone already owns one of them.
> 
> And please *keep in mind my WM1A is below 20 hours of burn in*. If burn in will make a serious gap and I will be blown away, that will make me happy only.



wait until you have at least 300 hours of burn-in , also go balanced 4.4 as it is much better than 3.5 SE


----------



## chaturanga

proedros said:


> wait until you have at least 300 hours of burn-in , also go balanced 4.4 as it is much better than 3.5 SE



Sure I will do and share my impressions time to time.


----------



## kingdixon

chaturanga said:


> Someone please can help how to use Bluetooth receiver mode properly?
> 
> I have LG V20 (supports AptX HD). I set Bluetooth quality to AptX HD on WM1A and turned on BT receiver mode.
> 
> ...





kingdixon said:


> Just before opening the bluetooth receiver, go to settings, set audio device connectiin setting to ldac sound quality prefered .. and also set receiver playback quality to sound quality prefered .. then open bluetooth receiver and pair with your note 8, access the pairing settings on note 8 and switch the ldac on.



I remember i got it working on LDAC with my note 8, so i guess it is will work on APTX, also if you have oreo on your lg V20 it might support ldac, try playing around with the settings i mentioned above.


----------



## chaturanga

kingdixon said:


> I remember i got it working on LDAC with my note 8, so i guess it is will work on APTX, also if you have oreo on your lg V20 it might support ldac, try playing around with the settings i mentioned above.



Thank you. I will try that way, too. My V20 did not get Oreo update yet, may be because of region. Aptx HD would be enough for now.


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> wait until you have at least 300 hours of burn-in , also go balanced 4.4 as it is much better than 3.5 SE



Exactly.....it may be hard to fathom just how much change is potentially there to change. The players don’t even start to wake up till the first 40 hours. They then get rather good at 100 but sound great at 200 hours then simply keep climbing after 200, though only slight changes. IMO


----------



## NickleCo

chaturanga said:


> I did not listen R6 but did 300R about a week. It's a horrible sounding device for me


Oof, i wouldnt really say horrible but its performance was considerably better compared to the r6. But then again i use extremely sensitive iems so maybe thats a point to consider


----------



## chaturanga

DatDudeNic said:


> Oof, i wouldnt really say horrible but its performance was considerably better compared to the r6. But then again i use extremely sensitive iems so maybe thats a point to consider



If 300R is clearly better than R6, R6 should be a joke lol  

300R was thin, dry and metallic (treble side) sounding. I had no positive feeling on its sound.

I had only positive feeling about it's screen and Android implementation. It was flawless. I even felt into a feeling that the device seemed to be started as a smartphone project but later they changed their mind to make it a DAP 

It has microphone on it, if it had camera and a SIM card slot it would be a good smartphone sure )


----------



## NickleCo

chaturanga said:


> If 300R is clearly better than R6, R6 should be a joke lol
> 
> 300R was thin, dry and metallic (treble side) sounding. I had no positive feeling on its sound.
> 
> ...


Im not saying the r6 is universally better than the r6 but imo 300r had better synergy to my iems compared to the r6.


----------



## chaturanga

DatDudeNic said:


> Im not saying the r6 is universally better than the r6 but imo 300r had better synergy to my iems compared to the r6.



Ok then


----------



## Lookout57

chaturanga said:


> So you mean even on 3.5mm comparison WM1A "blowns away" Opus#2? Sorry but I disagree (at least for now). They are very very compatible and no need to change either, if someone already owns one of them.
> 
> And please keep in mind my WM1A is below 20 hours of burn in. If burn in will make a serious gap and I will be blown away, that will make me happy only.


I've never used the 3.5mm SE so I I can't say how it compares.

My comparison is based on a burnt in WM1A and a burnt in OPUS#2 driving the Campfire Vega IEM. I used a Campfire Ref8 4.4mm cable with the Sony and a Campfire Ref8 2.5mm cable with OPUS. So the only difference was the source DAP.


----------



## chaturanga

Lookout57 said:


> I've never used the 3.5mm SE so I I can't say how it compares.
> 
> My comparison is based on a burnt in WM1A and a burnt in OPUS#2 driving the Campfire Vega IEM. I used a Campfire Ref8 4.4mm cable with the Sony and a Campfire Ref8 2.5mm cable with OPUS. So the only difference was the source DAP.



Ok I got it.

Opus#2 balanced vs Opus#2 SE outs do not have so much quality difference for my ear. 

But as everyone says so, WM1A balanced out should be clearly better (I will experience soon) than WM1A 3.5mm out. 

For initial comparison between 3.5mm outs of Opus#2 vs WM1A. There was nothing to be blown away on either side (at least for me). 

I will burn in WM1A's both outs over 200 hours and will be able to comment more precisely.


----------



## captblaze

if you go purely by measurements then yes Balanced output "should" have an edge sonically. until you take synergy into account. that metric is truly subjective and is the reason why Head-Fi has many different opinions on how a device sounds.


----------



## chaturanga

captblaze said:


> if you go purely by measurements then yes Balanced output "should" have an edge sonically. until you take synergy into account. that metric is truly subjective and is the reason why Head-Fi has many different opinions on how a device sounds.



I am not thinking like that because of measurements, (I never give "overvalue" to measurements on earphones or sources) just I am seeing every user offers to try balanced out to judge WM1A/Z fairly. I don't know if there are opposite ideas.


----------



## captblaze

chaturanga said:


> I am not thinking like that because of measurements, (I never give "overvalue" to measurements on earphones or sources) just I am seeing every user offers to try balanced out to judge WM1A/Z fairly. I don't know if there are opposite ideas.



understood... 

my comment is based on how I can read different impressions of the same device. in short we all possess a uniqueness regarding how our brain perceives the signals it is receiving, and to lump it all into a generic category is only making for more confusion and not less.


----------



## KaiserTK

Personally, I like the SE out better on the 1A. A bit tighter on the bass tonality. YMMV


----------



## chaturanga

captblaze said:


> understood...
> 
> my comment is based on how I can read different impressions of the same device. in short we all possess a uniqueness regarding how our brain perceives the signals it is receiving, and to lump it all into a generic category is only making for more confusion and not less.



Sure you are right. 

I like to compare things side by side with "noticeable" things (to human hearing) instead of measured things.

For example, under same circumstances if one device can produce a detail in a track clearly but the other not, that is not a subjective thing. This clearly shows one is having better detail level. 

Or if one device gives natural sounds in unnatural way (for example clapping, birds singing, water flow, wind etc..) that is again not a subjective or "taste" kind of thing for me. Everyone hears those sounds every moment in daily life, if a headphones sound is somewhat unnatural or metallic that is a noticeable thing for most people. It's not measurable but it's a noticeable thing.

But afterall, enjoying a sound signature or not is another issue. For example, I know there are lots of Chord Mojo lovers around, yes it has good technical capability especially in mid range but it's narrow soundstage and over-mid focused presentation is not my taste.

This hobby includes so much variables.


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Merry Christmas, all...

Are you getting reasonably accurate battery status on your m1as?


----------



## mmwwmm

Sony WM1A or Ibasso DX200 for Sennheiser HD650? (Balanced connection)

Anyone has tried both daps with the HD650? I’d appreciate comments about which of them have the best tonal matching for the HD650. I never drive my Senns very loud or hard and I’m looking for the most transparent, resolute and organic pure sound.

Thanks a lot in advance!


----------



## duaned

Does anyone here use the DSEE HX upscaling option on their 1A / 1Z? Pros and cons?


----------



## Quadfather

duaned said:


> Does anyone here use the DSEE HX upscaling option on their 1A / 1Z? Pros and cons?



I'm sure someone will be able to help... I would, but I'm more of a plug the headphones in and play the device without really utilizing many of the features.  I am always in direct mode.


----------



## Stephen George

duaned said:


> Does anyone here use the DSEE HX upscaling option on their 1A / 1Z? Pros and cons?



it's great for lo-res sources like mp3s (some of which are the only source available)


----------



## nc8000

mmwwmm said:


> Sony WM1A or Ibasso DX200 for Sennheiser HD650? (Balanced connection)
> 
> Anyone has tried both daps with the HD650? I’d appreciate comments about which of them have the best tonal matching for the HD650. I never drive my Senns very loud or hard and I’m looking for the most transparent, resolute and organic pure sound.
> 
> Thanks a lot in advance!



It will probably depend on what amp board you put in the DX200


----------



## mmwwmm

nc8000 said:


> It will probably depend on what amp board you put in the DX200



 DX200 + AMP8


----------



## frost15

Stephen George said:


> it's great for lo-res sources like mp3s (some of which are the only source available)


This, I love to use it with mp3s. When listening to flac or other lossless format I always use direct source.


----------



## fiascogarcia (Dec 27, 2018)

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Merry Christmas, all...
> 
> Are you getting reasonably accurate battery status on your m1as?


I have the 1Z, and it seems that, if I were to guesstimate, the usage would read more like: bar 1 - 35%, bar 2- 15%. Bar 3 - 15%, bar 4 - 35%.


----------



## Hanafuda

Wait ... Sony did another FW update after 3.0? Sorry, recently I'm not here as often as usual. I did update my 1A to 3.0, and love it. What's 3.01 change?, and what effect on sound?????


----------



## captblaze

Hanafuda said:


> Wait ... Sony did another FW update after 3.0? Sorry, recently I'm not here as often as usual. I did update my 1A to 3.0, and love it. What's 3.01 change?, and what effect on sound?????



faster database rebuild and less crash prone (at least not being discussed)


----------



## nc8000

Hanafuda said:


> Wait ... Sony did another FW update after 3.0? Sorry, recently I'm not here as often as usual. I did update my 1A to 3.0, and love it. What's 3.01 change?, and what effect on sound?????



Main change in 3.01 is that it is now rock stable (no longer any crashes) and the database build is much faster. I personally didn’t really notice any sound changes


----------



## Hanafuda

Thanks guys. Guess I’ll go ahead with it then, even though I havent had any of those crashes (knocking on oak veneer).


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sometimes i feel the DSEE hx, gives an unnatural tone to Lossless FLAC (16/44.1)


----------



## Luisonic

HI guys!
Throwing myself in the mix for some advice...
I want to pair something to my CA Atlas, was thinking along the usual AK, DX200, but the 1A seems to make some sense...
Any thoughts on this particular solution?
Thanks for any reply, which always lead us lost souls in the right direction...


----------



## linux4ever

I've CA Atlas. And I pair it with dx200ti + modded amp8. Very good synergy.

Atlas pairs equally well with Wm1a. 

Zx300a is also very good. And very inexpensive as well.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Luisonic said:


> HI guys!
> Throwing myself in the mix for some advice...
> I want to pair something to my CA Atlas, was thinking along the usual AK, DX200, but the 1A seems to make some sense...
> Any thoughts on this particular solution?
> Thanks for any reply, which always lead us lost souls in the right direction...



Well obviously in a Sony thread you will have Sony recommendations; that’s just how it is. I have not heard the AK, DX200, but own the 1A and heard the Atlas though not from the Sony 1A. With the above said, I think the 1A would be great as a mix due to it’s relatively flat response. It’s detail will enhance the bass detail, and the reserved but high resolution treble will not add a harshness. The super fast and detailed midrange will add a quality too to the Atlas. 

There is no substitute for directly demonstrating the combination, but from my experiences, they would work well.


----------



## Nayparm

Yep listening for yourself is the only way, I just bought a pair of Audioquest Nightowls, they seemed perfect after reading up a load on them. Worst sounding (to me) headphones i've ever heard, if i'd have listened blind folded i'd have said they where some £5.99 headphones from next to the till at a shell garage.


----------



## Duncan

Nayparm said:


> Yep listening for yourself is the only way, I just bought a pair of Audioquest Nightowls, they seemed perfect after reading up a load on them. Worst sounding (to me) headphones i've ever heard, if i'd have listened blind folded i'd have said they where some £5.99 headphones from next to the till at a shell garage.


Agreed, I'm currently using the RHA CL2 which seems to be only getting mediocre reviews yet they marry beautifully with the 1A - moreso than with the 1Z according to a post on the CL2 thread...

Wouldn't have bought them based on the reviews, but glad that I did - especially with the 1A (bought that one week later after realising the dismal synergy with the Shanling M0 I was using)


----------



## Whitigir

mmwwmm said:


> DX200 + AMP8


Dx200 and Amp8 can drive Hd800s very fine.  There will be Korg Tubes amp coming soon to dx200


----------



## Luisonic

Thanks so much for the advice to the many answers!



Redcarmoose said:


> Well obviously in a Sony thread you will have Sony recommendations; that’s just how it is...



Well, I had read some pages of this thread, and seemed to be filled of people who know what they're talking about, and understand that this "audio-awesomeness syndrome" has many, not one-brand solution...
In fact, your advice about experiencing for myself is super, it's just that I'm in Italy, and testing things here is impossible (because nobody stocks stuff, especially high-end...).



linux4ever said:


> I've CA Atlas. And I pair it with dx200ti + modded amp8. Very good synergy.
> 
> Atlas pairs equally well with Wm1a.
> 
> Zx300a is also very good. And very inexpensive as well.



The dx200ti would be great, but it's out of budget and nowhere to be seen... Budget arrives to a bit over 1k, so there are many solutions available.

The idea seems that the musicality and the ample soundstage of the 1A would pair well with the power and huge sound of the Atlas (which is not, after serious burn, a bass-heavy iem, it's superbly brilliant and balanced!)
I've seen that many here own many DAPs and would know lots more than me.
I have to go by instinct and by how people prefer what they prefer, and I'd like to choose well since this would be my first high-end DAP.


----------



## syke

AmusedToD said:


> Has anybody tried a linear PSU with this cradle, or at least an Ifi iPower 5v? Might help with the AC pollution going into the transfer lines while the DAP is acting as source to an external DAC/amp.



It will not fit, cos the ifi DC plug is too thick.
You would have to make your own to get it working or find one that is slimmer.

But I highly recommend doing so, the supplied PSU causes hissing issues on sensitive iems. 
Once you clean the power up with a better PSU, the hissing disappears.


----------



## AmusedToD

syke said:


> It will not fit, cos the ifi DC plug is too thick.
> You would have to make your own to get it working or find one that is slimmer.
> 
> But I highly recommend doing so, the supplied PSU causes hissing issues on sensitive iems.
> Once you clean the power up with a better PSU, the hissing disappears.



Did you make your own plug? If yes, does linear PSU make a difference?


----------



## syke

AmusedToD said:


> Did you make your own plug? If yes, does linear PSU make a difference?



I thought I have already replied to your question? no?


----------



## AmusedToD

syke said:


> I thought I have already replied to your question? no?



I don’t think so. You talked about removing hiss, but what about sound quality? Any improvements there?


----------



## Malevolint

So.. a whole back, I had some words about Sony in this thread regarding my issues with 3.0. With the release of 3.01, I have more! Thank you for listening to all of us and responding with a fix for the issues, and an adjustment to the sound. I'm completely  content with my WM1A now.

Now, to @Redcarmoose  and a few others who were questioning whether the sound changed on the WM1A between 3.0 and 3.01, I strongly encourage you to try the firmware for yourself and I'm confident that you will hear changes. 


I know it's a leap to take one guys word, but hear me out. I despised 3.0. Not only that, but it made me frustrated with Sony. After installing the firmware and pressing play, I was immediately appalled by that shrill metallic treble and lack of bass. 

I originally had 2.0, but I went back to 1.2 because I'm somewhat of a basshead and really enjoyed the organic pounding. Knowing that, you have to know that I couldn't have liked 3.0. After 3.01 came out I saw that one person said that the sound changed and I jumped on it. 

It really did! The bass is similar to that of 2.0, but there's more, I think. There's a clarity that I haven't heard before in this dap, which leads to some better separation. That's all I'm going to say because I'm no expert.. but I believe that you won't be disappointed. 
I'm not saying I have better ears than anyone who has said otherwise, this has simply been my experience with the new firmware and I don't want you guys to miss out on the new features for no reason.


----------



## Malevolint

mmwwmm said:


> Sony WM1A or Ibasso DX200 for Sennheiser HD650? (Balanced connection)
> 
> Anyone has tried both daps with the HD650? I’d appreciate comments about which of them have the best tonal matching for the HD650. I never drive my Senns very loud or hard and I’m looking for the most transparent, resolute and organic pure sound.
> 
> Thanks a lot in advance!


Imo, the wm1a doesn't drive the hd650s bass super well. Otherwise, they sound amazing out of the 1a. I think it sounds quite organic and transparent. I can't compare though, sorry.


----------



## Malevolint (Dec 28, 2018)

Luisonic said:


> Thanks so much for the advice to the many answers!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I would say go for the wm1a or possibly the zx300. Here are a few things to consider. 
1. Portability: the wm1a is kinda heavy at .255kg (in non-freedom numbers) and quite sizable as well. To get the best out of your IEM you will have to get a balanced cable and 4.4 mm. If the track is not at a 90 degree angle will not fit it in your pocket, especially remembering what I remember about Italian fashion LOL. The zx300 weighs in at a bit over half of that.

I still don't regret getting the wm1a, but caringca it can be a pain. One thing about the zx300 is that it's supposedly a bit warmer than the wm1a and close but not quite at the same sound quality level as the wm1a. I've heard some people say that it is the same so I'm not sure if everyone else is trying to justify the extra money spent and lying to themselves lol LOL. Either way you can't go wrong no matter which you choose.

2. Battery life: the dx200 gets 8 to 10 hours of playtime. The wm1a gets betwen 20 to 24 depending on who you ask. To me this is worth it alone. I think the zx300 get similar battery life.

3. UI: before getting the wm1a I had considered the dx200 but read that the ui can be frustrating. I don't remember further details about this.


----------



## blazinblazin

Mrcojocaru said:


> So.. a whole back, I had some words about Sony in this thread regarding my issues with 3.0. With the release of 3.01, I have more! Thank you for listening to all of us and responding with a fix for the issues, and an adjustment to the sound. I'm completely  content with my WM1A now.
> 
> Now, to @Redcarmoose  and a few others who were questioning whether the sound changed on the WM1A between 3.0 and 3.01, I strongly encourage you to try the firmware for yourself and I'm confident that you will hear changes.
> 
> ...


That's pretty much what I had experienced too from 3.0 to 3.1.


----------



## Malevolint

blazinblazin said:


> That's pretty much what I had experienced too from 3.0 to 3.1.


Yay I'm glad I'm not crazy haha. It's really a great firmware


----------



## blazinblazin

Mrcojocaru said:


> Yay I'm glad I'm not crazy haha. It's really a great firmware


What's your setup like?
Mine is: WM1A + Acoustune HS1650CU + Effect Audio Leonidas.


----------



## gazzington

Nayparm said:


> Yep listening for yourself is the only way, I just bought a pair of Audioquest Nightowls, they seemed perfect after reading up a load on them. Worst sounding (to me) headphones i've ever heard, if i'd have listened blind folded i'd have said they where some £5.99 headphones from next to the till at a shell garage.


I a set of these once, and they do not work well for metal at all.  Very comfortable though


----------



## Nayparm

gazzington said:


> I a set of these once, and they do not work well for metal at all.  Very comfortable though



Arghhhh didn't realise you'd tried them Gazz.
Yeah they are super comfy and come really nicely packed, took me longer to get them out of the box than to realise they where turd (for me)


----------



## gazzington

Nayparm said:


> Arghhhh didn't realise you'd tried them Gazz.
> Yeah they are super comfy and come really nicely packed, took me longer to get them out of the box than to realise they where turd (for me)


I think they can be nice for certain music genres but for metal they lack energy and bite. Stick to your 1mores!


----------



## gerelmx1986

My portable setup WM1A + XBA-Z5 with Sony upgrades cable 4.4mm

Home setup WM1A + mdr-z1r with stock 4.4 cable


----------



## proedros

thanx for the 3.0>3.1 impressions on wm1a , looks like it's worth trying it out on my wm1a


----------



## Quadfather

I am still on 1.2 and love the way it sounds. Wondering if I should upgrade to 3.01, or I could just hold tight... I don't use USB DAC or any of that I just strictly use it as a music player.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Quadfather said:


> I am still on 1.2 and love the way it sounds. Wondering if I should upgrade to 3.01, or I could just hold tight... I don't use USB DAC or any of that I just strictly use it as a music player.


Just try it, if you don’t like it you can always rollback


----------



## captblaze

hamhamhamsta said:


> Just try it, if you don’t like it you can always rollback



One caveat...

You can rollback to 1.2, but will need to reset the device to clear an error that going backward generates. That causes reset of timer


----------



## lmfboy01

Anyone know if the USB Dac function work on a ps4?


----------



## AmusedToD

Speaking of the USB DAC function, can the 1A/1Z decode TIDAL MQA when connected to an Android phone, or is the MQA decoding capability limited to MQA files stored on the internal drive or external sd card? I suspect it’s the latter, but would appreciate if someone could confirm.


----------



## Quadfather

I absolutely love the general resolution and power of my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, but it's always so pleasurable coming back to my Sony NW - WM1A with my Shure SRH1540 headphones.


----------



## mw7485

AmusedToD said:


> Speaking of the USB DAC function, can the 1A/1Z decode TIDAL MQA when connected to an Android phone, or is the MQA decoding capability limited to MQA files stored on the internal drive or external sd card? I suspect it’s the latter, but would appreciate if someone could confirm.



I would have thought it could handle unfolding to the 24 bit level, but certainly not higher since the MQA support is software based rather than hardware (where you could unfold to the full resolution of the MQA stream).


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 29, 2018)

AmusedToD said:


> Speaking of the USB DAC function, can the 1A/1Z decode TIDAL MQA when connected to an Android phone, or is the MQA decoding capability limited to MQA files stored on the internal drive or external sd card? I suspect it’s the latter, but would appreciate if someone could confirm.





mw7485 said:


> I would have thought it could handle unfolding to the 24 bit level, but certainly not higher since the MQA support is software based rather than hardware (where you could unfold to the full resolution of the MQA stream).



Note also the DAC function with the 1A/1Z disables any digital out....like a signal to the TA. Specifically no digital out in Bluetooth mode.


----------



## AmusedToD

Redcarmoose said:


> Note also the DAC function with the 1A/1Z disables any digital out....like a signal to the TA.



Yes, I noted that from one of your earlier posts. BTW, I placed an order for the cradle yesterday.


----------



## captblaze

AmusedToD said:


> Speaking of the USB DAC function, can the 1A/1Z decode TIDAL MQA when connected to an Android phone, or is the MQA decoding capability limited to MQA files stored on the internal drive or external sd card? I suspect it’s the latter, but would appreciate if someone could confirm.



The DAC shows PCM and the Sample Frequency while the phone (Essential PH-1) shows as MQA


----------



## Malevolint

blazinblazin said:


> What's your setup like?
> Mine is: WM1A + Acoustune HS1650CU + Effect Audio Leonidas.


Right now I just have a DUNU dk3001. I sold quite a few things so I could buy a rhapsodio solar that's coming in on Monday and I'm incredibly excited about.

How's the 1650? And holy crap lol that cable costs more than the iem!


----------



## Icekuma

Duncan said:


> Definite that the database loads a truck load faster...
> 
> More contentious is, to me - it feels like Sony upped the voltage (well, power) in the output stage, I perceive it as sounding “louder”, but that could well be placebo / expectation bias, regardless - sounds extra good to me now (having started on 3.0)


I thought is louder too like having more power for same level. My not professional term is meatier sounds. 

Cheers


----------



## blazinblazin

Mrcojocaru said:


> Right now I just have a DUNU dk3001. I sold quite a few things so I could buy a rhapsodio solar that's coming in on Monday and I'm incredibly excited about.
> 
> How's the 1650? And holy crap lol that cable costs more than the iem!


Your new setup sounds good.

I am going for a natural/realistic sounding setup.
1650 is a 1 Dynamic Driver, warm, sweet mids, good details and packs a punch. It is more like a 1/2 open can type of IEM.
For cable, I initially used it with Andromeda, it is a good cable which increases soundstage, makes your IEM sounds more open, not as stuffy.


----------



## Malevolint

Icekuma said:


> I thought is louder too like having more power for same level. My not professional term is meatier sounds.
> 
> Cheers


Well marbled meat? 


blazinblazin said:


> Your new setup sounds good.
> 
> I am going for a natural/realistic sounding setup.
> 1650 is a 1 Dynamic Driver, warm, sweet mids, good details and packs a punch. It is more like a 1/2 open can type of IEM.
> For cable, I initially used it with Andromeda, it is a good cable which increases soundstage, makes your IEM sounds more open, not as stuffy.


Thanks! I wanted something really musical and bassy.
I went to hear a 1650 or 1551 sometime. Glad you're enjoying yours!


----------



## roses77

Mrcojocaru said:


> So.. a whole back, I had some words about Sony in this thread regarding my issues with 3.0. With the release of 3.01, I have more! Thank you for listening to all of us and responding with a fix for the issues, and an adjustment to the sound. I'm completely  content with my WM1A now.
> 
> Now, to @Redcarmoose  and a few others who were questioning whether the sound changed on the WM1A between 3.0 and 3.01, I strongly encourage you to try the firmware for yourself and I'm confident that you will hear changes.
> 
> ...


I’ve just updated the Sony WM1Z to 3.1 firmware today, I love the SQ, I’m a basshead as well with the music I listen to. But I notice the vocals are more forward, it has crystal clear bass, it sounds great on direct source with well recorded music. It sounds good on SE with Sony MDR-1A2. 3.1 sounds similar to 2.0 on direct source.it has an wider soundstage.


----------



## Malevolint (Dec 30, 2018)

roses77 said:


> I’ve just updated the Sony WM1Z to 3.1 firmware today, I love the SQ, I’m a basshead as well with the music I listen to. But I notice the vocals are more forward, it has crystal clear bass, it sounds great on direct source with well recorded music. It sounds good on SE with Sony MDR-1A2. 3.1 sounds similar to 2.0 on direct source.it has an wider soundstage.



Ok.. I thought maybe it had a wider soundstage as well but didn't really trust myself enough to say it lol.

I also agree that it sounds amazing with well recorded music. I love it with intimate folk vocals.

I don't use direct source though.. I always eq extra bass lol.


----------



## alphanumerix1

quickest way to batch edit album covers to jpg baseline?


----------



## Kira69

alphanumerix1 said:


> quickest way to batch edit album covers to jpg baseline?


You can use the guide posted here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-zx2-cover-art-issued-solved.811693/


```
The process I followed was;
* extract all my embedded image files (used Tag&Rename)
* scan all the directories for 'progressive' jpegs (exiftool)
* losslessy re-encode the jpegs to 'baseline' (jpegtran)
* re-embed all the modified image files back into the music files (dbpoweramp batch encoder)
* and finally - re-copy those files to my Sony zx2
```


----------



## chaturanga

DatDudeNic said:


> You may think using the 1a as a bt reciever is clunky but man its one of those things that you never knew you needed until u have it lol



I am testing WM1A as BT receiver. My phone is LG V20, unfortunately it did not get Oreo update yet (region issue) so I don't know what happens when LDAC support comes to LG V20 but, current quality (I think it's connecting as AptX HD) is very very good and usable. I dislike AptX sound but AptX HD is very satisfying and I am sure LDAC will be the best way for streaming Tidal to WM1A.

The best quality comes when I play Tidal through USB Audio Player Pro. It's clearly beats streaming quality from Tidal's own app to WM1A.


----------



## Quadfather

I am seeing Sony NW - WM1Z on eBay brand new for $2,400. Scam?


----------



## AmusedToD

chaturanga said:


> I am testing WM1A as BT receiver. My phone is LG V20, unfortunately it did not get Oreo update yet (region issue) so I don't know what happens when LDAC support comes to LG V20 but, current quality (I think it's connecting as AptX HD) is very very good and usable. I dislike AptX sound but AptX HD is very satisfying and I am sure LDAC will be the best way for streaming Tidal to WM1A.
> 
> The best quality comes when I play Tidal through USB Audio Player Pro. It's clearly beats streaming quality from Tidal's own app to WM1A.



I sold the Radsone ES100 BT receiver, and I am thinking of selling the A&K XB10 as well when I receive the WM1A. No way these two can touch it for sound quality.

My phone is the newest LG G7 with the Sabre DAC, it’s on Oreo so it supports LDAC, and it’s also capable of MQA decoding (through Tidal and UAPP apps). 

That’s why I asked whether it’s possible to send MQA encoded signal through USB digital out to the WM1A. But apparently the answer is no.


----------



## chaturanga

AmusedToD said:


> I sold the Radsone ES100 BT receiver, and I am thinking of selling the A&K XB10 as well when I receive the WM1A. No way these two can touch it for sound quality.
> 
> My phone is the newest LG G7 with the Sabre DAC, it’s on Oreo so it supports LDAC, and it’s also capable of MQA decoding (through Tidal and UAPP apps).
> 
> That’s why I asked whether it’s possible to send MQA encoded signal through USB digital out to the WM1A. But apparently the answer is no.



If you will use your smartphone as a source to WM1A via USB, you can send bitperfect data by using USB Audio Player Pro, from your cell phone to WM1A. And then, WM1A will play coming data as a file on it's storage.

So when you play a Master record (MQA) from UAPP (Tidal) this will be unfolded on WM1A on software rendering level. This way you should unfold MQA to 24 Bit 96Khz max.


----------



## AmusedToD

chaturanga said:


> If you will use your smartphone as a source to WM1A via USB, you can send bitperfect data by using USB Audio Player Pro, from your cell phone to WM1A. And then, WM1A will play coming data as a file on it's storage.
> 
> So when you play a Master record (MQA) from UAPP (Tidal) this will be unfolded on WM1A on software rendering level. This way you should unfold MQA to 24 Bit 96Khz max.



Wow, then it will work! My understanding was this wasn’t possible, but thanks for the heads up!

Is the WM1A limited to 24/96 only when speaking of MQA?


----------



## chaturanga

AmusedToD said:


> Wow, then it will work! My understanding was this wasn’t possible, but thanks for the heads up!
> 
> Is the WM1A limited to 24/96 only when speaking of MQA?



If UAPP app sees WM1A as an external DAC yes it must work.

And yes WM1A or any other device that does not have hardware level MQA decoding support, they will be limited to unfold to 24/96 at max as far as I know.


----------



## captblaze (Dec 30, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> I am seeing Sony NW - WM1Z on eBay brand new for $2,400. Scam?



could be legit... here is one from amazon for $2,599 (international version with seller warranty fulfilled by amazon)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M73EW0...us000-pcomp-feature-rscomp-wm-5&ref=aa_rscomp


----------



## AmusedToD

chaturanga said:


> If UAPP app sees WM1A as an external DAC yes it must work.
> 
> And yes WM1A or any other device that does not have hardware level MQA decoding support, they will be limited to unfold to 24/96 at max as far as I know.



The official specs say nothing. If the WM1A does the first unfold only (like Roon or Audionirvana), then yes, 24/96 will be the maximum resolution. But first unfold is not full MQA capability. They should clearly say so. However, if Sony added DAC level decoding (meaning full unfolding capability), then the 1A/1Z should be able to do the second unfold too. I couldn't find anything online though.


----------



## chaturanga (Dec 30, 2018)

AmusedToD said:


> The official specs say nothing. If the WM1A does the first unfold only (like Roon or Audionirvana), then yes, 24/96 will be the maximum resolution. But first unfold is not full MQA capability. They should clearly say so. However, if Sony added DAC level decoding (meaning full unfolding capability), then the 1A/1Z should be able to do the second unfold too. I couldn't find anything online though.



I think enabling hardware decoding later for MQA is not possible. Just software rendering should be added to WM1A.

Before WM1A, Dragonfly B and R also some iFi DACs got it.

Below is what Bob Stuart from Meridian says about MQA.

*Comments From Bob Stuart*

The strength of MQA is that one file can be played back in a wide variety of situations by the customer.
The three presentations you discussed: No decode; MQA Core; Full decode are all previewed in the studio. Each is optimally set up for that presentation (with appropriate de-ringing).
MQA Core (which comes out of the soft decoder or digital outputs) carries the additional information necessary for an MQA Renderer (eg Dragonfly) or a full Decoder (eg MSB, Brinkman, Mytek, Meridian) to 'finish the job downstream'.
Full software decode is not possible because the DAC must be known and characterized. MQA is an analog to analog process.
Taken from following page, also this page has additional explanation for MQA rendering and decoding.

https://www.audiostream.com/content/mqa-decoding-explained


----------



## NickleCo

chaturanga said:


> I am testing WM1A as BT receiver. My phone is LG V20, unfortunately it did not get Oreo update yet (region issue) so I don't know what happens when LDAC support comes to LG V20 but, current quality (I think it's connecting as AptX HD) is very very good and usable. I dislike AptX sound but AptX HD is very satisfying and I am sure LDAC will be the best way for streaming Tidal to WM1A.
> 
> The best quality comes when I play Tidal through USB Audio Player Pro. It's clearly beats streaming quality from Tidal's own app to WM1A.


I use the bt reciever for watching youtube vids and some occasional songs to test before buying an album


----------



## AmusedToD

Just one question, is the 1A different in sound signature to the TA-ZH1ES (brighter?)?


----------



## AmusedToD

syke said:


> It will not fit, cos the ifi DC plug is too thick.
> You would have to make your own to get it working or find one that is slimmer.
> 
> But I highly recommend doing so, the supplied PSU causes hissing issues on sensitive iems.
> Once you clean the power up with a better PSU, the hissing disappears.



Just checked the ifi DC iPurifier 2. It comes with 3 adapters: 

5 x 2.1mm
5 x 2.5mm 
5 x 1.35mm
Do you think the last one will fit? Can you measure your custom plug? Thanks.


----------



## chaturanga

AmusedToD said:


> The official specs say nothing. If the WM1A does the first unfold only (like Roon or Audionirvana), then yes, 24/96 will be the maximum resolution. But first unfold is not full MQA capability. They should clearly say so. However, if Sony added DAC level decoding (meaning full unfolding capability), then the 1A/1Z should be able to do the second unfold too. I couldn't find anything online though.



I just connected WM1A via my LGV20. UAPP saw WM1A as external DAC (of course you need to activate WM1A USB DAC function) but when I am playing master tracks UAPP sees WM1A as 48 Khz DAC. I tried 96 Khz and 192 Khz tracks. 

That is strange..


----------



## mw7485

AmusedToD said:


> The official specs say nothing. If the WM1A does the first unfold only (like Roon or Audionirvana), then yes, 24/96 will be the maximum resolution. But first unfold is not full MQA capability. They should clearly say so. However, if Sony added DAC level decoding (meaning full unfolding capability), then the 1A/1Z should be able to do the second unfold too. I couldn't find anything online though.



As I understand MQA, you need a network connection back to the MQA servers to do the authentication, so we will never have full hardware MQA support - only software support. Sony have always been tight-lipped about exactly what MQA support the 1A/1Z has. The 1A/1Z also seems to falsely report what its actually doing with MQA, as I have a few MQA albums that playback at supposedly outrageous bit levels that the Walkman is not even capable of playing natively, let alone through MQA.


----------



## chaturanga

mw7485 said:


> As I understand MQA, you need a network connection back to the MQA servers to do the authentication, so we will never have full hardware MQA support - only software support. Sony have always been tight-lipped about exactly what MQA support the 1A/1Z has. The 1A/1Z also seems to falsely report what its actually doing with MQA, as I have a few MQA albums that playback at supposedly outrageous bit levels that the Walkman is not even capable of playing natively, let alone through MQA.



I think there is nothing as authentication server in MQA technology. Just DAC should support the necessary unfolding. 

I had Meridian Explorer 2 (supports full hardware decoding for MQA). I was using it with UAPP to play MQA master tracks (from Tidal) up to 192 KHz flawlessly.


----------



## AmusedToD (Dec 30, 2018)

MQA decoding capability means nothing to us users unless they allow it through the USB DAC function, as we get 99% of our MQA files through Tidal.

The 1A/1Z don't have internet streaming functionality, so the only way to get Tidal MQA is either through computer or Android phone. Who buys "standalone" MQA files anyway?

I sense some advertising bull from Sony here.


----------



## mw7485

AmusedToD said:


> MQA decoding capability means nothing to us users unless they allow it through the USB DAC function, as we get 99% of our MQA files through Tidal.
> 
> Who buys "standalone" MQA files anyway?
> 
> I sense some advertising bull**** from Sony here.



.....people like me who use a Walkman as their primary means of music playback, and want higher resolution playback for "less space".  Not rocket science really. Its not all about streaming - despite what people think.


----------



## AmusedToD

mw7485 said:


> .....people like me who use a Walkman as their primary means of music playback, and want higher resolution playback for "less space".  Not rocket science really. Its not all about streaming - despite what people think.



Yeah, but there are like 10,000 MQA albums and singles on Tidal which are all accessible through monthly subscription. 

But ok, different strokes for different folks.


----------



## chaturanga

AmusedToD said:


> MQA decoding capability means nothing to us users unless they allow it through the USB DAC function, as we get 99% of our MQA files through Tidal.
> 
> The 1A/1Z don't have internet streaming functionality, so the only way to get Tidal MQA is either through computer or Android phone. Who buys "standalone" MQA files anyway?
> 
> I sense some advertising bull**** from Sony here.



If MQA decoding is not possible through USB DAC so this is really useless.


----------



## Mindstorms (Dec 30, 2018)

Im tripping 3.01 today thanks to a fiend here at headfi advice he stated that someone at SONY maybe listening to my subbass prayers! via SE to WM1A lets see...!


----------



## Mindstorms

3 seconds in 30.1 i can tell its different from 3.0!!!!!  BASS is there also diferent stage!! its awesome you can have tree awesome diferent signatures on this machine!! thanks sony!!!


----------



## Quadfather

Midnstorms said:


> 3 seconds in 30.1 i can tell its different from 3.0!!!!!  BASS is there also diferent stage!! its awesome you can have tree awesome diferent signatures on this machine!! thanks sony!!!



Does it sound better than 1.2? Is the scrolling still laggy or is it fast and quick?


----------



## mw7485

Quadfather said:


> Does it sound better than 1.2? Is the scrolling still laggy or is it fast and quick?




The graphics performance is much improved. Much snappier and smoother than all previous firmware versions.


----------



## ryaneagon (Dec 30, 2018)

alphanumerix1 said:


> quickest way to batch edit album covers to jpg baseline?



I use Tag Editor (Mac) https://amvidia.com/tag-editor

I started with the demo and decided it was worth the purchase. It has a very simple and straight forward interface, the best part, especially for Sony users...It will take existing album artwork and convert it by simply highlighting all album artwork and clicking "Save"  Also has tons of columns to choose from. Took only a few minutes.


----------



## Quadfather

mw7485 said:


> The graphics performance is much improved. Much snappier and smoother than all previous firmware versions.



How about the sound?


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 11, 2019)

Quadfather said:


> Does it sound better than 1.2? Is the scrolling still laggy or is it fast and quick?


Testing on 1A SE not balanced:

Overall: 2.0 (compressed stage) better than 3.01 (trimmed Bass) better than 1.2 (Sloght Grainy Sound)

Bass Rumble is better on 1.2 then 2.0 bass. On 3.01 its different from 2.0 its slightly trimmed so it can fit the vynil procesor (form my POV error if)

Stage is awesome in 3.01 and you get the effects its sounds clear with bass, more opened than 2.0 ithink it deserves a try for change and give feedback, i feel less rumble on 3.01 vs 2.0 still.. but quality its really good interface its better you get the DAC function...I will still add little more subbass to 3.02 (and a stage selection? narrow normal large)  lol but its far better than 3.0 was inaudible lol

Sumary take with grain of salt (more like lots of salt lol)

1.2 Great bass quantity (30hz 40Hz and below. Average quality bass some control issues..) (slight grain in sound as described by many early reviewers and less clear and crowded sometimes) Sounds are more shouty for me (in your face)  A crediblle 3D more like home theater (details on the side are clearer and I feel more space between instruments) but too shouty (in midrange and highs) .. trebble its sort of piercing but not so serious pike around 8K. Tends to present errors if database is not created on same FW also if you have mixed files of other types i mean you have to
Clean JPG and other diferent file extensions the UI its weird like unrefined... (There is some lag in the UI)


2.0 More compressed stage (details on the front are clearer but more congested), bass (around 45hz) is great (the best in quality, quantity wise its below 1.2) Also, since the less volume you use from 100 and below more subbass (30hz) is pressent. Trebble its better than 1.2 clearer good stage but comprsed  a little compared to 1.2 and 3.01 (There is some lag in the UI)

3.0 Inaudible and awfull due to some metallic issues i dont get on voices.. trebble was boosted and bass was lowered a lot, not worthy.. awesome stage dough. And a slight step up in resolution from 2.0 (not laggy UI) DAC + Vinyl Processor

3.01 Less Bass Quantity (subbass rumblle a little more here) It feels like they trimmed it a little more than 2.0, slight bump to my ears on the mid bass around 150-200 trebble its more nimble and acurate than 2.0 but also results on more silibance due to the better clarity....great stage to my ears  bigger than 2.0. positioning is great and credible. It will be awesome with a little bit more of bass control. This FW has is a step up in resolution from 2.0 (not laggy UI) DAC + Vinyl Processor

All of this test using EQ ON boosting 32hz EQ line up, and enhancements ON, WM1A 500hs playback time I do not have the most fancy iems in the world. senn IE80 Revonext QT2.

Ok sony please go back to 1.2 listen to it carefully why was stage diferent any way we can chose it was also a good stage? A B Mode? clone bass response eq of it to 3.02 and remove the dirty sound with and on of button (actually its nice) lol no vinil procesor needed just a thought,1.2 still very awesome tonaly and 2.0. Treble of 3.01 is awesome and stage.

Aso please let the start boot screen only with WALKMAN that hedious thing on the bottom distract me from the awesomeness of the walkman word, consider to add a red little option to the HI band on the spectrum analizer yellow (will be so cool like old sony hifi)

Proof that 1A has good bass rumble its 1.2 and 2.0 the proof that 1A has awesome stage its 3.01 will it blend? I will stay 2.0 for now. All of this can be wrong for 1Z thats why sony should make diferent FW or at leas adress each player with the sound signature that really adds to the player already awesome design. 

Doing some side by side comparison I found for example that the beatles sound a lot better in 3.01 voice placing its better, Electronic music its a mix bag it has better staging and excelent subbass rumble but sometimes it feels like the  mid trebble its just too much, i have of course lowered with the EQ but not to the point where voices or sound start sounding muffled, that being said i have stated in other post what i think it can be the solution to this its adding either an option in vinyl procesor or in DC PL with a bass boost maybe even with adjustable frecuencies that will do it...


----------



## mw7485 (Dec 30, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> How about the sound?



I came from 2.0 to 3.01. I think there is a change in detail, bass and sound-stage, but it hasn't been so big as to slap me in the face. Having said that, my iems excel in all these areas as it is, so having a tiny bit more of what I've already got would always be difficult to spot. I don't think you'll regret the firmware change if you went for it though......

<EDIT>
Another thing that has changed, although I don't know if this is a 3.01 change is that tag changes now seem to be picked far more reliably than in the past. Although I haven't tried editing a tag on an in-place file, deleting the original and sending a new copy down all during the same connection session has (so far) always been picked up correctly. This was not always the case in previous firmwares.
</EDIT>


----------



## Quadfather

I've heard quite a few say 1.2 is like the best sounding one. I have never changed it, so I'm not sure that's true


----------



## nc8000

AmusedToD said:


> MQA decoding capability means nothing to us users unless they allow it through the USB DAC function, as we get 99% of our MQA files through Tidal.
> 
> The 1A/1Z don't have internet streaming functionality, so the only way to get Tidal MQA is either through computer or Android phone. Who buys "standalone" MQA files anyway?
> 
> I sense some advertising bull**** from Sony here.



When I had a Tidal subscription I got full mqa resolution with my Auralic Aries Mini feeding the TA over usb


----------



## mw7485

Quadfather said:


> I've heard quite a few say 1.2 is like the best sounding one. I have never changed it, so I'm not sure that's true




...only one way to find out - unless you know someone running 3.01 and can audition it with your music and head gear.......


----------



## mw7485

nc8000 said:


> When I had a Tidal subscription I got full mqa resolution with my Auralic Aries Mini feeding the TA over usb




That's interesting. I assume the decoding was handled by the Auralic Aries? If that is the case, I'm confused as I though the only possible output from full MQA decoding was an analogue signal....


----------



## nc8000

mw7485 said:


> That's interesting. I assume the decoding was handled by the Auralic Aries? If that is the case, I'm confused as I though the only possible output from full MQA decoding was an analogue signal....



The Auralic is supposedly a mqa licensed product so yes it would be the Auralic doing the full decode and passing the signal on. Can’t check again as I have cancelled my subscription


----------



## Mindstorms

Quadfather said:


> I've heard quite a few say 1.2 is like the best sounding one. I have never changed it, so I'm not sure that's true


you are the one that encouraged me to start the fw madness haha, try 2.0 then 3.01 then go back 2.0 and then 1.2 and select where to stay quadfather, but if you have capable iems.. then its the same... you may get errors going back to 1.2 from 2.0 and above


----------



## Quadfather

Midnstorms said:


> you are the one that encouraged me to start the fw madness haha, try 2.0 then 3.01 then go back 2.0 and then 1.2 and select where to stay quadfather, but if you have capable iems.. then its the same... you may get errors going back to 1.2 from 2.0 and above



I am so in love with the way my player sounds now that I may just stay put.


----------



## mw7485

nc8000 said:


> The Auralic is supposedly a mqa licensed product so yes it would be the Auralic doing the full decode and passing the signal on. Can’t check again as I have cancelled my subscription




Just when I thought I had a handle on MQA!! Everything I have read says that what you were doing couldn't be done, as your digital stream could be replicated and effectively bypass the entire MQA playback chain - which defeats one of the primary objectives of MQA. Still, I have no reason to doubt that what you say is true and perhaps shows that the MQA playback chain is not as secure as Bob Stuart likes to think it is. That is of course assuming that the TA amp can only take a digital stream/signal via the USB port......


----------



## Mindstorms (Dec 30, 2018)

Quadfather said:


> I am so in love with the way my player sounds now that I may just stay put.


what iem are you using nevertheless you shoudl definily try 2.0


----------



## AmusedToD

nc8000 said:


> When I had a Tidal subscription I got full mqa resolution with my Auralic Aries Mini feeding the TA over usb



I will test this theory in a minute. I have the LG G7 phone which is capable of full MQA decoding on the hardware level. I will connect it via USB cable to the TA, play some Tidal MQA via the UAPP software, send the signal to the TA and check what I am getting on the TA display.


----------



## Quadfather

Midnstorms said:


> what iem are you using nevertheless you shoudl definily try 2.0



I am using Shure SRH1540 headphones out of balanced.  I got away from IEMs because they irritated my ears


----------



## Mindstorms

Quadfather said:


> I am using Shure SRH1540 headphones out of balanced.  I got away from IEMs because they irritated my ears


are you using a cable adapter?


----------



## nc8000

AmusedToD said:


> I will test this theory in a minute. I have the LG G7 phone which is capable of full MQA decoding on the hardware level. I will connect it via USB cable to the TA, play some Tidal MQA via the UAPP software, send the signal to the TA and check what I am getting on the TA display.



Doing some further searching it appears that I might remember wrongly as there is no mqa support natively in the Auralic so it is just the first unfold done by the Tidal client on the Auralic I get up to 24/96


----------



## Quadfather

Midnstorms said:


> are you using a cable adapter?



I am using a balanced cable made by Surf Cables.


----------



## AmusedToD

nc8000 said:


> Doing some further searching it appears that I might remember wrongly as there is no mqa support natively in the Auralic so it is just the first unfold done by the Tidal client on the Auralic I get up to 24/96



Ok, test finished.

UAPP app asked me to pay $4 to allow MQA to be sent to an external device. Interesting.

The file played is a 24/352.8 MQA file on Tidal by 2L Nordic Sounds called Nordheim: Colarozione.

TEST 1 - Before I paid the $4, UAPP sent only 24/48 to the TA.

TEST 2 - After I paid the $4, UAPP did the first unfold and sent 24/88.2 to the TA.







And that’s it. For the second unfold, it is necessary for the DAC to be MQA licensed, which the TA isn’t. But the 1A/1Z are, and this is what needs to be tested.

As a side note, once I plugged in my LG phone as a source instead of my Roon ROCK server, the sound quality was immediately improved in terms of better clarity and resolution.


----------



## mw7485

AmusedToD said:


> Ok, test finished.
> 
> UAPP app asked me to pay $4 to allow MQA to be sent to an external device. Interesting.
> 
> ...




I don't think the S Master is "licensed" as a hardware decoder....I'm pretty sure that we have only have a software unfold mechanism. Of course, I'll be happy to be proved wrong......


----------



## AmusedToD

mw7485 said:


> I don't think the S Master is "licensed" as a hardware decoder....I'm pretty sure that we have only have a software unfold mechanism. Of course, I'll be happy to be proved wrong......



Ok, lets test that as well.

Could you please download a free MQA file from this website http://www.2l.no/hires/

Please download a file in *MQA stereo original resolution, *put it on a sd card or the DAP's internal drive and play it. What is the resolution the player shows?

Thanks


----------



## AmusedToD

UPDATE: I downloaded the first track by Hoff: Innocence called POLARITY — an acoustic jazz project (2L-145-SABD) in MQA stereo original resolution.

If the DAC is fully licensed, it should read 24/352.8. If not, then it does the first unfold only, which is 24/88.2.

Roon can only do the first unfold, and this is what it sends to my TA.


----------



## captblaze

AmusedToD said:


> Ok, lets test that as well.
> 
> Could you please download a free MQA file from this website http://www.2l.no/hires/
> 
> ...





AmusedToD said:


> UPDATE: I downloaded the first track by Hoff: Innocence called POLARITY — an acoustic jazz project (2L-145-SABD) in MQA stereo original resolution.
> 
> If the DAC is fully licensed, it should read 24/352.8. If not, then it does the first unfold only, which is 24/88.2.
> 
> Roon can only do the first unfold, and this is what it sends to my TA.


----------



## mw7485

AmusedToD said:


> Ok, lets test that as well.
> 
> Could you please download a free MQA file from this website http://www.2l.no/hires/
> 
> ...


...working on it...


----------



## AmusedToD

captblaze said:


>



Thank you!

So the answer is affirmative, the S-Master DAC is fully licensed to decode MQA (both first and second unfold).

The only question that remains is whether this functionality works in USB DAC mode or no. But in order to establish this, we need a software that can passthrough MQA to the DAP (for example Roon, or perhaps Audionirvana or UAPP with the paid MQA functionality).


----------



## mw7485

AmusedToD said:


> Thank you!
> 
> So the answer is affirmative, the S-Master DAC is fully licensed to decode MQA (both first and second unfold).
> 
> The only question that remains is whether this functionality works in USB DAC mode or no. But in order to establish this, we need a software that can passthrough MQA to the DAP (for example Roon, or perhaps Audionirvana or UAPP with the paid MQA functionality).





I have to admit, I'm getting the same. 352.8 KHz. I had in the past just assumed that this was mis-reporting, and was the final resolution rather than what could actually be decoded.


----------



## captblaze (Dec 30, 2018)

AmusedToD said:


> Thank you!
> 
> So the answer is affirmative, the S-Master DAC is fully licensed to decode MQA (both first and second unfold).
> 
> The only question that remains is whether this functionality works in USB DAC mode or no. But in order to establish this, we need a software that can passthrough MQA to the DAP (for example Roon, or perhaps Audionirvana or UAPP with the paid MQA functionality).


----------



## AmusedToD

mw7485 said:


> I have to admit, I'm getting the same. 352.8 KHz. I had in the past just assumed that this was mis-reporting, and was the final resolution rather than what could actually be decoded.



Why would the DAP mis-report the resolution it is playing? If that was the case, Sony would be blatantly cheating the customers, which they could (and shoule) be sued over.


----------



## AmusedToD (Dec 30, 2018)

captblaze said:


>



Thank you!

So yes, now we have confirmed the 1A/1Z can fully decode MQA when in USB DAC mode. This is the proof. Unless Sony is lying about the resolution, which I highly doubt.

P.S. The player doesn't flag MQA when in USB DAC mode?


----------



## mw7485

AmusedToD said:


> Thank you!
> 
> So yes, now we have confirmed the 1A/1Z can fully decode MQA when in USB DAC mode. This is the proof. Unless Sony is lying about the resolution, which I highly doubt.
> 
> P.S. The player doesn't flag MQA when in USB DAC mode?




Perhaps lying is too strong a word. It could simply be being mis-reported. Of course, it Sony would come clean on the level of decoding, then the matter would really be settled once and for all.....


----------



## AmusedToD

mw7485 said:


> Perhaps lying is too strong a word. It could simply be being mis-reported. Of course, it Sony would come clean on the level of decoding, then the matter would really be settled once and for all.....



Perhaps the word is strong, but Sony is a giant and cannot afford such mistakes. As a comparison, imagine a Sony 4K TV reporting a resolution of 8K. I can't see it happening. So I am inclined to believe Sony does full unfolding.

After all, Sony is an official partner of MQA. 

When it comes to software, the ones listed on the MQA website are Audionirvana, Amarra, Roon, UAPP, Deezer and Tidal. And that's it. These do the first unfold on a software level, regardless of the DAC used.

http://www.mqa.co.uk/customer/our-partners


----------



## roses77

Mrcojocaru said:


> Ok.. I thought maybe it had a wider soundstage as well but didn't really trust myself enough to say it lol.
> 
> I also agree that it sounds amazing with well recorded music. I love it with intimate folk vocals.
> 
> I don't use direct source though.. I always eq extra bass lol.


Can you please post the settings you used on your equalizer to get the extra bass just by looking at it is hard to distinguish what settings you used & pictures what other settings you used I also have MP3 files too.


----------



## roses77 (Dec 30, 2018)

Midnstorms said:


> In my opinion VIA SE not balanced, 3.01 better than 2.0 better than 1.2 but bass is better on 1.2 then 2.0 bass. On 3.01 its different from 2.0 stage is awesome in 3.01 and you get the effects its sound sclear with bass more opened than 2.0 ithink it deserves a try for change and give feedback, i feel less rumble 0n 3.01 vs 2.0 still.. but quality its really good interface its better you get the DAC function...I will still add little more subbass to 3.02 (and a stage selection? narrow normal large)  lol but its far better than 3.0 was inaudible lol
> 
> Sumary take with grain of salt (more like lots of salt lol)
> 
> ...


Excellent Review. I also notice there is much more deep rumble bass on some songs especially electronic music, more power output on SE. I like this new firmware update 3.1. It has excellent instrument separation, it emphasises more dynamic SQ, Clarity. It really depends on how music is recorded. Well recorded music always sounds best. I found the earlier firmware updates the bass sounded muddy. It does have an very wide sound stage. Finally Sony fixed the data base build issues it updates in less than 1 minute. I like to add I use direct source for well recorded music. I’m surprised that I converted Youtube well recorded video to flac Format & the Sound is phenomenal on direct source, balanced out has more power output & Bass. I use equaliser for songs not so well recorded to upscale to CD quality. It has faster Bass as well.


----------



## mw7485 (Dec 30, 2018)

AmusedToD said:


> Perhaps the word is strong, but Sony is a giant and cannot afford such mistakes. As a comparison, imagine a Sony 4K TV reporting a resolution of 8K. I can't see it happening. So I am inclined to believe Sony does full unfolding.
> 
> After all, Sony is an official partner of MQA.
> 
> ...




Leaving the partner thing asie (as we don't actually know what that means) and taking a step back, it does not make sense that full unfolding only happens via locally stored files. Very few vendors make MQA available - I have found only 6 albums worthy of purchase. And truth be told, outside of Japan, there can't be more than a few hundred albums available in MQA. So my thinking is, MQA must surely be accessible via USB - otherwise, what would be the point - unless there was about to be an explosion of MQA availability as an alternative to normal wav/flac/DSD...



<EDIT>and curiously, Sony is not listed on the page you referenced under DACs providing full decoding capabilities. The plot thickens.....
</EDIT>


----------



## AmusedToD

mw7485 said:


> Leaving the partner thing asie (as we don't actually know what that means) and taking a step back, it does not make sense that full unfolding only happens via locally stored files. Very few vendors make MQA available - I have found only 6 albums worthy of purchase. And truth be told, outside of Japan, there can't be more than a few hundred albums available in MQA. So my thinking is, MQA must surely be accessible via USB - otherwise, what would be the point - unless there was about to be an explosion of MQA availability as an alternative to normal wav/flac/DSD...



There are several thousand MQA albums on TIDAL. For me (and I suppose the majority of users), that’s the only MQA source that matters. Since the 1A/1Z don’t have Internet streaming capability (nor a dedicated Tidal app for that matter), USB DAC mode is the only way to listen to Tidal MQA files, either via UAPP on an Android phone, or perhaps through Roon or other software. I believe we have just proved that it works.


----------



## chaturanga

AmusedToD said:


> Thank you!
> 
> So yes, now we have confirmed the 1A/1Z can fully decode MQA when in USB DAC mode. This is the proof. Unless Sony is lying about the resolution, which I highly doubt.
> 
> P.S. The player doesn't flag MQA when in USB DAC mode?



I tried few other scenarios through UAPP.

I paid to UAPP for MQA but, I could not manage to see sample values over 96 Khz on WM1A USB DAC mode, while playing Tidal MQA via UAPP.

And also I tried to send a 352 KHz MQA file (found on my phone storage) to WM1A USB DAC via UAPP but, WM1A played it at 88.2 Khz (UAPP app shows that file is 352 Khz but DAC is 88.2 Khz)

Any ideas?


----------



## chaturanga

By the way, when I send a 192 Khz MQA file (again found on my phone storage) to WM1A through UAPP, this time WM1A played it at 192 Khz.


----------



## mw7485

chaturanga said:


> By the way, when I send a 192 Khz MQA file (again found on my phone storage) to WM1A through UAPP, this time WM1A played it at 192 Khz.




...dammit, this is a bugger's muddle! SONY - speak to us!!!!


----------



## mw7485

chaturanga said:


> I tried few other scenarios through UAPP.
> 
> I paid to UAPP for MQA but, I could not manage to see sample values over 96 Khz on WM1A USB DAC mode, while playing Tidal MQA via UAPP.
> 
> ...



Yes I think this bit "makes sense". Something about stream locking jumps to mind. I need to go back through my MQA bookmarks to find the relevant info though.


----------



## chaturanga

mw7485 said:


> ...dammit, this is a bugger's muddle! SONY - speak to us!!!!



Ah my fault sorry. That 192 Khz file is just a flac sorry. It was in same folder I did not notice that 

So the result is that UAPP app is just sending as 88.2 Khz or 96 Khz to WM1A.


----------



## mw7485

chaturanga said:


> Ah my fault sorry. That 192 Khz file is just a flac sorry. It was in same folder I did not notice that
> 
> So the result is that UAPP app is just sending as 88.2 Khz or 96 Khz to WM1A.



OK, I think what is happening is that Tidal is using doing the MQA Core unfold which is presumably all that it can manage, and is passing a 88.2/96Khz signal to the 1A. I still do not believe the 1A/1Z has a decoder on board, but it may have a renderer. See this explanation, and read Q4 for a possible answer as to why the signal remains at 88.2/96Khz.....


----------



## chaturanga (Dec 30, 2018)

mw7485 said:


> OK, I think what is happening is that Tidal is using doing the MQA Core unfold which is presumably all that it can manage, and is passing a 88.2/96Khz signal to the 1A. I still do not believe the 1A/1Z has a decoder on board, but it may have a renderer. See this explanation, and read Q4 for a possible answer as to why the signal remains at 88.2/96Khz.....



Thank you, according to Q4's answer if WM1A has even a renderer it should unfold the file to it's original sample rate. But why is that not happening in my case?

According to answer the renderer should take the core and unfold it to original by rendering. Did I understand correctly?

Edit: Deleted the paragraph left from a draft.


----------



## mw7485

chaturanga said:


> Thank you, according to Q4's answer if WM1A has even a renderer it should unfold the file to it's original sample rate. But why is that not happening in my case?
> 
> According to answer the renderer should take the core and unfold it to original by rendering. Did I understand correctly?
> 
> Edit: Deleted the paragraph left from a draft.



I agree its a bit confusing. 

Q3 of that same pages states that an "MQA Core output from a decoder carries information enabling a downstream MQA Renderer to complete the Origami unfold and to provide a full output." The tidal app is not a decoder (in MQA parlance). It is unfolding to 88.2/96 and that is it, and is presumably therefore not including the necessary intelligence in the stream for the 1A to further unfold the signal via what I assume is its renderer. I bet if you took a core stream from a "proper" MQA decoder, it would be possible for the 1A to further unfold to a higher sample rate.

This is now actually starting to make far more sense to me, believe it or not!


----------



## alphanumerix1

ryaneagon said:


> I use Tag Editor (Mac) https://amvidia.com/tag-editor
> 
> I started with the demo and decided it was worth the purchase. It has a very simple and straight forward interface, the best part, especially for Sony users...It will take existing album artwork and convert it by simply highlighting all album artwork and clicking "Save"  Also has tons of columns to choose from. Took only a few minutes.



Is this mac only? I use pc.


----------



## chaturanga

mw7485 said:


> I agree its a bit confusing.
> 
> Q3 of that same pages states that an "MQA Core output from a decoder carries information enabling a downstream MQA Renderer to complete the Origami unfold and to provide a full output." The tidal app is not a decoder (in MQA parlance). It is unfolding to 88.2/96 and that is it, and is presumably therefore not including the necessary intelligence in the stream for the 1A to further unfold the signal via what I assume is its renderer. I bet if you took a core stream from a "proper" MQA decoder, it would be possible for the 1A to further unfold to a higher sample rate.
> 
> This is now actually starting to make far more sense to me, believe it or not!



Yes that makes sense, thanks.


----------



## mw7485 (Dec 30, 2018)

chaturanga said:


> Yes that makes sense, thanks.



Thanks for your challenging posts. From our head scratching session, I think we have figured out what level of MQA support the 1A/1Z have via its renderer: Full unfold via locally stored files and proper MQA Decoder streams, 88.2/96 Khz through USB via apps such as TIDAL. Useful to the community.


----------



## Quadfather

Has anybody paired the new Meze Audio Empyrean headphones with the Sony DAPs?  What is the absolute best headphone pairing? Just looking for opinions.


----------



## Tawek

Quadfather said:


> Has anybody paired the new Meze Audio Empyrean headphones with the Sony DAPs?  What is the absolute best headphone pairing? Just looking for opinions.



Final d8000 + wm1z = heaven


----------



## meomap

Quadfather said:


> Has anybody paired the new Meze Audio Empyrean headphones with the Sony DAPs?  What is the absolute best headphone pairing? Just looking for opinions.



Best as hp?
Utopia + 1Z.

A lot better = Utopia + CDM + 1Z as transport


----------



## ryaneagon

mw7485 said:


> .....people like me who use a Walkman as their primary means of music playback, and want higher resolution playback for "less space".  Not rocket science really. Its not all about streaming - despite what people think.





alphanumerix1 said:


> Is this mac only? I use pc.



Yes. Mac only.


----------



## sbho1

Mrcojocaru said:


> Ok.. I thought maybe it had a wider soundstage as well but didn't really trust myself enough to say it lol.
> 
> I also agree that it sounds amazing with well recorded music. I love it with intimate folk vocals.
> 
> I don't use direct source though.. I always eq extra bass lol.



Wow, I really like your this EQ sound setting ...... it matches well for my 1Z which pair with Z1R and the Sony Kimbler cable.  This is now my most preferred sound setting . Thank your very much for sharing this setting.


----------



## alphanumerix1 (Dec 30, 2018)




----------



## captblaze

here is the same file on a Calyx M (no MQA support). Shows as 24/44.1 .FLAC file. Apparently the Sony does do a full unfold, and the question remains is it falsely reporting the Sample Rate, or is it misreporting it as PCM instead of MQA?


----------



## Malevolint

roses77 said:


> Can you please post the settings you used on your equalizer to get the extra bass just by looking at it is hard to distinguish what settings you used & pictures what other settings you used I also have MP3 files too.



The iems that I'm using have a very thin mid-range, so I boosted the 500 and 1000mhz sections. 

If you want to boost the bass, boost the 31-250 sections. Don't worry about my is settings because every headphone and iem are different, so you'll want to boost according to your own iem and preferences.


----------



## chaturanga

mw7485 said:


> Thanks for your challenging posts. From our head scratching session, I think we have figured out what level of MQA support the 1A/1Z have via its renderer: Full unfold via locally stored files and proper MQA Decoder streams, 88.2/96 Khz through USB via apps such as TIDAL. Useful to the community.



You are welcome and thanks to your posts, too. And you summarized well


----------



## alphanumerix1

chaturanga said:


> You are welcome and thanks to your posts, too. And you summarized well



Indeed!


----------



## captblaze

chaturanga said:


> You are welcome and thanks to your posts, too. And you summarized well



Different config update - Essential Phone does full MQA through Tidal. Playing a 192 kHz MQA track from Grateful Dead's "From the Mars Hotel" (as reported by Essential Phone) while the WM-1A shows 96 kHz in USB DAC mode. 

The plot thickens?


----------



## chaturanga

captblaze said:


> Different config update - Essential Phone does full MQA through Tidal. Playing a 192 kHz MQA track from Grateful Dead's "From the Mars Hotel" (as reported by Essential Phone) while the WM-1A shows 96 kHz in USB DAC mode.
> 
> The plot thickens?



Yes, that's exactly same thing what I am getting from UAPP > WM1A config.

So in one of the above posts you have sent a SS showing on USB DAC mode WM1A reached 352 KHz (while playing MQA) was it a USB connection from your PC or MAC not a smartphone?


----------



## chaturanga

mw7485 said:


> Leaving the partner thing asie (as we don't actually know what that means) and taking a step back, it does not make sense that full unfolding only happens via locally stored files. Very few vendors make MQA available - I have found only 6 albums worthy of purchase. And truth be told, outside of Japan, there can't be more than a few hundred albums available in MQA. So my thinking is, MQA must surely be accessible via USB - otherwise, what would be the point - unless there was about to be an explosion of MQA availability as an alternative to normal wav/flac/DSD...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Agree!


----------



## roses77

Mrcojocaru said:


> The iems that I'm using have a very thin mid-range, so I boosted the 500 and 1000mhz sections.
> 
> If you want to boost the bass, boost the 31-250 sections. Don't worry about my is settings because every headphone and iem are different, so you'll want to boost according to your own iem and preferences.


Oh okay thanks. I mainly listen with headphones as many IEMS don’t fit my ears only some do. I have been listening with Direct source it has enough bass.


----------



## captblaze

chaturanga said:


> Yes, that's exactly same thing what I am getting from UAPP > WM1A config.
> 
> So in one of the above posts you have sent a SS showing on USB DAC mode WM1A reached 352 KHz (while playing MQA) was it a USB connection from your PC or MAC not a smartphone?



USB to PC with HQ Player with no DSP


----------



## mw7485

captblaze said:


> here is the same file on a Calyx M (no MQA support). Shows as 24/44.1 .FLAC file. Apparently the Sony does do a full unfold, and the question remains is it falsely reporting the Sample Rate, or is it misreporting it as PCM instead of MQA?



You've absolutely got me on that one! Signalyst makes no mention of any MQA support so the best it should be able to do is the same as the Calyx (ie 24/44.1) although I do know its a fiendishly capable piece of software. Do you know what protocol it is using to divert its output to USB? I'm wandering whether Signalyst is actually "playing", or if it is actually sending the MQA file via USB as a "sort of dumb file server"...... 

Is there any forum where Signalyst is discussed?


----------



## chaturanga

captblaze said:


> USB to PC with HQ Player with no DSP



I see thanks.


----------



## mw7485

captblaze said:


> Different config update - Essential Phone does full MQA through Tidal. Playing a 192 kHz MQA track from Grateful Dead's "From the Mars Hotel" (as reported by Essential Phone) while the WM-1A shows 96 kHz in USB DAC mode.
> 
> The plot thickens?



That is consistent with what I summerised. The Tidal app is not a decoder (I think, like the Sony it is  a renderer), so it cannot pass the Core output it produces downstream with sufficient information for full unfolding to take place on the 1A. See here (Q3)


----------



## captblaze

mw7485 said:


> You've absolutely got me on that one! Signalyst makes no mention of any MQA support so the best it should be able to do is the same as the Calyx (ie 24/44.1) although I do know its a fiendishly capable piece of software. Do you know what protocol it is using to divert its output to USB? I'm wandering whether Signalyst is actually "playing", or if it is actually sending the MQA file via USB as a "sort of dumb file server"......
> 
> Is there any forum where Signalyst is discussed?



I am guessing with the DSP engine turned off it is acting as a pass through file transport and with DSP engaged it up or down converts to what you tell it to do


----------



## gerelmx1986

I don't trust mqa it seems to be lossy version of Hi-res. I'll stick with FLAC and DSD


----------



## gordec

I'm thinking about getting the 1a as transport for my desktop rig with the cradle. I think being battery powered reduces all the USB noise. Can anyone comment on the SQ of 1a as transport to PC USB feeding desktop DAC? I do have a good audiophile grade USB card that's fed by a LPS.


----------



## AmusedToD

Wow guys, this MQA thing is starting to get really confusing.

Is there an option for a MQA passthrough in UAPP?


----------



## chaturanga

gerelmx1986 said:


> I don't trust mqa it seems to be lossy version of Hi-res. I'll stick with FLAC and DSD



MQA is lossy yes, but sound quality is very very good, I don't think one can easily notice if it's a lossy file or not.

And for some people it's close to DSD, too. But for me DSD version of same track is a little more smooth and effortless than it's MQA version.

I think the selling point of MQA is mostly streaming services at this point. It reduces file sizes to abt. 1/10 of DSD and 1/4 of a flac. And still keeping sound quality amazingly good.

That is why Tidal gives a big importance to Master library.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 31, 2018)

.


----------



## ltanasom (Dec 31, 2018)

Hello,
I am currently interested in Sony cradle (bcr-nwh10) to be using with WM1A and Sony TA dac/amp. However, I have questions as follows if anyone can give me advices.
1. Can it digitally output DSD file to outboard DAC?
2. Does it sound better than using sony dock cable (wmport to usb a)?

In all, is it worth buying?
Your advice is appreciated.
Happy New Year.


----------



## mw7485

AmusedToD said:


> Wow guys, this MQA thing is starting to get really confusing.



Yes, Sony really do need to put something out that gives a quick summary of exactly what their MQA renderer supports. ATM, we're standing with the bonnet of an engine open, peering in, and trying to decide exactly what does what based upon the colour of the smoke coming out of the exhaust! I think most things have become clearer, although there are still some unexplained anomalies.

The basic theory behind MQA is simple enough (even if the mathematics is way more complex), but things start to get seriously muddy when we start throwing obscure ways of throwing MQA files at these players. Added to this is the proprietary nature of MQA; we are at the behest of Bob Stuart and MQA to explain things. MQA as a format needs a better, clearer explanation - people read on wikipedia that's is a lossy format, and run a mile without realising that their 16/48 and probably 24/96 are also lossy, and probably more so! I accept its primarily a streaming format, but it does offer tremendous potential for consumers such as myself, who want all their music available on a portable player, but who are constrained by the way the flash storage industry drip feed increased capacity  onto the market. I just wish there was more of it about for "over the counter purchase".



AmusedToD said:


> Is there an option for a MQA passthrough in UAPP?



As for that, I have no idea! There does seem to be a lot of discussion around about what UAPP brings to the party, but once again it seems to be empirical in nature - people trying stuff and seeing what happens. Nobody who has actually put this stuff together at a technical level (ie, written the software) seems to be chiming in, so people continue to stumble round in the dark bumping into things.


----------



## captblaze

mw7485 said:


> Yes, Sony really do need to put something out that gives a quick summary of exactly what their MQA renderer supports.
> 
> Nobody who has actually put this stuff together at a technical level (ie, written the software) seems to be chiming in, so people continue to stumble round in the dark bumping into things.



Being at the mercy of hardware and software developers one has to take a different approach. kinda like throwing darts blindfolded. you know you are gonna hit something, but what it is???


----------



## nc8000

I’ve just downloaded all the MQA stereo samples from the 2L web site and put them on my 3.01 1Z and when played they all just show as flac 44khz or 48khz at 24 bit, no indication that they should be mqa


----------



## mw7485 (Dec 31, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> I’ve just downloaded all the MQA stereo samples from the 2L web site and put them on my 3.01 1Z and when played they all just show as flac 44khz or 48khz at 24 bit, no indication that they should be mqa




Which format did you choose when downloading?

You need to download from the *

MQA stereo *
original resolution

column.The files should end with .flac.mqa (a double file extension).


----------



## nc8000

mw7485 said:


> Which format did you choose when downloading?
> 
> You need to download from the
> *
> ...



Yes those are the ones I have downloaded. I have renamed them, do they actually have to be .mqa.flac to be recognized as mqa ?


----------



## mw7485 (Dec 31, 2018)

nc8000 said:


> Yes those are the ones I have downloaded. I have renamed them, do they actually have to be .mqa.flac to be recognized as mqa ?




yes, otherwise the player just thinks they are flac files an treats them as such.....


<EDIT> and the file extensions should .flac.mqa (not the other way around).</EDIT>


----------



## AmusedToD

nc8000 said:


> I’ve just downloaded all the MQA stereo samples from the 2L web site and put them on my 3.01 1Z and when played they all just show as flac 44khz or 48khz at 24 bit, no indication that they should be mqa



You should download “MQA original resolution” from the 2L website.


----------



## Lookout57

ltanasom said:


> Hello,
> I am currently interested in Sony cradle (bcr-nwh10) to be using with WM1A and Sony TA dac/amp. However, I have questions as follows if anyone can give me advices.
> 1. Can it digitally output DSD file to outboard DAC?
> 2. Does it sound better than using sony dock cable (wmport to usb a)?
> ...


1. Yes, I have the same setup and DSD is sent to the TA for decoding.
2. Yes, the BCR-NWH10 has better electronics in the USB interface which improves the sound.

To get the best sound get a good USB cable like the Audioquest Carbon.


----------



## ltanasom

Lookout57 said:


> 1. Yes, I have the same setup and DSD is sent to the TA for decoding.
> 2. Yes, the BCR-NWH10 has better electronics in the USB interface which improves the sound.
> 
> To get the best sound get a good USB cable like the Audioquest Carbon.


Thank you very much.
So, I will buy one for my system.


----------



## nc8000

Well if I put the 2L files straight on to my 1Z without doing anything to them they are recognized as MQA at 352khz. If I do ANYTHING to them like editing and cleaning tags or embedding new cover art they are no longer recognized as mqa but just as the base flac. I can rename the files without damaging them and I don’t have to maintain the double file type .mqa.flac. So it seems that mqa files have a checksum in them and if the file has been changed in any way the 1Z will not recognize them as mqa


----------



## mw7485

nc8000 said:


> Well if I put the 2L files straight on to my 1Z without doing anything to them they are recognized as MQA at 352khz. If I do ANYTHING to them like editing and cleaning tags or embedding new cover art they are no longer recognized as mqa but just as the base flac. I can rename the files without damaging them and I don’t have to maintain the double file type .mqa.flac. So it seems that mqa files have a checksum in them and if the file has been changed in any way the 1Z will not recognize them as mqa



All of my 9 MQA albums have had their tags edited (including extended tags) and cover art resized, and they all behave exactly as they should with no issues. Of those 9, 1 album is from 2L. I have no idea what you have done, but I haven't encountered any such issues.


----------



## nc8000

mw7485 said:


> All of my 9 MQA albums have had their tags edited (including extended tags) and cover art resized, and they all behave exactly as they should with no issues. Of those 9, 1 album is from 2L. I have no idea what you have done, but I haven't encountered any such issues.



I have just deleted all the tags I don’t want, changed genre and added new cover art, all the things I normally do with all my files, but as soon as any tag has been changed my 1Z no longer recognizes the files as mqa


----------



## mw7485

nc8000 said:


> I have just deleted all the tags I don’t want, changed genre and added new cover art, all the things I normally do with all my files, but as soon as any tag has been changed my 1Z no longer recognizes the files as mqa



I wonder whether being test files, these have some sort of flag set so that any editing such as you have done causes them not to play. Seems a bit draconian if this is the case...

I try and reproduce what you did and see what happens with one of the same files....


----------



## mw7485

mw7485 said:


> I wonder whether being test files, these have some sort of flag set so that any editing such as you have done causes them not to play. Seems a bit draconian if this is the case...
> 
> I try and reproduce what you did and see what happens with one of the same files....




No, works fine for me. Edited the composer from Johan Sebastian Bach, to Bach and it still plays fine as MQA. I'm using PuddleTag (linux), but I don't see how that will make a difference.....

Are you editing the tags in-situ on the Walkman by any chance?


----------



## nc8000

mw7485 said:


> No, works fine for me. Edited the composer from Johan Sebastian Bach, to Bach and it still plays fine as MQA. I'm using PuddleTag (linux), but I don't see how that will make a difference.....
> 
> Are you editing the tags in-situ on the Walkman by any chance?



No I editing tags on my harddrive and then copying under a new file name to the 1Z. I’m using mp3tag and am now doing one tag at a time to see if it’s specific tags that are the problem


----------



## mw7485

nc8000 said:


> No I editing tags on my harddrive and then copying under a new file name to the 1Z. I’m using mp3tag and am now doing one tag at a time to see if it’s specific tags that are the problem




Well, its not the file name. I renamed one to Test.mqa.flac and it still behaves.....


----------



## nc8000

mw7485 said:


> Well, its not the file name. I renamed one to Test.mqa.flac and it still behaves.....



And it still behaves if the .mqa is removed. 

All the basic tags also dont matter. 

I’m down to 2 tags that matter. 

<ORIGINALSAMPLERATE> 352800

If that one is removed it is still mqa but now at 44khz. 

<ENCODER> MQAEncode v1.1.......

If this one is removed the file is no longer mqa


----------



## mw7485

nc8000 said:


> And it still behaves if the .mqa is removed.
> 
> All the basic tags also dont matter.
> 
> ...




Well, I have to say, that's no great surprise! Why did you feel the need to change these?


----------



## nc8000

mw7485 said:


> Well, I have to say, that's no great surprise! Why did you feel the need to change these?



I normally get rid of all tags except album name, artist, track name, genre, date, track number and front cover as various players in the past have stumbled and not shown ir not played files with all sorts of other tags in them


----------



## bflat

I was cleaning up my libraries on my 1z and noticed the following for playlists (FW 3.01):

You can't create a playlist with songs from both internal and sd card. I think this is well known.
Imported playlists need to be in the same MUSIC directory as your songs with the correct paths within the directory.
Imported or created playlists on internal memory can be edited. Imported playlists or created playlists on sd card cannot be edited.
OMG, the "keyboard" is a dial pad!
Lastly, thanks for the links to free MQA samples!


----------



## Malevolint

roses77 said:


> Oh okay thanks. I mainly listen with headphones as many IEMS don’t fit my ears only some do. I have been listening with Direct source it has enough bass.


Oh gotcha. What kind of headphones do you use?


----------



## mw7485

Anybody in Europe looking to protect the Walkman investment may like to consider one of these. Their shipping times are a little optimistic  (mine took two weeks to ship), and their shipping options aren't the cheapest, but they do seem to ship genuine Sony parts. This company is recommended by Sony for parts for their professional range of products (mainly cameras), so I'm pretty confident the provenance of their stuff is good.


----------



## roses77

Mrcojocaru said:


> Oh gotcha. What kind of headphones do you use?


The headphones I use are the Sony MDRZ1R & MDR-1A2 which has balanced cable. Ultrasone Signature Pro. Which has enough bass on direct source. I’ve noticed more power output which makes the Headphones easier to drive as well.


----------



## chaturanga

Just a quick note. Hans Beekhuyzen has informative videos on his Youtube channel, including videos on MQA.


----------



## AmusedToD

mw7485 said:


> Anybody in Europe looking to protect the Walkman investment may like to consider one of these. Their shipping times are a little optimistic  (mine took two weeks to ship), and their shipping options aren't the cheapest, but they do seem to ship genuine Sony parts. This company is recommended by Sony for parts for their professional range of products (mainly cameras), so I'm pretty confident the provenance of their stuff is good.



No pictures on the link you provided. Is it a WM1A replacement battery?


----------



## nc8000

AmusedToD said:


> No pictures on the link you provided. Is it a WM1A replacement battery?



It says compatible with 1A and 1Z


----------



## mw7485 (Dec 31, 2018)

Its a genuine Sony part, and yes, its a replacement battery:


----------



## nc8000

2.000 hours reached in 21 months so about 100 hours per month and 20-25 hours per week with one weekly recharge and never turn off


----------



## Wooglish

mw7485 said:


> Its a genuine Sony part, and yes, its a replacement battery:


For those in the US, encompass seems to stock the replacement batteries as well:
https://encompass.com/item/10955862/Sony/1-853-588-11/


----------



## northixora

Hii., do i need to copy all my audio files to the computer before upgrading the firmware 3.01?


----------



## kubig123

northixora said:


> Hii., do i need to copy all my audio files to the computer before upgrading the firmware 3.01?


No,
upgrading the firmware won't delete any files and/or custom settings.


----------



## gerelmx1986

northixora said:


> Hii., do i need to copy all my audio files to the computer before upgrading the firmware 3.01?


No need to, however the internal storage must have at least 300MB free


----------



## Luisonic

Just thought I'd share another piece of news...

Thanks to the many reviews and stuff read, I'm becoming part of the family!! 
It should arrive in 5 days, and then the burning begins!
Just a heads up, cause I'm sure I'll have some questions...

As a thank you in advance, I wanted to share a tip on tagging I got from somewhere and that now I use all the time with fantastic results:

For those who don't know it, try the Musicbrainz Picard. Small program, linux based, identifies and tags music, and the tagging is done on all formats and read by all players and software. 
Easy to use, and the pain of seeing untagged music is over.


----------



## AmusedToD

Luisonic said:


> Just thought I'd share another piece of news...
> 
> Thanks to the many reviews and stuff read, I'm becoming part of the family!!
> It should arrive in 5 days, and then the burning begins!
> ...



Congratulations!

A friend of mine who is currently in Spain bought the WM1A for me today (at the SuperSonido store in Barcelona). Will be joining the club as well in a few days!


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I can’t think about the day when my 1A battery dies and I have to replace it. I thought iPod classics were hard to change and now we have to heat the screen to get into the battery.
Why couldnt they put a back panel on the back of the unit so that we could access the battery and resolder it.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

northixora said:


> Hii., do i need to copy all my audio files to the computer before upgrading the firmware 3.01?


I am amazed at how fast the Sony update run from one hardware (pc) to another (Walkman) compared to an iTunes PC software update that takes about 10 mins.


----------



## nc8000

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I can’t think about the day when my 1A battery dies and I have to replace it. I thought iPod classics were hard to change and now we have to heat the screen to get into the battery.
> Why couldnt they put a back panel on the back of the unit so that we could access the battery and resolder it.



As far as I know there is a panel under the "leather" on the back and that is where you open it


----------



## nc8000

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I am amazed at how fast the Sony update run from one hardware (pc) to another (Walkman) compared to an iTunes PC software update that takes about 10 mins.



The Walkman firmware is tiny compared to an iOS update


----------



## Malevolint

AmusedToD said:


> Congratulations!
> 
> A friend of mine who is currently in Spain bought the WM1A for me today (at the SuperSonido store in Barcelona). Will be joining the club as well in a few days!


Congrats! Do you mean he bought it for you as a present it bought it in your stead? Either way I hope you love it as much as I do.


----------



## AmusedToD

Mrcojocaru said:


> Congrats! Do you mean he bought it for you as a present it bought it in your stead? Either way I hope you love it as much as I do.



He bought it with my money  Which means he bought it instead of me. And the good people at the store did the uncapping, so no gain limits now.


----------



## mw7485

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I can’t think about the day when my 1A battery dies and I have to replace it. I thought iPod classics were hard to change and now we have to heat the screen to get into the battery.
> Why couldnt they put a back panel on the back of the unit so that we could access the battery and resolder it.



If you check the maintenance manual, you'll see how to get in via the pleather back and exactly what else has to come apart to gain access to the battery. The hardest part would be ensuring you didn't short the battery during soldering, and that the solder wire height wasn't too high. Of course once you have a spare battery, if you didn't feel confident about doing it yourself, I'm sure you'd be able find someone/organisation willing to do it for a price.


----------



## meomap

mw7485 said:


> If you check the maintenance manual, you'll see how to get in via the pleather back and exactly what else has to come apart to gain access to the battery. The hardest part would be ensuring you didn't short the battery during soldering, and that the solder wire height wasn't too high. Of course once you have a spare battery, if you didn't feel confident about doing it yourself, I'm sure you'd be able find someone/organisation willing to do it for a price.



Maintenance manual in Sony website?


----------



## Nayparm

meomap said:


> Maintenance manual in Sony website?



Here you go 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7z2DypmySvnclhZYjZiLTlLZ2M/view


----------



## meomap

Nayparm said:


> Here you go
> 
> https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7z2DypmySvnclhZYjZiLTlLZ2M/view



Thank you very much.


----------



## Malevolint

AmusedToD said:


> He bought it with my money  Which means he bought it instead of me. And the good people at the store did the uncapping, so no gain limits now.


That's so awesome if your friend and the people at the store! I'm happy for ya  let us know what you think when you get it!


----------



## ttt123 (Jan 3, 2019)

mw7485 said:


> If you check the maintenance manual, you'll see how to get in via the pleather back and exactly what else has to come apart to gain access to the battery. The hardest part would be ensuring you didn't short the battery during soldering, and that the solder wire height wasn't too high. Of course once you have a spare battery, if you didn't feel confident about doing it yourself, I'm sure you'd be able find someone/organisation willing to do it for a price.


To open the back:
- no need to heat the pleather.  Use a sharp knife/cutter edge, under a corner of the pleather, and pry up.  Lift/peel the pleather off slowly.  The metal cover underneath has 2 screws.  Once that is off, you will see the battery cover, also secured by screws.  (at least that is how I remember it)  So it is not hard to get at the battery.  The battery leads are soldered onto the MB.
- pay attention that the NFC antenna ribbon is underneath the pleather in the middle, and is stuck to the pleather back.  Handle carefully.


----------



## gerelmx1986

My battery still holds strong after two years with it


----------



## Malevolint

gerelmx1986 said:


> My battery still holds strong after two years with it


I was thinking that if you use battery saver and not let the battery level get too low, it should last for a long time.


----------



## Luisonic

AmusedToD said:


> Congratulations!
> 
> A friend of mine who is currently in Spain bought the WM1A for me today (at the SuperSonido store in Barcelona). Will be joining the club as well in a few days!



Congrats to us then I guess!
We'll have to see how this baby turns out for ourselves... Hoping the 3.01 is all that!
Now I'm gonna have company in the noobie Q/A game...


----------



## Luisonic

Mrcojocaru said:


> I was thinking that if you use battery saver and not let the battery level get too low, it should last for a long time.



As with all electronics nowadays, if you keep the battery between 20 and 90%, not charging it obsessively, it should last for all the cycles it is supposed to, and that's a lot!


----------



## jcdreamer

Luisonic said:


> As with all electronics nowadays, if you keep the battery between 20 and 90%, not charging it obsessively, it should last for all the cycles it is supposed to, and that's a lot!


 When you love the WM1Z and listen to it obsessively like I do, you'll want that battery to last forever. Just the thought of sending it away for service depresses me.


----------



## nc8000

Luisonic said:


> As with all electronics nowadays, if you keep the battery between 20 and 90%, not charging it obsessively, it should last for all the cycles it is supposed to, and that's a lot!



Yep. Sony states 500 cycles and since I charge once per week, use battery saver and never let it drain completely it should last near 10 years


----------



## ryaneagon

Speaking of battery. Is there an option to turn off charging while syncing music?


----------



## AmusedToD

Does anybody have an idea where to purchase the original 4.4mm Pentaconn plug (either the standard brass or the upgraded OFC copper version)? I know Moon Audio sells the standard connector for $30, but the shipping cost to Europe is ridiculous. 

I have searched online, but haven't found a single European store that sells those. 

Eidolic 4.4mm plug might be a good alternative, but the the gold plated version is not available anywhere, I could only find the rhodium one.

I can buy the Furutech 4.4mm plug, but that one comes plated in rhodium as well, and that's not a good match esthetically to the 1A gold plated socket.


----------



## Malevolint

AmusedToD said:


> Does anybody have an idea where to purchase the original 4.4mm Pentaconn plug (either the standard brass or the upgraded OFC copper version)? I know Moon Audio sells the standard connector for $30, but the shipping cost to Europe is ridiculous.
> 
> I have searched online, but haven't found a single European store that sells those.
> 
> ...


Are you talking about something like this?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-4mm-MUC-...097086?hash=item468cb0a33e:g:l4gAAOSw3KhblmxJ


----------



## Turrican2

AmusedToD said:


> Does anybody have an idea where to purchase the original 4.4mm Pentaconn plug (either the standard brass or the upgraded OFC copper version)? I know Moon Audio sells the standard connector for $30, but the shipping cost to Europe is ridiculous.
> 
> I have searched online, but haven't found a single European store that sells those.
> 
> ...



Frank at toxic cables has these:

https://www.toxic-cables.co.uk/product/toxic-cables-4-4mm-trrrs/

Out of stock currently though.


----------



## XP_98 (Jan 4, 2019)

Hello
I just noticed that when I plug the Sony USB dongle in order to connect the WM1Z to my DAC-headphone amp (USB B connector), the volume and equalizer on the DAP are disabled.
When I do the same with my Pioneer XDP300R or XDP30R, I still have volume control, and can use the native equalizer or those inside UAAP or Neutron...
Why this difference ?
In both cases, the signal chain remains digital...


----------



## northixora

Hie., 
can anyone tell me the exact procedure to downgrade the firmware? i am now on v3.01 and decided to go back to v1.20 ...


----------



## nc8000

northixora said:


> Hie.,
> can anyone tell me the exact procedure to downgrade the firmware? i am now on v3.01 and decided to go back to v1.20 ...



Download and run the 1.2 installer and you are done. If you get a database error you will have to do a factory reset loosing your hours played counter


----------



## Luisonic

AmusedToD said:


> Does anybody have an idea where to purchase the original 4.4mm Pentaconn plug (either the standard brass or the upgraded OFC copper version)? I know Moon Audio sells the standard connector for $30, but the shipping cost to Europe is ridiculous.
> 
> I have searched online, but haven't found a single European store that sells those.
> 
> ...



I know which one you mean (I'm in Rome, so same logistics....) and the advice from a couple of guys that know their stuff is to get the whole balanced cable. Connectors will run about 20-30 € for decent quality (I bought the Geekria as a temporary-other iem solution) but it's money better spent on the cable, and the results should be noticeably better, again from what they tell me, and I'm sure that some people here can verify this!

I got the 1A for the CA Atlas, as said before, and I'll be getting the 4.4mm silver cable they are making specifically for Sony gear, and that should cover me.
Linum cables I hear are very well reviewed stuff, based in Europe and at a very fair price, and I'm on their waiting list for the MMCX 4.4mm silver-plated cable (they're not making it yet).

In any case it seems we're on the same boat as europeans, so let's see!


----------



## Love Music

nc8000 said:


> Download and run the 1.2 installer and you are done. If you get a database error you will have to do a factory reset loosing your hours played counter



Any difference in sq between 1.2 and 2.0? Currently using 2.0.


----------



## nc8000

Love Music said:


> Any difference in sq between 1.2 and 2.0? Currently using 2.0.



I have not used 1.2 since 2.0 came out so can’t remember but I didn’t really hear any difference between 2.0, 3.0 and 3.01 but everyone hears different


----------



## auronthas

mw7485 said:


> Its a genuine Sony part, and yes, its a replacement battery:


Wow, thanks for the battery specification , 1860mAh?  Based on that capacity, WM1A/1Z is really energy efficient compared to other DAPs.


----------



## northixora

Love Music said:


> Any difference in sq between 1.2 and 2.0? Currently using 2.0.


i somehow feel like v3.01 sounds dry just a little bit compared to v1.20 which has crisper vocal and round bass. Forgive me I'm not an expert.., some might like the new sound but I don't.


----------



## Duncan

northixora said:


> i somehow feel like v3.01 sounds dry just a little bit compared to v1.20 which has crisper vocal and round bass. Forgive me I'm not an expert.., some might like the new sound but I don't.


I'm glad I haven't heard 1.2 - by your description, seems that I would like it better than 3.00 or 3.01, but - I cannot forego the LDAC receiver function on the newer firmwares.


----------



## flyer1 (Jan 4, 2019)

3.01 not dry at all imho. Most natural, real sounding, fantastic bass with huge 3d like soundstage.

1.2 was also nice but with a bit of a congested sound to it especially compared to 3.01.


----------



## Redcarmoose

flyer1 said:


> 3.01 not dry at all imho. Most natural, real sounding, fantastic bass with huge 3d like soundstage.
> 
> 1.2 was also nice but with a bit of a congested sound to it especially compared to 3.01.



Yes. Though when I was listening to 1.2 my player was not yet burned in so the effect was worse. 3.01 sounds great to me with the 1Z and seems much like 3.0. I really can’t tell if it’s different? Though the stability and fast data base build make 3.01 a must. Still use 2.0 with the 1A as I like the combo? 

From way back I remember 1.2 being grainy and analog as well as warm and undefined? 2.0 is still fantastic though you loose the DAC function and Bluetooth receiver functions.


----------



## flyer1 (Jan 4, 2019)

Burn in is indeed apparent. Makes me appreciate the craftmanship that went into my 1Z even more!

 I did go back to 1.2 recently with 325 hours on my player, just for half an hour or so, to compare with 3.01.


----------



## pietcux

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes. Though when I was listening to 1.2 my player was not yet burned in so the effect was worse. 3.01 sounds great to me with the 1Z and seems much like 3.0. I really can’t tell if it’s different? Though the stability and fast data base build make 3.01 a must. Still use 2.0 with the 1A as I like the combo?
> 
> From way back I remember 1.2 being grainy and analog as well as warm and undefined? 2.0 is still fantastic though you loose the DAC function and Bluetooth receiver functions.


Glad that you like it. I just got the new firmware offered from MediaGo, which I still use to maintain and fill the WM1A. Will update now...


----------



## pietcux

Done. Wow the database update is more than welcome. The sound is awesomwe like before. Lets the Z1R sing.....


----------



## XP_98

XP_98 said:


> Hello
> I just noticed that when I plug the Sony USB dongle in order to connect the WM1Z to my DAC-headphone amp (USB B connector), the volume and equalizer on the DAP are disabled.
> When I do the same with my Pioneer XDP300R or XDP30R, I still have volume control, and can use the native equalizer or those inside UAAP or Neutron...
> Why this difference ?
> In both cases, the signal chain remains digital...


No one has an idea why the WM1Z behaves like that ?


----------



## quodjo105

To those that own it, or have heard them before ; does the music sanctuary k mod wm1z sound anything like the hugo2 or sp1000?.


----------



## mw7485

Turrican2 said:


> Frank at toxic cables has these:
> 
> https://www.toxic-cables.co.uk/product/toxic-cables-4-4mm-trrrs/
> 
> Out of stock currently though.



With the death of Frank last year, Toxic have suspended trading. I Know the guy who worked with him is looking to take things over, but  I imagine things are on hold due to probate etc. The last bit is speculation on my part, but the rest is quite widely known.


----------



## mw7485

auronthas said:


> Wow, thanks for the battery specification , 1860mAh?  Based on that capacity, WM1A/1Z is really energy efficient compared to other DAPs.




One of the advantages of being able to design your own silicon and fabricate it as well - at least I assume they did (fabricate it themselves)! But yes, it does show that Sony pretty much rules supreme in the class D market. Most other DAPS sport desktop class DACs with a battery appetite to match!


----------



## ruthieandjohn

pietcux said:


> Glad that you like it. I just got the new firmware offered from MediaGo, which I still use to maintain and fill the WM1A. Will update now...


New firmware for MediaGo?  I thought Sony stopped supporting MediaGo several months ago in favor of something else (PCCenter????).  Be great to get back to using MediaGo with improvements!


----------



## Turrican2

mw7485 said:


> With the death of Frank last year, Toxic have suspended trading. I Know the guy who worked with him is looking to take things over, but  I imagine things are on hold due to probate etc. The last bit is speculation on my part, but the rest is quite widely known.



Had no clue about Frank!


----------



## pietcux

ruthieandjohn said:


> New firmware for MediaGo?  I thought Sony stopped supporting MediaGo several months ago in favor of something else (PCCenter????).  Be great to get back to using MediaGo with improvements!


Sorry MediaGo is not updated. It is only that I still use it to fill my WM1A and ZX1. It is still working like ever before. I like it's simplicity.  The firmware update for the WM1A was offered by MediaGo.


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Has anyone tried a pair of BeyerDynamic DT1990 Pro (3.5mm) with the Sony WM1A ?
does it power it well enough to enjoy ?

PS: would it be too much to ask if it powers HD660S, HD800S, Audeze LCD2C(Classic) or AKG K712 Pro ?


----------



## captblaze

Tsukuyomi said:


> Has anyone tried a pair of BeyerDynamic DT1990 Pro (3.5mm) with the Sony WM1A ?
> does it power it well enough to enjoy ?
> 
> PS: would it be too much to ask if it powers HD660S, HD800S, Audeze LCD2C(Classic) or AKG K712 Pro ?



800S High Gain 90-100 vol. depending on track (DSD usually needs a boost over FLAC)


----------



## Tsukuyomi

captblaze said:


> 800S High Gain 90-100 vol. depending on track (DSD usually needs a boost over FLAC)


for the WM1A is the max volume 120? or 100?
also, is there an onboard high gain setting for SE(single ended) ?


----------



## iron2k

Tsukuyomi said:


> for the WM1A is the max volume 120? or 100?
> also, is there an onboard high gain setting for SE(single ended) ?


Max vol is 120 a yes there is high gain for SE


----------



## captblaze

Tsukuyomi said:


> for the WM1A is the max volume 120? or 100?
> also, is there an onboard high gain setting for SE(single ended) ?



you can enable high gain on SE although my reply was based on balanced output (sorry I didn't mention up front)


----------



## ayang02

mw7485 said:


> With the death of Frank last year, Toxic have suspended trading. I Know the guy who worked with him is looking to take things over, but  I imagine things are on hold due to probate etc. The last bit is speculation on my part, but the rest is quite widely known.



Supposedly Max will restart Toxic Cables sometime in April this year but that's just an estimate given to us months ago.


----------



## Redcarmoose

pietcux said:


> Sorry MediaGo is not updated. It is only that I still use it to fill my WM1A and ZX1. It is still working like ever before. I like it's simplicity.  The firmware update for the WM1A was offered by MediaGo.


MediaGo traumatized me. Maybe my computer is too slow? So happy now to do updates and fill songs onto players and cards without it.


----------



## pietcux

Tsukuyomi said:


> Has anyone tried a pair of BeyerDynamic DT1990 Pro (3.5mm) with the Sony WM1A ?
> does it power it well enough to enjoy ?
> 
> PS: would it be too much to ask if it powers HD660S, HD800S, Audeze LCD2C(Classic) or AKG K712 Pro ?


The HD660S comes with a 4.4mm balanced cable. I run it on volume 65 I think. The DT1990 needs around volume  80. I have a balanced 4.4 mm cable for my HD800SD too the it needs around volume 80 too. My AKG K501 needs around volume 90.


----------



## Redcarmoose

_*Sony WM-1Z
BGVP DM6 (solid-black) IEM (Sony MUC-M12NB1 Headphone Cable 4.4mm Pentaconn-MMCX)(Sony Hybrid Tips) *_

"Falling in love with this combo?"


----------



## quodjo105

If Any UK/EU member is interested in the new Effect Audio Leonidas II in 4.4mm(2pin) I’ve got one for sale in the classifieds .

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/effect-audio-leonidas-ii-2pin-4-4mm-5-days-old.897007/


----------



## Tsukuyomi

captblaze said:


> you can enable high gain on SE although my reply was based on balanced output (sorry I didn't mention up front)


so, single ended the DAP would not be able to power thoes headphones i've mentioned :S..


----------



## pietcux

Tsukuyomi said:


> so, single ended the DAP would not be able to power thoes headphones i've mentioned :S..


It can power them, but balanced is better, so why not use this function. The HD660S comes with the cable already included, for all others you need to get additional cable, that is all.


----------



## mw7485

Turrican2 said:


> Had no clue about Frank!




Yeah shame. He was very much a Marmite character, but his gear is very good. I hated his disorganisation, but in some respects, that made it even more special when you finally got what you ordered! He died very shortly after his father passed away - read into that what you will.


----------



## Tsukuyomi

pietcux said:


> It can power them, but balanced is better, so why not use this function. The HD660S comes with the cable already included, for all others you need to get additional cable, that is all.


the only headphone from the ones i've mentioned that i have is the DT1990 pros (i love german things >.<;; )
i'm not 100% sure if i want to get a 660S or 800S... i'll have to see.
the AKG K712 pro i may get when it goes on sale.

as for the Audeze LCD2C... i wont get for a long while.

if i do get the WM1A i wont be able to budget for the headphones for a while until i've paid it off and gotten a good leather case for it.

i just want to know that if i make the 1500$ plunge i wont get caught off guard when trying to power headphones i would like to get in future.


----------



## pietcux

Tsukuyomi said:


> the only headphone from the ones i've mentioned that i have is the DT1990 pros (i love german things >.<;; )
> i'm not 100% sure if i want to get a 660S or 800S... i'll have to see.
> the AKG K712 pro i may get when it goes on sale.
> 
> ...


From my point of view you are on the save side with the WM1A. I would not buy any headphone which cannot run very well from this DAP. AND the single ended output stage is no slough either. It sounds awesome with the DT1990. I have already sellers remorse on that sweet can.


----------



## lmfboy01

Selling my WM1A if you are interested,


Tsukuyomi said:


> the only headphone from the ones i've mentioned that i have is the DT1990 pros (i love german things >.<;; )
> i'm not 100% sure if i want to get a 660S or 800S... i'll have to see.
> the AKG K712 pro i may get when it goes on sale.
> 
> ...


----------



## mw7485

Bit of a bargain happening on Amazon with the Samsung 512GB micro SD card.


----------



## lmfboy01

mw7485 said:


> Bit of a bargain happening on Amazon with the Samsung 512GB micro SD card.


UK only, i dream...


----------



## Gibraltar

Does anyone have the 1A/1Z working as a DAC with an iPhone?

Using the Apple camera adapter and a Sony USB cable the 1Z recognizes the connection and the iPhone disables the volume control, so everything seems to be working, but I get no sound when I play music on the iPhone. It's the same issue from both itunes and Tidal. Very frustrating!


----------



## Dtuck90

Gibraltar said:


> Does anyone have the 1A/1Z working as a DAC with an iPhone?
> 
> Using the Apple camera adapter and a Sony USB cable the 1Z recognizes the connection and the iPhone disables the volume control, so everything seems to be working, but I get no sound when I play music on the iPhone. It's the same issue from both itunes and Tidal. Very frustrating!



Whilst it is connected close the apps you want to use and reopen them. Also make sure that the setting on the player to charge during USB DAC mode is turned off


----------



## Gibraltar

Dtuck90 said:


> Whilst it is connected close the apps you want to use and reopen them. Also make sure that the setting on the player to charge during USB DAC mode is turned off



That did the trick, thanks a lot!!


----------



## ltanasom

Is WM1A able to use with 512GB card?
Thanks.


----------



## alphanumerix1

ltanasom said:


> Is WM1A able to use with 512GB card?
> Thanks.



YES


----------



## Pooplow

Can any owners of both a WM1Z and any of the 8/10 driver qdc iems give impressions? How do they pair up? Currently have a Hyla CE-5 as my only iem and have a 1Z on the way but also looking to expand my collection.


----------



## ltanasom

alphanumerix1 said:


> YES


Thank you.


----------



## davidmolliere (Jan 7, 2019)

So I have received the Sony WMC-NWH10 USB OTG cable and despite tweaking the WM1Z settings for USB output every way possible (especially unchecking USB mass storage just in case) it doesn’t work with the iDSD Micro BL 

There is a slight “click” noise when I plug the 1Z to the Micro BL but no sound comes out and I have tried different file formats and sampling rate, also tried to switch the Micro BL filters from BitPerfect to every other setting... to no avail :’(

Anyone has both 1Z and Micro BL?` 

Edit : I have reactivated USB mass storage plugged unplugged several times and it worked this time


----------



## Joe Tan (Jan 7, 2019)

Yes i use Samsung 512gb from s9. Np


----------



## Luisonic (Jan 7, 2019)

Hi Guys, thought I'd share and ask for some feedback!
I got it!! Now the long, suggested burn begins... right?

First impressions after 4-5hr burn: soundstage good not great (yet, I hope),great on detail, nice on musicality, treble looks promising, a bit boomy (then again I am using the Atlas...), and a bit veiled in general (though not much).

Is this about right for the first impressions?

PS Edit to add: listening through the 4.4 but with a connector (still don't have the cable...)


----------



## Duncan

@Luisonic - what are you comparing against to come to your current thoughts re SQ?


----------



## linux4ever

Luisonic said:


> Hi Guys, thought I'd share and ask for some feedback!
> I got it!! Now the long, suggested burn begins... right?
> 
> First impressions after 4-5hr burn: soundstage good not great (yet, I hope),great on detail, nice on musicality, treble looks promising, a bit boomy (then again I am using the Atlas...), and a bit veiled in general (though not much).
> ...


You're very accurate with those first impressions.

Within the first 100 hours, some improvements are there.

But the key mile stones are 200 hours and 400 hours.

I had 2 unmodded wm1a that I started using from scratch. Both the experiences were similar.

I just connected an iem and let it play. I'll periodically listen in every 30-50 hours or so to observe the progress  

Good luck.


----------



## AmusedToD

Received my WM1A today! Beautiful device, no doubt. I updated the firmware to 3.0.1 and tried to connect it to my LG G7 via BT, but neither device was capable of detecting the other one. Any recommendations?


----------



## nc8000

AmusedToD said:


> Received my WM1A today! Beautiful device, no doubt. I updated the firmware to 3.0.1 and tried to connect it to my LG G7 via BT, but neither device was capable of detecting the other one. Any recommendations?



Did you enable bluetooth reciever on the 1A ?


----------



## AmusedToD

nc8000 said:


> Did you enable bluetooth reciever on the 1A ?



Thanks, so silly of me. That did the trick!

However, the codec used between the 1A and the LG is AAC for some reason, although both devices support LDAC. Does LDAC work in receiver mode?


----------



## nc8000

AmusedToD said:


> Thanks, so silly of me. That did the trick!
> 
> However, the codec used between the 1A and the LG is AAC for some reason, although both devices support LDAC. Does LDAC work in receiver mode?



I don’t know and can’t try as I don’t have any source device that can send LDAC. There is a setting on the 1A where you can specify preferred codec but I don’t know if that is only for communication to headphones and speakers


----------



## AmusedToD

nc8000 said:


> I don’t know and can’t try as I don’t have any source device that can send LDAC. There is a setting on the 1A where you can specify preferred codec but I don’t know if that is only for communication to headphones and speakers



Found it, had to enable an option in the phone’s BT settings and now it works! Thanks anyway


----------



## Tsukuyomi

pietcux said:


> From my point of view you are on the save side with the WM1A. I would not buy any headphone which cannot run very well from this DAP. AND the single ended output stage is no slough either. It sounds awesome with the DT1990. I have already sellers remorse on that sweet can.


thats good to know, i'm just scared to make that kind of an investment into a DAP and be afraid that it can't power atleast my DT1990 pro. its my favorite headphone out of most the headphones i've tried/owned. and my dream would be to just sit back on the sofa with my DT1990 pros and a good DAP and close my eyes and engulf myself in music. i hope the sony can deliver. i'm not interested in the gold version as i'm aware its more expensive, heavier, and arguably better sounding (although i've heard people say by not much, maybe 10% better).

I know sony is a great company when it comes to quality but i'd like to just make 100% sure i can enjoy that power in quality and not be left choked for power and requiring my DAP to have a portable headphone amp strapped to its back for more power. we are after all talking about 1,500$ CND lol


----------



## Redcarmoose

Tsukuyomi said:


> thats good to know, i'm just scared to make that kind of an investment into a DAP and be afraid that it can't power atleast my DT1990 pro. its my favorite headphone out of most the headphones i've tried/owned. and my dream would be to just sit back on the sofa with my DT1990 pros and a good DAP and close my eyes and engulf myself in music. i hope the sony can deliver. i'm not interested in the gold version as i'm aware its more expensive, heavier, and arguably better sounding (although i've heard people say by not much, maybe 10% better).
> 
> I know sony is a great company when it comes to quality but i'd like to just make 100% sure i can enjoy that power in quality and not be left choked for power and requiring my DAP to have a portable headphone amp strapped to its back for more power. we are after all talking about 1,500$ CND lol



With full-size headphones you go to the output settings and choose “high-gain” so your Sony Walkman has full power for full-size headphones. Truly the output power is remarkable, it’s like walking around with a desktop amp in your pocket. Many return from high-gain to normal power mode for IEMs. 

With the Z1R and Z7 full-size headphones the 1A/1Z delivers more volume than you could ever use.


----------



## ttt123

Pooplow said:


> Can any owners of both a WM1Z and any of the 8/10 driver qdc iems give impressions? How do they pair up? Currently have a Hyla CE-5 as my only iem and have a 1Z on the way but also looking to expand my collection.


I recently got a qdc 8SL, and love the pairing with the WM1Z.  For transparency, dynamics, timing, the qdc is very good.  And it does everything else (bass, voices, stage, etc) well, it goes without saying.  I am focused more on the communication of the singer or music, and less on particular details.  If I enjoy the music, then the system/synergy is good.  If I lose interest, or it feels like background music, then it is lacking.  In fact, if I start analyzing what is missing in the sound, instead of just being drawn into the music, then something is wrong.  Another clue for me is when I listen and enjoy a selection that I previously would skip.   As you may gather, mine is a subjective judgement.  

As a point of comparison, I also like Final IEMs sound.  

Note that I have a modded 1Z, though I believe the WM1x SQ is good on any IEM/Headphone.  At least,  I am not aware of anybody who has found an extreme bad synergy with a particular IEM/headphone.


----------



## Luisonic

Duncan said:


> @Luisonic - what are you comparing against to come to your current thoughts re SQ?



H!, thanks for the reply!

I am going by simple experience with different headphones, speakers, dacs, and console sound. In general, my taste is for neutral, true-to-the-source sound, and so in spite of the equipment, one gets an idea of where the sound is lacking or in what way it is being played or colored.
Don't know if it makes much sense to you?
But this is my personal filter for choosing gear: how much of the original sound and emotion does the gear transmit without adding, subtracting or altering too much.

I think that if you don't have a well-formed idea of what music "should" sound like to you, then you're going to be swept left and right depending on what you use to listen to your music.


----------



## Luisonic

linux4ever said:


> You're very accurate with those first impressions.
> 
> Within the first 100 hours, some improvements are there.
> 
> ...



Thanks!
Good luck we hope!
It is at home connected to a pair klipschs since last night (that's about 24 hrs now), playing straight at vol 80. I plan to listen to it again tonight, just to listen to the process.
I do remember about the 100, 200 marks especially, should get there by this weekend, so let's see!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 8, 2019)

Pooplow said:


> Can any owners of both a WM1Z and any of the 8/10 driver qdc iems give impressions? How do they pair up? Currently have a Hyla CE-5 as my only iem and have a 1Z on the way but also looking to expand my collection.



I have the downline almost entry qdc Anole V3; two identical pairs actually. I combined one pair with the 1Z and Hansound Zen 4 wire. It’s super smooth and nice. Though I have heard those models your asking about; haven’t listened that long so I don’t want to give an opinion.They definitely have more midrange detail though than the V3. The Anole V3 set at standard crossover is bass heavy with just enough treble but not a bunch of midrange action or detail going on. Surprisingly the 1Z gets them a little kick where the 1A is lacking. Don’t like using EQ or the crossovers so I’m probably going to try other cables to try and get a smidge more midrange detail. I purchased them to be a complement to the midcentric Encore. The V3 is so great with EDM displacing any wrong ideas about weak BA bass.

Just be aware the qdc has very different two pin connectors. Regular two pin fits but does not go around the mounting extruded stub. Also the positive and negative are reversed from normal 2 pin.





I brightened the picture so you could see the way a regular cable connects. Note the slot faces towards the nozzle.


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Redcarmoose said:


> With full-size headphones you go to the output settings and choose “high-gain” so your Sony Walkman has full power for full-size headphones. Truly the output power is remarkable, it’s like walking around with a desktop amp in your pocket. Many return from high-gain to normal power mode for IEMs.
> 
> With the Z1R and Z7 full-size headphones the 1A/1Z delivers more volume than you could ever use.


Im assuming with my B&O h6 2nd gen, i can use normal mode, then switch to high gain at home for my dt 1990 pro.


----------



## latios507

To all the WM1A/1Z owners who are using them as a DAC connected to PC, do you use em with a custom made USB cable or just the default cable supplied by Sony?

Was wondering if there would be a sonic differences coz I happened to have a SPROCC Copper USB cable (USB A Male tl USB B male) but might need an adapter to connect it to my WM1A.

Your advices is greatly appreciated, thanks


----------



## AmusedToD

latios507 said:


> To all the WM1A/1Z owners who are using them as a DAC connected to PC, do you use em with a custom made USB cable or just the default cable supplied by Sony?
> 
> Was wondering if there would be a sonic differences coz I happened to have a SPROCC Copper USB cable (USB A Male tl USB B male) but might need an adapter to connect it to my WM1A.
> 
> Your advices is greatly appreciated, thanks



I say yes, a good USB cable will bring improvements over the default Sony one. Whether it’s worth it is up to you.

But you would need a USB type B (female) to Walkman type of adapter, not sure such an adapter exists at all.


----------



## Redcarmoose

latios507 said:


> To all the WM1A/1Z owners who are using them as a DAC connected to PC, do you use em with a custom made USB cable or just the default cable supplied by Sony?
> 
> Was wondering if there would be a sonic differences coz I happened to have a SPROCC Copper USB cable (USB A Male tl USB B male) but might need an adapter to connect it to my WM1A.
> 
> Your advices is greatly appreciated, thanks



You can use this adapter and an upgraded USB cable to the computer. 
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output-x/dp/B00FF086HE
Can’t tell you if it’s an upgrade in sound as I don’t use the player as a DAC that much?


----------



## AmusedToD

Redcarmoose said:


> You can use this adapter and an upgraded USB cable to the computer.
> https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output-x/dp/B00FF086HE
> Can’t tell you if it’s an upgrade in sound as I don’t use the player as a DAC that much?



That’s a USB type A adapter. He needs a USB type B adapter, not sure if such an adapter exists.

He would something like this https://www.amazon.com/TERNS-ËWM-PO...DAVA2JBB043&psc=1&refRID=VF6KH387DDAVA2JBB043

Plus this: https://www.amazon.com/d/USB-Cables/Audioquest-USB-B-Micro-Adaptor/B00M0H4J6C


----------



## Joe Tan

@Redcarmoose , silly question .
But how to check for positive / negative if I've acable without groove ? Tia


----------



## latios507

AmusedToD said:


> That’s a USB type A adapter. He needs a USB type B adapter, not sure if such an adapter exists.
> 
> He would something like this https://www.amazon.com/TERNS-ËWM-PO...DAVA2JBB043&psc=1&refRID=VF6KH387DDAVA2JBB043
> 
> Plus this: https://www.amazon.com/d/USB-Cables/Audioquest-USB-B-Micro-Adaptor/B00M0H4J6C



That might actually work. Because yeah I couldn't find Walkman to USB B adapter.

It's either i use your suggestion using USB B female to micro adapter + Walkman to micro female

or

1). SPROCC Cable (USB Male A to USB Male B) -> Adapter (USB B female and USB A female) -> Default Sony cable (Walkman port to USB A male)

or I'll go visit a local shop and see if they can do such termination for Walkman to USB B female haha


----------



## AmusedToD

latios507 said:


> That might actually work. Because yeah I couldn't find Walkman to USB B adapter.
> 
> It's either i use your suggestion using USB B female to micro adapter + Walkman to micro female
> 
> ...



I believe it’s cheaper to use my suggestion. I also think this option will alter the sound of your USB cable much less as you would be using adapters only. If you go for the second option, you will be having a conversion cable (not an adapter per se) with additional wiring which will most certainly change the sound signature of your USB cable.


----------



## ttt123

Redcarmoose said:


> I have the downline almost entry qdc Anole V3; two identical pairs actually. I combined one pair with the 1Z and Hansound Zen 4 wire. It’s super smooth and nice. Though I have heard those models your asking about; haven’t listened that long so I don’t want to give an opinion.They definitely have more midrange detail though than the V3. The Anole V3 set at standard crossover is bass heavy with just enough treble but not a bunch of midrange action or detail going on. Surprisingly the 1Z gets them a little kick where the 1A is lacking. Don’t like using EQ or the crossovers so I’m probably going to try other cables to try and get a smidge more midrange detail. I purchased them to be a complement to the midcentric Encore. The V3 is so great with EDM displacing any wrong ideas about weak BA bass.
> 
> Just be aware the qdc has very different two pin connectors. Regular two pin fits but does not go around the mounting extruded stub. Also the positive and negative are reversed from normal 2 pin.
> 
> ...



qdc uses a UE CM connector, which is not as common as CM, or MMCX. Other IEMs that use this connector are the UE18Pro, Unique Melody Mason.  The UECM makes a good secure connection with the IEM socket, but is unfortunately yet another connector type to juggle.
Just to share a workaround, as I wanted to try other cables, without needing to convert them to UECM.  I just ordered/received an MMCX to UECM adapter from Lunashops, and am trying them out now with a Beat PD4 MMCX cable, and they are working out well.  Ordered them last night and received them today, actually, which is a pleasant surprise.
*adapter For Ultimate UE UE18PRO 11PRO 10PRO 7PRO 4PRO Earphone Pins Plug To MMCX Female*
*http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=5583 
*


----------



## Redcarmoose

ttt123 said:


> qdc uses a UE CM connector, which is not as common as CM, or MMCX. Other IEMs that use this connector are the UE18Pro, Unique Melody Mason.  The UECM makes a good secure connection with the IEM socket, but is unfortunately yet another connector type to juggle.
> Just to share a workaround, as I wanted to try other cables, without needing to convert them to UECM.  I just ordered/received an MMCX to UECM adapter from Lunashops, and am trying them out now with a Beat PD4 MMCX cable, and they are working out well.  Ordered them last night and received them today, actually, which is a pleasant surprise.
> *adapter For Ultimate UE UE18PRO 11PRO 10PRO 7PRO 4PRO Earphone Pins Plug To MMCX Female
> http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=5583
> *



They even have 3.5mm to MMCX adapters, which means you could try different MMCX cables with the Sony Z1R, Z7, Z7MK2 and Focal line.


----------



## captblaze

AmusedToD said:


> I say yes, a good USB cable will bring improvements over the default Sony one. Whether it’s worth it is up to you.
> 
> But you would need a USB type B (female) to Walkman type of adapter, not sure such an adapter exists at all.



you want this:


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 8, 2019)

Joe Tan said:


> @Redcarmoose , silly question .
> But how to check for positive / negative if I've acable without groove ? Tia



That’s a good question, I just learned about the polarity change from the guys at the shops. Enough research about your IEM will normally come up with a diagram somewhere which has it listed. That’s the IEM itself not the cable? Manufacturers post a simple drawing online with markings for the IEM. Aftermarket cables normally show if it’s two pin? I’m guessing? Cables are often at an angle which substantiates the polarity. Though maybe someone good with electronics could tell us how to test? It is helpful with non cable guide cables which offer straight plugs, as without a groove; how would you know?

Also of course you’ll know by the sound if it’s backwards, though I’ve never done it. I have actually read about people who received backwards wiring in their new IEM and had to go by the off sound to know something was wrong.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 8, 2019)

AmusedToD said:


> That’s a USB type A adapter. He needs a USB type B adapter, not sure if such an adapter exists.
> 
> He would something like this https://www.amazon.com/TERNS-ËWM-PO...DAVA2JBB043&psc=1&refRID=VF6KH387DDAVA2JBB043
> 
> Plus this: https://www.amazon.com/d/USB-Cables/Audioquest-USB-B-Micro-Adaptor/B00M0H4J6C



My bad. Your right. Like I said I never do it. When I do I use the dock, in reverse. The only bad thing is your player has to stay in the dock with the headphone cable coming off the top, to use as a computer DAC.


----------



## ttt123 (Jan 8, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> That’s a good question, I just learned about the polarity change from the guys at the shops. Enough research about your IEM will normally come up with a diagram somewhere which has it listed. That’s the IEM itself not the cable? Manufacturers post a simple drawing online with markings for the IEM. Aftermarket cables normally show if it’s two pin? I’m guessing? Cables are often at an angle which substantiates the polarity. Though maybe someone good with electronics could tell us how to test? It is helpful with non cable guide cables which offer straight plugs, as without a groove; how would you know?
> 
> Also of course you’ll know by the sound if it’s backwards, though I’ve never done it. I have actually read about people who received backwards wiring in their new IEM and had to go by the off sound to know something was wrong.


The CM 2 plug has a red dot on the right side, and a blue dot on the left side.  The pin closest to the dot is the +.(I believe)  If the IEM has a dot on it, I believe that would be close to the + female socket. (please confirm with the manufacturer).  To confirm which CM pin in the cable  is + or -, use a meter to check continuity: A 3.5mm TRS is T=L, R=R, and S-GRD.  So continuity from the T on the 3.5mm plug to the left CM pin, that would be the + lead.  And continuity from the 3.5mm plug S  to either left or right CM pin, would be the - GRD signal.  Or you just identify the GRD CM pin, and the other remaining pin will be the + pin.
Moon Audio says:
https://www.moon-audio.com/headphones-magazines.html/in-ear-monitor-connection-guide
*ONE RULE TO REMEMBER FOR CONNECTING OUR DRAGON CABLES TO YOUR IEMS IS THAT
RED IS RIGHT (R&R) *

1. With Red dot facing up toward the sky, slip in cable connection straight and flush with the RIGHT IEM.  
2. Repeat step 1 with LEFT IEM and Blue dot.


----------



## Pooplow (Jan 8, 2019)

ttt123 said:


> I recently got a qdc 8SL, and love the pairing with the WM1Z.  For transparency, dynamics, timing, the qdc is very good.  And it does everything else (bass, voices, stage, etc) well, it goes without saying.  I am focused more on the communication of the singer or music, and less on particular details.  If I enjoy the music, then the system/synergy is good.  If I lose interest, or it feels like background music, then it is lacking.  In fact, if I start analyzing what is missing in the sound, instead of just being drawn into the music, then something is wrong.  Another clue for me is when I listen and enjoy a selection that I previously would skip.   As you may gather, mine is a subjective judgement.
> 
> As a point of comparison, I also like Final IEMs sound.
> 
> Note that I have a modded 1Z, though I believe the WM1x SQ is good on any IEM/Headphone.  At least,  I am not aware of anybody who has found an extreme bad synergy with a particular IEM/headphone.



Thanks for your impressions, do you run these off SE or balanced?



Redcarmoose said:


> I have the downline almost entry qdc Anole V3; two identical pairs actually. I combined one pair with the 1Z and Hansound Zen 4 wire. It’s super smooth and nice. Though I have heard those models your asking about; haven’t listened that long so I don’t want to give an opinion.They definitely have more midrange detail though than the V3. The Anole V3 set at standard crossover is bass heavy with just enough treble but not a bunch of midrange action or detail going on. Surprisingly the 1Z gets them a little kick where the 1A is lacking. Don’t like using EQ or the crossovers so I’m probably going to try other cables to try and get a smidge more midrange detail. I purchased them to be a complement to the midcentric Encore. The V3 is so great with EDM displacing any wrong ideas about weak BA bass.
> 
> Just be aware the qdc has very different two pin connectors. Regular two pin fits but does not go around the mounting extruded stub. Also the positive and negative are reversed from normal 2 pin.
> 
> ...



They look amazing! Now im more excited lol, it seems every item in their lineup can be customized.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 8, 2019)

Pooplow said:


> They look amazing! Now im more excited lol, it seems every item in their lineup can be customized.



https://www.head-fi.org/threads/qdc-discussion-and-impressions-thread.804170/page-19#post-14705132

If you read very carefully the post next to yours in the qdc thread you will read about the posters issue with soundstage. Interesting as it’s something to consider, also note he is talking about the new qdc VX flagship, but you really need to hear them before a purchase. Of course you could always sell your IEMs on the used market if they are not your cup of tea. Though take note, their upper line is super well regarded by many, despite being rare as the Bigfoot. 



 
Chameleon Is the coolest custom color, about $150 extra I think?


----------



## Pooplow

Yeah, sadly there is no dealer for qdc here in Canada but I am not in a rush so I will wait for more opinions as they come along. If the VX is controversial then I can always just get the 8 driver ones which are pretty much universally liked.


----------



## ttt123 (Jan 8, 2019)

Pooplow said:


> Thanks for your impressions, do you run these off SE or balanced?


I have been using SE with a Zen4 cable.  Just now trying 4.4 with the MMCX adapter I posted earlier.  SE sounds great.  The 4.4 is richer, with a velvety sound to vocals.  Bass is more solid.  More 3D stage.  But as the SE was with a Zen4 copper cable, and the 4.4 is with a Beat PD4 silver cable, I cannot say what percentage of change is due to the 4.4 and what is due to the cable.  All I can say is that both SE and 4.4 are good.
The cable that comes with the qdc is pretty good also.  I tried various cables(costing much more than the Zen4 cable) , and it was not easy to find one that improved the transparency and detail enough to consider changing.  The Zen4 was mentioned by Redcarmoose, so I picked it up when it became available cheap, and I found that an improvement.  It is not expensive, so it was an easy choice.   Also, the qdc website has their own cables, and also list Han Sound Zen8 and OC Studio cables, so I assume qdc is finding these cables complement their IEMs.


----------



## RobertP (Jan 9, 2019)

I updated my 1A last week from v2.0 to v3.01 and I love it. Larger soundstages, more 3D and definitely less congested on the lower mid to low frequency. I can easily detect more music instruments that are playing on same tracks. Both male, female or even background singers voice are more accurate and natural with the new firmware. The high seem to bring out a bit more finer spakle details than the v2. Not colored or too aggressive at all. Drums become more alive and not as boomy. But sometimes a feel a bit lag of bass especially while I'm driving.
SQ for mp3 files improved a lot. I used to think that mp3 are far inferior but not that much anymore. Great job Sony! I used to switched to high gain mode just to narrowing soundstage a bit and bring singers more forward. Otherwise it's hard for me to understand words singers are sing. v3.01 eliminates that hassle. Just play in direct source and it's all good. One thing if it can request. I understand that mp3's are much smaller file in lossy format and not as smooth cerve compare to flac or other high-res files. Because of that, I wish that mp3 in high feq region a pinch less aggressive on the next firmware. I prefer more smoothness. It's kinda annoying me sometimes.
Looking forward on the next firmware


----------



## Redcarmoose

ttt123 said:


> I have been using SE with a Zen4 cable.  Just now trying 4.4 with the MMCX adapter I posted earlier.  SE sounds great.  The 4.4 is richer, with a velvety sound to vocals.  Bass is more solid.  More 3D stage.  But as the SE was with a Zen4 copper cable, and the 4.4 is with a Beat PD4 silver cable, I cannot say what percentage of change is due to the 4.4 and what is due to the cable.  All I can say is that both SE and 4.4 are good.
> The cable that comes with the qdc is pretty good also.  I tried various cables(costing much more than the Zen4 cable) , and it was not easy to find one that improved the transparency and detail enough to consider changing.  The Zen4 was mentioned by Redcarmoose, so I picked it up when it became available cheap, and I found that an improvement.  It is not expensive, so it was an easy choice.   Also, the qdc website has their own cables, and also list Han Sound Zen8 and OC Studio cables, so I assume qdc is finding these cables complement their IEMs.


Haha, had no idea you were enjoying the Zen 4 due to my recommendation. It is nice, both physically and sonically. Though interesting enough it does not improve my Encore IEM. The Encore sounds better with the stock cable. So the Hansound Zen 4 isn’t going to be everything for everyone. Can’t wait to get a Hansound Zen 4 wire MMCX for the DM6 though!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Pampering my WM1A with DSD food


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Pampering my WM1A with DSD food


Hmm...what is going on ?


----------



## sne4me

looks like a BDP-170, running sacd iso thingamajibber.


----------



## Whitigir

You mean he is extracting DSD from his SACD for WM1A ?


----------



## sne4me

Whitigir said:


> You mean he is extracting DSD from his SACD for WM1A ?



I can neither confirm nor deny that.


----------



## bflat

sne4me said:


> I can neither confirm nor deny that.



I have an old PS3 that was able to extract DSD as long as it had an older version of firmware. When I plugged it in to check the firmware version, it auto updated and now cannot roll back to the old version


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> You mean he is extracting DSD from his SACD for WM1A ?


yes exactly with this bdp-170 Pioneer


----------



## sne4me

gerelmx1986 said:


> yes exactly with this bdp-170 Pioneer



I hear the sq is quite good


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> yes exactly with this bdp-170 Pioneer


Are you curious enough to compare that to PCM of that file ? Lol


----------



## sne4me

Whitigir said:


> Are you curious enough to compare that to PCM of that file ? Lol



for research educational purposes, absolutely!


----------



## proedros

how different is 3.01 to 2.0 sound-wise , when used on *WM1A* ?


----------



## sne4me

proedros said:


> how different is 3.01 to 2.0 sound-wise , when used on *WM1A* ?



I cant hear it i listened too loud


----------



## captblaze

sne4me said:


> for research educational purposes, absolutely!



my suggestion is to re encode to DSD256 at the very least before you test. your WM-1A plays DSD256 just as well as DSD64 albeit at a higher storage cost (strictly for educational or archival purposes)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Are you curious enough to compare that to PCM of that file ? Lol


Some are analogue recordings therefore should soubd better than their PCM sibling


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Some are analogue recordings therefore should soubd better than their PCM sibling


Still don’t get what you meant

A/ analogue recording, then remastered into DSD ?

B/ Recorded directly into DSD

C/ You are converting Vynil or Tape into DSD ? 
Ehh ...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Still don’t get what you meant
> 
> A/ analogue recording, then remastered into DSD ?
> 
> ...


The SACD i got are either A or B


----------



## Wooglish

gerelmx1986 said:


> The SACD i got are either A or B


For dual layer SACD (so the same master), do you find extracting the SACD layer to DSD is noticeably better than burning the CD and playing on your 1Z?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Wooglish said:


> For dual layer SACD (so the same master), do you find extracting the SACD layer to DSD is noticeably better than burning the CD and playing on your 1Z?


Yes i do note q lore organic nature on DSD


----------



## buzzlulu

Question
If I want to use my 1Z to feed a Stax amplifier (actually a Carbon) what are some suggested cables to run from the 1Z headphone out to the Stax amp (terminated either XLR or RCA for the Stax)?
Are people taking the signal from the 1Z out via the SE headphone out or from the balanced 4.4 out?

PS  I read in previous postings in this thread that there is no problem with "double amping" as the Sony headphone out was designed to be an analogue out as well


----------



## meomap

buzzlulu said:


> Question
> If I want to use my 1Z to feed a Stax amplifier (actually a Carbon) what are some suggested cables to run from the 1Z headphone out to the Stax amp (terminated either XLR or RCA for the Stax)?
> Are people taking the signal from the 1Z out via the SE headphone out or from the balanced 4.4 out?
> 
> PS  I read in previous postings in this thread that there is no problem with "double amping" as the Sony headphone out was designed to be an analogue out as well



I tried ALO 3.5 mm IC from 1Z 3.5 mm out to CDM 3.5 mm in: tested Utopia = very good

Next, I am using DHC Comp4 Silver 2.5 mm IC with 4.4 mm adapter from 1Z 4.4 mm to CDM 2.5 mm IN : tested Utopia = more open and airy, bass is more defined and thumpy.
I am using this combo as permanent now.

I haven't get back to 1Z 3.5 mm out to RCA to ALO Studio Six tubes amp for a while now. Miss that combo now. Maybe, I try again and see if that will be the ultimate combo.

Or 1Z with  Dock ( just bought, not use it yet), digital out with USB to a SACD / DAC combo and to Studio Six = will test and see.


----------



## AmusedToD

A big suprise from the postman this morning!


----------



## Redcarmoose

AmusedToD said:


> A big suprise from the postman this morning!



So basicly now you have everything except the Axios cable. Do tell us if you prefer the 1A as a source to the TA. We want to hear.


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 10, 2019)

buzzlulu said:


> Question
> If I want to use my 1Z to feed a Stax amplifier (actually a Carbon) what are some suggested cables to run from the 1Z headphone out to the Stax amp (terminated either XLR or RCA for the Stax)?
> Are people taking the signal from the 1Z out via the SE headphone out or from the balanced 4.4 out?
> 
> PS  I read in previous postings in this thread that there is no problem with "double amping" as the Sony headphone out was designed to be an analogue out as well



I used this combo a while time ago, just 4.4mm into dual XLR, my chain was

Wm1Z > Carbon > SR-009

And I made a mistake....because once I traveled down the Stax path....my pocket has never been the same...damn it!!


----------



## Tsukuyomi

AmusedToD said:


> A big suprise from the postman this morning!


Ive seen that in person before. Controls in back look decent but the power adaptor... quite large.. :/


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Whitigir said:


> I used this combo a while time ago, just 4.4mm into dual XLR, my chain was
> 
> Wm1Z > Carbon > SR-009
> 
> And I made a mistake....because once I traveled down the Stax path....my pocket has never been the same...damn it!!


*cough*reasonidontwanttobuyasetofstax*cough* my wallet is ok for now lol


----------



## nikitasius

Hi, could you please tell me, which DAC sony use in this model?


----------



## captblaze

nikitasius said:


> Hi, could you please tell me, which DAC sony use in this model?



its called S-Master and it is their own design


----------



## nc8000

nikitasius said:


> Hi, could you please tell me, which DAC sony use in this model?



Sony S-master, a complete integrated dac and class D amp setup developed in house by Sony


----------



## buzzlulu

Whitigir said:


> I used this combo a while time ago, just 4.4mm into dual XLR, my chain was
> 
> Wm1Z > Carbon > SR-009
> 
> And I made a mistake....because once I traveled down the Stax path....my pocket has never been the same...damn it!!



And what cable was used ?
I'm looking for a commercially available one - not DIY


----------



## Whitigir

buzzlulu said:


> And what cable was used ?
> I'm looking for a commercially available one - not DIY



I can’t tell you which cables I used as it was DIY, even my Carbon was my DIY X_X.

Maybe pm plus sound and ask for custom cables configuration as I mentioned


----------



## sne4me

Unfortunately CES 2019 looks to be a letdown as far as micro sd cards go.. Last september, Lexar showed off 1TB Micro SDXC and 1TB SDXC at photokina 2018. At CES 2019, Lexar revealed the pricing for the full-sized SDXC card, coming in around €439.99, pre-order at $399 (BHPhoto). Looks like we are still waiting for the Micro SDXC card pricing and availability, no word yet.


----------



## Mal Waldron

Good day, "Signature" family! I recieved my WM1A some days ago and I'm still burning (33 hours) using my usual HP and IEM (Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro & DT 770, iBasso IT 01 and the yesterday received Audeze iSINE 10). A great leap in quality coming from a iBasso DX50 and a Shanling M2s paired with a Xduoo X05. Now I'm waiting the balanced cable for the iSINE 10. My only complain about the Sony dap is the inability to read CUE files. As I have a lot of music with them, I'm spending hours separating the tracks.

Have a good day, friends!


----------



## iron2k

Mal Waldron said:


> Good day, "Signature" family! I recieved my WM1A some days ago and I'm still burning (33 hours) using my usual HP and IEM (Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro & DT 770, iBasso IT 01 and the yesterday received Audeze iSINE 10). A great leap in quality coming from a iBasso DX50 and a Shanling M2s paired with a Xduoo X05. Now I'm waiting the balanced cable for the iSINE 10. My only complain about the Sony dap is the inability to read CUE files. As I have a lot of music with them, I'm spending hours separating the tracks.
> 
> Have a good day, friends!


I use this CUE splitter, hope it helps:

http://www.medieval.it/cuesplitter-pc/menu-id-71.html


----------



## Mal Waldron

iron2k said:


> I use this CUE splitter, hope it helps:
> 
> http://www.medieval.it/cuesplitter-pc/menu-id-71.html



That's the one I'm using. It's a tedious work as I have around of 3 TB of flac & ape albums with cue. At the same time, I'm embeddeding covers to those and the rest of my collection (7 TB). A tedious but comforting work!


----------



## AmusedToD (Jan 10, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> So basicly now you have everything except the Axios cable. Do tell us if you prefer the 1A as a source to the TA. We want to hear.



Sorry for the late reply, I was quite busy today.

I didn’t have the chance to test it extensively, but I can tell you you were right. It is certainly an improvement when compared to my NUC server and even the Walkman port on the TA.

A great little thing that cradle is. It’s built and packaged beautifully! I also couldn’t detect any difference in SQ plugged vs unplugged. Not sure whether the cradle needs burning in, we shall see.

I found out about the Walkman remote today, it could be quite handy when the 1A is acting as a server inside the cradle. Do you have one?


----------



## Mal Waldron

How many charge cycles needs the battery to offer all it's potential?


----------



## nc8000

Mal Waldron said:


> How many charge cycles needs the battery to offer all it's potential?



None as far as I’m concerned, it was at max right from the start


----------



## bflat

Mal Waldron said:


> How many charge cycles needs the battery to offer all it's potential?



Enable battery saver mode and you are all set. The last thing you want to do with LiON batteries is frequent charging to 100% and discharging to 0%. There is a finite number of full cycles the battery can do. Battery saver will limit charging to 90% and then you need to recharge when the last battery bar starts blinking. Even the Hugo 2 features a "desktop" mode where it stops charging the battery after you leave it on for 24 hours.


----------



## Mal Waldron (Jan 10, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> None as far as I’m concerned, it was at max right from the start





bflat said:


> Enable battery saver mode and you are all set. The last thing you want to do with LiON batteries is frequent charging to 100% and discharging to 0%. There is a finite number of full cycles the battery can do. Battery saver will limit charging to 90% and then you need to recharge when the last battery bar starts blinking. Even the Hugo 2 features a "desktop" mode where it stops charging the battery after you leave it on for 24 hours.



Yes, I'm using battery saver mode. I'm getting around 15-16 hours playing dsd and hd flac files.


----------



## nc8000

Mal Waldron said:


> Yes, I'm using battery saver mode. I'm getting around 15-16 hours playing dsd and hd flac files.



That is very good. I only have 16/44 flac and get about 20 hours play time (about 3 hours every day) plus a weeks stand by per charge to 90% and never fully drain and never turn off and charge every Sunday


----------



## Mal Waldron

I turn it off when I'm not using it. By the way, when I'm charging it turns on, isn't it?


----------



## nc8000

Mal Waldron said:


> I turn it off when I'm not using it. By the way, when I'm charging it turns on, isn't it?



Yes it turns on when being charged


----------



## AmusedToD

WM1Z gets my vote. Heard it with the Utopia and it's magical. And the build quality is stellar.


----------



## bflat

One of the reasons why I am sticking with Sony is due to their battery performance when powered off. I had a Sony phone that I turned off at 100% charge. I turned it back on 6 months later and battery was at 95%. I have had other brands of devices that would have completely drained in one month or less.


----------



## Mal Waldron

nc8000 said:


> That is very good. I only have 16/44 flac and get about 20 hours play time (about 3 hours every day) plus a weeks stand by per charge to 90% and never fully drain and never turn off and charge every Sunday





AmusedToD said:


> WM1Z gets my vote. Heard it with the Utopia and it's magical. And the build quality is stellar.





bflat said:


> One of the reasons why I am sticking with Sony is due to their battery performance when powered off. I had a Sony phone that I turned off at 100% charge. I turned it back on 6 months later and battery was at 95%. I have had other brands of devices that would have completely drained in one month or less.



Indeed. In addition to the SQ, the battery, the UI, the build and design are fantastic. I think the screen has some anti fingerprint treatment.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 10, 2019)

AmusedToD said:


> Sorry for the late reply, I was quite busy today.
> 
> I didn’t have the chance to test it extensively, but I can tell you you were right. It is certainly an improvement when compared to my NUC server and even the Walkman port on the TA.
> 
> ...


Congratulations, maybe we are not all crazy. Well I forgot to get the remote while in Japan last year; I should have made a written list other than a mental list. I don’t have the option of Amazon.com. I still could get one, but the way I use the dock, it’s always close by. I think the remote only forwards songs and pauses, where I always do more than that. Remember too, you can listen to your computer with the 1A as the DAC using the dock in reverse. Though you maybe have no use as you would just use the TA. But myself, I have one pair of IEMs which is slightly better from the 1Z than the TA. The 1Z has a slightly boosted treble over the TA. But everything else is best from the TA. Just spent a day with the old flagship Z7 headphones, the dock and the TA. Some songs I listen to have a super high frequency drum accent, and the combo somehow is able to reproduce the frequency? The combination is truly high resolution. It can be beat, but requires some serious money to do so.


----------



## ttt123

AmusedToD said:


> Sorry for the late reply, I was quite busy today........
> ......
> I found out about the Walkman remote today, it could be quite handy when the 1A is acting as a server inside the cradle. Do you have one?



The remote is also handy for when using the WM1x while mobile.  The WM1x can be in a backback or belt pouch (how I use it), and the RMT-NWS20 can control it.
I use it with a wrist strap, which I highly recommend, so you do not accidentally lose it, which can easily happen if you only use the clip.  I drilled 2 holes through the bottom of the clip attachment so I could have the clip, 
and a wrist strap. With the wrist strap, I can drop it, and let it hang on the strap, and free up the hands when needed.
It could also be useful with a dock, or just the WM1x output driving powered speakers.  I like to use the WM1x on shuffle, so the remote is fine for that.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 10, 2019)

_*Sony MUC-B20SB1 to Sony MDR-Z1R to Sony NW-WM1Z*_


----------



## buzzlulu

Great photo

Sub out the Sony/Kimber cable for an Axios and one could say you have END GAME
(wash, rinse and repeat with the Utopia/Axios/1Z)


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 10, 2019)

buzzlulu said:


> Great photo
> 
> Sub out the Sony/Kimber cable for an Axios and one could say you have END GAME
> (wash, rinse and repeat with the Utopia/Axios/1Z)



Good idea, though I’m going in an IEM direction. I actually use IEMs more though......     enjoy full-size both for reference and listening once in a while. Plus endgame for me is switching the 1Z to the TA desktop, as it has a quality which helps full-size headphones be their best. But your right, for portable that would be something.


----------



## Mindstorms

Guys do you ever use DSEE HX on 1A or never? in what situations yes/no thanks! I find its good on mp3 and bad on FLAC.... but.. not shure


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 11, 2019)

Mal Waldron said:


> That's the one I'm using. It's a tedious work as I have around of 3 TB of flac & ape albums with cue. At the same time, I'm embeddeding covers to those and the rest of my collection (7 TB). A tedious but comforting work!


You can do batch process, but bear in mind that it does not split 24-Bit files and has trouble with subindexes. BTW I have 1.12TB of flac and dsf files


----------



## blazinblazin

ttt123 said:


> The remote is also handy for when using the WM1x while mobile.  The WM1x can be in a backback or belt pouch (how I use it), and the RMT-NWS20 can control it.
> I use it with a wrist strap, which I highly recommend, so you do not accidentally lose it, which can easily happen if you only use the clip.  I drilled 2 holes through the bottom of the clip attachment so I could have the clip,
> and a wrist strap. With the wrist strap, I can drop it, and let it hang on the strap, and free up the hands when needed.
> It could also be useful with a dock, or just the WM1x output driving powered speakers.  I like to use the WM1x on shuffle, so the remote is fine for that.



I use the remote a lot too.

I just put WM1A in my pocket, all songs on shuffle and skip any songs i do not want to listen at the moment.

Can't live without it.


----------



## AmusedToD

Redcarmoose said:


> Congratulations, maybe we are not all crazy. Well I forgot to get the remote while in Japan last year; I should have made a written list other than a mental list. I don’t have the option of Amazon.com. I still could get one, but the way I use the dock, it’s always close by. I think the remote only forwards songs and pauses, where I always do more than that. Remember too, you can listen to your computer with the 1A as the DAC using the dock in reverse. Though you maybe have no use as you would just use the TA. But myself, I have one pair of IEMs which is slightly better from the 1Z than the TA. The 1Z has a slightly boosted treble over the TA. But everything else is best from the TA. Just spent a day with the old flagship Z7 headphones, the dock and the TA. Some songs I listen to have a super high frequency drum accent, and the combo somehow is able to reproduce the frequency? The combination is truly high resolution. It can be beat, but requires some serious money to do so.



Thanks! Nope, nobody’s crazy, the cradle “sounds” very very good and is very convenient too. Regarding the remote, yep, it could make sense to skip a track without having to stretch the arm (that’s the lazy person in me talking right now)


----------



## AmusedToD

ttt123 said:


> The remote is also handy for when using the WM1x while mobile.  The WM1x can be in a backback or belt pouch (how I use it), and the RMT-NWS20 can control it.
> I use it with a wrist strap, which I highly recommend, so you do not accidentally lose it, which can easily happen if you only use the clip.  I drilled 2 holes through the bottom of the clip attachment so I could have the clip,
> and a wrist strap. With the wrist strap, I can drop it, and let it hang on the strap, and free up the hands when needed.
> It could also be useful with a dock, or just the WM1x output driving powered speakers.  I like to use the WM1x on shuffle, so the remote is fine for that.



Thanks for that, duly noted!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Enjoying SACD rip, thanks @captblaze


----------



## AmusedToD

Only 20 and 180 more to go  Should I expect nice things when I reach the 200 hrs mark?


----------



## blazinblazin

AmusedToD said:


> Only 20 and 180 more to go  Should I expect nice things when I reach the 200 hrs mark?


Don't expect. Just obeserve the changes.


----------



## gerelmx1986

sne4me said:


> I hear the sq is quite good


Very fine sound quality  wow impressed with this DDD DSD-recording of biber missa salisburgensis, cant wait to hear the analogue remaster of couperin pieces de violes


----------



## sne4me

AmusedToD said:


> Only 20 and 180 more to go  Should I expect nice things when I reach the 200 hrs mark?



I think it continues to improve until about 350 hours


----------



## Mal Waldron

I'm burning on SE output, when I receive the balanced cable will I need to burn also the BA output? Thank you!


----------



## Redcarmoose

AmusedToD said:


> Only 20 and 180 more to go  Should I expect nice things when I reach the 200 hrs mark?



I especially thought there was a difference at the 100 hour mark. Remember too that it’s going to clock hours while in the dock, but the 1A capacitors are not burning in. Also note that single ended and balanced are two separate amps so both sides need attention. Basically  400 hours added to what ever time you clock with the TA.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mal Waldron said:


> I'm burning on SE output, when I receive the balanced cable will I need to burn also the BA output? Thank you!



Yep...separate amplifier. 200 more hours.


----------



## AmusedToD

Redcarmoose said:


> I especially thought there was a difference at the 100 hour mark. Remember too that it’s going to clock hours while in the dock, but the 1A capacitors are not burning in. Also note that single ended and balanced are two separate amps so both sides need attention. Basically  400 hours added to what ever time you clock with the TA.



Wow man, out of the 20 hours I have made thus fur, at least half of it (if not more) was made through the TA. Guess it will take weeks at these rate, maybe even months.


----------



## Redcarmoose

AmusedToD said:


> Only 20 and 180 more to go  Should I expect nice things when I reach the 200 hrs mark?



Also if your like me your not going to rest until you try other firmwares. Try 2.0 when your unit is all burned-in, you’ll thank me......maybe?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 11, 2019)

AmusedToD said:


> Wow man, out of the 20 hours I have made thus fur, at least half of it (if not more) was made through the TA. Guess it will take weeks at these rate, maybe even months.



But it’s all good. I even ran my TA for 200 hours. “Laughably”


----------



## AmusedToD

Redcarmoose said:


> Also if your like me your not going to rest until you try other firmwares. Try 2.0 when your unit is all burned-in, you’ll thank me......maybe?



Maybe, but I will lose the clock time, right? And lose the BT receiver capability too.


----------



## Redcarmoose

AmusedToD said:


> Maybe, but I will lose the clock time, right? And lose the BT receiver capability too.



Yes, all the above. But you know your curiosity will make you do it. At least I know your curiosity will make you do it.


----------



## AmusedToD

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, all the above. But you know your curiosity will make you do it. At least I know your curiosity will make you do it.


----------



## Mindstorms

AmusedToD said:


> Only 20 and 180 more to go  Should I expect nice things when I reach the 200 hrs mark?


 yes player gets a little darker on SE and details are more nuanced but thats on the 400hs mark for me


----------



## NickleCo

Its been really bugging me since i bought the 1a and tested it side by side with the a45. Why is the a45 louder under similar volumes? And at that it seems like both my zeus and hs1551 are much more properly driven by it than the 1a.


----------



## NickleCo

I guess the term im looking for is that the 1a is much more laid back compared to the a45 which sounds more aggressive


----------



## meomap

Hi,

About the remote for WM1X, where to buy from?
Thanks.


----------



## nc8000

DatDudeNic said:


> I guess the term im looking for is that the 1a is much more laid back compared to the a45 which sounds more aggressive



Probably a matter of diferent sound sig and design. Just becsuse they are both from Sony does not mean they have to sound the same or have compareable volume scales


----------



## Saraband (Jan 11, 2019)

I have a question about bluetooth and controlling the volume on my WM1A.  I'm on the latest firmware, and when I connect to a bluetooth speaker, I can't control the volume with the WM1A and have to do it on the speaker.  When I connect my iPhone over bluetooth or Airplay, I can control the volume, and it's really frustrating that I can't on my WM1A.  I also went into settings, under "Audio Device Connection Settings," and checked "Use Enhanced Mode."  The language is a little vague, but it seems to imply that this would allow me to control it.  With "Enhanced Mode" on, I can press the volume up/down and a "+" or "-" appears in the upper right of the screen, but it doesn't seem to do anything.

Does anyone understand this and what can I do to control the volume?


----------



## Malevolint

Hey guys. I figured this might be the place to ask. I'm trying to find a 4.4mm cable that is angled, has a thin wire and doesn't cost a fortune. This cables seem to stay out of the way better for me. 

This one is nice but they don't have angled connectors!

https://www.surfcables.com/collections/cables-1/products/iem-cables?variant=4290159673373


----------



## chortya

Mrcojocaru said:


> Hey guys. I figured this might be the place to ask. I'm trying to find a 4.4mm cable that is angled, has a thin wire and doesn't cost a fortune. This cables seem to stay out of the way better for me.
> 
> This one is nice but they don't have angled connectors!
> 
> https://www.surfcables.com/collections/cables-1/products/iem-cables?variant=4290159673373



€ 61,66 | 8 cores 99.99% Pure Silver Earphone Cable For Shure se535 se846 MMCX 5 6 8 10 12 20 unit BA Custom armature in ear custom
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cPmPQ4jm


----------



## iron2k

Mrcojocaru said:


> Hey guys. I figured this might be the place to ask. I'm trying to find a 4.4mm cable that is angled, has a thin wire and doesn't cost a fortune. This cables seem to stay out of the way better for me.
> 
> This one is nice but they don't have angled connectors!
> 
> https://www.surfcables.com/collections/cables-1/products/iem-cables?variant=4290159673373


4.4mm angled connectors aren't so common, I haven't seen any cable with one. I know Pentaconn sells one for DIY and, as far as I know, Mussashino uses it in his adapters.


----------



## iron2k (Jan 11, 2019)

chortya said:


> € 61,66 | 8 cores 99.99% Pure Silver Earphone Cable For Shure se535 se846 MMCX 5 6 8 10 12 20 unit BA Custom armature in ear custom
> https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cPmPQ4jm


The plug in the picture is 2.5mm, I really doubt they use angled connectors for 4.4mm


----------



## iron2k

iron2k said:


> The plug in the photo is 2.5mm, I really doubt they use angled connectors for 4.4mm


found this in the description


----------



## chortya (Jan 11, 2019)

Ups sorry about that.
Then take iBasso CB12s-4.4mm this one is definetely angled, I have it. Slighly more expensive but really good quality for the price.

http://ibasso.com/cp_xq_dy.php?id=7764#page1


----------



## Malevolint (Jan 11, 2019)

chortya said:


> Ups sorry about that.
> Then take iBasso CB12s-4.4mm this one is definetely angled, I have it. Slighly more expensive but really good quality for the price.
> 
> http://ibasso.com/cp_xq_dy.php?id=7764#page1


Hey that's pretty nice! Might order it if I can't find anything thinner.

I've rounded up a few that others might be interested in, but I found to be a bit thick. There's an angled cable  made by Sony, which looks nice, but the y-split seems chunky.

There are two variants of it:

This one is pretty
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SONY-MUC-M...335025&hash=item467a5bfd99:g:F5IAAOSwKGxazMUn

A cheaper black version

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-4mm-Bala...560679?hash=item3b115fc9a7:g:3UgAAOSwPKlbJoe0

From Audio Technica:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BPJWX3...olid=357JGKGDISS3I&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

A couple budget options:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Occ-8core-...hash=item41e7a02b5d:m:mS_RTL9_G8A-lAvhwJWhMwg

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-4mm-Upgr...hash=item2a96c6754e:m:m9_rmkpPuOj25bwQJOtKwXg

This one is interesting. Not sure on the quality for price though

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X1852X...olid=357JGKGDISS3I&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it


----------



## Malevolint

chortya said:


> € 61,66 | 8 cores 99.99% Pure Silver Earphone Cable For Shure se535 se846 MMCX 5 6 8 10 12 20 unit BA Custom armature in ear custom
> https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cPmPQ4jm


This one isn't opening any specific item for some reason.


----------



## kubig123

Mrcojocaru said:


> Hey that's pretty nice! Might order it if I can't find anything thinner.
> 
> I've rounded up a few that others might be interested in, but I found to be a bit thick. There's an angled cable  made by Sony, which looks nice, but the y-split seems chunky.
> 
> ...



I would recommend the Onso cables, the overall quality is excellent compared to the $$$.
You con find several versions at a cheaper price on amazon jp.


----------



## wakajazz

Saraband said:


> I have a question about bluetooth and controlling the volume on my WM1A.  I'm on the latest firmware, and when I connect to a bluetooth speaker, I can't control the volume with the WM1A and have to do it on the speaker.  When I connect my iPhone over bluetooth or Airplay, I can control the volume, and it's really frustrating that I can't on my WM1A.  I also went into settings, under "Audio Device Connection Settings," and checked "Use Enhanced Mode."  The language is a little vague, but it seems to imply that this would allow me to control it.  With "Enhanced Mode" on, I can press the volume up/down and a "+" or "-" appears in the upper right of the screen, but it doesn't seem to do anything.
> 
> Does anyone understand this and what can I do to control the volume?



I don't have an answer, all I can report is that I have the same issue using my WM1A and a Audioengine B2 Bluetooth speaker. Like you I tried 'Enhanced Mode' along with every available BT mode with no resolution...


----------



## Hoka Hey

Mrcojocaru said:


> Hey guys. I figured this might be the place to ask. I'm trying to find a 4.4mm cable that is angled, has a thin wire and doesn't cost a fortune. This cables seem to stay out of the way better for me.
> 
> This one is nice but they don't have angled connectors!
> 
> https://www.surfcables.com/collections/cables-1/products/iem-cables?variant=4290159673373



http://www.accessoryjack.com/acoustune-arc13-pentaconn-4-4mm-mmcx-balanced-re-cables-black.html

I’ve got this one. Very good quality, reasonable price. Not super thin, but comfortable enough. Doesn’t tangle, no microphonics. Acoustune is a Japanese subdivision of the same company that owns/developed the Pentacon 4.4, Nippon DICS.
http://www.ndics.com/en/products/


----------



## Malevolint

Hoka Hey said:


> http://www.accessoryjack.com/acoustune-arc13-pentaconn-4-4mm-mmcx-balanced-re-cables-black.html
> 
> I’ve got this one. Very good quality, reasonable price. Not super thin, but comfortable enough. Doesn’t tangle, no microphonics. Acoustune is a Japanese subdivision of the same company that owns/developed the Pentacon 4.4, Nippon DICS.
> http://www.ndics.com/en/products/


That one looks really nice! It's a bit pricey for me though .


----------



## RobertP

Hmmm, I have audioengine hd3 and hd6 connect to BT just fine with my 1A v2.0 here. I will try again tonight with the current firmware.


----------



## RobertP (Jan 12, 2019)

Bluetooth works fine on both HD6 and HD3 but can't control volume no matter what I do. Speakers are auto connected in aptX mode and I also try SBC.
SQ is better then v2.0 firmware in BT mode btw. But still, balanced output is much better.


----------



## Stephen George

Mrcojocaru said:


> Hey that's pretty nice! Might order it if I can't find anything thinner.
> 
> I've rounded up a few that others might be interested in, but I found to be a bit thick. There's an angled cable  made by Sony, which looks nice, but the y-split seems chunky.
> 
> ...




  this is using Kimber cable


----------



## Saraband

Saraband said:


> I have a question about bluetooth and controlling the volume on my WM1A.  I'm on the latest firmware, and when I connect to a bluetooth speaker, I can't control the volume with the WM1A and have to do it on the speaker.  When I connect my iPhone over bluetooth or Airplay, I can control the volume, and it's really frustrating that I can't on my WM1A.  I also went into settings, under "Audio Device Connection Settings," and checked "Use Enhanced Mode."  The language is a little vague, but it seems to imply that this would allow me to control it.  With "Enhanced Mode" on, I can press the volume up/down and a "+" or "-" appears in the upper right of the screen, but it doesn't seem to do anything.
> 
> Does anyone understand this and what can I do to control the volume?





wakajazz said:


> I don't have an answer, all I can report is that I have the same issue using my WM1A and a Audioengine B2 Bluetooth speaker. Like you I tried 'Enhanced Mode' along with every available BT mode with no resolution...





RobertP said:


> Bluetooth works fine on both HD6 and HD3 but can't control volume no matter what I do. Speakers are auto connected in aptX mode and I also try SBC.
> SQ is better then v2.0 firmware in BT mode btw. But still, balanced output is much better.



Thanks RobertP and wakajazz for confirming.

Apologies for bumping my own post, but I'm hoping it might catch the eye of someone who has insight into how you might change the volume when playing over bluetooth.  The "Use Enhanced Mode" checkbox in "Audio Device Connection Settings," says, "Select this check box if you cannot change the volume," which I guess means that it will then allow you to do so (although the way it's written doesn't actually promise that), but it doesn't really seem to do anything.  Whether or not it's checked, I can push volume up/down and a "+" or "-" appears in the upper right of the screen, and sometimes when I press or hold "-," the WM1A mutes (whether I need to press it or hold it seems random), and then I can turn the sound back on by pressing "+." 

Could this be a bug in the firmware?  I know this is the case with 2.0 and 3.01 (never tried 3.0).


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 12, 2019)

RobertP said:


> Bluetooth works fine on both HD6 and HD3 but can't control volume no matter what I do. Speakers are auto connected in aptX mode and I also try SBC.
> SQ is better then v2.0 firmware in BT mode btw. But still, balanced output is much better.


depends on your device, my boyfriend JBL go and flip3 csn control my volume from my WM1A


----------



## Saraband

gerelmx1986 said:


> depends on your device, my boyfriend JBL go and flip3 csn control my volume from my WM1A



That's interesting.  I have a Naim Mu-So Qb and Soundfreq Sound Rise clock/radio and it doesn't work on either.  I wonder what makes it work on some and not on others.  Like I said in my original post, my iPhone has no problem with this, so it's a little disappointing if the WM1A can only change volume with some speakers.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 12, 2019)

Back to normal wired listening, trying my DSD rips, sound so good


----------



## Music junky

My Toys!


----------



## Music junky




----------



## AmusedToD

Music junky said:


> My Toys!



Is that QP2R? If yes, how would you compare the Questyle and the Sony?


----------



## Malevolint

Music junky said:


> My Toys!


Very nice! Which of the small daps has the best SQ?


----------



## latios507

Is there a way to eliminate the 0.5 - 1 sec delay while using WM1A/1Z as a DAC while connected to your PC?
I really love the SQ and stuff but the delays are making the lips & sound out of sync & I find it a bit annoying :|


----------



## Whitigir

latios507 said:


> Is there a way to eliminate the 0.5 - 1 sec delay while using WM1A/1Z as a DAC while connected to your PC?
> I really love the SQ and stuff but the delays are making the lips & sound out of sync & I find it a bit annoying :|



Woaa, is there such thing ? If so, it gotta be the firmware coding for buffering and latency...just my guesses


----------



## tgrosu

I will certainly stick to 2.0 until the next patch from Sony or fully fledged firmware version. To be honest, I would have liked it to work for my 1A, as some previously unhappy users finally have found the Nirvana with the latest version. Unfortunately, there is a more complicated device - IEM convolution and the firmware has to be just right from both perspectives. I am happy though with the 2.0. On the other hand, I didn't try the 1.2 since going beyond 400 hours of playing, so I have no idea if it's better, but I would just assume that the 2.0 improvements, and not just in terms of SQ, are worthwhile as they are.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 13, 2019)

latios507 said:


> Is there a way to eliminate the 0.5 - 1 sec delay while using WM1A/1Z as a DAC while connected to your PC?
> I really love the SQ and stuff but the delays are making the lips & sound out of sync & I find it a bit annoying :|





Whitigir said:


> Woaa, is there such thing ? If so, it gotta be the firmware coding for buffering and latency...just my guesses



VLC player does it. I remember someone fixing it with it, I think?
https://www.vlchelp.com/syncing-audio-vlc-media-player/


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 13, 2019)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/mrcojocaru.150910/


I have the MUC-M12NB1, it’s nice, relatively short but built well. It has very nice bass.....it’s OFC with silver coating. Though my next goal is to try the Kimber/Sony SONY MUC-M12SB1 as the Kimber I use for full size headphones really gets improvements. Supposedly the M12NB1 does not have all the treble smoothness and detail it could. Though I use it all the time with the DM6 and like it so far?


----------



## nc8000

I don’t notice any sound delay when playing video on my 1Z with 3.01


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 13, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> I don’t notice any sound delay when playing video on my 1Z with 3.01


Both Bluetooth and DAC have lip-sync? So......your thinking 3.01 has fixed it? It was noticeable with 3.0.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Both Bluetooth and DAC have lip-sync? So......your thinking 3.01 has fixed it? It was noticeable with 3.0.



To me sound and lip movement don’t have any noticable sync problem. Tried with my own recordings, Youtube and Apple store films


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> To me sound and lip movement don’t have any noticable sync problem. Tried with my own recordings, Youtube and Apple store films



Just tried it in DAC mode with MacBook Air; same synchronization issue. If you look close the lips are not in synch with the words they are saying. Everyone knows the DAC does this. VLC player will fix it though. Still an issue with 3.01.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Just tried it in DAC mode with MacBook Air; same synchronization issue. If you look close the lips are not in synch with the words they are saying. Everyone knows the DAC does this. VLC player will fix it though. Still an issue with 3.01.



Sorry, didn’t notice that it was usb dac mode, have only used BT receiver from my iPad which has no issue I can see/hear


----------



## McCol

I’m using 3.01 with the 1a and I’m having no issues with lip sync using YouTube/Netflix and various other players.


----------



## Redcarmoose

latios507 said:


> Is there a way to eliminate the 0.5 - 1 sec delay while using WM1A/1Z as a DAC while connected to your PC?
> I really love the SQ and stuff but the delays are making the lips & sound out of sync & I find it a bit annoying :|





nc8000 said:


> Sorry, didn’t notice that it was usb dac mode, have only used BT receiver from my iPad which has no issue I can see/hear



Right, unavoidable in DAC mode. I never use the DAC function. I’m simply curious how stuff works. I use Bluetooth often too, listening to songs then switch over to Bluetooth for a moment. The 1Z works seamless in that use. I actually have never looked to see if it has a slight delay in Bluetooth or not, as I’m always watching music videos. 

Slight delays are normally not noticeable but in DAC mode the delay is way noticeable.


----------



## bflat

PNY 512 GB mSD for $200 plus tax to most US states for Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DGT2DL5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Samsung should be arriving in the US in the next 2-4 weeks for the same price if you want to wait.


----------



## sne4me

bflat said:


> PNY 512 GB mSD for $200 plus tax to most US states for Amazon:
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DGT2DL5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



That is the U1 rated card, for the U3 rated card, it can be gotten for $250.
https://www.amazon.com/PNY-Elite-Mi...=sr_1_10?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1547416903

U1 has a write speed of 10mb/s and U3 has a write of 30mb/s


----------



## bflat

sne4me said:


> That is the U1 rated card, for the U3 rated card, it can be gotten for $250.
> https://www.amazon.com/PNY-Elite-Mi...=sr_1_10?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1547416903
> 
> U1 has a write speed of 10mb/s and U3 has a write of 30mb/s



That is minimum write speed so that video gets recorded uninterrupted. This review and test has it closer to 20 MB/s:

https://www.anandtech.com/show/13339/pny-elite-microsdxc-uhsi-512gb-memory-card-capsule-review

Either way, I would rather save $50 because once my library is copied over, I don't add large amounts of new tracks often. If others frequently move large amounts of tracks back and forth, then it may make sense.


----------



## sne4me (Jan 13, 2019)

bflat said:


> Either way, I would rather save $50 because once my library is copied over, I don't add large amounts of new tracks often. If others frequently move large amounts of tracks back and forth, then it may make sense.



I think at 512, you're probably right, but if someone wants to use the card long term, possibly after upgrading to a 1tb and using it in a camera or something, the extra write speed might make sense, since the U3 is necessary for 4K video writing. I am holding out for a 1tb, coming soon, for the walkman, I dont think I will need more capacity than that for my uses. (SDXC spec officially goes up to 2tb)


----------



## bflat

Good and bad news on the PNY 512 card. Bad news - like the Kingston, it only shows as 500 GB capacity and 462 GB formatted. I will see what PNY has to say. Good news - write speed varies between 18 to 75 MB/s but averages >50 MB/s so about 2 hours to copy over 420 GB.

I little disappointed this is missing 12 GB so may end up returning and exchanging for the Samsung. At least it will be a no hassle return with Amazon.


----------



## 480126

bflat said:


> Good and bad news on the PNY 512 card. Bad news - like the Kingston, it only shows as 500 GB capacity and 462 GB formatted. I will see what PNY has to say. Good news - write speed varies between 18 to 75 MB/s but averages >50 MB/s so about 2 hours to copy over 420 GB.
> 
> I little disappointed this is missing 12 GB so may end up returning and exchanging for the Samsung. At least it will be a no hassle return with Amazon.


For People in Germany or EU. In eBay.de there are some offers for Samsung 512. I bought one for 100€! Samsung will give 512 SD if you buy a Galaxy 9!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Test headphone LCD xc, audeze. Sennheiser


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 14, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Test headphone LCD xc, audeze. Sennheiser


To me the audeze aren't that good as the HD800 or the MDR-Z1R  simply the HD 800 sounfs to my ears almost identicsl to the Z1R, with nice rumbling bass and stage (slightly more stage for the senns). So senns on SE sounded as good as Z1R in balanced


----------



## gerelmx1986

Alessandro striggio mass for 40 and 60 voices SACD rip finally on WM1A.

To my surprise there is a difference between n the  three) masters 

CD layer 
Super Audio layer 
Qobuz Hi-res download (FLAC 24-Bit 88.2 KHz )

Wven between the DSD and the 24bit flac is a big difference, the dsd to my ears sounfs mote gargantuan  dynamic, fuller, detailed than the qobuz HD download. Uaing balanced and MDR-Z1R


----------



## drmedkane

The Sony W1MA is not available any more on German Amazon. Only the Z and only 4 units left. Furthermore Amazon does not have any more on the way (they always tell you if more is on its way). 
Are there any rumours of an updated version coming anytime soon or did Amazon miscalculate what they have left/how many people will buy? 

Thanks in advance!


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

No word on any upcoming models yet. But it’s definitely that time where new models will be coming soon as the 1A/1Z have been around for 2+ years.


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 14, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> To me the audeze aren't that good as the HD800 or the MDR-Z1R  simply the HD 800 sounfs to my ears almost identicsl to the Z1R, with nice rumbling bass and stage (slightly more stage for the senns). So senns on SE sounded as good as Z1R in balanced



You dont drive the 800 probably.  If u do, it is another tier and class away from Z1R in tonal balances and soundstage.  If it comes to preferences, then I have seen a lot of people loving z1r over 800, and vice versa....too much differences ...like closed back vs open back kind of tradeoff

Good thing that u like the 800.  It has been here for a decade with performances worthy of legendary when driving properly


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> You dont drive the 800 probably.  If u do, it is another tier and class away from Z1R in tonal balances and soundstage.  If it comes to preferences, then I have seen a lot of people loving z1r over 800, and vice versa....too much differences ...like closed back vs open back kind of tradeoff
> 
> Good thing that u like the 800.  It has been here for a decade with performances worthy of legendary when driving properly


At least my dream of testing one HD 800 came true, love being here in Wiesbaden


----------



## octobeard

So what's the consensus best strategy for populating album art/lyrics if you're using a Mac to manage your WM1x?


----------



## Lookout57

octobeard said:


> So what's the consensus best strategy for populating album art/lyrics if you're using a Mac to manage your WM1x?


The best program I've found for that on a Mac is Metadatics. 

It's not free, $9.99 in the Mac App Store, but worth every penny.


----------



## sne4me (Jan 14, 2019)

How are people doing on battery life? I have about 800 hours on it from about 16 months, getting about 13 hours playtime, 14 tops, 65% dsd, 25% 24/96. 10% 16/44.1


----------



## bflat

For the US, cannot recommend the PNY 512 GB card since it has the same capacity as the Kingston 512 GB card and the Kingston is rated at U3 write speeds and costs $50 less than PNY.

If anyone has the Samsung EVO 512 GB card, can you confirm the formatted capacity is close to 476 GB?


----------



## bitonio

octobeard said:


> So what's the consensus best strategy for populating album art/lyrics if you're using a Mac to manage your WM1x?


Not sure about lyrics, but for proper metadata, I use Music Brainz Picard on the Mac. Easy and always spot on.


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> For the US, cannot recommend the PNY 512 GB card since it has the same capacity as the Kingston 512 GB card and the Kingston is rated at U3 write speeds and costs $50 less than PNY.
> 
> If anyone has the Samsung EVO 512 GB card, can you confirm the formatted capacity is close to 476 GB?



Yes 476.84 GB formatted


----------



## bflat

nc8000 said:


> Yes 476.84 GB formatted



Thanks. Guess it's down to 2 choices - Samsung at $200 if you want the additional 14 GB or Kingston if want to save $50 for 14 GB less.

Lexar is coming out soon for about $200 and also feature A2 spec, but may or may not be the full 512 GB.


----------



## gerelmx1986

For any one insterested in ripping their SACD collection instructions here

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/tut...o-with-a-pioneer-player.897764/#post-14719143


----------



## bflat

Bad news - I tried the Sennheiser HD820 with the WM1z on high gain. While the volume was ok around 90/120, the sound was pretty thin especially on the lower end. Sound is decent but really short of what the HD820 can do with a proper amp. I haven't decided on whether I would take my HD820 on any trips with me, but if I do, I'll need an external amp like the WA11 so not likely.

Good news (for me anyway) - I've sent my WM1z off to Music Sanctuary for the Ultimate K-Mod. Will report back in 3-4 weeks. I've really been happy with the WM1z as my portable hifi with my IEMs so I decided to go ahead an invest in another incremental improvement because I plan to keep the WM1z for a while.


----------



## CoryGillmore

bflat said:


> Bad news - I tried the Sennheiser HD820 with the WM1z on high gain. While the volume was ok around 90/120, the sound was pretty thin especially on the lower end. Sound is decent but really short of what the HD820 can do with a proper amp. I haven't decided on whether I would take my HD820 on any trips with me, but if I do, I'll need an external amp like the WA11 so not likely.
> 
> Good news (for me anyway) - I've sent my WM1z off to Music Sanctuary for the Ultimate K-Mod. Will report back in 3-4 weeks. I've really been happy with the WM1z as my portable hifi with my IEMs so I decided to go ahead an invest in another incremental improvement because I plan to keep the WM1z for a while.


Sounds awesome man what does the K-Mod do exactly? Increase storage cap?


----------



## bflat

CoryGillmore said:


> Sounds awesome man what does the K-Mod do exactly? Increase storage cap?



It's a little hard to find on their website but it's under "Services"

The WM1Z mod with 1960s wiring have the following included:
1. Brand new Pentaconn 4.4mm socket (to ensure that solder used on the socket is fresh, and not contaminated by existing solder)
2. 1960s wiring mod for both single ended and balanced outputs
3. Exotic Mitsubishi Heavy Industries precious metal (not gold) based solder used for all solder joints, existing solder will be cleaned off prior to soldering with the precious metal based solder.
4. 1960s wire for the DC ground wiring
5. Isolation of inductor coils and capacitors with shielding products from Japan (Oyaide and fo.Q)

Tiers and pricing structure (prices includes free DHL/FedEx shipping to customer)

*Premium*
4-wire single ended, 8-wire balanced: S$899 (dual 1960s wire for DC ground section)

*Premium PLUS*
4-wire single ended, 10-wire balanced+2 pairs of tantalum capacitors wired parallel to analog output: S$1049 (dual 1960s wire for DC ground section)

*Ultimate*
4-wire single ended, 14-wire balanced+2 pairs of tantalum capacitors wired parallel to analog output: S$1249 (dual 1960s wire for DC ground section)

I also go the "Battery Mod" which they don't have a description on the website, but here is their response when I asked:

"For the battery mod, we replace the thin wires with the 1960s wiring and add 2 layers of shielding to the battery (copper foil and ferrite foil) to improve the following:
- bass impact and power
- faster transient from low bass to high bass and low bass notes
- better background blackness"

So everything is purely for sound quality and does not change the OS or features. It's also completely reversible if that need ever rises.


----------



## CoryGillmore

Wow dude that's amazing. I assume "1960s wire" isn't what it sounds like it is? As in it's not wire that was made in the year 1960 and "1960s" is the brand or model of the specific wire? Sorta like "Kimber"?


----------



## bflat

CoryGillmore said:


> Wow dude that's amazing. I assume "1960s wire" isn't what it sounds like it is? As in it's not wire that was made in the year 1960 and "1960s" is the brand or model of the specific wire? Sorta like "Kimber"?



LOL, it's very high end cable from PW Audio. The headphones cables made from the 19xx series go for $1K to $2K+ USD.


----------



## CoryGillmore

bflat said:


> LOL, it's very high end cable from PW Audio. The headphones cables made from the 19xx series go for $1K to $2K+ USD.


Oh good whew...I was imagining this whole sub-culture of cable fanatics who only buy "aged wire" LMAO! "And this cable here has been aged for 60 years in a humidity free vacuum container. The patina of the copper gives it a very warm sound yet extremely detailed sound signature. $1,000 per foot"


----------



## bflat

CoryGillmore said:


> Oh good whew...I was imagining this whole sub-culture of cable fanatics who only buy "aged wire" LMAO! "And this cable here has been aged for 60 years in a humidity free vacuum container. The patina of the copper gives it a very warm sound yet extremely detailed sound signature. $1,000 per foot"



LOL you could totally take over Astell Kern marketing!


----------



## Malevolint

If anyone is curious to get a carrying case, I believe that this one will got our devices pretty well. It's from Amazon USA.. FYI

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00F5CKWBA/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1


----------



## Luisonic

Hello guys!
I thought I would give an update, especially since so many of you have been so nice to share your opinions and vast expertise and knowledge.

After a careful session with a +100 burn, I decided not to keep the 1A.
The sound and detail were very nice and engaging. 
It just didn’t wow me. I tried with a few of my listening “greatest hits”, but the needle didn’t move much.  The size and weight were also a factor, since this has to be a mobile option for my commuting.
Since this is a gift to myself, I decided to go with my gut.

So in one shot I sent it back.  Also decided that I needed to extend my budget and go for something else. I’m still undecided between the sp1000m and the plenue L (but leaning towards the ak).
I’m having to go for the full placebo effect… within my new budget… 

Thanks to all for the support, and hopefully I’ll see the lucky ones that own tons of gear in the other forums!


----------



## captblaze

Luisonic said:


> Hello guys!
> I thought I would give an update, especially since so many of you have been so nice to share your opinions and vast expertise and knowledge.
> 
> After a careful session with a +100 burn, I decided not to keep the 1A.
> ...



the beauty of this hobby is in the fact that it is an individual decision on what sounds best. good luck on your journey to find to find the device that sounds best to you


----------



## Ian88

Hey probably a dumb question but is it possible to stream music from my phone to the DAP? Thanks


----------



## iron2k

Ian88 said:


> Hey probably a dumb question but is it possible to stream music from my phone to the DAP? Thanks


Yes it is possible in firmware 3.0 and above.


----------



## Whitigir

A question guys, can wm1Z/A be an External DAC that works upto DSD256 ?


----------



## captblaze (Jan 16, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> A question guys, can wm1Z/A be an External DAC that works upto DSD256 ?



answer is yes


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 16, 2019)

captblaze said:


> answer is yes


Thank you! Great to know, how is battery life.  What filters can you use with it ? Like non-2S ?


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> Thank you! Great to know, how is battery life.  What filters can you use with it ?



I haven't done anything long term, but after a few hours of listening the battery doesn't rapidly deplete. these are the filter settings I use for HQ Player primarily for near-field setup, but works good as a baseline for most applications


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> I haven't done anything long term, but after a few hours of listening the battery doesn't rapidly deplete. these are the filter settings I use for HQ Player primarily for near-field setup, but works good as a baseline for most applications


Could you give it a quick non-2S filter ? See if there are any glitches.  I hope your PC is a built PC , doing live conversion requires a huge big built PC


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> Could you give it a quick non-2S filter ? See if there are any glitches.  I hope your PC is a built PC , doing live conversion requires a huge big built PC



no filters or up sampling. this is a DSD256 file and yes my computer is more than capable of upconverting (to DSD512) in real time with no lag. HQ Player leverages the CUDA cores on my Titan X graphics card (12gb memory, 2048 CUDA cores) to do the conversion taking a huge load off the CPU. I generally can up sample a DSD64 to DSD512 on the fly with only a 20% load on the CPU. 

so yes the on board DAC of the WM-1A/Z can handle DSD256 in any configuration I can set it up in


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> no filters or up sampling. this is a DSD256 file and yes my computer is more than capable of upconverting (to DSD512) in real time with no lag. HQ Player leverages the CUDA cores on my Titan X graphics card (12gb memory, 2048 CUDA cores) to do the conversion taking a huge load off the CPU. I generally can up sample a DSD64 to DSD512 on the fly with only a 20% load on the CPU.
> 
> so yes the on board DAC of the WM-1A/Z can handle DSD256 in any configuration I can set it up in



Could you do some Upsampling in live conversion PCM into dsd256 without 2S filters ? Or did you just mean you tossed everything at it and it just works without problems ?


----------



## captblaze

16 or 24 bit FLAC?


----------



## captblaze

actually 24 bit FLAC is a no go, but 16 bit works


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> 16 or 24 bit FLAC?





captblaze said:


> actually 24 bit FLAC is a no go, but 16 bit works



Thank you very very much.  This confirmed many things for me


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Thank you very very much.  This confirmed many things for me


You had a Wm1Z and sold it


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> You had a Wm1Z and sold it



I still don’t resent myself over it.  Most of the questions were to see how far Sony is on the back of their developments 

Since moving on to Dx200 platform, I had learned a lot, and as a DIY with the core hobby of Audio Enthusiasm, those experiences are priceless


----------



## nc8000

captblaze said:


> actually 24 bit FLAC is a no go, but 16 bit works



Do you mean that the Sony can’t be used as usb dac to play 24 bit flac ???


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Do you mean that the Sony can’t be used as usb dac to play 24 bit flac ???


He answered to my question

Could Wm1A/Z be used as External DAC that handle DSD256 ? The answer was yes

What could it handle up to ? Native DSD256, and some Upsampled 16 bits into DSD256 and easy filter.  It could not handle 24 bits into DSD256 live conversion feeding from a PC


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 16, 2019)

These questions were in place because there is “digital interface”, and by using USB, we are using a chip that is called DSP for DDC (Digital to Digital Conversion)

There is a chip inside the PC whether it is PCI-e integrated chip set, or dedicated USB Audio card.

Then there is another chip inside the Portable Player.  Sony is using their own DSP chip, while many other manufacturers are using Xmos, or Chord is using FPGA...etc....

These chips are just as important as your DAC-IC, or DAC circuitry of S-Master.  Many of us are only being advertised by the marketing of toward amplifiers section, and DAC sections, but never about the DSP chip.

Now, these DSP chips can be many thing : Low power consumption, Low processing speed, Higher noise floor, lower noise floor ? Etc...etc...

They can directly affect our end result (sound quality)  One of the way to see if the chip is highly processing in speed is to toss some heavy DSD Native files at it.  If it can not handle it, it will not go, or would be glitchy.

_Anyways, ESS and AKM as audio dedicated IC manufacturers are now seriously producing these DDC chips, 1 is being used in Lotoo Paw Gold Touch (AKM), and ESS brand is being used by Gustard U16....I can’t pull off the series model number atm.  *ES8620* and AK4137**
_
But then again, WM series were made for PCM processing, and DSD is enable only at balanced out.  The last time I checked in, WM series didn’t handle DSD sound quality that well.....yes, it is the DSP chip as one of the reason.

Anyways, forget it, I got many confirmations from this .  I am just a curious cat, but not a hoarder to save up gears that I am not using lol


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Do you mean that the Sony can’t be used as usb dac to play 24 bit flac ???


Yes it can be used to play 24-Bit as well also DSD up to 11MHz


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 17, 2019)

I tried the Sennheiser hd800s and hd820 both with pentaconn

I just felt the hd800 original silver model was a bit more. Magical sounding more spewker like than the S version. The 820 found it r a bit. More magical than the s  but not that too different than the Z1R, and yeah both S and 820 require high gain on 4.4.

Also tried an ak380Cu not my liking in sound sig too bassy my Z1R's rattled a thing they've never done, the 820 alsi sounded bloated on t he AK ugh and the dude wow nice DSD album (striggio mass for 40 and 60 voices with Herve Niquet and le concert spirituel), but as soon i demoed him a CD he said eine CD?????  Das klingt schlecht alles bis zum 20 KHz begrenzt, hab alles mit CD versucht und sie klingen sehr schlecht. Dann ich, aber ich habe sehr gute klingende CDs. Er, nein es kqnn nicht sein! CD wird nie gut klingen.

English a CD??? They sound bad, all likitwd to 20 KHz, I've tried d it all with CDs and still sound bad, me, but i have very good sounding CDs, he, no that cannot be, CD will never sound good.

Any ways had to go to the Standesamt to register my marriage date, 31st Januar


----------



## gerelmx1986

Can i use my WM1A as a Bluetooth hands free for receuvung calls,? e. G. To hear better, phone volume and audio quality not good Xperia xa

Tried the ringer but it also couldn't mes from cellphone speakers and from my Z1R's connected to my WM1A


----------



## AmusedToD

gerelmx1986 said:


> Can i use my WM1A as a Bluetooth hands free for receuvung calls,? e. G. To hear better, phone volume and audio quality not good Xperia xa
> 
> Tried the ringer but it also couldn't mes from cellphone speakers and from my Z1R's connected to my WM1A



Not really, you would need a microphone for speaking to someone. In theory, you could hear what the other person is saying (if the WM1A is connected via BT to you phone), but they won't be able to hear you.


----------



## gerelmx1986

AmusedToD said:


> Not really, you would need a microphone for speaking to someone. In theory, you could hear what the other person is saying (if the WM1A is connected via BT to you phone), but they won't be able to hear you.


Thanks so then i will connect my Z1R's woth the 3.5mm cable to the Xperia


----------



## captblaze

in the name of frugality aka if you have the correct unlimited plan with Verizon (US for sure) you can get a free sub to apple music. there is only one problem I see. I cannot get Apple Music to play through the WM-1A in USB DAC mode. 

Tidal no problem, YouTube no problem, Plex no problem, Apple Music NO MUSIC!!! 

Apple what gives? or have I missed something obvious that will leave me red faced?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 17, 2019)

captblaze said:


> in the name of frugality aka if you have the correct unlimited plan with Verizon (US for sure) you can get a free sub to apple music. there is only one problem I see. I cannot get Apple Music to play through the WM-1A in USB DAC mode.
> 
> Tidal no problem, YouTube no problem, Plex no problem, Apple Music NO MUSIC!!!
> 
> Apple what gives? or have I missed something obvious that will leave me red faced?


What about BT DAC? or check apple music config.
I hqve a similar problem with windows  Microsoft edge no sound and crashes with bsod


----------



## captblaze (Jan 17, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> What about BT DAC? or check apple music config.
> I hqve a similar problem with windows  Microsoft edge no sound and crashes with bsod



to be honest I may keep the wife and kids on apple music (doesn't stand up to good gear like Tidal does) and once Quobuz make it to the US (if ever) I'll try them.

It took all of 30 minutes listening to realize that Apple Music isn't Hi-Res by any standard. all the files I see are 44.1kHz, but at 256 kbps (a shade finer than Napster from 1999) and sound that way to my old ears.

the only thing positive to say is it is free with my existing cell plan, but I wouldn't recommend it to all you hard core Hi Res listeners (unless you can get the same deal)

and for educational purposes I listened through the lightning port(Cipher cable not dongle) of my iPhoneX with a set of iSine 20 using as close a match to the song file as possible on each service

and to answer your question.. the WM-1A shows up in airplay and all other apps including o/s sounds are audible. just not apple music. I am dropping the standard EQ to flat on the Cipher cable and gonna spend the rest of the morning doing some more listening.

who knows I will probably end up placebo effecting myself into think Apple Music is fantastic (although I hear way too many hi frequency artifacts and time smearing to really believe that will happen)


----------



## Lemieux66

Connected my 1A to my Roon Nucleus last night and it only works up to DSD128 in DoP mode.


----------



## bflat

Another 512 GB Micro SD card from Lexar. Don't know if this one gives "real" 512 GB or just 500 GB but it only $130 if you don't mind paying for shipping and waiting until stock arrives:

https://www.adorama.com/ilxhpuhsi512.html

I am going with this because at this price, I don't care if I get only 500 GB and also the write speed is U3 and it also has the new A2 interface that is much faster read/write times.


----------



## Mindstorms (Jan 18, 2019)

I wish firmware could spawn kids, i wish 3.01 and 1.2 have a kid named 3.02 and that it has the awesome bass from his father 1.2 and the staging, clarity and stability of his mother 3.01 lol


----------



## xoa.nine (Jan 18, 2019)

.


----------



## Mal Waldron

Today I've received a balanced cable for the iSINE 10. I would like to know if it's a good idea to burn the balanced output leaving the player connected to the power during the process.

Thank you all!


----------



## captblaze

Mal Waldron said:


> Today I've received a balanced cable for the iSINE 10. I would like to know if it's a good idea to burn the balanced output leaving the player connected to the power during the process.
> 
> Thank you all!



I personally wouldn't. I am curious as to your impressions of the iSine 10. I found the bass to be real flabby on my  iSine 20 over SE on the WM-1A


----------



## nc8000

Mal Waldron said:


> Today I've received a balanced cable for the iSINE 10. I would like to know if it's a good idea to burn the balanced output leaving the player connected to the power during the process.
> 
> Thank you all!



I left mine connected to power during burn in


----------



## sne4me

captblaze said:


> who knows I will probably end up placebo effecting myself into think Apple Music is fantastic (although I hear way too many hi frequency artifacts and time smearing to really believe that will happen)



I think we both know the longer you use it the more ways you will discover it sucks


----------



## captblaze

sne4me said:


> I think we both know the longer you use it the more ways you will discover it sucks



I think I found a way to partially un suck it.

step one - ditch the iSine 20 for UE 18+ Pro
step two - put WM-1A is BT receiver mode and connect to iPhoneX
step three - start Apple Music
step four - direct sound off
step five - DSEE HX on (standard) / DC Phase Linearizer on (type A high) / Vinyl Processor on (turntable resonance)

there you go partially un sucked


----------



## Whitigir

Lol, left, left, right, right, A, B, A, B, Select, Select, Start ?

Sounds great, who knows Apple also has a secret menu ?


----------



## Arghavan

Hey Guys, I have to ask when using WM1A as a USB DAC on PC is there a noticeable audio delay when watching videos? I'd appreciate if someone tests this out.


----------



## captblaze

Arghavan said:


> Hey Guys, I have to ask when using WM1A as a USB DAC on PC is there a noticeable audio delay when watching videos? I'd appreciate if someone tests this out.



Yes. Some apps more than others, but all I have tried end up out of sync


----------



## linux4ever

Arghavan said:


> Hey Guys, I have to ask when using WM1A as a USB DAC on PC is there a noticeable audio delay when watching videos? I'd appreciate if someone tests this out.


Yes. When I play videos on YouTube on my Mac or pc, there is some lag. Not by much but is noticeable.


----------



## Arghavan

captblaze said:


> Yes. Some apps more than others, but all I have tried end up out of sync





linux4ever said:


> Yes. When I play videos on YouTube on my Mac or pc, there is some lag. Not by much but is noticeable.


That's too bad. I sold my iFi Micro BL cause it wasn't portable to use with IEMs. I was hoping to get a DAP to serve both as my portable source and desktop DAC. Does anyone know if all DAPs act the same? in that case I might be better off buying something like iFi xDSD or Fiio Q5.


----------



## proedros

what cable do i need to use my wm1a as DAC for music listening through my laptop (via foobar) ?

thanx guys


----------



## linux4ever

proedros said:


> what cable do i need to use my wm1a as DAC for music listening through my laptop (via foobar) ?
> 
> thanx guys


I use the stock USB cable that came with the unit. And it works fine.


----------



## roses77

Midnstorms said:


> I wish firmware could spawn kids, i wish 3.01 and 1.2 have a kid named 3.02 and that it has the awesome bass from his father 1.2 and the staging, clarity and stability of his mother 3.01 lol


There could be a new software update 3.02 to support the new Sony format 360 Audio playback & encoding.


----------



## denis1976

The bass of the 3.01 is close to the 1.2, is better than the 2.0 and 3.0 , the tuning is very good


----------



## proedros

linux4ever said:


> I use the stock USB cable that came with the unit. And it works fine.



so i don't need any extra cables ? excellent 

so what do i have to do tolisten via my laptop , open the usb/dac option and then ?


----------



## linux4ever

Connect your WM1A/WM1Z via the usb cable to your laptop. Then turn on the day mode on the unit. the audio output on your laptop would default to its speakers. Now from your laptop (I use Mac and my VOX software player) set the audio output to WM1A/WM1Z. Now sit back and enjoy the good audio


----------



## limin

there is no perceptible delay if you use bluetooth. It's not ideal but works fine for videos.


----------



## Hyde8767 (Mar 3, 2019)

Caruryn said:


> We've discussed this topic to death at the ZX2 thread,apart from different hearing which is the least issue here unless you like to listen ear splittingly  loud or silent,what matters is the juice each headfone/iem requires to reach sufficient,loud enough  volume.You know that 50% means nothing with sound adjustment disabled as the vol stops increasing at around 60%.He's got the ie800 which needs a lot of juice,around 55-60% with sound adjustment off or 90 -100% vol at stock regarding eu ZX2.Funnily enough it's the same with my old eu nw f805 which is 5mw as opposed to 15mw zx2,around 90% with ie800.The eu WM1Z with the 60/240mw is gonna reach 90% too,the amp becomes irrelevant with the cap.
> 
> Ugh,the thought of someone unknowingly buying a $3200 device in Europe and won't be able to drive properly a dynamic iem,it will go down as the biggest travesty in music history.


It's not Sony's fault the eu laws compel Sony to volume cap their devices but I think you can uncap the devices with a bit of effort


----------



## drmedkane

Live in the in EU. Bought a ZX300. Invested like 10 minutes into uncapping it. I would advice you to do the same or buying a US or Asia import device. I have a WM1A US import on the way but will probably still change the region code to the Asia one because it has more features. This law from the EU is really ridiculous but manufacturers have to implement it if they want to sell units in the EU.


----------



## AmusedToD

I have an uncapped EU version too, but I figured I don’t need to enable high gain for the headphones and IEMs I have. So both the Focal Utopia (balanced output) and the Sony MDR-EX1000 (unbalanced output) go plenty loud on low gain. When I had the QP2R, I always had to use high gain and high bias on the balanced output to reach desirable volume levels (and quality of sound). The WM1A drives the cans and the IEMs effortlessly.


----------



## Lemieux66

Anyone know what cable I can buy to use my 1A as a DAC for my Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact? It has a USB C socket.


----------



## AmusedToD

Lemieux66 said:


> Anyone know what cable I can buy to use my 1A as a DAC for my Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact? It has a USB C socket.



You just need an adapter like this: https://www.audioquest.com/accessories/splitters-connectors-adaptors/adaptors/usb-a-to-c-adaptor

In that case you can use the stock Sony USB cable.


----------



## ste787

One year ago, i went to a shop in Seoul to compare with AK380 and SP1000 with nw-wm1z. The sony nw-wm1z sound like crap. No air (no 3-d stereo imaging)compare to AK. But last week, i went to same shop, listening to it with new firmware. Hey it is pretty decent, now an upgrade from my AK380. It sound different from SP1000. It might have more detail than both. I think i will look at second hand market and seek one. it got the 4.4mm balance which can work with my ar-h1 with special cable. 
Sony engineer who play around the firmware really did a good job. They turn crap to top class DAP. Give them a raise.


----------



## NickleCo

Is it weird that i like using the jvc marshmallows with comply tips than the acoustune hs1551 when im using the wm1a? It just sounds way more spacious on the jvc than on the acoustunes.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 20, 2019)

ste787 said:


> One year ago, i went to a shop in Seoul to compare with AK380 and SP1000 with nw-wm1z. The sony nw-wm1z sound like ****. No air (no 3-d stereo imaging)compare to AK. But last week, i went to same shop, listening to it with new firmware. Hey it is pretty decent, now an upgrade from my AK380. It sound different from SP1000. It might have more detail than both. I think i will look at second hand market and seek one. it got the 4.4mm balance which can work with my ar-h1 with special cable.
> Sony engineer who play around the firmware really did a good job. They turn crap to top class DAP. Give them a raise.



So true. The early firmware was a bottle-neck. I purchased one days before FW 2.0 came out, and noticed a huge set of sonic improvements even though my particular unit had only just begun burn-in. The 1Z with 3.0 or 3.01 is a marvelous improvement to my ears.

And.....who knew? Some folks still like the early firmware sound and I respect that. But 3.01 sounds like heaven to me?


----------



## blazinblazin

Yup. The details of 3.01 and the organic sound makes me like it very much on my Acoustune HS1650CU.


----------



## blazinblazin

DatDudeNic said:


> Is it weird that i like using the jvc marshmallows with comply tips than the acoustune hs1551 when im using the wm1a? It just sounds way more spacious on the jvc than on the acoustunes.


It's normal. Some IEM just got a better synergy.

I upgraded my 1551 with a Leonidas cable. And now with my HS1650CU.


----------



## Hyde8767

Does anyone know where I can find a wm1a used


----------



## ste787

Redcarmoose said:


> So true. The early firmware was a bottle-neck. I purchased one days before FW 2.0 came out, and noticed a huge set of sonic improvements even though my particular unit had only just begun burn-in. The 1Z with 3.0 or 3.01 is a marvelous improvement to my ears.
> 
> And.....who knew? Some folks still like the early firmware sound and I respect that. But 3.01 sounds like heaven to me?



The early firmware = very clear audio but zero imaging. Why would i pay 3000 for mono player. When it was released, it was number 1 detail DAP.  
Indeed, the new firmware is great. One year ago, i do not understand why they charged so much. Night and day compare to SP1000. Now, i cannot tell which one i like better. Sony has more detail less imaging compare to SP1000. So, up to personal presence which is better. 

By the way, i listened to WM1A too. Pretty close and impressive too. At fraction of the price. I am not looking to downgrade from my AK380. But if i am in market for cheap DAP now. I would give  WM1A a serious listen. 

On the high end front, i am 100% sure DAP will improve by leaps and bounds. I have a cheap hifi DAC at home, exogal comet on my stereo, it has more detail, better bass than AK380. Comet is nothing compare to all the high end DAC introduced in 2018. The technology will slowly trickle into DAP.  Who will push the next breakthrough DAP, AK or Sony? I am excited to hear 2019/2020 DAP.


----------



## OG10

Has anyone heard the differences between the 1z/1a is it a really big difference? I am thinking of getting a DAP for the CA Solaris, the 1z just makes me weep so much.. The 1A is reasonable, but was wondering if it is heavily compromised when compared to the 1z.


----------



## ste787

OG10 said:


> Has anyone heard the differences between the 1z/1a is it a really big difference? I am thinking of getting a DAP for the CA Solaris, the 1z just makes me weep so much.. The 1A is reasonable, but was wondering if it is heavily compromised when compared to the 1z.



The difference between WM1A and WM1Z are surprising small. Unless you really concentrate A-B next to each other. I do not think you can tell the difference. I was not interested in 1A at all, but just listen to it because it is available in the store. I was surprise as well. The price difference vs the performance. The copper will look horrible after a few years but 1A will still look new. I guess after 10 years, when both player is outdated. One can melt down WM1Z and get good scrap copper in junkyard but get nothing from aluminum WM1A. Is this a plus?


----------



## Mindstorms (Jan 20, 2019)

denis1976 said:


> The bass of the 3.01 is close to the 1.2, is better than the 2.0 and 3.0 , the tuning is very good


just a touch more of 31hz and below will be awesome for wm1a... 1z its other story... dough it is good... clearer than 2.0 and 3.0 was awfull maybe sony could add one more to the vynil procesor like Low mode wich boost 30hz and below for me 3.01 its focused on 1z on 1a i hear too much 125hz boost... thats should be proof enough that 1z has more bass lol


----------



## Mindstorms

OG10 said:


> Has anyone heard the differences between the 1z/1a is it a really big difference? I am thinking of getting a DAP for the CA Solaris, the 1z just makes me weep so much.. The 1A is reasonable, but was wondering if it is heavily compromised when compared to the 1z.


you can msg me in private i collected some answers on that subjet


----------



## Mindstorms

ste787 said:


> The difference between WM1A and WM1Z are surprising small. Unless you really concentrate A-B next to each other. I do not think you can tell the difference. I was not interested in 1A at all, but just listen to it because it is available in the store. I was surprise as well. The price difference vs the performance. The copper will look horrible after a few years but 1A will still look new. I guess after 10 years, when both player is outdated. One can melt down WM1Z and get good scrap copper in junkyard but get nothing from aluminum WM1A. Is this a plus?


i wish i hear both of them with 3.01... and really good iems headphoones i will tell you in a sec


----------



## Redcarmoose

OG10 said:


> Has anyone heard the differences between the 1z/1a is it a really big difference? I am thinking of getting a DAP for the CA Solaris, the 1z just makes me weep so much.. The 1A is reasonable, but was wondering if it is heavily compromised when compared to the 1z.


I have both and will spend two weeks with the 1Z then a week with the 1A. It’s crazy because the difference starts to become massive. It’s maybe how your mind starts to focus and pickup small details. The change going from the 1A to the 1Z is dramatic, if you own both. Though if a person was to own the 1A and try out the 1Z in a shop it may not end up seeming like a big change? 

The 1A is more evenhanded in all sonic attributes. It’s musically engaging and highly detailed. But to change to the 1Z the sound becomes gloriously thicker and more analog. The 1Z soundstage is both more foreword and wider with a darker substance inside. The 1Z also has a treble spike and bass boost which becomes a multiplying factor to the thickness. All and all it’s a 10% improvement or 20% improvement, it’s crazy noticeable when you own both.


----------



## Hyde8767

Has anyone compared the 1a to the ak320


----------



## Quadfather

Has anybody in this thread compared the Sony NW-WM1Z to the Cayin N8?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 20, 2019)

ste787 said:


> The difference between WM1A and WM1Z are surprising small. Unless you really concentrate A-B next to each other. I do not think you can tell the difference. I was not interested in 1A at all, but just listen to it because it is available in the store. I was surprise as well. The price difference vs the performance. The copper will look horrible after a few years but 1A will still look new. I guess after 10 years, when both player is outdated. One can melt down WM1Z and get good scrap copper in junkyard but get nothing from aluminum WM1A. Is this a plus?



Sony did make a series of testing exterior metals. The silver and gold exterior created an adverse sound characteristic. Of couse if it was just copper it would show oxidation. Though the players covered with 24k gold have now been out a couple years and show no signs of oxidation? They all look new, though I have to say the copper is softer than the aluminum maybe as far a getting small dings. And even being totally careful there is always a chance of getting those.

But the whole process is like having a nice timepiece in a way. It ages along with you. None of us make it out of this untouched and perfect.







Above was the testing examples:

“The one on the right side is gold plated over a silver intermediate plating, which was plated over the copper chassis. Because copper chassis was porous in the first place, they decided to plate it both silver and gold over it. But that didn’t work well for sound quality as it created some magnetism. After they tried a different alloy for copper which was directly plated with gold. So in terms of R&D they tried many different combinations. After finding out that oxygen-free copper helped the unit to sound great, they then got the go for making the next generation flagship with a copper chassis.”


----------



## animalsrush

denis1976 said:


> The bass of the 3.01 is close to the 1.2, is better than the 2.0 and 3.0 , the tuning is very good



They changed sound signature again.. really?


----------



## Mindstorms

animalsrush said:


> They changed sound signature again.. really?


you can read my mini review on firmware sound changes a few pages back...


----------



## Redcarmoose

animalsrush said:


> They changed sound signature again.. really?



Completely opposite in my use. The 3.01 and 3.00 have slimmer bass than 2.0, which is why I use 2.0 in the 1A; to still have some bass.


----------



## Mindstorms (Jan 20, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> Completely opposite in my use. The 3.01 and 3.00 have slimmer bass than 2.0, which is why I use 2.0 in the 1A; to still have some bass.


thats afirmative, with the exception that you can get some of the bass back, but not all enabling percusion + type A low + arm resonance direct mode is unusable in 3.01 awful tuning for wm1a


----------



## nanaholic

ste787 said:


> The difference between WM1A and WM1Z are surprising small. Unless you really concentrate A-B next to each other. I do not think you can tell the difference. I was not interested in 1A at all, but just listen to it because it is available in the store. I was surprise as well. The price difference vs the performance. The copper will look horrible after a few years but 1A will still look new. I guess after 10 years, when both player is outdated. One can melt down WM1Z and get good scrap copper in junkyard but get nothing from aluminum WM1A. Is this a plus?



The copper of the WM1Z doesn't oxidise - you are thinking AK copper players which oxidise such as the AK380 Cu as they only use a very thin chemical coating which wears out just by some light handling, whereas the WM1Z's gold coating completely protects the OFC from the atmosphere and keeps it oxygen-free.

The gold coating was specifically designed to protect the OFC chassis while not introduce any magnetism which may affect the sound, it's basically an extension of gold-plated interconnects application applied to the whole body as well as handled with more care to ensure longevity, and yes they experimented with many kinds of coating before decided on this specific material and finish. Many ignorant people and haters initially thought they did it to appeal to the Chinese bling market, and many even doubt that it actually works, but that only shows their ignorance. My WM1Z which was bought on day 1 which is now more than 2 years old still looks like new even the buttons which is being touched the most often and the gold coating is still completely intact, not even a hint of oxidisation and I never had to polish it like with AK copper players. Sony's proved they know what they were doing.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 21, 2019)

nanaholic said:


> The copper of the WM1Z doesn't oxidise - you are thinking AK copper players which oxidise such as the AK380 Cu as they only use a very thin chemical coating which wears out just by some light handling, whereas the WM1Z's gold coating completely protects the OFC from the atmosphere and keeps it oxygen-free.
> 
> The gold coating was specifically designed to protect the OFC chassis while not introduce any magnetism which may affect the sound, it's basically an extension of gold-plated interconnects application applied to the whole body as well as handled with more care to ensure longevity, and yes they experimented with many kinds of coating before decided on this specific material and finish. Many ignorant people and haters initially thought they did it to appeal to the Chinese bling market, and many even doubt that it actually works, but that only shows their ignorance. My WM1Z which was bought on day 1 which is now more than 2 years old still looks like new even the buttons which is being touched the most often and the gold coating is still completely intact, not even a hint of oxidisation and I never had to polish it like with AK copper players. Sony's proved they know what they were doing.



Much of the time equipment milestones are met with opposition. Why would they not, strange metals, unconventional thought and practices never used in an industry. And it’s this thinking out of the box which makes the 1Z so very fabulous.

It’s not made for everyone really, but a select few who could somehow find value in such a thing made and priced the way it is. It would be sad to have viewpoints stated that the 1A is the same or even super close in sound quality. As that vary statement may persuade the very folks who the 1Z is meant for from not even looking at it.

Still at times the 1A is so good, I guess it could be all I could ever need. It’s no slouch in performance quality. It always gets contrasted against it’s big brother being called cold when it’s still actually warm sounding. The 1A in contrast can even be thought of as incompetent; when in reality it’s simply standing in the shadow of something unbelievable.


----------



## nanaholic

Redcarmoose said:


> Much of the time equipment milestones are met with opposition. Why would they not, strange metals, unconventional thought and practices never used in an industry. And it’s this thinking out of the box which makes the 1Z so very fabulous.
> 
> It’s not made for everyone really, but a select few who could somehow find value in such a thing made and priced the way it is. It would be sad to have viewpoints stated that the 1A is the same or even super close in sound quality. As that vary statement may persuade the very folks who the 1Z is meant for from not even looking at it.
> 
> Still at times the 1A is so good, I guess it could be all I ever need. It’s no slouch in performance quality. It always gets contrasted against it’s big brother being called cold when it’s still actually warm sounding. The 1A in contrast can even be thought of as incompetent; when in reality it’s simply standing in the shadow of something unbelievable.



I agree, the 1A is definitely well made and designed, but the 1Z is simply a few steps above it. While the 1A is utilitarian and understated, the 1Z approaches iconic status and is more than a mere piece of gadget. If the original cassette Walkman was what defined the Sony's climb to success in personal audio days of the analogue days, then I would argue the 1Z is what would define Sony's personal audio history of the digital era. 

Despite many new TOTL DAPs has been released since 1Z's debut, I still don't find myself ever craving for something to replace it. Its all-round completeness as a full package (sound quality, software, usability) is still unrivalled.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 21, 2019)

_*qdc Anole V3 IEM #817993 (stock setting/Sony Hybrid Tips)(Han Sound Audio Zen 4 wire OCC litz copper cable terminated Furutech 4.4mm)
Sony NW-WM1A Digital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW 3.01*_


----------



## sne4me

Redcarmoose what are you doing still on 2.0; go for the 3.01


----------



## Malevolint

I also posted this in the ZX300 thread. 

I've had a WM1A for a few months now. It's been awesome! The only problem is that it's not very pocketable, so I got a zx300 last week.  I would have originally gotten the zx if not for people claiming that the wm1a had "10-20%" better SQ. Now that I've had these both side by side and have been comparing then both, I am curious to know exactly where people heard this difference because they sound pretty much the same to me. The are both as detailed. I can't pick up differences in less significant background instruments.. Soundstage sounds just as wide and with the same level of separation, etc. 

Can someone tell me what to look for?  Running both on balanced with my Rhapsodio Solar and Andromeda S.


----------



## Malevolint

sne4me said:


> Redcarmoose what are you doing still on 2.0; go for the 3.01


Agreed! He doesn't know what he's missing.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 21, 2019)

sne4me said:


> Redcarmoose what are you doing still on 2.0; go for the 3.01





Mrcojocaru said:


> Agreed! He doesn't know what he's missing.



I do you use 3.01 on the 1Z. I use the Bluetooth receiver function with 3.01 too. On the 1Z 3.01 is marvelous. Though there is a quality in the lower register which is complementary with 2.0 and the 1A. The 1A is a mess with 3.01, so I’m happy to keep it at 2.0.

You have to realize Sony was is walking a thin line making one firmware for two different sounding players. In a perfect world the new firmware would complement both players; unfortunately in my humble opinion it does not. I like the thickness which 2.0 gives the 1A sound. 3.01 with the 1A is too thin, in my opinion. Though this is subjective, so if people like 3.01 with their 1A, that’s great.

Edit:

Correction: 

I thought 3.0 was a mess with the 1A.


----------



## rcoleman1

Redcarmoose said:


> On the 1Z 3.01 is marvelous.


Definitely.


----------



## Malevolint

Redcarmoose said:


> I do you use 3.01 on the 1Z. I use the Bluetooth receiver function with 3.01 too. On the 1Z 3.01 is marvelous. Though there is a quality in the lower register which is complementary with 2.0 and the 1A. The 1A is a mess with 3.01, so I’m happy to keep it at 2.0.
> 
> You have to realize Sony was is walking a thin line making one firmware for two different sounding players. In a perfect world the new firmware would complement both players; unfortunately in my humble opinion it does not. I like the thickness which 2.0 gives the 1A sound. 3.01 with the 1A is too thin, in my opinion. Though this is subjective, so if people like 3.01 with their 1A, that’s great.




Oh I thought that you hadn't yet tried 3.0.1 and your opinion of the thin-ness was in regard to 3.0. 

3.0.1 is not a mess at all on the WM1A. There were big changes going from 3.0 to 3.0.1. Small incremental update on the number, but huge update in sound and UI quality .


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mrcojocaru said:


> I also posted this in the ZX300 thread.
> 
> I've had a WM1A for a few months now. It's been awesome! The only problem is that it's not very pocketable, so I got a zx300 last week.  I would have originally gotten the zx if not for people claiming that the wm1a had "10-20%" better SQ. Now that I've had these both side by side and have been comparing then both, I am curious to know exactly where people heard this difference because they sound pretty much the same to me. The are both as detailed. I can't pick up differences in less significant background instruments.. Soundstage sounds just as wide and with the same level of separation, etc.
> 
> Can someone tell me what to look for?  Running both on balanced with my Rhapsodio Solar and Andromeda S.



It’s great that you think the two players sound the same. The ZX300 sounded way way warmer to me. But it may depend on people’s hearing and the IEMs they use. There are numerous folks here on this very thread who have upgraded from the ZX300 to the 1A, I’m sure if they are read your post, they will have an opinion. I only spent a very short time with the ZX300, so I don’t have much to go on. But I would suggest try more IEMs before selling off the bigger player, as there could be a difference noted later.


----------



## Malevolint

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s great that you think the two players sound the same. The ZX300 sounded way way warmer to me. But it may depend on people’s hearing and the IEMs they use. There are numerous folks here on this very thread who have upgraded from the ZX300 to the 1A, I’m sure if they are read your post, they will have an opinion. I only spent a very short time with the ZX300, so I don’t have much to go on. But I would suggest try more IEMs before selling off the bigger player, as there could be a difference noted later.


Someone in the ZX300 thread mentioned that the players sounded very similar before a recent update. Perhaps I'll have to try the past firmware versions because I'd be curious to great a more warm sound from it .


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mrcojocaru said:


> Oh I thought that you hadn't yet tried 3.0.1 and your opinion of the thin-ness was in regard to 3.0.
> 
> 3.0.1 is not a mess at all on the WM1A. There were big changes going from 3.0 to 3.0.1. Small incremental update on the number, but huge update in sound and UI quality .



Wow! First to read that. Thank-you, I will update to 3.01 and try the to see if I like it. I thought 3.01 and 3 sounded the same on the 1A. 

Cool!


----------



## Malevolint

Redcarmoose said:


> Wow! First to read that. Thank-you, I will update to 3.01 and try the to see if I like it. I thought 3.01 and 3 sounded the same on the 1A.
> 
> Cool!


I'm happy that I could clear that up for you! I tried 3.0 and hated it so bad I went way back to 1.2 lol. 3.0.1 is wonderful though. Good clean bass and treble, clarity and somehow a beautiful Soundstage as well.. though that improvement may have just been in my head.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts on it after you update.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mrcojocaru said:


> Someone in the ZX300 thread mentioned that the players sounded very similar before a recent update. Perhaps I'll have to try the past firmware versions because I'd be curious to great a more warm sound from it .



It’s safe to say every firmware update changes the sound of the players. I simply mistakenly thought that 3.0 and 3.01 sounded the same, but apparently they are different. The 1Z to me sounds the same with 3.01 and 3.0. Apparently 3.01 and 3.0 sound sound different with the 1A. It may be that the ZX300 sounds different with every update?


----------



## Redcarmoose

sne4me said:


> Redcarmoose what are you doing still on 2.0; go for the 3.01





Mrcojocaru said:


> Agreed! He doesn't know what he's missing.



My God! 3.01 is a completely diffferent animal in the 1A from 3.0? 

Funny I never read it here? And I’m always here? 

Thanks so much. Feel like I have a new player. Though I’ll know more after a couple days of listening. How weird as 3.0 and 3.01 sound the same on the 1Z?


----------



## Malevolint

Redcarmoose said:


> My God! 3.01 is a completely diffferent animal in the 1A from 3.0?
> 
> Funny I never read it here? And I’m always here?
> 
> Thanks so much. Feel like I have a new player. Though I’ll know more after a couple days of listening. How weird as 3.0 and 3.01 sound the same on the 1Z?



Haha glad you're enjoying it! I think Sony was listening to us and knew the 1A needed a sound change but people were happy with the 1Z so they left it alone. That's my theory at least and it makes me happy to think that. 

We all miss things!


----------



## flyer1 (Jan 21, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> My God! 3.01 is a completely diffferent animal in the 1A from 3.0?
> 
> Funny I never read it here? And I’m always here?
> 
> Thanks so much. Feel like I have a new player. Though I’ll know more after a couple days of listening. How weird as 3.0 and 3.01 sound the same on the 1Z?



I find 3.01 more to my liking than 3.0 on my 1Z. More organic, natural sounding and 3d like.

Also like the vinyl processor a lot.


----------



## blazinblazin (Jan 21, 2019)

I nv knew for 1Z 3.0 and 3.1 makes no difference.

Cause 1A 3.0 and 3.1 has difference in clarity and organic. It pairs well with my warmer IEM.


----------



## ste787 (Jan 21, 2019)

But both AK380 copper and Sony NW-WM1Z look horrible in that shop. Yes NW-WM1Z fare better. But still in very bad shape. I do not have a photo. But copper may not be the best material for durability, might sound good. But the other DAP condition in the shop look OK except the copper ones.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 21, 2019)

blazinblazin said:


> I nv knew for 1Z 3.0 and 3.1 makes no difference.
> 
> Cause 1A 3.0 and 3.1 has difference in clarity and organic. It pairs well with my warmer IEM.



The reason you would go to 3.01 instead of 3.0 with the 1Z was due to the databass building; a fraction of the time. Also the whole firmware is way more stable. There is no reason I can fathom why anyone would use 3.0 with the 1Z with 3.01 around? There are folks who think the two firmware updates sound close to the same with the 1Z, I did, and I still do? I  don’t read every post in this thread, but that was the main question, as to if there was a big SQ difference with the 1Z.

I’m going on and listening to the 1A now with 3.01 and it’s totally amazing. How did I miss this?


----------



## ste787

Redcarmoose said:


> Much of the time equipment milestones are met with opposition. Why would they not, strange metals, unconventional thought and practices never used in an industry. And it’s this thinking out of the box which makes the 1Z so very fabulous.
> 
> It’s not made for everyone really, but a select few who could somehow find value in such a thing made and priced the way it is. It would be sad to have viewpoints stated that the 1A is the same or even super close in sound quality. As that vary statement may persuade the very folks who the 1Z is meant for from not even looking at it.
> 
> Still at times the 1A is so good, I guess it could be all I could ever need. It’s no slouch in performance quality. It always gets contrasted against it’s big brother being called cold when it’s still actually warm sounding. The 1A in contrast can even be thought of as incompetent; when in reality it’s simply standing in the shadow of something unbelievable.



When comparing AK240 and AK380, i notice instantly that AK380 is much better. Same as AK380 and SP1000, i can tell SP1000 is better. But when i A-B 1A and 1Z, i have to redo the test to tell the difference. The difference is very small. Maybe if i test it with some other power hungry headphone, the difference may be greater. But using some mid price iem in the shop, the difference is small.


----------



## ste787

You take care of your stuff. Based on the look of copper DAP in the shop. It is not as durable than other traditional material.


----------



## Whitigir

If I am not mistaken, Sony will have the successor or something huge for Walkman at end of this year ? Anniversary coming up isn’t it


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 21, 2019)

ste787 said:


> When comparing AK240 and AK380, i notice instantly that AK380 is much better. Same as AK380 and SP1000, i can tell SP1000 is better. But when i A-B 1A and 1Z, i have to redo the test to tell the difference. The difference is very small. Maybe if i test it with some other power hungry headphone, the difference may be greater. But using some mid price iem in the shop, the difference is small.



There have been folks in this thread who updated to the 1Z from the 1A and thought the 1Z sounded like a 100% better player. Still it’s a difficult question as there is so much psychological impact in hearing and differentiation between products we own. There is the IEM quality and their individual regard to distinguish differences, the human expectation bias, after you have spent the money. Not to even value the bias due to prolonged use of a product and further understanding of what we think we hear which arguably may or not be there.

Our perception is clouded by expectation bias before we turn the units on. Again it’s also what a person subjectively values as important. Surly spending the difference in price between the two on THAT much more expensive and possibly better IEMs would make more of a difference.


----------



## ste787

something new? i hope not. my ak380 is still spanning new. If it is much better than NW-WM1Z, i will be interested.


----------



## Whitigir

ste787 said:


> something new? i hope not. my ak380 is still spanning new. If it is much better than NW-WM1Z, i will be interested.


It can’t come out soon enough for some people, and some people want to stay a little longer


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> If I am not mistaken, Sony will have the successor or something huge for Walkman at end of this year ? Anniversary coming up isn’t it



 But didn’t they say they couldn’t improve on sound with the same form factor so they built a battery powered gold knobed Gucci desktop?


----------



## Hyde8767

Whitigir said:


> If I am not mistaken, Sony will have the successor or something huge for Walkman at end of this year ? Anniversary coming up isn’t it


I hope they make a better version of the 1a without increasing the price by much


----------



## ste787

Redcarmoose said:


> There have been folks in this thread who updated to the 1Z from the 1A and thought the 1Z sounded like a 100% better player. Still it’s a difficult question as there is so much psychological impact in hearing and differentiation between products we own. There is the IEM quality and their individual regard to distinguish differences, the human expectation bias, after you have spent the money. Not to even value the bias due to prolonged use of a product and further understanding of what we think we hear which arguably may or not be there.
> 
> Our perception is clouded by expectation bias before we turn the units on. Again it’s also what a person subjectively values as important. Surly spending the difference in price between the two on THAT much more expensive and possibly better IEMs would make more of a difference.



No doubt using a high end headphone, i bet NW-WM1Z will be way better than 1A. But what shock me, how close is 1A is to 1Z using modest iem. People in the market for 1A will not buy super high end cans. I have no bias since i own none. I am interested in 1Z , if the price is right, search for an bargain. It has a different sound signature as my Ak380.


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 21, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> But didn’t they say they couldn’t improve on sound with the same form factor so they built a battery powered gold knobed Gucci desktop?



Nope, not a desktop, it is carriable.  But that isn’t the Walkman line, the Walkman anniversary is coming up, we will be more likely to be seeing something good 

Something like a dual S-Master HX with exotic components ? And DSD Remastering upto 512 ? Well, or 256 lol


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 21, 2019)

ste787 said:


> No doubt using a high end headphone, i bet NW-WM1Z will be way better than 1A. But what shock me, how close is 1A is to 1Z using modest iem. People in the market for 1A will not buy super high end cans. I have no bias since i own none. I am interested in 1Z , if the price is right, search for an bargain. It has a different sound signature as my Ak380.



Strangely folks who thought about the 1Z and contemplated the price were actually let down in the store due to the player not creating the thrill that they expected. When I first heard the 1Z in the store with firmware 1.2 or something, it was not that great. But what happens is they somehow get better after you listen to them at home. Also for the 1Z 2.0 firmware was a big change. Due to the subtleties stores are simply not conducive to making good judgments because the difference is in the details. Also some believe in brain burn-in. I don’t know why you think people in the 1A market wouldn’t buy high end headphones? To me almost anything over $1000 is equal.
It’s a whole different subject but I think all IEMs should be no more than $1000. Also depending on what you get there is not much difference between $1200 IEMs and $2200 IEMs. I consider them above $1000 to all be high-end, and a 1A buyer WOULD typically spend that much?


----------



## ste787

I am always interested in the technology improvement of dac for hifi rack, because i am in market for upgrade. In the past few years, there is massive change in the technology and they keep squeezing more detail and more detail from plain redbook cd. 100% sure the technology will trickle down to DAP. Performance wise, hifi rack will crush any DAP. With better chip manufacturing and better power efficiency, great days ahead for DAP. AK uses samsung foundry, they are upgrading to EUV, so the next generation of chip manufacturing will be upon us. Unless sony use toshiba foundry, they will be way behind the korean. If sony use their own fab. I think AK will kick sony so bad, not be funny. At present korean chip manufacturing is ahead of japan. Sadly. I like japanese better than korean. 
DAC design and technology will be the crucial for future DAP.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Nope, not a desktop, it is carriable.  But that isn’t the Walkman line, the Walkman anniversary is coming up, we will be more likely to be seeing something good
> 
> Something like a dual S-Master HX with exotic components ? And DSD Remastering upto 512 ? Well, or 256 lol



It’s not the Walkman line, but it is the Walkman engineer team? 

Sadly your missing out on 3.01 with us all, Whitigir! 

But don’t worry, I’m not feeling sad for you, I learned along time ago to never feel sorry for a man who owns an airplane.


----------



## ayang02

40th anniversary for Walkman. Man, I still remember that 20th anniversary discman I got, it was so awesome.


----------



## Redcarmoose

ste787 said:


> I am always interested in the technology improvement of dac for hifi rack, because i am in market for upgrade. In the past few years, there is massive change in the technology and they keep squeezing more detail and more detail from plain redbook cd. 100% sure the technology will trickle down to DAP. Performance wise, hifi rack will crush any DAP. With better chip manufacturing and better power efficiency, great days ahead for DAP. AK uses samsung foundry, they are upgrading to EUV, so the next generation of chip manufacturing will be upon us. Unless sony use toshiba foundry, they will be way behind the korean. If sony use their own fab. I think AK will kick sony so bad, not be funny. At present korean chip manufacturing is ahead of japan. Sadly. I like japanese better than korean.
> DAC design and technology will be the crucial for future DAP.



Many folks in this thread are already surpassing DAP sound quality with using our Sony DAPs as file servers to the TA desktop. We use the dock and the sound will surpass (in my testing) Redbook in a transport.


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 21, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s not the Walkman line, but it is the Walkman engineer team?
> 
> Sadly your missing out on 3.01 with us all, Whitigir!
> 
> But don’t worry, I’m not feeling sad for you, I learned along time ago to never feel sorry for a man who owns an airplane.



Thanks for the laugh .  I wish I could have owned an airplane.  I am just an overly enthusiast who put all coffee and beers money into the hobby itself ....well...probably not, but you get what i meant


----------



## ste787

No thanks to JH Audio , they keep pushing the price on IEM. No, no longer 1000 is high end for iem. I think 3000 is high end. 700-1000 for iem is modest price. No one will spend US$3000 iem for 1A.


----------



## nc8000

ste787 said:


> But both AK380 copper and Sony NW-WM1Z look horrible in that shop. Yes NW-WM1Z fare better. But still in very bad shape. I do not have a photo. But copper may not be the best material for durability, might sound good. But the other DAP condition in the shop look OK except the copper ones.



I’ve had my 1Z for nearly 2 years and it looks virtually like new but then I look after my player and dont just throw it in a bag or drop it


----------



## nc8000

I must admit that I didn’t really notice any significant sound difference with direct source on my 1Z between any of the FW versions. I didn’t do specific back and forth tests between them but in normal listening mode after upgraded there was nothing that jumped out at me with Z1R, Z5 or JH13


----------



## captblaze

all this talk of firmwares and anniversaries has me digging out cables and climbing the ladder from 1.02 up to 3.01 to once and fore all pick one and stay with it (yeah, right). gonna also start a 40th anniversary Walkman fund. 

Curse this hobby!!!


----------



## ste787

Redcarmoose said:


> Many folks in this thread are already surpassing DAP sound quality with using our Sony DAPs as file servers to the TA desktop. We use the dock and the sound will surpass (in my testing) Redbook in a transport.



Not in my testing. True good DAP will be better than cheap hifi and using desktop. But not good hifi setup.

I did that once, i never going to make that mistake of using computer. Worse thing you can do is play music using computer. Night and day when i upgrade to Aurender from my macbook pro audirvana plus. Yes good DAP will sound better than desktop. But good hifi dac and source will crush DAP.


----------



## Redcarmoose

ste787 said:


> No thanks to JH Audio , they keep pushing the price on IEM. No, no longer 1000 is high end for iem. I think 3000 is high end. 700-1000 for iem is modest price. No one will spend US$3000 iem for 1A.



I’m more open minded, meaning I respect what anyone buys. I’ve learned that no one is right or wrong. There are people here in this thread that sold their 1Z and purchased a 1A. There are people who have $200 IEMs and love them as much as the $1800 IEMs. It’s all about finding comfort in your sound. I try not to judge equipment by price, but typically if it’s expensive it normally warrents the price, though nothing should cost more than $1000. I don’t know what has happened to our hobby. I still think $1000 is high end for IEMs.


----------



## proedros

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m going on and listening to the 1A now with 3.01 and it’s totally amazing. How did I miss this?



what's the sonic differences/upgrades compared to 2.0 ?

also what kind of iems are you using (neutral/midthick etc) ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 21, 2019)

proedros said:


> what's the sonic differences/upgrades compared to 2.0 ?
> 
> also what kind of iems are you using (neutral/midthick etc) ?



 Nowadays I use only 3 IEMs the Noble Encore (10 BA IEM) single ended, the BGVP DM6 balanced and the qdc Anole V3 in standard crossover mode balanced. The Noble has a midcentric almost bright and almost metallic texture but has amazing speed in all departments, have NOT tried it with the 1A 3.01 combo. The qdc Anole V3 (3BA IEM) has shown the most noticeable improvements with 3.01 and 1A combo. Basically it’s on the darker side and has slightly better bass than the DM6. The bass is smoothest of all three. What helps it is the increased soundstage of 3.01 and there is maybe a different treble too going on, but I have only had 3.01 for a matter of hours, so more time needed? But the gift for the Anole was the smooth yet expanded midrange. The Anole also has a slight issue where it seduces the listener to keep raising the volume (not a good thing) I’m thinking 3.01 may help in that regard. But clarity is always going to help the Anole, it’s right at the edge of being a slight bit boring in the treble missing sparkle, so any improvements there are big. The Anole is kind of a sleeper in that it does not contain the treble detail offered by the qdc company’s full upper line. With that said it’s easy listening with nothing not to like offering the most bass I have ever heard from a BA bass.

Only spent a short while with the DM6 (5BA IEM) but like the improvements. The $200 DM6 has most of the traits of a $1000 flagship, but it’s always noted for a lackluster 10k dip which has an affect on vocals and snare drums in places. Obviously any help in the 10k range from a source can help. But so far across the board the smoothness and bass presentation has been a blessing.

Cheers!

Edit:
I can maybe now basically define the 3.01 upgrade unilaterally between both players. From 2.0 changing to 3.0 you get a bigger soundstage, better bass definition and a nice smoothness and detail increase over-all. Before these changes were only good for the 1Z with the change from 2.0 to 3.0. 3.0 on the 1A was the cause of making it too thin, with a loss of bass and low end warmth. Now both players somehow have the NEW 3.01 signature sound.





captblaze said:


> all this talk of firmwares and anniversaries has me digging out cables and climbing the ladder from 1.02 up to 3.01 to once and fore all pick one and stay with it (yeah, right). gonna also start a 40th anniversary Walkman fund.
> 
> Curse this hobby!!!



It’s good, I’m the 1A 2.0 Luddite, and so far 3.01 is super cool.


----------



## linux4ever

There would be more than a few at head-fi that would have the budget iems and love them. I too have one. Massdrop plus for $300. It is very good and one can just use that one exclusively.

But when you listen at home for longer sessions with $1000 iems, over a period of time you start noticing details in sound  resolution and clarity to be better etc.

And with totl daps one can get a good sound paired with budget iems. But when they're swapped with the high end iems, then we can hear what more the dap can output. 

It is a given that the price increase isn't proportional to the audio quality improvement. 

Yet that 15-20% difference is difficult to achieve and hence is worth the price difference for some.

Having said that, I would definitely like the prices to come down for totl daps and iems  They are at stratosphere now. 

There could low end, mid tier and high end items but prices need to be reasonable


----------



## captblaze

The manufacturers of these devices are looking to maximize profit and recoup R&D dollars. And just like cellphones and PCs peak DAP is just around the corner  and then prices will eventually ebb. Just look at the used market and how quickly most items lose 50% of their monetary value in short order. That should be an indicator of the future and sustainability of the market


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 21, 2019)

Just got chance to hear the 1A 3.01 with the Noble Encore, notably my most expensive IEM. And while detailed and transparent of what’s upstream I normally go back and forth EQing and not EQing it. With the bass-centric music I listen to it becomes imperative to get it normally about 4+ on the bass tone knob, a -4 on treble and -4 on midrange. With that said 3.01 is incredible with the 1A. Truthfully I thought Sony couldn’t bring the sound magic of 3.0 and the 1Z to the 1A, but they did it.

The 3.01 and 1A has the magic that was so impressive starting with the 3.0 and 1Z combo. Truly a new chapter for us Walkman owners to enjoy. If anything the 1A and Encore combination exploits the new soundstage effect, which just has to be the big deal with 3.01. Of course across the board with any IEM the increase in detail is noted. But behind it all is an organic fluidity which is not only a lushness, but something human and natural.

Sony matched the firmware for both players and optimized them.


----------



## proedros

3.01 on 1A sounds intriguing , if i go 3.01 can i revert back to 2.0 without a factory reset ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> 3.01 on 1A sounds intriguing , if i go 3.01 can i revert back to 2.0 without a factory reset ?



It does not change the hours to change firmware. Just finding 2.0 can be tricky, but now at this point in time, I truly don’t know why anyone would want any other firmware in their 1A. It’s that good. As testing it with a wide range of tone in different IEMs; I guess it’s not a question of synergy anymore. The quality of response from 3.01 is by far transcendent of any character someone would try to be looking for.


----------



## Saraband (Jan 21, 2019)

ste787 said:


> No thanks to JH Audio , they keep pushing the price on IEM. No, no longer 1000 is high end for iem. I think 3000 is high end. 700-1000 for iem is modest price. No one will spend US$3000 iem for 1A.



I have a 1A + U18.  I blind bought the 1A, so I wasn't able to compare, but for me, the decision was a matter of 1) Being skeptical as to the difference in sound quality, 2) Weight (I carry my 1A with me to and from work almost every day, and I live in NYC so I'm walking with it, as opposed to throwing it in a car), and 3) Price.  While I could afford the 1Z, I still try to make responsible fiscal decisions (as we all should), and going with the 1A and a $3k IEM made sense to me.  And I'm not the only person with this combination.  I've seen others, so I'd say that we are a varied bunch, and just because you go top tier in one category doesn't mean you'll do the same for another.

I would still love to hear a 1Z at some point because maybe I would clearly prefer its sound signature.  And if Sony does come out with a new product line, I might be convinced to go top tier.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I just love my WM1A the sound on 3.01 very holographic


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> I just love my WM1A the sound on 3.01 very holographic



I’m now speechless.


----------



## proedros

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m now speechless.



3.01 on 1A ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 6, 2019)

proedros said:


> 3.01 on 1A ?


Yes, it’s surprisingly good.
It’s interesting because in ways the treble spike made it too much for the Noble Encore with the 1Z........where due to the 1A being more flat, and it’s just right after a tad of EQ. Also the bass is nice on 3.01. That bass. The foundation.


----------



## captblaze

I don't want to be accused of heresy, but I have been auditioning an Oriolus ba300s digital tube amp and am finding I like to have it in line for most listening sessions (except for when I am out and about). I am not a fan of stacking gear when mobile, but as a transportable desktop accessory this thing is intriguing. Not overly tubey sounding, but just enough to perceive a difference. Also allowing me to dial the volume down 5-10 clicks depending on what it is driving


----------



## ste787

Saraband said:


> I have a 1A + U18.  I blind bought the 1A, so I wasn't able to compare, but for me, the decision was a matter of 1) Being skeptical as to the difference in sound quality, 2) Weight (I carry my 1A with me to and from work almost every day, and I live in NYC so I'm walking with it, as opposed to throwing it in a car), and 3) Price.  While I could afford the 1Z, I still try to make responsible fiscal decisions (as we all should), and going with the 1A and a $3k IEM made sense to me.  And I'm not the only person with this combination.  I've seen others, so I'd say that we are a varied bunch, and just because you go top tier in one category doesn't mean you'll do the same for another.
> 
> I would still love to hear a 1Z at some point because maybe I would clearly prefer its sound signature.  And if Sony does come out with a new product line, I might be convinced to go top tier.



oic, everyone is different. I tend to balance the cost of the DAP and IEM.


----------



## bflat

captblaze said:


> I don't want to be accused of heresy, but I have been auditioning an Oriolus ba300s digital tube amp and am finding I like to have it in line for most listening sessions (except for when I am out and about). I am not a fan of stacking gear when mobile, but as a transportable desktop accessory this thing is intriguing. Not overly tubey sounding, but just enough to perceive a difference. Also allowing me to dial the volume down 5-10 clicks depending on what it is driving



Nice update. Nothing wrong with adding tubes to your output. Don't know if the Oriolus implementation has tubes for input and/or output stage but the added even order harmonics from tubes will give a richer sound. Of course if you just look at the measurements, you will see increases in distortion and noise so that's why those who only care about the measurements don't like tubes. I've been regretting selling off my ALO CDM so this looks promising.


----------



## hireslover

How do we step by step use the USB DAC mode in the WM1Z? I have tried it I could never get it to work.  Please help


----------



## bflat

hireslover said:


> How do we step by step use the USB DAC mode in the WM1Z? I have tried it I could never get it to work.  Please help



Make sure you are on firmware 3.0 or later

Mac - plug into USB port and enable DAC mode from main menu.
Windows - download and install drivers and plug into USB port and enable DAC mode from main menu.
Android/iOS - Disable charging in the USB DAC options menu, use appropriate cable (OTG for Android and CCK for iOS) enable DAC mode from main menu.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 21, 2019)

Interestingly the Sony 1A DAP controls the YouTube video with pause and play while in Bluetooth mode.

Push pause or play and the video will pause or play on your phone, IPod Touch, or iPad.

Basicly it controls the video as if you were playing a music file with fast forward or reverse also.


----------



## proedros (Jan 21, 2019)

time to try 3.01 in 1A , will report back with impressions later

*edit :i can go back to 2.0 if the new FW is not to my liking, right ?*


----------



## captblaze

bflat said:


> Nice update. Nothing wrong with adding tubes to your output. Don't know if the Oriolus implementation has tubes for input and/or output stage but the added even order harmonics from tubes will give a richer sound. Of course if you just look at the measurements, you will see increases in distortion and noise so that's why those who only care about the measurements don't like tubes. I've been regretting selling off my ALO CDM so this looks promising.



I'm agnostic on measurements and only use them as a road map to a destination. Sometimes a tinge of distortion is just what the doctor ordered and this amp is very modest in what it does. There is no adjustable gain and the player controls volume. As to input or output I can't answer without doing some research. You have piqued my curiosity though


----------



## Redcarmoose

Yes.

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/proedros.158478/


----------



## proedros (Jan 21, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes.
> 
> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/proedros.158478/




hey man thanx for the help ,so i dl 3.01 and opened dav mode on wm1a and i put some music on my laptop (via foobar) but no sound on my wm1a

*i also get a msg about installing a driver software* *, which failed* - what should i do now , should i wait until it's finished so i can have some music from laptop>wm1a via the usb dac ?

also , do i need to open the usb mode or just go for the dac?

*what is the procedure , step by step* here guys ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

If you ever want to go back I think these still work. 
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1615#post-14522004


To install 3.01 you just go online and google in Sony update. You then go to the update page and check the disclaimer and start your download. Go to the top of Firefox and click on the file it will open in your browser and ask if you want to instal 3.01 into your 1A. 

Make sure your 1A is plugged into the computer and press start. Leave everything alone till finished. When it’s done you get a confirmation of completion.


----------



## proedros

do i need to download music center for pc as well ?


Download “Music Center for PC”

Compatible OSes: Windows 10 / Windows 8.1 / Windows 7

i have 3.01 installed in my wm1a but i get no sound and i got a msg about *failed driver installation* , which driver is this ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> do i need to download music center for pc as well ?
> 
> 
> Download “Music Center for PC”
> ...



Don’t use Music Center, I’ll get you the Sony Page.


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> do i need to download music center for pc as well ?
> 
> 
> Download “Music Center for PC”
> ...



Use this, it worked for me. Just leave your 1A hooked to the USB port of the laptop. Don’t worry about it. 
https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/downloads/00015729


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> do i need to download music center for pc as well ?
> 
> 
> Download “Music Center for PC”
> ...



All fw versions and usb driver (Windows only versions) in my DropBox

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Use this, it worked for me. Just leave your 1A hooked to the USB port of the laptop. Don’t worry about it.
> https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/downloads/00015729



Normally you should install drivers before trying to connect devices


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> Normally you should install drivers before trying to connect devices



I just realized he needs to get help running the DAC off his laptop. He seems to have 3.01 installed correctly.


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> do i need to download music center for pc as well ?
> 
> 
> Download “Music Center for PC”
> ...



I think you need this. 

I don’t use it as a DAC, so it’s a good guess. 
https://www.sony.co.id/en/electronics/support/downloads/00014879


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> Normally you should install drivers before trying to connect devices



Yes, I’m was surprised he was searching to use his computer and 1A in DAC mode?


----------



## hireslover

bflat said:


> Make sure you are on firmware 3.0 or later
> 
> Mac - plug into USB port and enable DAC mode from main menu.
> Windows - download and install drivers and plug into USB port and enable DAC mode from main menu.
> Android/iOS - Disable charging in the USB DAC options menu, use appropriate cable (OTG for Android and CCK for iOS) enable DAC mode from main menu.


I am using Windows - I downloaded / installed the driver as stated but when I enabled the USB DAC from the unit itself I don't see the program to play it using my laptop


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> do i need to download music center for pc as well ?
> 
> 
> Download “Music Center for PC”
> ...





Redcarmoose said:


> Don’t use Music Center, I’ll get you the Sony Page.



If your installing the DAC drivers into your PC you want your device disconnected.


----------



## nc8000

hireslover said:


> I am using Windows - I downloaded / installed the driver as stated but when I enabled the USB DAC from the unit itself I don't see the program to play it using my laptop



There is no program, you use whatever programs you already have and select the Sony as your output device in sound settings in Windows


----------



## proedros

thanx for the help ,so let's recap

1) i have 3.01 on my wm1a

2) i need to donwload/install on my pc this 

https://www.sony.co.id/en/electronics/support/downloads/00014879

3) then plug my wm1a in usb cable on my pc and activate usb dac 

correct ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> There is no program, you use whatever programs you already have and select the Sony as your output device in sound settings in Windows



Right, he is saying you use whatever music software you have, like -Foobar2000.


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> thanx for the help ,so let's recap
> 
> 1) i have 3.01 on my wm1a
> 
> ...



You turn on the DAC function first before hooking the 1A to the computer. I don’t use this but kinda know how to do it. I didn’t realize in your earlier post you already had 3.01 working fine in your 1A, but just needed Windows drivers.

Did you download the Windows drivers?


----------



## proedros

Redcarmoose said:


> You turn on the DAC function first before hooking the 1A to the computer. I don’t use this but kinda know how to do it. I didn’t realize in your earlier post you already had 3.01 working fine in your 1A, but just needed Windows drivers.
> 
> Did you download the Windows drivers?




windows sony drivers downloaded/installed

so i open the usb dac option on wm1a , and then hook the wm1a on my pc via the usb cable ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> All fw versions and usb driver (Windows only versions) in my DropBox
> 
> https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0



Your the best!


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> windows sony drivers downloaded/installed
> 
> so i open the usb dac option on wm1a , and then hook the wm1a on my pc via the usb cable ?



Yes.


----------



## hireslover

nc8000 said:


> There is no program, you use whatever programs you already have and select the Sony as your output device in sound settings in Windows


Thank you mate I got it. It works perfect.


----------



## proedros

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes.



ok , i get a ''installing device driver software'' icon , this is the sony driver i downloaded from your link i guess

after it's done , i will press pay on foobar 2000 and i should get sound on my wm1a ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 21, 2019)

proedros said:


> ok , i get a ''installing device driver software'' icon , this is the sony driver i downloaded from your link i guess
> 
> after it's done , i will press pay on foobar 2000 and i should get sound on my wm1a ?


You may have to select the Sony as the output device in Windows. I use Apple as my PC for this. Lol


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> ok , i get a ''installing device driver software'' icon , this is the sony driver i downloaded from your link i guess
> 
> after it's done , i will press pay on foobar 2000 and i should get sound on my wm1a ?



You first need to select the Sony as your output device in Windows sound setting


----------



## proedros

Redcarmoose said:


> *You may have to select the Sony as the output device in Windows.*



driver installed , so how do i slect sony as output device ?

sorry for the nagging , complete tech dork here i guess


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 21, 2019)

proedros said:


> driver installed , so how do i slect sony as output device ?
> 
> sorry for the nagging , complete tech dork here i guess



Ask https://www.head-fi.org/members/nc8000.54845/ I’ve never done it but I know it may need to be done.

Probably go to Control Center then Sound.

 Next you’ll see a list of devices with the 1A as one listed.


----------



## proedros

nvm guys , i improvised and i get sound from my pc to my wm1a

*VICTORY 

THANX FOR ALL THE HELP YOU ARE THE BEST *


----------



## proedros (Jan 21, 2019)

one last question , i get a PCM 48khz file read on my wm1a even though i am playing some 24/96 files from my pc

does sony down-convert files from 96 to 48 khz ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> nvm guys , i improvised and i get sound from my pc to my wm1a
> 
> *VICTORY
> 
> THANX FOR ALL THE HELP YOU ARE THE BEST *



There is a wonderful provided drop box if you decide to go back a firmware or two. It’s the only place I know for 2.0.

Thank-you @https://www.head-fi.org/members/nc8000.54845/


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> one last question , i get a PCM 48khz read even though i am playing some 24/96 files
> 
> does sony down-convert files ?



Someone here will help you, I don’t use the 1A as a DAC normally.


----------



## Matrix Petka

captblaze said:


> I don't want to be accused of heresy, but I have been auditioning an Oriolus ba300s digital tube amp and am finding I like to have it in line for most listening sessions (except for when I am out and about). I am not a fan of stacking gear when mobile, but as a transportable desktop accessory this thing is intriguing. Not overly tubey sounding, but just enough to perceive a difference. Also allowing me to dial the volume down 5-10 clicks depending on what it is driving


Recently Oriolus catched my attention ba300s. Can you,please, share more of your impressions? How it stacks with WM1A/Z? How hot it goes during long listening sessions? How it matches with your headphones/IEMs? Hum issues? Sound impressions and comparison with WM1A/Z sound? Any shortages in construction?


----------



## bflat

proedros said:


> one last question , i get a PCM 48khz file read on my wm1a even though i am playing some 24/96 files from my pc
> 
> does sony down-convert files from 96 to 48 khz ?



Just set to you desired sampling rate under the device properties of the Sony driver. You can google the specific steps. Windows system sound can only play at one fixed rate. If you want to automatically match the sampling rate of each track, then you need an advanced music player application like Foobar (open source), Audirvana, or JRiver. You can try a free trial of each and there are numerous threads on Headfi for each and how to configure.


----------



## captblaze (Jan 21, 2019)

@Matrix Petka

I don’t own any low impedance IEMs (26 ohm lowest) so hiss is not detectable. Mind you my ears are over 50 and I have well over 200 live shows on them (Boston to Zappa and everything in between). My ears don't qualify for listening impressions for others. The chassis is metal and gets slightly warm, but not like other tube amps. I have never timed the battery, but 6 hours easy is a good estimate. Cable included is high quality (4.4mm only).

It stacks, but there is an offset from center with either cable orientation. I don't stack and have alternative players to go mobile with. It is transportable for my use.

Even with high impedance cans (HD800S) this amp has that extra umph to leave some headroom (5 to10 clicks reduction in volume).

All in all the BA300s is a good a companion to the 1A and my cache of HP and IEMs


----------



## ryaneagon

I use Bluetooth receiver via WM1Z and Nivida Shield (LDAC) I typically use Kodi and Tidal for music, every now and again I will play a movie or YouTube. There is about a 3 second delay, not a problem with music...obviously, but not for video. Thankfully Kodi will let me add a time delay to compensate. Is this normal? I haven't connected to any other devices yet to see if it's just a "Bluetooth thing."


----------



## nc8000

ryaneagon said:


> I use Bluetooth receiver via WM1Z and Nivida Shield (LDAC) I typically use Kodi and Tidal for music, every now and again I will play a movie or YouTube. There is about a 3 second delay, not a problem with music...obviously, but not for video. Thankfully Kodi will let me add a time delay to compensate. Is this normal? I haven't connected to any other devices yet to see if it's just a "Bluetooth thing."



I get no noticable delay playing videos and films over BT from my iPad


----------



## ryaneagon

nc8000 said:


> I get no noticable delay playing videos and films over BT from my iPad



Good to know. I'll try an apple device. I'm wondering if it's a LDAC thing, maybe a delay because of bandwidth.


----------



## sne4me

ste787 said:


> No thanks to JH Audio , they keep pushing the price on IEM. No, no longer 1000 is high end for iem. I think 3000 is high end. 700-1000 for iem is modest price. No one will spend US$3000 iem for 1A.



IEM or CIEM?　I did spend 2500 on Sony Just Ear for the 1A


----------



## sne4me

nc8000 said:


> I get no noticable delay playing videos and films over BT from my iPad



I can notice the slightest of delay on bluetooth receiver to the point where I don't mind it, and I am OCD about things like that. I haven't tried using cable in as an amp.


----------



## RobertP (Jan 21, 2019)

Upgrade NW-WM1A internal wires on balanced side again. A single wire per terminal will definitely holding back lot of dynamic in mid to low frequency. Now my 1A sound truly amazing.


----------



## ste787

sne4me said:


> IEM or CIEM?　I did spend 2500 on Sony Just Ear for the 1A


ha ha yes my mistake to say nobody will do it. obviously some people do that. 
Personally i would not do it. Overspend on one component. Where the performance of the system is the sum of all the components. It is a free world, people can make decision for themselves. I will not criticise it. I myself will not do it.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 22, 2019)

ste787 said:


> ha ha yes my mistake to say nobody will do it. obviously some people do that.
> Personally i would not do it. Overspend on one component. Where the performance of the system is the sum of all the components. It is a free world, people can make decision for themselves. I will not criticise it. I myself will not do it.


What is the underlying discussion here is many believe the 1A is endgame. Of course it’s a matter of opinion, but many think that. That’s why you could put any IEM with it. That is what the rebuttal is.

It’s because cost at times is irrelevant. I have $360 headphones I like just as much as $2200 headphones, as it’s all about tone and ability.


----------



## ste787

Redcarmoose said:


> What is the underlying discussion here is many believe the 1A is endgame. Of course it’s a matter of opinion, but many think that. That’s why you could put any IEM with it. That is what the rebuttal is.
> 
> It’s because cost at times is irrelevant. I have $360 headphones I like just as much as $2200 headphones, as it’s all about tone and ability.



How can 1A be end game. The high end hifi rack keep improving and squeezing more and more detail, the timing improvement and less jitter. I am looking forward to the technology to trickle down to DAP. There will be a lot of improvement in SQ in coming years. 100 per cent. Chip consume less and less power, new dac design. 
I love my $600 Acoustic research ar-h1 than my sennheiser hd800 or JH audio Layla, both cost much more. Less detail but more musical. But both cannot be used outdoor. But the cost is an guide to build an all round balance audio system.


----------



## blazinblazin

I stopped craving for other DAP after i got 1A


----------



## sne4me

ste787 said:


> How can 1A be end game. The high end hifi rack keep improving and squeezing more and more detail, the timing improvement and less jitter. I am looking forward to the technology to trickle down to DAP. There will be a lot of improvement in SQ in coming years. 100 per cent. Chip consume less and less power, new dac design.
> I love my $600 Acoustic research ar-h1 than my sennheiser hd800 or JH audio Layla, both cost much more. Less detail but more musical. But both cannot be used outdoor. But the cost is an guide to build an all round balance audio system.



I think its like anything else, there is diminishing return, as in most media content cannot take advantage of the WM1A/Z as it is. By current standards, as a server or as a DAP, the WM1A/Z is practically the best, hence it being rated as one of the best DAP available. To be able to observe higher resolution basically requires more speakers and spacing to give an accurate sound stage. I would agree, that it is end game


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 22, 2019)

ste787 said:


> How can 1A be end game. The high end hifi rack keep improving and squeezing more and more detail, the timing improvement and less jitter. I am looking forward to the technology to trickle down to DAP. There will be a lot of improvement in SQ in coming years. 100 per cent. Chip consume less and less power, new dac design.
> I love my $600 Acoustic research ar-h1 than my sennheiser hd800 or JH audio Layla, both cost much more. Less detail but more musical. But both cannot be used outdoor. But the cost is an guide to build an all round balance audio system.


Portable endgame, this is a portable thread. Of course not endgame endgame that’s given. We are talking about people buying IEMs for the 1A? $3000 IEMs for the 1A?


----------



## aisalen

blazinblazin said:


> I stopped craving for other DAP after i got 1A


Same here. I start acquiring for desktop setup instead.


----------



## nanaholic

ste787 said:


> ha ha yes my mistake to say nobody will do it. obviously some people do that.
> Personally i would not do it. Overspend on one component. Where the performance of the system is the sum of all the components. It is a free world, people can make decision for themselves. I will not criticise it. I myself will not do it.



Most people would consider spending the most money on the earphone/headphone being the wisest investment when it comes to getting the most improvement in sound quality in the entire chain. Also I wouldn't consider getting a pair of Just ear to pair with 1A is overspending, as the 1A is absolutely capable of getting a lot out of the Just ear as the Just ear were designed to be efficient to begin with.


----------



## Malevolint

nanaholic said:


> Most people would consider spending the most money on the earphone/headphone being the wisest investment when it comes to getting the most improvement in sound quality in the entire chain. Also I wouldn't consider getting a pair of Just ear to pair with 1A is overspending, as the 1A is absolutely capable of getting a lot out of the Just ear as the Just ear were designed to be efficient to begin with.


I agree with you! At the end of the day, a dadc/dap is supposed to carry clean sound and deliver some power. We have that. We have the cleanest sound we're probably going to get. After that, it's all about flavor and extras. Some DAPs are more warm than others, or have different apps and features.

Spending 3k on earphones for a WM1A is perfectly fine and I frankly see no reason not to. You'll get the biggest difference in sound quality there instead of quibbling for another 2/3% better sound going from dap to dap.


----------



## Mindstorms (Jan 22, 2019)

I stayed 2.0 finally after allmy trips to 3.01 and 1.2 it still the best i wish sony could master 3.02 with more subbass for WM1A at least make the 31hz eq band response deeper and all sub-bass frecuencies stronger 2.0 its proof that WM1A its bass capable of course nowere near 1Z, if 3.02 has more bass i will install it. 3.01 still has the best stage imaging i remember zx100 when i enable clear audio+ stage becamed wider like 2x now the bass was trimmed when clear audio was enabled i wonder if the wider the imaging the faster bass distrorts when boosted via EQ... also when i use it in dac mode and use my pc Sony stage-mastering studio and VST plug ins (for all sony fanboys like me) when i add bass with EQ and other effects and bass sound really deeper and it wont distort that is proof that WM1A response exceeds the sony eq maximum I really prefer some songs distorting a little i will lower volume or reduce EQ bass band 31hz a little but that the bass control its on user side and not device lol ( I feel the EQ its being shy on boost) also in the 16 hz band it will be awesome that it do the same boost a little of the high frecuencies not only 16khz since modern gear IEM and Headphones surpass 16kz by a lot.. and the only wahy to boost that frec its via DSEE, for me it should boost a little higher but never cut of those precious frecuencies also can be sayd for the lower end lol


----------



## bflat

My thoughts on price:

Don't blame the manufacturers on price, blame the people who pay. Even Apple is starting to realize how small the market is for $1200 phones.
While a couple thousand for a non-essential item is a lot of money, stop buying coffee at Starbucks and bring your lunch to work using the same principle.
There are no laws that say a headphone should cost xxx% of the amp and the amp cost yyy% of the source, etc.
Portable devices are generally more expensive than their desktop counterparts due to added complexity and R&D (like PCs).
Try calling or emailing a local or in-state hi-fi specialty store and ask them for their best price on something that has a hard MSRP. You will surprised how much wiggle room there is especially if you bundle with other components.
Lastly, thank goodness for Headfi Classified!


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 22, 2019)

A DAP, or DAC and or Digital readers, are not simply just equally made.  There are plethora things within the chain that can affect your outcome.  Nevertheless, it won’t be as pronounced or observable unless and until you have a very capable headphones or IEMS.  There is no such thing as over spending on a headphones for the audio-chain

If there is such thing, a top tier capable headphones such as Stax SR009 and a T2, it would reveal how bad your DAC, Interconnect Cables, and the Digital sources can sound, and when you upgrade, it will expose clearly how much improvements at which devices you upgraded and swapped out.

Saying this headphones or earphones is too much for a DAP, or DAC to handle, is like saying, this is the best the DAC or DAP can do, regardless of how good your headphones or earsphones are, you won’t see improvements....which means admitting defeat.  Some headphones or even IEMS will need an external amplifier to drive it properly.

But that is just how I see it

My personal experiences, I often hook up my WM1Z into my Stax SR009 and T2 system to listen.  It clearly tells me the pros and the cons of WM1Z vs my other DAP such as Opus DAP or Dx200....and Desktop system.  Is Stax SR-009 and T2 an overkill for WM1Z as a source ? not at all! The WM1Z is very good for being a portable, beautiful timbres, excellent battery.  But it can go further, and so I built a dedicated desktop for that.


----------



## RobertP (Jan 22, 2019)

There are many areas the 1A may still be improve on. Same goes for the 1Z. Sony did many things right under the hood on these DAP's already but still not a perfect 10 yet. It will be interesting what the next signature series devices may brings. I used to think that 1A and $3k IEM could be the endgame too but not any more after I listen to those very expensive highly resolve sound systems.
Do we need $3k headphones or IEMs? Easy yes for me. Cheap monitors will never show the full capability the DAP. You don't want to miss out the dynamic, warmth, fullness, airy, ambiance, imaging, and fine details that high end monitors can give. IMO, good headphones are more important than DAP.


----------



## buzzlulu

Whitigir said:


> My personal experiences, I often hook up my WM1Z into my Stax SR009 and T2 system to listen.  It clearly tells me the pros and the cons of WM1Z vs my other DAP



My understanding of how the output of the 1Z works is that both the 3.5 or 4.4 can be used as a line out (with no problem of the famous double amping).  As such my question is that it should make no difference which headphone out port (3.5 or 4.4) is used when feeding your Stax T2 ( or in my case my Carbon)?
It's probably easier sourcing a 3.5 to XLR cable rather than a 4.4 to XLR?


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> My understanding of how the output of the 1Z works is that both the 3.5 or 4.4 can be used as a line out (with no problem of the famous double amping).  As such my question is that it should make no difference which headphone out port (3.5 or 4.4) is used when feeding your Stax T2 ( or in my case my Carbon)?
> It's probably easier sourcing a 3.5 to XLR cable rather than a 4.4 to XLR?



Best to use 3.5 to dual rca or 4.4 to xlr


----------



## Whitigir

buzzlulu said:


> My understanding of how the output of the 1Z works is that both the 3.5 or 4.4 can be used as a line out (with no problem of the famous double amping).  As such my question is that it should make no difference which headphone out port (3.5 or 4.4) is used when feeding your Stax T2 ( or in my case my Carbon)?
> It's probably easier sourcing a 3.5 to XLR cable rather than a 4.4 to XLR?



Single ended and balances will always be different.  It is more pronounced on the WM1Z from the observations of sound performances on the same PCM or FLAC.  Not to mention that 4.4mm is the only possible way to do Native DSD.

Yes, you can also use 3.5mm line out, but I never tried that, so I can not be sure.  I could have any cables at my disposal, so I only went for the best X_X


----------



## buzzlulu

Thanks for the replies
If you search this thread quite a bit comes up about the topic - and answers are different each time.
This link which has interviews with the designers seems to put the issue to rest - there is no analogue line out - period.
It was removed for sound purposes

https://www.sony.jp/walkman/special/flagship/manufacturer/interview04.html


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> Thanks for the replies
> If you search this thread quite a bit comes up about the topic - and answers are different each time.
> This link which has interviews with the designers seems to put the issue to rest - there is no analogue line out - period.
> It was removed for sound purposes
> ...



Yes there is no analogue line out but the headphone out is clean so you should have no ill effects from using it


----------



## Whitigir

buzzlulu said:


> Thanks for the replies
> If you search this thread quite a bit comes up about the topic - and answers are different each time.
> This link which has interviews with the designers seems to put the issue to rest - there is no analogue line out - period.
> It was removed for sound purposes
> ...



Well, I can only tell you what I *personally went* through, and how I observed it.  Unless I am as deaf as a duck, you can use any of the headphones out to be acting as line out


----------



## bflat

buzzlulu said:


> If you search this thread quite a bit comes up about the topic - and answers are different each time.



Yes, because people continue to theorize rather than actual use. There is zero chance you can damage something using the WM1a/z headphone out as line out. Just remember to use 90-100% volume for line out levels. It will take all of 30 sec for you to try it out yourself using a simple 3.5mm to RCA cable. If it sounds good to you, the balanced out will be even better but requires a harder to find 4.4mm to dual XLR adapter.

But the big question is "why?". Everyone has their own reasons for wanting a line out from their DAP so it's best to describe your own use case and I'm sure you will get much better answers.

For example, if somebody wants the line out so they can connect to their home amplifier, I would recommend buying a good desktop DAC like one of the Schiit low to mid range models. Then use the WM1a/z as a transport.


----------



## buzzlulu

Right now I have my Stax amplifier connected to my big two channel system into my preamp - feed by uber totl Linn 2 channel sources vinyl and digital.  I want the option of removing the headphone system from my two channel setup.  I can use the 1Z or buy something such as a Cord DAC.  Neither will sound as good as my Linn sources however I will have the option of no longer being tied to my two channel setup


----------



## Whitigir

buzzlulu said:


> Right now I have my Stax amplifier connected to my big two channel system into my preamp - feed by uber totl Linn 2 channel sources vinyl and digital.  I want the option of removing the headphone system from my two channel setup.  I can use the 1Z or buy something such as a Cord DAC.  Neither will sound as good as my Linn sources however I will have the option of no longer being tied to my two channel setup


You are looking for a portable DAC correct ?


----------



## buzzlulu

Not necessarily portable
I already own a portable DAC - the 1Z
thus my questions about connecting it to my Stax setup.  

At one time I also owned the Sony TA - sold it as I was not convinced


----------



## hamhamhamsta

buzzlulu said:


> Not necessarily portable
> I already own a portable DAC - the 1Z
> thus my questions about connecting it to my Stax setup.
> 
> At one time I also owned the Sony TA - sold it as I was not convinced


How about Sony DMP - Z1?


----------



## Redcarmoose

bflat said:


> Yes, because people continue to theorize rather than actual use. There is zero chance you can damage something using the WM1a/z headphone out as line out. Just remember to use 90-100% volume for line out levels. It will take all of 30 sec for you to try it out yourself using a simple 3.5mm to RCA cable. If it sounds good to you, the balanced out will be even better but requires a harder to find 4.4mm to dual XLR adapter.
> 
> But the big question is "why?". Everyone has their own reasons for wanting a line out from their DAP so it's best to describe your own use case and I'm sure you will get much better answers.
> 
> For example, if somebody wants the line out so they can connect to their home amplifier, I would recommend buying a good desktop DAC like one of the Schiit low to mid range models. Then use the WM1a/z as a transport.



I’m glad it works for most people. Double amping can sound fine, and maybe theoretically it’s not double amping. I maybe used an inferior cable as in my use it sounded bad. I hooked up the 1Z to the Asgard with a 3.5mm to 2X RCA and it was horrible. Nothing like getting digital out to a DAC/amp. So in my personal use it simply was not the way to go, though I have not kept trying. I simply go to the TA.


----------



## Whitigir

Yeah...well...TA is beyond Wm1Z, but depends though.  Horrible ? Like how...


hamhamhamsta said:


> How about Sony DMP - Z1?


sound like a good plan


----------



## bflat

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m glad it works for most people. Double amping can sound fine, and maybe theoretically it’s not double amping. I maybe used an inferior cable as in my use it sounded bad. I hooked up the 1Z to the Asgard with a 3.5mm to 2X RCA and it was horrible. Nothing like getting digital out to a DAC/amp. So in my personal use it simply was not the way to go, though I have not kept trying. I simply go to the TA.



Describe "horrible". Distorted with line noise? Or just not to your sonic tastes. If it's the later, there are plenty of examples of bad source to amp pairings. For example, Schiit amps do not pair well with bright sources because it only makes the brightness worse. Jotunheim is probably the worse of the bunch in this regard. But hook up one of Schiit's own multi-bit DACs and you get great synergy. Same can be said about amp and headphone pairings.


----------



## bflat

hamhamhamsta said:


> How about Sony DMP - Z1?



That doesn't have a line out either so we will keep going around in circles on headphone out versus line out.


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> That doesn't have a line out either so we will keep going around in circles on headphone out versus line out.


Ugh....true enough ! Lol


----------



## bflat

OK, who are the other two WM1z owners that are ahead of me in que for the K-Mod at Music Sanctuary? Gonna take another week for mine to get done .


----------



## BlueThunder

A completely noob question - is the best way to connect a set of Shure KSE1200 iems via the headphone jack?


----------



## nc8000

BlueThunder said:


> A completely noob question - is the best way to connect a set of Shure KSE1200 iems via the headphone jack?



It’s the only way as the Sony players don’t have a dedicated analogue line out


----------



## proedros

so if i listen to music * from my Laptop (windows 7) with the Foobar2000 program, through the wm1a as DAC*

how do i make it so i get *24/96 sound out of the wm1a* ?

which options must i fix and where do i do this on a windows 7 laptop ?

thanx guys


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 24, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> Yeah...well...TA is beyond Wm1Z, but depends though.  Horrible ? Like how...
> 
> sound like a good plan





bflat said:


> Describe "horrible". Distorted with line noise? Or just not to your sonic tastes. If it's the later, there are plenty of examples of bad source to amp pairings. For example, Schiit amps do not pair well with bright sources because it only makes the brightness worse. Jotunheim is probably the worse of the bunch in this regard. But hook up one of Schiit's own multi-bit DACs and you get great synergy. Same can be said about amp and headphone pairings.



Well it was rotated into a my old system, before I purchased the TA. My old system consisted of simply the Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus and the Schiit Asgard One.

I wanted to see if there was an improvement by using an amp and rotated in the 1Z going analog 3.5mm Z1 out to 2 RCA to the Schiit Amp. So my direct comparison was the Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus line out.

The sound was cloudy and far away, lacking resolution and dynamics. Keep in mind I was using the cheapest of cables. Also just by their nature the Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus is on the thin side, where I value the 1Z to be on the slighly warm side mixed with a slight treble spike. Really I look at the 1Z as slighly V shaped from neutral?

Probably a good test would be to plug the 1Z into the line in of the TA for comparison. It definitely could have been a strange mismatch. Interestingly the Asgard One and Sony TA-ZH1ES end up being about the same as far as power output.

And yes, the DACMagic Plus mixed with the Asgard is bright added to bright, laughingly you mention that.


----------



## named name

BlueThunder said:


> A completely noob question - is the best way to connect a set of Shure KSE1200 iems via the headphone jack?



I recommend you switch on the -10db pad on the KSE1200, then connect the KSE1200 to the 3.5mm output, set WM1A volume to around 110. Then turn on the KSE1200 and volume to desired level.


----------



## Whitigir

Could be a horrible mismatch with the input R-load from the Asgard ....maybe Odin or Thor would have done a better job  ...I wonder if those names were paid and agreed for from Marvel for productions....anyways, just kidding 

I, myself, has never tried the 3.5mm out into another desktop amplifier, so I can not feedback.  The 4.4mm into balanced in amplifier is pretty good.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 24, 2019)

Which will be the new Schiit product?

How many Norse gods are there?
Odin
Thor
Frigg
Týr
Heimdallr
Loki
Baldr and Höðr
Vidar
Vali
Bragi
Iðunn
Njord
Freyr and Freyja
Ull
Forseti
Hermod
Hel


----------



## nanaholic (Jan 24, 2019)

named name said:


> I recommend you switch on the -10db pad on the KSE1200, then connect the KSE1200 to the 3.5mm output, set WM1A volume to around 110. Then turn on the KSE1200 and volume to desired level.



I do the opposite - leave pad to 0dB on the KSE1200, then set the Walkman to roughly between 90 to 100 while keeping an eye on the clipping lamp on the KSE1200. My experience say 90 is the best in general. 

The reasoning is that as the source amp volume is pushed closer to the maximum volume limit, it is much more likely to distort, so 110 out of 120 is too close for comfort IMO (and is actually not adhering to the 90% of max volume rule of thumb in the first place as 110/120 is closer to 92%). Also the 10dB pad is probably a simple resistor in the circuit to lower the input power and thus reduce volume, but without knowing how good that resistor is I'd rather not use it if I don't have to.


----------



## fzman

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m glad it works for most people. Double amping can sound fine, and maybe theoretically it’s not double amping. I maybe used an inferior cable as in my use it sounded bad. I hooked up the 1Z to the Asgard with a 3.5mm to 2X RCA and it was horrible. Nothing like getting digital out to a DAC/amp. So in my personal use it simply was not the way to go, though I have not kept trying. I simply go to the TA.




I am not sure what 'double-amping' means, especially when said in hushed, critical tones, like "I used to think he was cool, then I found out he was double-amping"....   Circuits produce a certain amount of current, into a load, at a certain voltage level.  What qualifies something as an 'amp'? Vo > Vi?  Io>Ii?   

Overloading the input of a circuit is a real thing, is that what people mean?


----------



## nc8000

fzman said:


> I am not sure what 'double-amping' means, especially when said in hushed, critical tones, like "I used to think he was cool, then I found out he was double-amping"....   Circuits produce a certain amount of current, into a load, at a certain voltage level.  What qualifies something as an 'amp'? Vo > Vi?  Io>Ii?
> 
> Overloading the input of a circuit is a real thing, is that what people mean?



One issue with using a headphone out as a line out is the difference in output impedance where a headphone out strives generally to be as low as possible approaching 0 ohm where a line out typically will have well over 100 ohm


----------



## bflat

Redcarmoose said:


> Well it was rotated into a my old system, before I purchased the TA. My old system consisted of simply the Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus and the Schiit Asgard One.
> 
> I wanted to see if there was an improvement by using an amp and rotated in the 1Z going analog 3.5mm Z1 out to 2 RCA to the Schiit Amp. So my direct comparison was the Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus line out.
> 
> ...



Did you make sure the output on the WM1z was set to 100%? Line level output needs to be close to 2V. Since the amp input impedance is in the thousands of ohm it is virtually no load on the WM1z so the output measurements should be optimal. However if the voltage level is too low, you will get uneven sound. If voltage is too high, the amp will clip. Since Sony has not given us official specs, it's best to set to 100% output and lower if you hear clipping or distortion.


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> Did you make sure the output on the WM1z was set to 100%? Line level output needs to be close to 2V. Since the amp input impedance is in the thousands of ohm it is virtually no load on the WM1z so the output measurements should be optimal. However if the voltage level is too low, you will get uneven sound. If voltage is too high, the amp will clip. Since Sony has not given us official specs, it's best to set to 100% output and lower if you hear clipping or distortion.


Btw, is that SP1K-SS in your avatar ? I just wonder, what bring ya to WM1Z


----------



## bflat

Whitigir said:


> Btw, is that SP1K-SS in your avatar ? I just wonder, what bring ya to WM1Z



I need to update that LOL. It is actually an AK380CU. I did upgrade that to the SP1KSS but currently only have the WM1z. My reasons were simple:

I have waited a few years for AK to add sort by Album artist and it is still not available. I gave up.
AK does not have BT receive function. No idea if they will add it.
2.5mm is a very poor design choice. Physically weak and very tight tolerances that are not always met.
AK battery life is relatively short and battery drains even when powered off.
AK does not work as a portable DAC mode for smartphones or tablets. It will always try to charge in USB DAC mode.
AK DSP features are either non-existent or totally useless
Of course if you must have wifi with streaming services and want to run Android apps, AK has done a lot of work to enable that.


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> I need to update that LOL. It is actually an AK380CU. I did upgrade that to the SP1KSS but currently only have the WM1z. My reasons were simple:
> 
> I have waited a few years for AK to add sort by Album artist and it is still not available. I gave up.
> AK does not have BT receive function. No idea if they will add it.
> ...



Thank you for the detailed reasoning .  It seems WM1Z will tick many of those boxes


----------



## newtophones07

has anyone been able to connect with bluetooth to the wm1a/wm1z to a samsung device?  My Note9 does not even see the wm1a in the bluetooth device scan.


----------



## Joe Tan

newtophones07 said:


> has anyone been able to connect with bluetooth to the wm1a/wm1z to a samsung device?  My Note9 does not even see the wm1a in the bluetooth device scan.




I have no problem connecting to a Lg G6 (Ldac) to stream Sportify, so i think S9 should be no problem.

Note iirc its the top right tab on 1st page of setting.


----------



## nc8000

newtophones07 said:


> has anyone been able to connect with bluetooth to the wm1a/wm1z to a samsung device?  My Note9 does not even see the wm1a in the bluetooth device scan.



I assume that you have activated BT receiver mode on the start screen of the Sony ?


----------



## silencer00001

I am a wm1a user in Korea.
I have had two mainboard replacements in the last year.
The reason for this is that the sound of the left channel has been reduced in the 4.4 balanced output.
This experience made me very irritable.

This problem is considered to be a fault in the relay shielding circuit of 4.4 balanced output.
The reason I think so,
If relay is operated repeatedly several times, it sometimes returns to normal.

For reference, I am using ier-m9.
We will use 3.5 output in the future.

If you have someone like me, please let me reply.


----------



## Joe Tan

nc8000 said:


> I assume that you have activated BT receiver mode on the start screen of the Sony ?




Oh yes that's the one im referring to. Thks @nc8000


----------



## BlueThunder (Jan 25, 2019)

I found this on eBay:-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075165...872e-4f123b7bfc17&ie=UTF8&qid=1548411600&sr=3

Would something like this allow me to use the 4.4 output when using standard 3.5 headphones without any problems? Does the EU cap affect the 4.4 output too? Thanks.


----------



## AmusedToD

BlueThunder said:


> I found this on eBay:-
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075165...872e-4f123b7bfc17&ie=UTF8&qid=1548411600&sr=3
> 
> Would something like this allow me to use the 4.4 output when using standard 3.5 headphones without any problems? Does the EU cap affect the 4.4 output too? Thanks.



Not sure whether it’s advisable to use an unbalanced cable with a balanced output via means of an adapter. The other way around is ok (balanced cable to unbalanced output). 

This is what Moon Audio say on their website:

_For example, If you use an adapter cable from a female 1/4" or 1/8" headphone jack to a balanced 4 pin XLR and connect this to a Balanced amp you are essentially shorting to ground 2 legs of the circuit making the amp single ended. This can also potentially damage your balanced amp depending on the design. I can't tell you how many times we have been asked to make such an adapter and we explain the situation and then are told how this adapter can be purchased on Amazon. Why are companies selling it? One word. Greed. I would highly recommend not using these. A very common adapter cable used for this is with the Astell & Kern 2.5mm TRRS balanced output. Astell & Kern has explicitly stated this will damage their DAPs. Don't do it, its not worth it. You can convert a balanced connection back to single ended. This is not a problem at all as long as your main headphone cable is balanced, then you can add an adapter cable. For example, we make adapters that convert the Astell & Kern balanced 2.5mm plug to a 3.5mm plug for use with your phone or another device that only has a 3.5mm or 1/8" jack. 

https://www.moon-audio.com/single-ended-versus-balanced-connection_


----------



## BlueThunder (Jan 25, 2019)

AmusedToD said:


> Not sure whether it’s advisable to use an unbalanced cable with a balanced output via means of an adapter. The other way around is ok (balanced cable to unbalanced output).
> 
> This is what Moon Audio say on their website:
> 
> ...


Cheers. I was actually just watching this video, which says the same around about 7:40:-


I guess I have to stick to 3.5 then. Unless it is worth getting a 4.4 balanced to single ebded, then use adapter.....


----------



## nc8000

BlueThunder said:


> I found this on eBay:-
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075165...872e-4f123b7bfc17&ie=UTF8&qid=1548411600&sr=3
> 
> Would something like this allow me to use the 4.4 output when using standard 3.5 headphones without any problems? Does the EU cap affect the 4.4 output too? Thanks.



Normally you cant go from balanced to single ended but with the 4.4 it is technically possible if the adapter is wired correctly and the 4.4 output has connected it’s 5th pin to ground. One here has said that he has no problem using 4.4 with single ended phones while others say it introduced distortion. Proceed at your own descretion. 

EU cap affects both outputs but can easily be removed if you have a Windows computer.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 25, 2019)

AmusedToD said:


> Not sure whether it’s advisable to use an unbalanced cable with a balanced output via means of an adapter. The other way around is ok (balanced cable to unbalanced output).
> 
> This is what Moon Audio say on their website:
> 
> ...



I have read that before, scary as heck. What is interesting too is seeing what’s for sale not even being what it is listed, when fully drawn out in the wiring diagram they provide.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 25, 2019)

One thing that does happen with Bluetooth is if you have two identical devices the 1Z or 1A will continue to connect to the first one you used and will not show up on the second one. You basicly have to either turn off Bluetooth on the first device or turnoff the first device for Bluetooth on the second device. This is simple common sense though can be frustrating the first time it occurs.

Though my greatest surprise was having full control over fast forward or pause and reverse from the 1A or 1Z side control while using YouTube via Bluetooth.


----------



## Whitigir

silencer00001 said:


> I am a wm1a user in Korea.
> I have had two mainboard replacements in the last year.
> The reason for this is that the sound of the left channel has been reduced in the 4.4 balanced output.
> This experience made me very irritable.
> ...



Nothing man made is perfect and work without defect or faults.  Human is a flaw of the universe  for example 

Anyways, it is very unfortunate that it happened to you, and coincidentally 2x.  Relay are made to withstand thousands of cycles.  Relays are seen in every daily life technology, and mainly is inside your car.  They don’t wear out that easily.  I have the feeling that the tech did not tell you all what there is to it, and all you need to know is that the problem has been solved ? Just guessing.

How was Sony after sales service ? You are satisfied from a scale of 1-10, how would you rate it. ?


----------



## Tsukuyomi

bflat said:


> I need to update that LOL. It is actually an AK380CU. I did upgrade that to the SP1KSS but currently only have the WM1z. My reasons were simple:
> 
> I have waited a few years for AK to add sort by Album artist and it is still not available. I gave up.
> AK does not have BT receive function. No idea if they will add it.
> ...


what do you think of the newer lineup? SR15, SE100 or SP1000(M) ?
i'm on the fence still between the SR15 and WM1A. but based on the points you've listed im leaning a bit more towards the WM1A..


----------



## newtophones07

nc8000 said:


> I assume that you have activated BT receiver mode on the start screen of the Sony ?


And yep that is the button I missed lol.  I was activating Bluetooth in the settings menu, next to brightness. Thanks everyone


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hopefully the anniversary Walkman comes soon this year


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hopefully the anniversary Walkman comes soon this year


DMP-Z1 is ready if you can not wait any longer  kakakaka.

I agree though, we shall hear leaks and information about it in April, typical schedule.  So it will not come until February of next year still kakakaka


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hopefully the anniversary Walkman comes soon this year



Not fussed at all, the 1Z is good enough to last me hopefully another 5-10 years


----------



## Wooglish

Tsukuyomi said:


> what do you think of the newer lineup? SR15, SE100 or SP1000(M) ?
> i'm on the fence still between the SR15 and WM1A. but based on the points you've listed im leaning a bit more towards the WM1A..


I love my 1Z, but also bought a SP1000M for on-the-go travel (lots of time on an airplane) and really love it.  When I am traveling or on the go, I'm not looking for all the advanced functionality of the 1Z and the SP1000M is far smaller and far, far lighter than the 1Z.  The sound is a notch below a 1Z (but still fantastic), but the interface is a notch above 1Z (search, recently added, etc.)  and I love, love the ability to use Tidal and download offline to the SP1000M.


----------



## meomap

Whitigir said:


> DMP-Z1 is ready if you can not wait any longer  kakakaka.
> 
> I agree though, we shall hear leaks and information about it in April, typical schedule.  So it will not come until February of next year still kakakaka



I will buy it it's half price right now.


----------



## bflat

Tsukuyomi said:


> what do you think of the newer lineup? SR15, SE100 or SP1000(M) ?
> i'm on the fence still between the SR15 and WM1A. but based on the points you've listed im leaning a bit more towards the WM1A..



They all sound great so it's a matter of personal taste and what you will use as your primary headphone/IEM. However based on functionality and facts (in addition to my previous post):

SR15 is a smaller size than WM1a. Very important if you need to pocket or stack your DAP.
AK tends to update their models every year which causes quite a bit of angst to their customers.
No mention from Sony on an upgraded model in the same price range as WM1a.
WM1a cannot import or create playlists across sd card and internal memory. AK has no issues with that and very easy to do.
If you are a Mac user, AK data transfer is a nightmare unless you buy 3rd party apps. Android Transfer Tool is universally considered be a POS.
There is an active AK representative on Headfi. Nothing from Sony.
AK uses wheels for volume and Sony uses buttons. This is a bit of a holy war of user experience. Personally, I like buttons, except for the bizarre balls that Chord uses.
AK uses standard USB jacks whereas Sony is still living in the 80s with proprietary connectors. Sony does offer an adapter for micro USB but it adds considerable length that just invites breaking.
As for customer support, neither is in the top end of support experience (at least in the US). Both tend to be pretty fluffy on marketing. Lots a big scientific sounding words used.


----------



## Whitigir

Customer support ? LOL it is never a Sony thing kaka


----------



## bflat

meomap said:


> I will buy it it's half price right now.



On the US site, I just noticed they removed the price. It was there for the past several months so maybe they are re-thinking what the price should be.


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> On the US site, I just noticed they removed the price. It was there for the past several months so maybe they are re-thinking what the price should be.


Not gonna be halves off ...nope


----------



## Tsukuyomi

bflat said:


> They all sound great so it's a matter of personal taste and what you will use as your primary headphone/IEM. However based on functionality and facts (in addition to my previous post):
> 
> SR15 is a smaller size than WM1a. Very important if you need to pocket or stack your DAP.
> AK tends to update their models every year which causes quite a bit of angst to their customers.
> ...


Does the sony volume buttons go up in 1 increments or like android jump by 5 or 10 lol.

Yeah sony kinda pulled out of my city and i can only buy sony products through amazon or bestbuy and other major electronic stores.

I am afraid of the sr15s short battery life and overheating issues ive read. But it doesnt seem to be a main problem for many. The connector is a huge determinant for me, i dont like sonys proprietary connector. But i heard its good quality and transfer speeds are better than micro b. I use windows as a pc. The problem is price for me.

Sr15 is 1050$ after tax and free shipping.
The sony wm1a is 1879.00 after tax from amazon.(free shipping)

Theres almost 800$ difference, would you guys think the sound sony provides is worth double the price more? Im asking with honest intent as i have to make up my mind soon lol. Mobile phone audio is terrible.


----------



## nc8000

Tsukuyomi said:


> Does the sony volume buttons go up in 1 increments or like android jump by 5 or 10 lol.
> 
> Yeah sony kinda pulled out of my city and i can only buy sony products through amazon or bestbuy and other major electronic stores.
> 
> ...



Sony volume increments are in 1’s going from 0 to 120


----------



## Quadfather

Has anyone compared Sony NW-WM1Z to Cayin N8?  I know with regard to battery life there is no comparison.


----------



## captblaze

Quadfather said:


> Has anyone compared Sony NW-WM1Z to Cayin N8?  I know with regard to battery life there is no comparison.



all the banter I have read regarding your question points to one logical conclusion... figure out a way to audition them both if you are seriously thinking about buying either. make sure your audition is with the gear you will be pairing it with. finally let your brain tell you what is the better $3,200 device.

my advice isn't an attempt to mock anyone, or make outrageous claims. it is to point out the your wallet will be taking the hit, so make sure you get it correct before you regret your decision


----------



## Quadfather

captblaze said:


> all the banter I have read regarding your question points to one logical conclusion... figure out a way to audition them both if you are seriously thinking about buying either. make sure your audition is with the gear you will be pairing it with. finally let your brain tell you what is the better $3,200 device.
> 
> my advice isn't an attempt to mock anyone, or make outrageous claims. it is to point out the your wallet will be taking the hit, so make sure you get it correct before you regret your decision



Finding anywhere in the USA to audition DAPs is pretty hard. I totally agree with that idea though. It is a pretty big hit.


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Quadfather said:


> Finding anywhere in the USA to audition DAPs is pretty hard. I totally agree with that idea though. It is a pretty big hit.


Same issue here in canada, only 2 stores in my entire city sell daps. And one only has super old stock with their "newest" being a fiio x7 lol


----------



## captblaze

Quadfather said:


> Finding anywhere in the USA to audition DAPs is pretty hard. I totally agree with that idea though. It is a pretty big hit.



Music Direct has a 60 day return policy which they don't hassle you about if you return the item in near new condition. Music Teck (if I am correct, which does occasionally misfire) is pretty decent about trying things out also.

now you do need to purchase the item from Music Direct (not too certain with MT)

I have taken too many blind leaps based on "honest reviews" recently to ever follow that again. I don't begrudge a guy for putting together a good thing, but common sense (and a budget that does have a limit) tells me to take most reviews with a grain of salt.


----------



## Quadfather

captblaze said:


> Music Direct has a 60 day return policy which they don't hassle you about if you return the item in near new condition. Music Teck (if I am correct, which does occasionally misfire) is pretty decent about trying things out also.
> 
> now you do need to purchase the item from Music Direct (not too certain with MT)
> 
> I have taken too many blind leaps based on "honest reviews" recently to ever follow that again. I don't begrudge a guy for putting together a good thing, but common sense (and a budget that does have a limit) tells me to take most reviews with a grain of salt.



I already contacted them and I'm waiting for a response. Thank you


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> all the banter I have read regarding your question points to one logical conclusion... figure out a way to audition them both if you are seriously thinking about buying either. make sure your audition is with the gear you will be pairing it with. finally let your brain tell you what is the better $3,200 device.
> 
> my advice isn't an attempt to mock anyone, or make outrageous claims. it is to point out the your wallet will be taking the hit, so make sure you get it correct before you regret your decision



Either your wallet take a hit, or only reviewers with provided samples can tell you.

I will honestly say this, when it comes to $3,000 market pricing for portable player that is the size of a couple phones.  Does it make more sense to look toward

1/ the brand
2/ the features being offered

Then the sound quality ? That is said...excellent customer service should come with it too

Honestly, from 1 and 2, Sony ticked both of those boxes.  But they were too slow in opening up DAC usages.  While all of the new technologies sound very promising, remember, sound performances are everything, and that is why we are here as the main reason that driving up the pricing of these DAP

Then once again, Everything that is made up WM1Z yelled “Each of the components is focused toward sound performances”, and I literally meant it, the resistors, the Filmed capacitors, the Copper chassis that went through many prototypes, and there is Sony history behind it.  

Now, when you look at WM1A and it build, could you imagine if it was built by Hifi-man or Cayin ? Yeah, easily 2-3k.  Why not ? A custom OS, and custom DAC , some marketing and hypes, and there we are.

However, I am tired of facing the way many companies are heading toward “because it sound good, it is expensive”....Sony and their release of DMP-Z1 isn’t any better either


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> Music Direct has a 60 day return policy which they don't hassle you about if you return the item in near new condition. Music Teck (if I am correct, which does occasionally misfire) is pretty decent about trying things out also.
> 
> now you do need to purchase the item from Music Direct (not too certain with MT)
> 
> I have taken too many blind leaps based on "honest reviews" recently to ever follow that again. I don't begrudge a guy for putting together a good thing, but common sense (and a budget that does have a limit) tells me to take most reviews with a grain of salt.



Yeah, I agree.  Reviews come from human being, and so personal preferences will come with it.  Therefore, I would advise to look at review as a rough sketches and figure out if that is some sketches toward your preferences or not.  But ultimately, listen to it by yourself is the best way to judge if the DAP or product is worth it (your money and time)


----------



## OG10

Is there anywhere in the EU that sells these at a reasonable price. Amazon has listed above list price in the UK. I wonder if the wm1z is being phased out..


----------



## rtjoa

Enjoy


----------



## Quadfather

Is anyone else using Shure SRH1540s with Sony NW-WM1A out of balanced output?


----------



## bflat

Quadfather said:


> Has anyone compared Sony NW-WM1Z to Cayin N8?  I know with regard to battery life there is no comparison.



If you really want tube output, keep in mind 2 things:

1) N8 tube output is only SE, not balanced.
2) For $370 you can get the Oriolus BA300S fully balanced amp to use with WM1z - https://penonaudio.com/oriolus-ba300s.html

Here is also a good comparison from one of the most prolific reviewers on Headfi:

https://twister6.com/2018/11/09/cayin-n8-dap/4/

It will be difficult to audition both side by side. Most retailers who sell the WM1z offer a 30 day risk free return. For the US, Musicteck sells the N8 but will charge a stocking fee if you return.


----------



## mw7485

OG10 said:


> Is there anywhere in the EU that sells these at a reasonable price. Amazon has listed above list price in the UK. I wonder if the wm1z is being phased out..



Check on the Sony UK web site - that'll be the list price, and anything below it is discounted.

As for auditioning, you live in the UK and are therefore covered under the distance selling regulations. If ever there was a reason to make use of the DSR, buying a DAP blind would be one. Folk in other countries don't always have access to such consumer protection; take full advantage of one of the few things wethat protection have got right in this country. For all of the DAPs I have bought over the last four years, I was prepared to send each one back under DSR if it didn't match up to my expectations. In the end, each one did so I only sold each one  on when I had moved onto something else.


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 26, 2019)

I would take with a grain of salt  about any reviews, and that means even my review and impressions on anything should be taken with that too


bflat said:


> If you really want tube output, keep in mind 2 things:
> 
> 1) N8 tube output is only SE, not balanced.
> 2) For $370 you can get the Oriolus BA300S fully balanced amp to use with WM1z - https://penonaudio.com/oriolus-ba300s.html
> ...



KORG tube is also coming to DX200 platform in a couple months


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## emrelights1973

Redcarmoose said:


>


My exact setup


----------



## OG10

bflat said:


> If you really want tube output, keep in mind 2 things:
> 
> 1) N8 tube output is only SE, not balanced.
> 2) For $370 you can get the Oriolus BA300S fully balanced amp to use with WM1z - https://penonaudio.com/oriolus-ba300s.html
> ...



Thanks for this, I did check in the other thread to see if the N8 had hiss in the SE Tube mode, and I was told it was dead quiet with the Solaris. This review highlights the Andro's having hiss in the SE Tube mode!

I shall hang back and wait for a deal on the wm1z in the forums, or till Amazon drops the price. Have any of you used AcessoryJack? Are they reliable?


----------



## Redcarmoose

emrelights1973 said:


> My exact setup




_*Walkman 1Z/ Noble K10 Encore with Magaosi Tips
My favorite rig for a week. 
I've become obsessed with this combo? I hope it never ends. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/obsessed
*_
Have you found any good cables which offer more than stock?


----------



## nc8000




----------



## emrelights1973

Reasonable priced plus sound cables are just fine to enjoy 4.4


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 27, 2019)

emrelights1973 said:


> Reasonable priced plus sound cables are just fine to enjoy 4.4



What model do you suggest from them? I know Pinky has a copper one. To tell you the truth for the last year I wanted to warm them up. But now I like the sound the way it is, only it’s not balanced. My 4.4 Pentacon purchase of the Hansound Zen 4 wire actually dropped out some of the low end becoming unusable. I was actually thinking of having the stock cable re-terminated to 4.4mm. Your plus sound is better sounding than stock? Which model?


----------



## emrelights1973

Redcarmoose said:


> What model do you suggest from them? I know Pinky has a copper one. To tell you the truth for the last year I wanted to warm them up. But now I like the sound the way it is, only it’s not balanced. My 4.4 Pentacon purchase of the Hansound Zen 4 wire actually dropped out some of the low end becoming unusable. I was actually thinking of having the stock cable re-terminated to 4.4mm. Your plus sound is better sounding than stock? Which model?


I bought x series with silver plated cooper which is a reasonable priced cable...
I have Kimber axios cu for my utopia but I don’t see my self spending big money for İem cables.... 
I like cables thin with my iems 
They sound fantastic and very well made


----------



## BlueThunder

OG10 said:


> Is there anywhere in the EU that sells these at a reasonable price. Amazon has listed above list price in the UK. I wonder if the wm1z is being phased out..


I just bought one from Amazon to have a listen and compare with the SP1000m. I’ll give you a shout if I don’t want to keep it if you like.


----------



## Liono

Does anyone know when a likely time is to announce the new 40th anniversary Walkman? It would be ridiculous if Sony showed the NW-WM1A again (no matter how good it is) for the 3rd year at the AV Bristol show in February. My NW-ZX1 was announced in the fall of 2013, so it's got to be soon.

Would be a nice 40th birthday present this year!


----------



## Hyde8767

Liono said:


> Does anyone know when a likely time is to announce the new 40th anniversary Walkman? It would be ridiculous if Sony showed the NW-WM1A again (no matter how good it is) for the 3rd year at the AV Bristol show in February. My NW-ZX1 was announced in the fall of 2013, so it's got to be soon.
> 
> Would be a nice 40th birthday present this year!


I hope they do release a new one replacing the zx300 or the 1a


----------



## Liono

Hyde8767 said:


> I hope they do release a new one replacing the zx300 or the 1a



Looks like Bristol show will be showcasing the DMP-Z1, IER-Z1R and PSLX-310BT.

http://www.bristolshow.co.uk/brand_info.lasso?brand=374

I guess it might be worth going just to get the 30% discount access to staff product site, should they launch later.


----------



## amham

Dtuck90 said:


> Whilst it is connected close the apps you want to use and reopen them. Also make sure that the setting on the player to charge during USB DAC mode is turned off


Thanks!  It took me sometime to find this post and that USB charge option.  Now working with my iPad!


----------



## JeremyLaurenson (Jan 27, 2019)

Hey all,

I have had a spreadsheet for a while where I am attempting to calculate the max volume level to be listening to the Sony WM1A and JHAudio Laylas. I think I have it dialed in, but thought I would share here. Please feel free to copy and do your own thing, but mostly I’m looking for a sanity check:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EvfdtoO3eEpPTtfZODG2VHa3-PeQS228s-b6yF7qdQk

I figured using this that my max level on balanced Hi output is 56 and normal would be 43.

Let me know your thoughts:


----------



## nc8000

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Hey all,
> 
> I have had a spreadsheet for a while where I am attempting to calculate the max volume level to be listening to the Sony WM1A and JHAudio Laylas. I think I have it dialed in, but thought I would share here. Please feel free to copy and do your own thing, but mostly I’m looking for a sanity check:
> 
> ...



With JH13 from 1Z I’m normally between 50 and 60 on low gain balanced


----------



## sne4me

I'm getting spiderweb cracks on my screen, underneath the glass. it seems to be in a layer of the panel inside. I'm not sure how or why. I haven't dropped it and it has had two screen protectors, a polymer type and then a glass type. It seems to be getting worse over time.. Appeared in the last few months, owned for about 1.5 years.


----------



## Whitigir

Probably the glue on the screen protector aged away


----------



## siruspan

It's hard to judge from this picture but are you sure this isn't just the screen protector itself?


----------



## captblaze (Jan 28, 2019)

sne4me said:


> I'm getting spiderweb cracks on my screen, underneath the glass. it seems to be in a layer of the panel inside. I'm not sure how or why. I haven't dropped it and it has had two screen protectors, a polymer type and then a glass type. It seems to be getting worse over time.. Appeared in the last few months, owned for about 1.5 years.



what is the purpose of having 2 screen protectors? are you sure the glass protector is really glass? I have experienced "glass" failures only to figure out that the "glass" was in reality laminated polycarbonate

to further expound...

every layer you add to the screen increases the height above the chassis therefore increasing the chance of snagging the edge. also, double layers refract light differently than a single layer

and my fail for the day... you don't have 2 on at a time... you have used 2 different?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 28, 2019)

sne4me said:


> I'm getting spiderweb cracks on my screen, underneath the glass. it seems to be in a layer of the panel inside. I'm not sure how or why. I haven't dropped it and it has had two screen protectors, a polymer type and then a glass type. It seems to be getting worse over time.. Appeared in the last few months, owned for about 1.5 years.


Take off your screen protector and report back as to the reality of your one-off situation. It’s probably perfect underneath? Don’t worry! Cheers!


----------



## sne4me (Jan 28, 2019)

nah you guys are not understanding, it has no screen protector on it in the photo. that is the lcd. I am saying, ive had the glass protected and changed the protectors, they never got used up, always was fresh and taken care of. the cracks are below the glass, just above the pixels. when seen up close you can tell they are below the glass. if you look close, you can see they extend in from the corner of the LCD, but not over the bezel.

i have never seen a screen this way ever


----------



## Whitigir

sne4me said:


> nah you guys are not understanding, it has no screen protector on it in the photo. that is the lcd. I am saying, ive had the glass protected and changed the protectors, they never got used up, always was fresh and taken care of. the cracks are below the glass, just above the pixels. when seen up close you can tell they are below the glass. if you look close, you can see they extend in from the corner of the LCD, but not over the bezel.
> 
> i have never seen a screen this way ever



Time to get a newer player, DMP-Z1 perhap ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Time to get a newer player, DMP-Z1 perhap ?



Your mean.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Your mean.


My apologies, I meant, who could wait for upgrade ? Dont we all trying to find excuses ? But I think Sony warranty can take care of that easily


----------



## sne4me

Its odd, it isnt that bad right now, im not sure what its gonna look like in 1-2 years. But I am so attached to my WM1A I wouldnt even consider getting it replaced for this.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> My apologies, I meant, who could wait for upgrade ? Dont we all trying to find excuses ? But I think Sony warranty can take care of that easily



My upgrade jar is getting low, only some cables and a new IEM this year.


----------



## Redcarmoose

sne4me said:


> Its odd, it isnt that bad right now, im not sure what its gonna look like in 1-2 years. But I am so attached to my WM1A I wouldnt even consider getting it replaced for this.


Maybe try to think of it like an old timepiece, you know character.


----------



## Mitch_maio

Is there any alternative for original bluetooth remote controller rmt-nws20, maybe some application for android/ios or known alternative RC exists?


----------



## nc8000

Mitch_maio said:


> Is there any alternative for original bluetooth remote controller rmt-nws20, maybe some application for android/ios or known alternative RC exists?



None that I know of


----------



## proedros (Jan 28, 2019)

so , i had asked if anyone here using his 1A/1Z as DAC for music through the following source 

*PC (Windows 7) > Foobar 2000 > 1A/Z DAC*

*if he knew how to output 24/96 (or higher)*

i did some search and the solution is the folloiong for anyone using the same setup like me


*Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > View Devices and Printers 

Right Click on the WALKMAN icon > Sound Settings > Speakers (Sony Audio) > Properties > Advanced > Choose your preferred output (goes up to 24/192)*

Hope it's helpful for anyone here looking at the same problem

Now i Love my 1A even more


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 28, 2019)

proedros said:


> so , i had asked if anyone here using his 1A/1Z as DAC for music through the following source
> 
> *PC (Windows 7) > Foobar 2000 > 1A/Z DAC*
> 
> ...



Software is just as important as hardware.

You can also use HQPlayer and chose to have it Upsampling with upto 24/192Khz as well.  But the algorithm and the coding in the software will allow you to customize the different filters, dithering etc....etc...(different processing)

While using Windows the way you mentioned, everything will be Upsampled by Windows CoreAudio into 24/192Khz, but it isn’t the best.  Even windows itself will need to be optimized for better and more focused sound performances too via Software OS coding


----------



## graffy1

nc8000 said:


>


what cable do you use?
thanks.


----------



## Quadfather

Got this from Bandcamp. This is absolutely awesome on the Sony.


----------



## nc8000

graffy1 said:


> what cable do you use?
> thanks.



Linum SuperBax reterminated to 4.4 by a friend of mine


----------



## gerelmx1986

My wm1a is two years old and has no cracks at the screen.


----------



## blazinblazin

Mine in dropped a few times with Dignis case in a cotton pouch. So far screen is ok.


----------



## BlueThunder

Couple of questions if you guys don’t mind, as i’ve just picked a WM1Z up.

1) Does anyone know of a case that would have partitions for the Sony and the amp of a KSE1200? I’m using the Shure rubber bands at the moment which is a real pain!

2) I’m connecting to 1200 via unbalanced 3.5mm. Is the effort of creating adapters to go from balanced to 3.5 really worth the effort?

Thanks!


----------



## nc8000

BlueThunder said:


> Couple of questions if you guys don’t mind, as i’ve just picked a WM1Z up.
> 
> 1) Does anyone know of a case that would have partitions for the Sony and the amp of a KSE1200? I’m using the Shure rubber bands at the moment which is a real pain!
> 
> ...



No and no, going balanced might even damage the Sony and/or give distortion depending on how things are wiref


----------



## nanaholic

BlueThunder said:


> Couple of questions if you guys don’t mind, as i’ve just picked a WM1Z up.
> 
> 1) Does anyone know of a case that would have partitions for the Sony and the amp of a KSE1200? I’m using the Shure rubber bands at the moment which is a real pain!
> 
> ...



Not a case but you can try the Sinjimoru X-Grip rubber band much better than standard rubber bands and don't get in the way of the screen:
http://www.sinjimoru.com/products/x-grip/



 

 

2) no you cannot go from a balanced output to a SE input, it shorts the two negative poles together and will cause damage. A lot of Chinese cable makers on Aliexpress will want to sell them to you but don't buy them.


----------



## BlueThunder

nanaholic said:


> Not a case but you can try the Sinjimoru X-Grip rubber band much better than standard rubber bands and don't get in the way of the screen:
> http://www.sinjimoru.com/products/x-grip/
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks. I’ve ordered the x-grip.


----------



## proedros

is there a *3rd market usb cable* you guys use that makes you notice imporvements on the DAC use of your 1A/1Z ?

started listening to my 24/96 vinyl rips (no space on my 1A for nothing but 16/44) and i am thrilled

so now i am curious if you can improve the usb cable reception quality ? or am i entering snakeoil territory here ?


----------



## bflat

proedros said:


> is there a *3rd market usb cable* you guys use that makes you notice imporvements on the DAC use of your 1A/1Z ?
> 
> started listening to my 24/96 vinyl rips (no space on my 1A for nothing but 16/44) and i am thrilled
> 
> so now i am curious if you can improve the usb cable reception quality ? or am i entering snakeoil territory here ?



USB cable quality is relatively meaningless if you don't have a clean USB source to begin with. All that a high quality USB cable does for you is shield noise BETWEEN USB source to the DAC. If your USB source has noisy signals and a lousy clock, all a $1000 cable will do is transmit the noise and lousy clock signal to your DAC. 

As for USB source for your WM1a, there are 2 factors:

1) How clean is the 5V power from the USB? Since the 1a is battery powered it can filter out quite a bit of noise from 5V power, but if you have especially noisy power lines, then you may want to invest in a USB cable that splits the power from signal and use a high quality 5V power source.

2) How clean is the USB signal and source clock? If you don't know, then you may want to invest in a USB reclocker/isolator like an iGalvanic from iFi.

After addressing both of the above concerns, only then will a high quality USB cable make an incremental difference, but the more you spend on the above 2, the less cable dependency you have. Personally I have become a big fan of galvanic isolation so I use the iGalvanic and iDefender. The later splits off the power from the USB source and I have it connected to a good linear 5V power supply. It's probably overkill for the power, but I had the components any way. I am just using the cables that came with the iFi products.


----------



## williamdj

Hi, I live in Colombia and this type of device is hard to find here. But in spite of it Sony has it available in my country. My question is that the device has been on the market for more than two years and I want to know if it is worth the purchase or I should review some other alternatives

Thank you very much to the one who can answer me


----------



## nc8000

williamdj said:


> Hi, I live in Colombia and this type of device is hard to find here. But in spite of it Sony has it available in my country. My question is that the device has been on the market for more than two years and I want to know if it is worth the purchase or I should review some other alternatives
> 
> Thank you very much to the one who can answer me



My feeling is that you are at the level where there isen’t anything that is substantially objectively better than any other. It comes down to personal sound sig preference and feature set requirements and the only way you can determine this is by actually trying different devices your self


----------



## rcoleman1

williamdj said:


> Hi, I live in Colombia and this type of device is hard to find here. But in spite of it Sony has it available in my country. My question is that the device has been on the market for more than two years and I want to know if it is worth the purchase or I should review some other alternatives
> 
> Thank you very much to the one who can answer me


My advice would be to start with a relatively cheaper digital audio player (like maybe a FiiO for example) and find out what you like and don't like then decide if you wanna take the plunge and open your wallet for something more refined later. It's a process so welcome and good luck on your journey.


----------



## williamdj

nc8000 said:


> My feeling is that you are at the level where there isen’t anything that is substantially objectively better than any other. It comes down to personal sound sig preference and feature set requirements and the only way you can determine this is by actually trying different devices your self




Thanks for answering but I do not have the opportunity to try other devices. I could only try the sony and I liked it but I do not have a point of comparison with other devices.

Actually the only thing that I saw is that since it has been on the market for two years, I do not know if it is up to date in the matter of formats and quality compared to the current devices of similar prices.


----------



## nc8000

williamdj said:


> Thanks for answering but I do not have the opportunity to try other devices. I could only try the sony and I liked it but I do not have a point of comparison with other devices.
> 
> Actually the only thing that I saw is that since it has been on the market for two years, I do not know if it is up to date in the matter of formats and quality compared to the current devices of similar prices.



It plays anything meaningfull, even mqa files and with the last fw upgrades also acts as usb dac and BT receiver plus nothing comes close in battery life and they are build like tanks


----------



## williamdj

I have the opportunity to buy the SONY NW-WM1A at less than half the list price and I like that a lot


----------



## nc8000 (Jan 29, 2019)

williamdj said:


> I have the opportunity to buy the SONY NW-WM1A at less than half the list price and I like that a lot



I would go for that. I’ve had the 1Z for 2 years and fully expect to be using it for another 5-10 years


----------



## Mal Waldron

I've been testing the Wm1a with the Xduoo X5 and, despite the fact that much higher volume levels are achieved, the sound quality is much lower than Sony's own amplification.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 29, 2019)

proedros said:


> is there a *3rd market usb cable* you guys use that makes you notice imporvements on the DAC use of your 1A/1Z ?
> 
> started listening to my 24/96 vinyl rips (no space on my 1A for nothing but 16/44) and i am thrilled
> 
> so now i am curious if you can improve the usb cable reception quality ? or am i entering snakeoil territory here ?



The Cradle/dock BCR-NWH10 is used by Sony to have the 1Z/1A be a file sever for the Sony TA amp. The dock has special USB filtering circuits Sony has implemented. Though I do not use the combination as a DAC like you do, a AudioQuest Carbon cable does show improvements is sighted tests while using the DAPs as file servers to the TA DAC/amp. It’s highly controversial if such changes in USB cables can make a difference. Though your also going to normally not need the dock but combine the Carbon USB with the Sony Dongle. Strangely the dock does let the DAPs become a DAC after joined with a computer except it’s not with a full size cable but the small mini-usb cable which allows the dock to be joined to a computer while simultaneously having another USB cable joined to the TA DAC/amp. There is a small slider switch in the back of the dock which allows the person to switch between computer or DAP as source, but somehow lets the DAP become a DAC also? So you would listen to the players while they are joined to the dock, as a different way to use them as  DACs. I don’t have experience using a mini USB aftermarket upgraded cable, but use a nice Nokia cable in place when using the DAPs as a DAC with an Apple computer. Typically I only use the TA as a compuer DAC but use the DAPs as a Bluetooth receiver.

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output-x/dp/B00FF086HE

I use a five foot USB, but in theory shorter is better.
https://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-Carbon-Cable-Type-1-5m/dp/B0041EDIIW

Across the board the members here who have used the dock noticed an improved sound over using the dongle to join the DAPs to the TA amp/DAC. Also there are at least two others besides myself who believe the upgraded USB cables offer a superior sound. The cable manufacturers note that cable covering has external electrical wave interference blocking as well as silver used to increase conductivity. In sighted tests the Carbon increases speed as well as detail and was responsible for a broadened soundstage.


----------



## mmwwmm

Is it possible to use the WM1Z with the Benks TPU case and the supplied Sony leather case at the same time?

Thanks.


----------



## OG10

Guys, if you spot any non amazon EU deals on the wm1z please let me know. I am half tempted to just order it from amazon.de which is about £250 cheaper than the UK.
I am too hesitant about customs on the accessory jack purchase.


----------



## nc8000

mmwwmm said:


> Is it possible to use the WM1Z with the Benks TPU case and the supplied Sony leather case at the same time?
> 
> Thanks.



No


----------



## Bart147

OG10 said:


> Guys, if you spot any non amazon EU deals on the wm1z please let me know. I am half tempted to just order it from amazon.de which is about £250 cheaper than the UK.
> I am too hesitant about customs on the accessory jack purchase.


 You might want to check out hifi-suite.de , their price has been 2500 euro for a while now which includes a 200 euro download coupon to be used at highresaudio.com


----------



## OG10

Bart147 said:


> You might want to check out hifi-suite.de , their price has been 2500 euro for a while now which includes a 200 euro download coupon to be used at highresaudio.com



Great shout, but just tried buying no shipping to the UK  how odd! they only ship to Austria and Switzerland bar Germany!


----------



## HiFiGuy528

nc8000 said:


> I would go for that. I’ve had the 1Z for 2 years and fully expect to be using it for another 5-10 years



until you audition the DMP-Z1. lol.... trust me, don't audition it unless you are willing to buy it. I made that mistake and now I NEED a DMP.


----------



## meomap

HiFiGuy528 said:


> until you audition the DMP-Z1. lol.... trust me, don't audition it unless you are willing to buy it. I made that mistake and now I NEED a DMP.


Only half price then I would buy it.
Already have 1Z.


----------



## Whitigir

Kakak or u can sell WM1Z and save another portion of new WM1Z and u can grab DMP Z1


----------



## meomap

Whitigir said:


> Kakak or u can sell WM1Z and save another portion of new WM1Z and u can grab DMP Z1



Probably,  I can sell dx200 and all the amps.
Sitting here collecting dust.
Also, sell Q1R too.
I need dedicated DAC too, thinking of Chord TT2 or Denafrips Terminator. I need to test 1Z +Dock out to Esoteric K05 Dac and see if I am happy with the sound or not.
Dedicated DAC can be delayed for some time later.
Need to buy 2 subs for my Mag 3.7i downstairs.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 29, 2019)

meomap said:


> Only half price then I would buy it.
> Already have 1Z.



Everything I own 2 years old has 1/2 price equivalents in the Head-Fi  for-sale section; that means used DMP Z1 for $3999 in the year 2021.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Everything I own 2 years old has 1/2 price equivalents in the Head-Fi  for-sale section; that means used DMP Z1 for $3999 in the year 2021.


Or when DMP Z2 comes out.  WM1Z used is around 2k or less nowadays, isnt it ?


----------



## meomap

Redcarmoose said:


> Everything I own 2 years old has 1/2 price equivalents in the Head-Fi  for-sale section; that means used DMP Z1 for $3999 in the year 2021.



The 8k usd price is too high to begin with.
Should be 5K usd or less.


----------



## bflat

meomap said:


> The 8k usd price is too high to begin with.
> Should be 5K usd or less.



Well, Chord Dave is $10K+ so not crazy. I wish Dave was only $5K too LOL.


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> Well, Chord Dave is $10K+ so not crazy. I wish Dave was only $5K too LOL.


And it only is a DAC, no storage or music app  not even spectrum analyzer


----------



## meomap

That DAC :
Old Dave
New TT2
New Denafrips Terminator 
Or Qtest should fit into the attached picture, right?

Either 1Z + Dock + USB out to DAC(future), tube PA, tube Amp + Mag 3.7i + 2 Rel or JL Subs ( near future ).
Hearing vinyl is good but better with subs.
I think 2 Subs are better at this point.
DAC is probably next year.

What do you think?


----------



## meomap

meomap said:


> That DAC :
> Old Dave
> New TT2
> New Denafrips Terminator
> ...



Sorry, forgot the picture.


----------



## Hoka Hey

meomap said:


> That DAC :
> Old Dave
> New TT2
> New Denafrips Terminator
> ...


----------



## nc8000

HiFiGuy528 said:


> until you audition the DMP-Z1. lol.... trust me, don't audition it unless you are willing to buy it. I made that mistake and now I NEED a DMP.



Would never audition that and no matter how good it sounds I could not afford it and any way it does not fill any use case of mine, too big for my travel needs and to little storage for my home needs


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> Would never audition that and no matter how good it sounds I could not afford it and any way it does not fill any use case of mine, too big for my travel needs and to little storage for my home needs



I’m completely happy with just the 1Z sound. I’ve stopped the chase for the Mythical Unicorn. I don’t even really care about anything new, I’m retired from buying DAPs/Amps; I’m satisfied.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Guys do you use the DC phase linearizer and the vinyl processor together?


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Guys do you use the DC phase linearizer and the vinyl processor together?



Only ever use direct source


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Only ever use direct source


 me too but try to "warm up " my man's surround system which sounds a tad too bright for my tastes


----------



## OG10

So I emailed that German retailer and they might be able to do a sale.. fingers Xd!


----------



## ttt123

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m completely happy with just the 1Z sound. I’ve stopped the chase for the Mythical Unicorn. I don’t even really care about anything new, I’m retired from buying DAPs/Amps; I’m satisfied.


Hmmm....A satisfied audiophile is an oxymoron.  A truer statement is to qualify that with a "for now".  Of course, nobody in this forum will hold that statement against you, as everybody is in the same boat.  Symptoms of the disease are: Frequent attempts to stop looking/buying, falling off the wagon, remorse, swear that is the last time.  Repeat.  The only sane solution is to accept that this is "normal", and take pride that you can pause, before succumbing to the new discoveries and technological advancements, which will inevitably result in the irresistible urge to upgrade your system.  Maybe just one small, logical and affordable change, and you will stop....


----------



## Redcarmoose

ttt123 said:


> Hmmm....A satisfied audiophile is an oxymoron.  A truer statement is to qualify that with a "for now".  Of course, nobody in this forum will hold that statement against you, as everybody is in the same boat.  Symptoms of the disease are: Frequent attempts to stop looking/buying, falling off the wagon, remorse, swear that is the last time.  Repeat.  The only sane solution is to accept that this is "normal", and take pride that you can pause, before succumbing to the new discoveries and technological advancements, which will inevitably result in the irresistible urge to upgrade your system.  Maybe just one small, logical and affordable change, and you will stop....



Haha, sadly your right.


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> Guys do you use the DC phase linearizer and the vinyl processor together?





nc8000 said:


> Only ever use direct source



3/4 of the time direct source and 1/4 of time a smidge of EQ only.


----------



## nc8000

ttt123 said:


> Hmmm....A satisfied audiophile is an oxymoron.  A truer statement is to qualify that with a "for now".  Of course, nobody in this forum will hold that statement against you, as everybody is in the same boat.  Symptoms of the disease are: Frequent attempts to stop looking/buying, falling off the wagon, remorse, swear that is the last time.  Repeat.  The only sane solution is to accept that this is "normal", and take pride that you can pause, before succumbing to the new discoveries and technological advancements, which will inevitably result in the irresistible urge to upgrade your system.  Maybe just one small, logical and affordable change, and you will stop....



The only thing I’ve been buying the last 2 years since setteling on the Sony components for travel and home use is true wireless in ears for commuting. I’m completely satisfied with my current rigs and don’t see me buying anything new for many years


----------



## ttt123

nc8000 said:


> The only thing I’ve been buying the last 2 years since setteling on the Sony components for travel and home use is true wireless in ears for commuting. I’m completely satisfied with my current rigs and don’t see me buying anything new for many years


I do have the same intention, that I will stay with my modded WM1Z for the forseeable future.  I rationalized the extra cost as an investment that would help me to resist future DAP upgrades.  Though I did get a ZX300.  And had this urge to get the DX200ti that showed up at the store last weekend, but I resisted.  I did get an IT01S and IT04 in the last while.  But that doesn't count, does it?  No big DAP purchase.  Oh, and a qdc 8sl


----------



## ayang02

HiFiGuy528 said:


> until you audition the DMP-Z1. lol.... trust me, don't audition it unless you are willing to buy it. I made that mistake and now I NEED a DMP.



I need the WA11 from you guys. It works with WM1A/Z via OTG right?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 30, 2019)

ayang02 said:


> I need the WA11 from you guys. It works with WM1A/Z via OTG right?


1Z and 1A are fairly powerful. They can even power the Z1R and Z7 full-size headphones to ear damaging levels, no need for that amp? It may add something slightly like a hair more damping factor increasing bass detail in full-size headphones like the TA desktop. But I guess there would be an application for it, with some hard to drive headphones? Is the WA11 even more powerful than the DAPs? Even if it is I don’t see how it could be much of a sonic improvement? I actually have the Woo 5LE and Woo 3 tube amps, but never heard the WA11?


----------



## ayang02

Redcarmoose said:


> 1Z and 1A are fairly powerful. They can even power the Z1R and Z7 full-size headphones to ear damaging levels, no need for that amp?



I would have to respectably disagree with you. I don't think 1Z/1A are powerful enough to unleash Z1R's full potential. There are even many DAPs on the market that beats 1Z/1A in terms of output power (like the Lotoo Paw Gold Touch) but even those aren't enough for some headphones.

I like my 1A with most of my IEMs but not with any of my cans, it just doesn't cut it. The volume may get up there but definitely not the sound. Sometimes I use my BlueDAC via OTG to help with more difficult to drive phones and they do help to a certain extent.

That's why I'm so looking forward to the WA11, the demo unit that I listened to a few months ago was so powerful and sounded so nice.


----------



## nc8000

ayang02 said:


> I would have to respectably disagree with you. I don't think 1Z/1A are powerful enough to unleash Z1R's full potential. There are even many DAPs on the market that beats 1Z/1A in terms of output power (like the Lotoo Paw Gold Touch) but even those aren't enough for some headphones.
> 
> I like my 1A with most of my IEMs but not with any of my cans, it just doesn't cut it. The volume may get up there but definitely not the sound. Sometimes I use my BlueDAC via OTG to help with more difficult to drive phones and they do help to a certain extent.
> 
> That's why I'm so looking forward to the WA11, the demo unit that I listened to a few months ago was so powerful and sounded so nice.



Yes the WA11 looks really good but I’m perfectly happy with the 1Z driving the Z1R from balanced


----------



## ayang02

nc8000 said:


> Yes the WA11 looks really good but I’m perfectly happy with the 1Z driving the Z1R from balanced



Well, don't you have a TA-ZH1ES? Do you feel that the 1Z can drive your Z1R as well as that dac/amp?


----------



## Quadfather

ayang02 said:


> I would have to respectably disagree with you. I don't think 1Z/1A are powerful enough to unleash Z1R's full potential. There are even many DAPs on the market that beats 1Z/1A in terms of output power (like the Lotoo Paw Gold Touch) but even those aren't enough for some headphones.
> 
> I like my 1A with most of my IEMs but not with any of my cans, it just doesn't cut it. The volume may get up there but definitely not the sound. Sometimes I use my BlueDAC via OTG to help with more difficult to drive phones and they do help to a certain extent.
> 
> That's why I'm so looking forward to the WA11, the demo unit that I listened to a few months ago was so powerful and sounded so nice.



I love my 1A with my Shure SRH1540 headphones out of the balanced output.


----------



## nc8000 (Jan 30, 2019)

ayang02 said:


> Well, don't you have a TA-ZH1ES? Do you feel that the 1Z can drive your Z1R as well as that dac/amp?



Yes I think they do an equally good job but they don’t sound exactly the same. However I rarely use the Z1R with the 1Z as I can’t be bothered to travel with full sized phones so the Z1R is 99% used with the TA.

Now the HE-6 was a different matter, the 1Z clearly did not drive them near the best but the TA also didn’t although it fared better


----------



## cukis350

nanaholic said:


> Not a case but you can try the Sinjimoru X-Grip rubber band much better than standard rubber bands and don't get in the way of the screen:
> http://www.sinjimoru.com/products/x-grip/
> 
> 
> ...


How do you get your x-grip to stay on?  my only stayed on for a few minutes and it would slipped off.


----------



## nanaholic

cukis350 said:


> How do you get your x-grip to stay on?  my only stayed on for a few minutes and it would slipped off.



Perhaps the silicon case I have on the 1Z adds some friction?


----------



## sne4me

nanaholic said:


> Perhaps the silicon case I have on the 1Z adds some friction?



thats quite hunk of metals, whats it weigh


----------



## gerelmx1986

I also like to ve how my WM1A drives my Z1R from balanced


----------



## bflat (Jan 30, 2019)

Everyone stop what you are doing and grab the B-Stock IEMs at 64 Audio. Yes, even the Tia Fourte is discounted by $1100:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/64-audio-b-stock-sale-30-off.898887/#post-14747894


----------



## ryaneagon

I'm going to upgrade my SD card from 256gb to 400gb.

Question:

Can the WM1Z read a A2 class card?


----------



## bflat

ryaneagon said:


> I'm going to upgrade my SD card from 256gb to 400gb.
> 
> Question:
> 
> Can the WM1Z read a A2 class card?



It will read just fine because A2 is backwards compatible with A1. Whether it will show increased performance is another matter. I've seen about 30 MB/s write speed on the WM1z internal memory and about 45 MB/s on a A1 sd card.


----------



## ryaneagon

bflat said:


> It will read just fine because A2 is backwards compatible with A1. Whether it will show increased performance is another matter. I've seen about 30 MB/s write speed on the WM1z internal memory and about 45 MB/s on a A1 sd card.



I'm Just looking for faster transfer speeds via computer data transfer. I can get an A2 card for the same price as A1, just wanted to confirm the Sony could read it. Cheers.


----------



## OG10

Finally purchased to go with my CA Solaris. This combo better be good bois  

I ordered from hifi suite so thanks for the suggestion. Since I had to pay via Bank Transfer I think it’ll be next week before I get it. The waiting begins.. 

Is anyone use the Solaris on the balanced output? Is it much better and should I get the Sony balanced cables ?


----------



## Lookout57

OG10 said:


> Finally purchased to go with my CA Solaris. This combo better be good bois
> 
> I ordered from hifi suite so thanks for the suggestion. Since I had to pay via Bank Transfer I think it’ll be next week before I get it. The waiting begins..
> 
> Is anyone use the Solaris on the balanced output? Is it much better and should I get the Sony balanced cables ?


I'm using the Solaris balanced into a WM1Z and can recommend the Campfire SXC 8. I haven't heard the Super Litz in balanced.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 30, 2019)

ayang02 said:


> Well, don't you have a TA-ZH1ES? Do you feel that the 1Z can drive your Z1R as well as that dac/amp?



It’s like anything in audio; we appreciate and admire the extra 10% profoundly and focus in on that advantage/improvement. With that said of course the TA is that extra 10%. The bass is better sculpted, goes a little lower and the soundstage is bigger, along with more cemented imaging. But......it’s a desktop going against a portable. Good luck with the WA11. The MUC-B20SB1 is also a big part of the equation used with both devices .......IMO. Maybe the WA11 will be a bridge between two worlds?


----------



## bflat (Jan 30, 2019)

I got the Samsung EVO 512 GB card today and can confirm it is a full 512 GB capacity with 476 GB formatted using 1024 base. Write speed is very fast and averaging about 70 MB/s. I am still waiting on Lexar but so far, both Kingston and PNY only have 500 GB capacity.









I purchased an EU version from Amazon since US version is still on pre-order.


----------



## Lookout57

bflat said:


> I got the Samsung EVO 512 GB card today and can confirm it is a full 512 GB capacity with 476 GB formatted using 1024 base. Write speed is very fast and averaging about 70 MB/s. I am still waiting on Lexar but so far, both Kingston and PNY only have 500 GB capacity.


That's good to hear as I have one coming tomorrow.

I have the Team Group 512GB Color and it's capacity is 471.91GB according to the WM1Z.


----------



## ayang02

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s like anything in audio; we appreciate and admire the extra 10% profoundly and focus in on that advantage/improvement. With that said of course the TA is that extra 10%. The bass is better sculpted, goes a little lower and the soundstage is bigger, along with more cemented imaging. But......it’s a desktop going against a portable. Good luck with the WA11. The MUC-B20SB1 is also a big part of the equation used with both devices .......IMO. Maybe the WA11 will be a bridge between two worlds?



Yup, totally agree. We are talking about incremental gains most of the time and that tiny amount of gain often gets magnified when we compare two different things. Oh well, this is the nature of our hobby.

I really hope for more devices like the WA11/Hugo 2 that can bridge that gap between portable and desktop audio.


----------



## cukis350

Hi, maybe this question has been asked but I can’t find it via the search function so I’ll ask again. If you have a folder that contains sub folders of artists and within that there are folders of different albums. So my question if I want to pick subfolder for example, Taylor Swifts and want to play all the songs from her albums instead of go into individual album and plays the songs from there?


----------



## kaushama

Funny these don't have a search function!


----------



## nc8000

cukis350 said:


> Hi, maybe this question has been asked but I can’t find it via the search function so I’ll ask again. If you have a folder that contains sub folders of artists and within that there are folders of different albums. So my question if I want to pick subfolder for example, Taylor Swifts and want to play all the songs from her albums instead of go into individual album and plays the songs from there?



Go into Settings, Play back settings and select All range. When the last song in one folder has been played it will continue with the first song in the next folder


----------



## cukis350

Ok. I was hoping it would shuffle songs between different albums. Thanks for the replies.


----------



## endlesswaves

cukis350 said:


> Ok. I was hoping it would shuffle songs between different albums. Thanks for the replies.



You can create a playlist from multiple folders as long as the all the songs you select are either from internal memory or memory card. You cannot create a playlist from both.


----------



## bflat

endlesswaves said:


> You can create a playlist from multiple folders as long as the all the songs you select are either from internal memory or memory card. You cannot create a playlist from both.



Strangely enough, the playlists on internal memory are editable, but the ones in SD Card are not. I have to think that is a simple oversight on Sony's part. Better yet, if Sony could support playlists across the 2 storage locations that would be great.

My current expensive solution is to put most of my library on the 512 GB SD card and just put live and other "never plan to include in a playlist" albums on internal memory. But I can't add any tracks to my SD Card playlists because of edit being disabled.


----------



## ryaneagon (Jan 31, 2019)

Got a kinda odd question you guys. It involves the WM1Z
I have a few sets of IEMS. Shure 846, DM6's, Campfire Andromeda. I use the 846's the most, I've been using a ALO Reference 8 4.4 balanced cable with the Shure's and Andromeda's, the DM6 is just a cheaper 4.4 balanced cable.

Being that I haven't used the 3.5mm output yet I decided to last night, to my surprise I noticed a more balanced centered image with more clarity (highs) in the right Shure IEM, I went back and fourth between balanced ALO and stock shure cable for more than 30 min using multiple tracks, I even tried the cheaper 4.4 balanced cable from the DM6's all reviled the same thing, the stock cable (3.5) sounded "normal" and the ALO and other 4.4 balanced cable didn't (right IEM)

I decided to test the DM6's and the Campfire using the same cables, to my surprise there was no sonic differences....Huh....weird. So it would seem there is an issue is the 846's? I know the drivers in both IEM's are all functioning being they sound totally identical via 3.5mm. Could it be the balanced cable and WM1Z output is reveling a flaw in that driver somehow?

I'm going to try and get another set of 846's to test if it indeed my set or possible a 846 problem. I've been on a few Shure forums but haven't come across anyone else with the same issue as mine.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have never witnessed the Spectrum analyzer going this far in HIGH area, until this DSD album played


----------



## BlueThunder (Feb 1, 2019)

ryaneagon said:


> Got a kinda odd question you guys. It involves the WM1Z
> I have a few sets of IEMS. Shure 846, DM6's, Campfire Andromeda. I use the 846's the most, I've been using a ALO Reference 8 4.4 balanced cable with the Shure's and Andromeda's, the DM6 is just a cheaper 4.4 balanced cable
> 
> I'm going to try and get another set of 846's to test if it indeed my set or possible a 846 problem. I've been on a few Shure forums but haven't come across anyone else with the same issue as mine.


I’d love to help you out, but don’t have the cable. Had a quick look on the sale forums and someone is selling one, but unfortunately they are in Portugal not the UK, so I wouldn’t be able to answer quickly if I went for the cable.

I’d love to know if the 846s sound different through the balanced output of the Sony.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I saw there is a new Music center for PC update, has anyone tried it? is fast?

I like Music bee, is good and customizable but hate it, that i can't join three separate filtering conditions together to form a view for hi-res audio I want to do something like this* (sample rate is 44100 and bit depth is 24) or (sample rate is 48000 and bit depth is 24) or (sample rate is greater than 48000)*


----------



## ttt123

ryaneagon said:


> Got a kinda odd question you guys. It involves the WM1Z
> I have a few sets of IEMS. Shure 846, DM6's, Campfire Andromeda. I use the 846's the most, I've been using a ALO Reference 8 4.4 balanced cable with the Shure's and Andromeda's, the DM6 is just a cheaper 4.4 balanced cable.
> 
> Being that I haven't used the 3.5mm output yet I decided to last night, to my surprise I noticed a more balanced centered image with more clarity (highs) in the right Shure IEM, I went back and fourth between balanced ALO and stock shure cable for more than 30 min using multiple tracks, I even tried the cheaper 4.4 balanced cable from the DM6's all reviled the same thing, the stock cable (3.5) sounded "normal" and the ALO and other 4.4 balanced cable didn't (right IEM)
> ...


Just speculation...One of the drivers (on the right?) is not the same as the left.  Not outright defective, but maybe a lower output.  On SE, the Ground is common to both channels, so that balances the sound more.  On 4.4 balanced, there are separate differential amplifiers for each channel, so any difference will show up more.  Like I said, just speculation.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 1, 2019)

ryaneagon said:


> Got a kinda odd question you guys. It involves the WM1Z
> I have a few sets of IEMS. Shure 846, DM6's, Campfire Andromeda. I use the 846's the most, I've been using a ALO Reference 8 4.4 balanced cable with the Shure's and Andromeda's, the DM6 is just a cheaper 4.4 balanced cable.
> 
> Being that I haven't used the 3.5mm output yet I decided to last night, to my surprise I noticed a more balanced centered image with more clarity (highs) in the right Shure IEM, I went back and fourth between balanced ALO and stock shure cable for more than 30 min using multiple tracks, I even tried the cheaper 4.4 balanced cable from the DM6's all reviled the same thing, the stock cable (3.5) sounded "normal" and the ALO and other 4.4 balanced cable didn't (right IEM)
> ...



I’m curious if you have tried to simply switch right and left with the MMCX cable to see if the issue switched sides. If it did it would not be the IEM drivers but something upstream.

Also take note of how many hours are on your device. If you primarily listen to single ended and have 200 hours of burn in but then switch to 4.4mm balanced you still need 200 hours of burn in on those 2 channels. In the early hours of burn in the sound was actually uneven in that it had volume sputtering slighly before reaching 100 hours. After 200 hours the capacitors are stable. The 1Z needs 400 hours total; 200 balanced and 200 hours single ended.

Do you have mono test tracks? Never leave out speculation about personal hearing. At times this equipment is so good it will actually show you flaws in your hearing. But because we think our hearing is perfect we always blame the equipment. That’s also why you want to switch the MMCX cable. Use a mono test track. Different IEMs isolate different frequencies in your hearing. I’m not sure though if that discrepancy would traverse between 4.4mm and 3.5mm?

It’s safe to say that after a certain age most have compromises in hearing. It’s normally in the high frequencies too. Also keep in mind these tests should be preformed with normal cables. Once in a while adapters can create parallel sonic artifacts like what your describing.


----------



## ste787 (Feb 1, 2019)

I checked that in Germany, WM-NW1Z Euro 2695 in Saturn, Amazon and mediamarkt. I am now in Germany on business trip. Is that a bargain? I heard europe model is slightly muted for safety and i am running planar. not good.


----------



## Hoka Hey

ryaneagon said:


> Got a kinda odd question you guys. It involves the WM1Z
> I have a few sets of IEMS. Shure 846, DM6's, Campfire Andromeda. I use the 846's the most, I've been using a ALO Reference 8 4.4 balanced cable with the Shure's and Andromeda's, the DM6 is just a cheaper 4.4 balanced cable.
> 
> Being that I haven't used the 3.5mm output yet I decided to last night, to my surprise I noticed a more balanced centered image with more clarity (highs) in the right Shure IEM, I went back and fourth between balanced ALO and stock shure cable for more than 30 min using multiple tracks, I even tried the cheaper 4.4 balanced cable from the DM6's all reviled the same thing, the stock cable (3.5) sounded "normal" and the ALO and other 4.4 balanced cable didn't (right IEM)
> ...



@Redcarmoose gave some excellent suggestions for problem solving.

Somewhere in the last month or so, I read of a similar problem. Deoxit Gold on contacts fixed it. Might be worth a try if Redcarmoose’s suggestions don’t identify the source of the problem.


----------



## proedros

ste787 said:


> I checked that in Germany, WM-NW1Z Euro 2695 in Saturn, Amazon and mediamarkt. I am now in Germany on business trip. Is that a bargain? I heard europe model is slightly muted for safety and i am running planar. not good.



not a great price , wait for a used one here

or go for 1A , you can buy a used here for less than 750 euros , with the usb/dac option this is a perfect device for my needs now


----------



## nc8000

ste787 said:


> I checked that in Germany, WM-NW1Z Euro 2695 in Saturn, Amazon and mediamarkt. I am now in Germany on business trip. Is that a bargain? I heard europe model is slightly muted for safety and i am running planar. not good.



EU units are volume capped to comply with EU regulation but that cap can easily be removed


----------



## DarginMahkum

Any user of pre-DAC upsampling here, like using HQPlayer? I still don't have balanced cable for my HP, so I could not try the balanced output but:

- I tried upsampling to 768 kHz but apparently 1Z does not support 768kHz over USB (DAC mode) and shows 384kHz. Is that the native rate of the DAC (meaning upsampling everything to 384 kHz before analog conversion)?
- Did you hear any difference by sending upsampled data?
- If yes, was it on the balanced output only or both outputs?
- Any good offline upsampling software you could recommend?

Thanks.


----------



## Whitigir

DarginMahkum said:


> Any user of pre-DAC upsampling here, like using HQPlayer? I still don't have balanced cable for my HP, so I could not try the balanced output but:
> 
> - I tried upsampling to 768 kHz but apparently 1Z does not support 768kHz over USB (DAC mode) and shows 384kHz. Is that the native rate of the DAC (meaning upsampling everything to 384 kHz before analog conversion)?
> - Did you hear any difference by sending upsampled data?
> ...



Offline Upsampling software are all pretty ....useless as far as I know. 

If you want to do DSP else where and let your WM1Z/A to handle the conversion, do the DSD256 instead.

If you want an offline conversion, and for DSD purposes, I would recommend Xivero


----------



## DarginMahkum

Whitigir said:


> Offline Upsampling software are all pretty ....useless as far as I know.
> 
> If you want to do DSP else where and let your WM1Z/A to handle the conversion, do the DSD256 instead.
> 
> If you want an offline conversion, and for DSD purposes, I would recommend Xivero



By saying "to do the DSP elsewhere", you mean the upsampling filter etc., right? Then why would the offline upsampling (like to DSD256, as you said) be useless, compared to using something like the HQPlayer? Or do you mean offline upsampling software are useless compared to HQPlayer?


----------



## ryaneagon

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m curious if you have tried to simply switch right and left with the MMCX cable to see if the issue switched sides. If it did it would not be the IEM drivers but something upstream.
> 
> Also take note of how many hours are on your device. If you primarily listen to single ended and have 200 hours of burn in but then switch to 4.4mm balanced you still need 200 hours of burn in on those 2 channels. In the early hours of burn in the sound was actually uneven in that it had volume sputtering slighly before reaching 100 hours. After 200 hours the capacitors are stable. The 1Z needs 400 hours total; 200 balanced and 200 hours single ended.
> 
> ...



Yes I switched the right ear bud to the left (cable) the problem followed the ear bud. Sorry for not posting this. I do have a demo set of Shure 846's coming next week, hopefully that will sort out the issue. My thought is that the right ear bud has a small impedance issue that only seems to show via the balanced output....

I didn't think to try a mono track, I'll test that out today.

Being that I'm only having this issue with the the Shure's and none of my other IEM's I'm leaning toward the right bud having a defect of some sort, why it only presents itself via balanced output is strange.

Thank all for the recommendations and troubleshooting tips!


----------



## ryaneagon

ttt123 said:


> Just speculation...One of the drivers (on the right?) is not the same as the left.  Not outright defective, but maybe a lower output.  On SE, the Ground is common to both channels, so that balances the sound more.  On 4.4 balanced, there are separate differential amplifiers for each channel, so any difference will show up more.  Like I said, just speculation.



This is what Shure tech support brought up to me, seems the engineer has heard of this "issue" before. Thanks for your input.


----------



## ryaneagon

Hoka Hey said:


> @Redcarmoose gave some excellent suggestions for problem solving.
> 
> Somewhere in the last month or so, I read of a similar problem. Deoxit Gold on contacts fixed it. Might be worth a try if Redcarmoose’s suggestions don’t identify the source of the problem.



Iv'e got some on order. Thanks!


----------



## Wooglish

Any suggestions on how to move folders from system memory to the micro SD card?  My Samsung 512gb is on the way from Amazon...


----------



## Whitigir

DarginMahkum said:


> By saying "to do the DSP elsewhere", you mean the upsampling filter etc., right? Then why would the offline upsampling (like to DSD256, as you said) be useless, compared to using something like the HQPlayer? Or do you mean offline upsampling software are useless compared to HQPlayer?



Actually it is more complicated but I try to make it simple 

Upsampling is from PCM into higher PCM, or Upscaling. ...for example 44.1 into 705.6Khz.  The file is still remaining PCM.  Upsampling is still unprocessed digital files

DSD is not Upsampling, it is Oversampling 2x or 4x or 8X.  DSD256 is Oversampling 8 times of 32 bit depth, and so we call it DSD256.  DSD is an already processed signals from multibit into 1 bit by other programs and hardware like PC....and then pass through your DAP/Devices.  It then get fed into low-pass and high-pass filter to output straight analog.  You can not add in or edit DSD file because it is an already processed signals, similar to how an analog signal would be.  You can not edit analog or DSD unless you physically doing something like cut and paste....and so on

Now, every Sigma Delta convert PCM into Analog by OverSampling, and not Upsampling.  Oversampling 2X will be DSD64....and so, instead of having your DAC to process this step, you let your PC and HQPlayer or a program with good algorithm and modulator to do it.

Why did I say Upsampling is pretty useless ? Well, as Digital, we can add and subtract info similar to how you can EQ FLAC and not DSD, so a done right may color the sound, and or veiled up details due to quantization errors...whatever....I judged by ears and most of them Is useless....even HQPlayer 


So, in a simple saying, having DSD256 is having your PCM processed by your PC or other hardware, and your WM1Z is only acting as a bypass, filtering, amplifications to output analog and drive your gears.  Where as Upsampling/upscaling, your WM1Z will have to process this, and due to Quantization errors or whatever else, will mostly negatively affect your sound quality.

And then, if you really want to enjoy the best of DSD by live conversion feeding into your WM1Z, you need a dedicatedly built PC because it is live processing.  The best way to benefit from this is offline Oversampling processing your PCM into DSD256, so that your PC is no longer susceptible to timely sensitive manner and processing, it can take forever to finish the processing.


----------



## bflat

DarginMahkum said:


> Any user of pre-DAC upsampling here, like using HQPlayer? I still don't have balanced cable for my HP, so I could not try the balanced output but:
> 
> - I tried upsampling to 768 kHz but apparently 1Z does not support 768kHz over USB (DAC mode) and shows 384kHz. Is that the native rate of the DAC (meaning upsampling everything to 384 kHz before analog conversion)?
> - Did you hear any difference by sending upsampled data?
> ...



Unless you know how the Sony proprietary DAC does filtering (nobody other than Sony does) and you understand what digital filters do, I think all you can do it just try it and let your own ears be the judge. I would note that all DAC manufacturers will tell you the best sound will be to send original files directly to their devices and let their devices do all the conversions. Having said that, my general experience with PCM upsampling is that the higher the sampling rate, the less edge (very subtle) I hear on the upper treble region. I hear no difference whatsoever with dithering 16 to 24 bits since my normal listening levels are well below 16 bits of range. On DSD conversions, yes there are definitely audio differences that I think most can hear but hard to quantify. However, I also don't know what most of the DSD conversion parameters do so have not spent the time with different options.

In brief, I personally don't think upsampling or DSD conversion is worth the time investment for me. If I feel I need to improve my audio quality, my first thought is to change the hardware.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 1, 2019)

Different OS, firmware, playback apps can affect your PCM conversion being done by the DAC chip itself.  This is where different DAP manufacturers and IC chip makers will sound different.  However when feeding it DSD256, you will hear the real (hardware tuning/engineering of a DAP or the most untampered sonic signature)...given that the Digital interface is well engineered (great timing accuracy, lower Noises, better precision, and good latency)

Sound is subjective, and also, the better programming for algorithm and modulations are coded, the better the DSD result will be.  It heavily affecting the performances.

As I always say, let your ears judge 

Btw, most of DSD albums are done this way, offline conversion by the studio coding.  Remember, Analog or DSD direct recording can not be edited, so for the eases of editing.  They are at modern time, most likely recorded at higher PCM format.  ...32/368 for example...


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 1, 2019)

Also, for DSD256 offline conversion and so on....as sound is subjective...I have seen people to prefer the way the DAP and or manufacturing is imposing upon for the end result (sound signature)

It means that there are people who totally prefer PCM on their system, and that is also another good thing to be.

As far as DSD512, there is 0 DAC-IC that can Oversampling 16X times yet.  So there is no subjective preferences over this, only preferences over different Software such as HQPlayer or Jriver, Foobar...whatever is capable of it.  By doing DSD512, you are beyond what manufacturers and IC companies can do  ATM. in processing.  But then again, let your ears judge.

There is no right/wrong in how we should be enjoying our music at all .  Therefore, even if you think Upsampling and Upscaling PCM Sound good to you, you better stick to it to enjoy the music


----------



## DarginMahkum

Whitigir said:


> Actually it is more complicated but I try to make it simple
> 
> Upsampling is from PCM into higher PCM, or Upscaling. ...for example 44.1 into 705.6Khz.  The file is still remaining PCM.  Upsampling is still unprocessed digital files
> 
> ...



Thanks a lot. I was pretty much lacking the whole concept about DSD. Got it now.


----------



## DarginMahkum

Whitigir said:


> Also, for DSD256 offline conversion and so on....as sound is subjective...I have seen people to prefer the way the DAP and or manufacturing is imposing upon for the end result (sound signature)
> 
> It means that there are people who totally prefer PCM on their system, and that is also another good thing to be.
> 
> ...



It was actually my first try of the HQPlayer and the concept of upsampling and DSD conversion, and I frankly did not hear any difference (and up until recently I did not expect any difference). But seeing the scaler discussions, I wanted to give it a try. It is already nearly 20 years (damn!) since I took my last signal processing course, so many things about filters design etc. are already lost.

By the way, I was just wondering if and how how EQ'ing is working with DSD and I found this link:

https://community.roonlabs.com/t/parametric-eq-and-dsd-playback/28568/3


----------



## Whitigir

DarginMahkum said:


> It was actually my first try of the HQPlayer and the concept of upsampling and DSD conversion, and I frankly did not hear any difference (and up until recently I did not expect any difference). But seeing the scaler discussions, I wanted to give it a try. It is already nearly 20 years (damn!) since I took my last signal processing course, so many things about filters design etc. are already lost.
> 
> By the way, I was just wondering if and how how EQ'ing is working with DSD and I found this link:
> 
> https://community.roonlabs.com/t/parametric-eq-and-dsd-playback/28568/3



Yeah, you will need a very beefy computer with dedicated power supply everywhere including your Digital interface to get any benefits.  Try an offline conversion, but it may even be your preferences do.  Xivero can be downloaded as sample


----------



## DarginMahkum

I will be damned! Really? Found this in the forum "That's why only balanced is able to play Native DSD while SE if you play DSD ot will be converted into PCM." Damn you Sony! You just took all my Friday evening fun!


----------



## nc8000

Wooglish said:


> Any suggestions on how to move folders from system memory to the micro SD card?  My Samsung 512gb is on the way from Amazon...



Just put the card in the player, connect the player to your computer where it will turn up as 2 drives and then copy files in the file explorer


----------



## Wooglish

nc8000 said:


> Just put the card in the player, connect the player to your computer where it will turn up as 2 drives and then copy files in the file explorer


Thank you


----------



## captblaze (Feb 1, 2019)

Wooglish said:


> Thank you



make sure you put them in the folder named Music onboard and put the ones on the SD card in a folder named Music or the player wont recognize them


----------



## Python002

with regard to glass protection, are all these glass protectors the same? I don't want to buy any junk. I'm seeing several different brands of glass on eBay and Amazon. Thanks!


----------



## ttt123

Python002 said:


> with regard to glass protection, are all these glass protectors the same? I don't want to buy any junk. I'm seeing several different brands of glass on eBay and Amazon. Thanks!


I had one of the common ones (can't remember which, though) which smudged up so quickly that I hated it, and was considering removing it.  Recently replaced with with better one I bought in Tokyo, and it is much better.  The ones labeled as oleophobic are oil resistant, so your fingertips do not smudge the glass as easily.  It still will smudge, but much less, and rubbing the screen over your shirt will clean it.
So get a better one, maybe with a recognizable name.  And spend a bit more money, instead of the cheapest one.  Unless you have recommendations from a user that has actually used a cheap one and found it good.  There are good cheap ones, just don't know which one is good, and which is not.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Wooglish said:


> Any suggestions on how to move folders from system memory to the micro SD card?  My Samsung 512gb is on the way from Amazon...


Connect both SD card and wm1a to pc and copy /paste


----------



## OG10

Has anyone compared the WM1Z to the Chord Mojo? That is what I'll be replacing, just wondered if anyone had noticed any differences.


----------



## mmwwmm

Python002 said:


> with regard to glass protection, are all these glass protectors the same? I don't want to buy any junk. I'm seeing several different brands of glass on eBay and Amazon. Thanks!



I´m using this one and is really good. Fits the screen just perfectly and it seems of good quality.

https://www.amazon.com/Tempered-Pro...9132930&sr=8-3&keywords=wm1a+screen+protector


----------



## 480126

I take this: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Tem...m-For-SONY-NW-WM1A-WM1A-WM1Z/32872723262.html


----------



## amham

mmwwmm said:


> I´m using this one and is really good. Fits the screen just perfectly and it seems of good quality.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Tempered-Pro...9132930&sr=8-3&keywords=wm1a+screen+protector



Does it use a "glue" or other adhesive and can you remove without difficulty and without any residue?


----------



## mmwwmm (Apr 26, 2019)

amham said:


> Does it use a "glue" or other adhesive and can you remove without difficulty and without any residue?


Very easy to remove and without the slightest residue.


----------



## sne4me

make sure to get the benks TPU case, shown in mmwwmm's picture on the left, gold WM1Z. it is excellent protection. honestly some people bought the designer type case and it slides out from the top, it has cause peoples players to come out when dropped damaging them. the benks case, with a protector offers the best protection. easy to clean too. when I got the benks case it came with a glass protector too.


----------



## AmusedToD

sne4me said:


> make sure to get the benks TPU case, shown in mmwwmm's picture on the left, gold WM1Z. it is excellent protection. honestly some people bought the designer type case and it slides out from the top, it has cause peoples players to come out when dropped damaging them. the benks case, with a protector offers the best protection. easy to clean too. when I got the benks case it came with a glass protector too.



+1

I got the Benks clear case and the Benks screen protector too. Excellent products.


----------



## nc8000

AmusedToD said:


> +1
> 
> I got the Benks clear case and the Benks screen protector too. Excellent products.



+2


----------



## denis1976

+3


----------



## Tawek

+4


----------



## BlueThunder

The Benks case is 1mm thick - surely that can’t offer much drop protection!


----------



## 480126

Think Banks case are good but not the best in protection! Valentinum Case is much better!


----------



## BlueThunder (Feb 3, 2019)

I really love this player, but having played with the SP1000m I really wish there was a Tidal option. Admittedly I can use my phone and stream via BT but it obviously lacks the quality i’d get with the SP1000m. On the other hand, the SP doesn’t have BT receive.

*Sigh* This player would be great if it had streaming services (aside from the weight!)

Do folk just buy a cheaper Tidal player to use for  streaming/offline? CT10, R6, Onkyo/Pioneer etc?


----------



## rtjoa

Benks Clear Case


----------



## kissmevn

I feel the bass on m1a via balance is softer than on SE. And the detail on SE is better. Will the burn in solve this?


----------



## Wooglish

If you want a really neat case, go with the Sony + Dignis collab
http://m.dignisdesign.com/product/m...-limited-case/175/?cate_no=85&display_group=1

I love this, it fits very nicely and the screen protector everyone is recommending works very nicely with it contrary to what a much earlier post says


----------



## Wooglish

Dignis case, both sides


----------



## OG10

$107.. seems steep for what looks like a cheap plastic cover.. is it even leather?


----------



## nc8000 (Feb 3, 2019)

OG10 said:


> $107.. seems steep for what looks like a cheap plastic cover.. is it even leather?



Dignis cases are leather and hand sewn


----------



## Wooglish

OG10 said:


> $107.. seems steep for what looks like a cheap plastic cover.. is it even leather?


The quality honestly is amazing for the price...their stuff is beautiful.  I have an Alcantara case for my SP1000M as well and it is so, so nice.  I would really expect it to be higher priced given the materials and quality.


----------



## Quadfather

If anybody wants something very much like very early Alice in Chains on their Sony check this out! Bandcamp RULES!!!


----------



## newtophones07

BlueThunder said:


> I really love this player, but having played with the SP1000m I really wish there was a Tidal option. Admittedly I can use my phone and stream via BT but it obviously lacks the quality i’d get with the SP1000m. On the other hand, the SP doesn’t have BT receive.
> 
> *Sigh* This player would be great if it had streaming services (aside from the weight!)
> 
> Do folk just buy a cheaper Tidal player to use for  streaming/offline? CT10, R6, Onkyo/Pioneer etc?



With the latest firmware, you can stream Tidal from your phone via otg. The anker usb-c to Usb-A female adpater  works perfect with the stock Sony cable. 

https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Adapter-Converts-Technology-Compatible/dp/B01COOQIKU

The best part is that if you turn OFF the "charge device"  option, your wm1a will not draw power from your phone.  This is the ONLY DAP that I have used that has this special setting embedded in native software, so your phones doesn't die is 20 minutes, trying to power an external DAP. 

Also if you buy a full mqa license through USB Audio Pro, you can stream bit perfect masters through your wm1a (otg adapter plugged in) also.  The native Android tidal app will upsample everything to 192 when it sends audio through otg, which sounds a little off sometimes, but it's better than Bluetooth.

LDAC Bluetooth is still very useful sometimes, if you don't want to deal with a bunch of wires.


----------



## BlueThunder (Feb 3, 2019)

newtophones07 said:


> With the latest firmware, you can stream Tidal from your phone via otg. The anker usb-c to Usb-A female adpater  works perfect with the stock Sony cable.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Adapter-Converts-Technology-Compatible/dp/B01COOQIKU
> 
> ...


Awesome answer! Thanks!

Does it work with an iPhone though?  I’m guessing not, sadly.


----------



## newtophones07

BlueThunder said:


> Awesome answer! Thanks!
> 
> Does it work with an iPhone though?



Yes it works with the iphone also, you will need a lightning to USB A female adapter


----------



## BlueThunder

newtophones07 said:


> Yes it works with the iphone also, you will need a lightning to USB A female adapter


Sorry, I meant the MQA stuff. Don’t think that would be possible. Still, food for thought. I’d still prefer Sony to include this though.

Thanks again!


----------



## newtophones07

BlueThunder said:


> Sorry, I meant the MQA stuff. Don’t think that would be possible. Still, food for thought. I’d still prefer Sony to include this though.
> 
> Thanks again!



Quboz works for Apple.  Tidal Apple app, works too, with 24/96 max,


----------



## BlueThunder

newtophones07 said:


> Quboz works for Apple.  Tidal Apple app, works too, with 24/96 max,


Weird, I have a HiFi Tidal membership, and can only see Master when using desktop, not on the iOS app.


----------



## newtophones07

BlueThunder said:


> Weird, I have a HiFi Tidal membership, and can only see Master when using desktop, not on the iOS app.


That's odd, just try out qobuz. They have a free trial. It's a better option if you are into classical.


----------



## OG10

Wooglish said:


> The quality honestly is amazing for the price...their stuff is beautiful.  I have an Alcantara case for my SP1000M as well and it is so, so nice.  I would really expect it to be higher priced given the materials and quality.



Thanks Wooglish.. I loved my beloved tape walkman.. so might end up buying it!
Let's hope tomorrow is the day we find out about my wm1z arrival date.

Also has anyone tried the wm1z with the Sony IER1Z?


----------



## lohrm1@excite.co

BlueThunder said:


> Weird, I have a HiFi Tidal membership, and can only see Master when using desktop, not on the iOS app.


Tidal Master (MQA) isn't available on iOS devices at this point, just Android and desktop.


----------



## jonstatt

When changing the region of a WM1Z to defeat the volume cap, in this thread some have chosen E and some E2. It seems E does everything E2 has plus more options. Am I missing a reason why some chose E2?


----------



## BlueThunder

newtophones07 said:


> Yes it works with the iphone also, you will need a lightning to USB A female adapter


My adapter arrived - Lightning to USB Camera adapter. However, the Sony doesn't output anything, and doesn't receive anything in according to the DAC screen. Is there anything special I need to do on an iPhone to get this to work? I should point out that I've turned USB charging from device to off. I did receive a couple of warnings that the WM1z required too much power though.


----------



## newtophones07

BlueThunder said:


> My adapter arrived - Lightning to USB Camera adapter. However, the Sony doesn't output anything, and doesn't receive anything in according to the DAC screen. Is there anything special I need to do on an iPhone to get this to work? I should point out that I've turned USB charging from device to off. I did receive a couple of warnings that the WM1z required too much power though.


What version iPhone?, What cck cable (the apple one or aftermarket?), Also what ios music app are you using?  Have you tried VOX or Onkyo HF player, what about TiDal.  

Maybe your cck adapter requires the power selection to be enabled.

When playing music on your iPhone, do you see a sample rate and the volume dial on yournwm1Z screen?  Do you have USB DAC enabled on the wm1Z before you connect the iPhone?


----------



## BlueThunder

newtophones07 said:


> What version iPhone?, What cck cable (the apple one or aftermarket?), Also what ios music app are you using?  Have you tried VOX or Onkyo HF player, what about TiDal.
> 
> Maybe your cck adapter requires the power selection to be enabled.
> 
> When playing music on your iPhone, do you see a sample rate and the volume dial on yournwm1Z screen?  Do you have USB DAC enabled on the wm1Z before you connect the iPhone?


Hi,

When I restarted the WM1Z it started working. Weird! Thanks for the response. For completeness, it was an aftermarket cable, with both tidal and apple music. I'm now seeing the bars move, with a 44.1 rate. I suspect I had to have the dac mode enabled before inserting the cable, otherwise the power warnings are shown. Cheers!


----------



## ryaneagon

Questions guys. I've been using the 846's for many years now with a Sony WM1Z, I love the paring! I've been looking at the KSE1200 & 1500 From what I can tell the difference between the 2 is the built in digital front end correct (DAC) on the 1500 correct?  If that is the case, as anyone compared the WM1Z DAC to the Shure? I'd most likely be using the WM1Z 90% of the time, just trying to decide if I want to shell out the extra $. 

I know everyone has their own impressions of what sounds good. But....How do the KSE compare to the 846's? Unfortunately I'm unable to demo them, of course I can return them via online, but I'm trying to avoid that. Cheers! 

What are you guys using for digital out (portable use) I have a Dock for home, but If I go portable I'd like get a short WM1Z to OTG cable if possible. I also have the WMC-NWH10 digital out cable, I was hoping for something a bit more streamlined like a WM1Z to OTG cable but I'm not sure where to look. Cheers!


----------



## captblaze

ryaneagon said:


> What are you guys using for digital out (portable use) I have a Dock for home, but If I go portable I'd like get a short WM1Z to OTG cable if possible. I also have the WMC-NWH10 digital out cable, I was hoping for something a bit more streamlined like a WM1Z to OTG cable but I'm not sure where to look. Cheers!



here is a 2 piece solution (OTG cable + Sony Adapter)


----------



## rcoleman1

Listed FOR SALE since I no longer need it: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/for...sb-interconnect-for-chord-hugo-2-mojo.889200/


----------



## ryaneagon

captblaze said:


> here is a 2 piece solution (OTG cable + Sony Adapter)


Thanks.

I'm looking at a couple 1 piece solutions. Only thing is wondering if they will work with the Shure KSM

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/FII...7e-413b-9dd9-3cf102642514&transAbTest=ae803_4

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/WMP...7e-413b-9dd9-3cf102642514&transAbTest=ae803_4


----------



## bflat (Feb 5, 2019)

ryaneagon said:


> Questions guys. I've been using the 846's for many years now with a Sony WM1Z, I love the paring! I've been looking at the KSE1200 & 1500 From what I can tell the difference between the 2 is the built in digital front end correct (DAC) on the 1500 correct?  If that is the case, as anyone compared the WM1Z DAC to the Shure? I'd most likely be using the WM1Z 90% of the time, just trying to decide if I want to shell out the extra $.
> 
> I know everyone has their own impressions of what sounds good. But....How do the KSE compare to the 846's? Unfortunately I'm unable to demo them, of course I can return them via online, but I'm trying to avoid that. Cheers!
> 
> What are you guys using for digital out (portable use) I have a Dock for home, but If I go portable I'd like get a short WM1Z to OTG cable if possible. I also have the WMC-NWH10 digital out cable, I was hoping for something a bit more streamlined like a WM1Z to OTG cable but I'm not sure where to look. Cheers!



Personally, I think the KSE stacking with WM1z sucks for portability. So much so, I sold mine. Go with one of the current TOTL IEMs from CFA, 64 Audio, Noble, Empire Ears, etc. KSE is much better as a desktop solution - where else can you get a closed back electrostatic?


----------



## ryaneagon

bflat said:


> Personally, I think the KSE stacking with WM1z sucks for portability. So much so, I sold mine. Go with one of the current TOTL IEMs from CFA, 64 Audio, Noble, Empire Ears, etc. KSE is much better as a desktop solution - where else can you get a closed back electrostatic?



Thanks. Yeah, I'm still hunting - I'm looking at 64 audio and JH Layla at the moment. My ears are just so accustomed to the Shure "house sound." I started with first edition E5's, SE535, now 846's. I also have a pair of DM6's and Campfire andro's, I just prefer the sound of the 846's over them. I was hoping maybe the KSE models would step that sound signature up a bit. Yeah the portability seems like it would suck though, I haven't given that much thought so far. Thanks!


----------



## kingdixon

ryaneagon said:


> Thanks. Yeah, I'm still hunting - I'm looking at 64 audio and JH Layla at the moment. My ears are just so accustomed to the Shure "house sound." I started with first edition E5's, SE535, now 846's. I also have a pair of DM6's and Campfire andro's, I just prefer the sound of the 846's over them. I was hoping maybe the KSE models would step that sound signature up a bit. Yeah the portability seems like it would suck though, I haven't given that much thought so far. Thanks!



Well, if you have a chance to try CA Atlas you should, i love my se846, i got atlas and the bass is even more amazing with beautiful mids and treble


----------



## Tawek

ryaneagon said:


> Thanks. Yeah, I'm still hunting - I'm looking at 64 audio and JH Layla at the moment. My ears are just so accustomed to the Shure "house sound." I started with first edition E5's, SE535, now 846's. I also have a pair of DM6's and Campfire andro's, I just prefer the sound of the 846's over them. I was hoping maybe the KSE models would step that sound signature up a bit. Yeah the portability seems like it would suck though, I haven't given that much thought so far. Thanks!


For 1z  I recommend
Spiral ear 5ult 
Obravo eamt  
Sony mdr ex1000


----------



## echineko

Tawek said:


> For 1z  I recommend
> Spiral ear 5ult
> Obravo eamt
> Sony mdr ex1000


Another vote for the SE5U, I'd take it over the other two (and have).


----------



## bflat

ryaneagon said:


> Thanks. Yeah, I'm still hunting - I'm looking at 64 audio and JH Layla at the moment. My ears are just so accustomed to the Shure "house sound." I started with first edition E5's, SE535, now 846's. I also have a pair of DM6's and Campfire andro's, I just prefer the sound of the 846's over them. I was hoping maybe the KSE models would step that sound signature up a bit. Yeah the portability seems like it would suck though, I haven't given that much thought so far. Thanks!



My first flagship IEM was the SE846. I still think it's worthy of TOTL status. I now have JH Laylas and 64 Audio Tia Fourte. Compared to SE846:

Laylas - this is universal gen 1. Both share a nice rich, lush mid. The SE846 has more impactful and liquid low end, whereas Laylas are faster and better texture. Laylas completely blow away SE846 in treble extension and definition. Soundstage is an order of magnitude better on the Laylas. I use Laylas mostly for travel due to excellent noise isolation.

Tia Fourte - combines the best of bass characteristics of SE846 and Laylas. Mid are neutral to a touch forward. Highs are pretty close to Laylas but a little less bite. Soundstage is unique. It sounds like you are listening to open back headphones so larger than even Laylas. Sound isolation is below average though so I use these for my office.

Neither Laylas or Tia Fourte are across the board upgrades for SE846, especially if you are into the "house sound" as you said. Shure is always about the vocals with a warm low end and slightly laid back treble. You might look into the Westone W80. I have not tried those myself, but in other models I've found them to be similar to Shure's tuning.


----------



## ryaneagon

bflat said:


> My first flagship IEM was the SE846. I still think it's worthy of TOTL status. I now have JH Laylas and 64 Audio Tia Fourte. Compared to SE846:
> 
> Laylas - this is universal gen 1. Both share a nice rich, lush mid. The SE846 has more impactful and liquid low end, whereas Laylas are faster and better texture. Laylas completely blow away SE846 in treble extension and definition. Soundstage is an order of magnitude better on the Laylas. I use Laylas mostly for travel due to excellent noise isolation.
> 
> ...



Perfect! I did get a chance to demo the Layla, only for a day so I din't get a lot of time for A/B comparisons, I felt them to be pretty similar in low and mids, they did seem to extend more in the highs. Long story short I didn't think they were worth the money (at the time) They were also less comfortable being larger than the 846's. I'm also looking into 64 audio just not sure if I want to go the Tia route or custom route, a12t, etc. I will be using them for live use as well (drummer) so going the custom route will give me better isolation, I'm more over looking for something similar to the 846 sound signature, with a tad bit more sparkle. Cheers! 

Thanks for the comparison!


----------



## bflat

Update on my K-Mod WM1z

I got this back yesterday, but want to burn in for at least 100 hrs before a thorough listen. Of course I had to try it right out of the box and the most obvious thing to me is how much more bass depth and impact I get from my Laylas. Prior to the WM1z, I generally put my bass dials at 12-1 o'clock position. On WM1z and 3.01 firmware I have to use 2-3 o'clock position for what I like. Now I have dialed the bass back to what I used before with K-Mod. It is not a coloration of sound. My Tia Fourte bass is relatively unchanged. I also tried my HD820 and it sounds a lot better in the low end with K-Mod. Still not the same as desktop amps though. I think the K-Mod helps bring out the capabilities of IEMs and headphones without coloring the sound.

More details and impressions will come this weekend. This mod is purely analog so has no effect on how the WM1z functions. You only know the K-Mod is done as you get your original Kimber Kable wires back (in case you want to reverse the mod) and a cool Music Sanctuary logo on top:


----------



## llamaluv

Denon D9200
Lavricables Ultimate Silver
WM1Z (incoming)
WM1A (outgoing)

The new Denon flagship, by the way, is f-ing great (consider that a condensed, 10-word review). It's the only reason why I bothered going for the 1Z.


----------



## Quadfather

llamaluv said:


> Denon D9200
> Lavricables Ultimate Silver
> WM1Z (incoming)
> WM1A (outgoing)
> ...



I want the NW-WM1Z for home listening, but will always keep the NW-WM1A for its greater portability.


----------



## jonstatt

llamaluv said:


> Denon D9200
> Lavricables Ultimate Silver
> WM1Z (incoming)
> WM1A (outgoing)
> ...



Have you compared the Z and A with firmware 3.0? Just wondering what prompted the change/upgrade?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 6, 2019)

ryaneagon said:


> Questions guys. I've been using the 846's for many years now with a Sony WM1Z, I love the paring! I've been looking at the KSE1200 & 1500 From what I can tell the difference between the 2 is the built in digital front end correct (DAC) on the 1500 correct?  If that is the case, as anyone compared the WM1Z DAC to the Shure? I'd most likely be using the WM1Z 90% of the time, just trying to decide if I want to shell out the extra $.
> 
> I know everyone has their own impressions of what sounds good. But....How do the KSE compare to the 846's? Unfortunately I'm unable to demo them, of course I can return them via online, but I'm trying to avoid that. Cheers!
> 
> What are you guys using for digital out (portable use) I have a Dock for home, but If I go portable I'd like get a short WM1Z to OTG cable if possible. I also have the WMC-NWH10 digital out cable, I was hoping for something a bit more streamlined like a WM1Z to OTG cable but I'm not sure where to look. Cheers!



If you get a chance try out the Noble K-10 Encore IEMs. Nice match-up with the 1Z. I still use the original 3.5mm cable as I still need to find another cable. But after a year and a half it’s still a great combination, and somehow they keep sounding better and better? Most of my gear is more bass-centric so the Encores come-off as a breath of fresh air.........a more neutral and technically accurate tone than most of my gear; though the Encore could maybe be reserved bass wise (just Noble BA character?). Fast, midcentric and slighly warm in the mids. Smooth treble and a big soundstage. Tried the Noble Katana but found the Encore more fun? The Encore is relatively flat, but less reference than the Katana.

I would try them before buying them, due to the sound, but also the fit is not the same for everyone.

I think they excel in rock, vocal music, metal and classical/ OST. They are fun with electronic but it’s not always their forte.


----------



## llamaluv

jonstatt said:


> Have you compared the Z and A with firmware 3.0? Just wondering what prompted the change/upgrade?



It was only because the D9200 sounded so good with the WM1A that I started getting curious about the Z, which naturally led to an inevitable outcome. I never heard the Z before this, and actually had no working theory in particular as to why I might pair the D9200 with the Z specifically. Just curiosity really.

I only have 12 hours on the WM1Z but I love what I'm hearing so far with the D9200. The D9200 isn't excessively warm to start with (just warm) and is very resolving, especially in the treble, so the Z is doing very nice things for it thus far.

I'm going to live with both DAPs for a while, and will hopefully _not_ draw the conclusion I need to keep both simultaneously.


----------



## OG10

Hi Guys, 

I need some advice, as you know I ordered  the WM1Z from hifi-suite.de given their HRA voucher I thought it was a good buy. So they finally got my EUR payment this Monday, and I get a not saying the DHL driver was sick and it was not picked up. The following day (Today) they are saying that Sony hasn't delivered the unit yet.. Before I placed the order I asked whether they had the WM1Z in stock, and they confirmed they did. I am being advised now I will definitely get it definitely shipped this Friday. I am getting very worried now, would you just cancel if you were in my position and ask for a refund? I didn't think somewhere as big as hifi-suite would create such an issue for me. I could order it on amazon and lose out on a few Euros.. but just wondering whether its persisting with this company. If any of you have dealt with them before please let me know.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 6, 2019)

OG10 said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> I need some advice, as you know I ordered  the WM1Z from hifi-suite.de given their HRA voucher I thought it was a good buy. So they finally got my EUR payment this Monday, and I get a not saying the DHL driver was sick and it was not picked up. The following day (Today) they are saying that Sony hasn't delivered the unit yet.. Before I placed the order I asked whether they had the WM1Z in stock, and they confirmed they did. I am being advised now I will definitely get it definitely shipped this Friday. I am getting very worried now, would you just cancel if you were in my position and ask for a refund? I didn't think somewhere as big as hifi-suite would create such an issue for me. I could order it on amazon and lose out on a few Euros.. but just wondering whether its persisting with this company. If any of you have dealt with them before please let me know.



When it is your money, you are in the control my friend.  If something is costing you your money, and inducing stress, then forget it and move on.  It isnt worth it

For that said, if I were you, then I would definitely ask for a refund and order from amazon, period.  But then, even if you shopped on amazon, it wouldn’t shipped out on until Friday right ?


----------



## OG10

Whitigir said:


> When it is your money, you are in the control my friend.  If something is costing you your money, and inducing stress, then forget it and move on.  It isnt worth it
> 
> For that said, if I were you, then I would definitely ask for a refund and order from amazon, period.  But then, even if you shopped on amazon, it wouldn’t shipped out on until Friday right ?



Yeah your right, even if I order from amazon its going to be on a similar time frame now. Will calm myself till Friday. Thanks dude


----------



## ddmt

captblaze said:


> here is a 2 piece solution (OTG cable + Sony Adapter)



My OTG lightning to Sony port cable that I got from taobao has arrived. Well it works with my zx300 so it should works with wm1a/z as well. The seller also sells with micro usb & usb c.


----------



## Redcarmoose

ddmt said:


> My OTG lightning to Sony port cable that I got from taobao has arrived. Well it works with my zx300 so it should works with wm1a/z as well. The seller also sells with micro usb & usb c.



Nice!


----------



## captblaze

ddmt said:


> My OTG lightning to Sony port cable that I got from taobao has arrived. Well it works with my zx300 so it should works with wm1a/z as well. The seller also sells with micro usb & usb c.



nice cable. 

I prefer the 2 piece solution. the profile is very close to a one piece solution and I can charge the player without having to keep the longer cable with me. it also helps to have a power bank with attached micro USB cable


----------



## echineko

ddmt said:


> My OTG lightning to Sony port cable that I got from taobao has arrived.


Have you had a chance to compare the sound against adapter + cable?


----------



## ste787

ste787 said:


> I checked that in Germany, WM-NW1Z Euro 2695 in Saturn, Amazon and mediamarkt. I am now in Germany on business trip. Is that a bargain? I heard europe model is slightly muted for safety and i am running planar. not good.


Last week i wrote sony WM-NW1Z cost Euro 2695, this week it drop to euro 2585. I am surprise, is there a new model announce soon, they are dropping the price left and right.


----------



## bflat

ste787 said:


> Last week i wrote sony WM-NW1Z cost Euro 2695, this week it drop to euro 2585. I am surprise, is there a new model announce soon, they are dropping the price left and right.



Does the EU allow for fixed MSRP or does EU allow for prices to adjust to currency fluctuations from outside the EU like the Japanese Yen? If it is the latter, small changes in exchange rate comes out to a decent amount on a 2500+ Euro item.


----------



## cubed4life

Looking for my first dap, question: can WM1 be used to feed into an amp? Amp I'm considering using with accepts se and balanced.


----------



## newtophones07

cubed4life said:


> Looking for my first dap, question: can WM1 be used to feed into an amp? Amp I'm considering using with accepts se and balanced.


yes you can.  I use a 4.4mm to dual XLR to feed my amp.  Just make sure you go single ended to single ended,  OR balanced to balanced.  Don't mix and match.  

Also the wm1a does NOT have a dedicated line out mode.  I just set the volume on the wm1a to about 90%.


----------



## ste787

bflat said:


> Does the EU allow for fixed MSRP or does EU allow for prices to adjust to currency fluctuations from outside the EU like the Japanese Yen? If it is the latter, small changes in exchange rate comes out to a decent amount on a 2500+ Euro item.


here in europe , they never adjust price to currency.  i think sony is bringing the price down here. something is coming.


----------



## gerelmx1986

My WM1A is the first dap that I've have with, more than 2 years (2y 1mo)


----------



## nc8000

As Sony hasen't announced anything yet I don't expect to see anything until the autumn at the earliest


----------



## blazinblazin

They probably refresh this like interval of playstation.


----------



## BlueThunder (Feb 8, 2019)

I’m looking to try the balanced output, and am hoping to get the Sony balanced Kimber cable for the Z1Rs.

Just double checking that I can add an adapter to the cable jack that takes it to SE 3.5 for use with non-balanced amps etc, and also 4.4 to 2.5 balanced. (The other way wouldn’t work though, SE to balanced). I don’t want to buy 2 sets of Kimber cables you see! 

Can’t seem to find the Kimber cable anywhere in the UK


----------



## nc8000

BlueThunder said:


> I’m looking to try the balanced output, and am hoping to get the Sony balanced Kimber cable for the Z1Rs.
> 
> Just double checking that I can add an adapter to the cable jack that takes it to SE 3.5 for use with non-balanced amps etc, and also 4.4 to 2.5 balanced. (The other way wouldn’t work though, SE to balanced)
> 
> Can’t seem to find the Kimber cable anywhere in the UK



Yes you can use a female 4.4 balanced to male 3.5 single ended.


----------



## BlueThunder (Feb 8, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> Yes you can use a female 4.4 balanced to male 3.5 single ended.


 Cheers - I thought so, but knew I had better double-check! Now to find the cable in the UK without having to import......


----------



## nc8000

BlueThunder said:


> Cheers - I thought so, but knew I had better double-check! Now to find the cable in the UK without having to import......



Russ Andrews supposedly do the Axios but I don’t know if they have the Sony Kimber


----------



## BlueThunder

nc8000 said:


> Russ Andrews supposedly do the Axios but I don’t know if they have the Sony Kimber


Thanks I saw that, but £700 for the Axios is a little out of my budget at the moment! If they sold, oh, 20 cm of it I might be able to afford it!


----------



## bflat

ste787 said:


> here in europe , they never adjust price to currency.  i think sony is bringing the price down here. something is coming.



If that is the case, you should make sure the reseller is an authorized Sony dealer for valid warranty. In the US, the prices only vary with "grey market" sellers who sell international versions in the US. You see this on Amazon when the item says "International Model" or "Japan Model". Sony will not give warranty on grey market items. Here is an example:

https://www.amazon.com/NW-WM1Z-Prem...5090&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=sony+nw-wm1z&psc=1

An authorized US model still goes for $3200:

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_158NW...ium-Walkman.html?search=sony_nw-wm1z&skipvs=T


----------



## PhilW

Tawek said:


> For 1z  I recommend
> Spiral ear 5ult
> Obravo eamt
> Sony mdr ex1000



I wonder why there are not more Sony 1z and 1a owners with EAMT1's.


----------



## fiascogarcia

PhilW said:


> I wonder why there are not more Sony 1z and 1a owners with EAMT1's.


I owned them both, unfortunately not at the same time.  Ultimately, though I loved the EAMT's, I ended up selling them because I couldn't quite get them to stay comfortably in my ears.  But I'm still using the 1Z.


----------



## Quadfather

Sitting here listening to my NW-WM1A, while dreaming of owning a NW-WM1Z...


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> Sitting here listening to my NW-WM1A, while dreaming of owning a NW-WM1Z...


DMP-Z1 my friend , dream about that


----------



## Tawek

PhilW said:


> I wonder why there are not more Sony 1z and 1a owners with EAMT1's.


eamt is not so difficult to drive basically ex1000 is just as demanding as eamt2c (I listen them on the same volume scale) the problem is price and patience in choosing tips they are very sensitive.
 And quite weak marketing


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> DMP-Z1 my friend , dream about that



I believe my wife would be dropping off my Family Jewels at the taxidermist if I dreamt about that. LOL


----------



## fiascogarcia

Quadfather said:


> I believe my wife would be dropping off my Family Jewels at the taxidermist if I dreamt about that. LOL


And a brand new coin purse for the lady!!


----------



## PhilW

Tawek said:


> eamt is not so difficult to drive basically ex1000 is just as demanding as eamt2c (I listen them on the same volume scale) the problem is price and patience in choosing tips they are very sensitive.
> And quite weak marketing



Marketing will take a step up. EAMT2 is a great earphone. A large step away from all the standard balanced armature and dynamic designs around atm


----------



## equalspeace

Can anyone comment on any SQ changes on the latest firmware for the WM1A? Is it still brightish sounding, or more neutral?


----------



## alphanumerix1

best place to order replacement parts for m1a?


----------



## gerelmx1986

alphanumerix1 said:


> best place to order replacement parts for m1a?


Try out encompass parts, tho they're from m the US (if delivery times are concern)


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 9, 2019)

Wooo, Amazon Us has Samsung EVO Select and EVo lines of 512GB-MicroSD now.  Samsung is the best of speed, accuracy, and reliability.  Coincidentally, it also is the one that has the best sound performances too! So I am excited.

Technically though, if you went through Samsung papers about their technology, they had done a lot of R&D into manufacturing these chips, and so they solved a lot of problems.  Who is to say that our ears are foolish ? *Cell-interferences* is a thing, and so it causes long term instability and writing/reading errors on large capacity chips, which in turns slow down the speed.

So, even if you don’t have the equipments to hear the differences in sound performances now, you can simply look upon the reading/writing speed and longevity as one of the main factor 

So, faster and last longer = sounding better and more convenient 

Anyways, SAMSUNG is the best, and now is available through Prime! Woooo


----------



## bflat

Whitigir said:


> Wooo, Amazon Us has Samsung EVO Select and EVo lines of 512GB-MicroSD now.  Samsung is the best of speed, accuracy, and reliability.  Coincidentally, it also is the one that has the best sound performances too! So I am excited.
> 
> Technically though, if you went through Samsung papers about their technology, they had done a lot of R&D into manufacturing these chips, and so they solved a lot of problems.  Who is to say that our ears are foolish ? *Cell-interferences* is a thing, and so it causes long term instability and writing/reading errors on large capacity chips, which in turns slow down the speed.
> 
> ...



Just to clarify - this is only available through 3rd party sellers and not directly from Amazon so very likely international grey market versions. The one I purchased shows a part number for Australia. I have had stock alerts setup for US sellers and so far nothing. Functionally there is no difference with grey market, but I have no idea if Samsung US will give warranty service. Regardless the <$150 price makes warranty somewhat irrelevant. Another added benefit of grey market is no sales tax!


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 9, 2019)

bflat said:


> Just to clarify - this is only available through 3rd party sellers and not directly from Amazon so very likely international grey market versions. The one I purchased shows a part number for Australia. I have had stock alerts setup for US sellers and so far nothing. Functionally there is no difference with grey market, but I have no idea if Samsung US will give warranty service. Regardless the <$150 price makes warranty somewhat irrelevant. Another added benefit of grey market is no sales tax!


No, I bought mine from Amazon as a seller, and yes...I got charged sale tax


----------



## bflat

Whitigir said:


> No, I bought mine from Amazon as a seller, and yes...I got charged sale tax



OOps, I was thinking you purchased the faster version:

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Memo...&s=gateway&sprefix=samsung+512,aps,200&sr=8-3

This is the Plus version. The default 3rd party seller is the same one I used and 100% legit.


----------



## Whitigir

I think they are the same with different branding ? That red would have save me $50 though


----------



## bflat

Whitigir said:


> I think they are the same with different branding ? That red would have save me $50 though



More or less. The spec says that Plus has faster write speed up to 90 verus 60 mb/s for Select. I have confirmed that the Plus sustained write speed is 70 mb/s when I copied my entire library over. Not really a big issue since I only need to do this once and incremental additions are just a few seconds to copy.

Assuming Samsung doesn't honor grey market warranty, I guess you can look at $50 as a 10 year warranty!


----------



## Whitigir

This one has the same specs  as I read it.  But honestly, 10 years ? I may have lost my mind or the card itself before it run out kakaka.  Good to know though


----------



## bflat

Whitigir said:


> This one has the same specs  as I read it.  But honestly, 10 years ? I may have lost my mind or the card itself before it run out kakaka.  Good to know though



Personally I would take the $50 savings and 30 day return window in case I get a bad card. I have yet to have a memory card fail on me and I have yet to keep one longer 3 years LOL. When the 800GB - 1 TB comes out in a couple years I will upgrade again so I can just store everything on one card. Yes Sony, since your OS doesn't support playlists across internal and sd memory, I look forward to the day I don't need the 256 GB built in memory!


----------



## Lookout57

The Samsung EVO Plus and EVO Select are the same card. The only difference is the Select is an Amazon exclusive version. 

So the EVO Plus is the better deal on Amazon.


----------



## kubig123

Lookout57 said:


> The Samsung EVO Plus and EVO Select are the same card. The only difference is the Select is an Amazon exclusive version.
> 
> So the EVO Plus is the better deal on Amazon.


If it’s not a fake one...


----------



## gerelmx1986

When they release the 1TB card, then I will upgrade, so I can carry my entire library as is with no down convert to 16/44.1


----------



## gerelmx1986

Cold Sunday here at Wiesbaden 
Enjoying WM1A


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 10, 2019)

They wouldn’t be foolish to release 1Tb that fast, another year and you will see 768Gb more likely.  Maybe 2 more year for 1Tb MicroSD, unless something ground breaking in technology that need 1Tb ASAP for the market as a whole, which I do not see.


----------



## Mimouille

Hey, is anyone amping the WM1Z? I wonder what is the best amp to really boost it up a notch.


----------



## PhilW

Mimouille said:


> Hey, is anyone amping the WM1Z? I wonder what is the best amp to really boost it up a notch.



Battery powered or desktop?


----------



## Mimouille

PhilW said:


> Battery powered or desktop?


Not too huge but anything goes. What would be your reco in both categories?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Feb 10, 2019)

As. Many here have wives that prohibit purchase of expensive audio gear like f. E the IER-Z1R, I hear specially @Whitigir complaining about his Frau (woman in German) .

Sigh... I have the same. Problem with my husband, I told him I want the IER-Z1R and he said ah nein nein nein!!!!
Seems like I would need to purchase these in secret with Bargeld (cash)

Sweetie, ue feel the right mmcx connector of my XBA-Z5 is loose, but still working fine, can I get the new ier-z1r? He asks for price, I say it umm 2200€" oh nein nein nein, let your z5 be repaired on the shop in the street below


----------



## PhilW

Desktop something like an ifi and portable battery powered maybe the oBravo hpa1


----------



## Mimouille

PhilW said:


> Desktop something like an ifi and portable battery powered maybe the oBravo hpa1


Sold the HPA1, too lean. Could check ifi


----------



## OG10

So mine finally shipped. Now the nervous wait to see if there is significant hiss with the CA Solaris. I read in a few reviews that it isn't present on the unbalanced, but is present on balanced. This week will be interesting to say the least.. If it as quiet as the Mojo then I will be a very happy bunny!


----------



## PhilW

OG10 said:


> So mine finally shipped. Now the nervous wait to see if there is significant hiss with the CA Solaris. I read in a few reviews that it isn't present on the unbalanced, but is present on balanced. This week will be interesting to say the least.. If it as quiet as the Mojo then I will be a very happy bunny!



Is it a Japan tourist version or European?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 10, 2019)

Mimouille said:


> Hey, is anyone amping the WM1Z? I wonder what is the best amp to really boost it up a notch.



They just renamed the Woo 11 the “Topaz” a couple of days ago. I have no idea what it’s like with the 1Z? But I do own and love two Woo amps.
https://wooaudio.com/amplifiers/wa11

Introductory price $1399


----------



## OG10

PhilW said:


> Is it a Japan tourist version or European?



Hi Phil, it was purchased from Germany so EU edition I suspect


----------



## mmwwmm

OG10 said:


> So mine finally shipped. Now the nervous wait to see if there is significant hiss with the CA Solaris. I read in a few reviews that it isn't present on the unbalanced, but is present on balanced. This week will be interesting to say the least.. If it as quiet as the Mojo then I will be a very happy bunny!



Right now I have the 1A and 1Z at home. 1A has 430 hours and 1Z has 170 hours and I can confirm with both DAPs that burn in is absolutely real with these Sonys. Wait for 150 hours at least to see what these DAPs are capable of. The difference is REAL.


----------



## Mimouille

Redcarmoose said:


> They just renamed the Woo 11 the “Topaz” a couple of days ago. I have no idea what it’s like with the 1Z? But I do own and love two Woo amps.
> https://wooaudio.com/amplifiers/wa11
> 
> Introductory price $1399


That's an idea but a pricey one. The BA300s is easier to buy blind...


----------



## Whitigir

mmwwmm said:


> Right now I have the 1A and 1Z at home. 1A has 430 hours and 1Z has 170 hours and I can confirm with both DAPs that burn in is absolutely real with these Sonys. Wait for 150 hours at least to see what these DAPs are capable of. The difference is REAL.



The higher the component precisions tolerances, the longer time it needs to get burn-in.  Inside both WM1A and WM1Z, there are Stacked-film capacitors (dedicated toward music performances), MELF resistors for 1A (also excellent for music reproduction), and F-Resistors for 1Z (a higher tier than MELF).  Do notice that typically, both MELF and F-Resistors are only used inside expensive desktop equipments.  OS-Con and POS-Caps are also high quality, and expensive


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> They just renamed the Woo 11 the “Topaz” a couple of days ago. I have no idea what it’s like with the 1Z? But I do own and love two Woo amps.
> https://wooaudio.com/amplifiers/wa11
> 
> Introductory price $1399



Let’s see, a WM1Z is $3200, a Woo $1300 = $4500, and if you count in expensive 4.4mm interconnect.  You are sitting at $5,000

The DMP-Z1 May be a better choice with all the newest components and technology.  I can easily point out to you why for $5000, you should instead opt for DMP-Z1 at $8,200


----------



## captblaze

Mimouille said:


> That's an idea but a pricey one. The BA300s is easier to buy blind...



I own and have been using the BA300S since November. I like it when sitting at a desk, but it is not the best when stacking with WM-1A (offset from center).

the amp adds 3db to the DAP and reduces the overall volume needs between 5-10 clicks depending on the transducers.

even though it  employs tubes it does not sound "tubey" nor does it get hot. warm yes, but never hot. I get at least 7 hours out of a charge and enjoy it most with HD700 and HD800S. Haven't bothered with IEMs because the ones I own aren't difficult to drive.

to me it is worth the price and does provide value, but it isn't the perfect solution by any means. one caveat.. the original models used an led in the power switch which flashes in low battery state. I don't think current models have this​


----------



## Mimouille

captblaze said:


> I own and have been using the BA300S since November. I like it when sitting at a desk, but it is not the best when stacking with WM-1A (offset from center).
> 
> the amp adds 3db to the DAP and reduces the overall volume needs between 5-10 clicks depending on the transducers.
> 
> ...



Thank you.

I only use IEMs but mostly the SE6 which is high impedance and I think could scale with power and benefit from more body.

What are the minuses if not perfect?


----------



## captblaze

Mimouille said:


> What are the minuses if not perfect?



nothing to complain about the sound output from the 1A.
I don't own a 1Z so cant speak to what it adds or takes away from the sound signature.
​the minuses are esoteric things like the offset when stacking (seems more size compatible with the ZX300). 
the case edges are sharper than need be.

I will say the included cable is of decent quality and I as I said earlier the BA300S is well worth my dollars as an add on


----------



## meomap

Mimouille said:


> Hey, is anyone amping the WM1Z? I wonder what is the best amp to really boost it up a notch.



I use CDM. Very good combo.


----------



## Lookout57

OG10 said:


> So mine finally shipped. Now the nervous wait to see if there is significant hiss with the CA Solaris. I read in a few reviews that it isn't present on the unbalanced, but is present on balanced. This week will be interesting to say the least.. If it as quiet as the Mojo then I will be a very happy bunny!


I hear no hiss in balanced with the CA Solaris connected to the WM1Z using Effect Eros II+ 8 wire.


----------



## meomap

Whitigir said:


> Let’s see, a WM1Z is $3200, a Woo $1300 = $4500, and if you count in expensive 4.4mm interconnect.  You are sitting at $5,000
> 
> The DMP-Z1 May be a better choice with all the newest components and technology.  I can easily point out to you why for $5000, you should instead opt for DMP-Z1 at $8,200



Sounds like you really want to get Z1.
Try it out and let us know.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 10, 2019)

meomap said:


> Sounds like you really want to get Z1.
> Try it out and let us know.


I dont have a reason for it .  My desktop system is good enough.  But I am not only loving audio performances, I love learning about new technology too, and Z1 has a lot of it

I was just tossing out idea you know ? Thousand here and couple thousand there.  It is the reason why DMP Z1 was made


----------



## meomap

Whitigir said:


> I dont have a reason for it .  My desktop system is good enough.  But I am not only loving audio performances, I love learning about new technology too, and Z1 has a lot of it
> 
> I was just tossing out idea you know ? Thousand here and couple thousand there.  It is the reason why DMP Z1 was made



I can only do it if half price.


----------



## musicday

ESS SABRE Reference DAC (ES9018M).....I thought they could do better.


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> ESS SABRE Reference DAC (ES9018M).....I thought they could do better.


Wrong thread ? I assume ?


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Wrong thread ? I assume ?



Isen’t that what’s in the DMP ?


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Isen’t that what’s in the DMP ?


Akm4497EQ 2X

That is what inside the DMP-Z1


----------



## bflat (Feb 11, 2019)

Music Sanctuary K-Mod Impressions (WM1z)

In brief, I would recommend the K-Mod as the last tweak you make for your WM1a/z listening chain. This means after you upgrade your tracks (re-mastered and/or hi res), cable, and headphones. Your dollar to performance ratio will be much higher in all those aforementioned upgrades. I would also recommend the middle option of K-Mod Premium Plus with the battery mod. The total cost as of now is $1149 SGD plus your shipping cost to Music Sanctuary. The Plus gives you all mods with a couple less wires.

In a nutshell, the K-Mod is designed to lower noise and distortions within your WM1a/z. This will give you clearer highs, richer mids, and better textured bass. The caveat is you will need pretty top end headphones to realize the benefits. All the mods are completely analog and passive so there is no functionality change to your WM1a/z. There are also no external changes except the K-Mod logo (I'm sure you can ask to not apply it if you want). I also don't hear any change in tone or timbre. All sound improvements will be what your headphones are capable of producing.

Details

About Music Sanctuary - I only had positive experiences with MS. They will answer questions within the same business day (with time zone difference) and no problems with english language. Once they received my Z, it took about 2 weeks for the mod and DHL priority shipping to CA with no import duty or issues. That is faster than most custom cables or IEMs! I opted for the "Ultimate" package with battery mod because I figured if I was going to void my warranty, might as well go for broke! Actually, all the mods are 100% reversible, but would require sending back to MS and I'm sure there will be a nominal charge to undo. The K-Mod Ultimate includes:

1. Brand new Pentaconn 4.4mm socket (to ensure that solder used on the socket is fresh, and not contaminated by existing solder)
2. 1960s wiring mod for both single ended and balanced outputs - 12 wires for the balanced out, 4 wires for SE out,  2 wires for the 2 pair of tantalum capacitors, and 2 wires for DC ground section. Each wire is internally a pair so the total "wires" is actually 2X.
3. Exotic Mitsubishi Heavy Industries precious metal (not gold) based solder used for all solder joints, existing solder will be cleaned off prior to soldering with the precious metal based solder.
4. 1960s wire for the DC ground wiring
5. Isolation of inductor coils and capacitors with shielding products from Japan (Oyaide and fo.Q)
6. 2 pair of tantalum capacitors in parallel on the analog output.

The Premium Plus is the same except 4 less wires on the balanced output. The Premium option subtracts the capacitors and DC ground wires. I also opted for the battery mod which swaps the original wires with 1960 wire and adds additional shielding on the battery itself. When you get your unit back, you will get the original wires, Pentaconn jack, and bracket. All of the mods are available for both 1a and 1z.

Edit - I completely forgot to add one more really cool part of the K-Mod. When MS installs the new pentaconn jack, they also wire the 5th rung or GND to Shield/GND on the WM1a/z. MS says the PCB has the place for it, but for some reason Sony did not wire it. This will make XLR balanced adapters or other cables that need shield/GND to eliminate hum and/or shield from noise.

Theory

The choice of 1960s wire is pretty straight forward. Of all of the "Decades" cables from PW Audio, only the 1960s clearly states what the material is - high purity OCC copper. Both the quality and quantity of K-Mod wire replacement is superior to even the WM1z original wires and an order of magnitude upgrade for the 1a. This should give the highest level of transparency and transmission on analog outputs. Additionally how the wires are twisted and braided can have positive effects in noise suppression/rejection.

The other parts of the mod are designed to shield more noise with noise isolating material placed on specific capacitors and inductor coils. The tantalum capacitors also filter noise. There is a lot of debate on whether isolating materials actually affect analog quality within human hearing frequencies. I was curious about this and found a couple studies that looked high frequency digital noise (in MHz) and how it affects analog signals (in hz to kHz). It turns out that IMD and THD are negatively affected from digital noise. However, whether a human can detect the <1% change is still debatable. LOL why are so many audio theories still debatable in the 21st century?

Impressions

Let me first qualify my impressions. I am trying to be as objective as possible, but I can't help having a mindset that wants me to believe this was worth the dollars I paid LOL.

Most of my time before and after the K-Mod has been with my JH Laylas with 8 Wire Xerxes PW Audio cable terminated to a Furutech 4.4mm plug. I have used firmware 3.0 for most of my ownership time of my Z as I purchased just a couple weeks before 3.0 was released. Before the mod, I was initially very satisfied with the Z + Layla combo (3.0 firmware). However, as I continued to listen, I started noticing how the Laylas sounded more analytical and colder than what I remember with other sources. My bass dials had to be increased from 12 to over 2 o'clock to get to a satisfactory level. I also added some EQ for reducing 8 kHz on up by -2 dB. This again satisfied me for a while. I finally decided to go for the K-Mod when I started noticing the mids were not as full or present on my Laylas as I remember and no amount of EQ could get it "just right". My mindset was this - if K-Mod doesn't change anything, I would look for another IEM. These were all subtle observations but adding them all up gave a "something is not quite right" feeling.

So how do the Laylas sound after K-Mod? Great and the reasons are very simple!

After 100+ hours of burn in it was time for a serious listen. I have a set of tracks I know like the back of my hand saved to a playlist for all of my critical listening and evaluation. I start by adjusting volume to a comfortable level before concentrating on the sound. I immediately noticed a stronger and deeper low end that was more than my preference. I had to dial my bass tuners back to 12 o'clock and settled on just a little past 12. How could this be? These are only passive mods!

I looked at the volume level and on regular gain, it was 74! My comfort level was 68-70 prior to K-Mod. Did the passive mods somehow reduce the power? Was it the capacitors? I was a little concerned at first. I have to admit that it was hard to enjoy listening to my tracks because I was worried that somehow the mod altered my Z negatively. So I took a break and listened to my newly acquired Tia Fourte (never tried before K-Mod). Of course, it sounded great but I was expecting the "sharp" treble that a lot of folks mentioned and all I heard was very extended, detailed treble but no harshness or glare. In fact, the Fourte sounded a lot like the Laylas. This was my eureka moment.

What I believe the K-Mod did for my Laylas is reduce the slight audible distortion and glare in the upper treble. Before the mod, my listening comfort level was about 4 ticks below post mod. The comfort level was limited by the sharpness of the treble that quickly became fatiguing. Post mod, treble is smoother but just as detailed, extended, and airy as before. I have no problems cranking up volume now to even 8 ticks more than before with little discomfort, but I don't since that's getting to 90+ dB by my estimation. Ok, maybe 6 ticks now LOL. Hard to resist cranking it up.

By being able to listen at a higher volume, the bass and mids are obviously more elevated and better balanced with the treble so that the overall sound is more authoritative, richer, and more dynamic. Let's be clear, I am saying that >90% of the perceived sound improvements come from playing the same tracks at a higher volume. I suspect the K-Mod also improved low and mid definition and layers but it's hard to know for sure because I was using a very different volume level than before. But it is worth noting that the higher volumes level come with zero increase in noise floor. Everything sounds spacious and airy. I wouldn't be surprised if the K-Mod lowers the overall noise floor too.

End notes

I tried my full size headphones and got similar results as my Laylas - higher volume than before. Probably the most dramatic difference was the HD820. I only tried it briefly with my pre-mod Z and comfortable volume was 90-92 at  high gain. Post mod, my HD820 comfortable volume starts at 99! The low end is so much more than before, but still a little short of my desktop setup so I'm not sure I'll use the HD820 as a portable with my modded Z. Pretty impressive sound though.

So was it worth it? For me yes! All my headphones are in leading classes of treble extension and energy so all of them benefited from the K-Mod. I'm not sure if the same benefits would do anything to darker sounding headphones or those who are sensitive to treble. As a reference point, my hearing is still pretty good at my old age. My hearing is flat up to about 8 kHz and starts to roll off there.

I hope this has been helpful and at least an interesting read for my fellow WM1a/z owners!


----------



## sne4me

I do expect we will have 1tb micro sdxc by next spring. I think in the fall it is possible we may see an 800gb card, but the jump to 1tb is what is happening I think, but i expect it will cost around $500-$600 at launch. In 2 years I expect the 1tb card will go for 400.


----------



## musicday

Whitigir said:


> Wrong thread ? I assume ?


I was talking about the Woo 11 " Topaz " DAC.


----------



## BlueThunder

I’ve a set of Z1Rs arriving tomorrow, to test with the 1Z. I considering trying the Axios cable too. Is there a decent set of adapters, 4.4 to 2.5 balanced and 4.4 to 3.5 se to use with the Axios? I don’t really fancy forking out for 3 Axios cables, depending on the source! Or is this an utterly heretical idea, and the benefits of the Axios would be severely diminished with an adapter? 

I’ve seen plenty of 2.5 to 4.4 but not the other way round.


----------



## Mimouille

meomap said:


> I use CDM. Very good combo.


Thanks. Yes a used one could work.


----------



## Music junky

OG10 said:


> So mine finally shipped. Now the nervous wait to see if there is significant hiss with the CA Solaris. I read in a few reviews that it isn't present on the unbalanced, but is present on balanced. This week will be interesting to say the least.. If it as quiet as the Mojo then I will be a very happy bunny!


prefer bal over single ended Wm1A . with the SOLARIS its easy to drive . They do not sound better on the Qp1r, oppo Ha2 se. IMO.


----------



## 480126

BlueThunder said:


> I’ve a set of Z1Rs arriving tomorrow, to test with the 1Z. I considering trying the Axios cable too. Is there a decent set of adapters, 4.4 to 2.5 balanced and 4.4 to 3.5 se to use with the Axios? I don’t really fancy forking out for 3 Axios cables, depending on the source! Or is this an utterly heretical idea, and the benefits of the Axios would be severely diminished with an adapter?
> 
> I’ve seen plenty of 2.5 to 4.4 but not the other way round.


Look at page 172 Z1r thread - Fiio 4,4 male to 2,5. I have a Adapter from Norne Audio 4,4 male to 6,3


----------



## Mimouille

meomap said:


> I use CDM. Very good combo.


What does the CDM bring to the 1Z, have you compared to the Continental V5 or other amps? Thanks


----------



## srinivasvignesh

Folks, how does the 1A compare with the AK KANN? Thanks for inputs, as I am not in a position to audition.


----------



## Dtuck90

I’ve now got over 400 hours on the 1A and it sounds so natural


----------



## BlueThunder (Feb 11, 2019)

Frida309 said:


> Look at page 172 Z1r thread - Fiio 4,4 male to 2,5. I have a Adapter from Norne Audio 4,4 male to 6,3


Thanks. I’ve had a look on page 172 of that thread but couldn’t see anything. I also searched the forum but found threads about people building their own. However, I did find the Fiio LB-4.4m adapter based on your comments which is the one I need 

Having said that, the 2.5 terminated Axios is £100 less here in the UK. I’m wondering the benefit of going 4.4 over 2.5.


----------



## nc8000

BlueThunder said:


> Thanks. I’ve had a look on page 172 of that thread but couldn’t see anything. I also searched the forum but found threads about people building their own. However, I did find the Fiio LB-4.4m adapter based on your comments which is the one I need
> 
> Having said that, the 2.5 terminated Axios is £100 less here in the UK. I’m wondering the benefit of going 4.4 over 2.5.



The 4.4 is a mechanically much better termination, much stabler with a lot bigger contact surface, provided you have a 4.4 source


----------



## 480126

BlueThunder said:


> Thanks. I’ve had a look on page 172 of that thread but couldn’t see anything. I also searched the forum but found threads about people building their own. However, I did find the Fiio LB-4.4m adapter based on your comments which is the one I need
> 
> Having said that, the 2.5 terminated Axios is £100 less here in the UK. I’m wondering the benefit of going 4.4 over 2.5.


Look at https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-z1r-listening-impressions-only.853330/page-172


----------



## Whitigir

I made a long post for something about music, digital music, analog.

If you have time, read it up for fun 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dx200-and-dsd512-how-why.888682/page-9#post-14772362


----------



## mw7485

BlueThunder said:


> Thanks. I’ve had a look on page 172 of that thread but couldn’t see anything. I also searched the forum but found threads about people building their own. However, I did find the Fiio LB-4.4m adapter based on your comments which is the one I need
> 
> Having said that, the 2.5 terminated Axios is £100 less here in the UK. I’m wondering the benefit of going 4.4 over 2.5.



The Fidue adaptor soild by Penon Audio is well made and pretty sturdy. Shipping to the UK was about 8 days and they were pretty creative with the customs declaration, so no fees to pay:


----------



## BlueThunder

nc8000 said:


> The 4.4 is a mechanically much better termination, much stabler with a lot bigger contact surface, provided you have a 4.4 source


Thanks, that settles it - i’ll go 4.4z


----------



## OG10

WM1Z Arrived today, I did the volume uncap thing (sidebar, do you need to factory re-set after uncapping?) - I think I've done it correctly!

Anyway after that I listened to a few tracks only against my Chord Mojo+AK70 Combo, and immediately it didn't sound very different, but at least it was a match for the Chord Mojo..

Then I threw Soul Wax, "Let's Get Binary" - Wow.. not long after I popped this track on my mind was kind of blown, the sound stage on the Solaris really opens up from being in front of my nose with the Mojo to a broader clearer more resolving sound stage. I know this baby needs significant burn in from your comments, but initial thoughts are that it is kind of awesome..Only 10mins of listening.. so need to do more comparisons tonight.

PS: No hiss on unbalanced!


----------



## NoClue48

I have searched for information regarding micro SD card sizes that are compatible/usable in my Sony SONY NW-WM1A and I've seen numerous returns that mention sizes in excess of the 128 GB cards that Sony lists in the accessories portion of the product page. I haven't seen any that mention whether cards of greater capacity will work--but I may have missed or misread search results that addressed this. Mea culpa...

So, my question is: Can the SONY NW-WM1A abide >128 GB cards in its micro SD card slot or not? 

Any insight is greatly appreciated.

Thank you!


----------



## 480126

NoClue48 said:


> I have searched for information regarding micro SD card sizes that are compatible/usable in my Sony SONY NW-WM1A and I've seen numerous returns that mention sizes in excess of the 128 GB cards that Sony lists in the accessories portion of the product page. I haven't seen any that mention whether cards of greater capacity will work--but I may have missed or misread search results that addressed this. Mea culpa...
> 
> So, my question is: Can the SONY NW-WM1A abide >128 GB cards in its micro SD card slot or not?
> 
> ...


Yes, it can. Like many other users i had Samsung 512 GB and it works perfect!


----------



## meomap

Mimouille said:


> What does the CDM bring to the 1Z, have you compared to the Continental V5 or other amps? Thanks



I have the V5 as well. Tested it first with Utopia.
CDM has more airy sense of feeling. Soundstage is a little wider. Bass is overall more impact than CV5.

1Z to CV5 = ALO 3.5 mm ic  for unbalanced. 4.4 mm + DHC occ silver 2.5 mm + 2.5/3.5 adapter.

1Z to CDM = ALO 3.5 mm IC . Decided to stay with 4.4mm + DHC 2.5 mm IC. Better sound overall.


----------



## nc8000

NoClue48 said:


> I have searched for information regarding micro SD card sizes that are compatible/usable in my Sony SONY NW-WM1A and I've seen numerous returns that mention sizes in excess of the 128 GB cards that Sony lists in the accessories portion of the product page. I haven't seen any that mention whether cards of greater capacity will work--but I may have missed or misread search results that addressed this. Mea culpa...
> 
> So, my question is: Can the SONY NW-WM1A abide >128 GB cards in its micro SD card slot or not?
> 
> ...



No problem with Samsung 512GB


----------



## Wooglish

nc8000 said:


> No problem with Samsung 512GB


+1; the 512gb is installed and working well for me.


----------



## NoClue48

Thank you all! 

Much appreciated!


----------



## OG10

Upon close inspection of the screen I can see 1 lit pixel at the very top near the border of the unit.. dunno whether to even bother sending it back for such a small thing on a device you aren't supposed to be looking at! Now onto the series business of cases. I think the Miter case looks nice if it wasn't for that odd kickstand thing.. the TPU case is only in stock on Ali-Express. I'll order it but might get the Miter one to prevent my grubby hands dirtying it!


----------



## Whitigir

Are you examine it in a darkroom and a microscope  ?


----------



## Mal Waldron

OG10 said:


> Upon close inspection of the screen I can see 1 lit pixel at the very top near the border of the unit.. dunno whether to even bother sending it back for such a small thing on a device you aren't supposed to be looking at! Now onto the series business of cases. I think the Miter case looks nice if it wasn't for that odd kickstand thing.. the TPU case is only in stock on Ali-Express. I'll order it but might get the Miter one to prevent my grubby hands dirtying it!



Mine also has a dead pixel on the lower part only visible when the device is turning on.


----------



## sne4me

I expect the screens will be OLED in the next iteration

As for SD cards, I have used a 200GB and a 400GB micro sdxc with no problems. I suggest getting the highest rated speeds of whatever card you buy.


----------



## nanaholic

sne4me said:


> I expect the screens will be OLED in the next iteration



I don’t.

Sony has a much more mature internal production line with TFT LCD. They haven’t even began using OLED in their phones in large scale, so expecting them to use it on devices with an even lower production quantity is highly unrealistic as it will drive cost up while lowering profit, which is not desirable with low volume products.


----------



## xjaynine

I am also guessing OLED burn in might be more of a issue, considering how many static UI elements are present on Walkman OS.


----------



## Mimouille

Plus who cares, I don't want a 4k screen on my DAP, it will draw more power and create potential noise. I'd rather they focus on sound and function.


----------



## shady1991

While I agree that Sony probably will not use OLED screens in DAPs anytime soon, it is worth mentioning that they used OLED screen before it was cool. It has been 10 years since but my old x1050 is still alive and kicking.


----------



## blazinblazin

Not sure about that. OLED has burnt in issue.


----------



## BlueThunder

Was very excited today - I had a set of  Z1Rs arriving to pair with the WM1Z. Got it for about 20% off on Amazon warehouse.

Box arrived. Opened box. Inside the Z1R box was a Sony Z7! Aargh. Saddest part is, the box only contains a 2 Y cable so can’t even listen to the Z7s.


----------



## 480126

Send it back to Amazon!


----------



## BlueThunder

Frida309 said:


> Send it back to Amazon!


Yup. Just very disappointing not to hear the Z1Rs after waiting for a pair to appear.


----------



## bflat

BlueThunder said:


> Yup. Just very disappointing not to hear the Z1Rs after waiting for a pair to appear.



That definitely sucks. Interesting to see that folks are pulling the Amazon return scam in the UK as well as US. I guess scumbags are international. It would not surprise me at all if Amazon puts the scam loss on the OEM or Seller.


----------



## BlueThunder

bflat said:


> That definitely sucks. Interesting to see that folks are pulling the Amazon return scam in the UK as well as US. I guess scumbags are international. It would not surprise me at all if Amazon puts the scam loss on the OEM or Seller.


I hadn’t heard of this before so it can’t be that rife here. When I contacted them they told me it was  fulfilled by Amazon, so some seller provided it that way. I just assumed that someone had bought the item, swapped it out, and kept the Z1Rs. Whoever did it even fitted polystyrene into the cardboard box to make the z7 box fit correctly.

Anyhoo, i’ll continue my search for the Z1R so I can hear the pair together.


----------



## emrelights1973

BlueThunder said:


> I’ve a set of Z1Rs arriving tomorrow, to test with the 1Z. I considering trying the Axios cable too. Is there a decent set of adapters, 4.4 to 2.5 balanced and 4.4 to 3.5 se to use with the Axios? I don’t really fancy forking out for 3 Axios cables, depending on the source! Or is this an utterly heretical idea, and the benefits of the Axios would be severely diminished with an adapter?
> 
> I’ve seen plenty of 2.5 to 4.4 but not the other way round.



ask @TSAVJason to arrange you a Kimber axios adapter ( special built by Kimber in few days ), currently I am using one 2,5 to 4.4 or anything you want with a good price for Kimber range....

so Kimber goes on....


----------



## buduba0604

Received my 512gb from amazon. Love that fast shipping!
Now begins the process of transferring my 400gb to 512gb lol
This is also my first time using a Samsung card.


----------



## Ryokan

nanaholic said:


> I don’t.
> 
> Sony has a much more mature internal production line with TFT LCD. They haven’t even began using OLED in their phones in large scale, so expecting them to use it on devices with an even lower production quantity is highly unrealistic as it will drive cost up while lowering profit, which is not desirable with low volume products.



Didn't Cowon S9's have OLED screens years ago? They were around $300.


----------



## mcemce13

BlueThunder said:


> I hadn’t heard of this before so it can’t be that rife here. When I contacted them they told me it was  fulfilled by Amazon, so some seller provided it that way. I just assumed that someone had bought the item, swapped it out, and kept the Z1Rs. Whoever did it even fitted polystyrene into the cardboard box to make the z7 box fit correctly.
> 
> Anyhoo, i’ll continue my search for the Z1R so I can hear the pair together.




It happened to me several times ordering from Amazon, and I always careful to choose FBA or Amazon it self, first time ordered the KSE1500 and received an empty Sure kse1500 box filled with AAA batteries to make up for the weight. Second time received KSE1500 box but with SE535 inside. And couple of months ago ordered HiFI Ananda and received the empty HiFiman box!

It seems high end headphones are items targeted for scams, dont know if FBA employees or where is the weak link, but really sucks to be waiting to open the box...and boom


----------



## HiFiGuy528

when it comes to expensive products of anything. Best to buy from official channels or ensure that Amazon is the seller/shipper.


----------



## captblaze

mcemce13 said:


> It happened to me several times ordering from Amazon, and I always careful to choose FBA or Amazon it self, first time ordered the KSE1500 and received an empty Sure kse1500 box filled with AAA batteries to make up for the weight. Second time received KSE1500 box but with SE535 inside. And couple of months ago ordered HiFI Ananda and received the empty HiFiman box!
> 
> It seems high end headphones are items targeted for scams, dont know if FBA employees or where is the weak link, but really sucks to be waiting to open the box...and boom



Amazon had a problem with people doing the same thing with Canon EOS-1D X Mark II bodies ($5,500 a pop), so it seems to be system wide


----------



## nanaholic

Ryokan said:


> Didn't Cowon S9's have OLED screens years ago? They were around $300.



Even if the component difference in price is just a few dollars on the surface, you multiply that by ten thousand units, add in the time for sourcing and development around a new component vs using something made in-house or had been used in-house for decades with lots of experience to leverage off of (Sony has been making TFT screens for years), then the cost and lost in profit to switch is not as easily justifable, especially one that has little to no effect on sound. 

Also as a Korean company, Cowon probably sourced OLED screen cheaply from their fellow countryman Samsung or LG, maybe even get some tax breaks on the way when all the components are local, which is not the same luxury that Sony has.


----------



## Whitigir

It is not that Sony has no luxury over OLED screen...it is that Sony now is not the Sony then. 

Back then, everything Sony, and it had reputation of being the leader, the reliability, and so on

Back then, samsung was another 3rd party off brand stuff, no body care...

What went wrong ?

It was obvious, but let's look at the now.  If Sony isnt doing things that are worthy of innovation and instead, keep on misleading the market by high-res, and using off the shelves DAC-IC...it may repeat itself.

How are those Xperia holding up ?


----------



## Holdmyown83

captblaze said:


> Amazon had a problem with people doing the same thing with Canon EOS-1D X Mark II bodies ($5,500 a pop), so it seems to be system wide


Happened to me also. Order the Z5’s from the amazon warehouse and they ended up being some cheap headphones you buy from the $1 store. I was beyond Pissed.


----------



## Holdmyown83

Would I be wasting my funds purchasing Wh1000xm3? Even using the cord?


----------



## mmwwmm

My WM1Z came without the plastic protection caps for the USB and jack sockets that I have seen in some videos. Is this common for newest manufactured units? 

By the way, and with 210 hour on balanced, I LOVE the SQ of my 1Z!!


----------



## buzzlulu

the 1Z never came with these caps.
if you search this thread you will find a listing for a company which will sell them to you.  I seem to remember a complete set goes for under $10.  Everyone who is using them has purchased them independently on their own


----------



## bana

mmwwmm said:


> My WM1Z came without the plastic protection caps for the USB and jack sockets that I have seen in some videos. Is this common for newest manufactured units?
> 
> By the way, and with 210 hour on balanced, I LOVE the SQ of my 1Z!!



The units do not come with the caps, we order them separately.
I'll look for the link.


----------



## ryaneagon

bana said:


> The units do not come with the caps, we order them separately.
> I'll look for the link.



https://smile.amazon.com/Benks-Blac...ywords=Benks+Black+Dust+Plug+For+SONY+NW-WM1A


----------



## Whitigir

The real Vinyl Engine .

I think Vinyls is coming back !! I think Sony is going to press vinyls again too !!


----------



## buzzlulu

ryaneagon said:


> https://smile.amazon.com/Benks-Blac...ywords=Benks+Black+Dust+Plug+For+SONY+NW-WM1A



Those are from a third party
The ones I am referring to are official Sony supplied


----------



## ryaneagon

buzzlulu said:


> Those are from a third party
> The ones I am referring to are official Sony supplied


I didn't realize Sony manufactured them.


----------



## captblaze (Feb 13, 2019)

ryaneagon said:


> I didn't realize Sony manufactured them.



I ordered these from Encompass Supply Chain Solutions over a year ago. I don't believe they stock them anymore (I could be wrong)

4-591-290-01
CAP (JACK), SE

4-591-289-01
CAP (JACK), BTL

4-574-056-01
RUBBER, CAP(WM)

UPDATE - https://encompass.com/item/10990729/Sony/4-591-290-01/

all three items are listed (2 near bottom)​


----------



## buzzlulu

CORRECT


----------



## denis1976

buzzlulu said:


> the 1Z never came with these caps.
> if you search this thread you will find a listing for a company which will sell them to you.  I seem to remember a complete set goes for under $10.  Everyone who is using them has purchased them independently on their own


mine is the japonese version cames with caps


----------



## kubig123

denis1976 said:


> mine is the japonese version cames with caps


correct, the japanese version is teh only one that comes with caps but not the case.


----------



## NaiveSound

I sure miss the 1z


----------



## meomap

Hi,
I have a question regarding the Unbalanced connection.
Does anyone here experience sound or music cut off completely after a few seconds of play? Press Play then sounds off again after few seconds. 
Fw is still 1.20.
Balanced connection is fine.


----------



## bflat

Anyone recommend a bluetooth transmitter that works with WM1a\z without video lag? I am trying to find a transmitter to use on a plane for the IFE system. I tried:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EHSX28M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But it will only connect via SBC and has pretty bad lag.


----------



## Redcarmoose

NaiveSound said:


> I sure miss the 1z



We tried to stop you.


----------



## Shiloh65

I've got upgradeitis as well. Started with an Onkyo DXP-1A which gave me the bug. Ended up selling that and upgrading to the WM1A which in my view is amazing. Now at Saturn and Mobile Markt they have the WM1Z advertised at 2585 Euro. I don't have to pay the VAT which brings the price down to just a little north of 2000 Euro..... Decisions......


----------



## Redcarmoose

Shiloh65 said:


> I've got upgradeitis as well. Started with an Onkyo DXP-1A which gave me the bug. Ended up selling that and upgrading to the WM1A which in my view is amazing. Now at Saturn and Mobile Markt they have the WM1Z advertised at 2585 Euro. I don't have to pay the VAT which brings the price down to just a little north of 2000 Euro..... Decisions......



You will not be sorry.


----------



## Shiloh65

That's the impression I get from reading this forum. All I know is that I am rediscovering my music collection.


----------



## mmwwmm (Feb 14, 2019)

Shiloh65 said:


> I've got upgradeitis as well. Started with an Onkyo DXP-1A which gave me the bug. Ended up selling that and upgrading to the WM1A which in my view is amazing. Now at Saturn and Mobile Markt they have the WM1Z advertised at 2585 Euro. I don't have to pay the VAT which brings the price down to just a little north of 2000 Euro..... Decisions......



I’ve had the WM1A and being amazed by its SQ I’ve got upgradeitis too. I recently bought the 1Z and, at first, I was not so impressed compared to the 1A and thought about return the 1Z but a few days later and a couple of hundred hours of playing more (today my1Z has 230 hours) and I’m inmensely impressed. Burn in is REAL with the 1Z. Now I’m rewarded with a state of the art analog tonality at its best. I really think the 1Z will have in the future a classic status  like the R10. Its sound is ultraspecial. Constantly reminds me of an extremely good vinyl rig sound. Inmensely fluid, transparent, colorful and liquid. Previously I owned a Chord Hugo 2 that I liked a lot but I like the 1Z more, it is just so intoxicating in its tonality. I really love this DAP!


----------



## Redcarmoose

mmwwmm said:


> I’ve had the WM1A and being amazed by its SQ I’ve got upgradeitis too. I recently bought the 1Z and, at first, I was not so impressed compared to the 1A and thought about return the 1Z but a few days later and a couple of hundred hours of playing more (today my1Z has 230 hours) and I’m inmensely impressed. Burn in is REAL with the 1Z. Now I’m rewarded with a state of the art analog tonality at its best. I really think the 1Z will have in the future a classic status  like the R10. Its sound is ultraspecial. Constantly reminds me of an extremely good vinyl rig sound. Inmensely fluid, transparent, colorful and liquid. Previously I owned a Chord Hugo 2 that I liked a lot but I like the 1Z more, it is just so intoxicating in its tonality. I really love this DAP!



I actually purchased the 1A after owning the 1Z, but I agree going back and forth between the two takes time. Don’t know if it’s capacitor burn-in or mental burn-in but...........there comes a turning point when the 1Z starts to sound noticeably better? IMO. 

Though the 1A has it’s own charming personality and becomes a great value. I must admit the last couple months have been almost completely 1Z listening. The 1Z is thicker sounding due to the increase forward and depth of the sound-stage. The 1Z has slightly more bass and more treble added to everything being more realistic and up-front. It really could be the iconic flagship product defining Sony Electronics in the current time era. It’s a classic. IMO


----------



## Shiloh65

Man, you guys are going to kill my wallet....


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Feb 14, 2019)

My wm1a has no issue with the 400GB card, all fine .

Two years with it, still like it a lot.


I. Am on board at the ICE 3 @ 330 Km/h


----------



## gerelmx1986

The database (Re) build can take some time on larger cards, mine will n first time database build or if I issue the rebuild database command takes areound 15 to 20 minutes (taking into account the 128Gb internal memory is also filled through. Maximum capacity).

After that, there is no issue, no lags no slow downs, all smooth


----------



## ryaneagon

bflat said:


> Anyone recommend a bluetooth transmitter that works with WM1a\z without video lag? I am trying to find a transmitter to use on a plane for the IFE system. I tried:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EHSX28M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> 
> But it will only connect via SBC and has pretty bad lag.



I use the ES100
https://www.amazon.com/EarStudio-ES100-24bit-High-Resolution-Bluetooth-Unbalanced/dp/B078H4YD2L 

No lag with SBC. Lad with LDAC (Slight) 

I do however use a Nivida Shield for video playback and it's built in Bluetooth transmitter, no lag with SBC but up to 2sec delay via Lossless LDAC. Thankfully I use Kodi that has an audio delay setting that can be manually adjusted.


----------



## bflat

ryaneagon said:


> I use the ES100
> https://www.amazon.com/EarStudio-ES100-24bit-High-Resolution-Bluetooth-Unbalanced/dp/B078H4YD2L
> 
> No lag with SBC. Lad with LDAC (Slight)
> ...



Thanks but I am looking for a BT transmitter so I can use my 1z as a receiver. Plan is to connect the analog out of the plane's IFE and then listen via the 1z.


----------



## ryaneagon

bflat said:


> Thanks but I am looking for a BT transmitter so I can use my 1z as a receiver. Plan is to connect the analog out of the plane's IFE and then listen via the 1z.



Gotcha. Sorry I mis-read your post.


----------



## NoClue48 (Feb 14, 2019)

I just received the Sony/KimberKable balanced cable set for my MDR-Z7s. First impressions are that they bring the (in my opinion) laid back performance of the Z7s to life; but only if I use the "high gain output" setting on the WM1A.

I'm assuming that the "high gain output" circuits are drawing more current and will drain the battery more quickly than normal. Any insight into how much "high gain output" impacts battery life on the WM1A?


----------



## bflat

well dang, re-read the updated manual and for BT receive mode, it only supports SBC, AAC, and LDAC. Aptx and Aptx HD is only supported in transmit mode.


----------



## meomap

Just received my new Khan.


----------



## bflat

Doing some late night work and listening to my Laylas and 1z way louder than I should. But damn, it kept me grooving and got my stuff done. Now I have to give my ears a break for the next 16 hours


----------



## ste787

Shiloh65 said:


> I've got upgradeitis as well. Started with an Onkyo DXP-1A which gave me the bug. Ended up selling that and upgrading to the WM1A which in my view is amazing. Now at Saturn and Mobile Markt they have the WM1Z advertised at 2585 Euro. I don't have to pay the VAT which brings the price down to just a little north of 2000 Euro..... Decisions......


tell us when you jump for european WM1Z. I am still thinking about it. But i have no tax rebate. Most probably not. My AK380 is still rocking.


----------



## bflat

I tried this BT transmitter:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HNTRGFZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And it works adequately for video with just a touch of lag that doesn't distract. I watched a full length movie and it was good. For best BT video audio sync I think you need the following:

A good BT transmitter - needs sufficient processing power to do A to D conversion as close to real time as possible. First one I tried (Taotronics) was pretty bad.
Change the BT Receiver Quality on the WM1 to "Connection" instead of "Sound Quality". This will give you the lowest latency.
I plan to use this on planes and occasionally for watching TV at home when I can't use the speakers. While it may seem like overkill when I can just plug my IEMs into the 3.5mm socket, wireless makes it less of a hassle on a plane and most importantly, I can use the WM1 volume control rather than suffer 3-6 dB per click on most plane IFE systems.


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> I tried this BT transmitter:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HNTRGFZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> 
> ...


Great find! Newest tech at affordable pricing !


----------



## OG10

Some quick observations of the Sony WM1Z, granted I have only listened to a few hours of music I have some thoughts of it's use with a Campfire Audio Solaris. 

Comparing all my impressions against a Chord Mojo connected to a AK70 as digital transport, and a Chord Qutest connected to a HD800 going through a Schit Valhalla 2. 

The sound stage and resolution of this DAP is phenomenal. It is creating a sense of space and clarity that I have never heard before in music. For example I was listening to Tv on the radio - Half Way Home, and the sparkling / shimmering percussion has a more open visceral underpinning to it. The Chord Mojo whilst creating this imagery does it in a more clinical less resolving manner. The Qutest does get more, but the Valhalla 2 and HD800 tend to make the highs unpalatable.  I look forward to testing this track again once I get the THX 789 and then connect that to the Qutest. Or when I get my THZ 

The next track was Agnes Obel - Citizen of Glass Track: Red Virgin Soil. This cello laden track is a good test of the mid-bass. I knew the Solaris struggled in this section, so this was a good test track. The WM1Z seems to be very suited to this type of chamber music. The natural warmth in these lower frequencies was very natural and forgiving. Compared to the Mojo combo which sounded like a wet sock filled with coins hitting a table.. The WM1Z at this point started to really pull away from the Mojo, the air in the string instruments were so much more open / clearer. Finally testing this against the HD800 / Qutest, the HD800 started to show it's own muscle. The mid range, and spaciousness were better displayed here than the Solaris, and the Qutest did a great job of resolving faintest shifts in the music. Unfair comparison I know, but worth mentioning. 

Now comes the grand realisation for me. Bad music sounds worse on the WM1Z / Campfire Solaris combo. The Chord Mojo stack and Solaris forgave certain tracks I really enjoyed like Eta James - at last and the Hackers OST. This is no longer the case on the WM1Z. The Sony offering not only pulls out poor mastering, it ridicules it like a child with odd socks during physical education. I can heae the gasping undertone of Eta James (192khz / 24bit). The microphone was obviously too close to her in the recording studio, and the air from her mouth is creating an unnatural resonance, which the Solaris / WM1Z combo is emphasising with ease and brutality. Moving onto the Hackers OST, my favourite track from that Era was Orbital Halcyon On. I can now hear the fall off, of the synth between parts of the song. The decay on those tracks is a lot more exposed, as a result the song sounds less coherent and generally worse sounding. These were not discernible on the other two combinations. 

The biggest takeaway for me has been that I really need to look at the type of music I put into the WM1Z, its like an honest friend who will show you all your flaws.. I have just as of Thursday got the Reference 8 Balanced cable to start checking my tracks with. So I am sure with the burn-in and continued use my experience will continue to change.


----------



## Redcarmoose

OG10 said:


> Some quick observations of the Sony WM1Z, granted I have only listened to a few hours of music I have some thoughts of it's use with a Campfire Audio Solaris.
> 
> Comparing all my impressions against a Chord Mojo connected to a AK70 as digital transport, and a Chord Qutest connected to a HD800 going through a Schit Valhalla 2.
> 
> ...



Do you have any hours on your 1Z?


----------



## OG10

Just 7hrs, as I got it delivered earlier this week.


----------



## McCol

Holdmyown83 said:


> Would I be wasting my funds purchasing Wh1000xm3? Even using the cord?



I think it depends on why you are buying them.

I’ve bought the 1000xm3 and use it without cord, LDAC sounds excellent between the wm1a and 1000xm3.  However I bought them for casual use and travelling by air in the summer.  
They are not as detailed or accurate as my other earphones/headphones however they are a lovely warm and fun sounding headphone.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 16, 2019)

OG10 said:


> Just 7hrs, as I got it delivered earlier this week.



In the first 50 hours the device is totally handicapped. I don’t even comprehend how you could write the above post? At 100 hours it is nice, but just as the internal operational directions suggest; it’s not going to get really good till about 200 hours, then continue improving from there on. The capacitors need burn-in. You basically haven’t even heard your player at this point. Lol.


----------



## syke (Feb 16, 2019)

OG10 said:


> Just 7hrs, as I got it delivered earlier this week.



7 hours? Come back when you have 200 hours on it.
I have clocked 1900 hours on mine.


----------



## OG10

Hah will do, hopefully will clock 200hrs by May..


----------



## Redcarmoose

OG10 said:


> Hah will do, hopefully will clock 200hrs by May..



We are just explaining that.......you haven’t begun to be impressed yet. Of course I was with different firmware in November 2017 with mine, as 2.0 had just been released; but the early hours where foggy and congested?


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 16, 2019)

OG10 said:


> Just 7hrs, as I got it delivered earlier this week.


You are in for a big treat mine is about 1500 hours


----------



## BlueThunder

gerelmx1986 said:


> The database (Re) build can take some time on larger cards, mine will n first time database build or if I issue the rebuild database command takes areound 15 to 20 minutes (taking into account the 128Gb internal memory is also filled through. Maximum capacity).
> 
> After that, there is no issue, no lags no slow downs, all smooth


Does the DB build for you every time it is switched on? Waiting 15 mins must be a killer!


----------



## gerelmx1986

At first time, yeah 15 min, but subsequent rebuilds are much much faster


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mine has almost 6000 hours


----------



## hireslover

gerelmx1986 said:


> Mine has almost 6000 hours


Mine sounds awesome at 1200 hours. How does 6000 hours compare to 1200 hours sonically? Does it stop or does it keep on changing?


----------



## marklivia

Just got a new to me 1Z. I have a million questions for you guys but I'll start with:
My player shows firmware 1.01. Should I upgrade? Can I upgrade? How do I upgrade? 
Thanks guys. You can please reply here or send me a PM


----------



## marklivia

OK, I just did a search on updates and it seems it's up to 3.01? And seems to be worthwhile!  But I can't seem to find how to do it. I have a MacBook. Help.......


----------



## mmwwmm

marklivia said:


> OK, I just did a search on updates and it seems it's up to 3.01? And seems to be worthwhile!  But I can't seem to find how to do it. I have a MacBook. Help.......



https://www.sony.com/electronics/su...ayers-nw-wm-series/nw-wm1z/downloads/00015734

*Download & Install*
*Step 1: Install the update*

Read and agree to the terms and conditions.
Download the file to your computer.
After completion of the download, connect your Walkman to your computer by USB connection.
Quit all software running on your computer.
Double click the saved file and follow the on-screen instructions.
Note: Please do not disconnect the unit from the computer during the upgrade.
When the message indicating the upgrade is complete is displayed, click on [Finish].
*Step 2: Check the update was successful*
After the update, please confirm the new version has been installed successfully by following the steps in the [Check the firmware version] section.

If the Firmware version shown is "3.01", the upgrade was successful.


----------



## marklivia

Thanks! Do I have to quit Safari?


----------



## mmwwmm

marklivia said:


> Thanks! Do I have to quit Safari?


I don’t think having opened a safari window would be a problem but the safest way is to run just and only the Fw installer and quit all other aplications.


----------



## marklivia

Thanks. Just an old noob here...


----------



## bflat

marklivia said:


> Thanks. Just an old noob here...



LOL, you are being smart and cautious. Last thing you want is a 1 lb gold paper weight that costs $3000.


----------



## mmwwmm

marklivia said:


> Thanks. Just an old noob here...


All we have been noob sometime! Where have you bought your unit? In the US, Europe..?


----------



## gerelmx1986

hireslover said:


> Mine sounds awesome at 1200 hours. How does 6000 hours compare to 1200 hours sonically? Does it stop or does it keep on changing?


For. Me it stopped changing at 550 hours


----------



## hireslover

gerelmx1986 said:


> For. Me it stopped changing at 550 hours


Thanks


----------



## marklivia

mmwwmm said:


> All we have been noob sometime! Where have you bought your unit? In the US, Europe..?


The guy I got it from bought at Woo in NY. It's got about 145 hours.


----------



## mmwwmm

marklivia said:


> The guy I got it from bought at Woo in NY. It's got about 145 hours.



Fine, it seems you have an uncapped unit. May you know about the volumen capped units issue but I asked in case you didn´t heard about it.

Enjoy your 1Z!


----------



## newtophones07

OG10 said:


> Just 7hrs, as I got it delivered earlier this week.



I would recommend just running it nonstop, for a few days, till it hits 200hrs.  Burn-in sounds ridiculous sometimes, but it does make quite a difference on this device.


----------



## Whitigir

If anyone have a lot of love for WM1Z, and want something better in soundstage and driving power while keeping the characteristics of 1Z, and money is no object.  That would be DMP-Z1 

Sony was very secretive regarding anything about Walkman Anniversaries


----------



## newtophones07

Whitigir said:


> If anyone have a lot of love for WM1Z, and want something better in soundstage and driving power while keeping the characteristics of 1Z, and money is no object.  That would be DMP-Z1
> 
> Sony was very secretive regarding anything about Walkman Anniversaries



The price is just bananas. Do I want one, yep.


----------



## meomap

Z1 ? Half price.


----------



## captblaze

Call it Heresy if you will, but I will call it convenient and pretty darn good sounding





connects via AptX (low latency not HD)
touch gestures need to be calibrated a bit finer
has tunable sound (basic EQ in app) settings saved after tuning even without the app connected
4 hours listening on a charge plus 2 extra charges from case

Please don't ask for listening impressions. as I have stated previously my hearing has had an overdose of rock concerts and a few decades of Federal Q sirens. My intent is to find a wireless solution that I could easily bring from my iPhoneX to WM-1A and so far this is the leader of the pack. (tried B&O Beoplay E8 and Master & Dynamic MW07 and both sounded good, but have disconnect and latency issues)


----------



## ryaneagon

OG10 said:


> Some quick observations of the Sony WM1Z, granted I have only listened to a few hours of music I have some thoughts of it's use with a Campfire Audio Solaris.
> 
> Comparing all my impressions against a Chord Mojo connected to a AK70 as digital transport, and a Chord Qutest connected to a HD800 going through a Schit Valhalla 2.
> 
> ...



Thanks for your input. I also picked up a ALO Reference 8 cable, a beautiful built and sounding cable. My WM1Z has about 20hrs.


----------



## beaux

gerelmx1986 said:


> If the 70th anniversary signature series is being discontinued, glad I have two of the products  namely that WM1A and the MDR-Z1R


Redcar is referring to walkman. Of course, Sony will continue making desktop dac/amp and full size headphone for audiophiles.


----------



## beaux

nc8000 said:


> Then don’t sell it


When I own wm1z, I miss sp1000. When I sell wm1z and get a sp1000, I miss wm1z. I can't afford to own both. What should I do to solve this?


----------



## blazinblazin

beaux said:


> When I own wm1z, I miss sp1000. When I sell wm1z and get a sp1000, I miss wm1z. I can't afford to own both. What should I do to solve this?


Own none or own both haha


----------



## Whitigir

beaux said:


> When I own wm1z, I miss sp1000. When I sell wm1z and get a sp1000, I miss wm1z. I can't afford to own both. What should I do to solve this?


It depends on what you like and dislike from each platform ? Why did you miss 1Z ? And why did you miss sp1000 ? What do you want from them both ?


----------



## kimball (Feb 17, 2019)

Bought WM1Z since this afternoon.
Superb satisfy with it's overall performance!!COOL!!


----------



## Redcarmoose

The reading the https://www.head-fi.org/threads/canjam-nyc-2019-impressions-thread.900214/.

Hilarious as there are reports of 1Z and 1A Walkmans everywhere. Some tables holding up to 5 at a time. Both enthusiasts bringing their own and IEM retailers using them too!


----------



## Lookout57

I guess people are starting to realize how good the Sony is


----------



## nanaholic

Redcarmoose said:


> The reading the https://www.head-fi.org/threads/canjam-nyc-2019-impressions-thread.900214/.
> 
> Hilarious as there are reports of 1Z and 1A Walkmans everywhere. Some tables holding up to 5 at a time. Both enthusiasts bringing their own and IEM retailers using them too!



Not surprising as the Walkman has great sound as well as unparalleled battery life, which makes them excellent for travel as well as show booth and event situations. A fully charged Walkman will easily last an entire day with some juice to spare even if you sometimes forget to stop play back, whereas most other DAPs would throw in the towel by the end of the day in a show situation, especially since people would be constantly using the screen and changing tracks etc, and this is when a high resolution screen is more of a disadvantage as it drains more power.


----------



## OG10

Benks case ordered, Triton cable ordered.. dare I order the Golden 16...Golden IEM, Golden Cable and Golden DAP.. someone is likely to call me Mr T 

Is there a zip type case that you guys have to keep the Benks covered 1z? 

Also for burn-in.. do the IEMs have to be connected for it to burn in? or can I just leave songs on repeat for it to burn in. I notice in the actual "help" guide it says burn in for 200hrs at least!


----------



## Redcarmoose

OG10 said:


> Benks case ordered, Triton cable ordered.. dare I order the Golden 16...Golden IEM, Golden Cable and Golden DAP.. someone is likely to call me Mr T
> 
> Is there a zip type case that you guys have to keep the Benks covered 1z?
> 
> Also for burn-in.. do the IEMs have to be connected for it to burn in? or can I just leave songs on repeat for it to burn in. I notice in the actual "help" guide it says burn in for 200hrs at least!



You have to have an IEM plugged in. So 4.4mm 200 hours and 3.5mm 200 hours. Each side has it’s own separated amp section.


----------



## jonstatt

Redcarmoose said:


> You have to have an IEM plugged in. So 4.4mm 200 hours and 3.5mm 200 hours. Each side has it’s own separated amp section.



Wow! Is that 400 hours or you can connect to both sockets at the same time?

I also read native DSD output is balanced only for some inexplicable reason


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 18, 2019)

jonstatt said:


> Wow! Is that 400 hours or you can connect to both sockets at the same time?
> 
> I also read native DSD output is balanced only for some inexplicable reason



4.4mm cancels the 3.5mm when plugged.

16.667 days


----------



## marklivia

Hey all, best place to get the Benks case and a screen protector?


----------



## iron2k

marklivia said:


> Hey all, best place to get the Benks case and a screen protector?


https://www.amazon.com/Benks-Flexib...TF8&qid=1550511681&sr=8-1&keywords=benks+wm1a


----------



## bflat

nanaholic said:


> Not surprising as the Walkman has great sound as well as unparalleled battery life, which makes them excellent for travel as well as show booth and event situations. A fully charged Walkman will easily last an entire day with some juice to spare even if you sometimes forget to stop play back, whereas most other DAPs would throw in the towel by the end of the day in a show situation, especially since people would be constantly using the screen and changing tracks etc, and this is when a high resolution screen is more of a disadvantage as it drains more power.



The 4.4mm plug is a lot more durable than 2.5mm too.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

OG10 said:


> Benks case ordered, Triton cable ordered.. dare I order the Golden 16...Golden IEM, Golden Cable and Golden DAP.. someone is likely to call me Mr T
> 
> Is there a zip type case that you guys have to keep the Benks covered 1z?
> 
> Also for burn-in.. do the IEMs have to be connected for it to burn in? or can I just leave songs on repeat for it to burn in. I notice in the actual "help" guide it says burn in for 200hrs at least!


Golden 16 is gonna be better than Triton but you’ll have to pay for it


----------



## buzzlulu

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003WUBIZQ/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Absolutely PERFECT zip case for my 1Z


----------



## ryaneagon

buzzlulu said:


> https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003WUBIZQ/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> 
> Absolutely PERFECT zip case for my 1Z


Thanks!


----------



## llamaluv

Has anyone attempted to make EQ settings that will give a 1Z the tonality of a 1A or vice-versa?


----------



## auronthas

newtophones07 said:


> I would recommend just running it nonstop, for a few days, till it hits 200hrs.  Burn-in sounds ridiculous sometimes, but it does make quite a difference on this device.


I would rather enjoying the evolution of sound during the burn-in stage, currently 180 hours .


----------



## auronthas

ryaneagon said:


> Thanks for your input. I also picked up a ALO Reference 8 cable, a beautiful built and sounding cable. My WM1Z has about 20hrs.


I picked up ALO Ref. 8 too, to replace defective (loose connection) Sony Kimber Kable muc-m12sb1, very welll matching with my Andros


----------



## gerelmx1986

I've tried connecting both outputs and the 4.4mm takes no. 1 priority, that means that 3.5mm  is muted


----------



## ryaneagon

auronthas said:


> I picked up ALO Ref. 8 too, to replace defective (loose connection) Sony Kimber Kable muc-m12sb1, very welll matching with my Andros



Great. I love the cable, unfortunately it doesn't snap as secure as the stock Shure 846's thus can cut in and out if I move a lot. Seems to work great with campfire and DM6. ALO was gracious enough to send me a replacement as I thought it was a cable problem, turns out it's the IEM not the cable. Even though I don't have any problems with other aftermarket cables I own ( fiio LC3.5 and a Linsoul 4.4 cable) I'm thinking its because Shure uses tighter tolerances, maybe?


----------



## OG10

I have my wm1z playing in loop now, up to 15hrs.. hopefully I can tell a little bit of difference after the 50hr mark this week 

Shall keep it on till I get 200hrs on Balanced for now.


----------



## linux4ever

At the 100hr mark, I noticed good difference and at 200. Then at 400.

Keep them playing at night too.


----------



## 480126




----------



## -TheWanderer-

Please tell me where can I download firmware 1.00? Found only 1.01 ...


----------



## kubig123

-TheWanderer- said:


> Please tell me where can I download firmware 1.00? Found only 1.01 ...


Firmware 1.00 came installed in the first units, the 1.01 wa the first upgrade available.


----------



## -TheWanderer-

kubig123 said:


> Firmware 1.00 came installed in the first units, the 1.01 wa the first upgrade available.


So you can download 1.00?


----------



## nc8000

-TheWanderer- said:


> So you can download 1.00?



No it can not be downloaded, only the upgrades


----------



## gerelmx1986

Using the 3.5 output , with a TRRS cable


----------



## Mal Waldron

Frida309 said:


>



Is your case from Valentinum? I'm thinking getting one...


----------



## 480126

Mal Waldron said:


> Is your case from Valentinum? I'm thinking getting one...


Yes, it is from Valentinum. He made great Cases!


----------



## Hyde8767

Anybody know which is better wm1a or astell Kern ak320


----------



## ryaneagon

Hyde8767 said:


> Anybody know which is better wm1a or astell Kern ak320



I would say for myself the WM1A/Z is much better, of course this is all subjective. I'm not a fan (in general) of the AK sound, to me the Sony's are on the warmer side, more pronounced low end. The AK's I've heard a more clinical sounding, which can be good if that's what you are looking for. Battery life on the Sony's can't be beat, I also prefer the Sony UI Although I wish there was a search feature.


----------



## bflat

Hyde8767 said:


> Anybody know which is better wm1a or astell Kern ak320



If you must have wifi streaming then get the AK. If you must have 2 way BT connectivity, then get the Sony. If you need all of the AK accessories like amp, DSD recorder, etc, then go with the AK. If you need more than 8 hrs of battery life, get the Sony. If none of these mutually exclusive features matter, then I would go for the better priced one.


----------



## bflat

Anyone who wants a short WM-Port cable, I got one of these and it works perfectly for charging and for DAC mode:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10cm-Data-...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649


----------



## OG10

So up to 85hrs burn in I hadn't listened to it since 7hrs burn in.

So there should be a massive warning on this device to say burn-in first...  - I know there is in the menus, but it needs to be more explicit.

Just in case anyone is wondering whether the WM1Z is better than the Chord Mojo the answer is a categoric YES. At 85hr burn in it is better with every single song I tried earlier. I did an A/B comparison with the Chord Mojo and it is veiled and recessed in every sense. More impressions to come through as I burn this in more. 

The Campfire Solaris has also benefited from being burned in. Looking forward to hearing how this sounds with the Campfire Audio Atlas when it arrives next week.


----------



## ryaneagon

OG10 said:


> So up to 85hrs burn in I hadn't listened to it since 7hrs burn in.
> 
> So there should be a massive warning on this device to say burn-in first...  - I know there is in the menus, but it needs to be more explicit.
> 
> ...



Thanks! I'm in the process of burning in my Z. I'm at 45hrs. I'd also love to read your opinion on the Camfire IEM's and the comparisons . I love my Shure 846's and have tried many other IEM's, the Shure's seem to do it for me, I'm looking for another quality set that has some similarities...But still different. Cheers!


----------



## OG10

I had a pair of Shure SE846s before my Solaris. After a couple of weeks with the Solaris I decided to pass on the Shure's. 

The main initial difference is the treble extension. The Solaris has airier crisper highs which the SE846 is just not tuned well enough to handle. The low-end slam on the Solaris is also a lot more impressive than the low-pass filter on the Shure. If you can try and audition the Solaris yourself. The reason I am getting an Atlas is for when I just want a bit of fun with extremely messy music with a mid-bass presence. The Solaris will be my main listening unit till I can find a Stax SR009s pairing  

The Se846 is a brilliant earphone, but the Solaris is in a league apart. 

It might also be an idea to wait fo reviews on the IER 1Z too, that looks phenomenal and with Sony it could be a nice pairing. If you like a fun and insightful pairing with the WM1Z then Solaris is definitely worth a look in. I can confirm there is no hiss at all on the WM1Z with the Reference 8 cable over balanced too. So you don't have to worry about that.


----------



## ryaneagon

Thanks. I have a few IEM's In mind, a couple CIEM's from 64 audio (N8, a12t) and a couple non custom, 64 u12t, Campfire Solaris, and Empire Ears Legend X. I'll be getting demos of the 64 audio models but I'm unable to obtain Campfire or Empire. The only other IEM's I've demoed have been the JH Layla and the 16v2, to be honest they were great, but I wasn't all that impressed comparing them the 846's especially giving their price.

I tend to like the smooth, laid back highs of the 846's, so call it lacking, vailed, and no reveling, I get that! I've just been using them so long I'm accustomed to their signature. I do want something while not a total 180...just different...Choices!


----------



## Fsilva (Feb 24, 2019)

I´m selling my Sony BCR-NWH10 WM port cradle, if anyones interested just drop me a message.


----------



## 480126

Fsilva said:


> I´m selling my Sony BCR-NWH10 WM port cradle, if anyones interested just drop me a message.


Pm send


----------



## OG10

Guys, once I put the wm1z in the benks case, is there a clamshell type case I can put it in? just to carry around and travel?


----------



## nc8000

Fsilva said:


> I´m selling my Sony BCR-NWH10 WM port cradle, if anyones interested just drop me a message.



Didn’t it work out for you as you hoped ?


----------



## buzzlulu

OG10 said:


> Guys, once I put the wm1z in the benks case, is there a clamshell type case I can put it in? just to carry around and travel?



I posted this for someone else a few posts back

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003WUBIZQ/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My 1Z stays in its Benks case and I can also keep the Sony cable and Apple CCK cable in here as well.
Perfect solution


----------



## Wooglish

buzzlulu said:


> I posted this for someone else a few posts back
> 
> https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003WUBIZQ/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> 
> ...



The Moleskin small case works well for me:


----------



## ehaldin (Feb 25, 2019)

Does anyone know how to embed lyrics data in flac (or m4a) files? It won't work with Mp3tag or dBpowerAmp, and I don't really want to duplicate my amount of files by setting up lrc ones for each track... and I'm only set up for unsynced lyrics, without time stamps, anyway. (I once read that Media Center can help, but at the moment it won't launch on my computer despite being installed and I recall how it likes to overwrite _all _metadata on its own.)

Also, I'm so surprised that no one mentioned the font size on WM1A/Z displays in three years! In folder view it's so spacious that I have to rely on the small file count where the text fades out on the right quite often and even with a simple [track number] [song name] file string there can be guesswork involved.
I really wish that Sony would put up an option for smaller fonts or wordwrap with a new firmware. Same with the lyrics, if they're not totally brief or "karaoke", it's a real drag to maneuver through them with so much line spacing and empty bars left and right. If someone else feels this way, maybe we can all write to the developers and lobby them to change this, it must be the simplest task for them... and this is really the only thing I'm missing from the firmware at this point (besides a PMEQ, which is a whole different story).

On all other accounts the WM1Z feels just rock-solid, highly developed, musically awesome, even when I have to think back to the Lotoo Paw Gold at times that had so much impulsive power where the WM1Z seems to tilt the brakes downward, slightly, but categorically. But it really throws so many musical bouqets that make up for this, up to where I've stopped looking for other DAPs and relish my portable "chain" every time I use it.


----------



## Fsilva

nc8000 said:


> Didn’t it work out for you as you hoped ?


Once i got the TA i stop using the dock, so it makes no sense to just leave it here collecting dust, or to use it to charge my WM1A.


----------



## nc8000

Fsilva said:


> Once i got the TA i stop using the dock, so it makes no sense to just leave it here collecting dust, or to use it to charge my WM1A.



Yep as you know that’s why I sold since it was only being used for charging my 1Z


----------



## marklivia

I just read Sandisc is coming out with a 1TB micro sd card in April!! I could get my whole (almost) collection on that baby. $450 retail.


----------



## Lookout57

marklivia said:


> I just read Sandisc is coming out with a 1TB micro sd card in April!! I could get my whole (almost) collection on that baby. $450 retail.


https://www.westerndigital.com/comp...unveils-worlds-fastest-1tb-uhs-i-microsd-card

Woohoo


----------



## elton7033

Checking in the WM1Z club, I had finally bought the WM1Z yestday mainly because my AK380 have a lot of problem after 3years of everyday uses, like how the 380amp screws cannot get in the hole anymore...etc

I have also compared with sp1000ss/cu/mrg
but I prefer the sound of Sony and most of all I am tired for the trouble I have with the AK380, I believe Japanese product does have a better quality. Chinese high end dap also attempting but I personally distrust Chinese product lol

The only concern after I bought the WM1Z is since the WM1Z is already out for around 2 years is it likely that a new model will be out really soon? The big DMPZ1 is not walkman and its not really suitable for portable use...


----------



## Whitigir

DMP Z1 is the successor of Wm1Z or so...in performances.  You can be sure that even if new Walkman is out, the 1Z may not be too far behind in performances....practicality may be another point of view, but the new Walkman won’t be able to compete to DMP Z1 anytime soon.  That is just how I am seeing and observing it...Sony


----------



## kimball




----------



## kimball (Feb 26, 2019)

So happy today!!
Really exciting!!


----------



## proedros

Lookout57 said:


> https://www.westerndigital.com/comp...unveils-worlds-fastest-1tb-uhs-i-microsd-card
> 
> Woohoo




wow , 1 TB is finally here

amazing.


----------



## elton7033

Whitigir said:


> DMP Z1 is the successor of Wm1Z or so...in performances.  You can be sure that even if new Walkman is out, the 1Z may not be too far behind in performances....practicality may be another point of view, but the new Walkman won’t be able to compete to DMP Z1 anytime soon.  That is just how I am seeing and observing it...Sony


I try to force my self to like the new SONY DMPZ1 but is just impossible for me to bring such a big box and goto work, i need something handy but offers better sound than my old AK.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Maybe for home use but definitely not for portable use.


Whitigir said:


> DMP Z1 is the successor of Wm1Z or so...in performances.  You can be sure that even if new Walkman is out, the 1Z may not be too far behind in performances....practicality may be another point of view, but the new Walkman won’t be able to compete to DMP Z1 anytime soon.  That is just how I am seeing and observing it...Sony


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

All is missing is a scarf.


kimball said:


>


----------



## Whitigir

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Maybe for home use but definitely not for portable use.


Nope, for home use, it is lacking of many many things x_X.  Only if you want semi-portable and an all in one device that can outperform wm1Z and more power to drive your full-size headphones 

This is my office rig 

I wanted to minimize my system, but it failed to impress me that way...I found myself going bigger and bigger every year


----------



## elton7033

Whitigir said:


> Nope, for home use, it is lacking of many many things x_X.  Only if you want semi-portable and an all in one device that can outperform wm1Z and more power to drive your full-size headphones
> 
> This is my office rig
> 
> I wanted to minimize my system, but it failed to impress me that way...I found myself going bigger and bigger every year


totally agree, the DMPZ1  is worst than a SRM727II with a 009 but more expansive, 900000yen can get you a bhse with 009


----------



## bana

kimball said:


>



Funny, but I bought that case and never really liked it. It's collecting dust somewhere.


----------



## equalspeace

Recently picked up another WM1A on the strength of update 3.01 and the hope for smoother sound with the Vinyl Processing feature and I have not been disappointed.


----------



## sne4me

Lexar, Micron, Sandisk: the 1tb $500 question. Which one are you going to get?


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Man that’s some serious stuff there. All I got is my HAP-S1





Whitigir said:


> Nope, for home use, it is lacking of many many things x_X.  Only if you want semi-portable and an all in one device that can outperform wm1Z and more power to drive your full-size headphones
> 
> This is my office rig
> 
> I wanted to minimize my system, but it failed to impress me that way...I found myself going bigger and bigger every year


----------



## nc8000

sne4me said:


> Lexar, Micron, Sandisk: the 1tb $500 question. Which one are you going to get?



I’ve never had a problem with Sandisk so I expect I’ll get one and also a 1TB full size SD


----------



## bflat

sne4me said:


> Lexar, Micron, Sandisk: the 1tb $500 question. Which one are you going to get?



Thank goodness for 4K videos and the endless line of amateur videographers! Without them, we would still be stuck with 64 GB cards.


----------



## Daxterous

Hi,
I have recently purchased a WM1A and 64 Audio U12T Headphones.

On my previous ZX2 with shure 846 the TRRS Silver Dragon Wire made a great difference to the sound.

Could I expect the same difference with this new player and headphone setup?
Or should I just be happy with the wire that came with the U12T.

I would appreciate any opinions.

Thanks


----------



## Whitigir

Daxterous said:


> Hi,
> I have recently purchased a WM1A and 64 Audio U12T Headphones.
> 
> On my previous ZX2 with shure 846 the TRRS Silver Dragon Wire made a great difference to the sound.
> ...


Cables make the differences, but it depends on a lot of factors.  You want to make sure that your cables as the last thing in your chain to synergies well with your system.  Some people can hear it, and some people can not.  A general rule is that if your wm1a is more neutral and your headphones is brighter, you get a warmer cables and so on...u get the thrill


----------



## iron2k (Mar 14, 2019)

Daxterous said:


> Hi,
> I have recently purchased a WM1A and 64 Audio U12T Headphones.
> 
> On my previous ZX2 with shure 846 the TRRS Silver Dragon Wire made a great difference to the sound.
> ...


I have WM1A and 64Audio U8, for me there was a great difference when upgraded the cable to a Toxic Cables Virus hybrid 24 awg or Effect Audio Ares II.

Personally I don't like the stock or even the premium cables from 64audio, the IEMs are great but the cables... meh.


----------



## rjoudrey

Can anyone tell me if there is any way to save a sound setting to an album like Neutron? I have an opportunity to buy a WM1A cheap but this is an important issue for me.


----------



## ryaneagon

rjoudrey said:


> Can anyone tell me if there is any way to save a sound setting to an album like Neutron? I have an opportunity to buy a WM1A cheap but this is an important issue for me.



Can't be done.


----------



## rjoudrey

That seems awfully incapable. With so many sound settings and only 3 presets. Does anyone find this restrictive?


----------



## ryaneagon

rjoudrey said:


> That seems awfully incapable. With so many sound settings and only 3 presets. Does anyone find this restrictive?



I don't. typically use direct mode 99% anyway, no eq. I do like the vinyl processor though and will use it some of the time on certain albums.


----------



## Edric Li

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...qxbz_1t00_ancma_1tbgb_extreme_plus_uhs_i.html

The future is now... Wonder if our wm1z can handle this


----------



## bflat

Edric Li said:


> https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...qxbz_1t00_ancma_1tbgb_extreme_plus_uhs_i.html
> 
> The future is now... Wonder if our wm1z can handle this



It should work, but I doubt WM1z has the internals to take advantage of A2 and U3 so it will default to A1 and U1. I personally would not pay the premium for a faster read/write performance since it has no bearing on audio quality.


----------



## Edric Li

And while we are on the topic of massive sd cards... Can we have the option to NOT scan the metadata before we can even browse and listen in folder view, Sony???


----------



## gerelmx1986

Svan after pc initial transfer is pretty fast, but wow 1TB from SanDisk wow. Was already speculating why no 512 gigger from SanDisk yet? And then this comes out, can't wait


----------



## mmwwmm

Edric Li said:


> And while we are on the topic of massive sd cards... Can we have the option to NOT scan the metadata before we can even browse and listen in folder view, Sony???


+1


----------



## marklivia

FYI    Amazon deal of the day- SanDisk Ultra 400 gb micro for $62!!!
https://smile.amazon.com/SanDisk-40...t_DLandingS_PC_f1e793a0_NA&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER


----------



## elton7033

new toy


----------



## ryaneagon

zardos said:


> Output impedance:
> 
> „WM1Z and the WM1A are 0.94 ohms and 0.92 ohms respectively“
> 
> https://pmrreviews.com/?p=1193



Reviewer doesn't mention 3.5 or 4.4 though. Anyone know?


----------



## bflat

ryaneagon said:


> Reviewer doesn't mention 3.5 or 4.4 though. Anyone know?



The THD and SNR measurements state single ended output so assume 3.5mm.


----------



## ryaneagon

Just wanted to give you guys a heads up. I've been having issues with my WM1Z, Shure 846 combination with the balanced output. I started out using a ALO Reference 8 cable (4.4) right out of the box with zero hours sounded fantastic, after around 50hrs of playback I started noticing the sonic signature between the 2 IEM's was off, I was getting less high end from the right ear bud. I'd never used the Sony single ended output, decided to pull out the stock Shure cable and troubleshoot. What I found is that using the single ended out, the sound was 'back to normal', I then tried a cheaper 4.4 balanced cable with the Shure's, same issue. 
I was able to rule out the ear buds, my friend had a set as well, sure enough the same thing as my set. 
I tried a few more IEM's and noticed the issue was barley there, actually I was searching for it. 

I ended up using the single ended out put after...So today, I've let the unit play (burn in) I've gone from 50hrs to 200hrs, but I was using the single ended out for the burn in, sound has changed a bit...I won't go in to that now, only to say for the better. 

I decided to test the balanced output again out of curiosity. This time the right side has barely any high end with the Shure's and with other higher ohm IEMs and headphones I was able to hear it as well. 

I contacted Sony today and told them my issue, they weren't able to walk me through any troubleshooting tips, as I think I did most. They are thinking the 4.4 output is faulty and is growing worse over time. They will be sending me a new unit, I'm hoping to have it in a couple weeks.


I'll let you know what I come up with. I'm really hoping it's my unit, I'd really like to start using the balanced output again. I hate that I will have to start from scratch though. (Unit burn in)


----------



## ryaneagon

bflat said:


> The THD and SNR measurements state single ended output so assume 3.5mm.



Thank you. I missed that.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

ryaneagon said:


> Just wanted to give you guys a heads up. I've been having issues with my WM1Z, Shure 846 combination with the balanced output. I started out using a ALO Reference 8 cable (4.4) right out of the box with zero hours sounded fantastic, after around 50hrs of playback I started noticing the sonic signature between the 2 IEM's was off, I was getting less high end from the right ear bud. I'd never used the Sony single ended output, decided to pull out the stock Shure cable and troubleshoot. What I found is that using the single ended out, the sound was 'back to normal', I then tried a cheaper 4.4 balanced cable with the Shure's, same issue.
> I was able to rule out the ear buds, my friend had a set as well, sure enough the same thing as my set.
> I tried a few more IEM's and noticed the issue was barley there, actually I was searching for it.
> 
> ...


I feel your pain. It’s not replacing with new 1Z that’s the problem, it’s redoing the burn in that’s the pain. Anyway burn in 4.4 will be worth it. Especially with good silver cable which match well with darker iem like Shure 846


----------



## ryaneagon

hamhamhamsta said:


> I feel your pain. It’s not replacing with new 1Z that’s the problem, it’s redoing the burn in that’s the pain. Anyway burn in 4.4 will be worth it. Especially with good silver cable which match well with darker iem like Shure 846



I was actually just thinking of ordering The Pure Silver Litz cable from ALO when I determine my issue. While I like the overall signature of the 846 I think a pure silver over the [4 strands of SPC / 4 strands of OCC copper Reference 8 cable] will brighten up the IEM's just a touch.


----------



## ryaneagon

ryaneagon said:


> Just wanted to give you guys a heads up. I've been having issues with my WM1Z, Shure 846 combination with the balanced output. I started out using a ALO Reference 8 cable (4.4) right out of the box with zero hours sounded fantastic, after around 50hrs of playback I started noticing the sonic signature between the 2 IEM's was off, I was getting less high end from the right ear bud. I'd never used the Sony single ended output, decided to pull out the stock Shure cable and troubleshoot. What I found is that using the single ended out, the sound was 'back to normal', I then tried a cheaper 4.4 balanced cable with the Shure's, same issue.
> I was able to rule out the ear buds, my friend had a set as well, sure enough the same thing as my set.
> I tried a few more IEM's and noticed the issue was barley there, actually I was searching for it.
> 
> ...





*Update*

So when I spoke with Sony about troubleshooting they had ask that I should reset the unit to the factory setting, I told them I did when In fact I didn't being I thought that there was no reason that could be the sound issue I'm experiencing, I really didn't want to rebuild my library and set the internal clock back to zero. 

I just reset the unit to factory came up with firmware 3.01, I decided to listen to the 4 stock tracks using the same 846's and balanced cable and switching to single ended as well. To my utter surprise they sounded nearly identical, actually balanced sounded a bit thicker! I decided to upload some of my test tracks that my ears were used to...Same thing none of the  sound issues I had before the factor reset were present....I'm most definitely confused as to how this would happen. 

I'm going to upload my entire library tonight and set the unit up to how I had everything before, I'll see what happens.


----------



## rjoudrey

Are most people happy with the Direct Source setting? I have the opportunity to buy a WM1A barely used for $500 and wondering if I will miss the ability in Neutron to save EQ settings for each album with my Hiby R6.


----------



## bitonio

rjoudrey said:


> Are most people happy with the Direct Source setting? I have the opportunity to buy a WM1A barely used for $500 and wondering if I will miss the ability in Neutron to save EQ settings for each album with my Hiby R6.


I am quite happy. I tried to go back a few times but I can't stop hearing a veil when outside Direct mode.
95% of my content is lossless (and most of it 16b/44.1Khz). It might improve things for lossy files.


----------



## rjoudrey

bitonio said:


> I am quite happy. I tried to go back a few times but I can't stop hearing a veil when outside Direct mode.
> 95% of my content is lossless (and most of it 16b/44.1Khz). It might improve things for lossy files.


All of my music is 16/44 - 24/96. Some 32 bit PCM as well.


----------



## Mindstorms

everyone with a wm1a in 3.01? or someone stayed 2.0? therad is pretty silent...


----------



## auronthas

elton7033 said:


> I believe Japanese product does have a better quality. Chinese high end dap also attempting but I personally distrust Chinese product lol


Japanese technology, made in Malaysia, QAQC is better than made in China. lol


----------



## auronthas

kimball said:


>


It looks cool... but will dust easily stick to alacantara case over time ?


----------



## jmills8

Hello, does this player has a "sub woofer" eq ? Meaning one can eq, increase only the sub woofer ?


----------



## auronthas

jmills8 said:


> Hello, does this player has a "sub woofer" eq ? Meaning one can eq, increase only the sub woofer ?


Not that I know off


----------



## auronthas

Want to know... if i reset to factory setting, will I need to go through the burn-in process from 0 hour again?  Currently mine is at 190 hours on balanced .


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 27, 2019)

ryaneagon said:


> *Update*
> 
> So when I spoke with Sony about troubleshooting they had ask that I should reset the unit to the factory setting, I told them I did when In fact I didn't being I thought that there was no reason that could be the sound issue I'm experiencing, I really didn't want to rebuild my library and set the internal clock back to zero.
> 
> ...


Have you tried firm 2.0? to see if this effect is only in 3.01?


----------



## ryaneagon

auronthas said:


> Want to know... if i reset to factory setting, will I need to go through the burn-in process from 0 hour again?  Currently mine is at 190 hours on balanced .



The clock will reset. Just keep In mind the the hours before you reset and apply.


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 27, 2019)

jmills8 said:


> Hello, does this player has a "sub woofer" eq ? Meaning one can eq, increase only the sub woofer ?


32hz band its the closer you can get to a sub woofer also changing firmware affects sound imo what firmware are you on? do you have 1Z?


----------



## ryaneagon

Midnstorms said:


> HAve you tried firm 2.0? to see if this effect is only in 3.01?



No. But after the reset I don't have the issue anymore, that is with 3.01. Like I said before, I'm kinda at a loss of why or what caused this issue. I Still have the ability to have a new one sent, not sure if I will or not...I'm going to listen for a good amount before I make that call.


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 28, 2019)

auronthas said:


> Want to know... if i reset to factory setting, will I need to go through the burn-in process from 0 hour again?  Currently mine is at 190 hours on balanced .


reset all settings should not mess with hs counter but wait for more answers... factory reset is diferent


----------



## Mindstorms

ryaneagon said:


> No. But after the reset I don't have the issue anymore, that is with 3.01. Like I said before, I'm kinda at a loss of why or what caused this issue. I Still have the ability to have a new one sent, not sure if I will or not...I'm going to listen for a good amount before I make that call.


can you describe a little bit more about what happened?


----------



## ryaneagon

Midnstorms said:


> reset all settings should not mess with hs counter but wait for more answers...



Setting back to  factory will set the clock back to zero, did a reset today.


----------



## auronthas

ryaneagon said:


> The clock will reset. Just keep In mind the the hours before you reset and apply.


Thanks, ya i understand the clock will reset.  My question was ... will the unit reset its sound and need to burn-in from scratch?


----------



## ryaneagon

Midnstorms said:


> can you describe a little bit more about what happened?



I described the issue a few pages back, sorry it was very long and don't have time at the moment to write again.


----------



## ryaneagon

auronthas said:


> Thanks, ya i understand the clock will reset.  My question was ... will the unit reset its sound and need to burn-in from scratch?



No. As you are 'burning' in the components.


----------



## aisalen

marklivia said:


> FYI    Amazon deal of the day- SanDisk Ultra 400 gb micro for $62!!!
> https://smile.amazon.com/SanDisk-40...t_DLandingS_PC_f1e793a0_NA&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER


I purchased one as it is a bargain already with that price. 

Also this one for protection as suggested from this thread few pages back. 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LD8X5SP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003WUBIZQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## ttt123

rjoudrey said:


> Are most people happy with the Direct Source setting? I have the opportunity to buy a WM1A barely used for $500 and wondering if I will miss the ability in Neutron to save EQ settings for each album with my Hiby R6.


You are the only one who can answer this question.  Other people's opinion is meaningless, and also, many people are very happy with using Direct, or with some of the Sony sound options enabled.  I personally have used both, and am happy with both ways.  But will you be happy?  Nobody can answer that question.  Of course you may just be asking a rhetorical question, not expecting an answer.  In that case, this is a good "no answer"!


----------



## Mindstorms

ryaneagon said:


> Setting back to  factory will set the clock back to zero, did a reset today.


I seaid reset all setings not factory


----------



## Mindstorms

auronthas said:


> Thanks, ya i understand the clock will reset.  My question was ... will the unit reset its sound and need to burn-in from scratch?


No you dont have to burn in again its a capacitor thing only if you never used balanced then if you start using it it begins from 0 since diferent capacitors...


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Feb 28, 2019)

Most of my music is 16/44.1" the rest ist 24/44.1 to 24/192 and DSD 2.8MHz. Been using the direct source most of the time, a few times I use the DSEE HX string, DC phase linearizer and vinyl turn table or arm resonance


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> Most of my music is 16/44.1" the rest ist 24/44.1 to 24/192 and DSD 2.8MHz. Been using the direct source most of the time, a few times I use the DSEE HX string, DC phase linearizer and vinyl turn table or arm resonance


dont you miss 2.0?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Midnstorms said:


> dont you miss 2.0?


Nope, i love 3.01, fast, nice sound. I have enugh bass for my taste


----------



## proedros

Midnstorms said:


> everyone with a wm1a in 3.01? or someone stayed 2.0? therad is pretty silent...



wm1a user here 

I had 2.0 for a long time and liked it , got curious and went for 3.01 and it's ok (3.0 was awful) 

plus i am using its DAC mode for my 24/96 albums on my 4 TB external disc - a very nice feature


----------



## Mindstorms

proedros said:


> wm1a user here
> 
> I had 2.0 for a long time and liked it , got curious and went for 3.01 and it's ok (3.0 was awful)
> 
> plus i am using its DAC mode for my 24/96 albums on my 4 TB external disc - a very nice feature


lol thanks for the reply maybe the worst part of 2.0 its the lack of resolution vs 3.01 and slower bass and worst stage but 2.0 is chilled and relaxed 3.01 its more analitical bass is thumping on 2.0 vs deeper on 3.01 its a tough choice dough couse some of my iems sound piercing on 3.01 not the bassy ones of course...


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 28, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Nope, i love 3.01, fast, nice sound. I have enugh bass for my taste


thanks! 3.01 maked me remember when i bought WM1A and it had no burning... maybe that is sony intended signature... I spended a lot more time on both now it will be awesome to hear some more opinions, it will be awesome if 3.02 had more thumping bass option via tone arm resonance, same awesome stage and a little deeper bass.. im guessing 2.0 had some of the vinil procesor embeded to it, if you listen carefully on 2.0 its like tone resonance its on... all the time vs. 3.01 you can disable the thing but bass for my taste gets laking i guess they embeded vinyl sound signature all the way from 1.20 and up.. I guess 1Z must be the perfect machine for this update but not 1A since i like a little more bass control.


----------



## Edric Li

proedros said:


> plus i am using its DAC mode for my 24/96 albums on my 4 TB external disc - a very nice feature



How to do that?


----------



## proedros

Edric Li said:


> How to do that?



install 3.01 , select dac mode and connect your wm1a with the usb cable provided(the one to transfer files) to your laptop/pc

then  just select/play the files on your pc/lptop's music player program (like foobar 2000) and hear via wm1a


----------



## Mindstorms

Anyone experienced the balanced issue where no sound out of balanced output? not that im experienced it but i certanly fear the day i conect a balanced iem... thats why I ask


----------



## aisalen

Midnstorms said:


> Anyone experienced the balanced issue where no sound out of balanced output? not that im experienced it but i certanly fear the day i conect a balanced iem... thats why I ask


Why do you think that it will happen?


----------



## Jalo

I am intending to buy the upcoming 1TB sandisk microsd card for my 1Z. I like to hear from anyone who may get it before me how it works and what format should we do with the card to make it runs better in the 1Z.  So so excited to have a 1.256 TB 1Z.


----------



## jmills8

Jalo said:


> I am intending to buy the upcoming 1TB sandisk microsd card for my 1Z. I like to hear from anyone who may get it before me how it works and what format should we do with the card to make it runs better in the 1Z.  So so excited to have a 1.256 TB 1Z.


So Sony says its dap will be able to read all those folders ?


----------



## Lookout57

Jalo said:


> I am intending to buy the upcoming 1TB sandisk microsd card for my 1Z. I like to hear from anyone who may get it before me how it works and what format should we do with the card to make it runs better in the 1Z.  So so excited to have a 1.256 TB 1Z.


Best bet is to format the card in the 1Z. That way it will be in the format the player likes best.


----------



## Jalo

jmills8 said:


> So Sony says its dap will be able to read all those folders ?


No, but theoretically all the new daps should be or are capable to read up to 2 TB.  That is the theoretical and practical limit of the microsd format.  That is why I ask.


----------



## DonIsGood

Hi All,

As a new owner of the Sony NW-WM1A, I now ask myself – what took me this long to pull the trigger!?

I love the WM1A so much that I went and bought the Sony Balanced Cable (MUC-S12SB1) to go between the WM1A and my existing Oppo PM-3 headphones… and that’s when the issue starts….

Does anyone know if the MUC-S12SB1 is suitable for all headphones? Or is its compatibility limited to Sony headphones only?

Reason for the query is that with the MUC-S12SB1 the sound comes through the PM-3 in mono with no left/right separation whatsoever (What the???)

Or is there some settings I need to adjust on the WM1A to enable L/R separation? I’ve tried “High Gain Output” with nil effect.

If anyone can share some light as to whether it’s the cable, the player, or my headphones, that would be greatly appreciated (and put my out of my misery). BTW, L/R separation broadcast beautifully via the 3.5mm jack

Many thanks.


----------



## Hyde8767 (Mar 1, 2019)

2 tb is the limit of sdxS format


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Hyde8767

Redcarmoose said:


>


Those are some great photos


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 1, 2019)

DonIsGood said:


> Hi All,
> 
> As a new owner of the Sony NW-WM1A, I now ask myself – what took me this long to pull the trigger!?
> 
> ...



I quickly looked at that cable. It’s a balanced cable for a 3.5mm balanced input. So it’s simple really. Your 4.4mm Pentaconn plug has 5 poles but only 4 are used. It’s +- then +- to the other end which is a balance 3.5mm plug that also has +- and +-. Your headphones are not balanced but single ended because they share a common ground for both right and left channels. So it would look like this ++- and the other end ++-. So it will not work.

So your best with a 3.5mm to 3.5mm standard single ended cable.

So your cable is specifically for the MDR-1A. In fact I just read about a member hooking his up with a balanced cable. There maybe other 3.5mm balanced plug headphones out there besides Sony, but I don’t know what they would be?

Your 1A will sound great single ended with your current headphones just get a regular 3.5mm to 3.5mm stereo cable.


----------



## Mindstorms

aisalen said:


> Why do you think that it will happen?


ive seen some reports of it thats why im asking lol


----------



## aisalen

Midnstorms said:


> ive seen some reports of it thats why im asking lol


And the solution is just a factory reset. Worst come to worse, you still have 3.5 output to use. I suggest to just enjoy the wm1a while you can, it is one of the best dap player out there.


----------



## bflat

Midnstorms said:


> ive seen some reports of it thats why im asking lol



If these types of "reports" bother you because of the expense and inconvenience that can come out of it, best advice is to not buy at all. Sort of like don't buy a house if you can't deal the inevitable maintenance that comes with it. Electronics fail, it's a fact of life. They also get stolen too, but it's amazing to me how there are so few "reports" about that.


----------



## ryaneagon

bflat said:


> If these types of "reports" bother you because of the expense and inconvenience that can come out of it, best advice is to not buy at all. Sort of like don't buy a house if you can't deal the inevitable maintenance that comes with it. Electronics fail, it's a fact of life. They also get stolen too, but it's amazing to me how there are so few "reports" about that.





Midnstorms said:


> Anyone experienced the balanced issue where no sound out of balanced output? not that im experienced it but i certanly fear the day i conect a balanced iem... thats why I ask



I had a similar issue with my balanced output. For some strange reason I was getting lower output and subdued highs, I spent a few weeks troubleshooting cables, IEM's. I finally called Sony support, they recommended I set my player back to factory settings, I was hesitant but ended up doing so, sure enough it fixed the issue. Not sure what may have caused it, my guess is it happened when upgrading to 3.01 when it was released but I can't be sure.

Sony was in the process of getting me a new unit (warranty) before this was resolved, kudos to their 2nd level tech team for troubleshooting tips. I'm also keeping an 'ear' on this issue, hoping it doesn't arise again if it does Sony has left the case open, allowing me to exchange the unit.


----------



## JML

DonIsGood said:


> Hi All,
> 
> As a new owner of the Sony NW-WM1A, I now ask myself – what took me this long to pull the trigger!?
> 
> ...



Double Helix Molecule, balanced and built for the WM1A and PM-3.


----------



## nc8000

ryaneagon said:


> I had a similar issue with my balanced output. For some strange reason I was getting lower output and subdued highs, I spent a few weeks troubleshooting cables, IEM's. I finally called Sony support, they recommended I set my player back to factory settings, I was hesitant but ended up doing so, sure enough it fixed the issue. Not sure what may have caused it, my guess is it happened when upgrading to 3.01 when it was released but I can't be sure.
> 
> Sony was in the process of getting me a new unit (warranty) before this was resolved, kudos to their 2nd level tech team for troubleshooting tips. I'm also keeping an 'ear' on this issue, hoping it doesn't arise again if it does Sony has left the case open, allowing me to exchange the unit.



This is very interresting as I’ve had exactly the same experience and didn’t really know what was happening. It only happened with my JH13 (not Z5 nor Z1R) where suddenly I had to have volume between 60 and 70 where as I’m normally at 50-55 and the whole sound was somehow fuzzy. I had had new 2-pin plugs fitted on my cable and thought that might be the reason but seeing these posts I realized it happened after going from FW 2.0 to 3.01 so I have just done a factory reset and now I’m back at volume 50 and no fuzzyness. Very strange


----------



## ryaneagon

nc8000 said:


> This is very interresting as I’ve had exactly the same experience and didn’t really know what was happening. It only happened with my JH13 (not Z5 nor Z1R) where suddenly I had to have volume between 60 and 70 where as I’m normally at 50-55 and the whole sound was somehow fuzzy. I had had new 2-pin plugs fitted on my cable and thought that might be the reason but seeing these posts I realized it happened after going from FW 2.0 to 3.01 so I have just done a factory reset and now I’m back at volume 50 and no fuzzyness. Very strange



I also forgot to mention, the Sony tech said I'm not the only person with this issue via WM1A/Z So I guess that's good and bad...

Weird that it only effected the balanced output not single ended.


----------



## hireslover

Does anyone use mp3 files at 192 kbps using wm1z? If so, how do they sound? Any recommendation?


----------



## ryaneagon

hireslover said:


> Does anyone use mp3 files at 192 kbps using wm1z? If so, how do they sound? Any recommendation?



Personally I don't care for anything below 320, 90% of my library is Red-book and Hi-res. I have tried the DSEE HX feature with 192 though, while it makes a sonic difference, not sure if it helped or not, I think the sound quality is depends ,ore on the quality of the production, mix and mastering though.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 1, 2019)

hireslover said:


> Does anyone use mp3 files at 192 kbps using wm1z? If so, how do they sound? Any recommendation?


I do, I listen to Cpop and about half of my songs are from 192 to 320 kbps; if the the recording is good then it should sound good. Use DSEEHX, Phase Linearizer, Vinyl Processor and EQ for even better sound quality. The other half I have are FLAC and DSD, I personally find they are comparable with regular FLAC, not too much quality difference, provided the recording is good. I think Sony has very good app converting MP3 files to almost CD quality. Again, I often use direct mode but recently use Sony app for fun: DSEEHX etc definitely make the sound quality better, clearer and I am just using JVC FX850 and ALO Ref8 cable. Try it yourself, I think you'll be surprised to hear how good it sounds when you play with EQ etc considering its 192-320 kbps.


----------



## mmwwmm

hireslover said:


> Does anyone use mp3 files at 192 kbps using wm1z? If so, how do they sound? Any recommendation?


Yes, I do. I download a lot of field recordings from the web (I love “field recordings”) and the most of the time the compressed files sounded incredibly natural through the 1Z. I use DSEE “strings” to get some more ”tactile” mids when the recording is a bit on the flat side but always the 1Z gives his analog magic to the mids of almost everything it touches.


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 1, 2019)

bflat said:


> If these types of "reports" bother you because of the expense and inconvenience that can come out of it, best advice is to not buy at all. Sort of like don't buy a house if you can't deal the inevitable maintenance that comes with it. Electronics fail, it's a fact of life. They also get stolen too, but it's amazing to me how there are so few "reports" about that.


Nothing bothers me i have plenty of money im a curious person friend... i dont have to worry about that things eventually i will get to the top of audio im just going step by step enjoing nuances of products,next sony release i may buy top tier stuff... never been solen anithing im my life i guess im a lucky guy also so  that doesent bothers me either just curious about the reports i read about balanced failing since its a really good quality product. As you can see my question helped some users to comunicate thats the hole point of being here...


----------



## Mindstorms

aisalen said:


> And the solution is just a factory reset. Worst come to worse, you still have 3.5 output to use. I suggest to just enjoy the wm1a while you can, it is one of the best dap player out there.


Thanks im enjoing it very much i agree about that.. my balanced output its never been used so haha may start using it soon


----------



## bflat

Midnstorms said:


> Nothing bothers me i have plenty of money im a curious person friend... i dont have to worry about that things eventually i will get to the top of audio im just going step by step enjoing nuances of products,next sony release i may buy top tier stuff... never been solen anithing im my life i guess im a lucky guy also so  that doesent bothers me either just curious about the reports i read about balanced failing since its a really good quality product. As you can see my question helped some users to comunicate thats the hole point of being here...



That's cool. A lot of folks here take 1 or 2 data points and proclaim wide spread design flaws. This seems to scale up with more expensive purchases.


----------



## gerelmx1986

hireslover said:


> Does anyone use mp3 files at 192 kbps using wm1z? If so, how do they sound? Any recommendation?


 use DSEE HX for these. In the past i used to have only 192 CBR MP3 and my Walkmen with DSEE on made these sound no different from CD rip 

But with WM1A sadly I cannot say much as since 2012 I own only FLAC, hi-res and DSD


----------



## DonIsGood

Redcarmoose said:


> I quickly looked at that cable. It’s a balanced cable for a 3.5mm balanced input. So it’s simple really. Your 4.4mm Pentaconn plug has 5 poles but only 4 are used. It’s +- then +- to the other end which is a balance 3.5mm plug that also has +- and +-. Your headphones are not balanced but single ended because they share a common ground for both right and left channels. So it would look like this ++- and the other end ++-. So it will not work.



Thanks Redcarmoose for taking the time to look up the wiring configs - greatly appreciated.

As far as I am aware, the PM-3 has an inbuilt balanced circuitry so in theory, it should work with balanced cable. Seeing that L/R Separation isn't working in this instance, and based on what you have mentioned, I can only guess that this Sony balanced cable isn't compatible with the PM-3, unfortunately.

Many thanks for looking up the circuitry once again.


----------



## DonIsGood

JML said:


> Double Helix Molecule, balanced and built for the WM1A and PM-3.



Thanks JML, that's one nice looking cable. Just wondering if oxidation would occur and changes the colour of the cable green?

I just did a search on ebay and found LQi Cables also produce WM1A - PM3 balanced cable (https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4-4mm-B...var=471493293612&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649) and based on some of the reviews I've read between the traps, LQi (https://lqicables.com) sounds like they make good cables also. If anyone can share some light between DHC vs. LQi cables, that would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou.


----------



## Mindstorms

bflat said:


> That's cool. A lot of folks here take 1 or 2 data points and proclaim wide spread design flaws. This seems to scale up with more expensive purchases.


i havent seen that much reports over wm1a failing but one user here in forum one day woked un and briked it dough his computer started failing too same day so i suspect i can be emp or magnetically related lol 2 things failing same day an apple computer and a wm1a... its really weird


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 2, 2019)

DonIsGood said:


> Thanks Redcarmoose for taking the time to look up the wiring configs - greatly appreciated.
> 
> As far as I am aware, the PM-3 has an inbuilt balanced circuitry so in theory, it should work with balanced cable. Seeing that L/R Separation isn't working in this instance, and based on what you have mentioned, I can only guess that this Sony balanced cable isn't compatible with the PM-3, unfortunately.
> 
> Many thanks for looking up the circuitry once again.


Actually I was just guessing that was the issue. But again it’s amazing at times when connections don’t line up. It would not be the first time Sony made a propitiatory style plug. So it sounds like there is balanced plugs. Though the connection in JML’s photo didn’t look 4.4mm?
https://m.ebay.com.au/itm/4-4mm-BALANCED-Cable-for-OPPO-PM3-Silver-Plated-Copper-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-zx300/172699178100?varId=471493293612&ul_ref=https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/705-53470-19255-0/1?type=4&campId=5338093425&toolId=10001&customId=jsrjxjtwmp01zlp1007ht&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fitm%2F4-4mm-BALANCED-Cable-for-OPPO-PM3-Silver-Plated-Copper-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-zx300%2F172699178100%3FssPageName%3DSTRK%253AMEBIDX%253AIT%26var%3D471493293612%26_trksid%3Dp2060353.m1438.l2649&srcrot=705-53470-19255-0&rvr_id=1878666755471&rvr_ts=3eb2a7371690ab1cab93d331ffdf4b7a&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&_mwBanner=1&_rdt=1&ul_noapp=true
Though it does look like your headphone accepts balanced it was just a misalignment with the Sony. I was completely wrong I apologize.


----------



## sne4me

mmwwmm said:


> Yes, I do. I download a lot of field recordings from the web (I love “field recordings”)



where do you recommend for finding field recordings?


----------



## equalspeace

Vinyl processor is so good. It really changes the character of the WM1A. The sound is more mid-bass, mid focused and not at all bright in the treble. Loving it


----------



## Whitigir

I thought it only add noises ?


----------



## ryaneagon

Whitigir said:


> I thought it only add noises ?



No.

Vinyl Processor “recreates the warm, rich playback of a record on a turntable.” And does a mighty fine job at it, least I think so.


----------



## equalspeace (Mar 2, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> I thought it only add noises ?



If you go to the Vinyl Processor setting in your DAP it says that it changes the sound sig to the "warm, rich playback of a record on a turntable". In other words it changes the sound of the WM1A to polar opposite characteristics. It's like having to two DAPs in one. Sounds like a more refined ZX2.


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 2, 2019)

equalspeace said:


> If you go to the Vinyl Processor setting in your DAP it says that it changes the sound sig to the "warm, rich playback of a record on a turntable". In other words it changes the sound of the WM1A to polar opposite characteristics. It's like having to two DAPs in one. Sounds like a more refined ZX2.


Only thing i wish is that they left more control in the bass region, the job they doned its awesome but i miss some of the dark character of 2.0 firmware agree that its like having two daps they could let the user have a little more control over the dap to finally recreate 2.0 warm sound with loads of bass.. and of course even get to 1.2 with the sacrifice of stage if necesary thats my 2 cents...

That way it will be a more compatible DAP and could variate from cold to warm signature from bright to bassy and a good way to achieve it its to add a tab maybe to the vynil procesor, or maybe to the tone arm resonance maybe two modes normal and strong or deep then the bass should go insane, i thing sony its not doing it couse ithey fear saturation too much... maybe you can damage an iem.. who knows... control should be on user side from my perspective to the no damage point... maybe they can add a two modes to the DSEE HX under standart, Boost low and boost high and low then DSEE would boost frec from 45hz and below actually i think 3.01 its fine in the 30HZ and below frec (you can really Feel that subbass on some songs o the point of tickle inside eardrums) and boost low high should do little boost also to the upper 17hz and above wich get lost in mp3 sorry im being borring (WM1A Speaking im not shure if this applys to 1Z that should sound at it best in 3.01) 2.0 had a distictive charasteristic if you lower the volume from 110 and down bass remained a lot... 3.01 scales all frecuencies more even to the pont there is no way to get more bass from some songs. well enough have a nice day thanks for reading lol


----------



## ryaneagon (Mar 2, 2019)

I personally prefer 'Direct Mode' I use Shure 846's mostly, they have ample amounts of bass. I really love their sound signature with the WM1Z. I also Like the vinyl processor on some album.


----------



## bitonio (Mar 3, 2019)

hireslover said:


> Does anyone use mp3 files at 192 kbps using wm1z? If so, how do they sound? Any recommendation?



I may have some on the “A”. If you have fairly capable head/earphone, it is just okay. 
Note: not all mp3 are equals, the ones I encoded with early encoders 20 years ago are really bad.

I am in the long process of ripping them again or rebuy cd or digital if the original is lost or scratched.

Try buying the cd or digital version, won’t make a dent in your Z budget


----------



## Mindstorms

ryaneagon said:


> I personally prefer 'Direct Mode' I use Shure 846's mostly, they have ample amounts of bass. I really love their sound signature with the WM1Z. I also Like the vinyl processor on some album.


Are you On 1Z? also what volume via SE right?


----------



## ryaneagon

Midnstorms said:


> Are you On 1Z? also what volume via SE right?



WM1Z

I use balanced and single end.


----------



## djricekcn

Is there any programs out there to embed cover / folder .jpg into the metadata and free?    Unless if I'm doing something wrong wm1z doesn't pickup cover.jpg / folder.jpg so a lot of album artwork is missing for me.


----------



## nc8000

djricekcn said:


> Is there any programs out there to embed cover / folder .jpg into the metadata and free?    Unless if I'm doing something wrong wm1z doesn't pickup cover.jpg / folder.jpg so a lot of album artwork is missing for me.



Mp3tag will do it. Also your jpg files have to be baseline as Sony can’t handle progressive jpg


----------



## Hyde8767

Is there any maximum resolution for embedded album art to display in 1a


----------



## ryaneagon

Hyde8767 said:


> Is there any maximum resolution for embedded album art to display in 1a



No. Just can't be progressive jpgs.


----------



## djricekcn

nc8000 said:


> Mp3tag will do it. Also your jpg files have to be baseline as Sony can’t handle progressive jpg


thanks, but this isn't exactly automatic unless if i'm doing something wrong.  I can only do one album at a time and appears I can't do multiple abumbs?  id on't mind selecting which item when ithas multiples, but I have to scan one, delete that off the list, scan again, delete off list, repeat.


----------



## nc8000

djricekcn said:


> thanks, but this isn't exactly automatic unless if i'm doing something wrong.  I can only do one album at a time and appears I can't do multiple abumbs?  id on't mind selecting which item when ithas multiples, but I have to scan one, delete that off the list, scan again, delete off list, repeat.



You can do batch processing


----------



## djricekcn

nc8000 said:


> You can do batch processing



and how do i go about that?  I can't seem to find it the Batch Processing option unless if it's called something else


----------



## Hyde8767

ryaneagon said:


> No. Just can't be progressive jpgs.


Thanks


----------



## nc8000

djricekcn said:


> and how do i go about that?  I can't seem to find it the Batch Processing option unless if it's called something else



Any operation you do with the tool buttons in the tool bar can operate on all selected files in the list of files so if you select your music root folder it will include all your music files and if you then use the Embed cover art from file tool it will embed the cover.jpg or what ever you call it folder by folder in the music files in each folder all in one operation


----------



## Nayparm

Whitigir said:


> I thought it only add noises ?



Haha  That would be more cool, the crackles of vinyl


----------



## Hyde8767

Nayparm said:


> Haha  That would be more cool, the crackles of vinyl


 that would be cool if it works in a similar way​


----------



## JML (Mar 3, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> Actually I was just guessing that was the issue. But again it’s amazing at times when connections don’t line up. It would not be the first time Sony made a propitiatory style plug. So it sounds like there is balanced plugs. Though the connection in JML’s photo didn’t look 4.4mm?
> https://m.ebay.com.au/itm/4-4mm-BALANCED-Cable-for-OPPO-PM3-Silver-Plated-Copper-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-zx300/172699178100?varId=471493293612&ul_ref=https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/705-53470-19255-0/1?type=4&campId=5338093425&toolId=10001&customId=jsrjxjtwmp01zlp1007ht&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fitm%2F4-4mm-BALANCED-Cable-for-OPPO-PM3-Silver-Plated-Copper-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-zx300%2F172699178100%3FssPageName%3DSTRK%253AMEBIDX%253AIT%26var%3D471493293612%26_trksid%3Dp2060353.m1438.l2649&srcrot=705-53470-19255-0&rvr_id=1878666755471&rvr_ts=3eb2a7371690ab1cab93d331ffdf4b7a&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&_mwBanner=1&_rdt=1&ul_noapp=true
> Though it does look like your headphone accepts balanced it was just a misalignment with the Sony. I was completely wrong I apologize.



It's a 4.4 balanced Eidolic plug for the Sony and a 3.5 balanced Eidolic plug at the other end that will fit into the PM-3 recess.  The one I have was his first for the PM-3 running balanced with the 4.4mm connector.  It's a standard choice now.  Double Helix Cables https://doublehelixcables.com can make just anything you want via the drop-down customization menus.  And there's no oxidation or color change with the cable.  Nothing like that has ever been reported for his cables!


----------



## djricekcn (Mar 3, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> Any operation you do with the tool buttons in the tool bar can operate on all selected files in the list of files so if you select your music root folder it will include all your music files and if you then use the Embed cover art from file tool it will embed the cover.jpg or what ever you call it folder by folder in the music files in each folder all in one operation


It sure isn't doing that for me.. It basically only takes the album on the very top of the list.

The way I do it
1) list the files
2) select all
3) tag sources
4) select either discogs or muzicbrai
5) search by box pops.. But only first album on the list it listed


Tried processing but stops after first album

If you're telling me to use the "wrench icon", that seems to be a Settings page...if that's still correct, i have no idea how to do it through this.


----------



## nc8000

djricekcn said:


> It sure isn't doing that for me.. It basically only takes the album on the very top of the list.
> 
> The way I do it
> 1) list the files
> ...



I point the program to the root folder for all my music, select all files in the list and then use the Quick action Import cover from file which then goes through each folder of music files and embeds the cover.jpg file I have in the folder into each music file in the folder


----------



## syke

JML said:


> It's a 4.4 balanced Eidolic plug for the Sony and a 3.5 balanced Eidolic plug at the other end that will fit into the PM-3 recess.  The one I have was his first for the PM-3 running balanced with the 4.4mm connector.  It's a standard choice now.  Double Helix Cables https://doublehelixcables.com can make just anything you want via the drop-down customization menus.  And there's no oxidation or color change with the cable.  Nothing like that has ever been reported for his cables!



I don't think anyone should be recommending Double Helix, unless you don't mind waiting till next year with no feedback whatsoever. Just look at the amount of complaints.


----------



## XP_98

bvng3540 said:


> This one can connect to mojo and hugo


Hello
Just bought a Hugo 2 : where did you buy such a nice and short WM1Z dongle to micro USB cable ?


----------



## mmwwmm

sne4me said:


> where do you recommend for finding field recordings?



I suggest at first to try this

https://www.quietamerican.org/disc_dm.html


And if you like it then look at this site.


https://acloserlisten.com/category/field-recording-soundscape/

There are a ton of interesting recordings


----------



## RobertP

ryaneagon said:


> No.
> 
> Vinyl Processor “recreates the warm, rich playback of a record on a turntable.” And does a mighty fine job at it, least I think so.


I'm starting to like "Standard" Vinyl Processor a lot. It changes none hi-res files sound signature to much closer to DSD counter part. The negative think about this is distortion. Cymbals lost some details. Mid are not as airy.


----------



## DonIsGood

Redcarmoose said:


> Actually I was just guessing that was the issue. But again it’s amazing at times when connections don’t line up. It would not be the first time Sony made a propitiatory style plug. So it sounds like there is balanced plugs. Though the connection in JML’s photo didn’t look 4.4mm?
> https://m.ebay.com.au/itm/4-4mm-BALANCED-Cable-for-OPPO-PM3-Silver-Plated-Copper-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-zx300/172699178100?varId=471493293612&ul_ref=https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/705-53470-19255-0/1?type=4&campId=5338093425&toolId=10001&customId=jsrjxjtwmp01zlp1007ht&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fitm%2F4-4mm-BALANCED-Cable-for-OPPO-PM3-Silver-Plated-Copper-sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a-zx300%2F172699178100%3FssPageName%3DSTRK%253AMEBIDX%253AIT%26var%3D471493293612%26_trksid%3Dp2060353.m1438.l2649&srcrot=705-53470-19255-0&rvr_id=1878666755471&rvr_ts=3eb2a7371690ab1cab93d331ffdf4b7a&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&_mwBanner=1&_rdt=1&ul_noapp=true
> Though it does look like your headphone accepts balanced it was just a misalignment with the Sony. I was completely wrong I apologize.


No worries and no need to apologise, all good. 

Yeah, I know what you mean re Sony liking to use proprietary connectors... I wish they use USB-C instead of their Data Sync cable for connection...


----------



## DonIsGood

JML said:


> It's a 4.4 balanced Eidolic plug for the Sony and a 3.5 balanced Eidolic plug at the other end that will fit into the PM-3 recess.  The one I have was his first for the PM-3 running balanced with the 4.4mm connector.  It's a standard choice now.  Double Helix Cables https://doublehelixcables.com can make just anything you want via the drop-down customization menus.  And there's no oxidation or color change with the cable.  Nothing like that has ever been reported for his cables!


Cool, and thanks JML, I'll look further into this. 

In the meantime, I will have to offload the MUC-S12SB1 balanced cable first...


----------



## bitonio

DonIsGood said:


> Cool, and thanks JML, I'll look further into this.
> 
> In the meantime, I will have to offload the MUC-S12SB1 balanced cable first...



You should be able to return it?
There are many aftermarket cable makers out there, very wide price range and keep in mind some have multiple weeks of lead time.
I made a list for myself recently, and shared it in a post.

The last one I order from LQi Cable, they were super fast, less than a week between the order and the delivery (I pick custom color and terminations, one being 4.4 pentaconn for the WM1). 

Good luck!


----------



## djricekcn

nc8000 said:


> I point the program to the root folder for all my music, select all files in the list and then use the Quick action Import cover from file which then goes through each folder of music files and embeds the cover.jpg file I have in the folder into each music file in the folder



Thank you


----------



## DonIsGood

bitonio said:


> You should be able to return it?
> There are many aftermarket cable makers out there, very wide price range and keep in mind some have multiple weeks of lead time.
> I made a list for myself recently, and shared it in a post.
> 
> ...


Many thanks for the link, love your post (and your remark that it's not for everyone lol). I'll definitely look into all the markers and will keep both LQi and DHC in mind. 

PS re return... as much as I want to, unfortunately, I bought the Sony cable from a brick & mortar shop (BIC Camera) whilst holidaying in Japan a few weeks ago, thus it's a bit far (and costly) to go back to return the cable...


----------



## Branduardi

Hello. I have a question I am excruciating about, but appears I cannot find an answer.

I have entry level Nw-A50 but it suits me well. Main use is with cradle as digital transport to external dac connected to my hifi.

Now I'm trying to understand, if I buy Nw-WM1A, will sound quality when used as a transport be better? I know it's a much higher end device, but I would like real world comparison between the two, as I'm not sure there would be a difference limited to this function. It's a matter of spending 1000€ and then maybe find there is no difference at all :0

Any experience is welcome


----------



## nc8000

Branduardi said:


> Hello. I have a question I am excruciating about, but appears I cannot find an answer.
> 
> I have entry level Nw-A50 but it suits me well. Main use is with cradle as digital transport to external dac connected to my hifi.
> 
> ...



I have not tried and don’t know but my guess is that for that use there will be very little if any difference


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 4, 2019)

Branduardi said:


> Hello. I have a question I am excruciating about, but appears I cannot find an answer.
> 
> I have entry level Nw-A50 but it suits me well. Main use is with cradle as digital transport to external dac connected to my hifi.
> 
> ...



From my experiences, yes, different DAP can bring different performances as a transport.  Given that you have the right cables to connect them.  It comes down to 2 reasons

1/ the build within the hardware such as power supply, the clocking system, and the DSP interfaces

2/ the playback App or software and Operation system

I don’t have the specifics and particular  comparison in between the A50 and 1A, but I have experienced with others, and even desktop PC.

All I can tell you is this

1/ if you buy a DAP for acting as a transport, you will not, get much of a differences (yet, it will be, but not worth it).  Not big differences from DAP to DAP as a mean of digital transportations.  For example, if you are using a $200 DAP, and jump up to a 1Z of $3K.  The differences isn’t worth it,  because simply for $2800, you can easily build yourself a dedicated PC system or even buy a dedicated streamer that fit your need *a dedicated transport
*
2/ if you are chasing the performances by every single %, and money is no objective, then you can just go ahead, make the purchase, and find out yourself.  I had been there, done that, and so I am telling you just this.

There are a lot of which can affect your sound performances when you are chasing every % with money being no objective, and if you want something that can also be portable too ? The best of them all is DMP-Z1, and I am not kidding.  It has everything you need, except it isn’t a dedicated full blown desktop, but it will have 0 problems outperforming other DAP or acting as the best portable transport


----------



## Branduardi (Mar 4, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> From my experiences, yes, different DAP can bring different performances as a transport.  Given that you have the right cables to connect them.  It comes down to 2 reasons
> 
> 1/ the build within the hardware such as power supply, the clocking system, and the DSP interfaces
> 
> ...




Well, first of all thank you for your insightful view on the topic it is very valuable to me.

To tell all the story, I had almost surrendered on the matter of usb-transported audio, because I couldn't be satisfied with it. This is before almost accidentally buying the Nw-A50, which undoubtably has me to applaude Sony. I had guilty ignored these fantastic devices till now.

Why I say this? Well, in my experience with usb audio, I couldn't resort to get a clean unadulterated audio signal comparable to that of a cd player, no matter what. First of all, pop/crackle when changing tracks or changing position within a track on the fly, and worst thing totally random sort of static and noise, especially with dsd and hires audio in general, and especially at the start of songs. Audio quality in itself was great when going, but these "dirty" interface problems just disturbed me or my ocd (LOL).

My equipment I think is above suspect, Carbon USB 1.5m cable and Marantz HD-Dac1 and Sa8005. I tried every Pc and Mac software available which I know of, on a variety of machines ranging from Macbook to a 8th generation i5 Intel Nuc with 16GB ram and Nvme ssd which I had assembled on the purpose and wanted to dedicate to audio only.

At this point, very deluded, I had sorted to go back to classic Cds and end of the story, until Sony Walkman arrived. It is indeed an amazing transport device that got me interested back again in USB audio.

So, as bizarre as it could sound, I'm thinking at this time that a Sony Walkman, although only being a portable device, could very well be the best transport for digital stored audio that I can think of.

So my question about quality of transport. I believe you are right in what you say, only mean to know how much difference it will make in my system is to try.

Unfortunately, I'm not in a cost-no-object situation, so I will maybe set myself on the WM1A, but first of all I want to try at all costs Sony desktop dac Ta-Zh1es. If what I heard with Nw-A50 is only a fraction of what I'll get with Zh1es, it will be a treat.


----------



## nc8000

Branduardi said:


> Well, first of all thank you for your insightful view on the topic it is very valuable to me.
> 
> To tell all the story, I had almost surrendered on the matter of usb-transported audio, because I couldn't be satisfied with it. This is before almost accidentally buying the Nw-A50, which undoubtably has me to applaude Sony. I had guilty ignored these fantastic devices till now.
> 
> ...



I use an Auralic Aries Mini with dedicated Auralic psu with a 2TB ssd over usb to feed my Sony TA amp/dac at home and that does an excelent job and gives me access to my entire library


----------



## Branduardi

nc8000 said:


> I use an Auralic Aries Mini with dedicated Auralic psu with a 2TB ssd over usb to feed my Sony TA amp/dac at home and that does an excelent job and gives me access to my entire library



Very interesting product. I had seen this quoted here and there, but never got serious info about it, because for some reason I was convinced there were no streamer able to output the audio stream over USB. I also imagine the convenience to control everything in remote. It could very well be the easy solution I'm looking for.

Is it smooth in gapless, changing tracks, etc.? Does it have a hint of silence when changing tracks or it start playing just straight? (this for example is a thing I don't suffer if I play tracks for front isb on Marantz gear grrr)


----------



## Hyde8767

Is the Chord Hugo 2 a good pairing with the wm1a


----------



## Whitigir

Branduardi said:


> Well, first of all thank you for your insightful view on the topic it is very valuable to me.
> 
> To tell all the story, I had almost surrendered on the matter of usb-transported audio, because I couldn't be satisfied with it. This is before almost accidentally buying the Nw-A50, which undoubtably has me to applaude Sony. I had guilty ignored these fantastic devices till now.
> 
> ...



So, the moral of the story is that you are and had been trying to use a PC to do the job of being a transport.  But it is noisy and brings crackles ?


----------



## nc8000

Branduardi said:


> Very interesting product. I had seen this quoted here and there, but never got serious info about it, because for some reason I was convinced there were no streamer able to output the audio stream over USB. I also imagine the convenience to control everything in remote. It could very well be the easy solution I'm looking for.
> 
> Is it smooth in gapless, changing tracks, etc.? Does it have a hint of silence when changing tracks or it start playing just straight? (this for example is a thing I don't suffer if I play tracks for front isb on Marantz gear grrr)



It is completely smooth gapless and I don’t detect any other noise or artefacts when playing. I’ve had it for near 3 years and I’m very happy with it.


----------



## Branduardi

Whitigir said:


> So, the moral of the story is that you are and had been trying to use a PC to do the job of being a transport.  But it is noisy and brings crackles ?



Yes exactly LOL

Not always  but ALWAYS when changing tracks or segment playing, no matter the pc, no matter the player software and no matter the dac (even when output from internal macbook speakers for example).

So I "temporarily" reverted to old school cd but now I'm discovering the unsuspectable quality  of Sony daps...
Next step anyway, I'm convinced I have to get a TA-ZH1ES °_°


----------



## echineko

I don't know about "have to get", you don't need it if you won't be using a home setup often, for example.

But it is good, can confirm


----------



## Branduardi (Mar 4, 2019)

echineko said:


> I don't know about "have to get", you don't need it if you won't be using a home setup often, for example.
> 
> But it is good, can confirm



Yes, I want it to use in my speaker setup 

How is 44.1 to dsd conversion anyway? I hope to revitalize my cd library.


----------



## echineko

I didn't really notice, as most of my tracks are already lossless, so I didn't feel a big jump up. Overall SQ was a step up from the Walkman line for sure, as could be expected.


----------



## Whitigir

Branduardi said:


> Yes exactly LOL
> 
> Not always  but ALWAYS when changing tracks or segment playing, no matter the pc, no matter the player software and no matter the dac (even when output from internal macbook speakers for example).
> 
> ...



A PC without dedicate Built PSU is very noisy .  Well, enjoy your Walkman  , wm1z can be used as an excellent transport, so the 1A must also be


----------



## Lookout57

Another 1TB microSD card announced https://www.micron.com/products/memory-cards/consumer-microsd-cards.

It will be interesting to see who ships first Sandisk or Micron and which will be cheaper.


----------



## Whitigir

Lookout57 said:


> Another 1TB microSD card announced https://www.micron.com/products/memory-cards/consumer-microsd-cards.
> 
> It will be interesting to see who ships first Sandisk or Micron and which will be cheaper.



I would wait for Samsung, they are the first to admit the cell interferences that degrade the quality of the memory card beside Sony


----------



## marklivia

Could you be more clear on what your'e trying to say about the degradation of memory cards? Thanks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Probably he means noises added to the music


----------



## XP_98

Did someone try the Fiio L27 cable to connect a Sony WM1Z to Hugo 2 ?
On the Fiio site, they show a chart saying "the new version is not compatible with mojo", but they don't list the Hugo 2.
Otherwise, isn't 6 cm length a bit short as they don't have the same size ?


----------



## kel77

XP_98 said:


> Did someone try the Fiio L27 cable to connect a Sony WM1Z to Hugo 2 ?
> On the Fiio site, they show a chart saying "the new version is not compatible with mojo", but they don't list the Hugo 2.
> Otherwise, isn't 6 cm length a bit short as they don't have the same size ?



I've tested it and it does not work with the Chord products.


----------



## XP_98

kel77 said:


> I've tested it and it does not work with the Chord products.


Good to  know !... Thank you for avoiding me a wrong buy


----------



## Stealer

On the subject of albums being merged together when they have the same album name..
And someone did recommend using the "albumsort " in the Mp3tag, so I was wondering did anyone tried it.
I just tried it and found it dont work on my WM1A.. 
   I have 3 albums titled "Love Songs" by Aaron Neville, Carpenters & Al Jarreau... 
So I guess that all I have to do is include the artist name into the albumsort cell, and that didnt work ...
Anyone???


----------



## marklivia

Yea, I've got an album called "Greatest Hits" with like 7 artists and over a hundred songs in it! How do I fix this? I tried changing the titles of each but that made no difference........


----------



## nc8000

marklivia said:


> Yea, I've got an album called "Greatest Hits" with like 7 artists and over a hundred songs in it! How do I fix this? I tried changing the titles of each but that made no difference........



You have to have a different Album tag for each album. If the Album tag is identical all songs will be lumped into one Album


----------



## marklivia

Forgive my ignorance but what is an "album tag"? Thanks for your help !


----------



## nc8000

marklivia said:


> Forgive my ignorance but what is an "album tag"? Thanks for your help !



All the information about a song is stored in tags in the file like Artist (name of the artist), Track (title of the track), Album (name of the album) and so on and these tags are then what is used to show the music in the various views on the player


----------



## Lookout57

Albums are sorted by Album title and then Sort Album Artist tags.

I use the setting to list Artist by Album Artist and then for albums that are collections or contain multiple artists I use Various for the Album Artist and Sort Album Artist.

That way I'll see in the Album list Greatest Hits multiple times but each one will be unique based on the Album Artist and Sort Album Artist tags.

Otherwise browse by folder.


----------



## marklivia

I don't mean to be dense but I can't seem to get these 7 Greatest Hits albums to separate. Where do I go to make whatever changes I need to make to allow the 1Z to differentiate one album fro m the rest? Right now Tom Petty's Greatest hits has 93 songs in it! HELP!!


----------



## nc8000

marklivia said:


> I don't mean to be dense but I can't seem to get these 7 Greatest Hits albums to separate. Where do I go to make whatever changes I need to make to allow the 1Z to differentiate one album fro m the rest? Right now Tom Petty's Greatest hits has 93 songs in it! HELP!!



You need a tag editor like mp3tag (for Windows) and then you need to delete the files on the player, edit the tags on the computer and then copy the files back to the player


----------



## SoLame

Stealer said:


> On the subject of albums being merged together when they have the same album name..
> And someone did recommend using the "*albumsort* " in the Mp3tag, so I was wondering did anyone tried it.
> I just tried it and found it dont work on my WM1A..
> I have 3 albums titled "Love Songs" by Aaron Neville, Carpenters & Al Jarreau...
> ...


I saw the post about *that*, so tried it and it didn't work for me either. As soon as I renamed and used the same Album Title/Name for multiple albums, despite them having different "albumsort" tag, my music are displayed under one album on my NW-WM1, as well as on my NW-ZX2. Maybe that trick doesn't use with Sony's(?).


----------



## marklivia

Also, I'm on a Mac, not a PC.


----------



## nc8000

marklivia said:


> Also, I'm on a Mac, not a PC.



There are many tag editors for Mac as well, I just don’t know any as I’m pc and Windows


----------



## Lookout57

marklivia said:


> Also, I'm on a Mac, not a PC.


I use Kid3 https://kid3.sourceforge.io which is free and Metadatics http://www.markvapps.com/metadatics $9.99 in Mac App Store.

I mainly use Kid3 for quick tag edits and Metadatics for bulk tag and album art changes.


----------



## ayang02

Lookout57 said:


> I use Kid3 https://kid3.sourceforge.io which is free and Metadatics http://www.markvapps.com/metadatics $9.99 in Mac App Store.
> 
> I mainly use Kid3 for quick tag edits and Metadatics for bulk tag and album art changes.



+1 Kid3 on Mac


----------



## rabidsquid

marklivia said:


> Also, I'm on a Mac, not a PC.


Meta is quite nice: https://www.nightbirdsevolve.com/meta/


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 8, 2019)

I just one to make shure everyone knows how happy I am with the 3.01 staging! Its really credible and fun! even on SE i think its awesome! Also detail retrieval its way better than 2.0 you can really pinpoint sounds more acurately, just need some more bass but im planing to go balanced maybe that will help.
If anyne has some good iem sugestions. i will be thankfull.


----------



## bflat (Mar 9, 2019)

A quick note and opinion for airlines and IFE (In-Flight Entertainment)

I mostly fly Alaska Airlines to the tune of 75-100K miles per year. Alaska is going to obsolete built in IFE and go the route of BYOD so you can use your tablet, PC, phone to watch videos via wifi streaming. They are even changing seat backs with adjustable docks to hold your tablet or phone so you don't have to use your tray. I think this is the future for IFE and makes for a better experience, especially the audio. Now, you can use your Sony DAP in either DAC mode hard wired to your tablet, or wireless with BT receive mode. In either case, audio will be orders of magnitude better than the noisy, crappy built in IFE audio. To to mention, I've come across numerous built in 3.5mm jacks that were completely worn out and in some cases have a broken off tip still embedded inside. The built in screens of most IFE systems are really bad too compared to your average tablet. IMHO, wireless is the way to go so you don't have to deal with cables from seat to seat back. In fact, the new seat backs are designed to plug your tablet of phone into a USB port to keep the battery fully charged.




I think this is a great evolution that gives a longer useful life of Sony DAPs. There are flagship DAPs today that don't have BT receive mode (I'm looking at you AK). On the flip side, wireless headphones would be the most convenient for travel and the audio quality continues to improve. Having said that, I still find the wired output of the WM1z still superior by a fairly large margin against state of the art wireless headphones, even with compressed sources like AAC.


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 9, 2019)

bflat said:


> A quick note and opinion for airlines and IFE (In-Flight Entertainment)
> 
> I mostly fly Alaska Airlines to the tune of 75-100K miles per year. Alaska is going to obsolete built in IFE and go the route of BYOD so you can use your tablet, PC, phone to watch videos via wifi streaming. They are even changing seat backs with adjustable docks to hold your tablet or phone so you don't have to use your tray. I think this is the future for IFE and makes for a better experience, especially the audio. Now, you can use your Sony DAP in either DAC mode hard wired to your tablet, or wireless with BT receive mode. In either case, audio will be orders of magnitude better than the noisy, crappy built in IFE audio. To to mention, I've come across numerous built in 3.5mm jacks that were completely worn out and in some cases have a broken off tip still embedded inside. The built in screens of most IFE systems are really bad too compared to your average tablet. IMHO, wireless is the way to go so you don't have to deal with cables from seat to seat back. In fact, the new seat backs are designed to plug your tablet of phone into a USB port to keep the battery fully charged.
> 
> ...


Awesome


----------



## Quadfather

Is it a good idea to turn battery saver setting off occasionally to "recalibrate" the battery?


----------



## Branduardi (Mar 10, 2019)

Hello. What is the ultimate word, after latest fw update, about WM1A vs WM1Z?

I'm choosing between the two, WM1Z would be a mighty madness on my part in regards to budget (I just got TA-ZH1es), but if it's the one to get I could wait and aim to that.

I'm also fearing that Sony will announce new models soon, it's Walkman 40th after all this year. Which time of the year would that happen in your opinion?


----------



## nc8000

Branduardi said:


> Hello. What is the ultimate word, after latest fw update, about WM1A vs WM1Z?
> 
> I'm choosing between the two, WM1Z would be a mighty madness on my part in regards to budget (I just got TA-ZH1es), but if it's the one to get I could wait and aim to that.
> 
> I'm also fearing that Sony will announce new models soon, it's Walkman 40th after all this year. Which time of the year would that happen in your opinion?



I’ve never heard the 1A, went straight for the 1Z since I could afford it at the time thinking I might as well go for the top and only cry once. Have at no point regretted doing it but don’t doubt that the 1A is also very good and no doubt a financially saner buy


----------



## Branduardi

nc8000 said:


> I’ve never heard the 1A, went straight for the 1Z since I could afford it at the time thinking I might as well go for the top and only cry once. Have at no point regretted doing it but don’t doubt that the 1A is also very good and no doubt a financially saner buy



I know what you mean very well... I always end up spending more than if I got the best model right away 

But as portable listening will be minor in my listening routine (mainly will use the WM as transport to zh1es) I wonder if it's worth it. If budget wasn't an issue, I would get wm1z just for the gold plated and heavy copper chassis... must be beautiful.

I'd like to know something more about sound comparison, I've read many reviews but I know it changed quite a bit with latest fw update.


----------



## AmusedToD

Branduardi said:


> I know what you mean very well... I always end up spending more than if I got the best model right away
> 
> But as portable listening will be minor in my listening routine (mainly will use the WM as transport to zh1es) I wonder if it's worth it. If budget wasn't an issue, I would get wm1z just for the gold plated and heavy copper chassis... must be beautiful.
> 
> I'd like to know something more about sound comparison, I've read many reviews but I know it changed quite a bit with latest fw update.



If you will be using the 1A/1Z as transport to the TA, then go for the 1A as the 1Z will make no difference there.

If you have portability in mind - the 1A is the better choice again, as it’s much lighter than the 1Z.

The 1Z is the better sounding DAP (better internals, cables and all), but some say it’s just different from the 1A and not necessarily better, but only you can be the judge of that. To my ears it is better, but is it worth the difference in price? 

I use the 1A as a transport to the TA, or as a DAP with my IEMs and I’m perfectly happy with it.


----------



## nc8000

Branduardi said:


> I know what you mean very well... I always end up spending more than if I got the best model right away
> 
> But as portable listening will be minor in my listening routine (mainly will use the WM as transport to zh1es) I wonder if it's worth it. If budget wasn't an issue, I would get wm1z just for the gold plated and heavy copper chassis... must be beautiful.
> 
> I'd like to know something more about sound comparison, I've read many reviews but I know it changed quite a bit with latest fw update.



As a home source for the TA I can highly recommed the Auralic Aries Mini. Have had mine for 3 years and love it. I use my 1Z at the hotel for my 100-150 travelling nights per year and at home at night


----------



## gerelmx1986

The MDR Z1R  isolate quite good  better than the XBA-Z5


----------



## Branduardi (Mar 10, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> As a home source for the TA I can highly recommed the Auralic Aries Mini. Have had mine for 3 years and love it. I use my 1Z at the hotel for my 100-150 travelling nights per year and at home at night



Aries Mini is a very interesting product. I'm just attracted by the sleekness of a full Sony set-up. Also space is a constraint, I put the Sony dock or the Auralic.

Have you by chance compared the performance of them as transport to zh1es?

I suppose the Auralic would be more convenient to use with its app, when seating on sofa compared to the docked walkman (even if 99% of times I listen to full albums).

Also, I don't say wm1a wouldn't have its use at home when laying on bed or during insomniac nigths...


----------



## nc8000

Branduardi said:


> Aries Mini is a very interesting product. I'm just attracted by the sleekness of a full Sony set-up. Also space is a constraint, I put the Sony dock or the Auralic.
> 
> Have you by chance compared the performance of them as transport to zh1es?
> 
> ...



I never tried the 1Z as a transport and the storage capacity is way too small, I have a 2TB ssd in the Auralic nearly full.


----------



## Branduardi

Cool setup  

Aries has a very small footprint, but I wouldn't put one on top of the other, I'm ocd about this lol


----------



## Hyde8767

Astell and Kern sp1000m vs Sony wm1z
Which one to buy
Will be used sometimes as a transport with McIntosh ma9000 amp and with headphones


----------



## ttt123

Quadfather said:


> Is it a good idea to turn battery saver setting off occasionally to "recalibrate" the battery?


To "recalibrate" a lithium battery, the instructions are to fully discharge it first, and then fully charge it.  The battery saver mode only limits the full charge to around 80%, and prevents charging to 100%, which is more stress on the battery.  So whether the battery saver mode is on or off, it should have no relationship to recalibrating.   

As far as my experience, I have seldom run across a need to recalibrate.  The times I have done it, were when I thought the battery indicatior was not indicating properly, then I might do a recalibration.


----------



## 480126 (Mar 10, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> I never tried the 1Z as a transport and the storage capacity is way too small, I have a 2TB ssd in the Auralic nearly full.


What´s the Name of the Docking/charging Station 1z?


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 10, 2019)

Branduardi said:


> Hello. What is the ultimate word, after latest fw update, about WM1A vs WM1Z?
> 
> I'm choosing between the two, WM1Z would be a mighty madness on my part in regards to budget (I just got TA-ZH1es), but if it's the one to get I could wait and aim to that.
> 
> I'm also fearing that Sony will announce new models soon, it's Walkman 40th after all this year. Which time of the year would that happen in your opinion?


Here you can read a ton of opinions I havent heard the 1Z but i guess its a matter of sound balance that counts there if you prefer bass maybe you should consider 1Z i guess much goes in iem and headphone pairing as well.. if you have praised iems headphones maybe 1z will be better if you dont have such equipment maybe 1A is sufficient it is common knoledge here 1Z has better bass... and better internals if you really want that... go for it there are some users here that have both but some of them wont help you when you need them... (with information) some will.. you must make a balance if you need the extra bass?, will you be traveling much? 1A its definitly more discrete and lighter than 1Z.
Also having the TA I have read that its better than both Z and A in term of resolution and staging so... you will be paying twice just to get the bass i will get an awesome 2000 iem or headphone (ror wait for next gen) rather than a 1Z in that case but maybe its just me... sinergy its important... if I had the 1Z i will make a full review of both in all 4 firmwares to see if one is closer to another.. but i dont have both. Only zx100 and wm1a for me zx100 its enough  on the go... since it has 50hs battery and also sound its ok... better tone than a phone good staging soso power soso bass... compared to 1A wich really crush it but i dont want to take out 1A will remain at home.. thats just me.. also you can get a goo used 1A here there are user selling 1Z for 2000us i thing.. almost new units


----------



## SoLame

Frida309 said:


> What´s the Name of the Docking/charging Station 1z?


I think it's the STD-NWU10.


----------



## 480126

SoLame said:


> I think it's the STD-NWU10.


Yes, thanks.


----------



## Mindstorms

has anyone noticed an increment in quality when playing flac files using DAC vs normal playing like more volume and resolution? will it be due to the process of reading the file? or its the same?


----------



## BlendS

Midnstorms said:


> has anyone noticed an increment in quality when playing flac files using DAC vs normal playing like more volume and resolution? will it be due to the process of reading the file? or its the same?



I haven't noticed a difference, it should be the same (or at least, very similar).


----------



## Mindstorms

BlendS said:


> I haven't noticed a difference, it should be the same (or at least, very similar).


Thank you i notice a diference maybe that i changed the eq after playing the flac and equalice via VST plugs on desktop maybe that but if someone noticed something it will be nice to know


----------



## Aeskualpio

New MW1A owner here. 
Less than 2 hours of burn in so I won’t comment on SQ, other than top say “wow”.
I’m trying to solve a particular issue, has anyone connected their 1A/1Z to an iPad Pro with the USB-C?
I tried a USB-C hub that works normally with both my MacBook Pro and iPad Pro, but Dac mode doesn’t seem to work.
I’m on FW 3.01 and my iPad Pro is on the latest iOS release.


----------



## Mindstorms

Aeskualpio said:


> New MW1A owner here.
> Less than 2 hours of burn in so I won’t comment on SQ, other than top say “wow”.
> I’m trying to solve a particular issue, has anyone connected their 1A/1Z to an iPad Pro with the USB-C?
> I tried a USB-C hub that works normally with both my MacBook Pro and iPad Pro, but Dac mode doesn’t seem to work.
> I’m on FW 3.01 and my iPad Pro is on the latest iOS release.


What IOS?


----------



## Aeskualpio

Midnstorms said:


> What IOS?




 iOS 12.1.4


----------



## Aeskualpio

bflat said:


> A quick note and opinion for airlines and IFE (In-Flight Entertainment)
> 
> I mostly fly Alaska Airlines to the tune of 75-100K miles per year. Alaska is going to obsolete built in IFE and go the route of BYOD so you can use your tablet, PC, phone to watch videos via wifi streaming. They are even changing seat backs with adjustable docks to hold your tablet or phone so you don't have to use your tray. I think this is the future for IFE and makes for a better experience, especially the audio. Now, you can use your Sony DAP in either DAC mode hard wired to your tablet, or wireless with BT receive mode. In either case, audio will be orders of magnitude better than the noisy, crappy built in IFE audio. To to mention, I've come across numerous built in 3.5mm jacks that were completely worn out and in some cases have a broken off tip still embedded inside. The built in screens of most IFE systems are really bad too compared to your average tablet. IMHO, wireless is the way to go so you don't have to deal with cables from seat to seat back. In fact, the new seat backs are designed to plug your tablet of phone into a USB port to keep the battery fully charged.
> 
> ...


 

I fly about 75k miles on Delta and the SQ out of the IFE is consistently horrible.
Those screens are never cleaned and I run into broken or disabled units about 30% of the time.
A fully loaded iPad is your friend, but I sure wish they’d implement what you are showing Alaska will be doing. So smart and useful.
Cheers


----------



## djricekcn

Aeskualpio said:


> New MW1A owner here.
> Less than 2 hours of burn in so I won’t comment on SQ, other than top say “wow”.
> I’m trying to solve a particular issue, has anyone connected their 1A/1Z to an iPad Pro with the USB-C?
> I tried a USB-C hub that works normally with both my MacBook Pro and iPad Pro, but Dac mode doesn’t seem to work.
> I’m on FW 3.01 and my iPad Pro is on the latest iOS release.


 Does the Apple product have the drivers needed?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 10, 2019)

400 GB on the way, so hopefully storage will not be an issue?
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-ier-z1r.23390/reviews#review-21713


----------



## Aeskualpio

djricekcn said:


> Does the Apple product have the drivers needed?


 
IPad’s don’t take drivers per se, things are sort of plug and play.
I’ve connected other DAC/AMPs to the iPad Pro without difficulty.
I suppose I could use in BT mode, but was hoping I could connect the 1A wired


----------



## bflat

Aeskualpio said:


> IPad’s don’t take drivers per se, things are sort of plug and play.
> I’ve connected other DAC/AMPs to the iPad Pro without difficulty.
> I suppose I could use in BT mode, but was hoping I could connect the 1A wired



See my post here:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1701#post-14602670

I am using the Sony WMP-NWM10 micro USB adapter and a plain USB-C to micro short cable. Unfortunately the WMP-NWM10 is going for >$50 now. I paid $15 a few months ago. You may want to try a USB-C to female USB A adapter with your included Sony cable. USB-C has OTG built in so just need the right adapters.


----------



## Aeskualpio

bflat said:


> See my post here:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1701#post-14602670
> 
> I am using the Sony WMP-NWM10 micro USB adapter and a plain USB-C to micro short cable. Unfortunately the WMP-NWM10 is going for >$50 now. I paid $15 a few months ago. You may want to try a USB-C to female USB A adapter with your included Sony cable. USB-C has OTG built in so just need the right adapters.



Thanks brother.
I will try that in the morning.
Enjoying my testing playlist too much right now

Cheers


----------



## Sleepow

Hi,

I am sure this is available in the thread, but could not find it:
Can the WM1 be used as usb DAC with in iPhone (X)?
And if so, what does one need?
Cheers


----------



## zardos

Sleepow said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am sure this is available in the thread, but could not find it:
> Can the WM1 be used as usb DAC with in iPhone (X)?
> ...



Yes, use a Camera Connection Cit and the WM1 cable. You also may connect iPhone X with WM1 without any cables via Bluetooth.


----------



## auronthas (Mar 12, 2019)

Wonder if WM1A provide Aptx HD codec in next firmware update?  (Hmm.. looks like already included in Firmware 3.0 lol)

Recently I received my Bluetooth 5.0 optical transmitter/receiver (Qualcomm CSR 8675 chip) with SPDIF input to my Cambridge Audio DacMagic then to my Krell Integrated Amp.

I manage to pair my Samsung Note 8 via SBC codec (still try to learn how to connect via Aptx codec, appreciate if anyone know how to do it at Developer Option? ) with this Bluetooth receiver.  Sound from my HIFI is not bad.  Only if I can get a better sound transmission codec...



Edited: First paragraph


----------



## Whitigir

Isn’t AptX HD special to Qualcomm SOC on specific types ? Not sure if the one being used in WM series are using such


----------



## Redcarmoose

auronthas said:


> Wonder if WM1A provide Aptx HD codec in next firmware update?  (Hmm.. looks like already included in Firmware 3.0 lol)
> 
> Recently I received my Bluetooth 5.0 optical transmitter/receiver (Qualcomm CSR 8675 chip) with SPDIF input to my Cambridge Audio DacMagic then to my Krell Integrated Amp.
> 
> ...


The 1A only supplies output to the headphone output after receiving BT. Also the 1A would be nice as a file player for my Cambridge Audio DACMagic plus (I own); but the 1A does not become recognized. Still it sounds like your going to enjoy BT streaming out from the 1A. Enjoy! 

What many of us wanted was BT receiving and digital out from the 1A at the same time. Maybe someday with an update?


----------



## Branduardi

Doesn't you need USB camera connector on iPad pro as on the iPhone?

Anyway, I have nw-A55, it supports LDAC on bluetooth and I tried from my Galaxy S8, but for some reason I found way better results with AAC fed by iPhone 6s.

It was the first time for me using LDAC, but I had tried AptxHD in the past with some bt speakers, and also found AAC from iPhone superior also in that case.


----------



## nc8000

Branduardi said:


> Doesn't you need USB camera connector on iPad pro as on the iPhone?
> 
> Anyway, I have nw-A55, it supports LDAC on bluetooth and I tried from my Galaxy S8, but for some reason I found way better results with AAC fed by iPhone 6s.
> 
> It was the first time for me using LDAC, but I had tried AptxHD in the past with some bt speakers, and also found AAC from iPhone superior also in that case.



For me ldac from 1Z is considerably better than aac from iPhone8 when going to the Sony W1000XM3


----------



## Branduardi

nc8000 said:


> For me ldac from 1Z is considerably better than aac from iPhone8 when going to the Sony W1000XM3



I was speaking of using the walkman as a receiver and aptxHd and aac sources. Don't doubt the 1Z as source will be better than the galaxy s8.


----------



## nc8000

Branduardi said:


> I was speaking of using the walkman as a receiver and aptxHd and aac sources. Don't doubt the 1Z as source will be better than the galaxy s8.



Ahh


----------



## Aeskualpio

Branduardi said:


> Doesn't you need USB camera connector on iPad pro as on the iPhone?
> 
> Anyway, I have nw-A55, it supports LDAC on bluetooth and I tried from my Galaxy S8, but for some reason I found way better results with AAC fed by iPhone 6s.
> 
> It was the first time for me using LDAC, but I had tried AptxHD in the past with some bt speakers, and also found AAC from iPhone superior also in that case.



The new iPad Pro (2018 revision) is USB-C not Lightning connector, so you don’t need the Camera Connector kit.
You would for the current iPhone.
I connected the WM1A to my Apple TV this morning and played a variety of media (music, YouTube, movies). Great sound and really enjoyable

Cheers


----------



## Branduardi

Aeskualpio said:


> The new iPad Pro (2018 revision) is USB-C not Lightning connector, so you don’t need the Camera Connector kit.
> You would for the current iPhone.
> I connected the WM1A to my Apple TV this morning and played a variety of media (music, YouTube, movies). Great sound and really enjoyable
> 
> Cheers



Interesting I didn't know. So what cables to connect iPad pro to walkman using the latter as USB dac, for example for Tidal?

Is there a way to use audiophile cables to use walkman as USB dac (for example audioquest carbon)?


----------



## auronthas

Redcarmoose said:


> The 1A only supplies output to the headphone output after receiving BT. Also the 1A would be nice as a file player for my Cambridge Audio DACMagic plus (I own); but the 1A does not become recognized. Still it sounds like your going to enjoy BT streaming out from the 1A. Enjoy!
> 
> What many of us wanted was BT receiving and digital out from the 1A at the same time. Maybe someday with an update?


Thanks, I am delighted and enjoying the lossless music  (24 bit 96khZ) transmitted from WM1A to this Bluetooth receiver via Aptx HD codec.  Then SPDIF output from this Bluetooth receiver to SPDIF input to DacMagic via toslink cable. It's been a while I didn't listen to my home HIFI system after getting WM1A. lol

My existing SONOS Connect only support up to 16 bit 44.1kHz (CD quality) sound.


----------



## auronthas

Whitigir said:


> Isn’t AptX HD special to Qualcomm SOC on specific types ? Not sure if the one being used in WM series are using such


From AptX website, there is not stated WM series having AptX HD codec, but only ZX300 has AptX HD feature...

https://www.aptx.com/products?field..._aptx_type_tid=483&field_product_brand_tid=25

But just now I tested my WM1A, my lossless music is transmitted via AptX HD too.


----------



## auronthas (Mar 12, 2019)

Branduardi said:


> Interesting I didn't know. So what cables to connect iPad pro to walkman using the latter as USB dac, for example for Tidal?
> 
> Is there a way to use audiophile cables to use walkman as USB dac (for example audioquest carbon)?



For USB DAC, you can use this customized WMport to USB-C cable, try to search them at AliExpress , Taobao or any online store...


----------



## Aeskualpio

Branduardi said:


> Interesting I didn't know. So what cables to connect iPad pro to walkman using the latter as USB dac, for example for Tidal?
> 
> Is there a way to use audiophile cables to use walkman as USB dac (for example audioquest carbon)?



HeadFier @bflat shared this link to a post he made about connecting his WM1A wired to the iPad Pro.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1701#post-14602670

I have the WM Port to micro-USB female and a USB-C to Micro-USB OTG cable in bound from Amazon.

Cheers


----------



## LeFaucon

@nanaholic : « Ergo, what is actually the demand for expensive flagship DAPs in Western markets? « 
ENORMOUS !!!
Indeed


----------



## LeFaucon

fish1050 said:


> Maybe Sony could melt C3PO and use him for the casing.  At least Sony could then claim it does come with android.



EX-CEL- LENT !!!


----------



## Mal Waldron

Does anyone know any store to buy a Musashino Label leather case for our DAP that make international shipments? Thank you!


----------



## JML

Just got a 512GB Samsung card ($129 Amazon) after filling up my 256MB card and the internal storage.  AIF files and hi-res versions do take up plenty of space!


----------



## marklivia

I have the same storage and I've got most of the pertinent parts of my collection in the palm of my hand. Like 1100 albums or whatever! All in glorious AIFF or Hi Res. I'm loving this dap.


----------



## mosika

I have been used ZX300 with Andromeda and Alo litz 4.4mm balance cable. It doesn’t have hiss, sound good. 






Now I upgrade to WM1Z. I disappointed because on WM1Z 4.4mm balance port show a lot of background noise. It hurts my ear when I listened for a while. On 3.5mm unbalance port WM1Z it’s less hiss. Is it normally? 






How can I fix? Maybe This paring doesn’t match. I think, should I try WM1A next? Anyone using WM1A with Andromeda 4.4mm balance, Are there any hiss?

Or I should go back ZX300 which one perfect match Andromeda on 4.4mm balance port?


----------



## SoLame

mosika said:


> I have been used ZX300 with Andromeda and Alo litz 4.4mm balance cable. It doesn’t have hiss, sound good.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Umm..I use many combinations of IEMs (including K10 Encore, a pretty efficient IEM) and multiple upgraded cables with my 1z and I've never heard 'hissing' either from the balanced or single-ended jack. How old is your 1z? Maybe burn-in will help (?).


----------



## mosika

SoLame said:


> Umm..I use many combinations of IEMs (including K10 Encore, a pretty efficient IEM) and multiple upgraded cables with my 1z and I've never heard 'hissing' either from the balanced or single-ended jack. How old is your 1z? Maybe burn-in will help (?).








I also use Sony IER-M9. It’s so quiet background. I burn-in WM1Z over 500 hours.


----------



## SoLame

mosika said:


> I also use Sony IER-M9. It’s so quiet background. I burn-in WM1Z over 500 hours.


What's your gain settings? I wonder if that has something to do with the noise you heard when using Andro + ALO litz cable.

Forgot to ask: did you hear hissing all the time?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 15, 2019)

mosika said:


> I have been used ZX300 with Andromeda and Alo litz 4.4mm balance cable. It doesn’t have hiss, sound good.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





SoLame said:


> Umm..I use many combinations of IEMs (including K10 Encore, a pretty efficient IEM) and multiple upgraded cables with my 1z and I've never heard 'hissing' either from the balanced or single-ended jack. How old is your 1z? Maybe burn-in will help (?).



Well it is strange? I have the Encore too, and no hissing, though I only use it single ended. Everything else 4.4m.

Though everyone has a different hearing potential. I’m not sure I remember anyone ever describing hissing with any IEM with the 1A or 1Z? I wonder what it would be? Though it seems 3.5mm single ended is acceptable for you? So you use an adapter or different 4.4mm cable?

Are you using firmware 3.01?

You know there are high and low gain settings......right?

I would say keep trying other IEMs and cables, as it could have something wrong with the cable. I would bet it’s the cable. If not the cable? Hmmm?

Also take note, the 4.4mm capacitors are unstable until burn-in.


----------



## mosika

SoLame said:


> What's your gain settings? I wonder if that has something to do with the noise you heard when using Andro + ALO litz cable.
> 
> Forgot to ask: did you hear hissing all the time?



This is my gain setting.











I hear hissing all time, when I plug in cable and display shows up hissing start. While I listen songs although I turn volume down until zero hissing still shows.


----------



## Redcarmoose

mosika said:


> This is my gain setting.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You should try a different cable after 200 hours of burn in. This is extremely critical, but I did notice volume fluctuations in the early burn in hours. Sony’s explanation is the capacitors need 200 hours of burn in to stabilize.


----------



## mosika

Redcarmoose said:


> Well it is strange? I have the Encore too, and no hissing, though I only use it single ended. Everything else 4.4m.
> 
> Though everyone has a different hearing potential. I’m not sure I remember anyone ever describing hissing with any IEM with the 1A or 1Z? I wonder what it would be? Though it seems 3.5mm single ended is acceptable for you? So you use an adapter or different 4.4mm cable?
> 
> ...








I using firmware 3.01.

On the 3.5mm single ended hissing is acceptable. I also use low gain settings all the time.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 15, 2019)

mosika said:


> I using firmware 3.01.
> 
> On the 3.5mm single ended hissing is acceptable. I also use low gain settings all the time.



Wow, you have burn-in time too?

There could be some issue with your IEMs too. Not CA, but I’ve read of wrongly wired IEMs. Just try cable first. Different IEMs next. Then finally try a different player. You could have dog hearing; it’s a blessing really!


----------



## superuser1

mosika said:


> I using firmware 3.01.
> 
> On the 3.5mm single ended hissing is acceptable. I also use low gain settings all the time.


Is resetting the device an option you would like to try?


----------



## mosika

Redcarmoose said:


> You should try a different cable after 200 hours of burn in. This is extremely critical, but I did notice volume fluctuations in the early burn in hours. Sony’s explanation is the capacitors need 200 hours of burn in to stabilize.



I already burn in 530 hours. And I try to use MMCX IER-M9 stock 4.4mm balance cable with my andromeda. It's still hissing but lesser that Alo litz cable.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 15, 2019)

mosika said:


> I already burn in 530 hours. And I try to use MMCX IER-M9 stock 4.4mm balance cable with my andromeda. It's still hissing but lesser that Alo litz cable.



It’s less due to the possible change in cable material properties. Different cables have different capacitance. I would again try a different 1Z, and a different set of IEMs. Your player could be defective, but stuff like that is rare. My money is on your hearing being incredibly accurate, but it’s strange that you become fatigued? Still you need to change out IEMs and 1Z players at this point.

Only because your Andromeda is a fairly often used IEM, which we would have heard about.


----------



## mosika

superuser1 said:


> Is resetting the device an option you would like to try?



I have ever tried to reset since my WM1Z around 100 hours burn in. But still the same.


----------



## auronthas (Mar 15, 2019)

mosika said:


> Anyone using WM1A with Andromeda 4.4mm balance, Are there any hiss?


Hi Mosika, I don't have WM1Z, but I don't hear any hissing or background noise on my WM1A with 4.4mm balanced ALO Reference 8 (copper) cable Andromeda, high gain setting ,  volume at 30-35. 200-hour burn-in.

ALO Litz cable is silver plated copper could be 'brigher' than pure copper , if you have copper cable, please try .  Also to check your mmcx connection if they are loose ?


----------



## mosika

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s less due to the possible change in cable material properties. Different cables have different capacitance. I would again try a different 1Z, and a different set of IEMs. Your player could be defective, but stuff like that is rare. My money is on your hearing being incredibly accurate, but it’s strange that you become fatigued? Still you need to change out IEMs and 1Z players at this point.
> 
> Only because your Andromeda is a fairly often used IEM, which we would have heard about.



Thanks but on MMCX IER-M9 stock cable hissing cannot acceptable too doesn’t like on 3.5mm single end.


----------



## SoLame

mosika said:


> I already burn in 530 hours. And I try to use MMCX IER-M9 stock 4.4mm balance cable with my andromeda. It's still hissing but lesser that Alo litz cable.


You have already put 530 hours on the player and you mentioned earlier that you didn't hear hissing when you use the IER-M9. I wonder how many hours you used the Andro during that burn-in process. In fact, I also wonder if you bought your 1z brand new.


----------



## mosika

SoLame said:


> You have already put 530 hours on the player and you mentioned earlier that you didn't hear hissing when you use the IER-M9. I wonder how many hours you used the Andro during that burn-in process. In fact, I also wonder if you bought your 1z brand new.



I bought Andromeda before M9 1 year. I used it with my iPhone X, AK240 and ZX300 before I bought WM1Z and M9.


----------



## SoLame

mosika said:


> I bought Andromeda before M9 1 year. I used it with my iPhone X, AK240 and ZX300 before I bought WM1Z and M9.


Since you bought your 1z player brand new, I think you should talk to the dealer/seller. Ask them if you can try another 1z and see if you have the same problem. If not, they should help you get a replacement as that can imply that your player is faulty. Good luck.


----------



## LeFaucon

nanaholic said:


> The ZX1 also outputs 15mW+15mW, runs Android and has about half the battery time of the ZX2, but also uses a smaller battery due to the much slimmer chasis (Japanese users had calculated it to be under 1000mAH), while the ZX2 gets double the battery life with an industry person confirming that its battery capacity is double that of the ZX1 at 1880mAh - and it gets roughly double that of the running time of the ZX1.  So to get double the battery life such that the device meets the requirement of CEO Kaz's "must last a cross Atlantic flight on one charge", they put a bigger battery of double capacity in there and that's about it, is all pretty straight forward maths/engineering. Of course Sony's not going to tell you "well we didn't increase the power output of the headphone out to meet our CEO's request" because that would be extremely bad PR, but again if you look at the spec it's straight forward maths/engineering.
> 
> Now that we know the WM1A/Z outputs 4 times as much power on SE in a body that is roughly the same as the ZX2 - battery tech certainly hasn't improved that much since the release of the ZX2 and we are already able to see the internal of the WM1A/Z already from all the photos and they haven't hollowed out all the components to put in the biggest battery in there, so the reduced power drain must be attributed to the things that did change even in light of the massive increase of power output.  Which means it's either the removal of the WiFi radio (unlikely - test conditions almost never turns on WiFi for DAPs) or the OS (very likely, since you can't turn off the OS).  So by logical deduction it's going to be the OS, there's almost no other way to get around this conclusion.
> 
> Plus it's no secret that Android is a battery hog in the IT world, and pretty much all the DAPs which runs on Android on the market now struggles with more than 10hrs playback time.  So it's pretty obvious what is to blame here.



So much peremptory assertions and statements from you since I read this thread... you are THE ONE who KNOWS for sure...! Thank you so much for that !


----------



## ddmt

mosika said:


> I bought Andromeda before M9 1 year. I used it with my iPhone X, AK240 and ZX300 before I bought WM1Z and M9.



Is that a stock or modded WM1Z?


----------



## mosika

ddmt said:


> Is that a stock or modded WM1Z?



Original WM1Z, Just one month.


----------



## ddmt

mosika said:


> Original WM1Z, Just one month.



Have you tried your Andro on other 1Z?


----------



## Redcarmoose

ddmt said:


> Have you tried your Andro on other 1Z?



Exactly you need to go to a Sony store and plug your IEMs into another 1Z. Not sure if I fully understand your cable set-up, but I do believe it’s true that a silver cable could accentuate the hiss. Combine that small hiss with someone who also has amazing hearing and you may get your results. High pitch hearing decreases with age. I’m 57 and have been to a bunch of loud concerts, so I’m sure if I ever had high pitched hiss I would not notice it. All tube amps and turntable preamps have a small amount of noise. Turntable preamps from ground hum, and it can not be removed. Tube amps naturally have a hum, all of them do. 

It has to do with how you deal with it psychologically. But we have never heard of a hum with the 1Z on this thread?


----------



## blazinblazin

Andro is a very sensitive IEM.
Sometimes it just detect things that other IEM can't hear.


----------



## syke

There is no hiss with the Andro+WM1Z. Contrary to what most would claim here, I really don't think CA is up to scratch with their production. I had to replace my Andro 3 times, each time a new set with a different set of faults. So much so, I gave up on them and the new replacement I got is now chucked away in the corner. 



mosika said:


> This is my gain setting.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Redcarmoose

syke said:


> There is no hiss with the Andro+WM1Z. Contrary to what most would claim here, I really don't think CA is up to scratch with their production. I had to replace my Andro 3 times, each time a new set with a different set of faults. So much so, I gave up on them and the new replacement I got is now chucked away in the corner.



Often you hear about CA production variances.


----------



## Music junky

Super lutz!


----------



## Music junky

Andromeda and Solaris.


----------



## bflat

mosika said:


> I also use Sony IER-M9. It’s so quiet background. I burn-in WM1Z over 500 hours.



I tried the Andromeda S when it first came out. My experience is:

1) No hiss on balanced or SE output.
2) Not a good impedance match. I thought the overall sound was loose and elevated mid bass and rolled off treble. The majority of Andro owners state 2 Ohm output is optimal with lower Z sounding like what I observed. I also tried using an iFi IEMatch with adds some resistance and can confirm it did improve the sound, but still short of what an ideal Andro 2 Ohm matching can do. I don't have the official output impedance spec for 1z but I would bet is is under 1 Ohm.


----------



## beaux

all999 said:


> What headphones / earphones are You getting those issues on?
> 
> I'm getting low clicks while changing volume over 70 but audible only when music paused. Also getting clicks when changing format / clock.
> 
> MDR-EX1000 and SE


Hi
I have this problems in both my wm1a/wm1z. I suspect it is caused by software.


----------



## beaux

giovvanie said:


> I don’t think so , if other people have a same experience . It’s really shame that expensive device behaves so odd .... Also same here i haven’t got any hum or pop / crack sound with my HD800 ( except balanced ) , even HD800 on balanced behaves same as other my iems ... I’m currently on Rose BR5 mk2 , they are very sensitive iems , but that much background hum i’m getting through balanced output simply  disclaims me of comfort listening experience, i can easy forget about listen to the jazz because of that .... SE output no background hum ( white noise however you call it ) only those pop crack sound wih volume and dsd ... Sony has disappointed me ...


So do I. I hear pops from right piece when I turn volume up from 70 to 120 and from left piece when I turn down from 120. Pop noise gets louder as volume goes up but is only noticeable when volume is 70 up.


----------



## nc8000

beaux said:


> Hi
> I have this problems in both my wm1a/wm1z. I suspect it is caused by software.



This has been discussed in this thread a long time ago and seems to be normal


----------



## PointyFox

Didn't hear any hiss with my Andromeda CK on a WM1A.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Tried a WM1Z in Berlin at a Sony shop, doesn't sound that different from wm1a  but I feel that solo instrumentsl music it adds something special to the sound that captivated me.

I also tried the MDR-Z7M2, didn't like the metallic tint to the sound, very fatiguing


----------



## 480126

Witch dac/amp is better as Sony WM1a? Price 1000-2000 $ for Desktop with HD800S? Any recommendation ?


----------



## aisalen

Frida309 said:


> Witch dac/amp is better as Sony WM1a? Price 1000-2000 $ for Desktop with HD800S? Any recommendation ?


Feedback from this thread point to Sony TA-ZH1ES Headphone Amplifier if you like 1A and more better.


----------



## 480126

aisalen said:


> Feedback from this thread point to Sony TA-ZH1ES Headphone Amplifier if you like 1A and more better.


Thanks. I know the ta zh1es (from Papier). I‘m looking for alternative dap/amp


----------



## equalspeace

Pure bliss with my Yamaha EPH-200. These Japanese earphones love this Japanese DAP.


----------



## elton7033

equalspeace said:


> Pure bliss with my Yamaha EPH-200. These Japanese earphones love this Japanese DAP.


Yamaha earphone are actually very good for its price but is sad that not much people knows what is it overseas


----------



## ttt123

elton7033 said:


> Yamaha earphone are actually very good for its price but is sad that not much people knows what is it overseas


A bit of nostalgia - I still have a pair of Yamaha HP-1 Orthodynamic (planar) headphones, which were released in 1975.  They were quite expensive, selling for US$200 back then!  A couple of years ago, I ran across articles on how to refurbish the head strap, and that people were still using them, and looking for old headphones to restore, and consequently they still had a resale value.   Which was a real surprise to me.


----------



## elton7033

ttt123 said:


> A bit of nostalgia - I still have a pair of Yamaha HP-1 Orthodynamic (planar) headphones, which were released in 1975.  They were quite expensive, selling for US$200 back then!  A couple of years ago, I ran across articles on how to refurbish the head strap, and that people were still using them, and looking for old headphones to restore, and consequently they still had a resale value.   Which was a real surprise to me.



The hp1 is a classic, I just searched up in internet and it used to be like 11000yen back in Japan in 1976 and that’s a lot of money back then...I can imagine in the USA it will be more expensive. Maybe you can try to plug it in your modern gear to see does it sounds even better, although I doubt that the wm1a can handle planar headphone well lol


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 19, 2019)

After careful consideration I must suggest that anyone on the edge of upgrading from the 1A to 1Z should instead try the IER-Z1R and 1A combination. In 4.4mm balanced mode with stock cable the joining brings most of the 1Z magic to the table. In some aspects it's even a better combination than the IER-Z1R and 1Z combination. Obviously this depends on desired sound signature and how the IER-Z1R IEMs fit.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-ier-z1r.23390/reviews


The IER-Z1R takes the 1A to prior-unknown levels of performance in my opinion.


----------



## shootertwist

since tidal on ios now does masters via MQA, does it mean i can bypass the ios limitation by using the wm1a as  dac? i tried it and it says "PCM 96khz" does that mean it works? sorry very new to this MQA thing thanks


----------



## Dtuck90

shootertwist said:


> since tidal on ios now does masters via MQA, does it mean i can bypass the ios limitation by using the wm1a as  dac? i tried it and it says "PCM 96khz" does that mean it works? sorry very new to this MQA thing thanks



Yes that means it’s working


----------



## sne4me (Mar 20, 2019)

Listening to Royksopp - Royksopp from a vinyl to wm1A.

its a bit whack the 500gb microsd cards are going for $130 and the 1000gb microsd cards are at preorder above $500


----------



## proedros

Redcarmoose said:


> After careful consideration I must suggest that anyone on the edge of upgrading from the 1A to 1Z should instead try the IER-Z1R and 1A combination. In 4.4mm balanced mode with stock cable the joining brings most of the 1Z magic to the table. In some aspects it's even a better combination than the IER-Z1R and 1Z combination. Obviously this depends on desired sound signature and how the IER-Z1R IEMs fit.
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-ier-z1r.23390/reviews
> 
> ...




what a terrific review , if i were SONY i would give this to you for free , seeing how much hard work you put in it 

(again a certain reviewer comes to mind which a)gets everything for free , and b) his reviews are as lazy as can be - plus everything he reviews is always the best thing - until his next review which is the bext thing until the next and on and on)


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> what a terrific review , if i were SONY i would give this to you for free , seeing how much hard work you put in it
> 
> (again a certain reviewer comes to mind which a)gets everything for free , and b) his reviews are as lazy as can be - plus everything he reviews is always the best thing - until his next review which is the bext thing until the next and on and on)



Thank-you!

Well, the review was easy as it’s a personal feeling. The review was written on the 4th, now it’s the 20th and my recent post above is simply telling of the amazing combo the 1A and IER-Z1R. Though in reality there may be more flaws in the IER-Z1R. I’ll leave those remarks and impressions for others to share.


----------



## Mindstorms

Anyone can tell me what are the correct specs for a charger for WM1A? thanks in advance (voltage and amp (mah))


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> Anyone can tell me what are the correct specs for a charger for WM1A? thanks in advance (voltage and amp (mah))



Any usb charger should do


----------



## bflat

nc8000 said:


> Any usb charger should do



Sony spec sheet for 1a/z states USB 2.0 compliant so that is 5V and 500mA. Any USB port on a PC or laptop will work and any charger that is 5V and >= to 500mA will also work. Using a charger with >500mA current rating will not charge any faster on the 1a/z, but would be more convenient to use with other devices that can take advantage of higher current.


----------



## proedros

if you have the usb cable , just get a simple usb charger and you are good to go


----------



## Erfan Elahi

mosika said:


> I have been used ZX300 with Andromeda and Alo litz 4.4mm balance cable. It doesn’t have hiss, sound good.
> 
> Now I upgrade to WM1Z. I disappointed because on WM1Z 4.4mm balance port show a lot of background noise. It hurts my ear when I listened for a while. On 3.5mm unbalance port WM1Z it’s less hiss. Is it normally?


In my experience, hissing depends on the record too. Also, have tired to tune the equalizer to stabilize the hiss slightly...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 21, 2019)

Erfan Elahi said:


> In my experience, hissing depends on the record too. Also, have tired to tune the equalizer to stabilize the hiss slightly...



Well mastered recorded music will have tape hiss, unless digitally recorded. Tape hiss is actually something you want to hear, as in a good master it can show that it’s all there frequency wise.

Hiss can actually come from so many places. Guitar amps can come into play or even effects make hiss at times on digital recordings. 

What we are taking about it is hiss with files paused. Hiss from the amp, or something from the cable or IEM.


----------



## Mindstorms

Thanks both! on charger question


----------



## ttt123

bflat said:


> Sony spec sheet for 1a/z states USB 2.0 compliant so that is 5V and 500mA. Any USB port on a PC or laptop will work and any charger that is 5V and >= to 500mA will also work. Using a charger with >500mA current rating will not charge any faster on the 1a/z, but would be more convenient to use with other devices that can take advantage of higher current.


It is not that simple.  USB 2.0 compliant means that it has the USB 2.0 chipset, which will transfer data at USB 2.0 speed.  If implemented on a PC, USB 2.0 standard  is limited to 500 mAh current (0.5 amps) max out of one port.  However, this current limitation does not apply on a USB Charger.  A decent charger can put out 2.4A  from each USB socket.  An iPad will not even charge if the output is less than 1+ amp.  The WM1x, and most devices, phones, etc., will pull anywhere from .1 to 1.5-2+ amps from a charger.  So if plugged into a charger, it will pull more current, and charge faster, than if plugged into a PC.  I've just done a quick check on my WM1Z, and with the battery indicator one bar down (almost full), it is drawing .76 amp, as a Charger Doctor circuit shows.  This is a little dongle that plugs into  the charger output, and then you plug the WM1Z into the Charger Doctor, and it will show the voltage and current going though it.

The USB implementation on a PC is meant primarily for data transfer, with USB power as a secondary feature, so the USB2.0 spec limits the current output to .5amp, IF the manufacturer is following the spec.  They do not have to, and some PCs will allow more current from the USB 2.0 output.


----------



## marklivia

I recently was able to purchase the 1Z DAP and the Z1R phones from a gentleman for an insanely low price (although still far above my financial comfort zone, but I took the plunge!). If you haven't read Redcarmoose's review of the new Z1R IEM and the Sony "ecosystem" above, I highly recommend you do. Sony created these statement pieces to have a synergy with each other and my new setup does just that and exactly as Redcarmoose describes. The ability to separate the instruments in a recording the way this setup does is AMAZING. Just listen to Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone". Very cluttered recording but I can clearly hear each artists input clearly and distinctly. So natural, organic sounding- like music. Not hyper clinical or analytical but like music. I've always thought the best audiophiles were musicians (although very few are for some reason). They know what live music should sound like. 
I digress. I have however, elevated Redcarmoose to master reviewer in regards to all things Sony. He is completely spot on. And I want to tell anyone that is considering the stretch to somehow buy these stellar audio toys to figure out how to make it happen. You will be happy. 

PS also having over 700GB of my collection at my fingertips and insanely good battery life is the icing on the cake!


----------



## roses77

Midnstorms said:


> Anyone can tell me what are the correct specs for a charger for WM1A? thanks in advance (voltage and amp (mah))


I use the 5A 2 or 2.1 USB amp to charge my WM1Z. You can also use an iPad charger or Samsung USB charger as well.


----------



## RobertP (Mar 22, 2019)

Silver plated cables are more sensitive to hiss than copper cables. I did some experiments with them for my A18t and found that 22 gauge SPC cable or thicker are a must to avoid hissing.
With a thinner 26 gauge copper cable, I didn't get any hiss.


----------



## RobertP (Mar 22, 2019)

Erfan Elahi said:


> In my experience, hissing depends on the record too. Also, have tired to tune the equalizer to stabilize the hiss slightly...


Must avoid mp3 format. Most of hisses are from them if any. I'm replacing them with 24bits FLACs or DSDs.
FYI, firmware v3.01 with those thin OEM SPC cables might not be a good combo.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 22, 2019)

roses77 said:


> I use the 5A 2 or 2.1 USB amp to charge my WM1Z. You can also use an iPad charger or Samsung USB charger as well.


I use even a power bank from easyACC to charge my wm1a


RobertP said:


> Must avoid mp3 format. Most of hisses are from them if any. I'm replacing them with 24bits FLACs or DSDs.
> FYI, firmware v3.01 with those thin OEM SPC cable might not be a good combo.


Myself I don't use any mp3 or mp4 (aac) since 2012, and yeah recordings have hiss too, but is rare, either older recording, vynil rip or tape master


----------



## RobertP

gerelmx1986 said:


> I use even a power bank from easyACC to charge my wm1a
> 
> Myself I don't use any mp3 or mp4 (aac) since 2012, and yeah recordings have hiss too, but is rare, either older recording, vynil rip or tape master


Yeah. Recently, I compared DSDs to other digital formats including MQAs on same songs, I can tell you that now I'm a big fan of DSDs. To me, everything I hear are as close to the real things and more musical.


----------



## Erfan Elahi (Mar 22, 2019)

RobertP said:


> Silver plated cables are more sensitive to hiss than copper cables. I did some experiments with them for my A18t and found that 22 gauge SPC cable or thicker are a must to avoid hissing.
> With a thinner 26 gauge copper cable, I didn't get any hiss.


Got a little confused here for my wrong understanding. Isn't the higher the number grows the thinner it is?





besides, in effect audio site, I see 22 gauge thor silver ii+ is more expensive than 26 gauge thor silver ii



RobertP said:


> Yeah. Recently, I compared DSDs to other digital formats including MQAs on same songs, I can tell you that now I'm a big fan of DSDs. To me, everything I hear are as close to the real things and more musical.


It depends on the source player and output too, right? I didn't here difference between a 16bit cd flac and a DSD when listening with ZX300. _Sorry for the confusion, I still don't own WM1Z. But I am about to, so I am reading this thread to gain impression and experience of others, and difference between the two._


----------



## Quadfather

Erfan Elahi said:


> In my experience, hissing depends on the record too. Also, have tired to tune the equalizer to stabilize the hiss slightly...



 I have never experienced any hiss with my Sony NW-WM1A.


----------



## RobertP (Mar 22, 2019)

Erfan Elahi said:


> Got a little confused here for my wrong understanding. Isn't the higher the number grows the thinner it is?
> 
> 
> besides, in effect audio site, I see 22 gauge thor silver ii+ is more expensive than 26 gauge thor silver ii
> ...


Yes, thicker means lower the gauge size for "silver plated" cables. If you have copper cables, you shouldn't be getting any hiss even with those thinner OEM cables.

With my wm1a, 16bits flac give me less dynamic, impact and depth. Also just a tiny bit more distorted and compressed. CDs quality are almost similar to flac but with less opening in upper mids. DSD and DXD are the best but I don't like file size. 24bits FLAC and PCM are close in second.


----------



## buduba0604

I am having an issue with my battery I think. I charged it this morning until it was fully charged. Took it off the charger, it was rebuilding database, within 10 minutes, the battery has gone down to 1 bar. I am not sure what to do.


----------



## bflat

buduba0604 said:


> I am having an issue with my battery I think. I charged it this morning until it was fully charged. Took it off the charger, it was rebuilding database, within 10 minutes, the battery has gone down to 1 bar. I am not sure what to do.



I would do a factory reset and see if this happens again. If it does, then you definitely have a problem with the battery and/or charging circuitry that will need repair.


----------



## buduba0604

bflat said:


> I would do a factory reset and see if this happens again. If it does, then you definitely have a problem with the battery and/or charging circuitry that will need repair.



Thanks for the suggestion! Doing a factory reset will wipe my audio play time, right?
I feared it might be an issue that needs repair, I will definitely try a factory reset first though.


----------



## bflat

buduba0604 said:


> Thanks for the suggestion! Doing a factory reset will wipe my audio play time, right?
> I feared it might be an issue that needs repair, I will definitely try a factory reset first though.



Yes, all the stats get reset to zero. Not sure if the internal memory gets wiped so you want to make sure you have a backup of that. Reseting will resolve if the problem is a software loop that's keeping the CPU at 100% which can lead to a very fast battery discharge. LiON batteries have no limit on how quickly they can dump energy which is why they have a nasty habit of catching on fire if not designed right. yes, I'm talking to you Samsung!


----------



## Erfan Elahi (Mar 23, 2019)

bflat said:


> Resetting will resolve if the problem is a software loop that's keeping the CPU at 100% which can lead to a very fast battery discharge.



For me with ZX300, I don't have battery problem, but I do get occasional auto-reboot. And for the last few days 2-3 times a day. Will try resetting if this helps. I didn't try before because I thought firmware updates will solve, it reduced, but didn't go off completely.

Does anyone get auto reboot with WM1A or 1Z?


----------



## Lookout57

I had my first reboot on my 1Z last week running 3.01 after a year of use.


----------



## bitonio

Lookout57 said:


> I had my first reboot on my 1Z last week running 3.01 after a year of use.


The firmware has been posted by Sony in December 2018. The upgrade process requires a reboot.
You lost me friend


----------



## Lookout57

I never had reboots in the past year on 1.02, 2.00 or 3.00. The first was last week running 3.01. But then this is after it had been running non-stop (in the Sony Dock) for over a week burning in my ALO Gold 16 cable.


----------



## Quadfather

I have the Sony NW - WM1A, and I am using single ended with AKG K812 headphones. I am pleasantly surprised.  I had pretty much discounted ever using single-ended. My headphones sound quite nice at the moment.


----------



## Icekuma (Mar 24, 2019)

** Resolved ** restarting all again solved the problem. 

Hi. I upgraded to Mojave recently. Now, my WM1A internal drive cannot be read. Mojave said it is "Uninitialized" though it is recognised in the Disk Utility.

I tried mounting/remounting, restarting WM1A without any success.

Anyone encountered this before and what's the solution? Thanks.


----------



## Lookout57

No problems with Mojave on any of my systems.

What does Disk Utility day the internal drive format is and did you run Repair against it?


----------



## xjaynine

Redcarmoose said:


> Mine says 5-2017



Has anyone with a 1Z attempted to remove this sticker? What's underneath it if you have?


----------



## kubig123

xjaynine said:


> Has anyone with a 1Z attempted to remove this sticker? What's underneath it if you have?


The secret of life


----------



## nc8000

kubig123 said:


> The secret of life



42


----------



## LeFaucon

xjaynine said:


> Has anyone with a 1Z attempted to remove this sticker? What's underneath it if you have?



What a - very - strange question...?


----------



## Ryokan

xjaynine said:


> Has anyone with a 1Z attempted to remove this sticker? What's underneath it if you have?



Underneath it probably say's: 'Do Not Remove This Sticker'.


----------



## SoLame

underneath of the sticker on my NW-WM1...


----------



## Redcarmoose

xjaynine said:


> Has anyone with a 1Z attempted to remove this sticker? What's underneath it if you have?



Looked something like this under there?


----------



## xjaynine

Lmao, looks like I'll give it a shot when I receive my unit. Thanks for the hints!

Will report what I find in the gold mines.


----------



## Mindstorms

buduba0604 said:


> I am having an issue with my battery I think. I charged it this morning until it was fully charged. Took it off the charger, it was rebuilding database, within 10 minutes, the battery has gone down to 1 bar. I am not sure what to do.


this is weird there is a post here that shows how you can order a new baterry i would buy one assap...


----------



## Mindstorms

so will my Ipad mini charger i assume A Retina *iPad* mini *charger* delivers 10 watts 5.1 volts at 2100 mA will be too much? will it burn wm1a? hurt it? thanks again lol


----------



## Redcarmoose

_*WM-1Z.............to the........
XBA-Z5.............with the.........
MUC-M12SB1*_


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> _*WM-1Z.............to the........
> XBA-Z5.............with the.........
> MUC-M12SB1*_



Good combo, I’ve got the same


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 25, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> Good combo, I’ve got the same



Yes, well then you know how good the Kimber is with the XBA-Z5. I was actually surprised how well they matched. Just discovered it. Lol.

I’m probably most surprised how the cable brings so much forward, which seemed to be an issue for me with most cables and the Z5. Like they made the cable for the IEM almost?


----------



## ayang02

xjaynine said:


> Has anyone with a 1Z attempted to remove this sticker? What's underneath it if you have?



"Congratulations, you have just voided your warranty" in Korean


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 25, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> _*WM-1Z.............to the........
> XBA-Z5.............with the.........
> MUC-M12SB1*_



My combo as well, very pleased with it!

What brand/type earbuds are you using?

Use the spiral dots myself but would like to try a smaller bore diameter after having tried many that didn't seal well..


----------



## nc8000

flyer1 said:


> My combo as well, very pleased with it!
> 
> What brand/type earbuds are you using?
> 
> Use the spiral dots myself but would like to try a smaller bore diameter after having tried many that didn't seal well..



I’m using these


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 25, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> I’m using these



Got those but somehow the spiral dots sound/seal better for my ears. The wide bore diameter of the spiral dots might cause a bit of loss in the bass department so curious what others are using with our combo.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 25, 2019)

flyer1 said:


> My combo as well, very pleased with it!
> 
> What brand/type earbuds are you using?
> 
> Use the spiral dots myself but would like to try a smaller bore diameter after having tried many that didn't seal well..






I have been the biggest fan of the Sony Triple Comforts but until about 3 months ago I switched back to Sony Hybrids, and now I use Sony Silicone Tips. The ones in the photograph are LL if you can believe that.

So they should be for sale separate soon, though mine came in this set with the IER-Z1R. I had bad luck with SpinFits and somehow bad luck with the Triple Comforts too? Strange because for the longest time I though the Triple Comforts were great? Note too the whole top row are new grey Triple Comforts. Lol.

I guess ears change. And as you know; the right tips are everything!


----------



## flyer1

Redcarmoose said:


> I have been the biggest fan of the Sony Triple Comforts but until about 3 months ago I switched back to Sony Hybrids, and now I use Sony Silicone Tips. The ones in the photograph are LL if you can believe that.
> 
> So they should be for sale separate soon, though mine came in this set with the IER-Z1R. I had bad luck with SpinFits and somehow bad luck with the Triple Comforts too? Strange because for the longest time I though the Triple Comforts were great? Note too the whole top row are new grey Triple Comforts. Lol.
> 
> I guess ears change. And as you know; the right tips are everything!



Would love to get my hands on a set of tips like that! Great amount in choice of tips to try out. Nothing like that on amazon etc. yet available though. Will keep checking!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 25, 2019)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/flyer1.123716/

I’m sure you have the original Sony Hybrid Tips (that came with the Z5?).In reality I could use those all the time for the air-tight fit. But...........the new Hybrid Silicone tips do something with the midrange. The old regular Hybrids are a tad darker in my use?

So that would be my only suggestion if someone wanted to seek out the 2019 silicone offerings. But take note, the difference is really slight.


----------



## flyer1

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/flyer1.123716/
> 
> I’m sure you have the original Sony Hybrid Tips (that came with the Z5?).In reality I could use those all the time for the air-tight fit. But...........the new Hybrid Silicone tips do something with the midrange. The old regular Hybrids are a tad darker in my use?
> 
> So that would be my only suggestion if someone wanted to seek out the 2019 silicone offerings. But take note, the difference is really slight.



Tried the Z5 included tips as well. My favourites are still the JVC Spiral Dots, am glad I bypassed Sony on the tips as for me they work great! On the Sony's singer voice could be a bit distant, with the dots they come closer and everything sounds somehow more involving?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 26, 2019)

flyer1 said:


> Tried the Z5 included tips as well. My favourites are still the JVC Spiral Dots, am glad I bypassed Sony on the tips as for me they work great! On the Sony's singer voice could be a bit distant, with the dots they come closer and everything sounds somehow more involving?



Well that’s the thing. Tips are super personal to the point that as listeners we should always have an open mind. To the point of trying tips that did not work in the past. It’s always psychological too, where your opinions of tips can be not in reality but in the brain. All I can say try and be true to yourself and experiment consistently.

???
But yes, Hybrid Tips can distance the voice as opening is small. Still it’s all a mysterious subject, as it has to do with ear canal shape.


----------



## Jay91

Hi,

Is the 1A closed to the 1Z with the last firmware?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 26, 2019)

Jay91 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Is the 1A closed to the 1Z with the last firmware?



The Sony 1A is a nice different soundstage and sound signature, but the 1A is obviously not the same. The difference is in soundstage placement and tone characteristics. Though over-all the new IER-Z1R gets the 1A closer to the magic of the 1Z.

This phenomena makes sense due to the profound effect transducers create over source and amp personality. But your not completely in 1Z realm without a 1Z no matter how you slice it. It’s also a hard subject to quantify with % marks. What percentage is a rose close to a daisy?

This set of statements is in no disrespect to 3.01 and the improvement it has gifted to both players. Yes, 3.01 took the 1A out of the woods and away from the travesty 3.0 was for the 1A. The bass became better for the 1A and the sound is magic none the less. The 1A is a deal. But it’s hard to call an apple an orange no matter how much you how you stack the embellishments. IMO

There is ancient philosophy describing how each element is true to it’s own character, with the character traits indivisible; and the concept remains true to form here.

Sorry I have no percentage/difference  to recommend here?


----------



## Mindstorms

any hears  a sound when mp3 starts on wm1a SE like weird compreseion sound or like wawawi sound i dunno how to put it in words, it does i when all procesing off v 3.01 and it last a sec...


----------



## meomap

Hi,
Lunch time with 1Z, Khan, DHC silver cable.
Waiting for DHC Clone Fusion.
Well, ready to go outside and get my espresso then walk the dog.


----------



## blazinblazin (Mar 26, 2019)

flyer1 said:


> Tried the Z5 included tips as well. My favourites are still the JVC Spiral Dots, am glad I bypassed Sony on the tips as for me they work great! On the Sony's singer voice could be a bit distant, with the dots they come closer and everything sounds somehow more involving?



Tips does makes a difference, but depends on IEM some does not makes a not a huge difference.
The length, thickness, hardness of the tube, the different materials used, the size of the bore(does it narrows the sound to a small hole).

I personally prefers short tube and wide bore type tips.

For my Acoustune IEM, they includes 2 sets of tips, one set silicon is thicker the other set is thinner. One increases bass the other is more neutral. Also while I use the one that increase bass, I also bought a set of same tip model for spares but the tube of the ones I bought was shorter than the ones comes with the IEM by a few mm, it gives be more details. Which makes me wonder if the longer tube absorbs some of the details.
I had other brands tips too but I avoid most of the longer tubes ones as it somehow gives a more tunneling sound since the sound bounces more through the longer tube.


----------



## McCol

Got a wee query on my WM1A and wondered if anybody could answer.

I use the bluetooth option to stream Tidal from my smartphone to the 1a, the codec shows as AAC,  am I right in saying that although I may be listening to a flac or master file on tidal, it is in fact only playing at around 256kbs due to the AAC codec?


----------



## nc8000

McCol said:


> Got a wee query on my WM1A and wondered if anybody could answer.
> 
> I use the bluetooth option to stream Tidal from my smartphone to the 1a, the codec shows as AAC,  am I right in saying that although I may be listening to a flac or master file on tidal, it is in fact only playing at around 256kbs due to the AAC codec?



I don’t know what bit rate is used but yes it is compressed


----------



## McCol

nc8000 said:


> I don’t know what bit rate is used but yes it is compressed



As I guessed, knew it was compressed but a little disappointed it can't stream at a higher codec rate.

A large portion of my listening is through Tidal and I feel that I'm not getting the best quality possible using the streaming option of the Sony.

Considering trying the Hiby R6 Pro for it's a utility to install Tidal.
Bit worried though that the R6 Pro won't be able to match the Sony for playback from the unit itself.


----------



## nc8000

McCol said:


> As I guessed, knew it was compressed but a little disappointed it can't stream at a higher codec rate.
> 
> A large portion of my listening is through Tidal and I feel that I'm not getting the best quality possible using the streaming option of the Sony.
> 
> ...



It can stream LDAC which is essentially lossless at red book level if your source supports it


----------



## McCol

nc8000 said:


> It can stream LDAC which is essentially lossless at red book level if your source supports it



This confuses me a little, using my Sony WH1000m3 it uses LDAC to transmit to the headphones, however when receiving from my smartphone it will only do AAC, its mildy annoying me!!


----------



## McCol

Ignore everything I've just posted!!

Just fired up the Wm1a and connected to my S10+ and lo and behold LDAC is showing and working with Tidal.
Bit bizarre as it wasn't when I tried before.

LDAC may not be quite as good as a a wired connection on the R6 Pro but it will suffice for me.


----------



## ttt123 (Mar 28, 2019)

McCol said:


> This confuses me a little, using my Sony WH1000m3 it uses LDAC to transmit to the headphones, however when receiving from my smartphone it will only do AAC, its mildy annoying me!!


You must be using an iPhone if you got AAC.  The codec has to be supported at both ends.  Apple does their own AAC, as usual, and nothing else, so that is all you will get when using an iPhone.
Edit:  I was hasty and inaccurate. iphone supports quite a few formats, but not Ldac (Sony) and aptX
- ALAC is Apples lossless format
- AAC is a common format
- FLAC is supported in the iPhone as of IOS 11!
- WAV , AIFF  , PCM,  MP3 are supported


----------



## Whitigir

Isn’t A standing for Apple ? Any Apple devices and not limited to IPhones ?


----------



## McCol

Yep my mistake folks.

Was using an iPhone X then switched to Samsung S10+, hence the AAC.

I think the first time I connected the Sony with the S10+ it did show as AAC but this must have just been a wee bug in the system!!!


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Isn’t A standing for Apple ? Any Apple devices and not limited to IPhones ?



Aac (advanced audio codec) is not an Apple propritary codec and is widely supported. Alac (Apple lossless audio codec) on the other hand is originally Apple but is now available as open source


----------



## Icekuma

Lookout57 said:


> No problems with Mojave on any of my systems.
> 
> What does Disk Utility day the internal drive format is and did you run Repair against it?


 I didn’t do anything. Rebooting both devices solved it.


----------



## Kurmat (Mar 30, 2019)

Just picked up the 1A from Best Buy on Thursday to replace my ZX2, also upgraded from the Z5’s to the ier-m9’s. I’m very impressed with this combo. Hard to believe the sound will still improve as I reach the 200 plus hour mark. Two questions though, what are people’s opinions, who may have upgraded, about the Sony Kimber balanced cable, as opposed to the one provided with the M9’s? Just wondering if it’s worth spending the extra cash on. Also, I purchased a Samsung 512gb sd  card. Unfortunately, I can’t get album artwork to transfer to the sd card, but have no problem when transferring music files to the internal storage. I’m currently using a Mac. Any suggestions?


----------



## meomap

Hi,

Finally, got everything and setup below.
Burn_in new DAC.

1Z with remote to dock, USB out to Denafripps Terminator R2R DAC, RCA out to ALO SS6, out to Utopia.

Dac owners said 500 to 800 hrs of  DAC burn_in due to 1000 capacitors inside that 42 lbs beast. A long way of burn_in for me.


----------



## nc8000

Kurmat said:


> Just picked up the 1A from Best Buy on Thursday to replace my ZX2, also upgraded from the Z5’s to the ier-m9’s. I’m very impressed with this combo. Hard to believe the sound will still improve as I reach the 200 plus hour mark. Two questions though, what are people’s opinions, who may have upgraded, about the Sony Kimber balanced cable, as opposed to the one provided with the M9’s? Just wondering if it’s worth spending the extra cash on. Also, I purchased a Samsung 512gb sd  card. Unfortunately, I can’t get album artwork to transfer to the sd card, but have no problem when transferring music files to the internal storage. I’m currently using a Mac. Any suggestions?



Album art must be baseline jpg not progressive and can either be embedded in the music files or a seperate jog in the same directory as the music files. Also all your music must be in a Music directory on the card, not in the root


----------



## Kurmat (Mar 30, 2019)

.


----------



## Kurmat

nc8000 said:


> Album art must be baseline jpg not progressive and can either be embedded in the music files or a seperate jog in the same directory as the music files. Also all your music must be in a Music directory on the card, not in the root


Thanks for the effort in explaining the process. Unfortunately, I don’t quit understand though.


----------



## djricekcn

Kurmat said:


> Thanks for the effort in explaining the process. Unfortunately, I don’t quit understand though.


You need a specific codec for the pictures, which is baseline.   You can either embed it in the metadata or put it in the same directory as the music with the file name being the same as the directory but still baseline format .  Example. If your folder is named dj_taq_ongaq, your picture must be dj_taq_ongaq.jpg and also baseline format


----------



## Kurmat

djricekcn said:


> You need a specific codec for the pictures, which is baseline.   You can either embed it in the metadata or put it in the same directory as the music with the file name being the same as the directory but still baseline format .  Example. If your folder is named dj_taq_ongaq, your picture must be dj_taq_ongaq.jpg and also baseline format


Ok, thank you, I’ll try it tomorrow. I appreciate it


----------



## Mindstorms

Anyone else noticed a drop in batery life in 3.01 all effects on?


----------



## roses77

Midnstorms said:


> Anyone else noticed a drop in batery life in 3.01 all effects on?


Yes I have it uses more battery power


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 3, 2019)

Kurmat said:


> Just picked up the 1A from Best Buy on Thursday to replace my ZX2, also upgraded from the Z5’s to the ier-m9’s. I’m very impressed with this combo. Hard to believe the sound will still improve as I reach the 200 plus hour mark. Two questions though, what are people’s opinions, who may have upgraded, about the Sony Kimber balanced cable, as opposed to the one provided with the M9’s? Just wondering if it’s worth spending the extra cash on. Also, I purchased a Samsung 512gb sd  card. Unfortunately, I can’t get album artwork to transfer to the sd card, but have no problem when transferring music files to the internal storage. I’m currently using a Mac. Any suggestions?



I have not have not heard the IER-M9 though from pictures it seems to have maybe the same silver color included cables as the IER-Z1R.

After getting used to the 1Z and IER-Z1R for about 10 days I switched the stock cable for the Sony 4.4mm Kimber Pentaconn 5 pole. I purchased the Sony/Kimber for the IER-Z1R simply due to how much the Kimber improves the full-size Z1R headphones.

After testing it turned out the included cables actually sounded better in my use. The stock cables had a more even and complete sound.

With the above determined, I found the MUC-M12SB1 to in contrast be the ultimate cable for the XBA-Z5 IEM. It’s also the best cable I found for the BGVP DM6 5 BA IEM.

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MUC-M12SB1-SONY-Headphone-cable/dp/B01M3TK66F

Though remember your IEM is all BA where the IER-Z1R is a DD-BA-DD. So...... you could try it, but you may find you already have a nice cable.

Edit:
Also I forgot to mention to be careful if you do get the Sony/Kimber. The MMCX connections would not separate after being joined. Literally it was really frightening that they went together like butter but would not separate.
And take note, I’m 5’11” and a 259lb powerlifter, I couldn’t get them apart. They finally separated..... but!


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> Isn’t A standing for Apple ? Any Apple devices and not limited to IPhones ?



Apple finally opened up their codecs for other devices to decode.


----------



## nc8000

Quadfather said:


> Apple finally opened up their codecs for other devices to decode.



Aac was never an Apple codec. Alac was Apple but is now open source


----------



## Erfan Elahi

Redcarmoose said:


> I have not have not heard the IER-M9 though from pictures it seems to have maybe the same silver color included cables as the IER-Z1R.
> 
> After getting used to the 1Z and IER-Z1R for about 10 days I switched the stock cable for the Sony 4.4mm Kimber Pentaconn 5 pole. I purchased the Sony/Kimber for the IER-Z1R simply due to how much the Kimber improves the full-size Z1R headphones.
> 
> ...


Thanks for this response. very useful.




Redcarmoose said:


> Also I forgot to mention to be careful if you do get the Sony/Kimber. The MMCX connections would not separate after being joined. Literally it was really frightening that they went together like butter but would not separate.
> And take note, I’m 5’11” and a 259lb powerlifter, I couldn’t get them apart. They finally separated..... but!


​
I have not tried any Sony MMCX IEMs yet. But I have bad experience MMCX based IEM. I was successfully able to change cables from my Andromeda only 3 times over 10 months period. The fourth time I broke my nail and mmcx connector on the shell broke off and I had to send the IEMs to re-shell. So now I am thinking of focusing on 2 pin based IEM manufactures, may be I will go for noble, empire or 64. But based on your posts from this thread, I see you get good match Sony with Sony. I only prefer to stay with Sony DAPs. So I am thinking of considering IER-M9 too. If I ever feel to need change cables to alter sound signature, but MMCX connector gets brake again... the fact is worrying!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 3, 2019)

Erfan Elahi said:


> Thanks for this response. very useful.
> 
> ​
> I have not tried any Sony MMCX IEMs yet. But I have bad experience MMCX based IEM. I was successfully able to change cables from my Andromeda only 3 times over 10 months period. The fourth time I broke my nail and mmcx connector on the shell broke off and I had to send the IEMs to re-shell. So now I am thinking of focusing on 2 pin based IEM manufactures, may be I will go for noble, empire or 64. But based on your posts from this thread, I see you get good match Sony with Sony. I only prefer to stay with Sony DAPs. So I am thinking of considering IER-M9 too. If I ever feel to need change cables to alter sound signature, but MMCX connector gets brake again... the fact is worrying!



I’ve only had one MMCX cable break, no IEMs. Though I’m pretty careful. Nothing leaves the house, and the IEMs stay in boxes with limited cable change outs. Fingers crossed. 

But I’ve never experienced what I posted in the last post? It was wild. Happened with both R and L! So I don’t know what caused it? All Sony stuff. Though the included cables work fine with the IER-Z1R. It may have just been some relationship between the Sony/Kimber and IER-Z1R?


----------



## kubig123

Redcarmoose said:


> I’ve only had one MMCX cable break, no IEMs. Though I’m pretty careful. Nothing leaves the house, and the IEMs stay in boxes with limited cable change outs. Fingers crossed.
> 
> But I’ve never experienced what I posted in the last post? It was wild.


i had a similar problem with the MUC-M12SB1 cable, it damaged the connector of my CA Vega, i had to sent it back to have it fixed. i honestly don't think that the Sony cable is worth the money, i always suggest to buy the EE Ares II, cheaper and with better quality mmcx connectors.


----------



## Redcarmoose

kubig123 said:


> i had a similar problem with the MUC-M12SB1 cable, it damaged the connector of my CA Vega, i had to sent it back to have it fixed. i honestly don't think that the Sony cable is worth the money, i always suggest to buy the EE Ares II, cheaper and with better quality mmcx connectors.


I purchased it new for $116. So it works with other stuff, but my situation was scary.


----------



## Erfan Elahi

kubig123 said:


> i had a similar problem with the MUC-M12SB1 cable, it damaged the connector of my CA Vega, i had to sent it back to have it fixed. i honestly don't think that the Sony cable is worth the money, i always suggest to buy the EE Ares II, cheaper and with better quality mmcx connectors.


Ahh! So CA does sometimes have faulty MMCX connectors. So I am not the only victim here.

But as Redcarmoose said:


Redcarmoose said:


> I’ve only had one MMCX cable break, no IEMs. Though I’m pretty careful. Nothing leaves the house, and the IEMs stay in boxes with limited cable change outs. Fingers crossed.



Yes! Nothing leaves the house and we can use a 1k+ IEM for years! I would love to maintain this, but problem is, I usually listen to music when I am out or at work... So I need to take them out!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 3, 2019)

Erfan Elahi said:


> Ahh! So CA does sometimes have faulty MMCX connectors. So I am not the only victim here.
> 
> But as Redcarmoose said:
> 
> ...



No I do have a $560 pair of IEMs I take on walks, but I usually use BT IEMs, which sound great to me, then....later,  it makes the home stuff sound even better. But I’m more into music than gear, so at times I’m just happy to have tunes.

My problem is I’m too distracted with my ADHD to concentrate on music out of the house, so it doesn’t matter what quality it is.


----------



## kubig123

Erfan Elahi said:


> Ahh! So CA does sometimes have faulty MMCX connectors. So I am not the only victim here.
> 
> But as Redcarmoose said:
> 
> ...


Well,
I've owned 3 Campfire and the only the Vega had a problem, but i honestly think was due to the mmcx crappy connectors of the sony cable, they are so soft, they had to damage something inside the Vega...
Right now I have the Equinox and the Andromeda, i've been using Plussound and EE cables and never had a problem so far.


----------



## djricekcn

Doesn't Sony use a customized mmcx connector?   I couldn't sworn there aren't the same as the universal and they had some sort of locking mechanism


----------



## kubig123

djricekcn said:


> Doesn't Sony use a customized mmcx connector?   I couldn't sworn there aren't the same as the universal and they had some sort of locking mechanism


not on the MUC-M12SB1 cable, it can be used with any iems with mmcx connectors, if i remember well, the cable comes with some plastic adapters that allow the cable to be used with the sony iems that require a locking mmcx.


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 3, 2019)

roses77 said:


> Yes I have it uses more battery power


lol im not crazy its weird that no one with their super gear on this forum has noticed WM1A makes some weird noise when tone arm resonance its on only on 3.01 when music stops its funny hope sony fixes it too just listen when music stops lol only tone arm on


----------



## Redcarmoose

djricekcn said:


> Doesn't Sony use a customized mmcx connector?   I couldn't sworn there aren't the same as the universal and they had some sort of locking mechanism





kubig123 said:


> not on the MUC-M12SB1 cable, it can be used with any iems with mmcx connectors, if i remember well, the cable comes with some plastic adapters that allow the cable to be used with the sony iems that require a locking mmcx.


There has been locking connectors, in the past. The MUC Sony/Kimber does not have locking mechanism. Though Sony slighly changes stuff, I don’t remember seeing these little slits before. This is a close-up of the new Sony IEM cables. I would think these slits would move in to make the cable release easy? Though I’m not looking at the Sony/Kimber as I’m not removing it from the Z5 IEM. It may have these slits?


----------



## Quadfather

I already have the Sony NW - W M1A. I am now choosing between a Lotoo Paw Gold 2017 or a Sony NW - WM1Z... decisions, decisions.


----------



## blazinblazin

Erfan Elahi said:


> Thanks for this response. very useful.
> 
> ​
> I have not tried any Sony MMCX IEMs yet. But I have bad experience MMCX based IEM. I was successfully able to change cables from my Andromeda only 3 times over 10 months period. The fourth time I broke my nail and mmcx connector on the shell broke off and I had to send the IEMs to re-shell. So now I am thinking of focusing on 2 pin based IEM manufactures, may be I will go for noble, empire or 64. But based on your posts from this thread, I see you get good match Sony with Sony. I only prefer to stay with Sony DAPs. So I am thinking of considering IER-M9 too. If I ever feel to need change cables to alter sound signature, but MMCX connector gets brake again... the fact is worrying!



Andro mmcx is super tight. There's a weak point in MMCX for easier remover. You need to trial and error see which direction is easier. Both left and right will be opposite of that direction.


----------



## Mindstorms

Quadfather said:


> I already have the Sony NW - W M1A. I am now choosing between a Lotoo Paw Gold 2017 or a Sony NW - WM1Z... decisions, decisions.


GET the top tier iems or 1Z if yoou want my vote or the desk amp


----------



## Mindstorms

Quadfather said:


> I already have the Sony NW - W M1A. I am now choosing between a Lotoo Paw Gold 2017 or a Sony NW - WM1Z... decisions, decisions.


Please when you buy can you compare both of whatever you buy? I trust you lol


----------



## Erfan Elahi (Apr 26, 2019)

Quadfather said:


> I already have the Sony NW - W M1A. I am now choosing between a Lotoo Paw Gold 2017 or a Sony NW - WM1Z... decisions, decisions.


​Since both are flagships, isn't at this point it is about to decide the design, UI, battery, size, weight and finally which signature you prefer? It's like "I like vanilla ice-cream more than chocolate", even though both are made from the best quality cream.


----------



## Quadfather (Apr 3, 2019)

Erfan Elahi said:


> ​Since both are flagships, isn't at this point it is about to decide the design, look, UI, battery, size, weight and finally which signature you prefer? It's like "I like vanilla ice-cream more than chocolate", even though both are made from the best quality cream.



That's a good point. Battery life is pretty far up. I love the non-fatiguing sound of my black Sony, but there is also something very special about my old LPG. Especially with jazz.  The main reason I wanted to upgrade to the 2017 LPG initially was because of its lower noise floor. I am beginning to work out again and will be using in-ear-monitors.


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 4, 2019)

They say that LPG its more detailed DAP probably you will be fine with 1Z or the desktop amp Virtufortuna (User) has a DAP chart on this forum may help you a little... if you love your WM1A maybe getting 1Z its a plus since if anithing goes bad you have spares lol also you may buy some spare baterys for them and they will last longer than a LPG and also you can go balanced 4.4 and share gear... I love my 1A and im not thinking of any upgrade soon... maybe in a few years will pull the trigger but for now im more than happy.
PD: If you can try the Z1R IEMS and also 1Z before purchase will be awesome...

Here is a https://headfonics.com/2019/02/lotoo-paw-gold-touch-review/


----------



## Quadfather

Midnstorms said:


> They say that LPG its more detailed DAP probably you will be fine with 1Z or the desktop amp Virtufortuna (User) has a DAP chart on this forum may help you a little... if you love your WM1A maybe getting 1Z its a plus since if anithing goes bad you have spares lol also you may buy some spare baterys for them and they will last longer than a LPG and also you can go balanced 4.4 and share gear... I love my 1A and im not thinking of any upgrade soon... maybe in a few years will pull the trigger but for now im more than happy.
> PD: If you can try the Z1R IEMS and also 1Z before purchase will be awesome...
> 
> Here is a https://headfonics.com/2019/02/lotoo-paw-gold-touch-review/



The only thing that is making me hesitate is that the Sony would be used from Japan and the LPG would be brand new from authorized distributor.


----------



## Whitigir

I would take WM1Z any day over LPGT, and then...I value my Modified Dx200Titanium and modified Amp8


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> I would take WM1Z any day over LPGT, and then...I value my Modified Dx200Titanium and modified Amp8



How about original LPG?


----------



## 21qz

Come join the fun, your opinion matters:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/king-of-daps.895618/page-7#post-14878637


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 4, 2019)

Quadfather said:


> The only thing that is making me hesitate is that the Sony would be used from Japan and the LPG would be brand new from authorized distributor.


*mmwwmm *user its selling his WM1Z here in the forum also. Thats a tough one friend... maybe you can show us pictures of the 1Z status also how many HS playback? any scratches? battery status? Try to get  a new wm1z?


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> I would take WM1Z any day over LPGT, and then...I value my Modified Dx200Titanium and modified Amp8


Respect lol


----------



## djricekcn

Does the Satechi「*Media Button*」 or anything else work with the WM1 series besides the RMT-NWS20?


----------



## nc8000

djricekcn said:


> Does the Satechi「*Media Button*」 or anything else work with the WM1 series besides the RMT-NWS20?



As far as I’m aware the only one that works is the Sony one


----------



## mmwwmm

Quadfather said:


> I already have the Sony NW - W M1A. I am now choosing between a Lotoo Paw Gold 2017 or a Sony NW - WM1Z... decisions, decisions.





Midnstorms said:


> *mmwwmm *user its selling his WM1Z here in the forum also. Thats a tough one friend... maybe you can show us pictures of the 1Z status also how many HS playback? any scratches? battery status? Try to get  a new wm1z?


Sorry but I sold my 1Z a few weeks ago...


----------



## bassaliens22

What's the chances of a WM2A or WM2Z coming out anytime soon?


----------



## Mindstorms

mmwwmm said:


> Sorry but I sold my 1Z a few weeks ago...


ok no problem!


----------



## Mindstorms

bassaliens22 said:


> What's the chances of a WM2A or WM2Z coming out anytime soon?


They have to exist first any news on that? i was thinking the same but i think sony will wait not a  good idea to launch now not that much changes in technology


----------



## Erfan Elahi

Midnstorms said:


> They have to exist first any news on that? i was thinking the same but i think sony will wait not a  good idea to launch now not that much changes in technology


You think Sony already reached their maximum point for the moment and it will take more while for a new flagship? Not talking of more battery or memory, but into sound as well...​


----------



## TSAVAlan

bassaliens22 said:


> What's the chances of a WM2A or WM2Z coming out anytime soon?


Sony usually takes a few years when it comes to bringing out successors. I would reckon next year we may hear about a successor but likely nothing this year for my speculation.


----------



## bitonio

bassaliens22 said:


> What's the chances of a WM2A or WM2Z coming out anytime soon?



July 1st, 2019 will be the 40th anniversary of the Walkman (Good piece of writing here: https://www.theverge.com/2014/7/1/5861062/sony-walkman-at-35).

I am not sure the brand is really into anniversary, I trust them to take the time needed to build a great next generation. This year or later, nobody knows.
Kudos to Sony, they managed to deliver 2 major versions of firmware, 2.x and 3.x, on a serie launched in Mid-2016.

The WM-2 reference was a cassette Walkman, I doubt they'll re-use it for a new DAP.

If you need a good DAP, no reason to not buy now, the Signature serie has a really good reputation, updated firmware, which mean they will probably sell quite well. 
I have already sold a couple of Sony DAP at a fairly good price for used equipment.


----------



## KaiserTK

I talked to a Sony rep at a show a few weeks back, and he says that the 40th anniversary edition walkman will not be a top-end model but a mid-range model that incorporates a retro walkman feel to it.


----------



## Hyde8767

KaiserTK said:


> I talked to a Sony rep at a show a few weeks back, and he says that the 40th anniversary edition walkman will not be a top-end model but a mid-range model that incorporates a retro walkman feel to it.


Maybe a successor to the zx300


----------



## blazinblazin

They want to make something everyone can somehow afford.


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 6, 2019)

Erfan Elahi said:


> You think Sony already reached their maximum point for the moment and it will take more while for a new flagship? Not talking of more battery or memory, but into sound as well...​


I think they maybe working into reaching new highs testing materials, i guess in two years or one we will have an awesome new DAP I hope they add a cassette emulator as well and variable soundstage, room DSP Lool it will be cool a Titanium WM1T (maybe it will sound bad lol) how cool it will be if you can change your DAP CASE and can make diferent sound from a 1Z to a 1A and 1T lol


----------



## Simon T

Hi everyone,

I have just posted some comparison impressions on the Sony IER-Z1R thread about source equipment (DAP) pairing. Since a big part of it was a direct comparison between Sony NW-WM1Z and the Cayin N8, thought it is relevant to share it in this thread too, please refer some extract:

_Disclaimer: This is a subjective analysis based on personal preferences and experiences with equipment that I personally own, and does not mean that it is findings are applicable to other IEMs or headphones._

*Basis of comparison extract:

 
*
…First thing first below is the list of DAPs used for this comparison and the daunting task to volume match the equipment based on same “Pink Noise” track played from each DAP, through the IER-Z1R, to my mobile phone microphone using Sound Meter App to reach 60dB. Below are the results except for the AR-M2. List of *DAPs* by released year, in addition to volume matching findings:

…
-          Sony NW-*WM1Z* – 2016 / 3.5mm and 4.4mm – vol. *73*
-          Cayin *N8* – 2018 / 3.5mm – vol. *44* *(on low gain)* and 4.4mm – vol. *39 (on low gain)*

I have used the following 3 tracks for this exercise, all in FLAC files (since not all of the above mentioned play native DSD), and the tracks *(*Album,* Track */ Artist*)* are:
-          Hotel California, *Hotel California* / Eagles
-          Time Out, *Take Five* / The Dave Brubeck Quartet
-          Random Access Memories, *Giorgio by Moroder* / Daft Punk

*Comparison analysis extract:
…Hotel California… *There are 3 “hidden sounds” on this track for me to measure detail retrieval throughout the track (hidden sound meaning that they are masked behind more prominent sounds in the track).

First, the guitar that start-off the track, slowly fades away when Don Henley starts his singing and drums playing, with the repeating tune for most of the track but still noticeable. … Second, bassist repeating tune again in lower center throughout the track, with the IER-Z1R those notes go deep giving a nice extension. The third, it is after the track is taken over by the instruments, from 5:39 to 6:03 the bassist plays a tune and the notes are hidden in between the electric guitar…

…This section is going to be a direct IER-Z1R pairing sound comparison between the *Sony NW-WM1Z* (firmware 3.1) and *Cayin N8 *(firmware 2.2), 4.4mm balanced solid state output vs 3.5 single ended solid state output vs 3.5 Korg Nutube; and it is not indicative of how they sound with all earphones and headphones.

Here we have 2 DAPs with noticeably multiple sound signature and presentation, personally I think the WM1Z has 2 while the N8 has 2.5, the 0.5 given to the Korg Nutube tuning because it is just a minimal tweak of the 3.5 single ended solid state output which in itself sounds already amazing (more to that shortly). I was expecting a more “tubey”/sweeter/warmer presentation on the Korg Nutube, but the direction Cayin took was to maintain the same level of accuracy, analyticality, balance and spaciousness by adding a minimal sprinkle of warmth, and I respect that decision.

*General stage dimensions, tonality and sound signature pairing comparison with the IER-Z1R:
WM1Z (4.4) – *Height of sound stage fall slightly short to all other variations below except for N8 (tube), width come short to the N8 (3.5 and tube) only, and depth on this track is about the same with the N8 (3.5), which is deeper than the WM1Z (3.5) and N8 (4.4 and tube). Tonality is warm-laidback, mids are slightly recessed, treble is gentle and bass is tight.

*N8 (4.4) – *Width of the soundstage falls short to the WM1Z (4.4) and N8 (3.5 and tube), height is perceived to be tallest with WM1Z (3.5), depth fall slightly short to the WM1Z (4.4) and N8 (3.5 and tube). Tonality is neutral-transparent, mids are dynamic, treble is airy and bass is weighty. 

*WM1Z (3.5) *– Height of sound stage is the tallest to all other variations with the N8 (4.4), width come slightly short to all other variations, and depth on this track seems about the same with the N8 (4.4), however, falling short against the N8 (3.5 and tube). Tonality is neutral-natural, mids are intimate, treble is smooth and bass is tight.     

*N8 (3.5) – *Width is the longest with the N8 (tube), height fall short to all variations except for N8 (tube), and depth is about the same as WM1Z (4.4) and a tiny but deeper than the N8 (tube). Tonality and sound signature are similar to the N8 (4.4), however, because the sound stage characteristic the music is presented slightly more distant (concert hall).

*N8 (Tube) – *The only differences to the N8 (3.5) are perceived tiny bit shorter in sound stage height, as a result of minimal sprinkle of warmth added in the sound signature. Making the bass sounding tiny bit more reverberant, treble is smooth but instead of extending upward it extends sideways (pretty sweet J and “tubey” like), and the mids are dynamic but sounding tiny bit more forward compared to the N8 (3.5).

*Verdict on* *Hotel California*:
In terms of detail retrieval based on the 3 hidden sounds (mentioned in AR-M2 write up above), the WM1Z (3.5) will probably be my choice, even if it does not sound as transparent as the N8 (4.4), because the layering of the Y axis (Height), instruments placement are better separated. Hence, the 1st and 2nd hidden sounds are more identifiable; as for the 3rd hidden sound due to slightly better mids dynamics on the N8 (4.4) becomes more audible on the N8. However, in terms of listening experience point of view, I prefer the N8 (3.5), because of the better instrument separation through the X axis (width) and perceived deeper Z axis due to slightly recessed mids making it a “concert hall” like experience.

*Verdict on* *Take Five*:
Since it is a simple track (4 instruments playing a slow Jazz tune), sound stage dimensions does not play much of a role compared to the tonality and instrument positioning. After all, Jazz is about sultry, relaxing and romantic tune.

In most rendition of this track, due to its frequency response the saxophone sound does not come from center point of the sound stage (usually slightly higher than center point), and here comes the magic trick from the N8 (tube), as suddenly we have all instruments perceivably to be more aligned. The drums from the left, the saxophone in the center and the piano to the right, hence in listening experience term N8 (tube) is enlightening. On the other hand, the WM1Z (4.4) slightly warmer and analog like tonality characteristic marries Jazz music even better, also, the cymbal sounds really sweet and nicely extended on the NW1Z. Last but not least, both theN8 (tube) takes my breath away, “literally” when I am listening analytically to the saxophonist breathing through the instrument, subconsciously the timing of my breathing tries to match the saxophonist breathing.    

*Verdict on* *Giorgio by Moroder*:
There is a lot going on in the track from 5:50,  therefore, dynamics and soundstage dimension place the biggest role in making the music alive and perceiving that 3D imaging sense, more so than the tonality. 

Frankly speaking, all the variations have more than sufficient dynamics and stage dimension to perceive the 3D imaging sense without sounding congested. Nonetheless, the two ends of the spectrum will be the NW1Z (4.4) and N8 (3.5), on the former although the stage width and height might fall slightly short compared to the N8 (3.5) the warm and laidback tonality makes it a more relaxing experience. On the latter, the slightly perceived shorter stage height is more than compensated from the stage width and due to a more neutral tonality the it sounds a little bit snappier.      

*Conclusion extract:
…* Overall, the IER-Z1R sounds good with most of the source equipment tested, except for the Sony NW-ZX1, it sounds great on DAPs which can showcase the IER-Z1R soundstage spaciousness capabilities, and it sounds even better when it is able to convey the DAP technical capabilities such as high resolution, details retrieval and dynamics.

… As for whether the IER-Z1R pairs better with the NW1Z or N8 from the comparison exercise performed. From sound fidelity point of view, without taking in consideration all other aspects that define DAPs, in my humble opinion it comes down to preference only, both brings different interpretation of sound presentation.

My personal opinion is that, the NW1Z might be better value for money in terms of having bigger margin of sound signature difference between 4.4 and 3.5 outputs. On the other hand, the N8 offers a bigger margin of stage dimension difference between the 3.5 and 4.4 outputs, while adding that sprinkle of warmth with the 3.5 (tube).

Cheers
Simon T.


----------



## Mindstorms

Simon T said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I have just posted some comparison impressions on the Sony IER-Z1R thread about source equipment (DAP) pairing. Since a big part of it was a direct comparison between Sony NW-WM1Z and the Cayin N8, thought it is relevant to share it in this thread too, please refer some extract:
> 
> ...


Nice review and comparison friend, what firmware did you use on 1Z?


----------



## ryaneagon

Midnstorms said:


> Nice review and comparison friend, what firmware did you use on 1Z?



"This section is going to be a direct IER-Z1R pairing sound comparison between the *Sony NW-WM1Z*(firmware 3.1) and *Cayin N8 *(firmware 2.2), 4.4mm balanced solid state output vs 3.5 single ended solid state output vs 3.5 Korg Nutube; and it is not indicative of how they sound with all earphones and headphones."


----------



## Ryokan

Quadfather said:


> That's a good point. Battery life is pretty far up. I love the non-fatiguing sound of my black Sony, but there is also something very special about my old LPG. Especially with jazz.




Have you managed to listen to the WM1Z? If so how does it compare with your WM1A? Thanks.


----------



## Quadfather

Ryokan said:


> Have you managed to listen to the WM1Z? If so how does it compare with your WM1A? Thanks.



I have listened to it. Unfortunately, the 1Z was not fully burned in, whereas the 1A was. The 1Z had a little bit better bass and the treble was more extended.


----------



## Bart147

I just wanted to share the love for this great track , the rest of the album ( for sale at stockfish-records.de ) is fantastic as well !


----------



## nc8000

Bart147 said:


> I just wanted to share the love for this great track , the rest of the album ( for sale at stockfish-records.de ) is fantastic as well !



Stockfish has a lot of great recordings


----------



## RobertP

Hi everyone. Is there any cable for WM1A to USB type C? I'm try to connect my Galaxy S9 through Qobuz app with the Sony player.


----------



## RobertP

Bart147 said:


> I just wanted to share the love for this great track , the rest of the album ( for sale at stockfish-records.de ) is fantastic as well !


I'll check it out. Thanks!


----------



## bflat

RobertP said:


> Hi everyone. Is there any cable for WM1A to USB type C? I'm try to connect my Galaxy S9 through Qobuz app with the Sony player.



Why use wires? your S9 has LDAC so can connect wirelessly at same audio quality.


----------



## Aeskualpio

RobertP said:


> Hi everyone. Is there any cable for WM1A to USB type C? I'm try to connect my Galaxy S9 through Qobuz app with the Sony player.



I use a USB-C to USB-Micro OTG cable from Amazon and attach a Sony Walkman USB-Micro to Sony adapter. But @bflat is correct you could just use the WM1A to BT receiver and connect your S9 via LDAC.


----------



## RobertP

BT receiver mode works great for CD quality and 16bits FLACs. Form with I found out online, it isn't good enough for 24bits unfortunately. Qobuz streaming at 24bits/96khz and sometimes go up to 192khz.

I saw aliexpress has WM-port to micro USB but not the type C that I'm looking for. For now, I will go for USB adapter. Hopefully someone have it for sell soon.


----------



## Aeskualpio

RobertP said:


> BT receiver mode works great for CD quality and 16bits FLACs. Form with I found out online, it isn't good enough for 24bits unfortunately. Qobuz streaming at 24bits/96khz and sometimes go up to 192khz.
> 
> I saw aliexpress has WM-port to micro USB but not the type C that I'm looking for. For now, I will go for USB adapter. Hopefully someone have it for sell soon.



USB C to Micro USB OTG Cable,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0744BKDRD?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Sony Micro USB plug ËWM-PORT conversion adapter WMP-NWM10 B Japan Import https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009F2GCX8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_jvqRCbAVC0HZ5

These are the two components that i purchased that allow direct connection to a USB-C source

Cheers


----------



## ryaneagon

RobertP said:


> BT receiver mode works great for CD quality and 16bits FLACs. Form with I found out online, it isn't good enough for 24bits unfortunately. Qobuz streaming at 24bits/96khz and sometimes go up to 192khz.
> 
> I saw aliexpress has WM-port to micro USB but not the type C that I'm looking for. For now, I will go for USB adapter. Hopefully someone have it for sell soon.



LDAC on the WM1A/Z is capable of 24bit 96khz.

https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449075.html


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 10, 2019)

“My God!”

“This guy has to hope it doen’t rain.”


----------



## Bart147

Redcarmoose said:


> “My God!”
> 
> “This guy has to hope it doen’t rain.”


Besides an umbrella he will need a bodyguard as well ...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 10, 2019)

Nothing like the sound of headphones at 80mph.






Bart147 said:


> Besides an umbrella he will need a bodyguard as well ...



http://www.vannuys.co.jp/official/new_item/vd984/


I guess you could consider me a “shut-in”.


----------



## captblaze

Redcarmoose said:


> Nothing like the sound of headphones at 80mph.
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.vannuys.co.jp/official/new_item/vd984/



definitely restores the practicality of lugging around that beast


----------



## Hyde8767

Redcarmoose said:


> Nothing like the sound of headphones at 80mph.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


and I thought carrying around a wm1a was hard and risky


----------



## Quadfather

Redcarmoose said:


> “My God!”
> 
> “This guy has to hope it doen’t rain.”



Hell no!  I am not turning this beloved hobby into a job or a workout.  The weight of a 1Z is about the limit.


----------



## Erfan Elahi

Quadfather said:


> Hell no!  I am not turning this beloved hobby into a job or a workout.  The weight of a 1Z is about the limit.


that's the point! An eight thousand dollar monster which weighs two and half kilograms...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Haydn trios for strings.  Trying out my new Samsung galaxy A50


----------



## bflat

Pretty soon, Sony will have us go full retro:


 

I think I got my parachute pants somewhere.....


----------



## Hyde8767

bflat said:


> Pretty soon, Sony will have us go full retro:
> 
> 
> 
> I think I got my parachute pants somewhere.....


They do have enough source material for going full on retro


----------



## gerelmx1986

WM1A plays well with DSD files, godly good SQ


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hopefully Sony offers in their next Walkman release  an all PCM to DSD function like now the new fiio M11


----------



## AnakChan

Hi all, sorry if I haven't been following this thread. Was there any conclusion if the NW-WM1Z supports MQA? More specifically MQA-CD (rather than Tidal) that has been ripped and played back via Audirvana Plus via the NW-WM1Z USB-DAC?


----------



## nc8000

AnakChan said:


> Hi all, sorry if I haven't been following this thread. Was there any conclusion if the NW-WM1Z supports MQA? More specifically MQA-CD (rather than Tidal) that has been ripped and played back via Audirvana Plus via the NW-WM1Z USB-DAC?



It certainly supports stand alone mqa files


----------



## NickleCo

Has anyone tried out the nes m11? It piqued my interest as a daily, sometimes the 1a just doesnt want to fit in my pants :/


----------



## AnakChan

nc8000 said:


> It certainly supports stand alone mqa files


Thanks, that actually helps. I needed to use the MQA Tag Restorer on the original FLACs. Works great on the NW-WM1Z.


----------



## equalspeace

The WM1A and my Oriolus Mk2 (with Ares 2 bespoke 8 wire) makes for an insanely good paring!


----------



## auronthas

auronthas said:


> Thanks, I am delighted and enjoying the lossless music  (24 bit 96khZ) transmitted from WM1A to this Bluetooth receiver via Aptx HD codec.  Then SPDIF output from this Bluetooth receiver to SPDIF input to DacMagic via toslink cable. It's been a while I didn't listen to my home HIFI system after getting WM1A. lol
> 
> My existing SONOS Connect only support up to 16 bit 44.1kHz (CD quality) sound.



Sorry to bring up this old post, @Redcarmoose  from the DACMagic indicator, it shows audio file played is only 44.1kHz, though I have selected 24 bit 96kHz audio file from WM1A, transmitted this file to Bluetooth 5.0 Receiver via Aptx HD codec , Toslink/optical output from this receiver to DACMagic,   How can it be?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 18, 2019)

I don’t use the Walkman in that use. I only watch YouTube videos using the Walkman as a Bluetooth receiver.

But what I can do is come up with a logical flowchart to discover the issue.
1) Does the Walkman really broadcast Bluetooth Aptx HD? I didn’t know it did? Also if it does then it would also show up with the Aptx HD codec varified.

2) I did read that Aptx HD does broadcast as 24 bit Bluetooth but did not note it as 24/96?

3) Is the codec the Walkman Aptx HD actually a full 24/96? Or in other words; does the codec have a variety of rates? And if so can they be chosen in the Walkman, and again is the Walkman capable of broadcasting it in full form.

4) Have you determined the BT receiver is really able to do full 24/96 acceptance? Is there a way to control how it accepts signals?

5) And finally here! Your DAC Magic Is going on 11 years old. I have done 24/96 “USB” with my Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus but never higher than 16/44.1 with optical toslink? I would start here as to look for a manual to describe the maximum bit-rate you can do with your DAC fiber optic. An easy test would be find some old theatre amp laying around and plug the fiber optic in. That way you completely test the Walkman output bit-rate. 2) You test your receiver output and receiving capabilities.

So if the theater amp shows a 16/44.1 input you know it’s a problem upstream. If it actually shows 24/96 then you know it’s an issue with the DAC Magic!

Don’t feel bad, my DAC Magic doesn’t even recognize the Walkman. At least you have 16/44.1.
Cheers!

Edit:

https://techsupport.cambridgeaudio....ts/200725852/DacMagic_User_Manual_English.pdf



https://techsupport.cambridgeaudio....0280711/DacMagic_Plus_User_Manual_English.pdf


I just went through the manuals and it’s clear the DACMagic plus does take higher digital signals than 16/44.1 via RCA or Optical Toslink.

Though it is not clear in your respective manual?


Edit:
It looks like it does accept 24/96?









It shows here that the Walkmans do Aptx HD, but it’s not listed if it’s sending and receiving or just one? Seems like they would make it sending as the priority with so much Aptx HD Bluetooth products out there?

I don’t know but after all this if the Walkman outputs Aptx HD, then it could be the receiver box not being what it was advertised or there is settings?

Cheers! Again!







https://www.google.co.id/amp/s/www..../aptx-hd-bluetooth-what-it-how-can-you-get-it


You can read this though it does not sound like the new codec adaptive Aptx will be fully 24/96, but less when launched?

So my question is was AptxHD truly 24/96 upon launch?



From what I can read on line Aptx only goes to 24/48 right now? 

What you want is the coming Sony LDAC which will be better.


----------



## auronthas

Redcarmoose said:


> What you want is the coming Sony LDAC which will be better.


Thanks for your detailed explaination. Yes, look ahead for Bluetooth 5.0 LDAC receiver 

Yes, I can confirm seeing ApTX HD on the WM1A screen when it's paired with Bluetooth 5.0 transmitter/receiver, also its indicators show both ApTX and HD respectively.  Nevertheless, I do not know if it transmit at 24/96 or 24/48 ... and most likely it's only 16/44.1 as my DACMagic shows 44.1kHz and not even 48kHz.  

Also I tried to connect WM1A via USB digital input...Yes, this 10.y.o DACMagic's USB input can only deliver 16/44.1kHz according to its manual, but I was curious and ordered WMC-NWH10 cable and USB A to USB B cable , will try out when they are arrived if they will work when WM1A is on USB DAC mode.

Do you have any recommendation on DAC like Benchmark DAC 3 ($$$$$) with USB digital input and XLR balanced output to integrated amplifier? 

I wish  I can play 24/96kHz or higher audio to my HIFI system.


----------



## Redcarmoose

auronthas said:


> Thanks for your detailed explaination. Yes, look ahead for Bluetooth 5.0 LDAC receiver
> 
> Yes, I can confirm seeing ApTX HD on the WM1A screen when it's paired with Bluetooth 5.0 transmitter/receiver, also its indicators show both ApTX and HD respectively.  Nevertheless, I do not know if it transmit at 24/96 or 24/48 ... and most likely it's only 16/44.1 as my DACMagic shows 44.1kHz and not even 48kHz.
> 
> ...




Yes, I read about the USB DAC limitation, which Cambridge updated with the DACMagic plus. The DACMagic plus has Balanced out? But no not sure I have any answers for you on a DAC?


----------



## auronthas

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, I read about the USB DAC limitation, which Cambridge updated with the DACMagic plus. The DACMagic plus has Balanced out? But no not sure I have any answers for you on a DAC?


Both DACMagic and DACMagic has Balanced Output (XLR) left and right channels to integrated amplifier , not 4.4mm though LOL.


----------



## Arion128

A video on the Sony WM1Z and recommended Accessories for those who are thinking of buying this player.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 19, 2019)

Arion128 said:


> A video on the Sony WM1Z and recommended Accessories for those who are thinking of buying this player.





Not to be critical but I’m pretty sure that video would be at the end of the  list of videos for someone thinking of buying the player. Though it would be best to be viewed by someone who just purchased one.

A video for someone thinking of buying the 1Z/1A would need to show the relevance today of such a purchase being the players came out in 2016. Many new products have been introduced since then, and a video could show how the Sony Walkmans still hold up. Secondly the video could show the new additions of firmware 3.01 being it now offered DAC functionality as well as AptxHD and Bluetooth sending and receiving. The video would need to show operations of the interface as well as the list of sound modification options such as vinyl character filter. It would need to explain DSD support, DSEE upscale and what S-Master HX digital amplification was about.

As many new players in the field do not offer 4.4mm Pentaconn 5 pole plugs a video could show the benefit and negative opinions on that.

And finally a description of sound and comparisons of the choices concerning the 1A, 1Z and choice of ZX300. At best a direct comparison of  sound characteristics comparing the Sony sound to other DAPs in the price range. 

So with that in mind the video is useless for a perspective buyer. IMO


----------



## LeFaucon

Redcarmoose said:


> Not to be critical but I’m pretty sure that video would be at the end of the  list of videos for someone thinking of buying the player. Though it would be best to be viewed by someone who just purchased one.
> 
> A video for someone thinking of buying the 1Z/1A would need to show the relevance today of such a purchase being the players came out in 2016. Many new products have been introduced since then, and a video could show how the Sony Walkmans still hold up. Secondly the video could show the new additions of firmware 3.01 being it now offered DAC functionality as well as AptxHD and Bluetooth sending and receiving. The video would need to show operations of the interface as well as the list of sound modification options such as vinyl character filter. It would need to explain DSD support, DSEE upscale and what S-Master HX digital amplification was about.
> 
> ...



+1
Agree
Well done but too much long
Just an « unboxing » video more... 3 years after
Accessories presented are just basic for any DAP : protective screen and (leather) case + pouch
Right : unusual sorry
Agree also for new features should have been added


----------



## Erfan Elahi

Redcarmoose said:


> Not to be critical but I’m pretty sure that video would be at the end of the  list of videos for someone thinking of buying the player. Though it would be best to be viewed by someone who just purchased one.
> 
> A video for someone thinking of buying the 1Z/1A would need to show the relevance today of such a purchase being the players came out in 2016. Many new products have been introduced since then, and a video could show how the Sony Walkmans still hold up. Secondly the video could show the new additions of firmware 3.01 being it now offered DAC functionality as well as AptxHD and Bluetooth sending and receiving. The video would need to show operations of the interface as well as the list of sound modification options such as vinyl character filter. It would need to explain DSD support, DSEE upscale and what S-Master HX digital amplification was about.
> 
> ...


great said!


----------



## auronthas

Redcarmoose said:


> Not to be critical but I’m pretty sure that video would be at the end of the  list of videos for someone thinking of buying the player. Though it would be best to be viewed by someone who just purchased one.
> 
> A video for someone thinking of buying the 1Z/1A would need to show the relevance today of such a purchase being the players came out in 2016. Many new products have been introduced since then, and a video could show how the Sony Walkmans still hold up. Secondly the video could show the new additions of firmware 3.01 being it now offered DAC functionality as well as AptxHD and Bluetooth sending and receiving. The video would need to show operations of the interface as well as the list of sound modification options such as vinyl character filter. It would need to explain DSD support, DSEE upscale and what S-Master HX digital amplification was about.
> 
> ...


Well said. 

My DAP journey from FIIO, then HIBY and now Sony, I have no regret with WM1A especially with the firmware 3.0.1 USB DAC and Bluetooth Receiver features . Though it's not all-in-one unit, I discover the sound that I really like. At least SONY firmware is more mature and stable than other DAPs.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 19, 2019)

auronthas said:


> Well said.
> 
> My DAP journey from FIIO, then HIBY and now Sony, I have no regret with WM1A especially with the firmware 3.0.1 USB DAC and Bluetooth Receiver features . Though it's not all-in-one unit, I discover the sound that I really like. At least SONY firmware is more mature and stable than other DAPs.



I found firmware 3.01 to be great with the 1A and IER-Z1R, but that’s the thing; I guess everyone uses the players differently. Many here do feel they have ended their journey; at least for awhile?


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> I found firmware 3.01 to be great with the 1A and IER-Z1R, but that’s the thing; I guess everyone uses the players differently. Many here do feel they have ended their journey; at least for awhile?



My jouney has been ended for near 2 1/2 years now with the 1Z and I’ve not yet seen anything that I even felt like trying out. Expect to be set until the 1Z dies and can not be repaired.


----------



## hireslover

After purposely not listening to 1Z for 2 to 3 weeks but instead listening to something else in my case the LPG; once I go back to give the WM1Z some love I will be able to tell the difference right away. The sound is awesome. I wouldn't want to change it for nothing else in the world. I am set for a long time to go.


----------



## timeslip

nc8000 said:


> My jouney has been ended for near 2 1/2 years now with the 1Z and I’ve not yet seen anything that I even felt like trying out. Expect to be set until the 1Z dies and can not be repaired.



I thought the same thing, until I made the mistake of trying out a LPGT for a week.  Other than no m3u support, I love it and ended up purchasing it.  May be putting my WM1Z on the classifieds soon.


----------



## bflat

nc8000 said:


> My jouney has been ended for near 2 1/2 years now with the 1Z and I’ve not yet seen anything that I even felt like trying out. Expect to be set until the 1Z dies and can not be repaired.



There's always K-Mod from Music Sanctuary 

One more follow up on K-Mod I've had since January. Prior to K-Mod, I had a problem with the rhodium plating coming off my Furutech 4.4mm plug after about a month of use. The K-Mod included a brand new Pentaconn jack and so far I've had no issues with my replacement plug. On a separate note, I was really surprised how good the product support is from Furutech. They sent me a replacement plug within 2 days of contacting them.


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> There's always K-Mod from Music Sanctuary
> 
> One more follow up on K-Mod I've had since January. Prior to K-Mod, I had a problem with the rhodium plating coming off my Furutech 4.4mm plug after about a month of use. The K-Mod included a brand new Pentaconn jack and so far I've had no issues with my replacement plug. On a separate note, I was really surprised how good the product support is from Furutech. They sent me a replacement plug within 2 days of contacting them.



I would be afraid that it would change the sound sig I love to something else


----------



## bflat

nc8000 said:


> I would be afraid that it would change the sound sig I love to something else



The K-Mod is all noise reduction/rejection. It replaces wires that have better noise immunity and add shielding to areas that generate EMI. Basically same reasoning that Sony had by not implementing WIFI. End result for me is more dynamic range than before. Have to admit though, half the reason for me was to ensure I lock myself into the WM1z for the next several years which will do wonders for my wallet. However, if you have better discipline than me, than K-Mod value is much lower IMHO.


----------



## Tawek

I do not know if it's just me
but my "old x1061" sound is not worse than 1z.
for me Nwz  x1061 is still masterpiece!!!


----------



## djricekcn

Can someone help me with the RMT-NWS20...i'm trying to connect it via the Remote section under the bluetooth but it quickly picks up ( i think, it shows the name of the remote for a split second) and says something in the line of cannot connect to remote/  is there a way to factory reset the remote (as well?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Tawek said:


> I do not know if it's just me
> but my "old x1061" sound is not worse than 1z.
> for me Nwz  x1061 is still masterpiece!!!


Now try with wav on the x1060 and flac on the wm1z


----------



## ttt123

djricekcn said:


> Can someone help me with the RMT-NWS20...i'm trying to connect it via the Remote section under the bluetooth but it quickly picks up ( i think, it shows the name of the remote for a split second) and says something in the line of cannot connect to remote/  is there a way to factory reset the remote (as well?


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-729
Did you check if the Hold is switched off before using?

You can reset the remote pairing by Holding "play/pause" + "Vol -" for 10secs.

With "Hold" switched off that is.

You will see flashing alternating Red and Blue lights which is pairing.
*****************************************************************************************

The instruction manual is here: https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/4595/45956391M.pdf


----------



## LeFaucon

Tawek said:


> I do not know if it's just me
> but my "old x1061" sound is not worse than 1z.
> for me Nwz  x1061 is still masterpiece!!!



Yes : it’s just you !


----------



## Hyde8767

Redcarmoose said:


> I also have to agree it’s the best case; especially the feel.


sorry for bringing up this very old post but can you give the link for buying the cases


----------



## Redcarmoose

Hyde8767 said:


> sorry for bringing up this very old post but can you give the link for buying the cases


http://www.cmpg.co.jp/musashino/nwwm1_leather_case.html


----------



## Hyde8767

Redcarmoose said:


> http://www.cmpg.co.jp/musashino/nwwm1_leather_case.html


Thanks


----------



## Mund1 (Apr 22, 2019)

A couple of questions for an on the way (shipped) new purchase of an WM1Z:

* Is the MUC-B20SB1Sony-Kimber cable set a decent set to go with ? _____________  (I don't have the Z1R's yet, but remain hopeful, that soon)

* Why are the MUC-B20SB1 virtually non existent to purchase here in the USA ?__________

* Will the MUC-B20SB1 mini / 3.5 ends connect without issue to a pair of Pioneer SE-Monitor5 set of headphones ?_________    (I don't know of the B20SB1's have that screw on connector style)


----------



## Hyde8767

Mund1 said:


> A couple of questions for an on the way (shipped) new purchase of an WM1Z:
> 
> * Is the MUC-B20SB1Sony-Kimber cable set a decent set to go with ? _____________  (I don't have the Z1R's yet, but remain hopeful, that soon)
> 
> ...


MUC-B20SB1 mini / 3.5 ends  should connect without any problem without screwing on the ends


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 22, 2019)

Mund1 said:


> A couple of questions for an on the way (shipped) new purchase of an WM1Z:
> 
> * Is the MUC-B20SB1Sony-Kimber cable set a decent set to go with ? _____________  (I don't have the Z1R's yet, but remain hopeful, that soon)
> 
> ...



The MUC-B20SB1 is a gift from the universe to us. It’s single character somehow rearranges and refines the full-size Z1R. I use it with my Sony  Z7 flagships, the Z1R and both 1A and 1Z plus TA desktop amp. I’m surprised as I just became lucky getting it. The cable was free with my Z1R headphones. I would have never searched it out. In fact the store ended up giving me the floor model cable as they were sold out during the special.

What it does:
It’s mini 3.5mm plugs should fit other headphone inputs with mini plugs though I’ve never used it other than with Sony. Seen it work with other stuff on-line without the screw-tips being locked down. The friction of it being pressed on inside the headphone should slightly hold it in place, like it does with the Sony gear. Not sure about polarity being right, though?

Sound:
Folks have had slight response issues with the Z1R to the point that the  Sony MUC-B20SB1 gets recommended in the Z1R thread with profound consistency. It’s a band-aid which smooths out the treble and opens it up soundstage wise. Both the Z7 and Z1R can come off as slightly bright to some who are treble sensitive. Also depending on front end character boosting treble from flat.

Mid:
The cable somehow expands the mids and smooths out the frequency response. Secondary only to the bass-fog-band-aid; you hear of folks really getting into the MUC-B20SB1 change in this important area. Including myself, many have become critical of the Z7/Z1R mids and found the cable to be as essential as air.

Lower Mids:
This area normally with stock cables has had whole groups getting their shorts in a bundle over; trying to use the included cable and subjectively judging end sound.

The Kimber cable does an amazing job of getting rid of the slight fog in the Z7 and Z1R. The upper bass/ lower midrange gets a focus and detail being pushed 3D into a living area with-in the soundstage. It’s this end help which is maybe the most needed and most noticeable? Maybe? Though some may focus on the overall detail and smoothness added in contrast to provided stock cables.

Bass:
Added detail, which ends up making Z7 and Z1R bass-tone seem faster somehow?

In the end this change has many gaining disrespect for the included Z1R cables? How can a top-line headphone with so much detail in design and craftsmanship be given a wrong sounding cable? Huh?


----------



## Lookout57

Mund1 said:


> A couple of questions for an on the way (shipped) new purchase of an WM1Z:
> 
> * Is the MUC-B20SB1Sony-Kimber cable set a decent set to go with ? _____________  (I don't have the Z1R's yet, but remain hopeful, that soon)
> 
> ...


I never heard the Sony-Kimber but people who have heard both say the Kimber AXIOS is even better but at 3x the cost.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 22, 2019)

Lookout57 said:


> I never heard the Sony-Kimber but people who have heard both say the Kimber AXIOS is even better but at 3x the cost.



So true, so many talking about the Axios Line. Slightly too rich for my blood, but still you could call me a believer.
https://www.kimber.com/axios


----------



## Mund1

Redcarmoose said:


> The MUC-B20SB1 is a gift from the universe to us. It’s single character somehow rearranges and refines the full-size Z1R. I use it with my Sony  Z7 flagships, the Z1R and both 1A and 1Z plus TA desktop amp. I’m surprised as I just became lucky getting it. The cable was free with my Z1R headphones. I would have never searched it out. In fact the store ended up giving me the floor model cable as they were sold out during the special.
> 
> What it does:
> It’s mini 3.5mm plugs should fit other headphone inputs with mini plugs though I’ve never used it other than with Sony. Seen it work with other stuff on-line without the screw-tips being locked down. The friction of it being pressed on inside the headphone should slightly hold it in place, like it does with the Sony gear. Not sure about polarity being right, though?
> ...



Grateful for the responses... Thank You for taking the the time here in explaining in very helpful detail !!!


----------



## Mund1

I don't know if I found this info here... or if I just stumbled across it on youtube (info overload lately in searching & reading). 

But I found this review of cables.


----------



## marklivia

With my 1Z and Z1R combo I've heard the stock cable, the Sony/Kimber and the super high dollar Double Helix Prion 4 silver cables. The Kimber was good but a bit bloated in the mid bass and not as transparent as Silver Litz. The Prion sounded the best but $$$$$!!!  Very clean and best feel of space in the soundstage, cleaned up the bass in every regard. So I sold that and got a reasonably priced OCC Silver Litz cable that was way more flexible and sounded 98% as good. I think Silver Litz is the best sound for this combo IMHO.


----------



## tsobik

hello
I have sony wm1z firmware 3.0.1
how to use dac mode?
i choose dac mode, than connect with my mac os mojave
i see walkman in audio outputs, choose it, but no sound
i need to buy special cable to use dac mode?


----------



## Mund1

Is it advisable to go with the latest, most recent, firmware update for the WM1Z ?

I recall reading somewhere, and of course I can't find it... the last firmware release was felt t have some adverse affects with sound (this person felt).  Sorry, a bit vague, searching for my screen shot of the info.


----------



## captblaze

Mund1 said:


> Is it advisable to go with the latest, most recent, firmware update for the WM1Z ?
> 
> I recall reading somewhere, and of course I can't find it... the last firmware release was felt t have some adverse affects with sound (this person felt).  Sorry, a bit vague, searching for my screen shot of the info.



you can go back and forth with the firmware, so if you don't like one you can try another


----------



## nc8000

Mund1 said:


> Is it advisable to go with the latest, most recent, firmware update for the WM1Z ?
> 
> I recall reading somewhere, and of course I can't find it... the last firmware release was felt t have some adverse affects with sound (this person felt).  Sorry, a bit vague, searching for my screen shot of the info.



There are (to me minute, to others more significant) differences in sound between the various fw versions and then there are stability and feature differences as well so you need to try them yourself and settle for the one that suites your needs and preferences best


----------



## Mund1

I was not aware of that captblaze, didn't know you can step back to a prior version of firmware.  How, by doing a factory reset 1st to wipe out the current versions of firmware ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

tsobik said:


> hello
> I have sony wm1z firmware 3.0.1
> how to use dac mode?
> i choose dac mode, than connect with my mac os mojave
> ...



It’s a set of resettings for the Mac. They are posted in this thread about 5 months ago. I don’t use the Walkmans that way, or I could help.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 25, 2019)

Mund1 said:


> I was not aware of that captblaze, didn't know you can step back to a prior version of firmware.  How, by doing a factory reset 1st to wipe out the current versions of firmware ?



Many of us had issues with the 1A sound when 3.0 was released. Then 3.01 was released which altered the sound and made the latest firmware better sounding. Though in this thread you will find different members using a variety of firmware as it’s subjective taste which could be best. Though the older firmware does not offer some of the options of the most recent 3.01 experience.

The only firmware which is not available online is the original original firmware .....FW 1.0 before any updates, which came with the original 1Z/1A in 2016. Don’t think anyone even liked that very first firmware sound, especially in comparison to what came later and was installed with later Walkmans?

3.0 took awhile to load the database so 3.01 was a grand improvement.

Factory reset only erases the music and hours, no change in firmware.
This is the latest FW, the best in my opinion 3.01.
https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/digital-music-players-nw-wm-series/nw-wm1a#/downloadTab

This is the first update FW 1.02...I think?

_http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe_

_http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.dmg_

_http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.exe_

_http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.dmg_

Most of the Sony update places have updated from 2.0 and 3.0 to 3.01. But if you look into it on this thread you should find 3.0 and 2.0 if curious.


----------



## auronthas

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s a set of resettings for the Mac. They are posted in this thread about 5 months ago. I don’t use the Walkmans that way, or I could help.



Ya, it was discussed back in October 2018, @tsobik here's the solution and the link you may try out .

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1640#post-14531280


----------



## wackoip

Oh Crap, a few days ago the 3.5mm output was dead but 4.4mm one was fine.  Took it to Sony (Hong Kong) for a quote to repair.  It turned out they have to replace the circuit board and I have to pay HK$4,800 (US$615) to repair it.  I bought it at the end of October 2016 (didn't realised it's that long ago, time flies!) and obviously warranty doesn't cover.  But I am really hesitating whether I should go ahead and pay for the repair.


----------



## auronthas

wackoip said:


> Oh Crap, a few days ago the 3.5mm output was dead but 4.4mm one was fine.  Took it to Sony (Hong Kong) for a quote to repair.  It turned out they have to replace the circuit board and I have to pay HK$4,800 (US$615) to repair it.  I bought it at the end of October 2016 (didn't realised it's that long ago, time flies!) and obviously warranty doesn't cover.  But I am really hesitating whether I should go ahead and pay for the repair.


1A or 1Z? If 1A, better buy a new one, if 1Z, your call


----------



## wackoip

U


auronthas said:


> 1A or 1Z? If 1A, better buy a new one, if 1Z, your call


unfortunately 1Z.  I think I'll go ahead reluctantly LOL (bitterly)


----------



## nc8000

wackoip said:


> U
> 
> unfortunately 1Z.  I think I'll go ahead reluctantly LOL (bitterly)



Or just stick with the balanced output


----------



## wackoip

But then I won't be able to pair it with my Shure KSE1500 which IMHO has the best synergy with 1Z.  That is one major reason I will reluctantly pay.......


----------



## LeFaucon

wackoip said:


> Oh Crap, a few days ago the 3.5mm output was dead but 4.4mm one was fine.  Took it to Sony (Hong Kong) for a quote to repair.  It turned out they have to replace the circuit board and I have to pay HK$4,800 (US$615) to repair it.  I bought it at the end of October 2016 (didn't realised it's that long ago, time flies!) and obviously warranty doesn't cover.  But I am really hesitating whether I should go ahead and pay for the repair.



Or maybe your own thoughts, choice and money...?


----------



## wackoip

I know.  Just an old man moaning...But seriously I was surprised how much it costs and just want headfiers here to know the amount involved when something like this happens


----------



## auronthas

wackoip said:


> But then I won't be able to pair it with my Shure KSE1500 which IMHO has the best synergy with 1Z.  That is one major reason I will reluctantly pay.......


Haven't tried electrostatic heaphone ... Possible to get Fiio 4.4mm male to 3.5mm female adapter ?


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> Haven't tried electrostatic heaphone ... Possible to get Fiio 4.4mm male to 3.5mm female adapter ?



Can’t go balanced output to single ended headphone, only the other way


----------



## proedros

600$ to fix the 3.5 ? wow , this is  A LOT of money - glad i only use 4.4 cables


----------



## Luisonic

wackoip said:


> But then I won't be able to pair it with my Shure KSE1500 which IMHO has the best synergy with 1Z.  That is one major reason I will reluctantly pay.......



Or maybe think about getting a nice new cable with the 4.4 for your Shures...
From what I hear the sound quality out of the 4.4 of the 1Z is worth it anyways, and if you must spend, might as well upgrade your cable and sound experience... a good quality cable can cost you less than 600.


----------



## Mund1

I would think, expect really, that Sony would step up to the plate here and fix at a much lower price than that; free even!  A lot of $ initially spent to purchase that thing, then, a hit like that to repair, ouch!  

Where is the customer service of decades ago... LOL   

Early 1980's, I purchased a new receiver a Sansui G-7700.  I wanted to crank out some good classic rock tunes, but my speakers were not as nice as my fathers custom built top of the line Electro-Voice set up. They were nearly 25-30 years old.  Long story short...  I blew the fancy stainless steel horn tweeters. I called Electro-Voice, sent them in, they were either fixed or replaced I don't recall... but Free of Charge, I recall that!  This was exceptional customer service.  I blew the tweeters out of negligence too. 

What I am saying here. Sony should really just fix the darn thing.  Maybe I have become old, old school thinking...


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mund1 said:


> I would think, expect really, that Sony would step up to the plate here and fix at a much lower price than that; free even!  A lot of $ initially spent to purchase that thing, then, a hit like that to repair, ouch!
> 
> Where is the customer service of decades ago... LOL
> 
> ...


----------



## wackoip

Mund1 said:


> I would think, expect really, that Sony would step up to the plate here and fix at a much lower price than that; free even!  A lot of $ initially spent to purchase that thing, then, a hit like that to repair, ouch!
> 
> Where is the customer service of decades ago... LOL
> 
> ...





Well you're not the only one with old school thinking, I absolutely agree with you but then this is 2019 and nowadays Sony is well "new school" (and ruthless) I guess


----------



## gsiu33

wackoip said:


> Oh Crap, a few days ago the 3.5mm output was dead but 4.4mm one was fine.  Took it to Sony (Hong Kong) for a quote to repair.  It turned out they have to replace the circuit board and I have to pay HK$4,800 (US$615) to repair it.  I bought it at the end of October 2016 (didn't realised it's that long ago, time flies!) and obviously warranty doesn't cover.  But I am really hesitating whether I should go ahead and pay for the repair.


Replace the circuit board means you have to go through the burning process, am I correct ?


----------



## Nayparm

wackoip said:


> Oh Crap, a few days ago the 3.5mm output was dead but 4.4mm one was fine.  Took it to Sony (Hong Kong) for a quote to repair.  It turned out they have to replace the circuit board and I have to pay HK$4,800 (US$615) to repair it.  I bought it at the end of October 2016 (didn't realised it's that long ago, time flies!) and obviously warranty doesn't cover.  But I am really hesitating whether I should go ahead and pay for the repair.



Wow i'd fix it for you if you where in the UK. Then again it still sounds like it would be way cheaper with shipping both ways.

Actually, give Romi-Audio a call in Hong Kong. I'm sure they will fix it for you or for similar money Sony where going to charge actually recieve upgraded internal headphone socket cables, also options to add elna caps, noise shielding etc


----------



## wackoip

gsiu33 said:


> Replace the circuit board means you have to go through the burning process, am I correct ?


Oh S**t, I didn't ask but you are probably correct.  Oh my life is so miserable!


----------



## wackoip

Nayparm said:


> Wow i'd fix it for you if you where in the UK. Then again it still sounds like it would be way cheaper with shipping both ways.
> 
> Actually, give Romi-Audio a call in Hong Kong. I'm sure they will fix it for you or for similar money Sony where going to charge actually recieve upgraded internal headphone socket cables, also options to add elna caps, noise shielding etc


Interesting, I'll check


----------



## Mund1

Ask Sony, considering the totality of overall costs, the time you have had it, the minimal usage; if they would consider fixing it for you perhaps at a reduced price or free as a courtesy?

Worth a try.. right!


----------



## romnation

Currently torn between the Spiral Ears SE 5 way ultimate and the 64 Audio A18T CIEMs for my NW-WM1Z. Which one do you guys think is better matched?


----------



## Mund1 (Apr 28, 2019)

The product sticker on the side, a bit vague compared to the others, but I believe it's for Canadian products (where it came from) I saw a few others on Canadian websites that had the same.  Unlike the many US posted versions.  Even though they are to be the same, Canada - US versions.  Can anyone confirm ?


----------



## Nayparm (Apr 27, 2019)

The edge of the 4.4mm pentacon is normal on Sony and any other manufacturers daps. something I noticed when I first saw one on a WM1A, the dings and scrape suck. I'd return it.


----------



## Quadfather

Help.  I just got Bob James Espresso in DSD (.dsf files) and album art will not show up.


----------



## ashanti34

Lookout57 said:


> I never heard the Sony-Kimber but people who have heard both say the Kimber AXIOS is even better but at 3x the cost.


Anyone know why my WM1Z shows only 304 hrs when I have used it for many more hours that this ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

ashanti34 said:


> Anyone know why my WM1Z shows only 304 hrs when I have used it for many more hours that this ?


Has it restarted at some point? If yes, then the hours are not saved after a sudden restart


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yesterday my Walkman USB cable gave up, I got false contact to PC and it mounted and dismounted pretty quickly. Went into panic thinking my SD card was bad or my Walkman motherboard was bad. Fortunately have the brand new unused cable of the wm1a on hand (dead one was from my zx100)


----------



## nc8000

ashanti34 said:


> Anyone know why my WM1Z shows only 304 hrs when I have used it for many more hours that this ?



If you have done a factory reset the counter will have reset. Also the counter only counts hours through the 3.5 and 4.4, not BT or line out


----------



## ashanti34

ok, I do most of my listening via BT so that makes a lot of sense  now that the counter is not moving. I will do a test and see how I get on. Perfect answer thanks ! I haven't done a factory reset.


----------



## nc8000

ashanti34 said:


> ok, I do most of my listening via BT so that makes a lot of sense  now that the counter is not moving. I will do a test and see how I get on. Perfect answer thanks ! I haven't done a factory reset.



I’m doing more and more BT listening via LDAC which is leading me to another question, am I waisting the 1Z and would something like the much, much cheaper A45 do just as good a job playing red book flac files ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

ashanti34 said:


> Anyone know why my WM1Z shows only 304 hrs when I have used it for many more hours that this ?





gerelmx1986 said:


> Has it restarted at some point? If yes, then the hours are not saved after a sudden restart


Yes, the factory reset sets the hours back.


----------



## ewhere (Apr 28, 2019)

Hi Guys,

New guy here, I am wondering if you could give me recommendation on what is the best to pair with IER Z1R - WM1A or WM1Z? I have been reading a bit and it seems that WM1Z has a warmer sound & more detailed and WM1A is more balanced with probably less detail. I purchased Z1R to complete my set up with KSE1200, and was searching for an DAP upgrade. Currently using XDP-300R.

Thanks a lot!


----------



## Mathieulh

ewhere said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> New guy here, I am wondering if you could give me recommendation on what is the best to pair with IER Z1R - WM1A or WM1Z? I have been reading a bit and it seems that WM1Z has a warmer sound & more detailed and WM1A is more balanced with probably less detail. I purchase Z1R to complete my set up with KSE1200, and was searching for an DAP upgrade. Currently using XDP-300R.
> 
> Thanks a lot!



The WM1A has more details, precisely because the WM1Z is warmer,  the brighter a source is, the more details it gets, including unwanted ones or mastering issues, which is usually the reason a lot of people prefer warmer sources to neutral (like the WM1A is or bright ones). That said the IEMs or headphones you use are going to have much more impact to the sound signature than moving from a WM1A to a WM1Z.

I believe those are great options for IEMs and easy to drive headphones, they sport great battery life to boot. The ZX300 is also a great option in that regard. If you want to drive power demanding headphones however, Sony DAPs are probably not what you'd want to get.


----------



## ewhere

Mathieulh said:


> The WM1A has more details, precisely because the WM1Z is warmer,  the brighter a source is, the more details it gets, including unwanted ones or mastering issues, which is usually the reason a lot of people prefer warmer sources to neutral (like the WM1A is or bright ones). That said the IEMs or headphones you use are going to have much more impact to the sound signature than moving from a WM1A to a WM1Z.
> 
> I believe those are great options for IEMs and easy to drive headphones, they sport great battery life to boot. The ZX300 is also a great option in that regard. If you want to drive power demanding headphones however, Sony DAPs are probably not what you'd want to get.


Thanks so much for the quick reply! So it means that the price difference does not make it up for sound quality? i am yet to purchase the DAP and I am slighly concerned whether i want to pay a 2K premium for shiny gold lol. I'd rather get another pair of IEMs.

I normally don't use DAP to drive home listening headphones since I have my own set up to drive those.

In your opinion it would be better to get WM1A in this case?

Thanks!


----------



## Aeskualpio

ewhere said:


> Thanks so much for the quick reply! So it means that the price difference does not make it up for sound quality? i am yet to purchase the DAP and I am slighly concerned whether i want to pay a 2K premium for shiny gold lol. I'd rather get another pair of IEMs.
> 
> I normally don't use DAP to drive home listening headphones since I have my own set up to drive those.
> 
> ...



1A is more detailed, the 1Z warmer.
Both are excellent TOTL DAPs.
I migrated from the XDP-300R to the 1A, thoroughly satisfied with the upgrade.

Cheers


----------



## Mathieulh (Apr 28, 2019)

ewhere said:


> Thanks so much for the quick reply! So it means that the price difference does not make it up for sound quality? i am yet to purchase the DAP and I am slighly concerned whether i want to pay a 2K premium for shiny gold lol. I'd rather get another pair of IEMs.
> 
> I normally don't use DAP to drive home listening headphones since I have my own set up to drive those.
> 
> ...



Indeed the price does not reflect in the increase in sound quality when it comes to the difference between both these DAPs (or even the ZX300 vs the WM1Z really), that said you do get the nice shiny golden enclosure (along with the added weight from the copper chassis) and the slightly warmer sound signature, which makes for a slightly different listening experience. While some might be willing to shed the extra 2k for that, I believe people buy the WM1Z because it's the most expensive device of the Sony DAP lineup and they like to flaunt their money. Is it a bad DAP? Certainly not, if someone is to flaunt his or her money around, just considering digital audio players alone, that someone  could do a lot worse, at least it remains a very high quality product, does the difference in sound quality justify the extra 2k from the WM1A (or the even higher increase from the ZX300)? Hell no!

Then again, as far as the device goes, so long as you know Sony DAPs are somewhat limited in their power output, you can't go wrong with any of them, they will all sound great from the balanced outpout (not so much from the Single Ended output, but I digress).


----------



## ewhere

Mathieulh said:


> Indeed the price does not reflect in the increase in sound quality when it comes to the difference between both these DAPs (or even the ZX300 vs the WM1Z really), that said you do get the nice shiny golden enclosure (along with the added weight from the copper chassis) and the slightly warmer sound signature, which makes for a slightly different listening experience. While some might be willing to shed the extra 2k for that, I believe people buy the WM1Z because it's the most expensive device of the Sony DAP lineup and they like to flaunt their money. Is it a bad DAP? Certainly not, if someone is to flaunt his or her money around, just considering digital audio players alone, that someone  could do a lot worse, at least it remains a very high quality product, does the difference in sound quality justify the extra 2k from the WM1A (or the even higher increase from the ZX300)? Hell no!
> 
> Then again, as far as the device goes, so long as you know Sony DAPs are somewhat limited in their power output, you can't go wrong with any of them, they will all sound great from the balanced outpout (not so much from the Single Ended output, but I digress).



I think you are defo right. I hope I can try them somewhere if I have the chance.

Speaking of balanced, I don't think it will affect the sound quality on KSE1200s as they are Electro, and only have single ended input to the AMP. Am i correct? Sorry I am quite new to this game lol


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 28, 2019)

ewhere said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> New guy here, I am wondering if you could give me recommendation on what is the best to pair with IER Z1R - WM1A or WM1Z? I have been reading a bit and it seems that WM1Z has a warmer sound & more detailed and WM1A is more balanced with probably less detail. I purchased Z1R to complete my set up with KSE1200, and was searching for an DAP upgrade. Currently using XDP-300R.
> 
> Thanks a lot!


I have both the IER-Z1R and 1A and 1Z. The 1A at times is the better combo, only because the IER-Z1R is already slightly warm and on the thicker side.

Funny to as no IEM has this nice magic with the 1A? There is no better DAP as the 1A and 1Z are complementary which means they both offer their own thing. Still I could be happy with just the IER-Z1R and 1A combo as it’s that good!
The included 4.4mm rocks too! No need to change that!


----------



## Mathieulh

ewhere said:


> I think you are defo right. I hope I can try them somewhere if I have the chance.
> 
> Speaking of balanced, I don't think it will affect the sound quality on KSE1200s as they are Electro, and only have single ended input to the AMP. Am i correct? Sorry I am quite new to this game lol



A balanced output will definitely improve the sound quality in most DAPs because they either have circuitry designed to this end (like on Sony's DAPs) or lack power on the SE output (especially Sony's DAPs). 

A balanced outpout will also give you a cleaner audio separation between both channels as it, by design, removes any possible crosstalk you'd get from SE.

That said, not all headphones or IEMs can be connected to a balanced ouput, unfortunately a majority, especially on the low to middle end audio gear, can't.


----------



## bflat

nc8000 said:


> I’m doing more and more BT listening via LDAC which is leading me to another question, am I waisting the 1Z and would something like the much, much cheaper A45 do just as good a job playing red book flac files ?



If you mean transmit mode to BT headphones, then no I don't think there is any audible difference using an A45 versus 1Z since the DAC function is inside the headphone.


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> If you mean transmit mode to BT headphones, then no I don't think there is any audible difference using an A45 versus 1Z since the DAC function is inside the headphone.



That was my gut feeling so I've bought an A45 for cheap, it'll fit nicely in the case for my 1000XM3. Will continue using the 1Z with my cabled balanced phones


----------



## marklivia

Redcarmoose, have ever done a comparison between the 1Z and 1A somewhere here on Head-fi? I have the Z1R headphones and wondered which pairs best w/ those cans?


----------



## Tawek

marklivia said:


> Redcarmoose, have ever done a comparison between the 1Z and 1A somewhere here on Head-fi? I have the Z1R headphones and wondered which pairs best w/ those cans?


Probably nwz x1060 /61


----------



## marklivia

Ok, I'm confused......


----------



## meomap

Hi,
1Z / Dock / Wireworld USB cable to Denafrips Terminator DAC    VS
Jay Audio cdt2 mk2 transport ( CD only ) / Wireworld Coax rca to Termi DAC.

Transport outperforms 1Z miles apart.
I was very surprise as well.
Transport outperforms my Esoteric K05 CD/SACD/DAC as well.

Same DAC and same tube hp amp as baseline test. Waiting for hmdi i2s cable to replace with coax, should sound much better.


----------



## Redcarmoose

marklivia said:


> Redcarmoose, have ever done a comparison between the 1Z and 1A somewhere here on Head-fi? I have the Z1R headphones and wondered which pairs best w/ those cans?



I have not, though I do have an upcoming review concentrating on three Sony headphones and how they compare. Maybe it will be posted in a couple days, maybe? It talks about the use of Sony gear and the synergy between it all. Nothing is bad, though some combinations seem a little better. IMO

But for some reason I like the 1Z with the Z1R, also the Sony/Kimber Cable is big change from stock, in this use! But again I like authority sounding replay, so maybe that’s why? There is a good chance someone would like the IA better. I wish my statements could be more defined but this stuff is all so good and all goes together so well. It’s not like there are any big mistakes to be made, like combining other gear. IMO

 But the 1A is still super nice and adequate. My thing is if I find stuff musicality engaging then it passes. But in my humble opinion the TA desktop is really the best combo with the Z1R. It’s probably because the slight extra power gets a better damping factor for making the bass response slightly more clear?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 28, 2019)

The only thing that I always talk about when comparing the 1A and 1Z (that I have not read about here) is SOUNDSTAGE.

Beyond simply the more flat tone of the 1A, the soundstage is way way different. The 1Z brings the elements way more forward and 3D. Yes the 1Z has a bass kick, but it also has a treble spike too. But the soundstage is thicker and more front to back and side to side.

Maybe this is something that would not be noticed right off in a shop also it may be more of an IEM thing? But it’s a huge reality when going over to the 1Z. This is especially noticeable if you use your 1A for two weeks then go back to the 1Z. This thickness is physicality of sound. It’s a different dynamic which brings a whole different experience especially when mixed with the extra bass and treble.

Thus 1Z supremacy in physicality. 
And......1A marginalized physicality but still amazing sounding.


----------



## Mathieulh

marklivia said:


> Redcarmoose, have ever done a comparison between the 1Z and 1A somewhere here on Head-fi? I have the Z1R headphones and wondered which pairs best w/ those cans?


The 1A does because the Z1R are already warm cans, that said despite the low reported impedance, the Z1R scale really well with more powerful amp and I found the WM1A/Z lacks the power to drive the Z1R efficiency. They will still sound good, but nowhere near as exceptional as they would on more powerful equipment.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mathieulh said:


> The 1A does because the Z1R are already warm cans, that said despite the low reported impedance, the Z1R scale really well with more powerful amp and I found the WM1A/Z lacks the power to drive the Z1R efficiency. They will still sound good, but nowhere near as exceptional as they would on more powerful equipment.



Agree that in case someone simply wanted the 1Z for portable use.....OK ....but, there is better desktop solutions for less. The 1Z your paying a premium for size.


----------



## marklivia

Thanks!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 28, 2019)

meomap said:


> Hi,
> 1Z / Dock / Wireworld USB cable to Denafrips Terminator DAC    VS
> Jay Audio cdt2 mk2 transport ( CD only ) / Wireworld Coax rca to Termi DAC.
> 
> ...



Amazing! I like reading about a transport winning out over the dock as for me it does not.


----------



## nc8000

Received my A45 today and as I expected I’m unable to hear any difference between it and the 1Z when feeding the 1000XM3 over BT with LDAC. The gui and userexperience is identical. The A45 lacks BT receiver but has FM receiver. The A45 fits nicely in the case for the XM3.


----------



## Mindstorms

when you recharge your walkman when last bar its shown or when flasshing?? thanks...


----------



## auronthas

Midnstorms said:


> when you recharge your walkman when last bar its shown or when flasshing?? thanks...


Most of the time i recharge walkman at last bar, only "one" time, i tested it until it's flashing. Not sure what's the battery percentage when it flashes, charging at too low , may not good for battery life. I think charging from 20-90%  is good for battery endurance . Let's hear what others say...


----------



## Redcarmoose

If you ever see the Walkmans go to 0% power, there is actually a unique screen message right before they turn off. Only saw it one time but was amazed at the use of red!


----------



## blazinblazin

I charge 2 times per week. Did not notice anything.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 30, 2019)

The Battle Of Three Sony Flagships

Here I do a short comparison between the IER-Z1R, The Z1R and The Z7.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-mdr-z1r.21971/reviews#review-21989


----------



## jaker782

Has anyone used one of these WM-port to 3.5mm adapters to obtain analog line out into an external headphone amp?

https://www.ebay.com/p/Wm-port-LOD-...yer-to-Headphone-Amplifier-Adapter/2178320636

https://www.ebay.com/itm/6ft-2M-LIN...MP3-X-S-E-A-Series-with-WM-PORT-/300504773233

The ebay listings do not specifically say the adapters are compatible with the newer Sony daps, but they use the same 22-pin WM-port, so I was thinking it might work. The benefit would be to provide a true analog fixed volume line out into an external amp to avoid double amping with the headphone out jack.  This would be similar to the LOD used for my Ipod many years ago.


----------



## nc8000

jaker782 said:


> Has anyone used one of these WM-port to 3.5mm adapters to obtain analog line out into an external headphone amp?
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/p/Wm-port-LOD-...yer-to-Headphone-Amplifier-Adapter/2178320636
> 
> ...



Analog out is not available on the wm port on these players


----------



## jaker782

nc8000 said:


> Analog out is not available on the wm port on these players



That is what I am gathering, which is unfortunate.  Someone mentioned an adapter so I wanted to make sure.  Thanks for confirming!


----------



## timeslip

Midnstorms said:


> thanks! 3.01 maked me remember when i bought WM1A and it had no burning... maybe that is sony intended signature... I spended a lot more time on both now it will be awesome to hear some more opinions, it will be awesome if 3.02 had more thumping bass option via tone arm resonance, same awesome stage and a little deeper bass.. im guessing 2.0 had some of the vinil procesor embeded to it, if you listen carefully on 2.0 its like tone resonance its on... all the time vs. 3.01 you can disable the thing but bass for my taste gets laking i guess they embeded vinyl sound signature all the way from 1.20 and up.. I guess 1Z must be the perfect machine for this update but not 1A since i like a little more bass control.



I quickly applied 3.0 and then 3.01, and then walked away from the player for a few weeks.  I didn't realize how much the sound had changed, until I tried the LPGT and thought the WM1Z sounded warmer, and dull to me.  I came across this thread and downgraded back to 2.0, and am in love with the sound.  Too bad, I already bought the LPGT, which I need to do a comparison again with 2.0.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 1, 2019)

Actually I was set on running 2.0 with the 1A and 3.01 with the 1Z. Then........here on this thread everyone explained how 3.01 was this giant improvement over 3.0, with the 1A.

Moments later after finally upgrading the 1A firmware I was totally surprised to find 3.01 the best the 1A had ever sounded. Due to different capacitors and wiring; not to mention casework; the 1A has it’s own special complementary personality. The 1A is wonderful in it’s own contrast to the 1Z. The two players reflect off each other and substantiate  the qualities each intrinsically has. In many ways the 1A wins out with the IER-Z1R due to fast detailed bass, where the 1Z is thicker. Also the more flatfield soundstage gets a boost with the 1A due to the IER-Z1R already giant soundstage. I would not want a thing to change with new firmware, unless it has an included search engine.

Our players are meant to be old-fashioned and basic with an emphasis on sound quality. There are hundreds of DAPs with lots of bells and whistles, as they have to add those features for marketing. Sony’s marketing is their signature sound; nothing more nothing less.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 1, 2019)

The strange thing is Sony could come out with an exact replica of the 1A. Make it have silver anodized aluminum have 3.01 firmware and different capacitors and wiring like the 1Z. Price it between the 1A and 1Z and it would sound so good, be so new and up to date cutting edge technology that it would sell.

The problem is that’s not the Japanese personality. It all would be way too easy to make. They are going to come out with something more difficult to make some day, and yes.... it will be better than what we have.


----------



## endlesswaves

Redcarmoose said:


> Our players are meant to be old-fashioned and basic with an emphasis on sound quality. There are hundreds of DAPs with lots of bells and whistles, as they have to add those features for marketing. Sony’s marketing is their signature sound; nothing more nothing less.



Spot on. SQ comes 1st, then user interface and battery life. Glad not to pay for those bells and whistles that I never use. If I wanted those, could have stack a mobile phone with a good portable amp. 

One thing most people didn't realise is how stable the software part of Sony's products. Speaking from my experience with Sony's DAP, smart TV and mobile phone. Never have to worry that an update will cause more problems than fixing existing ones.

Only thing I wish for is more power from Sony's DAP.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 1, 2019)

endlesswaves said:


> Spot on. SQ comes 1st, then user interface and battery life. Glad not to pay for those bells and whistles that I never use. If I wanted those, could have stack a mobile phone with a good portable amp.
> 
> One thing most people didn't realise is how stable the software part of Sony's products. Speaking from my experience with Sony's DAP, smart TV and mobile phone. Never have to worry that an update will cause more problems than fixing existing ones.
> 
> Only thing I wish for is more power from Sony's DAP.



In all my reviews, I’m covering the upgrade SQ path gained with desktop gear. Though the DMP-Z1 shows what it takes to get to the level Sony wanted with an upgrade.

Studying this stuff there is that upgrade in damping factor from more power, and that would be nice. Still I’m relatively happy with just how things are.....meaning I don’t want to pay the money for it. Most everything I own IEM and headphone wise is able to do pretty good with the 1A and 1Z; though the TA desktop does show what power does.


But I think the issue is deeper, meaning the DMP-Z1 shows what had to be done to keep distortion down in a more powerful portable. It was made by the same team as the 1A and 1Z. If there is something which comes out at a more conservative price and size; that will be interesting?


----------



## endlesswaves

Redcarmoose said:


> But I think the issue is deeper, meaning the DMP-1Z was what had to be done to keep distortion down is a more powerful portable. It was made by the same team as the 1A and 1Z. If there is something which comes out at a more conservative price and size; that will be interesting?



Spot on again.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 1, 2019)

endlesswaves said:


> Spot on. SQ comes 1st, then user interface and battery life. Glad not to pay for those bells and whistles that I never use. If I wanted those, could have stack a mobile phone with a good portable amp.
> 
> One thing most people didn't realise is how stable the software part of Sony's products. Speaking from my experience with Sony's DAP, smart TV and mobile phone. Never have to worry that an update will cause more problems than fixing existing ones.
> 
> Only thing I wish for is more power from Sony's DAP.



And......not only battery life.... but we get battery life and sound quality.

What was so weird this year............is it’s three years since the 2016 introduction of the 1A and 1Z.


100s of DAPs have come out since. Multiple lifetimes in Head-Fi time!


And what all the reviewers are shocked and surprised about..... has been the tables at all the shows being covered with black and gold Sony DAPs.

The DAP dominates the show circuit 100%. But three years after introduction............surreal!


----------



## Love Music

Redcarmoose said:


> Actually I was set on running 2.0 with the 1A and 3.01 with the 1Z. Then........here on this thread everyone explained how 3.01 was this giant improvement over 3.0, with the 1A.
> 
> Moments later after finally upgrading the 1A firmware I was totally surprised to find 3.01 the best the 1A had ever sounded. Due to different capacitors and wiring; not to mention casework; the 1A has it’s own special complementary personality. The 1A is wonderful in it’s own contrast to the 1Z. The two players reflect off each other and substantiate  the qualities each intrinsically has. In many ways the 1A wins out with the IER-Z1R due to fast detailed bass, where the 1Z is thicker. Also the more flatfield soundstage gets a boost with the 1A due to the IER-Z1R already giant soundstage. I would not want a thing to change with new firmware, unless it has an included search engine.
> 
> Our players are meant to be old-fashioned and basic with an emphasis on sound quality. There are hundreds of DAPs with lots of bells and whistles, as they have to add those features for marketing. Sony’s marketing is their signature sound; nothing more nothing less.



Hi, I am currently on 2.0 and have tries 3.0 in a shop but didn't like the sound Sig. Just wondering if you could do a comparison between 2.0 and 3.1?


----------



## endlesswaves

Redcarmoose said:


> And what all the reviewers are shocked and surprised about..... has been the tables at all the shows being covered with black and gold Sony DAPs.
> 
> The DAP dominates the show circuit 100%. But three years after introduction............surreal!



Was always DAP hunting till I got my WM1A. Best money spent this hobby ever. WM1A/Z may not be the best in everything but they are on par or comparable to the best even after 3 years. I see how other DAPs depreciate a lot in their used selling price but recent Sony DAPs are still able command a good price. Still seeing new users joining this thread. 

Another thing is the recent firmware updates. How many products out there still issuing updates after 3 years.

Not a Sony fan boy but their DAPs (all things considered) are good value!


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 1, 2019)

Love Music said:


> Hi, I am currently on 2.0 and have tries 3.0 in a shop but didn't like the sound Sig. Just wondering if you could do a comparison between 2.0 and 3.1?



I can but this stuff is really in the small details to the point almost that your attitude can affect what your hearing. Meaning the history for myself was 3.0 came out and upgraded with the 1Z, the sound was fine.
Later upgraded the 1A to 3.0.

I’m going to assume you have a 1A.

The 3.0 seemed like it was designed for the 1Z. It took all the bass from the 1A. So I simply ran 2.0 in the 1A and 3.0 in the 1Z.

There was a great quality new about 3.0 in the 1Z. But........the 1A was always border-line thin so it didn’t need software to trim the bass. 3.0 firmware could tighten the bass in the 1Z as there was extra to spare. Lol.

So now we upgrade to 3.01 in the 1A in comparison to 2.0. The soundstage is bigger with 3.01. It also seems faster, meaning the signature just seems more responsive? I didn’t have the 1A way back but only the 1Z.....  and early firmwares were kinda slow sounding. It’s hard to explain, plus my unit wasn’t even burned in before going to 2.0 in the early days.

But in contrast, I’m going by memory and this is actually hard to fully remember. I could have done a better job when I first made the 1A jump from 2.0 to 3.01? But overall it seems 3.01 brings a faster more nimble bass to the 1A. Also within that bigger soundstage instrument elements are more defined and spread out. But in the end to me 3.01 has that extra bass....... where with 3.0 it was missing in the 1A but now with 3.01 along with a bigger soundstage than 2.0 in the 1A.

But there was an over all texture and bounce, a pace that I first heard on the 1Z that seems to now be carried over to the 1A....using 3.01.

So for me it was backwards. There was increased bass detail in the 1Z with 3.01 and a little with 3.0. But I guess that separation and detail is being added to the 1A now. It’s the love I had for the 1Z firmware brought over to the 1A? At least that’s what I think I hear.......basically more detail in a bigger soundstage?

On top of all this 3.01 is a nice subtle improvement over 3.0 in the 1Z. Also the database did not load fast with 3.0 in any player.


----------



## Tawek

1z with 3.01 has smaller soundstage vs 3.0  in my opinion


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 1, 2019)

Tawek said:


> 1z with 3.01 has smaller soundstage vs 3.0  in my opinion


But you do think it’s bigger than 2.0?

You may be right, as at times I get thickness forward and back confused with soundstage width? Do you think it’s more forward and back than 3.0?

It just seemed bigger, but I don’t know how or why. Much of the time too, with increased detail it makes the sound stage seem bigger?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Redcarmoose said:


> But you do think it’s bigger than 2.0?
> 
> You may be right, as at times I get thickness forward and back confused with soundstage width? Do you think it’s more forward and back than 3.0?
> 
> It just seemed bigger, but I don’t know how or why. Much of the time too, with increased detail it makes the sound stage seem bigger?


I agree that for 1A the best software to use is 3.01

Bigger soundstage, better bass, faster speed and better separation and detail. What more can you ask for. If you need to adjust warmth etc you can play with Vinyl processor setting, which in my opinion is very well implemented.


----------



## cn11

New user here w/ WM1A.... picked up a second-hand one for less than $700! Quite happy so far, even on FW 3.0. Suppose in reading about the difference when running 3.01, I'll have to do that update asap! Prob. this evening once I have a bit more time.

Former owner here of ZX2, and still have my trusty old X1061 on hand!

WM1A is running the Anole VX, which I also just recently got. Good grief what an amazing IEM.


----------



## TSAVAlan

cn11 said:


> New user here w/ WM1A.... picked up a second-hand one for less than $700! Quite happy so far, even on FW 3.0. Suppose in reading about the difference when running 3.01, I'll have to do that update asap! Prob. this evening once I have a bit more time.
> 
> Former owner here of ZX2, and still have my trusty old X1061 on hand!
> 
> WM1A is running the Anole VX, which I also just recently got. Good grief what an amazing IEM.


The Sony Walkmans are super simple to update the firmware compared to other DAPs. Should be quick and painless.


----------



## Tawek (May 1, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> But you do think it’s bigger than 2.0?
> 
> You may be right, as at times I get thickness forward and back confused with soundstage width? Do you think it’s more forward and back than 3.0?
> 
> It just seemed bigger, but I don’t know how or why. Much of the time too, with increased detail it makes the sound stage seem bigger?




1z wit 3.0 for me sounds like a combination of 2.0 and 1.2, the top end( highs)  is resolving and dark
and more fluid, is very pleasant
with the biggest stage
1z  on 3.0  with ier z1r should be perfect ...


----------



## cn11

Got 3.01 installed no problem. Nice update... I think I do hear a bit of expansion in the soundstage. Next up I need a 4.4 balanced cable for my Anole VX...


----------



## hamhamhamsta

cn11 said:


> Got 3.01 installed no problem. Nice update... I think I do hear a bit of expansion in the soundstage. Next up I need a 4.4 balanced cable for my Anole VX...


I would highly recommend Triton 8 hybrid copper and silver. Top notch sound quality for little price. Around $265 last time I bought. You could get any type of connectors too for around $30 eg: 4.4 to 3.5 or 2.5 to 4.4 or anything you can think of. David the owner is a very nice guy and turnaround is really fast, one to two weeks. Highly recommended.


----------



## mwhals

Does it make sense to get the international WM1Z since it is less money on Amazon? How is warranty handled since I am in the United States?


----------



## bflat

mwhals said:


> Does it make sense to get the international WM1Z since it is less money on Amazon? How is warranty handled since I am in the United States?



It's a matter of personal choice. The international versions have no warranty or requires you to send to the seller at your expense so they can get local warranty and that's only if they are an authorized reseller in their respective country. Also, it is unclear if Sony will even service an international version product at a US service center. It's definitely the case with their digital cameras. Having said all that, the standard US warranty is pretty sad - 1 year parts, 90 days labor.

It's all up to you, but a compromise is to buy an open box at crutchfield.com which comes with full US warranty. If you use a credit card that comes with extended warranty, then even better.


----------



## TSAVAlan

mwhals said:


> Does it make sense to get the international WM1Z since it is less money on Amazon? How is warranty handled since I am in the United States?



 It would only be a problem if something on it needed service. It is required you return it to the country of sale to receive warranty. 

Maybe you should just call an authorized Sony dealer in the States and ask them to price match to avoid any issues. All you need to do is provide a link to the ad you saw on amazon and if the amazon seller is an authorized Sony dealer you can get the price match almost immediately.


----------



## Kitechaser (May 3, 2019)

Did A/B Testing with the WM1A and the WM1Z, and for my tastes the 1A came out on top. 1Z sounded muddy and had less details that were coming through, and  sometimes sounded harsh.
Personally I think the 1Z is not an upgrade to the 1A, but a complimentary tuning. Both DAPs in my estimation have synergy with different iems, with the 1A being the safer choice across the board.
The DMP-Z1 was a DAP to kill all daps, put the Sony TA-ZH1ES to shame. Pretty much better at everything the desktop amp does. Hands down the most realistic rendition of audio via an IEM I have ever heard. Made me want to a rob a bank, and buy two of them.

Many thanks to @TSAVAlan for letting me test drive all the DAPs.


----------



## Stephen George

bflat said:


> It's a matter of personal choice. The international versions have no warranty or requires you to send to the seller at your expense so they can get local warranty and that's only if they are an authorized reseller in their respective country. Also, it is unclear if Sony will even service an international version product at a US service center.



I would suggest anyone in the US go to the Sony site with their serial number and receipt (you need to upload it) and register *any* walkman, you will get an email from them confirming your warranty status...

Worked perfectly with my Jap purchased one!


----------



## mwhals

Stephen George said:


> I would suggest anyone in the US go to the Sony site with their serial number and receipt (you need to upload it) and register *any* walkman, you will get an email from them confirming your warranty status...
> 
> Worked perfectly with my Jap purchased one!



I did this with my HAP-Z1ES and WH-1000XM2


----------



## Mindstorms

auronthas said:


> Most of the time i recharge walkman at last bar, only "one" time, i tested it until it's flashing. Not sure what's the battery percentage when it flashes, charging at too low , may not good for battery life. I think charging from 20-90%  is good for battery endurance . Let's hear what others say...


Thank you


----------



## Mindstorms (May 4, 2019)

Love Music said:


> Hi, I am currently on 2.0 and have tries 3.0 in a shop but didn't like the sound Sig. Just wondering if you could do a comparison between 2.0 and 3.1?


I have reviewed all firmwares via SE not balanced if you are interested only on my Revonext QT2 AND senheiser IE80 its on this thread 3.01 its the best staging and bass gets deeper but a little lacking in my opinion... 2.0 less staging warmer bass but less deep and more like a bass effect... not like the bass on 3.01 where bass its more acurate and fast, 3.0 its an abomination... i think you could be right about 3.0 being a little bigger stage... I allways think Sony ingeniers balance bass response
with soundstage the more bass the narrower sounstage, for me thats just wrong,

(Sidecoment) there was a company named sensaura that maked awesome 3DPA cues too bad they all forgot about it when creative bought it and destroyed it with their (payed)  propietary 3D effect no-were near sensaura couse they had embebed hardware inside their cards to acurately process the 3D effects....,

I think sony should keep searching the perfect staging and bass for IEM and Heaphones thats what we all want and they have hit the nail with 3.01 that im happy for. * for me it needs still some more bass.. and trebble refinement since i can hear well avobe 16khz why eq only gets there... ok no gimmics... I actually end turning down the 16kz band to boost the above spectrum... same with bass i end turning down 62hz band a lot -5db to hear 31hz and below more... so i might have some issues on my taste... U shaped freak. (WM1A)


----------



## equalspeace

3.01 on the 1A is pure magic. Balanced, detailed sound, with an excellent stage. I've actually been using the Oriolus Mk2 on SE output lately cause of the of the sensitivity of this IEM. Definitely a lower noise floor for sensitive IEMs on the SE side. Plus I need to burn that side in anyway


----------



## flyer1 (May 6, 2019)

My Z5's have been collecting dust for several weeks now..

New favourite combo: WM1Z/Sony Kimber/Final Audio E5000.


----------



## Liono

KaiserTK said:


> I talked to a Sony rep at a show a few weeks back, and he says that the 40th anniversary edition walkman will not be a top-end model but a mid-range model that incorporates a retro walkman feel to it.



I wonder what this will mean. Will it have a sound that is inferior to the NW-WM1A or similar? mm


----------



## equalspeace

Midnstorms said:


> I have reviewed all firmwares via SE not balanced if you are interested only on my Revonext QT2 AND senheiser IE80 its on this thread 3.01 its the best staging and bass gets deeper but a little lacking in my opinion... 2.0 less staging warmer bass but less deep and more like a bass effect... not like the bass on 3.01 where bass its more acurate and fast, 3.0 its an abomination... i think you could be right about 3.0 being a little bigger stage... I allways think Sony ingeniers balance bass response
> with soundstage the more bass the narrower sounstage, for me thats just wrong,
> 
> (Sidecoment) there was a company named sensaura that maked awesome 3DPA cues too bad they all forgot about it when creative bought it and destroyed it with their (payed)  propietary 3D effect no-were near sensaura couse they had embebed hardware inside their cards to acurately process the 3D effects....,
> ...




yeah, the 3.01 tuning is definitely on the neutral side of things, which for me is how all DAPs should play out of the box.


----------



## auronthas

Recently i got my Sony WMC-NWH10 (picture below) WMport to USB female cable connecting my WM1A/Z to external DAC (DacMagic) with USB to USB-B , but due to this old DAC, the USB B input only support up to 16-bit 44.1kHZ...

 

I am wondering if *there is any USB to toslink/coaxial/spdif cable available?* As my old DacMagic is having toslink and coaxial input with 24/96kHz support .


----------



## bflat

auronthas said:


> Recently i got my Sony WMC-NWH10 (picture below) WMport to USB female cable connecting my WM1A/Z to external DAC (DacMagic) with USB to USB-B , but due to this old DAC, the USB B input only support up to 16-bit 44.1kHZ...
> 
> 
> I am wondering if *there is any USB to toslink/coaxial/spdif cable available?* As my old DacMagic is having toslink and coaxial input with 24/96kHz support .



What you are looking for is a DDC device (digital to digital converter). There are a wide range of solutions at an equally wide range of prices. I would personally recommend the Singxer F1 which goes for about $200:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=singxer+f-1

I have the higher end model SU-1 which adds more digital out options like i2S. Those go for less than $400 for a base model and upwards to $800 for fully modded power supply.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...c=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=singxer+f1&LH_TitleDesc=0

A good DDC is always a good component to have and will likely find good use for all of your future DACs.


----------



## auronthas

bflat said:


> What you are looking for is a DDC device (digital to digital converter). There are a wide range of solutions at an equally wide range of prices. I would personally recommend the Singxer F1 which goes for about $200:
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=singxer+f-1
> 
> ...


Thanks, exactly I am looking for DDC, I thought there's a direct cable without PCB converter LOL

This could be another option, but not available…

USB to Digital Optical Toslink Coaxial Headset Output Audio Signal Decoder DAC Decoding Converter Adapter For Home HIFI Speaker
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cHrvzgz2


----------



## Whitigir (May 9, 2019)

The connectors are more for conveniences.  The format of the audio files are limited by the interfaces itself.  For example, if your Walkman Digital out is limited at 16/44.1 then it doesn’t matter what DDC or Optical connections...you are using, you still get limited at 16/44.1


----------



## bflat

auronthas said:


> Thanks, exactly I am looking for DDC, I thought there's a direct cable without PCB converter LOL
> 
> This could be another option, but not available…
> 
> ...



I would not recommend cheap options like above. The devices is that type of pricing tier are purely designed to connect disparate interfaces without considering audio quality. You want to make sure you have the following so you get a net improvement in audio quality:

1) Good usb controller like XMOS
2) Asynchronous clock that has low jitter
3) Low noise - at least passive filters, but galvanic isolation is even better, but more expensive

I good DDC that all of the above features is not cheap, but consider it an investment that will hold its value for a long time. I've changed DACs and amps more times than I care to say, but my SU-1 has been the one constant component along with good cables.


----------



## Liono

auronthas said:


> Recently i got my Sony WMC-NWH10 (picture below) WMport to USB female cable connecting my WM1A/Z to external DAC (DacMagic) with USB to USB-B , but due to this old DAC, the USB B input only support up to 16-bit 44.1kHZ...
> 
> 
> I am wondering if *there is any USB to toslink/coaxial/spdif cable available?* As my old DacMagic is having toslink and coaxial input with 24/96kHz support .



You want one of these puppies if you can still get them! Turtle Beach does the job for me! It doesn't require drivers and works with an OTG cable, which is what the WMC-NWH10 is.

https://www.ecoustics.com/products/turtle-beach-amigo-ii-micro/

It's also cheap! less than £10 when I bought mine. You need the _Micro II USB model which has the SPDIF built into the 3.5mm jack like the old Minidisc recorders.



 _


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> I would not recommend cheap options like above. The devices is that type of pricing tier are purely designed to connect disparate interfaces without considering audio quality. You want to make sure you have the following so you get a net improvement in audio quality:
> 
> 1) Good usb controller like XMOS
> 2) Asynchronous clock that has low jitter
> ...



When it comes to “sound quality”.  I also suggest to take @bflat recommendations.  Unless, all you care about is “how to” connect your Walkman to desktop DAC regardless of everything else


----------



## Rchandra

So I've been noticing from time to time that the left channel sometimes has balance issues I've never had a issue on the right channel but when I run these balanced on the 4.4mm socket I'm starting to notice a lack of detail on the left side.. I thought it was my ears but going through the pages I've noticed others having a similar issue... I'm using the 4.4mm balanced with a adapter connected to my hd800S and sony z1r on the wm1a


----------



## endlesswaves

Rchandra said:


> So I've been noticing from time to time that the left channel sometimes has balance issues I've never had a issue on the right channel but when I run these balanced on the 4.4mm socket I'm starting to notice a lack of detail on the left side.. I thought it was my ears but going through the pages I've noticed others having a similar issue... I'm using the 4.4mm balanced with a adapter connected to my hd800S and sony z1r on the wm1a



Some posters including myself mentioned this before. I just twist the plug clockwise a bit and it solved this matter. This problem doesn't cropped up too often but happens like once a fortnight.


----------



## auronthas

bflat said:


> I would not recommend cheap options like above. The devices is that type of pricing tier are purely designed to connect disparate interfaces without considering audio quality. You want to make sure you have the following so you get a net improvement in audio quality:
> 
> 1) Good usb controller like XMOS
> 2) Asynchronous clock that has low jitter
> ...





Whitigir said:


> When it comes to “sound quality”. I also suggest to take @bflat recommendations. Unless, all you care about is “how to” connect your Walkman to desktop DAC regardless of everything else



Thanks for your both recommendation and thought.  Actually my DACMagic is connected to HIFI system, not Deck DAC. I would think about investing a good DDC in future by looking at its price and I have an alternative plan as below but off topic.

I have another DAP R6, there is line out/coaxial out , managed to use 3.5mm jack and coaxial input to DACMagic, finally i can hear DacMagic 's Wolfson DAC perform 24/96kHz for the first time .  Great sound.


----------



## Mund1

endlesswaves said:


> Some posters including myself mentioned this before. I just twist the plug clockwise a bit and it solved this matter. This problem doesn't cropped up too often but happens like once a fortnight.



In similar situations for headphone jacks, other cable jacks, and initially for dirty pots on my guitar and bass amps.  I use CAIG DeOxit Cleaning solution Spray. When I notice a crackle, distorted connection on a jack, I will take a bit of the cleaner on a Q-Tip (I don't spray the jack), I take the Q-Tip and clean/lube the male connector, leaving a very minimal coating on it, plug it into the jack, plug in remove, repeat a few times, Rotate it in the jack, and problem solved.  It enhances the electrical connection as well. Leaves a thin conductive coating.


----------



## Rchandra

endlesswaves said:


> Some posters including myself mentioned this before. I just twist the plug clockwise a bit and it solved this matter. This problem doesn't cropped up too often but happens like once a fortnight.




Thanks nice to know I'm not going crazy


----------



## RobertP

Just try Qobuz + UAPP in USB DAC mode today and what a nice surprised. Bit-perfect is doing really excellent job with SQ. Noticable better than just Qobuz app alone. I went through older posts and someone mentioned back in around January I think. Big thanks!


----------



## auronthas

auronthas said:


> Thanks for your both recommendation and thought.  Actually my DACMagic is connected to HIFI system, not Deck DAC. I would think about investing a good DDC in future by looking at its price and I have an alternative plan as below but off topic.


Just came across my mind and found this Fiio K3 , not sure if it will work . 

From their website, K3 can direct convert any USB audio (WM1A USB DAC) input to coaxial or optical digital output, then I can connect this to my DacMagic , correct me if I am wrong?   K3 is with XMOS USB receiver chip, this may be a good cheaper solution? @bflat @Whitigir, appreciate your input and advise.


----------



## bflat

auronthas said:


> Just came across my mind and found this Fiio K3 , not sure if it will work .
> 
> From their website, K3 can direct convert any USB audio (WM1A USB DAC) input to coaxial or optical digital output, then I can connect this to my DacMagic , correct me if I am wrong?   K3 is with XMOS USB receiver chip, this may be a good cheaper solution? @bflat @Whitigir, appreciate your input and advise.



I realize now that any DDC that you want to use with the WM1a may not work if it is powered by the USB, meaning power must come from the WM1a. I would go with a self powered DDC for best results. Also the K3 is USB powered DAC so may not have enough power from the WM1a to work. Have no idea what the audio quality of the optical output is, but guessing it's at best mediocre given the price.

Anyway, I'm completely unfamiliar with the external DAC you are trying to use but given it's limitation on inputs, it's probably pretty dated and quite possible a lower quality audio than your WM1a so not sure what you are trying to accomplish. In fact the K3 may be a better DAC that the old one you have.


----------



## Mindstorms

Guys off topic question, you think that Tia fortune will be better iem than sony IER Z1R for WM1A?


----------



## LeFaucon

Midnstorms said:


> Guys off topic question, you think that Tia fortune will be better iem than sony IER Z1R for WM1A?



Maybe - surely - depends of your own ears...?


----------



## bflat

ok, this is starting to annoy me. Is there a way to turn the WM1z off while it is still connected to power? Even when I power down, it immediately turns back on.


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> ok, this is starting to annoy me. Is there a way to turn the WM1z off while it is still connected to power? Even when I power down, it immediately turns back on.



No


----------



## bflat

nc8000 said:


> No



Oh well, guess battery saver mode will make it ok to leave on 24x7 in DAC mode.


----------



## Rchandra

Call me crazy but I'm starting to prefer the sound out of the SE over Balanced on my walkman.. The sound is to me much cleaner on my hd800S


----------



## Mund1

bflat said:


> ok, this is starting to annoy me. Is there a way to turn the WM1z off while it is still connected to power? Even when I power down, it immediately turns back on.



I hear you, I tried and tried too..  I think it's a dumb design, oversight on Sony's part.  I want to charge the battery, I don't need the unit on!


----------



## Mindstorms

LeFaucon said:


> Maybe - surely - depends of your own ears...?


True


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> No


Unfortunately there is no way... it happened back to old walkmans too why you want power while off?


----------



## Mindstorms

Rchandra said:


> Call me crazy but I'm starting to prefer the sound out of the SE over Balanced on my walkman.. The sound is to me much cleaner on my hd800S


how is that so!!! interesting 1z?


----------



## Mund1

I have a question.  I often listen to music in the kitchen on this Marshall Woburn powered speaker.  With having the WM1Z now, what is the best avenue of getting the best possible sound... for what it's worth. 

1) There is a 3.5 std jack on top, that comes with the (as shown) coiled cable.  Stay with this means, 3.5 std but get a different cable?_________.  if so, what is a good choice (need a 2ft length) ?______

2) OR...  Any sound advantage to using the RCA jacks or the Optical on the back,  over the 3.5 std for sound ?_______

3) Would the 4.4 Balanced out on the WM1Z to the Woburn, i.e. 3.5 std jack do anything better for quality ?___________ (or completely dumb question)


----------



## Mindstorms

Mund1 said:


> I have a question.  I often listen to music in the kitchen on this Marshall Woburn powered speaker.  With having the WM1Z now, what is the best avenue of getting the best possible sound... for what it's worth.
> 
> 1) There is a 3.5 std jack on top, that comes with the (as shown) coiled cable.  Stay with this means, 3.5 std but get a different cable?_________.  if so, what is a good choice (need a 2ft length) ?______
> 
> ...


Optical allways sounds diferent from miniplug i guess depends what kind of sound you want guessing  miniplug will be colored out being more suitable for the amp you mention but also optical should be more nimble and neutral defeating wm1z character hope others reply too so i see if im wrong here


----------



## named name

Mund1 said:


> I have a question.  I often listen to music in the kitchen on this Marshall Woburn powered speaker.  With having the WM1Z now, what is the best avenue of getting the best possible sound... for what it's worth.
> 
> 1) There is a 3.5 std jack on top, that comes with the (as shown) coiled cable.  Stay with this means, 3.5 std but get a different cable?_________.  if so, what is a good choice (need a 2ft length) ?______
> 
> ...



RCA input and the 3.5mm input should be the same, one would have to look at the circuit topology to really know for sure. 
The WMA Walkmans don't have Optical out obviously. Even if you somehow do manage to connect it that way, then you would be using the Woburn's DAC section, thus will be using your WM1Z as a digital transport, hence you wouldn't really be getting any of the Walkman's flavor when using your Woburn.


----------



## Mund1

I mean, even if I replace the std Marshall coiled cable with a better quality replacement.  Will it do any good, noticeable difference ?

If I had one made, what would be a good replacement ?

Can I utilize the Balanced out of the 1Z to a std 3.5 if possible / if any advantage.. ?


----------



## Rchandra

Midnstorms said:


> how is that so!!! interesting 1z?




Actually it's on the wm1a.. I can be the odd one here but something about the clean sound output on the SE... It's actually really good...im preferring it more over balanced at the moment.


----------



## named name

Mund1 said:


> I mean, even if I replace the std Marshall coiled cable with a better quality replacement.  Will it do any good, noticeable difference ?
> 
> If I had one made, what would be a good replacement ?
> 
> Can I utilize the Balanced out of the 1Z to a std 3.5 if possible / if any advantage.. ?



You can very well replace the included cable if you wish, though I cannot comment as to the changes in sound as that is a very subjective matter. Any noticeable difference will be a matter of perception. 

It is* not recommended* that you try to connect your WM1Z 4.4mm balanced to your Wolburn either 3.5mm stereo or RCA, as those are not balanced inputs. For a information about balanced connections see the link: https://www.headphones.com/pages/balanced-headphones-guide 
As the information there more or less applies to both earphone / headphones and speakers.


----------



## auronthas

bflat said:


> I realize now that any DDC that you want to use with the WM1a may not work if it is powered by the USB, meaning power must come from the WM1a. I would go with a self powered DDC for best results. Also the K3 is USB powered DAC so may not have enough power from the WM1a to work. Have no idea what the audio quality of the optical output is, but guessing it's at best mediocre given the price.
> 
> Anyway, I'm completely unfamiliar with the external DAC you are trying to use but given it's limitation on inputs, it's probably pretty dated and quite possible a lower quality audio than your WM1a so not sure what you are trying to accomplish. In fact the K3 may be a better DAC that the old one you have.


Probably you are right. My current source player to my home HIFI is Sonos Connect, since I have this WM1A, give it a try to test its sound to home audio system. Too bad WM1A lack out optical/coaxial output . I even try out WM1A analog output via 4.4mm to RCA cable to my integrated amplifier, need to set WM1A volume to Max.

Off topic, Cambridge Audio DacMagic is one of the best DAC in the late 00s with Wolfson DAC chips (now acquired by Cirrus Logic) . Here's one of the review back then 

https://www.techradar.com/sg/review...ystems/cambridge-audio-dacmagic-465736/review


----------



## LeFaucon

Rchandra said:


> Actually it's on the wm1a.. I can be the odd one here but something about the clean sound output on the SE... It's actually really good...im preferring it more over balanced at the moment.



Maybe... - surely - you are getting old...!!!???


----------



## scrivere

Maybe this has been asked before, but trying to understand why the 1A/1Z is so much cheaper here in Japan.  I want to pick one up but it appears that the language cannot be changed to english and my日本語 sucks.

Does anyone have any knowledge on this? ありがとう


----------



## nc8000

scrivere said:


> Maybe this has been asked before, but trying to understand why the 1A/1Z is so much cheaper here in Japan.  I want to pick one up but it appears that the language cannot be changed to english and my日本語 sucks.
> 
> Does anyone have any knowledge on this? ありがとう



You can use the RockBox Sony region tool to change the player region and language


----------



## Stephen George

Mund1 said:


> I have a question.  I often listen to music in the kitchen on this Marshall Woburn powered speaker.  With having the WM1Z now, what is the best avenue of getting the best possible sound... for what it's worth.



may not be the best sound, but did you try bluetooth and aptx? should sound pretty good and you can have your WM up to 30ft away

the big problem with these external speakers (and not just the marshall) are they are not designed to be audiophile...the difference between 3.5"/optical/bluetooth might not be as much as you think it would be


----------



## Redcarmoose

Rchandra said:


> Call me crazy but I'm starting to prefer the sound out of the SE over Balanced on my walkman.. The sound is to me much cleaner on my hd800S



It may be the cable?


----------



## Mund1

Stephen George said:


> may not be the best sound, but did you try bluetooth and aptx? should sound pretty good and you can have your WM up to 30ft away
> 
> the big problem with these external speakers (and not just the marshall) are they are not designed to be audiophile...the difference between 3.5"/optical/bluetooth might not be as much as you think it would be



I did do the Bluetooth bit with my MBP to the Marshall. It worked okay, once you figure out the proper way to utilize the codec. When I walked between the MBP and the Marshall, it disrupts the signal.  Not into the the Bluetooth route.  

But you're probably right, with the Marshall, either means of connection may not make a difference.  I may just get a better quality Mini to Mini (3.5) 2' cable, one of those costly 1/2" dia girthy cables (like the elaborate stacked up, much use of copper setups being posted on Head-FI facebook page) and call it good. LOL


----------



## mosika

Between WM1A + IER-Z1R and WM1Z + IER-M9, which pairs are sound better?


----------



## LeFaucon (May 11, 2019)

mosika said:


> Between WM1A + IER-Z1R and WM1Z + IER-M9, which pairs are sound better?




You miss the question : « and with what kind of music please ? »


----------



## Mindstorms (Jun 7, 2019)

mosika said:


> Between WM1A + IER-Z1R and WM1Z + IER-M9, which pairs are sound better?





LeFaucon said:


> Sorry indeed... but you are VERY funny with those kind of questions !?
> Do you REALLY expect someone will tell you what are YOUR tastes in sounds to your OWN ears ???
> Do you REALLY need that ?
> Or it’s just a joke for continuing this post living ?
> ...


No... I dont agree, people  have the right to make questions based on forum partners who may own several products  (and may share there experience)... it is known taht sound its personal i agree but someone may share its personal experience pointing something that must be usefull for other forum readers as well.

So there is no need for agression here.... if only valid questions are allowed here we should be computers that never fail a correct statement in sync with other users. Such a thing may be posible in a near future but not ATM (its a joke also) also keep in mind that people dont have access to listening and maybe purchasing purely on others opinion accepting the risk I Have doned that and im pretty happy! and thankfull


----------



## LeFaucon (May 11, 2019)

Midnstorms said:


> No... idont agree, people  have the right to make questions based on forum partners who may own several products  (and may share there experience)... it is known taht sound its personal i agree but someone may share its personal experience pointing something that must be usefull for other forum readers as well.
> 
> So there is no need for agression here.... if only valid questions are allowed here we should be computers that never fail a correct statement in sync with other users. Such a thing may be posible in a near future but not ATM (its a joke also)



It was not agressive and I can delete it if needed... (deleted!)
The question is : « ... sound BETTER ? »
For whom ? The person who asks no ? So... his own ears no ?
Just always astonished with those kind of questions that’s all... especially in sound is so personal...


----------



## NickleCo

Aeskualpio said:


> 1A is more detailed, the 1Z warmer.
> Both are excellent TOTL DAPs.
> I migrated from the XDP-300R to the 1A, thoroughly satisfied with the upgrade.
> 
> Cheers


Same here sold off my r6 and 300r in favor for the wm1a. 8 months later still no regrets but i did at one point wanted to sell it off due to medical reasons but in the end i kept it. So far so great!


----------



## NickleCo (May 11, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> Actually I was set on running 2.0 with the 1A and 3.01 with the 1Z. Then........here on this thread everyone explained how 3.01 was this giant improvement over 3.0, with the 1A.
> 
> Moments later after finally upgrading the 1A firmware I was totally surprised to find 3.01 the best the 1A had ever sounded. Due to different capacitors and wiring; not to mention casework; the 1A has it’s own special complementary personality. The 1A is wonderful in it’s own contrast to the 1Z. The two players reflect off each other and substantiate  the qualities each intrinsically has. In many ways the 1A wins out with the IER-Z1R due to fast detailed bass, where the 1Z is thicker. Also the more flatfield soundstage gets a boost with the 1A due to the IER-Z1R already giant soundstage. I would not want a thing to change with new firmware, unless it has an included search engine.
> 
> Our players are meant to be old-fashioned and basic with an emphasis on sound quality. There are hundreds of DAPs with lots of bells and whistles, as they have to add those features for marketing. Sony’s marketing is their signature sound; nothing more nothing less.


The last 3 sentences may very well be the best thing ive read in this whole thread!


----------



## NickleCo (May 11, 2019)

endlesswaves said:


> Was always DAP hunting till I got my WM1A. Best money spent this hobby ever. WM1A/Z may not be the best in everything but they are on par or comparable to the best even after 3 years. I see how other DAPs depreciate a lot in their used selling price but recent Sony DAPs are still able command a good price. Still seeing new users joining this thread.
> 
> Another thing is the recent firmware updates. How many products out there still issuing updates after 3 years.
> 
> Not a Sony fan boy but their DAPs (all things considered) are good value!


Ive been known as a burner in my community but once i went and got myself the wm1a ive never really wanted anytjing else, its perfect but my jeans and shorts may beg to differ...


----------



## NickleCo

cn11 said:


> New user here w/ WM1A.... picked up a second-hand one for less than $700! Quite happy so far, even on FW 3.0. Suppose in reading about the difference when running 3.01, I'll have to do that update asap! Prob. this evening once I have a bit more time.
> 
> Former owner here of ZX2, and still have my trusty old X1061 on hand!
> 
> WM1A is running the Anole VX, which I also just recently got. Good grief what an amazing IEM.


The vx sure is a beast. Its bright tuned right.


----------



## NickleCo

equalspeace said:


> 3.01 on the 1A is pure magic. Balanced, detailed sound, with an excellent stage. I've actually been using the Oriolus Mk2 on SE output lately cause of the of the sensitivity of this IEM. Definitely a lower noise floor for sensitive IEMs on the SE side. Plus I need to burn that side in anyway


Good to know it wasnt just me that thought the bal has a higher noise floor compared to the se


----------



## cn11

DatDudeNic said:


> Good to know it wasnt just me that thought the bal has a higher noise floor compared to the se



I've got a 4.4 balanced cable coming from PWAudio, and hoping it isn't going to be too hissy with the VX, as I find it takes a fair bit of power.


----------



## Mindstorms (May 11, 2019)

LeFaucon said:


> It was not agressive and I can delete it if needed... (deleted!)
> The question is : « ... sound BETTER ? »
> For whom ? The person who asks no ? So... his own ears no ?
> Just always astonished with those kind of questions that’s all... especially in sound is so personal...


This person just needs your honest impresion, you are neither a Sony engenier, nor am I, so we cant post charts or facts about Iems, i think the information on iems is sometimes confusing and dificult to process some will praise them some will bash them depends on what you have heard before i agree, but if you happen to have the iem in question is nice to know your impresions or mini review also if you think you prefer them over other iem its common knoledge that what you like he might just hate he choses wheather to believe or not, dough of toppic in this thread maybe... Im also not moderator here so you should not be afraid , have a nice day also if this questions anoy you nowone is forcing you to answer just skip them and let others share insights


----------



## Mindstorms (May 11, 2019)

mosika said:


> Between WM1A + IER-Z1R and WM1Z + IER-M9, which pairs are sound better?


Maybe if Redcarmoose will be kind enough, and have auditioned the M9 he can shurely pin point you the diferences on them, I think that bass will be diferent for starters ovbius reasons two diferent drivers... M9 maybe faster... i guess wm1a its fast enough bass if it was me i would go for the TOTL. I think iternal chambers are diferent also as well as drivers!


----------



## scrivere

nc8000 said:


> You can use the RockBox Sony region tool to change the player region and language


Thank you very much!  I will look into it


----------



## gerelmx1986

DatDudeNic said:


> Same here sold off my r6 and 300r in favor for the wm1a. 8 months later still no regrets but i did at one point wanted to sell it off due to medical reasons but in the end i kept it. So far so great!


I am on the same boat , the goddamn Ausländerbehörde stills hasn't citated me and my husband for the interview with spouses,  that means I still don't have an Aufenthaltserlaubnis (residence permit) and I cannot work until I have that card... I am running low on money and my partner recently lost his job


----------



## jaibautista

Just wondering...

Are there any leads about Sony updating the WM1Z/WM1A anytime soon? It's been almost three years since Sony released the WM1 product line and competing brands have been aggressive in updating their respective offerings.

I hope Sony includes the following features in the next iteration of the WM1Z/WM1A:

1. Variable line-out function for both unbalanced and balanced output (already seen in the LPGT and, based on its published specs sheet, the N6ii)
2. A bit more power (at least match the power output from newly-released/about-to-be-released DAPs competing directly with the WM1 series)
3. Maybe a better version of LDAC? 
4. USB-C and fast charging (minus any proprietary LOD)

And I hope Sony retains the following:

1. Looooong battery life (my WM1A has almost 1,600 hours of playing time and it can still run continuously for 24 hrs when using the 4.4mm HP out)
2. Non-Android UI (I really think Sony nailed this one compared to the UI employed by other brands)
3. Arguably best-in-class DAP ergonomics


----------



## Liono (May 12, 2019)

jaibautista said:


> Just wondering...
> 
> Are there any leads about Sony updating the WM1Z/WM1A anytime soon? It's been almost three years since Sony released the WM1 product line and competing brands have been aggressive in updating their respective offerings.
> 
> ...



I've tried looking on Japan google etc, but nothing, really hope something is announced soon as would like the 40th Anniversary model in July for my 40th to upgrade my ZX1, as long as it's not more than £1000.

One would assume either an announcement on 1st July or at IFA?

Amazon UK have not had any stock of the WM1A for a week now.

Edit: This site says it's been discontinued:
https://www.advancedmp3players.co.u...B_Flagship_High_Resolution_Walkman.15008.html


----------



## LeFaucon (May 12, 2019)

Midnstorms said:


> This person just needs your honest impresion, you are neither a Sony engenier, nor am I, so we cant post charts or facts about Iems, i think the information on iems is sometimes confusing and dificult to process some will praise them some will bash them depends on what you have heard before i agree, but if you happen to have the iem in question is nice to know your impresions or mini review also if you think you prefer them over other iem its common knoledge that what you like he might just hate he choses wheather to believe or not, dough of toppic in this thread maybe... Im also not moderator here so you should not be afraid , have a nice day also if this questions anoy you nowone is forcing you to answer just skip them and let others share insights



I am not and you are right in everything...
But once again... the question is : « which is the best ? »
For whom ? For himself I suppose...???
I am not agressive... but this kind of question well... always questions me !

For instance, I could ask which is the best between Xelentos and AK IEM...?
But MY ears even don’t support the Tesla sound technology !
You see what I mean ?
Just an example...
Try to find the combos and test by yourself huh ?
You will hear - by yourself - which is the best for your ears...
Earring sounds and feeling is so much personal...!

Over for me and I like everybody here for I learn so much from all of you


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 12, 2019)

mosika said:


> Between WM1A + IER-Z1R and WM1Z + IER-M9, which pairs are sound better?



I have not heard the IER-M9. But........ fit on the IER-Z1R can be iffy for some. Meaning I have read about people getting an easier fit with the M9. The IER-Z1R fit me perfect though it really is big and heavy. But as it fits it’s absolutely a comfortable IEM. Choosing the M9 or Z1R could be a question of musical tone. The Z1R will be more over the top maybe as far as treble and bass. Though for the folks wanting those dynamics it’s the cat’s meow!

As far as matching the four, I can only comment on the IER-Z1R and 1A and 1Z. And again there is no right or wrong good or bad combo here. It’s more about finding your own personal tone. Surprisingly the Z1R IEM makes the 1A way thicker. The Z1R makes the 1A something special. If you had some kind of test IEM which could purely show the character of two DAPs......the 1A has less low end, a more even treble and a less thick soundstage. The 1Z has a treble and bass boost along with a thicker front to back and full soundstage. Crazy as it seems the Z1R can bring some of that thickness to the 1A! The Z1R is naturally thick. And the 1Z is nice with the Z1R but besides myself others feel the 1A and Z1R combo has faster and more nimble bass. Though I use both DAPs.....and it’s hard to tell what would be the best combo.....as it’s totally subjective....really.

The M9 is going to be all BA so (even though I have not heard it) it’s safe to say it will offer BA decay. Where the Z1R has both a DD bass and supertweeter and a BA for the midrange. The Z1R will have slower but more natural decay. I feel the supertweeter is more natural than any BA I have heard.

Your better off just trying stuff, or use the written words here to get a clue as to what to try. Nothing will be better than a demo. You can read about this stuff till the cows come home and not get anywhere near as much “proof” as trying some gear.....even for a moment. IMO


----------



## ttt123

LeFaucon said:


> I am not and you are right in everything...
> But once again... the question is : « which is the best ? »
> For whom ? For himself I suppose...???
> I am not agressive... but this kind of question well... always questions me !
> ...


Just chiming in, and putting on my political hat, and agreeing with both points of view.  While I do feel that some questions cannot be answered, and tend to trivialize the forum, at the same time, I guess it is an exercize  in patience, and understanding that different people see different things as "normal".  Similar to situations when a young child asks questions that cannot be answered, though we attempt to.  They have not learned, or are in the habit, of trusting  their own opinion over others, and  concluding that there are things that have no good answer.  And sometimes, the question makes us think a little deeper, and maybe question our known "truths". Overall, I am thankful that the forum is productive and interesting, though the tone and users change over time, which is normal, and the forum has not degraded into mud slinging, and personal attacks,  which is so easy to do, and has killed many forums.


----------



## mosika

Redcarmoose said:


> I have not heard the IER-M9. But........ fit on the IER-Z1R can be iffy for some. Meaning I have read about people getting an easier fit with the M9. The IER-Z1R fit me perfect though it really is big and heavy. But as it fits it’s absolutely a comfortable IEM. Choosing the M9 or Z1R could be a question of musical tone. The Z1R will be more over the top maybe as far as treble and bass. Though for the folks wanting those dynamics it’s the cat’s meow!
> 
> As far as matching the four, I can only comment on the IER-Z1R and 1A and 1Z. And again there is no right or wrong good or bad combo here. It’s more about finding your own personal tone. Surprisingly the Z1R IEM makes the 1A way thicker. The Z1R makes the 1A something special. If you had some kind of test IEM which could purely show the character of two DAPs......the 1A has less low end, a more even treble and a less thick soundstage. The 1Z has a treble and bass boost along with a thicker front to back and full soundstage. Crazy as it seems the Z1R can bring some of that thickness to the 1A! The Z1R is naturally thick. And the 1Z is nice with the Z1R but besides myself others feel the 1A and Z1R combo has faster and more nimble bass. Though I use both DAPs.....and it’s hard to tell what would be the best combo.....as it’s totally subjective....really.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much. I just focus on
clarity and details. )


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 12, 2019)

mosika said:


> Thank you so much. I just focus on
> clarity and details. )



Don’t know how much I can really help? As it’s probably somehow more abstract. Like one combo would be slightly deeper sounding and due to soundstage actually have more detail? There is a member in the IER-Z1R thread that has the M9 and IER-Z1R.....I’ll get his name for you.

Edit: 

He has both IEMs.
https://www.head-fi.org/members/giullian.481626/


----------



## Mindstorms

jaibautista said:


> Just wondering...
> 
> Are there any leads about Sony updating the WM1Z/WM1A anytime soon? It's been almost three years since Sony released the WM1 product line and competing brands have been aggressive in updating their respective offerings.
> 
> ...



I will just add this!  custom fit


----------



## Mindstorms

LeFaucon said:


> I am not and you are right in everything...
> But once again... the question is : « which is the best ? »
> For whom ? For himself I suppose...???
> I am not agressive... but this kind of question well... always questions me !
> ...


Its is true there is no better i agree, i prefer this forum running lol than people quiet not asking anything that just borring haha, but thats me... i agree with other opinions as well no hard feelings


----------



## Jalo

If anyone knows if there is any Sony announcement at the Munich Show this weekend?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Jalo said:


> If anyone knows if there is any Sony announcement at the Munich Show this weekend?


Sony usually announces un september


----------



## udesign48 (May 12, 2019)

I hope Sony will create more N3AP style in-ear monitors. I don't like anything that hangs around my ears... when AKG K3003 and N3AP can sound this good, I see no reason to wear something that hangs around the ears.
They don't contribute to sound quality and comfort in any way.
So I like models such as IE800s, Yamaha EPH 200, Sony N3AP, AKG K3003, etc. They fit straight into your ears.


----------



## Liono (May 13, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sony usually announces un september



I would agree, the ZX1 was announced in September 2013, however this thread was started and products announced in July (2016), and some previous gen Walkmans have been announced in July, so I guess we'll have to find out, between July and September!

Something is definitely cooking though, as Sony UK have revamped their site with Historical pieces on the Walkman and there seemed to be a flurry of external sites in February exploring the history of the Walkman.

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/audio-signature-series


----------



## Shivas

Are there any rumors or info on the successor for the WM1A? Also, any comparisons between the WM1A and A&K SE100?


----------



## blazinblazin

Shivas said:


> Are there any rumors or info on the successor for the WM1A? Also, any comparisons between the WM1A and A&K SE100?


I have tried SE100 recently. I would say very close to 1A 3.01 sound. Probably 1A is very slightly warmer.


----------



## Shivas

blazinblazin said:


> I have tried SE100 recently. I would say very close to 1A 3.01 sound. Probably 1A is very slightly warmer.



Alright thanks man! I hope there will be an upcoming DAP from Sony this year!!


----------



## Kitechaser

The birds told me it was an update to the zx300. A refresh.
The main players are not being looked at till at least next year, if not longer.


----------



## Snekismyfriend

Kitechaser said:


> The birds told me it was an update to the zx300. A refresh.
> The main players are not being looked at till at least next year, if not longer.



Zx400 confirmed?


----------



## Kitechaser (May 13, 2019)

It's not confirmed till sony says it, but that's the word. We will all find out soon enough. I am very happy with 1A, but if the next ZX Update can approach that level of SQ in a smaller package, I would have to take a very hard look at it.

ADD: the ZX300 is a few tiers below the 1A. I can't for the life of me see how people can say they sound the same.


----------



## Mindstorms (May 13, 2019)

Kitechaser said:


> It's not confirmed till sony says it, but that's the word. We will all find out soon enough. I am very happy with 1A, but if the next ZX Update can approach that level of SQ in a smaller package, I would have to take a very hard look at it.
> 
> ADD: the ZX300 is a few tiers below the 1A. I can't for the life of me see how people can say they sound the same.


I have zx100 wich should sound inferior to both of them i used to love it... i still love his battery i can run for a a hole week yes thats 7 to 8 days no charging 4hs a day, its a beast in terms of portability and battery life and it sounds better than anything i have heard... till i bought 1A then it started sounding like , highs not extended and piercing, recesed and veiled mids, bass that is more on the 60hz ratio not in the 30hz zone that makes your iem rumble, and also stage is dull and borring, (thats comparing to 1A firm 3.01 there where closer on 1.20 (sound signature) dough bass was miles away on 1A) wich certanly make holographic presentation also zx100 struglles with bass a lot, what zx100 its really good at its at low volum, i cant ask enough for a firmware update to my dear zx100 so at least i can decently equalize it!! sony dont be selfish its not that hard... i guess zx300 should sound closer to 1A without the bass rumble... and slightly less details and power reserve... still use my zx100 for biking! dough i can tell it feels like when you go full HD the go back to DVD.. phone being VHS, lol they say 4K its 1Z so... i guess sony will amaze us soon with some next gen Walkman maybe same battery stamina than zx100 same bass than 1Z same airness of the 1A same weight than 1A better looks than all of them combined!! and superb OS and effects         Hope so!


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 14, 2019)

Spoiler: Spoiler 



I’m just joking 








Snekismyfriend said:


> Zx400 confirmed?



I’m loving the new colors?


----------



## Hyde8767

Redcarmoose said:


> Spoiler: Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wait are those speakers on it


----------



## Mund1

Hyde8767 said:


> Wait are those speakers on it


Sure looks like built in speakers!  If I may, it kind of cheapifies things in my humble opinion.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 14, 2019)

$199
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Walkman-Video-Player-Black/dp/B002IPHA0I




Hyde8767 said:


> Wait are those speakers on it





Mund1 said:


> Sure looks like built in speakers!  If I may, it kind of cheapifies things in my humble opinion.


Those are E series concept drawings of Walkmans?


----------



## siruspan

They sure look good together


----------



## Mathieulh

siruspan said:


> They sure look good together



They sure don't sound good together though, the NW-WM1A lacks the power to drive the MDR-Z1R properly, you just don't nearly the same amount of detail as you would driving it from a desktop (or more powerful portable) amplifier.
While high impedance headphones require higher voltage, low impedance headphones on the other end, require higher current. Lower impedance doesn't always mean easier to drive, that's something to keep in mind.


----------



## nc8000

Mathieulh said:


> They sure don't sound good together though, the NW-WM1A lacks the power to drive the MDR-Z1R properly, you just don't nearly the same amount of detail as you would driving it from a desktop (or more powerful portable) amplifier.
> While high impedance headphones require higher voltage, low impedance headphones on the other end, require higher current. Lower impedance doesn't always mean easier to drive, that's something to keep in mind.



Don’t know about the 1A but they certainly sound fine on 1Z with high gain on, but yes they sound better from the SE amp


----------



## Mathieulh

nc8000 said:


> Don’t know about the 1A but they certainly sound fine on 1Z with high gain on, but yes they sound better from the SE amp


The 1Z has the same power output, so no, it doesn't sound "fine" from it. It sounds fine (actually great) from the DMP-Z1 from the balanced output,the Sony ta-zh1es or even the Hiby R6 Pro from the balanced output.


----------



## nc8000

Mathieulh said:


> The 1Z has the same power output, so no, it doesn't sound "fine" from it. It sounds fine (actually great) from the DMP-Z1 from the balanced output,the Sony ta-zh1es or even the Hiby R6 Pro from the balanced output.



Well to each his own


----------



## Mathieulh (May 14, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> Well to each his own


i did extended listenings on all those equipments and the difference in sound quality using the MDR-Z1R between, the DMP-Z1 and the NW-WM1Z is night and day and plainly obvious.


----------



## nc8000

Mathieulh said:


> i did extended listenings on all those equipments and the difference in sound quality using the MDR-Z1R between, the DMP-1Z and the NW-WM1Z is night and day and plainly obvious.



I’m sure you did but to me and my ears and my standards they sound fine from the 1Z and better from the ES but never night and day difference


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 14, 2019)

Mathieulh said:


> i did extended listenings on all those equipments and the difference in sound quality using the MDR-Z1R between, the DMP-Z1 and the NW-WM1Z is night and day and plainly obvious.



Still the 1A is great at powering the Z1R. Yes......everything is a pissing contest. Take the Z1R and DMP-Z1 then go listen to a 100K speaker rig. It’s all relevant. PSsssss

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pissing_contest


----------



## blazinblazin (May 14, 2019)

Mathieulh said:


> The 1Z has the same power output, so no, it doesn't sound "fine" from it. It sounds fine (actually great) from the DMP-Z1 from the balanced output,the Sony ta-zh1es or even the Hiby R6 Pro from the balanced output.



I am surprised R6 Pro able to push this well.
From what I tried my friend's R6 Pro bass is muddy compared to 1A. Audio shop boss agrees with me and says that it has the power but don't drives things well/properly.


----------



## Mathieulh

blazinblazin said:


> I am surprised R6 Pro able to push this well.
> From what I tried my friend's R6 Pro bass is muddy compared to 1A. Audio shop boss agrees with me and says that it has the power but don't drives things well/properly.


The R6 Pro bass did not/does not sound muddy to me.


----------



## blazinblazin (May 14, 2019)

Mathieulh said:


> The R6 Pro bass did not/does not sound muddy to me.


That's what I heard using Acoustune HS1650CU (Warmer sounding DD IEM) playing same song on MSD card.
Or does it needs more burn in time? My friend had it for like 3 weeks. Or maybe it does not pair well with this pair of IEM.


----------



## endlesswaves

blazinblazin said:


> That's what I heard using Acoustune HS1650CU (Warmer sounding DD IEM) playing same song on MSD card.
> Or does it needs more burn in time? My friend had it for like 3 weeks. Or maybe it does not pair well with this pair of IEM.



Concur. Warmish IEMs and 1Z = bad match. Even though 1Z is superior in certain aspect like having deeper and higher soundstage. It does sounds muddy when in comparison with the 1A when paired with warmish IEMs.


----------



## Mindstorms

Mathieulh said:


> They sure don't sound good together though, the NW-WM1A lacks the power to drive the MDR-Z1R properly, you just don't nearly the same amount of detail as you would driving it from a desktop (or more powerful portable) amplifier.
> While high impedance headphones require higher voltage, low impedance headphones on the other end, require higher current. Lower impedance doesn't always mean easier to drive, that's something to keep in mind.


thats not what other users have reported... tehy say its sounds awesome on 1A


----------



## captblaze

I have been enjoying this exchange... soundsgood / not really. this should be an indicator of how important it is to audition gear before purchasing. our brains perceive many things differently and sound is no different than taste in food, art and any other activity that involves your brain and its perception of events and reality. 

I am happy that most everyone agrees that Sony can produce the goods


----------



## Mathieulh

blazinblazin said:


> That's what I heard using Acoustune HS1650CU (Warmer sounding DD IEM) playing same song on MSD card.
> Or does it needs more burn in time? My friend had it for like 3 weeks. Or maybe it does not pair well with this pair of IEM.


It could be the later, as I don't own that specific pair of IEM. That said, according to hiby it supposedly needs some burn in time, but I have only had it for about 3 weeks as well, so I can't say it's been properly burned in on my end yet.


----------



## thatonenoob

Based on this thread I would need a nuclear reactor to run my MDR-Z1R.  Good thing I've been connecting mine to mains entirely lately.


----------



## Redcarmoose

*Walkman 1Z and qdc Anole v3


*


----------



## captblaze

Walkman 1A and KZ ZSN Pro



My photography game is weak


----------



## Mindstorms (May 15, 2019)

captblaze said:


> Walkman 1A and KZ ZSN Pro
> 
> 
> 
> My photography game is weak


How does that combo sounds? i have many KZ iems


----------



## captblaze

Midnstorms said:


> How tdoes that combo sounds? i have many KZ iems



for $20 IEMs, they sound pretty good.. lacks a little detail, but there is a touch of bass rumble and has a treble that doesn't punish old ears


----------



## siruspan

WM1A and Noble Khan


----------



## gerelmx1986

WM1A + XBA-Z5


----------



## mejoshua

WM1A + Dita Project71


----------



## sne4me

I just saw the news today that you can now purchase the 1TB Sandisk Micro SDXC card from sandisk's website in the US. not sure about other regions.

$449.99


----------



## newtophones07

sne4me said:


> I just saw the news today that you can now purchase the 1TB Sandisk Micro SDXC card from sandisk's website in the US. not sure about other regions.
> 
> $449.99




Will the wm1a index that many files?  Guess someone will have to buy one, fill it up, and try it.


----------



## McMadface

newtophones07 said:


> Will the wm1a index that many files?  Guess someone will have to buy one, fill it up, and try it.


That's only like 1000 songs...

... in DSD256


----------



## Whitigir

McMadface said:


> That's only like 1000 songs...
> 
> ... in DSD256


Now imagine DSD512 kakakaka...still cheaper than 100 vinyl though...isn’t it ?


----------



## ccschua

is there anyway I can stream spotify to wm1a ?


----------



## noverbeck

ccschua said:


> is there anyway I can stream spotify to wm1a ?


You could use it as a bluetooth DAC, send Spotify from your phone/pc to the WM1A.


----------



## nc8000

ccschua said:


> is there anyway I can stream spotify to wm1a ?



Yes you can use the WM as dac either over BT or USB


----------



## Kitechaser (May 16, 2019)

End game combo.


----------



## endlesswaves

Kitechaser said:


> End game combo.



Wait till you have tried the 1960s 4 Wires


----------



## Kitechaser (May 17, 2019)

endlesswaves said:


> Wait till you have tried the 1960s 4 Wires


Don't even get me started hahaha. I'll have to sell a kidney to get that one 
I can't wait to try out the 1960 2 wire with the DMP-Z1, that is going to be epic.
As far as this combo, man you were not kidding, this cable is incredible, worth every penny. Now I can see why people happily drop 2 grand on iem cables, no graph will catch what I am hearing, but it's like taking a scalpel to the music and chiseling out every minute detail possible 
I have the cable bug, I can't unhear what I am hearing, only way to go is up.


----------



## gerelmx1986

With the 400GB micro sd card, all flac 16/44.1 , there are like 26000 tracks, now with wm1A and the 1TB it would be roughly 51000 if we theorize only 16/44.1


----------



## auronthas

nc8000 said:


> Yes you can use the WM as dac either over BT or USB


I am able to play WM1A songs in Hiby R6 via USB DAC but not the other way round (USB method).  

I have set WM1A to USB DAC mode, but it stated no digital signal ...

What should I do?


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> I am able to play WM1A songs in Hiby R6 via USB DAC but not the other way round (USB method).
> 
> I have set WM1A to USB DAC mode, but it stated no digital signal ...
> 
> What should I do?



You need to be on fw 3.0 or 3.01. On the front screen select usb dac and then plug a cable from your source into the WM and it should just work. Maybe you have to go into usb settings and tell the WM to not try to charge over the usb connection, your source might not be able to supply enough juice for that


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> With the 400GB micro sd card, all flac 16/44.1 , there are like 26000 tracks, now with wm1A and the 1TB it would be roughly 51000 if we theorize only 16/44.1



Yeah I have about 38.000 flac files on my 1Z with a 512GB card


----------



## auronthas

nc8000 said:


> You need to be on fw 3.0 or 3.01. On the front screen select usb dac and then plug a cable from your source into the WM and it should just work. Maybe you have to go into usb settings and tell the WM to not try to charge over the usb connection, your source might not be able to supply enough juice for that


Yes, my firmware is 3.0.1. I did the same as you described, USB charging is unchecked at setting. Hmm, what went wrong?


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> Yes, my firmware is 3.0.1. I did the same as you described, USB charging is unchecked at setting. Hmm, what went wrong?



No idea, I’ve just briefly tried it from my pc to see it worked, nomally use my 1Z as a stand alone player


----------



## mwhals

nc8000 said:


> Yeah I have about 38.000 flac files on my 1Z with a 512GB card



My almost 10,000 16/44.1 Flac files occupy 256 GB. You must be using more compression than me.


----------



## nc8000

mwhals said:


> My almost 10,000 16/44.1 Flac files occupy 256 GB. You must be using more compression than me.



Level 5, but I probably should write 512GB card plus the internal 256GB totally filled up


----------



## mwhals

nc8000 said:


> Level 5, but I probably should write 512GB card plus the internal 256GB totally filled up



I am using level 5 too. The math makes more sense now that I know you have 767 GB and my exact count is 9,706 songs.


----------



## rabidsquid

newtophones07 said:


> Will the wm1a index that many files?  Guess someone will have to buy one, fill it up, and try it.



I have just received the card. Initial testing shows the card at least works when formatted by WM1A and with a single ALAC album. Will report performance after transferring 800GB overnight.


----------



## gerelmx1986

For music I have circa 1,14TB


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> For music I have circa 1,14TB



If I include my hires files I’m at 1.5TB but downsampled to red book I have about 900GB so a 1TB card will be ideal


----------



## bflat

A 1 TB mSD card is a game changer IMHO. This will allow:

1) Small transport like Shanling M0 to feed a portable DAC like Chord H2, essentially turning it into a DAP. Yes, Chord is working on a poly module but it does not have a built in UI - only works with a mobile app.
2) Your Android phone as a transport (assuming it has a mSD slot) is now completely viable.
3) You have enough storage to hold offline conversions of PCM to DSD using sophisticated software and filter options like HQPlayer.
4) Future DAP considerations of 1 or 2 mSD slots is a lesser concern.

The irony of this is that the market demand for high capacity mSD cards is not coming from audiophiles. It's coming from the explosion of 4K videographers - both professional and amateur.

Personally for me, my entire library is about 700 GB which has taken 20+ years to accumulate so no pressing need at the moment to upgrade. Even when I purchase new albums, a lot of times it is a remaster of one of my existing albums which I replace with the hi-res version.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> If I include my hires files I’m at 1.5TB but downsampled to red book I have about 900GB so a 1TB card will be ideal


Yes that's also my 1.14TB are both hi-res FLAC , CD FLAC, and DSD files. With the 1TB card I  could carry all my music in 16/44.1  that a very nice convenient capacity


----------



## rabidsquid

Update on the new Sandisk 1TB card (apologies if it's too much geek data, but I had the info):

Total time to copy 773.81 GB library to card: 2 hours 56 minutes (source was external USB 3 SSD drive to USB 3 card reader).
Total time for WM1A to read card and create database: 5 minutes 50 seconds.
Library Details:
8924 ALAC .m4a files (I'm guessing I'll catch hell for the format. At one time I was using iTunes to organize... ‍♂️)
Approximate breakdown (I know the numbers don't add up):
4800 @ 24/96
700 @ 24/192
570 @ 24/44.1
350 @ 16/44.1
350 @ 24/88.2
299 @ 24/48
12 @ 24/176.4

240 .dsf files
5 .aiff files

I have seen little to no lag in browsing albums, tracks, artists. This is so nice to have my entire library in one place!

Please let me know if you have any questions.


----------



## Redcarmoose

rabidsquid said:


> Update on the new Sandisk 1TB card (apologies if it's too much geek data, but I had the info):
> 
> Total time to copy 773.81 GB library to card: 2 hours 56 minutes (source was external USB 3 SSD drive to USB 3 card reader).
> Total time for WM1A to read card and create database: 5 minutes 50 seconds.
> ...



Your ALAC files are sonically identical to FLAC, so I don’t know why someone would give you heck. I will give you heck as my 400GB card arriving next month seems so passé now!


----------



## rabidsquid (May 17, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> Your ALAC files are sonically identical to FLAC, so I don’t know why someone would give you heck. I will give you heck as my 400GB card arriving next month seems so passé now!



Well, it’s interesting, my last DAP was the Astell & Kern AK120 Titan. The reason I have 5 .aiff files in my library is the AK120 could not play the 24/192 ALAC version of Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue from HDTracks without stuttering. After converting those tracks to .aiff I had no performance issues on the AK120 and iTunes could still recognize the files.

Wondering if the WM1A performs better with FLAC...

I have not tried the ALAC, stuttering version on WM1A.


----------



## bflat

rabidsquid said:


> Well, it’s interesting, my last DAP was the Astell & Kern AK120 Titan. The reason I have 5 .aiff files in my library is the AK120 could not play the 24/192 ALAC version of Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue from HDTracks without stuttering. After converting those tracks to .aiff I had no performance issues on the AK120 and iTunes could still recognize the files.
> 
> Wondering if the WM1A performs better with FLAC...
> 
> I have not tried the ALAC, stuttering version on WM1A.



I had a couple hi res ALAC files that would not play on AK DAPs with SP1000 being the latest. Could not figure why some tracks had issues while other tracks in the same album played fine. Same ALAC albums on Sony DAPs have no issues at all so I don't think you should worry about using ALAC. 

ALAC haters still believe it's proprietary Apple codec when in fact it has been open source since 2011. Fairly recent compared to FLAC which came out in 2001 so there are is more history of FLAC in the open source community. Apple is rarely mentioned with open source in the same sentence so understandably there is a lot of bias against Apple in those communities.


----------



## gerelmx1986

rabidsquid said:


> Update on the new Sandisk 1TB card (apologies if it's too much geek data, but I had the info):
> 
> Total time to copy 773.81 GB library to card: 2 hours 56 minutes (source was external USB 3 SSD drive to USB 3 card reader).
> Total time for WM1A to read card and create database: 5 minutes 50 seconds.
> ...


Where are you from? I have been checking Amazon Germany,  still no 1TB , only the 512GB but it says it will be dispatch able in one to three months


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Where are you from? I have been checking Amazon Germany,  still no 1TB , only the 512GB but it says it will be dispatch able in one to three months



Same in UK. I expect to pick one up in September when I go to UK


----------



## Lookout57

I've had it on order at Amazon US since they opened ordering. They originally stated it would be available 4/29 but it's now showing unavailable.


----------



## rabidsquid

Hi guys, I'm in the US and ordered directly from Sandisk via this link: https://shop.sandisk.com/store/sdis...2044100/SanDisk-Extreme-microSD-UHSI-Card-1TB

It shipped from Wisconsin to Michigan in 1 day. Unfortunately, they appear to be out of stock.

The article I saw mentioned it was available from Amazon Spain, UK, and Germany, but those also appear to be out of stock: https://www.tomsguide.com/us/sandisk-1-tb-microsd-card,news-30079.html

I guess I got lucky.



gerelmx1986 said:


> Where are you from? I have been checking Amazon Germany,  still no 1TB , only the 512GB but it says it will be dispatch able in one to three months





nc8000 said:


> Same in UK. I expect to pick one up in September when I go to UK





Lookout57 said:


> I've had it on order at Amazon US since they opened ordering. They originally stated it would be available 4/29 but it's now showing unavailable.


----------



## Jalo

I have just posted that following post in the DMP-Z1 thread, I hope the next version of WM1Z will increase power output by at least ten times.

“The only quality missing with the WM1Z which is the same as the DMP is the relative lower output power. The recent crop of DAPs all have much higher amping power. Like the Cayin N8, Ibasso DX220, LPGT etc. with the most rediculous one being the AK Khan Cube. The Khan Cube has 12 Vrms that is equal to a whopping 4.8 watts into 30 ohm, 3.6 watts into 40 ohm, 2.4 watts into 60 ohm and even at 100 ohm it will give 1.4 watts of driving power. In addition to these amazing driving power, the unit used for these rating is Volt per root mean square (rms), meaning that the rating refers to is average driving power and not peak or maximum power something very different from ratings that use maximum output. In other words let say if it is a 6 Vrms into 30 ohm it will have 1.2 watt but in critical moment it will actually deliver 1.7 watts of power giving much better headroom.”


----------



## nc8000

Jalo said:


> I have just posted that following post in the DMP-Z1 thread, I hope the next version of WM1Z will increase power output by at least ten times.
> 
> “The only quality missing with the WM1Z which is the same as the DMP is the relative lower output power. The recent crop of DAPs all have much higher amping power. Like the Cayin N8, Ibasso DX220, LPGT etc. with the most rediculous one being the AK Khan Cube. The Khan Cube has 12 Vrms that is equal to a whopping 4.8 watts into 30 ohm, 3.6 watts into 40 ohm, 2.4 watts into 60 ohm and even at 100 ohm it will give 1.4 watts of driving power. In addition to these amazing driving power, the unit used for these rating is Volt per root mean square (rms), meaning that the rating refers to is average driving power and not peak or maximum power something very different from ratings that use maximum output. In other words let say if it is a 6 Vrms into 30 ohm it will have 1.2 watt but in critical moment it will actually deliver 1.7 watts of power giving much better headroom.”



I’d much rather have the insane long battery life of the current players as opposed to more power and shorter battery life


----------



## fiascogarcia

Jalo said:


> I have just posted that following post in the DMP-Z1 thread, I hope the next version of WM1Z will increase power output by at least ten times.
> 
> “The only quality missing with the WM1Z which is the same as the DMP is the relative lower output power. The recent crop of DAPs all have much higher amping power. Like the Cayin N8, Ibasso DX220, LPGT etc. with the most rediculous one being the AK Khan Cube. The Khan Cube has 12 Vrms that is equal to a whopping 4.8 watts into 30 ohm, 3.6 watts into 40 ohm, 2.4 watts into 60 ohm and even at 100 ohm it will give 1.4 watts of driving power. In addition to these amazing driving power, the unit used for these rating is Volt per root mean square (rms), meaning that the rating refers to is average driving power and not peak or maximum power something very different from ratings that use maximum output. In other words let say if it is a 6 Vrms into 30 ohm it will have 1.2 watt but in critical moment it will actually deliver 1.7 watts of power giving much better headroom.”


I think the issue of power output on this thread is kind of overlooking a couple of issues.  First, what about the synergy between the DAC and amp sections of a DAP, and how does that affect the overall SQ of the DAP?  Secondly, what headphones is everyone trying to use on their DAP?  Full size phones for me require a desktop set, but that's just me.  Lastly, I don't know if I'd be satisfied with Kann Cube's 8 hours of operating time between charges.  IMO


----------



## Whitigir

Well quick charge makes everything so much easier.  Like 70% in 30 minutes is very crazy....or we are talking about a quick 30 minutes for 4.5 hours of listening is also crazy enough


----------



## proedros (May 19, 2019)

is wm1a gonna be discontinued ? amazon uk shows it as ''out of stock'' which seemd weird....

i think for us on a budget it hits the sweet post of great sound - huge battery - USB DAC offer

i also see very few(if zero) wm1a being sold here , so this probably shows that most wm1a users are also satisfied with what they paid/got


----------



## captblaze

proedros said:


> is wm1a gonna be discontinued ? amazon uk shows it as ''out of stock'' which seemd weird....
> 
> i think for us on a budget it hits the sweet post of great sound - huge battery - USB DAC offer
> 
> i also see very few(if zero) wm1a being sold here , so this probably shows that most wm1a users are also satisfied with what they paid/got



I would agree with you regarding wanting to keep this gem of a DAP. I also rank my Calyx M and LPG in that keeper category


----------



## mwhals

I have been deciding what to go to from my QP1R and the WM1A is on my list. I am hesitant to get one now since my QP1R is great minus the UI and mostly because I am expecting the WM1A to be replaced with a new model in the next year.


----------



## LeFaucon

mwhals said:


> I have been deciding what to go to from my QP1R and the WM1A is on my list. I am hesitant to get one now since my QP1R is great minus the UI and mostly because I am expecting the WM1A to be replaced with a new model in the next year.



Hi there !
Yesterday I asked a Sony boy at french Sound Days about WM1A/Z replacement...?
The answer was : «WM1 is part of 70th Signature Series and will stay and last as it and will be not replaced... there will be something new as DAP and should be announced at Berlin IFA in septembre of course BECAUSE of the Walkman 40th anniversary... »
So... 4 months waiting for...
Cheers


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 19, 2019)

People have been waiting and waiting Sony to make something new. The three years the Signature DAPs have been out have been a lifetime in Head-Fi time.

Still with the question of more power, of course a desktop rig will power full size headphones better? But even with the power hungry IER-Z1R the 1A and 1Z are more than powerful enough. Yes a desktop gets slightly better damping factor.....but still?

All my IEMs are powered perfectly and with added long battery life and great sound........isn’t the sound quality what this is all about?

To love the 1A and 1Z, is to love them for what they are. Still other DAPs get hot, only run for a couple hours or don’t sound quite the same. It may be a couple more years before new Sony DAPs arrive?

For now though.....it’s safe to say we are enjoying a classic!

Personally I was a little late for the party....buying the 1Z on November 9th, 2017. I’m just glad I didn't start waiting for a new Sony DAP then.


----------



## nc8000

mwhals said:


> I have been deciding what to go to from my QP1R and the WM1A is on my list. I am hesitant to get one now since my QP1R is great minus the UI and mostly because I am expecting the WM1A to be replaced with a new model in the next year.



So you don't want to buy a known great product (provided you like how it sounds and works) because at some unknown time in the future there might be a new unknown product ?
I suppose that is a great way of saving money since you are then never going to buy anything ever.


----------



## mwhals (May 19, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> So you don't want to buy a known great product (provided you like how it sounds and works) because at some unknown time in the future there might be a new unknown product ?
> I suppose that is a great way of saving money since you are then never going to buy anything ever.



If I did not already have a great sounding DAP, I would buy it now.


----------



## nc8000

mwhals said:


> If I did not already have a great sounding DAP, I would buy it now.



Makes sense then


----------



## Kitechaser

I can't wait for the day when they can shrink the DMP-Z1 down to the size of the WM1A. That'll really be something else.
In the meantime, very very happy with this beast of a player. It does not compromise on SQ one iota. And not having to charge it constantly is a big big big deal for me, it is portable in the truest sense.


----------



## endlesswaves

Kitechaser said:


> I can't wait for the day when they can shrink the DMP-Z1 down to the size of the WM1A. That'll really be something else.


If they will shrink down the price of DMP-Z1 down to that of WM1A, I wouldn't mind the size


----------



## siruspan

WM1A + 70$ tube amp = WM1Z on a budget, only slightly less portable and not as gold in appearance


----------



## BaltColts

Can you please confirm what $70 tube amp you are using? Thanks


----------



## nc8000

BaltColts said:


> Can you please confirm what $70 tube amp you are using? Thanks



It’s a Musical Fidelity X-Can V1 or V2 if it is the one in the picture. It is an 10-15 year old design but one that lends itself to loads of mods


----------



## BaltColts

Thanks. I got confused because it looks like there is something connected between the WM1A and the Musical Fidelity X-Can? Is there and how would it perform without it?  Thanks again


----------



## siruspan

BaltColts said:


> Can you please confirm what $70 tube amp you are using? Thanks



Musical Fidelity X-Can V2. I bought it on ebay 2 or 3 years ago for 70 something dollars, but it's as desktop amp however it's still not as heavy as WM1Z


----------



## siruspan

BaltColts said:


> Thanks. I got confused because it looks like there is something connected between the WM1A and the Musical Fidelity X-Can? Is there and how would it perform without it?  Thanks again



Oh that's energizer for Shure KSE1200 that I'm using.


----------



## Leetransform25

This has probably been discussed already, but do we know if we'll get an update to the WM series later this year? What things would you want in the WM2A and WM2Z (Assuming that's what they'll be called)? I know many dislike the WM port but IMO I don't mind it that much, not to mention if it's switched to USB-C we may no longer get that long battery life we get with Sony DAPs. Just a speculation of mine.


----------



## BaltColts

Can anyone recommend a small portable amp that takes WM1A to WM1Z or Calyx M levels? Thanks.


----------



## Aeskualpio

BaltColts said:


> Can anyone recommend a small portable amp that takes WM1A to WM1Z or Calyx M levels? Thanks.



I’ve not compared it to the 1Z or the Calyx, but I’ve connected the Monoprice AAA THX to the 1A with great results and the Little Bear B4 Tube amp with good results.


----------



## LeFaucon

BaltColts said:


> Can anyone recommend a small portable amp that takes WM1A to WM1Z or Calyx M levels? Thanks.


Which «level » are you talking about...?
Otherwise you have the Oriolus BA300S : perfect !


----------



## Kitechaser

So I have been switching back and forth between Direct source, and Direct Source off (but with all DSP options turned off).
Direct source seems to have a higher mid bass response and is lower on microdetails.

Direct source off, is this the Sony house sound?


----------



## Shivas

Is there any measured spec on the channel separation for the WM1A?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I tried to log-in to the accessory Jack website but they seem to have deleted my account after two years of no purchases or no login. Any ways I created a new one


----------



## mmwwmm (May 22, 2019)

Could somebody please post a very close up pic of the 1A/1Z Pentaconn 4.4 plug? It seems the edge of the Pentaconn plug it’s not _perfectly_ smooth in the Sonys I have had at hand and I want to check it. I have read some posts in this thread confirming this issue with pics showing it but I can’t find them.
Thanks!


----------



## gerelmx1986

mmwwmm said:


> Could somebody please post a very close up pic of the 1A/1Z Pentaconn 4.4 plug? It seems the edge of the Pentaconn plug it’s not _perfectly_ smooth in the Sonys I have had at hand and I want to check it. I have read some posts in this thread confirming this issue with pics showing it but I can’t find them.
> Thanks!


Here


----------



## nc8000

mmwwmm said:


> Could somebody please post a very close up pic of the 1A/1Z Pentaconn 4.4 plug? It seems the edge of the Pentaconn plug it’s not _perfectly_ smooth in the Sonys I have had at hand and I want to check it. I have read some posts in this thread confirming this issue with pics showing it but I can’t find them.
> Thanks!



On my 1Z the brass rings on both the 4.4 and 3.5 are probably about 1mm raised above the the top of the player and then the rim of the actual plug holes are again a fraction raised above the brass rings


----------



## womwomwom

Does anyone have a link to what exactly the DSP options like the various DC phase linearizer settings do?  Sony's answers in the manual are a little vague.


----------



## ddmt

womwomwom said:


> Does anyone have a link to what exactly the DSP options like the various DC phase linearizer settings do?  Sony's answers in the manual are a little vague.






 

From: https://www.headfonia.com/review-sony-wm1a-walkman/2/


----------



## womwomwom

ddmt said:


> From: https://www.headfonia.com/review-sony-wm1a-walkman/2/



Thanks for that, appreciate it.


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

womwomwom said:


> Does anyone have a link to what exactly the DSP options like the various DC phase linearizer settings do?  Sony's answers in the manual are a little vague.


You can check my review for that: https://www.headfonia.com/review-sony-wm1a-walkman/

You can see my explanation on the second page.

Edit: Oh, it's been quoted already, OK


----------



## Mund1

mmwwmm said:


> Could somebody please post a very close up pic of the 1A/1Z Pentaconn 4.4 plug? It seems the edge of the Pentaconn plug it’s not _perfectly_ smooth in the Sonys I have had at hand and I want to check it. I have read some posts in this thread confirming this issue with pics showing it but I can’t find them.
> Thanks!



Like this you mean?


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## mmwwmm

Mund1 said:


> Like this you mean?



Yes! Exactly that!

Thanks!!


----------



## Mund1

mmwwmm said:


> Yes! Exactly that!
> 
> Thanks!!



As I was told here, my concerning (to me) pic's posted a while ago, I was told it's common!   As experienced by me with a 2nd WM1Z, it appears to be! 

It doesn't affect functionality whatsoever, purely an aesthetic thing. HOWEVER, for the $$$, whoever made that component, could have addressed that situation when made.  A swipe of a file, sand the edge, whatever.


----------



## mmwwmm

Mund1 said:


> It doesn't affect functionality whatsoever, purely an aesthetic thing. HOWEVER, for the $$$, whoever made that component, could have addressed that situation when made.  A swipe of a file, sand the edge, whatever.



100% agree!


----------



## nc8000

mmwwmm said:


> Yes! Exactly that!
> 
> Thanks!!



I’ve got nothing like that after nearly 2 1/2 years near daily use


----------



## Mund1

nc8000 said:


> I’ve got nothing like that after nearly 2 1/2 years near daily use



Not from any use or misuse.  It's the way it came, new, as manufactured.


----------



## Leetransform25

mmwwmm said:


> 100% agree!


I don't have a WM1A or 1Z, but my ZX300 was also like that that from the start so you're not alone


----------



## Mund1

Leetransform25 said:


> I don't have a WM1A or 1Z, but my ZX300 was also like that that from the start so you're not alone



A cheapest bidder component, OR, the new guy didn't yet perfect his craft... LOL


----------



## Redcarmoose

My 1Z is like that too. Still there are much more important things (in quality) than tiny superficial microscopic fly-butt size marks. IMO

It’s just part of the deal. IMO


----------



## Mund1

Redcarmoose said:


> My 1Z is like that too. Still there are much more important things (in quality) than tiny superficial microscopic fly-butt size marks. IMO
> 
> It’s just part of the deal. IMO



Sound advice.  Thank You.  Perfectionism, a horrific perpetual self inflicted at times; misery.  I'm guilty of it at times. Perhaps more, sometimes mostly.  But.. aren't most of the folks here?   Audibly ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 23, 2019)

Mund1 said:


> Sound advice.  Thank You.  Perfectionism, a horrific perpetual self inflicted at times; misery.  I'm guilty of it at times. Perhaps more, sometimes mostly.  But.. aren't most of the folks here?   Audibly ?



Character maybe? 

Also the sound has character too?

I guess when someone gets their DAP and then they notice the marks?

It’s like....   what?

Still I have curiosity more. Like; why are they there....is it a result of some build process. Someone signed off on this, for all the players to be like this.......lol.

I’m used to them now.


----------



## Whitigir

Smooth ? Lol...everytime we insert a stick into a hole...we supposed to ask for a smooth entrants opening ? OK ! Deal!

Btw, that is not Sony fault....it is Pentaconn, and it is likely happening during transport of components.  Those are very soft metals which is more likely to be dings and dent when knocked into something during transporting.

I also just realized that Sony newest Top tier , DMP-Z1 has 5X super capacitors....oh goodness! WM1Z has 1


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> Smooth ? Lol...everytime we insert a stick into a hole...we supposed to ask for a smooth entrants opening ? OK ! Deal!
> 
> Btw, that is not Sony fault....it is Pentaconn, and it is likely happening during transport of components.  Those are very soft metals which is more likely to be dings and dent when knocked into something during transporting.
> 
> I also just realized that Sony newest Top tier , DMP-Z1 has 5X super capacitors....oh goodness! WM1Z has 1



I could only imagine how wonderful the R&D lab at Sony Audio division must be.


----------



## bflat

Anyone try a 1a/z with the Abyss Diana Phi? Abyss shows photos with the combo but many on Headfi are saying these need a desktop amp.


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> Anyone try a 1a/z with the Abyss Diana Phi? Abyss shows photos with the combo but many on Headfi are saying these need a desktop amp.


You will need DMP Z1


----------



## mejoshua

Mund1 said:


> Like this you mean?


Mine has this exact thing! Annoying but can't do anything about it. Everything else is just about perfect!


----------



## Silvano

Actually there is a thing to do in order to correct this issue: I mean using a small and suitable flat head milling bit with blades on top and driven smoothly by hand. If you wish try this be aware to operate with the DAP in upside down position and the milling operation from the bottom in order to avoid metal particles go inside the earphone socket.


----------



## sne4me

rabidsquid said:


> I have just received the card. Initial testing shows the card at least works when formatted by WM1A and with a single ALAC album. Will report performance after transferring 800GB overnight.



Since you are the only member to claim ownership of a 1tb card, please take a screen shot of your storage summary in the menu of you WM1A/Z and upload it. I want to see the screenshot, please.


----------



## rabidsquid

sne4me said:


> Since you are the only member to claim ownership of a 1tb card, please take a screen shot of your storage summary in the menu of you WM1A/Z and upload it. I want to see the screenshot, please.


----------



## KurobaHeiji (May 24, 2019)

rabidsquid said:


>


How much is it?


----------



## rabidsquid

KurobaHeiji said:


> How much is it?



$450, but seems to be sold out: 

https://shop.sandisk.com/store/sdis...2044100/SanDisk-Extreme-microSD-UHSI-Card-1TB

Some Amazon links in this article:

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/sandisk-1-tb-microsd-card,news-30079.html


----------



## KurobaHeiji

rabidsquid said:


> $450, but seems to be sold out:
> 
> https://shop.sandisk.com/store/sdis...2044100/SanDisk-Extreme-microSD-UHSI-Card-1TB
> 
> ...


OK, thank you. Seem like it still not available in Australia.


----------



## Mal Waldron

Speaking of micro SD cards, Lexar brand sells the 512 gb to 75 €.  Any experience with them?


----------



## Virtu Fortuna

Mal Waldron said:


> Speaking of micro SD cards, Lexar brand sells the 512 gb to 75 €.  Any experience with them?


It's a good one. Many of my friends have used the 256GB SD version without any issue.


----------



## nc8000

Mal Waldron said:


> Speaking of micro SD cards, Lexar brand sells the 512 gb to 75 €.  Any experience with them?



I would assume that it is a fake at that price


----------



## captblaze

nc8000 said:


> I would assume that it is a fake at that price



https://www.amazon.com/Lexar-High-P...44&s=gateway&sprefix=lexar+512,aps,145&sr=8-2

shipped and sold by Amazon


----------



## sne4me

Prices are cheap for now, next week they could double.


----------



## Quadfather

Can audio books purchased from Google Play be played on these Sony players?


----------



## Mund1

nc8000 said:


> I would assume that it is a fake at that price



Not an unreasonable assumption. In fact, a common occurrence.  I do a lot of shopping on Amazon. When you read reviews, its a bit terrifying to see that a high, and increasing amount of counterfeit products in general are being sold through their site.  SD cards, Compact flash that I purchased through them for photography use I stick with Sandisk exclusively.  I want a proven name brand! But even then, they are a common counterfeit item.  What I do, I contact Sandisk Global Customer Service and ask them to verify that my cards are authentic Sandisk. They have no problem doing that. It's a huge very comforting relief.  For those that buy this new 1tb card.  It would be the very 1st thing I do, confirm its the real deal!  (for those that don't need all that space just yet, as I have learned, wait 6mos to a year, you'll get them at less than 1/2 the current crazy price!)


----------



## captblaze

Quadfather said:


> Can audio books purchased from Google Play be played on these Sony players?


give this a try

https://the-digital-reader.com/2018...d-audiobooks-from-google-play-books-drm-free/


----------



## Quadfather

captblaze said:


> give this a try
> 
> https://the-digital-reader.com/2018...d-audiobooks-from-google-play-books-drm-free/



I wonder what formats you have to choose from in terms of downloading.


----------



## JamesPTao

HiFiGuy528 said:


> I'm running 1Z Walkman via USB out to WA7 Fireflies (2nd gen) to play DSD music in full resolution.


Wmz1 already plays dsd full resolution. All you are doing is using am inferior dac to process the dsds.why even own a wmz?


----------



## Hyde8767

Mal Waldron said:


> Speaking of micro SD cards, Lexar brand sells the 512 gb to 75 €.  Any experience with them?


That just seems too good to be true


----------



## Whitigir

Lexar sucks.....I would buy any other one but not Lexar


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> You will need DMP Z1




I’m sure if you found one at a great price; you would buy one. 

Your on the edge now!


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m sure if you found one at a great price; you would buy one.
> 
> Your on the edge now!


That is an understatement


----------



## sect44

I'm having random crashes with WM1Z 3.01 after I click on my playlist to add songs. Anyone has experienced this issue? It has become unusually frequent lately.  I have around 12000 songs in a 200gb card almost full. Thanks for any feedback.


----------



## nc8000

sect44 said:


> I'm having random crashes with WM1Z 3.01 after I click on my playlist to add songs. Anyone has experienced this issue? It has become unusually frequent lately.  I have around 12000 songs in a 200gb card almost full. Thanks for any feedback.



Had plenty crashes on 3.0 but not a single crash on 3.01


----------



## KurobaHeiji

sect44 said:


> I'm having random crashes with WM1Z 3.01 after I click on my playlist to add songs. Anyone has experienced this issue? It has become unusually frequent lately.  I have around 12000 songs in a 200gb card almost full. Thanks for any feedback.


No any crash on 3.01 so far. Everything is running smoothly.


----------



## aisalen

sect44 said:


> I'm having random crashes with WM1Z 3.01 after I click on my playlist to add songs. Anyone has experienced this issue? It has become unusually frequent lately.  I have around 12000 songs in a 200gb card almost full. Thanks for any feedback.


Probably the reason for that is "card almost full" and the playlist maybe is being saved also in the card. Try to remove some albums from the card and observe or to reformat your card using the player and repopulate your files.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Yes, 3.0 had some issues but it looks like 3.01 is smooth sailing as far as crashes. I’m totally guilty of getting the player problematic partiality missing files at times, still no issues. It may even be the brand of memory cards as we thought? Though with 3.0 crashing it was a time full of ideas as to our problems. I may get a crash maybe once a month? Maybe? Maybe none, as I don’t take note of it. Once in a while I will erase a big file causing database continuity issues; fixed by a rescan?


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Redcarmoose how are for your ears, the IER-Z1R with wm1A?


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 26, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Redcarmoose how are for your ears, the IER-Z1R with wm1A?



Well, it’s debatable what’s the best DAP for em? Though your IER-Z1R IEMs are arriving soon right?

As long as you get a good fit in your ears, a deep seated air-tight fit; with the correct tips..........your 1A will get you to a very special place!

A once in a lifetime feeling place! Cheers!

In many reviews I have written........I discovered the 1A to be superior to even the TA desktop and 1Z? The 1A gets the IER-Z1R the clearest response and the “thickness” of it all is a first for 1A use, in my experience. Remember too after the first 100 hours they dramatically improve in smoothness and bass texture. IMO

But these are exciting times, I held off buying a top level IEM, as I knew the IER-Z1R was coming, even before it was announced, I just had this feeling to save-up and wait. In the end it payed off.

I’m 100% certain I could sell off everything thing I own.............(EVERYTHING)......and be happy with the 4.4mm included cable.....the IER-Z1R and 1A.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> Well, it’s debatable what’s the best DAP for em? Though your IER-Z1R IEMs are arriving soon right?
> 
> As long as you get a good fit in your ears, a deep seated air-tight fit; with the correct tips..........your 1A will get you to a very special place!
> 
> ...


Thanks, and yup tho info in German , it says it was already released from customs


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Redcarmoose I am happy with my WM1A  and the MDR-Z1R,  so cool I'll soon have the top tier IEM for portable use


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Redcarmoose I am happy with my WM1A  and the MDR-Z1R,  so cool I'll soon have the top tier IEM for portable use



Strangely they effect how you later perceive the full size Z1R. What happens is you can key into the bass physicality and the full-size headphones come off.....lacking bass.  

If you can imagine?


----------



## Aliv3

Anyone here with the WM1A also have the Rai Penta and the Andromeda that can provide some feedback?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> Strangely they effect how you later perceive the full size Z1R. What happens is you can key into the bass physicality and the full-size headphones come off.....lacking bass.
> 
> If you can imagine?


Yes I can imagine that, just after trying Nespresso coffee system all other coffees tasted bad or lacking


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes I can imagine that, just after trying Nespresso coffee system all other coffees tasted bad or lacking



Obviously the full-size do others things the IEM can’t. It’s probably comparable to listening to one signature, then after going to another signature............you have acclimation issues? No one headphone is better, and they do share a common signature tone, but maybe IEM bass is more intense? Though it may not seem that intense to you right off as it’s pulled back slightly from the Z5 you owned? Though the sub-bass is more physical. IMO

Personally I think it’s a more accomplished IEM, gaining over the Z5 with technically and talent. Mainly I wanted a more forward midrange than the Z5 which it is.........even though the midrange is not it’s emphasis. It’s just so clear the midrange info is there anyway by default.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 26, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> Obviously the full-size do others things the IEM can’t. It’s probably comparable to listening to one signature, then after going to another signature............you have acclimation issues? No one headphone is better, and they do share a common signature tone, but maybe IEM bass is more intense? Though it may not seem that intense to you right off as it’s pulled back slightly from the Z5 you owned? Though the sub-bass is more physical. IMO
> 
> Personally I think it’s a more accomplished IEM, gaining over the Z5 with technically and talent. Mainly I wanted a more forward midrange than the Z5 which it is.........even though the midrange is not it’s emphasis. It’s just so clear the midrange info is there anyway by default.


I felt the z5 IEM I  used to own lacked mid and treble details, more notable the treble was super rolled off, and I sense the MDR-Z1R provides this detail I crave for plus having nice bodied bass sound without sounding sterile or super bassy. The z5 drawbacks were.most noticiable with hi-res audio


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 26, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I felt the z5 IEM I  used to own lacked mid and treble details, more notable the treble was super rolled off, and I sense the MDR-Z1R provides this detail I crave for plus having nice bodied bass sound without sounding sterile or super bassy. The z5 drawbacks were.most noticiable with hi-res audio



Exactly also less lower midrange/bass than the Z5 but.....more sub-bass; which gets it a faster sound; where the Z5 was almost foggy.

The Z5 was smooth like maple syrup, but had a lower response haze, which you would notice if you hear it again in a month or two.

The IER-Z1R keeps the 1A owner from needing a 1Z.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonntag nur Musik hören


----------



## flyer1 (May 26, 2019)

The IER-Z1R keeps the 1A owner from needing a 1Z.[/QUOTE]

And a 1Z owner keeps from needing a IER-Z1R?

Since I moved a month ago to Final E5000, I have been enjoying them a lot with my 1Z after I got rid of my Z5's. They improve on mentioned areas the Z5's are lacking in and are very enjoyable. 

Now these are holding back my planned purchase of Z1R as I currently believe to have unexpectedly found my perfect sound..


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 26, 2019)

So true, how the 1Z can “wake-up” so many IEMs!

It makes even my $35 IEMs into ear-candy.


----------



## flyer1 (May 26, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> So true, how the 1Z can “wake-up” so many IEMs!
> 
> It makes even my $35 IEMs into ear-candy.



Maybe the E5000's are a bit of a €250 hidden gem as well? I admit they were an impulse buy for me after remembering only a few positive remarks on them here and curiosity got the hang of me.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 26, 2019)

flyer1 said:


> Maybe the E5000's are a bit of a €250 hidden gem as well? I admit they were an impulse buy for me after remembering only a few positive remarks on them here and curiosity got the hang of me.



To name a couple my qdc Anole V3 is actually known for being slightly less detailed than others in it’s $500-$550 price point. The bass is good as well as it’s a good fitting IEM. The 1Z treble makes it better and the soundstage adds to the IEMs soundstage.

The Z5, even though I was belittling it, sounds dramatically improved with the 1Z treble; as the 1Z offers both authority and treble pizzazz!


----------



## sect44

aisalen said:


> Probably the reason for that is "card almost full" and the playlist maybe is being saved also in the card. Try to remove some albums from the card and observe or to reformat your card using the player and repopulate your files.



I guess you are right, will try. I'm forced to create 2 playlists depending on where the song is stored, card or player but not sure where playlists are saved. Anyway, thanks.


----------



## ccschua

I tried spotify as streamer to wm1z (as Bluetooth DAC).

the sound quality is not so good. do I need premium spotify for a good quality streamer or I can totally forget about BT streaming


----------



## Whitigir (May 27, 2019)

ccschua said:


> I tried spotify as streamer to wm1z (as Bluetooth DAC).
> 
> the sound quality is not so good. do I need premium spotify for a good quality streamer or I can totally forget about BT streaming


LDAC can get upto 24/96, and that is high-resolutions.  Don’t listen to all that crap about Bluetooth is compressed format and Flac is not....everything Digital in multibit and PCM are compressed, unless DSD which is Direct Stream Digital.

Tidal needs more money as high-res is the most expensive.  I know QoBuz needs the highest monthly fees for high-res

However, streaming isn’t going to give you what you want...simply because the app and it algorithm sucks! Period...the reason why Sony only allow Bluetooth streaming is because doing this, at least Sony can interfere with their own DSP and help improve the experiences while avoiding WiFi interferences

Though, the best is to buy your own CD, rip what you want at the lowest compression possible.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yeah baby yeah

  
Mini me version of MDR-Z1R


----------



## BaltColts

Sorry for my ignorance. What model is this one?


----------



## gerelmx1986

BaltColts said:


> Sorry for my ignorance. What model is this one?


DAP is a Sony NW-WM1A, In-ears are Sony newest flagship IER-Z1R


----------



## nyxstef

I've been out of loop for latest DAPs for some time.

I just bought Sony IER-M9 for replazing my Z5. Right now I'm thinking of getting a DAP with 4.4mm balanced output.

I realized that WM1A has been out since 2016, and its smaller sibling (ZX300) was released in 2018. 

Is it still worth it to get WM1A now? Considering that it was released few years ago, I assume that its successor would be released soon.


----------



## Redcarmoose

nyxstef said:


> I've been out of loop for latest DAPs for some time.
> 
> I just bought Sony IER-M9 for replazing my Z5. Right now I'm thinking of getting a DAP with 4.4mm balanced output.
> 
> ...



We don’t know when something new will be out. No one knows.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nyxstef said:


> I've been out of loop for latest DAPs for some time.
> 
> I just bought Sony IER-M9 for replazing my Z5. Right now I'm thinking of getting a DAP with 4.4mm balanced output.
> 
> ...


I like what I am hearing with my WM1A  + IER-Z1R  combo, very good resolution, and yes, like you, I come from xba-z5


----------



## bflat

nyxstef said:


> I've been out of loop for latest DAPs for some time.
> 
> I just bought Sony IER-M9 for replazing my Z5. Right now I'm thinking of getting a DAP with 4.4mm balanced output.
> 
> ...



IMHO, if you are interested in the WM1A, I would look for a good price in classified instead of buying new.

To be a DAP owner is like being a smartphone owner. There is a long runway of improvements that will come but not here today due to technological limitations. Additionally, DAPs are now seeing more brands enter the high end category when it use to be exclusively Astell Kern. Either you have the discipline to use your DAP for a 5+ year cycle or you go through enough upgrades while losing about 50% of your initial investment each time. Alternatively, if you don't mind being one generation behind, you can buy used DAPs on classified for a very good price, especially when a new model comes out and folks upgrade in mass. I think you will find that the DAP owners who upgrade frequently take immaculate care of their gear because they know they will end up selling with the next upgrade.


----------



## Kitechaser (May 28, 2019)

Can somebody please break down the sound differences between firmware 2.0, 3.0, and 3.1.
I am using 3.1, Direct Sound off and no DSP options on at the moment. I am finding the mid bass with direct sound to be a bit too much, to the point that it is drowning out micro details. I would like to know if prior firmwares would be better suited for me.
Thank you

Add: 3.0 is pretty bad, bass is weak, no textures. Onto 2.0.


----------



## rtjoa

WM1Z with Brimar Deep State 12 wire cables (High Resolution and Warm Analog)


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 28, 2019)

Kitechaser said:


> Can somebody please break down the sound differences between firmware 2.0, 3.0, and 3.1.
> I am using 3.1, Direct Sound off and no DSP options on at the moment. I am finding the mid bass with direct sound to be a bit too much, to the point that it is drowning out micro details. I would like to know if prior firmwares would be better suited for me.
> Thank you
> 
> Add: 3.0 is pretty bad, bass is weak, no textures. Onto 2.0.



I assume your using the 1A?

 The player type should also be noted as the firmware is different sounding on each.

2.0 was fine with 1A, but was missing Bluetooth receiver option and DAC option. Also 3.0 introduced vinyl sound filter but 3.0 was unstable, also it took forever for the database to build.

3.01 was a huge jump in sound quality for the 1A over 3.0. Though it also changed the 1Z a little. Still many users use every firmware as it’s subjective which is best. Also remember people are using different IEMs which have different sounds.

But depending on your sound preference, nothing wrong with 2.0 as long as you don’t want the extras.

The only firmware you can’t go back to is 1.0 which came with the very first  Walkman introductions. No one I think liked it anyway. But you even now have people liking the very first firmware revision over anything new.

But it’s strange that 1.0 is not around as you would think people may have needed it? Though the next update was fairly fast if I understand things.

As Walkman builds moved along newer ones actually came with newer firmware. I purchased mine in November 2017 just as 2.0 was about to be released. But now I run both the 1A and 1Z with 3.01 as I use the Bluetooth receiver function and like the sound otherwise. By most accounts here, 3.0 was not good with the 1A. That’s the group consensus, though it does not mean it’s right for all.


----------



## Kitechaser (May 28, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> I assume your using the 1A? The player type should also as the firmware is different on each.


Yes I am using the WM1A.

Add: Just tried 2.0, smaller stage, and glitchy UI. 3.01 is the best, by far. 
So I'll stick to Direct Sound off, and no DSP options turned on. It suits me the best.


----------



## Kitechaser

Redcarmoose said:


> I assume your using the 1A?
> 
> The player type should also be noted as the firmware is different sounding on each.
> 
> ...


Thank you for this. I agree with everything you said. 2.0 outside of 3.01 is the best sounding to my ears, minus the smaller stage, it is lower on details than all the DSP options turned off including direct sound on the 3.01. 
I found one of your earlier posts with a link to all the firmware updates, and the quick A/B test was pretty conclusive. 
Crazy how much the sound on this DAP changes with firmware updates.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 28, 2019)

Kitechaser said:


> Thank you for this. I agree with everything you said. 2.0 outside of 3.01 is the best sounding to my ears, minus the smaller stage, it is lower on details than all the DSP options turned off including direct sound on the 3.01.
> I found one of your earlier posts with a link to all the firmware updates, and the quick A/B test was pretty conclusive.
> Crazy how much the sound on this DAP changes with firmware updates.



Ya, and when you think that most written reviews on the Walkmans were with early firmware? That’s the thing, who knew that they could continue to figure out how to make the players sound even better years after their release? It’s amazing!

The question is if you gel with 3.01; I do, though a few don’t. Also it was strange how big the jump was from 2.0. The question is.......how will 4.0 be?
Also we were wondering that there must have been a BT receiver chip installed always, just sitting there waiting to be activated. Lol 

It’s all in the realm of computer game Easter Eggs.


----------



## Kitechaser (May 28, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> Ya, and when you think that most written reviews on the Walkmans were with early firmware? That’s the thing, who knew that they could continue to figure out how to make the players sound even better years after their release? It’s amazing!
> 
> The question is if you gel with 3.01; I do, though a few don’t. Also it was strange how big the jump was from 2.0. The question is.......how will 4.0 be?
> Also we were wondering that there must have been a BT receiver chip installed always, just sitting there waiting to be activated. Lol
> ...


I just went on a whirlwind tour through 3 firmware updates, and the differences were not subtle, at least to my ears.
I really hope Sony keeps working on this player and there is in fact a 4.0. That'll be a nice surprise.
Like I said before in the thread, this player to my ears is still the leader in Sound Quality, it has been said it doesn't have power, yet I am driving a planar iem that is a power hog, and it is not lacking in any dynamics. Outside of the DMP-Z1, I don't know of a better pairing.


----------



## rtjoa

Kitechaser said:


> I just went on a whirlwind tour through 3 firmware updates, and the differences were not subtle, at least to my ears.
> I really hope Sony keeps working on this player and there is in fact a 4.0. That'll be a nice surprise.
> Like I said before in the thread, this player to my ears is still the leader in Sound Quality, it has been said it doesn't have power, yet I am driving a planar iem that is a power hog, and it is not lacking in any dynamics. Outside of the DMP-Z1, I don't know of a better pairing.
> 
> ...


Firmware 4.0 will be great. I hope there is an option for more output power for planar iems.


----------



## Kitechaser

rtjoa said:


> Firmware 4.0 will be great. I hope there is an option for more output power for planar iems.


It think it has plenty of power, the CL2 is probably one of the hardest iems to drive, and the WM1A handles it beautifully. 
Now Large planar cans, that might be different story. 
Battery life, love having to not charge it every 4 hours


----------



## rtjoa

Kitechaser said:


> It think it has plenty of power, the CL2 is probably one of the hardest iems to drive, and the WM1A handles it beautifully.
> Now Large planar cans, that might be different story.
> Battery life, love having to not charge it every 4 hours


I am using DX200Ti with Amp8 for LCDi4 but battery lasts for about 5 hours only.

I probably should get a portable amp for my 1Z


----------



## Kitechaser

rtjoa said:


> I am using DX200Ti with Amp8 for LCDi4 but battery lasts for about 5 hours only.
> 
> I probably should get a portable amp for my 1Z


Woo audio WA11, that's an amp I keep a close eye on 
Tubes might be a bit too much with the 1Z


----------



## rtjoa

Kitechaser said:


> Woo audio WA11, that's an amp I keep a close eye on
> Tubes might be a bit too much with the 1Z


Yes WA11 will be great for my daps but my preference is more towards Cayin N8 brass.


----------



## Kitechaser

rtjoa said:


> Yes WA11 will be great for my daps but my preference is more towards Cayin N8 brass.


I have yet to give that one a listen, probably will at CanJam in a few weeks, but from everything I hear, that is one bad boy of a dap. 
Can't go wrong there.


----------



## Whitigir (May 28, 2019)

Kitechaser said:


> I just went on a whirlwind tour through 3 firmware updates, and the differences were not subtle, at least to my ears.
> I really hope Sony keeps working on this player and there is in fact a 4.0. That'll be a nice surprise.
> Like I said before in the thread, this player to my ears is still the leader in Sound Quality, it has been said it doesn't have power, yet I am driving a planar iem that is a power hog, and it is not lacking in any dynamics. Outside of the DMP-Z1, I don't know of a better pairing.



The DMP is like the WM-1Z on Andrenaline.  If you love 1Z, Ofcourse you would love the DMP naturally .

Gotta admit it though, Sony and their DSP from their own chip and software is excellent !



Kitechaser said:


> I have yet to give that one a listen, probably will at CanJam in a few weeks, but from everything I hear, that is one bad boy of a dap.
> Can't go wrong there.



N8 is like the little kid that was Mated between Ibasso DX200Titanium + WM1Z together.  All 3 players are in the same tier with different signature where as 1Z is more musical and organic, 200Ti is more references with a lot of air and N8 is in between.  It would heavily be relying on your personal preferences of UI, and other practicalities, beside audio signatures.

The N8 did drive Empyrean pretty well, and the Aiva, so it was quiet powerful with great capability.  But all players is pale in comparison to DMP (if you love Sony house sound, then the DMP can’t be beaten....even when you pit it against a Chord DAVE)

I love Sony, always had, and still do.  So from my point of view, if you loved the WM1Z, you will like the N8, but you may be set back by UI and battery playtime....however, if you picked 1Z, you have not enough power to drive headphones....and you wished you could have had both N8 and 1Z....and the price is almost of the DMP.....then neither 1Z nor N8 can really pit against DMP.  You would have ended up at the DMP, and that is me (dang this hobby!)


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> The DMP is like the WM-1Z on Andrenaline.  If you love 1Z, Ofcourse you would love the DMP naturally .
> 
> Gotta admit it though, Sony and their DSP from their own chip and software is excellent !
> 
> ...





 
You’ll have to post pictures when the DMP Z1 arrives.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> You’ll have to post pictures when the DMP Z1 arrives.


you know....DMP is beautiful, but to me , the beauty is the internal components and not the outside....I am crazy LOL


----------



## gerelmx1986

Wow after 5 months of tension,  fear I finally got granted.my residence permit for Germany.  They didn't ask nothing us about our.marriage life


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wow after 5 months of tension,  fear I finally got granted.my residence permit for Germany.  They didn't ask nothing us about our.marriage life


Congratulations! Though, have you any worries about the Power Cap limit in EU ? Lol


----------



## rtjoa

Whitigir said:


> The DMP is like the WM-1Z on Andrenaline.  If you love 1Z, Ofcourse you would love the DMP naturally .
> 
> Gotta admit it though, Sony and their DSP from their own chip and software is excellent !
> 
> ...


Thanks Whitigir. Have you tried N8 brass version? I had a thought about DMP over N8. I like 1Z sound signature but it cannot play DTS format and doesnt support cue file. I used to convert to flac but it took too much time. That is why I bought DX200 then DX200Ti.

I wish Sony supports DTS and cue files. Now you get me thinking over DMP again


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Congratulations! Though, have you any worries about the Power Cap limit in EU ? Lol


Software engineer here, so pretty easy to do for.me the uncaping


----------



## captblaze

gerelmx1986 said:


> Software engineer here, so pretty easy to do for.me the uncaping



I used to compile my own Android distros (since the honeycomb days) and although it was enjoyable it made me realize that I am not an Android fan. which is probably why I enjoy my WM-1A so much and stay away from Android based players


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> I used to compile my own Android distros (since the honeycomb days) and although it was enjoyable it made me realize that I am not an Android fan. which is probably why I enjoy my WM-1A so much and stay away from Android based players


Couldn’t agree more.


----------



## phonomat (May 28, 2019)

So, you guys really think the sound changes with firmware updates? Is Sony aware of this? Is there an official statement about it? Theoretically speaking, wouldn't that be a complete disaster for an audio company? I mean, if I acquire an audio device, I would hope it better sounds the same no matter how much they keep tweaking the UI and whatnot? What if I want the USB DAC function but the sound of FW 2.0? Just askin'.


----------



## nc8000 (May 28, 2019)

phonomat said:


> So, you guys really think the sound changes with firmware updates? Is Sony aware of this? Is there an official statement about it? Theoretically speaking, wouldn't that be a complete desaster for an audio company? I mean, if I acquire an audio device, I would hope it better sounds the same no matter how much they keep tweaking the UI and whatnot? What if I want the USB DAC function but the sound of FW 2.0? Just askin'.



It seems to be the norm in daps that there are sound changes to some extent with fw updates, it was certainly the case with several iBasso players and I’ve read it in threads from other makers as well. How noticeable the changes are varies from person to person, I certainly haven’t noticed anything much between the various fw for the 1Z and didn’t really on my iBasso players either. As far as I’m aware no manufacturer have acknowkedged these changes, iBasso continually stated “we have not knowingly changed anything”


----------



## Whitigir

phonomat said:


> So, you guys really think the sound changes with firmware updates? Is Sony aware of this? Is there an official statement about it? Theoretically speaking, wouldn't that be a complete desaster for an audio company? I mean, if I acquire an audio device, I would hope it better sounds the same no matter how much they keep tweaking the UI and whatnot? What if I want the USB DAC function but the sound of FW 2.0? Just askin'.



It started out as we observed it, and then technically speaking, you just have to put your mind into it to find out.

Everything in digital world is binary informations.  There are coding and strings, everytime something changed, especially the base firmware, the sound will be alternated even if the playback app and it DSP coding are not edited or changed.  Do people know why ? Do the programmers and engineers know why ? Nope...., not primarily.....but not everyone can observe the differences, and most of the time they are too subtle to realize.  But is there changes ? Yes...

Now, let me make an example images.  You imagine yourself doing some math on a notebook, and you have to write out the process on the given lay-out.  What happen if I changed the paper and the sketched lay-out ? And you don’t have to change your way of doing math, you can even copy the same lines....would the outcomes have been changed ? Yes

Your sketched out paper is the Provided base firmware.


Now, we can talk about DSP, and again, 0 and 1 is just Binary informations.  I can have this 01100011000, and it means nothing.  You need a program behind it to interprete into human comprehension, whether it is music or visual stuff.  So, let’s just talk about “ Digital Filter”, in picture and video, you can totally filter out Green/Blue....specific color.  So the same as Digital music....everytime you slightly change these stuff....the music performances got changed.

Is it a disaster for the company ? No....what if a specific user want A result with B firmware ? Go code the firmware and DSP yourself if you are capable of it.  Otherwise, you will have to choose.  *If you already observed all those above and understand them all, then you would have already realized so much that Sony Original OS was made for music, and dedicated toward music.....everything else suck....Linux....Windows....IOS....Android....they all sucks....especially Android.
*
If you accepted all of the above....you have no options.  Stick to what you enjoy the most, if it have to be Sony devices, so be it.  Trust me, there are dedicated programmers who thought they could have done better....but it turned out to be trash.....Android started out thinking they can outperform Apple OS....well, they don’t.....they needs 5x the resources to do what Apple devices can do.  If it isn’t for open market and friendly open pattens, Android would have gone Bankrupt...the same as music, do Android know why their OS is not as efficient as Apple OS ? Not yet...if they do, then they would have improved it much better...*Right?*


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 28, 2019)

phonomat said:


> So, you guys really think the sound changes with firmware updates? Is Sony aware of this? Is there an official statement about it? Theoretically speaking, wouldn't that be a complete desaster for an audio company? I mean, if I acquire an audio device, I would hope it better sounds the same no matter how much they keep tweaking the UI and whatnot? What if I want the USB DAC function but the sound of FW 2.0? Just askin'.



If you wanted the USB DAC function you would just need to try and maybe EQ the Walkman to sound like 2.0. Still it would only be an approximation in the end.

It’s an approximation due to actual changes involving tone personality and soundstage personality change with firmware updates. The only reason many of us believe this is, even without it being suggested; we discovered the same parallel changes post firmware update. There is pretty much a group consensus (on sound changes) even though all of us have different hearing and use different headphones.

With the above out of the way.

The win win is choice.

You simply end up with selections of tone and soundstage presentation character. If you roll back far enough you also choose what extra improvement options like the vinyl processor or BT receiver. So if you liked 2.0 then you would make a choice.

It has evolved this way maybe because Sony wanted to improve their product and learned they could. A parallel would be getting a new car the day it was released then finding aftermarket performance engine modifications at a later time. Though these performances tweaks are created in house by Sony.....and take time.

Should Sony have kept the Walkmans in development for over three years (more) before releasing them to the public? They released them.....folks liked the sound and it’s been improved.

The real disaster is going on every couple months with other brands releasing DAPs........putting them out with edgy operating systems and forgetting them to work on new hardware. Or Apple who after a year or two uses firmware to render the product you purchased two or three years ago.......ready for the trash bin.

The improvement with our devices is action showing Sony cares for their creation.......and cares about the owners.


----------



## Kitechaser (May 28, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> The DMP is like the WM-1Z on Andrenaline.  If you love 1Z, Ofcourse you would love the DMP naturally .
> 
> Gotta admit it though, Sony and their DSP from their own chip and software is excellent !
> 
> ...


I had a chance to listen to the DMP-Z1, and it blows everything I have ever heard out of the water, the Sony TA-ZH1ES, all desktop dedicated amps I have tried, just such a  massive upgrade.
I don't think another DAP can touch it, I seriously felt like I was doing some hallucinogenics when I was listening to it, I could touch the sound. True Holographic presentation, with weight behind every note. Music playback that gave me the chills, just beautiful. 
At least that is what I heard with the CL2 combo, I am really looking forward to trying it out with my PW cable, that I didn't have at the time.

@phonomat  And as far as, Do the firmware updates change sound? Yes they do, and the easiest way to find out is to listen for yourself. To my ears the change was pretty big, I could hear the difference in seconds, and came to the same conclusions as @Redcarmoose without knowing what he thought previously.


----------



## Whitigir (May 28, 2019)

Kitechaser said:


> I had a chance to listen to the DMP-Z1, and it blows everything I have ever heard out of the water, even the Sony TA-ZH1ES, just such a  massive upgrade.
> I don't think another DAP can touch it, I seriously felt like I was doing some hallucinogenics, I could touch the sound. True Holographic presentation, with weight behind every note.
> At least that is what I heard with the CL2 combo, I am really looking forward to trying it out with my PW cable, that I didn't have at the time.
> 
> @phonomat  And as far as, Do the firmware updates change sound? Yes they do, and the easiest way to find out is to listen for yourself. To my ears the change was pretty big, I could hear the difference in seconds, and came to the same conclusions as @Redcarmoose without knowing what he thought previously.


I agreed with many things you said (holographical and weighty notes, is also very detailed and while *super silky smooth* *the thing the DAVE was behind is this super silky smoothness) ....the sound from DMP is quiet Poisonous....don’t even listen to it if you don’t have the money....otherwise you may want to rob someone for it LOL


----------



## Kitechaser

Whitigir said:


> I agreed with many things you said (holographical and weighty notes, is also very detailed and while *super silky smooth* *the thing the DAVE was behind is this super silky smoothness) ....the sound from DMP is quiet Poisonous....don’t even listen to it if you don’t have the money....otherwise you may want to rob someone for it LOL


That is exactly what I thought haha 
I had to stop listening to it because it was going to permanently ruin everything else for me. Completely blurred the lines between a playback and actually being there. .


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wow after 5 months of tension,  fear I finally got granted.my residence permit for Germany.  They didn't ask nothing us about our.marriage life


Time to Celebrate. Get a Sony DMP


----------



## meomap

Kitechaser said:


> I had a chance to listen to the DMP-Z1, and it blows everything I have ever heard out of the water, the Sony TA-ZH1ES, all desktop dedicated amps I have tried, just such a  massive upgrade.
> I don't think another DAP can touch it, I seriously felt like I was doing some hallucinogenics when I was listening to it, I could touch the sound. True Holographic presentation, with weight behind every note. Music playback that gave me the chills, just beautiful.
> At least that is what I heard with the CL2 combo, I am really looking forward to trying it out with my PW cable, that I didn't have at the time.
> 
> @phonomat  And as far as, Do the firmware updates change sound? Yes they do, and the easiest way to find out is to listen for yourself. To my ears the change was pretty big, I could hear the difference in seconds, and came to the same conclusions as @Redcarmoose without knowing what he thought previously.



Probably,  I have to try it someday.
Too bad, none in Bay Area.


----------



## Kitechaser

meomap said:


> Probably,  I have to try it someday.
> Too bad, none in Bay Area.


The SOURCE AV in Torrance has one on hand. So if you are ever in Los Angeles...


----------



## gerelmx1986

hamhamhamsta said:


> Time to Celebrate. Get a Sony DMP


I am waiting for the major.upgrade to wm series


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am waiting for the major.upgrade to wm series



You may have to wait a long time for that


----------



## Whitigir (May 28, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am waiting for the major.upgrade to wm series


Even so, you will not get anything similar to DMP ....I doubt it

It is built with 5 batteries packs, 1 each for analog section and 1 for Digital....the same as 5x super-capacitors 

Even WM1-Z is Pale in technical built and engineering (Virtually, everything inside DMP is Multi Layered Capacitors and F resistors.  It is challenging to even design such device)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Even so, you will not get anything similar to DMP ....I doubt it
> 
> It is built with 5 batteries packs, 1 each for analog section and 1 for Digital....the same as 5x super-capacitors
> 
> Even WM1-Z is Pale in technical built and engineering (Virtually, everything inside DMP is Multi Layered Capacitors and F resistors.  It is challenging to even design such device)


You shall get the IER-Z1R  , simply they're stunning and not yet fully burned


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> You shall get the IER-Z1R  , simply they're stunning and not yet fully burned


I know, I am just never an Earbuds person.  My canals don’t allow it , and that is why DMP will soon be mine, because I use headphones


----------



## bflat

I'm sure DMP sounds great but I personally don't know how it makes sense for me:

As a desktop, there are much better options and components for the same price range. As a portable, it's too big to take on a plane (unless you fly first class all the time). I understand the idea is for "transportable", but I personally have no transportable needs.

On a related note, it has been about 9 months since I've had the WM1z and I have put more the double the amount of time on it compared to my previous DAPs while my professional and personal life style has not changed. In fact, I am using my desktop system less than before because WM1z is so convenient to use and it's always has enough battery life for at least couple hours of listening.

At home - Utopia plus WM1z is a great go anywhere in the house system.

On the road - planes, cars, hotels, office all served well by WM1z and IEM. Special mention to Alaska Airlines which features BYOB to stream videos to your tablet. WM1z in BT receive mode is just perfect.

So if the definition of "best audio device" is "the one you use the most", it's WM1z for me.


----------



## Whitigir (May 28, 2019)

I originally thought like you, but Jitters is the enemy of Digital audio.  It not only come from Clock oscilliators, but also come from Capacitors of Surface mounting Caps, especially Tantalum and ceramic capacitors.  Regardless of how good your equipments is as long as you are using it, there are Jitters

If you have DAC desktop and it only uses Electrolytic capacitors then it is good, but it still can not outperform Polymer Multi Layers capacitors or PML.  It was made for this purpose, to eliminate Jitters.  Most of sensitive devices such as clock oscilliators regulators or frequency reception IC will need it.

The DMP uses virtually Electrolytic that is newly developed with the mean to also eliminate jitters, and the PML everywhere , also F-Resistors at each resistors.  This alone is the reason to buy DMP, a done right Digital Source by itself.  Everything else can be put for debate or whatever.  I had been refusing to buy a DMP, but since I heard it at Canjam, the sound haunted me, and I wanted to find out more....technically....and the more I found out....the more I wanted it.  Especially for my Stax system

PML are made by your very well known Rubycon, who made the legendary BlackGate caps.  You can see this spec sheets it only available in very low capacitances.  In order to build the DMP virtually with all caps to be PML, Sony had to customize and special order/engineers it into specs.  Something only Sony can do and no one else

Beside the 0 Jitters benefit, these PML is also preserving original frequencies very well, or very high frequencies retentions

*please allow me to also give special note, even Expensive Desktop DAC will not be built with this many different PML caps and F-resistors*.  Those are technical informations.  However, you have to listen to it and decide for yourself of what you want.  IMO, if you loved the 1Z, and not prepared to rob a bank, do not try DMP....because you will regret it

http://www.rubycon.co.jp/en/catalog/e_pdfs/pmlcap/Outline_Eng.pdf
http://www.rubycon.co.jp/en/products/pmlcap/technote.html


----------



## gerelmx1986

If @nc8000  wants a mini me of the MDR-Z1R  , he should try the IER-Z1R


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> If @nc8000  wants a mini me of the MDR-Z1R  , he should try the IER-Z1R



I’m sure I would like them but I’m happy with the Z5 and JH13 and at any rate I can’t afford them


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 30, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> I’m sure I would like them but I’m happy with the Z5 and JH13 and at any rate I can’t afford them


I consider the IER-Z1R and MDR-Z1R  plus WM1A to be my end game setup, and to be sincere I sold the z5 because they got pretty beaten up on the paint job, despite I took extreme care of them


----------



## nc8000 (May 31, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I consider the IER-Z1R and MDR-Z1R  plus WM1A to be my end game setup, and to be sincere I sold the z5 because they got pretty beaten up on the paint job, despite I took extreme care of them



I also have to admit that most of my travel listening is now done with NW-A45 and WH1000XM3 over LDAC from red book flac files. So convenient and sounds great though naturally my wired in ears from 1Z sounds better


----------



## ccschua

can I know best way to stream tidal ? 

i.e. download the tidal music and transfer to wm1z ?


----------



## Whitigir

ccschua said:


> can I know best way to stream tidal ?
> 
> i.e. download the tidal music and transfer to wm1z ?


Use any other devices that can stream and have LDaC capability, such as Android smartphones.  Stream tidal by those smartphones, then connect to wm1Z via LDAC


----------



## nc8000

ccschua said:


> can I know best way to stream tidal ?
> 
> i.e. download the tidal music and transfer to wm1z ?



Play Tidal on any device that supports it and then either BT stream or cabled usb dac to the WM


----------



## Shivas

Is it advisable to pay SGD$800 for a used WM1A in mint condition at this time?


----------



## nc8000

Shivas said:


> Is it advisable to pay SGD$800 for a used WM1A in mint condition at this time?



If you like the sound and features I'd say that is a good price


----------



## Shivas

nc8000 said:


> If you like the sound and features I'd say that is a good price



Ok great! I am concerned if there might be a refreshed version of the WM1A coming out at the end of this year.


----------



## nc8000

Shivas said:


> Ok great! I am concerned if there might be a refreshed version of the WM1A coming out at the end of this year.



Nobody knows but the 1A should keep you happy for many years to come


----------



## Shivas

nc8000 said:


> Nobody knows but the 1A should keep you happy for many years to come



The exact reassurance I needed. Thank you so much!


----------



## Whitigir

I am back into Sony Team


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> I am back into Sony Team



So what mods are you planning to perform on it ?


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> I am back into Sony Team



Nice!!!

In a few weeks time please answer my one and only question...

Did this product honestly meet your pre conceived expectation, yes or no?


----------



## Whitigir (May 30, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> So what mods are you planning to perform on it ?


Do not know  probably let it be for a while.  Mods only come when something is bothering me.  So far ...nothing yet


captblaze said:


> Nice!!!
> 
> In a few weeks time please answer my one and only question...
> 
> Did this product honestly meet your pre conceived expectation, yes or no?


Will keep everyone updated soon.  But I am very happy with the DSD remastering engine.  It even takes up SACD and remaster it into 11.2 or dsd256

I know for a fact that it charges up rather fast.  I know Sony claims 4 hours to full charge and no quick charge.  However, it was 0% out of the box, and I kept it on playing music with DSD remastering, and it still 0-75% in 90 minutes.  That is amazing


----------



## ccschua

does any find it a difference between bluetooth and cable connection to WM1A ? 

if cable, what is the recommended one ?


----------



## nc8000

ccschua said:


> does any find it a difference between bluetooth and cable connection to WM1A ?
> 
> if cable, what is the recommended one ?



Balanced is better than single ended and both are clearly better than BT. LDAC over BT is quiet good but then an A45 will give exactly the same sq as a 1A or 1Z. In all cases the final result also depends on the headphone


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> I am back into Sony Team



Your purchasing emotions paralleled girls I knew in high-school. First it was no.....then......no.......then no..........then wow.......then wow again, then yes.


----------



## Kitechaser

Whitigir said:


> I am back into Sony Team


That thing is beautiful.
Audio heaven does exist


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> I am back into Sony Team


Did you maxed out your credit cards? 

My IER-Z1R has left.me with literal 2000€ must find a job fast


----------



## gerelmx1986

BTW i will perform the isolation test to the IER-Z1R with triple comfort tips size M, I made already remarks that they isolate quite good and that was done with the normal silicone tips.

Must take n a few.minutes the S-Bahn to Frankfurt and then a Tram to where.my job interview.will take place.


----------



## Whitigir (May 31, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> Your purchasing emotions paralleled girls I knew in high-school. First it was no.....then......no.......then no..........then wow.......then wow again, then yes.


 I feel like that, except girls don’t do what I do....full home works on what I want to or may be purchasing.  I heard DMP at NYC Canjam, and compared to DAVE....it haunted me since, and I just had to studied about DMP, why it is priced that way.

Sony though, they make me feel like a kid in the candy store when I listened to DMP .  I always wanted a portable TA-ZH1ES with that DSD remastering engine


----------



## echineko

Whitigir said:


> How to Walkman the DMP  around the house


Be like this dude: https://www.vannuys.co.jp/official/new_item/vd984/


----------



## Whitigir

echineko said:


> Be like this dude: https://www.vannuys.co.jp/official/new_item/vd984/



Yes, those are good packs.  But I don’t want to take DMP outside and working around the yard.  Just want to be able to pick it up and walk around the house without dropping it accidentally.


----------



## echineko

Whitigir said:


> Yes, those are good packs.  But I don’t want to take DMP outside and working around the yard.  Just want to be able to pick it up and walk around the house without dropping it accidentally.


You already got the DMP, too late to cheap out now


----------



## Whitigir

echineko said:


> You already got the DMP, too late to cheap out now


Not cheaping out, but no need yet.  I can take DMP from home to office by the stock case, and I love it the way it is


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Yes, those are good packs.  But I don’t want to take DMP outside and working around the yard.  Just want to be able to pick it up and walk around the house without dropping it accidentally.



I don’t know why but I’ll never forget your two handed 1Z technique described in your 1Z review. Now what?


----------



## Leetransform25

Whitigir said:


> I am back into Sony Team


Lucky...


----------



## Ryokan

Whitigir said:


> I am back into Sony Team




 Wow big jump up, Congratulations.   Can't wait to see inside


----------



## Whitigir

Ryokan said:


> Wow big jump up, Congratulations.   Can't wait to see inside


Lol, here is the inside
https://fccid.io/AK8DMPZ1/Internal-Photos/04-Internal-Photo-4022515


----------



## gerelmx1986

They isolate well , with the triple comforts , better than xba-z5 yes, still some noises pass as the tuc tuc  noise from the railroad or the automated voice, or screeching of the wheels or f the train but the door open/closing warning beeps are incredibly muted by IER-Z1R


----------



## meomap

Whitigir said:


> Lol, here is the inside
> https://fccid.io/AK8DMPZ1/Internal-Photos/04-Internal-Photo-4022515



So, you just bought the DMP?


----------



## Redcarmoose

meomap said:


> So, you just bought the DMP?



He qualifies for the 1% target purchasing group, unlike we peasants.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> He qualifies for the 1% target purchasing group, unlike we peasants.


Be, like me, happy with IER-Z1R and wm1A


----------



## PCheung

Whitigir said:


> I am back into Sony Team



Hope you enjoined your new machine 
Tuning EQ is responsive and fun on Z1


----------



## Whitigir (May 31, 2019)

meomap said:


> So, you just bought the DMP?


Yes, sir. I wished it was given LOL


Redcarmoose said:


> He qualifies for the 1% target purchasing group, unlike we peasants.


I also wished this was the case...LOL.  I bought it at my peasant earnest money and pricing


----------



## bflat

Just to let all of you know ahead of time, if I ever get the DMP, I will have no choice but to charge everyone $10 per word for my impressions. Then again, I'm not sure if I can write an 800 word article.......


----------



## meomap

Whitigir said:


> Yes, sir. I wished it was given LOL
> 
> I also wished this was the case...LOL.  I bought it at my peasant earnest money and pricing



Let us know later DMP vs Dave impressions.
I already have the Denafrips Termi DAC.
Planning to save money for my 2 REL Carbon SE subs later next 2 years for my almost finish 2 channel system downstair.


----------



## Whitigir

meomap said:


> Let us know later DMP vs Dave impressions.
> I already have the Denafrips Termi DAC.
> Planning to save money for my 2 REL Carbon SE subs later next 2 years for my almost finish 2 channel system downstair.



Well, I dont have the DAVE.  However, one of the reason that helped me to buy DMP too was to compare it to DAVE, and I did so at CanJam.  They have similar signature but the smoothness and analog like fluidity is better on DMP, also the realism of tonal body is more realistic and vivid with DMP, and that helped me to conducted a lot of home works and see why should I want DMP or not, or why it sounded like that.  I shared about it on DMP thread


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Well, I dont have the DAVE.  However, one of the reason that helped me to buy DMP too was to compare it to DAVE, and I did so at CanJam.  They have similar signature but the smoothness and analog like fluidity is better on DMP, also the realism of tonal body is more realistic and vivid with DMP, and that helped me to conducted a lot of home works and see why should I want DMP or not, or why it sounded like that.  I shared about it on DMP thread


Hope sony releases this year a DMP in the size of WM1x series


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hope sony releases this year a DMP in the size of WM1x series


It needs a lot of spaces to build what DMP is....or simply put, the DMP is the most compact designs for the features that it could possibly have .  Instead of waiting, just grab it


----------



## meomap

Whitigir said:


> It needs a lot of spaces to build what DMP is....or simply put, the DMP is the most compact designs for the features that it could possibly have .  Instead of waiting, just grab it



Yes, 8k usd.
Only a number, right?


----------



## Whitigir

meomap said:


> Yes, 8k usd.
> Only a number, right?


Considering this is your core hobby, and that every second pass, our hearings degrade and goes down the drain permanently....yes, it is a number  that you can replenish....unlike permanent hearing degradation LOL


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> I am back into Sony Team



....good to see you back in the world of Sony. Look forward to your impressions.


----------



## Whitigir

Does anyone know a specific way to do album art for Sony ? I made 475x500 JPEG and still no show....arg


----------



## Ryokan

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hope sony releases this year a DMP in the size of WM1x series




Maybe in a year they'll reduce it like the Playstation


----------



## Quadfather (May 31, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> Does anyone know a specific way to do album art for Sony ? I made 475x500 JPEG and still no show....arg



Sony will automatically size it. You have to make sure that it's a baseline jpeg image. What I do is go to Google images and I type in the artist, the album, and the word Amazon at the end and then choose larger images on tools and pick the clearest one and download it to documents. Then embedding those images will show up.  For whatever reason, images from Amazon websites are always in Baseline.


----------



## Kitechaser

mw7485 said:


> ....good to see you back in the world of Sony. Look forward to your impressions.




Impressions. Here you go


----------



## ddmt

Whitigir said:


> Does anyone know a specific way to do album art for Sony ? I made 475x500 JPEG and still no show....arg



You need save the album art as baseline jpeg, not progressive jpeg. The easiest way is to download the album art from https://bendodson.com/projects/itunes-artwork-finder/
Got that link from someone in this thread.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jun 1, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> Does anyone know a specific way to do album art for Sony ? I made 475x500 JPEG and still no show....arg


Remember my thread? walkman tips and tricks

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Does anyone know a specific way to do album art for Sony ? I made 475x500 JPEG and still no show....arg



They need to be baseline not progressive and either be imbedded in each music file or be in the directory of the music files and named the exactly same as the directory it resides in


----------



## sne4me

nc8000 said:


> They need to be baseline not progressive and either be imbedded in each music file or be in the directory of the music files and named the exactly same as the directory it resides in



Is there any benefit to putting it into the directory rather than embedding it. Seems like it would have to load to ram more often if imbedded


----------



## nc8000

sne4me said:


> Is there any benefit to putting it into the directory rather than embedding it. Seems like it would have to load to ram more often if imbedded



I don’t know how the player manages the images internally but having the image imbedded certainly takes up more storage space as you have to have it for each file instead of just once per album, I just like to have them imbedded as that makes each file completely self contained and the naming convention for external images varies from player to player so what works for one might not work for another so all my art is 300x300 baseline jpg imbedded and I’ve yet to encounter anything where that does not work


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Remember my thread? walkman tips and tricks
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/


How do you save as baseline in paint ? =/


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jun 1, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> How do you save as baseline in paint ? =/


Hit save as... select jpeg

New.music btw


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hit save as... select jpeg


Yeah, I did it , also resized to 250x20 and it still not working ....,I was just talking about this PITA about ripping SACD or CD and embedding album art like yesterday, wishing Sony to release a device that do so in a single button LOL!


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, I did it , also resized to 250x20 and it still not working ....,I was just talking about this PITA about ripping SACD or CD and embedding album art like yesterday, wishing Sony to release a device that do so in a single button LOL!



Yes it took me a while to rip, tag and cover art my about 2500 cd’s


----------



## sklonchpower

Hi everybody. Does anybody had an experience pairing 1Z and Diana??? Thank you.


----------



## Whitigir

sklonchpower said:


> Hi everybody. Does anybody had an experience pairing 1Z and Diana??? Thank you.


lol, whenever people asked about Dianna....My mind said “Krall ?”.....


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hit save as... select jpeg
> 
> New.music btw


Is that before and after baseline?


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Is that before and after baseline?



Before it would not have shown anything


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> Is that before and after baseline?


Two different albums released same day


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, I did it , also resized to 250x20 and it still not working ....,I was just talking about this PITA about ripping SACD or CD and embedding album art like yesterday, wishing Sony to release a device that do so in a single button LOL!



I feel your pain. I have just finished sorting out my 16,000 track library, made harder with 10,000 classical tracks. In the end, I wrote perl scripts to help, and its now a breeze. Do you have any programming knowledge?


----------



## Whitigir

mw7485 said:


> I feel your pain. I have just finished sorting out my 16,000 track library, made harder with 10,000 classical tracks. In the end, I wrote perl scripts to help, and its now a breeze. Do you have any programming knowledge?


Programming is the area that I know nothing about LOL!


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Programming is the area that I know nothing about LOL!



Yes I gather you are more of a hardware type


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Yes I gather you are more of a hardware type


Yah 

Anyways, I found out why my new collections doesn’t display album art....because it is WAV haahahahahah ....thanks @purk


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> Yah
> 
> Anyways, I found out why my new collections doesn’t display album art....because it is WAV haahahahahah ....thanks @purk




...that'll be a problem for tagging as well. You need to convert to flac - then you can tag and put album art to your audio files...


----------



## Whitigir

mw7485 said:


> ...that'll be a problem for tagging as well. You need to convert to flac - then you can tag and put album art to your audio files...


My Dx220 and HQPlayer had 0 problems with WAV and JPEG tag by MP3tag ever....hah!

Thanks for confirmation.


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> My Dx220 and HQPlayer had 0 problems with WAV and JPEG tag by MP3tag ever....hah!
> 
> Thanks for confirmation.



The wav format does not originally support tagging so it will be very individual to what extend various players and software will support wav tagging


----------



## gerelmx1986

Ssme for dff files they don't display cover but as here shown, dsf files do support tagging


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> My Dx220 and HQPlayer had 0 problems with WAV and JPEG tag by MP3tag ever....hah!
> 
> Thanks for confirmation.



WAV doesn't support tagging, so the DX220 will have been providing that functionality via its own metadata database. Clever idea, but it can lead to confusion when people do not understand what trickery is going on. If I was local, I would offer to meet up and sort something out for you in trms of some scripts in exchange for a listen or two on your new toy - but since I live half a world away, its not a goer really! Pity!!!!


----------



## Whitigir

mw7485 said:


> WAV doesn't support tagging, so the DX220 will have been providing that functionality via its own metadata database. Clever idea, but it can lead to confusion when people do not understand what trickery is going on. If I was local, I would offer to meet up and sort something out for you in trms of some scripts in exchange for a listen or two on your new toy - but since I live half a world away, its not a goer really! Pity!!!!


You could even listen to my Legendary Stax setup too , but yeah...thanks for the kind hearted thinking to help me out


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> You could even listen to my Legendary Stax setup too , but yeah...thanks for the kind hearted thinking to help me out



....whooooaa, you've still got the stax rig as well????? Damn, that's commitment!


----------



## KuroKitsu (Jun 2, 2019)

After a chain of DAPs that topped out on 10 hours for a 3.5 hour charge time, my mind is being blown by the SQ/Battery Life ratio. Out of the box, it read 2 bars and I got 10 hours straight with no charge (10 minutes before I got to my stop on the commute). A full charge took 3.5 hours (Not sure what kind of charger Sony is using for that estimate of 7 hours). So far another 10 hours to get to 3 bars.


----------



## Mathieulh

mw7485 said:


> ....whooooaa, you've still got the stax rig as well????? Damn, that's commitment!


I've got one myself. Once you go Stax, you don't go back xD


----------



## Mal Waldron

Good Morning.  I would like to know if there is any way to read the text of the different folders completely.  My father usually edit them to put additional information that isn't included in the tags and asked me yesterday if there is a way to read that text in its entirety.  Thank you!


----------



## mw7485

Mal Waldron said:


> Good Morning.  I would like to know if there is any way to read the text of the different folders completely.  My father usually edit them to put additional information that isn't included in the tags and asked me yesterday if there is a way to read that text in its entirety.  Thank you!



If I understand you correctly, you are talking about viewing more of the folder "title" on the Walkman? If so, you can keep your finger held down on the folder title in folder view, but there is a limit on how many characters are displayed. Other than that, because we can't rotate the screen, that's about the limit I'm afraid.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Working on the translation of my resume  from English to german


----------



## Whitigir

Dang it...Sony media center can also tag album art in WAV...when import to Walkman and it is no display....what in the world ? Seriously ? Name, tags, artist...etc...work...but no art ? There has to be a way


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Dang it...Sony media center can also tag album art in WAV...when import to Walkman and it is no display....what in the world ? Seriously ? Name, tags, artist...etc...work...but no art ? There has to be a way



Convert to flac, the WM players do not support tagged wav


----------



## Mal Waldron

mw7485 said:


> If I understand you correctly, you are talking about viewing more of the folder "title" on the Walkman? If so, you can keep your finger held down on the folder title in folder view, but there is a limit on how many characters are displayed. Other than that, because we can't rotate the screen, that's about the limit I'm afraid.



Thank you, that's it, but as I imaged only a small line of text appears...


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 2, 2019)

rtjoa said:


> Thanks Whitigir. Have you tried N8 brass version? I had a thought about DMP over N8. I like 1Z sound signature but it cannot play DTS format and doesnt support cue file. I used to convert to flac but it took too much time. That is why I bought DX200 then DX200Ti.
> 
> I wish Sony supports DTS and cue files. Now you get me thinking over DMP again


I have not heard N8 Brass Black....but I can tell you that the DMP pulls ahead of many devices, you will not regret it If you already love WM1Z



nc8000 said:


> Convert to flac, the WM players do not support tagged wav



The better the components quality, the more apparent that WAV from CD is better than FLAC files, and this is why I am sticking with WAV.  May be I should just look at the VU-meters instead of the Album Art LOL!


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> Dang it...Sony media center can also tag album art in WAV...when import to Walkman and it is no display....what in the world ? Seriously ? Name, tags, artist...etc...work...but no art ? There has to be a way




Have you tried dropping a jpg into a folder, with the same name as the folder (but with the jpg extension)? I'm assuming the firmware is pretty much the same as in the Walkmans......


----------



## buzzlulu

Whitigir said:


> The better the components quality, the more apparent that WAV from CD is better than FLAC files, and this is why I am sticking with WAV.



There are some pretty SERIOUS high end two channel companies, which some VERY large R&D departments, selling five figure $ components that absolutely do not agree with the above statement.


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> I have not heard N8 Brass Black....but I can tell you that the DMP pulls ahead of many devices, you will not regret it If you already love WM1Z
> 
> 
> 
> The better the components quality, the more apparent that WAV from CD is better than FLAC files, and this is why I am sticking with WAV.  May be I should just look at the VU-meters instead of the Album Art LOL!



I should think that will very much depend on implementation


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 2, 2019)

buzzlulu said:


> There are some pretty SERIOUS high end two channel companies, which some VERY large R&D departments, selling five figure $ components that absolutely do not agree with the above statement.


Companies will put up debate to sell their own products.  They don’t have to be wrong or rights as long as they are a can of worms.  For example, the battle between DSD and PCM, the debate Rob Wat and his MScaler is putting up.  I have experienced 2 instances that DSD sound better than PCM and where PCM sound better than DSD.  Yep, definitely a can of worm.  On the DMP just like Walkman, PCM always sound better than DSD.  Just for my own ears and preferences, Wav is better than flac on DMP


nc8000 said:


> I should think that will very much depend on implementation


Yes sir!

Here is a snapshot of what sciences says about “everything effect sound quality”....basically every components has *Transfer Fuction and every existence in this universe is Imperfect, whenever a signal pass through it, the outcome is slightly different

 *


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> The better the components quality, the more apparent that WAV from CD is better than FLAC files, and this is why I am sticking with WAV.  May be I should just look at the VU-meters instead of the Album Art LOL!



I'm 99.9999999% certain this can only happen if the WAV that is being converted into a flac isn't the same as the WAV you are comparing the flac to, or if the flac CODEC hasn't been implemented properly in the firmware. it would be like unzipping a normal file on your computer and not getting what was zipped up in the first place.


----------



## buzzlulu

Witigir
You make quite a few postings on Headfi with some interesting technical observations - can you please provide us with some of your background - ie. are you in the industry, have an EE degree, involved with component design or research for a living - like someone such as Rob Watts, John Silau from Benchmark, etc?  Or are you strictly a hobbyist?  Obviously respectfully asking.


----------



## nc8000

mw7485 said:


> I'm 99.9999999% certain this can only happen if the WAV that is being converted into a flac isn't the same as the WAV you are comparing the flac to, or if the flac CODEC hasn't been implemented properly in the firmware. it would be like unzipping a normal file on your computer and not getting what was zipped up in the first place.



It’s quite possible that there could be differences amonst other because the “unzipping” of the flac is extra processing so it all comes down to implementation


----------



## buzzlulu (Jun 2, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> It’s quite possible that there could be differences amonst other because the “unzipping” of the flac is extra processing so it all comes down to implementation



 EXACTLY  - this is a frequent explanation that many of the high end companies have given - and it makes perfect sense.  Some high end components have unbelievably strong internal processing components which can handle this.  As such they can easily handle multiple file formats and not have it effect playback quality.


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> EXACTLY  - this is a frequent explanation that many of the high end companies have given - and it makes perfect sense.  Some high end components have unbelievably strong internal processing components which can handle this.  As such they can easily handle multiple file formats and not have it effect playback quality.



I remember the Colorfly C4 dap, it could handle wav up to 24/96 but flac only to 16/48 as the processor didn’t have the power to “unzip” higher resolution


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 2, 2019)

buzzlulu said:


> Witigir
> You make quite a few postings on Headfi with some interesting technical observations - can you please provide us with some of your background - ie. are you in the industry, have an EE degree, involved with component design or research for a living - like someone such as Rob Watts, John Silau from Benchmark, etc?  Or are you strictly a hobbyist?  Obviously respectfully asking.



Let’s just say this is my hobby, and I have some undisclosed technical background (enough to work with stuff).  My ears though and this hobby is quiet something else.....it started out as I heard the differences, observed....then I had to find things to study about it so that it can make senses to me

I am only technical enough to build my Stax KG T2 amp from a Printed circuit board, nothing more than that .  Like turning something like this, into this ?  But that is nothing to sneeze at.

I am learning every day


----------



## buzzlulu

Witigir
Understood.
In a respectful way perhaps some of your various technical explanations might not necessarily have a firm scientific foundation as they come from your "studies".  In this case some of the white papers put forth by the various manufacturers might be more valid as they are usually supported with firm scientific research and statistical measurements from their R&D departments.

Sorry for the digression.


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> I remember the Colorfly C4 dap, it could handle wav up to 24/96 but flac only to 16/48 as the processor didn’t have the power to “unzip” higher resolution


I know for a fact that the DSP and other processors inside DMP are very powerful.  It can do DSD-remastering without heating up


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 2, 2019)

buzzlulu said:


> Witigir
> Understood.
> In a respectful way perhaps some of your various technical explanations might not necessarily have a firm scientific foundation as they come from your "studies".  In this case some of the white papers put forth by the various manufacturers might be more valid as they are usually supported with firm scientific research and statistical measurements from their R&D departments.
> 
> Sorry for the digression.


No worry, I don’t post stuff as something that set in stones.  I post up stuff from my observations and what I have learned by far.  There are so many high end manufacturers who don’t even mention about eliminating jitters from capacitors and the resistors accuracy, and what it can do to digital music.  It is amazing though, I can say one thing is that as long as your products is at unbelievable price, most of the time people will buy all of what you are telling them

You want some documents about PML and it ability to eliminate jitters or noises ? As a capacitor...here is some.  You will find the majority of them inside the DMP


----------



## buzzlulu (Jun 2, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> It is amazing though, I can say one thing is that as long as your products is at unbelievable price, most of the time people will buy all of what you are telling them



I think most who are buying TOTL are frequently completing their due diligence and purchasing after a substantial demo.  I don't know many who are investing that kind of money into high end who do not do so. 

Geographical differences often play a part as well.  In the UK it is not uncommon for many dealers to give at home demos - especially with speakers.
Naim and Linn, the two worldwide most respected UK manufacturers, require dealers to HOME INSTALL any systems sold to customers in order to ensure the performance is as the manufacturer intended.


----------



## Quadfather

Has anybody tried the Fatbear NW-WM1A/Z Anti-Shock case?



https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-SONY-W...rmor-Case-Cover/333187442284?var=542202810168


----------



## Kitechaser

buzzlulu said:


> I think most who are buying TOTL are frequently completing their due diligence and purchasing after a substantial demo.  I don't know many who are investing that kind of money into high end who do not do so.



You would be surprised how many people barely as much as have a clue as to what they are buying.


----------



## Lookout57

Whitigir said:


> Dang it...Sony media center can also tag album art in WAV...when import to Walkman and it is no display....what in the world ? Seriously ? Name, tags, artist...etc...work...but no art ? There has to be a way


Why not use AIFF since it supports art work and tags?


----------



## gerelmx1986

To @Whitigir  flac is as lossless as wav

Check my experiment https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1269#post-14105343


----------



## nc8000 (Jun 3, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> To @Whitigir  flac is as lossless as wav
> 
> Check my experiment https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1269#post-14105343



It's not a question of being lossless, both formats will in the end produce the same lossless bitstream if implemented correctly, the question is about the steps needed to produce that bitstream and how those steps might affect the sound on any given device.

I have personally never been able to hear any difference but I’m also not blessed/cursed with golden ears but I’m certainly not denying that somebody whith better or more acute or trained hearing than mine could hear differences


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 3, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> To @Whitigir  flac is as lossless as wav
> 
> Check my experiment https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1269#post-14105343



Your missing his point. Also it doesn’t matter really as we are all prone to expectation bias. There is also a whole wing of psychology which deals with the mystery of perception and it starts to explain the stuff we agree and argue about in the audiophile world. The best advice is use understandings and learn from them but allow others to come to their own conclusions on stuff. Basically no one is wrong if they perceive things as better. Our perception of the universe is intimately our very own! 

Science both confirms and disputes what I have written above.


----------



## ttt123 (Jun 3, 2019)

buzzlulu said:


> Witigir
> Understood.
> In a respectful way perhaps some of your various technical explanations might not necessarily have a firm scientific foundation as they come from your "studies".  In this case some of the white papers put forth by the various manufacturers might be more valid as they are usually supported with firm scientific research and statistical measurements from their R&D departments.
> 
> Sorry for the digression.


As you say, this statement is an opinion, a "might be", and not a fact. 
- large R&D department/lots of measurements and graphs, are all supporting their own bias and beliefs, and commercial goals.  i.e. CDs/CD Players are perfect, etc., as we were told ad nauseam when they were introduced.
- Galileo, the Wright Brothers, were wrong, because the established, and the accepted "science" said that they were wrong
There are so many examples of the above.....due to our knowledge/science and tools being in a constant state of change, as we understand more.
True, our tools, and measurements are what we have, and we need to use something for our base.  However, if history and science have taught us anything, it is to question everything, and keep an open mind. 

For me, observation and personal experience are not overridden by measurements.  Discrepancies indicate that further work is needed, and that maybe new understanding, and different measurements need to be developed.

Of course, we need to question whether what we have observed could be explained by other factors.  Did we compare properly, or did we compare apples to oranges?  Is there anything that could have affected our perception, (changes, environmental, power, ear wax, bad connection,  emotion, argument with your boss, wife, etc.) 

And yes, we can be wrong in our opinion.  That can happen to anybody.  But that also holds true for the big department of experts, with tons of measurements, proving that they are right.  Experts are right (and refuse to accept contrary evidence) until they are wrong, and sometimes, it takes an inordinate amount of proof, and time, before they grudgingly admit that they "may" be wrong .  They are just as (or even more) opinionated and stubborn as everybody else, as they have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo, so they have no magical qualities of being able to judge right or wrong better than an experienced layman.

So if experience and observation tells us that something is different than what we are told is the "truth", that is a sign for us to look at it more, and to try to understand better.  Definitely not a "fact" to tell us to stop looking.  And it is not "scientific" for some "experts" to say we are delusional, because there is no explanation for it based on our current understanding of science.  Science is steadily evolving and changing, after all, as is the world.


----------



## Whitigir

Here is DMP and her real and main purposes


----------



## meomap

Whitigir said:


> Here is DMP and her real and main purposes


Is that tube amp for Stax only?


----------



## Whitigir

meomap said:


> Is that tube amp for Stax only?


Yes sir, Stax legendary KG-T2 amp with legendary Quad XF2 .  Basically, it is for Electro-stat headphones as it can drive Voces too


----------



## Luisonic

Whitigir said:


> Here is DMP and her real and main purposes



Sweeeeeet gear!


----------



## meomap

Whitigir said:


> Here is DMP and her real and main purposes



I am jealous of your system.


----------



## SLMStyles

I know the remote (RMT-NWS20) is a JDM product, but does it work with USDM WM1A's purchased in the States?  From searching this thread, I see that some people _are _using it, but I'm not sure if they're "vanilla" US Walkmen or international ones w/ the hacked/updated software.  I swear I read in a post a while back that the remotes wouldn't work with the US models.  (Just want to 100% confirm prior to ordering one).  -Thanks!


----------



## Stephen George

SLMStyles said:


> I know the remote (RMT-NWS20) is a JDM product, but does it work with USDM WM1A's purchased in the States?  From searching this thread, I see that some people _are _using it, but I'm not sure if they're "vanilla" US Walkmen or international ones w/ the hacked/updated software.  I swear I read in a post a while back that the remotes wouldn't work with the US models.  (Just want to 100% confirm prior to ordering one).  -Thanks!



the settings need to include "bluetooth remote" (separate from "normal" BT)...i think when I got mine, the US firmware did not include this option...(just use the FW tool and make your walkman the international version...


----------



## SLMStyles

Wouldn't that also implement the volume-limitation? (or can that be toggled independently)


----------



## nc8000

SLMStyles said:


> Wouldn't that also implement the volume-limitation? (or can that be toggled independently)



The volume limitation is only in the EU region


----------



## gerelmx1986

Very nice lute music


----------



## silvahr

gerelmx1986 said:


> Very nice lute music



How many hours do you have on your WM1A?


----------



## gerelmx1986

silvahr said:


> How many hours do you have on your WM1A?



 
Almost 6200 hours


----------



## silvahr

gerelmx1986 said:


> Almost 6200 hours



Amazing! And no battery issues?


----------



## gerelmx1986

silvahr said:


> Amazing! And no battery issues?


None so far , also running it on high gain to test the IER-Z1R,  on my 2nd day
 Low gain for.me battery last 3.5 days


----------



## nc8000 (Jun 6, 2019)

I’ve had my 1Z for about 2 1/2 years and have about 2.500 hours on it and still get about the same battery time as when new. I never turn it off and a 90% charge gives me about 20 hours playtime and a weeks stand by so I just charge it every weekend. As Sony state the battery to last 500 charge cycles I’ve used about 125 so it should last another 7 years with the same use pattern


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I’ve had my 1Z for about 2 1/2 years and have about 2.500 hours on it and still get about the same battery time as when new. I never turn it off and a 90% charge gives me about 20 hours playtime and a weeks stand by so I just charge it every weekend. As Sony state the battery to last 500 charge cycles I’ve used about 125 so it should last another 7 years with the same use pattern


I also have had my wm1A for 2.5 years and same battery as new, even if I use it daily and recharge every three days. 

Also some people have asked me if I find it still relevant after 2 years with it. In my opinion the SQ of the wm walkman is unbeatable even by current offerings (if we take out the chord M scale and the DMP-1Z


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I also have had my wm1A for 2.5 years and same battery as new, even if I use it daily and recharge every three days.
> 
> Also some people have asked me if I find it still relevant after 2 years with it. In my opinion the SQ of the wm walkman is unbeatable even by current offerings (if we take out the chord M scale and the DMP-1Z



Yes I fully expect to keep my 1Z until the battery dies


----------



## Quadfather

nc8000 said:


> Yes I fully expect to keep my 1Z until the battery dies



I'd just get the battery replaced at that point and get another 7 years out of it.


----------



## nc8000

Quadfather said:


> I'd just get the battery replaced at that point and get another 7 years out of it.



I must admit that I doubt replacing it would be possible after 10 years


----------



## Quadfather

nc8000 said:


> I must admit that I doubt replacing it would be possible after 10 years



Sony will probably have batteries that last 200 hours by then.


----------



## Whitigir

Judging from ZX2 which is 4 years old by now and still working good, I would say that battery on Sony DAPs are zombie like too.  I have seen DX200 that is 3 years old and need battery replacements where as Zx2 is still lasting for days on a charge depend on usages ...lol


----------



## nanaholic (Jun 6, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> I must admit that I doubt replacing it would be possible after 10 years



Sony still offers full battery replacement service for their F-800 series and A800 series Walkmans on their Japanese website which are 7 to 8 years old by now and those devices didn't even sell gangbusters (because iPod) unlike the WM1 series which are seriously loved by audiophiles. I think they would do 10 years for WM1 easily.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> Has anybody tried the Fatbear NW-WM1A/Z Anti-Shock case?
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-SONY-W...rmor-Case-Cover/333187442284?var=542202810168


That looks pretty bad-ass.


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> That looks pretty bad-ass.



It definitely makes the Sony look like something out of Star Wars. I love the leather cases, but this one does look awesome.


----------



## Whitigir

It is taking forever to “burn-In” !! Anyone thinking the same ?


Quasimodosbelfry said:


> That looks pretty bad-ass.


i need something like that for DMP LOL


----------



## Stephen George

Quadfather said:


> Has anybody tried the Fatbear NW-WM1A/Z Anti-Shock case?



Nice find, FYI, Amazon has it same day prime, got mine ordered


----------



## Quadfather

Stephen George said:


> Nice find, FYI, Amazon has it same day prime, got mine ordered



Let me know how it is in person.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> Let me know how it is in person.


Ordering mine too.


----------



## joshuachew

Anyone own the WM1Z and the SP1000 at the same time? Any thoughts on then both? 
Thinking of getting a SP1000/2000


----------



## fiascogarcia (Jun 8, 2019)

joshuachew said:


> Anyone own the WM1Z and the SP1000 at the same time? Any thoughts on then both?
> Thinking of getting a SP1000/2000


Thought this short write up might help a little.
https://www.headfonia.com/aultima-sp1000-ss-and-ak380cu-vs-sony-wm1z/


----------



## blazinblazin

But that write up is during 2017.
Not including the software update to the sound from 1.0 to 3.01


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

blazinblazin said:


> But that write up is during 2017.
> Not including the software update to the sound from 1.0 to 3.01


There's a Hokkien (a Chinese dialect) saying that goes, "When there's no fish, shrimp will do."


----------



## Caguioa

Whats good range to find a used pair ?


Also will there be a nw-wm1z 2”?

Seeing as a&k are releasing the sp2000


----------



## gerelmx1986

Caguioa said:


> Whats good range to find a used pair ?
> 
> 
> Also will there be a nw-wm1z 2”?
> ...


Sony usually releases in September during the IFA Berlin   so it is like  2.6 months to wait for their new announcements


----------



## Whitigir

Patients is a virtue!


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> Patients is a virtue!



Are you claiming this forum lacks virtuous members? If so thanks for the recognition


----------



## emrelights1973

joshuachew said:


> Anyone own the WM1Z and the SP1000 at the same time? Any thoughts on then both?
> Thinking of getting a SP1000/2000


İ own both and liked both but sp1000 is used more with Tidal/offline Tidal

Sony is a battery beast

Different sound signatures both very good  warm vs precise


----------



## Whitigir

emrelights1973 said:


> İ own both and liked both but sp1000 is used more with Tidal/offline Tidal
> 
> Sony is a battery beast
> 
> Different sound signatures both very good  warm vs precise


Did you mean...Just buy Both ? LOL!


----------



## nanaholic (Jun 8, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sony usually releases in September during the IFA Berlin   so it is like  2.6 months to wait for their new announcements



That stance has changed since last year.
Sony showed their internal data that most high end portable audio revenue comes from Asia, which was the reason they announced both the DMP-Z1 and IER-Z1R at the Hong Kong AV show several weeks ahead of IFA last year. So I think if any big audiophile related announcement is to be made, it's going to be Hong Kong AV Show again which is beginning of August. IFA would be more mid range and consumer focused, such as noise cancelling and true wireless BT earbuds. In fact an update to the WF-1000X is probably due as there's a new BT chip tech for Android called TrueWireless Stereo released by Qualcomm which allows Airpods-like W1 BT chip connection where complete standalone left/right earbud is made rather than the common master/slave arrangement and Sony's new Xperia 1 phone supports this connection method, so I'd expect Sony to have one of those ready for IFA to show off.


----------



## joshuachew

Whitigir said:


> Did you mean...Just buy Both ? LOL!


I think that's what he saying. Hahaha. I think I will wait for September for the new Sony.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

joshuachew said:


> I think that's what he saying. Hahaha. I think I will wait for September for the new Sony.


I personally don't think there'll be a new devices at the level of the WM1A/Z and above. Sony needs to recover the cost of development of these Signature series devices and not torpedo their sales. Not for a couple more years at least.


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 8, 2019)

I am saving up for the Sony NW - WM1Z. The N8 is interesting, but the battery life and the fact that I already love the Sony Sound Signature Series means I'll be going Sony.  I love my Sony NW - WM1A with my Shure headphones


----------



## Caguioa

Quadfather said:


> I am saving up for the Sony NW - WM1Z. The N8 is interesting, but the battery life and the fact that I already love the Sony Sound Signature Series be going Sony.  I love my Sony NW - WM1A with my Shure headphones



me to...but im just thinking this thing is 2 years old

and astel is releasing sp2000 in around july.

but... i DO..

have the chance to pick these up

$ 2300tops brand new. its just 2 years old and i am not sure.

ur guys thoughts?


----------



## Whitigir

Caguioa said:


> me to...but im just thinking this thing is 2 years old
> 
> and astel is releasing sp2000 in around july.
> 
> ...


Just go for Sony new DMP-Z1


----------



## Quadfather (Jun 8, 2019)

Caguioa said:


> me to...but im just thinking this thing is 2 years old
> 
> and astel is releasing sp2000 in around july.
> 
> ...




I like going through the burn in process, so I'm going to try to buy mine new. I really didn't like the Sony NW-WM1A at all when I first listened to it. I didn't start actually loving it until about 300 or 400 hours... that said, it's really fun to listen to it open up gradually.  I have 1380 hours on the black one.


----------



## nc8000

Caguioa said:


> me to...but im just thinking this thing is 2 years old
> 
> and astel is releasing sp2000 in around july.
> 
> ...



I fully expect the 1Z to be competitive in the top bracket for years to come, really the only reason I can think of to not get it is if you are primarily into streaming services rather than on board music


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> I like going through the burn in process, so I'm going to try to buy mine new. I really didn't like the Sony NW-WM1A at all when I first listened to it. I didn't start actually loving it until about 300 or 400 hours... that said, it's really fun to listen to it open up gradually.  I have 1380 hours on the black one.


Psssst... Project K mod.


----------



## Dtuck90

Does the sound on the WM1A ever stop improving? I’m up to 750 hours and it just gets better and better. Listened to Neil Young Rust Never Sleeps 24/192 for the first time in ages earlier and it was like listening for the first time (again)


----------



## Quadfather

Dtuck90 said:


> Does the sound on the WM1A ever stop improving? I’m up to 750 hours and it just gets better and better. Listened to Neil Young Rust Never Sleeps 24/192 for the first time in ages earlier and it was like listening for the first time (again)



No.  I have 1380 hours on mine and it seems to get better and better each time I hear it.


----------



## Caguioa (Jun 8, 2019)

Quadfather said:


> No.  I have 1380 hours on mine and it seems to get better and better each time I hear it.



How so?


Also are Sony Kimber Cables actually worth getting? increase sound quality?


----------



## Quadfather

Caguioa said:


> How so?
> 
> 
> Also are Sony Kimber Cables actually worth getting? increase sound quality?



I use Shure SRH1540 headphones with Surf balanced cables on my Sony NW-WM1A. It seems like the longer I listen to it the more delicate but extended the treble becomes and the richer and thicker the notes become with the bass tightening up.  Individual notes and all frequencies just tend to have better layering and have thickened up over time.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Jun 8, 2019)

Quadfather said:


> I use Shure SRH1540 headphones with Surf balanced cables on my Sony NW-WM1A. It seems like the longer I listen to it the more delicate but extended the treble becomes and the richer and thicker the notes become with the bass tightening up.  Individual notes and all frequencies just tend to have better layering and have thickened up over time.



So I've been pretty sure that the WM1A can confidently drive the Z1R and even the HD800. I had thought all the guys who were going on about how the A/Z weren't enough were just... Ya know... Talking out the wrong holes.

But...

Was at an audio store yesterday just sampling a bunch of different kit and they put this in front of me:






I was skeptical but the difference was palpable.  Instantly there was more separation and just a smidge more definition on the vocals. I think I got a lesson in headroom. Don't think I felt that even with the CV5. Will have to compare again.

That box is the Hum MA1B Class A Headphone amp... Does 4.4 in and out. I don't have many specs but I got one after listening to the store's unit on my WM1A for an hour, with a loaner HD800. Went home and it helped even with the Z1R.

Don't get me wrong. The WM1A and Z can definitely drive those cans competently, but that extra 1% was enough for me to spring for a small amp.


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> So I've been pretty sure that the WM1A can confidently drive the Z1R and even the HD800. I had thought all the guys who were going on about how the A/Z weren't enough were just... Ya know... Talking out the wrong holes.
> 
> But...
> 
> ...



I use a Lotoo Paw Gold 2017 for any more difficult-to-drive headphones.  The SRH1540 is very easily driven on the NW-WM1A.  My HD650s get used on the LPG.  Looks like an interesting product.  Cost?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Jun 9, 2019)

Quadfather said:


> I use a Lotoo Paw Gold 2017 for any more difficult-to-drive headphones.  The SRH1540 is very easily driven on the NW-WM1A.  My HD650s get used on the LPG.  Looks like an interesting product.  Cost?



Hum is s new manufacturer out of HK; you can find them on FB. They list this as US$399 (SRP). So far I’m digging it.

Been procrastinating but finally started to get all my cables terminated to 4.4... easier to deal with a common standard, I think. Had bought some Furutech 4.4mm plugs from my last trip to Japan, gonna put them to good use.


----------



## NickleCo

Has anyone tried the z7 and wm1a? I'm thinking of getting the z7 but am not sure if the wm1a can drive it.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 10, 2019)

DatDudeNic said:


> Has anyone tried the z7 and wm1a? I'm thinking of getting the z7 but am not sure if the wm1a can drive it.



It can drive it. Like what was just mentioned........more power increases the damping factor slightly which gets better imaging and better definition. There is maybe 1dB more bass (with a desktop) but due to detail the bass just seems like there is more with a desktop. For the music I listen to the Z7 is a solid performer. On my member profile are examples of the music I listen to. 

 It’s really nice and gets loud enough with the 1A. I actually suggest everyone listen before they purchase as you can read multiple posts and still not get a clue as to the exact sound of equipment or equipment combinations.

Still with that said adding the Kimber Kable is a major solution when adding the two Sony products together.

Sony MUC-B20SB1 Headphone Cable 4.4mm Pentaconn-3.5mm

With the above said, the 3 pieces of equipment are amazingly musical and engaging. It’s always a worry when attempting to add full size headphones to a DAP.

Member https://www.head-fi.org/members/gerelmx1986.404906/

Message him..... he moved up to the Z1R after using the Z7 extensively with his 1A......putting something like 6000 hours with various headphones? Something crazy as far as listening for long hours.IMO

He loved the Z7 and has since now set himself up with the IER-Z1R and full-size Z1R. He listens to classical music and felt the 1A was a great combo with the Z7. I primarily listen to rock, metal and techno and use the full-size Z1R, the IER-Z1R and the Z7. The 1A is great!

Edit:

For me adding the Kimber was a big deal, somehow fixing much of the issues I read about with the Z7. Basically many are never going to gel with the Z7 signature no matter what amp they use or extra cable they buy..... it’s just not their sound. For me the Z7 offers an amazing value though the stock cable holds it back with a thin and un-emotional treble and reserved midrange. Add the murkey lower midrange and those are the aspects that you would read people upset about. The Kimber is such a band-aid even with the 1A, smoothing out the treble, opening up detail and expanding the midrange to a great new level. It tightens the lower midrange fog and seemingly brings the Z7 to a world class place? I would have never purchased the cable. I came in to buy the full-size Z1R and the cable was a free gift. They were sold out of the Kimber but gave me the floor unit to take home. I just chalk it up to luck...finding the cable?


----------



## echineko

DatDudeNic said:


> Has anyone tried the z7 and wm1a? I'm thinking of getting the z7 but am not sure if the wm1a can drive it.


It can drive it decently I guess, but Z7 (especially mk2) isn't to be bought blind. Make sure you have a chance to try it if at all possible first.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 10, 2019)

DatDudeNic said:


> Has anyone tried the z7 and wm1a? I'm thinking of getting the z7 but am not sure if the wm1a can drive it.



https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-mdr-z1r.21971/reviews#review-21989

Here is a review where I compare the Z7 to other Sony flagships.

The Z7 is kind of a love it or hate it headphone. It’s truly the Sony house sound, and maybe an exaggerated take on it? My hearing says things I’ve done like the Kimber Cable helped change it for the better. Using the 1A is one of the ways to make it better. It may be off though with certain combinations of amps?

Though there is many ways to make the Z7 sound fairly good. I used the Schiit Asgard One and fed it with the Sony TA as simply a DAC and the Z7 (stock-cable) was pretty fabulous? Though not as great as using the Kimber 4.4mm? Also for my taste the 1A wins out over the Asgard One? So there is an example of the 1A not only keeping up but maybe beating out a fairly powerful class-A desktop? The 1A has the power and seems to offer a cleaner more detailed response than the Schiit Asgard? Much of this is due to the Z7 being easy to drive? In this situation the Asgard is going to offer slightly more power, but it’s the overall sound along with the resolution and tightness that makes the Z7 and 1A so good? But in reference the Z7 and Sony TA really takes the cake....as expected.

Due to the Sony house sound the Z7 is both slightly dark but still has a treble spike added to make it a V signature. The Schiit Asgard is on the bright side but it still works OK? The reason the Kimber is important is the 1A is on the flat-to-slightly bright side, I would not call it a dark DAP, so adding the Kimber smooths out the whole signal, and because the Z7 has warmth it’s a good combo.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> It can drive it. Like what was just mentioned........more power increases the damping factor slightly which gets better imaging and better definition. There is maybe 1dB more bass (with a desktop) but due to detail the bass just seems like there is more with a desktop. For the music I listen to the Z7 is a solid performer. On my member profile are examples of the music I listen to.
> 
> It’s really nice and gets loud enough with the 1A. I actually suggest everyone listen before they purchase as you can read multiple posts and still not get a clue as to the exact sound of equipment or equipment combinations.
> 
> ...


Certainly a great headphone,  wm1A with balanced output is a must.   Has a big decent stage,  and tonal balance. Yeah Z1R is sonically superior but I doesn't means the z7 is not.good, is even better than the xba-z5


echineko said:


> It can drive it decently I guess, but Z7 (especially mk2) isn't to be bought blind. Make sure you have a chance to try it if at all possible first.


I prefer the original to the M2, the m2 is not my running, way too neutral


----------



## echineko

gerelmx1986 said:


> I prefer the original to the M2, the m2 is not my running, way too neutral


I preferred even the xm3 to the m7mk2, for sure not something anyone should blind buy.


----------



## Stephen George

Quadfather said:


> Let me know how it is in person.



even though it was supposed to be 1 day prime, it got "lost" and arrived 2 days later...very nice case, hard plastic but with a matte finish, but not that rubberized, hard and smooth, easy to hold. i like that they allowed the gold to show like a frame, the buttons are nice and they included the wrist strap connection, $14 is a decent price


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Stephen George said:


> even though it was supposed to be 1 day prime, it got "lost" and arrived 2 days later...very nice case, hard plastic but with a matte finish, but not that rubberized, hard and smooth, easy to hold. i like that they allowed the gold to show like a frame, the buttons are nice and they included the wrist strap connection, $14 is a decent price



Mine's on the way... but from your pics, it looks like a lint magnet!


----------



## siruspan (Jun 10, 2019)

Keep in mind hard plastic will most likely scratch the surface of the player. I've had this problem before with phone and Sony PSP. All looked good until I've taken them out of plastick covers and they both had a lot of tiny scratches probably from dust particles that got under the cover. I will never use anything else than leather or something with soft rubber insert.


----------



## Stephen George

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Mine's on the way... but from your pics, it looks like a lint magnet!



yeah saw this..have a really good camera though, from afar, can't see any of it..also helps to have "old" eyes


----------



## Leetransform25

Redcarmoose said:


> It can drive it. Like what was just mentioned........more power increases the damping factor slightly which gets better imaging and better definition. There is maybe 1dB more bass (with a desktop) but due to detail the bass just seems like there is more with a desktop. For the music I listen to the Z7 is a solid performer. On my member profile are examples of the music I listen to.
> 
> It’s really nice and gets loud enough with the 1A. I actually suggest everyone listen before they purchase as you can read multiple posts and still not get a clue as to the exact sound of equipment or equipment combinations.
> 
> ...





echineko said:


> It can drive it decently I guess, but Z7 (especially mk2) isn't to be bought blind. Make sure you have a chance to try it if at all possible first.


Have you tried the Z7MK2s? (I know echineko has but not sure about Redcarmoose) How would you compare it with the originals?


----------



## NickleCo

Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-mdr-z1r.21971/reviews#review-21989
> 
> Here is a review where I compare the Z7 to other Sony flagships.
> 
> ...


Wow thank you for the very detailed response @Redcarmoose! After reading your response i think I'm going to think it over the week as to whether i should buy it or the cheaper mdr 1a. Again thanks for the response


----------



## NickleCo

Redcarmoose said:


> It can drive it. Like what was just mentioned........more power increases the damping factor slightly which gets better imaging and better definition. There is maybe 1dB more bass (with a desktop) but due to detail the bass just seems like there is more with a desktop. For the music I listen to the Z7 is a solid performer. On my member profile are examples of the music I listen to.
> 
> It’s really nice and gets loud enough with the 1A. I actually suggest everyone listen before they purchase as you can read multiple posts and still not get a clue as to the exact sound of equipment or equipment combinations.
> 
> ...


I'll message him shortly, thanks again


----------



## NickleCo

echineko said:


> It can drive it decently I guess, but Z7 (especially mk2) isn't to be bought blind. Make sure you have a chance to try it if at all possible first.


Thanks for the response , after reading some reviews of the z7 i think im going to delay my purchase since I'm not really a big fan of the v shaped signature...


----------



## NickleCo

Stephen George said:


> even though it was supposed to be 1 day prime, it got "lost" and arrived 2 days later...very nice case, hard plastic but with a matte finish, but not that rubberized, hard and smooth, easy to hold. i like that they allowed the gold to show like a frame, the buttons are nice and they included the wrist strap connection, $14 is a decent price


Oh my that is a wonderful looking case!


----------



## Stephen George

siruspan said:


> Keep in mind hard plastic will most likely scratch the surface of the player.



i would not classify this as hard plastic, it's rubberized, just with more a matte finish than that super soft stuff


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Been away but added something new to my collection


----------



## Redcarmoose

Leetransform25 said:


> Have you tried the Z7MK2s? (I know echineko has but not sure about Redcarmoose) How would you compare it with the originals?





DatDudeNic said:


> Wow thank you for the very detailed response @Redcarmoose! After reading your response i think I'm going to think it over the week as to whether i should buy it or the cheaper mdr 1a. Again thanks for the response



One of the time reasons I have the Z7 is I found them new for $360. There may be some close-outs still around? Have not heard the MII edition?


----------



## Leetransform25

DatDudeNic said:


> Wow thank you for the very detailed response @Redcarmoose! After reading your response i think I'm going to think it over the week as to whether i should buy it or the cheaper mdr 1a. Again thanks for the response


This is based off of what I remember, but from a short demo of the Z7 at a store around 2018, the sound signature was quite similar to the MDR-1A, so sound signature wise you'll be getting a similar experience for either.


----------



## NickleCo

Leetransform25 said:


> This is based off of what I remember, but from a short demo of the Z7 at a store around 2018, the sound signature was quite similar to the MDR-1A, so sound signature wise you'll be getting a similar experience for either.


Oh thats good to hear! i think i just might buy the 1a and if i like it i'll get the z7


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 10, 2019)




----------



## siruspan




----------



## aisalen

This is the best combo for me...


----------



## NickleCo (Jun 11, 2019)

The reason why I'm not interested in other iems.


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Leetransform25

siruspan said:


>


That's a very nice case! What case is it and where did you get it from?


----------



## mosika

Now I plan to buy WM1A. Should I wait the next gen or buy it now? This model almost 3 years. Can anyone help me make a decision?


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 11, 2019)

mosika said:


> Now I plan to buy WM1A. Should I wait the next gen or buy it now? This model almost 3 years. Can anyone help me make a decision?



Sound performances aside, the components that were built and engineered onto the WM1A is not your typical components.  There are a lot of Polyester Multi-Layered capacitors and MELF resistors , both are well known for high quality audio performances and scientifically retaining the original frequencies very very well with one of the highest precision and lowest transfer property (or degradation).

Could there be new generation ? Who knows ? Even so, the next generation improvement would be the Digital Amplifier itself ...or (S-Master).  The rest of the analog components may be designed to handle more power, but that is about it.

Though, I am not sure when the next and newer S-master is going to be developed

One thing for sure is that Wm1A is built very cheap for the MSRP, and that is all I can tell.  If you are only using with In ear buds and already auditioned WM1A, and like it, then there is no reason to wait.  A safer approach would be to buy a used WM1A in great condition to save money and skip the burn-in process all together without losing much money if the next one is coming out.  This transitional time for audio gear is what I called “Golden time”.  It is the Windows where people are bored of their older devices, and want to sell it, while the next one may be cooking and in coming....those who is selling the devices is usually keep on rolling toward newer gears with their disposable income, and not necessarily have to be waiting for the same brand loyalty or whatever reason....they simply are bored.  This is the “Golden time” for WM series, period.  Usually, Golden time starts as soon as 7 months from a product released, and it keeps getting better until the peak level at around 3-4 months before new products are rolling off the manufacturers production lines


----------



## nc8000

mosika said:


> Now I plan to buy WM1A. Should I wait the next gen or buy it now? This model almost 3 years. Can anyone help me make a decision?



If you like the sound and the features it should last you for many years to come


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> If you like the sound and the features it should last you for many years to come


A shorter version of what I wanted to say


----------



## Kitechaser (Jun 11, 2019)

mosika said:


> Now I plan to buy WM1A. Should I wait the next gen or buy it now? This model almost 3 years. Can anyone help me make a decision?


Get it. It might be 3 years old, but as far as I am concerned it's still one of the best DAPs on the market.
It just plays music, and plays it beautifully.
Every time I listen to a High res album on my setup, I am just blown away. Almost no distortion, zero background noise, incredible dynamics, all the micro details you can handle, and class leading true to life tonality as far as I am concerned.
Give a fully burnt in WM1A with 3.01 firmware a listen, I think you will like what you hear.
Sony really outdid themselves here.


----------



## meomap

A little humor.

1Z, Khan, DHC Fusion Clone,
WAYGYU A5 beef steak along with cognac XO for dinner tonight for 3. Well, my wife will have Sapporo and my son will have his soda.

First time ever, we will try the most expensive steak on earth.


----------



## Stephen George

meomap said:


> A little humor.
> 
> 1Z, Khan, DHC Fusion Clone,
> WAYGYU A5 beef steak along with cognac XO for dinner tonight for 3. Well, my wife will have Sapporo and my son will have his soda.
> ...



use that remy and make a glaze!


----------



## Whitigir

Kobe steak ? Excellent when cooked right .  Especially when doing it Raw with Pho hot soup....Wooo00


----------



## bflat

Dang, it's been a week of me getting killed by allergies. Felt like my ears were in a constant state of pressure like during plane landings. Couldn't hear well at all - listening to headphones 10 dB louder than normal LOL. Finally getting past these seasonal allergies, but this year was worst than ever. Believe it was grass pollen.


----------



## meomap

bflat said:


> Dang, it's been a week of me getting killed by allergies. Felt like my ears were in a constant state of pressure like during plane landings. Couldn't hear well at all - listening to headphones 10 dB louder than normal LOL. Finally getting past these seasonal allergies, but this year was worst than ever. Believe it was grass pollen.


It will be worse this summer due to lots of rain last couple of months.
Prevention is take a pill early in the morning before going out of house.


----------



## meomap

Whitigir said:


> Kobe steak ? Excellent when cooked right .  Especially when doing it Raw with Pho hot soup....Wooo00



Just finished the steak.
Very juicy. Felt like melting in your mouth.  Just like people said in Utube.
Best steak I've ever eaten so far .
Wife said do this once a year only please.
150 usd for 1.3 lbs
Yikes, better be once a year.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 11, 2019)

_*Walkman 1Z..................BGVP DM6*_
*Sony MUC-M12SB1, 4.4mm Kimber cable *


----------



## Kitechaser (Jun 12, 2019)

bflat said:


> Dang, it's been a week of me getting killed by allergies. Felt like my ears were in a constant state of pressure like during plane landings. Couldn't hear well at all - listening to headphones 10 dB louder than normal LOL. Finally getting past these seasonal allergies, but this year was worst than ever. Believe it was grass pollen.


A teaspoon of local honey everyday helps a lot. Almost like magic


----------



## auronthas

_WM1A and KPE 

_


----------



## proedros

does wm1a also count the playing hours when used as USB-DAC ?


----------



## ttt123

proedros said:


> does wm1a also count the playing hours when used as USB-DAC ?


No, playing hours does not count BT or wired DAC.  The count is for output on the 3.5mm or 4.4mm audio output.  Also. the count is a total of both outputs, so  there is no indicator for how many hours are on the 3.5mm  versus the 4.4mm


----------



## siruspan (Jun 12, 2019)

Leetransform25 said:


> That's a very nice case! What case is it and where did you get it from?



It was bought here https://www.etsy.com/shop/VALENTINUM All of them are custom made per order so you can choose between different leathers, colors and stitching.



mosika said:


> Now I plan to buy WM1A. Should I wait the next gen or buy it now? This model almost 3 years. Can anyone help me make a decision?



It's still very relevant after 3 years. I've on my hands brand new Ibasso DX220 and I can't decide objectively which is better. Ibasso is very neutral and transparent, and it's slightly better on technicalities. Sony on the other hand sounds more melodious and engaging being darker and more sparkly at same time. Subjectively I like WM1A more and wouldn't trade it for DX220.



Ibasso has more power and android with tidal, spotify etc but battery lasts around 6 hours when playing flacs 16/44 from sd card. I get over 20 hours of playtime on Sony.


----------



## Whitigir

Once you love the Sony house sound, there is nothing that can replace it


----------



## ccschua (Jun 12, 2019)

I am from Asia (Malaysia. the detail at the back of the box is
TRA
Registered No
ER47920/16

can I know if this is uncap version (with reference to https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNW...nation_settings_and_sound_pressure_regulation)?

I can use the WM1A to drive the HE400i


----------



## echineko

Unless you bought it from Europe, it's uncapped by default.


----------



## Whitigir

ccschua said:


> I am from Asia (Malaysia. the detail at the back of the box is
> TRA
> Registered No
> ER47920/16
> ...





echineko said:


> Unless you bought it from Europe, it's uncapped by default.



Exactly! Only Europe specific version is capped.  It happens to DMP-Z1 as well


----------



## nc8000

ccschua said:


> I am from Asia (Malaysia. the detail at the back of the box is
> TRA
> Registered No
> ER47920/16
> ...



If the option for high gain is available it is uncapped. Only models sold in EU should be capped


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Jun 12, 2019)

ccschua said:


> I am from Asia (Malaysia. the detail at the back of the box is
> TRA
> Registered No
> ER47920/16
> ...


-Edited-
Was answered 16x before I jumped in.


----------



## Leetransform25

auronthas said:


> _WM1A and KPE
> 
> _


Nice photo! What book were you reading?


----------



## auronthas

Leetransform25 said:


> Nice photo! What book were you reading?



Haruki Murakami's Tokyo Kintansu aka Five Strange Tales from Tokyo .
*
村上春树~东京奇谭集 *


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 13, 2019)

In regard to whoever did ask me about what mods I planned on doing for DMP-Z1 ?

So my ultimate Walkman is now completed with External Ultra Linear Regulated Power Supply.  The DMP-Z1 is unique in this attribute alone and by itself, which makes it the only device on the market at the moment to be doing this._*  The ability to take and run off the External Power Supply*_.

Unlike your traditional Devices.  The DMP-Z1 has 3 modes

1/ Battery alone.  This can be switched anytime even when Plugged into a wall socket.

2/ Battery preferred.  This will makes the DMP acts like any of your typical Portable devices that has battery.  Use the External supply to charge and the DMP is internally operated on the Battery alone

3/ AC Mode.  In this Mode, the DMP will utilize the External Power Supply to charge the batteries while running and operating internally straight from your External Power Supply.

All 3 modes are switched on the fly and automatically or by your choices and the player never have to be turned off .

This Supply was built with all the dedications toward sound as much as I have known and accumulated over the years.

All internals wires are OCC-Litz as needed, Furutech Sockets and receptacles, Direct solder as much as needed to assure best performances, dampened epoxy with dampened mechanism on mounting the board toward the chassis,  and proper ventilations for MOSFET.  Capacitors are built upon Audio Grade such as Seimic 2 and NIPPON Chemicon.  Solder are Oyaide SS-47 with Audio Grade performances that I hav been trusted to have been using all over the years.  There is no corner cut

Thank you AMB Audio and Ti Kan for such amazing designs


----------



## Kitechaser

Whitigir said:


> In regard to whoever did ask me about what mods I planned on doing for DMP-Z1 ?
> 
> So my ultimate Walkman is now completed with External Ultra Linear Regulated Power Supply.  The DMP-Z1 is unique in this attribute alone and by itself, which makes it the only device on the market at the moment to be doing this._*  The ability to take and run off the External Power Supply*_.
> 
> ...


That thing is a beauty. Good thing that most people here have never heard the DMP-Z1, or else they would be turning green with envy. I mean dark dark green 
Enjoy the music, you have a killer setup there.


----------



## Quadfather

soundblast75 said:


> So, are Surf Cables any good,i like the price and will prob be tempted to get a new balanced for my Sony.
> Are there other not ultra expensive far Asian options for us in EU,thanks.



I love my set of Surf cables


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will buy an used NWZ-A15 for the commute and also want a pair for f used xba-A3 for the same purpose and thus leave the bling bling at home (WM1A  + IER-Z1R)


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I will buy an used NWZ-A15 for the commute and also want a pair for f used xba-A3 for the same purpose and thus leave the bling bling at home (WM1A  + IER-Z1R)



I sometimes use A45 and 1000XM3 over ldac but mostly just my iPhone and Earin M2, wireless is so addictive


----------



## NickleCo

Decided and bought the mdr-1a over the z7's not sure what to make of it... I'm not used to the whole v shaped signature since it's the opposite to my preferred signature (midcentric). Gonna give it a few days to grow on me. If it doesn't I'm going to sell it and buy the z7 lol.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 16, 2019)

DatDudeNic said:


> Decided and bought the mdr-1a over the z7's not sure what to make of it... I'm not used to the whole v shaped signature since it's the opposite to my preferred signature (midcentric). Gonna give it a few days to grow on me. If it doesn't I'm going to sell it and buy the z7 lol.



I’ve always seen this division at Head-Fi. My first and second Head-Fi meets were a discovery to find/hear different preferences in tone. I’m more bass oriented so it was eye opening to see and hear midcentric rigs that their owners were in love with. You would think there would be more middle of the road IEMs.......though the world still seems very black and white.........bright/dark....to me?

Even in my collection I have three IEM/headphones which stay in the mid-zone? The Noble Encore, the AKG k701 and the Magaosi K5.


----------



## NickleCo

Redcarmoose said:


> I’ve always seen this division at Head-Fi. My first and second Head-Fi meets were a discovery to find/hear different preferences in tone. I’m more bass oriented so it was eye opening to see and hear midcentric rigs that their owners were in love with. You would think there would be more middle of the road IEMs.......though the world still seems very black and white.........bright/dark....to me?
> 
> Even in my collection I have three IEM/headphones which stay in the mid-zone? The Noble Encore, the AKG k701 and the Magaosi K5.


The reason why my preferences lean toward midcentric is due to the sense of emotion it brings to the equation. On the other hand v shaped sigs, though energetic and quite exciting to hear are devoid of the raw emotion the singer is portraying and sometimes come off as cold sounding. There's just something about midcentric gears that makes my face do weird expressions out of nowhere (especially when its a vocal heavy song lol).


----------



## Redcarmoose

DatDudeNic said:


> The reason why my preferences lean toward midcentric is due to the sense of emotion it brings to the equation. On the other hand v shaped sigs, though energetic and quite exciting to hear are devoid of the raw emotion the singer is portraying and sometimes come off as cold sounding. There's just something about midcentric gears that makes my face do weird expressions out of nowhere (especially when its a vocal heavy song lol).



I actually gave up trying to analyze the trend. I just chalk it up to how folks are wired. It’s the same with speakers too, where some folks gravitate towards what sounds like bright desktop speakers, and others boomy floorstanders. There is no right or wrong, though it’s maybe nice to try and enjoy a non-preference tone, as when it does seem to click it’s entertaining. My point was even though there is middle of the road tone, there is less around than you would guess. The best thing is maybe for folks to learn what they like? If anything having different IEMs  and headphones reconfirms what you like?


----------



## Whitigir

DatDudeNic said:


> The reason why my preferences lean toward midcentric is due to the sense of emotion it brings to the equation. On the other hand v shaped sigs, though energetic and quite exciting to hear are devoid of the raw emotion the singer is portraying and sometimes come off as cold sounding. There's just something about midcentric gears that makes my face do weird expressions out of nowhere (especially when its a vocal heavy song lol).



It isn’t all that as you stated....it is true for mid-fi and so on, but once you move up to high-end summit tier, these gears are so very capable that it is no longer V shape or Flat or Mid centric ....etc....it can be fine tuned to just slope down some specific range while keeping the other flat...etc...they will also respond very well to other part of the system too, such as cables and even connectors.  Whether you can hear and observe it would be another matter, and hugely depend on your player + amplifier as well.

In the end, nothing is as ever simple as they may appear to be.  The only thing I can tell you is that, listen to the gears you want, give it a try with your own stuff, including cables....then decide


----------



## NickleCo (Jun 17, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> It isn’t all that as you stated....it is true for mid-fi and so on, but once you move up to high-end summit tier, these gears are so very capable that it is no longer V shape or Flat or Mid centric ....etc....it can be fine tuned to just slope down some specific range while keeping the other flat...etc...they will also respond very well to other part of the system too, such as cables and even connectors.  Whether you can hear and observe it would be another matter, and hugely depend on your player + amplifier as well.
> 
> In the end, nothing is as ever simple as they may appear to be.  The only thing I can tell you is that, listen to the gears you want, give it a try with your own stuff, including cables....then decide


Actually, after binging, it's actually very tasteful! I'm somewhat hooked to its signature, it's the type that grows on you the longer you listen to it. It's the first bassy gear (both iem and hp) that I can tolerate and enjoy without care. I've always had the notion of "louder is better" but this does the opposite it does better with lower volumes than it does with higher.

Yep, I've already talked with a cable maker to make a custom cable for it, not sure as to what material though...


----------



## iChip

My beautiful sound


----------



## phonomat (Jun 17, 2019)

^ Nice avatar as well. I saw them yesterday at Frankfurt's Alte Oper. Quite mesmerizing.
Welcome to Head-Fi!


----------



## ccschua

i subscribe to apple music. can I stream the apple music to wm1z via usb dac ?


----------



## Whitigir

ccschua said:


> i subscribe to apple music. can I stream the apple music to wm1z via usb dac ?


I don’t see why not


----------



## krakenkr

OG10 said:


> Upon close inspection of the screen I can see 1 lit pixel at the very top near the border of the unit.. dunno whether to even bother sending it back for such a small thing on a device you aren't supposed to be looking at! Now onto the series business of cases. I think the Miter case looks nice if it wasn't for that odd kickstand thing.. the TPU case is only in stock on Ali-Express. I'll order it but might get the Miter one to prevent my grubby hands dirtying it!


Did you end up sending it back? I found one on mine too...Nearly the same spot


----------



## bflat

ccschua said:


> i subscribe to apple music. can I stream the apple music to wm1z via usb dac ?



Yes you can but since all Apple Music streams AAC, no need for wires. Just use the BT receive mode since it supports AAC. This is what I do with my iPad Pro and it works great with video too. No lag.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Meh Apple music and AAC rip off , i once tried AAC 256 kbps and the SQ was not good, instruments dancing around the sound stage, and disappearing instruments. 

For me FLAC and DSD do the trick


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Meh Apple music and AAC rip off , i once tried AAC 256 kbps and the SQ was not good, instruments dancing around the sound stage, and disappearing instruments.
> 
> For me FLAC and DSD do the trick


From all the problem...the instruments confused imagines such as dancing around the stage....I hate the worse


----------



## ccschua

should I try tidal instead of AAC ?

one more thing. is there a difference between bluetooth receiver and playing direct from WM1Z ?


----------



## nc8000

ccschua said:


> should I try tidal instead of AAC ?
> 
> one more thing. is there a difference between bluetooth receiver and playing direct from WM1Z ?



Well Tidal is mostly cd quality or better if you buy the top tier. 

Depends on the file you play and the codec you connect with. An aac file would probably sound the same but a hires file would most likely sound better played on the 1Z


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Well Tidal is mostly cd quality or better if you buy the top tier.
> 
> Depends on the file you play and the codec you connect with. An aac file would probably sound the same but a hires file would most likely sound better played on the 1Z





ccschua said:


> should I try tidal instead of AAC ?
> 
> one more thing. is there a difference between bluetooth receiver and playing direct from WM1Z ?


Cd quality is 16/44.1

LDAC is 24/96 capable...so that is 2X as much....you can still do wireless


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Cd quality is 16/44.1
> 
> LDAC is 24/96 capable...so that is 2X as much....you can still do wireless



Yes at up to 990kb but not that many ldac sources out there


----------



## ccschua

I am streaming using Samsung S9+ to wm1z. ust realise that I need select ldac 960kbps (under developer option for audio codec via bluetooth). will try again tonite.


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Yes at up to 990kb but not that many ldac sources out there


Many android 8.0+ will allow LDAC


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 19, 2019)

LDAC is the future....IMO.
I don’t have great LDAC headphones yet, though I figure they will offer nice MMCX and two pin LDAC cables soon for our current collection of IEMs. I did hilariously transmit LDAC from my 1Z to 1A and it was a great improvement over the AAC I’m used to?


----------



## siruspan

Redcarmoose said:


> LDAC is the future....IMO.
> I don’t have great LDAC headphones yet, though I figure they will offer nice MMCX and two pin LDAC cables soon for our current collection of IEMs. I did hilariously transmit LDAC from my 1Z to 1A and it was a great improvement over the AAC I’m used to?



Now that's what I call overkill


----------



## Redcarmoose

siruspan said:


> Now that's what I call overkill


It’s a way to hear LDAC over AAC codec.....if your missing LDAC equipment.


----------



## siruspan

Every device from Android 8 has LDAC support.


----------



## ccschua

after I force the LDAC on the developer option of S9+, i cant tell much diffrence playing direct or BT LDAC.

this leads me to another test soon, i.e. tidal.


----------



## Kitechaser

So I have been lurking on other threads for DAPs that have just recently come out, and it's full of Tidal this, Tidal that, this working, that not working, this app, that app, this mod, that software etc etc etc. 
Heat, cooling blocks, 5 hour battery.
Does not sound like fun...

And the Sony stuff just gets out of the way and plays music......whew.


----------



## Quadfather

Redcarmoose said:


> LDAC is the future....IMO.
> I don’t have great LDAC headphones yet, though I figure they will offer nice MMCX and two pin LDAC cables soon for our current collection of IEMs. I did hilariously transmit LDAC from my 1Z to 1A and it was a great improvement over the AAC I’m used to?



I have the Sony NW-WM1A, and I am still jonesing for the Sony NW-WM1Z.


----------



## Whitigir

Kitechaser said:


> So I have been lurking on other threads for DAPs that have just recently come out, and it's full of Tidal this, Tidal that, this working, that not working, this app, that app, this mod, that software etc etc etc.
> Heat, cooling blocks, 5 hour battery.
> Does not sound like fun...
> 
> And the Sony stuff just gets out of the way and plays music......whew.



Yepe! That is what Sony is known for.  It barely generate any heat, no WiFi, and battery goes on forever


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quadfather said:


> I have the Sony NW-WM1A, and I am still jonesing for the Sony NW-WM1Z.



I’m sure when the new Sony flagship DAP whatever comes out you could pick-up a used one on the cheap. Even if it had a slightly compromised battery you could replace that. I’m just going to be this guy never upgrading, having dated old gear. Though what is really scary is to see how far stuff changed from 2010 to 2016.


----------



## Quadfather

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m sure when the new Sony flagship DAP whatever comes out you could pick-up a used one on the cheap. Even if it had a slightly compromised battery you could replace that. I’m just going to be this guy never upgrading, having dated old gear. Though what is really scary is to see how far stuff changed from 2010 to 2016.



I am blown away how long the Sony flagships have basically been unchanged.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 20, 2019)

Quadfather said:


> I am blown away how long the Sony flagships have basically been unchanged.


https://www.headfonia.com/hifi-dap-comparison-hm-801-hm-602-qa350-boomslang/


I think in 2010 everyone was curious if the HiFiMAN sounded like a desktop? Right before then (2009) it was Ray Samuels amps stacked onto IPods? Then six  years later!....... 1Z/1A. 

Ok...... so in 2022? What will things be like, I suggest not as drastic of changes?........but who knows?


----------



## Quadfather

Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.headfonia.com/hifi-dap-comparison-hm-801-hm-602-qa350-boomslang/
> 
> 
> I think in 2010 everyone was curious if the HiFiMAN sounded like a desktop? Right before then (2009) it was Ray Samuels amps stacked onto IPods? Then six  years later!
> ...



Probably the two things I love most about the Sony DAP is amazing battery life and complete, total fatigue - free listening for hours on end.  Do I have players with greater resolution and so forth? Yes. However, the Sony is no slouch in this area and they managed to do it with this beautiful velvet glove that doesn't fatigue your ears.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.headfonia.com/hifi-dap-comparison-hm-801-hm-602-qa350-boomslang/
> 
> 
> I think in 2010 everyone was curious if the HiFiMAN sounded like a desktop? Right before then (2009) it was Ray Samuels amps stacked onto IPods? Then six  years later!....... 1Z/1A.
> ...




You already has DMP-Z1, and sadly, nothing good is going to come for cheap.  For example when you compare iPod upon DSD records, high-res...etc....and WM1Z.  The DMP-Z1 is by far the only one that has utilized every little bit of components that are Newley developed for sound and sound alone by itself


----------



## hkppl

Just joined the WM1Z club half year ago. I am a 40+ years old IT guy and I already got enough tech things during my jobs at daytime. When I am off work, I just want to turn on my 1Z and listen to musics and relax. No wifi, no tidal, no root, no mod rom, no upgrade etc, just musics please.


----------



## Quadfather

hkppl said:


> Just joined the WM1Z club half year ago. I am a 40+ years old IT guy and I already got enough tech things during my jobs at daytime. When I am off work, I just want to turn on my 1Z and listen to musics and relax. No wifi, no tidal, no root, no mod rom, no upgrade etc, just musics please.



HELLYEAH!!!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 20, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> You already has DMP-Z1, and sadly, nothing good is going to come for cheap.  For example when you compare iPod upon DSD records, high-res...etc....and WM1Z.  The DMP-Z1 is by far the only one that has utilized every little bit of components that are Newley developed for sound and sound alone by itself




 

 



I guess it’s all relevant to what you want to spend and what sound shoots air up your skirt. But come-on man.....let me bask in the glory that my 3 year old audio device is still better than the 10 year old ones.....will ya.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 21, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> You already has DMP-Z1, and sadly, nothing good is going to come for cheap.  For example when you compare iPod upon DSD records, high-res...etc....and WM1Z.  The DMP-Z1 is by far the only one that has utilized every little bit of components that are Newley developed for sound and sound alone by itself



We always see when new car models come out every year and at times the options and body style changes are moot points. Small meaningless changes which seem to inspire some to change cars again.

I realize the DMP-Z1 is another statement product which says Sony is not concerned as much with marketing as being revolutionary in a technological sense. If anyone here understands that, you do; as your just as fascinated by the invention as the sound. And....too...it’s the Sony Engineering wing going on their own with some kind of wild corporate freedom enabling creativity on a different level. For so long Sony miniaturized and now they take a form of the Walkman and supersize it.......because that’s the only way to reach their goals?

Unless the DMP Z1 is miniaturized.....next, which I think is the MO?


----------



## Kitechaser

Redcarmoose said:


> We always see when new car models come out every year and at times the options and body style changes are moot points. Small meaningless changes which seem to inspire some to change cars again.
> 
> I realize the DMP-Z1 is another statement products which says Sony is not concerned as much with marketing as being revolutionary in a technological sense. If anyone here understands that, you do; as your just as fascinated by the invention as the sound. And....too...it’s the Sony Engineering wing going on their own with some kind of wild corporate freedom enabling creativity on a different level. For so long Sony miniaturized and now they take a form of the Walkman and supersize it.......because that’s the only way to reach their goals?
> 
> Unless the DMP Z1 is miniaturized.....next, which I think is the MO?


DMP-Z1 will be miniaturized, oh you better believe it. That's truly something to look forward to. One day...


----------



## nanaholic

Kitechaser said:


> So I have been lurking on other threads for DAPs that have just recently come out, and it's full of Tidal this, Tidal that, this working, that not working, this app, that app, this mod, that software etc etc etc.
> Heat, cooling blocks, 5 hour battery.
> Does not sound like fun...
> 
> And the Sony stuff just gets out of the way and plays music......whew.



I feel that a lot of recent reviews are too concentrated on streaming/Tidal support that they often overlook very simple and basic usage such as creating playlists on the device itself or importing/reading a m3u playlist that was copied over from a PC. The majority of my music is stored on my PC/NAS and I use music management software (when you have over 7000 tracks and increasing I don't see how anyone can still use drag and drop to manage file transfer) to sync them to my DAPs, so it's essential that DAPs can support some form of easy/standardised syncing, yet I find many of the players outside of AK and Sony don't actually do these things well, and this is why I'm sticking to Sony Walkmans for the time being. It's a shame because I'm looking for a less expensive player with a different flavour to compliment my WM1Z and I see a lot of new players now supporting 4.4mm connection, but not nailing the UX is simply a deal breaker for me.


----------



## Lookout57

nanaholic said:


> I feel that a lot of recent reviews are too concentrated on streaming/Tidal support that they often overlook very simple and basic usage such as creating playlists on the device itself or importing/reading a m3u playlist that was copied over from a PC. The majority of my music is stored on my PC/NAS and I use music management software (when you have over 7000 tracks and increasing I don't see how anyone can still use drag and drop to manage file transfer) to sync them to my DAPs, so it's essential that DAPs can support some form of easy/standardised syncing, yet I find many of the players outside of AK and Sony don't actually do these things well, and this is why I'm sticking to Sony Walkmans for the time being. It's a shame because I'm looking for a less expensive player with a different flavour to compliment my WM1Z and I see a lot of new players now supporting 4.4mm connection, but not nailing the UX is simply a deal breaker for me.


Did you look at the ZX300? Sony sound and a 1/3 pf the WM1Z in cost.


----------



## dhc0329

I am wondering why Sony is not releasing the next generation totl daps as others do..it's been quite a while since they released wm1z. 
They have dmp-z1 but it's not considered portable.What's next for Sony?


----------



## phonomat

nanaholic said:


> I feel that a lot of recent reviews are too concentrated on streaming/Tidal support that they often overlook very simple and basic usage such as creating playlists on the device itself or importing/reading a m3u playlist that was copied over from a PC. The majority of my music is stored on my PC/NAS and I use music management software (when you have over 7000 tracks and increasing I don't see how anyone can still use drag and drop to manage file transfer) to sync them to my DAPs, so it's essential that DAPs can support some form of easy/standardised syncing, yet I find many of the players outside of AK and Sony don't actually do these things well, and this is why I'm sticking to Sony Walkmans for the time being. It's a shame because I'm looking for a less expensive player with a different flavour to compliment my WM1Z and I see a lot of new players now supporting 4.4mm connection, but not nailing the UX is simply a deal breaker for me.



What are you using? Media Go and/or something else?


----------



## djricekcn

nanaholic said:


> I feel that a lot of recent reviews are too concentrated on streaming/Tidal support that they often overlook very simple and basic usage such as creating playlists on the device itself or importing/reading a m3u playlist that was copied over from a PC. The majority of my music is stored on my PC/NAS and I use music management software (when you have over 7000 tracks and increasing I don't see how anyone can still use drag and drop to manage file transfer) to sync them to my DAPs, so it's essential that DAPs can support some form of easy/standardised syncing, yet I find many of the players outside of AK and Sony don't actually do these things well, and this is why I'm sticking to Sony Walkmans for the time being. It's a shame because I'm looking for a less expensive player with a different flavour to compliment my WM1Z and I see a lot of new players now supporting 4.4mm connection, but not nailing the UX is simply a deal breaker for me.


  What are you using cause MusicCenter is a really horrible piece of crap


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> I feel that a lot of recent reviews are too concentrated on streaming/Tidal support that they often overlook very simple and basic usage such as creating playlists on the device itself or importing/reading a m3u playlist that was copied over from a PC. The majority of my music is stored on my PC/NAS and I use music management software (when you have over 7000 tracks and increasing I don't see how anyone can still use drag and drop to manage file transfer) to sync them to my DAPs, so it's essential that DAPs can support some form of easy/standardised syncing, yet I find many of the players outside of AK and Sony don't actually do these things well, and this is why I'm sticking to Sony Walkmans for the time being. It's a shame because I'm looking for a less expensive player with a different flavour to compliment my WM1Z and I see a lot of new players now supporting 4.4mm connection, but not nailing the UX is simply a deal breaker for me.



I have over 35.000 tracks and just copy them all over once using Windows File Explorer, no need for music management software, and I've never seen the need for playlists, I'm so old school that I select an album and then play it end to end before selecting another album


----------



## Kitechaser

nc8000 said:


> I have over 35.000 tracks and just copy them all over once using Windows File Explorer, no need for music management software, and I've never seen the need for playlists, I'm so old school that I select an album and then play it end to end before selecting another album


Same here. Listen to full albums. Playlists feel disjointed, out of place.


----------



## Whitigir

Kitechaser said:


> Same here. Listen to full albums. Playlists feel disjointed, out of place.


Same here, listening to full albums.

What would you do if you were to listen on LP or tape ? Jump the tone arm ? Or FF ?


----------



## Leetransform25 (Jun 21, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> I have over 35.000 tracks and just copy them all over once using Windows File Explorer, no need for music management software, and I've never seen the need for playlists, I'm so old school that I select an album and then play it end to end before selecting another album





Kitechaser said:


> Same here. Listen to full albums. Playlists feel disjointed, out of place.





Whitigir said:


> Same here, listening to full albums.
> 
> What would you do if you were to listen on LP or tape ? Jump the tone arm ? Or FF ?


Finally, people who share the same opinion! I'm really not a fan of streaming services because a lot of them are based off of playlists, especially ones that include random songs I have no interest in or haven't even heard of (_cough_ looking at you Spotify, and that's not even the only one). Why not just listen to music by album, which is how they're supposed to be listened to? Really perplexes me.


----------



## Stealer

I, too listen to full album.
But, to randomly select an album will meant that some albums will never get play.
So i use the album mode and let the player plays in descending order &  in alphabetical order of the album title,
And i find that the same band/artiste will not be play consecutively..
Anyway, just enjoy the music which ever ways u prefer...have a nice day..


----------



## Quadfather

nc8000 said:


> I have over 35.000 tracks and just copy them all over once using Windows File Explorer, no need for music management software, and I've never seen the need for playlists, I'm so old school that I select an album and then play it end to end before selecting another album



I like I like to play the full album because that is the way the artist intended it to be presented to the public.  I really hate greatest hit albums, because you miss all the deep cuts.


----------



## nanaholic (Jun 21, 2019)

Lookout57 said:


> Did you look at the ZX300? Sony sound and a 1/3 pf the WM1Z in cost.



I owned the ZX300 before and sold it. I'm actually looking for something that is NOT Sony.



dhc0329 said:


> I am wondering why Sony is not releasing the next generation totl daps as others do..it's been quite a while since they released wm1z.
> They have dmp-z1 but it's not considered portable.What's next for Sony?



It's because Sony has to make their own S-Master chip for the Walkman instead of relying on AKM or Sabre to provide a solution (the portable DAC chips of AKM and Sabre are refreshed yearly but with very minor tweaks, usually just reducing features, a die shrink coupled with reduced power consumption from the big flagship desktop chip), and that takes time as lots of R&D is involved. Sony's position here is unique in the industry.



phonomat said:


> What are you using? Media Go and/or something else?





djricekcn said:


> What are you using cause MusicCenter is a really horrible piece of crap



I use Media Go and MusicBee.



nc8000 said:


> I have over 35.000 tracks and just copy them all over once using Windows File Explorer, no need for music management software, and I've never seen the need for playlists, I'm so old school that I select an album and then play it end to end before selecting another album





Whitigir said:


> Same here, listening to full albums.
> 
> What would you do if you were to listen on LP or tape ? Jump the tone arm ? Or FF ?



I add new music pretty much every couple of weeks as I still buy lots of CDs and downloads, so I set up automatic playlists which will automatically categorise my music according to dates it is added, what artists it is, series, and I tag them with like/dislike. I listen to single tracks more than the entire album because modern music are mostly individually made rather than being a "full album" with a continous theme/story. I'm a tech guy so I want my gadgets to actually have these automated functions instead of wasting my own time to manually do it if I'm using a digital piece of equipment that has a powerful CPU in it. If I'm doing analog (vinyl or tubes) then I'll take all the quirks it has that is associated with an analog media because that's also part of the experience, but a DAP (DIGITAL audio player) should be as convenient as possible.


----------



## captblaze

if you happen to enjoy the work of Frank Vincent Zappa, I would suggest the album shown in the picture. it is from the Chicago 78 shows. recorded and mixed in 78, remixed in 2014 and released in 2016. I do believe the mastering was done by Bob Ludwig and is a surprisingly good live recording. and it is brought to my ears courtesy of the folks at Sony (with an assist from UE -silver cable- and KZ). I got lost for a few hours and didn't even care where the time went. and for those who will discount Mr. Zappa and his unique talents please listen to him spend  almost 8 minutes making his guitar do his talking


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> I owned the ZX300 before and sold it. I'm actually looking for something that is NOT Sony.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Fair enough. I also continue to buy and rip cd's every few weeks and just copy the new music to the 1Z and then access it via the Recently added group. Also I very rarely buy "modern music"


----------



## SteelerFan58

nc8000 said:


> Fair enough. I also continue to buy and rip cd's every few weeks and just copy the new music to the 1Z and then access it via the Recently added group. Also I very rarely buy "modern music"



Count me in for listening to an entire album.  There's just something cathartic about choosing just the right album at just the right time.  The way one song transitions into the next is an experience unto itself.  I leave the playlists for my kids and their generation.

Meanwhile the pairing of the WM1Z with the Z1R is just sublime, regardless of the content.


----------



## raymogi

Ok I'm officially a Sony fanboy now. Just placed my order on the WM1Z and MDR-Z1R. Both coming next weekend!

I actually love the Sony sound sig. Love it on the Z1 and would love something similar to it when I'm on the go.


----------



## SteelerFan58 (Jun 22, 2019)

Dogs and wife sleeping.  My late Friday night date.  Priceless.


----------



## proedros

one more albums listener here , like someone said playing random tracks is probably an ipod/kids thing

i hav the utmost respect for people who understand what went through making an album and having the patience to sit and listen all of it

this 'play random tracks' thing , i never got it - but maybe i am a 70s mentality person (although i grew up in the 90s)


----------



## Redcarmoose

SteelerFan58 said:


> Count me in for listening to an entire album.  There's just something cathartic about choosing just the right album at just the right time.  The way one song transitions into the next is an experience unto itself.  I leave the playlists for my kids and their generation.
> 
> Meanwhile the pairing of the WM1Z with the Z1R is just sublime, regardless of the content.





SteelerFan58 said:


> Dogs and wife sleeping.  My late Friday night date.  Priceless.



1Z and IER-Z1R was my combo today! It IS amazing! I’m starting to realize that Megadeth was always better than Metallica all along?


----------



## Redcarmoose

raymogi said:


> Ok I'm officially a Sony fanboy now. Just placed my order on the WM1Z and MDR-Z1R. Both coming next weekend!
> 
> I actually love the Sony sound sig. Love it on the Z1 and would love something similar to it when I'm on the go.



You may be occupied/engaged.....after all that? Lol!


----------



## raymogi

Redcarmoose said:


> You may be occupied......after all that? Lol!



I'm done for now.



Until I see that new 64audio IEM


----------



## gerelmx1986

I Use music bee


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am.also a sony fan  I have the MDR-Z1R,  IER-Z1R  and wm1A


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> one more albums listener here , like someone said playing random tracks is probably an ipod/kids thing
> 
> i hav the utmost respect for people who understand what went through making an album and having the patience to sit and listen all of it
> 
> this 'play random tracks' thing , i never got it - but maybe i am a 70s mentality person (although i grew up in the 90s)



Well to be fair in the history of recorded and consumed music the “the single track” thing by far predates the album given that 78 rpm records at most played up to about 10 minutes and also the 45 rpm single. The reason I’m “indoctrinated” to albums is that I grew up with classical music where a single piece usually filled one or more 33 rpm records and I’ve just stayed with that mindset


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 22, 2019)

That’s my issue.....waking up to music at 11-12 years old......the long play album was the pushed format. Research has explained that Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin actually wrote music around the fact that the songs would be joined to a bigger group in listening perception. Going back now 50 years.....you can now analyze the fact that the songs were designed to add contrast and expand the listening session. You could not simply put random songs, like a greatest hit package and make it work the same. In the mid 1970s radio stations continued to reinforce the concept by playing album sides or full albums. LPs must have cost more offering the music industry more profit from each sale. They even tried to extend it to two LPs when KISS ALIVE became the best selling concert recording in history. It was all about making greater impact. The Beatles Sgt Pepper’s was not a double album but was the first LP to offer a gatefold. In sold music it seems bigger is better. Though the teens spending in the 1950s could only afford 45s......thus it worked well for the times. Though the smartest folks continued to make 45s and LPs and offer separate music on each forcing the real fans to buy everything.


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 22, 2019)

This bugs me out a lot...why is this photo from Sony showing 1A with WAV and album art.  It means the Walkman can show it...


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> This bugs me out a lot...why is this photo from Sony showing 1A with WAV and album art



My guess would be a seperate jpg file in the same directory as the wav file


----------



## nanaholic (Jun 22, 2019)

proedros said:


> one more albums listener here , like someone said playing random tracks is probably an ipod/kids thing



It isn't.

The CD was introduced to the market in 1982, with it was the ability to skip to any track in an instant which pre-dates ipods by a couple of decades. Also radios never plays the entire album. This isn't a "modern kids thing" at all.

Also in the 70s/80s people mix their own cassette tapes, which is essentially creating their own playlists. Then there are jukeboxes which also plays single tracks. Playing single tracks/music in any order to suit person preference is not a new thing at all, I'd argue it is as old as music itself when people can "order" which song to hear around the village fire. Actually listening to an entire album is probably the newer invention.


----------



## proedros

i too grew up listening to radio and even making rough mixtapes by coping songs on the fly from it (when i was like 10-12 years old) but after 15-16 when i started focusing on rock music i became an albums person - and have never looked back

in fact my wm1a has only full albums , and it's always a nice challenge finding albums that can be heard start-to-finish without skipping a track (and i have found quite a few)

there is something magic about building a cohesive/immersive atmosphere by listening a great album start-to-finish, that no 'fragmented' mixtape ever gave me

but i understand if someone likes listening to random tracks


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Well to be fair in the history of recorded and consumed music the “the single track” thing by far predates the album given that 78 rpm records at most played up to about 10 minutes and also the 45 rpm single. The reason I’m “indoctrinated” to albums is that I grew up with classical music where a single piece usually filled one or more 33 rpm records and I’ve just stayed with that mindset


The same for me, I.am.an album mindset


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> My guess would be a seperate jpg file in the same directory as the wav file


I tried many things and still couldn’t get it to display the Art with WAV.....


----------



## captblaze

I spent many an evening in the 70's spinning albums while doing my homework. always start to finish and it was a big reason why I didn't flunk out. 

fast forward to now and I still rely on entire albums for enjoyable listening and I save the playlist stuff for when I exercise.


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> Well to be fair in the history of recorded and consumed music the “the single track” thing by far predates the album given that 78 rpm records at most played up to about 10 minutes and also the 45 rpm single. The reason I’m “indoctrinated” to albums is that I grew up with classical music where a single piece usually filled one or more 33 rpm records and I’ve just stayed with that mindset





proedros said:


> i too grew up listening to radio and even making rough mixtapes by coping songs on the fly from it (when i was like 10-12 years old) but after 15-16 when i started focusing on rock music i became an albums person - and have never looked back
> 
> in fact my wm1a has only full albums , and it's always a nice challenge finding albums that can be heard start-to-finish without skipping a track (and i have found quite a few)
> 
> ...



Yes, and with those CD reissues.....they put extra tracks which can possibly ruin the effect or at least put a damper on the time travel we are attempting.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, and with those CD reissues.....they put extra tracks which can possibly ruin the effect or at least put a damper on the time travel we are attempting.



When I rip such cd’s I always make sure any extra tracks are at the end so I first get the original album in correct order


----------



## Redcarmoose

I have been known to remove the future CD tracks entirely; going for authenticity.


----------



## fiascogarcia

I'm still not getting why, when you select all songs random,  you still tend to get the same songs like a top 100 radio station.  Any ideas why?


----------



## proedros

Redcarmoose said:


> I have been known to remove the future CD tracks entirely; going for authenticity.



i also do this , as 95% of the added tracks in special editions/reissues are either rough demos and/or remixes , which don't add up anything to the experience (imho)


----------



## jaker782

Whitigir said:


> I tried many things and still couldn’t get it to display the Art with WAV.....



I just had this issue with a WAV album.  Finally got it to display cover art by placing a non-progressive jpeg in the folder containing the WAV files and naming the jpeg the same as the folder name.  It seems the embedded jpegs in the ID tags of WAVs do not display, but a separate jpeg file does the trick.  At least this worked for me!


----------



## jaker782

Anyone have any impressions of WM1A with K-mod vs stock WM1Z?  A comparison with the new Cayin N6ii as far as tonality goes would also be very helpful.  I'm trying to make a decision.  Thanks!


----------



## fiascogarcia

jaker782 said:


> I just had this issue with a WAV album.  Finally got it to display cover art by placing a non-progressive jpeg in the folder containing the WAV files and naming the jpeg the same as the folder name.  It seems the embedded jpegs in the ID tags of WAVs do not display, but a separate jpeg file does the trick.  At least this worked for me!


How does one know if a jpeg is non progressive? Thanks!


----------



## nc8000

jaker782 said:


> I just had this issue with a WAV album.  Finally got it to display cover art by placing a non-progressive jpeg in the folder containing the WAV files and naming the jpeg the same as the folder name.  It seems the embedded jpegs in the ID tags of WAVs do not display, but a separate jpeg file does the trick.  At least this worked for me!



Yes the original spec for the wav format does not support tagging. Some apps and devices have unofficial tag support but it varies and Sony don’t seem to support it on the non Android players


----------



## nc8000

fiascogarcia said:


> How does one know if a jpeg is non progressive? Thanks!



Some editor programs will show the format. I use SnagIt and it shows the format


----------



## Whitigir

Can someone please show me exactly how to do this with WAV and directory art cover ? I couldn’t make it work .... X_X


----------



## nc8000 (Jun 22, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> Can someone please show me exactly how to do this with WAV and directory art cover ? I couldn’t make it work .... X_X



If your wav files are in a directory called “Mozart 21st symphony” the jpg file placed in that directory must be named “Mozart 21st symphony.jpg” and the jpg must be baseline


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> I tried many things and still couldn’t get it to display the Art with WAV.....


Hmm did you try mp3tag?


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hmm did you try mp3tag?



Wont work as the WM players don’t support wav tagging


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Can someone please show me exactly how to do this with WAV and directory art cover ? I couldn’t make it work .... X_X


----------



## captblaze

nc8000 said:


> If your wav files are in a directory called “Mozart 21st symphony” the jpg file placed in that directory must be named “Mozart 21st symphony.jpg” and the jpg must be baseline



works like a charm... thank you... now off to re rip my collection (for giggles)


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 22, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


>


I got it! Finally! oh my ghost ! I love you guys

Thank you @nc8000 @gerelmx1986 @captblaze @jaker782


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

jaker782 said:


> Anyone have any impressions of WM1A with K-mod vs stock WM1Z?  A comparison with the new Cayin N6ii as far as tonality goes would also be very helpful.  I'm trying to make a decision.  Thanks!


My WM1A has the Proj K mod done. And it was done last year when they used more strands... 8 core?
Anyway, it helps the WM1A close the gap with the WM1Z. There's a smudge more dimension ING and feels like the bottom end is more controlled. The background seems darker too. Heck, I haven't listen to a Z in a while so I'm going by memory here.
I think I posted my impressions here after I got the mod done. You can search for it.


----------



## phonomat

fiascogarcia said:


> I'm still not getting why, when you select all songs random,  you still tend to get the same songs like a top 100 radio station.  Any ideas why?


Interesting, I never tried that, but I had that issue with my CD player that always started with the same tracks when in shuffle mode, which used to confused me until I noticed that the shuffle function would just land on the longest tracks. Dunno if that makes sense in this case though.


----------



## northixora

I'd like to know whether the wh1000xm3 headphone on balanced cable will work on the wm1a?


----------



## tomaslam

Whitigir said:


> I got it! Finally! oh my ghost ! I love you guys
> 
> Thank you @nc8000 @gerelmx1986 @captblaze @jaker782


Hi, how can you get your device with battery percent like that????


----------



## nc8000

tomaslam said:


> Hi, how can you get your device with battery percent like that????



Might be from the DMP-Z1


----------



## nc8000

northixora said:


> I'd like to know whether the wh1000xm3 headphone on balanced cable will work on the wm1a?



Don’t think so, the cable plug is a normal TRS so only 3 conductors, you need 4 conductors for balanced. You could mod the phone by internally rewireing it and replacing the plug with a TRRS


----------



## Whitigir

tomaslam said:


> Hi, how can you get your device with battery percent like that????





nc8000 said:


> Might be from the DMP-Z1


Yes, it is from DMP-Z1, which makes me thinking it is possible to tinker with the coding in WM firmware to have it displayed with %.  You may want to ask @gerelmx1986 as he is a software engineer


----------



## northixora

nc8000 said:


> Don’t think so, the cable plug is a normal TRS so only 3 conductors, you need 4 conductors for balanced. You could mod the phone by internally rewireing it and replacing the plug with a TRRS



Thankyou. i cancelled my purchase., i don't think i'm ready to undertake such hassle


----------



## nc8000

northixora said:


> Thankyou. i cancelled my purchase., i don't think i'm ready to undertake such hassle



In my experience the XM3 actually sounds better via BT with LDAC than cabled


----------



## northixora (Jun 23, 2019)

i got that impressions too, but since i got one underutilized balanced cable (MUC-S12SB1), i'm looking for a headphones that compatible with it. The wh1000xm3 seems to tick all the checklist - got bluetooth and noise cancelling features etc but if if don't do balanced it's no used to me


----------



## Liono

https://amp.independent.ie/entertai...nged-the-way-we-listen-to-music-38239168.html

Pity the article stops after the ipod introduction!


----------



## Whitigir

I love WAV and just dropping any JPEG into it to have the art displayed! Awesome

The limitless possibilities


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> I love WAV and just dropping any JPEG into it to have the art displayed! Awesome
> 
> The limitless possibilities



hopefully this will allow you to fully evaluate this marvel of sonic engineering (I am interested in how well expectations were met, or not)


----------



## djricekcn

There's one question i kept meaning to ask but i keep forgetting cause i really use this app...but how do you make Music Center from creating a play list automatically?  Each time the app loads in a specific way, it seems to create a playlist int he playlist field by albums...which I don't really see the point of, but it keeps doing it anyway, regardless if i delete it.  unless if i'm overlooking, i can't find the damn options for it.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 23, 2019)

djricekcn said:


> There's one question i kept meaning to ask but i keep forgetting cause i really use this app...but how do you make Music Center from creating a play list automatically?  Each time the app loads in a specific way, it seems to create a playlist int he playlist field by albums...which I don't really see the point of, but it keeps doing it anyway, regardless if i delete it.  unless if i'm overlooking, i can't find the damn options for it.




You will probably find out most here have given up on the 2 programs. It’s increasingly time consuming; the more music you add. It’s starts to control you and waist time. Don’t think Sony even updates it anymore?

 I used to use it to both rip original CDs and load the Walkmans, but now I use other CD rippers and simply add folders and make playlists inside the Walkmans. My computers are not the fastest, but I can’t imagine anyone dealing with the prolonged waiting period? It’s one of the few Sony things I can’t even imagine people being happy with? It’s fully useless. Lol


----------



## djricekcn

Redcarmoose said:


> You will probably find out most here have given up on the 2 programs. It’s increasingly time consuming; the more music you add. It’s starts to control you and waist time. Don’t think Sony even updates it anymore?
> 
> I used to use it to both rip original CDs and load the Walkmans, but now I use other CD rippers and simply add folders and make playlists inside the Walkmans. My computers are not the fastest, but I can’t imagine anyone dealing with the prolonged waiting period? It’s one of the few Sony things I can’t even imagine people being happy with? It’s fully useless. Lol




Yeah, that's why I rarely use it, but I started using it again today because it appears there's some sort of new file update between today and last I used (which was few months ago) and appears I can now "Convert" JPGs to format that the Walkman picks up. (I got lazy changing the jpg formats to make the walkman display cause the process was too time taxing).


----------



## nanaholic

djricekcn said:


> There's one question i kept meaning to ask but i keep forgetting cause i really use this app...but how do you make Music Center from creating a play list automatically?  Each time the app loads in a specific way, it seems to create a playlist int he playlist field by albums...which I don't really see the point of, but it keeps doing it anyway, regardless if i delete it.  unless if i'm overlooking, i can't find the damn options for it.



Which version of Music Center are you using? Because Version 1 and Version 2 are very different programs.


----------



## djricekcn

nanaholic said:


> Which version of Music Center are you using? Because Version 1 and Version 2 are very different programs.


Probably 2 since I updated yesterday


----------



## joshuachew

Does anyone know the output impedance of the 1Z via balanced and unbalanced?


----------



## nc8000

joshuachew said:


> Does anyone know the output impedance of the 1Z via balanced and unbalanced?



Sony never tell, the designers are qouted saying that it is irrelevant


----------



## joshuachew

nc8000 said:


> Sony never tell, the designers are qouted saying that it is irrelevant


I actually think its quite relevant because I am hearing two very different sounds form the Balanced and Single Ended outputs of my 1Z with a 10 Ohm IEM


----------



## nc8000

joshuachew said:


> I actually think its quite relevant because I am hearing two very different sounds form the Balanced and Single Ended outputs of my 1Z with a 10 Ohm IEM



Well balanced and single ended does sound different but that might not have anything to do with impedance but because of the different circuits and topologies


----------



## ayang02

https://www.sony.co.jp/united/walkman40th/

July 1st it is


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 25, 2019)

ayang02 said:


> https://www.sony.co.jp/united/walkman40th/
> 
> July 1st it is



Wow!


----------



## nanaholic

djricekcn said:


> Probably 2 since I updated yesterday



For Version 2 the software automatically picks up playlist files that is placed inside the music library folder. If you forgot what folder it is just go to Settings > Import File and on the right panel you should see a list of folders under the heading "Set the folder for performing auto import". Just navigate to that folder and remove any m3u/m3u8 playlists and they won't show up again.


----------



## NickleCo

ayang02 said:


> https://www.sony.co.jp/united/walkman40th/
> 
> July 1st it is


Interesting to say the least. Will be following the site from now on.


----------



## ayang02

Really hoping to see a TOTL DAP from Sony. A statement product for 40th anniversary please!


----------



## nc8000

ayang02 said:


> Really hoping to see a TOTL DAP from Sony. A statement product for 40th anniversary please!



It has previously been mentioned that the 40th would be a mid range device


----------



## kubig123

nc8000 said:


> It has previously been mentioned that the 40th would be a mid range device


Compared to what, the WM1Z or the DMP-Z1?


----------



## nc8000

kubig123 said:


> Compared to what, the WM1Z or the DMP-Z1?



Something in the ZX300 range but we’ll all know come Monday


----------



## ayang02

nc8000 said:


> It has previously been mentioned that the 40th would be a mid range device



Yes, I hope that's one of multiple devices to be announced. If we only get one mid range product for a substantial anniversary like this, that would be a letdown.

...Unless we're talking about a "mid range" DAP that can compete with the likes of Cayin N6ii, that would be pretty nice actually.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 25, 2019)

I wonder if it will be silver?


----------



## raymogi

Redcarmoose said:


> I wonder if it will be silver?



And I just bought a WM1Z


----------



## Redcarmoose

raymogi said:


> And I just bought a WM1Z



It may not be top tier? Still...... why wouldn’t it be?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> I wonder if it will be silver?


Or silver n' gold a mini DMP-1Z


----------



## raymogi

Redcarmoose said:


> It may not be top tier? Still...... why wouldn’t it be?



I mean gold > silver right?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 25, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Or silver n' gold a mini DMP-1Z



My wife just made one of those “wife faces”.

I don’t see one in my future?


----------



## NickleCo

nc8000 said:


> It has previously been mentioned that the 40th would be a mid range device


I see....


----------



## proedros

if you were SONY , what price would you put on your anniversary 40th DAP ?

zx300 is like 600$ , wm1a is like 1200$ , wm1z is like 3200$

so maybe put something in the 2000$ area ?

we'll know in 1 week


----------



## gerelmx1986

I can say the overall performance of.muwic center has improved, still a bit slow but way better than before the 2019 release


----------



## KuroKitsu

proedros said:


> if you were SONY , what price would you put on your anniversary 40th DAP ?
> 
> zx300 is like 600$ , wm1a is like 1200$ , wm1z is like 3200$
> 
> ...


Probably at couple hundred A45 limited ed or something.


----------



## proedros

it's gonna be a WM1x model , probably

maybe WM1S , as S(ony) ?


----------



## NickleCo

Or maybe WM40th? I'd commend Sony if this was the case.


----------



## Saraband

Confession:  I have a WM1A and just want an excuse to drop a lot of cash on a super high-end Sony DAP that's newer and does cooler stuff than the WM1Z, but it sounds like that's a long shot.


----------



## Kitechaser (Jun 25, 2019)

Its a ZX300 successor. Now the question is, how far off from the WM1A does it sound?
Is it the WM1A in a ZX300 size or better????
That would be very interesting...


----------



## captblaze

The question I have is the 40th  Anni. going to have native streaming capability? Not necessary for me, but may make others happy


----------



## nc8000

captblaze said:


> The question I have is the 40th  Anni. going to have native streaming capability? Not necessary for me, but may make others happy



I doubt it but we'll see Monday


----------



## bana

nanaholic said:


> For Version 2 the software automatically picks up playlist files that is placed inside the music library folder. If you forgot what folder it is just go to Settings > Import File and on the right panel you should see a list of folders under the heading "Set the folder for performing auto import". Just navigate to that folder and remove any m3u/m3u8 playlists and they won't show up again.



Nanaholic,
You are my hero, so save me again.
I never changed from Media Go, so I decided to make the plunge after looking at the last comments.

Now that I switched, /i have albums missing artwork, missing albums, do I have to go thru my entire library to fix?
Thanks,


----------



## Leetransform25

ayang02 said:


> https://www.sony.co.jp/united/walkman40th/
> 
> July 1st it is


Holy crap, so soon! Do we know how many devices they'll announce? I'm hoping for a new mid-range and new TOTL DAPs but whatever it is it'll probably make my purchase of the ZX300 3 months ago no longer worth it. The suspense!


----------



## nc8000

Leetransform25 said:


> Holy crap, so soon! Do we know how many devices they'll announce? I'm hoping for a new mid-range and new TOTL DAPs but whatever it is it'll probably make my purchase of the ZX300 3 months ago no longer worth it. The suspense!



Well the ZX300 don’t suddenly become worse just because something new comes out


----------



## NickleCo

Sony low key building hype unlike others who are showing off at every possible opportunity (these kind'f hype usually ends up with underwhelming end produts).


----------



## Liono

This new one better be comparable to the 1A or I'll be getting that. Not replacing my ZX1 with something similar to the ZX300.


----------



## NickleCo

Man the more i spend time with the effects of the wm1a and the mdr 1a, the more im falling in love with it! Keeping the eq untouched DSEE HX on standard, DC Phase Linearizer at type A low and arm resonance for the vinyl processor. Although the bass is quite prominant it adds to the overall lush analogue-esque presentation.


----------



## Lookout57

I don't see anything about a product announcements in this translated text:

The Walkman, which was born on July 1, 1979, has created a new music experience that lets you enjoy good music anytime, anywhere.

Walkman is the symbol of Sony's challenge, providing an inspiring music experience. 
If the time you use Walkman has brought about some positive changes to everyone, we have no more pleasure than this.

This special site is for those who love Walkman. What kind of time and change did the Walkman bring to them? What is the influence of the appearance of the Walkman on the world of music? And I will explore how to enjoy music from now on.


----------



## nanaholic (Jun 26, 2019)

bana said:


> Nanaholic,
> You are my hero, so save me again.
> I never changed from Media Go, so I decided to make the plunge after looking at the last comments.
> 
> ...



Embedded album art from Media Go should just show up on Music Center, unless you have files which don't support album art like WAV files.

Media Go is similar to iTunes in that it also stores album art on a separate internal database, so even for formats which don't support it it will show/remember artwork, but as far as I know Music Center doesn't do that now. On the other hand Muisc Center now has the ability to fetch album art work off the internet for any files that are in the library if you go into the file tag properties (whereas Media Go only allows you to this for CD ripping), so you can try this feature and see how that goes.


----------



## DonIsGood

DatDudeNic said:


> Sony low key building hype unlike others who are showing off at every possible opportunity (these kind'f hype usually ends up with underwhelming end produts).



Can't agree more, Sony's lack of advertising also contributes to the demise of their Xperia mobile business...

Not intending to be negative but in consideration of Walkman's 20th and 30th Anniversary, https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press_Archive/199907/99-059/ and https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/07/sonys-w-series-walkman-now-dubbed-30th-anniversary-walkman/, respectively; I won't be holding my breath for anything high end, unfortunately... (hope I am wrong though)


----------



## Leetransform25

nc8000 said:


> Well the ZX300 don’t suddenly become worse just because something new comes out


That's true, but if it's a ZX300 successor I could have simply held off my purchase of the 300 and waited for this instead. I feel like the WM1A deserves an update the most though because sound wise it's quite similar to the ZX300, from what some have said anyway


----------



## djricekcn

Zx300 doesn't sound the same or similar to me.  What's similar to those who say it is?


----------



## Leetransform25

djricekcn said:


> Zx300 doesn't sound the same or similar to me.  What's similar to those who say it is?


I haven't tried the WM1A myself, but according to others there _is _improvement in the 1A such as soundstage and detail, but it is not substantial enough to justify the extra $500 (then again that's kind of what to expect when it comes to the Law of DR). If the 1A was sonically improved however, it would give those who find the two similar a reason to get a 1A than a ZX300


----------



## Kitechaser

Quick question.
Can I go 4.4mm to RCA, directly into an amp that is powering full size speakers?
So basically I am asking, can I use the WM1A as a preamp and DAC?
Any reasons not to use this? At least temporarily.


----------



## Kitechaser (Jun 29, 2019)

I have owned both the ZX300 and the WM1A.
The 1A has a wider/deeper soundstage, better resolution, extended treble, bass has more definition and accuracy, micro details pop more, instrument separation is better.
Is it worth the extra money??
Depends on you really.
Do they sound the same? Absolutely not.
Similar? Yes in a way, the Sony house sound is recognizable.

Add: the WM1A with firmware 3.01 to me is in the upper echelon of DAPs. It all comes down to your sound preferences at this point.


----------



## nc8000

Kitechaser said:


> Quick question.
> Can I go 4.4mm to RCA, directly into an amp that is powering full size speakers?
> So basically I am asking, can I use the WM1A as a preamp and DAC?
> Any reasons not to use this? At least temporarily.



No I don’t think so as 4.4 is balanced and rca line is single ended as far as I know but you can go from 3.5 to rca


----------



## Kitechaser (Jun 29, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> No I don’t think so as 4.4 is balanced and rca line is single ended as far as I know but you can go from 3.5 to rca


https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/4-4mm-to-rca-cable.html

This cable is 4.4mm to RCA. And seems to do what I am thinking of using it for.
I dont know if it's a good idea, double amping and all.

Last thing I wanna do is damage my speakers or dap.


----------



## nc8000

Kitechaser said:


> https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/4-4mm-to-rca-cable.html
> 
> This cable is 4.4mm to RCA. And seems to do what I am thinking of using it for.
> I dont know if it's a good idea, double amping and all.
> ...



I assume it’s allright then, I’m just surprised as I thought all grounds inside the amp got joined


----------



## Kitechaser (Jun 29, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> I assume it’s allright then, I’m just surprised as I thought all grounds inside the amp got joined


I guess I'll give it a shot. Hopefully nothing blows up 

Add: I see what you are saying about grounds being connected. That might short out my DAP. Is that right?


----------



## nc8000

Kitechaser said:


> I guess I'll give it a shot. Hopefully nothing blows up
> 
> Add: I see what you are saying about grounds being connected. That might short out my DAP. Is that right?



That’s what I would have thought might happen


----------



## Kitechaser

nc8000 said:


> That’s what I would have thought might happen


I'll just go 3.5mm to RCA. Don't wanna take a chance. 
Ill be getting my standalone DAC/preamp shortly anyways, don't want to risk damaging my WM1A. 


Thanks for your help, appreciate it


----------



## bana

nc8000 said:


> That’s what I would have thought might happen




Amazon.com_ 50CM HiFi Cable 16 Cores Hybrid 8+8 Silver Plated Cable 4.4mm Balanced to 2 RCA Male Headphone Audio Adapter for Sony NW-WM1Z 1A MDR-Z1R TA-ZH1ES PHA-2A_ Home Audio & Theater

I bought this cable and have been using it for about a 18 months on my amp. No problem,


----------



## nc8000

bana said:


> Amazon.com_ 50CM HiFi Cable 16 Cores Hybrid 8+8 Silver Plated Cable 4.4mm Balanced to 2 RCA Male Headphone Audio Adapter for Sony NW-WM1Z 1A MDR-Z1R TA-ZH1ES PHA-2A_ Home Audio & Theater
> 
> I bought this cable and have been using it for about a 18 months on my amp. No problem,



Either there is something I don’t understand or there is some sort of protection circuit in the dap


----------



## buzzlulu

Is it this cable?

https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Headphone-Adapter-NW-WM1Z-TA-ZH1ES/dp/B071Y6Q9Q8

If so I return to previous discussions in this thread where it "appears" that the 1Z can be used as a DAC which can provide analogue out into an amplifier.  I believe I recall that the volume needs to be set zero?  I do not remember previous discussions in this thread if the output can be taken from the 4.4 or if it needs to come from the 3.5?

I would love to be able to have my iPhone connected to my 1Z (as I currently do with the Apple CCK), stream Tidal, and go from the 1Z out (4.4 or 3.5) into a Stax 353X amplifier.

Is this possible?


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> Is it this cable?
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Headphone-Adapter-NW-WM1Z-TA-ZH1ES/dp/B071Y6Q9Q8
> 
> ...



Yes that will be possible. The volume has to be set to whatever you feel gives the best sound. You will be double amping as these daps can’t give a pure analog line out


----------



## Kitechaser

bana said:


> Amazon.com_ 50CM HiFi Cable 16 Cores Hybrid 8+8 Silver Plated Cable 4.4mm Balanced to 2 RCA Male Headphone Audio Adapter for Sony NW-WM1Z 1A MDR-Z1R TA-ZH1ES PHA-2A_ Home Audio & Theater
> 
> I bought this cable and have been using it for about a 18 months on my amp. No problem,


Okay sweet!!! I am not gonna short out my player, that's great to know. 
I'll put in an order for my wire. 
Thank you.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Jun 29, 2019)

​New case from FATBEAR for the WM1A/Z arrived yesterday and it looks pretty damn hardcore. Saw someone else post a pic of it here on Headfi and I went looking for it online.
Feels like a kind of TPU; it's semi rigid, not hard and brittle. Very well made, very clean lines and looks totally legit. Looks like it can take a 6ft drop to concrete with no problem. Around the connectors, the material looks like it's about 2mm thick.
Adds a bit of bulk but not much weight. Really makes the WM1A  look like a hardcore piece of military equipment.

Thicker than the BENKS clear TPU case and definitely protects more. Also the buttons are still very click, unlike the Dignis leather cases which leave the buttons very mushy.

Found it on Amazon.com but got it cheaper off Aliexpress here for just over US$10:
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/Y2WwJXE
Available in black and grey.

Enjoy. It's now my daily beater case, replacing my leather Dignis that just over a year old. Despite the added bulk, it still fits in the Van Nuys carrier for the WM1A.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

nc8000 said:


> Yes that will be possible. The volume has to be set to whatever you feel gives the best sound. You will be double amping as these daps can’t give a pure analog line out



I understand that double amping isn't a desirable thing. And I've seen quite a few posts that seem to imply the WM1A/Z is somehow inadequate because they don't provide a line out.
But I've also seen more than one reference to  literature that quotes the Sony engineers who describe how they designed the A/Z to function this way.
So my conclusion is that... While double amping is bad, Sony made something that was clean enough so you could double amp without the artifacts.

That's been on my mind for a while since I ran it through the WA7 via 3.5mm to RCA with no issues for a long while. And now, I've gone and ordered an Oriolus BA300s tube amp that does away with a volume control entirely and makes you use the WM1A'S own volume control:
https://www.en.oriolus.jp/product-page/ba300s-jp-version-g4

I'll let you know what it sounds like when it arrives. First saw it mentioned here:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/oriolus-ba300s.23342/reviews

The supplied interconnect also caught my eye


The extra 3.5mm jack helps ground the signal to reduce any background hum... This is well beyond my understanding of the electronic wizardry at play so I'll just fall back on my faith that Sony knows its crap and made a kick ass player and Oriolus is making a cool portable balanced 4.3mm tube amp.

Oohhh... Pretty lights...


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Jun 29, 2019)

Oh btw, does anyone have the Dignis limited edition case for the WM1A/Z and is using it on a daily basis? You know, this one:


I'd like to know how well the baby blue holds up to dirt and staining. How does yours look now? Is it still nice looking or does it look like something that got left behind after Armageddon?

I still have mine in the box. It looked awesome in the pictures so I ordered one, but when it arrived, I took one look at the leather and the shade of blue, and I was sure it wouldn't age well. The red one I've used for over a year is fantastic. I can clean it and oil it and the patina on it is just great. Not so sure the blue one will hold up as well. At this rate, I might as well sell it off.


----------



## nc8000

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I understand that double amping isn't a desirable thing. And I've seen quite a few posts that seem to imply the WM1A/Z is somehow inadequate because they don't provide a line out.
> But I've also seen more than one reference to  literature that quotes the Sony engineers who describe how they designed the A/Z to function this way.
> So my conclusion is that... While double amping is bad, Sony made something that was clean enough so you could double amp without the artifacts.
> 
> ...



Yes the headphone out is very clean so there is very little if any bad effect from the double amping with these players


----------



## buzzlulu

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> But I've also seen more than one reference to  literature that quotes the Sony engineers who describe how they designed the A/Z to function this way.



I also remember somewhere in this thread, WAY back, someone referencing this quote from the Sony engineers as well.  I also seem to remember someone said to set the volume to 0.

I wonder which output is better - 4.4 or 3.5 into a pair of RCA's into an amp?

Any other high quality cable options (4.4/3.5 >> RCA) other than the one linked to in Amazon?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

buzzlulu said:


> I also remember somewhere in this thread, WAY back, someone referencing this quote from the Sony engineers as well.  I also seem to remember someone said to set the volume to 0.
> 
> I wonder which output is better - 4.4 or 3.5 into a pair of RCA's into an amp?
> 
> Any other high quality cable options (4.4/3.5 >> RCA) other than the one linked to in Amazon?


Volume to 0 means no signal out. The recommendation was to turn on high gain and put volume to max


----------



## meomap

Hi,
Does anyone in here use 1Z with Sony WH1000Xm3  NC BT hp yet?
Mine some how could not connect even two units are right next to one another. Did I miss anything?
Fw still 1.20

Connected to Note9 is perfect.
Used LDAC.
Sounds pretty ok.

Thank you in advance.


----------



## jasonho

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Oh btw, does anyone have the Dignis limited edition case for the WM1A/Z and is using it on a daily basis?
> I'd like to know how well the baby blue holds up to dirt and staining. How does yours look now? Is it still nice looking or does it look like something that got left behind after Armageddon?



you can check out mine and decide for yourself


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

jasonho said:


> you can check out mine and decide for yourself


Ooh... It looks... A little... Green...
Care to flip her over?


----------



## nc8000

meomap said:


> Hi,
> Does anyone in here use 1Z with Sony WH1000Xm3  NC BT hp yet?
> Mine some how could not connect even two units are right next to one another. Did I miss anything?
> Fw still 1.20
> ...



Yes I’ve be using that combo no problem though for that use I bought the A45 as I can hear no difference between the 2 over LDAC. Have you enabled NFC on the 1Z ?


----------



## nanaholic (Jun 30, 2019)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> The recommendation was to turn on high gain and put volume to max



I don't know where this recommendation comes from, but it's definitely not from Sony engineers and is pretty bad advice in general.

Sony engineers usually recommends NORMAL gain unless you are connecting to a very difficult to drive headphone load - which an external amp isn't a load so it's not going to be their recommendation, and max volume on any output is usually going to distort because amps just aren't designed to work at max output. When you are connecting to an external amp the aim is to have the cleanest output, so maximum volume on the source is not a good idea just by common sense. You want the external amp to do the heavy lifting (that's why you are connecting an external amp in the first place), so why are you putting so much burden on the source?

The best recommendation is actually normal gain at about 90% maximum volume.


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> I don't know where this recommendation comes from, but it's definitely not from Sony engineers and is pretty bad advice in general.
> 
> Sony engineers usually recommends NORMAL gain unless you are connecting to a very difficult to drive headphone load - which an external amp isn't a load so it's not going to be their recommendation, and max volume on any output is usually going to distort because amps just aren't designed to work at max output. When you are connecting to an external amp the aim is to have the cleanest output, so maximum volume on the source is not a good idea just by common sense. You want the external amp to do the heavy lifting (that's why you are connecting an external amp in the first place), so why are you putting so much burden on the source?
> 
> The best recommendation is actually normal gain at about 90% maximum volume.



It has over the years with almost all players I’ve encountered where you use the hadphone out as a line out been the standard recommandation to use the highest possible output on the player and then use the external amp for volume control


----------



## nanaholic (Jun 30, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> It has over the years with almost all players I’ve encountered where you use the hadphone out as a line out been the standard recommandation to use the highest possible output on the player and then use the external amp for volume control



Old folk wisdom is not always correct. You update your knowledge when new information is available.

If you just go see actual measurements of even TOTL players, maximum volume always introduce a bit of distortion. So it can't be good advice.

Also I know Sony engineers says for their device - even their most high end DMP-Z1, high gain is a bit more course and less ideal than normal gain which is why they always recommend using normal gain unless you are driving a difficult load and you REALLY need that extra power.


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> Old wisdom is not always correct. You update your knowledge when new information is available.
> 
> If you just go see actual measurements of even TOTL players, maximum volume always introduce a bit of distortion. So it can't be good advice.



Well the best advice must be that each individual finds the balance they find sounds best for them


----------



## meomap

nc8000 said:


> Yes I’ve be using that combo no problem though for that use I bought the A45 as I can hear no difference between the 2 over LDAC. Have you enabled NFC on the 1Z ?


Will test it tonight. Thanks.


----------



## buzzlulu

I really think that somewhere I read an interview with Sony engineers where this issue about outputting from the 1Z was discussed???


----------



## LeFaucon (Jun 30, 2019)

buzzlulu said:


> I really think that somewhere I read an interview with Sony engineers where this issue about outputting from the 1Z was discussed???



https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-919 ?

https://www.sony.jp/walkman/special/flagship/manufacturer/interview04.html : Google translate is your friend...


----------



## buzzlulu

Thanks for that.  I read it in its entirety with Translator however did not find anything which commented on how to use the 1Z as an analog out.

I did find this however, item #12, which SPECIFICALLY states not to use the BALANCED port out

https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449016.html


----------



## LeFaucon

LeFaucon said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-919 ?





buzzlulu said:


> Thanks for that.  I read it in its entirety with Translator however did not find anything which commented on how to use the 1Z as an analog out.
> 
> I did find this however, item #12, which SPECIFICALLY states not to use the BALANCED port out
> 
> https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449016.html



Yes you are right : it’s clearly indicated 

« If you use an audio cable to connect the headphone jack (Balanced Standard) to the line-in jack of an audio device, it may damage the device. «


----------



## buzzlulu

So now we are back to the original question if the SINGLE ENDED output can be used for analog out?


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> So now we are back to the original question if the SINGLE ENDED output can be used for analog out?



As someone mentioned earlier the 4.4 seems to work even though it shouldn’t and the 3.5 definately works. I’ve used the 4.4 out to 2x3-pin balanced when I had a big balanced amp and that worked fine as well


----------



## nc8000

Going simple these days as it is too hot with the Z1R


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Going simple these days as it is too hot with the Z1R


Same for me 40 C here in DE


----------



## kalo86

Hello guys, maybe my question is a little bit off topic, but I would like to know how the Sony IER-Z1R pairs with the WM1A. I have the Sony ZX300 and I would like to try them.


----------



## gerelmx1986

kalo86 said:


> Hello guys, maybe my question is a little bit off topic, but I would like to know how the Sony IER-Z1R pairs with the WM1A. I have the Sony ZX300 and I would like to try them.


Very very good pairing, level of resolution and details is crazy, the bass texture is superb. Sounsrage is gargantuan and also instrument separation very very well


----------



## kalo86

gerelmx1986 said:


> Very very good pairing, level of resolution and details is crazy, the bass texture is superb. Sounsrage is gargantuan and also instrument separation very very well


I plan to use the IER-Z1R through the balanced output, do you think that the 200mW power output of the ZX300 will be enough? I don't think that the 250mW of the WM1A will make the difference (only +50mW more with respect to the ZX300).


----------



## Whitigir

LeFaucon said:


> Yes you are right : it’s clearly indicated
> 
> « If you use an audio cable to connect the headphone jack (Balanced Standard) to the line-in jack of an audio device, it may damage the device. «



You guys are being confused.

That topic was in regarding of 4.4mm out into line in, and which line in typically is, is a single ended connection (3.5mm)

This is the question that had been answered many times by me and others...do never use balanced out to connect to single ended in...you will short out 2 active signals and that is L- and R- , that will damage your device.

Again, nothing is wrong with using 4.4mm as balanced to a balanced input on any device.  They are typically standard by XLR3 dual.

Never balanced to single ended


----------



## gerelmx1986

kalo86 said:


> I plan to use the IER-Z1R through the balanced output, do you think that the 200mW power output of the ZX300 will be enough? I don't think that the 250mW of the WM1A will make the difference (only +50mW more with respect to the ZX300).


I think it is enough, I prefer low gain,  feel that high gain makes the stage smaller and loses a bit of resolution


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 30, 2019)

So, why did Sony advice to only use 3.5mm out as a line-out source ? That is because typically Single ended can only be fed toward single-ended, and if any devices that can take in Balanced in, the signals are already split into 2 different channels, and each L- and R- even if shared with the ground potentials, can still be treated as an independent line of itself.  Under this circumstances, there should not be any short-out situation to potentially damage anything.

Virtually every devices that can take in balanced signals input will always have that extra board “single ended to balanced and to single ended” converter.  Therefore, it is almost fool proof to advice anyone to be able to use single ended 3.5m out into any balanced input just fine.  However, you can never use Balanced out toward any single ended in.  The signals of L- and R- is shorted right at your connectors.....and will damage your device.

So, this is the only rule and worth to keep in mind.  Always use the according connections (balanced to balanced and or single ended to single ended), and that is totally fool proof

This is a picture of a typical amplifier that can take in multiple inputs, which show the single ended to balanced to single ended converter


----------



## djricekcn

nc8000 said:


> Going simple these days as it is too hot with the Z1R


Do you use the Kimber for z1r or stock?


----------



## nc8000

djricekcn said:


> Do you use the Kimber for z1r or stock?



The Z1R have the Kimber Axios CU


----------



## NickL33

So is just a video tribute to walkman 40th anv. 

No new product


----------



## Whitigir

NickL33 said:


> So is just a video tribute to walkman 40th anv.
> 
> No new product


I am sure it will be something extraordinary , like a WM1Z with specials build quality ?


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> I am sure it will be something extraordinary , like a WM1Z with specials build quality ?



Something that sounds exactly like the NW - WM1Z with the output power of the LPG 2017 would be cool!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Jun 30, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> I am sure it will be something extraordinary , like a WM1Z with specials build quality ?


I still think the new device will be called a *WM1X
*
Or a *WM4O*! Like, four-oh!
<play tune from Hawaii Five-O>

Or *WM4X*!!


----------



## jasonho

Whitigir said:


> I am sure it will be something extraordinary , like a WM1Z with specials build quality ?



WM1Z-ti?   Sound like a good idea.  I thought it’s showing up somewhere on Sony website


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

jasonho said:


> WM1Z-ti?   Sound like a good idea.  I thought it’s showing up somewhere on Sony website


Oooh, titanium! I like that. How conductive is it compared to copper though?


----------



## jasonho

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Oooh, titanium! I like that. How conductive is it compared to copper though?



I heard the wm1z-ti sound signature is vastly difference from original 1z.  It’s so _*conductive*_ for classical and orchestra music that you can see the 3D image of the concert hall during playback. 

I think that will attract more people to buy the 1z-ti.


----------



## KEV G

A Ti 1Z........twice the price ? 
No thanks, I’ll stick with copper n gold lol


----------



## KurobaHeiji

Walkman 40th anniversary just something like this?


----------



## Liono

KurobaHeiji said:


> Walkman 40th anniversary just something like this?



Looks like purely an engraving service for the A series 

"Walkman marks the 40th anniversary on July 1, 2019 ® .
With gratitude to the patronage of our everyday customers, we will imprint a very popular character on the back of the A series that enjoy high-resolution, high-quality music (* 1).
Walkman ® has been loved just as many years with Disney "Mickey Mouse", you can choose your favorite character from the PEANUTS "Snoopy", and "Relax".
With characters who are enjoying in each style, now also music is much Walkman ® in.

[Service charge] 2,500 yen
[target product] Walkman ® A50 series (* 2): NW-A55, A55HN, A56HN, A57
[period limitation] until Monday, September 30, 2019 10:00"

nice find though


----------



## proedros

huge fail


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

KurobaHeiji said:


> Walkman 40th anniversary just something like this?


Such. A. Let. Down.

Oh well, back to my WM1A... I'm coming, baby... Daddy wasn't going to replace you.


----------



## siruspan

So the wait continuous.... Next stop: september


----------



## kenz

siruspan said:


> So the wait continuous.... Next stop: september



why september?


----------



## siruspan

kenz said:


> why september?



IFA 2019


----------



## Sp12er3

Well the date's changed, it's 1st of July now, HPB~?
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




Any news of a release?


----------



## blazinblazin

Here comes


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

blazinblazin said:


> Here comes



This seems to be all the launching there is.

*Sony holds 40th anniv. event for iconic Walkman music player*
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/...iv-event-for-iconic-walkman-music-player.html

*On Walkman's 40th anniversary, Sony opens retro exhibition in Ginza*
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2...ny-opens-retro-exhibition-ginza/#.XRodcLpGSaM


----------



## kenz

Nice walk down memory lane video.


----------



## bflat

LOL, I remember paying a lot of money for a tiny portable cassette player. I think it was a JVC and the size was not much bigger than a cassette case. I only spent that kind of money back then because I remember thinking "there is no way a portable music player can get smaller". For a while I thought I was right, especially when CDs came out. Yeah and wireless back then was FM radio LOL.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

from my collection...


----------



## KuroKitsu

proedros said:


> huge fail


Lol I mean Sony didn't say anything and given their history of releases....


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> LOL, I remember paying a lot of money for a tiny portable cassette player. I think it was a JVC and the size was not much bigger than a cassette case. I only spent that kind of money back then because I remember thinking "there is no way a portable music player can get smaller". For a while I thought I was right, especially when CDs came out. Yeah and wireless back then was FM radio LOL.



I had an Aiwa cassette player about that size with a set of Sennheiser HD414


----------



## RobertP

WM1Z Ti name would go nicely with my A18t. But titanium is better than copper for grounding? I don't think so.


----------



## RobertP (Jul 2, 2019)

Talk about Sony 40th anniversary. I found my Sony 20th anniversary D-EJ01 CD Walkman. Reminded me back when I was in college. Cassette tapes were harder to find and miniDisc Player were on horizon. I used to have MZ-R900S is gray color also. I wish I didn't sell it.


----------



## Kitechaser

My one and only WalkMan, this one is staying with me and I'll probably be posting pics of this on the 75th Anniversary


----------



## RobertP

When you put your wm1a away I the storage, don't forget to remove battery from the unit. Chemical leaks is a big no no.


----------



## Kitechaser

RobertP said:


> When you put your wm1a away I the storage, don't forget to remove battery from the unit. Chemical leaks is a big no no.


Sony sure did make swapping batteries hard on this sucker. 
But no storage here, this puppy is either gonna get stolen, or fall apart on me..
Long long before it ever sees the inside of storage box


----------



## ayang02

RobertP said:


> Talk about Sony 40th anniversary. I found my Sony 20th anniversary D-EJ01 CD Walkman. Reminded me back when I was in college. Cassette tapes were harder to find and miniDisc Player were on horizon. I used to have MZ-R900S is gray color also. I wish I didn't sell it.



Had the same exact model! I miss the slide-in mechanism! I got this right before going to high school along with a Sony E888 earbud. Gosh I miss both of these, wish I could buy another E888 earbud.


----------



## nc8000

RobertP said:


> When you put your wm1a away I the storage, don't forget to remove battery from the unit. Chemical leaks is a big no no.



Well my 1Z will never go into storage and anyway the battery is non removeable unless you use a solderin iron


----------



## gerelmx1986

Better to keep IER-Z1R  + MDR-Z1R  and sell wm1A? We got warned that if we don't pay the rent of 1720€ by 19.07 well be kicked out of the house


----------



## RobertP

ayang02 said:


> Had the same exact model! I miss the slide-in mechanism! I got this right before going to high school along with a Sony E888 earbud. Gosh I miss both of these, wish I could buy another E888 earbud.


I had that E888 too. Cable went bad near the headphone jack so I don't have them anymore.


----------



## RobertP

nc8000 said:


> Well my 1Z will never go into storage and anyway the battery is non removeable unless you use a solderin iron


You can charge battery around 30 to 50 percent and turn it off. Keep it in cool temperature. If I remember correctly, that is the best we can do for lithium ion batteries.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Better to keep IER-Z1R  + MDR-Z1R  and sell wm1A? We got warned that if we don't pay the rent of 1720€ by 19.07 well be kicked out of the house



That’s tough


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> That’s tough


I'm doing my best to get a job, he lost his job three months before so we owe four months of 430€ each. Before have told him, may I help you with the rent? He said not yet and now we are on the brink of being kicked out


----------



## fiascogarcia

gerelmx1986 said:


> I'm doing my best to get a job, he lost his job three months before so we owe four months of 430€ each. Before have told him, may I help you with the rent? He said not yet and now we are on the brink of being kicked out


Sell whatever you have to.  This hobby isn't worth losing your home over.  You can always buy more stuff once you get the rent thing straightened out.


----------



## cocolinho

fiascogarcia said:


> Sell whatever you have to.  This hobby isn't worth losing your home over.


It is just common sense ... I would feel culprit to own very expensive gear but not affording it .


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Better to keep IER-Z1R  + MDR-Z1R  and sell wm1A? We got warned that if we don't pay the rent of 1720€ by 19.07 well be kicked out of the house


Dude, that is tough! I am sure you will haul through it! Sell whatever you have to


----------



## KuroKitsu

Kitechaser said:


> My one and only WalkMan, this one is staying with me and I'll probably be posting pics of this on the 75th Anniversary


At my current rate of usage and charge cycles, I'm due for a replacement in..... a decade. Assuming that Music Santuary is still doing the mod, its getting a new battery. That will put it pretty close.


----------



## Whitigir

KuroKitsu said:


> At my current rate of usage and charge cycles, I'm due for a replacement in..... a decade. Assuming that Music Santuary is still doing the mod, its getting a new battery. That will put it pretty close.


Battery degrade overtime , do they ? Or is it related to how much usages you are using ?


----------



## KuroKitsu

Whitigir said:


> Battery degrade overtime , do they ? Or is it related to how much usages you are using ?


They're rated at charge cycles I think nowadays. I charged my WM1A about once a week (and a half depending) and unless I recall wrong the battery on the WM1A was rated to maintain the same level for 500 full charge cycles.


----------



## bflat

KuroKitsu said:


> They're rated at charge cycles I think nowadays. I charged my WM1A about once a week (and a half depending) and unless I recall wrong the battery on the WM1A was rated to maintain the same level for 500 full charge cycles.



Full charge cycle is from 0% to 100%. Just use your battery with saver mode enabled and don’t go below 20% and it will last much longer.


----------



## KuroKitsu

bflat said:


> Full charge cycle is from 0% to 100%. Just use your battery with saver mode enabled and don’t go below 20% and it will last much longer.


I charge at ~15%. Still better than my SE100, I eke every drop of battery between charges and it was needing a charge every 2 days or so.


----------



## krayzie

Just put the machine away with the battery charged at 40%. The Li-Ion battery shouldn't leak or expand if you keep the machine boxed in a cool area of storage away from the sun.


----------



## ddmt

krayzie said:


> Just put the machine away with the battery charged at 40%. The Li-Ion battery shouldn't leak or expand if you keep the machine boxed in a cool area of storage away from the sun.



Sounds right. The storage voltage for lipo is around 3.8volt. 40-50% should be around that voltage.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Looking at the service manual for 1A and 1Z, it is not easy to change the battery. 

I run on this practice... keep it juiced often but not for long and not above 80%. I have first gen iPhone, iPad, iPod all with strong battery still.


----------



## Kitechaser

HiFiGuy528 said:


> Looking at the service manual for 1A and 1Z, it is not easy to change the battery.
> 
> I run on this practice... keep it juiced often but not for long and not above 80%. I have first gen iPhone, iPad, iPod all with strong battery still.



The battery is actually not that hard to take out, that is if you are handy with the soldering iron. Would take less than 15 minutes to swap it out


----------



## djricekcn

I'm having a bit of an issue with one album i'm trying to transfer over..
"it plays fine on foobar, it plays fine on Music Center, but when i transfer over it to the Walkman, I get something in the nature of "Cannot play, incorrect format"   (original text is "再生できません未対応の形式です。)

It is a FLAC 
8Bit, 96kHZ
24 bit


----------



## Whitigir

Kitechaser said:


> The battery is actually not that hard to take out, that is if you are handy with the soldering iron. Would take less than 15 minutes to swap it out


Agreed, but you better know what you are doing, otherwise it is hard and especially you don’t want to puncture or short out the battery.  Where do people find service manual?


----------



## Kitechaser

Whitigir said:


> Agreed, but you better know what you are doing, otherwise it is hard and especially you don’t want to puncture or short out the battery.  Where do people find service manual?


I think it's on Sony's website. It has instructions on how to remove the back cover and the battery. 
There are videos that show the process, very similar to the WM series.


----------



## auronthas

bflat said:


> Full charge cycle is from 0% to 100%. Just use your battery with saver mode enabled and don’t go below 20% and it will last much longer.


Let's say weekly I charge my battery from 20% to 90% (battery saver mode) for a month, may i know how many full charge cycles will be counted?


----------



## Whitigir

Kitechaser said:


> I think it's on Sony's website. It has instructions on how to remove the back cover and the battery.
> There are videos that show the process, very similar to the WM series.



That look easy on zx1, the WM is more complicated, but still easy enough.  I don’t think you can find service manual at Sony website.


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> Let's say weekly I charge my battery from 20% to 90% (battery saver mode) for a month, may i know how many full charge cycles will be counted?



That would be 4 charges of 70% each so my guess would be that it would count as almost 3 charge cycles if the math works that way


----------



## gerelmx1986

djricekcn said:


> I'm having a bit of an issue with one album i'm trying to transfer over..
> "it plays fine on foobar, it plays fine on Music Center, but when i transfer over it to the Walkman, I get something in the nature of "Cannot play, incorrect format"   (original text is "再生できません未対応の形式です。)
> 
> It is a FLAC
> ...


Can  you elaborate? Why 8bit/24bit? Sony manual says flac 16 and 24 bit 44,1 to 384KHz


----------



## Lemieux66

Many posters are talking about battery power % - how do you know what % your battery is at? Mine just has four bars which gradually go down to zero with use. There is no % figure visible...


----------



## Kitechaser

Whitigir said:


> That look easy on zx1, the WM is more complicated, but still easy enough.  I don’t think you can find service manual at Sony website.


Here it is.
https://elektrotanya.com/sony_nw-wm1a_wm1z_ver.1.0.pdf/download.html#dl


----------



## auronthas

nc8000 said:


> That would be 4 charges of 70% each so my guess would be that it would count as almost 3 charge cycles if the math works that way


4*70% = 280%/100% = 2.8 ≈ 3 (sound right)


----------



## auronthas

Lemieux66 said:


> Many posters are talking about battery power % - how do you know what % your battery is at? Mine just has four bars which gradually go down to zero with use. There is no % figure visible...


Ain't there four bars in the battery symbol?  A quarter bar is approximately 25%; battery saver mode is 90% I read somewhere in this forum ?


----------



## djricekcn

gerelmx1986 said:


> Can  you elaborate? Why 8bit/24bit? Sony manual says flac 16 and 24 bit 44,1 to 384KHz


Just this one album music I can't get it to play for to bad format or something.  Plays fine a PC no matter what app I use. Include music centre


----------



## Lemieux66

auronthas said:


> Ain't there four bars in the battery symbol?  A quarter bar is approximately 25%; battery saver mode is 90% I read somewhere in this forum ?



That's right, just bars, no % figure. Yet people are talking about specific % figures. Are they guessing (if so how can they be that precise?) or is there a mode to change the display from bars to %?


----------



## auronthas

Lemieux66 said:


> is there a mode to change the display from bars to %?


Not that I know of.


----------



## nc8000

Lemieux66 said:


> That's right, just bars, no % figure. Yet people are talking about specific % figures. Are they guessing (if so how can they be that precise?) or is there a mode to change the display from bars to %?



There is no % only the four bars so the guess is each bar is 20-25% and battery saver is at 90%.


----------



## aisalen

When the battery indicator starts to blink it is 10% and when the battery is full it is 90% when saver battery feature is on. That is if my assumption is correct.


----------



## nc8000

aisalen said:


> When the battery indicator starts to blink it is 10% and when the battery is full it is 90% when saver battery feature is on. That is if my assumption is correct.



That’s way I’ve read several places and go by


----------



## bflat

auronthas said:


> Let's say weekly I charge my battery from 20% to 90% (battery saver mode) for a month, may i know how many full charge cycles will be counted?





auronthas said:


> 4*70% = 280%/100% = 2.8 ≈ 3 (sound right)



Battery life is a function of the number of equivalent cycles and what you consider as end of life. On the later, I see myself quite satisfied if my WM1z battery only manages 50% original capacity which still gives me 10+ hours of use. Others may consider end of life at 80% original capacity. Here is a predictive chart from batteryuniversity.com below:




 

Of course we should all remember that keeping batteries topped off for a long period of time dramatically shortens life and as does letting drained batteries remain uncharged for a long period of time.


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> Battery life is a function of the number of equivalent cycles and what you consider as end of life. On the later, I see myself quite satisfied if my WM1z battery only manages 50% original capacity which still gives me 10+ hours of use. Others may consider end of life at 80% original capacity. Here is a predictive chart from batteryuniversity.com below:
> 
> 
> 
> Of course we should all remember that keeping batteries topped off for a long period of time dramatically shortens life and as does letting drained batteries remain uncharged for a long period of time.



Is that chart up to 14.000 recharge cycles ?
Sony estimates the battery will last 500 cycles


----------



## bflat

nc8000 said:


> Is that chart up to 14.000 recharge cycles ?
> Sony estimates the battery will last 500 cycles



14,000 charges. The 500 cycle estimate from Sony is 100% to 0% full charge to discharge. What we don't know is what Sony considers end of life. Is it 80% original charge capacity? 50%?

The chart basically says if you charge less than full and discharge to more than empty, you will have a very long life depending on what you are willing to accept as % loss of original charge capacity. On a more practical example, Tesla owners are seeing about a 10% degradation in capacity in 4-5 years if they don't care about limiting charge/discharge. Those who use the 70-30% practice have seen 2X longevity before 10% degradation. But keep in mind, 10% is a big deal on a $100K car. What do most WM1a/z owners expect as usable life?

Personally, I have seen poor longevity of LiON batteries that had more to due with brand than charging practice. I've had many laptops and cheap ones from Dell, HP, IBM all need battery replacement after 3 years where they hold 50% or less original charge. Apple on the other hand does great. I have a MacBook Air that is 8 years old and just recently changed the battery when it held less than 50% life. I expect Sony to be on the higher end of battery quality.


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> 14,000 charges. The 500 cycle estimate from Sony is 100% to 0% full charge to discharge. What we don't know is what Sony considers end of life. Is it 80% original charge capacity? 50%?
> 
> The chart basically says if you charge less than full and discharge to more than empty, you will have a very long life depending on what you are willing to accept as % loss of original charge capacity. On a more practical example, Tesla owners are seeing about a 10% degradation in capacity in 4-5 years if they don't care about limiting charge/discharge. Those who use the 70-30% practice have seen 2X longevity before 10% degradation. But keep in mind, 10% is a big deal on a $100K car. What do most WM1a/z owners expect as usable life?
> 
> Personally, I have seen poor longevity of LiON batteries that had more to due with brand than charging practice. I've had many laptops and cheap ones from Dell, HP, IBM all need battery replacement after 3 years where they hold 50% or less original charge. Apple on the other hand does great. I have a MacBook Air that is 8 years old and just recently changed the battery when it held less than 50% life. I expect Sony to be on the higher end of battery quality.



I’m ecpecting at least 10 years with a weekly 10 to 90 charge and 20 hours play time per week and never turned off. I know germelex has nearly 7.000 hours play time on his and no much noticeable loss of capacity


----------



## Mal Waldron

In having a problem since I bought the DAP on January 2019. On many occasions, when I left the player on standby and started it again, the right side of the headphone, it's listened at a much lower level than the left, and I must remove and insert the connector to be heard correctly again. It's happening with the BA output, I have not used the SE for a long time, so I do not know if it will happen too. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance!


----------



## Whitigir

Mal Waldron said:


> In having a problem since I bought the DAP on January 2019. On many occasions, when I left the player on standby and started it again, the right side of the headphone, it's listened at a much lower level than the left, and I must remove and insert the connector to be heard correctly again. It's happening with the BA output, I have not used the SE for a long time, so I do not know if it will happen too. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance!


Someone else previously had similar issue, and the device needed a replacement.  Give your dealer or where you bought it from a call


----------



## Mal Waldron

Whitigir said:


> Someone else previously had similar issue, and the device needed a replacement.  Give your dealer or where you bought it from a call


 Thank you, I'll contact Amazon first...maybe I don't have to send the player to Sony.


----------



## djricekcn

I don't know if it's the flac format...... But does anyone know any hires flac to hiresflac coveter?   Read my previous post for the issue in seeing

Thanks.   It's an album I really want in right now but can't play it on Walkman only... Works with PC and other daps I have


----------



## Quadfather

djricekcn said:


> I don't know if it's the flac format...... But does anyone know any hires flac to hiresflac coveter?   Read my previous post for the issue in seeing
> 
> Thanks.   It's an album I really want in right now but can't play it on Walkman only... Works with PC and other daps I have



Maybe dbpoweramp?


----------



## nc8000

Quadfather said:


> Maybe dbpoweramp?



Yep, that’s what I use


----------



## RobertP

Be careful when change battery on wm1x especially ribbon cable. It gets damage easily.


----------



## gerelmx1986

djricekcn said:


> I don't know if it's the flac format...... But does anyone know any hires flac to hiresflac coveter?   Read my previous post for the issue in seeing
> 
> Thanks.   It's an album I really want in right now but can't play it on Walkman only... Works with PC and other daps I have


Db poweramp


----------



## Mal Waldron

Well, Amazon has offered me the refund of the money (778€ at Amazon Warehouse at "like new" condition). Now, I suppose, I will wait for a good deal to get it again.


----------



## Whitigir

Mal Waldron said:


> Well, Amazon has offered me the refund of the money (778€ at Amazon Warehouse at "like new" condition). Now, I suppose, I will wait for a good deal to get it again.


For a Wm1Z ? Wow....that price is crazy


----------



## Mal Waldron

Whitigir said:


> For a Wm1Z ? Wow....that price is crazy



No it was a Wm1A. The device was in pristine condition, only the box had some damage...I think that it will be impossible to get another one in such good condition at that price. When I get home, I will restore the DAP before sending to Amazon. I do not think it's going to work, but I hope it's solved with just that


----------



## Mal Waldron

Good news, at least at the moment... Just I got home, I reset the device to factory settings and two hours after making tests, plugging and unplugging three different earphones at the BA output, leaving the player on standby and activating it again... The problem seems to have disappeared. I'll continue doing tests intensively and if everything goes well I'll contact Amazon again to tell them that I'll keep it.


----------



## Quadfather

Mal Waldron said:


> Good news, at least at the moment... Just I got home, I reset the device to factory settings and two hours after making tests, plugging and unplugging three different earphones at the BA output, leaving the player on standby and activating it again... The problem seems to have disappeared. I'll continue doing tests intensively and if everything goes well I'll contact Amazon again to tell them that I'll keep it.



SWEET!


----------



## Quadfather

What are some excellent headphone picks to listen to in balanced out of the Sony NW - WM1Z?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 4, 2019)

@ 


Z7 and Z1R.


----------



## Whitigir

Kinda hard to get a good headphones for wm1Z due to driving factors.  I did enjoy wm1Z and Utopia immensely


----------



## raymogi

Quadfather said:


> What are some excellent headphone picks to listen to in balanced out of the Sony NW - WM1Z?



It drives Empyrean damn well too.


----------



## meomap

Quadfather said:


> What are some excellent headphone picks to listen to in balanced out of the Sony NW - WM1Z?


1Z and Utopia are beautiful.


----------



## Aeskualpio

Quadfather said:


> What are some excellent headphone picks to listen to in balanced out of the Sony NW - WM1Z?


The Focal Clears, the Sendy Aivas and the HD-600s are all driven beautifully by the WM1A


----------



## Whitigir

Aeskualpio said:


> The Focal Clears, the Sendy Aivas and the HD-600s are all driven beautifully by the WM1A


How is the soundstage on Aiva and wm1Z ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

MDR-Z1R and wm1a are superb,  after using the IER-Z1R for a month now I realize how open the MDR-Z1R are, I can hear the TV,  my man talking to me


----------



## jasonho

Whitigir said:


> How is the soundstage on Aiva and wm1Z ?



It’s not big.  Aiva is a planar so best guess how much can 1z drive that


----------



## shady1991

Guys, when listening to Balanced output (non-DSD file), please check or uncheck the high gain setting of SE and see if it affects the sound slightly.

My zx300 does it and I wonder of its true for WM1. Does anyone have a possible explanation? I posted this on zx300 thread a while ago but I was brutally ignored


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 5, 2019)

jasonho said:


> It’s not big.  Aiva is a planar so best guess how much can 1z drive that


Yeah, I asked because in my experiences, Aiva is easy to drive to “loudness”, but not finesses.  I have seen different opinions on Aiva with exact opposite from small soundstage while to me, Aiva have wonderful soundstage....then I found out many people is driving Aiva with weak sources.  The majority of people would take loudness as a properly driven point of references....and not finesses

Never tried Aiva with 1Z, but I know for a fact that it soundstage would collapse without a good amp.  Hence I asked.  Not to mention the fact that the stock pads is very weird and odd.  Once it is take care off, the Aiva is wonderful.  I have it and love it everyday


----------



## Whitigir

shady1991 said:


> Guys, when listening to Balanced output (non-DSD file), please check or uncheck the high gain setting of SE and see if it affects the sound slightly.
> 
> My zx300 does it and I wonder of its true for WM1. Does anyone have a possible explanation? I posted this on zx300 thread a while ago but I was brutally ignored



I was about to answer a long and detailed one....but in the end, the question is....what sound better to you ? If you can’t answer that, then everything else is meaningless.  The gain switches is always there, and the fact is that you can or can not tell.

Now, if you can tell, and willing to ask the details.  It is about the architecture of the Amp and the implementation of the gain circuitry.  In order to answer that to the correct technical level, one would need either a schematic, or the amp designer himself have to answer it for you.  Even so, it would depends a lot on what you are connecting it to...aka your headphones and or ear buds


----------



## nc8000

shady1991 said:


> Guys, when listening to Balanced output (non-DSD file), please check or uncheck the high gain setting of SE and see if it affects the sound slightly.
> 
> My zx300 does it and I wonder of its true for WM1. Does anyone have a possible explanation? I posted this on zx300 thread a while ago but I was brutally ignored



I only use balanced and I think I notice a very slight difference in sound when I change gain on balanced (after trying to volume match) but nothing if I change the gain on the single ended which is as expected since the entire single ended circuit is disabled when something is plugged into the balanced


----------



## shady1991

Whitigir said:


> I was about to answer a long and detailed one....but in the end, the question is....what sound better to you ? If you can’t answer that, then everything else is meaningless.  The gain switches is always there, and the fact is that you can or can not tell.
> 
> Now, if you can tell, and willing to ask the details.  It is about the architecture of the Amp and the implementation of the gain circuitry.  In order to answer that to the correct technical level, one would need either a schematic, or the amp designer himself have to answer it for you.  Even so, it would depends a lot on what you are connecting it to...aka your headphones and or ear buds



Thanks. I was not asking and advice which setting I should use, I am just curious why the SE gain setting affects BA output and why it does not happen when plaing DSD. Here people know much more than me so I thought someone could explain technical reasons. As of your question which sounds better, it is never straightforward to me, sometimes one sounds better sometimes the other, but the fact is that the difference is there and I wanted to know the cause of it.


----------



## Whitigir

shady1991 said:


> Thanks. I was not asking and advice which setting I should use, I am just curious why the SE gain setting affects BA output and why it does not happen when plaing DSD. Here people know much more than me so I thought someone could explain technical reasons. As of your question which sounds better, it is never straightforward to me, sometimes one sounds better sometimes the other, but the fact is that the difference is there and I wanted to know the cause of it.



Remember, you gain something and you lose something.  That is the simplest answer I can provide.  So the differences is there.

Technical answer ? That would need the lead engineer from Sony to answer for you, but they would never answer in details anyways .  So you will need to dig up a schematic of the WM Walkman, and maybe some people with EE into Audio design can unfold the technical answer that you have


----------



## Aeskualpio

Whitigir said:


> How is the soundstage on Aiva and wm1Z ?



In balanced the soundstage is good, but gets better, to my ears, with an amp.
You get great detail and separation, but when I want to be immersed I use the Monoprice THX portable amp with the 1A.


----------



## Kitechaser

I get headaches and stuffy ears on High Gain balanced. Also noise goes up, at least on the iem I am using. 
To my ears, higher volume and Low Gain sounds much much better.


----------



## nc8000

Kitechaser said:


> I get headaches and stuffy ears on High Gain balanced. Also noise goes up, at least on the iem I am using.
> To my ears, higher volume and Low Gain sounds much much better.



Probably depends on the headphone used what gain is better


----------



## Kitechaser (Jul 5, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> Probably depends on the headphone used what gain is better


Doesn't High gain automatically double noise?


----------



## nc8000

Kitechaser said:


> Doesn't High gain automatically double noise?



I don’t think so, at least not for me with the phones I use, although I normally run on low gain as I don’t feel any of them need high gain


----------



## Mal Waldron

I've used the DAP always on balanced, high gain, since I bought it, despide using earphones that don't need that extra power. Your comments have just made me change the gain. I've read a lot about gain, but I've never come to a clear conclusion about it.


----------



## emrelights1973

Dear all z1 users which sound adjustments setting are you using with z1, there are many options and combos
I am using the vinly one but so many configurations
Is there a common best ones combos?


----------



## nc8000 (Jul 6, 2019)

emrelights1973 said:


> Dear all z1 users which sound adjustments setting are you using with z1, there are many options and combos
> I am using the vinly one but so many configurations
> Is there a common best ones combos?



Source direct. To me the changes the various effects bring are subtle so I’d rather get longer battery life by not using them


----------



## Kitechaser

emrelights1973 said:


> Dear all z1 users which sound adjustments setting are you using with z1, there are many options and combos
> I am using the vinly one but so many configurations
> Is there a common best ones combos?


Direct sound. Or try Direct sound off, with all DSP effects also turned off.
At the end of the day, go with whatever sounds good to you.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Looks like Sony Tokyo Flagship Store has put together a Walkman exhibition? 


                Post #148



                Post #149


----------



## Ryokan

Kitechaser said:


> Or try Direct sound off, with all DSP effects also turned off.



 Currently using this setting with my ZX300.


----------



## Quadfather

I am OCD about all my players looking mint. I am just wondering how durable the finishes on the 1Z compared to the 1A... the 1A is very durable


----------



## echineko

Quadfather said:


> I am OCD about all my players looking mint. I am just wondering how durable the finishes on the 1Z compared to the 1A... the 1A is very durable


It needs a good case, and don't bump it if possible.


----------



## KEV G

Any recommendations for a good quality leather case by anyone on here, I have recently bought the 1Z and wondering which case to get. Don’t like the stock case much, bit bulky and cumbersome. Any ideas would be much appreciated, thanks


----------



## Quadfather

KEV G said:


> Any recommendations for a good quality leather case by anyone on here, I have recently bought the 1Z and wondering which case to get. Don’t like the stock case much, bit bulky and cumbersome. Any ideas would be much appreciated, thanks



Dignis miter case


----------



## Whitigir

The hardest thing to keep it without scratches and dings ...perhap is going to be the DMP-Z1 =[.  There is no leather case tough and thick enough to take it around with ..yet...

I so want a thick Cow-Hide case with screen opening, it would be perfect


----------



## KEV G

Whitigir said:


> The hardest thing to keep it without scratches and dings ...perhap is going to be the DMP-Z1 =[.  There is no leather case tough and thick enough to take it around with ..yet...
> 
> I so want a thick Cow-Hide case with screen opening, it would be perfect


Here you go, I reckon they’d customise it for you 
https://www.cambridgesatchel.com/co...products/portrait-backpack-in-leather-oxblood


----------



## Whitigir

KEV G said:


> Here you go, I reckon they’d customise it for you
> https://www.cambridgesatchel.com/co...products/portrait-backpack-in-leather-oxblood


Yeah, I know! Something like that would be perfect ! With a screen opening windows and volume wheel ! Or I need to buy myself some Leatherwork tools....and start working on it myself...LoL!


----------



## KuroKitsu

After dropping my SE100 and dinging off 3 of the 4 corners through a Miter. I'm on the fence about leather cases. They seem more for the aesthetic than anything else, maybe I'll get the Benks case, 30 day shipping from China though.

The shape of the 1A/Z doesnt have me too worried though.


----------



## Kitechaser

KuroKitsu said:


> After dropping my SE100 and dinging off 3 of the 4 corners through a Miter. I'm on the fence about leather cases. They seem more for the aesthetic than anything else, maybe I'll get the Benks case, 30 day shipping from China though.
> 
> The shape of the 1A/Z doesnt have me too worried though.


Benks is the nicest looking case. 
I have it paired with a glass screen protector, +1 from me.


----------



## KuroKitsu

Kitechaser said:


> Benks is the nicest looking case.
> I have it paired with a glass screen protector, +1 from me.


Whats the screen protector you use? I found the one Twister6 reviewed with the Benks case on Amazon but they don't ship to Canada.


----------



## raymogi (Jul 6, 2019)

KEV G said:


> Any recommendations for a good quality leather case by anyone on here, I have recently bought the 1Z and wondering which case to get. Don’t like the stock case much, bit bulky and cumbersome. Any ideas would be much appreciated, thanks



I'm a sucker for Dignis products.












@KuroKitsu I'm currently using this one: https://www.amazon.com/Tempered-Pro...ds=wm1z+glass&qid=1562458790&s=gateway&sr=8-2. In the meantime, I ordered the Benks as well from eBay since Amazon won't ship the Benks one to my country as well.


----------



## Kitechaser (Jul 6, 2019)

KuroKitsu said:


> Whats the screen protector you use? I found the one Twister6 reviewed with the Benks case on Amazon but they don't ship to Canada.


https://www.amazon.com/Tempered-Protector-LFOTPP-Scratch-resistant-Protective/dp/B079JPK1L6


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> The hardest thing to keep it without scratches and dings ...perhap is going to be the DMP-Z1 =[.  There is no leather case tough and thick enough to take it around with ..yet...
> 
> I so want a thick Cow-Hide case with screen opening, it would be perfect



You should look into Van Nuys cases.




https://www.vannuys.co.jp/official/new_item/vd956-vd957/




https://www.vannuys.co.jp/official/new_item/vd983/​


----------



## NickL33

Quadfather said:


> I am OCD about all my players looking mint. I am just wondering how durable the finishes on the 1Z compared to the 1A... the 1A is very durable



And here i am just trashing my 1A....

To me just a tool to enjoy my music


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

KuroKitsu said:


> Whats the screen protector you use? I found the one Twister6 reviewed with the Benks case on Amazon but they don't ship to Canada.


I found a tempered glass one in Tokyo that was also oleophobic. Doesn't leave fingerprints on it. Can't recall the brand tho.


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 7, 2019)

NickL33 said:


> And here i am just trashing my 1A....
> 
> To me just a tool to enjoy my music



Believe it OR not, my two year old NW-WM1A still looks like the day I received it.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, I know! Something like that would be perfect ! With a screen opening windows and volume wheel ! Or I need to buy myself some Leatherwork tools....and start working on it myself...LoL!





_Whitigir to Head-fi. Message send over.
Come in Head-fi.
Sound is amazing but can someone recommend a good chiropractor?_​


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Jul 7, 2019)

Quadfather said:


> Believe it not, my two year old NW-WM1A still looks like the day I received it.


Mine's been in its Dignis case and then in a Van Nuys carrier. Clipped to the outside of my bag all the time.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> I am OCD about all my players looking mint. I am just wondering how durable the finishes on the 1Z compared to the 1A... the 1A is very durable


I think so long as you don't take the 1Z in and out of its case several times a day, every single day, the playing should last you absolute years. Kinda curious what an all copper 1Z would look like.
Pure copper in a clear Ceracote or after some patina has formed. Could look really good.
Or a brass edition to match some of the nice dive watches.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> The hardest thing to keep it without scratches and dings ...perhap is going to be the DMP-Z1 =[.  There is no leather case tough and thick enough to take it around with ..yet...
> 
> I so want a thick Cow-Hide case with screen opening, it would be perfect





​Or this:
https://www.vannuys.co.jp/official/new_item/vd984/


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> ​Or this:
> https://www.vannuys.co.jp/official/new_item/vd984/



I think I'll just go with the 1Z.  This seems like it would be a real inconvenient thing to Lug around.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> I think I'll just go with the 1Z.  This seems like it would be a real inconvenient thing to Lug around.


Hahahahahaha! I know... But damn it's on my wish list... Baby steps. Will aim for the TA first


----------



## NickL33

Quadfather said:


> Believe it OR not, my two year old NW-WM1A still looks like the day I received it.


 
Then you will horrified when you see my 1A


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

NickL33 said:


> Then you will horrified when you see my 1A


Post a pic. PLEASE!


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Post a pic. PLEASE!



OCD over audio players is not a whole bunch of fun


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> OCD over audio players is not a whole bunch of fun


As long as you don’t OCD over your wife, otherwise someone else may make use of her better ... =/


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> OCD over audio players is not a whole bunch of fun


It's part of the enjoyment for me. I like caressing my WM1A and holding it in my hand. Not in a creepy way, but the weight feels very reassuring in my hand.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Where I can get sony media go installer? I don't like music center for pc because it is slow


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Where I can get sony media go installer? I don't like music center for pc because it is slow



https://ccm.net/download/download-19592-media-go


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> https://ccm.net/download/download-19592-media-go


Grösse Bedankung zu Dir! Big thanks


----------



## NickL33

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Post a pic. PLEASE!



Lots of scratch and 2 huge dent due


----------



## Quadfather




----------



## aisalen

NickL33 said:


> Lots of scratch and 2 huge dent due


Not bad, as long you use benk case at least. You will avoid those scratches.


----------



## NickL33

aisalen said:


> Not bad, as long you use benk case at least. You will avoid those scratches.



Haha to me is just a tool, sides i am advocate for “Wabi-Sabi” 

To accept imperfection is a good thing


----------



## aisalen

NickL33 said:


> Haha to me is just a tool, sides i am advocate for “Wabi-Sabi”
> 
> To accept imperfection is a good thing


Same here, I only preserve or baby my gear when I do have plan to resell them. In the case of sony for iem and dap, there is no plan for that.


----------



## gerelmx1986

For those with 4.4mm headphones and that want to use a  normal 3.5mm mini jack.

I recommend this fiio adapter 3.5mm Male to 4.4 female


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

NickL33 said:


> Lots of scratch and 2 huge dent due


It's not that bad.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gerelmx1986 said:


> For those with 4.4mm headphones and that want to use a  normal 3.5mm mini jack.
> 
> I recommend this fiio adapter 3.5mm Male to 4.4 female



I've got one of these:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/musashino-4-4mm-3-5mm-adapter-sony-wm1z-wm1a.861889/#post-13759974


----------



## nc8000

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I've got one of these:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/musashino-4-4mm-3-5mm-adapter-sony-wm1z-wm1a.861889/#post-13759974



Yes that’s the one I have as well, mostly because that was the first generally available over 2 years ago and it works fine


----------



## Redcarmoose

Just switched cables, and tips and have somehow got this combination to the next level? Funny how cables and tips can change a very small aspect taking equipment to a better place? I can’t stop listening to it? 

Noble Audio Kaiser 10 Encore/ WM 1Z


----------



## phonomat

Redcarmoose said:


> Just switched cables, and tips and have somehow got this combination to the next level? Funny how cables and tips can change a very small aspect taking equipment to a better place? I can’t stop listening to it?
> 
> Noble Audio Kaiser 10 Encore/ WM 1Z



Congratulations? Enjoy your equipment?


----------



## gerelmx1986

NickL33 said:


> Lots of scratch and 2 huge dent due


That hurts , mine is like new


----------



## emrelights1973

Redcarmoose said:


> Just switched cables, and tips and have somehow got this combination to the next level? Funny how cables and tips can change a very small aspect taking equipment to a better place? I can’t stop listening to it?
> 
> Noble Audio Kaiser 10 Encore/ WM 1Z


Switch to what? I own the same combo so curious


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jul 10, 2019)

Back to Sony Media Go. MusicBee while so customizable, the filtering system baffles me (no possible to make OR filtering like f.e. [Bitdepth = 1 OR Bitdepth = 24] AND [sample_rate >= 44100]), trying to Imitate Media Go Hi-res Audio view in MusicBee to no avail. Sony Music center for PC is dreaded slow in performance and often crashes.


----------



## Whitigir

Who say DMP-Z1 isn’t a Walkman ? Kakaka....probably the 40th Anniversary statement model too!


----------



## bflat

Whitigir said:


> Who say DMP-Z1 isn’t a Walkman ? Kakaka....probably the 40th Anniversary statement model too!



For DMP-Z1 it should be a "Walk-with-a-limp-man"


----------



## Quadfather

bflat said:


> For DMP-Z1 it should be a "Walk-with-a-limp-man"



How about a Sony Hobbleman?


----------



## blazinblazin

I think they are built like World War equipments that withstand time.

Our military still have working WW equipments. Haha


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 10, 2019)

emrelights1973 said:


> Switch to what? I own the same combo so curious



I’ve always been trying to get better fit with the Noble Encore and also keep trying different cables. One aftermarket cable I purchased actually thwarted down the bass farther. And I have had the Encore for years. And in the ownership period tried a multitude of tips while never before finding the right tip. All I wanted was maybe a dB of better low-end. Due to all this I kinda-had a love-hate relationship with the Encore, meaning I appreciated what it did, and I used it a lot, but had other favorites and could not spend days on end and play every gene with it. I thought maybe the IEM just was not my tone? And in many ways it’s not my tone.

So I switched to the Fearless two-pin 3.5mm cable and used the Sony Silicone Clear tips. The world changed. I was somehow able to get fit to be perfect and the cable added the bass. Due to the combo of better fit the sound changed as well as the cable changed the sound from included stock cable.....in other areas too besides low-end? I will maybe now have to seek out and try a couple more cables. But the Encore has always been my 2nd favorite IEM, now though it and the IER-Z1R battle it out for 1st place. And the wild thing is it’s maybe not really my preference in sound; but due to simply being so amazing now, it’s like getting a new IEM? I’ve heard the Khan but wonder now if I didn’t have the right fit, or didn’t understand it somehow? I guess the lesson here is to always be trying small changes to try and move tone in to the desired space? It’s maybe that now I’m hearing the Encore the way others do? It must sound the way people get when they are able to get CIEM Encore builds to work; or may be close?


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> I’ve always been trying to get better fit with the Noble Encore and also keep trying different cables. One aftermarket cable I purchased actually thwarted down the bass farther. And I have had the Encore for years. And in the ownership period tried a multitude of tips while never before finding the right tip. All I wanted was maybe a dB of better low-end. Due to all this I kinda-had a love-hate relationship with the Encore, meaning I appreciated what it did, and I used it a lot, but had other favorites and could not spend days on end and play every gene with it. I thought maybe the IEM just was not my tone? And in many ways it’s not my tone.
> 
> So I switched to the Fearless two-pin 3.5mm cable and used the Sony Silicone Clear tips. The world changed. I was somehow able to get fit to be perfect and the cable added the bass. Due to the combo of better fit the sound changed as well as the cable changed the sound from included stock cable. I will maybe now have to seek out and try a couple more cables. But the Encore has always been my 2nd favorite IEM, now though it and the IER-Z1R battle it out for 1st place. And the wild thing is it’s maybe not really my preference in sound; but due to simply being so amazing now, it’s like getting a new IEM? I’ve heard the Khan but wonder now if I didn’t have the right fit, or didn’t understand it somehow? I guess the lesson here is to always be trying small changes to try and move tone in to the desired space? It’s maybe that now I’m hearing the Encore the way others do? It must sound the way people get when they are able to get CIEM Encore builds to work; or may be close?


Did you try out M9 vs Z1R ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 11, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> Did you try out M9 vs Z1R ?



No only because the IER-Z1R is a DD Hybrid and the M9 is all BA. Meaning I already had a BA flagship and was not looking for another BA IEM in the M9 range. Sadly Sony came out with the M9 early and then alter everyone purchased, came out with the Z1R at the same price; even though it’s above it. Wild marketing.

I’m sure the M9 is grand. I only have so much cash and actually have a liking for gear that is slightly over-the-top strange. Both the Encore and IER-Z1R are complementary and a little wild? The M9 as I read would be a little too straight laced for my tastes; even if it’s technically wonderful. The Encore is really something. It’s something I can’t fully explain, but it’s a continuation of the original K-10. John took maybe what he thought was the few detrimental personality traits from the K-10 and did correcting which in many ways brought about a new sound. Still the tone holds true to the original ideas of the K-10 being able to do all genres, it’s just that the Encore does all genres but is also exciting. It walks a nice line of being technical and musical. It’s like a performer who is both well practiced and is in love with performing.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> No only because the IER-Z1R is a DD Hybrid and the M9 is all BA. I’m sure it’s grand. I only have so much cash and actually have a liking for gear that is slightly over-the-top strange. Both the Encore and IER-Z1R are complementary and a little wild? The M9 as I read would be a little to straight laced for my tastes; even if it’s technically wonderful. The Encore is really something. It’s something I can’t fully explain, but it’s a continuation of the original K-10. John took maybe what he thought was the few detrimental personality traits from the K-10 and did correcting which in many ways brought about a new sound. Still the tone holds true to the original ideas of the K-10 being able to do all genres, it’s just that the Encore does all genres but is also exciting. It walks a nice line of being technical and musical. It’s like a performer who is both well practiced and is in love with performing.


How does Z1R fitting issue apply to your needs ? Can you sleep in bed with it ? It look pretty big and with a good chunk


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 10, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> How does Z1R fitting issue apply to your needs ? Can you sleep in bed with it ? It look pretty big and with a good chunk



I buy stuff in a strange way. I have this intuition that I go by. I purchased the Z1R over the phone without even trying it or hearing it.....I just knew.  It is big but if it rests correctly............it is with the weight and size well distributed out across two ear areas. The IER-Z1R fits perfect, I guess the Encore was also good intuitive purchasing but it took time. Both IEMs are different but great in their own aspects. They are such a contrast that it’s hard to get your head around how they could both be correct being polar opposite. So you have to spend 1 week with one and 1 week with another for mental acclimating.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> How does Z1R fitting issue apply to your needs ? Can you sleep in bed with it ? It look pretty big and with a good chunk



I don’t sleep with IEMs. I simply take them out and fall asleep. It would bug me to think I could break them while sleeping. Though I read there is a whole group of folks into IEMs which get into a narrow profile for sleeping with head sideways......lol, I could never do that?


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> I don’t sleep with IEMs. I simply take them out and fall asleep. It would bug me to think I could break them while sleeping. Though I read there is a whole group of folks into IEMs which get into a narrow profile for sleeping with head sideways......lol, I could never do that?


That would be me if something can just simply disappear into my canals .  I think M9 would do pretty well ?

I don’t know why I should be worrying about soundstage here though, I already have everything else for soundstage sake...LOL


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 10, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> That would be me if something can just simply disappear into my canals .  I think M9 would do pretty well ?
> 
> I don’t know why I should be worrying about soundstage here though, I already have everything else for soundstage sake...LOL



I know your not an IEM guy. And I was a full size headphone enthusiast up until about 10 years ago. I would view IEMs (at meets) as inferior and not even try them. Then maybe due to using them outside, I slowly started to migrate over. It’s not comparable to full-size as the soundstage is just different and more inside your head, where full-size are a soundstage outside your head. And IEMs are probably technically not as proficient as full-size, but it’s an elusive rabbit-hole. A slow moving thing on a yearly pace as somehow your able to mentally adapt over. I’m pretty much an IEM listener but I have to have full-size headphones as insurance to make sure I’m not wrong....kinda for reference. But even with your predisposition and IEM history.........I could see you getting the IER-Z1R and have a personal migration over? You have the ancillary gear.......lol. Worse case outcome you sell em? Most of this hobby is mental you know, we hear what we allow ourselves to perceive and the equipment does the other half, what ever it’s ability. It’s like white-wine or red-wine. Domestic autos or imports. Blonds or brunettes, Tubes or solid-state........CD or vinyl. Gotta love the contrasts!

Depending on fit......M9 or IER-Z1R. This last week has been an eye opener for me. Just changing tips and cables. But fit! Fit is the whole issue with IEMs. There is fit with full size, but fit with IEMs somehow 100% affects the sound? It’s so weird to get a different sound from an IEM you have used for years? It’s like you think you know your gear, but you don’t know what you don’t know.


----------



## emrelights1973

Whitigir said:


> That would be me if something can just simply disappear into my canals .  I think M9 would do pretty well ?
> 
> I don’t know why I should be worrying about soundstage here though, I already have everything else for soundstage sake...LOL


Maybe RAI Penta Meze?


----------



## ayang02

emrelights1973 said:


> Maybe RAI Penta Meze?



These are very comfortable to wear, also disappears in my ears.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Whitigir  I habe fallen asleep with the IER-Z1R on my ears , no problem, no discomfort. But as @Redcarmoose says , I always try to remove them when going to Bett.  The Times ive fallen asleep with them is because i wanted to lie in bed relaxing


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Whitigir  I habe fallen asleep with the IER-Z1R on my ears , no problem, no discomfort. But as @Redcarmoose says , I always try to remove them when going to Bett.  The Times ive fallen asleep with them is because i wanted to lie in bed relaxing



For bed relaxing/sleeping I use either my JH13 customs or qJays V2 as both are so small that I can lay on my side with no discomfort. My Earin M2 wireless also work for this


----------



## gerelmx1986

NickL33 said:


> Lots of scratch and 2 huge dent due



     
Like new


----------



## NickL33

gerelmx1986 said:


> Like new



Hahaha.... nicely taken care..


----------



## donkeanu

how's the 1z/1a pairs with the tg334?


----------



## KuroKitsu

Annnnnd I have a couple dings already on my 1A. For some reason this doesnt trigger my ocd like the SE100 did....


----------



## Lookout57

I have a small scratch on my WM1A screen,


----------



## Whitigir

Bed time!

Found my IER-M9 from The Source AV ! Thanks to Jason @TSAVJason , Alan @TSAVAlan for being one of the best in customer services and advice


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Bed time!
> 
> Found my IER-M9 from The Source AV ! Thanks to Jason @TSAVJason , Alan @TSAVAlan for being one of the best in customer services and advice



The moral of the story...........




Trophy DAPs are cheaper than Trophy Wives.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> The moral of the story...........
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Roflmao ! Both can be pretty expensive , but nothing is as expensive as a wife, and I am sure of that


----------



## KuroKitsu

And so it begins. Kinda glad I didnt order the Benks, it would have came too late to be useful. 

Somehow my OCD was not triggered.


----------



## David Kleinfeld (Jul 14, 2019)

just upgraded my card to 1tb, works great. Now can store about 37000 songs.


----------



## Whitigir

Remember what I was talking about ? I may have to make DMP-Z1 leather case for myself.  Here goes....first leather project, don’t toss stones at me


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> Remember what I was talking about ? I may have to make DMP-Z1 leather case for myself.  Here goes....first leather project, don’t toss stones at me


Nice work!!!
Makes me want to make something too!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> Remember what I was talking about ? I may have to make DMP-Z1 leather case for myself.  Here goes....first leather project, don’t toss stones at me


Was thinking about your case when I went to sleep...
What about charging ports?
Any mounting fixtures? Are there plans for a handle or sling?
There is only one opening and slips over the Z1 like a condom? Do the feet drag on the inside or is there enough material flex?


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 14, 2019)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Was thinking about your case when I went to sleep...
> What about charging ports?
> Any mounting fixtures? Are there plans for a handle or sling?
> There is only one opening and slips over the Z1 like a condom? Do the feet drag on the inside or is there enough material flex?



Thank you for thinking about it 
I didn’t measure the feets right, and so it is a mess, but who cares about the feets.  I just finished sealant coating for it .  I may close the flap on the back sides, at the moment, I don’t think I need to


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 14, 2019)

@Quasimodosbelfry also, I was thinking of 2 things.  Either making a case out of very thick leather-hide with straps to wear around and can not be bothered with stock case unless taking it out, or having the thinner case that can fit anywhere and avoid scratching the smooth surface.  However, I picked the thinner case as it is easier to work around with and also more practical.  It fit the stock carrying case, and into any sling bag on the go


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Remember what I was talking about ? I may have to make DMP-Z1 leather case for myself.  Here goes....first leather project, don’t toss stones at me





Caught caught. Arrgg tchuumm!


Euuuhh mmmm does it hiss?


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Caught caught. Arrgg tchuumm!
> 
> 
> Euuuhh mmmm does it hiss?


Only one way for you to find out my friend


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Only one way for you to find out my friend




Aaaa haha need to buy the dmp for that or canjam. Dont know any store who has the dmp for audition. 

I end up with 1z and yea it has very little hiss. I figured out that my iem is more on the sensitive side... 10 ohms and 117 decibels dont help it mmm yeaa lol


----------



## KuroKitsu

Vitaly2017 said:


> Aaaa haha need to buy the dmp for that or canjam. Dont know any store who has the dmp for audition.
> 
> I end up with 1z and yea it has very little hiss. I figured out that my iem is more on the sensitive side... 10 ohms and 117 decibels dont help it mmm yeaa lol


Number one test for the Valkyrie: Does it hiss on the 1A, OH I FORGOT ABOUT THATTTTTT.

If you're in Toronto anytime, drop by Bay Bloor Radio, they have the DMP for demo. Sounds nice, but my wallet just disappeared when it saw the price tag.


----------



## Vitaly2017

KuroKitsu said:


> Number one test for the Valkyrie: Does it hiss on the 1A, OH I FORGOT ABOUT THATTTTTT.
> 
> If you're in Toronto anytime, drop by Bay Bloor Radio, they have the DMP for demo. Sounds nice, but my wallet just disappeared when it saw the price tag.





Oooh good to know. Do they have the sony ier-z1r to?

I can assure you valkyrie will never hiss on anything!  Its harder to drive then phantom by 25% for sure.  Its 3 ohms but low sensitivity at 96 db. Thats a good thing means higher sound quality.

I truly love phantoms but my feelings telling me valkyrie is that new gem that will steal my heart away from phantom (


----------



## Stephen George

just upgraded my card to 1tb, works great. Now can store about 37000 songs.

you should fill that stella glass with Duvel! Is this the sandisk that's going for $450? Someone's got them for $399 on ebay, but still seems steep when 512s are going for $70

only 1.6GB free, too! I think I have 800GB new files in the last month, so many tracks...


----------



## KuroKitsu

Vitaly2017 said:


> Oooh good to know. Do they have the sony ier-z1r to?
> 
> I can assure you valkyrie will never hiss on anything!  Its harder to drive then phantom by 25% for sure.  Its 3 ohms but low sensitivity at 96 db. Thats a good thing means higher sound quality.
> 
> I truly love phantoms but my feelings telling me valkyrie is that new gem that will steal my heart away from phantom (


I know they stock it, not sure if they have it available for demo, you might want to call in and check. 

I loved the Phantoms as well, that as until I found out the upper mids and upper treble were tempered down too low for my liking. Then Khan stole my heart, until I found that the nozzle shape didnt work with my left year. Now its the A6t. 

I'm hoping the Valkyrie makes up for those since I'd love to have a pair of universals for backup in case my CIEMs need to be repaired. And Empire still holds the sole title of "universals that stay in my left ear canal"


----------



## Vitaly2017

KuroKitsu said:


> I know they stock it, not sure if they have it available for demo, you might want to call in and check.
> 
> I loved the Phantoms as well, that as until I found out the upper mids and upper treble were tempered down too low for my liking. Then Khan stole my heart, until I found that the nozzle shape didnt work with my left year. Now its the A6t.
> 
> I'm hoping the Valkyrie makes up for those since I'd love to have a pair of universals for backup in case my CIEMs need to be repaired. And Empire still holds the sole title of "universals that stay in my left ear canal"




Yes thats true phantom has the treble tamed by quiet a good margin. Enough in my opinion to not consider them for classical genras but so perfect for spotify and picky trebly songs. That was my case...

But I miss sub bass and better shimmery bells alike treble chirps, cant have that on phantom.

Thought if valk have the juicy treble and the sublime sub bass with the weapon IX and keep the phantoms outstanding authoritive mids all this could be a straight gift from heaven )
And effect audio cleopatra. Oouuu olala yes please I whant  it ) ) )


----------



## KurobaHeiji

I just received my 1TB card this morning.


----------



## KuroKitsu

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yes thats true phantom has the treble tamed by quiet a good margin. Enough in my opinion to not consider them for classical genras but so perfect for spotify and picky trebly songs. That was my case...
> 
> But I miss sub bass and better shimmery bells alike treble chirps, cant have that on phantom.
> 
> ...



Ive heard that one of the reasons for the tamed upper treble was actually feedback from Zeus. The tamed upper mids, not sure but it was an issue a lot of asian audiophiles had with Phantom. Female vocals were very veiled. 

Even with a pure occ silver cable off the balance off the 1A this was a huge problem. 

The sub-bass is insane on the Phantoms, easily the best for BAs. I take it you're not a fan of DD bass? I suspect the Weapon IX DD would match if not surpass it on the Valk. Mid's are BA still but its possible they retain the Phantom's, though it would need a lift in the upper mids for me. 

The EST is a concern for me given the criticisms for recent tri-level hybrids and the treble. Hopefully Empire opted for a tuning that doesnt go in that direction. 

Cleo comes with the Wraith (Explaining that almot 4k price tag). Valk has Eros II. 

Either way the 1A/1Z should have no problem driving either on high gain. And most likely no hiss, based on my experience with the Khan.


----------



## David Kleinfeld

Stephen George said:


> just upgraded my card to 1tb, works great. Now can store about 37000 songs.
> 
> you should fill that stella glass with Duvel! Is this the sandisk that's going for $450? Someone's got them for $399 on ebay, but still seems steep when 512s are going for $70
> 
> only 1.6GB free, too! I think I have 800GB new files in the last month, so many tracks...



It s the san disk and agreed Duvel is better. well i do have more songs to fill up more cards but 1tb already helps a lot on the go.


----------



## Dtuck90

Just bought a 400gb sandisk ultra card for £48 in prime day deal


----------



## cukis350

Amazon is having the San disk 1TB for $341 for Prime Day. Just picked one up.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I did the experiment of converting my lossless library to MP3 lame VBR V0. From 1.16TB down to 452GB. Took 2 Days, 20 hours to convert it all.


----------



## Stephen George (Jul 15, 2019)

cukis350 said:


> Amazon is having the San disk 1TB for $341 for Prime Day. Just picked one up.



wow, just got one also...had some gift cards/credits, got it for $270

the extremely fast lexar 512 is only $50

and for those that miss out on this deal, B&H has a preorder sale at $349


----------



## bflat (Jul 15, 2019)

Stephen George said:


> wow, just got one also...had some gift cards/credits, got it for $270
> 
> the extremely fast lexar 512 is only $50
> 
> and for those that miss out on this deal, B&H has a preorder sale at $349



According to customer reviews on the Lexar, it has about 10 GB less than a true 512 GB card like the Samsung models. Not a huge deal, but worth noting. Like PNY and Kingston, the Lexar is really a 500 GB card. I've only seen Samsung ones that format to 476 GB which is true 512 GB unformatted.


----------



## Stephen George

bflat said:


> According to customer reviews on the Lexar, it has about 10 GB less than a true 512 GB card like the Samsung models. Not a huge deal, but worth noting. Like PNY and Kingston, the Lexar is really a 500 GB card. I've only seen Samsung ones that format to 476 GB which is true 512 GB unformatted.



the kingston formats to 499 and the Lexar to 494, but the lexar is WAY faster, a bargain at only $58


----------



## bflat

Stephen George said:


> the kingston formats to 499 and the Lexar to 494, but the lexar is WAY faster, a bargain at only $58



Forgot to mention I am using 1024 base Windows format. You are using 1000 base format so the Samsung would be about 510 GB. Still, the Lexar deal seems to be the best $/GB.


----------



## Kitechaser

bflat said:


> Forgot to mention I am using 1024 base Windows format. You are using 1000 base format so the Samsung would be about 510 GB. Still, the Lexar deal seems to be the best $/GB.


Any difference in quality, that is long term viability of the drive?


----------



## raymogi

cukis350 said:


> Amazon is having the San disk 1TB for $341 for Prime Day. Just picked one up.



Was waiting for deal on the 1TB. Thanks for the heads up! Just bought one myself for the 1Z


----------



## bflat

Kitechaser said:


> Any difference in quality, that is long term viability of the drive?



I personally have not had any failures with any of the aforementioned brands. For music storage there is minimal wear and tear on the memory since it is 99% read.


----------



## Kitechaser

bflat said:


> I personally have not had any failures with any of the aforementioned brands. For music storage there is minimal wear and tear on the memory since it is 99% read.


Thank you.
Looks like I will be ordering that card.


----------



## zeny (Jul 16, 2019)

Anyone know if the san disk 1tb will work on the WM1A?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Prime day and 1TB micro sd still not available in Germany


----------



## nc8000 (Jul 16, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Prime day and 1TB micro sd still not available in Germany



Not anywhere in Europe as far as I know. On Amazon UK it no longer turns up in search. I have it in my wish list and there it says “No longer in stock and we don’t know if or when it will be back in stock” but it has never been in stock.

Oh blow it. Signed up for prime 30 day trial and ordered it from US. Should have it by the end of the week


----------



## David Kleinfeld

zeny said:


> Anyone know if the san disk 1tb will work on the WM1A?


it does on mine.


----------



## Lookout57

zeny said:


> Anyone know if the san disk 1tb will work on the WM1A?


It also works fine on the WM1Z.


----------



## auronthas

Hi,  recently I bought DragonFly Red (DFR) to pair with my HD650. 

However, I have encounter problem (no sound) when I connect my WM1A to DFR via sony wmc nwh10 (WMPort - USB Male cable).  Even though the WM1A screen shown USB Audio, but there's no sound , what could be the problem?


----------



## bflat

auronthas said:


> Hi,  recently I bought DragonFly Red (DFR) to pair with my HD650.
> 
> However, I have encounter problem (no sound) when I connect my WM1A to DFR via sony wmc nwh10 (WMPort - USB Male cable).  Even though the WM1A screen shown USB Audio, but there's no sound , what could be the problem?



The Sony OS has no volume control for USB digital output so don't use it with DFR. You are fortunate that it didn't default to 100% volume.


----------



## auronthas (Jul 17, 2019)

bflat said:


> The Sony OS has no volume control for USB digital output so don't use it with DFR. You are fortunate that it didn't default to 100% volume.


My intention was to use it as headphone amp to drive HD 650.


----------



## bflat

auronthas said:


> My intention is to use it as headphone amp to drive HD 650.



Regardless, there is no way to control the DFR volume from the WM1a so it won't work.


----------



## nc8000 (Jul 17, 2019)

auronthas said:


> My intention is to use it as headphone amp to drive HD 650.



Well looks like you will have to get another source then. I would have imagined that the Sony would do at least as good if not better than the Dragonfly, especially if you go balanced out and you are waisting all the qualities of the Sony by just using it as a digital transport, much cheaper units would do just as good in that role like a Sony A30 or A40 (except they also can’t control the volume) or many other brands


----------



## auronthas

nc8000 said:


> Well looks like you will have to get another source then. I would have imagined that the Sony would do at least as good if not better than the Dragonfly, especially if you go balanced out and you are waisting all the qualities of the Sony by just using it as a digital transport, much cheaper units would do just as good in that role like a Sony A30 or A40 (except they also can’t control the volume) or many other brands


ok guys, will use it at my S10+ and R6  Thanks for your feedback


----------



## Caguioa

any chance of updated version of the Sony NWWM1Z?  I know astell is coming out sp2000

only thing is that I like to use Bluetooth sometimes and this sony device doesn't have bt


----------



## Whitigir

Wm1Z has Bluetooth both ways as a DAC or as a player


----------



## nc8000 (Jul 18, 2019)

Caguioa said:


> any chance of updated version of the Sony NWWM1Z?  I know astell is coming out sp2000
> 
> only thing is that I like to use Bluetooth sometimes and this sony device doesn't have bt



1Z has Bluetooth, both as sender and receiver. It does not have wifi for streaming though.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Caguioa said:


> any chance of updated version of the Sony NWWM1Z?  I know astell is coming out sp2000
> 
> only thing is that I like to use Bluetooth sometimes and this sony device doesn't have bt


you dont have to whine the same sorrow in two separate thread


----------



## Quadfather

Is anybody using the Fatbear Sony case? Does it seem to protect it while from scratches?


----------



## Quadfather

Silicone or leather?  What best protects the DAP?


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> Silicone or leather?  What best protects the DAP?


Best ? Just don’t ever touch it  frame it in the wall and leave it be.

Joking....I used TPU Benk case and it was awesome


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> Best ? Just don’t ever touch it  frame it in the wall and leave it be.
> 
> Joking....I used TPU Benk case and it was awesome



I like the Dignis cases, but after a few years the glued seems start pulling apart.


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> I like the Dignis cases, but after a few years the glued seems start pulling apart.


Lol...I don’t blame it, even as a human being , we also shed skin ! Every time we take a shower or bath LOL!

Anyways give TPU a try, you will love it.  It may get discolored overtime , but they are cheap! They save animal too!


----------



## KuroKitsu

Whitigir said:


> Lol...I don’t blame it, even as a human being , we also shed skin ! Every time we take a shower or bath LOL!
> 
> Anyways give TPU a try, you will love it.  It may get discolored overtime , but they are cheap! They save animal too!


I kinda wish that cases don't cost an arm and a leg and ship from Asia. I either damage the device before they arrive and they have a high chance of taking too long and beng partially broken


----------



## Quadfather

Okay,  Lotoo Paw Gold vs Sony NW-WM1Z?  What do you like better, and why?

Yes, I know I'm being a pain in the ass tonight but I have some things going through my mind...


----------



## KuroKitsu

Quadfather said:


> Okay,  Lotoo Paw Gold vs Sony NW-WM1Z?  What do you like better, and why?
> 
> Yes, I know I'm being a pain in the ass tonight but I have some things going through my mind...


I'm never going to hear one in the Great White North without selling my firstborn to buy the first and the former seems to not be in stock anymore here for me to even demo. I'll say the 1A


----------



## Quadfather

KuroKitsu said:


> I'm never going to hear one in the Great White North without selling my firstborn to buy the first and the former seems to not be in stock anymore here for me to even demo. I'll say the 1A



I love my Sony NW-WM1A and Lotoo Paw Gold, but I am jonesing for a Sony NW-WM1Z.


----------



## KuroKitsu

Quadfather said:


> I love my Sony NW-WM1A and Lotoo Paw Gold, but I am jonesing for a Sony NW-WM1Z.


On the caveat that I can demo first, I would go for the WM1Z. a 20 hour battery on balance is infinitely better than 8 with fast charge. Plus there are plenty of IEMs I would love to try out with the wamer 1Z.


----------



## jcdreamer

Quadfather said:


> I love my Sony NW-WM1A and Lotoo Paw Gold, but I am jonesing for a Sony NW-WM1Z.


 Go ahead and scratch that terrible itch, you are not going to regret it.


----------



## Ryokan

Quadfather said:


> I love my Sony NW-WM1A and Lotoo Paw Gold, but I am jonesing for a Sony NW-WM1Z.



Jonesing? As in Corporal Jones? 


 

I thought everyone was waiting to see what Sony would release this year.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> I like the Dignis cases, but after a few years the glued seems start pulling apart.


Happened to me but it was an easy fix with glue and some clips.
It was within the first few months and I figured it was a lemon. Wrote to Dignis and they promptly sent out a replacement to me. Great service.


----------



## KuroKitsu

jcdreamer said:


> Go ahead and scratch that terrible itch, you are not going to regret it.


Good old headfiers enabling each other


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Happened to me but it was an easy fix with glue and some clips.
> It was within the first few months and I figured it was a lemon. Wrote to Dignis and they promptly sent out a replacement to me. Great service.



What kind of glue did you use?


----------



## paulchiu

Does anyone know how to get lossless play using Roon V1.6 with Sony WM1Z?  I tried various settings and under DAC, only got high-quality mode.
Thanks.


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> Okay,  Lotoo Paw Gold vs Sony NW-WM1Z?  What do you like better, and why?
> 
> Yes, I know I'm being a pain in the ass tonight but I have some things going through my mind...


I have gone through both, for IEMS, I would grab 1Z.  If I had headphones, I would grab GT

In fact I only use headphones, and I don’t really like the GT....so I grabbed DMP Z1 instead

I hope I answered the question


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> I have gone through both, for IEMS, I would grab 1Z.  If I had headphones, I would grab GT
> 
> In fact I only use headphones, and I don’t really like the GT....so I grabbed DMP Z1 instead
> 
> I hope I answered the question



I don't think I could swing the DMP. I plan on using Shure SRH1540 headphones most of the time. They seem to power well with the 1A


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> I don't think I could swing the DMP. I plan on using Shure SRH1540 headphones most of the time. They seem to power well with the 1A


Then I would grab the wm1Z if I was in your shoes


----------



## David Kleinfeld (Jul 20, 2019)

Quadfather said:


> Okay,  Lotoo Paw Gold vs Sony NW-WM1Z?  What do you like better, and why?
> 
> Yes, I know I'm being a pain in the ass tonight but I have some things going through my mind...



The 1Z is overall a better device in my opinion, in term of UI, Design and of course battery. The weight is something you get used to. The only better thing in the UI which the LPGT has is the search function but frankly I do not use it that often. With respect to sound, they have very different sound signature so it is a matter of preference if you mostly use IEMs. Personally I think the 1z will age better than the LPGT. LPGT is still an excellent DAP with a very pleasing and detailed sound, really you need to try both if your main criteria is how they sound and preferably try a 1z which has several hundred hours of burn in.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> What kind of glue did you use?


Contact cement. The kind used for leather. You should be able to find it in any hardware store. Same stuff used for shoe repair.


----------



## ttoan91

David Kleinfeld said:


> The 1Z is overall a better device in my opinion, in term of UI, Design and of course battery. The weight is something you get used too. The only better thing in the UI which the LPGT has is the search function but frankly I do not use it that often. With respect to sound, they have very different sound signature so it is a matter of preference if you mostly use IEMs. Personally I think the 1z will age better than the LPGT. LPGT is still an excellent DAP with a very pleasing and detailed sound, really you need to try both if your main criteria is how they sound and preferably try a 1z which has several hundred hours of burn in.


I heard that LPGT have more power output than Wm1Z. Is it true with you???


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Contact cement. The kind used for leather. You should be able to find it in any hardware store. Same stuff used for shoe repair.




Oh geez, I used super glue. That seems to be holding


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> Is anybody using the Fatbear Sony case? Does it seem to protect it while from scratches?


The Fatbear case has thick walls all around. So yes it protects the WM1A/Z v well from scratches and dings.
Someone speculated that dust could get between the case and the player and cause scratches that way.
While that's is possible, I don't experience it coz take the player out and switch cases every couple of months.further more, it's not thrown in a backpack or carried in jeans pocket to collect lint and gunk.
My WM1A gets either a leather Dignis case or a Fatbear. Then it goes into a Van Nuys case. If a case is dirty when I remove my player, it gets cleaned so dirt doesn't accumulate.


----------



## David Kleinfeld (Jul 22, 2019)

ttoan91 said:


> I heard that LPGT have more power output than Wm1Z. Is it true with you???


Yes there is a big difference here but I have only one pair of headphone which is the Utopias which are not really hard to drive so the impact for me is minimal. The only time I really need the power of LPGT more than of 1Z is when I feed my WA8 in analog in which case if I use a very thick cable the 1Z may be a bit short. [edit] Indeed, there are some IEMs which may prove hard to drive for 1z, just tested the Tin P1 on it and you can basically listen to them in High Gain setting at maximum level without it being uncomfortable by all means [edit]


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> The Fatbear case has thick walls all around. So yes it protects the WM1A/Z v well from scratches and dings.
> Someone speculated that dust could get between the case and the player and cause scratches that way.
> While that's is possible, I don't experience it coz take the player out and switch cases every couple of months.further more, it's not thrown in a backpack or carried in jeans pocket to collect lint and gunk.
> My WM1A gets either a leather Dignis case or a Fatbear. Then it goes into a Van Nuys case. If a case is dirty when I remove my player, it gets cleaned so dirt doesn't accumulate.



For the past few years I've been protecting it like this. It still looks brand new...


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 20, 2019)

ttoan91 said:


> I heard that LPGT have more power output than Wm1Z. Is it true with you???


It does have more powerful output than WM1Z.  But the one thing I do not like about the GT is that it uses too much DSP for playing back PCM, where as the WM1Z does not.  The warmth and analog from WM1Z comes from it hardware genuinely, while the GT comes from all the DSP.  So, the question would be authentic ? Or artificial ? To me the GT has a similar analog and warmth signature but with very different approach, in a way that render the GT with it own uniqueness that is by itself.

I later found out about what hardware were put together to build the GT and it only further confirmed my findings from a combinations of : GT own DSD engine, DSD file, PCM file, critically listening , analyzing hardware.

Another thing to note is that GT uses Ribbon Cables internally, and the 1Z has the Kimber Cables.  For the same pricing bracket, and if you understand what any quality internal components should look like that is dedicated to music, the 1Z would laugh at the GT

Yes, one can argue that GT uses Black fin DSP chip and their own OS with AK4497EQ.  Well! WM1Z uses Sony unique proprietary DSP chip, and Walkman OS, S-Master HX.  There really is no hardware and engineering competitions here between the 2 devices.

It will all come down to your preferences, so you will have to judge them both side by side and for yourself with your favorite track and headphones or ear buds.  If I was to pick something that isn’t a Sony, I would pick Ibasso DX220 which I do have, but if I had to pick something more expensive with better built, I would Pick Cayin N8

That is my own opinion


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

KuroKitsu said:


> I kinda wish that cases don't cost an arm and a leg and ship from Asia. I either damage the device before they arrive and they have a high chance of taking too long and beng partially broken


They're not cheap, but compared to other parts of the hobby, they're not expensive either. And while shipping may take a week or more, it's unlikely to take a whole month. Surely you won't be throwing your WM1A out the window in that time.


----------



## Whitigir

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> They're not cheap, but compared to other parts of the hobby, they're not expensive either. And while shipping may take a week or more, it's unlikely to take a whole month. Surely you won't be throwing your WM1A out the window in that time.


He probably will not, but his wife may ? Who knows ? LOL


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> For the past few years I've been protecting it like this. It still looks brand new...


That's more hardcore than me!


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> It does have more powerful output than WM1Z.  But the one thing I do not like about the GT is that it uses too much DSP for playing back PCM, where as the WM1Z does not.  The warmth and analog from WM1Z comes from it hardware genuinely, while the GT comes from all the DSP.  So, the question would be authentic ? Or artificial ? To me the GT has a similar analog and warmth signature but with very different approach, in a way that render the GT with it own uniqueness that is by itself.
> 
> I later found out about what hardware were put together to build the GT and it only further confirmed my findings from a combinations of : GT own DSD engine, DSD file, PCM file, critically listening , analyzing hardware.
> 
> ...



I currently own the Lotoo Paw Gold 2017, non-touch model and a Sony NW-WM1A.  I listened to the gold Sony and just can't get it out of my head. Oh, this hobby is just going to kill me.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Whitigir said:


> He probably will not, but his wife may ? Who knows ? LOL


Hahahaha! Hide it some where. Wrap it in newspaper and hide it in the toolbox and hope she never looks there.


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> That's more hardcore than me!



The foam that comes with the Dignis case fits perfectly inside the clear case I already had.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> I currently own the Lotoo Paw Gold 2017, non-touch model and a Sony NW-WM1A.  I listened to the gold Sony and just can't get it out of my head. Oh, this hobby is just going to kill me.



That is a terrible malady. Sell both to get the WM1Z?
A year ago, I had a terrible yearning for the Z. But it's weight was a serious deal breaker since I take my player everywhere.
Got the A, grew to love it very quickly and after I got the Proj K mod done, never thought about the Z again.
Been seeing some good deals for a Z popping up and have been tempted again, but I just KNOW I'll not take it out with me as much on account of the weight.
And if I wanted something to be used at home, there's the DMP to consider...  Yeah, right! That's so way out of my league!


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> I currently own the Lotoo Paw Gold 2017, non-touch model and a Sony NW-WM1A.  I listened to the gold Sony and just can't get it out of my head. Oh, this hobby is just going to kill me.


Once you crave the Sony house sound, there is nothing like it.  Your rabbit holes is just beginning.....and don’t ever try that DMP....LOL


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> The foam that comes with the Dignis case fits perfectly inside the clear case I already had.


Wow, I never considered that!!


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 20, 2019)

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> That is a terrible malady. Sell both to get the WM1Z?
> A year ago, I had a terrible yearning for the Z. But it's weight was a serious deal breaker since I take my player everywhere.
> Got the A, grew to love it very quickly and after I got the Proj K mod done, never thought about the Z again.
> Been seeing some good deals for a Z popping up and have been tempted again, but I just KNOW I'll not take it out with me as much on account of the weight.
> And if I wanted something to be used at home, there's the DMP to consider...  Yeah, right! That's so way out of my league!


Even the Wm1A Built Quality is better than GT, again...except the power output.  The price for WM1Z is just right for it Built quality, the 1A is a bargain for it Built quality.

I had plan to modify a WM1A to perform even better than WM1Z stock, but I never executed it as I crave more power.  I was about to lose my mind , but DMP came out and the price tag “stunt” me for a while, then I woke up and the next thing I know....


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> That is a terrible malady. Sell both to get the WM1Z?
> A year ago, I had a terrible yearning for the Z. But it's weight was a serious deal breaker since I take my player everywhere.
> Got the A, grew to love it very quickly and after I got the Proj K mod done, never thought about the Z again.
> Been seeing some good deals for a Z popping up and have been tempted again, but I just KNOW I'll not take it out with me as much on account of the weight.
> And if I wanted something to be used at home, there's the DMP to consider...  Yeah, right! That's so way out of my league!



I always keep my players because I have the small problem of schizophrenic ears. I go weeks with just absolutely hating the way my Paw Gold sounds, and then all the sudden it just sounds great.  I do have to admit the 1A is the player that I like most consistently. I also love my QP1R on occasion.  Very strange thing but it's like my ears get in the mood for different sound signatures, and then move on to the next.


----------



## Quadfather

Whitigir said:


> Once you crave the Sony house sound, there is nothing like it.  Your rabbit holes is just beginning.....and don’t ever try that DMP....LOL



I am staying away from that one purposefully.


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> That is a terrible malady. Sell both to get the WM1Z?
> A year ago, I had a terrible yearning for the Z. But it's weight was a serious deal breaker since I take my player everywhere.
> Got the A, grew to love it very quickly and after I got the Proj K mod done, never thought about the Z again.
> Been seeing some good deals for a Z popping up and have been tempted again, but I just KNOW I'll not take it out with me as much on account of the weight.
> And if I wanted something to be used at home, there's the DMP to consider...  Yeah, right! That's so way out of my league!



I am not familiar with that mod, but I assume it really improved it for you.


----------



## KuroKitsu

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> They're not cheap, but compared to other parts of the hobby, they're not expensive either. And while shipping may take a week or more, it's unlikely to take a whole month. Surely you won't be throwing your WM1A out the window in that time.


Expensive in relation to other things, definitely not. The month time is assuming EMS to Canada Post. 



Whitigir said:


> He probably will not, but his wife may ? Who knows ? LOL


LOL she might given the number of IEMs I jumped around in the last month if not for the 1k cable.


----------



## Whitigir

KuroKitsu said:


> Expensive in relation to other things, definitely not. The month time is assuming EMS to Canada Post.
> 
> 
> LOL she might given the number of IEMs I jumped around in the last month if not for the 1k cable.


LOL! I see, so now I start to understand your avatar.  Each puppy is a mistake forgiven from her  !


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Quadfather said:


> I am not familiar with that mod, but I assume it really improved it for you.


It's done by Music Sanctuary in Singapore.
https://music-sanctuary.com/products/1960s-mod-wm1-zx300


----------



## LeFaucon

Whitigir said:


> Even the Wm1A Built Quality is better than GT, again...except the power output.  The price for WM1Z is just right for it Built quality, the 1A is a bargain for it Built quality.
> 
> I had plan to modify a WM1A to perform even better than WM1Z stock, but I never executed it as I crave more power.  I was about to lose my mind , but DMP came out and the price tag “stunt” me for a while, then I woke up and the next thing I know....



What’s the amp - I guess ? - on the right of the table beside the DMP1Z please ?
Thanks


----------



## Whitigir

LeFaucon said:


> What’s the amp - I guess ? - on the right of the table beside the DMP1Z please ?
> Thanks


That is actually a linear power supply


----------



## LeFaucon

Whitigir said:


> That is actually a linear power supply



Thank you


----------



## Ryokan

Quadfather said:


> I don't think I could swing the DMP. I plan on using Shure SRH1540 headphones most of the time. They seem to power well with the 1A



Maybe Sony are planning a DAP that uses some of the technology from the DMP. I know desk top gear is superior but part of the appeal of owning a portable player is being able to walk around, do jobs etc with all my music to hand.
The WM1Z is a few years old now, might it be worth waiting for the next generation player which shouldn't be far off? Have you listened to the QP2R?
 Also I've wondered about buying a player that's been in a shop for a few years would the battery have degraded?


----------



## Lookout57

Quadfather said:


> I always keep my players because I have the small problem of schizophrenic ears. I go weeks with just absolutely hating the way my Paw Gold sounds, and then all the sudden it just sounds great.  I do have to admit the 1A is the player that I like most consistently. I also love my QP1R on occasion.  Very strange thing but it's like my ears get in the mood for different sound signatures, and then move on to the next.


I don't think it's a case of schizophrenic ears, I think it's more environmental changes that causes hearing changes. Temperature, humidity and your health (allergies, colds, infections) effects it.


----------



## Quadfather

Lookout57 said:


> I don't think it's a case of schizophrenic ears, I think it's more environmental changes that causes hearing changes. Temperature, humidity and your health (allergies, colds, infections) effects it.



Thanks. I never even thought about that.  I still want that beautiful gold Sony at some point.


----------



## Lookout57

Quadfather said:


> Thanks. I never even thought about that.  I still want that beautiful gold Sony at some point.


And you won't regret it.


----------



## Quadfather

Lookout57 said:


> And you won't regret it.



I have thought about selling the LPG but I love that too much to get rid of.


----------



## timeslip

Quadfather said:


> Okay,  Lotoo Paw Gold vs Sony NW-WM1Z?  What do you like better, and why?
> 
> Yes, I know I'm being a pain in the ass tonight but I have some things going through my mind...



I have both, and it is a constant struggle which one I like more.  The LPGT sounds more natural, and would probably be my choice.  Except it doesn’t support basic things like m3u or any kind of offline playlist option and the battery life isn’t as good.  If you can live without those two things, then LPGT all the way.


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 21, 2019)

timeslip said:


> I have both, and it is a constant struggle which one I like more.  The LPGT sounds more natural, and would probably be my choice.  Except it doesn’t support basic things like m3u or any kind of offline playlist option and the battery life isn’t as good.  If you can live without those two things, then LPGT all the way.



Battery life is a pretty big consideration for me. I listen to a lot of Graphic Audio, audiobooks with sound effects, music, and voice actors.  Some of them can run 8 hours, but I put music in the middle of it sometimes to take a break.  I will probably just keep my non-touch Lotoo Paw Gold 2017 and save my coins for the gold Sony.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Even the Wm1A Built Quality is better than GT, again...except the power output.  The price for WM1Z is just right for it Built quality, the 1A is a bargain for it Built quality.
> 
> I had plan to modify a WM1A to perform even better than WM1Z stock, but I never executed it as I crave more power.  I was about to lose my mind , but DMP came out and the price tag “stunt” me for a while, then I woke up and the next thing I know....






Hmmm so this means you sold your ibasso gear and no more 1a and 1z. You only got DMP power now?

I am wondering how good is that dx220 is it even worth the move to buy and try it? The tube amp is tempting lol but Anoying hiss from dx200 killed my interest in ibasso forever. Some reviewers say dx220 has almost no hiss but I am skeptical.
Plus 1z sound is very smoothe dx200 was harsh to my ears.
Wm1z is the closest sound to my most beloved hdv820 dac amp from sennheiser...


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hmmm so this means you sold your ibasso gear and no more 1a and 1z. You only got DMP power now?
> 
> I am wondering how good is that dx220 is it even worth the move to buy and try it? The tube amp is tempting lol but Anoying hiss from dx200 killed my interest in ibasso forever. Some reviewers say dx220 has almost no hiss but I am skeptical.
> Plus 1z sound is very smoothe dx200 was harsh to my ears.
> Wm1z is the closest sound to my most beloved hdv820 dac amp from sennheiser...



Are you seeking for the next toy ? Away from 1Z ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Are you seeking for the next toy ? Away from 1Z ?




No not yet.

For now 1z is the king. But there is new toys in the backyard playing around it gets irritating to not knowing if its good or not.

I think 1z as a portable dap is really hard to beat and if I want to upgrade the only way to do it is probably the hugo2 portable. 


How does the dmp sound? Far a head of 1z?


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> No not yet.
> 
> For now 1z is the king. But there is new toys in the backyard playing around it gets irritating to not knowing if its good or not.
> 
> ...



I kept saying it, but I will repeat it.  DMP is Wm1Z on adrenaline, it is slightly warmer than WM1Z, but much more powerful, and with gigantic soundstage that totally will drown you in the music.  The smoothness that you hold 1Z in well regard, I know exactly what it is, and if it is what you are seeking then even Chord Dave will pale in comparison to DMP.  I am not sure how Hugo2 would do for you vs 1Z.  Probably not that smoothness but Hugo2 May have an up hand in soundstage and power delivery.  Give them all a try and decide for yourself

Don’t listen to DMP if you are not ready to pull out your wallet.  If you love WM1Z, hearing the DMP will haunt you in your dream


----------



## Vitaly2017

Can some experts please help me understand if it really gona work.

If sony released the eir-z1r and the specs are 3 hz to 100 khz but 1z is only capable of 20 hz to 40khz balance I think.

Do we really get the advantage and capable usability of the bew iem frequency range?

Please dont tell me my ears wont hear it lol. I just whant to understand the physics of the frequency coverage. To me seems like I am going to be limited to the 1z dap frequency range or not?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> I kept saying it, but I will repeat it.  DMP is Wm1Z on adrenaline, it is slightly warmer than WM1Z, but much more powerful, and with gigantic soundstage that totally will drown you in the music.  The smoothness that you hold 1Z in well regard, I know exactly what it is, and if it is what you are seeking then even Chord Dave will pale in comparison to DMP.  I am not sure how Hugo2 would do for you vs 1Z.  Probably not that smoothness but Hugo2 May have an up hand in soundstage and power delivery.  Give them all a try and decide for yourself
> 
> Don’t listen to DMP if you are not ready to pull out your wallet.  If you love WM1Z, hearing the DMP will haunt you in your dream





Haha that really scary I better not listen to dmp then or I will be thorn and forced to buy it ? He

I already heard hugo2 and no I didnt like it. To flat to think and very very neutral as sound sig. To me1z is fun warm and a really high quality device. When I switched from dx200 to 1z it was pure day and night even software is on higher lvl over dx200. Everything just works as a solide rock.

Sony is good for long life lasting and thats really good.

I also enjoy alot the versatility of 1z it has everything that new era daps have...

I can only complain on a slight hiss that is not very noticeable with my phantoms. But this iem is actually over sensitive and I dont think 1z is to blame here.


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Can some experts please help me understand if it really gona work.
> 
> If sony released the eir-z1r and the specs are 3 hz to 100 khz but 1z is only capable of 20 hz to 40khz balance I think.
> 
> ...



Scientifically and technically speaking.  Sony is neither misleading nor speaking the facts.

The IER-Z1R can respond and is measured upto 3-100khz without being burn-out or damaged, and that is true.

However, for all musical devices or whatever deemed safe for human being, all devices are limited at 20-20Khz.  The max I have seen is probably around 16-22khz.  At adequate volume, Anything under 16Hz would be damaging and dangerous to Human.  The same as anything that is over 22kHz.  So, every records, and even Analog to Digital conversion, or Digital to Analog conversions are all filtered and limited into 20-20Khz and 16-22KHz at max.

Yes, the WM1Z May publish the spec of 20-40Khz as the S-Master is capable at that number in the instruments and lab measurents, but once it get to the analog filters, it will filter out all things that is deemed “unsafe for human”, period.

Ofcourse, you can not hear it as it is filtered out and would not present.


----------



## Quadfather

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha that really scary I better not listen to dmp then or I will be thorn and forced to buy it ? He
> 
> I already heard hugo2 and no I didnt like it. To flat to think and very very neutral as sound sig. To me1z is fun warm and a really high quality device. When I switched from dx200 to 1z it was pure day and night even software is on higher lvl over dx200. Everything just works as a solide rock.
> 
> ...



I am so glad that I don't like being tied down to desktop amps. LOL $8,500?  I know the DMP is marketed as a Walkman, but it looks and acts like a desktop amp as far as I can see.


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha that really scary I better not listen to dmp then or I will be thorn and forced to buy it ? He
> 
> I already heard hugo2 and no I didnt like it. To flat to think and very very neutral as sound sig. To me1z is fun warm and a really high quality device. When I switched from dx200 to 1z it was pure day and night even software is on higher lvl over dx200. Everything just works as a solide rock.
> 
> ...




Yeah, I expected as much from your preferences.

Definitely, do not try DMP ....hahah, look at what happened to me, and I am lucky to be here and still posting 

Regarding the sonic frequency that is harmful to human.  I recommend you to read this article.  

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_weapon


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, I expected as much from your preferences.
> 
> Definitely, do not try DMP ....hahah, look at what happened to me, and I am lucky to be here and still posting
> 
> ...





Thanks I was actually kept thinking of it. How can the frequencies that are outside the 20 to 20k range can be harmful this is the first time I hear that....

And thinking of this now all this marketing fiasco about high res music is a gimmick????
What a sad world we live in sssss


----------



## Whitigir

Quadfather said:


> I am so glad that I don't like being tied down to desktop amps. LOL $8,500?  I know the DMP is marketed as a Walkman, but it looks and acts like a desktop amp as far as I can see.



It rivals desktop DAC/Amp, and yet you can have it sit next to you without plugging in.  It has created it own market, and competitions respond is starting to trigger in, such as Kann Cube, and upcoming DX220Max.

The differences is that DMP is a statement pieces of Sony, where as the others are just coming into the new opened market to share the pies


----------



## Quadfather

Is anybody here loving a Sony/Shure SRH1540 combination?  So intoxicating.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 22, 2019)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Thanks I was actually kept thinking of it. How can the frequencies that are outside the 20 to 20k range can be harmful this is the first time I hear that....
> 
> And thinking of this now all this marketing fiasco about high res music is a gimmick????
> What a sad world we live in sssss


High-res is a marketing tool, and again can neither be confirmed nor denied to be a gimmick.  But as a marketing tool, it just works!


----------



## KuroKitsu

@Whitigir 
I think I can be the sole exemption for now. The DMP is a blistering 12K CAD and even thought I got to demo it when I picked up the 1A (it's fabuluous to say the least). 

Not sure my skull can survive a frying pan from the missus.


----------



## Vitaly2017

KuroKitsu said:


> @Whitigir
> I think I can be the sole exemption for now. The DMP is a blistering 12K CAD and even thought I got to demo it when I picked up the 1A (it's fabuluous to say the least).
> 
> Not sure my skull can survive a frying pan from the missus.




You can get 1z and ier-1z for half the dmp price and that combo gona sound equal to dmp you know )

Wonder how these two compete valkyrie vs iet-1z hmmmm ?

They bothe kinda similar and try to attemp the same spec and frequency range too. Dont know how neather of bothe sounds yet (


----------



## Kitechaser (Jul 22, 2019)

Vitaly2017 said:


> You can get 1z and ier-1z for half the dmp price and that combo gona sound equal to dmp you know )
> 
> Wonder how these two compete valkyrie vs iet-1z hmmmm ?
> 
> They bothe kinda similar and try to attemp the same spec and frequency range too. Dont know how neather of bothe sounds yet (


DMP-Z1 blows the Sony TA-ZH1ES/1A/1Z out of the water. There is no comparison to anything else I have heard as of yet.
I made the mistake of listening to it, and I constantly think about it months later.
It's hard to describe the sound, it just takes that big step closer to a live performance, it sounds like listening to music on hallucinogenics, just super holographic 3 dimensional sound with true to life depth. 
I don't know what it sounds like with BA or DD drivers, but with my planar iem it was a wild wild ride.

Add: to my ears it was more like seeing the music, instead of hearing it (I know it sounds crazy).
I have to go back for a second take at some point.


----------



## raymogi (Jul 22, 2019)

Kitechaser said:


> DMP-Z1 blows the Sony TA-ZH1ES/1A/1Z out of the water. There is no comparison to anything else I have heard as of yet.
> I made the mistake of listening to it, and I constantly think about it months later.
> It's hard to describe the sound, it just takes that big step closer to a live performance, it sounds like listening to music on hallucinogenics, just super holographic 3 dimensional sound with true to life depth.
> I don't know what it sounds like with BA or DD drivers, but with my planar iem it was a wild wild ride.
> ...



Agreed on this 100%.

I keep restricting myself to not buy that Van Nuys case for the DMP to make it more “portable”. Cause if I do that, I will take it everywhere that it is still possible to do so.

And by doing that, my other DAP will never get play time anymore. Currently I have the DMP just in the table of my home office.


----------



## Kitechaser

raymogi said:


> Agreed on this 100%.
> 
> I keep restricting myself to not buy that Van Nuys case for the DMP to make it more “portable”. Cause if I do that, I will take it everywhere that it is still possible to do so.
> 
> And by doing that, my other DAP will never get play time anymore. Currently I have the DMP just in the table of my home office.


It's a true DAP Killer. I don't blame you for not getting a case for it


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I am figuring out my choices in getting some kind of an glass/plastic enclosure to get for this thing once I purchase it, as I live at a forests edge on a hill.  





Kitechaser said:


> It's a true DAP Killer. I don't blame you for not getting a case for it


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

raymogi said:


> Agreed on this 100%.
> 
> I keep restricting myself to not buy that Van Nuys case for the DMP to make it more “portable”. Cause if I do that, I will take it everywhere that it is still possible to do so.
> 
> And by doing that, my other DAP will never get play time anymore. Currently I have the DMP just in the table of my home office.







Like this?​


----------



## Quadfather

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> That is a terrible malady. Sell both to get the WM1Z?
> A year ago, I had a terrible yearning for the Z. But it's weight was a serious deal breaker since I take my player everywhere.
> Got the A, grew to love it very quickly and after I got the Proj K mod done, never thought about the Z again.
> Been seeing some good deals for a Z popping up and have been tempted again, but I just KNOW I'll not take it out with me as much on account of the weight.
> And if I wanted something to be used at home, there's the DMP to consider...  Yeah, right! That's so way out of my league!



It is beyond my reach too.  Even if I won the lottery, I would feel "funny" about spending that amount on a portable headphone amp.  I have been fairly successful in getting excellent results by finding source/headphone synergies and exploiting them.


----------



## Quadfather

KuroKitsu said:


> @Whitigir
> I think I can be the sole exemption for now. The DMP is a blistering 12K CAD and even thought I got to demo it when I picked up the 1A (it's fabuluous to say the least).
> 
> Not sure my skull can survive a frying pan from the missus.



My wife would go for the other end!  LOL  Can you say eunuch?


----------



## bflat

Those of you thinking about expensive upgrades - make sure you are listening to your current system when you are browsing information on potential upgrades. At least for me, this does a good job of scratching "the itch" to upgrade. This should help when considering upgrades purely on a audio quality basis. If you like what you have, it will curb your desire to upgrade. If your current system has something that you don't like, it will only amplify that flaw. This practice works well for me LOL.

My current system of choice is the WM1z and 64 Audio Tia Fourte. Just an amazing audio system in a compact and comfortable package.


----------



## Quadfather

bflat said:


> Those of you thinking about expensive upgrades - make sure you are listening to your current system when you are browsing information on potential upgrades. At least for me, this does a good job of scratching "the itch" to upgrade. This should help when considering upgrades purely on a audio quality basis. If you like what you have, it will curb your desire to upgrade. If your current system has something that you don't like, it will only amplify that flaw. This practice works well for me LOL.
> 
> My current system of choice is the WM1z and 64 Audio Tia Fourte. Just an amazing audio system in a compact and comfortable package.



I am aiming for a Sony NW - WM1Z to go along with my Shure SRH1540 headphones with their balanced cable.


----------



## captblaze

I just asked my wife if she would like to contribute to an advanced Sony player for "our" enjoyment.

her response,,,

what does it cost? 

my response..

ultra portable - $3199 msrp 
kinda portable - $8499 msrp

her next response

I only have one kidney to sell, so if you want the kinda portable Sony you will need to sell a kidney also


----------



## McMadface

captblaze said:


> I just asked my wife if she would like to contribute to an advanced Sony player for "our" enjoyment.
> 
> her response,,,
> 
> ...


The going rate for used kidneys is $262,000.00. Don't sell yourself short.


----------



## captblaze

McMadface said:


> The going rate for used kidneys is $262,000.00. Don't sell yourself short.



is that with or without anesthesia? I don't want my girl to suffer too much

and with the extra cash she can take a few weeks off to recover


----------



## McMadface

captblaze said:


> is that with or without anesthesia? I don't want my girl to suffer too much
> 
> and with the extra cash she can take a few weeks off to recover


She'll barely feel a thing. And, you should still have a couple of thousand left over after getting a HE1 Orpheus for every room of the house.


----------



## captblaze

McMadface said:


> She'll barely feel a thing. And, you should still have a couple of thousand left over after getting a HE1 Orpheus for every room of the house.



I like your thinking, although the WM-1A will have to do till at least 4 (of 5) kids are through with college


----------



## proedros

raymogi said:


> Agreed on this 100%.
> 
> *I keep restricting myself to not buy that Van Nuys case for the DMP to make it more “portable”. Cause if I do that, I will take it everywhere that it is still possible to do so.
> 
> And by doing that, my other DAP will never get play time anymore. *Currently I have the DMP just in the table of my home office.



if i were you, I would buy the VN case and sell my other DAP

your wallet (and your shoulders/arms) should get much stronger that way.

I approve 100%


----------



## McMadface

captblaze said:


> 4 (of 5) kids


You mean kidney farm.


----------



## captblaze

McMadface said:


> You mean kidney farm.



that's where wifey draws the line...

she is willing to take one for the team, but the kids are off limits


----------



## Kitechaser (Jul 22, 2019)

I have some goals in mind for next year. When I get em done, I will get the DMP-Z1 to celebrate.
Spending 8 grand on a player, when you say it out loud sounds pretty ridiculous still.
Maybe the next WM1A successor will have some of that DMP Magic?


----------



## Quadfather

McMadface said:


> The going rate for used kidneys is $262,000.00. Don't sell yourself short.



Yikes! People actually sell their kidneys? I will keep both of mine thank you very much, in case one happens to fail.


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 22, 2019)

Kitechaser said:


> I have some goals in mind for next year. When I get em done, I will get the DMP-Z1 to celebrate.
> Spending 8 grand on a player, when you say it out loud sounds pretty ridiculous still.
> Maybe the next WM1A successor will have some of that DMP Magic?



I just demoed the Meze Empyreans and found that I still like my Shure SRH1540 headphones better.  Just saying... I think finding proper synergies can save people a lot of money.


----------



## Kitechaser (Jul 22, 2019)

Quadfather said:


> I just demoed the Meze Empyreans and found that I still like my Shure SRH1540 headphones better.  Just saying...


It is soooooooo important to listen to DAPS/IEMS/Headphones for yourself, I have tried almost every iem under the tree, and I like my $900 planar single driver more than 3k electrostats.
Too many people get influenced by other people's opinions, you like what you like, that's the only opinion that matters.
Can't stress that enough.


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 22, 2019)

Kitechaser said:


> It is soooooooo important to listen to music gear for yourself, I have tried almost every iem under the tree, and I like my $900 planar single driver more than 3k electrostats.
> Too many people get influenced by other people's opinions, you like what you like, that's the only opinion that matters.
> Can't stress that enough.



I totally agree. I realize that my LPG has greater resolution than my Sony NW-WM1A. However, I find myself listening to the Sony 80% of the time. There is more to musicality than resolution.  I know objectively that the Sony doesn't sound as good as the LPG, but I still like the way the Sony sounds more for some bizarre reason. Can I explain it in words? No.


----------



## Kitechaser

Quadfather said:


> I totally agree. I realize that my LPG has greater resolution than my Sony NW-WM1A. However, I find myself listening to the Sony 80% of the time. There is more to musicality than resolution.  I know objectively that the Sony doesn't sound as good as the LPG, but I still like the way the Sony sounds more for some bizarre reason. Can I explain it in words? No.


Same here. I just recently had a chance to listen to a lot of different DAPs, including up the food chain (3k plus) and I liked the WM1A the most. Go figure..
Synergy plays a big factor, but more than that, the Sony sound, it has that cohesiveness, there is more to music than simple technicalities. Firmware 3.01 to my ears is pretty damn impressive.
My ears are pretty sensitive to instrument timbre, and sony gets this more right than anyone else. (In my opinion)
Everything sounds like it should.


----------



## Quadfather

Kitechaser said:


> Same here. I just recently had a chance to listen to a lot of different DAPs, including up the food chain (3k plus) and I liked the WM1A the most. Go figure..
> Synergy plays a big factor, but more than that, the Sony sound, it has that cohesiveness, there is more to music than simple technicalities. Firmware 3.01 to my ears is pretty damn impressive.
> My ears are pretty sensitive to instrument timbre, and sony gets this more right than anyone else. (In my opinion)
> Everything sounds like it should.



 I have my eye on the gold Sony because I heard that and loved it as well


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 22, 2019)

A much thicker Suede -Hide *3.5mm* thickness for the 2nd hand sewn leather case.  It also has Sling handles for sling bag carry-on purposes.  The finishing on the leather is *Alcantara* like


----------



## Lookout57

Quadfather said:


> I totally agree. I realize that my LPG has greater resolution than my Sony NW-WM1A. However, I find myself listening to the Sony 80% of the time. There is more to musicality than resolution.  I know objectively that the Sony doesn't sound as good as the LPG, but I still like the way the Sony sounds more for some bizarre reason. Can I explain it in words? No.


I think the best way to describe it as natural and effortless that you just get lost in the emotion of the music instead of hearing the details. This also seems to be the Campfire house sound of the Solaris.

To me the 1Z/Solaris with the ALO Gold 16 cable is my goto combo. I just get lost in the sound and can listen forever.


----------



## emrelights1973

Whitigir said:


> A much thicker Suede -Hide *3.5mm* thickness for the 2nd hand sewn leather case.  It also has Sling handles for sling bag carry-on purposes.  The finishing on the leather is *Alcantara* like



Just one drop we all see how portable it is..... this is desktop amp with batteries, any other use is stretching and looking like mega geek..... you will kill your slim changes to get a girl friend 

So get a nice 1A and Stick to it while Walking around.... i use sr15, Great litrelik DAP, more than enough when you are in a subway or bus

Or even Fiio m11...

İf you have a summer House that you will spend more than week than you can bring the toy with you


----------



## phonomat (Jul 23, 2019)

It's _not_ a desktop amp, it's a portable/transportable/mobile/whateveryouwannacallit integrated all-in-one player/amp combo that can run on batteries for a pretty decent amount of time, giving you a pretty decent amount of freedom. You can use it in different rooms of your house independent of power outlets, in the attic, on the balcony, in the garden, in hotel rooms, in the woods, on the golf course, on planes, trains, automobiles, heck, even on a bicycle, if you're so inclined. Would I lug it around in a case? Most certainly not (if only out of fear to scratch an almost $10,000 device), but that doesn't change the fact that you _could_. Good luck trying that with a player/desktop amp stack of your choice. Of course you can do all that and more with a "normal" dap, but there are people whose first directive is sound quality, and that's the target audience of this device. Not a whole lot more to it really.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

phonomat said:


> _Good luck trying that with a player/desktop amp stack of your choice._


Hmmm I wonder... What would a WA7 look like in a leather harness? Hmmmm...


----------



## bflat

Well, Rob Watts carries around a Chord MScaler plus a huge battery pack for power when he travels. That's in addition to his Hugo 2 and laptop.

Who else remembers the days when stacking was the way to go for portable? The "best" stack was an AK240 as transport, Hugo for DAC, and Bakoon portable amp. Ironically that stack in today's dollars is about the same as the DMP.


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> Well, Rob Watts carries around a Chord MScaler plus a huge battery pack for power when he travels. That's in addition to his Hugo 2 and laptop.
> 
> Who else remembers the days when stacking was the way to go for portable? The "best" stack was an AK240 as transport, Hugo for DAC, and Bakoon portable amp. Ironically that stack in today's dollars is about the same as the DMP.



I travelled with an iRiver H-140 going optical out to an iBasso D10


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 23, 2019)

bflat said:


> Well, Rob Watts carries around a Chord MScaler plus a huge battery pack for power when he travels. That's in addition to his Hugo 2 and laptop.
> 
> Who else remembers the days when stacking was the way to go for portable? The "best" stack was an AK240 as transport, Hugo for DAC, and Bakoon portable amp. Ironically that stack in today's dollars is about the same as the DMP.




Seems cumbersome to me, but everybody has their preference and should pursue it. For me, it's a single piece driving a headphone it's capable of driving, or it stays home.


----------



## Quadfather

Out of all my headphones, I believe my Shure SRH1540 headphones pair best with Sony NW-WM1A.  They beat out HD650, AKG K812, and ATH-MSR7...


----------



## gazzington

Quadfather said:


> Out of all my headphones, I believe my Shure SRH1540 headphones pair best with Sony NW-WM1A.  They beat out HD650, AKG K812, and ATH-MSR7...


What about your questyle and lpg?


----------



## Quadfather

gazzington said:


> What about your questyle and lpg?



The AKGs are best on the QP1R.  The 1540s are great on the LPG...AKG good too.  HD650 is not very good on the LPG.  The LPG and the QP1R both have better resolution than the Sony, but for whatever reason, I much prefer the sound of the Sony


----------



## KuroKitsu

"There's just something about Sony..." Literally the reason why we're all here.


----------



## Kitechaser (Jul 23, 2019)

Comparing the WM1A to the RME ADI-2 DAC iem output.
The ADI-2 has better resolution, taller stage, better separation, sounds come from all directions, more extended than the WM1A.

WM1A has a more true to life tonality, and is a hell of a lot more fun to listen to.

The ADI-2 Dac does almost all the technicalities better, but with at least this iem, it just misses out on the essence of the music.

Only caveat being WM1A is connected to my 4.4mm PW Audio 1960s cable, and ADI-2 is using the 3.5mm OEM cable.

Such is synergy, mostly missed by graphs and numbers.


----------



## Quadfather

Does anybody on this thread have and use both the 1A and 1Z?


----------



## captblaze

Kitechaser said:


> Comparing the WM1A to the RME ADI-2 DAC iem output.
> The ADI-2 has better resolution, taller stage, better separation, sounds come from all directions, more extended than the WM1A.
> 
> WM1A has a more true to life tonality, and is a hell of a lot more fun to listen to.
> ...



I own both and would concur with you assessment.

the way the Sony presents the music is a less clinical way, although both allow sound bending in their own way which can help over come some mismatches (not all)


----------



## Jalo

I have owned the 1A and two 1Z even though I have sold my 1A and one 1Z now to make room for the SP2000.  The 1Z is my most favorite dap the only wish I have is more wattage. I have listened to the dmp since last August no less than 20 times, I think it sounds great but I like the SP2000 strictly on sound alone.


----------



## iron2k

Jalo said:


> I have owned the 1A and two 1Z even though I have sold my 1A and one 1Z now to make room for the SP2000.  The 1Z is my most favorite dap the only wish I have is more wattage. I have listened to the dmp since last August no less than 20 times, I think it sounds great but I like the SP2000 strictly on sound alone.


What can you say about SP2000 vs WM1A and 1Z ???
Thanks


----------



## Kitechaser (Jul 23, 2019)

Quadfather said:


> Does anybody on this thread have and use both the 1A and 1Z?


Make sure to try the 1Z with your iems first. It's bass is layered in a very interesting way,  to where it creates the appearance of a lot of depth.
This signature if paired with iems that have good synergy, sounds absolutely great, but with others it can be a hit or miss.
When I listened to it, I was seriously considering buying it, but when paired with my driver it was not a good match, the signature became a bit harsh, and the layering sounded like heavy DSP.
1A and 1Z have a different tuning, that is they can coexist, and offer very different takes on your music. One is not necessarily better than the other.


----------



## Quadfather

Kitechaser said:


> Make sure to try the 1Z with your iems first. It's bass is layered in a very interesting way,  to where it creates the appearance of a lot of depth.
> This signature if paired with iems that have good synergy, sounds absolutely great, but with others it can be a hit or miss.
> When I listened to it, I was seriously considering buying it, but when paired with my driver it was not a good match, the signature became a bit harsh, and the layering sounded like heavy DSP.
> 1A and 1Z have a different tuning, that is they can coexist, and offer very different takes on your music. One is not necessarily better than the other.



I am strictly headphones now I got rid of all my iems


----------



## bflat

Quadfather said:


> I am strictly headphones now I got rid of all my iems



I don't know of any DAPs that can truly drive a wide range of full size headphones. You may want to consider adding a Woo Audio WA11 to your portable rig. I generally use it in just amp mode with my WM1z being the source. The combo drives my HD820 with desktop level authority.


----------



## Jalo

iron2k said:


> What can you say about SP2000 vs WM1A and 1Z ???
> Thanks


On the contrary, I am almost strictly an iem person now even though I still have my Utopia, Focal Clear, HD800, and ED8.  Last time I listened to the Empirean on the DMP and compared that to my Z1R or Trinity, I so much preferred my iems better.  I think I am more drawn to the personal feel of the iems over that of the fullize headphones.  Fullsize headphones though have a larger sound (but not that much bigger than some of my iems like Lab2, JVC FW10K, for instance, they are never able to produce that sense of intimacy for me which is a critical element in vocal listening. I think if I am a classical music person, fullsize is great.  

As for the comparison between the SP2000, and 1a/1Z, First of all I love my 1Z and agree that it is very warm, smooth and musical, whereas the 1A is more neutral, cleaner and a little brighter than the 1Z.  To me the SP2000 represents the combination of the best elements from both 1A and 1Z.  It has more power, clean power I should say, than both.  May be because everything is so clean but not bright or harsh with the SP2000, you just feel like so so close to the music. It is at least equal to the DMP if not better by one degree of veil. I am thinking it is the new totl AKM DAC that is the difference.  The different when compare to the AKM 4497eq, it has a sweetness to it. It is liquid smooth but highly resolve without sacrificing any nuances.  The being there sensation is very strong.  In contrast to my 1Z, the SP2K represents a different feel of music to me.  My iems seem to have more PRaT and dynamic to them, I do not know if it is because of the increased power or the different with the Dac, but I like to have that variation of sound in my stable.  I will never let go of my 1Z but adding the SP2k seems to complete the sound character that seems to be missing for me.

And for those who is looking to get the 1Z, I will still go and get one now before they are gone from the used market.  It is a classic for many years to come regardless of what Sony come out next.  I just sold my nearly new 1Z for below 50% of MSRP.  I think it is the best deal on the market now.


----------



## Jalo (Jul 23, 2019)

bflat said:


> I don't know of any DAPs that can truly drive a wide range of full size headphones. You may want to consider adding a Woo Audio WA11 to your portable rig. I generally use it in just amp mode with my WM1z being the source. The combo drives my HD820 with desktop level authority.



Khan Cube is the only one it is even more powerful than the WA11


----------



## bflat

Jalo said:


> Khan Cube is the only one it is even more powerful than the WA11



True, it seems the Khan Cube has started shipping. Definitely looks good on paper. Doubt the amp is full Class A like the WA11 though.


----------



## Quadfather

bflat said:


> I don't know of any DAPs that can truly drive a wide range of full size headphones. You may want to consider adding a Woo Audio WA11 to your portable rig. I generally use it in just amp mode with my WM1z being the source. The combo drives my HD820 with desktop level authority.



The LPG seems to drive my AKG K812 well.  The Shure SRH1540s are pretty easy.  I don't think I'm going to widen out too far in headphones, since I already like the ones that I have.


----------



## r00t61

I picked up a 1Z from a fellow headfier.  Still waiting to get my IER M9 so I can try the balanced out.

The weight of the 1Z is truly absurd; upon first picking it up I felt like I was taking crazy pills.  But I got used to it quickly enough.

Unfortunately I did end up experiencing the lag that another poster mentioned when using the 1Z as a DAC from my PC.  Which is too bad - guess that means I'll be sticking with a dedicated sound card in my next PC build.

On the 1Z, is there a way to quickly perform a search for a piece of music, like on the interface for the NW-ZX2?  I used that feature constantly...


----------



## bflat

Jalo said:


> Khan Cube is the only one it is even more powerful than the WA11





r00t61 said:


> I picked up a 1Z from a fellow headfier.  Still waiting to get my IER M9 so I can try the balanced out.
> 
> The weight of the 1Z is truly absurd; upon first picking it up I felt like I was taking crazy pills.  But I got used to it quickly enough.
> 
> ...



Try Bluetooth receiver mode. I've found SBC codec to be pretty watchable with slight lag and AAC there is no lag. Haven't been able to try LDAC though. Unfortunately, receive mode doesn't support AptX.


----------



## Jalo

bflat said:


> True, it seems the Khan Cube has started shipping. Definitely looks good on paper. Doubt the amp is full Class A like the WA11 though.



At Socal Can Jam at the AK table, some guys were trying out the Khan Cube with his LCD4 and he let me play with it also.  The cube easily handled the LCD4 with plenty of headroom to spare.  We also tried the HD800 and one other fullsize I cannot remember the brand now, all easily driven on high gain 2.5 balance before it reaches three quarter of the volume pot.


----------



## ttoan91

Jalo said:


> At Socal Can Jam at the AK table, some guys were trying out the Khan Cube with his LCD4 and he let me play with it also.  The cube easily handled the LCD4 with plenty of headroom to spare.  We also tried the HD800 and one other fullsize I cannot remember the brand now, all easily driven on high gain 2.5 balance before it reaches three quarter of the volume pot.


OMG, seem it's a bargain with that price tag for such a power like that.


----------



## rgutierr

hi all  long time lurker first time poster. Just bought me an WM1A after my wifes ZX1 died and i agreed to pass on my ZX2 to her. Very excited  am i in for a very nice upgrade with this from the ZX2? any specific things i should watch out for? Australian/asian model, btw so no volume cap iirc


----------



## aminus

rgutierr said:


> hi all  long time lurker first time poster. Just bought me an WM1A after my wifes ZX1 died and i agreed to pass on my ZX2 to her. Very excited  am i in for a very nice upgrade with this from the ZX2? any specific things i should watch out for? Australian/asian model, btw so no volume cap iirc


Prepare to buy lots of 4.4 cables or reterminate everything you have to 4.4.


----------



## Whitigir

aminus said:


> Prepare to buy lots of 4.4 cables or reterminate everything you have to 4.4.



Hahaha, thanks for the laugh.  I know it is serious, but it is so funny


----------



## rgutierr

aminus said:


> Prepare to buy lots of 4.4 cables or reterminate everything you have to 4.4.



Oh, im new to 4.4. 100%. Every single DAP ive used has only been 3.5mm. Is there a bible where i can read the differences or like a beginner guide to 4.4 and why i should use?

exciting


----------



## iron2k

rgutierr said:


> Oh, im new to 4.4. 100%. Every single DAP ive used has only been 3.5mm. Is there a bible where i can read the differences or like a beginner guide to 4.4 and why i should use?
> 
> exciting


The simple part: Balanced output (4.4) has more power, More Power is More Dynamics.


----------



## Kitechaser

rgutierr said:


> Oh, im new to 4.4. 100%. Every single DAP ive used has only been 3.5mm. Is there a bible where i can read the differences or like a beginner guide to 4.4 and why i should use?
> 
> exciting


Yup 4.4mm. This player is designed around the 4.4mm balanced out. 
Better dynamics, power, depth, soundstage, pretty much everything else. 
Also needs 200 hours if burn in. 
My preferred mode of play is, Direct sound off, and all DSP setting also off.
This reduces mid bass, and increases resolution and separation. 
Other than that, enjoy.


----------



## rgutierr

Kitechaser said:


> Yup 4.4mm. This player is designed around the 4.4mm balanced out.
> Better dynamics, power, depth, soundstage, pretty much everything else.
> Also needs 200 hours if burn in.
> My preferred mode of play is, Direct sound off, and all DSP setting also off.
> ...



Thank you! I use my ZX2 in the same way. Untouched audio no funny business settings. 200 hours. Gotcha. Did see that, good to know its confirmed here. 

Im currently using Westone w60s. Im quite fond of them-however, am open to suggestions on an upgrade! I tried out the Andromeda 2019s yesterday. I liked them! Any others i should be on the look for?

Mainly listen to Alt rock, electronic, prog house and ambient


----------



## aminus

rgutierr said:


> Oh, im new to 4.4. 100%. Every single DAP ive used has only been 3.5mm. Is there a bible where i can read the differences or like a beginner guide to 4.4 and why i should use?
> 
> exciting


Sony basically built this player around the 4.4 jack. It has its own set of caps on the PCB board, separate from the 3.5mm jack, which is honestly kind of just there because it’s the most common audio jack. If you want the most out of your 1A it’s going to be out of the 4.4.


----------



## r00t61

So I just got my IER M9 to pair with my 1Z.

I don't know if it's the player; or the headphones; or the balanced out; or some secret sauce voodoo combination of the three.  

But I'm hearing stuff in my music that I've never heard in my previous ZX2+XBA Z5.

New sparkly banjo in Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me"; new bass guitar riffage in Mudvayne's "A World So Cold"; new French horn soul in Handel's Water Music; new cymbal and hi-hat in Dave Brubeck's "Time Out" - list goes on and on.

Mind is blown.


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 25, 2019)

r00t61 said:


> So I just got my IER M9 to pair with my 1Z.
> 
> I don't know if it's the player; or the headphones; or the balanced out; or some secret sauce voodoo combination of the three.
> 
> ...




My mind is blown that another with such eclectic music taste exists!  I can go from Mudvayne or Lamb of God straight to Kenny G


----------



## Kitechaser (Jul 25, 2019)

rgutierr said:


> Thank you! I use my ZX2 in the same way. Untouched audio no funny business settings. 200 hours. Gotcha. Did see that, good to know its confirmed here.
> 
> Im currently using Westone w60s. Im quite fond of them-however, am open to suggestions on an upgrade! I tried out the Andromeda 2019s yesterday. I liked them! Any others i should be on the look for?
> 
> Mainly listen to Alt rock, electronic, prog house and ambient


I don't know if you have ever heard a magnepan speaker. It's a planar magnetic speaker, people either love it or hate it.
The RHA CL2 I use, sounds exactly like my Magnepan speaker system( identical tuning and presentation) I hear almost no difference between the two when I take my iems off. That is extremely impressive, at least to me, others may disagree.
If you like BA drivers, cannot go wrong with the Andromeda, its a classic.


----------



## aminus

r00t61 said:


> So I just got my IER M9 to pair with my 1Z.
> 
> I don't know if it's the player; or the headphones; or the balanced out; or some secret sauce voodoo combination of the three.
> 
> ...


There’s definitely something special about pairing a Sony player with a Sony IEM. You get a really strong sense of synergy between the two, which honestly befits the whole “signature series” thing they’ve been pushing. 

I really sound like a hardcore Sony shill don’t I?


----------



## rgutierr

Kitechaser said:


> I don't know if you have ever heard a magnepan speaker. It's a planar magnetic speaker, people either love it or hate it.
> The RHA CL2 I use, sounds exactly like my Magnepan speaker system( identical tuning and presentation) I hear almost no difference between the two when I take my iems off. That is extremely impressive, at least to me, others may disagree.
> If you like BA drivers, cannot go wrong with the Andromeda, its a classic.




Ahhhh so awesome. Yeah the Andromedas sounded stunning with the tracks i demo'ed. Cant wait for the player to arrive!


----------



## NickL33

aminus said:


> There’s definitely something special about pairing a Sony player with a Sony IEM. You get a really strong sense of synergy between the two, which honestly befits the whole “signature series” thing they’ve been pushing.
> 
> I really sound like a hardcore Sony shill don’t I?


----------



## Kitechaser

rgutierr said:


> Ahhhh so awesome. Yeah the Andromedas sounded stunning with the tracks i demo'ed. Cant wait for the player to arrive!


Also remember. Update the player to firmware 3.01 if it's not already updated.
It's by far the best sounding firmware. 
Other than that. Enjoy.


----------



## auronthas

Kitechaser said:


> Also needs 200 hours if burn in.
> .


Talking about burn in, I wish next WM1A/1Z firmware update will show balanced and unbalanced operation duration. As i listen to unbalanced output sometimes.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jul 25, 2019)

aminus said:


> There’s definitely something special about pairing a Sony player with a Sony IEM. You get a really strong sense of synergy between the two, which honestly befits the whole “signature series” thing they’ve been pushing.
> 
> I really sound like a hardcore Sony shill don’t I?


Yes you are


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

rgutierr said:


> hi all  long time lurker first time poster. Just bought me an WM1A after my wifes ZX1 died and i agreed to pass on my ZX2 to her. Very excited  am i in for a very nice upgrade with this from the ZX2? any specific things i should watch out for? Australian/asian model, btw so no volume cap iirc


Get case and screen protector.


----------



## Dom Isaac

Hey guys, i'm curious and this might sound stupid but do you guys bring the 1A/1Z out on the streets or this is mainly for home listening?

and also i may have missed previous posts about music streaming apps with it but just needed to clarify if it's possible? for eg. phone pairs 1A/1Z via bluetooth and output spotify with it


----------



## aminus

Dom Isaac said:


> Hey guys, i'm curious and this might sound stupid but do you guys bring the 1A/1Z out on the streets or this is mainly for home listening?


Mainly outdoor use


Dom Isaac said:


> and also i may have missed previous posts about music streaming apps with it but just needed to clarify if it's possible? for eg. phone pairs 1A/1Z via bluetooth and output spotify with it


That’s possible.


----------



## Redcarmoose

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/dom-isaac.374633/

Always at home, using an IPod out and about.


----------



## nc8000

Dom Isaac said:


> Hey guys, i'm curious and this might sound stupid but do you guys bring the 1A/1Z out on the streets or this is mainly for home listening?
> 
> and also i may have missed previous posts about music streaming apps with it but just needed to clarify if it's possible? for eg. phone pairs 1A/1Z via bluetooth and output spotify with it



Out and about I use my iPhone and BT in ears. The 1Z is primarily for hotel room use on work travel and hollidays


----------



## rgutierr

Dom Isaac said:


> Hey guys, i'm curious and this might sound stupid but do you guys bring the 1A/1Z out on the streets or this is mainly for home listening?
> 
> and also i may have missed previous posts about music streaming apps with it but just needed to clarify if it's possible? for eg. phone pairs 1A/1Z via bluetooth and output spotify with it



I dont have mine yet but i will use it outdoors everywhere i go like i did with ZX1 and ZX2 XD. They become a part of me


----------



## helljudgement

Dom Isaac said:


> and also i may have missed previous posts about music streaming apps with it but just needed to clarify if it's possible? for eg. phone pairs 1A/1Z via bluetooth and output spotify with it



Yep it is possible. I use the BT receiver function a lot and find little to no loss in quality when streaming flac files from my phone.


----------



## Dom Isaac

Thanks for the replies guys! I will want to bring it out if i were to own one but i'm just worried that might be too cumbersome. I guess it'll be all worth it when i get a chance to audition this beautiful brick. Is there a specific format for the SD card for it to read? Apparently I got a hold on the 1Z early this year but it couldn't read my SD card for some reason. My card is in exFat. Any thoughts on this?


----------



## aminus

Dom Isaac said:


> Thanks for the replies guys! I will want to bring it out if i were to own one but i'm just worried that might be too cumbersome. I guess it'll be all worth it when i get a chance to audition this beautiful brick. Is there a specific format for the SD card for it to read? Apparently I got a hold on the 1Z early this year but it couldn't read my SD card for some reason. My card is in exFat. Any thoughts on this?


My card was formatted to ExFat for the longest time and it had no problems reading it. Most likely the issue is that you need to have all your files stored under a folder labeled MUSIC in the root directory in order for the 1Z to pick up your files.


----------



## Dom Isaac

aminus said:


> My card was formatted to ExFat for the longest time and it had no problems reading it. Most likely the issue is that you need to have all your files stored under a folder labeled MUSIC in the root directory in order for the 1Z to pick up your files.


Ah i see. Thanks!


----------



## phonomat

Dom Isaac said:


> Hey guys, i'm curious and this might sound stupid but do you guys bring the 1A/1Z out on the streets or this is mainly for home listening?
> 
> and also i may have missed previous posts about music streaming apps with it but just needed to clarify if it's possible? for eg. phone pairs 1A/1Z via bluetooth and output spotify with it



For me personally, the 1Z would be far too heavy for that, but I use my 1A outside frequently (even if it's already on the heavy side for a dap).


----------



## aisalen

Dom Isaac said:


> Thanks for the replies guys! I will want to bring it out if i were to own one but i'm just worried that might be too cumbersome. I guess it'll be all worth it when i get a chance to audition this beautiful brick. Is there a specific format for the SD card for it to read? Apparently I got a hold on the 1Z early this year but it couldn't read my SD card for some reason. My card is in exFat. Any thoughts on this?


You have no problem bring 1A with you anytime, but I suggest to use iem instead of hp.


----------



## proedros

rgutierr said:


> hi all  long time lurker first time poster. Just bought me an WM1A after my wifes ZX1 died and i agreed to pass on my ZX2 to her. Very excited  *am i in for a very nice upgrade with this from the ZX2? *any specific things i should watch out for? Australian/asian model, btw so no volume cap iirc



also moved from zx2 to wm1a , the upgrade is real

1 - get screen protector / case.
2- install FW 3.01
3 - get a good 4.4 cable 
4 - burn wm1a in for 200 (and up to 500) hours
5 - enjoy music


----------



## meomap

1Z + WH1000mx3 ANC hp = walking the dog daily.
Sometimes 1Z + K10C 
Sometimes 1Z + Encore
Main core 1Z + ALO CDM + Khan =  OMG


----------



## buzzlulu

helljudgement said:


> Yep it is possible. I use the BT receiver function a lot and find little to no loss in quality when streaming flac files from my phone.



I am still a bit confused over this.  My understanding is that if the Tidal app on my iPhone is set to store/stream full resolution files (16/44) then even though it is wirelessly streaming via Bluetooth to my 1Z it is STILL USING the AAC codec within the stream.  In other words the music files are being streamed AAC - so in reality they are not being received by the 1Z (and thus being sent to a wired headphone) as full uncompressed files.  They are via the AAC codec - so by nature "compromised".  Whether one hears a difference or not is a different story.

Am I understanding the technical concept correctly?

This is why I am connecting my iPhone to the 1Z via the Apple CCK/USB cable.


----------



## bflat

buzzlulu said:


> I am still a bit confused over this.  My understanding is that if the Tidal app on my iPhone is set to store/stream full resolution files (16/44) then even though it is wirelessly streaming via Bluetooth to my 1Z it is STILL USING the AAC codec within the stream.  In other words the music files are being streamed AAC - so in reality they are not being received by the 1Z (and thus being sent to a wired headphone) as full uncompressed files.  They are via the AAC codec - so by nature "compromised".  Whether one hears a difference or not is a different story.
> 
> Am I understanding the technical concept correctly?
> 
> This is why I am connecting my iPhone to the 1Z via the Apple CCK/USB cable.



That is correct. Alternative for BT streaming is Android Phone with LDAC which would be lossless 16/44 bit rate.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Dom Isaac said:


> Hey guys, i'm curious and this might sound stupid but do you guys bring the 1A/1Z out on the streets or this is mainly for home listening?
> 
> and also i may have missed previous posts about music streaming apps with it but just needed to clarify if it's possible? for eg. phone pairs 1A/1Z via bluetooth and output spotify with it


I bring my 1A everywhere. And yes, that's how you use a streaming service on your A/Z.


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> I am still a bit confused over this.  My understanding is that if the Tidal app on my iPhone is set to store/stream full resolution files (16/44) then even though it is wirelessly streaming via Bluetooth to my 1Z it is STILL USING the AAC codec within the stream.  In other words the music files are being streamed AAC - so in reality they are not being received by the 1Z (and thus being sent to a wired headphone) as full uncompressed files.  They are via the AAC codec - so by nature "compromised".  Whether one hears a difference or not is a different story.
> 
> Am I understanding the technical concept correctly?
> 
> This is why I am connecting my iPhone to the 1Z via the Apple CCK/USB cable.



Yes you are perfectly right as aac is the best an iPhone or iPad can do over BT


----------



## Aeskualpio

Dom Isaac said:


> Hey guys, i'm curious and this might sound stupid but do you guys bring the 1A/1Z out on the streets or this is mainly for home listening?
> 
> and also i may have missed previous posts about music streaming apps with it but just needed to clarify if it's possible? for eg. phone pairs 1A/1Z via bluetooth and output spotify with it



I use the 1A everywhere. 
Paired to a Galaxy Note 9 via LDAC for Tidal
Paired to RHA CL2 with BT cable 
Wired to RHA CL2 or DM7 via custom OFC cable terminated in 4.4
On airplanes connected via BT receiver to a BT transmitter for watching movies/shows on the IFE


----------



## buzzlulu

bflat said:


> That is correct. Alternative for BT streaming is Android Phone with LDAC which would be lossless 16/44 bit rate.



Thank you (and others who replied). 

New question - I am exclusively all in Apple.
Is there an Android phone which I can purchase and use exclusively for Tidal Bluetooth streaming to my 1Z (I would not activate the cellular capabilities and only use it at home on my WiFi network).

I realize it is a bit extravagant to purchase a phone to use exclusively for Tidal streaming and that the only advantage over my iPhone XS is the ability to lose the CCK/USB cable - however I am interested in asking.


----------



## bflat

buzzlulu said:


> Thank you (and others who replied).
> 
> New question - I am exclusively all in Apple.
> Is there an Android phone which I can purchase and use exclusively for Tidal Bluetooth streaming to my 1Z (I would not activate the cellular capabilities and only use it at home on my WiFi network).
> ...



Certainly! Any Android phone with 8.0 or later should have LDAC since that is when it was integrated into the OS. Personally I would stick with brand names but ironically, some of the lower priced phones are from the Sony Xperia line because they never sold well, but have good quality. Smartphones work perfectly fine with Wifi only. You may also want to make sure you buy an Android phone that works on your network and also uses Nano SIM. This way you can simply take your SIM card from your iPhone and use it on the Android phone if the need ever arises - like maybe you are going overseas for a while and don't want to risk getting your iPhone stolen.


----------



## buzzlulu

Bflat
Thanks for that.
I would think a Sony branded phone would be keeping it "all in the family" with the 1Z.
Any cheap ones you recommend which will still provide a quality experience?


----------



## Aeskualpio

buzzlulu said:


> Thank you (and others who replied).
> 
> New question - I am exclusively all in Apple.
> Is there an Android phone which I can purchase and use exclusively for Tidal Bluetooth streaming to my 1Z (I would not activate the cellular capabilities and only use it at home on my WiFi network).
> ...



I use either a Galaxy Note 9 or the Google Pixel 3. Both have LDAC. I think the well reviewed Pixel 3A has LDAC as well, and a killer camera.
Also we are maybe 2 weeks from the Galaxy Note 10 being announced, you should be able to get a G Note 9 at a good price once it’s announced


----------



## McMadface

buzzlulu said:


> Thank you (and others who replied).
> 
> New question - I am exclusively all in Apple.
> Is there an Android phone which I can purchase and use exclusively for Tidal Bluetooth streaming to my 1Z (I would not activate the cellular capabilities and only use it at home on my WiFi network).
> ...


FIIO M6 DAP is $150 and has WiFi and LDAC. And, it looks really small and cute.


----------



## bflat

For Sony smartphones, I would go with the models that have 9.0 support:

https://support.sonymobile.com/glob...nce/8019307401f9a631c016579107a8a007bf0/#gref

Beyond that, the features and size are personal preferences. If you look for ones that are 2-3 years old, you can find them for under $250.


----------



## Kitechaser (Jul 26, 2019)

Kitechaser said:


> Comparing the WM1A to the RME ADI-2 DAC iem output.
> The ADI-2 has better resolution, taller stage, better separation, sounds come from all directions, more extended than the WM1A.
> 
> WM1A has a more true to life tonality, and is a hell of a lot more fun to listen to.
> ...


Have to make a correction. Played around with JRiver headphone settings, and the iem output from this DAC is jawdropping. Perfect match with my iem.
Probably the best dac/amp combo on the market, at its price point (2000 dollar range) It's an absolute must hear item.


----------



## rgutierr

proedros said:


> also moved from zx2 to wm1a , the upgrade is real
> 
> 1 - get screen protector / case.
> 2- install FW 3.01
> ...




ahhh good to see someone in similar situation! what are you listening to the WMA1 with? and what music do you listen to?


----------



## gerelmx1986

rgutierr said:


> ahhh good to see someone in similar situation! what are you listening to the WMA1 with? and what music do you listen to?


1, I dont have a case any more, had the walkman case from dignis sold to me by @nc8000 . But my husband decided to wash it on the wash machine,  crap happened,  it came out destroyed.
2. I've already have fw 3.01 fantastic firmware, sounds good, packed with many features.
3. I did have the mdr-Z7, and xba-z5,  these two I had an adapter from dual 3.5mm to.male 4.4. I no longer have these,  right now the MDR-Z1R and IER-Z1R have stock 4.4 cables of good quality. 
4. Mine has around 6500 hours of use, battery still kicking like new.
5. I listen to classical music,  all FLAC, Hi-res FLAC and DSD


----------



## rgutierr

gerelmx1986 said:


> 1, I dont have a case any more, had the walkman case from dignis sold to me by @nc8000 . But my husband decided to wash it on the wash machine,  **** happened,  it came out destroyed.
> 2. I've already have fw 3.01 fantastic firmware, sounds good, packed with many features.
> 3. I did have the mdr-Z7, and xba-z5,  these two I had an adapter from dual 3.5mm to.male 4.4. I no longer have these,  right now the MDR-Z1R and IER-Z1R have stock 4.4 cables of good quality.
> 4. Mine has around 6500 hours of use, battery still kicking like new.
> 5. I listen to classical music,  all FLAC, Hi-res FLAC and DSD



Awesome. Ive spent so much this week...bought the DAP, a pair of Andromedas and a 4.4 cable...Im broke for a good while! Keep checking the tracking of all my items like a madman XD My gf is loving her upgrade of her ZX1 to my old ZX2 though!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gerelmx1986 said:


> 1, I dont have a case any more, had the walkman case from dignis sold to me by @nc8000 . But my husband decided to wash it on the wash machine,  **** happened,  it came out destroyed.





​I feel your pain. I gather it was an accident?


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> 1, I dont have a case any more, had the walkman case from dignis sold to me by @nc8000 . But my husband decided to wash it on the wash machine,  **** happened,  it came out destroyed.
> 2. I've already have fw 3.01 fantastic firmware, sounds good, packed with many features.
> 3. I did have the mdr-Z7, and xba-z5,  these two I had an adapter from dual 3.5mm to.male 4.4. I no longer have these,  right now the MDR-Z1R and IER-Z1R have stock 4.4 cables of good quality.
> 4. Mine has around 6500 hours of use, battery still kicking like new.
> 5. I listen to classical music,  all FLAC, Hi-res FLAC and DSD



What a shame about the case, it really did look and feel great, it simply just didn’t work for me


----------



## proedros

rgutierr said:


> ahhh good to see someone in similar situation! what are you listening to the WMA1 with? and what music do you listen to?



i like many genres but wm1a sounds good with anything i tried - rock , funk , disco , ambient , electronica, pop - wm1a delivers in all genres.

i thin you have w60 ? i remember reading about it some time bac , it must be a fine iem to hear wm1a to i think you will have a blast , just get a nice 4.4 cable


----------



## rgutierr

proedros said:


> i like many genres but wm1a sounds good with anything i tried - rock , funk , disco , ambient , electronica, pop - wm1a delivers in all genres.
> 
> i thin you have w60 ? i remember reading about it some time bac , it must be a fine iem to hear wm1a to i think you will have a blast , just get a nice 4.4 cable


 
Yep currently w60. I actually went in store to test the w80s with intention of getting them, if they were a substantial upgrade over the w60s. And i found them sub par especially for the price. The andromedas blew me away though!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Can i attach a key fob in the strap hole of the wm1A?


----------



## gerelmx1986

My MDR-Z1R on a glass beethoven head


----------



## captblaze

gerelmx1986 said:


> My MDR-Z1R on a glass beethoven head



Ludwig doesn't look happy that you did that


----------



## Lookout57

Quadfather said:


> Does anybody on this thread have and use both the 1A and 1Z?



I have both.



Dom Isaac said:


> Hey guys, i'm curious and this might sound stupid but do you guys bring the 1A/1Z out on the streets or this is mainly for home listening?
> 
> and also i may have missed previous posts about music streaming apps with it but just needed to clarify if it's possible? for eg. phone pairs 1A/1Z via bluetooth and output spotify with it



I use the 1A for trips into NYC on the train and walking around.

The 1Z is for the airplane and hotels.


----------



## Quadfather

Lookout57 said:


> I have both.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



How would you describe differences in Sonics?


----------



## rgutierr

Its here! It arrived! what an exciting day. Charging now cant wait. Its beautiful!


----------



## rgutierr

The device came with 2.0. justttttt before I make a mistake, are there any known issues with updating to the latest firmware?


----------



## captblaze

rgutierr said:


> The device came with 2.0. justttttt before I make a mistake, are there any known issues with updating to the latest firmware?



none for me, but the good news is that if you don't like 3.1 you can rollback to 2.0. there have been links posted to most versions of the firmware in this thread


----------



## rgutierr

captblaze said:


> none for me, but the good news is that if you don't like 3.1 you can rollback to 2.0. there have been links posted to most versions of the firmware in this thread



Ok! thanks for that  Last time i blindly updated firmware it was on my oled tv and totally killed HDR for a good year or so!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

gerelmx1986 said:


> Can i attach a key fob in the strap hole of the wm1A?


The large keyring won't go in but the smaller jump ring might. Use 2 pliers and try.


----------



## LinstantX

Afternoon, folks. I am very interested, is it possible to connect an external portable amplifier to sony NW-WM1Z? As far as I know, Sony players do not have the usual chips, they work through pulse width modulation and linear output mode as such absents.


----------



## aminus

LinstantX said:


> Afternoon, folks. I am very interested, is it possible to connect an external portable amplifier to sony NW-WM1Z? As far as I know, Sony players do not have the usual chips, they work through pulse width modulation and linear output mode as such absents.


You mean a line out? You basically have to max out the volume on your desired port and just plug it in.


----------



## nc8000

LinstantX said:


> Afternoon, folks. I am very interested, is it possible to connect an external portable amplifier to sony NW-WM1Z? As far as I know, Sony players do not have the usual chips, they work through pulse width modulation and linear output mode as such absents.



You have to use either of the headphone outs (3.5 to a single ended amp or 4.4 to a balanced amp) as these players don’t have analog line out


----------



## LinstantX

Thank


----------



## rgutierr

Absolutely loving the battery life coming from my ZX2-truly night and day


----------



## djricekcn

rgutierr said:


> Absolutely loving the battery life coming from my ZX2-truly night and day


...?  You sure you're talking about a zx2?


----------



## rgutierr

djricekcn said:


> ...?  You sure you're talking about a zx2?



Yes? Had the zx2 since release and even with the fresh battery it drained pretty fast. I've been smashing this player since I got it and it's lasted a lot longer than my zx2 ever did


----------



## duaned

rgutierr said:


> Absolutely loving the battery life coming from my ZX2-truly night and day





rgutierr said:


> Yes? Had the zx2 since release and even with the fresh battery it drained pretty fast. I've been smashing this player since I got it and it's lasted a lot longer than my zx2 ever did



How does it sound compared to the ZX2?


----------



## djricekcn

rgutierr said:


> Yes? Had the zx2 since release and even with the fresh battery it drained pretty fast. I've been smashing this player since I got it and it's lasted a lot longer than my zx2 ever did


Really...I did have it too but battery lasted 20hrs+ on for lflac / hi-res flac with occasional dsddsf

Definitely lasted an entire day


----------



## djricekcn

duaned said:


> How does it sound compared to the ZX2?


Compared with zx2,I can say it's clearer and zx2 didn't have balanced
Zx2 is still good imo but the sounds are generally heavier compared with wm1


----------



## rgutierr

duaned said:


> How does it sound compared to the ZX2?



Honestly, too soon to tell but i did try a player that was already burnt in at a local store-call it placebo maybe, but it did sound better than my current one. This one sounds a bit..."cold" at the moment, hard to explain. But i know (hope) that will change, as i do think my ZX2 did sound better after some weeks of playtime than when i initially got it. 



djricekcn said:


> Really...I did have it too but battery lasted 20hrs+ on for lflac / hi-res flac with occasional dsddsf
> 
> Definitely lasted an entire day



Jesus christ-i was lucky to get 8-9 hours O_O on max volume with flac (i my HRFlac library is not too big at the moment)


----------



## rgutierr

djricekcn said:


> Compared with zx2,I can say it's clearer and zx2 didn't have balanced
> Zx2 is still good imo but the sounds are generally heavier compared with wm1



I have yet to get a balanced solution yet....thats the next money sink lol


----------



## djricekcn

rgutierr said:


> I have yet to get a balanced solution yet....thats the next money sink lol



Depending on the music (mainly janime music) I think there zx2 delivers better but with instrumental and vocal emphasized, wm1

Overall wm1 is better but that didn't mean zx2 is bad either


----------



## rgutierr

djricekcn said:


> Depending on the music (mainly janime music) I think there zx2 delivers better but with instrumental and vocal emphasized, wm1
> 
> Overall wm1 is better but that didn't mean zx2 is bad either



Yeah-when i tested my ZX2 and the WM1A at the local sydney shop (shoutout minidisc@chatswood) the WM1A sounded better in every way to me for the music i listen to. Did a side by side test for about 2 hours and they let me import my own music from SD card to their player and i used my own IEMs. 

I was also considering the ZX300 before the WM1A due to price, but tbqh, to me, it sounded quite flat.


----------



## rgutierr

To everyone who told me to get a balanced cable for my Andros

Wow


Wowowowow

I was not expecting _that_


----------



## KEV G

rgutierr said:


> To everyone who told me to get a balanced cable for my Andros
> 
> Wow
> 
> ...


Me too lol, haven’t had this 1Z too long and still getting used to it really but coming from the DX200Ti that’s sounds great but now it’s like my Andro’s are on steroids........awesomeness


----------



## Whitigir

KEV G said:


> Me too lol, haven’t had this 1Z too long and still getting used to it really but coming from the DX200Ti that’s sounds great but now it’s like my Andro’s are on steroids........awesomeness


What...you meant u never used wm1Z out of 4.4mm ? LOL

If you love something on steroids....DMP Z1 is the WM-1Z on steroids


----------



## KEV G

Whitigir said:


> What...you meant u never used wm1Z out of 4.4mm ? LOL
> 
> If you love something on steroids....DMP Z1 is the WM-1Z on steroids


Coming from DX208Ti  
So no, 4.4 only


----------



## Kitechaser

Whitigir said:


> What...you meant u never used wm1Z out of 4.4mm ? LOL
> 
> If you love something on steroids....DMP Z1 is the WM-1Z on steroids


How the same company can make the DMP-Z1 and the IER-Z1R is beyond me. One is the best thing I have ever heard in audio, the other I wouldn't listen to if given to me for free. Crazy.


----------



## Whitigir

Kitechaser said:


> How the same company can make the DMP-Z1 and the IER-Z1R is beyond me. One is the best thing I have ever heard in audio, the other I wouldn't listen to if given to me for free. Crazy.


Lol, I haven’t heard ier-Z1R yet =/ so I can’t comment


----------



## Kitechaser (Jul 31, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> Lol, I haven’t heard ier-Z1R yet =/ so I can’t comment


I am waiting for the day you get your hands on it   
Itll be very interesting to hear your thoughts on this one.


----------



## phonomat

Kitechaser said:


> How the same company can make the DMP-Z1 and the IER-Z1R is beyond me. One is the best thing I have ever heard in audio, the other I wouldn't listen to if given to me for free. Crazy.



So which is which?


----------



## gazzington

What's a good iem for a wm1a? I've owned a wm1a before and found the sound a bit bright but that was before the vinyl setting


----------



## Kitechaser

phonomat said:


> So which is which?


I am very strongly considering spending 8k on a DMP. 
The IER, you couldn't pay me to listen to it.
Both made by the same company.


----------



## nc8000

Kitechaser said:


> I am very strongly considering spending 8k on a DMP.
> The IER, you couldn't pay me to listen to it.
> Both made by the same company.



Interesting. What have you got against the IER ?


----------



## Kitechaser (Jul 31, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> Interesting. What have you got against the IER ?


The mids sounded like they were scooped out, it's almost like they were an after thought. They were recessed, and even more than that, they sounded lifeless.
The sound was grainy, as in there was distortion around the edges of notes, vocals on some tracks were uneven, and had a hazy distorted sound. (Could be the hybrid configuration, I am thinking its not cohearant).
Also tonality was washed out with the 4.4 SPC Cable, when I switched to a pure copper one, it helped a little, but overall, it was still quite a disappointment. Live Instruments just do not sound how the IER portrays them (I listen to a lot of live Jazz/Orchestral music... so my ears are sensitive to timbre).
Staging as a whole was also recessed, I didn't get the whole massive stage that people keep talking about, everything sounded far away, flat. I was expecting a holographic 3D soundstage, it was very 2 dimensional in my experience.

Fit was another thing, these things stick out quite a bit, I can't really imagine walking out and about with these everyday. Overall it was shocking how slapped together the sound seemed.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jul 31, 2019)

Kitechaser said:


> The mids sounded like they were scooped out, it's almost like they were an after thought. They were recessed, and even more than that, they sounded lifeless.
> The sound was grainy, as in there was distortion around the edges of notes, vocals on some tracks were uneven, and had a hazy distorted sound. (Could be the hybrid configuration, I am thinking its not cohearant).
> Also tonality was washed out with the 4.4 SPC Cable, when I switched to a pure copper one, it helped a little, but overall, it was still quite a disappointment. Live Instruments just do not sound how the IER portrays them (I listen to a lot of live Jazz/Orchestral music... so my ears are sensitive to timbre).
> Staging as a whole was also recessed, I didn't get the whole massive stage that people keep talking about, everything sounded far away, flat. I was expecting a holographic 3D soundstage, it was very 2 dimensional in my experience.
> ...


Weird, because to me the IER-Z1R is the most un-IEM in-ear to my ears, they sound like open headphones.  Very 3D stage, natural timbre.

Yes I agree they have a very unusual config: DD 12mm, for bass. BA for mids.  And DD 5mm for highs.

Which files were you using? Low-bitrate ot VBR MP3/AAC? Every time i  listen to a vbr mp3 or lower than 320 I can hear it going from 3D to 2D


----------



## Kitechaser

gerelmx1986 said:


> Weird, because to me the IER-Z1R is the most un-IEM in-ear to my ears, they sound like open headphones.  Very 3D stage, natural timbre.
> 
> Yes I agree they have a very unusual config: DD 12mm, for bass. BA for mids.  And DD 5mm for highs.
> 
> Which files were you using? Low-bitrate ot VBR MP3/AAC? Every time i  listen to a vbr mp3 or lower than 320 I can hear it going from 3D to 2D


I used only High res 24/96 and up files. 
Paired with the WM1A, AK1000CU( paired with WA11 amp), and also the RME ADI-2 DAC.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Kitechaser said:


> I used only High res 24/96 and up files.
> Paired with the WM1A, AK1000CU( paired with WA11 amp), and also the RME ADI-2 DAC.


Hmm maybe unit not burned in? Or if a demo unit being dropped (damaged)? Many variables


----------



## Kitechaser (Jul 31, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hmm maybe unit not burned in? Or if a demo unit being dropped (damaged)? Many variables


It was a 2nd hand unit, bought a week ago. I don't think burn in is an issue here. Can't speak to iem damage, as I have nothing to compare it with. Having said that, my impressions are consistent with other people that are also hearing the same thing.
Goes to show you, the subjectivity of this hobby.


----------



## Whitigir

Usually recessed mids would bring an illusion of larger soundstage


----------



## Lookout57

gazzington said:


> What's a good iem for a wm1a? I've owned a wm1a before and found the sound a bit bright but that was before the vinyl setting


I like the Campfire Vega and Atlas. Either using the Silver Litz balanced.


----------



## Lookout57

Quadfather said:


> How would you describe differences in Sonics?


The differences are very noticeable. I just did a quick test comparing Little Feat's Dixie Chicken from Waiting for Columbus. The 1Z has a much wider and deeper soundstage and the bass is better defined, much cleaner. The highs are also much cleaner and better defined. I will say the bass seems more pronounced on the 1A. Maybe because the soundstage isn't as wide or deep. Listening to this track on the 1Z makes me feel more like I was there at the concert.

To sum it up I would choose the 1Z first for the ultimate, but the 1A is no slouch and more than capable specially considering it's ~1/3 of the cost.

This was using the CA Solaris, ADV Custom tips and ALO Gold 16 balanced cable.


----------



## Dom Isaac

Hey guys, does anyone own both the ZX-300 and the 1A? I was contemplating on getting either one for daily use. I'm leaning towards the ZX-300 as i would be on the go most of the time and the size of it is "pocketable".

I have not listened to either one of them but i was thinking if the SQ of the 1A is worth the extra heft and size?

Thanks!


----------



## gazzington

I'm wondering if the wm1z is worth over double the wm1a?


----------



## nc8000

gazzington said:


> I'm wondering if the wm1z is worth over double the wm1a?



It may be if you prefer the sound and need the extra storage


----------



## gazzington

nc8000 said:


> It may be if you prefer the sound and need the extra storage


How do they differ in sound,?


----------



## Kitechaser (Jul 31, 2019)

Dom Isaac said:


> Hey guys, does anyone own both the ZX-300 and the 1A? I was contemplating on getting either one for daily use. I'm leaning towards the ZX-300 as i would be on the go most of the time and the size of it is "pocketable".
> 
> I have not listened to either one of them but i was thinking if the SQ of the 1A is worth the extra heft and size?
> 
> Thanks!


The SQ of the WM1A is on another level.
Bass, resolution, treble are more refined, soundstage is wider and deeper.
I would go with the 1A, yes it's a bit larger and heavier, but it is still pretty portable.
I carry it around in my back pocket pretty much everywhere I go.


----------



## djricekcn

gazzington said:


> How do they differ in sound,?


To me Z kicks in harder (had more punch). It was better but  with the price, it didn't justify for me.

Signature wise it's about the same


----------



## nc8000

gazzington said:


> How do they differ in sound,?



Have never heard the 1A


----------



## rgutierr (Jul 31, 2019)

Ive been rediscovering so much of my music. The difference is phenomenal coming from my ZX2 with westone W60 3.5mm.

Now WM1A with balanced Andromedas. Some tracks sound completely different to when i first heard them with all the layering in the electronic music i listen to!!! SO worth the purchase i cant be happier


----------



## rgutierr

Oh one thing i do miss though! theres no search function! thats a bit weird. But not a huggggge dealbreaker at all for me


----------



## aminus

gazzington said:


> How do they differ in sound,?


The 1A is Sony’s take on neutrality. It’s still a colored sound but generally it’s fairly easygoing (in the eyes of some, _too_ easygoing) and pairs well with most IEMs. The 1Z on the other hand is extremely warm, with a punchier and deeper bass response. Your mileage will vary on this one based on how warm your IEMs are, as well as how much you like warmth in the first place. For me at least, it’s excessive.


----------



## rgutierr

Guys, just curious how much difference ( are in mind i am not as hardcore as some of you...i do like my music sounding pristine and fantastic, but i am a beginner in comparison to what some of you guys have ) do the higher end/grade cables make? if you could put it in percentage of "better", how much different would an entry level Balanced cable be compared to say, a $200-300AUD cable?


----------



## aminus

rgutierr said:


> Guys, just curious how much difference ( are in mind i am not as hardcore as some of you...i do like my music sounding pristine and fantastic, but i am a beginner in comparison to what some of you guys have ) do the higher end/grade cables make? if you could put it in percentage of "better", how much different would an entry level Balanced cable be compared to say, a $200-300AUD cable?


An entry level balanced cable is about $200-$300 AUD. Maybe slightly under if you play your cards right.


----------



## rgutierr

aminus said:


> An entry level balanced cable is about $200-$300 AUD. Maybe slightly under if you play your cards right.



I knew id get one thing wrong  Let me rephrase then. A BASIC, lower than entry level, compared to the budget above


----------



## Kitechaser (Jul 31, 2019)

rgutierr said:


> Guys, just curious how much difference ( are in mind i am not as hardcore as some of you...i do like my music sounding pristine and fantastic, but i am a beginner in comparison to what some of you guys have ) do the higher end/grade cables make? if you could put it in percentage of "better", how much different would an entry level Balanced cable be compared to say, a $200-300AUD cable?


Try this cable.
https://www.mtmtaudio.com/collections/pw-audio/products/pw-audio-limited-headphone-upgrade-cable

A quality cable will bump up resolution, improve tonality, widen soundstage.
You want cables that are properly shielded, and use good quality metals.

In my experience, it can take up to 200 hours for a cable to sound its best.


----------



## aminus

rgutierr said:


> I knew id get one thing wrong  Let me rephrase then. A BASIC, lower than entry level, compared to the budget above


Well it depends on what your definition of basic is. If you’re talking about some **** cable or some other really cheap $30 amazon cable, stick to the stock. $200-$300 is where you start getting actual decent wiring, braiding and plugs.


----------



## rgutierr

Kitechaser said:


> Try this cable.
> https://www.mtmtaudio.com/collections/pw-audio/products/pw-audio-limited-headphone-upgrade-cable
> 
> A quality cable will bump up resolution, improve tonality, widen soundstage.
> You want cables that are properly shielded, and uses good quality metals.




Looking now! so youd say the difference would be definitely, instantly noticable, even to someone who does not have a super high trained ear for the veryyyyy small details? For example, i noticed a SUBSTANTIAL difference in basically everything going from the bundled 3.5mm cable with the andromedas to a cheap, $70AUD 4.4 cable (i mainly got it to test how it sounded, scared to pay for something i wouldnt really notice any change in!)


----------



## rgutierr

aminus said:


> Well it depends on what your definition of basic is. If you’re talking about some **** cable or some other really cheap $30 amazon cable, stick to the stock. $200-$300 is where you start getting actual decent wiring, braiding and plugs.




Haha no not **** (is that a brand? haha) its just the store i frequent, their cheapest 4.4mm FiiO cable.


----------



## aminus

rgutierr said:


> Looking now! so youd say the difference would be definitely, instantly noticable, even to someone who does not have a super high trained ear for the veryyyyy small details? For example, i noticed a SUBSTANTIAL difference in basically everything going from the bundled 3.5mm cable with the andromedas to a cheap, $70AUD 4.4 cable (i mainly got it to test how it sounded, scared to pay for something i wouldnt really notice any change in!)


In the case of the Andromeda impedance curves are a major factor towards the sound (that is, cables quite literally objectively change the sound of the Andromeda). Whether or not you’d notice the difference in another IEM, say, a single driver, or one with an otherwise flatter impedance curve, that’s up to you to find out.


----------



## aminus

rgutierr said:


> Haha no not **** (is that a brand? haha) its just the store i frequent, their cheapest 4.4mm FiiO cable.


I would recommend buying a 4.4mm terminated version of whatever stock cable is supplied with whatever IEM you’re using over a FiiO cable.


----------



## Kitechaser

rgutierr said:


> Looking now! so youd say the difference would be definitely, instantly noticable, even to someone who does not have a super high trained ear for the veryyyyy small details? For example, i noticed a SUBSTANTIAL difference in basically everything going from the bundled 3.5mm cable with the andromedas to a cheap, $70AUD 4.4 cable (i mainly got it to test how it sounded, scared to pay for something i wouldnt really notice any change in!)


Yes you'll notice a difference, depending on the state of your budget cable, even a substantial one.
It can take up to 200 hours for a cable to sound its best, so keep that in mind, but right out of the box you'll hear it.


----------



## rgutierr

aminus said:


> In the case of the Andromeda impedance curves are a major factor towards the sound (that is, cables quite literally objectively change the sound of the Andromeda). Whether or not you’d notice the difference in another IEM, say, a single driver, or one with an otherwise flatter impedance curve, that’s up to you to find out.




Gotcha. Thanks so much and @Kitechaser for the replies! I will definitely look to an upgrade in the near future. The next upgrade for sure. I will test at the shop. Any specific recommendations? I *CAN* go high budget if it is worth it for sure! I listen to electronic music mainly. Just an examples, here (yes, yuck, youtube i know. Just for example of genre )


----------



## rgutierr

Kitechaser said:


> Yes you'll notice a difference, depending on the state of your budget cable, even a substantial one.
> It can take up to 200 hours for a cable to sound its best, so keep that in mind, but right out of the box you'll hear it.



Thats amazing. So exciting since i already think my stuff sounds incredible. An increase to what i already hear? ahhhh.


----------



## Kitechaser

rgutierr said:


> Gotcha. Thanks so much and @Kitechaser for the replies! I will definitely look to an upgrade in the near future. The next upgrade for sure. I will test at the shop. Any specific recommendations? I *CAN* go high budget if it is worth it for sure! I listen to electronic music mainly. Just an examples, here (yes, yuck, youtube i know. Just for example of genre )



Go OCC Copper, itll bring out the low end more, and improve tonality over the stock Silver Plated cable. 
The one I linked is very good quality OCC Copper.


----------



## rgutierr

Kitechaser said:


> Go OCC Copper, itll bring out the low end more, and improve tonality over the stock Silver Plated cable.
> The one I linked is very good quality OCC Copper.



Ok! do these cables have brands or are they custom hand made by just general public? (not sure if thats the right phrase but i hope i make sense)

edit: NM! Saw the brand.


----------



## Kitechaser

rgutierr said:


> Ok! do these cables have brands or are they custom hand made by just general public? (not sure if thats the right phrase but i hope i make sense)
> 
> edit: NM! Saw the brand.



PW Audio is one of the most highly regarded cable companies. I have their 1960s cable, it retails for a lot more than the one I linked, but they are all very high quality.


----------



## Hyde8767

Kitechaser said:


> I used only High res 24/96 and up files.
> Paired with the WM1A, AK1000CU( paired with WA11 amp), and also the RME ADI-2 DAC.


How do you like the WA11 amp


----------



## Hyde8767

Kitechaser said:


> I used only High res 24/96 and up files.
> Paired with the WM1A, AK1000CU( paired with WA11 amp), and also the RME ADI-2 DAC.


How do you like the WA11 amp


----------



## djricekcn

rgutierr said:


> Guys, just curious how much difference ( are in mind i am not as hardcore as some of you...i do like my music sounding pristine and fantastic, but i am a beginner in comparison to what some of you guys have ) do the higher end/grade cables make? if you could put it in percentage of "better", how much different would an entry level Balanced cable be compared to say, a $200-300AUD cable?


I'm not hard core either and if I was to put it in percentage, it would be a 0 because it doesn't change the characters of the ear piece or the player.   However, it does give better emphasize on its already existing characters (assuming you get the right cables).  Mineral type don't necessarily determine it either but usually I like silver ones.


----------



## auronthas (Jul 31, 2019)

gazzington said:


> What's a good iem for a wm1a? I've owned a wm1a before and found the sound a bit bright but that was before the vinyl setting


What type of cable are you using?  Pure copper cable can turn the bright sound to slight warm.  I am happy with Campfire Andromeda with pure copper cable.  BGVP DM6 is good combo too.  Kanas Pro however, can provide you more bass and suit electronic/trance music. Just a suggestion, YMMV


----------



## auronthas (Jul 31, 2019)

rgutierr said:


> Ok! do these cables have brands or are they custom hand made by just general public? (not sure if thats the right phrase but i hope i make sense)
> 
> edit: NM! Saw the brand.



You may try this CA Copper Litz cable, pure copper OCC 4.4mm MMCX cable too.
https://campfireaudio.com/shop/copper-litz-cable/

Or if your budget permitted , can go for CA Reference 8 4.4mm MMCX (which I am using now with my Andromeda) - four high purity silver-plated copper (SXC) conductors combined with four OCC copper conductors 

https://campfireaudio.com/shop/alo-audio-reference-8-iem-cable/


----------



## rgutierr

Thanks so much for the cable suggestions guys. Ive checked some reviews and pricing and yeah....looks like il be increasing my budget substantially


----------



## rgutierr (Jul 31, 2019)

auronthas said:


> You may try this CA Copper Litz cable, pure copper OCC 4.4mm MMCX cable too.
> https://campfireaudio.com/shop/copper-litz-cable/
> 
> Or if your budget permitted , can go for CA Reference 8 4.4mm MMCX (which I am using now with my Andromeda) - four high purity silver-plated copper (SXC) conductors combined with four OCC copper conductors
> ...



yeah. ive realised it will be better to buy something good now, rather than cheap out, and just buy the good thing later.

I have upped my budget to 500-600USD.

Oh well money comes money goes right 

Edit: i will still go to my local hifi shop and listen to copper/silver med/high end to see what sounds better with my music


----------



## lesale08

I’ve seen a lot of 1z/1a units with dings already. Even if you have a case, you are most likely to get it dinged once it falls to the ground because of the weight specially the 1z.


----------



## auronthas

lesale08 said:


> I’ve seen a lot of 1z/1a units with dings already. Even if you have a case, you are most likely to get it dinged once it falls to the ground because of the weight specially the 1z.


My 1A is with Benk TPU case and I always keep them in Pelican case. No problem so far.


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> My 1A is with Benk TPU case and I always keep them in Pelican case. No problem so far.



That is essentially how I have mine as well. No damage after nearly 3 years, but then I have never dropped mine


----------



## lesale08

auronthas said:


> My 1A is with Benk TPU case and I always keep them in Pelican case. No problem so far.


Good for you mate. These things require a lot of TLC. Lol.


----------



## auronthas (Aug 1, 2019)

rgutierr said:


> yeah. ive realised it will be better to buy something good now, rather than cheap out, and just buy the good thing later.
> 
> I have upped my budget to 500-600USD.
> 
> ...



If I were you, I would slowly observe the change of sound, as 1A will need time to burn in for 200 plus hours.  Upgrade the cable thereafer.

Enjoy the music as primary; gadget as secondary. IMHO


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 1, 2019)

rgutierr said:


> yeah. ive realised it will be better to buy something good now, rather than cheap out, and just buy the good thing later.
> 
> I have upped my budget to 500-600USD.
> 
> ...



Going from single ended to balanced makes a very noticable improvement for most phones but how much varies from phone to phone. In general I find that cables can make a meaningful final change to the total sound of a rig but to me it has always been fine tuning, never night and day. Plus getting the right length and look and feel which to me also matters


----------



## Quadfather

lesale08 said:


> I’ve seen a lot of 1z/1a units with dings already. Even if you have a case, you are most likely to get it dinged once it falls to the ground because of the weight specially the 1z.




It has been two years and it's still perfect.


----------



## phonomat

rgutierr said:


> yeah. ive realised it will be better to buy something good now, rather than cheap out, and just buy the good thing later.
> 
> I have upped my budget to 500-600USD.
> 
> ...



Just a word of unsolicited advice: Take it easy, take your time and do compare extensively and repeatedly before you spend any money on a cable, let alone such a crazy amount. I have no skin in this game, but sometimes it's downright scary what people invest based on "recommendations" that may be completely useless to you if you don't hear any favorable difference yourself. And even if you do, don't make any hasty decisions and always wait at least until the next morning. Then think about what you heard and how much, if anything, the difference is really worth to you. There's an incredible amount of voodoo and snake oil out there, especially when it comes to cables.
Oh, and please report back. I'm very curious about your findings, since I've never heard any difference between cables. Doesn't mean there aren't any, of course, so I'm always looking for input.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I’m surprised as to how long the battery life lasts on this thing considering how heavy it is. I listen nearly everyday for an hour or so and haven’t charged it for at least 2 months.

The song playing is from 1993. One of the first dance songs I listened to back when I was in my 20s. IDed it almost 20 years later not knowing the track name.
Don’t let the cover fool you if you love trancey


----------



## nc8000

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I’m surprised as to how long the battery life lasts on this thing considering how heavy it is. I listen nearly everyday for an hour or so and haven’t charged it for at least 2 months.
> 
> The song playing is from 1993. One of the first dance songs I listened to back when I was in my 20s. IDed it almost 20 years later not knowing the track name.
> Don’t let the cover fool you if you love trancey



That should mean around 60 hours on a charge, that sounds unrealistic and way over what Sony specs. I get 20-25 hours on a charge with battery saver on and no sound effects activated with flac 16/44 on balanced low gain but then I never turn mine off and charge about once a week


----------



## ruthieandjohn

I am very fond of the Sony “SensMe” channels that the 1A/1Z players offer, which both creates playlists based on mood (Energetic, Dance, Evening,..) and, with Sony software, playlists that match the mood of a chosen song.

Performing the necessary “12 Tone” processing on the music library to support this requires the MediaGo software once offered by Sony.  They have since replaced it by something called PC Music Center, which I have not tried but have heard it has problems (and Sony shows it as doing less than MediaGo).

The desire for SensMe processing keeps me from simply copying music from my PC into my 1A, but instead requires me to go through MediaGo.

But with MediaGo, I have to manually partition which portion of my library I put on 1A internal storage and which on the SD card.  Furthermore, after copying, it claims that a whole bunch of random songs have NOT been copied....it claims I only have 576 songs in my 1A, while they 1A says I have over 5,000, more consistent with what I thought I put in.

Anyone have a good way to process music for SensMe channels, insert it into the 1A/1Z, with accurate portrayal of what got in?  Thanks!


----------



## gazzington

Do the Solaris iems sound good with a wm1a or should I look at something else? I like a warm sound with a bit of bass


----------



## rgutierr

phonomat said:


> Just a word of unsolicited advice: Take it easy, take your time and do compare extensively and repeatedly before you spend any money on a cable, let alone such a crazy amount. I have no skin in this game, but sometimes it's downright scary what people invest based on "recommendations" that may be completely useless to you if you don't hear any favorable difference yourself. And even if you do, don't make any hasty decisions and always wait at least until the next morning. Then think about what you heard and how much, if anything, the difference is really worth to you. There's an incredible amount of voodoo and snake oil out there, especially when it comes to cables.
> Oh, and please report back. I'm very curious about your findings, since I've never heard any difference between cables. Doesn't mean there aren't any, of course, so I'm always looking for input.




Thank you this advice means a lot to me. Im very careful with the so called "placebo effect" where you think its better, because it costs more, but its not (if that makes sense) which is why i always demo things first. Before i bought the WM1A i tested it a lot compared to my ZX2 and i tested a few other players. I actually came close to getting the AK SR15 because i loved the sound! Maybe a bit more than the wm1a! So yes i am very careful of buying without trying. Thankfully the store here lets you linger for hours like a bad smell trying things as much as you like. Ill let you know how i go with what i test over the weekend with my music


----------



## Lookout57

gazzington said:


> Do the Solaris iems sound good with a wm1a or should I look at something else? I like a warm sound with a bit of bass


Yes it is a very good match, warm and a bit of bass.


----------



## gazzington

Lookout57 said:


> Yes it is a very good match, warm and a bit of bass.


I noticed you have a wm1a and wm1z. Is the wm1z worth the double price and more?


----------



## Lookout57

I post a quick comparison a page or two back. 

To recap the 1A is no slouch but if you want the best and can afford it the 1Z is my choice.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hi there, had anyone here used with their wm1A a fiio FA1 or FA7? how they sound? Which of the two would pair best with classical music? Or better asked question   which of the two approximates a IER-Z1R  sound signature?


----------



## Mal Waldron

Today I have hired Tidal Masters and I have been testing it with the WM1A from my Android phone. I imagine that some SQ should be lost but I would like to know to what extent. In principle I wanted to use Tidal only with the phone, but it is so practical, especially for listening to new albums...


----------



## Leetransform25

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I’m surprised as to how long the battery life lasts on this thing considering how heavy it is. I listen nearly everyday for an hour or so and haven’t charged it for at least 2 months.
> 
> The song playing is from 1993. One of the first dance songs I listened to back when I was in my 20s. IDed it almost 20 years later not knowing the track name.
> Don’t let the cover fool you if you love trancey


How are you able to use that thing for over 2 months without it dying on you? Just like NC800 said that's about 60 hours which is extremely long even by Sony standards, not to mention the battery power lost while it is on idle. Just sounds very unrealistic to me.


----------



## meomap

Leetransform25 said:


> How are you able to use that thing for over 2 months without it dying on you? Just like NC800 said that's about 60 hours which is extremely long even by Sony standards, not to mention the battery power lost while it is on idle. Just sounds very unrealistic to me.



Like that person said: listening to about 1 hour per day.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP (Aug 1, 2019)

That’s what I don’t getI haven’t charged it definitely this month(July) and half of last month (June) at most I remember. Definitely never listened on Sat. & Sun.
I listen every weekday max 1 hour or less.
Maybe the hot climate is preserving the battery lol
.





nc8000 said:


> That should mean around 60 hours on a charge, that sounds unrealistic and way over what Sony specs. I get 20-25 hours on a charge with battery saver on and no sound effects activated with flac 16/44 on balanced low gain but then I never turn mine off and charge about once a week


----------



## Leetransform25

meomap said:


> Like that person said: listening to about 1 hour per day.


I know that, and everything I said applies. One hour every day for 2 months equates to 60 hours, which is longer than the rated battery life the 1Z was given, and if the 1Z is anything like the ZX300 the unit is prone to losing some of its charge when in idle for long periods of time


----------



## endlesswaves

DONTGIVEUP said:


> That’s what I don’t getI haven’t charged it definitely this month(July) and half of last month (June) at most I remember. Definitely never listened on Sat. & Sun.
> I listen every weekday max 1 hour or less.
> Maybe the hot climate is preserving the battery lol
> .



I used my 1A around 1 hour per day and 6 days per week excluding Sundays. Will need to charge around every 9 or 10 days. Listens to flacs and wavs mostly with occasionnal DSDs.


----------



## LeFaucon (Aug 2, 2019)

phonomat said:


> Just a word of unsolicited advice: Take it easy, take your time and do compare extensively and repeatedly before you spend any money on a cable, let alone such a crazy amount. I have no skin in this game, but sometimes it's downright scary what people invest based on "recommendations" that may be completely useless to you if you don't hear any favorable difference yourself. And even if you do, don't make any hasty decisions and always wait at least until the next morning. Then think about what you heard and how much, if anything, the difference is really worth to you. There's an incredible amount of voodoo and snake oil out there, especially when it comes to cables.
> Oh, and please report back. I'm very curious about your findings, since I've never heard any difference between cables. Doesn't mean there aren't any, of course, so I'm always looking for input.



@phonomat : I agree with 95% of what you wrote
But... I went in a mini meeting post London Can Jam here in Paris on last wednesday evening with the two Effect Audio founders and there was an orgy and rain of all their cables and I do assure you and assume there’s a - large - difference in sounds with each of the cables !
Listened with my WM1A and my own music

MY OWN EARS and MY OWN TASTES and TESTS !!!



gerelmx1986 said:


> Hi there, had anyone here used with their wm1A a fiio FA1 or FA7? how they sound? Which of the two would pair best with classical music? Or better asked question   which of the two approximates a IER-Z1R  sound signature?



@gerelmx1986 : As long as I keep reading at this post... I doubt myself about my own brain and neurones about some asking !!!???
And some questions... well... questions me !?

Try the KB100 also... or Tin Audio T2 or T3 ?
Sure you will find a lot of budget iems sounding close to the Sony IER-Z1R and « approximate their Sound signature » !

There’s even a specialised site for this :

https://audiobudget.com/

And you also missed to ask about which output it would go the best : balanced or SE ?
(I do it for you...)
But I guess the 4.4 will...

Just put ALL things in perspective...

In summary and as I said before... equal for headphones, IEMs or cables... : your OWN ears and your OWN tastes !!!
And as good advices can be (and I know some people need, me at first..!) : it will NEVER replace it, NEVER !

That’s it : my two cents...
(P.S. I’m NOT « agressive » : just doubting and wondering about relationship between what I read and what I - my brain - really understand ???)


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hi there, had anyone here used with their wm1A a fiio FA1 or FA7? how they sound? Which of the two would pair best with classical music? Or better asked question   which of the two approximates a IER-Z1R  sound signature?


I mein using it on 4.4, budget iem for the subway, street


----------



## phonomat

LeFaucon said:


> @phonomat : I agree with 95% of what you wrote
> But... I went in a mini meeting post London Can Jam here in Paris on last wednesday evening with the two Effect Audio founders and there was an orgy and rain of all their cables and I do assure you and assume there’s a - large - difference in sounds with each of the cables !
> Listened with my WM1A and my own music
> 
> MY OWN EARS and MY OWN TASTES and TESTS !!!



Cool, I'll be in Paris at the end of the month! Don't suppose there are any mini-meets going on then, but I was hoping to be able to hear the IER-Z1R and/or the DMP-1Z at Cobra. As it looks, however, they're selling both, but don't have them ready for demo at the shop (2-3 weeks delivery time). Pity because I'd absolutely have to demo before I drop that amount of cash, and the IER-Z1R's fit is supposed to be very finicky, so no idea if I can cope with that. Do you have any recommendation for other places to demo Sony stuff in Paris? Perhaps I'll check some cables as well.


----------



## LeFaucon (Aug 2, 2019)

phonomat said:


> Cool, I'll be in Paris at the end of the month! Don't suppose there are any mini-meets going on then, but I was hoping to be able to hear the IER-Z1R and/or the DMP-1Z at Cobra. As it looks, however, they're selling both, but don't have them ready for demo at the shop (2-3 weeks delivery time). Pity because I'd absolutely have to demo before I drop that amount of cash, and the IER-Z1R's fit is supposed to be very finicky, so no idea if I can cope with that. Do you have any recommendation for other places to demo Sony stuff in Paris? Perhaps I'll check some cables as well.



Hey Phonomat !

Welcome to Paris (the most beautiful place in the world of course !) my friend !

I am on a little french « Head-Fi » site named Tellement Nomade (so nomad) with a good and friendly community and from time to time big (once a year) or mini meeting as this one are organised and it’s really cool to meet « real » people as well...

For your request, alas, since virtual stores grew up and up we have no more physical store as we used and yes Cobra is one of it and Son-Video another one and... that’s all !
Maybe Illel if still exists in the 15e quarter ?
But you are right : not sure if any has one to try ?
I checked for you on the web and found nothing but I can also call them to know about?
It’s a big shot in term of price here also ! (9000€)
And for the cables... definitely yes : you should have been there last wednesday and for sure you went with a good expensive one ! Leonidas or Horus or... for a good reduced  price !
Have a nice time and take care
Regards

Edit : so my friend... I just called these two stores for you and no one as one for demo, sorry !
And Son-Video even told me they sold about this item... ... ... ... ZERO piece in France !!! LOL


----------



## gerelmx1986

Seems like the wm1A  and wm1z will be the last high-end walkman (together with the DMP-Z1) to have no wifi


----------



## bflat

If all Sony did was replace WM Port with USB C for the 40th anniversary, I would be thrilled.


----------



## aminus

gerelmx1986 said:


> Seems like the wm1A  and wm1z will be the last high-end walkman (together with the DMP-Z1) to have no wifi


Very interesting stuff. One wonders if Sony will embrace streaming with this or if it’s just for home server usage. 
Also interesting is that the updated models are both the lower end ones in the lineup. No Signature Series stuff. Perhaps not quite leaked yet or to be announced at a later date.


----------



## bvng3540

Leetransform25 said:


> I know that, and everything I said applies. One hour every day for 2 months equates to 60 hours, which is longer than the rated battery life the 1Z was given, and if the 1Z is anything like the ZX300 the unit is prone to losing some of its charge when in idle for long periods of time


You are wrong, He said never on Saturday and Sunday, that equate to 40 hours for 2 months, seem very doable


----------



## Leetransform25

bvng3540 said:


> You are wrong, He said never on Saturday and Sunday, that equate to 40 hours for 2 months, seem very doable


What about battery lost while in idle? 40 hours seems more reasonable but if that's the case than the 1Z must also have extremely good battery life while in Idle


----------



## nc8000

Leetransform25 said:


> What about battery lost while in idle? 40 hours seems more reasonable but if that's the case than the 1Z must also have extremely good battery life while in Idle



He probably turns it off. In idle mine is dead after a little over 2 weeks


----------



## phonomat

LeFaucon said:


> Hey Phonomat !
> 
> Welcome to Paris (the most beautiful place in the world of course !) my friend !
> 
> ...



Hey, that's really nice of you, man. I'll write to Cobra anyway (my French ain't good enough to call them, so thanks for that), maybe we can work something out. I bought a Pioneer SE-Master1 from them a couple of years ago and they made me a really fair offer, so we'll see. I'll bring my WM1A anyway, maybe I can check out some other IEMs as well, because I really do need something for in the go. The DMP-1Z can wait. Or rather, I can wait until price comes down a bit further ...
Take care, and enjoy life in Paris, it really is a wonderful city!


----------



## Jalo

Which gear in the Sony Signature series can play DSD 512? may be Whitigir can chime in?


----------



## nc8000

Jalo said:


> Which gear in the Sony Signature series can play DSD 512? may be Whitigir can chime in?



Only DMP-Z1 as far as I know


----------



## gazzington

I've heard that rha cl2 planar have good synergy with wm1a, what other iems also do?


----------



## Jalo

nc8000 said:


> Only DMP-Z1 as far as I know


But I thought the DMP uses the AKM 4497eq and I thought only the latest AKM 4499eq can do native 512.


----------



## nc8000

Jalo said:


> But I thought the DMP uses the AKM 4497eq and I thought only the latest AKM 4499eq can do native 512.



You are right, DSD11 and flac192 is max in which case no Sony can do 512 I don’t think


----------



## captblaze

from sony support website

https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/dmpz1/v1/en/contents/TP0001886632.html


----------



## Jalo

nc8000 said:


> You are right, DSD11 and flac192 is max in which case no Sony can do 512 I don’t think


That is very interesting, I was looking into native DSD512 materials in the SP2000 thread in the NativeDSD.com website and it mentioned Sony Signature series as one of the company that is capable to play DSD512 materials. Do they know something that we don’t know? Is Sony making a dap that hasn’t been announced? See second paragraph below.


----------



## nc8000

Jalo said:


> That is very interesting, I was looking into native DSD512 materials in the SP2000 thread in the NativeDSD.com website and it mentioned Sony Signature series as one of the company that is capable to play DSD512 materials. Do they know something that we don’t know? Is Sony making a dap that hasn’t been announced? See second paragraph below.



Interresting. As I wrote I thought that Z1 could do it but not according to spec and the 1Z can't so I don't know what they are referring to


----------



## aminus

Jalo said:


> That is very interesting, I was looking into native DSD512 materials in the SP2000 thread in the NativeDSD.com website and it mentioned Sony Signature series as one of the company that is capable to play DSD512 materials. Do they know something that we don’t know? Is Sony making a dap that hasn’t been announced? See second paragraph below.


The TAZH1ES is capable of DSD512 and is, well, in the Sony Signature series.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 4, 2019)

Jalo said:


> But I thought the DMP uses the AKM 4497eq and I thought only the latest AKM 4499eq can do native 512.





nc8000 said:


> You are right, DSD11 and flac192 is max in which case no Sony can do 512 I don’t think


*AKM4497EQ* can play 768Khz and DSD512.  However, the DMP-Z1 at the moment doesn’t support DSD512.  None Sony portable does...except TA as mentioned by @aminus


----------



## Jalo

aminus said:


> The TAZH1ES is capable of DSD512 and is, well, in the Sony Signature series.


Thanks, I forgot about the S-Master in the TA-ch1es. As the S-Master in the WM1Z is not able to.


----------



## Whitigir

Jalo said:


> Thanks, I forgot about the S-Master in the TA-ch1es. As the S-Master in the WM1Z is not able to.


No .... it is the FPGA inside the TA that allows this.  It isn’t the S-Master.


----------



## Jalo

Whitigir said:


> No .... it is the FPGA inside the TA that allows this.  It isn’t the S-Master.


Stand corrected. Again.


----------



## Malevolint (Aug 4, 2019)

gazzington said:


> Do the Solaris iems sound good with a wm1a or should I look at something else? I like a warm sound with a bit of bass


They sound great, but they have a surprising amount of hiss. I used to own this combo and the zx300 was a much better pairing due to the sensitivity. If it's in your budget, get something like the z1r or Anole vx. Better IEMs anyway.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The Maximum DSD speed I have on my library is DSD 5,6 (one album) the rest is DSD 2.8. I must yet find something I like in DSD 11.2 or DSD 22MHz


----------



## DONTGIVEUP (Aug 4, 2019)

The 1Z is completely turned off every day after use. No NFC & Bluetooth use.
No eq setting. Display at 10. Volume at 60.
Battery is charged to 100% (battery saver not checked)
Listening Mon-Fri 45 mins to 1 hour depending on album length. No scrolling and fidgeting between plays.
Bought another Z5 with balanced. Playing FLAC 24 bit.
Storage in a plastic case near window where it’s hot outside (85-95) and room is set to 76  that’s where I think the battery is being preserved. But I could be wrong.




bvng3540 said:


> You are wrong, He said never on Saturday and Sunday, that equate to 40 hours for 2 months, seem very doable





Leetransform25 said:


> What about battery lost while in idle? 40 hours seems more reasonable but if that's the case than the 1Z must also have extremely good battery life while in Idle


----------



## gazzington

Well I've bought a wm1a again as I miss the one I sold.  I'm looking for some good iems to go with it without spending a fortune. I like all sorts of music but mainly metal. Any suggestions?
I like good bass but also lots of detail.
Now to sell some other daps. I have way to many. Not sure which to sell, as I like them all in different ways


----------



## Lookout57

Campfire Vega


----------



## aisalen

gazzington said:


> Well I've bought a wm1a again as I miss the one I sold.  I'm looking for some good iems to go with it without spending a fortune. I like all sorts of music but mainly metal. Any suggestions?
> I like good bass but also lots of detail.
> Now to sell some other daps. I have way to many. Not sure which to sell, as I like them all in different ways



Final E5000 or Sony N3BP, both does not cost a fortune paired well with WM1A.


----------



## endlesswaves

gazzington said:


> Well I've bought a wm1a again as I miss the one I sold.  I'm looking for some good iems to go with it without spending a fortune. I like all sorts of music but mainly metal. Any suggestions?
> I like good bass but also lots of detail.
> Now to sell some other daps. I have way to many. Not sure which to sell, as I like them all in different ways



Using oBravo's Cupid with my WM1A now. Best rumbling but layered sub bass I've heard from IEMs, clear non recessed mids and slightly rolled but detailed highs. My LCD2C gathering dusts the day the Cupid arrived. Cured my urge to get the IER-Z1R (not as good in the trebles and soundstage but on par or excel on sub bass, mid bass and mids). Best of all, doesn't burn a big hole in my wallet. The best bang of bucks IEM of 2019, IMHO)


----------



## gerelmx1986

@DONTGIVEUP  did you try the XBA-H3 in balanced from your Wm1z? How does the sound change? I remember when I had them they had a pretty noticiable mid-bass emphasis that leaked into mids,  giving them a hollow signature, a signature like listening to music on a tile-covered room (echoing with so much resonances and standing waves)


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 5, 2019)

Kitechaser said:


> The SQ of the WM1A is on another level.
> Bass, resolution, treble are more refined, soundstage is wider and deeper.
> I would go with the 1A, yes it's a bit larger and heavier, but it is still pretty portable.
> I carry it around in my back pocket pretty much everywhere I go.





Dom Isaac said:


> Hey guys, does anyone own both the ZX-300 and the 1A? I was contemplating on getting either one for daily use. I'm leaning towards the ZX-300 as i would be on the go most of the time and the size of it is "pocketable".
> 
> I have not listened to either one of them but i was thinking if the SQ of the 1A is worth the extra heft and size?
> 
> Thanks!



I did not spend that much time with the ZX300 but I also feel the move to the 1A is a realistic goal of end game sound quality.

To me, I was fully amazed (in a bad way)  at walking around listening to the lower Sony line below the ZX300 also. I think it’s fairly safe to say you experience a nice upgrade as you go up the line. Though keep in mind Sony is just about to release 2 more players; if I understand things correct?

I totally agree that size is important and to be truthful I don’t carry the 1A around outside as I feel it is too big. Even the ZX300 seemed too big, so I carry a 6th Gen. IPod Touch around. It’s just that outside it seems hard to fully appreciate sound quality.

Though if my routine was going outside then walking into buildings and listening............maybe 1A would be worth taking outside? It is also a very important subject to concern yourself with sound signature; as each player in the line sounds different. The ZX300 sounded way different than the 1A. The 1A is, like it has been mentioned Sony Corp’s idea of flat. It’s not totally flat but a super subtle V in comparison to the SX300. I heard the ZX300 with a totally early firmware but it was super-warm. It was warm like the 1Z but didn’t have the treble spike which made it seem even warmer? Probably my preference is the 1Z with the Noble Audio Encore as it makes them special, but the 1A is my favorite with the IER-Z1R?

I mention this as it’s really all about finding your personal favorite sound along with the synergy with your IEMs. Each player makes the IEMs or headphones sound different when you get down to it.

Regardless of price here you will find some folks actually preferring the 1A over the 1Z. So you find people simply liking the 1A the best after owning both the 1A and 1Z. Though I don’t think we have read about people selling off their 1A due to liking the ZX300 sound the best? There may be folks who gravitate towards the ZX300 due to size?

The internal memory is really not an issue. Most anyone can get a $60  400GB card and put it in any player and it works, so internal memory is really a wash now. IMO

In my personal opinion the 1A is the best deal. It also looks like the two new players will not be sounding better? Though who knows... really????


But it looks like the 1A and 1Z will stay with the DMP-Z1 at the top of the sonic food chain for awhile. If all I had was the 1A I would be totally happy. I’m not sure I would be happy with only the ZX300.......though I never owned one?

If someone owned both the 1Z and 1A, it’s a issue of finding synergy with IEMs. If I had only the IER-Z1R, the 1A would be all I would want. But with other IEMs the 1Z offers a slightly thickened soundstage. It’s deeper with more width and physicality too. The 1Z treble and bass boost added to the soundstage makes some IEMs perform at a different level. They simply become more engaging. Though there is different styles of audiophiles. Some audiophiles like a more flat fast sound which 1A does easy. The 1Z is more of an old fashioned HI/Fi sound, like you would get with big 15 inch woofers and a tube amp. The ZX300 is like the sound you get from a low power tube amp, meaning it’s more romantic with artifacts. Though some folks are into that sound?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> I did not spend that much time with the ZX300 but I also feel the move to the 1A is a realistic goal of end game sound quality.
> 
> To me, I was fully amazed (in a bad way)  at walking around listening to the lower Sony line below the ZX300 also. I think it’s fairly safe to say you experience a nice upgrade as you go up the line. Though keep in mind Sony is just about to release 2 more players; if I understand things correct?
> 
> ...


I tried the zx300 here in saturn.de my test was my own FLAC files from my 400GB card, IER-Z1R with stock 4.4 cable.

The sound of the zx300 was thick, like maple syrup from log cabin brand, had bassier signature than wm1A,  I felt I lacked the mids and highs resolution and micro detailing the wm1A provides. I think even it sounded worse than the wm1z I tried in Berlin earlier this year,  way thicker signature, reminded me of nwz-a818 back in 2007


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 5, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I tried the zx300 here in saturn.de my test was my own FLAC files from my 400GB card, IER-Z1R with stock 4.4 cable.
> 
> The sound of the zx300 was thick, like maple syrup from log cabin brand, had bassier signature than wm1A,  I felt I lacked the mids and highs resolution and micro detailing the wm1A provides. I think even it sounded worse than the wm1z I tried in Berlin earlier this year,  way thicker signature, reminded me of nwz-a818 back in 2007



I totally agree with your take on the ZX300 sound signature. Very thick. But it’s interesting too, that we never have anyone coming by this thread and explaining how the ZX300 is “better” (than the 1A) with “X” IEM? It never happens and you would think it would?

There can be times when folks do defend the ZX300 as sounding the same as the 1A in the IER-Z1R thread. And while I have never heard the IER-Z1R and ZX300 together it almost sounds believable that some may feel that way? Though your saying “for the book” that the two players are not comparable to each other with your use, using the IER-Z1R. I will believe what your saying as it makes sense the 1A would win out.

As you know the 1A and IER-Z1R is a special combination in my collection. It’s just that the IER-Z1R IEM already has a thickness that is almost too much with the 1Z. Though it does work with some “thin” recordings........I sincerely believe the IER-Z1R and 1A combination is more well rounded?

Plus too, common sense says to me the IER-Z1R would be under-powered by the ZX300..... only adding to the syrup?

To me the 1A just powers the IER-Z1R on “high-gain” meaning that it’s just about right. Though we are always hearing of people liking the IER-Z1R better out of more powerful DAPs.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I bought a pair of fiio FA7 BA IEMs, 279€ to use fir outside. This will be my first full BA IEM and first non-sony headphone /IEM after the ultrasoune HFI780 in 2012


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 5, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I bought a pair of fiio FA7 BA IEMs, 279€ to use fir outside. This will be my first full BA IEM and first non-sony headphone /IEM after the ultrasoune HFI780 in 2012



So cool. I actually have a couple Chi/Fi full BA IEMs which I use with the 1A.

If anything they may end up as complementary to the IER-Z1R for you?

I’m totally into BA bass, as it’s faster and can be very detailed. I’m just an IEM junkie so any IEM will fascinate me. Though the Z1R is still reference in my collection. The Noble Encore is also co-reference as it does things for rock and metal in a refreshing way the Z1R does not. If anything there IS room in a collection; if only to add appreciation for the IER-Z1R.

Here is a FA7 and WM1A review....which you may have read?
https://www.headfonia.com/fiio-fa7-review/


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> So cool. I actually have a couple Chi/Fi full BA IEMs which I use with the 1A.
> 
> If anything they may end up as complementary to the IER-Z1R for you?
> 
> ...


Yup I've read it. I got it just to not carry the IER-Z1R outside home, as I've found the Z1R to amplify bass sounds, f.e track noises while riding the German bullet train


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Aug 5, 2019)

*Has anyone paired their WM1A/Z with a Bluetooth speaker?*

My WM1A is my primary player for EVERYTHING. I'd like to get a nice BT speaker for when I'm just moving around the apartment and getting my tunes unfettered. Occasionally take it to my neighbour's. Not all BT speakers are created equal. I have trouble pairing to an HK Onyx, sound clips when I change the volume when connected to a Klipsch. Sony's speakers are a little thin in sound. JBL connectivity is intermittent for some reason.

So far am eyeing the following: Beolit 17, and Bose Revolve. Both connected easily and sound pretty decent. The Beolit was actually really easy on the ears. Not critical listening, but nice for when I'm just doing crap around the place.

Hoping to try the Audio Pro Addon T10 but having trouble finding a showroom that has it. Has anyone tried the Audio Pro? Care to recommend something else? Much appreciated.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 5, 2019)

Mine sounds great but it’s totally cheesy!LOL 3rd-World!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Redcarmoose said:


> Mine sounds great but it’s totally cheesy!LOL 3rd-World!


I admire that... I really do... But man... Way too many wires. Hard to haul that down to the pool.


----------



## LinstantX

Buy BenQ TreVolo 2 and do not worry .


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> I admire that... I really do... But man... Way too many wires. Hard to haul that down to the pool.



It only went to the pool once. Lol


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I bought another Z5 (after selling the first) and kept the Sony kimber cable as I didn’t have the 1Z at that time.

The sound of the Z5 is hard to leave and I needed something “Sony” to use around in rough environment.

Z5 has the perfect bass and
mids for high res audio. The M9 sounds great too but the design and fit of M9 appeals more to me.

I have not tried H3 balanced on 1A/1Z.

How are u enjoying Z1R and how it compares with your old Z5?


@DONTGIVEUP  did you try the XBA-H3 in balanced from your Wm1z? How does the sound change? I remember when I had them they had a pretty noticiable mid-bass emphasis that leaked into mids,  giving them a hollow signature, a signature like listening to music on a tile-covered room (echoing with so much resonances and standing waves)[/QUOTE]


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 5, 2019)

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I bought another Z5 (after selling the first) and kept the Sony kimber cable as I didn’t have the 1Z at that time.
> 
> The sound of the Z5 is hard to leave and I needed something “Sony” to use around in rough environment.
> 
> ...


[/QUOTE]
My old xba-z5 sounded great , dont get me wrong, nice mids and bass that recreates very low notes.

After upgrading to the IER-Z1R,  I found this has better bass texture and feel'ability to it. It has a more physical bass to say in easy words. Mids on the Z1R are natural in the tone , perhaps at times a bit recessed on the lower part but it is nothing that bothers me. The highs are better than the xba-z5, again the Z1R highs like the ones on the z5 aren't shrilly at all, but, they extend high and effortlessly.  The treble was in my opinion the Achilles heel of the z5, they were rolled off, they struggled.to reach the areas of hi-res audio.
Build is better also  in the IER-Z1R,  the z5 was great built too, except for the paint that tends to peel off after extensive use and the wobbly MMCX.

Separation and stage is so wow in the Z1R,  I am still thrilled how they sooo un-iem they sound (like an open can or the MDR-Z1R stage)  they don't have the stage of your average Joe IEM, they sound like big cans impressive.  If z5 had a big stage already and that wowed me, the Z1R,  made me jaw drop.
For xba-z5 to improve had to upgrade cable to the sony MUC series (stupid name I can't remember ) , this has not happened with the IER-Z1R which comes with a great cable in the box.

Only con of Z1R for me to date is the weird isolation , while better than the xba-z5,  still has a thing that annoys me, it tends to amplify lower noises ( that hum from the german high speed train, must pump volume up, maybe it comes from the high speed friction between wheels and rails but is annoying HUUUUMMM). Reason I ordered a fiio FA7 Quad BA IEM , better isolation and leave the jewel at home to prevent possibility of getting lost/stolen and to get some curiosity satisfied with a full BA setup. I know sont fanboy,  could have gotten the IER-M7, but it is not available in germany and the price didn't justify to me paying 600€ for an iem to be used to commute and increased risk of getting lost/Damaged or stolen.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@DONTGIVEUP in summary to above, the xba-z5 has a dark signature with more punch for the bass, while the IER-Z1R has a.more fresh signature, it is not by any means reference but also despite having nice tactile bass it ain't dark, can I dare to say organic/natural?


----------



## RONJA MESCO

Redcarmoose said:


> I did not spend that much time with the ZX300 but I also feel the move to the 1A is a realistic goal of end game sound quality.
> 
> To me, I was fully amazed (in a bad way)  at walking around listening to the lower Sony line below the ZX300 also. I think it’s fairly safe to say you experience a nice upgrade as you go up the line. Though keep in mind Sony is just about to release 2 more players; if I understand things correct?
> 
> ...



Wait...you think even the zx300 is too big? That's shocking to me because I think its a really average sized player.


----------



## nc8000

RONJA MESCO said:


> Wait...you think even the zx300 is too big? That's shocking to me because I think its a really average sized player.



A45 is a nice pocketable size


----------



## Redcarmoose

RONJA MESCO said:


> Wait...you think even the zx300 is too big? That's shocking to me because I think its a really average sized player.



Only because of getting used to the iPod Touch; they are small. 

It’s all relative to what you are used to.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 5, 2019)

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I bought another Z5 (after selling the first) and kept the Sony kimber cable as I didn’t have the 1Z at that time.
> 
> The sound of the Z5 is hard to leave and I needed something “Sony” to use around in rough environment.
> 
> ...



The Z5 is amazing. I do really like them. Though the fit is so strange. It’s like a USB stick attempting to be set into your ear. Sony tried to lock it down with those included cables but they were trouble too. So as far as sound the Z5 has a natural cohesive charm still making it competitive today in the $500 range. IMO

But even while using the Z5 before the IER-Z1R came out I wanted more treble and mid-action. Though after listening to the IER-Z1R for 60 days.......going back shows the Z5 to actually have way-way more bass. It’s crazy, but you get less “fog” with the sub-bass tune of the IER-Z1R. Also it’s heads above in all other areas.......better treble detail and extension, better imaging, faster......bigger soundstage.....even though it has big mid-recession, the midrange is still there. So... it’s a continuation of the sound Sony has been developing. But the treble with the IER-Z1R may be a little intense for some? Also they don’t fit everyone. But one great thing is the included cables which are better than many aftermarket cables and better than the MMCX Kimber. IMO


----------



## NickL33

gerelmx1986 said:


> Seems like the wm1A  and wm1z will be the last high-end walkman (together with the DMP-Z1) to have no wifi



Thats seems to be the leak for zx500... nothing seems to be leak on the 1a or z yet but none the less I am pumped!


----------



## NickL33

Redcarmoose said:


> The Z5 is amazing. I do really like them. Though the fit is so strange. It’s like a USB stick attempting to be set into your ear. Sony tried to lock it down with those included cables but they were trouble too. So as far as sound the Z5 has a natural cohesive charm still making it competitive today in the $500 range. IMO
> 
> But even while using the Z5 before the IER-Z1R came out I wanted more treble and mid-action. Though after listening to the IER-Z1R for 60 days.......going back shows the Z5 to actually have way-way more bass. It’s crazy, but you get less “fog” with the sub-bass time of the IER-Z1R. Also it’s heads above in all other areas.......better treble detail and extension, better imaging, faster......bigger soundstage.....even though it has big mid-recession, the midrange is still there. So... it’s a continuation of the sound Sony has been developing. But the treble with the IER-Z1R may be a little intense for some? Also they don’t fit everyone. But one great thing is the included cables which are better than many aftermarket cables and better than the MMCX Kimber. IMO



The more I listen the more i notice the bass or Z1R is not like skull crushing but rather very control and impactful when is needed... Not to mention the decay... is so awwwww!

I am currently waiting for a silver cable from Satin Audio.. will update


----------



## rgutierr

Has anyone here with an WM1A gone from Andros to the Z1Rs? thoughts?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 5, 2019)

rgutierr said:


> Has anyone here with an WM1A gone from Andros to the Z1Rs? thoughts?



Never heard the CA IEMs but there is a interesting learning curve when you get the IER-Z1R. The bass is so smooth and has both physicality and decay. The whole IEM performs in almost the opposite way of full BA IEMs. But when the IER-Z1R honeymoon is over you can still appreciate what full BA IEMs do different in their own inept way. IMO

Due to the slight hollow sound of BA bass, it becomes both a thrill realizing what the IER-Z1R is doing, then it is possible later to somehow clue in on the BA bass and enjoy the speed and detail of it, even though it’s not as technically correct. IMO

Though some folks get into DD bass so deep that afterwords trying something like EDM with a full BA set never is the same again. It’s just that  BA bass no matter what, is never going to be the same, no matter what the builder does. IMO

I would think people would have both and use them for different genres?


----------



## sklonchpower

Hi everybody. Does anybody compared 1Z and Hugo 2? If someone have such experience, could you be so kind to give some details? Pros and cons? Than you in advance.


----------



## rgutierr

Redcarmoose said:


> Never heard the CA IEMs but there is a interesting learning curve when you get the IER-Z1R. The bass is so smooth and has both physicality and decay. The whole IEM performs in almost the opposite way of full BA IEMs. But when the IER-Z1R honeymoon is over you can still appreciate what full BA IEMs do different in their own inept way. IMO
> 
> Due to the slight hollow sound of BA bass, it becomes both a thrill realizing what the IER-Z1R is doing, then it is possible later to somehow clue in on the BA bass and enjoy the speed and detail of it, even though it’s not as technically correct. IMO
> 
> ...



Thanks for reply. I actually ended up demoing them for about 90 minutes today with my wm1a. Man, what a rollercoaster of emotions. At times, i thought, im buying these on the spot. Then on another track, i would be disappointed. I had side by side with my andros and i thoght the soundstage on the andros, mostly, was superior. Surprised as i had read the SS on the Z1Rs was "gargantuan"

The bass though fckkkkkkkkkkkkk. My experience on the andros is usually either "bass is spot on" at best, and "bass is too weak" at worst, track dependent. 

On the Z1Rs the bass that was "too weak" on tracks with teh andros, was spot on with the Z1R's but then i felt some tracks the bass was overrrrrkill and actually felt like it closed the sound off somewhat. I will try again with different tips next week. I still want the Z1Rs because when it sounds good, it sounds fckn fantastic.


----------



## gerelmx1986

rgutierr said:


> Thanks for reply. I actually ended up demoing them for about 90 minutes today with my wm1a. Man, what a rollercoaster of emotions. At times, i thought, im buying these on the spot. Then on another track, i would be disappointed. I had side by side with my andros and i thoght the soundstage on the andros, mostly, was superior. Surprised as i had read the SS on the Z1Rs was "gargantuan"
> 
> The bass though fckkkkkkkkkkkkk. My experience on the andros is usually either "bass is spot on" at best, and "bass is too weak" at worst, track dependent.
> 
> On the Z1Rs the bass that was "too weak" on tracks with teh andros, was spot on with the Z1R's but then i felt some tracks the bass was overrrrrkill and actually felt like it closed the sound off somewhat. I will try again with different tips next week. I still want the Z1Rs because when it sounds good, it sounds fckn fantastic.


Remember to feed them with good.mastered tracks and lossless files


----------



## rgutierr

gerelmx1986 said:


> Remember to feed them with good.mastered tracks and lossless files



Of course  my library of 24bit flac is fairly smallish, but everything else i have is lossless. I listen to mainly electronic music (non commercial) so its sometimes a bit tricky to find well mastered tracks with complex layering etc but i do have some i like to test on the player when testing out other IEMs.

But yeah....probably going to get them in a few weeks ahhhh.


----------



## gerelmx1986

rgutierr said:


> Of course  my library of 24bit flac is fairly smallish, but everything else i have is lossless. I listen to mainly electronic music (non commercial) so its sometimes a bit tricky to find well mastered tracks with complex layering etc but i do have some i like to test on the player when testing out other IEMs.
> 
> But yeah....probably going to get them in a few weeks ahhhh.


The 97% of my library is 16/44,1 FLAC, the remaining 3% is 24 bit or DSD (about 60 SACD )


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 6, 2019)

rgutierr said:


> Thanks for reply. I actually ended up demoing them for about 90 minutes today with my wm1a. Man, what a rollercoaster of emotions. At times, i thought, im buying these on the spot. Then on another track, i would be disappointed. I had side by side with my andros and i thoght the soundstage on the andros, mostly, was superior. Surprised as i had read the SS on the Z1Rs was "gargantuan"
> 
> The bass though fckkkkkkkkkkkkk. My experience on the andros is usually either "bass is spot on" at best, and "bass is too weak" at worst, track dependent.
> 
> On the Z1Rs the bass that was "too weak" on tracks with teh andros, was spot on with the Z1R's but then i felt some tracks the bass was overrrrrkill and actually felt like it closed the sound off somewhat. I will try again with different tips next week. I still want the Z1Rs because when it sounds good, it sounds fckn fantastic.



Well, again I’ve never heard the CA Andromeda but.......I have an idea of what full BA IEMs sound like.

It’s on the edge of impossible to compare two very different IEMs at the same time; as we acclimate.The two are at extreme ends of the spectrum, though in reality you have two groups at Head-Fi which like both. The problem is when trying to determine which is best. The IER-Z1R thread is full of new owners who have sold their Andromeda IEMs off.

The two IEMs will trade off making different files sound better. It’s against the idea of folks who basically think one IEM should be superior. It’s also going to be a type of mental-gymnastics if someone was to own both. At times the IER-Z1R could make the Andromeda sound thin. Of course there are people who think the IER-Z1R is too bass heavy? So it goes at Head-Fi. Though there could be someone who owns and learns to love both for their unique qualities. Headphones are the same way. Though I rarely listen to my AKG k701s as they sound too thin nowadays? As consumers we slowly migrate across sound signatures.

What your trying to do is very difficult. As if you had one IEM at home you MAY get used to it? Meaning after time folks CAN mentally adjust. Sometimes they move on to something else over and over. That’s a different issue as some will never be happy. But our goal is to find a home with a signature and have it for years. Though anymore I wonder if it’s simply better to have a couple IEMs? If anything it can justify more purchases?


----------



## auronthas

rgutierr said:


> Has anyone here with an WM1A gone from Andros to the Z1Rs? thoughts?


I listen to both, i own Andros, sweet, detail, and well balanced throughout sound frequency.  I listened to Z1R two weeks ago rather short time, more bass, not as detail as Andros.

To my liking, I prefer Andros that's the sound similar to my HD 650.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I rhink @Redcarmoose ohne said that the IER-Z1R has.more  physical Bass to it than the MDR-Z1R,  and that at times can the MDR-Z1R sound bass shy.

Not so I think, good bass as the IER-Z1R


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I rhink @Redcarmoose ohne said that the IER-Z1R has.more  physical Bass to it than the MDR-Z1R,  and that at times can the MDR-Z1R sound bass shy.
> 
> Not so I think, good bass as the IER-Z1R



I think there is more physical feeling to the bass on the MDR as it moves more air and affects the area of skin around the ear as well, but they may well be more direct ear drum slam from the IER.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 6, 2019)

I did some accounting I have 6% of my library in hi-res the rest 94% and s CD FLAC.

From the hi-res 40% is DSD (79 albums) the rest 60% is hi-res PCM (121 albums). 329GB of lossless HD from.the complete 1.16TB


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> I rhink @Redcarmoose ohne said that the IER-Z1R has.more  physical Bass to it than the MDR-Z1R,  and that at times can the MDR-Z1R sound bass shy.
> 
> Not so I think, good bass as the IER-Z1R



I would never call the MDR bass shy; no one in their right mind would. I must have said in contrast to the IER the MDR bass was transparent.

The crazy part is for the most part, both IER and MDR share the same tune. Sony made them sound the same! Wild when you really think about it. No one has done that.


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> I think there is more physical feeling to the bass on the MDR as it moves more air and affects the area of skin around the ear as well, but they may well be more direct ear drum slam from the IER.



So how would you compare the TA to the Walkman 1Z while using your IER-Z1R?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 6, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I did some accounting I have 6% of my library in hi-res the rest 94% and s CD FLAC.
> 
> From the hi-res 40% is DSD (79 albums) the rest 60% is hi-res PCM (121 albums). 329GB of lossless HD from.the complete 1.16TB



Same here. I have very little music above 16/44 FLAC. Though I account that to the style of music I’m into. Most of my music is either extreme metal or electronic. I have only a couple hi-res soundtracks but everything else is hi-res needle drops. Still most of the time I will prefer a studio FLAC to a needle drop. It’s just that some albums sound interesting recorded from a record pressing. The only reason I’m even interested in the Sony sound is because it makes digital sound close to what I used to listen to on vinyl. I couldn’t take my vinyl where I moved to and so my quest was to find something close to the vinyl sound.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> So how would you compare the TA to the Walkman 1Z while using your IER-Z1R?



Have not yet tried the IER from the TA as that is not the intended use and the cable is too short.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I did some accounting I have 6% of my library in hi-res the rest 94% and s CD FLAC.
> 
> From the hi-res 40% is DSD (79 albums) the rest 60% is hi-res PCM (121 albums). 329GB of lossless HD from.the complete 1.16TB



About 25% of my music is hires however I only use that at home with the Auralic streamer and TA amp. On the 1Z I have downsampled it all to 16/44 or 16/48 so I can fit my entire library on the player and I have to admit that I have to concentrate fairly hard to detect the improvements of hires, red book is still really good. About 3-4% of my music is aac 320kb as this is older ripped music where I don’t have access to the cd’s any longer (library or friend’s cd’s)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> I would never call the MDR bass shy; no one in their right mind would. I must have said in contrast to the IER the MDR bass was transparent.
> 
> The crazy part is for the most part, both IER and MDR share the same tune. Sony made them sound the same! Wild when you really think about it. No one has done that.


I do agree with you and @nc8000 the bass of z1R cans comes in off cleaner and better bodied.  And yes crazy <german>wannsinn </german> both Z1R  sound the same,  so I have no trouble switching between both of them.

Yeah I expect the fiio FA7 signature to be vastly different from the Z1R's n, but to have started iem collection is good and for the intended use of the FA7 (commuter train) no problem


----------



## kausbose

Hi all; Has anyone developed any issues with their battery yet? I have a WM1Z and I feel the battery is weakening. It's way past it's warranty life. I did see some responses from back in 2017 on this thread. I am trying to get some responses that are relevant to 2019. Any details will be appreciated.


----------



## nc8000

kausbose said:


> Hi all; Has anyone developed any issues with their battery yet? I have a WM1Z and I feel the battery is weakening. It's way past it's warranty life. I did see some responses from back in 2017 on this thread. I am trying to get some responses that are relevant to 2019. Any details will be appreciated.



Mine is near 3 years old and has done about 2500 hours and no noticable degredation. Gerelmx1986 is approaching 7000 hours and as far as I know have no problem


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 6, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> Mine is near 3 years old and has done about 2500 hours and no noticable degredation. Gerelmx1986 is approaching 7000 hours and as far as I know have no problem


Exacto no problem, still last like 3 days with FLAC 16/44, unless I use BT receiver/transmitter mode I do get less battery run-time


----------



## djricekcn

How long in idle does it take for the  RMTNW520 take to shutdown


----------



## gazzington

My new wm1a arrived today. Charging it up now. It's already on 3.01 firmware


----------



## purk

nc8000 said:


> Mine is near 3 years old and has done about 2500 hours and no noticable degredation. Gerelmx1986 is approaching 7000 hours and as far as I know have no problem



I notice some degradation on my ZX300 with about 2000 hours on it, not so with my 1Z.


----------



## kausbose

gerelmx1986 said:


> Exacto no problem, still last like 3 days with FLAC 16/44, unless I use BT receiver/transmitter mode I do get less battery run-time


crap I better be using mine a little bit more. I only have 26 hours.


----------



## gerelmx1986

My first DSD 11.2MHz album , oh boy, its damn huge at 13GB


----------



## Whitigir

Holy cow.....6 thousands hours ?


----------



## Jalo (Aug 6, 2019)

@gerelmx1986, so it shows DSD 11.2 even though 1A doesn't support the resolution?  Does it down sampling to 256? Can you hear any difference?

Forget my question above, I got confused DSD 11.2 as DSD 512.  It is actually DSD 256.


----------



## Whitigir

Both 1A and 1Z support dsd256 which is 11.2 but only from balanced 4.4mm


----------



## phonomat

kausbose said:


> **** I better be using mine a little bit more. I only have 26 hours.



Almost 27, don't sell yourself short!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Holy cow.....6 thousands hours ?


He is at 6412 hours! Crazy! 
7000 hours is over 291 full days!


----------



## gazzington

Forgot how good a wm1a sounds. I'm using some Sony MDR-1AM2 headphones on 4.4 and it sounds great and is quite portable. What other iems/headphones work well with this player?
I like bass but good clarity in the other frequencies


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Holy cow.....6 thousands hours ?


Haha love it so much 


Jalo said:


> @gerelmx1986, so it shows DSD 11.2 even though 1A doesn't support the resolution?  Does it down sampling to 256? Can you hear any difference?
> 
> Forget my question above, I got confused DSD 11.2 as DSD 512.  It is actually DSD 256.


DSD 512 is at 22.4896MHz


Redcarmoose said:


> He is at 6412 hours! Crazy!
> 7000 hours is over 291 full days!


 almost a year haha


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Haha love it so much
> 
> DSD 512 is at 22.4896MHz
> almost a year haha



Or about 7 hours a day every day since you bought it. I’m at about 2 hours every day


----------



## gerelmx1986

Commute IEMs arrived Fiio FA7


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 7, 2019)

gazzington said:


> Forgot how good a wm1a sounds. I'm using some Sony MDR-1AM2 headphones on 4.4 and it sounds great and is quite portable. What other iems/headphones work well with this player?
> I like bass but good clarity in the other frequencies



It’s really hard for me to recommend IEMs at times, due to it being so personal. I can recommend some to at least try?

If you wanted flagships the IER-Z1R is a great combo with the 1A. I use the included 4.4mm balanced cable. There are also a couple other “goofballs” like me in this thread who like the IER-Z1R. Though the IEM is big and heavy; not getting fit with everyone. I like the IER-Z1R with everything though it may be slightly withdrawn with lower male vocals like Sinatra? I avoid him, and avoid Bing Crosby so it’s cool.


For more midrange and neutrality the Noble Encore is a masterpiece! It’s said that the Encore is close to the HD800 in tone? I can’t confirm that? 

The 1A joins the Encore balanced with the Han Sound Audio Zen 4 wire OCC litz copper cable terminated Furutech 4.4mm. I use this more for metal. Though music like “The Cure” sound perfect with both to my ears. EDM the IER-Z1R, classic rock sound great on both?

Both IEMs are around $1800, but could last years if they fit you correctly? Noble just released the new Khan flagship, though I’m not sure I like it, it was mid-forward to my ears? Though I didn’t spend a lot of time with it?  Some people love the Khan?


----------



## purk

gerelmx1986 said:


> Commute IEMs arrived Fiio FA7



Get the balanced cable man!


----------



## gazzington

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s really hard for me to recommend IEMs at times, due to it being so personal. I can recommend some to at least try?
> 
> If you wanted flagships the IER-Z1R is a great combo with the 1A. I use the included 4.4mm balanced cable. There are also a couple other “goofballs” like me in this thread who like the IER-Z1R. Though the IEM is big and heavy; not getting fit with everyone. I like the IER-Z1R with everything though it may be slightly withdrawn with lower male vocals like Sinatra? I avoid him, and avoid Bing Crosby so it’s cool.
> 
> ...


I'm a metal head so maybe the encore would suit me best. Also I notice you have the Sony z7 headphones, have you tried z7ii?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 7, 2019)

gazzington said:


> I'm a metal head so maybe the encore would suit me best. Also I notice you have the Sony z7 headphones, have you tried z7ii?



No, but the Z7 was an impulse due to it being a close-out. Don’t know anything about the MK2? What I’m trying to say is the IER-Z1R is great for Metal too, it’s more personal preference than technicality because of the level this stuff is at. It’s more like just what you want? Though I’m sure in the $20-$100 there could actually be some that do genres better? The top flagships can be pretty complete. Though it depends on what your after. I think a bunch of metal heads like darker tone like the Sony Z5 or the Noble Audio Original K-10? The Encore can be both smooth and a little buzz-saw like with metal? But for an hour or two the buzz-saw of speed is fun?

The original Z7 does electronic really good. Great for the price you can find them at. Though they may need more power than the 1A to get over small issues they have? They are nice even with the included stock cable and the Schiit Asgard One. The Schiit amp is on the bright side, so it ends up a pretty good union with the original Z7. Again all this stuff is so personal; nothing can replace a good demo experience! Still in a pinch the 1A and Z7 sound really good. In my opinion the 1A and Z7 is best with the Kimber aftermarket cable.


----------



## Lookout57

gazzington said:


> I'm a metal head so maybe the encore would suit me best. Also I notice you have the Sony z7 headphones, have you tried z7ii?


As a metalhead you should look into the Atlas.


----------



## Dom Isaac

gazzington said:


> I'm a metal head so maybe the encore would suit me best. Also I notice you have the Sony z7 headphones, have you tried z7ii?



Maybe you could give Noble Audio Khan a try as well. The tonality on their flagships are just  

These are really a joy to listen not just metal but any genres in my humble opinion.

Sorry i'm just lurking in this thread and i don't even own a 1A/Z but one day i will.


----------



## KuroKitsu

I get close to 25 hours per charge and I charge once a week. Don't think it's ever been off since I got my 1A. Less battery life for more driving power? Pffft get a Sony


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## nc8000

KuroKitsu said:


> I get close to 25 hours per charge and I charge once a week. Don't think it's ever been off since I got my 1A. Less battery life for more driving power? Pffft get a Sony



Yes I get 20-25 hours per charge, never turn off and charge once a week


----------



## rgutierr

gerelmx1986 said:


>



Such a nice pic


----------



## gazzington

Can't get my oneplus6 phone to connect Bluetooth to the wm1a. They just don't see each other


----------



## nc8000

gazzington said:


> Can't get my oneplus6 phone to connect Bluetooth to the wm1a. They just don't see each other



Just a stupid question but have you activated receiver on the 1A before trying to connect from the phone ?


----------



## gazzington

Yeah, it's switched on.


----------



## Mal Waldron

Most of the time I have to restart my phone to get connected


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Anyone paired 1Z into their car system. I have flac 24bit and it sounds like mp3 192. Just bad!
I have an Q5 and took the 1z first time outside and I’m disappointed by the Bluetooth quality.


----------



## kausbose (Aug 9, 2019)

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Anyone paired 1Z into their car system. I have flac 24bit and it sounds like mp3 192. Just bad!
> I have an Q5 and took the 1z first time outside and I’m disappointed by the Bluetooth quality.



The WM1Z supports LDAC, AptX and AptX HD (on Bluetooth V. 4.2). This is the latest codecs currently available (Bluetooth 5.0 is out on some devices, but it's not mainstream yet, however it doesn't bring any additional benefits to the protocols mentioned earlier).

Here's a link (https://www.sony.com/electronics/walkman/nw-wm1z/specifications) to the spec sheet on sony's website. Depending on the model and age of your car, it's very likely that the same protocols are not supported in your car, i.e. it's the car not the device.

You can try something like the FiiO BTR3 (https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-BTR3-Bluetooth-Receiver-Portable/dp/B07FVN14FH) and see if that improves your experience.

Or you could plug the device right into the MMI with the following adapter (https://www.amazon.com/CHELINK-Inte...argid=aud-801381245258:pla-391767880239&psc=1)


----------



## nc8000

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Anyone paired 1Z into their car system. I have flac 24bit and it sounds like mp3 192. Just bad!
> I have an Q5 and took the 1z first time outside and I’m disappointed by the Bluetooth quality.



What codec does your car support ?
My car only support sbc so the result will never be good


----------



## gerelmx1986

Review of fiio FA7 up
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-fa7.23413/reviews

Great effort by fiio , still has a long road to go ahead , remind me of a mix between XBA-H3 and xba-z5


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

@kausbose, @nc8000 

Thanks guys. I didn’t think about the Q5 conversion of flac. 
I’m not sure what it converts it too as I don’t have the options on the Q5 screen.
Must be MP3 192 kbps or lower.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Maybe the size of the drivers is what made Sony make usb housing from their initial EX300 to Z5.
Now with M7,M9 & Z1R shaped to the size of our ears it could be a thing of the past.
Also with things getting smaller and current lifestyle choices, years from now Z5 and similar looking iems could be in no wanted list!





Redcarmoose said:


> The Z5 is amazing. I do really like them. Though the fit is so strange. It’s like a USB stick attempting to be set into your ear. Sony tried to lock it down with those included cables but they were trouble too. So as far as sound the Z5 has a natural cohesive charm still making it competitive today in the $500 range. IMO
> 
> But even while using the Z5 before the IER-Z1R came out I wanted more treble and mid-action. Though after listening to the IER-Z1R for 60 days.......going back shows the Z5 to actually have way-way more bass. It’s crazy, but you get less “fog” with the sub-bass tune of the IER-Z1R. Also it’s heads above in all other areas.......better treble detail and extension, better imaging, faster......bigger soundstage.....even though it has big mid-recession, the midrange is still there. So... it’s a continuation of the sound Sony has been developing. But the treble with the IER-Z1R may be a little intense for some? Also they don’t fit everyone. But one great thing is the included cables which are better than many aftermarket cables and better than the MMCX Kimber. IMO


----------



## Redcarmoose

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Maybe the size of the drivers is what made Sony make usb housing from their initial EX300 to Z5.
> Now with M7,M9 & Z1R shaped to the size of our ears it could be a thing of the past.
> Also with things getting smaller and current lifestyle choices, years from now Z5 and similar looking iems could be in no wanted list!



For the longest time I used the Sony Triple Comfort Tips with the Z5. The Triples came after the introduction of the Z5, but the stiffness they produce seemed to be another way to lock the Z5 better into place?


----------



## AlexCBSN

gerelmx1986 said:


> Review of fiio FA7 up
> https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-fa7.23413/reviews
> 
> Great effort by fiio , still has a long road to go ahead , remind me of a mix between XBA-H3 and xba-z5


That’s why they released another iem as their flagship, the fh7


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 9, 2019)

AlexCBSN said:


> That’s why they released another iem as their flagship, the fh7


It is not really bad if.you eq it right. Love the isolation, i will continue to experiment with it, perhaps I get a balanced cable later


----------



## Lookout57

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Anyone paired 1Z into their car system. I have flac 24bit and it sounds like mp3 192. Just bad!
> I have an Q5 and took the 1z first time outside and I’m disappointed by the Bluetooth quality.


I use the 1A/1Z in my 2014 A7. This was the last year that they didn't support FLAC media, so to me it's a big improvement. However in my Q7 and TT RS I use a SD Card and FLAC which does sound better but will never be as good what you can get from the headphone jack of the 1A/1Z.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Do you know how to remove a stuck IEM tip inside your canal? crap happened, tried the fiio FA7  tips on my IER-Z1R  and one for stuck inside my ears while removing the IER-Z1R.

Fiio has definitely no quality control, there is no precision,  the vocal and bass tips one had a larger bore diameter and then other fit exactly the IER-Z1R nozzles. Foamies didn't fit too big bore, double flange also had this issue of precision left was right, the right tip was wider


----------



## Mal Waldron

gerelmx1986 said:


> Do you know how to remove a stuck IEM tip inside your canal? **** happened, tried the fiio FA7  tips on my IER-Z1R  and one for stuck inside my ears while removing the IER-Z1R.
> 
> Fiio has definitely no quality control, there is no precision,  the vocal and bass tips one had a larger bore diameter and then other fit exactly the IER-Z1R nozzles. Foamies didn't fit too big bore, double flange also had this issue of precision left was right, the right tip was wider



Tweezers could do the trick...


----------



## szore

Hello, I've been considering buying the WM1, but I'm having trouble finding reviews that talk about its sound..


----------



## nc8000

szore said:


> Hello, I've been considering buying the WM1, but I'm having trouble finding reviews that talk about its sound..



There are about 2000 pages of reviews in this thread alone


----------



## szore

nc8000 said:


> There are about 2000 pages of reviews in this thread alone


Yes that's why i've come here


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 10, 2019)

szore said:


> Yes that's why i've come here



Then you have found many reviews talking about the sound and there are many reviews if you search the net but you still if possible need to audition either player to see if you like the sound, no review can tell you that, only give you general ideas


----------



## szore

nc8000 said:


> Then you have found many reviews talking about the sound and there are many reviews if you search the net but you still if possible need to audition either player to see if you like the sound, no review can tell you that, only give you general ideas


I want to know how it compares to an A&K dap like the SE100.


----------



## nc8000

szore said:


> I want to know how it compares to an A&K dap like the SE100.



I have never heard any AK player so can’t help but again there are plenty comparisons to AK players and many other players in this thread you just have to work your way through the thread (yes I know that will take some time)


----------



## szore

nc8000 said:


> I have never heard any AK player so can’t help but again there are plenty comparisons to AK players and many other players in this thread you just have to work your way through the thread (yes I know that will take some time)


I'm working through it!


----------



## NickL33

gerelmx1986 said:


> Do you know how to remove a stuck IEM tip inside your canal? **** happened, tried the fiio FA7  tips on my IER-Z1R  and one for stuck inside my ears while removing the IER-Z1R.
> 
> Fiio has definitely no quality control, there is no precision,  the vocal and bass tips one had a larger bore diameter and then other fit exactly the IER-Z1R nozzles. Foamies didn't fit too big bore, double flange also had this issue of precision left was right, the right tip was wider



Deepends on deep you have inserted?

I would suggest, if u cant get it out with simple tweezer. Please go to an ENT or Doctor to remove it, as you dont want to keep pushing it deeper.


----------



## szore

NickL33 said:


> Deepends on deep you have inserted?
> 
> I would suggest, if u cant get it out with simple tweezer. Please go to an ENT or Doctor to remove it, as you dont want to keep pushing it deeper.


Hold your nose and blow!


----------



## Quadfather

Has anybody used a Fatbear armored case with the Sony for a length of time with no scratches to be seen?


----------



## gerelmx1986

NickL33 said:


> Deepends on deep you have inserted?
> 
> I would suggest, if u cant get it out with simple tweezer. Please go to an ENT or Doctor to remove it, as you dont want to keep pushing it deeper.





szore said:


> Hold your nose and blow!


 managed to remove it, carefully inserted some small screwdriver used for jewelry  and I pulled it out


----------



## NickL33

gerelmx1986 said:


> managed to remove it, carefully inserted some small screwdriver used for jewelry  and I pulled it out



Sounds.... ouch D:


----------



## gerelmx1986

@nc8000 what is the formatted capacity of your 512GB card? I assume.is a sandisk?


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> @nc8000 what is the formatted capacity of your 512GB card? I assume.is a sandisk?



Yes it is a SanDisk and it formats to 476,84GB


----------



## kingdixon

gerelmx1986 said:


> @nc8000 what is the formatted capacity of your 512GB card? I assume.is a sandisk?






nc8000 said:


> Yes it is a SanDisk and it formats to 476,84GB



I got the lexar one for around 70$, and formats to 462 gigs ..


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Yes it is a SanDisk and it formats to 476,84GB


Thanks,  still evaluating if it worth the extra 110GB I would get for 174€ or better wait for the terabyte one


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks,  still evaluating if it worth the extra 110GB I would get for 174€ or better wait for the terabyte one



I've got a SanDisk 1TB in my A45 and a Lexar 1TB SD card as data store in my laptop


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I've got a SanDisk 1TB in my A45 and a Lexar 1TB SD card as data store in my laptop


Wehre did you got the 1TB micro sd, amazon germany states not available


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wehre did you got the 1TB micro sd, amazon germany states not available



Amazon US about a month ago when it was on deal of the day offer at $340


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Amazon US about a month ago when it was on deal of the day offer at $340


And how.much is the 1TB formatted?


----------



## Lookout57

The Sandisk 1TB formats to 953.42 GB as shown in the Information screen.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> And how.much is the 1TB formatted?





Lookout57 said:


> The Sandisk 1TB formats to 953.42 GB as shown in the Information screen.



Yep that is also what mine shows and what my Lexar SD card shows on my pc


----------



## KuroKitsu

szore said:


> I want to know how it compares to an A&K dap like the SE100.


- It doesn't hiss like the SE100
- takes drops much better too
- battery lasts twice as long, charges in the same amount of time even without QC
- sturdier 4.4mm jack vs the fragile 2.5mm
- bit of pain to have to reencoded tags to IDv2.3 and convert progressive album art
- option to change gain
- Not as fun and warm sound as the SE100, more neutral sound.


----------



## KuroKitsu

10 day trip to Eastern Canada soon, might actually be able to get that 200 hour burn in on the 3.5mm jack via aux cord now.


----------



## nc8000

KuroKitsu said:


> 10 day trip to Eastern Canada soon, might actually be able to get that 200 hour burn in on the 3.5mm jack via aux cord now.



For burn in just plug a headphone in and leave it on random repeat when you are not using it


----------



## phonomat

nc8000 said:


> For burn in just plug a headphone in and leave it on random repeat when you are not using it



Or, you know, save the planet.


----------



## nc8000

phonomat said:


> Or, you know, save the planet.



Don’t think that does much for burn in


----------



## gerelmx1986

phonomat said:


> Or, you know, save the planet.


We all gonna die sooner or later anyways


----------



## gerelmx1986

I ordenes a 512GB Samsung evo plus for 81€ on amazon


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I usually use iPhone loaded with 256kbps aac & 320 kbps MP3 and it sounds nice and boomy via Bluetooth.

There is no way to find out if Q5 supports Flac but I’m for sure it reconverts it’s to low quality. The perks of high res audio!




Lookout57 said:


> I use the 1A/1Z in my 2014 A7. This was the last year that they didn't support FLAC media, so to me it's a big improvement. However in my Q7 and TT RS I use a SD Card and FLAC which does sound better but will never be as good what you can get from the headphone jack of the 1A/1Z.


----------



## Lookout57

It was around the 2015 model year the Audi updated the MMI and added support for FLAC. The best way to tell is if your MMI has LTE then you have FLAC support. 

If you look in the manual in the MMI section under media you will see FLAC as a supported media type and 24/48 resolution. I have successfully feed it 24/192 and played it back but I don't know if it downsampled it to 24/48 or not. To save space I down sample anything greater than 24/96. 

When listening to hi-res or even redbook FLAC tracks using my 1A or 1Z via bluetooth is a huge improvement over 320 Kbps MP3's on my A7 with Blose that doesn't have FLAC support.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think I am beginning to note slight battery degradation.  As it last slight less


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think I am beginning to note slight battery degradation.  As it last slight less


Could meant That your battery has had 7k of hours running from it ...so it slightly degraded


----------



## gazzington

I have a wm1a and that portable oriolus tube amp. Do I connect out of the 4.4 on the wm1a or through the charging socket at the bottom of the wm1a?


----------



## jaker782

gazzington said:


> I have a wm1a and that portable oriolus tube amp. Do I connect out of the 4.4 on the wm1a or through the charging socket at the bottom of the wm1a?



You use the supplied 4.4mm cable and connect one end to the DAP and one end to the 4.4mm input of the amp.  If you have the newer version with grounding cable, you connect both the 3.5mm and 4.4mm connectors to the DAP (3.5mm first), which is supposed to act as a ground for the 4.4mm out and reduce noise.  I actually had the Oriolus paired with my ZX300, but sadly, decided to return it because I was experiencing noticeable low level hissing with the amp that I simply couldn't live with.  I had the version with grounding cable too!  I am curious to hear your impressions, as I wonder if I received a bad unit.


----------



## fiascogarcia

gazzington said:


> I have a wm1a and that portable oriolus tube amp. Do I connect out of the 4.4 on the wm1a or through the charging socket at the bottom of the wm1a?


Charging jack is a digital out only.  You can use it plugged into a dac/amp, but otherwise 4.4mm if amp has balanced inputs, or 3.5 if not.


----------



## proedros

i need a reminder about the pics thing

i  have to rename the pic inside the folder as the title of the folder , in order for it to appear on my wm1a screen ?

also , the pics from amazon are baseline by default so i am fine picking those up ?


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> i need a reminder about the pics thing
> 
> i  have to rename the pic inside the folder as the title of the folder , in order for it to appear on my wm1a screen ?
> 
> also , the pics from amazon are baseline by default so i am fine picking those up ?



Yes the jpg has to be named the same as the name of the folder it resides in. 

I have no idea if Amazon pictures are always baseline but mostly that seems to be the case


----------



## jaker782

proedros said:


> i need a reminder about the pics thing
> 
> i  have to rename the pic inside the folder as the title of the folder , in order for it to appear on my wm1a screen ?
> 
> also , the pics from amazon are baseline by default so i am fine picking those up ?




Yes, if you are not embedding the artwork in the file tag, you can place the .jpg inside the folder and have it show up on the DAP if it is named the same name as the host folder.  This is especially useful for .wav files, which does not work on the Sony with embedded artwork.

And for baseline artwork files, I grab them from the following database, which has worked 100% of the time for me:

https://bendodson.com/projects/itunes-artwork-finder/


----------



## wazzupi

Anyone know if the wm1z has more power vs wm1a ? Whats the best dap for dac use and has a 4.4mm jack


----------



## nc8000

wazzupi said:


> Anyone know if the wm1z has more power vs wm1a ? Whats the best dap for dac use and has a 4.4mm jack



Same power as far as I know. The best dac dap is the one with the sound you like best


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> i need a reminder about the pics thing
> 
> i  have to rename the pic inside the folder as the title of the folder , in order for it to appear on my wm1a screen ?
> 
> also , the pics from amazon are baseline by default so i am fine picking those up ?


Amazon pics I have no experience.

Jpgs must be named same as folder. For that I use mp3tag batch processors to export the cover and automagically rename as the containing folder with %_directory%


----------



## kingdixon

Great combo ..




I got the ex800 from ebay at around 200$, i dont think there too much competition at this price, i got final audio e4000 at the same time, but i just rarely reach for it.

@gazzington  You should definitely consider this one among your choices, isolation is meh, and leaks a lil bit, but its amazing from top to bottom.


----------



## proedros

jaker782 said:


> Yes, if you are not embedding the artwork in the file tag, you can place the .jpg inside the folder and have it show up on the DAP if it is named the same name as the host folder.  This is especially useful for .wav files, which does not work on the Sony with embedded artwork.
> 
> And for baseline artwork files, I grab them from the following database, which has worked 100% of the time for me:
> 
> https://bendodson.com/projects/itunes-artwork-finder/




brilliant , tried 4 albums and all 4 showed up 

bookmarked , now let's start adding those covers

thank you so much (and @nc8000 , always a great helpful person here so kudos )


----------



## gazzington

kingdixon said:


> Great combo ..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I was thinking of ex800 or Sony z5


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 14, 2019)

Damn! Apocalyptica is strangely addictive.  They are like a good mixture and combination of classic rock + modern rock + classical instruments all together ....even some good ballad and pop in there .

Not to mention that they are pretty well recorded for this kinda genres ! Woooo0000 I am in love !


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 14, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> Damn! Apocalyptica is strangely addictive.  They are like a good mixture and combination of classic rock + modern rock + classical instruments all together ....even some good ballad and pop in there .
> 
> Not to mention that they are pretty well recorded for this kinda genres ! Woooo0000 I am in love !



Yep 
Another Finnish symphonic metal band I like is Nightwish


----------



## gazzington

nc8000 said:


> Yep
> Another Finnish symphonic metal band I like is Nightwish


Yeap like both these bands


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Yep
> Another Finnish symphonic metal band I like is Nightwish


How about Synthesis ?
https://www.hdtracks.com/synthesis?___store=default&nosto=nosto-page-search1


----------



## gerelmx1986

My Samsung 512GB micro SD card arrived.


----------



## proedros

i have a question regarding cover pic

when you have an 2-cd album , with 2 sub-folders ( cd1 / cd2 ) inside the main album folder

do i need to put the album name cover pic in both 2 subfolders - and if so , do i keep the album name or the subfolder name (cd1 / cd2) ?


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> i have a question regarding cover pic
> 
> when you have an 2-cd album , with 2 sub-folders ( cd1 / cd2 ) inside the main album folder
> 
> do i need to put the album name cover pic in both 2 subfolders - and if so , do i keep the album name or the subfolder name (cd1 / cd2) ?



My assumption is that it always has to have the name of the actual folder the files sit in no matter the depth of the file structure so cd1 in your example but I have not tried as I always embed cover art


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> My assumption is that it always has to have the name of the actual folder the files sit in no matter the depth of the file structure so cd1 in your example but I have not tried as I always embed cover art



will try out this , see if it 'sees' the pic

thanx again for offering to help , much appreciated


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> will try out this , see if it 'sees' the pic
> 
> thanx again for offering to help , much appreciated



I never use this cd1/cd2 structure when I have multiple cd albums, I put all files in the same folder and then adjust the track number tag so the first track from cd2 starts at 1 more than the last track of cd1


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I never use this cd1/cd2 structure when I have multiple cd albums, I put all files in the same folder and then adjust the track number tag so the first track from cd2 starts at 1 more than the last track of cd1


I have multiple CD albums in separate folders , so one folder for.album x CD 1, another folder for album x cd 2 and so on


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have multiple CD albums in separate folders , so one folder for.album x CD 1, another folder for album x cd 2 and so on



I prefer to have the whole thing directly in one folder but this is purely personal preference


----------



## kausbose

I have found that if you are ripping CD's the easiest thing to do is use the Sony Software (Music center for PC). It names files, download the album cover and all that transfers over when you. You don't have to do a thing withe the files, the album art. It's seamless.


----------



## nc8000

kausbose said:


> I have found that if you are ripping CD's the easiest thing to do is use the Sony Software (Music center for PC). It names files, download the album cover and all that transfers over when you. You don't have to do a thing withe the files, the album art. It's seamless.



I use EAC for ripping and mp3tag for metadata and find images manually as I like full control over what happens


----------



## kaushama

Any news/leaks about next generation DAP replacement for WM1A/WM1Z?


----------



## KurobaHeiji

kaushama said:


> Any news/leaks about next generation DAP replacement for WM1A/WM1Z?


Not yet, but there some information about the successor of ZX300.


----------



## proedros

amazon uk shows WM1A out of stock , hoping this doesn't mean that they pulled the plug

also amazon.de has *WM1Z for 2245 euro* , which seems like a good price 

https://www.amazon.de/gp/offer-listing/B01LHGLALI/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new


----------



## ubs28

Does the WM1A sound identical to the WM1Z? I can buy it quite cheap, hence it got my attention.

And does it really have 30 hours of battery life?


----------



## nc8000

ubs28 said:


> Does the WM1A sound identical to the WM1Z? I can buy it quite cheap, hence it got my attention.
> 
> And does it really have 30 hours of battery life?



They do not sound identical. I get 20-25 hours play time with 16/44 flac on balanced normal gain with no effects turned on. I never turn the player of and recharge once a week so if you turn it off between sessions you can probably reach 30 hours. High gain, hires files and effects will reduce battery time


----------



## LinstantX

Can NW-WM1Z rock "MrSpeakers AEON Flow Open"? They have a sensitivity of 94 Db and an impedance of 13 Om.


----------



## nc8000

LinstantX said:


> Can NW-WM1Z rock "MrSpeakers AEON Flow Open"? They have a sensitivity of 94 Db and an impedance of 13 Om.



It could drive a HiFiMan HE-6 to acceptable loudness on high gain for me but it was no where near well driven


----------



## LinstantX

nc8000 said:


> It could drive a HiFiMan HE-6 to acceptable loudness on high gain for me but it was no where near well driven


Well, if HiFiMan HE-6 pulled, then MrSpeakers will be uneasy.


----------



## nc8000

LinstantX said:


> Well, if HiFiMan HE-6 pulled, then MrSpeakers will be uneasy.



I would think the HE-6 is harder to drive


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> *High gain*, hires files and effects will reduce battery time



is this true ? low gain drains the battery less ?


----------



## Leetransform25

proedros said:


> is this true ? low gain drains the battery less ?


Correct, at least when compared to high gain at the same volume level


----------



## Peter Ruby

Hey everyone. My current setup is the WM-M1A and Shure SE846. My IER-Z1Rs will be here Tuesday. 

I’ve heard some say the 1A can be better than the 1Z at times, but would it be worth for me to have both the 1A and the 1Z for the IER-Z1Rs?


----------



## Nayparm (Aug 18, 2019)

No way, you would be better with a completely different totl dap to alternate between like a cayin N8 or LPGT at that level. A few caps, resistors and case are the only difference to effect sound between WM1A and WM1Z.


----------



## Peter Ruby (Aug 18, 2019)

Nayparm said:


> No way, you would be better with a completely different totl dap to alternate between like a cayin N8 or LPGT at that level. A few caps, resistors and case are the only difference to effect sound.



Excellent point. I’m keeping the SE846 for when I’m commuting, while the Z1Rs will be in my office or home during the weekends.

If you don’t mind, post some DAP recommendations that would compliment the Z1Rs and/or SE846s.

Edit: I hear the Lotoo Paw Gold Touch is pretty good.


----------



## Nayparm

The LPGT is amazing. Its also perfect for home / office and commuting. Its a similar size and weight to the WM1A. I'm probably in the wrong thread though to start recommending other daps over the Sony's as good as they are


----------



## Peter Ruby

Nayparm said:


> The LPGT is amazing. Its also perfect for home / office and commuting. Its a similar size and weight to the WM1A. I'm probably in the wrong thread though to start recommending other daps over the Sony's as good as they are



I appreciate the suggestion. I’m putting it on my short list of 2 DAPs.


----------



## nc8000

Peter Ruby said:


> I appreciate the suggestion. I’m putting it on my short list of 2 DAPs.



There are several people in this thread who have both 1A and 1Z who can comment on the differences and there are many comparisons in this thread. Another new dap that seems to get well talked about is the AK Kann Cube but that’s the same weight as a 1Z and I have not heard it but would like to out of curiosity. Not much can compete with the Sony’s for battery life if that is important


----------



## Peter Ruby

nc8000 said:


> There are several people in this thread who have both 1A and 1Z who can comment on the differences and there are many comparisons in this thread. Another new dap that seems to get well talked about is the AK Kann Cube but that’s the same weight as a 1Z and I have not heard it but would like to out of curiosity. Not much can compete with the Sony’s for battery life if that is important



The batter life is unmatched from what I’ve read. Plus, I’ve bought into the Sony sound and would like to stick their products, but that doesn’t mean the new SP2000 wouldn’t be a complimentary DAP to the IER-Z1Rs if one already has the 1A/1Z. 

I just enjoy hearing other people’s perspectives.


----------



## timeslip

Nayparm said:


> The LPGT is amazing. Its also perfect for home / office and commuting. Its a similar size and weight to the WM1A. I'm probably in the wrong thread though to start recommending other daps over the Sony's as good as they are



I have both wm1z and the LPGT. One deciding factor you should consider is the lack of any offline playlist support on LPGT and gapless play is flakey. Love the sound of LPGT, but those things ended up bugging me more than I thought they would. Hence my newish LPGT is up for sale now.


----------



## Jalo

Peter Ruby said:


> The batter life is unmatched from what I’ve read. Plus, I’ve bought into the Sony sound and would like to stick their products, but that doesn’t mean the new SP2000 wouldn’t be a complimentary DAP to the IER-Z1Rs if one already has the 1A/1Z.
> 
> I just enjoy hearing other people’s perspectives.


To me, when I get my SP2000 I will complete my Dap collection.  I am mostly an iems guy even though I still have my Utopia or HD800. I have both 1A and 1Z, but at certain time/mood, I do like/need the faster, clearer and brighter sound of the AK and henceforth the SP2000. I have half a dozen of totl iems and some of them are on the warm side and some on the bright side, so for the warm iems I like to pair them with the AK otherwise if pair with the 1Z it can become to warm/dark/thick/heavy or drag me down.  It is all about customizing sounds to my personal preference. For instance as good as the Z1R is, there are times I prefer to listen to my Trinity to get that estat treble feel or the “twing” sound from my Erlkonig.


----------



## Peter Ruby

Jalo said:


> To me, when I get my SP2000 I will complete my Dap collection.  I am mostly an iems guy even though I still have my Utopia or HD800. I have both 1A and 1Z, but at certain time/mood, I do like/need the faster, clearer and brighter sound of the AK and henceforth the SP2000. I have half a dozen of totl iems and some of them are on the warm side and some on the bright side, so for the warm iems I like to pair them with the AK otherwise if pair with the 1Z it can become to warm/dark/thick/heavy or drag me down.  It is all about customizing sounds to my personal preference. For instance as good as the Z1R is, there are times I prefer to listen to my Trinity to get that estat treble feel or the “twing” sound from my Erlkonig.



Agreed.  Since the difference in sound between the 1A and 1Z isn't all big, I think a nice A&K would be a good addition.  The only thing keeping me from doing it might be the fact they have the 2.5mm balanced connector, which is flimsy as hell.  I've already broken one on a replacement cable I purchased for my SE846s.  A&K NEEDS to up the balanced output to 4.4mm already because I know I'm not the only one that isn't buying because of it.


----------



## Nayparm

timeslip said:


> I have both wm1z and the LPGT. One deciding factor you should consider is the lack of any offline playlist support on LPGT and gapless play is flakey. Love the sound of LPGT, but those things ended up bugging me more than I thought they would. Hence my newish LPGT is up for sale now.



Flac gapless works perfectly, what files are you using?


----------



## gazzington

Gapless play is flawless on my lpgt too. I own both lpgt and n8 and they are both fantastic daps.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Nayparm said:


> Flac gapless works perfectly, what files are you using?


Also DSD gapless works like a charm


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Also DSD gapless works like a charm



Didn’t know you have an LPGT


----------



## timeslip

Nayparm said:


> Flac gapless works perfectly, what files are you using?



They are mostly EDM mixes. So prob m4a


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Didn’t know you have an LPGT


No I dont have one, I tought he was referring to the wm1A


----------



## ChaseDream

I recently noticed some sort of connection issue with the 4.4 mm balanced output on my WM1Z, it happens a lot when the cable connector twists a bit or being touched. When that happens, only one side of my IEM has sound. I have to twist it manually so as to fix it. Not sure if anyone have the same issue as me?


----------



## iron2k

ChaseDream said:


> I recently noticed some sort of connection issue with the 4.4 mm balanced output on my WM1Z, it happens a lot when the cable connector twists a bit or being touched. When that happens, only one side of my IEM has sound. I have to twist it manually so as to fix it. Not sure if anyone have the same issue as me?


What are your IEMs??? were they reterminated??  This was happening to me with one pair or earbuds that had some cheap 4.4 plug.


----------



## ChaseDream

iron2k said:


> What are your IEMs??? were they reterminated??  This was happening to me with one pair or earbuds that had some cheap 4.4 plug.


I use Andromeda with Sony 4.4 mm balanced cable. I think you’r right, this only happens when I use the sony cable...


----------



## Lookout57

I would try cleaning the plug with something like the Deoxit Gold.


----------



## ChaseDream

Lookout57 said:


> I would try cleaning the plug with something like the Deoxit Gold.


Thanks for the information! I’ll try to clean the plug with WD40 Specialist contact version which I have already. Hopefully it works.


----------



## proedros

if you only get this imbalance thing with just one cable , and the others work fine , it has to be this one cable.

which is way better than if the 4.4 sony dap jack had the issue....


----------



## ChaseDream

proedros said:


> if you only get this imbalance thing with just one cable , and the others work fine , it has to be this one cable.
> 
> which is way better than if the 4.4 sony dap jack had the issue....


I hope the dap jack is fine. Yet I did hear from some of my friends having this issue with the jack previously.


----------



## Holdmyown83

ChaseDream said:


> I use Andromeda with Sony 4.4 mm balanced cable. I think you’r right, this only happens when I use the sony cable...


Also happened to me with the kimber cables and the regular Sony 4.4.


----------



## animalsrush

Happens to me on Sony kimber cables with z1R and wm1z but not issue with lionheart and k10 CIEM


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 23, 2019)

All ready to travel






https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00Q8UOBR4/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://mobile--shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/product/arca-earphone-case/172/


----------



## Liono

Holdmyown83 said:


> Also happened to me with the kimber cables and the regular Sony 4.4.



So you wouldn't recommend getting the sony balanced cable? I was going to get the MUC-M12NB1 for my H3's.


----------



## Silvano

nc8000 said:


> All ready to travel



Wow!, nice, it seems a bulletproof coffer


----------



## nc8000

Silvano said:


> Wow!, nice, it seems a bulletproof coffer



Nothing is ever 100% but I reckon this is as close as it gets and with a Benks TPU cover on the 1Z it is a snug fit with no wriggle room


----------



## iron2k

nc8000 said:


> Nothing is ever 100% but I reckon this is as close as it gets and with a Benks TPU cover on the 1Z it is a snug fit with no wriggle room


Real nice cases, do you have any link for them??


----------



## nc8000

iron2k said:


> Real nice cases, do you have any link for them??



https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00Q8UOBR4/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://mobile--shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/product/arca-earphone-case/172/


----------



## gerelmx1986

I dont know where are your stuff stored in a hospital. For example.my bag with my IER-Z1R and wm1A? And how do you get your stuff back in your recovery room?

Better leave them at home
 Got a retinal detachment


----------



## iron2k (Aug 22, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00Q8UOBR4/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> 
> http://mobile--shop2.dignis.cafe24.com/product/arca-earphone-case/172/


Thanks a lot


----------



## ChaseDream

Holdmyown83 said:


> Also happened to me with the kimber cables and the regular Sony 4.4.





animalsrush said:


> Happens to me on Sony kimber cables with z1R and wm1z but not issue with lionheart and k10 CIEM



I just cleaned my Kimber 4.4 mm sony cable connector, and it seems that the issue still remains. While my ALO Litz 4.4 mm cable doesn't have any problem. I think that's probably a common issue with the sony cable?


----------



## flyer1

ChaseDream said:


> I just cleaned my Kimber 4.4 mm sony cable connector, and it seems that the issue still remains. While my ALO Litz 4.4 mm cable doesn't have any problem. I think that's probably a common issue with the sony cable?



Never had any issues with my Sony Kimber and 1Z.


----------



## kubig123

ChaseDream said:


> I just cleaned my Kimber 4.4 mm sony cable connector, and it seems that the issue still remains. While my ALO Litz 4.4 mm cable doesn't have any problem. I think that's probably a common issue with the sony cable?


Did you take a look at the mmcx connectors?


----------



## Holdmyown83

Liono said:


> So you wouldn't recommend getting the sony balanced cable? I was going to get the MUC-M12NB1 for my H3's.


I still would again but not top price.


----------



## ChaseDream

kubig123 said:


> Did you take a look at the mmcx connectors?


Yea, I'm pretty sure the mmcx connectors are fine. I think it's probably because that my kimber cable is old, it's been more than 3 years.


----------



## DonIsGood

ChaseDream said:


> Yea, I'm pretty sure the mmcx connectors are fine. I think it's probably because that my kimber cable is old, it's been more than 3 years.


I can only speak from my own experience re Kimber cable... 

I bought the Sony Kimber cable (when I was travelling Japan) to go between my 1A and Oppo PM3 but I wasn't getting any LR separation. I ended up getting a 3rd party LQi cable and the LRsseparation came through fine

Reading the recommendation on the Kimber box, it specifically says its only suitable for certain Sony headphones...


----------



## auronthas

ChaseDream said:


> I use Andromeda with Sony 4.4 mm balanced cable. I think you’r right, this only happens when I use the sony cable...


Happen to me on Sony Kimber Kable 4.4mm, I suspect i have a loose/defective MMCX connector, at particular rotation, it will drop out from Andromeda, luckily is not on the expensive side of Andromeda


----------



## auronthas

ChaseDream said:


> I just cleaned my Kimber 4.4 mm sony cable connector, and it seems that the issue still remains. While my ALO Litz 4.4 mm cable doesn't have any problem. I think that's probably a common issue with the sony cable?


No problem on my ALO Reference 8 4.4 mm too, only Kimber Kable problem.


----------



## endlesswaves

ChaseDream said:


> I just cleaned my Kimber 4.4 mm sony cable connector, and it seems that the issue still remains. While my ALO Litz 4.4 mm cable doesn't have any problem. I think that's probably a common issue with the sony cable?



Had that problem with my EA Thor II with Furutech 4.4mm. Now the left side is totally dead. Suspect it's the soldering on the jack.


----------



## Bart147 (Aug 26, 2019)

Wrong post


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hi does any one knows if sony plans to release a new high end dap in near future? 

Any rumors around?


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hi does any one knows if sony plans to release a new high end dap in near future?
> 
> Any rumors around?



There wont be any higher end than DMP Z1


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hi does any one knows if sony plans to release a new high end dap in near future?
> 
> Any rumors around?



A Z500 to replace/superceed ZX300 is coming


----------



## siruspan

Whitigir said:


> There wont be any higher end than DMP Z1



What about the DMP Z2 not to mention DMP Z3


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 26, 2019)

siruspan said:


> What about the DMP Z2 not to mention DMP Z3


DMP Z2 wont be even close for another 5 or 8 years....judging from how long wm1z isnt even being replaced yet

That is not to mention the engineering aspects that have all gone into building DMP Z1.  There is nothing like it on the market


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> There wont be any higher end than DMP Z1




You know I looked at dmp dimensions and hell its quiet a big box. Not as transportable as I thought.  Its like carrying chord dave with you.

I would like sony to release a type of 1z  is 10 times the most 1z size with desktop performance and half dmp price!




nc8000 said:


> A Z500 to replace/superceed ZX300 is coming



Ohh wonder if it going to surprise 1z hihi
I heard zx300 and quiet liked it very close to 1z





siruspan said:


> What about the DMP Z2 not to mention DMP Z3



At this pace youd better just buy a car the nissan Z hahaha


----------



## Vitaly2017

Aeskualpio said:


> I’ve not compared it to the 1Z or the Calyx, but I’ve connected the Monoprice AAA THX to the 1A with great results and the Little Bear B4 Tube amp with good results.




Did you experience any hiss noise with the monoprice? Is it good for iems?


----------



## proedros

Vitaly2017 said:


> I heard zx300 and quiet liked it *very close to 1z*



i heard that 1a is somehow better than zx300 , so that means that 1a must be closer to 1z than what i think....


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 27, 2019)

proedros said:


> i heard that 1a is somehow better than zx300 , so that means that 1a must be closer to 1z than what i think....


1A is not far away from 1Z.  Different sound signature is real between different choices of components.  Both should be on similar level as they are from the same engineered architectural

Even the 1A itself is built with quality components that you don’t see on SP1000, and I am sure of that.  MELF resistors are high quality resistors dedicated toward audio performances.  PML caps and Electrolytic caps are high quality for that.  Except the caps and being used on 1A is from Phillips itself, while the 1Z caps and resistors are customized under Sony specs.  I am not sure from which manufacturers, but there are a little differences


----------



## Vitaly2017

To my surprise I find 1z to bring high a little to high. I at first thought it was the ier-z1r but no... I hooked my z1r to my other  audio gear and highs didnt extended as high as it was with 1z!

I wonder if 1a is same as 1z or does it offer less high in comparison to 1z?

I always thought 1z to be the warmest and thickest sounding dap. But feels like it still shows signs of brightness...





proedros said:


> i heard that 1a is somehow better than zx300 , so that means that 1a must be closer to 1z than what i think....





Whitigir said:


> 1A is not far away from 1Z.  Different sound signature is real between different choices of components.  Both should be on similar level as they are from the same engineered architectural
> 
> Even the 1A itself is built with quality components that you don’t see on SP1000, and I am sure of that.  MELF resistors are high quality resistors dedicated toward audio performances.  PML caps and Electrolytic caps are high quality for that.  Except the caps and being used on 1A is from Phillips itself, while the 1Z caps and resistors are customized under Sony specs.  I am not sure from which manufacturers, but there are a little differences


----------



## heimis

So I`m going to buy the 1A in a couple of days. 
Here is the thing.. I DEFINITELY want the Japanese version and I`ll be getting it from Ebay from Japanese sellers like all my other Sony gear. BUT everyone is writing big warnings about the display being Japanese only.
Has anyone any experience with this or know if there is any way around it?

I have the Japanese version of the ZX2 and with that I just chose English display language the first time I switched it on and I`ve been good ever since..


----------



## Nayparm (Aug 28, 2019)

heimis said:


> So I`m going to buy the 1A in a couple of days.
> Here is the thing.. I DEFINITELY want the Japanese version and I`ll be getting it from Ebay from Japanese sellers like all my other Sony gear. BUT everyone is writing big warnings about the display being Japanese only.
> Has anyone any experience with this or know if there is any way around it?
> 
> I have the Japanese version of the ZX2 and with that I just chose English display language the first time I switched it on and I`ve been good ever since..



What's the reason for the Japanese version?
If it's because of the EU volume cap then that's simple to remove.

I may be wrong but I think there is/was a Japanese only domestic version and  a Japanese Tourist version with English.

You could also buy a US, Australian version etc if you don't want to have to remove volume cap but i realistically it only takes a few mins.


----------



## gazzington

Nayparm said:


> What's the reason for the Japanese version?
> If it's because of the EU volume cap then that's simple to remove.
> 
> I may be wrong but I think there is/was a Japanese only domestic version and  a Japanese Tourist version with English.
> ...


I've been finding it weird that people desperately want the non EU version of the Sony players. It's very easy to remove that cap


----------



## heimis

Nayparm said:


> What's the reason for the Japanese version?
> If it's because of the EU volume cap then that's simple to remove.
> 
> I may be wrong but I think there is/was a Japanese only domestic version and a Japanese Tourist version with English.



Yes it`s mainly because of the volume cap! I use the EU version ZX1 for work and every so often it turns the volume all the way down telling me to "check the volume level". It infuriates me beyond belief 

Also there is something mentally for me knowing that it`s a Japanese version. ALL my other Sony gear is Japanese versions so I`d like to continue down that path^^


----------



## nc8000

heimis said:


> Yes it`s mainly because of the volume cap! I use the EU version ZX1 for work and every so often it turns the volume all the way down telling me to "check the volume level". It infuriates me beyond belief
> 
> Also there is something mentally for me knowing that it`s a Japanese version. ALL my other Sony gear is Japanese versions so I`d like to continue down that path^^



On the ZX1 and 2 you could not remove the volume cap but on all the players based on the Sony OS you can just use the RockBox tool to change region and thereby remove the cap, enable features and change gui language


----------



## heimis

nc8000 said:


> On the ZX1 and 2 you could not remove the volume cap but on all the players based on the Sony OS you can just use the RockBox tool to change region and thereby remove the cap, enable features and change gui language



That`s very helpful information! Thanx!


----------



## heimis

Problem solved. Found a seller on Ebay located in Osaka, Japan and this is what he wrote in the description: 

My Products are 100% Authentic and Ship from JAPAN.
*ITEM DESCRIPTION* 

SONY High-Res Walkman Portable audio player  NW-WM1A BM 128G international model

Condition: New (unopened)

This model Headphones are not included
This Overseas Models does not correspond to use in Japan
It has been adapted to overseas electrical circumstances, and the menu language can also be displayed in foreign languages including English. In addition, instruction manuals of foreign languages are also included.
Manual language: English, Arabic, Korean, Chinese (Traditional / Simplified)
Accessories: USB cable, wrist strap, WM - PORT cap headphone jack cap (stereo mini), headphone jack cap (balance standard)


----------



## echineko

heimis said:


> Yes it`s mainly because of the volume cap! I use the EU version ZX1 for work and every so often it turns the volume all the way down telling me to "check the volume level". It infuriates me beyond belief
> 
> Also there is something mentally for me knowing that it`s a Japanese version. ALL my other Sony gear is Japanese versions so I`d like to continue down that path^^


I mean, all WM1* are Malaysian, technically, but whatever works for you, eh?


----------



## auronthas

heimis said:


> Problem solved. Found a seller on Ebay located in Osaka, Japan and this is what he wrote in the description:
> 
> My Products are 100% Authentic and Ship from JAPAN.



Do ask him/her to take a picture of WM1A bidder, you will know where is it is manufacured.  

I bet it's made in Malaysia.


----------



## heimis

echineko said:


> I mean, all WM1* are Malaysian, technically, but whatever works for you, eh?



I know that they are all made in Malaysia  Like I said it`s a mental thing lol


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hmmm my 1z shows made in Japan 

And my ier-z1r tooo!


----------



## echineko

Lulz, no it doesn't  IER, sure.


----------



## heimis

echineko said:


> Lulz, no it doesn't  IER, sure.



+1


----------



## kausbose

Sony hasn't manufactured any audio electronics esp the high end portable stuff (back to the days of the walkman, i.e. 1998-2000) in Japan. They were made in Malaysia backs. So were the high end CD walkmans like the D-EJ1000 and the high end MD players like the MZ-RH1's.


----------



## proedros

any updates on ZX500 ?


----------



## purk

kausbose said:


> Sony hasn't manufactured any audio electronics esp the high end portable stuff (back to the days of the walkman, i.e. 1998-2000) in Japan. They were made in Malaysia backs. So were the high end CD walkmans like the D-EJ1000 and the high end MD players like the MZ-RH1's.



The IER-Z1R is made in Japan.  My DMP-Z1 is however made in Malaysia.


----------



## meomap

purk said:


> The IER-Z1R is made in Japan.  My DMP-Z1 is however made in Malaysia.



Wow, even an $8.5k usd DMPZ1 still make in Malaysia. That's not good to know news. I guess I will pass this Z1.


----------



## heimis

meomap said:


> Wow, even an $8.5k usd DMPZ1 still make in Malaysia. That's not good to know news. I guess I will pass this Z1.



Just because it`s not made in Japan does not mean it`s bad...


----------



## meomap

heimis said:


> Just because it`s not made in Japan does not mean it`s bad...


Value, my friend.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Shiit i was 1000% sure my 1z was made in japan. I just looked it says Malaysia. 
Whyyyy
Even my fujifilm camera isss all made in Japan and lenses to.

Sad day but it still sounding good though )


----------



## terrosa

Hi guys... might be a little bit of dumb question here but my WM1A is still on firmware 1.2. i know it's now on 3.01? should i stay or give 3.01 a go?


----------



## 518013

terrosa said:


> Hi guys... might be a little bit of dumb question here but my WM1A is still on firmware 1.2. i know it's now on 3.01? should i stay or give 3.01 a go?


3.01 is by far the best. Upgrade away.


----------



## nc8000

terrosa said:


> Hi guys... might be a little bit of dumb question here but my WM1A is still on firmware 1.2. i know it's now on 3.01? should i stay or give 3.01 a go?



Give it a try, you can always go back to 1.2 if you don’t like it


----------



## simon740

nc8000 said:


> Give it a try, you can always go back to 1.2 if you don’t like it


Are you serious? Sony allows to go with previous firmware? Hmm...I'm not used to this because of android DAPs...
nice.. I sell my Fiio M11, and now I looking for WM1a or Cayin N6ii. Hmm..decisions decisions..

regards,
Simon


----------



## nc8000

simon740 said:


> Are you serious? Sony allows to go with previous firmware? Hmm...I'm not used to this because of android DAPs...
> nice.. I sell my Fiio M11, and now I looking for WM1a or Cayin N6ii. Hmm..decisions decisions..
> 
> regards,
> Simon



Yes you can swap between any of the 7 released fw except the original 1.0.


----------



## proedros

3.01 is very nice and you have the super huge bonus of being able to use your WM1A as USB-DAC

a no brainer , imo.


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> 3.01 is very nice and you have the super huge bonus of being able to use your WM1A as USB-DAC
> 
> a no brainer , imo.



And BT receiver (or did that already exist in earlier fw)


----------



## simon740

nc8000 said:


> Yes you can swap between any of the 7 released fw except the original 1.0.



wauu..
thank you

Simon


----------



## simon740

Has anyone tried the FH7 with Sony NW-WM1a?

regards,
Simon


----------



## Tawek

https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/support/digital-music-players-nw-wm-series/nw-wm1z
New firmware  3.02


----------



## KurobaHeiji

Tawek said:


> https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/support/digital-music-players-nw-wm-series/nw-wm1z
> New firmware  3.02


Only improves the transition between tracks when played back via Bluetooth.


----------



## rcoleman1 (Aug 29, 2019)

Tawek said:


> https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/support/digital-music-players-nw-wm-series/nw-wm1z
> New firmware  3.02


Great news...if only just to show that the 1A and 1Z are still relevant to Sony.


----------



## bflat

I don't understand the hate for Malaysia. It's not only ignorant, but also insulting to the country. If folks would bother to do a little research like this article:

https://www.digitalnewsasia.com/business/sonys-penang-tec-factory-not-just-production-rd-too

One would see that the factories in Malaysia are Sony owned and staffed. All top management are Japan ex-pats with product decisions still made in Sony HQ in Tokyo. The manufacturing is state of the art and the fact that most of the manufacturing is done under one roof improves the quality versus relying on a bunch of 3rd vendors. There is no reason to believe that "made in Japan" has any significance for a Sony product, other than higher price.


----------



## Peter Ruby

bflat said:


> I don't understand the hate for Malaysia. It's not only ignorant, but also insulting to the country. If folks would bother to do a little research like this article:
> 
> https://www.digitalnewsasia.com/business/sonys-penang-tec-factory-not-just-production-rd-too
> 
> One would see that the factories in Malaysia are Sony owned and staffed. All top management are Japan ex-pats with product decisions still made in Sony HQ in Tokyo. The manufacturing is state of the art and the fact that most of the manufacturing is done under one roof improves the quality versus relying on a bunch of 3rd vendors. There is no reason to believe that "made in Japan" has any significance for a Sony product, other than higher price.



Agreed 100%. Quality products are made throughout the entire world. You guys honestly think Sony would let their 3 TOTL DAPs get built there if they knew it was an inferior production plant? Zero chance of that happening.


----------



## wazzupi

Any good comparisons n6ii vs wm1a ?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Tawek said:


> https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/support/digital-music-players-nw-wm-series/nw-wm1z
> New firmware  3.02


Any sound changes? Usually the sound quality changes with each iteration, with 3.01 currently the best sounding. I’m wondering if 3.02 is better or worse..


----------



## Jalo

Features aside and strictly based on sound, is there any consensus as to which version sounds the best?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Jalo said:


> Features aside and strictly based on sound, is there any consensus as to which version sounds the best?


3.01 is perfect for me. Although I’m curious with 3.02


----------



## animalsrush

Vitaly2017 said:


> Shiit i was 1000% sure my 1z was made in japan. I just looked it says Malaysia.
> Whyyyy
> Even my fujifilm camera isss all made in Japan and lenses to.
> 
> Sad day but it still sounding good though )



Only Fuji lenses and Xpro and gfx are made in Japan.  XT3 is made in China, but my 16 mm f1.4 Fuji lens is made in Japan . Btw don’t worry sony is ok.. very good product.. enjoy the music


----------



## animalsrush

hamhamhamsta said:


> 3.01 is perfect for me. Although I’m curious with 3.02



Since each FW has changed sound I really hesitate to upgrade as the new features I really don’t care.. but I am curious to see if any improvement over 3.01


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 29, 2019)

Man.....this is the first time I really wanted to stay with the software. Not that I’ve tried 3.02......it’s just that 3.01 is so nice.


----------



## Redcarmoose

animalsrush said:


> Since each FW has changed sound I really hesitate to upgrade as the new features I really don’t care.. but I am curious to see if any improvement over 3.01



I'm trying it?


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Aug 29, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> I'm trying it?


Ok, don't kill me, but I think I hear 3.02 sounds a little different than 3.01, it seems to be more musical and liquid, vocal more wet, clarity better than 3.01 but tradeof is that subbass seems less. Its easier to follow the flow of the music.

I'm using direct sound mode. This is what I hear for now. But my gears might make determining difficult since they color the sound nicely; and I maybe wrong. Using JVC FX850 and 1Z with PW1960 4 core cable, my current fav.


I'm curious to hear what others who try 3.02 compared to 3.01 have to say.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 29, 2019)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Ok, don't kill me, but I think I hear 3.02 sounds a little different than 3.01, it seems to be more musical and liquid, vocal more wet, clarity better than 3.01 but tradeof is that subbass seems less. Its easier to follow the flow of the music.
> 
> I'm using direct sound mode. This is what I hear for now. But my gears might make determining difficult since they color the sound nicely; and I maybe wrong. Using JVC FX850 and 1Z with PW1960 4 core cable, my current fav.
> 
> ...



Strange the update keeps saying ...contacting facebook....lol.

I then switched to MAC but it's in another language and also would not download the 100mb+ software.

Oh...well? But your bass description does not sound like anything I want to be a part of?

I'll just wait?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Tawek said:


> https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/support/digital-music-players-nw-wm-series/nw-wm1z
> New firmware  3.02


It’s this link from Tawek

There’s the choice to download PC or Mac version. I chose PC and it works


----------



## terrosa

HairOhWin Blast said:


> 3.01 is by far the best. Upgrade away.




Thanks, am doing it ~ well, it's just done. cant wait to test it out now!!!


----------



## terrosa

simon740 said:


> Has anyone tried the FH7 with Sony NW-WM1a?
> 
> regards,
> Simon



I am curious about this too ~  I am considering to get this while I have the chance to get the like new Meze Rai Penta or the used but good conditions Shure SE846 for the same price as the new FH7. Which you guys reckon would be the no brainer choice here, the Penta or SE846? OR the FH7 is that good... I am into all sort of genres, from classical to Electro, Jazz to Rock and anything in between.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 30, 2019)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Ok, don't kill me, but I think I hear 3.02 sounds a little different than 3.01, it seems to be more musical and liquid, vocal more wet, clarity better than 3.01 but tradeof is that subbass seems less. Its easier to follow the flow of the music.
> 
> I'm using direct sound mode. This is what I hear for now. But my gears might make determining difficult since they color the sound nicely; and I maybe wrong. Using JVC FX850 and 1Z with PW1960 4 core cable, my current fav.
> 
> ...



Curiosity got the best of me.......so I updated with MusicCenter. The bass is for-sure more integrated........though it will take time to understand. My biggest notice was the soundstage and imaging....which is more spread-out. Spacious and holding better separation of elements.............which does do a thing with vocals. Vocals separated and objectified due to clarity? But.......yes this is due to a relocation of lower frequency prioritization......it's almost less warm but smooth enough?

Probable that the humongous soundstage will keep me here with the 1Z.......though it worries me what less bass with the 1A will be like?

Edit:

The 1Z and IER-Z1R has always been a bass heavy tour.....this software update brings the two in line.

Edit:
Yep....software was designed in favor of bringing the 1Z and IER into complete unification. Staggering!


----------



## 518013

So I just updated to the 3.02 and.....I do not like it. Where can I download 3.01 again?
Help please


----------



## nc8000

HairOhWin Blast said:


> So I just updated to the 3.02 and.....I do not like it. Where can I download 3.01 again?
> Help please



You can find all previous fw plus manuals and usb driver in my DropBox. All for Windows only

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 30, 2019)

My ideas were correct. I’m pretty sure this 3.02 is sonically tuned to unify the 1Z and IER-Z1R. The two are now fully together?

It’s a whole new world now?

Edit: The 1Z is totally amazing now!


----------



## 518013 (Aug 30, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> You can find all previous fw plus manuals and usb driver in my DropBox. All for Windows only
> 
> https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0


Thank you very much.
The stage on the 3.02 WM1A sounds overly stretched vertically, and lacks the bass response of the 3.01. Vocals sound heady, if that makes any sense.
For me 3.01 is perfect.


----------



## Redcarmoose

If anyone noticed I always preferred the 1A and IER-Z1R combo, though now the 1Z and IER-Z1R is absolutely perfect. I can’t believe anyone would not be in amazement!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Redcarmoose said:


> If anyone noticed I always preferred the 1A and IER-Z1R combo, though now the 1Z and IER-Z1R is absolutely perfect. I can’t believe anyone would not be in amazement!


I'm glad this works out for 1Z & 1ER. Play around with the tips too, it can eeked out that last 5% sound quality; I found I really like spiral dots filled with mandarin tips foam inside. It sounds very exquisite, clarity is up the roof for ear tips, and its very moving and emotional, I can hear vibrations in the vocals; gives me goosebumps. String instruments especially violin and guitar are amazing with JVC FX850.


----------



## gazzington

So if using wm1a, might be best to not update?


----------



## wazzupi

hamhamhamsta said:


> I'm glad this works out for 1Z & 1ER. Play around with the tips too, it can eeked out that last 5% sound quality; I found I really like spiral dots filled with mandarin tips foam inside. It sounds very exquisite, clarity is up the roof for ear tips, and its very moving and emotional, I can hear vibrations in the vocals; gives me goosebumps. String instruments especially violin and guitar are amazing with JVC FX850.


How did u Get them inside the spiral


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gazzington said:


> So if using wm1a, might be best to not update?


Depends, what is the iem you are using? Do you want more musical, more clarity, greater separation  but less subbass? Only you know what is your ideal sound.

Try using the latest version and see if it is a good match for your sound; if not, then go back to the previous version.


----------



## gazzington

hamhamhamsta said:


> Depends, what is the iem you are using? Do you want more musical, more clarity, greater separation  but less subbass? Only you know what is your ideal sound.
> 
> Try using the latest version and see if it is a good match for your sound; if not, then go back to the previous version.


Lol, I do like the sub bass on my current firmware. I may stick to it to be honest


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Aug 30, 2019)

wazzupi said:


> How did u Get them inside the spiral




Tear these foam off from Symbio  Mandarin orange iems tips & jam them inside spiral dot tips. No, seriously do that, you'll have new appreciation for spiral dots with orange foam inside


----------



## ttt123

hamhamhamsta said:


> Tear these foam off from madarin orange iems tips & jam them inside spiral dot tips. No, seriously do that, you'll have new appreciation for spiral dots with orange foam inside


A cheaper way to get memory foam is to buy ear plugs from a safety supply store (or wherever you can find them). Cut to size, and use a hole punch to make a hole in the center.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 30, 2019)

hamhamhamsta said:


> I'm glad this works out for 1Z & 1ER. Play around with the tips too, it can eeked out that last 5% sound quality; I found I really like spiral dots filled with mandarin tips foam inside. It sounds very exquisite, clarity is up the roof for ear tips, and its very moving and emotional, I can hear vibrations in the vocals; gives me goosebumps. String instruments especially violin and guitar are amazing with JVC FX850.


I always though 3.01 was the thick Sony sound joining the 1Z and IER-Z1R. But due to the advantages you would overlook the slight clunkiness of tone. That’s why I liked the IER-Z1R and 1A. The IER-Z1R had an authority that made the 1A sound like the 1Z. The 1Z had a lower slight congestion with the IER-Z1R. That’s all gone now, as I would guess most would find the 1Z and IER-Z1R combo special. The 1A has always had a loss to be as thick as the 1Z. But now the 1Z thickness has been transformed into imaging and 3D hologram character. It’s like listening to speakers now? Or something......just a different soundstage again. There has been no firmware that sounds like 3.02. Though I could imagine some people wondering where the bass went; if they had borderline bass light IEMs?


----------



## gerelmx1986

There's a firmware update for the WM series. I havent installed it as my vision s still low


----------



## Nayparm

gazzington said:


> Lol, I do like the sub bass on my current firmware. I may stick to it to be honest



You can always try it and then just go back the previous one if you don't like it or raise the subbass in EQ. I guess these observations are all with EQ off. I pressume sony just tweak the EQ behind the scenes and then present it flat in GUI. I discovered this when I extracted and unscrambled the Xuelin ihifi 990 firmware. I could tweak default bassline EQ.


----------



## PreguntoZombi

Please forgive me, I'm not accustomed to reviewing/describing audio equipment.

I've been running the new firmware on the WM1A since yesterday with my primary pairing, XBA Z5, listening to a few albums I know inside-out (I won't go into specifics).

I agree that the sub-bass has been 'reduced' in favour of imaging and also pulling the mids forwards slightly.
For me, this is fantastic. The Z5 (as much as I love them) have a tendency to be slightly 'flabby' or over extended in the sub-bass region, even when the track doesn't call for it. This update seems to have tamed that, allowing for vocals and mid-centric instruments to take a greater stage in the tracks.
I've played some very bass heavy tracks and it still delivers with authority but it delivers as it should.

Now, I've only tested this with my Z5s so far and I'm happy. My only concern is that the new firmware might not play so nicely with some of my other favourite headphones that have a more natural or flat tuning.


----------



## Redcarmoose

PreguntoZombi said:


> Please forgive me, I'm not accustomed to reviewing/describing audio equipment.
> 
> I've been running the new firmware on the WM1A since yesterday with my primary pairing, XBA Z5, listening to a few albums I know inside-out (I won't go into specifics).
> 
> ...



I have not tried my XBA-Z5 IEMs and 3.02 1A, but as walking to the gym, I kept thinking how good this update would be for the Z5! 

Congratulations! 

They are just asking for bass curtailing!


----------



## PreguntoZombi

Redcarmoose said:


> I have not tried my XBA-Z5 IEMs and 3.02 1A, but as walking to the gym, I kept thinking how good this update would be for the Z5!
> 
> Congratulations!
> 
> They are just asking for bass curtailing!


Makes me want to try the MDR 1AM2 again. I have a feeling that it could serve to be a very good combo


----------



## Redcarmoose

PreguntoZombi said:


> Makes me want to try the MDR 1AM2 again. I have a feeling that it could serve to be a very good combo



Well, that’s the thing......even though the IEM or headphone makes a big difference, the source counts too.


----------



## proedros

so new FW is good for flabby/bassy iems ?

guess i am fine with 3.01 and my Zeus XR (which are anything but flabby/bassy)


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> so new FW is good for flabby/bassy iems ?
> 
> guess i am fine with 3.01 and my Zeus XR (which are anything but flabby/bassy)



I’m spending an hour or two with the 1Z and 3.02 with some IEMs which could actually use bass. So I will report back. With the IER-Z1R there is a much noticed tightening of bass, yet the very most farthest down subbass does show up. It’s exciting how the super low sub is placed? 

But I would say as a gross generalization. The 1Z has bass trimmed, how it will work with bass light IEMs or the 1A is yet to be seen and reported. Though this way-way bigger soundstage may convert all types over?


----------



## marklivia

Redcarmoose, How does the update sound using the 1Z and the full size Sony Z1R cans?!!


----------



## marklivia

Double post, sorry.


----------



## endlesswaves

Really dig 3.02. Using WM1A on Obravo Cupid. Sub bass loss not really that noticeable once you up volume 2 - 3 steps. But the soundstage seems to expend wider by a bit more and a tad higher with better imaging. 

Damn it's not easy typing while listening. Songs kept pulling me back into it and I got lost at where I was typing halfway. Might not be getting any sleep tonight.


----------



## meomap

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m spending an hour or two with the 1Z and 3.02 with some IEMs which could actually use bass. So I will report back. With the IER-Z1R there is a much noticed tightening of bass, yet the very most farthest down subbass does show up. It’s exciting how the super low sub is placed?
> 
> But I would say as a gross generalization. The 1Z has bass trimmed, how it will work with bass light IEMs or the 1A is yet to be seen and reported. Though this way-way bigger soundstage may convert all types over?


Hi,
Can you let me know the combo of 1Z and Encore sounds with 3.02 and vs 3.01.
I am still on original fw 1.20, I think.
Hesitate to upgrade fw.
I have the Khan as well.
Thank you in advance.


----------



## nc8000

meomap said:


> Hi,
> Can you let me know the combo of 1Z and Encore sounds with 3.02 and vs 3.01.
> I am still on original fw 1.20, I think.
> Hesitate to upgrade fw.
> ...



There is no risk to upgrading and trying different fw, you can always gi back to 1.20 if you don’t like the others


----------



## ayang02

WM1A's soundstage really expanded with that FW 3.02, slightly less bass but liking this version so far.


----------



## aisalen

I like what I am hearing with 3.02 for my wm1a using my IT03 in balance connection. Will check further more tomorrow and also being paired with my N3 balanced and E5000 in unbalance connection.


----------



## moondabor

I bought a WM1A awhile ago from someone here and unfortunately they didn't disclose that the WMPORT wasn't functioning properly. It looks like parts of the port are chipped so the connector wont seat properly. If you move the connector the slightest, it'll reset the USB connection meaning no file transfers or DAC mode unless you're careful not to touch it. Any advice? Sony has been non-responsive to my questions. Would it be easy to replace (port goes to a ribbon or is the thing soldered on)?


----------



## Whitigir

This isn’t a coincidence isn’t it ? DMP-Z1 got a new firmware too!  Thanks to you guys being active here, I went and checked on it and sure enough!


----------



## Peter Ruby

Whitigir said:


> This isn’t a coincidence isn’t it ? DMP-Z1 got a new firmware too!  Thanks to you guys being active here, I went and checked on it and sure enough!



Let us know what changes you notice. I’d like to see if all 3 change similarly.


----------



## Nayparm

moondabor said:


> I bought a WM1A awhile ago from someone here and unfortunately they didn't disclose that the WMPORT wasn't functioning properly. It looks like parts of the port are chipped so the connector wont seat properly. If you move the connector the slightest, it'll reset the USB connection meaning no file transfers or DAC mode unless you're careful not to touch it. Any advice? Sony has been non-responsive to my questions. Would it be easy to replace (port goes to a ribbon or is the thing soldered on)?



Its soldered unfortunately, I'd offer to replace it or fit a USB C socket if you where in the UK.


----------



## Peter Ruby

moondabor said:


> I bought a WM1A awhile ago from someone here and unfortunately they didn't disclose that the WMPORT wasn't functioning properly. It looks like parts of the port are chipped so the connector wont seat properly. If you move the connector the slightest, it'll reset the USB connection meaning no file transfers or DAC mode unless you're careful not to touch it. Any advice? Sony has been non-responsive to my questions. Would it be easy to replace (port goes to a ribbon or is the thing soldered on)?




Firstly, you need to disclose who sold you that so nobody ever buys from that person. What he/she did is extremely dishonest and downright shady.


----------



## Whitigir

Peter Ruby said:


> Let us know what changes you notice. I’d like to see if all 3 change similarly.


This is the one thing I can’t do.  I haven’t had time to enjoy my DMP in a week or so....I just grabbed the firmware and performed the update....LoL


----------



## Peter Ruby

Whitigir said:


> This is the one thing I can’t do.  I haven’t had time to enjoy my DMP in a week or so....I just grabbed the firmware and performed the update....LoL



You can always send it to me. I’d be happy to perform a listen using both firmwares.


----------



## moondabor

Peter Ruby said:


> Firstly, you need to disclose who sold you that so nobody ever buys from that person. What he/she did is extremely dishonest and downright shady.


I don't want to stir up trouble publicly, if you want to know PM me. It seems they didn't know either because they bought it secondhand. I didn't pay attention to it until DAC mode came out.



Nayparm said:


> Its soldered unfortunately, I'd offer to replace it or fit a USB C socket if you where in the UK.


Dang, I'm in SoCal so I will probably part with it for cheaper if anyone is interested. It still works great as a DAP but has a minor inconvenience. I could also attempt the repair myself if I can find a donor wmport.


----------



## Jalo (Aug 30, 2019)

Just completed update waiting for database to be created.  Yep, bass has changed. I upgraded from 2.0 and that warmth or the sub bass foundation is reduced significantly.  Volume wise, it is the same as prior version.  As least for now, it seems detail and dynamic has increased slightly. Now I need to go and have some brain burn in.

On my 1Z it seems like I can go five more ticks on the volume pot.


----------



## Peter Ruby

moondabor said:


> I don't want to stir up trouble




You’re a better man than I. I’d be sure the entire forum knows because that’s a load of BS. There’s no way this person didn’t know unless they never charged it or transferred music to it. 

I hope you can get it repaired and justice is served.


----------



## Whitigir

moondabor said:


> I don't want to stir up trouble publicly, if you want to know PM me. It seems they didn't know either because they bought it secondhand. I didn't pay attention to it until DAC mode came out.
> 
> 
> Dang, I'm in SoCal so I will probably part with it for cheaper if anyone is interested. It still works great as a DAP but has a minor inconvenience. I could also attempt the repair myself if I can find a donor wmport.



The WM-Port is a multi pins SMD port with Side anchored pins.  There is no way to break the WM-Port without breaking the internal pins or bending them.  The only way to fix your problem is to get a new WM-Port (which I don’t know where) and then having some tech to open up your device and perform some precision Soldering works.  It wouldn’t be cheap....at least I don’t think so.  The works require you to pull out the entire PCB and so on

I would just return it to the person


----------



## Peter Ruby (Aug 30, 2019)

It might be my imagination, but I feel it boots up a tad quicker with 3.02.

Anyone notice this or am I crazy?

I think I’m going to try my SE846s later tonight and see if they sound different with the new firmware upgrade. My IER-Z1Rs sure do.


----------



## JML

Reminder to Mac users: you really do have to shut down all running applications before the firmware update will work.  Open Activity Monitor and quit or force quit everything you can.  Then run the updater and restart your Mac.


----------



## Lookout57

JML said:


> Reminder to Mac users: you really do have to shut down all running applications before the firmware update will work.  Open Activity Monitor and quit or force quit everything you can.  Then run the updater and restart your Mac.


I didn't have to do that when I updated my WM1A.


----------



## PreguntoZombi

Nayparm said:


> Its soldered unfortunately, I'd offer to replace it or fit a USB C socket if you where in the UK.


What is this black magic? Please tell me more


----------



## kingdixon

moondabor said:


> I bought a WM1A awhile ago from someone here and unfortunately they didn't disclose that the WMPORT wasn't functioning properly. It looks like parts of the port are chipped so the connector wont seat properly. If you move the connector the slightest, it'll reset the USB connection meaning no file transfers or DAC mode unless you're careful not to touch it. Any advice? Sony has been non-responsive to my questions. Would it be easy to replace (port goes to a ribbon or is the thing soldered on)?



Did you get the chance to try another cable may be the problem is with the cable and not the port ?


----------



## Revoldises (Aug 30, 2019)

Just listening to Stevie Ray Vaughan (Tin Pan Alley) with the new 3.02 firmware and I really like it so much more than the 3.01.
Even my Shure SE846 makes the music shine! Tomorrow I try the Solaris! I wanted to sell the WM1Z to buy a SP1000/2000 but doubting very much right now.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 31, 2019)

meomap said:


> Hi,
> Can you let me know the combo of 1Z and Encore sounds with 3.02 and vs 3.01.
> I am still on original fw 1.20, I think.
> Hesitate to upgrade fw.
> ...



I spent a couple hours with the 1Z and Encore Universal in 4.4 balanced. To tell you the truth, I wanted to like 3.02 with the Encore... but unfortunately 3.01 is better to my ears.

My Walkman came with 1.20 as it was later production and didn’t come with the first firmware installed. Though only a day later after purchase in 2017 the update happened. So I never spent that much time with 1.20, also when I rolled back I received error messages which was scary. Only error messages I’ve ever received with the 1Z? So I don’t know what to say......except with my Walkman not burned in 1.20 sounded way darker and almost fuzzy in comparison to later updates. But the thing is....I fell in love with the lower midrange that 3.01 added to the Encore. Also as of late, I found perfect fit and placement making the Encore my go to IEM with the 1Z, along with the IER. They both are totally different, but both have personality which goes together.

All I can say is that yes, you will find a huge soundstage with 3.02. Way bigger than 3.01. But now the lows are hidden. Which is an issue as the Encore has withdrawn lower mids anyway which brings attention to the neutrality of the non-forward midrange. Basically making the Encore mid-centric without forward mids. 3.02 takes and takes priority away from the low end, something the Encore is already doing?

Edit:
I make the above sound like it’s all about tone. It’s not...as firmware actually changes instrument position in the soundstage. It’s rearranging where the musicians are, or panning that was done in the studio. Therefore now a memorable song will have not only a different tone, but a different mix....for better or worse. Better with the IER, worse with the Encore...IMO.

So at this point I find myself at a precarious point. Do I leave 3.02 because it’s great with the IER, or do I simply use the Encore less.....or what.

Ahh...first world problems...such a pain!

There was lower midrange positioning and tone I miss with the Encore; but....that same change makes the IER fricking insane?


----------



## moondabor

kingdixon said:


> Did you get the chance to try another cable may be the problem is with the cable and not the port ?


One of the first things I did. Definitely the port because I ended up getting a WM1Z and the WM1A has been sitting aside.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> This is the one thing I can’t do.  I haven’t had time to enjoy my DMP in a week or so....I just grabbed the firmware and performed the update....LoL



So very sad these “first world” problems.


----------



## meomap

Redcarmoose said:


> I spent a couple hours with the 1Z and Encore Universal in 4.4 balanced. To tell you the truth, I wanted to like 3.02 with the Encore... but unfortunately 3.01 is better to my ears.
> 
> My Walkman came with 1.20 as it was later production and didn’t come with the first firmware installed. Though only a day later after purchase in 2017 the update happened. So I never spent that much time with 1.20, also when I rolled back I received error messages which was scary. Only error messages I’ve ever received with the 1Z? So I don’t know what to say......except with my Walkman not burned in 1.20 sounded way darker and almost fuzzy in comparison to later updates. But the thing is....I fell in love with the lower midrange that 3.01 added to the Encore. Also as of late, I found perfect fit and placement making the Encore my go to IEM with the 1Z, along with the IER. They both are totally different, but both have personality which goes together.
> 
> ...



Thank you @Redcarmoose for your feedback.
Sounds like 3.01 is for me to upgrade.


----------



## Redcarmoose

meomap said:


> Thank you @Redcarmoose for your feedback.
> Sounds like 3.01 is for me to upgrade.



Yes, not everything goes with everything as we all know. It must have been a room where they came to a agreement that 3.02 made the IER and 1Z amazing....which it does. But after a week you'll maybe fall in love with the 3.01/Encore experience. But remember also there was two of us here that had error messages with 1.02 after going back. Who knows why this is as it's not for everyone to get those messages? Just a warning. Cheers!


----------



## gazzington

I've updated my wm1a to the new firmware. Yeap less bass but bigger soundstage. Use the eq a bit and you have more bass and large soundstage. Win win


----------



## gazzington

BTW where can I get copies of old firmware from to experiment?


----------



## Viszla

Revoldises said:


> Just listening to Stevie Ray Vaughan (Tin Pan Alley) with the new 3.02 firmware and I really like it so much more than the 3.01.
> Even my Shure SE846 makes the music shine! Tomorrow I try the Solaris! I wanted to sell the WM1Z to buy a SP1000/2000 but doubting very much right now.


I like Tin Pan Alley. How did 3.02 change?


----------



## sbho1

Nayparm said:


> You can always try it and then just go back the previous one if you don't like it or raise the subbass in EQ. I guess these observations are all with EQ off. I pressume sony just tweak the EQ behind the scenes and then present it flat in GUI. I discovered this when I extracted and unscrambled the Xuelin ihifi 990 firmware. I could tweak default bassline EQ.



Can you actually, accurately, perfectly re-construct back to the 3.01 sound signature using the EQ (after updated to 3.02),  ? it will be really great if you can share the snap shot picture of the EQ setting with us that would perform as 3.01 .   

In fact I always think Sony is quite irresponsible, to adjust the sound signature without sharing what exactly we can do with EQ to get back the exactly the past previous sound signatures .... I have been attempting to use EQ, but I fail to get back past previous sound after each FW update ....


----------



## nc8000

gazzington said:


> BTW where can I get copies of old firmware from to experiment?



Go a few pages back and I posted the link to my DropBox where all fw, usb driver, manuals and RockBox tool resides. Windows only


----------



## Nayparm

PreguntoZombi said:


> What is this black magic? Please tell me more





PreguntoZombi said:


> What is this black magic? Please tell me more



Basically removing the faulty WM-PORT Securing in its place a USB-C and soldering the USB power and data lines to the corresponding pins.


----------



## nc8000

Nayparm said:


> Basically removing the faulty WM-PORT Securing in its place a USB-C and soldering the USB power and data lines to the corresponding pins.



Are the pin outs so identical that that would be possible ?


----------



## gazzington

nc8000 said:


> Go a few pages back and I posted the link to my DropBox where all fw, usb driver, manuals and RockBox tool resides. Windows only


Thanks mate. That's awesome. It'll be good to keep a copy of back catalogue firmware


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am yet to note a change in sound with the new update. I managed to do it with windows zoomed to 600%. I not d it is more stable and faster
 When I press the play pause button reacts immediately to pause or play, before there was a slow light delay between the button being pressed and the actual change made


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Are the pin outs so identical that that would be possible ?


Good question! I would like to know more!  The WM port and Type C have very different physiques ?


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Good question! I would like to know more!  The WM port and Type C have very different physiques ?



Yes I would also have thought that the surrounding implementation would be different like how the fw talks with the device but I have absolutely no idea


----------



## ttt123

Whitigir said:


> Good question! I would like to know more!  The WM port and Type C have very different physiques ?



I never realized that the USB C connector has 24 pins!  I had assumed it was similar to USB 2, which only has 4 pins.
So I guess you could connect the Vbus power and Grd pins, and a Data pin pair, and connect power to the Detect pin.  Looks like it should be possible, as the WMPort cable USB end only uses 4 leads, so that is all you you have to work with, and don't need to worry about the other pins which are used for audio, digital, etc, which is only on the cradle.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C
USB-C receptacle A pin layout
*Pin* *Name* *Description
A1* GND Ground return
*A2* SSTXp1 SuperSpeed differential pair #1, TX, positive
*A3* SSTXn1 SuperSpeed differential pair #1, TX, negative
*A4* VBUS Bus power
*A5* CC1 Configuration channel
*A6* Dp1 USB 2.0 differential pair, position 1, positive
*A7* Dn1 USB 2.0 differential pair, position 1, negative
*A8* SBU1 Sideband use (SBU)
*A9* VBUS Bus power
*A10* SSRXn2 SuperSpeed differential pair #4, RX, negative
*A11* SSRXp2 SuperSpeed differential pair #4, RX, positive
*A12* GND Ground return
 USB-C receptacle B pin layout
*Pin* *Name* *Description
B12* GND Ground return
*B11* SSRXp1 SuperSpeed differential pair #2, RX, positive
*B10* SSRXn1 SuperSpeed differential pair #2, RX, negative
*B9* VBUS Bus power
*B8* SBU2 Sideband use (SBU)
*B7* Dn2 USB 2.0 differential pair, position 2, negative[a]
*B6* Dp2 USB 2.0 differential pair, position 2, positive[a]
*B5* CC2 Configuration channel
*B4* VBUS Bus power
*B3* SSTXn2 SuperSpeed differential pair #3, TX, negative
*B2* SSTXp2 SuperSpeed differential pair #3, TX, positive
*B1* GND Ground return



***********************************************************************************

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyWMPort 
*Overview*


This page documents what is known about the Sony WM-Port. It appears that this port could have two versions: 1.0 and 2.0 but the difference is probably only in software or marketing.
*Electrical*


*Pinout*


The WM-Port uses a 22-pin connector. It uses the following layout:


*Pin* *Direction* *Name* *Meaning*
1   GND Ground
2   RESERVED (OTG)  
3   D+ USB Data
4   D- USB Data
5   GND USB Ground
6   RESERVED  
7 IN VIN Vin (5V)
8 IN RXD/WAKE RxD/Wake
9 IN CRD_AD Cradle Detect
10 OUT TXD/SLEEP TxD/Sleep
11 IN USB_DET USB Detect (VBUS)
12 OUT UNREG_OUT Battery (VBAT)
13 IN AU_L_IN Left Audio In
14 OUT AU_L_OUT Left Audio Out
15   AU_COM Audio Ground
16 IN AU_R_IN Right Audio In
17 OUT AU_R_OUT Right Audio Out
18   VIDEO-GND/GND Video Ground
19   VIDEO-IN/OUT/OPEN Video In/Out
20 IN DCIN DC Detect (VDCIN)
21 OUT DIGITAL_OUT/OPEN Digital Audio Out
22   GND Ground

*Power*


Pin 7 is always powered with the available voltage. Pin 20 and 11 can be used to distinguish between DC and USB as follows:

connected to USB: pin 7 and 11 powered
connected to DC: pin 7 and 20 powered


*instructable. Depending on the values, recording and/or line-out might be available and the volume might be fixed or variable:*


*Resistor Recording Line-Out Volume Comment
inf No No   USB Cable
220k Yes No ?  
100k Yes Yes Variable  
68k Yes No ?  
47k No Yes Fixed  
33k No Yes Variable  
22k Yes Yes Fixed  
15k Yes Yes Variable  
10k No Yes Variable  
4.7k No Yes Fixed  

*
*[paste:font size="5"]Control


The control is made by UART over RxD and TxD.*


----------



## marklivia

I'm trying to get an idea of how the update impacts the 1Z /MDR-Z1R combos sound. Anyone with this combo do the update yet. Redcarmoose? Anyone?


----------



## nc8000

marklivia said:


> I'm trying to get an idea of how the update impacts the 1Z /MDR-Z1R combos sound. Anyone with this combo do the update yet. Redcarmoose? Anyone?



Just try it out yourself, then you get the best possible feel


----------



## Whitigir

ttt123 said:


> I never realized that the USB C connector has 24 pins!  I had assumed it was similar to USB 2, which only has 4 pins.
> So I guess you could connect the Vbus power and Grd pins, and a Data pin pair, and connect power to the Detect pin.  Looks like it should be possible, as the WMPort cable USB end only uses 4 leads, so that is all you you have to work with, and don't need to worry about the other pins which are used for audio, digital, etc, which is only on the cradle.
> 
> 
> ...



Yes, even so, we are talking about SMD which is surface mounting device style

And the layout of the WM port will be different.  The same as the anchoring pins as they both have different physique.  Wm port is much larger.  Let's say, somehow you are able to fit the Type C receptacle in this place, how are you going to re arrange the pins traces from the WM port on the PCB toward the Type C ? Additional wires ? How do you know what pins on the PCB is exactly doing what ? Do you ha e access to the schematic or technical diaphgramps? I havent seen such.  But I will be Interested to learn about this


----------



## Revoldises

Viszla said:


> I like Tin Pan Alley. How did 3.02 change?



For me the most important thing is that it has much more air. Also better high's and mids. 
I'am a basshead and I don't miss the bass where many headfiers are talking about.
I even think the subbass is better.


----------



## Whitigir

Revoldises said:


> For me the most important thing is that it has much more air. Also better high's and mids.
> I'am a basshead and I don't miss the bass where many headfiers are talking about.
> I even think the subbass is better.


I do hear sub bass improved in control and resolution with my DMP and new firmware.  The DMP is very different than WM series and it seems they share the same tuning and firmware developers ...lol


----------



## ttt123

Whitigir said:


> Yes, even so, we are talking about SMD which is surface mounting device style
> 
> And the layout of the WM port will be different.  The same as the anchoring pins as they both have different physique.  Wm port is much larger.  Let's say, somehow you are able to fit the Type C receptacle in this place, how are you going to re arrange the pins traces from the WM port on the PCB toward the Type C ? Additional wires ? How do you know what pins on the PCB is exactly doing what ? Do you ha e access to the schematic or technical diaphgramps? I havent seen such.  But I will be Interested to learn about this


You could reverse map from the pinout, to the location on the circuit board. Thinking about all the pins, mapping different layouts,  smd contacts, etc., I would not want to try.    Replacing the WMPort looks like the best solution.  Must be able to find one somewhere.


----------



## Whitigir

ttt123 said:


> You could reverse map from the pinout, to the location on the circuit board. Thinking about all the pins, mapping different layouts,  smd contacts, etc., I would not want to try.    Replacing the WMPort looks like the best solution.  Must be able to find one somewhere.


Yeah..that sounds like a hell lot of works to do.  Is there published WMport pins out yet ?

I dont even know where to buy stock Authentic Sony Wmport receptacle....anyone knows where ?

I think the easiest thing to do is to get another unit....much more simple


----------



## ttt123

Whitigir said:


> Yeah..that sounds like a hell lot of works to do.  Is there published WMport pins out yet ?
> 
> I dont even know where to buy stock Authentic Sony Wmport receptacle....anyone knows where ?
> 
> I think the easiest thing to do is to get another unit....much more simple



The WMport pinout was in my previous post.

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyWMPort 
*Overview*


This page documents what is known about the Sony WM-Port. It appears that this port could have two versions: 1.0 and 2.0 but the difference is probably only in software or marketing.
*Electrical*


*Pinout*


The WM-Port uses a 22-pin connector. It uses the following layout:


*Pin* *Direction* *Name* *Meaning*
1 GND Ground
2 RESERVED (OTG) 
3 D+ USB Data
4 D- USB Data
5 GND USB Ground
6 RESERVED 
7 IN VIN Vin (5V)
8 IN RXD/WAKE RxD/Wake
9 IN CRD_AD Cradle Detect
10 OUT TXD/SLEEP TxD/Sleep
11 IN USB_DET USB Detect (VBUS)
12 OUT UNREG_OUT Battery (VBAT)
13 IN AU_L_IN Left Audio In
14 OUT AU_L_OUT Left Audio Out
15 AU_COM Audio Ground
16 IN AU_R_IN Right Audio In
17 OUT AU_R_OUT Right Audio Out
18 VIDEO-GND/GND Video Ground
19 VIDEO-IN/OUT/OPEN Video In/Out
20 IN DCIN DC Detect (VDCIN)
21 OUT DIGITAL_OUT/OPEN Digital Audio Out
22 GND Ground

*Power*


Pin 7 is always powered with the available voltage. Pin 20 and 11 can be used to distinguish between DC and USB as follows:

connected to USB: pin 7 and 11 powered
connected to DC: pin 7 and 20 powered


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 31, 2019)

ttt123 said:


> The WMport pinout was in my previous post.
> 
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyWMPort
> *Overview*
> ...


Is there any good place to buy authentic Sony WM Port yet ? I am just curious.

Also, considering there is only 1 side to plug in WM port...what exactly is port #1 ? 

I no longer have anything using WM port, but my curiosity is big


----------



## ttt123

Whitigir said:


> Is there any good place to buy authentic Sony WM Port yet ? I am just curious.
> 
> Also, considering there is only 1 side to plug in WM port...what exactly is port #1 ?
> 
> I no longer have anything using WM port, but my curiosity is big


Haven't found any.  It's only used by Sony, and there are probably not many requests to replace the Female socket on a MB, that maybe only Sony has these.


----------



## Nayparm

ttt123 said:


> I never realized that the USB C connector has 24 pins!  I had assumed it was similar to USB 2, which only has 4 pins.
> So I guess you could connect the Vbus power and Grd pins, and a Data pin pair, and connect power to the Detect pin.  Looks like it should be possible, as the WMPort cable USB end only uses 4 leads, so that is all you you have to work with, and don't need to worry about the other pins which are used for audio, digital, etc, which is only on the cradle.
> 
> 
> ...



And then we can use this to get the to where we want. I did it on a zx300 with a micro-usb when I couldn't find a wmport socket to buy but should be straight forward with the below usbc socket.


----------



## gazzington

Nayparm said:


> And then we can use this to get the to where we want. I did it on a zx300 with a micro-usb when I couldn't find a wmport socket to buy but should be straight forward with the below usbc socket.


Having Sony players with usb c would be awesome. Easier to charge and easier to attach to an amp


----------



## Whitigir

Nayparm said:


> And then we can use this to get the to where we want. I did it on a zx300 with a micro-usb when I couldn't find a wmport socket to buy but should be straight forward with the below usbc socket.


Can I see your zx300 and how u got USB C ? And you are using typical digital cables to connect from and to the PCB ?


----------



## nc8000

gazzington said:


> Having Sony players with usb c would be awesome. Easier to charge and easier to attach to an amp



I don't see why it's easier, you still need a cable, just with a different plug


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 31, 2019)

I still think it is much easier to return the defected player to the seller.  Unless you bought it so cheap that it is worth it to replace these ports


----------



## Nayparm

Whitigir said:


> Can I see your zx300 and how u got USB C ? And you are using typical digital cables to connect from and to the PCB ?



It wasn't my zx300, i can message the guy for external pics. This was with a microusb not usb-c but I have one of those usb-c sockets to go in my xuelin to convert it from microusb.

I used kynar wire 30awg, which i use to use for console mods and repairs.


----------



## Nayparm

nc8000 said:


> I don't see why it's easier, you still need a cable, just with a different plug



Usb-c are way easier to plug in than the wmport, its a little finicky sometimes.


----------



## roses77

Sony Has Updated Firmware for the WM1Z and WM1A 3.02. Please update and let me know if think it has changed the SQ. They’ve added more features.


----------



## nc8000

roses77 said:


> Sony Has Updated Firmware for the WM1Z and WM1A 3.02. Please update and let me know if think it has changed the SQ. They’ve added more features.



Read the last 5-10 pages of this thread. You could also do the update yourself to find out


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 31, 2019)

marklivia said:


> I'm trying to get an idea of how the update impacts the 1Z /MDR-Z1R combos sound. Anyone with this combo do the update yet. Redcarmoose? Anyone?


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-ier-z1r-new-flagship.886120/page-336#post-15158233


It’s a big improvement being that the bass was curtailed in. Now the 1Z and MDR combo has a cool defined bass character. Though take note the combo (while maybe better) is not a joining I use that much as I use IEMs more.

So for me the move made the IER-Z1R better and MDR better but 3.02 is too thin and midcentric for my Encore IEMs. Really 3.01 had a more meaty lower midrange and sub-bass enhancement. I haven’t had time yet, but can only imagine the new tone will also be charming with the N3 and Z5 and additionally the Z7?


----------



## roses77

nc8000 said:


> Read the last 5-10 pages of this thread. You could also do the update yourself to find out


I already know how to update firmware but I need to charge my Sony WM1Z first. I was asking if anyone else did to report back and write their impressions. Thanks


----------



## nc8000

roses77 said:


> I already know how to update firmware but I need to charge my Sony WM1Z first. I was asking if anyone else did to report back and write their impressions. Thanks



OK. There are a number of impressions in the latest pages of this thread


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Redcarmoose  did you upgrade the wm1A fo 3.02? If yes, did you like th color mbo with IER-Z1R/MDR-Z1R?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 1, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Redcarmoose  did you upgrade the wm1A fo 3.02? If yes, did you like th color mbo with IER-Z1R/MDR-Z1R?



Curiosity always kills the cat with me. Just updated, but will not listen till tonight. My guess is that it will be amazing, only because there is so much leeway in bass attenuation left to go with the IER. The 3.02....I feel was tailor-made for their flagship IEM. I did get a chance to hear the N3 and 1Z combo today and of course it was the best the N3 ever sounded. Just a clean and detailed “airy” experience. 3.02 really is a tidy-up for the N3. IMO


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 1, 2019)

Much of the update may be the new-toy phenomenon. The basic fact is the update is much like getting a new DAP. If it goes with all IEMs/headphones and musical taste is yet to be discovered.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I downgraded to previous FW 3.01 thanks to @nc8000  dropbox . The thing of 3.02 is meant for 1Z, made the IER-Z1R  on the wm1A a bit hot and sibilant


----------



## ccschua

Now I can listen to avenged sevenfold this means war.

Version 2 is unlistenable


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> I downgraded to previous FW 3.01 thanks to @nc8000  dropbox . The thing of 3.02 is meant for 1Z, made the IER-Z1R  on the wm1A a bit hot and sibilant



Interesting? 3.02 does have that slightly intense treble area. Haven’t heard it yet with the 1A......... but guessing I thought it would have been a lower midrange issue with the 1A? Surprised to hear it’s a treble issue?


----------



## ElecHires

Hello,
I have a question, if I want to change the battery on my Wm1z which model can I take ? and were ?
Thanks by advance


----------



## nc8000

ElecHires said:


> Hello,
> I have a question, if I want to change the battery on my Wm1z which model can I take ? and were ?
> Thanks by advance



There are links somewhere within this thread, probably over a year ago


----------



## ElecHires

nc8000 said:


> There are links somewhere within this thread, probably over a year ago


Yep I found it thank you


----------



## gazzington

Use your eq a bit people. If the treble is too high with your iems bring it down with the eq


----------



## Whitigir

EQ is great, but isn’t the point of high quality music is to not use Digital EQ as much as possible ? Digital EQ is using DSP algorithms to alternate the original processing from the firmware, the brand, the files.  There is only 1 way to EQ with analog, and that is using analog EQ.  Use analog EQ instead ? Lol


----------



## roses77

nc8000 said:


> OK. There are a number of impressions in the latest pages of this thread


Yes I did read the impressions. I’ve updated mine, and I do like the latest firmware update 3.02 on direct source as you don’t need to use EQ. Sony nailed it, it has an very wide soundstage, 3D Sound, better instrument seperation, Surround Sound, the vocals are more forward. Just make sure the music is very well recorded & remastered CDs sound fantastic. It matches well with Sony WM-1AM2, I listened to it SE. It’s very musical and warm.


----------



## flyer1 (Sep 1, 2019)

My 1Z on 3.02 with hd660s also sounds great.

Wider soundstage/more 3d, like dynamic range of my recordings are increased, better tonal bass/more sub bass? , clearer vocals. Also few notches lower in volume needed.

Almost like they used hd660s to fine tune the firmware

Thanks Sony!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 1, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> EQ is great, but isn’t the point of high quality music is to not use Digital EQ as much as possible ? Digital EQ is using DSP algorithms to alternate the original processing from the firmware, the brand, the files.  There is only 1 way to EQ with analog, and that is using analog EQ.  Use analog EQ instead ? Lol



Exactly EQ is like using ketchup on eeeeeeverything!

There is no reason we would come this far and spend so much to simply EQ?


----------



## gazzington

Whitigir said:


> EQ is great, but isn’t the point of high quality music is to not use Digital EQ as much as possible ? Digital EQ is using DSP algorithms to alternate the original processing from the firmware, the brand, the files.  There is only 1 way to EQ with analog, and that is using analog EQ.  Use analog EQ instead ? Lol


Better to use eq if someone is finding their iems to be piercing or they will have to buy new iems or regress firmware


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 1, 2019)

gazzington said:


> Better to use eq if someone is finding their iems to be piercing or they will have to buy new iems or regress firmware



It’s a question of debate, and has been forever. The argument of producers using effectively EQ tone knobs in the recording process and mastering mix-downs. But there is a phobia.......a paranoia of sorts which has some believe in artifacts..........these phantom artifact-worries come from belief in EQ affecting other aspects around the tone. So we try and stay away as far as possible. Maybe a slight touch is OK, but big numbers of EQ seem to cause an unnatural effect, even if true or not may be perceived as true.

It’s easier to roll-back firmware and stick with the gear we have learned to admire and trust. These combinations are at times the results of years of search, so to have something as small and easy to change as firmware...then folks weight the benefits and drawbacks of the new firmware. For many EQ is just not an option as they simply don’t respect it. Also you’ll find some audiophiles are super slow to change anything no matter what it is.......as it has an effect on progress.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I found sharp trebled, s actually with violins and strings. Mids dbass was also bumped making the M7 sound and Hollywood w and slow nightly vild, same for IER-Z1R,  a bit resonant to n midbass , as.sonding.lik  b and ng recorded the n a room with glass or tiled walls with many echo artifacts.

M7 wanted to sound muddy and bassy at times, IER-Z1R was  less subbass texture and physical feeling.

Reverted back, more organic on both IER-Z1R and IER-M7, bass definition back and rumbling again


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> I found sharp trebled, s actually with violins and strings. Mids dbass was also bumped making the M7 sound and Hollywood w and slow nightly vild, same for IER-Z1R,  a bit resonant to n midbass , as.sonding.lik  b and ng recorded the n a room with glass or tiled walls with many echo artifacts.
> 
> M7 wanted to sound muddy and bassy at times, IER-Z1R was  less subbass texture and physical feeling.
> 
> Reverted back, more organic on both IER-Z1R and IER-M7, bass definition back and rumbling again



Haven’t made it to the IER yet, but so far 3.02 reminds me a little of 3.00 with the 1A? Probably rolling the 1A back too?


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 1, 2019)

gazzington said:


> Better to use eq if someone is finding their iems to be piercing or they will have to buy new iems or regress firmware


The problem is that for a firmware developer that is related directly to the processing of DSP and algorithms, those engineers and developers know more about digital processing than we do.  So more than often, we thought we improved it with EQ but we aren’t.

I don’t think people understand and take it serious enough that algorithms is another Vital and essential part of digital music.  Without it, your music is only string of 1 and 0

I myself would rather be using older firmware if new one doesn’t work.  If I was gonna use EQ, it would have to be external Analog EQ before amplifications.  That is to warranty the utmost precision from the processing of Digital into Analog signals from the Sources itself


----------



## Nayparm

Whitigir said:


> EQ is great, but isn’t the point of high quality music is to not use Digital EQ as much as possible ? Digital EQ is using DSP algorithms to alternate the original processing from the firmware, the brand, the files.  There is only 1 way to EQ with analog, and that is using analog EQ.  Use analog EQ instead ? Lol



Not if its amazingly super bit perfectly true to how the sound engineer DSP'd and EQ'd it to his gear, headphones, ears and taste in the first place and then none of that is compatible with the end users ears or tastes and sounds anywhere from, just not quite right, to down right harsh. For me its the latter for every bit of kit i've tried with any headphones or speakers at any price. So nothing wrong with EQing to make it actually sound enjoyable rather the painfully bit perfect.


----------



## roses77

flyer1 said:


> My 1Z on 3.02 with hd660s also sounds great.
> 
> Wider soundstage/more 3d, like dynamic range of my recordings are increased, better tonal bass/more sub bass? , clearer vocals. Also few notches lower in volume needed.
> 
> ...


I agree I love how my 1z sounds with new update, No EQ needed, sounds fantastic with my Sony WM-1A2 Headphones. The music needs to be well recorded CDs & remastered CDs so it can sound great. It suits any genre. Sometimes the volume does need to be turned up if it’s recorded in low volume. But it sounds like listening to a cassette tape that starts off low volume, then it increases in volume, more dynamic range.


----------



## AlexCBSN

UPdated mine, without so much explanation: quite happy with the sound, I do feel it wider and more defined, I was really worried about what everyone was saying that it got affected for the worse, I find it quite enjoyable, will try later on with my fh7 which are an amazing pair with this dap, and after with the balance 7 which are super revealing and truly source dependent


----------



## Nayparm

Whitigir said:


> The problem is that for a firmware developer that is related directly to the processing of DSP and algorithms, those engineers and developers know more about digital processing than we do.  So more than often, we thought we improved it with EQ but we aren’t.
> 
> I don’t think people understand and take it serious enough that algorithms is another Vital and essential part of digital music.  Without it, your music is only string of 1 and 0
> 
> I myself would rather be using older firmware if new one doesn’t work.  If I was gonna use EQ, it would have to be external Analog EQ before amplifications.  That is to warranty the utmost precision from the processing of Digital into Analog signals from the Sources itself



Believe me I wish I didn't have to EQ


----------



## Peter Ruby

I’m really digging the 3.02 on my WM1A with both my IER-Z1Rs and also my Shure SE846s. 

Seems to me like the bass is exactly where it needs to be; at least for me it does. 

Even my 846s have benefitted from an improved soundstage, which has always been one of its biggest drawbacks. 

I’m now in the market for the WM1Z, because I don’t like having 1 DAP for 2 IEMs. Adding a second will allow me to keep one at the office, one at home and use my Fiio Q5 while commuting or outdoors in general. 

Gotta admit that life can be pretty great for an audiophile these days.


----------



## Jalo

I skipped FW 3.0 and updated from 2.0. It is like a new dap to me with 3.02. I sold my second 1Z a month ago and for the first time I regret selling an equipment. version 1.0/1.2/2.0 are so different from 3.0/.01/.02 . I wish I have two 1Z now so I have two different sound.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

I wish I could have everything that come with 3.02, while keeping bass 3.01. That would be perfect for me.


----------



## animalsrush (Sep 1, 2019)

Upgraded my wm1z to 3.02 to test it out

My set up wm1z with 600 hrs on balanced + effect audio lionheart balanced 4.4 mm + k10. Use the Sony processing but all set to off and eq set to 0.

The new firmware even adds air giving the perception of wider soundstage.. however all of this at the expense of Bass. It lost all it punchiness and is not really to my tastes. Also it did something to vocals they sound bit lean. The details are front and center where as with 3.01 they are present but bit recessed. With 3.02 I found treble to be bit harsh for my tastes. It was fatiguing. i feel I lost the lushness what makes Sony wm1z  and organic sound I used to get. This is non fatiguing 

So back to 3.01. Kudos to Sony still supporting wm1z.. but I wish they could provide these variations in sound signature as DSP so we could switch on the fly

Of all FW these are what I liked 1.2, 3.01, hated 2.0 and skipped 3.0. .. ymmv

Pc


----------



## Quadfather

terrosa said:


> Hi guys... might be a little bit of dumb question here but my WM1A is still on firmware 1.2. i know it's now on 3.01? should i stay or give 3.01 a go?



I am still on 1.2.


----------



## Vitaly2017

animalsrush said:


> Only Fuji lenses and Xpro and gfx are made in Japan.  XT3 is made in China, but my 16 mm f1.4 Fuji lens is made in Japan . Btw don’t worry sony is ok.. very good product.. enjoy the music




Ohh boboy.....

Yes you are right x-t3 is made in china. 
But what made me auto think all fujifilm products are made in japan is all my lenses are made in Japan! 
16-55 red tag
50-140 red tag
And 80mm macro is all made in Japan....


But my xt3 works fine even if its china


----------



## heimis

Quadfather said:


> I am still on 1.2.



I`m getting my 1A tomorrow and I`ll be sticking with 1.2 also. I`m getting headaches reading about all the different firmwares!! 

More bass here, less bass there, better details, recessed mids, less bass again.. jesus...


----------



## Leetransform25

heimis said:


> I`m getting my 1A tomorrow and I`ll be sticking with 1.2 also. I`m getting headaches reading about all the different firmwares!!
> 
> More bass here, less bass there, better details, recessed mids, less bass again.. jesus...


If it's a new unit it'll probably already come with 3.01 or 3.02  and I personally don't see much of a point in downgrading


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 2, 2019)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/heimis.517832/

It’s not a big deal rolling back though two of us had error messages going back to 1.20........so that was wild. But generally no one has had issues rolling back. I personally like 3.01 the best with the 1A, but everyone is different, due to tone taste and style of IEMs in use. Also for folks who have Windows 10, the updates stay as a file in “Downloads” so you just go to that folder and look for them. Though if using MusicCenter the files are not left there.

At first it must look like a can of worms. But in reality Sony is continuously trying to make the firmware more sophisticated. With 1.20 you will only have Bluetooth sending not the Bluetooth receiving feature nor the outboard DAC feature. Also soundstage has been increased with every update.


----------



## heimis

Leetransform25 said:


> If it's a new unit it'll probably already come with 3.01 or 3.02 and I personally don't see much of a point in downgrading



Put it this way: I`ll be sticking with whatever version it comes with^^


----------



## Redcarmoose

New Walkman? 
4 more days! Maybe? 

https://www.google.co.id/amp/s/www....d-bluetooth-5-0-could-launch-at-ifa-2019/amp/


----------



## flyer1 (Sep 2, 2019)

heimis said:


> Put it this way: I`ll be sticking with whatever version it comes with^^



With my 1Z/Z5 and HD660s every update has been an improvement. Sony put in a lot of work, don't let it go to waste


----------



## heimis

Redcarmoose said:


> At first it must look like a can of worms. But in reality Sony is continuously trying to make the firmware more sophisticated.



It most definitely looks like a can of worms but I get what you`re saying. If I like what I hear "out of the box" then I`ll probably leave it at that and continue my life in blissful ignorance


----------



## 518013

heimis said:


> I`m getting my 1A tomorrow and I`ll be sticking with 1.2 also. I`m getting headaches reading about all the different firmwares!!
> 
> More bass here, less bass there, better details, recessed mids, less bass again.. jesus...


I would at the very least try 3.01, that firmware on the WM1A sounds like the Sony TA AMP, it works for every IEM I currently have., and works very well. 
The 3.02 is an absolute no go for me, if it was the default software, I doubt I would have bought the player. 
In short, what I mean to say is, try them out for yourself, switching back on forth on a PC is very easy.


----------



## roses77

animalsrush said:


> Upgraded my wm1z to 3.02 to test it out
> 
> My set up wm1z with 600 hrs on balanced + effect audio lionheart balanced 4.4 mm + k10. Use the Sony processing but all set to off and eq set to 0.
> 
> ...


I noticed that in balanced 4.4mm it has less output compared to the SE it has more output. In fact the SE sounds better than the balanced 4.4mm with my Sony MDRZ1R. I use the MDR-1A2 Cheaper Sony Headphone. Has anyone else noticed the difference. This is paired with Sony WM1Z.


----------



## flyer1 (Sep 2, 2019)

With HD660S balanced my 1Z on 3.02 sounds better amped/higher output compared to 3.01.


----------



## nc8000

roses77 said:


> I noticed that in balanced 4.4mm it has less output compared to the SE it has more output. In fact the SE sounds better than the balanced 4.4mm with my Sony MDRZ1R. I use the MDR-1A2 Cheaper Sony Headphone. Has anyone else noticed the difference. This is paired with Sony WM1Z.



I get more power and better sound on balanced with all my phones


----------



## heimis

HairOhWin Blast said:


> I would at the very least try 3.01, that firmware on the WM1A sounds like the Sony TA AMP, it works for every IEM I currently have., and works very well.
> The 3.02 is an absolute no go for me, if it was the default software, I doubt I would have bought the player.
> In short, what I mean to say is, try them out for yourself, switching back on forth on a PC is very easy.



Well I do love my TA AMP so I guess it`s worth a shot....


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> New Walkman?
> 4 more days! Maybe?
> 
> https://www.google.co.id/amp/s/www....d-bluetooth-5-0-could-launch-at-ifa-2019/amp/



Isnt that the 500?


----------



## Liono

Whitigir said:


> Isnt that the 500?



Looks like an old A series to me..?


----------



## normie610

Seems that I’m the only one who cannot hear the difference with the new 3.02 FW


----------



## nc8000

normie610 said:


> Seems that I’m the only one who cannot hear the difference with the new 3.02 FW



I have generally not been able to detect the differences between any of the fw. My audio memory does not stretch far enough to cover the time it takes to load a new fw and rebuild the library


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 2, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> Isnt that the 500?



I’m thinking no one knows? Though the article calls it the NW-A100?

This is what may be new this year. 


NW-ZX500
NW-A100
WI-1000XM2
WH-H910N
WH-H810
WF-H800
WH-CH510
WI-XB400


----------



## Redcarmoose

normie610 said:


> Seems that I’m the only one who cannot hear the difference with the new 3.02 FW



That would be half good as not only do you not have something new to like; but you also don’t have a thing to dislike.


----------



## Quadfather

heimis said:


> I`m getting my 1A tomorrow and I`ll be sticking with 1.2 also. I`m getting headaches reading about all the different firmwares!!
> 
> More bass here, less bass there, better details, recessed mids, less bass again.. jesus...



I like 1.2 plenty.


----------



## endlesswaves

One difference between FW 3.01 and 3.02 is that in 3.01 normally with tambourine, I would just hear a single note now with 3.02 I can hear each individual pairs of metals jingles in this song Beyond -  真的爱你 (sorry peeps that doesn't read chinese) 

Kind of torn between 3.01 and 3.02 now. There are times with certain songs I missed the thicker notes of 3.01 but most of the time enjoying the extra details and air with 3.02.

Best is I can go back to 3.01 anytime I want. Appreciate the efforts from Sony to continue on improving on the WM1A/Z launched 3 years ago.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/heimis.517832/
> 
> It’s not a big deal rolling back though two of us had error messages going back to 1.20........so that was wild. But generally no one has had issues rolling back. I personally like 3.01 the best with the 1A, but everyone is different, due to tone taste and style of IEMs in use. Also for folks who have Windows 10, the updates stay as a file in “Downloads” so you just go to that folder and look for them. Though if using MusicCenter the files are not left there.
> 
> At first it must look like a can of worms. But in reality Sony is continuously trying to make the firmware more sophisticated. With 1.20 you will only have Bluetooth sending not the Bluetooth receiving feature nor the outboard DAC feature. Also soundstage has been increased with every update.


 I stayed with 3.01 at the end, it benefits noth IERs I have


----------



## heimis

endlesswaves said:


> One difference between FW 3.01 and 3.02 is that in 3.01 normally with tambourine, I would just hear a single note now with 3.02 I can hear each individual pairs of metals jingles in this song Beyond -  真的爱你 (sorry peeps that doesn't read chinese)
> 
> Kind of torn between 3.01 and 3.02 now. There are times with certain songs I missed the thicker notes of 3.01 but most of the time enjoying the extra details and air with 3.02.
> 
> Best is I can go back to 3.01 anytime I want. Appreciate the efforts from Sony to continue on improving on the WM1A/Z launched 3 years ago.



I feel that headache again^^


----------



## endlesswaves

heimis said:


> I feel that headache again^^



I used to think FX1200 was the best IEM ever made. Won't know if you don't try. For my case, it might have been better if I didn't try other IEMs after owning the FX1200. But in your case, you will have your WM1A tomorrow. It will only take some of your time to try the WM1A with different firmwares to get the best match with your current IEMs. Such options are not readily available with other DAPs. Hope you enjoy your explorations. ^^


----------



## heimis

What I would prefer is to switch the 1A on, LOVE what I hear and then get on with my life  I guess I`ll know soon enough^^


----------



## ttt123

heimis said:


> What I would prefer is to switch the 1A on, LOVE what I hear and then get on with my life  I guess I`ll know soon enough^^


All the comments are trying to be helpful, but in the end, you don't need to follow any of it.  If you want to turn it on, enjoy it, and not bother with any of the different firmwares, that is fine.  You can leave it like that indefinitely, or change your mind at some point.  Purely your choice, and whatever you feel comfortable with.


----------



## heimis

ttt123 said:


> All the comments are trying to be helpful, but in the end, you don't need to follow any of it.  If you want to turn it on, enjoy it, and not bother with any of the different firmwares, that is fine.  You can leave it like that indefinitely, or change your mind at some point.  Purely your choice, and whatever you feel comfortable with.



I know they are trying to help and they absolutely have!! But I`m not an analytical listener like many on this forum. I don`t need to get those extra 5% micro details as almost all the music I listen to is electronic music like Trance and House.

So again I`m not trying to offend anyone here at all. I`m just being honest, speaking my mind and so on..


----------



## Vlad0

I'm very picky regarding sound with my 1A. I like 1.2 and 3.01 only till now. 
Installed 3.02 and with N3 ...just WAW, such a change, sound-stage is huge! Bass is there, when is needed with enough quantity and quality. I use vinyl option only, not EQ. Pretty sure that WAW effect will gone with my other IEMs but time will tell. For now 3.02 stays.


----------



## Peter Ruby

When I purchased my WM1A about 2 months ago, came with 3.01 installed already. 

Reading this thread has me curious as to how the other firmwares sound. I was fine with 3.01, but after hearing 3.02, There’s zero chance I’m switching back.


----------



## gearofwar

Would be appreciated if someone reuploads 3.01 again, couldn't find it on Sony website and really dislike 3.02


----------



## fiascogarcia

gearofwar said:


> Would be appreciated if someone reuploads 3.01 again, couldn't find it on Sony website and really dislike 3.02


Thanks to nc8000!  
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 is our hero!


----------



## larzy

Is the 1A enough to drive a pair of Sennheiser HD800 (not the s model)? Or would I need an amp?


----------



## Whitigir

Hd800 and Hd800s is ok with wm1A/Z.  But if you want the very best out of it, you will need some heavy champs (amps) to do the job.

DAP don’t really meant to drive full-size headphones on the go.  Some of the modern one are very powerful, but there are tradeoff 

The only one that does the job well is by far the DMP-Z1 and with beautiful synergies too.  Everything else you will need a top tier amp to make hd800/s to sing.  Many people think both have piercing treble but it simply is being underpowered or driven by a not so good digital-analog source ...or both.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

I tried my Sennheiser HD800 with my Sony NW-WM1A...

 

This uses the balanced output of the 1A to the HD800.  At highest volume, you are touching the threshold of painful loudness (1A gain on high).  Sounds great.

To compare, I also hooked up my CEntrance HiFiM8 via its balanced output to the 1A... similar volume, similar great sound.

I then compared the 1A to my Sennheiser HDVD DAC/amp, built for the HD800.  I got the pain-threshold volume at about 60% of full scale of the HDVD volume knob. Sound quality at similar volumes was indistinguishable from that of the other two players.

Hope this helps!


----------



## Redcarmoose

It was reported that Sony engineers never designed the Signature DAPs for full size headphones. On the other hand Sony marketing found use in showing both the MDR-Z1R and Signature Walkmans photographed together.


----------



## gerelmx1986

When I am feeling better from my eyesight I will put my IER-M7  review.

PS  I am seen ng better every day but is a bit like a roller coaster ups and downs


----------



## nanaholic

Redcarmoose said:


> It was reported that Sony engineers never designed the Signature DAPs for full size headphones. On the other hand Sony marketing found use in showing both the MDR-Z1R and Signature Walkmans photographed together.



I'd like to see where that report comes from.

Because for the many times I've talked to Sony engineers, they don't seem to be the type that would say something like this. They understand some people's demand for more power but they themselves are easy going and believes in whatever people are happy with, and that means playing with any sort of combination they can think of. For example all the people who said that IER-Z1R can't be driven by a low power source, except when I talked with Kuwahara-san he said he even tuned the IER-Z1R with the Sony PCM-D10, which only outputs a measly 30mW on the 3.5mm jack, and finds it really pleasing due to the analogue-like sound signature of the D10 output.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> I'd like to see where that report comes from.
> 
> Because for the many times I've talked to Sony engineers, they don't seem to be the type that would say something like this. They understand some people's demand for more power but they themselves are easy going and believes in whatever people are happy with, and that means playing with any sort of combination they can think of. For example all the people who said that IER-Z1R can't be driven by a low power source, except when I talked with Kuwahara-san he said he even tuned the IER-Z1R with the Sony PCM-D10, which only outputs a measly 30mW on the 3.5mm jack, and finds it really pleasing due to the analogue-like sound signature of the D10 output.


And with what they've tuned the IER-M7  and IER-M9?


----------



## Whitigir

A headphones can be driven by many sources, even an iPad to a noticeable loudness.  But how it is going to perform will be another matter.

Had I plugged my Hd800s into my iPad Pro before ? I don’t see why not.....


----------



## Peter Ruby

Whitigir said:


> A headphones can be driven by many sources, even an iPad to a noticeable loudness.  But how it is going to perform will be another matter.
> 
> Had I plugged my Hd800s into my iPad Pro before ? I don’t see why not.....



Maybe you didn’t SEE why not, but I bet you HEARD why not.


----------



## Peter Ruby

Hey Whitigir, let me know when I can stop by and audition your DMP-Z1. I’d be happy to pay by the hour.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

If my player drives my headphone to more-than-adequate volume (I.e. adequate is reached before the knob is turned up all the way), and if the player does not distort at its top volume, what more am I missing?  If my Sony NW-WM1A reaches as loud as I’d ever want on a particular set of headphones (say HD800) before reaching say 80% of full volume setting, what more will it do for sound than my top-of-line desktop amp that reaches my max volume at, say 50% of its full volume setting?


----------



## purk (Sep 4, 2019)

ruthieandjohn said:


> If my player drives my headphone to more-than-adequate volume (I.e. adequate is reached before the knob is turned up all the way), and if the player does not distort at its top volume, what more am I missing?  If my Sony NW-WM1A reaches as loud as I’d ever want on a particular set of headphones (say HD800) before reaching say 80% of full volume setting, what more will it do for sound than my top-of-line desktop amp that reaches my max volume at, say 50% of its full volume setting?



Sense of scale, refinement, and the ability to reveal nuances between every note, and greater sense of dynamic. As great as my modded 1Z sound, it is still fall quite short when directly compared to my best Desktop amplifiers and a highend DAC.  Loudness doesn’t always yield the same sound quality, IMO.

Same with upgraded linear power supply vs off the wall switcher.


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> And with what they've tuned the IER-M7  and IER-M9?



No idea - since the people behind IER-M7/M9 are different to the IER-Z1R.

Considering that they did collaborate with musicians from Sony's own music label and said they intended for them to be used it for stage monitoring, one thing that people can assume to be true is that it would mean they would have tested the M7/M9 extensively using low powered UNBALANCED source, as high power balance headphone connection is pretty much a rarity for that last connection part in the music industry, especially for things like wireless receivers for stage musicians which are predorminately 3.5mm stereo mini-jack with much less than 100mW output for battery reasons. So if I'm a M7/M9 owner, I would try it like that first to see what it is about before mixing and matching with higher end equipments and things like balanced connection and cables etc.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 5, 2019)

ruthieandjohn said:


> If my player drives my headphone to more-than-adequate volume (I.e. adequate is reached before the knob is turned up all the way), and if the player does not distort at its top volume, what more am I missing?  If my Sony NW-WM1A reaches as loud as I’d ever want on a particular set of headphones (say HD800) before reaching say 80% of full volume setting, what more will it do for sound than my top-of-line desktop amp that reaches my max volume at, say 50% of its full volume setting?



My first two purchases after learning of Head-Fi were an exercise in futility. A Woo 3 for an amp and the k701 for headphones. Little did I know the k701 needed way, way more power. They sounded like a radio in another room....almost. That’s an extreme wrong combo, but to generalize it’s the effects of damping factor. To my ears a more powerful    amp will add soundstage if the headphones are demanding. You can imagine the diaphragm being controlled better, so it’s both starting it’s movement and stopping movement in a more controlled and accurate way. This leads to more detail. Though what is only 1 dB more bass will sound like way more due to enhanced detail. I have found the detail to open up the lower midrange and bass area more. Still treble soundstage will also open-up with more power. So it isn’t loudness only but control and detail among a better soundstage. Imaging then gets increased too as one of the more subtle final end results. Why these same concepts take place with easier to drive IEMs is something of a wonder but it’s true. So same for difficult to drive IEMs but probably more noticeable with full-size headphones. In the end I purchased the Woo 5 LE and found what the k701 was about in reality.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damping_factor

So to summarize, it’s not that they get loud enough from the source/amp, it’s other qualities which increase sound fidelity. Google “damping factor” as it’s really the concept we are going over. Headphone impedance can be all over the road, but even with an easy to drive MDR-Z1R.....the 1Z/1A combo is leaving much potential on the table to be found with better damping factor.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 6, 2019)

New Sony Junk any minute!
https://mobile.twitter.com/SonyUK/status/1169527380785979392

Live stream. Signature Series at 20.00 mark. SA-Z1 Monitors!


----------



## Mindstorms

So im late sorry been traveling lol!! you can go back from 3.02 to 3.01? i will start testing if that is correct!! but only if you guy say that there is bas in 3.02 otherwise may not worth


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 5, 2019)

Very little bass. But with the 1Z/IER-Z1R.....amazing!

Easy to go back to 3.01, especially if you have 3.01 in your Windows 10 download folder....from the last fw update.


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 5, 2019)

yes i have all firmwares im hearing diferences Well for my hearing 3.02 ended being a little forward sounding in gain like better 3.01 intimacy bass is quite diferent 3.02 has more midbass maybe a litle less piercing and veiled sounding, i had great hopes for 3.02 may stay in 3.01, since its less fuller sound but morie impacting to my ears, I hope they put some effort in zx100 sounds better even in 2019 i hear that its like you have gain in 1.5 all the time being 3.01 low gain 1 and 3.01 high gain 2 i dont know if im clear on that, that for my just ruins it may have to keep testing dough


----------



## Vlad0

At last..., Android 9, Wi-Fi and USB-C, my new favorite - NW-ZX500


----------



## ruthieandjohn

@Redcarmoose , thanks for your comprehensive answer above.

It seems that the worst case was your Woo W3 with an AKG-K701.  I imagine that the volume was adequate, with head room?  Then as I understand, the problem was sound stage, and the cause was damping factor (or lack thereof).

I have never understood the following.  I have the CEntrance HiFiM8, which gives me a switchable output impedance of 1, 2, and 10 ohms.   Yet with my 32 ohm input impedance Grados, I hear no difference among the settings.  The “damping factor rule” is that amp output impedance should be less than 1/8 of headphone input impedance, then shouldn’t I hear a difference with the 10 ohm M8 output?


----------



## Mindstorms

gearofwar said:


> Would be appreciated if someone reuploads 3.01 again, couldn't find it on Sony website and really dislike 3.02


Please can you tell me why you didnt like it? i cant upload the file it says to large sorry


----------



## proedros

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-zx500-series

64gb memory , USB-C , 20 hour battery , android 

price ?


----------



## nanaholic (Sep 5, 2019)

proedros said:


> https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-zx500-series
> 
> 64gb memory , USB-C , 20 hour battery , android
> 
> price ?



830 euro


----------



## AlexCBSN (Sep 5, 2019)

proedros said:


> https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-zx500-series
> 
> 64gb memory , USB-C , 20 hour battery , android
> 
> price ?


850 euros

Mmm i might sound crazy, but I don’t like the idea of android implementation, I keep going back to my Sony cause it’s that dap that it makes what its supposed to do, nothing else


----------



## Whitigir

AlexCBSN said:


> 850 euros
> 
> Mmm i might sound crazy, but I don’t like the idea of android implementation, I keep going back to my Sony cause it’s that dap that it makes what its supposed to do, nothing else


Yepe! There are 2 groups of people though, and this 500 will aim at the other group.  

I am with you about music player, hence DMP Z1 is Mine!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

AlexCBSN said:


> 850 euros
> 
> Mmm i might sound crazy, but I don’t like the idea of android implementation, I keep going back to my Sony cause it’s that dap that it makes what its supposed to do, nothing else


Agree


----------



## Mindstorms

animalsrush said:


> Upgraded my wm1z to 3.02 to test it out
> 
> My set up wm1z with 600 hrs on balanced + effect audio lionheart balanced 4.4 mm + k10. Use the Sony processing but all set to off and eq set to 0.
> 
> ...


I agree 100%


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> Interesting? 3.02 does have that slightly intense treble area. Haven’t heard it yet with the 1A......... but guessing I thought it would have been a lower midrange issue with the 1A? Surprised to hear it’s a treble issue?


What do you hear out of 3.02? thanks in advance


----------



## flyer1 (Sep 5, 2019)

Midnstorms said:


> What do you hear out of 3.02? thanks in advance



I believe Sony optimized 3.02 for headphones like HD660S. Wider soundstage but same or slightly more bass impact and better tonality. Great vocal presence now. 

Enjoying my WM1Z/HD660s as if I got a new and better player after the update.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 5, 2019)

Midnstorms said:


> What do you hear out of 3.02? thanks in advance


Great for the Sony N3, the MDR-Z1R and mind blowing with the IER-Z1R. The tone is fast, articulate and airy. The soundstage is the biggest yet from the players. Though it’s a little like 3.00 as it takes the much needed lows from the relatively neutral 1A, making it thin, but with a cool detailed soundstage. Not for bass lovers. Though along with the 1Z......firmware 3.02 is a magical experience making the lows imaged well, defined and fast. MDR Z1R, N3 and other slightly foggy lows get upgraded into previously unknown territory! With some headphones which needed bass truncation the bass becomes something not just refined but bass that shows all it’s complete  personality. Each song can have a completely different style of bass sound, as the tone is not just low but completely revealed for it’s character. IMO


----------



## Quadfather

animalsrush said:


> Upgraded my wm1z to 3.02 to test it out
> 
> My set up wm1z with 600 hrs on balanced + effect audio lionheart balanced 4.4 mm + k10. Use the Sony processing but all set to off and eq set to 0.
> 
> ...



I love 1.2.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 5, 2019)

ruthieandjohn said:


> @Redcarmoose , thanks for your comprehensive answer above.
> 
> It seems that the worst case was your Woo W3 with an AKG-K701.  I imagine that the volume was adequate, with head room?  Then as I understand, the problem was sound stage, and the cause was damping factor (or lack thereof).
> 
> I have never understood the following.  I have the CEntrance HiFiM8, which gives me a switchable output impedance of 1, 2, and 10 ohms.   Yet with my 32 ohm input impedance Grados, I hear no difference among the settings.  The “damping factor rule” is that amp output impedance should be less than 1/8 of headphone input impedance, then shouldn’t I hear a difference with the 10 ohm M8 output?



Maybe in my own lingo it could simply be thought of as clear authority. I’m always looking for that variation. But.......there is of course IEMs and headphones which can be at the edge of having enough authority. To me they need every sliver to become optimal. The k701 does not really have much intrinsic authority......coming off midrange centric, light fast and airy. I remember the HD800 being that way, and the Noble Audio Encore IEM is that way. With all that the mentioned three do right.....I’ve always felt the three needed a firm low end to somehow center the sound. Not using EQ to gain bass, but finding the right amp and source. That’s why folks always talk about getting the right amp for the HD800. The HD800 is a very transparent and revealing headphone. Strangely the k701 is also tuned close to the HD800, and they both came out close to the same time k701-2006 HD800-2009. Both are controversial and not for everyone, though can be brought closer to what one wants with correct amplification. With those being midcentric, strangely there are also positive results for bass heavy headphones too. Something like the Fostex line.....the Denon AHD7000 will parallel much of the MDR-Z1R personality from more amplifier power. The AHD7000 is noted for having a murky lower area of limited detail. But get the headphone more juice and all of it clears up. Again another headphone that can be both full-size, authoritative and run off a phone way loud, but fails to reach it’s true potential being underpowered.


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> Great for the Sony N3, the MDR-Z1R and mind blowing with the IER-Z1R. The tone is fast, articulate and airy. The soundstage is the biggest yet from the players. Though it’s a little like 3.00 as it takes the much needed lows from the relatively neutral 1A, making it thin, but with a cool detailed soundstage. Not for bass lovers. Though along with the 1Z......firmware 3.02 is a magical experience making the lows imaged well, defined and fast. MDR Z1R, N3 and other slightly foggy lows get upgraded into previously unknown territory! With some headphones which needed bass truncation the bass becomes something not just refined but bass that shows all it’s complete  personality. Each song can have a completely different style of bass sound, as the tone is not just low but completely revealed for it’s character. IMO


So you think for those iems its better 3.02 in 1A>? right?


----------



## Mindstorms

HairOhWin Blast said:


> I would at the very least try 3.01, that firmware on the WM1A sounds like the Sony TA AMP, it works for every IEM I currently have., and works very well.
> The 3.02 is an absolute no go for me, if it was the default software, I doubt I would have bought the player.
> In short, what I mean to say is, try them out for yourself, switching back on forth on a PC is very easy.


can you specify what you hated? please


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-ier-z1r-new-flagship.886120/page-336#post-15158233
> 
> 
> It’s a big improvement being that the bass was curtailed in. Now the 1Z and MDR combo has a cool defined bass character. Though take note the combo (while maybe better) is not a joining I use that much as I use IEMs more.
> ...


Agree


----------



## 518013

Midnstorms said:


> can you specify what you hated? please


very little bass, vocals were pushed forward, and female vocals sounded high pitched.
Overall it sounded like bad DSP. 
Stage might have been a bit wider, but everything sounded heady if that makes any sense. 
I really missed the 3.01 bass and presentation.


----------



## Quadfather

Well, I ordered what I thought was a red case, and it turns out it matches my bright orange headphone case. LOL. TOOL time!


----------



## Redcarmoose

All of a sudden numerous threads talking of synergy. People having headphones and thinking of selling them.....then getting a new amp and the headphones now are well regarded. Maybe this has always been the talk of Head-fi? But it’s whole systems not just amps or headphones or firmware. Complete synergy in the end. IMO


----------



## Redcarmoose

Midnstorms said:


> So you think for those iems its better 3.02 in 1A>? right?





Midnstorms said:


> Agree



Sorry if that was confusing. Actually I’m primarily concentrating on the 3.02 update with the 1Z. There is a special sound with the update and 1Z. Didn’t really like the update with the 1A anyway you look at it.


----------



## aceedburn

I actually love the new soundstage width of the 3.02 update on my WM1A.  I don’t hear any harshness on treble that everyone is talking about and I feel sub bass has more impact. Only effects I have turned on is vinyl Processor set to standard and dsee hx set to standard as well. The vocals are more forward now and positioning and 3D imaging has also improved.


----------



## Sp12er3

Anyone with 1A/1Z plan to make this a reality in their home?





Caution, its probably priced a bit high up in speaker price hierarchy.


----------



## Redcarmoose

USB-C!


----------



## raymogi

Sp12er3 said:


> Anyone with 1A/1Z plan to make this a reality in their home?
> 
> 
> 
> ...




This will complete my desk nicely


----------



## Sp12er3

Then prepare to fork up €7000


----------



## gerelmx1986

HairOhWin Blast said:


> very little bass, vocals were pushed forward, and female vocals sounded high pitched.
> Overall it sounded like bad DSP.
> Stage might have been a bit wider, but everything sounded heady if that makes any sense.
> I really missed the 3.01 bass and presentation.


all what you say made me switch back to 3.01


----------



## gerelmx1986

Boo, the new walkmans are android os rather than sony walkman os.
Keeping my trustworthy wm1A until they release newer wm series with no android


----------



## 518013

gerelmx1986 said:


> all what you say made me switch back to 3.01


Sorry, didn't mean to dissuade anyone from the new Firmware, but that is how I was hearing the new update


----------



## Sp12er3 (Sep 6, 2019)

They probably will... Or they may just keep producing ZX300, and 1A and 1Z for people that doesn't want android.
Sony likes to keep production of older models when they offer different options. The nice thing is brand new they'd usually then come down in price when a clear successor came to the market.


----------



## gerelmx1986

HairOhWin Blast said:


> Sorry, didn't mean to dissuade anyone from the new Firmware, but that is how I was hearing the new update


Y a I heard it also and didnt.like ot, found the same.observations as you


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 6, 2019)

HairOhWin Blast said:


> very little bass, vocals were pushed forward, and female vocals sounded high pitched.
> Overall it sounded like bad DSP.
> Stage might have been a bit wider, but everything sounded heady if that makes any sense.
> I really missed the 3.01 bass and presentation.


100% agree dough its interesting i wish sony googled sensaura for a change... and add at least a bass rumble slider


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> Sorry if that was confusing. Actually I’m primarily concentrating on the 3.02 update with the 1Z. There is a special sound with the update and 1Z. Didn’t really like the update with the 1A anyway you look at it.


I didnt love for 1A but Its better than 3.00


----------



## Mindstorms

aceedburn said:


> I actually love the new soundstage width of the 3.02 update on my WM1A.  I don’t hear any harshness on treble that everyone is talking about and I feel sub bass has more impact. Only effects I have turned on is vinyl Processor set to standard and dsee hx set to standard as well. The vocals are more forward now and positioning and 3D imaging has also improved.


Wich iem you have? are you runing balanced? do you come from 3.01? thanks for the FB


----------



## kingdixon

I tried 3.02 for only like 10 mins, didnt give it a very detailed listening, but i noticed lack of musicality against 3.01, felt the vocals a tad bit warmer on 3.01 and more musical, not sure if it was placebo, but i enjoyed 3.01 more.

I might give it another try later.


----------



## aceedburn

Midnstorms said:


> Wich iem you have? are you runing balanced? do you come from 3.01? thanks for the FB


Yes I upgraded from 3.01. Using XBA-Z5 with kimber kable on balanced 4.4mm.


----------



## Mindstorms

kingdixon said:


> I tried 3.02 for only like 10 mins, didnt give it a very detailed listening, but i noticed lack of musicality against 3.01, felt the vocals a tad bit warmer on 3.01 and more musical, not sure if it was placebo, but i enjoyed 3.01 more.
> 
> I might give it another try later.


Vocals are diferent i agree they felt like boosted on 1khz area wich gives that bass centric feeling it reminds me of 1.2


----------



## aceedburn

I changed the dsee hx to strings and vinyl Processor to surface noise and I swear I’m getting a much warmer sound, probably even warmer than 3.01. Try it guys. I noticed that everyone who is commenting on the negative changes of 3.02 did not state their eq and sound effect settings or if direct mode is on. Those changes make a very significant change to the listening experience. I too was only using direct mode on for a long time since I had the 1A, but I noticed the vinyl Processor especially adds a warmth that I really like and tones down any harshness if there is. My eq is always flat and I never use Phase Linearizer and dynamic nomaliser. 

Maybe someone could try the settings i mentioned above and see if there’s a significant change in sound after updating to 3.02.


----------



## meomap

Sp12er3 said:


> Anyone with 1A/1Z plan to make this a reality in their home?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You meant like this ?


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 6, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Y a I heard it also and didnt.like ot, found the same.observations as you


Great to see im not crazy for me it sounded veiled, bass was shifted to midbass and 3D was weird like a mix betweet 5.1 room and 3D cues not my liking also I found the Effects wasent as defined as 3.01 but maybe some day if im tired of 3.01 its a nice change ... hope 3.03 hits the nails with better clarity perfect 3D cues and acurate gain i found the low gain to high for my tastes 3.01 is perfect in that regard


----------



## Mindstorms

meomap said:


> You meant like this ?


what is this? looks TOL


----------



## Mindstorms

aceedburn said:


> I changed the dsee hx to strings and vinyl Processor to surface noise and I swear I’m getting a much warmer sound, probably even warmer than 3.01. Try it guys. I noticed that everyone who is commenting on the negative changes of 3.02 did not state their eq and sound effect settings or if direct mode is on. Those changes make a very significant change to the listening experience. I too was only using direct mode on for a long time since I had the 1A, but I noticed the vinyl Processor especially adds a warmth that I really like and tones down any harshness if there is. My eq is always flat and I never use Phase Linearizer and dynamic nomaliser.
> 
> Maybe someone could try the settings i mentioned above and see if there’s a significant change in sound after updating to 3.02.


I heard Vinil Procesor diferences too i stated effects are diferent... so i guess 3.03 will be the best if they fix this


----------



## Whitigir

meomap said:


> You meant like this ?


Yepe! Why not real speakers....er....er....er......

I always got “errors” when I think about that question vs SA-Z1 LOL!


Midnstorms said:


> what is this? looks TOL


MagnePan , the Planar Speakers


----------



## Whitigir (Sep 6, 2019)

Oops , wrong thread


----------



## Deftone

I feel like an idiot, where is the left right channel balance?


----------



## nc8000

Deftone said:


> I feel like an idiot, where is the left right channel balance?



Under Output settings


----------



## Deftone

nc8000 said:


> Under Output settings



Thank you


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Sep 6, 2019)

I find the treble a little to bright with 1z and ier. Did this update reduced the treble a bit?
It’s a whole new world now?






Redcarmoose said:


> My ideas were correct. I’m pretty sure this 3.02 is sonically tuned to unify the 1Z and IER-Z1R. The two are now fully together?
> 
> 
> Edit: The 1Z is totally amazing now!


----------



## AlexCBSN

aceedburn said:


> I changed the dsee hx to strings and vinyl Processor to surface noise and I swear I’m getting a much warmer sound, probably even warmer than 3.01. Try it guys. I noticed that everyone who is commenting on the negative changes of 3.02 did not state their eq and sound effect settings or if direct mode is on. Those changes make a very significant change to the listening experience. I too was only using direct mode on for a long time since I had the 1A, but I noticed the vinyl Processor especially adds a warmth that I really like and tones down any harshness if there is. My eq is always flat and I never use Phase Linearizer and dynamic nomaliser.
> 
> Maybe someone could try the settings i mentioned above and see if there’s a significant change in sound after updating to 3.02.


Mmmm only thing i don’t like about that is the dsee, surface noise actually added some warm, still, i found this update really good, love the soundstage with the aten, this and the balance 7 went from already sounding MASSIVE in soundstage to even wider, both of em excel at bass so no big problem, haven’t checked with razor sharp treble like Lz a6 or dm6, but i think i can make a massive low on the 4K area and done, i love that the Sony EQ feels a bit analogue in a way


----------



## LegionWolf

So I had to comb thru music to ensure only good stuff got onto z1 

Now the question. What’s best way to transfer playlist to z1? 

I’ve been using Sony software on PC to transfer  

Have used soundiiz but no format seemed right for Sony ...


----------



## Sp12er3 (Sep 6, 2019)

meomap said:


> You meant like this ?


Kinda a bit different really, as the SA-Z1 only used the Walkman port there, so, much simpler, and take up smaller place~ it's in their marketing, that its easy to plug into already owned source as it has its own FPGA architecture

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/speakers/sa-z1/specifications



Whitigir said:


> Yepe! Why not real speakers....er....er....er......
> 
> I always got “errors” when I think about that question vs SA-Z1 LOL!
> 
> MagnePan , the Planar Speakers


I don't think they can tie it up to the Walkmans and DMP-Z1 as easy when it's, you know, a floorstanding speaker, which has their sweet spot meters away from the speakers.
But yeah many has their own dedicated setups to love already


----------



## Vitaly2017

I saw this cool video small review on the new cassette walkman


----------



## Mindstorms

*has someone tryed BGVP DMG? with wm1a thankls in advance*


----------



## Deftone

normie610 said:


> Seems that I’m the only one who cannot hear the difference with the new 3.02 FW



Sony does not appear to make any statements on re tuning the sound signature for every update only features and UI improvements. It makes more sense to me that if they believed that had improved the sound would they not make a fuss about it?


----------



## nc8000

Deftone said:


> Sony does not appear to make any statements on re tuning the sound signature for every update only features and UI improvements. It makes more sense to me that if they believed that had improved the sound would they not make a fuss about it?



I recal iBasso saying that the sound changes in new fw versions for their daps where not intentional but simply side effects


----------



## Mindstorms

Deftone said:


> Sony does not appear to make any statements on re tuning the sound signature for every update only features and UI improvements. It makes more sense to me that if they believed that had improved the sound would they not make a fuss about it?


You like better 3.01 or 3.02 i wish we could vote lol


----------



## mosika

Does AVLS (Volume Limit) effect sound quality?


----------



## aceedburn

mosika said:


> Does AVLS (Volume Limit) effect sound quality?


It doens’t effect the sound signature but it quiets down louder tracks and normalizes the volume. The thing is it makes some normal volume songs sound even softer and therefore i didn’t like using it.


----------



## Mindstorms

mosika said:


> Does AVLS (Volume Limit) effect sound quality?


It will affect the dinamic range.. since you will have less volume the driver wont get to its full range so you will get less diference between peaks and subtle notes, as a result of less volume for me it will affect sound quality only in that regard, if you refer to the clarity it wont be afected.. it may help your hearing dough!


----------



## simon740 (Sep 7, 2019)

Does wm1a have line output? 
I'm thinking of using wm1a as a sound source.
Instead of my diy linux player and topping d30.

regards,
Simon


----------



## Viszla

Yes, I have drive 1A with a small Desktop Speakers over SE Output!


----------



## flyer1

Midnstorms said:


> You like better 3.01 or 3.02 i wish we could vote lol



It's all about synergy.


----------



## krayzie

Vitaly2017 said:


> I saw this cool video small review on the new cassette walkman




Ah the classic Pingu Walkman.


----------



## gerelmx1986

simon740 said:


> Does wm1a have line output?
> I'm thinking of using wm1a as a sound source.
> Instead of my diy linux player and topping d30.
> 
> ...


no it doesn't  have line out. You must use other SE pr 4.4 balanced at high volume.


----------



## simon740

gerelmx1986 said:


> no it doesn't  have line out. You must use other SE pr 4.4 balanced at high volume.


 hmm....so this mean double amplifiering?


----------



## nc8000

simon740 said:


> hmm....so this mean double amplifiering?



Yes it does but Sony claims that their amplification is so clean that it doesn’t matter. WMport used to have analoug out but that has been dropped for years


----------



## nc8000

mosika said:


> Does AVLS (Volume Limit) effect sound quality?



Not as such and will be most usefull if you use playlists where you want equal volume on all songs. I normally play a full album in its intended order and as such AVLS will destroy any difference in volume the artist have intended, especially with a lot of classical music


----------



## simon740

nc8000 said:


> Yes it does but Sony claims that their amplification is so clean that it doesn’t matter. WMport used to have analoug out but that has been dropped for years



Hmm..thank you.


----------



## Deftone

Midnstorms said:


> You like better 3.01 or 3.02 i wish we could vote lol



They sound identical to me and I know my 660S very well.


----------



## phonomat (Sep 8, 2019)

Sp12er3 said:


> Anyone with 1A/1Z plan to make this a reality in their home?
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I would have if they released it a year ago. In the meantime, I bought a pair of Genelec 8331's that I'm very happy with. Would be curious how they compare though. Knowing Sony, however, I imagine it won't be easy to test drive these babies anywhere.




Deftone said:


> Sony does not appear to make any statements on re tuning the sound signature for every update only features and UI improvements. It makes more sense to me that if they believed that had improved the sound would they not make a fuss about it?



Well, I'd say that any audio manufacturer would have quite a problem if their firmware updates affected how their products sound in any way. Which is precisely why I remain extremely sceptical towards all those claims of sound changes btw. firmwares.
Furthermore, I'm quite mystified as to how you would approach such a comparison. Audio memory is way too short to last even as long as a simple firmware update. The only way to be remotely sure would be to have two devices of the same type with different firmwares at hand at one given time and switch between them on the fly, preferably in double blind conditions. Has anyone tried that?


----------



## Down4wotever

With all due respect, and perhaps speaking from an iem experience, every single firmware has indeed altered the sound signature. Just this eve, after sticking with 3.02 for 24hrs and not feeling it, I reverted first to 1.20 and yes, big big sound but sound-stage not as wide,plus of course you lose goodies like DAC. Then on to 3.01 and happy again. I'm using WMZ1,Westone ES80 with Oriveti affinity cable.[/QUOTE]


----------



## meomap

Down4wotever said:


> With all due respect, and perhaps speaking from an iem experience, every single firmware has indeed altered the sound signature. Just this eve, after sticking with 3.02 for 24hrs and not feeling it, I reverted first to 1.20 and yes, big big sound but sound-stage not as wide,plus of course you lose goodies like DAC. Then on to 3.01 and happy again. I'm using WMZ1,Westone ES80 with Oriveti affinity cable.


[/QUOTE]
Sounds like fw 3.01 for me in near future.
Still on 1.20 and still loving it.
Not letting go yet because it sounds so good with 1Z and Khan.


----------



## Tanjiro

Updated to 3.02 but didn't like it.  Too much mid bass and treble is a bit weird sometimes.  The sound signature of 3.02 is so un-natural to me.  Switched right back to 3.01 and I am happy again now.


----------



## LegionWolf

So I’m curious before purchasing - has anyone tested 1TB micro SD card?


----------



## Lookout57

LegionWolf said:


> So I’m curious before purchasing - has anyone tested 1TB micro SD card?


I'm using the Sandisk 1TB card in my WM-1A and WM-1Z with no problems.


----------



## Deftone

phonomat said:


> I would have if they released it a year ago. In the meantime, I bought a pair of Genelec 8331's that I'm very happy with. Would be curious how they compare though. Knowing Sony, however, I imagine it won't be easy to test drive these babies anywhere.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You make a good point, have there been 2 walkmans of the same model but using different firmware compared side by side ? The engineers built the walkmans with a specific sound in mind, if that got changed on every firmware update I don't they'd be too pleased at all.


----------



## cukis350

LegionWolf said:


> So I’m curious before purchasing - has anyone tested 1TB micro SD card?


I got a sandisk 1TB during prime day and it works really well with the Sony DAP. Highly recommended if you can get it at a low price. I got it for less than $350.


----------



## 518013

Deftone said:


> You make a good point, have there been 2 walkmans of the same model but using different firmware compared side by side ? The engineers built the walkmans with a specific sound in mind, if that got changed on every firmware update I don't they'd be too pleased at all.


Yes. I have compared them side by side, different firmware. They sound very different, it's not a placebo effect by any means.


----------



## LegionWolf (Sep 7, 2019)

Lookout57 said:


> I'm using the Sandisk 1TB card in my WM-1A and WM-1Z with no problems.





cukis350 said:


> I got a sandisk 1TB during prime day and it works really well with the Sony DAP. Highly recommended if you can get it at a low price. I got it for less than $350.



Thanks much for confirmation -  any issues moving it  between daps? Least at first just between Sony DMP-z1 And NW-WMZ1 - would hope non issue


----------



## Lookout57

LegionWolf said:


> Thanks much for confirmation -  any issues moving it  between daps? Least at first just between Sony DMP-z1 And NW-WMZ1 - would hope non issue


There shouldn't be if they both use the directory structure.

I ended up buying (2) on Prime Day to have one in WM-1A and the WM-1Z.


----------



## phonomat

HairOhWin Blast said:


> Yes. I have compared them side by side, different firmware. They sound very different, it's not a placebo effect by any means.



I remain doubtful, especially about the "very different" part. That would be no less than a disaster for Sony, assumig that they actually care about sound and consistency. I don't really see them continually tweaking the sound, and neither can I imagine that any software changes would necessarily change the sound signature, but what do I know, I'm not an electronics engineer. What I do know is that I have gone through every single firmware update so far, and my unit has always been sounding just the same to me, but of course that could mean that I'm just insensitive to those changes or not listening critically enough or that my audio memory does simply not permit me to observe them or all of those ...
In any case, I suspect we have very different definitions of "very different". I try to keep an open mind, however, and it would certainly be interesting to try and compare two units myself, but it's unlikely that I'll get the chance anytime soon ...


----------



## 518013 (Sep 8, 2019)

phonomat said:


> I remain doubtful, especially about the "very different" part. That would be no less than a disaster for Sony, assumig that they actually care about sound and consistency. I don't really see them continually tweaking the sound, and neither can I imagine that any software changes would necessarily change the sound signature, but what do I know, I'm not an electronics engineer. What I do know is that I have gone through every single firmware update so far, and my unit has always been sounding just the same to me, but of course that could mean that I'm just insensitive to those changes or not listening critically enough or that my audio memory does simply not permit me to observe them or all of those ...
> In any case, I suspect we have very different definitions of "very different". I try to keep an open mind, however, and it would certainly be interesting to try and compare two units myself, but it's unlikely that I'll get the chance anytime soon ...


I respect your point of view.
Having said that, by very different I mean firmware 3.02 would be a no buy for me, whereas firmware 3.01 to my ears is one of the best digital audio players on the market.
The difference between 3.0 and 3.01 is a bit less dramatic, but substantial none the less.

add: All the firmware are unique in their tuning, and I am sure I would be able to pick them out in a double blind test pretty easily. I don't think I am saying anything that most people on this thread don't already know.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The mistake Sony engineers did is using ng the same FW code for the 1A and .Z, they could have just forked or.made two coding branches si they release a FW with the sound characteristic for the Z and the other dule for the A sound characteristics , having a common main branch for the comma n features like USB DAC and so on (no changes in SQ).

Changing the cassette tape: will sony change to USB type C , stop selling the WM-Port cable? I had one from my ZX100 lasted me.like 4 years before breaking, fortunately had the brand new cable from my wm1A


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hahaha I am probably the only one crazzy here LOL.

For me with the new FW update the single ended connection sounds better then the balanced now , WHAAATT.

Yes you heard it right, I found that in balanced it sounds like its overboosted. The treble region get slightly to harshy bright. I dont know. but in SE its normaly sounding every sound signature gets plaisible and smoothered even furthermore!

Yea and since the se is not as powerfull I now I use highgain and volume at around 80 to 100.  1z + z1r


----------



## nc8000

HairOhWin Blast said:


> I respect your point of view.
> Having said that, by very different I mean firmware 3.02 would be a no buy for me, whereas firmware 3.01 to my ears is one of the best digital audio players on the market.
> The difference between 3.0 and 3.01 is a bit less dramatic, but substantial none the less.
> 
> add: All the firmware are unique in their tuning, and I am sure I would be able to pick them out in a double blind test pretty easily. I don't think I am saying anything that most people on this thread don't already know.



Given the time that it takes to perform the update I have not noticed any difference between any of the different fw. Might be a different story being able to directly swap between 2 units


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 8, 2019)

phonomat said:


> I would have if they released it a year ago. In the meantime, I bought a pair of Genelec 8331's that I'm very happy with. Would be curious how they compare though. Knowing Sony, however, I imagine it won't be easy to test drive these babies anywhere.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


the sound changes no matter what you think i can hear it clearly i went back 60 times between FW from first to last it is imposible not to notice it...


----------



## Mindstorms

Sounds like fw 3.01 for me in near future.
Still on 1.20 and still loving it.
Not letting go yet because it sounds so good with 1Z and Khan.[/QUOTE]
Go 3.01 and stay there lol 1.20 its good but not as good as 3.01


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 8, 2019)

moneypls said:


> Updated to 3.02 but didn't like it.  Too much mid bass and treble is a bit weird sometimes.  The sound signature of 3.02 is so un-natural to me.  Switched right back to 3.01 and I am happy again now.


100% agree on this treblle sounds unisteresting as bass... stage sounds overdoned like a bad DSP for a moment i though i was on the year 1994 and listening to my old AIWA NSX 550G lol


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 8, 2019)

phonomat said:


> I remain doubtful, especially about the "very different" part. That would be no less than a disaster for Sony, assumig that they actually care about sound and consistency. I don't really see them continually tweaking the sound, and neither can I imagine that any software changes would necessarily change the sound signature, but what do I know, I'm not an electronics engineer. What I do know is that I have gone through every single firmware update so far, and my unit has always been sounding just the same to me, but of course that could mean that I'm just insensitive to those changes or not listening critically enough or that my audio memory does simply not permit me to observe them or all of those ...
> In any case, I suspect we have very different definitions of "very different". I try to keep an open mind, however, and it would certainly be interesting to try and compare two units myself, but it's unlikely that I'll get the chance anytime soon ...


If you think that when they added vinyl procesor the sound didnt change... even after adding one more chain effect... then they must have miscalculated sound since the begining leaving room from fw 1.1 and after so when in the year 2018 they add a special vinyl procesor the sound will be TOL and remain balanced they where also guided by Kyle Reese and leaded to that ideas by doctor Emmett Brown and they no longer will name sony after 2019 their new name will be SKYNET and they are secretly working in a flying delorean that they cant show us.. get the idea?


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hahaha I am probably the only one crazzy here LOL.
> 
> For me with the new FW update the single ended connection sounds better then the balanced now , WHAAATT.
> 
> ...


Pardon but if you read my post i also hear the overboost on SE and for me 3.01 remains audio Heaven


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> Pardon but if you read my post i also hear the overboost on SE and for me 3.01 remains audio Heaven




I said the balanced is overboosted not the SE, I actually find the se connection very desirable and agreeably to listen vs balanced weird.  Maybe 1z is not a real balanced its not grounded and that just used to boost the signal and results in harmonic distortions I dont know.


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> I said the balanced is overboosted not the SE, I actually find the se connection very desirable and agreeably to listen vs balanced weird.  Maybe 1z is not a real balanced its not grounded and that just used to boost the signal and results in harmonic distortions I dont know.


I dunno how it works on 1Z nor balanced I cxan only Hear 1A SE and I hear overboosted o the point its not dinamic like 3.01


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> I dunno how it works on 1Z nor balanced I cxan only Hear 1A SE and I hear overboosted o the point its not dinamic like 3.01



Did you tried the 4.4 connection?

I did not compare 3.01 vs 3.02 but I ussualy like the 4.4 and now I prefer the 3.5 go figure lol


----------



## Mindstorms

some people are stating that if you do A B between firmwares its nice but never risk your gear if its not necesary i  love the sound of my WM1A I still in persuit of decent IEMS dough I tried 4.4 only in firm 1.2 and only with headphones not IEMS


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> some people are stating that if you do A B between firmwares its nice but never risk your gear if its not necesary i  love the sound of my WM1A I still in persuit of decent IEMS dough I tried 4.4 only in firm 1.2 and only with headphones not IEMS




I have 2 iems and I did try my 1z with hd800s.

Headphones will be fine in 4.4 but the 3.5 is to low in power output for that so it wont be very loud. 


though I love my ier-z1r and phantoms    I used to rave on my empire ears phantoms for a year now the ier-z1r won the throne. !!!


----------



## pietcux

Vitaly2017 said:


> I have 2 iems and I did try my 1z with hd800s.
> 
> Headphones will be fine in 4.4 but the 3.5 is to low in power output for that so it wont be very loud.
> 
> ...


The DAP has two completely separate headphone amps built in. One for 3.5 mm and a balanced one for 4.4mm connection. Each requires 200 hours of burn in time to start to really shine. They share zero components. So maybe, depending on your usage the 3.5 mm is more mature than the 4.4 mm amp.


----------



## lesale08

Midnstorms said:


> some people are stating that if you do A B between firmwares its nice but never risk your gear if its not necesary i  love the sound of my WM1A I still in persuit of decent IEMS dough I tried 4.4 only in firm 1.2 and only with headphones not IEMS


There are a lot of chifi iems lately that are getting a lot of praise. The fearless audio line up for one though I have not tried them personally but would like to.


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> I said the balanced is overboosted not the SE, I actually find the se connection very desirable and agreeably to listen vs balanced weird.  Maybe 1z is not a real balanced its not grounded and that just used to boost the signal and results in harmonic distortions I dont know.



It’s real balanced. Balanced for headphoned is seperate + and - wires to each driver and does not use grounding


----------



## Redcarmoose

pietcux said:


> The DAP has two completely separate headphone amps built in. One for 3.5 mm and a balanced one for 4.4mm connection. Each requires 200 hours of burn in time to start to really shine. They share zero components. So maybe, depending on your usage the 3.5 mm is more mature than the 4.4 mm amp.



And of course different cable manufacturers for 4.4mm and 3.5mm could make a difference?


----------



## gerelmx1986

pietcux said:


> The DAP has two completely separate headphone amps built in. One for 3.5 mm and a balanced one for 4.4mm connection. Each requires 200 hours of burn in time to start to really shine. They share zero components. So maybe, depending on your usage the 3.5 mm is more mature than the 4.4 mm amp.


have you thought of joining the IER-Z1R club?



Redcarmoose said:


> And of course different cable manufacturers for 4.4mm and 3.5mm could make a difference?


I think the 1Z has that kimber on the 4.4 side


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 9, 2019)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidp...rise-feature-is-a-scene-stealer/#176e2a342da2


----------



## Redcarmoose

https://www.google.co.id/amp/s/www....ony-releases-40th-anniversary-walkman-at-ifa/


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidp...rise-feature-is-a-scene-stealer/#176e2a342da2



Love that tape spools moving like a real cassette. Perfect to fool any burglar thinking is an old device


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> Love that tape spools moving like a real cassette. Perfect to fool any burglar thinking is an old device



https://www.google.co.id/amp/s/www....-brotman-walkman-0207-20110207-story,amp.html


----------



## nc8000 (Sep 9, 2019)

Have been playing a lot with the various sound effects the last week (not eq) on my 1Z and have come to the conclusion that the, to me at least, very minor changes to the sound they produce are simply not worth bothering with given the quite severe extra drain on the battery, I go from to around 20 hours to closer to 10 hours per charge using the effects


----------



## Mindstorms

lesale08 said:


> There are a lot of chifi iems lately that are getting a lot of praise. The fearless audio line up for one though I have not tried them personally but would like to.


how about BGVP DMG or tfz N3? thanks for your reply


----------



## lesale08

Midnstorms said:


> how about BGVP DMG or tfz N3? thanks for your reply


Haven't tried them as well sorry but they are more locally available from where I live than the fearless audio and also heard lots of good feedback.

I hope I could try them all soon.


----------



## Mindstorms

thanks friend


----------



## Peter Ruby

nc8000 said:


> Have been playing a lot with the various sound effects the last week (not eq) on my 1Z and have come to the conclusion that the, to me at least, very minor changes to the sound they produce they are simply not worth bothering with given the quite severe extra drain on the battery, I go from to around 20 hours to closer to 10 hours per charge using the effects



I couldn’t agree more. There are very few songs where I can tell a difference, but not nearly enough to warrant a 50% increase in battery consumption. 

So what I’ve been doing lately is leaving all of the features off, the EQ flat and direct sound off. I’m amazed at how much longer my battery lasts. I was down to 25% or less every night, and now I can go nearly 2 days before needing a charge.


----------



## Mindstorms

I like the effects but they drain a lot of battery i allways have some on


----------



## lesale08

I too noticed that the battery drains fast when I ticked any of the sound enhancements. So I just turned them all off. Still pretty much satisfied with the sound I am hearing with my warmish iems.


----------



## Mindstorms

lesale08 said:


> I too noticed that the battery drains fast when I ticked any of the sound enhancements. So I just turned them all off. Still pretty much satisfied with the sound I am hearing with my warmish iems.


wich FW? balanced right?


----------



## auronthas

simon740 said:


> Does wm1a have line output?
> I'm thinking of using wm1a as a sound source.
> Instead of my diy linux player and topping d30.
> 
> ...


No Line output. For analog source, can use 3.5mm headphone jack to RCA

For digital, can use its USB DAC feature via USB-OTG (WMport) to USB B, coaxial or toslink ; for wireless, bluetooth .


----------



## lesale08

Midnstorms said:


> wich FW? balanced right?


Currently on 3.01 and yes using balanced mostly lately.


----------



## simon740

auronthas said:


> No Line output. For analog source, can use 3.5mm headphone jack to RCA
> 
> For digital, can use its USB DAC feature via USB-OTG (WMport) to USB B, coaxial or toslink ; for wireless, bluetooth .


Thank you. But 3.5mm headphone jack to rca...this is not the best option.
Never mind. Thank you for info.

regards,
Simon


----------



## nc8000

simon740 said:


> Thank you. But 3.5mm headphone jack to rca...this is not the best option.
> Never mind. Thank you for info.
> 
> regards,
> Simon



Well it’s the only option (or 4.4 to xlr input). The signal is really clean so you don’t really get any bad effect from the double amping


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> Well it’s the only option (or 4.4 to xlr input). The signal is really clean so you don’t really get any bad effect from the double amping


Yes indeed. Using 3.5mm to rca output to my magni 3. Nice clean sound and no clipping whatsoever. Tested and verified with 1khz sweep test.


----------



## simon740

nc8000 said:


> Well it’s the only option (or 4.4 to xlr input). *The signal is really clean so you don’t really get any bad effect from the double amping*



Hmm....this is interesting. 
I cant deside between WM1A and Cayin N6ii.
And for me is very important line out, because I need something for my integrated amp.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 10, 2019)

simon740 said:


> Hmm....this is interesting.
> I cant deside between WM1A and Cayin N6ii.
> And for me is very important line out, because I need something for my integrated amp.


I also used 3.5mm to RCA , no problem very clean signal.  Only on certain remasterings like Mozart piano sonatas with Christoph Offenbach on DG and if.you put high gain . 120/120 and.max the volume of the.amp you heard a hiss also with Beethoven piano sonatas set with Vladimir Ashkenazi on Decca/London this hissing happens BUT I REPEAT. YOU MUST CRANK THE VOLUME.OF.BOTH WM1A (H gain vol. 120) AND.IN THE INTEGRATED AMP TO MAX to hear it sure.you'll kill your hearing ar such volumes. On more.modern recordings like.phillips Mozart is dition or.DSD and hi-res flac I didnt heard.any hiss at all.

Update I us d a Fisher audio system from the early 90s


----------



## simon740

gerelmx1986 said:


> I also used 3.5mm to RCA , no problem very clean signal.  Only on certain remasterings like Mozart piano sonatas with Christoph Offenbach on DG and if.you put high gain . 120/120 and.max the volume of the.amp you heard a hiss also with Beethoven piano sonatas set with Vladimir Ashkenazi on Decca/London this hissing happens BUT I REPEAT. YOU MUST CRANK THE VOLUME.OF.BOTH WM1A (H gain vol. 120) AND.IN THE INTEGRATED AMP TO MAX to hear it sure.you'll kill your hearing ar such volumes. On more.modern recordings like.phillips Mozart is dition or.DSD and hi-res flac I didnt heard.any hiss at all.
> 
> Update I us d a Fisher audio system from the early 90s


Thank you for this info. 
Like I said...I wanna use WM1A like source. To replace my diy Linux player and topping d30. 
So in the day use it in my speaker system and in the night for headphones


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 10, 2019)

simon740 said:


> Thank you for this info.
> Like I said...I wanna use WM1A like source. To replace my diy Linux player and topping d30.
> So in the day use it in my speaker system and in the night for headphones


 the Fisher audio setup is from my best friend in hamburg, he told.me he for.it when the currency still was the Deutsche Mark.

In contrast my husband has a dogy surround with cheap speakers,  and for changing sources he uses a DJ mix console with sliders for each channel.  I tried my wm1A  also RCA to 3.5mm with PCM is fine, but dare to play any DSD album and you dont need to crank volume loud, so normal listening.levels and it hisses like a really pissed off cobra snake


----------



## simon740

gerelmx1986 said:


> the Fisher audio setup is from my best friend in hamburg, he told.me he for.it when the currency still was the Deutsche Mark.
> 
> In contrast my husband has a dogy surround with cheap speakers,  and for changing sources he uses a DJ mix console with sliders for each channel.  I tried my wm1A  also RCA to 3.5mm with PCM is fine, but dare to play any DSD album and you dont need to crank volume loud, so normal listening.levels and it hisses like a really pissed off cobra snake



I have a UR Simply Italy


----------



## gerelmx1986

simon740 said:


> I have a UR Simply Italy


 maybe the DJ console from my hubby has a short or another defect I have no knowledge of. Tried various DSDs from bought ones to self-ripped SACDs from 2.8 MHz to 11.2MGz and in all cases it hisses. With PCM  tried all from CD tips, 16 and 24bit from 44.1 to 192KHz and it plays fine. Odd, that's why I spent 200€ to travel to Hamburg and visit my friend to test this on gos fisher Nd all fine on the fisher setup clean marvelous SQ


----------



## simon740

gerelmx1986 said:


> maybe the DJ console from my hubby has a short or another defect I have no knowledge of. Tried various DSDs from bought ones to self-ripped SACDs from 2.8 MHz to 11.2MGz and in all cases it hisses. With PCM  tried all from CD tips, 16 and 24bit from 44.1 to 192KHz and it plays fine. Odd, that's why I spent 200€ to travel to Hamburg and visit my friend to test this on gos fisher Nd all fine on the fisher setup clean marvelous SQ


Really appreciate for that info’s.

Thank you

Simon


----------



## gerelmx1986

Seems like the new android walkmans dont have USB DAC

Keeping wm1A for this reason


----------



## Vitaly2017

pietcux said:


> The DAP has two completely separate headphone amps built in. One for 3.5 mm and a balanced one for 4.4mm connection. Each requires 200 hours of burn in time to start to really shine. They share zero components. So maybe, depending on your usage the 3.5 mm is more mature than the 4.4 mm amp.




I was using my 1z mainly in 4.4 for over 6 months now  so be reassured its over past its 200 h burn in 
On the other side the 3.5 was never used, and now I tried it with new FW and I like it more. That makes me think why ?


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Seems like the new android walkmans dont have USB DAC
> 
> Keeping wm1A for this reason



No nor BT receiver. Sony decided those features were not needed with native streaming supported


----------



## lesale08

nc8000 said:


> No nor BT receiver. Sony decided those features were not needed with native streaming supported


I can only think that these new walkmans may have the poorest battery life among all sony daps and even compared to their very old mp3 players.


----------



## nc8000

lesale08 said:


> I can only think that these new walkmans may have the poorest battery life among all sony daps and even compared to their very old mp3 players.



That would be my guess as well


----------



## simon740

lesale08 said:


> I can only think that these new walkmans may have the poorest battery life among all sony daps and even compared to their very old mp3 players.


Like ali android daps. Android drein battery very fast.


----------



## ttt123

lesale08 said:


> I can only think that these new walkmans may have the poorest battery life among all sony daps and even compared to their very old mp3 players.


It actually looks pretty good, according to the specs.  It looks like the DAC/AMP accounts for much of the battery usage, and not the Android OS.  The S-Master is the difference between the ZX500 and other Android DAPs
https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/walkman/nw-zx500-series/specifications 

BATTERY LIFE - CONTINUOUS PLAYBACK MUSIC
MP3 (128kbps) / Stereo mini-jack: 20 hours,MP3 (128kbps) / Balanced standard-jack: 19 hours,AAC (256kbps) / Stereo mini-jack: 20 hours,AAC (256kbps) / Balanced standard-jack: 19 hours, FLAC (192kHz / 24bit) / Stereo mini-jack: 16 hours,FLAC (192kHz / 24bit) / Balanced standard-jack: 15 hours,DSD (2.8224MHz / 1bit) / Stereo mini-jack: 10 hours,DSD (2.8224MHz / 1bit) / Balanced standard-jack: 9 hours
CHARGING TIME (FULL CHARGE)
Approx. 6.5 hrs


----------



## Vitaly2017

Its just weird because bluetooth dac and usb dac where added via software update to 1a and 1z.
So what was the big deal with zx500 not having this option. What if I need these features hmmm? Even if it drains battery duh!


On other hand I am very happy to see sony going to android cause lot of people use streaming services and I do it 99% of the time. So this zx500 is exactly what I always wanted to have.

Big question any one knows if spotify/tidal can work with offline diwnloaded content?


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Its just weird because bluetooth dac and usb dac where added via software update to 1a and 1z.
> So what was the big deal with zx500 not having this option. What if I need these features hmmm? Even if it drains battery duh!
> 
> 
> ...



Sony decided that with support for native streaming usb dac and BT receiver are not needed. I would expect offline contents should work but until the products are released and somebody try it out we won’t know


----------



## bflat

Vitaly2017 said:


> Its just weird because bluetooth dac and usb dac where added via software update to 1a and 1z.
> So what was the big deal with zx500 not having this option. What if I need these features hmmm? Even if it drains battery duh!
> 
> 
> ...



Assuming you always have your phone with you, BT receive mode on current Sony DAPs give you full streaming capability, especially if you have LDAC. In my case I subscribe to Apple Music so the AAC receive mode gives me full resolution streaming from my iPhone since AAC is native to Apple Music. Personally, I don't see a scenario where I only have my DAP with me but no phone.


----------



## Vitaly2017

bflat said:


> Assuming you always have your phone with you, BT receive mode on current Sony DAPs give you full streaming capability, especially if you have LDAC. In my case I subscribe to Apple Music so the AAC receive mode gives me full resolution streaming from my iPhone since AAC is native to Apple Music. Personally, I don't see a scenario where I only have my DAP with me but no phone.




I dont know if src affects Bluetooth dac feature. Or if it is really full res without any up or down sample.
But my 1z sounds 5% better in usb dac mode and it shows 48khz rate no matter what


----------



## ruthieandjohn

Speaking of processing that drains battery...

How do you find the DSEE-HX to be?  Does it seem to improve sounds?  In what instance (it says it is intended to improve for lower-bit-rate songs, e.g., below CD rates).


----------



## bflat

Vitaly2017 said:


> I dont know if src affects Bluetooth dac feature. Or if it is really full res without any up or down sample.
> But my 1z sounds 5% better in usb dac mode and it shows 48khz rate no matter what



If you see the fixed sample rate for 48 kHz, then your source is upsampling prior to sending to your 1z so it is not bit perfect. However, if that sounds better to you, then go for it.


----------



## Vitaly2017

ruthieandjohn said:


> Speaking of processing that drains battery...
> 
> How do you find the DSEE-HX to be?  Does it seem to improve sounds?  In what instance (it says it is intended to improve for lower-bit-rate songs, e.g., below CD rates).




I dont like that features its always off for me.

All it does is add fake notes in the upper treble region.

As a result, its to bright and zings way to much to my liking. It sounds unatural. 

Id say it might be good headphones who lacks the sparkles okey. But not iems and specialy my z1r,s


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> Assuming you always have your phone with you, BT receive mode on current Sony DAPs give you full streaming capability, especially if you have LDAC. In my case I subscribe to Apple Music so the AAC receive mode gives me full resolution streaming from my iPhone since AAC is native to Apple Music. Personally, I don't see a scenario where I only have my DAP with me but no phone.



Actually no. The Apple Music files are decoded, then mixed with other sounds from your phone and then again encoded to aac before being send over BT so you get a double encoding of the original music


----------



## bflat

nc8000 said:


> Actually no. The Apple Music files are decoded, then mixed with other sounds from your phone and then again encoded to aac before being send over BT so you get a double encoding of the original music



That's interesting. Where did you get that info? My understanding is an AAC encoded file/stream should transmit via Bluetooth AAC codec unaltered.


----------



## nc8000 (Sep 11, 2019)

bflat said:


> That's interesting. Where did you get that info? My understanding is an AAC encoded file/stream should transmit via Bluetooth AAC codec unaltered.



It has to work that way in order to mix in other sounds from your phone like in game sounds if you play a game at the same time as music, notifications and so on. There is nothing like Windows kernel mode where one proccocess can gain exclusive control over the sound path. Now whether this is actually audible/noticable is another matter


----------



## bflat

nc8000 said:


> It has to work that way in order to mix in other sounds from your phone like in game sounds if you play a game at the same time as music, notifications and so on. There is nothing like Windows kernel mode where one proccocess can gain exclusive control over the sound path. Now whether this is actually audible/noticable is another matter



I have never heard more than one sound source on my iPhone. When I get a ring, playback is temporarily suspended. When I open an app, the music stream stops immediately unless I disable sound in the app. Lastly, even if I could play sound from multiple sources that can easily be done via hardware MUX. Since sound frequency is only 20 kHz, a MUX can play multiple separate streams, but make it appear as one blended sound. Same concept as network switch. Absolutely no need to convert AAC to PCM, then remix everything to PCM, then recode to AAC.  If this is how Apple implemented their digital audio, I would be shocked because it would be unnecessary CPU cycles. I am purely speculating here since I don't know how Apple implemented their hardware.


----------



## nc8000 (Sep 11, 2019)

bflat said:


> I have never heard more than one sound source on my iPhone. When I get a ring, playback is temporarily suspended. When I open an app, the music stream stops immediately unless I disable sound in the app. Lastly, even if I could play sound from multiple sources that can easily be done via hardware MUX. Since sound frequency is only 20 kHz, a MUX can play multiple separate streams, but make it appear as one blended sound. Same concept as network switch. Absolutely no need to convert AAC to PCM, then remix everything to PCM, then recode to AAC.  If this is how Apple implemented their digital audio, I would be shocked because it would be unnecessary CPU cycles. I am purely speculating here since I don't know how Apple implemented their hardware.



When I play music and at the same time WordFeud the game sounds appear in my headphones whitout pausing the music. The same for the call ringer and sms notification sound so it has to work as I describe unless multiple channels can be mixed in the aac domain as only one sound stream is send over the bt connection so it has to contain all sounds. Also if playing mp3, flac or other music it needs to be converted before being send over the bt connection

This link describes the re encoding
https://www.google.dk/amp/s/www.sou...-guide-to-bluetooth-headphones-aac-20296/amp/


----------



## bflat

nc8000 said:


> When I play music and at the same time WordFeud the game sounds appear in my headphones whitout pausing the music. The same for the call ringer and sms notification sound so it has to work as I describe unless multiple channels can be mixed in the aac domain as only one sound stream is send over the bt connection so it has to contain all sounds. Also if playing mp3, flac or other music it needs to be converted before being send over the bt connection



I am only talking about AAC to AAC. Any other native format as you said needs to be transcoded to AAC. Since we are both speculating on how iOS multiplexes sound files, there are only 2 ways it can be done - digital or analog. Again speculating, but analog would be the least likely scenario as that would require another decoding/encoding step. If we assume it's digital, then why would Apple complicate the data multiplexing by blowing up the AAC file to PCM when there is zero possibility of creating lost bits, hence lossy compression. It would be far easier and less CPU cycles to muliplex the AAC files. Any sound file that is not AAC will get converted to AAC prior to multiplexing. At least that's my logic and I can't tell the difference in sound wired or over BT for AAC. The only difference is major video lag when I used DAC mode on my 1z versus BT receive mode.


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> I am only talking about AAC to AAC. Any other native format as you said needs to be transcoded to AAC. Since we are both speculating on how iOS multiplexes sound files, there are only 2 ways it can be done - digital or analog. Again speculating, but analog would be the least likely scenario as that would require another decoding/encoding step. If we assume it's digital, then why would Apple complicate the data multiplexing by blowing up the AAC file to PCM when there is zero possibility of creating lost bits, hence lossy compression. It would be far easier and less CPU cycles to muliplex the AAC files. Any sound file that is not AAC will get converted to AAC prior to multiplexing. At least that's my logic and I can't tell the difference in sound wired or over BT for AAC. The only difference is major video lag when I used DAC mode on my 1z versus BT receive mode.



I don’t see any reason why Apple would implement one method to handle aac files (and at that only aac files of the same data rate as that used by the bt connection) and a different method to handle any other kind of sound but I don’t “know” what they do and google has not been able to dig it up for me


----------



## szore

Has anyone ever compared the 1a to the A&K SE-100?


----------



## jamca

giovvanie said:


> Yeah i will place order for balanced cable , if i did damage on balanced output should have no sound or some kind distortions ? , what could happen there in worse scenario ? Sound still went through headphones yet .


 I have the same issue exactly. I have too much hum and poping sounds. I have also ordered a fully balanced cable. I also dont think that it is so easy destroyed...it should give no sound at all...


----------



## szore

I know it';s out there, but does anyone know how to revert 3.03 to 3.02 firmware?


----------



## nc8000

szore said:


> I know it';s out there, but does anyone know how to revert 3.03 to 3.02 firmware?



Just run the 3.02 installer


----------



## szore

nc8000 said:


> Just run the 3.02 installer


I meant 3.01, 3.02 is installed, someone told me 3.01 is better, but I have it now, thank you


----------



## nc8000

szore said:


> I meant 3.01, 3.02 is installed, someone told me 3.01 is better, but I have it now, thank you



A number of us, I included, had random crashes with 3.01


----------



## szore

nc8000 said:


> A number of us, I included, had random crashes with 3.01


OK, thanks for the info


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> A number of us, I included, had random crashes with 3.01




Wait what ? Didn't  they just released 3.02???


----------



## szore

Someone told me 3.1 is better


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Wait what ? Didn't  they just released 3.02???



A few weeks ago


----------



## nc8000

szore said:


> Someone told me 3.1 is better



There is no 3.1, the latest is 3.02


----------



## nc8000

szore said:


> OK, thanks for the info



Sorry, it’s 3.0 that crashes, 3.01 is fine


----------



## proedros

yeah 3.01 plays fine , zero crashes reported


----------



## blazinblazin

szore said:


> Has anyone ever compared the 1a to the A&K SE-100?


Sound wise very similar to 1A with firmware 3.02.


----------



## flyer1

szore said:


> Someone told me 3.1 is better



Very dependent on equipment used I would say. I get a clear improvement on 3.02 with my WM1Z and balanced hd660s.

Try all of the fw's!


----------



## lesale08

Couldn’t discern any major differences between 3.02 and 3.01 but right now, getting lazy to revert back to the latest firmware so I am currently at 3.01.


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


>


Decided to invert tips  and I like the IER-M7 silicone tips on the IER-Z1R,  and the IER-Z1R silicone tips on the IER-M7. I feel the M7 tips have more grip and friction in my ears than the IER-Z1R tips


----------



## szore

nc8000 said:


> There is no 3.1, the latest is 3.02


Woops, meant 3.01


----------



## fiascogarcia (Sep 13, 2019)

I've been using and have been happy with the final E series tips, but decided to try the new Spiral Dots (though I wasn't happy with the original Spiral Dots on Z1R).  I would recommend trying these out, as they fit better, and maintain great dynamics and soundstage of the Z1R.  Bass seems a bit more taut and refined as well.  Crazy expensive to buy if you're in the States, but they're keepers for my iems. IMO.  Using with the WM1Z and 3.01 firmware.


----------



## szore

fiascogarcia said:


> I've been using and have been happy with the final E series tips, but decided to try the new Spiral Dots (though I wasn't happy with the original Spiral Dots on Z1R).  I would recommend trying these out, as they fit better, and maintain great dynamics and soundstage of the Z1R.  Bass seems a bit more taut and refined as well.  Crazy expensive to buy if you're in the States, but they're keepers for my iems. IMO.  Using with the WM1Z and 3.01 firmware.


Why do you say crazy expensive? $15 for 6 pair... 1/2 the price of comply foams...


----------



## szore

OK so I just got the 1a yesterday, i keep reading about the spectrum analyzer and analogue level meter screens, but I cannot find them anywhere.... Just curious to see them, any help would be appreciated...


----------



## nc8000

szore said:


> OK so I just got the 1a yesterday, i keep reading about the spectrum analyzer and analogue level meter screens, but I cannot find them anywhere.... Just curious to see them, any help would be appreciated...



When playing a song press the toolbox icon while in the playing screen and under Change playback screen


----------



## szore

nc8000 said:


> When playing a song press the toolbox icon while in the playing screen and under Change playback screen


Cooolll...


----------



## fiascogarcia

szore said:


> Why do you say crazy expensive? $15 for 6 pair... 1/2 the price of comply foams...


Hah, they were $30 US from a Japanese vendor on Ebay! LOL  I'd love a link to find these at the price you found.  Thanks!


----------



## bflat

szore said:


> Why do you say crazy expensive? $15 for 6 pair... 1/2 the price of comply foams...



With careful maintenance, silicon ear tips will last a couple years at least. Comply foam needs to be replaced every few months depending on how often you use it. Foam is the most expensive option over the long term.


----------



## szore

bflat said:


> With careful maintenance, silicon ear tips will last a couple years at least. Comply foam needs to be replaced every few months depending on how often you use it. Foam is the most expensive option over the long term.


Sure, but most silicones go for about $15, and that's for 3 pair, so it's not crazy expensive. Not giving you a hard time just making conversation. Plus the spiral dots are by far the best I have used...


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hi folks did anyone tried the oriolus BA300S with 1z?

Can you highlight some feedback please.  
How did you like it?


----------



## szore

The hours timer in settings, does that reset when the player is reset, or is it absolute?


----------



## Lookout57

The hours only gets reset when doing a factory reset.


----------



## szore

Lookout57 said:


> The hours only gets reset when doing a factory reset.


Thanks.


----------



## Hanafuda

Hey guys! Still out here enjoying the hell outta my 1A. Dropped by to read impressions on 3.02, didn't even know it was out until tonight. I was very happy with 3.01 when it came out and lovin' it ever since. Looks like those with the ear for 3.01 who have tried 3.02 don't like it. I'ma stay put on FW 3.01. My head-fi membership pays off once again LOL.


----------



## szore

Hanafuda said:


> Hey guys! Still out here enjoying the hell outta my 1A. Dropped by to read impressions on 3.02, didn't even know it was out until tonight. I was very happy with 3.01 when it came out and lovin' it ever since. Looks like those with the ear for 3.01 who have tried 3.02 don't like it. I'ma stay put on FW 3.01. My head-fi membership pays off once again LOL.


I got my 1A yesterday and my mentor advised me to keep 3.01...


----------



## Redcarmoose

fiascogarcia said:


> I've been using and have been happy with the final E series tips, but decided to try the new Spiral Dots (though I wasn't happy with the original Spiral Dots on Z1R).  I would recommend trying these out, as they fit better, and maintain great dynamics and soundstage of the Z1R.  Bass seems a bit more taut and refined as well.  Crazy expensive to buy if you're in the States, but they're keepers for my iems. IMO.  Using with the WM1Z and 3.01 firmware.



Did you try the 3.02 and 1Z/IER-Z1R combination?


----------



## fiascogarcia

Redcarmoose said:


> Did you try the 3.02 and 1Z/IER-Z1R combination?


I did, and found the 3.02 to brighten the treble a bit too much for my liking.  Also, the lower mids and bass just didn't seem to have the dynamic presence that I feel with 3.01.  That was the aspect, particularly, that I couldn't seem to capture with 3.02, even with EQ.  I really did find a noticeable difference, and I'm sure 1Z owners will be split on their preferences between the two depending on their personal taste.  IMO.


----------



## LegionWolf

So I did things little backwards. Got  DMP-z1 but then wanted more portable so got wm1z. Which it great don’t get me wrong. But doesn’t push iems or headphone as much. 

Have some chores or I’d of tested already. But curious if anyone else used their WM with pha-2a (or pha 1/2/3) to boost? Is this just dumb?

And I know ... major first world problem...


----------



## nc8000

LegionWolf said:


> So I did things little backwards. Got  DMP-z1 but then wanted more portable so got wm1z. Which it great don’t get me wrong. But doesn’t push iems or headphone as much.
> 
> Have some chores or I’d of tested already. But curious if anyone else used their WM with pha-2a (or pha 1/2/3) to boost? Is this just dumb?
> 
> And I know ... major first world problem...



I assume your 1Z is not an EU volume capped and that you use high gain ?
What are you driving that you feel need more power ?


----------



## ruthieandjohn

LegionWolf said:


> So I did things little backwards. Got  DMP-z1 but then wanted more portable so got wm1z. Which it great don’t get me wrong. But doesn’t push iems or headphone as much.
> 
> Have some chores or I’d of tested already. But curious if anyone else used their WM with pha-2a (or pha 1/2/3) to boost? Is this just dumb?
> 
> And I know ... major first world problem...


Not dumb at all... unlike most manufacturers of DAPs, Sony does not give either an output power or impedance of its 1Z.  I don't know whether the PHA (1/2/3) is more powerful than the 1Z or not.

I am most interested in any difference between the DMP-1Z and the NW-WM1Z and the PHA-3 (or others, but the -3 is balanced) in terms of sound and power.  Is the PHA-3 with a digital transport better than the DMP-1Z?  Than the NW-WM1Z?


----------



## nc8000 (Sep 14, 2019)

ruthieandjohn said:


> Not dumb at all... unlike most manufacturers of DAPs, Sony does not give either an output power or impedance of its 1Z.  I don't know whether the PHA (1/2/3) is more powerful than the 1Z or not.
> 
> I am most interested in any difference between the DMP-1Z and the NW-WM1Z and the PHA-3 (or others, but the -3 is balanced) in terms of sound and power.  Is the PHA-3 with a digital transport better than the DMP-1Z?  Than the NW-WM1Z?



Power output of 1A and 1Z is specified as

Output Power(JEITA 16Ω/mW) : Balanced standard-jack: 250mW+250mW , Stereo mini-jack: 60mW+60mW

The designers say they don’t find output impedance of importance so don’t specify it


----------



## LegionWolf (Sep 14, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> I assume your 1Z is not an EU volume capped and that you use high gain ?
> What are you driving that you feel need more power ?



Feel dumb. Didn’t even think about gain. And it doesn’t NEED it, but driving z1rs somewhat lower than on z1  — just need like 10% more.  

Will hit head against wall then turn high gain on.  Thanks


Will also try to test the differences of players—but can pretty much tell you now the DMP-z1 sound better than pha-2a (which I heard from owner of pha 3 is 2a better than 3) or wm1z  
Pretty hard to beat something with its size / components / thought put into.  But Will try and listen to differences and report back.


----------



## lesale08

LegionWolf said:


> Feel dumb. Didn’t even think about gain. And it doesn’t NEED it, but driving z1rs somewhat lower than on z1  — just need like 10% more.
> 
> Will hit head against wall then turn high gain on.  Thanks
> 
> ...


At the price of the dmp I would expect it to be better than the pha amps of sony.


----------



## LegionWolf

nc8000 said:


> I assume your 1Z is not an EU volume capped and that you use high gain ?
> What are you driving that you feel need more power ?




Ohhhhh ya 

High gain makes mdr and ier z1rs sing!!


----------



## ruthieandjohn

My big question is how PHA-3 (or 2 or 1 or a...) plus digital transport compare to NW-WM1Z.


----------



## LegionWolf (Sep 14, 2019)

Wm1z wins for sure (was just testing around since I was dumb and didn’t turn high gain on)

Per $ better is up to your wallet and ear

But with high gain I only missed the z1 soundstage/ presence (hard to put finger on yet) a little. But not volume like before


----------



## Pablovi

Hi, I’m new to DAP’s and I’m in the market for one, and I’m looking into this Walkman. 

Can you use it a a digital transport, I mean playing music through it to an external DAC? And the from the DAC to an amplifier? 

Can you use it as a Bluetooth receiver and stream Tidal to it? 

Thanks in advanced.


----------



## LegionWolf

Pablovi said:


> Hi, I’m new to DAP’s and I’m in the market for one, and I’m looking into this Walkman.
> 
> Can you use it a a digital transport, I mean playing music through it to an external DAC? And the from the DAC to an amplifier?
> 
> ...



Has usb dac and can stream to it via Bluetooth yes


----------



## Pablovi

LegionWolf said:


> Has usb dac and can stream to it via Bluetooth yes



Thanks, but the USB DAC is for it to function as a DAC, I want the other way around, for it to function as a digital transport and connect it to an external DAC. Is this possible?


----------



## jaker782

Pablovi said:


> Thanks, but the USB DAC is for it to function as a DAC, I want the other way around, for it to function as a digital transport and connect it to an external DAC. Is this possible?



Yes, it does act as a transport, but you need a Sony WMC-NW10 cable.


----------



## Pablovi

jaker782 said:


> Yes, it does act as a transport, but you need a Sony WMC-NW10 cable.


Thanks!


----------



## Pablovi

jaker782 said:


> Yes, it does act as a transport, but you need a Sony WMC-NW10 cable.



Does that cable outputs USB A? So I need a USB A DAC? Thanks again!


----------



## Vitaly2017

LegionWolf said:


> So I did things little backwards. Got  DMP-z1 but then wanted more portable so got wm1z. Which it great don’t get me wrong. But doesn’t push iems or headphone as much.
> 
> Have some chores or I’d of tested already. But curious if anyone else used their WM with pha-2a (or pha 1/2/3) to boost? Is this just dumb?
> 
> And I know ... major first world problem...






Can you share more comparison between dmp and 1z ) please.

What does the z1r prefer dmp or 1z?

Try playing with direct source to me it sounds the best. All these software intrusions they add artifacts and cracks. I don't like it...

I got 1z and ier-z1r.  And looking to get maybe the oriolus ba300s or maybe wa8.  To pair with 1z to get even more warmth and tubish lushness


----------



## Redcarmoose

LegionWolf said:


> Wm1z wins for sure (was just testing around since I was dumb and didn’t turn high gain on)
> 
> Per $ better is up to your wallet and ear
> 
> But with high gain I only missed the z1 soundstage/ presence (hard to put finger on yet) a little. But not volume like before



High gain IS the ticket with the IER-Z1R. Also I’m betting money your 1Z did not come with the latest firmware. While many here are really into firmware update 3.01......I found the new 3.02 update to take the 1Z to an amazing new level. Pretty much the best I’ve heard.


----------



## Pablovi

Sorry, another question before I buy it...

Is it worth it to buy it if you’re only using IEM’s? And budget ones? I have Tin Hifi T3, Tin Hifi P1 and KZ AS10. All of them with unbalanced cables. 
That’s my other question, is a balanced cable a most? Or one can live with the unbalanced 3.5 port. Specially with those IEM’s, will I hear any difference?

Thanks again.


----------



## lesale08

The benefits of the balanced port can only be determined by you. But many here have favored the balanced output than the single ended.


----------



## gerelmx1986

LegionWolf said:


> Wm1z wins for sure (was just testing around since I was dumb and didn’t turn high gain on)
> 
> Per $ better is up to your wallet and ear
> 
> But with high gain I only missed the z1 soundstage/ presence (hard to put finger on yet) a little. But not volume like before


there is a tube.portable amp called oriolus BA300S I think. It has 4.4mm input and 4.4mm output jacks


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> there is a tube.portable amp called oriolus BA300S I think. It has 4.4mm input and 4.4mm output jacks



The BA300S is not super powerful, it's more about adding flavouring than driving power.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

nanaholic said:


> The BA300S is not super powerful, it's more about adding flavouring than driving power.


It adds 3 db.


----------



## captblaze

MrLocoLuciano said:


> It adds 3 db.



I can reduce my volume 6 - 10 clicks (depending on the track) when I have the BA300S inline... not a massive boost, but a boost no less


----------



## Vitaly2017

How is it with ba300s? Does it sound good?

Wonder how warm and tubey it gets with it added...


----------



## captblaze

Very little if any (to my ears) difference in sound. I use it to allow some of my more stubborn gear to play nice with the 1A


----------



## Vitaly2017

captblaze said:


> Very little if any (to my ears) difference in sound. I use it to allow some of my more stubborn gear to play nice with the 1A




Hmm strange cause lot of people claim a good feedback. 

More warmth and tube sound. Some say its slightly low mid and high mid forward...
And pairs nicely with sonys daps.
And the balance output is really cool. Making your sound tubey and balanced hmmm.


I had this idea to with BA300S or woo audio  wa8...


----------



## Nostoi

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hmm strange cause lot of people claim a good feedback.
> 
> More warmth and tube sound. Some say its slightly low mid and high mid forward...
> And pairs nicely with sonys daps.
> ...


I have the WM1A and BA300S combo - there's definitely a notable difference in sound with the BA300s. Everything has more impact and clarity. Tubey and balanced, indeed. I tend not to use it with IEMs, but with my LCD2C and Campfire Cascade, it's a super pairing. I'd recommend it. Plus, although it's warm, it does not detract from the signature of the WM1A. Give it a whirl if you get a chance.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Nostoi said:


> I have the WM1A and BA300S combo - there's definitely a notable difference in sound with the BA300s. Everything has more impact and clarity. Tubey and balanced, indeed. I tend not to use it with IEMs, but with my LCD2C and Campfire Cascade, it's a super pairing. I'd recommend it. Plus, although it's warm, it does not detract from the signature of the WM1A. Give it a whirl if you get a chance.




Thanks thats good exactly what I presuming.

How about treble does get even smoother or slightly reduced?

I plan going 1z + ba300s + ier-z1r that in balanced should be a killer setup frankly and its portable!


----------



## Pablovi

I just order the NW-Wm1A, it gets here on Wednesday. 

Does anyone knows of a budget 4.4mm blanched cable MMCX? And one for the KZ AS10?

Thanks!


----------



## LegionWolf

Pablovi said:


> I just order the NW-Wm1A, it gets here on Wednesday.
> 
> Does anyone knows of a budget 4.4mm blanched cable MMCX? And one for the KZ AS10?
> 
> Thanks!



For 4.4mm mmcx 
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MUC-M12SB1-SONY-Headphone-cable/dp/B01M3TK66F


----------



## Pablovi

LegionWolf said:


> For 4.4mm mmcx
> https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MUC-M12SB1-SONY-Headphone-cable/dp/B01M3TK66F


Thank you, but that’s not Budget, that’s almost half of what the DAP cost me.


----------



## LegionWolf

Pablovi said:


> Thank you, but that’s not Budget, that’s almost half of what the DAP cost me.



Half a 

Was it run over by a semi or 3?


----------



## Pablovi (Sep 15, 2019)

LegionWolf said:


> Half a
> 
> Was it run over by a semi or 3?



No, it’s brand new. The official price here is $700 USD, but you can find it cheaper in some places, I got it for $640 USD.


----------



## kubig123 (Sep 15, 2019)

Pablovi said:


> Thank you, but that’s not Budget, that’s almost half of what the DAP cost me.


Check Effect Audio, they just introduced the vogue line, the copper cable start at $99 and the overall quality is better than the Sony one.


----------



## Pablovi

kubig123 said:


> Check Effect Audio, they just introduce the vogue line, the copper cable start at $99 and the overall quality is better than the Sony one.


Thanks! I’ll have a look.


----------



## Pablovi (Sep 16, 2019)

Already bought the cables, thanks!

Another question, I want to use it as a digital transport, should I invest in the Dock and connect it via USB to a regular DAC, or should I buy a wireless DAC that accepts LDAC Bluetooth? Does such a thing even exists?

Thanks again.


----------



## simon740

Pablovi said:


> No, it’s brand new. The official price here is $700 USD, but you can find it cheaper in some places, I got it for $640 USD.


wauuu..this is crazy good price. In EU the price is 1200€.

regards,
Simon


----------



## gerelmx1986

Pablovi said:


> Already bought the cables, thanks!
> 
> Another question, I want to use it as a digital transport, should I invest in the Dock and connect it via USB to a regular DAC, or should I buy a wireless DAC that accepts LDAC Bluetooth? Does such a thing even exists?
> 
> Thanks again.


For digital transporte.you need the Sony cable WMC-NWH10

here a mexican conational from monterrey , living in Germany.

For the wm1A  you should get better headphones/iem


----------



## gerelmx1986

LegionWolf said:


> Half a
> 
> Was it run over by a semi or 3?


LOL even better was it.landed on by an A380 ?


----------



## Pablovi

gerelmx1986 said:


> For digital transporte.you need the Sony cable WMC-NWH10
> 
> here a mexican conational from monterrey , living in Germany.
> 
> For the wm1A  you should get better headphones/iem



Gracias!

I really don’t have the money or the will to spend that much on headphones/iem. I like what I have, it’s the best I can and I’m willing to afford. 

Maybe this player isn’t for me, but I want to see how one of the best sound like. I love music, I’m just not much into gear. I haven’t spend anything on audio gear in 9 years, and even back then in 2010, when I bought my house system it was a budget one, I have one of the cheapest Rotel pre and amp separate combos(RC-06, RB-06), my CD player and music server is an Olive 03HD, which was the cheapest at that time(1,000 USD) and have the second cheapest B&W speakers, the 685. My most expensive gear is my turntable Music Hall MMF-5.1 SE around 1,500 Euros 9 years ago, because I love vinyl. 

 I got the itch to buy a DAP, because I resurrected my old Minidisc, and I love it! I find the SQ sufficient, but it’s hard carrying 20 discs around, so I needed something that could hold my whole music collection, and wanted something clearly better than my iPhone 8 Plus with Tidal hifi subscription. 

Thanks again, and thanks everyone that has helped me.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Pablovi said:


> Gracias!
> 
> I really don’t have the money or the will to spend that much on headphones/iem. I like what I have, it’s the best I can and I’m willing to afford.
> 
> ...


indeed is a very good player, love my wm, have had it for the past three years. It made me get more DSD music and SACDs.

About thr WMC-NWH10 Cable it may be a bit hard to find one outside Asian market and it will drain battery fast, that's what I have heard I havent tried it yet.


----------



## nc8000

Pablovi said:


> Gracias!
> 
> I really don’t have the money or the will to spend that much on headphones/iem. I like what I have, it’s the best I can and I’m willing to afford.
> 
> ...



Glad you like what you have but it seems very off balance to me to spend $800 on a player and at least $100 on a balanced cable for a $79 iem however good it might be at it’s price. But since I have not tried them I can’t really judge them


----------



## Pablovi

nc8000 said:


> Glad you like what you have but it seems very off balance to me to spend $800 on a player and at least $100 on a balanced cable for a $79 iem however good it might be at it’s price. But since I have not tried them I can’t really judge them



Thanks, I’ve spent $640 on the player, $170 on the IEM (Tin Hifi P1) and les than $100 on the cable. I’m gonna first listen to how that sounds, and then decide if I’ll spend more on another IEM or Headphone.


----------



## Nostoi

Vitaly2017 said:


> Thanks thats good exactly what I presuming.
> 
> How about treble does get even smoother or slightly reduced?
> 
> I plan going 1z + ba300s + ier-z1r that in balanced should be a killer setup frankly and its portable!


Treble is slightly smoother, yes. I find the WM1A already a very balanced sounding amp; the BA300s just enhances clarity and definition, improves soundstage, etc. I was listening last night with the Campfire Cascades with the cloth pads - superb combo. I'm sure it'll go marvellously with the Z1R's. Let me know what you think.


----------



## nc8000

Pablovi said:


> Thanks, I’ve spent $640 on the player, $170 on the IEM (Tin Hifi P1) and les than $100 on the cable. I’m gonna first listen to how that sounds, and then decide if I’ll spend more on another IEM or Headphone.



Ah, I thought you wrote you had KZ AS10


----------



## Pablovi

nc8000 said:


> Ah, I thought you wrote you had KZ AS10



I have the Tin Hifi P1, Tin Hifi T3 and indeed the KZ AS10.


----------



## proedros

Pablovi said:


> Thanks, I’ve spent $640 on the player, *$170 on the IEM (Tin Hifi P1) and les than $100 on the cable.* I’m gonna first listen to how that sounds, and then decide if I’ll spend more on another IEM or Headphone.




keep this post archived ,come back in 2-3 years and let us now where you stand then


----------



## Nostoi

Pablovi said:


> I have the Tin Hifi P1, Tin Hifi T3 and indeed the KZ AS10.


The WM1A scales very well. Not to add to the chorus, but investing in an high-end pair of IEMs will really make the WM1A shine. I had the these at one point before I upgraded and they paired excellently with the WM1A.  They come with a 4.4mm cable. You have to remember the WM1A on SE mode is not terribly powerful - balanced is a must.


----------



## lazner

Pablovi said:


> I just order the NW-Wm1A, it gets here on Wednesday.


Congrats! Truly a ticket to hires audio... Apparently it’s just a beginning of a much bigger spending to some...


----------



## Pablovi

Nostoi said:


> The WM1A scales very well. Not to add to the chorus, but investing in an high-end pair of IEMs will really make the WM1A shine. I had the these at one point before I upgraded and they paired excellently with the WM1A.  They come with a 4.4mm cable. You have to remember the WM1A on SE mode is not terribly powerful - balanced is a must.



Thanks! I’ll have a look, but right now I’m out of money. So eventually I will buy some better IEMs. Thanks again.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hey folks today was a big day for me I finally managed to audition hugo2 and do a a/b with my wm1z!

Well I did audition the hugo for probably 2 hours, while I was quiet happy and amazed by its performance I still prefer my 1z.
Hugo2 is very dynamic and punchy, it has strong sound and it can get pretty loud fast 

2 main differences I spotted right away was the bass and treble. The bass was very strong and big slamy, I quiet frankly didn't expect it to hit so hard since everyone claim chord to be transparent and reference. And honestly 1z bass is way more elaborated and on a better detail retrieval as well.
to sum it 1z bass is elegant more realistic and feels with a longer decay and deeper bounce, hugo2 was pretty much like a big jammer it bang the bass and yes there where some details but it kinda hitted to hard to my taste, some what reminded me the EE LX ;p

The treble,  Hmm treble is also very neet on hugo2 but I found it to be louder and higher then in 1z so for me that part didn't play well cause my main goal was to reduce treble. But honestly I found hugo2 and 1z to be on par on treble almost the same just louder on hugo2...
I find 1z to be a tad smoother maybe because it had a little less dynamic in the sound?


Overall the 1z is the big winner!!! This has been the second time I give hugo2 a big chance and no it didn't won my heart and soul, glad lot of people enjoying it but it isn't my taste of sound.

1z is very smooth gentle natural and organic, it's almost like it's soaking your ears in silky waves of music lol. 1z has a fine musical texture, a  sound that I struggled to hear in hugo2. That texture was like a warm analog refinement it easy and pleasant.  Sony did an amazing dap and I now know that I am lucky to own  a superb legendary gold Walkman with a sound to drive my soul into the bliss.


The store had this hugo2 used 4 months for sale at 2300$ cad and I still didn't buy it, cause at end I knew I love sony more. The salesman was quiet surprised he was almost definitely sure that he had a sale LOL



My next audition is woo audio wa8 and wa11 but no idea when that will hapend, there is no stores in montreal for woo audio 
Also whant to audition the oriolus ba300s.


So now I know I love sony sound even more, I still whant to bring the refinement to a new lvl and have this 2 combos in mind wm1z+wa11 or wm1z+oriolus?  What you guys think?



@Nostoi


----------



## Pablovi

lazner said:


> Congrats! Truly a ticket to hires audio... Apparently it’s just a beginning of a much bigger spending to some...


Thanks! Yeah, it seems the spending never ends. But I’ll take my time and listen how it sound with what I have first.


----------



## walker.777

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hey folks today was a big day for me I finally managed to audition hugo2 and do a a/b with my wm1z!
> 
> Well I did audition the hugo for probably 2 hours, while I was quiet happy and amazed by its performance I still prefer my 1z.
> Hugo2 is very dynamic and punchy, it has strong sound and it can get pretty loud fast
> ...


oh man, you've just saved me around 2000USD! that's comparison i've been looking for long time! i pretty much have same tastes...could you give some thoughts about soundstage and separation comparisons beetween Hugo2 and WM1Z??


----------



## szore

My new wm1a refuses to pair Bluetooth with my Fiio BTR3, any ideas?


----------



## szore

ezekiel77 said:


> I've just received the FiiO BTR3 Bluetooth receiver, and curiously, this is the maximum distance allowed between the two before the signal goes bad and the sound distorts.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


My 1a won't recognize my BTR3...


----------



## Vitaly2017

walker.777 said:


> oh man, you've just saved me around 2000USD! that's comparison i've been looking for long time! i pretty much have same tastes...could you give some thoughts about soundstage and separation comparisons beetween Hugo2 and WM1Z??





Well I think it really depends down the line how you intend to use hugo2,  it is definitely a winner if you have very hard headphones to drive like planars or 300 ohm stuff.  I can tell you that hugo2 sounded amazing out of wm1z lmao. It made the sound like a hybrid between 1z and hugo2, was really good.

but wm1z on it self is also very refined just with less power.  So I'd say 1z for regular headphones from 8 to 150 ohm is awsome, over that hugo2 can do a better job with power feed.

Soundstage wise I'd say both are very stellar, no problems on this segment neather of them.

Maybe separation goes to hugo2 it was very very precise things happens very quickly with chord, it was easy to hear instruments and they where quiet loud and right here close to me.
1z separation is more analog like, you can sens distance, 3d directional projection of instruments some notes are louder others less... In 1z and ier-z1r sound kinda changes according the recording so it was kinda in a distance while hugo2 seems very neer you... 
In hugo2 everything was loud and very dynamic I felt it overpowered my ier-z1r and it made it sound uneven slightly. Too much bass and treble where more prominent to. No matter what filters I tried on hugo2 it never really made any big difference very very subtle around 2 % to 5%.

I have note as well that in my use with hugo2 made too much noise from interference, I dont know why but I had some weird squiiwerk crack like from right channel. It was like a Bluetooth noise somewhat, and hence I was in usb mode on hugo2 ! wifi off and Bluetooth off !
Overall I find hugo2 to sensitive to its environment and easily catches any distortion, I guess it hates cellphones lmao
I had tried it with samsung s9, and my 1z have 0 issue and cracks nether pops nothing when used in bluetooth of usb dac mode. 

1z only issue is to low power output a better amp section is greatly improving sound in my opinion.


----------



## hireslover

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hey folks today was a big day for me I finally managed to audition hugo2 and do a a/b with my wm1z!
> 
> Well I did audition the hugo for probably 2 hours, while I was quiet happy and amazed by its performance I still prefer my 1z.
> Hugo2 is very dynamic and punchy, it has strong sound and it can get pretty loud fast
> ...


What firmware do you have running on the 1Z if you don't mind me asking?


----------



## Vitaly2017

hireslover said:


> What firmware do you have running on the 1Z if you don't mind me asking?




The latest 3.02 and no I dont hear differences in Firmwares they are quiet the same in my opinion.


----------



## meomap

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hey folks today was a big day for me I finally managed to audition hugo2 and do a a/b with my wm1z!
> 
> Well I did audition the hugo for probably 2 hours, while I was quiet happy and amazed by its performance I still prefer my 1z.
> Hugo2 is very dynamic and punchy, it has strong sound and it can get pretty loud fast
> ...


How about 1Z with ALO CDM tubes amp?


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Sep 17, 2019)

meomap said:


> How about 1Z with ALO CDM tubes amp?




Havent studied that part yet, could be an interesting option to.


Hmmm according to this specs, the CDM dont seems to be that strong in output Mw.

Single Ended

80mW into 32 ohms

95mW into 50 ohms

75mW into 150 ohms

60mW into 300 ohms

Balanced

125mW into 32 ohms

145mW into 50 ohms

110mW into 150 ohms

95mW into 300 ohms

Plus it uses a 2.5mm wich a bummer   all my cables are 4.4, and if you compare it to oriolus ba300s spec wise it seems as a better choice


----------



## hireslover

Vitaly2017 said:


> The latest 3.02 and no I dont hear differences in Firmwares they are quiet the same in my opinion.


Thanks for replying. Fw 3.02 is fine in my opinion


----------



## meomap

Vitaly2017 said:


> Havent studied that part yet, could be an interesting option to.
> 
> 
> Hmmm according to this specs, the CDM dont seems to be that strong in output Mw.
> ...



I have 2.5mm to 2.5mm Pure Silver IC made for me from DHC. Use 2.5mm to 4.44 mm into 1Z balanced output to CDM 2.5 mm Input.
Sounds fantastic with Khan, 10K, Encore,  AFC , and Utopia.
I can do tubes rolling as well.
I've heard someone mentioned PhatLab tube amp is better than CDM, but it's very expensive. That person starts to sell CDM after comparing to PL amp.
I am enjoying what I have right now. Hopefully, you will find yours.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Vitaly2017 has mentioned that the wm1z is immune to electronic interference such as from cell phones . So does the wm1A immune to EMI. Sony did a great job shielding their latest daps from EMI. Since my A17 walkman havent noticed interference pops and crackling. In older walkman such as.my x1060 every time I passed behind a cell phone I got even hum


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have noticed that the bass of the MDR-Z1R van reach the bass line f IER-Z1R in texture using the H gain


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have noticed that the bass of the MDR-Z1R van reach the bass line f IER-Z1R in texture using the H gain




Hmmm hmmm someone need to practice photo focus next time


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hmmm hmmm someone need to practice photo focus next time



I suspect his eyesight is not back to normal after his cataract operation


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I suspect his eyesight is not back to normal after his cataract operation


I'd rather use my sony alpha next time


----------



## Sp12er3

ezekiel77 said:


> I've just received the FiiO BTR3 Bluetooth receiver, and curiously, this is the maximum distance allowed between the two before the signal goes bad and the sound distorts.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Have you checked what mode the LDAC is on? When its in "highest quality" I find LDAC connection is quite spotty, when its in "best effort" tho. Its working fine a couole meters away.

BTR3 has pretty bad receptors IMO, figures as only that front acrylic panel can be used to pass signal. 
Cheaper Plastic models from Fiio i hear did better.


----------



## szore

Sp12er3 said:


> Have you checked what mode the LDAC is on? When its in "highest quality" I find LDAC connection is quite spotty, when its in "best effort" tho. Its working fine a couole meters away.
> 
> BTR3 has pretty bad receptors IMO, figures as only that front acrylic panel can be used to pass signal.
> Cheaper Plastic models from Fiio i hear did better.


The BTR3 will not pair with my 1a, it's not recognized. Any ideas?


----------



## Vitaly2017

This is it guys I made my choice and ordered the ba300s oriolus from musicteck! 

Now lets wait for it to arrive


----------



## Pablovi

My DAP arrived today, and I’m trying to transfer my music. The software for Mac doesn’t see my SD Card, it only sees the internal storage, is this normal? It also crashes every time I upload an album. It’s no big deal since I can use Finder and it easier to transfer, just asking if anyone knows why. 

Some album artwork is not showing, and a few albums and songs just say unknown. Doesn’t anyone knows how I can edit the tags on a Mac?

Haven’t even listen to one song yet, it’s still charging and connected to the computer. 
BTW, I guess you can charge it plugged to the wall? With an iPhone charger dongle, or whatever is called? 

Thanks for any info.


----------



## nc8000

Pablovi said:


> My DAP arrived today, and I’m trying to transfer my music. The software for Mac doesn’t see my SD Card, it only sees the internal storage, is this normal? It also crashes every time I upload an album. It’s no big deal since I can use Finder and it easier to transfer, just asking if anyone knows why.
> 
> Some album artwork is not showing, and a few albums and songs just say unknown. Doesn’t anyone knows how I can edit the tags on a Mac?
> 
> ...



The album art has to be baseline as the Sony does not support progressive jpg. I’m a Windows user so don’t know about Mac tools


----------



## gerelmx1986

Pablovi said:


> My DAP arrived today, and I’m trying to transfer my music. The software for Mac doesn’t see my SD Card, it only sees the internal storage, is this normal? It also crashes every time I upload an album. It’s no big deal since I can use Finder and it easier to transfer, just asking if anyone knows why.
> 
> Some album artwork is not showing, and a few albums and songs just say unknown. Doesn’t anyone knows how I can edit the tags on a Mac?
> 
> ...


As @nc8000 said jpg must be baseline. And.make.sure.to format the.micro sd  in the player. Toolbox icon - settings - Device settings- Reset/Format -Format SD Card


----------



## Pablovi

nc8000 said:


> The album art has to be baseline as the Sony does not support progressive jpg. I’m a Windows user so don’t know about Mac tools





gerelmx1986 said:


> As @nc8000 said jpg must be baseline. And.make.sure.to format the.micro sd  in the player. Toolbox icon - settings - Device settings- Reset/Format -Format SD Card



Thank you both!

The first thing I did was to format the micro SD, with the player. And the players sees it fine, it was just the music transfer app, and didn’t see it. But it’s terrible anyway, much better to use Finder. I read here that if you use cover art from amazon it was all baseline, so I did with the dozen albums that didn’t had working artwork, and only about 4 now are still missing, so I’ll check if those are baseline or not. One of the is a WAV album, I know I can’t use tags, but if I place a jpg in the same folder with the same name as the folder it should work, correctly? Or that doesn’t work for WAV files as well? 

Thanks again.


----------



## nc8000

Pablovi said:


> Thank you both!
> 
> The first thing I did was to format the micro SD, with the player. And the players sees it fine, it was just the music transfer app, and didn’t see it. But it’s terrible anyway, much better to use Finder. I read here that if you use cover art from amazon it was all baseline, so I did with the dozen albums that didn’t had working artwork, and only about 4 now are still missing, so I’ll check if those are baseline or not. One of the is a WAV album, I know I can’t use tags, but if I place a jpg in the same folder with the same name as the folder it should work, correctly? Or that doesn’t work for WAV files as well?
> 
> Thanks again.



Yes a jpg in the folder with the name of the folder should work on any file


----------



## Pablovi (Sep 19, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> Yes a jpg in the folder with the name of the folder should work on any file



Thanks! Finally all my albums have artwork.

The problem is it doesn’t like special characters in the name, I have some albums that are labeled [24 bit, 192khz] etc... and I guess it doesn’t like it.


----------



## Pablovi

Oh, BTW, does anyone uses screen protection? Which one? 

O already bought a transparent rubber case. But I was wondering about a screen guard.


----------



## iron2k

Pablovi said:


> Oh, BTW, does anyone uses screen protection? Which one?
> 
> O already bought a transparent rubber case. But I was wondering about a screen guard.


I use this one
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079JPK1L6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## Pablovi

iron2k said:


> I use this one
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079JPK1L6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1



Thanks! I’ll buy it.


----------



## hireslover

nc8000 said:


> Yes a jpg in the folder with the name of the folder should work on any file


That sounds cool. How do you do that?


----------



## nc8000

hireslover said:


> That sounds cool. How do you do that?



If the folder is called “James Brown Album” you place a file called “James Brown Album.jpg” in the folder together with the music files


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## proedros

this site has *artwork that works 100% with my wm1a* , just remember to name the pic as the name of the folder you have the album

if the folder is named artist - album , name the cover album pic artist - album and you are good 

https://bendodson.com/projects/itunes-artwork-finder/


----------



## szore

Vitaly2017 said:


> This is it guys I made my choice and ordered the ba300s oriolus from musicteck!
> 
> Now lets wait for it to arrive


I'm buying one too!


----------



## szore

proedros said:


> this site has *artwork that works 100% with my wm1a* , just remember to name the pic as the name of the folder you have the album
> 
> if the folder is named artist - album , name the cover album pic artist - album and you are good
> 
> https://bendodson.com/projects/itunes-artwork-finder/


This could be your solution...just works...

http://www.jthink.net/songkong/


----------



## Vitaly2017

szore said:


> I'm buying one too!



Get the G4! )


----------



## szore

Vitaly2017 said:


> Get the G4! )


Yup!


----------



## iron2k

Vitaly2017 said:


> Get the G4! )


what are the differences?


----------



## szore

iron2k said:


> what are the differences?


Cable termination 2.5 vs 4.4


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sony states 250mW per channel in Balanced and 60mW for the SE , but this is high gain. Anyone know or has measured the power output for Low gain?
That question has been itching me since I got my IER-Z1R


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sony states 250mW per channel in Balanced and 60mW for the SE , but this is high gain. Anyone know or has measured the power output for Low gain?
> That question has been itching me since I got my IER-Z1R


I think low gain is 60 mW


----------



## LegionWolf

Interested to hear feedback


----------



## phonomat

LegionWolf said:


> Interested to hear feedback



Just put the guitar against the speaker.


----------



## Pablovi

hydesg said:


> Anyone hear clicking sound using the balanced output when the song switches from dsd to mp3?


Yeah, it does that every time you switch from HR to regular FLAC or MP3. I just came here looking for it, because I was scared my unit was defective.


----------



## nc8000

Pablovi said:


> Yeah, it does that every time you switch from HR to regular FLAC or MP3. I just came here looking for it, because I was scared my unit was defective.



the click is the relays and happens when switching between the x44khz and the x48khz clocks


----------



## denis1976

Hello does anyone have the 3.01 firmware to download? 
Thank you


----------



## nc8000

denis1976 said:


> Hello does anyone have the 3.01 firmware to download?
> Thank you



They are all in my DropBox. Windows installers only

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0


----------



## denis1976

nc8000 said:


> They are all in my DropBox. Windows installers only
> 
> https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0


thank you


----------



## Pablovi

Does anyone here uses their WM1A as a digital transport? What happens to DSD .dsf files when you output through USB to a DAC? 

I’m wondering because I’m building up my library, and converting SACD iso to .DSF but if I won’t be able to output it, I might just convert them to FLAC 24 bit instead.


----------



## mmwwmm (Sep 21, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> They are all in my DropBox. Windows installers only
> 
> https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0



To download any of the older firmware you just need to replace the firmware version number in the latest firmware download link at Sony site for the version desired

That is:

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_02.exe
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_01.exe
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.exe

...etc


----------



## Lookout57

Pablovi said:


> Does anyone here uses their WM1A as a digital transport? What happens to DSD .dsf files when you output through USB to a DAC?
> 
> I’m wondering because I’m building up my library, and converting SACD iso to .DSF but if I won’t be able to output it, I might just convert them to FLAC 24 bit instead.


Works great as a DSD transport.


----------



## bigmachine33 (Sep 21, 2019)

hi, just wanted to get some opinions from other members here, is it still worth getting the wm1a now (in 2019 Q4) ? i'm currently using NW-A35 as my DAP to listen to my flac files and for streaming i use my LG G6 as a dedicated music player. Now that the newer walkman models e.g., zx500 and nw-a100 are coming, i'm not sure if those would come close the sound of wm1a... and if the wm1a is still worth getting now. Any thoughts? Thanks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lookout57 said:


> Works great as a DSD transport.


also great as USB DAC, have tested it with media go (yeah 2019 Q4 still using Media Go) with ASIO mode and I get USB DAC for DSD ip to 11MHZ


----------



## Mindstorms

yes? I wish it had two outputs! maybe that they include a balanced to unbalanced adapter and let you use both in dap mode so i can connect my main speakers and woofer


----------



## Jalo

Anyone knows what happened here.
I turned off my 1Z, removed my microSD card (I want to use it on another dap) and because the battery level is low on my 1Z so I charge it up. When it is charged up I realize all my bookmarks are gone.


----------



## nc8000

Jalo said:


> Anyone knows what happened here.
> I turned off my 1Z, removed my microSD card (I want to use it on another dap) and because the battery level is low on my 1Z so I charge it up. When it is charged up I realize all my bookmarks are gone.



well if they refer to files on the microSD they would be gone as those files are no longer there with the card removed


----------



## Pablovi (Sep 22, 2019)

Lookout57 said:


> Works great as a DSD transport.



Thanks!

Can anyone recommend a budget desktop DAC to use this DAP as a DSD transport?


----------



## nc8000

Pablovi said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Can anyone recommend a budget desktop DAC to use this DAP as a DAD transport?



why not use the dap itself. I don’t think you’ll find a budget dac that is better though you might find one with a different flavour


----------



## Pablovi

nc8000 said:


> why not use the dap itself. I don’t think you’ll find a budget dac that is better though you might find one with a different flavour



Because I want to use speakers. 

I use the DAP when I’m out, when I’m home I like to use speakers, specially when listening with other people in the room.


----------



## nc8000

Pablovi said:


> Because I want to use speakers.
> 
> I use the DAP when I’m out, when I’m home I like to use speakers, specially when listening with other people in the room.



Just use one of the headphone outputs as a line signal, the signal is clean enough that you won't notice any bad effects from double amping


----------



## Pablovi (Sep 22, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> Just use one of the headphone outputs as a line signal, the signal is clean enough that you won't notice any bad effects from double amping



I was told it could be risky, that a “leak of current” from the amp could damage the DAP, I was told in Spanish, so don’t know how that translates to English. 

Would that be the same than using a digital out to, let say, a fiio K5 Pro, or similar?


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Exactly the same !


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Just use one of the headphone outputs as a line signal, the signal is clean enough that you won't notice any bad effects from double amping


 I second this, especially with audiophile class systems like the Fisher audio from my  ex from hamburg


----------



## Mindstorms

Jalo said:


> Anyone knows what happened here.
> I turned off my 1Z, removed my microSD card (I want to use it on another dap) and because the battery level is low on my 1Z so I charge it up. When it is charged up I realize all my bookmarks are gone.


this is weird, i guess that it noticed that bookmarks files have gone! and erased all!


----------



## aceedburn

Pablovi said:


> Because I want to use speakers.
> 
> I use the DAP when I’m out, when I’m home I like to use speakers, specially when listening with other people in the room.


You don’t need a DAC for this. The built in DAC in the WM1A is brilliant. Just get a pair of powered speakers and a headphone amp that has pre amp output. I use my WM1A thru the pre-amp output of Magni 3 with my Creative T20ii powered speakers. Awesome sound from this combo.


----------



## Pablovi

aceedburn said:


> You don’t need a DAC for this. The built in DAC in the WM1A is brilliant. Just get a pair of powered speakers and a headphone amp that has pre amp output. I use my WM1A thru the pre-amp output of Magni 3 with my Creative T20ii powered speakers. Awesome sound from this combo.



Thanks! So you take the single ended headphone output, 3.5mm, and use a mini plug to rca cable, connect that to the Magni 3, and then take the Magni RCA output to the powered speakers? 

I already have a Pre amp, amp combo. Rotel RC6-RB6, the pre amp has a media mini plug input, so I guess I can just skip the Magni 3 and plug the DAP to the preamplifier? Is it safe? 

Talking about Schiit products, is the Modi 3 any good? Will it sound similar to the DAP, or better or worse?


----------



## aceedburn (Sep 23, 2019)

Pablovi said:


> Thanks! So you take the single ended headphone output, 3.5mm, and use a mini plug to rca cable, connect that to the Magni 3, and then take the Magni RCA output to the powered speakers?
> 
> I already have a Pre amp, amp combo. Rotel RC6-RB6, the pre amp has a media mini plug input, so I guess I can just skip the Magni 3 and plug the DAP to the preamplifier? Is it safe?
> 
> Talking about Schiit products, is the Modi 3 any good? Will it sound similar to the DAP, or better or worse?


Yes I use the 3.5mm output to rca input of magni and rca output to my speakers. You could also connect 3.5mm from WM1A directly to 3.5mm of your pre amp.
As for the modi 3 which is a DAC I don’t use it so can’t comment on it. I’m happy with the WM1A DAC.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Yes I use the 3.5mm output to rca input of magni and rca output to my speakers. You could also connect 3.5mm from WM1A directly to 3.5mm of your pre amp.
> As for the modi 3 which is a DAC I don’t use it so can’t comment on it. I’m happy with the WM1A DAC.



why go via the Magni and not straight from the dap to the powered speakers ?


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> why go via the Magni and not straight from the dap to the powered speakers ?


My rig is setup that way on the desktop and the high gain setting on the magni helps boost the dynamics as well. I get better volume control using the magni compared to direct as well.


----------



## jaker782

aceedburn said:


> You don’t need a DAC for this. The built in DAC in the WM1A is brilliant. Just get a pair of powered speakers and a headphone amp that has pre amp output. I use my WM1A thru the pre-amp output of Magni 3 with my Creative T20ii powered speakers. Awesome sound from this combo.



I've discovered this as well when trying to use my WM1A headphone out into a desktop amp vs using the WM1A as a digital transport into an external DAC, then into an amp.  The only caveat to using the WM1A's built in DAC is that you don't get the 2vrms output into your amp, which will require you to use high gain at a higher volume setting for harder to drive cans.  While it sounds fantastic, the headphone out is not very powerful.  On the flipside, the lower volume output of the Sony will allow more volume control when driving efficient cans and iems from your desktop amp.  Aside from power, another argument for using an external DAC vs the Sony internal DAC into an external amp/speakers is if you plan to use a non delta sigma DAC, like an Airist R2R or Schiit Multibit DAC, if that type of sound is preferred.


----------



## Pablovi (Sep 23, 2019)

aceedburn said:


> Yes I use the 3.5mm output to rca input of magni and rca output to my speakers. You could also connect 3.5mm from WM1A directly to 3.5mm of your pre amp.
> As for the modi 3 which is a DAC I don’t use it so can’t comment on it. I’m happy with the WM1A DAC.





jaker782 said:


> I've discovered this as well when trying to use my WM1A headphone out into a desktop amp vs using the WM1A as a digital transport into an external DAC, then into an amp.  The only caveat to using the WM1A's built in DAC is that you don't get the 2vrms output into your amp, which will require you to use high gain at a higher volume setting for harder to drive cans.  While it sounds fantastic, the headphone out is not very powerful.  On the flipside, the lower volume output of the Sony will allow more volume control when driving efficient cans and iems from your desktop amp.  Aside from power, another argument for using an external DAC vs the Sony internal DAC into an external amp/speakers is if you plan to use a non delta sigma DAC, like an Airist R2R or Schiit Multibit DAC, if that type of sound is preferred.



Thank you both!

Yeah I just tried it connected to the 3.5mm port, labeled media player in my preamp, but I have to turn the volume on the WM1A almost all the way up, It doesn’t sound bad, but the DSD files sound just the same as regular FLAC’s form my other source(Olive 03HD) media server. And I’m afraid having the volume all the way up will distort the sound a bit.

Does the Schiit Multibit DAC accepts DSD files form the Sony WM1A? Will the Sony convert them? Will they even sound at all? That’s my main concern, I don’t want to spend on something and then figuring out it won’t work.

BTW, which DAC did you used? Did it played DSD files correctly?

Thanks again.


----------



## bflat

Pablovi said:


> Thank you both!
> 
> Yeah I just tried it connected to the 3.5mm port, labeled media player in my preamp, but I have to turn the volume on the WM1A almost all the way up, It doesn’t sound bad, but the DSD files sound just the same as regular FLAC’s form my other source(Olive 03HD) media server. And I’m afraid having the volume all the way up will distort the sound a bit.
> 
> ...



Good ears! Only the balanced output support native DSD. 3.5mm port is DSD converted to PCM before amp stage.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Good bass vibes with my IER-Z1R . Organ bass line to accompany the choir


----------



## Pablovi

gerelmx1986 said:


> Good bass vibes with my IER-Z1R . Organ bass line to accompany the choir



How do you get that channel level to show up?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Pablovi said:


> How do you get that channel level to show up?


 change playback screen - digital peak meter


----------



## Pablovi

bflat said:


> Good ears! Only the balanced output support native DSD. 3.5mm port is DSD converted to PCM before amp stage.




Thanks, yeah I thought that was the case. So, there’s a way to get balanced output to a preamp or amp? Like a 4.4mm balanced output to xlr?


----------



## nc8000

Pablovi said:


> Thanks, yeah I thought that was the case. So, there’s a way to get balanced output to a preamp or amp? Like a 4.4mm balanced output to xlr?



yes 4.4mm to balanced xlr will work


----------



## Redcarmoose

Sony NW-WM1Z DIgital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW 3.02
Sony IER-Z1R IEM #124 (Sony Silicone Hybrid Tips)(Included cable 4.4 Pentaconn to MMCX)


----------



## captblaze

Redcarmoose said:


> Sony NW-WM1Z DIgital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW 3.02
> Sony IER-Z1R IEM #124 (Sony Silicone Hybrid Tips)(Included cable 4.4 Pentaconn to MMCX)



she is so beautiful all nekkid like that


----------



## Redcarmoose

captblaze said:


> she is so beautiful all nekkid like that



She gets jealous at times when I give attention to her darker sister. So I’m always telling her no matter what she’s the best.


----------



## LeFaucon

Pablovi said:


> Thanks! So you take the single ended headphone output, 3.5mm, and use a mini plug to rca cable, connect that to the Magni 3, and then take the Magni RCA output to the powered speakers?
> 
> I already have a Pre amp, amp combo. Rotel RC6-RB6, the pre amp has a media mini plug input, so I guess I can just skip the Magni 3 and plug the DAP to the preamplifier? Is it safe?
> 
> Talking about Schiit products, is the Modi 3 any good? Will it sound similar to the DAP, or better or worse?


Hello Pablovi
I know it’s so much easy to get answers quickly there...
But instead of asking which item will fit you the best, why don’t you simply experiment, try out and test according to your OWN tastes ???
Everyone hears differently and build his combo in this way... or should at least I think mmmmhhhhh ?
Asking is a very good thing... testing is a better one (maybe)
Regards


----------



## Pablovi

LeFaucon said:


> Hello Pablovi
> I know it’s so much easy to get answers quickly there...
> But instead of asking which item will fit you the best, why don’t you simply experiment, try out and test according to your OWN tastes ???
> Everyone hears differently and build his combo in this way... or should at least I think mmmmhhhhh ?
> ...



Thanks for the suggestion.

Because my money is tight, and there’s no way to test equipment before buying it. And you have to buy it from outside the country, which involves paying expensive shipping costs and import taxes, you’re talking at least 35% more of the original price, plus what I’ll lose if I don’t like it and have to sell it here. 

So, in the end I’ll end up losing half the cost, just to test equipment. That’s why asking is easier and cheaper. I’ll risk not liking it either way, but at least I’ll know what works and what doesn’t.


----------



## LeFaucon

Pablovi said:


> Thanks for the suggestion.
> 
> Because my money is tight, and there’s no way to test equipment before buying it. And you have to buy it from outside the country, which involves paying expensive shipping costs and import taxes, you’re talking at least 35% more of the original price, plus what I’ll lose if I don’t like it and have to sell it here.
> 
> So, in the end I’ll end up losing half the cost, just to test equipment. That’s why asking is easier and cheaper. I’ll risk not liking it either way, but at least I’ll know what works and what doesn’t.


OK
but as said yourself, maybe you wouldn’t like the different combos suggested according to your own tastes...?
It is also a risk to finally buy something you didn’t experiment yourself and don’t like it and waste your money as well...?


----------



## Pablovi

LeFaucon said:


> OK
> but as said yourself, maybe you wouldn’t like the different combos suggested according to your own tastes...?
> It is also a risk to finally buy something you didn’t experiment yourself and don’t like it and waste your money as well...?



I haven’t asked much about tastes. I’ve asked what works and what doesn’t. The only thing I’ve asked about is if it will be noticeably better. That’s the only subjective thing I’ve asked.


----------



## NickleCo

Oh wow the treble on the 3.02 on wm1a is much more noticeable now.

so far;
-more forward treble
-wider stage
-less sub
-cleaner sounding (less noise)
-mids also took a tad of a backseat (?)


----------



## NickleCo

moondabor said:


> I don't want to stir up trouble publicly, if you want to know PM me. It seems they didn't know either because they bought it secondhand. I didn't pay attention to it until DAC mode came out.
> 
> 
> Dang, I'm in SoCal so I will probably part with it for cheaper if anyone is interested. It still works great as a DAP but has a minor inconvenience. I could also attempt the repair myself if I can find a donor wmport.


that's seriously infuriating. If you could, older walkmans should be a good donor for the port.


----------



## Pablovi

Hi, I tried DAC mode today, from an iMac, and you have to use the High-Res music app for Mac, and it has some preferences in the settings, but I cannot chose native DSD, only DSD to PCM. Is this normal?


----------



## Rchandra

I wonder if the wm1a will get a software update to use android like the newer sony devices coming out kinda sucks for us 1z and 1a owners


----------



## Quadfather

Rchandra said:


> I wonder if the wm1a will get a software update to use android like the newer sony devices coming out kinda sucks for us 1z and 1a owners



Not having Android is the very reason many like these players.  Android applications drain battery like crazy.


----------



## Viszla

Quadfather said:


> Not having Android is the very reason many like these players.  Android applications drain battery like crazy.


Don´t turn the Music to load for your dog


----------



## nc8000

Rchandra said:


> I wonder if the wm1a will get a software update to use android like the newer sony devices coming out kinda sucks for us 1z and 1a owners



I am very happy that my 1Z is not Android so no suck here


----------



## Lookout57

Pablovi said:


> Hi, I tried DAC mode today, from an iMac, and you have to use the High-Res music app for Mac, and it has some preferences in the settings, but I cannot chose native DSD, only DSD to PCM. Is this normal?


You can use Audirvana instead.


----------



## Sound.alchemist

Hi all. So happy to find this thread. I recently made the decision to join the bandwagon. Im new to this hobby. I came from a45, to a55, then this. After months long of reading and watching reviews, and now seeing this thread, im now certain I made the right choice.


----------



## meomap

Sound.alchemist said:


> Hi all. So happy to find this thread. I recently made the decision to join the bandwagon. Im new to this hobby. I came from a45, to a55, then this. After months long of reading and watching reviews, and now seeing this thread, im now certain I made the right choice.



1a or 1z ?


----------



## lesale08

Sound.alchemist said:


> Hi all. So happy to find this thread. I recently made the decision to join the bandwagon. Im new to this hobby. I came from a45, to a55, then this. After months long of reading and watching reviews, and now seeing this thread, im now certain I made the right choice.


Congrats on your new dap.


----------



## Sound.alchemist

meomap said:


> 1a or 1z ?


WM1A.


----------



## Quadfather

Viszla said:


> Don´t turn the Music to load for your dog



I keep it quite low. Sometimes he'll pull away if it's rock and roll, but he loves Acoustic Alchemy and Kenny G at lower volumes.


----------



## NickleCo

meomap said:


> 1a or 1z ?


I've tried both and to be honest with you, it depends on what you plan to pair it with. When I demoed the 1Z I was using the zeus and I found it too warm for my taste. Now don't get me wrong, the 1Z in terms of technicalities are far from lacking (in fact it was better than the 1A) but the overall warmer tonality is a make-or-break thing. So if I were you, I'd demo the two since they're not really the cheapest players around (diminishing returns is a b*tch in these price ranges).


----------



## meomap

DatDudeNic said:


> I've tried both and to be honest with you, it depends on what you plan to pair it with. When I demoed the 1Z I was using the zeus and I found it too warm for my taste. Now don't get me wrong, the 1Z in terms of technicalities are far from lacking (in fact it was better than the 1A) but the overall warmer tonality is a make-or-break thing. So if I were you, I'd demo the two since they're not really the cheapest players around (diminishing returns is a b*tch in these price ranges).


Just asking earlier since you did not mention 1A or 1Z. I already have the 1Z. Love it.
Demoed between AK1000SS, CU, and 1Z.
Decided the 1Z is the choice.
Use it with K10C, Encore, and now Khan.
Use 1Z as a source to my 2 channel system downstair, not that bad. Simple and clean.
Use 1Z with ALO CDM, addictive for iem.
Listening that combo ( output 4.4 mm to 2.5 mm adapter, DHC 2.5 mm to special 2.5mm Silver IC into CDM 2.5mm balanced Input ) right now with Utopia. WOW....


----------



## NickleCo

meomap said:


> Just asking earlier since you did not mention 1A or 1Z. I already have the 1Z. Love it.
> Demoed between AK1000SS, CU, and 1Z.
> Decided the 1Z is the choice.
> Use it with K10C, Encore, and now Khan.
> ...


oh okay sorry my bad didn't read the chain...


----------



## Pablovi

meomap said:


> Just asking earlier since you did not mention 1A or 1Z. I already have the 1Z. Love it.
> Demoed between AK1000SS, CU, and 1Z.
> Decided the 1Z is the choice.
> Use it with K10C, Encore, and now Khan.
> ...



How do you connect your 1Z to your system? As a source.


----------



## meomap

Pablovi said:


> How do you connect your 1Z to your system? As a source.


My PA has no balanced input. So, 
I use ( AudioQuest product ) 3.5 mm mini to RCA to PA input.
McIntosh 275 amp, PrimaLuna DP PA, 
1Z as one source for digital.
Use CD player as another source also.
Magnepan 3.7i + 2 REL S5 subs.
VPI Classic I turntable + Chinook phono PA.
The whole 2 channel system just sounds dam good downstairs. 
Will test Jay Audio CD transport + Terminator DAC to replace the current CD ( McIntosh ) sometimes this week to see it even sound better or not.


----------



## lesale08

Getting excited for sound comparison between wm1 series and the new walkmans when they’re out.


----------



## NickleCo (Sep 25, 2019)

New update made these cans viable again 


loving that dramatic bass


----------



## hamhamhamsta

DatDudeNic said:


> New update made these cans viable again loving that dramatic bass


Which do you like v 3.01 or v3.02?


----------



## Redcarmoose

meomap said:


> 1a or 1z ?


----------



## NickleCo

hamhamhamsta said:


> Which do you like v 3.01 or v3.02?


I personally like 3.02 because of the added top end sparkle and leaner sub bass


----------



## NickleCo

Almost all of my iems lean towards the warm side of things so the 3.02 makes them abit more transparent than 3.01


----------



## lesale08

I am currently at 3.01. Said it has more bass so I am staying with it.


----------



## Pablovi

meomap said:


> My PA has no balanced input. So,
> I use ( AudioQuest product ) 3.5 mm mini to RCA to PA input.
> McIntosh 275 amp, PrimaLuna DP PA,
> 1Z as one source for digital.
> ...



Thanks! I’m looking into ways of using my WM1A as a source.


----------



## Vitaly2017

meomap said:


> Just asking earlier since you did not mention 1A or 1Z. I already have the 1Z. Love it.
> Demoed between AK1000SS, CU, and 1Z.
> Decided the 1Z is the choice.
> Use it with K10C, Encore, and now Khan.
> ...




Hey I was wondering if you get interference from cell phone?  I just got my self the oriolus ba300s and I get some interference and its my cellphone  (   I am always on the go so I feel being like an antenna for all those cellphones interferences . Such a bummer. And if you get your phone to close ooh boy you hear it louder.

The ba300s sounds amazing with1z. The bass is absolutely stellar and just wow. Treble is shinier and mids seems to be a little more bright. Sounds fantastic.


----------



## meomap

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hey I was wondering if you get interference from cell phone?  I just got my self the oriolus ba300s and I get some interference and its my cellphone  (   I am always on the go so I feel being like an antenna for all those cellphones interferences . Such a bummer. And if you get your phone to close ooh boy you hear it louder.
> 
> The ba300s sounds amazing with1z. The bass is absolutely stellar and just wow. Treble is shinier and mids seems to be a little more bright. Sounds fantastic.


Hi,
I don't think I got an interference from cell phone when I use 1Z and CDM combo.
Only occasional static sound when I touched the 1Z, 1Z was on top of CDM. I usually placed the combo on top of my MB laptop. But now, I use BT remote to control the 1Z.
Use remote to control 1Z where I go with 1Z in my Jean pocket or short pocket.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Sep 25, 2019)

Ooops double post


----------



## Vitaly2017

meomap said:


> Hi,
> I don't think I got an interference from cell phone when I use 1Z and CDM combo.
> Only occasional static sound when I touched the 1Z, 1Z was on top of CDM. I usually placed the combo on top of my MB laptop. But now, I use BT remote to control the 1Z.
> Use remote to control 1Z where I go with 1Z in my Jean pocket or short pocket.




Hmmm maybe cdm is better isolated against interferences. I tested its not bluetooth.  Its really cellphone connection to the tower causing this. Even if your iem cable get on top of cellphone, stick together example it will pick it up. Or you stack your phobe on ba300s it will pick it up aswell...

How do you like the cdm? How is the bass? 

Since I got my oriolus I cant listen to 1z standalone anymore its just such a game changer in sound its crazzy.

That and my ier-z1r on top just amazing


----------



## meomap

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hmmm maybe cdm is better isolated against interferences. I tested its not bluetooth.  Its really cellphone connection to the tower causing this. Even if your iem cable get on top of cellphone, stick together example it will pick it up. Or you stack your phobe on ba300s it will pick it up aswell...
> 
> How do you like the cdm? How is the bass?
> 
> ...



I just put my Note 9 next to the combo and no noise interference at all.
Early adapter to CDM when ALO sell it. Bought some other tubes not trying out yet.
Very open stage. It's getting a little bit wider. Bass is articulate right on the spot, no boomy at all.
A little warmth because what you hear is Tubey sound feelings.
Have these for tubes:
ALO CV5, CDM, Studio Six
Also have ALO Rx, Ray Sam Intruder as SS amp
McIntosh 275 tubes
McIntosh Integrated 6300 SS
So, I know what tubey sounds like.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

bigmachine33 said:


> hi, just wanted to get some opinions from other members here, is it still worth getting the wm1a now (in 2019 Q4) ? i'm currently using NW-A35 as my DAP to listen to my flac files and for streaming i use my LG G6 as a dedicated music player. Now that the newer walkman models e.g., zx500 and nw-a100 are coming, i'm not sure if those would come close the sound of wm1a... and if the wm1a is still worth getting now. Any thoughts? Thanks.


I believe that you are still smart to get the WM1A:

1. Used WM1A in great condition isn’t that much more than the new NW100 and ZX500;
2. ZX500 is, I think, capable of WiFi operation for streaming, which might sound like a good thing, but has been causing lots of angst on that thread as it also meant that the ZX500 went to Android, with its much slower startup time and less direct user interface, and poorer battery life;
3.  WM1A most likely sounds better (based on its placement in Sony’s lineup and its features... cant really tell until people report comparative listening).


----------



## AlexCBSN

So... (deep sigh) I dropped my wm1a and the front glass of the screen cracked, the screen still works, but still I’m a bit traumatized, I emailed Sony support to see the possibility of replacing the glass asap. Has anyone gone through something similar? I actually got a tempered glass screen protector that did NOTHING, didn’t crack or anything. If anyone has had a similar experience I appreciate any feedback on cost of repair and etc... oh man  so bummed...


----------



## NickleCo

AlexCBSN said:


> So... (deep sigh) I dropped my wm1a and the front glass of the screen cracked, the screen still works, but still I’m a bit traumatized, I emailed Sony support to see the possibility of replacing the glass asap. Has anyone gone through something similar? I actually got a tempered glass screen protector that did NOTHING, didn’t crack or anything. If anyone has had a similar experience I appreciate any feedback on cost of repair and etc... oh man  so bummed...


yikes that is very unfortunate.


----------



## blazinblazin

I kept in pouch most of the time with leather case and screen protector.
I put to random all songs and skip track with remote.

I dropped it twice with pouch. It was ok.


----------



## mwhals

Does anyone know how the WM1A and WM1Z sound relative to a Questyle PQ1R or QP2R?


----------



## NickleCo (Sep 29, 2019)

mwhals said:


> Does anyone know how the WM1A and WM1Z sound relative to a Questyle PQ1R or QP2R?


i've only tried the 1a and 1r but as for how they compare;

WM1A
  Pro:
         -Balanced output
         -Better Battery life
         -No bugs
         -Touch screen (can be both pro and con)
         -BT
         -Much better buttons (QP1R has wobbly volume knob)
         -UI
         -More on the Natural side of things
         -Less amount of hiss when paired with very sensitive iems (My Zeus XIV still hisses)

 QP1R
  Pro:
         -Driving power
         -Haptic feedback
         -Better Treble performance
         -Better Bass performance
         -Better form factor (Much more pocketable)
         -Transparency
         -Accuracy
         -Very Balanced tonality

Would also like to mention that the QP1R was the only DAP that made me want to cry because of it's tonality and realism. Best pairing for my Zeus XIV, The civil wars' Live at Eddie's Attic sounded so surreal and very immersive. Would have bought the 1R over the 1A if it wasn't for the hiss.


----------



## 8481

blazinblazin said:


> I kept in pouch most of the time with leather case and screen protector.
> I put to random all songs and skip track with remote.
> 
> I dropped it twice with pouch. It was ok.



May I know what sort of remote you use for that? Sounds interesting.


----------



## nc8000

8481 said:


> May I know what sort of remote you use for that? Sounds interesting.



i expect Sony’s BT remote for these players


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 29, 2019)

http://www.accessoryjack.com/sony-signature-rmt-nws20-bluetooth-remote-control-black.html

I actually forgot to get one when I was in Japan......though they don't do much?


8481 said:


> May I know what sort of remote you use for that? Sounds interesting.


----------



## lesale08

AlexCBSN said:


> So... (deep sigh) I dropped my wm1a and the front glass of the screen cracked, the screen still works, but still I’m a bit traumatized, I emailed Sony support to see the possibility of replacing the glass asap. Has anyone gone through something similar? I actually got a tempered glass screen protector that did NOTHING, didn’t crack or anything. If anyone has had a similar experience I appreciate any feedback on cost of repair and etc... oh man  so bummed...


So sorry to hear that mate. I personally use Fatbear shockproof case from aliexpress. Less worry to think about.


----------



## bigmachine33

ruthieandjohn said:


> I believe that you are still smart to get the WM1A:
> 
> 1. Used WM1A in great condition isn’t that much more than the new NW100 and ZX500;
> 2. ZX500 is, I think, capable of WiFi operation for streaming, which might sound like a good thing, but has been causing lots of angst on that thread as it also meant that the ZX500 went to Android, with its much slower startup time and less direct user interface, and poorer battery life;
> 3.  WM1A most likely sounds better (based on its placement in Sony’s lineup and its features... cant really tell until people report comparative listening).



Great, thanks for your inputs. I'm definitely considering getting this.


----------



## gerelmx1986

AlexCBSN said:


> So... (deep sigh) I dropped my wm1a and the front glass of the screen cracked, the screen still works, but still I’m a bit traumatized, I emailed Sony support to see the possibility of replacing the glass asap. Has anyone gone through something similar? I actually got a tempered glass screen protector that did NOTHING, didn’t crack or anything. If anyone has had a similar experience I appreciate any feedback on cost of repair and etc... oh man  so bummed...


 how it did Happen? Fell into concrete? Basically you said the glass screen protector didnt work??


----------



## Sp12er3

Quadfather said:


> Not having Android is the very reason many like these players.  Android applications drain battery like crazy.


Such pessimistic. 
For one, Sony has a tech for their Xperia named  "Ultra Stamina Mode" which disables all but some essential apps (music included) but it gives the phone capability to have 4days+ standy time.

Maybe sony would implement something similar to the new Android Walkmans if people moans so much about battery life "loss".


----------



## Quadfather

Sp12er3 said:


> Such pessimistic.
> For one, Sony has a tech for their Xperia named  "Ultra Stamina Mode" which disables all but some essential apps (music included) but it gives the phone capability to have 4days+ standy time.
> 
> Maybe sony would implement something similar to the new Android Walkmans if people moans so much about battery life "loss".



I have never been a fan of do everything products and phones have become just that. I prefer Standalone music players that only do music and it's all self-contained on the player


----------



## lesale08

It’ll be months before we read an actual review of the new walkman. Do expect their battery life to be on par with android daps. Fiio m11 for one has good battery life for an android device. It gets me 2 days of usage before charging. 

Hope they can retain the battery management of zx2. When I have that, it gets me a full week of moderate use in one charge. That is, without streaming and using only the dap as music player.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have always wondered which is.more battery drain intensive task A) native DSD playback or B) DSD downcoversion to PCM?


----------



## proedros

have logged 2700 hours with my wm1a , and still love it like day 1 (if not more , now being able to do usb/dac as well)

and the battery still holds like an aeon 

brilliant dap


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> have logged 2700 hours with my wm1a , and still love it like day 1 (if not more , now being able to do usb/dac as well)
> 
> and the battery still holds like an aeon
> 
> brilliant dap


@proedros you're missing out the Hi-res audio world, nope is not about hearing these higher frequencies,  is about the master. Usually HRA releases have better.mastering. that is what I have noted


----------



## 8481

Redcarmoose said:


> http://www.accessoryjack.com/sony-signature-rmt-nws20-bluetooth-remote-control-black.html
> 
> I actually forgot to get one when I was in Japan......though they don't do much?



Sometimes the convenience is appreciated, I am a very lazy person lol


----------



## lazner

A noob question: What's a good place to get the WM1A right now? Amazon.com has it for US$1,198, from the UK it comes to $864 (£703) + shipping + taxes. Is there a better price anywhere else?


----------



## LeFaucon

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have always wondered which is.more battery drain intensive task A) native DSD playback or B) DSD downcoversion to PCM?


WoW  what an interesting existential question !
Try it and tell us please... very interested with the results you will find for I always wondered myself 
Thanks


----------



## LeFaucon

gerelmx1986 said:


> @proedros you're missing out the Hi-res audio world, nope is not about hearing these higher frequencies,  is about the master. Usually HRA releases have better.mastering. that is what I have noted


???
Do you mean he only listens about 64 or 128 or 192 mp3 files ?


----------



## Peter Ruby

lazner said:


> A noob question: What's a good place to get the WM1A right now? Amazon.com has it for US$1,198, from the UK it comes to $864 (£703) + shipping + taxes. Is there a better price anywhere else?



Check Accessory Jack: 
http://www.accessoryjack.com/


----------



## lazner

Peter Ruby said:


> Check Accessory Jack:
> http://www.accessoryjack.com/


Thanks!


----------



## gerelmx1986

LeFaucon said:


> WoW  what an interesting existential question !
> Try it and tell us please... very interested with the results you will find for I always wondered myself
> Thanks


 will try it, sd far right now the native DSD playback chugs on the battery



LeFaucon said:


> ???
> Do you mean he only listens about 64 or 128 or 192 mp3 files ?


I he has mentioned he pisses only flac 16/44


----------



## AlexCBSN

gerelmx1986 said:


> how it did Happen? Fell into concrete? Basically you said the glass screen protector didnt work??


Random accident while walking the dogs, you know whats funny? I read you’ve got the ier m7, i ordered a pair from amazon warehouse deals, package arrived and inside there was nothing... I’ve been cursed this whole week with sony

Sound still on, screen works, its just aesthetic but still... its a busted glass


----------



## phonomat

gerelmx1986 said:


> will try it, sd far right now the native DSD playback chugs on the battery
> 
> I he has mentioned he pisses only flac 16/44



If that's the case, I'd go see a doctor ASAP.


----------



## meomap

Redcarmoose said:


> http://www.accessoryjack.com/sony-signature-rmt-nws20-bluetooth-remote-control-black.html
> 
> I actually forgot to get one when I was in Japan......though they don't do much?



Kind of expensive though.
I bought it for 50 usd through Amazon.


----------



## nanaholic

Sp12er3 said:


> Such pessimistic.
> For one, Sony has a tech for their Xperia named  "Ultra Stamina Mode" which disables all but some essential apps (music included) but it gives the phone capability to have 4days+ standy time.
> 
> Maybe sony would implement something similar to the new Android Walkmans if people moans so much about battery life "loss".



It is a pretty significant lost though - as you are talking 30% lost in battery life when there is no output increase in the amp section of the device.

Plus Stamina Mode has trade-offs - as one of the method it emploies is dramatically slowing down the CPU clock speed which reduces the smoothness of the UI and general responsiveness of the system by reducing the transition animations etc. Also if one of the marketing point of the device is streaming capability which involves lots of communication, then it's uncertain how much more battery life you can squeeze out with Stamina Mode and it may only be something that is only beneficial to completel offline users (in which case, then getting a non-Android model to start with is probably the better choice). So it's a lot of information that you have to communicate pretty clearly to users. 

Also most of the non-essential apps that are on the black list of Stamina Mode are related to communication apps doing background refreshes and push notification (such as pre-intalled Facebook or Sony Mobile News apps), which really don't/shouldn't come pre-installed on their Android DAP install in the first place. I remember the ZX1/ZX2 image were pretty barebones as it was even compared to the Xperia phones and the only apps that were left to disable were the remaining Google services like Google Store and Gmail that are mandatory in a Google certified Android release, so not sure how much more stripping they can do.


----------



## Pablovi (Sep 30, 2019)

lazner said:


> A noob question: What's a good place to get the WM1A right now? Amazon.com has it for US$1,198, from the UK it comes to $864 (£703) + shipping + taxes. Is there a better price anywhere else?




Mexico, it’s officially $700 USD, but you can find it for around $600.

The official Sony store... https://store.sony.com.mx/nw-wm1a/p


----------



## Stephen George (Sep 30, 2019)

Anybody know what the "?" icon means on the main screen? Supposed to show a count, but perhaps it doesn't like some files? Would be nice to fix...

https://i.ibb.co/pKP7K0t/sony-pic.jpg


----------



## gerelmx1986

Stephen George said:


> Anybody know what the "?" icon means on the main screen? Supposed to show a count, but perhaps it doesn't like some files? Would be nice to fix...
> 
> https://i.ibb.co/pKP7K0t/sony-pic.jpg


 which walkman are you using, wm1A/wm1Z?


----------



## djricekcn

gerelmx1986 said:


> which walkman are you using, wm1A/wm1Z?


Curious.... Does that matter?  Is using the exact same software, no?


----------



## Stephen George (Sep 30, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> which walkman are you using, wm1A/wm1Z?




OOOOOPS, wrong forum...this is the Sony Hap, my apologies


----------



## SolarBeaver

Hey, 
I currently have Hifiman HM-901, which I feel is a bit outdated and looking for a new DAP, so I was wondering how is the Sony's nw-wm1a compares against it in term of SQ? Is it a noticeable step up? What about HFM R2R2000?
Also, I have Sony XBA-Z5, is it a good pair to this DAP or should I go for a more pricey earphones such as Hifiman's RE2000 silver (which is on some pretty good discount atm) or something from campfire (like Andromeda)? And what kind of adapter I need to have to run this DAP with a Z5's supplied balanced cable (which have two 3.5mm plugs)? I heard it's better to use 4.4mm connection on WM1A, so is there any non-custom double 3.5 to 4.4 balanced adapters around?
And sorry for so many questions, I'm so confused right now, would really appreciate some guidance...


----------



## ttt123

SolarBeaver said:


> Hey,
> I currently have Hifiman HM-901, which I feel is a bit outdated and looking for a new DAP, so I was wondering how is the Sony's nw-wm1a compares against it in term of SQ? Is it a noticeable step up? What about HFM R2R2000?
> Also, I have Sony XBA-Z5, is it a good pair to this DAP or should I go for a more pricey earphones such as Hifiman's RE2000 silver (which is on some pretty good discount atm) or something from campfire (like Andromeda)? And what kind of adapter I need to have to run this DAP with a Z5's supplied balanced cable (which have two 3.5mm plugs)? I heard it's better to use 4.4mm connection on WM1A, so is there any non-custom double 3.5 to 4.4 balanced adapters around?
> And sorry for so many questions, I'm so confused right now, would really appreciate some guidance...


You've asked a couple of major questions, which I don't think anybody can  answer, though can give a personal opinion.
- Is the sony WM1A/Z a good DAP?  Seeing as how you are on the WM1A/Z thread, I believe you can only expect a positive answer to that.  I have not tried the Hifiman, but for Chinese DAPS, did own the iBasso DX90, and recently a Hiby R6 Pro.  The Chinese DAPS are great value for money, and sound good.  But in the end, I personally like the Sony players (ZX2, WM1A, WM1Z).  They have been described as a sound that presents music as a whole, rather than focus on the individual elements, and I agree with this.  But of course it depends on your individual preferences, so you may like it, or not.  The only way is to go to a store and try it out.  That is the only way to find out whether YOU like it or not.
- The XBA-Z5 is a decent IEM, and if you intend to keep it, best spend the money on reterminating it with a 4.4, instead of wasting the money on an adapter which has limited use, or buy a new cable.  The cable can be re-used on other IEMs (that are MMCX), so no loss there. Then take your time and try out different IEMS with your new DAP, and find out which has synergy with the DAP, and for your kind of music.  People like Andromeda, Solaris, IER-Z1R (especially paired with a WM1x), QDC 8S(_), VX.  And of course there are lots of other chocies.  Too many to list.  But you'll only know after you try them out.


----------



## silvahr

Hello,
Anyone has experience in connecting the WM1A to a desktop amp using a cable 4.4mm to dual XLR 3 pins?
It would be double amping. Any perceptible distorsion?
Thank you in advance.


----------



## aceedburn

silvahr said:


> Hello,
> Anyone has experience in connecting the WM1A to a desktop amp using a cable 4.4mm to dual XLR 3 pins?
> It would be double amping. Any perceptible distorsion?
> Thank you in advance.


I haven’t used it with the balanced out but I use it with magni 3 using the single ended out to stereo rca. No distortion or clipping. I tested it with a 1khz sweep test to verify it. Yes it’s double amping but I think the signal coming out of the WM1A is very clean and thus works well.


----------



## SolarBeaver

ttt123 said:


> You've asked a couple of major questions, which I don't think anybody can  answer, though can give a personal opinion.
> - Is the sony WM1A/Z a good DAP?  Seeing as how you are on the WM1A/Z thread, I believe you can only expect a positive answer to that.  I have not tried the Hifiman, but for Chinese DAPS, did own the iBasso DX90, and recently a Hiby R6 Pro.  The Chinese DAPS are great value for money, and sound good.  But in the end, I personally like the Sony players (ZX2, WM1A, WM1Z).  They have been described as a sound that presents music as a whole, rather than focus on the individual elements, and I agree with this.  But of course it depends on your individual preferences, so you may like it, or not.  The only way is to go to a store and try it out.  That is the only way to find out whether YOU like it or not.
> - The XBA-Z5 is a decent IEM, and if you intend to keep it, best spend the money on reterminating it with a 4.4, instead of wasting the money on an adapter which has limited use, or buy a new cable.  The cable can be re-used on other IEMs (that are MMCX), so no loss there. Then take your time and try out different IEMS with your new DAP, and find out which has synergy with the DAP, and for your kind of music.  People like Andromeda, Solaris, IER-Z1R (especially paired with a WM1x), QDC 8S(_), VX.  And of course there are lots of other chocies.  Too many to list.  But you'll only know after you try them out.



Thanks a lot! The problem is that there're close to zero hi-fi shops with decent DAPs/earphones/headphones around, that's why I have to shop mostly blindly, which can get very frustrating and expensive in the long run 

As for IEMs, I'm interested in new Sony's IER series, Z1R is going to be too pricey for me, so I'm wondering if there's a noticeable step up in SQ going from XBA-Z5 to M7 or M9, assuming I'll use them on WM1A...


----------



## LinstantX

No one knows what output impedance has NW-WM1Z?


----------



## LinstantX

But on the balanced connector.


----------



## nc8000

LinstantX said:


> No one knows what output impedance has NW-WM1Z?



Sony don’t give that info, the designers said during an interview that they consider that information unimportant


----------



## RollsRoys (Oct 1, 2019)

LinstantX said:


> No one knows what output impedance has NW-WM1Z?


less than 1 Ohm. Source
Sony's dap balanced output is one of the least hissing on the market


----------



## LinstantX

Thanks for the clarification.


----------



## silvahr

aceedburn said:


> I haven’t used it with the balanced out but I use it with magni 3 using the single ended out to stereo rca. No distortion or clipping. I tested it with a 1khz sweep test to verify it. Yes it’s double amping but I think the signal coming out of the WM1A is very clean and thus works well.



Thank you for the info.
Right now I'm using SE-->RCA to my Violectric V100 and it's really good. The volume on WM1A is set to max and then use amp to control the output volume. Seems to work well without degradation of sound. It's really a great piece of gear.


----------



## Vitaly2017

This song is so cool can someone try and share how you liked it )


----------



## aceedburn

silvahr said:


> Thank you for the info.
> Right now I'm using SE-->RCA to my Violectric V100 and it's really good. The volume on WM1A is set to max and then use amp to control the output volume. Seems to work well without degradation of sound. It's really a great piece of gear.


Yes, i love the WM1A as it does what it supposed to and works beautifully. I put the volume on the WM1A at 100 when i connect it to my magni 3.


----------



## buzzlulu

Which brand SE->RCA cable are you guys using?


----------



## aceedburn

buzzlulu said:


> Which brand SE->RCA cable are you guys using?


I use QED. Good build and fantastic reproduction.


----------



## meomap

buzzlulu said:


> Which brand SE->RCA cable are you guys using?


I use AudioQuest, mid price.


----------



## buzzlulu

Thanks to both of you


----------



## silvahr

buzzlulu said:


> Which brand SE->RCA cable are you guys using?



I’m using a cheaper one and the results are great. Probably I will get an Audioquest Golden Gate.


----------



## Vitaly2017

May I ask why you use se and not balanced from dap?


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> May I ask why you use se and not balanced from dap?



he might not have any balanced equipment to connect to


----------



## meomap

Vitaly2017 said:


> May I ask why you use se and not balanced from dap?


Probably, many of us don't have balanced on PA or hp amp.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Have anyone tried to use 1z 4.4 out to RCA?  
I am thinking to try ifi itubes2 in between 1z and ba300s oriolus 

What you guys think?
That paired to ier-z1r


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Have anyone tried to use 1z 4.4 out to RCA?
> I am thinking to try ifi itubes2 in between 1z and ba300s oriolus
> 
> What you guys think?
> That paired to ier-z1r



Don’t do it. 3.5 to rca or 4.4 to xlr. Never go balanced to single ended


----------



## SolarBeaver

Guys, I'm really torn between wm1a and wm1z, yes I know it's been asked countless of times, I've read through numerous reviews, briefly browsed through this 2k long thread, but still, if anyone has/used at some point both players, could you please throw your opinion if the SQ is really all that different, what is the consensus on this?
Thanks in advance...


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> Don’t do it. 3.5 to rca or 4.4 to xlr. Never go balanced to single ended




What will happened? But its not really single ended its rca no?
Then back to balanced. 
Its like a preamp....


----------



## Pablovi

Vitaly2017 said:


> What will happened? But its not really single ended its rca no?
> Then back to balanced.
> Its like a preamp....



I don’t believe balanced RCA cables exist.


----------



## Maxx134 (Oct 3, 2019)

siruspan said:


> It's still very relevant after 3 years. I've on my hands brand new Ibasso DX220 and I can't decide objectively which is better. Ibasso is very neutral and transparent, and it's slightly better on technicalities. Sony on the other hand sounds more melodious and engaging being darker and more sparkly at same time. Subjectively I like WM1A more and wouldn't trade it for DX220


I have to agree.
I tried the ibasso 220 with the tube amp (very weak for iems)  and then the strongest amp8  versions.

While the ibass was clean, polished,grand, and powerful (on amp8), it was also slightly further away and very integrated, balanced and composed...
So what's wrong?
The Sony was a tad  more intimate and bit more depth, height,  more organic, natural, immersive, and, in the end more involving and musical to me..

I would say the differences are not night and day, but like  in the 10% range..


----------



## Vitaly2017

Pablovi said:


> I don’t believe balanced RCA cables exist.



Yes there is many 4.4 to rca cable on Amazon. 

My whole idea was. To ise ifi itube2 as a preamp.  Shout 4.4 to rca then rca to 4.4

Not sure why would it hurt the dap or the itube2?


----------



## hshock76

I have the iBasso dx220+Amp8 and Amp9.

1Z incoming next Monday. 

Will compare both with IER-Z1R and provide my thoughts..


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> I have the iBasso dx220+Amp8 and Amp9.
> 
> 1Z incoming next Monday.
> 
> Will compare both with IER-Z1R and provide my thoughts..




yes pleas do so  I am very interested


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> What will happened? But its not really single ended its rca no?
> Then back to balanced.
> Its like a preamp....



rca is single ended, each wire having 2 strands, one carrying a live signal and one ground so you will be shorting the ground side if you go 4.4 to rca. 4.4 carries 4 live signals and no ground (although the spec for the 4.4 can do 4 live plus one ground as there a 5 rings but Sony don’t use the ground)


----------



## auronthas

nc8000 said:


> Don’t do it. 3.5 to rca or 4.4 to xlr. Never go balanced to single ended


Why are there still 4.4mm to RCA, 2.5mm to RCA in the market? That's dangerous for consumer who does not understand balanced and single ended...


----------



## nc8000 (Oct 3, 2019)

auronthas said:


> Why are there still 4.4mm to RCA, 2.5mm to RCA in the market? That's dangerous for consumer who does not understand balanced and single ended...



indeed. There is one use though as you can get an rca-xlr plug so you can connect an rca cabel to a balanced xlr terminal. This is mostly used if you have a nice set of rca cables but want to use them with balanced gear without having to reterminate them but you still have to be balanced both ends


----------



## auronthas

nc8000 said:


> indeed. There is one use though as you can get an rca-xlr plug so you can connect an rca cabel to a balanced xlr terminal. This is mostly used if you have a nice set of rca cables but want to use them with balanced gear without having to reterminate them but you still have to be balanced both ends


or the 4.4mm to RCA cable, instead of terminate 4-wire, the manufacturer only terminate 2-wire, it deliver single-ended signal eventually ?


----------



## simon740

Hello,

anyone use Sony MDR-Z7 with wm1a?

regards,
Simon


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 3, 2019)

simon740 said:


> Hello,
> 
> anyone use Sony MDR-Z7 with wm1a?
> 
> ...



It works out way way better than you would think. 

Also since the Z7 never came with a 4.4mm 5 pole balanced cable the after market Sony MUC-B20SB1 Headphone Cable 4.4mm Pentaconn-3.5mm is absolutely the greatest addition. Cheers!

I sincerely believe the cable helps dial in the sound?
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MUC-S12SB1-SONY-Headphone-cable/dp/B01M59HJXH


----------



## simon740

Redcarmoose said:


> It works out way way better than you would think.
> 
> Also since the Z7 never came with a 4.4mm 5 pole balanced cable the after market Sony MUC-B20SB1 Headphone Cable 4.4mm Pentaconn-3.5mm is absolutely the greatest addition. Cheers!
> 
> ...



Thank you. 
For balance cable you mean this one: https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MUC-B20SB1-SONY-Headphone-cable/dp/B01LRR04F0 ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 3, 2019)

simon740 said:


> Thank you.
> For balance cable you mean this one: https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MUC-B20SB1-SONY-Headphone-cable/dp/B01LRR04F0 ?



Exactly, then you go with high gain. I’ve only used firmware 3.01 that way, but it was wonderful! Enjoy!

I love the Z7. Sometimes I just fondle them. To me they are some of the most beautiful headphones ever made.


----------



## proedros

Redcarmoose said:


> Exactly, then you go with high gain. I’ve only used firmware 3.01 that way, but it was wonderful! Enjoy!
> 
> I love the Z7. S*ometimes I just fondle them*. To me they are some of the most beautiful headphones ever made.



perfectly normal , i sometimes kiss my custom Zeus XR (we are all crazy here  )


----------



## Lookout57

SolarBeaver said:


> Guys, I'm really torn between wm1a and wm1z, yes I know it's been asked countless of times, I've read through numerous reviews, briefly browsed through this 2k long thread, but still, if anyone has/used at some point both players, could you please throw your opinion if the SQ is really all that different, what is the consensus on this?
> Thanks in advance...


I have both and use them regularly. The 1A is my commuting player as I don't want to cary a $3K player around the streets of NYC and it's a lot lighter. As for the sound I find the 1Z has better bass detail and impact along with a larger soundstage.The cons on the 1Z is weight and cost. 

You can't go wrong with either.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 3, 2019)

SolarBeaver said:


> Guys, I'm really torn between wm1a and wm1z, yes I know it's been asked countless of times, I've read through numerous reviews, briefly browsed through this 2k long thread, but still, if anyone has/used at some point both players, could you please throw your opinion if the SQ is really all that different, what is the consensus on this?
> Thanks in advance...



Purchased the 1Z first then thought maybe the 1A would be cool to own. I used to listen to the 1A more. Most of the time now it’s the 1Z. Just like the old adage about that elusive extra 10% is there but only obtainable at a cost.......the 1Z delivers for those seeking extra. IMO

The 1Z has a thicker meaty sound. It’s more dense and has a soundstage that goes out front and back, where the soundstage of the 1A is more 2 dimensional. The 1A is flat and speedy plus reserved. 1Z has bass boost and treble spike which gets that last ounce of detail or the feeling of detail. Though now with 3.02 software firmware the 1Z has the speed and agility the 1A had with firmware 3.01.

In the end it still could be somewhat what synergy there is between products. Meaning the IER-Z1R was really good with 3.01 and the 1A, as the 1Z was almost too thick, though now with the airy mid-centric additions of 3.02 the IER-Z1R loves the 1Z taking it to a new level IMO

So for me I would go for the 1Z, especially now that prices have dropped down. The 1Z can be had for way less that $3200 now!


----------



## mwhals

Redcarmoose said:


> So for me I would go for the 1Z, especially now that prices have dropped down. The 1Z can be bad for way less that $3200 now!



I have not seen it for less, but I haven’t looked too hard yet as I haven’t decided on which DAP to get yet.


----------



## Redcarmoose

mwhals said:


> I have not seen it for less, but I haven’t looked too hard yet as I haven’t decided on which DAP to get yet.



I saw it early today for $2500....if I remember right. The prices fluctuate?


----------



## Scorpio1957

Hi Guys,

At the Bristol Hi Fi show last year I picked up a brand new Sony WM1Z for £1,770 from the Sony stand, they were also selling the WM1A for £700. Their noise cancelling headphones were also over £100 off at the show.

I also picked up a Chord Hugo 2 for £400 off and a Poly £100 off.

The Bristol Show is held every February and Sony have again confirmed they will be attending and will have their own room.

It is the longest and biggest show in the U.K. and has been running for over 40 years, so far over 120 companies confirmed.


----------



## mwhals

Redcarmoose said:


> I saw it early today for $2500....if I remember right. The prices fluctuate?



I only see the international version at those prices. I only see the USA version at $3200.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Very interesting to read all those good feedback on 1z and I am glad I own one )

I was lucky I got mine second hand for 2100 with only 200h on it lol.
So call it a brand new unit )


As of today I tried 1z against hugo2 and hdv820.
And I preferred 1z overall...
Specialy now paired with oriolus oh man such a bliss. 
I am using ier-z1r and everything is in balanced....

So yea its quiet amazing and definitely hit the spot of one of the best combo you can find on the market.

Of course that is my own opinion


----------



## Maxx134

hshock76 said:


> I have the iBasso dx220+Amp8 and Amp9.
> 
> 1Z incoming next Monday.
> 
> Will compare both with IER-Z1R and provide my thoughts..


Sweet...



Redcarmoose said:


> The 1Z has a thicker meaty sound. It’s more dense and has a soundstage that goes out front and back, where the soundstage of the 1A is more 2 dimensional. The 1A is flat and speedy plus reserved. 1Z has bass boost and treble spike which gets that last ounce of detail or the feeling of detail. Though now with 3.02 software firmware the 1Z has the speed and agility the 1A had with firmware 3.01.


Have you also updated the 1A to latest firmware?
I feel it is a bit more open now..
I had very old version before though.


----------



## Bingo777

Guys do you think Sony will release anytime soon WM2Z and WM2A ?


----------



## Xzephyr23

Aw, I miss my Sony NW-WM1Z.


----------



## mwhals

Bingo777 said:


> Guys do you think Sony will release anytime soon WM2Z and WM2A ?



I am wondering the same thing.


----------



## nc8000

Bingo777 said:


> Guys do you think Sony will release anytime soon WM2Z and WM2A ?



I doubt it


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> I am wondering the same thing.




I dont know whats sony timeline of realeases but I think it been 3 years now we got 1z?   Something tells me it could last as long as 5 years! since 1z is still very strong and going


----------



## Sp12er3

I dont think they'd try to update the WM1A and Z an update with just android as an "upgrade", the two isnt really iterative compatible, knowing their cost and design(the Z especially). Just leave people who wants android walkmans with A100 and ZX500.

If they really want to give android to 1A & 1Z tho, it'd probably goes along with sound (hopefully driving power too) upgrade, take at least 1 more years for them to come up with new package? Sony takes their time when planning their flagship devices.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 3, 2019)

Maxx134 said:


> Sweet...
> 
> 
> Have you also updated the 1A to latest firmware?
> ...



I did and tried it, but feel 3.02 is better for the 1Z, not having the lows the 1A needs. IMO

So the 1A is rolled back to 3.01.

Different folks key into different parts of the sound AND have different IEMs or headphones. There is no right or wrong.....lucky we have choices.


----------



## SolarBeaver

Lookout57 said:


> I have both and use them regularly. The 1A is my commuting player as I don't want to cary a $3K player around the streets of NYC and it's a lot lighter. As for the sound I find the 1Z has better bass detail and impact along with a larger soundstage.The cons on the 1Z is weight and cost.
> 
> You can't go wrong with either.





Redcarmoose said:


> Purchased the 1Z first then thought maybe the 1A would be cool to own. I used to listen to the 1A more. Most of the time now it’s the 1Z. Just like the old adage about that elusive extra 10% is there but only obtainable at a cost.......the 1Z delivers for those seeking extra. IMO
> 
> The 1Z has a thicker meaty sound. It’s more dense and has a soundstage that goes out front and back, where the soundstage of the 1A is more 2 dimensional. The 1A is flat and speedy plus reserved. 1Z has bass boost and treble spike which gets that last ounce of detail or the feeling of detail. Though now with 3.02 software firmware the 1Z has the speed and agility the 1A had with firmware 3.01.
> 
> ...


Thanks guys, I've just ordered 1Z, can't wait to get that beautiful piece of engineering! 
Btw the price after some discount was $2440, ordered from Russia. I also recently bought a MDR-Z1R, here, in Belarus, for $1150, seems like Sony doesn't have high hopes for people buying hi-fi gear at MSRP in this region


----------



## SolarBeaver

Redcarmoose said:


> I did and tried it, but feel 3.02 is better for the 1Z, not having the lows the 1A needs. IMO
> 
> So the 1A is rolled back to 3.01.
> 
> Different folks key into different parts of the sound AND have different IEMs or headphones. There is no right or wrong.....lucky we have choices.


That's good to hear, I've read multiple times that 3.02 is more advanced, but SQ is somewhat flawed, guess it was regarding wm1a.


----------



## Redcarmoose

SolarBeaver said:


> Thanks guys, I've just ordered 1Z, can't wait to get that beautiful piece of engineering!
> Btw the price after some discount was $2440, ordered from Russia. I also recently bought a MDR-Z1R, here, in Belarus, for $1150, seems like Sony doesn't have high hopes for people buying hi-fi gear at MSRP in this region





SolarBeaver said:


> That's good to hear, I've read multiple times that 3.02 is more advanced, but SQ is somewhat flawed, guess it was regarding wm1a.



Fabulous deals there! Enjoy!


----------



## mwhals

So what is the difference for someone in the United States ordering an international version instead of the USA version? Is it warranty, volume cap, etc.?


----------



## nc8000

mwhals said:


> So what is the difference for someone in the United States ordering an international version instead of the USA version? Is it warranty, volume cap, etc.?



volume cap is only on EU units so probably warranty


----------



## Pablovi

SolarBeaver said:


> Thanks guys, I've just ordered 1Z, can't wait to get that beautiful piece of engineering!
> Btw the price after some discount was $2440, ordered from Russia. I also recently bought a MDR-Z1R, here, in Belarus, for $1150, seems like Sony doesn't have high hopes for people buying hi-fi gear at MSRP in this region



Yeah, Sony price it’s products depending on the region, in Latin America they’re pretty cheap, compared to the US and Europe. But they don’t sell the 1Z here, only the 1A.


----------



## RobertP

I'm gonna try 3.02 right now. My recabled 1A has too much sub bass sometimes. Lower mid is already fuller, warmer, and better dynamic than normal 1A. I'm not sure about the more forward on the high thing with this lastest firmware.


----------



## AlexCBSN

RobertP said:


> I'm gonna try 3.02 right now. My recabled 1A has too much sub bass sometimes. Lower mid is already fuller, warmer, and better dynamic than normal 1A. I'm not sure about the more forward on the high thing with this lastest firmware.


where or who did the rewiring?


----------



## RobertP

Did it myself. I have electronic tech background.

I'm still testing 3.02. I'll report back


----------



## RollsRoys

nc8000 said:


> Don’t do it. 3.5 to rca or 4.4 to xlr. Never go balanced to single ended


It is surprising how some people convince the others on the things they dont know.

4.4 to 2xRCA is totally fine. In fact "balanced" in the portative usage is actually a dual mono. Guess what else is a dual mono? Right, a pair of RCA...


----------



## nc8000

RollsRoys said:


> It is surprising how some people convince the others on the things they dont know.
> 
> 4.4 to 2xRCA is totally fine. In fact "balanced" in the portative usage is actually a dual mono. Guess what else is a dual mono? Right, a pair of RCA...



4.4 is 4 live wires, 2 x rca is 2 live wires and 2 ground wires so you will short 2 active wires to ground if you go 4.4 to rca


----------



## Pablovi

nc8000 said:


> 4.4 is 4 live wires, 2 x rca is 2 live wires and 2 ground wires so you will short 2 active wires to ground if you go 4.4 to rca



That’s really the case if you go from 2.5mm and 3.5mm balanced. But according to Moon-Audio, the 4.4mm has a 5th connection that you can use as ground. 


“

The grounding scheme of portable players have essentially virtual grounds since they can't be tied to an earth ground. However, when you connect a DAP to a 2 channel stereo system with a true earth ground, some problems can occur. It is not an issue if you connect the 3.5mm single ended output to an RCA input connection on your preamp but when trying to connect a 2.5mm TRRS balanced portable player which only has 4 poles and no ground connection a special connector as used on the AK Players is required.

This connector block has a 2.5mm TRRS connection and also a 3.5mm TRS connection. The ground from the 3.5mm is used to tie the ground of the Astell & Kern to the ground plane of the preamp. Just doing a 2.5mm TRRS connector to XLRs can often result in a hum issue. Why? There is no ground plane thus why it causes a grounding issue which results in the hum.

See this special AK connector here.




Silver Dragon Portable Interconnect V3

There is a new connection that we are hoping gets adopted by more manufacturers. It is called the 4.4mm TRRS. This plug has 5 contacts for a balanced connection and the 5th contact eliminates the grounding issue. Sony is pushing this connection and some companies are starting to adopt it like Sennheiser. We have adopted it on our audio cables and will be implementing it on future Headphone Amp designs.“


----------



## nc8000

Pablovi said:


> That’s really the case if you go from 2.5mm and 3.5mm balanced. But according to Moon-Audio, the 4.4mm has a 5th connection that you can use as ground.
> 
> 
> “
> ...



that is correct but sony has not used the ground pin in the wm players. Some modders have internally modded the wm players connecting the 5th pin in the 4.4 to the ground from the 3.5 in effect getting the same result as the box you refer


----------



## Pablovi

nc8000 said:


> that is correct but sony has not used the ground pin in the wm players. Some modders have internally modded the wm players connecting the 5th pin in the 4.4 to the ground from the 3.5 in effect getting the same result as the box you refer




Thanks! Why on earth Sony doesn’t wire the 5th connection? That’s why they invented the 4.4mm balanced jack. 

So, you cannot use a 4.4mm to RCA with the WM players? It won’t convert to unbalanced. But you can keep the balanced signal with a 4.4mm to 2 3-pin XLR’s?


----------



## nanaholic

Pablovi said:


> Thanks! Why on earth Sony doesn’t wire the 5th connection? That’s why they invented the 4.4mm balanced jack.



They didn't invent it. NDICS invented it and convinced Sony to use it first. 

I keep having to clarify this but many of the online reviews keep repeating the same mistake saying Sony invented the 4.4mm standard - they really didn't.


----------



## Pablovi

nanaholic said:


> They didn't invent it. NDICS invented it and convinced Sony to use it first.
> 
> I keep having to clarify this but many of the online reviews keep repeating the same mistake saying Sony invented the 4.4mm standard - they really didn't.



Ok, even if they didn’t invented it. They’re the only ones using it. And the only advantage to do it is the added ground connection.


----------



## nc8000

Pablovi said:


> Ok, even if they didn’t invented it. They’re the only ones using it. And the only advantage to do it is the added ground connection.



to me the main advantage beyond being able to do balanced is that is mechanically much more robust than the 2.5


----------



## nc8000

Pablovi said:


> Thanks! Why on earth Sony doesn’t wire the 5th connection? That’s why they invented the 4.4mm balanced jack.
> 
> So, you cannot use a 4.4mm to RCA with the WM players? It won’t convert to unbalanced. But you can keep the balanced signal with a 4.4mm to 2 3-pin XLR’s?



Yes that is correct


----------



## nc8000

Pablovi said:


> Ok, even if they didn’t invented it. They’re the only ones using it. And the only advantage to do it is the added ground connection.



there are other daps using 4.4 besides sony and sennheiser use it on the 820 amp. Probably others use it as well but sony were first. They probably didn’t wire ground as it is no needed for balanced headphones


----------



## ttt123 (Oct 6, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> there are other daps using 4.4 besides sony and sennheiser use it on the 820 amp. Probably others use it as well but sony were first. They probably didn’t wire ground as it is no needed for balanced headphones


I did a quick search for which DAPs use a 4.4mm output (besides the Sony WM1A/Z, ZX300)...There are quite a few, hopefully indicating industry acceptance of the 4.4mm as a preferred balanced output.  Wonder if AK will ever change from their 2.5mm.  Maybe only if everybody else adopts 4.4, and they find they are losing customers due to only having 2.5mm balanced out.....Personally, I will probably not buy a DAP if it only has a 2.5mm balanced output.  Just too much trouble to worry about cables with both terminations.  I guess people who have invested in AK and like the sound, will stick with 2.5mm, and users that are invested in DAPs with 4.4mm will stick with 4.4 going forward.  If the industry fully adopts the 4.4mm, AK will probably be the last holdout....

DAPs using 4.4mm: Cayin N8,  Fiio M11 Pro, Hiby R5, Hiby R6 Pro, Cowon Plenue L, AR -M200,  Questyle QP Master, Shanling M6, Ibasso DX160, Lotoo Paw Gold Touch,
(removed Questyle QP2R)
AMPs: Oriolus BA300S, WA11 Topaz,


----------



## mwhals

ttt123 said:


> I did a quick search for what DAPs have 4.4mm output (besides the Sony WM1A/Z, ZX300)...There are quite a few, hopefully indicating industry acceptance of the 4.4mm as a preferred balanced output.  Wonder if AK will ever change from their 2.5mm.  Maybe only if everybody else adopts 4.4, and they find they are losing customers due to only having 2.5mm balanced out.....Personally, I will probably not buy a DAP if it only has a 2.5mm balanced output.  Just too much trouble to worry about cables with both terminations.  I guess people who have invested in AK and like the sound, will stick with 2.5mm, and users that are invested in DAPs with 4.4mm will stick with 4.4 going forward.  If the industry fully adopts the 4.4mm, AK will probably be the last holdout....
> 
> DAPs using 4.4mm: Cayin N8,  Fiio M11 Pro, Hiby R5, Hiby R6 Pro, Cowon Plenue L, AR -M200, Questyle QP2R, Questyle QP Master, Shanling M6, Ibasso DX160, Lotoo Paw Gold Touch,
> 
> AMPs: Oriolus BA300S, WA11 Topaz,



The Questyle QP2R has a 2.5 mm balanced. The Questyle QP Master will have the 4.4 mm.


----------



## RobertP

I'm impress how the new 3.02 firmware manage to squeeze out more instruments and vocals details out of it. I detect more real fine details that I have ever heard before. The 3.01 has the warmth which I like and the 3.02 is more naturalness. Sub bass is no longer too booming for me with better texture and layers, well for my 1A unit at least. Definitely more ambiance with larger soundstage and more holographic 3D like. If sony just left mid-high to high alone, this firmware would be a huge improvement over the 3.01. It's too bright and sibilant in some tracks.

Maybe I'll try out 3.00 firmware and see if it's better combination for me. How was it on WM1Z? Let me know


----------



## bana

Pablovi said:


> That’s really the case if you go from 2.5mm and 3.5mm balanced. But according to Moon-Audio, the 4.4mm has a 5th connection that you can use as ground.
> 
> 
> “
> ...



I've been using 4.4mm to RCA into my PrimaLuna amp since i bought my 1Z two years ago with no issues. I also have a cable for SE out when I run my integrated amp, both bought from Amazon.
Where is the issue??


----------



## Pablovi

bana said:


> I've been using 4.4mm to RCA into my PrimaLuna amp since i bought my 1Z two years ago with no issues. I also have a cable for SE out when I run my integrated amp, both bought from Amazon.
> Where is the issue??


You quoted the wrong post. I never said there was an issue. I said in that post that 4.4mm shouldn’t be an issue. Someone else said it was, because the WM is not wired to ground on the 4.4mm output. You could short the amp. But that was not me. 

Does it sounds better from 4.4mm to RCA than just SE to RCA?


----------



## bana

Pablovi said:


> You quoted the wrong post. I never said there was an issue. I said in that post that 4.4mm shouldn’t be an issue. Someone else said it was, because the WM is not wired to ground on the 4.4mm output. You could short the amp. But that was not me.
> 
> Does it sounds better from 4.4mm to RCA than just SE to RCA?



Unfortunately, I have two separate amps I'm using, a Macintosh pre-amp and the PrimaLuna integrated. I'm going to say the latter sounds better to my ears.


----------



## Vitaly2017

bana said:


> Unfortunately, I have two separate amps I'm using, a Macintosh pre-amp and the PrimaLuna integrated. I'm going to say the latter sounds better to my ears.




So I could use without problems the 1z 4.4 into ifi itubes2 rca without issues then?

Thats worrying one say it will frie and other one says its all good lol.

Dangy ...


----------



## nc8000 (Oct 5, 2019)

Vitaly2017 said:


> So I could use without problems the 1z 4.4 into ifi itubes2 rca without issues then?
> 
> Thats worrying one say it will frie and other one says its all good lol.
> 
> Dangy ...



I’ve never tried, am just speaking generally and theoretically, maybe Sony has build in some kind of protection to prevent shorting but I’m not risking a >$2000 peace of equipment trying out something that should normally not work


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> I’ve never tried, am just speaking generally and theoretically, maybe Sony has build in some kind of protection to prevent shorting but I’m not risking a >$2000 peace of equipment trying out something that should normally not work




Yes of course this why I decided to ask on headfi forum and see where it goes.

I agree with you, I have my self read before that some one was explaining that you should not do balance to unbalanced but from unbalanced to balanced it would not cause damage....

The reason why I seek to use 1z 4.4 to rca is because 1z is much better in balanced output vs se...


A ifi rep told me that using a 4.4 from sony to an unbalanced amp wont give any benefits unfortunately so may aswell stay in se for their products...


----------



## pond44

nc8000 said:


> I doubt it


There must be something happening, the prices for the Z1 have dropped over $1000 in the last few weeks. Not everyone can afford the DMP.


----------



## meomap

pond44 said:


> There must be something happening, the prices for the Z1 have dropped over $1000 in the last few weeks. Not everyone can afford the DMP.


Too expensive in the first place.


----------



## pond44

meomap said:


> Too expensive in the first place.


Definitely is, 6-7,000$ would have been more realistic.


----------



## riotgrrl

Gerbil86 please stop clogging this thread up with your damn pictures.

Thanks


----------



## proedros (Oct 8, 2019)

riotgrrl said:


> Gerbil86 please stop clogging this thread up with your damn pictures.
> 
> Thanks



is this the mexican dude that just posts for the sake of posting ? if so, just block/unfollow him

i did so some years back and got peace of mind - first time i block someone anywhere, cause he is a huge source of spam


----------



## NickleCo

LinstantX said:


> No one knows what output impedance has NW-WM1Z?


Just know that its lower compared to the wm1a, theres zero hiss when i paired it with my zeus while theres a faint hiss when i pair my zeus with my wm1a.

Would like to add that zeus is far more hissy than the andromedas


----------



## NickleCo

SolarBeaver said:


> Guys, I'm really torn between wm1a and wm1z, yes I know it's been asked countless of times, I've read through numerous reviews, briefly browsed through this 2k long thread, but still, if anyone has/used at some point both players, could you please throw your opinion if the SQ is really all that different, what is the consensus on this?
> Thanks in advance...


It depends on what iem you pair it with. For me i prefer the 1a since my iems lean towards the warm side of things. I find (with my iems) the 1z too thick and bassy for my liking. Oh not to mention its 2x the weight of the 1a lol.


----------



## NickleCo

mwhals said:


> I have not seen it for less, but I haven’t looked too hard yet as I haven’t decided on which DAP to get yet.


Would be interesting which of the 2 you'd buy.


----------



## LinstantX

Oh, I bought all the same sony nw-wm1z! Thing worthwhile. That's all in it perfectly, but personally I do not understand why the battery level can not be shown as a percentage...


----------



## NickleCo

Has anyone noticed a clicking sound when switching between direct and not direct in balanced?


----------



## LinstantX

By the way, no one was interested, and how much is the replacement battery for NW-WM1Z?


----------



## LinstantX

For the sake of interest.


----------



## gerelmx1986

DatDudeNic said:


> Has anyone noticed a clicking sound when switching between direct and not direct in balanced?


Yes, I get it, but don't know why it does so


----------



## nc8000

DatDudeNic said:


> Has anyone noticed a clicking sound when switching between direct and not direct in balanced?



yes it’s the mechanical relays that cut the signal just like when changing between the 2 clocks to protect the ears from any artifacts due to the transition


----------



## RobertP

I try older firmware recently. Start from 1.0.2 all the way up to 3.0.2 and so far I like 1.2 the most. It reminded me of older walkmans I used to own. Very smooth, warmth and analog.


----------



## captblaze

RobertP said:


> I try older firmware recently. Start from 1.0.2 all the way up to 3.0.2 and so far I like 1.2 the most. It reminded me of older walkmans I used to own. Very smooth, warmth and analog.



which shows Sony's brilliance... they don't block you from downgrading if you prefer the sound signature of an older firmware


----------



## Pablovi

captblaze said:


> which shows Sony's brilliance... they don't block you from downgrading if you prefer the sound signature of an older firmware



What I don’t get is why the sound changes with the firmware? And why they can’t control it?


----------



## captblaze

Pablovi said:


> What I don’t get is why the sound changes with the firmware? And why they can’t control it?



I'm not a programmer, but I would venture a guess that changes in the code would affect the output in various ways


----------



## djricekcn

I can't really tell the difference in sound with different fw


----------



## Pablovi

djricekcn said:


> I can't really tell the difference in sound with different fw


I’m willing to bet it doesn’t. Unless they wanted too, there’s not a single reason why it should.


----------



## Pablovi

captblaze said:


> I'm not a programmer, but I would venture a guess that changes in the code would affect the output in various ways



Coding doesn’t affect the sound, unless you mean to. I’ve never heard updating any single audio device changes it sound. And I’ve had an audio server since 2010, it’s gone through multiple firmware updates and doesn’t change the sound one bit.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 8, 2019)

Sony has not "updated" the WM series. I mean its been three years since their debut. Either sony is still brewing something with the tech of DMP-Z1 in pocket size, or they were intended as an unique products (special edition never to be released again).


----------



## RobertP (Oct 8, 2019)

I'm sure you can't just change SQ by adding or removing codes. I know some programming. Useless it's intentional by Sony. I believe it's good that you can choose which sound signature you prefer. Not all iem's and headphones are sound the same. Some are warmer and some are brighter than another. All 1.x firmware are on the warmth and analog side. 2.x still on the warm side with better soundstage and high. 3.x even larger soundstage with more holographic like and more mid-high to high. So choose which firmware works best to your liking.


----------



## nc8000

Pablovi said:


> Coding doesn’t affect the sound, unless you mean to. I’ve never heard updating any single audio device changes it sound. And I’ve had an audio server since 2010, it’s gone through multiple firmware updates and doesn’t change the sound one bit.



It is fairly well known with many daps that fw updates change the sound. Any change in code could potentially change load on the processor and timing and thereby change the sound


----------



## pond44

AMPLIFICATION?. Can I ask 2 questions please, because there is no line out on the A1 how does the phone out go connecting it to a desktop AMP, is that how it works?....and what desktop AMPs are you guys using with the A1/Z1, is the Sony TAZ the best choice or?


----------



## meomap

pond44 said:


> AMPLIFICATION?. Can I ask 2 questions please, because there is no line out on the A1 how does the phone out go connecting it to a desktop AMP, is that how it works?....and what desktop AMPs are you guys using with the A1/Z1, is the Sony TAZ the best choice or?


Hi,
One of my usage below:
I use 1Z 3.5mm out to RCA ( AQ Victoria ) to 
PrimaLuna DP Pre to
McIntosh 275 to
Magnepan 3.7i

Sounds clean and superb.


----------



## meomap

pond44 said:


> AMPLIFICATION?. Can I ask 2 questions please, because there is no line out on the A1 how does the phone out go connecting it to a desktop AMP, is that how it works?....and what desktop AMPs are you guys using with the A1/Z1, is the Sony TAZ the best choice or?


Hi,
For HP usage:
1Z 3.5mm out RCA to
ALO Studio Six tube amp.


----------



## animalsrush (Oct 8, 2019)

RobertP said:


> I try older firmware recently. Start from 1.0.2 all the way up to 3.0.2 and so far I like 1.2 the most. It reminded me of older walkmans I used to own. Very smooth, warmth and analog.



+1 for me 1.2 is the best, but I also love 3.0.1 as I like how it creates dB faster and scrolling is fast and I think it improves slightly on 1.2. Having said that you have peaked my interest to switch back .. I will do that soon..

try 3.01 with DSEE hx settings on strings .. it is very good


----------



## meomap

animalsrush said:


> +1 for me 1.2 is the best, but I also love 3.0.1 as I like how it creates dB faster and scrolling is fast and I think it improves slightly on 1.2. Having said that you have peaked my interest to switch back .. I will do that soon..
> 
> try 3.01 with DSEE hx settings on strings .. it is very good


I am still on 1.2


----------



## Pablovi

RobertP said:


> I'm sure you can't just change SQ by adding or removing codes. I know some programming. Useless it's intentional by Sony. I believe it's good that you can choose which sound signature you prefer. Not all iem's and headphones are sound the same. Some are warmer and some are brighter than another. All 1.x firmware are on the warmth and analog side. 2.x still on the warm side with better soundstage and high. 3.x even larger soundstage with more holographic like and more mid-high to high. So choose which firmware works best to your liking.



I’m sure as well, it would be terrible product quality, that the sound changes every time you updated it.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Has another confirmed with Sony that each of the FW has a different sound? It is hard for me to believe they would play with the sound that way. Sony is not new at this and should have the sound finalized before mass production.


----------



## lesale08

Ibasso dx90 is known to have sq change for every firmware. I tried fw rolling on that device when I had it before and to be honest I had a hard time really choosing my bet so i just stayed at the latest fw. 

Same here at my 1a. But currently on 3.01 and have not reverted back to 3.02.


----------



## endlesswaves

Missed the warmer and fuller FW3.01 but hesitated to roll back from FW3.02 due to the improvements in airier and wider soundstage and a little bit extra details that's not as easily perceived. I am using WM1A.


----------



## riotgrrl

proedros said:


> is this the mexican dude that just posts for the sake of posting ? if so, just block/unfollow him
> 
> i did so some years back and got peace of mind - first time i block someone anywhere, cause he is a huge source of spam



Yeah, that's him. Posting about how he's about to lose his home because he can't afford the rent. Nearly went bankrupt buying the 1A and wants everyone, everyday, to know he has one. DAP is totally out of his league. Thanks for the ignore tip though


----------



## Pablovi

riotgrrl said:


> Yeah, that's him. Posting about how he's about to lose his home because he can't afford the rent. Nearly went bankrupt buying the 1A and wants everyone, everyday, to know he has one. DAP is totally out of his league. Thanks for the ignore tip though


Well, you got the name wrong, there’s no user with that name. And haven’t seen any pictures posted lately.


----------



## Pablovi

HiFiGuy528 said:


> Has another confirmed with Sony that each of the FW has a different sound? It is hard for me to believe they would play with the sound that way. Sony is not new at this and should have the sound finalized before mass production.



Exactly, that would be very unprofessional, if you buy an “audiophile” product, you do it for the sound. It can’t be changing every time they need to publish and update.


----------



## flyer1 (Oct 9, 2019)

3.02 is a clear step up in sq from 3.01 with my 1Z/HD660s in balanced. Better textured bass, highs reach higher and more holographic/better imaging. Sound still reminds me of my old cassette walkmans but only better in everything. Very musical!

 I have tried all fw's and have noticed smaller or larger changes in sound in each one of them. Sony continues to develop and improve their players with fw changes!


----------



## djricekcn

Sony rep in Osaka, e-earphone owner said that's absurd and must be just the sound settings if anything besides human thought processing.   If Sony did change sound quality / behavior, it would be mentioned in what they mentioned in patch notes


----------



## flyer1 (Oct 9, 2019)

djricekcn said:


> Sony rep in Osaka, e-earphone owner said that's absurd and must be just the sound settings if anything besides human thought processing.   If Sony did change sound quality / behavior, it would be mentioned in what they mentioned in patch notes



Well, I am not alone in my observations..

Whether people like a specific FW seems to be then often dependant on type of player 1A or 1Z, type of IEM/headphone, balanced or not, cable used, gain setting etc etc.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 9, 2019)

Pablovi said:


> Exactly, that would be very unprofessional, if you buy an “audiophile” product, you do it for the sound. It can’t be changing every time they need to publish and update.


i dont think they're bad products just because sonic changes while.updating software. I know is annoying because you don't know what to expect.  This is strange because on older walkmans the sound didn't change with firmware updates.

I have always tought that the S-master chip didnt had registers for bass, mid and highs, unlike a traditional  dac chip. Sony  my theory is they're playing with the sound for a major update coming possibly in 2020?


By the way that @riotgrrl is a nazi American who likes Donald Trump as. I've threatened him


----------



## Maxx134

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have always tought that the S-master chip


I was curious about what type of chip Sony uses for the dac.
So it is an custom chip?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 9, 2019)

Maxx134 said:


> I was curious about what type of chip Sony uses for the dac.
> So it is an custom chip?


Yes their own design. It is a digital.amplifier rather than the traditional DAC, it means the worth the S-master  the DSP effects, volume control is made.n the digital domain before.passing through the analog amp stage. Unlike a traditional sac, some dps are applied as well the volume control when the signal is already analog state, hence the cleanliness  of the sound signal produced by the WM walkmans.

It's rare  for sony to use off-the-xounter DAC but have done with the PHA-3 (Wolfson) and the DMP-Z1 (AKM)


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 9, 2019)

flyer1 said:


> Well, I am not alone in my observations..
> 
> Whether people like a specific FW seems to be then often dependant on type of player 1A or 1Z, type of IEM/headphone, balanced or not, cable used, gain setting etc etc.



My ideas are that Sony is learning how to slowly make improvements with new firmware. It’s always going to be an end sound which is dependent on complete synergy with all equipment used. Success is subjective if the firmware has the tone someone is looking for. It’s a very different sound in comparison to 1.02 now. We know the changes as there is a group consensus about what each new firmware brings. These ideas are outside of what would be noted with different IEMs and desired taste, so we know the changes are fairly drastic. Though it’s also understandable some individuals seem to not notice sound differences between DACs or different firmwares. Just because a few don’t notice does not verify the changes don’t take place. It’s really a fairly large impression across all parts of the world that changes take place. 

Though maybe only 1.02, 3.01 and 2.0 were the only updates which were generally regarded as beneficial across both models. It tends to be an enigma where some firmware updates make only one player better, as it’s difficult to program a good sound to affect both players equally? IMO.


----------



## riotgrrl

Wrong on all 3 counts Gerbilboy. Your ability to read people is as functional as your bank balance.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 9, 2019)

captblaze said:


> which shows Sony's brilliance... they don't block you from downgrading if you prefer the sound signature of an older firmware



What we can’t understand is it IS actually difficult to roll back firmware. As soon as Sony makes a new firmware...old variations are taken down from Sony download locations. Every once in a while you can find an old firmware for download but they are never all at one Sony location for a choice.



pond44 said:


> AMPLIFICATION?. Can I ask 2 questions please, because there is no line out on the A1 how does the phone out go connecting it to a desktop AMP, is that how it works?....and what desktop AMPs are you guys using with the A1/Z1, is the Sony TAZ the best choice or?



People do go out from the 3.5mm or 4.4mm to an amp. But it was a new thing to have Sony not offer line out. Many older Walkmans before the 1A and 1Z had line out. In theory using the two analog choices you are going to be using two volume controls, though people are happy. I didn’t like the sound going out 3.5mm to RCAX2 to my Asgard line in with the 1Z; it just didn’t sound right. Using the dock we are able to join the 1A or 1Z, or the included cable that allows connection to the Sony TA amplifier. Now the players are simply file servers for the TA DAC. This works best in my history use.

https://www.amazon.com/headphone-amplifier-TA-ZH1ES-Japan-Warranty/dp/B01LZT6AJT


https://www.amazon.com/Walkman-Cradle-BCR-NWH10-NW-ZX2-Japan/dp/B00S94R5RK


----------



## ttt123

A description of the S-Master from Twister6's review.  The digital signal is amplified by a digital Class D amp, so it does not use an Analog amplifier.  It is digital all the way.  
https://twister6.com/2017/12/16/sony-nw-wm1z-dap/2/ 

"In my DAP reviews, the “under the hood” section usually starts with a discussion about which DAC is used in the design. And often the discussion continuous talking about using dual DACs in higher end models to separate L/R channels. WM1Z is different because Sony has a totally different approach to this design requirement – using their own digital S-Master HX amplifier.

S-Master digital amp is not a brand-new concept, Sony has been using it in a lot of their high-end desktop audio systems throughout years. But they continue to perfect it, to optimize it, and to adapt it for a portable use with their latest in-house developed S-Master HX semiconductor digital amplifier – model CXD-3778GF. This new evolution of S-Master HX digital amp wasn’t only optimized for efficient battery use, but also developed to be compatible with native DSD decoding, Balanced output, and High-Power output. Keep it mind, other entry and mid-fi Sony DAPs, like A40 and NX300, also use CXD-3778GF model, but they have a different implementation of LPF circuit where, for example, A40 uses switching FET inside of CXD-3778GF, while WM1 has high voltage FET outside of the digital amp.

I already mentioned “digital amp” a few times, and would like to talk more about its benefits. In a traditional design, decoded digital data stream is fed into D/A converter for digital signal to be converted into analog, then some Low Pass Filter (LPF), perhaps a volume control, and analog headphone amplifier section. Such traditional design generates “open-loop” distortion which is corrected with a Negative Feedback that has its own problems. Also, with a traditional off-the-shelf DAC architecture design, we see more dual DAC implementations to separate L/R channels in order to reduce the interference and crosstalk.

The problem with this architecture is that majority of the signal goes through analog path which is more susceptible to noise coupling, interference, and crosstalk. Even with L/R channel separation, you are still dealing with a small printed wiring board (pwb) and close proximity of the signals. What S-Master digital amp does is to completely replace the analog amplification with a digital amp technology without a feedback. S-Master doesn’t have D/A converter. Instead, the amp processes the digital signal until the final output stage where it uses LPF.

In a digital domain, there is no need for a dual DAC since you don’t have to worry about analog signal interference and crosstalk, and because this is a fully custom semiconductor design, Sony is in full control to optimize the audio performance (in this case supporting balanced output with DSD native playback in balanced mode only of up to 11.2MHz and Linear PCM playback up to 384kHz/32bit), and also to optimize battery life depending on the audio format playback."


----------



## gerelmx1986

ttt123 said:


> A description of the S-Master from Twister6's review.  The digital signal is amplified by a digital Class D amp, so it does not use an Analog amplifier.  It is digital all the way.
> https://twister6.com/2017/12/16/sony-nw-wm1z-dap/2/
> 
> "In my DAP reviews, the “under the hood” section usually starts with a discussion about which DAC is used in the design. And often the discussion continuous talking about using dual DACs in higher end models to separate L/R channels. WM1Z is different because Sony has a totally different approach to this design requirement – using their own digital S-Master HX amplifier.
> ...


 in their desktop-class S-Master sony claims PCM up to 768Khz /32-bit and DSD 512 (22.4Mhz). I wish sony could implement such a powerful chip in their walkman line. It would sincerely differentiate them from the crowd (many DAPs today do also pcm up to 384/32, DSD 256). The main issue holding sony doung this would be perhaps battery consuption and the scarce availaniluty of music in such sample rates


----------



## MrLocoLuciano (Oct 9, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> What we can’t understand is it IS actually difficult to roll back firmware. As soon as Sony makes a new firmware...old variations are taken down from Sony download locations. Every once in a while you can find an old firmware for download but they are never all at one Sony location for a choice.


I'll might make some happy men !

Windows :
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_02.exe
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_01.exe
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_00.exe
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.exe
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.exe
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.exe

Apple :
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_02.dmg
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_01.dmg
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_00.dmg
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.dmg
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.dmg
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.dmg
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.dmg

For older ones, just change the end of the adress.

Thanks to @ElecHires from Tellement Nomade for that


----------



## Pablovi

djricekcn said:


> Sony rep in Osaka, e-earphone owner said that's absurd and must be just the sound settings if anything besides human thought processing.   If Sony did change sound quality / behavior, it would be mentioned in what they mentioned in patch notes



I think it’s absurd as well. It would speak very badly about Sony.


----------



## Pablovi

gerelmx1986 said:


> i dont think they're bad products just because sonic changes while.updating software. I know is annoying because you don't know what to expect.  This is strange because on older walkmans the sound didn't change with firmware updates.
> 
> I have always tought that the S-master chip didnt had registers for bass, mid and highs, unlike a traditional  dac chip. Sony  my theory is they're playing with the sound for a major update coming possibly in 2020?
> 
> ...



Yeah, it’s very bad for a brand not to be able to keep a product quality constant, VERY BAD.  It will actually destroy the brand. 

There’s absolutely no way a firmware update changes the sound, maybe if you’re using software filters, like not using pure or direct sound, forgot the name. But that would be a huge mistake by Sony. Firmware updates are to get rid of bugs and errors, or improve performance of the UI and stability.


----------



## Pablovi

Redcarmoose said:


> My ideas are that Sony is learning how to slowly make improvements with new firmware. It’s always going to be an end sound which is dependent on complete synergy with all equipment used. Success is subjective if the firmware has the tone someone is looking for. It’s a very different sound in comparison to 1.02 now. We know the changes as there is a group consensus about what each new firmware brings. These ideas are outside of what would be noted with different IEMs and desired taste, so we know the changes are fairly drastic. Though it’s also understandable some individuals seem to not notice sound differences between DACs or different firmwares. Just because a few don’t notice does not verify the changes don’t take place. It’s really a fairly large impression across all parts of the world that changes take place.
> 
> Though maybe only 1.02, 3.01 and 2.0 were the only updates which were generally regarded as beneficial across both models. It tends to be an enigma where some firmware updates make only one player better, as it’s difficult to program a good sound to affect both players equally? IMO.



Because you don’t program a sound. You design a hardware topology for that sound. Unless you’re using software filters to alter the sound, there is no way a firmware upgrade will change it, and even then it would be a big mistake. You think a company like Sony won’t test the sound precious to reales of a product? It’s the only thing that will make you buy it! Imagine if indeed the sound would change very time you updated it, you could sue Sony and demand a full refund, this is not what you bought!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 9, 2019)

Pablovi said:


> Because you don’t program a sound. You design a hardware topology for that sound. Unless you’re using software filters to alter the sound, there is no way a firmware upgrade will change it, and even then it would be a big mistake. You think a company like Sony won’t test the sound precious to reales of a product? It’s the only thing that will make you buy it! Imagine if indeed the sound would change very time you updated it, you could sue Sony and demand a full refund, this is not what you bought!



So every time a car gets it’s computer system updated with new firmware the auto manufacturer opens themselves to getting sued? Every time windows does an update it can be sued as they improved the software and changed what you purchased? Remember you don’t ever have to update you can keep what came with your player, your car and your computer.

So every time your Apple phone updates it’s open for Apple being sued  because it’s not what you purchased? Really?

The firmware most definitely changes the sound for the better for some, many times... most people. 



They do test the sound before release but make improvements, just like companies make new improvements for the better all the time. Their ideas of what sounds good changes over time too. It doesn’t matter if the hardware or software gets changed the sound is different and a possible improvement.


----------



## Pablovi (Oct 9, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> So every time a car gets it’s computer system updated with new firmware the auto manufacturer opens themselves to getting sued? Every time windows does an update it can be sued as they improved the software and changed what you purchased? Remember you don’t ever have to update you can keep what came with your player, your car and your computer.
> 
> The firmware most definitely changes the sound for the better for some, many most.



The computer sound doesn’t change when you update Windows or the firmware of some hardware. The car doesn’t change as well.

Imagine a car that gave you less mileage per liter every time you update the firmware, or the suspension getting stiffer or any other change to the quality of the car and the reason you bought it?


You can’t do that, because sound is subjective, and some might not like it. What if they decide to ruin the sound because they think that’s good. Will you not want your money back. Sony will never do it. If it happens it’s because they don’t know about it or don’t know what they’re doing. And will never accept it happens. Just ask them.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Pablovi said:


> The computer sound doesn’t change when you update Windows or the firmware of some hardware. The car doesn’t change as well.
> 
> Imagine a car that gave you less mileage per liter every time you update the firmware, or the suspension getting stiffer or any other change to the quality of the car and the reason you bought it?



Of course the computer changes it’s operation abilities by having allocations of performance changed to other places. Same as the car can actually get better fuel economy or worse economy. Stuff is changed and buyers embrace these changes due to brand loyalty. 

Don’t know, but I think your a troll?


----------



## meomap

MrLocoLuciano said:


> I'll might make some happy men !
> 
> Windows :
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_02.exe
> ...



BRAVO......


----------



## Pablovi

Redcarmoose said:


> Of course the computer changes it’s operation abilities by having allocations of performance changed to other places. Same as the car can actually get better fuel economy or worse economy. Stuff is changed and buyers embrace these changes due to brand loyalty.
> 
> Don’t know, but I think your a troll?



Grow up, I’m a troll because I don’t believe sound changes when you do a firmware update? Exactly what Sony says.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 9, 2019)

Pablovi said:


> Grow up, I’m a troll because I don’t believe sound changes when you do a firmware update? Exactly what Sony says.



With your car, your phone, your Walkman and your computer you “OK” to update. You give acceptance for the update. It’s OK not to hear the update, many hear different, and your right in that Sony doesn’t come out and list how the update sounds different. But the general consensus is the updates change the sound.

But if you buy a early edition of a car the mileage and power can change drastically with firmware. There is no liability, you sign that away, when you agree to update your firmware.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Pablovi said:


> Grow up, I’m a troll because I don’t believe sound changes when you do a firmware update? Exactly what Sony says.


Perhaps those who notice a sonic change in firmware updates have high performance IEMs and headphones


----------



## proedros

MrLocoLuciano said:


> I'll might make some happy men !
> 
> Windows :
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_02.exe
> ...



great post , thanx - saved the links for future use


----------



## Maxx134 (Oct 9, 2019)

Pablovi said:


> There’s absolutely no way a firmware update changes the sound,


Firmware is in the digital domain.
The whole chip operation is in digital domain...



Redcarmoose said:


> The firmware most definitely changes the sound for the better for some, many times... most people.



Yes we just read how the whole chain from dac to amp is in the digital domain..

So from what I have understood, Sony is using their own  custom single all-in-one chip of S-Master digital amp logic chip, and FPG (for dac), which is all in digital domain even amplification untill output.

So, (correct me if I'm wrong) unlike other dac chips which are pre-programmed independently (AKM & Sabre, which also using analog stages), this Sony unit, instead, is totally controlled in the digital domain, which is the firmware...

And we don't know how much control the firmware has over the dac section, but we know the amp section is totally controlled..


----------



## proedros

is this the sony thread or the tech geeks thread ?

guys chill with whether the fw changes or changes the sound ,this is getting extra dorky

cheers


----------



## Maxx134

Is there a general consensus of the sonic differences between the 1Z & the 1A ??


----------



## gerelmx1986

Maxx134 said:


> Firmware is in the digital domain.
> The whole chip operation is in digital domain...
> 
> 
> ...


pehaps this YouTube vid helpa you to nserstans the concept.of class D amplification


----------



## RobertP

animalsrush said:


> +1 for me 1.2 is the best, but I also love 3.0.1 as I like how it creates dB faster and scrolling is fast and I think it improves slightly on 1.2. Having said that you have peaked my interest to switch back .. I will do that soon..
> 
> try 3.01 with DSEE hx settings on strings .. it is very good



Yes, I had already try that too. Imo, anything outside the direct source sound not as clean. Bass and sub is a bit too much in 3.01.

Lower-mid to low is just the right amount in 1.2. I hear singer sang much clearer; for my setup at least. All I have to do is set to high gain output if needed less warmth.


----------



## RobertP

endlesswaves said:


> Missed the warmer and fuller FW3.01 but hesitated to roll back from FW3.02 due to the improvements in airier and wider soundstage and a little bit extra details that's not as easily perceived. I am using WM1A.



Yes. If this is what you're looking for, stay with it.


----------



## Redcarmoose

I use 3.01 and the Noble Encore with the 1A and 1Z. I use 3.02 with the 1Z and IER-Z1R. So sadly I change firmware between IEMs.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Maxx134 said:


> Firmware is in the digital domain.
> The whole chip operation is in digital domain...
> 
> 
> ...





Maxx134 said:


> Is there a general consensus of the sonic differences between the 1Z & the 1A ??




I’m more more into understanding the outside far reaches of the technology results. Like the fact that the difference in amplifier process means no noise floor, no heat and a long battery life. Learning about other DAPs getting hot was a no go for me. The TA desktop headphone amp also converts any analog signal back into digital before the signal gets amplified. And it’s this reason there’s no line out of the 1Z /1A only digital out.


The strange part is all the features don’t notably sound better in place but different. The Field Programable Gate Array technology lets us upscale everything to DSD in the TA, and it’s different though I wonder if better? I simply thought they made digital sound like analog?

I’m going on a trip with the 1A so I started using it again as my main DAP. Truthfully the 1Z is really my choice. But the 1A is nice and a perfect way to listen to music. The 1Z is more meaty, it has a density going slightly more front to back. The 1Z has a treble spike and bass boost, but is still laid back and warm. The 1A is less warm. Though still warm. It’s this profound clarity with all the listed that makes the 1Z my favorite. But on my trip the 1A will be great too!


The 1A is a way way way better deal. The 1Z is like 10% better. But that 10% is there and noticeable all the time. Music is more real. The 1Z soundstage is fuller. But that’s not to say the 1A is even the slightest bad. It’s incredible for what it is. But.....it’s that last 10%.......but you pay for it.


----------



## RobertP

gerelmx1986 said:


> Perhaps those who notice a sonic change in firmware updates have high performance IEMs and headphones


 Maybe you are right, I didn't hear anything different back when I still have just XBA3 iem.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Perhaps those who notice a sonic change in firmware updates have high performance IEMs and headphones



I do and don’t notice any change in sound between different fw however I did notice changes between fw versions on the iBasso DX90 I had some years ago


----------



## phonomat

HiFiGuy528 said:


> Has another confirmed with Sony that each of the FW has a different sound? It is hard for me to believe they would play with the sound that way. Sony is not new at this and should have the sound finalized before mass production.



I've written to customer service for confirmation but only received a generic nondescript reply. Never heard a difference myself, and I've gone through every single FW version. I'm sort of an early adopter, and to me, my DAP sounds the same as day one. Oh well.


----------



## phonomat

Pablovi said:


> Grow up, I’m a troll because I don’t believe sound changes when you do a firmware update? Exactly what Sony says.



That makes three of us. You, me and Sony.


----------



## Pablovi

phonomat said:


> I've written to customer service for confirmation but only received a generic nondescript reply. Never heard a difference myself, and I've gone through every single FW version. I'm sort of an early adopter, and to me, my DAP sounds the same as day one. Oh well.


Sony will never admit it. It’s a flaw if it’s happening.


----------



## nc8000

Pablovi said:


> Sony will never admit it. It’s a flaw if it’s happening.



iBasso never admitted it happening with the DX90


----------



## lesale08

Chiming in as well. Having a hard time hearing any difference between firmwares (1A).


----------



## mmwwmm

Redcarmoose said:


> What we can’t understand is it IS actually difficult to roll back firmware. As soon as Sony makes a new firmware...old variations are taken down from Sony download locations. Every once in a while you can find an old firmware for download but they are never all at one Sony location for a choice.



Here you can get some helpful info

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1984#post-15201306


----------



## eugene2 (Oct 10, 2019)

My problem with these Sony players is no Roon or Tidal...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 10, 2019)

Pablovi said:


> Sony will never admit it. It’s a flaw if it’s happening.



It’s not a flaw but a direction they are going. The early early firmware was just so-so. They then came out with 1.02 and more people had an opinion about it. As the players are released...... they have what ever firmware was out at the time. Every firmware is available except 1.0 (or 1.01?) which was installed in the first Walkman production run. As the firmware was updated a trend has taken place. Also features have been added. By the time 3.00 came out the Walkmans could now receive Bluetooth as well as send it. They added a vinyl sounding effect filter. But as a whole the software has allowed the players to become broader in soundstage and have more midrange.......to the point that 3.02 has almost too much midrange and too broad a soundstage for the 1A. Though it’s a matter of taste but 3.02 is perfect for the 1Z. 3.00 was too bass trimmed for the 1A but 3.01 was perfect. Remember too the players have become way louder since the early firmware releases.......that’s not random.

But your right, they do release bad quirks....like 3.00 had a very slow way of adding up the song database file set. 3.00 also crashed off and on for some.

This is a planned direction on the part of Sony to improve DAP performance. Though due to the polarized personality between the two DAPs it’s difficult for one software to bring the best to both.

Much of this is obviously synergy between IEMs. Also people like to stay with a sound they have become accustomed to. You still have many on firmware 1.02 as it’s maybe the warmest most analog and most forgiving. The most confusing thing is that the firmware seems to move the song imaging around. This effect is even different than you may get with EQ. Once we have songs we are used to, new firmware rearranges the instruments placing different emphasis on parts, basically delivering a whole new DAP. With a attenuation of bass, midrange and treble can be emphasized. Pace, rhythm and timing change as there is more space between the beats.

All this would be bad if it was a forced option. Lucky folks can simply choose a sound personality that goes the direction they want.

The best part is many of us feel we have a completely different and better sounding DAP then years ago right after the purchase. The DAPs have been out since 2016. If Sony didn't care, they could simply make new DAPs and put new firmware in them and charge us for getting new better sounding merchandise. All of us own Apple products that have become obsolete due to firmware issues. Instead we are given Sony gifts!


----------



## hshock76 (Oct 10, 2019)

Vitaly2017 said:


> yes pleas do so  I am very interested



Finally got my 1Z on Monday and have been testing it for 2 days since. I am still on FW1.20 from the factory reset. Its a pre-owned unit and have been fully burned-in.

My thoughts comparing the 1Z to DX220 with Amp9 (50-60hrs) with IER-Z1R and Dita Oslo cable.

In my own simplest way to describe the difference for me:
Ibasso - Listening to a very very good music
1Z - Being in and part of the music

1Z is in a seperate league to me... there is a sense of realism and feeling of "being there" when listening to the same songs through the Sony. There is more depth, more height, more clarity, extremely immersive and involving. Body moves to the music naturally. Likely also due to good synergy since both are Sony items. Currently the pairing is perfect to me.

Dun get me wrong, the DX220 with Amp9 is still very good.  But just different. I will now pair with with the IER-M9. The pairing is wonderful in a different way. Its like comfort food. Soothing, smooth and relaxing..

Gonna do more comparison between the TA-ZH1ES+ MDR-Z1R and the 1Z+ IER-Z1R pairing over the next couple of days.

And yes, I agree that we should all be enjoying the music more.....


----------



## auronthas

Chill guys.  If you can hear sound differences between firmware, that's great.  If you don't, no worries, I am one of those with decent hearing perhaps , but I do enjoy music from WM1A.

As many of you know, the latest firmware 3.0.2 is to smoothen transition between tracks in Bluetooth mode. Happy listening  and cheers


----------



## Redcarmoose

hshock76 said:


> Finally got my 1Z on Monday and have been testing it for 2 days since. I am still on FW1.20 from the factory reset. Its a pre-owned unit and have been fully burned-in.
> 
> My thoughts comparing the 1Z to DX220 with Amp9 (50-60hrs) with IER-Z1R and Dita Oslo cable.
> 
> ...



It will be cool to read your impressions going to 3.02 with the IER and MDR. Congratulations!


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 10, 2019)

hshock76 said:


> Finally got my 1Z on Monday and have been testing it for 2 days since. I am still on FW1.20 from the factory reset. Its a pre-owned unit and have been fully burned-in.
> 
> My thoughts comparing the 1Z to DX220 with Amp9 (50-60hrs) with IER-Z1R and Dita Oslo cable.
> 
> ...


i think no other DAP other than sonys hgh end offerings can do the realism of  the music being presented. You litrally feel .part of it as if the artist is with you.

Currently using the lesser IER-M7 with my 1A listening to the works for keyboard by William Byrd. The musicician – Davitt Moroney – uses period instruments such as a Muselaar . You hear all  of the mechanism –a Virginal and a Muselaar are entirely made of wood, except.the strings –, every pluck of strings, the strings themaelves vibrating, the reverberation of both the room and the instrument. You feel as if he was literal next to you. And yeah this is a 1999 release 16/44.1


----------



## phonomat

HairOhWin Blast said:


> Can you please stop spamming the board. You don't hear differences in the firmwares...Great, get a cookie...... and eat it.
> Most people hear changes, and they are rather large...We will all buy a cookie and... eat it too.
> This back and forth arguing about what a firmware should or should not do, is dumb.



HairOhWin hangover?


----------



## proedros

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m going on a trip with the 1A so I started using it again as my main DAP. Truthfully the 1Z is really my choice. But the 1A is nice and a perfect way to listen to music. The 1Z is more meaty, it has a density going slightly more front to back. The 1Z has a treble spike and bass boost, but is still laid back and warm. The 1A is less warm. Though still warm. It’s this profound clarity with all the listed that makes the 1Z my favorite. But on my trip the 1A will be great too!
> 
> 
> *The 1A is a way way way better deal. The 1Z is like 10% better.* But that 10% is there and noticeable all the time. Music is more real. The 1Z soundstage is fuller. *But that’s not to say the 1A is even the slightest bad. It’s incredible for what it is*. But.....it’s that last 10%.......but you pay for it.



great impressions/comparisons ,and thanx for not being afraid to say about the 10% part

wm1a is very nice indeed, and some of us don't/can't pay 3x times the price for that 10% improvement.


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> great impressions/comparisons ,and thanx for not being afraid to say about the 10% part
> 
> wm1a is very nice indeed, and some of us don't/can't pay 3x times the price for that 10% improvement.



I certainly don’t regret getting the 1Z 3 years ago but I suspect that with todays 1TB microSD cards I would probably have gone for the 1A instead and be perfectly happy


----------



## NickleCo (Oct 10, 2019)

lesale08 said:


> Chiming in as well. Having a hard time hearing any difference between firmwares (1A).


Try rolling back to 2.00 then to 3.00 and 3.01. FW 2.00 sounds really bassy compared to 3.00 and as for 3.01 the difference here is that 3.00 has a metallic tinge to the vocals but with 3.01 that metallic tinge is gone. As for the iems i jave tried it with; zeus xiv, angie, ckw1000 ANV, final e2000, lime ears model x, zs10, mdr 1A. Lime ears sounded so unnatural with 3.00 but it sounded quite good with 2.00 but limited stage due to midbass hump in the fw.

I used to not believe the fw sonic changes bur when i tried it with a bunch of iems with different signatures, that when i really noticed. Note that 3.00-3.02 sonic changes is not that apparent if you dont cycle through iems that often.


----------



## miguel.yarce

DatDudeNic said:


> Try rolling back to 2.00 then to 3.00 and 3.01. FW 2.00 sounds really bassy compared to 3.00 and as for 3.01 the difference here is that 3.00 has a metallic tinge to the vocals but with 3.01 that metallic tinge is gone. As for the iems i jave tried it with; zeus xiv, angie, ckw1000 ANV, final e2000, lime ears model x, zs10, mdr 1A. Lime ears sounded so unnatural with 3.00 but it sounded quite good with 2.00 but limited stage due to midbass hump in the fw.
> 
> I used to not believe the fw sonic changes bur when i tried it with a bunch of iems with different signatures, that when i really noticed. Note that 3.00-3.02 sonic changes is not that apparent if you dont cycle through iems that often.




I have only a few weeks with mine, so I did not experienced other FW than the last one but Its good to know that it was an improvement in SQ. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## hshock76 (Oct 11, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> It will be cool to read your impressions going to 3.02 with the IER and MDR. Congratulations!



I switched between 1.20 and 3.02 multiple times this morning and I must say I prefer 1.2.

Main difference for me is that the vocals for 1.20 is more forward and overall presentation is more expressive and musical. 1.20 is akin to having the singer perform exclusively for me. However, I must say that this is more apparent with vocal focused songs,

I too did not feel soundstage being any narrower on the 1.20 vs 3.02.

Did not like losing the DAC function though.

I strongly believe that we all hear things differently. My cousin loves the AK Billie Jean while I felt that it had a lack of body. He prefers brighter signatures while I like warm+full bodied. Similarly, I believe some may hear difference from SW changes while some do not. I personally did not believe that SW should result in any changes in SQ but in this instance I did.

There is no right or wrong. End of the day, what's most important is we like what we hear, and not go into length debates about what others should or should not hear.

Cheers.


----------



## miguel.yarce

Hi All! Did somebody test the Fiio L27 with the wm1a?

If yes... did it transmit DSD natively? I used that cable with a A35 walkman to work as a transport. 

Regards!


----------



## animalsrush

hshock76 said:


> I switched between 1.2 and 3.02 multiple times this morning and I must say I prefer 1.2.
> 
> Main difference for me is that the vocals for 1.2 is more forward and overall presentation is more expressive and musical. 1.02 is akin to having the singer perform exclusively for me. However, I must say that this is more apparent with vocal focused songs,
> 
> ...



You nailed it 100% on vocal presentation on 1.2. It is really special. That one thing alone makes me want to stick to 1.2 . That and deep bass. On k10 with lionheart and 1z it is simply divine and musical


----------



## NickleCo

Oh wow i just realized ive clocked this much. I had about 1092 hours before i wiped it clean while downgrading fw before.


----------



## pond44

hshock76 said:


> Finally got my 1Z on Monday and have been testing it for 2 days since. I am still on FW1.20 from the factory reset. Its a pre-owned unit and have been fully burned-in.
> 
> My thoughts comparing the 1Z to DX220 with Amp9 (50-60hrs) with IER-Z1R and Dita Oslo cable.
> 
> ...


I'll be looking forward to the next segment, TA+Z1R


----------



## gerelmx1986

miguel.yarce said:


> Hi All! Did somebody test the Fiio L27 with the wm1a?
> 
> If yes... did it transmit DSD natively? I used that cable with a A35 walkman to work as a transport.
> 
> Regards!


WM1A and the 1Z dont have line out


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> WM1A and the 1Z dont have line out



they do have digital out which is what the Fiio L27 cable is for


----------



## auronthas

DatDudeNic said:


> I had about 1092 hours before i wiped it clean while downgrading fw before.


Really? Downgrade firmware will reset the audio played time? Please correct me.


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> Really? Downgrade firmware will reset the audio played time? Please correct me.



doing a factory reset will reset audio played time


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> they do have digital out which is what the Fiio L27 cable is for


ah ok ok, I tought  it as intended for analogue line out


----------



## auronthas

nc8000 said:


> doing a factory reset will reset audio played time


Downgrade firmware need not factory reset or wiped clean?


----------



## nc8000 (Oct 11, 2019)

auronthas said:


> Downgrade firmware need not factory reset or wiped clean?



I think you might have to do a factory reset if you go back to some of the early versions but I have not tried to do this. The only time I’ve gone back was from 3.0 to 2.0 and I don’t think I did a factory reset there


----------



## NickleCo

auronthas said:


> Downgrade firmware need not factory reset or wiped clean?


You need to wipe if you want to downgrade to 1.2


----------



## blazinblazin

3.01 and 3.02 differences.
I am using a warmer IEM Acoustune 1650CU, 1x Dynamic Driver.

Tonality I prefer 3.01.
Imaging, soundstage(front to back) is better on 3.02.
Agreed that sub-bass have been increased. For my IEM which have plenty bass, it increases it which not good for some songs. For people who using a setup and wants more bass could try it.

Highs have little increase probably to equalize the amount of bass.

Piano songs are good on 3.02. 

3.02 is good if you are always outside, noisy environments, but in quiet environment you might felt too much.


----------



## pond44

nc8000 said:


> they do have digital out which is what the Fiio L27 cable is for


Line out is analogue not digital, in the A1/Z1 that's why it's difficult to matchDACs and AMPs normally they have a digital line out which then goes into the DAC to be converted.


----------



## nc8000

pond44 said:


> Line out is analogue not digital, in the A1/Z1 that's why it's difficult to matchDACs and AMPs normally they have a digital line out which then goes into the DAC to be converted.



yes and your point is ?


----------



## miguel.yarce

gerelmx1986 said:


> WM1A and the 1Z dont have line out



The L27 goes to the digital port to a micro usb, the question is if you can transport some DSD. What do you think?


----------



## mwhals

Wondering if buying a WM1Z makes sense today based on it already being out three years. I think it does as I am not one to jump on the next dap if I like the current one. The international one is a great price compared to the United States version. The warranty is the only question. Can I get it serviced if needed? Has anyone else bought an international version in the United States and needed warranty service?


----------



## gerelmx1986

miguel.yarce said:


> The L27 goes to the digital port to a micro usb, the question is if you can transport some DSD. What do you think?


you s you can, only if yor DAC supports DSD


----------



## flyer1

mwhals said:


> Wondering if buying a WM1Z makes sense today based on it already being out three years. I think it does as I am not one to jump on the next dap if I like the current one. The international one is a great price compared to the United States version. The warranty is the only question. Can I get it serviced if needed? Has anyone else bought an international version in the United States and needed warranty service?



WM1Z will always be great, especially with Sony's continuing firmware support/improvements. Hard to imagine something better will arrive soon. Look for a great deal now on Amazon.de(close to 2k euro)


----------



## Whitigir

mwhals said:


> Wondering if buying a WM1Z makes sense today based on it already being out three years. I think it does as I am not one to jump on the next dap if I like the current one. The international one is a great price compared to the United States version. The warranty is the only question. Can I get it serviced if needed? Has anyone else bought an international version in the United States and needed warranty service?



DAP is very competitive these days.  They are coming as fast as smartphones now, but with each release is into different price range and differences in built and implementation here and there.  They mainly revolves and advertised about their own DAC-IC

So, the off the shelves DAC-IC is also moving faster than it used to be.  This is because of the modern demand for digital music, high-res....etc.... even studio and professional devices are all in demand of better IC-based Sigma Delta.

Therefore, what is the implementation and configuration again ? As a whole, the choices of each components, the clocks, the regulators, the capacitors, the resistors....etc....etc....that is just hardware parts.  On top of that there will be software and it algorithms part.

the WM-1Z on the hardware side is built for a future proof on the implementation wise, except it own S-Master, which Sony is not going to replace and upgrade anytime soon.  I don’t see it as I thought the DMP-Z1 or the 40th anniversary should have.....but it did not. 

That brings us back to the square 1, the Digital Converter side of the device.  The S-Master HX inside the WM-1Z and 1A is Sony current top tier.  The hardware components are top tier....heck even each screws and chassis.  All of that together make the Sony WM Walkman a unique device that is unlike the rest that is being produced like smartphones at a premium price.  
The WM-1A and 1Z are both high-end top tier in built quality, and as sound is subjective, you can judge it however you want.  But that is how I see it.  The only reason why I moved away from WM-1Z was because it wasn’t powerful enough to drive my HD800S.  Also is why I bought DMP


----------



## bflat

mwhals said:


> Wondering if buying a WM1Z makes sense today based on it already being out three years. I think it does as I am not one to jump on the next dap if I like the current one. The international one is a great price compared to the United States version. The warranty is the only question. Can I get it serviced if needed? Has anyone else bought an international version in the United States and needed warranty service?



If I may talk a bit LOL....

Sony generally does not provide warranty outside of the country of purchase and must also be from an authorized reseller. Since resellers can only sell in their region, warranty generally does not follow. However, on a case by case basis, they may provide warranty if they are convinced you didn't purchase out of region only for a lower cost. On a positive note, I think there have only been a couple reported warranty claims on this entire thread. Sony DAPs are the most trouble free I've experienced having owned multiple AK and Onkyo DAPs in the past. Lastly, battery degradation is inevitable, but even if you lose 50% of your battery life on a Sony DAP, it's still at least 10 hrs of operation. However, if you use the 90% battery saver feature, you will extend the life of your battery significantly to the point of non-issue.

My advice would be to purchase a used WM1Z to minimize your investment and risk. DAPs in general, like smartphones, depreciate significantly. AK is probably the worst since they put out new models every year. Sony will certainly upgrade this line in the future, but if the recent ZX500 is a hint at the direction they are going to go - Android with wifi streaming, I for one have no interest in that. The current WM1a/z may very well be the last of its' line and may reach cult status like discrete R2R DACs from the 90's (which by the way sound better than >90% of current DACs).

If you are still not convinced, perhaps you want to try a different route - use a 2 piece combo of transport and DAC. There you have flexibility to upgrade without having to make an all or nothing decision. For transport, I would highly recommend the Sony A50 series. It works just like the WM series and for BT transmitter and USB transport, there is no difference is sound quality. Possible combos could be with Hugo 2, WA11, Q5s. I've tried all of these and the USB transport functions flawlessly. However in the case with Q5s, the LDAC BT sounds just as good as wired. Heck, I even use the A55 as a stand alone and it even has FM reception to boot! Battery life is an amazing 25-30 hrs. In case you are wondering about the HFM R2R2000, unfortunately USB transport doesn't work and the HFM morons decided to use obscure BT standard instead of LDAC. That would have been a killer combo.


----------



## LinstantX

I wonder if Sony could introduce bluetooth support for the UAT codec in the future?


----------



## hshock76 (Oct 11, 2019)

mwhals said:


> Wondering if buying a WM1Z makes sense today based on it already being out three years. I think it does as I am not one to jump on the next dap if I like the current one. The international one is a great price compared to the United States version. The warranty is the only question. Can I get it serviced if needed? Has anyone else bought an international version in the United States and needed warranty service?



I have the DX220 with Amps 8 & 9 as well as the AK Kann Cube. Just got my 1Z earlier this week and I can confidently say that it still stands head and shoulders and/or above the new offerings when paired with the IER & MDR-Z1Rs. I believe the synergy helps as well. I must say the Kann Cube gave the IER-Z1Rs a huge sound-stage and a good feel of being "live" with the music; but I find the 1Z does vocals better.


----------



## hshock76

pond44 said:


> I'll be looking forward to the next segment, TA+Z1R



Ok, here's my feedback on the 1Z vs TAZ (Using 1Z as transport)

The sound signature on both is very similar.

Vocals is largely the same but there is more of everything else from the TAZ. To put it simply, the TAZ is an extension of what the 1Z already does well.

There is improved sound-stage, depth, separation and presence. Not huge improvements but noticeable. Not surprising since there is certainly significantly more power on the TAZ.

However, moving back to the 1Z from the TAZ, I did not feel a discernible drop in performance or enjoyment  which just says how good the 1Z is by itself.

It's good to have options but can't go wrong with either. I use the TAZ with the MDR predominantly at home and the 1Z with the IERs in the office.

And a very quick one on IER vs MDR-1ZR to my ears:
1. IER - Forward Vocals+Clinical; like a sharp steak knife
2. MDR - :Vocals Less forward than the IERs but Smooth+Analogue feel; like a Hot knife cutting through butter


----------



## mwhals

bflat said:


> If I may talk a bit LOL....
> 
> Sony generally does not provide warranty outside of the country of purchase and must also be from an authorized reseller. Since resellers can only sell in their region, warranty generally does not follow. However, on a case by case basis, they may provide warranty if they are convinced you didn't purchase out of region only for a lower cost. On a positive note, I think there have only been a couple reported warranty claims on this entire thread. Sony DAPs are the most trouble free I've experienced having owned multiple AK and Onkyo DAPs in the past. Lastly, battery degradation is inevitable, but even if you lose 50% of your battery life on a Sony DAP, it's still at least 10 hrs of operation. However, if you use the 90% battery saver feature, you will extend the life of your battery significantly to the point of non-issue.
> 
> ...



Thanks for your well thought out reply. I will go with a dap like the WM1Z over the 2 piece combo. I like to walk around the house and a heavy dap is better to me than having to juggle two pieces, each with a battery that must be charged.


----------



## Mindstorms (Oct 11, 2019)

mwhals said:


> Thanks for your well thought out reply. I will go with a dap like the WM1Z over the 2 piece combo. I like to walk around the house and a heavy dap is better to me than having to juggle two pieces, each with a battery that must be charged.


I think you wont regret 1Z it since a really awesome DAP when correctly paired! if you can test battery after purchase it will be awesome but... just never buy a demo unit lol


----------



## Mindstorms

proedros said:


> any sound changes with the new 3.0 FW ?
> 
> wm1a users only , please





Tawek said:


> after having installed 3.0 firmware , I returned to 1.20 without any problem


Why you returned to 1.20? have you tried 3.01


----------



## Mindstorms

proedros said:


> wm1a or wm1z ?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I went back and forth all of them but i tried to go back in some order, if install 3.01 and whant to go back 1.20 y first go 2.0 then 1.2 and allways get errors that i end solving... mostly for the bookmarks gone and others!! you can PM me anytime im wm1a by the way.


----------



## bflat

Regarding FW sound quality. I started with 3.0x so I don't hear any difference. However I'm surprised nobody mentions how their hearing changes throughout the normal day. For me listening in the morning requires higher volume and treble sounds dull. Mid day all is well. Later in the evening, I have to listen at lower volumes and treble sounds sharper. Of course the different volume levels have an impact on how much low end I hear. In all cases, after I listen for an hour or so, my hearing adjusts and gets closer to mid day levels.


----------



## Mindstorms (Oct 11, 2019)

I dont listen music in the morning period lol I noticed bass tastes like K.....p in the mornings trebble sound anoying for me even, and im not in the mood best time for me its around 8 till you can stand it!! i listen to EDM often listen music while playing DOTA2 lol 3.01 still the best for me...

My EQ its really weird too! +10 (31) -5.5 (62) -10 (125) -3 (500) -1.5 (1k) -1 (2k) -2 -(4K) 5.5 (8k) -1.0 (16K)
DSEE Standard Phase Linearizer B low Vinyl Procesor Arm Resonance (Boost bass)
Or
DSEE OFF Phase Linearizer A low Vinyl Procesor Surface Noise (Boost Clarity and resolution)
DSEE Standard Phase Linearizer A low Vinyl Procesor Surface Noise (Boost Trebble)
DSEE Standard Phase Linearizer Off Vinyl Procesor Surface Noise ( make Bass softer and faster)
DSEE Strings Phase Linearizer A low Vinyl Procesor Surface Noise (Reverb)


----------



## Erfan Elahi

Hi everyone, for the WM1Z, has anyone noticed playback resume delays between 1 to 2 secs from paused playback? I haven't precisely counted, but it feels longer after taking 3.02 update. On 4.4mm

But soundwise I can feel straight away difference when changing the DC Phase linerizers, even from Type A to Type B, lows to highs. It's not too subtle like before. Also feels the mass has increased in the lows.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

if it were not for the battery I would say that 1Z and other walkmans that use Sony UI will outlive android walkmans as they need constant updating.

Heck, even the older Sony walkmans of 2000s sell pretty well on eBay considering they retailed for $200-$300 back then.



mwhals said:


> Wondering if buying a WM1Z makes sense today based on it already being out three years. I think it does as I am not one to jump on the next dap if I like the current one. The international one is a great price compared to the United States version. The warranty is the only question. Can I get it serviced if needed? Has anyone else bought an international version in the United States and needed warranty service?


----------



## animalsrush (Oct 12, 2019)

auronthas said:


> Really? Downgrade firmware will reset the audio played time? Please correct me.


No. I have done it atleast 5 times now. Factory reset does. I just downgraded to 1.2 from 3.01 and my hrs remain. The only thing you lose when you downgrade to 1.2 are your bookmarks. That doesn’t happen from 3.02 to 3.01 or 2


----------



## RobertP

Can I just I'm falling in love? Now that my 1A is on Fw 1.2, I can literally feel what singers were try to express. Even music instruments could give me chills. Just close my eyes and forget about the world.


----------



## Quadfather

RobertP said:


> I try older firmware recently. Start from 1.0.2 all the way up to 3.0.2 and so far I like 1.2 the most. It reminded me of older walkmans I used to own. Very smooth, warmth and analog.



I love 1.2


----------



## jaker782

Quadfather said:


> I love 1.2



I must say all this 1.2 love makes me want to give it a shot!  Has anyone noticed any changes to battery performance with the older (or newest) firmwares?


----------



## Quadfather

jaker782 said:


> I must say all this 1.2 love makes me want to give it a shot!  Has anyone noticed any changes to battery performance with the older (or newest) firmwares?



I wish I could help but it's always been on 1.2


----------



## Mindstorms

Erfan Elahi said:


> Hi everyone, for the WM1Z, has anyone noticed playback resume delays between 1 to 2 secs from paused playback? I haven't precisely counted, but it feels longer after taking 3.02 update. On 4.4mm
> 
> But soundwise I can feel straight away difference when changing the DC Phase linerizers, even from Type A to Type B, lows to highs. It's not too subtle like before. Also feels the mass has increased in the lows.


Can you confirm if its the same for SE?


----------



## Mindstorms (Oct 12, 2019)

jaker782 said:


> I must say all this 1.2 love makes me want to give it a shot!  Has anyone noticed any changes to battery performance with the older (or newest) firmwares?


me! read my posts please i can feel lots of diferences in sound and battery performance 2,0 battery was ok 3.01 battery drains faster with effects on!


----------



## chimney189

Would the W1MZ be able to power an Abyss Diana by itself?


----------



## SBranson

Just got the WM1A a couple days ago and I absolutely love this DAP..  The best sound I've heard.
I haven't even explored any settings and I come here seeing that the old firmware is even better?  

Anyway, just wondering if there is a consensus on which protective case is best or if there is one to avoid.  I have the thin silicon one but was thinking of something a little sturdier, possibly with a screen cover.  Is the Sony one any good? It looks a little annoying to use seeing as it flips down instead of to the side...


----------



## emrelights1973

I have too many headphones and like to sell some

A year  ago i ordered a mdrz1r and funny story it just arrived

meanwhile now I own a stellia as well

I will sell my sp1000 which is not getting any airtime

but I will never sell 1z

my question is should I keep 1zr - I can sell it because it is sealed box yet - 

is there a magic between 1zr and 1z ?

or will I be happy with utopia/stellia paring

I bought the kimber cable as well for 1zr...

anybody compared stellia with 1zr using z1 walkman?


----------



## 518013 (Oct 12, 2019)

Tried going back to the 1.02 and 1.2  firmware, but my 1A fails to build a library every single time.
Can someone please help, maybe the firmware is corrupted??


----------



## kubig123

chimney189 said:


> Would the W1MZ be able to power an Abyss Diana by itself?


Unfortunately no.
I tried the Diana with the LPGT that has twice the power of the 1Z  and it  still sounded underpowered


----------



## gerelmx1986

emrelights1973 said:


> I have too many headphones and like to sell some
> 
> A year  ago i ordered a mdrz1r and funny story it just arrived
> 
> ...


wow one year for them.to arrive
 That's slower than Mexican post
 Any waya.enkoy
 I love mine with wm1a


----------



## captblaze

HairOhWin Blast said:


> Tried going back to the 1.02 firmware, but my 1A fails to build a library every single time.
> Can someone please help, maybe the firmware is corrupted??



you need to open settings and go to device settings then reset/format and choose rebuild database


----------



## 518013

captblaze said:


> you need to open settings and go to device settings then reset/format and choose rebuild database


Thank you very very much.


----------



## 518013 (Oct 12, 2019)

1.20 firmware sounds really nice, especially on Direct Source on. Really really nice
Scrolling is a bit choppy though.
More bass than the 3.01, sounds fuller, and dare I say.... more coherent.
Vocals are smooth and expressive.
Need to do more testing, but I could live with both 1.2 and 3.01

Add: Will be sticking with the 1.2 firmware for a while, really enjoying it's presentation and sound so far. It sounds so organic and beautiful, has me lost in the music.
I can see why people are still holding onto this firmware.


----------



## Mindstorms (Oct 12, 2019)

SBranson said:


> Just got the WM1A a couple days ago and I absolutely love this DAP..  The best sound I've heard.
> I haven't even explored any settings and I come here seeing that the old firmware is even better?
> 
> Anyway, just wondering if there is a consensus on which protective case is best or if there is one to avoid.  I have the thin silicon one but was thinking of something a little sturdier, possibly with a screen cover.  Is the Sony one any good? It looks a little annoying to use seeing as it flips down instead of to the side...


lookup for my posts I have reviewed the SE output on each firmware  based on what you can hear/acomplish with EQ


----------



## Mindstorms (Oct 12, 2019)

HairOhWin Blast said:


> Tried going back to the 1.02 and 1.2  firmware, but my 1A fails to build a library every single time.
> Can someone please help, maybe the firmware is corrupted??


Yes it has happened to me only solution erase all tracks or most and add new ones after the firmware its installed friend! 1.20 its great!! and really powerfull and really 3D sounding!! if you can comment about 1.02?


----------



## SBranson

Midnstorms said:


> lookup for my posts I have reviewed the SE output on each one based on what you can hear/acomplish with EQ




Thanks, I will.  I had a meet up with another member and he knew the Sony better than I did and steered me towards the settings so I will have some fun revising the sound over the next while.


----------



## NickleCo

These cables made me think otherwise of the wm1a's SE output. It sounds so goooooood


----------



## emrelights1973

gerelmx1986 said:


> wow one year for them.to arrive
> That's slower than Mexican post
> Any waya.enkoy
> I love mine with wm1a


İt is the Sony Turkey’s record time delivery performance to the dealer


----------



## semsal (Oct 13, 2019)

Dap: sony wm1z
Out: 4.4 mm
Firmware : former 3.01 ....now  3.02
iems: rhapsodio zombie silver, hyla ce 5
Cable: lab kable samurai 3  4.4mm
Head set: Sony mdr z1r
Kimber cable 3.5mm
Std cable 4.4 mm

The new firmware gave me a new world!
+
Better placement of instruments, nice extended highs, bigger soundstage, cymbals are amazing, because of my sets, lows are better,  I think better battery life for 4.4 out

-
Highs on a dangerous limit it can be fatigue
Vocals?


----------



## gazzington

semsal said:


> Dap: sony wm1z
> Out: 4.4 mm
> Firmware : former 3.01 ....now  3.02
> iems: rhapsodio zombie silver, hyla ce 5
> ...


What are the zombie iems like?


----------



## semsal (Oct 13, 2019)

gazzington said:


> What are the zombie iems like?




8BA+1DD; 4 mids, 4 highs, and 1DD full range
V type
Lows are bigger
Warmer


----------



## gazzington

semsal said:


> 8BA+1DD; 4 mids, 4 highs, and 1DD full range
> V type
> Lows are bigger
> Warmer


Been considering zombie or solar for weeks/months/year!


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 13, 2019)

emrelights1973 said:


> İt is the Sony Turkey’s record time delivery performance to the dealer


Currently listening to  the Serenade Grand Partita. One of the.most beautiful works by W.A. Mozart. Splendid performance of the MDR-Z1R, i am on firmware 3.01, astounding instrument timbre and placements, a full 13 winds ensemble . The dynamics also well presented. Despite this album (a volume from the then complete philips Mozart edition 1991 & 2006) wasnt recorded on a super big hall, i can hear the reverb of the room clearly. Something i never heard with other headphones it always sounded dry



gazzington said:


> What are the zombie iems like?


They will slowly eat yur brain


----------



## NickleCo

semsal said:


> 8BA+1DD; 4 mids, 4 highs, and 1DD full range
> V type
> Lows are bigger
> Warmer


Have you tried the galaxy v2? Been wanting a pair myself but am discouraged by the v shape signature.


----------



## semsal

DatDudeNic said:


> Have you tried the galaxy v2? Been wanting a pair myself but am discouraged by the v shape signature.



I did not try


----------



## 518013 (Oct 13, 2019)

After listening to all the Firmware, this is how I would rank them. with the WM1A
2.0>1.2>3.01>1.02>3.0>3.02

2.0 has the sub-bass of the 1.2, but gets rids of a bit of the mid-bass bloat, staging is more 3D with increased depth, upper mids are reigned in a bit. Resolution is higher with more micro details.
3.01 loses a lot of the sub-Bass of the 2.0 and 1.2. Stage width is about even on all 3 firmware updates.

2.0, 1.2, 3.01 are all that I could live with very easily, but my preferences have me looking squarely at the 2.0 at the moment.

What an awesome player the WM1A is, sound can be tuned depending on what equipment you are using.
3.0, and 3.02 are more aimed at bassier IEMs, I am guessing the IER-ZIR and Legend X would do very well with them specifically.


----------



## Mindstorms (Oct 13, 2019)

518013 said:


> After listening to all the Firmware, this is how I would rank them. with the WM1A
> 2.0>1.2>3.01>1.02>3.0>3.02
> 
> 2.0 has the sub-bass of the 1.2, but gets rids of a bit of the mid-bass bloat, staging is more 3D with increased depth, upper mids are reigned in a bit. Resolution is higher with more micro details.
> ...


AGREE 101% (dough In SE out i get tons of HQ bass rumble on 3.01)


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have my DAP on 3.01 + IER-Z1R and I find it to sound excellent


----------



## flyer1 (Oct 14, 2019)

3.02 on WM1Z/HD660S is superb. Older firmwares I found lacking in one way or the other.


----------



## endlesswaves

518013 said:


> 1.20 firmware sounds really nice, especially on Direct Source on.



Just tried Firmware 1.20 after reading your comments and some others further back. I am glad I made the switch. IMO FW 1.20 made my WM1A sounds more like my Airist RDAC. Thicker notes and slightly longer decays. Vocals sounds much more emotional. 

3.02 with wider soundstage, lean and better defined notes makes the music goes around you while the more analog 1.20 made you feel like you are in the music. I guess which one is better depends on the synergy with your IEMs or personal taste. Only annoying thing is the error message keep popping out when I try to load previous playlist. Rebuilding database works for awhile until you change playlist. Any suggestion?


----------



## rgr555

anyone know where to buy this stand?
looks like a jdm oem product, don't see it on rakuten or anything


----------



## Erfan Elahi (Oct 14, 2019)

Erfan Elahi said:


> Hi everyone, for the WM1Z, has anyone noticed playback resume delays between 1 to 2 secs from paused playback? I haven't precisely counted, but it feels longer after taking 3.02 update. On 4.4mm
> 
> But soundwise I can feel straight away difference when changing the DC Phase linerizers, even from Type A to Type B, lows to highs. It's not too subtle like before. Also feels the mass has increased in the lows.





Midnstorms said:


> Can you confirm if its the same for SE?


My WM1Z was not only getting playback resume delay, 3 days later it got slo-mo on navigation like a dying Android OS. Later I noticed SD card was not showing. Most of my music are in the internal. So unmounted and remounted both from settings and physically, and things came back to normal.
SE - sounds too dull. The soundstage is missing, the weight in the drums are missing too. Although it wasn't a fair comparison as I used the stock cable of Zeus and that's the only 3.5mm cable I have at the moment. For 4.4mm - it's Wagnus Frosty Sheep.

On 4.4mm Wagnus Frosty Sheep + Zeus:
3.01 - polished smooth mids with a notable engagement, there is a extra gravity on the lows, separations are focused too, just balanced smoothness all way.

3.02 - very airy soundstage with massive wide and depth, added spaces in separations than 3.01.  Zeus feels like the soundstage of the Wraith (theoretically,as I haven't tried the Wraith). In some masters it feels too airy but this also bring foggy mids. Highs are very extended with sparkles. Some mixes are enjoyable, some are not, but with brain burn, it can be enjoyed on all.

1.02 - Agreed with others - the mids are very expressive. Doesn't add artificial air and dimensional extensions. It's just natural. Although for this - I don't feel a huge gap with the ZX300 (2.02).

The 3.02 has really taken listening experience into a new level. I was actually enjoying in the beginning. But the drums feels slightly recessed as it is too polished and sometimes I miss the gravity on the lows of the 3.01. So I am downgrading. I can sacrifice the highs I enjoyed on the 3.02.



Midnstorms said:


> I dont listen music in the morning period lol I noticed bass tastes like K.....p in the mornings trebble sound anoying for me even, and im not in the mood best time for me its around 8 till you can stand it!! i listen to EDM often listen music while playing DOTA2 lol 3.01 still the best for me...
> 
> My EQ its really weird too! +10 (31) -5.5 (62) -10 (125) -3 (500) -1.5 (1k) -1 (2k) -2 -(4K) 5.5 (8k) -1.0 (16K)
> DSEE Standard Phase Linearizer B low Vinyl Procesor Arm Resonance (Boost bass)
> ...


I am using vinyl processors only when I am playing vinyl rips. I stopped using the EQ - keeping all into 0 db. Only switching the Phase Linearizer depending on each masters. Have you tried only using the Phase Linearizer? I mean instead of combining all -  each of them individually sounds like ? DSEE does add colors. In Direct Sound, micro details are less focused.


----------



## Erfan Elahi

c





bflat said:


> Regarding FW sound quality. I started with 3.0x so I don't hear any difference. However I'm surprised nobody mentions how their hearing changes throughout the normal day. For me listening in the morning requires higher volume and treble sounds dull. Mid day all is well. Later in the evening, I have to listen at lower volumes and treble sounds sharper. Of course the different volume levels have an impact on how much low end I hear. In all cases, after I listen for an hour or so, my hearing adjusts and gets closer to mid day levels.


Right said. I do feel difference listening experience, time wise too.

Also, is condensation formed from between 14-16*°* C -  does it affects sonics from DAPs ? Or cable / IEM


----------



## nc8000

rgr555 said:


> anyone know where to buy this stand?
> looks like a jdm oem product, don't see it on rakuten or anything




It is called Sony STD-NWU10-B Walkman Docking Stand and I bought mine on eBay form Japan for about £60


----------



## bflat

Erfan Elahi said:


> c
> Right said. I do feel difference listening experience, time wise too.
> 
> Also, is condensation formed from between 14-16*°* C -  does it affects sonics from DAPs ? Or cable / IEM



LOL, I wouldn’t even turn on with condensation. Way to afraid of shorting out chips and battery.


----------



## SolarBeaver

Hey guys, is there any difference in sound quality/volume between using wm1z in dac mode vs dap mode, assuming source is the same?


----------



## Mindstorms (Oct 14, 2019)

endlesswaves said:


> Just tried Firmware 1.20 after reading your comments and some others further back. I am glad I made the switch. IMO FW 1.20 made my WM1A sounds more like my Airist RDAC. Thicker notes and slightly longer decays. Vocals sounds much more emotional.
> 
> 3.02 with wider soundstage, lean and better defined notes makes the music goes around you while the more analog 1.20 made you feel like you are in the music. I guess which one is better depends on the synergy with your IEMs or personal taste. Only annoying thing is the error message keep popping out when I try to load previous playlist. Rebuilding database works for awhile until you change playlist. Any suggestion?


Copy all songs again... delete cache files..only think it worked for me was to actually adding files again, (have you tried 3.01?) you can try remounting cards...


----------



## SolarBeaver (Oct 14, 2019)

SolarBeaver said:


> Hey guys, is there any difference in sound quality/volume between using wm1z in dac mode vs dap mode, assuming source is the same?


Actually found this on Sony's website, in short: no difference, full quote, just in case, below:
"You can enjoy music content stored on a computer through the Walkman, without transferring the content to the Walkman. Because the sound quality settings of the Walkman also apply to the output sound, music content on the computer can be played with the same sound quality as the Walkman."

But I've come across another problem, when trying to play dsd256 audio in Foobar2000 player with wm1z as a DAC, I'm getting an error "Unrecoverable playback error: Sample rate of 705600 Hz not supported by this device", the thing is it works well with Sony's Music Center...
Has anyone encountered something like this? Btw I've already installed all the needed components (Asio support, Super Audio CD decoder, Sony's USB drivers) and DSD128 works well on the Fubar, so it's just DSD256.
 Really hope someone who's using this DAC with Fubar could help me on this, cuz I'm just don't know what to do next, expect going with Music Center, which is not really what I'd like to do 

Update: now I've noticed that with Sony Music Center standard 16/44 Flac files being recognized as 176.4khz on the DAC, DSEE HX is off. Those players...
Guess it's just way easier to use it as a DAP, without any third party glitchy PC stuff involved.


----------



## brainchill

Did you try the vinyl processing on on the 3.x? 



endlesswaves said:


> Just tried Firmware 1.20 after reading your comments and some others further back. I am glad I made the switch. IMO FW 1.20 made my WM1A sounds more like my Airist RDAC. Thicker notes and slightly longer decays. Vocals sounds much more emotional.
> 
> 3.02 with wider soundstage, lean and better defined notes makes the music goes around you while the more analog 1.20 made you feel like you are in the music. I guess which one is better depends on the synergy with your IEMs or personal taste. Only annoying thing is the error message keep popping out when I try to load previous playlist. Rebuilding database works for awhile until you change playlist. Any suggestion?


----------



## proedros

SolarBeaver said:


> Actually found this on Sony's website, in short: no difference, full quote, just in case, below:
> "You can enjoy music content stored on a computer through the Walkman, without transferring the content to the Walkman. Because the sound quality settings of the Walkman also apply to the output sound, music content on the computer can be played with the same sound quality as the Walkman."
> 
> But I've come across another problem, when trying to play dsd256 audio in Foobar2000 player with wm1z as a DAC, I'm getting an error "Unrecoverable playback error: Sample rate of 705600 Hz not supported by this device", the thing is it works well with Sony's Music Center...
> ...




i also use Foobar when in USB DAC mode with my WM1A and i think Foobar only goes *up to 24/96* (or 24/192 don't remember)

maybe there is another program with higher decoding capabilities than Foobar ?


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> i also use Foobar when in USB DAC mode with my WM1A and i think Foobar only goes *up to 24/96* (or 24/192 don't remember)
> 
> maybe there is another program with higher decoding capabilities than Foobar ?



I use foobar and it plays my 24/192 files and dsd files just fine


----------



## Jalo

It will be awesome and welcome by all 1Z/1A users if only Sony can just set up all the FW versions in a menu so we can just choose the sound we like without having to install and uninstall each setting. It is almost like having six best daps in one.


----------



## LegionWolf

518013 said:


> After listening to all the Firmware, this is how I would rank them. with the WM1A
> 2.0>1.2>3.01>1.02>3.0>3.02
> 
> 2.0 has the sub-bass of the 1.2, but gets rids of a bit of the mid-bass bloat, staging is more 3D with increased depth, upper mids are reigned in a bit. Resolution is higher with more micro details.
> ...



I love hearing this!
I have sony ier-zi1 
Legend x should be here soon

Wish I could get layla aion in 4.4 balanced.. it has new cable and haven't heard great things with 2.5 to 4.4 converters ( taking recommendations! )


----------



## fiascogarcia

LegionWolf said:


> I love hearing this!
> I have sony ier-zi1
> Legend x should be here soon
> 
> Wish I could get layla aion in 4.4 balanced.. it has new cable and haven't heard great things with 2.5 to 4.4 converters ( taking recommendations! )


Effect Audio Pentaconn 2.5 to 4.4 adapter worked really well for me.  Didn't hear any degradation in SQ. IMO


----------



## gerelmx1986

Jalo said:


> It will be awesome and welcome by all 1Z/1A users if only Sony can just set up all the FW versions in a menu so we can just choose the sound we like without having to install and uninstall each setting. It is almost like having six best daps in one.


 that have i tought, sony must implement filters like slow, fast rolloff and so on. These are today implemented but are only for DSD in non-native form playback


----------



## endlesswaves

brainchill said:


> Did you try the vinyl processing on on the 3.x?



Tried quite sometime ago while using JVC FW01. Not a good match and drained battery too fast to justify any improvement if any. Might try again if I ever go back FW 3.02. Currently enjoying FW 1.2. Got my WM1A with default FW2.0 so FW 1.2 is new to me. To me, FW 1.2 is the kind of signature I've been looking for to match with the "Chillout" tracks I mostly listened to now. My way to decompress after work.


----------



## brainchill

I bought the official folding Sony leather case and would not do it again I would avoid it just because the silly way it folds is inconvenient .... the one I settled on and really like is the fat bear wm1a case from amazon .... it’s not too bulky but seems like it will offer an basic otter box commuter like drop protection. 



 


emrelights1973 said:


> I have too many headphones and like to sell some
> 
> A year  ago i ordered a mdrz1r and funny story it just arrived
> 
> ...


----------



## LinstantX

If you want a beautiful and reliable case, then as for me, there is nothing better than Dignis.


----------



## pond44

emrelights1973 said:


> I have too many headphones and like to sell some
> 
> A year  ago i ordered a mdrz1r and funny story it just arrived
> 
> ...



Ah! Em, tell me, the Kimber cable, did it make a noticeable change at all. Is it recommended?
While you are there, how does the Stella compare to the 1Zr.


----------



## animalsrush (Oct 15, 2019)

Not sure if it happens to any one  of the wm1z owners..but my Sony wm1z gets flagged nearly 70-80% of the time at airport security ..even though I put it in a tray and open the pelican case which I use to transport it. They are baffled it is a music player. Latest one at heathrow T5 the security person said it has too much metal for its size hence was flagged.. don’t I know it.. TSA flagged because it glows like Christmas light on scanner because of the gold finish and they want to double check.. but all I can say it is a conversation piece built like a tank but sounds sooooooo amazing

PC


----------



## animalsrush

LinstantX said:


> If you want a beautiful and reliable case, then as for me, there is nothing better than Dignis.


I like the case it came in and use a pelican case to transport it


----------



## Erfan Elahi (Oct 15, 2019)

brainchill said:


> I bought the official folding Sony leather case and would not do it again I would avoid it just because the silly way it folds is inconvenient .... the one I settled on and really like is the fat bear wm1a case from amazon .... it’s not too bulky but seems like it will offer an basic otter box commuter like drop protection.


How convenient is it to press the buttons from your pant pockets? I prefer the default leather case as silicon case makes it too hard to press the buttons over any cloth.


bflat said:


> LOL, I wouldn’t even turn on with condensation. Way to afraid of shorting out chips and battery.


Good thinking. But it's working fine so far. Just sounded weird all the songs that that day, but later after 2 hours it sounded normal again. Appreciation goes to Sony's incredible built


----------



## brainchill

Erfan Elahi said:


> How convenient is it to press the buttons from your pant pockets? I prefer the default leather case as silicon case makes it too hard to press the buttons over any cloth.



the buttons are convenient enough but it folds down instead of up so you can’t see the screen in any convenient timing


----------



## Lookout57

animalsrush said:


> Not sure if it happens to any one  of the wm1z owners..but my Sony wm1z gets flagged nearly 70-80% of the time at airport security ..even though I put it in a tray and open the pelican case which I use to transport it. They are baffled it is a music player. Latest one at heathrow T5 the security person said it has too much metal for its size hence was flagged.. don’t I know it.. TSA flagged because it glows like Christmas light on scanner because of the gold finish and they want to double check.. but all I can say it is a conversation piece built like a tank but sounds sooooooo amazing
> 
> PC


I've haven't had any issues with my 1Z going thru TSA, but I am Pre-Check.


----------



## endlesswaves

LinstantX said:


> If you want a beautiful and reliable case, then as for me, there is nothing better than Dignis.



My Dignis Sony Walkman case is so dirty looking now I practically hide them in my messenger bag when out and about.


----------



## gerelmx1986

animalsrush said:


> Not sure if it happens to any one  of the wm1z owners..but my Sony wm1z gets flagged nearly 70-80% of the time at airport security ..even though I put it in a tray and open the pelican case which I use to transport it. They are baffled it is a music player. Latest one at heathrow T5 the security person said it has too much metal for its size hence was flagged.. don’t I know it.. TSA flagged because it glows like Christmas light on scanner because of the gold finish and they want to double check.. but all I can say it is a conversation piece built like a tank but sounds sooooooo amazing
> 
> PC


 in mexico and Dallas forth worth , i did not xperience any issues with my wm1A and i am not pre-check


----------



## lesale08

brainchill said:


> I bought the official folding Sony leather case and would not do it again I would avoid it just because the silly way it folds is inconvenient .... the one I settled on and really like is the fat bear wm1a case from amazon .... it’s not too bulky but seems like it will offer an basic otter box commuter like drop protection.


I am using this one too. Makes me worry less when I am out and about with the dap.


----------



## riotgrrl

gerelmx1986 said:


> in mexico and Dallas forth worth , i did not xperience any issues with my wm1A and i am not pre-check



He's talking about the 1Z.
Because it is gold and heavy.
You don't own the 1Z.


----------



## nc8000

animalsrush said:


> Not sure if it happens to any one  of the wm1z owners..but my Sony wm1z gets flagged nearly 70-80% of the time at airport security ..even though I put it in a tray and open the pelican case which I use to transport it. They are baffled it is a music player. Latest one at heathrow T5 the security person said it has too much metal for its size hence was flagged.. don’t I know it.. TSA flagged because it glows like Christmas light on scanner because of the gold finish and they want to double check.. but all I can say it is a conversation piece built like a tank but sounds sooooooo amazing
> 
> PC



It has happened to me a few times


----------



## Erfan Elahi

What will happen if someone carries the 2 briefcases containing a DMP-Z1 and a Empyrean !


----------



## phonomat

Well, they shouldn't have too much trouble identifying the Empyrean as a headphone. If you're carrying a DMP-Z1, you'll probably be better off with it than without it.


----------



## bana

animalsrush said:


> Not sure if it happens to any one  of the wm1z owners..but my Sony wm1z gets flagged nearly 70-80% of the time at airport security ..even though I put it in a tray and open the pelican case which I use to transport it. They are baffled it is a music player. Latest one at heathrow T5 the security person said it has too much metal for its size hence was flagged.. don’t I know it.. TSA flagged because it glows like Christmas light on scanner because of the gold finish and they want to double check.. but all I can say it is a conversation piece built like a tank but sounds sooooooo amazing
> 
> PC


It happens to me 6 out of 10 times when i travel. I always tell them it's a Sony Walkman, which people know or remember, and they let me go. I also keep a popular album ready to show them, like Dark side of The Moon.
It works for me.


----------



## LinstantX

Me here is became interestingly, and somehow charger is worth charge 1Z? I mean, how many volts and amps does it need.


----------



## nc8000

LinstantX said:


> Me here is became interestingly, and somehow charger is worth charge 1Z? I mean, how many volts and amps does it need.



any standard usb charger or usb port will charge it, it’s a standard interface


----------



## bflat

70K miles flown this year in US and EU. Not once questioned about my 1z while it stayed in my backpack. I have TSA Pre in US, but nothing special for EU. I think I only had this happen once in the past 2 years and that was probably the time I thought I was being smart taking the 1z out trying to pre-empt, but got the complete opposite result. I just passed security at JFK with no issue. I also lugged around a Woo Audio WA8 for a couple months and never got questioned on it.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I got searched for a small bottle of insect repellent I left in my bag that was literally .25 ounces more than allowed per bottle capacity, yet only half full. I only mention this to say i don’t think there is much random luck involved.


----------



## bana

bflat said:


> 70K miles flown this year in US and EU. Not once questioned about my 1z while it stayed in my backpack. I have TSA Pre in US, but nothing special for EU. I think I only had this happen once in the past 2 years and that was probably the time I thought I was being smart taking the 1z out trying to pre-empt, but got the complete opposite result. I just passed security at JFK with no issue. I also lugged around a Woo Audio WA8 for a couple months and never got questioned on it.
> 
> On the opposite end of the spectrum, I got searched for a small bottle of insect repellent I left in my bag that was literally .25 ounces more than allowed per bottle capacity, yet only half full. I only mention this to say i don’t think there is much random luck involved.



It's the TSA Pre that makes the difference, which I get from time to time.


----------



## boblauer

So funny and sorry for the off topic. I fly quite a bit, 20 times a year. Only time in the last 5 years I ever had a problem was TSA in San Diego flying to Maui. They tried to confiscate a money clip I have with a small knife(2 inches more of nail file than knife) that was my dad's and gift from his commanding officer as he got promoted to XO on a sub. Needless to say I was a raving lunatic when they tired to take it as my Dad's been gone since 81.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 17, 2019)

I was able to get a few minutes listening time with the FiiO M11 this week. Normally their products don’t sound right, but I have to say the M11 is a step in the right direction.

Most of this curiosity is due to reviews saying the M11 and 1Z sound close to the same. At $449.99 I would hope it was only a fraction of the quality of the 1Z? But in the end it was nice. Still everything was not as unified and was almost disjointed sounding? But, my curiosity has me still wondering about it’s quality.......to the point of my maybe buying one in a couple months? The only thing that’s scary is the operating system and they fact that they fail to get upgrades after a while?


----------



## ProF3T1

A question for the WM1Z users - how does the golden surface hold up over time? Does it come off on the corners or something? Thanks.


----------



## toontoonizer

So i was wondering if i could get some advice from owners of this wonderful player - i purchased one a couple of weeks ago and have been thoroughly enjoying it. I ordered a pair of FH7s and a **** 16 core 4.4mm balanced cable in addition to the FH5's i planned on using.

I've noticed something which i had initially put down to the headphones, but i think is actually the player. When i am using the balanced out, if i rotate the headphone jack inside i can hear crackling in my headphones (sometimes a little, sometimes very significant) - there is also some play in the balanced output. If i push the top of the headphone jack it will move.

Today with the FH7s, the sound crackled and completely dropped out when i went to take the player out of my pocket. This occurred with my FH5's (but that had a loose left MMCX connector and i chalked it up to that) - however the FH7 are also exhibiting this. I swivelled the jack around until the crackling stopped and the sound coming out of the player changed - before the treble was harsh and the sibilance was painful but it smoothed out and became that sound i knew. The crackling is much more noticeable with direct sound off (DSEE on).

Does anyone experience this? It sounds like a dodgy balanced output but wanted to check before I start a return.


----------



## flyer1

ProF3T1 said:


> A question for the WM1Z users - how does the golden surface hold up over time? Does it come off on the corners or something? Thanks.



Mine still the same as when bought from new in March 18. No visible wear. Also without case but my 1z is only used at home.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 17, 2019)

ProF3T1 said:


> A question for the WM1Z users - how does the golden surface hold up over time? Does it come off on the corners or something? Thanks.



One thing to note is the surface due to the underlying copper material is extremely soft. So small knocks can absolutely cause small dings. In this regard the 1A aluminum is actually harder. The gold stays but can seem to slightly wear thinner on edges. It’s almost a microscopically small difference in gold surface and looks as if it changes color slightly, but not like there is material showing from underneath but maybe slightly? Also the phenomenon doesn’t actually get worse but maintains such a finish over time. It is so small it probably can’t even be photographed? In fact it’s maybe even subjective if it’s actually happening or not? But the outer edges can seem to show it ever so slightly, which makes me think it’s happening? Also it’s in areas which seem to get more friction like the edge above the volume control. But it’s so small that probably most don’t even notice it?


----------



## nc8000

toontoonizer said:


> So i was wondering if i could get some advice from owners of this wonderful player - i purchased one a couple of weeks ago and have been thoroughly enjoying it. I ordered a pair of FH7s and a **** 16 core 4.4mm balanced cable in addition to the FH5's i planned on using.
> 
> I've noticed something which i had initially put down to the headphones, but i think is actually the player. When i am using the balanced out, if i rotate the headphone jack inside i can hear crackling in my headphones (sometimes a little, sometimes very significant) - there is also some play in the balanced output. If i push the top of the headphone jack it will move.
> 
> ...



I have not experienced the crackling but the jacks are mounted so they can give a little


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 17, 2019)

toontoonizer said:


> So i was wondering if i could get some advice from owners of this wonderful player - i purchased one a couple of weeks ago and have been thoroughly enjoying it. I ordered a pair of FH7s and a **** 16 core 4.4mm balanced cable in addition to the FH5's i planned on using.
> 
> I've noticed something which i had initially put down to the headphones, but i think is actually the player. When i am using the balanced out, if i rotate the headphone jack inside i can hear crackling in my headphones (sometimes a little, sometimes very significant) - there is also some play in the balanced output. If i push the top of the headphone jack it will move.
> 
> ...



The small movement varies from player to player. My 1Z has slight movement at the 4.4mm but no crackles or cutting out. Though the 3.5mm could have slight sound changes if I move it around. The 1A is rock solid on both ports, to the point of surprising people who have seen a bunch. So strangely there is not a level consistency with all the same. Though the reason you see L shaped plugs is to take pressure off the plug going into the port. I would never walk around one in my pocket with pants pushing on the plugs! You never want any force against the plugs at any time.

Though parts can be ordered and replaced by a Sony service personal which will bring a new experience to the ports, with zero (or very little play) and no sound crackles.


----------



## toontoonizer

Redcarmoose said:


> The small movement varies from player to player. My 1Z has slight movement at the 4.4mm but no crackles or cutting out. Though the 3.5mm could have slight sound changes if I move it around. The 1A is rock solid on both ports, to the point of surprising people who have seen a bunch. So strangely it’s not a level consistency there. Though the reason you see L shaped plugs is to take pressure off the plug going into the port. I would never walk around one in my pocket with pants pushing on the plugs! You never want any force against the plugs at any time.
> 
> Though parts can be ordered and replaced by a Sony service personal which will bring a new experience to the ports, with zero (or very little play) and no sound crackles.



Good to know the movement isn't too unusual but i will return and get a replacement because I'm still within the 28 day window with Amazon - as far as i'm concerned a £1000 DAP shouldn't have any significant issues such as audio crackling or drop outs. The player is now £100 cheaper than when i bought it too so i can get it at a lower price too


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 17, 2019)

toontoonizer said:


> Good to know the movement isn't too unusual but i will return and get a replacement because I'm still within the 28 day window with Amazon - as far as i'm concerned a £1000 DAP shouldn't have any significant issues such as audio crackling or drop outs. The player is now £100 cheaper than when i bought it too so i can get it at a lower price too



Another thing to take into account is that the player is only half of the combination. Meaning plugs actually can have inconsistencies. They vary in size just slightly and where the contacts are. This is mainly an issue with adapters which can somehow change the sound due to the contacts. But.......I would try a bunch of headphones just to make sure it’s an issue on the players side. It’s the loss of contact on both areas which causes the crackles. I would walk around with a Walkman in my front shirt pocket....maybe but never tight jeans where the plugs are getting bent off sideways. They are called Walkmans after all!


----------



## Erfan Elahi (Oct 17, 2019)

Has anyone ever considered deep cleaning the walkmans? Does Sony do that for a service charge? Some visible dirt is on both 3.5mm and 4.4mmeven though I have the silicon cap.


----------



## bflat

Redcarmoose said:


> I was able to get a few minutes listening time with the FiiO M11 this week. Normally their products don’t sound right, but I have to say the M11 is a step in the right direction.
> 
> Most of this curiosity is due to reviews saying the M11 and 1Z sound close to the same. At $449.99 I would hope it was only a fraction of the quality of the 1Z? But in the end it was nice. Still everything was not as unified and was almost disjointed sounding? But, my curiosity has me still wondering about it’s quality.......to the point of my maybe buying one in a couple months? The only thing that’s scary is the operating system and they fact that they fail to get upgrades after a while?



I have not tried the M11, but have the Q5s. I can practically guarantee the noise floor of the M11 is quite high compared to WM1a or z. This is not something Fiio spends much effort to improve. I even tried their THX AM3D module and it was worse than the default amp. For the first time in about 3 years, I heard hissing from a portable device on my JH Laylas.


----------



## Maxx134 (Oct 17, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> Most of this curiosity is due to reviews saying the M11 and 1Z sound close to the same.


I have read that the m11pro is the better sounding unit, not the m11.
Regardless, the sony and fiio sound nothing like each other..
Sony still has the edge on image saparation/placement when I compared the WM1A to the M11pro.
The Pro was wider & a bit taller, but not as deep.
Detailing a bit more pronounced on the  m11Pro as well, but not  more.
So it's a different sonic image and preference here, but still a great achievement of Fiio for the price...
I would label the Fiio more forward & "vivid", while the Sony is more "natural" .
Both are musical.


----------



## Maxx134 (Oct 18, 2019)

To me, the latest AKM chip in other players is more musical than the LeSabre chip, but both are following a trend to exaggerate a bit, on both low-level detailing, and image width, in order to sound more impressive.
**Edit:
to put things in perspective this was only noticeable on top headphone gear like Utopia and Denon 9200.
I do think you would be hard-pressed to find any type of exaggerated traits on regular headphones..

They do sound great and elevate the level of quality sound for the price, so good thing in general, but IMO not as natural as the Sony.
I prefer the more natural, organic sound & image placement of the Sony WM1A, and the 1Z even better, even if that improvement is observed at 10-5% or less.
To me, the latest firmware has brought the two (1a&1z) closer in terms of imaging and stage, with the main difference in the sound tonality.. The frequency extremes with 1z are more, with a slightly richer overall tonality..


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 18, 2019)

Maxx134 said:


> I have read that the m11pro is the better sounding unit, not the m11.
> Regardless, the sony and fiio sound nothing like each other..
> Sony still has the edge on image saparation/placement when I compared the WM1A to the M11pro.
> The Pro was wider & a bit taller, but not as deep.
> ...





Maxx134 said:


> To me, the latest AKM chip in other players is more musical than the LeSabre chip, but both are following a trend to over-exaggerate a bit, on both low-level detailing, and image width, in order to sound more impressive.
> They do sound great and elevate the level of quality sound for the price, so good thing in general, but IMO not as natural as the Sony.
> I prefer the more natural, organic sound of the Sony WM1A, and the 1Z even better, even if that improvement is observed at 5% or less.



For those out there with no DAP the M11Pro price starts to infringe closer to a great deal on a Sony Walkman 1A. IMO

FiiO M11pro retail $600
Sony Walkman 1A retail $1199 but can be found new for $800-$900

So in that contest and due to the price similarity it re-brings-up the basic premise of wanting the Sony in the first place. I’ve never heard the M11Pro but it’s nice to hear you think the 1A is better. Yes......I mean that’s the whole goal if it’s possible to like a player and prefer it even with it’s inadequacies. My whole curiosity was due to on line folks saying the original M11 was “equivalent” to the 1Z.

In reality I thought the M11 was thicker or warmer than the 1A? But I totally agree it’s a break-through for FiiO and a good thing in general. It also points to an exciting future. Just the power the device had as a portable and at the asking price was cool. Still for me learning the true sound of the M11 is one of those things that I almost could not ascertain in a showroom environment.

Just like people who first get the Walkmans home and have an awakening after a day when they adjust and realize what’s going on with the Sony players. I’m pretty sure the reverse could happen with the FiiO M11.....especially having the Sony players around for comparison.


At $449.00 it’s something I may take out of the house to locations I would never risk the Walkmans at. But that’s the thing the M11Pro may be technically better but it now starts to infringe with the price of the 1A? I think it’s great that FiiO has matured but they can’t lose track of the whole reason people purchased them in the first place. They would be nowhere if it was not for offering a quality for a good value. I own FiiO E17K Alpen 2 DAC/Amp and the M11 was in a whole different league!


I still may buy a M11.....only due to the price.

Cheers!


----------



## Maxx134

Redcarmoose said:


> My whole curiosity was due to on line folks saying the original M11 was “equivalent” to the 1Z.


It definitely has to be a system synergy matching.
I would say the Sony does well with transparent headphones, while the fiio would do wonders to a more laid back or less transparent headphone..

As with everything, it is hugely a preference you must find for yourself.

Some prefer ladder dacs.
Some prefer delta-sigma.
Some prefer custom programmed dacs like Chord & Sony.

To each his own.
I found my preference sound with the Sony.


----------



## Redcarmoose

People get sick of hearing the word “Synergy” but it is everything. Much of the time you don’t even know what stuff works best till you randomly find synergy. What’s interesting is how different the M11 sounds to the Sony players. Really night and day to me. That’s what is wild how different people are all listening to completely different sounding DAPs..............and like em? Lol


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 18, 2019)

I don’t think we will see folks selling off their 1A or 1Z for keeping an M11Pro or M11. I’m also very suspect of people who write about how good these new FiiO players are. Yes, they are better than anything FiiO has ever made, but keep in mind.....they were given to the reviewers for free most all of the time. You also have to wonder what extra monetary endorsements were given out? Sony hands out nothing ever! So any review on Sony product was lent out by a retail source or purchased at full retail (when newly out) by the reviewer! 

That was the greatest thing Sony ever did... was fail to create “shill” reviewers.


----------



## proedros

amazon uk shows *WM1A* at *840 pounds*

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LHGL...olid=3TJG9OKVVABT7&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it


----------



## gerelmx1986

The 512GB capacity is crazy, even with many Hi-res audio albums i loaded 20.000+ tracks


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> The 512GB capacity is crazy, even with many Hi-res audio albums i loaded 20.000+ tracks



I have about 39.000 tracks on my 1TB card


----------



## Maxx134

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m also very suspect of people who write about how good these new FiiO players are


Well, I'm sure that goes on with a lot of gear.
I can only comment on the fiio that I have owned which was the m11 Pro.
My view is that it can hold its own against competition twice it's price.

I don't think it should be compared to the Sony because of the different sound..
 I think the m11pro should be compared to the other units that have the same chip.  I'm pretty much sure they will have the competition.


----------



## simon740

I still cant decide between WM1A and Fiio M11pro 
Hmm...


----------



## Maxx134 (Oct 18, 2019)

simon740 said:


> I still cant decide between WM1A and Fiio M11pro
> Hmm...


Consider your gear what headphones are IEM you use and what type of sound you like prefer naturally and you choose your source gear accordingly.

Sometimes a more energetic gear (fiio) can make a bland headphone sound alive.
Some people have different priorities like natural timber (sony)..

Some people prefer different aspects of soundstage.
Some people prefer a detailed busy soundstage (fiio).
Some people prefer a more liquid natural sound stage with more Layered detailing (sony).

Some people won't notice much difference, if at all...
 if there are new to the hobby and will notice more differences with the IEMs & headphones,
 than with the unit.
Why?, Because most differences fall within the last 15% range, except for the amplifier power which is easiest noticeable..

So bottom line your dilemma has no answer ha, only you can answer it..


----------



## simon740

Maxx134 said:


> Consider your gear what headphones are IEM you use and what type of sound you like prefer naturally and you choose your source gear accordingly.
> 
> Sometimes a more energetic gear (fiio) can make a bland headphone sound alive.
> Some people have different priorities like natural timber (sony)..
> ...



thanks for that


----------



## proedros

simon740 said:


> I still cant decide between WM1A and Fiio M11pro
> Hmm...



*sony wm1a , 650$ all in*

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-wm1a-w-leather-case.917268/


----------



## simon740

proedros said:


> *sony wm1a , 650$ all in*
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-wm1a-w-leather-case.917268/


Im from EU. So only EU offer. 

regards,
Simon


----------



## aceedburn

In a nutshell, get the Sony if you want a Walkman that’s musical, feature packed and most importantly just works fine every single day without any issues and plays anything you throw at it. Or get a Fiio and live with Bluetooth and software problems that most probably never get fixed and everyrime you write to support you have to send them the music file that apparently causes the problem when the problem is with their firmware. They make great hardware but ufortunately FiiO suck big time at software. With all the issues the m11 and m11 pro are already causing, I won’t be surprised if m13 comes out early next year and suddenly support for m11 becomes redundant. History repeats itself with fiio one too many times.


----------



## rgr555

any alternative stands for sony walkmans other than the Sony STD-NWU10 ? don't really want to spend $65-80


----------



## nc8000

rgr555 said:


> any alternative stands for sony walkmans other than the Sony STD-NWU10 ? don't really want to spend $65-80



there is the full cradle but that cost even more

*SONY Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10*

in theory you could perhaps use

Sony Portable Dock Speaker RDP-NWT19 BM


----------



## aceedburn

rgr555 said:


> any alternative stands for sony walkmans other than the Sony STD-NWU10 ? don't really want to spend $65-80


Does this stand support the WM1A/Z as well? Would it fit into the dock? I was interested in getting it as well.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Does this stand support the WM1A/Z as well? Would it fit into the dock? I was interested in getting it as well.



Yep


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> Yep


Great thanks for the pic. But. It’s rather expensive for just a stand though on ebay. I would buy it in a flash if it sold for USD30 or less!


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Great thanks for the pic. But. It’s rather expensive for just a stand though on ebay. I would buy it in a flash if it sold for USD30 or less!



yes it’s a bit much


----------



## lesale08

Redcarmoose said:


> One thing to note is the surface due to the underlying copper material is extremely soft. So small knocks can absolutely cause small dings. In this regard the 1A aluminum is actually harder. The gold stays but can seem to slightly wear thinner on edges. It’s almost a microscopically small difference in gold surface and looks as if it changes color slightly, but not like there is material showing from underneath but maybe slightly? Also the phenomenon doesn’t actually get worse but maintains such a finish over time. It is so small it probably can’t even be photographed? In fact it’s maybe even subjective if it’s actually happening or not? But the outer edges can seem to show it ever so slightly, which makes me think it’s happening? Also it’s in areas which seem to get more friction like the edge above the volume control. But it’s so small that probably most don’t even notice it?


Wow, I only have the 1A right now. So it means any accidental fall and bump of the 1Z could potentially lead to dents even with a case on it.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 19, 2019)

lesale08 said:


> Wow, I only have the 1A right now. So it means any accidental fall and bump of the 1Z could potentially lead to dents even with a case on it.



Before I purchased my new leather cover I did get a slight mark with using the included black leather/plastic case. The copper is way soft as far as case material goes. But I’m not complaining, I would still love my 1Z even if it was covered with porcupine quills.

There are all styles of covers, so individual mistakes causing dings would vary. I’m sure there are cases that completely protect the 1Z.

Even aluminum IEMs dropping unexpectedly from 10 inches onto the actual DAP 1Z case will create a small ding.


----------



## lesale08

Redcarmoose said:


> Before I purchased my new leather cover I did get a slight mark with using the included black leather/plastic case. The copper is way soft as far as case material goes. But I’m not complaining, I would still love my 1Z even if it was covered with porcupine quills.
> 
> There are all styles of covers, so individual mistakes causing dings would vary. I’m sure there are cases that completely protect the 1Z.
> 
> Even aluminum IEMs dropping unexpectedly from 10 inches onto the actual DAP 1Z case will create a small ding.


Got it. The 1Z needs extreme or beyond extreme care if you want it to stay looking new for years.


----------



## hireslover

Redcarmoose said:


> Before I purchased my new leather cover I did get a slight mark with using the included black leather/plastic case. The copper is way soft as far as case material goes. But I’m not complaining, I would still love my 1Z even if it was covered with porcupine quills.
> 
> There are all styles of covers, so individual mistakes causing dings would vary. I’m sure there are cases that completely protect the 1Z.
> 
> Even aluminum IEMs dropping unexpectedly from 10 inches onto the actual DAP 1Z case will create a small ding.


----------



## hireslover

Any suggestions on a better case besides the Dignis?


----------



## Viszla

hireslover said:


> Any suggestions on a better case besides the Dignis?


Valentinum Look at etsy


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 19, 2019)

hireslover said:


> Any suggestions on a better case besides the Dignis?


Musashino Label but hard to find. I purchased one in Tokyo. I’m going to look for another in Osaka in April. They can be found online but it’s hard to do.


----------



## auronthas

hireslover said:


> Any suggestions on a better case besides the Dignis?


EaseCase E4 Custom-Made Genuine Leather case for SONY WM1 WM1A WM1Z,  USD 50
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/czhZdlM8


----------



## hireslover

Redcarmoose said:


> Musashino Label but hard to find. I purchased one in Tokyo. I’m going to look for another in Osaka in April. They can be found online but it’s hard to do.


Thank you guys for all your suggestions but I really do have the feel for the Musashino Label. How does it hold itself?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 19, 2019)

hireslover said:


> Thank you guys for all your suggestions but I really do have the feel for the Musashino Label. How does it hold itself?



They have black which has almost a fake leather look. Though that will be my next one. The light brown is nice though due to the color it shows everything. It a self healing effect with the scratches. Though all and all it’s held up well. I washed it one time. But all and all you have to be into it looking just slightly aged, where I’m sure some cases will always look the same. It gets the award as the softest feel that’s for sure. Also take note the design does not leave a way to change out cards while it’s on.


----------



## Blueoris

In the download page, Sony states that the Sony USB Audio Driver for Windows requires Windows 7, 8.1 or 10.
Has anybody here had success installing it on Windows Server (2012 or higher)?


----------



## animalsrush (Oct 20, 2019)

lesale08 said:


> Got it. The 1Z needs extreme or beyond extreme care if you want it to stay looking new for years.



Not really. I have it for 3 years now and use it the supplied leather case but transport it in a pelican case when traveling and not in use. The only dent you see is that I dropped in an airplane during transatlantic flight and the edge hit the metal part of seat lag not hard but skimmed it. Don’t have to baby it but don’t be brutal with it


----------



## pond44

simon740 said:


> thanks for that


Someone just mentioned "Synergy", and that is what you have to think about when trying to match up gear to go with your Sony stuff. If you are looking at buying headphones or IEMs for a Sony DAP, I feel you have to try a Sony product first because of the compatibility and sound signature that has been developed by Sony for their products, then you can try other brands later. I think you know what I'm on about so I won't go on further but I feel Sony goes with Sony more than any other brand.


----------



## lesale08

animalsrush said:


> Not really. I have it for 3 years now and use it the supplied leather case but transport it in a pelican case when traveling and not in use. The only dent you see is that I dropped in an airplane during transatlantic flight and the edge hit the metal part of seat lag not hard but skimmed it. Don’t have to baby it but don’t be brutal with it


From how you described it you seem to be babying it with another case to carry when you’re out.


----------



## SBranson

simon740 said:


> I still cant decide between WM1A and Fiio M11pro
> Hmm...



Can't speak to the pro version which is supposed to be much better than the original but with my EE Legend X, the original M11 was really a disappointment.  I wasn't aware that the M11 was the problem until a friend told me not to give up on the Legend X based on that DAP as he couldn't understand why I was really not enjoying the LX.  I tried a Pioneer XDP300R which was better but the WM1A has been a revelation with the LX.  I am very pleased with them now..
As they say, synergy, will be the key.

But if you need all the features of an android player then I suppose the wm1a won't be for you but if, like me, you just want an extremely good sounding player then I can't recommend trying the wm1a enough.  Get a used one and if you don't like it then sell it when the M11 pros inevitably hit the used market at discount prices.  I've already seen one on the used market.


----------



## SBranson

Any reason not to get the stock Sony leather case for my WM1A?  I really like the idea of something covering the screen.


----------



## nc8000

SBranson said:


> Any reason not to get the stock Sony leather case for my WM1A?  I really like the idea of something covering the screen.



I hated how it flips up rather than left


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 20, 2019)

SBranson said:


> Any reason not to get the stock Sony leather case for my WM1A?  I really like the idea of something covering the screen.



It doesn’t really cover much. Meaning the sides are open. As well as I have ended up with a ding on a corner using that case. I only have myself to blame, still I wonder if a different case would have protected the 1Z corner? After a couple years I only have three small marks. And like most stuff in life it gets used and slightly marked even with love. Some people have also had issues the way the included 1Z case clips on. The general consensus is there are better aftermarket cases. Though this whole case thing becomes  increasingly subjective as time of ownership goes on. IMO


----------



## aceedburn (Oct 20, 2019)

I love my miter case for my 1A. Used it also for the ZX300 previously. May not offer great drop protection but is functional as it stands on my desktop when I use it for dac/amp.


----------



## SBranson (Oct 20, 2019)

Thanks for the replies.  The open sides did seem a little TOO open but I figured I could learn to live with the up/down flip of the cover.

Maybe I'll keep looking.  I currently have the silicon case and a screen protector but I think I want something a little more substantial.  This thing is a brick and I feel like it would fall hard if I let it slip.

Love the look of the Musashino Label one but it seems tough to get without friends in Japan.


----------



## nc8000

SBranson said:


> Thanks for the replies.  The open sides did seem a little TOO open but I figured I could learn to live with the up/down flip of the cover.
> 
> Maybe I'll keep looking.  I currently have the silicon case and a screen protector but I think I want something a little more substantial.  This thing is a brick and I feel like it would fall hard if I let it slip.
> 
> Love the look of the Musashino Label one but it seems tough to get without friends in Japan.



I bought a Musashino 4.4 to 3.5 adaptor using a forwarding service, don’t recall which one.


----------



## SBranson

nc8000 said:


> I bought a Musashino 4.4 to 3.5 adaptor using a forwarding service, don’t recall which one.



Hmm..  on quick inspection that looks easier than I expected.  I saw Tenso and Blackship as the first two in my search.


----------



## simon740

SBranson said:


> Can't speak to the pro version which is supposed to be much better than the original but with my EE Legend X, the original M11 was really a disappointment.  I wasn't aware that the M11 was the problem until a friend told me not to give up on the Legend X based on that DAP as he couldn't understand why I was really not enjoying the LX.  I tried a Pioneer XDP300R which was better but the WM1A has been a revelation with the LX.  I am very pleased with them now..
> As they say, synergy, will be the key.
> 
> But if you need all the features of an android player then I suppose the wm1a won't be for you but if, like me, you just want an extremely good sounding player then I can't recommend trying the wm1a enough.  Get a used one and if you don't like it then sell it when the M11 pros inevitably hit the used market at discount prices.  I've already seen one on the used market.


 Thank you. 
Im thinking of WM1A and the Sony MDR-Z7/M2 for the start 

regards,
Simon


----------



## auronthas (Oct 20, 2019)

auronthas said:


> EaseCase E4 Custom-Made Genuine Leather case for SONY WM1 WM1A WM1Z,  USD 50
> https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/czhZdlM8



EASECASE do offer other color leather case, I ordered mine in coffee brown leather as photo attached and can customize with your name .

And I stored them in Pelican case as well. Double protection for this precious gem.


----------



## Maxx134

auronthas said:


> EASECASE do offer other color leather case, I ordered mine in coffee brown leather as photo attached and can customize with your name .
> 
> And I stored them in Pelican case as well. Double protection for this precious gem.


I could not find that specific case there..


----------



## rgr555 (Oct 21, 2019)

aceedburn said:


> I love my miter case for my 1A. Used it also for the ZX300 previously. May not offer great drop protection but is functional as it stands on my desktop when I use it for dac/amp.



the usb plug actually clears the bottom? hard to tell from the angle. im guessing it does. the way i see my zx300 is it needs at least 1 inch to clear on bottom. i have mine standing _on_ the usb plug on top of an old android phone stand


----------



## auronthas

Maxx134 said:


> I could not find that specific case there..


Used to be there previously in AliExpress, or you can find it in Taobao (mostly Chinese text)

【A6翻盖款EASECASE定制索尼WM1A WM1AZ保护套 露屏 经典纹牛皮浅咖】https://c.tb.cn/h.eKVDTXD?sm=3a8f36


----------



## aceedburn

rgr555 said:


> the usb plug actually clears the bottom? hard to tell from the angle. im guessing it does. the way i see my zx300 is it needs at least 1 inch to clear on bottom. i have mine standing _on_ the usb plug on top of an old android phone stand


Yes it does. It’s a very slim case so no issues.


----------



## Hanafuda

hireslover said:


> Any suggestions on a better case besides the Dignis?




Well I'm a Benks TPU + hardened glass (Dragontrail) on the screen believer, so you probably don't want my opinion. But I'm really happy with it. I can actually _see_ what I bought.


----------



## nc8000

Hanafuda said:


> Well I'm a Benks TPU + hardened glass (Dragontrail) on the screen believer, so you probably don't want my opinion. But I'm really happy with it. I can actually _see_ what I bought.



Totally agree


----------



## hshock76

Hanafuda said:


> Well I'm a Benks TPU + hardened glass (Dragontrail) on the screen believer, so you probably don't want my opinion. But I'm really happy with it. I can actually _see_ what I bought.



On Benks case too for exactly the same reason + it came with all the dust plugs as bonus.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Hanafuda said:


> Well I'm a Benks TPU + hardened glass (Dragontrail) on the screen believer, so you probably don't want my opinion. But I'm really happy with it. I can actually _see_ what I bought.


I'm on board with Benks!  My Dignis is a great case, but I'm with you about being able to see the DAP.


----------



## Hanafuda

fiascogarcia said:


> I'm on board with Benks!  ....




Functional, simple, _and_ gorgeous. Nothing to flip or snap or tuck. You do miss out on the smell of fine leather I suppose.


----------



## auronthas

Hanafuda said:


> Well I'm a Benks TPU + hardened glass (Dragontrail) on the screen believer, so you probably don't want my opinion. But I'm really happy with it. I can actually _see_ what I bought.


It's cool and nicely tight and fit. I have this Benks TPU as well. Different mood different casing


----------



## toontoonizer

well, here's an update. I received a replacement NW WM1A following the crackling fiasco. Tried the **** 16 core 4.4 balanced cable in the new unit and lo and behold - i get crackling if i swivel the headphone jack. I get no crackling in the 3.5mm if i swivel the port. i am thinking now maybe the 4.4mm plug on the cable is not quite right?


----------



## purk

Hanafuda said:


> Functional, simple, _and_ gorgeous. Nothing to flip or snap or tuck. You do miss out on the smell of fine leather I suppose.


It has better protection and doesn’t slip out of your hand as easy as Dignis Case as well.  The 1Z is a gorgeous looking player.


----------



## kenjamin0523

Any good news guys, still waiting for next flagship DAP of wm1z


----------



## phonomat

A watched pot never boils.


----------



## Hanafuda

Hey can anyone say with confidence one way or the other whether this 512GB microsd is up to snuff for our DAP? Should be, but I admit not being exactly savvy on the U1, U3, class numbers, etc.

Getting downright affordable (I've been getting by with the onboard memory plus a 64GB, but I've got a lot of hi-res, DSD stuff and I need to expand to use it.)

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Memory-MB-MC512GAEU-Micro-Adapter/dp/B07H1231S8


----------



## boblauer

I use the 400 gb version of that card in my zx300 if that matters and its fine


----------



## Hanafuda

boblauer said:


> I use the 400 gb version of that card in my zx300 if that matters and its fine



Thanks. When I got my WM1A, which wasn't that long ago really, the 400GB was a budget buster (for me) and there was no 512 yet. Now the 512 is 80 bucks?!? ... wow.


----------



## Lookout57

Hanafuda said:


> Thanks. When I got my WM1A, which wasn't that long ago really, the 400GB was a budget buster (for me) and there was no 512 yet. Now the 512 is 80 bucks?!? ... wow.


And the 1TB is $450 !


----------



## boblauer

Hanafuda said:


> Thanks. When I got my WM1A, which wasn't that long ago really, the 400GB was a budget buster (for me) and there was no 512 yet. Now the 512 is 80 bucks?!? ... wow.


Yep the 400 was at the top of my budget at $80 when I bought mine. I still have about 100 gb open so no need to move up. I'll wait for the 1 tb to drop and go all the way.


----------



## SBranson (Oct 23, 2019)

boblauer said:


> Yep the 400 was at the top of my budget at $80 when I bought mine. I still have about 100 gb open so no need to move up. I'll wait for the 1 tb to drop and go all the way.



It's amazing how fast they drop in price.  Last Christmas I thought I was getting a smoking good deal on the 400gb when it was $104cdn and at that time the 512gb was close to $200.  Now the 512 is just over $100cdn and will surely be under that by this Christmas.

edit... just bought the benks case.  I like the idea of the clear design and comes with the plugs as a bonus..


----------



## Hanafuda (Oct 23, 2019)

boblauer said:


> Yep the 400 was at the top of my budget at $80 when I bought mine. I still have about 100 gb open so no need to move up. I'll wait for the 1 tb to drop and go all the way.




I got my 1A about 16 months ago, and I can't remember exactly but I'm pretty sure the 400GB was a LOT more than $80 back then. Like, maybe 3x that much? I know I looked, thought a minute, and said nope lol. But $80 I can handle. I'll still wait a little longer though ... BlackFriday/CyberMonday may work in my favor.


@SBranson you'll like the Benks. Great protection but it basically isn't there, if you know what I mean.


----------



## auronthas

Hanafuda said:


> Hey can anyone say with confidence one way or the other whether this 512GB microsd is up to snuff for our DAP? Should be, but I admit not being exactly savvy on the U1, U3, class numbers, etc.
> 
> Getting downright affordable (I've been getting by with the onboard memory plus a 64GB, but I've got a lot of hi-res, DSD stuff and I need to expand to use it.)
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Memory-MB-MC512GAEU-Micro-Adapter/dp/B07H1231S8



I bought 400GB from Amazon Dec 2018 at USD 80, wow, now can buy 512GB !

For the speed class, 10 and U1 (UHS)   is more than adequate read/write 10Mbps is more than adequate, U3 and above speed class is for video recording up to 8K resolution. For music listening, the crucial is reading speed; writing speed is to copy your music files from one source to micro SD.


----------



## named name

toontoonizer said:


> well, here's an update. I received a replacement NW WM1A following the crackling fiasco. Tried the **** 16 core 4.4 balanced cable in the new unit and lo and behold - i get crackling if i swivel the headphone jack. I get no crackling in the 3.5mm if i swivel the port. i am thinking now maybe the 4.4mm plug on the cable is not quite right?



From my personal experience, Sony’s 4.4mm jack is very sensitive to ‘cheaper’ plugs. On my WM1A, I have heard crackling from NICEHCK, Sukira HiFi cables, Rhapsodio (1st generation 4.4 connector) and old Acoustune (an oxidised pentacon plug first generation). However has been fine and with out noise from DITA Oslo and various Effect audio cables. 
However with that said, most of all those cables (of which I still have) that had noise on the WM1A, when listening on my iBasso DX160, did not have crackling noise when spun.


----------



## auronthas

named name said:


> Sony’s 4.4mm jack is very sensitive to ‘cheaper’ plugs..


Did you mean Sony 4.4mm female socket?


----------



## named name

auronthas said:


> Did you mean Sony 4.4mm female socket?


Yes


----------



## Redcarmoose

Hanafuda said:


> Hey can anyone say with confidence one way or the other whether this 512GB microsd is up to snuff for our DAP? Should be, but I admit not being exactly savvy on the U1, U3, class numbers, etc.
> 
> Getting downright affordable (I've been getting by with the onboard memory plus a 64GB, but I've got a lot of hi-res, DSD stuff and I need to expand to use it.)
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Memory-MB-MC512GAEU-Micro-Adapter/dp/B07H1231S8





https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-400GB-microSDXC-Memory-Adapter/dp/B074RNRM2B

$54.27


----------



## Levanter

400gb was only around $49 a few months back... still more worth it than the 512gb lol


----------



## nc8000

Hanafuda said:


> Hey can anyone say with confidence one way or the other whether this 512GB microsd is up to snuff for our DAP? Should be, but I admit not being exactly savvy on the U1, U3, class numbers, etc.
> 
> Getting downright affordable (I've been getting by with the onboard memory plus a 64GB, but I've got a lot of hi-res, DSD stuff and I need to expand to use it.)
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Memory-MB-MC512GAEU-Micro-Adapter/dp/B07H1231S8



PM sent


----------



## 8481

fiascogarcia said:


> I'm on board with Benks!  My Dignis is a great case, but I'm with you about being able to see the DAP.



My only gripe with the Benks case is that the frame of the screen is exposed compared to the dignis case.


----------



## auronthas (Oct 24, 2019)

8481 said:


> My only gripe with the Benks case is that the frame of the screen is exposed compared to the dignis case.


Why? You can always buy screen protector about USD 5 or below and attach to the screen.

If you are from Malaysia, Lazada/Shopee or even AliExpress offer many screen protector for WM1A/1Z

 If you do not like to show the display screen, you can opt to set a shorter screen off time


----------



## 8481 (Oct 24, 2019)

auronthas said:


> Why? You can always buy screen protector about USD 5 or below and attach to the screen.
> 
> If you are from Malaysia, Lazada/Shopee or even AliExpress offer many screen protector for WM1A/1Z
> 
> If you do not like to show the display screen, you can opt to set a shorter screen off time



It’s not the screen itself, the part that surrounds the face of the screen is exposed on the Benks case vs the Dignis where it is fully covered, if you leave it like that over time it will discolour.


----------



## auronthas

8481 said:


> It’s not the screen itself, the part that surrounds the face of the screen is exposed on the Benks case vs the Dignis where it is fully covered, if you leave it like that over time it will discolour.


Then get a leather with cover case, or wait until full enclosed TKU case from Benks or DIY case from 3D printing ?


----------



## 8481

auronthas said:


> Then get a leather with cover case, or wait until full enclosed TKU case from Benks or DIY case from 3D printing ?



Yup, I already have a dignis case.


----------



## Quadfather

How about the Fatbear anti-shock cases?


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Not that it matters but after 2037 we won’t be able to set the time/year in the 1A/1Z as it’s set to that year as the last.

So somewhere in 2038 a you-tuber will stumble upon this player and mention that back in the day some phools invested in this player not knowing that after 17 years a $3000 walkman couldn’t time keep beyond a persons lifespan.


----------



## blazinblazin

Hmm... I somehow got used to 3.02 sound.

I just lowered the volume from 72 to 70.


----------



## captblaze

blazinblazin said:


> Hmm... I somehow got used to 3.02 sound.
> 
> I just lowered the volume from 72 to 70.



I noticed the same thing when going from 2.0 to 3.02. I needed to reduce the volume a few clicks (same track / same IEMs)


----------



## captblaze

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Not that it matters but after 2037 we won’t be able to set the time/year in the 1A/1Z as it’s set to that year as the last.
> 
> So somewhere in 2038 a you-tuber will stumble upon this player and mention that back in the day some phools invested in this player not knowing that after 17 years a $3000 walkman couldn’t time keep beyond a persons lifespan.



Y2K all over again


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 24, 2019)

blazinblazin said:


> Hmm... I somehow got used to 3.02 sound.
> 
> I just lowered the volume from 72 to 70.



Many of us fail to give enough credit to our own innate abilities to get used to a specific sound. I have read countless posts about people getting used to IEMs that at first they thought would not work out. 

Much of this style of change may take place IF there is subsequent information provided in the mids. Meaning it’s all in the midrange if we allow ourselves to partake of it. I’m now trying to get used to a cable which is very mid-centric. The cable is not really mid-forward but somehow has ongoing mid-emphasis, and detail due to it. It’s probably safe to say the 3.02 and it’s personally is going to be easer to switch to rather than a firmware which enhanced treble or bass? Of course this depends how far the departure is from what your used to and the firmwares personality with the IEMs used.

Laughably I still use 3.01 with the 1A, though?


----------



## mwhals

captblaze said:


> Y2K all over again



Actually Y2.037K


----------



## boblauer

Quadfather said:


> How about the Fatbear anti-shock cases?


Had that on my ZX300, solid case but a little bulky. I went with Dignis leather case as I've owned a few and the quality is top notch. I use Dignis enclosed screen protector for now.


----------



## Whitigir

Did somebody mentioned that they like the previous firmware better than the current firmware ? Is it because of the tighter and faster bass with more details and separations instead when compare to previous firmware ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 24, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> Did somebody mentioned that they like the previous firmware better than the current firmware ? Is it because of the tighter and faster bass with more details and separations instead when compare to previous firmware ?



IMO

Many felt that 3.01 was better than 3.02 with the 1A. The 3.02 takes emphasis of the low-end away to then create a fast, tight and expanded imaging effect. In contrast these same attributes added to the 1Z listening experience. It seems the 1Z needed attenuation in these areas, but for some the 1A didn’t do well with such changes. Keep in mind everyone has different IEMs and different sound signature goals. Some want brightness, some want more bass.

Again two separate sound signatures are not always improved by a single firmware upgrade for both Walkmans. By the way you don’t own a Walkman. Lol


----------



## Whitigir (Oct 24, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> IMO
> 
> Many felt that 3.01 was better than 3.02 with the 1A. The 3.02 takes emphasis of the low-end away to then create a fast, tight and expanded imaging effect. In contrast these same attributes added to the 1Z listening experience. It seems the 1Z needed attenuation in these areas, but for some the 1A didn’t do well with such changes. Keep in mind everyone has different IEMs and different sound signature goals. Some want brightness, some want more bass.
> 
> Again two separate sound signatures are not always improved by a single firmware upgrade for both Walkmans. By the way you don’t own a Walkman. Lol



no, I don’t, but I hear exactly the same thing on DMP-Z1 on previous firmware vs this current one.  I am trying to get back the last firmware but I don’t know how =/. The DMP-Z1 already have excellent soundstage, where as any further with sacrificial on timbre meats and bass extensions would just make it very separated, and disruptive....but that is how I hear it.  
It’s wonderful with IER-Z1R, but I love the HD800S more, and as I use it more often, I prefer the last firmware


----------



## Quadfather (Oct 24, 2019)

I wish I were able to part with my LPG, then I could buy the NW - WM1Z now!  It sucks having two players that you like equally.  LPG is my jazz audio player and the Sony is my rock and roll player, but currently I only have the NW - WM1A and LPG


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Been looking for a nice case to carry around the WM1A and IERs.  Noticed Dignis sells a case called at Attineo and it's perfect!  Thought I'd share:


----------



## TSAVJason

cosplayerkyo said:


> Been looking for a nice case to carry around the WM1A and IERs.  Noticed Dignis sells a case called at Attineo and it's perfect!  Thought I'd share:



that looks pretty safe and organized. It also looks easy to carry with you.


----------



## animalsrush

cosplayerkyo said:


> Been looking for a nice case to carry around the WM1A and IERs.  Noticed Dignis sells a case called at Attineo and it's perfect!  Thought I'd share:


Now that is nice. Where did you get it from. Can you please share a link

thanks
Pc


----------



## Levanter

cosplayerkyo said:


> Been looking for a nice case to carry around the WM1A and IERs.  Noticed Dignis sells a case called at Attineo and it's perfect!  Thought I'd share:



That’s the black right? Looks better than I thought. I bought the brown one but has been stuck in customs for a few days =.= Should be arriving today or tomorrow I hope.


----------



## auronthas

Whitigir said:


> no, I don’t, but I hear exactly the same thing on DMP-Z1 on previous firmware vs this current one.  I am trying to get back the last firmware but I don’t know how =/. The DMP-Z1 already have excellent soundstage, where as any further with sacrificial on timbre meats and bass extensions would just make it very separated, and disruptive....but that is how I hear it.
> It’s wonderful with IER-Z1R, but I love the HD800S more, and as I use it more often, I prefer the last firmware


IMO, best is to use Studio Monitor Headphone/IEM to listen if any sonic change from different version firmware.

Or Sony should develop different firmware for WM1A/WM1Z/DMP-Z1 LOL


----------



## djricekcn

animalsrush said:


> Now that is nice. Where did you get it from. Can you please share a link
> 
> thanks
> Pc



if you're in the USA, Dignis's website seems to be the cheapest, but shipping is probably varied.  To california, total is *111.83*


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 25, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> no, I don’t, but I hear exactly the same thing on DMP-Z1 on previous firmware vs this current one.  I am trying to get back the last firmware but I don’t know how =/. The DMP-Z1 already have excellent soundstage, where as any further with sacrificial on timbre meats and bass extensions would just make it very separated, and disruptive....but that is how I hear it.
> It’s wonderful with IER-Z1R, but I love the HD800S more, and as I use it more often, I prefer the last firmware



You of all people......I would think would figure out how to roll back your player? It has to be like the Walkmans here?

By the way...the cradle to TA with AQCarbon is still my system, thanks to you. Thanks!


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> You of all people......I would think would figure out how to roll back your player? It has to be like the Walkmans here?
> 
> By the way...the cradle to TA with AQCarbon is still my system, thanks to you. Thanks!


I just need a link to download the last firmware lol.  Also, I am pretty clumsy with software x_X


----------



## phonomat (Oct 25, 2019)

cosplayerkyo said:


> Been looking for a nice case to carry around the WM1A and IERs.  Noticed Dignis sells a case called at Attineo and it's perfect!  Thought I'd share:



That does indeed look pretty much perfect.

Edit: Unfortunately, it's unreasonably expensive. I mean, it's just a case, right? For that price, you'd think it came with some gear included, lol.


----------



## blazinblazin

Redcarmoose said:


> Many of us fail to give enough credit to our own innate abilities to get used to a specific sound. I have read countless posts about people getting used to IEMs that at first they thought would not work out.
> 
> Much of this style of change may take place IF there is subsequent information provided in the mids. Meaning it’s all in the midrange if we allow ourselves to partake of it. I’m now trying to get used to a cable which is very mid-centric. The cable is not really mid-forward but somehow has ongoing mid-emphasis, and detail due to it. It’s probably safe to say the 3.02 and it’s personally is going to be easer to switch to rather than a firmware which enhanced treble or bass? Of course this depends how far the departure is from what your used to and the firmwares personality with the IEMs used.
> 
> Laughably I still use 3.01 with the 1A, though?



I was initially thinking of changing back to 3.01

But the details is not as clear as in 3.02.
You can hear a bit better on 3.02 but the tonality need to get used to. Volume might need to lower, as higher volume gave me too much punch for my DD iem. Haha.

Every firmware there will be some songs that is not suitable for the sound of the firmware.

I changed cables over time... pure copper to SPC to silver/gold. Every type had it's own range.


----------



## Whitigir

I rather rollback firmware than changing our cables....especially those 3-5k cables kinds


----------



## nc8000

phonomat said:


> That does indeed look pretty much perfect.
> 
> Edit: Unfortunately, it's unreasonably expensive. I mean, it's just a case, right? For that price, you'd think it came with some gear included, lol.



Well it is a handcrafted semi luxury item. Just imagine the price if it came from Louis Vuitton


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 25, 2019)

blazinblazin said:


> I was initially thinking of changing back to 3.01
> 
> But the details is not as clear as in 3.02.
> You can hear a bit better on 3.02 but the tonality need to get used to. Volume might need to lower, as higher volume gave me too much punch for my DD iem. Haha.
> ...



And of course there are those who think when we talk this way we appear crazy. This talk of cables and small firmware upgrades. The other progress is to be able to finish up. Maybe we never finish, but to be able to somehow get an arrangement where we can play every genre, every recording and be at peace. I sincerely hope that’s what this quest is about. To retire from Head-Fi.......to win the game. I don’t think our goal is wondering in this self-constructed purgatory of disenfranchisement?

We are designed to forget about the equipment and study music. Peace is when the curiosities fall away. Peace is when all is well. I hope to be able to forget about new stuff and what it offers, or the potential it offers.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> And of course there are those who think when we talk this way we appear crazy. This talk of cables and small firmware upgrades. The other progress is to be able to finish up. Maybe we never finish, but to be able to somehow get an arrangement where we can play every genre, every recording and be at peace. I sincerely hope that’s what this quest is about. To retire from Head-Fi.......to win the game. I don’t think our goal is wondering in this self-constructed purgatory of disenfranchisement?
> 
> We are designed to forget about the equipment and study music. Peace is when the curiosities fall away. Peace is when all is well. I hope to be able to forget about new stuff and what it offers, or the potential it offers.


 I am gonna tell you this....there is always someone thinking that you are crazy regardless of what you do ...lol


----------



## flyer1 (Oct 25, 2019)

blazinblazin said:


> Hmm... I somehow got used to 3.02 sound.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## mwhals

Does anyone know if the WM1A or WM1Z sound similar to the HAP-1ZES? I have the HAP-1ZES in my stereo rack and like the sound of its dac.


----------



## boblauer

mwhals said:


> Does anyone know if the WM1A or WM1Z sound similar to the HAP-1ZES? I have the HAP-1ZES in my stereo rack and like the sound of its dac.


Do not know for certain but would assume slight nuances of differences due to Sony not using off the shelf DAC's but FPGA's and assuming they code each for the hardware involved hence the differences in WM1A/WM1Z/etc.. Maybe someone here has both players?


----------



## Holdmyown83

So I’m having the weird issue trying to use the DAC mode on my MacBook and it seems like it will connect and immediately keep disconnecting and it will keep doing it over and over. Anyone have issues like this?


----------



## gerelmx1986

mwhals said:


> Does anyone know if the WM1A or WM1Z sound similar to the HAP-1ZES? I have the HAP-1ZES in my stereo rack and like the sound of its dac.


 why hasnt sony updated the HAP-S1 and HAP-1ZES? They seem.not to support DSD 256


----------



## furankenshutein

Hi,
I already have a benks TPU case for my WM1A but would like to have another one (leather or not) with a belt clip that I can use when outside (commuting, etc.). Do you have any suggestions other than Vannuys VD493/VD860?


----------



## LinstantX

furankenshutein said:


> Hi,
> I already have a benks TPU case for my WM1A but would like to have another one (leather or not) with a belt clip that I can use when outside (commuting, etc.). Do you have any suggestions other than Vannuys VD493/VD860?


As an option, you can consider this option: soft, genuine leather, small size and the necessary compartments. https://ru.aliexpress.com/item/3284...&terminal_id=0b89796eb69d4e619fdb3a61d97cb3ea


----------



## TSAVJason (Oct 28, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> I am gonna tell you this....there is always someone thinking that you are crazy regardless of what you do ...lol



tell me about it brother! Hahahahaha


----------



## Jalo

TSAVJason said:


> tell me about brother! Hahahahaha


Hahahah, Jason there is a difference between just someone thinking you are crazy or everyone is


----------



## Whitigir

Jalo said:


> Hahahah, Jason there is a difference between just someone thinking you are crazy or everyone is


That can only mean that everyone is crazy and you are normal


----------



## Jalo

Whitigir said:


> That can only mean that everyone is crazy and you are normal


There you go, Whitigir, nothing beats a delusional belief, it is so important to our psyche, our defense system, and the survival of the fittest. You seem to have a deep understanding of the implication of its application


----------



## TSAVJason

Jalo said:


> There you go, Whitigir, nothing beats a delusional belief, it is so important to our psyche, our defense system, and the survival of the fittest. You seem to have a deep understanding of the implication of its application



Wow! Ethereally speaking of course


----------



## furankenshutein

LinstantX said:


> As an option, you can consider this option: soft, genuine leather, small size and the necessary compartments. https://ru.aliexpress.com/item/32847285002.html?dp=5a20558542a7fc284c91fbb50fdbb90d&dp=5a20558542a7fc284c91fbb50fdbb90d&af=886947&af=886947&cv=47843&cv=47843&afref=https%3A%2F%2Ftrade.aliexpress.com%2ForderList.htm%3Fspm%3Da2g0o.home.1000001.30.74a73f31SKW69q%26tracelog%3Dws_topbar&afref=https%3A%2F%2Ftrade.aliexpress.com%2ForderList.htm%3Fspm%3Da2g0o.home.1000001.30.74a73f31SKW69q%26tracelog%3Dws_topbar&mall_affr=pr3&mall_affr=pr3&aff_platform=aaf&cpt=1572283882076&sk=VnYZvQVf&aff_trace_key=228e41f07f7b4425a76dda8d459a8ab3-1572283882076-04756-VnYZvQVf&terminal_id=0b89796eb69d4e619fdb3a61d97cb3ea



Thanks, I'll check that. I also noticed the Borsa pouch on the Dignis website and wondered if the smaller size would hold a WM1A.


----------



## LeFaucon

M





furankenshutein said:


> Thanks, I'll check that. I also noticed the Borsa pouch on the Dignis website and wondered if the smaller size would hold a WM1A.


Got one : medium size


----------



## Nostoi

I wonder if anyone has this particular issue - I have a couple of portable tube amps for my WM1A - the Alo Continental V5, the Oriolus BA300S, and a while back the Fostex HP-V1. On all of them, there is a lot of noise - i.e., actual fizzy distortion - when playing native DSD files. Never happens on solid state amps, just on tube. I don't think it's anything to do with the amps themselves, given that they're all fairly quiet - the V5 especially is almost totally "black." It seems to be some kind of weird bug with DSD only (all my other files are Flac and Wav, no issues there). Anyone else had this issue? It's especially notable on classical DSD files.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Oct 29, 2019)

Nostoi said:


> I wonder if anyone has this particular issue - I have a couple of portable tube amps for my WM1A - the Alo Continental V5, the Oriolus BA300S, and a while back the Fostex HP-V1. On all of them, there is a lot of noise - i.e., actual fizzy distortion - when playing native DSD files. Never happens on solid state amps, just on tube. I don't think it's anything to do with the amps themselves, given that they're all fairly quiet - the V5 especially is almost totally "black." It seems to be some kind of weird bug with DSD only (all my other files are Flac and Wav, no issues there). Anyone else had this issue? It's especially notable on classical DSD files.


exct same issue in SE to 3.5mm to RCA connected to a small mixing console that controls a surround sound system. Every time i play a DSD file hear this fizzy distortion, doesnt happen with FLAC


----------



## Maxx134

gerelmx1986 said:


> exct same issue in SE to 3.5mm to RCA connected to a small mixing console that controls a surround sound system. Every time i play a DSD file hear this fizzy distortion, doesnt happen with FLAC


Sounds like a possible grounding issue..
Have you tried balanced output?


----------



## Whitigir

Maxx134 said:


> Sounds like a possible grounding issue..
> Have you tried balanced output?


RCA is Single ended and not balanced

DSD on the WM1A and WM1Z _*CAN ONLY BE PLAYED BACK WITH 4.4MM OUTPUT WHICH IS BALANCED CONNECTION*_. 

using single ended or rca is Ofcourse going to...damage your S-Master digital chip inside


----------



## rtjoa

Nostoi said:


> I wonder if anyone has this particular issue - I have a couple of portable tube amps for my WM1A - the Alo Continental V5, the Oriolus BA300S, and a while back the Fostex HP-V1. On all of them, there is a lot of noise - i.e., actual fizzy distortion - when playing native DSD files. Never happens on solid state amps, just on tube. I don't think it's anything to do with the amps themselves, given that they're all fairly quiet - the V5 especially is almost totally "black." It seems to be some kind of weird bug with DSD only (all my other files are Flac and Wav, no issues there). Anyone else had this issue? It's especially notable on classical DSD files.


Have you tried this connection for your WM1A?
(Taken from MusicTeck Oriolus Page https://shop.musicteck.com/products/oriolus-ba300?_pos=3&_sid=75f68194c&_ss=r&variant=18499200876606) Mass Kobo 424 and 428 amps have similar instructions.

*Why 3.5mm GND plug?*
Some of our Japanese users told us that for connecting BA300s with 4.4mm phone

out port only will let some tiny noise go into the earphone. Some users can hear it and some can not.

GND is not valid on almost of the DAPs with 4.4mm phone out port(only L+ L- R+ R-), so that we cannot make BA300s and those DAPs have the same voltage potential of GND directly. The tiny noise is hard to avoid. So that we make a new cable which can get the GND from the 3.5mm phone out port of those DAPs. And it works.

If using Sony's DAP, please connect the 3.5mm plug to you player first and then connect the 4.4mm plug because of the automatic balanced mode switch system of SONY if you use both 4.4mm and 3.5mm phone out port.


----------



## aceedburn

Whitigir said:


> RCA is Single ended and not balanced
> 
> DSD on the WM1A and WM1Z _*CAN ONLY BE PLAYED BACK WITH 4.4MM OUTPUT WHICH IS BALANCED CONNECTION*_.
> 
> using single ended or rca is Ofcourse going to...damage your S-Master digital chip inside


Why would using the 3.5mm out to rca damage the chip?


----------



## aceedburn

Nostoi said:


> I wonder if anyone has this particular issue - I have a couple of portable tube amps for my WM1A - the Alo Continental V5, the Oriolus BA300S, and a while back the Fostex HP-V1. On all of them, there is a lot of noise - i.e., actual fizzy distortion - when playing native DSD files. Never happens on solid state amps, just on tube. I don't think it's anything to do with the amps themselves, given that they're all fairly quiet - the V5 especially is almost totally "black." It seems to be some kind of weird bug with DSD only (all my other files are Flac and Wav, no issues there). Anyone else had this issue? It's especially notable on classical DSD files.


I use the 3.5mm out to rca from WM1A to K5 Pro without any issues or noise. But it’s solid state though.


----------



## Whitigir

aceedburn said:


> Why would using the 3.5mm out to rca damage the chip?


Just as I said to the people that want to use DSD out of 3.5mm


----------



## aceedburn

Whitigir said:


> Just as I said to the people that want to use DSD out of 3.5mm


I know but hw would that spoil the chip? When you connect 3.5mm to rca dsd is down converted to pcm to the amp and why would it spoil the chip? 3.5mmm out to rca is the mot common connnection to a headphone amp.


----------



## TSAVJason

Whitigir said:


> RCA is Single ended and not balanced
> 
> DSD on the WM1A and WM1Z _*CAN ONLY BE PLAYED BACK WITH 4.4MM OUTPUT WHICH IS BALANCED CONNECTION*_.
> 
> using single ended or rca is Ofcourse going to...damage your S-Master digital chip inside



is that like saying don’t just go putting your jack in any hole?


----------



## aisalen

I think what Whitgir is saying is that to not use 4.4 with RCA. No issue in using 3.5 with RCA, I am doing it when I had 2 channel setup.


----------



## nc8000

aisalen said:


> I think what Whitgir is saying is that to not use 4.4 with RCA. No issue in using 3.5 with RCA, I am doing it when I had 2 channel setup.



yep and the other thing is tha dsd is only played natively on blanced but converted to pcm on single ended


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> yep and the other thing is tha dsd is only played natively on blanced but converted to pcm on single ended


yea i know abd i fet thia fizzy distortion too. But on the fiacher ausio preamp of my friend in hamburg i get no such noises


----------



## NickleCo

LinstantX said:


> If you want a beautiful and reliable case, then as for me, there is nothing better than Dignis.


Agree dignis has the best fitting. As for me, since i HATE waiting i went for the miter since it was the only thing available locally.


----------



## Whitigir

DatDudeNic said:


> Agree dignis has the best fitting. As for me, since i HATE waiting i went for the miter since it was the only thing available locally.



LOL!  I understand that feeling very well


----------



## Maxx134 (Oct 30, 2019)

Nostoi said:


> I wonder if anyone has this particular issue - I have a couple of portable tube amps for my WM1A - the Alo Continental V5, the Oriolus BA300S, and a while back the Fostex HP-V1. On all of them, there is a lot of noise - i.e., actual fizzy distortion - when playing native DSD files. Never happens on solid state amps, just on tube. I don't think it's anything to do with the amps themselves, given that they're all fairly quiet - the V5 especially is almost totally "black." It seems to be some kind of weird bug with DSD only (all my other files are Flac and Wav, no issues there). Anyone else had this issue? It's especially notable on classical DSD files.


I believe those tube amps have their input design as "single- ended", using the tube stage as an input "buffer stage", leading to the opamp.

So those designs send the "minus" signal to ground, instead of the sony amp seeing a load on it.

The sony output caps only prevent DC short but not signal.

I believe thats how the sony gets internally affected.

In comparison, solid state amps usually feed the plus&minus signals direct to the
 opamp chips.

That's my general take on it.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.


----------



## Nostoi

Maxx134 said:


> I believe those tube amps have their input design as "single- ended", using the tube stage as an input "buffer stage", leading to the opamp.
> 
> So those designs send the "minus" signal to ground, instead of the sony amp seeing a load on it.
> 
> ...


Ok, thanks for this and for everyone else's input. It's a shame there's not a way around this, but then perhaps the amount of people using playing DSD (albeit converted to PCM) on tube amps on SE mode is limited. I should underline that I have this on DOP mode - I understand Native DSD is balanced only, which is why the fizzy distortion is all the more odd, given that it's being converted to PCM. I can only assume something in the conversion process compounded with the tube is causing this.


----------



## Redcarmoose

I know nothing of using the Walkmans connected to tube amps. But in general tube amps do just by their nature create different sonic artifacts at times. Many of the ones I’ve had over the years had a low hum that was considered normal.


----------



## Viszla

Nostoi said:


> Ok, thanks for this and for everyone else's input. It's a shame there's not a way around this, but then perhaps the amount of people using playing DSD (albeit converted to PCM) on tube amps on SE mode is limited. I should underline that I have this on DOP mode - I understand Native DSD is balanced only, which is why the fizzy distortion is all the more odd, given that it's being converted to PCM. I can only assume something in the conversion process compounded with the tube is causing this.


Hello. You have Sony 1A and Oriolus 300S. Is it a good combination? Thanks


----------



## Nostoi

Redcarmoose said:


> I know nothing of using the Walkmans connected to tube amps. But in general tube amps do just by their nature create different sonic artifacts at times. Many of the ones I’ve had over the years had a low hum that was considered normal.


I appreciate what you're saying, but what I'm describing isn't the usual hum one finds in a tube amp - it's a distortion that is peculiar to playing DSD/PCM files on SE mode. The tube hum is no problem to me, and is indeed normal. This other sound is hard to describe - it sounds like interference of some sort. I just tried it on balance mode with my Oriolus BA300S amp - it's there on native DSD but not evident when Native is unchecked. It's an oddity.


----------



## Nostoi

Viszla said:


> Hello. You have Sony 1A and Oriolus 300S. Is it a good combination? Thanks


Hi, it's a nice combination, indeed. It can be a bit picky in terms of pairing. For example, it doesn't really add much to Campfire Cascades, but for something needing more grunt, like the LCD2C, it really is sweet. It also worked well on brighter headphones like the HD660, that was a really nice combo. It only adds something like +3db, but what it does, it does well. I also just got the ALO Continental V5, which is not balanced, but pairs very nicely with the WM1A and massively expands output potential.


----------



## Viszla

Nostoi said:


> Hi, it's a nice combination, indeed. It can be a bit picky in terms of pairing. For example, it doesn't really add much to Campfire Cascades, but for something needing more grunt, like the LCD2C, it really is sweet. It also worked well on brighter headphones like the HD660, that was a really nice combo. It only adds something like +3db, but what it does, it does well. I also just got the ALO Continental V5, which is not balanced, but pairs very nicely with the WM1A and massively expands output potential.


Dankeschön!


----------



## Quadfather

I am giving up altogether on leather cases. It seems that the edgecoating always fails.


----------



## phonomat

Quadfather said:


> I am giving up altogether on leather cases. It seems that the edgecoating always fails.



Also, they make you look old.


----------



## bana

Quadfather said:


> I am giving up altogether on leather cases. It seems that the edgecoating always fails.





 

 


Quadfather said:


> I am giving up altogether on leather cases. It seems that the edgecoating always fails.


They don't make you look old. I love my case and I've had a few.


----------



## Maxx134

bana said:


> They don't make you look old. I love my case and I've had a few.


I like your case too!
Currently looking for it and see others but not looks as thick.


----------



## Automata (Nov 3, 2019)

Has anyone compares the digital output of WM1A and WM1Z to an external DAC?

Does the WM1Z sound better than the 1A as a digital source? Going to use my WM1A’s digital output to my Hugo TT2 by USB output.


----------



## bflat

Automata said:


> Has anyone compares the digital output of WM1A and WM1Z to an external DAC?
> 
> Does the WM1Z sound better than the 1A as a digital source? Going to use my WM1A’s digital output to my Hugo TT2 by USB output.



The difference with the WM1Z and A are all in the analog domain, so no, digital out should not sound any different. However, that doesn't mean that the digital out quality of both is good. If you are not happy with your 1A digital out to your TT2, you can be sure that 1Z will offer the same. Certainly not worth the upgrade just for that.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I tried wm1z as a usb audio out and its super high quality  I did tri ot hugo2 and I found hugo2 to sound even better that way then vs straight from pc. I found it was slightly warmer and like a hybrid 1z and hugo2 sound joint together.

Maybe your millage will vary but it was a fabulous pairing 






Automata said:


> Has anyone compares the digital output of WM1A and WM1Z to an external DAC?
> 
> Does the WM1Z sound better than the 1A as a digital source? Going to use my WM1A’s digital output to my Hugo TT2 by USB output.


----------



## Automata

Thanks for the reply. I’m happy with the 1A digital output quality right now as it sounds better than out from my PC.


----------



## animalsrush (Nov 3, 2019)

For Mac users .. looks like Os Catalina has screwed up Sony firmware update software . I am not able to upgrade or downgrade anymore. It just gets stuck on the "connect your device to continue" screen.  I was able to do this just few weeks ago when I downgraded FW to1.02. Also just few hrs I updated another Mac which still has Mojave with latest security update. Now I can’t upgrade / downgrade on that machine as well.  The installer kills itself when you connect wm1z to the Mac for upgrade . In both cases the software is mounting and loading,but failing to update. I suspect Mac OS X is tightening its security for unapproved developer apps even when I have given explicit permissions in the security settings. I however managed to update firmware using windows 10 (thanks for nc800 box link).. Catalina has been a pain so far

any Mac user has experienced this after patch upgrade. Please note I could do this easily before the upgrade or security patch

Thoughts?


----------



## kubig123

animalsrush said:


> For Mac users .. looks like Os Catalina has screwed up Sony firmware update software . I am not able to upgrade or downgrade anymore. It just gets stuck on the "connect your device to continue" screen.  I was able to do this just few weeks ago when I downgraded FW to1.02. Also just few hrs I updated another Mac which still has Mojave with latest security update. Now I can’t upgrade / downgrade on that machine as well.  The installer kills itself when you connect wm1z to the Mac for upgrade . In both cases the software is mounting and loading,but failing to update. I suspect Mac OS X is tightening its security for unapproved developer apps even when I have given explicit permissions in the security settings. I however managed to update firmware using windows 10 (thanks for nc800 box link).. Catalina has been a pain so far
> 
> any Mac user has experienced this after patch upgrade. Please note I could do this easily before the upgrade or security patch
> 
> Thoughts?





I experienced the same issue in the past, maybe migrating from 10.13 to 10.14 with some of the older fw, what I did is install the previous macos to a usb drive, that allowed me to upgrade/downgrade the fw without any issue.


----------



## auronthas

animalsrush said:


> For Mac users .. looks like Os Catalina has screwed up Sony firmware update software .
> …
> any Mac user has experienced this after patch upgrade. Please note I could do this easily before the upgrade or security patch
> 
> Thoughts?



Only 64-bit software can run in OS Catalina platform. Most likely Sony firmware update software still 32-bit ?


----------



## janolisboa (Nov 4, 2019)

Hey guys,

Probably someone already asked but I need recommendations for headphones to use with the 1Z.
I have the Shure Se846 with the kimber cable 4.4 from Sony and it sounds quite good. But with my HD600s I have to use the volume at max and it is still not loud enough. I checked if my unit is capped with this pc program one can find on the web but apparently it is not capped. So I'm assuming that Sony lowering output power gets is part of having better battery life than other players and the usual cheekyness of wanting to sell their headphone amp. That being sad can anyone recommend top headphones that won't need as much power to drive as the Sennheisers?

Thanks and cheers


----------



## aceedburn

janolisboa said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Probably someone already asked but I need recommendations for headphones to use with the 1Z.
> I have the Shure Se846 with the kimber cable 4.4 from Sony and it sounds quite good. But with my HD600s I have to use the volume at max and it is still not loud enough. I checked if my unit is capped with this pc program one can find on the web but apparently it is not capped. So I'm assuming that Sony lowering output power gets is part of having better battery life than other players and the usual cheekyness of wanting to sell their headphone amp. That being sad can anyone recommend top headphones that won't need as much power to drive as the Sennheisers?
> ...


I use the XBA-Z5 with the 4.4mm kimber kable with my 1A. Match made in heaven for me. No amp needed. I use an amp for other cans.


----------



## auronthas

aceedburn said:


> I use the XBA-Z5 with the 4.4mm kimber kable with my 1A. Match made in heaven for me. No amp needed. I use an amp for other cans.



I think he's asking about headphone recommendation.



janolisboa said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Probably someone already asked but I need recommendations for headphones to use with the 1Z.
> I have the Shure Se846 with the kimber cable 4.4 from Sony and it sounds quite good. But with my HD600s I have to use the volume at max and it is still not loud enough. I checked if my unit is capped with this pc program one can find on the web but apparently it is not capped. So I'm assuming that Sony lowering output power gets is part of having better battery life than other players and the usual cheekyness of wanting to sell their headphone amp. That being sad can anyone recommend top headphones that won't need as much power to drive as the Sennheisers?
> ...



You may try Sennheiser 598 SR, if you have chance, try to auditioning it if you like its sound or suit your taste.


----------



## gerelmx1986

janolisboa said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Probably someone already asked but I need recommendations for headphones to use with the 1Z.
> I have the Shure Se846 with the kimber cable 4.4 from Sony and it sounds quite good. But with my HD600s I have to use the volume at max and it is still not loud enough. I checked if my unit is capped with this pc program one can find on the web but apparently it is not capped. So I'm assuming that Sony lowering output power gets is part of having better battery life than other players and the usual cheekyness of wanting to sell their headphone amp. That being sad can anyone recommend top headphones that won't need as much power to drive as the Sennheisers?
> ...


IER-Z1R and MDR-Z1R


----------



## flyer1 (Nov 4, 2019)

janolisboa said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Probably someone already asked but I need recommendations for headphones to use with the 1Z.
> I have the Shure Se846 with the kimber cable 4.4 from Sony and it sounds quite good. But with my HD600s I have to use the volume at max and it is still not loud enough. I checked if my unit is capped with this pc program one can find on the web but apparently it is not capped. So I'm assuming that Sony lowering output power gets is part of having better battery life than other players and the usual cheekyness of wanting to sell their headphone amp. That being sad can anyone recommend top headphones that won't need as much power to drive as the Sennheisers?
> ...



Try the HD660S. Easy to drive in balanced from the 1Z on High Gain. Enjoying this combo a lot.


----------



## Vitaly2017

janolisboa said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Probably someone already asked but I need recommendations for headphones to use with the 1Z.
> I have the Shure Se846 with the kimber cable 4.4 from Sony and it sounds quite good. But with my HD600s I have to use the volume at max and it is still not loud enough. I checked if my unit is capped with this pc program one can find on the web but apparently it is not capped. So I'm assuming that Sony lowering output power gets is part of having better battery life than other players and the usual cheekyness of wanting to sell their headphone amp. That being sad can anyone recommend top headphones that won't need as much power to drive as the Sennheisers?
> ...





I know you asked for headphones but I may also suggest the wa11 ! Pair that up via 4.4 balanced as an amp and you got plenty of power and the wm1z dac amp is the main sound used here.


----------



## bflat

animalsrush said:


> For Mac users .. looks like Os Catalina has screwed up Sony firmware update software . I am not able to upgrade or downgrade anymore. It just gets stuck on the "connect your device to continue" screen.  I was able to do this just few weeks ago when I downgraded FW to1.02. Also just few hrs I updated another Mac which still has Mojave with latest security update. Now I can’t upgrade / downgrade on that machine as well.  The installer kills itself when you connect wm1z to the Mac for upgrade . In both cases the software is mounting and loading,but failing to update. I suspect Mac OS X is tightening its security for unapproved developer apps even when I have given explicit permissions in the security settings. I however managed to update firmware using windows 10 (thanks for nc800 box link).. Catalina has been a pain so far
> 
> any Mac user has experienced this after patch upgrade. Please note I could do this easily before the upgrade or security patch
> 
> Thoughts?



Catalina no longer supports 32-bit apps so I'm guessing that is the problem with the installer since you can manually bypass security. Some companies like Fiio don't even have an option for Mac OS.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Another good reason to avoid apple what a joke. They think they control the world or what?


----------



## animalsrush (Nov 4, 2019)

bflat said:


> Catalina no longer supports 32-bit apps so I'm guessing that is the problem with the installer since you can manually bypass security. Some companies like Fiio don't even have an option for Mac OS.



I know about  the 32 bit apps not supported on Catalina. But shouldn’t it not even load? In my case it loads but doesn’t update device with firmware. Since issue is happening on Mojave’ as well after security update I am assuming it is permission issue. Wm1z mounts and I can see on usb , I can move music, Sony software loads it just can’t update.. very frustrating.


----------



## animalsrush

Vitaly2017 said:


> Another good reason to avoid apple what a joke. They think they control the world or what?



I agree they are becoming like Microsoft under Steve baller.. very restrictive. Time to switch I guess lot of my 32 bit apps just don’t work on Catalina which btw is just a cosmetic upgrade so my other machine stays on Mojave. But security patch now doesn’t allow some apps arrgh


----------



## animalsrush

kubig123 said:


> I experienced the same issue in the past, maybe migrating from 10.13 to 10.14 with some of the older fw, what I did is install the previous macos to a usb drive, that allowed me to upgrade/downgrade the fw without any issue.



nice work around.. but too much work I think. Luckily my work computer was windows 10 and it allowed me to upgrade. But good option to have in back pocket . I am uploading my time machine copy on a usb stick..


----------



## animalsrush

gerelmx1986 said:


> IER-Z1R and MDR-Z1R



+1 MDR - Z1R


----------



## JML (Nov 4, 2019)

If the installer is 32-bit, it would not run at all under Catalina.  What you're describing is what I have had happen all the time on my Mac, going back to Sierra.  Try these two things:  (1) shut down every non-operating-system application that you can via the Activity Monitor, and then run the installer (which worked for me); or if that doesn't work then option (2) is to boot into Safe Mode, and then run the installer.

To get into Safe Mode,

Press and hold down the Power key to shut down your computer.
Restart the Mac, but hold down Shift while it's booting up. You will see the Apple logo on a grayish background with a progress bar. After you entered the *Safe mode*, run the installer again.



animalsrush said:


> For Mac users .. looks like Os Catalina has screwed up Sony firmware update software . I am not able to upgrade or downgrade anymore. It just gets stuck on the "connect your device to continue" screen.  I was able to do this just few weeks ago when I downgraded FW to1.02. Also just few hrs I updated another Mac which still has Mojave with latest security update. Now I can’t upgrade / downgrade on that machine as well.  The installer kills itself when you connect wm1z to the Mac for upgrade . In both cases the software is mounting and loading,but failing to update. I suspect Mac OS X is tightening its security for unapproved developer apps even when I have given explicit permissions in the security settings. I however managed to update firmware using windows 10 (thanks for nc800 box link).. Catalina has been a pain so far
> 
> any Mac user has experienced this after patch upgrade. Please note I could do this easily before the upgrade or security patch
> 
> Thoughts?


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Maxx134

janolisboa said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Probably someone already asked but I need recommendations for headphones to use with the 1Z.


The absolute best match I have heard so far, with the sony are the Focal Utopia and Denon 9200...
 
Plenty of power with them.


----------



## LeFaucon

animalsrush said:


> I know about  the 32 bit apps not supported on Catalina. But shouldn’t it not even load? In my case it loads but doesn’t update device with firmware. Since issue is happening on Mojave’ as well after security update I am assuming it is permission issue. Wm1z mounts and I can see on usb , I can move music, Sony software loads it just can’t update.. very frustrating.


Please try via Sony Music Center (or don’t remember the right name ?) : it should works...?


----------



## gerelmx1986

LeFaucon said:


> Please try via Sony Music Center (or don’t remember the right name ?) : it should works...?


Sony Music center  is  WINDOWS ONLY, He is talking about Mac OS X


----------



## LeFaucon

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sony Music center  is  WINDOWS ONLY, He is talking about Mac OS X


Ah OK so... I’m sorry


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> Another good reason to avoid apple what a joke. They think they control the world or what?


remember bro,  apple and macs are  for losers


----------



## janolisboa

Maxx134 said:


> The absolute best match I have heard so far, with the sony are the Focal Utopia and Denon 9200...
> 
> Plenty of power with them.



Thanks for the reply. How do the Denons compare to the Focals given they much cheaper? My problem is the Se846 and the Kimber Cable is that I find it a bit too warm and lacks some enthusiasm in the articulation. The player is already on the warm side too. I know I'm comparing IEMs with Headphones but I'm sure you get the picture.


----------



## Viszla

gerelmx1986 said:


> remember bro,  apple and macs are  for losers


In Germany are no losers!!!!!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Viszla said:


> In Germany are no losers!!!!!



What you have transgenders ???


----------



## Hellraiser86 (Nov 5, 2019)

Vitaly2017 said:


> What you have transgenders ???


If this would be the only case I have already left this country  I am more into women.
But I also like my Mac (and I have a PC for complementing my needs)


----------



## TSAVJason

Viszla said:


> In Germany are no losers!!!!!



hahahaha


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## animalsrush

gerelmx1986 said:


> remember bro,  apple and macs are  for losers



looks like there are quite a lot of losers in the world then .. hmmmm


----------



## HoodedHoodlum

Here's my WM1A that I bought from Maxx134. I bought a new case that would be an exact fit, and offer more protection. 

While the Miter case that Maxx included was built nicely, the design of that case is flawed in the sense that the sides were not designed to hug and contour the sides of the Walkman, so there is essentially a pretty big gap between the sides of the case, and the actual sides of the player, and it's a big spot for debris to eventually go into.

This new case is actually nicely manufactured, it fits the Walkman perfectly, and offers more protection that the very thin clear silicone cases. It exposes the screen nicely, not covering up the pretty Walkman and Sony logos, and has cutouts around both jacks and for the hold switch, and of course the charging port plus wrist strap holes.

The side buttons feel great, being easy to differentiate due to sizing and feel, for example play/pause is concaved in.

I also bought a tempered glass screen protector which is cut exactly to the right size which is nice, you practically can't even tell there's one on there, and in addition a set of plugs for all the jacks and ports. 

Since I'll be keeping this player for a long time, I want to make sure it stays in the best shape.


----------



## HoodedHoodlum




----------



## auronthas

Redcarmoose said:


>


Wow, love the silver sparkling light reflection


----------



## auronthas

HoodedHoodlum said:


>


Nice casing, but I do not like this type of plastic (don't know what it calls scientific) which can attract dust easily, I prefer anti-static type plastic.


----------



## HoodedHoodlum

auronthas said:


> Nice casing, but I do not like this type of plastic (don't know what it calls scientific) which can attract dust easily, I prefer anti-static type plastic.



Interesting, I haven't noticed any dust cling to the case, and I've had it for a couple days already, doesn't feel staticy to me at least.


----------



## boblauer

Fat bear cases are nice. Had one on my ZX300.


----------



## captblaze

boblauer said:


> Fat bear cases are nice. Had one on my ZX300.



nice and rugged and damn near impossible to remove easily


----------



## Vitaly2017

HoodedHoodlum said:


>





Waaoow where you baught it got a link?

This a heavy duty case nice


----------



## Hanafuda

HoodedHoodlum said:


>



First thing I've seen to make me consider changing from the Benks TPU. My 1A doesn't get much rough mobility though, usually just in the house or hotels. But that case would be very nice for someone who takes their DAP on the train, subway, street, etc. Very nice.


----------



## HoodedHoodlum

Vitaly2017 said:


> Waaoow where you baught it got a link?
> 
> This a heavy duty case nice



Here is the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07RK34WQ9?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I'll also add the links to the tempered glass screen protectors and plugs.

Protectors: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B079JPK1L6?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Plugs: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07BT639LX?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title


----------



## HoodedHoodlum

Hanafuda said:


> First thing I've seen to make me consider changing from the Benks TPU. My 1A doesn't get much rough mobility though, usually just in the house or hotels. But that case would be very nice for someone who takes their DAP on the train, subway, street, etc. Very nice.



The Benks was actually going to be my choice, until I saw the case that I have now. And I'm glad I have it on, as yesterday my 1A fell from knee height onto a concrete floor, haha.....

I am one to take my DAPs out and about, so this case is perfect.


----------



## Vitaly2017

HoodedHoodlum said:


> The Benks was actually going to be my choice, until I saw the case that I have now. And I'm glad I have it on, as yesterday my 1A fell from knee height onto a concrete floor, haha.....
> 
> I am one to take my DAPs out and about, so this case is perfect.




Ohhh my goodness you are crazy man. Poor 1a lol


----------



## a86709286

Redcarmoose said:


>


How does Z1R paired with wm1z?
Would you recommend wm1z with Andromeda?


----------



## phonomat

HoodedHoodlum said:


> The Benks was actually going to be my choice, until I saw the case that I have now. And I'm glad I have it on, as yesterday my 1A fell from knee height onto a concrete floor, haha.....
> 
> I am one to take my DAPs out and about, so this case is perfect.



Maybe it was an unconscious experiment to test the new case. 
Koan of the day: Without the case, would it have fallen anyway?


----------



## bflat

a86709286 said:


> How does Z1R paired with wm1z?
> Would you recommend wm1z with Andromeda?



I would not recommend Andromeda. I tried it and the low end sounded bloated and the treble was rolled off. Upon reading others' impressions, the consensus is that you want a source with around 2 ohms output impedance. A mismatched pairing will sound like what I experienced. I can only assume WM1z has less than 1 ohm output impedance. I tried using an iFi IEMatch and that helped somewhat, but still short of what the positive reviews describe. Fortunately, I was able to return the Andros within the window of full refund. It's a shame, ALO service is top notch and I really was hoping to hear what many have described as a top IEM.


----------



## auronthas

bflat said:


> I would not recommend Andromeda. I tried it and the low end sounded bloated and the treble was rolled off. Upon reading others' impressions, the consensus is that you want a source with around 2 ohms output impedance. A mismatched pairing will sound like what I experienced. I can only assume WM1z has less than 1 ohm output impedance. I tried using an iFi IEMatch and that helped somewhat, but still short of what the positive reviews describe. Fortunately, I was able to return the Andros within the window of full refund. It's a shame, ALO service is top notch and I really was hoping to hear what many have described as a top IEM.


With balanced pure copper cable eg. Sony Kimber Kable or ALO Reference 8, I like these synergy Andros/WM1A. Of course YMMV.


----------



## Colors

WM1A + Andro OG synergy is amazing. Massive soundstage, excellent imaging/spatial cues and a very good treble extension. 

WM1A + Andro Gold is also a very good pairing too. But I personally like the SR15 for it as it brings out the lower mids bit.


----------



## Jalo

phonomat said:


> Maybe it was an unconscious experiment to test the new case.
> Koan of the day: Without the case, would it have fallen anyway?


Or may be it is an unconscious desire to upgrade to the 1Z? The 1A has to be broken first


----------



## phonomat

Jalo said:


> Or may be it is an unconscious desire to upgrade to the 1Z? The 1A has to be broken first



If you (or rather your subconscious) assume it's an upgrade ...


----------



## djansia

janolisboa said:


> My problem is the Se846 and the Kimber Cable is that I find it a bit too warm and lacks some enthusiasm in the articulation.


What do you think about the SE846's sound connected to the "normal" SE exit?  Everyone insists on connecting very sensitive iem to balanced outputs, but this could change them in the sound signature because they were not designed to handle all that power.  You may like it and I don't argue with it but at that point we are talking about different headphones.


----------



## janolisboa

djansia said:


> What do you think about the SE846's sound connected to the "normal" SE exit?  Everyone insists on connecting very sensitive iem to balanced outputs, but this could change them in the sound signature because they were not designed to handle all that power.  You may like it and I don't argue with it but at that point we are talking about different headphones.


Do you thing the SE846 are that sensitive?but yes I will make the comparison at home. Maybe just a proper 3.5mm silver cable would balance the extra warmth out. But I still would like to have proper headphones to enjoy the music at home and take with me on trips because the IEM sometimes irritate the inside of my ear canals.


----------



## djansia

janolisboa said:


> Do you thing the SE846 are that sensitive?


I am not the one who says this but his factory data.
Just try to connect it to the standard 3.5 output and you will hear that it will no longer sound swollen, bassy or "exaggerated".  Many people like how it sounds from the balanced and powerful outputs of their DAPs, but it is no longer the same SE846.  Greetings, Andrea.


----------



## Lookout57

auronthas said:


> With balanced pure copper cable eg. Sony Kimber Kable or ALO Reference 8, I like these synergy Andros/WM1A. Of course YMMV.


I like the ALO Reference 8 balanced with the Andromeda on the WM-1A/1Z. Good clean bass, just missing the deep sub-bass.


----------



## Whitigir

If u wanted amazing sub-bass, Sony has the answer for you, and that is the IER-Z1R


----------



## auronthas

Whitigir said:


> If u wanted amazing sub-bass, Sony has the answer for you, and that is the IER-Z1R


Or Sony MDR EX-800ST if you are keen on studio monitoring type, for real sound listening , smoothness throughout frequency range pairing with WM1A.

Sony Mdr-ex800st Headphones Inner Ear Type[japan Import] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0046ESVVG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_EYFXDbK0WGG9Z


----------



## a86709286

bflat said:


> I would not recommend Andromeda. I tried it and the low end sounded bloated and the treble was rolled off. Upon reading others' impressions, the consensus is that you want a source with around 2 ohms output impedance. A mismatched pairing will sound like what I experienced. I can only assume WM1z has less than 1 ohm output impedance. I tried using an iFi IEMatch and that helped somewhat, but still short of what the positive reviews describe. Fortunately, I was able to return the Andros within the window of full refund. It's a shame, ALO service is top notch and I really was hoping to hear what many have described as a top IEM.


Hey thanks for the reply.
Why 2 ohm is the recommended output impedance? You're right that Wm1z has around 1 ohm, andro's earphone impedance is like 13 ohm, I thought the golden rule is to choose a source that has 1/8 of that?


----------



## denis1976

My 7ohm Andromeda Gold works very good with the 1Z


----------



## bflat

a86709286 said:


> Hey thanks for the reply.
> Why 2 ohm is the recommended output impedance? You're right that Wm1z has around 1 ohm, andro's earphone impedance is like 13 ohm, I thought the golden rule is to choose a source that has 1/8 of that?



The 1/8 rule is generic and does not factor the variable impedance of multi BA driver IEMs. The published spec is usually measured at 1 kHz, but you will see higher and lower impedance along the full FR curve. If you search the Andro thread you will see a lot of impressions relative to output impedance. While not everyone agrees, it seems the general results are output impedance <1 Ohm produces what I experienced and >2 ohm produces the opposite - elevated treble, reduction in bass. This would also help explain how some folks' impressions seem to contradict each other.


----------



## denis1976 (Nov 9, 2019)

I think you are right, I had this experience when I had the Tera player that had 10 ohms impedance, when you have a high output impedance from the Dap and you have a low impedance iem you loose bass and have a more thin sound


----------



## Maxx134

HoodedHoodlum said:


> Here is the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07RK34WQ9?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
> 
> I'll also add the links to the tempered glass screen protectors and plugs.
> 
> ...



Thats great. I was going to get a glass cover but not sure how difficult to remove if placed wrong or cracked.

The case is nice. I am currently looking for a better case myself as I have the even heavier 1z so need alot protection.


----------



## Maxx134

janolisboa said:


> Thanks for the reply. How do the Denons compare to the Focals given they much cheaper?


Very much on same level in terms of resolve,  and so on a prefefence level or personal choice.


----------



## svsabado

WM1A Project K Mod for sale, https://www.reddit.com/r/AVexchange...urce=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Nov 9, 2019)

svsabado said:


> WM1A Project K Mod for sale, https://www.reddit.com/r/AVexchange...urce=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf


I don't know the poster, but If this is a valid posting, and If anyone is looking for WM 1A/Z, this definitely a keeper. The price is definitely right too. If I don’t have modded 1Z, I will definitely snap this up.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

svsabado said:


> WM1A Project K Mod for sale, https://www.reddit.com/r/AVexchange...urce=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf


Why are you selling?


----------



## svsabado

hamhamhamsta said:


> Why are you selling?


Shortened commute, so I don’t need a mobile rig.


----------



## Skullar

Hello there. So i went and bought myself wm1a. Figuring it would be a relatively significant step up from lg v30. 
To be honest i am pretty happy with v30 its just i have heard good things about 4.4mm balanced outlut giving a bit of more extension on sub bass. 
This is my commute gear so it is mainly for fun listening and goes for all sirts of electronic music, EDM, chill out ect. So no critical listening involved. And tbh i dont like those clinical signatures anyway.
Iems used - IMR R1 Zenith, Toneking Shockwave III.

Ok so i went and checked 3.5mm cable first and, well yes sepetarion is better, soundstage is better overall but very slightly. Low end no change at all as expected. As all my iems are easy to drive.

Now after switching to balanced using eros II cable, in goes a significant difference. Bass is just so much more extended and controlled. Seperation way ahead of v30. But! Where is musicality gone? That upper mid range just feel recessed. Where is that airy feel gone?
Dont get me wrong its not a massive change ruining experience. but it just makes me think wether sony is really worth extra space in a pocket.

Anyone with more experience can tell me is it just Sony's signature or is it just how balanced output sounds. Can it be cable? Waiting for balanced copper cable to arrive for shockwaves will see then. 
But i have a feeling that wm1a might go on market with all the cables after my Rah iems arrives lol.


----------



## Hellraiser86

Skullar said:


> Hello there. So i went and bought myself wm1a. Figuring it would be a relatively significant step up from lg v30.
> To be honest i am pretty happy with v30 its just i have heard good things about 4.4mm balanced outlut giving a bit of more extension on sub bass.
> This is my commute gear so it is mainly for fun listening and goes for all sirts of electronic music, EDM, chill out ect. So no critical listening involved. And tbh i dont like those clinical signatures anyway.
> Iems used - IMR R1 Zenith, Toneking Shockwave III.
> ...


My WM1A was very sensitive to different cables and the balanced output sounded the same as the 3.5 - just better in all categories. So my guess would be cable.


----------



## Skullar

Hellraiser86 said:


> My WM1A was very sensitive to different cables and the balanced output sounded the same as the 3.5 - just better in all categories. So my guess would be cable.


Well i will see. As mentioned im getting copper cable for my shockwaves as opposed to silver/copper eros on zeniths. Thing is both zeniths and shockwaves are quite bright and i was hoping wm1a will tone it down a bit. It did but a step too much for my liking. 
It does not feel that much on classical music, so i guess it could be a matter of music type i listen to too. Need to give time to my ears to readjust. I will swap back to v30 in a week to see how it feels.


----------



## proedros

Skullar said:


> Well i will see. As mentioned im getting copper cable for my shockwaves as opposed to silver/copper eros on zeniths. Thing is both zeniths and shockwaves are quite bright and i was hoping wm1a will tone it down a bit. It did but a step too much for my liking.
> It does not feel that much on classical music, so i guess it could be a matter of music type i listen to too. Need to give time to my ears to readjust. I will swap back to v30 in a week to see how it feels.




if it's a new wm1a, you need *300-400* hours of burn in

be patient until you clock at least 200 hours

also what firmware do you have on wm1a ? if you want more musicality try *1.2 /2.0 / 3.01*

cheers


----------



## Skullar

No it is not new. Could not justify full price for on the go dap. It had plenty of burn in from previous owner. 
As for firmware i just updated for most recent one after pluging it in really. So need to try downgrade maybe.

Played around with EQ and other settings. Seems better now. Going to listen to sony exclusively all week to see how i will feel about my v30 then. 
Maybe its just my brain. After all used my LG for almost 2 years.

Thanks for advise.


----------



## proedros

Skullar said:


> No it is not new. Could not justify full price for on the go dap. It had plenty of burn in from previous owner.
> *As for firmware i just updated for most recent one* after pluging it in really. So need to try downgrade maybe.
> 
> Played around with EQ and other settings. Seems better now. Going to listen to sony exclusively all week to see how i will feel about my v30 then.
> ...



if it's 3.02 , many wm1a users didn't like it found it too lean/metallic

try the 3 ones i told you


----------



## Skullar (Nov 11, 2019)

proedros said:


> if it's 3.02 , many wm1a users didn't like it found it too lean/metallic
> 
> try the 3 ones i told you


It is exactly that! Metallic and lean. Thing is, It is alot less metallic on non balanced cable.
I really hope that the firmware is the cause of it as otherwise its a fantastic player.


----------



## proedros

Skullar said:


> It is exactly that! Metallic and lean. Thing is, It is alot less metallic on non balanced cable.
> I really hope that the firmware is the cause of it as otherwise its a fantastic player.



try 1.2 / 2.0 / 3.01 and i am sure all will be fine

cheers


----------



## Quadfather

proedros said:


> try 1.2 / 2.0 / 3.01 and i am sure all will be fine
> 
> cheers



I LOVE 1.2


----------



## Skullar

proedros said:


> try 1.2 / 2.0 / 3.01 and i am sure all will be fine
> 
> cheers


Thanks for Advice man! really helped. tried 1.02 first but was a bit harsh at treble end then went up tp 1.20 and its a flawless!!

however what i had to do was change back to se cable. i feel like elecronic music does not sound as good on balanced. classical and acoustic/instrumental was better on ballanced however.

now im defiantely keeping my brick. poor jeans pockets.. 

thnaks a bunch!


----------



## proedros

Skullar said:


> Thanks for Advice man! really helped. *tried 1.02 first but was a bit harsh at treble end then went up tp 1.20 and its a flawless!!*
> 
> however what i had to do was change back to se cable. i feel like elecronic music does not sound as good on balanced. classical and acoustic/instrumental was better on ballanced however.
> 
> ...



glad to be helpful ,enjoy your new wm1a 

1.2 was 1.20 ,i was just lazy typing the finalzero i guess 

try also 2.0 , i have 3.01 because of the usb dac thing and like it but it may not be much to your liking


----------



## Skullar

1.02 and 1.2 were diferrent patches. And 1.02 was a bit if a mess in treble region. 1.20 is perfect. Will try out 2.0 aswell a
But from what i have read it makes it a bit U shape. And walkman is a bit less pronounced in this area then v30. So i need to give my head a bit adjustment as it is.


----------



## Florin Mandru

Whitigir,could you please tell which cable did you use for this mod?Witch thickness?
Thanks.


----------



## Whitigir

Florin Mandru said:


> Whitigir,could you please tell which cable did you use for this mod?Witch thickness?
> Thanks.


Ugh...what mod ? I modify a lot of stuff lol.

if u meant what Awg to use for wm1Z, I would say anything that is larger than 21awg will do


----------



## Florin Mandru (Dec 31, 2019)

*Whitigir,I was referring at Sony wm1z silver gold mod.Witch brand did you use?*


----------



## Whitigir

Florin Mandru said:


> *Whitigir,I was referring at Sony wm1z silver gold mod.Witch brand did you use?I have used some Mundorf silver gold 24 awg without insulation for my wm1a.I braid them in two with a PTFE sleeve.
> The result is not quite what I was expecting.The sound is kinda thin, not organic and engaging like is suppose to be after upgrade.I am thinking the wire I put inside is not silver gold, even so I have bought it as silver gold.It may be plain silver.The 3.5 port with the original internal wire is sounding more natural with full body comparing with balanced one.
> Any idea why the sound is lifeless?
> Thanks.*



I think the wires u have probably is a counterfeit


----------



## flyer1

I notice with firmware 3.02 I can now comfortably use low in stead of high gain, albeit on somewhat higher volume, with my HD660S/WM1Z. 

Also sounds very good, more natural?


----------



## Florin Mandru

Whitigir,that's what I am afraid.I bought them from Audiophonics,France.From where did you get yours?


----------



## Whitigir

Florin Mandru said:


> Whitigir,that's what I am afraid.I bought them from Audiophonics,France.From where did you get yours?


Hificollective


----------



## Florin Mandru

I understand.I will buy from them then.I will love to change the wires on the 3.5 port.Do you have any tutorial made with this?


----------



## Florin Mandru

Whitigir,still don't know witch brand you use.Is it Neotech or Mundorf ?
Thanks.


----------



## spanky310

Quick question for you guys, I'm picking up a WM1A from a fellow Headfi member tomorrow and I'm in need of suggestions on what type/brand of screen protector to get for my soon to be WM1A.

I have always stayed away from glass screen protector for my phones simply because of the potential of them shattering and their effect on the touch screen sensitivity. I have been happy with the plastic screen protectors' usability.

For the WM1A I will not be handling it nearly as much as my phone so I'm open to using a glass screen protector if I can find one that will not alter the touch screen's responsiveness.

Can you guys share your thoughts on this topic?

Can't wait to finally get my WM1A!!!    

Thanks


----------



## miguel.yarce

spanky310 said:


> Quick question for you guys, I'm picking up a WM1A from a fellow Headfi member tomorrow and I'm in need of suggestions on what type/brand of screen protector to get for my soon to be WM1A.
> 
> I have always stayed away from glass screen protector for my phones simply because of the potential of them shattering and their effect on the touch screen sensitivity. I have been happy with the plastic screen protectors' usability.
> 
> ...



congrats! 

I purchased the amazon ones. The brand is LFOTPP it comes with 2 pc, price 12.27 USD. 

Regards!


----------



## djricekcn

The LFOTPP has been really good to me   on Amazon.  X001RA1FTD


----------



## spanky310

I just looked up the LFOTPP glass screen protector, amazing how inexpensive glass display protectors are nowadays. Used to be at least $30 or more for just one.

I will order one pack and with Prime I will get it in time for my new toy  

Thanks for the suggestion guys, much appreciated.


----------



## iron2k

spanky310 said:


> Quick question for you guys, I'm picking up a WM1A from a fellow Headfi member tomorrow and I'm in need of suggestions on what type/brand of screen protector to get for my soon to be WM1A.
> 
> I have always stayed away from glass screen protector for my phones simply because of the potential of them shattering and their effect on the touch screen sensitivity. I have been happy with the plastic screen protectors' usability.
> 
> ...


https://www.amazon.com/Tempered-Protector-LFOTPP-Scratch-resistant-Protective/dp/B079JPK1L6


----------



## spanky310

Another vote for the LFOTPP, nice!

Thanks for the reply.


----------



## RobertP (Nov 14, 2019)

Guys! I ordered "Ohno Continuous Cast" aka OCC copper in to try and they are big lead in term of sound quality. I try many standard copper wires and OFC wires and none of them impressed me as OCC. They are expensive but really worth it. I see many vendors selling them online and most of them can't be trusted. I bought some came with "certificate of authenticity" card.


----------



## bflat

RobertP said:


> Guys! I ordered "Ohno Continuous Cast" aka OCC copper in to try and they are big lead in term of sound quality. I try many standard copper wires and OFC wires and none of them impressed me as OCC. They are expensive but really worth it. I see many vendors selling them online and most of them can't be trusted. I bought some came with "certificate of authenticity" card.



There is no industry certification or designation for OCC wires. If you get one, it is a certificate of authenticity of the brand, not the wire. The risk of getting true OCC wires is purely up to the reputation of the brand. No simple test you can do to confirm it's OCC.


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> There is no industry certification or designation for OCC wires. If you get one, it is a certificate of authenticity of the brand, not the wire. The risk of getting true OCC wires is purely up to the reputation of the brand. No simple test you can do to confirm it's OCC.


Agreed, by far the OCC comes from the brand reputations, and the experiments you have with it compare to others, and then the reputation of the dealer where you purchased from




Florin Mandru said:


> Whitigir,still don't know witch brand you use.Is it Neotech or Mundorf ?
> Thanks.



You can use whatever that suite your taste  , just so long as it is authentic and not counterfeit


----------



## Quadfather

Thank you Sony! I love your digital audio players.


----------



## RobertP (Nov 15, 2019)

bflat said:


> There is no industry certification or designation for OCC wires. If you get one, it is a certificate of authenticity of the brand, not the wire. The risk of getting true OCC wires is purely up to the reputation of the brand. No simple test you can do to confirm it's OCC.



I do agree. That is why I try to get it from the known brand in the USA. They seem to get good reviews. They make custom cable from copper all the way to gold plated and they are go as high as $1500. So, decided to give it a try. Just want to share my experience with my new purchase and try not to advertised any brand.

Here is what I can tell. It weighted noticeable heavier then my older OFC wire. Same AWG and length. They are soild core btw. It's harder to bent when working on them. Passed copper and silver tester kit just fine. It seem even more pure than Japan OFC wire I bought 4 years ago.

Anyways, sound quality is the main concern. Without a doubt, almost 10% louder when doing AB comparing test at same volume level. A was like "Wait what?" Sub-bass no longer too boomy or congested. More dynamic, extension and longer bass decay. Still have warmth and lushness signature but suprisingly more airy, fullness and energy which I would never get from OFC at any different awg sizes. String instruments are snappier with just right amount of weight and longer decay. Seem like it has soul in it. Used to get a bit dark and dull on some tracks between low to lower-mid but all disappear now. Just like when speaker grills removed and get you less distortions and so on. More ambiance overall. Been getting unheard lower level details. I'm keep getting goosebumps hear something new in same old tracks. Soundstage and depth improving as well and very spacious. Harshness in upper-mid are completely gone now. High are very smooth, open and very good timing; still very anolog like. More high texture details, layering and extension and not aggressive what so ever. 

I'm still burning in a cable and it keep getting a bit better every day. Especially lower level details.


----------



## RobertP

Quadfather said:


> Thank you Sony! I love your digital audio players.


Happy for you!


----------



## Florin Mandru

Whitigir,thank you for the advices!Cheers.


----------



## bflat (Nov 15, 2019)

RobertP said:


> I do agree. That is why I try to get it from the known brand in the USA. They seem to get good reviews. They make custom cable from copper all the way to gold plated and they are go as high as $1500. So, decided to give it a try. Just want to share my experience with my new purchase and try not to advertised any brand.
> 
> Here is what I can tell. It weighted noticeable heavier then my older OFC wire. Same AWG and length. They are soild core btw. It's harder to bent when working on them. Passed copper and silver tester kit just fine. It seem even more pure than Japan OFC wire I bought 4 years ago.
> 
> ...



You are absolutely encouraged to name any brands in your impressions - both good and bad. Only members of the trade are not allowed to mention competing brands.

There's a lot that goes into the "quality" of a given cable:

1) How are the copper strands constructed? As you have experienced, OCC is preferred since the strand is drawn from a single grain to minimize micro fractures that impede current flow.

2) How pure is the copper? OFC is a general grade of multiple OFC standards which range from 99.9 to 99.99% copper. It's safe to assume 99.9% if your cable maker states "OFC". If you want accurate specs, the cable maker should be able to tell you how many "N" the wire has. OFC at 99.9 is 3N because it has 3 nines. Higher purity of 5N or 6N are 99.999 and 99.9999% pure, respectively. The price of the wire goes up exponentially once you go past 3N. That's how you end up with legitimate cables that cost in the thousands. However, given the cost, you can bet many unscrupulous cable makers flat out lie about the purity. 5N is usually the highest grade most reputable cable makers will use given cost/benefit.

3) How is the wire constructed? Here you get some debate, but electrons generally travel on the surface of the strand so a multi strand wire is usually the best design to maximize surface area at a given gauge. However, you get unintended issues with multi strand that single strands don't have so Litz construction is the best of both worlds since the individual strands are insulated. Litz has a numbering system that gives specifics on how many strands and the construction.

Beyond the above, things like alloys and plating, or 4 wire versus 8 wire, or quality of hardware connectors are all another layer of subjectivity that each cable maker offers as part of their brand. Let us not forget the more practical qualities of a given brand - service, warranty, and re-termination costs.


----------



## Skullar

can anyone please tell me where i can get 2.0 and 3.1 firmware for wm1a please? 

thanks


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 15, 2019)

bflat said:


> You are absolutely encouraged to name any brands in your impressions - both good and bad. Only members of the trade are not allowed to mention competing brands.
> 
> There's a lot that goes into the "quality" of a given cable:
> 
> ...



If I could add........cable dexterity and said dexterity over time is another important quality that gets overlooked while concentrating on sound. With some cables changing shape due to use and age over time.

It seems more and more people are getting open minded to the fact that  they may hear differences. In the West there seems to be a greater preference for folks getting $100 upgrade cables just for the improvements in looks and build quality. In the East audiophiles are more accepting of cable improvements with some actually choosing cables first to match their music genre over a choice of IEMs.

I still find confusing realizations after collecting a few “other” aftermarket cables over the years. I’ve actually spent more on power cables and boutique interconnects with only a couple IEM cables. Though recently I have tended to notice consistency in sound personality and sound improvements with IEM cables.

It’s maybe a consistent observation of a specific sound personality from a cable that starts to reinforce that there are not only improvements to be found in cables........but also an effective way to fine-tune a signature.

I write all this but I’m only guilty of spending $700 on four IEM cables total. So as far as $700-$2000 for a single IEM cable; I’m on the conservative side.

I’m at a place where now I use different firmwares with different IEM choices. I’m also experimenting with long term use of the opposite basically trying what I previously thought was the wrong firmware with the IEM. Most of this comes from a belief that we can actually get used to stuff. Meaning first impressions of a sound from a cable change out or firmware change may be startling.....but may smooth out at times. We may have an ability to adapt and learn to enjoy a signature we once felt had issues.

Though I still don’t see myself buying some “uber” expensive bright and detailed cable down the road. I’d probably buy an IEM as I still feel there is more difference from an IEM purchase.


----------



## nc8000

Skullar said:


> can anyone please tell me where i can get 2.0 and 3.1 firmware for wm1a please?
> 
> thanks



All fw (Windows installers) are in my DropBox

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e2wsxk95zqntq0h/AABq0i3qqk16QdPU5VJhi1RMa?dl=0


----------



## proedros

Skullar said:


> can anyone please tell me where i can get 2.0 and 3.1 firmware for wm1a please?
> 
> thanks



here ya go ,links valid for next 7 days

https://wetransfer.com/downloads/ea...5d17957b76cb5136a892165820191115224140/871afd


----------



## Skullar

@proedros  thanks again. as always, very helpful!


----------



## meomap

Hi All,
This is off topic:
Now that I will switch to PC from Mac very soon after I receive my new Dell XPS 13, what is the best music App to RIP cd and store in there, along with reading hi res file like yp to DSD 256.
I don't mind to buy that App one time.

Thank you in advance.


----------



## octobeard

Late to the party but have loaded 3.02 onto the WM1A. Didn't hear much of a difference between 3 and 3.01 but 3.02 is an interesting one. Immediately I noticed it reduced amplification volume on the balanced line out - when I normally listened to music between 68-70 with the A12t, now I need to push it up to 72-74 for the same volume range.

In terms of sound quality, 3.02 is more detailed than 3.01, sound is subtly clearer and bass is tighter and less fuzzy (probably leading those to think there's less of it, which in terms of impact there might be, but I absolutely think it's better quality bass).

Had been skeptical of the versions changing the sound, but no longer! Either way, I feel 3.02 is an improvement. And the A12t being a more bass forward IEM certainly benefits from the change by not presenting the sound as flat or neutral in the sense of lacking heft on the low end. Sounds gorgeous.


----------



## Skullar

Right, so i thought 1.2 was miles better then 3.02. but now when i tried 2.0 it seems like i just bough myself a new upgrade dap lol. Just makes me wonder is there anyone preferring 3.02 over older firmware and i am in a minority?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Skullar said:


> Right, so i thought 1.2 was miles better then 3.02. but now when i tried 2.0 it seems like i just bough myself a new upgrade dap lol. Just makes me wonder is there anyone preferring 3.02 over older firmware and i am in a minority?



It simply depends on your gear and subjective taste. I’m using 3.02 with the Sony 1Z and IER-Z1R.......listening to 24bit Star Wars OST Episode One and it’s the best. Though I prefer 3.01 with the 1A.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Skullar said:


> can anyone please tell me where i can get 2.0 and 3.1 firmware for wm1a please?
> 
> thanks


Downloads are available online :

Windows :
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_02.exe
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_01.exe
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_00.exe
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.exe
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.exe
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.exe

Apple :
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_02.dmg
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_01.dmg
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_00.dmg
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.dmg
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.dmg
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.dmg
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.dmg

For older ones, just change the end of the adress.


----------



## Skullar

Redcarmoose said:


> It simply depends on your gear and subjective taste. I’m using 3.02 with the Sony 1Z and IER-Z1R.......listening to 24bit Star Wars OST Episode One and it’s the best. Though I prefer 3.01 with the 1A.


yeh i suppose you are right. i did find 3.02 sounding better with classical music. alhough i prefer cans and desktop gear for orchestral/classical music. wm1a is for my ravey up lifting, caffein substitute music for commuting. 2.0 handles that a lot better even with my eros 2 balanced. on 3.02 i found the cable making it sound very shallow. 
waiting for copper cable for shockwave III still so will find out how much it affects the sound.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 15, 2019)

Skullar said:


> yeh i suppose you are right. i did find 3.02 sounding better with classical music. alhough i prefer cans and desktop gear for orchestral/classical music. wm1a is for my ravey up lifting, caffein substitute music for commuting. 2.0 handles that a lot better even with my eros 2 balanced. on 3.02 i found the cable making it sound very shallow.
> waiting for copper cable for shockwave III still so will find out how much it affects the sound.



There is no right or wrong with liking a particular update. Obviously there are different variables for everyone. Either they have the 1A or 1Z, different IEMs, different cables. Everyone likes at slightly different signature and has different genres of music playing.

Your right full-size may do better technically but it’s all an illusion anyway. We are not on a soundstage listening to live music, so it’s what ever illusion you can generate emotion and musicality with.

Human perception is wild, some folks enjoy 10 inch by 10 inch paintings where others need a 65 inch TV to be amused. 

3.02 is a very different animal, and yes, it’s wide but missing some of the lower midrange that ends up beneficial for some IEMs, but other times 3.02 seems to take away the lower midrange tone leaving just shallowness behind. Though both the 1Z and IER-Z1R are a little heavy handed in the bass department naturally with 3.01 and 2.0.....so 3.02 seems tailored for the combo? IMO


----------



## Quadfather

Okay, I'm going to stir up some subjectiveness.

I like my Sony NW-WM1A more than the Sony NW-WM1Z because....

OR

I like my Sony NW--WM1Z more than the Sony NW-WM1A because...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 12, 2020)

Quadfather said:


> Okay, I'm going to stir up some subjectiveness.
> 
> I like my Sony NW-WM1A more than the Sony NW-WM1Z because....
> 
> ...



#2
_*I like my Sony NW--WM1Z more than the Sony NW-WM1A because...

*_
That's a simplified answer. But the 1Z is not the deal the 1A is. I have always thought middle of the road was the best path when making purchases. Like getting the car that's not top of the line with options, but not a stripped model either. Not to talk bad about down-line with Sony DAPS but the 1A is the sweet spot in sound and value. Nowdays..............even more.......especially when you read what people obtain a 1A for................ 2X! they are the deal. Some of the low tier Sony DAPs sound inferior to an Apple IPod.......it's quite amazing really!

At least the Walkman 1A is the best deal in what I have heard. The ZX300 didn't offer the detail, the 1Z has slightly more detail along with a thickness and bass plus treble boost. But...........if you already had IEMs with that character using the 1A can get closer than 10% away from the 1Z. The ultimate truth is the 1Z has something.........in just a smidge of realism that the 1A does not have. The 1Z notes are thicker and more substantial.......which is an improvement on most IEMs. Is it worth thousands more? It's up to the person who uses the DAPs to decide. No one else can make that buying judgment but you. Though just to walk into a store and try both the differences will seem even less. I don't own a DMP-Z1 because I can't afford 8K-10K for a DAP. But if I had the $ I'm sure it's better than the 1Z. With 3.02 I like the 1Z even more than the TA desktop. There are trade-offs in that the TA has better imaging and maybe a blacker background? But for many it's tone first. The 1Z with 3.02 has this very midcentric detail boost. The 1Z has the treble boost anyway, except now the soundstage is better and more open. The TA with it's power still does better with full size in my opinion........but there are also members who prefer the 1Z over their own TA for use with full-size headphones. But I've never quite heard an update like 3.02 for the 1Z. It is detrimental with my more midcentic IEMs........which is expected. If you already are looking for warmth 3.01 gives it in droves........but for some IEMs you want all the characteristics 3.02 is known for.


The whole point of Head-Fi is to settle down and just listen to music for 10 years straight. We are not meant to continuously make new purchases in confusion like hamsters on a wheel going round and round in a cage. To get off the buying train should be the ultimate goal. The only way to do that is to know your sound and settle with equipment you can respect and not question. That is unless there is some endorphin rush that takes place opening new boxes and trying new gear for the sake of gear. If that's where the thrill is......by all means continue.

Edit: 3/2020
Since updating to 1.03 with the TA desktop, the desktop performance has now passed the 1Z. It’s the blackness and imaging as described before, but an added tone making the TA more preferred than the 1Z.


----------



## Skullar

Redcarmoose said:


> #2
> _*I like my Sony NW--WM1Z more than the Sony NW-WM1A because...
> 
> *_
> ...


Absolutely this!

One day, some time ago i was like, ok! i need to try something new,..£150 out,  damn how do i explain my wife i spend that on thing that comes free with the phone you buy?.... oh damn that sound fanstastic! few months later i show it to my friend and hes like - i need that too!... i think ok, that is defiantely not the end of it, hmm, i wonder how much of an improvement does it make for £500? ... damn thats insane... - my mate: where did you get it? and goes and gets it... 
2 years later my gear costs over 3k... my wife: why do you buy same thing all over again? me: dont worry  its only like 300  quid.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 15, 2019)

Skullar said:


> Absolutely this!
> 
> One day, some time ago i was like, ok! i need to try something new,..£150 out,  damn how do i explain my wife i spend that on thing that comes free with the phone you buy?.... oh damn that sound fanstastic! few months later i show it to my friend and hes like - i need that too!... i think ok, that is defiantely not the end of it, hmm, i wonder how much of an improvement does it make for £500? ... damn thats insane... - my mate: where did you get it? and goes and gets it...
> 2 years later my gear costs over 3k... my wife: why do you buy same thing all over again? me: dont worry  its only like 300  quid.



My wife asks....    “So your going to start collecting those DAP things now?”

Same as stereos....”but......you already have an amp?”

Same as guitars “don’t you already have a couple guitars?” 

But sweetheart “I’m buying this stuff so I don’t have to buy it any more.”


----------



## nc8000

meomap said:


> Hi All,
> This is off topic:
> Now that I will switch to PC from Mac very soon after I receive my new Dell XPS 13, what is the best music App to RIP cd and store in there, along with reading hi res file like yp to DSD 256.
> I don't mind to buy that App one time.
> ...



I use eac (Exact Audio Copy) to rip cd’s, mp3tag for metadata management, dbPowerAmp for converting between formats and foobar2000 for play back


----------



## animalsrush

Quadfather said:


> Okay, I'm going to stir up some subjectiveness.
> 
> I like my Sony NW-WM1A more than the Sony NW-WM1Z because....
> 
> ...



I like Sony wm1z because that is the only player I have and I love the sound of it..


----------



## Ameerzs

i like my sony wm1a cause i dont have budget to buy the 1z


----------



## gerelmx1986

meomap said:


> Hi All,
> This is off topic:
> Now that I will switch to PC from Mac very soon after I receive my new Dell XPS 13, what is the best music App to RIP cd and store in there, along with reading hi res file like yp to DSD 256.
> I don't mind to buy that App one time.
> ...


To eip my CDs in bit perfect i use Illustrate db powerAmp suite, it comes with a complete set of tools to convert between formats and a CD ripper. To edit DSD files i use TEAC Hi-res editor and to tag all includind DSD i use MP3TAG.

For playback i use either Sony mediaGo (discontinued) or MusicBee or Sony Hi-res audio player for windows (discontinued)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hey guys, do you think the 1TB micro SD Card will come down in price in black friday /CyberMonday deals. I mean lower than its current price of 398.97€


----------



## proedros

Skullar said:


> *The whole point of Head-Fi is to settle down and just listen to music for 10 years straight. We are not meant to continuously make new purchases in confusion like hamsters on a wheel going round and round in a cage. To get off the buying train should be the ultimate goal.* The only way to do that is to know your sound and settle with equipment you can respect and not question. That is unless their is some endorphin rush that takes place opening new boxes and trying new gear for the sake of gear. If that's where the thrill is......by all means continue.



this.


----------



## phonomat

Quadfather said:


> Okay, I'm going to stir up some subjectiveness.
> 
> I like my Sony NW-WM1A more than the Sony NW-WM1Z because....
> 
> ...



I like my WM-1A better because I can put it in the pocket of my sweatpants without losing them.


----------



## Skullar

proedros said:


> this.


but i will say that only when i get myself Legend X..... one day... without being kicked out to the street.


----------



## Peter Ruby

Skullar said:


> but i will say that only when i get myself Legend X..... one day... without being kicked out to the street.



At least you’ll be able to listen to music while in the streets. Silver lining and all.


----------



## svinaik

Folks, need some help on the firmware update.
I currently have the firmware 3.01 and trying to update to 3.02 on a Mac. My Mac is currently on 10.15.1 version (Catalina) and when I try to update the firmware on NW-WM1Z, I get error message 60010.
Has anyone tried to update the firmware on Mac using the 10.15.1.

Sony website says that the download is compatible with Mac OS 10.12, 10.13.
Stuck in a situation and need guidance.
Thanks


----------



## meomap

gerelmx1986 said:


> To eip my CDs in bit perfect i use Illustrate db powerAmp suite, it comes with a complete set of tools to convert between formats and a CD ripper. To edit DSD files i use TEAC Hi-res editor and to tag all includind DSD i use MP3TAG.
> 
> For playback i use either Sony mediaGo (discontinued) or MusicBee or Sony Hi-res audio player for windows (discontinued)


Thank you very much. Will jot down notes and waiting for my new laptop.


----------



## Whitigir

Wow 1Tb MicroSD is now 299 on Prime! Gogogo.  Just grabbed mine!


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> Wow 1Tb MicroSD is now 299 on Prime! Gogogo.  Just grabbed mine!



we're gonna see 1TB selling for 150-200 in 12-18 months ,crazy


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> we're gonna see 1TB selling for 150-200 in 12-18 months ,crazy



Probably, but I couldn't wait that long so got 2 on Prime day in the spring, one for 1Z and one for A45


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> Probably, but I couldn't wait that long so got 2 on Prime day in the spring, one for 1Z and one for A45



in this hobby , you either gotta have patience or money 

Golden Rule.


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> in this hobby , you either gotta have patience or money
> 
> Golden Rule.


In anything, for real...if you can get away with money and have it earlier, why not ? U may not tell what will happen in the next few minutes at all.  You can actually find clips of people who drop-dead on a stage somewhere in the world ....it is reality


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> In anything, for real...if you can get away with money and have it earlier, why not ? U may not tell what will happen in the next few minutes at all.  You can actually find clips of people who drop-dead on a stage somewhere in the world ....it is reality



of course WOLO but spending 500$ on a cable or 2K on a iem , this is realistically speaking an option than says you can afford it 

i mean ,i don't think anyone here went out and bought a 2K iem by asking for a bank loan , right ?

so like i said ,patience or money .


----------



## LeFaucon

proedros said:


> of course WOLO but spending 500$ on a cable or 2K on a iem , this is realistically speaking an option than says you can afford it
> 
> i mean ,i don't think anyone here went out and bought a 2K iem by asking for a bank loan , right ?
> 
> so like i said ,patience or money .


And you are wrong : I know someone who did... 2 years ago and just finished to pay !


----------



## proedros

LeFaucon said:


> And you are wrong : I know someone who did... 2 years ago and just finished to pay !



this is actually the exception to the rule , which  solidifies my point

have a nice day (without any bank loans for iem purchases)


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> #2
> _*I like my Sony NW--WM1Z more than the Sony NW-WM1A because...
> 
> *_
> ...




That is some strong and good thoughts friend I totally agree  wm1z is really unique. 

Also I'd like to add,
Wm1z had a very amazing smoothe linearity and tonality reproduction.  Notes to notes are so pleasant, accurate and natural. There is no hiccups or strange resonance its really linear and continuous...
Wm1z is really on a different lvl vs all other daps on market. 
Also I found wm1z is really fine tuned, it manages to reproduce very subtle nuances of music with finesse & delicacy....
While new daps bring in more micro details for example but unable to still bring up and sing those fine nuances of wm1z and to me thats what make music so delightful and good, not the technical details...

Also wm1z has very neet dsd playback its even more organic and analog then flacs...

With all the versatile functions of wm1z you literally have the best of the best!
Yes week points exist so does everything else to. Nothing is ever perfect,  voila.


----------



## Vitaly2017

phonomat said:


> I like my WM-1A better because I can put it in the pocket of my sweatpants without losing them.



HAHAHA
dont worrie you still got your underwears to cover your back


----------



## spanky310 (Nov 17, 2019)

proedros said:


> this is actually the exception to the rule , which  solidifies my point
> 
> have a nice day (without any bank loans for iem purchases)



How did you figure?

He did just tell you he personally knows someone who did just that, right?

You made a statement about how most everyone in this hobby pays for their gear without any solid data backing it up but only your own personal take on things.

"this is actually the exception to the rule , which solidifies my point" Did you just arbitrarily decided that?????? Did you go out and did a survey?????

Does not 'solidify"'your original point at all, if anything makes the opposite argument that there are people out there that will use their credit card, get a loan, extra line of credit etc to pay for a piece of gear that he or she really wants and has to have.

I personally know young people with very expansive gear they had put on their credit cards making monthly payments on. They work hard and play hard!


----------



## animalsrush (Nov 17, 2019)

svinaik said:


> Folks, need some help on the firmware update.
> I currently have the firmware 3.01 and trying to update to 3.02 on a Mac. My Mac is currently on 10.15.1 version (Catalina) and when I try to update the firmware on NW-WM1Z, I get error message 60010.
> Has anyone tried to update the firmware on Mac using the 10.15.1.
> 
> ...




It no longer works on Mac if you run Catalina or Mojave with latest security patch. Your only option is find a windows machine and install it. I had the same issue and made a detailed post few pages before.. sorry you are SOL ON Mac with Sony firmware

another option make a bootable disk on ssd with older version of Mac OS from time machine or fresh install and then install firmware from that OS


----------



## RobertP

octobeard said:


> Late to the party but have loaded 3.02 onto the WM1A. Didn't hear much of a difference between 3 and 3.01 but 3.02 is an interesting one. Immediately I noticed it reduced amplification volume on the balanced line out - when I normally listened to music between 68-70 with the A12t, now I need to push it up to 72-74 for the same volume range.
> 
> In terms of sound quality, 3.02 is more detailed than 3.01, sound is subtly clearer and bass is tighter and less fuzzy (probably leading those to think there's less of it, which in terms of impact there might be, but I absolutely think it's better quality bass).
> 
> Had been skeptical of the versions changing the sound, but no longer! Either way, I feel 3.02 is an improvement. And the A12t being a more bass forward IEM certainly benefits from the change by not presenting the sound as flat or neutral in the sense of lacking heft on the low end. Sounds gorgeous.


3.02 with a18t, I get more tighter strong healthy bass: not muddy like 3.01. More 3d, holographic and separation. This should turn your a12t to closer a18t level of performance. What I don't like is a bit bright or harsh on the high and treble boosted too much for my taste.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Has Any one tried tia trio with wm1z? 
How does it compares to wm1z + ier-z1r?


----------



## RobertP (Nov 18, 2019)

bflat said:


> You are absolutely encouraged to name any brands in your impressions - both good and bad. Only members of the trade are not allowed to mention competing brands.
> 
> There's a lot that goes into the "quality" of a given cable:
> 
> ...



I got it from ELF Custom Cables. Advertised as OCC 6n 99.9999% copper plated silver. Can't find bad review but good. They only have soild wires for DIY from scratch. It need to be insulate with something that has low dielectric constant like taflon tape. Surprisingly much better sound overall that my Toxic Cables Black Widow OCC wire or SPC premium cable I bought from 64 audio.


----------



## RobertP

Vitaly2017 said:


> Has Any one tried tia trio with wm1z?
> How does it compares to wm1z + ier-z1r?


Twister6 has in depth review on the trio. Did you check it out yet?


----------



## AMHaudio

Hi Everyone!

Greetings.

I am using Sony 1Z and Z1R combo for last one month. I am 42 years old and almost enjoy every genre except Heavy Metal. From Dolby Atmos, I entered into headfi for about 1 year. Last 1 year I switched gears very fast and finally settled in Sony Signature.

I am curious how much I sould use volume level in 1Z? Except classical, I remain about 55 to 65 depending on recording in Balanced Out. I don't have hardware to measure db. Can anybody share comments on this? Or how much do you use?
Thanks in advance...


----------



## phonomat

Vitaly2017 said:


> HAHAHA
> dont worrie you still got your underwears to cover your back



Nah, I sold those so I could afford the IEM-Z1R.


----------



## kiling92

Guys,searching for this thread i red that the high gain can affect to sound quality.
Today i discover that these words are true.
I'm pairing my focal stellia with wm1a and with high gain the soundstage is sooooo smaller than low gain,too grain and less smooth.
I heard a big changes between those two type of gain!low gain FTW


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> Twister6 has in depth review on the trio. Did you check it out yet?




Yes sir I did, @twister6 is my favorite reviewer but It was an older review so there is no ier-z1r comparison....

And Plus I wanted to see what people think about it too.




phonomat said:


> Nah, I sold those so I could afford the IEM-Z1R.




BOO booo you sold wm1z for ier-z1r?


----------



## Vitaly2017

kiling92 said:


> Guys,searching for this thread i red that the high gain can affect to sound quality.
> Today i discover that these words are true.
> I'm pairing my focal stellia with wm1a and with high gain the soundstage is sooooo smaller than low gain,too grain and less smooth.
> I heard a big changes between those two type of gain!low gain FTW



Depends on your mood outside weather and overall how you set your mind lol.

True that low gain can be perceived as more natural and even. Also try se and youl find its even more gentle and analogous but with much less dynamics and power.
You got the option to play around with different outputs 
Plus stelia is a headphone might lack a bit of power maybe straight out of 1z for that I think.


----------



## RollsRoys

For me 4.4 High Gain sounds waaaaay better than 4.4 Low Gain.
I'd say 4.4 Low Gain Sounds similar to 3.5 High Gain (really poor)


----------



## SupperTime

Hello folks. 

I have a 3.5mm cable (2pin) cable. 
I don't have money to make it a 4.4mm cable but would like to so I can use my players 4.4mm output. 

Would getting this work? 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L3RB21R/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_E7X0DbGRXM0QF


----------



## Redcarmoose

SupperTime said:


> Hello folks.
> 
> I have a 3.5mm cable (2pin) cable.
> I don't have money to make it a 4.4mm cable but would like to so I can use my players 4.4mm output.
> ...


You would still be using the players 3.5mm output, and would still need a 4.4mm headphone cable?


----------



## Leetransform25

Redcarmoose said:


> You would still be using the players 3.5mm output, and would still need a 4.4mm headphone cable?


I'm assuming he's trying to get a 4.4mm to 3.5mm so he can connect it to the balanced jack? (which ofc isn't recommended)


----------



## nc8000

SupperTime said:


> Hello folks.
> 
> I have a 3.5mm cable (2pin) cable.
> I don't have money to make it a 4.4mm cable but would like to so I can use my players 4.4mm output.
> ...



That cable is to allow you to use a 4.4 balanced headphone with a 3.5 singke ended player. 

There are people who sell a 3.5 female to 4.4 male but that does not make a phone balanced. Some prople say that they actually work but normally you would say that it shouldn’t work and that you’d risk damaging you player doing it


----------



## SupperTime

Redcarmoose said:


> You would still be using the players 3.5mm output, and would still need a 4.4mm headphone cable?


I have a 3.5mm cable, but want to use the 4.4mm output without buina new cable as I'm poor right now, is this possible?


----------



## ttt123 (Nov 19, 2019)

SupperTime said:


> I have a 3.5mm cable, but want to use the 4.4mm output without buina new cable as I'm poor right now, is this possible?


The short answer is "no" and "yes with reservations". 
- The 4.4 mm balanced out uses 4 wires for a balanced configuration, where the L and R channels amplifiers are totally separated differential signals for each channel.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_audio 
- The 3.5 mm SE output uses 3 wires, a L+, R+ and a 3rd wire with the common Grd (L- plus R-)

Connecting a 3 wire jack to the 4.4mm output will short the 2 discrete amplifiers, which the manufacturer warns against doing, and most people follow this guideline as common sense. 
However, people have found that a player will function in this configuration, though as it is outside of the design specs, there is no spec on what it does, whether there is any long term damage, etc.  My view is that manufacturers have built in safeguards to protect the circuit from people doing this, and protecting the amplifiers from damage.  However, this is protecting itself from mis-use, and not sanctioning this use.  There are no guarantees on how, and whether there are negative effects, so use is a personal decision, knowing that it is not recommended or designed for.
There are 2 opinions on this:
1. Don't do it, get a proper balanced cable, or replace the 3.5 jack with a 4.4 mm jack ( as long as there are 4 wires to the jack)
2. People use the shorted configuration for long periods of time, and see nothing wrong with doing this, as it is proven in real life to work

Summary: Not recommended, use at your own risk, and do not appeal to the Manufacturer if there is any long or short term damage.


----------



## svinaik

ttt123 said:


> The short answer is "no" and "yes with reservations".
> - The 4.4 mm balanced out uses 4 wires for a balanced configuration, where the L and R channels amplifiers are totally separated differential signals for each channel.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_audio
> - The 3.5 mm SE output uses 3 wires, a L+, R+ and a 3rd wire with the common Grd (L- plus R-)
> 
> ...


There are some connectors that are properly made to convert 4.4 to 3.5. Brise Audio had convertors that do the job very well. I use their connectors to use my 3.5TRRS cable which was made for Oppo PM-1 with the WM NW 1Z
http://briseaudio.jp/en/portable/product/ConversionCable/str7conv.html


----------



## animalsrush

AMHaudio said:


> Hi Everyone!
> 
> Greetings.
> 
> ...


I use 83 on low gain on wm1z when usin z1r .. after that it is too loud for me. I use 55 with my k10s on low gain. Are you using high gain ?


----------



## CyberAthlete

I'm a member of the WM1A club now. Will have mine Wednesday. The thing that prompted me to get this was the fact that phones are moving away from headphone jacks and even when using an adapter the sound just isn't as lively or loud. And there was an immediate difference between the WM1A at the Kuala Lumpur Sony store I demoed and my phone. Even the XBA-N3BP sang off the 1A and not my phone. I would go for the 1Z but that was just way too much money. It's worth it for those who want the ultimate but you can get Focal Clear + 1A for the price of 1Z. That's how I look at it


----------



## animalsrush

kiling92 said:


> Guys,searching for this thread i red that the high gain can affect to sound quality.
> Today i discover that these words are true.
> I'm pairing my focal stellia with wm1a and with high gain the soundstage is sooooo smaller than low gain,too grain and less smooth.
> I heard a big changes between those two type of gain!low gain FTW



I use low gain on my wm1z and z1r as well as k10s. It has more than enough headroom to drive both. As others mentioned personally for me low gain sounds natural where as high gain seems to make it loud at lower volume.. I prefer low gain..


----------



## boblauer

svinaik said:


> There are some connectors that are properly made to convert 4.4 to 3.5. Brise Audio had convertors that do the job very well. I use their connectors to use my 3.5TRRS cable which was made for Oppo PM-1 with the WM NW 1Z
> http://briseaudio.jp/en/portable/product/ConversionCable/str7conv.html


3.5 trrs is a balanced connection. My honest opinion is wait and buy a propoer 4.4 cable off aliexpress


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 18, 2019)

CyberAthlete said:


> I'm a member of the WM1A club now. Will have mine Wednesday. The thing that prompted me to get this was the fact that phones are moving away from headphone jacks and even when using an adapter the sound just isn't as lively or loud. And there was an immediate difference between the WM1A at the Kuala Lumpur Sony store I demoed and my phone. Even the XBA-N3BP sang off the 1A and not my phone. I would go for the 1Z but that was just way too much money. It's worth it for those who want the ultimate but you can get Focal Clear + 1A for the price of 1Z. That's how I look at it



Yes, the N3 has the ability to wake up with 4.4mm from the 1A. The nicely detailed and relatively neutral output of the 1A goes a way to slightly subdue the N3 lower midrange emphasis. IMO The 1A definitely doesn’t add any lower midrange to the N3.....even though the 1A could be considered slightly warm. IMO

The XBA-N3 scaling ability allows the N3 with the 1A to open up, which is what the N3 needs. IMO

Be sure to note the 1A will be very subdued and flat sounding with 0 hours out of the box. I seemed to notice the biggest change from 0 to 50 hours. Then a big improvement at 100 hours. Sony says it’s not totally ready till 200 hours. They continue to improve after that. Someone on this thread has 7000 hours on theirs. 

Pretty sure the N3 is the thickest sounding IEM I own? It has more bass in the lower mids than the XBA-Z5 and IER-Z1R.


----------



## Vitaly2017

CyberAthlete said:


> I'm a member of the WM1A club now. Will have mine Wednesday. The thing that prompted me to get this was the fact that phones are moving away from headphone jacks and even when using an adapter the sound just isn't as lively or loud. And there was an immediate difference between the WM1A at the Kuala Lumpur Sony store I demoed and my phone. Even the XBA-N3BP sang off the 1A and not my phone. I would go for the 1Z but that was just way too much money. It's worth it for those who want the ultimate but you can get Focal Clear + 1A for the price of 1Z. That's how I look at it





Get stellia and 1z ) or ier-z1r and u can be set for life lol


----------



## spanky310 (Nov 19, 2019)

Quick question, I have been reading the posts in this thread (I'm up to March 2019) and I have yet to run into a mention of a centralized page (like a wiki page) that lists all the changes each version of the firmware makes on our players, does a page like that exist?

That would be very helpful in helping people decide which version of the firmware to install base on the changes contained in them.

Unlike many other manufacturers that maintains a chronological list of changes for their firmware updates, Sony only list the information for the latest firmware version and a lists of the changes made by all previous firmware update combined.

Thanks!


----------



## CyberAthlete (Nov 19, 2019)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Get stellia and 1z ) or ier-z1r and u can be set for life lol



Part of the reason I wanted to go with 1A as well is the weight. Also Sony will be coming out with the streaming versions of these within the next 12 months or so I assume, I will be taking a plunge on the successor eventually. I still spend most of my time listening to music through my hi-fi systems vs portable audio. This one is mainly for using at the library or when sitting on the balcony or in bed or on walks. But at work (home office) it's all speakers all the time and in the living room as well and the theater room.


----------



## AMHaudio

animalsrush said:


> I use 83 on low gain on wm1z when usin z1r .. after that it is too loud for me. I use 55 with my k10s on low gain. Are you using high gain ?





animalsrush said:


> I use 83 on low gain on wm1z when usin z1r .. after that it is too loud for me. I use 55 with my k10s on low gain. Are you using high gain ?


Thanks for your reply. I use high gain from Balanced out. Usually remain within 55 to 65.


----------



## ttt123

svinaik said:


> There are some connectors that are properly made to convert 4.4 to 3.5. Brise Audio had convertors that do the job very well. I use their connectors to use my 3.5TRRS cable which was made for Oppo PM-1 with the WM NW 1Z
> http://briseaudio.jp/en/portable/product/ConversionCable/str7conv.html


Interesting, just had a discussion on the ZX300 thread about 3.5 mm TRRS which works on the ZX2, WM1x, ZX300.  Don't know about the ZX500,   I used the 3.5 mm TRRS on the ZX2, and liked it over the normal TRS.  Most people are not aware of the 3.5 mm TRRS separate grounds capability, and not that many people have a 3.5 mm TRRS cable.

If you already have a 3.5 mm TRRS, then you can use it.  And yes, using an adapter to convert 3.5 mm TRRS to 4.4 mm balanced is an option.  But unless you prefer the SQ of the 3.5 mm TRRS, there is no point to going down this path, instead of the 4.4 mm path.  

However, for those people who like the 3.5 mm TRS SQ over the 4.4 mm balanced, then those people may like the sound of  the 3.5 mm TRRS even more, and should try an adapter plug to convert their 4.4 mm cables to 3.5 mm TRRS.


----------



## CyberAthlete

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, the N3 has the ability to wake up with 4.4mm from the 1A. The nicely detailed and relatively neutral output of the 1A goes a way to slightly subdue the N3 lower midrange emphasis. IMO The 1A definitely doesn’t add any lower midrange to the N3.....even though the 1A could be considered slightly warm. IMO
> 
> The XBA-N3 scaling ability allows the N3 with the 1A to open up, which is what the N3 needs. IMO
> 
> ...



it does sound thicker than both of them, but is so comfortable and just easy to wear. LOL after 6  years of Triple Fi.10, Sennheiser IE8 looping your earphone around the ear, it's nice to just pop it in for a change. And the comfort omg, what a welcome change. XBA-N5 and IER-Z1R both beat it for detail and clarity but I do enjoy the fun aspect of the N3. I want to get the IER-Z1R but want to see how much I use my earphones actually before making that kind of commitment/investment. If it's very frequent, only then.


----------



## Redcarmoose

CyberAthlete said:


> it does sound thicker than both of them, but is so comfortable and just easy to wear. LOL after 6  years of Triple Fi.10, Sennheiser IE8 looping your earphone around the ear, it's nice to just pop it in for a change. And the comfort omg, what a welcome change. XBA-N5 and IER-Z1R both beat it for detail and clarity but I do enjoy the fun aspect of the N3. I want to get the IER-Z1R but want to see how much I use my earphones actually before making that kind of commitment/investment. If it's very frequent, only then.



I agree the N3 is about the best fitting IEM.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 19, 2019)

spanky310 said:


> Quick question, I have been reading the posts in this thread (I'm up to March 2019) and I have yet to run into a mention of a centralized page (like a wiki page) that lists all the changes each version of the firmware makes on our players, does a page like that exist?
> 
> That would be very helpful in helping people decide which version of the firmware to install base on the changes contained in them.
> 
> ...



When the updates first came out there was a description of what changes they offered right on the Sony download page. Though there has never been an official description of any sound changes so far by Sony.

If there was a list of updates....you may find each person has an personal opinion about the sound differences.


----------



## DonIsGood

RobertP said:


> 3.02 with a18t, I get more tighter strong healthy bass: not muddy like 3.01. More 3d, holographic and separation. This should turn your a12t to closer a18t level of performance. What I don't like is a bit bright or harsh on the high and treble boosted too much for my taste.



Hi guys, I just scored myself a pair of 64 Audio A12t from the recent pre-Black Fri sale, and for those who has a pair of these and can advise a good cable that goes well with WM1A (4.4mm)?

Also, could anyone tell me what is the connector type that goes into the A12t, please?

I have bought from LQi previously for a cable that goes between Oppo PM3 and WM1A, but the cable is thick as and I doubt it would be comfortable wrapping around my ears….

If anyone can share some light that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


----------



## spanky310

Redcarmoose said:


> When the updates first came out there was a description of what changes they offered right on the Sony download page. Though there has never been an official description of any sound changes so far by Sony.
> 
> If there was a list of updates....you may find each person has an personal opinion about the sound differences.



Exactly what I was saying.

Sony lists on the update page what the latest firmware suppose to fix or change and right below that is the list of ALL features and changes afforded by ALL previous firmware versions combines.

I'm not looking for information on what each firmware does to the sound of the player and yes I do understand that perceived changes in sound quality is highly subjective.

What I am looking for is the feature and fixes of each firmware. For example, the player might not have feature *A* before firmware* 2.1 *and with that information we individually can decide for ourselves if feature *A *is important to have if we already like the way the player sounds and want to keep it unchanged by staying on whatever firmware it's on.

Just a thought.

Thanks


----------



## nc8000

spanky310 said:


> Exactly what I was saying.
> 
> Sony lists on the update page what the latest firmware suppose to fix or change and right below that is the list of ALL features and changes afforded by ALL previous firmware versions combines.
> 
> ...



As far as I can recall the 3 features that have come in fw updates are mqa support, bt receiver and usb dac. All the rest has been tweaks to existing features


----------



## spanky310

nc8000 said:


> As far as I can recall the 3 features that have come in fw updates are mqa support, bt receiver and usb dac. All the rest has been tweaks to existing features



Thanks for the reply.

I think you're right these were the 'big ones' we got from past firmware updates.

On the support page Sony lists the following as things addressed by past firmware updates:

*Previous Benefits and Improvements*

Corrects an issue where a time error is displayed while playing some MP3 content
Improves the operability when sorting the Bookmark List
The USB-DAC function has been added
The Bluetooth Receiver function has been added
A Vinyl Processor option has been added to the Sound Quality settings
A Digital Peak Meter has been added to the layout options on the Playback screen
A function for manually adding cover art images to albums has been added
aptX, "aptX HD" Bluetooth codec added
APE and MQA music formats added
Shuffle and repeat settings made available from the playback screen
Auto power off function added to prolong battery life
Methods of displaying song information increased
Other functions improved
Improved the response when the touch panel is pressed or scrolled
Addressed issues where the sound was skipping or cutting out under certain conditions
Addresses a rare issue where characters may become corrupted when Simplified Chinese or Traditional Chinese contents are displayed
Addressed the issue where characters in the WALKMAN display appear corrupted when Thai appears in the song titles, etc.
Addressed other issues


So if I know what firmware gave us what then I can decide what firmware version I have to stick with base on the features/bug fixes that are important to have for my player.

Again, just a thought.

Thanks.


----------



## bflat

DonIsGood said:


> Hi guys, I just scored myself a pair of 64 Audio A12t from the recent pre-Black Fri sale, and for those who has a pair of these and can advise a good cable that goes well with WM1A (4.4mm)?
> 
> Also, could anyone tell me what is the connector type that goes into the A12t, please?
> 
> ...



Cables are a very personal choice as the effects are subtle. You will not get a consensus on a specific cable for a given IEM or headphone. However to your other question, all 64 Audio IEMs use "custom 2 pin" connectors and should spec to 0.78mm pins. These are quite common on Headfi classified so you can get good deal. @twister6 has extensive cable review on his website twister6.com where he does a lot of comparisons. While everyone's hearing is different, comparisons are always useful.


----------



## gerelmx1986

My wm1A got a little brother, the A55L


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

gerelmx1986 said:


> My wm1A got a little brother, the A55L


Congrats to the mum !


----------



## Peter Ruby

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Congrats to the mum !



Wouldn’t the WM1Z be the father, the WM1A the mother, and all else would be considered kids and cousins?


----------



## spanky310

Peter Ruby said:


> Wouldn’t the WM1Z be the father, the WM1A the mother, and all else would be considered kids and cousins?



My GF saw the post and asked why is the WM1Z the father and not the WM1A?

I'm not touching that.


----------



## Peter Ruby

spanky310 said:


> My GF saw the post and asked why is the WM1Z the father and not the WM1A?
> 
> I'm not touching that.



Allow me. The 1Z is gold and the TOTL DAP by Sony. Second best is the 1A. 

So to summarize, the 1Z runs the show. This is coming from a guy that owns the 1A.


----------



## phonomat

Peter Ruby said:


> Allow me. The 1Z is gold and the TOTL DAP by Sony. Second best is the 1A.
> 
> So to summarize, the 1Z runs the show. This is coming from a guy that owns the 1A.



Nope, it's definitely the other way around, cause she sure likes her bling.


----------



## Peter Ruby

phonomat said:


> Nope, it's definitely the other way around, cause she sure likes her bling.



Touché.


----------



## AMHaudio (Nov 21, 2019)

WM1Z & Z1R Combo. With Spinfit. Sound is so damm good still trying to solve comfort issue. As I have smaller ear, some metal portion touches the ear, which gives pain after 45/50 mins. But still I love it...The sound is like Food...


----------



## spanky310

Peter Ruby said:


> Allow me. The 1Z is gold and the TOTL DAP by Sony. Second best is the 1A.
> 
> So to summarize, the 1Z runs the show. This is coming from a guy that owns the 1A.



Exactly what she had questioned. She commented why the superior player has to be a Papa 1Z and not a Mama 1Z? Just because it's better it's automatically a male?

Now you know why I'm just gonna go with the (her) flow on this one?   



phonomat said:


> Nope, it's definitely the other way around, cause she sure likes her bling.



Right on brotha!


----------



## bflat

AMHaudio said:


> WM1Z & Z1R Combo. With Spinfit. Sound is so damm good still trying to solve comfort issue. As I have smaller ear, some metal portion touches the ear, which gives pain after 45/50 mins. But still I love it...The sound is like Food...



You may want to try adding a cable clip to hold the cable in place around the Y split. This will stop the weight of the cable from pulling back your IEM and putting more pressure on your ear. You can also try re-shaping the ear hooks - bend towards your head to put less pressure of the ear piece against your outer ear. If the ear hooks are pre-formed silicon, a heat gun or maybe a hair dryer will provide enough heat to bend.


----------



## Luckyleo

svinaik said:


> Folks, need some help on the firmware update.
> I currently have the firmware 3.01 and trying to update to 3.02 on a Mac. My Mac is currently on 10.15.1 version (Catalina) and when I try to update the firmware on NW-WM1Z, I get error message 60010.
> Has anyone tried to update the firmware on Mac using the 10.15.1.
> 
> ...


I have the exact same issue.  No solution as of this writing as far as I know...


----------



## AMHaudio

bflat said:


> You may want to try adding a cable clip to hold the cable in place around the Y split. This will stop the weight of the cable from pulling back your IEM and putting more pressure on your ear. You can also try re-shaping the ear hooks - bend towards your head to put less pressure of the ear piece against your outer ear. If the ear hooks are pre-formed silicon, a heat gun or maybe a hair dryer will provide enough heat to bend.





bflat said:


> You may want to try adding a cable clip to hold the cable in place around the Y split. This will stop the weight of the cable from pulling back your IEM and putting more pressure on your ear. You can also try re-shaping the ear hooks - bend towards your head to put less pressure of the ear piece against your outer ear. If the ear hooks are pre-formed silicon, a heat gun or maybe a hair dryer will provide enough heat to bend.


Thanks a lot for your suggestion. I will try. Regards..


----------



## Damz87

Hi guys & gals,

Can anyone please recommend a short WMport to USB cable? I’d like to use the WM1Z as a DAC with my phone for streaming, but the stock charging cable is too long. I’ve seen a cheap one on eBay but just wondering if there’s a particular one that is recommended and fairly durable.

Thanks in advance!


----------



## Jalo

Damz87 said:


> Hi guys & gals,
> 
> Can anyone please recommend a short WMport to USB cable? I’d like to use the WM1Z as a DAC with my phone for streaming, but the stock charging cable is too long. I’ve seen a cheap one on eBay but just wondering if there’s a particular one that is recommended and fairly durable.
> 
> Thanks in advance!


The WM1Z has been released for over three years and yet I still have to see any number of WMport adaptors by third parties. Very unfortunate.


----------



## nc8000

Damz87 said:


> Hi guys & gals,
> 
> Can anyone please recommend a short WMport to USB cable? I’d like to use the WM1Z as a DAC with my phone for streaming, but the stock charging cable is too long. I’ve seen a cheap one on eBay but just wondering if there’s a particular one that is recommended and fairly durable.
> 
> Thanks in advance!



You could use the *SONY Walkman Micro USB plug adapter WMP-NWM10 and a short micro usb




 *


----------



## Damz87

nc8000 said:


> You could use the *SONY Walkman Micro USB plug adapter WMP-NWM10 and a short micro usb
> 
> 
> *



Thanks! I’ll give that a go


----------



## auronthas

Damz87 said:


> Hi guys & gals,
> 
> Can anyone please recommend a short WMport to USB cable? I’d like to use the WM1Z as a DAC with my phone for streaming, but the stock charging cable is too long. I’ve seen a cheap one on eBay but just wondering if there’s a particular one that is recommended and fairly durable.
> 
> Thanks in advance!



I bought this genuine Sony WMC-NWH10 wmport to USB female from Amazon. 

Here's the link.
Sony WMC-NWH10 USB Conversion Cable for Hi Res Audio Output https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FF086HE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_98kAksQicXOuQ


----------



## rylim

I have Shure SE846 and wonder if WM1A would be a perfect match for it? Besides that, which balanced cable do you guys recommend for this IEM?


----------



## Hellraiser86 (Nov 22, 2019)

rylim said:


> I have Shure SE846 and wonder if WM1A would be a perfect match for it? Besides that, which balanced cable do you guys recommend for this IEM?


The 1A should be a good choice because it is more neutral than the f.e. 1Z. You can even match the sound with using different firmwares.
Concerning a good cable... it depends on your budget.
Edit: the new low budget line from effect audio is a very good starting point.


----------



## AMHaudio

Damz87 said:


> Hi guys & gals,
> 
> Can anyone please recommend a short WMport to USB cable? I’d like to use the WM1Z as a DAC with my phone for streaming, but the stock charging cable is too long. I’ve seen a cheap one on eBay but just wondering if there’s a particular one that is recommended and fairly durable.
> 
> Thanks in advance!





auronthas said:


> I bought this genuine Sony WMC-NWH10 wmport to USB female from Amazon.
> 
> Here's the link.
> Sony WMC-NWH10 USB Conversion Cable for Hi Res Audio Output https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FF086HE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_98kAksQicXOuQ


Its a good idea. I also thought this. But again we need another adapter for connecting Mobile or PC. Cause its USB A Female. So far all small adapter I got are also USB A Female.
Lastly I ordered another normal cable ending USB A Male and cut it according to my need in a local electronic shop.


----------



## auronthas

AMHaudio said:


> But again we need another adapter for connecting Mobile or PC. Cause its USB A Female. So far all small adapter I got are also USB A Female.


Actually this Sony conversion cable is WMport <> USB A female, you just need a USB A male <> USB type C/B cable (common normal phone charging cable) to your phone via USB DAC of WM1A/1Z


----------



## rylim

Hellraiser86 said:


> The 1A should be a good choice because it is more neutral than the f.e. 1Z. You can even match the sound with using different firmwares.
> Concerning a good cable... it depends on your budget.
> Edit: the new low budget line from effect audio is a very good starting point.



I would say my budget is $499, and not sure if that would be sufficient for a good cable?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Nov 23, 2019)

Long story short. I boughty wm1a in November 2016 through accesory jack.

How much will sony Gemany charge me for a battery replacement service?

To summarize my A has about 7000 playback hours and i charge it every 2 days,  so the battery must habe arround 2800 charge cycles


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Long story short. I boughty wm1a in November 2016 through accesory jack.
> 
> How much will sony Gemany charge me for a battery replacement service?
> 
> To summarize my A has about 7000 playback hours and i charge it every 2 days,  so the battery must habe arround 2800 charge cycles



Sony spec the battery at 500 full cycles. You have not done 2800 full cycles but probably around 350-400. I’ve also had my 1Z for near 3 years and charge one a week so have done about 150 cycles so expect it to last another 6-7 years or more


----------



## Hellraiser86

rylim said:


> I would say my budget is $499, and not sure if that would be sufficient for a good cable?


500$ is more than enough for a good cable. 
It’s just a matter of taste than. The usual culprits are Effect Audio Eros II+ and Thor II (for 60$ more Thor II+). These are the standard models but you can also take a 8 braided version from Ares. 
Besides Effect Audio there are some good cables from Lavricables and Plussound. Maybe PWAudio (I just know the expensive ones here). 
I would recommend you to visit the homepage from twister6. He has many reviews from different manufacturers. 

I would recommend the Ares II 8 braided or a copper cable from Plussound for the 1A. Silver can be a bit too analytical with the player (1Z is a better match in my opinion - of course there are exceptions).


----------



## danniao (Nov 23, 2019)

My new WM1A arrived yesterday! Been using my LPG for almost 3 years-getting a little bored and wanted to try something different... after going through a couple of hundreds of pages of this thread pulled trigger on the 1A. What a beautifully machined player! So far enjoying the sound of it through the single ended with the EE LXs. Ordered some budget China 4.4 cables and still waiting...

One surprise is all my WAV files will not show Chinese correctly- did a little research and found the Sony’s won’t handle non-English characters correctly if the files are WAV. Converted an album into FLAC the words showed up correctly. Not that I can differentiate WAV from FLAC in sounds but this is quite annoying (seriously Sony??)


----------



## spanky310 (Nov 23, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> You could use the *SONY Walkman Micro USB plug adapter WMP-NWM10 and a short micro usb
> 
> 
> *



Out of curiosity, is this connector only a charging/data cable adaptor or does it also let the WM1 connect to an amp via USB digitally like the WMC-NWH10?


----------



## nc8000 (Nov 23, 2019)

spanky310 said:


> Out of curiosity, is this connector only a charging/data cable adaptor or does it also let the WM1 connect to an amp via USB like the WMC-NWH10?



I would assume so but honestly can’t say as I have never connected to an amp


----------



## hamhamhamsta

danniao said:


> My new WM1A arrived yesterday! Been using my LPG for almost 3 years-getting a little bored and wanted to try something different... after going through a couple of hundreds of pages of this thread pulled trigger on the 1A. What a beautifully machined player! So far enjoying the sound of it through the single ended with the EE LXs. Ordered some budget China 4.4 cables and still waiting...
> 
> One surprise is all my WAV files will not show Chinese correctly- did a little research and found the Sony’s won’t handle non-English characters correctly if the files are WAV. Converted an album into FLAC the words showed up correctly. Not that I can differentiate WAV from FLAC in sounds but this is quite annoying (seriously Sony??)


If you like single end, balanced will blow you away.

Get a good balanced cable, and unfortunately quality is synonymous with price. When you have good synergy between iem, cable and player, it's music heaven!


----------



## danniao

hamhamhamsta said:


> If you like single end, balanced will blow you away.
> 
> Get a good balanced cable, and unfortunately quality is synonymous with price. When you have good synergy between iem, cable and player, it's music heaven!



That must be true! I’m actually a cable believer... a couple of years ago when I first got my pure silver and a copper Liz cables from Norne audio I was shocked with the difference I heard! I don’t think i’ll ever spend 1000s in a cable though- too rich for my blood. Been enjoying some of the budget Chinese cables recently. With around $50-60 a piece these sounds quite nice, probably close to the ~$200 nornes. And these are 8 cores, beefy yet super soft. The cheap Chinese cable thread has a lot of good recommendations and I may look into some of the more expensive ones over there (still less than $200).


----------



## phonomat

rylim said:


> I would say my budget is $499, and not sure if that would be sufficient for a good cable?



lol?


----------



## phonomat

hamhamhamsta said:


> If you like single end, balanced will blow you away.
> *
> Get a good balanced cable, and unfortunately quality is synonymous with price. *When you have good synergy between iem, cable and player, it's music heaven!



No, it isn't, not at all, at least if you're talking about _sound_ quality. Cables don't need to be expensive.


----------



## RobertP (Nov 23, 2019)

Good materials don't come cheap unfortunately. But to get the full potential out of high end IEMs or headphones
, you need high quality cable (that doesn't always mean high price). Choose the right sound is the most important. Just like the coffee you made in the morning. Not everyone like the same taste.


----------



## amham

Cables are an age old argument.  From my engineering perspective, the manufacturers are selling "snake oil".  What is heard is simply cable reactance...nothing more.  Spend your money how you wish but you can get good sound from cheap cables that are symbiotic with your equipment...let the flames begin.


----------



## SBranson (Nov 23, 2019)

Is there a way to figure out where a "unknown" song is stored in the Library?  I've got a few songs that have been mis-tagged or were free samples and ended up under the "unknown" heading.  On the Fiio M11 I had, you could look at the information and it told you where the song was stored.


----------



## spanky310 (Nov 23, 2019)

SBranson said:


> Is there a way to figure out where a "unknown" song is stored in the Library?  I've got a few songs that have been mis-tagged or were free samples and ended up under the "unknown" heading.  On the Fiio M11 I had, you could look at the information and it told you where the song was stored.



oops...nvr mind, misread your question, sorry about that!


----------



## Redcarmoose

I’ve messed with cables a bunch. And.......I do think even $160 entry level audiophile cables can make an improvement. The other amazing thing is synergy. The reason I believe it’s both the quality of the cable and the personality of the cable (as mentioned here) is that you can easily determine when cables degrade the sound. The easy way to discover this is start taking the included cables and join them with other IEMs. At times it’s a wash, but other times you start to realize, even manufacturers have attempted to match the included cables with their IEMs. So just getting any aftermarket cable is not always better than an IEMs included cable.


----------



## spanky310

nc8000 said:


> I would assume so but honestly can’t say as I have never connected to an amp



Totally agree, with the WM1A I do not yet have anything it could not adequately drive, actually that's the reason I got the WM1A is so that I do not need to carry a separate amp.

What I do have is a NW-A35NH for the gym and sometimes I used that with an amp so for the A35 it would be nice if this little adapter will not only charge and transfer files but also act as a digital output adapter.


----------



## SBranson

In my 20+ year interest in audio including 2 channel, I've been through a ton of cables.  Some cheap ones were better than some more expensive ones.  Some really expensive ones (in a friend's system) frankly seemed to be the "snake oil" in that it was more about the salesman than the product.  But there are others that truly make big differences.
The postive/negative of the differences is where the synergy thing comes into play.  I tried a msrp $300 cable on my Noble K10s but prefer the sound of the stock cable.  Science may have a number or two to say why but I don't think the whole subject can ever been reduced to a "it's simply...." statement.  Hearing is a complex thing and one that is as subject to learning as is sight for an artist.  To each their own but trust your own ears (or brain) as that's what you use to enjoy the music.

That said...  to reiterate my earlier post and I'm having trouble with the terms, but is there a "meta-data" button for songs on the WM1A, something that would tell me what folder they are in on my card.  Sometimes my folder headings are different that what the actual name of the album is as it shows up and I get confused trying to find it on my WM1A.
Thanks.


----------



## blazinblazin (Nov 23, 2019)

Just compare a high purity copper and high purity silver cable. Probably will hear the difference.

IEM will be easier to hear the differences than headphones. Also depends on how much potential your iem/headphones have.

If a cable already maxed out the potential of your cans of cause changing cables will give you very little difference.

Cables are your final upgrades, only for fine tuning after you decided on your best IEM/Headphones and DAP combo.


----------



## AltoBajo

blazinblazin said:


> Just compare a high purity copper and high purity silver cable. Probably will hear the difference.
> 
> IEM will be easier to hear the differences than headphones. Also depends on how much potential your iem/headphones have.
> 
> ...


I've used Forza Audioworks Copper and Hybrid,Silver & Copper cables on my IEMs,with outstanding results,the Hybrids especially so.The difference with IEMs is meant to be more so than with full sizes cans.Headfonia ran a review some years back,that was their conclusion.                                                                                                                                                                                                 
I'm thinking of getting a WM1a,I've been sitting on the fence for a while! Great battery life,a major plus for me.Reportedly,excellent SQ.Looking at Sony's spec sheet and the supported files,they don't  mention WAV.WMA but not WAV.Am I missing something? All my files are in WAV,to my ears,the best SQ and by some margin.                                                                                                                    
Final question,is there likely to be a WM1a mk.2 any time soon?


----------



## SBranson (Nov 24, 2019)

AltoBajo said:


> I've used Forza Audioworks Copper and Hybrid,Silver & Copper cables on my IEMs,with outstanding results,the Hybrids especially so.The difference with IEMs is meant to be more so than with full sizes cans.Headfonia ran a review some years back,that was their conclusion.
> I'm thinking of getting a WM1a,I've been sitting on the fence for a while! Great battery life,a major plus for me.Reportedly,excellent SQ.Looking at Sony's spec sheet and the supported files,they don't  mention WAV.WMA but not WAV.Am I missing something? All my files are in WAV,to my ears,the best SQ and by some margin.
> Final question,is there likely to be a WM1a mk.2 any time soon?



That's strange.. On the Help Guide page it lists WAV: https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449080.html



I can't recommend the WM1A enough.  It was a revelation for my Legend Xs.  I raved to an audio buddy and he bought one and sold his AK.  He was as amazed as I was at how good it sounds.


As for cables..This is kind of a fun example.  Scroll down in the comments where someone has put the time stamps 4:11, 7:10 and listen. With decent headphones/earphones I can hear a difference, particularly in something like the "ting" of the cymbals for instance.
This is by no means an "objective" test and would likely be discounted but I find it interesting nonetheless.


----------



## AltoBajo

SBranson said:


> That's strange.. On the Help Guide page it lists WAV: https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449080.html
> 
> 
> I can't recommend the WM1A enough.  It was a revelation for my Legend Xs.  I raved to an audio buddy and he bought one and sold his AK.  He was as amazed as I was at how good it sounds.
> ...



Thanks! I've been out of the game for some time.The last Sony mobile player I had was a Discman,a very good one at that.This was on the Sony UK site.
AUDIO PLAYBACK
AAC (Non-DRM), AIFF, ALAC, DSD, FLAC, HE-AAC, Linear PCM, MP3, WMA (Non-DRM)      I didn't want to buy a WM1a and find I couldn't load or play my files.I have a couple of thousand
 or so CDs,originally ripped to ALAC on my MacBook.I was new to digital/computer audio.I kept reading about differences in files SQ.In the end I played a couple of songs back in ALAC and WAV,and I know what my ears told me! I had a brief online conversation with Rob Watts,the Chord DAC designer,he's a WAV man. Thanks again!


----------



## SBranson (Nov 24, 2019)

Under the specifications on Sony.ca they list:
AUDIO PLAYBACK
AAC (Non-DRM), AIFF, ALAC, DSD, FLAC, HE-AAC, Linear PCM, MP3, WMA (Non-DRM) so they must've just taken the list from Sony's site but I've listening to APE on mine which is listed under the help guide..  Not sure why the lists are different

The only hassle I've had is with the some album art.  It's a little finicky but I read on here the trick of using Amazon's photos of the albums as they are the proper format.


----------



## AltoBajo

SBranson said:


> Under the specifications on Sony.ca they list:
> AUDIO PLAYBACK
> AAC (Non-DRM), AIFF, ALAC, DSD, FLAC, HE-AAC, Linear PCM, MP3, WMA (Non-DRM) so they must've just taken the list from Sony's site but I've listening to APE on mine which is listed under the help guide..  Not sure why the lists are different


I'd not heard of WMA.I assumed that WAV would be an automatically supported file,but as I say,I've not had to consider it  before.Apple do support WAV,albeit somewhat reluctantly I imagine. It would be great to hear from someone who's playing WAV files on their WM1a,or maybe I truly am a dinosaur! Thanks!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hi i have currently mediaGo. I bought two Sinfonisk sonos + IKEA speakers. So far on Media sharing tab of media go i choose convert on the fly to MP3 and it sounds on the sonos. My problem lies in that the MediaGo can only select one "Wohnzimmer" sonos speaker and not both, thus it sounds in mono. How can i multi-cast or select both Wohnzimmer sonos speakers to sound in stereo with mediaGo? or shall i update to Music center for PC instead?


----------



## phonomat

I don't know about ALAC, but I use FLAC, as there is no logical reason for it to sound different than WAV, at least to my knowledge, and it saves me A LOT of space. I'm currently in the process of digitizing my whole music collection (thousands of CDs plus thousands of vinyls), and even though storage space is not that expensive, it would be madness to do it all in WAV. Mp3 is out of the question, so FLAC is my sweet spot, I guess. I record my records in WAV and then convert it to FLAC, and my vinyl rips sound absolutely stellar on the WM1A. No reason to change anything.
Plus, wasn't there a problem with embedding tags/artwork in WAVs or something?

Edit: @ Alto Bajo


----------



## AltoBajo

Artwork can not be tagged to WAV files.On a MacBook it doesn't really bother me,but on a WM1a I can see it being more of an issue.I had originally ripped my entire CD collection to ALAC without giving it a second thought.After scouring many forums,and reading many conflicting and passionately held views on the subject,"bits are bits! "etc.,I decided to rip a couple of tracks I know well to ALAC and WAV.Side by side,the ALAC file,which had always sounded fine,seemed brittle and congested compared to the WAV file which was relaxed,smooth,and with plenty of air around instruments,etc..The difference was sufficient for me to spend a few weeks re ripping the whole lot to WAV.                                                      
The whole hearing thing is such a subjective issue,I really wouldn't argue with anyone about it.Out of all my CDs,I've compiled playlists of my favourite tracks.In total,in WAV format I only have just under 300gb.With the 128gb storage,plus a 256gb card,I'm easily covered.Oh,I'm assuming I can transfer files to a SD card in the WM1a once formatted,from the MacBook?
I don't really buy a lot of music anymore,I have a pretty wide selection already.I'm looking for a portable solution to deliver good SQ,with a long battery life.The WM 1a certainly seems to be up to the job.Thanks for your input!


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hi i have currently mediaGo. I bought two Sinfonisk sonos + IKEA speakers. So far on Media sharing tab of media go i choose convert on the fly to MP3 and it sounds on the sonos. My problem lies in that the MediaGo can only select one "Wohnzimmer" sonos speaker and not both, thus it sounds in mono. How can i multi-cast or select both Wohnzimmer sonos speakers to sound in stereo with mediaGo? or shall i update to Music center for PC instead?


installed music center for PC,  it doesn't see the sonis at all. The only way to play my library with sonos is by using their sonos controller software which has a music files limit of 65000 tracks (i have 56400+). I will get a NAS and put everything there as 16/44.1 (sonos SW doesnt like Hi-res audio)


----------



## nc8000

AltoBajo said:


> Artwork can not be tagged to WAV files.On a MacBook it doesn't really bother me,but on a WM1a I can see it being more of an issue.I had originally ripped my entire CD collection to ALAC without giving it a second thought.After scouring many forums,and reading many conflicting and passionately held views on the subject,"bits are bits! "etc.,I decided to rip a couple of tracks I know well to ALAC and WAV.Side by side,the ALAC file,which had always sounded fine,seemed brittle and congested compared to the WAV file which was relaxed,smooth,and with plenty of air around instruments,etc..The difference was sufficient for me to spend a few weeks re ripping the whole lot to WAV.
> The whole hearing thing is such a subjective issue,I really wouldn't argue with anyone about it.Out of all my CDs,I've compiled playlists of my favourite tracks.In total,in WAV format I only have just under 300gb.With the 128gb storage,plus a 256gb card,I'm easily covered.Oh,I'm assuming I can transfer files to a SD card in the WM1a once formatted,from the MacBook?
> I don't really buy a lot of music anymore,I have a pretty wide selection already.I'm looking for a portable solution to deliver good SQ,with a long battery life.The WM 1a certainly seems to be up to the job.Thanks for your input!



Since alac is lossless you could just transcode your fils to wav instead of reripping as all lossless files contains exactly the same bitstream. What might make files sound different is the implementation of each codec on the player.


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Since alac is lossless you could just transcode your fils to wav instead of reripping as all lossless files contains exactly the same bitstream. What might make files sound different is the implementation of each codec on the player.



don’t the ripping process affect the digital info ? How does the Ripping process compare to reading it directly from a CD ?


----------



## Lookout57

I ripped all my CDs to AIFF as it allows for embedded ID3 tags and artwork. From there I can transcode it to any format or resolution. For playback on my home system I use the AIFF files. For the WM1A/Z I convert to FLAC at the original resolution. For playback in the car which doesn't support higher than 96K, I'll downsample anything above that to 96K or less.


----------



## nc8000 (Nov 24, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> don’t the ripping process affect the digital info ? How does the Ripping process compare to reading it directly from a CD ?



It shouldn't affect anything. You will get the same bit stream directly from the cd or from any of the lossless file formats, that's the whole point of it being lossless. Actually you might get a better result from the ripped files than from the cd in real time as the ripping process can take as long time retrying and dealing with defects on the cd as it likes whereas playing the cd must happen in real time. What could give differences in sound is how the player implements the decode of the different file formats as they require different processing resources which theoretically could introduce artefacts and timing problems with wav requiring the least resources for decode as there is no compression. This was the reason why the old Colorfly C4 player supported 24/96 wav but only 16/48 flac


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 25, 2019)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/nc8000.54845/

Audiophiles can be very susceptible to various bit-rate and digital playback configurations. It’s not fully understood why or how? Much could be expectation bias, where a standard set of beliefs will have the human mind confirm psychologically that it “hears” the process effects better. The timing in this case could affect what is heard. IMO.....meaning that it could be there as a difference or it could be just believed to be there.

I don’t hear any format differences but do hear betterment from files above 16/44.1 in some cases........ specificity cases with good mastering. Also I absolutely believe I hear a difference using the 1A and 1Z playback USB audio into the TA amp over using a computer for USB audio. Before I started using the 1A and 1Z I always used 16/44.1 from a CD transport....spinning actual   CDs........ and always felt I could hear it as superior over computer generated USB to a DAC. If it’s simply processing or what....... but the 1A/1Z is also vastly superior now to using RCA Digital coaxial into the TA amp from a CD transport too. So having folks believe Wave files are sounding different in the end can be a very viable truth for the audiophile. It’s absolutely not simply 1 and 0s in the end but other sonic changes due to the process. Much of this phenomena can be outside the field of measurement. The results can affect what the listener believes he hears for years on end. This is a difficult subject to test or confirm to be real.....but basically what is “real” for the mind, is truly real.

There is an entire sub audiophile industry based on reducing digital “noise”. So folks with different USB cables, small jitter reducing USB purification-filters and such are a big part of our industry with millions spent every year. Timing issues and digital noise issues are at the heart of what people think they hear better.....when purchasing a different DAC. Really when you look at it, wanting a specific audio file format seems normal with this style of thinking. If all 1s and 0s sounded the same then all DACs would sound the same, when obviously it’s more, and not just the analog preamp section, or decoding chip selection. IMO


----------



## PointyFox

... and then there's me who can hear digital watermarks in music but can't hear any difference between 256 kbps MP3 and lossless.


----------



## nocturaline

AltoBajo said:


> I'd not heard of WMA.I assumed that WAV would be an automatically supported file,but as I say,I've not had to consider it  before.Apple do support WAV,albeit somewhat reluctantly I imagine. It would be great to hear from someone who's playing WAV files on their WM1a,or maybe I truly am a dinosaur! Thanks!


On the ZX300, Wav files are supported just fine, so I don't see why it would be an issue with the WM1A/Z. All you need is a good tag editor (I use Metadatics on Mac).


----------



## AltoBajo

That's really helpful. I've bookmarked Metadatics,I'll take a look in the morning.It's time for bed here in the UK,at least for me. Many thanks!


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> It shouldn't affect anything. You will get the same bit stream directly from the cd or from any of the lossless file formats, that's the whole point of it being lossless. Actually you might get a better result from the ripped files than from the cd in real time as the ripping process can take as long time retrying and dealing with defects on the cd as it likes whereas playing the cd must happen in real time. What could give differences in sound is how the player implements the decode of the different file formats as they require different processing resources which theoretically could introduce artefacts and timing problems with wav requiring the least resources for decode as there is no compression. This was the reason why the old Colorfly C4 player supported 24/96 wav but only 16/48 flac


I agree as I love WAV the best


----------



## Blueoris

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/nc8000.54845/
> 
> Audiophiles can be very susceptible to various bit-rate and digital playback configurations. It’s not fully understood why or how? Much could be expectation bias, where a standard set of beliefs will have the human mind confirm psychologically that it “hears” the process effects better. The timing in this case could effect what is heard. IMO.....meaning that it could be there as a difference or it could be just believed to be there.
> 
> ...



I agree with all you said. It is about that digital noise as a result of power circuits and processor and memory banks electrical states, which are in constant change. So the same song, played uninterruptedly in a infinite loop in the same system can have different "micro" noise traces. Then you add other factors like the power outlet you use at home when you did that test, or what appliances were in use at your home when you were listening... or if you live in a unit in the city or condo in suburbia,  if it was pick hour or mid night, or if you changed your listening position, or the position of your headphones (we don't need to mention tinnitus and other health factors) or audio formats, or filters or cables or DAC's etc. Soo many variables that for my own sake, I just accept that the quality I hear from my systems a  given time is the best one I can get at that moment, so I can just enjoy the experience and get into the music.


----------



## Whitigir (Nov 25, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/nc8000.54845/
> 
> Audiophiles can be very susceptible to various bit-rate and digital playback configurations. It’s not fully understood why or how? Much could be expectation bias, where a standard set of beliefs will have the human mind confirm psychologically that it “hears” the process effects better. The timing in this case could effect what is heard. IMO.....meaning that it could be there as a difference or it could be just believed to be there.
> 
> ...



that is correct , timing issues and the algorithms to convert the info.  The DMP-Z1 was built to maximize the timing precision’s of the modern digital devices.  Same as WM-1Z and WM-1A.  However, there are differences in S-Master and AKM IC in both of those.

never the less, only Sony that has been catering toward digital timing precision this whole time, since NW ZX1 , ZX2, now ZX507...etc.  The rest of the other so called DAP is just straight up General Electric engineering with off the shelves parts.  Honestly, if 1A or 1Z had more power....


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 25, 2019)

Blueoris said:


> I agree with all you said. It is about that digital noise as a result of power circuits and processor and memory banks electrical states, which are in constant change. So the same song, played uninterruptedly in a infinite loop in the same system can have different "micro" noise traces. Then you add other factors like the power outlet you use at home when you did that test, or what appliances were in use at your home when you were listening... or if you live in a unit in the city or condo in suburbia,  if it was pick hour or mid night, or if you changed your listening position, or the position of your headphones (we don't need to mention tinnitus and other health factors) or audio formats, or filters or cables or DAC's etc. Soo many variables that for my own sake, I just accept that the quality I hear from my systems a  given time is the best one I can get at that moment, so I can just enjoy the experience and get into the music.



For me much of it was curiosity. Getting Foobar2000 going in 2011........... then hearing timing issues, which then were improved by going WASABI? And then it was like wait? What! There is a hole in this theory of 1s and 0s!

At the same time I have to laugh at some of the expensive and now dated cable improvements I’ve gone and purchased. Finally, where I live we have some power regulators mounted on the electrical poles. So now my surge protectors are showing clean or cleaner power. So now I can break out my crazy power cables. In my situation it would be better to actually have a power regenerator but I’m not buying one. Many have this belief it’s the cable simply exiting from the wall to the amp. So now I’m using my laughingstock  giant best power cable. Probably the most ridiculous thing? But it opens up the sound stage and smooths out everything too...............adding separation. It’s small internal balloons and pure gold foil conductors. 



Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord

And 

Electra Glide Audio Epiphany MK2 Power Cord


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 25, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> that is correct , timing issues and the algorithms to convert the info.  The DMP-Z1 was built to maximize the timing precision’s of the modern digital devices.  Same as WM-1Z and WM-1A.  However, there are differences in S-Master and AKM IC in both of those.
> 
> never the less, only Sony that has been catering toward digital timing precision this whole time, since NW ZX1 , ZX2, now ZX507...etc.  The rest of the other so called DAP is just straight up General Electric engineering with off the shelves parts.  Honestly, if 1A or 1Z had more power....



My docking station came together due to listening to your suggestions. Though my budget doesn’t allow the DMP-Z1. So I’m left here eternally grateful basically listening to your old system! Haha.

I needed reinforcement (at the time...from you) that it would better computer audio and it does.....even though essentially the 1A and 1Z ARE computers. 

You convinced me on both the dock and AQ Carbon USB. Still like the sound!


----------



## AltoBajo

Whitigir said:


> I agree as I love WAV the best


Agree 100%


----------



## AltoBajo

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/nc8000.54845/
> 
> Audiophiles can be very susceptible to various bit-rate and digital playback configurations. It’s not fully understood why or how? Much could be expectation bias, where a standard set of beliefs will have the human mind confirm psychologically that it “hears” the process effects better. The timing in this case could effect what is heard. IMO.....meaning that it could be there as a difference or it could be just believed to be there.
> 
> ...


You've summed the issue up extremely well.Some things,especially to do with the brains reception and perception of sound,defy logic,in this case 1s and 0s.I looked into this issue some years back,and my ears made a clear decision.I'd forgotten what a contentious subject it is!!


----------



## AltoBajo

Whitigir said:


> that is correct , timing issues and the algorithms to convert the info.  The DMP-Z1 was built to maximize the timing precision’s of the modern digital devices.  Same as WM-1Z and WM-1A.  However, there are differences in S-Master and AKM IC in both of those.
> 
> never the less, only Sony that has been catering toward digital timing precision this whole time, since NW ZX1 , ZX2, now ZX507...etc.  The rest of the other so called DAP is just straight up General Electric engineering with off the shelves parts.  Honestly, if 1A or 1Z had more power....


You've got me worried! Does the 1A have plenty of power to drive a pair of 16 ohm rated IEMs with authority? At present I use a mains powered headphone amplifier with a Chord Qutest.They shine!
I'm hoping for a similar result, albeit a portable solution.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 25, 2019)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/altobajo.493309/

Just make sure you click “high output” when you get it. Always try to revert back and make low power output setting your setting to stay with as many think it sounds better. But with most full-size headphones and some IEMs.... high output is required. Also the 1A is going to sound very flat and non-musical at least for the first 50-100 hours. I listened to the stores before I started using mine so I knew. But Sony recommends 200 hours. You may notice the biggest change in the  first 100 hours? There may be a fraction of a percent better with desktop on my IER-Z1R IEMs. We are not actually concerned with power for loudness. What more power gets you is damping factor. His other headphones are the HD800, I’m guessing. Also he has not heard his 1Z and IER-Z1R IEMs together as he sold his 1Z before getting the IER-Z1R. He is feeling like the DMP-1Z is always going to beat out the 1Z/1A......as in reality the detail and power probably do! 

 I use the 1A with the MDR-Z7 and MDR-Z1R. You may notice an improvement using desktop amps with the full-size headphones due to damping factor seemingly adding bass detail which sounds like more bass and a more controlled lower midrange. In reality it’s better articulations of the driver. This damping adds the final factor for imaging and soundstage. For me the Walkmans offer enough power on their own, though I prefer the TA desktop for full-size headphones. I’m pretty sure you will feel you have all the power you need.

But the IER-Z1R IEM is incredibly hard to drive right and the 1A gets 98% there. There can always be small improvements with even more power than the DAPs provide, still it’s such a small percentage. It’s for those looking for the final small percentage difference. So I have not heard the DMP-1Z but can imagine what it may do? Still much of this also depends on synergy.......finding the correct tone can be more important than the technical effects of including that last 3% or 4% of power needed. In the end It’s all about how musical the combination is, and how close it comes to your needed sound signature. Meaning even at this level musicality still comes before technicality.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 25, 2019)

AltoBajo said:


> You've summed the issue up extremely well.Some things,especially to do with the brains reception and perception of sound,defy logic,in this case 1s and 0s.I looked into this issue some years back,and my ears made a clear decision.I'd forgotten what a contentious subject it is!!



Our journey is very confusing and we come across conflicting opinions. Everyone’s truth is the best they have come up with, so everyone gets their own understandable respect, still you have to go on what you believe to be true.........it’s your money, your effort, and your ears in the end. Still we can always make mistakes. Some of the perception related to health conditions can be super confusing. Basically when your the most healthy music sounds the best!


----------



## Lookout57

Redcarmoose said:


> My docking station came together due to listening to your suggestions. Though my budget doesn’t allow the DMP-Z1. So I’m left here eternally grateful basically listening to your old system! Haha.
> 
> I needed reinforcement (at the time...from you) that it would better computer audio and it does.....even though essentially the 1A and 1Z ARE computers.
> 
> You convinced me on both the dock and AQ Carbon USB. Still like the sound!


I have the same setup WM-1A/Z -> Dock - > Carbon USB -> TA, killer setup.


----------



## AltoBajo

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/altobajo.493309/
> 
> Just make sure you click “high output” when you get it. Always try to revert back and make low power output setting your setting to stay with as many think it sounds better. But with most full-size headphones and some IEMs.... high output is required. Also the 1A is going to sound very flat and non-musical at least for the first 50-100 hours. I listened to the stores before I started using mine so I knew. But Sony recommends 200 hours. You may notice the biggest change in the  first 100 hours? There may be a fraction of a percent better with desktop on my IER-Z1R IEMs. We are not actually concerned with power for loudness. What more power gets you is damping factor. His other headphones are the HD800, I’m guessing. Also he has not heard his 1Z and IER-Z1R IEMs together as he sold his 1Z before getting the IER-Z1R. He is feeling like the DMP-1Z is always going to beat out the 1Z/1A......as in reality the detail and power probably do!
> 
> ...


Something people don't seem to talk about these days is synergy.When I first became interested in personal audio,around 10 years ago,synergy was always emphasised.There were far fewer products available,but matching them correctly,"warm" with "cold",was key to a good result.A Dacport with Shure 535s was pretty much top of the tree.Look at the array of products available today,as well as the prices!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
Thanks for your input,it's much appreciated!


----------



## ElecHires

hello guys,
i'm looking for some web store where i can get black friday prices on the wm1z please, does anyone know where i can get that ?


----------



## ruthieandjohn

SBranson said:


> That's strange.. On the Help Guide page it lists WAV: https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449080.html
> 
> 
> I can't recommend the WM1A enough.  It was a revelation for my Legend Xs.  I raved to an audio buddy and he bought one and sold his AK.  He was as amazed as I was at how good it sounds.
> ...



Here is the link (did not appear in my version of the post):


----------



## Bartosz

Has anyone ever compared the 1a to the Cayin N6II ?


----------



## SBranson

Redcarmoose said:


> For me much of it was curiosity. Getting Foobar2000 going in 2011........... then hearing timing issues, which then were improved by going WASABI? And then it was like wait? What! There is a hole in this theory of 1s and 0s!
> 
> At the same time I have to laugh at some of the expensive and now dated cable improvements I’ve gone and purchased. Finally, where I live we have some power regulators mounted on the electrical poles. So now my surge protectors are showing clean or cleaner power. So now I can break out my crazy power cables. In my situation it would be better to actually have a power regenerator but I’m not buying one. Many have this belief it’s the cable simply exiting from the wall to the amp. So now I’m using my laughingstock  giant best power cable. Probably the most ridiculous thing? But it opens up the sound stage and smooths out everything too...............adding separation. It’s small internal balloons and pure gold foil conductors.
> 
> ...




I love these..  brings back memories of my BMI cables and my Elrods.   I was a big believer in clean power when I had a 2 channel system.  A buddy of mine even went off grid to batteries...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 26, 2019)

SBranson said:


> I love these..  brings back memories of my BMI cables and my Elrods.   I was a big believer in clean power when I had a 2 channel system.  A buddy of mine even went off grid to batteries...




With the 1A and 1Z we are going off the grid to batteries, as well as having a smidge less power than desktops......but close......probably close enough for comfort?

So in comparison to 2009, it’s like we have battery powered desktops! 


 The DMP-Z1 is off the grid! You must have seen the Greek Audiophile video on YouTube? There may be something to it? Though the truth is some amplifiers are more susceptible to gaining benefits from clean power. Everything makes a small difference I believe.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvkes


----------



## Vitaly2017

spanky310 said:


> Exactly what she had questioned. She commented why the superior player has to be a Papa 1Z and not a Mama 1Z? Just because it's better it's automatically a male?
> 
> Now you know why I'm just gonna go with the (her) flow on this one?
> 
> ...




You need to introduce into her world the grand Pa )  the Dmp 1z


----------



## Whitigir

It is DMP-Z1, not the 1Z ;P


----------



## Maxx134 (Nov 27, 2019)

spanky310 said:


> My GF saw the post and asked why is the WM1Z the father and not the WM1A?
> 
> I'm not touching that.





spanky310 said:


> Exactly what she had questioned. She commented why the superior player has to be a Papa 1Z and not a Mama 1Z? Just because it's better it's automatically a male?


This is very simple to explain it to your girlfriend... (At your own risk haha)

Throughout history, it is considered that the first, or the highest, is considered masculine  in principle..

It has nothing to do with sex or anything politically correct or anything involving what we would now consider sexist or incorrect...

It is a universal principal even in languages itself.

Either there is a hierarchy, and order of things, or we have chaos.
It just so happens to be this way..

Now to the dangerous and theological part:
We should also be mindful who came out of who's rib, to be a compliment and partner, to who came first.(!)
There was never  an intention of equality, as is incorrectly pushed today, but instead, a unity of partnership which mutually benifits both.
Hierarchy is everything in law and in order.

So to sum up, the 1Z is the grand papa only because thats the way it is..
Ha


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Not that it’s important, but shouldn’t the new software 3.02 be copyrighted @2019. It shows 2018 or maybe it was made a year ago and released this year.

Anyway, I must say the IER-Z1R gives life to the music on the 1Z. I just love how the lows  and mids are well separated esp. with rock music where the drums don’t drown out the guitars. Can actually here the vibrations of the drums that I never heard in 30 years of listening in portable music.


----------



## nc8000

Hmmmm. Tonight my 1Z suddenly decided that flac is not a supported file format, dsd files play fine but any flac file no longer displays cover art and trying to ply them gives the message “Not a supported file format”.  Tried to reboot and after 20 minutes of building database I get the message “sd card not recognized please format it”. All worked fine earlier today


----------



## Maxx134

nc8000 said:


> Hmmmm. Tonight my 1Z suddenly decided that flac is not a supported file format, dsd files play fine but any flac file no longer displays cover art and trying to ply them gives the message “Not a supported file format”.  Tried to reboot and after 20 minutes of building database I get the message “sd card not recognized please format it”. All worked fine earlier today


File corruption, fix card on a computer.


----------



## nc8000

Maxx134 said:


> File corruption, fix card on a computer.



Yes probably. Might just let the player format the card and copy the music over again


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> It is DMP-Z1, not the 1Z ;P



Its a new hybrid 
Wm1z feed dmp


----------



## Maxx134

nc8000 said:


> Yes probably. Might just let the player format the card and copy the music over again


But what if the copied file is corrupt?
Your just re-introducing a corrup file. Maybe just an image file...

I would scan the card for determine & detect the corrupt file...


----------



## nc8000 (Nov 27, 2019)

Maxx134 said:


> But what if the copied file is corrupt?
> Your just re-introducing a corrup file. Maybe just an image file...
> 
> I would scan the card for determine & detect the corrupt file...



I have not copied files to the card for nearly 6 months and not turned the player off but suddenly no flac files could be played but dsd files played fine from the card but after reboot and 20 minutes building library the card is suddenly not recognised so it is clearly not just one currupt file. 

Edit: I then tried to eject and reinsert the card and after about 10 minutes of building database all is back up and running and my flac files are now again a supported file format and the card is recognised


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> I have not copied files to the card for nearly 6 months and not turned the player off but suddenly no flac files could be played but dsd files played fine from the card but after reboot and 20 minutes building library the card is suddenly not recognised so it is clearly not just one currupt file




The sccard just got corrupted.  If formatting doesn't solve your issues. 
With a proof of purchase you can exchange for free for a brand new sdcard from the manufacturer! 

Most sdcards have 10 years limited warranty! 

Happened to me once with sandisk and got a brand new card!


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> The sccard just got corrupted.  If formatting doesn't solve your issues.
> With a proof of purchase you can exchange for free for a brand new sdcard from the manufacturer!
> 
> Most sdcards have 10 years limited warranty!
> ...



Read my edit above, all is working again after ejecting and reinserting the card


----------



## Whitigir

10 years from now we would be buying 256Tb.  It would  be interesting to see how they would replace a 256gb


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> 10 years from now we would be buying 256Tb.  It would  be interesting to see how they would replace a 256gb



They just requested the broken 400 gb I had and sent me a brand new one!


----------



## Ameerzs

hi its november 2019 already .. is there any fix for the audio lag on wm1a so annoyying to watch with video


----------



## spanky310

Maxx134 said:


> This is very simple to explain it to your girlfriend... (At your own risk haha)
> 
> Throughout history, it is considered that the first, or the highest, is considered masculine  in principle..
> 
> ...




All valid points but I'm simply not that brave a person when it comes to my GF so yeah   

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!!!!


----------



## sne4me

I just picked up the sandisk 1tb micro sdxc from amazon $199US.
best price all year. its replacing my 400gb


----------



## AMHaudio

sne4me said:


> I just picked up the sandisk 1tb micro sdxc from amazon $199US.
> best price all year. its replacing my 400gb


I also wanted to buy 1TB. But I am not sure it will work in 1Z or not. Could you confirm that? Thanks..


----------



## nc8000

AMHaudio said:


> I also wanted to buy 1TB. But I am not sure it will work in 1Z or not. Could you confirm that? Thanks..



It works fine. I have 2, for A45 and 1Z


----------



## ltanasom

sne4me said:


> I just picked up the sandisk 1tb micro sdxc from amazon $199US.
> best price all year. its replacing my 400gb


Is it the real one? I am thinking of buying one but am worried about the fake one.


----------



## Stephen George

ltanasom said:


> Is it the real one? I am thinking of buying one but am worried about the fake one.



i bought during july cyber sale from same vendor for $60 more...it should also come with the card reader even though it says it doesn't and yes legit


----------



## ltanasom

Stephen George said:


> i bought during july cyber sale from same vendor for $60 more...it should also come with the card reader even though it says it doesn't and yes legit


Thank you for your reply. I am asking you since I am in Southeast Asia. I will need to pay additional fee for taxes and duties and if there is a problem, it might be difficult for me to claim (just my thinking since I am simply new to Amazon as well).


----------



## purk (Nov 28, 2019)

Just be sure to take some pics of the microSD cards before opening the package.  I recently bought one during the $299 Amazon sales and they sent me a faked 8GB card in a 1TB package.  I opened the package and inserted the card without looking at the actual card first and it didn’t even show up on my computer.  I removed the card and realized that it was not a 1TB card but a fake.  Seriously crazy!  The problem is that Sandisk don’t even make an 8GB microSD card anymore and someone placed the fake card in there.  The Extreme Pro version starts at 32GB and not 8GB.  Here’s the picture.  So be very careful.  And this isn’t from a third party either.  I got the money back from amazon but am worried about getting a back charge on this once they have inspected the package and see an 8GB card in a 1TB package.  My only defense is one can’t even buy the 8 GB Extreme pro to begin with.


----------



## ltanasom

purk said:


> Just be sure to take some pics of the microSD cards before opening the package.  I recently bought one during the $299 Amazon sales and they sent me a faked 8GB card in a 1TB package.  I opened the package and inserted the card without looking at the actual card first and it didn’t even show up on my computer.  I removed the card and realized that it was not a 1TB card but a fake.  Seriously crazy!  The problem is that Sandisk don’t even make an 8GB microSD card anymore and someone placed the fake card in there.  The Extreme Pro version starts at 32GB and not 8GB.  Here’s the picture.  So be very careful.  And this isn’t from a third party either.  I got the money back from amazon but am worried about getting a back charge on this once they have inspected the package and see an 8GB card in a 1TB package.  My only defense is one can’t even buy the 8 GB Extreme pro to begin with.


Thank you for the advice. Wow. I start to worry now since I will have to pay US$245.87 including pre-calculated taxes and duties to my country.


----------



## Stephen George (Nov 28, 2019)

purk said:


> Just be sure to take some pics of the microSD cards before opening the package.



for sure, good idea, had the same issue with samsung 512s on ebay...the silk screening on the front and even the serials were so obviously fake..using paypal though, just a hassle but 100% return guarantee, the seller even told it was my hardware that wasn't working and when i tried to report these fake cards, ebay does NOTHING, can't imagine how many frustrated buyers, there's literally a deluge of fakes

couple of facts though ..only sandisk has a 1tb you can buy right now, other companies have it at this price too, best buy, adorama and B&H so it is legit and act fast as this is the lowest you will see

make sure (for the guy in asia), examine the ad, you have the return guarantee/refund via CC and amazon, not 6 months ago these were $350 and hard to find


----------



## ltanasom

Stephen George said:


> for sure, good idea, had the same issue with samsung 512s on ebay...the silk screening on the front and even the serials were so obviously fake..using paypal though, just a hassle but 100% return guarantee, the seller even told it was my hardware that wasn't working and when i tried to report these fake cards, ebay does NOTHING, can't imagine how many frustrated buyers, there's literally a deluge of fakes
> 
> couple of facts though ..only sandisk has a 1tb you can buy right now, other companies have it at this price too, best buy, adorama and B&H so it is legit and act fast as this is the lowest you will see
> 
> make sure (for the guy in asia), examine the ad, you have the return guarantee/refund via CC and amazon, not 6 months ago these were $350 and hard to find


Thank for your advice. I took a chance and already ordered one for my sony wm1a. 
Hope it is legit and works great.


----------



## AMHaudio

nc8000 said:


> It works fine. I have 2, for A45 and 1Z


Thanks a lot. I have already ordered one..


----------



## Colors

proedros said:


> if it's a new wm1a, you need *300-400* hours of burn in
> 
> be patient until you clock at least 200 hours
> 
> ...



On 3.01 (what I bought it at) and it sounds beautiful. Musical as you mentioned.

Btw Andromedas + WM1A 3.5mm sound really good. Both my OG and AG. That’s what led me to purchase the 1A upon demo. Massive soundstage, solid imaging, very clear treble and warm vocals. Very musical and easy to listen to. Can really get lost in the music. 4.4mm is even better too. Just waiting for my cables to arrive. More resolution. But ya, really enjoy this combo and don’t myself parting with either anytime soon *knock on wood


----------



## Ameerzs (Nov 30, 2019)

deleted


----------



## proedros

Colors said:


> On 3.01 (what I bought it at) and it sounds beautiful. *Musical as you mentioned.*
> 
> Btw Andromedas + WM1A 3.5mm sound really good. Both my OG and AG. That’s what led me to purchase the 1A upon demo. Massive soundstage, solid imaging, very clear treble and warm vocals. Very musical and easy to listen to. Can really get lost in the music. 4.4mm is even better too. Just waiting for my cables to arrive. More resolution. But ya, really enjoy this combo and don’t myself parting with either anytime soon *knock on wood



i have also stayed with 3.01 since it also has the *USB/DAC option* , which is a game changer imo - WM1A is now perfect for my needs , top quality without having to sell a kidney.

enjoy your wm1a , i have now clocked more than 3000 hours and i am still as happy with it as the first day


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hope sony releases another WM series next year, with two Micro SD slots (1TB card ia not enough for all my music, yeah i want.to carry all my music with me)


----------



## Ameerzs

Is there any improvement in sound quality when using 3.5 vs 4.4 on 1a to dual 3p XLR on my Aune S7 pro ?

using with 3.5 for now and and so far sound bloody good.


----------



## Quadfather

proedros said:


> i have also stayed with 3.01 since it also has the *USB/DAC option* , which is a game changer imo - WM1A is now perfect for my needs , top quality without having to sell a kidney.
> 
> enjoy your wm1a , i have now clocked more than 3000 hours and i am still as happy with it as the first day



Damn! I thought my 1800 hours was a whole bunch.


----------



## nc8000

Quadfather said:


> Damn! I thought my 1800 hours was a whole bunch.



I’m over 3000 hours but gerelmex is over 7000


----------



## Quadfather (Nov 30, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> I’m over 3000 hours but gerelmex is over 7000



I love my black Sony but I really have to get the gold one. Unfortunately, I cannot bring myself to sell my LPG because it sounds so good with jazz.  I find myself listening to my Sony probably 90% of the time


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 1, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> I’m over 3000 hours but gerelmex is over 7000


Haja ja genau. Over 7000 




Tough, the display show 6895, with early fw it tended to crash and i lost some 700 hours


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> Haja ja genau. Over 7000
> 
> Tough, the display show 6895, sueing warly fw it tended to crash and i lost some 700 hours


I'm curious how it sounds like after almost 7000 hours compared to new 1A


----------



## gerelmx1986

hamhamhamsta said:


> I'm curious how it sounds like after almost 7000 hours compared to new 1A


I adquired a NW-A55 for commute as my tra el bag got heavy. How curious i cant hear no burn-in effe t on this little bugger
 Sound hasn't changed


----------



## gerelmx1986

Any one knows whether the sony DAPs have a limit where it comes to number of tracks. I have calculated if i get the 1TB micro SD maybe i will carry between 48.000 and 51.000 tracks


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Any one knows whether the sony DAPs have a limit where it comes to number of tracks. I have calculated if i get the 1TB micro SD maybe i will carry between 48.000 and 51.000 tracks



Don’t know. I have about 39.000 tracks on my 1TB card


----------



## Lookout57

Amazon has the WM-1A for $998.00 and the SanDisk 1TB Extreme MicroSDXC for $249.99 for Cyber Monday.


----------



## purk

purk said:


> Just be sure to take some pics of the microSD cards before opening the package.  I recently bought one during the $299 Amazon sales and they sent me a faked 8GB card in a 1TB package.  I opened the package and inserted the card without looking at the actual card first and it didn’t even show up on my computer.  I removed the card and realized that it was not a 1TB card but a fake.  Seriously crazy!  The problem is that Sandisk don’t even make an 8GB microSD card anymore and someone placed the fake card in there.  The Extreme Pro version starts at 32GB and not 8GB.  Here’s the picture.  So be very careful.  And this isn’t from a third party either.  I got the money back from amazon but am worried about getting a back charge on this once they have inspected the package and see an 8GB card in a 1TB package.  My only defense is one can’t even buy the 8 GB Extreme pro to begin with.



Want to follow up on my return situation. Thankfully Amazon did honor the return and transaction is now marked "Return Completed" and they have the fake card in hand.  The 1TB Sandisk that I bought on the Black Friday is now here and seem to be legit.  Got it for $199....so super happy with this purchase.


----------



## Skullar

2.0 or 3.01? Whats more musical you think? Which one you prefer in terms or sound sig?
Im on 2.0 now and loving it. Miles better the 3.02. going to try 3.01 soon.


----------



## ltanasom

purk said:


> Want to follow up on my return situation. Thankfully Amazon did honor the return and transaction is now marked "Return Completed" and they have the fake card in hand.  The 1TB Sandisk that I bought on the Black Friday is now here and seem to be legit.  Got it for $199....so super happy with this purchase.


glad to hear. I am waiting for mine. hope it is legit like yours.


----------



## spanky310 (Dec 2, 2019)

Hi all I'm not sure if this is a well known fact but I thought I would post it just in case there are someone here that like me did not know about this.

The other day I did a factory reset using the 'Restore to Factory Configuration' option and noticed today (didn't think to check until now) that the 'Audio Played' timer was also reset by the factory reset process. Not a big deal since I know I had roughly 30 hours of play time on it but still it came as a surprise because I thought I read somewhere on this thread that factory reset will NOT touch the timer.

BTW, I did the factory reset after updating the firmware to 3.02.


----------



## Ameerzs

Ameerzs said:


> Is there any improvement in sound quality when using 3.5 vs 4.4 on 1a to dual 3p XLR on my Aune S7 pro ?
> 
> using with 3.5 for now and and so far sound bloody good.


up


----------



## Redcarmoose

Skullar said:


> 2.0 or 3.01? Whats more musical you think? Which one you prefer in terms or sound sig?
> Im on 2.0 now and loving it. Miles better the 3.02. going to try 3.01 soon.



Getting to love a firmware has a lot to do with just what IEMs you have and what tone personality you like. It’s personal and there is no right or wrong. For me 2.0 is nice and was used a bunch. It’s more stable than 3.0 and maybe sounds better. Though 3.01 added stability and bass with the 1A. 3.01 was also great with the 1Z but for many, including myself 3.02 is where I stay with the 1Z. Normally it’s a slow progression because at times change can be perceived as wrong when it’s not really  that bad.....just different. So now I use 3.01 firmware on the 1A and 3.02 on the 1Z. 3.02 was just too bass-lite on the 1A? 

I only have 1000 hours on the 1Z, maybe a little more due to doing a full reset a while back. Also maybe only 500 hours on the 1A.


----------



## Skullar

I asked which fw people like more not which one is right. 
Just curious what people think about it. 
As i always use bassy iems, wm1a suits me well in terms of bass quantity. What 3.02 lacks for me personally is musicality. I found it too clinical for my taste. I need to try 3.01 though. 
And yes you are right about iem choice affecting fw preference , i would also add music genre to that.


----------



## proedros

if you found 3.02 too clinical , i think 3.01 will suit you better especially since you have bassy iems and not some detailed/analytical monsters

sony wm1a on W 3.01 with Zeus XR sounds nice to those ears , i found 3.02 too sterile/clinical like you


----------



## blazinblazin (Dec 2, 2019)

For me. 3.01 definitely has more musicality.

3.02 have more power, detail and positioning.
But I need to reduce the volume by 2 bars to enjoy the sound coming from 3.01. After that it takes a bit time to use to.

I don't enjoy the sound if I use the same volume as when I was using 3.01.


----------



## nc8000

spanky310 said:


> Hi all I'm not sure if this is a well known fact but I thought I would post it just in case there are someone here that like me did not know about this.
> 
> The other day I did a factory reset using the 'Restore to Factory Configuration' option and noticed today (didn't think to check until now) that the 'Audio Played' timer was also reset by the factory reset process. Not a big deal since I know I had roughly 30 hours of play time on it but still it came as a surprise because I thought I read somewhere on this thread that factory reset will NOT touch the timer.
> 
> BTW, I did the factory reset after updating the firmware to 3.02.



It is well documented here that factory reset clears the hours played counter. I don’t understand why it has to do that though.


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> It is well documented here that factory reset clears the hours played counter. I don’t understand why it has to do that though.



It’s......a factory reset?


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s......a factory reset?


Lol!!!! Common.... why states the obvious ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Lol!!!! Common.... why states the obvious ?


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s......a factory reset?



I know, it just feels like cheating, a bit like winding the mile meter on a car back. I could theoretically do a factory reset on my 3 years old 1Z and then try to sell it as virtually new and unused


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> I know, it just feels like cheating, a bit like winding the mile meter on a car back. I could theoretically do a factory reset on my 3 years old 1Z and then try to sell it as virtually new and unused


I would say that you have a better sale with 6000 hours on the clocks.

those F-resistors and PML caps will just age beautifully with time.


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> I would say that you have a better sale with 6000 hours on the clocks.
> 
> those F-resistors and PML caps will just age beautifully with time.



You are probably right but it is not relevant as I’m never selling


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Redcarmoose said:


>


Cue *laughing tracks* ahahaha


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 2, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> You are probably right but it is not relevant as I’m never selling



I know, who would have guessed many of us would simply drop out with these things............not wanting anything else? It’s absolutely strange and goes against the norm at Head-Fi? This utter sedated euphoria from sound coming from an old 2016 box. Surely time will pass us by with new and bright objects of desire.....but when?

New ones with hiss. New ones with WiFi noise. Newer ones with no soul sold as “better”.........hahahhahah.


----------



## spanky310 (Dec 2, 2019)

I guess one can say it's obvious a factory reset will zero out ALL settings/data but it's just as easy for Sony to make the "Music Player" counter permanent so it survives a factory reset. I guess it depends on the purpose of the counter in the eyes of the manufacturers. Just like for example in the case of a DSLR camera, a factory reset does not reset the shutter counter because the purpose of the counter is to indicate the remaining service life of the shutter and other related components, resetting/erasing it will defeat the main purpose of the counter.

There are many other examples of non-volatile counters that cannot be reset by end users but that is the only one I can come up with on this cold morning.

Have a good Cyber Monday.


----------



## spanky310

nc8000 said:


> It is well documented here that factory reset clears the hours played counter. I don’t understand why it has to do that though.



Totally agree and that's why I was unpleasantly surprised when I saw the counter was reset by the factory restore process.


----------



## Redcarmoose

spanky310 said:


> Totally agree and that's why I was unpleasantly surprised when I saw the counter was reset by the factory restore process.



Faaactooory Reset? Like when it came from the factory?


----------



## Skullar

And here i was happy i bought a used one with barely 500hrs clocked in 2 years...

Though person selling it seemed to be very transperent and open with all questions i had. So it might be correct. I just never asked really. 

Not that it matters too much. It is looked after and does the job well


----------



## spanky310 (Dec 2, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> Faaactooory Reset? Like when it came from the factory?



Yes, the manufacturer decides what's included in a factory reset and it's quite common to have non-volatile counters/settings not touched by a factory reset process so in these cases it does not literally mean factory with all settings/counters zero'ed out like when it left the factory even though the process might be still be called factory reset or restore in the menu.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's not always true that ALL settings and counters are zero'ed out after a factory restore or reset. It varies from device to device and in the case of our WM1 players, Sony chose to zero out the Music Player counter as part of the factory restore process.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 2, 2019)

I guess I get what your saying except formatting storage and resetting all settings DOES do just exactly that? No? You basically never have to do a factory reset unless of some issue? There are two resets with only one clearing the hour counter? At least this is how I see it?



spanky310 said:


> Yes, the manufacturer decides what's included in a factory reset and it's quite common to have non-volatile counters/settings not touched by a factory reset process so in these cases it does not literally mean factory with all settings/counters zero'ed out like when it left the factory even though the process might be still be called factory reset or restore in the menu.
> 
> I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's not always true that ALL settings and counters are zero'ed out after a factory restore or reset. It varies from device to device and in the case of our WM1 players, Sony chose to zero out the Music Player counter as part of the factory restore process.


----------



## spanky310 (Dec 8, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> I guess I get what your saying except formatting storage and resetting all settings DOES do just exactly that? No? You basically never have to do a factory reset unless of some issue? There are two resets with only one clearing the hour counter? At least this is how I see it?



All I'm saying is that Sony did not have to clear the 'Music Played' counter as part of the 'Restore to Factory Configuration'.

You, I and other will have different opinions on this. For example a person buying an used WM1 player would probably like to know that the 'Music Played' counter reflects the true amount of time the player has been used since it was new and not the last time it was restored.

Now not all media players have a timer counter like on the WM1's and the reason for it's inclusion is only knowable by the Sony WM1 team but since it's there consumer will most likely look at it as an indication of the amount of usage the player has seen. Without clearly listing it as a 'reset-able timer' (either in the owner's manual or on the menu screen) can be misleading for those for example relying on it to make a purchase decision on an used (open box, refurbished etc ) unit.

We can argue till the cows come home whether the counter being reset is expected as part of the 'Restore to Factory Configuration' process but the point is just that, one person can say 'of course it should' and there are others like myself think that the counter should work the same way as the shutter counter on a DSLR camera - not reset-able.

Just how I see it should have been implemented on the WM1 players while others probably will feel differently or won't even care one way or another.

Back to Cyber Monday......


----------



## bflat

Listening to my WM1z with EE Wraith, I can hear the difference with Phase Linearizer for the first time. Maybe it's the Wraith or maybe I've been listening to the WM1z for so long now, but here are my impressions:

High - more warmth in the mid bass
Low - more sub bass presence
Standard - a little bit of both above
Type A - bass sounds centered and in front, sound stage goes a little deeper
Type B - bass is more spread out, sound stage remains about the same

I personally like the Type A Low with the Wraith. It's like having a new DAP that pairs even better! Like EQ, these are all subtle changes and best experimented with your particular headphones to find a good match. Really cool and handy feature!

I use to be in the camp of "no EQ, no DSP". My main reason was just being lazy, but also putting too much stock into "hear what the equipment/artist originally intended". Well, that sounds good on principle, but then you have to ask yourself, if you could add another 2-5% better performance to your exact personal preference for FREE, why wouldn't you?

So now I'm using both EQ (no more than +/- 2.5 dB in a couple frequencies) and Phase Linearizer. I'm going to play with the other DSP options over the next several weeks.


----------



## Tex Irie (Dec 2, 2019)

Has anyone had the opportunity to compare the sound quality or sound signature of the WM1A to the Fiio M11 Pro?  I'm planning on buying a new DAP in a few weeks and wanted to get some community feedback.


----------



## proedros

has anyone considered changing the battery on their WM1A/WM1Z ?

the manual says that battery is good for 500 cycles , seeing that i am currently at *3500 hours* i believe i must have gone through *150-180 cycles* , so i am still good i guess

my local SONY center has batteries and can do the replacement so no worries there

i still get at least 16-20 hours of each cycle which is fine but curious if/when i should probably replace the battery with a new one

thanx for any input here


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> has anyone considered changing the battery on their WM1A/WM1Z ?
> 
> the manual says that battery is good for 500 cycles , seeing that i am currently at *3500 hours* i believe i must have gone through *150-180 cycles* , so i am still good i guess
> 
> ...


I have conaisered it now that i have 7000+ hours. But i want also to wait for a next release of a sony TOTL DAP and betterselling my A


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I maybe wrong, but judging from ZX1 battery removal it looks like the back leather can be peeled off gently.

I saw somewhere once the leather was removed, there were some screws to remove the shielding. Since battery is soldered to the unit on 1Z/1A, I wonder if some special soldering material was used instead of the common one to reduce interference.




proedros said:


> has anyone considered changing the battery on their WM1A/WM1Z ?
> 
> the manual says that battery is good for 500 cycles , seeing that i am currently at *3500 hours* i believe i must have gone through *150-180 cycles* , so i am still good i guess
> 
> ...


----------



## xenoVa

WM1A vs ZX507 (price no object). Which one is a better buy at 2020? Streaming is a nice bonus for ZX507 though I already have FLAC files of most of my music.


----------



## bana

Wondering how most folks use 1A/1Z as transport or DAC to home systems?
Do you use a docking station?
Thanks


----------



## bflat

atahanuz said:


> WM1A vs ZX507 (price no object). Which one is a better buy at 2020? Streaming is a nice bonus for ZX507 though I already have FLAC files of most of my music.



Sound quality aside, ZX-507 does not have DAC function or BT receive mode. It is truly meant to be a stand alone device.


----------



## xenoVa

bflat said:


> Sound quality aside, ZX-507 does not have DAC function or BT receive mode. It is truly meant to be a stand alone device.



Interesting, ZX300 has it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

bflat said:


> Sound quality aside, ZX-507 does not have DAC function or BT receive mode. It is truly meant to be a stand alone device.


 I am curious about the SQ as it is using the new FT caps used in DMP-Z1


----------



## bflat

atahanuz said:


> Interesting, ZX300 has it.



Yep, it's a strange choice by Sony. Could have something to do with switching to USB-C and Wifi.


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> Yep, it's a strange choice by Sony. Could have something to do with switching to USB-C and Wifi.



they stated that with streaming support they didn’t see any need for dac or receiver mode


----------



## nc8000

bana said:


> Wondering how most folks use 1A/1Z as transport or DAC to home systems?
> Do you use a docking station?
> Thanks



purely as a stand alone player


----------



## xenoVa (Dec 3, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> they stated that with streaming support they didn’t see any need for dac or receiver mode


These functions can still be useful.  I can play games from my phone/computer and stream it to my ZX507 and and hear the audio from the headphone which is connected to my ZX507.

ZX507 runs Android, is it possible achieve these functions or something similar by third party apps ? Since there are countless Android apps avaible I guess there should be some solutions.


----------



## Lookout57

bana said:


> Wondering how most folks use 1A/1Z as transport or DAC to home systems?
> Do you use a docking station?
> Thanks


I use both as transports connect to TA-ZH1ES via the Sony dock.


----------



## bana

Thanks. Which Sony dock?


----------



## nc8000

bana said:


> Thanks. Which Sony dock?



There is only one dock, the other is just a stand


----------



## bana

nc8000 said:


> There is only one dock, the other is just a stand



Aha. Then it will be a Xmas gift to myself.


----------



## nc8000

bana said:


> Aha. Then it will be a Xmas gift to myself.



It is very nice. I had one but only used it as a charging stand so a bit overkill so sold it and bought the stand instead.


----------



## RobertP

Now I see why many 1Z people like 3.02 fw. With the most recent cable and replaced internal wires, mid to high are very neutral. Not too bright or harsh like before. Sibilent are mostly gone. Feel like I'm part of the band on stage. Surprisingly, 3.02 fw is actually sounds warmer than 3.01.


----------



## frost15

ltanasom said:


> glad to hear. I am waiting for mine. hope it is legit like yours.


You won't regret it. I got my 1TB Extreme PRO Sandisk Micro SD card on black friday and It's working like a charm. Surprisingly fast to read. Between 20 and 30 seconds to load my 700GB database.


----------



## bana

nc8000 said:


> It is very nice. I had one but only used it as a charging stand so a bit overkill so sold it and bought the stand instead.


I may go with the stand.


----------



## Pro-Jules

Will Qobuz app run on this? 

Thank you


----------



## bflat

bana said:


> I may go with the stand.



Stand does not come with a cable so you would have to figure out how to get digital out to work. Your cable that came with the player only charges and supports DAC function.


----------



## ltanasom

frost15 said:


> You won't regret it. I got my 1TB Extreme PRO Sandisk Micro SD card on black friday and It's working like a charm. Surprisingly fast to read. Between 20 and 30 seconds to load my 700GB database.


thanks. still waiting for mine to come. = )


----------



## meomap

bana said:


> Wondering how most folks use 1A/1Z as transport or DAC to home systems?
> Do you use a docking station?
> Thanks



System 1 = 1Z 4.4mm output to 2.5mm input to ALO CDM. Use Aeon close , Utopia, and Noble Khan.

System 2 = 1Z into Sony dock out, usb out to Denafrips Terminator, output to ALO Studio Six  tube amp. Use Utopia only mainly.

System 3 = 1Z 3.5mm output split to RCA into tube PA and tube Amp to drive Magnepan 3.7i speakers for 2 channel enjoyment. 

System 4 = 1Z 3.5mm output split to ALO Studio Six tube amp. Use Utopia mainly.

System 5 = Will Be = 1Z into Sony Dock, usb output to Denafrips Termi Dac, output to tube PA, Tube Amp,  Magnepan 3.7i, 2 REL S5 subs for ultimate 2 channel enjoyment. 

Anything else??????


----------



## nc8000

Pro-Jules said:


> Will Qobuz app run on this?
> 
> Thank you



No nor any other app since these players don’t have wifi nor are they Android based


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> It is very nice. I had one but only used it as a charging stand so a bit overkill so sold it and bought the stand instead.


Does the 1z/a fit in the stand with a case on? I use the miter case and how does the cable hook on the stand?


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Dec 3, 2019)

meomap said:


> System 1 = 1Z 4.4mm output to 2.5mm input to ALO CDM. Use Aeon close , Utopia, and Noble Khan.
> 
> System 2 = 1Z into Sony dock out, usb out to Denafrips Terminator, output to ALO Studio Six  tube amp. Use Utopia only mainly.
> 
> ...


Dang, ultimate music enjoyment!

Common experiences for those with with significant others: How many ears you have, why so many iem etc etc? ...hehe


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Dec 3, 2019)

So I just pick up an ordered Alo Gold 16 iem 2 pin cable with 4.4mm and have been listening for about half an hour.

OMG! It sounds sooo damn good with Andromeda. It might even be better than my PW1960 cable. Very revealing, so musical, sharp bass, no bloominess, hits hard, I mean subbass hits really hard. It feels like I am rediscovering each and every note, each note is sharp and has weight behind them. Echoes feels so real, clarity and resolution up through the roof, no sheen, nothing at all. High vocal notes goes as high as the sky but not harsh, low notes are natural and clear.  So damn musical and realistic. It has amazing synergy with my EQ'd stack: modded WM1Z FW 3.02 -->  Oriolus BA300S amp --> Alo 16 gold iem cable  --> Original Andromeda with jvc spiral dot tip. I heard a while ago, but I think my stack clarity and resolution are up to par with AK SP1K (haven't heard 2K yet), if not better, with addition of toe tapping great dynamics and musicality. I am very satisfied. I feel it can go toe in toe with EE LX and based on my own preference, likely win.


Get the Alo 16 Gold iem cable when its on discount! It's a misundertood sleeping gem of the highest order, and damn cheap during sale.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

I played so loud my left ear is hurting now


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Does the 1z/a fit in the stand with a case on? I use the miter case and how does the cable hook on the stand?



It fits with the Benks clear tpu case, I have no idea if other cases would fit but expect that as long as it is not too bulky and leaves the wm port free it would work. You just click the wm port cable that came with the player into the stand. The dock cradle could not be used with a Dignis leather case


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Dec 4, 2019)

I tried the same stack with EE Phantom and LimeEar Aether; they sound meh. Phantom sounds flat, revealing but nothing else jumps out. Aether sounds anemic and muffled.

Back to CA OG Andromeda; it still sounds awesome. I think Alo 16 Gold iem is tuned using Andromeda. Soundstage so massive so open; it surrounds you 270* This cable has very good synergy with Andro; it plugs its weaknesses eg: weak subbass, timber sounding odd and plasticky. Listening to saxophone and trombone give me chills; I swore I heard vibrations on guitars on songs I never heard before. Its unreal.


----------



## purk (Dec 4, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> It fits with the Benks clear tpu case, I have no idea if other cases would fit but expect that as long as it is not too bulky and leaves the wm port free it would work. You just click the wm port cable that came with the player into the stand. The dock cradle could not be used with a Dignis leather case


The Benk case on my 1Z fits the cradle perfectly.  The Fat Bear case doesn’t.


----------



## TSAVJason

HoodedHoodlum said:


>



that’s a pretty cool case!


----------



## RobertP

hamhamhamsta said:


> So I just pick up an ordered Alo Gold 16 iem 2 pin cable with 4.4mm and have been listening for about half an hour.
> 
> OMG! It sounds sooo damn good with Andromeda. It might even be better than my PW1960 cable. Very revealing, so musical, sharp bass, no bloominess, hits hard, I mean subbass hits really hard. It feels like I am rediscovering each and every note, each note is sharp and has weight behind them. Echoes feels so real, clarity and resolution up through the roof, no sheen, nothing at all. High vocal notes goes as high as the sky but not harsh, low notes are natural and clear.  So damn musical and realistic. It has amazing synergy with my EQ'd stack: modded WM1Z FW 3.02 -->  Oriolus BA300S amp --> Alo 16 gold iem cable  --> Original Andromeda with jvc spiral dot tip. I heard a while ago, but I think my stack clarity and resolution are up to par with AK SP1K (haven't heard 2K yet), if not better, with addition of toe tapping great dynamics and musicality. I am very satisfied. I feel it can go toe in toe with EE LX and based on my own preference, likely win.
> 
> ...



Congrats! I think I might have similar feelings. Can't get full sleep. Just keep wanting to hear next songs. Get all kinds of emotional.


----------



## phonomat

hamhamhamsta said:


> I played so loud my left ear is hurting now



You might want to be careful; keep doing that and it will result in hearing loss. /hobby


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> It fits with the Benks clear tpu case, I have no idea if other cases would fit but expect that as long as it is not too bulky and leaves the wm port free it would work. You just click the wm port cable that came with the player into the stand. The dock cradle could not be used with a Dignis leather case


Thanks for the reply. I might consider getting one then. But i also sue it as a digital source for my DAC and use the Sony WMC-NWH10 Adaptor. Don’t know if it’ll fit in the stand too.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Thanks for the reply. I might consider getting one then. But i also sue it as a digital source for my DAC and use the Sony WMC-NWH10 Adaptor. Don’t know if it’ll fit in the stand too.



this is how the cable fits


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> this is how the cable fits


Thanks so much for the picture. Now I can see it clearly.the NWH10 cable is much thicker than the charge cable and therefore will definitely not fit in it. Thanks once again for taking the trouble to show me up close.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Thanks so much for the picture. Now I can see it clearly.the NWH10 cable is much thicker than the charge cable and therefore will definitely not fit in it. Thanks once again for taking the trouble to show me up close.



Didn’t think it would and anyway if your main purpose is to connect to an external dac to use the WM as a transport you are better of with the propper dock and a good usb cable


----------



## Lookout57

hamhamhamsta said:


> I tried the same stack with EE Phantom and LimeEar Aether; they sound meh. Phantom sounds flat, revealing but nothing else jumps out. Aether sounds anemic and muffled.
> 
> Back to CA OG Andromeda; it still sounds awesome. I think Alo 16 Gold iem is tuned using Andromeda. Soundstage so massive so open; it surrounds you 270* This cable has very good synergy with Andro; it plugs its weaknesses eg: weak subbass, timber sounding odd and plasticky. Listening to saxophone and trombone give me chills; I swore I heard vibrations on guitars on songs I never heard before. Its unreal.


I prefer the ALO Gold 16 with the Solaris and the SXC 8 with either the OG or SE Andromeda.


----------



## bana

meomap said:


> System 1 = 1Z 4.4mm output to 2.5mm input to ALO CDM. Use Aeon close , Utopia, and Noble Khan.
> 
> System 2 = 1Z into Sony dock out, usb out to Denafrips Terminator, output to ALO Studio Six  tube amp. Use Utopia only mainly.
> 
> ...



Meomap, thanks for this, now you have me thinking!!!
Just upgraded to a Cary Audio SLI-80 Integrated, and would prefer using a Dac, like your System 5.
I may indeed go with the Dock.


----------



## HoodedHoodlum

TSAVJason said:


> that’s a pretty cool case!


Thanks! It's a fantastic case for sure!


----------



## HoodedHoodlum

If there's one minor con I can mention about the WM1A, it's the background noise with sensitive IEMs. It's not loud of course, but it is there, noticable in quiet song sections, or when nothing is playing. As a comparison, my Cowon Plenue 1 is absolutely silent no matter which IEMs I use.


----------



## Vitaly2017

So did anyone have a small comparison yet between zx507 and wm1a or 1z?


----------



## Colors

HoodedHoodlum said:


> If there's one minor con I can mention about the WM1A, it's the background noise with sensitive IEMs. It's not loud of course, but it is there, noticable in quiet song sections, or when nothing is playing. As a comparison, my Cowon Plenue 1 is absolutely silent no matter which IEMs I use.



Yep, light hissing with my Andros with no music on. With music on, it’s unnoticeable.


----------



## ltanasom

Colors said:


> Yep, light hissing with my Andros with no music on. With music on, it’s unnoticeable.


I don't notice any hiss with my andro with wm1a


----------



## Damz87

ltanasom said:


> I don't notice any hiss with my andro with wm1a



My Andro's hiss with the WM1Z


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> Didn’t think it would and anyway if your main purpose is to connect to an external dac to use the WM as a transport you are better of with the propper dock and a good usb cable


Yes therefore I won’t be getting the dock as it only serves as a charging stand and won’t fit my DAC cable. Thanks again.


----------



## aceedburn

Damz87 said:


> My Andro's hiss with the WM1Z


I don’t get any hiss using the 1A with my Z5. In fact it’s a match made in heaven for me. It just sounds so bloody good together. And that powerful sub impact never gets in the way of mids or anything. Perfect for me.


----------



## miguel.yarce

Hi all! 

Does anybody have used the wmc-nwh10 cable to transmit DSD to an external dac? Is this possible or convert to pcm? 

I am planning to buy one and use it with an SMSL SU-8. 

Regards!!


----------



## aceedburn

miguel.yarce said:


> Hi all!
> 
> Does anybody have used the wmc-nwh10 cable to transmit DSD to an external dac? Is this possible or convert to pcm?
> 
> ...


I am using the NWH10 to transmit full DSD256 to my FiiO K5 Pro. The cable works beautifully and sounds awesome. Attached pic.


----------



## sne4me

yes it does dsd, i run it to a sony TA amp


----------



## Redcarmoose

Damz87 said:


> My Andro's hiss with the WM1Z


https://headfonics.com/2018/02/noble-audio-django-review/

In the Noble Audio Django review “Headfonics” uses that IEM as an actual testing device (out of their collection of 80 IEMs) to discover how much hiss a DAP may have. So it must be the total most sensitive!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 6, 2019)

sne4me said:


> yes it does dsd, i run it to a sony TA amp



Oh? So instead of the dock or the supplied mini-usb connector you hook your Walkman to the TA with a USB cable? Wow. I never thought of that?

Err....or if I did I forgot that would work?


----------



## auronthas

Lookout57 said:


> I prefer the ALO Gold 16 with the Solaris and the SXC 8 with either the OG or SE Andromeda.


What about Reference 8 with OG Andromeda?  I find, it's sound not too 'bright' than SXC 8 or Gold


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## sne4me (Dec 6, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> Oh? So instead of the dock or the supplied mini-usb connector you hook your Walkman to the TA with a USB cable? Wow. I never thought of that?
> 
> Err....or if I did I forgot that would work?



Yes redcarmoose, The TA has the walkman connector but also has USB type B separately. I have a USB type-B to split data/power USB type A. I run the data into the walkman adapter to my WM1A, and power to a conditioned power adapter.

i also use this usb system to run into PC for direct audio out


----------



## Redcarmoose

sne4me said:


> Yes redcarmoose, The TA has the walkman connector but also has USB type B separately. I have a USB type-B to split data/power USB type A. I run the data into the walkman adapter to my WM1A, and power to a conditioned power adapter.
> 
> i also use this usb system to run into PC for direct audio out



Do you personally think the 1A acts as a better source than a PC?


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> Do you personally think the 1A acts as a better source than a PC?


In my opinion, definitely yes. I used to run my MacBook Air to the K5 Pro DAC and now using the 1A to the DAC, vast improvement in sound. Fuller, warmer and just more enjoyable overall.


----------



## miguel.yarce

aceedburn said:


> I am using the NWH10 to transmit full DSD256 to my FiiO K5 Pro. The cable works beautifully and sounds awesome. Attached pic.





aceedburn said:


> In my opinion, definitely yes. I used to run my MacBook Air to the K5 Pro DAC and now using the 1A to the DAC, vast improvement in sound. Fuller, warmer and just more enjoyable overall.



Thanks!! I will go for that cable, I really didnt imagine that the wm1a is a better source than a PC. I like your leather case


----------



## aceedburn

miguel.yarce said:


> Thanks!! I will go for that cable, I really didnt imagine that the wm1a is a better source than a PC. I like your leather case


The cable is worth it. Really. A little expensive but takes your sound to a whole new level. I’m using the miter leather case. It has a stand that’s why I like it.


----------



## Saraband

Viszla said:


> In Germany are no losers!!!!!





Vitaly2017 said:


> What you have transgenders ???





Hellraiser86 said:


> If this would be the only case I have already left this country  I am more into women.
> But I also like my Mac (and I have a PC for complementing my needs)



Can we keep the conversation focused on audio and this hobby we all love and leave the misogyny and transphobia out?  It seems these days that this is one of the few online forums that's free of bigotry and divisive politics, and that's really a great thing.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 6, 2019)

Saraband said:


> Can we keep the conversation focused on audio and this hobby we all love and leave the misogyny and transphobia out?  It seems these days that this is one of the few online forums that's free of bigotry and divisive politics, and that's really a great thing.



This is a fairly light-hearted forum. No one is ever bringing up any hall monitoring from a month ago..... being a heavy......until now?


----------



## cosplayerkyo

I was at Sony Ginza and they use sample a TAZ with NWH10 cable.
I’m pretty curious to see if the WM1A + dock really is an improvement over the NWH10 + WM1A


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 6, 2019)

cosplayerkyo said:


> I was at Sony Ginza and they use sample a TAZ with NWH10 cable.
> I’m pretty curious to see if the WM1A + dock really is an improvement over the NWH10 + WM1A


It’s a nice improvement as the dock has a series of clocking anti-jitter filters. And........to further enhance you can get the AudioQuest Carbon USB cable. I meant to get the shortest one, to decrease external interference, but ended with the 5 foot which is the next size up. Though   5 feet works well with laptops and such farther from the TA.

100s of pages back there are pictures where someone dismantled a dock and identified the parts.

A couple folks here have the dock and Carbon combo.


----------



## Hellraiser86

Redcarmoose said:


> This is a fairly light-hearted forum. No one is ever bringing up any hall monitoring from a month ago..... being a heavy......until now?



Thank you. 



Saraband said:


> Can we keep the conversation focused on audio and this hobby we all love and leave the misogyny and transphobia out?  It seems these days that this is one of the few online forums that's free of bigotry and divisive politics, and that's really a great thing.



Of course it was not the most political way how I said this but in case it wasn’t already clear: it was sarcasm (recognisable because of using exaggeration and no insults)
And to be precise my post wasn’t even transphobic. Of course some people could have read it like I hate homosexual people but it can also be read that because of my taste I couldn’t get a heterosexual girlfriend if the country only has one type of gender which isn’t the one I am into. 

On the other hand you’ve got many people from different countries with different language. There is always the chance of misunderstanding and that somethings got lost in translation. Because all of this it would be always the better option to communicate with the people directly instead of a general post. You can still use this method if they won’t respond to your message. Otherwise you could be easily recognised for just wanting attention.  

I know I just could have been silent. But it is very annoying to be pointed out because of a post with presumably wrong behaviour from someone who doesn’t apply simple rules of conversation on own behaviour.

I always try to search the fault by myself before I criticise someone. Because there is always a chance of misunderstanding. 

Of course I just can speak for myself.


----------



## bflat

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s a nice improvement as the dock has a series of clocking anti-jitter filters. And........to further enhance you can get the AudioQuest Carbon USB cable. I meant to get the shortest one, to decrease external interference, but ended with the 5 foot which is the next size up. Though   5 feet works well with laptops and such farther from the TA.
> 
> 100s of pages back there are pictures where someone dismantled a dock and identified the parts.
> 
> A couple folks here have the dock and Carbon combo.



I would assume the dock plus DAP is giving the same benefit as a clean power supply on the USB port. Also the better cables will shield better from external EMI. In my experience, the net effect is a reduction of glare in the highs, but without any loss of detail. On the contrary, some folks don't like this effect and will say the sound is more dull.

While it may sound counter intuitive when speaking digital, the type of noise I'm referring too, gets transmitted on the same digital lines, all the way to the analog stage where it turns in to audible distortion. I know first hand that this is 100% possible as I've had DACs where I can literally hear AM radio as noise because my house happens to be close to an AM radio tower and all the AC wiring in my house acts as a giant antennae. Alternatively, even the cheapest DAPs I've used around my house in battery mode have never picked up the same AM radio noise.


----------



## Lookout57

auronthas said:


> What about Reference 8 with OG Andromeda?  I find, it's sound not too 'bright' than SXC 8 or Gold


I found that the SXC8 has Deeper bass. Better details. Deeper soundstage, Smoother highs than the Ref8.


----------



## Damz87

Lookout57 said:


> I found that the SXC8 has Deeper bass. Better details. Deeper soundstage, Smoother highs than the Ref8.



Do you all use the Andros balanced with the WM1A/WM1Z? And if so, do you hear much of a difference compared to SE?


----------



## Lookout57

I've never used SE on the 1A or 1Z so I can't say what the difference is.


----------



## PointyFox

I couldn't hear a difference between SE and balanced on the WM1A on the Andromeda except for the balanced being louder.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 6, 2019)

bflat said:


> I would assume the dock plus DAP is giving the same benefit as a clean power supply on the USB port. Also the better cables will shield better from external EMI. In my experience, the net effect is a reduction of glare in the highs, but without any loss of detail. On the contrary, some folks don't like this effect and will say the sound is more dull.
> 
> While it may sound counter intuitive when speaking digital, the type of noise I'm referring too, gets transmitted on the same digital lines, all the way to the analog stage where it turns in to audible distortion. I know first hand that this is 100% possible as I've had DACs where I can literally hear AM radio as noise because my house happens to be close to an AM radio tower and all the AC wiring in my house acts as a giant antennae. Alternatively, even the cheapest DAPs I've used around my house in battery mode have never picked up the same AM radio noise.



As a disclaimer......I’m the style of audiophile that does fall victim to any cool  off-kilter build construction. I have RCA interconnection cables which are surrounded with small ball bearings, gold foil power cables? I’m trying to find the last ounce of SQ, if it’s there. The thing about power here (remember these are only my ideas) is that basically the 1A or 1Z would be cleaner going straight to the TA as they are battery powered, hence no wall AC noise. Though in function the DAPs run on battery 100% of the time so the dock charges them while they are sitting in it.

But yes, one of the main selling features besides construction methodology and materials is the Carbons EMI cover.

The extra dock electronics are USB filters which work with taking out USB noise and try and improve timing. The Carbon USB cable (to me) just seems to clear up the highs, also helping get better separation. The highs at first actually didn’t seem dull but brighter?

But yes, WiFi and EMI could effect some players, I think mostly in the amplifier or DAC section, where here we are bypassing both and using the amplifier and DAC in the TA? But there has been many reports of other brands of DAPs being sensitive to the external noise, to the point that people hear their own cell phone signals when they arrive and depart.

But I know very little of how power is transferred with a USB cable?

Funny now you can actually buy EMI wallpaper and make your listening room completely EMI free.......except the floor and ceiling? Lol. 

They also sell small sheets of EMI paper, so you could wrap your gear like a gift!


----------



## Damz87 (Dec 6, 2019)

PointyFox said:


> I couldn't hear a difference between SE and balanced on the WM1A on the Andromeda except for the balanced being louder.



The andros are already super loud with the Walkman in SE! 35 volume in normal gain is almost too loud for me


----------



## Vitaly2017

Is it me or its really true wm1z is on sale for 2399 usd on amazon.com brand new units. !!! ??? Wow


----------



## PointyFox (Dec 7, 2019)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Is it me or its really true wm1z is on sale for 2399 usd on amazon.com brand new units. !!! ??? Wow



I'm seeing new ones at $998 on Amazon and $899 on eBay.

Edit: Oops, thought they said WM1A.


----------



## nc8000

PointyFox said:


> I'm seeing new ones at $998 on Amazon and $899 on eBay.



I very much doubt that and if so it surely must be fakes or scams


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 7, 2019)

PointyFox said:


> I couldn't hear a difference between SE and balanced on the WM1A on the Andromeda except for the balanced being louder.



I still am very skeptical on how anyone would even do this test. Number one you would have to hope that you had the same exact cable made by the same manufacturer and same brand of both 3.5mm and 4.4mm plug. Just those requirements are next to impossible. The next thing you would need to do is actually measure the volume level before listening as the 4.4mm output is going to be way louder...........and that in and of itself is singlehandedly responsible for a laundry list of wrong perception ideas. But EVEN if you did do all those things exactly correct many believe you may hear better 4.4mm separation and imaging even if the IEM was easy to drive. Still everyone’s hearing is different and some wouldn’t notice the improvement. Where we get unquestionably great improvements is 4.4mm on something like the XBA-Z5.


----------



## thymen002

nc8000 said:


> I very much doubt that and if so it surely must be fakes or scams


The WM1a is going for $998 on Amazon and the WM1Z can be had for $2399


----------



## nc8000

thymen002 said:


> The WM1a is going for $998 on Amazon and the WM1Z can be had for $2399



Yes but he was stating that brand new 1Z could be had for under $1000 and that I don't believe


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 7, 2019)

Spoiler:  "



joking...... I’m joking damn it








The prices are falling due to the new Walkman. Funny it has a knob just like the DMP-Z1?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> Spoiler:  "
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Das ist der shanling Prototyp, der M30 Digital audio Spieler


----------



## RobertP

What DAP is that?


----------



## gerelmx1986

RobertP said:


> What DAP is that?


That's the Shamling M30 still prototype


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> Yes but he was stating that brand new 1Z could be had for under $1000 and that I don't believe



He miss looked 1000 is for 1a




Redcarmoose said:


> Spoiler:  "
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Thats not sony but shanling, really intriguing device I have to say. But why it affect sony 1z completely different brand and device.


That little thing Has TUBES!!!  crazy lol


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 7, 2019)

Vitaly2017 said:


> He miss looked 1000 is for 1a
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It was just a joke because it has a DMP-Z1 gold knob, like they made a mini DMP-Z1 to replace the 1Z. A joke..........as you know at some point maybe they will try and miniaturize the DMP-Z1..........And Walkman prices WOULD fall.


----------



## RobertP (Dec 7, 2019)

Vitaly2017 said:


> He miss looked 1000 is for 1a
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Tubes have been around for long time. Good sound but they needed to be change when getting too old.  FPGA's is the new stuff. No need for maintaince, reprogramable, and a lot more power efficient.


----------



## Redcarmoose

RobertP said:


> Tubes have been around for long time. Good sound but they needed to be change when getting too old.  FPGA's is the new stuff. No need for maintaince, reprogramable, and a lot more power efficient.



It is new stuff, but I remember an engineer telling me about FPGA concepts 20 years ago.


----------



## RobertP (Dec 7, 2019)

Hmm, I thought tubes were around in the 60's maybe even older.

But anyway, class AB amplifier is the best for DAPs but how hot it gonna be, is it portable enough, how often for tubes replacement,  and what is a battery life?


----------



## nc8000

RobertP said:


> Hmm, I thought tubes were around in the 60's maybe even older.



Tubes were around in the 10’s and 20’s


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 7, 2019)

Before they had amplifiers radios had big horn like things so they looked like those victrola record players. Henry Ford had a huge collection of these radios and as people didn’t have AC, they ran off of batteries. Later the first amps were made with 300b tubes. The 300b tubes were so reliable they put a 300b amplifier in the middle of the Atlantic under the ocean to boost the telephone signal from New York to  London. But still in Hi/Fi... stereos didn’t really become loud or mainstream until the early 1960s. What you have to remember is most of this gear was just too expensive for most people. The 1958 Fisher 500 cost 1/3 of the price of a car and was mono. Nice sound but mono. Another big American manufacturer was HH Scott.

http://hhscott.com/integrated_amps_stereo.htm

The thing was that by 1962 they were making 42 watt home stereo amps which were way way louder than anything before. That’s why many consider the early 1960s to be the beginning of Hi/Fi. I had one of these as my main headphone amp until I purchased a Woo 5LE in 2009. Amazing that really this technology works as good today as it did in 1962.

https://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Audio/50s/Audio-1958-Sept.pdf

Stereo was just emerging in 1958 and there was a majority who didn’t believe it would catch on.



 


Here is a stereo 40 watt Fisher from 1958. I had a X101. A Fisher 500 too.


----------



## bflat

Redcarmoose said:


> Spoiler:  "
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The volume pot on the DMP-Z1 alone cost $700 or more.


----------



## purk

bflat said:


> The volume pot on the DMP-Z1 alone cost $700 or more.


Try again.  That’s a $1K volume pot if not more.


----------



## bflat (Dec 7, 2019)

purk said:


> Try again.  That’s a $1K volume pot if not more.



LOL yeah. I was assuming Sony got better pricing. I wonder what the gold plated cap cost?

Personally a volume pot for $1K needs to do a whole lot more for me than just adjust volume. A WHOLE LOT MORE!

Some ideas:

Able to tell me my health status every time I touch the knob.
Voice and AI control that can understand my command "set volume not too low, but not too high"
Self cleaning feature, not just the knob but the whole device.
Can detect which album I want to listen to
Security lock feature based on my finger prints
Able to kill any virus or bacteria in my body each time I touch
Probably have a few more, but this is a good start.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Before they had amplifiers radios had big horn like things so they looked like those victrola record players. Henry Ford had a huge collection of these radios and as people didn’t have AC, they ran off of batteries. Later the first amps were made with 300b tubes. The 300b tubes were so reliable they put a 300b amplifier in the middle of the Atlantic under the ocean to boost the telephone signal from New York to  London. But still in Hi/Fi... stereos didn’t really become loud or mainstream until the early 1960s. What you have to remember is most of this gear was just too expensive for most people. The 1958 Fisher 500 cost 1/3 of the price of a car and was mono. Nice sound but mono. Another big American manufacturer was HH Scott.
> 
> http://hhscott.com/integrated_amps_stereo.htm
> 
> ...




WoW that is some history!  
Reading that make think that we really live in amazing times and soon technology going to boom so high and bring more affordable audio gear to us.


Thats cool thanks for sharing


----------



## RobertP

purk said:


> Try again.  That’s a $1K volume pot if not more.


Is it like what apple did on iPhone X price? $1k for retail price but only cost them like $360 to make.


----------



## PointyFox

Redcarmoose said:


> I still am very skeptical on how anyone would even do this test. Number one you would have to hope that you had the same exact cable made by the same manufacturer and same brand of both 3.5mm and 4.4mm plug. Just those requirements are next to impossible. The next thing you would need to do is actually measure the volume level before listening as the 4.4mm output is going to be way louder...........and that in and of itself is singlehandedly responsible for a laundry list of wrong perception ideas. But EVEN if you did do all those things exactly correct many believe you may hear better 4.4mm separation and imaging even if the IEM was easy to drive. Still everyone’s hearing is different and some wouldn’t notice the improvement. Where we get unquestionably great improvements is 4.4mm on something like the XBA-Z5.



Volume matched ahead of time, used 3.5 balanced with a 4.4mm adapter to switch quickly. Went back and forth 50+ times.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

PointyFox said:


> Volume matched ahead of time, used 3.5 balanced with a 4.4mm adapter to switch quickly. Went back and forth 50+ times.


And....whats the result?


----------



## PointyFox

hamhamhamsta said:


> And....whats the result?





PointyFox said:


> I couldn't hear a difference between SE and balanced on the WM1A on the Andromeda except for the balanced being louder.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 7, 2019)

Vitaly2017 said:


> WoW that is some history!
> Reading that make think that we really live in amazing times and soon technology going to boom so high and bring more affordable audio gear to us.
> 
> 
> Thats cool thanks for sharing



Well the amazing thing is if you do buy a good HH Scott or old Fisher amplifier they can be sold at any time usually for what you paid for them or more. But as far as headphones go there are not that many with headphone outputs and they are going to have a very low hum. The knobs can be scratchy but still the sound is amazing.


PointyFox said:


> Volume matched ahead of time, used 3.5 balanced with a 4.4mm adapter to switch quickly. Went back and forth 50+ times.





PointyFox said:


> I couldn't hear a difference between SE and balanced on the WM1A on the Andromeda except for the balanced being louder.



 Did you plug a 3.5mm balanced into the 3.5mm single ended then plug it into the 4.4mm with an adapter? Still the adapter would affect your out come.
I didn’t know you could plug a 3.5mm balanced into the 3.5mm single ended port?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> WoW that is some history!
> Reading that make think that we really live in amazing times and soon technology going to boom so high and bring more affordable audio gear to us.
> 
> 
> Thats cool thanks for sharing



Yes, it’s funny that the inventor of the car and assembly line was also into radio. Here are some photos of the first tube from 1908 and the first portable radio. 
https://www.thehenryford.org/collec...lections/expert-sets/101462/#mod=exhibit-view


----------



## PointyFox

Redcarmoose said:


> Well the amazing thing is if you do buy a good HH Scott or old Fisher amplifier they can be sold at any time usually for what you paid for them or more. But as far as headphones go there are not that many with headphone outputs and they are going to have a very low hum. The knobs can be scratchy but still the sound is amazing.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yes, the 3.5 mm was plugged into the SE. 
I assume the adapter wouldn't make a difference and I've never heard any adapters making a difference.


----------



## Skullar

PointyFox said:


> I couldn't hear a difference between SE and balanced on the WM1A on the Andromeda except for the balanced being louder.


i am very surprised that you cannot hear the difference. i am using R1 Zeniths with wm1a and the difference is quite significant. the imaging is quite improved and treble is more refined and sparkly. bass is slightly more controlled too.

But im posting for different reason;
I am really curious to try out a different DAP.  wm1a is my first and only dedicated dap as i was using v30 before. I was considering 2 options:

1.  Ibasso dx220. i like the size and all the hardware. it would just mean that my 4.4mm eros II cable becomes unused. 

2.  Cayin n6ii i like that its modular and has 4.4mm balanced. bu its quite heavy. 


Could anyone who owned them compare the sound signature of both above to WM1A please? which one has better sound stage and imaging? also i dont like analitical signature.  


Thanks a bunch!


----------



## nc8000 (Dec 7, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> Well the amazing thing is if you do buy a good HH Scott or old Fisher amplifier they can be sold at any time usually for what you paid for them or more. But as far as headphones go there are not that many with headphone outputs and they are going to have a very low hum. The knobs can be scratchy but still the sound is amazing.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The 3.5 port supports a trrs plug to give seperate ground just like the ZX2 did. Seperate ground gives a fair improvement over trs so could explain why he don’t detect any difference but then he is strictly speaking not comparing single ended to balanced


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 8, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> The 3.5 port supports a trrs plug to give seperate ground just like the ZX2 did. Common ground gives a fair improvement over trs so could explain why he don’t detect any difference but then he is strictly speaking not comparing single ended to balanced



There is the answer. Thank-you. Your the best! 



_
 Fearless S6Rui IEM
 Noble Audio Kaiser 10 Encore IEM 

Han Sound Audio Zen 4 wire OCC litz copper cable terminated Furutech 4.4mm 
Han Sound  Audio ZENTOO 4 wire OCC litz copper cable terminated 4.4mm

Sony NW-WM1Z DIgital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW 3.02
Sony NW-WM1A Digital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW 3.01_


----------



## PointyFox

Skullar said:


> i am very surprised that you cannot hear the difference. i am using R1 Zeniths with wm1a and the difference is quite significant. the imaging is quite improved and treble is more refined and sparkly. bass is slightly more controlled too.
> 
> But im posting for different reason;
> I am really curious to try out a different DAP.  wm1a is my first and only dedicated dap as i was using v30 before. I was considering 2 options:
> ...



I owned the DX200 and WM1A and the only difference I could hear between them was interference on the DX200 from the wifi. I don't know if the DX220 has the same issue.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Dec 7, 2019)

Skullar said:


> i am very surprised that you cannot hear the difference. i am using R1 Zeniths with wm1a and the difference is quite significant. the imaging is quite improved and treble is more refined and sparkly. bass is slightly more controlled too.
> 
> But im posting for different reason;
> I am really curious to try out a different DAP.  wm1a is my first and only dedicated dap as i was using v30 before. I was considering 2 options:
> ...




Cant really say much about dx220 but I had dx200 once, recently owned and sold n6ii.

My wm1z is unbeatable seriously,  if you are like me you like warm sound maximum bass details and layering with delicious textures. Cant beat wm1z,  maybe cayin n8 but I havent heard it. Those are the 2 only totl dap I know to date that offer warm and entertaining sound sig. Wm1z and cayin n8.

The rest is more on analytical side of things, so you would need warm warm iems or headphones to compensate.

I heard plunue L is warm aswell maybe as good as n6ii hmmm.

Lately I have read about lotoo paw 6000 something very close to wm1z apparantly and its priced at 1200 usd.

Has all the usb and bluetooth dac features as sony wm daps.


Right now I tremendously enjoying tia trio out of wm1z.  I have to say its its something really amazing, I had z1r and didnt got that much love towards them as my trio... why?  I guess its more fun side of things? More bass and less treble peaky with my edm music....
Its my type of flavor.


Dx220 more reference and analytical to my understanding. 

Fiio m11pro more musical and less analytical but still close there.

N6ii very warm and thick, even thicker then wm1z but not as refined with nuances of layers and details. Has great micro details !
More bass slam.

I even heard hugo2 and I found wm1z to be more refined even against hugo2 lol.  Hugo wound very very alike cayin n6ii funny to say that but huh dont know )


I would highly recommend you trie cayin n6ii with amp t01 or paw 6000 if money can afford go wm1z!


----------



## Skullar

Vitaly2017 said:


> Cant really say much about dx220 but I had dx200 once, recently owned and sold n6ii.
> 
> My wm1z is unbeatable seriously,  if you are like me you like warm sound maximum bass details and layering with delicious textures. Cant beat wm1z,  maybe cayin n8 but I havent heard it. Those are the 2 only totl dap I know to date that offer warm and entertaining sound sig. Wm1z and cayin n8.
> 
> ...


Well i dont know how much different wm1a is vs wm1z but from what i read 1a is more neutral. So they compare from different point of view.

Cayin n6ii has new e01 module coming out. So that is very interesting. I will wait for a review to come out. Im just worried about battery performance with that mod a bit.

Ibasso seems to have wider soundstage and technicaly sound better. But i am worried about it being too analitical. Though i am using fun sounding bassy iems like CA Atlas, and IMR Zeniths, and soon Rah. So it might be a good match. 
I just wish it had 4.4mm instead of 2.5 balance output. 

And there is always option of just staying with wm1a. Or wait for wm2a lol. But it will be stupidly overpriced seeing 507 price.


----------



## ChrisIsAwesome

Why is sony still using a proprietary connector? 
Only thing keeping me away from their dap's


----------



## Vitaly2017

ChrisIsAwesome said:


> Why is sony still using a proprietary connector?
> Only thing keeping me away from their dap's



I have no issues with it, so far the most reliable  connector ive used


----------



## TSAVJason

ChrisIsAwesome said:


> Why is sony still using a proprietary connector?
> Only thing keeping me away from their dap's



you’re referring to the 4.4mm, or data port?


----------



## ChrisIsAwesome

I should have specified, i was referring to the data port


----------



## 21qz

Anyone have this combo with the meze emporium?


----------



## auronthas

Skullar said:


> i am very surprised that you cannot hear the difference. i am using R1 Zeniths with wm1a and the difference is quite significant. the imaging is quite improved and treble is more refined and sparkly. bass is slightly more controlled too.


IMO, if your IEM is low impedance and efficient (high sensitivity), there will be no subtle difference between 3.5mm single ended and 4.4mm balanced.

However, if your IEM/headphone is high > 50ohm and sensitivity lower than 100 dBSPL, the sound difference between single-ended and balanced can be easily distinguished .  

Again, everyone hear things differently, there are many other factors affecting the sound...


----------



## Skullar

auronthas said:


> IMO, if your IEM is low impedance and efficient (high sensitivity), there will be no subtle difference between 3.5mm single ended and 4.4mm balanced.
> 
> However, if your IEM/headphone is high > 50ohm and sensitivity lower than 100 dBSPL, the sound difference between single-ended and balanced can be easily distinguished .
> 
> Again, everyone hear things differently, there are many other factors affecting the sound...


Well for me its as if Sony did not put much effort into 3.5mm performance... As it did not sound MUCH better then my v30, not enough to have a dedicated Dap anyway. 4.4mm balanced however is another dimension. And my iems are rated 32ohm max.
It will depend on what iems you use of course. And maybe even what genre you are listening to.

But again, i do agree that we all hear it different so the above is my take on it. And there is no wrong or right when it comes to listening experience...
Well Unless you are buying $1.5k Dap to stream Spotify haha. Jk jk. Im sure someone does that too.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ChrisIsAwesome said:


> I should have specified, i was referring to the data port


The newer A100  and Zx500 have switched to USB-C


----------



## ChrisIsAwesome

That's great, i really hope their next flagship has usb-c.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

ChrisIsAwesome said:


> That's great, i really hope their next flagship has usb-c.



I find USB-C cables very flimsy compared to wm-port cables which have lasted more than 10 years for me. 

Anyway, I had to take out all my dance tracks from 1Z and put it on 1A, as I found dance music was way to bassy for me on 1Z. So now my 1Z is loaded with rock and pop music.


----------



## somnarium

Skullar said:


> 1.  Ibasso dx220. i like the size and all the hardware. it would just mean that my 4.4mm eros II cable becomes unused.
> 
> 2.  Cayin n6ii i like that its modular and has 4.4mm balanced. bu its quite heavy
> 
> Thanks a bunch!



AMP8 has 4.4 balanced


----------



## proedros

is there an SONY buy link for the *usb port charge/data cable for wm1a?*

or a 3rd party same cable ?

thanx


----------



## Skullar

somnarium said:


> AMP8 has 4.4 balanced


Oh i did not know that. How is the overall sound sig with amp 8?


----------



## RobertP

Finally, I bought WM1Z for $1750. Have to wait for week or two to arrive and then start the burn-in process. Can't wait to compare them.


----------



## Mal Waldron (Dec 10, 2019)

Bought a Dignis case on May 2019 and one the sides is starting to taking off. I've just contact them and they've said me
"it can be repaired to be judged by the photo, but customer have to pay shipping fee of two ways". I wouldn't think of paying those shipping costs and possible customs costs upon receiving the return package.  If I know that I won't buy covers on that website again.  I'll try to paste it myself with special skin glue.


----------



## NickleCo

Who would have known that LDAC was the magic touch to make the mdr 1a sound good. Playing spotify (ik...) using bt func. on wm1a tames the sparkly treble of the mdr 1a.


----------



## thymen002

RobertP said:


> Finally, I bought WM1Z for $1750. Have to wait for week or two to arrive and then start the burn-in process. Can't wait to compare them.


Congrats on the purchase!
Where did you get a new one for $1750? Have been checking daily but haven't been able to find a better price than $2399 new?


----------



## RobertP

Win the Ebay auction is the only way to get it cheap. Otherwise you can buy used for around this price range too. Have to wait until some vender put it on auction.


----------



## bflat

Mal Waldron said:


> Bought a Dignis case on May 2019 and one the sides is starting to taking off. I've just contact them and they've said me
> "it can be repaired to be judged by the photo, but customer have to pay shipping fee of two ways". I wouldn't think of paying those shipping costs and possible customs costs upon receiving the return package.  If I know that I won't buy covers on that website again.  I'll try to paste it myself with special skin glue.



Just take it to a local cobbler and I’m sure they can fix it for a few dollars. Even if Dignis gave you free repairs it would take weeks.


----------



## Redcarmoose

bflat said:


> Just take it to a local cobbler and I’m sure they can fix it for a few dollars. Even if Dignis gave you free repairs it would take weeks.




Local Cobbler?.......oh....you mean next to the local Blacksmith? 
You mean travel back in time to Medieval England? They still have those?


----------



## djricekcn (Dec 10, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> Local Cobbler?.......oh....you mean next to the local Blacksmith?
> You mean travel back in time to Medieval England? They still have those?


Shoe. Laether repair shop etc      most major malls in America has them or accepts them for outsource as  far as I know.  At least in Los angeles


----------



## djricekcn

thymen002 said:


> Congrats on the purchase!
> Where did you get a new one for $1750? Have been checking daily but haven't been able to find a better price than $2399 new?


Target had them up for a while.  If you have a red card, you can get 5 percent off


----------



## Fishdo (Dec 11, 2019)

Mal Waldron said:


> Bought a Dignis case on May 2019 and one the sides is starting to taking off. I've just contact them and they've said me
> "it can be repaired to be judged by the photo, but customer have to pay shipping fee of two ways". I wouldn't think of paying those shipping costs and possible customs costs upon receiving the return package.  If I know that I won't buy covers on that website again.  I'll try to paste it myself with special skin glue.



You could get any adhesive like a PVA and fix that your self very quickly... that’s all Dignis would do on that particular detail... a PVA will dry clear too...

Just use a tooth pick to push the adhesive into the gap... then wipe away the excess and use a paper clip or one of those larger clips (you use to hold a lot of paper together) and let it go off... you won’t notice the difference...


----------



## Fishdo

Sorry if this has been asked before but I am struggling to find a definite answer...

When you look to get the English UI using the ‘J’ designation (so to get the increased frequency range as well as the gain and volume uncapped) ...

Do you set up the change of code from the CEW or CEW2  into ‘J’ then reset everything as though you had finished and then go back in and change the ‘J’ to say an ‘E’ ...?

Or do you just change to ‘J’ and enter and while still in the command window change it again to say an ‘E’...?

Thanks


----------



## Mal Waldron

Fishdo said:


> You could get any adhesive like a PVA and fix that your self very quickly... that’s all Dignis would do on that particular detail... a PVA will dry clear too...



Tomorrow, I'll recieve a special glue for leather.


----------



## Fishdo

Mal Waldron said:


> Tomorrow, I'll recieve a special glue for leather.



That’s good mate... but truth is that even the cheap PVA kids glue would do the same job... so if you have paid a lot for your order ... it might be worth returning it...

Adhesive makers always charge a premium when you put a specific word (like leather, Rubber etc) in front of the word glue or adhesive...


----------



## Mal Waldron

Fishdo said:


> That’s good mate... but truth is that even the cheap PVA kids glue would do the same job... so if you have paid a lot for your order ... it might be worth returning it...
> 
> Adhesive makers always charge a premium when you put a specific word (like leather, Rubber etc) in front of the word glue or adhesive...



3 euro in Amazon...


----------



## Fishdo

I’ll get my coat...!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Fishdo said:


> Sorry if this has been asked before but I am struggling to find a definite answer...
> 
> When you look to get the English UI using the ‘J’ designation (so* to get the increased frequency range* as well as the gain and volume uncapped) ...
> 
> ...


which frequency range increase are you talking about?


----------



## nc8000

Fishdo said:


> Sorry if this has been asked before but I am struggling to find a definite answer...
> 
> When you look to get the English UI using the ‘J’ designation (so to get the increased frequency range as well as the gain and volume uncapped) ...
> 
> ...



I just use E. The frequence range is not relevant for the 1A and 1Z players as they don’t have a FM tuner built in


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I just use E. The frequence range is not relevant for the 1A and 1Z players as they don’t have a FM tuner built in


If he wants radio, he can buy a NW-A55L and set it on the region E.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> If he wants radio, he can buy a NW-A55L and set it on the region E.



yes but region J has a wider FM frequency range than the other regions


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am wondering about @purk impression of his ZX500 VS WM1A/Z


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am wondering about @purk impression of his ZX500 VS WM1A/Z


I can tell you a thing for sure is that it look newer and appears to be much newer than the WM1A/Z.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> I can tell you a thing for sure is that it look newer and appears to be much newer than the WM1A/Z.


And zx500 uses the newer capacitora and gold solder used in the DMP-Z1


----------



## Fishdo

gerelmx1986 said:


> If he wants radio, he can buy a NW-A55L and set it on the region E.



Thanks mate I appreciate your help.


----------



## Fishdo (Dec 12, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> And zx500 uses the newer capacitora and gold solder used in the DMP-Z1



Do you know about any difference in sound quality please compared to the WM1A...

Would it be better to choose the new Zx500 over the WM1A for sound quality...

or is the WM1A still a better choice...

I was looking at getting the WM1A as I have been after one for a couple of years as it is so highly regarded by guys on here but now I have enough money to buy a used WM1A for about the same money as a Zx500 would I still get the high quality sound that most guys rave about with the WM1A...?

Which ever way I go it will need to be a keeper for a good while...

It has taken me a while to save for the WM1A and I am hoping I haven’t taken too long and that the WM1A is now out of date .. sound quality wise...

I have had cheaper DAPs like the M11 and SR15 ... I didn’t like the m11 at all... indeed I preferred my iPhone and mojo over the m11 ..I also found the Topping NSX and Onkyo sound better than the M11 as well . but I did like the SR15 and would buy a Cube if I could (either afford or justify that much extra over a used WM1A or new zx500) as I like the AK sound with my Solaris iems and EA cleopatra...

Any advice would be very welcome please as there is not a lot of info about the zx500 compared to the wm1a... well not that I have been able to read... (which isn’t saying a lot!)

and a lot of what I do read seems to have that phrase that is the kiss of death when it comes to audio equipment... “ great for the money..”

Thanks


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> And zx500 uses the newer capacitora and gold solder used in the DMP-Z1


Purk May sell you his DMP  LOL!

Have you seen the market lately ? The DMP-Z1 just opened up a whole new segment of transportability! A&K is following with KANN CUBE.  However, none of these newer products are going to directly competing with the DMP-Z1.

be subjective and give all the personal opinions anyone want.  I love the DMP by a whole lot, from inside and out, up to my ears and closer when in bed.....WoooW


----------



## gerelmx1986

Fishdo said:


> Do you know about any difference in sound quality please compared to the WM1A...
> 
> Would it be better to choose the new Zx500 over the WM1A for sound quality...
> 
> ...


Went to two MediaMarkt stores here in Germany, both sold the new walkmans closed box, so no chance for trying it


----------



## RobertP (Dec 12, 2019)

Fishdo said:


> Do you know about any difference in sound quality please compared to the WM1A...
> 
> Would it be better to choose the new Zx500 over the WM1A for sound quality...
> 
> ...



Just by look inside ZX500 and WM1A board, 1A still have more and better capacitors resistors overall for better cleaner sound. I don't think I see supercapaciter inside ZX. That mean less dynamic and power. Add a bit of gold in solder for ZX terminals should provide a bit more warmth to the sound.
I used to have ZX2 and sometimes I can hear RF interference noises in the background. I dont know if ZX500 will have the same issue or not.


----------



## proedros

does *DSEE HX* improve your WM1A listening experience ?

Can you tell what differences you feel like hearing , instead of being on direct mode/sound enhancements off ?

also does it have any hit on the battery usage ?


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> does *DSEE HX* improve your WM1A listening experience ?
> 
> Can you tell what differences you feel like hearing , instead of being on direct mode/sound enhancements off ?
> 
> also does it have any hit on the battery usage ?



All dsp effects have a hit on the battery life. The differences I heard from various effects were so small that I’d rather stick with source direct and longer battery life


----------



## RobertP

Finally my wm1z came in. Looks really nice. Feel like twice heavier than 1A. So far, the 1Z sounds thicker and more forward. I'm starting break-in process now. I hope to get more open, airyer, better high extension than this after a week or maybe a month from now. Otherwise my 1A is doing surprisingly well against the 1Z.


----------



## Quadfather

RobertP said:


> Finally my wm1z came in. Looks really nice. Feel like twice heavier than 1A. So far, the 1Z sounds thicker and more forward. I'm starting break-in process now. I hope to get more open, airyer, better high extension than this after a week or maybe a month from now. Otherwise my 1A is doing surprisingly well against the 1Z.




The 1A is no slouch.  Keep us posted.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 13, 2019)

I don't know if the days of the standalone music library and physical albums/File downloads purchases are numbered as many and many DAP Manufactirers no longer offer in-house developed os options (like walkman OS or mango Os) and are transitioning to android. That has  me wondering if sonys next flagship will be android only or will continue to make the walkman OS


----------



## ChrisIsAwesome

Is there a typical cycle to sony's walkman lineup? I'm wondering if WM2Z is in the foreseeable future.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 13, 2019)

Regatding proedros question, I do not note such a huge difference with DSEE HX On with good quality mastering. However there are some that have very little reverb and DSEE seema to add some.more sense of space and depth to these recordings.

So @Whitigir in the DMP-Z1,  which one do you like the most? A) DSEE HX or B) DSD Remastering. Which differences do you note between these two upsampling algorithms?


----------



## DelsFan

bana said:


> Meomap, thanks for this, now you have me thinking!!!
> Just upgraded to a Cary Audio SLI-80 Integrated, and would prefer using a Dac, like your System 5.
> I may indeed go with the Dock.


I was searching for something else, but see you've purchased an SLI-80.  How are you using it, (with what) headphones or regular speakers or both?  What DAC?  

My thought has been, since I like the tube sound so much, that at the higher price points I'm happy to give up the last word in detail in order to get a little more warmth and spaciousness than what solid state will afford.  And at the higher price point, I'm (hopefully) still getting more detail from my tube amp than from a lesser priced solid state amp.

You've had the SLI-80 for over a week now!, how do you like it?


----------



## bana

DelsFan said:


> I was searching for something else, but see you've purchased an SLI-80.  How are you using it, (with what) headphones or regular speakers or both?  What DAC?
> 
> My thought has been, since I like the tube sound so much, that at the higher price points I'm happy to give up the last word in detail in order to get a little more warmth and spaciousness than what solid state will afford.  And at the higher price point, I'm (hopefully) still getting more detail from my tube amp than from a lesser priced solid state amp.
> 
> You've had the SLI-80 for over a week now!, how do you like it?



I'm using with Magnepan LRS speakers. Great full bodied detail and separation, I previously had all solid state NAD. I'm using with Chord mojo DAC at this time but looking to upgrade when I get more $$.


----------



## meomap

bana said:


> I'm using with Magnepan LRS speakers. Great full bodied detail and separation, I previously had all solid state NAD. I'm using with Chord mojo DAC at this time but looking to upgrade when I get more $$.



Using MC275 with Mag 3.7i.
Wonderful sound, so airy.


----------



## Amber Rain

miguel.yarce said:


> Hi all!
> 
> Does anybody have used the wmc-nwh10 cable to transmit DSD to an external dac? Is this possible or convert to pcm?
> 
> ...




I use it with my Questyle CMA600i - nice to see the DSD light finally light up!!!

Sounds awesome!


----------



## m usicguy (Dec 14, 2019)

just got my wma1 today.  12/14/2019   amazing out of the box. 

how do i check firmware?  update it.  i havent had any problems with it


love it


----------



## bana

Amber Rain said:


> I use it with my Questyle CMA600i - nice to see the DSD light finally light up!!!
> 
> Sounds awesome!



I use it with Chord Mojo and it's great!!


----------



## bflat

Moon Audio has Dignis cases on sale 10% off with "dignis10" and also free shipping for orders over $49 for US.


----------



## xenoVa

Don't deal with Moon Audio, they are fradulent.


----------



## bflat

atahanuz said:


> Don't deal with Moon Audio, they are fradulent.



Well I'm sure you have your reasons but I have made several purchases in the past 5+ years on cables and gear without any issues.


----------



## TSAVJason

atahanuz said:


> Don't deal with Moon Audio, they are fradulent.



I never comment on topics like this but in this case I can say you’re wrong. They are a good and fair company.


----------



## Death_Block

silly question, does the NW-WM1A run android?


----------



## bflat

Death_Block said:


> silly question, does the NW-WM1A run android?



No. OS is Sony proprietary.


----------



## Death_Block

is that to mean apps cannot be installed? Im looking at one of these or the Ibasso DX220. Reason for asking about android is using tidal or something similar for lossless streaming, storage. I don't have a music collection anymore to load on it.


----------



## linux4ever

Death_Block said:


> is that to mean apps cannot be installed? Im looking at one of these or the Ibasso DX220. Reason for asking about android is using tidal or something similar for lossless streaming, storage. I don't have a music collection anymore to load on it.


You could try the newly released Sony zx-507. That is Android based and you can install spps


----------



## bflat

Death_Block said:


> is that to mean apps cannot be installed? Im looking at one of these or the Ibasso DX220. Reason for asking about android is using tidal or something similar for lossless streaming, storage. I don't have a music collection anymore to load on it.



That's right, no app loading for Sony. Your options for Sony DAPs are:

1) Use your phone or tablet to stream to WM1a/z with bluetooth receive mode LDAC. or wired in DAC mode.
2) Get the new Sony ZX-500 which runs on Android.


----------



## Death_Block

heh, I was just on the sony website and didnt see the zx-500 (507)? thanks guys!


----------



## Death_Block

how would the zx-500 compare against the ibasso dx-220? used to own a dx200 and was very happy with it but got water damage. (if anyone knows if this is repareable that would be great). As I know what the dx200 is like its the only thing I can compare anything else too. it also uses dual 9028 sabre, couldnt find anywhere what the sony uses.


----------



## RobertP

atahanuz said:


> Don't deal with Moon Audio, they are fradulent.


Bought few items in the past and never have any problem.


----------



## proedros

Death_Block said:


> how would the zx-500 compare against the ibasso dx-220? used to own a dx200 and was very happy with it but got water damage. (if anyone knows if this is repareable that would be great). As I know what the dx200 is like its the only thing I can compare anything else too. it also uses dual 9028 sabre, couldnt find anywhere what the sony uses.



why are you asking in the wm1a/z thread about the zx500 ?

there is a dedicated zx500 thread here 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new-sony-nw-zx500

 i am sure that if you post your questions there , you can get actual feedback from zx500 owners

cheers


----------



## AMHaudio

Death_Block said:


> how would the zx-500 compare against the ibasso dx-220? used to own a dx200 and was very happy with it but got water damage. (if anyone knows if this is repareable that would be great). As I know what the dx200 is like its the only thing I can compare anything else too. it also uses dual 9028 sabre, couldnt find anywhere what the sony uses.


I had opportunity to carefully audition DX220 beside 1A & 1Z. In my 41 years of life I am tired of searching the summit sound. DX220 is very good. If I did not listen keeping all associated factors constant probably I would buy 220. Very detailed. Smart, streaming all together wow! But as I was only striving for ultimate sound quality, so could not stop buying 1Z. Vocal is so lushly, reach, OMG what a warm full bodied sound elements that I did not get anywhere. Mention able that even beside SP2000Cu. Pure analog, food like sound...


----------



## Ivan4you

For the moment i have a Sony ZX300 dap.Now i will buy a Sony wm1a or Sony wm1z.Witch one of these has the most diferrent Sound signature against the Sony ZX300?Or is it silly to upgrade because the sound signature improvement of this two is to small against the Sony ZX300?


----------



## AMHaudio

Ivan4you said:


> For the moment i have a Sony ZX300 dap.Now i will buy a Sony wm1a or Sony wm1z.Witch one of these has the most diferrent Sound signature against the Sony ZX300?Or is it silly to upgrade because the sound signature improvement of this two is to small against the Sony ZX300?


I have auditioned all those model. Sony's model scale up significantly with the prices. I found sound quality difference amongst the model which to me is justified to spent. To me upgrading is like new dreaming. It keeps me alive...


----------



## gerelmx1986

I see on sony's specs, that the walkman WM1A as well the A55 only support flac 24/192 but yes wave 32/384. I have bought an album of six Bach cello suites arranged for sax, sampled at 24/352.8. Will it play on the WM and the A55?


----------



## Lookout57 (Dec 15, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I see on sony's specs, that the walkman WM1A as well the A55 only support flac 24/192 but yes wave 32/384. I have bought an album of six Bach cello suites arranged for sax, sampled at 24/352.8. Will it play on the WM and the A55?



https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449080.html

*FLAC*
Media File format: FLAC file format

File extension: .flac

Bit depth: 16, 24 bit

Sampling frequency: 8, 11.025, 12, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192, 352.8, 384 kHz


----------



## amham

I own a WMA1 and have the latest firmware (BTW, the Sony Music Center for PC is horrible...locks up, stalls and other ills).  I've read most posts on this forum and have endured folks comments on differing cable/connector sounds and other snake oil.  In my opinion of listening/owning high end audio for over 50 years (and yes, owned much of the industry's "good stuff"), the WMA1 is just "OK" (single or balanced).  If you want to hear a real difference then couple it with a Woo WA8 or other good tube DAC/Amp.  The sound stage is immense, very weighty and spectacularly open with just the right sparkle.  Low end puts the WMA1 to shame as does the amount of pure power available.  Headphones are generally the better Hifiman planars.


----------



## Whitigir

amham said:


> Headphones are generally the better Hifiman planars.


You meant the Susvara right ?


----------



## amham

Whitigir said:


> You meant the Susvara right ?


The statement was meant to convey I'm currently using various Hifiman planars and others including 400i, 400s, Senn 800S, Senn 650...etc.  Previous was various Audeze...too heavy and dark.


----------



## nc8000

amham said:


> I own a WMA1 and have the latest firmware (BTW, the Sony Music Center for PC is horrible...locks up, stalls and other ills).  I've read most posts on this forum and have endured folks comments on differing cable/connector sounds and other snake oil.  In my opinion of listening/owning high end audio for over 50 years (and yes, owned much of the industry's "good stuff"), the WMA1 is just "OK" (single or balanced).  If you want to hear a real difference then couple it with a Woo WA8 or other good tube DAC/Amp.  The sound stage is immense, very weighty and spectacularly open with just the right sparkle.  Low end puts the WMA1 to shame as does the amount of pure power available.  Headphones are generally the better Hifiman planars.



Well neither the 1A nor 1Z has anywhere power enough to drive planars, nor were they designed primarily for use with power hungry hard to drive full size phones so no real surprise there


----------



## amham (Dec 15, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> Well neither the 1A nor 1Z has anywhere power enough to drive planars, nor were they designed primarily for use with power hungry hard to drive full size phones so no real surprise there


Granted, however these are $1200/3500 devices...there is no excuse that they should be under powered and having to make excuses for poor design decisions.  And one wonders why Sony is fading fast!  One additional point, for this class of music device they should have taken into consideration the type of higher end headphones the target market would be using.  To come close to the performance of a planar phone or similar one would have to spend an exorbitant amount on in ear or similar.  More power means additional design and battery considerations but is easily accomplished, not an engineering challenge at this price point.


----------



## svinaik

I respectfully disagree with your overarching assessment of "Under Powered / Poor Design Choices / Fading Fast" as it relates to SONY. As I see, SONY had been instrumental in making HR music listening a more commonly accessible concept and have brought in tremendous products in past few year to keep us from sinking into MP3 death zone.

But as I said, I respectfully disagree and do not intend it to turn into SONY bashing / SONY Fan Boy distraction.


----------



## Lookout57

Power hungry hard to drive full size phones are a poor choice to use with a portable player. By nature they need a desktop amp to maximize their potential.

I would never use my HE-400i or LCD-X straight out of the WM1A/1Z.


----------



## simon740

Hello,

does anyone stream music from TIDAL via tablet / phone to wm1a? What is the quality?

regards,
Simon


----------



## nc8000 (Dec 15, 2019)

amham said:


> Granted, however these are $1200/3500 devices...there is no excuse that they should be under powered and having to make excuses for poor design decisions.  And one wonders why Sony is fading fast!  One additional point, for this class of music device they should have taken into consideration the type of higher end headphones the target market would be using.  To come close to the performance of a planar phone or similar one would have to spend an exorbitant amount on in ear or similar.  More power means additional design and battery considerations but is easily accomplished, not an engineering challenge at this price point.



Totally disagree with this postion but naturally you are entiteled to feel that way. The only dap I can think of that might seriously be able to drive those hard to drive phones is the Kann Cube


----------



## xenoVa

Yeah, Sony DAPs are very underpowered. 200 mW for ZX300/500 and  250 mW for 1A/ 1Z  @16 ohms is too little. Similar DAPs usually offer 5x or more power.


----------



## RobertP

DMP-Z1 then for TOTL hard to drive headphones. Now that a high-end DAC with headphone amplifier.


----------



## xenoVa

RobertP said:


> DMP-Z1 then for TOTL hard to drive headphones. Now that a high-end DAC with headphone amplifier.



Anyone actually buys that $10k junk ?


----------



## svinaik

You do have a dislike for Sony products. I have never heard anyone describing DMP-Z1 as junk ever. If the pricing is an issue , that is a very different conversation.


atahanuz said:


> Anyone actually buys that $10k junk ?


----------



## RobertP

atahanuz said:


> Anyone actually buys that $10k junk ?


There are tons of headphone amplifiers you can buy. Don't have to be same brand if you can't afford it.

The trade of for 1A and 1Z are long battery life, cool operating temperature, very clean sound, unique sound signature and build quality.


----------



## purk (Dec 16, 2019)

atahanuz said:


> Anyone actually buys that $10k junk ?



I used to think the same but to a lesser degree but the DMP is a flagship product all the way and even compared favorably to many top of the class desktop system.


----------



## Lookout57

atahanuz said:


> Anyone actually buys that $10k junk ?


Don't tell @Whitigir that.


----------



## Quadfather

I simply love Sony audiophile products!


----------



## nanaholic (Dec 15, 2019)

amham said:


> Granted, however these are $1200/3500 devices...there is no excuse that they should be under powered and having to make excuses for poor design decisions.  And one wonders why Sony is fading fast!  One additional point, for this class of music device they should have taken into consideration the type of higher end headphones the target market would be using.  To come close to the performance of a planar phone or similar one would have to spend an exorbitant amount on in ear or similar.  More power means additional design and battery considerations but is easily accomplished, not an engineering challenge at this price point.



It is an engineering challenge. It's easy to counter your claim here because there is currently NO STANDALONE DAP that is capable of having enough power to drive a planer, is still palm-able with one hand, and can have battery life of 20+ hours with hi-res lossless files and doesn't feel like holding onto a hot potato. Really, try naming even one. Absolutely NO TOTL DAP is capable of having all three, AK doesn't offer one, Cayin doesn't offer one, Lotoo doesn't, Cowon doesn't etc. And some of those devices are MORE expensive than the WM1Z.

It's not an excuse nor is it a poor decision as the reality is there's currently a limit due to laws of physics where you make a balance between 3 factors - power, longevity, size. You can choose between two but cannot have all three. You can have power and longevity, but that means the device will not be portable. You can choose power and size, but that means the battery life will be very limited (short longevity), or you can choose longevity and size, and the trade off is less power. Most makers choose power and size (or rather, they are FORCED to choose this path, because they don't design nor make their own silicon chips and thus is stuck with the standard off the shelf DAC chip + Class A amp architecture), whereas Sony chooses the longevity and size (but they CAN do a DAC chip + Class A amp architecture too if they ever feel like it as they have the know-how, they just choose their S-Mastser Class D architecture because it is technology that is unique to them which differentiate their products from the rest of the pack). That's the key difference that you fail to see here.


----------



## pond44

nanaholic said:


> It is an engineering challenge. It's easy to counter your claim here because there is currently NO STANDALONE DAP that is capable of having enough power to drive a planer, is still palm-able with one hand, and can have battery life of 20+ hours with hi-res lossless files and doesn't feel like holding onto a hot potato. Really, try naming even one. Absolutely NO TOTL DAP is capable of having all three, AK doesn't offer one, Cayin doesn't offer one, Lotoo doesn't, Cowon doesn't etc. And some of those devices are MORE expensive than the WM1Z.



What you have to remember is, Sony aren't interested in making their Signature products compatible with all the other brands, only their own, their DAPs will drive all their headphones and IEMs extremely well.


----------



## nanaholic (Dec 16, 2019)

pond44 said:


> What you have to remember is, Sony aren't interested in making their Signature products compatible with all the other brands, only their own, their DAPs will drive all their headphones and IEMs extremely well.



Actually what people have to remember is, outside of objective numbers like whether the device have enough output power to drive headphones to a certain level of loudness without noticeable and measurable distortion, the rest is very (EXTREMELY) subjective. Heck, there's absolutely a chance that someone would actually prefer the sound of an under-driven headphone. 

Case in point, go have a look at the IER-Z1R thread and see how many people say the WM1Z cannot drive the Z1R. There goes your idea that Sony gear only works with Sony gear.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> Actually what people have to remember is, outside of objective numbers like whether the device have enough output power to drive headphones to a certain level of loudness without noticeable and measurable distortion, the rest is very (EXTREMELY) subjective. Heck, there's absolutely a chance that someone would actually prefer the sound of an under-driven headphone.
> 
> Case in point, go have a look at the IER-Z1R thread and see how many people say the WM1Z cannot drive the Z1R. There goes your idea that Sony gear only works with Sony gear.


 You  gave this folk a spoonful of his own medicine.

Before wete walkmans not so powerful (5mW per chammel with lots of hiss), now theyre done many efforts to lower the noise and climb up the power.

At least newer sony cheap offerings, like the NW-A55 can decode all popular music formats. I dont thonl many entry level DAP from other brands can decode DSD 256 (i know A60 downsamples to PCM).

And to call DMP-Z1 junk because price and not having heard it first, ist just a poor judgement.


----------



## pond44

Case in point said:


> I know for a fact that is bull, I have the WM1 driving a pair of Z1R's with no problems what so ever with an extra 20 on the volume.


----------



## Damz87

Hey guys, just wondering are you supposed to burn in both SE & Balanced ports for 200 hours each? Or is it just 200 hours in total?


----------



## Ivan4you

@Damz87.Both need a burn in of at least 200 Hours.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Damz87 said:


> Hey guys, just wondering are you supposed to burn in both SE & Balanced ports for 200 hours each? Or is it just 200 hours in total?


Both ports need separate burn in. I'd recommend 500 hours per port so 1000 hours total


----------



## Redcarmoose

atahanuz said:


> Anyone actually buys that $10k junk ?


----------



## m usicguy

What is the best way to burn in this device. Yes you can play it till the battery drains. Is it safe to leave it hooked up to a USB charger and just play it for eight days straight. Thank you for your tips


----------



## captblaze

m usicguy said:


> What is the best way to burn in this device. Yes you can play it till the battery drains. Is it safe to leave it hooked up to a USB charger and just play it for eight days straight. Thank you for your tips



life is too short to waste all that time burning in anything... listen enjoy and hopefully if things change it is for the better


----------



## Fishdo

m usicguy said:


> What is the best way to burn in this device. Yes you can play it till the battery drains. Is it safe to leave it hooked up to a USB charger and just play it for eight days straight. Thank you for your tips




I don’t think it’s a good thing to drain the battery, from what I have read on here in order to get the maximum life from your WM1A you should not let the charge go below 20% ... and should not keep charging it until it needs it...

I am sure others here know if I have that right and will explain it much better than I can. 

If you do want to burn in then there are some compilations files that have a mixture of sound not just music that is designed to burn in efficiently and across the ranges..


----------



## nutkunkup

Hi,

Is there a method make DSD work with EQ? 
I always turn on the EQ and most of my song are flac when it changes to DSD the volume just drop down plus some mid and treble are missing....

Thanks


----------



## nc8000

m usicguy said:


> What is the best way to burn in this device. Yes you can play it till the battery drains. Is it safe to leave it hooked up to a USB charger and just play it for eight days straight. Thank you for your tips



I just left it plugged in and playing on repeat during the day when I was away from home and the listened every evening


----------



## Whitigir

nutkunkup said:


> Hi,
> 
> Is there a method make DSD work with EQ?
> I always turn on the EQ and most of my song are flac when it changes to DSD the volume just drop down plus some mid and treble are missing....
> ...



Yes and No.

1/ Yes, DSD can only be EQualized when using Analog EQ.  You can buy an external EQ and and Amp.  Now, you can EQ it

2/ No, DSD is the last processing step of any digital music.  It is already processed.  It can not be processed any further, and only need to pass through Low and High pass filters in order to not blow your eardrums or killing your Bats, dogs, animals around you when your speakers are turned on.  In fact, improperly done, it can burn out your speakers which is not capable of reproducing such high frequencies.

it is kinda funny when you pay attention to #2 and rethink of High Resolution music.  Simply put, Sony just toss that into the market to distinct themselves from Apple and their domination on digital music and MP3, which gives us all a boost into this modern market of high resolution streaming of the least FLAC quality and or higher, with audio and entertainment equipments capable of it everywhere’s.  Thank you Sony, honestly, the 2000’ were very boring.  Welcome to 2020 and welcome back Sony


----------



## gerelmx1986

nutkunkup said:


> Hi,
> 
> Is there a method make DSD work with EQ?
> I always turn on the EQ and most of my song are flac when it changes to DSD the volume just drop down plus some mid and treble are missing....
> ...


Yes either listening to music bia the 3.5mm jack or using the 4.4 but disabling the playback DSD in native format under.output options


----------



## phonomat

captblaze said:


> life is too short to waste all that time burning in anything... listen enjoy and hopefully if things change it is for the better



This. Just listen to it, for freak's sake, what's the worst that can happen?!? Surely you can find another way to waste good electricity while enjoying your gear at the same time.


----------



## m usicguy

First to all who say just listen.   I am.  Love this player.   I want to get to nirvana as soon as possible.   I dont do mp3,  I dont do acc.  16 bit or higher!!

musicguy


----------



## amham

nanaholic said:


> It is an engineering challenge. It's easy to counter your claim here because there is currently NO STANDALONE DAP that is capable of having enough power to drive a planer, is still palm-able with one hand, and can have battery life of 20+ hours with hi-res lossless files and doesn't feel like holding onto a hot potato. Really, try naming even one. Absolutely NO TOTL DAP is capable of having all three, AK doesn't offer one, Cayin doesn't offer one, Lotoo doesn't, Cowon doesn't etc. And some of those devices are MORE expensive than the WM1Z.
> 
> It's not an excuse nor is it a poor decision as the reality is there's currently a limit due to laws of physics where you make a balance between 3 factors - power, longevity, size. You can choose between two but cannot have all three. You can have power and longevity, but that means the device will not be portable. You can choose power and size, but that means the battery life will be very limited (short longevity), or you can choose longevity and size, and the trade off is less power. Most makers choose power and size (or rather, they are FORCED to choose this path, because they don't design nor make their own silicon chips and thus is stuck with the standard off the shelf DAC chip + Class A amp architecture), whereas Sony chooses the longevity and size (but they CAN do a DAC chip + Class A amp architecture too if they ever feel like it as they have the know-how, they just choose their S-Mastser Class D architecture because it is technology that is unique to them which differentiate their products from the rest of the pack). That's the key difference that you fail to see here.



What you are stating here is an ALL or NOTHING design choice.  That is not what is needed nor realistic.  The WM1A/Z is under powered, most agree, and this greatly effects it's performance.  There are many planars that present a low impedance load and can be driven REALISTICALLY with a suitable DAP or amp to an enjoyable volume level and still provide 8-10 hours of battery life.  I for one do not expect 20+ hours of battery life (and the WM1A/Z does not provide that) but I do expect an adequate power level to enjoy listening with other than "hearing aid" sized headphones.  The "magic in design" is to balance these competing priorities and deliver a device that fulfills the expectations of the target market.


----------



## bflat

m usicguy said:


> What is the best way to burn in this device. Yes you can play it till the battery drains. Is it safe to leave it hooked up to a USB charger and just play it for eight days straight. Thank you for your tips



Yes you can as long as you have the battery save feature on. That will prevent the battery from over charging. However, if you really want to do it "right", you want to give some time in between to let your analog circuit turn off - like one day on, one day off. Over stressing your caps is not good either.

I went straight 100 hrs, then did normal listening for the other 400 hrs.


----------



## Amber Rain

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes either listening to music bia the 3.5mm jack or using the 4.4 but disabling the playback DSD in native format under.output options



But then neither of those options are actually listening to DSD natively, listening through 3.5 converts to PCM, no? Likewise, disabling DSD via 4.4. means it is not DSD being played...


----------



## RobertP

My WM1Z just went pass 60hrs burn-in and the sound overall is opening up a bit and less thick and dark. Treble seem to boosted a bit on v3.02 imo. Let see what change next after 100 hrs mark.
Luckily I have WM1A to entertain me while the other Walkman burning-in.


----------



## nanaholic (Dec 16, 2019)

amham said:


> What you are stating here is an ALL or NOTHING design choice.  That is not what is needed nor realistic.  The WM1A/Z is under powered, most agree, and this greatly effects it's performance.  There are many planars that present a low impedance load and can be driven REALISTICALLY with a suitable DAP or amp to an enjoyable volume level and still provide 8-10 hours of battery life.  I for one do not expect 20+ hours of battery life (and the WM1A/Z does not provide that) but I do expect an adequate power level to enjoy listening with other than "hearing aid" sized headphones.  The "magic in design" is to balance these competing priorities and deliver a device that fulfills the expectations of the target market.



No, what YOU are describing is an ALL or NOTHING design choice as you are only using whether the device is able to properly drive a full size planer as the ONLY passing criteria while ignoring all the other benefits of the design choice of the device - namely it is still portable and offers unrivaled battery/playback life while running extremely cool even when playing high demanding hi-resolution lossless files (and DSD). Again, it's a balancing act of choosing TWO factors out of THREE but you can't have ALL three at the same time.

If using your method of argument - I can also setup a hypothetical situation where none of the other DAPs can win except the Walkman. Here's how it would go - I want a device that will last me a cross Pacific Ocean direct flight from Tokyo to New York on a single charge (15+ hours) driving a pair of fairly standard 8/16/32ohm, 105dB/mW sensitivity CIEM, and that includes waiting time at the airport lounge and transportation to and from airport etc playing nothing but FLACs which means I need at least 25 hours playback (yes it most certainly does provide 25 hours playback time for FLACs on Direct Source as it goes 40hrs on mp3s - I've frequently reach that playback time where I travel and not even need to charge the device once), if I have to plug it in even once then it fails. And it has to stay cool as to not burn my crouch when I keep it in my pocket. Oh look only the Sony Walkman wins that challenge! Guess all the other TOTL DAPs made "poor design decisions".

See how silly this kind of argument is? Yet that's the kind of argument you are making regarding hard to drive headphones and the Walkman. Yet I'm more confident that long playback listening is going to be a much more common usage scenario than someone trying to use an open-back planer on a portable device on the move.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 17, 2019)

nanaholic said:


> No, what YOU are describing is an ALL or NOTHING design choice as you are only using whether the device is able to properly drive a full size planer as the ONLY passing criteria while ignoring all the other benefits of the design choice of the device - namely it is still portable and offers unrivaled battery/playback life while running extremely cool even when playing high demanding hi-resolution lossless files (and DSD). Again, it's a balancing act of choosing TWO factors out of THREE but you can't have ALL three at the same time.
> 
> If using your method of argument - I can also setup a hypothetical situation where none of the other DAPs can win except the Walkman. Here's how it would go - I want a device that will last me a cross Pacific Ocean direct flight from Tokyo to New York on a single charge (15+ hours) driving a pair of fairly standard 8/16/32ohm, 105dB/mW sensitivity CIEM, and that includes waiting time at the airport lounge and transportation to and from airport etc playing nothing but FLACs which means I need at least 25 hours playback (yes it most certainly does provide 25 hours playback time for FLACs on Direct Source as it goes 40hrs on mp3s - I've frequently reach that playback time where I travel and not even need to charge the device once), if I have to plug it in even once then it fails. And it has to stay cool as to not burn my crouch when I keep it in my pocket. Oh look only the Sony Walkman wins that challenge! Guess all the other TOTL DAPs made "poor design decisions".
> 
> See how silly this kind of argument is? Yet that's the kind of argument you are making regarding hard to drive headphones and the Walkman. Yet I'm more confident that long playback listening is going to be a much more common usage scenario than someone trying to use an open-back planer on a portable device on the move.



Right, we are seeking balance here. Long battery life, small form factors and low distortion. We don’t want the units to even get warm and they don’t. Call us delusional or call us Sony Fans...... that’s OK. The Sony 1A and 1Z are perfectly powerful for most on this thread. There will always be the small percentage outside the norm that want something else.

In fact the 1Z and 1A are just powerful enough. But......obviously a desktop or other portable unit may drive full-size headphones better. The Sony engineers were making a DAP for IEMs I feel. We here don’t want anything else. And......there is a small but highly important component in my response here that almost takes precedent over all............Naturalness In Sound Quality. There is a sound here with these units which is different than others. We are most concerned with sound quality. Even other units that are more powerful don’t sound like the 1A or 1Z. People that fail to appreciate this single aspect most likely can’t hear the sound quality or don’t have IEMs to hear it.

It’s fine to want a more powerful DAP to use with a specific application. But you will find pretty much 100% of the users in this thread find the Signature Series powerful enough for their use. The only issue we have might be a slight issue with the music search engine in the software. But if put on a scale of value that single knock against the Walkmans is very small. That’s not to say that someday there will be a grand improvement doing everything the Walkmans do today with a smidge more power......anything is possible......but it’s not out there at this time.

IMO


----------



## nc8000 (Dec 16, 2019)

amham said:


> What you are stating here is an ALL or NOTHING design choice.  That is not what is needed nor realistic.  The WM1A/Z is under powered, most agree, and this greatly effects it's performance.  There are many planars that present a low impedance load and can be driven REALISTICALLY with a suitable DAP or amp to an enjoyable volume level and still provide 8-10 hours of battery life.  I for one do not expect 20+ hours of battery life (and the WM1A/Z does not provide that) but I do expect an adequate power level to enjoy listening with other than "hearing aid" sized headphones.  The "magic in design" is to balance these competing priorities and deliver a device that fulfills the expectations of the target market.



The 1Z can drive all my headphones and iem to ear splitting volume. I use the Sony Z1R full size and iem and never go over 90 on low gain on the volume (JH13 are at about 50 low gain). Yes it could not drive HE-6 to acceptable volume but I never expected it to. And it easily does 20+ hours playing 16/44 flac on sound direct between charges and that is a major buying criteria for me. I charge mine once a week To 90% and play 2-3 hours a day and never turn it off.


----------



## nanaholic (Dec 16, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> Right, we are seeking balance here. Long battery life, small form factors and low distortion. We don’t want the units to even get warm and they don’t. Call us delusional or call us Sony Fans...... that’s OK. The Sony 1A and 1Z are perfectly powerful for most on this thread. There will always be the small percentage outside the norm that want something else.
> 
> In fact the 1Z and 1A are just powerful enough. But......obviously a desktop or other portable unit may drive full-size headphones better. The Sony engineers were making a DAP for IEMs I feel. We here don’t want anything else. And......there is a small but highly important component in my response here that almost takes precedent over all............Naturalness In Sound Quality. There is a sound here with these units which is different that others. We are most concerned with sound quality. Even other units that are more powerful don’t sound like the 1A or 1Z. People that fail to appreciate this single aspect most likely can’t hear the sound quality or don’t have IEMs to hear it.
> 
> ...



Even then, some over head dynamic headphones can be played quite well with the Walkman, it isn't just "hearing aid" IEM.

For example, Campfire Audio Cascade works beautifully on the Walkman - not really surprising as it's no secret the guys at Campfire has a lot of respect and love for Walkmans (many of the guys at CA personally own the new Walkman players - so much for poor design decisions). A pair of Cascade on balance out of a WM1A or even a ZX300 is quite a fine travelling setup. I once traveled a week with nothing but a ZX300 and a pair of Cascade riding trains across the west of Japan, not a moment that it left me underwhelmed as I look out the window enjoying the scenery while listening to music frequently taking 4 or more hours just to get between cities, and I don't even have to worry about not having enough juice left unless I forgot to charge the player for 3 days straight.

A lot of the portable Ultrasone headphones that were designed to play straight from iPhones and iPods like the Edition M or the Edition 8 also works beautifully as Walkmans obviously has a much better and more powerful output than iPods.

I can listen to Focal Clear on the Walkman just fine. Does it sound better on my desktop rig? Sure. But it's hardly unlistenable on the Walkman either.

Also eyeing Audio Technica headphones - especially the more recent ones such as the new portable ATH-WP900, beautifully crafted portable wood headphone with 53mm drivers which sounds pretty fantastic even out of an A series Walkman.

There are so many headphones to choose from besides planers out there. If you must use planers, then you know what the pre-requisite is then the mistake is you chose the wrong tool for the job in which case the failing is in you, not the tool. Because if you bought a super bike and then complain that it doesn't also tow your trailer, you ain't gonna get much sympathy from your friends and family either.


----------



## Aeskualpio

The 1A drives my Focal Clears quite nicely.
When I want time with the Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2s then I hook it up to the SMSL SP200 THX AAA 888. For portable use I bring the portable Monolith THX or I switch to the RHA CL2s.


----------



## purk

amham said:


> What you are stating here is an ALL or NOTHING design choice.  That is not what is needed nor realistic.  The WM1A/Z is under powered, most agree, and this greatly effects it's performance.  There are many planars that present a low impedance load and can be driven REALISTICALLY with a suitable DAP or amp to an enjoyable volume level and still provide 8-10 hours of battery life.  I for one do not expect 20+ hours of battery life (and the WM1A/Z does not provide that) but I do expect an adequate power level to enjoy listening with other than "hearing aid" sized headphones.  The "magic in design" is to balance these competing priorities and deliver a device that fulfills the expectations of the target market.


You see, that’s why I also steer clear of planar headphones.  My WM1Z does a good job driving the HD800 and that’s more than good enough for me.  It also work wonder on those Focal headphones.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I recently tried the focal clear, they sound nice,  nice bass rumble and details.

Then i tried sennheiser HD800, didn't sound that much different from my MDR-Z1R,  perhaps lighter bass texture.om the sennheiser,  had to use HG.

Then i tried some Audezes connected to a beyer dynamic amp. I wasnt impressed by the soundstage and the clamping force


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 17, 2019)

Amber Rain said:


> But then neither of those options are actually listening to DSD natively, listening through 3.5 converts to PCM, no? Likewise, disabling DSD via 4.4. means it is not DSD being played...


Yes you're  right, it is "downsampled" to PCM 352.8 kHz either 24 or 32 bit, not so sure. But it is the only way of applying EQ to DSD without having to buy an external EQ.

Reading further on the DSD topic, DSD can only ve edited with simple effects like volume changes and fades.  We are still unable to edit DSD data with complex tools like EQ, panning etc. In fact many labels do record in pcm, edit and upsample to DSD or they record in DSD,  downsample to DXD (352.8/24), edit and reconvert to DSD for final delivery


----------



## ttt123 (Dec 17, 2019)

amham said:


> What you are stating here is an ALL or NOTHING design choice.  That is not what is needed nor realistic.  The WM1A/Z is under powered, most agree, and this greatly effects it's performance.  There are many planars that present a low impedance load and can be driven REALISTICALLY with a suitable DAP or amp to an enjoyable volume level and still provide 8-10 hours of battery life.  I for one do not expect 20+ hours of battery life (and the WM1A/Z does not provide that) but I do expect an adequate power level to enjoy listening with other than "hearing aid" sized headphones.  The "magic in design" is to balance these competing priorities and deliver a device that fulfills the expectations of the target market.


The WM1x DAPs are clearly wrong for you, as they do not meet your usage requirements.  You should not consider it, or buy it.
This scene from Star Wars summarizes the situation: "These are not the droids you are looking for"


----------



## auronthas (Dec 17, 2019)

bflat said:


> Yes you can as long as you have the battery save feature on. That will prevent the battery from over charging. However, if you really want to do it "right", you want to give some time in between to let your analog circuit turn off - like one day on, one day off. Over stressing your caps is not good either.
> 
> I went straight 100 hrs, then did normal listening for the other 400 hrs.



IMO, I don't want to waste 100 hours ... part of battery life span, I will utilize the burn-in period to listen to any kind of songs..

Every penny counts since WM1A/1Z not cheap; every seconds, minutes, hours and patiently wait while enjoying my music.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I recently tried the focal clear, they sound nice,  nice bass rumble and details.
> 
> Then i tried sennheiser HD800, didn't sound that much different from my MDR-Z1R,  perhaps lighter bass texture.om the sennheiser,  had to use HG.
> 
> Then i tried some Audezes connected to a beyer dynamic amp. I wasnt impressed by the soundstage and the clamping force



To me the HD800 is very near the polar opposite to MDR-Z1R and while I can understand the qualities of HD800 they are not for me


----------



## kingdixon

nc8000 said:


> The 1Z can drive all my headphones and iem to ear splitting volume. I use the Sony Z1R full size and iem and never go over 90 on low gain on the volume (JH13 are at about 50 low gain). Yes it could not drive HE-6 to acceptable volume but I never expected it to. And it easily does 20+ hours playing 16/44 flac on sound direct between charges and that is a major buying criteria for me. I charge mine once a week To 90% and play 2-3 hours a day and never turn it off.



I don't know but i couldn't convince my self to use low gain at all, on wm1a i always feel the high gain to have more engaging sound and tighter bass even at low volume, so i end up using high gain all of the time.


----------



## nc8000

kingdixon said:


> I don't know but i couldn't convince my self to use low gain at all, on wm1a i always feel the high gain to have more engaging sound and tighter bass even at low volume, so i end up using high gain all of the time.



I only detect very minor if any difference in sound so go with low gain for longest battery life. 99% of the time I use my 1Z with the IER-Z1R


----------



## Whitigir

@gerelmx1986 .  To answer your question regarding the DSD-Remastering vs DSEE-HX.  I like DSD-remastering better On DMP.

DSD-remastering has a much better weight and authenticity in the resolution within a timbre body.  This weighty energy is what giving emotions from the music and connect the listener.  I never recalled this feature to be this good on the TA-ZH1ES.  But I love it with DMP


----------



## Damz87

Whitigir said:


> @gerelmx1986 .  To answer your question regarding the DSD-Remastering vs DSEE-HX.  I like DSD-remastering better On DMP.
> 
> DSD-remastering has a much better weight and authenticity in the resolution within a timbre body.  This weighty energy is what giving emotions from the music and connect the listener.  I never recalled this feature to be this good on the TA-ZH1ES.  But I love it with DMP



Agreed, DSD remastering is much better on DMP compared to TA. It doesn’t really do much at all on the TA, But on the DMP it‘s a very noticeable improvement.


----------



## amham

nanaholic said:


> No, what YOU are describing is an ALL or NOTHING design choice as you are only using whether the device is able to properly drive a full size planer as the ONLY passing criteria while ignoring all the other benefits of the design choice of the device - namely it is still portable and offers unrivaled battery/playback life while running extremely cool even when playing high demanding hi-resolution lossless files (and DSD). Again, it's a balancing act of choosing TWO factors out of THREE but you can't have ALL three at the same time.
> 
> If using your method of argument - I can also setup a hypothetical situation where none of the other DAPs can win except the Walkman. Here's how it would go - I want a device that will last me a cross Pacific Ocean direct flight from Tokyo to New York on a single charge (15+ hours) driving a pair of fairly standard 8/16/32ohm, 105dB/mW sensitivity CIEM, and that includes waiting time at the airport lounge and transportation to and from airport etc playing nothing but FLACs which means I need at least 25 hours playback (yes it most certainly does provide 25 hours playback time for FLACs on Direct Source as it goes 40hrs on mp3s - I've frequently reach that playback time where I travel and not even need to charge the device once), if I have to plug it in even once then it fails. And it has to stay cool as to not burn my crouch when I keep it in my pocket. Oh look only the Sony Walkman wins that challenge! Guess all the other TOTL DAPs made "poor design decisions".
> 
> See how silly this kind of argument is? Yet that's the kind of argument you are making regarding hard to drive headphones and the Walkman. Yet I'm more confident that long playback listening is going to be a much more common usage scenario than someone trying to use an open-back planer on a portable device on the move.



With all due respect, you are WRONG and I am RIGHT...end of discussion... and Happy Holidays!!!  (now, that is one method of internet forum discussion)


----------



## phonomat

It's an on-the-go device. While I'm not saying it is lacking in the power department, battery life would clearly trump the ability to drive huge cans in that case. Pretty simple really.
If you want more power, hook it up to an amp or just get the DMP-Z1 and be done with it.


----------



## nc8000

amham said:


> With all due respect, you are WRONG and I am RIGHT...end of discussion... and Happy Holidays!!!  (now, that is one method of internet forum discussion)



Are you saying that the sole criteria to decide if a divece is a design failure is the ability to drive hard to drive phones and nothing else matters and that you are the one who get to decide this ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

amham said:


> What you are stating here is an ALL or NOTHING design choice.  That is not what is needed nor realistic.  The WM1A/Z is under powered, most agree, and this greatly effects it's performance.  There are many planars that present a low impedance load and can be driven REALISTICALLY with a suitable DAP or amp to an enjoyable volume level and still provide 8-10 hours of battery life.  I for one do not expect 20+ hours of battery life (and the WM1A/Z does not provide that) but I do expect an adequate power level to enjoy listening with other than "hearing aid" sized headphones.  The "magic in design" is to balance these competing priorities and deliver a device that fulfills the expectations of the target market.



Most agree? Who are these “most” who agree the 1Z/1A is underpowered? You can’t expect anyone on this thread to take you seriously as you sound like a buffoon? 

Your like the guy asking for Italian food at sushi restaurant, just slightly confused? So sorry.


----------



## svinaik

Second that... I do think some of these folks come just to kick up some dirt without any real purpose or content in their statements.

Perhaps best for the serious members to just leave them to their ignorance and waste any time in educating.


Redcarmoose said:


> Most agree? Who are these “most” who agree the 1Z/1A is underpowered? You can’t expect anyone on this thread to take you seriously as you sound like a buffoon?
> 
> Your like the guy asking for Italian food at sushi restaurant, just slightly confused? So sorry.


----------



## nutkunkup

Whitigir said:


> Yes and No.
> 
> 1/ Yes, DSD can only be EQualized when using Analog EQ.  You can buy an external EQ and and Amp.  Now, you can EQ it
> 
> ...





gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes either listening to music bia the 3.5mm jack or using the 4.4 but disabling the playback DSD in native format under.output options



Thank you both of you. Now I can play DSD with EQ love it !!


----------



## amham

Redcarmoose said:


> Most agree? Who are these “most” who agree the 1Z/1A is underpowered? You can’t expect anyone on this thread to take you seriously as you sound like a buffoon?
> 
> Your like the guy asking for Italian food at sushi restaurant, just slightly confused? So sorry.



Well, if you can't intelligently reply to a discussion the above is a option...


----------



## amham

nc8000 said:


> Are you saying that the sole criteria to decide if a divece is a design failure is the ability to drive hard to drive phones and nothing else matters and that you are the one who get to decide this ?



No


----------



## Redcarmoose

amham said:


> Well, if you can't intelligently reply to a discussion the above is a option...



No one person in the entire thread......ever has had an issue with under-power? If you go to the MDR-Z1R thread there are even people who prefer the 1Z over the TA desktop due to the tone. I drive the MDR-Z7, the MDR-Z1R, IER-Z1R with no issues. Yes the TA is just ever so slightly better for the two full-size headphones I just mentioned but it’s marginal here. Look at the few in defense since your original “underpowered that most would agree” post. Everyone is defending their rigs. As you can see your barking up the wrong tree? 

The headphones your trying to power are not in the design of the 1Z/1A. The posts mentioning prolonged battery life and the posts singling out specific 1Z/1A tone are happy. If you need an external amplifier it’s simply your choice as your headphones are not the intended goal. 

Again you have never answered my question: 

1) Who are these folks you speak of who say the DAPs are underpowered. 

If you can’t answer that your simply waisting my time here.


----------



## nc8000 (Dec 17, 2019)

amham said:


> No



OK. It is certainly not true that “most people” find the 1A and 1Z underpowered in general. Yes there are phones they can’t drive and yes there are daps with more power but they then sacrifice other tings like heat, battery life or don’t sound right to some people or have operating glitches that some don’t like. The ideal dap for every person on this earth does not exist, you pick the mix that best satisfies your use case and for you this is clearly not these Sony players


----------



## spanky310

bflat said:


> Yes you can as long as you have the battery save feature on. That will prevent the battery from over charging. However, if you really want to do it "right", you want to give some time in between to let your analog circuit turn off - like one day on, one day off. Over stressing your caps is not good either.
> 
> I went straight 100 hrs, then did normal listening for the other 400 hrs.



Interesting that you brought up the 'Battery Save' feature, I have that on my NW-A35 but I have not been able to find it in my WM1A, have I not been looking for it at the right place?


----------



## miguel.yarce

spanky310 said:


> Interesting that you brought up the 'Battery Save' feature, I have that on my NW-A35 but I have not been able to find it in my WM1A, have I not been looking for it at the right place?



You must go to settings, -- device settings -- battery care.


----------



## bflat

ok, on to more fun and relevant topics. It may be my imagination but I think I am hearing different sound quality in the way I power on:

1) Leave 4.4mm plug in the WM1z during power up - I hear mid and upper bass bloat that seems to go away after a few tracks.
2) Power up, then plug in - sounds normal.

Anyone else have the same experience? I normally follow #2 as a matter of practice. I wonder if my K-Mod has something to do with this. I already confirmed one K-Mod artifact - I hear a mild pop sound when I unplug while power is on.


----------



## gerelmx1986

amham said:


> With all due respect, you are WRONG and I am RIGHT...end of discussion... and Happy Holidays!!!  (now, that is one method of internet forum discussion)


Back in the days when the ipod ruled the DAP market (probably it had 60 mW pe channel ) no body whined it was underpowered to drive demanding Headphones. Yet people used amps stacked to drive the so said phones.

Now that there is no king  that rules the DAP market , you whine like a crybaby, why not stack an amp to it and remain quiet?[/QUOTE]


----------



## phonomat

bflat said:


> ok, on to more fun and relevant topics. It may be my imagination but I think I am hearing different sound quality in the way I power on:
> 
> 1) Leave 4.4mm plug in the WM1z during power up - I hear mid and upper bass bloat that seems to go away after a few tracks.
> 2) Power up, then plug in - sounds normal.
> ...



Now that's a new one.


----------



## RobertP (Dec 17, 2019)

bflat said:


> ok, on to more fun and relevant topics. It may be my imagination but I think I am hearing different sound quality in the way I power on:
> 
> 1) Leave 4.4mm plug in the WM1z during power up - I hear mid and upper bass bloat that seems to go away after a few tracks.
> 2) Power up, then plug in - sounds normal.
> ...



I didn't notice anything different between 1 and 2 with my mod. I think K-mod did more things than just replaced wires inside so I can't say what very going on.


----------



## spanky310

miguel.yarce said:


> You must go to settings, -- device settings -- battery care.



Dah....I looked and looked, I need more sleep dammit.

Thanks


----------



## auronthas (Dec 18, 2019)

miguel.yarce said:


> You must go to settings, -- device settings -- battery care.





spanky310 said:


> Dah....I looked and looked, I need more sleep dammit.
> 
> Thanks


As far I know "battery care" option is to prolong your 1A/1Z battery lifespan, i.e. to charge up to 90% only to avoid full charge cycle.  I don't think there is 'Battery Save' feature in 1A/1Z.


----------



## spanky310

You're right, the poster of the post I was replying to used the term 'battery save' but I knew what he meant from his post.


----------



## nanaholic

Battery saver or Stamina Mode is only for Android devices. Since the WM1 series is a custom Linux OS which is already stripped to the bare minimum there's not much point to have a battery saver mode.


----------



## miguel.yarce

auronthas said:


> As far I know "battery care" option is to prolong your 1A/1Z battery lifespan, i.e. to charge up to 90% only to avoid full charge cycle.  I don't think there is 'Battery Save' feature in 1A/1Z.



You´re right I supposed he meant Battery Care. 

This remaind me one option in the xdp-300r who desactivate all the features like wifi BT and turns off the display just to avoid any distorsion from the different signals. 

Do you think the BT, introduces noice to the sound on the 1a?


----------



## bflat

Yes, I meant Battery Care to limit charging to 90%. But you can "save" battery life by disabling all DSP features. I also found BT receive mode cuts battery life by about 33%.


----------



## SupperTime

Is the u18 from 64 audio a good match with the wm1a? If so, what software version of wm1a? My friend is selling his *rig* and it's a good price I'm willing to try it out. 

What do You guys think?


----------



## RobertP

Yes. U18 is excellent for 1A and 1Z


----------



## linux4ever

I've a18 and I've both 1a and 1z on the latest firmware.

1z wins out by a large margin. Pairing it with 1a was good too.

But my daily listening is with 1z & a18. That 1z also has premium k-mod from music sanctuary.

I've also owned premium k-mod of 1a. To my ears 1z it is.


----------



## m usicguy (Dec 19, 2019)

So I have had my wma1  for a week.  Put music both on  internal memory and a sd card.   Well   Tagging tips?      What is the bare minimal  for tagging.   I had to hunt for certain songs?  What does the sony wma1 look for.  None of pc and mac have this problem.

100 hours,  major step up in sound!!! 

m usicguy


----------



## m usicguy (Dec 19, 2019)

Plus i can't find gain settings!!!!!!!!

i need this player to handle 16 ohm large headphones.   I know I'm wrong for doing this


m usicguy


----------



## nc8000 (Dec 19, 2019)

m usicguy said:


> Plus i can't find gain settings!!!!!!!!
> 
> i need this player to handle 16 ohm large headphones.   I know I'm wrong for doing this
> 
> ...



If your player is an EU version it is volume capped and don’t have high gain unless you use the rockbox tool to change the region and remove the cap though 16 ohm should be easily handled at low gain.

For tags I have album title, track title, track number, genre and artist plus cover art (must be baseline and not progressive)


----------



## Lookout57

m usicguy said:


> So I have had my wma1  for a week.  Put music both on  internal memory and a sd card.   Well   Tagging tips?      What is the bare minimal  for tagging.   I had to hunt for certain songs?  What does the sony wma1 look for.  None of pc and mac have this problem.
> 
> 100 hours,  major step up in sound!!!
> 
> m usicguy


Here are the ID3 Tags I use:

Title
Album
Artist
Album Artist
Genre
Track Number 
Disc Number
Year
Composer
Sort Album
Sort Artist
Sort Album Artist

With these tags I also check under playback settings Artist List Display -> Album Artist which I find good for compilations where I use the actual artist for Artist tag and Various for the Album Artist.

Also for an Artist like Jeff Beck I use Beck, Jeff for the sort artist. That way he is listed in Artist view under B instead of J.


----------



## akãjerovia (Dec 19, 2019)

Finally got a WM1A, i took the 200$ discount on amazon and bought the last one from World Wide Stereo at 998$. With that discount and lower tax rate, i bought a 9h glass screen protector, a benks case, a 400gb sandisk ultra and the WMC-NWH10 usb cable to connect it to the idsd bl to compare them. Right out of the box i notice a jump in imaging and clarity with the mdr Z1R, i did not expected that, i tought it will be maybe a step better, but to my ears it is noticeable much better. Only played for three hour last night, i first played the demos and did not noticed anything, it could be that i am not familiar with the tracks. Then i put on the Blade Runner OST on DSD and that's when it's hit me, it was like the Z1R finally opened the cage door and set free, the synergy between the two it's the best sound that i hear yet. In one hour it make the idsd bl obsolete to my ears.

The FW version it have it's the 3.01, and from what i read here, it is the best one, so i'll leave it. At first i was worried because on the box said "Made in Malaysia - Fabrique en Malaisie", and on the side of the player just had a "BC" logo. I tought i got the infamous EU version, then i check the OS and it show the high gain option, so i think it's the US Canada version. On DSD64 and DSD128 i had to put it on high gain 115 volume, and on flac just on 90. So far 3 hour, but i think i will really enjoy this burn in experience.

My wallet hates me right now, and i will eating noodles for a year, but my ears, my ears loves me!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lookout57 said:


> Here are the ID3 Tags I use:
> 
> Title
> Album
> ...


what is the purpise of theSort fields like soet artiat and soet album?
I use
Title
Album
Track
Year
Genre 
composer 
Album art
Disc number
Disc total 
Track total


----------



## Lookout57

gerelmx1986 said:


> what is the purpise of theSort fields like soet artiat and soet album?
> I use
> Title
> Album
> ...


The Sony players will use the sort fields if present and sort artist and album by it.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

linux4ever said:


> I've a18 and I've both 1a and 1z on the latest firmware.
> 
> 1z wins out by a large margin. Pairing it with 1a was good too.
> 
> ...


Question; is there any difference between premium k 1A vs 1Z? Please describe 

I thought that both should sound pretty similar but I maybe wrong


----------



## Fishdo

Lookout57 said:


> The Sony players will use the sort fields if present and sort artist and album by it.




Thanks for sharing your information mate it’s much appreciated... 

I have sorted my tracks in a similar way to your tag list... I used Picard to get all the track information...,

I don’t have albums as a rule but rather a collection of various tracks like say an 80’s playlist... 

But how do you get the 1a to recognise those playlists...? 

It will list everything by songs artists genres release etc but it won’t list a playlist... so basically I have to use the options above which is all of the tracks in an order but is not anything close to the playlist order and selection...

I can go into storage and see the playlists in their folders but I cannot play the playlist from there as the tracks sit within their own folders and sub folders... so I can for example open playlist folder, open artist folder open album folder then select track but when that track is finished I have to do the same process to listen to the next track in that playlist.,.,


Would you know what I am doing wrong as so far the only way to play a playlist is to strip a lot of the tagging so when you open a playlist folder all the tracks are listed immediately without sub folders and the only way to play that playlist folder is to go to storage and select card and select playlist folder and then play the tracks inside that playlist..

Hopefully I have explained that so you can understand but I would really appreciate any advice you could give please. 

Thanks


----------



## Redcarmoose

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/son...des-dignis-case-travel-case-250-gb-sd.918924/

This guy is selling a 1Z with fifty hours on it? $1700

Amazing!


----------



## Fishdo

I tried searching here for information about the K mod from audio sanctuary but didn’t get any details as such I could only find who had it what it was very basically (replacement of some wiring) and who did it... 

I then tried looking at AS website but I couldn’t find any more information, I recall one guy saying here that it was listed under services but I couldn’t find any listings like that in the menu so I went through all possible options and tried searching in a few different ways but AS don’t even sell a Sony DAP let alone seem to mod one...

Have they stopped doing it? Is there another AS (the one I found was in the UK ) 

Is there a link to what exactly it was or if it was a list of options and what it actually did for the 1Aor 1Z...?

I tried searching variations on K Mod KMod K-Mod and adding project and other words like Audio Sanctuary but as I say I only found brief comments made in passing...

Thanks


----------



## Redcarmoose

Fishdo said:


> I tried searching here for information about the K mod from audio sanctuary but didn’t get any details as such I could only find who had it what it was very basically (replacement of some wiring) and who did it...
> 
> I then tried looking at AS website but I couldn’t find any more information, I recall one guy saying here that it was listed under services but I couldn’t find any listings like that in the menu so I went through all possible options and tried searching in a few different ways but AS don’t even sell a Sony DAP let alone seem to mod one...
> 
> ...



https://music-sanctuary.com/products/1960s-mod-wm1-zx300


----------



## Fishdo

Redcarmoose said:


> https://music-sanctuary.com/products/1960s-mod-wm1-zx300



what a twat I am...!!!

Wrong website.... I was looking at Audio Sanctuary and not Music Sanctuary.... I did think it was odd for a UK company to do something like that...!! UK is not a great place for such customisations....!

Thanks mate... I need to get out and go to Specsavers..!!


----------



## Lookout57

Fishdo said:


> Thanks for sharing your information mate it’s much appreciated...
> 
> I have sorted my tracks in a similar way to your tag list... I used Picard to get all the track information...,
> 
> ...


There are two ways to get playlists on the Sony. The first is create them on the player by selecting the Toolbox icon when looking at a song and then selecting "Add to Playlist". The only downside is it's very time consuming. The upside is that you can edit it on the player by adding or deleting tracks.

The other method is to use a program on your computer to create a playlist and use the Sony as the source of the files for the playlist. After you save the playlist as a .M3U or .M3U8 playlist you can copy it to any place on the player under the MUSIC directory. But you need to ensure that the path for the song to be played does not have anything in front of /MUSIC/ in the path for the track. The downside to this method is that you have to edit the playlist on a computer. The upside is that you can create playlists faster.

But in either case all tracks in a playlist must be stored on the same volume, WALKMAN for the internal storage and SD_CARD for the external storage device.

I posted I think in this topic previously a detailed description of using a .M3U or .M3U8 playlist  and how I create and edit them on a computer. The only difference in that post I was using the files on my computer for the playlist and then I edited the track paths with a text editor to ensure they were correct for the Sony.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 20, 2019)

I finally ordered my 1TB micro SD card, must be in store for pickup between Tuesday and Wednesday. The 512GB will pass to the NW-A55L and the 400GB will be stored for I don't know


----------



## simon740

gerelmx1986 said:


> I finally ordered my 1TB micro SD card, must be in store for pickup between Tuesday and Wednesday. The 512GB will pass to the NW-A55L and the 400GB will be stored for I don't know



Can I ask from where do you order this card? 

regards,
Simon


----------



## Lookout57

simon740 said:


> Can I ask from where do you order this card?
> 
> regards,
> Simon


In the US Amazon and BH Photo stocks them.


----------



## gerelmx1986

simon740 said:


> Can I ask from where do you order this card?
> 
> regards,
> Simon


Went to my local electronics shop here in Germany. SATURN


----------



## simon740

Lookout57 said:


> In the US Amazon and BH Photo stocks them.


Im from EU.


----------



## simon740

gerelmx1986 said:


> Went to my local electronics shop here in Germany. SATURN


399€?


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Dec 21, 2019)

RobertP said:


> I didn't notice anything different between 1 and 2 with my mod. I think K-mod did more things than just replaced wires inside so I can't say what very going on.


Robert, on another note, since you have Alo Gold 16 iem cable, I recommend you either get Oriolus BA 300 s amp if you are looking for even greater clarity and even harder hitting bass, especially subbass. It brings your music to another level, increase realism. There is something magical about tubey amps. Get from musictek. Get the one that has 3 cable connectors, 2 x 4.4 mm and 3.5 mm as ground.

Also, since I see you upgraded your 1Z, I highly recommend you get CA Andromeda. CA Andro has extremely wide soundstage 270 degree, beautiful sounds even out of iPhone, good dynamics although plasticky timber. When you add 300s amp, timber becomes so real, subbass hits extremely hard, beautiful sounds, fast, clarity, resolution etc are amped 12 out of 10. Dynamics probably 15/10. Extremely magical. Listening to exciting songs make me wanna bop my head and move my body, and I’m not the moving type ever. It’s my favorite bar none. I heard Sony Z1R iem, not saying it’s bad, I find it sounds good, has very good dynamics although small soundstage. I think I am spoiled by Andromeda soundstage. However comparing both, I love this Andro combo much better.


----------



## SupperTime

Anyone that has heard birth the wm1a and hiby r6 pro have any difference in sound to say about? Which one is better than the other in what way? 
Sound quality interested in only


----------



## SupperTime

Redcarmoose said:


> I did and tried it, but feel 3.02 is better for the 1Z, not having the lows the 1A needs. IMO
> 
> So the 1A is rolled back to 3.01.
> 
> Different folks key into different parts of the sound AND have different IEMs or headphones. There is no right or wrong.....lucky we have choices.




Concerning only the 1a

What re the sound signature differences between each software version 
Your reply will help me decide a purchase, please help


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Dec 21, 2019)

SupperTime said:


> Anyone that has heard birth the wm1a and hiby r6 pro have any difference in sound to say about? Which one is better than the other in what way?
> Sound quality interested in only


What would be your ideal sound?
Bright, dark, musical, clarity, separation, realism, soundstage, depth etc? Can’t have everything in a dap.

what kind of music you listen, what’s your favorite iem? From there, stipulation can be made; to find something that is close to your ideal sounds.

Not familiar with Hiby R6 Pro, however 1A has several different versions, each sounding different than others. Earlier versions seems to favor musicality and thickness of notes, while later versions more on clarity and separation with musicality and anything in between. In addition, there’s Sony DSSE HX system and eq, allowing you to tailor/ eq the sounds. It’s very versatile if you think about it, like having a few different daps in one.  In addition to its 20+ hours battery life.


----------



## gerelmx1986

simon740 said:


> 399€?


Yes


----------



## simon740

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes


Thank you. Still a lot of money.


----------



## m usicguy

So I have had my player for a week wm1a.  Sounds amazing.  I have the battery save on and only use the direct sound.  Bluetooth turned off.  

Are there any more trick settings i should do or look at.  I want the maximum sound quality!!

m usicguy


----------



## proedros

m usicguy said:


> So I have had my player for a week wm1a.  Sounds amazing.  I have the battery save on and only use the direct sound.  Bluetooth turned off.
> 
> Are there any more trick settings i should do or look at.  I want the maximum sound quality!!
> 
> m usicguy




get a 4.4 cable for your iem(s)


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 21, 2019)

Today I had finally finished my draft on DMP Z1 sound and it impressions.  This little gentle lady is so much to explore ! I will still stick to my original quote. If you are a fan of WM Walkman Series, don’t listen to the DMP-Z1, because you may have to rob some banks


----------



## Fishdo

simon740 said:


> Im from EU.



I bought mine from Picstop... they are based in Switzerland but list websites in countries in Europe 

They were cheapest I could find and I saved a lot of money plus they do flash price drops and you can also find discounts codes...

Delivery from Switzerland to UK was a couple of days and they were very helpful with advice and didn’t try to sell me the most expensive cards...

Sandisk have them listed as an authorised dealer so no chance of fakes....

That’s another thing to be very very careful about... even amazon have been known to sell fake cards... they look very good ... but there is plenty of info on google by guys sharing about how to spot any fakes even the really good ones...


----------



## RobertP (Dec 21, 2019)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Robert, on another note, since you have Alo Gold 16 iem cable, I recommend you either get Oriolus BA 300 s amp if you are looking for even greater clarity and even harder hitting bass, especially subbass. It brings your music to another level, increase realism. There is something magical about tubey amps. Get from musictek. Get the one that has 3 cable connectors, 2 x 4.4 mm and 3.5 mm as ground.
> 
> Also, since I see you upgraded your 1Z, I highly recommend you get CA Andromeda. CA Andro has extremely wide soundstage 270 degree, beautiful sounds even out of iPhone, good dynamics although plasticky timber. When you add 300s amp, timber becomes so real, subbass hits extremely hard, beautiful sounds, fast, clarity, resolution etc are amped 12 out of 10. Dynamics probably 15/10. Extremely magical. Listening to exciting songs make me wanna bop my head and move my body, and I’m not the moving type ever. It’s my favorite bar none. I heard Sony Z1R iem, and I love this Andro combo much better.


Thanks for sharing! I checked out the Oriolus BA 300 s review and I'm surprised that sound descriptions are quite similar to what I experienced lately. It's very addictive. With the modification I did on my WM1A, I get the warmth lush full sound very similar to 1Z. Maybe slightly warmer actually. On top of that, I get more open, airy, nice long decays and with right amount of weight in them. Soundstage is huge and image is pin point actuate. Feel like there is no limit in depth or room size. Strings, singers and other music instruments could it could keep resonate forever. Also, everything seem so smooth and soft very relaxing and pleasing the hear at the same time. Much less colder and brighter than before now. Cymbals sound very convincing. Lot of lower level details and textures that I had never heard before. Very long decay. I can feel its weight and even metal vibration from cymbal itself. Very satisfying. More sub-bass than 1Z counterpart. Very like sound from drums. Good kicks, nice texture, tight and not muddy or too colored.


----------



## RobertP

m usicguy said:


> So I have had my player for a week wm1a.  Sounds amazing.  I have the battery save on and only use the direct sound.  Bluetooth turned off.
> 
> Are there any more trick settings i should do or look at.  I want the maximum sound quality!!
> 
> m usicguy


Just leave Direct Source On. That is the purest sound quality.


----------



## Fishdo

Lookout57 said:


> There are two ways to get playlists on the Sony. The first is create them on the player by selecting the Toolbox icon when looking at a song and then selecting "Add to Playlist". The only downside is it's very time consuming. The upside is that you can edit it on the player by adding or deleting tracks.
> 
> The other method is to use a program on your computer to create a playlist and use the Sony as the source of the files for the playlist. After you save the playlist as a .M3U or .M3U8 playlist you can copy it to any place on the player under the MUSIC directory. But you need to ensure that the path for the song to be played does not have anything in front of /MUSIC/ in the path for the track. The downside to this method is that you have to edit the playlist on a computer. The upside is that you can create playlists faster.
> 
> ...



Thanks mate 

So I just researched what M3U files are and found a how to create m3u files on the Mac...

I have followed the guide and I end up with a text file with m3u extension in the playlist (listed along with the tracks themselves)

I saved the text file as a playlist.m3u ... but do I name the text file as the same title that the music files are sitting in? For example the folder which my tracks are in is called Duplicates PL but I saved the text file as Playlist.m3u... so should I have saved it as the same folder title (Duplicates PL?) with the m3u extension 

But should that m3u file sit outside the track folder or will that position be okay to let the WM recognise all the tracks in that folder as a playlist?

Sorry to ask more questions I just wanted to make sure I am doing it correctly and the file is where it should be?

Thanks


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 21, 2019)

SupperTime said:


> Concerning only the 1a
> 
> What re the sound signature differences between each software version
> Your reply will help me decide a purchase, please help



It’s like each piece is gear is a variation on a tone knob. All of us have subjective ideas about what tone we want. This tone is when the music sounds right. Many don’t EQ. So it’s using DAPs, IEMs and cables to EQ. The final thing here is also the firmware.

Regarding firmware, some fail to notice any difference; meaning to them all firmware updates sound the same. To many though (including myself) each firmware update bestows a tone personality to the Sony Walkmans.

It’s not like an Apple product as we as users can roll back or go forward to any firmware that has ever been written for the players. There was only one primitive software that originally came in 2016 that can’t be rolled back to? Still that original didn’t sound that good and was quickly replaced 1.02 then 2.0 and so on.

The 1A is fantastic and in my humble opinion the best value in the Sony line. You have at your disposal a collection of firmware updates to change the sound to fit your taste and help reach a specific tone with your cables and IEMs used.

The 1A, sounds best to me with 3.01 update. Though remember same as you, it depends on the other equipment and tone goals. You’ll find plenty of folks using 2.0 firmware, 3.01 firmware and 3.02 firmware with the 1A. There is no right or wrong as it’s personal preference and getting the players to sound best with your other gear.

3.01 sounds more bass heavy, with both the 1A and 1Z.
3.02 has better soundstage and more detailed midrange and I like it with the Sony Walkman 1Z.

3.02 sounds slightly thin in my uses with the 1A. So I keep my 1A with 3.01.

Someday Sony will make a firmware update and all of us will then have even more freedom.....and more choices. It’s all win, win and not a reason to buy a 1A or not. Remember too, it’s probably safe to think that a person will not even know which firmware is their favorite till at least 100 hours of burn-in and they are getting close to knowing how the players sound. Sony recommends 200 hours till the sound arrives.

Edit:
If I had a very murky and bass heavy IEM that also needed an expanded soundstage, 3.02 could very well be the firmware update I would choose to try with the 1A. In our group of listeners at Head-Fi, you have folks into more neutral “reference” performances from their DAP, and people wanting a  more colored “V” or “U” shaped response. I fall on the side of wanting more bass so with my IEM and cable combinations 3.01 seems to be the ticket. None of this makes the players permanently good or bad sounding, it’s just finding a tone that you like.

Due to their being many potential end tones, it’s good to have lots of choices  in the end.

There are differences between the 1A and 1Z, that I have not concerned myself writing here. If your on the fence between either a 1A or 1Z, I would write a much different response than what was written above.


----------



## Lookout57

Fishdo said:


> Thanks mate
> 
> So I just researched what M3U files are and found a how to create m3u files on the Mac...
> 
> ...


You can name the playlist anything you want. In my case some are the artist name for my favorite tracks for that artists. Others are for mood or type it doesn't matter as the name only shows under Playlists.

As for location the playlist can be located in any directory under /MUSIC/.


----------



## Fishdo

Lookout57 said:


> You can name the playlist anything you want. In my case some are the artist name for my favorite tracks for that artists. Others are for mood or type it doesn't matter as the name only shows under Playlists.
> 
> As for location the playlist can be located in any directory under /MUSIC/.


Thanks again mate I really appreciate your help 

I have placed a m3u file in all my playlist folders And I just copied those folders on to the WM music folder and the playlists titles now appear in the playlists option on the WM...

But unfortunately under the playlist titles on the WM screen it shows no songs in any of the playlists... the songs are on the WM but are not being recognised as part of the playlists in the playlists option on the WM...

The m3u text file I made for each playlist sits inside the playlist folders... 

Am I putting the text file in the right place or is there something else I should have done please?

So I am halfway there... the playlists now appear on the WM unfortunately there’s no music in the playlist showing up on the WM... 

Thanks


----------



## nc8000

Fishdo said:


> Thanks again mate I really appreciate your help
> 
> I have placed a m3u file in all my playlist folders And I just copied those folders on to the WM music folder and the playlists titles now appear in the playlists option on the WM...
> 
> ...



I’m guessing that the path references to the songs in the playlist file are not correct


----------



## Fishdo

nc8000 said:


> I’m guessing that the path references to the songs in the playlist file are not correct



Thanks mate 

I am using Music Brainz Picard to tag all my tracks... 

I also have a separate version of playlists in just individual audio Flac files sitting in a folder those individual tracks have all their information including album single artwork, genres, title, artist year etc it’s all the information that Tidal give a track you purchase..

I am not sure what might be missing...


----------



## nc8000

Fishdo said:


> Thanks mate
> 
> I am using Music Brainz Picard to tag all my tracks...
> 
> ...



Try to make a play list on the player and look in that play list file to see how it specifies the path to music files


----------



## Lookout57

Fishdo said:


> Thanks mate
> 
> I am using Music Brainz Picard to tag all my tracks...
> 
> ...


I store all my music in the following tree structure under /MUSIC on the internal or external volume:

A/
B/
C/
etc.

Then for example under /B I'll have
/Bowie, David/

Then under Bowie I'll have the albums like this:

/1969 - David Bowie [Hi-Res]

So the playlist entry for a song on that album would look like this:

#EXTINF:316,David Bowie - Space Oddity
/MUSIC/B/Bowie, David/1969 - David Bowie [Hi-Res]/01 Space Oddity.flac

The key is the path in the playlist must exactly match the path on the player. There needs to be nothing in front of /MUSIC as the Sony builds playlist by volume so it doesn't understand volumes and playlist tracks can't cross volumes.


----------



## Peter Ruby

SupperTime said:


> Concerning only the 1a
> 
> What re the sound signature differences between each software version
> Your reply will help me decide a purchase, please help



My advice is to purchase the 1A. Use it every damn chance you get with whatever firmware it has. Then after a few weeks, pick a new new one, rinse and repeat until you find the one(s) you like best. 

Then go buy the 1Z and start the process all over again. In the end you’ll own 2 of the best damn DAPs ever made.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Dec 21, 2019)

RobertP said:


> Thanks for sharing! I checked out the Oriolus BA 300 s review and I'm surprised that sound descriptions are quite similar to what I experienced lately. It's very addictive. With the modification I did on my WM1A, I get the warmth lush full sound very similar to 1Z. Maybe slightly warmer actually. On top of that, I get more open, airy, nice long decays and with right amount of weight in them. Soundstage is huge and image is pin point actuate. Feel like there is no limit in depth or room size. Strings, singers and other music instruments could it could keep resonate forever. Also, everything seem so smooth and soft very relaxing and pleasing the hear at the same time. Much less colder and brighter than before now. Cymbals sound very convincing. Lot of lower level details and textures that I had never heard before. Very long decay. I can feel its weight and even metal vibration from cymbal itself. Very satisfying. More sub-bass than 1Z counterpart. Very like sound from drums. Good kicks, nice texture, tight and not muddy or too colored.


Oriolus BA 300s amp would amp everything you love even more, it also increase the soundstage. I know it sounds implausible, how can that be? But my ears don't lie. Now I can't just use 1Z anymore, I need to add the amp everytime I'm listening to something.

There are tradeoffs though; first there is noise floor, can be heard a little on 1Z, but after the music start you will not notice it anymore. Also, it picks up RF interference from phone or ipad, especially when they are charging, so you may want to keep them away as far as you can. And then it gets hot and 8 hours playtime or so. However, the trade off to me is worth it; everything I love is amped up big time. But you will need to get the one with the 3 connectors from musictek, I heard it people said it reduces the noise floor by quite a bit, so I am not taking any chance.

If you are looking for even greater sound performance, this amp definitely delivers. And man I do love Sony eq and DSSE-HX for Andromeda.


----------



## JML (Dec 21, 2019)

nanaholic said:


> I can listen to Focal Clear on the Walkman just fine. Does it sound better on my desktop rig? Sure. But it's hardly unlistenable on the Walkman either.
> 
> Also eyeing Audio Technica headphones - especially the more recent ones such as the new portable ATH-WP900, beautifully crafted portable wood headphone with 53mm drivers which sounds pretty fantastic even out of an A series Walkman.



I just saw those new AT headphones online. I can't find any reviews, but I have had several AT cans in the past and find these very interesting, especially given that they come with a balanced cable for the 4.4mm port on the WM1A.  Can you share any more insights about them?


----------



## SupperTime

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s like each piece is gear is a variation on a tone knob. All of us have subjective ideas about what tone we want. This tone is when the music sounds right. Many don’t EQ. So it’s using DAPs, IEMs and cables to EQ. The final thing here is also the firmware.
> 
> Regarding firmware, some fail to notice any difference; meaning to them all firmware updates sound the same. To many though (including myself) each firmware update bestows a tone personality to the Sony Walkmans.
> 
> ...



I want more midbass impact, but not necessarily more overall bass rumble 
I know it depends on the iem at hand but what software version you'd recommend on the 1a, for a more mid bass impact


----------



## Mindstorms

any wm1a user happy on 3.02?


----------



## Lookout57

Midnstorms said:


> any wm1a user happy on 3.02?


I use 3.02 on my WM1A and WM1Z. No complaints.


----------



## endlesswaves

Midnstorms said:


> any wm1a user happy on 3.02?


IMO 3.02 is the best FW to pair my WM1A with my JVC FW01. It brings out extra details, better notes separations and wider soundstage at the expense of thinner note size and slightly less bass quantity.

Using 1.20 now with Obravo Cupid. This pairing makes the Cupid more mellow and organic (not sure how to describe it but this is the best I can do ATM) . Vocals sounds best with 1.20, IMO.

Think 3.01 is the best all rounder. 3.02 for warmish and dark iems. 1.20 for brighter and analytical types to make them sounds more "less digital", more emotional. Sorry for the bad description, not good with words or not enough coffee.

TLDR just try all 3 FW, 1.20, 3.01 and 3.02 and see which one is the best match for your IEMs.


----------



## ttt123

SupperTime said:


> I want more midbass impact, but not necessarily more overall bass rumble
> I know it depends on the iem at hand but what software version you'd recommend on the 1a, for a more mid bass impact


I'm curious about the complexity of following the recommendations from multiple users, and let's say you are able to find a consensus agreement, even though there are so many different variables with everybodies setup, which may be different from yours.  
Will you only use this recommended FW and not any others, without bothering to try the others out?  No 2 users have exactly the same setup, and even when they  are the same components, there are other variables, like oxide build up, batch differences, environmental (RF/WiFi/etc) pollution, different ears (hearing differences) and processor (brain), etc, etc.

How will you know that the other FW may not be enjoyable, both in expected, and perhaps unexpected ways?  As an audiophile, would you  really only use what other's recommend for you, without trying the different options, which are easily available, for yourself?
If you try the different FW out, for a period of time each, you would know exactly what YOU think of them, and not what somebody else thinks.  Won't that be a better conclusion, to know what YOU like, and not what somebody else likes?

Just some thoughts from these posts asking for a very specific portion of tone signature recommendation, as to how they could be used...


----------



## SupperTime

ttt123 said:


> I'm curious about the complexity of following the recommendations from multiple users, and let's say you are able to find a consensus agreement, even though there are so many different variables with everybodies setup, which may be different from yours.
> Will you only use this recommended FW and not any others, without bothering to try the others out?  No 2 users have exactly the same setup, and even when they  are the same components, there are other variables, like oxide build up, batch differences, environmental (RF/WiFi/etc) pollution, different ears (hearing differences) and processor (brain), etc, etc.
> 
> How will you know that the other FW may not be enjoyable, both in expected, and perhaps unexpected ways?  As an audiophile, would you  really only use what other's recommend for you, without trying the different options, which are easily available, for yourself?
> ...


Regardless of iem make/model, a midbass bump would be noticed if it's a characteristic of the dap (in this case software version)
I got the details, resolution, clarity ect I want from my iem, just looking for the sw version that has the most midbass jump.
I simply am not interested in the other sw versions. I came here to get a version number, not a short story on how I should try all the sw versions to find one best for me. I'm busy with work, in due time I'll bother with it all, but for now, just want a sw number, not a lesson in elementary thesis


----------



## captblaze (Dec 22, 2019)

ttt123 said:


> I'm curious about the complexity of following the recommendations from multiple users, and let's say you are able to find a consensus agreement, even though there are so many different variables with everybodies setup, which may be different from yours.
> Will you only use this recommended FW and not any others, without bothering to try the others out?  No 2 users have exactly the same setup, and even when they  are the same components, there are other variables, like oxide build up, batch differences, environmental (RF/WiFi/etc) pollution, different ears (hearing differences) and processor (brain), etc, etc.
> 
> How will you know that the other FW may not be enjoyable, both in expected, and perhaps unexpected ways?  As an audiophile, would you  really only use what other's recommend for you, without trying the different options, which are easily available, for yourself?
> ...



here is the most important thing(s) to realize about the updates to the firmware in the player. some add features (as time progressed) what benefit you gain from each is up to you to decide, but rest assured each will work with the player


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 22, 2019)

SupperTime said:


> I want more midbass impact, but not necessarily more overall bass rumble
> I know it depends on the iem at hand but what software version you'd recommend on the 1a, for a more mid bass impact



I have often though I was more into mid-bass impact. Especially if you have come from a multitude of consumer-tune IEMs. So many of the popular entry level IEMs like the Piston 3 have exploited the lower midrange bump. But just like what’s been reported 3.01 is the software.

3.01 is an amazing improvement over both 3.00 and 3.02 as far as overall sound and adding what I feel is needed to the low end of the 1A response.

3.01 offers higher resolution than the software that came before. Also it is (as quoted) more well rounded. The reason I say used to............is my two flagships that I use now are both missing lower midrange emphasis, so I’ve come to believe that a subtle U response can be a tone that someone could actually move over too, from the warmth of a lower midrange emphasis. But with that said if your IEMs are missing lower mids, you kind of need a firmware which reintroduces those lower mid-range frequencies.

Still the over all effect will be from the recordings you play, the IEMs you use and the IEM cable you choose. Tips are also going to be another factor to getting the tone along with the best firmware for your desired end tone. Also strangely you can help yourself adapt to a point. At times  I will not use what I would think is the best firmware for a DAP/IEM combo and try to simply get used to it. That process can work to a point.

Cheers!





endlesswaves said:


> IMO 3.02 is the best FW to pair my WM1A with my JVC FW01. It brings out extra details, better notes separations and wider soundstage at the expense of thinner note size and slightly less bass quantity.
> 
> Using 1.20 now with Obravo Cupid. This pairing makes the Cupid more mellow and organic (not sure how to describe it but this is the best I can do ATM) . Vocals sounds best with 1.20, IMO.
> 
> ...



Yes! Best all rounder. IMO



ttt123 said:


> I'm curious about the complexity of following the recommendations from multiple users, and let's say you are able to find a consensus agreement, even though there are so many different variables with everybodies setup, which may be different from yours.
> Will you only use this recommended FW and not any others, without bothering to try the others out?  No 2 users have exactly the same setup, and even when they  are the same components, there are other variables, like oxide build up, batch differences, environmental (RF/WiFi/etc) pollution, different ears (hearing differences) and processor (brain), etc, etc.
> 
> How will you know that the other FW may not be enjoyable, both in expected, and perhaps unexpected ways?  As an audiophile, would you  really only use what other's recommend for you, without trying the different options, which are easily available, for yourself?
> ...


 Due to all the firmwares available most have tested stuff. I at first thought 3.01 was the same as 3.00 while using the 1A. I stayed on using 2.0 until folks in this thread convinced me that 3.01 was a big departure from 3.00. Even right away I loved 3.01 with the 1A. The personality of the Walkman 1A is nice but maybe slightly midcentric for my taste. Though on many of the firmwares you can simply use them and get used to them. But overall I’m always trying to add bass to the 1A without using EQ. The Sony IER-Z1R is so subbass strong that it is naturally perfect for me using 3.01 and the 1A. The IER-Z1R has almost too much bass impact using 3.01 with the Walkman 1Z. Though due to the tailored bass response of the 3.02 update the 1Z/IER-Z1R is a great combo.

The reason people ask about software updates is to get clues. At times the differences are so subtle that they are hard to determine. So as a group we like to have group opinion to coincide with out personal testing. But your right, everyone has a different set up and different wants to arrive at the needed sound signature, so they should trust their ears more than anything.



SupperTime said:


> Regardless of iem make/model, a midbass bump would be noticed if it's a characteristic of the dap (in this case software version)
> I got the details, resolution, clarity ect I want from my iem, just looking for the sw version that has the most midbass jump.
> I simply am not interested in the other sw versions. I came here to get a version number, not a short story on how I should try all the sw versions to find one best for me. I'm busy with work, in due time I'll bother with it all, but for now, just want a sw number, not a lesson in elementary thesis



Short answer:
3.01 is the simple answer. Best bass and resolution combo. Haven’t heard 1.20 in a long while, it’s darker than 3.02  but has not as big soundstage if I remember right. Firmware update 2.0 update is “OK” but I seem to remember liking the bass and detail better with 3.01?

Cheers!


----------



## Redcarmoose

captblaze said:


> here is the most important thing(s) to realize about the updates to the firmware in the player. some add features (as time progressed) what benefit you gain from each is up to you to decide, but rest assured each will work with the player



Yes! Totally. You don’t get DAC ability  or Bluetooth receiver till 3.00 and above! 

Good point!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

SupperTime said:


> Regardless of iem make/model, a midbass bump would be noticed if it's a characteristic of the dap (in this case software version)
> I got the details, resolution, clarity ect I want from my iem, just looking for the sw version that has the most midbass jump.
> I simply am not interested in the other sw versions. I came here to get a version number, not a short story on how I should try all the sw versions to find one best for me. I'm busy with work, in due time I'll bother with it all, but for now, just want a sw number, not a lesson in elementary thesis


I think maybe fw2.00 fits your needs. But may change clarity, resolution of the sound. Will make it sound thicker, more cohesive.

Another choice maybe 3.01, the bass will be sharp and precise. But again, if you are not happy, you can play with eq with all versions and try to adjust your preferences.

3.02 has a bunch of cool features like vinyl processor; it will try to make the sound closer to vinyl eg turntable resonance, arm resonance, surface noise.

Ok one last thing, there is this feature called DC phase linearizer on your 1A; there’s type A affecting pitch? and type B affecting bass; I think you should try using type B High; perhaps this help narrow what you are looking for.


----------



## nanaholic (Dec 22, 2019)

JML said:


> I just saw those new AT headphones online. I can't find any reviews, but I have had several AT cans in the past and find these very interesting, especially given that they come with a balanced cable for the 4.4mm port on the WM1A.  Can you share any more insights about them?



My brief session with it and my impression is that it's an easy-listening phone leaning a bit more on the brighter side compared to my experience with old AT woodies such as the W1000X which tends to have a very dark and warm signature, the WP900 tends more neutral. I have a handful of female vocal songs which I always test headphones with for midrange forward-ness and treble sibilance (my pet peeve and personal preference), the vocals were very good with clear presence while no noticeable treble sibilance were there, so in that area the WP900 is already right up my ally. The phone folds completely flat and the ear-cups are huge not just for a portable, but big in general such that these are around ears and not the on-ear types of the other AT portables, so comfort is excellent. Being portable focus and not exactly cheap I think it's a very niche product which is why there weren't be much reviews, but it sure is pretty like all AT woodies.


----------



## Fishdo (Dec 22, 2019)

ttt123 said:


> I'm curious about the complexity of following the recommendations from multiple users, and let's say you are able to find a consensus agreement, even though there are so many different variables with everybodies setup, which may be different from yours.
> Will you only use this recommended FW and not any others, without bothering to try the others out?  No 2 users have exactly the same setup, and even when they  are the same components, there are other variables, like oxide build up, batch differences, environmental (RF/WiFi/etc) pollution, different ears (hearing differences) and processor (brain), etc, etc.
> 
> How will you know that the other FW may not be enjoyable, both in expected, and perhaps unexpected ways?  As an audiophile, would you  really only use what other's recommend for you, without trying the different options, which are easily available, for yourself?
> ...



I think from my own experience it’s also important as you touched on to make sure that your set up is right for what you are after...

The choice of ear tips can and does make a difference to the sound especially bass and highs. Just quick experimenting with different materials shapes etc can highlight the difference these different ear tips can make to our hearing. 

The cable can also have an effect on what you hear... ( I am talking about individual hearing I am not looking to start an argument about the science of it..  )

Also the quality of your music files and how they vary between each track.

The settings on the DAP itself can make a big difference.

And of course the iems or headphones etc themselves. 

My learning experience (which is still ongoing!) is that I should never make changes or decisions about any one of these points unless I am happy with those remaining points...

I guess it’s sort of like trying to plug a hole in a bucket to stop any water leaking out when the bucket is also over flowing and cracked elsewhere .. imho


----------



## Fishdo

Would anyone know how you can tell the difference between a capped or uncapped 1A ?

Say if it’s uncapped where is the gain option? Or is there any other quick way to know...?

Thanks


----------



## Fishdo

I meant to say just how much I am enjoying the pairing of the 1A with the FiiO BTR5 especially with the balanced output...

I would recommend that if you are looking for a BT module whilst using your normal portable wired set up... that you try or look into the BTR5 as an option...


----------



## gerelmx1986

ttt123 said:


> I'm curious about the complexity of following the recommendations from multiple users, and let's say you are able to find a consensus agreement, even though there are so many different variables with everybodies setup, which may be different from yours.
> Will you only use this recommended FW and not any others, without bothering to try the others out?  No 2 users have exactly the same setup, and even when they  are the same components, there are other variables, like oxide build up, batch differences, environmental (RF/WiFi/etc) pollution, different ears (hearing differences) and processor (brain), etc, etc.
> 
> How will you know that the other FW may not be enjoyable, both in expected, and perhaps unexpected ways?  As an audiophile, would you  really only use what other's recommend for you, without trying the different options, which are easily available, for yourself?
> ...


 I think is more of sonys problem because they don't have digital filters like other DAPs. F.e Hiby, fiio even the DMP-Z1 have digotal filtera like appodizing, slow-roll off etc


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Dec 22, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think is more of sonys problem because they don't have digital filters like other DAPs. F.e Hiby, fiio even the DMP-Z1 have digotal filtera like appodizing, slow-roll off etc


actually v 3.02 has fast roll off and slow roll off under Settings --> output setting  --> DSD playback settings  ---> Select Filtering/Gains.  I think the filtering only works for DSD format though


----------



## gerelmx1986

hamhamhamsta said:


> actually v 3.02 has fast roll off and slow roll off


But they're only available for non-native DSD playback


----------



## nc8000 (Dec 22, 2019)

Fishdo said:


> Would anyone know how you can tell the difference between a capped or uncapped 1A ?
> 
> Say if it’s uncapped where is the gain option? Or is there any other quick way to know...?
> 
> Thanks



If it is capped then the high gain option will not be available. The High Gain Output option is in Output Settings


----------



## denis1976

Yes and  in low gain when you uncapp, the safe volume level drops from 75 to 68, so even in low gain the uncapped has more power than the capped one


----------



## Fishdo

Thanks for that.. I appreciate your help guys..

I wasn’t sure if the output option of High or Low gain i was seeing in menu>settings >output settings >high gain output, was the option you get when the 1A has been uncapped 

So if it was capped what happens when you reach the safe volume limit is reached and would you know by either an alert or just not being able to turn the volume up any further ?

I had thought it was capped because it sounded less powerful than I was used to... I am not complaining by any means... it’s more than enough high end for my iems.... it’s just the lower end is lower than I am used to ... so when I first started up I had it far too low ...

I just linked it up to the mojo and it was much warmer than I had expected going by some of the comments on here... 

I was pleased that the 1A automatically switched over to running with the mojo saves a lot of messing about. 

Now I just need to work out what I am doing wrong with my playlists.... I have got as far as the playlist title showing up in the playlist option but it still isn’t recognising there are any tracks in it. 

Thanks again guys


----------



## nc8000

Fishdo said:


> Thanks for that.. I appreciate your help guys..
> 
> I wasn’t sure if the output option of High or Low gain i was seeing in menu>settings >output settings >high gain output, was the option you get when the 1A has been uncapped
> 
> ...



You can easily uncap it by downloading the rockbox tool for Sony OS players


----------



## Fishdo

nc8000 said:


> You can easily uncap it by downloading the rockbox tool for Sony OS players



unfortunately I have no access to a windows computer... 

But the reason I am asking is because I think the one I am using is uncapped...

Thanks


----------



## nc8000

Fishdo said:


> unfortunately I have no access to a windows computer...
> 
> But the reason I am asking is because I think the one I am using is uncapped...
> 
> Thanks



If you have got the high gain option it is uncapped, if you haven’t it isen’t


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think is more of sonys problem because they don't have digital filters like other DAPs. F.e Hiby, fiio even the DMP-Z1 have digotal filtera like appodizing, slow-roll off etc



this is why DSD is adored by many people.  Whether it comes from Studio or Processed algorithms, it can no longer be tinkered with as much variables as PCM, and hence reduced the varieties of what would effect the sound in the end.

Also, another reason why people would love to stay with PCM, is because they enjoy it, and they can pick out what they want to hear regarding the Digital filters or DSP options.

in the end, what matters is what you hear, and not what others can or do hear....If you can not do so, you are in a wrong hobby.....like saying “my hobby is Diving, but I don’t know how to hold my breathes, or use the oxygen tanks, even swimming”


----------



## Mindstorms

SupperTime said:


> I want more midbass impact, but not necessarily more overall bass rumble
> I know it depends on the iem at hand but what software version you'd recommend on the 1a, for a more mid bass impact


For a more bass foused experience 2.0 its great! I agree on coments about 3.01 and 3.02 thanks for the answers i think i can live with 3.01 being the best of all and 2.0 its a good choice dor not analitical listening but when you go 3.01 and 3.02 and go 2.0 you hear it more mellow. i wish sony let aus chose from all in a final firmware...you can get 3.01 sound or 1.20, couse  think there its a risk with contant FW changes!


----------



## m usicguy

I bought my wm1a from US  is it capped?

m uisicguy


----------



## nc8000

m usicguy said:


> I bought my wm1a from US  is it capped?
> 
> m uisicguy



Shouldn’t be, only EU units should be capped


----------



## hamhamhamsta

m usicguy said:


> I bought my wm1a from US  is it capped?
> 
> m uisicguy


If your 1A has high gain button, it is uncapped.
If there’s no button for high gain at all, then it’s capped.


----------



## flyer1 (Dec 22, 2019)

I now prefer 3.1 low gain with my 1Z/xba-N3.

With 3.1 in Low gain it sounds very analogue with lows, mids and highs very tonally balanced.

With 3.2 I would always switch to High gain for additional bass slam but then after a while notice something missing, like high gain messes up the tonal balance?

Switching back again however to low gain in 3.2 I find it too quiet?

Maybe dynamic range is affected  negatively by high gain?


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s a nice improvement as the dock has a series of clocking anti-jitter filters. And........to further enhance you can get the AudioQuest Carbon USB cable. I meant to get the shortest one, to decrease external interference, but ended with the 5 foot which is the next size up. Though   5 feet works well with laptops and such farther from the TA.
> 
> 100s of pages back there are pictures where someone dismantled a dock and identified the parts.
> 
> A couple folks here have the dock and Carbon combo.



Picked up the dock and the carbon cable.  Thank you for the advice!  This blows away the walkman port and a big upgrade from just using the NWH10 USB cable.


----------



## AMHaudio

I also hesitated for FW upgrade to 3.2 from 3.1. But I did last day. I had around 100 hrs on 3.1 with 1Z & IER Z1R with Jvc Spiral Dots. Here is how I find 3.2: bass is more defined, little more tight & weighty, Mids could not find change, High is added with more sparkle, more articulated, separated with added resolution, Sound Stage more expanded. As IER Z1R was in Warm side with 3.2 I am liking more over 3.1. May be I will find after more hours...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 22, 2019)

cosplayerkyo said:


> Picked up the dock and the carbon cable.  Thank you for the advice!  This blows away the walkman port and a big upgrade from just using the NWH10 USB cable.


I’m so happy you notice an improvement. 1) It’s controversial using a $160 USB cable. 2) The filters in the dock could also be looked at skeptically. So whenever questionable purchases are made, it’s always 2X good when they make a change. Cheers!

I simply copied https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/ .....he had the same set-up but has moved on the the DMP-Z1.


So I’m a copy cat too. Is that the Kimber/Sony cable 4.4mm your using with the MDR-Z1R?

It is a resolution and timing improvement! We have so much of the same gear too. But I’m pretty happy with how stuff sounds. I’m actually not even looking to change a thing.


----------



## Viszla

Happy Xmas


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m so happy you notice an improvement. 1) It’s controversial using a $160 USB cable. 2) The filters in the dock could also be looked at skeptically. So whenever questionable purchases are made, it’s always 2X good when they make a change. Cheers!
> 
> I simply copied https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/ .....he had the same set-up but has moved on the the DMP-Z1.
> 
> ...



I did each step one by one just to see if there were actual differences.
First went it with the walkman cable.  Then tried the NWH10 cable.  Much clearer.
Picked up the dock and I went into it thinking it can't be that much of an improvement.  Man was i wrong.  Even clearer and better impact.
Then eventually picked up the carbon usb cable.  And as an IT guy, it's hard for me to accept that a usb cable can make a sound difference.  It's all data after all.
But I'll be damn.  Really makes the MDR more impactful if that makes any sense of words.

And yup that is the Sony Kimber cable.  This was the first time a cable made a big difference and I personally love what it does for the MDRs.
Absolutely love this setup and synergy.  Man Sony did a great job with this setup


----------



## Whitigir

cosplayerkyo said:


> I did each step one by one just to see if there were actual differences.
> First went it with the walkman cable.  Then tried the NWH10 cable.  Much clearer.
> Picked up the dock and I went into it thinking it can't be that much of an improvement.  Man was i wrong.  Even clearer and better impact.
> Then eventually picked up the carbon usb cable.  And as an IT guy, it's hard for me to accept that a usb cable can make a sound difference.  It's all data after all.
> ...



Well, after all, you have proven that your ears and enthusiasms are always first and leading the ways.  That is excellent news, but “sorry for your wallet”.


----------



## spanky310 (Dec 23, 2019)

cosplayerkyo said:


> I did each step one by one just to see if there were actual differences.
> First went it with the walkman cable.  Then tried the NWH10 cable.  Much clearer.
> Picked up the dock and I went into it thinking it can't be that much of an improvement.  Man was i wrong.  Even clearer and better impact.
> Then eventually picked up the carbon usb cable.  And as an IT guy, it's hard for me to accept that a usb cable can make a sound difference.  It's all data after all.
> ...



Quick question, by Sony Kimber cable were you referring to the USB cable that came with the BCR-NWH10 dock?


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Whitigir said:


> Well, after all, you have proven that your ears and enthusiasms are always first and leading the ways.  That is excellent news, but “sorry for your wallet”.


My wallet was screwed the minute i walked into e-earphone in Tokyo LOL.  But yes yes, I've learnt to trust my ears and to always give things a shot before making any judgement.  Now I'll stay away from trying the DMP.



spanky310 said:


> Quick question, by Sony Kimber cable were you referring to the USB cable that came with the BCR-NWH10 dock?


The Kimber cable i was referring to is muc-b12sm1.  Sorry for the confusion.
The cable i swapped out from the dock is the carbon audioquest usb cable.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 23, 2019)

spanky310 said:


> Quick question, by Sony Kimber cable were you referring to the USB cable that came with the BCR-NWH10 dock?


There is a side mini usb that comes with the TA. Then the next upgrade is https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE

This you plug into the Walkman then a USB cable.
Which you plug into the back of the TA. That’s a slight upgrade. But the AQCarbon and dock to TA is the final upgrade.

The Sony Kimber goes between the MDR-Z1R and TA.
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MUC-B20SB1-SONY-Headphone-cable/dp/B01LRR04F0


----------



## xenoVa

USB cables affect the sound? HOLY ***  Even flat earthing is more logical


----------



## nc8000

atahanuz said:


> USB cables affect the sound? HOLY ***  Even flat earthing is more logical



They can but that is a tooic for discussion in the sound science section as cable discussions of any kind can get very heated


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 23, 2019)

atahanuz said:


> USB cables affect the sound? HOLY ***  Even flat earthing is more logical



Yes, it typically gets feathers ruffled. No big deal. Most of us have taken chances to get where we are. It’s just another idea, if it can be a common sense thing or silly, it’s just using your ears to judge. And absolutely it’s totally subjective and due to the group confirmation bias, the group is now experiencing parallel phenomena. Crazy isn’t it?
https://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-Carbon-Cable-Type-1-5m/dp/B0041EDIIW


----------



## xenoVa

nc8000 said:


> They can but that is a tooic for discussion in the sound science section as cable discussions of any kind can get very heated



Headphone analog cables are different... but USB cables making difference is an absolutely stupid claim.

Think transferring music from your computer to your phone, via an USB cable. Different USB cables make a difference? Hell no. This is the same thing.


----------



## purk

atahanuz said:


> Headphone analog cables are different... but USB cables making difference is an absolutely stupid claim.
> 
> Think transferring music from your computer to your phone, via an USB cable. Different USB cables make a difference? Hell no. This is the same thing.


Sadly they do.  I was just like you a few years back.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 23, 2019)

atahanuz said:


> Headphone analog cables are different... but USB cables making difference is an absolutely stupid claim.
> 
> Think transferring music from your computer to your phone, via an USB cable. Different USB cables make a difference? Hell no. This is the same thing.



It’s maybe a thing with the shielding. As using the dock with USB filters which the simple USB connector doesn’t have. The dock and cable combination maybe helps with the jitter due to interference. But a number of us seem to notice a difference using the dock and AQCarbon  USB with the TA amp. Could be psychologically created group phenomena, or EMF is a real thing affecting the signal?

We are like, whatever....let’s just try it. OK? There is something here. Keep it in place. We don’t try and figure out why.


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Like i said, as an IT guy, hard to believe it either and makes no sense.  Should just be data.
I can understand the walkman port being junky and the dock being better.
But a usb cable shouldn't make a difference.  Sounds different to me though when i kept going back and forth and I prefer with the carbon cable.


----------



## spanky310

cosplayerkyo said:


> My wallet was screwed the minute i walked into e-earphone in Tokyo LOL.  But yes yes, I've learnt to trust my ears and to always give things a shot before making any judgement.  Now I'll stay away from trying the DMP.
> 
> 
> The Kimber cable i was referring to is muc-b12sm1.  Sorry for the confusion.
> The cable i swapped out from the dock is the carbon audioquest usb cable.



Ah got it, thanks for the clarification.  



Redcarmoose said:


> There is a side mini usb that comes with the TA. Then the next upgrade is https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE
> 
> This you plug into the Walkman then a USB cable.
> Which you plug into the back of the TA. That’s a slight upgrade. But the AQCarbon and dock to TA is the final upgrade.
> ...



I already have the WMC-NWH10 cable so do you think it's worth it to purchase the BCR-NWH10 other than the convenience of having a dock?

BTW, what does TA stand for? You would think that as much time I spent reading on the forum I would know


----------



## nc8000 (Dec 23, 2019)

cosplayerkyo said:


> Like i said, as an IT guy, hard to believe it either and makes no sense.  Should just be data.
> I can understand the walkman port being junky and the dock being better.
> But a usb cable shouldn't make a difference.  Sounds different to me though when i kept going back and forth and I prefer with the carbon cable.



Well one difference that must exist is that data can take as long as it wants to transfer including retries but music has to come on time or you could get all sorts of timing artefacts. Another thing I could think of is shielding to counter interference. Beyond that my technical knowledge is not sufficient to explain differences but I hear them as well sometimes


----------



## newtophones07

I just want a WM1a with the same "sound", form factor, just with the added ability to use tidal with a wifi signal and offline use.


----------



## nc8000

newtophones07 said:


> I just want a WM1a with the same "sound", form factor, just with the added ability to use tidal with a wifi signal and offline use.



You will have to go with one of the 2 new Android based players to get on board streaming or you will have to use the 1A as BT receiver and stream from a phone or tablet


----------



## gerelmx1986

newtophones07 said:


> I just want a WM1a with the same "sound", form factor, just with the added ability to use tidal with a wifi signal and offline use.


 @purk reported that the difference between the new NW-ZX507 and yhe wm1a is quite minimal


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 23, 2019)

spanky310 said:


> Ah got it, thanks for the clarification.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Sony TA-ZH1ES Is what I’m referring too. I use “TA” as that is the amp/DAC combo in use with the dock in the photograph. If the cradle would help you achieve better sound I guess it would depend on your application of it and the difference with the WMC-NWH10? I have used the dock in reverse (not the way it’s intended) to use my 1Z as a DAC for my Apple laptop. The cradle maybe has multiple uses, though I’m not sure what they all are?

Here we are using the cradle as an optimal way to get a digital signal to the TA amp/DAC. But you may find it is also a way to use you walkman as a digital file player for your gear in use. The dock has USB filters which would be like those aftermarket USB devices that help clean up the signal. Though how the dock would work in your situation; I’m not sure?

Off hand your Walkman will be charged when in the dock, which is one benefit. If there is audible differences you’ll simply have to test it.


----------



## spanky310

Redcarmoose said:


> Sony TA-ZH1ES Is what I’m referring too. I use “TA” as that is the amp/DAC combo in use with the dock in the photograph. If the cradle would help you achieve better sound I guess it would depend on your application of it and the difference with the WMC-NWH10? I have used the dock in reverse (not the way it’s intended) to use my 1Z as a DAC for my Apple laptop. The cradle maybe has multiple uses, though I’m not sure what they all are?
> 
> Here we are using the cradle as an optimal way to get a digital signal to the TA amp/DAC. But you may find it is also a way to use you walkman as a digital file player for your gear in use. The dock has USB filters which would be like those aftermarket USB devices that help clean up the signal. Though how the dock would work in your situation; I’m not sure?
> 
> Off hand your Walkman will be charged when in the dock, which is one benefit. If there is audible differences you’ll simply have to test it.



Got it, thanks for the detailed reply. 

The main reason for me to consider getting the dock is I like the idea of the player sitting somewhere nice and secure when used at my desk. I do not have anything special on my desk but an UDA-1 hooked up to a couple of Polk Audio speakers, I mostly use my headphones with the UDA-1.

When I get the dock I plan on taking it apart and take a look at the filters you mentioned. I don't think I have seen one of those before. I also plan on making some custom USB cables using shielded USB bulk cable, I hope I will hear some difference (good or bad) as described by you guys. I just can't justify spending over $100 on one which I'm sure it's totally worth it but I just can't do it.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 23, 2019)

spanky310 said:


> Got it, thanks for the detailed reply.
> 
> The main reason for me to consider getting the dock is I like the idea of the player sitting somewhere nice and secure when used at my desk. I do not have anything special on my desk but an UDA-1 hooked up to a couple of Polk Audio speakers, I mostly use my headphones with the UDA-1.
> 
> When I get the dock I plan on taking it apart and take a look at the filters you mentioned. I don't think I have seen one of those before. I also plan on making some custom USB cables using shielded USB bulk cable, I hope I will hear some difference (good or bad) as described by you guys. I just can't justify spending over $100 on one which I'm sure it's totally worth it but I just can't do it.



It seems like the USB filtering would add in your use with your Sony.
https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/ found pictures of a dock taken apart. It was a year or two ago, but to see the parts looked fairly invasive?

I agree the AQCarbon is close to ridiculousness but I’m sure a person can make a better USB if reduction of EMF reduction was an end goal. For us it was a suggestion that we blindly took as a try. Buying the AQCarbon is actually close to a style of insurance. I mean it was the last thing? Though in hindsight it does add a %? Strange but true? Could be pure placebo!


I consider myself knowing vary little about this stuff? 

Cheers!


----------



## spanky310 (Dec 23, 2019)

Redcarmoose said:


> It seems like the USB filtering would add in your use with your Sony.
> https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/ found pictures of a dock taken apart. It was a year or two ago, but to see the parts looked fairly invasive?
> 
> I agree the AQCarbon is close to ridiculousness but I’m sure a person can make a better USB if reduction of EMF reduction was an end goal. For us it was a suggestion that we blindly took as a try. Buying the AQCarbon is actually close to a style of insurance. I mean it was the last thing? Though in hindsight it does add a %? Strange but true? Could be pure placebo!
> ...



I clicked on that and only got Whiteigir's profile page, am I suppose to navigate to a specific part of his profile to see the photo?

Yeah I agree, I sometimes doubt what I thought I heard when I'm doing A-B test on something


----------



## bflat (Dec 24, 2019)

I figured out a work around that makes imported playlists editable after import. You still have the limitation where tracks from internal and SD card cannot be on the same playlist. Here is what you do:

1) From playlist screen select Add to playlist from right menu of the imported playlist
2) Select New Playlist
3) You will see the name already populated. Select Complete.
4) Now you will see two playlists but your original imported one will say "Not editable" next to it.
5) Delete the imported playlist. You will experience a short mute while deleting.

Now you can add/remove tracks to your "imported" playlists.

*Well frack, after I reboot all the playlists become "Not Editable". Even after I added new tracks to the old playlists. Oh well, sorry for the false hope. Maybe somebody can figure this out from my failed attempt.*


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 24, 2019)

spanky310 said:


> I clicked on that and only got Whiteigir's profile page, am I suppose to navigate to a specific part of his profile to see the photo?
> 
> Yeah I agree, I sometimes doubt what I thought I heard when I'm doing A-B test on something



No I’m just stating that he posted pictures of the dock taken apart to show the added parts that supposedly filter USB. Also if I remember right the dock would have to be fairly well taken apart to see the hardware inside. Also it does not look like the dock is easily taken apart.....you’ll see. Just dropping his name. He may still have the photos or may not.



Edit:

Here is his photo of the dock main board, though he has posted others too.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-900#post-13657636


----------



## Fishdo (Dec 24, 2019)

I was trying some DSD conversion SWs... namely AulConverter and JRiver MC... both free trials.. as I wanted to hear if I could find a difference between the DSD and Flac on the 1A....

Both are pretty straight forward to use for an idiot like me so I chose a track to convert in both SWs... The MC was very quick in finishing the conversion and the Aul much slower I would say the difference was about 11 minutes between the two.

I then loaded them on the 1A and compared all 3 versions... the first significant difference was the volume... the DSD was much much quieter at least 30% I would say if not more... the volume switching from the DSD to Flac without adjusting literally popped my ear drums..!

The MC was recognised as a DSD but the Aul track wasn’t recognised and I got an error message saying that the file format wasn’t recognised by the device

The difference between the MC DSD track and the Flac didn’t seem to offer too much of a change  though after a few comparisons I would say the difference was in warmth and possibly bass too... I also thought I heard more detail with the percussion especially across the cymbals crash.. it sounded like it was sharper more defined...

Another difference was the size of the files after they were converted... the MC DSD track was 221.6MB and the Aul DSD track was  1.77Gb which compared to original Flac which was 98.5Gb so I am not sure if this could be a reason or not or rather more of a clue as to why? Or why if a DSD file is more detailed and less digital was the MC version significantly smaller than the original..?

The reason that the Aul wasn’t recognised is something I am not sure as to why... Aul converts to 1 byte DSF but I thought that DSF was no different to DSD when it comes to reading it... both converted tracks were 22.6Mhz if that could make any difference?

Has anyone used Aul at all or that might know why the 1A is not reading the Aul converted track?

Thanks


----------



## nc8000

Fishdo said:


> I was trying some DSD conversion SWs... namely AulConverter and JRiver MC... both free trials.. as I wanted to hear if I could find a difference between the DSD and Flac on the 1A....
> 
> Both are pretty straight forward to use for an idiot like me so I chose a track to convert in both SWs... The MC was very quick in finishing the conversion and the Aul much slower I would say the difference was about 11 minutes between the two.
> 
> ...



The player only handles one of the dsd file formats, can’t remember which


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 24, 2019)

Fishdo said:


> I was trying some DSD conversion SWs... namely AulConverter and JRiver MC... both free trials.. as I wanted to hear if I could find a difference between the DSD and Flac on the 1A....
> 
> Both are pretty straight forward to use for an idiot like me so I chose a track to convert in both SWs... The MC was very quick in finishing the conversion and the Aul much slower I would say the difference was about 11 minutes between the two.
> 
> ...



I like it! Lovely experiments.  Nowadays I have the tendencies to love everyone who loves audio performances with ears and listening sessions rather than science or technology, or pricing of the items being any marks.

I did post a lot about DSD and what it is vs PCM.  Basically put, DSD is the result of conversions from multi bit into low bit, from 16 bit into 1 bit for example.  This 1 bit has all the DSP and modulations attached and processed by algorithms of modulations.  I just simply call DSD is already processed files, where as PCM is pure digital.

So, DSD is very dependent on the program that is being used to process it.  Have u witnessed that different DAC on a DAP will sound different ? Have I heard the differences between Nw ZX2 vs WM1A ?  It is the case of the differences within the DSP processing.  So, each Program is unique in it own DSP coding and algorithms to process PCM into DSD.  Some is very bad, just like a BAD DAP, and some is ways beyond good.  The best program algorithms is HQPlayer4Pro atm.

Though, in the end, it is digital music, which is all about algorithms and DSP processing.  Different ways to processing , result in different sound performances.  PCM people always love PCM and there are DSD people.

I, myself, love what I hear.  I careless about it being DSD, processed DSD, or PCM....etc.  Some Devices can play DSD better than others, and vice versa, some can play PCM better than DSD

when you process your PCM to DSD though, choose DSF.  I agree with the differences in performances that you found, which is similar to mine


----------



## spanky310

Redcarmoose said:


> No I’m just stating that he posted pictures of the dock taken apart to show the added parts that supposedly filter USB. Also if I remember right the dock would have to be fairly well taken apart to see the hardware inside. Also it does not look like the dock is easily taken apart.....you’ll see. Just dropping his name. He may still have the photos or may not.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks for taking to time to post the link to the post.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 25, 2019)

For this 2020 i hope sony releases an update for the WM series.  I wiah:

The motherboard has the new FTCAP2 found on the DMP-Z1
Dual MICRO sd slot
Atleast 256GB internal
New S-Master processor with more power, let's say at least 600mW !32 ohm for SE and 1200 mW @32 ohm for balanced and a FPGA with the DSD-remastering engine found in the DMP-Z1
The DSP with the new DSEE HX AI and sound filters to cuatomize the SQ to avoid FW rolling
usb-C
Retain the cool features of current lineup namely USB DAC, BT receiver
Gold solder in the joints
Offer 2 versions, one with android for the streaming junkies (and supporters of capitalism of renting music for 10.99 /mo,  )
And one with walkman OS for people with huge libraries like me
A color LED to see the bit depth/sampling rate without having to turn on the screen
A volume pot instead of buttons to control volume a la DMP-Z1


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> For this 2020 i hope sony releases an update for the WM series.  I wiah:
> 
> The motherboard has the new FTCAP2 found on the DMP-Z1
> Dual MICRO sd slot
> ...




This dog was reportedly driving this car around the neighborhood. Actually below is a more believable scenario.


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## YCHANGE

bflat said:


> I figured out a work around that makes imported playlists editable after import. You still have the limitation where tracks from internal and SD card cannot be on the same playlist. Here is what you do:
> 
> 1) From playlist screen select Add to playlist from right menu of the imported playlist
> 2) Select New Playlist
> ...



You can move any playlist to Bookmark list then edit list to your hearts desire, and then "Add All Songs to Playlists" even renaming it also.


----------



## YCHANGE

With much hesitation, I bought a new WM1A this summer.  My old refirb WM1A 4.4 jack had imbalance in sound and would cut out frequently.  

Now that I have 400+ hours on the new WM1A with no 4.4 jack problems, I feel like I'm hearing WM1A's full capabilities and so happy I didn't let doubt hold me back from this glorius sound.


----------



## AeroSatan

It does sound quiet nice  but the biggest advantage of the walkmans is that they're portable, something that can't be said of DMP Z1 no matter what kind of a leather sling case you make for it. 

If you consider that the DMP Z1 is essentially a desktop set up  it's sound quality becomes less impressive relatively speaking  





Whitigir said:


> Today I had finally finished my draft on DMP Z1 sound and it impressions.  This little gentle lady is so much to explore ! I will still stick to my original quote. If you are a fan of WM Walkman Series, don’t listen to the DMP-Z1, because you may have to rob some banks


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 25, 2019)

Actually, even for desktop setup, the DMP Z1 is still considered A very high end performer.  There are 3 ways of confirmations already.  Listening impressions, engineering pedigrees, and real measures

measurements can be found here

https://www.stereophile.com/content/sony-dmp-z1-digital-music-player-measurements#search


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

@Whitigir 

Dont mind if you would be willing to share with us all about your opinion of Sony's DSEE HX AI upsampling sound quality and DSD remastering.


----------



## Mindstorms (Dec 27, 2019)

flyer1 said:


> I now prefer 3.1 low gain with my 1Z/xba-N3.
> 
> With 3.1 in Low gain it sounds very analogue with lows, mids and highs very tonally balanced.
> 
> ...


Staging suffers in high gain and everithing its boosted I suspect Gain on 3.02 its diferent from 3.01 its a little higher, I wish sony would make a 3.03 same awesome stage and highs but with the bass of 3.01 otherwise i will be forced to go back to 3,01 its sad because staging its better on 3.02 its like sony telling Get a 1Z or get some Sensible IEM or Suffer from subtle bass disease!


----------



## nanaholic (Dec 25, 2019)

AeroSatan said:


> It does sound quiet nice  but the biggest advantage of the walkmans is that they're portable, something that can't be said of DMP Z1 no matter what kind of a leather sling case you make for it.
> 
> If you consider that the DMP Z1 is essentially a desktop set up  it's sound quality becomes less impressive relatively speaking



It's not a desktop system, it's a transportable all-in-one system and it's still pretty much one of the kind. But you can already see that a whole bunch of Chinese OEM is already inspired and copying this idea of a transportable battery powered music player that is beyond a device that is limited by how it must fit inside your pant's pockets.

You can put the DMP-Z1 in a backpack and it is most definitely transportable to meets and events to test all sorts of gear with it as a source.

The only thing that the DMP-Z1 lacks is gobs of driving power compared to a dedicated desktop size headphone amp that is forever attached to a wall socket. However desktop systems which requires you to do that as well as purchase multiple components is not as straight forward and as easy to use and transport as the DMP-Z1.


----------



## bflat

YCHANGE said:


> You can move any playlist to Bookmark list then edit list to your hearts desire, and then "Add All Songs to Playlists" even renaming it also.



Tried this, but any new playlist saved on the SD Card turns into "non editable" after reboot and database build. But, I could use the 10 bookmark tabs as a proxy for playlists.


----------



## gerelmx1986

1 #$%**!!! TB


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 28, 2019)

Spoiler: Amount 



.A *terabyte* drive can hold about 330,000 3MB photos or 250,000 *MP3* files. (At 4 minutes per song, that's a million minutes of music, or 16,666 hours, or 694 days, or almost two whole years of uninterrupted listening pleasure.)





gerelmx1986 said:


> 1 #$%**!!! TB


That’s a tremendous amount of silence. Equal to almost 2 years of MP3 music.


----------



## roses77

Midnstorms said:


> For a more bass foused experience 2.0 its great! I agree on coments about 3.01 and 3.02 thanks for the answers i think i can live with 3.01 being the best of all and 2.0 its a good choice dor not analitical listening but when you go 3.01 and 3.02 and go 2.0 you hear it more mellow. i wish sony let aus chose from all in a final firmware...you can get 3.01 sound or 1.20, couse  think there its a risk with contant FW changes!


I saved all the firmware updated files when I downloaded them. So if I didn’t like the firmware updates I can go back to it. So far I like the 3.02 update very much.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> Spoiler: Amount
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I accidentally formatted also the internal memory.. Anyways I dislike that Media Go transfers and creates folders for Artist instead of letting you customize f.e composer


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 28, 2019)

Transfering began



I am doing step by step , and usint more tidy folder structure f.e A-E/antonio vivaldi/...


----------



## Mindstorms (Dec 28, 2019)

I made this Chart with my experience on 1A Via SE


----------



## Redcarmoose

Midnstorms said:


> I made this Chart with my experience on 1A Via SE



I would agree with these chart ideas 100%.


----------



## 524419 (Dec 28, 2019)

Just had to share this dirt cheap upgrade to the 1A.
The internal wiring connecting the board to the 4.4mm out is really cheap stranded copper.
Changing it with Neotech OCC Solid copper 20 gauge cable makes a dramatic difference in dynamics, soundstage and clarity.
22 gauge makes the treble too peaky, and guts the bass. *20 gauge is the perfect size*. I experimented with  26 gauge, 24 gauge, 22 gauge, 21 gauge, and 18 gauge cables also.
Distortion in sound is reduced very substantially with this simple upgrade, and is baffling to me that Sony has not done this stock from the factory.
If you are not good with the soldering iron, pay someone to do this, the upgrade is well worth it.
took me about 20 minutes to take the 1A apart and change the cables.
add: Use plenty of Flux to solder the cables. It ensures a rock solid clean connection, very easy to do.
I used Cardas Solder if anyone has any questions.


----------



## RobertP

Diet Kokaine said:


> Just had to share this dirt cheap upgrade to the 1A.
> The internal wiring connecting the board to the 4.4mm out is really cheap stranded copper.
> Changing it with Neotech OCC Solid copper 20 gauge cable makes a dramatic difference in dynamics, soundstage and clarity.
> 22 gauge makes the treble too peaky, and guts the bass. *20 gauge is the perfect size*. I experimented with  26 gauge, 24 gauge, 22 gauge, 21 gauge, and 18 gauge cables also.
> ...



Yes, 22awg alone will make lower-mid a bit thin imo. 2x 22awg (19awg) wires are much better but upper mid might sounds a bit too hazed for me. Silver plated is a big no no because I learned that it will colored mid all the way to high. I replaced them all out recently too. So I do agree that around 20 - 21awg should be a sweet spot depending on which iems or headphones you have. Any lower awg number than these will greatly roll-off on the high.


----------



## 524419 (Dec 28, 2019)

RobertP said:


> Yes, 22awg alone will make lower-mid a bit thin imo. 2x 22awg (19awg) wires are much better but upper mid might sounds a bit too hazed for me. Silver plated is a big no no because I learned that it will colored mid all the way to high. I replaced them all out recently too. So I do agree that around 20 - 21awg should be a sweet spot depending on which iems or headphones you have. Any lower awg number than these will greatly roll-off on the high.


A single solid cable is very easy to work with, and 20 gets the balance between resolution, bass, and treble perfectly.  My XLR cables on my Speaker system are also 20 gauge, that size just works.
Silver Plated is a giant no no, and stranded is inferior in every way to solid.


----------



## Florin Mandru

I get the best results with 2x24awg on every wire of mundorf silver gold.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Diet Kokaine said:


> Just had to share this dirt cheap upgrade to the 1A.
> The internal wiring connecting the board to the 4.4mm out is really cheap stranded copper.
> Changing it with Neotech OCC Solid copper 20 gauge cable makes a dramatic difference in dynamics, soundstage and clarity.
> 22 gauge makes the treble too peaky, and guts the bass. *20 gauge is the perfect size*. I experimented with  26 gauge, 24 gauge, 22 gauge, 21 gauge, and 18 gauge cables also.
> ...



The question is if Sony is persistent in their quest to make two polarized sounding players? It was said one would be reference and one Hi/Fi.

Besides the capacitors and copper case, only wiring by Kimber creates separation between the two. So it totally makes sense that a warmer cable would narrow the two characteristics.


----------



## 524419

Redcarmoose said:


> The question is if Sony is persistent in their quest to make two polarized sounding players? It was said one would be reference and one Hi/Fi.
> 
> Besides the capacitors and copper case, only wiring by Kimber creates separation between the two. So it totally makes sense that a warmer cable would narrow the two characteristics.


The 1A after the cable change is quite stunning, it has a very HiFi sound, much more than before, soundstage has a depth that wasn't there before. I don't know what Sony's motivations are for building a player like the 1A , and to not put high quality wires in as the last finishing touch.  The cheap stranded copper almost feels like sabotage...
Maybe it was done to have a bigger perceived difference between the 1A and the 1Z? I think the 1Z would also benefit from this cable upgrade,  the Solid OCC Copper wire is many tiers above the Kimber.


----------



## djricekcn

Interested in this cable upgrade / replacement...too bad i don't have the skills for it, bummer


----------



## spanky310

I'm so tempted to do this myself.

One question, is the Vinyl back piece easy to take off and does it go back on nicely?


----------



## 524419 (Dec 29, 2019)

spanky310 said:


> I'm so tempted to do this myself.
> 
> One question, is the Vinyl back piece easy to take off and does it go back on nicely?


Yeah just use a razor blade to wedge one of the corners out, the back just peels off. and the glue stays tacky so I can be put back on very easily. It's designed to be take on and off as needed.

Take good pictures of the original wiring so you know exactly here to solder.


----------



## RobertP (Dec 29, 2019)

Florin Mandru said:


> I get the best results with 2x24awg on every wire of mundorf silver gold.



2x24awg is 21awg. Sweet spot 



Diet Kokaine said:


> The 1A after the cable change is quite stunning, it has a very HiFi sound, much more than before, soundstage has a depth that wasn't there before. I don't know what Sony's motivations are for building a player like the 1A , and to not put high quality wires in as the last finishing touch.  The cheap stranded copper almost feels like sabotage...
> Maybe it was done to have a bigger perceived difference between the 1A and the 1Z? I think the 1Z would also benefit from this cable upgrade,  the Solid OCC Copper wire is many tiers above the Kimber.



Many months ago I try 23awg copper wires from cat6 and I feel like the sound is covered in blanket. Had to combine with brighter sound wires to lip some blanketed affact. I wish someone with k-mod on both 1A and 1Z could do some comparison on them.



Diet Kokaine said:


> Yeah just use a razor blade to wedge one of the corners out, the back just peels off. and the glue stays tacky so I can be put back on very easily. It's designed to be take on and off as needed.
> 
> Take good pictures of the original wiring so you know exactly here to solder.



Yeah, it's just thin dublesided tape. Opened the back many times to count. I usually peeled only upper half when working on wires.


----------



## spanky310

Diet Kokaine said:


> Yeah just use a razor blade to wedge one of the corners out, the back just peels off. and the glue stays tacky so I can be put back on very easily. It's designed to be take on and off as needed.
> 
> Take good pictures of the original wiring so you know exactly here to solder.



That's good to know. I was actually going to buy a spare battery just in case they stop making them and thought I would buy an extra vinyl sticker/back while I'm at it in case it does not go back nicely after removal. I think it was around $40.

BTW, do you have any photos of your WM1A showing what's involved getting to the wires?

Thanks for sharing the info on this mod.


----------



## djricekcn

spanky310 said:


> That's good to know. I was actually going to buy a spare battery just in case they stop making them and thought I would buy an extra vinyl sticker/back while I'm at it in case it does not go back nicely after removal. I think it was around $40.
> 
> BTW, do you have any photos of your WM1A showing what's involved getting to the wires?
> 
> Thanks for sharing the info on this mod.



will this help?
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/

if anyone is around OC / L.A.C.  might beinterested in asking for this


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Dec 29, 2019)

Almost all my library thete, just lacking 10614 tracks tp have it all


----------



## simon740

Hello,

does anyone use Sony WH-1000XM3 with wm1a?


----------



## nc8000

simon740 said:


> Hello,
> 
> does anyone use Sony WH-1000XM3 with wm1a?



I’ve tried them with 1Z and that works fine however does not sound any better than with A45 (just as I expected)


----------



## simon740

nc8000 said:


> I’ve tried them with 1Z and that works fine however does not sound any better than with A45 (just as I expected)



Thank you. Because of limits LDAC ?
Im waiting for my wm1a and I think it will be good to buy wh-1000XM3 for wireless ...

regards,
Simon


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 29, 2019)

Diet Kokaine said:


> The 1A after the cable change is quite stunning, it has a very HiFi sound, much more than before, soundstage has a depth that wasn't there before. I don't know what Sony's motivations are for building a player like the 1A , and to not put high quality wires in as the last finishing touch.  The cheap stranded copper almost feels like sabotage...
> Maybe it was done to have a bigger perceived difference between the 1A and the 1Z? I think the 1Z would also benefit from this cable upgrade,  the Solid OCC Copper wire is many tiers above the Kimber.



It’s most likely an elaborate and costly test to get a handful of players and experiment with cable switch-outs. By stating this, I’m just showing how it’s difficult for one person to show 4 different variations of cable change-outs. If you were going to test, you almost need them back to back. IMO

Fairly sure it voids the warranty. Music Sanctuary in Singapore does a cable modification, and I once used a modified 1A there. I was there testing IEMs and the 1A they had was cable modded. It sounded like a regular 1A to me at the time?

Owning both players (1A/1Z) and using both players........ it’s true that the overall thickness is something to behold with the 1Z. If simply a wire change enables that thickness of soundstage for the 1A, it would be a worthwhile mod. Though some folks just feel against opening up their players, especially during warranty.

The other half of the difficulty is due to the West just not being cable believers. That in itself probably reduces the interest by 1/2. Myself, I like to have the players sound different; having the 1A and 1Z offer contrast.

But if someone could start doing modifications and created a respectable impact; it would result in many 1A owners wanting the upgrade.

But I’m the total cable believer hearing differences from cables all the time, so I would be the first to guess it would be of a positive result!

Cheers!

https://music-sanctuary.com/collections/services/products/1960s-mod-wm1-zx300


----------



## nc8000

simon740 said:


> Thank you. Because of limits LDAC ?
> Im waiting for my wm1a and I think it will be good to buy wh-1000XM3 for wireless ...
> 
> regards,
> Simon



With wireless the dac and amp sits in the headphone and the 1Z/1A and A45 all send the same LDAC signal to the headphones so I would expect it to sound identical. So I use the A45 with the XM3 as it is much more portable


----------



## simon740

nc8000 said:


> With wireless the dac and amp sits in the headphone and the 1Z/1A and A45 all send the same LDAC signal to the headphones so I would expect it to sound identical. So I use the A45 with the XM3 as it is much more portable



I understand. 
Thank you.

regards,
Simon


----------



## spanky310

djricekcn said:


> will this help?
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/
> 
> if anyone is around OC / L.A.C.  might beinterested in asking for this



Thanks!

Time to order some wire.


----------



## Fishdo

simon740 said:


> Thank you. Because of limits LDAC ?
> Im waiting for my wm1a and I think it will be good to buy wh-1000XM3 for wireless ...
> 
> regards,
> Simon



I would recommend you try something like the FiiO BTR5 BT module...

It allows you to take advantage of the LDAC and has a balanced and SE output so you can use your own cable and iems whilst having the benefit of BT...

Personally I really enjoy it... I had the previous Sony buds but I much prefer the module option and still being able to use my wired set up with BT...

There are a few options along those lines so I would suggest you give it some consideration before you make a final decision mate...


----------



## Whitigir

I am surprised that it took this long for people to start doing this.  Yes, the internal cables can change a lot.  Just like how you are upgrading your external cables. 

Sony uses a lot of cables for reliable purposes.  For example, if your player were to drop jack first while being plugged in.  The force would be enough to crack any solder joints of the Headphone jack were to be soldered directly onto the PCB main board.  It could degrade the sound and bring distortions without you noticing it.  It could cause intermittent issues....etc.  However, by using wires here, it allows everything to have a mechanical flexibility and that if such accident were to happen, the chance of damaging it would be minimal.  Even if it were, the main board would be 100% safe and all you need to do is replacing the jack or wires.  The same can be said as these sockets have Cycles.  Usually is thousands....for example 2,000 cycles (only example, I have not found what pentaconn disclosed yet).  That means you can Plug and Unplug 2000 times before the mechanical stress and it plating materials are structural weakened.  It would also degrade the sound without you noticing it.  If that happened and you have kept up with battery replacement ...your 3rd generation is having it as something very special (we still love those tape Walkman in working condition btw)....then, you can easily ask anyone to toss in a new socket.

Sony engineerings really is something.


----------



## 524419

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s most likely an elaborate and costly test to get a handful of players and experiment with cable switch-outs. By stating this, I’m just showing how it’s difficult for one person to show 4 different variations of cable change-outs. If you were going to test, you almost need them back to back. IMO
> 
> Fairly sure it voids the warranty. Music Sanctuary in Singapore does a cable modification, and I once used a modified 1A there. I was there testing IEMs and the 1A they had was cable modded. It sounded like a regular 1A to me at the time?
> 
> ...


The only thing I can vouch for is the Neotech Solid Core Copper cable. I have done the mod on both the 1A and the ZX300, and the benefits  to my ears are quite profound. 
1960's is a great enameled litz cable, but  Solid core OCC copper will always be a tier up sonically. 
This mod is quite easy to do, and there are plenty of out of warranty 1A's out there now, I obviously think it's worth it, others have to make that decision for themselves.


----------



## djricekcn (Dec 29, 2019)

I personally cant find audio differences when using the XM3 as LDAC.  If the device does LDAC, it sounds all the same regardless of a 10 dollar cellphone or a 100000 dollar DAP.

XM3 in general doesn't have good audio quality, but it does do the job as intended where it silinces / lowers a lot of the outside noise...which to me is a different experience and sometimes is preferred rather than using something like Z1R


----------



## Whitigir

My review of the Sony top tier DMP-Z1 is here.  Happy New year everyone !

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/so...r-signature-series.23308/reviews#review-23083


----------



## Jalo

Recently I’ve been thinking about the K-Mod for the 1Z, I know some of you have the K-Mod but not too much impressions were given. Can someone share some thoughts on the K-Mod?  Specifically I want to know is it an improvement on the sound without altering the sound signature/character? If so in what way was the sound improved?  The upgrade wires are stated to be OCC copper, should silver be used? Instead of using 8,10,14 wires, should a heavier gauge wire be used instead.  If the sound can be improved without altering the sound character, I am all for it.


----------



## Mindstorms

Guys sorry for deviating conversation Im getting really crappy batery times out of my 1A any ideas?


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> Guys sorry for deviating conversation Im getting really crappy batery times out of my 1A any ideas?



playing dsd files or using lots of dsp and high gain or BT receiver/transmitter ?
All of those suck battery


----------



## RobertP (Dec 31, 2019)

Jalo said:


> Recently I’ve been thinking about the K-Mod for the 1Z, I know some of you have the K-Mod but not too much impressions were given. Can someone share some thoughts on the K-Mod?  Specifically I want to know is it an improvement on the sound without altering the sound signature/character? If so in what way was the sound improved?  The upgrade wires are stated to be OCC copper, should silver be used? Instead of using 8,10,14 wires, should a heavier gauge wire be used instead.  If the sound can be improved without altering the sound character, I am all for it.



For those who like 1A sounds, OCC silver plated wires are possible with slightly lower awg than usual. 18-19awg will do.

No point to go all the way to 8, 10, or even 14awg wire. Even my 75w loud speakers need just 15awg wire.


----------



## Whitigir (Dec 31, 2019)

Size matter! Try that utility Pole High Voltage wires!

just kidding!

new wires will bring improvements to your Wm1A.  Perhap those harshness in treble I have been hearing about would be coming from the OFC wires internally 

speaking of modifications.  Anyone able to find out more about the identifications of these Transistors ?

Just curiosity


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> playing dsd files or using lots of dsp and high gain or BT receiver/transmitter ?
> All of those suck battery


Using lost of DSP max 115 volume all the time low gain SE 700Hs playback now on 3.02 FW most of the time MP3


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> Using lost of DSP max 115 volume all the time low gain SE 700Hs playback now on 3.02 FW most of the time MP3



dsp deffinately eats battery, up to perhaps 30% more than direct source. Also higher volume would use more battery I assume. I get about 20 hours play time plus a weeks stand by time from a 90% charge (usually charge once a week and never turn it off) using source direct and 70-80 on low gain playing flac 16/44 files


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Size matter! Try that utility Pole High Voltage wires!
> 
> just kidding!
> 
> ...


maybe that is the magic trick bhind sony to make the 1Z sound "better" than 1A a simple cable of better quality


----------



## Jalo

RobertP said:


> For those who like 1A sounds, OCC silver plated wires are possible with slightly lower awg than usual. 18-19awg will do.
> 
> No point to go all the way to 8, 10, or even 14awg wire. Even my 75w loud speakers need just 15awg wire.


Sorry for the my confusing language.  When I say using 8, 10, 14 wires I was referring to the K-Mod upgrade by Music Sanctuary in their website they stated that they use 14 wires for their premium upgrade, I was merely questioning whether they should use less wires and heavier gauge. I did not meant 8, 10 or 14 gauge.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Jalo said:


> Sorry for the my confusing language.  When I say using 8, 10, 14 wires I was referring to the K-Mod upgrade by Music Sanctuary in their website they stated that they use 14 wires for their premium upgrade, I was merely questioning whether they should use less wires and heavier gauge. I did not meant 8, 10 or 14 gauge.


Which version of K mod do you have, std. Premium or ultimate? (The last two ise some tantalum caps, do they make a huge diff?)


----------



## Jalo

gerelmx1986 said:


> Which version of K mod do you have, std. Premium or ultimate? (The last two ise some tantalum caps, do they make a huge diff?)


No I have not done the K-Mos yet but is exploring if I should hence the question.


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> maybe that is the magic trick bhind sony to make the 1Z sound "better" than 1A a simple cable of better quality


There are more to why WM1Z would sound better than WM1A.

take the Copper Goldplated chassis for example.  The nature of S-Master is that it utilizes the MOSFET to switch the signals in turn to convert the already processed Pulse Codes into Analog signals before passing into the Lowpass filters.  So...just like any Transistors, the ground is a very important element.  Now, take that into account of itself being one of the main element for your analog signals ?

What about those Capacitors...they are Low pass filters! So of course it would affect the sound quality.

Internal wires ? If you are able to observe the effects of upgraded cables, then it is a fool proof for the improvements from even normal OFC into Kimber itself....however, I am not a fan of Kimber.


I know, and I myself, sometimes make jokes about the usages of OFC Goldplated Chassis on the Wm1Z.  But the effects of the WM1Z is very real.  Other devices may be Dipping into the market trend, but it effects wouldn’t be as Pronounced as the Wm1Z, and the reason being is that....S-Master VS off the shelves DAC-IC.


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> dsp deffinately eats battery, up to perhaps 30% more than direct source. Also higher volume would use more battery I assume. I get about 20 hours play time plus a weeks stand by time from a 90% charge (usually charge once a week and never turn it off) using source direct and 70-80 on low gain playing flac 16/44 files


thank you friend have a happy new year you and everyone here!


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> There are more to why WM1Z would sound better than WM1A.
> 
> take the Copper Goldplated chassis for example.  The nature of S-Master is that it utilizes the MOSFET to switch the signals in turn to convert the already processed Pulse Codes into Analog signals before passing into the Lowpass filters.  So...just like any Transistors, the ground is a very important element.  Now, take that into account of itself being one of the main element for your analog signals ?
> 
> ...


what DAP would you buy today? if money isent a problem?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Midnstorms said:


> what DAP would you buy today? if money isent a problem?


he already got a DMP-Z1


----------



## Mindstorms (Dec 31, 2019)

gerelmx1986 said:


> he already got a DMP-Z1


well he did well (indeed its the best ive seen!) i wonder if it rumbles!? Deep! I wish someone could comapre the hole sony lineup so us to see how much are we "losing" by going entry level i guess soundstage clarity and separation should be miles away from 1A and thickness...


----------



## Quadfather

I have boatloads of tunes and plenty of space left for more. I love the 1 terabyte micro SD card.


----------



## 524419 (Jan 1, 2020)

Jalo said:


> Recently I’ve been thinking about the K-Mod for the 1Z, I know some of you have the K-Mod but not too much impressions were given. Can someone share some thoughts on the K-Mod?  Specifically I want to know is it an improvement on the sound without altering the sound signature/character? If so in what way was the sound improved?  The upgrade wires are stated to be OCC copper, should silver be used? Instead of using 8,10,14 wires, should a heavier gauge wire be used instead.  If the sound can be improved without altering the sound character, I am all for it.


Silver will change the stock sound. I tried 24  gauge solid OCC Silver on the 1A, and it messed with the timbre quite a bit. I for one was not a fan.
Solid OCC will be smoother than any Stranded OCC copper wire. Unless pliability is absolutely essential, like headphone cables, solid wire ill always sound better.
Just my 2 cents.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 1, 2020)

Quadfather said:


> I have boatloads of tunes and plenty of space left for more. I love the 1 terabyte micro SD card.





With 50.000+ there is a short delay upon creating lists, going to playback screen, accessing menus.  It is probably a 1 second lag nothing that bothers me. I've  had worse lagging when i had my FiiO X3 first gen.
To achiv this number of songs , i "compressed" the DSF's to flac 24bit


----------



## captblaze

gerelmx1986 said:


> With 50.000+ there is a short delay upon creating lists, going to playback screen, accessing menus.  It is probably a 1 second lag nothing that bothers me. I've  had worse lagging when i had my FiiO X3 first gen.
> To achiv this number of songs , i "compressed" the DSF's to flac 24bit



Approx. 140 days of continuous music (24/7)?


----------



## gerelmx1986

captblaze said:


> Approx. 140 days of continuous music (24/7)?


Ys most are 16/44 and 24 buts, to fit even mote than 46k i had to convert the DSD to flac ( dont worry as the "masters" are  on my hard drive untouched)


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 1, 2020)

I still think the cheapest and easiest way to turn a stock 1A into a stock 1Z is a pair of IER-Z1R IEMs and 1A firmware 3.01. If someone found a nice used pair of IER-Z1Rs and they fit them, and they liked the sound there is really not much more desired looking for the Walkman 1Z sound? This is just my opinion with my ears?

It’s obviously not exactly the same but it’s uncanny how close the IER-Z1R brings the 1A to the 1Z personality. The thickness, the bass tone, the soundstage.......it’s actually quite surprising? In my use I have never found an IEM which bridges the gap between the players (besides the IER-Z1R)? It’s also not a coincidence it’s a Sony product.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

@Whitigir and others that are interested in DAC technology:

First part of three:


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 1, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> @Whitigir and others that are interested in DAC technology:
> 
> First part of three:



Thank you for that.  DMP Z1 to me is a notch above the Chord Dave, which made my final decision.

If you are interested in FPGA for a Digital to Analog Conversion, you will also see it inside the DMP-Z1 with “DSD Remastering”.  The differences is that Sony don’t just use any FPGA, but their very own Proprietary IC chip which also acts as Digital DSP and Digital Interfaces. _This very same chip is inside WM1A/WM1Z, TA-ZH1ES and DMP Z1.

the reason why WM1A and Z is not having DSD remastering is because DSD signals will need DSD digital filter or low bit processing (1bit).  The S-Master is Multibit and Direct Conversion, hence is not Capable of passing Only DSD Native signals from it Input.  This was why the TA ZH1ES needs to have another FPGA in order to conduct Low bit processing.  

FPGA is just Field Programable Gated Array.  You can program it and enable different tasks, but it was mainly developed for Automation and robotic application....not dedicated toward Audio signal processing.  FPGa is very Noisy, and Electrical noises is a form of errors.  This was why even though Using FPGA inside TA ZH1ES, it is only a low bit processor for “DSD remastering”....unlike Chord, which rely on FPGA to do the conversion and dedicated sound processing.  After many listening sessions and analysis, I do not like FPGA based DAC.  The last evidence to me was DAVE...totally a level below DMP Z1_


----------



## ruthieandjohn (Jan 1, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Thank you for that.  DMP Z1 to me is a notch above the Chord Dave, which made my final decision.


Wow!  That comment could be a game changer for me, as I have been considering the Chord Dave for a two channel system I am building, but know that with a Dave, I still need to find a source, while the Sony DMP Z1 gives me both DAC and source.

@Whitigir , can you say a bit more?  Were you able to compare the DMP Z1 and Dave side by side?  Did you hear the Dave driven by the Chord Mscaler (an upsampler with over a million filter taps).  If so, how did that combination compare to the DMP Z1?  Does the DMP Z1, in one of the Sony modes, also offer up sampling?

For the DMP Z1, is there a way to control song selection remotely, e.g. via an iPad app, so I can keep the DMP Z1 near the stereo system and its control at the place where I listen, in front of the speakers?

Thanks!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jan 1, 2020)

I feel that summit-fi is not just about how many billions of taps or fancy upsampling code you can squeeze into your high processing power fpga. It is also about careful delicate integration of electrical noise rejection and reduction, prestinely clean muti-point power supplies for each section, thermal control and as well as electrical and radio noise shielding and as well as capacitor design know-how. This is where Sony engineers have the edge over Chord.


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 1, 2020)

ruthieandjohn said:


> Wow!  That comment could be a game changer for me, as I have been considering the Chord Dave for a two channel system I am building, but know that with a Dave, I still need to find a source, while the Sony DMP Z1 gives me both DAC and source.
> 
> @Whitigir , can you say a bit more?  We’re you able to compare the DMP Z1 and Dave side by side?  Did you hear the Dave driven by the Chord Mscaler (an upsampler with over a million filter taps).  If so, how did that combination compare to the DMP Z1?  Does the DMP Z1, in one of the Sony modes, also offer up sampling?
> 
> ...




I did not have Dave with MScaler. It was from a PC as a source.  DSEE-HX is almost an up scaling feature that was detailed as bringing any files into High-resolutions.  I never enjoyed it as much before, but now I do with DMP Z1.
Main differences is the soundstage presentation in XYZ expansiveness.  Dave is more like  Dome shaped presentation where the vertical plane is not as spherical as DMP.  The timbres from Dave is dense and also somewhat warmth, but very different than DMP Z1.  Dave sounds more like Digital where as DMP sounds more like Analog.  The Dave was behind in Fluidity, density resolutions, textures details, and most importantly grainy.  The DMP has utmost density resolutions, fluidity, textures details but buttery smooth, very fluid and liquid.  The only thing I would pick on the DMP Z1 is the Warmth signature, but even so, every pitch, tempo, Chorus are all precisely and uniquely retrieved and reproduced for each different instruments and plays.




Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I feel that summit-fi is not just about how many billions of taps or fancy upsampling code you can squeeze into your high processing power fpga. It is also about careful delicate integration of electrical noise rejection and reduction, prestinely clean muti-point power supplies for each section, thermal control and as well as electrical and radio noise shielding and as well as capacitor design know-how. This is where Sony engineers have the edge over Chord.



Yes, and error corrections, Jitter could come from Ceramic Capacitors.  They cause Piezoelectric effects which we use on Crystal oscillators as a timing devices.  These mechanical vibrations induce both electrical noises and physical noises into the signals, which cause the Signals to be contaminated or... carrying a lot of Error that should not have been.  DMP Z1 is using all the Multi Layer Filmed Capacitors at the most important places of Audio signal paths to ensure of negating this effects.

beside that, the algorithms, the DSP techniques behind everything is also very important.  The implementation is so vastly different that even within Sony itself, the DMP with DSD remastering to DSD64 is better than TA ZH1ES which does PCM to DSD128.  Isn’t that crazy ?  The way I see it, this is my observation between DMP which uses a lot of PmL caps as mentioned above and using AK4497EQ as a low bit processors instead of FPGA inside TA ZH1ES.  As mentioned FPGA was never meant for dedicated audio processing.

you can read more about DMP Z1 and my impressions here 
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/so...r-signature-series.23308/reviews#review-23083


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jan 1, 2020)

I feel that the game changer that Sony introduced recently is use of AI for DSEE HX. This can even somewhat address the issue of older recordings not sounding good due to lack of dynamics, lack of timbre or grainy sounding or tape hiss or microphone hiss/bad echoing or any of the audio nastiness that cannot be corrected by DAC filtering and conventional upsampling technology. It's really almost like a very experienced sound engineer is remastering your music collection in real time.


----------



## akãjerovia

The high gain option drains A LOT of battery, so i'll stick to mostly flac files. Also i read in the manual that you can save battery by turn in off the "auto off" option. It also seems like the "save battery" option consume battery. I've disable high gain, NFC, bluetooth and that helped, also brightness to 25, but still think there are a few things one can do to improve the battery life.


----------



## Florin Mandru

akãjerovia said:


> The high gain option drains A LOT of battery, so i'll stick to mostly flac files. Also i read in the manual that you can save battery by turn in off the "auto off" option. It also seems like the "save battery" option consume battery. I've disable high gain, NFC, bluetooth and that helped, also brightness to 25, but still think there are a few things one can do to improve the battery life.


Can I ask witch charger are you using?I have always use a maximum 1A and with a full charge I am using my wm1a for days with the high gain option on.


----------



## akãjerovia

Florin Mandru said:


> Can I ask witch charger are you using?I have always use a maximum 1A and with a full charge I am using my wm1a for days with the high gain option on.



When i receive the wm1a, the first charge i made it with a 5.3v 2.0a charger, out of anxiety to listen it. I listened to DSD 64, 128 and flac 16 and 24 bit. that charge on high gain with "save battery" off lasted me a lot more than with save battery mode on, i know i lose 10% of the battery, but with save battery on, i feel like it drains a bit faster. Also always on direct mode, no EQ. Since that first charge, i only use my laptop to slow charge and not stress the battery.

I will turn off all option and see how it works


----------



## Florin Mandru

akãjerovia said:


> When i receive the wm1a, the first charge i made it with a 5.3v 2.0a charger, out of anxiety to listen it. I listened to DSD 64, 128 and flac 16 and 24 bit. that charge on high gain with "save battery" off lasted me a lot more than with save battery mode on, i know i lose 10% of the battery, but with save battery on, i feel like it drains a bit faster. Also always on direct mode, no EQ. Since that first charge, i only use my laptop to slow charge and not stress the battery.
> 
> I will turn off all option and see how it works


As far as I know the battery could lose its proprieties if is not charged correctly and with a proper charger


----------



## akãjerovia

Florin Mandru said:


> As far as I know the battery could lose its proprieties if is not charged correctly and with a proper charger


 
Thanks, acording to the guide it says 7 hours of charge with a laptop, but i have a 5v 1a charger, i'll use that one


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

[QUOTE="Whitigir, post: 15392449, member: 378966]  Dave sounds more like Digital where as DMP sounds more like Analog.  The Dave was behind in Fluidity, density resolutions, textures details, and most importantly grainy.  [/QUOTE]

I feel Sony Sound Signature is the complete opposite of Chord

I think what you describe is much alike this reviewer's impressions on the hugo2:



> For all its technical greatness, however, the Hugo 2 simply doesn’t sound musical. Vocals are that one degree too cool, the treble is that little touch too sharp and punchy, and the balance is simply off. There’s no humanity to the music that comes from the Hugo 2, and that becomes apparent over a longer listening session with good headphones. I write after weeks of accumulated experience with everything from the cheap in-ear 1More Triple Drivers to the epic Focal Utopia, Final D8000, Klipsch HP-3, and Audeze MX4, among others.
> 
> Like a perfectly sharp chef’s knife, the Hugo 2 leaves me awed by its precision but also bruised by its merciless sharpness. On Banks’ “Mother Earth,” for example, every pluck of a guitar string is crystal clear and identifiable, but the singer’s vocals lack their natural huskiness, and high notes seem to jump out from the backing track. I just can’t relax while listening to the uptight and regimented sound of the Hugo 2. Switching to the Woo Audio WA7 tube amplifier feels like a warm hug from an old friend by comparison, and the Schiit Jotunheim and DragonFly Red DAC/amps each produce a more listenable and enjoyable output than the Hugo. Call my tastes plebeian if you must, but I can only relay what I’ve experienced: the Hugo 2’s technical superiority doesn’t translate to better music.
> 
> Initially, I was unwilling to accept that it was the Hugo 2’s fault, so I spent many weeks trying to train myself to like it. But over that period of time, I lost much of my enthusiasm for testing headphones, and I was left with the impression that the new Audio-Technica X5000, Audeze LCD-2 Classic, and Final D8000 each had an unpleasant treble edge. It wasn’t them, it was the Hugo 2.


https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/24/17273218/chord-hugo-2-review-dac-headphone-amplifier


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 2, 2020)

Sound signatures ? of course  each devices would have it own signatures.
I don’t know what to really say but we did observe the similar views on Chord stuff, and IMO that DAVE has some harshness and grainy textures.

The DMP-Z1 does not.

I gotta say that I keep on trying Chord equipments, but it could never get to me.  I have no problem with revealing gears and bright gears, HD800S Stax SR009 and 009S are all in my arsenal.  I love trebles, sparkles, the details and resonances.  It just have to be “done right”


----------



## Florin Mandru

akãjerovia said:


> Thanks, acording to the guide it says 7 hours of charge with a laptop, but i have a 5v 1a charger, i'll use that one


In comparison with my dx220, I have to charge it once and it will hold at least three days with 5-6 hours a day of use.
The dx220 is holding around 6-7 hours or even less depend of the amp used.


----------



## akãjerovia (Jan 2, 2020)

Florin Mandru said:


> In comparison with my dx220, I have to charge it once and it will hold at least three days with 5-6 hours a day of use.
> The dx220 is holding around 6-7 hours or even less depend of the amp used.



Yes, the WM1A has an espectacular battery life, and that's one of the main reason i bought it, apart for the known synergy with the Z1R. Compared to my Plenue 1, which lasts less than 8 hours total, or my idsd bl that lasts around 8 hours on normal mode. I use them both trough optical and have to charge them almost everyday, and the idsd bl does not sound the best trough optical IMO. But i think i found the reason for the draining. Last week i connected my phone trough bluetooth and didn't eliminate it from the list, that could be it. Now i'm using direct on, screen brightness to 19, NFC off, bluetooth off with no devices on the list, high gain off, volume 110 to 115 balanced, auto turn off on off and the screen on standard. Let's see


----------



## Fishdo

The Sony manual only refers to charging via the laptop.... and I was concerned that using another means of charging might hurt the battery or it’s life span...

I read a few guy on here saying they used 2a plugs and others the smaller 1a plug... basically the 2a being the big plug you get with the iPad and the 1a the plug you get with the iPhone...

I found by searching on the Sony site that they specifically say to not use the 2a plug but if you do use mains only use the 1a....

It also says to use the battery saver option as well..

But it is very important to understand the distinction with the above advice.... and that is that this advice is given on the basis of improving the battery life over a period of years ...

It is not given to help you improve how long your battery lasts between charges.... 

It’s an important point to remember when discussing the battery life of these DAPs ... 

Is someone talking about improving the life span of the battery or about getting more from the battery between charging...

Turning off the battery saver option will improve the life between charges... having it switched on will improve the life of the battery overall...

Charging the battery with a 2a plug won’t hurt the battery per se but that battery won’t last as long as someone using the DAP (playing it for just as many hours between charges) but charging it using a laptop or 1a plug...


----------



## akãjerovia

Thanks for the clarification. I only used the 2a charger for the first charge, since then, i only use my laptop to charge it. I want it to last me the longest time possible because i really like the sound. Right now i've been listening for 3 straight hours and not a bar drop, 35 hours down of the burn in.


----------



## Duncan

So, I’ve rediscovered my WM1A - with AK T8ie mkII, balanced - I never used the AKs with the player first time around - I wish I had! Sound is pretty phenomenal to me.

question for the more die hard DAP people though - how is the 1A holding up when compared to more modern players of a similar price point?  Is it time to send it to the retirement home, or is it still fighting alongside the best of them?


----------



## nc8000

Duncan said:


> So, I’ve rediscovered my WM1A - with AK T8ie mkII, balanced - I never used the AKs with the player first time around - I wish I had! Sound is pretty phenomenal to me.
> 
> question for the more die hard DAP people though - how is the 1A holding up when compared to more modern players of a similar price point?  Is it time to send it to the retirement home, or is it still fighting alongside the best of them?



If I were in the market today for an under 1.000 USD/GBP dap 1A would be my number 1 chioce as I exclusively want a dap for local files and with huge battery life


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 2, 2020)

Duncan said:


> So, I’ve rediscovered my WM1A - with AK T8ie mkII, balanced - I never used the AKs with the player first time around - I wish I had! Sound is pretty phenomenal to me.
> 
> question for the more die hard DAP people though - how is the 1A holding up when compared to more modern players of a similar price point?  Is it time to send it to the retirement home, or is it still fighting alongside the best of them?


 i think it still holds quite well today.  Tomorrow will be three years since i turned mine on for the first time, still enjoying the heck of it


----------



## 524419

Duncan said:


> So, I’ve rediscovered my WM1A - with AK T8ie mkII, balanced - I never used the AKs with the player first time around - I wish I had! Sound is pretty phenomenal to me.
> 
> question for the more die hard DAP people though - how is the 1A holding up when compared to more modern players of a similar price point?  Is it time to send it to the retirement home, or is it still fighting alongside the best of them?


With the internal cable upgrade the 1A is my number 1 DAP on the market, outside of the DMP-Z1. Z1 is not exactly portable.


----------



## AlexCBSN

Diet Kokaine said:


> With the internal cable upgrade the 1A is my number 1 DAP on the market, outside of the DMP-Z1. Z1 is not exactly portable.


You did the retiring right?


----------



## 524419 (Jan 2, 2020)

AlexCBSN said:


> You did the retiring right?


Sorry, I don't understand.
I think you mean REWIRING, yes I did. changed them to Solid OCC copper.


----------



## ttt123

Fishdo said:


> The Sony manual only refers to charging via the laptop.... and I was concerned that using another means of charging might hurt the battery or it’s life span...
> 
> I read a few guy on here saying they used 2a plugs and others the smaller 1a plug... basically the 2a being the big plug you get with the iPad and the 1a the plug you get with the iPhone...
> 
> ...


The advice to use only a 1A charger is somebody hedging, and is wrong.  This happens quite often, which is why it is so hard for people to know what is the right thing to do, as surely the Sony web site advice must be accurate?    On a similar note, I have received/seen advice to never replace a car battery with a battery that has a higher rated output than the OEM battery.  And advice from a store selling cell phones to never use a higher output charger than the one that came with the phone.  So the wrong advice is very consistent.
My understanding is:
- Always use the highest output charger is it has a better reserve, and will run way below it's rated output, thus cooler, and well within design limits.  There is no benefit to using a low output charger, but there are negatives, as a low output charger uses lower spec'ed parts, and can be driven into over current conditions, which can result in overheating and breakdown of the charger.
- Using a high quality, high output charger is the most important factor. 
- The device being charged controls the charge current.  The Charger provides a clean reservoir of power.  It does not determine how much current will be used for charging.
- Monitoring with a Charge Doctor, I can confirm that the charge current does not change whether you use a 1A or a 2A charger.  
- Charging from a PC USB port, the PC USB port is limited to 0.500Mah (.5A).

The above is the consistent advice I have seen from recommendations on Lithium Ion battery charging.  This is my personal understanding.


----------



## AlexCBSN

Diet Kokaine said:


> Sorry, I don't understand.
> I think you mean REWIRING, yes I did. changed them to Solid OCC copper.


Yes! Sorry, autocorrect did it again. Damn, I wish someone had the ability down here in Mexico to do it. I don’t dare to try, I don’t even know how to solder to begin with.


----------



## 524419

Any electronics repair shop should be able to the MOD (if you give them the wire yourself)


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> i think it still holds quite well today.  Tomorrow will be three years since i turned mine on for the first time, still enjoying the heck of it



November 2017 for me! 
Wedding Night.


----------



## Mindstorms

I will remain 3.01 till sony release anew firmware 3.02 its a nice place for vacations dough but i wish sony hear User feedback about control and bass... 3.02 its really a good firmware but i thnink they can make a dark 3.03 as final firmware with loads of sub bass rumble and same awesome 3.02 stage i dont car if its staurates pass 110 volume... thats my only 2020 wish lol


----------



## Vitaly2017

Is anyone like me?
I got a feeling I can smell it, its spurring into my nose, Sony is about to release a wm1z successor It gota be around the corner cant be quiet for no more!

There is to many daps released to many new flagships.
Sony is awaiting for everyone to set there releases and at the end slam that big slap in the face of everyone lol.

Here is wm1z 2 haha I bet it will have some resemblance with dmp z1 and probably use akm 4499!

So when is it coming ? Sony when ?
Bare in mine it should also have more power output but not much....


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> Is anyone like me?
> I got a feeling I can smell it, its spurring into my nose, Sony is about to release a wm1z successor It gota be around the corner cant be quiet for no more!
> 
> There is to many daps released to many new flagships.
> ...


 i am thinking the same, either this CES or in IFA 2020


----------



## Whitigir

AK4499EQ is a Delta-Sigma DAC.  Walkman is always S-Master.  If it isn’t S-Master, it isn’t a Walkman


----------



## Skullar (Jan 3, 2020)

hey folks selling my WM1A: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-wm1a-excelent-condition.922378/

reason behind is i really want to try out dx220. while i would really like to keep both it as i really like sony, unfortunaely i cant have both as my wife is pregnant and i have to control my audophile shopping fury haha

let me know if interested. its got 650 hrs clock so far.

eu only


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> AK4499EQ is a Delta-Sigma DAC.  Walkman is always S-Master.  If it isn’t S-Master, it isn’t a Walkman



So Dmp z1 is not in the Walkman league?


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> So Dmp z1 is not in the Walkman league?


It is not the league we are talking about ...it is a different type of product....

See, the naming goes like

NW = New Walkman

DMP = Digital Music Player


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> It is not the league we are talking about ...it is a different type of product....
> 
> See, the naming goes like
> 
> ...



Hmmmm so I guess there is not going to be any remastering to dsd as in dmp for the next nw generation. Probably the new dsee hx Ai is so good that we wont need that.

And S-master do sound feaky good.

What about the poscaps and oscaps? 
They going to share same parts maybe?


----------



## Whitigir

I do not know about the next Walkman....it isn’t totally impossible for S-Master to incorporate Low bit converter....only that the current S-Master HX is only Multi-bit.  Who know what the next generation could bring ?

I can not speculate on those capacitors either.  But if the trends from previous Walkman and Sony stay the same, then we could expect a lot of quality PML caps to dedicate toward music signal purity, Poscaps and electrolytic as well.

However, who knows when the next generation S-Master May come


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> I do not know about the next Walkman....it isn’t totally impossible for S-Master to incorporate Low bit converter....only that the current S-Master HX is only Multi-bit.  Who know what the next generation could bring ?
> 
> I can not speculate on those capacitors either.  But if the trends from previous Walkman and Sony stay the same, then we could expect a lot of quality PML caps to dedicate toward music signal purity, Poscaps and electrolytic as well.
> 
> However, who knows when the next generation S-Master May come




What do you think about m15 parts vs wm1z?  It seems like fiio is trying really hard here no?


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> What do you think about m15 parts vs wm1z?  It seems like fiio is trying really hard here no?


I could only judge by what they disclosed.  Not sure what the real internal pictures look like, but it seems they are trying really hard to use quality parts as well.  It is certainly very interesting


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Sony should also come out with a WM2A:
Smaster HX, FT Cap2, DSEE HX AI, OCC Copper Wiring, Gold Solder, BT 5.0 (Basically Non-Android ZX507 with even better shielding and better power output)


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Whitigir said:


> I could only judge by what they disclosed.  Not sure what the real internal pictures look like, but it seems they are trying really hard to use quality parts as well.  It is certainly very interesting



PCB pictures here:
https://m.weibo.cn/detail/4456617497809643

Sony's copper shielding is still much better in my opinion.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jan 3, 2020)

I don't know what kind of secret sauce Sony added to the DSEE HX AI on the ZX507,  I have already tried so many other mobile-based upsampling Iisted here:
Hibiki IOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hibiki2f/id887091351
Korg Audiogate: https://www.korg.com/us/products/software/iaudiogate/
Neutron Music Player: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.neutroncode.mp&hl=en
TEAC HR player: http://audio.teac.com/product/hr_audio_player_for_ios/

The new Sony up-sampling algorithm is the first one that makes me want to upsample every of my music! All the other up-sampling Apps all have issues with blurriness or sounds overly sharpened. Although Korg and Hibiki is pretty decent.

I cannot imagine how DSEE-HX AI will sound on the WM1Z if that's possbile to be added in. Though I don't think it is possible as the DSEE-HX AI already consumes so much processing power of the ZX507(battery reduced by 30%-35% with DSP), the CPU on the WM1Z probably won't be able to do the AI processing.


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> PCB pictures here:
> https://m.weibo.cn/detail/4456617497809643
> 
> Sony's copper shielding is still much better in my opinion.


Thank you!  What I see is

KEMET KO caps,
PML Caps at OpAmps and more KO caps at line out

Look like AXV at Decoupling Caps, which is a No No to me.  But judging with all those KO Caps, those last 4 should also be KO Caps or else it would have gone to waste 

A lot of 0.1% precision resistors which is good

I do think the M15 is a very high end device from hardware look.  The fact that it doesn’t have any Ribbon cables and using as quality parts as AK stuff.  I think the SP2K may have some fierce competitors here.

However, as we all know, the tuning is make it or break it.  Not sure how M15 is going to sound like until I hear it.  

Even-though I am very curious about it...it comes down to a question of “Dx220Max or M15”.  I know Dx220 very well....haven’t seen Dx220Max yet at all


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 3, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I don't know what kind of secret sauce Sony added to the DSEE HX AI on the ZX507,  I have already tried so many other mobile-based upsampling Iisted here:
> Hibiki IOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hibiki2f/id887091351
> Korg Audiogate: https://www.korg.com/us/products/software/iaudiogate/
> Neutron Music Player: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.neutroncode.mp&hl=en
> ...




I think WM1Z has different type of DHEE HX.  It has a lighter Load as you can pick either “string, percussion...” What these DSEE HX is, I think it is a different shape and order of the noises being added in order to process Digital info into analog signals.  Some pretty Heavy Algorithms and DSP techniques.  I am not surprise to see the Battery consumption went down.  Every time a heavier algorithms are being used....it results in a lot more consumption 

The AI have everything compressed in one click where as the WM1A/Z may just have the regular non AI where you have to pick it manually.

If ZX500 is that good, then it means Sony is perfecting the DSEE HX as time goes!!!! Lovely.  With my DMP, it is a Must if I don’t use DSD Remastering engine


----------



## Gilles De Rais (Jan 3, 2020)

Duncan said:


> So, I’ve rediscovered my WM1A - with AK T8ie mkII, balanced - I never used the AKs with the player first time around - I wish I had! Sound is pretty phenomenal to me.
> 
> question for the more die hard DAP people though - how is the 1A holding up when compared to more modern players of a similar price point?  Is it time to send it to the retirement home, or is it still fighting alongside the best of them?



The question is how are these ‘more modern players’ are improved over the WM1A? 

To be blunt there have been very few changes to digital music replay technology over the past few years - what changes in d/a conversion? What changes in amplification. What changes in amp topology?  To the best of my knowledge - none, stuff like balanced output and FPGA have been around for years. For ‘modern’ read more expensive. Improvements in these are due to higher quality components, better power supply regulation, better analogue circuits and amplification circuits, not ‘new’ technology. The cost difference between the 1A and the 1Z is proof of that.

 Interestingly enough the ‘best’ sounding dap to my ears is the Hifinan R2R2000 which uses dac chips last manufactured 15 years ago (BB1704).

i think the question should be how does the 1A compare to other daps in its pricepoint? I’d say still pretty good - especially if battery life is a consideration. It still sounds good with any iem, especially through the 4.4mm.


----------



## Whitigir

There is a lot of DA conversion technology going on, and all of it is reaching the never before seen Dynamic Range with Superb Low Noises.  Then everything else like you mentioned, regulators...etc.

However, algorithms will be where the secret recipe be.  Digital and algorithms always go together....everywhere you look.  Good hardware without good algorithms = Moot!!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> PCB pictures here:
> https://m.weibo.cn/detail/4456617497809643
> 
> Sony's copper shielding is still much better in my opinion.




Woaaa nice stuff thanks, I have to say the m15 looks like the ibasso pcb when I swapped the battery.
sony uses a way better shieldings , uts a copper gold plated plate! As you can see fiio and ibasso isnt going thst route...
And nw daps are like 100% shielded theres no interferences at all.






Whitigir said:


> Thank you!  What I see is
> 
> KEMET KO caps,
> PML Caps at OpAmps and more KO caps at line out
> ...





Whitigir said:


> I think WM1Z has different type of DHEE HX.  It has a lighter Load as you can pick either “string, percussion...” What these DSEE HX is, I think it is a different shape and order of the noises being added in order to process Digital info into analog signals.  Some pretty Heavy Algorithms and DSP techniques.  I am not surprise to see the Battery consumption went down.  Every time a heavier algorithms are being used....it results in a lot more consumption
> 
> The AI have everything compressed in one click where as the WM1A/Z may just have the regular non AI where you have to pick it manually.
> 
> If ZX500 is that good, then it means Sony is perfecting the DSEE HX as time goes!!!! Lovely.  With my DMP, it is a Must if I don’t use DSD Remastering engine




Hmmm and theres also no os-caps either  and sony has those custom made for sony.... it apparently improves sound bass by a lot. I think its part of sony secret sauce.

I also like to use dsee hx ( strings and percussion) 
Linear phase , B low or standart
Dynamic volume on
Venyl off 

Lately I stopped using eq I am now enjoying a lot more the timber tuning.  Very cool features.
I am to date very impressed by wm1z, 
Though sucks me and ier-z1r couldn't get along.  It was a neet iem. Oh well


----------



## Whitigir

You had ier-Z1R ? I never realized that


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> You had ier-Z1R ? I never realized that




Yes I did, but fit issues and sound preferences lead me to tia trio.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jan 4, 2020)

On why 30years older DAC chips sound better than modern high speed Delta shitgema dacs, this is well explained by the audiophile legend, the late Ken Ishiwata of Marantz.(5min 45sec of video)


----------



## gerelmx1986

I've read the document on the signatute of @Sonywalkmanuser , pretty interesting read of the S-MASTER, the anti-jitter precision in attoseconds, wow, that is even lower than these femto clocks... and the desktop version of S-Master has high voltage (or current) FETs in the output secrion, making the desktop amp capable of outputting 75W  per channel for powering speakers.

I think sony can implement a mobile version of these Switching FETs to put more piwer in a walkman f.e 1W or 800mW


----------



## simon740

Hello,

Can anyone tell me how to take a screenshot on wm1a?

regards,
Simon


----------



## aceedburn

simon740 said:


> Hello,
> 
> Can anyone tell me how to take a screenshot on wm1a?
> 
> ...


There isn’t such a function on the WM1A.


----------



## captblaze

aceedburn said:


> There isn’t such a function on the WM1A.



somewhere in this thread @gerelmx1986 did a tutorial on the steps to taking a screenie on the WM-1A


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> There isn’t such a function on the WM1A.



yes there is and it is mentioned how several times in this thread but I can’t remember exactly how, something about pressing the power and volume buttons simultanious


----------



## simon740

nc8000 said:


> yes there is and it is mentioned how several times in this thread but I can’t remember exactly how, something about pressing the power and volume buttons simultanious



yes I tried this...But I dont know what Im doing wrong..


----------



## captblaze

simon740 said:


> yes I tried this...But I dont know what Im doing wrong..



https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1253#post-14080788

screen off/ vol up/ vol down/ hold power till screen lights up... connect WM-1A to computer look in Walkman storage (not SD)

screenie should be in that folder

I just did it


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jan 4, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I've read the document on the signatute of @Sonywalkmanuser , pretty interesting read of the S-MASTER, the anti-jitter precision in attoseconds, wow, that is even lower than these femto clocks... and the desktop version of S-Master has high voltage (or current) FETs in the output secrion, making the desktop amp capable of outputting 75W  per channel for powering speakers.
> 
> I think sony can implement a mobile version of these Switching FETs to put more piwer in a walkman f.e 1W or 800mW



Sony really have alot of technical prowess that most other smaller companies do not have. Maybe exceptions include Samsung (AKG) and Harmon International(JBL), THX and Dolby.

From this article, it seems that Sony DSEE HX AI is not just a simple automatic mode selection but more like performing a continuous real time adjustment to the oversampling mode. And Sony actually uses music from their record label to allow their machine AI to analyze big data and to learn from it.

https://www.sony.jp/feature/products/dseehx/



> sony
> 検索
> Product information / store
> General support and inquiries
> ...


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Sony really have alot of technical prowess that most other smaller companies do not have. Maybe exceptions include Samsung (AKG) and Harmon International(JBL), THX and Dolby.
> 
> From this article, it seems that Sony DSEE HX AI is not just a simple automatic mode selection but more like performing a continuous real time adjustment to the oversampling mode. And Sony actually uses music from their record label to allow their machine AI to analyze big data and to learn from it.
> 
> https://www.sony.jp/feature/products/dseehx/




Id love to see this new dseehx in wm1a and 1z with a new update that would be so cool. So until they release the new successor we have some goodies to play with!


----------



## simon740

captblaze said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1253#post-14080788
> 
> screen off/ vol up/ vol down/ hold power till screen lights up... connect WM-1A to computer look in Walkman storage (not SD)
> 
> ...


Thank you...I will try later


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 4, 2020)

captblaze said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1253#post-14080788
> 
> screen off/ vol up/ vol down/ hold power till screen lights up... connect WM-1A to computer look in Walkman storage (not SD)
> 
> ...





simon740 said:


> Thank you...I will try later



That may work. Still the way I do it is different. You have the screen on, as you may want to capture the title scrolling across. You hit “volume down” then “volume up” then power. When you know you’ve held the power button long enough, it will have a message appear that asks if you want to power down; you then push “no”....and you have a screen capture with the screen on the whole time.

Found it here. 
https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/portable-audio/how-to-take-screenshot-walkman-nw-zx300/td-p/2453777


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Found another whitepaper from Sony on how they eliminate jitter and how conversion is done in detail. Starts from page 5.

https://docs.sony.com/release/SCD1_TWP.pdf


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 4, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Found another whitepaper from Sony on how they eliminate jitter and how conversion is done in detail. Starts from page 5.
> 
> https://docs.sony.com/release/SCD1_TWP.pdf



Jitters!  There is no one who understands and take measurements to negate jitters as much as Sony.  Not only Jitters but also Errors.  These Errors come from many different technical reasons.

Noises is error
Timing accuracy, phase noises, power supply noises, the pulsations and switching of the power supplies ripples ...etc.

Yes, Chord is one of the many companies to Argue that with switching power supply, the ripples and noises are out of human hearing range.  _But then what is Noise shaping and noise filterings in the DSP?_

They are a techniques to add noises similar to Dithering, in order to allow the algorithms to eliminate errors better, and to reproduce a more accurate dynamic, amplitudes of the original sin Waves.  They are *white noises, and they will be oversampled, multiplied and amplified ways much that you will need Low Bit Filter 35K, 45Khz, 65Kz.... etc*

So, tell me again...between Sony who takes Noises as a form of Errors VS someone who thinks as long as the noises is out of human hearing range, it is no concern ?

Anyways, I already mentioned this, while in Walkman, the usages of Polyester Multi-Filmed Layer Capacitors are necessary, the DMP Z1 are also full of it.  Why ? Because they are self dampening and Minimize the Mechanical Vibrations when a current or voltage is running through it....such Mechanism is called _*Piezoelectric.  That is how Crystal Oscilliators becomes a Clocking devices. Unwanted-*_Mechanical vibrations can add in unwanted values of electricity.  It would be meaningless to have a precisely clocked Data retrieved but then having a lot of noises and errors down the chains.

There was a period when I started getting to know digital music.  I bought in the ideas from A&K about their Femto Clocks etc....then other people also follow in their advertising.  _It is important that a precise clock is needed in digital worlds_*.  However, what is more important is the phase noises which is hugely correlated to operating temperatures, and the surrounding components of everything else that may generate it own noises*, for example, the Printed Board Mask (Hence it is Glass Epoxy), the Surface mounting capacitors (PML and minimize Ceramic caps), the SMD Electrolytic Capacitors, the Composite Wax Epoxy around these SMD capacitors to help dampen the vibrations.

This is why I always call out to Sony “welcome back! The king of Digital music”. Once again, the DMP Z1 isn’t just an engineering marvel, but it is a dare, a challenge toward many other manufacturers designers on “how many details and aspect of different bugs that could degrade the sound and is being polished by Sony.  Not only that but DSEE-HX AI , DSD Remastering, Vinyl Processor, Walkman OS, are another saying that Not only Hardware is important but Software and Algorithms as well”


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jan 4, 2020)

Found another good whitepaper on how Sony S-master works, very intriguing for those interested:
https://www.docs.sony.com/release/strda9000es_twp.pdf

For those who don't understand what is jitter and the effects of jitter, watch this video and you will get a better understanding:


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Jitters!  There is no one who understands and take measurements to negate jitters as much as Sony.  Not only Jitters but also Errors.  These Errors come from many different technical reasons.
> 
> Noises is error
> Timing accuracy, phase noises, power supply noises, the pulsations and switching of the power supplies ripples ...etc.
> ...




Hell man this couldn't been said any better!

AMEN Sony!  And in you we trust ! 



By the way Sony even creates its own parts to make the sound even to a higher level.


----------



## DeepSouth

Vitaly2017 said:


> Is anyone like me?
> I got a feeling I can smell it, its spurring into my nose, Sony is about to release a wm1z successor It gota be around the corner cant be quiet for no more!
> 
> There is to many daps released to many new flagships.
> ...



I'm planning on jumping from AK over to SONY when they make the next TOTL player. When AK is using the next generation of DAC chips and Sony is still using an old one, it's hard to justify the price of a TOTL player anticipating that Sony will have an update around the corner.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Sony XBA-Z5 with Sony Hybrid Large Tips
Sony NW-WM1Z DIgital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW 3.02
Sony/Kimber Headphone cable MUC-M12SB1

Funny how this 3.02 firmware makes the Z5 the best it's ever been?


----------



## ttt123

Whitigir said:


> Jitters!  There is no one who understands and take measurements to negate jitters as much as Sony.  Not only Jitters but also Errors.  These Errors come from many different technical reasons.
> 
> Noises is error
> Timing accuracy, phase noises, power supply noises, the pulsations and switching of the power supplies ripples ...etc.
> ...


My first hand experience with switching converter noise from working on a problem with Telephone Central Office switches:  High ripple from a single switching converter (due to degraded electrolytic filter capactors), caused 5 networked peripheral switches to lock up.  The cause was the ripple feeding through the ground and signal leads, caused so many errors in the processors that they locked up.  Noise will affect processors and amplifiers (all electronics), and cause electrical, operational, and audible effects.  So I am a firm believer that it is absolutely essential to reduce noise, using every method possible: segregate ground planes/power supplies, RF shielding, etc.,  And the effects will be audible.  This is one of the reasons I sold my Hiby R6 Pro.  It picks up RF interference from phones, which you can hear as a buzzing.  Even though I added copper foil shielding at the back, there is no way to fix what was left out in the design and engineering, if RF/noise prevention was not built into the design.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Sony XBA-Z5 with Sony Hybrid Large Tips
> Sony NW-WM1Z DIgital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW 3.02
> Sony/Kimber Headphone cable MUC-M12SB1
> 
> Funny how this 3.02 firmware makes the Z5 the best it's ever been?




Those xba z5 looks cool. Any successor to them? What is the current market equivalent?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 5, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Those xba z5 looks cool. Any successor to them? What is the current market equivalent?



I’m no expert in this, though Sony then came out with the XBA N3 after the 2014 more expensive XBA-Z5. The N3 fits 100X better not having the DD driver size of the Z5. Then the N3 designer had input to the IER-Z1R. Which if you look at the IER it does have the same driver configuration as the N3. So I don’t know what to say. Except the Z5 smokes the N3 and you can now buy the Z5 for $399. The issue with the Z5 is the form factor. It’s like a USB stick in your ear. The included rubbery cables don’t help either. And......it absolutely loves power. So even if you do cable change-outs on a new pair, your not going to have much quality from a phone. 1A or 1Z or TA desktop and they wake up nice.

I’m guessing we will see a super N3 in the future. Like something made in the N3 and IER style but in-between in price? Very different than the all BA M9 and M7. But Sony is doing well with the M9 and M7, they fit better than the Z5, still if your listening to anything electronic it’s hard to improve on the quality of the IER and Z5 DD. The N3 bass is nice but it’s slower and kind of “all over the place” even with good damping factor?

https://www.head-fi.org/goto/post?id=15393537#post-15393537

Something like 3.02 is the greatest thing to happen to both the IER and Z5. I’m ashamed I took so long to demo the Z5 with 3.02. I’m like wait? What? This IEM sounds way different than I remember? It has mids, it has super tight bass, it has more soundstage than I remember and better more upfront treble? Then I remembered that I had never heard the 3.02 and Z5 combo. I thought about trying it but failed to do so.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jan 5, 2020)

This blog claims that Sony Music Centre PC version has DSEE HX AI Enabled in the new version. Maybe you guys would like to try it on your PC and see if DSEE HX AI is indeed good?
http://sonymusiccenter.blogspot.com/2018/10/sony-music-centre-gets-ai-strengthened.html

Official download site for Sony Music Centre:
https://musiccenter.sony.net/en/


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m no expert in this, though Sony then came out with the XBA N3 after the 2014 more expensive XBA-Z5. The N3 fits 100X better not having the DD driver size of the Z5. Then the N3 designer had input to the IER-Z1R. Which if you look at the IER it does have the same driver configuration as the N3. So I don’t know what to say. Except the Z5 smokes the N3 and you can now buy the Z5 for $399. The issue with the Z5 is the form factor. It’s like a USB stick in your ear. The included rubbery cables don’t help either. And......it absolutely loves power. So even if you do cable change-outs on a new pair, your not going to have much quality from a phone. 1A or 1Z or TA desktop and they wake up nice.
> 
> I’m guessing we will see a super N3 in the future. Like something made in the N3 and IER style but in-between in price? Very different than the all BA M9 and M7. But Sony is doing well with the M9 and M7, they fit better than the Z5, still if your listening to anything electronic it’s hard to improve on the quality of the IER and Z5 DD. The N3 bass is nice but it’s slower and kind of “all over the place” even with good damping factor?
> 
> ...





Haaa I wouldnt be comfortable having an usb stick in my ears lol. I already struggled so much with ier z1r that I gaveup and sold it . Sad but it is what it is....


I feel that sony makes amazing daps, but somewhat miss it with audio headphones kinda sad. I also had mixed feelings about mdr z1r.

Though I like the ldac bluetooth headphone with noise cancellation lol. But of course it doesnt reach the lvl of sq as z1r





Sonywalkmanuser said:


> This blog claims that Sony Music Centre PC version has DSEE HX AI Enabled in the new version. Maybe you guys would like to try it on your PC and see if DSEE HX AI is indeed good?
> http://sonymusiccenter.blogspot.com/2018/10/sony-music-centre-gets-ai-strengthened.html
> 
> Official download site for Sony Music Centre:
> https://musiccenter.sony.net/en/





Hmmm I dont see any dseee hx on music center on my pc....


----------



## simon740

Vitaly2017 said:


> *Hmmm I dont see any dseee hx on music center on my pc.*...



It is in the upper right corner


----------



## Vitaly2017

simon740 said:


> It is in the upper right corner




Hmmm so how does it work?
I turn that option on and it will update my music into dsee hx Ai on my wm1z?  It will work without the music center?

I also had trouble analyzing all my music files to get the intelligent shuffle feature from sony. Its really not intuitive


----------



## Ameerzs

Perhaps many already ask this countless time, but how would u compare dx200+amp 8 with wm1a. I already heard some impression from some fellow forumers that owned both, just want to hear others if got


----------



## Whitigir

Ameerzs said:


> Perhaps many already ask this countless time, but how would u compare dx200+amp 8 with wm1a. I already heard some impression from some fellow forumers that owned both, just want to hear others if got


Dx200 and Amp8 took me away from WM1Z.


----------



## Ameerzs

Whitigir said:


> Dx200 and Amp8 took me away from WM1Z.


ya i heard the same impression from some fellow owners. Amp 8 really bring it to full potential
but seems i still stuck with 1a for the LDAC Streaming and loooong battery life


----------



## Whitigir

Ameerzs said:


> ya i heard the same impression from some fellow owners. Amp 8 really bring it to full potential
> but seems i still stuck with 1a for the LDAC Streaming and loooong battery life


DX200 and dx220 also has LDAC.  Battery life, Sony is untouchable, period.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> DX200 and dx220 also has LDAC.  Battery life, Sony is untouchable, period.


 


I disagree on that statement that dx200 or dx220 sound better then 1z lol.

Even with amp8!
Ibasso and fiio is still below sony daps.


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> I disagree on that statement that dx200 or dx220 sound better then 1z lol.
> 
> Even with amp8!
> Ibasso and fiio is still below sony daps.



I was just saying about LDAC.  We have been through this before 

After all, sound is very subjective.  I will agree to disagree because to me, the WM1Z and DX220 with Amp8 simply is on the same tier, different practicality and signature


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jan 5, 2020)

Found another interesting Sony sites. You require google translate on chrome to read:
https://www.sony.jp/headphone/special/park/engineers_interview/

https://www.sony.jp/high-resolution/flagship/


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jan 5, 2020)

@Whitigir
Just see how much care and attention Sony engineers have thought of when it comes to vibration reduction for the DMPZ1. They even include soborsane feets as standard. That's something you won't find included on other kilobuck DACs.

https://www.sony.jp/feature/products/181101/?s_pid=jp_fsl_dmp_feature_dmp


> Matsuzaki : Furthermore, the rubber feet used inside the legs also use "Sorbosane," a material used in the soles of medical and sports shoes. In addition, it has a two-layer structure, and a three-layer structure with non-slip layers prevents vibration from being transmitted to the main unit.


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> @Whitigir
> Just see how much care and attention Sony engineers when it comes to vibration reduction. They even include soborsane feets as standard. That's something you won't find on other kilobuck DACs.
> 
> https://www.sony.jp/feature/products/181101/?s_pid=jp_fsl_dmp_feature_dmp



yea, I agree.  Sony even go as far as to carefully Place and Layout the Ground plane for the best performances.  They explain it as simple as, the more ground plane is the better noises suppression, but the sound density will be weaker and carry less weight.  Therefore, each of the ground conductors are carefully designed to achieve the best balances of Sound density while suppressing  noises as much as possible


----------



## Peter Ruby

Hey Whitigir, you wouldn’t happen to live anywhere near Chicago so a fellow Head -Fi user could bring his Z1R’s over for a quick 30 minute listen, would you? 

Hell, I’d be willing to pay you to hear that thing.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I am predicting that Sony will use GAN(Gallium nitride) in their next flagship DAP.

Mention of GAN at 2:39 of this video:


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 5, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I am predicting that Sony will use GAN(Gallium nitride) in their next flagship DAP.
> 
> Mention of GAN at 2:39 of this video:



GAN is a Modern technology that has been in use to produce smaller and more efficient IC Chips, transistors, my friend.  It is just that they are not cheap.  But they are already widely used in many newer products including smartphones and DAP

SA-Z1 is very interesting, but ways too expensive



Peter Ruby said:


> Hey Whitigir, you wouldn’t happen to live anywhere near Chicago so a fellow Head -Fi user could bring his Z1R’s over for a quick 30 minute listen, would you?
> 
> Hell, I’d be willing to pay you to hear that thing.



I am in a couple states away . I think your best bet is to listen to it at CanJamNYC


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jan 5, 2020)

This article claims GaN will bring about cleaner switching waveforms on Class D amps, so it might improve the next S-Master HX? Can't wait for the meticulous Sony walkman engineers to show us what they can do with GaN.(or maybe they already have them inside the ZX507? I dont know lol).
https://epc-co.com/epc/cn/GaN技术杂谈/Post/13752/Gallium-Nitride-Brings-Sound-Quality-and-Efficiency-to-Class-D-Audio



> As noted, since the switching edges of the eGaN FET are cleaner, and introduce less ringing, Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is easier to manage. The wafer level packaging of eGaN technology results in very low inductance. With a good layout, overshoot and ringing can be virtually eliminated [3]. With the reduction in both the output filter costs and the virtual elimination of heat sink costs, the eGaN FET-based high-definition audio system will not only sound much better, but will be much smaller, and have a lower system-level cost than the classic MOSFET-based systems.
> 
> A high-definition eGaN FET-based system with higher PWM switching frequency, reduced feedback, and higher bandwidth produces the sound that has the warmth and sonic quality that audiophiles demand – a great audio experience that can go places where even the best linear Class-AB systems dare not go. Look to high-definition eGaN-based systems for your home theatre, your car, your boat, and your portable wireless speakers, along with your high fidelity home systems.


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 5, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> This article claims GaN will bring about cleaner switching waveforms on Class D amps, so it might improve the next S-Master HX? Can't wait for the meticulous Sony walkman engineers to show us what they can do with GaN.
> https://epc-co.com/epc/cn/GaN技术杂谈/Post/13752/Gallium-Nitride-Brings-Sound-Quality-and-Efficiency-to-Class-D-Audio


You are right, that was one of the many reasons why S-Master has the limitations that it does now on the current Walkman

Also, i think you are correct as in GAN-Fet isn’t widely produced, which would hugely help the Audio industry.  Here is one new driver product from TI
https://www.mouser.com/publicrelations_ti_lmg1020_gan_driver_2018final/


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> GAN is a Modern technology that has been in use to produce smaller and more efficient IC Chips, transistors, my friend.  It is just that they are not cheap.  But they are already widely used in many newer products including smartphones and DAP
> 
> SA-Z1 is very interesting, but ways too expensive
> 
> ...



Sadly Whitigir doesn’t want to share his DMP-Z1 Peter.


----------



## proedros

i love how SONY has become again relevant to the DAP/hifi business, with WM1A/WM1Z/DPMZ1/zx507 etc

There is a sense of history and pride that obviously moves its engineers to produce in a very high level that shows how much they respect their potential customers.


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> i love how SONY has become again relevant to the DAP/hifi business, with WM1A/WM1Z/DPMZ1/zx507 etc
> 
> There is a sense of history and pride that obviously moves its engineers to produce in a very high level that shows how much they respect their potential customers.



agreed! And Hello !!!! Not off the shelves smashed up into a device


----------



## nc8000

And not only their top end products, I’m also very happy with the A45 that I feel delivers well over it’s price point


----------



## Peter Ruby

Whitigir said:


> GAN is a Modern technology that has been in use to produce smaller and more efficient IC Chips, transistors, my friend.  It is just that they are not cheap.  But they are already widely used in many newer products including smartphones and DAP
> 
> SA-Z1 is very interesting, but ways too expensive
> 
> ...



Nah, they’re coming to Chicago later this year. Aside from wearing bullet proof armor, it should be fun.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> And not only their top end products, I’m also very happy with the A45 that I feel delivers well over it’s price point


Same feeling for NW-A55, great sounding entry level dap


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jan 5, 2020)

The most under-rated and over it's price point Sony audio product i feel is the MDR-1AM2. This headphone's sound quality is way beyond it's asking price. It's fun bassy sound signature works really well for Rock and Modern Pop Music. Easy to drive and very much sibilant-free(vs the ear piercing ATH MSR-7). If I must sell all my headphones and stick to one headphone for life/bring one headphone to live on a lighthouse for a year, this MDR-1AM2 will be my life choice.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jan 5, 2020)

Just an FYI, GaN technology back in 2012 was so bleeding edge technology that it allegedly resulted in this "mysterious" murder/suicide case of an american engineer in my country:
http://ig-legacy.ft.com/content/afbddb44-7640-11e2-8eb6-00144feabdc0

Fast foward to 2020, this GaN is used everywhere, even in my Anker 30w Atom Charger.


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Just an FYI, GaN technology back in 2012 was so bleeding edge technology that it allegedly resulted in this "mysterious" murder/suicide case of an american engineer in my country:
> http://ig-legacy.ft.com/content/afbddb44-7640-11e2-8eb6-00144feabdc0
> 
> Fast foward to 2020, this GaN is used everywhere, even in my Anker 30w Atom Charger.



it is widely used, but there have been none that are dedicated toward Audio Regulators, switching FET ....etc.... most of them are into processor IC.

anyways, atm I am looking for DMP Z1 service manual LOL


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 5, 2020)

CDs are stricrly 16/44.1? Bcause i have three Handel music CDs and my walkman says FLAC 16bit/48kHz.

Edit have ran a spectrum analyzer and they reach to 24KHz


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> CDs are stricrly 16/44.1? Bcause i have three Handel music CDs and my walkman says FLAC 16bit/48kHz


The Standard is 44.1Khz.  It could be anything else if Storage space permit


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> CDs are stricrly 16/44.1? Bcause i have three Handel music CDs and my walkman says FLAC 16bit/48kHz.
> 
> Edit have ran a spectrum analyzer and they reach to 24KHz



Red book CD audio is 2 channels PCM at 16/44.1 but what your ripper converts it to during ripping could be anything


----------



## SupperTime

Is the bad Rf


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Red book CD audio is 2 channels PCM at 16/44.1 but what your ripper converts it to during ripping could be anything


Never mind the question, ended buying the flacs from chandos records. The 16/48 were AAC upsampled to "Flac" (checked them with spek spectrum analyzer after they sounded odd on the walkman


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 8, 2020)

Off topic warning!

Sony Concept Electric Car
https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/6/2...uZ_t2mSxWqtdYrFFZHZHsTxcHTKl4VQ_0VVbWvdpr0FvU


----------



## shootertwist

Hi just want to be sure walkman wm1a is MQA compatible? if using it as dac via iphone lightning to usb, say for tidal, it is doing MQA transcode natively? thanks in advance  love the wm1a, only missing is the streaming apps, at least in my use case,


----------



## siruspan

shootertwist said:


> Hi just want to be sure walkman wm1a is MQA compatible? if using it as dac via iphone lightning to usb, say for tidal, it is doing MQA transcode natively? thanks in advance  love the wm1a, only missing is the streaming apps, at least in my use case,



No it doesn't have MQA decoding capabilities. That should not be a problem considering that MQA is a utter nonsense. This format was made to make money on licencing products and for streaming services so they can save storage space. Oh and it's lossy.


----------



## nc8000

shootertwist said:


> Hi just want to be sure walkman wm1a is MQA compatible? if using it as dac via iphone lightning to usb, say for tidal, it is doing MQA transcode natively? thanks in advance  love the wm1a, only missing is the streaming apps, at least in my use case,



It plays mqa files natively. I don’t know if the Tidal app will send an encoded mqa signal to an external dac or if the 1A can handle a mqa stream in dac mode


----------



## ttt123

siruspan said:


> No it doesn't have MQA decoding capabilities. That should not be a problem considering that MQA is a utter nonsense. This format was made to make money on licencing products and for streaming services so they can save storage space. Oh and it's lossy.


Firmware 2.0 added APE and MQA decoding.  Don't know the details of how much of the MQA unfolding it can do.  As the change was done via updating firmware, I conjecture that the hardware capability was baked in, so it may be able to unfold fully.  As I said, though, I don't know the details, so you'll have to do some research on that.


----------



## buzzlulu (Jan 8, 2020)

Deleted


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jan 8, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Off topic warning!
> 
> Sony Concept Electric Car
> https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/6/2...uZ_t2mSxWqtdYrFFZHZHsTxcHTKl4VQ_0VVbWvdpr0FvU


 seems like my joking of if sony made a car i would have it to have all sony in the house, was taken seriously


----------



## siruspan

ttt123 said:


> Firmware 2.0 added APE and MQA decoding.  Don't know the details of how much of the MQA unfolding it can do.  As the change was done via updating firmware, I conjecture that the hardware capability was baked in, so it may be able to unfold fully.  As I said, though, I don't know the details, so you'll have to do some research on that.



It only supports basic MQA playback from files. It doesn't have any additional decoder that is able to unfold the MQA. The ideal example of how stupid this companies think we are is latest Sony ZX507. It has Hi-res badge, it has MQA badge but if you read the small font you see "When using a music application other than Sony original music player app," High-Resolution Audio is down-converted to 48 KHz/16bit for playback." You can pay for Tidal Masters subsciptions but you're still gonna get 16/48 on newest Sony player with all the right badges. That's laughable.


----------



## nc8000

siruspan said:


> It only supports basic MQA playback from files. It doesn't have any additional decoder that is able to unfold the MQA. The ideal example of how stupid this companies think we are is latest Sony ZX507. It has Hi-res badge, it has MQA badge but if you read the small font you see "When using a music application other than Sony original music player app," High-Resolution Audio is down-converted to 48 KHz/16bit for playback." You can pay for Tidal Masters subsciptions but you're still gonna get 16/48 on newest Sony player with all the right badges. That's laughable.



As far as I know that is how Android works. The 1A and 1Z are not Android so probable behaves totally different


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> seems like my joking of if sony made a car i would have it to have all sony in the house, was taken seriously



Ya, and if you search the Internet you’ll see lots of crazy videos of the cars multimedia interior. 360 degree sound, a wrapping dashboard of monitors. The car is oozing Sony!


----------



## Whitigir

There are people who still confused about the DaC being used inside Walkman still


----------



## Whitigir

For whoever like my accents.  DMP Z1 on YouTube


----------



## m usicguy

So I posted awhile back how to improve my wm1a sound.  And someone said get a true balanced cable.   I did.  Jh audio full balanced cable.   With one day on the cable.  The noise floor is way better.  But!!!  The bass  and i mean the bass air sound stage is so much better.   The entire soundstage is better,  airy,  tighter,  more acoustic.    

all this digital  compression   is way better.  Trust me i have crap ass recordings because of my wife.  They are better now..

This is better way better.  

So  A big thanks to everyone here.   And all of you  here that attack this player for  low amp power,  buy a real amp.  I have 4 portable amps  that are better but.  this player is about sound quality!!!!  If you want power dont be cheap!!

m usicguy


----------



## Whitigir

I agree with the things you said, except the output power from WM1Z that needs to be improved is real.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> I agree with the things you said, except the output power from WM1Z that needs to be improved is real.




Well 1z is good for iems or max 50 ohm headphones I think


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well 1z is good for iems or max 50 ohm headphones I think



To me it is certainly more than good enough for either Z1R though the TA amp does do it slightly better


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> I agree with the things you said, except the output power from WM1Z that needs to be improved is real.



3.02 firmware, WM-1Z and IER-Z1R sounds perfect. In fact besides trying to get the most from the MDR-Z7 or MDR-Z1R, it’s power is simply fine? For the full-size the TA works? I don’t want a thing? If a 1Z comes out with more power, I’d most likely not buy it?


----------



## Fishdo

I am sorry if this seems a daft question... I have my coat ready...! 

Do you get any thing else from High gain other than more power to drive the iems/ headphones?

If I choose to select the high gain for the same pair of iems (Solaris) am I only getting a higher volume and using more battery life?

Thanks


----------



## captblaze

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well 1z is good for iems or max 50 ohm headphones I think



My 16 ohm Moondrop S8 would agree with your statement. volume no higher than 88 (low gain) SE. Plenty of detail, plenty of punch and that Sony battery life make it a definite go to combo for me


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 9, 2020)

Fishdo said:


> I am sorry if this seems a daft question... I have my coat ready...!
> 
> Do you get any thing else from High gain other than more power to drive the iems/ headphones?
> 
> ...



I only use high gain on two full-size headphones and two pair of IEMs.

The IEMs I use high gain are the XBA-Z5 and IER-Z1R. The effect for some easy to drive IEMs would just be more loud. But for hard to drive units the bass is improved. More juice gets you a better soundstage and less mid-bass fog due to better driver damping factors. Only use high gain when you need to, some think it adds grain? It seems imaging and even soundstage will be bettered with high gain when it’s needed?

Not sure where Solaris falls in the whole high gain/low gain idea? Maybe someone who owns a pair will chime in. Also it depends on desirable loudness goal. Some folks may listen super low volume which may be an excuse not to use it? But for me it’s mandatory for the two IEMs.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I use high gain with my tia trios and I find I like it that way more. Sound is at 40 to 60 high gain )
I feel more power and rumble everything feels more dynamic and punchy. 

When I feel I wana relax or tired or loudness just set direct source and low gain ) also you can swap from balance down to se and it gets even more easy on your ears.


----------



## Lookout57

Redcarmoose said:


> I only use high gain on two full-size headphones and two pair of IEMs.
> 
> The IEMs I use high gain are the XBA-Z5 and IER-Z1R. The effect for some easy to drive IEMs would just be more loud. But for hard to drive units the bass is improved. More juice gets you a better soundstage and less mid-bass fog due to better driver damping factors. Only use high gain when you need to, some think it adds grain? It seems imaging and even soundstage will be bettered with high gain when it’s needed?
> 
> Not sure where Solaris falls in the whole high gain/low gain idea? Maybe someone who owns a pair will chime in. Also it depends on desirable loudness goal. Some folks may listen super low volume which may be an excuse not to use it? But for me it’s mandatory for the two IEMs.


I use Low Gain Balanced for the Solaris and Solaris SE on the 1Z with the ALO Gold16 cable.

I just started using High Gain Balanced with my White Andromeda on the 1A with the Triton8 OCC cable.


----------



## nc8000

Fishdo said:


> I am sorry if this seems a daft question... I have my coat ready...!
> 
> Do you get any thing else from High gain other than more power to drive the iems/ headphones?
> 
> ...



More power can essentially get you 2 things, more volume and better control of the headphone so more precission. The last is related to damping factor


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I think high gain gives better dynamics.

Especially if you are using dsee hx. There is more headroom for transients. That's on my zx507 to balanced ier-m9 but I am sure this is the same for any walkman that has gain selection.


----------



## captblaze

More volume = less perceived detail when it comes to my ears. I am always walking a thin line between loss of detail or loss of impact. I think I have a good balance now with the S8 and my WM-1A 

***Heresy Warning***    (Although I still get the Calyx M out when I need to heat things up)


----------



## m usicguy (Jan 9, 2020)

So  many here, Maybe are trying to drive a big headphones with the wm1a?  And yes  some big HP  can be driven by a WM.   I think sony did a good job with the wm1a.   Dont hook up big   planars, fostex,  and beyrer, and akg.   ITs a F#%king walkman.   Ear buds.  IEM's,   earbuds.    Why are so many people trying to turn this wm1a into an amp.   Dont get it..

Just saying.

m usicguy


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jan 9, 2020)

Yeah especially when Sony makes really good iems nowadays. IER-M9 is really highly resolving and extremely dynamic when paired in balanced mode. The best synergy with S-Master HX based walkman.

Also If you don't prefer having something inside your ear canal, give MDR-1AM2 a try. These low impedance 40mm drivers work really well with walkman. No issues with volume that's for sure.

Just wish Sony would update the PHA-3 with 4.4mm pentaconn and add DSD remaster as new mode.


----------



## Whitigir

Happy new year to me ! Here is something sinful


----------



## TSAVJason

Whitigir said:


> Happy new year to me ! Here is something sinful



 Good God Man! What have you done? Are you ok? Do not eat any of that!


----------



## Redcarmoose

TSAVJason said:


> Good God Man! What have you done? Are you ok? Do not eat any of that!


----------



## meomap

Whitigir said:


> Happy new year to me ! Here is something sinful


Sounds like you Mod Z1 again just like 1Z, correct?


----------



## Whitigir

TSAVJason said:


> Good God Man! What have you done? Are you ok? Do not eat any of that!





meomap said:


> Sounds like you Mod Z1 again just like 1Z, correct?


yes! That is correct. I only modify what is needed IMO, and to improved the parts that needed to be improved


----------



## ttt123

Whitigir said:


> yes! That is correct. I only modify what is needed IMO, and to improved the parts that needed to be improved


Those are the old wires from the DMP-Z1?   I'm guessing that even you must have hesitated before opening it up and making the changes?  Though the thought of what it could sound like with changes, after your experiences with the WM1Z changes, must have been an itch you could not get rid of......


----------



## Redcarmoose

Sony XBA-Z5 with Sony Hybrid Large Tips
Sony NW-WM1A  DIgital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW 3.02
Sony/Kimber Headphone cable MUC-M12SB1


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> Sony XBA-Z5 with Sony Hybrid Large Tips
> Sony NW-WM1A  DIgital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW 3.02
> Sony/Kimber Headphone cable MUC-M12SB1


My exact set up. 100% except I’m on 3.01.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> yes! That is correct. I only modify what is needed IMO, and to improved the parts that needed to be improved



At 10k pricetag and sony dared to use some low grade parts what a shame.
Hope it sounds better now. 
Jees sony really? They use a 1500 volume knob but got eL cheapo on 50$ cable. Hmmmmmmm


So how does it sound now lol


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 10, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> At 10k pricetag and sony dared to use some low grade parts what a shame.
> Hope it sounds better now.
> Jees sony really? They use a 1500 volume knob but got eL cheapo on 50$ cable. Hmmmmmmm
> 
> ...



Not exactly how you look at it.  There are a couple reasons.

1/ Sony have to be complaints toward the industry .  Sony has volume limitations for EU, right ? Yes, Sony is always serious about being compliant

2/ reliability is always first for any Sony products

so, take the Kimber Kables.  It is not your typical “cheap cables” no...absolutely No Low-Grade parts.  However, the cables and wires materials are progressing so fast, that there are so many choices to go about.  Kimber Kables is the best for this applications and tuning by Sony developers and engineers.  If you want something for your personal preferences, you can do so at your own risk/choices.  Sound is subjective

then next up, being compliant meaning that there are part of the chains that have to be done under the rules.  For example, the interconnect being shielded properly, and that had to be done.  You can choose to change it with the materials of choices, whether it is an improvements, it isn’t Sony decision and so Sony are fully complaints from the productions itself.

Does it sound better ? To my opinion and experiences, yeah!  Was it good from the beginning out of the box ? Hell yes...why else would I spend so much for it ? But I am a hardcore at the heart, and I do what I deem as a better experiences and what needs to be done 

the same as when I upgraded WM1Z internal wires...different preferences, and different choices.  The improvements that a real quality cables can bring is “facts”.  Whether someone can observe it or not is personal


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Not exactly how you look at it.  There are a couple reasons.
> 
> 1/ Sony have to be complaints toward the industry .  Sony has volume limitations for EU, right ? Yes, Sony is always serious about being compliant
> 
> ...




I understand but then I am wondering what did the change have brought? 

Did you replace kimber cable to change sound tuning toward more bright or reference direction?
Like a silver cable?

About sonys shielded cables, those looks like power cable to me ( maybe it not I just guessed )
So changing power cables change sound? Unless you used ones that has maybe even more shieldings then the one from sony?


Well when you say sony need to be compliant and be in regulations.
That also brings me to think they might have been forced to reduce the sound quality due to this regulations. And use not the best parts they have would opted for. But I doubt that what was the problem, I think sony can use some lower tier parts when they see that a higher grade part in this section for example would of not be of any advantage so to save the cost and not overpay they optimised the cost and production accordingly. 

So technically sony do its best with most comprehensive approache and using best parts to the level of sound quality that is produced and make sure no parts will alter that sound.


So yea I can understand you changed the kimber cable for sound preferences its okey. I do not klame kimber to be the best cable out there ether, I guess sony love kimber lol its all over the place with sony signature series


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 10, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I understand but then I am wondering what did the change have brought?
> 
> Did you replace kimber cable to change sound tuning toward more bright or reference direction?
> Like a silver cable?
> ...



these wires going toward Volume Potentialmeter, it is exactly the Analog interconnect.

Now, just FIY, power cables should also bring improvements if you use external power sources. However, it is negligible, and I would recommend any Linear Regulated Powersupply instead of measly swapping out the power cables

The goal for this was to improve the sound quality from Analog interconnect of Digital Analog out into  the Volume Pot and then the interconnect from the Volume Pot toward the Analog Amplification board.  While I am at it, I swapped out Kimber Kables into Neotech Silver-Goldplated cables for headphones out, and this is to bring in a more references and Neutral sound.

There are a lot more improvements, but the 2 mains improvements is improved Soundstage and   Balance out the warmth signatures.

*but do not mistaken Sony for using cheap parts. Everything is expensive and top notch that can not even be found in many expensive devices.  Sony only utilize parts that are the best for their house sound tuning and while being compliant*


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> these wires going toward Volume Potentialmeter, it is exactly the Analog interconnect.
> 
> Now, just FIY, power cables should also bring improvements if you use external power sources. However, it is negligible, and I would recommend any Linear Regulated Powersupply instead of measly swapping out the power cables
> 
> ...




Maan dmp all naked , I dont think I  would dare to do that if I had one.

Dont know those grey connectors with ribon connector style probably dont really play a role in the sound signature in my opinion. 

I also wonder why do sony need to introduce an extension made with kimber cable at the end of the output. Why didnt they just soldered it to a pcb? It be best probably 
Is it cause maybe kimber bring that thick warm layer that makes sonys sound house?

Wonder what sony thinks about this mode lol


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 10, 2020)

The ribbon cables is digital screen connection.  No sound quality there! 

The reason why Sony always, and always be using the extension cables toward the headphone sockets is because: *if soldered directly onto the board, stresses would cause damages to the boards (plugging/unplugging/in case of accidents), beside that female sockets has Life Cycles (FE, 2000 cycles***, that means you can only do 2000x plug and unplug before the structural integrity is degraded which could degrade the sound quality without you noticing it, eventually would cause intermittent issues.  Whenever that comes, any electrical technician can help you changing out the sockets.*

***I am not sure of the life cycles on the Pentaconn female.   This was just an example

By using the extensions, the boards will never be damaged because the extensions allow swapping out socket and flexibility upon plug and unplugging.  At least there is no cheap Ribbon cables in the Analog sound signals that could degrade the quality of it.  I can point you toward a couple brand that does


----------



## m usicguy

So i got my balanced cable.  Much better  soundstage and noise floor.  Very happy.  In direct mood, how many battery hours are people getting.  Im pretty good about keeping my battery in the 40-90 percent range.  But just curios about total hours.

m usicguy


----------



## proedros

is there somewhere we can  buy a *new/spare battery for WM1A* ?

Link ?


----------



## rumina (Jan 11, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> these wires going toward Volume Potentialmeter, it is exactly the Analog interconnect.
> 
> Now, just FIY, power cables should also bring improvements if you use external power sources. However, it is negligible, and I would recommend any Linear Regulated Powersupply instead of measly swapping out the power cables
> 
> ...



nice work and very good cable choice, the neotech goldplated silver wire ist the best sounding wire i know/use. expensive but for gear that scales well the best choice, made a iem cable for my brother 2 weeks ago and he loves it.  saldy the price jumps quite a lot the last months via hifi collective .

don't know if i would mod my dmp-z1 but may i ask you if you reused the plugs for the pot or used new ones? would be cool to have the part number if possible.

also nice to see the amount of different li-ion battery packs in this device, before i buyed one that was a point i wasn't so shure about the aging quality - how it would be to replace the batterys in 5-10 years. now i'm fine with that.

one thing that is a tad tricky with the dmp-z1 is that the gui is very smal if you operate the device from the side - wish they include a "tiles" view with big album art in the future.

the only technical limitation i found is that the dmp-z1 doesn't like some high ohm iem/headphones to much - no big thing but good to check before if you buy this device.

shure you will enjoy your dmp-z1 with the neotech wire  - well done


----------



## nc8000

m usicguy said:


> So i got my balanced cable.  Much better  soundstage and noise floor.  Very happy.  In direct mood, how many battery hours are people getting.  Im pretty good about keeping my battery in the 40-90 percent range.  But just curios about total hours.
> 
> m usicguy



About 20 hours plus a weeks standby on one charge playing flac 16/44 with direct source and nfc and BT disabled


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 11, 2020)

rumina said:


> nice work and very good cable choice, the neotech goldplated silver wire ist the best sounding wire i know/use. expensive but for gear that scales well the best choice, made a iem cable for my brother 2 weeks ago and he loves it.  saldy the price jumps quite a lot the last months via hifi collective .
> 
> don't know if i would mod my dmp-z1 but may i ask you if you reused the plugs for the pot or used new ones? would be cool to have the part number if possible.
> 
> ...




I will be honest with you, that I would leave DMP-Z1 alone if it wasn’t for the Neotech Silver Gold wires as a cables.  The sound performances from DMP Z1 from the box was beautifully blended and tuned by Sony.  Even though I don’t like Kimber Kables and the regular OFC interconnects.  The stock performances is just “oh! So good”.  The 2 main goals I wanted to get more out of the DMP Z1 is better soundstage and less “warmth”.  So, the DMP Z1 doesn’t use cheap part.  Not at all.  It took me a bit to decide because these wires are so expensive like you said, and also the DMP Z1 is expensive.

The Pot plugs are reused as they are small and crimped on.  I carefully cut it out and soldered on the wires directly for improved connections (used Oyaide SS-47).  I still do not know the part # for this, but I am sure when needed, we can find it without problems.

agreed about battery points.  It isn’t easy to replace, but from NW ZX2, it battery just kept on going after so many years.  I am confident.  Beside, it can utilize direct wall unit.  I also had a LPSU made for it .  So I am covered

OMG... that little screen is like browsing from a WM1Z but can’t use 1 hand or lifting it weight with 4 fingers :/

I love my HD800S and it goes beautifully well with DMP Z1.  I wouldn’t want a Susvara or such to go with it LOL!

I do!!! Like you said!  This wires is well worth it! Beside, the synergies of these wires and the DMP Z1 goes so beautifully well together.  The tuning from out of the Box was so crazily good, and that based on the Experiences that I accumulated over the years about playing around with different wires and materials.  This is the only type of wires that is worth it and virtually “0 trade off” but with more “gains”!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Whitigir said:


> I will be honest with you, that I would leave DMP-Z1 alone if it wasn’t for the Neotech Silver Gold wires as a cables.  The sound performances from DMP Z1 from the box was beautifully blended and tuned by Sony.  Even though I don’t like Kimber Kables and the regular OFC interconnects.  The stock performances is just “oh! So good”.  The 2 main goals I wanted to get more out of the DMP Z1 is better soundstage and less “warmth”.  So, the DMP Z1 doesn’t use cheap part.  Not at all.  It took me a bit to decide because these wires are so expensive like you said, and also the DMP Z1 is expensive.
> 
> The Pot plugs are reused as they are small and crimped on.  I carefully cut it out and soldered on the wires directly for improved connections (used Oyaide SS-47).  I still do not know the part # for this, but I am sure when needed, we can find it without problems.
> 
> ...


Quick question Whitigirl,

When you helped me mod my 1Z, did you use Mundorf gold silver cable or Noetech gold silver cable? Whats the difference in terms of sounds between the two cables?


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 11, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Quick question Whitigirl,
> 
> When you helped me mod my 1Z, did you use Mundorf gold silver cable or Noetech gold silver cable? Whats the difference in terms of sounds between the two cables?


Mundorf was used.  Neotech Silver Gold wouldn’t fit the DMP-Z1 well enough due to Synergies.

There are too many reasons to list out.  But for starter, as good as WM1Z.  It is still a Portable devices.

The differences between these 2 Mundorf has a little recessed of mid spectrum as in it signature, which vastly help the WM1Z and soundstage as an improvement.  The Neotech Silver Gold is very Neutral and Flat with a lot of details retrieval.  I opted for it to go in the DMP Z1 is because the “warmth” were mainly from Kimber Kables, and the details retrieved from the DMP Z1 is virtually flawless.


----------



## rumina (Jan 11, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I will be honest with you, that I would leave DMP-Z1 alone if it wasn’t for the Neotech Silver Gold wires as a cables.  The sound performances from DMP Z1 from the box was beautifully blended and tuned by Sony.  Even though I don’t like Kimber Kables and the regular OFC interconnects.  The stock performances is just “oh! So good”.  The 2 main goals I wanted to get more out of the DMP Z1 is better soundstage and less “warmth”.  So, the DMP Z1 doesn’t use cheap part.  Not at all.  It took me a bit to decide because these wires are so expensive like you said, and also the DMP Z1 is expensive.
> 
> The Pot plugs are reused as they are small and crimped on.  I carefully cut it out and soldered on the wires directly for improved connections (used Oyaide SS-47).  I still do not know the part # for this, but I am sure when needed, we can find it without problems.
> 
> ...



exact my feeling, sony tuned this dap/amp very nice so at the moment i dont change that even if know that kimber cable has some limitation. i like kimber wire for the smooth presentation and use it often for internal wireing of my diyamps but the neotech silver gold plated is simpy 2 steps above.

dmp-z1 was ok with the hd820 but the closed sennheiser was not my taste, the mids where to distant for me, i sold them quichky. the ier-z1r has for me also this weakness, not as prominent as the hd820 but with the stock cable a bit to distant mids. the neotech copper gold plated wire is a good match for headphones/iem that have distant mids - to my surprise the neotech copper goldpated wire is not very neutral with this behavior vs the silver gold plated, quite different.

nope susvara as the big abyss don't work well with the dmp-z1 in contrast to the diana phi which i used the most time with the sony, you need to hear this combination one time .

and thanks for the info about the plugs - hope the service manual shows up sometimes.


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 11, 2020)

rumina said:


> exact my feeling, sony tuned this dap/amp very nice so at the moment i dont change that even if know that kimber cable has some limitation. i like kimber wire for the smooth presentation and use it often for internal wireing of my diyamps but the neotech silver gold plated is simpy 2 steps above.
> 
> dmp-z1 was ok with the hd820 but the closed sennheiser was not my taste, the mids where to distant for me, i sold them quichky. the ier-z1r has for me also this weakness, not as prominent as the hd820 but with the stock cable a bit to distant mids. the neotech copper gold plated wire is a good match for headphones/iem that have distant mids - to my surprise the neotech copper goldpated wire is not very neutral with this behavior vs the silver gold plated, quite different.
> 
> ...



Definitely still keeping that 3.5mm as Stock Kimber!! 

Never a fan of HD820...agreed about MDR Z1R, but if I had to, I would grab it over HD820 .  Yes, the neutral sound sig from Silver Goldplated is something unique.

I will try the Diana Phi when the chance present itself .

Yes, service Manual will be appreciated LOL!!!!

Again! FYI, You will see ribbon cables here and there, but they are not for Audio Paths!!!


----------



## JML

nanaholic said:


> Also eyeing Audio Technica headphones - especially the more recent ones such as the new portable ATH-WP900, beautifully crafted portable wood headphone with 53mm drivers which sounds pretty fantastic even out of an A series Walkman.



I have one of these on the way to me.  Should arrive early next week.


----------



## Ameerzs

If anyone interested im letting go my fresh wm1a for sale.. use for 6 month.. warranty with Sony Malaysia
RM 2999 ~ USD 736 ..original price is RM 4,999 ~ USD 1226 
Postage will be an extra charge.


----------



## gerelmx1986

What would have been of @Whitigir DMP-Z1 if he had used the PlusSound trimetal cable?

Hiw good is the sony kimber kable with 4.4 termination for the MDR-Z1R? Got ine from amazon but they say the article delivery is pending and they dont know when. Shall i cancel it and but a plusSound cable instead?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 12, 2020)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/gerelmx1986.404906/

Never heard the plusSound  cable. But.......even running 4.4mm balanced out from the 1A the SonyKimber helps dial the full-size MDR-Z1R in to a nice place. Of the free gifts from Sony (which I had no choice accepting) both the free Z5 IEM I received with my 1Z and the free Kimber cable (free with MDR-Z1R) were great. Meaning I never would have purchased the Kimber; it was a free gift. But getting home I was beyond surprised by the change; you will too!

 Congratulations!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 12, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> What would have been of @Whitigir DMP-Z1 if he had used the PlusSound trimetal cable?
> 
> Hiw good is the sony kimber kable with 4.4 termination for the MDR-Z1R? Got ine from amazon but they say the article delivery is pending and they dont know when. Shall i cancel it and but a plusSound cable instead?



What you have to understand is Whitigir is self tuning his equipment. Just as some like the TA amp, others feel the DAPs....have the sound. Most here are attempting to reach a tone. Who knows if people will stop? Meaning where does it stop? Does someone retire from searching. My own guess is he is getting more treble detail and less warmth. Sony has a house sound which gives someone a lot of leeway to go that direction.

Meaning the DMP-Z1 starts off terribly warm.


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 12, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> What you have to understand is Whitigir is self tuning his equipment. Just as some like the TA amp, others feel the DAPs....have the sound. Most here are attempting to reach a tone. Who knows if people will stop? Meaning where does it stop? Does someone retire from searching. My own guess is he is getting more treble detail and less warmth. Sony has a house sound which gives someone a lot of leeway to go that direction.
> 
> Meaning the DMP-Z1 starts off terribly warm.



yes, I am self tuning my equipments .  Yes, the DMP-Z1 is “warm”, and this “warmth” is even more than the Wm1Z.  But it isn’t bad, it is much like the listening to an analog tape deck though.  The only thing is that, I would love it to be more neutral, the treble sparkles could see some more, and the soundstage could be improved.  From my experiences of making many stuff, I see what needed to be done.


gerelmx1986 said:


> What would have been of @Whitigir DMP-Z1 if he had used the PlusSound trimetal cable?
> 
> Hiw good is the sony kimber kable with 4.4 termination for the MDR-Z1R? Got ine from amazon but they say the article delivery is pending and they dont know when. Shall i cancel it and but a plusSound cable instead?



I never tried Plus-Sound tri-Metal.  But I did use Oyaide Tri-Metal Alpha cables and it was great for Focal Utopia.  This cables has the signatures of neutrality as well, less warmth than Mundorf silver-gold alloy, better sparkles in trebles and also similar mid.  The ability to put out thunderous Dynamic and excellent details retrieved from Utopia with this pairing did give the Utopia a much better soundstage.

The Neotech Silver Goldplated inside the DMP-Z1 is different as mentioned.  It is just the right place to be .


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> yes, I am self tuning my equipments .  Yes, the DMP-Z1 is “warm”, and this “warmth” is even more than the Wm1Z.  But it isn’t bad, it is much like the listening to an analog tape deck though.  The only thing is that, I would love it to be more neutral, the treble sparkles could see some more, and the soundstage could be improved.  From my experiences of making many stuff, I see what needed to be done.
> 
> 
> I never tried Plus-Sound tri-Metal.  But I did use Oyaide Tri-Metal Alpha cables and it was great for Focal Utopia.  This cables has the signatures of neutrality as well, less warmth than Mundorf silver-gold alloy, better sparkles in trebles and also similar mid.  The ability to put out thunderous Dynamic and excellent details retrieved from Utopia with this pairing did give the Utopia a much better soundstage.
> ...




The best part of this thread (picture related) is we are not located in the Sound Science Thread. Here in this small corner we can freely talk about cable properties. In fact we don’t even question each other. 

Cheers! I wish you the best on your journey!


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> The best part of this thread (picture related) is we are not located in the Sound Science Thread. Here in this small corner we can freely talk about cable properties. In fact we don’t even question each other.
> 
> Cheers! I wish you the best on your journey!


Roflmao!  Thank you for excellent pictures!

What I think is that there are 2 types that love audio: technical and enthusiasts.  The sound science is people that listening to stuff with technical explanations such as graphs and proven facts....enthusiasts like us have the freedom to listen to our heart and not bound or limited by any things.  See, even Technical aspects and graphs...etc...can only explain so much, but, and it is a big “but”, it will virtually create a “box” to contain someone within.

you know what I am going to say next! The best achievements from Human Kind and it history comes from whether “Thinking out of the box”, or “Accidentally”.

Then you know what people call folks who always “thinking out of the box ?” Your pictures show it very well  I love it


----------



## Damz87

Whitigir said:


> Roflmao!  Thank you for excellent pictures!
> 
> What I think is that there are 2 types that love audio: technical and enthusiasts.  The sound science is people that listening to stuff with technical explanations such as graphs and proven facts....enthusiasts like us have the freedom to listen to our heart and not bound or limited by any things.  See, even Technical aspects and graphs...etc...can only explain so much, but, and it is a big “but”, it will virtually create a “box” to contain someone within.
> 
> ...



Amen!


----------



## Luckyleo (Jan 12, 2020)

Quick Question,

How do I switch between tone control and equalizer settings.   I had tone control and now I have equalizer settings.  Want to go back to the way it was. Appreciate your help. 


Thanks guys,

leo


----------



## Whitigir

Press setting again from the tone/equalizer feature


----------



## Luckyleo

Whitigir said:


> Press setting again from the tone/equalizer feature


Thanks!!! Got it. 
Much appreciated


----------



## muschem

Just finished doing this same upgrade on my 1A, and my initial impressions are much the same. While I wouldn't go quite so far as to say that the difference is dramatic, there are definitely noticeable improvements to soundstage and separation. I need to log more listening hours post-change, but it also seems to have tightened the bass ever so slightly. For those considering trying this - my soldering skills are pretty mediocre, but I managed without too much trouble. Many thanks to Diet Kokaine for the inspiration, and also to Whitigir for the awesome guide and pics.



Diet Kokaine said:


> Just had to share this dirt cheap upgrade to the 1A.
> The internal wiring connecting the board to the 4.4mm out is really cheap stranded copper.
> Changing it with Neotech OCC Solid copper 20 gauge cable makes a dramatic difference in dynamics, soundstage and clarity.
> 22 gauge makes the treble too peaky, and guts the bass. *20 gauge is the perfect size*.


----------



## Whitigir

muschem said:


> Just finished doing this same upgrade on my 1A, and my initial impressions are much the same. While I wouldn't go quite so far as to say that the difference is dramatic, there are definitely noticeable improvements to soundstage and separation. I need to log more listening hours post-change, but it also seems to have tightened the bass ever so slightly. For those considering trying this - my soldering skills are pretty mediocre, but I managed without too much trouble. Many thanks to Diet Kokaine for the inspiration, and also to Whitigir for the awesome guide and pics.


Congratulation on the success modification !! Enjoy your upgraded unit!


----------



## RobertP

muschem said:


> Just finished doing this same upgrade on my 1A, and my initial impressions are much the same. While I wouldn't go quite so far as to say that the difference is dramatic, there are definitely noticeable improvements to soundstage and separation. I need to log more listening hours post-change, but it also seems to have tightened the bass ever so slightly. For those considering trying this - my soldering skills are pretty mediocre, but I managed without too much trouble. Many thanks to Diet Kokaine for the inspiration, and also to Whitigir for the awesome guide and pics.


Congrats!


----------



## hshock76 (Jan 12, 2020)

Coincidentally, I have been auditioning a K-Modded 1Z for the last 3 days. This is Music Sanctuary's own unit and has the Ultimate mod as per their site below:

https://music-sanctuary.com/collections/services/products/1960s-mod-wm1-zx300

The only difference is that instead of having a 14-wire PW 1960 mod on the Balanced output, this particular unit has a 24-wire mod. I have no idea how it was squeezed in.The main difference between the modded and stock unit is resolution. The modded unit has a higher resolution than stock and better clarity. It still retains Sony's warm signature but everything else is tuned up. Darker black ground, better separation + layering and wider sound stage. Another interesting point to note is that I am listening at 5-10 clicks lower volume due to improved detail retrieval.

After 3 days, I can't go back to the stock unit and I will be buying over the modded unit from MS.

I have been auditioning quite a number of TOTL DAPs (incl N8, N6ii, SP2K, QPM, LPGT, LP6k) over the last 3 months with the IER-Z1R and the main thing that pulls me back to the 1Z is how well it does vocals. The stock 1Z has prob been superseded in some areas by the new TOTL players but there is so much realism in the way it portrays vocals to me that I still cannot find another player which performs as well or better. I am not sure how much the IER-Z1R plays a role is this but the combination to me is just sublime for Vocal tracks. 

I have been running in the DX220 + AMP8EX and its about close to 150hrs... I can say that this set up is more appealing to me than the TOTL players I mentioned earlier.

Its a close call between the 228EX and the modded 1Z. Both are so good but in different ways. The 228EX is more airy and with even larger stage while the 1Z has more focused vocals. So my usage split is as below:

1Z>EA Horus>IER-Z1r = audiophile vocal tracks (English+Chinese), small Jazz
228EX>PW 1960> Hayla CE-5 = Pop (English+Chinese+Jap+Kor), EDM, Jazz, Orchestral


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jan 12, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> Coincidentally, I have been auditioning a K-Modded 1Z for the last 3 days. This is Music Sanctuary's own unit and has the Ultimate mod as per their site below:
> 
> https://music-sanctuary.com/collections/services/products/1960s-mod-wm1-zx300
> 
> ...


Try adding Oriolus BA300s amp; you'll be surprised there's even more improvement. resolution, soundstage, dynamics, its quite amazing tube amp really. It will scale up a little more in everything at trade off of a little hiss. Mind you, I'm using Andromeda, the most sensitive iem there is. Using EE phantom or SE5U, there is no hiss at all. Once I put my Andro with BA300s, I can't seem to take it off, just another song, another song and so on...


----------



## hshock76

I have the Oriolus BA300s amp too.. I agree with all the improvements you listed but it smooths the vocals too much for my liking and it somewhat takes away the realism which the 1Z is so good at.

However, if you listen mainly to Jazz and instrumental pieces, adding the BA300s will be ideal due to improvements in staging & dynamics.


----------



## 524419 (Jan 12, 2020)

muschem said:


> Just finished doing this same upgrade on my 1A, and my initial impressions are much the same. While I wouldn't go quite so far as to say that the difference is dramatic, there are definitely noticeable improvements to soundstage and separation. I need to log more listening hours post-change, but it also seems to have tightened the bass ever so slightly. For those considering trying this - my soldering skills are pretty mediocre, but I managed without too much trouble. Many thanks to Diet Kokaine for the inspiration, and also to Whitigir for the awesome guide and pics.


The MOD is easy. Awesome, hope you enjoy it.
The resolution for me in quite a bit higher, bass is tigheter, and the soundstage is deeper, amd more Holographic.
Last night I was listening to Chantal Chamberland, and it was a tour de force, everything from timbre to instrument separation was an absolute treat.  Background is pitch black. 

This should be stock   Sony is squandering an  easy opportunity to instantly upgrade it's overall sound quality.


----------



## RobertP

Did negative terminals mod on the 4.4mm female balance plug recently and boy, it feel like upgraged from bookshelf speakers to large full size tower speakers. Love the weight, energy and image.


----------



## 524419

RobertP said:


> Did negative terminals mod on the 4.4mm female balance plug recently and boy, it feel like upgraged from bookshelf speakers to large full size tower speakers. Love the weight, energy and image.


how do you do that upgrade? If you don't mind explaining it.


----------



## Whitigir

Negative terminal mod ? Interesting terminology, please tell me more !!!!! Moarrrrr


----------



## Florin Mandru

Maybe he changed only the negative wires...


----------



## gerelmx1986

hshock76 said:


> Coincidentally, I have been auditioning a K-Modded 1Z for the last 3 days. This is Music Sanctuary's own unit and has the Ultimate mod as per their site below:
> 
> https://music-sanctuary.com/collections/services/products/1960s-mod-wm1-zx300
> 
> ...


 can you borrow the 1Z from Music sanctuary to test?


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

gerelmx1986 said:


> can you borrow the 1Z from Music sanctuary to test?


What for ? It's just better on almost all criteria like @hshock76 said


----------



## hshock76

gerelmx1986 said:


> can you borrow the 1Z from Music sanctuary to test?



No harm writing to them to ask.

I travel back to Singapore often for work and visit them whenever I am in town. Nice and experienced bunch of folks when it comes to IEMs.

I am keeping their modded 1Z so I guess they will not have a unit to lend out but I do see that they are selling a personal unit of a modded 1A with the Ultimate Mod and the same 24-wire PW 1960 mod on the balance output. You can check with them on that unit.


----------



## hshock76

MrLocoLuciano said:


> What for ? It's just better on almost all criteria like @hshock76 said



I notice you have the Ultimate K-Mod 1Z as well. How do you like it?

I have not been able to put the player down much... the synergy with the Horus and Z1R is so good. I love the improvements in Bass (both quality and quantity) as well.

Listening to To Love's albums and appreciating the bass notes.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

hshock76 said:


> I notice you have the Ultimate K-Mod 1Z as well. How do you like it?
> 
> I have not been able to put the player down much... the synergy with the Horus and Z1R is so good. I love the improvements in Bass (both quality and quantity) as well.
> 
> Listening to To Love's albums and appreciating the bass notes.


It's just a long love story. Got 1Z for almost 3 years, got the premium mod done 18 months ago. And finally went for a new one and Ultimate mod. 

Was able to compare Premium and Ultimate for 10 days. 
More dynamic, more power (seems like there is more weights), darker background. Small but real improvement.

Compared to the standard 1Z, it's for me better on all the criterias. Again, small improvement, but there.


----------



## RobertP

You can do that by cut a tiny layer or multiple layers of OCC copper sheet(s) sandwich between conductors (wires) and PCB negative terminals on the 4.4mm female plug. If you want a little more synergy and soundstage you can use silver or silver plated copper plate(s). For warmer sound you can just use pure copper or even gold plated copper. Play around with it and see which combination works best for the sound you want. I use copper for first layer and then two silver.


----------



## hshock76

MrLocoLuciano said:


> It's just a long love story. Got 1Z for almost 3 years, got the premium mod done 18 months ago. And finally went for a new one and Ultimate mod.
> 
> Was able to compare Premium and Ultimate for 10 days.
> More dynamic, more power (seems like there is more weights), darker background. Small but real improvement.
> ...




When I first got my hands on the modded 1Z, the main thing that stood out was resolution and I found the rest to be largely similar.

However, upon more detailed and longer listening sessions, I was able to appreciate the upgrades in all the other areas. All the small improvements consolidated into an outstanding upgrade package.

Not taking anything from Sony, I also came to the conclusion just how good the stock 1Z was. I mean I could still live with the stock 1Z for a long time since I could not find a replacement after auditioning other more recently released TOTL players.

I do not want to come across as a Sony fanboy. I appreciate good SQ on vocals vs being focused on branding. To me the 1Z just have that something on the vocal presentation that stirs my emotions but others will put more emphasis on other areas so everyone will  have to continue auditioning to find their sweet spot. I just consider myself lucky to have found mine early


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> can you borrow the 1Z from Music sanctuary to test?


They have players to listen to there. Just message them and make sure there would be one on the day you visit. They have a listening area where you could do side by side comparisons....if you brought your Walkman.


----------



## Whitigir

RobertP said:


> You can do that by cut a tiny layer or multiple layers of OCC copper sheet(s) sandwich between conductors (wires) and PCB negative terminals on the 4.4mm female plug. If you want a little more synergy and soundstage you can use silver or silver plated copper plate(s). For warmer sound you can just use pure copper or even gold plated copper. Play around with it and see which combination works best for the sound you want. I use copper for first layer and then two silver.


What does this do exactly ? The “sheets” act like shielding ? Can I see pictures ? Thanks!


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Whitigir said:


> What does this do exactly ? The “sheets” act like shielding ? Can I see pictures ? Thanks!


Interested too


----------



## RobertP (Jan 13, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> What does this do exactly ? The “sheets” act like shielding ? Can I see pictures ? Thanks!


Let's see. With a paper thin very high quality copper sheet for example. Cut a tiny pieces about 2mm x 3mm i think. If you don't have it then just flatten solid core wires with something that similar to a jewelry press tools. Solder them on PCB terminals so they add mass of the terminal. Try one or multiple pieces. Solder internal wires back on afterwards. Play some very good piece of music and observe. Different metal materials changes sound characteristics. I believe the female Pentaconn can be improve little more.


----------



## Whitigir

RobertP said:


> Let's see. With a paper thin very high quality copper sheet for example. Cut a tiny pieces about 2mm x 3mm i think. If you don't have it then just flatten solid core wires with something that similar to a jewelry press tools. Solder them on PCB terminals so they add mass of the terminal. Try one or multiple pieces. Solder internal wires back on afterwards. Play some very good piece of music and observe. Different metal materials changes sound characteristics. I believe the female Pentaconn can be improve little more.



instead of doing it inside the player, can’t you have it done at the Cables terminal instead ? Thanks for clarifying!


----------



## RobertP

Whitigir said:


> instead of doing it inside the player, can’t you have it done at the Cables terminal instead ? Thanks for clarifying!


Already try that. Do it at terminals have better results for me. I want warmth but without sacrificing roll-off high and mid goodness.


----------



## 524419 (Jan 13, 2020)

s





RobertP said:


> Already try that. Do it at terminals have better results for me. I want warmth but without sacrificing roll-off high and mid goodness.


Thanks for that.
I am using the older firmware and the bass is  perfect for me, I am not looking for any more warmth.

Add: I will pick up a used 1Z down the line at some point, and do the same Solid OCC Copper mod. Will be quite interesting to see how that player responds.
ADD: 20 gauge copper will have more bass than 22 Gauge, even if it is doubled up. This has been the case with my XLR cables.


----------



## Sound Eq (Jan 14, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Roflmao!  Thank you for excellent pictures!
> 
> What I think is that there are 2 types that love audio: technical and enthusiasts.  The sound science is people that listening to stuff with technical explanations such as graphs and proven facts....enthusiasts like us have the freedom to listen to our heart and not bound or limited by any things.  See, even Technical aspects and graphs...etc...can only explain so much, but, and it is a big “but”, it will virtually create a “box” to contain someone within.
> 
> ...



since u do mods on both sony and dx220 am8
can i ask you which prefer modded sony wm1z
or dx220 with amp8 ex

how do both modded daps differ


----------



## Whitigir

Sound Eq said:


> since u do mods on both sony and dx220 am8
> can i ask you which prefer modded sony wm1z
> or dx220 with amp8 ex
> 
> how do both modded daps differ




It would be a matter of sound preferences.  But to answer your question, I personally prefer modded Dx220 and Amp8, I call the whole combination as (DX228EX).  With sound preferences aside, Technically put, this combination can drive Full-size such as Hd800s very well in comparison 

I still crave Sony house sound and Sony excellent engineering.  But Sony has nothing with good driving power, not yet, except the DMP-Z1


----------



## Mindstorms (Jan 14, 2020)

will the new zx500 walkman sound better than 1A? anyone knows or have compared them? wish sony give us some cassete UI..!! option why sony?... why cant you love customers more! I figure it could be on par with zx300


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> will the new zx500 walkman sound better than 1A? anyone knows or have compared them? wish sony give us some cassete UI..!! option why sony?... why cant you love customers more!



I couldn’t care less about that gui. All I need is to browse my albums and then press play on the selected album. After that I turn off the screen


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> I couldn’t care less about that gui. All I need is to browse my albums and then press play on the selected album. After that I turn off the screen


Thats true but i like gimmicks lol


----------



## ttt123

Midnstorms said:


> will the new zx500 walkman sound better than 1A? anyone knows or have compared them? wish sony give us some cassete UI..!! option why sony?... why cant you love customers more! I figure it could be on par with zx300



Check the discussions on the ZX500 thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new-sony-nw-zx500.914486/page-107
The ZX507 is a major step up from the ZX300.  I am in agreement with that opinion.
Is it better than the WM1A, not so easy to say.  It is a different sound signature, which some people may find preferable to the WM1A, which already is saying a lot.  I guess the only way to know is for users to compare and see which they prefer.


----------



## Mindstorms

Thank you for your kind answer!


----------



## JML (Jan 16, 2020)

JML said:


> I have one of these on the way to me.  Should arrive early next week.



It's here.  Burning in.  The ATH-WP900 is a keeper!


----------



## Mindstorms

JML said:


> It's here.  Burning in.  A keeper!


New WM1A?


----------



## auronthas

Hi,  I am seeking your opinion if worth to upgrade WM1A to 1Z ?

My sound preference is neutral to slight warm, detailed, i.e. clarity to distinguish music instruments type, distance and placing.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 16, 2020)

auronthas said:


> Hi,  I am seeking your opinion if worth to upgrade WM1A to 1Z ?
> 
> My sound preference is neutral to slight warm, detailed, i.e. clarity to distinguish music instruments type, distance and placing.



If you were to walk into a store and try the 1Z, you may be underwhelmed? It’s a subtle difference but it’s absolutely there. The thing is as they need 200 hours of burn in; if you purchased a new 1Z, it would need that burn in before it even started to sound normal. But being alone with a 1Z for a day they start to somehow show more of what they are? After you learn to “see” and concentrate on the differences.........they become more there. Somehow it’s hard to quantify the amount of difference? If it’s meaningful it’s 100% different?

But the sound is thicker. It’s more front to back and side to side, where the 1A is just stereo? So with this physicality there is a slight realism. It’s more lifelike? The treble tilt makes IEMs more detailed...... and that detail is natural, though noticeable because of the boost; inside of that boost in treble there is a delineation of treble elements, thus detail. Maybe at one time; depending on the combo the 1Z could have been questionable as far as being liked due to the extra bass? But now due to the wide selection of firmware you can dial your sound without using EQ. More mids, use 3.02. More bass, use 3.01. So it’s a win-win. If it’s worth the extra money is totally subjective? But I absolutely now use my 1Z the most.

Funny you'd say distance and pacing as that’s what happens when you add the extra imaging in the soundstage; the elements are expanded with clarification. But maybe this quality was not always achievable with some IEMs before, as the 1Z used to have less detail in the low end which subdued the pace. Now with 3.02 the pace is fast even with more dynamic low end IEMs like the IER-Z1R.


----------



## auronthas

Redcarmoose said:


> If you were to walk into a store and try the 1Z, you may be underwhelmed? It’s a subtle difference but it’s absolutely there. The thing is as they need 200 hours of burn in; if you purchased a new 1Z, it would need that burn in before it even started to sound normal. But being alone with a 1Z for a day they start to somehow show more of what they are? After you learn to “see” and concentrate on the differences.........they become more there. Somehow it’s hard to quantify the amount of difference? If it’s meaningful it’s 100% different?
> 
> But the sound is thicker. It’s more front to back and side to side, where the 1A is just stereo? So with this physicality there is a slight realism. It’s more lifelike? The treble tilt makes IEMs more detailed...... and that detail is natural, though noticeable because of the boost; inside of that boost in treble there is a delineation of treble elements, thus detail. Maybe at one time; depending on the combo the 1Z could have been questionable as far as being liked due to the extra bass? But now due to the wide selection of firmware you can dial your sound without using EQ. More mids, use 3.02. More bass, use 3.01. So it’s a win-win. If it’s worth the extra money is totally subjective? But I absolutely now use my 1Z the most.
> 
> Funny you'd say distance and pacing as that’s what happens when you add the extra imaging in the soundstage; the elements are expanded with clarification. But maybe this quality was not always achievable with some IEMs before, as the 1Z used to have less detail in the low end which subdued the pace. Now with 3.02 the pace is fast even with more dynamic low end IEMs like the IER-Z1R.



Thanks for your good sharing. I don't like extra bass, if i have 1Z, definitely would go for 3.0.2 .  I don't have IER-Z1R, what about Andromeda pairing with WM1Z and 1A ?  I can hear very good detailed imaging with WM1A/Andromeda combo and I am quite happy with this combo, just curious any extra 'improvement' on 1Z. 

Perhaps I should make a trip to audition demo unit WM1Z (hopefully >200 hours burn-in) with my WM1A on Sony sample songs with my current IEMs.


----------



## Fishdo

I have been listening to the WM1A with my Solaris and a rotation of cables all silver except the Linum which for me is the best SE cable I have heard...imho anyway..

I really enjoyed the Solaris and the WM1A and I was sure I wouldn’t hear anything better but I have just been listening to the Andromeda with the smokey and the same tips (custom made) and I am very surprised by the difference... the sound is completely different much brighter and also better detail (Flac & DSD) and separation not as big soundstage but not far off... the vocals and instruments are really standing apart... they did on the Solaris but it’s much greater on the Andromeda’s... I am really very surprised... I am not sure which I would to keep if I was having to decide...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 16, 2020)

auronthas said:


> Thanks for your good sharing. I don't like extra bass, if i have 1Z, definitely would go for 3.0.2 .  I don't have IER-Z1R, what about Andromeda pairing with WM1Z and 1A ?  I can hear very good detailed imaging with WM1A/Andromeda combo and I am quite happy with this combo, just curious any extra 'improvement' on 1Z.
> 
> Perhaps I should make a trip to audition demo unit WM1Z (hopefully >200 hours burn-in) with my WM1A on Sony sample songs with my current IEMs.


Andromeda is an IEM I’ve never heard. And in a way... I’m not sure I’m even the best at getting an objective review of comparison between the 1A and 1Z. Though I can kind of describe what benefits take place with the 1Z. Also you may just be perfectly happy with the Sony 1Z and 3.01 update with the Andromeda? With balanced armatures you maybe need the bass heft which the 1Z brings to the table. Not always........but mainly balanced armatures tend to have a sooner bass roll-off, tend not to have presence way down low and have a faster bass decay, in contrast to DD IEMs or Hybrids. All those things get a remedy with the 1Z bass response, even with 3.01. Also you’ll notice the increase in authority with the all balanced armatures you own. That authority gets noticed too in the midrange, where stuff is simply more close and more analogue. While the 1A is warm, it safe to say the 1Z is warmer and that quality seems to always be a needed benefit to all balanced armatures......in my humble experience.

Not to be too critical but any slight digital sound that I find in the 1A is somehow removed with the 1Z......but I’m at a loss for words, I don’t know how to describe that exact phenomena? My BGVP DM6 is more clear warm and musical, the XBA-Z5 is simply better with both 3.01 and 3.02 with the 1Z. Where the only way to really use the 1A and XBA-Z5 together is 3.02? The Noble Encore (10 BA) which is maybe like the Andromeda is my favorite along with the IER-Z1R with the 1Z. I used to switch the 1Z to 3.01 for the Encore and switch back to 3.02 for the IER-Z1R but now even with a new brighter cable I use the 1Z with 3.02 firmware update with both Encore and IER-Z1R almost daily?

So it’s an improvement across the board. Though even with your stance on excessive bass.......you may still choose 3.01 with the 1Z and Andromeda combination. But it’s just one of those things you have to listen to and all the opinions and reading are never going to replace a demo.

Cheers!

Edit: I assume your using 4.4mm balanced as that’s the best way to go with the 1Z, but I need to mention my other balanced armature Fearless S6Rui and the Magaosi K5..... 5 balanced armature IEMs are also a good improvement with the 1Z over the 1A. The only time the 1A was superior was before 3.02 came out the 1Z was just slightly bass heavy with the IER-Z1R.....so the 1A maybe was better......but since the invention of 3.02 the 1Z has now been better across the board...in my opinion.

Good luck!


----------



## JML

Midnstorms said:


> New WM1A?



Sorry!  The Audio-Technica ATH-WP900.


----------



## auronthas

Redcarmoose said:


> Edit: I assume your using 4.4mm balanced as that’s the best way to go with the 1Z, but I need to mention my other balanced armature Fearless S6Rui and the Magaosi K5..... 5 balanced armature IEMs are also a good improvement with the 1Z over the 1A. The only time the 1A was superior was before 3.02 came out the 1Z was just slightly bass heavy with the IER-Z1R.....so the 1A maybe was better......but since the invention of 3.02 the 1Z has now been better across the board...in my opinion.
> 
> Good luck!



Thanks for your detailed comparison various type of IEM. Yes I am using balanced 4.4mm , I have DM6 too, getting clear what you mean now.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Sorry wrong post


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 16, 2020)

auronthas said:


> Thanks for your detailed comparison various type of IEM. Yes I am using balanced 4.4mm , I have DM6 too, getting clear what you mean now.



At the cost of nearly 3X you would hope there would be an improvement. Generally the same upgrade in fullness of sound (as with everything) ......the 1Z gives more body to the DM6 making it seem more clear. Maybe the clearness is better imaging inside the DM6 soundstage? It’s simply more engaging. The DM6 is also fairly bright (there is some small treble bump there) so you would think a brighter DAP would maybe be bad, but the added V personality on both ends helps the DM6 become “more”. The 1A is by far the best value. I think that’s the hard part as there is no way the 1Z is 3X better. But your stuck as your not going to find these improvements any other way. I also found that the Sony/Kimber aftermarket cable was a nice included factor with the DM6. You don’t want any cable personality to take the 1Z treble and DM6 treble and enhance it farther. The 1Z brightness isn’t really the right word, it’s like a treble detail and extension. It would be like having more tweeters on a set of speakers so there is more information, and yes the treble is more intense but it’s not a bad, too much intense. It’s just more spread out and fuller in the soundstage. The treble kind of follows that whole more forward, more back more side to side character. Which means the treble is more close and father and has size so it’s bigger in shape. It’s slightly more physical, so it’s more real life. Cymbals are more real and less flat.

In ending, I almost don’t want to say it, but the 1Z is less digital sounding and more organic and natural than the 1A. Still I don’t want that to take away from the the same organic and natural properties the 1A still has. It’s just way more in that direction.


----------



## Ameerzs

Midnstorms said:


> will the new zx500 walkman sound better than 1A? anyone knows or have compared them? wish sony give us some cassete UI..!! option why sony?... why cant you love customers more! I figure it could be on par with zx300


i can confirm zx500 not anywhere near wm1a 4.4 quality. There ur answer haha.
But the new port and design on zx500 looks attractive


----------



## Ameerzs

hi folks, is there any news on update 3.03

hope it can fix the usb dac sync with video


----------



## Ameerzs

auronthas said:


> Hi,  I am seeking your opinion if worth to upgrade WM1A to 1Z ?
> 
> My sound preference is neutral to slight warm, detailed, i.e. clarity to distinguish music instruments type, distance and placing.


i'm in similar position as u, just with suggestion & recommendation, all my friends who owned both prefer dx200/dx220 + amp8  sonically speaking when comparing with wm1z. (which nearly 2.5x the price)
i will stay for the time being until sony release successor of 1a. Need long battery life and i play music file from local file only.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I had a friend who have listened to iphone and walkman side by side, says it both sounded the same to him. 

God bless him and his wallet as he didn't have audiophile ears.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Ameerzs said:


> hi folks, is there any news on update 3.03
> 
> hope it can fix the usb dac sync with video



There are two work-arounds. One is movie playback software that lets you move the audio sync-point forward or backwards. I just go Bluetooth and it’s fine.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Ameerzs said:


> i can confirm zx500 not anywhere near wm1a 4.4 quality. There ur answer haha.
> But the new port and design on zx500 looks attractive



https://www.head-fi.org/threads/1-week-review-of-sony-nw-zx507-nw-zx500-series.921418/

Interestingly he loves his new ZX507. This will be quite the eventful thread with a huge number of Sony IEMs as well as the MDR-Z1R put into use this week.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

1A/1Z has no video capability.





Ameerzs said:


> hi folks, is there any news on update 3.03
> 
> hope it can fix the usb dac sync with video


----------



## Redcarmoose

DONTGIVEUP said:


> 1A/1Z has no video capability.



He’s talking about using the DAPs with a laptop for movies, as there is a slight delay which causes speech to not sync. So instead of using a direct DAC mode, which is obviously best SQ, you switch to Bluetooth and the delay is no longer an issue.


----------



## Ameerzs

Redcarmoose said:


> There are two work-arounds. One is movie playback software that lets you move the audio sync-point forward or backwards. I just go Bluetooth and it’s fine.


for movie its not really important since can just use the LDAC, but when watching Music Video, the difference is too much to ignore, DAC mode give alot of details and resolution, much lower floor noise.


----------



## proedros

anyone here with a link on *where to buy new/spare WM1A/WM1Z batteries* ?

thanx in advance


----------



## Mindstorms

Ameerzs said:


> i can confirm zx500 not anywhere near wm1a 4.4 quality. There ur answer haha.
> But the new port and design on zx500 looks attractive


I wonder about SE lol thanks for the info!


----------



## captblaze

proedros said:


> anyone here with a link on *where to buy new/spare WM1A/WM1Z batteries* ?
> 
> thanx in advance


https://encompass.com/item/12531354/Sony/1-853-588-15/


----------



## Mindstorms

proedros said:


> anyone here with a link on *where to buy new/spare WM1A/WM1Z batteries* ?
> 
> thanx in advance


I have the same problem i want one if you find a good supplier please tell me pedros!


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> https://encompass.com/item/12531354/Sony/1-853-588-15/





Midnstorms said:


> I have the same problem i want one if you find a good supplier please tell me pedros!


Encompass is Sony authorized parts place.  They have the ability to look up the part number and order it for you directly from Japan.  Very quick and trust worthy


----------



## proedros

captblaze said:


> https://encompass.com/item/12531354/Sony/1-853-588-15/



thanx for the link , however i would be interested in a EU location 

Best ,

Proedros


----------



## meomap

captblaze said:


> https://encompass.com/item/12531354/Sony/1-853-588-15/


Is the battery for 1A or 1Z the same?


----------



## captblaze

meomap said:


> Is the battery for 1A or 1Z the same?



cant speak on 1Z, own 1A only


----------



## mw7485

proedros said:


> anyone here with a link on *where to buy new/spare WM1A/WM1Z batteries* ?
> 
> thanx in advance



Post #26383. The battery in the 1Z and !a are common parts. Mine came labelled as a 1A battery - but they are same part no.


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 17, 2020)

mw7485 said:


> Post #26383. The battery in the 1Z and !a are common parts. Mine came labelled as a 1A battery - but they are same part no.



I bought a spare battery before, and yes, they are the same.

The hardest part is to remove the battery and solder in the new one....you do not want to short the “terminals” out at all.  It can blow in your face!!! 

that is totally serious and no joke


----------



## mw7485

Whitigir said:


> I bought a spare battery before, and yes, they are the same.
> 
> The hardest part is to remove the battery and solder in the new one....you do not want to short the “terminals” out at all.  It can blow in your face!!!
> 
> that is totally serious and no joke




Totally agree, although the wires do come pre-tinned and the live terminal has a protective plastic sleeve over it which should only be removed immediately prior to soldering. The other danger is shorting the live terminal against the chassis via the soldering iron - definitely a job for a steady hand!


----------



## proedros

mw7485 said:


> Post #26383. The battery in the 1Z and !a are common parts. Mine came labelled as a 1A battery - but they are same part no.



huge thanx , here is the link for anyone interested in EU

https://uk.eetgroup.com/i/185358811-Sony-BATTERY-LITHIUM-ION-STORAG?id=185358811


----------



## mw7485

proedros said:


> huge thanx , here is the link for anyone interested in EU
> 
> https://uk.eetgroup.com/i/185358811-Sony-BATTERY-LITHIUM-ION-STORAG?id=185358811




...and I think they can order pretty much any parts you require. Shipping was about two weeks for me. 

If you are going to do this yourself (or get a non Sony engineer to do it), I strongly suggest that they review the maintenance manual. There are a few double sided adhesive strips that you'll likely need to replace. They are all indicated in the manual though. Good luck!!!!


----------



## proedros

mw7485 said:


> ...and I think they can order pretty much any parts you require. Shipping was about two weeks for me.
> 
> If you are going to do this yourself (or get a non Sony engineer to do it), I strongly suggest that they review the maintenance manual. There are a few double sided adhesive strips that you'll likely need to replace. They are all indicated in the manual though. Good luck!!!!



there is an authorized sony center near by so when i decide to change the battery they will do it

but it's nice to have a place to buy a spare in case they don't have one


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> I bought a spare battery before, and yes, they are the same.
> 
> The hardest part is to remove the battery and solder in the new one....you do not want to short the “terminals” out at all.  It can blow in your face!!!
> 
> that is totally serious and no joke


after this i imediatly abandoned any hope of doing it myself why isent like a cam batery just remove and plug  a new one


----------



## ttt123

Midnstorms said:


> after this i imediatly abandoned any hope of doing it myself why isent like a cam batery just remove and plug  a new one


Simple answer is that would use up more space, with the added battery holder, less space for the battery, harder to maximize the battery capacity, etc.  But agree that it would have been nice if it were more easy to replace, even making it simpler to solder would have been good.  But we are in a time where every company tries to compete based on design elegance, and not useability.  It would be very nice if they would do both, and design in fixability along with looks.  Unfortunately, it is hard to see that happening, as it is better for companies to have the consumer buy/replace regularly, rather than make something that will last for 20 years.


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 18, 2020)

Actually, Sony already mentioned about why they had to solder the battery directly on into the devices.  They also used dual terminations batteries as well.

Because the sound can be affected by the battery being used, also it would degrade the sound performances if there were to be a socket or removable mechanism.  Direct soldered on sound the best to them.  Could you hear the differences ? That is personal

But Sony is very well known for taking the extra steps for whatever effect the sound quality.  They resulted in the device you are holding on to right now, the New Walkman WalkMan 1A/1Z.  Even DSEE-HX and Vinyl Engine professor.

My NW-Zx2 battery can still goes on and good....I don’t think there is any NW WM1A or 1Z needed new batteries yet

I believe it, I never tried to listen to the differences between batteries and direct soldered or plugged on and so on.  However, I experienced with different power supplies, cables, fuses....etc....and it does affect the sound performances.  Therefore, a battery and being soldered on that could affect the sound also make senses


----------



## ttt123

Whitigir said:


> Actually, Sony already mentioned about why they had to solder the battery directly on into the devices.  They also used dual terminations batteries as well.
> 
> Because the sound can be affected by the battery being used, also it would degrade the sound performances if there were to be a socket or removable mechanism.  Direct soldered on sound the best to them.  Could you hear the differences ? That is personal
> 
> ...


You remind me of my experiences on the Ibasso DX90, which uses a Samsung S3 removable battery.  One user reported batteries sounding different, depending on where it was manufactured.  The Japanese sounded best, followed by Korea, and then the others (China, etc).  It did not make sense, but I had access to old S3 batteries in HK, so I looked for ones from the various countries.  Well, they did affect the sound.  I theorize that it is the difference in the control circuits (charge, over voltage, current, protection, etc.).  Different parts sources used, manufacturing quality control, etc.  The lithium battery is actually quite complex, and not like a typical AA alkaline battery.  There is a lot of electronic circuitry to make a lithium battery work. And that is controlling the battery output, so has an effect on the power feeding  the device.  And power sources do affect sound, as evidenced by your using high grade non-switching power supplies....


----------



## Mindstorms (Jan 18, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Actually, Sony already mentioned about why they had to solder the battery directly on into the devices.  They also used dual terminations batteries as well.
> 
> Because the sound can be affected by the battery being used, also it would degrade the sound performances if there were to be a socket or removable mechanism.  Direct soldered on sound the best to them.  Could you hear the differences ? That is personal
> 
> ...


I would hear it lol! thanks for the info, i get 9 hs of playback estimated... how much you think it will be normal? i have all effects on all time max volumne mp3 only


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> I would hear it lol! thanks for the info, i get 9 hs of playback estimated... how much you think it will be normal? i have all effects on all time max volumne mp3 only



I get about 20 hours play time and a weeks standby (never turn it off) on a 90% charge (battery saver on). BT and NFC turned off, direct source, normal gain balanced volume about 80, flac 16/44


----------



## Weebus (Jan 18, 2020)

Heya sorry for sounding ignorant but I was curious:
How does the performance of the wm1a compare in 2019?
I've seen prices drop so I was considering getting it but I'm not sure if there have been leaps in performance by more recent players.
Also not sure when they will replace the wm1a since I'm not sure how their product cycle is like.
N.B. thinking of pairing it with the IER-Z1Rs


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Cause they like to contribute to global warming and garbage by making us buy new gadgets and waste the old ones. 

Think about it, there is 50% chance for those of us to properly resolder the new battery given its done in a manufacturing plant assembled by experts.

All this blah blah about noise, battery space saving etc is all nonsense to me. 



Midnstorms said:


> after this i imediatly abandoned any hope of doing it myself why isent like a cam batery just remove and plug  a new one


----------



## Whitigir

If you are truly dedicated to keep your player after the battery is exhausted, then you would bring it to a Sony retailer to get it serviced.

I wonder how many people is dedicated about keeping their Wm1A/Z ? And how many of them has exhausted the battery ?


Weebus said:


> Heya sorry for sounding ignorant but I was curious:
> How does the performance of the wm1a compare in 2019?
> I've seen prices drop so I was considering getting it but I'm not sure if there have been leaps in performance by more recent players.
> Also not sure when they will replace the wm1a since I'm not sure how their product cycle is like.
> N.B. thinking of pairing it with the IER-Z1Rs



Newer players what ? They can use new DAC Chips, but they are still using the Old “XMos XU208” Chip for Digital Interfaces

Sony is unique, Digital interfaces is Sony Chip, and DAC is Sony S-Master chip.  You want to compare hardware to others ? You can not, because everything main chip inside is Sony.

There is only one way to tell, by using your ears.  If you enjoy WM1A/Z then go for it.  If you enjoy other brands, go for it.  I sold my WM1Z but sticking to Dx228ex from Ibasso.


----------



## Fishdo (Jan 18, 2020)

Personally I have tried a good few of the latest DAPs... SR15,SP1000M, Kann,& Cube, iBasso 220, M11, M9, Onkyo and the ZX300 and a mojo in conjunction with those above and my phone...

I haven’t heard any that beat the sound of the Walkman... I honestly thought the cube was going to be the ‘one’... but I didn’t find it much better than the SR15 same with the SP1000m...

I really like the wm1a... though I have yet to try a Cayin... which is apparently a good choice as well as the QP2R...

I also think a lot depends on your iems or earphones.... which was something I could really hear when using the CL2 to the LCDi3 to the andromeda and Solaris etc... to me I think pairing is as important as the individual bits of kit... for example I found the CL2 best on the SR15 whereas I thought the Solaris were not that good on the SR15... etc etc

Of course it’s also important to consider how you will use the DAP... desktop on the go or both and whether you stream or not or listen off line etc


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> If you are truly dedicated to keep your player after the battery is exhausted, then you would bring it to a Sony retailer to get it serviced.
> 
> I wonder how many people is dedicated about keeping their Wm1A/Z ? And how many of them has exhausted the battery ?
> 
> ...




Gerelmex is over 7000 hours playtime with no problems yet. I’m at 3000 and about 150 charge cycles in 3 years so I fully expect mine to last anither 6-7 years before a battery replacement might be needed


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> Actually, Sony already mentioned about why they had to solder the battery directly on into the devices.  They also used dual terminations batteries as well.
> 
> Because the sound can be affected by the battery being used, also it would degrade the sound performances if there were to be a socket or removable mechanism.  Direct soldered on sound the best to them.  Could you hear the differences ? That is personal
> 
> ...


i get 9 hs of playback estimated...


nc8000 said:


> I get about 20 hours play time and a weeks standby (never turn it off) on a 90% charge (battery saver on). BT and NFC turned off, direct source, normal gain balanced volume about 80, flac 16/44


i do max vol heavy EQ and all effects mostly on


----------



## Mindstorms

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Cause they like to contribute to global warming and garbage by making us buy new gadgets and waste the old ones.
> 
> Think about it, there is 50% chance for those of us to properly resolder the new battery given its done in a manufacturing plant assembled by experts.
> 
> All this blah blah about noise, battery space saving etc is all nonsense to me.


It is truth but i think they can come with a solution... or at least give you a choice about what to do...


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> If you are truly dedicated to keep your player after the battery is exhausted, then you would bring it to a Sony retailer to get it serviced.
> 
> I wonder how many people is dedicated about keeping their Wm1A/Z ? And how many of them has exhausted the battery ?
> 
> ...


to your ears the Ibasso outperforms 1A and 1Z right? in power output shure , and in sound thickness staging? can you vary soundtsge like the 1a/z? by firmware changes?


----------



## Whitigir

Midnstorms said:


> to your ears the Ibasso outperforms 1A and 1Z right? in power output shure , and in sound thickness staging? can you vary soundtsge like the 1a/z? by firmware changes?



sound thickness and the density resolutions....I don’t think any other brands out there can outperform Sony, period.  The one very close to it is Chord, but even Chord has it own “negatives”.  Therefore, to my own opinion, Sony is unique.

Staging, the Ibasso has wider but not deeper or taller.  Unless modified, which I did.

So even for a modified Ibasso, the Sony still has it own merits that is totally unique to itself.

the reason why I have DMP Z1 is due to this uniqueness that can only exist with Sony, and while it can also drive my full sizes.  I also keep and cherish my modified Ibasso DX228EX due to it portability, powerful output, and perform ways beyond it form/function/price ratios.


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> sound thickness and the density resolutions....I don’t think any other brands out there can outperform Sony, period.  The one very close to it is Chord, but even Chord has it own “negatives”.  Therefore, to my own opinion, Sony is unique.
> 
> Staging, the Ibasso has wider but not deeper or taller.  Unless modified, which I did.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your impresions friend!


----------



## RobertP

Can't believe I have WM1A for 3 years already. Battery is still going strong. Standby for almost a week no problem.


----------



## Mindstorms

RobertP said:


> Can't believe I have WM1A for 3 years already. Battery is still going strong. Standby for almost a week no problem.


can you please comment how many hours you get from him? (how you use it)


----------



## gerelmx1986

RobertP said:


> Can't believe I have WM1A for 3 years already. Battery is still going strong. Standby for almost a week no problem.


Me too standby for weeks and playback time 20 hours to 24 hours


----------



## Mindstorms

and you guys use till you see the last bar right you dont wait till it starts flashing?


----------



## aisalen

Midnstorms said:


> and you guys use till you see the last bar right you dont wait till it starts flashing?


When I see mine in one bar, I charged it already not waiting for the indicator to flash.


----------



## Mindstorms

Ok i Never leave it stand by... i allways turn it on and off will that be cause maybe it consumes a lot to turn on off....


----------



## Florin Mandru

Hi guys, on my wm1a I have the 24 hours standby option on and I always plug in for charge whenever the red light it turns on.
And after is like that commercial with Duracell battery .
It keep going and going ...


----------



## Damz87

Is it better for the battery to leave the Walkman on and in standby while not in use, or should I be turning it off?


----------



## Mindstorms

Florin Mandru said:


> Hi guys, on my wm1a I have the 24 hours standby option on and I always plug in for charge whenever the red light it turns on.
> And after is like that commercial with Duracell battery .
> It keep going and going ...


So you wait till the flashing interesting... how many hrs you have on your wm1a, and also how you use it Balanced direct mode for what i see in your gear>> or heavy effects volume?


----------



## Quadfather

I have Lotoo Paw Gold 2017, Questyle QP1R, and Sony NW-WM1A. I am very happy, but still lusting after the Sony NW-WM1Z.


----------



## nc8000

Damz87 said:


> Is it better for the battery to leave the Walkman on and in standby while not in use, or should I be turning it off?



I just cant be bothered to wait while it builds the database after turning on so leave it in standby. I charge every Sunday and play 2-3 hours every evening during the week


----------



## Florin Mandru

I already have 1200 hours on and the battery is holding like in the first weeks!
I am getting around 6-7 hours a day. With a full charge (90%) it keeps going for 3 days. Sometimes more hours a day, sometimes less, depending on my time off.
I am using the balanced (silver gold mod) with the direct mode on.


----------



## Florin Mandru (Jan 19, 2020)

Now, compared with the dx228ex, is a rocket!!! On dx228ex I have to charge the battery daily for only 5 or 6 hours top.


----------



## Whitigir

Florin Mandru said:


> Now, compared with the dx228ex, is a rocket!!! On dx228ex I have to charge the battery daily for only 5 or 6 hours top.


I know!! But the power output and the performances to drive headphones though .  Sony battery and it ability to keep going is mind blowing !!!! The majority of it is the Digital interfaces chip, which is so efficient and dedicated to music.


----------



## Florin Mandru

The dx228ex is a beast!!!A true demonstration of power.Sony is still rocks with his sound signature thought.He keeps his ground very nicely!


----------



## Florin Mandru

Lately I have use the 3.5 output on wm1a as line out on my desktop configuration.The advantage of Sony battery is keep the music going for days without any interference from the plug.So it can be use as a quality source dac.


----------



## Florin Mandru

When I tried that with dx229 beside I was ending without battery in a matter of hours,I get a different sound signature than Sony .
On wm1a I am getting better separation and I can hear layers in music with a better texture.All together a more relaxing sound.
And that with the ofc internal wires from the 3.5 side.With some occ or silver gold ones will be heaven...


----------



## Quadfather

I have Lotoo Paw Gold 2017, Questyle QP1R, and Sony NW-WM1A. I am very happy, but still lusting after the Sony NW-WM1Z.


----------



## sebbaan

What type of ac-adapter is safely recommended for charging the wm1a if one does not want to use a computer?


----------



## nc8000

sebbaan said:


> What type of ac-adapter is safely recommended for charging the wm1a if one does not want to use a computer?



I’m using one from an older iPad


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Apple chargers are pretty good at filtering noise and ripples. 

http://www.righto.com/2012/10/a-dozen-usb-chargers-in-lab-apple-is.html?m=1

I have anker power bank as charging device to my zx507. I don't plug my zx507 to the mains.


----------



## Hanafuda

I use my old "genuine M$ accessory" Zune AC adapter/charger. Just like the Zune itself, it's an overbuilt unbreakable brick.


----------



## gerelmx1986

If sony puts high current/voltage FETs on the amp sction to increase power, while sticking a 7400mAh battery like fiio. It would be a treat


----------



## buzzlulu (Jan 19, 2020)

Question on the battery on my 1Z
I have owned it for a little more than 2 years however quite honestly it has seen very little use  (I have a number of toys here to play with  ).

I have dusted it off and started using it in a bedside system however the battery life is now atrocious.
Can the battery be reset/calibrated ie running down to empty and then charged again?  Should it be replaced - and if so what is the proceedure ? I am located in the States.


----------



## Mindstorms

buzzlulu said:


> Question on the battery on my 1Z
> I have owned it for a little more than 2 years however quite honestly it has seen very little use  (I have a number of toys here to play with  ).
> 
> I have dusted it off and started using it in a bedside system however the battery life is now atrocious.
> Can the battery be reset/calibrated ie running down to empty and then charged again?  Should it be replaced - and if so what is the proceedure ? I am located in the States.


Im shure in the thread it has been discussed but lets wait answer...


----------



## Whitigir

Midnstorms said:


> Im shure in the thread it has been discussed but lets wait answer...


This will take a very long while...LOL...I gave up finding from Nw ZX2 thread...matter of fact, if I was waiting for that as an excuse to move on...I would still be in the mud


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> This will take a very long while...LOL...I gave up finding from Nw ZX2 thread...matter of fact, if I was waiting for that as an excuse to move on...I would still be in the mud


lets buy a huge external batery pack 25000 Mah and make our own DMP Z1-1A lol


----------



## buzzlulu (Jan 19, 2020)

So then what is the proceedure in the US for battery replacement?  Is there a list of Sony service centers for the 1Z?  Curious as to turn around time

PS actually found a Sony support article about battery life.  Maybe my problem is the screen setting.  It indicated that lowering screen brightness from 5 to 3 ( I assume 50% to 35%) dramatically increases battery life.  Screen turnoffset to 30 seconds as well


----------



## Lookout57

I use a desktop multi-port USB charger that supplies 2.4 amps per port.


----------



## ttt123

buzzlulu said:


> So then what is the proceedure in the US for battery replacement?  Is there a list of Sony service centers for the 1Z?  Curious as to turn around time
> 
> PS actually found a Sony support article about battery life.  Maybe my problem is the screen setting.  It indicated that lowering screen brightness from 5 to 3 ( I assume 50% to 35%) dramatically increases battery life.  Screen turnoffset to 30 seconds as well


The DSP settings have a major impact on battery life.  Make sure it is on DIRECT mode to disable all settings, and then check battery life.  
The sreen brightness/use, DSP settings, type of file played, all have impacts on battery life.
FROM THE MANUAL:

The values shown below are the approximate battery life when content is played continuously at the default settings.
Music (Approx.)
MP3 128 kbps 33 hours
AAC 256 kbps 31 hours
FLAC 96 kHz/24 bit 30 hours
FLAC 192 kHz/24 bit 26 hours
DSD 2.8224 MHz/1 bit 15 hours
DSD 5.6448 MHz/1 bit 13 hours
DSD 11.2896 MHz/1 bit 11 hours
Bluetooth (Approx.)
MP3 128 kbps SBC - Connection Preferred: 17 hours
FLAC 96 kHz/24 bit LDAC - Connection Preferred (Auto): 15 hours
Note
Even if the player is turned off for an extended period, a small amount of battery power is still consumed.
Battery life may vary depending on volume setting, conditions of use and ambient temperature.
The battery is consumed considerably when the screen is on.
*The battery life may become about 45 % shorter when some of the sound quality settings are active.*
A Bluetooth connection will shorten the battery life by up to 55 % depending on the following conditions.
Format of the content.
Settings of the connected device.


----------



## Mindstorms

buzzlulu said:


> So then what is the proceedure in the US for battery replacement?  Is there a list of Sony service centers for the 1Z?  Curious as to turn around time
> 
> PS actually found a Sony support article about battery life.  Maybe my problem is the screen setting.  It indicated that lowering screen brightness from 5 to 3 ( I assume 50% to 35%) dramatically increases battery life.  Screen turnoffset to 30 seconds as well


i think you can try sending it to a sony authorized repair


----------



## buzzlulu

ttt123 said:


> The DSP settings have a major impact on battery life.  Make sure it is on DIRECT mode to disable all settings, and then check battery life.
> The sreen brightness/use, DSP settings, type of file played, all have impacts on battery life.
> FROM THE MANUAL:
> 
> ...



wow!
Thank you for this


----------



## Vitaly2017

When is so y going to release 1a/1z successor! 

Anything any info?

Also waiting to see the new mx4 anc headphones


----------



## phonomat

A watched pot never boils.


----------



## Mindstorms

does anyone own 1A and AK Kann? that can share some impresions?


----------



## Whitigir

Midnstorms said:


> does anyone own 1A and AK Kann? that can share some impresions?




The question is, how much driving power do you need


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> The question is, how much driving power do you need


I drive IEMS i have a sound blaster E5 if i need to drive cans... i doubt E5 its good word here lol since my 1A crush it in terms of character and organic sound but it can certanly stress cans! I dont yet own any expensive ones...


----------



## Whitigir

Midnstorms said:


> I drive IEMS i have a sound blaster E5 if i need to drive cans... i doubt E5 its good word here lol since my 1A crush it in terms of character and organic sound but it can certanly stress cans! I dont yet own any expensive ones...


The next question will be...how do you like Sony unique signature ?

Yes? Sure 1A is the answer
Don’t care much ? Try both the Kann and 1A on your IEMs.  Pick it after you listened


----------



## Mindstorms (Jan 20, 2020)

Unfortunately I cant demo anithing here friend! 1 Love my 1A I will skip all till top of the line when i have money again lol allways sony !


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> Actually, Sony already mentioned about why they had to solder the battery directly on into the devices.  They also used dual terminations batteries as well.
> 
> Because the sound can be affected by the battery being used, also it would degrade the sound performances if there were to be a socket or removable mechanism.  Direct soldered on sound the best to them.  Could you hear the differences ? That is personal
> 
> ...


I have to concur. Batteries and the cables they use make a difference in sound. 
This is the reason people spend so much money on power cables. 
My DAC sounds much better with a Deep cycle marine battery, than the wall socket.  Even the wires used to connect the battery to the DAC, make a difference in sound. Solid always sounds better than stranded. Lower distortion, cleaner signal.


----------



## Whitigir

Diet Kokaine said:


> I have to concur. Batteries and the cables they use make a difference in sound.
> This is the reason people spend so much money on power cables.
> My DAC sounds much better with a Deep cycle marine battery, than the wall socket.  Even the wires used to connect the battery to the DAC, make a difference in sound. Solid always sounds better than stranded. Lower distortion, cleaner signal.


Very much agreed with everything


----------



## AMHaudio

Midnstorms said:


> does anyone own 1A and AK Kann? that can share some impresions?


I had opportunity to audition both for extended time and dud AB.
To me Kann is unsmartly big. I will never consider as portable. Sound background was not that black like other AK products. 1A was black, musically detailed. Smart to look. Wow battery backup. At least I think Kann should not be bought without physically checking them. Though I am big Fan of Sp2000, I couldn't pass Kann...


----------



## musicinmymind

SQ is same as playing physical MP3 320 file, when we play form Phone using Bluetooth?


----------



## nc8000

musicinmymind said:


> SQ is same as playing physical MP3 320 file, when we play form Phone using Bluetooth?



Depends on the file you play (lossy or lossless) and the BT codec you use


----------



## musicinmymind

nc8000 said:


> Depends on the file you play (lossy or lossless) and the BT codec you use



LDAC is supported on my phone LG V40 and will be streaming from Spotify


----------



## buzzlulu

Update to my battery issues on the 1Z
There are no issues!  WOW - the screen settings REALLY DO make A SUBSTANTIAL impact on longevity.
After reading some of the replies here I set screen brightness to 25% and screen timeout to 15 seconds.  
Playing FLAC files with no signal processing I am now at 26 hours and still playing.

WOW!


----------



## Whitigir

I have updated my review regarding DMP-Z1 usage with External Regulated Linear Power Supply
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/so...r-signature-series.23308/reviews#review-23083


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> Update to my battery issues on the 1Z
> There are no issues!  WOW - the screen settings REALLY DO make A SUBSTANTIAL impact on longevity.
> After reading some of the replies here I set screen brightness to 25% and screen timeout to 15 seconds.
> Playing FLAC files with no signal processing I am now at 26 hours and still playing.
> ...



I have brightness set to 1


----------



## Whitigir

Yeah, well...brightness of the screen not only take a toll on your battery consumption level, but also increase the background noises as well.  Do not start paying attention at it now .  But this is the real reason why the DMP-Z1 has such a gigantic build with small and very little screen.  This minimize the radiated noises coming from the touch screen panel


----------



## buzzlulu (Jan 21, 2020)

On the Naim UK forum many members turn off the display on their $35k totl preamp.
The improvement is EASILY heard..
The improvement also comes from disabling the power supply used for the display.

Brightness at 1 - how do you see


----------



## 524419 (Jan 21, 2020)

That is why  I am hoping Sony goes the DMP-Z1 route for the 1A nd 1Z successors, leaves out Android, and just concentrates on Sound Quality. Streaming is also major source of noise and interference.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

nc8000 said:


> I have brightness set to 1


Me too, I heard rumor it improves the sound quality, but.. who knows


----------



## proedros

even though my wm1a has more than 3500 hours, the battery still holds for a good 15-20 hours - still i have already made plans how/where to have the battery replaced if needed

i contacted my local sony service store and they told me that they can do the replacement for 60 euros (battery+labour included) , so we are good for many years to come (or at least until I decide to upgrade to the wm1a successor whenever it comes out)


----------



## Whitigir

Ah, better believe it that WM2A will come soon enough


----------



## Benno1988

WM1A or ZX507 ladies?

Streaming mostly to be honest.

Sony MDR Z1R for time being.


----------



## Whitigir

Wm1A can’t stream


----------



## Benno1988

Whitigir said:


> Wm1A can’t stream


Answered.

Thanks mate. Definately assumed it did.


----------



## nc8000

Benno1988 said:


> Answered.
> 
> Thanks mate. Definately assumed it did.



1A can act as a BT receiver so you can stream to it from a smartphone or tablet but it does not support native streaming as it is Sony OS and not Android


----------



## Damz87

I’m too afraid of losing or dropping my WM1Z that I only really use it at home as a DAC and stream off my pc or iPad, so if you’re planning to use it at home for streaming, it’s excellent


----------



## Quadfather

Damz87 said:


> I’m too afraid of losing or dropping my WM1Z that I only really use it at home as a DAC and stream off my pc or iPad, so if you’re planning to use it at home for streaming, it’s excellent



I want the 1Z for home, and I'll use my 1A on the go.


----------



## Lookout57

Quadfather said:


> I want the 1Z for home, and I'll use my 1A on the go.


When I'm traveling locally I use the 1A, for long flights and vacation I use the 1Z.


----------



## Maxx134 (Jan 24, 2020)

Quadfather said:


> I have Lotoo Paw Gold 2017, Questyle QP1R, and Sony NW-WM1A. I am very happy, but still lusting after the Sony NW-WM1Z.


If you know the difference between an organic vs a "solid state" sound, then you can imagine the difference that the 1z brings more of over the 1a.
Absolutely no solid state sound.

That's why I choose this unit over ALL the other players.
Don't be fooled by an exited exaggeration of detailing or liveliness that latest players can have.
None will have the organic, non-solid-state sound.

Exaggerated width, or distance, or low level sounds will not give you the "natural", organic presentation of the 1z.




Whitigir said:


> Yeah, well...brightness of the screen not only take a toll on your battery consumption level, but also increase the background noises as well.  Do not start paying attention at it now .  But this is the real reason why the DMP-Z1 has such a gigantic build with small and very little screen.  This minimize the radiated noises coming from the touch screen panel


Now you tell me?!





Damz87 said:


> I’m too afraid of losing or dropping my WM1Z



I changed and upgraded my case protection for the added weight of the 1z.

I had the Red Dignis leather case, and it was very strong, thick, and very high quality shaped leather, but it always leached out a bit of red color when wet or rubbed alot.




So I changed to this case and very happy with the thick leather plus added protection of lid.







The problem was finding this case. Then I found it here, and it can be very customized.


Then have it in yet another small hard case:







For even more added protection.
Plus screen protector too.


----------



## purk

Looking awesome with the WM1Z Maxx!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Benno1988 said:


> Answered.
> 
> Thanks mate. Definately assumed it did.



You can do like me, i do 100% bluetooth  ldac streaming spotify with my wm1z and I am very happy.  It sounds better then fiio ibasso or cayin


----------



## Quadfather (Jan 24, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> If you know the difference between an organic vs a "solid state" sound, then you can imagine the difference that the 1z brings more of over the 1a.
> Absolutely no solid state sound.
> 
> That's why I choose this unit over ALL the other players.
> ...




I have heard the 1Z and love it for that very reason.  I do, however, get in solid state moods at times, which is why I have to save rather than unloading currently owned equipment.


----------



## musicinmymind

organic or solid state it doesn't matter, if you don't have good collection of music like me.

I did try 1z and like a lot, but no use for me. Cannot even think of Bluetooth route for Tidal Maters, it will still sound meh even via LDAC.


----------



## Vitaly2017

musicinmymind said:


> organic or solid state it doesn't matter, if you don't have good collection of music like me.
> 
> I did try 1z and like a lot, but no use for me. Cannot even think of Bluetooth route for Tidal Maters, it will still sound meh even via LDAC.



Your wrong I did very close up test and the difference is barely audible. 
Its so little that I bet you wont notice it in a blind test!


----------



## musicinmymind

Vitaly2017 said:


> Your wrong I did very close up test and the difference is barely audible.
> Its so little that I bet you wont notice it in a blind test!



Good to know, will try again if local audio shop still have it


----------



## Quadfather

musicinmymind said:


> organic or solid state it doesn't matter, if you don't have good collection of music like me.
> 
> I did try 1z and like a lot, but no use for me. Cannot even think of Bluetooth route for Tidal Maters, it will still sound meh even via LDAC.



I have boatloads of music and audiobooks. Not voice only either but audio books with music sound effects excetera


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicinmymind said:


> organic or solid state it doesn't matter, if you don't have good collection of music like me.
> 
> I did try 1z and like a lot, but no use for me. Cannot even think of Bluetooth route for Tidal Maters, it will still sound meh even via LDAC.


I have 1.23TB of Music, all lossless


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have 1.23TB of Music, all lossless




I got 10 000 spotify downloads in offline and 236 gig on wm1z localy


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> I got 10 000 spotify downloads in offline and 236 gig on wm1z localy


Here like 57000+ tracks


----------



## Whitigir

Wait, you can store tidal offline in wm1Z ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> I have brightness set to 1


Me too, brightness set at 1 for both 1A and 1Z. It’s been that way since the first week with them.


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Wait, you can store tidal offline in wm1Z ?



No on a smartphone that can then be streamed to the 1Z I would guess


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> No on a smartphone that can then be streamed to the 1Z I would guess


That is what I thought ! Thank you!!! Sometimes I am easily confused !!!! Literally.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Wait, you can store tidal offline in wm1Z ?



No lol
Its on my phone. I also have local tracks on 1z in case my phone get screwed up.


----------



## Fishdo

Hi guys 
Does anyone know...?

when creating playlists for the 1A ... does the text file mu3 sit in the playlist folder itself or do you place that text file in the main music folder in the 1A (so it’s outside the playlist folder but within the main music folder)

Thanks


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> Me too, brightness set at 1 for both 1A and 1Z. It’s been that way since the first week with them.


Me too!


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Fishdo said:


> Hi guys
> Does anyone know...?
> 
> when creating playlists for the 1A ... does the text file mu3 sit in the playlist folder itself or do you place that text file in the main music folder in the 1A (so it’s outside the playlist folder but within the main music folder)
> ...



Save them in the same folder - Music

they can only reference files on the same storage area. 
If you happen to be on a Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dapper-music-player-sync/id903223330?mt=12


----------



## Lookout57

Fishdo said:


> Hi guys
> Does anyone know...?
> 
> when creating playlists for the 1A ... does the text file mu3 sit in the playlist folder itself or do you place that text file in the main music folder in the 1A (so it’s outside the playlist folder but within the main music folder)
> ...


You can place them where ever you want to store them as long as the path to the files are reachable from that directory. To be safe I always use absolute paths for the tracks.


----------



## buzzlulu

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Save them in the same folder - Music
> 
> they can only reference files on the same storage area.
> If you happen to be on a Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dapper-music-player-sync/id903223330?mt=12



Interesting app - thanks form that

While on topic I have recently "dusted" off my 1Z and would like to load it with my files.  I am on a Mac and seem to recall Sony's app. not being updated for Catalina?

What is the best and easiest way to fill up a 1tb card using a Mac?


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> Interesting app - thanks form that
> 
> While on topic I have recently "dusted" off my 1Z and would like to load it with my files.  I am on a Mac and seem to recall Sony's app. not being updated for Catalina?
> 
> What is the best and easiest way to fill up a 1tb card using a Mac?



I would assume that the Mac also recognices it as a plain usb device like a pc dis so just connect it and copy files to the Music folder on the card


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Easiest: Copy it over the USB cable.
Fastest: Get a good card reader and plug it into the Mac to copy.
Most organized including playlists: Use Music.app and Dapper.
(My video here done with an WM1A)


----------



## Dizzle77

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Save them in the same folder - Music
> 
> they can only reference files on the same storage area.
> If you happen to be on a Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dapper-music-player-sync/id903223330?mt=12



that app looks good. What are the advantages of using this over Finder drag n drop?


----------



## JeremyLaurenson

Dizzle77 said:


> that app looks good. What are the advantages of using this over Finder drag n drop?



Playlists are synced, you use a slider to determine how much goes on the internal storage vs sdcard and it keeps track of all changes for you.

If you have multiple DAPs is keeps each in sync


----------



## Fishdo

I tried using Dapper but could only get it to recognise some playlists from iTunes... but I couldn’t get them to work on my Flac or DSD files/folders....
The WM1A would recognise the playlists but would show no music in the playlist. 

I also tried doing the text editor that was explained on here but again I had no luck..,

All my music files were formatted/ tagged using Picard ...

So I found an app called M3Unity which I tested using its free download and that worked perfectly... so I bought that app for $5 and I just drag my folders into its window... and it transfers all the music into the app... I can then move files about and also create hierarchies for individual titles.., 

I then saved the work I had done and it was recognised on my WM1A... so I now have all my playlists appearing in the playlists option on the WM1A...

The only small issue was that the app copies a new folder... so it copies a new lot of my music in that folder, which takes time so I now have the original music folder open... I place all the music files in the trash and I click save on the playlists app... so the app then creates the playlist m3u file and then I get an error message saying it cannot save the music so I close the app and select undo from edit tools and the music is removed from trash back to the original folder which also has the new m3u file... so that saves me replicating my files and also saves me the time it takes to do so...

So now I have my playlists using the same tags etc I was using before...

Thanks for your replies guys ...


----------



## Peter Ruby

Same. Works great until you go outside for a whike.


----------



## Dizzle77

JeremyLaurenson said:


> Playlists are synced, you use a slider to determine how much goes on the internal storage vs sdcard and it keeps track of all changes for you.
> 
> If you have multiple DAPs is keeps each in sync



ah right. I don’t tend to use playlists, so probably not much use for me. I’ll stick to drag n drop folders


----------



## DONTGIVEUP




----------



## Vitaly2017

MrLocoLuciano said:


> It's just a long love story. Got 1Z for almost 3 years, got the premium mod done 18 months ago. And finally went for a new one and Ultimate mod.
> 
> Was able to compare Premium and Ultimate for 10 days.
> More dynamic, more power (seems like there is more weights), darker background. Small but real improvement.
> ...






I am currently A/B testing N8 ss and original wm1z and both sound phenomenal.  I feel like I still like wm1z more.  How would you compare in sq wm1z with ultimate k mode vs N8 ss?  it would give me a good hint and help figuring where to go please.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hi I was reading your post and got intrigued I know It been a wile ago now hehe but I am in a guess mind now, whats better a moded wm1z or wm1a ?  I like the viceral and more sub improvements you mentioned on 1a. I didnt really understood what you ment a more mellow moded 1z vs 1a...

I am thinking to try a k mod on 1z cause I own one. I love warm bodied and natural sound signature with best sub bass and viscerality, nuances and textures with a good timbre tonality.  mmmm  what can you say kmod ultimate 1z vs 1a?











Deezel177 said:


> Hey guys, I recently acquired a Sony WM1A modded by Music Sanctuary. I've spent a few weeks with this DAP and a wide variety of IEMs, and now I'd like to tell you why this mod is one of the most impressive "products" I've come across thus far in 2018. Enjoy!
> 
> *Music Sanctuary's WM1A Mod*
> 
> ...


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am currently A/B testing N8 ss and original wm1z and both sound phenomenal.  I feel like I still like wm1z more.  How would you compare in sq wm1z with ultimate k mode vs N8 ss?  it would give me a good hint and help figuring where to go please.


You should read my review of N8 where I compare it with the WM1Z k mod premium.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/review/23174/


----------



## Deezel177

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hi I was reading your post and got intrigued I know It been a wile ago now hehe but I am in a guess mind now, whats better a moded wm1z or wm1a ?  I like the viceral and more sub improvements you mentioned on 1a. I didnt really understood what you ment a more mellow moded 1z vs 1a...
> 
> I am thinking to try a k mod on 1z cause I own one. I love warm bodied and natural sound signature with best sub bass and viscerality, nuances and textures with a good timbre tonality.  mmmm  what can you say kmod ultimate 1z vs 1a?



Well, as you said, it's been a long while since I've heard the two together. But, with the modded 1Z, I think you'll hear a much more laid-back, spacious sound. This is what I meant when I said _mellow_, because the modded 1A is more punchy and forward-sounding by comparison. The trade-off is that the 1A lacks composure and precision compared to the modded 1Z.

For more details on the modded 1Z, I'd recommend checking out @flinkenick's impressions of the modded 1Z here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1139#post-13891971. Though, I believe his had the Premium mod, as the Ultimate mod hadn't come out yet.


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 28, 2020)

@Vitaly2017 I saw your respond and question over at the N8, but the real place to talk about it is here.  I did listen to N8, and also modified my Wm1Z a long time ago.  The Wm1Z has so much more to give, but the Kimber Kables inside gave it the Warm touch that is coloring the sound as you mentioned.  This was the reason why I modified mine.  I also have modified my DMP-Z1 as well, just because of this.

I keep repeating this over and over again, Sony has a unique characteristics of house sound, and the next one that is closer to it would be Chord, and then Cayin with especially the N8.  However, if you are very keen ears and picky, and is used to Sony house sound, then there is nothing out there that can replace it.  That is why I have moved on to upgrade into DMP-Z1.  _If I were given a choice to pick between N8 and a modified Wm1Z, then I would pick WM1Z in a heart beat, but that is me _

Regarding what wires should fit your taste preferences, contact the modder to ask about it.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jan 28, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> @Vitaly2017 I saw your respond and question over at the N8, but the real place to talk about it is here.  I did listen to N8, and also modified my Wm1Z a long time ago.  The Wm1Z has so much more to give, but the Kimber Kables inside gave it the Warm touch that is coloring the sound as you mentioned.  This was the reason why I modified mine.  I also have modified my DMP-Z1 as well, just because of this.
> 
> I keep repeating this over and over again, Sony has a unique characteristics of house sound, and the next one that is closer to it would be Chord, and then Cayin with especially the N8.  However, if you are very keen ears and picky, and is used to Sony house sound, then there is nothing out there that can replace it.  That is why I have moved on to upgrade into DMP-Z1.  _If I were given a choice to pick between N8 and a modified Wm1Z, then I would pick WM1Z in a heart beat, but that is me _
> 
> Regarding what wires should fit your taste preferences, contact the modder to ask about it.


Actually Vitaly; I would recommend you go with Whitigirl. I got mine modded by him and am still very satisfied with it; and that's about 2-3 years ago. Actually, I was posting about the huge sound quality improvements here at the time, later it started the MS 1A/1Z mod. I got the choice of pure silver and gold and silver cable, I chose silver gold since it provides more natural, realistic timbre. At the time, I already got the PW1960 cable, its a very good cable but there is certain characteristic to the sound. I think in some way, if you choose MSMod, the sound will in some way or other will be colored by the PW1960 cable used. It would color the sound no matter how big or small it is. Pm Whitigirl, see if he is willing to help you.


----------



## hshock76

Here is my unbiased feedback with regards to the MS K-Mod 1Z. As mentioned earlier in this thread, I am holding on to the proto version of the mod which has the same upgrades as the Ultimate mod but with a 24-wire 1960 to the balanced output vs the stock modification of 14-wire mod. MS has stopped offering the 24-wire mod due to high risk of breakage. As far as know, there are only 2 units of the proto mod currently.

I had auditioned the N8 vs stock 1Z last year and my verdict was 1Z still felt more special. Similar to @Whitigir feedback, there is a unique characteristic to Sony's sound signature which I have not heard from other TOTL players. The tube output on the N8 was too warm for me and contrary to @Vitaly2017 feedback, I felt the vocals on the 1Z to have a more natural timbre. I noticed that Sony does not deliberately smooth out the vocals/mids for it to sound more musical. I liked the way it portrays nuances and imperfections as per recording. In short, SQ from balanced output of N8 was good but the stock 1Z just sounded more special to me. 

Coming back to the modified 1Z. Although the vocals on the stock 1Z, depth, layering, etc was good, there were 2 areas that I felt needed improvement to reach my end game; wider sound stage and higher resolution. I must say I got my wish answered with the modded 1Z to the point I can't put it down and both my Kann Cube and 228-EX are not getting much play time now. I am pairing the modded 1Z with both EA Horus and PW1960 cables with the IER-Z1R - both cables have almost the same technical capabilities to apart from below:

EA Horus (Gold plated silver) - transparent and reference sounding
PW 1960 (pure OCC copper litz) - more body (thicker vocals invoking more emotions)

I really can't say which I prefer so I just swap depending on my moods.

I did a half hour A/B with the DMP-Z1 yesterday and I must say performance is very very close between the stock Z1 and modded 1Z. I could not discern a huge difference in most songs but in some there were clearly improvements in resolution and clarity. Still planning to own the Z1 one day...

I can't comment on the mods with silver or gold plated silver but I liked how the MS mod retained the warmth and Sony's sound signature while improving resolution+clarity.

Again, this is just another reference point for folks considering the MS Mod. I can't and will not say that this is best way to go about modding it as there are obviously other options with wire selection. If anyone is in the Bay Area and wants a go at the modded 1Z, feel free to drop me a PM.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jan 28, 2020)

@Whitigir

Hey you really nailed and yea maybe you are right I should of posted my feedbacks here on 1z thread instead I would have more fame haha. I can copy past my post here then lol.

Since my feedbacks about N8 amd 1z I get so many messages with all kinds of questions about 1z and n8 hehe I feel like an important person lol.

But more to what you just said and I think your 100% right about, I do have very sharp and precise hearing I can detect very fine fine small changes and nuance in sound. Lately I did start to challenge my wm1z more often against other bigger players or dacs. And so far I always come back to wm1z because of its extreme abilities to fightback and hold the title of the big champion.

I did a/b against hugo2 and now N8.
Hugo 2 was close but I found it lacked the ability to show the fine nuances of bass and treble was not lively and beautiful as on 1z. Also was very powerful in sound whitsh  didnt please me for iems.

N8 was a very fun and pleasant experience and I think it was a better sound signature over hugo2 but also didnt win me over wm1z.  Bass reproduction are totally different.  More airier and less dense as in 1z but also not as tight and punchy. 1z bass is thicker and more vibrant and there is that kimber cable that comes in place, I believe Sony purposely didnt solder the headphone jack on the pcb so they can have this cable in between.  Just same story with the ier-z1r and that foam lol. Aaaa Sony we love you and at same time some time we ask why the heck this..... lol



I am sending N8 back to musicteck they been very nice and letting me try the n8.


----------



## hshock76

@Vitaly2017 

I totally agree on the point you brought up about air. 

I’m not sure whether other 1z owners noticed but one aspect of the 1Z that sucks me in is in the focused manner it portrays vocals and bass. Many players and IEMs tend to add air around vocals and instruments to make them sound larger or wider and more impressive on first hearing but ultimately does not sound natural to me.


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> Here is my unbiased feedback with regards to the MS K-Mod 1Z. As mentioned earlier in this thread, I am holding on to the proto version of the mod which has the same upgrades as the Ultimate mod but with a 24-wire 1960 to the balanced output vs the stock modification of 14-wire mod. MS has stopped offering the 24-wire mod due to high risk of breakage. As far as know, there are only 2 units of the proto mod currently.
> 
> I had auditioned the N8 vs stock 1Z last year and my verdict was 1Z still felt more special. Similar to @Whitigir feedback, there is a unique characteristic to Sony's sound signature which I have not heard from other TOTL players. The tube output on the N8 was too warm for me and contrary to @Vitaly2017 feedback, I felt the vocals on the 1Z to have a more natural timbre. I noticed that Sony does not deliberately smooth out the vocals/mids for it to sound more musical. I liked the way it portrays nuances and imperfections as per recording. In short, SQ from balanced output of N8 was good but the stock 1Z just sounded more special to me.
> 
> ...





Woooaaa I am so happy we have such a huge community in the realm of the sony dap )

24 wire sound so huge in wires count, dont know if it makes a huge difference going that high yet, since I havent had a chance to hear it. 

What you describe about modded 1z and being good as almost as the dmp that is a very huge thing for me. Id love to have a 1z with that much goodness.

What I really love in 1z stock is the ability to reproduce amazing bass and sub bass, bot only its good but its also very nuanced. Plus there is something about the treble in 1z nothing in the entire market of the gear I heard can do that. You can really hear it with ier-z1r,  when you hook them to another source you hear right away treble is not as unique and timbral as 1z can offer it. 

I have read many reviews about the K mode and about cables.

Few things gives me a concern about the mode, I dont want to elevate the treble to high since I am  sensitive to that, I am listen for very long periods of time and it can build up and be fatiguing .

I am not sure about the pw 1960 cable... its a full copper and I am starting to dislike pure copper cable cause they tend to make weird behavior with treble....

I lately discovered plussound gold plated silver cable and my goodness I love this synergy and naturalness so much. Its extremely musical natural and beautiful,  it just signs so charming I believe in gold cables now lol.
I was thinking what if I can mode 1z with gold plated silver cable instead of 1960? ....


By the way my current setup is audio 64 tia trio plussound gold plated silver and stock wm1z


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> @Vitaly2017
> 
> I totally agree on the point you brought up about air.
> 
> I’m not sure whether other 1z owners noticed but one aspect of the 1Z that sucks me in is in the focused manner it portrays vocals and bass. Many players and IEMs tend to add air around vocals and instruments to make them sound larger or wider and more impressive on first hearing but ultimately does not sound natural to me.




At the same time 1z has a very black background whitsh makes it so intimate. While it changes of passage threw notes the blackness can make a different sense in the music its like a mini swing in speed make a pause and suddenly everything comes back with a fast engagement.  That is something missing in n8 and I loved it in 1z


----------



## hshock76 (Jan 28, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Woooaaa I am so happy we have such a huge community in the realm of the sony dap )
> 
> 24 wire sound so huge in wires count, dont know if it makes a huge difference going that high yet, since I havent had a chance to hear it.
> 
> ...




I spoke to MS about the use of 1960s previously and they highlighted that there were many other upgrades (i.e. solder, capacitors; etc..) in addition to the type of wires used to achieve their desired sound signature. So the 1960s is just one of the contributing factors.

I have the Horus which is a TOTL gold plated silver cable and I can appreciate why you love the plussound so much.

However, the 1960s is also unlike other copper cables I've tried. It does not really add warmth to me. It actually sounds similar to the Horus but with more body and thicker vocals vs Horus's more transparent and reference signature.

I'm not a treble person too and I can't listen to sharp notes for too long. The K modded 1Z to me is perfectly balanced for my listening needs now.The depth and layering and bass is just ear-watering. I am not very technical when it comes to SQ and I just let my ears be the judge and I have been lucky to have access to other TOTL players, IEMs and cables for auditions when I travel to SG for work.

MS carry Plussound cables in their portfolio too so you can contact them to inquire about carrying out the ultimate mod with Plussound gold plater silver cables.


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> I spoke to MS about the use of 1960s previously and they highlighted that there were many other upgrades (i.e. solder, capacitors; etc..) in addition to the type of wires used to achieve their desired sound signature. So the 1960s is just one of the contributing factors.
> 
> I have the Horus which is a TOTL gold plated silver cable and I can appreciate why you love the plussound so much.
> 
> ...





Wow sounds like I really gotta contact them and have a good chat about 1z options.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

hshock76 said:


> Here is my unbiased feedback with regards to the MS K-Mod 1Z. As mentioned earlier in this thread, I am holding on to the proto version of the mod which has the same upgrades as the Ultimate mod but with a 24-wire 1960 to the balanced output vs the stock modification of 14-wire mod. MS has stopped offering the 24-wire mod due to high risk of breakage. As far as know, there are only 2 units of the proto mod currently.
> 
> I had auditioned the N8 vs stock 1Z last year and my verdict was 1Z still felt more special. Similar to @Whitigir feedback, there is a unique characteristic to Sony's sound signature which I have not heard from other TOTL players. The tube output on the N8 was too warm for me and contrary to @Vitaly2017 feedback, I felt the vocals on the 1Z to have a more natural timbre. I noticed that Sony does not deliberately smooth out the vocals/mids for it to sound more musical. I liked the way it portrays nuances and imperfections as per recording. In short, SQ from balanced output of N8 was good but the stock 1Z just sounded more special to me.
> 
> ...


Go get the Oriolus BA300S amp, the Japanese version with the 3.5 ground. It improves the soundstage, clarity, bass, dynamics and resolution at expense of a little hiss. And Im talking using CA Andromeda OG. This amp really works


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> Go get the Oriolus BA300S amp, the Japanese version with the 3.5 ground. It improves the soundstage, clarity, bass, dynamics and resolution at expense of a little hiss. And Im talking using CA Andromeda OG. This amp really works




Been that route mate long time ago sorry but it didnt work for me, I am happy you like it


----------



## linux4ever

Deezel177 said:


> Well, as you said, it's been a long while since I've heard the two together. But, with the modded 1Z, I think you'll hear a much more laid-back, spacious sound. This is what I meant when I said _mellow_, because the modded 1A is more punchy and forward-sounding by comparison. The trade-off is that the 1A lacks composure and precision compared to the modded 1Z.
> 
> For more details on the modded 1Z, I'd recommend checking out @flinkenick's impressions of the modded 1Z here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1139#post-13891971. Though, I believe his had the Premium mod, as the Ultimate mod hadn't come out yet.




Yes premium mid was Totl during that time. Nick's mod also had telos stickers on the internals for better treble. I've his modded 1z by the wat


----------



## RobertP

hshock76 said:


> Here is my unbiased feedback with regards to the MS K-Mod 1Z. As mentioned earlier in this thread, I am holding on to the proto version of the mod which has the same upgrades as the Ultimate mod but with a 24-wire 1960 to the balanced output vs the stock modification of 14-wire mod. MS has stopped offering the 24-wire mod due to high risk of breakage. As far as know, there are only 2 units of the proto mod currently.
> 
> I had auditioned the N8 vs stock 1Z last year and my verdict was 1Z still felt more special. Similar to @Whitigir feedback, there is a unique characteristic to Sony's sound signature which I have not heard from other TOTL players. The tube output on the N8 was too warm for me and contrary to @Vitaly2017 feedback, I felt the vocals on the 1Z to have a more natural timbre. I noticed that Sony does not deliberately smooth out the vocals/mids for it to sound more musical. I liked the way it portrays nuances and imperfections as per recording. In short, SQ from balanced output of N8 was good but the stock 1Z just sounded more special to me.
> 
> ...



I can imagine how gold plated silver wires would sound better than any copper wires with thinner gauge wires. Larger and tighter bass. Better imaging and separation. Warm and smooth overall. Very good for long listening.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jan 29, 2020)

RobertP said:


> I can imagine how gold plated silver wires would sound better than any copper wires with thinner gauge wires. Larger and tighter bass. Better imaging and separation. Warm and smooth overall. Very good for long listening.



I was aiming for great emotions, natural timbre when choosing gold silver wires. Didn't expect it, but there are also better imaging and separation, greater clarity and even higher resolution. Better extension on both ends; only limited by your cables and iems. The funny thing is that the new sound properties are more similar to 1A than 1Z. Comparing the modded 1Z to regular 1A is like it becomes awake, alive, its on steroids, while 1A is limp, lifeless, uninspiring. I immediately sold my 1A.

The improvement I think is around 10% - 15% & they can be immediately noticed, but when considering the improvements in all categories, the accumulative effects are pretty amazing. My modded 1Z retained its amazing bass, it became tighter and subbass hits harder, treble sparkles, its 3D properties are even better, little to no bass bloom, life like vocals, retaining its emotions. Its great improvement overall. Its like analog sound married with high def sounds, retaining almost all of both positive properties. I wanted a DAP that would fit with whatever iems or cables being used with little to no coloring, while maintaining its emotive vocal expressions, its humanity if you will, and using silver gold wires definitely deliver that.


----------



## hshock76

RobertP said:


> I can imagine how gold plated silver wires would sound better than any copper wires with thinner gauge wires. Larger and tighter bass. Better imaging and separation. Warm and smooth overall. Very good for long listening.



I personally do not think it's that straight forward to determine that a silver cable will sound better than any copper wires.

Apart from material, I believe geometry, purity of material, wire size all play a key role in how a cable sounds. There is more science behind it than just material.

the 1900s series of cables from PW Audio are all copper cables but do not sound like any other copper cables I've tried previously. The 1960 is comparable and similar to the EA Horus at all levels of performance but adds more body to vocals. I tried the 1950 and it was another level up from the 1960 with improvements mainly in resolution and detail retrieval.

I will try to audition the Code51 cable this week and see how is compares with the PWs and the Horus

Again everyone have their own preferences so a End All Be All solution does not exist and that's why this hobby is so exciting. Constant state of discovery.


----------



## Vitaly2017

From all the feedback you guys gave I have this conclusive mind on the tuning that could happend If I go the ultimate mod.

Since I love Using my Tia Trio with 1z and they are already warm and more mid forward sound type. I did add the plussound gold plated silver cable and it did amazing synergie and very good improvements in sound quality.

I Have read that 1960 Pw is very similar to gold plated silver but with better layering and detail retrieval also more bodied sound, with deeper bass and a tad more sparkle.  

What I think is the pw 1960 could in this case bring a very fine tuning if I go with K mod Ultimate, blacker background and with a new very refined sound. This should make my journey pretty much at the end and thas would be pretty much my end game of my preferred sound characteristics that I been looking around for the past 4 or 5 years !!!


I do love the gold plated silver cable sound characteristics but I am worried to hit the to much analytical sound territory for me it isnt what I am after   The plussound is already doing its job at its best.


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> From all the feedback you guys gave I have this conclusive mind on the tuning that could happend If I go the ultimate mod.
> 
> Since I love Using my Tia Trio with 1z and they are already warm and more mid forward sound type. I did add the plussound gold plated silver cable and it did amazing synergie and very good improvements in sound quality.
> 
> ...




Good call , and I am glad you are staying with the Wm1Z.  Honestly, I was guessing that 90% you would love the N8 a lot, and the remaining 10% that you would modify your WM1Z....didn’t know that you would take that route as you are a streaming person also.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Good call , and I am glad you are staying with the Wm1Z.  Honestly, I was guessing that 90% you would love the N8 a lot, and the remaining 10% that you would modify your WM1Z....didn’t know that you would take that route as you are a streaming person also.




The most funny and controversy fact about me is that I stream 100% LOL  I just Love spotify its insane good and I got a shiiiiiiittttt load of Edm music, in fact so much that I got huge collection of playlist and I just dive so deep in to music. No other streaming services been able to give me that freedom and ability to fine pick my all best preferred tracks!

And streaming still sound super good like Id say so good that I barely feel any major difference from flac or dsd vs spotify high quality 320 mp3 !  So the joy vs the 5% maximum sound quality lost is so unmeaningful to me that I prefer to enjoy my music instead of scrapping the 5%.

But again the better is your gear the better is your music sound quality and experiences! Even in Spotify  




Yes my self I didnt knew that I would go that route, but if wm1z is king of daps then why not!!!


----------



## hshock76

I do stream alot from my iPhone to the 1Z and it works flawlessly.

However, I do hear a distinct difference in SQ between Spotify and Qobuz on the modified 1Z. Better resolution, more details and wider stage.


----------



## hshock76 (Jan 29, 2020)

For those who wants more details on the K-Mod, I have listed the feedback below from MS when I inquired about the K-Mod and the wires used:

_*"we would not recommend using solid core wiring as they have the tendency to break after a while of use. In fact they break when installing into the player"

"Gold plated silver should give the player a richer sound while the 1960s elevates the signature (sony's) as opposed to changing the sound"

"The sound scales up with an increase in the number of wires"

"The 1960s mod has the general characteristics of having a much blacker background, deeper and a more resolving bass response, with improvements to the resolution and soundstage. Having more wires increases the effects"

"They (tantalum capacitors) are an addition to the existing caps. They mainly contribute to the black background as well as bass depth"*_

I guess they know what they are doing and what they wanted to achieve with the mods.

Btw I wanna stress that I am in no way affiliated with MS but they are a great bunch with lots to share. Just wanna share more information with fellow Headfis so that everyone has different options to consider and can make their own decisions on which path to take.


----------



## Whitigir

I would say that I do recommend Creatorcable, Fidelizer as well as MusicSanctuary.

Different vendors have different views and approach to different desired result.


----------



## Jalo (Jan 29, 2020)

You guys are tempting me to mod my 1Z, I wish there are more impressions to compare the different venders. Thanks to @hshock76 for the info on MS. It is good to know that the basic sound signature does not change. Does anyone one know whether MS has other cable to choose from? Or they have decided that 1960 is the best.


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 29, 2020)

Jalo said:


> You guys are tempting me to mod my 1Z, I wish there are more impressions to compare the different venders. Thanks to @hshock76 for the info on MS. It is good to know that the basic sound signature does not change. Does anyone one know whether MS has other cable to choose from? Or they have decided that 1960 is the best.


If you would like to modify it using your own materials, I would recommend you to contact @chaiyuta as he has known superb technicians who can works on performing even the Ibasso DX228EX modifications which is very complicated, and by doing that, the customers have to provide parts.  That would be another option.  However he is in Thailand.  I also doubt that any above mentioned vendor would refuse to use your wires of choices just so long as you provided it


----------



## RobertP (Jan 29, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> I was aiming for great emotions, natural timbre when choosing gold silver wires. Didn't expect it, but there are also better imaging and separation, greater clarity and even higher resolution. Better extension on both ends; only limited by your cables and iems. The funny thing is that the new sound properties are more similar to 1A than 1Z. Comparing the modded 1Z to regular 1A is like it becomes awake, alive, its on steroids, while 1A is limp, lifeless, uninspiring. I immediately sold my 1A.
> 
> The improvement I think is around 10% - 15% & they can be immediately noticed, but when considering the improvements in all categories, the accumulative effects are pretty amazing. My modded 1Z retained its amazing bass, it became tighter and subbass hits harder, treble sparkles, its 3D properties are even better, little to no bass bloom, life like vocals, retaining its emotions. Its great improvement overall. Its like analog sound married with high def sounds, retaining almost all of both positive properties. I wanted a DAP that would fit with whatever iems or cables being used with little to no coloring, while maintaining its emotive vocal expressions, its humanity if you will, and using silver gold wires definitely deliver that.



OEM 1A are not bad. They sound uncolored, clear and quite good separation overall. Treble and bass are better than average DAPs out there. That's just about it for everything stock.

If you ask me three years ago, 1A are perfect and that's all I ever needed. Ask me again today I will say I like 1Z sound signature more. I have learned a lot in past couple years from modifying my 1A and it open my eyes to know there's something more to sound quality limit beyond 1A and even 1Z in certain areas.

Congrats on your 1Z. With similar experience, the WM1A l have now has some characteristics inherent from both Sony signature DAPs. It got the warmth,  lushness and imaging from 1Z and also 3D holographic, aliveness and uncolored treble from 1A. I can confidently say that treble, ambience, imaging, depth and bass/sub dynamic are beyond both Sony DAPs at this point. When my 1Z got modified too in the future, I believe it will blow my mind.


----------



## Whitigir

Anyone in the USA want to let go of their WM1A for a low price ? Considering for experimental purposes ?
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/wanted-wm1a-sony-for-experimental-purposes.924351/


----------



## Jalo

Whitigir said:


> If you would like to modify it using your own materials, I would recommend you to contact @chaiyuta as he has known superb technicians who can works on performing even the Ibasso DX228EX modifications which is very complicated, and by doing that, the customers have to provide parts.  That would be another option.  However he is in Thailand.  I also doubt that any above mentioned vendor would refuse to use your wires of choices just so long as you provided it


Thank you for providing such great info.  I do have access to different cable materials (pure silver, silver gold, palladium etc), my problem is not knowing how the various material will sound after the mod and hence the hesitation.  I cannot keep trying with different materials and keep sending my 1Z to Singapore or Thailand back and forth.  Thanks again, Whitigir.


----------



## Whitigir

Jalo said:


> Thank you for providing such great info.  I do have access to different cable materials (pure silver, silver gold, palladium etc), my problem is not knowing how the various material will sound after the mod and hence the hesitation.  I cannot keep trying with different materials and keep sending my 1Z to Singapore or Thailand back and forth.  Thanks again, Whitigir.


Then it is the best way to heed the Modder advises .  Contact different vendors, and express your desired goals, you will get it


----------



## hshock76

Jalo said:


> You guys are tempting me to mod my 1Z, I wish there are more impressions to compare the different venders. Thanks to @hshock76 for the info on MS. It is good to know that the basic sound signature does not change. Does anyone one know whether MS has other cable to choose from? Or they have decided that 1960 is the best.



No harm contacting MS to inquire about wire options and let them know the SQ that you are looking.

Best is subjective so I "fit" is probably the more appropriate work since the mod needs to fit or meet your preference which is different from person to person.


----------



## Vitaly2017

The creepiest thing is we all run and get K mod and 1 month later Sony releases a new Walkman flagship dap LoL

Daaang thats gonna hurt


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 29, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> The creepiest thing is we all run and get K mod and 1 month later Sony releases a new Walkman flagship dap LoL
> 
> Daaang thats gonna hurt


Shhh...even if the next Walkman to come out, it wouldn’t come until next year.  Sony usually announce stuff at IFA or CES, but there has been 0 leaks so far even from CES...I doubt IFA will have any.  If, anything at all, it would likely be the end of this year and going on the next year for global release.  There has been a typical delays of 3-6 months from announcing to producing and shipping worldwide


I would say that you are safe for at least another 6-12 months period.  Now, that could be a long time....who knows what happen tomorrow

I still swing a wild guess here, even if there are...it wouldn’t be cheaper than WM1Z.  Seeing that WM1Z is Signature series and Sony lacks an Open-back full-size headphones, then I think that next one would be that open back, just to complete the Signature series.  So then, after the completion of the signature series, there would Unlikely be another signature series for a long while.  

you can expect NW-2A, and NW-3A....etc...whatever many generation until the next “signature series arrive”.  How long did it take Sony to release another Android-based Walkman ? Zx2 and then Zx500 ?  That had been like 5 years isn’t it ? Considering this windows for another Walkman WM2A or WM2Z are going to be 2023.

just guessing


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Shhh...even if the next Walkman to come out, it wouldn’t come until next year.  Sony usually announce stuff at IFA or CES, but there has been 0 leaks so far even from CES...I doubt IFA will have any.  If, anything at all, it would likely be the end of this year and going on the next year for global release.  There has been a typical delays of 3-6 months from announcing to producing and shipping worldwide
> 
> 
> I would say that you are safe for at least another 6-12 months period.  Now, that could be a long time....who knows what happen tomorrow
> ...




Well yes but, I see zx-500 as a successor to zx-300 and zx-300 and 1z had a year period difference in releasing. So I guessed that there might be another dap on the horizon.... Sony is very self based company  they set the bench mark in audio gears pretty much. They are so huge that I think they can do as they believe if its really necessary or not... I also guess that wm1z is so good that they decided to release Dmp and now we have the zx-500. So maybe I am wrong since they already released their affordable daps and their supper expensive offerings, so whats left now? maybe just what we have and that all. Until Sony comes up with a new revolution in daps I guess.

But neither the less I think I still will be very happy with a moded 1z for quiet a while.... Maybe it will sound now better then my all time favorite dac amp? the hdv820


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 30, 2020)

Is Zx300 an Android ? I recalled it being Sony OS and not Android.  The Zx500 as android platform is really a successor to the NW-ZX2 (the last android OS Walkman)......that cycle is 5 years strong lol

HDV820 with Tia forte ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Is Zx300 an Android ? I recalled it being Sony OS and not Android.  The Zx500 as android platform is really a successor to the NW-ZX2 (the last android OS Walkman)......that cycle is 5 years strong lol
> 
> HDV820 with Tia forte ?





Haaaa not I didnt have it back then it was the hd800s legacy time lmao.

Tia Forte was actually a better sound signature vs hd800s, less treble and more nice bass. But still they managed to pierce my ears and it was a thank you but we gota move on


----------



## hshock76

Vitaly2017 said:


> The creepiest thing is we all run and get K mod and 1 month later Sony releases a new Walkman flagship dap LoL
> 
> Daaang thats gonna hurt



Based on my experience with the modded 1Z, I believe it satisfy you for a long time even with the release of a new TOTL walkman. Even then I suspect the modded player may still be performing at a higher level than the new release if good materials and strategy are applied on the mod.

The player is blowing my mind and ears every day...

I actually look forward to waking at 4 plus in the morning daily just to have a session on the player before I go for my run. Every session is like having a private performance just for me. eyes closed, pitch black background; singer infront of me performing... eerily real.


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haaaa not I didnt have it back then it was the hd800s legacy time lmao.
> 
> Tia Forte was actually a better sound signature vs hd800s, less treble and more nice bass. But still they managed to pierce my ears and it was a thank you but we gota move on


You shouldn’t thank me, because I didn’t do anything there that contributed toward that piercing at all my friend


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> You shouldn’t thank me, because I didn’t do anything there that contributed toward that piercing at all my friend




I am a sensitive tiger lol, do a small hiss and i be zzzzz you trying to do here stop hissing, even if its a small sisly wisly mini one


----------



## 524419

hshock76 said:


> For those who wants more details on the K-Mod, I have listed the feedback below from MS when I inquired about the K-Mod and the wires used:
> 
> _*"we would not recommend using solid core wiring as they have the tendency to break after a while of use. In fact they break when installing into the player"*_
> .


I have done the Solid Core MOD on both the 1A and the ZX300, and had no problems at all. The Solid core Neotech cables are pretty flexible, and are not under any stress. Don't know what these guys are talking about.


----------



## auronthas

Maxx134 said:


> The problem was finding this case. Then I found it here, and it can be very customized.


Agreed, Easecase is pretty awesome with color, design, name customization and much cheaper than Dignis (I do own Dignis Artisan Patina).  However, Patina is better fitted and look solid.


----------



## Fishdo

I found the Easecase a much better option for me especially with the book fold rather than the flip... plenty of options and very good quality... and a great price... £35


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 30, 2020)

Did it ever occurred to anyone that a WM1Z casing is $1100 ? LOL

*That simply mean that if you WM1Z owner is ever to break your LCD Screen $1100 is just the beginning of the repair.....*


----------



## Fishdo

A few interviews I have read with the Signature development team always makes the point as to any possible replacement will always have to meet very high criteria before they even consider release... you only have to look at the time it took and discussions involved in producing the 1Z case... they knew what they wanted in that respect but because they weren’t satisfied with the manufacture side of producing such a case they held off for a few years simply because of that issue and from developing the 1Z the 1A was spawned.... from my understanding they never planned on 2 in the Signature series...

Similarly the way the talk about the ZP just the volume control alone meant they didn’t even try to meet any release deadline... ie model upgrade or new model time rotation....

With the Signature series it seems Sony work the other way round... 

That’s just my take from their discussions...

I think the last thing I recall them saying in response to any planned update to the 1Z was based purely on the market they aim at ... where the overriding driver is sound quality and unless they know that they can suitably improve on the Sound Quality from the 1Z they won’t release anything until then...


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 30, 2020)

It is pretty easy to improve upon WM1Z.  However the business have to make sense.  In order to improve upon WM1, they have to develop newer S-Master and DSP chip, which isn’t going to happen anytime soon, given how really powerful their DSP chip is....which is inside the DMP Z1 as well.

If they are going to do so, it will be a slap in the face to everyone out there, which I never seen Sony doing so.

Hence I am seeing that a modified WM1A or WM1Z is still going to be viable for a while

There could still be WM2A as successor to WM1A with just the new S-Master alone while using the same DSP interface.  It will pave a nice way to future development, but then again WM2Z will not happen for years!!!! Just guessing


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Sony always innovate. They never rely on past products for their future.

Im pretty sure a new TOTL portable  walkman is in the horizon.


----------



## buzzlulu

Originally posted this on the DMP-Z1 thread as the discussion was leaning that way however it is more appropriate here:

I started using again my iPhone 11 ProMax as a ROON endpoint with my WM1Z.
Interesting post about USB Audio Player app (of which I am unfamiliar) which has UPnP capabilities running on an Experia  phone (and not available in iOS) feeding ones FLAC files from the home network. 

Can anything improve upon my iPhone solution which allows me to use streaming apps (Tidal & Qobuz) with my 1Z?  Or as a better solution (than the iPhone) as a ROON endpoint feeding the 1Z?

Is there a third party substitute cable for the 1Z which perform better than the included one to use between my iPhone/CCK to the 1Z Walkman?


----------



## Lookout57

Whitigir said:


> Did it ever occurred to anyone that a WM1Z casing is $1100 ? LOL
> 
> *That simply mean that if you WM1Z owner is ever to break your LCD Screen $1100 is just the beginning of the repair.....*


Ouch, I wonder how much it would be to fix on the 1A? 

I cracked the screen on my 1A which luckily doesn't effect performance or usage so I don't need to get it fixed and I added a screen protector for it and the 1Z.


----------



## Whitigir

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Sony always innovate. They never rely on past products for their future.
> 
> Im pretty sure a new TOTL portable  walkman is in the horizon.


It is true somewhat, but the hardware inside the WM1A/Z/signature series are shared across the board with different design and architecture.  At least the S-Master HX is shared with zx300 and Zx500 for the moment

the question is, why signature series ? How often will it get cycled ? I don’t think it will be a 2 years cycle


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 30, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> Ouch, I wonder how much it would be to fix on the 1A?
> 
> I cracked the screen on my 1A which luckily doesn't effect performance or usage so I don't need to get it fixed and I added a screen protector for it and the 1Z.



the price for this part alone is $245 shipped, excluding labor.  So, there is a huge different


----------



## Maxx134 (Jan 30, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> _If I were given a choice to pick between N8 and a modified Wm1Z, then I would pick WM1Z in a heart beat, but that is me _


keys points ..


Vitaly2017 said:


> Plus there is something about the treble in 1z nothing in the entire market of the gear I heard can do that. Y


This sums it up too.
Full agreement here.



hshock76 said:


> Here is my unbiased feedback with regards to the MS K-Mod 1Z. As mentioned earlier in this thread, I am holding on to the proto version of the mod which has the same upgrades as the Ultimate mod but with a 24-wire 1960 to the balanced output vs the stock modification of 14-wire mod. MS has stopped offering the 24-wire mod due to high risk of breakage. As far as know, there are only 2 units of the proto mod currently.
> 
> I had auditioned the N8 vs stock 1Z last year and my verdict was 1Z still felt more special. Similar to @Whitigir feedback, there is a unique characteristic to Sony's sound signature which I have not heard from other TOTL players. The tube output on the N8 was too warm for me and contrary to @Vitaly2017 feedback, I felt the vocals on the 1Z to have a more natural timbre. I noticed that Sony does not deliberately smooth out the vocals/mids for it to sound more musical. I liked the way it portrays nuances and imperfections as per recording. In short, SQ from balanced output of N8 was good but the stock 1Z just sounded more special to me.
> 
> ...


I agree.
It is this unique "non-solid state" & organic sound that made me stay with this dap over everything and even all my desktop dacs are gone as I stopped using them with this unit around.
It is that good.

Not use my laptop and roon player much anymore either..
Plan to have this go straight to my amps with this Sony soon.



hshock76 said:


> I spoke to MS about the use of 1960s previously and they highlighted that there were many other upgrades (i.e. solder, capacitors; etc..) in addition to the type of wires used to achieve their desired sound signature. So the 1960s is just one of the contributing factors.


I have the premium mod and see they no longer make the lesser versions.
My version is now the lowest version lol.
Yet I decided not to go for higher versions which add caps in addition to the stock ones.



hamhamhamsta said:


> its 3D properties are even better, little to no bass bloom, life like vocals, retaining its emotions.


I agree on these points with mod.



hshock76 said:


> _*"Gold plated silver should give the player a richer sound while the 1960s elevates the signature (sony's) as opposed to changing the sound"
> 
> "The sound scales up with an increase in the number of wires"
> 
> ...


I agree to these observations.
I have tried gold plated silver elsewhere and it turns out to be a tonal preference there, instead of only clarity.

I agree the 1960 is excellent for optimising sound.

But I am not a fan of adding or changing the stock caps.
These are part of what differentiate the 1a from the 1z.
You bypass a cap with a paralleled one, yes bass can change but so will all else be affected, maybe change character.
I am sure they picked out a good choice though.

So I compared both the stock and "K" modified Sony(8wire premium) wm1z with what I consider the two *BEST* headphone matches for it, the Utopia and Denon9200:




It turns out that the upgraded unit did display a noticable improvement in *Soundstage and clarity..*

It was a small improvement overall, but still quite noticable enough to merit me doing the upgrade.

I would say it's like a 7% improvement overall, which was my goal to have it as close to a desktop equivalent as possible.

So I am glad and happy to have the K mod.
The moded unit also held up well in the bass region, against the fairly brand new stock unit.

Although I do feel the newer stock unit seemed a touch more punchy at times, so I can see how the higher wire count could help in the mods, but I preferred the slight more highlighted mid&upper spectrum overall,  compared to stock tonal balance which was a bit warm (compared to a 1a)


----------



## Vitaly2017

Wow I am glad so many owners of moded wm1z are emerging from their hidden little heavens in which the moded 1z have brought in to  to share theire valuable experience to help others new to this option.

I not sure if I am correct but you mention Ms is replacing the caps. As I understood they add 4 tantalum caps in parallel to the balkanced wirring so they arent replacing anything just adding those to get more bass extension and blacker back ground....
        their quote 14-wire balanced + 4 tantalum capacitors wired parallel to analog output



So if understood correctly you do prefer the 1960 cable vs the gold one due to characteristics of the sound staying closer to the 1z tuning?










Maxx134 said:


> keys points ..
> 
> This sums it up too.
> Full agreement here.
> ...


----------



## Vitaly2017

I just got an email from MS and here what they said.







Thanks for writing in regarding the K Mod! Let us answer your questions:

If you like the Plussound GPS, the 1960s is in the same signature vein but with even more performance and detail, which transforms the modded 1Z to a much higher level of detail while retaining the Sony warm sound signature.
The tantalum capacitors are used to increase the current output available from the player, which increases the bass impact, detail and extension. Bass rumble is much better extended and textured when combining all our changes to the player.
Changing the battery is not mandatory for the modification, but replacing it will ensure that the performance of the player is at its peak as battery degradation does take a noticeable toll on the sound of the player.



Looks like 1960 is my cable hehe, and I would be very satisfied with it...


----------



## flarex3

I see a lot of modding of iBasso, Sony etc. DAPs and it raises a question for me

If there are easy mods of these DAPs which significantly improve the sound quality, why Sony and iBasso can't figure out these mods at their own , they have much more resources than a sole user, and already release their products at the highest possible potential ?


----------



## linux4ever

flarex3 said:


> I see a lot of modding of iBasso, Sony etc. DAPs and it raises a question for me
> 
> If there are easy mods of these DAPs which significantly improve the sound quality, why Sony and iBasso can't figure out these mods at their own , they have much more resources than a sole user, and already release their products at the highest possible potential ?



Could be the fact that both Sony and ibasso got the max/best sound quality for the appropriate price and left some scope for enthusiasts to pay more to get that small increase, if they so desire.

The mods are expensive and pushes the price even higher. Also, that little sound quality increase for that price might not be desired by many, but only by enthusiasts.


----------



## Vitaly2017

flarex3 said:


> I see a lot of modding of iBasso, Sony etc. DAPs and it raises a question for me
> 
> If there are easy mods of these DAPs which significantly improve the sound quality, why Sony and iBasso can't figure out these mods at their own , they have much more resources than a sole user, and already release their products at the highest possible potential ?




Well Ibasso is constantly improving theire line and I think its a question of how much your dap will cost for the customer at the end. They have specific parameters and sound quality they believe they have reached and for that price its how it should sound I guess.

Sonny is different they have theire own sound signature on mind and decided to use kimbercable ... What the K mod do is simply swapping cables and adding 4 tantalum caps also with improved shielding with better grounding the dap wiring.  So we are simply improving few things and also customizing the dap to a different sound signature. Dont forget that k mod is a rouf 1 000 upgrade, so if sony went that rout it mean the dap would of cost around 3.6 k maybe they though $ per performance we think this is the best....


So just to say its not because there are problems its cause there is a potential to do more tweaks and Sony dap was out 3 years ago, that also says that maybe back then things were different from today's possibility you know...


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 30, 2020)

To any business, there are executive branches, and one of them is “Financial!!!!!”

You can do whatever under their guidelines for improving Profits and year end statistics.

These are the minimum for any Company or businesses to survive.  Meeting the Demands of every one from consumers to investors alike

*why modifications ? Because we are only Consumers
I was going to type out a lot, but let’s put it short.  It takes a modder and an hardcore enthusiasts to understand the answer*


----------



## Maxx134 (Jan 30, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I not sure if I am correct but you mention Ms is replacing the caps


No actually it is another member who replaced the caps totally (!), Which I am sure would change the signature differently.
Not saying it would be worse, but those sony caps were specially made by Sony...



Vitaly2017 said:


> So if understood correctly you do prefer the 1960 cable vs the gold one due to characteristics of the sound staying closer to the 1z tuning?


Yeah, it's a preference choice. Neither is lesser, but I rather prefer more neutral or closer to 1z.



Vitaly2017 said:


> Quote:
> Changing the battery is not mandatory for the modification, but replacing it will ensure that the performance of the player is at its peak as battery degradation does take a noticeable toll on the sound of the player.


I agree and mine was changed.



flarex3 said:


> improve the sound quality, why Sony


They chose thier own stock wire for their own reasons and its not a bad wiring at all.
Just not a top sounding one.


----------



## Jalo

Vitaly2017 said:


> The creepiest thing is we all run and get K mod and 1 month later Sony releases a new Walkman flagship dap LoL
> 
> Daaang thats gonna hurt



This is a very good point.  As the K mod Ultimate plus shipping from US is pushing around US$1500.00.  This has to be at least one third of the price of a future WM2Z which probably will be announce this May/June at the audio show in Germany if history is any guide. The WM1Z is going on a four year cycle now 2016-2020 come this fall. Given all the daps (LPGT, N8, SP2K, AK Khan Cube, Fiio M15, Ibasso 220 etc) released in the past two years all have significantly higher power output than the WM1Z, the WM2Z has to at least double the output power in addition to whatever improvement they will have on the dac section.  I am incline to wait it out and put the Mod money into the next edition.  Sound reasonable?


----------



## 524419 (Jan 30, 2020)

linux4ever said:


> Could be the fact that both Sony and ibasso got the max/best sound quality for the appropriate price and left some scope for enthusiasts to pay more to get that small increase, if they so desire.
> 
> The mods are expensive and pushes the price even higher. Also, that little sound quality increase for that price might not be desired by many, but only by enthusiasts.


My MOD cost me a $1.50. 1 foot Neotech Solid Core 20 gauge.
it's not expensive.


----------



## Whitigir (Jan 30, 2020)

There are people who waited for the used unit to go lower, and then There are people who additionally waiting to modify it once the price goes down.....and then waiting for available parts....  Then there is people who is waiting out for the next variation....and then stalled waiting for the price to come down again.....the cycle repeats.

the key point here is to “Wait”

who knows what happened tomorrow ? If you like something and your earnest money can buy it, then why wait ? Be glad that at least it can be purchased.


On another hand, the time is ripen for a used unit and to modify the WM1A or WM1Z.  Low prices on second or third hands units are listing here and there.  Parts are readily available for replacements.


----------



## linux4ever

Diet Kokaine said:


> My MOD cost me a $1.50. 1 foot Neotech Solid Core 20 gauge.
> it's not expensive.


True. I was referring to the k mod and such mods.


----------



## Rndm User

Can I enable the usb dac function for the wm1a by using the included cable and connecting it to a usb-a (female) to usb-c (male) adapter and plugging the adapter into a macbook pro with thunderbolt 3 ports? 

Thanks


----------



## islandbreezebuilders

Okay so i love my wmz1 with solaris 600hrs plus single ended...ive broken 2 cables by campfire se and they replaced one so far. Inmust admit they have great customer service...i blew a pair of andromedas believe it or not and they replaced them w solaris for the difference...solaris are impressive sounding...the z is a bit bright se and im ready to buy a pair of plusound cables prob poetic but they offer tri silver, tri gold, or should i just go 4 core silver over copper? The also offer the 8 wire pure copper resonable...im trying to keep it under 5 to 6 hundred....any suggestions would be helpful...im leaning tri silver but fear of to much bright is concern and copper holds lows better im guessing...silver over copper may be the choice....anyway..thoughts? Btw in obviously going 4.4 this time ive never heard it b4 so should be fun.


----------



## dasherzx (Jan 31, 2020)

happy owner of a 1z here. had it for 2 weeks or so. however i noticed that it makes an especially audible clicking noise today when i toggled the direct source while im not wearing my earphones. i know it's the relay but I recall that it wasn't as loud as my zh1es amp. but the clicking is as audible as my desktop amp now.
idk maybe its my brain playing tricks on me, is it on a noticeable scale for you guys?
has my relay "burned-in"? or maybe it wasn't "oiled" in a long time for lack of a better word? lul


----------



## Whitigir

dasherzx said:


> happy owner of a 1z here. had it for 2 weeks or so. however i noticed that it makes an especially audible clicking noise today when i toggled the direct source while im not wearing my earphones. i know it's the relay but I recall that it wasn't as loud as my zh1es amp. but the clicking is as audible as my desktop amp now.
> idk maybe its my brain playing tricks on me, is it on a noticeable scale for you guys?




Relay will always make a noticeable “clicks”.  You see how your car flash signals are clicking ? That is the relay clicks sound

This click sound scale up with how big the relay is, the larger is the louder.  It is a mechanical click


----------



## dasherzx

Whitigir said:


> Relay will always make a noticeable “clicks”.  You see how your car flash signals are clicking ? That is the relay clicks sound
> 
> This click sound scale up with how big the relay is, the larger is the louder.  It is a mechanical click


well it's certainly amusing that it never bothered me these few weeks but only now. 
probably drowned in its awesomeness, its almost as good as the desktop amp, only i can actually lob this thing around.
im gonna go over to my audio shop to pick up a few extra stuffs, maybe I could get it checked just in case while im at it i guess.


----------



## bflat

dasherzx said:


> well it's certainly amusing that it never bothered me these few weeks but only now.
> probably drowned in its awesomeness, its almost as good as the desktop amp, only i can actually lob this thing around.
> im gonna go over to my audio shop to pick up a few extra stuffs, maybe I could get it checked just in case while im at it i guess.



There are a couple relays in the WM1a/z so you may not be hearing the same one each time. Also, the sound of the relay is impacted by the following variables:
1) Do you have a case on it?
2) What kind of case?
3) Is the WM1a/z on a solid surface?
4) Are you holding it?
5) etc.

The mechanical relay causes vibrations which are affected by all of the above. Go with no case and a wooden table and it will be loud compared to TPU case and hand held.


----------



## auronthas

I do not hear any mechanical relay click if from the same music format... 

only if there's change in format eg DSD to FLAC or lossless/lossy format.


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> I do not hear any mechanical relay click if from the same music format...
> 
> only if there's change in format eg DSD to FLAC or lossless/lossy format.



Actually the clicks are when you switch between files with the 44.1 or the 48 base clock


----------



## Peter Ruby

I enjoy the click the Walkman makes. Although the first time I heard it I wasn’t sure if I had a defective unit.


----------



## equalspeace

Comparison to the WM1Z at 21:57. The reviewer highlights the emphasis on the bass and treble of the WM1Z, and weakness relatively speaking in the mids


----------



## Whitigir

equalspeace said:


> Comparison to the WM1Z at 21:57. The reviewer highlights the emphasis on the bass and treble of the WM1Z, and weakness relatively speaking in the mids



That is a lot of BS, but you know ? Whatever float your boat.


----------



## equalspeace

Whitigir said:


> That is a lot of BS, but you know ? Whatever float your boat.



I haven’t heard the WM1Z, but that guy’s impressions sure matches up with mine regarding the WM1A. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard someone say the WM1Z was treble and bass focused, but I’ll take your word for it.


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 2, 2020)

equalspeace said:


> Comparison to the WM1Z at 21:57. The reviewer highlights the emphasis on the bass and treble of the WM1Z, and weakness relatively speaking in the mids



Its this real? so m15 its better? i wonder if he listened 3.02?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> Its this real? so m15 its better? i wonder if he listened 3.02?




Dont believe random crap how can fiio be better then wm1z hilarious lol
Thats fiio guys wakeup ) they copy sony!


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 3, 2020)

M15 with all respect to the technical specs released, is a very good device.  It can be said to possibly has a better built and implementation than SP2000.  It really depends on what it has and unless examined closely. 

There are reasons why I called that a lot of BS

1/ WM1Z isn’t bass focus or treble focus....not to my experiences.  It has a little warmth in the signature but not enough to be called “bass focuses”. It can be addressed with better internal wires

2/ Even as good as it have been displayed in paper, the WM1Z especially....has everything done right to it cores.  Film capacitors everywhere, where as the M15 is taunting to have 16 of them...the WM1Z has a lot of it.  Especially around the digital blocks which highly enhanced the precision of signals and timing with the lowest noises.

this is where everyone is trying to copy from Sony...you will see film capsat least 4 of them inside the most recent Chifi dap such as Ibasso Dx220...Cayin N8...now, the M15

Technically speaking, the WM1A and WM1Z is one of the many greatest design and can only be outperformed by other Sony itself in implementation...fact is that DMP Z1 is vastly superior

3/ Now, because of this, the WM1A and 1Z are both having a very precise and low noises performances.  How accurate or what is precise tonal timbres  ?  It takes a lot of experiences to realize.  But for me personally, I have realized it a while ago.  One of The reason why I grabbed DMP Z1....

I have a review for WM1Z a while ago and you can check it out

4/ then again, the WM1Z was never a V-shape signature like that guy is saying it out to be....harsh trebles ! Nope...the last thing I would laugh about someone when they said so.  When paired with my Stax systems, it revealed many things...including cables differences and especially harshness or grainy textures...the WM1Z is the one player that I kept in references while learning about the differences between cables and what my Stax system can reveal

The WM1Z only negatives are

a/ low output power

b/ the Warmth induced by the Kimber Kables which will have to be upgraded in order to bring it to “References level”

c/ possibly heavy...which brings the WM1A into the question.  What if once can upgrade the WM1A with technically better components ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> M15 with all respect to the technical specs released, is a very good device.  It can be said to possibly has a better built and implementation than SP2000.  It really depends on what it has and unless examined closely.
> 
> There are reasons why I called that a lot of BS
> 
> ...




Its great that you trie to explain to folks how it really is and lot f them ar just jumping on new gear and thinks its going to be better.
In reality there is so much involved in sq then just sexy names and components.

Once you feel te taste of sony pureness and smoothnest in sq its really hard to go with anything else. Walkman and dmp are probably the top end totl devices on the market for 2 channel guys.

Its very clean and has the lowest distortions lvl then all gears offered.  

People do comparisons but never look at those areas and just commit that oh this gear is better. Ok why? Cause its new?


----------



## gerelmx1986

equalspeace said:


> Comparison to the WM1Z at 21:57. The reviewer highlights the emphasis on the bass and treble of the WM1Z, and weakness relatively speaking in the mids



I dont think that the fiio can sound better than the wm1Z, perhaps it rivals wm1A


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> M15 with all respect to the technical specs released, is a very good device.  It can be said to possibly has a better built and implementation than SP2000.  It really depends on what it has and unless examined closely.
> 
> There are reasons why I called that a lot of BS
> 
> ...


 the guy at the viseo surely got paid by fiio to make this


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> the guy at the viseo surely got paid by fiio to make this





HAHA
comes down to that, the best reviews are the paid once hehe
And all is great until u hit the first issue with your forehead


----------



## musicinmymind

I am waiting for @jmills8 feedback on M15, he will audition this week


----------



## Redcarmoose

equalspeace said:


> Comparison to the WM1Z at 21:57. The reviewer highlights the emphasis on the bass and treble of the WM1Z, and weakness relatively speaking in the mids


----------



## AudioMoksha

Is the body shell (cabinet) replaceable for the WM1A. If so where can you source that.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 3, 2020)

Yes, buy from encompass


----------



## Vitaly2017

I got a quick question. 
Does anyone have a clue if wm1z + k mod + wa11 make sense to do?
What I mean is does it worth to do a k mod on 1z if you want to stack it with wa11 with 4.4 from 1z to wa11 to strictly to use as an amp boost?


----------



## Whitigir

Internal wires serves as a short piece of interconnect cables.  Every interconnect matter, the external amp simply amp what the source has


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 4, 2020)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/

I have a feeling your buying a 1A Walkman as a challenge to see where you can take it with modifications.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 4, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/
> 
> I have a feeling your buying a 1A Walkman as a challenge to see where you can take it with modifications.


I have had such plan for so long.  I was only waiting for parts availability, including the parts worthy to upgrades and the spare parts from Sony if I blow something up 

top that off with how good pricing WM1A can be purchased ATM.  Such is excellent choices

can never go wrong with Walkman and it battery playtime with next to 0 heat generated.  Just so long as I am on the move and using in ear like IER-Z1R


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> I have had such plan for so long.  I was only waiting for parts availability, including the parts worthy to upgrades and the spare parts from Sony if I blow something up
> 
> top that off with how good pricing WM1A can be purchased ATM.  Such is excellent choices
> 
> can never go wrong with Walkman and it battery playtime with next to 0 heat generated.  Just so long as I am on the move and using in ear like IER-Z1R


A modded 1A is an absolute steal at the moment. Looking forward to reading the changes you end up making.


----------



## Death_Block

What is the mod? I don't know much about the Sony Walkman products. Although I do have s nw-zx507 in the mail. Are they mod capable?


----------



## Whitigir

Death_Block said:


> What is the mod? I don't know much about the Sony Walkman products. Although I do have s nw-zx507 in the mail. Are they mod capable?



why not ? The 500 has OFC cables inside like the Wm1A.  Beside, modification is always an option


----------



## Death_Block

Whitigir said:


> why not ? The 500 has OFC cables inside like the Wm1A.  Beside, modification is always an option


But what does the mod do exactly? I missed that part.


----------



## Whitigir

Death_Block said:


> But what does the mod do exactly? I missed that part.


Search up MusicSanctuary Wm1A mod and u can read all about it


----------



## nc8000

Death_Block said:


> But what does the mod do exactly? I missed that part.



Replacing internal wiring and caps amongst other things. Skill, knowledge and guts are the limits


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 5, 2020)

I knew but i wanted to really know i was shure there was something not ok in the review, maybe it has more output power and with the right headphones can make the most of them, but soundwise I also doubted!! lol ty, the same with people that call WM1A piercing lol i dont find it the case


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> Replacing internal wiring and caps amongst other things. Skill, knowledge and guts are the limits



Also not replacing caps bit adding.
Wiring replaced for 14 wires!
Soldering is also replaced using the best available on the market and battery negative positive is also replaced and added new solder.

Also shielding is improved by grounding to the chassis...


----------



## Whitigir

The one thing i wouldn’t do is to tinker with the ground on the Walkman.  However, that is just me


----------



## Vitaly2017

U mean not do the chassis grounding? 

I asked MS and they said it does not affect how 1z is shielded against interferences.  They actually said it improves further more. Also background get very black I presume the hiss I can hear on 1z will disappear totaly and will be now cosmic dead space dark.

I am not saying 1z is a hisser! I said I do can hear a very faint small hiss and 1z is among the most silent daps so its all good )
Cayin N8 is a hisser but less then ibasso for example


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 4, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> U mean not do the chassis grounding?
> 
> I asked MS and they said it does not affect how 1z is shielded against interferences.  They actually said it improves further more. Also background get very black I presume the hiss I can hear on 1z will disappear totaly and will be now cosmic dead space dark.
> 
> ...



each modder has their own ways to cope and address things to improve the system according to needs .  That is why I said it is just me

I did state why I wouldnt touch it within this thread a while ago.  You can also read Sony engineering team interview for another reason why “Not to” from the very engineers themselves


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> each modder has their own ways to cope and address things to improve the system .  That is why I said it is just me




Yea well I hope its good lol I told them you better not mess with shielding cause I wont be happy lol.

They said its the top notch way and it been tested....

Maybe now since 1z chassis is grounded HaHa I can make a cable and add that ground to the chassis of my truck lmao.

It will be definitely super grounded that way LoL


----------



## Whitigir

There is only way to tell  .  I do recommend MS and Fidelizer, also Cable creator will be very recommended


----------



## Vitaly2017

_ hey @Whitigir  Have you heard the zx-500? If yes whats your opinion vs 1z )
and you know I am a streamer and it keeps zeezling my mind 1z or zx-500 or maybe zx-500 + k mod to !_


----------



## Whitigir

Unfortunately, i don’t have raining money X_X....my next expenses is going into WM1A EXtreme modification


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Unfortunately, i don’t have raining money X_X....my next expenses is going into WM1A EXtreme modification




WHAAATT  you dont have that much money lol.

Now you are surprising me my friend lol.
With dmp and stax and hd800s and all the goodies in the house u got.
And no room for zx-500


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> WHAAATT  you dont have that much money lol.
> 
> Now you are surprising me my friend lol.
> With dmp and stax and hd800s and all the goodies in the house u got.
> And no room for zx-500


And exactly why I don’t have money 

I do have one more room for WM1A, and that is what it is going to be


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Out of curiosity, which dap has more SE and 4.4 power? The sony WM1A or the ZX507? Im tempted to get one or the other. Practicality dictates i should get the newer 507 due to usb-c and smaller footprint for everyday carry. Any opinions/suggestions?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> And exactly why I don’t have money
> 
> I do have one more room for WM1A, and that is what it is going to be




Is it a secret? What are you planning to do with 1a?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Tsukuyomi said:


> Out of curiosity, which dap has more SE and 4.4 power? The sony WM1A or the ZX507? Im tempted to get one or the other. Practicality dictates i should get the newer 507 due to usb-c and smaller footprint for everyday carry. Any opinions/suggestions?



Depends on your headphones.  If iem your fine with bothe. headphones like more juice....

Zx_500 is 200mw x 2 and 1a is 250mw x 2
Se not sure very low half of that if not less.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 4, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Is it a secret? What are you planning to do with 1a?


I mentioned it already, an EXtreme modifications. The goal is To put it even above the WM1Z, under my experiences, preferences, opinions, specific tuning.  It will be a while but it is my plan 

one of the reason to grab WM1A instead of zx500 is the output 250mW vs 200mW


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Vitaly2017 said:


> Depends on your headphones.  If iem your fine with bothe. headphones like more juice....
> 
> Zx_500 is 200mw x 2 and 1a is 250mw x 2
> Se not sure very low half of that if not less.


I dont really do IEMs, id be running my B&O H6gen2 or equivalent for future B&O and sony headphones. As for full size like the dt1990 pro, i know it wont power them properly and thoes cans are more for home.

I may end up with the sony z7m2 before however.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> I mentioned it already, an EXtreme modifications.  To put it above the WM1Z even




Yes I know you mentioned it but I wanted to ask to mod what )

Hmmm above 1z? 
U will probably have to make your own fpga and add your own tweaks maybe. 

Changing the caps will definitely improve.

You know maybe u can swap the smaster for ess 9038Pro!
Dang that be cool!


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 4, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yes I know you mentioned it but I wanted to ask to mod what )
> 
> Hmmm above 1z?
> U will probably have to make your own fpga and add your own tweaks maybe.
> ...



I am not sure what to tell you anymore.  This suspicious tones has already ended this discussion.  Now, if you are serious about learning the differences between WM1A vs WM1Z, it is all over the internet

anyways, I am going to be back on WM1A platform


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> I am not sure what to tell you anymore.  This suspicious tones has already ended this discussion.  Now, if you are serious about learning the differences between WM1A vs WM1Z, it is all over the internet
> 
> anyways, I am going to be back on WM1A platform




I was thinking in an extreme way of tuning.  We know 1a is more neutral vs 1z. And all differences are in cable and some caps I think thats all.

And the big copper chassis. 

So take 1a pcb and snap it in 1z copper chassis and change the cables. See what that gives )
Same or not as 1z?

Why did you got mad at me I donno. I was seriously thinking that lol. Ess 9038 pro is hardcore of dac chip....
Will improve dynamics and thd. 
Could make 1a even more crisp tight and visceral. With a nice punchy dynamics.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Feb 4, 2020)

It's  impossible to replace the s-master HX chip with an ess DAC. Impossible due to the pcb layout and voltages.



Wonder if it is possible to desolder the FTCAP2 from a ZX507 and replace it on to the caps sections of WM1Z. It's would be hell of a crazy mod if that's possible.


----------



## nc8000

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> It's  impossible to replace the s-master HX chip with an ess DAC. Impossible due to the pcb layout and voltages.
> 
> 
> 
> Wonder if it is possible to desolder the FTCAP2 from a ZX507 and replace it on to the caps sections of WM1Z. It's would be hell of a crazy mod if that's possible.



Plus as I understand it the smaster is both dsp, dac and amp in one whereas an ess would just be a dac


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 5, 2020)

S-Master is more like a multibit converter, with comparator elements mainly for Class D digital amplification.

the real guy that apply DSP and algorithms is Programable, and that is the Sony digital interface chip IC.

The latest example of this DSP chip computational power were demonstrated when Son Enabled the USB-DAC and Bluetooth DAC together with MQA unfolding features on WM1A/Z.  In the TA ZH-ES and DMP Z1, this same chip do PCM to DSD128 conversion all by itself.  It also does Over Sampling, DSEE-HX and DC-phase Linearizer, EQ, vinyl processing....etc...you name it

With every firmware, this chip will be intentionally or unintentionally alter your sound performances due to the coded-in algorithms and DSP techniques that are programmable.

I am not sure if it is possible to Brick this chip, but Sony has clearly stated that once a firmware is upgraded, you can not reverse it....however people are doing so and I have yet seen any bricked Walkman.

I keep repeating this, but the major source for digital music processing is not within the DAC-IC itself alone, but rather the majority of it comes from Digital interfaces.  If your digital interfaces is noisy and laggy, the DAC-IC will be crippled.

Why do you think black chip and ESS, AKM are making their own recently ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 5, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I am not sure what to tell you anymore.  This suspicious tones has already ended this discussion.  Now, if you are serious about learning the differences between WM1A vs WM1Z, it is all over the internet
> 
> anyways, I am going to be back on WM1A platform



I know there is room to bring the 1A to a more preferred place than the 1Z. 

Don’t know if you remember but before 3.02 with the 1Z....the 1A was maybe a better match for the IER-Z1R. IMO

Now I’m more into 3.02 and the IER-Z1R sound using the 1Z. Still it makes you wonder how much the 1A is de-engineered to create a cost separation from the bells and whistles 1Z? We know they only had plans for the 1Z. Then maybe it was too much. There were no $3200 DAPs in 2016. So the 1A got the trickle-down technology. But....now we’re hearing about simple wiring mods which in a way pull away the curtain and expose how thin this 1Z to 1A difference truly is. We know how Sony is with case construction, the TA enclosure and the DMP-Z1 frame. But I’m also curious as to what someone could do to dial a 1A in with different capacitors, wiring and such. Obviously it’s going to be ultimately subjective what’s good when done. But.......I sit here  listening to both and while I enjoy the 1Z thickness and harder physicality.....I also wonder if a smidge of that tone and character brought over to the 1A would be something? Like a faster 1Z. But maybe all I would want is the soundstage thickness probably. Just the 1Z soundstage thickness taken over and played back with the tone of the 1A.

Good luck. Sony should send you a 1A.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> I know there is room to bring the 1A to a more preferred place than the 1Z.
> 
> Don’t know if you remember but before 3.02 with the 1Z....the 1A was maybe a better match for the IER-Z1R. IMO
> 
> ...


Actually, I think everyone has gotten it wrong.

the WM series was developed primarily as WM1A

the WM1Z is an upgraded WM1A with upgraded caps and resistors, together with Copper gold plated chassis.  This chassis alone is the most expensive element on the WM1Z.

So, simply put, the WM1Z is developed and upgrades based on WM1A.  The possibility for WM1A is endless and Sony demonstrates it with WM1Z

I agree with the synergies and voicing with IER Z1R.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 5, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Actually, I think everyone has gotten it wrong.
> 
> the WM series was developed primarily as WM1A
> 
> ...



Oh, I thought the 1A was an afterthought. It’s so very cool the improvements done to the 1A then. Of course maybe your going to order the 1Z case to place your final work of art in. Or CNC a new frame for the DMP-Z1 made of OFC and gold covered? I think the biggest question for you is where to make these changes and what effect will they produce? Crazy too as your already taking stuff which has been engineered for a segment of the “crazy” audiophile public; then making it better for your own ears. All of us do what we can with our funds and imagination. I have wanted to follow up your posts in the DMP-Z1 thread but have refrained. You posted vibration isolation feet for the power supply.......which inspired me to post the ridiculous yet simple modifications I do. My level reallocation of hardware supplies. These are the latest mod to my audio rack.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I love my WM1A, i am also thinking whether to make mods or wait for next TOTL sony offering


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Feb 5, 2020)

The Chinese dap manufacturers are already catching up to Sony. Now Fiio is also using dual independent clock oscillator for 44.1KHz and 48KHz sampling. Also they are already using Polymer capacitors. What they don't yet have is the semiconductor integration, electrical shielding and DSP software of Sony.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 5, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> The Chinese dap manufacturers are already catching up to Sony. Now Fiio is also using dual independent clock oscillator for 44.1KHz and 48KHz sampling. Also they are already using Polymer capacitors. What they don't yet have is the semiconductor integration, electrical shielding and DSP software of Sony.



nah, they are trying to.

what they don’t have is

1/ Polymer multilayered Film Capacitors (PML Caps). These are very expensive to manufacturers, and mass productions are only limited values due to how hard it is to make. _Sony can design their own and get contracted for buying power to produce specific values_

2/ the Digital processing Chip.  They either uses general FPGA or Xmos or Amanero which also uses FPGA.  Some are trying to use ESS and AKM but only available in desktop pieces

Sony already has it in a portable Walkman, their very own chip and dedicated to Audio.

The Chinese is very quick on off the shelves design and reverse engineering.  But as I said, they can’t developed their own quality capacitors (let alone PML) or IC chip or get in a big contract to have it made


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sony is a big leader and it took 3 years + for others to catch up lol.

Soon we shall see something once more revolutionary and sony will invent theire own parts if needed to stand out.

That is why I like sony they offer the best they can and it truly works. Their innovations are exemplary and other follows afterwards


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 5, 2020)

3 years ? Are you kidding ? Sony has been using PML caps since ZX1, and let’s see...

released 2014

in 2019 Cayin N8 and Ibasso started to use a “few” available off the shelves

M15 from Fiio also just used a few recently.

Now take a look at WM1A and 1Z or DMP Z1

6 years later...still trying to catch up

I have yet to mention dedicated OS for music only, neither AK, Cayin, Fiio nor other are doing it, except HiBy and Ibasso.


----------



## gazzington

Whitigir said:


> 3 years ? Are you kidding ? Sony has been using PML caps since ZX1, and let’s see...
> 
> released 2014
> 
> ...


Lotoo too


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 5, 2020)

Death_Block said:


> But what does the mod do exactly? I missed that part.


Its expleained in thethread friend just google in thread i think its recent info like page 1500 and up... but be shure to search it if no answer here i think its suposed to change the sound a lot... make it more transparent... i wouldent mod.. but people is saying they get results on it!


----------



## Death_Block

Midnstorms said:


> Its expleained in thethread friend just google in thread i think its recent info like page 1500 and up... but be shure to search it if no answer here i think its suposed to change the sound a lot... make it more transparent... i wouldent mod.. but people is saying they get results on it!


more of a curious thing, I'd never heard of modding DAP's before.


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> Oh, I thought the 1A was an afterthought. It’s so very cool the improvements done to the 1A then. Of course maybe your going to order the 1Z case to place your final work of art in. Or CNC a new frame for the DMP-Z1 made of OFC and gold covered? I think the biggest question for you is where to make these changes and what effect will they produce? Crazy too as your already taking stuff which has been engineered for a segment of the “crazy” audiophile public; then making it better for your own ears. All of us do what we can with our funds and imagination. I have wanted to follow up your posts in the DMP-Z1 thread but have refrained. You posted vibration isolation feet for the power supply.......which inspired me to post the ridiculous yet simple modifications I do. My level reallocation of hardware supplies. These are the latest mod to my audio rack.


Is it truth that 1A sounds thin in comparison with 1Z? or that 1Z sounds thiker? and more weightier? can someone express a little bit about this? into the new firmwares light 3.01 and 3.02?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 5, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> Is it truth that 1A sounds thin in comparison with 1Z? or that 1Z sounds thiker? and more weightier? can someone express a little bit about this? into the new firmwares light 3.01 and 3.02?


Hopefully others will chime in. Where they differ is the 1A has a less 3D soundstage. Inside the soundstage the 1Z elements are more defined. Add to that a slight density that would come from a V shape, and you have the 1Z sound. 3.02 makes the 1Z thinner sounding but expands the soundstage out farther, both side to side and front to back. But where 3.02 makes the 1Z faster and clearer, 3.02 takes away some of the needed warmth with the 1A. A 1A with the tone it has but with a bigger soundstage both side to side and front to back would be an exciting mod. As I wonder how the 1A could ever compare with the naturally brighter treble boost of the 1Z? It’s the illusion of more detail due to treble brightness with the 1Z, still it’s not a cold brightness like what you get with the 1A. The other thing I would look for with a 1A mod would be naturalness, as the 1Z has a tone that simply seems correct?  The 1A is flatter and conservative in tone, yet still slightly warm in comparison to say maybe an IPhone.


----------



## equalspeace (Feb 5, 2020)

The brightness of the treble in the WM1A ruined the experience for me. If not for this characteristic I’d still own it. You say the WM1Z is even brighter. I sometimes sit and fantasize about buying a 1Z, but it would destroy my sensitive ears as well. I hope Sony’s next TOTL players don’t have the treble done the same way as these two DAPs


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 6, 2020)

equalspeace said:


> The brightness of the treble in the WM1A ruined the experience for me. If not for this characteristic I’d still own it. You say the WM1Z is even brighter. I sometimes sit and fantasize about buying a 1Z, but it would destroy my sensitive ears as well. I hope Sony’s next TOTL players don’t have the treble done the same way as these two DAPs







It’s hard to explain but like with the Noble Encore, the 1A comes off even brighter. This is why it’s better to demo stuff than read about it on-line. But the 1Z has a very high end treble spike, where due to the overall tone of the 1A.......the 1A comes off more midcentric and treblecentric. So look at the Encore treble boost, it’s in the area that I probably think the 1A is bright. That’s why even with the tip treble boost with the 1Z, the Encore is better with the 1Z. The bass of the 1Z helps the Encore too, as this stuff is all relative. All the frequencies are in relation to one another; like adding spice to cooking.

So take the 1A, add bass, add a slight way high up treble boost.....that’s the 1Z. It’s a V shape, so the midrange is just slightly recessed. You don’t notice the 1Z upper-midrange and prominent treble areas as much as with the 1A. It could actually be the digital sound of the 1A combined with treble centric IEMs which turned you off the 1A. Where those same IEMs would be smooth with the 1Z, despite the treble.

Myself, coming from 1/4 century of tube amps and vinyl......the 1A sounds way thinner, more treble centric and more digital.


----------



## HeadphoneAddict

Redcarmoose said:


> Hopefully others will chime in. Where they differ is the 1A has a less 3D soundstage. Inside the soundstage the 1Z elements are more defined. Add to that a slight density that would come from a V shape, and you have the 1Z sound. 3.02 makes the 1Z thinner sounding but expands the soundstage out farther, both side to side and front to back. But where 3.02 makes the 1Z faster and clearer, 3.02 takes away some of the needed warmth with the 1A. A 1A with the tone it has but with a bigger soundstage both side to side and front to back would be an exciting mod. As I wonder how the 1A could ever compare with the naturally brighter treble boost of the 1Z? It’s the illusion of more detail due to treble brightness with the 1Z, still it’s not a cold brightness like what you get with the 1A. The other thing I would look for with a 1A mod would be naturalness, as the 1Z has a tone that simply seems correct?  The 1A is flatter and conservative in tone, yet still slightly warm in comparison to say maybe an IPhone.



I listened to a friend's 1Z recently and was very impressed with it. He is not the type to EVER do a manual firmware update and probably has an older version on it (will have to ask). I liked the interface and sound and thought I might pick up a used one someday, but wonder *what would be the best firmware to have on it*?

I know firmware can change the sound of some devices, because my first experience with that was on my PS Audio Perfectwave DAC a decade ago. Sometimes they made it sound worse, and once they fixed the issue I stopped doing updates. In the case of my R2R2000 I WANT UPDATES, because the firmware for the interface is still buggy, and they haven't had much of a change in sound when they do one.


----------



## 524419

HeadphoneAddict said:


> I listened to a friend's 1Z recently and was very impressed with it. He is not the type to EVER do a manual firmware update and probably has an older version on it (will have to ask). I liked the interface and sound and thought I might pick up a used one someday, but wonder *what would be the best firmware to have on it*?
> 
> I know firmware can change the sound of some devices, because my first experience with that was on my PS Audio Perfectwave DAC a decade ago. Sometimes they made it sound worse, and once they fixed the issue I stopped doing updates. In the case of my R2R2000 I WANT UPDATES, because the firmware for the interface is still buggy, and they haven't had much of a change in sound when they do one.


Try all of them. I like all the older firmwares on both the 1A and 1Z.
Whatever sounds the best to your ears.
I like 2.0


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 6, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Hopefully others will chime in. Where they differ is the 1A has a less 3D soundstage. Inside the soundstage the 1Z elements are more defined. Add to that a slight density that would come from a V shape, and you have the 1Z sound. 3.02 makes the 1Z thinner sounding but expands the soundstage out farther, both side to side and front to back. But where 3.02 makes the 1Z faster and clearer, 3.02 takes away some of the needed warmth with the 1A. A 1A with the tone it has but with a bigger soundstage both side to side and front to back would be an exciting mod. As I wonder how the 1A could ever compare with the naturally brighter treble boost of the 1Z? It’s the illusion of more detail due to treble brightness with the 1Z, still it’s not a cold brightness like what you get with the 1A. The other thing I would look for with a 1A mod would be naturalness, as the 1Z has a tone that simply seems correct?  The 1A is flatter and conservative in tone, yet still slightly warm in comparison to say maybe an IPhone.


i think it 3.02 maskes 1A faster and cleaner also...  over SE but takes out the bass tone not so much afected in the sub-bass i would say it aplies hard reduction to 50hz and below to make room for the device sound cleaner, faster and wider.... also boosting the voices in the center.. quite a  bit... i think its perfect for your description of 1Z! so thats why i sayed it was a good update for 1z in teh chart i maded...  but left 1A feeling more acurate but bass hungry... it reminded me 3.00 but miles away better! wish they work a 3.03 as a final update with some bass tuning and the same awesome staging and voice clarity! (of course 1A will never be 1Z) i wonder how 3.00 sounds on 1Z vs 3.01!!! if i can recall correctly you left you 1Z 3.02 and your 1A 3.01


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 6, 2020)

I like 2.0 also in 1A but 3.01 its better


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 6, 2020)

HeadphoneAddict said:


> I listened to a friend's 1Z recently and was very impressed with it. He is not the type to EVER do a manual firmware update and probably has an older version on it (will have to ask). I liked the interface and sound and thought I might pick up a used one someday, but wonder *what would be the best firmware to have on it*?
> 
> I know firmware can change the sound of some devices, because my first experience with that was on my PS Audio Perfectwave DAC a decade ago. Sometimes they made it sound worse, and once they fixed the issue I stopped doing updates. In the case of my R2R2000 I WANT UPDATES, because the firmware for the interface is still buggy, and they haven't had much of a change in sound when they do one.


I never heard 1Z but im certain 3.02 must be the holy grail and 3.01 Basshead only for 1Z (i made a chart for 1A on all firmwares since 1.20 to 3.02 be shure to check it!)


----------



## Jalo

This firmware thing is really interesting. I am on the AK SP2K thread also and they have three FW upgrades within the last three months and every one is crying foul because the sound changes with each upgrade but worse for the AK users is that they cannot go back to the previous version. What is interesting is that AK came out and stated that they did not alter the sound with each upgrade. AK users however swear that the sound is different from version to version. Coming back to Sony 1Z, I was on 1.0, 1.2, 2.0 and 3.02, for the first three fw, I do not notice significant sound change, but 3.02 is clearly different. But throughout all these fw upgrades, Sony never admit to altering the sound signature in their listing of changes for each upgrade. This lead me to think does the vendor know by making changes to various part of the firmware, they may accidentally alter the sound? or they do not want to admit that the sound has changed, or the sound change is only a figment of our imagination? Why is it that the vendor does not know the sound changes or if they know why are they so reluctant to admit there are changes?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I guess manufacturers will not admit to altering the sound signature in fear of angry customer emails and warranty returns. Some customers may like the new sound but some might not. It all depends on listening preferences and gear synergy.

Take the zx507 walkman for example. 

1.0 inital release
1.01 standby time bug fix, no noticable sound changes 
1.1 noticed sound changes
1.2 noticed sound changes

Though once you upgraded there's no way to revert.


----------



## Lookout57

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I guess manufacturers will not admit to altering the sound signature in fear of angry customer emails and warranty returns. Some customers may like the new sound but some might not. It all depends on listening preferences and gear synergy.
> 
> Take the zx507 walkman for example.
> 
> ...


That's because Android doesn't have an easy downgrade method. Sony OS for the win !!


----------



## Hifiaddict

Hi just bought a WM1A and very happy with it but just wondering if i can use this adapter 4.4mm to 3.5mm for my SE headphones?Is it safe? What would be the benifits?


----------



## Mindstorms

Jalo said:


> This firmware thing is really interesting. I am on the AK SP2K thread also and they have three FW upgrades within the last three months and every one is crying foul because the sound changes with each upgrade but worse for the AK users is that they cannot go back to the previous version. What is interesting is that AK came out and stated that they did not alter the sound with each upgrade. AK users however swear that the sound is different from version to version. Coming back to Sony 1Z, I was on 1.0, 1.2, 2.0 and 3.02, for the first three fw, I do not notice significant sound change, but 3.02 is clearly different. But throughout all these fw upgrades, Sony never admit to altering the sound signature in their listing of changes for each upgrade. This lead me to think does the vendor know by making changes to various part of the firmware, they may accidentally alter the sound? or they do not want to admit that the sound has changed, or the sound change is only a figment of our imagination? Why is it that the vendor does not know the sound changes or if they know why are they so reluctant to admit there are changes?


I went back and forth all of them thanks to sony in that they are remarkable! i have a chart here about each firmware sounds it changes  a lot!!! specially if you are into heavy EQ like me!


----------



## Mindstorms

Jalo said:


> This firmware thing is really interesting. I am on the AK SP2K thread also and they have three FW upgrades within the last three months and every one is crying foul because the sound changes with each upgrade but worse for the AK users is that they cannot go back to the previous version. What is interesting is that AK came out and stated that they did not alter the sound with each upgrade. AK users however swear that the sound is different from version to version. Coming back to Sony 1Z, I was on 1.0, 1.2, 2.0 and 3.02, for the first three fw, I do not notice significant sound change, but 3.02 is clearly different. But throughout all these fw upgrades, Sony never admit to altering the sound signature in their listing of changes for each upgrade. This lead me to think does the vendor know by making changes to various part of the firmware, they may accidentally alter the sound? or they do not want to admit that the sound has changed, or the sound change is only a figment of our imagination? Why is it that the vendor does not know the sound changes or if they know why are they so reluctant to admit there are changes?


So how does the sound changed in the other forum! for good or bad? sorry if im off topic!


----------



## Mindstorms

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I guess manufacturers will not admit to altering the sound signature in fear of angry customer emails and warranty returns. Some customers may like the new sound but some might not. It all depends on listening preferences and gear synergy.
> 
> Take the zx507 walkman for example.
> 
> ...


are you shure you cant revert? in 1A-1Z walkman download page it states that but you can


----------



## Jalo

Midnstorms said:


> So how does the sound changed in the other forum! for good or bad? sorry if im off topic!


Of course the changes are for the worse otherwise AK users would not be crying foul if the changes are for the better. However, some isolated users thought the changes are better. That is why I was wondering whether those are placebo effects. Since I cannot go back to the previous version on SP2K, I did not dare to upgrade at all since I own the SP2K.

The question is if Sony denied altering the sound in a new version out of fear that users demands refund they can always go back to the previous version, so there is no harm done. So why does Sony still denied sound changes?


----------



## bflat

Hifiaddict said:


> Hi just bought a WM1A and very happy with it but just wondering if i can use this adapter 4.4mm to 3.5mm for my SE headphones?Is it safe? What would be the benifits?



No, you cannot take an SE wired headphone and make it work with an balanced output unless you re-wire the headphone. The adapter you have is to convert 3.5mm balanced to 4.4mm balanced.


----------



## animalsrush

HeadphoneAddict said:


> I listened to a friend's 1Z recently and was very impressed with it. He is not the type to EVER do a manual firmware update and probably has an older version on it (will have to ask). I liked the interface and sound and thought I might pick up a used one someday, but wonder *what would be the best firmware to have on it*?
> 
> I know firmware can change the sound of some devices, because my first experience with that was on my PS Audio Perfectwave DAC a decade ago. Sometimes they made it sound worse, and once they fixed the issue I stopped doing updates. In the case of my R2R2000 I WANT UPDATES, because the firmware for the interface is still buggy, and they haven't had much of a change in sound when they do one.



for me with k10s 1.2 or 3.01 work the best.. 1.2 for lush midrange and vocals and deep bass. 3.01 for clarity soundstage and amazing mids with just a tad weak bass


----------



## Whitigir

Let me just put it here


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Whitigir said:


> Let me just put it here


How does the sound quality compared to the mod 1Z you did for mine? What's the difference in hardwares and sound?


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 7, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> How does the sound quality compared to the mod 1Z you did for mine? What's the difference in hardwares and sound?



I did a lot to the WM1A.  All caps are upgraded to electrolytic TOTL with careful voicing tuned from experiences.  Filters are electrolytic audiograde, all solder to high grade silver.  DC ground is 20AWG Litz.  Internal wires is Pure Gold 22AwG.

MeLf resistors are worthy being here, no need to replace.

Depth and soundstage are expanded in all dimensions, textures are vastly improved.  Pitch are much more accurate.  Strangely, WM1A is more balanced than wm-1A but a little bass emphasized and boomy with bass not deep enough.  This also bring out deep sub bass.  Time to burn in for more improvements


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> I did a lot to the WM1A.  All caps are upgraded to electrolytic TOTL with careful voicing tuned from experiences.  Filters are electrolytic audiograde, all solder to high grade silver.  DC ground is 20AWG Litz.  Internal wires is Pure Gold 22AwG.
> 
> MeLf resistors are worthy being here, no need to replace.
> 
> Depth and soundstage are expanded in all dimensions, textures are vastly improved.  Pitch are much more accurate.  Strangely, WM1A is more balanced than wm-1A but a little bass emphasized and boomy with bass not deep enough.  This also bring out deep sub bass.  Time to burn in for more improvements


Pure Gold?? Or Gold Plated?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> I did a lot to the WM1A.  All caps are upgraded to electrolytic TOTL with careful voicing tuned from experiences.  Filters are electrolytic audiograde, all solder to high grade silver.  DC ground is 20AWG Litz.  Internal wires is Pure Gold 22AwG.
> 
> MeLf resistors are worthy being here, no need to replace.
> 
> Depth and soundstage are expanded in all dimensions, textures are vastly improved.  Pitch are much more accurate.  Strangely, WM1A is more balanced than wm-1A but a little bass emphasized and boomy with bass not deep enough.  This also bring out deep sub bass.  Time to burn in for more improvements




Nice looks very cool.
What type of gold cable is it? Like which brand?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> I did a lot to the WM1A.  All caps are upgraded to electrolytic TOTL with careful voicing tuned from experiences.  Filters are electrolytic audiograde, all solder to high grade silver.  DC ground is 20AWG Litz.  Internal wires is Pure Gold 22AwG.
> 
> MeLf resistors are worthy being here, no need to replace.
> 
> Depth and soundstage are expanded in all dimensions, textures are vastly improved.  Pitch are much more accurate.  Strangely, WM1A is more balanced than wm-1A but a little bass emphasized and boomy with bass not deep enough.  This also bring out deep sub bass.  Time to burn in for more improvements


Waiting for your impressions. If you say it sounds good as stock 1Z, the n i probably aend mine to tou form  modding


----------



## Hifiaddict

bflat said:


> No, you cannot take an SE wired headphone and make it work with an balanced output unless you re-wire the headphone. The adapter you have is to convert 3.5mm balanced to 4.4mm balanced.


Thanks for your help think i have to buy a  4.4mm balanced cable for my sony mdrz7.
Do you know where a can buy a cheap good cable for that a link?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 7, 2020)

HeadphoneAddict said:


> I listened to a friend's 1Z recently and was very impressed with it. He is not the type to EVER do a manual firmware update and probably has an older version on it (will have to ask). I liked the interface and sound and thought I might pick up a used one someday, but wonder *what would be the best firmware to have on it*?
> 
> I know firmware can change the sound of some devices, because my first experience with that was on my PS Audio Perfectwave DAC a decade ago. Sometimes they made it sound worse, and once they fixed the issue I stopped doing updates. In the case of my R2R2000 I WANT UPDATES, because the firmware for the interface is still buggy, and they haven't had much of a change in sound when they do one.



2.0 firmware update came out literally the week I purchased my 1Z. That said the 1.whatever firmware it came with seemed very low power and foggy in comparison to what I heard with 2.0 that week. Also keep in mind before the period of 200 hours none of the players sound the way they were designed to sound.....so I probably never really gave the firmware before 2.0 an honest chance.

If you read this thread you can’t help but comprehend how close many of us have become to the Walkmans. The myopic and comprehensive history many posters here have maybe is on the slightly crazy side as far as importance of firmware updates. We are way too into it. 

But there is no right or wrong. It’s EQ really but with some soundstage effects and also an intangible change....maybe in imaging arraignment?

But everyone eventually figures it out. Just remember that before 3.0 (which was not as great as 3.1) there was no external DAC function. Also before that the Walkmans only broadcast Bluetooth but didn’t accept Bluetooth. There were other changes along the way but I forget.

Mostly....it’s about tone matching with your headphones and personal subjective sound signature needs. If you have read the years of posts on updates you will find that the sound changes are more important to some than others. Meaning we don’t know why, but some really notice and care about the changes and some not so much. If this is a result of IEMs used or hearing capabilities.....we are not sure.

Still owning both 1Z/1A.....I’ve come to think some updates are more desirable for the 1A and other updates better for the 1Z. It’s two players with on update being introduced at a time. For the longest time I used to use 3.02 firmware with the 1Z then switch back to 3.01 with the 1Z for the Noble Encore IEMs. Eventually I became lazy and left 3.02 on the 1Z all the time. So right there is an example of someone trying to just get used to one firmware even with first impressions saying it’s not the best combo. As maybe we get used to stuff? The whole audiophile tangent is purchasing and coming to what we feel are genuine ideas about some sonic texture or process. We try to extrapolate the aspects introduced with changes. Maybe we are too critical? Though I have to think that especially being the 1Z is so musical.........that even if the combination didn’t have this perfect quality......that we could adapt?

If you go over the thread you’ll find that almost every firmware has it’s fans. Though for me update 3.02 was such a watershed change in tone it became endearing. With the 1A 3.02 is pretty thin, and many of us have settled on 3.01 with the 1A for now. But update 3.02 made the 1Z have a detailed low end and charming midrange and soundstage/imaging expansion in the treble. And again for many 3.02 was like Sony getting us a new player. No one from 2016 would ever have thought Sony would keep developing and dialing in the player firmware? Sony could have easily come out with a different player and left us with 2.0, but they didn’t. Maybe it has taken them all this time to learn about the firmware quality? It’s a mystery really.......but a good one.

Cheers!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hifiaddict said:


> Thanks for your help think i have to buy a  4.4mm balanced cable for my sony mdrz7.
> Do you know where a can buy a cheap good cable for that a link?


I bought a sony KK for my MDR-Z1R  on amazon Germany for 200€, still waiting it to get shipped (was out of stock when i bought it)


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 7, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> Pure Gold?? Or Gold Plated?





Vitaly2017 said:


> Nice looks very cool.
> What type of gold cable is it? Like which brand?


Pure gold

Jade Audio cables



gerelmx1986 said:


> Waiting for your impressions. If you say it sounds good as stock 1Z, the n i probably aend mine to tou form  modding



oh heck, it is better .  I couldn’t stand the stock WM1A...I am too spoiled by the DMP-Z1.  Now it is much more enjoyable.  But I wouldn’t want to perform this modification.... I still recommend people to send their unit to MusicSanctuary and Fidelizer or CreatorCables.


----------



## XP_98

Midnstorms said:


> I went back and forth all of them thanks to sony in that they are remarkable! i have a chart here about each firmware sounds it changes  a lot!!! specially if you are into heavy EQ like me!


Can you please link it (can't find it, I'm on my phone) - sorry if it's "again" ?


----------



## dninsan (Feb 7, 2020)

XP_98 said:


> Can you please link it (can't find it, I'm on my phone) - sorry if it's "again" ?



Here you have:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15385552

Also, here are the links to download all firmware versions (Windows and MAC installers):

Windows:

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_01.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_10.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/J/NW-WM1_V3_00.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/J/NW-WM1_V3_01.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_02.exe


MAC:

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/J/NW-WM1_V1_01.dmg

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/J/NW-WM1_V1_02.dmg

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/J/NW-WM1_V1_20.dmg

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/J/NW-WM1_V2_00.dmg

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/J/NW-WM1_V3_00.dmg

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/J/NW-WM1_V3_01.dmg

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/J/NW-WM1_V3_02.dmg


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Pure gold
> 
> Jade Audio cables
> 
> ...




So how does the 1a max doing against dmp and 1z?
Or its better go 1z ultimate k mod from ms?


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 7, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> So how does the 1a max doing against dmp and 1z?
> Or its better go 1z ultimate k mod from ms?


Idk bro...I do it in my own preferences and experiences.  But every bit of upgrades will contribute a lot to the WM players.

How does my WM1A do now ? I have not had wm1Z for a while.  But I can tell you what it improved for me



I am gonna list out the cons or negatives of Wm1A stock

1/ Most noticeably is the emphasized on Bass and lower mid bass...but doesn’t dive deep enough into sub bass.  Good extensions but blooming and hazy

2/ sound signature is more balanced than wm1Z which is a little warmer but without that bass emphasis and has great sub bass and control when compared to WM1A stock

3/ Mid is fluid but upper mid fell short on it energy, extensions and details at upper mid and lower trebles

4/ trebles is a little boosted up on upper frequencies

both #3 and #4 makes stock 1A to loose out some resolutions in mid and lower trebles.  It is there but the #1 bass take over everything

Then in some bad recording, the sibilants can be harsh.

5/ soundstage: wide and expansive, Tall and vertically impressive, but cue of positioning is hazy and confusing

6/ pitch accuracy:  this is the worse....the pitch accuracy is pretty much Mid-Tier level

7/ Airiness: pretty congested considering all the Negatives altogether....especially because of upper mid and lower treble fault

*I wouldn’t call stock Wm1A to be in the same tier as WM1Z.  That shows how much better power supply caps could improve the platform

Stock WM1A is pretty mid-tie

So, what does the modified unit sound like *?

Neutralizing the bass emphasis, bring deep sub bass and extensions, better textures.

Mids are now fully energetic and vastly improved on upper mid and lower treble details/resolutions.

trebles are now with better resolutions, extended ways better, and all together bring a great senses of airiness.

Soundstage is vastly improved into expansive and enveloping presentations with great airiness.

Fluidity and liquidity remains and improved to be a better flow between transients which brings musicality while Being “references”

I could improve the Lowpass filter, but there is no need.  The WM1Z uses the same, so ATM, I enjoy it this way

Resistors could also be possible to upgrade but no need.  I love MEL, and the MELF within WM1A is top on the market still

After modification: WM1A is now “Top-tier level”.

This picture will not show DC 20AWG Litz Ground connection


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 7, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Idk bro...I do it in my own preferences and experiences.  But every bit of upgrades will contribute a lot to the WM players.
> 
> How does my WM1A do now ? I have not had wm1Z for a while.  But I can tell you what it improved for me
> 
> ...


Does it sounds more like Hi-Fi, or more like analog?

If I remember correctly, unmodified 1A feels limited on both ends of bass and trebles. Maybe I should clarify more; I was comparing this with my current modded1Z. Unmodded 1A sounds lifeless, there is this lack of subbass,  it’s unsatisfying.

Unmodified 1Z is amazing in its musicality and it’s 3D spatial positioning, although it sounds pretty thick like a 85% dark chocolate. But the trade off is its soundstage is smaller than unmodded 1A.

And I thought you used gold cable to add needed warmth and musicality? Or is there any other reasons?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Idk bro...I do it in my own preferences and experiences.  But every bit of upgrades will contribute a lot to the WM players.
> 
> How does my WM1A do now ? I have not had wm1Z for a while.  But I can tell you what it improved for me
> 
> ...


How much will you price the modd, if I send you mine for a "plastic surgery"  ?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> How much will you price the modd, if I send you mine for a "plastic surgery"  ?


He is pretty reasonable in price but the majority of cost that you may have to consider is the shipping. It cost quite a lot, given you are in Germany


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 7, 2020)

.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 7, 2020)

.


----------



## XP_98

dninsan said:


> Here you have:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15385552
> 
> ...


Thank you !


----------



## phonomat

Jalo said:


> Of course the changes are for the worse otherwise AK users would not be crying foul if the changes are for the better. However, some isolated users thought the changes are better. That is why I was wondering whether those are placebo effects. Since I cannot go back to the previous version on SP2K, I did not dare to upgrade at all since I own the SP2K.
> 
> The question is if Sony denied altering the sound in a new version out of fear that users demands refund they can always go back to the previous version, so there is no harm done. So why does Sony still denied sound changes?



Why indeed?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Idk bro...I do it in my own preferences and experiences.  But every bit of upgrades will contribute a lot to the WM players.
> 
> How does my WM1A do now ? I have not had wm1Z for a while.  But I can tell you what it improved for me
> 
> ...




That is some serious job you done there wow.

 I see also 6 new caps, is the same function as ms explained me? For balcker background?

I would personally go for gold plated silver cable but its a personal preference here...

Yeaa now 1a is a ToTl dap level thats awsome!

But probably from how you describe it moded 1z will be a step higher. Feels like it...

Nice job @Whitigir


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 7, 2020)

Technically speaking, this Wm1A is more advance than WM1Z even with internal wires upgrade.

I wouldn’t modify WM1Z with this mod because it doesn’t make sense. I explained about those caps on last post 

Simply put, Power supply is important, and every component that make it.  Sony already demonstrated it with WM1Z vs WM1A.  Those caps are in power supply and on different sections of it I used different caps accordingly to Tune the voicing


----------



## Whitigir

hamhamhamsta said:


> Does it sounds more like Hi-Fi, or more like analog?
> 
> If I remember correctly, unmodified 1A feels limited on both ends of bass and trebles. Maybe I should clarify more; I was comparing this with my current modded1Z. Unmodded 1A sounds lifeless, there is this lack of subbass,  it’s unsatisfying.
> 
> ...



Gold is Neutral and Musical at the same time.  I needed that


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Gold is Neutral and Musical at the same time.  I needed that




I wonder if you put 1a into 1z chassis and if that would improve further more on the musicality department


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> I wonder if you put 1a into 1z chassis and if that would improve further more on the musicality department


It would but I don’t need it as it is heavy and I already used gold to Voice it up the way I wanted


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> It would but I don’t need it as it is heavy and I already used gold to Voice it up the way I wanted




You could start a new trend haha
The 1a/1z chassis rolling method ) ) )


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> You could start a new trend haha
> The 1a/1z chassis rolling method ) ) )


Only if it was that easy.  Did you know why Modifying 1A and 1Z is expensive ? Because how hard it is to take apart


----------



## Whitigir

Now it makes IER Z1R sing!!!! Exactly what I need for bedtime sleeping and around the office. It is funny that IER Z1R bring me back into Walkman world....


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> Now it makes IER Z1R sing!!!! Exactly what I need for bedtime sleeping and around the office. It is funny that IER Z1R bring me back into Walkman world....



Aside from the labor involved, what is the cost of the parts you replaced?


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 7, 2020)

captblaze said:


> Aside from the labor involved, what is the cost of the parts you replaced?


Most expensive is the Gold wirings 

The rest is just skills and Labor involved.

Gold Wires are hard to estimate because it is modified from original cables to make fit.  I would say $400-500 or so plus the risk of damaging parts of $260-550.  Parts are roughly estimated around $660-1100.  The on going price for used WM1A is about $600-750.  This makes a lot of senses for someone who love Walkman and only uses IEMS or easy to drive headphones

The ability to connect Bluetooth receiver at a flick of a finger is freaking awesome btw


----------



## Whitigir

Wow, practically the WM1A is awesome

1/ Bluetooth connection is superbly stable

2/ Tone Controls works with Bluetooth Receiver function !!!!


----------



## Mindstorms

Jalo said:


> Of course the changes are for the worse otherwise AK users would not be crying foul if the changes are for the better. However, some isolated users thought the changes are better. That is why I was wondering whether those are placebo effects. Since I cannot go back to the previous version on SP2K, I did not dare to upgrade at all since I own the SP2K.
> 
> The question is if Sony denied altering the sound in a new version out of fear that users demands refund they can always go back to the previous version, so there is no harm done. So why does Sony still denied sound changes?


im not shure! but its like having multiple DACs and have users happy!


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

I’m surprised you didn’t burn a hole through. Looks s like a masterpiece o





Whitigir said:


>


----------



## Mindstorms

animalsrush said:


> for me with k10s 1.2 or 3.01 work the best.. 1.2 for lush midrange and vocals and deep bass. 3.01 for clarity soundstage and amazing mids with just a tad weak bass


I can confirm staging and clarity are far superior on 3.02 on the expense of bass... its wider and bigger on 1A SE output


----------



## Whitigir

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I’m surprised you didn’t burn a hole through. Looks s like a masterpiece o



LOL!!!! Thanks for the laugh .  Guys, you are having 3.02 does your Walkman display 3.02 ?


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> 2.0 firmware update came out literally the week I purchased my 1Z. That said the 1.whatever firmware it came with seemed very low power and foggy in comparison to what I heard with 2.0 that week. Also keep in mind before the period of 200 hours none of the players sound the way they were designed to sound.....so I probably never really gave the firmware before 2.0 an honest chance.
> 
> If you read this thread you can’t help but comprehend how close many of us have become to the Walkmans. The myopic and comprehensive history many posters here have maybe is on the slightly crazy side as far as importance of firmware updates. We are way too into it.
> 
> ...


im shure hearing capabilities lol we are super-humans!


----------



## Mindstorms

XP_98 said:


> Can you please link it (can't find it, I'm on my phone) - sorry if it's "again" ?





XP_98 said:


> Can you please link it (can't find it, I'm on my phone) - sorry if it's "again" ?


----------



## HeadphoneAddict

Redcarmoose said:


> 2.0 firmware update came out literally the week I purchased my 1Z. That said the 1.whatever firmware it came with seemed very low power and foggy in comparison to what I heard with 2.0 that week. Also keep in mind before the period of 200 hours none of the players sound the way they were designed to sound.....so I probably never really gave the firmware before 2.0 an honest chance.
> 
> If you read this thread you can’t help but comprehend how close many of us have become to the Walkmans. The myopic and comprehensive history many posters here have maybe is on the slightly crazy side as far as importance of firmware updates. We are way too into it.
> 
> ...


That is very helpful should I get one (will have to sell something to raise the funds). Until then I have plenty of options.

I started reading the first 3 pages and saw a lot of predictions that have proven false, and jumped to the last 3 pages to see the conversation had moved to mods and firmware, and synergy with certain headphones. 2100 pages is nuts.


----------



## Whitigir

Deep and rumbling eh? Now I like that


----------



## proedros

gonna post again a SUPER USEFUL post about wm1a/z album covers

*https://bendodson.com/projects/itunes-artwork-finder/*

 just type he album title and you are good - this dude has done some fantastic work every cover shows on my wm1a albums folders

just remember to save the saved image as the album folder title


----------



## Vitaly2017

I need to hear Lpgt and then if 1z wins once again this is I am calling it the god of daps literally! 

And will do k mod ultimate immediately!


----------



## Whitigir

I am still on 3.0 firmware.  Gotta upgrade into 3.02

Curiously, who is staying on 3.0 atm ?


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> I need to hear Lpgt and then if 1z wins once again this is I am calling it the god of daps literally!
> 
> And will do k mod ultimate immediately!



I have been there....between LPGT and N8, I would pick N8....but then again if you slot in modified wm1Z, I would pick wm1Z


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> I have been there....between LPGT and N8, I would pick N8....but then again if you slot in modified wm1Z, I would pick wm1Z




Well stock 1z vs N8 and I preferred 1z lol.


I really need to try lpgt its also fun knowing and hearing others to.

Then you know exactly whats best for you. 

A little secret, I didnt felt in love at korg tube of n8. Yes it was really good clean, I felt the tubeys but I didnt liked it. I felt like hmm I prefer solid state sound more turns out.
What I am saying is yes I preferred 1z Se vs n8 both se, surprise right.


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> I am still on 3.0 firmware.  Gotta upgrade into 3.02
> 
> Curiously, who is staying on 3.0 atm ?



I could never use 3.0 it continually crashed my 1Z, the only crashes I’ve ever had on Somy daps


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> I could never use 3.0 it continually crashed my 1Z, the only crashes I’ve ever had on Somy daps


Hmm...that is strange.  Who is staying with 3.0 instead ?


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well stock 1z vs N8 and I preferred 1z lol.
> 
> 
> I really need to try lpgt its also fun knowing and hearing others to.
> ...



I am not surprised  lol


----------



## hshock76

Tested the LPGT in Dec - a very good DAP - Clean and Resolute

N8 Balanced - Nothing really stood out for me
N8 Tube - Too warm

The 1Z on the other hand has bone beyond a DAP for me, listening to it is just a wonderful experience every single time on both stock & K-Mod Ultimate 1Zs.


----------



## flarex3

Will we see NW2A / NW2Z soon ? After 4 years it can be the time for the second gen.


----------



## Whitigir

flarex3 said:


> Will we see NW2A / NW2Z soon ? After 4 years it can be the time for the second gen.



Probably next year LoL!


----------



## 524419

Yeah man, This modded 1A is the real deal.
$1.50 Solid Copper cable, and it beats every DAP I have heard outside the DMP-Z1.
These Sony players surprise me every God Damn day, just beautiful.
wish I could hear @Whitigir mods, but as it stands you'll have to pull this baby out of my dead cold hands.


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 7, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Deep and rumbling eh? Now I like that


lol explain! im 3.01 but you must try 3.02 in a stock 1A and share plz im shure stock 1A sounds like a mess to you!


----------



## Blueoris

Is there LDAC audio lag in 3.02 while in "Sound Quality" setting?


----------



## Wietjunk

Hi, people, I need help. 
I am trying to uncap my EU 1A with the scsitool v9 and v25.
All the time in cmd I get:
Cannot get model ID frome device: - 3

help_us not recognized. 

Tried on firmware v1.02, v2.0 and v3.02.

Updated the USB drivers etc. 

Any suggestions?


----------



## nc8000

Wietjunk said:


> Hi, people, I need help.
> I am trying to uncap my EU 1A with the scsitool v9 and v25.
> All the time in cmd I get:
> Cannot get model ID frome device: - 3
> ...



Are you referencing the correct drive letter in the command string ?
You must reference the drive letter of the internal memory


----------



## Wietjunk

Yes, WALKMAN is H: on my system. 
The boot partition of the 1A is F:


----------



## nc8000

Wietjunk said:


> Yes, WALKMAN is H: on my system.
> The boot partition of the 1A is F:



so the internal memory is F: and the microSD is H: and you reference F: in the command line ?


----------



## Wietjunk

nc8000 said:


> so the internal memory is F: and the microSD is H: and you reference F: in the command line ?


No sd in the device, WALKMAN is the internal.


----------



## Wietjunk

No sd card in the device. 
F: is not accessible. 
H: is the internal drive. 

On scsitool v25 and firmware v. 2.0 I get :no access in cmd. 

I bought the 1A 2 weeks ago from a French site, it was a demo with 10 hours on it. 

I paid 715 euro and full 2 years warranty.


----------



## nc8000

Wietjunk said:


> No sd card in the device.
> F: is not accessible.
> H: is the internal drive.
> 
> ...



you should only see the internal drive if there is no microSD and it is the internal drive letter you reference in the commandline


----------



## Fishdo

I have been listening to the ZX507 the last few weeks as I used it the sound certainly changed for me... from being excessively harsh it has settled into a less harsh sound that I would now describe as aggressive...!

Yesterday I went back to my 1A ... and what a difference....at first I had said that the ZX was very different from the 1A but now I would say it’s not even in the same ball park... the 1A is so much more than the ZX in respect of sound...

The sound stage is much wider... the detail and separation is much greater... the mids are much cleaner and the highs are sharp and neither bleed into each other...

The ZX is a much better DAP in terms of its usefulness in portability etc ... the UI is much nicer... quality and speed...

So for portability I would say the ZX wins hands down.... but for sound the 1A is head and shoulders above the ZX...

I would say if you are happy when on the move with the quality of Spotify rather than Tidal or Qobuz then the ZX will be great for you... but if you only want to hear a better quality sound then the extra weight and lack of streaming doesn’t matter....

The one thing that I cannot understand is why when I use the sound quality options on the ZX, I get very big and instant changes in what I am hearing but when I do the same changes with the same options on the 1A I get at best a negligible change in the sound I hear... I would have thought given they both use the same processes that the FW updates would make them comparable when selecting the same options...?

But I have no doubt in my mind that for me the 1A is head and shoulders above the ZX in all the most important ways for me... and that there is still nothing from Sony in last few years to better the 1A...


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 8, 2020)

Different OS, different firmware, you can not expect the same result on sound options
Spotify and Quobuz or tidal can be enjoyable with LDAC Bluetooth toward Wm1A


----------



## Whitigir

I see many people keep dreaming and thinking of WM2A/Z....

Have you heard news about the new Chord Mojo II yet ?


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> I see many people keep dreaming and thinking of WM2A/Z....
> 
> Have you heard news about the new Chord Mojo II yet ?



just speculation along with a streaming attachment for Hugo 2, but nothing but chatter. Can Jam NYC may unlock the mystery


----------



## Fishdo

Whitigir said:


> Different OS, different firmware, you can not expect the same result on sound options
> Spotify and Quobuz or tidal can be enjoyable with LDAC Bluetooth toward Wm1A



I probably didn’t explain that properly mate... I am not looking for the same by any means....

It’s the difference in the difference that you can hear....


----------



## Fishdo

Whitigir said:


> I see many people keep dreaming and thinking of WM2A/Z....
> 
> Have you heard news about the new Chord Mojo II yet ?



According to a reply from Chord ... the clue to its release is in looking at the upcoming press release events that are on the calendar...


----------



## Vitaly2017

Even if its mojo 2 there is no way it beats 1z lol.

As hugo2 was inferior to 1z in my testings.

Unless mojo 2 will have 3 million taps ? Lmao


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Even if its mojo 2 there is no way it beats 1z lol.
> 
> As hugo2 was inferior to 1z in my testings.
> 
> Unless mojo 2 will have 3 million taps ? Lmao


I was just referring to how long it would take to release new products.  Mojo is like 5 years already ? So WM2A may take 1-2 years

Mojo was even behind ZX2 IMO, except the driving power


----------



## Whitigir

Wow!!! Just updated from 3.00 into 3.02 firmware and there are more details and airiness in the trebles.  Bass is tighter and punchier, faster.  Depth also improved!

An improved in sound quality compared to 3.00


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> I was just referring to how long it would take to release new products.  Mojo is like 5 years already ? So WM2A may take 1-2 years
> 
> Mojo was even behind ZX2 IMO, except the driving power




Time to get K Mod ultimate then!

Yea chord isnt in hurry, they released the poly and called it done for a while. 

+ I dislike chord because they bad isolation against interferences so all their distractions free sound advertisement is screwed by that. Sad the idea was great


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Wow!!! Just updated from 3.00 into 3.02 firmware and there are more details and airiness in the trebles.  Bass is tighter and punchier, faster.  Depth also improved!
> 
> An improved in sound quality compared to 3.00




Funny I never tested but dont seem to feel any differences on 1z from 3 to 3.02


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 8, 2020)

regarding Bluetooth streaming, I agree that direct stream on a DAP is better than using phone into LDAC.  However, WM1A can also do wired DAC function 

It only lacks driving power LOL.  But if you only do IEMS, then why worry ? Though it would need you to stack up where a Zx500 makes more senses

If I don’t listen to MicroSD or built in flash libraries, I rather listen for conveniences and not sound quality....so LDAC from a phone into WM1A at a finger flick makes a lot more senses to me


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 8, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Funny I never tested but dont seem to feel any differences on 1z from 3 to 3.02


Deep sub bass also does more defined rumbles  !! I agree with his quote on 3.0.2

Thought I don’t have problems with Bass and dynamic 


Midnstorms said:


>



Oh!!! And excellent with IER-Z1R + stock cables btw


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> regarding Bluetooth streaming, I agree that direct stream on a DAP is better than using phone into LDAC.  However, WM1A can also do wired DAC function
> 
> It only lacks driving power LOL.  But if you only do IEMS, then why worry ? Though it would need you to stack up where a Zx500 makes more senses
> 
> If I don’t listen to MicroSD or built in flash libraries, I rather listen for conveniences and not sound quality....so LDAC from a phone into WM1A at a finger flick makes a lot more senses to me




Yea if only I could charge phone 1z at same time, use my phone for gps and its always on so it isnt a solution for me unless i can charge phone and 1z can be charged of phone...

Sq wise isnt much of a difference honestly. 
Android src get involved either mods u in so....


Regarding ier-z1r and stock cable.  Z1r deserves a better custom cable it becomes a new beast. Think of it as when u mod 1a. Z1r also opens up a little and get more pleasant in treble region. Ier-z1r are so performant that they will show you immediately all the changes nuances details and textures! 

While stock cable is comfy and fancy.  It does hold back z1r to reach their full potential. 
I will also go ahead and say even wm1z isnt providing fully enough to fill z1r maybe dmp+z1r was Sonys main idea of the pinnacle of sound?


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 8, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yea if only I could charge phone 1z at same time, use my phone for gps and its always on so it isnt a solution for me unless i can charge phone and 1z can be charged of phone...
> 
> Sq wise isnt much of a difference honestly.
> Android src get involved either mods u in so....
> ...



When talking about mods, I have done and conducted many different things 

Depends, different cables will alternate the sound characteristics.  My IER-Z1R has the core modification , and it was foam filters modification.  It was carefully chosen to perform it best with stock cables.  Rolling cables can also do similar without touching the filters.  But IMO, I rather keep stock cables and do filters.
I did show DIY filters mod, but people still have thousands to spend in cables such as Horus and Code 5.1.

Oh...trust me....IER Z1R scales up considerably with DMP Z1.  However, WM1A and WM1Z are good with it too!!

Especially of how good it can retrieve details and performances, the IER Z1R was used as references in the point of DMP Z1 and my desktop system to tune up this WM1A of mine

*virtually, everything will effect the sound performances *

So allows me to repeat, each modder will have different ways to achieve the desired results.

Therefore, I recommend to contact all modder, CreatorCables, Music Sanctuary, Fidelizer, express your desired goals, and see who bring you the most comfortable feeling to do business with


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> When talking about mods, I have done and conducted many different things
> 
> Depends, different cables will alternate the sound characteristics.  My IER-Z1R has the core modification , and it was foam filters modification.  It was carefully chosen to perform it best with stock cables.  Rolling cables can also do similar without touching the filters.  But IMO, I rather keep stock cables and do filters.
> I did show DIY filters mod, but people still have thousands to spend in
> ...




Yeaa there is unlimited possibilities! 
Cable or foamy rolling all good.

Yeaa I got no doubt ) z1r was the microscope tool to fine tune the mod on 1a )


I don't think I would ever own dmp since I am always on the go.  Wm1z + k mod is the only logical and livable way for me (
Dmp is really big in size and pricey.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 8, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yeaa there is unlimited possibilities!
> Cable or foamy rolling all good.
> 
> Yeaa I got no doubt ) z1r was the microscope tool to fine tune the mod on 1a )
> ...



and the combination of DMP-Z1 and IER Z1R are exactly why I desired a modified WM1A ...Just so I can bring Sony house sound with me On the Go

DMP Z1 does it best sitting on a desk with external Power Supply...it is too big, pricey and HEAVY to take on the go lol!!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 8, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Deep and rumbling eh? Now I like that



Get back with us after 200 hours of burn in. 

I'm guessing those mods need some burn-in? It's only going to get better and better. Cheers!

I bet some EMF paper shoe-horned around everything would be a final add? Though I'm not sure what the EMF paper would do to allow for Bluetooth? You could always wrap the EMF paper around everything then run the Bluetooth module to the outside of the paper? 3.0 is the very worst really. Longest database load and it will even crash from time to time. 3.01 is going to be a combination of clarity and low end, though if your original 1A lows are that changed you could try 3.02 as the clearest firmware and biggest soundstage projected.


----------



## gearofwar (Feb 8, 2020)

Hi guys, has anyone made a working custom ROM for wm1a/z? This DAP needs 30 bands EQ

Anyways, I have gone to 3.02 and felt that not only the bass is lacking but also the mid compared to 3.01. What could only be good about it was the staging. So I have downgraded back to 3.01 and used it ever since. 3.01 is much more musical than 3.02 and I can feel more intimacy in the mid with it.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 8, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Get back with us after 200 hours of burn in.
> 
> I'm guessing those mods need some burn-in? It's only going to get better and better. Cheers!
> 
> I bet some EMF paper shoe-horned around everything would be a final add? Though I'm not sure what the EMF paper would do to allow for Bluetooth? You could always wrap the EMF paper around everything then run the Bluetooth module to the outside of the paper? 3.0 is the very worst really. Longest database load and it will even crash from time to time. 3.01 is going to be a combination of clarity and low end, though if your original 1A lows are that changed you could try 3.02 as the clearest firmware and biggest soundstage projected.



Already did upgrade to 3.0.2 and loving it!

Yeah, mods need burn in but immediate improvements could be observed and it will only get better.  After 24 hours and dynamic has already improved further.

Yes, shielding sheets are in play.  I tried Magnetic sheets but didn’t do too well...it absorbed details and drains the airiness. It is best to use Pure Copper shielding and I have already put it in.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Already did upgrade to 3.0.2 and loving it!
> 
> Yeah, mods need burn in but immediate improvements could be observed and it will only get better.  After 24 hours and dynamic has already improved further.
> 
> Yes, shielding sheets are in play.  I tried Magnetic sheets but didn’t do too well...it absorbed details and drains the airiness. It is best to use Pure Copper shielding and I have already put it in.




You mean the copper plates? To shield against interferences? 

Maybe a copper plated gold one   
Fancy and high functionality


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> Hi guys, has anyone made a working custom ROM for wm1a/z? This DAP needs 30 bands EQ
> 
> Anyways, I have gone to 3.02 and felt that not only the bass is lacking but also the mid compared to 3.01. What could only be good about it was the staging. So I have downgraded back to 3.01 and used it ever since. 3.01 is much more musical than 3.02 and I can feel more intimacy in the mid with it.


Could you upload and share with us your 3.0.1 firmware ? Sony always take it down and put up the latest.

thank you


----------



## Redcarmoose

hamhamhamsta said:


> Does it sounds more like Hi-Fi, or more like analog?
> 
> If I remember correctly, unmodified 1A feels limited on both ends of bass and trebles. Maybe I should clarify more; I was comparing this with my current modded1Z. Unmodded 1A sounds lifeless, there is this lack of subbass,  it’s unsatisfying.
> 
> ...



I don't think the soundstage is smaller with the 1Z stock in comparison to a stock 1A? If anything it is thicker from front to back like a fishbowl effect. So the 1A just seems wide as it's more 2D. But yes that's the thing............the 1Z does have a thickness in sound too........like when we revert back to thinking of classic slow mid 1960s Hi-Fi. There maybe has been some firmware and IEM/1Z combinations which ended up box-like sounding in the lows.

But firmware 3.02 brings the 1Z tone more into 1980s book shelf speakers........being leaner and faster. But you're right.......that's the thing......................... there is room for the 1A to be able to get to another sound regardless of firmware.


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> Could you upload and share with us your 3.0.1 firmware ? Sony always take it down and put up the latest.
> 
> thank you


http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_01.exe


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Could you upload and share with us your 3.0.1 firmware ? Sony always take it down and put up the latest.
> 
> thank you


http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_01.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_10.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/J/NW-WM1_V3_00.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/J/NW-WM1_V3_01.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_02.exe


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> Deep sub bass also does more defined rumbles  !! I agree with his quote on 3.0.2
> 
> Thought I don’t have problems with Bass and dynamic
> 
> ...


Withgir my chart its only valid for 1A SE out im shure if i had 1Z here i could agree with you it since to be more dinamic! you guys could add a 1Z column on it! i could upload the excel maybe?


----------



## Mindstorms

Fishdo said:


> I have been listening to the ZX507 the last few weeks as I used it the sound certainly changed for me... from being excessively harsh it has settled into a less harsh sound that I would now describe as aggressive...!
> 
> Yesterday I went back to my 1A ... and what a difference....at first I had said that the ZX was very different from the 1A but now I would say it’s not even in the same ball park... the 1A is so much more than the ZX in respect of sound...
> 
> ...


i discussed the same to a user that was saying 1A its harsh sounding... and eh had 2 units and he had to sell them both and z507 was a much better DAP i found it hard to believe since I have heard ZX2 and ZX100 and it may come from those leagues but far better for me 1A its a step UP in detal retrieval and SQ overal staging too, maybe they are a tad warmer specially ZX2 but from what i recall bas was slower on ZX2... I have myZX100 for portable i can tell you its miles away down in several ways... but for long playback time its king...


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> i discussed the same to a user that was saying 1A its harsh sounding... and eh had 2 units and he had to sell them both and z507 was a much better DAP i found it hard to believe since I have heard ZX2 and ZX100 and it may come from those leagues but far better for me 1A its a step UP in detal retrieval and SQ overal staging too, maybe they are a tad warmer specially ZX2 but from what i recall bas was slower on ZX2... I have myZX100 for portable i can tell you its miles away down in several ways... but for long playback time its king...




U cant compaint argue against peoples placebo ears lol

Let them be happy and thrive in their harmony.  They are happy its the most important lol


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 8, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yeaa there is unlimited possibilities!
> Cable or foamy rolling all good.
> 
> Yeaa I got no doubt ) z1r was the microscope tool to fine tune the mod on 1a )
> ...


I agree, as long as you are using and will be using iem for a long while, then it makes most sense to get the best dap for it, in this case modded 1Z. You’ll get maximum enjoyment at least in the next 3-5 years.

Even if WM2Z comes out next year or two, I really doubt it will beat a modded 1Z. Unless Sony can come up with hardware that far exceed the current performance or the come up with better software, which are both very unlikely.


----------



## Wietjunk

nc8000 said:


> you should only see the internal drive if there is no microSD and it is the internal drive letter you reference in the commandline


HI people, I solved my problem , Windows Defender was blocking all the time without any messages, in the log history I found the block.
The player is now E and de remote option is in the menu. 

Thanks.


----------



## Blueoris

Is there LDAC audio lag in 3.02 while in "Sound Quality" setting?


----------



## Whitigir

Loving my WM1A!!! So now I got it a case it fully deserves!!!

awesome looking case btw


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 8, 2020)

Blueoris said:


> Is there LDAC audio lag in 3.02 while in "Sound Quality" setting?


The DAC use when watching movies does create a lag noticeable with lip-sync. Only way around it is use Bluetooth. Or get a video player software which has a way of changing the audio/video sync.


----------



## nc8000

Blueoris said:


> Is there LDAC audio lag in 3.02 while in "Sound Quality" setting?



Do you mean using the Sony as BT receiver ?
I don’t notice any lag when playing films on my iPad though this is aac


----------



## Blueoris (Feb 8, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Do you mean using the Sony as BT receiver ?
> I don’t notice any lag when playing films on my iPad though this is aac







Redcarmoose said:


> The DAC use when watching movies does create a lag noticeable with lip-sync. Only way around it is use Bluetooth. Or get a video player software which has a way of changing the audio/video sync.



Thanks guys. I'd like to do LDAC, but I will need a new smartphone, so trying to find out if that code is free of lip-sync issues when operating in "Sound Quality" mode before purchasing the phone.


----------



## Quadfather

Screensaver...


----------



## Redcarmoose

Blueoris said:


> Thanks guys. I'd like to do LDAC, but I will need a new smartphone, so trying to find out if that code is free of lip-sync issues when operating in "Sound Quality" mode before purchasing the phone.


https://www.vlchelp.com/android-app-sync-audio-adjust-delay/


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Quadfather said:


> Screensaver...


Oh my, you’re officially obsessed.


----------



## Fishdo

Does anyone know if there is a way to change the AAC format when streaming either from streaming app or iCloud flac file from the iPhone or is that default..?

Thanks...


----------



## ezemigue

Realmente disfruté leyendo el hilo durante casi una semana, he disfrutado un w1a durante una semana, espero seguir aprendiendo contigo


----------



## nc8000

Fishdo said:


> Does anyone know if there is a way to change the AAC format when streaming either from streaming app or iCloud flac file from the iPhone or is that default..?
> 
> Thanks...



iOS only support aac and sbc on BT


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Loving my WM1A!!! So now I got it a case it fully deserves!!!
> 
> awesome looking case btw








Your 90% there, only one mod left to do.


----------



## genck

Redcarmoose said:


> Your 90% there, only one mod left to do.





Nah man, Ballistol


----------



## Quadfather

hamhamhamsta said:


> Oh my, you’re officially obsessed.




You are right...I am.


----------



## Whitigir

Hmm, I should lube it up ?


----------



## genck

Whitigir said:


> Hmm, I should lube it up ?


If you have to ask...


----------



## Holdmyown83

I feel so embarrassed asking this but I saved some sound presets but how do I switch to them? Every time I go back to the save screen it’s wanting me to just overwrite what’s already there when all I wanna do is switch to the other one I saved.


----------



## hshock76

My obsession and joy! - This is my end game.... till Sony releases the next Z Walkman   

Home - 1Z > Kimber Axios Copper > MDR-Z1R
On the Go - K-Mod (Ultimate+) 1Z  > PW Audio 1960s > IER-Z1R


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> My obsession and joy! - This is my end game.... till Sony releases the next Z Walkman
> 
> Home - 1Z > Kimber Axios Copper > MDR-Z1R
> On the Go - K-Mod (Ultimate+) 1Z  > PW Audio 1960s > IER-Z1R




Bad ass stuff man. Serious audiophile gear )


----------



## Whitigir

hshock76 said:


> My obsession and joy! - This is my end game.... till Sony releases the next Z Walkman
> 
> Home - 1Z > Kimber Axios Copper > MDR-Z1R
> On the Go - K-Mod (Ultimate+) 1Z  > PW Audio 1960s > IER-Z1R



Woa!! That is DMP-Z1 pricing right here + IER-Z1R or MDR Z1R combo


----------



## Lookout57

hshock76 said:


> My obsession and joy! - This is my end game.... till Sony releases the next Z Walkman
> 
> Home - 1Z > Kimber Axios Copper > MDR-Z1R
> On the Go - K-Mod (Ultimate+) 1Z  > PW Audio 1960s > IER-Z1R


All that's missing is the TA-ZH1ES


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 9, 2020)

Uhm!! The Dynamic! The driving power! The deep sub-bass!, the ripples! The rumbles! High-gain and 94 volume ! Plenty loud!!! Would be painful to go beyond 

Did not think upgrading the power supply sections would brought about this much improvements.


----------



## Maxx134 (Feb 9, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I dont think that the fiio can sound better than the wm1Z, perhaps it rivals wm1A


When I had the m11 I noticed the sound being clean an vivid , so this guy says it sounds dead next to the 15.
This tells me that you will have a morr exaggerated low level detailing, like a DB compressor used in music studios.

The issue with today's DAPs are not with detailing or resolve, but instead how artificially it is done.
Exaggerated sound aspects, like low level details pushed up.
You can end up with exaggerated width, and less dimensional, and closer soundstage.



hshock76 said:


> Tested the LPGT in Dec - a very good DAP - Clean and Resolute
> 
> N8 Balanced - Nothing really stood out for me
> N8 Tube - Too warm
> ...


This dac is so unique.
No Delta sigma sound. To me they are lively but not as real.
Not like ladder dac either. To me these dacs are founded in rock solid realism, but not most musical.

There comes a point where you musicality takes precedence over absolute realism, yet must have both to feel complete.
That's what I have with the moded 1z.

To me its way more organic sound, away from solid state sound.

To me, it would take a way higher dac to replace it.
No DAPs yet.


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> Woa!! That is DMP-Z1 pricing right here + IER-Z1R or MDR Z1R combo



The Z1 is still on my radar. I suspect I’ll eventually find a good enough reason to get it. Just that I’m hardly staying long enough in a certain spot even at home to justify having a desktop/large transportable DAP/AMP. Even the Tazzy is not getting much attention these days. really happy with both 1Zs now : )


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 9, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Uhm!! The Dynamic! The driving power! The deep sub-bass!, the ripples! The rumbles! High-gain and 94 volume ! Plenty loud!!! Would be painful to go beyond
> 
> Did not think upgrading the power supply sections would brought about this much improvements.


Wait, what power? What dynamics? Did mine get the same treatment? Because I need more dynamics and power, that’s why I added Oriolus BA 300S amp. If there’s a way to increase even more dynamics on my modded 1Z, then sign me up!


----------



## hshock76

Lookout57 said:


> All that's missing is the TA-ZH1ES







Only thing missing is the DMP-Z1. Got the Tazzy previously for the headphones but found myself using the 1Z with the MDR more often instead.

The real surprise to me here is the NW-A105. With the IER-M9, it punches way above it’s size. Really good SQ from the baby Walkman.


----------



## Damz87

hshock76 said:


> Only thing missing is the DMP-Z1. Got the Tazzy previously for the headphones but found myself using the 1Z with the MDR more often instead.
> 
> The real surprise to me here is the NW-A105. With the IER-M9, it punches way above it’s size. Really good SQ from the baby Walkman.



Nice collection mate! I’ve been meaning to take a family photo like this


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Uhm!! The Dynamic! The driving power! The deep sub-bass!, the ripples! The rumbles! High-gain and 94 volume ! Plenty loud!!! Would be painful to go beyond
> 
> Did not think upgrading the power supply sections would brought about this much improvements.
> 
> ...





hshock76 said:


> Only thing missing is the DMP-Z1. Got the Tazzy previously for the headphones but found myself using the 1Z with the MDR more often instead.
> 
> The real surprise to me here is the NW-A105. With the IER-M9, it punches way above it’s size. Really good SQ from the baby Walkman.




That is a real sony little heaven congrats


----------



## Whitigir

So the WM1A can do Iphone Tidal into 88.2KHz and 96Khz from Tidal Master.  This is interesting


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> So the WM1A can do Iphone Tidal into 88.2KHz and 96Khz from Tidal Master.  This is interesting




Maybe apples usb out is bit perfect? 
Or its limited to only 88.3?
Even when you play higher rate res?

Did you tried on androids )


----------



## Whitigir

88.2 and 96.  I have not tried android


----------



## Damz87 (Feb 9, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> So the WM1A can do Iphone Tidal into 88.2KHz and 96Khz from Tidal Master.  This is interesting



What cable are you using to connect to the iPhone? Do you use the stock WM cable with an iPhone CCK?


----------



## Whitigir

Damz87 said:


> What cable are you using to connect to the iPhone? Do you use the stock WM cable with an iPhone CCK?


Yes!
I found out that My Dx220 can do 192Khz and 176.4Khz.  So Walkman doesn’t do all unfolding


----------



## gazzington

So, I've managed to acquire a wm1z for a good price. What's a good iem for it. I can get good prices on u12t and khan. I do like good bass


----------



## kenjamin0523

gazzington said:


> So, I've managed to acquire a wm1z for a good price. What's a good iem for it. I can get good prices on u12t and khan. I do like good bass



If you don't have any problems with treble sensitive, Khan is the best choice.


----------



## gazzington

kenjamin0523 said:


> If you don't have any problems with treble sensitive, Khan is the best choice.


What's the bass like on it?


----------



## Tawek (Feb 10, 2020)

gazzington said:


> So, I've managed to acquire a wm1z for a good price. What's a good iem for it. I can get good prices on u12t and khan. I do like good bass


Sony Mdr ex1000 - the biggest stage and the best bass, beautiful coherence


----------



## Whitigir

Why not IER Z1R


----------



## gazzington

Whitigir said:


> Why not IER Z1R


Hard to find in UK but found one as new in UK this morning. May purchase


----------



## Lookout57

gazzington said:


> So, I've managed to acquire a wm1z for a good price. What's a good iem for it. I can get good prices on u12t and khan. I do like good bass


Campfire Solaris or Solaris Special Edition paired with a quality pure silver cable.

My favorite paring is the Campfire Solaris Special Edition with the DHC Clone Silver.


----------



## gazzington

I'm looking forward to see how it compares to the wm1a


----------



## Vitaly2017

gazzington said:


> I'm looking forward to see how it compares to the wm1a




Ier-z1r,  tia trio, fir audio m4 or m5, maybe tia fourte if you like it.


----------



## gc335

I joined the WM1a club!  Pretty excited. 

This new firmware allows for 400gb cards right?


----------



## nc8000

gc335 said:


> I joined the WM1a club!  Pretty excited.
> 
> This new firmware allows for 400gb cards right?



all the way up to 1TB cards


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 10, 2020)

gazzington said:


> So, I've managed to acquire a wm1z for a good price. What's a good iem for it. I can get good prices on u12t and khan. I do like good bass


EE Legend X, its a bass monster and maybe its up to your alley.


----------



## gc335

hamhamhamsta said:


> Maybe EE Legend X,its a bass monster and maybe its up to your alley.


I love the sound of the Legend. It hits hard for sure but with does level out a bit with non-bassy music.  I might pick a custom at canjam this weekend.


----------



## gerelmx1986

WM2Z should better caps and more in quantity,  if  should have 512GB internal plus 2 micro SD slots. Sound filters (DAC filters) and more power


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> WM2Z should better caps and more in quantity,  if  should have 512GB internal plus 2 micro SD slots. Sound filters (DAC filters) and more power




I doubt it will have 2 sd cards. 
Maybe 512gig not sure .
New caps would be same as dmp.

With new ai dsee hx and maybe something new that no one expects


----------



## Lookout57

Vitaly2017 said:


> I doubt it will have 2 sd cards.
> Maybe 512gig not sure .
> New caps would be same as dmp.
> 
> With new ai dsee hx and maybe something new that no one expects


I would like to see DSD Remastering Engine added.


----------



## nc8000

I don’t have a wish list as I will not be buying a new dap until my 1Z dies and can’t be repaired for a reasonable price hopefully many years down the road


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> Uhm!! The Dynamic! The driving power! The deep sub-bass!, the ripples! The rumbles! High-gain and 94 volume ! Plenty loud!!! Would be painful to go beyond
> 
> Did not think upgrading the power supply sections would brought about this much improvements.


Thats 1A modded right? firmware?


----------



## Whitigir

Midnstorms said:


> Thats 1A modded right? firmware?


3.0.2


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 10, 2020)

It isn’t Hi-Res until it is official “Hi-Res”


----------



## cubed4life

Are these still available anymore?

Musashino Label


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 10, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> Only thing missing is the DMP-Z1. Got the Tazzy previously for the headphones but found myself using the 1Z with the MDR more often instead.
> 
> The real surprise to me here is the NW-A105. With the IER-M9, it punches way above it’s size. Really good SQ from the baby Walkman.



TA check 
1Z check 
1A check
MDR check
IER check

Same stuff as me. Only https://www.headfi.org/members/whitigir.378966/ had me get the dock and AQCarbon for the TA.


----------



## Redcarmoose

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/cubed4life.472979/

Saw the textured black in Japan. I ended up with brown and it’s held together even though it looks all glued? I’ll look for the web site.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 10, 2020)

cubed4life said:


> Are these still available anymore?
> 
> Musashino Label






Don’t let the slight wear make you think they are used on Japan EBay. Though this one is used. The new ones have these marks. 
They look just like this brand new. Could not find them direct? 

https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/w367759559
https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/c785646804


----------



## cubed4life

Looks like those are sold? I'm in the US.


----------



## gc335

cubed4life said:


> Looks like those are sold? I'm in the US.





cubed4life said:


> Looks like those are sold? I'm in the US.


Check out Valentinum on Etsy. He makes good stuff. I’ve ordered many cases from him. He customize the leather and stitching on basically anything. Nice guy.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/496894...?ga_search_query=WM1a&ref=shop_items_search_3


----------



## AudioMoksha

I got a WM1A. What would be a good SD card for this please? I have a music collection of about 700gb, can I get it all loaded in this?

I am presently using a SanDisk 256GB card.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 11, 2020)

AudioMoksha said:


> I got a WM1A. What would be a good SD card for this please? I have a music collection of about 700gb, can I get it all loaded in this?
> 
> I am presently using a SanDisk 256GB card.



Prices are great on 1TB but I use a 400GB, like the link.
Your going to still need more space with a $59 400GB card for 700GB. Maybe best to go 1TB?

https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-400GB-microSDXC-Memory-Adapter/dp/B074RNRM2B

https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Extreme-microSDXC-Memory-Adapter/dp/B07P9W5HJV


----------



## hshock76

Redcarmoose said:


> TA check
> 1Z check
> 1A check
> MDR check
> ...



No 1A. Just a stock and modded 1Z.

I did compare the ZX507 and 1A on 2 separate instances when I was in Asia 2 weeks back and found the 1A's SQ more appealing to me. Higher resolution and clearly a wider stage.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> TA check
> 1Z check
> 1A check
> MDR check
> ...



me too except the 1A plus both XM3 and an A45


----------



## Redcarmoose

hshock76 said:


> No 1A. Just a stock and modded 1Z.
> 
> I did compare the ZX507 and 1A on 2 separate instances when I was in Asia 2 weeks back and found the 1A's SQ more appealing to me. Higher resolution and clearly a wider stage.



I thought the 1A outperformed the 300ZX...obviously, still these are newer models for Sony. 




Spent morning with the MDR-Z1R-TA-Dock-1Z.....I’m still totally amazed at what the dock does in comparison to the side cable while using it with the AQCarbon. It’s really better than my IER-Z1R and 1Z.
For some reason it sounded so midcentric and detailed today? I have no idea why? If your using your TA, I can’t recommend the AQCarbon and dock enough.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Feb 11, 2020)

AudioMoksha said:


> I got a WM1A. What would be a good SD card for this please? I have a music collection of about 700gb, can I get it all loaded in this?
> 
> I am presently using a SanDisk 256GB card.


I have the Sandisk 1.0TB card, works flawless


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> I thought the 1A outperformed the 300ZX...obviously, still these are newer models for Sony.
> 
> Spent morning with the MDR-Z1R-TA-Dock-1Z.....I’m still totally amazed at what the dock does in comparison to the side cable while using it with the AQCarbon. It’s really better than my IER-Z1R and 1Z.
> For some reason it sounded so midcentric and detailed today? I have no idea why? If your using your TA, I can’t recommend the AQCarbon and dock enough.


I got yesterday a notofication from Amazon, that the shipping date was updated to the 26th february. Finally my sony upgrade kimberkable is coming


----------



## hshock76

I’m currently have the Moon Audio USB cable. Prob have to get the dock. Btw does the dock work without power if I just wanna use the 1Z as a transport without charging?


----------



## gazzington

Hey guys, what's a decent case for a Sony wm1z?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 11, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I got yesterday a notofication from Amazon, that the shipping date was updated to the 26th february. Finally my sony upgrade kimberkable is coming



You’ll love it. Post your impressions. 

SONY MUC-B20SB1 4.4mm Balanced Plug 2.0m 8-wire Braided Cable for MDR-Z1R


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 11, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> I’m currently have the Moon Audio USB cable. Prob have to get the dock. Btw does the dock work without power if I just wanna use the 1Z as a transport without charging?



The dock works a bunch of ways. You can simply plug the usb cable from the dock into the TA and plug your 1Z in.....even in the standard case it goes in....lol...yep, with case on and flap flipped back. Discovered that myself. 

Then you can either plug it in and charge your 1Z or simply play the 1Z not charging with the dock unplugged. I think the USB filters don’t need AC as it sounds the same. 

Also you can run a PC into a mini usb in back of the dock and transfer files or play the PC through the dock.....meaning connect the PC to the TA. Also you can hook the mini USB to the dock from the computer and run the 1Z by itself backwards in USB DAC mode using simply the 1Z 4.4mm or 3.5mm. Discovered that too myself.

So they set it up to daisy chain with a PC and the 1Z and the dock together.


----------



## Viszla

gazzington said:


> Hey guys, what's a decent case for a Sony wm1z?


Maybe a case from Valentinum . Look at https://www.etsy.com/de/shop/VALENTINUM


----------



## gazzington

Viszla said:


> Maybe a case from Valentinum . Look at https://www.etsy.com/de/shop/VALENTINUM


Those cases do look nice and add good protection. The Van Nuys case does not protect the sides by the look of it


----------



## Damz87

Seeing as we’re all showing off our Sony collections. Sorry about the terrible photo. Couple of things missing from the shot. I don’t like to think about how much money I’ve spent, nor do I want my wife thinking about it, so I keep most of it tucked away in a cupboard.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Damz87 said:


> Seeing as we’re all showing off our Sony collections. Sorry about the terrible photo. Couple of things missing from the shot. I don’t like to think about how much money I’ve spent, nor do I want my wife thinking about it, so I keep most of it tucked away in a cupboard.


That’s an awful lot of new shoes there!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Damz87 said:


> Seeing as we’re all showing off our Sony collections. Sorry about the terrible photo. Couple of things missing from the shot. I don’t like to think about how much money I’ve spent, nor do I want my wife thinking about it, so I keep most of it tucked away in a cupboard.



I just looked at your profile; your the true Sony aficionado here. You win the prize!


----------



## gazzington

Damz87 said:


> Seeing as we’re all showing off our Sony collections. Sorry about the terrible photo. Couple of things missing from the shot. I don’t like to think about how much money I’ve spent, nor do I want my wife thinking about it, so I keep most of it tucked away in a cupboard.


That is very impressive


----------



## Redcarmoose

gazzington said:


> That is very impressive



Yes, it should go back away. A complete collection which makes all of us look like amateurs.


----------



## Damz87

Redcarmoose said:


> I just looked at your profile; your the true Sony aficionado here. You win the prize!



Haha... I hope it’s a cash prize coz I’m broke


----------



## Redcarmoose

Damz87 said:


> Haha... I hope it’s a cash prize coz I’m broke



We’re all hobos here I think?


----------



## Damz87

Redcarmoose said:


> We’re all hobos here I think?



My tent has decent acoustics


----------



## gazzington

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, it should go back away. A complete collection which makes all of us look like amateurs.


Lol I'm happy with my wm1a and soon to receive 1zr and wm1z!


----------



## gazzington

gazzington said:


> Lol I'm happy with my wm1a and soon to receive 1zr and wm1z!


In matter of fact if I like the wm1z I'll probably try and sell the lpgt. I have too many daps


----------



## Damz87

gazzington said:


> Lol I'm happy with my wm1a and soon to receive 1zr and wm1z!



Nice! What IEM are you upgrading from?


----------



## Redcarmoose

People can say there is no reason to have a few different combinations of gear. Like more than three IEMs or two DAPs, but the truth is even with a small collection..........stuff can sound surprisingly different from day to day. Why I’m not sure, it’s all good though.


----------



## Damz87

Redcarmoose said:


> People can say there is no reason to have a few different combinations of gear. Like more than three IEMs or two DAPs, but the truth is even with a small collection..........stuff can sound surprisingly different from day to day. Why I’m not sure, it’s all good though.



Which WM1 DAP do you use more often out of the two?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 11, 2020)

I use the 1Z 90% of the time and the 1A on trips. Use the TA maybe 10% of the time.


----------



## goody

Damz87 said:


> Which WM1 DAP do you use more often out of the two?


what Sony IEMS have you got in your pic damz87


----------



## gerelmx1986

Ich häbe
MDR-Z1R 
IER-M7
IER-Z1R 
NW-A55L -512GB Samsung micro
NW-WM1A -1TB Sandisk micro


----------



## Whitigir

The whole night listening to it FLAC/WAV and high-Res without battery dropped!!! Amazing !!!


----------



## Damz87

goody said:


> what Sony IEMS have you got in your pic damz87



Z1R, M9 (with the kimber cable), N3, Z5 (with the M9 cable), EX1000

Missing from the photo are EX800ST, xb90ex, xba-4, mh1c, mh750 & mh755


----------



## Fishdo

cubed4life said:


> Looks like those are sold? I'm in the US.



Try EaseCase on AliExpress.... they make the same style and you can chose your colour, leather, lining and a magnet etc plus you can have your name or similar put on it all for one price... I gave £34 for mine..

It’s worth a look given the case looks exactly like the one you posted a pic of...


----------



## Fishdo

Here’s a couple of pics...


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

I don't know how you did to get it, but it's out of stock for me for ages now.
 If you have a working link You'll make a happy face over here.


----------



## gc335

Is anyone looking to unload their WM1z? I found a mint WM1a but I'm thinking I should have just spend the extra funds and picked up the 1z.  I can trade the 1a plus cash. Or straight cash. Please let me know if you are interested.


----------



## gerelmx1986

To the folks who have the sony Kimbwr cable for Z1R, Z7 Z7MK2 did you kept the stock cable or ditched it to trash?


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> To the folks who have the sony Kimbwr cable for Z1R, Z7 Z7MK2 did you kept the stock cable or ditched it to trash?


Kept it.


----------



## ezemigue

some comparison of the WM1A with lotoo paw 6000, thinking about the change, some opinion 
who has lower level of hiss for iem sensitive ?, thanks for your help


----------



## Damz87

gerelmx1986 said:


> To the folks who have the sony Kimbwr cable for Z1R, Z7 Z7MK2 did you kept the stock cable or ditched it to trash?



Kept. I’m guessing they aren’t cheap to replace.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Thanks for replying, i qull keep mine, however i muat inspect it,  have had it for about two years. Got it from @purk whom also sold me his Z1R at the end. The plastic from the L and R cables that go from the upper part of the Y to the cups, feels very stiff and hard, hopedully it doesn't gone bad


----------



## Fishdo

MrLocoLuciano said:


> I don't know how you did to get it, but it's out of stock for me for ages now.
> If you have a working link You'll make a happy face over here.



I just checked and He won’t be relisting the case for about another 2 weeks mate... the guy that actually makes the case is/has been away and should be back in a couple of weeks...


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Fishdo said:


> I just checked and He won’t be relisting the case for about another 2 weeks mate... the guy that actually makes the case is/has been away and should be back in a couple of weeks...


Thanks, I'm looking once every 2 or 3 weeks since November, seems like it never was at the right moment


----------



## Whitigir

Today I just confirmed a couple things

1/ AAC from tidal to WM1A sucks....worse so than using LDAC

2/ USB connection will be better!!!

3/ Local files are the best!!!


----------



## Whitigir

Also, HD800s is driven loud with wm1A but lack the dynamic that is should have when driven by other more powerful Players such as Dx220, Dx160, and also lacks the details trebles density.

All in All, it does wonderful with ier-Z1R for portable and night-time , bed time.....or for in ear buds.

I still stand on my opinion about Walkmans....unique sound signatures but the weakness is power output.


----------



## Mindstorms

Has anyone here ehard the AK Sp2000 sand can sahre its opinion? compared to 1A/Z


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 12, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Also, HD800s is driven loud with wm1A but lack the dynamic that is should have when driven by other more powerful Players such as Dx220, Dx160, and also lacks the details trebles density.
> 
> All in All, it does wonderful with ier-Z1R for portable and night-time , bed time.....or for in ear buds.
> 
> I still stand on my opinion about Walkmans....unique sound signatures but the weakness is power output.



1Z/1A both have  plenty of power for the IER-Z1R. They are not made for HD800s?

Your the only poster on this thread which thinks that way...good luck with that.......


----------



## gazzington

My wm1z arrived. Wow it's beautiful.  Will come compare with the wm1a later 
I have too many daps. If I prefer this to the others I may sell off some of the others. Love Sony ui so it automatically wins on that front


----------



## Whitigir

gazzington said:


> My wm1z arrived. Wow it's beautiful.  Will come compare with the wm1a later
> I have too many daps. If I prefer this to the others I may sell off some of the others. Love Sony ui so it automatically wins on that front


Same here!  The UI is so awesome to have


----------



## Viszla

MrLocoLuciano said:


> I don't know how you did to get it, but it's out of stock for me for ages now.
> If you have a working link You'll make a happy face over here.


Maybe this is a case for you https://www.etsy.com/de/listing/496894870/schutz-case-zubehor-sony-walkman-nw?ref=ss_listing


----------



## gazzington

Before I start listening, does the wm1z sound better with use like the wm1a?


----------



## Whitigir

gazzington said:


> Before I start listening, does the wm1z sound better with use like the wm1a?


If it is brand new, yes....if it is used....nope


----------



## gazzington

Whitigir said:


> If it is brand new, yes....if it is used....nope


Brand new, basically. It was an open box model


----------



## Whitigir

gazzington said:


> Brand new, basically. It was an open box model


Then yes...it will need time to burn-in


----------



## gazzington

Yes I think it does. It's like wm1a when first used it. Very clinical sounding.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Viszla said:


> Maybe this is a case for you https://www.etsy.com/de/listing/496894870/schutz-case-zubehor-sony-walkman-nw?ref=ss_listing


Thanks, I know this one but would like other one


----------



## bflat

Redcarmoose said:


> 1Z/1A both have  plenty of power for the IER-Z1R. They are not made for HD800s?
> 
> Your the only poster on this thread which thinks that way...good luck with that.......



Sony's own product pages state that S-Master digital amp does not work well with high impedance headphones which is why they added an analog stage in the TA-ZH1es to "....correct these signal deficiencies for a cleaner, more natural sound." I would imagine HD800s impedance of 300 ohms is considered high so not an ideal pairing with WM1a/z. In my own experience, 80 ohm Utopia sound fine on the WM1z, but when I tried HD820 it sounded a little dry and grainy but could play at more than sufficient volume. Sony's own MDR-Z1R is any easy to drive 64 ohm like the Utopia.


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> Sony's own product pages state that S-Master digital amp does not work well with high impedance headphones which is why they added an analog stage in the TA-ZH1es to "....correct these signal deficiencies for a cleaner, more natural sound." I would imagine HD800s impedance of 300 ohms is considered high so not an ideal pairing with WM1a/z. In my own experience, 80 ohm Utopia sound fine on the WM1z, but when I tried HD820 it sounded a little dry and grainy but could play at more than sufficient volume. Sony's own MDR-Z1R is any easy to drive 64 ohm like the Utopia.


Defintely agreed, that is why I have DMP-Z1

If it isn’t for IER-Z1R, I wouldn’t have this WM1A and back at Walkman LOL!


----------



## Vitaly2017

I thinl its about time that everyone realizes that 100 ohm + headphones is nonsense nova days. Technology is able to make all headphones bellow 50 ohm...

So beg me pardon sir's and miss's but at those ratings 1z can do with ease!

So just buy wisely your headphones or iems and there be absolutely no need for additional amping with 1z


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> I thinl its about time that everyone realizes that 100 ohm + headphones is nonsense nova days. Technology is able to make all headphones bellow 50 ohm...
> 
> So beg me pardon sir's and miss's but at those ratings 1z can do with ease!
> 
> So just buy wisely your headphones or iems and there be absolutely no need for additional amping with 1z



good advise, but can I add ?
remember buy and choose headphones and IEMs that doesn’t “hiss” ? So you have more flexibility to roll DAP


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> good advise, but can I add ?
> remember buy and choose headphones and IEMs that doesn’t “hiss” ? So you have more flexibility to roll DAP





Yeaa you know this is exactly what I learn on my side with iems. So no more hissers!

My tia trio dont hiss! With 1z


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 12, 2020)

anyone experimented on cheap affordable IEMS? that can mention?

- I have the feeling sony will stop the firmware updates here leaving 1A sort of in the dust.. i really wish they would have done a 3.03 for 1A same stage a little less mid centric and less voice focus maybe a little less wide but shurely biger than 3.01 and same awesome 3.02 bass but with 3.01 volume and 3.02 trebble im tripping too much lol!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 13, 2020)

gazzington said:


> Yes I think it does. It's like wm1a when first used it. Very clinical sounding.



In my use straight out of the box the 1Z changed noticeably 0-50 hours. They recommend 400 hours really.......200 on 3.5 and 200 on 4.4. To me I don't think I got an idea of what I owned till about 100 hours? The cool part is even after the recommended 200 hours a side....they keep climbing. The changes are on a multitude of levels, though I changed firmware the first day, I remember the player getting slightly louder as well as clearer and having more bass and treble after some burn-in? The best part of burn-in  is the extra smoothness!


----------



## Damz87

Midnstorms said:


> anyone experimented on cheap affordable IEMS? that can mention?



I sometimes use my Blon bl-03 or Tin T4 with my 1Z. I like the T4 pairing better than the Blon. The 1Z adds some warmth and weight to the sound and expands its soundstage.


----------



## gazzington

Redcarmoose said:


> In my use straight out of the box the 1Z changed a lot 0-50 hours. They recommend 400 hours really.......200 on 3.5 and 200 on 4.4. To me I don't think I got an idea of what I owned till about 100 hours? The cool part is even after the recommended 200 hours a side....they keep climbing. The changes are on a multitude of levels, though I changed firmware the first day, I remember the player getting slightly louder as well as clearer and having more bass and treble after some burn-in? The best part of burn-in  is the extra smoothness!


Thanks mate. It's a really well built dap like the wm1a. If this dap works out for me I think I'll sell a couple of my other totl daps (lpgt, sp2k, n8). I like the Sony ui very much so it gives it big advantage over the others


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> Same here!  The UI is so awesome to have


What was the battery mod that you used?  Can you please share details?


----------



## gazzington

Apparently my ier z1r arrives tomorrow. Hope it pairs well with the wm1z. What's a good iem to go with wm1a for work?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 13, 2020)

gazzington said:


> Apparently my ier z1r arrives tomorrow. Hope it pairs well with the wm1z. What's a good iem to go with wm1a for work?



I don’t know about an IEM for the 1A, but the IER/1Z combo should be quite a surprise for you with 3.02 firmware. It was a surprise for me.

Edit:
The IER will also like 4.4mm and high gain, of course you knew that.


----------



## 524419

I use the LCDi4 at home, and rotate my LEGEND X and RHA CL2. 
All 3 pair beautifully with the modded 1A. 
All 3 are fairly unique IEMs, and sound very different.


----------



## Whitigir

Diet Kokaine said:


> What was the battery mod that you used?  Can you please share details?


Upgrade the battery wires and replace to a new battery is usually it.  I did not do it for mine


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> Upgrade the battery wires and replace to a new battery is usually it.  I did not do it for mine


I am probably going to do that for my 1A. 
If I can somehow fit solid core wires in there...... that'd be something.


----------



## auronthas (Feb 13, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> anyone experimented on cheap affordable IEMS? that can mention?


You may try Intime Sora Light. Dynamic driver, neutral sound, very well paired with WM1A, does not feel bored even long hour listening. 
However, it sounds harsh when listen to Hiby R6, could be R6's 10ohm output impedance ...



gazzington said:


> What's a good iem to go with wm1a for work?



Intime Sora Light is extremely light at 16g, good for traveling too.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 13, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> I am probably going to do that for my 1A.
> If I can somehow fit solid core wires in there...... that'd be something.


The battery wires ? I don’t recommend solid wires.  If it broke and short out, you are going to burn down your house....the battery and it wires need to be flexible and secured.

Solid wires for the internal wires into the socket is all good


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> The battery wires ? I don’t recommend solid wires.  If it broke and short out, you are going to burn down your house....the battery and it wires need to be flexible and secured.
> 
> Solod wires for the internal wires into the socket is all good


yeah you are probably right   I'll try Cardas Litz wires. 20 gauge.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 13, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> yeah you are probably right   I'll try Cardas Litz wires. 20 gauge.


Litz is the perfect options .  Let me know if you have gained more performances in which areas.

I am waiting for the new replacement battery to come...but I think the Corona outbreak has slowed it down much ....poor people in China .  I just hope it got taken care of

on another hands, direct sound mode, I can go  full night and still 4 bars...this is crazy for old battery


----------



## Tawek

Whitigir said:


> Litz is the perfect options .  Let me know if you have gained more performances in which areas.
> 
> I am waiting for the new replacement battery to come...but I think the Corona outbreak has slowed it down much ....poor people in China .  I just hope it got taken care of
> 
> on another hands, direct sound mode, I can go  full night and still 4 bars...this is crazy for old battery


My "Old "Sony Nwz X-1061 (debuted in Japan in April 2009. Walkman X series is the first Sony flash memory based Walkman that features OLED display, touch screen and S-Master digital amplifier technologies.) 
still after 10 years 22 -25h on one charge !!!  and this is amazing !!! to this with Xelento it is also excellent sounding  and tonally very similar to Wm1z 
For me, X1061 is a real work of art and it was a real  revolution now it is "only evolution"ATTACH]3567008[/ATTACH]


----------



## rcoleman1

@Tawek Thanks for the flashback...I remember being really impressed by the X1061.


----------



## Tawek (Feb 13, 2020)

of course the power is small, but for iem such as Xelento 16 ohm is a perfect, completely black background and this characteristic addictive sound from Sony
Is funny I had Cyaine N6ii and tonally I much prefer the x1061 + xelento  VS  N6ii +Xelento and after 6 days I sold N6ii hehe


rcoleman1 said:


> @Tawek Thanks for the flashback...I remember being really impressed by the X1061.


----------



## Vitaly2017

gazzington said:


> My wm1z arrived. Wow it's beautiful.  Will come compare with the wm1a later
> I have too many daps. If I prefer this to the others I may sell off some of the others. Love Sony ui so it automatically wins on that front





Tawek said:


> My "Old "Sony Nwz X-1061 (debuted in Japan in April 2009. Walkman X series is the first Sony flash memory based Walkman that features OLED display, touch screen and S-Master digital amplifier technologies.)
> still after 10 years 22 -25h on one charge !!!  and this is amazing !!! to this with Xelento it is also excellent sounding  and tonally very similar to Wm1z
> For me, X1061 is a real work of art and it was a real  revolution now it is "only evolution"ATTACH]3567008[/ATTACH]





Is that android based?
Its a Se only right


----------



## Tawek

Vitaly2017 said:


> Is that android based?
> Its a Se only right





Vitaly2017 said:


> Is that android based?
> Its a Se only right



is Sony software
very similar to that of the Wm1z -a series
  starts up
 1.5 sec in sleepy mode  
it's 0.5 sec, the interface is faster than current flagships
x-1061 or 1060 with low ohm iems is still very attractive in terms of sound and as a portable light years ahead of the current generation it is worth to try it is very cheap 100 $ -150 $ 
and it has a radio


----------



## gc335

I received my Wm1a yesterday... My Laylas sounds stunning!!!! Maybe the best I've heard them!


----------



## Whitigir

how many of you here tried new SP2K ? And still staying with WM1Z/A ?


----------



## gc335

Whitigir said:


> how many of you here tried new SP2K ? And still staying with WM1Z/A ?


A buddy has the SP2k.  I'm going to try it next week.  I have fairly warm IEMs and I think the Wm1a compliments them nicely.  I can post impressions later.


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> how many of you here tried new SP2K ? And still staying with WM1Z/A ?



I've auditioned the SP2K twice.

My impressions of it's strength: high resolution, clarity, neutral

It's a very very capable player but It did not invoke my emotions unlike the 1Z for the vocal tracks I listen to.


----------



## Whitigir

hshock76 said:


> I've auditioned the SP2K twice.
> 
> My impressions of it's strength: high resolution, clarity, neutral
> 
> It's a very very capable player but It did not invoke my emotions unlike the 1Z for the vocal tracks I listen to.



thank you! That is good to know


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> thank you! That is good to know



I actually find the 228-EX more exciting tbh.


----------



## Whitigir

hshock76 said:


> I actually find the 228-EX more exciting tbh.


Could you tell me more ? Thank you


----------



## gc335 (Feb 13, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> how many of you here tried new SP2K ? And still staying with WM1Z/A ?


I just tried the sp2k with the Legend X listening to a violin concert in 11.2 DSD.  Wow.  It was a brief listen but impressive.  I'll have a longer listen next week.


----------



## Whitigir

gc335 said:


> I just tried the sp2k with the Legend X listening to a violin concert in 11.2 DSD.  Wow.  It was a brief listen but impressive.  I'll have a longer listen next week.


What impressions over your wm1A ?


----------



## gc335

Whitigir said:


> What impressions over your wm1A ?


I didn't have the DSD track on my WM1a to directly compare.  I'm meeting my buddy again on Monday and should have more impressions then.  In my opinion, the wm1a is all I need.  I would rather invest in music and headphones/IEMs.  I think once you get to the WM1a your money goes a lot farther with IEMs.


----------



## hshock76 (Feb 13, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Could you tell me more ? Thank you



Can't really quantify in detail so I am going with my memory of how I felt when I tested both.

I did not have the "wow" feeling when I auditioned the SP2K on 2 occasions in SG last year. On the first occasion, I tested both SP2K and Kann Cube and ended up walking out the shop with the Kann Cube. I was floored by the super wide sound stage when pairing the Kann Cube with the IER-Z1R and how it made every piece sound like being in a live session. However, I was reading really good reviews of the SP2K and made a trip to audition it again several months later; but my impression did not change much. A very good player but nothing really stood out for me. I was using the IER-Z1R on both occasions.

The 228-EX on the other hand made me sit up and listen when I first tried it and it improved alot after 200hrs burned in. Soundstage, imaging, resolution and clarity were its really strong points.

However, like I've mentioned several times in my posts, the 1Z (both stock & modded) has that little extra magic for me when it comes to vocal focused tracks. The 228-EX on the other hand is really good at Jazz, Orchestra and pop.


----------



## Whitigir

hshock76 said:


> Can't really quantify in detail so I am going with my memory of how I felt when I tested both.
> 
> I did not have the "wow" feeling when I auditioned the SP2K on 2 occasions in SG last year. On the first occasion, I tested both SP2K and Kann Cube and ended up walking out the shop with the Kann Cube. I was floored by the super wide sound stage when pairing the Kann Cube with the IER-Z1R and how it made every piece sound like being in a live session. However, I was reading really good reviews of the SP2K and made a trip to audition it again several months later; but my impression did not change much. A very good player but nothing really stood out for me. I was using the IER-Z1R on both occasions.
> 
> ...



awesome!! Thank you for the details!!


----------



## hshock76

Really enjoying this office combo now:
1Z (Stock) > PW Audio No.5 8-wire > Hayla CE-5

The warmth of the 1Z balances out the brighter CE-5 resulting in an outstanding combination and gives a different signature from the Z1R. Sub bass, soundstage, separation and imaging is outstanding. Listening to Beatles on this combo brings me back in time and fast tracks from MJ sounds really good.


----------



## Jalo

Whitigir said:


> how many of you here tried new SP2K ? And still staying with WM1Z/A ?


I bought the SP2k 4 months ago and have been enjoying it's increased clean power, and fast response. after using the 1Z for the past 3 years, the SP2k feels like a fresh breath of air, I still like the1Z for certain mood


----------



## hshock76 (Feb 13, 2020)

Talking about response, the Hayla CE-5 is like a sports car compared to the Z1R which is akin to a Grand Tourer.

The combination of the 1Z with the IER-Z1R is laid back in nature but the Hayla and the 1Z sounds brighter, faster and exciting; great for fast pace genres.

I was initially unsure of the Hayla as the mids sounded thin; but after pairing it with the warmer 1Z, i am hooked.


----------



## gazzington

My wm1z is now on 50 hrs and it's starting to sound a lot better. Seriously can't judge it from out of the box


----------



## FritzM

Feedback SONY WM1A MOD K ULTIMATE vs SONY WM1Z






INTRO

Is a WM1A mod K Ultimate as good as a WM1Z? I've been asking this question for over a year. I must say that I really like the WM1Z, its signature and its sound performance are one of the best today.
However, I don't really like its physical characteristics. Like this ostentatious gold plate bordering on bad taste (but very fashionable in Asia). But above all its mass… We are not either in the gargantuan combo SP1000 + amp;  453 grams it weighs. I must admit, the wm1a in black with a featherweight of 266 grams appeals to me more.
On the sound side, a year ago I listened to the wm1a, but I don't remember the signature at all so I'm not going to dare to describe it, I just know that I didn't like it. In the meantime, a lot of listening and the abandonment of analytic listening that disgusted me with my flamencos. A few months of silence and I found the pleasure of listening with the wm1z and the 1960 which give flamencos what I have always hoped for.
For this comparison I will try to describe to you as precisely as possible my personal impressions on these DAPs. I'm going to use my JOMO flamencos ciem switches off, the PW 1960 4k and a little bit the EA Horus 8. For information, the two DAPs have firmware 3.02.
Unfortunately I cannot share the tracks I have listened to because there have been a lot during the forty hours of listening.
Note a little oddity, on the wm1ak my comfortable listening volume is +/- 70 when it is +/- 90 on the wm1z ...


TECHNICAL SIDE

Overall the sound scene of the wm1z is wider with an enveloping side while being distant while the wm1ak is more classic with a panoramic scene.
In terms of height I could not distinguish a noticeable difference, both have a lot of height which is very nice.
The wm1z has more depth in its soundstage but it is underused; the difference is mainly in the depth management, which is different. The wm1ak stands out with a closer soundstage and a very risky bet on the management of the depth which cannot please everyone.

The presentation of the wm1z offers a classic, harmonious and soft, very structured sound stage that allows you to appreciate the details. The use of space is excellent, the various instruments are well separated in width / height while keeping a very good definition. Unfortunately too little distribution in the depth.
The wm1ak offers another style, a centralization which occupies a large part of the width / height with a big work of separation of the instruments in depth, less in width, only the details will be spread out at the ends of the soundstage. A raw scene that gives natural listening to any song that grooves!

For treble, the wm1z dominates widely, its treble is beautiful, full with extensions. The wm1ak is struggling on these frequencies, treble treble, with few extensions with sometimes an aggressive tendency.

The mediums play the game of wm1ak, very thick they occupy the sound stage wonderfully. They lack finesse but with great depth they are the essence of wm1a. Very dynamic, they massively transmit the energy of music. The mediums of the wm1z are soft and beautiful, they spread in finesse with a lot of details in width but often lacking in depth. They give little dynamism preferring to express themselves in nuances.

The bass is full and generous with the wm1ak, it hits hard with a beautiful definition, very good extensions and above all a lot of depth which gives this very nice little echo. They play an important role in the very musical signature of this DAP. The wm1z also offers beautiful, full bass, with excellent definition and detail. The bottom of the spectrum respects a very precise musical balance while remaining in its place in control.

Voice side, it gets tougher! The wm1a with its close sound stage presents the voices with body, a lot of depth and textures. By cons voices lack of width which is a shame, therefore they lack of presence among the overall sound message. The wm1z, more distant from the listener, however, leaves more room for the voice which is expressed more in width, it takes place harmoniously throughout the sound message.


SENSATIONS SIDE


The wm1z is more in softness, calm, it takes the time to tell the music and lets more details express themselves in width. It’s sometimes monotonous on soul / blues / jazz tracks because it lacks liveliness and textures.
The energy that comes out of the wm1ak is very impressive. The midrange and bass are the signature of this Dap, their presence and the dynamism that accompanies them offers the listener a powerful and enjoyable listening.
For my part the wm1ak proves to be better because it transmits to the listener beautiful emotions, we are (in) the music! With the wm1z we listen to music, it spreads too much in details and can be soft or flat.


COUPLES SIDE


Wm1ak-1960
Passionate marriage


Combo ultra engaged in the musical, the synergy of mod K and 1960 detonates. There is a raw side that offers the acoustic / live feel. Without being in the Wow effect (Bose type), listening transmits life and dynamism. The problem of highs of 1960 is heard more on this combo and it is really a shame, we have metallic trebles, a little aggressive and very limited. Midrange and bass dominate and give a lot of intensity to the listening.
The ultimate musicality in this grooving association.


Wm1z-1960
Romantic wedding


Quite engaged in music, we find the qualities of DAP with its finesse and softness. The sound scene becomes enveloping. The romantic side of the 1960s adds thickness without covering the details. The bass is beautiful and well integrated. The soundstage is very coherent and harmonious for my taste. Everything is there, width, height, but a timid depth management. I had a lot of fun hearing the harmonies, these note extensions that add a real boost to listening.
Excellent association which provides a balanced musical listening.



Wm1ak-Horus 8,
Arranged marriage

I liked the association of horus 8 with wm1ak. The sound scene is receding, we are leaving for analytics that groove well. We gain clarity, detail and definition. The sound stage opens up, which broadens the instruments and voice without reaching the wm1z with the same cable ... The treble lacks clarity and lacks extension. The bass is discreet. Unfortunately this cable once again demonstrates its analytical side, attenuating the body and the dynamics. However, we are still very far from the dreary plains of the horus sp1000 combo.
This association is certainly the best balance between analytics and music.


Wm1z-Horus 8,
White wedding

We are far from the sound stage, listening becomes panoramic, the enveloping effect becomes more discreet. However I find a partial occupation of the depth with many empty spaces. We win in detail but we find ourselves in a smooth listening that gave me shy emotions. I feel a lack of body and textures. The treble is good, beautiful and wide but they can not match the sp1000. The medium is present, well placed with beautiful extensions. Unfortunately the bass lacks body and depth, they are generally very discreet. It is a calm and calm listening.
Excellent combo for those who like analytical listening with subtly controlled dynamics. I think it's a wiretap that can compare without blushing to the erratic sp1000 amp.


CONCLUSION

The wm1a mod K has proven to be an excellent challenger to the wm1z. I really liked the two DAPs, each with its qualities and its faults. They are two different DAPs, their sound signatures are not really comparable, each with its own style.

So if you want a clear opinion I unfortunately do not have it.

The wm1ak with its light weight and incredible energy seems more suitable for everyday urban nomads. The wm1z and its overweight would correspond more to a relaxed, gentle listening, at home or on vacation.

I realize the fabulous advance that modd K provides on the wm1a. I am therefore thinking of modding the wm1z. I wish it had more body and dynamics, will it be at the sacrifice of definition and details? It will be my next step!


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 14, 2020)

FritzM said:


> Feedback SONY WM1A MOD K ULTIMATE vs SONY WM1Z
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Oh wow! That was definitely magical.

I wish you could compare modded 1A vs modded 1Z, that would definitely put to rest the comparison once and for all.

I would say, yes there are improved body and dynamics, actually modded 1Z is less thick sounding than original 1Z with improved attention and details; while still retaining its musicality. It will still retain its 3 D characteristics, even seeming better treble, sparkle etc. However my mod s a little different from kmod, using gold silver wire so things maybe a little different. To me, my modded 1Z is actually has more dynamics and bass hits harder than regular 1A. It no longer sound soft and speed wise is faster. Soundstage is even wider than 1A and has good depth. I would describe modded 1Z as almost like a real life pure performance sucking you in and making you completely forgot the iem and dap, no window, no sheen, nada, nothing between you and your music,while regular 1A is clinical cold sounding HiFi music. Then again, I use EQ and all the Sony bells and whistles so maybe results will vary.

Definitely good writing, tell us which is you favorite though and why


----------



## flyer1 (Feb 14, 2020)

3.0(like also 3.02) seems to be a bit of a underappreciated firmware version?

With my 1Z/EX1000 I now prefer 3.0 over 3.01/3.02

Deeper bass and more extended highs, a more dynamic character maybe?


----------



## nc8000

flyer1 said:


> 3.0(like also 3.02) seems to be a bit of a underappreciated firmware version?
> 
> With my 1Z/EX1000 I prefer 3.0 over 3.01/3.02.
> 
> Deeper bass and more extended highs



Could not use 3.0, it constantly crashed my 1Z, the only crashes I’ve ever had in 5 years with Sony daps


----------



## flyer1

nc8000 said:


> Could not use 3.0, it constantly crashed my 1Z, the only crashes I’ve ever had in 5 years with Sony daps



Not a single crash though only in use yet for a few days. Library also builds as fast as with 3.01/3.02.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 14, 2020)

FritzM said:


> Feedback SONY WM1A MOD K ULTIMATE vs SONY WM1Z
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I thank you for the impressions
Yes, stock Wm1A has higher gain in loudness VS Wm1Z.  Not by much but noticeable
This is the reason why I M taking my WM1A to the extreme!!!! Light weight and good pricing.  The WM1Z is expensive due to the copper-gold playing chassis alone .  Everything else can be modified to suite tastes better, and once you eliminate the Chassis, the WM1A is excellent platform

WM1A trebles can be refined


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 14, 2020)

flyer1 said:


> Not a single crash though only in use yet for a few days. Library also builds as fast as with 3.01/3.02.



Hard to believe your library database loads just as fast with 3.0? That would be remarkable actually? You must not have many files? Though I guess anything can happen; we had some folks where 3.0 never crashed.


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 14, 2020)

flyer1 said:


> 3.0(like also 3.02) seems to be a bit of a underappreciated firmware version?
> 
> With my 1Z/EX1000 I now prefer 3.0 over 3.01/3.02
> 
> Deeper bass and more extended highs, a more dynamic character maybe?


I havent try balanced... but from SE 3.01 has more bass response than either of the other 2... i suggest you give it a try I maded a chart of this to my hearing VIA SE I have re heard 3.00 and i feel you might be right it since like a 3.02 but more acurate and wth 2.0 bass resemblance.... maybe 3.00 inhered the 2.0 bass. equalizer deeply affects sound i suggest some curious people make a trip to 3.02 i feel a little faster bass than 3.01 but not as mid centric as 3.02 nor as shouty gain since better for me! And staging since clinical and acurate not exagerated as 3.02 trebble is very extended! On latest firmwares i have to eq very heavily... specialy triming high frecuencies... 8K its a-6db 16K -1.5 maybe its right treble its very powerfull on 3.00 also some deep bass can be heard its weird i like 3.00 staging a lot more than 3.02... its intimate but very holographic and pinpoint sharp... I do notice slower database build dough like 1.5x the time...


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 14, 2020)

Has anyone crashed an firmware update  mean interrupted it? its a good question... also has anyone gone lower than 1.20?


----------



## Whitigir

When I keep craving for moar.  Now Extreme Modification of WM1A has fully matured

lady and gentle man, the WM1A-EM


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> When I keep craving for moar.  Now Extreme Modification of WM1A has fully matured
> 
> lady and gentle man, the WM1A-EM


you should start a modding company i trust you!


----------



## Whitigir

Midnstorms said:


> you should start a modding company i trust you!


LOL! Enthusiasm shall not be infringed with greed, even a slightest bit...even if the bit is bit-perfect

Just kidding, but I rather serve my Master, the inner beast within my heart which always bring pocket damaging ideas


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> LOL! Enthusiasm shall not be infringed with greed, even a slightest bit...even if the bit is bit-perfect
> 
> Just kidding, but I rather serve my Master, the inner beast within my heart which always bring pocket damaging ideas


I can be your S-Master   bad joke lol! ill give ya my 1A in a heart-bit! for you to experiment!


----------



## Whitigir

More details about improvements can be found here with some specifications...so DIY folks can follow 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15467661


----------



## flyer1 (Feb 14, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Hard to believe your library database loads just as fast with 3.0? That would be remarkable actually? You must not have many files? Though I guess anything can happen; we had some folks where 3.0 never crashed.



My library is indeed quite small at around 150gb, mix of dsd, hires flacs and normal flac. Always used Sony Music center to transfer files, maybe that helps as well in a quick library build+avoid errors?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Whitigir said:


> When I keep craving for moar.  Now Extreme Modification of WM1A has fully matured
> 
> lady and gentle man, the WM1A-EM


Omg! You’re definitely crazy.


----------



## denis1976

Whitigir said:


> how many of you here tried new SP2K ? And still staying with WM1Z/A ?


I have the two, love the two


----------



## Whitigir

When the strokes along the string , quick flicks techniques, can both have sparkles and defined decays and voicing!!!! That is next level


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Whitigir said:


> When the strokes along the string , quick flicks techniques, can both have sparkles and defined decays and voicing!!!! That is next level


Hard question,

which now do you prefer, your latest modded 1A or your modded DX220 and why


----------



## Mindstorms

After a few Hours back to 3.0 i can say everyone has to give it a listen again after all what happened it makes something special out of 1Asome things sound strage but some sound better than ever!


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 14, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Hard question,
> 
> which now do you prefer, your latest modded 1A or your modded DX220 and why



The reason why I ventured back into Portable DAP is mainly occurred since I had some changes in life.  Especially with IER-Z1R buds

Now, I always love Sony uniqueness!!! Why else would I have DMP Z1 ? Sony caught me off guard because it wasn’t S-Master.  But it sounds so freakishly good and awesome.  I always craved this

The reason why I stick with Dx220 for so long is due to the power delivery that can bring my HD800S to shine, and it was a long while.  I just bring it further in references with my Desktop and Stax systems.  But it is what it is, Neutral and Resolutions, Fidelity, Power

Again, I always love this Sony uniqueness, and I always wanted to take DMP Z1 on the go with me....if I could miniaturized it ? What is better than a WM1A and S-Master ?

Here I am, trying to mimick the DMP Z1 in portable form.

Of course I prefer Walkman with IER Z1R, I am more into Warmth and tube-like or analog like.  However, I am also very open minded and have good references to judge other sound signatures too.  The DX228EX is another result which is polar opposite.

Sony also has another uniqueness is the Soundstage vertical rendering, together with spherical images coherency.  It can also be observed on Walkman 1A/Z too.  I have yet heard other Portables that has as much vertical rendering as Walkman or DMP Z1

Give life back to Music!!!


----------



## gazzington

I have never experienced change in sound due to burn in as much as with the wm1z. Already sounds much better than out of the box.  Out of the box it was probably not worth the money. My opinion is changing


----------



## Whitigir

gazzington said:


> I have never experienced change in sound due to burn in as much as with the wm1z. Already sounds much better than out of the box.  Out of the box it was probably not worth the money. My opinion is changing


LOL!!! Let the Journey Begin !! The journey and quest to empty your pocket


----------



## Vitaly2017

FritzM said:


> Feedback SONY WM1A MOD K ULTIMATE vs SONY WM1Z
> 
> 
> 
> ...






Really cool comparison thanks for sharing I am now even more confident in my 1z and I am headed further more with the idea to get 1z k mod ultimate 

maybe you can enlight me a little more about the pw 1960 cable, you mentioned it had some treble energy with 1ak  

" The problem of highs of 1960 is heard more on this combo and it is really a shame, we have metallic trebles, a little aggressive and very limited "

I am afraid of that cause I experienced it with ares II 8 wires and lately with another full copper cable. I am in a decision between plussound gold plated silver and pw 1960, my feelings telling me gold plated silver is a better option. what you think?

I really love the gold plated silver cable sound, more refined organic warm and very naturally analytical. Its also bassy with with a different twist. Specialy that treble, it extremely refined smooth in treble, no jittery energetic treble harshness that I had with ares II 8 wire....


----------



## gazzington

Well when my ier z1r arrive I'm hoping to be set for a long time!  The transformation in sound is amazing.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 14, 2020)

Plus sound Goldplated cables ? I would recommend you “Horus” from Effect audios for the upgrades
That rhythmic sparkling trebles and fidelity


----------



## Vitaly2017

gazzington said:


> Well when my ier z1r arrive I'm hoping to be set for a long time!  The transformation in sound is amazing.




I just discovered fir audio m4 and m5 and christ I find it on a totaly new level of sound performance. Just naughty good with 1z of course


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Plus sound Goldplated cables ? I would recommend you “Horus” from Effect audios for the upgrades



gold cable that is plated with silver, most of it is gold


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 14, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> gold cable that is plated with silver, most of it is gold



I know my friend, but here is the one I recommend you to

Grab it, the last one in stock, and send over to MS for that one of a kind WM1Z


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> I know my friend, but here is the one I recommend you to
> 
> Grab it, the last one in stock, and send over to MS for that one of a kind WM1Z




and you heard both of them ? the horus and plussound and pw 1960 ?  and horus wins ?


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 14, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> and you heard both of them ? the horus and plussound and pw 1960 ?  and horus wins ?



not both, but I know what Horus is
But do what you think is best for your systems ofcourse 
My ventures into DIY and modifications has been a very long long way my friend
my recommendation comes from that you like Silver Gold plated wires


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Feb 14, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> not both, but I know what Horus is




But Horus is 100% gold, while the plussound has a touche of silver, it adds sparkle! and becomes not only as good as a pure gold but also more refined, this why its warm and naturally analytical same time. I never heard Horus nothing I can say much really here.


LoL never mind I think I have miss read I see on official effect audio its plated silver oopsys hihi


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 14, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> But Horus is 100% gold, while the plussound has a touche of silver, it adds sparkle! and becomes not only as good as a pure gold but also more refined, this why its warm and naturally analytical same time. I never heard Horus nothing I can say much really here.



Here you go my friend



Vitaly2017 said:


> But Horus is 100% gold, while the plussound has a touche of silver, it adds sparkle! *and becomes not only as good as a pure gold but also more refined*, this why its warm and naturally analytical same time. I never heard Horus nothing I can say much really here.
> 
> 
> LoL never mind I think I have miss read I see on official effect audio its plated silver oopsys hihi



I am sure 100% that you have not tried “Pure Gold”....


----------



## hshock76

FritzM said:


> Feedback SONY WM1A MOD K ULTIMATE vs SONY WM1Z
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Your post inspired me to whip out my Horus early this morning and pair it with my IER-Z1R + both stock & K-Mod (Ultimate+) and do an A/B with the 1960s.

In summary, I agree with most points in your post. The 1960s is a better match for the 1Z.The 1960s provides a more fluid+musical signature while the Horus focus on transparency and is much more analytical. Horus does not pair well with the modded 1Z, resulting in an overtly bright and sharpish signature. The 1960s has great synergy with both stock and modded 1Z and my impressions exactly mirror the points you made on your 1Z+1960s combo.

One main difference in opinion would be on depth performance on the 1Z. I feel that both stock and modded 1Zs are not class leaders on width but they have one of the strongest depth and layering I've heard vs the other TOTL players I've auditioned. I suspect the IER-Z1R plays a big role in this and I remember that I was captivated with the depth performance of the 1Z when I first got it. I was focused on soundstage width when I first got into this hobby 9 mths back but the 1Z totally crushed it and got me focused on depth, layering and imaging instead.

I've had a quick audition of the K-mod  (Ultimate) 1A last year in music sanctuary and what struck me was the resolution and clarity it had. Def TOTL level and comparable to the other TOTL players in the market. It was def brighter, had faster response and neutral vs the stock 1Z. I did not manage to do a thorough A/B but if I did, I do not think it will much different from your impressions above.

I am inclined to tell you to keep your 1Z stock to compliment your modded 1A. I was initially thinking of selling the stock 1Z after getting my hands on the modded one but I have since decided to keep both. The stock 1Z gives a balanced analog tubish flavor (which is unique in today's market) while the modded one has better resolution, soundstage and other areas. Both have that unique timbre on the vocals which is special to Sony. The stock 1Z is akin to have the artist perform just for me in a small room while the modded player has been seated a few rows back in a small club. Its like listening to desktop monitors vs speakers. Both have their characteristics and I am just very glad that I have the ability to own both.

I tend to carry out less A/Bing nowadays as it is pretty fatiguing to go into all the details in difference in performance. I feel that the gaps between players are getting smaller and smaller and they mostly sound similar to me although each may have their unique signature. In camp #1 TOTL, we have the Lotoos, QPRs & A&Ks which focus on being neutral and high resolution. In Camp #2 TOTL, we have the 1Z and Cayin N8 which are on the warmish side. Then camp #3 mid-tier where the DX220 and Cayin N6 sits. Interestingly, I've never been motivated to audition the Fiios, Shanlings & Hiby players. I guess we all have to understand what fits our needs and preference and it does not help that we all hear things differently and my experience also tells me that even I myself hear differently at different times of the day and that my hearing need some time to adjust and burn in which switching between players, cables and IEMs.

I do not think anyone can go wrong with the 1A or 1Z stock or modded but I must say synergy with cable and IEM plays a huge role as well and I highly recommend the 1960s and IER-Z1R combo with the Z1.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 14, 2020)

Isn’t MS-WM1Z using 1960 internally ? It makes senses to use it externally too 

Yes, voicing, synergies are all the main points to squeeze every bit last % out of internal wires modifications

@hamhamhamsta , the reason why I didn’t use Goldplated silver on your WM1Z a while ago is because of what @hshock76 just described .  I just never disclosed my finding for the public.  Those modifications, and cables makers own it to themselves to research and develop for their own business, and I respect all of them

each modder has their own way to improve the system or arrived at the desired results

Horus is to me the best cables that utilized Silver-Gold plated wires, but don’t take My words for it.....the journey is only worth it when you venture it yourself


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> Isn’t MS-WM1Z using 1960 internally ? It makes senses to use it externally too
> 
> Yes, voicing, synergies are all the main points to squeeze every bit last % out of internal wires modifications
> 
> ...



Yes I suspect that there is great synergy between the MS Mod 1Z with 1960s internal wiring and the 1960s IEM cable.

Horus with Z1R works great with the stock warm 1Z creating a great balance. Just not when paired with the modded 1Z which has a much higher resolution.


----------



## Mindstorms

Midnstorms said:


> anyone experimented on cheap affordable IEMS? that can mention?
> 
> - I have the feeling sony will stop the firmware updates here leaving 1A sort of in the dust.. i really wish they would have done a 3.03 for 1A same stage a little less mid centric and less voice focus maybe a little less wide but shurely biger than 3.01 and same awesome 3.02 bass but with 3.01 volume and 3.02 trebble im tripping too much lol!


will you be so kind, can you please re listen 3.0 on 1A and tell me if notice something diferent after hearing 3.01 and 3.02 you have good IEMS and very good listening


----------



## hshock76

Vitaly2017 said:


> I just discovered fir audio m4 and m5 and christ I find it on a totaly new level of sound performance. Just naughty good with 1z of course



I auditioned the M5 last month with the modded 1Z and found reverb on vocal tracks were too pronounced. It was too much for me and I much prefer the focused vocals on the IER-Z1R. Do you hear the same on your stock 1Z?


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> I auditioned the M5 last month with the modded 1Z and found reverb on vocal tracks were too pronounced. It was too much for me and I much prefer the focused vocals on the IER-Z1R. Do you hear the same on your stock 1Z?




if you can give me more details and which track it occurs I can do the test, I got m4 and m5 in my hands right now...


----------



## hshock76

Vitaly2017 said:


> if you can give me more details and which track it occurs I can do the test, I got m4 and m5 in my hands right now...



It was a general observation over several tracks and not any particular one. If you do not notice it on your 1Z then it's probably not there. The M5 has a very open sound though. Very large sounding.

The K-Mod 1Z has better synergy with slightly warmer cables & IEMs as the resolution is so much higher than the stock player. I'll audition the FIRs again at MS when I next travel to SG..


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 14, 2020)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/gazzington.448309/
It’s a funny subject as people in Sound Science would argue that fact. Even with Sony’s suggestions of burn-in on the firmware. And there may actually be people that listen to one out of the box and don't think they will actually improve. There have been used units with 50 hours on them being sold. The crazy part is it’s almost impossible to quantify the amount of change.


----------



## gazzington

Leaving it to burn in more today and will see what it sounds like this evening


----------



## nc8000

gazzington said:


> Leaving it to burn in more today and will see what it sounds like this evening



When I got my 1Z I listened some hours every night and had it running on burn in loop during the day. Have only burned the balanced in as I have never used the single ended


----------



## gazzington

nc8000 said:


> When I got my 1Z I listened some hours every night and had it running on burn in loop during the day. Have only burned the balanced in as I have never used the single ended


What iems do you use with it?


----------



## flyer1

Tawek said:


> My "Old "Sony Nwz X-1061 (debuted in Japan in April 2009. Walkman X series is the first Sony flash memory based Walkman that features OLED display, touch screen and S-Master digital amplifier technologies.)
> still after 10 years 22 -25h on one charge !!!  and this is amazing !!! to this with Xelento it is also excellent sounding  and tonally very similar to Wm1z
> For me, X1061 is a real work of art and it was a real  revolution now it is "only evolution"ATTACH]3567008[/ATTACH]



My x1050 is also still going strong after 10years+! Soundwise the excellent sub bass is still hard to beat on the X series together with the provided earbuds imho.


----------



## nc8000

gazzington said:


> What iems do you use with it?



now the IER-Z1R but when I first got it JH13 customs that I’ve had for 10 years


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 15, 2020)

I left my 3.5 as stock for 2 purposes, and it is

A/ I don’t use it much, don’t care for it
B/ To use as references

The differences between SE vs 4.4 were there and more observable after internal wires, but not at this level after I performed the Final modifications on output caps!

The soundstage hugely increased in 2 dimensions that I love so much and never thought it would surface from a little Walkman ! _Depth and vertical axis!!_

The output caps are very important!!  Listening between 2 is like having 2 walkman LOL


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 15, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/gazzington.448309/
> It’s a funny subject as people in Sound Science would argue that fact. Even with Sony’s suggestions of burn-in on the firmware. And there may actually be people that listen to one out of the box and don't think they will actually improve. There have been used units with 50 hours on them being sold. The crazy part is it’s almost impossible to quantify the amount of change.


im in love with 3.0 now i used to hate it!! hith very heavy eq it renders things in the most credible way its like being in the song i havent experienced it in 3.01 nor 3.02 its the perfect 3DPA and the bass gets really deep and punchy and high quality you should try it with iems but balanced may be a diferent story I dont know... also its pinpoint sharp and acurate and clear never congested!


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 15, 2020)

If we all start a company I could be in the firmware placebo effect area! lol and dont laugh


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> I left my 3.5 as stock for 2 purposes, and it is
> 
> A/ I don’t use it much, don’t care for it
> B/ To use as references
> ...


if you want Try 3.0 in your 1A walkman and please tell me if im correct Via SE and Via BALjust heavy eq it on 8k -6.5 and 16k-1.5


----------



## Whitigir

Midnstorms said:


> if you want Try 3.0 in your 1A walkman and please tell me if im correct Via SE and Via BALjust heavy eq it on 8k -6.5 and 16k-1.5


That will take a while.  I still have to observe the burn in and compare to sp2k lol


----------



## Vitaly2017

Anyone at canjam ? I am here right now )


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Anyone at canjam ? I am here right now )


I would love to see your journey and battles between WM1Z VS the rest ...


----------



## musicday

Is WM1Z strong enough in balanced mode for the Empyrean? And anyone using the Rai Penta with it? Much appreciated.


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> That will take a while.  I still have to observe the burn in and compare to sp2k lol


i can wait forever no problem just post how it sounds my gues its that 2.0 or 3.02 and 3.01 will be the best but 3.00 will be special i want to know if it applies!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Midnstorms said:


> im in love with 3.0 now i used to hate it!! hith very heavy eq it renders things in the most credible way its like being in the song i havent experienced it in 3.01 nor 3.02 its the perfect 3DPA and the bass gets really deep and punchy and high quality you should try it with iems but balanced may be a diferent story I dont know... also its pinpoint sharp and acurate and clear never congested!



I thought 3.01 was a perfected 3.00, as the crashes and database loading was better. Then if I remember right a group here promoted 3.01 as being better for the 1A....at the time. They said it was better than 3.00? But it’s almost like every firmware almost has to sound different. Glad you like 3.0. 

It would be interesting to read a sonic comparison between 3.00 and 3.01 with the 1A. Who knows maybe 3.00 is underrated and overlooked due to the stability issues. Not everyone had stability issues too.


----------



## Vitaly2017




----------



## flyer1

Quite suprised with the result of 3.0 on my 1Z/EX1000 from balanced. Best performance so far and can't find anything to fault unlike when I was using Z5 or N3.


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> I thought 3.01 was a perfected 3.00, as the crashes and database loading was better. Then if I remember right a group here promoted 3.01 as being better for the 1A....at the time. They said it was better than 3.00? But it’s almost like every firmware almost has to sound different. Glad you like 3.0.
> 
> It would be interesting to read a sonic comparison between 3.00 and 3.01 with the 1A. Who knows maybe 3.00 is underrated and overlooked due to the stability issues. Not everyone had stability issues too.


Its hard to compare since Im SE but I encourage you to re try it.. if you wish i got a little tired of 3.01 bass was slower than 3.00 and stage to my ears its diferent basa has diferences to and gain...so for me its a wellcomed change trebles are the main thing there and good tight bass maybe balanced doesent make such a diference? since its already very good in all firmwares but In SE I can tell you sound changes a lot. 3.00 its keeping me well enterteined and i guess my ears wanted less bass since i was on 3..02 wich i found exagerated in staging... if you may try 3.00 will be ncie 0 glitches so far on my 1A dough batery its draining really fast on my unit It only bears One day and about 10 hours of playback


----------



## gazzington

Enjoying the wm1z with the rah iem tonight. Very nice and deep bass. This player is getting better and better


----------



## Vitaly2017




----------



## Vitaly2017

Guys I just came out of canjam holly molly so much good gear to try it was one of my biggest appreciation day. I am so happy I tried all of them really 95 % of what I had to listen...

I spent most of my time in sony booth.
Tried 1a 1z dmp m9 z7m2  mdr z1r moded 1a


----------



## Whitigir

What was that 1A modded with ? Who did it ?
Now you have been poisoned by DMP Z1 LOL

Is that a Blue WM-1A ?


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> Guys I just came out of canjam holly molly so much good gear to try it was one of my biggest appreciation day. I am so happy I tried all of them really 95 % of what I had to listen...
> 
> I spent most of my time in sony booth.
> Tried 1a 1z dmp m9 z7m2  mdr z1r moded 1a


so how you comprare 1A to the other beasts!


----------



## Mindstorms

So anyone knows if I can buy an adapter for my 1A balanced to convert it to SE or if not a decent but not so expensive cable for my revonext QT2?


----------



## proedros

does 3.00 have the USB-DAC option ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> What was that 1A modded with ? Who did it ?
> Now you have been poisoned by DMP Z1 LOL
> 
> Is that a Blue WM-1A ?




Some audiophiler braught an MS 1a and ley me tried it.
So I compared it to stock 1a and I told hmm no offense but to me stock 1a was better.

I was actually very surprised and impressed by stock 1a. It eas quick dynamic fast and punchy. With some viscerality on mind.

1a and 1z has different bass presentation.  1a is not treble accentuated in my opinion its simply a more thiner and fast sound presentation.  Defently not as fun as 1z bass and thickness. I was really enjoying 1a and I think if you have 1z and 1a its an awsome compliment together. 

And I also compared my 1z vs a new 1z that had like hours! 

There is a definite difference it was like tight away apparent without forcing my self.
Once it burns in it has better resolution and transition,  also bass is better by a good margin. 



I eliminate dmp z1 from my list of desired gear since I highly preferred 1z.  Dmp didnt give me that warmth thick bassy magic of 1z I was expecting much more from dmp. 
I also disabled the dsd remastering on dmp as I felt it was way to smooth and easy. I like the edgy squares of mp3 waves I guess lol!

I had huge pleasure at canjam and really liled this 4 sonys offerings

Wm1z  wm1a z7m2 and M9
I think theis are the sony most successful gear on today's offerings 


I had lot of cool talks with sony engineers I asked them tons of questions lol about components sonys doing experience and expertise.  They also enjoy listening to my auditioning commentarys and I hope maybe my suggestions will be used in the development of future song projects to come!



I also asked if there is any 1a and 1z successor on any time lapse to come and it seemes like not for the moment and they arent even planning anything in that direction yet...


Yea and I talked to sony engineers about moding 1z. They looked at me like what people do that, i was like yea you dont read headfi thread ? Hes like hmm no we do not follow forums thread on our products...

So I told then well people change caps change the kimber cable and all that stuff.

He was like oh no no never sony will tolerate tantalum caps and other brands cause it doesnt meet sony standards.  He said they are not reliable....
Also sony uses a lot of self developed parts and special soldering on 1z apparently and all that creates  the sony magic...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Enjoying my 1A + IER-Z1R


----------



## gazzington

Vitaly2017 said:


> Some audiophiler braught an MS 1a and ley me tried it.
> So I compared it to stock 1a and I told hmm no offense but to me stock 1a was better.
> 
> I was actually very surprised and impressed by stock 1a. It eas quick dynamic fast and punchy. With some viscerality on mind.
> ...


Hmm interesting. What were the m9 like?


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> does 3.00 have the USB-DAC option ?



Yes, it was the firmware the DAC functionality was introduced with.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> Some audiophiler braught an MS 1a and ley me tried it.
> So I compared it to stock 1a and I told hmm no offense but to me stock 1a was better.
> 
> I was actually very surprised and impressed by stock 1a. It eas quick dynamic fast and punchy. With some viscerality on mind.
> ...


 how did the DMP-Z1 compare to WM1A? And yeah boo, no new WM successor, 4 years since their debut, new daps on the market. Hell i can feel about a bit the obsolecence now... my main lusting is 2 SD slots, more internal memory amd DSD remaster engine (hell fiio, ibasso, lottoo do this on portable)


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> how did the DMP-Z1 compare to WM1A? And yeah boo, no new WM successor, 4 years since their debut, new daps on the market. Hell i can feel about a bit the obsolecence now... my main lusting is 2 SD slots, more internal memory amd DSD remaster engine (hell fiio, ibasso, lottoo do this on portable)



Feel absolutely no obsolecence with my 1Z, as lovely as the first day


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> Feel absolutely no obsolecence with my 1Z, as lovely as the first day



Me too, I still feel very privileged to use mine. I will not be upgrading when MK2 comes, I have no need to change. I may get some replacement batteries and that’s it.


----------



## buzzlulu (Feb 16, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yea and I talked to sony engineers about moding 1z. They looked at me like what people do that, i was like yea you dont read headfi thread ? Hes like hmm no we do not follow forums thread on our products...
> 
> So I told then well people change caps change the kimber cable and all that stuff.
> 
> ...



No offence or disrespect to the modders however I have to admit I subscribe to Sony's philosophy.  I always found it hard to believe that individual headfi modders think they are better equipped and have more knowledge than Sony's enormous staff of technical engineers to bring out more performance from the 1Z.  It is already an expensive unit so I don't believe those that say that Sony leaves out boutique wires and components in order to come in at a price.  At this level Sony could have easily charged more for the 1Z to subsidize the increased costs of boutique components IF THEY FELT THAT PERFORMANCE WAS IMPROVED.

I have more confidence in Sony's army of engineers in their massive labs with testing gear etc. than I do in an audio store in the UK or a head fier in his living room taking apart and modifying a 1Z.
Your mileage may vary


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 16, 2020)

buzzlulu said:


> No offence or disrespect to the modders however I have to admit I subscribe to Sony's philosophy.  I always found it hard to believe that individual headfi modders think they are better equipped and have more knowledge than Sony's enormous staff of technical engineers to bring out more performance from the 1Z.  It is already an expensive unit so I don't believe those that say that Sony leaves out boutique wires and components in order to come in at a price.  At this level Sony could have easily charged more for the 1Z to subsidize the increased costs of boutique components IF THEY FELT THAT PERFORMANCE WAS IMPROVED.
> 
> I have more confidence in Sony's army of engineers in their massive labs with testing gear etc. than I do in an audio store in the UK or a head fier in his living room taking apart and modifying a 1Z.
> Your mileage may vary



Well, I would not look at mods, only because I’m satisfied with the sound. But I always thought beyond trying to improve sound; the mod builder is traveling towards a different end sound that’s not the possible with EQ.

It would be like handmade shoes or cloths, which fit better.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 16, 2020)

1/ I am surprised that MS has worse performances than stock WM1A.  What did it get done ?

2/ Definitely No Tantalum, I do not use Tantalum . Ofcourse other brands are not reliable, Sony uses FT Caps made by SamWha manufacturers. Capacitors and it behavior have to be studied first. Oh, Electrolytic caps don’t have as much life reliably as Polymer caps, but with Walkman, they can have 200,000 hours at operation temperature. That probably out live people .  But hey FT caps last 10X more than that !!! And there are devices that lasts even much longer!!!

Of course Sony has to defend itself about how it produce and engineer the stuff.

See? What does DMP Z1 use for caps ? I see some Nichicon there!!! What happened to their quote ? _OMG, my DMP Z1 won’t last long !!!!_

Now, why do people modify ? For example, even wires and cables can impact sound.  The Stock 1A has cheap OFC wires.  *It makes Zero senses to be using Kimber Cables and still worse than OFC huh? If so, why WM1Z use KimBer Kables ?*

Do you know ? 1/2 of what Sony floor show people said is true and 1/2 of it is not ? That is to defend their own ways of conducting business.  If you are into EE, you will realize it right away.  Even if you are not just pay attentions to what their flagship products has to offer

Let’s just say, the WM1Z is too perfect.  There won’t be newer player because we can not improve it any further !!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yhose who have the sony Kimber upgrade cable dor the MDR-Z1R.  What improvements will i hear? Will the MDR be close to IER in peformances SQ


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 16, 2020)

@Vitaly2017 i am glad you crossed out DMP Z1 .  Was it on battery mode or AC mode ?

@buzzlulu I also have no offense to your belief.  But did you know that DIY people are the one that keeps producing Stax amplifier at it best ?  HeadAmp for example is one of those people.  There are plenty of knowledgeable people and genius in the U.S.A as a country.  Then there are plenty of inventors who invented stuff from personal experiences


----------



## Mindstorms

proedros said:


> does 3.00 have the USB-DAC option ?


I think yes... and its awesome it has kept me enterteined with its acurate surround!


----------



## nanaholic (Feb 16, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> @buzzlulu I also have no offense to your belief.  But did you know that DIY people are the one that keeps producing Stax amplifier at it best ?



Not sure bring up STAX is a good example. They didn't do that well and had to be bailed out by the Chinese.....
Also just because they make nice elecstat headphones, that doesn't show they know how to make amps as it's a different area of expertise.


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> 1/ I am surprised that MS has worse performances than stock WM1A.  What did it get done ?
> 
> 2/ Definitely No Tantalum, I do not use Tantalum . Ofcourse other brands are not reliable, Sony uses FT Caps made by SamWha manufacturers. Capacitors and it behavior have to be studied first. Oh, Electrolytic caps don’t have as much life reliably as Polymer caps, but with Walkman, they can have 200,000 hours at operation temperature. That probably out live people .  But hey FT caps last 10X more than that !!! And there are devices that lasts even much longer!!!
> 
> ...





gerelmx1986 said:


> Enjoying my 1A + IER-Z1R


Any impresions on it? wich firmware?


----------



## Whitigir

nanaholic said:


> Not sure bring up STAX is a good example. They didn't do that well and had to be bailed out by the Chinese.....
> Also just because they make nice elecstat headphones, that doesn't show they know how to make amps as it's a different area of expertise.


Financially, yeah! Their technologies? No China has surpassed.  Unless you love Hifiman Shangrila


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> @Vitaly2017 i am glad you crossed out DMP Z1 .  Was it on battery mode or AC mode ?
> 
> @buzzlulu I also have no offense to your belief.  But did you know that DIY people are the one that keeps producing Stax amplifier at it best ?  HeadAmp for example is one of those people.  There are plenty of knowledgeable people and genius in the U.S.A as a country.  Then there are plenty of inventors who invented stuff from personal experiences





Dmp was charged at the show cause it was out of battery. 

I still preferred wm1z among everything I heard at the show!


I heard
 lpgt  
lp6k 
sp2000
 ifi idsd pro
 fiio m15 
Kann cube


Nothing was as good as wm1z only found sp2000 to be another option of a good dap after 1z. 

I think sp2000 deserves hes praise to but its not the same type of tuning so Id say theise 2 daps are 2 Totl daps and each a leader in its own category! 
Both high end but wm1z is my preference! 


I am still inquiring into Ms mod and maybe they can ship me a unit to try? So I can be 100% sure of what I will be getting...

My second option is to leave the wm1z stock and buy pw1960 cable , i was totally blown away by pw 1960 the best cable to pair with 1z! Just impressive. 
I also heard the code 51 and not so so. Didn't find that it stands out in anything....


----------



## Whitigir

did you hear Horus ?

I thought you didn’t like modifies 1A vs Stock...then you would keep 1Z stock ? Talk about SP2K


----------



## Vitaly2017

gazzington said:


> Hmm interesting. What were the m9 like?




M9 was also very impressive,  its a full ba driver and all ba made by sony. The best ba only iem I ever heard!  The M9 beates my EE phantom easy...

M9 sounds like a bass from a dynamic driver, treble not fatiguing and well done...

Overall sound presentation is fast dynamic and with a resolution of a high end iem. Paired with wm1z was the best result. 

Extremely comfortable it was the first thing that striked me.

Sony highly recommends using kimber cable instead of the included stock one. They say it improves sound by a big margin...


----------



## Whitigir

I gave M9 away and stuck myself with IER Z1R LoL.  But I agree about M9 being very good.  However, if it was only M9, then I wouldn’t venture back into this portable and “earbuds” world

I Blame IER Z1R


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 16, 2020)

SP2K has similar liquidity and fluidity VS Walkman with much more soundstage in width, vertical and a tad more depth.  But it trades off and away from Walkman timbres density, lower trebles density, and deep sub bass rumbles for more dynamic feel in mid bass.  It also has emphasis on upper high.  The whole tuning gives SP2K A very different signature that is aiming toward soundstage, clarity and airiness.  Walkman is about musicality, emotions and fidelity.

Both players have very fluid and liquid sound!! A little different in the mid spectrum as the SP2K aims toward thinner timbres for more airiness and more neutral, where as Walkman is thicker which makes it warmer too

Strangely, the SP2K pairs beautifully with IER Z1R.  They compliment one another so well like they were match made in heaven.  Z1R has emphasized sub bass, tonal timbres thickness, thick lower trebles and early roll off on upper high.  With filter mods and stock cables re-terminated to 2.5


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Feb 16, 2020)

@Whitigir

No I didnt try Horus cause I was so impressed by pw 1960 and then tried code 51 and was shocked at how pw1960 just overdone it lol

Hard decision to mode 1z I am still learning that option.

I spoke with @jude   about this and he also got very intrigued but same time skeptical  )
We had a big talk about this mod and he proposed if I do it he would like to test it on hes testing gear to find all the differences and if really things got improved.

By the way he loves wm1z  to )

If music sanctuary could send me demo unit that would help a lot in my quicker decision.  )




@gerelmx1986 

Dmp z1 was very good and clean, I liked it but I was not impressed enough by it, maybe because I have read so much and over expected it be so outstanding that overhyped my self maybe and got crashed by my initial impression.

Going a/b from dmp to 1z stock comparing I was ways attracted by 1z sound presentation,  nice warm thick bass and warmth overall was always a more pleasant feel.

Dmp felt analytical and to linear. That I even disabled dsd remastering. So if I were you I wouldnt cry about that feature lol

Unfortunately I didnt try the TA-Z probably should of done it....

Again I am so sold to my wm1z I think nothing will come suite me anymore.

Wm1z-->Pw 1960 --> Tia Trio

Insane Killer setup guys.

As a perspective tia trio is 90% sound like as the z7m2 and wm1z!


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 16, 2020)

Lol @jude has time to test and measure a modified Walkman ? I would love to have mine measured ^_^ VS Stock

first of all, I would like to see stock WM1Z measurements VS SP2000


----------



## Vitaly2017

@jude  is an amazing guy! Hes so friendly it was a pure pleasure and fun time to talk to him, he knows so much about audio gear. Tell him what your after he'l know right away what recommend you! )

Haha I was a more difficult type of listener lol and I kept coming  back to him okey I heard that one you proposed but there is this issue, he was like oh yea hmm ok try this one now )

Yeaa I had great time at canjam such an impressive place and opportunity to try all the top end gear of the world!

If you dont know what to buy or where to head in audio signature.  Just to canjam listen and youl quickly know what to do !

Not saying that everyone is selling with up to 20% discounts!


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Mindstorms
I am on 3.01, very musical, very organic and detailed as hell.


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> @jude  is an amazing guy! Hes so friendly it was a pure pleasure and fun time to talk to him, he knows so much about audio gear. Tell him what your after he'l know right away what recommend you! )
> 
> Haha I was a more difficult type of listener lol and I kept coming  back to him okey I heard that one you proposed but there is this issue, he was like oh yea hmm ok try this one now )
> 
> ...



Jeez !!! Did AK offer 20% on SP2K too?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Jeez !!! Did AK offer 20% on SP2K too?




Ohh not sure LoL they dont I think sony didnt eather.
Lot of people came by sony and ask to buy they no we dont just listening experience.


----------



## denis1976

There must be a big diference between the onyx and CU version, the CU has compared to 1Z a thicker mid-range, all the sound is scaled up, not thiner


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Mindstorms
> I am on 3.01, very musical, very organic and detailed as hell.


I love my 3.01 In balanced an WM1A-EM.


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> There must be a big diference between the onyx and CU version, the CU has compared to 1Z a thicker mid-range, all the sound is scaled up, not thiner


Must be!!! Mine is still burning in though.  I only compared it because my 1A is also fresh out of the surgery .  So it is fair to compare them both


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> @jude  is an amazing guy! Hes so friendly it was a pure pleasure and fun time to talk to him, he knows so much about audio gear. Tell him what your after he'l know right away what recommend you! )
> 
> Haha I was a more difficult type of listener lol and I kept coming  back to him okey I heard that one you proposed but there is this issue, he was like oh yea hmm ok try this one now )
> 
> ...



He has an Amp8EX which is a modified Amp module.  I still wonder how much he likes that Amp8EX vs stock!!  He has a lot on his plates LOL


----------



## denis1976

Don't get me wrong, I love the 1Z sound, is a player for life, but I think that the sp2000 is the first AK that is a step ahead


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> He has an Amp8EX which is a modified Amp module.  I still wonder how much he likes that Amp8EX vs stock!!  He has a lot on his plates LOL





Yeaa he got he's tastes and he did mention dx220 many times! Even told me I have to listen to it its really good!

There was 1 booth that had one but so unfortunately someone screwed it up and it kept looping in a reboot thing and nothing could be done.

So I havent heard ( I wish I could!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> I love my 3.01 In balanced an WM1A-EM.


I am with mine stock, damn these IER-Z1R are frigging good. Hell this Arie d'Opera von Vivaldi delicious voices with nice violin accompagnato very well presented. The two singers well spread all of their virtuosistic singing strikes me. That Lute almost unhearable, IER-Z1R and MDR-Z1R bring such tiny microscopic details the IER-M7 or xba-z5 cannot pick easily.  If amazon delives my KK on wef i will discover what level the MDR-Z1R reach with a better cable


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> Don't get me wrong, I love the 1Z sound, is a player for life, but I think that the sp2000 is the first AK that is a step ahead


I agree! SP2K is very different than SP1K


Vitaly2017 said:


> Yeaa he got he's tastes and he did mention dx220 many times! Even told me I have to listen to it its really good!
> 
> There was 1 booth that had one but so unfortunately someone screwed it up and it kept looping in a reboot thing and nothing could be done.
> 
> So I havent heard ( I wish I could!


wait...there is AMP8EX on display ?
Was there an DX220Max ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> I agree! SP2K is very different than SP1K
> 
> wait...there is AMP8EX on display ?
> Was there an DX220Max ?




No Chinese brands couldnt make due to corona thing going on and it will even affect future show to come. Since us citizens cant really go to china eather...

Crazy times lately


----------



## Whitigir

That is what I fear  I am so sad.  Hope everyone is safe over there


----------



## Vitaly2017

I still managed to listen to fiio m15 thanks to jude )


I liked it but this is still not as refined as 1z. But Fiio did an amazing job bass was satisfactory but something was strange in treble region, not good enough in my opinion to be acclaimed as an audiophile dap lets say. Great craftsmanship, screen was nice to I liked it


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Mindstorms
> I am on 3.01, very musical, very organic and detailed as hell.


go 3.00 or 3.02 if you want some changes


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 16, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yhose who have the sony Kimber upgrade cable dor the MDR-Z1R.  What improvements will i hear? Will the MDR be close to IER in peformances SQ



Strangely I didn’t buy the cable but received it as a free gift along with the MDR-Z1R.......but later I came to realize how important it was. If I told you the cable is all about correcting, you probably would not believe me, but that’s what it does. It corrects stuff up and down the line to a point you despise the original. It makes you think the original causes issues, as they are fixed. Smoother grain-free treble. Tight fog-free lows. Better information and expanded soundstage midrange.


----------



## hshock76 (Feb 16, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yhose who have the sony Kimber upgrade cable dor the MDR-Z1R.  What improvements will i hear? Will the MDR be close to IER in peformances SQ



I upgraded to the Kimber Axios copper from the Sony Kimber 2 weeks back and there are further improvements in the areas where the Sony Kimber improved from the stock cables.  Made me love listening to the MDR-Z1R all over again esp paired with the 1Z.

With regards to SQ comparison with IER-Z1R, both have different presentations. The MDR experience is more out of your head and vocals are clearly more recessed than than the IEM. IEM has a higher resolution but the MDR is not far behind.

You should post in the MDR thread to get more feedback.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Strangely I didn’t buy the cable but received it as a free gift along with the MDR-Z1R.......but later I came to realize how important it was. If I told you the cable is all about correcting, you probably would not believe me, but that’s what it does. It corrects stuff up and down the line to a point you despise the original. It makes you think the original causes issues, as they are fixed. Smoother grain-free treble. Tight fog-free lows. Better information and expanded soundstage midrange.




Wow really?
I cant stand the mdr-z1r treble with stock cable so bright and unpleasant.  Z7M2 is really good.

You make me want to give a second try to mdr-z1r with the kimber cable.  Maybe pw 1960  would even things even more...


----------



## Lookout57

I got the Kimber Kable AXIOS CU based on a recommendation in the MDR-Z1R thread. It's a huge improvement over the stock cables and from a heard even better than the Sony Kimber. The difference is the AXIOS is 16 strands versus 8 strands in the Sony Kimber and construction.

Also in that thread someone raved about the AXIOS AG but it's like 4x the price. I'm thinking of getting a Double Helix silver which is a third of the price of the AXIOS AG for my MDR-Z1R since I love their silver with the Campfire Solaris SE and the WM1Z.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 17, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Wow really?
> I cant stand the mdr-z1r treble with stock cable so bright and unpleasant.  Z7M2 is really good.
> 
> You make me want to give a second try to mdr-z1r with the kimber cable.  Maybe pw 1960  would even things even more...



My main MDR-Z1R rig is the TA-ZH1ES amp, so if anything the treble is fairly laid-back anyway. It’s hard for me to actually recommend anything due to myself not ever really having bright treble issues. I CAN just say the cable is a fixer. The fixing for me is smoothing the treble; like what mentioned before. But with-in that smoothing is a buttery expansion of detail. So the glare that was there gets turned into something that’s taken apart. Also the tightness induced in the lows is actually a mandatory thing. I know this sounds unbelievable but it was like reading down a list of intrinsic issues; which many have and are vocal about...... to then see the issues get a full remedy? And.......it’s done in such a way the headphone ends up sounding more cohesive AND natural as a result. It’s neck and neck with some of the most dramatic cable experiences I’ve had; if not the most dramatic? I’m sure the AXIOS add is taking stuff even farther.

It may sound crazy but I’m loving the Z1R on days when it simply comes off midcentric with a splash of high resolve? Much of my gear will sound slightly different from day to day. But I can say across the board the Kimber is always an improvement. I use the cable with the 1A and MDR-Z1R, MDR-Z7. I use the cable with the 1Z and MDR-Z1R and Z7. And finally and get best results with the cable and Z7 or Z1R and TA-ZH1ES amp.

Depending on your innate sensitivity to treble, the cable may or may not work out. Though it does smooth out the Z1R treble in a grand fashion. In 20/20 hindsight many of us look at the included Z1R cable as a joke. In the Z1R thread you’ll have rebellious folks who are hostile to even spending a penny more to dial in the MDR. You also have firm cable non-believers and new believers who were smart enough to listen and take a risk. So due to many things the MDR thread is maybe 50/50 about using the cable. With that said no one   I remember has said they didn’t notice improvement. But someone like me feels the included cable is responsible for much of the dislike of the MDR-Z1R....it’s actually somewhat amazing Sony would even included such a cable with an expensive headphone?


----------



## 524419

The manufacturer will always lean towards their stock products, this is nothing new. 
If you hear differences in cables, you will hear differences in mods. It's that simple. 
Sony is using cheap non enameled cables on the 1A, and enameled Kimber on the 1Z. Both sound different, and the cheap copper cable causes a skin effect and audible distortion. It's not rocket science or Hipster voodoo.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Thanks for your inputs guys. Seems like i would enjoy the KK. I agree, the treble is sometimes hot/sparkly with graininess


----------



## musicday

Does this player support double tap to wake up screen with the latest firmware? LPGT has it and is very useful to me.


----------



## nc8000

musicday said:


> Does this player support double tap to wake up screen with the latest firmware? LPGT has it and is very useful to me.



no


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Mindstorms

the double tap to wake up will be awesome!!


----------



## Whitigir

Midnstorms said:


> the double tap to wake up will be awesome!!


It is better

one single tap on the side power button and it wakes up


----------



## siruspan

I just press play without touching the screen and the music starts 

Recently bought IER-Z1R and I alrady own MDR-Z1R as well as WM1A and EX800ST and I not even consider myself as a Sony fanboy LOL


----------



## Whitigir

siruspan said:


> I just press play without touching the screen and the music starts
> 
> Recently bought IER-Z1R and I alrady own MDR-Z1R as well as WM1A and EX800ST and I not even consider myself as a Sony fanboy LOL


You are slowly converted ....period LOL


----------



## musicday (Feb 17, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> It is better
> 
> one single tap on the side power button and it wakes up


Is not good because this is not a mechanical shutter in a high end camera.


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> It is better
> 
> one single tap on the side power button and it wakes up


but that button gets used lol no way ill willl not wake it!


----------



## gazzington

musicday said:


> Is not good because this is not a mechanical shutter in a high end camera that.


I think you'd like how the wm1z sounds. Needs burn in though. Don't judge it straight out of the box


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 17, 2020)

How to utilize Walkman for Hd800s ?
Desktop Amp you said ?


----------



## gazzington

Hmm been comparing the sp2k and wm1z. Not sure which one I like best at the moment. Wm1z has more burning in to do though


----------



## Whitigir

gazzington said:


> Hmm been comparing the sp2k and wm1z. Not sure which one I like best at the moment. Wm1z has more burning in to do though


Which one is more on your mind ? That is the question .


----------



## gazzington

Whitigir said:


> Which one is more on your mind ? That is the question .


These days wm1z but it's newer. I'll give it a couple of weeks. I'm conscious that is didn't particularly like my wm1a much at first but these days I use it for work most days and love it


----------



## r00t61

I recently dropped my WM1Z, and cracked the screen.  The device is still functional, but I think the damage will probably get worse over time.

I first called Sony Support at 1-888-222-7669.  They told me that since it was physical damage, it would be an out of warranty repair (as I was expecting), and told me to follow up with their authorized 3rd-party repair service, United Audio Repair.

UAR subsequently told me that they do not carry parts on the WM1Z - and according to my CSR's records, haven't worked on a WM1Z since 2018 - and told me to follow back up with Sony.

Upon second call, Sony told me that they can't do anything, as they don't even stock the part for the screen, because it is "discontinued".  The CSR then suggested I take it to Best Buy/Geek Squad for repair.

I first asked how a part could be discontinued, when the player itself is still being sold as new.  I then asked what Best Buy would be able to do, if they cannot get ahold of any screens, since they are, according to her, discontinued.  She had no answer and so that call went nowhere.

Anyone have advice on getting my screen repaired?


----------



## Whitigir

r00t61 said:


> I recently dropped my WM1Z, and cracked the screen.  The device is still functional, but I think the damage will probably get worse over time.
> 
> I first called Sony Support at 1-888-222-7669.  They told me that since it was physical damage, it would be an out of warranty repair (as I was expecting), and told me to follow up with their authorized 3rd-party repair service, United Audio Repair.
> 
> ...



Parts can be ordered for repair and it gotta be the whole chassis.  Parts cost is $1200 shipped without labors

it is also labors intensive and it would be better to buy a used wm1Z at this point


----------



## musicday

r00t61 said:


> I recently dropped my WM1Z, and cracked the screen.  The device is still functional, but I think the damage will probably get worse over time.
> 
> I first called Sony Support at 1-888-222-7669.  They told me that since it was physical damage, it would be an out of warranty repair (as I was expecting), and told me to follow up with their authorized 3rd-party repair service, United Audio Repair.
> 
> ...


Is the glass part of the screen or it just cover it. It may be worth taking it apart carefully to further investigate. Maybe a good high street mobile phone can fix it? Stay positive.


----------



## hshock76

gazzington said:


> Hmm been comparing the sp2k and wm1z. Not sure which one I like best at the moment. Wm1z has more burning in to do though




The fact that you are undecided on a 3yr older Sony and  the latest TOTL AK is already a great testament to the 1Z considering how fast technology evolve nowadays where the latest and greatest are often superseded in a year or less.


----------



## Lookout57

Whitigir said:


> Parts can be ordered for repair and it gotta be the whole chassis.  Parts cost is $1200 shipped without labors
> 
> it is also labors intensive and it would be better to buy a used wm1Z at this point


Is this the whole chassis? https://sony.encompass.com/item/10937857/Sony/X-2594-202-1/


----------



## Whitigir

Lookout57 said:


> Is this the whole chassis? https://sony.encompass.com/item/10937857/Sony/X-2594-202-1/


Yeah, send them inquiries for pricing


----------



## Whitigir

The soundstage and airiness of SP2K is pretty mind blowing.  It is heavy though ... much as 1Z but battery last only like 1/4 of wm1Z


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, send them inquiries for pricing




who is encompass? A sony official retailer or just a distribution center for parts?


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 17, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> who is encompass? A sony official retailer or just a distribution center for parts?


Neither!  They are official distribution center for Sony authorized parts, and many others


----------



## gazzington

hshock76 said:


> The fact that you are undecided on a 3yr older Sony and  the latest TOTL AK is already a great testament to the 1Z considering how fast technology evolve nowadays where the latest and greatest are often superseded in a year or less.


It's definitely not completely left behind by the AK.  Still a totl dap


----------



## Whitigir

There are only so much a portable device can do.  Between Walkman and sp2k, there are trade off and compromises.  It is just a matter of taste and preferences of which one you rather have and which one you rather trade away.


----------



## gazzington

Whitigir said:


> There are only so much a portable device can do.  Between Walkman and sp2k, there are trade off and compromises.  It is just a matter of taste and preferences of which one you rather have and which one you rather trade away.


Might keep both and sell the lpgt


----------



## Whitigir

gazzington said:


> Might keep both and sell the lpgt


What about that Cayin N8 ?


----------



## gazzington

Whitigir said:


> What about that Cayin N8 ?


I like its sound too much. It's very different to the others


----------



## pororom (Feb 18, 2020)

r00t61 said:


> I recently dropped my WM1Z, and cracked the screen.  The device is still functional, but I think the damage will probably get worse over time.
> 
> I first called Sony Support at 1-888-222-7669.  They told me that since it was physical damage, it would be an out of warranty repair (as I was expecting), and told me to follow up with their authorized 3rd-party repair service, United Audio Repair.
> 
> ...


I find it shameful what Sony has officially replied about the repair of your screen ... That is, we pay more than 1000 dollars for one of their devices that they say are discontinued and therefore offer no guarantee but  they follow the sales in stores as new devices and with theory, 2 years warranty (at least it is so in Europe)

I wanted to buy the NW-WM1A but seen what I saw I will continue with my Shanling M5S that ruptures will not cost me twice my salary

Bye bye Sony


----------



## gazzington

pororom said:


> I find it shameful what Sony has officially replied about the repair of your screen ... That is, we pay more than 1000 dollars for one of their devices that they say are discontinued and therefore offer no guarantee but  they follow the sales in stores as new devices and with theory, 2 years warranty (at least it is so in Europe)
> 
> I wanted to buy the NW-WM1A but seen what I saw I will continue with my Shanling M5S that ruptures will not cost me twice my salary
> 
> Bye bye Sony


Wow that is bad. I might contact Sony to express my concerns


----------



## Whitigir

pororom said:


> I find it shameful what Sony has officially replied about the repair of your screen ... That is, we pay more than 1000 dollars for one of their devices that they say are discontinued and therefore offer no guarantee but  they follow the sales in stores as new devices and with theory, 2 years warranty (at least it is so in Europe)
> 
> I wanted to buy the NW-WM1A but seen what I saw I will continue with my Shanling M5S that ruptures will not cost me twice my salary
> 
> Bye bye Sony


*it is not Sony, it is the people representing the calls.  This is the reason why Sony choose to go with “Dealer networking services”*
See? Authorized dealers is capable of being more indept in what you need, aka your music players, dealers may also be capable of hiring good technicians and trained them to provide repairs and servicing

I can repair The players and I know where to get part.  It isn’t that hard, but these players are not exactly Smartphones where you can find a small shop here and a small screen replacement services there.  Then another problem is that...how many of those shops survived ? Some....just cause smartphones move on too fast to spend money for fixing old phones

So, the differences applied here, music players are personal and a hobby.  There are people who dedicated their life into the “hobby” for servicing and working with it.  But the market and the demands are so very “little” where as the “salary” is also “very little”.  So, how do they manage the system ? Ofcourse by the dealer networks

Dealer are independent contractors, but has the authorized power to access data and info, some part of financing to enable these services and hobby to strive on.  Have you seen other “hobby” yet ? RC cars/planes....cameras....camcorders....etc

*What I am saying is that you don’t call Sony customer services for these stuff, they know nothing !!!!! You call Sony Authorized Dealers, and they will have you an idea.*

In the end, if you love your player that much, you find a way to fix it.  If you don’t, then it is just another smartphone cycle.  You took up a good excuses to trash it to the recycle bin, and buy another.  WM1A/Z is 3 years strong. Now treat it as a new smartphone each year....and you have it


----------



## siruspan

Whitigir said:


> Parts can be ordered for repair and it gotta be the whole chassis.  Parts cost is $1200 shipped without labors
> 
> it is also labors intensive and it would be better to buy a used wm1Z at this point



Are you positive he needs the whole chassis? The screen itself costs around 140$ in europe but the qustion is it LCD without the glass or is this both outer glass and LCD.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 18, 2020)

siruspan said:


> Are you positive he needs the whole chassis? The screen itself costs around 140$ in europe but the qustion is it LCD without the glass or is this both outer glass and LCD.


The Chassis comes with everything.  The LCD can be replaced, and at this point of “labor intensive” you may want to just forget about it and buy new “used like new player”
Call up an authorized dealer, or contact modder like Fidelizer or Music Sanctuary, cables creator, they may have it fixed for a fees.  _The differences between modder and Dealer is that Modder don’t Tap into Manufacturers margin....authorized dealer do.  So, authorized dealer can repair it at a reasonable charge, where as modifications and servicing by them will not be_

How about DIY ? You order part, wait, and perform the surgery lol

considering the MS modification package VS the “surgery” needed to repair this player...I would just buy “another used unit” and offer this broken player as possibly “broken for parts”, but still somewhat working condition.  You never known!!! There are dedicated DIY people who may want to buy it.  You will end up in a “win-win” situation....where as, you don’t have to wait for “months”!!! And you don’t pay a hefty lot.  Unless, your player has some Legendary people “DNA” on it of which you want to preserve


----------



## siruspan

pororom said:


> I find it shameful what Sony has officially replied about the repair of your screen ... That is, we pay more than 1000 dollars for one of their devices that they say are discontinued and therefore offer no guarantee but  they follow the sales in stores as new devices and with theory, 2 years warranty (at least it is so in Europe)
> 
> I wanted to buy the NW-WM1A but seen what I saw I will continue with my Shanling M5S that ruptures will not cost me twice my salary
> 
> Bye bye Sony



I have no intention to defend the sony but I think you missed the point. If it was something that guarantee is covering he would receive new device. Unfortunately in this case it was damaged by the user so it would not be covered by the guarantee. Altough I must admit it is strange that they are already out of parts in the US? They are all available in europe. As for Shanling I don't think you can buy any spare parts for it if something goes wrong.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 18, 2020)

Encompass has the parts.  You need the part number to order and _*you need technicians to provide the services*_.  General Sony consumer representatives know nothing about these matters

This is the LCD and it is in stock 

Again, call your authorized dealer


----------



## pororom (Feb 18, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> *it is not Sony, it is the people representing the calls.  This is the reason why Sony choose to go with “Dealer networking services”*
> See? Authorized dealers is capable of being more indept in what you need, aka your music players, dealers may also be capable of hiring good technicians and trained them to provide repairs and servicing
> 
> I can repair The players and I know where to get part.  It isn’t that hard, but these players are not exactly Smartphones where you can find a small shop here and a small screen replacement services there.  Then another problem is that...how many of those shops survived ? Some....just cause smartphones move on too fast to spend money for fixing old phones
> ...



You buy a product manufactured by a company, not by its authorized distributors or not. If the person who produces it sells it at these prices, it must give a response of the repairs according to the price

One thing is to be a fan boy and the other is for them to make fun of you and your money


----------



## siruspan (Feb 18, 2020)

I've found service manual for WM1A and WM1Z and for the looks of it you only need to buy LCD screen for 140$ "LCD1 X-2594-163-1 SVX LCD ASSY (Including LCD chassis, LCD support (bottom), Adhesive sheet)". The only tricky part is that it must be almost completely disassembled.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 18, 2020)

pororom said:


> You buy a product manufactured by a company, not by its authorized distributors or not. If the person who produces it sells it at these prices, it must give a response of the repairs according to the price. To give just one example, Bryston, https://bryston.com/ which is a company *much smaller than Sony*, gives its products a 20 year factory warranty, according to their prices
> 
> One thing is to be a fan boy and the other is for them to make fun of you and your money



That is the key words.  You do know how Big Sony is right ? Like try and call Samsung general CR and ask about replacing your washer machine Lid

This is services that you are asking for and not warranty.  If it is warranty, the unit would be replaced

All I ask is that you have to be responsible on your parts.  Sony Do have the service provided, but you need to get to the “right place”.  I just spent my time to “spell out” for you what the right place is

But if people just want to debate instead of reading and trying to solve the problems, then I refuse to discuss further




siruspan said:


> I've found service manual for WM1A and WM1Z and for the looks of it you only need to buy LCD screen for 140$ "LCD1 X-2594-163-1 SVX LCD ASSY (Including LCD chassis, LCD support (bottom), Adhesive sheet)". The only tricky part is that it must be almost completely disassembled.



tricky part ? No....that is a hell Load of works. Speaking from experiences


----------



## siruspan (Feb 18, 2020)

pororom said:


> You buy a product manufactured by a company, not by its authorized distributors or not. If the person who produces it sells it at these prices, it must give a response of the repairs according to the price. To give just one example, Bryston, https://bryston.com/ which is a company much smaller than Sony, gives its products a 20 year factory warranty, according to their prices
> 
> One thing is to be a fan boy and the other is for them to make fun of you and your money



Bryston would be a great example if the were producing portable DAPs and not big power amplifiers  Go ask Bryston if warranty covers you dropping 10kg amplifier on the floor.


----------



## nc8000

pororom said:


> You buy a product manufactured by a company, not by its authorized distributors or not. If the person who produces it sells it at these prices, it must give a response of the repairs according to the price
> 
> One thing is to be a fan boy and the other is for them to make fun of you and your money



That dependens on where in the world you are. In Denmark (and probably all of EU) you ALLWAYS interact about service with the seller you bought from and they have the full responsibility not the manufacturer. The manufacturer has respnsibility towards their sellers not the end customers.


----------



## siruspan (Feb 18, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> tricky part ? No....that is a hell Load of works. Speaking from experiences



In this case we have both: parts and full service manual with detailed instructions how to disassemble the whole device. For a skilled person who services mobile phones everyday I don't think it would be much harder than changing a screen in a Samsung or Iphone. If Sony service doesn't want to do this I would print the service manual and go ask in some third party centers who services phones if they are willing to provide such a repair. Even if they charge 250$ for labor it wouldn't more than 400$ for everything. Still much less than buying another WM1Z.


----------



## pororom (Feb 18, 2020)

I did not intend to create a stupid discussion, my intention was that, given the prices we pay, I think that production companies, in this case Sony, should take more care of their customers


----------



## siruspan (Feb 18, 2020)

pororom said:


> I do not intend to create a sterile discussion, my intention was that taking into account the prices we pay I think that the production companies, in this case Sony, should take more care of their customers



You have wrong impression that when you buy a more expensive electronic device you get a special service. When you buy a 100$ Samsung phone you have exactly the same warranty as in 2000$ model. The only difference is that when you crack the screen on a 100$ phone you just buy a new phone and when you crack the screen on 2000$ phone you pay 400$ for a repair. These are all electronic devices which can break by themselves or by the user. If you're not comfortable with it, just buy cheaper device.


----------



## blazinblazin (Feb 18, 2020)

Oh damn, just bought Acoustune HS1695Ti damn it is so beautiful with WM1A on 4.4mm.
My heart keep racing with the songs I listen to, breath taking.
And I am using firmware 3.02


----------



## Whitigir

I wonder how the Final 8000 do with 1A/Z


----------



## musicday

Whitigir said:


> I wonder how the Final 8000 do with 1A/Z


Or Dunu Luna.


----------



## musicday

gazzington said:


> I think you'd like how the wm1z sounds. Needs burn in though. Don't judge it straight out of the box


How does compare to the LGPT? Can it drive full size headphones properly in balanced mode? The battery life playback time must be impressive.


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> I wonder how the Final 8000 do with 1A/Z



I had a brief test of the 8000 with the 1Z couple of weeks back while in SG. I must say I was very impressed with the transparency and clarity and big big sound despite the fact that it had only 1 DD. Slightly less warm than the Z1R but still very good on vocals. Amongst all the TOTL IEMs I tested in my last trip to Sg, I must say the 8000 impressed me most. Had some issues with fit due to the sharp corners on the body. Def need to audition more when I’m back again. I hear good things about Luna too. Exciting.


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> How does compare to the LGPT? Can it drive full size headphones properly in balanced mode? The battery life playback time must be impressive.


Walkmans are not known for it driven output power.  But 4.4mm can be used as line out though


----------



## r00t61

siruspan said:


> I've found service manual for WM1A and WM1Z and for the looks of it you only need to buy LCD screen for 140$ "LCD1 X-2594-163-1 SVX LCD ASSY (Including LCD chassis, LCD support (bottom), Adhesive sheet)". The only tricky part is that it must be almost completely disassembled.



I found the same service manual and have been perusing it.  The basic procedure is very similar to any modern phone or tablet device.  There is obviously a lot of manual labor in disassembling the old screen before replacing it with the new one.

Next step would be in locating someone competent for the repair.  Unsurprisingly, the Sony support website is no help when I try to display a list of authorized dealers in my area.

Anyone know of a good dealer in the San Diego/LA area that would be good at this kind of repair?


----------



## Whitigir

r00t61 said:


> I found the same service manual and have been perusing it.  The basic procedure is very similar to any modern phone or tablet device.  There is obviously a lot of manual labor in disassembling the old screen before replacing it with the new one.
> 
> Next step would be in locating someone competent for the repair.  Unsurprisingly, the Sony support website is no help when I try to display a list of authorized dealers in my area.
> 
> Anyone know of a good dealer in the San Diego/LA area that would be good at this kind of repair?



Call The source AV, and ask if they could help providing you for services.


----------



## gazzington

musicday said:


> How does compare to the LGPT? Can it drive full size headphones properly in balanced mode? The battery life playback time must be impressive.


I think I prefer the sound on the wm1z. Warmer more analogue sounding. However if you like pmeq then lotoo is the only way. Battery life in the Sony is incredible. I don't even switch it off properly but leave it on stand bye. It can power my campfire cascades absolutely fine. Not sure about headphones such as hd800 etc


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Whitigir

gazzington said:


> I think I prefer the sound on the wm1z. Warmer more analogue sounding. However if you like pmeq then lotoo is the only way. Battery life in the Sony is incredible. I don't even switch it off properly but leave it on stand bye. It can power my campfire cascades absolutely fine. Not sure about headphones such as hd800 etc


Hd800S is a different ball game.  The SP2K shows it superior driving power and the same as Ibasso.

If it wasn’t IeR Z1R, I wouldn’t be back into Walkman

I am still surprised that AK has innovated themselves this much with SP2K


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## gazzington

Whitigir said:


> Hd800S is a different ball game.  The SP2K shows it superior driving power and the same as Ibasso.
> 
> If it wasn’t IeR Z1R, I wouldn’t be back into Walkman
> 
> I am still surprised that AK has innovated themselves this much with SP2K


Yeah I certainly wouldn't buy the wm1z for driving power. With iems however it's a thing of beauty


----------



## gazzington

A absolutely perfect partnership


----------



## Damz87

gerelmx1986 said:


>



What’s the verdict mate? Can you hear an improvement with the kimber cable?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Feb 18, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> What’s the verdict mate? Can you hear an improvement with the kimber cable?


Its very good, removes that edge (peak) from the upper trebles, giving a clean highs much  like IER-Z1R.  Also bass response is improved, i hear a tighter more slam in bass (before was like an HD800 in tonality)


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gazzington said:


> A absolutely perfect partnership


This pairing should have amazing synergy. It should get better with more burn in.


----------



## quodjo105

gazzington said:


> A absolutely perfect partnership


When are you gonna sell mate ?..


----------



## gazzington

quodjo105 said:


> When are you gonna sell mate ?..


Lol soon. Probably sell my lpgt


----------



## Vitaly2017

When I was at canjam I did listen to something I thought people where overhyping and pricewise is obsolete.

But when I heard it with my own ears. 

The pw audio 1960 4 wires...

Oh what an experience,  I forgot everything I known forgot about the price tag.

I simply was wiped out , what I heard was probably the best bass treble warmth and sound presentation I ever heard. It felt like oh maan I been looking all my life for this exact timber and bass.

I simply lost my mind and will purchase pw 1960 4 wires.

Best setup ever!
Wm1z + tia trio and pw 1960 4 wire's. 

Amazing synergy,  charming warmth and oh my god that bass ! I felt in love once again lol


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> When I was at canjam I did listen to something I thought people where overhyping and pricewise is obsolete.
> 
> But when I heard it with my own ears.
> 
> ...


isn’t WM1A MusicSanctuary mod is with 1960 ? And you thought it was worse than stock 1A ? I wonder what gives...I am very curious


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> isn’t WM1A MusicSanctuary mod is with 1960 ? And you thought it was worse than stock 1A ? I wonder what gives...I am very curious




The guy said that they remoded hes 1a many times and he is into neutral flat type more linear.

Stock 1a to me was way more fun dynamic visceral and fast .
I enjoyed that way more.

Hes 1a was like flat sounding there where nothing going on felt boring to me...


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> The guy said that they remoded hes 1a many times and he is into neutral flat type more linear.
> 
> Stock 1a to me was way more fun dynamic visceral and fast .
> I enjoyed that way more.
> ...



Ah, a different kind of modification than the offered in the website.  Now this makes more senses LOL!! I was bending my mind to make senses from your posts


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Ah, a different kind of modification than the offered in the website.  Now this makes more senses LOL!! I was bending my mind to make senses from your posts




Mmyeaa but.

After more profound thinking and speaking with sony engineers. 

I think Il stop at as it is for now.

I am worried to lose the 1z authentic sound caracter  see...

What sony explained me about how they made and build the 1z.
It will never be the same once the mod is applied and there is no going back but only to buy another 1z lol

Sony uses there own soldering 
Grounding 
Parts
Cables 
To achieve what 1z is...
Hell not even Dmp sounded as 1z can!

Dmp is far different, not saying bad. Just they are 2 totally different sound signature type and I found 1z to suite me better and it was more special in sound specifically in the bass!

So I am worried to lose that touch of 1z secret caracter  )


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Mmyeaa but.
> 
> After more profound thinking and speaking with sony engineers.
> 
> ...



yeah, if you take everything Sony engineer says to heart, then there is no room to improve WM1Z.

That also mean WM2Z will be another player which will also loose this Exquisites characteristics and secret sauces that you currently have on WM1Z.  Because it will be made different


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> yeah, if you take everything Sony engineer says to heart, then there is no room to improve WM1Z.
> 
> That also mean WM2Z will be another player which will also loose this Exquisites characteristics and secret sauces that you currently have on WM1Z.  Because it will be made different



There will be no 1z successor for a good 2 years to come. 

I also heard zx-500 and didn't like it.
Not enough resolution,  felt very underperformant. Id would expect it to sound way better.
But maybe those units where not burn in.  As I saw all the units on the demo where used for only 5 to 15 hours...

I compared my 1z vs a brand new and mine was so much better I could feel the difference like night and day, cold and hot lol.

So burn in is not a gimmick!!!


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> There will be no 1z successor for a *good 2 years to come.*
> 
> I also heard zx-500 and didn't like it.
> Not enough resolution,  felt very underperformant. Id would expect it to sound way better.
> ...



Doesn’t matter my friend...Sony Engineers stated that whatever they did on WM1Z is the best, so that means no room to improve anymore

certainly when the successor come out, it will be with different design.  That means the 2Z won’t sound as 1Z, and that it shouldn’t matter to you.  Because you love 1Z this much with it secret sauce.

what I am trying to say is that a business have to have room to upgrade.  This is why people modify.  See? If Kimber Kables wasn’t an upgrade to OFC then Sony would just use OFC instead.  This is where people modify

However, you have a valid points. It doesn’t matter how much upgrades in technical parameters....if you can not enjoy it, then you will not. It is simple as that, and by that, I call it an “end game”, which is a dream for many !!!!
I promise just as long as you take what Sony engineer said to heart as you stated about your 1Z, then 2Z will not bother you


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Doesn’t matter my friend...Sony Engineers stated that whatever they did on WM1Z is the best, so that means no room to improve anymore
> 
> certainly when the successor come out, it will be with different design.  That means the 2Z won’t sound as 1Z, and that it shouldn’t matter to you.  Because you love 1Z this much with it secret sauce.
> 
> ...




Yes thats pretty much how I feel and I am kinda scared of that feeling.  Its not something I felt in a dayli basis, cause I always searched tested new gear in a search of my holly grail and now I feel like lost lol.
Oh oh where to go whats now? This it I reached my final quest?

It is something unusual and 1 amazingly beautiful feel. 

But the bliss I experience when I am listening to my favorite edm.
Is pure heaven.  Unbelievable gift of joy. )


----------



## hshock76

A K-Mod (Ultimate++) 1A from MS is currently on the plane to CA and I should receive it this week to do an A/B with my MS modded 1Z. Both units have exactly the same modifications so it will be fun to see whether they both perform at the same level. 

Got a friend interested in this hobby and he loved my modded 1Z vs the stock one. He is into hifi so the extra resolution on the modded player appealed to him more. I love both stock and modded just as much so I'll be keeping both and most prob selling away the Kann Cube and DX220.

Loaned my modded 1Z and Z1R to my friend so finally got back to listening to the M9 with stock 1Z. All I can say is wow...really good combination for vocal tracks with the thicker and more forward mids....


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> A K-Mod (Ultimate++) 1A from MS is currently on the plane to CA and I should receive it this week to do an A/B with my MS modded 1Z. Both units have exactly the same modifications so it will be fun to see whether they both perform at the same level.
> 
> Got a friend interested in this hobby and he loved my modded 1Z vs the stock one. He is into hifi so the extra resolution on the modded player appealed to him more. I love both stock and modded just as much so I'll be keeping both and most prob selling away the Kann Cube and DX220.
> 
> Loaned my modded 1Z and Z1R to my friend so finally got back to listening to the M9 with stock 1Z. All I can say is wow...really good combination for vocal tracks with the thicker and more forward mids....



Does Ms send demo units to canada or usa? I d love to hear it first before commitment


----------



## hshock76

Vitaly2017 said:


> Does Ms send demo units to canada or usa? I d love to hear it first before commitment




You can check with them. My friend is doing a 50% refundable deposit and shipping fees to get the 1A over to CA for audition. I did the same for the modded 1Z.


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> You can check with them. My friend is doing a 50% refundable deposit and shipping fees to get the 1A over to CA for audition. I did the same for the modded 1Z.




Oh thats good I dont mind tje deposit and its refundable I guess not the shipping both ways...


----------



## hshock76

Vitaly2017 said:


> Oh thats good I dont mind tje deposit and its refundable I guess not the shipping both ways...



I paid U$30+ for shipping from SG to CA. The player never made it back to SG though.


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> I paid U$30+ for shipping from SG to CA. The player never made it back to SG though.




Damn you stole!  Bad boy lol


----------



## 524419

Vitaly2017 said:


> The guy said that they remoded hes 1a many times and he is into neutral flat type more linear.
> 
> Stock 1a to me was way more fun dynamic visceral and fast .
> I enjoyed that way more.
> ...


My stock 1A was  better than a Solid Silver cable Modded one. These mods can go both ways depending on your preferences.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Diet Kokaine said:


> My stock 1A was  better than a Solid Silver cable Modded one. These mods can go both ways depending on your preferences.




I guess thats what happened between me and that moded 1a, no love in the air.


----------



## captblaze

Diet Kokaine said:


> My stock 1A was  better than a Solid Silver cable Modded one. These mods can go both ways depending on your preferences.



i would rather roll through transducers than chance a disappointing result from a mod. today's flavor of the month for my 1A is the Moondrop S8 via 4.4mm.


----------



## 524419

Vitaly2017 said:


> I guess thats what happened between me and that moded 1a, no love in the air.


To my ears, copper is always the better sounding metal. Silver does weird things to the timbre and bass, and can sound quite artificial.


----------



## 524419

captblaze said:


> i would rather roll through transducers than chance a disappointing result from a mod. today's flavor of the month for my 1A is the Moondrop S8 via 4.4mm.


The mod is (once you figure out how to do it)  almost as easy to go back and forth with, as changing a cable. 20 gauge Solid Copper keeps the stock 1A sound, but enhances resolution, Depth/Width of soundstage. Bass tightens quite a bit. Background blackens considerably.


----------



## captblaze

Diet Kokaine said:


> The mod is (once you figure out how to do it)  almost as easy to go back and forth with, as changing a cable. 20 gauge Solid Copper keeps the stock 1A sound, but enhances resolution, Depth/Width of soundstage. Bass tightens quite a bit. Background blackens considerably.



i understand what would be necessary to successfully accomplish the mod. As for now my fine motor skills have disappeared and soldering tiny pins is a no go for me


----------



## Vitaly2017

Diet Kokaine said:


> To my ears, copper is always the better sounding metal. Silver does weird things to the timbre and bass, and can sound quite artificial.




My personal experience showed me that copper has good warmth and bassy addition to the sound.
But copper sucks in treble,  all copper cables I had did same behavior harsh annoying unrefined treble.

So lately I purchased plussound gold plated silver and just wow.
Sound is balanced analytical warm natural refined more resolving and specialy that treble! Is now silk smoothe!  No more annoying uncomfortable treble beeaark lol

But when I heard pw 1960 4 wires which is all copper.  Completely different results, all those issues with treble are gone. This cable is as smooth as my gold but brings amazing bass warmth and super smooth treble!


----------



## 524419 (Feb 18, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> My personal experience showed me that copper has good warmth and bassy addition to the sound.
> But copper sucks in treble,  all copper cables I had did same behavior harsh annoying unrefined treble.
> 
> So lately I purchased plussound gold plated silver and just wow.
> ...


I am using the 4 wire Pw audio cable, it's too expensive for what it is, but the sound is sublime. I have since been making my own cables, and have achieved similar sound going DIY. 20 gauge solid OCC Copper(in Teflon) is very good with treble, it's the same cables I use for my XLR cables for my Full size Speaker system.
Copper if done right, especially when paired with Rhodium connectors,  does treble beautifully.

P.S. I have yet to try Gold plated Silver. I ill be on the lookout for this combo.


----------



## Vitaly2017

@Diet Kokaine 

By the way you got a cool nickname. 

I am no expert in that department but lol being on kokaine diet musta be something haha


----------



## blazinblazin




----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 18, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> My stock 1A was  better than a Solid Silver cable Modded one. These mods can go both ways depending on your preferences.



I’ve heard the K mod on a 1A and didn’t notice any change going by memory? Though I have to say there maybe the same (as always) determining factors......like....

1) Preference of sound signature
2) Combination with IEMs used

And finally maybe some are quick at ascertaining quality, but I’m pretty sure it would take me at least a month of use to completely understand what was going on with the change.......if not a year?


----------



## Redcarmoose

blazinblazin said:


>


----------



## hshock76

Diet Kokaine said:


> I am using the 4 wire Pw audio cable, it's too expensive for what it is, but the sound is sublime. I have since been making my own cables, and have achieved similar sound going DIY. 20 gauge solid OCC Copper(in Teflon) is very good with treble, it's the same cables I use for my XLR cables for my Full size Speaker system.
> Copper if done right, especially when paired with Rhodium connectors,  does treble beautifully.
> 
> P.S. I have yet to try Gold plated Silver. I ill be on the lookout for this combo.




Coincidentally I was about to find out more about Rhodium connectors which Brise Audio use on 2 of their cable series; what benefits do they bring?


----------



## Whitigir

Give it a listen and see if you can tell the differences ?


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> Give it a listen and see if you can tell the differences ?



Only if I can get my hands on the same cable with and without Rhodium connectors. At this point, dun see any chance unless I spend good money to buy and test. Not capable technically to even attempt doing any mods myself.


----------



## 524419 (Feb 19, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> Coincidentally I was about to find out more about Rhodium connectors which Brise Audio use on 2 of their cable series; what benefits do they bring?


Rhodium connectors sound cooler, tighter bass, extended High frequencies, better separation when compared to Gold Plated connectors.
Gold is generally warmer, with a bigger emphasized lower end, and rolled off treble.
Copper pairs very well with Rhodium, but again, this is all system dependent.
You can use cables and connectors to tune your audio system in a multitude of ways, and somewhat compensate for whatever it is lacking. (Purity of underlying metal is also a factor)

P.S. DIY is the easiest way to do quick mix and matches.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> Damn you stole!  Bad boy lol


Lol


----------



## Damz87

blazinblazin said:


>



How are you liking the acoustune? What signature to these have? These are on my Single DD wishlist along with the Dunu Luna & A8000.


----------



## blazinblazin (Feb 19, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> How are you liking the acoustune? What signature to these have? These are on my Single DD wishlist along with the Dunu Luna & A8000.


I like it a lot, probably the best sounding IEM to my preference.
I have HS1551CU, HS1650CU and HS1695Ti. It doesn't failed to impress me every new release.
HS1551CU I love the tonality buy details is lacking. HS1650CU gives you slightly more details than HS1551CU but tonality not as warm, it's very energetic. There's a difference between them but not huge.
HS1695Ti is on another level.
It has the tonality and it has high amount of details, it has slightly lesser bass than the previous but it's just right, you won't feel its lacking. The highs are more detailed out of the Acoustune releases.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Feb 19, 2020)

Yesterday i charged my wm1a battery o full amd it hows by playing a 60 min album, the first bar away. I have no BT, no DSP on, all normal with source direct on, gain normal.

Last week i rcalibrated the battery, does the thicker kimber cable draws more power?


----------



## ezemigue

It is something to assess, if when modifications of this type are made, the battery loses life due to the different wiring configuration, there may be charge leaks that generate losses in the battery.


----------



## gerelmx1986

ezemigue said:


> It is something to assess, if when modifications of this type are made, the battery loses life due to the different wiring configuration, there may be charge leaks that generate losses in the battery.


I am as referring to the kimber cable for the MDR-Z1R,  so this


----------



## ezemigue

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am as referring to the kimber cable for the MDR-Z1R,  so this


Now I understand, I thought it meant internal modifications of the player, in that case I doubt that the cable will consume more battery


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 19, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am as referring to the kimber cable for the MDR-Z1R,  so this


I think that’s possible. When I’m using PW 1960 4 wire I usually have to increase the volume and put on high gain. That obviously draw more power. Using Radsone ES100 Bluetooth, I could use any wires except PW 1960 cables. ES100 doesn’t have enough power to drive PW cables

are you also using the same headphone on both instance? Or it’s  headphone vs iem?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Feb 19, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> I think that’s possible. When I’m using PW 1960 4 wire I usually have to increase the volume and put on high gain. That obviously draw more power. Using Radsone ES100 Bluetooth, I could use any wires except PW 1960 cables. ES100 doesn’t have enough power to drive PW cables
> 
> are you also using the same headphone on both instance? Or it’s  headphone vs iem?


Same HP, will also test with iem IER-Z1R  to see, if i continues to behave like so, then battery is on its last gasp


----------



## Vitaly2017

Haha that was me at 0:51
I was nervous lol being filmed live on tv!


----------



## Mindstorms

r00t61 said:


> I recently dropped my WM1Z, and cracked the screen.  The device is still functional, but I think the damage will probably get worse over time.
> 
> I first called Sony Support at 1-888-222-7669.  They told me that since it was physical damage, it would be an out of warranty repair (as I was expecting), and told me to follow up with their authorized 3rd-party repair service, United Audio Repair.
> 
> ...


I would try to buy a cheap 1A wich screen its ok and replace the 1Z....


----------



## Cat Music

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha that was me at 0:51
> I was nervous lol being filmed live on tv!



I imagined a tiger would come out but it didn't happen


----------



## Vitaly2017

Cat Music said:


> I imagined a tiger would come out but it didn't happen




Haha dang I had my tiger T-shirt should of taken off my coat zz-zzz


----------



## Whitigir

Both of you know that the cat is the teacher to the tiger right ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Both of you know that the cat is the teacher to the tiger right ?



Liike the high master of confu kind of?

Hehe


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Both of you know that the cat is the teacher to the tiger right ?



So what was the final lesson? Never underestimate your teacher?


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> So what was the final lesson? Never underestimate your teacher?


Once a teacher will always be a teacher


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 19, 2020)

I swapped out my battery Wires with 22Awg Litz wires with Cotton cores for dampening.  This is already very big and can hardly fit. Unless you want to risk a damaged battery or a flash to the face and burning down your house.

Anyways, is there benefit to it ? I made sure I listened to my favorite song the whole night last night and morning.  Yeah, there are better bass textures, deeper, more vivid and articulations.  Widen soundstage, depth and more energetic timbres overall.  It isn’t as pronounced as swapping out Caps or internal wires, but every little bits count !!!

Caps>>>internal wires>>batteries wires>solder joints materials

That is how I would rank the level or performances improved between each performances and ratios

Strangely, the battery wires materials being used will have the very same sound signatures to if it was to be used at Internal wires upgrade toward headphones socket !!! No need to wires rolling LOL!!!!

This video prove how challenge the Battery could be!!!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Whitigir said:


> I swapped out my battery Wires with 22Awg Litz wires with Cotton cores for dampening.  This is already very big and can hardly fit. Unless you want to risk a damaged battery or a flash to the face and burning down your house.
> 
> Anyways, is there benefit to it ? I made sure I listened to my favorite song the whole night last night and morning.  Yeah, there are better bass textures, deeper, more vivid and articulations.  Widen soundstage, depth and more energetic timbres overall.  It isn’t as pronounced as swapping out Caps or internal wires, but every little bits count !!!
> 
> ...



"Strangely, the battery wires materials being used will have the very same sound signatures to if it was to be used at Internal wires upgrade toward headphones socket !!! No need to wires rolling LOL!!!!"

Lol, that comes to a full circle.

You've made it Whitigir!


----------



## Whitigir

hamhamhamsta said:


> "Strangely, the battery wires materials being used will have the very same sound signatures to if it was to be used at Internal wires upgrade toward headphones socket !!! No need to wires rolling LOL!!!!"
> 
> Lol, that comes to a full circle.
> 
> You've made it Whitigir!


What can I say ? I always make it....the only question is “Do I want to ?” LOL!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 19, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> Coincidentally I was about to find out more about Rhodium connectors which Brise Audio use on 2 of their cable series; what benefits do they bring?



*Furutech CF-7445 (R) 4.4mm TRRRS Balanced Connector*








Interestingly Han Sound Audio used to come with the upgrade $40-$60 Rhodium plated copper 4.4mm as an upgrade for their entry $160 “Zen” cable. Now they include their own gold 4.4mm with the ZENTOO (as shown). Both cables are copper 4 core. Interestingly the Rhodium connecter cable is warmer, and the gold “Han Sound Audio” connector a brighter overall cable experience. Both copper 4 core wires are very different, so here is an example of the cable material overpowering what the connectors would do. A quick jaunt on the internet shows groups of audiophiles trying to “purge” their whole speaker rigs of Rhodium power-plugs and interconnects; as this is some paranoid witch-hunt due to the brightness and glare it creates.


----------



## Whitigir

Rhodium plated from other brands even Oyaide will have those “glares”, but Oyaide has it little

The best one is Furutech, and Furutech is exactly as @Diet Kokaine mentioned.  I would go for Furutech every time I can afford it.... and I do!!!!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Are you guys saying that I should of reterminated all my copper cables with furutech rhodium connectors? To fix that treble harshness from copper cables?


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 19, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Are you guys saying that I should of reterminated all my copper cables with furutech rhodium connectors? To fix that treble harshness from copper cables?


LOL! I am not saying that....I am just saying all my gears are all Furutech Rhodium whenever I can, and also I love Furutech rhodium

to be more specific, I use XLR male/female, 4.4, 3.5, 2.5....power socket, power receptacles...whatever the heck.....is all Furutech when I can afford it


----------



## Lookout57

Whitigir said:


> LOL! I am not saying that....I am just saying all my gears are all Furutech Rhodium whenever I can, and also I love Furutech rhodium
> 
> to be more specific, I use XLR male/female, 4.4, 3.5, 2.5....power socket, power receptacles...whatever the heck.....is all Furutech when I can afford it


What about Eidolic ?


----------



## Whitigir

Nope! It does ok in a pinch, but I wouldn’t do Eidolic, unless no other options.


----------



## flarex3

What is the lifespan of this device until the battery needs to be replaced ? How many hours of playback ?


----------



## Whitigir

Zx1 is still going strong, same as Zx2.  Will you be so sure to not upgrade for the next 10 years ? If so it may be an issue


----------



## bflat

Lookout57 said:


> What about Eidolic ?



Eidolic official website is a good indication of where they stand in terms of quality. Compare to Furutech, Pentaconn, or ViaBlue and you see complete specs and documentation along with full contact info. Just look at Pentaconn's diagram and try to find a similar one on Eidolic:


----------



## Whitigir

That is Pentaconn official data block


----------



## nc8000

flarex3 said:


> What is the lifespan of this device until the battery needs to be replaced ? How many hours of playback ?



Sony rates the battery at 500 full charge cycles. How many hours play time you get on a full charge depends on what you play and what dsp effects you use but could range from about 10 to over 30.  I get 20 hours plus a weeks stand by on a 90% charge playing 16/44 flac with no dsp


----------



## bflat

Whitigir said:


> That is Pentaconn official data block



Yep, I would trust Furutech to follow the official specs. Not so much from Eidiolic.


----------



## Darksoul

siruspan said:


> I've found service manual for WM1A and WM1Z and for the looks of it you only need to buy LCD screen for 140$ "LCD1 X-2594-163-1 SVX LCD ASSY (Including LCD chassis, LCD support (bottom), Adhesive sheet)". The only tricky part is that it must be almost completely disassembled.



WOW, I had no idea the service manual for this thing was so easy to find! Thank you so much for bringing this up. I'm a sucker for these sort of manuals. I'll read it at my commune back home today. This makes me wonder...could it be possible, to turn a WM1A into a WM1Z with the corresponding parts and expertise? 

It would be a waste of money for sure, but an interesting exercise. This also makes me wonder, my WM1A fell and the aluminum case was dented. Would it be worth it to risk the entire device to replace the entire case?

One last thing. Seeing this manual, I now know very well why Sony charges what they charge for these things. It's a fascinating engineering endeavor, this falls on a work of love more than a product to appease the audiofools. 

Sony has won a fanboy over here.


----------



## proedros

flarex3 said:


> What is the lifespan of this device until the battery needs to be replaced ? How many hours of playback ?



almost 4000 hours of use and battery still gives me around 15 hours , and you can always replace the batter for 50$

only reason for me to sell , probably to upgrade to wm2a when it comes out


----------



## musicday

nc8000 said:


> Sony rates the battery at 500 full charge cycles. How many hours play time you get on a full charge depends on what you play and what dsp effects you use but could range from about 10 to over 30.  I get 20 hours plus a weeks stand by on a 90% charge playing 16/44 flac with no dsp


How difficult is to replace the battery in the WM-1Z? Can you buy spare batteries?


----------



## Morbideath

r00t61 said:


> I recently dropped my WM1Z, and cracked the screen.  The device is still functional, but I think the damage will probably get worse over time.
> 
> I first called Sony Support at 1-888-222-7669.  They told me that since it was physical damage, it would be an out of warranty repair (as I was expecting), and told me to follow up with their authorized 3rd-party repair service, United Audio Repair.
> 
> ...


You can email Music Sanctuary for help. I can confirm they did the screen repairing before, but not sure about the price charged.


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 19, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> anyone experimented on cheap affordable IEMS? that can mention?
> 
> - I have the feeling sony will stop the firmware updates here leaving 1A sort of in the dust.. i really wish they would have done a 3.03 for 1A same stage a little less mid centric and less voice focus maybe a little less wide but shurely biger than 3.01 and same awesome 3.02 bass but with 3.01 volume and 3.02 trebble im tripping too much lol!


I've been a lurker in this threads since forever but decided to register and chime in.  In China people found the way to mod the firmware to your sound liking, with some efforts and labors but quite worth it.
For example, mod your 1A to sound like 1Z, mod 1Z to sound like DMP-Z1...... even to spk or anything else. Crazy as it seems, but technically it’s viable, u may not get the exact same result due to hardwire restrictions but it can get to sound like those.


----------



## nc8000

musicday said:


> How difficult is to replace the battery in the WM-1Z? Can you buy spare batteries?



Yes. All described in posts in this thread. More difficault than my skill level


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 19, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I guess thats what happened between me and that moded 1a, no love in the air.


It’s a pity u didn’t get to audition ultimate mod with 16 wire 1960s. I mod mine last year (and 10 wire in 2017) and never look back. It’s an overall step up from stock 1Z, in every aspects.
Only one small concern, to a few out there, may be that the overall signature is more neutral than warm, compared with stock 1Z. But still a warm player after modded. The bass performance improves so much that it may compare with DMP-Z1 (only in regard of bass)


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> It’s a pity u didn’t get to audition ultimate mod with 16 wire 1960s. I mod mine last year (and 10 wire in 2017) and never look back. It’s an overall step up from stock 1Z, in every aspects.
> Only one small concern, to a few out there, may be that the overall signature is more neutral than warm, compared with stock 1Z. But still a warm player after modded. The bass performance improves so much that it may compare with DMP-Z1 (only in regard of bass)


DMP Z1 Bass is very different with an external Linear Regulated Power Supply.  It depends on the components of choices and the build quality


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> DMP Z1 Bass is very different with an external Linear Regulated Power Supply.  It depends on the components of choices and the build quality


I auditioned several times in battery mode. Even though some brief auditions may not do it justice but I’m already impressed with the potential of 1A/1Z.
The overall technical performance is still superior for Z1, especially driving power.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> It’s a pity u didn’t get to audition ultimate mod with 16 wire 1960s. I mod mine last year (and 10 wire in 2017) and never look back. It’s an overall step up from stock 1Z, in every aspects.
> Only one small concern, to a few out there, may be that the overall signature is more neutral than warm, compared with stock 1Z. But still a warm player after modded. The bass performance improves so much that it may compare with DMP-Z1 (only in regard of bass)





You probably missed one of my earlier post where I said I liked my stock wm1z vs Dmp...
That is the big concern I have with the mod. I really dont want to lose 1z's authentic warmth and bass...

And you literally just confirmed it without knowing it!

So I am even more skeptical to do the mod.

What I did is I bought a pw 1960 4 wires 1.5m from musicteck! At CanJam and earned a 25% special! 
My whole trip is paid off just with 1 purchase ! )

Nothing I heard at canjam really impressed me, just this cable! WoW


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 19, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> You probably missed one of my earlier post where I said I liked my stock wm1z vs Dmp...
> That is the big concern I have with the mod. I really dont want to lose 1z's authentic warmth and bass...
> 
> And you literally just confirmed it without knowing it!
> ...



I haven’t missed it. I remember my mood was just like u in 2017 before I first mod my 1Z, and I remember in this threads some shared the same feeling like u now.
I did love my stock 1Z, but a friend of mine poisoned me with the better performance it offers...... I can say though it’s more neutral, the bass rumbles so much deeper than stock 1Z with much more authority. And overall it’s still quite warm and analogue, sticking to the original 1Z signature but an overall step up. That was my first impression. And that’s only the impression of premium mod, not the latest ultimate mod that involves two more caps and battery mod and many more.


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> You probably missed one of my earlier post where I said I liked my stock wm1z vs Dmp...
> That is the big concern I have with the mod. I really dont want to lose 1z's authentic warmth and bass...
> 
> And you literally just confirmed it without knowing it!
> ...



congrats on your purchase! 1960s is a wonderful wire, imagine how a 16 wire version will do within your player......
I use Labkable gold titan which is a goldplated silver 10 wire, also from Hong Kong. It offers wider soundstage and more pronounced bass / mid than 1960s 4 wire, though also substantially thicker......


----------



## purk

Vitaly2017 said:


> You probably missed one of my earlier post where I said I liked my stock wm1z vs Dmp...
> That is the big concern I have with the mod. I really dont want to lose 1z's authentic warmth and bass...
> 
> And you literally just confirmed it without knowing it!
> ...



I dont know man but the DMP is vastly superior to the 1Z to my ears especially on harder to drive headphones.  The IER-Z1R does sound wonder on the 1Z and very close to the DMP, but the DMP is on another league or two above when driving full size headphones.


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> I auditioned several times in battery mode. Even though some brief auditions may not do it justice but I’m already impressed with the potential of 1A/1Z.
> The overall technical performance is still superior for Z1, especially driving power.



Yeah, well, battery mode is ok, but not the best of DMP Z1.  There are several reasons I can think of.  Can definitely confirm external discrete PSU will be a much different story






purk said:


> I dont know man but the DMP is vastly superior to the 1Z to my ears especially on harder to drive headphones.  The IER-Z1R does sound wonder on the 1Z and very close to the DMP, but the DMP is on another league or two above when driving full size headphones.


also the same when DMP drives IER Z1R

The best of it is still a well built External LPS instead of that Walwart


----------



## 524419 (Feb 19, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I swapped out my battery Wires with 22Awg Litz wires with Cotton cores for dampening.  This is already very big and can hardly fit. Unless you want to risk a damaged battery or a flash to the face and burning down your house.
> 
> Anyways, is there benefit to it ? I made sure I listened to my favorite song the whole night last night and morning.  Yeah, there are better bass textures, deeper, more vivid and articulations.  Widen soundstage, depth and more energetic timbres overall.  It isn’t as pronounced as swapping out Caps or internal wires, but every little bits count !!!
> 
> ...



I have some Cardas Litz 24 Gauge wire on hand,so I am doing this mod TONIGHT.
Thanks for leading the way.  
Power Cables are about as important as XLR cables in a High end system, and these Sony Players are about as High end as it gets.

PS. I wouldn't trust any Rhodium plating outside of what FURUTECH does, they are the best in the business.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> I haven’t missed it. I remember my mood was just like u in 2017 before I first mod my 1Z, and I remember in this threads some shared the same feeling like u now.
> I did love my stock 1Z, but a friend of mine poisoned me with the better performance it offers...... I can say though it’s more neutral, the bass rumbles so much deeper than stock 1Z with much more authority. And overall it’s still quite warm and analogue, sticking to the original 1Z signature but an overall step up. That was my first impression. And that’s only the impression of premium mod, not the latest ultimate mod that involves two more caps and battery mod and many more.




Hehe 2017 you saying ) just like my nickname the year when I joined headfi  XD

What you just described about 1z mod, its how I felt with pw1960!  Very impressive I never heard my 1z and trio to perform like this ever never ! Neither anything else too lol

But it was still warm and thick sounding but I just don't know how to explain this.
Its complet madness it was so good I was stoned couldn't believe it! 
The holy grail as we call it!

For now I will take a break probably cause its getting outrageously expensive sssss


----------



## Whitigir

Expensive ? Lol....

Human and Monkey has about 1.3% differences in the DNA.  Do you think it is expensive for the earth and monkey the way Human prove their differences ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Expensive ? Lol....
> 
> Human and Monkey has about 1.3% differences in the DNA.  Do you think it is expensive for the earth and monkey the way Human prove their differences ?



LoL humans can fly in space DuDe!!!
We own it!

Soon androids will do all our dirty jobs and we will sit miami beache! 

Yea expensive what does that even mean?
I got the top stuff I really enjoy and value my experience with it at as its priceless!  So I forgot already how much it was ooops Xd


----------



## Damz87

purk said:


> I dont know man but the DMP is vastly superior to the 1Z to my ears especially on harder to drive headphones.  The IER-Z1R does sound wonder on the 1Z and very close to the DMP, but the DMP is on another league or two above when driving full size headphones.



+1

Even with the IER-Z1R the DMP-Z1 is superior in my opinion. Especially with DSD remastering on.


----------



## Quadfather

I just recently transferred a few high res albums onto my Sony NW-WM1A using a Windows PC and they are not showing up.  Using a 1tb card...first time this has happened.


----------



## captblaze

Quadfather said:


> I just recently transferred a few high res albums onto my Sony NW-WM1A using a Windows PC and they are not showing up.  Using a 1tb card...first time this has happened.



did you place them in a folder named Music?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Damz87 said:


> +1
> 
> Even with the IER-Z1R the DMP-Z1 is superior in my opinion. Especially with DSD remastering on.




So funny I took that feature of when I listened to dmp.
I found it was way to smooth to my taste lol


----------



## Quadfather

captblaze said:


> did you place them in a folder named Music?




I feel like an idiot. I misspelled the artist in ID tags for all but one of the albums, so I only had one album showing up under what I thought was the artist. The rest of them were in the misspelled artist LOL.


----------



## hshock76

I'm in my office reading these posts, chilling and feeling blissful listening to Jazz (Art Pepper) on the 1Z>Horus>M9. Great synergy...

Modded 1Z and Z1R is on loan to a friend which gave me the opportunity to listen to the M9 on the 1Z again.... so glad I did.


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> I'm in my office reading these posts, chilling and feeling blissful listening to Jazz (Art Pepper) on the 1Z>Horus>M9. Great synergy...
> 
> Modded 1Z and Z1R is on loan to a friend which gave me the opportunity to listen to the M9 on the 1Z again.... so glad I did.



Sounds like good little heaven party at work?


----------



## Quadfather

Vitaly2017 said:


> Sounds like good little heaven party at work?




I was doing Art Pepper on my Sony NW-WM1A yesterday....today it's City of the Sun. Shure SRH1540 headphones seem to work beautifully with my Sony.


----------



## hshock76

Vitaly2017 said:


> Sounds like good little heaven party at work?



Just finished a meeting on financial reporting..... good time to chill and relax! No better way to do it than listening to Jazz on my fav DAP.


----------



## Quadfather

hshock76 said:


> I'm in my office reading these posts, chilling and feeling blissful listening to Jazz (Art Pepper) on the 1Z>Horus>M9. Great synergy...
> 
> Modded 1Z and Z1R is on loan to a friend which gave me the opportunity to listen to the M9 on the 1Z again.... so glad I did.



I was doing Art Pepper on my Sony NW-WM1A yesterday....today it's City of the Sun. Shure SRH1540 headphones seem to work beautifully with my Sony.


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> So funny I took that feature of when I listened to dmp.
> I found it was way to smooth to my taste lol


I guess it depends on your music taste? I listen to a lot of electronic music so for me the DSD remastering gives my music a slightly more natural tone.

Both the 1Z & DMP sound amazing in their own way


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> Just finished a meeting on financial reporting..... good time to chill and relax! No better way to do it than listening to Jazz on my fav DAP.




Sounds like the reports where very positive  ) time to jazz that thing out hehe


----------



## Vitaly2017

Damz87 said:


> I guess it depends on your music taste? I listen to a lot of electronic music so for me the DSD remastering gives my music a slightly more natural tone.
> 
> Both the 1Z & DMP sound amazing in their own way




Yes mine as well edm and not to mention hahaha
I was streaming Ldac to Dmp! Yes shoot me but spotify was inside dmp so too late LoL
And I still turned off the dsd remastering yes true it was very refined natural feel like at such a level that I felt was too much.

I really like to hear the hardware it self rather the implemented features. Not sure how dsd remastering works but felt it was not necessary.  Who know I only tried it for like 15min


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yes mine as well edm and not to mention hahaha
> I was streaming Ldac to Dmp! Yes shoot me but spotify was inside dmp so too late LoL
> And I still turned off the dsd remastering yes true it was very refined natural feel like at such a level that I felt was too much.
> 
> I really like to hear the hardware it self rather the implemented features. Not sure how dsd remastering works but felt it was not necessary.  Who know I only tried it for like 15min



It’s good that you didn’t like the DMP. Saves you a lot of money lol


----------



## Vitaly2017

Damz87 said:


> It’s good that you didn’t like the DMP. Saves you a lot of money lol




Yea that is saved money to buy 3 x cables pw audio 1960 lol


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hehe 2017 you saying ) just like my nickname the year when I joined headfi  XD
> 
> What you just described about 1z mod, its how I felt with pw1960!  Very impressive I never heard my 1z and trio to perform like this ever never ! Neither anything else too lol
> 
> ...


oh, did I mention the enormous soundstage brought forth by 1960s 16wire? it's outa this world......


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yea that is saved money to buy 3 x cables pw audio 1960 lol



Only 3?! Damn that’s some expensive cables. Oh well, if you got the cash and you hear a difference, then why not lol... This hobby and being broke go hand in hand so may as well just embrace it.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 20, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Zx1 is still going strong, same as Zx2.  Will you be so sure to not upgrade for the next 10 years ? If so it may be an issue



There is one member who has passed the 7000 hour mark; and is just starting to note a distinct lack in battery performance. That’s maybe the edge we can accept?


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 20, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> There is one member who has passed the 7000 hour mark; and is just starting to note a distinct lack in battery performance. That’s maybe the edge we can accept?


That could be, but battery is still a lot better than other DAPs


Damz87 said:


> Only 3?! Damn that’s some expensive cables. Oh well, if you got the cash and you hear a difference, then why not lol... This hobby and being broke go hand in hand so may as well just embrace it.


I would take a DMP in the faces of 3 cables , but what is *blowing* my mind is that he enjoys the cables and think DMP is worse than WM1Z.  No offenses, I am trying to wrap my mind around the conclusion 

the only reason why I need a Walkman is because nowadays I enjoy IeR Z1R and walking around with a Walkman, the battery life are all a lot better than many others


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> There is one member who has passed the 7000 hour mark; and is just starting to note a distinct lack in battery performance. That’s maybe the edge we can accept?



I don’t recal gerelmex stating that he was noting a distinct lack.
For me with my use pattern and Sonys estimated life span of the battery I’m expecting mine to ladt at least 10 years from new so another 7 years


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> I don’t recal gerelmex stating that he was noting a distinct lack.
> For me with my use pattern and Sonys estimated life span of the battery I’m expecting mine to ladt at least 10 years from new so another 7 years



Pretty sure they’re rated at charging cycles not time. Meaning it’s the amount of charges which will cause the battery to start to fail.


----------



## Whitigir

He did report some drops with newer cables .  I would take that his battery is a little weaker and it isn’t the cables.  But that is still strong going compare to many others


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Feb 20, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> That could be, but battery is still a lot better than other DAPs
> 
> I would take a DMP in the faces of 3 cables , but what is *blowing* my mind is that he enjoys the cables and think DMP is worse than WM1Z.  No offenses, I am trying to wrap my mind around the conclusion
> 
> the only reason why I need a Walkman is because nowadays I enjoy IeR Z1R and walking around with a Walkman, the battery life are all a lot better than many others




Hey I am telling you 1z is so special as you  said wm1z is unique that doesnt mean new gear will have its signature that I felt in love!
That is exactly what I experienced with dmp I was expecting to hear wm1z on dmp with huge improvements but wjat I heard was a different sound and missed my 1z bass and warm thickness....

And the cable on the other hand really improved the wm1z authentic sound and made it even more WoW
This is why I lost my mind end went full cash on pw 1960!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 20, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hey I am telling you 1z is so special as @Whitigir  said wm1z is unique that doesnt mean new gear will have its signature that I felt in love!
> That is exactly what I experienced with dmp I was expecting to hear wm1z on dmp with huge improvements but wjat I heard was a different sound and missed my 1z bass and warm thickness....



And your conclusion is perfectly OK. Sound is subjective. I haven’t heard the DMP-Z1.....though it may not have the synergy with the IEMs you use nor may be slightly darker than your 1Z? Also it’s fairly difficult to judge stuff super fast, especially at a noisy show, short on time. Many of us have to settle down with gear to learn to hear it. Every person keys into different aspects of a signature, that’s why everyone has different gear. Also I found myself once not liking gear due to it being super expensive being something I would never own........ I tried a $100,000 vinyl headphone rig where the signature was opposite from the direction I was going at the time. Price does not necessarily mean a coveted sound.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 20, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hey I am telling you 1z is so special as @Whitigir  said wm1z is unique that doesnt mean new gear will have its signature that I felt in love!
> That is exactly what I experienced with dmp I was expecting to hear wm1z on dmp with huge improvements but wjat I heard was a different sound and missed my 1z bass and warm thickness....


Now that is what I can confirm with you.

1/ DMP Z1 has 2 modes in total

A/ Battery alone: this mode will need to be exclusively selected in setting as “battery preferred”

B/ AC mode alone: you need to choose AC preferred

So if you don’t choose “Battery preferred” then the DMP Z1 will always go into AC mode when plugged in.  _Here is a kicker, the stock Walwart is so sadly bad.  It only means for charging the DMP Z1.  If you are in this mode, the most lacking performances is the low ends and the dynamic of inner resolutions. *In this mode the DMP Z1 will certainly loose the uniqueness of Walkman

that was why I asked what Mode was DMP Z1 on*_

Now, if battery preferred was selected as Mode A, it should be obviously better than your Walkman, but still not at it best.....and I am talking about the density of tonal body, the bass impacts and sub bass decay, the Walkman uniqueness.  Better at what ? The textures and the control overall.  If you can hear the differences from cables then there is 0 ways to ignore these

_the best of DMP Z1 in expressing those characteristics is with an External Linear Regulated Dedicated Power Supply.  This will have to stays in Mode B

*Now:*_ don’t take me wrong, I am not trying to let you get into DMP Z1, but I just want to make it clear as what you have observed and how I can understand and relate to it.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Now that is what I can confirm with you.
> 
> 1/ DMP Z1 has 2 modes in total
> 
> ...





Well crap!
It with in ac mod sucks if I would of known that I would atleast heard a proper dmp z1 damn sony!

They left it ac mode all the time!


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 20, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well crap!
> It with in ac mod sucks if I would of known that I would atleast heard a proper dmp z1 damn sony!
> 
> They left it ac mode all the time!


For this my friend, I made sure to say it in my review as soon as possible LOL.

then Power Supply will Effect the DMP Z1 a lot, even more so than any desktop systems I have worked on.  Virtually every component that built it and selected for it would all count toward the performances!  But start out with an affordable PSU and you can hear the differences.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> For this my friend, I made sure to say it in my review as soon as possible LOL.
> 
> then Power Supply will Effect the DMP Z1 a lot, even more so than any desktop systems I have worked on.  Virtually every component that built it and selected for it would all count toward the performances!  But start out with an affordable PSU and you can hear the differences.




Face Palm Sony them self made me hear Dmp from ac mode pluged into canjam wall outlet. 


No no nono
What we do now?


----------



## ttt123

Redcarmoose said:


> There is one member who has passed the 7000 hour mark; and is just starting to note a distinct lack in battery performance. That’s maybe the edge we can accept?



Here's some usage data.  WM1Z bought Oct 2017.   I changed the battery once March 2018 (end of March) when I got a mod done.   
The battery was degraded slightly at that time, and did not really need it, but I decided to get the battery replaced at the same time.   

Currently, the battery is fading.  It is draining faster when on standby, and in use.  Still OK to use, but I need to pay more attention to the charge state when I take it out.  
But this is not an OEM Sony battery, and I also use the DAP to burn in cables and IEMs, so no conclusion can be drawn about the Sony battery, and my usage is abnormal.  But this does give some idea of how the DAP holds up under heavy usage.


----------



## Whitigir

ttt123 said:


> Here's some usage data.  WM1Z bought Oct 2017.   I changed the battery once March 2018 (end of March) when I got a mod done.
> The battery was degraded slightly at that time, and did not really need it, but I decided to get the battery replaced at the same time.
> 
> Currently, the battery is fading.  It is draining faster when on standby, and in use.  Still OK to use, but I need to pay more attention to the charge state when I take it out.
> But this is not an OEM Sony battery, and I also use the DAP to burn in cables and IEMs, so no conclusion can be drawn about the Sony battery, and my usage is abnormal.  But this does give some idea of how the DAP holds up under heavy usage.


Holy!!!! That is a lot of intimacy together


----------



## Redcarmoose

ttt123 said:


> Here's some usage data.  WM1Z bought Oct 2017.   I changed the battery once March 2018 (end of March) when I got a mod done.
> The battery was degraded slightly at that time, and did not really need it, but I decided to get the battery replaced at the same time.
> 
> Currently, the battery is fading.  It is draining faster when on standby, and in use.  Still OK to use, but I need to pay more attention to the charge state when I take it out.
> But this is not an OEM Sony battery, and I also use the DAP to burn in cables and IEMs, so no conclusion can be drawn about the Sony battery, and my usage is abnormal.  But this does give some idea of how the DAP holds up under heavy usage.



Seventeen......cough.....thousand hours.......call headquarters....we have a winner!


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Face Palm Sony them self made me hear Dmp from ac mode pluged into canjam wall outlet.
> 
> 
> No no nono
> What we do now?


Wait for next show ? Lol or I think WooAudio is on east coast and u can arrange some time ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

ttt123 said:


> Here's some usage data.  WM1Z bought Oct 2017.   I changed the battery once March 2018 (end of March) when I got a mod done.
> The battery was degraded slightly at that time, and did not really need it, but I decided to get the battery replaced at the same time.
> 
> Currently, the battery is fading.  It is draining faster when on standby, and in use.  Still OK to use, but I need to pay more attention to the charge state when I take it out.
> But this is not an OEM Sony battery, and I also use the DAP to burn in cables and IEMs, so no conclusion can be drawn about the Sony battery, and my usage is abnormal.  But this does give some idea of how the DAP holds up under heavy usage.



17,000 is 1.941 calendar years. Lol.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 20, 2020)

Ah, nvm !! New battery is good and strong for another 17k hours


----------



## nc8000 (Feb 20, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Pretty sure they’re rated at charging cycles not time. Meaning it’s the amount of charges which will cause the battery to start to fail.



Yes it is stated at 500 full charge cycles and I get 20 hours play and a weeks stand by per 90% charge and charge every Sunday so that should give me at least 10 years of life


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> Yes it is stated at 500 full charge cycles and I get 20 hours play and a weeks stand by per 90% charge and charge every Sunday so that should give me at least 10 years of life



When they say 500 full.

If I charge max 90%
That mean 10 charges would be an equivalent of 9 full charges?


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> When they say 500 full.
> 
> If I charge max 90%
> That mean 10 charges would be an equivalent of 9 full charges?



That’s how I assume it works. Also I never discharge fully and rarely even get to the last bar flashing so I assume I get a good deal more than 500 of my charge cycles hence at least 10 years which will work out at about 20 cents per hour of played music if I have to ditch the player after 10 years


----------



## Whitigir

After 10 years, replace the battery and pass on to grand kids


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> After 10 years, replace the battery and pass on to grand kids




In 10 years they might improve the battery capacity and it could last 20 years for the next round!


----------



## Whitigir

Sony and Sony, except the case


----------



## Vitaly2017

Why the high res sticker lol
It also deserves a wireless high res sticker to you know.
Cause it can do 24/96 Ldac!


----------



## Whitigir

Lol! It is just fun sticking it up there, just because my glass screen protector comes with it


----------



## Lookout57

@Whitigir 

Would using a better power supply improve the WM1Z in a Sony dock connected to the TA-ZH1ES?


----------



## musicday

I would like to see more internal flash memory modification of WM-1Z .Maybe 1TB, something that can be done with Rockbox but I don't know if it is possible.


----------



## Tawek

musicday said:


> I would like to see more internal flash memory modification of WM-1Z .Maybe 1TB, something that can be done with Rockbox but I don't know if it is possible.


and I would like Tera player  to have a display
and more power ...


----------



## musicday

Tawek said:


> and I would like Tera player  to have a display
> and more power ...


He he, you can try to add one


----------



## gazzington

musicday said:


> He he, you can try to add one


Lol there is no perfect dap in reality but wm1z gets close


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 20, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> @Whitigir
> 
> Would using a better power supply improve the WM1Z in a Sony dock connected to the TA-ZH1ES?


Actually, I misread 

Power supply for the Sony Dock ? Never occurred to me to experiment with, so I can not really tell LOL.


----------



## Lookout57

Whitigir said:


> Actually, I misread
> 
> Power supply for the Sony Dock ? Never occurred to me to experiment with, so I can not really tell LOL.


I guess I'll have to do some experimenting with this when I get some time to find a better PSU or build one.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Feb 20, 2020)

gazzington said:


> Lol there is no perfect dap in reality but wm1z gets close




Its a fun game.
At some point when I listen to my 1z I start to get used to it.
And find to think ok I am missing something whats wrong?

I feel bass being digital softwarish%#@?

Treble peacky....

Want more voices forward.

This is when I realized that I got used to 1z so much I start to net peak like a young child lol

Then I grab my 1z go to a store and start doing a/b and realize ummm dang 1z is actually good and sounds better then to what I compared it against!

I am then calm proud and satisfied going back home and until my next brain hiccup LoL


----------



## bflat

Lookout57 said:


> I guess I'll have to do some experimenting with this when I get some time to find a better PSU or build one.



From your prior post, it sounds like the use case is digital out from your WM1z via dock to USB input on TA-ZH1es (rear USB and not side WM-Port). Theoretically, a better power supply should sound better due to the following:

1) TA-ZH1es does require power to the USB input. I confirmed this with my Matrix Element H. TA-ZH1es will not detect unless I enable bus power on the Element H USB adapter. Therefore a clean USB 5V source would be recommended.

2) I assume you mean BCR-NWH10 dock. The power supply is 5V which means there is no voltage regulation from power supply to USB out since USB power is also 5V. There could be noise reduction components inside, but those would be passive.

In addition to a low noise 5V power supply, you will want a very good USB cable that has sufficient shielding or else all the benefits of the power supply are lost by the time power reaches your TA-Z1Hes. Having said all that, I have no idea how well the TA-ZH1es internally deals with external noise sources. Since the main power supply is internal and takes up about half the space, It is not unreasonable to assume that USB power is isolated from the rest of the internal circuitry thereby making all of the above moot.

If you are wondering if a cleaner power supply for charging your WM1z while docked makes any difference, I would say no since the USB out is powered by the dock power supply and not the WM1z.


----------



## Lookout57

bflat said:


> From your prior post, it sounds like the use case is digital out from your WM1z via dock to USB input on TA-ZH1es (rear USB and not side WM-Port). Theoretically, a better power supply should sound better due to the following:
> 
> 1) TA-ZH1es does require power to the USB input. I confirmed this with my Matrix Element H. TA-ZH1es will not detect unless I enable bus power on the Element H USB adapter. Therefore a clean USB 5V source would be recommended.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the insight.

I use an AudioQuest Carbon cable from the BCR-NWH10 dock to the PC(USB-B) port. I do have a Audioquest JitterBug that I can try on the dock and see if that doesn't anything.


----------



## Whitigir

I love Chinese instrumentals.  Especially good with Walkman


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> I love Chinese instrumentals.  Especially good with Walkman



Brilliant recording. This one is also very good


----------



## gazzington

Whitigir said:


> I love Chinese instrumentals.  Especially good with Walkman


Where do you get dsd of those from?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Sony and Sony, except the case


 engrave the Sony logo on the case and you have a "SONY" case too


----------



## Whitigir

gazzington said:


> Where do you get dsd of those from?





gerelmx1986 said:


> engrave the Sony logo on the case and you have a "SONY" case too


that could actually be done !!! Lol!!!


----------



## Damz87 (Feb 21, 2020)

Really digging this combo 

WM1Z + Luminox Audio Day for Night 4.4mm balanced cable + qdc Anole VX


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> I love Chinese instrumentals.  Especially good with Walkman





Not sure how close this is to chinese music  but it sounds very neet
The Gaslamp Killer - Nissim















nc8000 said:


> Brilliant recording. This one is also very good


----------



## 524419 (Feb 21, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> That could be, but battery is still a lot better than other DAPs
> 
> I would take a DMP in the faces of 3 cables , but what is *blowing* my mind is that he enjoys the cables and think DMP is worse than WM1Z.  No offenses, I am trying to wrap my mind around the conclusion
> 
> the only reason why I need a Walkman is because nowadays I enjoy IeR Z1R and walking around with a Walkman, the battery life are all a lot better than many others


I think it's the IEM. DMP-Z1 is on another level, several levels above it. DMP needs to be paired with ultra transparent IEMs.
Planars are my favorite pairing.


----------



## Damz87

Diet Kokaine said:


> I think it's the IEM. DMP-Z1 is on another level, several levels above it. The DMP-Z1 needs to be paired with ultra transparent IEMs.
> Planars are my favorite pairing.



The DMP-Z1 definitely is the better sounding player overall, but it doesn’t pair well with sensitive IEM’s compared to the 1Z. For example the Andromeda’s sound much better on the 1Z compared to the DMP, which I’m guessing is due to the output impedance.

@Vitaly2017 are the tia trios sensitive?


----------



## Whitigir

Anyone has 3.0.1 firmware they can share ? Thank you


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Downloads are available online :
> 
> Windows :
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_02.exe
> ...


Here


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 26, 2020)

Ultimate K-Mod + Labkable Gold Titan + XJE MH1 tuned by Bandai San
Sony does have a thing for gold… Just Ear was created before the Signature series, and the TOTL tier has always been golden.


----------



## musicday

Morbideath said:


> Ultimate K-Mod + Labkable Gold Titan + XJE MH1 tuned by Bandai San


That wood surface is beautiful.


----------



## Damz87

Morbideath said:


> Ultimate K-Mod + Labkable Gold Titan + XJE MH1 tuned by Bandai San
> Sony does have a thing for gold… Just Ear was created before the Signature series, and the TOTL tier has always been golden.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Battery lasts 2 days now instead of 3. Still better than fiio and ibasso tho


----------



## Redcarmoose

musicday said:


> That wood surface is beautiful.



I’m 99% sure that’s the back of an acoustic guitar.


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m 99% sure that’s the back of an acoustic guitar.



Dude… it's just my dining table. Im flattered  that u think so though


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 21, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Dude… it's just my dining table. Im flattered  that u think so though



....that’s nice!


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## ezemigue

Redcarmoose said:


>



Beautiful picture of the joint, enjoy it !!, I enjoy the same pair in the WM1A version


----------



## Redcarmoose

ezemigue said:


> Beautiful picture of the joint, enjoy it !!, I enjoy the same pair in the WM1A version



It’s the best thing I’ve heard since 3.02 firmware came along. I’m grateful always......strangely attached?


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Feb 21, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> The DMP-Z1 definitely is the better sounding player overall, but it doesn’t pair well with sensitive IEM’s compared to the 1Z. For example the Andromeda’s sound much better on the 1Z compared to the DMP, which I’m guessing is due to the output impedance.
> 
> @Vitaly2017 are the tia trios sensitive?




I dont know if u meen by how much hiss it can detect or by the ohm?

No trio dont catch hiss yes they are low ohm impedance 5.5 ohm


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> I dont know if u meen by how much hiss it can detect or by the ohm?
> 
> No trio dont catch hiss yes they are low ohm impedance 5.5 ohm



Yeah I meant the impedance.


----------



## siruspan




----------



## captblaze

siruspan said:


>



now there is a boost in sonic energy for the old 1A


----------



## Vitaly2017

Haha 1 crazzy song any onne wana try


----------



## Jauregui7 (Feb 21, 2020)

Hello guys, new to the forum, hoping you could help me answer a pressing question, I love well build, quality things and I'm normally willing to pay the premium that that entails, that said, a quality build is just half the story for me, as I like to think of everything I buy as lasting forever (I know, I know...), at least knowing that when I part ways with something it's because I went after something better / newer and not because I was forced to. Now on to the question, I'm on the fence of buying a NW-WM1Z, just love the way it looks and the build, when the bettery is good no more, will I be able to use it plugged in at all times? Currently use a Sony TA-ZH1ES for my home rig and use iphone or PC as sources, would be using the 1Z if I get it. Also, have a pair of MDR-Z1R's, everyone talks about IER-Z1R but really cannot afford both, the DAP and IEM, is the pairing with the MDR's a good one?

Thanks!!


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 21, 2020)

Battery on WM1A/Z ain’t going anywhere for at least 5 years.

It is easily replaced

You can use it plugged in even with a very bad battery.  The soundstage on MDR won’t be matched by IER-Z1R.  But the balances overall is nicer on IER-Z1R, especially the bass region.  The IER is also portable that you can take anywhere.

2 different categories, fullsize is always better than in ears, but the IER-Z1R can get very close to competing with full sizes, and certainly can be said to be better than MDR-Z1R.  That is due to the practicality, portability, the better balances overall at some sacrificial of Soundstage.  I would also say that the dynamic and it punches are always better controlled with fullsizes.  But the nice thing about IER-Z1R is that the Housing were made in a way that you can “feel the punches and impacts” with your Ear canals.....I don’t know how Sony pull that off, but that is pretty crazy.  One of the reason I see is the dense filters, the impacts and vibrations Feel a little less, but I am glad to trade that off for some more clarity, details and sparkles.....also nice to have mid to be bumped up a little and bass to be toned down a little.


----------



## Jauregui7

Whitigir said:


> Battery on WM1A/Z ain’t going anywhere for at least 5 years.
> 
> It is easily replaced
> 
> ...



Thanks Whitigir, just what I was hoping to hear! I'll start saving for the IER as they seem to be well regarded by most if not all owners / reviewers, plus the portability and somewhat discreet nature of them helps a lot with a DAP, as it is, I was mocked in the office with my "lowly" HD-598s and Denon DAC setup, wearing something as big as the MDRs would not go unnoticed :-D, plus I don't like risking them getting damaged or something.

Cheers!!


----------



## Whitigir

Jauregui7 said:


> Thanks Whitigir, just what I was hoping to hear! I'll start saving for the IER as they seem to be well regarded by most if not all owners / reviewers, plus the portability and somewhat discreet nature of them helps a lot with a DAP, as it is, I was mocked in the office with my "lowly" HD-598s and Denon DAC setup, wearing something as big as the MDRs would not go unnoticed :-D, plus I don't like risking them getting damaged or something.
> 
> Cheers!!


I would buy a Darth Vader helmet and wear HD820 all day long....toss in a cape and you are set

I am just kidding, and yes....that is exactly why I am here ier-Z1R and Walkman .  If it wasn’t ier-Z1R, I would suffer during the day and settles during the night at home with my Stax lol


----------



## xenoVa

What is the idea of the DMP-Z1 ?

It costs $8500 and it isn't portable. With a budget of $8.5k  I think it is possible build better systems (TOTL tube amplifier + TOTL DAC + money to spare)


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 21, 2020)

atahanuz said:


> What is the idea of the DMP-Z1 ?
> 
> It costs $8500 and it isn't portable. With a budget of $8.5k  I think it is possible build better systems (TOTL tube amplifier + TOTL DAC + money to spare)


Only except that an interconnect cables like Horus is cheap, or 1960, they are all as cheap as 3 of them Equal an DMP-Z1.  Let’s say

1/ Tube Amp + PowerCord
2/ TOTL DAC + PowerCord + USB Cord + Interconnect

Where is money to spare ? Certainly is more portable than Desktop that needs AC outlets


----------



## 524419

Where can I order a new 1A battery???
Help please


----------



## xenoVa

Whitigir said:


> Only except that an interconnect cables like Horus is cheap, or 1960, they are all as cheap as 3 of them Equal an DMP-Z1.  Let’s say
> 
> 1/ Tube Amp + PowerCord
> 2/ TOTL DAC + PowerCord + USB Cord + Interconnect
> ...



Actually I read that DMP-Z1's DAC is literally AK4997. This is Fiio M11 Pro's DAC and M15 has AK4999 xD
Yes yes it is much more than what DAC chip is being used. But still interesting


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 21, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> Where can I order a new 1A battery???
> Help please


Did you burn down your house or what

You can order it here


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 21, 2020)

atahanuz said:


> Actually I read that DMP-Z1's DAC is literally AK4997. This is Fiio M11 Pro's DAC and M15 has AK4999 xD
> Yes yes it is much more than what DAC chip is being used. But still interesting


Go troll somewhere else bro, even SP2K can not hold the candles to DMP Z1

BTW, I would also pick DMP Z1 over Chord DAVE any given chances


----------



## xenoVa

Whitigir said:


> Go troll somewhere else bro, even SP2K can not hold the candles to DMP Z1
> 
> BTW, I would also pick DMP Z1 over Chord DAVE any given chances



DMP-Z1 probably sound better than all without a doubt.
I just wanted to point out that it has an inferior DAC chip. Interesting decision by Sony


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 21, 2020)

Jauregui7 said:


> Hello guys, new to the forum, hoping you could help me answer a pressing question, I love well build, quality things and I'm normally willing to pay the premium that that entails, that said, a quality build is just half the story for me, as I like to think of everything I buy as lasting forever (I know, I know...), at least knowing that when I part ways with something it's because I went after something better / newer and not because I was forced to. Now on to the question, I'm on the fence of buying a NW-WM1Z, just love the way it looks and the build, when the bettery is good no more, will I be able to use it plugged in at all times? Currently use a Sony TA-ZH1ES for my home rig and use iphone or PC as sources, would be using the 1Z if I get it. Also, have a pair of MDR-Z1R's, everyone talks about IER-Z1R but really cannot afford both, the DAP and IEM, is the pairing with the MDR's a good one?
> 
> Thanks!!



Also a low cost and unexpected use may be using your new 1Z as a source with the TA.

Add: Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
Add: AudioQuest Carbon USB cable

I was using the TA/1Z/MDR-Z1R setup today and it was amazing. Using the 1Z with the dock is a big improvement over the computer to the TA.

Also straight out of the box using the side connector should be a noticeable sound improvement over using USB from a computer.


----------



## Vitaly2017

atahanuz said:


> DMP-Z1 probably sound better than all without a doubt.
> I just wanted to point out that it has an inferior DAC chip. Interesting decision by Sony



Dude stop it lol.

I could say the same I found my older wm1z which has s-master to sound superior then fiio m15.

How is that possible?


----------



## siruspan

Jauregui7 said:


> Thanks Whitigir, just what I was hoping to hear! I'll start saving for the IER as they seem to be well regarded by most if not all owners / reviewers, plus the portability and somewhat discreet nature of them helps a lot with a DAP, as it is, I was mocked in the office with my "lowly" HD-598s and Denon DAC setup, wearing something as big as the MDRs would not go unnoticed :-D, plus I don't like risking them getting damaged or something.
> 
> Cheers!!



IER-Z1R are sonically great altough because of their rather natural nature they are not the most resolving or detailed. When it comes to comfort I find them uncomfortable for long listening sessions. They are big, bulky, heavy and quite noticible in appearance compared to other iems.


----------



## siruspan

Vitaly2017 said:


> Dude stop it lol.
> 
> I could say the same I found my older wm1z which has s-master to sound superior then fiio m15.
> 
> How is that possible?



Fiio are always champions of specs on paper but this doesn't translates for the sound. I've reviewed the M11 and it sounds quite hard and technical. It lacks any kind of the warmth or subtlety. Also the screen, superb resolution with extreme PPI but with cold blueish tint.


----------



## 524419 (Feb 21, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Did you burn down your house or what
> 
> You can order it here


Nahhh, nothing like that. I didn't realize how tightly the battery was glued to it's housing. I was trying to wedge it out and accidentally ruptured it.
Oh well, time for a new one anyways.
I am going to use 24 gauge solid copper to wire it. Should be easy enough.

And there is no way any portable DAP even touches the DMP-Z1.... Not happening for at least another 10 plus years, if ever.


----------



## Whitigir

You don’t have to peel the battery off, it can be done by peeling the tape off.  However, peeling the battery off need some heat applied to the copper chassis when the battery is out


----------



## Jauregui7

Redcarmoose said:


> Also a low cost and unexpected use may be using your new 1Z as a source with the TA.
> 
> Add: Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
> Add: AudioQuest Carbon USB cable
> ...


Thanks for the suggestion, chances are the 1Z will be splitting duties 50/50 between on the go and transport for speakers / headphones at home via TA


----------



## Jauregui7

siruspan said:


> IER-Z1R are sonically great altough because of their rather natural nature they are not the most resolving or detailed. When it comes to comfort I find them uncomfortable for long listening sessions. They are big, bulky, heavy and quite noticible in appearance compared to other iems.


Thanks for the input, fit is a concern of mine because it can be heavily dependent on ear shape and size, this is the more true of IEMs than full size headphones, don't know of a place nearby I could try them on nor if I would want to (IEMs going inside the ear and all... you know)


----------



## captblaze

Diet Kokaine said:


> Where can I order a new 1A battery???
> Help please


https://encompass.com/item/12531354/Sony/1-853-588-15/


----------



## Lookout57

Jauregui7 said:


> Thanks for the suggestion, chances are the 1Z will be splitting duties 50/50 between on the go and transport for speakers / headphones at home via TA


I have the TA/1Z/MDR-Z1R with the Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10 and AudioQuest Carbon USB cable. I also have the AXIOS Cu balanced for the MDR-Z1R for my home listening. The only thing I would do as a possible upgrade is to find a good pure silver cable. Maybe the DHC Complement4 Silver.

I then I use the 1Z with Campfire Solaris SE,  ADV Custom tips and DHC Clone Silver balanced for traveling on the airplane or hotel.


----------



## Jauregui7

Lookout57 said:


> I have the TA/1Z/MDR-Z1R with the Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10 and AudioQuest Carbon USB cable. I also have the AXIOS Cu balanced for the MDR-Z1R for my home listening. The only thing I would do as a possible upgrade is to find a good pure silver cable. Maybe the DHC Complement4 Silver.
> 
> I then I use the 1Z with Campfire Solaris SE,  ADV Custom tips and DHC Clone Silver balanced for traveling on the airplane or hotel.


Does the cradle beat using the dedicated Walkman connection on the TA-ZH1ES?


----------



## nc8000

Jauregui7 said:


> Does the cradle beat using the dedicated Walkman connection on the TA-ZH1ES?



Yes


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


>








oohhh those sexy nipples


----------



## Lookout57

Jauregui7 said:


> Does the cradle beat using the dedicated Walkman connection on the TA-ZH1ES?


Absolutely as the dock is active. Whitigir posted details on what was in the dock way back in this thread. Plus using the Audioquest Carbon USB is an improvement over the flimsy WALKMAN port cable.

Also check the supported resolutions for each port on the TA:

*PC (USB-B):*
PCM 2ch; 44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192/352.8/384/705.6/768 kHz (16/24/32 bit) DSD 2ch Native; 2.8/5.6/11.2/22.4 MHz (1 bit) DSD 2ch DoP; 2.8/5.6/11.2 MHz (1 bit)

*WALKMAN:*
PCM 2ch; 44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192/352.8/384 kHz (16/24/32 bit) DSD 2ch Native; 2.8/5.6/11.2 MHz (1 bit) DSD 2ch DoP; 2.8/5.6 MHz(1 bit)

So for the best performance you should go dock and Audioquest Carbon USB


----------



## captblaze

After a fun day of trying out a new toy, boredom set in and i decided to pull out the 1A and downgraded the firmware to v2.0. since i dont need the usb dac function nor the other things v3x brings i thought what the heck.

didnt take long to realize i like the bass punch v2.0 has over higher versions. granted this is using one set of IEMs, but it is the best set i own and my primary IEM (for now). hopefully my lesser IEMs sound good also


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 21, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> Absolutely as the dock is active. Whitigir posted details on what was in the dock way back in this thread. Plus using the Audioquest Carbon USB is an improvement over the flimsy WALKMAN port cable.
> 
> Also check the supported resolutions for each port on the TA:
> 
> ...



What’s really fascinating is coming back to the MDR-Z1R-TA-Dock-1Z combo after a long break. During the break only the 1Z and various IEMs were used. Nothing was changed or moved, but somehow the MDR-Z1R sounds more midrange and detailed. I can’t get over how diminished the bass is? The only other causing factor would be listening to Piston Youth Edition IEM with an IPod out and about; which is extremely bass heavy?

But it really sounds like a new system in an amazing and good way. The MDR-Z1R has never sounded better? The sub-bass now resides in the most out of the way audiophile place like really good sub-woofers in a room. An expanded and natural fully detailed midrange takes the show, yet vocals can still sit exactly where I remember which of course is ever so slightly back from many listens available. With the bass where it is now the treble also has a very forward presentation where it’s fully expanded in detail and bordering on bright but never quite there. It’s not that the MDR is lacking bass, it’s just that the lows have been surgically taken apart and displayed in an amazing spectrum of delineation and clarity. I know my city has been placing power conditioners on the individual power poles now, so maybe that’s the explanation?

Strangely now the MDR is way way better than the IER-Z1R, yet I’ve had the IER-Z1R for a full year and never felt that way?

I’ve never heard a system sound so different in my entire life, and I have no idea why?


----------



## hshock76

Redcarmoose said:


> What’s really fascinating is coming back to the MDR-Z1R-TA-Dock-1Z combo after a long break. During the break only the 1Z and various IEMs were used. Nothing was changed or moved, but somehow the MDR-Z1R sounds more midrange and detailed. I can’t get over how diminished the bass is? The only other causing factor would be listening to Piston Youth Edition IEM with an IPod out and about; which is extremely bass heavy?
> 
> But it really sounds like a new system in an amazing and good way. The MDR-Z1R has never sounded better? The sub-bass now resides in the most out of the way audiophile place like really good sub-woofers in a room. An expanded and natural fully detailed midrange takes the show, yet vocals can still sit exactly where I remember which of course is ever so slightly back from many listens available. With the bass where it is now the treble also has a very forward presentation where it’s fully expanded in detail and bordering on bright but never quite there. It’s not that the MDR is lacking bass, it’s just that the lows have been surgically taken apart and displayed in an amazing spectrum of delineation and clarity. I know my city has been placing power conditioners on the individual power poles now, so maybe that’s the explanation?
> 
> ...



TBH, I just had exactly the same experience like you which started 2 weeks back. I have not touched the Tazzy and MDR for a while due to travels and only started listening to them again when the Kimber Axios Copper arrived. And wow what an experience. Maybe I’ve been on the IER-Z1R for too long a stretch and the MDR sounds fresh now. But it’s been 2 weeks and I still prefer the headphones at this point. I’m not sure how much is contributed by the Kimber Axios but who cares when u can have so much joy just listening to music. I can’t write as well as you to describe my experience and I’m glad you have given your feedback and I could not agree more!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 21, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> TBH, I just had exactly the same experience like you which started 2 weeks back. I have not touched the Tazzy and MDR for a while due to travels and only started listening to them again when the Kimber Axios Copper arrived. And wow what an experience. Maybe I’ve been on the IER-Z1R for too long a stretch and the MDR sounds fresh now. But it’s been 2 weeks and I still prefer the headphones at this point. I’m not sure how much is contributed by the Kimber Axios but who cares when u can have so much joy just listening to music. I can’t write as well as you to describe my experience and I’m glad you have given your feedback and I could not agree more!



I know, but the difference is I have changed vary little. I did move a computer power cord from being plugged in next to where I plug in the TA and physically move the cable away from being near my power cord. My power cord is fairly exotic with small thin ribbons of solid gold placed inside expanded plastic balloons so the gold ribbons are suspended; with the whole thing wrapped in EMF paper.

But I’m an IEM listener? The only reason I had the MDR was as a test to make sure I was not missing anything. My God? The MDR head-stage is so much more natural and detailed than the cramped and un natural IER. Reverberations are now truly spectacular?? There is no way the IER ever gets close to this style of lifelike reverberations? Wild?


----------



## Jauregui7

Lookout57 said:


> Absolutely as the dock is active. Whitigir posted details on what was in the dock way back in this thread. Plus using the Audioquest Carbon USB is an improvement over the flimsy WALKMAN port cable.
> 
> Also check the supported resolutions for each port on the TA:
> 
> ...


Thanks for this information, never paid attention to the specs of the TA in the Walkman port, now I know better, I'll also look for those early posts from Whitgir on the dock!


----------



## Jauregui7

Redcarmoose said:


> What’s really fascinating is coming back to the MDR-Z1R-TA-Dock-1Z combo after a long break. During the break only the 1Z and various IEMs were used. Nothing was changed or moved, but somehow the MDR-Z1R sounds more midrange and detailed. I can’t get over how diminished the bass is? The only other causing factor would be listening to Piston Youth Edition IEM with an IPod out and about; which is extremely bass heavy?
> 
> But it really sounds like a new system in an amazing and good way. The MDR-Z1R has never sounded better? The sub-bass now resides in the most out of the way audiophile place like really good sub-woofers in a room. An expanded and natural fully detailed midrange takes the show, yet vocals can still sit exactly where I remember which of course is ever so slightly back from many listens available. With the bass where it is now the treble also has a very forward presentation where it’s fully expanded in detail and bordering on bright but never quite there. It’s not that the MDR is lacking bass, it’s just that the lows have been surgically taken apart and displayed in an amazing spectrum of delineation and clarity. I know my city has been placing power conditioners on the individual power poles now, so maybe that’s the explanation?
> 
> ...


Loved the way you described the sound you experienced out of your setup, now I can't wait to get my hands on a 1Z! The Axios Cu are out of my league (for now) so the Sony branded Kimber Kable for the Z1R will have to do for the time being... I had a hard time justifying my need of a WM to my wife, now I'll have to throw in a dock and usb cable to the mix, she'll understand...


----------



## Redcarmoose

Jauregui7 said:


> Whitgir



The only reason I have my set-up is due to Whitgir. I just went along with the rig he had at the time. After adding the dock it became noticeable as an improvement, then he talked about the USB filters, which explained why stuff was different. The TA is inherently dark for some of my IEMs, but always adds a special blackness to the background the 1Z never is able to do alone. There is something about the MDR-Z1R which never shows that smoothness as too smooth? It simply comes out perfect with the added treble detail due to the dock and AQCarbon? It’s like this spacious midrange which goes out forever holding the exact technicality and separated musical timbre; it’s so real?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Jauregui7 said:


> Loved the way you described the sound you experienced out of your setup, now I can't wait to get my hands on a 1Z! The Axios Cu are out of my league (for now) so the Sony branded Kimber Kable for the Z1R will have to do for the time being... I had a hard time justifying my need of a WM to my wife, now I'll have to throw in a dock and usb cable to the mix, she'll understand...



The dock and 1Z as a source along with the Carbon is most likely a complete reducing of both USB noise and correct timing, in contrast to a computer. Meaning noise and timing are everything? When things are locked timing wise stuff gets clearer and more real, add the noise reduction and it’s even more noticeable?


----------



## ttt123 (Feb 22, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> I know, but the difference is I have changed vary little. I did move a computer power cord from being plugged in next to where I plug in the TA and physically move the cable away from being near my power cord. My power cord is fairly exotic with small thin ribbons of solid gold placed inside expanded plastic balloons so the gold ribbons are suspended; with the whole thing wrapped in EMF paper.



I have a Consonance CD player, which has a tube stage.  I did some simple experimentation on it (this is many years ago).  I physically moved (spread) the wires going to the tube socket, isolating the heater wires from the signal wires, and also wrapped some copper foil around the individual signal leads, with the idea of reducing noise.  As all this was non-destructive, and cheap to do, I like this kind of mod.  Just costs some time, and not much else.

End result was a noticeable effect on the sound.  To me, this was a confirmation of how any reduction of noise is worthwhile, and how great an impact noise has.

Your moving the power cords is similar to what I did with the tube wires....


----------



## Whitigir

To people who reported that at volume 80-120 balanced out and *not playing music,there is popping sound and hisses. *
Does it still happening with IER-Z1R ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> To people who reported that at volume 80-120 balanced out and *not playing music,there is popping sound and hisses. *
> Does it still happening with IER-Z1R ?



No?


----------



## captblaze (Feb 22, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> To people who reported that at volume 80-120 balanced out and *not playing music,there is popping sound and hisses. *
> Does it still happening with IER-Z1R ?



WM-1A firmware 2.0 / Moondrop S8 16 ohm 122db

can here clicks as volume rises and lowers above 80 with little to no hiss

Update - both high and low gain (clicks louder in high gain)


----------



## Redcarmoose

captblaze said:


> WM-1A firmware 2.0 / Moondrop S8 16 ohm 122db
> 
> can here clicks as volume rises and lowers above 80 with little to no hiss



Yes, those little clicks, not pops.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, those little clicks, not pops.


Right, those clicks “LOL”, still there ? And very little hisses ? I don’t think anyone want to use in ears at this 85 volume, but just wondering


----------



## captblaze

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, those little clicks, not pops.


correct


----------



## captblaze

Thought i would spend my morning catching up and some reading and letting a master at his craft give the ears something to be happy about. Amazing how even in 1959 people knew how to make a good recording


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> Thought i would spend my morning catching up and some reading and letting a master at his craft give the ears something to be happy about. Amazing how even in 1959 people knew how to make a good recording


People back in those ERA make even better recording and mixing than the modern folks


----------



## Fishdo (Feb 22, 2020)

I am just getting so much more than I did before from my WM1A and CA Solaris.... it’s like a completely new listening experience.... I am using some custom ear tips from Custom Art...

The sound has really opened up and the isolation is very very good far better than any of the universal ear tips I have bought and used.... Spirals, Simbio, Comply, Spin fit... the list goes on and on... when I think how much money I spent tip rolling not just design but also size...

These custom tips cost me €75 euros and they were worth every penny.... the quality of the sound has been an immense improvement and what is so much more satisfying is how responsive the EQ is on the WM1A and how much the custom tips allow such a wonderful capture of the frequency changes....

I would strongly recommend if you haven’t already about looking into getting yourselves a pair... I’ve got no interest in them I am just sharing a great improvement I have the pleasure of listening to.... as I type I am listening to a track ‘Borstal Breakout’ (probably the greatest love song ever written..!)  which I have listened to with numerous sources over the years and various gear but I have never heard it like I am hearing it now...!

The guys at Custom Art were fantastic and were so helpful.... the first custom plugs to arrive didn’t feel quite right in terms of seal and positioning... I had ordered them for my CA Solaris... so out of interest I tried them on a pair of CA Andromeda’s and they fitted perfectly. TheSolaris is much bigger than the Andromeda and heavier so I was able to work out that what was happening with the Solaris fitted in my ear was the weight was pulling on the tips slightly... just enough to reduce the isolation and overall sound... as I went from the Solaris to the Andromeda it became more apparent.... I am not sure if some guys who bought these tips for their Solaris might have noticed what I had purely by chance.... so Piotr the boss there at Custom Art was keen to redesign the custom tips to accommodate the changes necessary to support the Solaris and provide better isolation...

So a few weeks later I received a replacement pair which by the way I hadn’t asked for it was Piotr that offered...these plugs were much bigger (comparatively) and when I fitted them the change was very dramatic.... I can not over state it enough it was like night and day.... !! The plugs could only fit one way into my ear and the isolation was very very tight and sealed unlike anything else I have ever tried....

I am listening to my WM1A and having a whole new listening experience... I am astounded at the difference and the way I am hearing a very different sound from my iems and WM1A...

If you get a chance have a look for yourself for €75 you cannot go wrong...

I


----------



## Whitigir

I love IER Z1R every day more and more


----------



## xenoVa

Is there a way to remotely control audio playback of the WMA1/1Z from phone ?


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 22, 2020)

Fishdo said:


> I am just getting so much more than I did before from my WM1A and CA Solaris.... it’s like a completely new listening experience.... I am using some custom ear tips from Custom Art...
> 
> The sound has really opened up and the isolation is very very good far better than any of the universal ear tips I have bought and used.... Spirals, Simbio, Comply, Spin fit... the list goes on and on... when I think how much money I spent tip rolling not just design but also size...
> 
> ...



I can echo that feeling since i had Custom Art eartips for both my Campfire Vega and Atlas in the past. Those tips bring the best outa the IEM, closing to custom earphones.
But after a year of use, the tips will get loose and i eventually lost one during a flight, so i ordered another pair. They came much tighter, but later after months of heavy use loosened up again. And i went for pure custom IEM path later…
Soundwise, they are hands down the best solution for universals, they simply grind the universal eartips to ashes. But the fit will vary through time.


----------



## captblaze

Fishdo said:


> I am just getting so much more than I did before from my WM1A and CA Solaris.... it’s like a completely new listening experience.... I am using some custom ear tips from Custom Art...
> 
> The sound has really opened up and the isolation is very very good far better than any of the universal ear tips I have bought and used.... Spirals, Simbio, Comply, Spin fit... the list goes on and on... when I think how much money I spent tip rolling not just design but also size...
> 
> ...



do you need to send in impressions, or does the warmth of you ear create the mould?


----------



## captblaze

atahanuz said:


> Is there a way to remotely control audio playback of the WMA1/1Z from phone ?



you need firmware 3.0 or higher and set up the bluetooth receiver connection with your phone

but that is just for streaming from phone to WM1A, not to operate the WM1A


----------



## xenoVa

I'm demoing a WM1A right now

Do you use DSEE HX, DC Phase Linealizer and Vinly Processor features ? I couldn't find much difference between turning them on and off


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## Redcarmoose (Feb 22, 2020)

atahanuz said:


> I'm demoing a WM1A right now
> 
> Do you use DSEE HX, DC Phase Linealizer and Vinly Processor features ? I couldn't find much difference between turning them on and off



I mainly use just a tad of EQ or nothing. I get better results from different cables. All those processes add to drain the battery and don’t make a giant difference in sound. They are all very subtle. Though you can learn to hear them better with time. Probably the firmware is the biggest change. You go to settings and then unit information. That page will show you the hours used and firmware. You really learn very little with a unit with low hours; just out of the box. Hopefully your demo unit has 200 hours on each plug your using?


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## xenoVa

Redcarmoose said:


> I mainly use just a tad of EQ or nothing. I get better results from different cables. All those processes add to drain the battery and don’t make a giant difference in sound. They are all very subtle. Though you can learn to hear them better with time. Probably the firmware is the biggest change. You go to settings and then unit information. That page will show you the hours used and firmware. You really learn very little with a unit with low hours; just out of the box. Hopefully your demo unit has 200 hours on each plug your using?



Yes it has 429 hours
Should Vinly Processor make the sound warmer by rolling of the highs ? I am not sure if I can feel that.


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## siruspan

atahanuz said:


> Yes it has 429 hours
> Should Vinly Processor make the sound warmer by rolling of the highs ? I am not sure if I can feel that.



No, it adds subtle resonance and scratch noise. 

I use WM1A in direct mode only.


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## meomap

atahanuz said:


> Is there a way to remotely control audio playback of the WMA1/1Z from phone ?


No.
You need to buy the BT remote from Japan for 50 usd.


----------



## nc8000

atahanuz said:


> Is there a way to remotely control audio playback of the WMA1/1Z from phone ?



No but you can get the Sony BT remote


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## Redcarmoose

atahanuz said:


> Is there a way to remotely control audio playback of the WMA1/1Z from phone ?



Using Bluetooth is almost like controlling the 1A with a phone. After joined you can start and pause music from your phone and adjust volume. Your choosing music on your phone to play also. So it’s pretty close to full phone control. 


atahanuz said:


> Yes it has 429 hours
> Should Vinly Processor make the sound warmer by rolling of the highs ? I am not sure if I can feel that.



It’s really subtle.


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## hamhamhamsta

atahanuz said:


> Yes it has 429 hours
> Should Vinly Processor make the sound warmer by rolling of the highs ? I am not sure if I can feel that.


It is quite subtle. Also the more sensitive your iem is, the better you can hear the differences. You can perceive the difference using let’s say CA Andromeda compared to VE Monk $5 earbuds. Probably you couldn’t hear any difference using VE Monk


----------



## Mindstorms

Dows walkman read .cue files? anyone? thanks


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## simon740

Midnstorms said:


> Dows walkman read .cue files? anyone? thanks



My wm1a is on 3.01 and read CUE..


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## xenoVa

I liked the WM1A's operating system. After trying many Android DAPs (they are all a mess) the Sony OS like a bliss.
DSEE HX upsamples only MP3 ? Or 16/44.1 files as well. And does it improve the things as described ?


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## phonomat

siruspan said:


> IER-Z1R are sonically great altough because of their rather natural nature they are not the most resolving or detailed.



That's the first I've seen the IER-Z1R described in this way. For me, it's the exact opposite. Absolute detail/resolution/separation monsters, but not really perfectly natural due to their somewhat v-shaped signature. *shrug*


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## hamhamhamsta

phonomat said:


> That's the first I've seen the IER-Z1R described in this way. For me, it's the exact opposite. Absolute detail/resolution/separation monsters, but not really perfectly natural due to their somewhat v-shaped signature. *shrug*


That’s what I hear too. Bright, huge soundstage and very dynamics.


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## Whitigir

phonomat said:


> That's the first I've seen the IER-Z1R described in this way. For me, it's the exact opposite. Absolute detail/resolution/separation monsters, but not really perfectly natural due to their somewhat v-shaped signature. *shrug*


V-shape is because of it acoustic-Foam.  Do the modifications and it is very different.  It can’t be as flat as hd800s but it is a lot better than stock


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## Lookout57

atahanuz said:


> I liked the WM1A's operating system. After trying many Android DAPs (they are all a mess) the Sony OS like a bliss.
> DSEE HX upsamples only MP3 ? Or 16/44.1 files as well. And does it improve the things as described ?


DSEE HX function works for compressed audio sources and PCM audio sources with lossless compression on files that have a sampling frequency of 48 kHz or less.


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## Mindstorms (Feb 23, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> DSEE HX function works for compressed audio sources and PCM audio sources with lossless compression on files that have a sampling frequency of 48 kHz or less.


I would advise you not to use DSEE with losless audio since prety much i hear the same its very good at some mp3 but i hear slight resolution degrade you will be better served with the surface noise on vinyl procesor function... you can see how DSEE works by turning on your spectrum analizer you will see last bar on and off.. dough i believe losless audio can reach same levels of DSEE if not someone tell me! If you need more bass DSEE may add some more in the subbass region also... but you lose some bass speed too.. so its your choice tell us what you hear!


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## Redcarmoose (Feb 22, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> DSEE HX function works for compressed audio sources and PCM audio sources with lossless compression on files that have a sampling frequency of 48 kHz or less.



I personally don’t use it as about 90% of what I listen to is above 320MP3 but the public statements are it CAN produce a wave form which is shown to improve CD quality and lossy quality...BUT not in all cases. Which means it’s a sound file dependent phenomenon. You have to wonder where aspirations and marketing stop and hard science starts? But somehow the FPGA’s are able to key in only at times and add a frequency response improvement in some music, but are not always able to add. And....it can make a loss.


_* Note, importantly, that Koji Nageno had said some rare files could be differentiated: “...Some risk maybe for deep bit-depth and high frequency sound — in that kind of case it has some possibility to make a loss…” But “normal music, sound wave check and listening check, there's no difference.” Hence their use of the term “near high-res audio” — nearly, but not always. There are exceptions._
The transcript of our Q&A and a video of the whole Q&A (via the well-informed Ken Ho of PMR Reviews and Head-Fi http://pmrreviews.com/) is available here.

https://www.avhub.com.au/news/sound...248k-files-and-true-high-res-audio-wow-437891

In my personal history the only thing I leave on permanently is default mode automatically over-sampling to DSD 512 (11.2-12.1 Mhz) with the TA desktop. As it’s the only Sony add which seems to magically improve sound all the time? That’s the DSD remastering engine not offered with the Walkmans.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-14753318


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## siruspan (Feb 23, 2020)

phonomat said:


> That's the first I've seen the IER-Z1R described in this way. For me, it's the exact opposite. Absolute detail/resolution/separation monsters, but not really perfectly natural due to their somewhat v-shaped signature. *shrug*



Well i find Noble Khan or Shure KSE to be more detailed. Don't get me wrong, the IER-Z1R are no slouch either and in my opinion they are not even trying to be the most resolving. They are quite bright but warm at the same time with punchy and deep bass and with added quite a lot of subbas.They are neither too fast neither too slow. Shapes that are created ale bolder and heavier and this is where Z1R loose some of the absolute detail. IEMs that have thinner notes give more micro details and textures. Midrange in Z1R is very good but I would like it to be closer. The thing that surprised me the most ia the treble. It has an amazing quality. Dynamic tweeter by sony is better than electrostatic driver by Sonion. Shure KSE is still the king though when it comes to treble.


----------



## Choubdia

Lookout57 said:


> DSEE HX function works for compressed audio sources and PCM audio sources with lossless compression on files that have a sampling frequency of 48 kHz or less.


 i Don't use it


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## phonomat

siruspan said:


> Well i find Noble Khan or Shure KSE to be more detailed. Don't get me wrong, the IER-Z1R are no slouch either and in my opinion they are not even trying to be the most resolving. They are quite bright but warm at the same time with punchy and deep bass and with added quite a lot of subbas.They are neither too fast neither too slow. Shapes that are created ale bolder and heavier and this is where Z1R loose some of the absolute detail. IEMs that have thinner notes give more micro details and textures. Midrange in Z1R is very good but I would like it to be closer. The thing that surprised me the most ia the treble. It has an amazing quality. Dynamic tweeter by sony is better than electrostatic driver by Sonion. Shure KSE is still the king though when it comes to treble.



I agree on the treble FWIW. Also on the Shure. Hearing violins on that thing brought tears of joy to my eyes, and I'd almost bought it, but the combination of price and lack of practicability killed it for me in the end.
The IER-Z1R's treble is probably second best of the IEM's I've heard, however, and not too far away from the KSE's.


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## gerelmx1986 (Feb 23, 2020)

Seems like doing a full discharge (until LOW BATTERY icon appears on screen and the device tirns it self off) amd a full charge revived the battery, i am using IER-Z1R  and yesterday listen n to many hi-res albums, first bar dropped right now


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## siruspan (Feb 23, 2020)

phonomat said:


> I agree on the treble FWIW. Also on the Shure. Hearing violins on that thing brought tears of joy to my eyes, and I'd almost bought it, but the combination of price and lack of practicability killed it for me in the end.
> The IER-Z1R's treble is probably second best of the IEM's I've heard, however, and not too far away from the KSE's.



I've heard iems with plenar drivers, piezoelectric and electrostatic tweeters and indeed treble from IER-Z1R is the best. Close second only to Shure full range electrostatic. Very impressive feat and unexpected that this comes from dynamic driver.

I own both at the moment


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## AudioMoksha

I don't use DSEE at all. Well, I don't have MP3 files on the WM1A anyway. But some of these inputs make sense, I will try to put some MP3 files and try DSEE.


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## gerelmx1986

AudioMoksha said:


> I don't use DSEE at all. Well, I don't have MP3 files on the WM1A anyway. But some of these inputs make sense, I will try to put some MP3 files and try DSEE.


Try coding these MP3 at bitrates of 192kbps or lower


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## xenoVa (Feb 23, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> DSEE HX function works for compressed audio sources and PCM audio sources with lossless compression on files that have a sampling frequency of 48 kHz or less.



There isn't a big difference between DSEE HX turned off and on. And between its different settings (Standart- Female Vocal- Male Vocal... )
If I understood how DSEE HX works correctly, there should be a big difference between its settings. For a female vocal track, "Female Vocal" setting should improve the sound but "percussion" settings should completely break the sound due to upsampling towards the wrong idea. But the differences are not big in reality.


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> Seems like doing a full discharge (until LOW BATTERY icon appears on screen and the device tirns it self off) amd a full charge revived the battery, i am using IER-Z1R  and yesterday listen n to many hi-res albums, first bar dropped right now


im thinking about doing that allways can you elaborate?


----------



## Whitigir

Midnstorms said:


> im thinking about doing that allways can you elaborate?


Must have been similar to Android recalibration

drain your battery until it shutdown

plug in until full charge

powered on


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## gerelmx1986 (Feb 23, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> im thinking about doing that allways can you elaborate?


Just leave the player play until the low battery, please charge warning appears (icon with an empty battery) , usually the player shutdown self after this warning.  qnd then charge it to full without disconnecting the cable from the charging source


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## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Just leave the player play until the low battery, please charge warning appears (icon with an empty battery) , usually the player shutdown self after this warning.  qnd then charge it to full without disconnecting the cable from the charging source



To 100% or just to 90%


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## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> To 100% or just to 90%


good question! also have you guys been doing this any one can confirm it revives it im having terrible batery timings im afraid it can be uncalibrated from factory?


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## Mindstorms

atahanuz said:


> There isn't a big difference between DSEE HX turned off and on. And between its different settings (Standart- Female Vocal- Male Vocal... )
> If I understood how DSEE HX works correctly, there should be a big difference between its settings. For a female vocal track, "Female Vocal" setting should improve the sound but "percussion" settings should completely break the sound due to upsampling towards the wrong idea. But the differences are not big in reality.


what firmware are you on? have you truied 3.01 and 3.02? it since to be more aparent in those...


----------



## Down4wotever

Fishdo said:


> I am just getting so much more than I did before from my WM1A and CA Solaris.... it’s like a completely new listening experience.... I am using some custom ear tips from Custom Art...
> 
> The sound has really opened up and the isolation is very very good far better than any of the universal ear tips I have bought and used.... Spirals, Simbio, Comply, Spin fit... the list goes on and on... when I think how much money I spent tip rolling not just design but also size...
> 
> ...


So totally agree, like you I used Variphone Europe for custom ear tips on Westone W series, something like W30 through to W60 and was never disappointed. About the time the W80 / ES80 were released, I'd lost one earpiece of the W60s so took the plunge into full custom IEM, no comparison, no regrets. Having said that and as you mention, good seal is an absolute must. Even now I'm about to get new impressions, with mouth slightly open, which was not the case when I had my current ones done. Small margins my friends, a bit like Formula 1


----------



## mw7485

nc8000 said:


> To 100% or just to 90%



Logic would suggest 100%. After all, the unit needs to relearn what 100% is, so that it can figure out what 90% is......


----------



## xenoVa

I've been demoing a WM1A. Good device without any flaws. But so far I don't really get why it costs $1200.  Does this device have impressive things I'm missing ?


----------



## iamdman

Hi,

A friend of mine has  been looking for a WM1Z for a long time and he came across this listing in ebay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1NEW-SEALE...rentrq:749daa751700a1293b13c10dfffb800a|iid:1

Has anyone here purchased from this seller? The reviews seems to say those are authentic unopened ones but just a bit skeptical given the cost involved.

Thanks
Andy


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## Redcarmoose (Feb 23, 2020)

_*Walkman 1Z-3.02 firmware-Han Sound ZENTOO 4.4mm 4 core-Noble Audio K-10 Encore*_








atahanuz said:


> I've been demoing a WM1A. Good device without any flaws. But so far I don't really get why it costs $1200.  Does this device have impressive things I'm missing ?



I agree listening in a shop they can come off fairly standard and non-exciting. There may be nothing to jump out or surprise a new listener. It's the subtleties which start to reveal themselves in quiet times upon contemplation. It would be like someone showing you the hillside view which they had admired their whole life. At first glance it's just a hill, but upon more viewing small details start to emerge as discoveries. Groups of small flowers, trees which change color in the light. Maybe local birds which start to emerge at random times.

The whole thread can't be delusional; but even I purchased on not finding the shop experience to be mind-blowing. About a day later, after 15 hours of use things started to kind of open-up. This whole hobby is like that, though in some cases less. People like the Walkmans due to battery life, operating system and their sound character. But as always it's highly subjective, and your results may vary from ours. Cheers!


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## blazinblazin (Feb 23, 2020)

atahanuz said:


> I've been demoing a WM1A. Good device without any flaws. But so far I don't really get why it costs $1200.  Does this device have impressive things I'm missing ?


I can name one of it. ... SONY WM1A and WM1Z are one of a kind. 
If you know how different it is inside from the other players on the market, you will be able to appreciate it.
Most of the parts in this player are scratch build by SONY. Including the audio chips inside.
Even if SONY shows in internals to their competitors. No one is able to copy the technology inside.

The sound takes about 550hrs of playing to get to its optimal performance.


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## TenderTendon (Feb 23, 2020)

iamdman said:


> Hi,
> 
> A friend of mine has  been looking for a WM1Z for a long time and he came across this listing in ebay.
> 
> ...




Keep in mind that you'll pay $150 sales tax for that on eBay. Amazon UK with 3 day shipping is still a better deal.


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## Morbideath (Feb 24, 2020)

A definitive needle drop on Vertigo UK first press, played on modded 1Z with 1960s 16wire, produces some of the heaviest and richest bass texture, an analogue sound that I can never let go of.
Btw i also mod my firmware to DMP-Z1's which is quite different than 3.02.


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## Redcarmoose (Feb 24, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> A definitive needle drop on Vertigo UK first press, played on modded 1Z with 1960s 16wire, produces some of the heaviest and richest bass texture, an analogue sound that I can never let go of.
> Btw i also mod my firmware to DMP-Z1's which is quite different than 3.02.


So you have the DMP-Z1 firmware update on your 1Z? Whoa.
I actually purchase the Vertigo #1 first pressing in 1976. I now have the all the Sanctuary 180 gram remasters from the 1990s, as well as the 2016 HD remasters digitally. I’m a huge fan!


----------



## ttt123

nc8000 said:


> To 100% or just to 90%


If battery saver is on, it will recalibrate for 100% of 90%.  If battery saver is off, it will be 100% of 100%.  In both cases the battery measurement will indicate 100%


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> A definitive needle drop on Vertigo UK first press, played on modded 1Z with 1960s 16wire, produces some of the heaviest and richest bass texture, an analogue sound that I can never let go of.
> Btw i also mod my firmware to DMP-Z1's which is quite different than 3.02.


How do you install DMP Z1 firmware on the wm1Z ? I would like some more info


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> So you have the DMP-Z1 firmware update on your 1Z? Whoa.
> I actually purchase the Vertigo #1 first pressing in 1976. I now have the all the Sanctuary 180 gram remasters from the 1990s, as well as the 2016 HD remasters digitally. I’m a huge fan!



Me too! I bought the first five albums in 1st press Vertigo (first two in big swirl) in London. How do u like the reissue? I suppose Vertigo is more analogue and natural sounding?


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## Morbideath (Feb 24, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> How do you install DMP Z1 firmware on the wm1Z ? I would like some more info



Last year our Chinese fellas found out how the firmware for 1A/1Z/Z1 works, and the tuning of Z1 can actually be used for 1A and 1Z. I'll write an explicit article about it and share the modded firmwares.
Do u know Japanese model actually sounds different than other regions! Japanese version is smoother and has a bit more bass. It can be achieved with some tricks.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> Last year our Chinese fellas found out how the firmware for 1A/1Z/Z1 works, and the tuning of Z1 can actually be used for 1A and 1Z. I'll write an explicit article about it and share the modded firmwares.
> Do u know Japanese model actually sounds different than other regions! Japanese version is smoother and has a bit more bass. It can be achieved with some tricks.




All this sounds like sony plays with software eq rather hardware hmmm


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## Morbideath (Feb 24, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> All this sounds like sony plays with software eq rather hardware hmmm



I would say it's not entirely software eq since u can't eq to expand soundstage and smoothen / sharpen the timbre. It's more like tuning the lowpass filter of the device, but don't quote me on it. The core of the firmware tuning is still a black box set by Sony engineer.


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## Redcarmoose (Feb 24, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Me too! I bought the first five albums in 1st press Vertigo (first two in big swirl) in London. How do u like the reissue? I suppose Vertigo is more analogue and natural sounding?



Haha that’s amazing. I don’t think I know of anyone who has the first five first pressings. Strangely it was a difficult thing to compare #1 Vertigo to the remaster as my Vertigo #1 had scratches, even from when I purchased it in 1976? Though I’m happy about my mid-90s albums. It was at a time when few cared about vinyl....like 98 or something. But they are like new so they sound great. They also come as exact copies of the Vertigo pressings. Meaning “Master” has the poster, number one is a gatefold. But I do have one or two needle drops which I do like, especially Zep 4, and 1. They are well recorded German 1st pressings and sound great, maybe more balanced than the new Zep HD remasters? In the US the Zeppelin first pressing were great. Though we had very little Vertigo Black Sabbath pressings. And WB changed Sabbath number one a little, so one song missing.

I’m sure your 1st pressings are the best!


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## siruspan (Feb 24, 2020)

atahanuz said:


> I've been demoing a WM1A. Good device without any flaws. But so far I don't really get why it costs $1200.  Does this device have impressive things I'm missing ?



It's very well made and as you said for what it is there aren't any flaws. However what makes it special is it's sound. It's has kinda neutral tonal balance but at the same time it's full bodied and little bit colored. It has very deep and impactful bass which is very hard to describe because WM1A itself isn't very basy it's just the bass has weight that can be felt. I've never heard this manner from any other device. Not even Hugo 2 and Astell SP2000 has as good bass response in my opinion. Midrange is warmish, full bodied, close, melodious and very engaging. Treble has sparkle and great extension. For a warmish device the soundstage is huge and has a great depth to it. For me WM1A is not the best sounding player but it's very special with added magic. I've reviewed many daps but I still own WM1A and use it the most.


----------



## gerelmx1986

atahanuz said:


> I've been demoing a WM1A. Good device without any flaws. But so far I don't really get why it costs $1200.  Does this device have impressive things I'm missing ?


Consider accessory jack, they have good prices


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## Morbideath (Feb 24, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Haha that’s amazing. I don’t think I know of anyone who has the first five first pressings. Strangely it was a difficult thing to compare #1 Vertigo to the remaster as my Vertigo #1 had scratches, even from when I purchased it in 1976? Though I’m happy about my mid-90s albums. It was at a time when few cared about vinyl....like 98 or something. But they are like new so they sound great. They also come as exact copies of the Vertigo pressings. Meaning “Master” has the poster, number one is a gatefold. But I do have one or two needle drops which I do like, especially Zep 4, and 1. They are well recorded German 1st pressings and sound great, maybe more balanced than the new Zep HD remasters? In the US the Zeppelin first pressing were great. Though we had very little Vertigo Black Sabbath pressings. And WB changed Sabbath number one a little, so one song missing.
> 
> I’m sure your 1st pressings are the best!



Well from my limited observation, i found the verigo swirls substantially superior to the remasters, socially. So i keep my first five well, and they really sound spectacular!


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## Redcarmoose (Feb 24, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Well from my limited observation, i found the verigo swirls substantially superior to the remasters, socially. So i keep my first five well, and they really sound spectacular!



Funny too as CD 1st pressings are about 80% better too. I sold my single Vertigo Sabbath One, but the remasters are great. There is very little known about the mid 1990s pressings. As Sanctuary did press them I think two more times. Funny too as if you read the forums they talk bad about the Rhino pressings. I actually don’t mind the HD remasters too.

I have purchased a bunch of Sabbath repressings and some are super bad.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Morbideath said:


> A definitive needle drop on Vertigo UK first press, played on modded 1Z with 1960s 16wire, produces some of the heaviest and richest bass texture, an analogue sound that I can never let go of.
> *Btw i also mod my firmware to DMP-Z1's which is quite different than 3.02.*


Can you elaborate on this? Do you portd the DMP-Z1 ROM code to a he wm1Z chipset?


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## Morbideath (Feb 24, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Funny too as CD 1st pressings are about 80% better too. I sold my single Vertigo Sabbath One, but the remasters are great. There is very little known about the mid 1990s pressings. As Sanctuary did press them I think two more times. Funny too as if you read the forums they talk bad about the Rhino pressings. I actually don’t mind the HD remasters too.
> 
> I have purchased a bunch of Sabbath repressings and some are super bad.



I actually do know nothing about the mid 90s pressings, thank you for bring them out, I'll try them out.
Rhinos are sometimes brighter than the originals. Yet im happy with the originals already so haven't given the other versions too much research.
Let's get back to the topic. In the original Vertigo Master of Reality, geezer is like plucking the bass string all over your face, the attack and decay go right down your spines. I played my pressing in one of my friend's place with gigantic speakers and it's even more so. Modded 1Z with Legend X SE can come very close to that feeling.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I decided to give pha-3 a shot and see how it sounds and lives in comparison to wm1z.  Got one at really good deal!

Looking  for a z7m2 if anyone got one pm me )


----------



## gerelmx1986

One of my favorite CD, from  1996


----------



## musicday

gerelmx1986 said:


> Can you elaborate on this? Do you portd the DMP-Z1 ROM code to a he wm1Z chipset?


Give him some rest,  he mentioned that will write a full tutorial how to do it and also will include the download link.
That will take some time to put together.


----------



## Morbideath

gerelmx1986 said:


> Can you elaborate on this? Do you portd the DMP-Z1 ROM code to a he wm1Z chipset?



Pls spare me several days to write a thorough article. I also need to figure out how to upload and share the firmwares with Google Drive since Google is banned in China.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Morbideath said:


> I actually do know nothing about the mid 90s pressings, thank you for bring them out, I'll try them out.
> Rhinos are sometimes brighter than the originals. Yet im happy with the originals already so haven't given the other versions too much research.
> Let's get back to the topic. In the original Vertigo Master of Reality, geezer is like plucking the bass string all over your face, the attack and decay go right down your spines. I played my pressing in one of my friend's place with gigantic speakers and it's even more so. Modded 1Z with Legend X SE can come very close to that feeling.



Haha those speakers are giant. I used to have speakers close to that size Cerwin-Vega 15X4 with horns. Enjoy! That must be very visceral!


----------



## xenoVa

siruspan said:


> It's very well made and as you said for what it is there aren't any flaws. However what makes it special is it's sound. It's has kinda neutral tonal balance but at the same time it's full bodied and little bit colored. It has very deep and impactful bass which is very hard to describe because WM1A itself isn't very basy it's just the bass has weight that can be felt. I've never heard this manner from any other device. Not even Hugo 2 and Astell SP2000 has as good bass response in my opinion. Midrange is warmish, full bodied, close, melodious and very engaging. Treble has sparkle and great extension. For a warmish device the soundstage is huge and has a great depth to it. For me WM1A is not the best sounding player but it's very special with added magic. I've reviewed many daps but I still own WM1A and use it the most.



From what I heard, WM1A is very flat sounding. Nothing is lacking but nothing is really impresive either. I am not wow'ed by the sound.

It is a nice player but I can't justify the $1200 compared to other products. It lacks streaming and many features. The operating system is very fluid but lacks the search function. I think $400 will be a more appropriate price tag. Rest of the price comes from Sony logo I guess.


----------



## Redcarmoose

atahanuz said:


> From what I heard, WM1A is very flat sounding. Nothing is lacking but nothing is really impresive either. I am not wow'ed by the sound.
> 
> It is a nice player but I can't justify the $1200 compared to other products. It lacks streaming and many features. The operating system is very fluid but lacks the search function. I think $400 will be a more appropriate price tag. Rest of the price comes from Sony logo I guess.



Haha. The Sony Logo. You show up here and then say such things? Maybe it’s not for you. Everyone likes a slightly different sound. Though keep in mind this wouldn’t be one of the best threads on Head -Fi if people were just infatuated with a name. We could care less about streaming. It’s OK if you didn’t get wowed by your listening experience, I wasn’t too impressed either. Then spending time with the 1A it became special, but the $3200 is even more special! Cheers!


----------



## siruspan

atahanuz said:


> From what I heard, WM1A is very flat sounding. Nothing is lacking but nothing is really impresive either. I am not wow'ed by the sound.
> 
> It is a nice player but I can't justify the $1200 compared to other products. It lacks streaming and many features. The operating system is very fluid but lacks the search function. I think $400 will be a more appropriate price tag. Rest of the price comes from Sony logo I guess.



If WM1A is flat then how would you describe DX220 (with amp1mk2) or Hugo 2?


----------



## Vitaly2017

siruspan said:


> If WM1A is flat then how would you describe DX220 (with amp1mk2) or Hugo 2?




Cold poop flat )


----------



## xenoVa

siruspan said:


> If WM1A is flat then how would you describe DX220 (with amp1mk2) or Hugo 2?



Both slightly brighter than neutral.
And don't get me wrong, WM1A is an awesome music player. But I couldn't get what sets it apart from $400 audio players yet.


----------



## musicday

atahanuz said:


> From what I heard, WM1A is very flat sounding. Nothing is lacking but nothing is really impresive either. I am not wow'ed by the sound.
> 
> It is a nice player but I can't justify the $1200 compared to other products. It lacks streaming and many features. The operating system is very fluid but lacks the search function. I think $400 will be a more appropriate price tag. Rest of the price comes from Sony logo I guess.


You need to listen for 1 week, at least 3-4 hours a day to realise that it is special.


----------



## siruspan

atahanuz said:


> Both slightly brighter than neutral.
> And don't get me wrong, WM1A is an awesome music player. But I couldn't get what sets it apart from $400 audio players yet.



Which 400$ players?


----------



## Redcarmoose

musicday said:


> You need to listen for 1 week, at least 3-4 hours a day to realise that it is special.



Yes! Though it may be noticeable even sooner? Our hearing needs acclimate.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 24, 2020)

siruspan said:


> Which 400$ players?





I have $10 on the word “FiiO coming up. Lol


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Whitigir  does Amazon Music HD, lets you puchase either 16/44,1 or Hi-res flacs as download-to-own like qobuz? Or for the downloads store from amazon only offer is crappy MP3{ or AAC)?


----------



## Morbideath

atahanuz said:


> Both slightly brighter than neutral.
> And don't get me wrong, WM1A is an awesome music player. But I couldn't get what sets it apart from $400 audio players yet.



Seems that u can settle yourself with a $400 player other than $1200. I envy u for that, since i can justify myself for a $2400 1Z, and the double price tag does not mean even 20% more performance than a $1200 1A. But it's my wallet that suffered. 
If u can't justify it pls just don't buy it, and your wallet will thank u dearly.


----------



## siruspan

Redcarmoose said:


> I have $10 on the word “FiiO coming up. Lol



M11 is 450$ I think, and the only thing comparable is detail retrieval which is outstanding indeed. However M11 overall sound is quite analytical, hard and tense. The frequency response isn't as extended on both ends as in WM1A. Midrange is both thinner and pushed forward and the same time. Soundstage is ok but not as wide and quite shallow. There isn't all that much when it comes to layering, and for the most part the most is happening on the foreground. It's not that M11 is bright or sharp it's just the sound is intense and robotic. It lacks the finesse and warmth. To me the M11, is not in the same league as WM1A.


----------



## Redcarmoose

siruspan said:


> M11 is 450$ I think, and the only thing comparable is detail retrieval which is outstanding indeed. However M11 overall sound is quite analytical, hard and tense. The frequency response isn't as extended on both ends as in WM1A. Midrange is both thinner and pushed forward and the same time. Soundstage is ok but not as wide and quite shallow. There isn't all that much when it comes to layering, and for the most part the most is happening on the foreground. It's not that M11 is bright or sharp it's just the sound is intense and robotic. It lacks the finesse and warmth. To me the M11, is not in the same league as WM1A.



I did give the M11 a quick listen. Though I think your grasp of it is much better than mine.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The only advantage i could see on the M11 is the double microSD slot


----------



## Mindstorms

atahanuz said:


> I've been demoing a WM1A. Good device without any flaws. But so far I don't really get why it costs $1200.  Does this device have impressive things I'm missing ?


I bought it new for 750US for me its a bargain even at 1200 yes it is a really good dap if weel paired dont know what you refer with your question (can you state what is a worth dap for you?) if you need a powerfull amp you hay consider SONY TA another excelent AMP have a nice day


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> Just leave the player play until the low battery, please charge warning appears (icon with an empty battery) , usually the player shutdown self after this warning.  qnd then charge it to full without disconnecting the cable from the charging source


Full 90% or full100%


----------



## xenoVa

siruspan said:


> M11 is 450$ I think, and the only thing comparable is detail retrieval which is outstanding indeed. However M11 overall sound is quite analytical, hard and tense. The frequency response isn't as extended on both ends as in WM1A. Midrange is both thinner and pushed forward and the same time. Soundstage is ok but not as wide and quite shallow. There isn't all that much when it comes to layering, and for the most part the most is happening on the foreground. It's not that M11 is bright or sharp it's just the sound is intense and robotic. It lacks the finesse and warmth. To me the M11, is not in the same league as WM1A.



I found WM1A not bright but quite analytical. Very unforgiving. If there is anything imperfect with the recording WM1A brutally exposes it. What do you think about this ?


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Whitigir  does Amazon Music HD, lets you puchase either 16/44,1 or Hi-res flacs as download-to-own like qobuz? Or for the downloads store from amazon only offer is crappy MP3{ or AAC)?


Just MP3 ... lol


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 24, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Last year our Chinese fellas found out how the firmware for 1A/1Z/Z1 works, and the tuning of Z1 can actually be used for 1A and 1Z. I'll write an explicit article about it and share the modded firmwares.
> Do u know Japanese model actually sounds different than other regions! Japanese version is smoother and has a bit more bass. It can be achieved with some tricks.


I never had the Japan model , but I am glad that you will be writing an exclusive article in modifying the firmware.  If you don’t mind, please join in my hardware DIY thread ?
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Feb 24, 2020)

Why no one ever mentioned pha-3 !
This portable dac amp is a steal!!! At 400$ usd used.

320mw output power !
Balanced 
Optical in usb in

I wish Sony would release a new model pha-4!


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> All this sounds like sony plays with software eq rather hardware hmmm


No, and like I said, the DSP is actually done by Sony Exclusive IC.  It isn’t the S-Master that does the conversions.  The S-Master Job is the processor for Digital amplifications.  Both of these chips can be effected by firmware.  2 prime examples of it matters

1/ the upsampling processing from DSP. Different digital filters with different noise generations and noises shaping, different interpolations or algorithms....etc....will sound different. This is why different Delta Sigma Chips sound different. The specialty here is that there is no such chip...it is Sony chip. It acts almost like an FPGA technology by Chord. I wouldn’t mind calling that Chord follows Sony and but can not engineer their own Chip, so they have to use general Altera FPGA.

Sony is a dedicated chip, it can be very precise and while not being noisy.  Every other general FPGA chip out there are always Noisy

Simply put..it isn’t the digital-EQ, but it is Digital Processing Techniques that makes the sound being different

2/ Digital Amplification Rely on Low-High pass filters and Feedbacks with Ground as the references.  Then it can responds accordingly....instead of the typical hardware Feedbacks that can not be co trolled, the S-Master by Sony...can be manipulated in the way how it responds and adjust to the signals.

This is why the ground is important in Walkman!!!! Why Copper chassis will sound different than Alumium.  But remember, 1Z has Upgraded capacitors and resistors, internal wirings too!!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> No, and like I said, the DSP is actually done by Sony Exclusive IC.  It isn’t the S-Master that does the conversions.  The S-Master Job is the processor for Digital amplifications.  Both of these chips can be effected by firmware.  2 prime examples of it matters
> 
> 1/ the upsampling processing from DSP. Different digital filters with different noise generations and noises shaping, different interpolations or algorithms....etc....will sound different. This is why different Delta Sigma Chips sound different. The specialty here is that there is no such chip...it is Sony chip. It acts almost like an FPGA technology by Chord. I wouldn’t mind calling that Chord follows Sony and but can not engineer their own Chip, so they have to use general Altera FPGA.
> 
> ...




In that case sony is rock solid!
And can do what ever they want with this s-master. 

Then Sony its it's time to release  pha-4 with an S-master!

Thanks for the clarification Whitigir


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 24, 2020)

Sony can totally make another line of Walkman that is instead of S-Master or AKM Sigma Delta.  They can just improve this DSP-IC to allow 1 bit processing.  Then by using the other amplifications architectures such as Class B or A/B or full class A!!!! They can simply use FPGA instead of S-Master too!!! Both choices are equally Noisy !!!!lol with the exception of 1 being more power consuming than another 

What I am guessing is that to fabricate and design from the ground up is very resourceful, and so this chip have to be used for many years. This same chip is and has been inside all Walkman up until now...even TA ZH1ES

The DMP Z1 is uniquely engineered and implemented by 2 chips or systems processors

1/ Sony DSP-IC (it can be ticked with Direct Mode)
2/ Sigma Delta (AK4497EQ X2).  There is clearly different in sound quality when Direct Mode on and Off.

unlike Walkman, the DMP when on battery is better with either DSD remastering only or when Direct Mode is off (aka using it AKM chips).  Strangely, with External PSU, it sounds much better with Direct Mode On and without DSD Remastering

What I would take here is that DSD remastering is actually a feature to save Energy and bypassing the Algorithms Digital errors corrections which happens a lot when the battery is being tapped on, which degrades the sounds.  So DSD remastering into DSD64x is like OverSampling by Factor of 2X instead of standard 8X.  While on battery, and DMP have to last for 10 hours, the Sony chip is against itself....so the best can be observed by implementing DSD64 DSD-Remastering

Now, when being fed by External PSU, the power is not limited, the precision’s of informations achieved is with less errors and with superior components being used, the Sony DSP chip itself is sitting at it very best to process, and therefore, it (IMO) sounds even better than AKM AK4499EQ.  However, somehow this chip were not made to be able to handle 1 bit alone by itself into Lowpass filter.  So both the TA ZH1ES and DMP will need a 1 bit processor.  The TA ZH1ES has FPGA to handle that and DMP as the flagship of portable unit is enjoying AK4497EQ


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> I never had the Japan model , but I am glad that you will be writing an exclusive article in modifying the firmware.  If you don’t mind, please join in my hardware DIY thread ?
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/



I'll be honored! 
Yes most of us don't but can still obtain the Japanese tuning. I'll include that section as well.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> No, and like I said, the DSP is actually done by Sony Exclusive IC.  It isn’t the S-Master that does the conversions.  The S-Master Job is the processor for Digital amplifications.  Both of these chips can be effected by firmware.  2 prime examples of it matters
> 
> 1/ the upsampling processing from DSP. Different digital filters with different noise generations and noises shaping, different interpolations or algorithms....etc....will sound different. This is why different Delta Sigma Chips sound different. The specialty here is that there is no such chip...it is Sony chip. It acts almost like an FPGA technology by Chord. I wouldn’t mind calling that Chord follows Sony and but can not engineer their own Chip, so they have to use general Altera FPGA.
> 
> ...





Whitigir said:


> Sony can totally make another line of Walkman that is instead of S-Master or AKM Sigma Delta.  They can just improve this DSP-IC to allow 1 bit processing.  Then by using the other amplifications architectures such as Class B or A/B or full class A!!!! They can simply use FPGA instead of S-Master too!!! Both choices are equally Noisy !!!!lol with the exception of 1 being more power consuming than another
> 
> What I am guessing is that to fabricate and design from the ground up is very resourceful, and so this chip have to be used for many years. This same chip is and has been inside all Walkman up until now...even TA ZH1ES
> 
> ...



You know so much!


----------



## siruspan

atahanuz said:


> I found WM1A not bright but quite analytical. Very unforgiving. If there is anything imperfect with the recording WM1A brutally exposes it. What do you think about this ?



It's not super warm, laid back, dark or veiled player. It's kinda neutral but with deep and full bodied feeling. It has great resolution and superb extension but the highs have sparkly manner so If you're headphones have sharp or edgy treble and you're at the same time listening to poorly recorded music than yea, it can be unforgiving. The thing is that it doesn't matter how much highs have your're headphones, it's about how good quality they are. I've been using for almost 2 years now WM1A with Shure KSE1200 which have plenty of highs and it sound gloriolus. 

For example compared to WM1A:

Hugo2 sounded too clean and intense in the long run but extremely big in scale, extremely impactfull sound with lot's and lot's of air. WM1A is warm, thick and full bodied compared to it.
Chord Mojo - very thick and rounded, small soundstage and dirty/splashy highs - not even comparable to WM1A
Cowon plenue S was sweeter, cleaner, with blacker background and better resolution but it didn't have as big soundstage as WM1A
Ibasso DX220 (AMP1mk2) has the same wide soundstage, more air, and cleaner highs but it's not as melodious, engaging, and it doesn't have as impactfull bass. With AMP8 it sounds more like WM1A but in more edgy way and not as natural.
Fiio M11 as described couple post before feels more analytical and unforgiving
Shanling M5S - very refined with good detail retrieval but it's on the softer, relaxed and conservative side of things. Not as impactful and engaging sound.
Astell SP2000 is better in every way other than bass. Mostly neutral with weaker bass but overall it sounds analogue, efortless and liquid. WM1A is worse basically in every way other than deeper and more impactful bass and that it's more energetic and engaging.
Pioneer XDP100R - flat to the point of boredom, not engaging at all with grey colors
Ibasso DX120 - way brighter, thinner with way less bass but somehow it doesn't feel analytical. 
Cayin N5II - congested, small soundstage, edgy but exciting highs, rounded, big and soft bass. Sound is meaty and exciting but not as direct with added barrier to the listener.

I can go on as I had or reviewed quite a lot of DAPs during the years but I still like the WM1A the most as a whole. I could take instead of it the Plenue S if it had bigger soundstage and wasn't twice as expensive and SP2000, even with that weaker bass but it's three times more expensive.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Sony can totally make another line of Walkman that is instead of S-Master or AKM Sigma Delta.  They can just improve this DSP-IC to allow 1 bit processing.  Then by using the other amplifications architectures such as Class B or A/B or full class A!!!! They can simply use FPGA instead of S-Master too!!! Both choices are equally Noisy !!!!lol with the exception of 1 being more power consuming than another
> 
> What I am guessing is that to fabricate and design from the ground up is very resourceful, and so this chip have to be used for many years. This same chip is and has been inside all Walkman up until now...even TA ZH1ES
> 
> ...




That is interesting It is exactly how I liked dmp when on ac mode.
Direct source and dsd remastering off.
I could feel an instant difference in sq and I preferred it that way as you just explained. 

Unfortunately I didnt try the battery mode only (
Cant confirm if akm is better in that mod...


----------



## Redcarmoose

Morbideath said:


> Last year our Chinese fellas found out how the firmware for 1A/1Z/Z1 works, and the tuning of Z1 can actually be used for 1A and 1Z. I'll write an explicit article about it and share the modded firmwares.
> Do u know Japanese model actually sounds different than other regions! Japanese version is smoother and has a bit more bass. It can be achieved with some tricks.



I was reading this post again, and am confused, by the Japan edition. You mean the Japan export edition of the 1Z?


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> You know so much!


I am still learning everyday.  Loving this hobby and so I am learning it along the way.  I still don’t get how DSEEHX work...lol


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 24, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> I was reading this post again, and am confused, by the Japan edition. You mean the Japan export edition of the 1Z?


The Japanese models of 1A / 1Z that initially comes in Region J and only have Japanese UI (language not selectable), only sold in Japan.
Im not sure about the Japanese tourist edition, nor the Japan export edition as u mentioned.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 24, 2020)

I wouldn’t keep 1A if it wasn’t modified LOL!!! It is a tier below WM1Z in an obvious way.  If you let me pick between stock 1A and SP2K, then I rather do SP2K.  However, the modified 1A is beyond what SP2K can do....well...except soundstage Width and very little lack of depth in comparison, but vertical axis and every other things are ahead of SP2K...dynamic, resolutions, timbre balances...fidelity...etc...omg that timbres density and sub bass uniquely Walkman!!

So to be fair, the Sp2k is easily the best of DAP in soundstage and clarity out of the box, and extremely well done line out.....everything else can be the pick it or kick it debates.


----------



## siruspan (Feb 24, 2020)

SP2000 is the best DAP that I've ever heard, hands down. The only real drawback is the jaw dropping price altough I really can't say that anything cheaper and portable is as good. Alo Audio Continental Dual Mono is different but also not in the same league, Hugo 2 is even more impressive than SP2000 but at the same time a little bit to technical and clean for my taste.


----------



## Whitigir

siruspan said:


> SP2000 is the best DAP that I've ever heard, hands down. The only real drawback is the jaw dropping price.


Pretty much agreed


----------



## musicday

Has the startup time increased or decreased with the latest firmware 3.02? What is the startup time until you can press play on 1Z? Thank you. Been spoiled by players like LPGT.


----------



## gerelmx1986

atahanuz said:


> I found WM1A not bright but quite analytical. Very unforgiving. If there is anything imperfect with the recording WM1A brutally exposes it. What do you think about this ?


I find it fine, it lures you to buy better recorded music


----------



## Redcarmoose

Morbideath said:


> The Japanese models of 1A / 1Z that initially comes in Region J and only have Japanese UI (language not selectable), only sold in Japan.
> Im not sure about the Japanese tourist edition, nor the Japan export edition as u mentioned.



Yes, I meant Tourist edition. First I’ve heard of the local ones sounding different. But I remember almost buying a ZX300 in Tokyo....but it was a Japanese only language model, so I didn’t.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 24, 2020)

musicday said:


> Has the startup time increased or decreased with the latest firmware 3.02? What is the startup time until you can press play on 1Z? Thank you. Been spoiled by players like LPGT.



I just ran an informal test yesterday as I’m in the middle of writing a 1Z review. Upon putting a fresh card in it takes a while with 3.01 and 3.02 still not as long as as 3.00. Upon turning the unit off and restarting a 256GB card will be read after already being read previously before turn off in about 35 seconds(firmware 3.02). So it seems the 2nd time is a different process, where with firmware 3.00 it took forever......always....like 3.00 was as being read the first time every time, and it could actually cash while reading the card. 2.0 was faster all around, than 3.00. It also seems like 3.02 and 3.01 are relatively faster overall than the load times of 1.20 and 2.00, but I’ve never actually timed them.


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicday said:


> Has the startup time increased or decreased with the latest firmware 3.02? What is the startup time until you can press play on 1Z? Thank you. Been spoiled by players like LPGT.


With my 1.0TB card almost full – 18GB free, same for internal memory 17 gigs free – it takes to scan 2 minutes. Unless you take card out or decide to rebuild the database, then it takes like 24 minutes


----------



## siruspan

You don't suppose to turn off WM1A/Z unless you don't expect to use it for longer time. It basically doesn't use almost any energy in stand by mode. You just turn on the screen or press play even without turning the screen and music starts. Benefit from not using the android is that are are no processes in the background sucking up the battery.


----------



## simon740

Hello,
is better for the battery to charge it slowly?
I am currently charging wm1a with 10000mah power bank and with 1.0A.

regards,
Simon


----------



## Whitigir

simon740 said:


> Hello,
> is better for the battery to charge it slowly?
> I am currently charging wm1a with 10000mah power bank and with 1.0A.
> 
> ...


Doesn’t matter, the device will only draw what it wants to...aka can be firmware controlled via the charging interfaces.  Just make sure you have the correct voltage


----------



## Lookout57

siruspan said:


> It's not super warm, laid back, dark or veiled player. It's kinda neutral but with deep and full bodied feeling. It has great resolution and superb extension but the highs have sparkly manner so If you're headphones have sharp or edgy treble and you're at the same time listening to poorly recorded music than yea, it can be unforgiving. The thing is that it doesn't matter how much highs have your're headphones, it's about how good quality they are. I've been using for almost 2 years now WM1A with Shure KSE1200 which have plenty of highs and it sound gloriolus.
> 
> For example compared to WM1A:
> 
> ...


Based on this then the NW-WM1Z is closer to the Astell SP2000 and in the same range.

It would be interesting to hear someone's comparison of a stock 1Z and the SP2000.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 24, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> Based on this then the *NW-WM1Z is closer* to the Astell SP2000 and in the same range.
> 
> It would be interesting to hear someone's comparison of a stock 1Z and the SP2000.


You already had it.  It depends on what you look for from the players.  There are trade offs as it is all portable player, so you can not have it all.  Hugo 2 is a stand alone and not a DAP...so it is a little unfair to compare.  You will need a transport to make Hugo sing

soundstage and clarity, sp2k is easily the best at the moment....tonal balances and timbres density/fidelity is WM1Z strength.  Beside the differences in the main signatures, the Wm1Z would be in a warmer and more musical signature Where as SP2K is I to clarity, transparency and Neutral


----------



## simon740

Whitigir said:


> Doesn’t matter, the device will only draw what it wants to...aka can be firmware controlled via the charging interfaces.  Just make sure you have the correct voltage


Thank you


----------



## Lookout57

Whitigir said:


> You already had it.  It depends on what you look for from the players.  There are trade offs as it is all portable player, so you can not have it all.  Hugo 2 is a stand alone and not a DAP...so it is a little unfair to compare.  You will need a transport to make Hugo sing
> 
> soundstage and clarity, sp2k is easily the best at the moment....tonal balances and timbres density/fidelity is WM1Z strength.  Beside the differences in the main signatures, the Wm1Z would be in a warmer and more musical signature Where as SP2K is I to clarity, transparency and Neutral


Thanks, the 1Z has the sound I love. So no need for me to checkout the SP2K.


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> Why no one ever mentioned pha-3 !
> This portable dac amp is a steal!!! At 400$ usd used.
> 
> 320mw output power !
> ...



I’ve always been curious about the pha-3 since owning the pha-2a. How does it sound compared to your WM1Z?

I really like my pha-2a, the sound quality is excellent. I’ve heard that the pha-3 sounds even better.


----------



## musicday

Is impressive this thread is so popular for a 4 year old player. I wish I can say the same about LPGT


----------



## gerelmx1986

I was considering ibasso DX220 with amp 8 but is only one microSD slot, same fiio m15

Pioneer XDP300R Has dual slot but uses 2.5mm jack.

Staying with wm1a for now


----------



## Vitaly2017

Damz87 said:


> I’ve always been curious about the pha-3 since owning the pha-2a. How does it sound compared to your WM1Z?
> 
> I really like my pha-2a, the sound quality is excellent. I’ve heard that the pha-3 sounds even better.




I just bought 1 used. Will get home after my truck run ) and get into testing that boy )


----------



## AudioMoksha

I have my WM1A set to auto power off after 1 Hour of inactivity. Considering that most have mentioned it has minimum battery drain, shall I change that setting to max.


----------



## nc8000

siruspan said:


> You don't suppose to turn off WM1A/Z unless you don't expect to use it for longer time. It basically doesn't use almost any energy in stand by mode. You just turn on the screen or press play even without turning the screen and music starts. Benefit from not using the android is that are are no processes in the background sucking up the battery.





AudioMoksha said:


> I have my WM1A set to auto power off after 1 Hour of inactivity. Considering that most have mentioned it has minimum battery drain, shall I change that setting to max.



Yes I’ve not turned mine of in 3 years time nor did I turn my ZX2 off in 2 years time, just leave it in stand by


----------



## denis1976 (Feb 24, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> You already had it.  It depends on what you look for from the players.  There are trade offs as it is all portable player, so you can not have it all.  Hugo 2 is a stand alone and not a DAP...so it is a little unfair to compare.  You will need a transport to make Hugo sing
> 
> soundstage and clarity, sp2k is easily the best at the moment....tonal balances and timbres density/fidelity is WM1Z strength.  Beside the differences in the main signatures, the Wm1Z would be in a warmer and more musical signature Where as SP2K is I to clarity, transparency and Neutral


If you talking about the SS or the OB version you may by right, the CU version is even more dense and musical than the 1Z, the SP2000CU is the best player I ever heard, the 1Z is the second, both are top DAPs


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> If you talking about the SS or the OB version you may by right, the CU version is even more dense and musical than the 1Z, the SP2000CU is the best player I ever heard, the 1Z is the second, both are top DAPs


True that, I speaks for OB only, I don’t even hear the SS yet , neither the Cu


----------



## denis1976

And the nw-wm1A having more bass than the sp2000 not a chance, at least the CU version, now the 1Z is without a doubt a Dap that was made to last, when it was released it was much ahead of all others and after 3 years or more still stand has one of the best daps ever, this is not for everyone, Sony Rocks


----------



## nc8000

Apart from the fact that there would be no way I could afford a SP2000 I would not buy something based on the 2.5mm balanced jack and with at the most 8 hours play time per charge


----------



## siruspan (Feb 24, 2020)

denis1976 said:


> And the nw-wm1A having more bass than the sp2000 not a chance, at least the CU version, now the 1Z is without a doubt a Dap that was made to last, when it was released it was much ahead of all others and after 3 years or more still stand has one of the best daps ever, this is not for everyone, Sony Rocks



I've had SP2000 copper demo unit borrowed for 2 weeks.

Here's next to my WM1A and DX160



Out of the three the WM1A had the most bass and SP2000 the least, nevertheless it didn't stop him to outclass both of them in every category. The biggest soundstage, the most natural, the most resolving, efortless and liquid, very holographic and three dimensional sound.

I've read in the SP2000 thread that users reported quite dramatic changes in sound with different software versions. I can't comment on that as I tested using only 1.16 version. You can't go back after the update so its hard to verify.


----------



## Vitaly2017

siruspan said:


> I've had SP2000 copper demo unit borrowed for 2 weeks.
> 
> Here's next to my WM1A and DX160
> 
> ...




My impressions are exactly the same as yours!
Sp2k is one smooth natural beast very silky sound


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> True that, I speaks for OB only, I don’t even hear the SS yet , neither the Cu


What Caps did you use to replace the stock 1A ones? Can you give a quick breakdown please..


----------



## Whitigir

I agree about the bass claims as it is exactly what I hear.


----------



## gazzington

I would say wm1z and sp2k is a more fair fight. Still trying to work out which one I like best


----------



## Vitaly2017

gazzington said:


> I would say wm1z and sp2k is a more fair fight. Still trying to work out which one I like best



It is also a 2.5 vs 4.4.
What are A&K waiting for ?


----------



## Whitigir

Diet Kokaine said:


> What Caps did you use to replace the stock 1A ones? Can you give a quick breakdown please..


Defintely can !


----------



## gazzington

Vitaly2017 said:


> It is also a 2.5 vs 4.4.
> What are A&K waiting for ?


That's the think, I much prefer the 4.4. wm1z is not beaten by the sp2k. The sp2k is a seriously good dap though


----------



## denis1976 (Feb 24, 2020)

siruspan said:


> I've had SP2000 copper demo unit borrowed for 2 weeks.
> 
> Here's next to my WM1A and DX160
> 
> ...


Maybe the demo unit was with some problem, the 1Z has more bass than the 1A in quantity and quality, the SP2000CU outclasses the 1Z so take your conclusions...the 1z with 3.01 firmware the SP2000CU with 1.19, with campfire Atlas


----------



## iamdman

TenderTendon said:


> Keep in mind that you'll pay $150 sales tax for that on eBay. Amazon UK with 3 day shipping is still a better deal.



I don’t see that price in amazon UK site. Looks it was on sale or something?


----------



## bflat

Besides sound there are major differences with Sony and AK

1) 2.5mm versus 4.4mm - really wish AK would standardize since 4.4mm also supports line out with proper grounding instead of the hacked 2.5mm + 3.5mm ground work around.

2) AK streams wirelessly. Sony needs another streaming device that can stream and also output LDAC or Apt-X HD.

3) Sony receives BT, AK does not.

4) Sony works as a USB DAC without needing to charge (option to turn on or off). AK USB DAC requires charging so doesn't work with most hand held devices. Have to use optical out instead for hand held devices like Chord Mojo.

5) AK supports single playlists across both internal and SD card memory. Sony can only support playlists in the respective physical storage locations and you can't edit playlists on the SD Card (real head scratcher on this).

6) Sony has 2-3x the battery life of AK, but AK has more power.

7) AK has optical out. Sony only has WM-Port out.

8) Sony uses proprietary WM-Port. New ZX-500 series has USB C but no USB DAC or BT receive functionality. In fact, ZX-500 is more like AK.

9) Sony supports Album Artists sorting. AK does not and folder view is no substitute since you have 2 storage locations. I've asked AK for 5 years to add this. I mean how hard could it be?

10) AK support is slow but Sony support is non-existent (outside of warranty issues) and depends on authorized 3rd parties. However, Sony spare parts are generally easy to find.

I was an AK user for 3 generations of AK240 to AK380 to SP1000. Differences #1, 3, 4, 6, and 9 were enough for me to switch to Sony.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Wow zx507 at 675

Last 1 left


https://www.ebay.ca/itm/SONY-WALKMA...155153&hash=item3656b6ee5a:g:2YEAAOSwY9pdtxWH


----------



## denis1976

The 1Z is a terrific machine, is an iconic piece of art, the sound is awsome


----------



## TenderTendon

iamdman said:


> I don’t see that price in amazon UK site. Looks it was on sale or something?



I just checked again. It's $5 USD cheaper today. You have to add it to you cart to see the price shipped to the US. This removes the VAT.


----------



## CantScareMe

Hello everyone. It's been a while since I last posted on this site. Brings back memories of what feels like a lifetime ago!

Good to see the site in a great state and it's easier than ever to navigate IMHO 

I've a few questions about the WM1A and my TA-ZH1ES ("Tazzy"). I've searched this and other forums though haven't found answers yet...hoping some of you can help

One question, how do I use the WM1A as a digital transport with the Tazzy?
I only want to use the proprietary cable that comes with the tazzy rather than docks or other cable chains.
After selecting the 'WALKMAN' input on the tazzy, what setting do I change if any on the WM1A?

Thanks!


----------



## Lookout57

CantScareMe said:


> Hello everyone. It's been a while since I last posted on this site. Brings back memories of what feels like a lifetime ago!
> 
> Good to see the site in a great state and it's easier than ever to navigate IMHO
> 
> ...


Nothing. 

You should consider the dock since it has active electronics, allows the use of a better USB cable and the PC USB port supports higher resolutions than the Walkman port.


----------



## CantScareMe

Thanks for the answer - If I was to use the supplied cable with the Tazzy - are you saying it should auto detect and allow me to use it as a transport right away?


----------



## bflat

CantScareMe said:


> Thanks for the answer - If I was to use the supplied cable with the Tazzy - are you saying it should auto detect and allow me to use it as a transport right away?



Yes, just plug the supplied cable to your Walkman and it will automatically configure. It's takes a second or 2 and you will see "Digital" output label in the upper left corner of the screen.


----------



## CantScareMe

Great - thanks for the fast reply.

That must mean my cable is a dud since nothing registers.

Do you know where to find an exact replacement of that cable to the tazzy (like for like). I can't seem to find any part number or existence of it online.

I want to use this side input rather than the back USB input which will be used for something else. So I want to avoid using a NWH10+adapter or a dock.
It's for a backup system to my main rig (Laptop - Questyle 12 master - HD800S)


----------



## iamdman

TenderTendon said:


> I just checked again. It's $5 USD cheaper today. You have to add it to you cart to see the price shipped to the US. This removes the VAT.


Ah! got it.. Thanks for that info. Definitely cheaper than what retails in US and I guess the volume cap can be removed as well. I will pass it on.

thanks!


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> I just ran an informal test yesterday as I’m in the middle of writing a 1Z review. Upon putting a fresh card in it takes a while with 3.01 and 3.02 still not as long as as 3.00. Upon turning the unit off and restarting a 256GB card will be read after already being read previously before turn off in about 35 seconds(firmware 3.02). So it seems the 2nd time is a different process, where with firmware 3.00 it took forever......always....like 3.00 was as being read the first time every time, and it could actually cash while reading the card. 2.0 was faster all around, than 3.00. It also seems like 3.02 and 3.01 are relatively faster overall than the load times of 1.20 and 2.00, but I’ve never actually timed them.


Im in 3.00 and its very slow bootup did you tried the sound dough?



siruspan said:


> I've had SP2000 copper demo unit borrowed for 2 weeks.
> 
> Here's next to my WM1A and DX160
> 
> ...


Wich firmware was 1A on?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 24, 2020)

CantScareMe said:


> Great - thanks for the fast reply.
> 
> That must mean my cable is a dud since nothing registers.
> 
> ...



Take note though, due to the cradle having a separate mini-USB it allows your computer to be connected as well as the Walkman to the TA.


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 24, 2020)

musicday said:


> You need to listen for 1 week, at least 3-4 hours a day to realise that it is special.


I was suprised from day one it and after 1000 hours im still amazed I have audioned other DAPS staging may be alittle better or expensive ones but 1A sounds very engaging for a 1000us DAP and I havent heard anithing in the 400us ratio that come seven close my creative E5 its very potent but it crashes it my zx100 has 50hs playback but not the same thikness clarity and staging nor bass... and it costed me 600 US so i dont really get what dap in the 400 ratio could be better than 1A


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> Then you must have... maybe i cannot confirm either very terrible set of headphones... or maybe im just saying maybe you need to schedule an *otolaryngologist* apointment assap.




Haha another one having fun with there eL cheapo daps )

Telling you it easier let him enjoy it then convincing hehe


----------



## blazinblazin

People might find SONY'S signature series DAP expensive but at that price point compared to other brands, it is still very value for money.


----------



## siruspan

Midnstorms said:


> Wich firmware was 1A on?



3.0.1


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 14, 2020)

Edit.


----------



## musicday

Great post, thank you for that. It should be included in the Sony 1A/1Z modification thread.


----------



## Morbideath

musicday said:


> Great post, thank you for that. It should be included in the Sony 1A/1Z modification thread.


Welcome and thank you! I posted there as well.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Whaouu... Thank you so much 
Lots of testing to come !


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 25, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Hi all,
> Last year some Chinese enthusiastic worked out the way to modify firmwares and change their sound. ATM I won't dive into disclosing the technical specifics since it may be illegal and ultra troublesome to write, but the results are something profound. I will first elaborate on some basic principles.
> 
> Firmwares do affect sound (nonsense... we all know that). The firmwares of 1A/1Z provided to download all over the world are universal and totally identical (identical MD5 value). But there are TWO SETS of tuning codes to tune 1A/1Z separately, stored WITHIN THE SAME FIRMWARE. The firmware file simply identifies whether your device is 1A or 1Z then it applies the proprietary tunings.
> ...


Thank you. This is fun, I get to try all the different version, I kinda like Ultimate mod, still trying to figure out how these sounds. It feels very fluid, it just flows, soundstage is definitely huge, I was using Warbler Prelude with PW 1960 4 wire. To understand a little about Warbler Prelude, it has extremely thick sound, extremely syruppy, bad resolution and clarity, because of its thickness, however excellent timber and best bass resolution I have heard, sounds way thicker than EA Phantom.  Prelude soundstage usually sounds a little small on 3.02 but here its huge, it didn't feel cramped. Usually I use EQ, but using direct, clarity is good, its feels very fluid, although resolution feels a little funny, it s like it almost there, but not, grainy? Only on certain little segment of some songs, I can't put my finger on it; although I'm using 320 mp3 with good master. Still trying to learn and understand more.

Also DMP Z1 1.01 and 1.02 seems to be not working, there's error 6.002 or something like that. Please reupload.

But thanks a lot, this is extremely fun to us all.


----------



## Morbideath

hamhamhamsta said:


> Thank you. This is fun, I get to try all the different version, I kinda like Ultimate mod, still trying to figure out how these sounds. It feels very fluid, it just flows, soundstage is definitely huge, I was using Warbler Prelude with PW 1960 4 wire; soundstage usually sounds a little small on 3.02 but here its huge, it didn't feel cramped. Usually I use EQ, but using direct, clarity is good, its feels fluid, bass feels a little funny, I can't put my finger on it. Still trying to learn and understand more.
> 
> Also DMP Z1 1.01 and 1.02 seems to be not working, there's error 6.002 or something like that. Please reupload.
> 
> But thanks a lot, this is extremely fun to us all.



Thx for your feedback.  Are u using 1A? In what region?


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 25, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Thx for your feedback.  Are u using 1A? In what region?


I'm using mod 1Z international version; however, instead of using PW1960 wire, I think mine used silver gold cable I think. Whitigir can elaborate more. Soundwise I would describe similar to 1A but with extreme clarity, extended high, while retaining 1Z bass, speed is faster than 1Z, maybe close to 1A. Clarity and resolution probably I think its SP1K or more, its a year ago I heard it and I haven't heard SP2k. Still retains 1Z fluidity and musicality. Im usually listening to chinese pop mp3 using DSEE HX, EQ, Phase Lineazer and Vinyl Processor. But Direct seems more fluid, with EQ etc it seems my mod 1Z becomes in your face clarity, resolution monster, its obviously glaring, at least to me. i can never use Direct, but I think I maybe able to accept Direct using Ultimate Mode, retaining Sony house sound while giving me the clarity and resolution that I crave.  

I think everyone will have different favorites depending on the daps, cables and iems they use; its pretty much depends on best synergy for your gears.


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 25, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> I'm using mod 1Z international version; however, instead of using PW1960 wire, I think mine used silver gold cable I think. Whitigir can elaborate more. Soundwise I would describe similar to 1A but with extreme clarity, extended high, while retaining 1Z bass, speed is faster than 1Z, maybe close to 1A. Clarity and resolution probably I think its SP1K or more, its a year ago I heard it and I haven't heard SP2k. Still retains 1Z fluidity and musicality. Im usually listening to chinese pop mp3 using DSEE HX, EQ, Phase Lineazer and Vinyl Processor. But Direct seems more fluid, with EQ etc it seems my mod 1Z becomes in your face clarity, resolution monster, its obviously glaring, at least to me. i can never use Direct, but I think I maybe able to accept Direct using Ultimate Mode



Sorry for my fat fingers. Z1 1.01 and 02 should work now. Pls download them again.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 25, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Sorry for my fat finger mistake. 1.01 and 02 should work now. Pls download them again.


Thank you; will definitely try all of them.

My feeling, those with stock 1Z may do pretty well using LPGT & Ultimate mod; it will be interesting to see what other testimonies are.

Wow, I'm really impressed & I think I get it. Its much easier to get into the music/ groove. When I heard it over and over again, these are definitely masterpiece mods, you guys make something good even better. There 's something good for everyone.


----------



## Morbideath

hamhamhamsta said:


> Thank you; will definitely try all of them.
> 
> My feeling, those with stock 1Z may do pretty well using LPGT & Ultimate mod; it will be interesting to see what other testimonies are.
> 
> Wow, I'm really impressed & I think I get it. When I heard it again and again, these are definitely masterpiece mods, you guys make something good even better. There 's something good for everyone.


U may also try applying the Japanese tuning. It's subtle but might be more perceived with official FW.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 25, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Hi all,
> Last year some Chinese enthusiastic worked out the way to modify firmwares and change their sound. ATM I won't dive into disclosing the technical specifics since it may be illegal and ultra troublesome to write, but the results are something profound. I will first elaborate on some basic principles.
> 
> Firmwares do affect sound (nonsense... we all know that). The firmwares of 1A/1Z provided to download all over the world are universal and totally identical (identical MD5 value). But there are TWO SETS of tuning codes to tune 1A/1Z separately, stored WITHIN THE SAME FIRMWARE. The firmware file simply identifies whether your device is 1A or 1Z then it applies the proprietary tunings.
> ...



Great post but one correction, DAC capability came with 3.00 update not 2.00 as you posted.

Edit:
Here is the section when 2.00 came out, no mention of DAC ability.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1092


----------



## kenjamin0523

Thank you very much, you make my day. I will test it later, when I come back home.




Morbideath said:


> Hi all,
> Last year some Chinese enthusiastic worked out the way to modify firmwares and change their sound. ATM I won't dive into disclosing the technical specifics since it may be illegal and ultra troublesome to write, but the results are something profound. I will first elaborate on some basic principles.
> 
> Firmwares do affect sound (nonsense... we all know that). The firmwares of 1A/1Z provided to download all over the world are universal and totally identical (identical MD5 value). But there are TWO SETS of tuning codes to tune 1A/1Z separately, stored WITHIN THE SAME FIRMWARE. The firmware file simply identifies whether your device is 1A or 1Z then it applies the proprietary tunings.
> ...


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> Great post but one correction, DAC capability came with 3.00 update not 2.00 as you posted.
> 
> Edit:
> Here is the section when 2.00 came out, no mention of DAC ability.
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1092


I think i did write It's introduced in 3.0. The shuffle and repeat button were from 2.0


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 25, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> I think i did write It's introduced in 3.0. The shuffle and repeat button were from 2.0



Your exactly right. I miss read it. Wow great job. It will be quite the storm here now with this one!

One question? Are you saying the software recognizes if it’s in a 1A or 1Z and changes the tuning accordingly? I thought the same characteristics where across both players?


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Your exactly right. I miss read it. Wow great job. It will be quite the storm here now with this one!
> 
> One question? Are you saying the software recognizes if it’s in a 1A or 1Z and changes the tuning accordingly? I thought the same characteristics where across both players?


Exactly my question ? What makes the player to self identifying itself ?


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> Your exactly right. I miss read it. Wow great job. It will be quite the storm here now with this one!
> 
> One question? Are you saying the software recognizes if it’s in a 1A or 1Z and changes the tuning accordingly? I thought the same characteristics where across both players?



I think they are tunned accordingly. Correct me if im wrong, in 2019 many Chinese 1A owners switched the FW tuning from 1Z for different sound, even ZX300 users could do so. Later 2019 in some Chinese forums ppl found the FW of DMP-Z1 can be ported as well. 
I don't have scientific evidence to proof but the result highly reflects my guessing.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Self identification 
I am 1z )
I am 1a 
I am zx-507
LoL ) easy


----------



## Whitigir

Could be a hard code built in by Sony and it DSP chip for identification purposes on firmware identification.....an extra resistor pulled to ground ? Lol....if so, then I am speechless at what Sony DSP-IC Chip can do.


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> Exactly my question ? What makes the player to self identifying itself ?


There's an XML file that includes identification codes. If u remove specific ones, your device will not be recognized.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Exactly my question ? What makes the player to self identifying itself ?





Morbideath said:


> I think they are tunned accordingly. Correct me if im wrong, in 2019 many Chinese 1A owners switched the FW tuning from 1Z for different sound, even ZX300 users could do so. Later 2019 in some Chinese forums ppl found the FW of DMP-Z1 can be ported as well.
> I don't have scientific evidence to proof but the result highly reflects my guessing.



I hear the exact same tuning on both players like it’s the players intrinsic quality being displayed with the same software. Still, I’m open minded, I’ll believe anything at this point. Some third-party posts free new firmware! Call me amazed!


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> I hear the exact same tuning on both players like it’s the players intrinsic quality being displayed with the same software. Still, I’m open minded, I’ll believe anything at this point. Some third-party posts free new firmware! Call me amazed!



Im not denying the intrinsic difference brought by hardware. The firmwares i shared use the same tuning codes for both 1A and 1Z so the change should be identical, regardless of the intrinsic hardware difference.


----------



## Morbideath

hamhamhamsta said:


> Thank you; will definitely try all of them.
> 
> My feeling, those with stock 1Z may do pretty well using LPGT & Ultimate mod; it will be interesting to see what other testimonies are.
> 
> *Wow, I'm really impressed & I think I get it. Its much easier to get into the music/ groove. When I heard it over and over again, these are definitely masterpiece mods, you guys make something good even better. There 's something good for everyone.*



Let me share some observations, i found most with inferior gears or pure BA IEM may find the FW sibilant and harsh. The better your gear the more information and smoothness can be perceived. U share very similar feeling like mine, and both our devices are modded.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Morbideath said:


> Im not denying the intrinsic difference brought by hardware. The firmwares i shared use the same tuning codes for both 1A and 1Z so the change should be identical, regardless of the intrinsic hardware difference.


You wrote in your post...
*“But there are TWO SETS of tuning codes to tune 1A/1Z separately, stored WITHIN THE SAME FIRMWARE. The firmware file simply identifies whether your device is 1A or 1Z then it applies the proprietary tunings.”*

That was what I was surprised at and wondering about?


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 25, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> You wrote in your post...
> *“But there are TWO SETS of tuning codes to tune 1A/1Z separately, stored WITHIN THE SAME FIRMWARE. The firmware file simply identifies whether your device is 1A or 1Z then it applies the proprietary tunings.”*
> 
> That was what I was surprised at and wondering about?


Corrected! LOL....

But there are 2 set of codes ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 25, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> You should see in your player information...1Z displayed as 1Z and 1A is 1A....both using the same firmware.  If they don’t self identify, what else ?
> 
> Further proof is that there are 2 set of tuning codes inside the firmware as he mentioned.



I have a photographic memory. I don’t have to check. It says both players on the information page, along of course with the firmware.
Edit: It may have said that before? Haha. Yes, it does delineate the player model. I better log out? Haha


----------



## siruspan (Feb 25, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> You wrote in your post...
> *“But there are TWO SETS of tuning codes to tune 1A/1Z separately, stored WITHIN THE SAME FIRMWARE. The firmware file simply identifies whether your device is 1A or 1Z then it applies the proprietary tunings.”*
> 
> That was what I was surprised at and wondering about?



I didn't yet tested this but my understanding is that firmware shapes the sound to some degree by for example usage of different digital filter or just simply DSP. Different profiles would probably have different tonal balance. So if WM1Z profile has more bass than applying it do WM1A will add the extra bass. Since they are also different internally it doesn't mean the WM1A will sound on the same level. Only the tuning would be similar.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> I have a photographic memory. I don’t have to check. It says both players on the information page, along of course with the firmware.


It really does! Lol!


----------



## AudioMoksha

What you have shared Morbi is pretty interesting. I am a tweaker but only on the phone, i flash all sorts of firmwares and have bricked and unbricked a few times. Just not sure about the WM1A, but i'll give this a try when I have time and courage to tweak this. Thank you for sharing.


----------



## Whitigir

siruspan said:


> I didn't yet tested this but my understanding is that firmware shapes the sound to some degree by for example usage of different digital filter or just simply DSP. Different profiles would probably have different tonal balance. So if WM1Z profile has more bass than applying it do WM1A will add the extra bass. Since they are also different internally it doesn't mean the WM1A will sound on the same level. Only the tuning would be similar.


Just as long as you have a modified hardware, then it will be beneficial


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> It really does! Lol!



Crap it does! This is the wild, now I have to see where I saw both players listed? This is so strange!


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 25, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Crap it does! This is the wild, now I have to see where I saw both players listed? This is so strange!


You confused me as well....and I understand....it is on the PCB that states 1A/1Z


----------



## awayeah

@Morbideath do you have access to some moded firmwares that would work with ZX300?


----------



## Whitigir

I think it is plausible that the player self identify based on the last firmware.  1Z comes off the production line with 1Z tuning code and so does 1A.

user upgrade firmwares will be checked and compare with previous and identified/tuned accordingly

you can try using 3.0.1 and use 1Z tuning on 1A...try to see if unit is identified as 1Z now ? If it does, upgrade to 3.0.2 and see if it continues to identify itself as -Z


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> It really does! Lol!



Yes, just checked 3.01 on the 1A and 3.02 plus roll-back to 1.20 on the 1Z and they identify themselves always.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> I think it is plausible that the player self identify based on the last firmware.  1Z comes off the production line with 1Z tuning code and so does 1A.
> 
> user upgrade firmwares will be checked and compare with previous and identified/tuned accordingly
> 
> you can try using 3.0.1 and use 1Z tuning on 1A...try to see if unit is identified as 1Z now ? If it does, upgrade to 3.0.2 and see if it continues to identify itself as -Z



How? What tuning software. The new downloads?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> You confused me as well....and I understand....it is on the PCB that states 1A/1Z



Well both players are always listed on the software downloads...too.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> How? What tuning software. The new downloads?


Yeah as Morbi stated out in here 
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15484604


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Yeah as Morbi stated out in here
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15484604



I may, but not at this moment.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 25, 2020)

By the way, firmware alternating sound performances _*is not non-senses*_, it is only when people don’t understand it.  What if I tell you that Firmware on your car will be able to destroy your engine ?  I was into Car modifications previously, and some people still don’t get that changing the exhaust or air filters, can mess up the engine responds, and effect the long term reliability.  Whenever there are changes of air/gas ratio, the firmware have to be recalibrated....this is what people call “tuning”.  Most of the time, Stock system can not manage all the variables, so after market such as AEM have to be in use.

i have seen people arguing that the stock system has 20% tolerances to account in the ambient changes of Air density between elevations and temperature....but what if you are into the limit of this tolerances, and then have to account into the Modifications of air-filters and exhaust ? Definitely something is going to give In the long term

firmware is the brain and central of the whole system.  Hardware is only the skeletons.  They go hands in hands, the stronger the skeletons, the better the whole system becomes

So, why firmwares can be different? One prime example I can say is that *Digital filters!*


----------



## denis1976 (Feb 25, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> U may also try applying the Japanese tuning. It's subtle but might be more perceived with official FW.


please, from the list of firmwares what is the one with Japanese tuning?sorry I already find it, thanks


----------



## Redcarmoose

Morbideath said:


> Hi all,
> Last year some Chinese enthusiastic worked out the way to modify firmwares and change their sound. ATM I won't dive into disclosing the technical specifics since it may be illegal and ultra troublesome to write, but the results are something profound. I will first elaborate on some basic principles.
> 
> Firmwares do affect sound (nonsense... we all know that). The firmwares of 1A/1Z provided to download all over the world are universal and totally identical (identical MD5 value). But there are TWO SETS of tuning codes to tune 1A/1Z separately, stored WITHIN THE SAME FIRMWARE. The firmware file simply identifies whether your device is 1A or 1Z then it applies the proprietary tunings.
> ...







“We don't know how exactly the codes work, as they remain an encrypted black box.”


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 25, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> You wrote in your post...
> *“But there are TWO SETS of tuning codes to tune 1A/1Z separately, stored WITHIN THE SAME FIRMWARE. The firmware file simply identifies whether your device is 1A or 1Z then it applies the proprietary tunings.”*
> 
> That was what I was surprised at and wondering about?



Good catch, an example to clarify:
within the firmware there are two sets of codes marked with 1A and 1Z respectively. For example, 1A(abc) 1Z(def), initially no one knows what abc and def are for, but if we substitute 1A(def) 1Z(def) the tuning for 1A is changed, towards 1Z's. So we guess those are the tuning codes for each players, and they are different.
Later they found the codes of DMP-Z1(xyz), and after substitution, 1A(xyz) 1Z(xyz), both players enjoy a different sound, brought by the codes of Z1.

Now how does the firmware identifies? As i replied to Whitigir, the xml sheet stores lines of identification codes, for example, 1A(X) 1Z(Y). if u substract X and happen to own 1A, u won't be able to initiate the firmware. Also if u remove Y from the codes, firmware won't recognize your 1Z. They make us think the firmware identifies your device.
As for how it identifies the device with these codes? i don't know. it's a black box. Since we can't cheat the firmware to identify our device to be sth else, we can simply substitute and modify the tuning codes.
To put in a nutshell:
The original official FW has different sets of tuning, we modify them for a subjectively better sound, and the same time the tuning codes become unified. So you perceive the same change on both 1A and 1Z.


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 25, 2020)

denis1976 said:


> please, from the list of firmwares what is the one with Japanese tuning?sorry I already find it, thanks



No u misunderstood me. There isn't a specific Japanese FW. The Japanese tuning is already contained in every FW, and if u change region code to J and reinstall the FW, the Japanese tuning will activate.


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Anyone know why WAV is not mentioned among Audio Formats in the specifications for these walkman?


----------



## musicday

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Anyone know why WAV is not mentioned among Audio Formats in the specifications for these walkman?


And OGG Vorbis.


----------



## Whitigir

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Anyone know why WAV is not mentioned among Audio Formats in the specifications for these walkman?


I have WAV and it all works beautifully


----------



## Morbideath

awayeah said:


> @Morbideath do you have access to some moded firmwares that would work with ZX300?



Unfortunately I don't, as I don't have a ZX300 to flash the FW so I haven't collected them.


----------



## Whitigir

@Morbideath what is WM1Z version ported to 1A?


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Playback is fine but walkman doesn’t play it as a high res file (HR is not showing up as in Flac). 
Maybe Sony did not get license for playback on the wakman?


musicday said:


> And OGG Vorbis.





Whitigir said:


> I have WAV and it all works beautifully


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> @Morbideath what is WM1Z version ported to 1A?



WM2Z is almost it, with several tuning retaining from 1A.


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 25, 2020)

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Playback is fine *but walkman doesn’t play it as a high res file (HR is not showing up as in Flac)*.
> Maybe Sony did not get license for playback on the wakman?





DONTGIVEUP said:


> Playback is fine but walkman doesn’t play it as a high res file (HR is not showing up as in Flac).
> Maybe Sony did not get license for playback on the wakman?







I think it does.


----------



## denis1976

Morbideath said:


> No u misunderstood me. There isn't a specific Japanese FW. The Japanese tuning is already contained in every FW, and if u change region code to J and reinstall the FW, the Japanese tuning will activate.


Yes, I already done that, thank you


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Morbideath said:


> I think it does.


I have to check back when I go home. I loaded wav files and for the life of me don’t remember the HR displayed.


----------



## Morbideath

DONTGIVEUP said:


> I have to check back when I go home. I loaded wav files and for the life of me don’t remember the HR displayed.


As long as they are 24bit or above, it will be displayed. 16bit won't even with sampling higher than 44.1khz.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 25, 2020)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/dontgiveup.402060/
PCM is wave.



Spoiler: PCM Listed 



.

Model Name NW-WM1Z
Available colours : Gold
Chassis : Gold-plated Oxygen-Free Copper Chassis (Purity 99.96%)
Internal memory : 256GB
External memory : microSD
Display size/ Resolution : 4.0 inch、TFT colour LCD、FWVGA(854×480)
Compatible formats Music：MP3／WMA)／FLAC／LINEAR PCM / AAC / HE-ACC / APPLE LOSSLESS / AIFF / DSD / APE
Audio Output : 4.4mm Balanced Standard Jack, 3.5mm Stereo Mini Jack
Internal Wiring : 4-wire Braided Cable Engineered with KIMBER KABLE®
Sound Register : Fine Sound Register
Output Power(JEITA 16Ω/mW) : Balanced standard-jack: 250mW+250mW , Stereo mini-jack: 60mW+60mW
Sound Settings Direct Source, 10band equaliser / tone control, DSEE HX, DC Phase Linearizer, Dynamic Normaliser
Battery life : Approx. 33hr (MP3 128kbps); 26 hr (FLAC 192kHz/24 bit); 15hr (DSD 2.8MHz/1bit); 11hr (DSD 11.2MHz/1bit)
Bluetooth Bluetooth® v 4.2 Profile: A2DP／AVRCP／OPP Codec: LDAC／SBC
NFC : Yes
Dimension : 72.9 × 124.2 × 19.9 mm
Weight : 455g
Included Accessories : Walkman NW-WM1Z, USB cable, leather case, wrist strap, startup guide, instruction manual


----------



## captblaze

has anyone been brave enough yet? if not, i will take the plunge once i get a brew on


----------



## Redcarmoose

captblaze said:


> has anyone been brave enough yet? if not, i will take the plunge once i get a brew on


You will then forever be known as captbrave.


----------



## captblaze

give me about 20 minutes cause it may end up captregret


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> You will then forever be known as captbrave.



hahaha


----------



## captblaze

before i get started...
i have 4 packages 
DMP-Z1 1.01
DMP-Z1 1.02
WM2Z
Ultimate

what do each do to WM-1A? ie. add different play ss


----------



## Morbideath

captblaze said:


> has anyone been brave enough yet? if not, i will take the plunge once i get a brew on


Not trying to "sell" my poops, but i have flashed those FWs back and forth hundreds of times, almost on daily basis.


----------



## Morbideath

captblaze said:


> before i get started...
> i have 4 packages
> DMP-Z1 1.01
> DMP-Z1 1.02
> ...



Make sure u are on official 3.02, then just run either one of them for different flavors.


----------



## captblaze

Morbideath said:


> Not trying to "sell" my poops, but i have flashed those FWs back and forth hundreds of times, almost on daily basis.



not trying to offend, i am willing to be this forums guinea pig and would like some guidance as to what each package does


----------



## captblaze

Morbideath said:


> Make sure u are on official 3.02, then just run either one of them for different flavors.


thank you...  have to flash 3.02 first


----------



## nc8000

captblaze said:


> not trying to offend, i am willing to be this forums guinea pig and would like some guidance as to what each package does



Just read his original post 4-5 pages back


----------



## Morbideath

captblaze said:


> not trying to offend, i am willing to be this forums guinea pig and would like some guidance as to what each package does


I already described briefly their sound in my post. And some "pioneers" here already gave us feedback. If u are uncertain, u can read their posts (as well as mine)


----------



## captblaze

Morbideath said:


> I already described briefly their sound in my post. And some "pioneers" here already gave us feedback. If u are uncertain, u can read their posts (as well as mine)


----------



## captblaze

for anyone on the fence WM2Z loaded on my WM-1A no issues. database is slow rebuilding, but all is good. listening now 4.4 mm with Moondrop S8


----------



## siruspan

captblaze said:


> for anyone on the fence WM2Z loaded on my WM-1A no issues. database is slow rebuilding, but all is good. listening now 4.4 mm with Moondrop S8



Has the body changed the color as well to.... gold?


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 25, 2020)

I have been rolling the firmware from

*installation is easy, just do it as you are doing stock firmware.  I have been rolling back and forth so many time now...no brick!!!

unzip files >>>>packages>>>software update tool*

*****Please upgrade to 3.0.2 before applying modified firmware*****
Ultimate
DMP 1.0.1
DMP 1.0.2
Stock 3.0.2

Using stock IER Z1R cables and Z1R

There are definitely improved depth and width on the 3 modded firmwares. However, the best to my ears will have to be DMP 1.0.2 as it is detailed but smooth out some of the hot coming lower trebles textures

the DMP 1.0.1 is actually Muddying this very specific sections, the same for Ultimate.

The amazing things is that the stock firmware for my WM1A has a very hot coming Edges of textures on lower trebles. It has sibilant on female vocals and high string pitches.

The modified firmware took care of this, and the differences as described as previously.

I love the DMP Z1 1.0.2 version as it elevates the soundstage exactly where I wanted it, more width and depth, retaining this vertical axis. The overall sound signatures are closely resemble one another. Bass is more articulated with better textures, better controls, still deep and rumbling. Female vocals are so good now, vividly detailed!!! Same as high string and winds.... flutes ... addictive !!!! The high spectrum certainly becomes a lot more airy with all the improved textures, resolutions and precision’s.

Loving it!!!!

Now I am curious, could the stock firmware of WM1Z be ported without additional tweaking to Wm1A ? I would like to try and see if the WM1Z slightly take care of that low treble edges

one thing to note: if you are enjoying the Bass and sub bass on the Walkman currently, you will find the bass on the DMP Z1 1.0.2 to be boring. IMO, this is the bass done right as it is cleaner, better speed, controls, textures. So, please remember that my impressions will be different than your as my unit is very different than your, also preferences. But as far as my experiences goes, the Walkman has a less controlled bass VS the modified firmware one. The Ultimate as provided, or based on V1 of DMP Z1 and trying to combine 1A/Z will have this less controlling bass lines and performances


----------



## captblaze

siruspan said:


> Has the body changed the color as well to.... gold?


its blue (dignis case)


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> I have been rolling the firmware from
> 
> *installation is easy, just do it as you are doing stock firmware.  I have been rolling back and forth so many time now...no brick!!!
> 
> ...


You may want to add, pls install upon stock. 3.02 or it will fail, though no harm will incur. 
I assume not everyone is on 3.02 currently


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> I have been rolling the firmware from
> 
> *installation is easy, just do it as you are doing stock firmware.  I have been rolling back and forth so many time now...no brick!!!
> 
> ...



I’m guessing I need to wait till the dust settles with this to fully grasp what is possible. Still owning both the 1A and 1Z, I have witnessed new  firmware updates create parallel changes across the two devices. No time was this more noticeable than 3.02...which was thinner than 3.01 and had characteristics which seemed to be noticed being the same in both units. I’m guessing the freedom of more tone choices is a win-win. Also if in fact there is truth to the units identifying their own prescribed software and updating accordingly........then maybe there is the reality of tricking the 1A into getting 1Z software and the 1Z getting 1A software?.......If I understand these updates? And if in reality that’s what is happening then it simply gets more choices for folks.


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 25, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m guessing I need to wait till the dust settles with this to fully grasp what is possible. Still owning both the 1A and 1Z, I have witnessed new  firmware updates create parallel changes across the two devices. No time was this more noticeable than 3.02...which was thinner than 3.01 and had characteristics which seemed to be noticed being the same in both units. I’m guessing the freedom of more tone choices is a win-win. Also if in fact there is truth to the units identifying their own prescribed software and updating accordingly........then maybe there is the reality of tricking the 1A into getting 1Z software and the 1Z getting 1A software?.......If I understand these updates? And if in reality that’s what is happening then it simply gets more choices for folks.



One thing to correct, as for now we can't trick / cheat the device to "pretend" another. We can only substitute the black box for different tuning.
Since im not the author of these mods, nor am i technically capable of grasping the black box, this is all i can port and share. If u guys are keen to the very essence of the FW you can work out by yourselves. So we may benefit further.
For a long time, I have my own ears to enjoy the refreshed sound, without understanding every lines from the ground up. Not trying to offend mate, but this was my intent.


----------



## captblaze

thank you @Morbideath - you have brought forth a way to tailor the sound signature without the need for a hardware mod


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 25, 2020)

captblaze said:


> thank you @Morbideath - you have brought forth a way to tailor the sound signature without the need for a hardware mod



Welcome mate. I would say both hardware mod and firmware mod will bring 1A/1Z to the next level. They both raise the bar and ceilings, especially when acting together.
Hardwares are the basis for software to perform well. Heck even these FWs scale well with better hardwares! For example I've seen some cheaper pure BA IEMs cannot handle the firmware mods well. They are overwhelmed with too much information and details.


----------



## Whitigir

Hardware mod will still see better benefits though.  They are both hand in hand


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 25, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> One thing to correct, as for now we can't trick / cheat the device to "pretend" another. We can only substitute the black box for different tuning.
> Since im not the author of these mods, nor am i technically capable of grasping the black box, this is all i can port and share. If u guys are keen to the very essence of the FW you can work out by yourselves. So we may benefit further.
> For a long time, I have my own ears to enjoy them, without understanding every lines from the ground up. Not trying to offend mate, but this was my intent.



Linux is the operating system and Sony felt a need to encrypt specific areas which control tone/soundstage and who knows... imaging? Someone posted they are digital filters, but I argue they are more. It’s the workings of the digital amplifier.....so it’s fascinating as speaking with a network creator one time we talked about encryption and how especially if done twice is difficult or near impossible to crack. And we truly don’t know the full uses of how this amplification process works, nor maybe want to? But what we do know is these sonic changes are before the EQ....the way the Walkmans sound in direct mode. And the scary part is the wrong software could very easily create a damage situation as it has control of the amplifier. It could in essence overclock the CPU. As you can see I’m as computer literate as a fire hydrant. Maybe whitigir knows?


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> One thing to correct, as for now we can't trick / cheat the device to "pretend" another. We can only substitute the black box for different tuning.
> Since im not the author of these mods, nor am i technically capable of grasping the black box, this is all i can port and share. If u guys are keen to the very essence of the FW you can work out by yourselves. So we may benefit further.
> For a long time, I have my own ears to enjoy the refreshed sound, without understanding every lines from the ground up. Not trying to offend mate, but this was my intent.


@gerelmx1986 has mentioned that he is a coding and a programmer.  I am not sure if he will be contributing into this.

may I ask though, what Programmer is used to see the Code lines of Sony firmwares ? Like what tool ?


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> Hardware mod will still see better benefits though.  They are both hand in hand


i would agree, but just from pure stock to these new firmware options is a nice bridge until the funds come available for hardware changes


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> @gerelmx1986 has mentioned that he is a coding and a programmer.  I am not sure if he will be contributing into this.
> 
> may I ask though, what Programmer is used to see the Code lines of Sony firmwares ? Like what tool ?



https://www.linux.org/


----------



## nc8000

All this brings memories of the Lurker fw's for iBasso DX90


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> All this brings memories of the Lurker fw's for iBasso DX90


He is still doing it for other Ibasso products ...these are very time consuming.  We are lucky to even have anyone to look into possibly modifying firmware for Walkman at all


----------



## Floris888

Hello .I have  one question. Should i trade Fiio M 11 Pro for Sony MW1A?


----------



## nc8000

Floris888 said:


> Hello .I have  one question. Should i trade Fiio M 11 Pro for Sony MW1A?



If you feel like it. It all depends on what sound and what features you need/want


----------



## nc8000

Tried to install the Z1.0.2 on my stock 1Z. Installation went smoothly and I like what I’m hearing balanced with IER-Z1R. I don’t know if it is required to do a reboot after installation but I did one just to be on the safe side


----------



## captblaze

nc8000 said:


> Tried to install the Z1.0.2 on my stock 1Z. Installation went smoothly and I like what I’m hearing balanced with IER-Z1R. I don’t know if it is required to do a reboot after installation but I did one just to be on the safe side



I have had to double load a few times when the package didn't take and the 1A would disconnect.


----------



## captblaze

DMP-Z1 1.02 is my preferred firmware of the ones i tested. laid back presentation, good width and tonality of instruments (and vocals) is closest to what i prefer.
Ultimate and WM2Z seemed a touch narrower and bit more aggressive with treble and low end


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 25, 2020)

captblaze said:


> DMP-Z1 1.02 is my preferred firmware of the ones i tested. laid back presentation, good width and tonality of instruments (and vocals) is closest to what i prefer.
> Ultimate and WM2Z seemed a touch narrower and bit more aggressive with treble and low end


I agree, it sounds a little more laid back, slightly softer and slower. DMP-Z1 1.02 doesn't sounds as aggressive, seems like there is a silky edge to treble, no rough edges, sounds open. It seems to have good balance overall, still pretty colored though. Very pleasing to the ears, can listen to this easily for hours. Omg, on some parts of certain songs, it gives me goosebumps, its like reliving certain songs again. Dang


----------



## nc8000

Totally agree after having tried all 5, Z1.0.2 is my preferred


----------



## bflat

Cool! Will need to give the DMP firmware a try on my WM1z. Am I correct that the roll back to stock requires the full firmware upgrade from Sony official site 3.02?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Feb 25, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Tried to install the Z1.0.2 on my stock 1Z. Installation went smoothly and I like what I’m hearing balanced with IER-Z1R. I don’t know if it is required to do a reboot after installation but I did one just to be on the safe side


Only download installer exe and proceed like a normal FW installation?

EDIT it doesnt work, it says i must connect the device to the pc with an USB cable


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Only download installer exe and proceed like a normal FW installation?



It's .rar files you have to unpack and then run the .exe file in the package subfolder


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> Cool! Will need to give the DMP firmware a try on my WM1z. Am I correct that the roll back to stock requires the full firmware upgrade from Sony official site 3.02?



I would assume so


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 25, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> no need to get personal


lol its true thank you for reminding me what i reminded you in some other time you are right


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 25, 2020)

atahanuz said:


> ...
> Recently Head-fi has become a terrible place. Or was it always terrible like that ?


im taking care of


atahanuz said:


> ...
> Recently Head-fi has become a terrible place. Or was it always terrible like that ?


Why im taking good care from you and your health! and you take it the bad way i dont get it lol.
Friend please dont come here bashing 1A we love it and its hard to change that fact!
+ So pelase if what you are telling its true please tell me where can i find this holy grail devices at such convenient price that will outperform my very loved 1A?
+And no Head-fi has become a very reliable place for most people to share their honest and valid opinions you should well know that form your extensive experience...here.. tell me more please...


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha another one having fun with there eL cheapo daps )
> 
> Telling you it easier let him enjoy it then convincing hehe


I have no problem with cheap DAP my creative E5 its awesome and way more powerfull than 1A for SE... but as far as SQ.... no where near very spacefull and awesome staging but unconvincing... dough i can play CS and DOTA 2 with it!


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> lol its true thank you for reminding me what i reminded you in some other time you are right



Ah yes that’s true, that was why I set you to ignore, better do it again, rarely encountered anybody as offensive and rude to people who don’t have the same opinion as you


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> Ah yes that’s true, that was why I set you to ignore, better do it again, rarely encountered anybody as offensive and rude to people who don’t have the same opinion as you


set me please to ignore friend you dont anoy me at all cheers!


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 25, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Hi all,
> Last year some Chinese enthusiastic worked out the way to modify firmwares and change their sound. ATM I won't dive into disclosing the technical specifics since it may be illegal and ultra troublesome to write, but the results are something profound. I will first elaborate on some basic principles.
> 
> Firmwares do affect sound (nonsense... we all know that). The firmwares of 1A/1Z provided to download all over the world are universal and totally identical (identical MD5 value). But there are TWO SETS of tuning codes to tune 1A/1Z separately, stored WITHIN THE SAME FIRMWARE. The firmware file simply identifies whether your device is 1A or 1Z then it applies the proprietary tunings.
> ...


Now this is impresive Info thanks!!! it will be awesome to have a firmware that allow users to have even more control over 1A! but let this guy  beware of the Daniel K case of Creative... he unlocked functions for other soundcards than intended and he faced legal action from creative...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Fw 3.02 lacks the bass impact that i like from 3.01 vit has bigger stage

Ultimate and wm2z sounded overly aggressive and small stage
DMP-Z1 1.01nice balanced tonality but with a small stage


----------



## gerelmx1986

DMP-Z1 1.02 is the best i love it with both IER-Z1R and MDR-Z1R,  both nice balanced tonality and huge stage


----------



## Whitigir

What will be the next thing I would expect from Sony ? They will “patch“ this loop, and further encrypt the firmware on the next version.  So, if you like what you are hearing, you May need to watch out for that.

A&K did something similar to SP2000, where as previously firmware 1.1.0, people found a way to install other players APK such as Neutron....but since it got shared around the forums and internet, the next irritations of it got fixed.  LOL!!


----------



## Morbideath

bflat said:


> Cool! Will need to give the DMP firmware a try on my WM1z. Am I correct that the roll back to stock requires the full firmware upgrade from Sony official site 3.02?



no u only need to upgrade from 3.02, but roll back to any FW freely


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> What will be the next thing I would expect from Sony ? They will “patch“ this loop, and further encrypt the firmware on the next version.  So, if you like what you are hearing, you May need to watch out for that.
> 
> A&K did something similar to SP2000, where as previously firmware 1.1.0, people found a way to install other players APK such as Neutron....but since it got shared around the forums and internet, the next irritations of it got fixed.  LOL!!



I believe Vitaly2017 wrote some pages back that, Sony engineers don't browse Head-fi. well let's hope they don't......


----------



## proedros

what an era to be alive (and a music lover)


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> I believe Vitaly2017 wrote some pages back that, Sony engineers don't browse Head-fi. well let's hope they don't......



They said they didnt even know about its existence ! lmao

I said but your are welcome there we will show and teach you what we want we are the real fanboys here hehe


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> set me please to ignore friend you dont anoy me at all cheers!



Haha congratulations you've been black listed LoL


----------



## Morbideath

I want to point out that, among these mod FWs one may have bigger/smaller soundstage than another, but they all seem to have bigger stage than stock 3.02, which is known to have the largest stage within Sony's official FWs. The tonal balance and resolution may subject to your setups.


----------



## Quadfather (Feb 25, 2020)

equalspeace said:


> I tried balanced on the WM1A too. I avoided comparing that output to the standard output on the ZX2. I will say that the biggest positives of the balanced output on the WM1A were layering and soundstage. I was thoroughly impressed with these aspects. However, switching to balanced on the WM1A did not alleviate the brightness of this DAP. I thought maybe it would, so I tried going with my more traditional sound settings. But after 5-6 minutes I started to notice fatigue. The WM1A is unique in that it has this seemingly smooth, but sneaky bright treble, that is enormously fatiguing unless EQ'd/toned down.




I have over 2,000 hours on my NW-WM1A.  The treble is WAY SMOOTHER than at 50 hours.  Sometimes I like my treble super sparkly and sometimes I like it laid back. I have multiple players because I get in totally different moods.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> @gerelmx1986 has mentioned that he is a coding and a programmer.  I am not sure if he will be contributing into this.
> 
> may I ask though, what Programmer is used to see the Code lines of Sony firmwares ? Like what tool ?



Wait I thought @gerelmx1986  was a married girl or am I lost here haha


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> @gerelmx1986 has mentioned that he is a coding and a programmer.  I am not sure if he will be contributing into this.
> 
> may I ask though, what Programmer is used to see the Code lines of Sony firmwares ? Like what tool ?



I'll write about this when I have time, perhaps over your custom 1A/1Z threads, since the specifics could be ultra long and boring to many.


----------



## Fsilva

Dang...i don´t own a PC to install this modded firmwares, anyway to install these using a Mac?


----------



## Morbideath

Fsilva said:


> Dang...i don´t own a PC to install this modded firmwares, anyway to install these using a Mac?



They were modded with the official FWs for PC (running exe). No Mac version was touched.


----------



## captblaze

Vitaly2017 said:


> Wait I thought @gerelmx1986  was a married girl or am I lost here haha


i do believe you are lost on this one


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> i do believe you are lost on this one


i believe so 
he is a programmer none the least


----------



## Fsilva

Morbideath said:


> They were modded with the official FWs for PC (running exe). No Mac version was touched.


Need to get my hands on a PC ASAP!!!!
@Morbideath kudos to you for sharing these with us!!!


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Feb 25, 2020)

captblaze said:


> i do believe you are lost on this one




Am I hallucinating things?

Clearly says my Husband....

post: 15178627

"  In contrast my husband has a dogy surround with cheap speakers. "



Post #28,918

"But my husband decided to wash it on the wash machine, crap happened"


And 
Post #27,134 

Sigh... I have the same. Problem with my husband, I told him I want the IER-Z1R and he said ah nein nein nein!!!!


Post #6,838

craftyclown said:

You have a husband??!!!!

What does the boyfriend think about all of this??


Now my BF and I call us hubbies


----------



## captblaze

Vitaly2017 said:


> Am I hallucinating things?
> 
> Clearly says my Husband....
> 
> ...




its 2020... use your imagination


----------



## Vitaly2017

captblaze said:


> its 2020... use your imagination




Whats the difference?  He changed gender? In 3 years ?


----------



## captblaze

Vitaly2017 said:


> Whats the difference?  He changed gender? In 3 years ?



what a person is or does is irrelevant to me...


----------



## Whitigir

can we keep on topic please guys ? Have anyone tried new firmwares being shared yet ? I can not get to it until tomorrow


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> can we keep on topic please guys ? Have anyone tried new firmwares being shared yet ? I can not get to it until tomorrow





LoL

Np back to topic ) haha


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> can we keep on topic please guys ? Have anyone tried new firmwares being shared yet ? I can not get to it until tomorrow


DMP-Z1 1.02 is the best to my ears... others are too narrow and aggressive in the treble for my liking... stock WM-1A driving Moondrop S8 via4.4 mm


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> DMP-Z1 1.02 is the best to my ears... others are too narrow and aggressive in the treble for my liking... stock WM-1A driving Moondrop S8 via4.4 mm


This is newer firmware being shared just now
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15485581

try ultimate 1.0.2 ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 25, 2020)

“I just read at Head-Fi, they’ve taken the precious DMP-Z1 firmware and put in into their 1Zs and 1As!”

“This is why we can't have nice things.”


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> “I just read at Head-Fi, they’ve taken the precious DMP-Z1 firmware and put in into their 1Zs and 1As!”
> 
> “This is why we can't have nice things.”


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> This is newer firmware being shared just now
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15485581
> 
> try ultimate 1.0.2 ?


getting to it... didnt realize there were 3 more


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha congratulations you've been black listed LoL


so what that means?


----------



## captblaze

quick listen on ultimate 1.02 

treble is less aggressive than U1 . bass is thick 

theatre 1.02 

treble and bass a step down from ultimate 1.02 with a touch more control

both have a wider stage similar to  DMP-Z1 1.02

i think i prefer theatre 1.02 over U2

will get to club 1.01 later... giving theatre 1.02 the rest of my listening time tonight


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> so what that means?




I mean the other guy banned you from receiving your comments.

I didn't block you no worries )


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 25, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I mean the other guy banned you from receiving your comments.
> 
> I didn't block you no worries )


thank you for that and thank god he blocked me! two good things in one day thats too much!!
sometimes people cants state the truth he bashed me about 2years ago... and now he preaches me like if he never bashed anyone dough im not bashing thsi guy i just dont believe his statement... thast all...


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> thank you for that and thank god he blocked me! two good things in one day thats too much!!



Haha yea lots of happy news )

Have you tried the firmwares?

I am worried to brick my 1z


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha yea lots of happy news )
> 
> Have you tried the firmwares?
> 
> I am worried to brick my 1z


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15484962


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha yea lots of happy news )
> 
> Have you tried the firmwares?
> 
> I am worried to brick my 1z


I encourage you to do it on a reliable machine with batery if posible not only AC plug since it may brick otherwise i changed my firmware 50 times already


----------



## captblaze

i have a new (temporary) favorite...

Theatre 1.02. the slightest sparkle with a full yet tight bass note and as wide a sound stage as i have ever heard from this device (S8 via 4.4mm)


----------



## equalspeace

Quadfather said:


> I have over 2,000 hours on my NW-WM1A.  The treble is WAY SMOOTHER than at 50 hours.  Sometimes I like my treble super sparkly and sometimes I like it laid back. I have multiple players because I get in totally different moods.



Damn you quoted my post from 2017 from when I first owned the WM1A. I did buy it a second time and put over 250 hours on it and for my taste the treble was still a bit too bright. To each his own. I sold it off a second time. You like it, that’s fine with me.


----------



## Quadfather (Feb 25, 2020)

equalspeace said:


> Damn you quoted my post from 2017 from when I first owned the WM1A. I did buy it a second time and put over 250 hours on it and for my taste the treble was still a bit too bright. To each his own. I sold it off a second time. You like it, that’s fine with me.



Sometimes I cruise old messages. I'm one of those rare people without a sound preference, I literally change by the day...  You would really hate a Lotoo Paw Gold.


----------



## gerelmx1986

With these mods, it demonstrayed sony did a bad approach h to FW upgrades, same tuning for two different flavors, they should have had included a decision block to detect wm1a or 1z and apply the correct tuning. 

And as for.my battery it us okay, it was matter of.let the device learn again what 100% is


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> Sometimes I cruise old messages. I'm one of those rare people without a sound preference, I literally change by the day...  You would really hate a Lotoo Paw Gold.


I wish they did a la lottoo to include some ATE (JetEffect a la cowon) and a parametric EQ and DAC filters, ..
 I am sure they can


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 26, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> With these mods, it demonstrayed sony did a bad approach h to FW upgrades, same tuning for two different flavors, they should have had included a decision block to detect wm1a or 1z and apply the correct tuning.
> 
> And as for.my battery it us okay, it was matter of.let the device learn again what 100% is



Inevitably there will never be a firmware which makes everyone happy. Though now folks have a group of modifications which give them better odds at arranging IEMs to their personal sound preferences. The two players are/were to represent two distinct sound flavors of the audio world; reference and Hi/Fi. They did just that, though in retrospect at times the 1Z was too boomy and the 1A, too brittle. But it’s safe to say with all the firmware choices there is an avenue for people to find happiness. Now of course there is more. If 3.03 blocks the access to this backdoor, rolling back to 3.02 will always be an alternative. I myself am perfectly happy with 3.02 on the 1Z, though curiosity does have me wondering what some of this forbidden fruit will do to retune the 1A?


----------



## gazzington

Redcarmoose said:


> Inevitably there will never be a firmware which makes everyone happy. Though now folks have a group of modifications which give them better odds at arranging IEMs to their personal sound preferences. The two players are/were to represent two distinct sound flavors of the audio world; reference and Hi/Fi. They did just that, though in retrospect at times the 1Z was too boomy and the 1A, too brittle. But it’s safe to say with all the firmware choices there is an avenue for people to find happiness. Now of course there is more. If 3.03 blocks the access to this backdoor, rolling back to 3.02 will always be an alternative. I myself am perfectly happy with 3.02 on the 1Z, though curiosity does have me wondering what some of this forbidden fruit will do to retune the 1A?


Snap, I'm happy with my wm1z on 3.02 but may tinker with the wm1a


----------



## Redcarmoose

gazzington said:


> Snap, I'm happy with my wm1z on 3.02 but may tinker with the wm1a



Yes, let me know what you like. 3.02 with the 1Z, is like finding Atlantis.


----------



## gazzington

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, let me know what you like. 3.02 with the 1Z, is like finding Atlantis.


What iems do you use with the wm1a? Mine is used for work with cheaper iems such as audiosense qd3 or even Sony n3. I'm considering getting z5 or Andromeda


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, let me know what you like. 3.02 with the 1Z, is like finding Atlantis.


I prefer my 1Z with 3.01 to 3.02. I think 02 is more balanced but not fun. The slight increase of soundstage does justify The lack of bass for my setup.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 26, 2020)

gazzington said:


> What iems do you use with the wm1a? Mine is used for work with cheaper iems such as audiosense qd3 or even Sony n3. I'm considering getting z5 or Andromeda



I take the 1A on trips. So after a day or so it can open-up and seems to hold it’s own. I’m using 3.01, Noble K-10 Encore or Fearless S6Rui. Though the Sony XBA-Z5 was nice using the Kimber cable and 3.02 update. Not sure if how the Z5 holds up against what’s out there, as you have to ditch the included cable, and ergonomics can still be slightly questionable? Though the Z5 is a stand-out personality; being one of a kind even today. Really special bass and soundstage, though the Walkmans in balanced mode is a necessity, anything like an iPhone simply will not drive them. Fearless S6Rui, can boarder on screechy? Lol, especially with the 1A. Not many Andromedas at this end of the world, so I haven’t tried them; went to buy a pair and there was none.lol

Edit: Also there is very little outside noise occlusion with the XBA-Z5. And, they don’t do well with movement, they are better when your stationary. IMO


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 26, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> I prefer my 1Z with 3.01 to 3.02. I think 02 is more balanced but not fun. The slight increase of soundstage does justify The lack of bass for my setup.



I’ve never ever experienced anything like 3.02 with the 1Z. It’s (to me) like adding the best parts of the 1A; but bringing them in natural and accurately? And.......of course the 3.02/1Z soundstage is different than the 1A. Though my listening revolves around the IER-Z1R with 4.4mm and the Noble Encore (which I do maybe like better with 3.01?).

I’m lazy to change firmware for every IEM listen? So...really my love for 3.02 primarily centers around what it’s like with the IER.


----------



## Blueoris

Am I the only one who really wanted to try this unofficial firmware in his walkman but did a "stop and think" act before proceeding..... and ended up changing his mind?


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 26, 2020)

I am comparing my modified WM1A-EM Against my Titan DMP-Z1 on the modified firmware 1.0.2

The soundstage has similar depth and width to 9 out of 10.  Direct mode....everything else is so very similar like 9/10
There are still differences that distinct them both apart when I listen critically.

For example, the Bass timbres density and it inner energy distributions.  The DMP Z1 has a much stronger Dynamic at the center of the body and decay away then nicely ripple away while dispersing.  The 1A modified with firmware has less density at the core from 8.5 to 10 and the Decaying away is 9 to 10 while rippling away by 8.5 to 10
The resolution of the imagines and textures of details in the backs are not as well popping out as DMP by 9 to 10

This was impossible to get without this modified firmware !!!!!

Remember, my DMP Z1 also has Internal wires mod with UPOCC silver and Goldplated


----------



## Whitigir

Blueoris said:


> Am I the only one who really wanted to try this unofficial firmware in his walkman but did a "stop and think" act before proceeding..... and ended up changing his mind?


I understand why you and others are skeptical, but it is a different story for me.

I know that the DSP are done by SoNy chips with Direct Mode and it is inside DMP Z1 and WM1A/Z.  The different in components are there but it is possible to get closer to DMP sounds

Perviously I was thinking what if someone could modify firmware and using DSP from DMP for Walkman ? The sound would get so close!!!! I thought no one would do that

I know how to modify and tune my player hardware wide....I tried to squeeze out every single bit of it performances in shade of my DMP, but I craved for that soundstage width and depth, and smoother lower trebles edges of textures....I could not get there!!!! I knew I was at the limit of my hardware tuning as there is nothing else I could do anymore.

I was so excited to hear about firmware porting by @Morbideath !!!! I gave it a try and sure enough, after many rolling, I stick with DMP 1.0.2.  I got that width and depth of soundstage which is vastly improved from stock, and the details, the airiness with smoothness from that hot edges of lower trebles!!

I finally achieved my dream of having a mini portable DMP Z1 to go with my IER Z1R !!!!

there are 3 more to be playing around with , but after tonight playing and comparing with DMP Z1...I am pretty sure this here is what I am sticking with


----------



## Redcarmoose

Blueoris said:


> Am I the only one who really wanted to try this unofficial firmware in his walkman but did a "stop and think" act before proceeding..... and ended up changing his mind?



I’m on the fence for the same reasons.


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> I understand why you and others are skeptical, but it is a different story for me.
> 
> I know that the DSP are done by SoNy chips with Direct Mode and it is inside DMP Z1 and WM1A/Z.  The different in components are there but it is possible to get closer to DMP sounds
> 
> ...



Pretty much DMP 1.02 is the best u can get at the moment, since it's a direct port from official DMP 1.02 FW to 1A/1Z with minimal tuning edits. If Sony improves DMP with 1.03 (and the structure not changed) we can still take advantage of it by porting it here. 
Btw since i don'g have a DMP, how do u think of the sound of 1.01 and 1.02 for DMP itself? Do they conform to the sound profile u get from the mod 1.02 now?


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 26, 2020)

Im not technically capable enough to proof u guys safety of the mods, but judging from empirical evidences, there have been hundreds of Chinese enthusiastics flashing hundreds of different versions of mod FWs back and forth, on the daily basis, for more than half a year. *None encounters any device malfunctions*. The law of large numbers applies here, so to my perspective those mods are just as safe as official FWs, just of lesser class origin.

The RAR packages are not contagious with Corona i suppose? But again, u are good to stay cautious. It's our beloved player after all.


----------



## CantScareMe

Sony got back to me (finally) quoting this cable as the exact replacement;
https://eu.eetgroup.com/i/184977911-Sony-Connection-Cable-For-WM 

€119 exc VAT for a shoddy cable probably costing €0.2 to build. Makes sense since it's Sony after all.

From my research here and on the Tazzy thread there are _perhaps_ two alternative ways of connecting and using the WM1A/1Z as a transport to the TA-ZH1ES. 

1) WMC-NWH10 Walkman to USB A female cable + USB A male to USB B male cable. 
Connects to the back USB port. Does not (?) charge the walkman however. Allows for higher resolution playback than stock right hand side connection? (not sure about the details).

2) BCR-NWH10 Dock + USB A male to USB B male cable
Default answer here on headfi for fair reasons. Personally this is all for a backup system so I don't want to spend £200 on something I won't use frequently. Otherwise I'd get this.

How about two other potentials:
-) Standard Walkman to USB A male charging cable + USB A female to USB Micro male cable
Can you connect this to the right hand side port or does this walkman charging cable not support digital out (making use as a transport impossible)?

-) Cradle Sony BCR-NWU7
No idea what this does!! Anyone? 


Thanks!


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 26, 2020)

1.01 is very different than 1.02 .  The 1.02 is technically more accurately resembling the DMP than 1.01 or ultimate.  The haziness in the details of instruments and room reverberations in the back of the stages existed due to hardware limitations between Walkman and DMP, also that power distribution too

the DMP has 5 banks of battery which is independent from one another, and the. 5 banks of Super Capacitors.  Walkman has 1 battery and 1 super capacitor for everything.  Given the proportion of Class AB from DMP against Class D on Walkman by %80 to %95.  The implementation of DMP technically is 4x times superiors.

But that is technically comparing between both.  When we drive in ear and easy to drive buds, they are all very capable.  Perhap the haziness can simply be explained away by the Crosstalk of power supply rails.  Separated power supply rails are always superiors.

So, from what I observed and witnessed, the Walkman differences from DMP in performances is really that the power supply.  If we could tune the firmware with some trade offs this way

Keep everything from DMP 1.0.2 and give a very little boost at upper bass, slight touch of upper mid and lower trebles details like *between* the *stock Walkman * vs the 1.0.2. The 1.0.2 is very smooth but the limitations of hardware will create this veils where as stock Walkman countered it with a very hot coming textures. By doing this, we will compromise some of the soundstage depth and smooth textures but we lift this veils a little

To answer your question, the 1.0.1 gives another veils to this already existed veils ;/....I don’t know how to explain better lol


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 26, 2020)

Anyways, I am super duper happy with DMP 1.0.2!!!!!! This is dream come true to me.

I still can not believe how close a Walkman can get to the performances of DMP ...I meant extensively modified hardware and software.

the Walkman is like 1/20 in sizes of DMP....yeah for portability...I don’t care about sizes and power matter to drive full sizes headphones.

This was thought to be impossible IMO, just to get this close


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> 1.01 is very different than 1.02 .  The 1.02 is technically more accurately resembling the DMP than 1.01 or ultimate.  The haziness in the details of instruments and room reverberations in the back of the stages existed due to hardware limitations between Walkman and DMP, also that power distribution too
> 
> the DMP has 5 banks of battery which is independent from one another, and the. 5 banks of Super Capacitors.  Walkman has 1 battery and 1 super capacitor for everything.  Given the proportion of Class AB from DMP against Class D on Walkman by %80 to %95.  The implementation of DMP technically is 4x times superiors.
> 
> ...



Thx man, but i meant, how does official 101 and 102 sound on your DMP? Is 101 on DMP also warm/veiled like we observe here of the mods? Compared with 102. Cheers


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> Thx man, but i meant, how does official 101 and 102 sound on your DMP? Is 101 on DMP also warm/veiled like we observe here of the mods? Compared with 102. Cheers


Yes, the 1.0.1 is warmer and less airy vs 1.0.2 on DMP.  The soundstage also expanded a little with 1.0.2 when vs 1.0.1


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> Yes, the 1.0.1 is warmer and less airy vs 1.0.2 on DMP.  The soundstage also expanded a little with 1.0.2 when vs 1.0.1


Gotcha, so the mods and the stocks do conform to the same sound profiles.


----------



## Redcarmoose

CantScareMe said:


> Sony got back to me (finally) quoting this cable as the exact replacement;
> https://eu.eetgroup.com/i/184977911-Sony-Connection-Cable-For-WM
> 
> €119 exc VAT for a shoddy cable probably costing €0.2 to build. Makes sense since it's Sony after all.
> ...




If I remember right you are stuck on using the side TA connection right. 

So the simple answer is your link. 






So it’s a chance that some style of Sony connector to mini USB would hook to there. As I’ve learned that the extra plug is simply for stability.

So in theory, though I’ve never tried this you could go the Sony adapter to mini USB. But that’s just a guess on my part. I have no idea how that mini cradle would access the TA, but of course it’s not known to have USB filters. 

Remember I mentioned if you get the cradle it offers mini USB in from your computer then joins the connection with your Walkman into the TA. You simply toggle a back switch to choose between computer or Walkman. Many of us use the AQCarbon USB cable but of course any USB cable will do. 


This one is not wanted by you as you say you have other stuff hooked to the back of the TA. I’m pretty sure it does not charge. As the side TA plug does not charge the Walkman. 
1) WMC-NWH10 Walkman to USB A female cable + USB A male to USB B male cable.


----------



## musicday

Whitigir said:


> Anyways, I am super duper happy with DMP 1.0.2!!!!!! This is dream come true to me.
> 
> I still can not believe how close a Walkman can get to the performances of DMP ...I meant extensively modified hardware and software.
> 
> ...


DMP menu is exactly the same as the 1Z, or there are different things, layout, features?


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 26, 2020)

The DMP Z1 must have another set of DSP running inside itself when goggles on/off the

A/C preferred mode

I wonder if the firmware modder can try and find out


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> DMP menu is exactly the same as the 1Z, or there are different things, layout, features?


Different!! I believe the modder only ported in the DSP algorithms from DMP to Walkman


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 26, 2020)

CantScareMe said:


> Sony got back to me (finally) quoting this cable as the exact replacement;
> https://eu.eetgroup.com/i/184977911-Sony-Connection-Cable-For-WM
> 
> €119 exc VAT for a shoddy cable probably costing €0.2 to build. Makes sense since it's Sony after all.
> ...








What I’m saying is you go from the Walkman with the adapter to mini USB cable like your side connector has. I haven’t tried it but in theory it would work and cost less?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-Mic...-For-walkman-genuine-from-JAPAN-/273787808067


----------



## Whitigir

I am pretty sure the firmware modder knows exactly what he is doing.  The DMP uses AK4497EQ and also have the features for Digital filters, DSD remastering etc....

The Walkman remains what it is, but with Direct sound on and DMP mod firmware, it sounds so close to Direct Sound DMP


----------



## gazzington

Whitigir said:


> Different!! I believe the modder only ported in the DSP algorithms from DMP to Walkman


Does some stuff not work on wm1a/1z when using those new firmware?


----------



## Morbideath

gazzington said:


> Does some stuff not work on wm1a/1z when using those new firmware?



1a/1z remain exactly the same, only the sound has changed. 
Hammer Smashed Face!!!


----------



## nc8000

gazzington said:


> Does some stuff not work on wm1a/1z when using those new firmware?



No as it is only the dsp part that is affected not the functionality part


----------



## Whitigir

Give it a try! You can always roll back to stock.


----------



## CantScareMe

Redcarmoose said:


> What I’m saying is you go from the Walkman with the adapter to mini USB cable like your side connector has. I haven’t tried it but in theory it would work and cost less?
> 
> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-Mic...-For-walkman-genuine-from-JAPAN-/273787808067



I see, that's worth a shot. Then an micro-A to micro-A cable would allow for a connection to the right hand side port.

Okay, perfect, I think I have a few options here


----------



## Whitigir

@Morbideath has the modder been trying to find out if DMP Z1 has another set of DSP and direct mode when DMP Z1 is on AC mode ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

CantScareMe said:


> I see, that's worth a shot. Then an micro-A to micro-A cable would allow for a connection to the right hand side port.
> 
> Okay, perfect, I think I have a few options here



Well I decided it would be something I could actually test with the other cable, so I did and it worked fine, using a mini-USB. So I’m maybe 99% sure now the Sony USB adapter would work, or what’s in the photo, works 100%.


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> I am pretty sure the firmware modder knows exactly what he is doing.  The DMP uses AK4497EQ and also have the features for Digital filters, DSD remastering etc....
> 
> The Walkman remains what it is, but with Direct sound on and DMP mod firmware, it sounds so close to Direct Sound DMP



theatre 1.02 is similar to DMP-Z1 1.02, but the treble has a little more sparkle and the bass is a bit tighter (to my ears) sound stage has similar width


----------



## musicday

captblaze said:


> theatre 1.02 is similar to DMP-Z1 1.02, but the treble has a little more sparkle and the bass is a bit tighter (to my ears) sound stage has similar width


Is that good or bad ?


----------



## Whitigir

musicday said:


> Is that good or bad ?


Only you can judge !!! Personal preferences


----------



## captblaze

musicday said:


> Is that good or bad ?



compared to the ultimate mods it is better for me. Although I do enjoy both. Ultimate pushed the limit (and beyond)


----------



## captblaze

musicday said:


> Is that good or bad ?



i enjoy both... if you want to push the limits you want to try the Ultimate mods


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha yea lots of happy news )
> 
> Have you tried the firmwares?
> 
> I am worried to brick my 1z


yes but im1A owner... they say 1A and 1Z are diferent... even that firmware sound diferent on them im in 3.00 very happy i has very deep bass and awesome staging 3.02 felt weird... 3.01 was awesome but 3.00 its very fast bass very holographic and deep bass...I had a chart for all firmwares? did you see it? why you want diferent firmware tell me?


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 26, 2020)

how can you put dmp1z firmware into 1A??? is it posible? what effects does it have? where are the relieable files?


----------



## CantScareMe

Legendary veteran headfier. Thanks a lot Redcarmoose!


----------



## simon740

Midnstorms said:


> how can you put dmp1z firmware into 1A??? is it posible? what effects does it have? where are the relieable files?


https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LTZTkoQu2V-pr6XfULjq_Qa0ukttg_R8
see post : Post #32,266


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 26, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> @Morbideath has the modder been trying to find out if DMP Z1 has another set of DSP and direct mode when DMP Z1 is on AC mode ?



It's not what u think. We don't even know there were two sets of DSP. There are just meaningless codes to us, to be tried one by one by ears. Also the core of the FW is the .UPG file which is encrypted. UPG contains both functionalities and tunings. We simply substitute that UPG file and the FW itself *automatically* substitute the tuning to your device, without touching the functionalities. Don't u see the mod upgrades much faster than the stock? because only half of it is being applied.
Some successfully flashed the functionalities into their 1Z, showing up the UI of DMP-Z1. It's funny because he can't skip songs due to the lack of those buttons. So it's reverted back to other FWs.


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 26, 2020)

thansk for the help anyone tried on 1A?wich are the ones recomended for 1A? the one that says ultimate? i dont get why there is one called paw gold in there lol!! sorry im so slow will it be in japanese?


----------



## ttt123

Midnstorms said:


> yes but im1A owner... they say 1A and 1Z are diferent... even that firmware sound diferent on them im in 3.00 very happy i has very deep bass and awesome staging 3.02 felt weird... 3.01 was awesome but 3.00 its very fast bass very holographic and deep bass...I had a chart for all firmwares? did you see it? why you want diferent firmware tell me?


If you like Vanilla ice cream the most, and somebody put 10 other flavors in front of you, won't you want to try them, and then decide?  You might find another that you like better, or as well, or only on a rainy day.  Or you might confirm that, Yep, Vanilla is what you like, and nothing else.  How will you know until you try?  

Of course if you are that person who knows without any doubt exactly what you like/want, and do not need to try anything else, then of course you don't need to look at anything else.  I myself don't like raw fish, and will not eat it.  But I have tried a couple of things, grudgingly decided that salmon was edible, confirmed that my choice was correct, and steadfastly refuse to eat raw fish.  But everybody around me loves it.  We can still eat together, just that I choose not to eat raw fish, and they love it.  That's the world.  Live, and let live.  Or in our case, hear, or not hear....it's all good.


----------



## Morbideath

captblaze said:


> i enjoy both... if you want to push the limits you want to try the Ultimate mods



you summarized exactly what we did in the past. Ultimate is pushing the limits. It may sound extreme to some, but it's beyond the limits.


----------



## Mindstorms

ttt123 said:


> If you like Vanilla ice cream the most, and somebody put 10 other flavors in front of you, won't you want to try them, and then decide?  You might find another that you like better, or as well, or only on a rainy day.  Or you might confirm that, Yep, Vanilla is what you like, and nothing else.  How will you know until you try?
> 
> Of course if you are that person who knows without any doubt exactly what you like/want, and do not need to try anything else, then of course you don't need to look at anything else.  I myself don't like raw fish, and will not eat it.  But I have tried a couple of things, grudgingly decided that salmon was edible, confirmed that my choice was correct, and steadfastly refuse to eat raw fish.  But everybody around me loves it.  We can still eat together, just that I choose not to eat raw fish, and they love it.  That's the world.  Live, and let live.  Or in our case, hear, or not hear....it's all good.


have you tried? new firmwares wich one you recomend!! you have 1A?


----------



## simon740

Midnstorms said:


> thansk for the help anyone tried on 1A?wich are the ones recomended for 1A? the one that says ultimate? i dont get why there is one called paw gold in there lol!! sorry im so slow will it be in japanese?


_"Latoo Paw Gold Touch, as the name suggests, is trying to mimic the sound of LPGT. It does extremely well on some people's system"

"At the same time, u lose the ability to change language to others, but keeping your current language (such as English). Because Japanese FW initially doesn't support multi-language selection"_


----------



## Mindstorms

mmm so if in stall any moded fw it will apear in japanese? have you tried some on 1A? thanks for the help!


----------



## Morbideath

Midnstorms said:


> mmm so if in stall any moded fw it will apear in japanese? have you tried some on 1A? thanks for the help!


Pls read more carefully. No it won't be in Japanese.


----------



## Mindstorms

Morbideath said:


> Pls read more carefully. No it won't be in Japanese.


Thanks!!


----------



## denis1976

The only thing I made was change  the region to J, it's enough for me, I never tought this was possible...


----------



## ttt123 (Feb 26, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> have you tried? new firmwares wich one you recomend!! you have 1A?


I have tried Ultimate, DMP-Z1 1.02, and Theatre on a WM1Z.  Yes, a noticeable improvement.  And it is very simple and quick to run the exec to do the change. 

There is a good description of everything by @Morbideath's post, which is mentioned above.  From the initial description, and from users trying them since they became available, you can try, in the order below. 
From what people have experienced, item 1 and 2 are an improvement/progression.  Item 3 and 4 push the limits of item 1 and 2.    Try 1, and then 2, if for a more neutral/balanced sound..  Then try 3 and 4, which tries to combine aspects of DMP, WM1A, and WM1Z and see what you think.
1. DMP-Z1 1.02
2. Theatre 

The 2  below push the limits
3. Ultimate
4. Ultimate 1.02


----------



## Mindstorms

denis1976 said:


> The only thing I made was change  the region to J, it's enough for me, I never tought this was possible...


why that was good? now its in japanese right? its sound better?


----------



## Morbideath

Midnstorms said:


> why that was good? now its in japanese right? its sound better?



I wrote the answers to your questions in my original post, explicitly, in Part II.


----------



## Mindstorms

installing you had me at new firmwares lol!


----------



## denis1976 (Feb 26, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> why that was good? now its in japanese right? its sound better?


Hello, it is diferent, at least for me, it seems more 1.20 firmware analogue flavor but with more open sound, the sound is more thick and with headphones like the he400i has a bigger perception of power, I think I am not dreaming...
The language stay the same, English like it was before


----------



## Mindstorms

theater its very interesting!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 26, 2020)

CantScareMe said:


> I see, that's worth a shot. Then an micro-A to micro-A cable would allow for a connection to the right hand side port.
> 
> Okay, perfect, I think I have a few options here









It would be Micro to Micro on one of the Sony USB adapters. So it’s a regular USB to micro with the WMC-NWH10 like what you can see in the picture. Same cable someone would use to connect a cell-phone to a computer with.

So with this cable the USB port is regular with the WMC-NWH10.

But you’re right, the other Sony USB adapter uses a mini usb. So it looks like you would need two ended male mini usb? Though I’ve never used that other Sony adapter.

The thing is, I don’t think anyone has tried to hook a mini usb to the side of the TA, but it works, as the extra plug on the Sony cable is just for physical support.


----------



## Vitaly2017

ttt123 said:


> I have tried Ultimate, DMP-Z1 1.02, and Theatre on a WM1Z.  Yes, a noticeable improvement.  And it is very simple and quick to run the exec to do the change.
> 
> There is a good description of everything by @Morbideath's post, which is mentioned above.  From the initial description, and from users trying them since they became available, you can try, in the order below.
> From what people have experienced, item 1 and 2 are an improvement/progression.  Item 3 and 4 push the limits of item 1 and 2.    Try 1, and then 2, if for a more neutral/balanced sound..  Then try 3 and 4, which tries to combine aspects of DMP, WM1A, and WM1Z and see what you think.
> ...




Witch one would have the best bass textures and control? 
Deeeeep bass )


----------



## Mindstorms

all of them have good bass i recomend you go DMP 1.02 and check out latow paw and them theater and then club and then go wherever you whant old 3.00? DMP102 feels special and all the others too


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Witch one would have the best bass textures and control?
> Deeeeep bass )


Ultimate 1.0.2 is the best of everything in my opinion.

I have been rolling back and forth.  The ultimate 1.0.2 has everything that combined from the upper mid airiness with a little more resolutions and traded off for some hot textures but still very controlled and smooth together with the dense, thick, authoriative bass and Deep bass with excellent rippling!!!!

This is what I was asking for in the previous posts !!! Exactly!!!!

Thank you @Morbideath so very much

The Theater actually did that again, veils up the lower trebles and upper mid by a little similar to DMP 1.0.1 , and some how cleaning up most of the sub bass ;(.  Yes, it gives an illusion of a more grandeur soundstage, but this is not what I want. I want what Ultimate 1.0.2 give!!!! Best of them all

remember though, my opinions are based on my own devices and experiences.  Each of these modified firmwares are better than Stock firmware


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Ultimate 1.0.2 is the best of everything in my opinion.
> 
> I have been rolling back and forth.  The ultimate 1.0.2 has everything that combined from the upper mid airiness with a little more resolutions and traded off for some hot textures but still very controlled and smooth together with the dense, thick, authoriative bass and Deep bass with excellent rippling!!!!
> 
> ...




Aa thats neet, so dmp ultimate 1.0.2 keeps 1z bass ability and brings it to a new level....
How is thickness and vocals?
Any vocals forwardness? 

Yes u got 1a moded. I expect my stock 1z would be even more bassy than your 1a moded. So its like all you say + couple db )

I sometimes feel 1z stock 3.0.2 has digital bass response feels a little to software like un the decay. But to feel that u really need to concentrate to the highest possible and being distracted...


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> Ultimate 1.0.2 is the best of everything in my opinion.
> 
> I have been rolling back and forth.  The ultimate 1.0.2 has everything that combined from the upper mid airiness with a little more resolutions and traded off for some hot textures but still very controlled and smooth together with the dense, thick, authoriative bass and Deep bass with excellent rippling!!!!
> 
> ...



Ultimate 102 has been my favorite for a long time. Later i found it a bit, just a bit more aggressive than D1.02 and 1.01 so i currently settled with the more laid back pure DMP FW. I feel it's smoother for the upper mids, which im very sensitive.


----------



## Whitigir

Try it out friends, you can roll back to stock firmware totally 3.0.2 

Walkman isn’t like AK where you can’t roll back.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> all of them have good bass i recomend you go DMP 1.02 and check out latow paw and them theater and then club and then go wherever you whant old 3.00? DMP102 feels special and all the others too



The club intrigues my atrention right a way haha 
Sounds like thats for the bass lovers


----------



## Mindstorms

lol its good but i hear veiled on 1A so im triying dmp 1.01 its very good...


----------



## Whitigir

If you are bass lover, how are you missing out from IER-Z1R and MDR-Z1R ?


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 26, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Try it out friends, you can roll back to stock firmware totally 3.0.2
> 
> Walkman isn’t like AK where you can’t roll back.


I already tried them all 1.01 its very good... its awesome to have all kinds of FW!.. thanks to all! 1.01 certanly feels special on my 1A


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> If you are bass lover, how are you missing out from IER-Z1R and MDR-Z1R ?



Trust me if u try tia trio you will understand! 
Ier-z1r is not same with bass.
Trio is fast and visceral with combination of 1z its very good. 

Z1r is more bigger bass and decay...


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 26, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Trust me if u try tia trio you will understand!
> Ier-z1r is not same with bass.
> Trio is fast and visceral with combination of 1z its very good.
> 
> Z1r is more bigger bass and decay...


Im not even satisfied with Z1R's decay… Legend X Se is my go to for bass decay.

I should have visited fewer live houses…


----------



## musicday

Good times to own a 1A/1Z


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Feb 26, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Im not even satisfied with Z1R's decay… Legend X Se is my go to for bass decay.




Oh yea forgot to say. Damn trio is tight in bass! Really loving it
It perform amazing burst of bass waves and ripples very nicely into your ears


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> Ultimate 102 has been my favorite for a long time. Later i found it a bit, just a bit more aggressive than D1.02 and 1.01 so i currently settled with the more laid back pure DMP FW. I feel it's smoother for the upper mids, which im very sensitive.



I downloaded the ultimate but it does not state 1.0.2 or 1.0.1?
Just says ultimate...

But i do see dmp 1.0.2 and dmp 1.0.1 on top... is that the ultimate 1.0.2 your talking about?


----------



## simon740

Midnstorms said:


> all of them have good bass i recomend you go DMP 1.02 and check out latow paw and them theater and then club and then go wherever you whant old 3.00? DMP102 feels special and all the others too


So did you test on your wm1a?


----------



## captblaze

could someone either confirm or shatter my perception of the new firmwares?

i am experiencing a boost in perceived volume (ie. lower volume needed for similar sound energy) since changing to the newer firmwares @Morbideath has gifted us


----------



## Whitigir

from my experiences, just saying....ofcourse personal preferences will be my excuses.  So pardon me, but let me say it out loud 

Ultimate 1.0.2 is the best of what a Walkman should be...for both modified 1A and stock 1Z

The extra details on upper mid and low trebles are crazily retrieved with this firmware.  OFC internal wires on stock 1A will ruin the fidelity and trebles with it hot coming and sizzling signatures. _*The least that is needed to enjoy this firmware is to use “Kimber Kables” internally*_.... which your stock WM1Z already has

The further you upgraded your 1A or 1Z the further and better you can benefit from this *ULTIMATE 1.0.2 *firmware

a 2 cents from a modder and His references based on every high end systems that he has.  The last line of his defense is that his personal preferences is different than your.  If you can not enjoy it after following the advise....I can only say “I am sorry”


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> I downloaded the ultimate but it does not state 1.0.2 or 1.0.1?
> Just says ultimate...
> 
> But i do see dmp 1.0.2 and dmp 1.0.1 on top... is that the ultimate 1.0.2 your talking about?



That Ultimate is actually U1.01. 
I didn't intend to share U1.02 but custom made it for Whitigir so i shared a link in his custom threads.


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> could someone either confirm or shatter my perception of the new firmwares?
> 
> i am experiencing a boost in perceived volume (ie. lower volume needed for similar sound energy) since changing to the newer firmwares @Morbideath has gifted us


Yes, some loudness is being effected .  I don’t care though, I only want better performances lol


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> That Ultimate is actually U1.01.
> I didn't intend to share U1.02 but custom made it for Whitigir so i shared a link in his custom threads.



Oh can I have the link please. 
Cause looks like thats what I need )


----------



## siruspan

I'm trying to install the mods but the only ones that I'm able to are Club 1.01 and DMP-z1 1.02. All others ask me to "Connect the target Device to a computer with usb cable". Strange


----------



## Morbideath

siruspan said:


> I'm trying to install the mods but the only ones that I'm able to are Club 1.01 and DMP-z1 1.02. All others ask me to "Connect the target Device to a computer with usb cable". Strange


Are u using 1A or 1Z? In what region? Japan?


----------



## siruspan

I have european WM1A with region changed to "E - Asia/Australia/NZ/tourist"


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> Oh can I have the link please.
> Cause looks like thats what I need )


https://drive.google.com/open?id=1J9tq772vgG3D8WrIwolmjyCevYCmPqSy


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 26, 2020)

siruspan said:


> I have european WM1A with region changed to "E - Asia/Australia/NZ/tourist"


I'll look into it. Seems like a rare case with identification codes missing. The FW cannot recognize your device.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> https://drive.google.com/open?id=1J9tq772vgG3D8WrIwolmjyCevYCmPqSy



So this plus the first link with other fw is all the fw right.
Or there is more I missed?


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> So this plus the first link with other fw is all the fw right.
> Or there is more I missed?


These are what i shared for the moment. 
Rolling on and try them out man


----------



## Vitaly2017

So dmp 1.01 is stock dmp fw to 1z or 1a?

Ultimate 1.01 is 1a+1z+dmp?
And ultimate 1.02 is dmp ultimate?


----------



## Viszla

Maybe a silly Question: Does System Software in unit Information changed (fron sony 3.02 to ultimate)?


----------



## Whitigir

Guys....firmware modifications takes a lot of works.

the least someone should be doing is to try it out and report back.  You can always roll back to stock firmware

I would be annoyed by people not trying it out and instead be skeptical and questions after questions.....

You may see people stop sharing and careless about modifying firmwares if this goes on

Just my 2 cents


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 26, 2020)

simon740 said:


> So did you test on your wm1a?


yes I tested! Via SE wich FW are you on? DMP 1.01certanly feels special its like 3.03 i wanted lol


----------



## gazzington

I've downloaded and unzipped the ultimate 1.2 and plugged in my wm1a. I double click on the file and it says to attach my wm1a by usb which I have and nothing happens


----------



## Mindstorms

gazzington said:


> I've downloaded and unzipped the ultimate 1.2 and plugged in my wm1a. I double click on the file and it says to attach my wm1a by usb which I have and nothing happens


weird


----------



## Whitigir

gazzington said:


> I've downloaded and unzipped the ultimate 1.2 and plugged in my wm1a. I double click on the file and it says to attach my wm1a by usb which I have and nothing happens





Morbideath said:


> That Ultimate is actually U1.01.
> I didn't intend to share U1.02 but custom made it for Whitigir so i shared a link in his custom threads.





Morbideath said:


> I'll look into it. Seems like a rare case with identification codes missing. The FW cannot recognize your device.


under investigation ....it may take some times.

why don’t you try DMP 1.0.2 mod first


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> yes I tested! Via SE wich FW are you on? DMP 1.01certanly feels special its like 3.03 i wanted lol





Midnstorms said:


> yes I tested! Via SE wich FW are you on? DMP 1.01certanly feels special its like 3.03 i wanted lol



Did you try ultimate 1.02?


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> Did you try ultimate 1.02?


yes but under my settings 1.01 fels warm and natural will give 1.02 ultimate a go again!


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Feb 26, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> yes but under my settings 1.01 fels warm and natural will give 1.02 ultimate a go again!



U1.02 was to sharp analytical?

Did u mean dmp 1.01 or u 1.01?


----------



## Mindstorms

will tell you in a sec lol live testing


----------



## Viszla

gazzington said:


> I've downloaded and unzipped the ultimate 1.2 and plugged in my wm1a. I double click on the file and it says to attach my wm1a by usb which I have and nothing happens


Same to me. Have 1A uncapped. Think I have changed the Region to ??


----------



## gazzington

Viszla said:


> Same to me. Have 1A uncapped. Think I have changed the Region to ??


The club firmware has worked


----------



## ttt123

gazzington said:


> I've downloaded and unzipped the ultimate 1.2 and plugged in my wm1a. I double click on the file and it says to attach my wm1a by usb which I have and nothing happens


Does  the WM1 and  the SD card show up as drives on the PC?  If not, then  the USB drive is not set to auto in Settings/Device Settings/USB Connection settings? (or manually activate USB Mass Storage.)

If the PC recognizes the Sony as a drive, then it is ready for the exec to recognize, and if it does not, then the exec has a problem.    
If it is not showing up as a PC drive, then it has nothing to do with the exec, as there is nothing for it to connect to.


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 26, 2020)

I hear U1.02 to be more dinamic wich is a good thing but staging gets weird  on my setup Testing Ultimate may go back to 1.01 and stay there Tested Ultimate Feels Very Dinamic Bass goes VERY deep And staging feels better tan U1.02 to my ears and setup my only advice for 1A users will be dont center too much on bass since all FW have very powerfull bass so pick the staging you want!


----------



## Whitigir

Could be related to the “uncapped” units.  I think I am seeing 3 uncap units being not recognized


----------



## musicday

gazzington said:


> The club firmware has worked


Now is want a 1Z too.


----------



## siruspan

I've tested very briefly DMP-Z1 1.01 and 1.02 on my WM1A and I must say differences compared to stock firmwares are huge. Both of them have bigger soundstage, much cleaner highs and tighter but still deep bass. 1.01 is more laid back and 1.02 more in your face and edgier.


----------



## musicday

musicday said:


> You've done it quicker than expected.


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 26, 2020)

siruspan said:


> I've tested very briefly DMP-Z1 1.01 and 1.02 on my WM1A and I must say differences compared to stock firmwares are huge. Both of them have bigger soundstage, much cleaner highs and tighter but still deep bass. 1.01 is more laid back and 1.02 more in your face and edgier.


to me 1.01 it the best of the breed lol it feels Really good but its so awesome to have options! If more to come it will be overkill!


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Could be related to the “uncapped” units.  I think I am seeing 3 uncap units being not recognized



I’ve changed the region on my EU 1Z to uncap it and have had no problem with any of the new fw’s


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> I’ve changed the region on my EU 1Z to uncap it and have had no problem with any of the new fw’s


Thank you for the confirmation! Let’s tag @Morbideath here for his attentions.


----------



## gazzington

I've got DMP-Z1 1.02 working in my wm1a and I thinks it's definitely better than the 3.02 I had on it previously.


----------



## simon740

Midnstorms said:


> yes I tested! Via SE wich FW are you on? DMP 1.01certanly feels special its like 3.03 i wanted lol


I just barely updated to 3.02. From here I have no idea how to continue


----------



## gerelmx1986

Enloying my WM1A with DMP-Z1  1.03


----------



## siruspan

@Morbideath thanks for sharing with us these awesome mods. You're a star!


----------



## siruspan

nc8000 said:


> I’ve changed the region on my EU 1Z to uncap it and have had no problem with any of the new fw’s



Do you remember by any chance which region did you change to?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Me to i downloaded digital music player and tried to unzip the downloaded zip files all not unzipping and giving errors.

Not really sure how it works... (


----------



## nc8000

siruspan said:


> Do you remember by any chance which region did you change to?



E2


----------



## Mindstorms

simon740 said:


> I just barely updated to 3.02. From here I have no idea how to continue


lol just run the exe in the files you have to download from the thread!!! and you have access to all new FW


----------



## nc8000

simon740 said:


> I just barely updated to 3.02. From here I have no idea how to continue





Vitaly2017 said:


> Me to i downloaded digital music player and tried to unzip the downloaded zip files all not unzipping and giving errors.
> 
> Not really sure how it works... (



Unpack the .rar file and then run the .exe file in the Package folder


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> Unpack the .rar file and then run the .exe file in the Package folder



Doesnt unzip corrupted strange.


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Doesnt unzip corrupted strange.


Well, unfortunately I will have to say that even a firmware does not like you

I am kidding, try using another Unzip program ? Are you on PC ? This was only made for PC and not MAC


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Doesnt unzip corrupted strange.



Try to diwnload again. What program do you use to unpack, I use winrar, don’t know what other prograns that support the rar format ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

1. Update your WM1A/1Z to the official sony FW 3.02
2. Download any of the RAR files from the provided Google drive link
3. Unpack the desired RAR (preferrably under a directory with the same name as the RAR)
4. Run the EXE located under "package" folder


----------



## ttt123

Vitaly2017 said:


> Me to i downloaded digital music player and tried to unzip the downloaded zip files all not unzipping and giving errors.
> 
> Not really sure how it works... (


I had problems unpacking the RAR file too.  I used Express Zip  by NCH software, and that was able to upack the RAR files.    https://www.nchsoftware.com/zip/index.html 
Then plug the WM1x into the PC USB and run the exec file in the Package folder.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Try to diwnload again. What program do you use to unpack, I use winrar, don’t know what other prograns that support the rar format ?


7-zip


----------



## simon740

Thank you all. On my wm1a already WM2Z fw :-D


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 26, 2020)

Allow me to repost this and some additional


from my experiences, just saying....ofcourse personal preferences will be my excuses. So pardon me, but let me say it out loud

*Ultimate 1.0.2 *is the best of what a Walkman should be...for both modified 1A and stock 1Z

The extra details on upper mid and low trebles are crazily retrieved with this firmware. OFC internal wires on stock 1A will ruin the fidelity and trebles with it hot coming and sizzling signatures. _The least that is needed to enjoy this firmware is to use “Kimber Kables” internally_.... which your stock WM1Z already has

The further you upgraded your 1A or 1Z the further and better you can benefit from this ULTIMATE 1.0.2 firmware

a 2 cents from a modder and His references based on every high end systems that he has. The last line of his defense is that his personal preferences is different than your. If you can not enjoy it after following the advise....I can only say “I am sorry”

If you have Stock 1A, I recommend *DMP 1.0.2* firmware


----------



## siruspan

nc8000 said:


> E2



Thanks. I've changes also to E2 on WM1A and still no luck.

The ones that work are:

DMP-Z1 1.01
DMP-Z1 1.02
Club 1.01

All others say that I need to connect proper device.


----------



## gazzington

Whitigir said:


> Allow me to repost this and some additional
> 
> 
> from my experiences, just saying....ofcourse personal preferences will be my excuses. So pardon me, but let me say it out loud
> ...


I've installed DMP 1.0.2 firmware on my stock wm1a. Early days but it sounds fantastic. Will do more listening tonight. Will give my wm1z a hard earned night off!


----------



## gazzington

siruspan said:


> Thanks. I've changes also to E2 on WM1A and still no luck.
> 
> The ones that work are:
> 
> ...


Same with me


----------



## Whitigir

gazzington said:


> I've installed DMP 1.0.2 firmware on my stock wm1a. Early days but it sounds fantastic. Will do more listening tonight. Will give my wm1z a hard earned night off!


Ultimate 1.0.2 is different than DMP 1.0.2

both are my favorite!!! And I recommended as per above statement


----------



## gerelmx1986

@morbidis the DMP-Z1 1.02 qlso ported stock FW with.minimal tweaks?

Also i dont see the club nor theatre ones, juat like yesterday (wm2z, LPGT, DMP-Z1 both versions and ultimate)


----------



## captblaze

gerelmx1986 said:


> @morbidis the DMP-Z1 1.02 qlso ported stock FW with.minimal tweaks?
> 
> Also i dont see the club nor theatre ones, juat like yesterday (wm2z, LPGT, DMP-Z1 both versions and ultimate)


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/page-6#post-15485581


----------



## xenoVa

Whitigir said:


> I have been rolling the firmware from
> 
> *installation is easy, just do it as you are doing stock firmware.  I have been rolling back and forth so many time now...no brick!!!
> 
> ...



Download link ?


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> @morbidis the DMP-Z1 1.02 qlso ported stock FW with.minimal tweaks?
> 
> Also i dont see the club nor theatre ones, juat like yesterday (wm2z, LPGT, DMP-Z1 both versions and ultimate)


wich one is your favorite so far!???


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> @morbidis the DMP-Z1 1.02 qlso ported stock FW with.minimal tweaks?
> 
> Also i dont see the club nor theatre ones, juat like yesterday (wm2z, LPGT, DMP-Z1 both versions and ultimate)



They are in 2 different shared folders, one with the original 4 and another with the 3 latest ones


----------



## gerelmx1986

Midnstorms said:


> wich one is your favorite so far!???


LOL why muat i be your ears? Try your self. I dont know which genre yous listen to as example


----------



## simon740

DMP-Z1 1.02 
@Morbideath 
thank you


----------



## Mindstorms (Feb 26, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> LOL why muat i be your ears? Try your self. I dont know which genre yous listen to as example


you have good ears lol my favorite its 1.01 I stated that! but went back to 3.00 i dont know why I like it best now


----------



## Vitaly2017

Guys I happy to report my u 1.0.2 is working!!!

Wow there is a difference danging.

@Whitigir  Is right this is 1 hell of refined signature!  Bass dont have that softwarish feel. It all so smooth and natural very impressive! 

But I slightly miss the stock 1 timbre which is that rumbly vibrant sound in bass. Also find the overall tonality a slightly less thick. It brings more resolution that way....

We can tell u1.02 sound very very similar to dmp z1!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Yea my zip software was crapy so I got a new one works fine!

Now got club to test and wm2z!


----------



## kingdixon (Feb 26, 2020)

I have wm1a uncapped on region E and i can confirm i have a problem loading some firmwares, it doesnt recognize the device.

Only dmpz1 1.02 and club working, theatre and ultimate not working

Also, i have had old versions of winrar and 7zip, but couldnt extract due to corrupted file, i downloaded a new winrar version it worked fine.

Currently rocking on dmpz1 1.02 and its great ! Waiting to try ultimate 2.

Thanks for your efforts @Morbideath


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> They are in 2 different shared folders, one with the original 4 and another with the 3 latest ones


Ik tried them, again ultimate sounds cramped and aggressive in the bass and highs
Theatre gives an unnatural timbre and weird resonances sounding mucg like a bathroom or tiled room.

Back with DMP-Z1 1.02


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> Ik tried them, again ultimate sounds cramped and aggressive in the bass and highs
> Theatre gives an unnatural timbre and weird resonances sounding mucg like a bathroom or tiled room.
> 
> Back with DMP-Z1 1.02



No aggressiveness for me with u 1.02 its super refined !
Id say its not aggressive enough to my taste lol


----------



## captblaze

one of the big bonuses of these new firmwares is that stock v 3.02 is a prerequisite. this way you have the latest capabilites (post 3.0) along with the new sound signatures


----------



## gerelmx1986

Well ysing unmodded-hardware wm1a with MDR-Z1R that hqs the sony kimber kable 4.4


----------



## gazzington

Wow, just wow wm1a on DMZ 1.02 with ier z1r sounds incredible. I don't think I need my sp2k anymore. I haven't changed firmware on my wm1z yet.....


----------



## simon740

gazzington said:


> Wow, just wow wm1a on DMZ 1.02 with ier z1r sounds incredible. I don't think I need my sp2k anymore. I haven't changed firmware on my wm1z yet.....


You have stock wm1a? With dmz 1.02? Because I’m looking some good IEMs...and ier-z1r is


----------



## gazzington

Yeap stock wm1a with that firmware and those iems is mind blowing


----------



## gazzington

So what's the best firmware for the wm1z?!


----------



## simon740

gazzington said:


> Yeap stock wm1a with that firmware and those iems is mind blowing


Hmm....I must find good deal in EU for this iems.
Thank you


----------



## gazzington

Btw this the best forum on head fi. All good posters helping each other


----------



## Vitaly2017

gazzington said:


> Btw this the best forum on head fi. All good posters helping each other



We are 1 big family haha


----------



## captblaze

gazzington said:


> Btw this the best forum on head fi. All good posters helping each other



#SonyNation


----------



## gazzington

I've got both Sony's, n8, lpgt, sp2k and the Sony's are becoming my favourites especially with these new firmware


----------



## simon740

gazzington said:


> I've got both Sony's, n8, lpgt, sp2k and the Sony's are becoming my favourites especially with these new firmware


Wauu....respect from me


----------



## Gww1

I've been wanting to come back to Sony and this week sorted a deal on a WM1Z which was dispatched today. I already couldn't wait to receive it but this is making it so much worse!


----------



## gazzington

simon740 said:


> Wauu....respect from me


But with ier z1r. You need them as part of the set up


----------



## Vitaly2017

Woooyu I like the club fw thats my thing!

Good bass vibe very similar to stock but more control and with all the same good thick timbrals of stock 1z like it!

The artificial bass is pretty much all gone.
I do like club more over u1.02


----------



## gazzington

Vitaly2017 said:


> Woooyu I like the club fw thats my thing!
> 
> Good bass vibe very similar to stock but more control and with all the same good thick timbrals of stock 1z like it!
> 
> ...


I'll try club later. I do like bass


----------



## Vitaly2017

gazzington said:


> I'll try club later. I do like bass




I feel club fw to retain all the best of what 3.02fw had to offer but its much more refined and tuned to perfect signature. 
Really neet I can feel the true sony sound with club fw.
Very nice timbral bass it pushes air waves in bass woow


----------



## Vitaly2017

I think club also has something different with treble.  Feels slightly lower. Witch is perfect for edm !
Its not huge just a touch less


----------



## Whitigir

gazzington said:


> So what's the best firmware for the wm1z?!


IMO, best for WM1Z is Ultimate 1.0.2


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> IMO, best for WM1Z is Ultimate 1.0.2



I dono but club feel really good


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> I dono but club feel really good


Yeah, synergies and what you are using together with personal preferences will be the factors here.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, synergies and what you are using together with personal preferences will be the factors here.



I really love the club
Uuummmfff that bass!
The treble got less sharp, that is a common problem in edm ( edm music is treble elevated) 
Personally 0.5 db up for treble would be nicer. It would get more crispy


----------



## simon740

So this fw is like some DSP filters? Or EQ...


----------



## Vitaly2017

simon740 said:


> So this fw is like some DSP filters? Or EQ...



Seems its on hardware level. It reprograms your firmware to have a different language in the s master hx dac. It changes the sound that way...


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 26, 2020)

The DSP shall be the Algorithms itself as the digital filters and modulators, and S-Master feedbacks.  But I could be wrong


----------



## musicday

This thread has exploded. Well done everyone for posting and special thanks to your friend Morbideath who shared the modified firmwares for both 1A and 1Z.


----------



## Vitaly2017

So far u1.01 is my favorite


----------



## gazzington

Vitaly2017 said:


> So far u1.01 is my favorite


Is that the club one?


----------



## Whitigir

Temporarily incomputable !!! Too many new signatures to process... errors...errors....

Would you like to wait for the respond or Cancel ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

*so far my favo is DMP-Z1  1.02*


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Feb 26, 2020)

Incredible what i hear on bass, like that of my  then owned oppo Ha-2 amp/DAC with nice treble details,

Perhaps i can deacribe as FW 3.02 With more bass, same huge stage and details retrieval.


Detail retrieval is unbelievable,  there is a faint Lute playing with the xontinuo part, can be picked up damn easily


----------



## Vitaly2017

gazzington said:


> Is that the club one?




I have not tried all of them yet.
But i also like wm2z lol


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> *so far my favo is DMP-Z1  1.02*



Mine as well


----------



## gazzington

nc8000 said:


> Mine as well


Mine too on the wm1a.  Will install it on the wm1z tomorrow


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Feb 26, 2020)

Maybe I spoke to fast but wm2z is better then club then i liked u1.01 then u 1.02 and club.

Wm2z sounds close to 3.02 and I find it quiet good. The u fw feels to much pushed....

I thought I love the club fw but wm2z is much better!
Club has a very different bass bounce and not enough treble crunchiness for me.
Wm2z has it all! And its deep!


----------



## dninsan

I've only owned my WM1A for a few weeks, straight into official 3.02 FW, and barely clocked 10 listening hours. I did change the region on my EU 1A to region E2 to uncap it almost right out of the box (capped one was a joke) and I've just flashed DMP 1.0.2 with no issues, hoping to listen a bit and try to report back (although describing sound is not my forte)

I'd really like to thank @Morbideath for sharing with us these amazing mods, it's a great way to "customize" our DAPs to our own preferences.


----------



## Whitigir

dninsan said:


> I've only owned my WM1A for a few weeks, straight into official 3.02 FW, and barely clocked 10 listening hours. I did change the region on my EU 1A to region E2 to uncap it almost right out of the box (capped one was a joke) and I've just flashed DMP 1.0.2 with no issues, hoping to listen a bit and try to report back (although describing sound is not my forte)
> 
> I'd really like to thank @Morbideath for sharing with us these amazing mods, it's a great way to "customize" our DAPs to our own preferences.


Welcome to Head-Fi and sorry about your wallet


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Feb 26, 2020)

Have anyone tried wm2z ?
Whats your feedback on it?

I enjoy it right now and find its the perfect 1z sound signature it demonstrates all the beautiful sides of 1z.
As it was its pure fw its so remarkably tuned just mindblowing.  

I find wm2z fw the perfect 1z's caracter it demonstrates 1z in its most beautiful ideal tuning. Its 1z in its finest true nature
This is just bliss of perfection!  Wow

Words that come to mind is
Enchanting, musical, friendly, harmonious! Warm natural peaceful


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Have anyone tried wm2z ?
> Whats your feedback on it?
> 
> I enjoy it right now and find its the perfect 1z sound signature it demonstrates all the beautiful sides of 1z.
> ...



You have reached!!!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Quick question there is a few fw in the drive link that looks like they are stock fw.
Am I right to think so ?
V1.01
V2.0
V3.01 and v3.02


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Quick question there is a few fw in the drive link that looks like they are stock fw.
> Am I right to think so ?
> V1.01
> V2.0
> V3.01 and v3.02


Try it out ?
Just kidding

they are stock firmware


----------



## Morbideath

@siruspan @gazzington It's 8AM here after a not very long sleep. I see what the problems are, that's a rare case for EU 1A to be not identified by the firmware. I could fix the problem, but fixing it will unfortunately alter the sound of the mods a bit so I don't feel like doing so, *not in a mass scale.* I can give u guys a fixed version to flash in private message. Pls let me know if they work out on your side.
In China 99% ppl have 1A/1Z in region CN, so no problem with such identification at all. it has nothing to do with changing regions though.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Feb 26, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> @siruspan @gazzington It's 8AM here after a not very long sleep. I see what the problems are, that's a rare case for EU 1A to be not identified by the firmware. I could fix the problem, but fixing it will unfortunately alter the sound of the mods a bit so I don't feel like doing so, *not in a mass scale.* I can give u guys a fixed version to flash in private message. Pls let me know if they work out on your side.
> In China 99% ppl have 1A/1Z in region CN, so no problem with such identification at all. it has nothing to do with changing regions though.




Oh so you have access to tune those fw?

How did you come up with wm2z? 
It so miraculous!



Would there be some fw available for zx-507?


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 26, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Oh so you have access to tune those fw?
> 
> How did you come up with wm2z?
> It so miraculous!



As I stated in original post, the author was Deck24 in China. I merely port them here. But I learnt a lot from him and the discussion with other modders so also know how to modify the sound, to some extent.
WM2Z is almost the official stock 3.02 FW with some refinement taken from 1A and DMP. It's more close to the 1Z stock sound so maybe it's the sound you are after.
We don't have ZX so can't test on it. Though the basic structure should be the same.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Feb 26, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> As I stated in original post, the author was Deck24 in China. I merely port them here. But I learnt a lot from him and the discussion with other modders so also know how to modify the sound, to some extent.
> WM2Z is almost the official stock 3.02 FW with some refinement taken from 1A and DMP. It's more close to the 1Z stock sound so maybe it's the sound you are after.




Maan I love wm2z.  When I heard it I was like wow wait. This is wm1z but aawww so perfectly tuned!

This is exactly how it should be!
Dont understand how sony missed it!



I dont know how to Express how melodious and musical this fw is!

Its like an infinite flow of perfect transitions and flows of music!


----------



## Morbideath

Viszla said:


> Maybe a silly Question: Does System Software in unit Information changed (fron sony 3.02 to ultimate)?


no it won't.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I am done with fw updates from sony haha
Wm2z was my last update ever this is it!
My wm1z is at its purest best possible form!


----------



## Holdmyown83

gerelmx1986 said:


> With these mods, it demonstrayed sony did a bad approach h to FW upgrades, same tuning for two different flavors, they should have had included a decision block to detect wm1a or 1z and apply the correct tuning.
> 
> And as for.my battery it us okay, it was matter of.let the device learn again what 100% is


 
 there’s always that 1


----------



## normie610

One question to @Morbideath will the FW mods reset previously existing settings (EQ etc.)?

Thanks


----------



## Vitaly2017

normie610 said:


> One question to @Morbideath will the FW mods reset previously existing settings (EQ etc.)?
> 
> Thanks




I just checked all my stuff is unchanged


----------



## Morbideath

normie610 said:


> One question to @Morbideath will the FW mods reset previously existing settings (EQ etc.)?
> 
> Thanks



No, nothing will be touched, just like upgrading from official FWs.


----------



## Morbideath

gerelmx1986 said:


> Incredible what i hear on bass, like that of my  then owned oppo Ha-2 amp/DAC with nice treble details,
> 
> Perhaps i can deacribe as FW 3.02 With more bass, same huge stage and details retrieval.
> 
> Detail retrieval is unbelievable,  there is a faint Lute playing with the xontinuo part, can be picked up damn easily



You think D1.02 has more bass than Stock 3.02? hmmmmm interesting... ive never thought it that way.
btw is your 1A in region EU?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> You think D1.02 has more bass than Stock 3.02? hmmmmm interesting... ive never thought it that way.
> btw is your 1A in region EU?




I just compared wm2z and dmp 1.02 and me to I confirm dmp1.02 has a more prominent and riply bass. Feels stronger.

Wm2z feels a little less bass vs stock and overall slightly less energetic. But very fine tuning.  Stock can be brighter in treble


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 26, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Temporarily incomputable !!! Too many new signatures to process... errors...errors....
> 
> Would you like to wait for the respond or Cancel ?








firmwares overkill your "motherbrain" perhaps?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Very intriguing but I do really like dmp1.02 bass punch


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> Very intriguing but I do really like dmp1.02 bass punch


Every FW mod has its strength and weakness, that's why they were featured. Im glad u could enjoy the strengths


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 26, 2020)

I really like LPGT version. It has extremely beautiful treble; maybe a little less bass quantity. Try it, I think it will do well with stock 1Z.
Amazing clarity yet so musical, so beautiful. I'm not sure if this is how LPGT in reality sounds, but the marriage of 1Z and LPGT is quite amazing.
I listen to slow songs, so maybe this won't work on those extremely energetic ones. I use Aether, which has good treble but sounds boring, but using it with ALO 16 gold cable, sounds bright but gentle treble, wow its just amazing!


----------



## Morbideath

hamhamhamsta said:


> I really like LPGT version. It has extremely beautiful treble; maybe a little less bass quantity. Try it, I think it will do well with stock 1Z.
> Amazing clarity yet so musical, so beautiful. I'm not sure if this is how LPGT in reality sounds, but the marriage of 1Z and LPGT is quite amazing.
> I listen to slow songs, so maybe this won't work on those extremely energetic ones. I use Aether, which has good treble but sounds boring, but using it with ALO 16 gold cable, sounds bright but gentle treble, wow its just amazing!


I have just decided to withdraw LPGT due to the lack of interests. You are the first one to give feedback about it.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> Every FW mod has its strength and weakness, that's why they were featured. Im glad u could enjoy the strengths




I just tried dmp1.02 and wm2z on overkill song and dmp1.02 clearly is the best choice for that song maann the bass can be felt. I feel like big puff of waves hitting me from left or right amd very quickly. Very impressive haha


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 26, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> I have just decided to withdraw LPGT due to the lack of interests. You are the first one to give feedback about it.


Clarity is off the roof with LPGT version. I think if you use iem that has good base in treble and bass, it will do very well, provided being bright is acceptable. Probably iem like EE Legend X or something close. Etherial & soft treble. One word, its beautiful, not rough at all.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Ok now I loaded stock fw aaa man dmp1.02 is so much clearer and well resolving all the notes.

I have to say stock fw feels close to dmp1.02 bass same hard punchy deep bass hits and waves of puffs.
But somehow on dmp1.02 it just better!

Also stock firmware feels quiet bright now. A little to much slightly muddy feeling not as well separated as the dmp1.02 dw...


Ok will try lpgt now!


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> I just tried dmp1.02 and wm2z on overkill song and dmp1.02 clearly is the best choice for that song maann the bass can be felt. I feel like big puff of waves hitting me from left or right amd very quickly. Very impressive haha



Yes that influential double kick drum intro (and the multiple outros) is perfect for testing bass speed and depth. 
U will feel even more so on a good UK 1st press Bronze vinyl transfer.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> Yes that influential double kick drum intro (and the multiple outros) is perfect for testing bass speed and depth.
> U will feel even more so on a good UK 1st press Bronze vinyl transfer.




Just to reconfirm the dmp1.02 is stock dmp fw or its moded and the dmp1.01 is the stock?

I prefer the dmp1.02 over 1.01


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> Just to reconfirm the dmp1.02 is stock dmp fw or its moded and the dmp1.01 is the stock?
> 
> I prefer the dmp1.02 over 1.01


U can read again my original post. I have just modified my descriptions. 
They are both stock with minimal edits and ported to 1A/1Z


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> Clarity is off the roof with LPGT version. I think if you use iem that has good base in treble and bass, it will do very well, provided being bright is acceptable. Probably iem like EE Legend X or something close. Etherial & soft treble. One word, its beautiful, not rough at all.




Mmm yea lpgt is very smooth shimmery  well extended treble. I can still say it has more 1z sound then lpgt in really haha but its very enjoyable as well!

I guess this the fw for treble lovers )
A keeper for me!

I think I am enjoying dmp1.02 a little too much. 
I like it being more active and feels like it has the best bass response among all fw I tried and for me bass is my life I feed my soul on bass ! LoL


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 26, 2020)

Can you do a version of SP2K? 

i have yet to try out the LPGT, I will try tomorrow sometimes

How is it possible to mimick LPGT LoL? I am curious, and you don’t have to answer Lol!! 

@Vitaly2017 I thought you are like bass head ? Or are you still computing ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Can you do a version of SP2K?
> 
> i have yet to try out the LPGT, I will try tomorrow sometimes
> 
> ...




I am the bass head but quality type and deep underworld dark and dirty bass lol
It has to be soul grabing so I can feel the quantum reality threw my skin and bones.

Meditate with eyes open but closed ?
And see threw space time at its infinity .

I am literally blown away by the dmp1.02 bass. The best bass in the universe!  Darn so good


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am the bass head but quality type and deep underworld dark and dirty bass lol
> It has to be soul grabing so I can feel the quantum reality threw my skin and bones.
> 
> Meditate with eyes open but closed ?
> ...


Omg, you are crazy hahaha


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> Omg, you are crazy hahaha




This is what happened when I listen to dmp1.02  OMG  i am raving here slide! 

No need for drugs my music is just soaking me right threw I am all wet lmao


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> This is what happened when I listen to dmp1.02  OMG  i am raving here slide!
> 
> No need for drugs my music is just soaking me right threw I am all wet lmao


Tiger Power! Lol


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am literally blown away by the dmp1.02 bass. The best bass in the universe!  Darn so good



That good hey? I’m going to have to try this lol...


----------



## Vitaly2017

Damz87 said:


> That good hey? I’m going to have to try this lol...




Dont forget I am using tia trio and plussound gold plated silver cable the trio is extremely good with this.Its something very spectacular.

Trio hits that bass down to 5 hz it rumble and shakes your cage pretty hard. But at same time my head dont explode very interesting.  Cause I know I cant stand EE LX bass its just so loud and boomy. But here its so quality and big deep loud massive fast just pure lucid dreams of bass hardcorness


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> Dont forget I am using tia trio and plussound gold plated silver cable the trio is extremely good with this.Its something very spectacular.
> 
> Trio hits that bass down to 5 hz it rumble and shakes your cage pretty hard. But at same time my head dont explode very interesting.  Cause I know I cant stand EE LX bass its just so loud and boomy. But here its so quality and big deep loud massive fast just pure lucid dreams of bass hardcorness



Wow... Better than Z1R bass?


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Feb 26, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> Wow... Better than Z1R bass?




For me absolutely

I also recently bought pw 1960 4 wires. Its waiting for me at home.

I just cant imagine what kind of goodness its going to be cause I havent heard that cable with new fw!

It was absolutely madness when I heard that cable on stock fw. Now with dmp1.02 oh lord save me lol


----------



## Quang23693

Whitigir said:


> Allow me to repost this and some additional
> 
> 
> from my experiences, just saying....ofcourse personal preferences will be my excuses. So pardon me, but let me say it out loud
> ...


Hi ,I'm using 1A K mod ultimate so which the best firmwares for it . Tks


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 27, 2020)

Quang23693 said:


> Hi ,I'm using 1A K mod ultimate so which the best firmwares for it . Tks


U can start with D1.02 then D1.01, and U1.02, U1.01. The others can be hit or miss.
Click the Mod Assessment spoiler FYI


----------



## Quang23693

Morbideath said:


> U can start with D1.02 then D1.01, and U1.02, U1.01. The others can be hit or miss.
> Click the Mod Assessment spoiler for your reference


Many tks, I'll try it now , but i wanna know where i can see my region of my 1A ? Tks


----------



## Morbideath

Quang23693 said:


> Many tks, I'll try it now , but i wanna know where i can see my region of my 1A ? Tks


That's more troublesome, u need to search within this thread for Rockbox tool. 
But it doesn't matter what region your device is unless you are EU. Just try the mods first.


----------



## musicday

Morbideath said:


> That's more troublesome, u need to search within this thread for Rockbox tool.
> But it doesn't matter what region your device is unless you are EU. Just try the mods first.


Maybe is asking too much but you think your friend can add double tap to wake up screen feature?


----------



## Morbideath

musicday said:


> Maybe is asking too much but you think your friend can add double tap to wake up screen feature?


haha I wish I could. that's waaaaay beyond our capability. We dare not and haven't touched all the functionalities.


----------



## Quang23693

Morbideath said:


> That's more troublesome, u need to search within this thread for Rockbox tool.
> But it doesn't matter what region your device is unless you are EU. Just try the mods first.


Tks , i'll try these fw , you're a super star today haha


----------



## kingdixon

Morbideath said:


> @siruspan @gazzington It's 8AM here after a not very long sleep. I see what the problems are, that's a rare case for EU 1A to be not identified by the firmware. I could fix the problem, but fixing it will unfortunately alter the sound of the mods a bit so I don't feel like doing so, *not in a mass scale.* I can give u guys a fixed version to flash in private message. Pls let me know if they work out on your side.
> In China 99% ppl have 1A/1Z in region CN, so no problem with such identification at all. it has nothing to do with changing regions though.



bro i have the same problem, i was going to suggest that we change region, but i noticed in the end you said it has nothing to do with changing regions, so its mainly about where the device was released ? i got a japanese one but iam not sure is it a tourist version or a local one.

If you fixed any of them, add me to your private message list


----------



## Morbideath

kingdixon said:


> bro i have the same problem, i was going to suggest that we change region, but i noticed in the end you said it has nothing to do with changing regions, so its mainly about where the device was released ? i got a japanese one but iam not sure is it a tourist version or a local one.
> 
> If you fixed any of them, add me to your private message list



I'll PM u later how to do it. Siruspan already done it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Morbideath said:


> You think D1.02 has more bass than Stock 3.02? hmmmmm interesting... ive never thought it that way.
> btw is your 1A in region EU?


No my wm1a,  was bought 4 years ago from Accessory Jack  Hongkong


----------



## Whitigir

Quang23693 said:


> Hi ,I'm using 1A K mod ultimate so which the best firmwares for it . Tks


I would say Ultimate 1.0.2 will be your best bet.  But as it is more aggressive than DMP 1.0.2, you should try the DMP first and see how you like it


----------



## Fsilva

@Morbideath anyway your friend could do this fw mod for the TA-ZH1ES?


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 27, 2020)

Fsilva said:


> @Morbideath anyway your friend could do this fw mod for the TA-ZH1ES?


I knew it was going to be the next question, eventually the zx500 will be asking as well.  I don’t think the author would want to try as they don’t have those devices to test out the functionality and performances.  I would say all of you guys best bet is to donate them to the author and enjoy the free Upgraded firmware  (unless he also has TA which I doubt)

Now this is where the contributions would count...things that has a start, will need contributions as a support to keep it going  , to be sustainable and Viable in a long run, and also to be spreading and reaching into other devices.

I only speak logically


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 27, 2020)

Fsilva said:


> @Morbideath anyway your friend could do this fw mod for the TA-ZH1ES?



That’s the most amazing question I have read in years. Being it has no tone/EQ controls...... lol. That would be priceless. Though you may have to access that other port in the back. The service port?


----------



## Fsilva (Feb 27, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I knew it was going to be the next question, eventually the zx500 will be asking as well.  I don’t think the author would want to try as they don’t have those devices to test out the functionality and performances.  I would say all of you guys best bet is to donate them to the author and enjoy the free Upgraded firmware
> 
> Now this is where the contributions would count...things that has a start, will need contributions as a support to keep it going  , to be sustainable and Viable in a long run.
> 
> I only speak logically


I´m about to sell my TA and get a RME ADI-2 DAC FS, but if someone could port the DMP fw for the TA, that would be a reason for me to keep the TA for longer


----------



## Whitigir

I think TA-ZH1ES already has 1 firmware upgraded by Sony with stock usb cables


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Feb 27, 2020)

I wonder if @purk still owns the WM1A,  so he could compare wm1a with fw mod of DMP-Z1 v1.02 vs his zx500


----------



## AudioMoksha

I am going to try the D1.02 on my WM1A which is on 3.02 as of now


----------



## Damz87

Just installed DMP-Z1 1.02 fw on my stock 1Z. Listening with the Solaris SE's. It sounds quite similar to the actual DMP-Z1. Very impressed. The increased soundstage is amazing!


----------



## Quang23693

Whitigir said:


> I would say Ultimate 1.0.2 will be your best bet.  But as it is more aggressive than DMP 1.0.2, you should try the DMP first and see how you like it


there is a problem while i try to install it , you know how it is ?


----------



## siruspan

Quang23693 said:


> there is a problem while i try to install it , you know how it is ?



Some of the WM1A's are not recognized for some reason. Send a PM to Morbideath and he will give you a solution. I had the same issue and now it works fine.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 27, 2020)

Quang23693 said:


> there is a problem while i try to install it , you know how it is ?


Few Walkman may see this problem, and it has something to do with the player “region codes”.  @siruspan had the problem before, and he got it solved.  You need to PM @Morbideath as he said.  
I will show an easier way to tell Region codes


----------



## Quang23693

siruspan said:


> Some of the WM1A's are not recognized for some reason. Send a PM to Morbideath and he will give you a solution. I had the same issue and now it works fine.


Thank for your support !


----------



## Quang23693

Whitigir said:


> Few Walkman may see this problem, and it has something to do with the player “region codes”.  @siruspan had the problem before, and he got it solved.  You need to PM @Morbideath as he said.
> I will show an easier way to tell Region codes


I installed DMP 1.02, it works well but dose not the same with ultimate 1.02.


----------



## Whitigir

Your region code can be identified by the unit sticker on the side


----------



## Morbideath

Fsilva said:


> @Morbideath anyway your friend could do this fw mod for the TA-ZH1ES?


Currently no, because we don't have the device.


----------



## ttt123 (Feb 27, 2020)

D1.02, U1.02, Wm2Z
I've been trying these 3 mods, using the song Flesh and Blood, by Steve Straus, Very Audiophile New Recordings to compare.
- I like WM2Z, for this kind of vocal and fine background detail music. The main vocal keeps the centre stage, and the backup vocals come through balanced and detailed, and does not intrude on the main vocal.
- D1.02 the backup vocals are emphasized unnaturally, and intrude on the main vocal, instead of complementing it.
- U1.02 is overall good, but for this song, it does not sound right.  The song does not come together as a whole.

I hasten to add that each one by itself can be fine, and it is going to come down to system, source, and what each user is listening for.  My observation is just one aspect, listening to certain things.  It is not going to be possible to have a simple list of which one is best.  Of course this was always the case, as even with only the stock FW, some preferred one, and some preferred others.  These extra FW mods have just made the choice much wider, and I expect that each user will have to do some work to figure out which they personally like.
The user experiences on this forum are great to give an idea of the strengths of the different firmwares, but as each users configuration and personal preferences are different, each user will have to try for themselves and see which one suits their preferences, as there is not one FW that will be the best for all types of music.
(There will be no "One Ring to Rule them All", like in Lord of the Rings.)

A ranking for different types of music would be useful...

Edit: My setup is a WM1Z with a Romi Audio, HK  mod V4 (Black Gate), which is a pretty extensive mod.  WM1Z set to Direct Source.  The IEM used is the Sony  IER-Z1R with stock 4.4mm cable.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> I think TA-ZH1ES already has 1 firmware upgraded by Sony with stock usb cables



Wow, your right again, standard USB from a computer. 

https://www.sony.co.id/en/electronics/support/downloads/Y0015296


----------



## Morbideath

ttt123 said:


> D1.02, U1.02, Wm2Z
> I've been trying these 3 mods, using the song Flesh and Blood, by Steve Straus, Very Audiophile New Recordings to compare.
> - I like WM2Z, for this kind of vocal and fine background detail music. The main vocal keeps the centre stage, and the backup vocals come through balanced and detailed, and does not intrude on the main vocal.
> - D1.02 the backup vocals are emphasized unnaturally, and intrude on the main vocal, instead of complementing it.
> ...



Very informative and useful! could u also tell us what hardware setups are u using to reach the conclusion?


----------



## Damz87

Damz87 said:


> Just installed DMP-Z1 1.02 fw on my stock 1Z. Listening with the Solaris SE's. It sounds quite similar to the actual DMP-Z1. Very impressed. The increased soundstage is amazing!



Upon further listening and switching over to my beloved IER-Z1R's, I'm finding the bass impact to be a little lacking for my taste on DMP1.02 fw.

However I can see why the broader soundstage and more open sound would appeal to some peoples preferences. The resemblance to an actual DMP-Z1 is pretty amazing but I think the actual DMP-Z1 still sounds better, especially with bass. To me the DMP-Z1 pulls off the wide open sound without any bass impact sacrifices, so it comes across a lot more natural.

Unfortunately I'm having trouble installing any other fw at the moment, so I'll have to go back to stock for now but I'll try again this weekend and report back


----------



## Whitigir

I see how Walkman can self identify itself as Z or A model.

similar to how your Walkman is regional locked.  There is a code in the Walkman to have it identify itself as either A or Z


----------



## Whitigir

Damz87 said:


> Upon further listening and switching over to my beloved IER-Z1R's, I'm finding the bass impact to be a little lacking for my taste on DMP1.02 fw.
> 
> However I can see why the broader soundstage and more open sound would appeal to some peoples preferences. The resemblance to an actual DMP-Z1 is pretty amazing but I think the actual DMP-Z1 still sounds better, especially with bass. To me the DMP-Z1 pulls off the wide open sound without any bass impact sacrifices, so it comes across a lot more natural.
> 
> Unfortunately I'm having trouble installing any other fw at the moment, so I'll have to go back to stock for now but I'll try again this weekend and report back


Agreed, now go try out Ultimate 1.0.2 and you will hear the improvements

Ofcourse the technicalities of DMP is superior, but to be able to utilize the DSP from DMP on Walkman is an amazing feature


----------



## siruspan

The differences are very noticeable and obviously it's not like you get a completely new device but such changes help to obtain best synergy with the headphones. These mods give more flavours to the sony players and they are free, take only a minute to install and are reversable. Usually you need to spend couple of hundred of dollars for a new cable for less noticable changes. Even if I end up going back to stock I think to have the options is amazing. I can't thank enough @Morbideath for giving us this possibilites.


----------



## Lookout57 (Feb 27, 2020)

I posted this over in Modifying WM1Z/A:



> Good news, I have figured out that it would be possible to make macOS versions of these updaters.
> 
> I have a Windows system so I don't need to make a macOS version but would do it if anyone is interested
> 
> So, let me know if anyone is interested and I'll start with "Ultimate 1.02" as a proof of concept.


----------



## iamdman

Can I try Ultimate 1.0.2 in 1A or is it best used in 1Z only?

Thanks


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Guys, come on, try thoose firmware and stop asking. Choose by yourself. We all ear differently...


----------



## siruspan

iamdman said:


> Can I try Ultimate 1.0.2 in 1A or is it best used in 1Z only?
> 
> Thanks



I've tried but it's quite treble intensive.


----------



## ttt123

Morbideath said:


> Very informative and useful! could u also tell us what hardware setups are u using to reach the conclusion?


I added the information in my original post.
"My setup is a WM1Z with a Romi Audio, HK  mod V4 (Black Gate), which is a pretty extensive mod. . The IEM I used is the Sony  IER-Z1R with stock 4.4mm cable."


----------



## iamdman

siruspan said:


> I've tried but it's quite treble intensive.


Oh okay..Thanks for that info


----------



## iamdman

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Guys, come on, try thoose firmware and stop asking. Choose by yourself. We all ear differently...



I agree we all ear differently. Looking in threads I dont recall 1A users using Ultimate 1.0.2 and wanted to check in case its 1Z specific and I dont brick my 1A if so.


----------



## Morbideath

iamdman said:


> I agree we all ear differently. Looking in threads I dont recall 1A users using Ultimate 1.0.2 and wanted to check in case its 1Z specific and I dont brick my 1A if so.



_“The process is perfectly safe for your device, and you can always run the other mod to substitute, or revert back to the official FWs anytime by running their exe.

They are supposed to work on either 1A and 1Z.”_


----------



## Tawek

king





Morbideath said:


> _“The process is perfectly safe for your device, and you can always run the other mod to substitute, or revert back to the official FWs anytime by running their exe.
> 
> They are supposed to work on either 1A and 1Z.”_


it's Your fault I had to buy Wm1z again, I can't wait
check all these firmware
You are great thanks hehe


----------



## fiascogarcia

LOL.  Downloaded the *DMP-Z1* 1.02, although the virus protection on my laptop all but told me I was going to die if I dared download this FW.   Will get a good listening session tonight.


----------



## Whitigir

No Corona or Ncovid-19 attached


----------



## bflat

For those of you who don't already have a trusted RAR extraction tool - you are far more likely to get malware from downloading "free" extraction utilities. I would advise you purchase a tool directly from the app seller (e.g. Winzip) or if you insist on free, find an open source utility and make sure you download from the respective .ORG site. I would highly advise against downloading anything from general "download" websites, especially those that you link to from spam ads.


----------



## Lookout57

I posted this on Modifying WM1Z/A:



> OK, my macOS version of "Ultimate 1.02" worked. It took less than 2 minutes to create and ran with no issues on my WM1A what I previously switched from US to E
> 
> So I can go ahead and build all of the versions.
> 
> Who can host them as they are too big attach here?


----------



## bflat

Mac Users can try the following:


Lookout57 said:


> I posted this over in Modifying WM1Z/A:



While waiting for someone to host the modified DMG file, I think you can also give the instructions. I assume you just swapped out the NW_WM_FW.UPG file in the DMG package? If yes, then you can do this without the need to download any special tools or apps in MAC OS. You just need to give step by step instructions and Finder commands to show hidden files.


----------



## AudioMoksha

I'm on D 1.02 on my WM1A now, all working great


----------



## siruspan

bflat said:


> For those of you who don't already have a trusted RAR extraction tool - you are far more likely to get malware from downloading "free" extraction utilities. I would advise you purchase a tool directly from the app seller (e.g. Winzip) or if you insist on free, find an open source utility and make sure you download from the respective .ORG site. I would highly advise against downloading anything from general "download" websites, especially those that you link to from spam ads.



7zip free and open source https://www.7-zip.org/


----------



## Lookout57 (Feb 28, 2020)

*UPDATE*:

Link to where to download macOS DMG files: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2152#post-15484593.

Also update instructions:



bflat said:


> While waiting for someone to host the modified DMG file, I think you can also give the instructions. I assume you just swapped out the NW_WM_FW.UPG file in the DMG package? If yes, then you can do this without the need to download any special tools or apps in MAC OS. You just need to give step by step instructions and Finder commands to show hidden files.


The process was simple. Here is what I did for "Ultimate 1.02":

I used "The Unarchiver" to extract the contents of "! DMP-Z1 1.02.exe" which extracts everything to "Ultimate 1.02" folder
Mount official Sony NW-WM1_V3_02.dmg
Make a read/write disk image copy of NW-WM1_V3_02.dmg in "Disk Utility". I called it the name of the mod, so mine was "Ultimate 1.02.dmg"
Unmount NW-WM1_V3_02.dmg
Mount the new DMG "Ultimate 1.02.dmg"
Rename the volume from "NW-WM1_V3_02" to "Ultimate 1.02"
Copy SWUpdate.xml from "Ultimate 1.02/Package/Data/Device/" folder to "/Volumes/Ultimate 1.02/.Data/Device/".
Copy NW_WM_FW.UPG from "Ultimate 1.02/Package/Data/Device/" folder to "/Volumes/Ultimate 1.02/.Data/Device/".
Now you can run SoftwareUpdateTool from that new volume.
You can also add any other files to that disk image if you want before ejecting the volume and it will stay there on next mount.
*NOTE: *I did the copies using cp in Terminal as that was much quicker for me than using the Finder. You can directly access the hidden directory in the Finder by using Shift-Command-G and enter "/Volumes/Ultimate 1.02/.Data/".

It took me longer to write this up than what it took to do it.


----------



## gazzington

I was going to change the firmware on my wm1z tonight but after 10 mins with ier-1zr I can't do it. Love it as it is!


----------



## Lookout57

gazzington said:


> I was going to change the firmware on my wm1z tonight but after 10 mins with ier-1zr I can't do it. Love it as it is!


You can always go back


----------



## Whitigir

Lookout57 said:


> You can always go back


Such privilege for Walkman


----------



## gazzington

Whitigir said:


> Such privilege for Walkman


I know, fliipin love both players.  I've not used any of the others for weeks.


----------



## Vitaly2017

1z is so unique and special it will be remembered for decades!


----------



## Whitigir

Both of these players are awesome , especially the ways that you can roll firmware like rolling cables

Hardware modifications, firmware modifications!!! Etc

simple UI, zombie battery


----------



## gazzington

Whitigir said:


> Both of these players are awesome , especially the ways that you can roll firmware like rolling cables


Both amazing. Especially now with these amazing firmwares


----------



## musicday

Tawek said:


> king
> it's Your fault I had to buy Wm1z again, I can't wait
> check all these firmware
> You are great thanks hehe


Congratulations, what will be the best place ( price) to buy one?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Good that my battery is still going strong, doing a 2nd run with the MDR-Z1R with KK after recalibrating the batt


----------



## nc8000

Have been spending the evening with Ultimate 1.0.2 and can’t make up my mind if I prefer this one or the Z1.0.2. Both are a clear step up compared with stock 3.0.2 on my 1Z with IER-Z1R


----------



## Whitigir

i don’t know about anyone else.  I love my Walkman WM1A.  I am glad I kept it and sold SP2K LOL!!! The Walkman has the ability to portrait a huge soundstage and retrieve details just as much as SP2K

Rolling firmware freely!!!


----------



## Tawek

musicday said:


> Congratulations, what will be the best place ( price) to buy one?


Amazon or ebay


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> i don’t know about anyone else.  I love my Walkman WM1A.  I am glad I kept it and sold SP2K LOL!!! The Walkman has the ability to portrait a huge soundstage and retrieve details just as much as SP2K
> 
> Rolling firmware freely!!!


 and i was convinced the only DAP my Moondrop S8 liked was the Calyx M... didnt see that one coming (DMP-Z1 1.02 FTW)


----------



## Vitaly2017

DMP DMP DMP ....

1.02. 1.02 1.02

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Whitigir

The hardware modified Walkman can even take it beyond the DMP 1.02 modified firmware .  Modified firmware is pretty crazy, I am speechless for the Walkman capabilities


----------



## hireslover

nc8000 said:


> Have been spending the evening with Ultimate 1.0.2 and can’t make up my mind if I prefer this one or the Z1.0.2. Both are a clear step up compared with stock 3.0.2 on my 1Z with IER-Z1R


I took Whitigir’s advice I only tried Ultimate 1.0.2 with my 1Z and no regret at all. Sound is the best ever. It is beyond incredible. It is just like I just bought me a brand new dap. Many thanks to @Morbideath for sharing.


----------



## Vitaly2017

@Morbideath 


YOUR THE BEST


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> The hardware modified Walkman can even take it beyond the DMP 1.02 modified firmware .  Modified firmware is pretty crazy, I am speechless for the Walkman capabilities


Did you get your battery yet? 
Place has them on back order till the 3rd of March. Hopefully they ship soon?


----------



## flyer1 (Feb 27, 2020)

Can't believe this is happening! A whole new universe opens up for our Walkman's. Current favourite definitely Ultimate 1.0.2. Absolutely stunning on my 1Z/EX1000. Setting the player's region to Japan with rockbox before updating also has quite an impact!


----------



## Lookout57

OK, I have all of the following mods for macOS built and ready to upload:

Club 1.01
DMP-Z1 1.01
DMP-Z1 1.02
Theatre 1.02
Ultimate 1.01
Ultimate 1.02
WM2Z 3.02

I'm in discussions with @kubig123 for hosting them.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I am now on my second full day with dmp1.02 fw

This is a true revelation!  The soundstage is so massive I can now feel echoe's in such detail! Wonderful! 

Voices got so holographic is mindblowing,  my tia trio reproduces all the depths of echoes so easily.  Its 3d stage, depth width and height so massive just wow.

There is also a big improvement in resolution and clarity and its much less muddy now. Due to that I can hear new details!  Very impressive when I alread thought I had the best sound possible is now on a new level. I feel like I am listening to a desktop sound quality!

I am so happy with dmp1.02 I feel like I just got me self a dmp z1 Walkman version aaaa !!!!! 
))))))))))))))))


----------



## Whitigir

flyer1 said:


> Can't believe this is happening! A whole new universe opens up for our Walkman's. Current favourite definitely Ultimate 1.0.2. Absolutely stunning on my 1Z/EX1000. Setting the player's region to Japan with rockbox before updating also has quite an impact!


I also has set my region to Japan for my own good


----------



## Vitaly2017

Ohh and I have to add!

Dmp1.02 fw with guitars and strings what a bliss!

I can feel the deepest guitars breath like it goes to the deepest of the bass notes.
Oh boy and the strings! Just wow strings shine bliss all so well separated so immense!
Absolutely perfect imaging and separation! 
The notes decay , extension and depth is out of this world!


----------



## kingdixon

Whitigir said:


> I also has set my region to Japan for my own good



Whats that all about ? More details pleaaase


----------



## kubig123 (Mar 6, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> OK, I have all of the following mods for macOS built and ready to upload:
> 
> Club 1.01
> DMP-Z1 1.01
> ...



@Lookout57 just finished to upload the files.

here the link of the share folder


Enjoy and share your feedback!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Whitigir said:


> The hardware modified Walkman can even take it beyond the DMP 1.02 modified firmware .  Modified firmware is pretty crazy, I am speechless for the Walkman capabilities


A hard question, which do you prefer now, your modified 1A or your modified Ibasso DX228?


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Ohh and I have to add!
> 
> Dmp1.02 fw with guitars and strings what a bliss!
> 
> ...



Have you tried this cd ?
Fantastic dsd album.


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> A hard question, which do you prefer now, your modified 1A or your modified Ibasso DX228?



I think he will sell both and get wm1z and dmp1.02 hahaha


----------



## captblaze

kingdixon said:


> Whats that all about ? More details pleaaase



lets you connect the bluetooth remote that other regions dont do, plus rumors persist on a boost in sound quality


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> Have you tried this cd ?
> Fantastic dsd album.



Cant find it on spotify  hmm


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am now on my second full day with dmp1.02 fw
> 
> This is a true revelation!  The soundstage is so massive I can now feel echoe's in such detail! Wonderful!
> 
> ...


Are you using your PW1960 cable on this?


----------



## captblaze

Vitaly2017 said:


> Cant find it on spotify  hmm



https://shop.dsdfile.com/2013/06/12/stockholm-guitar-quartet-transcriptions/


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 27, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> A hard question, which do you prefer now, your modified 1A or your modified Ibasso DX228?


I keep both for a reason  . Ibasso is for headphones and when I need power

With IER Z1R, hell...it is my Walkman LoL




kingdixon said:


> Whats that all about ? More details pleaaase



_Japan Region code has a better Bass respond and larger/deeper soundstage.  I know, it is not fair, but it is._

The real thing here is that original Japan Coded only has Japanese and no other languages.  However, you can change your own device into “J” code for the best sound performances, even with modified firmware.  It will retains all functions and English as languages on your player

My WM1A is Extensively Modified.  Therefore, I had specific inputs and feedbacks.  I have an Exclusive “Firmware” to take my Walkman a little further .  You probably know “Ultimate 1.02” was also based on my “inputs”.....but there were something lacking.  I will not detail it here

Just so, I have this version which is “endgame” for me.  However, it needed to be changed from USA region into Japanese region.

When I have the permission, I will share with you all.  But in order to take full advantages, you really need a “modified Walkman”


----------



## musicday

Anyone using 1Z with Rai Penta? Would love to read more about this combo.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> I keep both for a reason  . Ibasso is for headphones and when I need power
> 
> With IER Z1R, hell...it is my Walkman LoL
> 
> ...




So how you enable the J version?


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> Are you using your PW1960 cable on this?




Not yet, for now plussound gold plated silver. 

I will pick it up tomorrow at the post.


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> So how you enable the J version?


Hang on . I will compose an easy guide.  This will remove volume limit and set to Japan code too.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Just bliss

I am listening to this song and it made me cry so beautiful and natural.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> Just bliss
> 
> I am listening to this song and it made me cry so beautiful and natural.



Fudge, I have been crying left and right listening to beautiful songs lmao!


----------



## captblaze

although interchangeable amps have a place in some peoples music life, these new additions to the Walkman portfolio do an adequate job of varying the sound signature of the series without a total need for any extra hardware


----------



## Whitigir

Here is how to change your Region into Japan

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15488705


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Cant find it on spotify  hmm



No as far as I’m aware Opus 3 are not available on any streaming platform, you have to buy the cd or get the dsd version as download


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 27, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Here is how to change your Region into Japan
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15488705


Thank you Whitigir!

I did change the region to J, it was very easy, like less than 5 minutes, but what is the main differences changing the setting to J instead of other regions in terms of sound quality? I'm hearing bass improvements eg: bass textures easier to hear, but maybe i'm hallucinating?


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> Fudge, I have been crying left and right listening to beautiful songs lmao!




Do you carry little napkins with you to wipe your droplets of  tears )
Mosta be a little uncomfortable when it gets you in a bus or subway haha.

Then your like no worries its just allergy  ) I good


----------



## Whitigir

hamhamhamsta said:


> Thank you Whitigir!
> 
> I did change the region to J, it was very easy, like less than 5 minutes, but what is the main differences changing the setting to J instead of other regions in terms of sound quality? I'm hearing bass improvements eg: bass textures easier to hear, but maybe i'm hallucinating?


You are hearing correctly 

Japan has better bass respond and deeper/larger soundstage


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 27, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Do you carry little napkins with you to wipe your droplets of  tears )
> Mosta be a little uncomfortable when it gets you in a bus or subway haha.
> 
> Then your like no worries its just allergy  ) I good


Don't worry, i'm hiding in my mancave lol
Btw, if Michael Jordan can openly cries in front of tv, it means real man can open the waterworks.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 27, 2020)

I'm curious, to those who use speakers, using 1A/1Z and these amazing FW as source( not Bluetooth), would their sounds improve? A little or a lot? What type of improvements?


----------



## Whitigir

hamhamhamsta said:


> I'm curious, to those who use speakers, using 1A/1Z and these amazing FW as source, would their sounds improve? A little or a lot? What type of improvements?


You meant to ask about using with external amplifier ?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Whitigir said:


> You meant to ask about using with external amplifier ?


I see what you mean. Maybe not, but some speakers are active speakers, so maybe you can hear improvements


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> I see what you mean. Maybe not, but some speakers are active speakers, so maybe you can hear improvements



If you use your balanced out or se of 1z or 1a yes it will  but not if usb out...


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> If you use your balanced out or se of 1z or 1a yes it will  but not if usb out...


Yes, what I mean is how much of these improvements that we hear using iems translate to speakers.


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> Yes, what I mean is how much of these improvements that we hear using iems translate to speakers.



Should be as equal


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> You are hearing correctly
> 
> Japan has better bass respond and deeper/larger soundstage


Seems i need to explain the JP tuning part a little further. Do u mind i borrow your tutorial and evaluation of sound in my post? 
Before i was rushing with the long article, didn't have time to expand that section further


----------



## Morbideath

Lookout57 said:


> OK, I have all of the following mods for macOS built and ready to upload:
> 
> Club 1.01
> DMP-Z1 1.01
> ...


Do u mind if i attach the link to the dmg in my post? In this way people can keep track of things better


----------



## Lookout57

Morbideath said:


> Do u mind if i attach the link to the dmg in my post? In this way people can keep track of things better


Not at all or if you want to pull the files from @kubig123 shared drive and add to yours I'm OK with that.


----------



## Morbideath

Lookout57 said:


> Not at all or if you want to pull the files from @kubig123 shared drive and add to yours I'm OK with that.


right. thank u!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

I only hear crickets here chirp, chirp.....is everyone listening to, rediscovering their music again?


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> I only hear crickets here chirp, chirp.....is everyone listening to, rediscovering their music again?



Dude I am completely submerged.
No time been listening none stop for 2 days!

Right now listening and charging 1z/z1 thats the new name of my wm1z!


----------



## captblaze

drums and bass have my attention tonight


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 27, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Hi all,
> Last year some Chinese enthusiastic worked out a way to modify firmwares and change their sound. ATM I won't dive into disclosing the technical specifics since it may be illegal and ultra troublesome to write, but the results are something profound. I will first elaborate on some basic principles.
> 
> Firmwares do affect sound (nonsense... we all know that). The firmwares of 1A/1Z provided to download all over the world are universal and totally identical (identical MD5 value). But there are TWO SETS of tuning codes to tune 1A/1Z separately, stored WITHIN THE SAME FIRMWARE. The firmware file simply identifies whether your device is 1A or 1Z then it applies the proprietary tunings. It reads the identification codes stored within the firmware and your devices as references to preceed the upgrade.
> ...



30 pages in 3 days. You guys are crazy!
I still prefer to be a lurker, but somebody has to be responsible. Maybe after the dusts settle off and everyone is happy.


----------



## Vitaly2017

captblaze said:


> drums and bass have my attention tonight




Lol the one drum song is truly a single drum ! Hihi pretty  )


----------



## Vitaly2017




----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 27, 2020)

I'll just be honest; these new FWs are nothing short of revolutionary. They transform iems to higher levels that we are aware. I mean, my LimeEar Aether, which I own over 3 years, the most polite and boring iem, good treble but one note bass, by today's standard, now sounds better and more exciting than EE Phantom. How can this be? These positive changes are definitely phenomenal! I didn't know Aether are capable of such performance. Or perhaps, these new FWs reveal what your iems are really capable of.


----------



## Whitigir

I agreed, beefy hardware is nothing without firmware

they are the body and mind !!! Can’t lack one another


----------



## captblaze

WM-1A (no mods) Region J / DMP-Z1 1.01 / Moondrop S8

Ms. Zamajobe Sithole is giving a private show tonight (you would think she is in the room)


----------



## 524419 (Feb 27, 2020)

As soon as my replacement battery gets here, I'll be switching over to the DMP 1.02, can't believe you guys managed to MOD the firmware. This is going to be incredible.
Can't wait.


----------



## gerelmx1986

But Japanese  region doesn't support English if i am right


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 28, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> But Japanese  region doesn't support English if i am right


It supports any language before u switch to J. You only lose the ability to change language in J version
Japanese model (the hardware device) initially came with Japanese language and can't be changed


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> But Japanese  region doesn't support English if i am right


What are you waiting for, go change the to J region. Right now. It definitely sounds better than what you’re hearing now. Everything will still be in English language.


----------



## Redcarmoose

hamhamhamsta said:


> I'll just be honest; these new FWs are nothing short of revolutionary. They transform iems to higher levels that we are aware. I mean, my LimeEar Aether, which I own over 3 years, the most polite and boring iem, good treble but one note bass, by today's standard, now sounds better and more exciting than EE Phantom. How can this be? These positive changes are definitely phenomenal! I didn't know Aether are capable of such performance. Or perhaps, these new FWs reveal what your iems are really capable of.





Whitigir said:


> I agreed, beefy hardware is nothing without firmware
> 
> they are the body and mind !!! Can’t lack one another




Well, and come to think about it, what DAC/amp is really out there that ever will deviate from it’s standard sound, no matter what you do?

Outside of EQ on players, all those digital filter choices have a reputation for doing next to nothing. Has different firmware ever had this much change for the listener...........in history...........ever?

Then we start getting new editions of firmware available for the 1A/1Z and DMP-Z1 which drastically change the listening experience as a whole. Obviously there are physical filters and crossover switches with IEMs, to get a different sound. But as far as amps and DACs.......this is what’s revolutionary. IMO


----------



## Tawek

flyer1 said:


> Can't believe this is happening! A whole new universe opens up for our Walkman's. Current favourite definitely Ultimate 1.0.2. Absolutely stunning on my 1Z/EX1000. Setting the player's region to Japan with rockbox before updating also has quite an impact!


Ex1000 + Obravo 4.4mm cable + 1Z + DMP -Z1 1.02
crazy !!!
what they are capable of these 10 years old iem  goes beyond imagination !!!
best synergy, imaging, bass, space, resolution
this can not be true !!!!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Tawek said:


> Ex1000 + Obravo 4.4mm cable + 1Z + DMP -Z1 1.02
> crazy !!!
> what they are capable of these 10 years old iem  goes beyond imagination !!!
> best synergy, imaging, bass, space, resolution
> this can not be true !!!!


Better believe your ears brother, its called Sony black magic!


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 28, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Well, and come to think about it, what DAC/amp is really out there that ever will deviate from it’s standard sound, no matter what you do?
> 
> Outside of EQ on players, all those digital filter choices have a reputation for doing next to nothing. Has different firmware ever had this much change for the listener...........in history...........ever?
> 
> Then we start getting new editions of firmware available for the 1A/1Z and DMP-Z1 which drastically change the listening experience as a whole. Obviously there are physical filters and crossover switches with IEMs, to get a different sound. But as far as amps and DACs.......this is what’s revolutionary. IMO



Sony actually leaves huge potentials for their hardware and tuning to be digged, they just reserved the best for DMP-Z1 and J region models.
Or maybe in the beginning they weren't intended to reserve anything, until recent years Sony raised the bar by creating DMP-Z1. The evolution of DSP / filter tunings evaded the dated Signature Series, just like those DSD remaster engines and DSEE AI. All the latest best techs went for DMP and even ZX507.
If it weren't for the FW mods, 1A/1Z would be already matured enough for most of us to enjoy.
The modder is revolutionary in a way that he accidentally bridged the gaps between the best in the past and the best by now.
If there will still be improvement for Walkmans, it must be the official FW for DMP 1.03. If no fundamental change incurs by then, we can still port it here to enjoy the pinnacle view.


----------



## proedros

*stock WM1A + NT6 (which is lean/reference and kinda small soundstage)*

which FW should i go for ?

thanx for any feedback


----------



## musicday

proedros said:


> *stock WM1A + NT6 (which is lean/reference and kinda small soundstage)*
> 
> which FW should i go for ?
> 
> thanx for any feedback


Best is to try them all and see which one you like more.


----------



## proedros

musicday said:


> Best is to try them all and see which one you like more.



i just need a recommendation FW to start toying around, i just had to put my Zeus on a pit stop (cause of a faulty cable i use with them) so for the next month it's ''backup'' NT6 to the forefront


----------



## Morbideath

proedros said:


> i just need a recommendatin to start , i just had my Zeus on a pit stop (cause of faulty cable) so for the next month it's ''backup'' NT6 to the frefront


Maybe try WM2Z for a conservative start, then D1.01 and D1.02
Theoretically Ultimate series may be too aggressive for your setups


----------



## proedros (Feb 28, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Maybe try WM2Z for a conservative start, then D1.01 and D1.02
> Theoretically Ultimate series may be too aggressive for your setups




thank you , i have already downloaded all FWs , will start with those and see where it goes

one more question , i have the *Japan Tourist model , will it need to do the mod with the notepad mod or not ?*


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 28, 2020)

proedros said:


> thank you , i have already downloaded all FWs , will start with those and see where it goes


I think proedros might like LPGT FW haha
I know I do, what can I say, I love treble extremes, a glutton for punishment lol


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 28, 2020)

proedros said:


> thank you , i have already downloaded all FWs , will start with those and see where it goes
> 
> one more question , i have the *Japan Tourist model , will it need to do the mod with the notepad mod or not ?*


Im not sure, u need rockbox tool to verify, with a simple command line.
My post contains a link to Whitigir's tutorial


----------



## Morbideath

hamhamhamsta said:


> I think proedros might like LPGT FW haha
> I know I do, what can I say, I love treble extremes, a glutton for punishment lol



Oh i saw he mention his IEM is reference like and lean. Never mind then. No hurt to try them all


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Morbideath said:


> Oh i saw he mention his IEM is reference like and lean. Never mind then. No hurt to try them all


Yeah well, proedros loves EE Zeus and NT6, both are famous for their trebles.


----------



## proedros

first things first , i just installed 3.02 will leave it for a little to see how it sounds , take a breath and then move on into the unknown darkness of those new FWs


----------



## Morbideath

proedros said:


> first things first , i just installed 3.02 will leave it for a little to see how it sounds , take a breath and then move on into the unknown darkness of those new FWs


Welcome to the dark side! The void will consume your mind.


----------



## proedros

fuc.k 3.02 , i started installing DMP-Z1 here it goes


----------



## hamhamhamsta

proedros said:


> first things first , i just installed 3.02 will leave it for a little to see how it sounds , take a breath and then move on into the unknown darkness of those new FWs


Please post your findings for these new FWs.
I think you would be greatly surprised by how good they are, but I digress.


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> fuc.k 3.02 , i started installing DMP-Z1 here it goes


Lol!!!! That was so fast!!!


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> Lol!!!! That was so fast!!!



well i had tried 3.02 a bit in the past and did not like it , so yeah

onward to DMP-Z1 , will try to keep impressions in my mind , too bad that my Zeus are without their cable (Lionheart) but this is probably a good excuse to re-acquaint mysel with the very good but neglected NT6


----------



## Whitigir

@Diet Kokaine the battery will take forever ....Covid19 is wrecking everything, coming to a state near you


----------



## 524419 (Feb 28, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> @Diet Kokaine the battery will take forever ....Covid19 is wrecking everything, coming to a state near you


My sister is a doctor at UC DAVIS, she is on the team that is taking care of the 1st Corona Virus case in Northern California.
Yeah, this one is hitting close to home.
ADD: The emergency Doctors that treated the woman are under quarantine....

I do hope they ship the battery sooner rather than later, If there is going to be a pandemic, I would at least like to have my music as I watch the world burn


----------



## Whitigir

Diet Kokaine said:


> My sister is a doctor at UC DAVIS, she is on the team that is taking care of the 1st Corona Virus case in Northern California.
> Yeah, this one is hitting close to home.
> ADD: The emergency Doctors that treated the woman are under quarantine....
> 
> I do hope they ship the battery sooner rather than later, If there is going to be a pandemic, I would at least like to have my music as I watch the world burn


Thank to your sister.  She is a hero !!! And every other health workers

I do hope that we can control this outbreak before it gets any worse.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 28, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Sony actually leaves huge potentials for their hardware and tuning to be digged, they just reserved the best for DMP-Z1 and J region models.
> Or maybe in the beginning they weren't intended to reserve anything, until recent years Sony raised the bar by creating DMP-Z1. The evolution of DSP / filter tunings evaded the dated Signature Series, just like those DSD remaster engines and DSEE AI. All the latest best techs went for DMP and even ZX507.
> If it weren't for the FW mods, 1A/1Z would be already matured enough for most of us to enjoy.
> The modder is revolutionary in a way that he accidentally bridged the gaps between the best in the past and the best by now.
> If there will still be improvement for Walkmans, it must be the official FW for DMP 1.03. If no fundamental change incurs by then, we can still port it here to enjoy the pinnacle view.



To bad someone can’t fly a TA over to him. Obviously this is all totally subjective. But then of course you start to read about group opinion. And there is something to be said of the wisdom of group opinion. Look at how companies do study groups where they try out taste tests and listen to group opinion, trying obviously to somehow consolidate individual subjectivity. With all that said I’m pretty sure there is some unlocked potential in the TA-ZH1ES signature? It’s perfect with the MDR-Z7 and MDR-Z1R, but can be slightly dark with some IEMs. It passes up the Walkmans in some areas. But as there is no way to alter the tone, it may be set very conservative, almost old-school sounding. Being able to change the tone like Walkman firmwares would be a amazing. Though remember too, the Walkmans and DMP-Z1 are all made, and designed by a separate engineering wing with a different “TA” wing at designing the “TA”.

I’ll eventually try the new firmwares, though I haven’t yet.


----------



## 524419 (Feb 28, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Thank to your sister.  She is a hero !!! And every other health workers
> 
> I do hope that we can control this outbreak before it gets any worse.


The mortality rate for Corona Virus is rather low. Especially when compared to the  1918 Flu outbreak.
I am hoping this fizzles out, like the Bird FLU etc..scare.
About 50,000 people die of the Normal flu in the US every year, sooo...we have to take that into consideration too.

And yes, these Healthcare workers, bear the brunt of these epidemics, they are on the front lines to say the least. It's a tough job.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Diet Kokaine said:


> The mortality rate for Corona Virus is rather low. Especially when compared to the  1914 Flu outbreak.
> I am hoping this fizzles out, like the Bird FLU etc..scare.
> About 50,000 people die of the Normal flu in the US every year, sooo...we have to take that into consideration too.
> 
> And yes, these Healthcare workers, bear the brunt of these epidemics, they are on the front lines to say the least. It's a tough job.



Yes, we are at 78,000 Flu deaths.

https://www.worldometers.info/


----------



## officeboy20

Can anyone compare the 1Z with DMP-Z1 firmware against SP2K cu? Thank you!


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> To bad someone can’t fly a TA over to him. Obviously this is all totally subjective. But then of course you start to read about group opinion. And there is something to be said of the wisdom of group opinion. Look at how companies do study groups where they try out taste tests and listen to group opinion, trying obviously to somehow consolidate individual subjectivity. With all that said I’m pretty sure there is some unlocked potential in the TA-ZH1ES signature? It’s perfect with the MDR-Z7 and MDR-Z1R, but can be slightly dark with some IEMs. It passes up the Walkmans in some areas. But as there is no way to alter the tone, it may be set very conservative, almost old-school sounding. Being able to change the tone like Walkman firmwares would be a amazing. Though remember too, the Walkmans and DMP-Z1 are all made, and designed by a separate engineering wing with a different “TA” wing at designing the “TA”.
> 
> I’ll eventually try the new firmwares, though I haven’t yet.



I've been through various groups, from local groups, domestic forums to Head-fi, and this time at Head-fi I tried to stay out of the scene without "consolidating" subjectivities. Yet in 3 days everyone got a lot crazier than I expected... Stay calm as you are, I cannot, even after listening to the new sounds for months.
I remember at first stage (later 2019) many people still criticized the mods for sounding bad and deviating from Sony house sound for too far. Now I see a clear progression path.


----------



## Whitigir

Well the thing isn’t about the mortality rate that is being reported.

I never seen a country isolate itself and quarantine in a mass scale like what China is doing.  They are on the quest to conquer 1 world order, and being strong in Trade war against the US, but somehow have to fold down and succumb into the quarantine procedures that effect it own economy and then the rest of the world as China is the strongest suppliers anyone can have ?
There is something funky going on.  i don’t want to sound negatives .... so I will stop it here

Better stay safe guys.  Your best bet is 100% alcohol for cleaning purposes, hands, surfaces, packages....etc


----------



## proedros

first initial/maybe placebo impressions with *DMPZ1 fw on my stock WM1A* , soundstage seems bigger/expanded and i get better imaging/separation ?

maybe it's placebo or expectancy bias, still this is a great way for us to toy around with our WM1A/Z until this coronavirus thing blows over(?)


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> Well the thing isn’t about the mortality rate that is being reported.
> 
> I never seen a country isolate itself and quarantine in a mass scale like what China is doing.  They are on the quest to conquer 1 world order, and being strong in Trade war against the US, but somehow have to fold down and succumb into the quarantine procedures that effect it own economy and then the rest of the world as China is the strongest suppliers anyone can have ?
> There is something funky going on.  i don’t want to sound negatives .... so I will stop it here
> ...


Yes the cost is beyond huge here. But we have already controlled the virus, most provinces almost eliminate the contagions, with Wuhan fighting the last battleground. It is the rest of the world we are now worrying about, since most countries won't act like the way we did. it costs too much.


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> Well the thing isn’t about the mortality rate that is being reported.
> 
> I never seen a country isolate itself and quarantine in a mass scale like what China is doing.  They are on the quest to conquer 1 world order, and being strong in Trade war against the US, but somehow have to fold down and succumb into the quarantine procedures that effect it own economy and then the rest of the world as China is the strongest suppliers anyone can have ?
> There is something funky going on.  i don’t want to sound negatives .... so I will stop it here
> ...


China's economy was collapsing before this Scare. I just think it's too convenient, now they have something to blame. The trade war and the insane US deficits have already done the damage.
I still think this is a lot to do about nothing.... Hopefully I am right. 
But yes, take care of yourself, better safe than sorry.


----------



## proedros

what China did is remarkable , but i am not sure if other countries can show that kind of discipline to contain their virus cases

i see how much the virus is spiralling in nearby Italy in last few days and to be honest the scary thing will be if there is a virus mutation that makes the mortality rates climb from 2% to something like 20% - then i will start to be really worried

curious if this thing fizzles out or we are just in the initial phase of something much bigger and scarier.....


----------



## 524419

proedros said:


> what China did is remarkable , but i am not sure if other countries can show that kind of discipline to contain their virus cases
> 
> i see how much the virus is spiralling in nearby Italy in last few days and to be honest the scary thing will be if there is a virus mutation that makes the mortality rates climb from 2% to something like 20% - then i will start to be really worried
> 
> curious if this thing fizzles out or we are just in the initial phase of something much bigger and scarier.....


The 2% mortality rate is amongst the people hospitalized. That is not the real number of infections out there. 
Mortality rate is much much lower.


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 28, 2020)

The mortality rates is low because now the base number is low. The scary side of this virus is its very high contagious feature. When everyone is infected, your medical system cannot afford so many patients, then many die due to the lack of medical treatment.
We have been through this process. Only radical procedures can conquer it.


----------



## 524419 (Feb 28, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> The mortality rates is low because now the base number is low. The scary side of this virus is its very high contagious feature. When everyone is contagious, your medical system cannot afford so many patients, then many die due to the lack of medical treatment.


Just for comparison. The mortality rate of all the patients hospitalized for the common flu every year is 7.5%.
I am not saying this is not serious, but so far it is a lot of fear mongering...
Now that might change, but so far it is not something that should stop World trade, or collapse entire economies.

Sorry for derailing this thread.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Super exciting diving into update Ultimate 1.02 on the 1A with Noble Encore, had nice imaging and clarity. Probably stay with Club 1.01 for a week or two?


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> Super exciting diving into update Ultimate 1.02 on the 1A with Noble Encore, had nice imaging and clarity. Probably stay with Club 1.01 for a week or two?


i would recommend D1.02 to you… Darth Vader


----------



## octobeard

Installed D1.02 on my WM1A, still too early to really give feedback, but is there some info labeling the fw version in OS? right now my Unit Information just shows the usual 3.02 version. Would be helpful to know what is loaded at a glance. 

Just also realized I passed 1000 hours played on this thing literally an hour ago, so wooo! milestones.


----------



## Morbideath

octobeard said:


> Installed D1.02 on my WM1A, still too early to really give feedback, but is there some info labeling the fw version in OS? right now my Unit Information just shows the usual 3.02 version. Would be helpful to know what is loaded at a glance.
> 
> Just also realized I passed 1000 hours played on this thing literally an hour ago, so wooo! milestones.


It would remain showing 3.02. U can only differentiate from the sound.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Morbideath said:


> i would recommend D1.02 to you… Darth Vader







You mean this one?


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> You mean this one?


Yep. Its a direct port from official DMP 1.02


----------



## octobeard (Feb 28, 2020)

I should also add I got a weird error trying to run the .dmg install and went to Windows to install the exe no problem. Are they compatible with Catalina?

Edit: added photo


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 28, 2020)

So, lady and gentleman.  I have joined the Team of the dark side and had been experimenting a whole night.... but I believe I had composed some neat Theories as of how and why these things do what it does


----------



## musicday

Did anyone tried for a longer time Meze Rai Penta with 1Z? And the verdict is...?


----------



## siruspan

I've reviewed Rai Penta bo only tried with 1A


----------



## proedros

2-hours using the *DMPZ1 fw , on stock wm1a + NT6 *

wow , this sorcery is for real - i am a believer. Very curious how the other FWs will sound , i kinda hated 3.02 but this is great tuning and with NT6 which is very very lean and reference and with kinda closed soundstage there is a definite transformation/improvement - plus, i hear things i have never heard (even with my Zeus XR)



Great job whoever did all those FWs , sony is cooking.


----------



## buzzlulu (Feb 28, 2020)

I have been following these firmware updates since inception however I have not yet taken the plunge as my Axios headphone cables are at Kimber being terminated.

Two questions:

1) Are most people using these firmware updates with iem's and not actually headphones (ie in my case Utopias)?  Are Headphones seeing similar improvements?

2) NO FLAME THROWERS PLEASE as it is a very serious question.

I thank the poster of these firmwares and the work they have done.
However
Before loading these onto our computers for installation has anyone run any antivirus check on them?  By nature I play devil's advocate.  When I see a brand new member to the forum post firmware updates the very next day after he joins - it is a question to ask.

Once again no disrespect intended however logically in today's world it is a reasonable question to ask.

PS - I'm sure my second question will get most of the replies however don't forget about the first part dealing with headphones vs. iem's


----------



## Morbideath

actually I had an ID ten years ago but forgot the password. I merely posted 3 posts for the ten years so I registered a new one instead.
Hope the others could answer your questions soon.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Morbideath said:


> Yep. Its a direct port from official DMP 1.02


Strangely I can’t download it, the rest fine? Listening to DMP 1.01 now, pretty good, smooth really for the 1A.


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> Strangely I can’t download it, the rest fine? Listening to DMP 1.01 now, pretty good, smooth really for the 1A.


I checked on my side, I can download it, and so could many others. u may wanna check what's going on


----------



## siruspan

buzzlulu said:


> I have been following these firmware updates since inception however I have not yet taken the plunge as my Axios headphone cables are at Kimber being terminated.
> 
> Two questions:
> 
> ...



I use Malwarebytes Premium and it didn't picked up anything


----------



## Damz87

Whitigir said:


> Agreed, now go try out Ultimate 1.0.2 and you will hear the improvements
> 
> Ofcourse the technicalities of DMP is superior, but to be able to utilize the DSP from DMP on Walkman is an amazing feature



I'm really liking Ultimate 1.02 - More aggressive than DMP-Z1 1.02 which suits my music taste. DMP-Z1 1.02 would be my 2nd choice followed by DMP-Z1 1.01.

All three are so much better than stock 3.02 in my opinion. It's amazing what firmware can do. @Morbideath I can't thank you enough for sharing these! You are a legend!


----------



## Whitigir

Damz87 said:


> I'm really liking Ultimate 1.02 - More aggressive than DMP-Z1 1.02 which suits my music taste. DMP-Z1 1.02 would be my 2nd choice followed by DMP-Z1 1.01.
> 
> All three are so much better than stock 3.02 in my opinion. It's amazing what firmware can do. @Morbideath I can't thank you enough for sharing these! You are a legend!


Now if you like Ultimate 1.0.2, you should try what I shared “DMP portable!!!” Lol


----------



## Redcarmoose

Morbideath said:


> I checked on my side, I can download it, and so could many others. u may wanna check what's going on



Yes, it’s totally on my side. Thanks for the everything. It’s going to take time to hear them all. Thank-you......this is dream-like.


----------



## Damz87

Whitigir said:


> Now if you like Ultimate 1.0.2, you should try what I shared “DMP portable!!!” Lol



Lol - alright, that one is in the queue to try next 

Just reading @Morbideath 's summary of Ultimate 1.02:

*"Ultimate 1.01 *and *Ultimate 1.02* are the wild attempt trying to combine best of the three worlds: the goodness of 1A, 1Z and Z1. U1.01 sits on the basis of DMP-Z1 1.01 while U1.02 is modified based on DMP Z1 1.02. Some regard U1.02 to be the best FWs ever. The Ultimate series have a more extended treble and bass than DMP mods. HOWEVER, It is observed that people with pure BA IEMs, inferior setups or even stock 1A will find it too overwhelming, due to the extreme information and details retrieval not properly handled. People with superior gears, however, will find Ultimate series scale well with the setup, pushing the performance of 1A/1Z beyond the limits. Thus I suggest those who have beastly setups try U1.02 for its ultimate performance."

I'm pairing with the Anole VX & Luminox Audio DFN 4.4mm cable. All BA detail monsters - It's incredible!!


----------



## Morbideath

Damz87 said:


> Lol - alright, that one is in the queue to try next
> 
> Just reading @Morbideath 's summary of Ultimate 1.02:
> 
> ...



well... my observation came from Andromedas haha.
Are your device in AUS?


----------



## Damz87 (Feb 28, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> well... my observation came from Andromedas haha.
> Are your device in AUS?



Yeah Australian version. No idea what was going on yesterday but I think the issue might have been with my PC? Not sure, but anyway I factory reset my wm1z, switched back to stock fw 1.01, then back to stock 3.02, then tried your ones again and they worked perfectly


----------



## Morbideath

ahhh ok, i wanted to suggest u try to fix the installation using my guide in the spoiler. AUS seems to be treated the same as JP.


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> I think proedros might like LPGT FW haha
> I know I do, what can I say, I love treble extremes, a glutton for punishment lol




you need to be careful with that LPGT fw it will make you cry again haha


----------



## Damz87

I'


Morbideath said:


> ahhh ok, i wanted to suggest u try to fix the installation using my guide in the spoiler. AUS seems to be treated the same as JP.


Thanks for the guide. I will try that anyway and see what happens


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> So, lady and gentleman.  I have joined the Team of the dark side and had been experimenting a whole night.... but I believe I had composed some neat Theories as of how and why these things do what it does.
> 
> If anyone of you care about this.  I composed a version that is the closest to DMP Z1.  Download it before  I take it down
> 
> ...



Interestingly Microsoft Defender required a sequirity scan of the exe file when unpacking this one, none of the others have required that


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Interestingly Microsoft Defender required a sequirity scan of the exe file when unpacking this one, none of the others have required that


No worry, I don’t have anything funky in there, just a sub folder inside a folder because I had so many experiments to work out the theories.  Feel free to scan it


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 28, 2020)

Edited due to invalid reason


----------



## Damz87

Whatever the secret sauce is in this Ultimate 1.02 fw has got me addicted. I can't stop listening


----------



## hireslover

Morbideath said:


> ahhh ok, i wanted to suggest u try to fix the installation using my guide in the spoiler. AUS seems to be treated the same as JP.


How do you know or check which version you have?


----------



## simon740

hireslover said:


> How do you know or check which version you have?


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15487867


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 28, 2020)

It’s really a curiosity why the Sony corporation would not think these renditions of the Walkman sound would benefit everyone; including Walkman sales. Is it that  they didn’t have the ability to reduce the DMP-Z1 software by 10% so the Walkmans could utilize them? It may simply be that the DMP-Z1 renditions are a creative random discovery using primarily the effort in programming and sound architecture designed for the DMP-Z1? Obviously the 3rd party software is fantastic. It’s also surprising the public could out-do Sony at there own game, with a bunch of help due to Sony’s existing software. I haven’t made it to 1.02 yet but D1.01 makes the 1A better sounding than it’s ever been. The soundstage is more 3D. The background is deep and super black.


----------



## buzzlulu

So asking again my question #2

Are these firmware updates primarily geared for iem’s or do headphone users also benefit (Utopia)?


----------



## hireslover

simon740 said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15487867


Thanks mate


----------



## Whitigir

buzzlulu said:


> So asking again my question #2
> 
> Are these firmware updates primarily geared for iem’s or do headphone users also benefit (Utopia)?


Everyone will benefit

Remember, to maximize the performances, switch into Japan regional code


----------



## DONTGIVEUP

Hello everyone!

Out of curiosity, What is wrong with the original firmware of 1Z or 1A to make you do these modded fw?


----------



## Whitigir

Nothing is wrong, the idea is to improve the performances.  You can always roll back and forth judging with your ears and hearings.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 28, 2020)

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Hello everyone!
> 
> Out of curiosity, What is wrong with the original firmware of 1Z or 1A to make you do these modded fw?



I still haven’t even changed from 3.02 on the 1Z. But everyone is going to have slightly different reasons. The reasons though will be parallel to the typical issues audiophiles have. Finding a firmware which creates an improved sonic landscape can come from many directions and will center on personal sound signature preferences as well as IEMs used.

So far with the 1A, 3.02 is too bright....so I rolled back to 3.01 before the mods came. But the DMP-Z1 1.01 update offers a blacker background and overall smoothness taking a tiny bit of the digital-edge away replacing it with a bigger soundstage and naturalness. If you do update DMP-1Z 1.02 is a much more popular update; I just haven’t got to it.


----------



## Damz87 (Feb 28, 2020)

Well, that was one of my best listening sessions I've had for a very long time. Could easily sit here and listen to music the whole night but I have to be a functioning adult tomorrow unfortunately.

The Ultimate 1.02 fw is some sort of witchcraft for my ears.

Tried out a few different IEM's. Here are my thoughts:

IER-Z1R: Still my no.1 and sounds even more incredible with U1.02. The treble really stands out as the biggest improvement. Detail retrieval is through the roof. But, I think it amplifies the V signature a fair bit so it may not suit everyone.

IER-M9: Probably the biggest improvement of the lot with this firmware. M9 can sound boring at times, but not at all with this firmware. Dynamics are noticeably improved. I think M9 owners/fans will be very happy with this fw.

Andromeda S: Meh. I think I prefer the stock fw with the andros.

Anole VX: Detail is taken to an even higher level. Was impressed initially but after hearing the others, the improvements didn't feel so huge.

Solaris SE: These are still new to me so I'm still forming my opinion, but listening to them with this fw was the best I've heard them so far. Sparkly airy treble like Andromeda but with DD bass, but the bass extended a bit further. Massive soundstage. Nicely balanced.

EX1000: More detail, bass slightly elevated from normal, treble sounds nice (not too peaky)


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> No worry, I don’t have anything funky in there, just a sub folder inside a folder because I had so many experiments to work out the theories.  Feel free to scan it



I didn't expect there to be and the scan didn't find anything, just strange


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 28, 2020)

Yes, just switched to DMP-1Z 1.02......and I don’t think the 1A can get any better? Authority in spades along with a giant soundstage with more detail than ever. Really detail in places which far surpasses the 1Z with 3.02? It’s scary good? Unbelievable really.

Wait for me to say the classic, listening to old songs and hearing new things. There...... just said it. It’s super realism timbre and great surprising-clarity, but not detail from some treble boost, just detail from resolution.

It’s just so listenable and correct sounding? Definitely the wildest thing to happen to me in audio this year. 44.1-24bit tracks are another level. It’s like what has been written a post or two back. This software needs a place to go, either with files or equipment; it then goes there.


----------



## musicday

The new firmwares or cable modifications affects battery life at all?


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, just switched to DMP-1Z 1.02......and I don’t think the 1A can get any better? Authority in spades along with a giant soundstage with more detail than ever. Really detail in places which far surpasses the 1Z with 3.02? It’s scary good? Unbelievable really.
> 
> Wait for me to say the classic, listening to old songs and hearing new things. There...... just said it. It’s super realism timbre and great surprising-clarity, but not detail from some treble boost, just detail from resolution.
> 
> It’s just so listenable and correct sounding? Definitely the wildest thing to happen to me in audio this year. 44.1-24bit tracks are another level. It’s like what has been written a post or two back. This software needs a place to go, either with files or equipment; it then goes there.


are u affected by "group wisdom" or simply convinced by what u are hearing?
The more you listen, the more you will discover


----------



## Morbideath

musicday said:


> The new firmwares or cable modifications affects battery life at all?


I don't feel any change. 
But some mods (such as Ultimate) is louder / elevating noise floor, and gives the illusion of more power output


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 28, 2020)

It’s hard to believe the 1A was held back by firmware all this time. We simply took for granted that the manufacturer was doing all they could to improve the sound with firmware progression. And.....in some ways there was progress. But the 1A had a hidden personality. Maybe it was physically modified with different capacitors or wires to add a tone change? But DMP-1Z 1.02 firmware update with the 1A fully bridges the gap closer between the 1Z in normal firmware, and the 1A. The bass in not only there, it’s textured and tonally correct. It’s a huge step in physicality getting closer to the robustness of the 1Z, yet offering it’s own personality for once. Everything blends together as it should. I’m listening to (2006RMST) Boston-Boston. Little things like picks sliding on strings are way over in their own area. Both the vocals and bass have this great pace and harmonic attack. Probably best of all is the 1A  finally has amazing bass. And that bass interferes with nothing. The imaging of reverb on this album has always been magical but now it’s thick and immersive.

1A-ZENTOO 4core 4.4mm to Noble K-10 Encore


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 28, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> are u affected by "group wisdom" or simply convinced by what u are hearing?
> The more you listen, the more you will discover



The power of suggestion is strong; group suggestion stronger. And ontop of that we maybe only truly understand 1/2 of what we perceive, in the place where placebo and self-impressions are generated, that girl in the bar at 2AM can look pretty hot. That’s why it does take time to know what’s up. But I’m pretty sure there is a big difference here?


----------



## Morbideath

buzzlulu said:


> So asking again my question #2
> 
> Are these firmware updates primarily geared for iem’s or do headphone users also benefit (Utopia)?


They weren't meant to gear for anything. Its a pure jump for 1A/1Z themselves.


----------



## simon740

Hello,

What IEMs do you recommend for wm1a?
I listen primarily to jazz, blues, classical, rock.

regards,
Simon


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> The power of suggestion is strong; group suggestion stronger. And ontop of that we maybe only truly understand 1/2 of what we perceive, in the place where placebo and self-impressions are generated, that girl in the bar at 2AM can look pretty hot. That’s why it does take time to know what’s up. But I’m pretty sure there is a big difference here?



Yes i still think she's hot!


----------



## Whitigir

I dare you to tell (or precisely to think) your wife that she isn’t as hot as the first time you met


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> I dare you to tell (or precisely to think) your wife that she isn’t as hot as the first time you met



since she accepts that i am involved in this wallet abusing hobby, she is better than ever


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> I dare you to tell (or precisely to think) your wife that she isn’t as hot as the first time you met



Mine certainly still is after being together for 42 years, it’s just a different flavour of hot than it was then


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 28, 2020)




----------



## Whitigir

Exactly !! Because if once in your mind thinking that your wife isn’t hot, she will no longer be your wife....hence many people cheat and divorce LOL


----------



## bflat

The firmware mods are pretty cool especially since they are being shared for free. Kudos to @Morbideath for bringing this to Head-Fi!

For those who haven't tried the mods yet, my opinion is that the changes are on the level of cable rolling or digital filter changes. At least for me, this is one of the options that get that last bit of optimization for your given WM1 and your IEM/Headphone. By "optimize" I mean one version of the firmware mod may sound great with one IEM but not another. Such is the tradeoff for getting to this level of finesse.

Now one may ask why didn't Sony give us better firmware from stock? Well to my early comment, Sony has to offer stock firmware that will sound good for an unlimited range of IEMs and headphones so it has to be somewhat plain vanilla. Alternatively, Sony could have given us a UI to make these changes like Android developer options. However, that is a double edged sword since Sony would have to document and support such options, making future firmware upgrades more challenging plus it will give insight to Sony's competitors on their proprietary technology - one of the reasons why Apple iOS doesn't offer advanced setup.

But now we have an unofficial way of getting that last bit of tuning so give it try and remember there will be 180 deg differences of opinion at times because these mods are at such a specific tuning/synergy level. But the best part - it only costs your time to try it!


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> Exactly !! Because if once in your mind thinking that your wife isn’t hot, she will no longer be your wife....hence many people cheat and divorce LOL


Are u speaking of my new love, Jupiter?


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 29, 2020)

Edited due to invalid reason


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> *Original*: the most Flat, Neutral, details retrieved as intended by Sony
> *Musical*: The _mixture and balanced_ of Original and Fun
> *Fun*: The most fun version but some people may prefer the other two above
> 
> https://drive.google.com/open?id=10REQaWNUM66HgFwagPRu7-T7cOiIIRJ8


I have never had so much fun until now! Call me obsessed


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 28, 2020)

bflat said:


> The firmware mods are pretty cool especially since they are being shared for free. Kudos to @Morbideath for bringing this to Head-Fi!
> 
> For those who haven't tried the mods yet, my opinion is that the changes are on the level of cable rolling or digital filter changes. At least for me, this is one of the options that get that last bit of optimization for your given WM1 and your IEM/Headphone. By "optimize" I mean one version of the firmware mod may sound great with one IEM but not another. Such is the tradeoff for getting to this level of finesse.
> 
> ...



Well, maybe Morbideath works for Sony? Who would ever suspect a name like that representing a giant corporation? It’s perfect.

DMP-1Z 1.02 will add something to every IEM. It’s literally better sound quality out of the 1A in my opinion. But I have posted the same questions as you. And........I do have one final science fiction theory.

I may suggest that Sony started in 2016, released the players with the best firmware. There became a time later when the team was developing the DMP-Z1 when they were able to unleash much more quality from the Walkman1Z/1A system. When they took note of that they folded the sonic improvements into the DMP-Z1 then accepted that it was business like to simply supply a watered down version to the 1A and 1Z; still an improvement and still better than the rest of the market. Thus they had room for better 1Amk2 and 1Zmk2 and could still sell the 40th anniversary Walkman and others. The technology in the 1A and 1Z was too good and they could not top it, especially with the new DMP-1Z firmware 90% inside.


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 28, 2020)

Exactly why there are “modifications”.  It isn’t like we (modders) think that we are better than Sony engineers.  We are not better, we simply know enough and we can remove the “imposed limitations” on the products we enjoy.  Without Sony, there would be no Walkman, and hence would be no modifications.....we would all be stuck with “insert brand”


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> Exactly why there are “modifications”.  It isn’t like we (modders) think that we are better than Sony engineers.  We are not better, we simply know enough and we can remove the “imposed limitations” on the products we enjoy.  Without Sony, there would be no Walkman, and hence would be no modifications.....we would all be stuck with “insert brand”



Sony has to be cautious when publishing firmwares. not that the WM series is prone to bricking, but i wouldnt want to be the engineer that pushed an update that caused a massive warranty debacle


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> Sony has to be cautious when publishing firmwares. not that the WM series is prone to bricking, but i wouldnt want to be the engineer that pushed an update that caused a massive warranty debacle


Shhh, we don’t want Sony here.  Everything can be easily further encrypted and Voila...no more black magic and voodoo


----------



## normie610

Whitigir said:


> Anyways, I am trying to prove a working theory and guys keep challenging with more craving for a combination of both
> 
> I also challenge myself too!!! But this is the end of it.
> 
> ...



Thanks! I really like Fun, haven’t tried Musical but Fun is right up there with U1.02. Good job @Whitigir !


----------



## Vitaly2017

Guys dmp1.02 is the best Fw !
Get it install and shut ya mouth hahah

And dont tell Sony! 

Or youd be forced buying the real dmp-z1 for 10 000$ !


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 28, 2020)

My new favorite has just became Whitigir's Fun mod. It makes me already forgotten what D1.02 sounds like…
I call it Jupiter, the bringer of joy; Jupiter, the 41th symphony

it’s 2:40AM here, somebody pls put me to sleep......


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> Well, maybe Morbideath works for Sony? Who would ever suspect a name like that representing a giant corporation? It’s perfect.



I’m pretty sure Whitigir is from Sony. No one knows Walkman better than he does.
My name is too evil Sony would not accept anyone from the dark side...


----------



## Lookout57

I have been able to confirm that none of the modified firmware installers nor the official Sony updater will run on macOS Catalina 10.15. They only run on macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier.

Sony only documents support for macOS High Sierra 10.13 or earlier in the download link for the official updater. I guess that it does work in macOS Mojave 10.14 is a lucky coincidence. 

So until Sony adds support for macOS Catalina 10.15 you need to have access to a macOS Mojave 10.14 system or heaven forbid a Windows 10 system to change the firmware.


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> I’m pretty sure Whitigir is from Sony. No one knows Walkman better than he does.
> My name is too evil Sony would not accept anyone from the dark side...


LOL, nah...I am a little fish in the pond of enthusiasts...not even Sony pond


----------



## proedros (Feb 28, 2020)

started today with DMPZ1 , time to try the next FW wm2z

stock WM1A + NT6 

this thread is BOOMING 4 years after its start what else is there to say ? just one request

*can someone upload all 3 Whitigr FWs together in one neat Winrar file please ?*

Much appreciated , thanx guys


----------



## octobeard (Feb 28, 2020)

So listened to DMP-Z1 1.02 last night and have 1.01 currently installed on my WM1A. For reference I am listening on 64 Audio A12ts.

D1.02 is actually quite dramatic. It didn't take more than a couple of songs to realize how significantly the soundstage width and depth changed, but also what in the sound signature enabled that - a significant boost in the upper mids/lower treble. I never found stock 3.02 strident, maybe a bit neutral, especially compared to previous firmware versions, but the DMP-Z1 1.02 definitely boosts air and treble in a way to help enable that soundstage depth and width. Definitely makes the sound signature a bit more U-shaped I think. Along with the significantly improved dynamics, this firmware became a touch bit more fatiguing for me than stock, if you believe it!

D1.01 also does this, but it's slightly more flat - with more emphasis down low and soundstage width/depth a bit smaller in comparison to 1.02. This might just be that the treble is pulled back a touch exposing the bass more. It's a very pleasing and relaxed tuning. Definitely prefer the sound signature of this one more than 1.02, but I lament the missing depth to the stage on some songs and the freaky black magic quality, but definitely like the slightly more emphasized lows and less fatigue up top for extended listening.

But damn, the holographic qualities of 1.02 and the overall *resolution* improvements in both are dramatic. Improved dynamics too and blacker backgrounds for sure. There's no going back to stock after this. There is definitely more detail/resolution available here. One thing that was way more evident to me listening to both these versions is that poorly mixed/mastered music is much less enjoyable now. Stuff like Jlin's records which are mixed super hot in the upper mids/lower treble and lack depth sound pretty harsh now. The conclusions being made above about Sony pulling back on some of the sound quality with subsequent firmware updates might make sense in the context of trying to sell the DMP-Z1 alongside the WM1Z and WM1A. This work around definitely shows how much _software_ is making these players sound better/worse moreso than the hardware. Having demoed 1A and 1Z, this change to 1.02 was a much bigger improvement than switching to the 1Z. No doubt Sony is furious about this thread and curtain pullback.


----------



## simon740

After successfully loading FW do I have to reset my device?


----------



## Lookout57

simon740 said:


> After successfully loading FW do I have to reset my device?


No


----------



## RobertP (Feb 28, 2020)

Haven't check HeadFi for a week and I'm so excited right now to see someone came up with these mod firmwares. Big thanks to Morbideath! I must agree with what Whitigir said so far. After try them all, U1.02 is my favorite at the moment. Even though I have just IEM. Better imaging, separation, depth, lower mid and high extension. A bit less airy imo.


----------



## nc8000

This evening with Japan region and Ultimate 1.0.2. It just keeps getting better. I never heard much difference between any of the stock fw, but deffinately hear it with Ultimate and Z 1.0.2 coming from stock 3.02. 1Z with IER-Z1R and this new fw is probably the best rig I've owned, better than my main home rig and up there with some of the more esoteric rigs I've heard at meets


----------



## ttt123

DONTGIVEUP said:


> Hello everyone!
> 
> Out of curiosity, What is wrong with the original firmware of 1Z or 1A to make you do these modded fw?


Do you object to a girl putting on makeup, asking her "what is wrong with the original?"  Would adding salt to a dish spoil the Chef's creation?  
One answer is:  There is nothing wrong.  Both are good.  Just a different shade of goodness.


----------



## proedros

what a time to be alive


----------



## octobeard

Kinda crazy but this update has made my portable setup (WM1A + A12t) leapfrog my Verite and Mjolnir2. WTH


----------



## nc8000 (Feb 28, 2020)

proedros said:


> started today with DMPZ1 , time to try the next FW wm2z
> 
> stock WM1A + NT6
> 
> ...



When it has finished uploading to dropbox I’ll share a zip that contains:

all original fw (Windows installer)
all modded fw
service manual
user manual
lastest rockbox tool with documentation

And here it is

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kk4rzxr4wtpbvcr/Sony NW-WM1Z.zip?dl=0


----------



## Lookout57

As people put up their impressions to the different firmwares, I have an ask that I think will make it easier to compare impressions. 

Could you list the following:

Firmware version
Sony model including any hardware modifications
IEM or Headphone model(s)
Cable(s)
Optionally music used listed by tracks, artists or genres

By documenting this, I think we can determine possible starting points for future members of the Sony Firmware Modification Club and make it easier to reference impressions.


----------



## Peter Ruby

Good god, I take a little time off from here and I find this? It’s going to be a fun weekend.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I just put on my pw 1960 and holy wow

The dmp1.02 + pw 1960 and 1z/z1
What a sound! I seriously haven't heard this type of sound no where in my life.

Its enormous  so so grandiose just like a first row theater live show just for you )


----------



## dninsan

Well, last night, after flashing DMP-Z1 1.02, I did some listening and indeed there are noticeable differences with regards to the stock FW, even for my battered "wooden" ears, the new sound signature it's sometimes a bit too much for me an my modest IMR Aten (black/blue filters), there was quite more detail and "brightness", and I'd dare say less bass. 

On good quality recordings the sound is really amazing, full of detail and body: a top quality needledrop of Black Sabbath's Paranoid sounded better than ever, with so much detail I'd never heard before, like Geezer's plucking his bass... A personal favorite of mine, a needledrop of The Spacelords's Liquid Sun, sounded incredibly, so many details unnoticed before!. Listening to the first bars of JP's Exciter, from Stained Class, was another amazing experience.

But  on the lesser quality recordings it's a thin and bright sound, and the extra details reveal issues like distorsion not perceived before, while they sounded perfectly good on stock FW.

I may change region to J and reflash the same modded FW to see if I can perceive any improvemente, and then onto trying the other FW's, busy days ahead! Thanks again @Morbideath


----------



## phonomat (Feb 28, 2020)

Okay, so I'm not blessed/cursed with golden ears, and I'm not an analytical listener. I try to buy stuff that sounds good to me and then forget about it and let the music speak for itself without the gear getting in the way. I'm all about the tunes, not the gear, which I guess makes me more of a casual hobbyist, if at all, compared to most fellas here.

I certainly hear differences between transducers or between different sets of speakers, but I can't say that I've ever experienced big differences between amps or DACs or DAPs. As I said, I don't bother listening for such differences either. For example, I have a Hugo, and the crossfeed settings all sound the same to me. I had the Hugo 2 here as a loaner while my unit was in for repairing, and I hardly heard any difference between the filters, if at all. Neither did I hear a massive difference between my old Hugo and the Hugo 2. Maybe if I tried very hard and really listened for them, but even then it could just as well have been placebo.

Needless to say I've never heard any difference between firmwares either. As one of the early adopters of the WM1A, I have made every firmware update so far, and never have I heard the sound of my unit change in any way. I have, however, never actively listened for any such changes either. Firmwares were just about the functionality to me, so I've made sure to always be on the latest one and never looked back. In short, you could say that I consider myself a sceptic when it comes to firmware updates changing the sound in a drastic way. (Neither do I believe in cables or burn-in or any of that esoteric mumbo-jumbo. I also pride myself in being pretty immune to hype. If I've learned anything in my years in this hobby and on this platform, it's that the mind is very powerful, in that it makes us hear what we want to hear, and at the same time very weak, in that we often let others dictate what we are supposed to hear and then act accordingly.)

I do, however, believe in mods, and this is where it might get interesting. The last couple of pages of this thread have made me curious. I'm not at all opposed to tweaking the sound, and if these firmwares are tailor-made to change the signature, I'm all for it, so I guess I will try these out. I like electronic music, so it was really the "Club" tuning that has whetted my appetite. Maybe if my wooden ears can actually hear a difference, it will convince other sceptics to try it as well. What I'm most curious about is if the changes will sound as "night and day" to me as some make them out to be, or if I have to strain to hear them like other comparatively minute differences.

To help me with this, *I have a genuine question*: How do the more experienced analytical listeners even approach such a comparison, practically speaking? Do you have a set of familiar songs that you cycle through? Do you focus on specific instruments in a song? Do you repeat certain parts so as to memorize them and then try to toggle firmwares as quickly as possible? Or do you just listen to random tracks for a couple of hours and then switch, so as to "subconsciously" pick up on the atmospheric differences? Do you try to correct for volume differences (someone suggested that the new firmwares have more loudness)? My audio memory seems to be very short (in fact, I think most people's are, but some are loathe to admit it), and I just don't know how to approach such a comparison without being able to switch between two units on the fly. What do I listen for, and how do I store it in my memory bank long enough to make an informed decision about what has changed? This really perplexes me, but maybe you can all just do something that I'm not physically equipped to do, and the differences just jump right at you.
Anyway, if any of you would like to help convert a doubting Thomas, feel free to suggest anything that could be of use. And excuse the long-winded post, but it seems like the general excitement has affected me.
Cheers!


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 28, 2020)

When in doubt, has a bowl of Pho !!!

My answer is that, just forget it.

You will ask me, Why ?

I will answer, If you can not hear the differences, then will it matter ?

You will answer: Of course it does

Then I will continue:  Give it a try and answer it yourself.

Now, the bowl of Pho must be finished by now 

On another hand, when some people offer you a free bowl of “Pho”, and I understand that not everyone like “Pho”, the least that someone would do is to say “Thank you”....


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

@Whitigir
I went to J as you recommended. Initially in E2. Restarted 1Z.
Then when trying to install your Musical firmware I got a message saying I need to connect device through USB cable...
Did not have this issue when still in E2 and installing Chinese mod.
Do you have any idea why?


----------



## hireslover

How do we change region?  I have the US version.  I know Whitiger had it on earlier but he removed it.


----------



## nc8000

hireslover said:


> How do we change region?  I have the US version.  I know Whitiger had it on earlier but he removed it.



With the RockBox Sony tool


----------



## captblaze

hireslover said:


> How do we change region?  I have the US version.  I know Whitiger had it on earlier but he removed it.


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/page-10#post-15488705


----------



## hireslover

captblaze said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/page-10#post-15488705


Thanks Guys!


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 29, 2020)

Edited due to removal


----------



## octobeard

dninsan said:


> Well, last night, after flashing DMP-Z1 1.02, I did some listening and indeed there are noticeable differences with regards to the stock FW, even for my battered "wooden" ears, the new sound signature it's sometimes a bit too much for me an my modest IMR Aten (black/blue filters), there was quite more detail and "brightness", and I'd dare say less bass.
> 
> On good quality recordings the sound is really amazing, full of detail and body: a top quality needledrop of Black Sabbath's Paranoid sounded better than ever, with so much detail I'd never heard before, like Geezer's plucking his bass... A personal favorite of mine, a needledrop of The Spacelords's Liquid Sun, sounded incredibly, so many details unnoticed before!. Listening to the first bars of JP's Exciter, from Stained Class, was another amazing experience.
> 
> But  on the lesser quality recordings it's a thin and bright sound, and the extra details reveal issues like distorsion not perceived before, while they sounded perfectly good on stock FW.



This is exactly my experience. D1.01 definitely improves on this, pulling back on that detail/brightness and exposing more bottom end which creates a very balanced tone and works better for a wider variety of recordings. But yeah this comes with the price of the reduced depth and width of stage, and this is with the warm/neutral 64 Audio A12t's. I can see how D1.02 would work quite well with the 1Z due to its warmth advantage over the 1A.

FWIW I also listened to U1.01 and U1.02 and didn't find much improvement over the DMP-Z1 varieties. Both sounded less detailed and a touch more "compressed". Definitely will stick with D1.01 and D1.02 for now.


----------



## Morbideath (Feb 29, 2020)

dninsan said:


> Well, last night, after flashing DMP-Z1 1.02, I did some listening and indeed there are noticeable differences with regards to the stock FW, even for my battered "wooden" ears, the new sound signature it's sometimes a bit too much for me an my modest IMR Aten (black/blue filters), there was quite more detail and "brightness", and I'd dare say less bass.
> 
> On good quality recordings the sound is really amazing, full of detail and body: a top quality needledrop of Black Sabbath's Paranoid sounded better than ever, with so much detail I'd never heard before, like Geezer's plucking his bass... A personal favorite of mine, a needledrop of The Spacelords's Liquid Sun, sounded incredibly, so many details unnoticed before!. Listening to the first bars of JP's Exciter, from Stained Class, was another amazing experience.
> 
> ...


I have many lesser quality recordings, mostly underground metal stuffs, not to mention those low-fi black metal. some easy dirty EQ will teach those church-burning bastards how to be a real man .
They were not recorded properly in the first place, why so serious about their fidelity. Just cure distortion with distortions


----------



## captblaze

@Whitigir - had a little quiet time with your 3 creations and my WM-1A (region J / no hw mods) paired with Moondrop S8 and a few albums by Fourplay. 

my take on the 3

Original is a good reference point and makes it easier to spot mastering flubs and engineering choices (both good and bad)
Musical pulls back just enough from fun to make your title appropriate
Fun is a little too much fun... i get a lot of confusion in the sound where i guess Moondrop set the crossovers. lower volumes not as bad, but still present

feel free to continue exploring your dark side, i am more than willing to follow along


----------



## normie610

Can anyone tell me how to change the region using MacOS?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Looks like my version is the E, AUS, JE.  Which country are those?







Whitigir said:


> Your region code can be identified by the unit sticker on the side


----------



## Whitigir

I was thinking E2 as Europe but it apparently is the same as Australia


----------



## bflat

phonomat said:


> Okay, so I'm not blessed/cursed with golden ears, and I'm not an analytical listener. I try to buy stuff that sounds good to me and then forget about it and let the music speak for itself without the gear getting in the way. I'm all about the tunes, not the gear, which I guess makes me more of a casual hobbyist, if at all, compared to most fellas here.
> 
> I certainly hear differences between transducers or between different sets of speakers, but I can't say that I've ever experienced big differences between amps or DACs or DAPs. As I said, I don't bother listening for such differences either. For example, I have a Hugo, and the crossfeed settings all sound the same to me. I had the Hugo 2 here as a loaner while my unit was in for repairing, and I hardly heard any difference between the filters, if at all. Neither did I hear a massive difference between my old Hugo and the Hugo 2. Maybe if I tried very hard and really listened for them, but even then it could just as well have been placebo.
> 
> ...



Excellent question that exemplifies a level of honestly that I hope all headfi members recognize!

Since there is no set of common standards that describe sound impressions, it's always good to describe one's own relative scale to put impressions in a better perspective.

For me I take "night and day" difference meaning literally. An audio example would be listening to any track using built in EQ for enhancing bass versus EQ for enhancing treble. 100% of people with decent hearing on just about any headphone can tell the difference. Another simpler measure is you know when the difference hits within seconds of hearing it. The firmware mods for WM1 is nowhere near this level. I don't think anyone will disagree with me on this.

Next level up is what I would call "audible" difference. In this case you are listening to a track that you've heard thousands of times and know precisely where and when different instruments and vocals play. An audible difference to me is when you hear the difference for the entire track, 100% of the time. You may or may not be able to tell the differences with tracks you have never heard before testing. As a personal example, I generally apply very light, but specific EQ to each of my headphones. The downside is I sometimes forget to change saved EQ settings when I swap headphones. Sometimes I notice within seconds that I have the wrong EQ. Other times I may be a few tracks in before I noticed, but I always do. I personally don't think the firmware mods are in this category either. Others will probably disagree here.

Lastly, there is "subtle". This is where I believe firmware mod comes in. This is where in general, you hear a similar sound for the track that you intimately know. However for some aspects of it - amount of bass, sharpness of treble, instrument placement, you can make out differences if you focus on listening and know by memory what something sounds like before you hear it. A more specific example, I may hear high hat cymbal sound like "tch tch tch" but with a firmware mod, it sounds more like "tchrl tchrl tchrl". The later would be more accurate with a micro detail that pulls out the barely perceptible decay. Unless you are specifically listening for these subtle cues, you probably won't notice them if you are multi tasking.

While my relative scale above may sound like firmware mods are not worth it, I am definitely not saying that. Our brains respond to the most subtle cues in the most emotional ways. For example, you are walking down the street with a friend and you smell something and immediately think of grandma's meatloaf that you love while all your friend smells are onions cooking. You could swear you smell all 11 secret spices your grandma used yet all your friend smells are the onions. Our brains are designed to "fill in the blanks" and it's nearly impossible to control that. While reality may not match your perception, it doesn't matter because your perception is your reality!


----------



## Blueoris

Morbideath said:


> I’m pretty sure Whitigir is from Sony. No one knows Walkman better than he does.
> My name is too evil Sony would not accept anyone from the dark side...


Oh yeah he works for Sony   but....... Anyway, more important is that he is a great hifi member and makes a great contribution in this forum... I like him


----------



## Fsilva

Thanks to @Lookout57  i was able to create a VM on my Mac running Win10 and able to change the region to J, reset my 1A and then installed DMP-Z1 1.02 sw (another reset) noticed an increase on the soundstage, detail retrieval (tested with my focal stellias and a Neotech 4-Core 22AWG UPOCC Copper Cable), only listened for one song and changed for the ultimate 1.02 unable to install so i followed the steps that @nc8000  compiled to solve the install issues and voillá no issues installing it afterwrds......another reset.....and WOOOOOWWW again soundstage got even wider, i had to decrease the volume tha was previously on 17 (with DMP-Z1 1.02) to 13!!! Jebus!!! It´s late now, i´m happy with this mods and gonna hit the bed now!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 28, 2020)

phonomat said:


> Okay, so I'm not blessed/cursed with golden ears, and I'm not an analytical listener. I try to buy stuff that sounds good to me and then forget about it and let the music speak for itself without the gear getting in the way. I'm all about the tunes, not the gear, which I guess makes me more of a casual hobbyist, if at all, compared to most fellas here.
> 
> I certainly hear differences between transducers or between different sets of speakers, but I can't say that I've ever experienced big differences between amps or DACs or DAPs. As I said, I don't bother listening for such differences either. For example, I have a Hugo, and the crossfeed settings all sound the same to me. I had the Hugo 2 here as a loaner while my unit was in for repairing, and I hardly heard any difference between the filters, if at all. Neither did I hear a massive difference between my old Hugo and the Hugo 2. Maybe if I tried very hard and really listened for them, but even then it could just as well have been placebo.
> 
> ...



It’s absolutely reducing variables and making an attempt to use the same music. But folks key into different stuff. What is validating is when groups start to mention the same qualities of improvements  at times never given a clue as to the changes.


octobeard said:


> So listened to DMP-Z1 1.02 last night and have 1.01 currently installed on my WM1A. For reference I am listening on 64 Audio A12ts.
> 
> D1.02 is actually quite dramatic. It didn't take more than a couple of songs to realize how significantly the soundstage width and depth changed, but also what in the sound signature enabled that - a significant boost in the upper mids/lower treble. I never found stock 3.02 strident, maybe a bit neutral, especially compared to previous firmware versions, but the DMP-Z1 1.02 definitely boosts air and treble in a way to help enable that soundstage depth and width. Definitely makes the sound signature a bit more U-shaped I think. Along with the significantly improved dynamics, this firmware became a touch bit more fatiguing for me than stock, if you believe it!
> 
> ...



Such an accurate review in the changes and what D1.02 brings to the table. The thickness naturally added to the 1A and the issue with lower quality recordings being an issue.........strangely more than ever? The forwardness/backwardness orientation in soundstage (fishbowl effect) for the 1A did wonders to make it complete. IMO


I'm using 1A-D1.02-ZENTOO 4core 4.4mm to Noble Audio Encore. Have not made it to IER-Z1R....or 1Z...yet?


----------



## nc8000

normie610 said:


> Can anyone tell me how to change the region using MacOS?



I don’t think you can. As far as I know the rockbox tool is Windows only


----------



## normie610 (Feb 28, 2020)

Well after going back and forth between D1.02, U1.02, WM2Z, DMP Fun and Musical, I think I’ve settled with U1.02 for now. It gives incredible synergy with my i4, huge huge expansion in soundstage, detail & clarity significantly improve (although previously i4’s detail is already amazing) and treble very well extended. D1.02 is also good but bass impact is not as visceral as U1.02. I also like DMP Fun and Musical (thanks to @Whitigir who did an excellent job), but both has narrower soundstage compared to U1.02. Big big thanks to @Morbideath for making these available to us commoners 

I initially thought that I would need to redo my EQ setup for i4, but it seems that won’t be necessary. When using Z1R, treble becomes a little bit more present and has more sparkle but not harsh at all. Haven’t tried these firmware mods on my other IEMs since I almost exclusively use 1Z for my i4 and Z1R (the rest are paired with N6ii).

Edit: and thanks to @Lookout57 for providing detailed steps on how to create the Mac versions


----------



## bflat (Feb 29, 2020)

Just a guess - I'm thinking the modded firmware has something to do with the lock range of the input clocks. Tightening up that range should improve accuracy at the risk of data interruption. This feature was user configurable on the Onkyo DP-X1 and it reminds me of that. I don't think this is all but at least of part of the mods.

WM1 and DMP must share the same FPGA for this to work in setting parameters for input clock and other input parameter prior to DAC stage. This would also explain why the settings are "black box". You can set parameters, but don't know what those do unless you do trial and error.

Assuming this is true, I think the analogy is like overclocking your smartphone processor and RAM. The WM1z may have hand picked ICs that can handle the overclock whereas WM1a may or may not.


----------



## Morbideath

captblaze said:


> Fun is a little too much fun... i get a lot of confusion in the sound where i guess Moondrop set the crossovers. lower volumes not as bad, but still present


Just being curious, what did u mean by confusion? To me personally the reverbs exposed behind many parts of music is mind-blowing, never heard it like before


----------



## aisalen

I am liking the D1.01, not to much deviation from the stock 3.01. Still with thick body sq. Setting the region to J is also a prerequisite as the highs is to much for me to bear and present in every corner with region previously set to E using D1.02 and U1.02.


----------



## Dtuck90

Changed my stock WM1A to J region and reset all settings and then updated to D1.02. Do I need to do another reset after the firmware update?


----------



## Morbideath

Dtuck90 said:


> Changed my stock WM1A to J region and reset all settings and then updated to D1.02. Do I need to do another reset after the firmware update?


U don't need to reset in the first place, though their website says so. Just a restart will suffice


----------



## captblaze

Morbideath said:


> Just being curious, what did u mean by confusion? To me personally the reverbs exposed behind many parts of music is mind-blowing, never heard it like before



on the song "Save Some Love For Me" by Fourplay (Yes, please!) the bass line has a texture to it that gets lost with the fun mod as compared to other firmwares. 
i will agree that there is a bit of holography going on with the fun mod, but i am so used to hearing a little bit of growl in that recurring bass line. maybe it will take some getting used to, but i tend to stay away from more aggressive presentations and more toward reference.


----------



## Morbideath

captblaze said:


> on the song "Save Some Love For Me" by Fourplay (Yes, please!) the bass line has a texture to it that gets lost with the fun mod as compared to other firmwares.
> i will agree that there is a bit of holography going on with the fun mod, but i am so used to hearing a little bit of growl in that recurring bass line. maybe it will take some getting used to, but i tend to stay away from more aggressive presentations and more toward reference.



Yes, i can totally see its bleeding bass decay burying textures, unless on very few setups. 
That's the price of making fun, haha


----------



## hireslover

Has anyone tried the FW for the LPGT? Does that work for the regular LPG?


----------



## nc8000

hireslover said:


> Has anyone tried the FW for the LPGT? Does that work for the regular LPG?



It’s not a fw FOR those players but a fw that emulates the sound of the LPGT


----------



## hireslover

nc8000 said:


> It’s not a fw FOR those players but a fw that emulates the sound of the LPGT


Got ya, thanks for clearing that up


----------



## Whitigir

There can never be perfection .  However, the mod firmware should be beyond what stock firmware can do.  When you compare between mod firmware vs mod firmware, you will see the “*trade off*” that were used in *tuning *

It does not only happen to *firmware alone but also hardware*

It also happen to other *brands *as well and not only Sony

The Hardware limitations still existed, especially from DMP Z1 VS any WM Walkman.

It is great that you now can have the option to do whatever you want with you player eh ?

I will be honest that *Musical *is my *Favorite *.  It is  enjoyable and is well rounded all around between trade off and benefits


----------



## Vitaly2017

I am totally stuck on dmp1.02 fw that fw is soo good just love !
Today will try the new Jp version as I haven't heard my dap yet after changing my region , I also have the new pw 1960 cable so there will be so much new sound changes haha.

This is so amazing I am thankful to all of you guys who collaborated in the new fw updates. Thanks to you we now have 1z/z1 to such elevated level that its as equal as we just bought a brand new dap that is Dmp walkman portable dap


----------



## dninsan (Feb 29, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> I have many lesser quality recordings, mostly underground metal stuffs, not to mention those low-fi black metal. some easy dirty EQ will do their justice.
> They were not recorded properly in the first place, why so serious about their fidelity. Just cure distortion with distortions



I know I'm picky that way, but can't help it. Also hate EQ, probably because I'm lazy 

Edit: BTW last night I changed region to J and wow, bass came back, now the thinner sounding recording sound better. It's all so good I'm almost scared of trying another FW, althought @Whitigir DMP portable Musical is calling me...


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> There can never be perfection .  However, the mod firmware should be beyond what stock firmware can do.  When you compare between mod firmware vs mod firmware, you will see the “*trade off*” that were used in *tuning *
> 
> It does not only happen to *firmware alone but also hardware*
> 
> ...



Those who listen genres focusing on Vocals should def give Musical a try. Mids and Vocals are more forward vs D1.02 in a nice balanced way with great depth and layering.

On the stock 1Z with Region J with both EX1000 & Z1R, it gives a very sweet analogue, organic and fluid flavor but still maintaining the resolution of D1.02. It's so easy to listen to that you can keep playing and not get fatigue. With the K-Mod Ultimate+1Z+Musical, I get even higher resolution, wider+deeper stage and great seperation. Great for Jazz, Classical, Pop and any instrumental genres. I personally find that Musical has slightly harder bass than D1.02 on my setups..

Big thanks to @Whitigir for this great release.


----------



## aceedburn

All i can say is wow! Thanks for this break through revelation  A busy night for sure but will update here my thoughts  God bless you all!


----------



## gearofwar

If someone could make a sound profile from Paw Gold Touch, does it mean it's possible to make sound profiles based on other dac/dap on the market? Chord Mojo would be a great addition.


----------



## proedros

my wm1a is *Japan Tourist edition* , do i need to change it to J ?


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> my wm1a is *Japan Tourist edition* , do i need to change it to J ?


No, I think you have the best there is.  Do you have the certificate? If you don’t then you need to change


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> my wm1a is *Japan Tourist edition* , do i need to change it to J ?



Use the RockBox tool to see if you are already J


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Use the RockBox tool to see if you are already J


Good idea
This certificate of quality sound assurance


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> If someone could make a sound profile from Paw Gold Touch, does it mean it's possible to make sound profiles based on other dac/dap on the market? Chord Mojo would be a great addition.


This won’t be possible


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> Use the RockBox tool to see if you are already J



how do i do that ? never used RB before , i am DL your dropbox bundle atm (thanx again) are there instructions there ?


----------



## aisalen

proedros said:


> how do i do that ? never used RB before , i am DL your dropbox bundle atm (thanx again) are there instructions there ?


Instruction is included from the compilation of @nc8000.


----------



## gearofwar

Whitigir said:


> This won’t be possible


how so?


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> Use the RockBox tool to see if you are already J


i checked the box , it says (in Japanese and English) *THIS SET IS ONLY FOR TOURISTS, AND IS NOT DESIGNED FOR USE IN JAPAN. PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS SET IN JAPAN.*

so i guess it is the Japan Tourist Edition


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> how do i do that ? never used RB before , i am DL your dropbox bundle atm (thanx again) are there instructions there ?



Yes in my zip file there is a readme.pdf and a sample .bat file in the rockbox folder where you just need to change the drive letter to whatever the internal memory shows up as on your machine ( on mine it is V: )


----------



## aceedburn

Just by changing my region to J gave me goosebumps  The bass that was missing from 3.02 returned  Deeper soundstage and nice bass presence  Thanks 
*@Whitigir*


----------



## flyer1 (Feb 29, 2020)

Do the new firmwares affect battery performance negatively?

You would almost expect their amazing musical performance to come at a cost of something but what could that be?


----------



## aceedburn

Sorry, but i'm missing the link to @Whitigir mods. I believe there are 3?


----------



## gerelmx1986

aceedburn said:


> Sorry, but i'm missing the link to @Whitigir mods. I believe there are 3?


@Whitigir  deleted his mods, i could get the origonal DMP-Z1


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Sorry, but i'm missing the link to @Whitigir mods. I believe there are 3?



Go back a few pages and find my post with link to a zip file that includes everything


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> Go back a few pages and find my post with link to a zip file that includes everything


Roger that. Thanks mate.


----------



## rtjoa

Whitigir said:


> Due to region incompatibility.  This is new Musical version that should includes more region compatible
> https://drive.google.com/open?id=1MGAmFBY4iGnCR4c9oJ0LEA8IyucesHXO


@Whitigir 
I have tried to install your Musical, Musical J and Fun firmwares but I got a message saying I need to connect device through USB cable.
I have used the software to change to region J and I do not have any issues with DMPX and UltimateX firmwares.
Do you have any ideas?
According to my unit sticker on the side, my region code is AEP, UK.


----------



## normie610

It seems that everyone is thrilled with J version. Perhaps I’m the only one who thinks that J sounds too thick for 1Z? Especially when combined with U1.02. Soundstage is not as wide and expansive as the E with U1.02. Best combo for J is perhaps D1.02 but bass impact becomes less and because of this I changed the region back to E, now I’m in pure audio bliss mode


----------



## gearofwar

is it just me or that u1.02 boosts the bass a bit too much, this is definitely for some bassheads


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

rtjoa said:


> @Whitigir
> I have tried to install your Musical, Musical J and Fun firmwares but I got a message saying I need to connect device through USB cable.
> I have used the software to change to region J and I do not have any issues with DMPX and UltimateX firmwares.
> Do you have any ideas?
> According to my unit sticker on the side, my region code is AEP, UK.


Same here too.


----------



## Whitigir

We are still scouring the Eu/Aus regions, hang tight


----------



## gazzington

Playing u 1.02 on my wm1z tonight. Such a deep sound. Love it! Only bought my wm1z less than a month ago but what a time to buy it with these firmwares!


----------



## bflat

If you find yourself increasing volume levels past your previous max levels before listening to one of these modded firmware, it's a good indication that your brain likes what it hears LOL!


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 29, 2020)

Removed as no longer available


----------



## gerelmx1986

gearofwar said:


> is it just me or that u1.02 boosts the bass a bit too much, this is definitely for some bassheads


I can say the same for all of @Whitigir  mods, they all seemed to boost the bass a bit too much, deviating from DMP-Z1 V1.02 port. Note that im using stock unmodded wm1a  hardware


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 29, 2020)

DMP algorithms is different than Walkman, the original is the “as intended by Sony” and not tampered with.

Not everybody would love DMP signature, and that I understand.  The beauty of these Walkmans, only possible by now that can take advantage of this and can always roll back to stock firmware 


Also as someone confirmed, J as region code has more bass, and also soundstage.  But you can match the region code of US for less of them to synergies with your firmware and gears of choices

Another thing to note too, *the more advanced Your Walkman has in hardware modifications, the better performances you will observe*


----------



## proedros (Feb 29, 2020)

just curious , what would happen if i load one of the modded FW while being on another FW than 3.02 ?

Nvm , i will find out in 30'' i loaded Ultimate 1.02 while being on 3.01

i just got a failed install , phew so we are good even if we ever become forgetful

time to load up Club 1.01 , stoc WM1A + Zeus XR + EAxMS Eos cable


----------



## Whitigir

Who is enjoying the Musical DMP version a lot ? I am asking because I love pushing for “Extreme”....I smell like 

“DMP Portable Musical Extreme Fidelity“ is incoming


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Hope I'll be able to try thoose Musical versions soon.


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> Who is enjoying the Musical DMP version a lot ? I am asking because I love pushing for “Extreme”....I smell like
> 
> “DMP Portable Musical Extreme Fidelity“ is incoming



musical a lot - that would be me.

I listening to the Z1R headphones and it sounds so good. Have been on it the entire morning


----------



## bflat

I think the firmware should be named after condiments:

Stock - mayo (sort of bland)
Ultimate - sriracha (makes everything more intense)
Fun - ketchup (just when you think something doesn't go with ketchup...)
Musical - aioli (same ingredients as mayo, just more refined)


----------



## Whitigir (Feb 29, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> musical a lot - that would be me.
> 
> I listening to the Z1R headphones and it sounds so good. Have been on it the entire morning


you got a PM invitation


----------



## musicday

Waiting on the 1Z price to drop even further on Amazon UK, is possible I would say.


----------



## gearofwar

Whitigir said:


> Who is enjoying the Musical DMP version a lot ? I am asking because I love pushing for “Extreme”....I smell like
> 
> “DMP Portable Musical Extreme Fidelity“ is incoming


This Musical version is amazing, it blew me away because I listen to vocal a lot. Coming to it after u1.02, not sure where next but it's satisfying


----------



## phonomat

aisalen said:


> I am liking the D1.01, not to much deviation from the stock 3.01. Still with thick body sq.





bflat said:


> Excellent question that exemplifies a level of honestly that I hope all headfi members recognize!
> 
> Since there is no set of common standards that describe sound impressions, it's always good to describe one's own relative scale to put impressions in a better perspective.
> 
> ...



Thanks for this extensive answer that puts things in perspective! I'm still interested in people's comparison methods. For me, it's a bit like those picture puzzles for children à la "spot the seven differences". These only work if you can constantly look from one picture to the other, right? But switching between firmwares would take so much time that for me, it would be like looking at one picture for a while and then looking at the other one hours later and still try to spot the differences, which would be virtually impossible if you don't have photographic memory (and who has?). 
Personally, my audio memory is like zero, so unless I can directly switch between two signature without any considerable lag, I'm pretty much useless. But maybe that is something that can be trained, so if anyone knows of a "guide to analytical listening" or something of the sort, please let me know, I'm always eager to learn. Anyway, I'll probably install one of the more "extreme" FW's tomorrow and see what it does for me. Nothing to lose, right?


----------



## Vitaly2017

phonomat said:


> Thanks for this extensive answer that puts things in perspective! I'm still interested in people's comparison methods. For me, it's a bit like those picture puzzles for children à la "spot the seven differences". These only work if you can constantly look from one picture to the other, right? But switching between firmwares would take so much time that for me, it would be like looking at one picture for a while and then looking at the other one hours later and still try to spot the differences, which would be virtually impossible if you don't have photographic memory (and who has?).
> Personally, my audio memory is like zero, so unless I can directly switch between two signature without any considerable lag, I'm pretty much useless. But maybe that is something that can be trained, so if anyone knows of a "guide to analytical listening" or something of the sort, please let me know, I'm always eager to learn. Anyway, I'll probably install one of the more "extreme" FW's tomorrow and see what it does for me. Nothing to lose, right?




Its probably very personal and each has its abilities and how far it extents to remember or spot differences. 

For an instance I listen regularly every day and around 5 hours thats my average.  I also have around 3100 hours of listening done in 4 years.
So that gives u an idea why for me it might be easier to spot the difference.  My ears are trained and I also use my inner spiritual force ) my 6 senses are all engaged and capturing the sound emotions and feelings. 

All that together gives me the tigers super ears that I have. I can spot a difference now very quickly and by memory I can even remember how each iem or headphones sounded and I try to remember it for future combinations!....

Have fun hehe  all it requires concentration and many hours! 

I once have read in an article that if you want to be a masterful skilled at something it requires a min of 10 000 hours! Then naturally you become so good that you are a master!


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Vitaly2017 said:


> Its probably very personal and each has its abilities and how far it extents to remember or spot differences.
> 
> For an instance I listen regularly every day and around 5 hours thats my average.  I also have around 3100 hours of listening done in 4 years.
> So that gives u an idea why for me it might be easier to spot the difference.  My ears are trained and I also use my inner spiritual force ) my 6 senses are all engaged and capturing the sound emotions and feelings.
> ...


And when you talk of yourself, using your inner spiritual force, on my side I do spot something a little strange, no need to train for that   
Had to read this 2 times to be sure it wasn't a joke


----------



## Whitigir

I actually feel the “force”!! May the “force” be with you!!

1/ I started seeing why Manufacturers says “firmware does not change sound performances”

2/ why mod firmware should remain in private

May the force be with you!!


----------



## normie610

Whitigir said:


> Who is enjoying the Musical DMP version a lot ? I am asking because I love pushing for “Extreme”....I smell like
> 
> “DMP Portable Musical Extreme Fidelity“ is incoming



Musical is definitely my top 2 besides U1.02. Can’t wait for MEF!!


----------



## Eduarmusic

I need help, I downloaded the ultimate firmware 1.02.dmg for Sony wm1a and I get the following error: "error code: -60002"
can you help me?


----------



## normie610

Eduarmusic said:


> I need help, I downloaded the ultimate firmware 1.02.dmg for Sony wm1a and I get the following error: "error code: -60002"
> can you help me?



you will need to convert the .exe files manually. I don’t know why the uploaded dmg files are not working. Click on this link for the steps:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15488409


----------



## Morbideath

Two biggest lies by Sony: 
1. firmwares don't affect sound
2. firmwares can't be rolled back


----------



## Vaiet

I think I need to get sober but... what the hell.  I went for it. And I have absolutely no regrets about going with DMP-Z1 1.02 and my WM1A. Just testing it with my Empire Ears Vantage and the bass is just bonkers. Simply spectacular bassmassage with amazing clarity, dynamics and detail I haven't (I think) achieved with my iBasso DX220. The sub-bass is just killing it. Listening to Massive Attack as I write this and the clarity of vocals, the layering, the pitch-black background, the tectonic depth of bass, the precision and positioning... Holy crap. HOLY CRAP! 

Quoting Massive Attack - Dissolved Girl:
"Shame, such a shame
I think I kind of lost myself again" 


P.S. No shame at all! And no going back!


----------



## Fsilva

I think i´ve found my fav sw mod, the winner is DMP Z1 Musical from @Whitigir 
This SIR alos deserves major props for all the contibutions he has given to this forum since day 1!!!
YOU SIR SHOULD BE WORKING FOR SONY!!!!!


----------



## Eduarmusic

I have trouble following the steps, something I am surely doing wrong.
I don't understand step 3. I don't know how to copy a .dmg from "disk utility"
Therefore, I cannot perform the following steps, please help


----------



## ysyung

Hi guys, I read though the whole threads related to firmware mod, and also download the Zip file. Appreciated!! May I ask a stupid question? What is the different between DMPZ1 1.02 Vs DMP Portable Musical Vs DMP Portable Original?


----------



## Holdmyown83

gerelmx1986 said:


> I can say the same for all of @Whitigir  mods, they all seemed to boost the bass a bit too much, deviating from DMP-Z1 V1.02 port. Note that im using stock unmodded wm1a  hardware


 I most definitely must be using the wrong tips on the z1r because I need more bass


----------



## aceedburn

I’m rocking DMP1.02 with my J version WM1A and it’s absolute bliss for me. The added bass presence and overall clarity and stage is mind blowing. God bless the engineers who released here firmwares. I have 2 questions, please forgive me if they sound silly. 

1. Once i change the region to J, I get better tuning in terms of bass, stage, etc. I understand that. But if if then load one of the modded firmwares here such as DMP1.02, won’t it overwrite the J region tuning? Don’t quite understand that. 
2. Does the J region and/or the DMP1.02 firmware also effect the bluetooth sound quality?


----------



## Blueoris (Feb 29, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Two biggest lies by Sony:
> 1. firmwares don't affect sound
> 2. firmwares can't be rolled back



Spot on  They tuned up 1a, 1z and Z1 specifically for marketing purposes, but in reality their performances are closer than their prices suggest.

I have a 1z, but I could have got an 1a and apply the 1z tune and done, 95% of that "lush" signature would be there at less than half price . Same with the Z1, which with the 1z stock firmware and connected to a sensitive pair of IEMS will sound like a 1z. The physical eccentricities of the 1z are there to mess up with our brains (that heavy gold bar must be much better than 1a). Likewise, the eccentricities of the Z1 are due to Sony's goal to match the performance of 1z but with six times (yes, 6 times ) the power of the Walkman. Impressive!. But then, they had to apply a different tuning to it to improve sound stage, image etc to target that price point.

I think the best thing one could do is to get a second hand 1a, mod it and change firmware and there... you just got 98% of the DMP-1z (only with easy to drive IEMS)...Sony didn't want you to know that.  I think that's precisely what @Whitigir was doing with his 1a right? He is smart 

Having said that, I love my 1z and Sony products in general.


----------



## AnakChan

After the Ultimate 1.02 is done, are there any confirmation that it's successful? i.e. in Settings -> Unit Information mine still says 3.02


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Feb 29, 2020)

AnakChan said:


> After the Ultimate 1.02 is done, are there any confirmation that it's successful? i.e. in Settings -> Unit Information mine still says 3.02


There’s no visible confirmation. But you’ll hear huge improvements on your iems  even maybe some low impedance headphones. It’s unmistakeable


----------



## bflat

AnakChan said:


> After the Ultimate 1.02 is done, are there any confirmation that it's successful? i.e. in Settings -> Unit Information mine still says 3.02



What took you so long to join in the fun?


----------



## normie610

Eduarmusic said:


> I have trouble following the steps, something I am surely doing wrong.
> I don't understand step 3. I don't know how to copy a .dmg from "disk utility"
> Therefore, I cannot perform the following steps, please help



I’m not in front of my Mac at the moment, but if I’m not mistaken go to Finder —> Applications —> Utilities folder —> open Disk Utility. Then you can right click on the mounted original 3.02, and select ”create image”.


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> I’m rocking DMP1.02 with my J version WM1A and it’s absolute bliss for me. The added bass presence and overall clarity and stage is mind blowing. God bless the engineers who released here firmwares. I have 2 questions, please forgive me if they sound silly.
> 
> 1. Once i change the region to J, I get better tuning in terms of bass, stage, etc. I understand that. But if if then load one of the modded firmwares here such as DMP1.02, won’t it overwrite the J region tuning? Don’t quite understand that.
> 2. Does the J region and/or the DMP1.02 firmware also effect the bluetooth sound quality?



Both no


----------



## AnakChan

bflat said:


> What took you so long to join in the fun?


I completely forgot about this thread . Came back today & saw 30 pages to catch up on!!


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> Both no


Ok thanks. So that means j region has tuning that doesn’t get overwritten by any firmware? And Bluetooth audio is not effected by any tuning config?


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> Ok thanks. So that means j region has tuning that doesn’t get overwritten by any firmware? And Bluetooth audio is not effected by any tuning config?


Youre right


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> Youre right


Thanks mate. By the way the DMP1.02 coupled with J region change has breathed new life into my Z5 with WM1A. Loving this combo. End game stuff. Tried WM2Z and DMP1.01. DMP1.02 much more refined and has superb bass quantity and depth. I don’t know why some people say 1.02 has less bass.


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> Thanks mate. By the way the DMP1.02 coupled with J region change has breathed new life into my Z5 with WM1A. Loving this combo. End game stuff. Tried WM2Z and DMP1.01. DMP1.02 much more refined and has superb bass quantity and depth. I don’t know why some people say 1.02 has less bass.



We all ear differently, and have different setups to reach conclusions. For me D1.02 has very deep bass depth but lacks mid-bass quantity. It's high quality bass presented only when called for. Some may prefer more mid-bass presence for more fun / balance the highs.


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> We all ear differently, and have different setups to reach conclusions. For me D1.02 has very deep bass depth but lacks mid-bass quantity. It's high quality bass presented only when called for. Some may prefer more mid-bass presence for more fun / balance the highs.


Interesting. So which would be the next if I wanted the same depth as dmp1.02 but with more mid bass quantity?


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> Interesting. So which would be the next if I wanted the same depth as dmp1.02 but with more mid bass quantity?


Its totally possible


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> Its totally possible


And I missed the descriptions of the dmp original, musical and fun mods? Would you have a write up on this? This is based on dmp-z1 1.02? Sorry for the 100 questions.


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> And I missed the descriptions of the dmp original, musical and fun mods? Would you have a write up on this? This is based on dmp-z1 1.02? Sorry for the 100 questions.



it's temporarily down, as there are some problems. Whitigir created those and is doing his best to make evolutions!


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 1, 2020)

For the first time in my 2 years with my 1Z I have nothing more to ask for.

Ultimate 1.02 for my 1Z(region J) /Sony Kimber/EX1000(Final E tips) is endgame firmware


----------



## Damz87

Morbideath said:


> We all ear differently, and have different setups to reach conclusions. For me D1.02 has very deep bass depth but lacks mid-bass quantity. It's high quality bass presented only when called for. Some may prefer more mid-bass presence for more fun / balance the highs.



That is exactly how I felt with the D1.02. Bass information was all there but it lacked some of the presence that an actual DMP-Z1 provides. But, I totally understand why everyone loves the D1.02 as it does sound so similar to an actual DMP-Z1, which is an amazing sounding player.

For me, the U1.02 differentiates my WM1Z from my DMP-Z1 with the detail retrieval improvment over the stock firmware. It truly is the “Ultimate” for my preferences


----------



## AudioMoksha

Changed the region to J as well, that's on top of the D 1.02 that I am running


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 1, 2020)

My prediction, after a long while, many of us who owns 1A/1Z will become much more critical of iems and daps, especially those of "flavor of the month" genre. Fluffs won't pass by easily, because well....we all got Tiger Ears!!! Lol


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> it's temporarily down, as there are some problems. Whitigir created those and is doing his best to make evolutions!


I see. Cheers mate.


----------



## Tawek

flyer1 said:


> For the first time in my 2 years with my 1Z I have nothing more to ask for.
> 
> Ultimate 1.02 for my 1Z(region J) /Sony Kimber/EX1000(Final E tips) is endgame firmware


I knew that ex1000 are very special
they only need a special source


----------



## ysyung

Whitigir said:


> Who is enjoying the Musical DMP version a lot ? I am asking because I love pushing for “Extreme”....I smell like
> 
> “DMP Portable Musical Extreme Fidelity“ is incoming


I like musical a lot, may I know more details of the ingredients of Musical? Thanks a lot!


----------



## proedros

listening to *Ultimate 1.01 atm, stock WM1A + Zeus XR with Eos Cable *

this is gonna be fun , i am still just picking FW tunings to see which one fits my setup best

a suggestion for people who want to know what FW they are on , *just put a txt file on the FW folder and just write date and what FW you tried*

easy to do and you can know which ones you've tried so far

29.02 Club 1.01
01.03 Ultimate 1.01

are the ones i have tried so far with my Zeus XR


----------



## Whitigir

ysyung said:


> I like musical a lot, may I know more details of the ingredients of Musical? Thanks a lot!


All are secret sauces that I am navigating through with ears and experiences.


----------



## aceedburn

Which among all the mods have the deepest bass and warmest sound yet detailed?


----------



## aceedburn

Whitigir said:


> All are secret sauces that I am navigating through with ears and experiences.


I too like musical. But is there a discerning difference between the 3, I.e. original fun and musical?


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> I too like musical. But is there a discerning difference between the 3, I.e. original fun and musical?


If u have accessed to all three, Fun is the warmest


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> If u have accessed to all three, Fun is the warmest


Great. Will try it. Warmest even compared to all the others like dmp, club etc?


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> Great. Will try it. Warmest even compared to all the others like dmp, club etc?


Yes i think so.


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> Yes i think so.


Thanks. Listening to Fun now. Indeed warmer just like you said. Really nice. Well done @Whitigir


----------



## Whitigir

I know everyone is very excited to take their Walkman and have the upgrades, but hold your horses.  There are a few things I will need to mention to many people

1/ Stock Walkman sounds the way that it does because it has to be a Walkman .... aka portable, with good sound quality that even an EarPods can be enjoyed plugging in

2/ I never realized this much, and while I have been posting over and over again that i have never seen such Hardware build quality of any other Portable players the way the Walkman is, the 1A is Cheap for it price. The 1Z pricing is correct.
Somehow, there are something that is holding these guys back.

3/ The better the device can perform, the more of “the negatives” will be coming from others related things that is attached to it.  Everything will effect sound performances

4/ Synergies between your player, cables, gears, and the harmony between your system with the genres and records that you have all play a role.  Now, we understand why firmware should never be tinkered with ? It is better to roll and upgrade your cables and gears rather than firmware

Walkman is the way it is because it has to be much more universal and friendly than other devices.  But understand this, everything has a trade off....synergies also bother people with high end expensive desktop gears as well


----------



## Redcarmoose

AnakChan said:


> I completely forgot about this thread . Came back today & saw 30 pages to catch up on!!



Lol 30 pages.


----------



## flyer1

Whitigir said:


> 3/ The better the device can perform, the more of “the negatives” will be coming from others related things that is attached to it. Everything will effect sound performances



Will these "negatives" arise in the future?

Can these firmware mods somehow damage or decrease the lifespan of our players?


----------



## Pillsburydough

Hi all, newbie here, although I have been reading this forum for a while. 

I simply had to register and post my appreciation. With the 1A, I had settled on 3.01 after trying a number of Sony firmwares, but now, wow, to me D1.02 has taken it to another level. Previously, I was forever tinkering with the EQ and settings between tracks to try and get the sound I wanted, but with the D1.02 firmware and it set on direct source, bass is there without compromising the sparkle, depth is there, soundstage is superb, and it is just a delight to listen to now. 

By all accounts on this forum, I also need to set the region to J? I'm currently on AUS region but I'm a little sceptical about changing it. 

Anyway, just a massive thank you to all the contributors to this forum, in particular, Morbideath


----------



## simon740

Has anyone noticed the empty folder called "MUSICCLIP" on the walkman?


----------



## Morbideath

Pillsburydough said:


> Hi all, newbie here, although I have been reading this forum for a while.
> 
> I simply had to register and post my appreciation. With the 1A, I had settled on 3.01 after trying a number of Sony firmwares, but now, wow, to me D1.02 has taken it to another level. Previously, I was forever tinkering with the EQ and settings between tracks to try and get the sound I wanted, but with the D1.02 firmware and it set on direct source, bass is there without compromising the sparkle, depth is there, soundstage is superb, and it is just a delight to listen to now.
> 
> ...



u can try it. it will not do any harm to your device, and if u are not satisfied with the change, it's easy to switch back


----------



## aceedburn

Pillsburydough said:


> Hi all, newbie here, although I have been reading this forum for a while.
> 
> I simply had to register and post my appreciation. With the 1A, I had settled on 3.01 after trying a number of Sony firmwares, but now, wow, to me D1.02 has taken it to another level. Previously, I was forever tinkering with the EQ and settings between tracks to try and get the sound I wanted, but with the D1.02 firmware and it set on direct source, bass is there without compromising the sparkle, depth is there, soundstage is superb, and it is just a delight to listen to now.
> 
> ...


Change your region to J. You won’t regret it. Took me less than 1 min to do it. You will notice a difference immediately even before loading any of the mod firmwares here. 3.02 used to be very tinny sounding and harsh. With the j mod, the bass is back and warmth returns.


----------



## Whitigir

flyer1 said:


> Will these "negatives" arise in the future?
> 
> Can these firmware mods somehow damage or decrease the lifespan of our players?


No, the “Negatives” I am referring to is that your headphones, earbuds, cables will effect the sounds and performances.


----------



## kingdixon

funny enuf, i havent tried this yet with my higher end gear.

as i have been using DMP1.02 on wm1a with a willsound mk2 earbud with a balanced cable and i just can't take em off, they can easily bring a tear to your eye


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 1, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> No, the “Negatives” I am referring to is that your headphones, earbuds, cables will effect the sounds and performances.



Ok good to hear. Guess I was just remembering that joining the "Dark Side" in a certain movie series came at quite a price for it's members


----------



## Whitigir

flyer1 said:


> Ok good to hear. Guess I was just remembering that joining the "Dark Side" in a certain movie series came at quite a price for it's members


That it will, and it will be your pocket that suffer...not the Walkman players


----------



## gerelmx1986

Strange enough, but i note @Morbideath  DMP-Z1 v1.02  to have more soundstages than @Whitigir  DMP-Z1 original


----------



## Vitaly2017

Its Its funny but with my new pw1960 4 wires cable I seem to prefer stock 3.02 fw as @Whitigir  said synergy just affects everything....
But with my gold plated silver cable I love the dmp1.02 much more then my setup with pw1960 + 3.02 stock.

I am also a bit disappointed in my pw1960 sound . It makes that treble that copper cable emits which annoys my ears.
My gold plated silver has much smoother and silkier treble (


----------



## Morbideath

gerelmx1986 said:


> Strange enough, but i note @Morbideath  DMP-Z1 v1.02  to have more soundstages than @Whitigir  DMP-Z1 original


That's what I observed as well. But the soundstage we perceived is not always there, but the illusions tunings bring about. Two distinct approaches


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> Its Its funny but with my new pw1960 4 wires cable I seem to prefer stock 3.02 fw as @Whitigir  said synergy just affects everything....
> But with my gold plated silver cable I love the dmp1.02 much more then my setup with pw1960 + 3.02 stock.
> 
> I am also a bit disappointed in my pw1960 sound . It makes that treble that copper cable emits which annoys my ears.
> My gold plated silver has much smoother and silkier treble (


 believe me, 8 wire version or above is much smoother. but it's hard to wear for a headphone cable.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> believe me, 8 wire version or above is much smoother. but it's hard to wear for a headphone cable.



I am not sold on this cable. Loved it at canjam and at home is a different feeling strange


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am not sold on this cable. Loved it at canjam and at home is a different feeling strange


it's not burned in yet. normally cable like this should take 100+ hours to smoothen up.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> it's not burned in yet. normally cable like this should take 100+ hours to smoothen up.



I dont know of its true or the guy was just clueless but the guy at the booth at canjam told me this cable had 800h burn in at the factory??? Really


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 1, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I dont know of its true or the guy was just clueless but the guy at the booth at canjam told me this cable had 800h burn in at the factory??? Really


Both originated from Hong Kong, my Labkable was burned in for 100 hours in factory. Last year I reterminated my cable and they replaced me with a brand new one, without burning in on their side. I immediately found it too harsh in the upper mids part (my former one has run almost 800 hours). But all is settled down now after months of comprehensive listening


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> Both originated from Hong Kong, my Labkable was burned in for 100 hours in factory. Last year I reterminated my cable and they replaced me with a brand new one, without burning in on their side. I immediately found it too harsh in the upper mids part. But all is settled down now after months of comprehensive listening



Dang well that is what I am feeling its not totaly same at canjam as I remember hearing it to what I got


----------



## proedros

Vitaly2017 said:


> Its Its funny but with my new pw1960 4 wires cable I seem to prefer stock 3.02 fw as @Whitigir  said synergy just affects everything....
> But with my gold plated silver cable I love the dmp1.02 much more then my setup with pw1960 + 3.02 stock.
> 
> *I am also a bit disappointed in my pw1960 sound . It makes that treble that copper cable emits which annoys my ears.
> My gold plated silver has much smoother and silkier treble* (



synergy is king in this hobby , like i said you have already decided to sell your 1960s and move on

i have the same problem with my Zeus XR, with the smoother Lionheart the sound is fantastic while with the (great for other not so reference iems) Eos cable Zeus loses its balance a bit and goes to the shrill side

S y n e r g y.


----------



## Damz87

Spent some time this weekend testing out the U1.02 fw on some of my budget-mid level IEM's to see how they fare. What's immediately noticeable is that U1.02 can almost sound like a V-Shaped EQ, which obviously works well for some gear but isn't ideal for others. I listened to more vocal music this time around. Here are my notes:

*Sony XBA-N3* (Sony 4.4mm Kimber Kable, Stock hybrid tips) - Bass quantity as usual is immense, but the mid-bass punch is stronger and tighter than normal. Picking up more treble detail than usual. Vocals take a further step back than they usually do but have great texture and detail. Soundstage has grown but still narrow compared to other iems. Overall I think it's okay for electronic music but maybe too v-shaped for other genres.

*Tin HiFi T4 *(T3 4.4mm balanced cable, Final E tips) - These sound great with this firmware. Some warmth and weight added to its sound signature which is usually a bit thin/shrill to me. Soundstage has noticeably grown.

*Sony MDR-EX800ST* (stock cable, stock hybrid tips) - These sound too v-shaped for my liking with this firmware. I usually love how balanced these are but now they sound too recessed in the mids.

*BLON BL-03* (nicehck c16-1 balanced cable, Spinfit CP100 tips) - These sound incredible. They scale so well with good gear. Really can't fault them.

*Sony XBA-Z5* (Sony M9 Balanced cable, stock hybrid tips) - Similar to the Z1R's improvements. Handles the extra detail really well. Nicely balanced sound. Huge soundstage.  Wipes the floor with everything else in this category and probably fits in better with high-end gear.


----------



## aceedburn

Damz87 said:


> Spent some time this weekend testing out the U1.02 fw on some of my budget-mid level IEM's to see how they fare. What's immediately noticeable is that U1.02 can almost sound like a V-Shaped EQ, which obviously works well for some gear but isn't ideal for others. I listened to more vocal music this time around. Here are my notes:
> 
> *Sony XBA-N3* (Sony 4.4mm Kimber Kable, Stock hybrid tips) - Bass quantity as usual is immense, but the mid-bass punch is stronger and tighter than normal. Picking up more treble detail than usual. Vocals take a further step back than they usually do but have great texture and detail. Soundstage has grown but still narrow compared to other iems. Overall I think it's okay for electronic music but maybe too v-shaped for other genres.
> 
> ...


I use the Z5 with my J region WM1A with the Fun mod. This is absolute bliss for me. Breathed new life into my Z5.


----------



## Damz87

aceedburn said:


> I use the Z5 with my J region WM1A with the Fun mod. This is absolute bliss for me. Breathed new life into my Z5.



Yeah the Z5 is awesome with the right source and a balanced cable.The stock 3.02 firmware with WM1Z is a little too dark for me, but U1.02 solved that!


----------



## aceedburn

Damz87 said:


> Yeah the Z5 is awesome with the right source and a balanced cable.The stock 3.02 firmware with WM1Z is a little too dark for me, but U1.02 solved that!


Absolutely. Z5 with balanced  kimber kable plus WM1A. Sheer bliss.


----------



## Vitaly2017

LoL I am back to wm2z feels better synergy with pw1960....
The lesser energetic behavior of that fw matches better with pw1960 which is quiet very alive and active cable....
Treble and bass lowered feels more controlled. 

While its the complete opposite for my gold plated silver cable he need more energy!


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> synergy is king in this hobby , like i said you have already decided to sell your 1960s and move on
> 
> i have the same problem with my Zeus XR, with the smoother Lionheart the sound is fantastic while with the (great for other not so reference iems) Eos cable Zeus loses its balance a bit and goes to the shrill side
> 
> S y n e r g y.



Yes it is the king, but just like any King, it will never show itself up at low class level of citizens in slums and trashy neighborhoods

The king in this case will only show up at High class and Loyal parties

For example, Expensive cables, high end gears, modified devices

King is as what King does


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 1, 2020)

Walkman is 1A with D1.02 to ZENTOO 4core 4.4mm to Noble Audio Encore.

Haven’t been able to get the region changed yet, but I will.

Never heard this song like this. It’s perfect. I’d like to say it’s 90% of the 1Z, but....but it’s a different wonderful flavor. It’s Jack Daniels and the 1Z is Johnnie Walker.


----------



## siruspan

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s Jack Daniels and the 1Z is Johnnie Walker.




I know you mean but as a whisky afficionado I must point out that Johnnie Walker is scotch whisky and Jack Daniels is tenessee whiskey and is closer to bourbon. They are all made differently


----------



## Morbideath

siruspan said:


> I know you mean but as a whisky afficionado I must point out that Johnnie Walker is scotch whisky and Jack Daniels is tenessee whiskey and is closer to bourbon. They are all made differently


Nothing beats a vintage Johnnie Walker!!!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 1, 2020)

siruspan said:


> I know you mean but as a whisky afficionado I must point out that Johnnie Walker is scotch whisky and Jack Daniels is tenessee whiskey and is closer to bourbon. They are all made differently




But have you had all these? 

Jack Red (regular red, not bottle posted)
Jack Green 
JW Platinum 
JW Blue 
JW Black 
JW Red 
JW Gold


----------



## siruspan

I've had :

Red - which is horrible
Black - which is not good
Double Black - which is actually very good but nothing special for the price as it costs the same as single malts such as Talisker 10, Ardbeg 10 or Balvenie 12 which are better in my opinion.


----------



## Redcarmoose

siruspan said:


> I've had :
> 
> Red - which is horrible
> Black - which is not good
> Double Black - which is actually very good but nothing special for the price as it costs the same as single malts such as Talisker 10, Ardbeg 10 or Balvenie 12 which are better in my opinion.



I really don’t drink much anymore maybe only a couple times a year, but my greatest discovery was it’s location dependent.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> But have you had all these?
> 
> Jack Red (regular red, not bottle posted)
> Jack Green
> ...



By far prefer Green label out of all the JW


----------



## Redcarmoose

Folks the Sound Science Group at Head-Fi are adamant about Walkman burn-in being placebo. If you have a moment reply to this thread. At one point we may have some answers to this phenomenon. 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/do-sony-walkmans-change-with-burn-in.926800/#post-15492764


----------



## dninsan

simon740 said:


> Has anyone noticed the empty folder called "MUSICCLIP" on the walkman?



Yep, both on the internal memory and the microsd card, don't recall seeing them before


----------



## musicday

The one who created this thread in the first place should get a prize.


----------



## siruspan

dninsan said:


> Yep, both on the internal memory and the microsd card, don't recall seeing them before



Did you change the region to J recently? Well, thats why its there.


----------



## denis1976

I saw the folder and deleted it, I did something wrong?


----------



## Pillsburydough

Morbideath said:


> u can try it. it will not do any harm to your device, and if u are not satisfied with the change, it's easy to switch back



Is this correct?...


----------



## ttt123 (Mar 1, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> LoL I am back to wm2z feels better synergy with pw1960....
> The lesser energetic behavior of that fw matches better with pw1960 which is quiet very alive and active cable....
> Treble and bass lowered feels more controlled.
> 
> While its the complete opposite for my gold plated silver cable he need more energy!



Add my vote for WM2Z.  I've come to the conclusion that  my modded WM1Z (internal headphone wires are silver, along with other changes), is already on the side of being detailed, so the FW that pushes the details more, are too much for my setup, and make it sound unatural. 

On a stock WM1x, the modded FW pushes it and makes up for the weakness' in the stock hardware tuning, so the end result is a more balanced system.

So the system/synergy is very important.  It's like anything else, I guess, whether it is tuning a car, or a stereo, etc.  You have to start with what it is, and then try to make up for the areas where it is weak.  And what you are trying for.  Which do you favor: Details, stage, vocals / bass / Classical / Instrumental / Jazz / Metal, etc., etc.  

And don't be surprised if what works for one person's setup, may not work for another setup.  The important thing is to find what works for YOUR setup.


----------



## Vitaly2017

ttt123 said:


> Add my vote for WM2Z.  I've come to the conclusion that  my modded WM1Z (internal headphone wires are silver, along with other changes, is already on the side of being detailed, so the FW that pushes the details more, are too much for my setup, and make it sound unatural.
> 
> On a stock WM1x, the modded FW pushes it and makes up for the weakness' in the stock hardware tuning, so the end result is a more balanced system.
> 
> ...




So far I love stock 1z + my gold plated silver + dmp1.02 

But with pw1960 cable the stock fw 3.02 seems the best 

I still feel I prefer my previous cable plussound gold plated silver


----------



## captblaze

Vitaly2017 said:


> So far I love stock 1z + my gold plated silver + dmp1.02
> 
> But with pw1960 cable the stock fw 3.02 seems the best
> 
> I still feel I prefer my previous cable plussound gold plated silver



heck even the Blon B0-3 sounds good with the less aggressive sounding Firmwares and a cheapie SE cable


----------



## simon740

dninsan said:


> Yep, both on the internal memory and the microsd card, don't recall seeing them before


exactly


----------



## simon740

siruspan said:


> Did you change the region to J recently? Well, thats why its there.


Yes, I change the region from E to J.


----------



## dninsan

siruspan said:


> Did you change the region to J recently? Well, thats why its there.


Yes, I thought so, thanks for the confirmation


----------



## buzzlulu

Finally sitting down this weekend with my MacBook Pro running Mojave and my 1Z. I thought I would try Lookout57's MAC ports however I am getting the same error message as everyone else.
Has anyone been successful using a MAC to update the firmware? 
Any suggestions?


----------



## 524419 (Mar 1, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I dont know of its true or the guy was just clueless but the guy at the booth at canjam told me this cable had 800h burn in at the factory??? Really


It needs at least 200 hours if not more. And no they do not burn in cables at the factory. Just leave your player running overnight. for 10 days.


----------



## hireslover

Proud owner of WM1Z running dmp 1.02. Has anyone experienced any breaking in the songs while playing on Bluetooth? Any fix around it?


----------



## hireslover

simon740 said:


> Has anyone noticed the empty folder called "MUSICCLIP" on the walkman?


I deleted them but every time I applied a new firmware they reappeared


----------



## phonomat

Diet Kokaine said:


> It needs at least 200 hours if not more. And no they do not burn in cables at the factory. Just leave your player running overnight. for 10 days.



Sorry Greta, I'm sure you mean well, but I just have to burn in this cable.


----------



## Whitigir

I swapped my DMP Z1 into Japan as well!!!!that authenticity of Japan region and Sound performances assurances Certificate


----------



## buzzlulu

Anyone been able to run firmware updates on a Mac?  Lack of a reply leads me to believe that the error messages I and others encountered with the MAC ports have not been resolved


----------



## nc8000

Seems musicclip folder is for video contents in Japan


----------



## Whitigir

And only Japan has it .  Sony always has Japan to be a special region!!! So crazy


----------



## hireslover

nc8000 said:


> Seems musicclip folder is for video contents in Japan





Whitigir said:


> And only Japan has it .  Sony always has Japan to be a special region!!! So crazy


WOW that is love. I am feeling special, lol


----------



## Vitaly2017

phonomat said:


> Sorry Greta, I'm sure you mean well, but I just have to burn in this cable.



You mean burn it in a microwave or real fire


----------



## Lookout57

buzzlulu said:


> Finally sitting down this weekend with my MacBook Pro running Mojave and my 1Z. I thought I would try Lookout57's MAC ports however I am getting the same error message as everyone else.
> Has anyone been successful using a MAC to update the firmware?
> Any suggestions?


This is odd. 

I created them on Hackintosh running Mojave 10.14.6. I then ran the updaters on a MBP (Mid-2018 15" (Touch Bar)) and Hackintosh running Mojave 10.14.6.x

What language is your macOS configured for and do you have any third party security software products installed?

Also, can you run the Sony official 3.02 installer?


----------



## normie610

buzzlulu said:


> Finally sitting down this weekend with my MacBook Pro running Mojave and my 1Z. I thought I would try Lookout57's MAC ports however I am getting the same error message as everyone else.
> Has anyone been successful using a MAC to update the firmware?
> Any suggestions?



You have to do the conversion from exe to dmg yourself. You can follow the steps in the link below:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15488409


----------



## buzzlulu (Mar 1, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> This is odd.
> I created them on Hackintosh running Mojave 10.14.6. I then ran the updaters on a MBP (Mid-2018 15" (Touch Bar)) and Hackintosh running Mojave 10.14.6.x
> What language is your macOS configured for and do you have any third party security software products installed?
> Also, can you run the Sony official 3.02 installer?



MacOS configured in English.
Yes the official Sony 3.02 runs fine.
I get the same error messages as other people posted last Thursday and Friday when you first posted these files.
I tried on a machine running Mojave and not on my Catalina machine.

Was there anything else I needed to do other than simply double click the installer you created when a firmware was unzipped?


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Whitigir said:


> I swapped my DMP Z1 into Japan as well!!!!that authenticity of Japan region and Sound performances assurances Certificate


You went from E to J then. Wht did you ear ?


----------



## Whitigir

MrLocoLuciano said:


> You went from E to J then. Wht did you ear ?


Similar to Walkman but in a less severed scale


----------



## Lookout57

buzzlulu said:


> MacOS configured in English.
> Yes the official Sony 3.02 runs fine.
> I get the same error messages as other people posted last Thursday and Friday when you first posted these files.
> I tried on a machine running Mojave and not on my Catalina machine.
> ...


How I installed was launching the installer without the Walkman connected. 

After getting to the point where is asks for my admin password is when I  connect the Walkman. It then installs the firmware and reboots twice and it's running new firmware.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

@Whitigir
To work out your Musical mod you started from wich mod firmware? Sorry if the question was asked.
With my WM1Z K Mod Ultimate I feel like I prefer Ultimate 1.02 on Jomo Trinity SS and PW1950.


----------



## normie610

Lookout57 said:


> How I installed was launching the installer without the Walkman connected.
> 
> After getting to the point where is asks for my admin password is when I  connect the Walkman. It then installs the firmware and reboots twice and it's running new firmware.



I think they simply didn’t work, I don’t know why. But following the detailed steps you provided, I successfully converted the exe files into dmg files.

So for every Mac users here, I would recommend everyone to follow the link I provided in my previous post.


----------



## buzzlulu

normie610 said:


> I think they simply didn’t work, I don’t know why. But following the detailed steps you provided, I successfully converted the exe files into dmg files.
> 
> So for every Mac users here, I would recommend everyone to follow the link I provided in my previous post.



same for me as they simply didn’t work. I will try the detailed steps. They might be a little above my pay grade however will give it a try.


----------



## gearofwar (Mar 1, 2020)

The best firmware for me are those from Whitigir, the man should receive some kind of donation and be hailed for his work. I haven't been back to this thread for a while and it's amazing to see how it has been growing


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> The best firmware for me are those from Whitigir, the man should receive some kind of donation and be hailed for his work. I haven't been back to this thread for a while and it's amazing to see how it has been growing


I am glad you are enjoying it


----------



## gearofwar (Mar 1, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I am glad you are enjoying it


You should make more and receive some kind of donation for them. Your sound preference really hit my alley
I can understand why many people are attracted to U1.02, it's V shape which brings out details and bass more but for me, I care about the tonal balance and the mid


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> You should make more and receive some kind of donation for them. Your sound preference really hit my alley
> I can understand why many people are attracted to U1.02, it's V shape which brings out details and bass more but for me, I care about the tonal balance and the mid




I thought that u1.02 was imported by @Morbideath 
Am I missing some fw ....


----------



## gearofwar (Mar 1, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I thought that u1.02 was imported by @Morbideath
> Am I missing some fw ....


The rest of them are from Desk24 and others from China except DMP Musical, Original, Fun ones which are made by Whitigir


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 2, 2020)

My goal the last couple days has been to find out how close I can get with the new mod-firmware and 1A......in direct comparison to the 1Z with 3.02 firmware update.

So it’s Stock 1Z against Mod software 1A using the IER-Z1R....no J region change done.

The reason for this challenge was that the 1Z with 3.02 and the IER-Z1R was a personal apex in sound. I choose to use the above song............and side by side tests were really easy simply starting the song in the 1A then switching the plug to the 1Z with both players on high output direct at 098 volume level. I don’t feel the need to do a blind test, but it’s a simple procedure of having someone switch the plug. The farthest  I went with the song was until the vocals started on each player. Song file is 44.1/24bit. Both players in Direct Mode.

My findings:

Well first of all I have not used all the firmwares with the modifications. So your personal results may vary from mine. I found with the 1A the U1.02 to be better than D1.02, so I simply continued my test with the main/favorite IEM in question............the IER-Z1R. The 1A /D1.02 combination was not as clear or fluid with the IER-Z1R. There was a slight forced nature with D1.02 which the U1.02 overcame with considerable ease. Though generally I would regard the 1A as a more in-your-face..............slightly forced experience where the 1Z is still more natural and slightly laid-back!

Though D1.02 is amazing with the Noble Encore and 1A.

Results:

Zero regional changes at this point.
1Z has over 1000 hours and 1A has over 500 hours. Both players used with stock IER-Z1R with maybe 300 hours burn-in and stock 4.4mm included cable.

At 098 volume the volume of 3.02 on the 1Z and U1.02 on the 1A seem relatively close. Though this is a different than normal approximation as you think one is louder then the other due to tone differences. This post has been long enough so I’ll cut to the chase.

1) Even though U1.02 takes a stock 1A to an incredible place................the 1Z with 3.02 stock is still a good percent better. Why?

2) The 1Z with 3.02 is still offering it’s fuller more natural soundstage filled with slight warmth over the 1A. And while the faster attack and decay of the 1A may appeal to many, there is simply a bigger and better response from the 1Z at this point. I say bigger as images are fuller, better studied, more robust and more lifelike detailed.

3) In defense the 1A, while sounding slightly forced, offers a one of a kind hyper detailed experience with really nothing out of place, offering staggering resolution and entertainment.

Even after all this, I must conclude; one player sounds like honey and one player sounds like Diet Coke still?
Cheers!


----------



## buzzlulu

normie610 said:


> I think they simply didn’t work, I don’t know why. But following the detailed steps you provided, I successfully converted the exe files into dmg files.
> So for every Mac users here, I would recommend everyone to follow the link I provided in my previous post.



Followed instructions and under an old MacBook Pro running Mojave it "appears" I was able to do it.
The problem is - how do I know if I was successful?  If I look at the 1Z in settings the firmware reads 3.02.
Will it always read 3.02 regardless of which firmware you play around with?


----------



## aceedburn

buzzlulu said:


> Followed instructions and under an old MacBook Pro running Mojave it "appears" I was able to do it.
> The problem is - how do I know if I was successful?  If I look at the 1Z in settings the firmware reads 3.02.
> Will it always read 3.02 regardless of which firmware you play around with?


Yes. The firmware will always show 3.02.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> My goal the last couple days has been to find out how close I can get with the new mod-firmware and 1A......in direct comparison to the 1Z with 3.02 firmware update.
> 
> So it’s Stock 1Z against Mod software 1A using the IER-Z1R....no J region change done.
> 
> ...





Interesting findings  me to I found 1a a.nice.dap and super neet compliment for 1z...

But yea 1z still.wins over the 1a ) no matter what )

I will test the se on my 1z tomorrow as I see everyone is trying the balanced only. Curious how se 1z dmp1.02 will impress me )
So far my most favorite fw.
Smooth treble 
Holographic mids and vocals
Super textured bass and with a nice emphasize.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Interesting findings  me to I found 1a a.nice.dap and super neet compliment for 1z...
> 
> But yea 1z still.wins over the 1a ) no matter what )
> 
> ...



With the 1A and D1.02 and IER-Z1R, you would think on paper, and by the reports that D1.02 would be the best with the combo? The mid-range is what is written and perceived here about D1.02. And I know nothing about U1.02 except people talking about the intensity, maybe slight treble detail boost? Which would make you expect D1.02 to be the best firmware mod with 1A/IER-Z1R. But maybe we are leaving out the intrinsic nature of the 1A?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Difficult for me to do a good comparison using the 1A-D1.02-and XBA-Z5. While it’s not a bad combination, I think my use of K-10 Encore and IER-Z1R has jaded me?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Per this thread I just updated the Sony TA-ZH1ES to 1.03. You simply hook the USB to a computer and download and open (un-zip) the update. Take note the TA must be put to USB to update. 
https://www.sony.co.id/en/electronics/support/downloads/Y0015296


----------



## RobertP (Mar 2, 2020)

I dig E region with U1.02 a lot. Everthing seem more holographic and instruments sound like real thing. Feel like I preformed on stage myself. Asian/Aus region will not be so forgiving. Play garbage records and you will get exactly that. Give it a try if you like.
Been running my WM1A in E region for 2 years and I try J and U region for the first time this afternoon. Boy what a different. J has the most warmth and U not far from it IMO. Good amount bass, more depth and very smooth like other said. Every recording sound good. Enjoy!


----------



## Redcarmoose

The single strange hiccup with the modified firmware is my recent transfer folder always shows about 3/4 of my 1A library. As always it’s simply supposed to have a small group of recordings you have just added to the player. The only other time it would have a large list would be if you just installed a new flash card memory. In that case it will read the entire card and they would then show up in recent transfers. After you turn the 1A off and on again, normally the recent transfers folder would go blank, though not with this modified firmware.


----------



## proedros

anyone else here with the *Japan Tourist version of WM1A/Z* that has checked the region ?


----------



## 524419

Redcarmoose said:


> My goal the last couple days has been to find out how close I can get with the new mod-firmware and 1A......in direct comparison to the 1Z with 3.02 firmware update.
> 
> So it’s Stock 1Z against Mod software 1A using the IER-Z1R....no J region change done.
> 
> ...



Your 1A is still held back by the OFC unshielded cable. A modded 1A is right there with any DAP on the market., in my estimation. 
Can't wait to play around with all these new firmware once my replacement battery gets here


----------



## Redcarmoose

Diet Kokaine said:


> Your 1A is still held back by the OFC unshielded cable. A modded 1A is right there with any DAP on the market., in my estimation.
> Can't wait to play around with all these new firmware once my replacement battery gets here



I could get my 1A modded pretty easy as I’m a short plane flight from Music Sanctuary in Singapore. Plane flights there are dirt cheap too, so I may someday. But believe it or not I like the contrast between the two. 
Obviously I need to see what U1.02 does to the 1Z, as well as listen to what region changing does with the players. It’s so funny to read comparisons to hardware modifications in contrast to software modifications; especially in this thread by the very experts in hardware mods, before these new software mods. On it’s own untouched the 1A is definitely a better player, and many I’m sure now are not going to want to try and make the jump to 1Z, after hearing modification software.


----------



## Damz87

Redcarmoose said:


> I could get my 1A modded pretty easy as I’m a short plane flight from Music Sanctuary in Singapore. Plane flights there are dirt cheap too, so I may someday. But believe it or not I like the contrast between the two.
> Obviously I need to see what U1.02 does to the 1Z, as well as listen to what region changing does with the players. It’s so funny to read comparisons to hardware modifications in contrast to software modifications; especially in this thread by the very experts in hardware mods, before these new software mods. On it’s own untouched the 1A is definitely a better player, and many I’m sure now are not going to want to try and make the jump to 1Z, after hearing modification software.


Looking forward to reading your u1.02 with 1Z impressions!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 2, 2020)

So I’m looking at what Sony says about 1.03 update for the Sony TA-ZH1ES, and they simply state a benefit in the handling of one HD file recognition. So then I’m thinking........wait a second what if 1.03 does change the sound signature of the TA for the better? Sony would never admit it anyway. I may be crazy, but 1.03 sounds different......better and not as dark. Though it will maybe will take me a week or two to confirm this.


----------



## Damz87

Redcarmoose said:


> So I’m looking at what Sony says about 1.03 update for the Sony TA-ZH1ES, and they simply state a benefit in the handling of one HD file recognition. So then I’m thinking........wait a second what if 1.03 does change the sound signature of the TA for the better? Sony would never admit it anyway. I may be crazy, but 1.03 sounds different......better and not as dark. Though it will maybe will take me a week or two to confirm this.


I installed 1.03 as soon as I got my TA. Never even thought of rolling back the firmware. I’ll give it a go


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 2, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> I installed 1.03 as soon as I got my TA. Never even thought of rolling back the firmware. I’ll give it a go



Well that’s just the thing. I never thought of looking for and saving an old update? Your going to need to find the file out there, just like the 1Z/1A firmware. Let me know what you think if 1.03 is actually brighter?  Lol

Even though the TA engineering wing is separated from the Walkman wing.....it’s safe to say the official Walkman firmware became brighter with new editions.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Damz87 said:


> I installed 1.03 as soon as I got my TA. Never even thought of rolling back the firmware. I’ll give it a go



It could obviously be placebo in the best of forms......but I’m pretty sure the TA firmware is very different with 1.03? Bigger soundstage, more detail, brighter? You’ll obviously be able to tell right away as your used to 1.03.


----------



## Whitigir

1A is restrained by not only OFC cables internally but also power supply capacitors as well.  Sony mentioned that Fine sound resistors are better but in my opinions, I actually like MELF on Wm1A better


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 2, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> I installed 1.03 as soon as I got my TA. Never even thought of rolling back the firmware. I’ll give it a go



Ok, this is something I can confidently confirm right away. I just remembered that my qdc Anole V3 was an IEM that somehow fully exploited the TA darkness, to the point that it was the only IEM in my collection which I could not use with the TA.

The qdc Anole V3 now goes well with the TA.

1.03 makes the Sony TA-ZH1ES brighter. They changed the TA sound with the new update. Strangely the TA sounds a little like the 1Z, now that it’s been treble boosted.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 2, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> You should make more and receive some kind of donation for them. Your sound preference really hit my alley
> I can understand why many people are attracted to U1.02, it's V shape which brings out details and bass more but for me, I care about the tonal balance and the mid


In the next coming days, you will see some more versions.  It is finalized, polished to take things beyond what is already there.  There will be differences when you drive Headphones VS in ears buds.  With these finalized FW, walkman will be able to drive headphones, even HD800S will be able to enjoy the sound performances

Walkman will be unleashed


----------



## Nostoi

Whitigir said:


> In the next coming days, you will see some more versions.  It is finalized, polished to take things beyond what is already there.  There will be differences when you drive Headphones VS in ears buds.  With these finalized FW, walkman will be able to drive headphones, even HD800S will be able to enjoy the sound performances
> 
> Walkman will be unleashed


That's good news; really enjoying your Musical FW - definitely the best synergy with my set-up and would be keen to see how this can expand to headphones, not least ZMF.


----------



## hireslover

Whitigir said:


> In the next coming days, you will see some more versions.  It is finalized, polished to take things beyond what is already there.  There will be differences when you drive Headphones VS in ears buds.  With these finalized FW, walkman will be able to drive headphones, even HD800S will be able to enjoy the sound performances
> 
> Walkman will be unleashed


Meaning walkman could get louder will be able to deliver as such?


----------



## srosenberg (Mar 4, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> In the next coming days, you will see some more versions.  It is finalized, polished to take things beyond what is already there.  There will be differences when you drive Headphones VS in ears buds.  With these finalized FW, walkman will be able to drive headphones, even HD800S will be able to enjoy the sound performances
> 
> Walkman will be unleashed



OUTSTANDING!!  The work you and Morbideath have done and so generously shared with the community has been exceptional so far.  Like many, I am really looking forward to hearing what you produce next.  I am perhaps not as voracious a listener as many here, I am using a WM1A with CIEMs from a Vietnam builder (NCM Bella V2), but even as a casual user, have greatly enjoyed the improvements from these FW releases.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> In the next coming days, you will see some more versions.  It is finalized, polished to take things beyond what is already there.  There will be differences when you drive Headphones VS in ears buds.  With these finalized FW, walkman will be able to drive headphones, even HD800S will be able to enjoy the sound performances
> 
> Walkman will be unleashed




I know your busy and this is off topic, but do you have on a computer........

TA-ZH1ES firmware update 1.01

Two of us have updated to 1.03 and are wondering if the TA actually rolls back? Also is there a 1.02 too?


----------



## Whitigir

I think TA could actually roll back just fine.  I don’t think I have TA firmware 1.01 anymore.  I think There used to be 1.02 for TA as well, but it has been too long LOL!!


----------



## simon740 (Mar 2, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> In the next coming days, you will see some more versions.  It is finalized, polished to take things beyond what is already there.  There will be differences when you drive Headphones VS in ears buds.  With these finalized FW, walkman will be able to drive headphones, even HD800S will be able to enjoy the sound performances
> 
> Walkman will be unleashed


How is this possible?  I look forward to it.


----------



## simon740

Because I have ear problems - because of IEMs ...
What kind of headphones can be powered by wm1a and sound really good?

regards,
Simon


----------



## Nostoi

simon740 said:


> Because I have ear problems - because of IEMs ...
> What kind of headphones can be powered by wm1a and sound really good?
> 
> regards,
> Simon


I find the Beyer T5p 2nd gen and ATH-MSR7b sound really good with the WM1A without the need for an external amp (both also sounding very good in direct mode). I also find the Beyer DT1990 Pro sound very good when paired with an ALO CV5 amp on the WM1A.


----------



## Whitigir

Z7 MKII should do wonder with Walkman and so does MDR-Z1R


----------



## simon740

Whitigir said:


> Z7 MKII should do wonder with Walkman and so does MDR-Z1R


With stock wm1a?


----------



## Whitigir

Yes, I would recommend it


----------



## Vitaly2017

Me to I liked it alot its my second favorite headphone after trio! Third is M9 )


----------



## Quang23693

Whitigir said:


> In the next coming days, you will see some more versions.  It is finalized, polished to take things beyond what is already there.  There will be differences when you drive Headphones VS in ears buds.  With these finalized FW, walkman will be able to drive headphones, even HD800S will be able to enjoy the sound performances
> 
> Walkman will be unleashed


Thank for your shared, i realy like DMP Original from you . My 1A K mod is balance and relax , i can hear it for a long time . Let me know when you have a new fw . 
Have a nice day


----------



## proedros

*WM2Z* is my go-to FW atm for my stock* WM1A* , works well both with *Zeus XR+Lionheart 4w* and with *NT6+whiplash Hybrid 8w*


----------



## Morbideath

Quang23693 said:


> Thank for your shared, i realy like DMP Original from you . My 1A K mod is balance and relax , i can hear it for a long time . Let me know when you have a new fw .
> Have a nice day


Tomorrow is the day


----------



## Quang23693

Morbideath said:


> Tomorrow is the day


Tks , i am looking forward to seeing it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am trying to change region to J on my walkman bought from Hongkong.... as soon as i type scsitool-nwz-v25.exe dest_tool F: get It complains with Cannot open device


----------



## nc8000 (Mar 2, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am trying to change region to J on my walkman bought from Hongkong.... as soon as i type scsitool-nwz-v25.exe dest_tool F: get It complains with Cannot open device



looks like you’ve got the parameters in the wrong order

scsitool-nwz-v25.exe F: dest_tool get


----------



## Whitigir

Are you following the steps correctly ? The directory should be before the command :/


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> looks like you’ve got the parameters in the wrong order
> 
> scsitool-nwz-v25.exe F: dest_tool get


Thanks it worked now, now have set it to J


----------



## nc8000

I’m back on DMP 1.0.2 after trying Ultimate and Musical. This to my ears with 1Z on region J and IER-Z1R is the best combo.
I will try the new sauce tomorrow though.


----------



## 8481

Finally caught up on 50 pages, I really like U 1.02 with region E. I tried J region but everything sounded really slow with my VE8?


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I’m back on DMP 1.0.2 after trying Ultimate and Musical. This to my ears with 1Z on region J and IER-Z1R is the best combo.
> I will try the new sauce tomorrow though.


Which new sauce? Thet will re-release the FWs?


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Which new sauce? Thet will re-release the FWs?



There should be a number of new fw's coming out tomorrow that should be more streamlined and akso promiss to give the players better abillity to drive phones like HD800 (don't know how they'll manage that)


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> There should be a number of new fw's coming out tomorrow that should be more streamlined and akso promiss to give the players better abillity to drive phones like HD800 (don't know how they'll manage that)




I remarked that since I switched to dmp1.02 I set my volume at least 10% louder and my battery feels to draine a little faster.
Not an issue with me just those little findings.


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> I remarked that since I switched to dmp1.02 I set my volume at least 10% louder and my battery feels to draine a little faster.
> Not an issue with me just those little findings.



I use the same volume as I used to before. I need to use one fw for a whole week before I know if the battery life has changed


----------



## simon740

My wm1a is on J region, fw dmp1.02 and I notice the battery drains a little faster. Before was on E region and fw 3.01..

regards,
Simon


----------



## newworld666

I use a European WM1A, I could try all firmwares (after modifying the SWUpdate.xml when needed to be able to update) .. I don't have any errors just, the update is really fast after more or less 50% and goes to 100% instantly .. I also changed to J and passed all firmware again.
I don't feel any real difference in the sound with all firmwares...  I am using  a Z7MKII and a Ultrasone ed 15 Veritas both connected in balance mode.
Is it concerned with the European version ? 
Could somebody get any noticeable improvement with  european WM1A ?


----------



## nc8000

newworld666 said:


> I use a European WM1A, I could try all firmwares (after modifying the SWUpdate.xml when needed to be able to update) .. I don't have any errors just, the update is really fast after more or less 50% and goes to 100% instantly .. I also changed to J and passed all firmware again.
> I don't feel any real difference in the sound with all firmwares...  I am using  a Z7MKII and a Ultrasone ed 15 Veritas both connected in balance mode.
> Is it concerned with the European version ?
> Could somebody get any noticeable improvement with  european WM1A ?



I’m on EU WM1Z changed to J. I never heard major differences between any of the stock fw but I hear fairly noticable differences with these modded fw, some for the better and some for the worse. I use IER-Z1Rbalanced


----------



## Vitaly2017

Guys I was playing with regions and stock fw.
I found that region E has 1 bad ass bass tuning its not like J or U its really visceral and tight it has a rumbly punch really nice and fun bass.

Treble is a little more energetic but very good overall!

The U is United States that one is one hell smoothe tuning so delicate I feel like I want to sleep lol

The J is Japan one very airy and open very soundstage oriented.  Also very natural and realistic upper frequency have a different feel nothing like others did


----------



## Vitaly2017

Oh wow I was doing further more tests around and found Canadian region.

What a good balance between good bass and treble.  Treble is not too sharp just spot on !
And bass is well controlled really juicy.

I feel like the Canadian  CA version is one of the best.
It has the best balance between all frequency...

Try its  CA


----------



## iamdman

Vitaly2017 said:


> Oh wow I was doing further more tests around and found Canadian region.
> 
> What a good balance between good bass and treble.  Treble is not too sharp just spot on !
> And bass is well controlled really juicy.
> ...



Gonna give it a try. I assume the code to use is 'CA' and what firmware did you use? Stock 3.02?

thanks


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 2, 2020)

iamdman said:


> Gonna give it a try. I assume the code to use is 'CA' and what firmware did you use? Stock 3.02?
> 
> thanks




Yes I decided to give a precise run on just Fw with stock.

I am blown away by the CA.
It has such deep amazing bass, one like in the clubs. Big tight and big bounce ) the decay is so unique crazy.

Vocals and soundstage with imaging are as impressive and holographic like in dmp1.02 fw!

Treble is really appealing not overly sharp just so perfect.

I really like it.

Absolutely a must try . Region code is CA


If @Whitigir and @Morbideath  could give the CA region a listen and rework a new fw to push this one to a new lvl that would probably be the best sound ever.

I am immensely impressed with CA just wow + stock 3.02 fw


----------



## Vitaly2017

Ooohhh Yes

The CA + this


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 2, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yes I decided to give a precise run on just Fw with stock.
> 
> I am blown away by the CA.
> It has such deep amazing bass, one like in the clubs. Big tight and big bounce ) the decay is so unique crazy.
> ...


*We know far a long that each region has slight change to the signatures*.  We have done all we could to break all the limits.  You will all see new improved firmwares that were finalized by all of our subjective findings.  There is absolutely nothing further that can be done.

Tuning is a nightmare, and together with subjective matters is hell....imagine that...now top that of with coding that can easily be mistaken and errors from within.

in the end, it took us many days and nights with sleepless nights and unrest hours to keep the projects going. We have achieved it to the absolute that we could. _There will be different Tier of firmware and the higher is the more aggressive tuning....also regional Locked to squeeze out the absolute extreme performances._
*Now, if we can say something here, your “Hardware” will play a bigger role, the better the hardware upgrades, the better the performances.  You can ask @hshock76 as he has all stock and modified Walkman player*


----------



## hshock76 (Mar 3, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> *We know far a long that each region has slight change to the signatures*.  We have done all we could to break all the limits.  You will all see new improved firmwares that were finalized by all of our subjective findings.  There is absolutely nothing further that can be done.
> 
> Tuning is a nightmare, and together with subjective matters is hell....imagine that...now top that of with coding that can easily be mistaken and errors from within.
> 
> ...




I have been helping @Whitigir beta test his Extreme Fidelity codes the last couple of days. It was non-stop listening and testing and each code got better and better to the point that we both had exactly the same conclusions with the latest release....

All I wanna say is that if you think that you are experiencing TOTL level with the stock player and the new codes, it is no where near the peak of what you can experience with the EF codes + a well modded player. I can describe the experience with just one word........ "REALISM". Ultimate TOTL is when you experience a real person singing right in front of you or you feel that you are personally there in person in a orchestral or jazz performance. The EF codes need a modded player to reap the benefits of what it can truly achieve; mainly in the resolution and fidelity areas.

I have not been able to put my player down for the last 3 days.....


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 6, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> I have been helping @Whitigir beta test his Extreme Fidelity codes the last couple of days. It was non-stop listening and testing and each code got better and better to the point that we both had exactly the same conclusions with the latest release....
> 
> All I wanna say is that if you think you think that you are experiencing TOTL level with the stock player and the new codes, it is no where near the peak of what you can experience with the EF codes + a well modded player. I can describe the experience with just one word........ "REALISM". Ultimate TOTL is when you experience a real person singing right in front of you or you think that you are personally there in person in a orchestral or jazz performance. The EF codes need a modded player to reap the benefits of what it achieve; mainly in the resolution and fidelity areas.
> 
> I have not been able to put my player down for the last 3 days.....


last night I was trying my Extreme Fun version with Quad master of Pink Floyd WYWH. For several times it almost threw me off my bed with the ultra holographic realism.
Oh, not to mention the thunderous dynamics and the physical body


----------



## hshock76

Morbideath said:


> last night I was trying my Extreme Fun version with Squad master of Pink Floyd WYWH. For several times it almost threw me off my bed with the ultra holographic realism.
> don’t forget the thunderous dynamics and the physical body



There are just too many positives that I'm lazy to type it all out haha.... I believe that this is as real as it can get... I have already been "scared" multiple times now but definitely good scares...


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 2, 2020)

Me with my Swift ,


Talk about Scares during midnight and PinkFloyd !!! That “humming” chills the bones...turning off your lights for better effects !!


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yes I decided to give a precise run on just Fw with stock.
> 
> I am blown away by the CA.
> It has such deep amazing bass, one like in the clubs. Big tight and big bounce ) the decay is so unique crazy.
> ...


Im glad u found a new self-tuning weapon for refinement.
With the combination of region codes and FW mods we can achieve *almost *whatever the sound profile we prefer


----------



## captblaze

jumping on the bandwagon with Pink


----------



## Morbideath

captblaze said:


> jumping on the bandwagon with Pink


Last night the synthesers in this song made me nearly jump


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> Im glad u found a new self-tuning weapon for refinement.
> With the combination of region codes and FW mods we can achieve *almost *whatever the sound profile we prefer




I CANT WAIT  enough where are all the ultimate fw hahaha
This is so revolutionary!!! 

Guys your so awsome for pushing the boundaries of the all time ultimate limits!!!

I am so proud to own a wm1z we have the best community of all headfi!!!

Thank you for your effort and desire to push the amazing love passion we all share for music! 

Big shouts to you fellas!

@Whitigir 
@Morbideath 
@hshock76


----------



## Vitaly2017

Mindblowing  crazy good


----------



## blazinblazin

Is there any tutorial on flashing the firmware or just need to execute the .exe file?


----------



## aceedburn

blazinblazin said:


> Is there any tutorial on flashing the firmware or just need to execute the .exe file?


Just execute it. Easy peesy mate. But you have to be on stock 3.02 for it to work.


----------



## blazinblazin

aceedburn said:


> Just execute it. Easy peesy mate. But you have to be on stock 3.02 for it to work.


Thanks. Mine is stock 3.02


----------



## rcoleman1

Great rate on 1TB SD card again in the states: https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Extr...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=W4MB440B8SJ4PPBPECPM


----------



## Xanderman

Greetings everyone! 

With all these new FW possibilities, which is the better choice to purchase, 1Z or 1A?


----------



## Tawek

Xanderman said:


> Greetings everyone!
> 
> With all these new FW possibilities, which is the better choice to purchase, 1Z or 1A?


1Z


----------



## normie610

Tawek said:


> 1Z



+1


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 3, 2020)

Interesting times for my 1Z/EX1000. Feel like a kid in a Candy shop

CA region makes DMP1.02 firmware very good now as well. In J region it lacked in (sub) bass for my setup. 

Not sure what I prefer at the moment: stock 3.02, DMP1. 02 or U1. 02, leaving it stock 3.02(CA) for now!


----------



## cocolinho

Is there any new firmware which brings a bit more warmth & bass to the 1A? if yes which one? I'm already with a J firmware I guess
Thank you


----------



## Morbideath

Im loading some real cannonballs ready to shower you guys. Don't blow your speakers tonight!


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> Im loading some real cannonballs ready to shower you guys. Don't blow your speakers tonight!


Bring it on brother!


----------



## nc8000

Morbideath said:


> Im loading some real cannonballs ready to shower you guys. Don't blow your speakers tonight!



I’ve got the original killer vinyl lp of this with the crazy grooves with the cannons that actually could throw the stylus out of the groove


----------



## musicday

Morbideath said:


> Im loading some real cannonballs ready to shower you guys. Don't blow your speakers tonight!


Your work is very much appreciated.


----------



## Vitaly2017

flyer1 said:


> Interesting times for my 1Z/EX1000. Feel like a kid in a Candy shop
> 
> CA region makes DMP1.02 firmware very good now as well. In J region it lacked in (sub) bass for my setup.
> 
> Not sure what I prefer at the moment: stock 3.02, DMP1. 02 or U1. 02, leaving it stock 3.02(CA) for now!



I am glad you liked it me to I find it quiet impressive the Ca + stock, its very similar with dmp1.02 but the bass is something really different!  )


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> I’ve got the original killer vinyl lp of this with the crazy grooves with the cannons that actually could throw the stylus out of the groove



Woaaa! Haha that is some deep groves lol is it still playable?


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Woaaa! Haha that is some deep groves lol is it still playable?



Absolutely. My old B&O record player with its light weight arm could not handle it but my Rega player handles it fine. In a few places the stylus almost has to travel backwards and there were stories when the lp came out in the late 70’s of stylus that were damaged playing it


----------



## blazinblazin (Mar 3, 2020)

After testing the firmwares for my WM1A.
DMP-Z1 is damn smooth, not enough kicks for me, but i like the sound.
Other firmwares I like are U1.02, Paw Touch, WM2Z.

But something about stock 3.02 just have that synergy with my WM1A + HS1695TI setup. 
Not sure why, everything just felt more sharper more realistic on this setup.
Like the person is just singing in front of me.


----------



## Quang23693

Morbideath said:


> Im loading some real cannonballs ready to shower you guys. Don't blow your speakers tonight!


I'm waiting for you  very thanks


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 14, 2020)

For the "u know what" reason, i have to take down the post. Everyone please help each other.
Sorry for the inconvenience.


----------



## musicday (Mar 3, 2020)

Great work and effort you guys put into this..


----------



## Whitigir

Enjoy it guys !! As promised


----------



## Redcarmoose

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/morbideath.526985/
@https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/

Thank-you.


----------



## lumdicks

Morbideath said:


> Spoiler: The Foreword to Firmwares Modding
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks so much again and I am trying the M3ZU now and it is stunning!  However, I am not able to download the J3Z files (both J3ZJ and J3ZU) as my Windows 10 banned it from download for virus found. Would you please check?


----------



## Morbideath

lumdicks said:


> Thanks so much again and I am trying the M3ZU now and it is stunning!  However, I am not able to download the J3Z files (both J3ZJ and J3ZU) as my Windows 10 banned it from download for virus found. Would you please check?


I can do nothing about it since neither contains any virus. u may need to tinker with your security setting to let them through. we know win10 defender constantly act crazy.


----------



## captblaze

lumdicks said:


> Thanks so much again and I am trying the M3ZU now and it is stunning!  However, I am not able to download the J3Z files (both J3ZJ and J3ZU) as my Windows 10 banned it from download for virus found. Would you please check?


Windows defender doesn’t like .exe files by default. There is no virus in any package. Just windows being motherly


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> Spoiler: The Foreword to Firmwares Modding
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Well, I think in order to not have this post buried, please quote every time 

I also put it on modifications thread first post


----------



## aceedburn

Whitigir said:


> Enjoy it guys !! As promised


Thanks again. There’s a dmp z 1.02 firmware in this folder as well dated 3rd March. Is is the same as the earlier one or a new version?


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> Thanks again. There’s a dmp z 1.02 firmware in this folder as well dated 3rd March. Is is the same as the earlier one or a new version?


The same


----------



## normie610

Wow, just tried Jupiter T2, such a visceral bass impact! And it retains much of the resolution as well! Wow wow wow!

And yes JT3 sounds worse on my setup than T2


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 3, 2020)

normie610 said:


> Wow, just tried Jupiter T2, such a visceral bass impact! And it retains much of the resolution as well! Wow wow wow!
> 
> And yes JT3 sounds worse on my setup than T2





Morbideath said:


> Spoiler: The Foreword to Firmwares Modding
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes, hardware scaling is very real....it could back-fire.  That was why we had to put it all in the disclosures


----------



## dninsan

Whitigir said:


> Yes, hardware scaling is very real....it could back-fire.  That was why we had to put it all in the disclosures



For a stock WM1A with HD800s shoudl I go with Tier 1 or Tier3? I tried the HD800s on stock fw and had to put them almost up to 120 and didn't sound good.


----------



## Whitigir

dninsan said:


> For a stock WM1A with HD800s shoudl I go with Tier 1 or Tier3? I tried the HD800s on stock fw and had to put them almost up to 120 and didn't sound good.


To be safe , try Tier 2 first.  Tier 3 is very picky on hardware front of everything, including cables and plugs


----------



## gerelmx1986

When will the rest be uploaded? Only see Jupiter and mercury


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> When will the rest be uploaded? Only see Jupiter and mercury


Slow down your horses.....we are working hard


----------



## Morbideath

gerelmx1986 said:


> When will the rest be uploaded? Only see Jupiter and mercury


For classical i think Mercury or Jupiter may be your types


----------



## gerelmx1986

Time to play :


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> For classical i think Mercury or Jupiter may be your types


Again my infamous question, which is the warmest and has the fullest sound with good bass? And my setup is WM1A not modded at all but changed to j region. Powering not very high end headphones and iems.


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> Again my infamous question, which is the warmest and has the fullest sound with good bass? And my setup is WM1A not modded at all but changed to j region. Powering not very high end headphones and iems.


Regardless of your setups, Mars T3 is a living volcano and raging hurricane. Maybe try T1 as a start.
Mars will be landing tomorrow.


----------



## Sp12er3

This thread is getting so busy... These development make me regret so much not picking up A WM1A for $500 last christmas.


----------



## marionet

I am in the Japanese version but the new mods only accept to be loaded in the universal or European version. Have I done something wrong? Thank you for the amazing work you are doing !!!!


----------



## nc8000

marionet said:


> I am in the Japanese version but the new mods only accept to be loaded in the universal or European version. Have I done something wrong? Thank you for the amazing work you are doing !!!!



I think you need to run the version based on where your unit was bought, not what region you have set via rockbox tool, so universal unless your unit is one sold in EU or Japan


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> Regardless of your setups, Mars T3 is a living volcano and raging hurricane. Maybe try T1 as a start.
> Mars will be landing tomorrow.


Roger that. Cheers mate.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Wow cant wait to get home and try all theis new beast modes!

Guys lets call our secret project. 
 Apocalyptic End Game


----------



## proedros (Mar 3, 2020)

i will probably end up using WM1A - Tier 2J FWs 90% of my time (having a stock Japan WM1A)  but what th hell i am gonna download all FWs , i may end up buying a 1Z maybe later, right ?

this thread is on fire , thanx guys (M&W)


----------



## AudioMoksha

Morbideath said:


> Spoiler: The Foreword to Firmwares Modding
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Awesome and thankyou so much


----------



## nc8000 (Mar 3, 2020)

J2


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 3, 2020)

Wonderful! Matching screen and song lol


Morbideath said:


> Spoiler: The Foreword to Firmwares Modding
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mercury T1 for me


----------



## gearofwar

Does anyone know if the K mod actually makes the sound flat compared to the original? 
I let one guy demoed my 1A at Canjam NYC, my region was EU and he was telling me it's too flat


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> Does anyone know if the K mod actually makes the sound flat compared to the original?
> I let one guy demoed my 1A at Canjam NYC, my region was EU and he was telling me it's too flat



different internal wires will bring different sound performances, it is like an interconnect cables.  Then it depends on what is connecting toward to it that also count too....it is called synergies....then the gears being used.

But just don’t worry about it, myself as an example, I love references and Neutral, while @Morbideath loves a more V Shaped fun sounds...so you see why the Mars Tier 3 is not out yet ? Because it isn’t my preferences and so I don’t know how to properly cook it yet.

Stick to your preferences, because that is what making you yourself.  Believe your ears and hearts and the beast from within

Don’t stop spending money though....it is expensive because it sound good


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 3, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> different internal wires will bring different sound performances, it is like an interconnect cables.  Then it depends on what is connecting toward to it that also count too....it is called synergies....then the gears being used.
> 
> But just don’t worry about it, myself as an example, I love references and Neutral, while @Morbideath loves a more V Shaped fun sounds...so you see why the Mars Tier 3 is not out yet ? Because it isn’t my preferences and so I don’t know how to properly cook it yet.
> 
> ...


Lol Whitigir and his honey words.

It’s true though, he is absolutely right! Hardware mod + firmware mod= better gears = even better audio bliss


----------



## bflat

I am disappointed that the new firmware is named after planets after all my hard work in suggesting condiments names...

Seriously, can the mods or thread owners create a sticky that has the running list of latest firmware? I realize it's a bit of work on the firmware tuners but it's got to be less than answering each person who asks for the links. Thanks in advance!


----------



## gearofwar

Whitigir said:


> different internal wires will bring different sound performances, it is like an interconnect cables.  Then it depends on what is connecting toward to it that also count too....it is called synergies....then the gears being used.
> 
> But just don’t worry about it, myself as an example, I love references and Neutral, while @Morbideath loves a more V Shaped fun sounds...so you see why the Mars Tier 3 is not out yet ? Because it isn’t my preferences and so I don’t know how to properly cook it yet.
> 
> ...


You are absolutely right. Actually, I don't prefer reference or neutral signature but because I use a variety of iem that are opposite or emphasize on tonality, musicality that's why a transparent source is best for me.  If i was to choose between HD800 and LCD2, i would pick LCD2 right away.
 What would you recommend for the firmware in this case? I'm looking for a balanced sound signature emphasizing on naturalness


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 3, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> Does anyone know if the K mod actually makes the sound flat compared to the original?
> I let one guy demoed my 1A at Canjam NYC, my region was EU and he was telling me it's too flat




Was that you ? With 1a ?
On my right side I had the stock 1z )

U have let me try your moded 1a and it have been threw many adjustments retuning at Ms?


----------



## gearofwar

Vitaly2017 said:


> Was that you ? With 1a ?
> On my right side I had the stock 1z )
> 
> U have let me try your moded 1a and it have been threw many adjustments retuning at Ms?


damn, I didn't expect you to be this close


----------



## Pillsburydough

So many firmwares (much appreciation to those involved!) and so many regions. My ears just can't get enough.

As the novice that I am, I've tried a few combinations but keep going back to my current favourite D1.02 with E region. On J region, D1.02 appeared to be too much for my setup - Stock WM1A, Andromedas (green), Moon audio silver dragon 4.4mm balanced - and was suffering some sibilance.  

I haven't tried the latest planet firmwares - any recommendations from the knowledgeable folk on here given my gear?


----------



## ttt123

Just tried M3ZU and J3ZU. 
 I thought I'd try M3ZU first, as I preferred a more neutral sound, and had previously liked the WM2Z FW.  Figured I could drop down to the M2ZU or M1ZU if I found I did not like M3ZU.    Initially, there were a couple of songs I found harsh, which after trying more, I realized that it was treating bad sources more harshly.  I think this is one of the reasons that the stock Sony FW tuning is the way it is.  It tries to do a decent job on all qualities of music, thus not maximizing what the hardware is capable of.   I did enjoy what the stock FW could do with even low quality files, but am enjoying more what this M3ZU is able to bring out with better quality files.  And not just DSD, but good quality hi-res, FLAC, AAC and MP3.  I spent 90 mins, loving the sound it was bringing out.  Fluid, detailed, never harsh(except on bad sources).  A presence to vocals that I had not heard before.  As people have commented, a "you are there" quality.  Beautiful texture to all kinds of music, whether vocals, or piano, backing instruments, etc.  What I was hearing was "musical", my highest goal, where everything comes together.  Details, PRAT, stage.  And you can imagine that you are able to feel the emotion the singer is putting into the song.  Or a simple guitar chord can be so rich.   That I spent 90 minutes without realizing,  is a measure of how I was enjoying the music.
So I decided I did not need to try the tier 2 and 1, if I was enjoying the Mercury T3 this much.

I thought I had better try the other one, though,  the J3ZU, guessing that I might find this to be "pushed" too much, from my previous feelings about the other modded FW.
WOW, I like this even more.  Everything that I thought of the M3ZU, was more.  Even closer to losing yourself in the music.  

I previously gave up on describing the details of music, as I found myself not very good at it, and decided that I would just judge on whether the music pulled me in, so I just enjoyed it, so that I would judge the gestalt, without agonizing over the details.  If it could be what I term "musical", and it could make me forget about analyzing, or what was wrong, good, etc., then that was good enough for me.  And this is as close as I have found to that goal.

@Morbideath @Whitigir - You've achieved something magical with your current FWs.   This J3ZU is pushing my setup to being able to provide music, and allowing me to forget about the system.  That is the goal of all the changes, upgrades, mods, mistakes, etc., and this FW is a major step to that goal.  And bringing my WM1Z to a level I had not previously seen.

I am using WM1Z, Romi Audio v4 (with Black Gate capacitors) mod, which is a pretty extensive mod in many areas.  IER-Z1R, stock 4.4mm cable, Direct Source: ON


----------



## hamhamhamsta

That’s the goal I believe; to lose yourself and enjoy your music.


----------



## captblaze

after a bit of listening time it is obvious to my ears that the Jupiter series has the best treble response that my stock 1A can produce (along with a set of Moondrop S8). 

dont get me wrong,  bass and mids are proper also, but the sparkle (without sibilance) present in the treble is what i have been looking for since i purchased this DAP

big ups to the Public Relations Director and the "Stepfather" of the Walkman for the epic works


----------



## Whitigir

ttt123 said:


> Just tried M3ZU and J3ZU.
> I thought I'd try M3ZU first, as I preferred a more neutral sound, and had previously liked the WM2Z FW.  Figured I could drop down to the M2ZU or M1ZU if I found I did not like M3ZU.    Initially, there were a couple of songs I found harsh, which after trying more, I realized that it was treating bad sources more harshly.  I think this is one of the reasons that the stock Sony FW tuning is the way it is.  It tries to do a decent job on all qualities of music, thus not maximizing what the hardware is capable of.   I did enjoy what the stock FW could do with even low quality files, but am enjoying more what this M3ZU is able to bring out with better quality files.  And not just DSD, but good quality hi-res, FLAC, AAC and MP3.  I spent 90 mins, loving the sound it was bringing out.  Fluid, detailed, never harsh(except on bad sources).  A presence to vocals that I had not heard before.  As people have commented, a "you are there" quality.  Beautiful texture to all kinds of music, whether vocals, or piano, backing instruments, etc.  What I was hearing was "musical", my highest goal, where everything comes together.  Details, PRAT, stage.  And you can imagine that you are able to feel the emotion the singer is putting into the song.  Or a simple guitar chord can be so rich.   That I spent 90 minutes without realizing,  is a measure of how I was enjoying the music.
> So I decided I did not need to try the tier 2 and 1, if I was enjoying the Mercury T3 this much.
> 
> ...


Lovely! Not only that you have Extensively modified in hardware but you also have similar preferences to me !!! I am glad you are enjoying it


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> damn, I didn't expect you to be this close



Life always bring us closer then we ever think )
We are encircled by a close perimeter that we all swim in the same pool after all haha.

Did you try new fw and regions?
By the way thanks for letting me try your 1a was a fun experience  )


----------



## Vitaly2017

Pillsburydough said:


> So many firmwares (much appreciation to those involved!) and so many regions. My ears just can't get enough.
> 
> As the novice that I am, I've tried a few combinations but keep going back to my current favourite D1.02 with E region. On J region, D1.02 appeared to be too much for my setup - Stock WM1A, Andromedas (green), Moon audio silver dragon 4.4mm balanced - and was suffering some sibilance.
> 
> I haven't tried the latest planet firmwares - any recommendations from the knowledgeable folk on here given my gear?



I was on E region by default after playing around I found E swallowed the mids and have an artificial bass also treble peaky. I then moved to CA and what a lovely marriage!


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> That’s the goal I believe; to lose yourself and enjoy your music.



And forget about the price it cost you haha now 10 grand waaaa


----------



## phonomat

Xanderman said:


> Greetings everyone!
> 
> With all these new FW possibilities, which is the better choice to purchase, 1Z or 1A?



Clearly 1A. You should be able tune the sound to your liking and apparently "emulate" 1Z and even DMP-Z1 quite closely for a fraction of the money. Plus, the 1Z weighs a ton, lol. It's a no-brainer, really.


----------



## gearofwar (Mar 3, 2020)

Currently on Jupiter T3, adoring this so much. Thanks a lot guys, you brighten my day.
Sorry for the noob question, I'm currently on J region, if I switch to the others, will the tuning be affected as well?


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> Currently on Jupiter T3, adoring this so much. Thanks a lot guys, you brighten my day.
> Sorry for the noob question, I'm currently on J region, if I switch to the others, will the tuning be affected as well?


It will be, try it out and observe it yourself.  You can always swap back


----------



## blazinblazin

Maybe that's why WM series DAP's equalizer is more effective than most players.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 3, 2020)

blazinblazin said:


> Maybe that's why WM series DAP's equalizer is more effective than most players.


I have been saying it all along, no body understand digital music as well as Sony, and when they have their own chip doing it....you are in for a treat! That explains why Walkman has a uniqueness that other players do not have.

Even DMP-Z1 in “Direct Mode” is using Sony DSP chips.  I could observe it unmistakably when toggled it on....it is kinda funny that time I was wishing if I could get a hold on these firmwares stuff.

finally, i share with you all the fruits of my enthusiasm


----------



## Fsilva

Unable to install Jupiter Tier 3 or even Mercury Tier 3 on my unmodded WM1A, was able to install Jupiter Tier 2 and loving it! But now i want to try Tier 3!! 
Congrats to the Amazing Wizard of Sony @Whitigir


----------



## Fsilva

oh my....Jebus is that you that i´m hearing? is this heaven?? what kind of sorcery is this??? These mods really gave a new life to these players. I´ve got my Wm1A since 2017, during this time i hadn´t a single wish to upgrade, and now with these mods i think this player will stay with me until it stops working!!!


----------



## hireslover

Oh my God I couldn’t thank you @Whitigir and @Morbideath enough for this. You guys did an excellent job. Right now I am enjoying sweet notes on J1ZU. Sounds Superb!!!!


----------



## HiFiGuy528

@Morbideath do I simply download this file on a Windows 10 computer and follow the prompts to change my DMP-Z1 to Japan firmware? Want to double check before I go buy a PC for this. Thanks for your help.


----------



## Whitigir

HiFiGuy528 said:


> @Morbideath do I simply download this file on a Windows 10 computer and follow the prompts to change my DMP-Z1 to Japan firmware? Want to double check before I go buy a PC for this. Thanks for your help.


No! That is for Walkman ....don’t brick your DMP


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 3, 2020)

bflat said:


> I am disappointed that the new firmware is named after planets after all my hard work in suggesting condiments names...


Sorry for not adopting your proposals. I adore the motives behind condiments, but then two things come to my mind:
1. Condiments are not universally accepted. Coming from my part of the world, most people never have ketchup (do I spell correctly?) for any food only if they occasionally go to MacDonalds.
2. The condiments u proposed are mostly applied after the meal is done, other than before, or while cooking. Firmwares are not like those DSPs to make up the sound while playing. it happened before the music is played

just my 2 cents


----------



## AnakChan

HiFiGuy528 said:


> @Morbideath do I simply download this file on a Windows 10 computer and follow the prompts to change my DMP-Z1 to Japan firmware? Want to double check before I go buy a PC for this. Thanks for your help.


Mike, I'll update the link I put in the W11 Topaz thread soon. Have a look at this meanwhile, maybe better to refer to this :-
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2209#post-15495493
Jupiter: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16xcK7PsvD78D9G-zgnaPR1OFegwt3FLI
Mercury: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hhp_Nzk4W-suwthu4MQrNSXLtcIjslNX

@Whitigir @Morbideath can/should the DMP-Z1 1.02.exe be removed from GoogleDrive if it causes confusion?


----------



## Morbideath

AnakChan said:


> Mike, I'll update the link I put in the W11 Topaz thread soon. Have a look at this meanwhile, maybe better to refer to this :-
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2209#post-15495493
> Jupiter: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16xcK7PsvD78D9G-zgnaPR1OFegwt3FLI
> Mercury: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hhp_Nzk4W-suwthu4MQrNSXLtcIjslNX
> ...


I deliberately left it there because people love this mod. the newcomers may not know what is D1.02 but it was the most popular before.
Think I need to further explain it to avoid confusion.


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> Sorry for not adopting your proposals. I adore the logic behind condiments, but then two things come to my mind:
> 1. Condiments are not universally accepted. Coming from my part of the world, most people never have ketchup (do I spell correctly?) for any food only if they occasionally go to MacDonalds.
> 2. The condiments u proposed are mostly applied after the meal is done, other than before, or while cooking. Firmwares are not like those DSP effects to make up the sound while playing. it happened before the music is played
> 
> just my 2 cents



All DSP works even better with modified firmwares as reported, EQ, Vinyl
Processor, DSEEHX, Tone controls, Phase Linearizer....whatever you throw at it.

DSP effects is different than DSP Processing, 2 very different things.  DSP processing involves Algorithms, Shaping, Filtering, Quantizations, feedbacks....etc that takes from Bit perfect feeds. The reason why you can not use any DSP Effects is because you are in Bit perfect mode

DSP Effects is another set of algorithms that allow adjustments of amplitudes during quantization processing and then combine with DSP Processing to output Adjusted Sound performances

So, please keep in mind that they are both *very different thing *


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> All DSP works even better with modified firmwares as reported, EQ, Vinyl
> Processor, DSEEHX, Tone controls, Phase Linearizer....whatever you throw at it.
> 
> DSP effects is different than DSP Processing, 2 very different things.  DSP processing involves Algorithms, Shaping, Filtering, Quantizations, feedbacks....etc that takes from Bit perfect feeds. The reason why you can not use any DSP Effects is because you are in Bit perfect mode
> ...


changed my wording to be more accurate.


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> changed my wording to be more accurate.


I meant to respond to @bflat from your point of view


----------



## Damz87

HiFiGuy528 said:


> @Morbideath do I simply download this file on a Windows 10 computer and follow the prompts to change my DMP-Z1 to Japan firmware? Want to double check before I go buy a PC for this. Thanks for your help.


You could just install a copy of Windows on a virtual machine or boot camp on your Mac. Would be a lot cheaper


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 3, 2020)

Mars is here. Anyone wish to try it, pls refer to the same Google Drive folder to download your version.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15495493


----------



## Redcarmoose

Morbideath said:


> I deliberately left it there because people love this mod. the newcomers may not know what is D1.02 but it was the most popular before.
> Think I need to further explain it to avoid confusion.



D1.02 is charismatic and singular in nature. IMO


----------



## bflat

Morbideath said:


> Sorry for not adopting your proposals. I adore the motives behind condiments, but then two things come to my mind:
> 1. Condiments are not universally accepted. Coming from my part of the world, most people never have ketchup (do I spell correctly?) for any food only if they occasionally go to MacDonalds.
> 2. The condiments u proposed are mostly applied after the meal is done, other than before, or while cooking. Firmwares are not like those DSPs to make up the sound while playing. it happened before the music is played
> 
> just my 2 cents



How about name after dead poets then LOL? Great work on the latest planets! Loading all these different firmware does take a heavy toll on battery life since I disconnect as soon as database starts to index. My K-Mod WM1z and IER-Z1R seems to like J3 the best. M3 produced some digital artifacts in the upper mids giving a very metallic tone to female vocals. M2 was a little better in this regard. Lastly, I think J3 sounds faster in the lower bass than M3. My WM1z is originally US version, but I have changed to Japan.


----------



## aisalen

Originaly my 1A has E version, I change it to J using the rockbox tool. What do I need to download for the modified firmware? Japan or Universal irregardless of Tier?


----------



## Whitigir

aisalen said:


> Originaly my 1A has E version, I change it to J using the rockbox tool. What do I need to download for the modified firmware? Japan or Universal irregardless of Tier?


Europe


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 3, 2020)

Hardware Mods + Firmware Mods = New Ceilings for Walkman?


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> Spoiler: The Foreword to Firmwares Modding
> 
> 
> 
> ...


thanks for dropping mars  I have a question. If you say that the firmware are tuned the same for 1z and 1a why are there different exe files for both of them?


----------



## Morbideath

that's for the best / purest sound as possible


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> that's for the best / purest sound as possible


ahh, cheers mate!


----------



## aceedburn

I have a region E WM1A changed to J region and i can confirm that none of the european versions work with mine  Only universal version works. So there is some discrepancy on what brother @Whitigir has advised


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> I have a region E WM1A changed to J region and i can confirm that none of the european versions work with mine  Only universal version works. So there is some discrepancy on what brother @Whitigir has advised


E is not EU. E is for some south/east Asian countries. so E is universal


----------



## blazinblazin

captblaze said:


> after a bit of listening time it is obvious to my ears that the Jupiter series has the best treble response that my stock 1A can produce (along with a set of Moondrop S8).
> 
> dont get me wrong,  bass and mids are proper also, but the sparkle (without sibilance) present in the treble is what i have been looking for since i purchased this DAP
> 
> big ups to the Public Relations Director and the "Stepfather" of the Walkman for the epic works



If you like treble response, you probably will like WM1A with HS1695TI too.
It brings out very good highs in WM1A.


----------



## blazinblazin

While other DAP is having hardware swapping we are doing software swapping lol


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 3, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yes I decided to give a precise run on just Fw with stock.
> 
> I am blown away by the CA.
> It has such deep amazing bass, one like in the clubs. Big tight and big bounce ) the decay is so unique crazy.
> ...



I tried today region CA Thx to your recommendation. Mid-bass quantity increased so much compared with J, but soundstage took a hit also (width not as expansive). Its definitely a different flavor though


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> I tried today region CA Thx to your recommendation. Mid-bass quantity increased so much compared with J, but soundstage took a hit also (width not as expansive). Its definitely a different flavor though


I too tried this. Bass indeed was heightened. So which mod would you recommend to those on CA region who still love warmth and bass?


----------



## hshock76

I’ve not been posting much cause I’m enjoying the music so much! Thanks to @Whitigir, I have my end game FW and the necessary hardware to go with it! It’s perfect; beyond any doubt.


----------



## aceedburn

hshock76 said:


> I’ve not been posting much cause I’m enjoying the music so much! Thanks to @Whitigir, I have my end game FW and the necessary hardware to go with it! It’s perfect; beyond any doubt.


Which is your endgame firmware?


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> I too tried this. Bass indeed was heightened. So which mod would you recommend to those on CA region who still love warmth and bass?


Synergy is a private thing. For CA i found its bass to be overwhelming, some may not. 
There's only 3 profiles now, just try them out and combine with region codes


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> Synergy is a private thing. For CA i found its bass to be overwhelming, some may not.
> There's only 3 profiles now, just try them out and combine with region codes


Currently on J region with Mars T1. Definitely warmer than Jupiter. Yet detailed and airy. Since I have a stock 1A, I dare not try T2.


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> Currently on J region with Mars T1. Definitely warmer than Jupiter. Yet detailed and airy. Since I have a stock 1A, I dare not try T2.


It won’t damage your device whatsoever, it might just sound worse than your expectations / or better


----------



## hshock76 (Mar 3, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Which is your endgame firmware?



You can’t go wrong with either Mercury or Jupiter if you have a heavily modified player. My modded player has a beta test file. For my stock player, I’m on Jupiter. Both region J.

It’s the synergy between the hardware and FW. The K-Mod Ultimate++ Mod + Brise Audio Yatono and Z1Rs work like a dream team....


----------



## AnakChan

> Choose the correct version corresponding with your device model to install.* All devices except JP model and EU model should choose Universal*. Changing regions will not effect the region your device originally subjects to. Unfortunately I cannot compile and maintain Mac versions.


My Japan-NW-WM1Z has it's "internationalised" for the English language menu option with scsitool. I'm not certain if this was pre-rockbox?

Would I be using the JP model version still or Universal?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> I tried today region CA Thx to your recommendation. Mid-bass quantity increased so much compared with J, but soundstage took a hit also (width not as expansive). Its definitely a different flavor though




I dont know but for me with my tia trio on CA and custom fw 3.02 is just insane nectarphilia flowing in the blood lol.

I feel extremely expansive sound stage very holographic,  an amazing bass response tight and visceral.  Mids are like dmp1.02. 

But I am probably the only one here with a pair of tia trio.  They are very special iems and have unique abilities with bass and treble....

Maybe one day you guys can try the trio one superb iem tuning


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> E is not EU. E is for some south/east Asian countries. so E is universal





Ok me to I have E so even if I switched to CA I still need to use the universal in the fw right?


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> Ok me to I have E so even if I switched to CA I still need to use the universal in the fw right?


yes. Its not related with what region u changed to


----------



## Morbideath

AnakChan said:


> My Japan-NW-WM1Z has it's "internationalised" for the English language menu option with scsitool. I'm not certain if this was pre-rockbox?
> 
> Would I be using the JP model version still or Universal?


That's a tricky question as it's too specific. U may try either, it won't hurt anything, just the installation won't initiate if incompatible


----------



## Evoke

To be honest, I was initially not convinced how firmware changes will affect the sound.

I a/bed Jupiter T2 and Mercury T2 and was quite convinced by the changes. Sticking to jupiter for the time being


----------



## Vitaly2017

I got a question it is not related to 1z or 1a.
I will receive my zx507 in a day and wanted to play with regions there to. Since this tuning isbt available for the android version...if for example downloading firmware from different sites from sony like for each different regions on official site. Would that be possible?  To change your region that way?

Or it would make no difference? 
I would love to be able to do the same with zx507 change and try different regions  to (


----------



## hamhamhamsta

JVC FX850 really surprised me. It sounds so good and grand with Mercury T3. It scales extremely well; clarity & resolution better than EE Phantom, It sounds grand, bass extremely physical, treble is high, timbre spot on. It doesn't feel dark and there's good width and depth. I'm using it with Alo Gold 16 iem cable and modded 1Z.


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> I got a question it is not related to 1z or 1a.
> I will receive my zx507 in a day and wanted to play with regions there to. Since this tuning isbt available for the android version...if for example downloading firmware from different sites from sony like for each different regions on official site. Would that be possible?  To change your region that way?
> 
> Or it would make no difference?
> I would love to be able to do the same with zx507 change and try different regions  to (



The 507 is Android based so probably none of this will work


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> thanks for dropping mars  I have a question. If you say that the firmware are tuned the same for 1z and 1a why are there different exe files for both of them?



There is a 1A and 1Z folder for each FW


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> There is a 1A and 1Z folder for each FW


Yes. So my question is why 2 different folders when they are the same for 1z and 1A. Wouldn’t one exe file suffice?


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Yes. So my question is why 2 different folders when they are the same for 1z and 1A. Wouldn’t one exe file suffice?



Because there are different tunings to the fw to get the same sound from 1A and 1Z


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> Because there are different tunings to the fw to get the same sound from 1A and 1Z


Ahh now I see the light. Thanks so much for the explanation bro.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 4, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I dont know but for me with my tia trio on CA and custom fw 3.02 is just insane nectarphilia flowing in the blood lol.
> 
> I feel extremely expansive sound stage very holographic,  an amazing bass response tight and visceral.  Mids are like dmp1.02.


With an open mind I reverted back to stock 3.02 with region CA, it doesn't impress me but I feel it's a lot better than region CH (China). The staging is very large, but not as large as either mods profiles. Tonal balance is aligned with somewhere between Mercury and Jupiter, at T1 level. If u have a monster setup u will benefit much more at T3 though (or even T4 for my own good) with unimaginable dynamics and resolutions.
FYI, Whitigir personally runs Mercury T4 in JP and Im rocking with Mars T4 in JP (or Jupiter T4 in CA). This tier is meaningless to the majority out there so are not available.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 4, 2020)

Another interesting find for region CA is that, in CA I prefer Jupiter T3 or T4 to Mars (too bassy); But when I tuned Mars in JP they were a great match
The bassy signature of region CA makes Jupiter more fun / exciting for metal music. But overall Jupiter + CA is still brighter / more balanced than Mars + JP. The FW mods play a bigger role than region codes


----------



## Queen6

Vitaly2017 said:


> Oh wow I was doing further more tests around and found Canadian region.
> 
> What a good balance between good bass and treble.  Treble is not too sharp just spot on !
> And bass is well controlled really juicy.
> ...



Been following this thread for a good while, some excellent work being done here. My WM1A is on stock 3.02 FW, flipped from CN to CA which also presents Sony's certificate for wireless transmission. The regional changes are slight, however discernible, flipping from CN to E was a big change. On my ZX300 E is good, on the WM1A a little too harsh in the treble CA retains the base and smoothens out the treble. May try J, although enjoying CA as it does feel to be the most balanced, E is more V shaped, CN the bass is tamed a touch.

IEM's
Dunu 3001 Pro, Campfire Andromeda (V3), Westone W40 & AKG N40. Next up hopefully Campfire Polaris (V2) & Sony 1ER-Z1R

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Morbideath said:


> With an open mind I reverted back to stock 3.02 with region CA, it doesn't impress me but I feel it's a lot better than region CH (China). The staging is very large, but not as large as either mods profiles. Tonal balance is aligned with somewhere between Mercury and Jupiter, at T1 level. If u have a monster setup u will benefit much more at T3 though (or even T4 for my own good) with unimaginable dynamics and resolutions.
> FYI, Whitigir personally runs Mercury T4 in JP and Im rocking with Mars T4 in JP (or Jupiter T4 in CA). This tier is meaningless to the majority out there so are not available.



Flipping from CN to E I found to be jarring as the difference was very obvious, CA feels to be more balanced. Makes sense that Sony does have regional tuning and better still we can switch it to our individual taste.  Firmware I'll leave stock for the present time as I'm fine with it and want to settle on the best region for my taste, and my WM1A is need more time to fully settle down.

Stock WM1A on 3.02

IEM's
Dunu 3001 Pro, Campfire Andromeda (V3), Westone W40 & AKG N40. Next up hopefully Campfire Polaris (V2) & Sony 1ER-Z1R

Q-6


----------



## Morbideath

Queen6 said:


> Flipping from CN to E I found to be jarring as the difference was very obvious, CA feels to be more balanced. Makes sense that Sony does have regional tuning and better still we can switch it to our individual taste.  Firmware I'll leave stock for the present time as I'm fine with it and want to settle on the best region for my taste, and my WM1A is need more time to fully settle down.
> 
> Stock WM1A on 3.02
> 
> ...


Funny that in China, most fans still don't believe it as most cannot tell the difference.


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 4, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Funny that in China, most fans still don't believe it as most cannot tell the difference.



Night & Day and that was with Dunu 3001 Pro, instantly obvious the difference between CN & E, the latter I found to be a little wearing, hence CA.  ZX300 is fine with E, equally nowhere as resolving as the WM1A.  I've not A-B regions with Andromeda, although I rather expect the difference to be even pronounced. Mine is a Chinese market unit so part of the purchase decision was the ability to switch regions and the sound signature, custom FM only adds to the party...

You guy's have done some great work to get the mods for WM1A/Z out to a larger audience, top job 

Q-6


----------



## Whitigir

AnakChan said:


> My Japan-NW-WM1Z has it's "internationalised" for the English language menu option with scsitool. I'm not certain if this was pre-rockbox?
> 
> Would I be using the JP model version still or Universal?


Walkman has a Japan Tourist version. They are kinda limited versions or so because they need to be purchased in person.  Some retailers do sell it over eBay but they still are limited per retailer.  They benefits from all other regions languages and so on but with multi languages and fully Japanese benefits 

you can check on the side label to make sure.  If it is then go with Japan region


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 12, 2020)

*Attention!*
https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/
https://www.head-fi.org/members/morbideath.526985/
*My God!*

I was not in no way expecting J3AU and J1AU to become such a revolution? I almost broke into tears. I'm speechless? They take the soundstage of D1.02 and expand it out even farther. They take the slight underground style earthy forwardness and forced attitude of D1.02 and add world-class smoothness and refinement. I started with J1 but found J3 to have a slightly better and more evenhanded treble responce.

1A stock Japanese Tourist with no region adjustment just over 500 hours

ZENTOO 4 wire 4.4mm

Noble Audio K-10 Encore

You guys rule!


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> They take the slight underground style earthy forwardness and forced attitude of D1.02


Glad u like it! 
Forgive my poor English, but what is underground style earthy forwardness and forced attitude?


----------



## Quang23693

Whitigir said:


> Walkman has a Japan Tourist version. They are kinda limited versions or so because they need to be purchased in person.  Some retailers do sell it over eBay but they still are limited per retailer.  They benefits from all other regions languages and so on but with multi languages and fully Japanese benefits
> 
> you can check on the side label to make sure.  If it is then go with Japan region


Many thanks , i'm using 1A Kmod Ultimate and i realy like M3AJ . With me , M1AJ more neutral than it , but It has very good details . 
Thank you again because make my 1A reborn .


----------



## proedros

Redcarmoose said:


> *My God!*
> 
> I was not in no way expecting J3AU and J1AU to become such a revolution? I almost broke into tears. I'm speechless? They take the soundstage of D1.02 and expand it out even farther. They take the slight underground style earthy forwardness and forced attitude of D1.02 and add world-class smoothness and refinement. I started with J1 but found J3 to have a slightly better and more evenhanded treble responce.
> 
> ...



i have the exact same wm1a (Jap Tourist stock) so will try those FWs too at some point , too bad i need to put my Zeus XR on hold for the next month until my Lionheart cable returns fixed - oh well 1st world problems i guess


----------



## Quang23693

Special thanks to W&M
https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/
https://www.head-fi.org/members/morbideath.526985/ 
They have brought all the best to everyone .


----------



## aceedburn

Seriously, I’d like to take this opportunity to whole heartedly thank @Whitigir and @Morbideath for these awesome firmwares. Not all firmwares will be for everyone but I’m sure everyone will find at least one that they really dig. You guys have gone out of the way unselfishly to mod these firmwares for us. God bless the both of you and your families.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 4, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Glad u like it!
> Forgive my poor English, but what is underground style earthy forwardness and forced attitude?



Well, you know these firmware progressions are sequential experiences right? You know like high school or bar hopping. The first is big eyed wonder as stuff is new. As with the 1A D1.02 was great, but was still slightly connected to the inherent character of the 1A (un-modded) sound. These things can come as double edged swords. So while D1.02 is a character as far as firmware, it’s slightly pushy and in-your-face........at least the synergy with my Encore IEMs it is. As well as using it with the Sony IER-Z1R......D1.02 somehow had issues, which were quickly addressed taking and using U1.02. So my past history this week has been Encore D1.02 then IER-Z1R with the U1.02. Now keep in mind all the while I’m enjoying Encore D.1.02 with the 1A; as it’s great. 

But.....As mentioned all and all it was slightly forward and forced. At times this shows something like an underground band. They are not produced well, but get by on attitude and ability, still with age they get polished. If wanting an unpolished experience a person can always roll back to D1.02. Remember this stuff is all based on subjective taste and equipment. Remember the 1A is slightly bright, and Noble Encore has a slight (actually not subtle) treble boost. It made the D1.02 have an interesting but intense guitar personality. Where Jupiter arrives with massive polished subtleness and reserve. It’s actually an opposite of D1.02.....which is why getting it now is so amazing. It’s like OK, we have these aftermarket 3rd party firmwares, but guess what? Yep, they will not sound the same at all. And.....were going to fix and refine sound signatures into a place you’ll not be expecting!


----------



## captblaze

you want to give your  ears a wild ride. give a listen to this. Akira Jimbo and Brian Bromberg lay this jam down with authority and the new firmwares know where to take it


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> Well, you know these firmware progressions are sequential experiences right? You know like high school or bar hopping. The first is big eyed wonder as stuff is new. As with the 1A D1.02 was great, but was still slightly connected to the inherent character of the 1A (un-modded) sound. These things can come as double edged swords. So while D1.02 is a character as far as firmware, it’s slightly pushy and in-your-face........at least the synergy with my Encore IEMs it is. As well as using it with the Sony IER-Z1R......D1.02 somehow had issues, which were quickly addressed taking and using U1.02. So my past history this week has been Encore D1.02 then IER-Z1R with the U1.02. Now keep in mind all the while I’m enjoying Encore D.1.02 with the 1A; as it’s great.
> 
> But.....As mentioned all and all it was slightly forward and forced. At times this shows something like an underground band. There not produced well, but get by on attitude and ability, still with age they get polished. If wanting an unpolished experience a person can always roll back to D1.02. Remember this stuff is all based on subjective taste and equipment. Remember the 1A is slightly bright, and Noble Encore has a slight (actually not subtle) treble boost. It made the D1.02 have an interesting but intense guitar personality. Where Jupiter arrives with massive polished subtleness and reserve. It’s actually an opposite of D1.02.....which is why getting it now is so amazing. It’s like OK, we have these aftermarket 3rd party firmwares, but guess what? Yep, they will not sound the same at all. And.....were going to fix and refine sound signatures into a place you’ll not be expecting!


Yeah gotcha. No wonder i didn't understand at first, there were so many implications hidden there


----------



## Fsilva

I was withholding on getting a 1tb micro ssd, but now with these sw mods, and due to the fact i will no longer be using my TA, i decided it was enough reasons to order one, also amazon US was selling them for a very good price, only downside is that it will only be delivered around the end of March...the wait begins!


----------



## Morbideath

I've been a lurker in Head-fi for years, and benefited a lot from this thread. Since the discovery of FW modding in China, I've been enjoying the works of evolution just like u guys are now, so I registered an account just to share with  all. 

If u are happy with the new sound, I'll be even happier; if not, there's no harm with more flavors to choose for free, isn't it? 

Venus incoming!


----------



## nc8000

Morbideath said:


> I've been a lurker in Head-fi for years, and benefited a lot from this thread. Since the discovery of FW modding in China, I've been enjoying the works of evolution just like u guys are now, so I registered an account just to share with  all.
> 
> If u are happy with the new sound, I'll be even happier; if not, there's no harm with more flavors to choose for free, isn't it?
> 
> Venus incoming!



Will be interesting. I listen a lot to classical instrumental but also a lot to vocal classical and jazz so picking one fw could be tricky


----------



## lumdicks

Thanks so much @Whitigir and @Morbideath for all the contributions and sharing. I am enjoying much with J2ZU with my un-modded 1Z, with PW Audio Mercer Shielding and 64 Audio Tia Fourte, and PW Audio Satan with Z1R.

Heaven is just in front of me.


----------



## siruspan (Mar 4, 2020)

I've just installed Jupiter T3. Holly smokes! It's so clear, with so, so deep black blackground and feels immensely transparent without sounding too clean or sharp with every note deep and well defined. Amazing soundstage and magical holography as well as insane details on bass. Well done guys, really well done.


----------



## simon740

Hello,

can I ask why I dont see album art for my DSD albums? On wm1a...

regards,
Simon


----------



## Whitigir

simon740 said:


> Hello,
> 
> can I ask why I dont see album art for my DSD albums? On wm1a...
> 
> ...


None of the firmware is with modified functional setting and it related applications.  So do kindly check on your side for the tagging issues


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> Another interesting find for region CA is that, in CA I prefer Jupiter T3 or T4 to Mars (too bassy); But when I tuned Mars in JP they were a great match
> The bassy signature of region CA makes Jupiter more fun / exciting for metal music. But overall Jupiter + CA is still brighter / more balanced than Mars + JP. The FW mods play a bigger role than region codes




Wait is T4 in the list? I think I only saw t3 maximum a secret hidden fw is available for the chosen ones! ???


----------



## aceedburn

After testing out so many firmwares, I decided to change my WM1A region to CA and run the stock 3.02. The bass on this is amazing. Sub goes really deep. Very warm sounding. Not a hint of harshness or sibilance. Definition is good but maybe lacking a tiny bit of detail. Other than that it’s actually incredibly good. Way better warmth than J region with stock 3.02. Mids also sound fuller and not as thin sounding like the E region. Am gonna try Jupiter3 tomorrow.


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> Wait is T4 in the list? I think I only saw t3 maximum a secret hidden fw is available for the chosen ones! ???


T3 is the maximum. T4 is only experimental and not meant to be released.


----------



## nc8000

simon740 said:


> Hello,
> 
> can I ask why I dont see album art for my DSD albums? On wm1a...
> 
> ...



Probably because they are progressive jpg. Have you seen them previously ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> T3 is the maximum. T4 is only experimental and not meant to be released.




I am the very late guy I just loaded Jupiter t3 on CA

Only got 2 mins of listening and already what a blast . Amazing sound.

You said u like jupiter with ca and Japan regions right?


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am the very late guy I just loaded Jupiter t3 on CA
> 
> Only got 2 mins of listening and already what a blast . Amazing sound.
> 
> You said u like jupiter with ca and Japan regions right?



All regions has different sound signatures, and there are mainly 3 of them as I listed.  However, all firmware were tuned based on Japan as the main region.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I really like the Jupiter t3 + Ca treble is much better then on stock fw. But it has slightly less bass hehe

On ca + stock 3.02 it just blows hard ) with bass

Too my surprise I feel more holographicness on ca + stock 3.02 how come? Also I find dmp1.02 to be more holographic as well

Jupiter t3 has a very nice black background.  Very gentle sound and very balanced with a nice bass hump ) treble really not peaky or sharp


----------



## Quang23693

Jupiter seem the popular fw with everyone but mid in J3 is thinner than my taste . I prefer M3 to J3 . This is my impression about it but i love all of them . Tks


----------



## Vitaly2017

Oh thats interesting I just switched to Japan region and holyshit it blows ! Haha

Bass is harder and treble got just right sparkly and well resonating. 
Also much more holographic then Ca.

To my ears Ca + stock 3.02 and the Jupiter t3 are very close


----------



## simon740

nc8000 said:


> Probably because they are progressive jpg. Have you seen them previously ?


I use Music Center...and there the images are visible. But on wm1a no.


----------



## NickleCo (Mar 4, 2020)

Interesting the mods are quite responsive. Currently on dmp z1 1.02 and right off the bat (compared to 3.02 stock) theres a bit of a dip in the upper mids, midbass and the stage sounds a tad bit diffused its not as agressive sounding as 3.02 stock. Over all its a more neutral sound compared to stock. I also noticed that resolution took a punch on this mod.

Note: all tests are done with the campfire atlas (in some ways it improves on the neutrality of atlas but in some ways it made it sound boring).


----------



## Queen6

aceedburn said:


> After testing out so many firmwares, I decided to change my WM1A region to CA and run the stock 3.02. The bass on this is amazing. Sub goes really deep. Very warm sounding. Not a hint of harshness or sibilance. Definition is good but maybe lacking a tiny bit of detail. Other than that it’s actually incredibly good. Way better warmth than J region with stock 3.02. Mids also sound fuller and not as thin sounding like the E region. Am gonna try Jupiter3 tomorrow.



Tempted to go the same, however my WM1A is still relatively new and need more runtime. Likely I'd opt for Jupiter as I want a balanced sound signature and Tier 1 as I don't want to impact battery life. For now Stock Sony 3.02 with CA region is a far better solution for my tastes than the stock CN region.   

Q-6


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> None of the firmware is with modified functional setting and it related applications.  So do kindly check on your side for the tagging issues



Check your “Recent Transfers” folder in your 1A, as you may find it full even after turning your player off. It’s only suppose to show new transfers. 

Pease don’t take this as a criticism as it’s not; only a statement for the sake of completeness. 

Jupiter Level 3 is mind-bogglingly good. It may actually be the first firmware to bring the 1A beyond the capabilities of a stock 1Z? Too early to tell, but call me flabbergasted! Utterly flabbergasted!


----------



## blazinblazin

Vitaly2017 said:


> Oh thats interesting I just switched to Japan region and holyshit it blows ! Haha
> 
> Bass is harder and treble got just right sparkly and well resonating.
> Also much more holographic then Ca.
> ...



Yup, Jupiter 3 is nearer to stock 3.02 but more low ends. Had great highs but not as tiring as stock 3.02. Thats from what I felt.


----------



## NickleCo

Can i just roll mods without setting the player to stock?


----------



## nc8000

simon740 said:


> I use Music Center...and there the images are visible. But on wm1a no.



You need to check if they are progressive jpg as the Sony OS players don’t support those as opposed to the Android players that do


----------



## NickleCo (Mar 4, 2020)

.


----------



## Queen6

nc8000 said:


> You need to check if they are progressive jpg as the Sony OS players don’t support those as opposed to the Android players that do



I think it maybe related to how the files were originally created as even with known good sources/images I have six DSD albums that refuse to display album art on the player yet are fine in Sony's app and even other players.

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

Any one tried mars ) is it a rough bumpy ride? By the description this is the super rock n roll fw lol hehe


----------



## aceedburn

Queen6 said:


> Tempted to go the same, however my WM1A is still relatively new and need more runtime. Likely I'd opt for Jupiter as I want a balanced sound signature and Tier 1 as I don't want to impact battery life. For now Stock Sony 3.02 with CA region is a far better solution for my tastes than the stock CN region.
> 
> Q-6


If you like clean bass that is not muddying the mix at all and full rich mids with crystal clear highs that do not pierce, then CA plus stock 3.02 give that to you. Haven’t found any other combo that matches this sound sig yet. Will try Jupiter 3 tomorrow.


----------



## Redcarmoose

I’ll just eer drop this sheet of paper off here.


----------



## Morbideath

Queen6 said:


> Tempted to go the same, however my WM1A is still relatively new and need more runtime. Likely I'd opt for Jupiter as I want a balanced sound signature and Tier 1 as I don't want to impact battery life. For now Stock Sony 3.02 with CA region is a far better solution for my tastes than the stock CN region.
> 
> Q-6


battery impact is quite minimal on my side, especially for T2 and T1. To be prudent, I just need to notice it to the crowd


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 4, 2020)

With the Walkman 1A; Jupiter 3 IS like Update 3.02......but while listening to the 1Z. It’s 3.02 on the 1Z only with a 1A. Wildest thing all year? It may even be better than stock 3.02 on the 1Z, but I don’t want to say anything like that yet.


----------



## Gww1

simon740 said:


> I use Music Center...and there the images are visible. But on wm1a no.


In music centre right click on the album and choose properties, then click the album art tab and select convert album art. Then transfer again to the Walkman, should now be ok.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Guys if you want to fully feel the true configuration of the new Fw use Japan region first + the new fw after you change region if you dont like J,  cause looks like the tuning works best J + the fw....

Just my 2c recommendations


----------



## simon740

Gww1 said:


> In music centre right click on the album and choose properties, then click the album art tab and select convert album art. Then transfer again to the Walkman, should now be ok.


I do this, but no lack.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Just one more.


----------



## Nostoi

simon740 said:


> I do this, but no lack.


The simple way to get around any art issues with the Sony is to open the image in Microsoft Paint and just save it. Then import it via MP3 Tag. Takes about 10 seconds. Works with DSD, WAV, Flac, etc.


----------



## Queen6

aceedburn said:


> If you like clean bass that is not muddying the mix at all and full rich mids with crystal clear highs that do not pierce, then CA plus stock 3.02 give that to you. Haven’t found any other combo that matches this sound sig yet. Will try Jupiter 3 tomorrow.



As ever, all very subjective; initially I switched from CN to E as my ZX300 is on E, I've never felt any need to change region, enjoying the sound signature. E region on the WM1A was too harsh in the treble and a little wearing for my liking. My unit is still very new with just a little over 50 hours. I know from experience that the WM1A will settle and smoothen out over time and will likely try E once again, although my instincts are that CA is the better.

CN is very much tailored to the mainstream Chinese taste in music, I just happened to be in China when I bought the Walkman, could have easily been in Malaysia or elsewhere across APAC. Beauty is that such changes are accessible and easy to experiment with. Custom firmware I'm going to pass until the WM1A has more hours on the clock.

Q-6


----------



## siruspan

Jupiter T3 can't be like 3.02 on 1A because I don't like the 3.02 and I was using still using 3.01


----------



## siruspan

Redcarmoose said:


> Just one more.



To put this in to perspective:

Astell SP2000 thread:


----------



## blazinblazin (Mar 4, 2020)

If Jupiter T3 is like person/band singing in a recording studio

Stock 3.02 is when you go for concert the singer/band is singing in a large concert hall further from you.


----------



## Morbideath

siruspan said:


> To put this in to perspective:
> 
> Astell SP2000 thread:



The power of House Sony: 
_"firmware is coming"_


----------



## SQ13

Morbideath said:


> The power of House Sony:
> _"firmware is coming"_



you started this wave!!!


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 4, 2020)

blazinblazin said:


> If Jupiter T3 is like person singing in a recording studio
> 
> Stock 3.02 is when you go for concert the singer and band is singing in a larger concert hall further from you.


I have the observation that, if your setup doesn't scale up with T3, the staging will shrink instead of expanding. But for very capable setups, T3 has an enormous soundstage.
That's because T3 (no matter Mercury, Jupiter or Mars) retrieves insane amount of resolution to present, and has explosive dynamic. If the hardware cannot handle properly, all the information clashes together making the staging cramped. If the setup is poor, this will sound aggressive without layering.
Stock 3.02 on the other hand, has less resolution to process so has a sense of smooth reverbs that create the illusion of large stage.
All in all, it's still SYNERGY.


----------



## Whitigir

Guys with *all due respect*

Tier 3 *is not the best of the firmware*

Tier 3 is technically the *most aggressive firmware*.  Hence *it will scale immensely with the hardware modifications and or very high end capable cables/gears*

Tier 2 is the better than Tier 1, and Tier 1 should be the most friendly firmware.

If *tier 3 is not much improvement over stock firmware*, then your hardware and else where are not scaling well.  _*Please consider using tier 1 or so*_

This is the reason why we deliberately Disclosed it.  We just *have to make all firmware versions because there are people who has extensively modified hardware wise*


----------



## blazinblazin (Mar 4, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> I have the observation that, if your setup doesn't scale up with T3, the staging will shrink instead of expanding. But for very capable setups, T3 has an enormous soundstage.
> That's because T3 (no matter Mercury, Jupiter or Mars) retrieves insane amount of resolution to present, and has explosive dynamic. If the hardware cannot handle properly, all the information clashes together making the staging cramped. If the setup is poor, this will sound aggressive without layering.


Something like reach the cap of the certain frequency so my IEM can't produce the full range?
Can I reduce volume so it can reach full frequency within the IEM frequency frame of my IEM or get a lower power firmware.


----------



## Morbideath

blazinblazin said:


> Something like reach the cap of the that frequency so it can't produce the full range?


Just too much information cluttering together and the device can't handle / organize and present them properly.


----------



## Queen6

Morbideath said:


> battery impact is quite minimal on my side, especially for T2 and T1. To be prudent, I just need to notice it to the crowd



Thx, end of the day costs nothing to try  My WM1A is stock and will likely remain so. Likely T1/T2 is fine, as for WM1Z only a matter of time before I come across one at the right price.  TBH my intention on the day was to audition a Quloos QA361, however due to ongoing 2019-cNOV precautions (Shenzhen) that turned out to be a no go.  Wandered into a shop and WM1A & WM1Z were both present...

Looked at endless TOTL DAP's recently and always looped back to Sony as I like the sound signature & quality.  Personally I only want my DAP to play music, not be a Smartphone without the phone and all the accompanying baggage.  I like streaming for music discovery, and I have a Huawei Sound X which is more than adequate for the task. DAP's I want the $$$$ in the audio quality of the device not a myriad of other things. 

Q-6


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 4, 2020)

blazinblazin said:


> Can I reduce volume so it can reach full frequency within the IEM frequency frame of my IEM or get a lower power firmware.


No. It's like pouring some tanks of water into a puddle and wanting to swim within. u can only buy a swimming pool that's large enough to hold so much water and enjoy swimming properly, or u can only play in puddles like Peppa Pig.
The example is a bit extreme but that's how it is.
For lower power / less water, just use T1 or T2, whatever suits your taste.


----------



## Evoke

A/bed mercury, Mars and Jupiter. Settled on Jupiter eventually.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 4, 2020)

Well there is always the new toy phenomenon. And while these are the best things to happen to the 1A and 1Z in history, audiophiles do have a penchant for new sounds. And just as Vogue Magazine worships the designer of the era, some things seem new and some things remain classic and hard to beat. The 1A actually can sound better than the 1Z with the exact file and IEM. First off it’s on the edge of reason how we would ask firmware to take $1200 and make it $3200. Still that’s where this thread is going and there very well could be end realities which are not too far off. That’s the surrealism of firmware updates, perception and audio synergy. 

I can say at this point some music is utterly more fascinating using Jupiter3 and the 1A, over the 1Z. Is it as consistent all the time with this magic? No. It’s a synergy by synergy experience, just as some systems do all genres well and some do specific genres well. 

Though at this point it is 100% safe to say the distance between the Jupiter 1A and the stock 3.02 1Z has gotten closer, and maybe much closer than people could care about. 

So far there are files which are not taken to the level of 3.02 with a stock 1Z, and amazing new musical experiences in sound never dreamed about potentially happening with 1A use. I’ll just leave it at that.


----------



## proedros (Mar 4, 2020)

*for those of you who have problem seeing your album cover images in 1a/z here is your solution guys*

a) type the album title here

*https://bendodson.com/projects/itunes-artwork-finder/*

find the album cover and save it as the folder name of the album in your 1A/Z ( Pink Floyd - Animals 24-96 etc)

b) if it's not offered , just put in google* 'album title + amazon' ,* any pic from any amazon store (us/uk/germany etc) will show just fine , find it and save it

ps : always write the album cover as the folder it's in , but be careful if there are subfolders (like CD1 and CD2) you need to name them like the subfolders (CD1 and CD2) and put the saved pic in every subfolder

enjoy


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 4, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Well there is always the new toy phenomenon. And while these are the best things to happen to the 1A and 1Z in history, audiophiles do have a penchant for new sounds. And just as Vogue Magazine worships the designer of the era, some things seem new and some things remain classic and hard to beat. The 1A actually can sound better than the 1Z with the exact file and IEM. First off it’s on the edge of reason how we would ask firmware to take $1200 and make it $3200. Still that’s where this thread is going and there very well could be end realities which are not too far off. That’s the surrealism of firmware updates, perception and audio synergy.
> 
> I can say at this point some music is utterly more fascinating using Jupiter3 and the 1A, over the 1Z. Is it as consistent all the time with this magic? No. It’s a synergy by synergy experience, just as some systems do all genres well and some do specific genres well.
> 
> ...


To some extent, the gap between 1A and 1Z is shortened, making 1A even better for its price to value advantage.
But don't forget 1Z can make use of these FW even better. Unless u have a 1A modded like Whitigir's, 1Z still sets the bar for many out there.


----------



## proedros

*Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 45, Guests: 95)*


boom.


----------



## Queen6

proedros said:


> *for those of you who have problem seeing your album cover images in 1a/z here is your solution guys*
> 
> a) type the album title here
> 
> ...



Nope, been there done that, think is just these specific files for me. 

Q-6


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 4, 2020)

SQ13 said:


> you started this wave!!!


I only saw the white walkers before most of u southern lords …


----------



## ttt123

blazinblazin said:


> Something like reach the cap of the certain frequency so my IEM can't produce the full range?
> Can I reduce volume so it can reach full frequency within the IEM frequency frame of my IEM or get a lower power firmware.


I am thinking of the analogy of overclocking a CPU.  You can't just OC the CPU, you also need to look at the other components, like RAM, Bus speed, cooling, etc.

For the stock WM1x situation, substitute  the hardware mods that open up/expand various areas of the WM1x.  Without the hardware mods, the firmware mods are pushing the hardware, which cannot handle it.  i.e., you push the resolution  higher, but it hits the bottleneck of the hardware, and the end result is that it overloads and confuses the signature, because the hardware cannot handle the extra information.

Another way to look at it is putting a turbo on a car motor, but not opening up the exhaust system, or the intake.  The end  result is that it does not run at optimum, and may choke itself.


----------



## Whitigir

ttt123 said:


> I am thinking of the analogy of overclocking a CPU.  You can't just OC the CPU, you also need to look at the other components, like RAM, Bus speed, cooling, etc.
> 
> For the stock WM1x situation, substitute  the hardware mods that open up/expand various areas of the WM1x.  Without the hardware mods, the firmware mods are pushing the hardware, which cannot handle it.  i.e., you push the resolution  higher, but it hits the bottleneck of the hardware, and the end result is that it overloads and confuses the signature, because the hardware cannot handle the extra information.
> 
> Another way to look at it is putting a turbo on a car motor, but not opening up the exhaust system, or the intake.  The end  result is that it does not run at optimum, and may choke itself.


Excellent analogy and realistic .  Good post!!


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Guys with *all due respect*
> 
> Tier 3 *is not the best of the firmware*
> 
> ...



Yes I think even for a stock 1Z with IER-Z1R the tier 3 might be too much. Can’t make up my mind between MercuryT2, JupiterT2 and Z1.0.2


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 4, 2020)

proedros said:


> *Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 45, Guests: 95)*
> 
> 
> boom.



TOTL DAP's that users can select and choose sound signature, official & custom firmware, enough said   Current tend is to lock everything down, isolating the user, WM1A/Z absolutely buck this trend and Sony should embrace the community as such openness will only lead to more sales. After all I want my music to sound how I want it to, not how someone else perceives is should be...

Q-6


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 4, 2020)

> *Tier 3:* _Push the Walkman to its limits, or even beyond. Please note that this is the highest performances, but is also the most *picky* one. Highly recommended for players with hardware modified, authentic upgrades cables and very capable high end monitors, with which the *T3 scales incredibly well*. If your setup can handle it properly, it offers the most dynamic, physical and detailed sound yet to be heard with any Walkman, *otherwise it may sound worse than T2 or T1.*_


Have to copy it from my post


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 4, 2020)

Can you imagine the meetings in Tokyo at the moment.

“We never thought this would happen?”
“How did this happen?”
“You said this could not happen?”
“I didn’t think it would happen?”
“So how do you plan to move forward?”

“Not everyone knows.”
“There are 125 english speaking web viewers that know around the clock.”
“What’s the plan?”
“Let’s meet up next week.”


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> Can you imagine the meetings in Tokyo at the moment.
> 
> “We never thought this would happen?”
> “How did this happen?”
> ...


…… u painted a rather scary picture.


----------



## Vitaly2017

64 audio thread also doing not bad )

But still half way to sony thread lol


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Can you imagine the meetings in Tokyo at the moment.
> 
> “We never thought this would happen?”
> “How did this happen?”
> ...



That is what I am going to say next....

Sony _may patch and encrypt the Walkman further since now and on to_

1/ Unable to roll back firmware
2/ Further encryptions that Firmware is uncrackable

The one thing Sony has encrypted this far is that it Hard Coded region can not be changed, while the firmware and software Region code can change.

Beware for any future firmwares upgrade from Sony LOL


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Can you imagine the meetings in Tokyo at the moment.
> 
> “We never thought this would happen?”
> “How did this happen?”
> ...




Is this old meetup or a future plan for software update?


----------



## aaf evo

Does the WM1Z operate on a Sony OS or is it modified android like A&K DAPs?


----------



## Whitigir

aaf evo said:


> Does the WM1Z operate on a Sony OS or is it modified android like A&K DAPs?


It is Sony Walkman OS

ZX500 is Android


----------



## Vitaly2017

aaf evo said:


> Does the WM1Z operate on a Sony OS or is it modified android like A&K DAPs?




Proprietary sony original oem 100% sony nothing else


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> That is what I am going to say next....
> 
> Sony _may patch and encrypt the Walkman further since now and on to_
> 
> ...



Common when are you going to spill the beans, we know you work for Sony. How else do you explain your fully elaborate FPGA knowledge? At first I just thought you were just super smart. Now I guess your an insider. Lol


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Common when are you going to spill the beans, we know you work for Sony. How else do you explain your fully elaborate FPGA knowledge? At first I just thought you were just super smart. Now I guess your an insider. Lol


Honestly, I am not from Sony, but if I am disappeared from here, probably got sued by them :/....if such thing was to happen, go fund (Find) me LOL


----------



## Lookout57

aaf evo said:


> Does the WM1Z operate on a Sony OS or is it modified android like A&K DAPs?


It's a custom version of Linux. 

See https://helpguide.sony.net/gbmig/45938511/v1/en/contents/TP0000428812.html for a list of all the open source packages they used and https://oss.sony.net/Products/Linux/Audio/NW-WM1Z.html for the source.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 4, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Common when are you going to spill the beans, we know you work for Sony. How else do you explain your fully elaborate FPGA knowledge? At first I just thought you were just super smart. Now I guess your an insider. Lol




Come on let’s add this up. 

1) re-engineering of Walkmans 
2) battery grounding 
3) special gold wiring 
4) full knowledge of Walkman modifications 
5) makes power supply for DMP-Z1
6) takes brand new IER-Z1R apart and replaces foam
7) learns how to create Walkman firmware
8) makes the best firmware in history
9) modifications of 1A
10) modifications of 1Z
11) knows what’s inside Walkman Cradle 
12 knows how to dismantle Walkmans 
13) Has full understanding of DSEE HX
14) DSD over-sampling theory 
15) acts like regular guy on Head-Fi



Yes....OK? Whatever you say.


----------



## ttt123 (Mar 4, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> That is what I am going to say next....
> 
> Sony _may patch and encrypt the Walkman further since now and on to_
> 
> ...


(Sorry, double post by mistake, and I don't know how to delete one of them.)
This is like the iPhone Jailbreak situation.
We will need one user(s) to test if any new firmware version can be applied and rolled back, if the Firmware mods can still be applied, if the Region codes can be changed, and give an update to the users that it is safe to update. Or not.


----------



## proedros

curious who will be the first to try FW 3.03

''Guys it's OK , we can revert back το 3.02 come in''


----------



## gearofwar

If T4 was a paid version, I would be willing to get it


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> curious who will be the first to try FW 3.03
> 
> ''Guys it's OK , we can revert back το 3.02 come in''


I am also curious too, but I am sure there will be someone.  Plenty of fishes in the oceans


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> If T4 was a paid version, I would be willing to get it


No Modified versions will be “Paid versions”. All of them are “free”, at least if they come from my works


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> curious who will be the first to try FW 3.03
> 
> ''Guys it's OK , we can revert back το 3.02 come in''



At present moment I can’t think of anything Sony could add/change that would make me want to try a new fw


----------



## Kira69

Whitigir said:


> The one thing Sony has encrypted this far is that it Hard Coded region can not be changed, while the firmware and software Region code can change.



Besides their update files, Sony encrypted everything. Firmware region code (destination) was also encrypted but was cracked by Rockbox team. They also provided other tools to decrypt the firmware from Linux based Walkmans.


----------



## ttt123

Whitigir said:


> That is what I am going to say next....
> 
> Sony _may patch and encrypt the Walkman further since now and on to_
> 
> ...


This is like the iPhone Jailbreak situation.  
We will need one user(s) to test if any new firmware version can be applied and rolled back, if the Firmware mods can still be applied, if the Region codes can be changed, and give an update to the users that it is safe to update.  Or not.


----------



## blazinblazin

He's just a curious person with knowledge and passion for SONY WALKMAN


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> At present moment I can’t think of anything Sony could add/change that would make me want to try a new fw



........or a new Walkman MK2 for that matter.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 4, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> ........or a new Walkman MK2 for that matter.



Here is a kicker, all Walkman has Walkman Algorithms....except DMP Z1 which is a polished versions of these very algorithms

Not sure if even new Walkman will get those set of algorithms....

A sure thing is that all the modified firmwares are *Based on DMP Z1 Algorithms and not Walkman*

_all tuning are from extensively subjective listening and comparison across platforms and so on etc....

_


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 4, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> That is what I am going to say next....
> 
> Sony _may patch and encrypt the Walkman further since now and on to_
> 
> ...



Sony should realise that such features are a selling point, not a negative. Locking down WM1A/Z will only serve to irritate & isolate users. WM!A/Z isn't aimed at the average listener, therefore a level of flexibility should be available.

I do agree the potential exists, so created a new rule in W10 Firewall to block Sony Music Centre inbound connections. No more auto update and Sony can do as they see fit...

Q-6


----------



## captblaze

i step away from my desk for a few hours and another 5 pages to sift through... keep going you nutty SOB's lets bring this server to its knees singing the praises of this new found sonic goodness


----------



## siruspan

Sony guys most likely are too busy playing playstation 5 prototypes to care about this


----------



## Whitigir

You guys are cracking me up with conspiracy and  PS5 talks LOL!!!

The question is... will PS5 be “Hi-Res” ? DSD native ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

siruspan said:


> Sony guys most likely are too busy playing playstation 5 prototypes to care about this




They definitely do they better beat xbox with ps5 I am surely buying the new ps5 !


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> You guys are cracking me up with conspiracy and  PS5 talks LOL!!!
> 
> The question is... will PS5 be “Hi-Res” ? DSD native ?



Well yea it has blue ray right?


----------



## blazinblazin

Next PS5 Dualshock controller will have build in SMaster chip and run signature series firmware and 4.4mm jack. Connected with LDAC to PS5.


----------



## Whitigir

Roflmao, ok, let’s get back on tracks so our “guests” can enjoy the firmware too


----------



## Vitaly2017

Let @Whitigir do some new fw tweaks on that dual shocker so it can have dsd remastering as a bonus )


----------



## mwhals

You guys are making me want to get one of these two daps, preferably the WM1Z!


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> You guys are making me want to get one of these two daps, preferably the WM1Z!




Ruun run get 1 now ! )
Its really amazing what new fw have brought to the table


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> Ruun run get 1 now ! )
> Its really amazing what new fw have brought to the table



Still have to save a few more dollars as I pay cash and the 1Z is the one I would get. I have over 2/3 of the money saved specifically in my playthings savings so far.


----------



## PurpleCross

mwhals said:


> You guys are making me want to get one of these two daps, preferably the WM1Z!


Please do! My WM1Z sounds amazing with my EE legend X and SE Solaris


----------



## iamdman

Vitaly2017 said:


> Guys if you want to fully feel the true configuration of the new Fw use Japan region first + the new fw after you change region if you dont like J,  cause looks like the tuning works best J + the fw....
> 
> Just my 2c recommendations



When you change the region to J, are you using the Universal or Japanese firmware? My 1A was purchased in USA and had 'U as its region code. BTW I came across your post first on using CA region with stock 3.02 firmware and had been enjoying it the most! Thanks for that.


----------



## Whitigir

iamdman said:


> When you change the region to J, are you using the Universal or Japanese firmware? My 1A was purchased in USA and had 'U as its region code. BTW I came across your post first on using CA region with stock 3.02 firmware and had been enjoying it the most! Thanks for that.


Universal for your “U” original


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Let @Whitigir do some new fw tweaks on that dual shocker so it can have dsd remastering as a bonus )


Nah...I don’t know anything....remember ? LOL just kidding


----------



## flyer1

Cannot stop listening to Jupiter 3 on my 1Z(J region) /EX1000. 

It's magical


----------



## iamdman

Whitigir said:


> Universal for your “U” original


Thank you!


----------



## gearofwar

Queen6 said:


> Sony should realise that such features are a selling point, not a negative. Locking down WM1A/Z will only serve to irritate & isolate users. WM!A/Z isn't aimed at the average listener, therefore a level of flexibility should be available.
> 
> I do agree the potential exists, so created a new rule in W10 Firewall to block Sony Music Centre inbound connections. No more auto update and Sony can do as they see fit...
> 
> Q-6


do you wish me to show this mgs to one of the engineers behind walkman? one of them is a friend of mine


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> do you wish me to show this mgs to one of the engineers behind walkman? one of them is a friend of mine


Wait....wait....

*WwwwHhhhhAaaaaTTtttt?*


----------



## horatiu

Hi,

I apologize if this is a really stupid question, but here it goes: if one installs one of the modified firmwares on a WM1A is it correct that there should be no sound differences anymore between that WM1A and a WM1Z with the same firmware? Or are there also hardware differences?


----------



## Whitigir

horatiu said:


> Hi,
> 
> I apologize if this is a really stupid question, but here it goes: if one installs one of the modified firmwares on a WM1A is it correct that there should be no sound differences anymore between that WM1A and a WM1Z with the same firmware? Or are there also hardware differences?


Hardware differences


----------



## gearofwar (Mar 4, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Wait....wait....
> 
> *WwwwHhhhhAaaaaTTtttt?*


your work and others behind these firmwares are fascinating. I really want to show this to them
Actually, I have mentioned the ability to customize the firmware before to him even before this mod ( I used to flash all sort of stuff on my ibasso r10)


----------



## horatiu

Whitigir said:


> Hardware differences



Cheers!


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> your work and others behind these firmwares are fascinating. I really want to show this to them


Oh No!!! We may hear a

“No, we never allowed such things”

We decreted that these firmwares to be taken down and no further modifications should be done for future usages

things will be over !!!!


----------



## gearofwar

Whitigir said:


> Oh No!!! We may hear a
> 
> “No, we never allowed such things”
> 
> ...


ok no problem, i won’t show it then lmao


----------



## proedros

The First Rule of the FW mods is 

you do not talk about the FW mods


----------



## siruspan

Better not show this to sony because we have nothing to gain and everything to loose. The best case scenerio they will say "oh wow this is cool they worked that out" and worst case scenerio is that they will patch everything and prevent this from happening in future devices.


----------



## captblaze

proedros said:


> The First Rule of the FW mods is
> 
> you do not talk about the FW mods



and snitches get stitches


----------



## db28

Fantastic work to Morbideath and Whitigir. I'm using MarsT3 on a 1Z and listening with my 64audio a18t's and a Code 51 cable. Pure bliss. Thank you both so much.


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 4, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> do you wish me to show this mgs to one of the engineers behind walkman? one of them is a friend of mine



Much depends on how well you know your friend? I rather think if Sony wanted to lockdown WM1A/Z they would have done so, sooner rather than later. No offence intended, however I firmly believe the end user should have full control over the listening experience as we all hear differently.

As an engineer myself I would be more than pleased that my work had took on a life of it's own and supported by such a community. Maybe you should pass that on to your friend. In many circumstances it's simply prudent to block/delay SW updates as the results may or may not be to ones liking, WM1A/Z is no different.  A locked down WM1A/Z to the CN region would not be to my taste, nor would I purchase. A significant aspect of the purchasing decision was that WM1A/Z regions can be changed with subsequent changes of tonality.

There are many reasons why company's remove the ability to rollback firmware, however in my experience few are related to technical issue. Personally I sincerely hope that Sony keeps the same open stance with the WM1A/Z and any future iteration.

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Whitigir said:


> Wait....wait....
> 
> *WwwwHhhhhAaaaaTTtttt?*



Exactly....

Q-6


----------



## ttt123

Queen6 said:


> Much depends on how well you know your friend? I rather think if Sony wanted to lockdown WM1A/Z they would have done so, sooner rather than later. No offence intended, however I firmly believe the end user should have full control of the listening experience as we all hear differently.
> 
> As an engineer myself I would be more than pleased that my work had took on a life of it's own and supported by such a community. Maybe you should pass that on to your friend. In many circumstances it's simply prudent to block/delay SW updates as the results may or may not be to ones liking, WM1A/Z is no different.  A locked down WM1A/Z to the CN region would not be to my taste, nor would I purchase. A significant aspect of the purchasing decision was that WM1A/Z regions can be changed with subsequent changes of tonality.
> 
> ...


You are expressing the user's viewpoint.  A Sony engineer may personally have the same viewpoint.  

But the people who look after Product, and Legal issues will need to protect the Company, and the product, and it is highly unlikely that Sony (or any other company), will officially sanction non-authorized changes.  The best we could hope for is to be left alone.  But if this kind of thing is made obvious, and brought up to senior management, they would need to take action, and I would bet that their attitude would NOT be supportive.  Officially, they have no choice, as their job is to protect the company and always err on the side of caution to do that.  Look at the decision to obey the EU volume lock edict.  There are many logical reasons that it should not apply to a DAP.  But what if the EU decides to sue Sony,  regardless of the reasons why it does not make sense?  Then it becomes a corporate liability, where they will lose, no matter whether they are right or wrong.  So the safe thing to do is to implement the volume lock.   

Lawsuits can be weaponized, as they are well aware, and it is the big corporations that can pay large fines that are at risk.

Of course my pessimism could be unfounded...but my experience with corporate decision making tells me that it is better to be like a mouse.  Hide in the straw, and if they don't notice you, and/or you don't rub their face in the reality,  they may leave you alone...


----------



## quodjo105

So i've just received a W1mz i bought from another member . Now it came with DMP-Z1 1.02 installed on it , sounds very nice but i have no idea how the stock firmware sounds like to do any comparison . I have a macbook so cant' flash the exe files . Can someone tell me what the major improvement DMP-Z1 1.02 firmware brings over the stock 1z firmware ?.


----------



## Tawek

hamhamhamsta said:


> JVC FX850 really surprised me. It sounds so good and grand with Mercury T3. It scales extremely well; clarity & resolution better than EE Phantom, It sounds grand, bass extremely physical, treble is high, timbre spot on. It doesn't feel dark and there's good width and depth. I'm using it with Alo Gold 16 iem cable and modded 1Z.


you're right
I am surprised
what these Jvc can do


----------



## Queen6

ttt123 said:


> You are expressing the user's viewpoint.  A Sony engineer may personally have the same viewpoint.
> 
> But the people who look after Product, and Legal issues will need to protect the Company, and the product, and it is highly unlikely that Sony (or any other company), will officially sanction non-authorized changes.  The best we could hope for is to be left alone.  But if this kind of thing is made obvious, and brought up to senior management, they would need to take action, and I would bet that their attitude would NOT be supportive.  Officially, they have no choice, as their job is to protect the company and always err on the side of caution to do that.  Look at the decision to obey the EU volume lock edict.  There are many logical reasons that it should not apply to a DAP.  But what if the EU decides to sue Sony,  regardless of the reasons why it does not make sense?  Then it becomes a corporate liability, where they will lose, no matter whether they are right or wrong.  So the safe thing to do is to implement the volume lock.
> 
> ...



Unfortunately I tend to agree, as the creative aspect is very different to the corporate, financial aspect. Best outcome is that things are left as is. TBH I see it from both ends of the spectrum with no easy answer or midground. All should be wary of 3.03 until proven to be open as is 3.02, as once the firmware is locked reverting will not be so simplistic, if at all possible.

"The nail that sticks out gets hammered" 

Q-6


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 4, 2020)

ttt123 said:


> You are expressing the user's viewpoint.  A Sony engineer may personally have the same viewpoint.
> 
> But the people who look after Product, and Legal issues will need to protect the Company, and the product, and it is highly unlikely that Sony (or any other company), will officially sanction non-authorized changes.  The best we could hope for is to be left alone.  But if this kind of thing is made obvious, and brought up to senior management, they would need to take action, and I would bet that their attitude would NOT be supportive.  Officially, they have no choice, as their job is to protect the company and always err on the side of caution to do that.  Look at the decision to obey the EU volume lock edict.  There are many logical reasons that it should not apply to a DAP.  But what if the EU decides to sue Sony,  regardless of the reasons why it does not make sense?  Then it becomes a corporate liability, where they will lose, no matter whether they are right or wrong.  So the safe thing to do is to implement the volume lock.
> 
> ...



I totally agree with you.  The main answer to people who keep asking Why modifications ?? Because the company have “Executives decisions”   If your products were to never see the light of days, then all your engineering is wasted...period


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 4, 2020)

Tawek said:


> you're right
> I am surprised
> what these Jvc can do


How do you like JVC FX 850 sound so far? Try using Mercury 3 or maybe Mercury 2 FW, it may surprise you in good ways. How would you compare it with your more expensive iems?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Nah...I don’t know anything....remember ? LOL just kidding




Please make us the vibrators in the controller to vibrate 25% more I really want to feel that action!
Haha


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Wait....wait....
> 
> *WwwwHhhhhAaaaaTTtttt?*




We've been spotted daaaang it )


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> ok no problem, i won’t show it then lmao




Please keep it quiet from sony and they told me that they dont even bother reading forums. 
So as long it dont escalates to them we're good here


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Please keep it quiet from sony and they told me that they dont even bother reading forums.
> So as long it dont escalates to them we're good here


And you believe them ? LOL!!!!


----------



## Lookout57

Here is another perspective on modified firmware and large corporations, running macOS on non-Apple hardware AKA hackintosh.

Apple has been aware of the hackintosh movement for over 10 years now and hasn't done anything to shut it down. I can't even try to calculate the number of hackintosh systems there are today. But I bet it's in the millions compare to what a couple of hundred thousand WM1A/Z if that much.

Apple's EULA states use of macOS is only permitted on Apple-branded computers. In the US breaking the EULA is not illegal, you are doing so at your own risk with no support from Apple. So if Apple wanted to, they could block updates on hackintosh systems or shutdown the ability to create a hackintosh. If you call for support they won't support you..

I think Apple turns a deaf ear to hackintosh is that they potentially gain new customers for other Apple products (iPhone, iPad, Watch, etc.) and more app developers who don't want to pay the Apple tax for Apple branded computers.

In the case of the modified firmware we are using, I doubt Sony would go after anyone due to the small number (compared to hackintosh) and the potential bad publicity. As long as no one directly alerts Sony or contacts them for support on a WM1A/Z running the modified firmware we are OK.

As someone else said previous:

First rule of Sony modified firmware club is don't talk about the Sony modified firmware club.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Woe I think I have my new favorite one ) ) )

J + J3ZU

Very natural sound. Such charm and realism is present here. Everything just sounds life like and in warm harmony. 
A tuning I could listen to forever,  sound just soaks from left to right and music blends into such musicality with love.

Pure romance and honey moon here HaHa


----------



## blazinblazin

I think as long it don't affect the sales. It would be fine.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 4, 2020)

Spoiler: To @redcarmoorse



Lol... I see people , the so called “Science on headfi” are most of the time “keyboard warriors”. You know why I always stay away from those places @Redcarmoose ? Because real “Science” is observing, studying, try to understand and then make use of it after so many “trials/errors/experiments”. That is sciences. There is a definition of “Keyboard warriors” and to those people defenses, they will always arrive at this “where Is your scientific proof? Measurements?...etc”

Anyways, back onto the Walkman....some of those warriors keyboard don’t think Firmware can change sound signatures in “Bit perfect”

So, enjoy your firmwares guys...


----------



## SQ13

blazinblazin said:


> I think as long it don't affect the sales. It would be fine.



it may even drive sales with more buying wm1a/z and aspire to have z1 sound


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 4, 2020)

quodjo105 said:


> So i've just received a W1mz i bought from another member . Now it came with DMP-Z1 1.02 installed on it , sounds very nice but i have no idea how the stock firmware sounds like to do any comparison . I have a macbook so cant' flash the exe files . Can someone tell me what the major improvement DMP-Z1 1.02 firmware brings over the stock 1z firmware ?.



I own a 1Z but have not touched the firmware other than stock in firmware Sony downloads. On the other hand I have a 1A and have put D1.02 on it, leaving the region settings alone. So my answer to you would be based on a general reflection of the natural sound of a 1A running 2.00 or 3.00 or 3.01 or 3.02. 

So this is not the best answer but a generalization as the change could be parallel as to 1Z or 1A. 

1) results are based on IEMs used
2) results are integrated (determined) by your sound preferences 
3) results are subjective thus simply an opinion 


D1.02 is obviously based on the first regional tone change. Meaning all these firmware have a starting point based on the character of the regional setting. For example Europe region code could be less warm than Japan? 

My 1A is a Japan Export Edition 

1A with D1.02 is somehow clearer than any stock firmware update. The firmware has a forwardness that brings imaging elements both upfront and places these items outside the regular soundstage and inside it. It has more bass than stock 3.02 but not the most bass of any firmware. It has detail, but it’s on the edge of grainy where Jupiter is generally less grainy overall. 

I would even go so far as to call D1.02 hot. Not hot in a warm way, but it sounds as if parts of the signature is tweaked up to a limit. IMO

Now remember these firmware changes are all about synergy with IEMs or headphones. So my description to you is simply based on the equipment I’m using. It’s very hard to generalize as different IEMs will show different attributes of what’s going on. Also your personal satisfaction is fully based on your personal sound signature which will subjectively decide if the overall changes are in fact good, or bad. 

So in short, most here found D1.02 an improvement but you may still like stock better; you need to test. 
1A-ZENTOO 4core-Noble Encore


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 4, 2020)

There is a silky smoothness to Jupiter3 level. It’s just like the planet being massive at two and one half the size of most firmware soundstages. As Jupiter is the most noticeable thing in the sky, Jupiter also has a high profile here. The orange and brown outside color character is shown as a beautiful slightly warm sound character. Giant and respected, captivating and a source of infinite wonder.


----------



## blazinblazin

I always think Acoustune IEMs are tuned to maximise potential of WM series. They are the sub company of Pentaconn. They always have 2 tunings for their IEM from first time they release. Each matches the different WM firmware during that time well.
One neutral and one warmer tuning using same DD driver.


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> There is a silky smoothness to Jupiter3 level. It’s just like the planet being massive at two and one half the size of most firmware soundstages. As Jupiter is the most noticeable thing in the sky, Jupiter also has a high profile here. The orange and brown outside color character is shown as a beautiful slightly warm sound character. Giant and respected, captivating and a source of infinite wonder.


Did i name it properly?


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 4, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> There is a silky smoothness to Jupiter3 level. It’s just like the planet being massive at two and one half the size of most firmware soundstages. As Jupiter is the most noticeable thing in the sky, Jupiter also has a high profile here. The orange and brown outside color character is shown as a beautiful slightly warm sound character. Giant and respected, captivating and a source of infinite wonder.


Oh my, you sounds like me when I’m drunk haha

Don’t choke on your drinks lol


----------



## Morbideath

ttt123 said:


> You are expressing the user's viewpoint.  A Sony engineer may personally have the same viewpoint.
> 
> But the people who look after Product, and Legal issues will need to protect the Company, and the product, and it is highly unlikely that Sony (or any other company), will officially sanction non-authorized changes.  The best we could hope for is to be left alone.  But if this kind of thing is made obvious, and brought up to senior management, they would need to take action, and I would bet that their attitude would NOT be supportive.  Officially, they have no choice, as their job is to protect the company and always err on the side of caution to do that.  Look at the decision to obey the EU volume lock edict.  There are many logical reasons that it should not apply to a DAP.  But what if the EU decides to sue Sony,  regardless of the reasons why it does not make sense?  Then it becomes a corporate liability, where they will lose, no matter whether they are right or wrong.  So the safe thing to do is to implement the volume lock.
> 
> ...



Guys, Sony is not as open minded as u think.
And they have a track record to change FW format. In early stages (before stock 1.20 or so?) The FWs have different encryption than later versions. So if something alerts them, 3.03 will be another animal.
Yet all im expecting from them is the DMP1.03 upgrade. We may have a more refined sound to borrow from, unless 1.03 soundsworse than 1.02
And to answer to the proposals some asking us to open up a new dedicated thread to share mods: No, i don't want to do so, because i want to keep a low profile for the legal reasons stated above. Crazy as everyone is now, it will eventually settle down. Tides come and go. You want the treasures to last, it's better to stay buried.
Not to mention Whitigir and I are the persons to be accused when things go wrong.


----------



## captblaze

Morbideath said:


> Guys, Sony is not as open minded as u think.
> And they have a track record to change FW format. In early stages (before stock 1.20 or so?) The FWs have different encryption than later versions. So if something alerts them, 3.03 will be another animal.
> Yet all im expecting from them is the DMP1.03 upgrade. We may have a more refined sound to borrow from, unless 1.03 soundsworse than 1.02
> And to answer to the proposals some asking us to open up a new dedicated thread to share mods: No, i don't want to do so, because i want to keep a low profile for the legal reasons stated above. Crazy as everyone is now, it will eventually settle down. Tides come and go. You want the treasures to last, it's better to stay buried.
> Not to mention Whitigir and I are the persons to be accused when things go wrong.


----------



## Whitigir

Well obviously if they were open minded, they wouldn’t have different signature for different regions !!! LOL !!!

Also that Volume Cap


----------



## nanaholic (Mar 4, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Guys, Sony is not as open minded as u think.
> And they have a track record to change FW format. In early stages (before stock 1.20 or so?) The FWs have different encryption than later versions. So if something alerts them, 3.03 will be another animal.



This is not about being open-minded, this is absolutely the wrong way to frame the issue.
Sony's S-Master, DSEE and Vinyl Processor is their own proprietary technology that NO ONE ELSE has and they don't sell it to a third party, yet underneath it's all signal processing code that can be easily copied and reproduced (you live in Beijing China, you should know this better than anyone else, heh). Of course they have to guide its secrets.

Also all these claims of different signatures is subjective. So let's keep things real here.


----------



## hshock76

Seriously @Whitigir and @Morbideath both have delivered above and beyond and done their fair share of work and sharing. We should stop drowning them with our constant barrages of questions and requests. Just test the FWs and evaluate yourselves whether they fit your needs.... The codes dun brick the players and you dun even have to worry about using the codes with wrong region as it just simply will not install if the wrong regions are used. I personally admire both their patience and courage and openness to actually share so much on this thread considering there may be risks involved. So let's just enjoy the fruits of their labor and immerse ourselves in the music... Cheers!


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> Well obviously if they were open minded, they wouldn’t have different signature for different regions !!! LOL !!!
> 
> Also that Volume Cap



if there is another firmware update from Sony it would be in the best interest of all who enjoy their planetary expeditions to avoid the urge to flash until it is determined that the firmware update holds no planet busters. all it takes is a touch of self control


----------



## blazinblazin

My WM1A is from Singapore. According to the Logo Region chart, my set should be under E/AUS/JE but when I activate the software for Europe it doesn't detect my WM1A but if I use Universal region it detects.

So the region is still a bit strange to me.


----------



## aceedburn

blazinblazin said:


> My WM1A is from Singapore. According to the Logo Region chart, my set should be under E/AUS/JE but when I activate the software for Europe it doesn't detect my WM1A but if I use Universal region it detects.
> 
> So the region is still a bit strange to me.


My WM1A is from Malaysia. Same region code as yours. You have to use the universal firmwares. Europe and Japan won’t work.


----------



## gearofwar

blazinblazin said:


> My WM1A is from Singapore. According to the Logo Region chart, my set should be under E/AUS/JE but when I activate the software for Europe it doesn't detect my WM1A but if I use Universal region it detects.
> 
> So the region is still a bit strange to me.


just pointing out that letter “E” is not for EU.


----------



## blazinblazin (Mar 4, 2020)

I would think that "E" stands for East Asia or East region? Or might be Etc lol
AUS is in east. 
JE... is the on I am not sure about interpreting.


----------



## bflat

From RockBox


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 4, 2020)

nanaholic said:


> This is not about being open-minded, this is absolutely the wrong way to frame the issue.
> Sony's S-Master, DSEE and Vinyl Processor is their own proprietary technology that NO ONE ELSE has and they don't sell it to a third party, yet underneath it's all signal processing code that can be easily copied and reproduced (you live in Beijing China, you should know this better than anyone else, heh). Of course they have to guide its secrets.
> 
> Also all these claims of different signatures is subjective. So let's keep things real here.


No it isn't about being open minded, but many assumed it so I was correcting their assumptions (examples like Hackintosh).

I respect everything Sony created and their rights to guard it, but it doesn't mean that I take everything they sold us as the law of nature. That's the point of modding.

Also u shouldn't have brought up Beijing China as an example since our Chinese fellas are still fighting against each other claiming FW and region codes don’t affect sound, most would regard Sony stock sound as the One Sound To Rule Them All. I think most Chinese are as real as u are, in terms of subjective signatures.

These mods are far more welcomed in Head-fi than there.


----------



## CasioPSX

I'm planning to buy a m1a soon, will I be able to upgrade to 3.2 or am I screwed and have to go for the 3.3?


----------



## aceedburn

CasioPSX said:


> I'm planning to buy a m1a soon, will I be able to upgrade to 3.2 or am I screwed and have to go for the 3.3?


The 3.03 firmware hasn’t even been announced. Everyone hold your horses.


----------



## nanaholic

Morbideath said:


> No it isn't about being open minded, but many assumed it so I was correcting their assumptions (examples like Hackintosh).
> 
> I respect everything Sony created and their rights to guard it, but it doesn't mean that I take everything they sold us as the law of nature. That's the point of modding.
> 
> ...



You were talking about Sony changing their encryption method in response to when they find out about FW modding - that is absolutely related to how China as a nation is known to be a place where IP laws are not being respected, to put it extremely lightly, and why I brought it up. 

If someone cracks your encryption and starts poking into your source code, the absolute correct response is to change the encryption method and protect your hard work and intellectual property ASAP. Again this has nothing to do with open-mind or what they sell you being "law of nature", or even how Chinese citizens thinking about whether FW can change sound signature or not.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 5, 2020)

nanaholic said:


> You were talking about Sony changing their encryption method in response to when they find out about FW modding - that is absolutely related to how China as a nation is known to be a place where IP laws are not being respected, to put it extremely lightly, and why I brought it up.
> 
> If someone cracks your encryption and starts poking into your source code, the absolute correct response is to change the encryption method and protect your hard work and intellectual property ASAP. Again this has nothing to do with open-mind or what they sell you being "law of nature", or even how Chinese citizens thinking about whether FW can change sound signature or not.


Yes, again i wholeheartedly agree with u they have the rights and logics to change encryptions. Im not even complaining about that.
But u know what, Rockbox dev was the one to crack the encryption codes initially. We don't have the guts nor the ability to crack it, but we simply lit some fire upon the fuels. This is where i disagree with u because the Chinese ain't the ones to blame.
It's a fact IP is not respected in China, which is very convenient and conformtable to be accused for. For this affair it's absolutely not related.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 5, 2020)

Just to let everyone know that I am owner of my wm1z for 2 years. My friend sold it to me and I am kinda third owner.
Well imagine that I have always been on region E and after 2 years of listening to it...
With new fw I realized how miserable I was on region E it had all that strange bass and peaky treble with scooped mids!

I am so thankful from bottom of my heart that you guys brought this up and let us change the sound to our preferences.

So why the hell I had to suffer Sony!!!? Region E is a complet mess of a sound tuning seriously!

I am now region J + j3zu
What a wonderful tuning.

Sony should learn from this and realise that playing the fool with different regions sound tuning is a mess! We still found out about it and are not happy!

Sony should make best possible tuning on such expensive and premium sound signature series devices.
This is unacceptable to have such big difference in sound from one to another region!

Well that was my frustration after I found out what was really going on with my device !

Thanks @Morbideath and @Whitigir  for helping us all out of this miseries  )


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 5, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Just to let everyone know that I am owner of my wm1z for 2 years. My friend sold it to me and I am kinda third owner.
> Well imagine that I have always been on region E and after 2 years of listening to it...
> With new fw I realized how miserable I was on region E it had all that strange bass and peaky treble with scooped mids!
> 
> ...



You're welcome!

Standing on a user's point of view I agree with you.

Yet im also an enterprise owner in real life, I protect my company assets well just like Sony. I won't enforce volume caps nor region codes tunings though, but I don't run a company as big as Sony either so can't blame them for it.

Now from the modder's perspective Im very grateful Sony created a solid foundation, both hardware and software, to allow and perform modifications.
In the Android worlds, such as AK and many others, we are very limited with resources but to accept what they are. I still remember I had my AK120 and AK380 modded by RWA, who told me they quit modding AKs from SPK on because there's no much they can do... That was why I bought my 1Z, for the modding potentials and further ceilings to be raised. I think I made the right purchase.


----------



## AlexCBSN

Big question for everyone. Has anyone checked out mx3? I’m about to check it out again, before changing to J i felt bass was a bit less in quanity but soundstage had way more width, i think ill do a test tonight


----------



## hshock76

Vitaly2017 said:


> Just to let everyone know that I am owner of my wm1z for 2 years. My friend sold it to me and I am kinda third owner.
> Well imagine that I have always been on region E and after 2 years of listening to it...
> With new fw I realized how miserable I was on region E it had all that strange bass and peaky treble with scooped mids!
> 
> ...



Even with the lousy Region E tuning, your 1Z still had the N6ii and N8 beaten...


----------



## blazinblazin (Mar 5, 2020)

Actually SONY could just release or sell a signature series software to let pro users tune their own WALKMAN to maximise their own audio setup.


----------



## Redcarmoose

blazinblazin said:


> Actually SONY could just release or sell a signature series software to let pro users tune their own WALKMAN.



Yes, but firmware doesn’t affect the sound?


----------



## Morbideath

blazinblazin said:


> Actually SONY could just release or sell a signature series software to let pro users tune their own WALKMAN.


Actually they already offer a very capable EQ, DSEE HX, DC Linear and Vinyl Processor which are much more sophisticated than most DSPs offered by other DAPs. Who knows there's so much potential for tunings lying within our little portable "bricks".....


----------



## blazinblazin

Do you think it is possible for someone to find a way to run Android on this brick?


----------



## Morbideath

blazinblazin said:


> Do you think it is possible for someone to find a way to run Android on this brick?


nope


----------



## proedros

bflat said:


> From RockBox




i see a Tourist option , in both E and E2, is ths the Japan tourist or does itbelong to J for Japan ?


----------



## AlexCBSN

blazinblazin said:


> Do you think it is possible for someone to find a way to run Android on this brick?



The hardware limitations wouldn’t allow it. Though there’s a bunch of options out there, including the new Sony walkmans


----------



## Blueoris

Do these firmwares change the sound when the Walkman is operating as a Bluetooth source? I presume they only operate during digital / analogue conversions, therefore they won't change the signal sent to another device through Bluetooth, but I may be wrong. Can somebody please shed some light.


----------



## KurobaHeiji

proedros said:


> i see a Tourist option , in both E and E2, is ths the Japan tourist or does itbelong to J for Japan ?


I want to know this as well. Does the Japanese tourist version with the J code?


----------



## AlexCBSN

Blueoris said:


> Do these firmwares change the sound when the Walkman is operating as a Bluetooth source? I presume they only operate during digital / analogue conversions, therefore they won't change the signal sent to another device through Bluetooth, but I may be wrong. Can somebody please shed some light.


it does change the sound signature, it changes the sound signature of the overall sound processing, not of the file processing. i was using it as a bt dap today and believe me, it does make a change


----------



## normie610 (Mar 5, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Just to let everyone know that I am owner of my wm1z for 2 years. My friend sold it to me and I am kinda third owner.
> Well imagine that I have always been on region E and after 2 years of listening to it...
> With new fw I realized how miserable I was on region E it had all that strange bass and peaky treble with scooped mids!
> 
> ...



I believe synergy and personal preference is the key here. I much prefer E than J, for me personally J is just too thick and bassy, soundstage becomes narrower. So to call region E a complete mess is not really true


----------



## Tawek (Mar 5, 2020)

[/QUOTE]





normie610 said:


> I believe synergy and personal preference is the key here. I much prefer E than J, for me personally J is just to thick and bassy, soundstage becomes narrower. So to call region E a complete mess is not really true


 it all depends on the preferences / cable / you currently iem ,  for me the J region is the weakest , soundstage is very  tight , narrow  and for me  sounds mainly in the head or on face. Now with Ex1000 / Obravo cabel 4.4mm / wm1z / region CVE / DMP Z1 1.02 in this combination of all available DMP Z1 1.02 for me is  closest to perfection I still like the CA region amazing bass but again the soundstage is narrow ..
 Thank You everyone for the effort in creating this firmware its a fascinating adventure with 1A / 1z


----------



## normie610

Tawek said:


> it all depends on the preferences / cable / you currently have for me the J region is the weakest soundstage is very tight and sounds mainly in the head or on face now Ex1000 / Obravo cabel 4.4mm / wm1z / region CVE / DMP Z1 1.02 in this combination of all available DMP Z1 1.02 for me is  closest to perfection I still like the CA region amazing bass but again the soundstage is narrow ..
> Thank You everyone for the effort in creating this firmware its a fascinating adventure with 1A / 1z



Yes fully agree with you, like I said, synergy is key.


----------



## Morbideath

Tawek said:


> it all depends on the preferences / cable / you currently have for me the J region is the weakest soundstage is very tight and sounds mainly in the head or on face now Ex1000 / Obravo cabel 4.4mm / wm1z / region CVE / DMP Z1 1.02 in this combination of all available DMP Z1 1.02 for me is  closest to perfection I still like the CA region amazing bass but again the soundstage is narrow ..
> Thank You everyone for the effort in creating this firmware its a fascinating adventure with 1A / 1z


u meant region CEV for East Europe?
for myself J has the largest soundstage and best timbre. CA has the most mid-bass presence. But tonal balance is easy to achieve through FW or some dirty EQ, soundstage and timbre are hard to tuned without sacrificing other factors, so we used J as the basis for modding.


----------



## newworld666 (Mar 5, 2020)

I have spent an all day to measure with DSP Ears 3 firmwares (Stock 3.02, Mercury T1 and Jupiter T3)  with 2 Region Codes (CA and J) on an European WM1A ..
I tried the 6 times with and without resetting parameters after loading Firmwares

It is rather very fast with Mercury et Jupiter transfer and it's going more or less like the progress on what we can see IMG_1523 it's rebooting the WMA1
I got no errors and could see every time a successful upgrade DMP-Z1 to actual version is 3.02 (like IMG_1527 and IMG_1536

But on REW 5.19, I can't get any difference in SPL (CaptureSPL.jpg), Spectogram and no real significant difference in RT60 graphs ..

Am I missing something in changing firmawres or it's normal there is almost no change in those measurements ?


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Well obviously if they were open minded, they wouldn’t have different signature for different regions !!! LOL !!!
> 
> Also that Volume Cap



Well the volume cap they are obliged to have by EU law and being the size they are they can’t be seen to ignore like some of the smaller brands do


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 5, 2020)

I don’t think you are missing anything.  Feel free to do what you enjoy the most

If you listen by your eyes (aka seeing numbers and graphs), then believe in your eyes

If you listen by your ears (aka closing your eyes and let the hearing senses depict the differences) then believe in your ears

One thing for sure is that by listening with your eyes, firmware does not change the sound

It is like going to the beach seeing people surf and say “surfing is easy” then criticize, which is very different than climbing on the board and surf yourself.




newworld666 said:


> I have spent an all day to measure with DSP Ears 3 firmwares (Stock 3.02, Mercury T1 and Jupiter T3)  with 2 Region Codes (CA and J) on an European WM1A ..
> I tried the 6 times with and without resetting parameters after loading Firmwares
> 
> It is rather very fast with Mercury et Jupiter transfer and it's going more or less like the progress on what we can see IMG_1523 it's rebooting the WMA1
> ...


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> One thing for sure is that by listening with your eyes, firmware does not change the sound


I can't speak for the measuring software he used, but it's still odd. In the past some folks did some measurements to prove FW changes sound, and the difference was still substantial to be told on graphs.


----------



## aceedburn (Mar 5, 2020)

Ok, after tinkering around a fair bit again today, I think I found my endgame combination for my 1A. I posted yesterday that I was really digging region CA with stock 3.02. That bass is really killer and haven’t heard anything quite like it.
However just now I settled for region J with Mars T1 and boy this combination gives me goosebumps. As I read that region J has the best stage and timbre and the tuning of all firmwares here were based on J region, hence my decision to revert to J. The end result of J with Mars T1 is an engaging adrenaline filled music ride. Sounds very balanced to me with a slight bass hump and fuller mids compared to even J3 which I also found a tad too bright for my liking. I like this sound. No sibilance. Oh that warmth and crystal clear highs. Nailed it @Whitigir and @Morbideath


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 5, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Ok, after tinkering around a fair bit again today, I think I found my endgame combination for my 1A. I posted yesterday that I was really digging region CA with stock 3.02. That bass is really killer and haven’t heard anything quite like it.
> However just now I settled for region J with Mars T1 and boy this combination gives me goosebumps. As I read that region J has the best stage and timbre and the tuning of all firmwares here were based on J region, hence my decision to revert to J. The end result of J with Mars T1 is an engaging adrenaline filled music ride. Sounds very balanced to me with a slight bass hump and fuller mids compared to even J3 which I also found a tad too bright for my liking. I like this sound. No sibilance. Oh that warmth and crystal clear highs. Nailed it @Whitigir and @Morbideath


Mars T4 in region J is my personal favorite!
T1 has a very slight distortion of soundstage compared with T2 or above. But that may only be noticeable on my setup. But that distortion also helps with a bigger staging. 
btw Mars has a slightly recessed upper-mids compared with Jupiter to create an illusion of ultra large soundstage.


----------



## simon740

normie610 said:


> I believe synergy and personal preference is the key here. I much prefer E than J, for me personally J is just too thick and bassy, soundstage becomes narrower. So to call region E a complete mess is not really true


Exactly. Also on my wm1a(stock) the E region sounds better then J region. But like you said, it all depends on synergy. Plus different flavors.
Same with the speaker system....
But thanks for all these different options. Big thank to @Morbideath and @Whitigir


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> Mars T4 in region J is my personal favorite!
> T1 has a very slight distortion of soundstage compared with T2 or above. But that may only be noticeable on my setup. But that distortion also helps with a bigger staging.
> btw Mars has a slightly recessed upper-mids compared with Jupiter to create an illusion of ultra large soundstage.


Hmm, now you make me wanna try Mars T2 or T3. But I have stock 1A and doubt it would do me any good.


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> Hmm, now you make me wanna try Mars T2 or T3. But I have stock 1A and doubt it would do me any good.


Just try it. If it sounds bad to u then revert to your endgame combinations.


----------



## Redcarmoose

aceedburn said:


> Ok, after tinkering around a fair bit again today, I think I found my endgame combination for my 1A. I posted yesterday that I was really digging region CA with stock 3.02. That bass is really killer and haven’t heard anything quite like it.
> However just now I settled for region J with Mars T1 and boy this combination gives me goosebumps. As I read that region J has the best stage and timbre and the tuning of all firmwares here were based on J region, hence my decision to revert to J. The end result of J with Mars T1 is an engaging adrenaline filled music ride. Sounds very balanced to me with a slight bass hump and fuller mids compared to even J3 which I also found a tad too bright for my liking. I like this sound. No sibilance. Oh that warmth and crystal clear highs. Nailed it @Whitigir and @Morbideath




“This......what this post says.”


----------



## newworld666 (Mar 5, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I don’t think you are missing anything.  Feel free to do what you enjoy the most
> 
> If you listen by your eyes (aka seeing numbers and graphs), then believe in your eyes
> 
> ...




Ok then...
I was not critizing anything or offending any body, I was basically worrying my way to upload parameters with the new firmwares files, was wrong and I was just excepting I should have seen something changed on measurements to confirm that new parameters were correctly uploaded to my WM1A .. Actually, the only easy control is when changing region from Europe to J or CA parameter, I can easily confirm the change with requesting the WM1A which parameter is really active.

If so, I just understand that, on my side, the only differences I can hear immediately is between my Headphones (Closed MDRZ7MKII / Ultrasone ed 15 Veritas and a electrostatic KS-H4) and of course any changes with PEQ or GEQ adjustments (MiniDSP HA-DSP) to make all those headphones more coherent between each others... but, unfortunately, with my own ears and way of listening, I can't catch any firmware parameters sound changes.

Actually, I am not even able to find any difference in a direct a/b control between Hiby R6pro / WMA1 when I use a Fiio HS2 switcher, So I guess, I am not relevant at all in such analysis.


----------



## aceedburn (Mar 5, 2020)

Ok. I have pretty good ears. I finished grade 8 piano at the age of 13. I am a new age/easy listening music composer(not my full time job, of course). Some music samples at soundcloud.com/rknair

With my credentials out of the way, I affirm that J region gives you the best of everything. Stage, timbre, bass definition, separation. In a nutshell J sound signature is the only one you need. CA has very powerful bass but a tad too much. J is perfect all rounder and is the best tuning from Sony. Period. Just try it with stock 3.02 and tell me.


----------



## Whitigir

aceedburn said:


> Ok. I have pretty good ears. I finished grade 8 piano at the age of 13. I am a new age/easy listening music composer(not my full time job, of course). Some music samples at soundcloud.com/rknair
> 
> With my credentials out of the way, I affirm that J region gives you the best of everything. Stage, timbre, bass definition, separation. In a nutshell J sound signature is the only one you need. CA has very powerful bass but a tad too much. J is perfect all rounder and is the best tuning from Sony. Period. Just try it with stock 3.02 and tell me.


Hence, all based tuning is done with J region


----------



## proedros (Mar 5, 2020)

anyone here with *Japan Tourist* edition , that can confirm that it is indeed set to* J* region ?

*the reason i am asking , i tried installing Jupiter T1 (J version) and it does not start as planned....I then tried with the Jupiter T1 (Universal Version) and it loaded fine - does this mean that my 1a is on Universal (and not Japan region) ?*



I am not rockbox savy so not wanna tinker with it

thanx guys


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> anyone here with *Japan Tourist* edition , that can confirm that it is indeed set to* J* region ?
> 
> I am not rockbox savy so not wanna tinker with it
> 
> thanx guys


It takes only a few minutes , just follow those steps exactly


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> It takes only a few minutes , just follow those steps exactly



ok , which steps ? i am gonna try rockbox checking.


----------



## aceedburn

proedros said:


> anyone here with *Japan Tourist* edition , that can confirm that it is indeed set to* J* region ?
> 
> the reason i am asking , i tried installing Jupiter T1 (J version) and it does not start as planned....
> 
> ...


From my understanding the Japan tourist edition is not meant for the Japanese market and hence you should be using the universal firmwares.


----------



## proedros (Mar 5, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> From my understanding the Japan tourist edition is not meant for the Japanese market and hence you should be using the universal firmwares.



so do I need to change theregion of my WM1A to J or not ? damn this is perplexing....

oh well , i am jonna leave the Jupiter T1 (Universal) for now , i am probably nitpicking anyway


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 5, 2020)

proedros said:


> so do I need to change theregion of my WM1A to J or not ? damn this is perplexing....


1. changing region codes will change sound, but the strength is not as pronounced as changing FWs.
2. installing FWs will only read the region your device originally subjects to. it doesn't care whether u change regions by rockbox or not. So just check the engraving/label on the side of your device for reference.
3. Thus 1) and 2) are two independent matters

My post has a spoiler describing these above.


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> i see a Tourist option , in both E and E2, is ths the Japan tourist or does itbelong to J for Japan ?



That’s a good question, I’ll look up what code Japan Tourist Edition says, when I get around to it.


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> ok , which steps ? i am gonna try rockbox checking.



Just download the tool and run this command line replacing the X with the verdion of the tool you download (current is 25) and replace H: with whatever the internal memory is on your machine

scsitool-nwz-vX.exe H: dest_tool get


----------



## proedros

Morbideath said:


> 1. changing region codes will change sound, but the strength is not as pronounced as changing FWs.
> *2. installing FWs will only read the region your device originally subjects to. it doesn't care whether u change regions by rockbox or not. So just check the engraving/label on the side of your device for reference.*
> 3. Thus 1) and 2) are two independent matters
> 
> My post has a spoiler describing these above.



the engraving shows Japan , but i could not load the J version of Jupiter T1 , while the universal version loaded fine

anyway , Jupiter T1 sounds great thanx again for all your hard work guys <3


----------



## Morbideath

proedros said:


> the engraving shows Japan , but i could not load the J version of Jupiter T1 , while the universal version loaded fine
> 
> anyway , Jupiter T1 sounds great thanx again for all your hard work guys <3


Japanese Tourist Edition right? if so then it proves that Tourist edition belongs to Universal.


----------



## proedros

Morbideath said:


> Japanese Tourist Edition right? if so then it proves that *Tourist edition belongs to Universal.*



looks like it yeah 

so if i rockbox my wm1a to J region , the sound will change and then i can load the J version of your Mars-Jupiter etc FWs ? or i will still need to load the Universal FWs anyway ?


----------



## Morbideath

proedros said:


> looks like it yeah
> 
> so if i rockbox my wm1a to J region , the sound will change and then i can load the J version of your Mars-Jupiter etc FWs ? or i will still need to load the Universal FWs anyway ?


no, only universal FW will do no matter what regions u change into. Pls refer to 2) I wrote.


----------



## proedros (Mar 5, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> no, only universal FW will do no matter what regions u change into. Pls refer to 2) I wrote.




got it , so Universal FWs are the ones to get if i want to install the new batches of FWs by you and Whitigr

thanx for the clarification , appreciated 

*edit : i think Jupiter T2 sounds more balanced than T1 on my stock WM1A , i got a slight sense of too much highs/treble with T1 whether T2 fills more balanced and better lows/mids*

so many FWs to chose from and play with , excellent


----------



## Morbideath

Updated my post with the region choosing section:


> 1. Choose the correct version corresponding with your device model to install.*
> 2. All devices except JP model and EU model should choose Universal*.
> 3. *Japanese Tourist Edition should choose Universal, NOT Japanese.*
> 4. Changing regions with Rockbox and choosing FW's region to install are two *independent* issues.
> 5. Changing regions with Rockbox will change sound, but *installing FWs ONLY read the region your hardware device originally subjected to.* Pls refer to the picture below for reference:


----------



## simon740

proedros said:


> got it , so Universal FWs are the ones to get if i want to install the new batches of FWs by you and Whitigr
> 
> thanx for the clarification , appreciated


yes
"this set is only for tourists, and is not designed for use in Japan. Please do not use this set in Japan"
It says this on the box of my wm1a.
And my is for E region.


----------



## proedros

so to summarize (for me and whoever else may have the same questions)

we can change the region to J if wewant to install the initial batch of FWs and get the sonic signature of Japan region on a Japan Tourist WM1A

or

we can install the latest FWs by Mord+Whit and hear them with the initial Universal tuning (regardless of any Rockbox region changes)


----------



## Lookout57

blazinblazin said:


> Do you think it is possible for someone to find a way to run Android on this brick?


Why ruin a good thing?


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 5, 2020)

proedros said:


> so to summarize (for me and whoever else may have the same questions)
> 
> we can change the region to J if wewant to install the initial batch of FWs and get the sonic signature of Japan region on a Japan Tourist WM1A
> or
> we can install the latest FWs by Mord+Whit and hear them with the initial Universal tuning (regardless of any Rockbox region changes)


No, No. No FWs will care which region u changed to with Rockbox. The initial batch had better compatibility with devices so most versions don't need to choose regions at all.
You can benefit from J region regardless of FWs (1st batch, 2nd batch, stocks). Actually pairing all the FWs and all the regions have difference synergies. For example I was discussing I like Mars T3 in region J and Jupiter T3 in region CA.

FW and Region codes are two independent affairs. U can pair each of them to reach difference synergies. Considering so many FWs and regions are out there for us to choose from, the possible sound profiles can be listed in a huge matrix. Only yourself will know which specific pair suits your setup the best.


----------



## aceedburn

Lookout57 said:


> Why ruin a good thing?


Exactly my thoughts. I am totally against android based DAPs.


----------



## Whitigir

Your Hard Coded Region is found on the side Labels as provided.  You can change region with software tool like Rockbox, but you can not change the hard coded Region.  
So, refer to your Side Label to pick the correct Region to install, and use J-region set with using Rockbox to enjoy the best of the firmware (at least to my logic, as it is tuned based on J-region...but my preferences is different than your)


----------



## kingdixon (Mar 5, 2020)

proedros said:


> so to summarize (for me and whoever else may have the same questions)
> 
> we can change the region to J if wewant to install the initial batch of FWs and get the sonic signature of Japan region on a Japan Tourist WM1A
> 
> ...




Well, i bought my player used from Japan, iam not sure if it is a tourist edition or local japanese, but as far as loading firmwares only the J version works for me, the others wont see my device.

There is no harm in knowing your region by trying to install all three types of firmware, because eventually only one will work and initialize the installation.

Changing region by rockbox tool doesn't change the firmware suitable for your device, i have a japanese device but my region was US and still i can only install the Japanese firmware.

So if the universal is the one working for you, then it will be the one for you.

if you want to use it with whatever region your device is on, it is ok.

but you have the option to change your region to Japan by rockbox for better sound

/ To be more specific, if the firmware installer didn't see your device, there is nothing you will do from your side for the installation to work, changing regions won't change that. so they are 2 different things. choose the firmware that works for you. and you can change regions later if you want to check the difference they do to the sound.

PS : All this applies to the latest batches of firmwares, M J and MA

because they were made with different files for each region .. but the firmwares before that were only made as one file with larger compatability for different regions


----------



## candlejack

I'm sorry, I realize I should just read the thread, but can someone quickly summarize what the recent hubbub has been about? Thanks!


----------



## nc8000

candlejack said:


> I'm sorry, I realize I should just read the thread, but can someone quickly summarize what the recent hubbub has been about? Thanks!



A number of modded fw taking bits of tuning from 1A, 1Z and DMP to create different/better sound


----------



## Lookout57 (Mar 5, 2020)

candlejack said:


> I'm sorry, I realize I should just read the thread, but can someone quickly summarize what the recent hubbub has been about? Thanks!


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2209#post-15495493


----------



## Kira69

newworld666 said:


> I have spent an all day to measure with DSP Ears 3 firmwares (Stock 3.02, Mercury T1 and Jupiter T3)  with 2 Region Codes (CA and J) on an European WM1A ..
> I tried the 6 times with and without resetting parameters after loading Firmwares
> 
> It is rather very fast with Mercury et Jupiter transfer and it's going more or less like the progress on what we can see IMG_1523 it's rebooting the WMA1
> ...


Changes produced by modifying SWUpdate.xml are really noticeable and not subtle at all. And measurements should show that.

I encourage anyone used to digital audio analysis to measure the mods made by Morbideath & Whitigir.


----------



## newworld666 (Mar 5, 2020)

Since last Saturday, I tried all files available and modified the SWUpdate.xlm to be able to pass through the USB connexion message, all step by step  ... that the 2 last days, I understood many could hear and feel big differences and on my side I didn't hear anything significant, that I started to take my DSP'ears to try to guess if only my ears couldn't catch anything or also the measurements. Same with region code change (C, J and Europe), I am sure Code is correctly changed, but my listening and DSP Ear's measurements have no difference.
So my conclusion, is that the parameters don't arrive correctly to my WMA1 through the USB firmware update even if it seems to be successfully loaded.


----------



## ttt123

proedros said:


> ok , which steps ? i am gonna try rockbox checking.


Sent you a PM with instructions, as I just was puzzling out how to do it also.


----------



## proedros

ttt123 said:


> Sent you a PM with instructions, as I just was puzzling out how to do it also.



much appreciated , will check it out

this is a great community.


----------



## Queen6

aceedburn said:


> Ok. I have pretty good ears. I finished grade 8 piano at the age of 13. I am a new age/easy listening music composer(not my full time job, of course). Some music samples at soundcloud.com/rknair
> 
> With my credentials out of the way, I affirm that J region gives you the best of everything. Stage, timbre, bass definition, separation. In a nutshell J sound signature is the only one you need. CA has very powerful bass but a tad too much. J is perfect all rounder and is the best tuning from Sony. Period. Just try it with stock 3.02 and tell me.



Just flipped my WM1A from _CA_ to _J_ on stock Sony 3.02, ideally need more time to really digest; Initially J is less energetic than _CA_, the presentation feels a little more accurate & denser, much more so than _E_ or _CN_. On _J_ the bass is most definitely present, however it feels more controlled by the music, not the device. Play a bass heavy track and the Walkman will deliver  Sub bass feels deeper and more resonant (Dunu 3001 Pro, not tried Andromeda as yet). Separation is superb.

Overall I'm wanting to listen to more music on _J_ and have flipped back and forth with_ CA_ several times. I've now flipped both WM1A & ZX300 to _J_ and will leave them be for a while. With the Dunu 3001 Pro a very rich sound signature is presented. I also noted that with regions _CA_ & _J_ I tend to listen at a reduced volume in comparison to _CN_, _E_ I didn't dwell on as it was immediately too harsh on the WM1A. although acceptable on the ZX300.

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

The Venus is not yet out, right?


----------



## Morbideath

gerelmx1986 said:


> The Venus is not yet out, right?


almost done. I need to rest for a while then compile them and upload.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Morbideath said:


> almost done. I need to rest for a while then compile them and upload.


Why cant i install EU nor Japan FWS on my wm1a? It was bought from accesory jack (hong kobg) and recently changed region to J


----------



## captblaze

gerelmx1986 said:


> Why cant i install EU nor Japan FWS on my wm1a? It was bought from accesory jack (hong kobg) and recently changed region to J



the original region is hard coded and cant be altered. you need to choose according to that and not what you have changed to via rockbox


----------



## simon740 (Mar 5, 2020)

...


----------



## Morbideath

gerelmx1986 said:


> Why cant i install EU nor Japan FWS on my wm1a? It was bought from accesory jack (hong kobg) and recently changed region to J


Pls read the recent pages, or pls refer to my post for the detailed answers


----------



## CasioPSX

nc8000 said:


> A number of modded fw taking bits of tuning from 1A, 1Z and DMP to create different/better sound


I'm totally out of the loop, seeing as there's plenty of users here now I'm guessing this is pretty recent? is there a tutorial or link to download these firmwares? all I can find on Google is the rockbox guide on how to change the region code


----------



## aceedburn (Mar 5, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> Just flipped my WM1A from _CA_ to _J_ on stock Sony 3.02, ideally need more time to really digest; Initially J is less energetic than _CA_, the presentation feels a little more accurate & denser, much more so than _E_ or _CN_. On _J_ the bass is most definitely present, however it feels more controlled by the music, not the device. Play a bass heavy track and the Walkman will deliver  Sub bass feels deeper and more resonant (Dunu 3001 Pro, not tried Andromeda as yet). Separation is superb.
> 
> Overall I'm wanting to listen to more music on _J_ and have flipped back and forth with_ CA_ several times. I've now flipped both WM1A & ZX300 to _J_ and will leave them be for a while. With the Dunu 3001 Pro a very rich sound signature is presented. I also noted that with regions _CA_ & _J_ I tend to listen at a reduced volume in comparison to _CN_, _E_ I didn't dwell on as it was immediately too harsh on the WM1A. although acceptable on the ZX300.
> 
> Q-6


Yes. Like I wrote, J is more refined sounding. Bass in not as loose as CA. More detailed and defined and you can hear more fine nuances in the music. Sub digs deeper and mids are not over done like CA. I think J is the best all rounder. And this is coming form a person who loves bass. I get enough clean and pounding bass from J when it needs to be. E was a total disaster for me. Bass was severely lacking and mids were very thin sounding.


----------



## nc8000

CasioPSX said:


> I'm totally out of the loop, seeing as there's plenty of users here now I'm guessing this is pretty recent? is there a tutorial or link to download these firmwares? all I can find on Google is the rockbox guide on how to change the region code



https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/page-21#post-15495488


----------



## gerelmx1986

aceedburn said:


> Yes. Like I wrote, J is more refined sounding. Bass in not as loose as CA. More detailed and defined and you can hear more fine nuances in the music. Sub digs deeper and mids are not over done like CA. I think J is the best all rounder. And this is coming form a person who loves bass. I get enough clean and pounding bass from J when it needs to be. E was a total disaster for me. Bass was severely lacking and mids were very thin sounding.


Ditto. The bass from J is well done, bass done right. Clean attacks, yet pounding and deep digging


----------



## candlejack

nc8000 said:


> A number of modded fw taking bits of tuning from 1A, 1Z and DMP to create different/better sound





Lookout57 said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2209#post-15495493


Ahh, ok, I see now. Thanks guys!

It's nice that Walkman users have something to play with, but I hope that the same people who are going crazy about "FW improvements" are not afraid to use an EQ as well, or some of the other DSP options officially supported by the Walkman software.


----------



## XP_98

Morbideath said:


> So just check the engraving/label on the side of your device for reference.
> 
> My post has a spoiler describing these above.


Something puzzles me :
My WM1Z has "E, Aus, Je" label. I presumed the E was for Europe ?
My newly bought WM1A, bought in the same store in France, has "AEP, UK" engraving...
Also Europe ?


----------



## nc8000 (Mar 5, 2020)

XP_98 said:


> Something puzzles me :
> My WM1Z has "E, Aus, Je" label. I presumed the E was for Europe ?
> My newly bought WM1A, bought in the same store in France, has "AEP, UK" engraving...
> Also Europe ?



E is not Europe, E is Japanese Tourist as I recall (originally I also thought it was Europe)


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> The Venus is not yet out, right?





Morbideath said:


> almost done. I need to rest for a while then compile them and upload.


These are very tiresome to cook, and we have been working nonstop behind the doors.  I am surprised that with many tiers and flavors differences, you are still awaiting for more.....I never seen a bowl of candies presenting to a kid but he says he would wait for another bowl because he heard the second bowl is coming


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> These are very tiresome to cook, and we have been working nonstop behind the doors.  I am surprised that with many tiers and flavors differences, you are still awaiting for more.....I never seen a bowl of candies presenting to a kid but he says he would wait for another bowl because he heard the second bowl is coming


I wanna try them all


----------



## Queen6

aceedburn said:


> Yes. Like I wrote, J is more refined sounding. Bass in not as loose as CA. More detailed and defined and you can hear more fine nuances in the music. Sub digs deeper and mids are not over done like CA. I think J is the best all rounder. And this is coming form a person who loves bass. I get enough clean and pounding bass from J when it needs to be. E was a total disaster for me. Bass was severely lacking and mids were very thin sounding.



Agree the bass is more detailed, when _listening _nuances in the music are ever more present with _J, _very nice. _CA_ after some deliberation is big and bouncy, mid bass is elevated, fun to listen, yet staging and separation are off a touch, elevated mid bass can and does spill over.  What impresses most with _J_ is the overall control, detailed presentation and sub bass, literally palpable nor at high volume.

_E_ was ok on the ZX300, _wow _on the WM1A, don't think I got past a few seconds of a handful of tracks and was reaching for the USB cable  A, the WM1A is simply more resolving and B, too few hours on the clock, although that's remedying itself nicely  More I'm listening to _J_ the more I like it, is more harmonious & musical.

Supertramp - Crime of the Century - HR, FLAC, khz/24 bit


Don't think I've ever heard the album sound better on a portable

Danzig 1988

She Rides - textured bass and cymbal strikes with fabulous decay that _J_ brings out so beautifully 

Q-6


----------



## proedros (Mar 5, 2020)

so guys help me out on this* rockbox* thing

so i connected my wm1a , it shows walkman as folder F

i edited the bat file by changing V for F

i run the bat file and all it let me do is press any kew 3 times

and then the command line closed

i rerun the bat file and it shows on the black command line

*destination J (0)
sound pressure o (off)*

am i good ? 

does this mean that it's done ?


----------



## Queen6

Having not read through all 2K+ pages of the thread for those that are interested and or concerned switching region from CN, E, CA & J Sony's own BT remote controller RMT-NWS20 has not been an issue. Personally I use the BT remote a lot with both WM1A & ZX300, especially when travelling.

Rockbox.org rather alludes that the remote is only compatible with specific regions, from my experience with both a WM1A purchased in China and a ZX300 purchased in the Philippines flipping regions has no negative effect. I know it's a small thing, equally if you have and use the BT remote you'll definitely not want to loose that feature. 


Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 5, 2020)

proedros said:


> so guys help me out on this* rockbox* thing
> 
> so i connected my wm1a , it shows walkman as folder F
> 
> ...




No that's not the expected response, it's likely your naming protocol is wrong. You should see confirmation of the region change and instruction to reset all settings. 

Try one of the below check that your using scsitool-nwz-v25.exe from rockbox.org and you should be good. The capitalised letter/letters after "dest_tool set" is the regional code J = Japan, E = Asia / Australia / NZ / Tourist, U = USA, CA = Canada etc.

To verify Current Region
*scsitool-nwz-v25.exe F: dest_tool get*

To  change region - Note Region is set by J, U, CA, CN, E, etc

*scsitool-nwz-v25.exe F: dest_tool set J off

scsitool-nwz-v25.exe F: dest_tool set U off

scsitool-nwz-v25.exe F: dest_tool set CA off

scsitool-nwz-v25.exe F: dest_tool set CN off

scsitool-nwz-v25.exe F: dest_tool set E off

scsitool-nwz-v25.exe F: dest_tool set MX off*

Reset all settings

The Command File will not execute unless the naming is 100% correct, so latest version is 25, commands above will execute region change, if you want a different region simply replace the capitalised letter/letters after "dest_tool set"

FYI W10 Pro - 1909 fully updated

Q-6


----------



## kingdixon (Mar 5, 2020)

proedros said:


> so guys help me out on this* rockbox* thing
> 
> so i connected my wm1a , it shows walkman as folder F
> 
> ...



If you want to change region to Japan

then, Yup its done


----------



## proedros

kingdixon said:


> If you want to change region to Japan
> 
> then, Yup its done



someone who speaks normal thank you (sorry queen6 but i understand nada of what you just wrote )

yeah i want it changed to Japan

i also get on the command line a thing about *destination successfully changed and i need to reset*

how do i reset ? unplug the wm1a from my pc and choose reset from the wm1a menu ?


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> someone who speaks normal thank you (sorry queen6 but i understand nada of what you just wrote )
> 
> yeah i want it changed to Japan
> 
> ...



You need to go into the Settings, Device settings, Reset/Format and do Reset all settings (not Restore to factory).


----------



## nc8000

Queen6 said:


> Having not read through all 2K+ pages of the thread for those that are interested and or concerned switching region from CN, E, CA & J Sony's own BT remote controller RMT-NWS20 has not been an issue. Personally I use the BT remote a lot with both WM1A & ZX300, especially when travelling.
> 
> Rockbox.org rather alludes that the remote is only compatible with specific regions, from my experience with both a WM1A purchased in China and a ZX300 purchased in the Philippines flipping regions has no negative effect. I know it's a small thing, equally if you have and use the BT remote you'll definitely not want to loose that feature.
> 
> ...



I think it is the same as with English in J region. Once you have set English while in another region it stays, I assume the same goes for BT remote, once you’ve been in a region that activates it, it stays when going to other regions


----------



## Queen6

proedros said:


> someone who speaks normal thank you (sorry queen6 but i understand nada of what you just wrote )
> 
> yeah i want it changed to Japan
> 
> ...



NP just how software works, if on a Mac will be a different situation, Windows 10 you need to issue the correct command via the Cmd window.  Acid test is that the player will sound different the variation will much depend on the original region versus the new one. China for instance versus Japan is a big difference. 

Reset just means to reset the Walkman's setting to default  via the devices on screen menu.

Q-6


----------



## proedros (Mar 5, 2020)

a thousand thanx to @nc8000  and @ttt123  and @Queen6  for staying with me and helping me - i think it's done , as i get this certificate that @Whitigir posted below

i get a different eq option , i could set a change mids/lows/high in a -10 to +10 which now is not present (i just get a kinda parametric eq)

if i want to revert back toJapan Tourist mode again , what do i have to change in the bat file ?

thanx guys you are the best 




Whitigir said:


> Good idea
> This certificate of quality sound assurance


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 5, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> I think it is the same as with English in J region. Once you have set English while in another region it stays, I assume the same goes for BT remote, once you’ve been in a region that activates it, it stays when going to other regions



Seems that way, seen the odd post with some asking.  The BT isn't a big deal, equally very handy when traveling or just being lazy.

Q-6


----------



## Lookout57

nc8000 said:


> You need to go into the Settings, Device settings, Reset/Format and do Reset all settings (not Restore to factory).


You don't need to do that. 

All you need to do is reboot. So power off and power on and you are on the new region.


----------



## proedros

thanx again guys, you are one of the most helpful members here i appreciate all the time you took to help out

which region do you have your 1z set to ? is Japan the most balanced sound in your opinion/ears ?

i think that J has a more tight bass (which is a good thing to me) compared to the E (which is what my Japan Tourist mode was util today)

only drawback is that i missed the easy to handle eq option , but i can always revert back to Tourist region i guess....


----------



## mwhals

Is the international version a better one to buy than a USA version? It sounds like the J region and others sound better?????


----------



## Queen6

proedros said:


> a thousand thanx to @nc8000  and @ttt123  and @Queen6  for staying with me and helping me - i think it's done , as i get this certificate that @Whitigir posted below
> 
> i get a different eq option , i could set a change mids/lows/high in a -10 to +10 which now is not present (i just get a kinda parametric eq)
> 
> ...



If your seeing the Japan wireless certification your good.  To revert the region I believe you'll need to use *E2* So far I've only see the certification on Japan and Canada regions, China, Asia / Australia / NZ / Tourist don't have. 

WM1A & ZX300 both set it Japan region, best sound signature IMHO

Q-6


----------



## kingdixon

proedros said:


> thanx again guys, you are one of the most helpful members here i appreciate all the time you took to help out
> 
> which region do you have your 1z set to ? is Japan the most balanced sound in your opinion/ears ?
> 
> ...



What do you mean by "i missed the easy to handle eq option" ?

also, If you were on Region E, to revert back you modify the batch instead of letter J put an E 

so the command in the batch should be *dest_tool set E off*


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 5, 2020)

mwhals said:


> Is the international version a better one to buy than a USA version? It sounds like the J region and others sound better?????



Get the one at the best price as you can flip the region code at will, the hardcoded origin isn't relevant other than flashing custom firmware and then you just match the file to the hardware; Japan, EU, or International.  Al the same hardware with varying software.

Q-6


----------



## ttt123 (Mar 5, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> Having not read through all 2K+ pages of the thread for those that are interested and or concerned switching region from CN, E, CA & J Sony's own BT remote controller RMT-NWS20 has not been an issue. Personally I use the BT remote a lot with both WM1A & ZX300, especially when travelling.
> 
> Rockbox.org rather alludes that the remote is only compatible with specific regions, from my experience with both a WM1A purchased in China and a ZX300 purchased in the Philippines flipping regions has no negative effect. I know it's a small thing, equally if you have and use the BT remote you'll definitely not want to loose that feature.
> 
> ...


I have just tried the remote after switching to J.   Confirmed, the NWS20 remote still works on region J, after I switched from region E to region J.  I believe this is because the main Sony user firmware loaded is region E, which supports the NWS20.  Changing the Destination with Rockbox did not alter the Sony firmware.  However, if I loaded the Sony Japan firmware, then that will probably lose the setting for the NWS20 remote. This logic should apply to the language, also


----------



## mwhals

Queen6 said:


> Get the one at the best price as you can flip the region code at will, the hardcoded origin isn't relevant other than flashing custom firmware and then you just match the file to the hardware; Japan, EU, or International.
> 
> Q-6



Thanks. The international version is $1000 less than the USA version on Amazon. I am just concerned about warranty.


----------



## Queen6

ttt123 said:


> I have just tried the remote after switching to J.   Confirmed, the NWS20 remote still works on region J, after I switched from region E to region J.



It's a small thing, however to loose the remote would be bad. How are you like the Japan region, personally I'm liking it more and more as I rack up the hours   

Q-6


----------



## ttt123

Queen6 said:


> It's a small thing, however to loose the remote would be bad. How are you like the Japan region, personally I'm liking it more and more as I rack up the hours
> 
> Q-6


I like the J region very much.  It is as people have noted.  Balanced, good definition, very good on vocals.  Neutral, with a bit of warmth.


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> You don't need to do that.
> 
> All you need to do is reboot. So power off and power on and you are on the new region.



Well that is what the RockBox site say you have to do and since they have developed the tool I choose to do what they say


----------



## Queen6

mwhals said:


> Thanks. The international version is $1000 less than the USA version on Amazon. I am just concerned about warranty.



As ever if the deal is too good to be true you should be very cautious. Here in Asia I paid full price for my WM1A and I can get a small discount on WM1Z from the same source and I'm a "stones throw" from Hong Kong...  

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 5, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Well that is what the RockBox site say you have to do and since they have developed the tool I choose to do what they say


Given it takes no time at all I'm fine with that one  

Q-6


----------



## proedros (Mar 5, 2020)

kingdixon said:


> What do you mean by "i missed the easy to handle eq option" ?



i have 2 ciems , Zeus XR and NT6 , so sometimes i like to turn off the Direct Sound mode and use the Equalizer/Tone control , which in my Japan Tourist mode was like this

imagine a button that hasLows/Mids/Highs on 3 different columns that you can adjust them manually bu turning a meter from -10 to +10 in variations of 1 (so -10 -9 -8 up to +8 +9 +10) , 0 being the Direct Sound mode

For instance i used to sometimes put the Highs to -2 (cause NT6 is too trebly) and Lows to +1 (to beef the bass up a bit)

Now i only have th option to do a parametric-like curve which seems like a hassle to me

First World problems , right ?


but i like the J sound signaure from first second , with all these new FWs and the new tight J sound it almost feels like i have bought myself a new DAP

good times ahead.


----------



## bflat

newworld666 said:


> I have spent an all day to measure with DSP Ears 3 firmwares (Stock 3.02, Mercury T1 and Jupiter T3)  with 2 Region Codes (CA and J) on an European WM1A ..
> I tried the 6 times with and without resetting parameters after loading Firmwares
> 
> It is rather very fast with Mercury et Jupiter transfer and it's going more or less like the progress on what we can see IMG_1523 it's rebooting the WMA1
> ...



Can you check distortions like THD, IMD, and noise? I wouldn't expect to see differences in frequency sweeps. My experience with these is that the firmware versions affect the D to A conversions rather than adding EQ changes. If firmware was mostly changes in frequency, then why would we need it since we have built in EQ settings?


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> i have 2 ciems , Zeus XR and NT6 , so sometimes i like to turn off the Direct Sound mode and use the Equalizer/Tone control , which in my Japan Tourist mode was like this
> 
> imagine a button that hasLows/Mids/Highs on 3 different columns that you can adjust them manually bu turning a meter from -10 to +10 in variations of 1 (so -10 -9 -8 up to +8 +9 +10) , 0 being the Direct Sound mode
> 
> ...



Press the toolbox icon when in the eq and you can change between parametric and tone controls


----------



## proedros

J region is for real. No seriously you all need to go ahead and rockbox your wm1a to J region. 

Wow.

Funny how i spend 3 years on E region when all this beauty was 30 seconds away from me (and my ears)

My NT6 sounds fantastic on my *stock WM1A, set to J region and Mercury T2*

Wow.

Thanx to all you crazies out there , this place is the best community.


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> Press the toolbox icon when in the eq and you can change between parametric and tone controls




I love you man , seriously.

In a non-homo way , but you are a fantastic human being ,kudos.


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 5, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Yes. Like I wrote, J is more refined sounding. Bass in not as loose as CA. More detailed and defined and you can hear more fine nuances in the music. Sub digs deeper and mids are not over done like CA. I think J is the best all rounder. And this is coming form a person who loves bass. I get enough clean and pounding bass from J when it needs to be. E was a total disaster for me. Bass was severely lacking and mids were very thin sounding.



Got round to Andromeda on _J _ Doesn't disappoint for one second, Eric Clapton - Journeyman - DSD, 2.8 Mkz...

Looking at Campfire Polaris V2 and Sony's own IER-Z1R IEM next. Also want to get with the Quloos QA361 DAP, hear a lot of good and hopefully a great deal on a WM1Z if I'm very lucky. Getting through the album, superb on _J_ region it's all there simple as that...

Q-6


----------



## kingdixon

proedros said:


> i have 2 ciems , Zeus XR and NT6 , so sometimes i like to turn off the Direct Sound mode and use the Equalizer/Tone control , which in my Japan Tourist mode was like this
> 
> imagine a button that hasLows/Mids/Highs on 3 different columns that you can adjust them manually bu turning a meter from -10 to +10 in variations of 1 (so -10 -9 -8 up to +8 +9 +10) , 0 being the Direct Sound mode
> 
> ...





proedros said:


> I love you man , seriously.
> 
> In a non-homo way , but you are a fantastic human being ,kudos.



This is exactly why i didnt understand your statement, you can switch between both bro


----------



## kingdixon

proedros said:


> J region is for real. No seriously you all need to go ahead and rockbox your wm1a to J region.
> 
> Wow.
> 
> ...



Shouldnt the nt6 benefit more from jupiter or mars, did you try any of them ?


----------



## newworld666

bflat said:


> Can you check distortions like THD, IMD, and noise? I wouldn't expect to see differences in frequency sweeps. My experience with these is that the firmware versions affect the D to A conversions rather than adding EQ changes. If firmware was mostly changes in frequency, then why would we need it since we have built in EQ settings?


 
I will have a look tomorrow, I need to be at the office to have a look to the saved measuring files.. and I will see those figures (but as I can remember right now, I didn't noticed significant differences) 
But a lot of people are talking about deeper bass or gain in high frequencies. I really doubt I managed to download correctly to firmwares parameters to my WM1A European version.


----------



## Whitigir

Can somebody have me a “I thought my Walkman is a newly purchased DAP” ?

Let’s give Life back to music !!!! *With Saturn as an additional member to the family incoming 

*


----------



## proedros (Mar 5, 2020)

kingdixon said:


> Shouldnt the nt6 benefit more from jupiter or mars, did you try any of them ?



trust me , i am gonna try all of the new M&W FWs

i just started from Jupiter T2 but  looks like there is some major space crusing coming on

Jupiter , Mars and Venus is probably just around the corner

wow if only we could see 'yesterday' all the things we learned 'today'

Great times.

ps : @Whitigir  you ****in' nailed it man , you really did - new FWs are the bomb !!!!

and please check/listen to this album which is like Daft Punk times 100, YOU WILL LOVE IT

*Cerrone - Supernature*


----------



## bflat (Mar 5, 2020)

newworld666 said:


> I will have a look tomorrow, I need to be at the office to have a look to the saved measuring files.. and I will see those figures (but as I can remember right now, I didn't noticed significant differences)
> But a lot of people are talking about deeper bass or gain in high frequencies. I really doubt I managed to download correctly to firmwares parameters to my WM1A European version.



I think those statements could come from changes related to digital filters and noise shaping. If the high frequencies are sharpened that could sound like a gain. Alternatively, if the high frequencies are smoothed over, then one could listen at higher volumes which would elevate the quantity of bass. Neither of these would change the frequency response. Also transient performance and coherency play a major part in how we perceive the frequencies even though the measured frequency stays the same. 

Having said that, I was expecting to see some minor differences in high frequency roll off since those would indicate different filters. That's unexpected. For example, here are the comparisons of different filters on an RME ADI-2 DAC:


----------



## gearofwar

Currently on Jupiter and looking at Neptune, wondering what could be discovered there, total mystery. 



Whitigir said:


> Can somebody have me a “I thought my Walkman is a newly purchased DAP” ?
> 
> Let’s give Life back to music !!!! *With Saturn as an additional member to the family incoming
> *


----------



## mungster

Where is the mars Jupiter firmwares?  Been searching the 2000 pages in this forum.


----------



## bflat

So what the heck will be the characteristics of Uranus?


----------



## proedros

mungster said:


> Where is the mars Jupiter firmwares?  Been searching the 2000 pages in this forum.



https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1fSFaMrY3EEhjj2PYZXgs0XfspFXtriLw


----------



## mungster

proedros said:


> https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1fSFaMrY3EEhjj2PYZXgs0XfspFXtriLw


Thanks


----------



## Whitigir

Lol!!! You guys are cracking me up !!!


----------



## proedros

only SONY could make me have a *9 GB folder* of official and M&W fws

J region and Mercury T2 is fuc.king my brain and I LOVE IT !!!!!!!!


----------



## gearofwar

mungster said:


> Where is the mars Jupiter firmwares?  Been searching the 2000 pages in this forum.


 Search a bit harder, mate. Someone reposted again.. one or two page back


----------



## mungster

gearofwar said:


> Search a bit harder, mate. Someone reposted again.. one or two page back


Thanks must have missed it.


----------



## mungster

Have the Wm1z and LPGT.  Wonder how close the sound signature of 1Z with these firmware get to the sound of DMP Z1. I might forego buying the Z1.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 5, 2020)

proedros said:


> i have 2 ciems , Zeus XR and NT6 , so sometimes i like to turn off the Direct Sound mode and use the Equalizer/Tone control , which in my Japan Tourist mode was like this
> 
> imagine a button that hasLows/Mids/Highs on 3 different columns that you can adjust them manually bu turning a meter from -10 to +10 in variations of 1 (so -10 -9 -8 up to +8 +9 +10) , good





proedros said:


> only SONY could make me have a *9 GB folder* of official and M&W fws
> 
> J region and Mercury T2 is fuc.king my brain and I LOVE IT !!!!!!!!


I love, I love Mercury T3 J Region with Alo 16 Gold iem cable with...not EE Phantom, Andromeda or even SE5U. It's freaking JVC FX850!
Excellent timbre, tight hard hitting bass, outstanding vocals, large soundstage, amazing treble, great resolution and clarity, giving me shivers over and over again. it's everything I dream of and more. It's amazing how much it scales up. And it is so cheap price wise compared to TOTL iems. I think it would scale even better with Horus cable.


----------



## Whitigir

hamhamhamsta said:


> I love, I love Mercury T3 J Region with Alo 16 Gold iem cable with...not EE Phantom, Andromeda or even SE5U. It's freaking JVC FX850!
> Excellent timbre, tight hard hitting bass, outstanding vocals, large soundstage, amazing treble, great resolution and clarity, giving me shivers over and over again. it's everything I dream of and more. It's amazing how much it scales up. And it is so cheap price wise compared to TOTL iems. I think it would scale even better with Horus cable.


I believe they have much higher series as successor nowadays right ?


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 5, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I believe they have much higher series as successor nowadays right ?


Yes, I think its JVC10000 around $1500 or so; then there's JVC1500 and 1200 and others. Well, JVC850 you can get around $350 or so new, way cheaper on the forum less than $200. This iem is extremely warm, has good but loose bass, good timbre, thick vocals, and good treble but can be shrill . Its a single DD iem. Mercury FW cleared up huge portion of the warmth/fog, tighten the bass, added huge soundstage and improve clarity and resolution. This iem sounds grand, and is a romantic vocal listener dream. Adding silver and gold cable just improves performance even further. On some songs, it can be very moving emotionally. Timbre is excellent on Mercury FW, better than EE Phantom and Warbler Prelude. 

Gotta add, FX850 is effing musical and its liquid, music just flows smoothly. When it hits, it can hits hard with good subbass.


I also bought the latest JVCFXD1 on Massdrop; it was horrible, it has limited in bass and treble, even when used on same DAPs, FWs and cables. It was incomparable to FX850.
Everything was flat and uninspiring. I think it maybe the wooden iem shells that make the huge difference. FX850 was made of wood, while FXD1 was plastic I believe.


----------



## Whitigir

hamhamhamsta said:


> Yes, I think its JVC10000 around $1500 or so; then there's JVC1500 and 1200 and others. Well, JVC850 you can get around $350 or so new, way cheaper on the forum less than $200. This iem is extremely warm, has good but loose bass, good timbre, thick vocals, and good treble but can be shrill . Its a single DD iem. Mercury FW cleared up huge portion of the warmth/fog, tighten the bass, added huge soundstage and improve clarity and resolution. This iem sounds grand, and is a romantic vocal listener dream. Adding silver and gold cable just improves performance even further. On some songs, it can be very moving emotionally. Timbre is excellent on Mercury FW, better than EE Phantom and Warbler Prelude.
> 
> I also bought the latest JVCFXD1 on Massdrop; it was horrible, it has limited in bass and treble, even when used on same DAPs, FWs and cables. It was incomparable to FX850.
> Everything was flat and uninspiring. I think it maybe the wooden iem shells that make the huge difference. FX850 was made of wood, while FXD1 was plastic I believe.


Oh wow!! Up to fw10000 already!! What is special about it, I wonder.  But this is off topic LOL!


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> Can somebody have me a “I thought my Walkman is a newly purchased DAP” ?
> 
> Let’s give Life back to music !!!! *With Saturn as an additional member to the family incoming
> *



I have been beta testing Saturn for the last 2 days..... I'm speechless..... @Whitigir has reached god level with this release....


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 5, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> I have been beta testing Saturn for the last 2 days..... I'm speechless..... @Whitigir has reached god level with this release....


Whitigir,

Where is this Saturn thing hhshock76 is talking about? From the description, sounds yummy haha.

You owe us, your rabid fans this Saturn FW releases, lol


----------



## hshock76

hamhamhamsta said:


> Whitigir,
> 
> Where is this Saturn thing hhshock76 is talking about?
> 
> You owe us, your rabid fans this Saturn FW releases, lol




Give him some time... Its still in beta stage and he is fine tuning it. I can guarantee you that it is worth the wait...


----------



## XP_98

Of course, the best of best, the real Masterpiece, should be called "Earth" 
The most beautiful planet, if we do not destroy it....


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 5, 2020)

I will name it “corona” so you all going to knock yourself out!....just kidding lol.  I do worry about this outbreak a lot though, everyone, please be safe, stay home, and enjoy these firmwares

Saturn is coming Soon!

I agreed about earth being the most beautiful planet


----------



## Lookout57

I've built the macOS installers for Jupiter, Mars and Mercury and shared them with Morbideath. He'll be uploading them to his Google Drive. So stay tuned for an update from him.

I'll also do Saturn and Venus as soon as they are available.


----------



## Whitigir

Lookout57 said:


> I've built the macOS installers for Jupiter, Mars and Mercury and shared them with Morbideath. He'll be uploading them to his Google Drive. So stay tuned for an update from him.
> 
> I'll also do Saturn and Venus as soon as they are available.


Thank you! And welcome to the team!


----------



## Vitaly2017

so which fw is the best seller from this run  Jupiter? T3?


----------



## Lookout57

Whitigir said:


> Thank you! And welcome to the team!


No problem and glad I can help. 

I built a shell script to automate the building so it now takes me less than 3 minutes to build all the installers for a specific planet and is easily modified to add new planets in the future


----------



## gearofwar

Vitaly2017 said:


> so which fw is the best seller from this run  Jupiter? T3?


No best really, just choose what creates the best synergy with your gears.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 5, 2020)

I haven't properly slept for a whole week, just now woke up from an ultra long sleep (12 hours!), now Venus is done tuning, found a completed Saturn by Whitigor to upload… i will start compiling them to exe and upload.
Im a Marathon fan who run 60km per week, and got two kids to look after……
But now… 5 Planets to babysit


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Morbideath said:


> I haven't properly slept for a whole week, just now woke up from an ultra long sleep (12 hours!), now Venus is done tuning, found a completed Saturn by Whitigor to upload… i will start compiling them to exe and upload.
> Im a Marathon fan who run 60km per week, and got two kids to look after……
> But now… 5 Planets to babysit


All are labor of love hahaha


----------



## Lookout57 (Mar 6, 2020)

So far my favorite planet for my stock WM1A - Region J - Campfire Solaris - Effect Audio Eros II+ 8 wire Balanced is Mars T3.

Biggest soundstage, deepest bass with great details. Most natural or musical sounding to me. Jupiter T3 comes in second. And this is after only doing a quick tun thru of all 9 versions.

I can't wait to try Saturn and Venus to see how they differ. Then I'll take the top contender from each planet and spend more time with each to make a final decision.

@Morbideath and @Whitigir great job.


----------



## Damz87 (Mar 6, 2020)

Only just started trying out the new firmwares. Also switched to Japanese Region.

T2 Mars is intense! Not going to bother with T3 with my stock 1Z for the moment. Tried T2 Jupiter but it was a bit mellow for my taste.

@Whitigir  & @Morbideath  you two are the MVP's of the decade. Thanks you legends!


----------



## blazinblazin

Anyone have easy instructions to change Region using Rockbox?


----------



## Damz87




----------



## Vitaly2017

Damz87 said:


> Only just started trying out the new firmwares. Also switched to Japanese Region.
> 
> T2 Mars is intense! Not going to bother with T3 with my stock 1Z for the moment. Tried T2 Jupiter but it was a bit mellow for my taste.
> 
> @Whitigir  & @Morbideath  you two are the MVP's of the decade. Thanks you legends!





I been using J + Jupiter T3 very beautiful setup one of my best so far, I havent tried other fw yet me too I was busy with life duty's.

I also just received my zx-507 that to kinda attracted my attention lol. I have so many toys to play with and got them all at same time booyyy


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> I been using J + Jupiter T3 very beautiful setup one of my best so far, I havent tried other fw yet me too I was busy with life duty's.
> 
> I also just received my zx-507 that to kinda attracted my attention lol. I have so many toys to play with and got them all at same time booyyy



Nice! Will be interested to hear your thoughts on the ZX507 

Yeah I'll try the other ones eventually. At the moment I'm hooked on T2 Mars and can't move lol


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 6, 2020)

Venus descends! Pls check my Google Drive to try out.


> *MERCURY:* has the most neutral and flat frequency response and has the most reference sound. Clear, sharp and swift timbre warped you within a rounded holographic staging. Technically it's most akin to the sound profile of the almighty DMP-Z1 itself.
> *JUPITER:* is the most majestic all-rounder profile lying somewhere between Mercury and Mars. It's more engaging and musical than Mercury and less warm and aggressive than Mars, but keeping all the ultra resolution Mercury has to offer.
> *MARS**:* is a more aggressive, V-shaped yet exciting profile than Jupiter. It's a living volcano and raging hurricane bringing forth gigantic soundstage, thunderous dynamics and authoritative slams, yet still breathes air in the upper treble area.
> *VENUS*: *is a silky smooth, mid-centric profile for vocal oriented music. It's the most colorful signature among all the Planets, with beautiful reverbs and decays lingering in an analogue flavor. If you are a fan of East-Asian pop songs, especially female vocals, this is the best fitting profile for you.
> SATURN:* Incoming!


----------



## gerelmx1986

We only need Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Earth and sun and moon FWs haha


----------



## Morbideath

gerelmx1986 said:


> We only need Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Earth and sun and moon FWs haha


How about somewhere outside the Solar system, say… Sirius?


----------



## siruspan

Andromeda! oh no wait, it has been done....


----------



## Morbideath

Only Mars can handle such inhumane, such brutal sound blasts properly


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 6, 2020)

https://991.com/Buy/ProductInformation.aspx?StockNumber=280248&PrinterFriendly=1
Victor
Catalogue No:
VICP-61710
Country of Origin:
Japan 

Such an experience with Jupiter level 3!


----------



## ttt123

blazinblazin said:


> Anyone have easy instructions to change Region using Rockbox?


Reposting instructions I posted on the upgrade thread.


----------



## proedros

blazinblazin said:


> Anyone have easy instructions to change Region using Rockbox?




check this post

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/page-27#post-15500021

also fantastic thread about all the new FW mods


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 6, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Victor
> Catalogue No:
> VICP-61710
> Country of Origin:
> ...


I always turn to Evil Woman as my reference for bass and upper mids tuning


----------



## Damz87 (Mar 6, 2020)

Mars T2 is awesome with Solaris SE & Andromeda S, but it’s a little too v shaped for my other IEM’s. Jupiter T3 is amazing, but a little too tame on the low end for the two Campfires.

I wish I could have both firmware’s installed simultaneously haha! Will have to keep swapping for now.

Tried Mars T3. T2 is better on my stock 1Z imo. My 1Z is not worthy.


----------



## Morbideath

Damz87 said:


> Mars T2 is awesome with Solaris SE & Andromeda S, but it’s a little too v shaped for my other IEM’s. Jupiter T3 is amazing, but a little too tame on the low end for the two Campfires.
> 
> I wish I could have both firmware’s installed simultaneously haha! Will have to keep swapping for now



Then Saturn will suit your taste.


----------



## proedros

The Dark Side rules , i put Jupiter 2 on my stock WM1A/NT6 and they sound even better than Mercury 2

I need to try Venus now.


----------



## nc8000

Mars T2 and T3 are great for instrumental but I’m not too keen on what it does to some vocal. Looking forward to Saturn and Venus but I think so far Jupiter T2 or the original DMP 1.0.2 are best for me


----------



## musicday

Someone maybe can help me and has both devices. I am trying to decide between the 1Z and LPGT. Both similar prices. I need as most points as possible why one is better then the other. Will the Sony be able to drive Koss Porta Pro let's say from the 3.5 single ended? Thank you in advance.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

musicday said:


> Someone maybe can help me and has both devices. I am trying to decide between the 1Z and LPGT. Both similar prices. I need as most points as possible why one is better then the other. Will the Sony be able to drive Koss Porta Pro let's say from the 3.5 single ended? Thank you in advance.


1Z - extreme versatility with the new FWs that adapt well with whatever iem you have and there is also FW that mimic LPGT sound profile. 
LPGT - you're stuck with one FW.


----------



## Nostoi

musicday said:


> Someone maybe can help me and has both devices. I am trying to decide between the 1Z and LPGT. Both similar prices. I need as most points as possible why one is better then the other. Will the Sony be able to drive Koss Porta Pro let's say from the 3.5 single ended? Thank you in advance.


My 2009 BlackBerry Bold can drive the Koss Porta Pro. They're great headphones - classic - but I think Sony is overkill if you're looking to pair it with the Koss.


----------



## proedros

with all these new amazing FWs and the Rockbox ability to change the Region into japan , i feel like getting a used/mint WM1A for 700$ from the FS threads is the steal of the decade

I wish i could aford a wm1z but i am at peace for now (am i?)


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 6, 2020)

proedros said:


> with all these new amazing FWs and the Rockbox ability to change the Region into japan , i feel like getting a used/mint WM1A for 700$ from the FS threads is the steal of the decade
> 
> I wish i could aford a wm1z *but i am at peace for now (am i?)*


You are not , Lord Vader. The Dark Side will consume you(r wallet)


----------



## Evoke

Morbideath said:


> Venus descends! Pls check my Google Drive to try out.


Vektor! Awesome band


----------



## Redcarmoose

Coincidence had it that this was the first song I tried with Universal Jupiter level three with the 1A with Noble Audio Encore IEMs. But in 44.1/24bit it’s also the classic example of Jupiter doing it’s magic. It’s all there, the reverbs, the twinkle twinkle of the highs, but most of all the beautiful and firm sub-bass. Finding an all BA bass to be both warm and extended? I never would have dreamed the 1A would have the capacity of all this? Strangely too, taking and listening to the same song on the 1.03 update on the TA, is different? The TA used to be softer sounding, now the 1A is softer? Don’t think I’ve seen playback switch places like this before?


----------



## simon740

Anybody use wm1a to drive Fostex TH-900? Or similar big cans..

regards,
Simon


----------



## Morbideath

folks, good news and bad news during our space explorations:
The good - in searching of Saturn, we have accidentally landed on the Sun / Solis. Thx to @Whitigir 's sleepless nights.
The bad - The sun is too hot / bright for most to dwell; It's a T5 level stellar object, a star far beyond the realm of normal planets. But once your setup dominates it, u don't wanna travel back to the other planets anymore...
Saturn will still be out in a few days, hold tight


----------



## gazzington

So what the popular choices are best firmware for the wm1z and the wm1a?


----------



## nc8000

gazzington said:


> So what the popular choices are best firmware for the wm1z and the wm1a?



Will all depend on device, level of hw modification (if any), paring gear and personal sound preferences


----------



## gazzington

nc8000 said:


> Will all depend on device, level of hw modification (if any), paring gear and personal sound preferences


Both with ier z1r and unmodded!


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 6, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> folks, good news and bad news during our space explorations:
> The good - in searching of Saturn, we have *accidentally* landed on the Sun / Solis. Thx to @Whitigir 's sleepless nights.
> The bad - The sun is too hot / bright for most to dwell; It's a T5 level stellar object, a star far beyond the realm of normal planets. But once your setup dominates it, u don't wanna travel back to the other planets anymore...
> Saturn will still be out in a few days, hold tight


Yes! And thank you @Morbideath also for his sleepless nights as well


----------



## Whitigir

gazzington said:


> Both with ier z1r and unmodded!


1A try tier 1/2
1Z try tier 2/3


----------



## gazzington

Whitigir said:


> 1A try tier 1/2
> 1Z try tier 2/3


Anybody got a link to all these?


----------



## Morbideath

gazzington said:


> Anybody got a link to all these?


Pls refer to the link in my signature


----------



## nc8000

gazzington said:


> Both with ier z1r and unmodded!



For the 1Z + IER I like Mars 2/3 for instrumental but not so much for vocal and Jupiter or Mercury T2 or the original DMP 1.0.2 which is probably the one that works best across all kinds of music, but you must try yourself and see what works best for you


----------



## mwhals

So is there a firmware that would go well with the IEMs in my signature? I currently have and like the QP1R and QP2R if that gives an idea of my sound preference. I have Amazon cash, so that gets me closer to a WM1Z, especially if I sell my Angie IEM.


----------



## aceedburn (Mar 6, 2020)

Does anyone have real impressions of the LPGT firmware on 1A stock?


----------



## Damz87

gazzington said:


> Both with ier z1r and unmodded!



I like Jupiter T3 with IER-Z1R & stock 1Z


----------



## NickleCo

Does anyone have the link for the wm2z, club, ultimate, etc. files the old link is somehow locked :/


----------



## NickleCo

aceedburn said:


> Does anyone have real impressions of the LPGT firmware on 1A stock?


i find it warm but with good dynamics. It has more vocal presence compared to ultimate 1.02 incredible amounts of bass as well.


----------



## nc8000

DatDudeNic said:


> Does anyone have the link for the wm2z, club, ultimate, etc. files the old link is somehow locked :/



they are in this huge zip file together with a lot of other things for the players

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kk4rzxr4wtpbvcr/Sony NW-WM1Z.zip?dl=0


----------



## pirchkus

Any recommendations for stock JP WM1A + IER-Z1R for an overall genre?

Thank you!


----------



## aceedburn

DatDudeNic said:


> i find it warm but with good dynamics. It has more vocal presence compared to ultimate 1.02 incredible amounts of bass as well.


thanks for the reply. I'm listening to LPGT now on WM1A J region stock. You're absolutely spot on. I like the warmth. In fact i like it better than the Mars firmware. And the bass is indeed thumping and never gets in the way. Vocals are now more airy and forward. I'm digging it. This is one of the only mods from the previous batch that i never tried. Love it so far!


----------



## NickleCo

aceedburn said:


> thanks for the reply. I'm listening to LPGT now on WM1A J region stock. You're absolutely spot on. I like the warmth. In fact i like it better than the Mars firmware. And the bass is indeed thumping and never gets in the way. Vocals are now more airy and forward. I'm digging it. This is one of the only mods from the previous batch that i never tried. Love it so far!


it really is good especially for not bassy iems. But for iems with bass as the center piece it can become quite much. I can't handle it with my current set up lol.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mars -  didn't like it, too V shape, small stage, across all Tiers
Venus - T3 too aggresive, then I  tried T2 and it had a big spacious stage but sounded thin and artificial room acoustics T1 weird acoustics, small stage
Jupiter - T3 too much trebble energy, stage contracts and expands dependant on song. I like T2 some how a nice airy stage and nice coherence across the spectrum. T1 too bassy for my liking and yeah you can feel the room hard-walled, i know certain songs from mine that i felt previously they sounded spacious
Mercury - T3 sounds good on certain songs but not for all, so i can imagine how would my 1A scale-up hardware-wise. It gives an airy big stage, nice details, bigger than Jupiter T2. Mercury T2 didn't sound so splendid for me as T3. T1 sounds nice airy and tons of resolution. will try T3 again

As reference point i'm using MDR-Z1R w/Sony KK 4.4 cable

I like so far Jupiter T2, DMP-Z1 V1.02 and perhaps Mercury T1/T3


----------



## Fsilva

Morbideath said:


> Only Mars can handle such inhumane, such brutal sound blasts properly


Guess i will stick with Mars, since we share the same tastes in brutal music


----------



## NickleCo

nc8000 said:


> they are in this huge zip file together with a lot of other things for the players
> 
> https://www.dropbox.com/s/kk4rzxr4wtpbvcr/Sony NW-WM1Z.zip?dl=0


thanks for replying really appreciate it but sadly i have the 1a....


----------



## gerelmx1986

So far I like DMP-Z1 1.02, Mercury T3 and Jupiter T2


----------



## nc8000

DatDudeNic said:


> thanks for replying really appreciate it but sadly i have the 1a....



The original ones were for both A and Z, no distinction


----------



## NickleCo

nc8000 said:


> The original ones were for both A and Z, no distinction


oh forgot about that fact thanks man!


----------



## Lookout57

The macOS versions of Venus updaters has been completed and shared with Morbideath.   

FYI, each version of the installer disk image zipped is 126 MB. So I can't attach any here or send in a PM or email. So please be patient and wait for Morbideath to add them to his Google Drive alongside the Windows installers.

As a reminder the macOS versions only run on macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier releases. The Sony updater application SoftwareUpdateTool, hangs when running on macOS Catalina 10.15 and I just think I figured out why. 

Apple told developers a couple of years ago (I think at WWDC in 2017) that they needed to stop installing kernel extensions in /System/Library/Extensions and use /Library/Extensions. Apple warned that they would be locking down /System/Library/Extensions at sometime in the future which happens to be in macOS Catalina 10.15. Now that I think I know what the issue is, I'll see if I can come up with a workaround. 

So until Sony updates SoftwareUpdateTool to support macOS Catalina or I can create a workaround, you can install firmware for your player in a VM running macOS Mojave or Windows if you have don't have access to a Windows computer. I tested both VM methods with VMware Fusion on my MacBookPro running macOS Catalina. 

If and when Sony fixes SoftwareUpdateTool to run on macOS Catalina, I will create compatible versions and share with Morbideath.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 6, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> The macOS versions of Venus updaters has been completed and shared with Morbideath.
> 
> FYI, each version of the installer disk image zipped is 126 MB. So I can't attach any here or send in a PM or email. So please be patient and wait for Morbideath to add them to his Google Drive alongside the Windows installers.
> 
> ...


The best thing in Mac, for me, is Bootcamp. It’s super easy to enjoy best of both worlds, even seamlessly switching with Parallel. Not to mention u can WTG with a flash disk. How hard is it to run an exe on a Mac......
But sorry these are not my rants. Thank u for the great efforts! This will make many Mac users' life much easier with these DMGs


----------



## NickleCo

oh my DMP Original sounds so nice! Just the right amount of bass to keep things lively plus the brighter treble is such a treat for my super warm set up.


----------



## Lookout57

Morbideath said:


> The best thing in Mac, for me, is Bootcamp. It’s super easy to enjoy best of both worlds, even seamlessly switching with Parallel. Not to mention u can WTG with a flash disk. How hard is it to run an exe on a Mac......
> But sorry these are not my rants. Thank u for the great efforts! This will make many Mac users' life much easier with these DMGs


There is always Wine but that's a hack. 

I'm glad I can help.


----------



## Quang23693

gerelmx1986 said:


> Mars -  didn't like it, too V shape, small stage, across all Tiers
> Venus - T3 too aggresive, then I  tried T2 and it had a big spacious stage but sounded thin and artificial room acoustics T1 weird acoustics, small stage
> Jupiter - T3 too much trebble energy, stage contracts and expands dependant on song. I like T2 some how a nice airy stage and nice coherence across the spectrum. T1 too bassy for my liking and yeah you can feel the room hard-walled, i know certain songs from mine that i felt previously they sounded spacious
> Mercury - T3 sounds good on certain songs but not for all, so i can imagine how would my 1A scale-up hardware-wise. It gives an airy big stage, nice details, bigger than Jupiter T2. Mercury T2 didn't sound so splendid for me as T3. T1 sounds nice airy and tons of resolution. will try T3 again
> ...


Me too , i Like mercury T3 , nice details , big stage , more natural . This is my impression with 1A Kmod Ultimate. Try it again i think you'll love it . T1 really relax , but T3 is the most attractive.


----------



## mwhals

So are these planets really just tunings or are they actually firmware bolt ons?


----------



## Lookout57

mwhals said:


> So are these planets really just tunings or are they actually firmware bolt ons?


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/page-21#post-15495488


----------



## NickleCo (Mar 6, 2020)

I have finally found my favorite! DMP musical is such a perfect match for the atlas. Bass is not over emphasized nor is the treble but instead everything is in perfect cohesion. I dare not say it is neutral but it hits all the right notes the way i want it to! It really transformed the atlas.


----------



## mwhals

Lookout57 said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/page-21#post-15495488



Thanks. It looks like just changing the tuning parameters of the stock firmware. I will definitely check them out if / when I buy a WM1Z.


----------



## Vitaly2017

After trying all the firmware's, I can conclude this

J3ZU is the best fw for me and its the closest to J region + stock fw. It has improved sound stage bass and tonality is very musical. I find its the best tuning for 1z and has the best balance between all tuning and songs genras ...

Second for me was M2ZU. This was a very close neck to neck with j3zu but has more forward vocals and maybe a little less treble smoothered out more. Here I have different unpleasant situations like. The  thhh and ssss from voices are more pronounced and it tingles my ears in treble to an uncomfortable level. Also strings here and percussion are not as crisp and tactile or has reliefs and textures as the J3ZU can show it. But J3UZ can show some treble peak more then m2zu so a thing to watch 

Then we got Ma3zu was a very fun tuning but not as open as the 2 others and seems to be equivalent but less sound stage.


Overall I love J3ZU more then my previous CA + stock fw and the Dmp1.02
The J3ZU is my all new all time favorite !!!


Sorry I didnt really liked Venus


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> Yes! And thank you @Morbideath also for his sleepless nights as well



SUN... the one to end it all... I'm there and there is no turning back..... @Whitigir has outdone himself again! If you need a good reason to mod your players..... SUN SUN & SUN...

Big shout out to @Morbideath for pulling everything together.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Now we can send our 1z's and 1a's to @Whitigir to get further more tuning and reach higher sky's in sound quality with he's expertise of knowing how to mode a high quality dap )


----------



## proedros (Mar 6, 2020)

In honor of the new 'Solar System FWs' , my favorite space ambient album , a true masterpiece from 1981

with a good source and a set of good iems (i am sure some of you in here fit the bill   ) this album is truly an experience






those of you who want to hear in its full sonic glory , you can buy it from Mr. Stearns here (3rd link down)

https://www.google.com/search?q=mic...e..69i57j69i60j69i61&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 6, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> SUN... the one to end it all... I'm there and there is no turning back..... @Whitigir has outdone himself again! If you need a good reason to mod your players..... SUN SUN & SUN...
> 
> Big shout out to @Morbideath for pulling everything together.



*Solis* or the Sun, is as we all have known, the most important member in our Solar system.  I accidentally landed on it and was so dazzled that I didn’t know how my trip to Saturn turned onto a hot but warm “Star”... @Morbideath  had to knock me back into my senses to realize that I have landed us both onto the “Sun”, which were previously thought out to be impossible.

Both of us were so overwhelmed in the present of the Sun, and that with many attempts, the Sun refuse to lower itself into tier 1-2-3-4.

The sun is a star, and not a planet, he governs all and gives love to earth. So as beings on earth that is enjoying music. Me and @Morbideath will bring to you this *Master piece

Solis*

_Solis is a Tier 5 _categorized by my understanding on how complex his core and being are.  So complex that it is one and the only.  Your Hardware limitations, gears, cables will play a role.  But be known that, Solis is the one to govern all planet.

_Will this one be the ultimate _? Yes, he is to govern all planets.  Technically, he is the superior to all others. Performances will need your call on personal preferences.

_Then do we need planets _? Yes, you can not live on the sun or sun bathing all day long...,with that metaphor aside, _Planets has it own uniqueness that will be very focused and specificalized / dedicated toward specific genres, systems._

Try them all to find your suited best!! *Remember, the better the gears, the better you will enjoy these firmwares*

That is it Lady and gentlemen!!! Our final and master piece will soon be here


----------



## XP_98

What a teasing !..


----------



## Lookout57

Whitigir said:


> *Solis* or the Sun, is as we all have known, the most important member in our Solar system.  I accidentally landed on it and was so dazzled that I didn’t know how my trip to Saturn turned onto a hot but warm “Star”... @Morbideath  had to knock me back into my senses to realize that I have landed us both onto the “Sun”, which were previously thought out to be impossible.
> 
> Both of us were so overwhelmed in the present of the Sun, and that with many attempts, the Sun refuse to lower itself into tier 1-2-3-4.
> 
> ...


Is Saturn still coming? Or you guys decide to shoot for the sun instead?

If it isn't, it would be nice to have something that has the aggressiveness of Mars but with a slightly softer upper treble area. But then this was based on a quick listen using Mars T3 on the 1A with the Campfire Solaris and Effect Eros II+ 8 wire. It could be that Mars T2 is the better choice there. Time to dig into what sounds best with that setup which is my on the go rig. 

Tonight I'll be testing the planets T2 and T3 on my 1Z, Campfire Solaris SE and DHC Clone Silver which is my TOTL home system and traveling rig for airplanes and hotels. Mars T3 will probably do better on that setup. We shall see.


----------



## Whitigir

Lookout57 said:


> Is Saturn still coming? Or you guys decide to shoot for the sun instead?
> 
> If it isn't, it would be nice to have something that has the aggressiveness of Mars but with a slightly softer upper treble area. But then this was based on a quick listen using Mars T3 on the 1A with the Campfire Solaris and Effect Eros II+ 8 wire. It could be that Mars T2 is the better choice there. Time to dig into what sounds best with that setup which is my on the go rig.
> 
> Tonight I'll be testing the planets T2 and T3 on my 1Z, Campfire Solaris SE and DHC Clone Silver which is my TOTL home system and traveling rig for airplanes and hotels. Mars T3 will probably do better on that setup. We shall see.


Both will come .  We use our experiences to tune these firmwares, but we let users pick and choose for their best interests.


----------



## Lookout57

Whitigir said:


> Both will come .  We use our experiences to tune these firmwares, but we let users pick and choose for their best interests.


Cool, looking forward to testing both.


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> *Solis* or the Sun, is as we all have known, the most important member in our Solar system.  I accidentally landed on it and was so dazzled that I didn’t know how my trip to Saturn turned onto a hot but warm “Star”... @Morbideath  had to knock me back into my senses to realize that I have landed us both onto the “Sun”, which were previously thought out to be impossible.
> 
> Both of us were so overwhelmed in the present of the Sun, and that with many attempts, the Sun refuse to lower itself into tier 1-2-3-4.
> 
> ...



I will certainly try it but I doubt my stock 1Z can handle it


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Whitigir said:


> Both will come .  We use our experiences to tune these firmwares, but we let users pick and choose for their best interests.


How about T4? Since Solis is technically T5, then maybe for some of us, our rigs can only reach T4? Just wondering hehe


----------



## gerelmx1986

Júpiter in Mercury


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 6, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> How about T4? Since Solis is technically T5, then maybe for some of us, our rigs can only reach T4? Just wondering hehe


Eventhough Solis is T5, but he is complex and is unique by himself, unlike planets.  Solis should be friendlier to all being including being on earth regardless that he is Tier 5 .  All planets stops at Tier 3


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Whitigir said:


> Eventhough Solis is T5, but he is complex and is unique by himself, unlike planets.  Solis should be friendlier to all being including being on earth regardless that he is Tier 5 .  All planets stops at Tier 3


Such a tease lol


----------



## gerelmx1986

Solis will be like dmp-z1 in sound?


----------



## Damz87

Lookout57 said:


> Is Saturn still coming? Or you guys decide to shoot for the sun instead?
> 
> If it isn't, it would be nice to have something that has the aggressiveness of Mars but with a slightly softer upper treble area. But then this was based on a quick listen using Mars T3 on the 1A with the Campfire Solaris and Effect Eros II+ 8 wire. It could be that Mars T2 is the better choice there. Time to dig into what sounds best with that setup which is my on the go rig.
> 
> Tonight I'll be testing the planets T2 and T3 on my 1Z, Campfire Solaris SE and DHC Clone Silver which is my TOTL home system and traveling rig for airplanes and hotels. Mars T3 will probably do better on that setup. We shall see.



+1

Saturn sounds like it will be my cup of tea. I find Mars (both T2 & T3) is a little too V shaped & aggressive for me, and Jupiter a little too mellow. For now I’ve gone back to U1.02 until Saturn is released.

However I did enjoy Mars T2 with the campfire IEM’s. They have enough naturally forward mids to handle the V tuning and come out fairly balanced.


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Solis will be like dmp-z1 in sound?


No, it marks the best of Walkman WM1A/Z and what it can do.  If you have capable gears, and also, the further the hardware mods, the further the result


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 6, 2020)

We can portal to Solis' coordinates in several hours!
The journey was bumpy but we still warped-in there. The whole night we were blown away like that


----------



## Whitigir

Maxell Right ? What an icon !


----------



## nc8000

Spanish Harlem from this one is just fantastic with VenusT3


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 6, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> How about T4? Since Solis is technically T5, then maybe for some of us, our rigs can only reach T4? Just wondering hehe


With many attempts we were unable to compress / downscale Solis into T4 and below without sacrificing much of its merits. Given its tuning complexity and sophistication we'll leave the Solis as it is. At least T5 Solis is what we intend it to sound like if u are driving a very capable spaceship setup.


----------



## Fsilva

Gonna just leave this here for @Morbideath has i patiently wait for the Sun to rise!!
This one was brewed by me, as a fellow metalhead i hope you enjoy it!


----------



## Morbideath

Fsilva said:


> Gonna just leave this here for @Morbideath has i patiently wait for the Sun to rise!!
> This one was brewed by me, as a fellow metalhead i hope you enjoy it!



You are the guitarist of Annihilation?!  Whaaaaaaat


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Fsilva said:


> Gonna just leave this here for @Morbideath has i patiently wait for the Sun to rise!!
> This one was brewed by me, as a fellow metalhead i hope you enjoy it!



Don't tell me dude, we have a celebrity over here! Gotta call TMZ!


----------



## Fsilva (Mar 6, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> You are the guitarist of Annihilation?!  Whaaaaaaat


Annihilation, please do not confund with Annihilator...
I´m the founder of the band, lyricist and guitar player.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Fsilva said:


> Annihilation, please do not confund with Annihilator...


Lol!


----------



## Morbideath

Fsilva said:


> Annihilation, please do not confund with Annihilator...
> I´m the founder of the band, lyricist and guitar player.


I don't. Annihilator, region code "CA", is merely a mainstream happy thrash compared with your brutal death


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 6, 2020)

I am so glad that Music and our enthusiasms has pulled us so much closer !!!! @Fsilva
On a side note, I am a little jealous...waiting for  another celebrity to upload me my genres as @Morbideath has his  lol


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> I am so glad that Music and our enthusiasms has pulled us so much closer !!!! @Fsilva
> On a side note, I am a little jealous...waiting for  another celebrity to upload me my genres as @Morbideath has his  lol


Your Swift won't give a damn whether u are Sun God Apollo or War God Mars or any deities, while our metal domain is a different world!


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> Your Swift won't give a damn whether u are Sun God Apollo or War God Mars or any deities, while our metal domain is a different world!


This is why we can’t have nice thing!!


----------



## gearofwar (Mar 6, 2020)

Currently on Venus T3 and found it to be a match made in heaven for pop/vocal genres. Doesn't find it to be aggressive as someone before mentioned but rather damn smooth and engaging, I could listen to this all day.


----------



## Morbideath

gearofwar said:


> Currently on Venus T3 and found it to be a match made in heaven for pop/vocal genres. Doesn't find it to be aggressive as someone before mentioned but rather damn smooth and engaging, I could listen to this all day.


Yes, Venus to me is the total opposite of being aggressive. Sometimes i wish it to be more aggressive.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 7, 2020)

First off, the quick read is this is a direct comparison between the Sony $2200 TA-ZH1ES against the Sony $1200 Walkman 1A and $3200 Walkman 1Z using the Sony IER-Z1R. It’s a bicycle race against a car of course, but to keep things grounded here it may be important and pertinent? The TA-ZH1ES won out over the 1A with Universal Jupiter Level 3 and Walkman 1Z with regular 3.02 update.

So first off this isn’t a TA hooked up to a computer with a standard power cable. It’s the TA being connected to the 1A as a source in the cradle with the AQCarbon USB, and connected to the wall with a premium power cord. The IER-Z1R is simply plugged into the Walkman 1Z/1A 4.4mm port, then switched over to the TA 4.4mm port.

Files played were both 16bit/44.1 and 24bit/44.1.

I must admit I haven’t tried all the firmware modifications but have used Universal Jupiter3, and Jupiter1, D1.02 and D1.01, Club and Theater as well as Universal Venus 1 and Universal  Venus 3. Also maybe my best luck with the IER-Z1R was Ultimate 2 as well amazingly was Universal Jupiter3. So to try and reach a modification software conclusion; Universal Jupiter3 was an all around winner due to it’s synergy with both the Noble Audio K-10 IEM with ZENTOO 4core 4.4mm and Sony stock 4.4mm cable IER-Z1R.

But!


To finish this comparison......the IER-Z1R somehow started to show the limits of what is now possible with the Sony 1A and modification software. And to be less critical, the modification software takes the 1A miles above it’s original Japanese Export Model sound signature with the IER-Z1R. It’s just that firmware update 1.03 for the TA-ZH1ES has taken the IER-Z1R/TA combo to an incredible new place.

What I’m finding is both the 1Z with stock 3.02 firmware and the 1A with firmware modification Universal Jupiter3, offer almost an artistic response.........where it’s not reference at all compared to the TA-ZH1ES.

Before software update 1.03 for the TA-ZH1ES; it could have been called maybe slightly too warm with the IER-Z1R?

But....what has happened now..............the TA has become my new reference in direct comparison to what I hear are actual weakness in the Walkman response. There are places in the Walkman responses where while entertaining and fun, they are simply not as technically proficient nor have as good of imaging or separation. Timbre on the Walkmans is not as accurate nor real.

So where does this leave us?

Probably with the Walkman 1A at $1200, or the 1Z at $3200, there is a good chance someone only wanting a desktop rig would actually benefit not getting the $3200 1Z and adding the IER-Z1R. They would be way better off getting the cradle and 1A and TA.

1A $1200
TA $2200

Vs


Sony 1Z $3200

While my listening tests are fully subjective it’s unarguable the extra amount of correct detail and quality clear response from the TA and IER-Z1R combo simply being better than what is possible with Walkmans.


----------



## Whitigir

You would be surprised by how far the Walkman can take it if it has hardware modifications too.  I can not confirm it enough


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 7, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> You would be surprised by how far the Walkman can take it if it has hardware modifications too.  I can not confirm it enough



Remember this whole TA/Cradle thing was following you Sir! 

But I’ve never heard the DMP-Z1. Ive never heard a modification to a 1Z, only the 1A, but..........not with these new world-class firmwares. 

But also remember you yourself have never heard the TA and IER-Z1R with TA update 1.03. You only heard 1.00 if I’m not mistaken?

But, it’s a funny thing, as you know the TA has not been the most popular  product? Also it really sounded different before 2017’s 1.03 update. It may really be just another good, but misunderstood Sony product in the West?

No one ever talks about TA firmware updates. You yourself, the Sony Grand Master, didn’t even know it had an update!


----------



## Damz87

Redcarmoose said:


> Remember this whole TA/Cradle thing was following you Sir!
> 
> But I’ve never heard the DMP-Z1. Ive never heard a modification to a 1Z, only the 1A, but..........not with these new world-class firmwares.
> 
> ...



Yeah the TA is awesome with the Z1R. I also use the TA as my reference when switching between wm1 firmwares. So glad you’ve discovered a new found love for the TA with the 1.03 fw


----------



## gerelmx1986

Seems like for all-rounder in my case, that works well for both IER-Z1R with stock 4.4mm cable and MDR-Z1R with Sony 4.4 kimber is Jupiter T2 or DMP-Z1 1.02. Right now testing Jupiter 2 with IER-Z1R  after finding Mercury T3  too bassy with the IEM


----------



## Redcarmoose

Damz87 said:


> Yeah the TA is awesome with the Z1R. I also use the TA as my reference when switching between wm1 firmwares. So glad you’ve discovered a new found love for the TA with the 1.03 fw



I had no idea it was your reference point too. Cheers!


----------



## nc8000

I very much like my TA but find that I'm using it less and less and the 1Z with IER more and more


----------



## gerelmx1986

Listening to about 21GB of vivaldi operas, so far all 17 volumes released by Naive Classique.

Seems like none of the planets at the end has satisfied me... reverting to DMP-Z1  1.02


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> I very much like my TA but find that I'm using it less and less and the 1Z with IER more and more



If you don’t mind me asking; what update is your TA on?


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> If you don’t mind me asking; what update is your TA on?



I have no idea and don’t know how to find out, there don’t seem to be any option in the menu to show it. It has whatever fw it came with when I bought it in March 2017 and has never been connected to a computer


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 7, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> I have no idea and don’t know how to find out, there don’t seem to be any option in the menu to show it. It has whatever fw it came with when I bought it in March 2017 and has never been connected to a computer



That’s what’s crazy here. Me too! I purchased a TA around then, and just like you preferred the 1Z as it was slightly brighter (using the IER) and more detailed in comparison to the TA with old firmware. 

Just do this. 

But only if you really don’t mind your TA sounding different. 

Sony removes the old software available when they release a new update. You either have 1.00 or 1.01 or 1.02. 
https://www.sony.co.id/en/electronics/support/downloads/Y0015296
Hook your TA to the back USB go to the update download and download 1.03. Now your TA will have much of the tone of the 1Z, only it’s better.

As of right now, there is only 1.00 and 1.03 available at the Sony update web sites.


----------



## simon740

simon740 said:


> Anybody use wm1a to drive Fostex TH-900? Or similar big cans..
> 
> regards,
> Simon



?


----------



## gearofwar

gerelmx1986 said:


> Listening to about 21GB of vivaldi operas, so far all 17 volumes released by Naive Classique.
> 
> Seems like none of the planets at the end has satisfied me... reverting to DMP-Z1  1.02


If you find those planets bright or aggressive somehow (since you can't change your iem or cable, I have listened to either MDR-Z1R AND IER-Z1R and they are both bright and aggressive somehow. I was trying to get MDR-Z1R but after many comparison for years, I don't think it's even better than my current IEM), try switching the region code to CA or others, JP is reported to have bright treble.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 7, 2020)

Solis is born!
Beware again Solis is T5 only, so for your setup it could be a hit or miss. But no hurt traveling back and forth right?

Welcome to the Dark Side!


----------



## captblaze

Morbideath said:


> Solis is born!
> Beware again Solis is T5 only, so for your setup it could be a hit or miss. But no hurt traveling back and forth right?
> 
> Welcome to the Dark Side!




the Sun shines bright this day! Stock 1A is passing its golden rays to the Moondrop S8 and its modified Harman tuning with ease and authority. Kind of surprised by how well my meager and un modified 1A handles Solis' instructions. 

A fitting addition considering tonight starts Daylight Savings time in my region


----------



## pirchkus

Solis suits my stock 1A perfectly! Thanks!


----------



## Morbideath

Although Solis is T5 level, it was created with balance in mind. Theoretically its signature is an all-rounder, but whether your device can handle it technically is each to his own.


----------



## marionet

Incredible! My 1A also sounds like the gods without hadware modifications! It has a huge and precise stage!!


----------



## Whitigir

Exactly the one to govern all planets


----------



## lumdicks

Just a single word for Solis: Stunning.

It is definitely my endgame FW for my stock 1Z, with all my IEMs including Tia Fourte, Z1R, Fitear TG334, Angie II and AK t8ie.

Thanks @Whitigir and @Morbideath , you are the god of Walkman.

No time to sleep tonight.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> Although Solis is T5 level, it was created with balance in mind. Theoretically its signature is an all-rounder, but whether your device can handle it technically is each to his own.




I wonder if at some point our ears will be able to handle it since its such high pure godly powerful haha. This sounds like the essence of the universe is being translated into music and offered for us the mortals to be able feel and smell the all powerful unique legendary cosmic vitals energy's


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 7, 2020)

Walkman 1A-Universal Jupiter3-ZENTOO 4core-Noble K-10 Encore-320kbps


----------



## Vitaly2017

lumdicks said:


> Just a single word for Solis: Stunning.
> 
> It is definitely my endgame FW for my stock 1Z, with all my IEMs including Tia Fourte, Z1R, Fitear TG334, Angie II and AK t8ie.
> 
> ...




where can I download it?


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 7, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I wonder if at some point our ears will be able to handle it since its such high pure godly powerful haha. This sounds like the essence of the universe is being translated into music and offered for us the mortals to be able feel and smell the all powerful unique legendary cosmic vitals energy's


Whitigir might echo the madness you are talking about  Don't amp the sound with your imaginations, just try to appreciate it critically.


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> where can I download it?



Check the link in Morbids signature


----------



## lumdicks

Vitaly2017 said:


> where can I download it?


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15502080


----------



## Vitaly2017

lumdicks said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15502080





AAaaa okey it just came out cause I checked yesterday it wastn there hmmm


----------



## Gww1 (Mar 7, 2020)

Solis on stock 1Z (J) with Solaris - I'm impressed!
My favourite firmware so far.


----------



## cocolinho

ttt123 said:


> Sent you a PM with instructions, as I just was puzzling out how to do it also.


hi
I would love to reveice some guidance as well... thank you


----------



## nc8000

Solis so what else to play. Mighty impressive


----------



## gerelmx1986

gearofwar said:


> If you find those planets bright or aggressive somehow (since you can't change your iem or cable, I have listened to either MDR-Z1R AND IER-Z1R and they are both bright and aggressive somehow. I was trying to get MDR-Z1R but after many comparison for years, I don't think it's even better than my current IEM), try switching the region code to CA or others, JP is reported to have bright treble.


I downloaded solis,  but first I am changing back to E2 region


----------



## ttt123

-


cocolinho said:


> hi
> I would love to reveice some guidance as well... thank you


See the ealier post.  https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15500194


----------



## Whitigir

Solis have shined upon DMP-Z1 !!!!


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> where can I download it?


same old place, my shared GD folder.


Whitigir said:


> Solis have shined upon DMP-Z1 !!!!


Crazy, crazy, crazy... crazy x 128
Don’t name it Solis on DMP now, it should be something like the size of Sirius


----------



## gerelmx1986

So with this surfacing of soft region codes. I came to a conclusion. Sony is just prejudging the world
J- bright because J-pop
Ca- more fun because americans and canadians like electronic or bright metal music?
E- more friendlier tuning???

i am not liking this, I don't think fiio or A&K makes this region codes on "perceived music tastes of the region"


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Solis have shined upon DMP-Z1 !!!!




Wait? What? How?


----------



## Morbideath

gerelmx1986 said:


> So with this surfacing of soft region codes. I came to a conclusion. Sony is just prejudging the world
> J- bright because J-pop
> Ca- more fun because americans and canadians like electronic or bright metal music?
> E- more friendlier tuning???
> ...


We knew that long ago...... but not many people believed it until now.


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> So with this surfacing of soft region codes. I came to a conclusion. Sony is just prejudging the world
> J- bright because J-pop
> Ca- more fun because americans and canadians like electronic or bright metal music?
> E- more friendlier tuning???
> ...


And AK has no mod firmwares...nothing is perfect.  Just pick your poison

Also, changing region is a few minutes away


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Wait? What? How?


Because me being Whitigir


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> We knew that long ago...... but not many people believed it until now.


People used to say “Firmwares don’t effect sound” and only EQ effect sound

What do you know ? There is something that is called “Algorithms”

Go ahead, flick all your EQ and DSP processing on, and see how it still working *but even better than stock firmware because the algorithms has been upgraded *


----------



## gerelmx1986

Back to E tuning and solis, wow


----------



## justtsaman (Mar 7, 2020)

Anyone know about converting 4.4mm balanced cable to 3.5mm with adapter?


----------



## simon740

gerelmx1986 said:


> So with this surfacing of soft region codes. I came to a conclusion. Sony is just prejudging the world
> J- bright because J-pop
> Ca- more fun because americans and canadians like electronic or bright metal music?
> E- more friendlier tuning???
> ...


Hmm ...I noticed the opposite to your observations. My wm1a is stock.
J is more warm sounding ..I think more similar to 1z.
E is more airy, flat...


----------



## ttt123

gerelmx1986 said:


> So with this surfacing of soft region codes. I came to a conclusion. Sony is just prejudging the world
> J- bright because J-pop
> Ca- more fun because americans and canadians like electronic or bright metal music?
> E- more friendlier tuning???
> ...


You can look on it as a positive or negative.  With mods, we have a richness of choices. The Sony proprietary hardware/S-Master makes that possible. Other vendors, do not have variable tuning, so there are no extra choices. Sony built the capability in, so it makes sense that they would use it....and of course, we can always buy FiiO, AK, etc, if they make DAPs that we prefer more.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Because me being Whitigir


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> So with this surfacing of soft region codes. I came to a conclusion. Sony is just prejudging the world
> J- bright because J-pop
> Ca- more fun because americans and canadians like electronic or bright metal music?
> E- more friendlier tuning???
> ...




I expressed the same me contempt about this earlier, think sony got the wrong approach here and specially should not alter the sound on a dap of this caliber...


----------



## Tawek

Morbideath said:


> Solis is born!
> Beware again Solis is T5 only, so for your setup it could be a hit or miss. But no hurt traveling back and forth right?
> 
> Welcome to the Dark Side!


what can I write this time
it's like an audiophile's wet dream
it sounds so unbelievably good that I am dreaming
now ex1000 / 1Z  have been pushed to their maximum potential!!! 
sounds unbelievably good, I have goose bumps.... 
the best firmware in all 3 years of Wm1 A / Z history
 great applause for You


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 7, 2020)

you should try and be an owner of SP2K or any AK products for once.  They patches firmware loopholes ASAP and lock down everything while they act as if they were dictators and will dictate what sound you should get...can not even roll back firmwares...you can try but you may brick your devices, unlike Walkman here.  How many times have you guys been rolling on already 

I am glad I sold my sp2K and staying with Walkman even before all firmware mods happened


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 7, 2020)

Tawek said:


> it's like an audiophile's wet dream
> it sounds so unbelievably good that I am dreaming
> now ex1000 / 1Z  have been pushed to their *maximum potential*!!!
> sounds unbelievably good, I have goose bumps....
> ...


Speaking of the *maximum potential*, If u run the exe we shared, these may sound more pleasing than stock FWs. But technically our mods are still not at full potential. The maximum potential can only be reached if I perform some dirty tricks manually on your PC to exploit some unexpected bugs. It can’t be replicated on a mass scale easily like running an exe. The Max potentials of FW mods can still increase like 20%-30% performance with the bugs exploitation, then u will close to heaven and the true sound of DMP-Z1 itself.

For some reasons I can’t disclose the tuning secrets nor the tricks, otherwise Sony will fix them in the next update. And we all lost this feast.
Now in terms of hardware mods, they are the basis for more performance. With brain and body hand in hand, the outcome is 1 + 1 > 2. Mine is heavily modded both hardware wise and firmware, I feel like I’m listening to DMP itself but more fun to my own taste. Even I myself can’t believe this is what I’m hearing.

Anyway, the absolute performance ceiling of our little “bricks” is far beyond our imaginations.


----------



## Lookout57

Morbideath said:


> If u run the exe we shared, these may sound more pleasing than stock FWs. But technically our mods are still not at full potential. The maximum potential can only be exploited and reached if I perform some dirty tricks manually on your PC. It can’t be replicated on a mass scale easily like running an exe. The Max potentials of FW mods can still increase like 20%-30% performance, where u will close to heaven and the true sound of DMP-Z1 itself.
> for some reasons I can’t disclose the tuning secrets and the tricks, otherwise Sony will fix them in the next update.


Being at 70-80% of the absolute maximum is much better than where we were with stock. So we should all be happy with where you and @Whitigir have been able to take us in this journey to nirvana and maximizing what the Sony hardware is capable of.


----------



## aceedburn

gerelmx1986 said:


> So with this surfacing of soft region codes. I came to a conclusion. Sony is just prejudging the world
> J- bright because J-pop
> Ca- more fun because americans and canadians like electronic or bright metal music?
> E- more friendlier tuning???
> ...


I have changed the regions back and forth from my original E and my findings are somewhat different than yours. I couldn’t fathom E as I found it too flat and thin sounding. CA was very warm and bass levels was incredible. A little too much for me although I love bass. J hit the right spot for me. Warm luscious sound with solid bass while not overly bright at all. All this was done on stock 3.02 firmware on 1A.


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> I expressed the same me contempt about this earlier, think sony got the wrong approach here and specially should not alter the sound on a dap of this caliber...



It's no different from many global food brands where the flavour can vary quiet a bit across the globe with regional preferences


----------



## gerelmx1986

Probing the sun...


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> It's no different from many global food brands where the flavour can vary quiet a bit across the globe with regional preferences


Excellent references !!!!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Morbideath said:


> Speaking of the *maximum potential*, If u run the exe we shared, these may sound more pleasing than stock FWs. But technically our mods are still not at full potential. The maximum potential can only be reached if I perform some dirty tricks manually on your PC to exploit some unexpected bugs. It can’t be replicated on a mass scale easily like running an exe. The Max potentials of FW mods can still increase like 20%-30% performance with the bugs exploitation, then u will close to heaven and the true sound of DMP-Z1 itself.
> 
> For some reasons I can’t disclose the tuning secrets nor the tricks, otherwise Sony will fix them in the next update. And we all lost this feast.
> Now in terms of hardware mods, they are the basis for more performance. With brain and body hand in hand, the outcome is 1 + 1 > 2. Mine is heavily modded both hardware wise and firmware, I feel like I’m listening to DMP itself but more fun to my own taste. Even I myself can’t believe this is what I’m hearing.
> ...


I believe you did some decompiling /reverse engineering of the exe using some tool like MS VisualStudio to get the code for the FW


----------



## Vitaly2017

Well its clear that sony didnt nail it going that rout as CA didnt appeal me as J+ j3zu )

Across all regions and stock fw the best one is definitely Japan none other. While I did love CA but I realized its best for edm music but the rest was not very top notch.  While the Japan region has best tuning across the board in all genras...

So sony gota do a different approach and make it 1 tuning for all





nc8000 said:


> It's no different from many global food brands where the flavour can vary quiet a bit across the globe with regional preferences





Whitigir said:


> Excellent references !!!!!!


----------



## Damz87 (Mar 7, 2020)

My ears are getting a proper sun tan right now.

Awesome FW. My new favourite with Stock 1Z (switched to J region) + QDC Anole VX + Luminox DFN cable.

Thanks @Whitigir & @Morbideath once again for all your hard work and efforts!

@Whitigir can I install this on my DMP too?! lol


----------



## Whitigir

Damz87 said:


> My ears are getting a proper sun tan right now.
> 
> Awesome FW. My new favourite with Stock 1Z + QDC Anole VX + Luminox DFN cable.
> 
> ...


No!!!! It needs works LOL!!


----------



## Damz87

Whitigir said:


> No!!!! It needs works LOL!!



Lol, I figured as much. One can only dream


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well its clear that sony didnt nail it going that rout as CA didnt appeal me as J+ j3zu )
> 
> Across all regions and stock fw the best one is definitely Japan none other. While I did love CA but I realized its best for edm music but the rest was not very top notch.  While the Japan region has best tuning across the board in all genras...
> 
> So sony gota do a different approach and make it 1 tuning for all



Just because you live in a given region does not mean that you automatically like the flavour the manufacturer makes for that region and what they believe will apeal to the majority in that region


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 7, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Just because you live in a given region does not mean that you automatically like the flavour the manufacturer makes for that region and what they believe will apeal to the majority in that region


I believe the food as references is the best points.  Italians will be loving Italian foods and so does French and etc...etc...Some people who grown in the USA also try to adapt the US ways of foods, *but their DNA* and body were not made for that.  It results in obesities....watch some documentaries about this and you will find it very interesting

But then again, changing region is at a finger tips...why do we keep going on with this ?
I am honestly would like to see anyone who complains, to go and try out AK for once, and see how much freedom you have there


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 7, 2020)

Personally I don't see it as Sony is prejudging. What I do believe is Sony has the resources to tune it's hardware to appeal to the majority of average users tastes in specific regions, as the type & tempo of music people enjoy differs significantly across the globe. A factor potentially is that Sony has insight into what genre's sell geographically, the likes of A&K, Cayin, FiiO etc. likely don't.

Where it can misfire is if your taste or physical location doesn't match Sony's expectation, such as mine. Overall I prefer Sony's approach as long as the "door" isn't locked. One can change the sound signature to suit. Other DAP's your very likely stuck with a single flavour, like or loath it. I switched my_ CN_ WM1A to _CA_, and now _J_ where it will likely remain as it works for me right now.

_J_ I find simply works across multiple genres without making me pause for thought. The differences between regions does not completely change how Walkman sounds, rather the varying regions help do dial in the Walkman to meet the listeners preference.

I would love for Sony to embrace, at the least continue quietly this open mindset as I see it as a selling point in the current theatre of everything being locked down & locked in...

TLDR options will always better than having no choices...

Q-6


----------



## Damz87

The new RÜFÜS DU SOL live from Joshua Tree album sounds great with Solis.

https://tidal.com/browse/album/131319926

Solis is really well balanced. Nothing seems overly boosted. Plenty of detail, soundstage is massive, not too aggressive but not too smooth either. 

Out of all the firmwares I've tried, this one feels perfect. No more firmware rolling for me. FW endgame has been reached


----------



## Whitigir

Do you have hardware modifications on your Walkman ?


----------



## Damz87

Whitigir said:


> Do you have hardware modifications on your Walkman ?



Nope. Stock 1Z


----------



## Whitigir

Damz87 said:


> Nope. Stock 1Z


Could you do a comparison from your Solis 1Z to stock DMP Z1 ? If you could post it to the DMP thread ? I appreciate


----------



## Damz87

Whitigir said:


> Could you do a comparison from your Solis 1Z to stock DMP Z1 ? If you could post it to the DMP thread ? I appreciate



No problem


----------



## hireslover

Damz87 said:


> The new RÜFÜS DU SOL live from Joshua Tree album sounds great with Solis.
> 
> https://tidal.com/browse/album/131319926
> 
> ...





Damz87 said:


> The new RÜFÜS DU SOL live from Joshua Tree album sounds great with Solis.
> 
> https://tidal.com/browse/album/131319926
> 
> ...





Whitigir said:


> Do you have hardware modifications on your Walkman ?


Same here, I couldn’t ask for any better than this. Sounds perfect to my ears. Rocking stock 1Z


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 7, 2020)

I just listen to 2 songs, Solis sounds richer, more pleasing/easier to the ear? Very balanced, sounds effortless, very natural. There  is something about the timing/rhythm of the music, seems just right? Not too fast, too slow, it just flows. Btw, I am using VE Erlkonig (joined the tour), this combination sounds amazing.


----------



## nc8000

I have to agree that Solis is the best of all the new fw for my stock 1Z with IER-Z1R and a clear step up from stock 3.02. Have tried it for several hours today with all kinds of music lovely sound. Fantastic piece of hacking. Second best for me is the DMP 1.02


----------



## Tawek

nc8000 said:


> I have to agree that Solis is the best of all the new fw for my stock 1Z with IER-Z1R and a clear step up from stock 3.02. Have tried it for several hours today with all kinds of music lovely sound. Fantastic piece of hacking. Second best for me is the DMP 1.02


Solis FW -endgame has been reached  ,  best of all


----------



## gerelmx1986

Like solis so far with IER-Z1R and IER-M7


----------



## hireslover

Solis is a bomb. Sweet & Pure Sound all around. I’m enjoying it so much here. Tell you the truth I don’t even think the master himself (SONY) could come up with this in their next fw updates, lol.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 7, 2020)

How many “End Games” Have we reached so far  ?

Though I can confirm this is really an endgame in my journey of planetary traveling. At Tier 5, it really is technically end game


----------



## quodjo105

Stock 1z on solice .. what’s everyone’s favourite region E Or J ..?


----------



## Damz87 (Mar 7, 2020)

I've tried Solis with three different IEM's now (Anole VX, Solaris SE & IER-Z1R) and they all sound amazing. The previous firmwares that I tried all had their weaknesses with certain pairings. U1.02 too v shaped, DMP 1.02 too washed out and soft, Mars T2 & T3 also too v shaped, Jupiter T2 & T3 too mellow and bass-light. Mind you I haven't tried every single fw on offer, just the ones I thought would fit with my preferences.

Solis simply nails it.


----------



## nc8000

Damz87 said:


> I've tried Solis with three different IEM's now (Anole VX, Solaris SE & IER-Z1R) and they all sound amazing. The previous firmwares that I tried all had their weaknesses with certain pairings. U1.02 too v shaped, DMP 1.02 too washed out and soft, Mars T2 & T3 also too v shaped, Jupiter T2 & T3 too mellow. Mind you I haven't tried every single fw on offer, just the ones I thought would fit with my preferences.
> 
> Solis simply nails it.



Yes it goes really well with everything, no obvious weaknesses. Some of the others might do certain aspects better but all also had weaknesses in other areas


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Yes it goes really well with everything, no obvious weaknesses. Some of the others might do certain aspects better but all also had weaknesses in other areas


Dedication , once you are dedicated toward something, you trade off other areas


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Dedication , once you are dedicated toward something, you trade off other areas



Yeah but I listen to everything so I need the best allrounder not a specialist


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Yeah but I listen to everything so I need the best allrounder not a specialist


Exactly,  yet to try MDR-Z1R


----------



## Whitigir

Does anyone have the feelings that their “Old collections suddenly comes Alive and becomes so Realistic” ?

With Solis ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> Yeah but I listen to everything so I need the best allrounder not a specialist




Me too love the best all arounders. I downloaded the solice not yet tried it.

Reading all those nice feedbacks wana jump on it asap


----------



## Damz87

nc8000 said:


> Yeah but I listen to everything so I need the best allrounder not a specialist



Same here. Solis is exactly that! Perfect all-rounder.


----------



## Damz87

Whitigir said:


> Does anyone have the feelings that their “Old collections suddenly comes Alive and becomes so Realistic” ?
> 
> With Solis ?



Yeah 100%

Listening to songs and thinking it all sounds so realistic and accurate.


----------



## Tawek

..what was the  "Achilles heel " of wm1z ? For me always
was the single end
Now 3.5mm sounds  amazing with Solis..
I can't tear myself away from listening to music...
what a great change !!!


----------



## Damz87




----------



## Tawek

Solis / wm1z 

Solis / wm1z / ex1000


----------



## gerelmx1986

Giving Solis a probe orbit with MDR-Z1R a amazed how big the stage is and how smooth and organic it sounds


----------



## Whitigir

Tawek said:


> Solis / wm1z
> 
> Solis / wm1z / ex1000


Lol my second favorite character in Lion King


----------



## gerelmx1986

Love every recording that I have with Jordi Savall,  very audiophile quality


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Does anyone have the feelings that their “Old collections suddenly comes Alive and becomes so Realistic” ?
> 
> With Solis ?


1000000% damn you're the genius here. Solis puts me on 1st to 3RD rows from stage , transport me to the recording as if the musicians were there live


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 7, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> 1000000% damn you're the genius here. Solis puts me on 1st to 3RD rows from stage , transport me to the recording as if the musicians were there live


Thank you! Don’t forget @Morbideath, without him, no space traveling, let alone landing on the Sun


----------



## Damz87

Whitigir said:


> Thank you! Don’t forget @Morbideath, without him, no space traveling, let alone landing on the Sun



You guys need to create your own DAP, with your firmware/tuning plus hardware mods. Damn! I would buy that without hesitation!


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Love every recording that I have with Jordi Savall,  very audiophile quality



Yes very high quality, I have several from his own label


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Yes very high quality, I have several from his own label


Me too from CD to SACD


----------



## buzzlulu

Not easy following all of these pages.
Two questions regarding the new Solis
Can someone explain what T4, T5 etc.means?

Has there been a Mac OS port for Solis?

Thanks


----------



## bflat

Oh well, either my hardware can't handle it or the tuning is not to my liking but Solis has a little to much edge too the lower treble (around 4 khz or so) for me. This was with IER-Z1R so other headphones may pair better. Going to stick with J3 for now.


----------



## Lookout57

buzzlulu said:


> Not easy following all of these pages.
> Two questions regarding the new Solis
> Can someone explain what T4, T5 etc.means?
> 
> ...


The T stands for Tier. See https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/page-21#post-15495488 for a description of the Tiers.

I created the macOS Solis installer and shared it with Morbideath. He will be posting it to his Google Drive with the others soon.


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> Oh well, either my hardware can't handle it or the tuning is not to my liking but Solis has a little to much edge too the lower treble (around 4 khz or so) for me. This was with IER-Z1R so other headphones may pair better. Going to stick with J3 for now.


Have you switched to “J” Region yet ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Damz87 said:


> You guys need to create your own DAP, with your firmware/tuning plus hardware mods. Damn! I would buy that without hesitation!


But the daps from @Whitigir   and @Morbideath  shall have huge storage  at least 256GB and double sd slot, they shall port the DSD remastering engine Haha too much wish going on here


----------



## bflat

Whitigir said:


> Have you switched to “J” Region yet ?



Yep, kept it with J region. Once my 1960 PW cable comes in for IER-Z1R, will give Solis another try. Would be perfectly happy staying with J3 though. It has a nice groove to it with just enough technicalities. But I can see where those who want to extract every nuance may prefer Solis.


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> But the daps from @Whitigir   and @Morbideath  shall have huge storage  at least 256GB and double sd slot, they shall port the DSD remastering engine Haha too much wish going on here


LoL, I see you guys have been “sun bathing” too much, and the “heatstroke” has brought “hallucinations”

Back to earth guys!!


----------



## Pillsburydough

Been interplanetary for a while but think I'm settled on the sun


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Morbideath  and @Whitigir  shall win the Head-fi Nobel prize for outstanding discovery/creation


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 7, 2020)

I’m glad many friends love Solis, but remember_ Rule No.1 of Solis is that... we don’t talk about Solis _outside this forum, if u want these to survive under the radar of... u know who company. 
A member has already labeled me as a Chinese pirate. I will sit back and enjoy my Solar music soon


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 7, 2020)

How should we address our series of FWs? The Dark Side? Solar System? Space Odyssey?  I want to customize making some stickers to put along side my K-mod sticker, reminding me of something I’m very proud of


----------



## proedros (Mar 7, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> How should we address our series of FWs? The Dark Side? Solar System? Space Odyssey?  I want to customize making some stickers to put along side my K-mod sticker, reminding me of something I’m very proud of



man isn't a great coincidence how your and @Whitigir 's initials together create WM


as in....(you guessed it) .....Walkman

damn.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> How should we address our series of FWs? The Dark Side? Solar System? Space Odyssey?  I want to customize making some stickers to put along side my K-mod sticker, reminding me of something I’m very proud of




The interstellar fw relation

Hehe )


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 7, 2020)

proedros said:


> man isn't a great coincidence how your and @Whitigir 's initials together create WM
> as in....(you guessed it) .....Walkman
> 
> damn.


Never thought about it in this way...... the Stepfather is the Stepfather, no one comes close to his understanding of Walkman


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> all those amazing FWs have probably pushed me to go the extra mile with my Zeus XR
> 
> think i will finally buy that 1960s 2w cable that I have heard so many great things about.
> 
> ...





Morbideath said:


> Never thought it in this way...... the Stepfather is the Stepfather, no one comes close to his understanding of Walkman


I also never thought of it this way ...nice one LOL!!! Thank you!! You guys flattered me much


----------



## hshock76

bflat said:


> Yep, kept it with J region. Once my 1960 PW cable comes in for IER-Z1R, will give Solis another try. Would be perfectly happy staying with J3 though. It has a nice groove to it with just enough technicalities. But I can see where those who want to extract every nuance may prefer Solis.



I can 200% assure you that you will be floored by the combination of 1Z (J Region) + Solis + 1960 4W + IER-Z1R and not think about J3 after that...


----------



## Tawek

Vitaly2017 said:


> The interstellar fw relation
> 
> Hehe )


Solis it's my Interstellar


----------



## Morbideath

Interstellar is an appropriate name but it’s too long to be called as a name


----------



## proedros

Morbideath said:


> Interstellar is an appropriate name but it’s too long to be called as a name



*In Space with M&W *


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> Interstellar is an appropriate name but it’s too long to be called as a name



Stelaroid's  !  Haha


----------



## Morbideath

proedros said:


> *In Space with M&W *


WM1S, S for Space/Stellar/Solis, etc


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> WM1S, S for Space/Stellar/Solis, etc


WM1S-A or WM1S-Z LOL


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 7, 2020)

Star AZ

Stelar AZ

A-deep-Z  haha  @Morbideath


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> WM1S-A or WM1S-Z LOL


In the end of our long trip of modding, A&Z don’t differentiate much at all except for the chassis. You know what I mean


----------



## Damz87

I like WM1S


----------



## Vitaly2017

Wm1S/Z1  !!!


----------



## Whitigir

Damz87 said:


> I like WM1S


Yeah but I don’t like that S is between A-Z which stands for the Extreme first letter or extreme last letter...S may be Half of everything ? LOL


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 7, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> I like WM1S


It works wonders giving u more self-suggestion. In China we called it Brain-amping...
A Brain-amp is the highest form of Hifi gear, even an AirPods will sound like Utopia if u amp it hard mentally.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 7, 2020)

Then you will have to throw in K-Mod or whatever other hardware mod to call it.....This is harder than even coding itself

I was referring my 1A and it hardware mode as 1A-EM that stands for Extensively Modified

Now with an “S” as WM1A-EMS, people would think EMS as a shipping services .....

Imagine a conversation

A: what Walkman do you have
Me: NW-WM1A-EMS

Before I finished that sentence, A probably lost his interest....or would be like “what the heck is that”? LOL


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> It works wonders giving u more self-suggestion. In China we called it Brain-amping...
> Brain-amping is the highest form of Hifi pursuit, even an AirPods will sound like Utopia if u amp it hard mentally.




Sounds like serious crap can happend lmao


----------



## Damz87

WM1SX?!


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> Then you will have to throw in K-Mod or whatever other hardware mod to call it.....This is harder than even coding itself
> 
> I was referring my 1A and it hardware mode as 1A-EM that stands for Extensively Modified
> 
> ...


Hahaha nice one


----------



## nc8000

Been going back from Solis to some of the previous fw to compare again and am now back on Solis and am pretty sure that is where I’ll stay


----------



## flyer1

nc8000 said:


> Been going back from Solis to some of the previous fw to compare again and am now back on Solis and am pretty sure that is where I’ll stay



Could not be more happy with Solis. And I thought I reached endgame with Jupiter3. 

Solis is clearly another 2 tiers up from it


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hey guys a question not related to fw on the side.

I am burning in my zx507 and does it count if I only plug my cable but without iems attached.  Will it still do the burn in? 

Or need iems to be attached ?


----------



## musicday (Mar 7, 2020)

1ZS+ Solar powered.


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hey guys a question not related to fw on the side.
> 
> I am burning in my zx507 and does it count if I only plug my cable but without iems attached.  Will it still do the burn in?
> 
> Or need iems to be attached ?



You need to plug a load into the headphone socket to do burn in


----------



## Morbideath

Damz87 said:


> WM1SX?!


FYI, in Chinese SX is short for d u m b a s s


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> FYI, in Chinese SX is short for d u m b a s s


ROFLMAO that cracked me up!!! Thanks for the laugh


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 8, 2020)

Could it be that with Solis I seem to observe that playback speed/tempo is slightly faster than normal, or varied within a song?


----------



## Damz87

Morbideath said:


> FYI, in Chinese SX is short for d u m b a s s



LOL yeah, that't not gonna work then...

Here is Aus we'd call it F*ckin' s**t hot c*nt you bloody rippa maaaate


----------



## Lookout57

WM1A-S
WM1Z-S

WM1A Planet Edition
WM1Z Planet Edition


----------



## Morbideath

flyer1 said:


> Could it be that with Solis I seem to observe that playback speed is slightly faster than normal?


whaaaaat, u need to have a A/B test for that


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> whaaaaat, u need to have a A/B test for that




Hahaha brain got slow motioned freez's with T5 cant take it! Told u hahaha


----------



## Lookout57

Luckily I have (2) WM1A's, one stock and one running Solis. I was planning on doing a head to head.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 7, 2020)

On my setup, with some manual exploitation, Solis has a butter smooth timbre i have never heard before. It’s so smooth and dense as if the sound is physically there but with absolutely no harshness or grains at all.
The smoothness makes the music just flows, and more forgiving. It even passes my tests about some of those dirtiest, ugliest underground metal recordings, not to mention those Low-fi black metal “noises”. With ultra resolution retrieved at such, still no harshness at all. To give u some hint, Motorhead is some of the cleanest sound among my tests.
That might explain why u think the playback got faster... for me it flows like an everflowing stream. No, stream is too mellow, it flows like a stream of butter.......
Crazy part is, with such smoothness and density, dynamics still outburst like a volcano. And details surface from here to there, without being hinted. This is crazy, I never heard any sound like that. All goodness will come as a cost, this time I don't find any drawbacks yet...


----------



## Fsilva

All hail the Sun God Ra, and the wizards @Whitigir and @Morbideath!!! No words for this Tier 10!!!


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 7, 2020)

flyer1 said:


> Could it be that with Solis I seem to observe that playback speed is slightly faster than normal?





Morbideath said:


> On my setup, with some manual exploitation, Solis has a butter smooth timbre i have never heard before. It’s so smooth and dense as if the sound is physically there but with absolutely no harshness or grains at all.
> The smoothness makes the music just flows, and more forgiving. It even passes my tests about some of those dirties, ugliest underground metal recordings, not to mention those Low-fi black metal “noises”. With ultra resolution retrieved at such, no harshness at all.
> That might explain why u think the playback got faster... for me it flows like a stream. No stream is too mellow, it flows like a stream of butter.......


It could be the correct Tempo as what he is experiencing.  Normally, this only happens in Analog recording due to the Magnetism mechanic as a mediums that constantly bathed inside the magnetic field....And then Reproduced and read by Magnetism as well

It takes a lot of precision in digital domains to make happens, firmware to hardware wise.  Try listening to a DMP and you will know 

Hardware wise, walkman is still much better built for digital domain precision’s than the other players on the market...

Mod Firmware may bring the Walkman to it limits, but non the less, the precision’s should be mind blowing still


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> It could be the correct Tempo as what he is experiencing.  Normally, this only happens in Analog recording due to the Magnetism mechanic as a mediums that constantly bathed inside the magnetic field....And then Reproduced and read by Magnetism as well
> 
> It takes a lot of precision in digital domains to make happens, firmware to hardware wise.  Try listening to a DMP and you will know


So u mean formerly, his tempo was slower than intended?


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> So u mean formerly, his tempo was slower than intended?


No, digital corrections and imprecise information domains bring every tempo to be equal.  Only Analog has tempo precision’s 

The latest digital player I have experienced this on is DMP...not even Chord Dave


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 7, 2020)

How about calling the whole enchilada as
SS = Solar System
WMSS 1A/ 1Z
WM 1A/1Z SS
Or???
Fudge, this is too hard lol


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 7, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> No, digital corrections and imprecise information domains bring every tempo to be equal.  Only Analog has tempo precision’s
> 
> The latest digital player I have experienced this on is DMP...not even Chord Dave


I think what you mean, certain part of the music has different tempo, some slow, some faster within the same piece of music. And DMP and Sony Walkman to a certain extent is able to reproduce the tempo faithfully as the music creator intended?

While digital only have same tempo throughout the whole music? Is my assumption correct?


----------



## Whitigir

hamhamhamsta said:


> I think what you mean, certain part of the music has different tempo, some slow, some faster within the same piece of music?
> While digital only have same tempo throughout the whole music? Is my assumption correct?





Spoiler: Tempo and Pitch accuracy 



that is correct, in real life or analog recording, Tempo and Pitches accuracy are always constant as the Magnetic field that Read or record it onto the mediums are constant

the only thing effects the analog is speed and physical noises.  Even if Flutter/Wow were to happen, it would still remain steady or almost constant, so even under these errors, Tempo and pitches also remain constant.  The accuracy of it realism will be lost, but the precision as a whole is still there

In digital domains, it is different.  Because of all this, Digital seems to be noises free but often loose it “Souls” and those are Tempo and Pitches .  The core principles of digital isn’t wrong.  Nyquist Theories are all correct.  The what wrong is the precision of the algorithms, the errors that plagues the system from Power to Electrical noises, timing errors, piezo electrics .... etc.  The more the auto corrects works, the more is being filtered out, and the more pitches and tempo accuracy are lost


These 2 things Don’t usually show itself in Digital devices.  I thought it was impossible until I heard the DMP.  Then I thought very hard about how and why from all that I have studied up until now

Short conclusions, the Walkman WM1A and 1Z are built similar...I just never understand why it wasn’t even close in those 2 aspects, even though it has unique timbres density.

Now I know, and hence you all are benefiting 

Now, do you know why I brought Solis into DMP Z1 ? Because of Walkman can be this far, then what about DMP ? Once again, I took it much further than stock in those 2 aspects, pitches, tempo accuracy, and to top it off...DMP also have powerful output, much More Beefy hardwares, and Superbly Black background


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> You need to plug a load into the headphone socket to do burn in




Well a cable it self not enough?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 7, 2020)

Pitches and Tempo accuracy are like this.  In real life...I will ask 2 different Guitarist to play the same Guitars and the same Short Play.  Most of the time You will be able to tell the differences.  

When record it to analog systems.  This is a little harder to tell but still

When recorded into digital systems...they are much harder to tell...that is why Digital music still has a long way to go in both algorithms and hardware


----------



## blazinblazin

WM-1A(U)/Z(U)

U for Universe for future expansion if there are more mods to add on lol~


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well a cable it self not enough?



Not to my knowledge as it is the coils and drivers in the headphone that produces the load. iBasso actually delivered a burn in dongle with the DX50 and DX90 which had some resistors in the dongle to simulate the headphone load


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 7, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> whaaaaat, u need to have a A/B test for that


I have observed that too in my wm1a in some fw the music speed varies you arent crazy if someone has heard diferent playback speed i can agree... it sounded weird on my 1A faster


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 7, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> I have observed that too in my wm1a in some fw the music speed varies you arent crazy


Varying can be either good or bad. If it’s heading towards more precision as Whitigir preaches, it’s unexpectedly good for us.
Technically I think the higher Tier, the more substantial this speed varying could be felt.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 7, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Varying can be either good or bad. If it’s heading towards more precision as Whitigir preaches, it’s unexpectedly good for us.
> Technically I think the higher Tier, the more substantial this speed varying could be felt.


I think you’re right, the goal is for the listeners to hear faithfully the whole music as it was intended, not as interpreted by the systems/ daps( Since most have certain deficiencies to do that; whether they be lacking in areas such as pitch, tempo, speed etc etc)


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 7, 2020)

Honestly, nothing is perfect in this universe.  Perfection is “Nonexistent”.  Then Reality is one own perceptions and how one interpret the information.

Reproductions, once human is trying to reproduce something it is already “Artificial”.  What matters is how one is enjoying it.

Yes, technically I can say that and tell you that the higher the Tier of my mod Firmwares, the more precision that it should be.  You can observe better resolutions and fidelity.

But it will all come down to what I just stated above ? What are your reality and how are you perceiving it ? Then after all, the musics we have are artificial regardless of digital or analog...some are too old to perform...some artists have passed away and we are enjoying a ghost....or so ???

So, whatever bring you the most enjoyable moment, the better right ? Could be Solis, could be Mecury, or could be AK or Fiio...doesn’t matter


----------



## sbho1

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well its clear that sony didnt nail it going that rout as CA didnt appeal me as J+ j3zu )
> 
> Across all regions and stock fw the best one is definitely Japan none other. While I did love CA but I realized its best for edm music but the rest was not very top notch.  While the Japan region has best tuning across the board in all genras...
> 
> So sony gota do a different approach and make it 1 tuning for all



Yes, agree with your finding.... J +J3ZU,  indeed provide very pleasant sound signature.... at least with my MDR-Z1R + Sony Kimbler cable.
Those who has these hardware combination, strongly recommended to try with this J +J3ZU....


----------



## Vitaly2017

Guys I am loading the solis5zu for the first time!

My intersteral propolsutory space warp engines are preheated and ready to burst into the unknow of the deepest of the universe...!

Here we go I see on the otherside Guys !

HaHaHa


----------



## blazinblazin (Mar 7, 2020)

So we can safely say sound change by software can be programmable but not measureable.
Those who measure sound only measure up to certain degree of sound but not whole aspect of it.


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> Honestly, nothing is perfect in this universe.  Perfection is “Nonexistent”.  Then Reality is one own perceptions and how one interpret the information.
> 
> Reproductions, once human is trying to reproduce something it is already “Artificial”.  What matters is how one is enjoying it.
> 
> ...


i didnt ment your FW maked music faster I say I have heard my 1A to process music at a diferent speed under some fw config... so if somewone has heard the same its ok


----------



## Whitigir

blazinblazin said:


> So we can safely say sound change by software can be programmable but not measureable.
> Those who measure sound only measure up to certain degree of sound but not whole aspect of it.


They should be measurable ...it needs the “know how’s” which is out of my field.

All I know is that even gravity waves is now measurable, which took so long to have a genius to find the right way.  He is also an audiophile btw


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hmmm while I was already in 80% warp mode I hit a big stargazer cloud! It have disrupted my warp and while I was going threw that dusty foggy star cloud.

The J3ZU made it clear he aint willing to give up and I felt like J3ZU was more my type. Very fast nice black background and crisp delightful sparkly treble in very beautiful musical sound transitions with nice bass that has perfect attack.

I feel like J3ZU is my end game...

Solis5 dont have enough agression to my taste and no treble sparkle but bass was really impressive with a nice long big decay... 
I'd say if you make it just a bit more sparkly tighter bass with slightly faster decay.
Solis5zu could be a doomsday Fw!

I am sorry but J3zu is extremely special in my perception and I think it has more wow and impressions to offer

Oh and forgot to mention I think solis5 slightly has less soundstage then j3zu.

Hope you guys not mad at me but thats what I feel


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hmmm while I was already in 80% warp mode I hit a big stargazer cloud! It have disrupted my warp and while I was going threw that dusty foggy star cloud.
> 
> The J3ZU made it clear he aint willing to give up and I felt like J3ZU was more my type. Very fast nice black background and crisp delightful sparkly treble in very beautiful musical sound transitions with nice bass that has perfect attack.
> 
> ...


Why would we be mad ? It is all within our expectations.  If we were to be mad because of your choices, you wouldn’t have all these choices


----------



## Vitaly2017

J3zu + J region


----------



## aceedburn

Has anyone tried solis with stock 1A on CA region?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Why would we be mad ? It is all within our expectations.  If we were to be mad because of your choices, you wouldn’t have all these choices




Cause everyone is so happy with solis5 and u guys worked hard with that t5 and I still liked the j3zu


----------



## aceedburn

@Morbideath @Whitigir   just for clarity. If I used the 1z firmware mod for my stock 1A, would there be any difference in sound? And would there be any adverse effects on the player? Was curious all this while.


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Cause everyone is so happy with solis5 and u guys worked hard with that t5 and I still liked the j3zu


Don’t worry , we know about hardware limitations and we know how to categorize them just fine .

There is a flavor in store for everyone.  Not everyone love Anchovies ...


aceedburn said:


> @Morbideath @Whitigir   just for clarity. If I used the 1z firmware mod for my stock 1A, would there be any difference in sound? And would there be any adverse effects on the player? Was curious all this while.


you can not as your device is not a 1Z.  It simply would then ask to connect a device


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> J3zu + J region



Great track!


----------



## Vitaly2017

But I have no hardware limitations lmao
Wm1z 
Tia trio
Pw1960 
And my tiger EARS BRO

All I miss is K mod


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 7, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> But I have no hardware limitations lmao
> Wm1z
> Tia trio
> Pw1960
> ...


Highlighted  . Perhap a member of my beta team can explain better @hshock76 whose devices including a K-1Z and a Stock 1Z.

Anyways, *personal preferences* is an important factors too!!! hence there is a flavor for everyone


----------



## Vitaly2017

This has some good beat to. Shakes your booty quiet hard haha


----------



## Quang23693

Whitigir said:


> Highlighted  . Perhap a member of my beta team can explain better @hshock76 whose devices including a K-1Z and a Stock 1Z.
> 
> Anyways, *personal preferences* is an important factors too!!! hence there is a flavor for everyone


Tks Whistigir and your team . With my personal taste , Solid is extremely upgraded for mercury T3 , more neutral , more balance , more detail . But i was tired when i have heard it for a  longtime. Apologize to you, I still liked Mercury T3 because it make me feel relax and comfortable.  
Thanks for your shared


----------



## aceedburn

Whitigir said:


> Don’t worry , we know about hardware limitations and we know how to categorize them just fine .
> 
> There is a flavor in store for everyone.  Not everyone love Anchovies ...
> 
> you can not as your device is not a 1Z.  It simply would then ask to connect a device


Ah, thanks mate.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 7, 2020)

Guys, no need to feel bad  we cook all these firmwares with different signatures and tiers for everybody.  In this forum, we are free to express our subjective impressions and preferences.

Do enjoy your music as that is what we are all so crazy about


----------



## Quang23693

Whitigir said:


> Guys, no need to be apologetic  we cook all these firmwares with different signatures and tiers for everybody.  In this forum, we are free to express our subjective impressions and preferences.
> 
> Do enjoy your music as that is what we are all so crazy about



Thanks for your patient.
Thank you for bringing all the best to WM1.You and your team made my 1A reborn. I will always follow you and post feedback when you share a new FW.
*Best wishes for a happy and successful* 

*Best regards,*


----------



## Redcarmoose

Solis is clear and transparent.............fast, yet real, as it shines it's light..........new discoveries can be made when least expected? I have a funny feeling it may be all here with this one. It's going to take time.

Back to back Solis showdown between* Solis5ZU and Solis5AU.........who is going to win? Why the 1Z of course.*


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 7, 2020)

I didn’t expect so many to like Solis at all, in fact I thought it was meant to work best with a modded player. I myself might even wanna boost the bass of Solis a bit more and tune down the treble a tad. Again, it’s synergy and our subjective taste.
I hope @hshock76 could chime in and share to everyone, how a T5 level star scales from stock 1Z to modded 1Z.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> I didn’t expect so many to like Solis at all, in fact I thought it was meant to work best with a modded player. I myself might even wanna boost the bass of Solis a bit more and tune down the treble a tad. Again, it’s synergy and our subjective taste.
> I hope @hshock76 could chime in and share to everyone, how a T5 level star scales from stock 1Z to modded 1Z.




He said he loves it so much that he would sell me hes k moded 1z lmao hahaha
Go mod hes unmoded 1z again ) ) ) )

I guess its a question of taste and synergy...


----------



## Redcarmoose

Solis theme


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Solis theme





Darn some heavy underworld stuff is going here haha lost in the antarctica mountains?


----------



## hshock76 (Mar 7, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Highlighted  . Perhap a member of my beta team can explain better @hshock76 whose devices including a K-1Z and a Stock 1Z.
> 
> Anyways, *personal preferences* is an important factors too!!! hence there is a flavor for everyone



Ok First I would like to suggest that folks be less trigger happy at changing FWs in such short time.... Take at least half a day or even one day to test each one out... Its too easy to form a good or bad impression on first listen or in a short session. Our brains and ears actually take time to adjust... some take longer and some adjust fast. I just experienced something similar during dinner... auditioned my friend's U12T and marveled at the huge sound stage... switched back to the Z1R and felt the sound stage collapsed immediately.. I was even asking myself whether this was the Z1R I loved dearly. However, now back home and listening to the Z1R, the magic is back. I def prefer the vocals on the Sony vs the 64 audio which I found a tad too bright for me.

When I helped Beta Test the FWs; I too like Jupiter/Musical alot.. then came Saturn and then Solis. I gave each a fair chance and the more I listened the more I found out about the characteristics of each FW. Till date Solis is my fav on the K Mod player. Both @Whitigir & @Morbideath went to great lengths to conjure each of these codes; we on the other hand have it much easier... just DL, install and listen. so let's give each a good listen and chose the one most suitable for you.

Next, let's talk abit about mods. I'm was able to do A/B on each code with my stock and K-Mod Ultimate+ 1Z... The jump in performance from stock to modded for all the FWs is pretty significant. The main improvements are resolution, stage (width+depth), layering and imaging. The realism of the vocals.... it's a totally different world. Again I do not want to make it seem like I'm selling everyone the idea of modding your player.... but for those who wants to get the most of the codes and the player and be in a different listening realm, physical mods are the only way to go. As I have I mentioned several times, I have auditioned many TOTL players and even the DMP-Z1 several times; I can tell you nothing comes close to what I'm experiencing on the modded 1Z+Solis+Z1R; even the DMP (Stock). I seriously dun think any new TOTL player that will be released in the next 1-2 yrs will be able to displace what I have... prob not even the 1Z replacement. The feeling of knowing that I already have the HW+FW that fits my needs and 100% endgame is truly great.


----------



## ttt123 (Mar 8, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> How should we address our series of FWs? The Dark Side? Solar System? Space Odyssey?  I want to customize making some stickers to put along side my K-mod sticker, reminding me of something I’m very proud of


Mad Max, screaming into the sunset in a heavily modded truck.  Making their own rules in a disfunctional world.
Edit: Think of the scene with the giant speakers on the truck. What was the music being played, Metal?


----------



## hshock76

@Morbideath! Is this the kind of music you listen to? I found this in my player... amazing with Solis. Inherited quite a number of Metal albums from MS but never listened to them till now.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 8, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> @Morbideath! Is this the kind of music you listen to? I found this in my player... amazing with Solis. Inherited quite a number of Metal albums from MS but never listened to them till now.



It's close to what i listen to but it's not. Many metalhead don't regard such Nu Metal as metal, but something akin to rock n roll.
Disturbed is quite mainstream and easy-going for the majority out there.


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> I didn’t expect so many to like Solis at all, in fact I thought it was meant to work best with a modded player. I myself might even wanna boost the bass of Solis a bit more and tune down the treble a tad. Again, it’s synergy and our subjective taste.
> I hope @hshock76 could chime in and share to everyone, how a T5 level star scales from stock 1Z to modded 1Z.


I think your sound preferences are exactly mine based on the interaction we have had this far. I’d really really love to have this materialize. I love the current Solis but like you wish it had a tad more deeper bass and slightly tamer treble. Could this be a reality for me? Pretty, pretty please? I’ll do anything for that! @Whitigir


----------



## ttt123 (Mar 8, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Pitches and Tempo accuracy are like this.  In real life...I will ask 2 different Guitarist to play the same Guitars and the same Short Play.  Most of the time You will be able to tell the differences.
> 
> When record it to analog systems.  This is a little harder to tell but still
> 
> When recorded into digital systems...they are much harder to tell...that is why Digital music still has a long way to go in both algorithms and hardware


Pitch, tempo, micro detail, timing (and some more that we did not think of) are some of the intangibles that make music involving and emotional.  I think when we feel music is "faster", more "you are there", and gets you "toe tapping", these are symptoms that a system is performing at the next level, also the hardest thing to achieve.  It mostly is felt, and not measured.  I think of what I have experienced before, when a CD player felt "slow". Not that the speed was off, just that it lacked immediacy, energy....speed, if you will.
Edit: The CD player was a Wadia 6.  A very competent player, but the music felt “slow”.


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> I think your sound preferences are exactly mine based on the interaction we have had this far. I’d really really love to have this materialize. I love the current Solis but like you wish it had a tad more deeper bass and slightly tamer treble. Could this be a reality for me? Pretty, pretty please? I’ll do anything for that! @Whitigir



unfortunately, not at the moment. Solis is quite perfect by itself. Its complexity and sophistication make it very hard to tune, a little boost of bass or suppress of treble may render the whole signature collapse. It has to stay balance.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 8, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> I think your sound preferences are exactly mine based on the interaction we have had this far. I’d really really love to have this materialize. I love the current Solis but like you wish it had a tad more deeper bass and slightly tamer treble. Could this be a reality for me? Pretty, pretty please? I’ll do anything for that! @Whitigir


If u are after THE signature we both love, Mars is exactly it. Solis has to stay balance and retrieve a very high resolution with less distortions. Mars and Venus are deliberately creating distortions for us to enjoy / despise


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> If u are after THE signature we both love, Mars is exactly it. Solis has to stay balance and retrieve a very high resolution with less distortions. Mars and Venus are deliberately creating distortions for us to enjoy.




Why do I find solis dont have enough treble sparkle?
And I am the one to complain about treble being to high I am puzzled.


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> If u are after THE signature we both love, Mars is exactly it. Solis has to stay balance and retrieve a very high resolution with less distortions. Mars and Venus are deliberately creating distortions for us to enjoy.


Tried all the Mars variations but i stil prefer Solis. The realism, stage and the way vocals push forward with that “in your room’ feel is mind blowing. Truly it is the best by far and nothing comes close. Just that the treble gets a little too piercing at times and i wish it had a little more rumble in the sub bass. Other than that it’s a perfect firmware. Just a thought, since CA region is more bassy, if i change to CA region from my current J, do you think it will solve my problem?


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> Tried all the Mars variations but i stil prefer Solis. The realism, stage and the way vocals push forward with that “in your room’ feel is mind blowing. Truly it is the best by far and nothing comes close. Just that the treble gets a little too piercing at times and i wish it had a little more rumble in the sub bass. Other than that it’s a perfect firmware. Just a thought, since CA region is more bassy, if i change to CA region from my current J, do you think it will solve my problem?


U can just try it to find out. Changing region won't take u 30 seconds.


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> Why do I find solis dont have enough treble sparkle?
> And I am the one to complain about treble being to high I am puzzled.


I'm puzzled by your impression as well.  Like Hshock76 said, don't reach to conclusion too soon


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 8, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> Ok First I would like to suggest that folks be less trigger happy at changing FWs in such short time.... Take at least half a day or even one day to test each one out... Its too easy to form a good or bad impression on first listen or in a short session. Our brains and ears actually take time to adjust... some take longer and some adjust fast. I just experienced something similar during dinner... auditioned my friend's U12T and marveled at the huge sound stage... switched back to the Z1R and felt the sound stage collapsed immediately.. I was even asking myself whether this was the Z1R I loved dearly. However, now back home and listening to the Z1R, the magic is back. I def prefer the vocals on the Sony vs the 64 audio which I found a tad too bright for me.
> 
> When I helped Beta Test the FWs; I too like Jupiter/Musical alot.. then came Saturn and then Solis. I gave each a fair chance and the more I listened the more I found out about the characteristics of each FW. Till date Solis is my fav on the K Mod player. Both @Whitigir & @Morbideath went to great lengths to conjure each of these codes; we on the other hand have it much easier... just DL, install and listen. so let's give each a good listen and chose the one most suitable for you.
> 
> Next, let's talk abit about mods. I'm was able to do A/B on each code with my stock and K-Mod Ultimate+ 1Z... The jump in performance from stock to modded for all the FWs is pretty significant. The main improvements are resolution, stage (width+depth), layering and imaging. The realism of the vocals.... it's a totally different world. Again I do not want to make it seem like I'm selling everyone the idea of modding your player.... but for those who wants to get the most of the codes and the player and be in a different listening realm, physical mods are the only way to go. As I have I mentioned several times, I have auditioned many TOTL players and even the DMP-Z1 several times; I can tell you nothing comes close to what I'm experiencing on the modded 1Z+Solis+Z1R; even the DMP (Stock). I seriously dun think any new TOTL player that will be released in the next 1-2 yrs will be able to displace what I have... prob not even the 1Z replacement. The feeling of knowing that I already have the HW+FW that fits my needs and 100% endgame is truly great.





hshock76 said:


> @Morbideath! Is this the kind of music you listen to? I found this in my player... amazing with Solis. Inherited quite a number of Metal albums from MS but never listened to them till now.



That’s such a great point to wait 1/2 a day or more to form opinions. Especially a firmware like Solis, can remain reserved and almost subdued until you start to really understand it. So many firmware updates will have an instant “wow” effect but lose quality in time when your brain starts to recognize what has been unnaturally boosted. Since we were talking about food earlier; it would be like strong tasting food, that while fun at first, you may get sick of the taste everyday. Where up to this point Solis seems to be very careful about bestowing any big personality on the music. IMO 

Solis is soundstage and resolution along with letting the dynamics of the changes in the music through. IMO

It’s within these dynamics can be found the soul of the recording.



I use the last 11 seconds of this song to test bass clarity. Also D1.02 on the 1A has this songs guitars soo hot, never heard them like it.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 8, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> That’s such a great point to wait 1/2 a day or more to form opinions. I especially a firmware like Solis, can remain reserved and almost subdued until you start to really understand it. So many firmware updates will have an instant “wow” effect but lose quality in time when your brain starts to recognize what has been unnaturally boosted. Since we were talking about food earlier; it would be like strong tasting food, that while fun at first, you may get sick of the taste everyday. Where up to this point Solis seems to be very careful about bestowing any big personality on the music. IMO
> 
> Solis is soundstage and resolution along with letting the dynamics of the changes in the music through. IMO
> 
> ...



When Solis was born, i test it with Carmina Burana conducted by Jochum, Esoteric dsd. I told Whitigir i was CONSUMED by the vast soundstage. Its too gigantic making me in awe. But for some songs not recorded as godd, the staging stays as they are, not small but relaxed presentation.


----------



## semsal (Mar 8, 2020)

We have a big fw library for our sony wm1Z-A. Every taste can be satisfied. It is unbelieveble world for me!
No dap has got this chance on the. market.
I Appreciate your valuable efforts @Morbideath ,@Whitigir .

It is like legend sony ES line hifi equipments.


ES: elevated series


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 8, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> When Solis was born, i test it with Carmina Burana conducted by Jochum, dsd version. I told Whitigir i was CONSUMED by the vast soundstage. Its too gigantic making me in awe. But for some songs not recorded as godd, the staging stays as they are, not small but relaxed presentation



So far I think the firmware is getting stage information very close to what maybe could be in the recording, where Jupiter was just big all over. It’s going to take a while maybe to get a grip on what Solis is?
Before I tried Solis I had a PM recommending it sounds a little like the TA with 1.03 while using the 1Z; and it is. It actually has that reserved Sony sound, in contrast to the rage D1.02 was.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 8, 2020)

Another thing i need to clarify, i seldom listen to 16bit 44.1khz redbook flac. Most of my collections are high-res or the high quality 24/96 1st press vinyl transfer, or DSD files extracted from my SACD collections. And i always avoid Remasters like a plague unless the minority that was very tastefully done. 

Yes i have a fairly large physical records collections to support my pursuit. Im also a part-time partner of a metal music  label/distro so i get hold of many master tapes. 

Most CD redbook, unless recorded very nicely like Telarc or old Philips, sounds vertically squashed to me, in terms of staging, where i can spot distortions more easily.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Fudge I’m smitten with Solis. Singing songs that I’m listening nonstop, even though I croak like crow lol


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> I think your sound preferences are exactly mine based on the interaction we have had this far. I’d really really love to have this materialize. I love the current Solis but like you wish it had a tad more deeper bass and slightly tamer treble. Could this be a reality for me? Pretty, pretty please? I’ll do anything for that! @Whitigir


One thing i need to add is that, Solis has the highest quality bass ive heard. It has very controlled mid-bass (but the majority won't agree Since mid-bass is strong enough for them). When u test the bass heavy songs It still dived down to the abyss with great speed and texture, not bleeding into the mids.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 8, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> When Solis was born, i test it with Carmina Burana conducted by Jochum, Esoteric dsd. I told Whitigir i was CONSUMED by the vast soundstage. Its too gigantic making me in awe. But for some songs not recorded as godd, the staging stays as they are, not small but relaxed presentation.



Well, it’s too early to tell, but some grand TOTL firmware would probably have to have the midrange capacity of Solis. That and the treble personality and letting great bass occur. But it’s the midrange that has me so intrigued here, that and the spatial control?


----------



## littlexx26

Whitigir said:


> I had modified 2 cradles, and so I know them well.  The cradles is acting as 2 things.
> 
> 1/ Charge the Walkman simultaneously
> 2/ transfer files in and out of Walkman via a switch
> ...


Hi I just bought the cradle what you have modded?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 8, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Another thing i need to clarify, i seldom listen to 16bit 44.1khz redbook flac. Most of my collections are high-res or the high quality 24/96 1st press vinyl transfer, or DSD files extracted from my SACD collections. And i always avoid Remasters like a plague unless the minority that was very tastefully done.
> 
> Yes i have a fairly large physical records collections to support my pursuit. Im also a part-time partner of a metal music  label/distro so i get hold of many master tapes.
> 
> Most CD redbook, unless recorded very nicely like Telarc or old Philips, sounds vertically squashed to me, in terms of staging, where i can spot distortions more easily.





I agree these firmwares really show the difference between 320kbps and 24bit. People can argue that and I simply don’t care. Interestingly hearing this song in 24bit the drums have an attack which shows multilayering of elements perfectly separated. The bass and guitar start and find themselves in perfect placement in the soundstage. We as listeners can get too sidetracked by things which are not actually accurate. Where here, I assume it’s playback is the way it was intended, with no exaggeration at hand? 

1A -Solis U- 24bit-ZENTOO 4core-Noble Audio K-10 Encore


----------



## normie610

Tried Solis with my stock 1Z (E region), and it’s very very similar with U1.02. The only difference is the bass in U1.02 is fuller and has more impact than Solis. 

Solis has a touch lighter bass, but the quality is absolutely there. Maybe because it’s tuned with J region, the bass sounds a bit lighter on E region. Still going back and forth between Solis and U1.02. I wish Solis has just a touch more bass and it‘d be perfect


----------



## flyer1

normie610 said:


> Tried Solis with my stock 1Z (E region), and it’s very very similar with U1.02. The only difference is the bass in U1.02 is fuller and has more impact than Solis.
> 
> Solis has a touch lighter bass, but the quality is absolutely there. Maybe because it’s tuned with J region, the bass sounds a bit lighter on E region. Still going back and forth between Solis and U1.02. I wish Solis has just a touch more bass and it‘d be perfect



Maybe try out J region then? Bass on Solis is perfect for my EX1000/1Z.


----------



## normie610

flyer1 said:


> Maybe try out J region then? Bass on Solis is perfect for my EX1000/1Z.



Already tried J before with other mods, but it’s too bassy for my setup (especially paired with my i4), that’s why I reverted back to E.


----------



## XP_98

Once again, thank you both for this great work 
I have the chance to own a WM1Z, and could buy last week a nearly new WM1A (30 hours), still burning in. I am glad be able to upgrade both with Solis.

My 2 cents to the name challenge :
WM1Z-EL / WM1A-EL, EL being for "enlighted" (by the sun, of course, but not only...)


----------



## Dtuck90

Does Solis affect battery life at all?

And is it worth installing on a stock WM1A ir is that not cut out for it?

Ive been using D1.02 with J region for the past week and now I’m starting to think vocals can sound a bit restrained (but fantastic everywhere else)


----------



## Damz87

normie610 said:


> Already tried J before with other mods, but it’s too bassy for my setup (especially paired with my i4), that’s why I reverted back to E.



Yeah, I’d suggest trying the J region again with Solis if you feel it’s a little lacking in the bass department.


----------



## normie610

Damz87 said:


> Yeah, I’d suggest trying the J region again with Solis if you feel it’s a little lacking in the bass department.



Yeah it’s a bit of a hassle to change it back to J, since I don’t have a Windows based computer. That’s ok, I can always stay with U1.02, in the meantime still evaluating Solis. All in all, Solis is the best mod from Whitigir so far!


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 8, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> I think your sound preferences are exactly mine based on the interaction we have had this far. I’d really really love to have this materialize. I love the current Solis but like you wish it had a tad more deeper bass and slightly tamer treble. Could this be a reality for me? Pretty, pretty please? I’ll do anything for that! @Whitigir


I had done all I could on Solis.  *Remember*, your hardware limitations will exist.  Even Music Sanctuary is a Tier 3 hardware in complexity VS a Tier 4.  The only place I have seen a Tier 4 hardware is from Romni Audio.  However, I could confirm that MS top mod is still able to squeeze the very performances out of Solis performances.  _On top of these Tier in complexity, the different components also has a different characteristics_

For example, it doesn’t matter how much I can cook, if you are using an OFC cables, then it can never sound like using a Pure Silver cables

In high-end Audio, every little bit matter, and everything will effect the sound quality.
I could careless about people being skeptical, they could be as skeptical as that firmware doesn’t effect the sound signatures and performances

So then, *Preferences and Synergies* ! The more limitations your hardware is, the more trade offs you will have to accept. Chose your best suited flavor as one of these release 

I will leave this Quote here. _You will also see me repeating about hardware modifications.* I am not trying to sell you anything, and I gain absolutely nothing out of these recommendations*_. I am just crazily enthusiastic about Sound performances, and that you should have known it by now



hshock76 said:


> Ok First I would like to suggest that folks be less trigger happy at changing FWs in such short time.... Take at least half a day or even one day to test each one out... Its too easy to form a good or bad impression on first listen or in a short session. Our brains and ears actually take time to adjust... some take longer and some adjust fast. I just experienced something similar during dinner... auditioned my friend's U12T and marveled at the huge sound stage... switched back to the Z1R and felt the sound stage collapsed immediately.. I was even asking myself whether this was the Z1R I loved dearly. However, now back home and listening to the Z1R, the magic is back. I def prefer the vocals on the Sony vs the 64 audio which I found a tad too bright for me.
> 
> When I helped Beta Test the FWs; I too like Jupiter/Musical alot.. then came Saturn and then Solis. I gave each a fair chance and the more I listened the more I found out about the characteristics of each FW. Till date Solis is my fav on the K Mod player. Both @Whitigir & @Morbideath went to great lengths to conjure each of these codes; we on the other hand have it much easier... just DL, install and listen. so let's give each a good listen and chose the one most suitable for you.
> 
> Next, let's talk abit about mods. I'm was able to do A/B on each code with my stock and K-Mod Ultimate+ 1Z... The jump in performance from stock to modded for all the FWs is pretty significant. The main improvements are resolution, stage (width+depth), layering and imaging. The realism of the vocals.... it's a totally different world. *Again I do not want to make it seem like I'm selling everyone the idea of modding your player*.... but for those who wants to get the most of the codes and the player and be in a different listening realm, physical mods are the only way to go. As I have I mentioned several times, I have auditioned many TOTL players and even the DMP-Z1 several times; I can tell you nothing comes close to what I'm experiencing on the modded 1Z+Solis+Z1R; even the DMP (Stock). I seriously dun think any new TOTL player that will be released in the next 1-2 yrs will be able to displace what I have... prob not even the 1Z replacement. The feeling of knowing that I already have the HW+FW that fits my needs and 100% endgame is truly great.


----------



## normie610

Whitigir said:


> I had done all I could on Solis.  *Remember*, your hardware limitations will exist.  Even Music Sanctuary is a Tier 3 hardware in complexity VS a Tier 4.  The only place I have seen a Tier 4 hardware is from Romni Audio.



What is Romni Audio? Any website?


----------



## Whitigir

normie610 said:


> What is Romni Audio? Any website?


I do not know, I only read about their mods details/descriptions over Facebook, Twitters....and from @ttt123 .


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 8, 2020)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/

Behind the scenes we are convinced Solis sounds as close to the TA with firmware 1.03 as anything. So it’s a funny coincidence that you sold your TA before updating to 1.03? Also simply what would be the odds of this being true? If you ever get to a show or meet, I’m thinking you’ll smile to hear an updated TA. It’s the personality of the imaging, the midrange spacing and politeness in the treble that’s signature Sony.

Also in Solis U region the bass is pretty much now where it is with the TA. As you’ll be surprised; the TA is not as muddy as it was on early firmware. Added to that now with the TA it has that kind-of tight bound upper midrange treble area that seems to help add to the perception of expanded out basic midrange tone soundstage? I’d say this is a coincidence or your going by some guide?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 8, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/
> 
> Behind the scenes we are convinced Solis sounds as close to the TA with firmware 1.03 as anything. So it’s a funny coincidence that you sold your TA before updating to 1.03? Also simply what would be the odds of this being true? If you ever get to a show or meet, I’m thinking you’ll smile to hear an updated TA. It’s the personality of the imaging, the midrange spacing and politeness in the treble that’s signature Sony.
> 
> Also in Solis U region the bass is pretty much now where it is with the TA. As you’ll be surprised; the TA is not as muddy as it was on early firmware. Added to that now with the TA it has that kind-of tight bound upper midrange treble area that seems to help add to the perception of expanded out basic midrange tone soundstage? *I’d say this is a coincidence or your going by some guide?*



The only guidance I have is by my experiences and enthusiasm. 

Every mountain has only 1 Top.....just only different routes taken and different views.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> The only guidance I have is by my experiences and enthusiasm
> 
> Every mountain has only 1 Top.....just only different routes taken and different views.



I forgot to mention it’s only the TA sound with the 1Z.


----------



## Damz87

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/
> 
> Behind the scenes we are convinced Solis sounds as close to the TA with firmware 1.03 as anything. So it’s a funny coincidence that you sold your TA before updating to 1.03? Also simply what would be the odds of this being true? If you ever get to a show or meet, I’m thinking you’ll smile to hear an updated TA. It’s the personality of the imaging, the midrange spacing and politeness in the treble that’s signature Sony.
> 
> Also in Solis U region the bass is pretty much now where it is with the TA. As you’ll be surprised; the TA is not as muddy as it was on early firmware. Added to that now with the TA it has that kind-of tight bound upper midrange treble area that seems to help add to the perception of expanded out basic midrange tone soundstage? I’d say this is a coincidence or your going by some guide?



Yeah, Solis sounds very similar to the TA.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 8, 2020)

You guys are either crazy to think that a small Walkman is closing the gap with a dedicated Desktop devices, or the Walkman is reaching “god tier” for a portable

_One thing for sure is that “portable DMP sound performances” is the only goals that I have had in my mind all along._

If you know me long enough, I have disappeared from this very thread for a while.  I gave up on Walkman.  Then I was into Ibasso, and I brought people the “EX” package ..... I thought I would stop there.

But!!!! I was so stunned by DMP Z1, and I was constantly haunted by it.  It has the uniqueness of Timbres Density and Sony house sound unmistakably.  Then Walkman has an unbeatable battery.  Both of these aspects won me over enough that I sold SP2K and keep my 1A. *DMP Z1 is just not Pocketable*

_I did a lot of work to hardware modified my 1A, but it could never get close enough to DMP Z1. I knew then it had something todo with “Firmware”. Luckily, and this is also coincidentally, _@Morbideath has an impeccable timing wise to have brought all this into my attentions. _I still don’t understand how ? he could have such a timing wise ?_

But you know what ? Speaking strictly performances wise.  I am super duper happy that my one goal has been achieved.  With my Walkman and IER Z1R, I do have a portable DMP Z1.  It also doesn’t stop there...Solis also improve much further on DMP Z1...so much that DMP Z1 just have to also have it

in conclusion, without @Morbideath perfect timing, and DMP Z1 to started irritating my inner beast....I would still be absent from here


----------



## Damz87

The TA still beats the 1Z with Solis, but the gap has definitely shortened. And the general signature is very similar


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 8, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> The TA still beats the 1Z with Solis, but the gap has definitely shortened. And the general signature is very similar


I will repeat it again  Give your Walkman a Hardware upgrades, then revisits this battle.  You would be surprised by this little player.

There is a reason why Solis was found on Walkman first, but then found it ways to DMP Z1


----------



## Whitigir

@Damz87 when you are ready to listen and compare between Stock DMP Z1 VS Stock Walkman with Solis.  Let me know.  I will show you something very interesting


----------



## Damz87

Whitigir said:


> @Damz87 when you are ready to listen and compare between Stock DMP Z1 VS Stock Walkman with Solis.  Let me know.  I will show you something very interesting


Planning on listening tonight  I’ll send you a PM


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 8, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> @Morbideath has an impeccable timing wise to have brought all this into my attentions. _I still don’t understand how ? he could have such a timing wise ?_
> in conclusion, without @Morbideath perfect timing, and DMP Z1 to started irritating my inner beast....I would still be absent from here


Long story short about timing:
1. I lurked in this threads for ages, when i saw your 1A mod i thought the time for sharing has riped.
2. Coincidentally, I was the founder of an investment company, i named it Timewise Capital


----------



## gerelmx1986

Galactica
Andromedus
Walkman + Darthvader = Darthman
WM-Z1R


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> Long story short about timing:
> 1. I lurked in this threads for ages, when i saw your 1A mod i thought the time for sharing has riped.
> 2. Coincidentally, I was the founder of an investment company, i named it Timewise Capital



Wow!!! I am so speechless at all these coincidences


----------



## hireslover

Whitigir said:


> I will repeat it again  Give your Walkman a Hardware upgrades, then revisits this battle.  You would be surprised by this little player.
> 
> There is a reason why Solis was found on Walkman first, but then found it ways to DMP Z1


I wish it was as easy as a software firmware update / upgrade by doing so remotely


----------



## siruspan

I hate you guys! I thought i was settled on Jupiter T3 on E region (J sounded to bassy) but I've tried the Solis and at first it sounded somewhat artificial. Too fast at the same time with tempered or too polite upper midrange/lower treble. I've now changed to J region and Solis now sounds mighty impressive. Very detailed but in organic sort of way. I don't know which one to choose!  Testing on european, stock WM1A and IER-Z1R.


----------



## Whitigir

siruspan said:


> I hate you guys! I thought i was settled on Jupiter T3 on E region (J sounded to bassy) but I've tried the Solis and at first it sounded somewhat artificial. Too fast at the same time with tempered or too polite upper midrange/lower treble. I've now changed to J region and Solis now sounds mighty impressive. Very detailed but in organic sort of way. I don't know which one to choose!  Testing on european, stock WM1A and IER-Z1R.


You don’t have to choose , just constantly be changing firmwares for a newer DAP each and every time


----------



## Morbideath

siruspan said:


> I hate you guys! I thought i was settled on Jupiter T3 on E region (J sounded to bassy) but I've tried the Solis and at first it sounded somewhat artificial. Too fast at the same time with tempered or too polite upper midrange/lower treble. I've now changed to J region and Solis now sounds mighty impressive. Very detailed but in organic sort of way. I don't know which one to choose!  Testing on european, stock WM1A and IER-Z1R.


tonal preference aside, I think Solis + J has higher resolution and more information to offer


----------



## siruspan

Jupiter T3 on E Region sounds tighter and more focused, maybe even cleaner.
Solis on J sounds more liquid and organic, it just flows.


----------



## aceedburn

Solis on J with stock 1A bridges the gap with the 1Z. Very very close. Organic, detailed and buttery smooth.


----------



## siruspan (Mar 8, 2020)

BTW I came back yesterday to my previously favourite stock 3.01. Soundstage feels narrower, like it ends on line with my ears and on the custom fw it reaches further, out of your head. The bass is still deep and with good punch but it's kinda washed out. Not as precisely defined. Highs are not as clean, more edgy, with more sparkle and just before the border of being hot. Midrange is still melodious and powerfull but same as the bass, not that clearly defined. Some of these changes are more pronounced than others but they add up. Stock WM1A still sounds plenty good and have exciting sound to offer but I must say it's getting hard to go back.


----------



## Mindstorms

guys anyone knows if I can change Zx100 region or it may brick?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Stock wm1A in region E, solid, does magnificent things with superbly recorded music, esp Hi-res


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 8, 2020)

siruspan said:


> BTW I came back yesterday to my previously favourite stock 3.01. Soundstage feels narrower, like it ends on line with my ears and on the custom fw it reaches further, out of your head. The bass is still deep and with good punch but it's kinda washed out. Not as precisely defined. Highs are not as clean, more edgy, with more sparkle and just before the border of being hot. Midrange is still melodious and powerfull but same as the bass, not that clearly defined. Some of these changes are more pronounced than others but they add up. Stock WM1A still sounds plenty good and have exciting sound to offer but I must say it's getting hard to go back.


can you try 3.00? i feel its the most diferent to the new FW I think the new FW elevates the 1A to unpresedent territorry the oposite its 3.00 wich feels so neutral flat (maybe piercing but not after EQ) and acurate at the same time, it is all very iem dependant but I figure it this way sometimes you want plain bread to eat, sometimes chocolate cake sometimes donuts but you chose one for every day flavors vary iems vary cables vary etc... peoples mood and also custom gear so its is all wellcome!


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 8, 2020)

Well i can see a progression in solis It sounds better on my 1A than many of previous mostly couse I think Gain its awesome I can really imagine this new FW to reduce breach between 1A and former Unmoded FW1Z its very nice feels really diferent from the rest! cant wait por Saturn maybe a couple more plannets? or even some galaxy? This FW feels very diferent! It since to make my tech house Faster and lighter! And buttery smoth! but bass is FAT and FAST Mids Feel closer to my beloved 3.00! I know when Gain is ok couse I can Use effects and they impact well for some reason on elevated GAIN effects are lost... good work! This one reminded me a little bit of FUN but the reverbs are just insane and on other level! A definitive step into the right direction...
Solis Has:
         + Smoth bass Check (its so powerfull it can be compared with 1.20 its that powerfull) Ending Game Bass
          + Awesome staging Check (Huge)
          + Awesome mids resolution and highs check
          + Unfatiguing and silky highs check (I had to set to 0 my EQ in the 16khz region couse its so well made)
          + Accurate gain check (all my songs sound well no saturation and no low volume songs)
          + Interesting Reverb check! (its like a ver expensive portable Hall With 2 15inch Subwoofers)


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 8, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Stock wm1A in region E, solid, does magnificent things with superbly recorded music, esp Hi-res


wich FW are you on? If you can state what you hear in diferent regions will be awesome for me J was warmer than my stock MX3.. wich for me its harsh but i prefer It! what does E do?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 8, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> wich FW are you on? If you can state what you hear in diferent regions will be awesome for me J was warmer than my stock MX3.. wich for me its harsh but i prefer It! what does E do?


Houston, I've landed on the sun, ma here's so hot . I found Japanese to be  more brighter than E, I've not ventured to other regions. Houston, perhaps later I switch my ship's boosters again with J boosters


----------



## siruspan

Midnstorms said:


> can you try 3.00? i feel its the most diferent to the new FW I think the new FW elevates the 1A to unpresedent territorry the oposite its 3.00 wich feels so neutral flat (maybe piercing but not after EQ) and acurate at the same time, it is all very iem dependant but I figure it this way sometimes you want plain bread to eat, sometimes chocolate cake sometimes donuts but you chose one for every day flavors vary iems vary cables vary etc... peoples mood and also custom gear so its is all wellcome!



I tried it when it was released and didnt like it. It sucked out the 1A warmth. I've rolled back to 2.0 however Sony released 3.01 soon after which reurned the warmth.


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> Houston, I've landed on the sun, ma here's so hot . I found Japanese to be  more brighter than E, I've not ventured to other regions


well thats interesting I have stated what I think about the SUN! It is awesome for electronic music


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 8, 2020)

siruspan said:


> I tried it when it was released and didnt like it. It sucked out the 1A warmth. I've rolled back to 2.0 however Sony released 3.01 soon after which reurned the warmth.


Thats why im telling you its good to revisit in the middle of all this changes! wich are awesome but 3.00 was never loved however its not warm at all so if you hate that dont go there new FW its better in that area! Its more like acurate reference sound when EQ Bass gets really intense too there.. but staging its not near as wide as with solis...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Midnstorms said:


> well thats interesting I have stated what I think about the SUN! It is awesome for electronic music


Also for classical. Houston, I am glad hink of upgrading my rocket boosters to J


----------



## Vitaly2017

Dont know I still love J3ZU sorry guys )

It has amazing treble response to make your soul cry of joy.

Blacker background and very nuanced transitions between notes.

Crisper treble to and more soundstage J+J3ZU on 1z stock + trio and pw1960 4 wires sound really ear candy


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> Dont know I still love J3ZU sorry guys )
> 
> It has amazing treble response to make your soul cry of joy.
> 
> ...


Glad u can settle yourself in a new... hopefully endgame profile. All synergies are personal.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Morbideath said:


> Glad u can settle yourself in a new... hopefully endgame profile. All synergies are personal.


With solis 
IER-M7 stage is not wide enough, has never been, it's a 4 BA IEM
IER-Z1R  incredible big stage and detail retrieval.
MDR-Z1R is IER-Z1R ++


----------



## Morbideath

gerelmx1986 said:


> With solis
> IER-M7 stage is not wide enough, has never been, it's a 4 BA IEM
> IER-Z1R  incredible big stage and detail retrieval.
> MDR-Z1R is IER-Z1R ++


Solis is an all-rounder, and it can handle different genres in different manners. How versatile


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> Dont know I still love J3ZU sorry guys )
> 
> It has amazing treble response to make your soul cry of joy.
> 
> ...


Stormtrooper- Vader..  we have a rebel here... he doesn't like the SUN.
Vader - let's nuke him with our secret Deathstar


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> Stormtrooper- Vader..  we have a rebel here... he doesn't like the SUN.
> Vader - let's nuke him with our secret Deathstar


 

Phahaha try it )
I got secret weapons for defense to hehe
I will evade easily threw space time . So quickly , as in a blink of an eye )


----------



## nc8000

Morbideath said:


> Solis is an all-rounder, and it can handle different genres in different manners. How versatile



Yes I’m settled on Solis exactly because I listen to all sorts and need/want the best possible all rounder. Some of the others do specific things better but then have short commings in other areas/genres. 

Would love to listen to a hw modded 1Z to compare but I have no modding skills myself and am not willing to send my 1Z to some other country so will stay with stock which is still very very good with Solis


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 8, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Yes I’m settled on Solis exactly because I listen to all sorts and need/want the best possible all rounder. Some of the others do specific things better but then have short commings in other areas/genres.
> 
> Would love to listen to a hw modded 1Z to compare but I have no modding skills myself and am not willing to send my 1Z to some other country so will stay with stock which is still very very good with Solis


Solis is not only an all-rounder, but does everything better than the respective planets. Personally, I compiled Mars T5 and Jupiter T5 for own experiment, they are no match for Solis in terms of tonal balance and especially timbre smoothness.
It's even more exciting than Mars, for me personally. Though mid-bass is leaner, subbass dives deeper into the abyss when needed with swift speed and full textures, treble soars up to heaven when called for with silky smooth timber and extension...... given it's a balanced signature. Im speechless. Mars suffered a total defeat on both ends. 
However I need to emphasize again these observations were based on my preference and setups.


----------



## siruspan (Mar 8, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Would love to listen to a hw modded 1Z to compare but I have no modding skills myself and am not willing to send my 1Z to some other country so will stay with stock which is still very very good with Solis



I've the same reservations to modding. For example upgrading the cable more often than not is an upgrade in some areas but is downgrade or just unpleasant change in others. I've many times rolled back to cheaper things that were just more to my taste. That is also why i'm using WM1A for 3 years now. I've heard better sources but WM1A I like the most as it combines high resolution, great technicalities with warmish and natural feeling. If I mod it to hell will I still like it? Who knows, maybe it will feel to technical or too warm. That's a gamble.


----------



## Morbideath

u guys need some sophisticated and standardized mod like MS who experimented many times with different outcomes, rather than a wild mod on your own like Whitigir. MS has the philosophy of keeping true to the House sound rather than deviating too far from our stock device, from my experience there's nothing to lose / trade off with their mods but pure benefits. 
But still u need to talk with them more about the sound u desired, better to demo first.


----------



## hireslover

nc8000 said:


> Would love to listen to a hw modded 1Z to compare but I have no modding skills myself and am not willing to send my 1Z to some other country so will stay with stock which is still very very good with Solis


If I could have gotten it done locally I would have done it in a heartbeat


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 8, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> u guys need some sophisticated and standardized mod like MS who experimented many times with different outcomes, rather than a wild mod on your own like Whitigir. MS has the philosophy of keeping true to the House sound rather than deviating too far from our stock device, from my experience there's nothing to lose / trade off with their mods but pure benefits.
> But still u need to talk with them more about the sound u desired, better to demo first.


Correction! I am wild but with logic LOL!!! Still, I can’t be too far off my own preferences as you have already known


----------



## Lookout57

I spent a lot of time basking in the sun last night, first on the 1Z which made it heard to get to sleep as I was hearing so many new things. Then in bed I listened to the 1A and again made it hard to sleep. What I have found that because of all the details that Solis can delivered it can bring out short comings in your IEM and cable combinations. I guess that is why Morbideath and Whitigir call it Tier 5.

In the limited listening last night and this morning I'm loving the following combinations:

Stock 1Z - J - Campfire Solaris SE - DHC Clone Silver Balanced
Stock 1A - J - Campfire Solaris - Effect Eros II+ 8 wire Balanced
It seems Solis and Solaris are made for each other 

I haven't heard any deficiencies in the bass in either combo and it sounds so much better than stock 3.02 or any other planet. Treble extension is dependent on the cable. I hear more with the Clone Silver versus the Eros II+ 8 wire which is a fusion cable. I'm also hearing more treble right now due to an ear infection that is producing some tinnitus. When it clears I know that the treble will be smoother.

When listening to either combo I had multiple goosebump experiences. I also couldn't believe how immersive the soundstage was on some recordings.

Next up is to listen to the Campfire Andromeda Gold SE on the 1Z with the Clone Silver or hopefully sometime this week the Clone Fusion. For the 1A I'll be trying the Andromeda with multiple cables to see what sounds best. Right now I'll be trying the ALO Gold 16, ALO SXC 8 and Triton8 OCC Copper all balanced.


----------



## NickleCo

@Whitigir @Morbideath thank you so much for making the solis t5! Without a doubt the best sounding! Made the atlas sound close to neutrality


----------



## nc8000

Morbideath said:


> u guys need some sophisticated and standardized mod like MS who experimented many times with different outcomes, rather than a wild mod on your own like Whitigir. MS has the philosophy of keeping true to the House sound rather than deviating too far from our stock device, from my experience there's nothing to lose / trade off with their mods but pure benefits.
> But still u need to talk with them more about the sound u desired, better to demo first.



I expect you are right but I’m so happy with the sound now that I can’t justify spending the money or dealing with the possible hassle of sending it out of the country (and out if EU with the resulting likely customs problems).


----------



## Morbideath

nc8000 said:


> I expect you are right but I’m so happy with the sound now that I can’t justify spending the money or dealing with the possible hassle of sending it out of the country (and out if EU with the resulting likely customs problems).


It's totally fine and understandable. But Im a hassle seeker and i just can't stop messing around and creating stuffs, or I'll get bored.
I guess modding can bring me inner peace… at least for the moment.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> It's totally fine and understandable. But Im a hassle seeker and i just can't stop messing around and creating stuffs, or I'll get bored.
> I guess modding can bring me inner peace… at least for the moment.




I will most likely will do the kmod now that I am convinced with the exceptional qualities of the pw1960! 

I can't go back to my previous gold plated silver cable. 
Pw1960 has so much resolution clarity and bass.
Pw1960 is real big game changer!


----------



## Quadfather

Has anyone compared the Sony NW-WM1Z to the FiiO M15?


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> It's totally fine and understandable. But Im a hassle seeker and i just can't stop messing around and creating stuffs, or I'll get bored.
> I guess modding can bring me inner peace… at least for the moment.


And that is how we met ?


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> I will repeat it again  Give your Walkman a Hardware upgrades, then revisits this battle.  You would be surprised by this little player.
> 
> There is a reason why Solis was found on Walkman first, but then found it ways to DMP Z1



After a fair bit of testing with TA and modded 1Z with Solis..... my conclusion is that I now need to get a DMP with Solis...


----------



## Whitigir

hshock76 said:


> After a fair bit of testing with TA and modded 1Z with Solis..... my conclusion is that I now need to get a DMP with Solis...


Best of Sony right there .  

You also get AK4497EQ and 6 different Digital Filters to play around with.

The DMP Z1 has a Sony chip “Direct Mode” performances, which Solis will take to another tier as proven on WM Walkman

This is like having 2 different players in one device

And that DSD Remastering too!!


----------



## Whitigir

How do you show off your Solis Walkman ?


----------



## Nostoi

To Sol(ar)is and beyond.


----------



## captblaze

Now Solis is what i like


----------



## Dtuck90 (Mar 8, 2020)

Is it not possible to install Solaris using a windows 7 computer? Worked fine for D1.02. I keep getting errors (in Chinese so don’t know what they are) when I try to open the application. And my MacBook is running 10.15 so can’t open the installers


----------



## Vitaly2017

Any one else have tia trio ?
What you those who got one , which fw you like?


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Any one else have tia trio ?
> What you those who got one , which fw you like?


We all like Solis.  Sorry!!

Mahahahaha!!

just kidding...What do you like ? That is the question


----------



## Floris888

Hello , between Sony ZX507 & WM1A wich are best in sound quality!?  What do you guys recomend , if budget is a problem.


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


>



so glad you dig this pop masterpiece 

download also the *Marvin Gaye - What's Going On* rip , you'll see (and hear)


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> We all like Solis.  Sorry!!
> 
> Mahahahaha!!
> 
> just kidding...What do you like ? That is the question




Maan i don't know but me J+J3ZU is DOPE!

I can only understand why folks like solis more then I do is those who's iems hsve more treble. 

But for me treble is smooth and sparkly on trio with j3zu dang.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 8, 2020)

Floris888 said:


> Hello , between Sony ZX507 & WM1A wich are best in sound quality!?  What do you guys recomend , if budget is a problem.




I got the zx507 Japan region!
Its really good quality dap and on a budget one the best out there.
But sound quality 1a 1z wins.
Sorry )

What I can say is zx507 has an amazing bass very highend but slightly behind 1z. Probably in between 1z and 1a.

But zx507 is not as open airy and lack on soundstage vs 1z by 25%.
The rest is wonderful on zx507 I really love it!

Battery with sony music app lasts 18hours
And streaming around 9hours


----------



## Floris888

Vitaly2017 said:


> I got the zx507 Japan region!
> Its really good quality dap and on a budget one the best out there.
> But sound quality 1a 1z wins.
> Sorry )
> ...


----------



## Damz87

The showdown is on  Solis Vs DMP-Z1


----------



## Whitigir

Damz87 said:


> The showdown is on  Solis Vs DMP-Z1


Beautiful Pictures !!


----------



## bflat

If I were to sell my TA-ZH1es, I still couldn't afford just the volume pot on the DMP-Z1.


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> If I were to sell my TA-ZH1es, I still couldn't afford just the volume pot on the DMP-Z1.


Face it...can’t even afford a 1Z let alone a Z1 volume pot


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Face it...can’t even afford a 1Z let alone a Z1 volume pot




That volume knob is the key selling point of Dmp LoL

Just that costs sony 1500$
If you where to buy it on your own probably 2000$


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 8, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> That volume knob is the key selling point of Dmp LoL
> 
> Just that costs sony 1500$
> If you where to buy it on your own probably 2000$


Nah, it would cost $1200 to buy it your own for other DIY purposes.  There may be a long wait though.  
Also , nahh, that is wrong to think it is DMP selling point

think like this...have you seen any devices that is high end, with 2 different DAC technologies, proprietary FPGA and also Sigma-Delta ? That also offer DSD live processing ? Battery , or AC mode ?


----------



## Damz87

bflat said:


> If I were to sell my TA-ZH1es, I still couldn't afford just the volume pot on the DMP-Z1.



It is expensive. Easily the most expensive hobby purchase I've ever made. It better last till I die or go deaf.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Nah, it would cost $1200 to buy it your own for other DIY purposes.  There may be a long wait though.
> Also , nahh, that is wrong to think it is DMP selling point
> 
> think like this...have you seen any devices that is high end, with 2 different DAC technologies, proprietary FPGA and also Sigma-Delta ? That also offer DSD live processing ? Battery , or AC mode ?



Yea but have you looked at that knob! Wow shinny gold beautiful! 
Its lovely I want one for my wm1z!  Haha


----------



## gazzington

Enjoying my wm1a with Jupiter 1 firmware and imr rah iems. Very good indeed


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 8, 2020)

siruspan said:


> Jupiter T3 on E Region sounds tighter and more focused, maybe even cleaner.



This is exactly my experience with 1Z/EX1000.

E region makes Jupiter T3 sound better than J with my setup. Solis gave me less detailed deep bass(even distorted?) but it's flow and tempo is fantastic. Flying back to Jupiter for now


----------



## proedros

I can not really understand which FW suits my wm1a best , cause i am pairing my Zeus XR with a silver cable (Eos) which does not pair well with it (my Lionheart needs repairing so i had to send it back to SIngapore), but i Like Solis a lot even with a not so great synergy between ciem/cable



However something good came out of this situation, as i decided to upgrade my cable chain, and i will  have (finally!) a 1960s 2w hopefully next week

@Kerouac has been telling me for months that it's the cable to pair with Zeus XR, so who am i to say the opposit ? besides it's been 3 years since i did some major buying in here so i guess i deserve a little present after all this time

I expect marathons of music porn fest inside my ears in the coming weeks


----------



## Holdmyown83

Solis is the 1 hands down with the 1A and z1r


----------



## gerelmx1986

Love that sunny delight


----------



## rcoleman1

@proedros I'm awaiting your impressions of the 1960s 2-wire. I have the Zeus XIV and I've been curious about that pairing too. I have the Lionheart via your recommendation as well. Just wondering if I can squeeze out a little more fidelity from this awesome IEM.


----------



## Vitaly2017

rcoleman1 said:


> @proedros I'm awaiting your impressions of the 1960s 2-wire. I have the Zeus XIV and I've been curious about that pairing too. I have the Lionheart via your recommendation as well. Just wondering if I can squeeze out a little more fidelity from this awesome IEM.




LoL I  could send my 4 wires to pw and split and  sell you the other half hehe )

Kidding  )


----------



## proedros

rcoleman1 said:


> @proedros I'm awaiting your impressions of the 1960s 2-wire. I have the Zeus XIV and I've been curious about that pairing too. I have the Lionheart via your recommendation as well. Just wondering if I can squeeze out a little more fidelity from this awesome IEM.



hopefully i will have it next week , expect tons of impressions on the EE thread 

do you like Lionheart ? are you thinking of upgrading like me ?

I am gonna keep Lionheart but i have been holding back almost 2 years , fu.ck it it was time to get 1960s....


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 8, 2020)

proedros said:


> hopefully i will have it next week , expect tons of impressions on the EE thread
> 
> do you like Lionheart ? are you thinking of upgrading like me ?
> 
> I am gonna keep Lionheart but i have been holding back almost 2 years , fu.ck it it was time to get 1960s....




I was also refusing in to believing in that cable and specially at the price tag!

Heard it at canjam lost my mind LoL.
And when musicteck offered a 25% discount and no tax that was my weak point and I insta bought it !

Pw1960 4 wires 1.5m long with a nice 4.4mm jack


This cable simply takes your mind and teleports it into a parallel universe!  You never come back hahaha


----------



## proedros

Vitaly2017 said:


> I was also refusing in to believing in that cable and specially at the price tag!
> 
> Heard it at canjam lost my mind LoL.
> And when musicteck offered a 25% discount and no tax that was my weak point and I insta bought it !
> ...




i have read that 2w is the one to get for Zeus XR so i went for this version - apparently the 4w is too trebly for Zeus (but it should pair great with less 'trebly' iems)


----------



## Lookout57

I've found that with Solis I need to reduce the volume compared to the stock firmware.

 It seems I was listening to it louder on the stock firmware to hear more details but Solis can deliver more details at a lower volume. If I used the same volume level the highs tend to get harsh on Solis compared to stock.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 8, 2020)

proedros said:


> i have read that 2w is the one to get for Zeus XR so i went for this version - apparently the 4w is too trebly for Zeus (but it should pair great with less 'trebly' iems)




Yea have read the same somewhere.
But honestly the 4w dont add treble it actually add more mid forwardness and immense resolution. Treble is not peaky or elevated its as smooth as my gold plated  silver but more weight and thicker.
With my trio its nicely smooth and shimmery just perfect.

Also 4 wires add more power to the sound everything sounds so big louder just true lucid sound.

4wires has unmatched resolution and clarity its really the most special cable I ever heard to date


----------



## Mindstorms

Floris888 said:


> Hello , between Sony ZX507 & WM1A wich are best in sound quality!?  What do you guys recomend , if budget is a problem.


1A its a very good dap... I have no regrets about my purchase I havent heard zx507 but i think it wont be on par... on the resolution department if budget is a problem then wait maybe... but don make the same mistake i did i bough a zx100 and it wasent ever enough... its an awesome DAP but never like the 1A...


----------



## Vitaly2017

1st choice  wm1z 
2                   wm1a
3                   zx-507 

I highly recommend you get the true  Japan models...

If soundstage isnt a big deal for you go for zx507. It still has soundstage but more harder to feel it. Thought bass is very good! Almost like 1z





Midnstorms said:


> 1A its a very good dap... I have no regrets about my purchase I havent heard zx507 but i think it wont be on par... on the resolution department if budget is a problem then wait maybe... but don make the same mistake i did i bough a zx100 and it wasent ever enough... its an awesome DAP but never like the 1A...





Floris888 said:


> Hello , between Sony ZX507 & WM1A wich are best in sound quality!?  What do you guys recomend , if budget is a problem.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Oh I forgot to mention zx507 has the blackest background absolutely 0 hiss! That one is remarkable!


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> Oh I forgot to mention zx507 has the blackest background absolutely 0 hiss! That one is remarkable!



This is true, the 1Z hisses more than ZX507 with Andromeda’s.


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> 1st choice  wm1z
> 2                   wm1a
> 3                   zx-507
> 
> ...


whats the diference on japan models??


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> I will most likely will do the kmod now that I am convinced with the exceptional qualities of the pw1960!
> 
> I can't go back to my previous gold plated silver cable.
> Pw1960 has so much resolution clarity and bass.
> Pw1960 is real big game changer!


I remember u said u didn't like it upon receiving it?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> whats the diference on japan models??




Its JAPAN man the best lol


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> I remember u said u didn't like it upon receiving it?




It turned out it had no burn in. It was fresh from pw audio from Hong Kong! 

So I did 200 hours burn in this cable is now unrecognizable! 

I did recompare it vs my plussound gold plated silver and boy so far a head ! Not going back no thanks.

Once you taste it you stay with it


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> It turned out it had no burn in. It was fresh from pw audio from Hong Kong!
> 
> So I did 200 hours burn in this cable is now unrecognizable!
> 
> ...


So I was correct once again... cable burning in is real. 
Canjam is a dope show. I remember buying my Labkable 10wire gold titan on Canjam Shanghai. Close fight with 1960s 8wire but I went for titan.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> So I was correct once again... cable burning in is real.
> Canjam is a dope show. I remember buying my Labkable 10wire gold titan on Canjam Shanghai. Close fight with 1960s 8wire but I went for titan.





Damn lol thats huge cables 8wires for iem?

I would go for pw1960 )


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 8, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> It turned out it had no burn in. It was fresh from pw audio from Hong Kong!
> 
> So I did 200 hours burn in this cable is now unrecognizable!
> 
> ...


Just want to comment, I have PW1960 4 core at least a couple hundred hours. It’s extremely outstanding but at same time is expensive.

On the other hand, I highly recommend Alo 16 Gold iem cable; it’s technically 16 strands. Regular price around $999 or so. However....during Alo Sales deal eg Black Friday etc you can get it around $450 or so after tax.

Alo 16 Gold iem cable has very high resolution and clarity, it’s almost PW1960 level; maybe 90-95%. Another advantage is that since it has a smudge of gold, this cable is musical. PW 1960 4 core can be a little dry sometimes. Alo is my fav cable, plays very well with Solis.

Very highly recommended, if anyone looking for a worthy upgrade cable, this cable is no brainer, especially at sale price. At around $1k, there are better cables if you pay more, but $450? Blows all competitions out of the water.


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> Damn lol thats huge cables 8wires for iem?
> 
> I would go for pw1960 )


Still flexible. I prefer Labkable for its bass presence and soundstage. 1960s tend to have more details.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> Still flexible. I prefer Labkable for its bass presence and soundstage. 1960s tend to have more details.




When I was at canjam I kept telling my self. I here just to try gear I have already the best stuff no need nothing new. 

Just listen have fun.


At end ,  end up buying a 2550 $ cable lmao w  t   f lol

Hahaha


----------



## Morbideath

hamhamhamsta said:


> Just want to comment, I have PW1960 4 core at least a couple hundred hours. It’s extremely outstanding but at same time is expensive.
> 
> On the other hand, I highly recommend Alo 16 Gold iem cable; it’s technically 16 strands. Regular price around $999 or so. However....during Alo Sales deal eg Black Friday etc you can get it around $450 or so after tax.
> 
> ...


Yes, a touch of gold when done right is always welcome!


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> When I was at canjam I kept telling my self. I here just to try gear I have already the best stuff no need nothing new.
> 
> Just listen have fun.
> 
> ...









CJ dope shows


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> CJ dope shows




Woaaa so many possible connections so cool.

1 cable to do it all ?

)


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> Woaaa so many possible connections so cool.
> 
> 1 cable to do it all ?
> 
> )


_One Cable To Rule Them All, One Cable To Bind Them._


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hi would some one like a pair of trio's?

I want to sell it to buy the fourte noire...


Tia Trio + plussound gold plated silver (600$)+ silver rhapsodio Nylon cable (300$)
Both 4.4mm balanced

For 1700$ usd PayPal and shipping included?


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> When I was at canjam I kept telling my self. I here just to try gear I have already the best stuff no need nothing new.
> 
> Just listen have fun.
> 
> ...


And here you thought a volume potentiometer at $1200 was bad ?
This potentiometer RM501 in Engineering pedigree and aspects are all superior to any cables


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> When I was at canjam I kept telling my self. I here just to try gear I have already the best stuff no need nothing new.
> 
> Just listen have fun.
> 
> ...


"It's just a cable, they say"...
I'm just SMH " They don't understand..." Lol


----------



## hshock76

Morbideath said:


> Yes, a touch of gold when done right is always welcome!



I'm looking forward to audition the Horus X or Octa when I next travel back to SG. There's something about pairing a gold cable with a gold player!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

hshock76 said:


> I'm looking forward to audition the Horus X or Octa when I next travel back to SG. There's something about pairing a gold cable with a gold player!


Let me flash my Bling Bling - Lol


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 8, 2020)

And don't spill your drinks gentlemen  haha


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 8, 2020)

I should be selling firmware modification services for $2700 a pop, LOL!!!!
That was a joke btw


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> I should be selling firmware modification services for $2700 a pop, LOL!!!!
> That was a joke btw




Oh no how you dare haha

Sony definitely gonna run after you hahaha


----------



## r00t61

Just wanted to provide an update on my broken screen on my WM1Z

I contacted TheSourceAV in Los Angeles, per the recommendation in this thread.  They do not perform inhouse repairs; but they did provide me the contact info of one of their customers who has modded his own WM1Z, and has experience in microelectronic soldering.  

He quoted me a price of $300 for the screen replacement (not including parts), but since then he hasn't responded to my text or calls, unfortunately.  

In the meantime, I will follow up with the Music Sanctuary, who was also recommended in this thread.  Though given that they're in Singapore, the extra costs of shipping/duties might make this a non-starter.

The saga continues


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> I should be selling firmware modification services for $2700 a pop, LOL!!!!
> That was a joke btw


I'll accuse for being a USA pirate and a greedy businessman. 
That was also a joke


----------



## Morbideath

hshock76 said:


> I'm looking forward to audition the Horus X or Octa when I next travel back to SG. *There's something about pairing a gold cable with a gold player!*


Yeah, sound performance aside, definitely help with brain-amping!


----------



## mejoshua

hamhamhamsta said:


> Just want to comment, I have PW1960 4 core at least a couple hundred hours. It’s extremely outstanding but at same time is expensive.
> 
> On the other hand, I highly recommend Alo 16 Gold iem cable; it’s technically 16 strands. Regular price around $999 or so. However....during Alo Sales deal eg Black Friday etc you can get it around $450 or so after tax.
> 
> ...



I have one paired with Andro SS. Absolutely top tier pairing with my 1A.


----------



## mejoshua

Hi everyone,

Currently still loving D.1.02 - makes all my iems sound better. I had downloaded Jupiter but not yet changed since I'm still enjoying D.1.02 and now there are two more to try. Could I ask if anyone can give some brief impressions on the differences between D.1.02 vs Solis? Thank you!!!


----------



## nc8000

mejoshua said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> Currently still loving D.1.02 - makes all my iems sound better. I had downloaded Jupiter but not yet changed since I'm still enjoying D.1.02 and now there are two more to try. Could I ask if anyone can give some brief impressions on the differences between D.1.02 vs Solis? Thank you!!!



Just give it a try and find out what you think


----------



## hamhamhamsta

mejoshua said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> Currently still loving D.1.02 - makes all my iems sound better. I had downloaded Jupiter but not yet changed since I'm still enjoying D.1.02 and now there are two more to try. Could I ask if anyone can give some brief impressions on the differences between D.1.02 vs Solis? Thank you!!!


Yup,
Tell us what you think and hear.


----------



## proedros

guys we only live once so buy what you want there is no afterlife

(this is how i justified buying 1960s 2w)


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> guys we only live once so buy what you want there is no afterlife
> 
> (this is how i justified buying 1960s 2w)



There may be an afterlife but you sure can’t bring any of your stuff


----------



## musicday

Whitigir said:


> I should be selling firmware modification services for $2700 a pop, LOL!!!!
> That was a joke btw


If you could do the same for LPGT


Whitigir said:


> I should be selling firmware modification services for $2700 a pop, LOL!!!!
> That was a joke btw


If that would be possible for LPGT many will be greateful.


----------



## RobertP (Mar 9, 2020)

Solis is really good! It solved unforgiving high frequencies on bad record tracks of fw U1.02. Good balance of thickness, warmth and maintaining smoothness and sweetness of sounds. Thanks @Morbideath and @Whitigir for your works. Also try all planet series T3 and SolisT5 is just better for my 1A.

Legion E + Ultimate 1.02 with:
+1 Bass/-2 Mid/0 High under tone control is quite good too. I bit lean but nice.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 9, 2020)

mejoshua said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> Currently still loving D.1.02 - makes all my iems sound better. I had downloaded Jupiter but not yet changed since I'm still enjoying D.1.02 and now there are two more to try. Could I ask if anyone can give some brief impressions on the differences between D.1.02 vs Solis? Thank you!!!



First off, this comparison may be slightly tilted due to my gear. Used the Walkman 1A with Region Japan Tourist Edition. Cable was the ZENTOO 4core by Hansound Audio 4.4mm balanced with the Noble Encore K-10 IEM. 

And due to D1.02 coming before Solis, it was a transition in order of D1.02 then Jupiter3 then Solis. The Encores as monitors have a treble spike which exploited a certain character of D1.02. Where D1.02 IS absolutely enjoyable, though I guess mainly due to it’s detail excitement and clarity. It’s very fun as an upgrade from stock 3.02, especially with the 1A. With the 1A D1.02 brings some added warmth and added bass. The bass being somehow both clear and very present. 

Solis was actually after using Jupiter3 in my progression, though I’m able to do a direct comparison here with an upgrade to Solis. Solis is a little more refined in a couple areas. It’s a subtle V character which can mistakenly be taken for way flatter; and that’s the magic with it, in that it’s conservative in a way. Conservative in that the highs are actually somewhat polished. Though the detail is still there and it comes off more detailed than D1.02.....especially when it comes to showing soundstage changes. There is a nice ebb and flow to Solis soundstage, add to that exciting imaging with new spectacles of detail somehow introducing themselves when least expected. Where in this regard D1.02 comes off way more one dimensional. 

Not to be too critical but Solis is smoother with D1.02 having a slightly forced and strained/granular personality. Remember too this all depends on gear. These character traits may be not as noticeable with some set-ups?

USolis used with 1Z too.


----------



## 8481

I think I’m with @Vitaly2017 here, I prefer J3ZU on Japan region over Solis. Sounds too polite for me.


----------



## flyer1

8481 said:


> I think I’m with @Vitaly2017 here, I prefer J3ZU on Japan region over Solis. Sounds too polite for me.



Other way around for me. After a while on Jupiter I missed Solis too much and went back


----------



## mejoshua

Redcarmoose said:


> First off, this comparison may be slightly tilted due to my gear. Used the Walkman 1A with Region Japan Tourist Edition. Cable was the ZENTOO 4core by Hansound Audio 4.4mm balanced with the Noble Encore K-10 IEM.
> 
> And due to D1.02 coming before Solis, it was a transition in order of D1.02 then Jupiter3 then Solis. The Encores as monitors have a treble spike which exploited a certain character of D1.02. Where D1.02 IS absolutely enjoyable, though I guess mainly due to it’s detail excitement and clarity. It’s very fun as an upgrade from stock 3.02, especially with the 1A. With the 1A D1.02 brings some added warmth and added bass. The bass being somehow both clear and very present.
> 
> ...



Thank you for your impressions, very helpful. Will definitely find some time to try them out for myself, as well as Jupiter 3 and report back!


----------



## Morbideath

We are beneficial as long as any of those mods interests u more than stock FWs. Remember the days with 3.02 and region code set as default?
Not saying stock FWs / default regions are bad, but we lacked of possibilities with limited choices.


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 9, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> We are beneficial as long as any of those mods interests u more than stock FWs. Remember the days with 3.02 and region code set as default?
> Not saying stock FWs / default regions are bad, but we lacked of possibilities with limited choices.



Personally I'm happy with stock 3.02 and region _J_, however the ability to switch to custom firmware is absolutely a benefit to all, and I will explore in time.  As my Stock WM1A is just passing 100 hours I'm going to leave it be, to mature. I believe that one should also give some time to each region/firmware choice, especially if listening to mixed genres.

I'm also cautious of the reaction; Rockbox isn't a new thing. Likely Sony is aware of it's existence, here users are only really flipping a software flag to allow them to select a sound signature that complements their listening preferences, with Sony's code remaining untouched. Firmware mods may be a tipping point as Sony's code is now being altered, similar to other companies I rather expect Sony to react once on their radar. Conversely Sony may not be overly concerned about such a small group and a successor to WM1A/Z likely in the works...

I own a set of BOSE QC35 II used solely for air travel, BOSE has reacted very negatively to the community due to the latest firmware update significantly downgrading midrange noise cancelation for many. Users did find a solution to revert the firmware, BOSE's reaction was to block all such actions. Resultantly I would be cautious of the next official update to WM1A/Z and to isolate Sony's Music Center for PC if used.

Ideally I would love for Sony to embrace the community as to me this _feature _is absolutely a selling point for WM1A/Z, with the vast majority of other DAP's if you don't care for the sound signature it's end of story; return or sell. Sony you have arguably TOTL DAP's with tremendous tunability for the listeners specific taste & IEM/HP choice, would be an awful shame if such a _feature _was blocked...

Q-6


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 9, 2020)

Well, I changed my mind.  I am going to sit idled waiting for people to release firmware

I will take my tuning ability and go make cables.  There are only a few solder joints to work on.  But I am sure I can make $2700 cables and or $5400 cables to sound good.

Cables sell better !!

For example, this cables has the Sound characteristics of Solis, and I made it with $700.  If it was $2700, then that would be awesome.  I could make it a living for sure 






musicday said:


> If you could do the same for LPGT
> 
> If that would be possible for LPGT many will be greateful.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Well, I changed my mind.  I am going to sit idled waiting for people to release firmware
> 
> I will take my tuning ability and go make cables.  There are only a few solder joints to work on.  But I am sure I can make $2700 cables and or $5400 cables to sound good.
> 
> ...




I think bothe are very important and need to be top tier to get full potential


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> I think bothe are very important and need to be top tier to get full potential


I can explain why the Internal wires are even more important than external cables under your view of “importance”

Hell, I can even explain why cables change sound

Heck, I can even show you that I will use the same wire materials and make two cables that sound different

Where do you think I get all the experiences to “Tune Firmwares”? LOL!!!!!

I am all in for cables that can improve sound, but if cables sell that well, I will just switch over


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 9, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I can explain why the Internal wires are even more important than external cables under your view of “importance”
> 
> Hell, I can even explain why cables change sound
> 
> ...


You should move to Hong Kong or Singapore if u are starting a cable career... Cables are selling crazy (expensive) here. I will support u financially, haha
Just look at those exotic brands, Effect Audio, PWA (1960s), Labkable, Hansound, all selling for a huge premium. im not criticizing since it's a market of demand and supply.


----------



## siruspan

I've switched to my Shure KSE1200, still on Solis and it really is like staring at the sun. On one hand it's almost too intense and on the other I can't force myself to look away, it's so mind blowingly intoxicating.


----------



## Redcarmoose

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/morbideath.526985/
The East has always been traditionally cable believers; the West not so much.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 9, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/morbideath.526985/
> The East has always been traditionally cable believers; the West not so much.


Ugh...nvm, LOL


----------



## Mindstorms

siruspan said:


> I've switched to my Shure KSE1200, still on Solis and it really is like staring at the sun. On one hand it's almost too intense and on the other I can't force myself to look away, it's so mind blowingly intoxicating.


can you tell us a little bit about this combo or me im interested on how it sounds ty


----------



## siruspan

Midnstorms said:


> can you tell us a little bit about this combo or me im interested on how it sounds ty



You mean with Solis firmware or WM1A with KSE1200 in general?


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> Ugh...nvm, LOL


I saw what u wrote, haha


----------



## Mindstorms

siruspan said:


> You mean with Solis firmware or WM1A with KSE1200 in general?


Maybe both if you can? have you tried other iems before that? of Im oF topic please tell me thanks


----------



## Whitigir

Me and Firmware Limitations on Sound performances for Walkman WM1A/Z


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> Me and Firmware Limitations on Sound performances for Walkman WM1A/Z



Your fence is only 1/10 height of the majority members here…


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 9, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Cables sell better !!
> 
> For example, this cables has the Sound characteristics of Solis, and I made it with $700.  If it was $2700, then that would be awesome.  I could make it a living for sure





That's an order


----------



## siruspan (Mar 10, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> Maybe both if you can? have you tried other iems before that? of Im oF topic please tell me thanks



So first of all here's my review (the lower one from 2018, I don't know how to make a direct link lol) https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/shure-kse1200.23160/reviews

Since then I've owned, reviewed or was able to do extensive auditions with a/b comparisons to other TOTL and good iems like 64audio U18Tzar, Tia Fourte, Noble Khan, Empire Ears Legend X, Wraith, Vantage, Phantom, Valkyrie, Oriolus Percivali, Mellianus, Sony IER-Z1R, Inear Prophile 8, Campfire Andromeda, Vega, Lime Ears Aether R and many many more.

Out of all of them KSE are the most resolving, the most transparent, the most clean, with the best detail retrieval and all of this with the most efortless way without being harsh on unnatural. Yes, I do think they are the best iems and that is why I own them  They don't have perfectly neutral tonal balance but somehow music sounds in the most pure and uncolored way with the most realistic manner. If other iems are huge oled 8k screens than KSE are a vr goggles. However it doesn't mean they will be everyones cup of tea. They are very versatile but because they are close to neutral and uncolored they dont have the most exciting tuning if you like popular music genres. They don't have phat bass, or extremely thick midrange, they are not dark or sweet by themselves. I like them with the WM1A because its slightly colored, with added thickness and impactfull bass. That way KSE lean a little bit into more musical and warmer however I wouldn't still call them warm per se. With the extremely resolving and clean Chord Hugo 2 it was like listening to music on molecular level. A sight to behold but too intense in the long run. With WM1A on Solis FW its kinda like that but to lesser extend. It's not yet fatiguing but you already start to wonder if that's not to much information.


----------



## RobertP (Mar 9, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I can explain why the Internal wires are even more important than external cables under your view of “importance”
> 
> Hell, I can even explain why cables change sound
> 
> ...



Hell yeah. Even braid wires, wires structure/dielectric insulation, soldering materials/quality and modify connectors differently do change sound. If i ask myself before 3 years ago, I wouldn't believe that it does. The more resolving gears the better.


----------



## Mindstorms

siruspan said:


> So first of all here's my review (the lower one from 2018, I don't know how to make a direct link lol) https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/shure-kse1200.23160/reviews
> 
> Since then I've owned, reviewed or was able to do extensive auditions with a/b comparisons to other TOTL and good iems like 64audio U18Tzar, Tia Fourte, Noble Khan, Empire Ears Legend X, Wraith, Vantage, Phantom, Valkyrie, Oriolus Percivali, Mellianus, Sony IER-Z1R, Inear Prophile 8, Campfire Andromeda, Vega, Lime Eara Aether R and many many more.
> 
> Out of all of them KSE are the most resolving, the most transparent, the most clean, with the best detail retrieval and all of this with the most efortless way without being harsh on unnatural. Yes, I do think they are the best iems and that is why I own them  They don't have perfectly neutral tonal balance but somehow music sounds in the most pure and uncolored way with the most realistic manner. If other iems are huge oled 8k screens than KSE are a vr goggles. However it doesn't mean they will be everyones cup of tea. They are very versatile but because they are close to neutral and uncolored they dont have the most exciting tuning if you like popular music genres. They don't have phat bass, or extremely thick midrange, they are not dark or sweet by themselves. I like them with the WM1A because its slightly colored, with added thickness and impactfull bass. That way KSE lean a little bit into more musical and warmer however I wouldn't still call them warm per se. With the extremely resolving and clean Chord Hugo 2 it was like listening to music on molecular level. A sight to behold but too intense in the long run. With WM1A on Solis FW its kinda like that but to lesser extend. It's not yet fatiguing but you already start to wonder if that's not to much information.


awesome how about volume output do they rumble in the subbass? i picture them as supercleansound right? but a little fatiguing?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> awesome how about volume output do they rumble in the subbass? i picture them as supercleansound right? but a little fatiguing?




Muhahaha you want rumble?
 TIA TRIO


----------



## mwhals

Midnstorms said:


> awesome how about volume output do they rumble in the subbass? i picture them as supercleansound right? but a little fatiguing?





Vitaly2017 said:


> Muhahaha you want rumble?
> TIA TRIO



Legend X or Tia Trio.


----------



## Tawek

mwhals said:


> Legend X or Tia Trio.


Ex1000


----------



## siruspan (Mar 9, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> awesome how about volume output do they rumble in the subbass? i picture them as supercleansound right? but a little fatiguing?



They have solid amount of bass, infact very comparable amount to mentioned Tia Trio however it feels different. Very clean, fast, tight, extremely controlled and with very accurate impact that can be physically felt. If you like fat, monumental bass that is not overly controlled like from a subwoofer than that's not it.

I don't find them fatiguing. The thing is that with all their resolving glory they really don't feel strained or forced. It's efortless like they still have some reserves left. That all ofcourse depends from the pairings however. They never feel harsh or sharp but can be too clean, too intense with bright and analytical sources. One thing is that they need to be used with foam tips because on silicon tips they can have treble resonance.


----------



## Mindstorms

siruspan said:


> They have solid amount of bass, infact very comparable amount to mentioned Tia Trio however it feels different. Very clean, fast, tight, extremely controlled and with very accurate impact that can be physically felt. If you like fat, monumental bass that is not overly controlled like from a subwoofer than that's not it.
> 
> I don't find them fatiguing. The thing is that with all their resolving glory they really don't feel strained or forced. It's efortless like they still have some reserves left. That all ofcourse depends from the pairings however. They never feel harsh or sharp but can be too clean, too intense with bright and analytical sources. One thing is that they need to be used with foam tips because on silicon tips they can have treble resonance.


Thank you! And all for their comments!


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 9, 2020)

siruspan said:


> They have solid amount of bass, infact very comparable amount to mentioned Tia Trio however it feels different. Very clean, fast, tight, extremely controlled and with very accurate impact that can be physically felt. If you like fat, monumental bass that is not overly controlled like from a subwoofer than that's not it.
> 
> I don't find them fatiguing. The thing is that with all their resolving glory they really don't feel strained or forced. It's efortless like they still have some reserves left. That all ofcourse depends from the pairings however. They never feel harsh or sharp but can be too clean, too intense with bright and analytical sources. One thing is that they need to be used with foam tips because on silicon tips they can have treble resonance.


I heard both KSE 1200 vs Khan and general piezoelectric iems type during Canjam. They share similar characteristics in that they are bright but forgot the rest. What’s the difference between them sound wise?


----------



## bana

Hi guys, i stepped away for three weeks and the world exploded!!!
I'm playing catch up here, when I try to load software, I keep getting "connect target device to computer with USB cable" but my 1Z is connected. What gives?


----------



## gerelmx1986

bana said:


> Hi guys, i stepped away for three weeks and the world exploded!!!
> I'm playing catch up here, when I try to load software, I keep getting "connect target device to computer with USB cable" but my 1Z is connected. What gives?


You first install sony OFFICIAL 3.02, then download one of the rare packages and install normal


----------



## nc8000 (Mar 9, 2020)

bana said:


> Hi guys, i stepped away for three weeks and the world exploded!!!
> I'm playing catch up here, when I try to load software, I keep getting "connect target device to computer with USB cable" but my 1Z is connected. What gives?



If this is the 5 new modded fw you are using the wrong installation and if it is with some of the original modded fw you must edit the xml fille according to the instructions in Morbiddeaths post (it’s in his signature).

The problem stems from the different hw regions in the players (EU, Japan and Universal).


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 9, 2020)

bana said:


> Hi guys, i stepped away for three weeks and the world exploded!!!
> I'm playing catch up here, when I try to load software, I keep getting "connect target device to computer with USB cable" but my 1Z is connected. What gives?



Need to be on Sony stock firmware 3.02 and match players physical hardware region with the custom firmware; Japan, European or Universal (all other regions)

i.e. My WM1A originates (bought) from China, although I prefer & set Japan (_J_) region sound signature, if I flash with custom firmware I *must *still select Universal as the players origin of sales dictates the custom firmware.

Follow the embedded link to identity the players origin if not known.

Q-6


----------



## bana

Queen6 said:


> Need to be on Sony stock firmware 3.02 and match players physical hardware region with the custom firmware; Japan, European or Universal (all other regions)
> 
> Follow the embedded link to identity the players origin if not known.
> 
> Q-6




I'm on firmware 3.02. and also changed to J region.


----------



## Whitigir

bana said:


> I'm on firmware 3.02. and also changed to J region.


Then you are on wrong region.  Look at your sticker on the side or take a picture


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 9, 2020)

bana said:


> I'm on firmware 3.02. and also changed to J region.



Custom firmware must match the point of origin, check the engraving/sticker on the lower left hand side of the player as that dictates what custom firmware region to flash.




My WM1A is from CH therefore I must flash with the Universal custom firmware, irrespective of what software region I have manually set the player.

Basically three options;
1 - If originating from Japan you must DL/use Japanese custom firmware
2 - If originating from a EU country you must DL/use European custom firmware
3 - If originating from any other country/region you must DL/use Universal custom firmware

Q-6


----------



## bana

I think I got it. It's the original Region that is needed.
Thanks!!!
Now to see what all the fuss is about.


----------



## siruspan (Mar 9, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> I heard both KSE 1200 vs Khan and general piezoelectric iems type during Canjam. They share similar characteristics in that they are bright but forgot the rest. What’s the difference between them sound wise?



KSE have little less highs but they are cleaner and more efortless. Khan highs have more sparkle and are equally resolving with good quality material however they are ruthless with poor recordings to the point that some albums are unlistenable. KSE higs feel very forgiving in comparison.

KSE have more bass which feels harder and faster, the bass from Khan feels more organic and natural yet with great speed and amazing technicalities but it is just less of it.

Midrange in KSE is closer, more flat, with more natural shapes and bigger mass. Khan have thinner and lighter lower midrange especially, with a ton of detail but with less body which is not great for male vocals for example.

The sound from both is equally intense but Khan have more of a predatory feel and KSE is calmer. KSE soundstage feels wider.

In a nutshell, with best music material they are both equally amazing and Khan feels more exciting however with less than perfect quality albums KSE still feels great and Khan feels picky, punishing and almost unlistenable in worst case scenarios.


----------



## jon parker

HI all
beyond delighted to be joining ya'll as a VERY happy W1A user
Already, I owe my thanks for the 'JP' 
After an hour its really opening up..looking forward to the next 24/100+200 hour mark 
(although transferring the contents of a 512gb card is bit of a hassle to have to Sony-fy the card and then reloads all the music!)


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 9, 2020)

jon parker said:


> HI all
> beyond delighted to be joining ya'll as a VERY happy W1A user
> Already, I owe my thanks for the 'JP'
> After an hour its really opening up..looking forward to the next 24/100+200 hour mark
> (although transferring the contents of a 512gb card is bit of a hassle to have to Sony-fy the card and then reloads all the music!)



First 50 hours are the most significant, lot of disenable changes, as time build the treble will smoothen out ever more.

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

Guys! Need all your attention ! I just discovered a very interesting phenomena about ears !!!!

Remember i said a solist5 is wrong not as good as j3zu!

Well I found my problem! 

I took vacations off 1z and was listening to zx507 for 5 days !!!
Yea had to do a burn in on it to reach 200hours and same time I got used to its sound signature!

So whats the big problem? 
Its that when I reloaded my J+j3zu on my 1z I was immediately hit by a big treble elevation and was not finding it pleasant at all cause I felt like it was too much!
But How the hell I loved it before and listen to it like its the end of the world and loved it!?

So I loaded solist5 woow so smooth treble very easy delicate no pain from Treble!
So I also tried playing with regions? I load U and it even got more mellow haha . So I was like okey that way to much now let up this up. Back to J + solis hmmm

NOW I feel the real goodness of solis its linear balanced elegant and polite sound to fix all issues and peaks )

I guess I was playing for too long with peakier treble and this what happened it fooled me !

So let your ears rest and refresh cause they can play tricks on ya!

Also means I temporarily damaged my treble in my ears as it was not hurting me as much as before. Its good that its temporary and not permanent!  Be careful folks !


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> Guys! Need all your attention ! I just discovered a very interesting phenomena about ears !!!!
> 
> Remember i said a solist5 is wrong not as good as j3zu!
> 
> ...



…………


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> …………


----------



## hshock76

Vitaly2017 said:


>



TBH, I was just waiting for you to post this update... Took longer than expected though. That's why I am stressing the point of spending more time to listen to each FW vs just a short and quick listen. Enjoy!


----------



## equalspeace (Mar 9, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Guys! Need all your attention ! I just discovered a very interesting phenomena about ears !!!!
> 
> Remember i said a solist5 is wrong not as good as j3zu!
> 
> ...



I’ve been saying this about the 1A for years. It really is amazing what we can adjust to. 

The ZX507 in comparison to the 1A is extremely balanced in it’s sound presentation, with the treble done with love. It’s there but not overly bright/piercing, and all the details are there.


----------



## Morbideath

hshock76 said:


> TBH, I was just waiting for you to post this update... Took longer than expected though. That's why I am stressing the point of spending more time to listen to each FW vs just a short and quick listen. Enjoy!


A true veteran, like u and Whitigir, knows his ears better than anything else, no matter what music / gears being threw at


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> TBH, I was just waiting for you to post this update... Took longer than expected though. That's why I am stressing the point of spending more time to listen to each FW vs just a short and quick listen. Enjoy!





Sorry if I did hurt sone feelings.
I did sense that something was wrong as I am my self not a big fan of peaky treble and that solis should of been an instant improvement. See ears need time too! Not just brain perception!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> A true veteran, like u and Whitigir, knows his ears better than anything else, no matter what music / gears being threw at




I am learning to lol we all gota start down the ladder  )
Thank god we have pros that we can follow and learn  Yeaaa


----------



## Vitaly2017

equalspeace said:


> I’ve been saying this about the 1A for years. It really is amazing what we can adjust to. The ZX507 is extremely balanced in it’s sound presentation, with the treble done with love. It’s there but not overly bright/piercing, and all the details are there.




Wait you been saying this about 1a but now you are saying this about zx507? 

Just got me confused right there.

But Yes I agree zx507 has a very good out of the box tuning just burn in that dap 200hours first!


----------



## equalspeace

Vitaly2017 said:


> Wait you been saying this about 1a but now you are saying this about zx507?
> 
> Just got me confused right there.
> 
> But Yes I agree zx507 has a very good out of the box tuning just burn in that dap 200hours first!




i’ve been saying the treble on the 1A is bright. i don’t think that about the ZX507 at all


----------



## hshock76

Vitaly2017 said:


> Sorry if I did hurt sone feelings.
> I did sense that something was wrong as I am my self not a big fan of peaky treble and that solis should of been an instant improvement. See ears need time too! Not just brain perception!



dun get me wrong. Def did not hurt any feelings. I’m actually happy that you found the root cause and learned something. I’m totally unbiased towards any FW. Everyone have their own preference. We are all diff but We all love good music and good presentation of music!!


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> dun get me wrong. Def did not hurt any feelings. I’m actually happy that you found the root cause and learned something. I’m totally unbiased towards any FW. Everyone have their own preference. We are all diff but We all love good music and good presentation of music!!



My new fourte black gota be amazing with solist5 
That treble smoothness is just on time ! Haha )


----------



## 524419

Walkman batteries are back in stock!!!!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> Sorry if I did hurt sone feelings.
> I did sense that something was wrong as I am my self not a big fan of peaky treble and that solis should of been an instant improvement. See ears need time too! Not just brain perception!


The curse of Tiger Ears! Need to adjust to the right frequencies! 

Stop listening with kitten ears Lol


----------



## KurobaHeiji

Does anyone have any experience both of MS K Ultimate mod 1Z and Romi Audio 1Z version 3.5? What kinds of differences between these hardware and sound signatures? Cheers!


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> The curse of Tiger Ears! Need to adjust to the right frequencies!
> 
> Stop listening with kitten ears Lol




LoL


----------



## Whitigir

equalspeace said:


> i’ve been saying the treble on the 1A is bright. i don’t think that about the ZX507 at all


well, a modified 1A is a very different beast.  With both Firmware and Hardware modifications, it can easily make other players be running for it money.  Especially now with used 1A price.


----------



## aceedburn

Relaxing evening with Walkman.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

@Whitigir
@Morbideath
I'm enjoying Solis with my WM1Z Ultimate K Mod. 
What a great achievement ! Thank you so much guys.


----------



## Stealer

Where can I download the FW upgrade for the DMP1.02? can't  seem to find the link.. 
Some help will be much appreciated


----------



## Morbideath

Stealer said:


> Where can I download the FW upgrade for the DMP1.02? can't  seem to find the link..
> Some help will be much appreciated


Welcome to the Dark Side!


----------



## audionewbi (Mar 10, 2020)

*My take using WM1A, Australian version:*

*Solis: brings gives the missing dynamic that IER-Z1R is in need of and gives too much of a good thing with FW10000 paired with Dita Olso cable. Solis with stock WM1A reminds me of the K-Mod version of WM1A. Well recorded albums shine, doesn't matter what I use.

Venus: The Sss sounds are less pronounced, the bass hits less harder, but more rounder, with more body. If you listen to warm vocal, you will love this. Perhaps what you loss is the impact which leads to sense of loosing detail. This reminds me a lot like stock 3.02 firmware, a very safe tuning.

Mars: I place Mars between Solis and Venus. It has more treble detail, but maintains Venus warmth. Mars has a more 3-D soundstage compared to Venus. I wold say the Mars soundstage seems larger compared to Solis, due to Solis more aggressive tonality which focus more on dynamic and so called PRaT.

Jupiter: Jupiter is more polite version of Solis, same detail level, but less dynamic. 


edit: perhaps the most obvious change across all fw mod is that it feels like dynamic normalization is auto enabled by default.*


----------



## audionewbi

To he honest, before checking this thread, I found a different WM1 mod on a HK based enthusiasts site. That lead me to google FW mod. The link is here, I don't know the overall impact of this FW mod or the author: https://drive.google.com/drive/fold...Ho_VWonge9j5uqclkeBcpGTGhEuOXpH76kgJSo53jwZH0


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> To he honest, before checking this thread, I found a different WM1 mod on a HK based enthusiasts site. That lead me to google FW mod. The link is here, I don't know the overall impact of this FW mod or the author: https://drive.google.com/drive/fold...Ho_VWonge9j5uqclkeBcpGTGhEuOXpH76kgJSo53jwZH0


Why don’t you listen and compare ?


----------



## audionewbi

Whitigir said:


> Why don’t you listen and compare ?


I can finally use IER-Z1R with WM1A thanks to Solis, I'm busy fixing the region to go back to Solis. No point looking else-where 

Thanks guys


----------



## siruspan

I'm installing more and more of these firmwares and take my time to evaluate however I see that I have very similar experiences to @audionewbi . 

Solis is a bit too much with neutral and detailed headphones and it's amazing with warmer and darker ones. Everything is cranked up to eleven.

Jupiter is a great allrounder with good balance but is generally leaning towards more flat studio like presentation. It's calmer and more forgiving than Solis but it's also not as mind blowing. Stock WM1A firmwares are not as clear, not as detailed, with smaller soundstage but they tend to have more colored presentation, weightier with more omph (at least 2.0 and 3.01 are like that) 

Venus is all about the female vocals. They are simply electrifying but everything else seems only ok. Other elements take a back seat so that vocals can shine.

Next in line is Mars to check


----------



## Vitaly2017

aceedburn said:


> Relaxing evening with Walkman.


Fiio dac/amp over 1a hmmm


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Fiio dac/amp over 1a hmmm


Shhh!  Are you using tiger eyes nowadays too ? Leave the picture alone, the guy needs his relaxation


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Shhh!  Are you using tiger eyes nowadays too ? Leave the picture alone, the guy needs his relaxation



Hahaha hey couldnt let that one threw my eyes were like WHAATTT did I see right ????


----------



## aceedburn

Vitaly2017 said:


> Fiio dac/amp over 1a hmmm


Yeah. I use the Walkman as a direct source to the FiiO K5 Pro DAC. Sounds incredible for desktop listening.


----------



## endlesswaves

Hi guys has been missing this thread ever since headfi changed the way the email notify you of new posts. Have been reading 100+ pages these few days.

1st will like to thank @Whitigir and @Morbideath for their efforts and kindness to share these incredible works freely to everyone here. 

Have been trying J+J1AU, J+J2AU, J+J3AU & J+M2AU and J3 each for at least 1 day and J3 is my favorite. I don't know why but J3 kinda remind of stock 1Z. Wanted to try Solis but thought to enjoy a few more days of J3. J3 is good but kind of fatiguing than the others I tried. 

PS: these FWs are so good that I would be willing to pay for the SQ upgrade. @Morbideath , @Whitigir & @hshock76 thank you again with all my heart.


----------



## Vitaly2017

endlesswaves said:


> Hi guys has been missing this thread ever since headfi changed the way the email notify you of new posts. Have been reading 100+ pages these few days.
> 
> 1st will like to thank @Whitigir and @Morbideath for their efforts and kindness to share these incredible works freely to everyone here.
> 
> ...




Try region U + j3zu that softens the treble ! And still have the goodness of j3zu )

Then you can always go to J + solist5


----------



## rabidsquid

Anyone else having problems with USB DAC mode with custom FW and changed region?

I have stock US 1A which I changed to J region and Solis FW.

With Mac OS, turn on DAC mode causes "cannot communicate" error, 1A frozen, then automatically restarts.

This happened twice, then I connected 1A to Parallels VM for Windows OS to verify region, while that connection was open I turned on DAC and disconnected from Windows, DAC seems to work...


----------



## flyer1

Vitaly2017 said:


> Try region U + j3zu that softens the treble ! And still have the goodness of j3zu )
> 
> Then you can always go to J + solist5



CEV region seems to go very well together with Solis on 1Z/EX1000.

Very dynamic, even a bit more than J


----------



## slumberman

Hello!

So I owned my WM1A for a week now , as a backup to my A&K SP1000, which hi love.

while I really dig its size, weight, system and battery life, I definitely like the WM1A less when it comes to overall sound...feels a bit harsher and it seems to have less weight  in the sound material. I love the SP1000 so much...
I have tried J with Jupiter3 and Solis as well, but both felt harsh in the mids and highs, even more so than the stock firmware, to my ears. 

Also Solis had a weird distortion in the mids that made it hard for me to raise the volume and I always felt like I needed to lower it (opposite of how I use the SP1000...it's pleasure to bring the volume up occasionally). I am very sensitive to the "bump" around 180hz which I can't stand...

So my question is, which region and firmware would you recommend for me to try in order to obtain something similar to the SP1000 ? I know...I have that already, but I really like that timbre and would like a variation of it in smaller, lighter format with longer battery and less heat 

Oh and I am using CA Solaris IEMs with Type E tips.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Love this thread and thank you @Whitigir  and @Morbideath for all your work!


----------



## Vitaly2017

slumberman said:


> Hello!
> 
> So I owned my WM1A for a week now , as a backup to my A&K SP1000, which hi love.
> 
> ...




How many hours is your 1a?
Need minimum 200hours to reach its full sound quality on each jack. Then requalify the sq test.

With solarice J+solis should be very good !


----------



## Vitaly2017

flyer1 said:


> CEV region seems to go very well together with Solis on 1Z/EX1000.
> 
> Very dynamic, even a bit more than J



Hmm haven't tried cev as I am very worried about volume cap lol. Walking around any European region by a mile haha


----------



## slumberman

It has  over 500 hours.


----------



## slumberman

Vitaly2017 said:


> How many hours is your 1a?
> Need minimum 200hours to reach its full sound quality on each jack. Then requalify the sq test.
> 
> With solarice J+solis should be very good !




J + Solis with solaris was very harsh to my ears. I couldn't get along with it!


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 10, 2020)

slumberman said:


> J + Solis with solaris was very harsh to my ears. I couldn't get along with it!



Is that regular solaris or se.

If its the regular then that is your problem that regular version is a real downgrade not even as good as the se.
I really disliked it.
Its harsh and treble zingy peaky bad

Se was very good but my trio was still on a higher lvl

Try U + solis


----------



## slumberman

Vitaly2017 said:


> Is that regular solaris or se.
> 
> If its the regular then that is your problem that regular version is a real downgrade not even as good as the se.
> I really disliked it.
> ...



I have both SE and original.
I wouldn't call the original harsh at all, so it might be your problem more than mine.
In fact while I like the SE, I prefer the sound of the original to it, especially in the mids.

Once again I am not asking for criticism on headphones, but simply what firmware combination to try.
Thanks!


----------



## endlesswaves

Vitaly2017 said:


> Try region U + j3zu that softens the treble ! And still have the goodness of j3zu )
> 
> Then you can always go to J + solist5


Thanks for the suggestion. will try after a couple more days of enjoying J3. Want to go thru a few more types of genres to get a better feel of this FW.


----------



## gearofwar (Mar 10, 2020)

slumberman said:


> J + Solis with solaris was very harsh to my ears. I couldn't get along with it!


You have a stock 1a? try other firmwares in tier 1 or 2 instead. They are recommended over t3 or t5. As it was mentioned before, a stock unit will not perform well on t3 or above, they could even sound worse than other tiers due to your hardware.


----------



## Damz87

slumberman said:


> I have both SE and original.
> I wouldn't call the original harsh at all, so it might be your problem more than mine.
> In fact while I like the SE, I prefer the sound of the original to it, especially in the mids.
> 
> ...



I really like the Solaris SE + 4.4mm super litz cable / Solis / J-region / WM1Z combination, but I haven’t tried a WM1A so it could be a completely different experience.

Have you tried the Mars fw? It’s a little V shaped but I found it paired nicely with Solaris SE. Maybe try T1 first and then go up from there?

I think it’s difficult to recommend anything as there’s so many variables. It all comes down to synergy of all your gear along the chain, and personal preference/music taste. Part of the fun is trying out the different fw and finding what works for you


----------



## Lookout57

slumberman said:


> I have both SE and original.
> I wouldn't call the original harsh at all, so it might be your problem more than mine.
> In fact while I like the SE, I prefer the sound of the original to it, especially in the mids.
> 
> ...


I also have both Solaris models and found that with Solis you need to cable roll to find what matches best. 

WM1A Stock - J - Solis - Solaris - Effect Eros II+ 8 wire Balanced
WM1Z Stock - J - Solis - Solaris SE - DHC Clone Silver

They funny thing is previously using the Effect Eros II+ 8 wire Balanced with the Solaris and 1Z was a no go. Mids were so recessed I hated the pairing and was thinking of selling the cable. Now that cable with the 1A - J - Solis is magical.

In either case I find I need to turn the volume down since Solis provides much more detail. Otherwise the highs can get harsh. 

So these new firmwares requires one to rethink how and what they use to listen.


----------



## flyer1

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hmm haven't tried cev as I am very worried about volume cap lol. Walking around any European region by a mile haha



Don't worry it's uncapped. I was quite suprised by how good CEV sounded. Better synergies than J for my setup!


----------



## siruspan (Mar 10, 2020)

slumberman said:


> Hello!
> 
> So I owned my WM1A for a week now , as a backup to my A&K SP1000, which hi love.
> 
> ...



I've never heard SP1000 but Astells in general have a little laid back feeling, with softer attack. That was why I sold AK300 shortly after buying. It felt great other than it was playing kinda for himself and i felt detached from the music. AK380 was the same only with better technicalities. Newer SP2000 is better in that regard, it's more engaging but still on the softer side. Airy, very refined, smooth but not what you call exciting. The only other dap with similar, softer manner that I've heard is Shanling M5S but obviously it's a huge step down.

WM1A is more in your face, more engaging, sparkly, bolder and exciting on stock firmwares. On Solis its even more intense by quite a margin.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 10, 2020)

slumberman said:


> It has  over 500 hours.





slumberman said:


> J + Solis with solaris was very harsh to my ears. I couldn't get along with it!


That Harshness is your OFC internal wires doing.  I don’t mind repeating this. 
When that is out of the way, check your cables, your plugs...etc

Also, just like what @gearofwar mentioned....the reason why I categorized into Tier is for this purposes


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> That Harshness is your OFC internal wires doing.  I don’t mind repeating this.
> When that is out of the way, check your cables, your plugs...etc




Sometimes I feel kimber kable in 1z does to translate some harshness but its not as bad...

K mod is plan for future


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 10, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Sometimes I feel kimber kable in 1z does to translate some harshness but its not as bad...
> 
> K mod is plan for future


Kimber Kables can only do so much...it is still OFC Copper.

Well, to understand it better, all Copper can qualify as OFC.  Because they all better be Oxygen Free Copper.  What matter is the Crystal Grains.  The Kimber Kables inside WM1Z and even in DMP Z1 are only a little better than your typical massively produced OFC on the market


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Kimber Kables can only do so much...it is still OFC Copper.
> 
> Well, to understand it better, all Copper can qualify as OFC.  Because they all better be Oxygen Free Copper.  What matter is the Crystal Grains.  The Kimber Kables inside WM1Z and evening DMP Z1 are only a little better than your typical massively produced OFC on the market




Hmm and pw1960?
Snake oil?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 10, 2020)

siruspan said:


> I've never heard SP1000 but Astells in general have a little laid back feeling, with softer attack. That was why I sold AK300 shortly after buying. It felt great other than it was playing kinda for himself and i felt detached from the music. AK380 was the same only with better technicalities. Newer SP2000 is better in that regard, it's more engaging but still on the softer side. Airy, very refined, smooth but not what you call exciting. The only other dap with similar, softer manner that I've heard is Shanling M5S but obviously it's a huge step down.
> 
> WM1A is more in your face, more engaging, sparkly, bolder and exciting on stock firmwares. On Solis its even more intense by quite a margin.



This is the reason why I sold my SP2000 and stayed with WM1A *and I did so even before I started modifying the 1A firmware *

To anyone Else who is enjoying 1A or 1Z with Modified Firmware, and want to start tackling with $3,500 devices, and especially 1A.  Do your WM1A a courage, and modify it Hardware....Even after that surgery, it still is cheaper than $3,500....then revisiting the battles


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hmm and pw1960?
> Snake oil?


I would rather not talk nor disclose about this.

Kimber Kables has Long-Grain Crystals and they are very very good.  But they are Axios Tier.  Those being used inside 1Z and even DMP are all lower tier which as I mentioned above


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 10, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I would rather not talk nor disclose about this.
> 
> Kimber Kables has Long-Grain Crystals and they are very very good.  But they are Axios Tier.  Those being used inside 1Z and even DMP are all lower tier which as I mentioned above




Please I am curious ) to know an expertise of an expert  )

And I will not argue hehe.
I will Sir Yes Sir agreed!

Anyways my ears like pw1960 and it sounds good


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 10, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Please I am curious ) to know an expertise of an expert  )
> 
> And I will not argue hehe.
> I will Sir Yes Sir agreed!
> ...


It is not about that lol...but I have not heard PW1960

Going with the disclosures of the technical details, the Pw1960 is multi-strained Litz type OCC copper.  This Copper is the *top grade Copper*, and Litz type has it pros and cons.  *There is no doubt of how copper of this Grade can perform*

But going with this same Grade, there are others to choose from.

Have you tried any other cables with similar Grade ?


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Hey guys, how does the wm1a stack up with the newer zx507? Im thinking of selling my a&k sr15 and joining the sony camp(again).


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> It is not about that lol...but I have not heard PW1960
> 
> Going with the disclosures of the technical details, the Pw1960 is multi-strained Litz type OCC copper.  This Copper is the *top grade Copper*, and Litz type has it pros and cons.  *There is no doubt of how copper of this Grade can perform*
> 
> ...




The effect audio ates ii 8 wires and didnt like it.

Plussound gold plated silver was my best cable until pw1960 

But i have this wireworld all copper 8 wires cable 7n one hell of a cable to but does not cost as much!

I found this to be brighter harsher in treble  same for ares II but pw1960 is not like that


----------



## Vitaly2017

Tsukuyomi said:


> Hey guys, how does the wm1a stack up with the newer zx507? Im thinking of selling my a&k sr15 and joining the sony camp(again).



Buy it lol dont ask Haha 
I got wm1z and zx507  ) ( japan )


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 10, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> The effect audio ates ii 8 wires and didnt like it.
> 
> Plussound gold plated silver was my best cable until pw1960
> 
> ...



Those you have tried are all Litz type ? There are a lot of differences between Litz and regular multi strain

I see Ate ii is Litz types


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Those you have tried are all Litz type ? There are a lot of differences between Litz and regular multi strain
> 
> I see Ate ii is Litz types




Honestly i dont know what litz and occ or ofc differs sorry.

If you could explain me in a few words that be great!

I know wireworld used some special forging alloy on that wire and it even have arrows that show which direction the electrical flow should go. From dap to headphones. 

I am not sure about ares 2 and pw1960.  It is not the specs made me buy it but what I heard!


----------



## slumberman

Whitigir said:


> That Harshness is your OFC internal wires doing.  I don’t mind repeating this.
> When that is out of the way, check your cables, your plugs...etc
> 
> Also, just like what @gearofwar mentioned....the reason why I categorized into Tier is for this purposes


I’ll try lower tier then. Which firmware do you recommend and what region?
Also, as I know how to use a soldering iron, would you recommend the instructions on the Wm1a/z modding thread?
Thanks


----------



## quodjo105

What region should i use to set my 1Z to stock . the code on the box is CEW . I changed to region J and not sure which one to use , as i forgot to check before i changed . On the side of the player it's CE .


----------



## Vitaly2017

quodjo105 said:


> What region should i use to set my 1Z to stock . the code on the box is CEW . I changed to region J and not sure which one to use , as i forgot to check before i changed . On the side of the player it's CE .




You said it CEW


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 10, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Honestly i dont know what litz and occ or ofc differs sorry.
> 
> If you could explain me in a few words that be great!
> 
> ...


That is what it should be 
Again, I don’t doubt the quality of this copper.  Then there are different constructions of these very high grade copper that bring them apart...together with the choices of solder and plugs.  They will all matter in the end.


slumberman said:


> I’ll try lower tier then. Which firmware do you recommend and what region?
> Also, as I know how to use a soldering iron, would you recommend the instructions on the Wm1a/z modding thread?
> Thanks


i already did so in the very first post of the modifications thread on how to upgrade internal wires 
I also did on the firmware modification post about tiers and the differences


----------



## Whitigir

quodjo105 said:


> What region should i use to set my 1Z to stock . the code on the box is CEW . I changed to region J and not sure which one to use , as i forgot to check before i changed . On the side of the player it's CE .


There is no such thing CEW for region

check out my signatures

follow the picture to identify

follow the posted details for according region after identification


----------



## nc8000

Another evening “rocking” Solis. Love it.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> There is no such thing CEW for region
> 
> check out my signatures
> 
> ...




Cew is west europe )

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 10, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Cew is west europe )
> 
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool



That is for the Destination Codes.  The Region identification is on the side label as this picture

There should Be
Japan
Europe
Universal 
So if your is neither Japan nor Europe then Universal it is


----------



## ttt123

Whitigir said:


> It is not about that lol...but I have not heard PW1960
> 
> Going with the disclosures of the technical details, the Pw1960 is multi-strained Litz type *OCC *copper.  This Copper is the *top grade Copper*, and Litz type has it pros and cons.  *There is no doubt of how copper of this Grade can perform*
> .....



A description of OCC, for those interested in what makes OCC different.  There is quite a difference in how OCC is made.  OCC wire looks similar to other wires on the surface, but there is a lot of different production methodologies that it took to make it's internal structure quite different from other manufacturing methods.

Commercial wire is drawn through a cold die (to get the desired size of wire) at high speed.  This is to maximize production, and reduce cost.
The OCC process uses a heated die, and the wire is drawn at slower speeds, to create long/single grain boundaries in the metal.

In 1986 the Ohno Continuous Casting (OCC) Process was developed by professor Ohno of the Chiba Institute of Technology in Japan.

*Interesting description and pictures below:*

http://www.norneaudio.com/litzheim/Norse-Norne-Audio-Feedback






​*Why OCC?*
Used throughout the high end audio industry in most flagship cable products, occ provides the superior quality copper and silver possible today.
OCC (*Ohno Continuous Cast*) is the name given to the casting process developed to help defeat annealing issues and virtually eliminate all grain boundaries in copper or silver with a unique patented process. The OCC casting method uses specialized heated moulds in order to draw a single crystal up to 125 meters in length. With only a single crystal in very long lengths, there is an unimpeded free path for the best possible signal transfer. Along with this superior single long crystal structure, OCC provides copper and silver with the least possible oxides and other impurities. 
In high contrast to OCC, there are other lower grade coppers such as OFC with a multitude of grain boundaries and other impurities. OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) has around 400 crystals per foot and despite its name has an oxygen content of about 10 ppm. Having less oxygen content and less overall impurities compared OFC. OFC has a plethora of grain boundaries per foot that the signal must route around and pass.​ 

 The question ultimately comes down to the following: Would you rather have your signal flow in a path with many cracks, bumps and obstacles in the way (OFC) or flow along a completely unimpeded free path with the lowest possible impurities (OCC). From our view the choice is simple, and the bottom line is most top cable designs utilize OCC as it gives the absolute purest base platform to get that much closer to true absolute transparency. ​*Cryo OCC:* The purest copper and silver on planet Earth.
*Litz: *The top design for eliminating skin and proximity effect
*Litz:* The strongest and most durable conductor design
*Litz: *The top design for eliminating any degradation from oxidation


*Cryo OCC + Fine Stranded Complex Litz*
The most dominant and sonically the most transparent cable.
Contact *info@NORNEAUDIO.com* for pricing and ordering information.​


----------



## Whitigir

I would totally recommend Norne Audio  toss that with Mundorf Solder or Oyaide SS-47 and Furutech.  It is a killer cables for the values


----------



## 524419 (Mar 10, 2020)

slumberman said:


> Hello!
> 
> So I owned my WM1A for a week now , as a backup to my A&K SP1000, which hi love.
> 
> ...


The harshness and distortion is because of the OFC unshielded connectors inside the player.
Hate to say it, but to get the most out of this player, those wires need to be replaced.
For me Neotech Solid OCC copper 20 gauge in Teflon works the best.
Keeps the house Sony  Walkman sound, but improves everything.
Resolution, stage width and depth, timbre. separation, treble, bass, all get a substantial upgrade.


----------



## jon parker

Can someone help me out please? Sony WM1A
I have a 512gb micro sd card - Formatted it inside the player but after updating database it never updates any of the flles from it :/


----------



## nc8000

jon parker said:


> Can someone help me out please? Sony WM1A
> I have a 512gb micro sd card - Formatted it inside the player but after updating database it never updates any of the flles from it :/



Have you put your files in the Music folder ?


----------



## jon parker (Mar 10, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Have you put your files in the Music folder ?



I have files on the players storage - BUT the files on the SD card are not being updated - The player can see the card but will not update to display them
I re-formated the card in the player first!


----------



## Whitigir

jon parker said:


> I have files on the players storage - BUT the files on the SD card are not being updated - The player can see the card but will not update to display them


What he meant is that your music have to be in the folder with the name “Music”


----------



## jon parker

Whitigir said:


> What he meant is that your music have to be in the folder with the name “Music”


AHAAAA - bloody Sony - they do not say anywhere that  formatting the card ADDS a folder called 'MUSIC' AND that you have to then transfer the audio TO THAT folder !
Jeezz

Thanks buddy - fingers crossed it works now - Had the player for 2 days and have yet to play a Hi Res file o_0  

Thanks for the help


----------



## nc8000

jon parker said:


> AHAAAA - bloody Sony - they do not say anywhere that  formatting the card ADDS a folder called 'MUSIC' AND that you have to then transfer the audio TO THAT folder !
> Jeezz
> 
> Thanks buddy - fingers crossed it works now - Had the player for 2 days and have yet to play a Hi Res file o_0
> ...



From the manual


----------



## jon parker

nc8000 said:


> From the manual



Listen...when you get to my age . . .
I did see that briefly but I thought it was to do with their 'Music centre' which i did not want to fannyarse around with
All good now..Ahhhhhh Billie Holiday . . .


----------



## normie610

Whitigir said:


> I would totally recommend Norne Audio  toss that with Mundorf Solder or Oyaide SS-47 and Furutech.  It is a killer cables for the values



+1

norne‘s cables sound truly amazing with very reasonable prices unlike most cable manufacturers. sorry for oot.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 10, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> The harshness and distortion is because of the OFC unshielded connectors inside the player.
> Hate to say it, but to get the most out of this player, those wires need to be replaced.
> For me Neotech Solid OCC copper 20 gauge in Teflon works the best.
> Keeps the house Sony  Walkman sound, but improves everything.
> Resolution, stage width and depth, timbre. separation, treble, bass, all get a substantial upgrade.




Maybe thats why pw1960 is so good it got isolation and 2 positive conductor and 2 negative?  Plus unknown connector plated gold?
I guess its lits or maybe cryo occ as it does sound like the best cable among all coppers


----------



## Vitaly2017

ttt123 said:


> A description of OCC, for those interested in what makes OCC different.  There is quite a difference in how OCC is made.  OCC wire looks similar to other wires on the surface, but there is a lot of different production methodologies that it took to make it's internal structure quite different from other manufacturing methods.
> 
> Commercial wire is drawn through a cold die (to get the desired size of wire) at high speed.  This is to maximize production, and reduce cost.
> The OCC process uses a heated die, and the wire is drawn at slower speeds, to create long/single grain boundaries in the metal.
> ...



Thanks amazing information now I know what is lits and cryo )
You think pw1960 could be a cryo occ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

*PW Audio 1960’s Flagship cable*

The 1960’s cable is a special project developed by Peter Wong, following 6 years of experience with building high performance cables. Peter Wong’s intention was seeking a cable as colorless as possible, yet soothing like the music from the 60’s. Years of trial and error resulted in the 1960’s cable. Its secret lies in the use of high purity copper wires, while using different insulation materials for the signal and ground conductors. The result is a smooth, detailed, yet refined sound.

_PW Audio 1960’s cable (2-wire/4-wire)_
Jacket Material: Teflon for the positive conductors, and PVC for negative conductors
Conductor Material: OCC Copper Litz
Conductor Gauge: 26 Awg
Conductors: 4 (2 wires with 4 conductors) / 8 (4 wires with 8 conductors)
Price:                                $999 / $1925


----------



## Whitigir

Let’s at least get back to the Walkman WM1A/Z and keep thread on topic


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Let’s at least get back to the Walkman WM1A/Z and keep thread on topic




Well come on lol he spent 6 years researching and offered us the 1960 so he just bluffing? 

Dang and I was thinking I hot the best cable in tha world haha

Ok next one is pw1960 made with cryo occ please!


----------



## gearofwar (Mar 10, 2020)

Looks like you guys are still stuck on the sun lol, will there be any trips to Saturn or even Neptune? I like Holst album, but keep wondering what the heck is over there on Neptune


----------



## slumberman

Whitigir said:


> already did so in the very first post of the modifications thread on how to upgrade internal wires
> I also did on the firmware modification post about tiers and the differences



yes that exactly what I asked and said in my message. could you specify the thickness of cable needed? if comes in different thicknesses. 
thanks.


----------



## Morbideath

gearofwar said:


> Looks like you guys are still stuck on the sun lol, will there be any trips to Saturn or even Neptune? I like Holst album, but keep wondering what the heck is over there on Neptune


Whitigir and I are quite overwhelmed by Solis, we cannot improve it unless striding into T6 or above. We can't create any T1 or T2 level signatures without downgrading the sound quality from Solis neither. 
So for now i guess this is it


----------



## audionewbi

Morbideath said:


> Whitigir and I are quite overwhelmed by Solis, we cannot improve it unless striding into T6 or above. We can't create any T1 or T2 level signatures without downgrading the sound quality from Solis neither.
> So for now i guess this is it



Can you guys share what exactly are you guys fine tuning? Is it voltage supply to chips? To my ears Solis sounds like dynamic normaliser is enabled by default.


----------



## slumberman

audionewbi said:


> Can you guys share what exactly are you guys fine tuning? Is it voltage supply to chips? To my ears Solis sounds like dynamic normaliser is enabled by default.


Yeah it definitely sounds like there's some sort of compression or limiting going on....I agree!


----------



## flyer1

audionewbi said:


> Can you guys share what exactly are you guys fine tuning? Is it voltage supply to chips? To my ears Solis sounds like dynamic normaliser is enabled by default.



You might be a tier or two too high for your setup? Give the other FW's a try!


----------



## slumberman

flyer1 said:


> You might be a tier or two too high for your setup?


to be fair he is not asking if it's good or not...he is just asking for the process behind the tuning. I agree with him...It sounds like there's limiting/compression going on.

Regardless, it doesn't depend on tier in this case: there's only one tier with Solis.


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 11, 2020)

slumberman said:


> to be fair he is not asking if it's good or not...he is just asking for the process behind the tuning. I agree with him...It sounds like there's limiting/compression going on.
> 
> Regardless, it doesn't depend on tier in this case: there's only one tier with Solis.



Well it does. Tier is therefore the limiting factor for Solis. Unfortunately it is only Tier 5 which will put quite a demand on your setup+quality of music files.


----------



## Morbideath

audionewbi said:


> Can you guys share what exactly are you guys fine tuning? Is it voltage supply to chips? To my ears Solis sounds like dynamic normaliser is enabled by default.


No nothing related to dynamic normaliser at all. 
I can't disclose because if i do so, Sony will definitely fix it in the coming updates.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 11, 2020)

slumberman said:


> to be fair he is not asking if it's good or not...he is just asking for the process behind the tuning. I agree with him...It sounds like there's limiting/compression going on.
> 
> Regardless, it doesn't depend on tier in this case: there's only one tier with Solis.


If u feel like there's compression going on, u definitely close to the limit of your hardware. Try some Tiers lower / not Solis. 
On very capable setups Solis should sound very effortless, also offering the highest dynamic possible. Due to the increase of dynamic and resolution, there will be a sense of gain pushing higher, but that has nothing to do with compression.


----------



## Redcarmoose

It was funny because after using a firmware modded 1A for days on end, reverting back to the 1Z with standard firmware seemed slightly lackluster? This was one grand landmark realization how close the 1A could reach into 1Z territory. Of course the only solution was to put Solis in the 1Z! 

I try not to over analyze what the firmware does after the initial assessment process. Meaning once I confirm the quality, I just sit back and enjoy the show. Also I’m very grateful for such splendid gifts our brothers in audio here.....have bestowed upon us...............always grateful!!


----------



## simon740

Hello,
since I'm still saving up for TOTL headsets or IEMs, I wonder what you recommend up to € 100? I have wm1a.
Im now on E region back and Jupiter T2. Very very good.

regards,
Simon


----------



## Dtuck90

I've currently settled for J region Mercury T1, may try T2 and see how that sounds. I'm thinking though that when Saturn gets released that may end up being my go to FW


----------



## aradan

Morbideath, Whitigir

Thank you guys for doing the magic. I have been going through the thread and I appreciate all of your passion and time put into this.

This is an endless journey to perfection we are all part of


----------



## Whitigir

slumberman said:


> yes that exactly what I asked and said in my message. could you specify the thickness of cable needed? if comes in different thicknesses.
> thanks.


Thickness of the wires ? 16Awg to 26Awg will all do.  The larger - the harder


----------



## Whitigir

slumberman said:


> to be fair he is not asking if it's good or not...he is just asking for the process behind the tuning. I agree with him...It sounds like there's limiting/compression going on.
> 
> Regardless, it doesn't depend on tier in this case: there's only one tier with Solis.


Solis is Tier 5, and if it does sound like you said, then try other firmwares At lower tier.  If you can’t be satisfied, then stick with Stock firmware


----------



## slumberman

Whitigir said:


> Solis is Tier 5, and if it does sound like you said, then try other firmwares At lower tier.  If you can’t be satisfied, then stick with Stock firmware


indeed. so far stock firmware seems to be working best for me, in the WM1A world. but then again, I prefer the SP1000 sound wise...I just really enjoy the portability and battery time of my WM1A...


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 11, 2020)

slumberman said:


> indeed. so far stock firmware seems to be working best for me, in the WM1A world. but then again, I prefer the SP1000 sound wise...I just really enjoy the portability and battery time of my WM1A...


I sold my SP2K and staying with wm1A, so I don’t really understand how sp1k can be better than the 1A....but my views of things are very different.

Anyway, if you prefer stock firmware, then enjoy it.  This is the beauty of Walkman, which A&K wishes that they could have.  The ability to roll firmware freely


----------



## aradan

Yeah I really like wm sound.

Thats more the matter of taste I think, AK1000M sounds like a very interesting player as well.

Very well layered. However sony gives an all in performance. Everything plays exactly where it is supposed to be and the music just flows.

It can sound a bit challenging to the people who are used to more layered and detailed presentation.

While the details are still there in Sony, this might be a bit harder to hear than in AK. But if you listen carefully you hear it all and it gives you a thrill each time


----------



## slumberman

Whitigir said:


> I sold my SP2K and staying with wm1A, so I don’t really understand how sp1k can be better than the 1A....but my views of things are very different.
> 
> Anyway, if you prefer stock firmware, then enjoy it.  This is the beauty of Walkman, which A&K wishes that they could have.  The ability to roll firmware freely


There’s really nothing to understand. You like one thing, I like another. The world is beautiful because of variety.


----------



## Whitigir

slumberman said:


> There’s really nothing to understand. You like one thing, I like another. The world is beautiful because of variety.


It could also be from my experiences that Are different than you, and that I could bring out a lot more potentials in my system.  But regardless of what I said, it doesn’t seem that you would accept the limitations of the stock 1A, hence the part “I do not understand”

See ? Truth be told, look at my post before I modified my wm1A hardware.  I could barely stand it.  The WM1A is a total 1 tier below the stock WM1Z, period.

The time that I, and @Morbideath put into compile these firmwares, and posts details about tiers, it doesn’t seem people even bother to read it up at all.  Now this question me, and bother me, why should we spend all of our time doing that while people can’t even spare some minutes to read it up


----------



## slumberman

Whitigir said:


> It could also be from my experiences that Are different than you, and that I could bring out a lot more potentials in my system.  But regardless of what I said, it doesn’t seem that you would accept the limitations of the stock 1A, hence the part “I do not understand”
> 
> See ? Truth be told, look at my post before I modified my wm1A hardware.  I could barely stand it.  The WM1A is a total 1 tier below the stock WM1Z, period.
> 
> The time that I, and @Morbideath put into compile these firmwares, and posts details about tiers, it doesn’t seem people even bother to read it up at all.  Now this question me, and bother me, why should we spend all of our time doing that while people can’t even spare some minutes to read it up


I don’t understand why you have to get so wound up about it. I thanked you both in my first post and I simply asked if anyone had any firmware suggestion out of what was available. 
I read the description but since much more obvious questions have been posted before, I don’t see what the problem is.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 11, 2020)

slumberman said:


> I don’t understand why you have to get so wound up about it. I thanked you both in my first post and I simply asked if anyone had any firmware suggestion out of what was available.
> I read the description but since much more obvious questions have been posted before, I don’t see what the problem is.


what obvious questions ? I may have missed it.

I am not wound up about anything, I am just saying.  It is true that we all have different preferences, but also count in experiences.  Let’s take Head-if oldest guide line for example, you can not judge a piece of equipment until you hear it.

My WM1A is hardware modified all around, in which I justified selling my SP2000.  I also posted a specific and detailed post about WM1A, and what lead me down this road.


Spoiler: My post about WM1A



https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15456533



You asked us why WM1A stock with mod-firmware doesn’t sound good, then I told you the internal wires is an issues.  You have not even swapped it out, and still going on about how bad a stock 1A is.  *Yes, for 1000 times I repeat, stock 1A is not a high-end player*, at least go grab a 1Z or so, _if you can’t modify the 1A the way I did, or other places had done._

You know what ? Yes, it bothered me, because SP1000 back in the day was a competition toward WM1Z, and not WM1A, and I keep repeating that the WM1A stock is bad, and it needs works.....and here you keep repeating that the 1A is bad, and even mod-firmware can not help when comparing to stock sp1000....

You like Sony Battery and portability ? Go get a 1Z, the 1Z and 1A is not equal ground, both firmware and hardware wise.  And another 1000x times I will repeat, the WM1A is a tier below WM1Z

_Then comes from this experiences, the WM1A has the ability to go as far as the WM1Z or better, but needs a lot of works, hardware and firmware wise.  It can even outperform SP2000.

I will just leave it here_


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 11, 2020)

slumberman said:


> I don’t understand why you have to get so wound up about it. I thanked you both in my first post and I simply asked if anyone had any firmware suggestion out of what was available.
> I read the description but since much more obvious questions have been posted before, I don’t see what the problem is.



Because if you would have read this thread +fw guide better all of your questions would have been answered in the first place. Now they bring nothing new to this thread.

Especially when you make a remark like 'There is nothing to understand'

Because there definitely is


----------



## gearofwar

As @Whitigir said , a modified 1a is beast. There are many things to modify not just the wires here. The stock 1z beside the kimber wires, better chassis also has better caps compared to 1a , I have asked the engineer behind this; this explains why stock 1a is a tier below stock 1z. But A thoroughly modified 1a such as mine as i have compared numerous times to sp1k &2k, simply surpasses them and ofc stock 1z


----------



## aradan (Mar 11, 2020)

Are you modifying them yourself or there is a goto place ?

Re soldering wires does not create an issue. Smd components might be a bit of a task 

Will need to read a bit more on the diy modification. Only have got through the firmware so far


----------



## slumberman

Whitigir said:


> what obvious questions ? I may have missed it.
> 
> I am not wound up about anything, I am just saying.  It is true that we all have different preferences, but also count in experiences.  Let’s take Head-if oldest guide line for example, you can not judge a piece of equipment until you hear it.
> 
> ...




Got it!

I will order parts and give my WM1A a good modding session...seems like a good project to have during this COVID-19 situation!

Does anyone have an online store in Europe they can recommend to buy the wire from? 

Thanks for all the info.


----------



## cpetrillo

I have a question guys. If I'm using the balanced out on my 1A to the balanced in on my desktop amp, what gain and volume settings should I use? I want to try this to see if it drives my planar headphones better than the 1A alone.


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> what obvious questions ? I may have missed it.
> 
> I am not wound up about anything, I am just saying.  It is true that we all have different preferences, but also count in experiences.  Let’s take Head-if oldest guide line for example, you can not judge a piece of equipment until you hear it.
> 
> ...


Easy man, not everyone is going to mod their hardware, so stock device is what it is for them. 
There's great potential, both hardware and firmware wise, for 1A / 1Z. But not everyone is bothered to read through all the pages and exploit the full potentials. Just let them be.


----------



## aradan

There is no default setting per se.

Start from lower gain and volume on the desktop amp

And increase the volume on your dap and desk amp to achieve the decent sound level and get from there.

By default the dac gives maximum possible output up to 2 vrms for unbalanced.

Than the signal is reduced using the volume control of the amplifier (pre amp built in)

Lower output from dap in your case would be more reasonable


----------



## Whitigir

cpetrillo said:


> I have a question guys. If I'm using the balanced out on my 1A to the balanced in on my desktop amp, what gain and volume settings should I use? I want to try this to see if it drives my planar headphones better than the 1A alone.


Lowest gain with maxed out volumes.  This preserves the lower voltage within the systems while maxing out the dynamic range that your WM1A can potentially do


----------



## aradan

It sounds like Sony has a very good arcitecture which is worth improving by using better components.

I am thinking between 1A + mods and 1Z 

Common diy story, but you sre right whatever can be got out of the stock with proper planet or sun is great already


----------



## cpetrillo

Thanks guys, I may try an external  USB DAC at some point.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 11, 2020)

aradan said:


> It sounds like Sony has a very good arcitecture which is worth improving by using better components.
> 
> I am thinking between 1A + mods and 1Z
> 
> Common diy story, but you sre right whatever can be got out of the stock with proper planet or sun is great already



The 1Z is a modified 1A under Sony views

Better resistors
Better capacitors for power block and output block
Better Chassis
Better Kimber Kables
Better Firmwares...even though using the same file

That is a guidance and recipe to how to better your WM1A.  You can even make WM1A better simply by sticking to the guidances but choose a much higher quality on components

Firmware modification used to be a unicorn, but now we have captured it too.  Therefore the potentials of WM1A is “Vast”


----------



## proedros

Finally it's time to hear the new FWs in all their glory , this baby just landed on my ears and is paired with my Zeus XR

*Stock WM1A (J region, Solis T5) > PW 1960s 2w > Zeus XR*

Now my Zeus XR is ready to travel to the Sun , damn what a time to be a music lover (with all these toys to play with and all this music to find/discover through Net)


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Vitaly2017 said:


> Buy it lol dont ask Haha
> I got wm1z and zx507  ) ( japan )


fellow montrealer!! nice
sine we dont have sony in mtl anymore id need to order it off amazon. 
do you daily your daps on metro and bus ? are they combersome ? and what headphones do you use with them ?


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> Finally it's time to hear the new FWs in all their glory , this baby just landed on my ears and is paired with my Zeus XR
> 
> *Stock WM1A (J region, Solis T5) > PW 1960s 2w > Zeus XR*
> 
> Now my Zeus XR is ready to travel to the Sun , damn what a time to be a music lover (with all these toys to play with and all this music to find/discover through Net)


Now cut that cables and put it inside the WM1A.  So inside and outside are both the same  lol
I am teasing you! Enjoy your music


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> Now cut that cables and put it inside the WM1A.  So inside and outside are both the same  lol
> I am teasing you! Enjoy your music




for now we stay put and behave , upgraditis has been fed and is purring peacefully

maybe later this year , a WM1A mod ?


----------



## aradan

Well well network cat 6 is surprisingly good inside


----------



## nc8000

Regarding the musicclip folder that turns up with region J I have tried to copy various video files in there and at least some wmv and mp4 files are recognized and the player plays the sound track but no video. Some mp4 files are recongnized and show up but will not play and mov and flv files don’t show up at all


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Regarding the musicclip folder that turns up with region J I have tried to copy various video files in there and at least some wmv and mp4 files are recognized and the player plays the sound track but no video. Some mp4 files are recongnized and show up but will not play and mov and flv files don’t show up at all


You are the first one to venture in this route  .  Thanks for the feedbacks


----------



## ttt123

Whitigir said:


> Now cut that cables and put it inside the WM1A.  So inside and outside are both the same  lol
> I am teasing you! Enjoy your music


Yes, that is actually what the original Singapore mod group was doing, in late 2017.  I was PM'ing one of the group that started the mods, and they were using PW 1960 2wire inside their WM1Z.  I asked where to get the wire, and found out that they did a group buy of a PW 1960 cable, and cut it up to do the mod!   Then later they took out the 2wire and replaced it with the PW 1960 4 wire.  I did not know enough people in HK who would join a group buy, so gave up on using the PW 1960 for a mod.  The Music Sanctuary mods came out of the experiences of this group.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 11, 2020)

yeah, upgraded cables will not shine it best if there is a *bottle neck*.  It could be internal wires , it could be solder joints, or plugs.

Speaking of Plugs, they wear down and get weakened over times.  Brand name cables responsibilities should be more than just selling cables and profit from it hugely.  Especially toward removable gears and devices.

They should all include a services to allow swapping out older plugs and sockets for newer plugs.  I would understand that swapping female sockets in devices would be more costly, but swapping plugs should not be expensive.  They could even restrict it down to “showing original receipts”, but that is what they should offer.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 16, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> yeah, upgraded cables will not shine it best if there is a *bottle neck*.  It could be internal wires , it could be solder joints, or plugs.
> 
> Speaking of Plugs, they wear down and get weakened over times.  Brand name cables responsibilities should be more than just selling cables and profit from it hugely.  Especially toward removable gears and devices.
> 
> They should all include a services to allow swapping out older plugs and sockets for newer plugs.  I would understand that swapping female sockets in devices would be more costly, but swapping plugs should not be expensive.  They could even restrict it down to “showing original receipts”, but that is what they should offer.


I already swapped the plug of my Labkable Gold Titan 3 times from them, swapped twice the MMCX plug, all plugs to the different demands of mine. Eventually they even swapped me with a brand new cable customized to my plug demand (which sounded harsh upon arrival, i have to burn in 200 hours above to calm down the spikes). One of the best customer service out there! Labkable is from Hong Kong just like PWA. World class sound performance and service!


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 16, 2020)

Labkable Gold/Silver Titan and PWA 1960s are the two most renowned cable works from Hong Kong China. Both have their legendary strengths and some weaknesses.

They are truly expensive which contains high premium in marketing and superficial things and such. But the service or the sound itself are definitely top notch!


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> I already swapped the plug of my Labkable Gold Titan 3 times from them, swapped twice the MMCX plug, all plugs to the different demands of mine. Eventually they even swapped me with a brand new cable customized to my plug demand (which sounded harsh upon receive, i have to burn in 200 hours above to calm the spikes). One of the best customer service out there! Labkable is from Hong Kong just like PWA.


Lovely! I am glad LabKable is doing that.  It is good to have this to everybody attentions


----------



## Vitaly2017

Tsukuyomi said:


> fellow montrealer!! nice
> sine we dont have sony in mtl anymore id need to order it off amazon.
> do you daily your daps on metro and bus ? are they combersome ? and what headphones do you use with them ?



Hi there canadian friend hehe )

My 1z was bought used from headfi and my zx507 on ebay from japan.

I use tia trio and now added a tia fourte black )

Umm 1z is a heavy brick if you carry that around it can be to heavy and used as a self defense weapon haha.

Zx507 is so light and probably what I would rec more if u do commute... it sounds fantastic as well!

I really like the dsee hx on zx507 it improves the sound of that little guy. Of course if you need ultimate sound quality go for 1z!


I am a truck driver I am never in canada. Most of my time is in united states I drive long distances. So yea I do listen to my music while I drive ) 
I got long days and lots of fun time with 1z and tia trio for now )


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> Labkable Gold/Silver Titan and PWA 1960s are the two most renowned cable works from Hong Kong China. Both have their legendary strengths and some weaknesses.
> 
> They are truly expensive which contains high premium in marketing and superficial things and such. But nothing to complain about their service or the sound itself.




Hope 1 day I can hear labkables!


----------



## siruspan

I've installed Mars - (T2 because why not start on a middle ground) and tested it however very briefly. I must say that out of every other firmware this is most likely to be my favourite! It's not flat or most accurate by any means but I think it's most similar to original WM1A tuning. Bass is simply amazing. It hits hard, it's deep, it's well controlled but you can already say that it is a phat bass like it's coming from huge woofer. Shapes that it creates are thick and saturated. Highs are sparkly, a little bit edgy but not yet sharp. Because of that it only adds to the excitiment. It's clearer than stock firmware and has bigger and better layered soundstage.


----------



## gearofwar

I'm currently interested in trading my modded 1a for a stock 1z , feel free to negotiate if you don't want to go through this whole modding process.


----------



## aceedburn

Here’s an interesting fact. These firmwares definitely do change the Bluetooth audio sound quality as well. At first I thought that it didn’t. But after playing around with the firmwares and listening to it on the same Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless buds, the sound changes were very evident. Especially in the heavier bass firmwares like Mars and LPGT. And when I went back to stock, the sound changed as well. This is spectacular as I never thought that firmware mods could change Bluetooth audio as well. +1 guys!


----------



## Vitaly2017

aceedburn said:


> Here’s an interesting fact. These firmwares definitely do change the Bluetooth audio sound quality as well. At first I thought that it didn’t. But after playing around with the firmwares and listening to it on the same Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless buds, the sound changes were very evident. Especially in the heavier bass firmwares like Mars and LPGT. And when I went back to stock, the sound changed as well. This is spectacular as I never thought that firmware mods could change Bluetooth audio as well. +1 guys!




I confirm that as I am using bluetooth Ldac and also usb dac features and it does change. 

The fw changes the 1z 1a behavior globally!  On all scales...


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 11, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Here’s an interesting fact. These firmwares definitely do change the Bluetooth audio sound quality as well. At first I thought that it didn’t. But after playing around with the firmwares and listening to it on the same Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless buds, the sound changes were very evident. Especially in the heavier bass firmwares like Mars and LPGT. And when I went back to stock, the sound changed as well. This is spectacular as I never thought that firmware mods could change Bluetooth audio as well. +1 guys!


If my guessing is right, BT sound change should change at around half the strength of balanced output with cables, meaning the change is not as substantial. Or is BT output changing the same magnitude as cable output?


----------



## Whitigir

They should be on all scales as I have already kept on repeating it ....This is the DSP *algorithms. *


----------



## hshock76

Morbideath said:


> I already swapped the plug of my Labkable Gold Titan 3 times from them, swapped twice the MMCX plug, all plugs to the different demands of mine. Eventually they even swapped me with a brand new cable customized to my plug demand (which sounded harsh upon receive, i have to burn in 200 hours above to calm the spikes). One of the best customer service out there! Labkable is from Hong Kong just like PWA.










Han Sound has these in-house MMCX connectors for the Sony IEMs... I checking with MS to source these for me to upgrade my 1960s with them + the Furutech carbon 4.4 plugs. exciting times.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 11, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> Han Sound has these in-house MMCX connectors for the Sony IEMs... I checking with MS to source these for me to upgrade my 1960s with them + the Furutech carbon 4.4 plugs. exciting times.


Pentaconn!! Use MMCX Pentaconn all the ways


----------



## Morbideath

hshock76 said:


> Han Sound has these in-house MMCX connectors for the Sony IEMs... I checking with MS to source these for me to upgrade my 1960s with them + the Furutech carbon 4.4 plugs. exciting times.


How is it doing compared with other MMCX?
I believe F carbon 4.4 male cannot hold 8 wires thick with L shape right?


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> They should be on all scales as I have already kept on repeating it ....This is the DSP *algorithms. *


What about Smaster?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 11, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> What about Smaster?


 I only explained what needed for the Masses.
To answer, S-Master won’t do anything involves BT, _unless the Walkman is acting as a BT receiver_

by using Walkman as Wireless DAC.  You will see how beautiful your Walkman can be


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> If my guessing is right, BT sound change should change at around half the strength of balanced output with cables, meaning the change is not as substantial. Or is BT output changing the same magnitude as cable output?




The same!


----------



## hshock76

Morbideath said:


> How is it doing compared with other MMCX?
> I believe F carbon 4.4 male cannot hold 8 wires thick with L shape right?



I have no idea on the quality of the MMCX connector from Han Sound. Requested MS to help do some research and advise since they are a distributor for Han Sound cables in SG.





This is the Furutech 4.4 plug I am referring to. Its not L-shaped but should be able to hold the 4-wire 1960s. Not sure whether it will work with the 10-wire Labkable you have.


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> I have no idea on the quality of the MMCX connector from Han Sound. Requested MS to help do some research and advise since they are a distributor for Han Sound cables in SG.
> 
> 
> 
> This is the Furutech 4.4 plug I am referring to. Its not L-shaped but should be able to hold the 4-wire 1960s. Not sure whether it will work with the 10-wire Labkable you have.



Why you want to change the stock 4.4?
Not sure isnt the stock a rhodium plated gold or thats not something we do )


----------



## aradan

Actually since we are into mods. What do you think about K Mod by Audio sanctuary ?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 11, 2020)

aradan said:


> Actually since we are into mods. What do you think about K Mod by Audio sanctuary ?


That is up to Tier 3.  I only see Romni Audio doing a Tier 4.  I will list out the Tier differences here.  This is due to the complexity on the performed works, and also the performances that scales up with it.  This is from my own views, the modder may look at it differently .  It is always a good idea to email them 

Tier 1: Internal wires upgrades

Tier 2: Tier 1 and DC Ground upgrades for S-Master

Tier 3: Tier 1+ Tier 2 and Battery terminal wires upgrades.  Also upgrades and refresh Solder joints. Magnetic shielding etc...

Tier 4: All the above with Capacitors upgrades for Power block and Output block


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 11, 2020)

If you do Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, the WM1Z will make the most senses and also gains a lot more than WM1A (because WM1Z is already a modified WM1A)

However, if you go up to Tier 4, the WM1A and WM1Z may be treated similarly....the chassis differences still exist but won’t be that substantial...the prices between units are a big different though

IMO, it is the best values for the money to modify WM1A to tier 4, and WM1Z ? When you have plenty to spare ....another luxurious right and more power to you


----------



## Morbideath

hshock76 said:


> I have no idea on the quality of the MMCX connector from Han Sound. Requested MS to help do some research and advise since they are a distributor for Han Sound cables in SG.
> 
> 
> 
> This is the Furutech 4.4 plug I am referring to. Its not L-shaped but should be able to hold the 4-wire 1960s. Not sure whether it will work with the 10-wire Labkable you have.


It seems 4.4 L-shaped plug none can hold more than 8 wires… could be a very niche market / demand here


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> If you do Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, the WM1Z will make the most senses and also gains a lot more than WM1A (because WM1Z is already a modified WM1A)
> 
> However, if you go up to Tier 4, the WM1A and WM1Z may be treated similarly....the chassis differences still exist but won’t be that substantial...the prices between units are a big different though
> 
> IMO, it is the best values for the money to modify WM1A to tier 4, and WM1Z ? When you have plenty to spare ....another luxurious right and more power to you




I rather ho 1z t4 as I already have t4 cable t4 iems! Now need t4 1z!


----------



## aradan

Thanks for the full tier description that makes a lot of sense now 

Will need to find proper player now


----------



## gerelmx1986

@nc8000  you have all your music collection in the walkman memory + micro SD card as 16/44.1KHz FLAC,  right? Or do you changed your mind and you have some in 24-bit/DSD?


----------



## hshock76

Vitaly2017 said:


> Why you want to change the stock 4.4?
> Not sure isnt the stock a rhodium plated gold or thats not something we do )



PW stock is gold plated... Just exploring and trying something different... always learning and what better way than to be able to test it myself vs reading impression and opinions online.


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> Pentaconn!! Use MMCX Pentaconn all the ways



I have some concerns on the durability of Pentaconn's OFC offerings on connectors and plugs. My Brise Audio cable comes with the Pentacoon OFC L-Shaped 4.4 plug and I noticed on mine and also got feedback from other users that it wears out fast. I cable roll quite a fair bit and durability is preferred.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 11, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> I have some concerns on the durability of Pentaconn's OFC offerings on connectors and plugs. My Brise Audio cable comes with the Pentacoon OFC L-Shaped 4.4 plug and I noticed on mine and also got feedback from other users that it wears out fast. I cable roll quite a fair bit and durability is preferred.


They wear out fast if you plug them into “Non Authentic” stuffs.  Like unknown 4.4 female sockets...etc...the same for Furutech .

There are also compromises on plugs, the better the performances, the faster the wear out :/

I agreed though, if you roll cables and unplugging a lot then go with reliability

Now you make me start thinking about upgrading my IER Z1R Cables LOL!!!


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> They wear out fast if you plug them into “Non Authentic” stuffs.  Like unknown 4.4 female sockets...etc...the same for Furutech .
> 
> There are also compromises on plugs, the better the performances, the faster the wear out :/
> 
> I agreed though, if you roll cables and unplugging a lot then go with reliability



Cables only go into 4.4s on both my 1Zs and DX228-EX... The plugs on the stock sony cables still look in good condition.

But I'm a sucker for the look of the Pentaconn L-Shaped plugs.


----------



## Whitigir

hshock76 said:


> Cables only go into 4.4s on both my 1Zs and DX228-EX... The plugs on the stock sony cables still look in good condition.
> 
> But I'm a sucker for the look of the Pentaconn L-Shaped plugs.


That is fine then As both has authentic sockets, the L shaped is OFC.  I don’t think they have regular one...or do they ?

I didn’t know you also have Dx228ex!!!


----------



## nc8000 (Mar 11, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> @nc8000  you have all your music collection in the walkman memory + micro SD card as 16/44.1KHz FLAC,  right? Or do you changed your mind and you have some in 24-bit/DSD?



With the 1TB card I had a few hundred MB spare so I have transferred my favourite hires files for these but otherwise yes all ripped or converted to 16/44 or 16/48 so I can keep all my music on the player


----------



## proedros

Guys now with the whole Coronavirus thing seemingly getting out of control , it's the best time to buy all those things you thought were too expensive and refrained from buying, because you/we still had to plan 40 years ahead and save money

'But honey , we are all gonna die anyway so here is some puppies for you'


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> That is fine then As both has authentic sockets, the L shaped is OFC.  I don’t think they have regular one...or do they ?
> 
> I didn’t know you also have Dx228ex!!!



Pentaconn's plugs are only OFC I believe...

YES, I have the DX228ex... The 1Z and the DX are keepers.. One thing the DX does better to me than the 1Z is how good it makes low quality recordings on Spotify sound! I have been spending so much time on the 1Z and the new FWs that the DX have had not much play time lately.


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> PW stock is gold plated... Just exploring and trying something different... always learning and what better way than to be able to test it myself vs reading impression and opinions online.



Whats under the plated gold in pwa connector? I wonder if its copper or rhodium.  It doesnt say no where


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> Guys now with the whole Coronavirus thing seemingly getting out of control , it's the best time to buy all those things you thought were too expensive and refrained from buying, because you/we still had to plan 40 years ahead and save money
> 
> 'But honey , we are all gonna die anyway so here is some puppies for you'




LoL keep the blood cold my friend its not the end of the world yet hahaha


----------



## hshock76

Vitaly2017 said:


> Whats under the plated gold in pwa connector? I wonder if its copper or rhodium.  It doesnt say no where



All base materials are copper. Rhodium is just a plating which is more durable than gold although gold still has better conductivity. Some say the Rhodium plated Furutech plugs are superior to gold plated ones... I'm not an expert in this area so just gonna test the plugs personally.


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> All base materials are copper. Rhodium is just a plating which is more durable than gold although gold still has better conductivity. Some say the Rhodium plated Furutech plugs are superior to gold plated ones... I'm not an expert in this area so just gonna test the plugs personally.



Mmmyeaa thats what I heard to.

I wish my 4.4 on pw1960 was L shaped....


----------



## Whitigir

hshock76 said:


> Pentaconn's plugs are only OFC I believe...
> 
> YES, I have the DX228ex... The 1Z and the DX are keepers.. One thing the DX does better to me than the 1Z is how good it makes low quality recordings on Spotify sound! I have been spending so much time on the 1Z and the new FWs that the DX have had not much play time lately.


Pentaconn 4.4 is actually high quality-Brass base with gold plated.  OFC is different as it has OFC base metal instead of Brass.  I only see L-shapes in OFC and not regular one


----------



## Queen6

proedros said:


> Guys now with the whole Coronavirus thing seemingly getting out of control , it's the best time to buy all those things you thought were too expensive and refrained from buying, because you/we still had to plan 40 years ahead and save money
> 
> 'But honey , we are all gonna die anyway so here is some puppies for you'



No there's priorities and there's priorities, now is the time to focus on your family in this context...

Q-6


----------



## proedros

Queen6 said:


> No there's priorities and there's priorities, now is the time to focus on your family in this context...
> 
> Q-6




you need to take your joke detector to service


----------



## Queen6

proedros said:


> you need to take your joke detector to service



Some of us have bigger concerns - Bad Taste is what it is...

Q-6


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> Pentaconn 4.4 is actually high quality-Brass base with gold plated.  OFC is different as it has OFC base metal instead of Brass.  I only see L-shapes in OFC and not regular one




Yes, that's right. I forgot that Pentaconn has both high grade (OFC) and standard grade plugs (Brass). The L-Shaped is only available in high grade OFC. I can't find much information on their MMCX connectors though or anyone selling them.

http://www.ndics.com/en/products/pentaconn/


----------



## Whitigir

The MMCX should be OFC Goldplated as well, exclusively in Japan atm


----------



## hshock76

Emperor’s new clothes. Luv the blue.


----------



## Whitigir

Lovely blue !! Rocking Solis ?
Out of those apples, there are 2 I really want to bite into ....


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 11, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Lovely blue !! Rocking Solis ?
> Out of those apples, there are 2 I really want to bite into ....



How sweet they are 

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> Pentaconn's plugs are only OFC I believe...
> 
> YES, I have the DX228ex... The 1Z and the DX are keepers.. One thing the DX does better to me than the 1Z is how good it makes low quality recordings on Spotify sound! I have been spending so much time on the 1Z and the new FWs that the DX have had not much play time lately.




I am really enjoying 1z and zx507 those 2 are keepers for me.
1z still wins even with spotify  )


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> Lovely blue !! Rocking Solis ?
> Out of those apples, there are 2 I really want to bite into ....



Def Solis! Unless you have some greater FW named "Black Hole" which sucks us into the music completely and we never see daylight again.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 11, 2020)

Gold plated Pentaconn really wears fast! I have two cables with that P 4.4 plug all worn about half year use. When u rotate the plug the sound is on and off constantly.
In fact my first plug swapped by Labkable is due to pentaconn worn out. As for the other cable that worn… I'm too lazy to fix it and cannot afford to buy another plug for it.




Ahhh having checked my stocks, i seem to have 3 cables with P 4.4 plug. This one is ALO super litz, which i paid to have it swapped with Pentaconn but still dead in the end.


----------



## ttt123

hshock76 said:


> Yes, that's right. I forgot that Pentaconn has both high grade (OFC) and standard grade plugs (Brass). The L-Shaped is only available in high grade OFC. I can't find much information on their MMCX connectors though or anyone selling them.
> 
> http://www.ndics.com/en/products/pentaconn/


For sure, the smaller L shape comes in standard brass, and OFC.  I have cables with one of each.


----------



## ttt123

Morbideath said:


> Gold plated Pentaconn really wears fast! I have two cables with that P 4.4 plug all worn about half year use. When u rotate the plug the sound is on and off constantly.
> In fact my first plug swapped by Labkable is due to pentaconn worn out. As for the other cable that worn… I'm too lazy to fix it and cannot afford to buy another plug for it.
> 
> 
> Ahhh having checked my stocks, i seem to have 3 cables with P 4.4 plug. This one is ALO super litz, which i paid to have it swapped with Pentaconn but still dead in the end.


Intermittent connection can be due to oxide build up.   Caig Deoxit is great for that, and I highly recommend it.  Works wonders on old connectors.


----------



## aradan (Mar 11, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am really enjoying 1z and zx507 those 2 are keepers for me.
> 1z still wins even with spotify  )



How do you compare zx507 and 1Z

When I heard it on MDR firdt zx507 sounded a bit under whelmed.

I know thay 1Z is the TSAR here but curious how the youbger birther fares on ciems.

Still thinking thay Sony may consider upgrading the 1 line this or coming year. Based on the fact that 500 was released and it finally has a keyboard


----------



## Vitaly2017

aradan said:


> Hiw do you compare zx507 and 1Z
> 
> When I heard it on MDR firdt zx507 sounded a bit under whelmed.
> 
> ...



Well it has a keyboard due to android.  Would of been nice to have a search feature on 1a/1z to. But neither works on zx507 since the sony music app is a 100% like on 1a/1z....

Sound wise zx507 is a beast , sound is premium and a very juicy high quality bass. Soundstage and imaging are very good but dont expect 1a/1z level.

Its well built quality assembly as expected its sony promise )

The ui is very fast and even faster then my galaxy s9 yep outstanding!

It has streaming options and does feed my 1z via usb dac. It has better sound that way vs my s9.

New intelligent AI dsee hx is amazing and brings zx507 even closer to 1a/1z )
Adds better soundstage and extension!

Streaming apps battery lasts 9hours
Sony music app lasts 18hours!


Overall I highly recommend zx507 but make sure you burn it 200hours first it did drastically improved sq!

Cant go wrong with zx507 + M9 or z7m2


----------



## aceedburn

Whitigir said:


> I only explained what needed for the Masses.
> To answer, S-Master won’t do anything involves BT, _unless the Walkman is acting as a BT receiver_
> 
> by using Walkman as Wireless DAC.  You will see how beautiful your Walkman can be


This is fantastic. So theoretically I should get better sound streaming music through my Walkman than direct from my phone? But why does normal Bluetooth sound quality also improve then?


----------



## Vitaly2017

aceedburn said:


> This is fantastic. So theoretically I should get better sound streaming music through my Walkman than direct from my phone? But why does normal Bluetooth sound quality also improve then?




Just mentioned that 1 post above lol
I bought zx507 to replace my phone!
Cause phone is junk! Dirty source


----------



## aradan

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well it has a keyboard due to android.  Would of been nice to have a search feature on 1a/1z to.
> 
> Overall I highly recommend zx507 but make sure you burn it 200hours first it did drastically improved sq!
> 
> Cant go wrong with zx507 + M9 or z7m2



Thanks man, very detailed review.

A pity there is no search function though I thoughtbit was there.

But I tested it for a short while in the shop, so did not have time to dive in the menus.

Need to have a closer look at it.

The dsse in the 1A/Z and 506 d9es amazing things.

Cant wait for new generation of 1st series to come out that should be a great device, with affordable price hopefully


----------



## aradan

Vitaly2017 said:


> Just mentioned that 1 post above lol
> I bought zx507 to replace my phone!
> Cause phone is junk! Dirty source




Are you streaming through LDAC ?


----------



## mwhals

I am wondering if Sony will ever replace the 1A and 1Z. Thoughts?


----------



## Vitaly2017

aradan said:


> Thanks man, very detailed review.
> 
> A pity there is no search function though I thoughtbit was there.
> 
> ...



Affordable prices not so sure. New 1z successor will probably cost 4 000$ and wont come out in nearv2 years mark so dont make high hopes on this.

1z is the best dap on the market why would sony release a new one lol


----------



## aradan

I think they would at some point.

Staying pure audiophile, limited to lcoal files playback is really good.

However wont work in current markets. Give or take the younger generation is taking over and they are all into streaming.

They will iron out the new streaming approach with 506 and go ahead updating the 1 series.

The desktop amp is more versatile already so it is one step froward.

The problem might be in the price tag though


----------



## Vitaly2017

aradan said:


> Are you streaming through LDAC ?



With zx507 I prefer usb audio out
 Better quality bs ldac


----------



## aradan (Mar 11, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Affordable prices not so sure. New 1z successor will probably cost 4 000$ and wont come out in nearv2 years mark so dont make high hopes on this.
> 
> 1z is the best dap on the market why would sony release a new one lol



Totally agreed here, it is going cost a lot. Since the prices are always going up. My fear they might sacrifice components part to keep the price at bay.

Even being great dap for 2-3k usd is not widely adopted.

I am building some diy stuff myself , so I know how componnets affect sound from practice.

Thats always a challenge to keep good and affordable devices in mass production


----------



## Vitaly2017

aradan said:


> Totally agreed here, it is going cost a lot. Since the prices are always going up. My fear they might sacrifice components part to keep the price at bay.
> 
> Even being great dap for 2-3k usd is not widely adopted.
> 
> ...




Sony is not like that, their signature products is sound quality in first priority!
So it will be against sony own philosophy....

You can always buy second hand! And save 1000$!


----------



## aradan

Well Sony does not benefit that much from second hand.

And getting market share now a days is to go in streaming direction, whether we like it or not.

We are like vinyl lovers stick to what we are used to and thats great. I love having a file collection myself.

But how much money can be made out of us ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

aradan said:


> Well Sony does not benefit that much from second hand.
> 
> And getting market share now a days is to go in streaming direction, whether we like it or not.
> 
> ...




Sony already made their cut dont you worrie ) they also mske special discounts if u can grab it can save 500$ on a new unit!

Sony is so huge that it can manipulate the market. 
I checked last week sony yearly profit was around 80 billion lol
And they will create a dap for streamers like zx507 and 1 for those with music libraries...

So dont worrie sony is far from financial crisis Haha this is not apple and their none sense iphones!


----------



## aradan

Well Sony is an interesting company.

They have developed SPDif together with Phillips which became a standard for several decades.

I love their TVs and used to be on xperia phones

Their sound  on the phones are quite cool btw.

However both divisions are struggling to make profit.

Sony invests in RnD and getting great results, but these results do not often yield prpfit hence the question.

On a look for 1A or 1Z now  amazon uk sells 1z for 2,4k quite a grab.

Any way getting back to the topic


----------



## hshock76

A very happy man tonight.... stock 1Z has some new cloths as well.


----------



## Morbideath

hshock76 said:


> A very happy man tonight.... stock 1Z has some new cloths as well.


Mine is so dirty that it's no longer blue … but grey out


----------



## nanaholic

mwhals said:


> I am wondering if Sony will ever replace the 1A and 1Z. Thoughts?



Not until they have a new S-Master chip which would address issues of power output vs their goal of maintaining power efficiency. They don't have much they can improve upon otherwise. 

In the mean time, you might see Sony release a side-grade device in the form of an Android based 1A/1Z to go with their HD new streaming service.


----------



## ttt123

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well it has a keyboard due to android.  Would of been nice to have a search feature on 1a/1z to. But neither works on zx507 since the sony music app is a 100% like on 1a/1z....
> 
> Sound wise zx507 is a beast , sound is premium and a very juicy high quality bass. Soundstage and imaging are very good but dont expect 1a/1z level.
> 
> ...


The Bluetooth on this is also very good.  Better than other sources I have tried.  
- To a Sony WF-1000XM3, the sound approaches wired quality.
- Recently tried to a Micromega MyAmp (which should be an APT-X connection), is also a very good, enjoyable sound.

This is good enough to use as a source feeding powered BT speaker, Amp, etc.


----------



## newworld666 (Mar 12, 2020)

Actually a very few things are missing to my WM1A to be perfect :
=> 1) USB-C connector to be a single cable connection to an iphone for QoBuz as walk-around system (not necessary to include android which is more or less a frustrating experience with my Hiby R6pro and Fiio M9). Using BT AAC is also not a sufficient quality in BT mode between iphone and WM1A
=> 2) Wifi connection with DLNA/Upnp connectivity to use home servers (DSD/Flacs) which is far more consistent than BT LDAC (between server and WM1A) when we want also a better wired headphones then any BT headphones on the market (I am waiting for a AMT Heddphone to replace my Z7M2 for home use)
I didn't try recently but it's not possible to do a bi directionnal connection (LDAC in/ LDACout) even if we wanted to use any Sony WF-1000XM3 while connecting to the server trough LDAC too).
=> 3) some more power (at least between 350 to 500mW @ 32ohms
=> 4) maybe a wireless charging too... to get some freedom

and of course, all of these with keeping actual WM1A battery life


----------



## aradan

newworld666 said:


> and of course, all of these with keeping actual WM1A battery life



Fantastic books are sold on the second floor 

And the price should be less than Wm1A


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 12, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> This is fantastic. So theoretically I should get better sound streaming music through my Walkman than direct from my phone? But why does normal Bluetooth sound quality also improve then?


Because


Whitigir said:


> They should be on all scales as I have already kept on repeating it ....This is the DSP *algorithms. *


This
https://plugable.com/2016/06/22/understanding-bluetooth-wireless-audio/

pay attentions at this




and as I mentioned, these modified firmwares is based on Algorithms And not DSP Effects Or EQ

There is not much more I can explain.  You may want to buy a book and read about Digital Music techniques, and principles of Digital music engineerings To understand more


----------



## aceedburn

Whitigir said:


> Because
> 
> This
> https://plugable.com/2016/06/22/understanding-bluetooth-wireless-audio/
> ...


You’ve said enough. I get it. Sheer brilliance is what it is then.


----------



## auronthas

Thanks for the firmwares again (M + W)... But I want more ...

Can these firmware be pre-installed in internal memory or microSD ? Then we can flash selected firmware to suit our various IEM ... that will be cool !


----------



## aceedburn

auronthas said:


> Thanks for the firmwares again (M + W)... But I want more ...
> 
> Can these firmware be pre-installed in internal memory or microSD ? Then we can flash selected firmware to suit our various IEM ... that will be cool !


It’s not possible as the installers are windows based.


----------



## Morbideath

Host of FW mods transferred to OneDrive, now including Mac DMG version thx to @Lookout57 's help!
*Welcome To the Dark Side!*


----------



## aceedburn

Hi. Does anyone know why although WM1A has the AAC codec, it only plays SBC when connected to WF1000XM3?


----------



## Gww1 (Mar 12, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Hi. Does anyone know why although WM1A has the AAC codec, it only plays SBC when connected to WF1000XM3?


Is there an eq active? I think the codec drops quality if it is.

Edit: sorry ignore that, I think it is only relevent when using the app which clearly can't be done on the WM1A.......


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 12, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Hi. Does anyone know why although WM1A has the AAC codec, it only plays SBC when connected to WF1000XM3?



It's due to the WF1000XM3 earbuds being limited to SBC by the WM1A, with the over ear WH-1000XM3 LDAC would be the preferred codec.  WM1A priority is LDAC, equally it will drop to lesser codecs as per the paired devices specification. 

Only ever seen SBC with my WM1A & WF1000XM3, with WM1A having LDAC, aptx HD, aptx & SBC.

Q-6


----------



## captblaze

aceedburn said:


> Hi. Does anyone know why although WM1A has the AAC codec, it only plays SBC when connected to WF1000XM3?



As a BT receiver i get AAC


----------



## nc8000

Queen6 said:


> It's due to the WF1000XM3 earbuds being limited to SBC, with the over ear WH-1000XM3 LDAC would be the preferred codec.  WM1A priority is LDAC, equally it will drop to lesser codecs as per the paired devices specification. Believe AAC is for Apple devices, only ever seen SBC with mine.
> 
> Q-6



The WF is aac and sbc. I have never tried them with my 1Z but on iPhone they are aac


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 12, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> The WF is aac and sbc. I have never tried them with my 1Z but on iPhone they are aac



Both devices need to have same codec 1A/Z don't think has AAC as already have aptx & LDAC, AAC is not in Sony's spec nor in BT setting's to prioritise

Q-6


----------



## nc8000

Queen6 said:


> Both devices need to have same codec 1A/Z don't think has AAC as already have aptx & LDAC, AAC is not in Sony's spec nor in BT setting's to prioritise
> 
> Q-6



Correct but you wrote that the WF is limited to only SBC and that is not correct


----------



## Queen6

nc8000 said:


> Correct but you wrote that the WF is limited to only SBC and that is not correct



Yes, edited as it didn't make sense...

Q-6


----------



## pirchkus

I have a question about modding WM1A.
Can I use Sony's KIMBER cable (from MMCX 4.4) instead of stock ones? It'll improve or not?

Thanks!


----------



## newworld666

Otherwise WM1A is a receiver with AAC codec for Iphone (due to Apple limitation) and is working with LDAC when connected to a PC DAC through BT.


----------



## aceedburn

Queen6 said:


> Both devices need to have same codec 1A/Z don't think has AAC as already have aptx & LDAC, AAC is not in Sony's spec nor in BT setting's to prioritise
> 
> Q-6


WM1A has AAC codec and my other headphones connect to it using AAC. Only WF1000XM3 uses SBC. Hence my question. It’s quite weird that Sony’s own product doesn’t support their own.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> WM1A has AAC codec and my other headphones connect to it using AAC. Only WF1000XM3 uses SBC. Hence my question. It’s quite weird that Sony’s own product doesn’t support their own.



It’s a bit strange but according to the manual aac is only for bt receiver not bt sender and aac is not in option in bt sender settings on the device


----------



## Whitigir

pirchkus said:


> I have a question about modding WM1A.
> Can I use Sony's KIMBER cable (from MMCX 4.4) instead of stock ones? It'll improve or not?
> 
> Thanks!


Why would you ? Kimber typical is just OFC and not MonoCrystal/Grains

If you want some good cooper, at least go with MonoCrystal or OCC.  I upgraded Kimber from 1Z and even DMP.

But to answer your question, yes....it would improve over the regular OFC that you have, but not by much 

If you love Kimber, go with Axios


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> It’s a bit strange but according to the manual aac is only for bt receiver not bt sender and aac is not in option in bt sender settings on the device


Yeah. My master&dynamic mw60 connect to 1a using aac.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Yeah. My master&dynamic mw60 connect to 1a using aac.



How do you know/see that it is aac ?


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> How do you know/see that it is aac ?


Because when the device connect it shows on the screen for a few seconds the codec it uses.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Because when the device connect it shows on the screen for a few seconds the codec it uses.



According to their webbsite the master&dynamic mw60 don't do aac, only aptx


----------



## pirchkus

Whitigir said:


> Why would you ? Kimber typical is just OFC and not MonoCrystal/Grains
> 
> If you want some good cooper, at least go with MonoCrystal or OCC.  I upgraded Kimber from 1Z and even DMP.
> 
> ...



Thank a lot for the advice. Now I'll look for OCC one.


----------



## captblaze (Mar 12, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> According to their webbsite the master&dynamic mw60 don't do aac, only aptx



MW07 connects via aptX


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> According to their webbsite the master&dynamic mw60 don't do aac, only aptx


You’re correct. My bad. It does connect using aptx.


----------



## newworld666

Aptx is not really a convincing codec ... it's more or less like AAC, better than SBC but not really much.

So far from what a WM1A can give with a real wire and a good closed heaphone.


----------



## nc8000

newworld666 said:


> Aptx is not really a convincing codec ... it's more or less like AAC, better than SBC but not really much.
> 
> So far from what a WM1A can give with a real wire and a good closed heaphone.



Ldac can be very good but really using one of these players as a bt source is a bit of a waste. I was unable to hear any difference between 1Z and A45 going ldac to the full size XM3 headphones


----------



## Queen6

aceedburn said:


> WM1A has AAC codec and my other headphones connect to it using AAC. Only WF1000XM3 uses SBC. Hence my question. It’s quite weird that Sony’s own product doesn’t support their own.



Believe WM1A/Z  is AAC BT receive only, connected to WF1000XM3 WM1A can only transmit with the SBC codec. Like as not Sony needs the tech to advance, then WF1000XM*4* etc. will have Sony's own proprietary LDAC and Qualcomm's aptX

Both my WM1A & ZX300 have no options for AAC, (J region). To my understanding AAC is proprietary to Apple, Sony already owns LDAC and likely licenses aptX from Qualcomm, which makes AAC defunct.  TBH your not loosing out too much with SBC as the WF1000XM3 are pretty coloured, LDAC & aptX will stop down bitrate unless you can enforce otherwise in which case the SQ will likely fail unless both Bluetooth Tx & Rx are optimally placed.

BT codec's personally I'd opt or aptX as from my experience it offers the best balance. An Android phone with the developer options opened and a Radsone Earstudio with app installed you can control & see in real-time the connection bitrate and mostly LDAC will drop to lower bitrates, aptX not so much.

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

nc8000 said:


> Ldac can be very good but really using one of these players as a bt source is a bit of a waste. I was unable to hear any difference between 1Z and A45 going ldac to the full size XM3 headphones



You won't, none of us will as the Amp/DAC is in the earbuds/headphones themselves. Codec's can just deliver more bitrate and then they will scale depending on the distance to the source and the environment, more people more BT interference hotels etc.

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

It's rare that I use my wm1A as BT source.. 99.999% of time is wired 4.4mm


----------



## Queen6

gerelmx1986 said:


> It's rare that I use my wm1A as BT source.. 99.999% of time is wired 4.4mm



Same, mostly if traveling even then once the bags are gone. Wireless has it's convinces, equally the quality has a long way to go. 

Q-6


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> It's rare that I use my wm1A as BT source.. 99.999% of time is wired 4.4mm


I use it as wireless source to watch Netflix


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> I use it as wireless source to watch Netflix



But surely that is using it as a bt receiver not a bt source ?


----------



## nc8000

Queen6 said:


> Believe WM1A/Z  is AAC BT receive only, connected to WF1000XM3 WM1A can only transmit with the SBC codec. Like as not Sony needs the tech to advance, then WF1000XM*4* etc. will have Sony's own proprietary LDAC and Qualcomm's aptX
> 
> Both my WM1A & ZX300 have no options for AAC, (J region). To my understanding AAC is proprietary to Apple, Sony already owns LDAC and likely licenses aptX from Qualcomm, which makes AAC defunct.  TBH your not loosing out too much with SBC as the WF1000XM3 are pretty coloured, LDAC & aptX will stop down bitrate unless you can enforce otherwise in which case the SQ will likely fail unless both Bluetooth Tx & Rx are optimally placed.
> 
> ...



aac is an open standard, not Apple proprietary. Alac on the other hand is Apple proprietary


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 12, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> But surely that is using it as a bt receiver not a bt source ?


Yeah what I meant is a source for my audiophiles headphones and buds .  But technically it is a receiver

The improvements over firmwares also apply here in a very good way.  Movies are so good and especially “horror movies “


----------



## proedros (Mar 12, 2020)

i came across this super-detailed post by *@Deezel177 *(back in February 2018) about the Music Sanctuary mod of WM1A , with all the talk about modding wm1a/z i think it will be of interest to some headfiers in here

I only took out 3 pics for space economy, text is 100% untouched

original post can be found here *https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fli...udio-discussion.826876/page-524#post-14073661*


==============================================================================================================

Hey guys, as you may or may not know, I recently acquired a Sony WM1A modded by Music Sanctuary. I've spent a few weeks with this DAP and a wide variety of IEMs, and now I'd like to tell you why this mod is one of the most impressive "products" I've come across thus far in 2018. Enjoy! 

*Music Sanctuary's WM1A Mod*

Music Sanctuary’s Walkman mod is a service that aims to maximise sound quality through a number of significant modifications. These include:

*1)* A brand new Pentaconn 4.4mm socket (to ensure that solder used on the socket is fresh and uncontaminated)
*2)* PWAudio 1960s wiring for both single-ended and balanced outputs, as well as DC ground
*3)* Exotic, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries solder used for all solder joints, with all existing solder cleaned off prior to the mod
*4)* Isolation of all inductor coils and capacitors with shielding products from Japan (Oyaide and fo.Q)



Depending on how many 1960s conductors are used within the mod, pricing is separated into the following tiers:

*Basic*
2-wire SE and BAL: *S$549* (single 1960s wire for DC ground)

*Deluxe*
4-wire SE and BAL: *S$699* (dual 1960s wire for DC ground)

*Premium*
4-wire SE, 8-wire BAL: *S$899* (dual 1960s wire for DC ground section)

These impressions apply to the 4.4mm balanced output, via the _Premium_ option applied to a Sony WM1A purchased stock from E-Earphone in Japan.

*Sound Impressions*

Before I move on to impressions of the MS mod, I should mention that I’ve had my fair share of reservations towards Sony’s WM1A in stock form. Although I enjoyed its tonal balance, smoothness and body, I found its dynamic performance lacking; struggling to conjure any sense of immediacy or punch due to a lack of extension on either end. Despite a relatively prominent peak in the lower treble, articulation does not make up for what sounds like a lack of note definition; a missing contrast between the player’s background and the notes up above. I liked what its warmer, heftier tilt was going for, but it was clear to me that the 1Z is the superior player - even at its luxurious price and its egregious weight.

Which is why I was immensely surprised when I heard the MS1A. Maintaining its excellent sense of weight, the MS mod gives the 1A vast improvements in dynamic energy, bidirectional extension, stage stability and resolution. Note definition and body are the hallmarks of its new signature, presenting instruments as fully formed objects fanned out across a romantic, intimate stage, as well as a pitch-perfect black background. Although technical improvements from the stock 1A are quite significant, the tonality it ends up producing may not be for everyone. Because of a full, meaty and warm upper-bass - in conjunction with a calmer upper-treble - the MS1A exudes a thick, warm and natural timbre; a significant departure from - say - my airy, open and clarity-focused AK70-Kai. But, where the AK70-Kai excels in sparkle, the MS1A bathes in organicity; producing a textured, resolving and smooth signature that promotes naturalness above all.



The most impressive - and most noticeable - change the mod achieves is bass extension and sub-bass performance. The MS1A produces the most palpable, visceral and textured low-end response I have personally ever heard. It’s a guttural rumble that obviously requires an equally-capable IEM to highlight, but this gorgeous quality is audible from my $650 Custom Art FIBAE 3, all the way to the $2699 Unique Melody Mason V3. A linear mid-bass and a thick upper-bass complement this to form a warm, physical and romantic low-end; creating a strong foundation for the midrange and treble to stand upon. This player/mod won’t be for those looking for either a neutral response, or a cleaner signature, but it does impart a tinge of richness that sounds beautifully organic with everything I’ve heard it with. Infusing meatiness, heft and definition to the entire presentation, the MS1A’s low-end defies expectation; producing a sub-bass that’s as devilishly satisfying as it is wonderfully natural.

This warmth then flows through unto the midrange. The MS mod gives the 1A a beautifully textured vocal presentation with vast improvements in depth, body and three-dimensionality. Instruments pop against the background as fully-realised, physical objects; benefitting realism through tactility and heft. The MS1A also utilises overtones to form its sizable notes. Harmonics fill the stage with an organic warmth, but excellent bidirectional extension prevents the stage from ever becoming hazy or veiled. Instead, timbre benefits from this phenomenon in naturalness and ease. The upper-midrange echoes this sentiment; minimizing on sparkle for smoothness’ sake. Doing away with the stock 1A’s articulative vocal presentation, this renewed sense of coherence benefits the MS1A’s linearity - complementing thick notes with a feathered release. But, despite these inhibitions toward articulation, the MS1A uses its black background and stable stage to produce well-resolved and exceptionally-defined instruments; full, organic and transparent at all times.

The lower-treble is where the MS1A is most like its unmodded counterpart. A slight emphasis here is the MS1A’s sole source of articulation and air. It’s a necessary touch of sparkle that cuts through its warm, romantic stage - even if it can approach brittle with the wrong pairing. The peak isn’t as noticeable as the one on the stock unit, but it is certainly present. Despite this accentuation, the MS1A’s middle-and-upper-treble display excellent coherence. Extension is the DAP’s forte, and its performance in this regard endows it with a rock solid, exceptionally layered and effortlessly transparent stage - mating bodied organicity with great finesse. The MS1A’s highest registers can lack excitement for some. While it isn’t as mellow as a partially-modded WM1Z I heard months ago, it’s also not as bright as my AK70-Kai. It strikes a healthy in-between where sparkle and openness offset the player’s richer overtones; benefitting the player’s hefty midrange and spectacular low-end with an open stage to strut their stuff.



In the end, only one question still remains: Is the mod worth the cash? Subjectively speaking, the MS1A is a departure from the WM1A’s stock signature, and that may not be universally appreciated. In place of the latter’s articulative and neutral-natural signature, the MS1A yields a more organic, weighty and rich listen. But, when it comes to technical performance, there is absolutely no contest. Experiencing boosts in extension, dynamics and resolution, the MS1A affords its effortless, life-like and engaging signature without any real compromise; naturalising the WM1A yet besting it in solidity and impact. Manifesting three-dimensional instruments within a fully-realised, physical soundscape, the MS1A is truly a class above its peers. If you’re capable of enjoying a warmer and more organic signature, Music Sanctuary’s Walkman mod is a worthwhile investment - turning Sony’s middle son into the alpha of the pack.


----------



## Whitigir

And @gearofwar is asking to trade in his modified 1A for stock 1Z.  There are also a couple 1A with MS mod being listed I think


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> Yeah what I meant is a source for my audiophiles headphones and buds .  But technically it is a receiver
> /
> The improvements over firmwares also apply here in a very good way.  Movies are so good and especially “horror movies “


I just redid my Crossover on my Full size system, replaced everything for High end Film capacitors.... and feels like I am Alice sitting in the middle of Wonderland. Caps on the 1A are next on the menu. Are there any copper foil caps that are usable in the 1A? What are the limitations, or choices therein? 
Help


----------



## Whitigir

Diet Kokaine said:


> I just redid my Crossover on my Full size system, replaced everything for High end Film capacitors.... and feels like I am Alice sitting in the middle of Wonderland. Caps on the 1A are next on the menu. Are there any copper foil caps that are usable in the 1A? What are the limitations, or choices therein?
> Help


Yeah, it will be unrecognizable once you do all the caps work


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, it will be unrecognizable once you do all the caps work


If it approaches anything close to what I am sitting in front of at this very moment, I will never have to buy another DAP. 
So what are my options? Money not being an issue. 
The best of the best?


----------



## Whitigir

Diet Kokaine said:


> If it approaches anything close to what I am sitting in front of at this very moment, I will never have to buy another DAP.
> So what are my options? Money not being an issue.
> The best of the best?


I listed out the detailed specs needed per uF and Voltage.  The physical dimensions need to be 5mm or less with length of 12mm or less.  There are some blackgate but so hard to find

I would do a mixtures of what I did TK, Elna, Nichicon.  But you can tell me what else you can find


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> I listed out the detailed specs needed per uF and Voltage.  The physical dimensions need to be 5mm or less with length of 12mm or less.  There are some blackgate but so hard to find
> 
> I would do a mixtures of what I did TK, Elna, Nichicon.  But you can tell me what else you can find


Thank you very very much


----------



## Whitigir

Diet Kokaine said:


> Thank you very very much


The TK capacitors as I used can be found in HifiCollective, and same as Blackgate.  I have purchased many items from HFC and they are very reputable.  However , all of this Corona outbreak is too crazy :/


----------



## CasioPSX

well my wm1a just came in the mail and damn am i loving it! going to try chaging the region code to japan later today. i wanted to know if anyone here has a pair, if Andromedas hiss badly with the wm1a? need to upgrade my IEMs next and ive been between the Andros and the Moondrop S8. (for electronic music and classic rock) sorry if this has been asked before!


----------



## gearofwar (Mar 12, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> And @gearofwar is asking to trade in his modified 1A for stock 1Z.  There are also a couple 1A with MS mod being listed I think


Yeah, actually mine is a bit more of variety, I had manually replaced the supercap in there as well as replacing solder in certain places that are not the list. I will modify it again to different cap and wires this summer

I'm still debating if I really need a 1z to go over the modding the process again and in the end, it will sound different from 1A which might or might not hit my liking. But for someone who wants to trade stock 1z for my 1a + cash, it is a no brainer, if they don't want to spend over more. The weight of 1z did leave me bad impression in beginning especially using it on the go


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> Yeah, actually mine is a bit more of variety, I had manually replaced the supercap in there as well as replacing solder in certain places that are not the list. I will modify it again to different cap and wires this summer
> 
> I'm still debating if I really need a 1z to go over the modding the process again and in the end, it will sound different from 1A which might or might not hit my liking. But for someone who wants to trade stock 1z for my 1a + cash, it is a no brainer, if they don't want to spend over more. The weight of 1z did leave me bad impression in beginning especially using it on the go


Yes, the weight is what would bother me as well.  What supercap did you end up using ? I was looking for upgrades but couldn’t find a worthy contenders


----------



## Lookout57

CasioPSX said:


> well my wm1a just came in the mail and damn am i loving it! going to try chaging the region code to japan later today. i wanted to know if anyone here has a pair, if Andromedas hiss badly with the wm1a? need to upgrade my IEMs next and ive been between the Andros and the Moondrop S8. (for electronic music and classic rock) sorry if this has been asked before!


I don't hear any hissing at normal volumes on a 1A running Solis. You will find that with Solis you can hear the details without having to turn up the volume


----------



## denis1976

Call me crazy, but after trying Solis and ultimate etc I still find the J version plus the 3.01 fw one of the best


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 12, 2020)

Well, hisses is the nature’s of S-Master.  But it can only be observed when you crank volume to deafening level in balanced mode, or without music playing.

However, I would trade some low noises for extremely analog sound quality.  I rather have these weighty note, powerful punches, Dense timbres...than say thin and weak energy such as SP2000

*If you crave everything Walkman has and more, together with 0 noises or hisses, and powerful driving forces...DMP Z1!!! Lol*


----------



## Vitaly2017

denis1976 said:


> Call me crazy, but after trying Solis and ultimate etc I still find the J version plus the 3.01 fw one of the best



Try U + j3zu !


----------



## denis1976

Is very strange when you talk about the thin sound of the sp2000 the sp2000 at least the copper version is everithing but thin, I say more, not even with Solis the 1Z has more body than the sp2000, IMO they are diferent sounds and  complement each other


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 12, 2020)

denis1976 said:


> Is very strange when you talk about the thin sound of the sp2000 the sp2000 at least the copper version is everithing but thin, I say more, not even with Solis the 1Z has more body than the sp2000, IMO they are diferent sounds and  complement each other


Yeah, I don’t doubt it.  Judging by how firmware can be tweaked for each player identity, the Copper may have thicker sounding.  However, I still rather have my WM1A

Stock 1Z and mod firmware may not compete SP2K, Hardware modified 1Z/1A is a world different.  Remember that my 1A is extensively modified all around

Mod firmware on Stock 1A/1Z can’t merely shine 50% of it capability’s.

Also, J region (Japan) is what the mod firmware were tuned on.


----------



## denis1976

Vitaly2017 said:


> Try U + j3zu !


Don't get me wrong, but what is happening with 1Z or 1A is like transforming Mona lisa in to a blond with blue eyes, for some could be better but is not Mona Lisa anymore... The 1Z is a Masterpiece, he born has a masterpiece and still is even after this years, I will go only to "J", just that, but has allways I respect who has not the same opinion


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 12, 2020)

denis1976 said:


> Don't get me wrong, but what is happening with 1Z or 1A is like transforming Mona lisa in to a blond with blue eyes, for some could be better but is not Mona Lisa anymore... The 1Z is a Masterpiece, he born has a masterpiece and still is even after this years, I will go only to "J", just that, but has allways I respect who has not the same opinion


That is a wrong Analogy.  Imagine what WM1A and WM1Z is, like a Civic SI and a Civic Type R.  Are you saying that people don’t modify their Civic with larger turbo , injectors, intakes, exhaust and better tunes ?

They do, because they are doing it in a “Technically correct” ways of doing it.  Now, if you are only putting  Spoiler, body kit, stickers to your Civic, then considered it to be a “Mona Lisa with blond hair....or lipstick on a pig”

I will repeat this.  The WM1Z is a modified WM1A

1/ better chassis
2/ better internal wires
3/ better resistors
4/ better capacitors
5/ better firmware

Now Sony Spelled it out for you.  If you are technically potent, you can already know what to do to improve your WM1A or even Further your 1Z.  If you don’t know what to do, then leave it to the pros.  I will always recommend Fidelizer, Music Sanctuary, Cable Creators, Romni Audio.

If you are Not in for Modified player, then just wait for successor whenever it comes out. 
If you don’t like mod firmware then use stock firmware.


----------



## Vitaly2017

denis1976 said:


> Don't get me wrong, but what is happening with 1Z or 1A is like transforming Mona lisa in to a blond with blue eyes, for some could be better but is not Mona Lisa anymore... The 1Z is a Masterpiece, he born has a masterpiece and still is even after this years, I will go only to "J", just that, but has allways I respect who has not the same opinion




Its not a question of mona or madona or britney lol.

I find U smoothes dont the jupiter 3 as it can get treble high with J region so no mona for me thanks.
While in U region things go more to a normal and easier way.

J + solist5 yea that goes very well together! Cause solis is less aggressive!  

So if u think changing region degrades the 1z sound well it is not,  just changes where it emphasizes the frequencies...


----------



## denis1976

Yes and them the modified type r wants to compete with a Ferrari and the engine burn,that's not the case because we already have the Ferrari of the Daps, all in audio is subjective, I don't believe that sony with all the knowledge and money to make research made the Walkman with limitations, we have to think about the extreme sound quality and the battery life that is unmatched by any TOTL dap, does the modified 1z has the same battery life? I think that how the 1Z and 1A sounds is intentional and has the Sony DNA


----------



## Morbideath

denis1976 said:


> Yes and them the modified type r wants to compete with a Ferrari and the engine burn,that's not the case because we already have the Ferrari of the Daps, all in audio is subjective,* I don't believe that sony with all the knowledge and money to make research made the Walkman with limitations,* we have to think about the extreme sound quality and the battery life that is unmatched by any TOTL dap, does the modified 1z has the same battery life? I think that how the 1Z and 1A sounds is intentional and has the Sony DNA


it's much much limited intentionally. truth be told


----------



## Whitigir

denis1976 said:


> Yes and them the modified type r wants to compete with a Ferrari and the engine burn,that's not the case because we already have the Ferrari of the Daps, all in audio is subjective, I don't believe that sony with all the knowledge and money to make research made the Walkman with limitations, we have to think about the extreme sound quality and the battery life that is unmatched by any TOTL dap, does the modified 1z has the same battery life? I think that how the 1Z and 1A sounds is intentional and has the Sony DNA


Have you tried a modified 1Z or 1A ? If not, speculate and speaking against it is against the rule of the forum itself.

However, I will still respect your look at stock players.


----------



## denis1976

Morbideath said:


> it's much much limited intentionally. truth be told


Is your opinion and I respect it, sorry is not mine


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> it's much much limited intentionally. truth be told


If a person never heard a modified player, and if he/she is mindset on the Stock being the best of values then you won’t be able to change his/her views.

in this case.  Allows me to say this, “ you are right, and I agreed”


----------



## denis1976

Whitigir said:


> Have you tried a modified 1Z or 1A ? If not, speculate and speaking against it is against the rule of the forum itself.
> 
> However, I will still respect your look at stock players.


The modified 1A, DX200,etc, yes maybe is worth, but 1Z, sp1000 even sp2000 I believe that they can sound diferent, but, better, is subjective, and that is not only my thoughts other tuners thinks the same way, but has you says I never heard one modified, and I will never ear, so, I got to believe you, and has always respect above all, we are not here to make enimies, in this hard times we have to preserve friendship


----------



## aradan (Mar 13, 2020)

denis1976 said:


> Yes and them the modified type r wants to compete with a Ferrari and the engine burn,that's not the case because we already have the Ferrari of the Daps, all in audio is subjective, I don't believe that sony with all the knowledge and money to make research made the Walkman with limitations, we have to think about the extreme sound quality and the battery life that is unmatched by any TOTL dap, does the modified 1z has the same battery life? I think that how the 1Z and 1A sounds is intentional and has the Sony DNA



They definitely have sony DNA.

However in mass production price limit is always looming


----------



## NickleCo (Mar 13, 2020)

.


----------



## mejoshua

SolisT5 is wonderful. Taking time to listen to it now


----------



## blazinblazin (Mar 13, 2020)

denis1976 said:


> Call me crazy, but after trying Solis and ultimate etc I still find the J version plus the 3.01 fw one of the best


It's just synergy.
I still went back to E2 region fw 3.02 after testing the firmwares for my setup.

Other firmware will be better if I use another IEM


----------



## NickleCo

Just Changed to J but i cant install solis J, anyone got a fix?


----------



## quodjo105

DatDudeNic said:


> Just Changed to J but i cant install solis J, anyone got a fix?


you can't install solice J on a player that isn't originally from J


----------



## blazinblazin (Mar 13, 2020)

DatDudeNic said:


> Just Changed to J but i cant install solis J, anyone got a fix?


You should use the fw that is to your DAP's original region. You can only change region software wise but not hardware wise.


----------



## NickleCo

@blazinblazin @quodjo105 Thanks!


----------



## CasioPSX

the SonyNWDestTool download link for windows is 404'd on the rockbox website. can anyone upload a copy somewhere?


----------



## gerelmx1986

58000+ travks, no slow down. Had t convert all hi-res content to 16/44.1


----------



## Whitigir

Why down convert hires stuff ? I would keep it


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Why down convert hires stuff ? I would keep it


I did like @nc8000  does, keep MASTERS on Hard drive. On portable only 16/44.1


----------



## Whitigir

Well, I would also have it on Walkman  , but that is just me


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Well, I would also have it on Walkman  , but that is just me



We both have more music than can fit on the player and want all our music on the player so have to sacrfice some hires.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Well, I would also have it on Walkman  , but that is just me


 If it had dual micro SD slot and ample storage,  would keep all as is


----------



## Lookout57

gerelmx1986 said:


> 58000+ travks, no slow down. Had t convert all hi-res content to 16/44.1


Instead of downsampling that extreme why not downsample to 24/88.1 or 24/96 for all source files? That way you get better resolution and save space over the originals. You can also try using a higher compression ratio for FLAC to same space at the expense of battery life.


----------



## CasioPSX

CasioPSX said:


> the SonyNWDestTool download link for windows is 404'd on the rockbox website. can anyone upload a copy somewhere?



anyone? please? i just want to change my region to J


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 13, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> Instead of downsampling that extreme why not downsample to 24/88.1 or 24/96 for all source files? That way you get better resolution and save space over the originals. You can also try using a higher compression ratio for FLAC to same space at the expense of battery life.


In fact level 8 doesn't take much more calculation and battery than level 1. The efficiency difference of flac decompression is almost neglectable.  That's the trump card of Flac compression.


----------



## proedros

CasioPSX said:


> anyone? please? i just want to change my region to J




i think @Morbideath or @nc8000 can help out here


----------



## Morbideath

CasioPSX said:


> anyone? please? i just want to change my region to J


I'll include it in my shared folder tomorrow. 
Just moving to OneDrive, i forgot to include that tool.


----------



## CasioPSX

Morbideath said:


> I'll include it in my shared folder tomorrow.
> Just moving to OneDrive, i forgot to include that tool.


alright cool, thanks!


----------



## nc8000

CasioPSX said:


> anyone? please? i just want to change my region to J



https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rw85c7r2ghzf3zq/AAAgD2iEA7YjN5H7_uqx969ra?dl=0


----------



## CasioPSX

nc8000 said:


> https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rw85c7r2ghzf3zq/AAAgD2iEA7YjN5H7_uqx969ra?dl=0



thank you! I'll download it as soon as I get home today! really appreciate it


----------



## NickleCo

MX3 + 3.00 (modded) sounds so nice! Thank you @Midnstorms for convincing me to change lol very accurate indeed!


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 13, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> If it had dual micro SD slot and ample storage,  would keep all as is


DMP Z1 has Dual Slots 
After a whole journey with Walkman.  Finally my Titan (best of Sony) is going to have the benefits too !!!!

Time to Enjoy the Titan again


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> DMP Z1 has Dual Slots
> After a whole journey with Walkman.  Finally my Titan (best of Sony) is going to have the benefits too !!!!
> 
> Time to Enjoy the Titan again



Relax and enjoy brother... you deserve the break


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 13, 2020)

DatDudeNic said:


> MX3 + 3.00 (modded) sounds so nice! Thank you @Midnstorms for convincing me to change lol very accurate indeed!


No thank you for believing lol!  Indeed its a very good fw release special and different


----------



## CasioPSX

nc8000 said:


> https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rw85c7r2ghzf3zq/AAAgD2iEA7YjN5H7_uqx969ra?dl=0


only the pdf file and bat appears for me, dropbox says certain files are unavailable in this folder


----------



## nc8000

CasioPSX said:


> only the pdf file and bat appears for me, dropbox says certain files are unavailable in this folder



There is an exe file as well


----------



## CasioPSX

nc8000 said:


> There is an exe file as well



maybe it wont show it because its an exe?


----------



## Vitaly2017

A new firmware is on the horizon? 

I just got my fourte black trying J+solstis and U + j3zu. 
Solstis sound a little too smooth lol and j3zu to aggressive doing further tests only got 15min so far


----------



## nc8000

CasioPSX said:


> maybe it wont show it because its an exe?



I suppose that is why the official link is also dead


----------



## Tawek

Vitaly2017 said:


> A new firmware is on the horizon?
> 
> I just got my fourte black trying J+solstis and U + j3zu.
> Solstis sound a little too smooth lol and j3zu to aggressive doing further tests only got 15min so far


try Solis and CEV
for my ex1000 /1Z is excellent


----------



## nc8000

1Z with Solis and IER with this album in DSD11.2 is rather special


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> *A new firmware is on the horizon*?
> 
> I just got my fourte black trying J+solstis and U + j3zu.
> Solstis sound a little too smooth lol and j3zu to aggressive doing further tests only got 15min so far



From Sony ? Possibly
Not going to come from Me or @Morbideath


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 13, 2020)

_Allow me to try and marketing my own special cables that I were thinking about selling for
$1499. (Not selling it)_

This cables were a products of my endless goals of pursuing sound performances with the Motivations that “*everything will effect the sound performances”*. There were no corner cutting, even the techniques to solder the joints, the carefully selected plug quality which also play a role in the final end goal of sound performances

1/ The body is infused with Silk fibers for self dampening.  This minimizes microphonic sin the cables and also the “ringing effects” of any conductors that is conducting electrical signals

2/ Soft PTFE jacket to allow flexibility and also contribute an additional dampening effects to physical vibrations and microphonics

3/ Purity of Single Crystal Ultra Pure and Oxygen Free Copper.  While all quality coppers have to be Oxygen free at the least of 97%.  This cables is using OCC casting techniques to not only allowing the oxygen free up to 99.999%, but also allow Mono Crystal structures of the copper.  *The end results is surpassing the IACS rating and raising the bar for over 101% of conductivity *

4/ Solder materials are High quality, and High Fidelity profiles with High Silver content that allow the most fidelity to conduct.  It achieves the fidelity that are not easily achieved by the typical meaning of soldering and lead free material

5/ Adopting Litz constructions, or specifically each strand of the multi strands 28 wires are individually insulated with clear Epoxy.  This will further guarantees virtually Zero oxygen to penetrate and react to form Oxidized copper, which would result in degradations of conductivity and signal integrity, also degrade sound fidelity

6/ Using Gold plating plugs from the source to the connections of the headphones.  It has been known that even plugs quality can carry it own sound signatures.  _Then over the period of being crazily seeking for even the slightest changes within the systems from building my own amplifiers, Stax systems, countless of other modifications and building devices_.  It is deemed that HD800S has a typical bright and glares on high spectrum.  This sound signature of HD800S and the wires materials has called out for the Synergies with Goldplated plugs to bring out the best Synergies to your HD800S and universally friendly to many systems.  Using Pentaconn Goldplated and Furutech authentic plugs

7/ rounded braiding construction were chosen for the best faraday caging effects time self mitigate interferences, which results in a beautiful layering and soundstage improvements over stock cables

This cables will bring a very observable performances that you can hear and witness at the first time auditioning it

Warmth, Dynamic, details, soundstage and layering


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 13, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> _Allow me to try and marketing my own special cables that I were thinking about selling for
> $1499._
> 
> This cables were a products of my endless goals of pursuing sound performances with the Motivations that “*everything will effect the sound performances”*. There were no corner cutting, even the techniques to solder the joints, the carefully selected plug quality which also play a role in the final end goal of sound performances
> ...


I am not selling it...I am just saying that with enough words salad, I can also pull this off

I will be honest with you here

1/ Wires are Norne Audio LiTZ Copper

2/ Braiding is from 4 wires braiding techniques that even any moms with daughter can do

3/ Real authentic Oyaide SS47 solder with my skills applied

4/ Authentic Pentaconn and Furutech plugs

That is it! But the cables has a very real quality.  The goals and synergies between wires materials, headphones signatures, plugs were chosen for the above mentioned purposes

Cost: approximately $300 (individual DIY, could be much lower in bulks)
Estimated MSRP based on Real Subjective performances: $1499 or higher in comparison to other high-end cables

Could I run this long term sustainable business ?


----------



## bflat

Whitigir said:


> I am not selling it...I am just saying that with enough words salad, I can also pull this off
> 
> I will be honest with you here
> 
> ...



Trying to solder litz cable is not easy if you don't have experience. I don't even know how you do it without a solder pot to burn thru all the individual enameled wires. Also the solder points on plugs and connectors are tiny so steady hands are a must LOL!


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 13, 2020)

bflat said:


> Trying to solder litz cable is not easy if you don't have experience. I don't even know how you do it without a solder pot to burn thru all the individual enameled wires. Also the solder points on plugs and connectors are tiny so steady hands are a must LOL!



 Well, I guess I just have what it takes to enjoy more.  The ideas of selling cables for good profits has been trailing me though.  But I am not going there

I will just be here and enthusiastically share with everybody what I can find


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 13, 2020)

It has been a long time my “Top references Lady!”

KG T2 with my uniquely build quality, XF2 quads and SR-009

Walkman WM1A as a source out of 4.4mm - Low gain - Max output (firmware and hardware modified)

Interconnect is Litz Cardas 22Awg wires with Pentaconn and Silverplated XLR connectors


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> It has been a long time my “Top references Lady!”
> 
> KG T2 with my uniquely build quality, XF2 quads and SR-009
> 
> ...



The life of a "Mad Audio Scientist" is one to envy and aspire to


----------



## Peter Ruby

Whitigir said:


> Well, I guess I just have what it takes to enjoy more.  The ideas of selling cables for good profits has been trailing me though.  But I am not going there
> 
> I will just be here and enthusiastically share with everybody what I can find


 
If you sold a cable with that sort of quality for a reasonable price, you would do well. It’s when I see the big dogs and the “word salad” they use to sell cables for thousands of dollars makes me rage. 

I don’t rage at the company, I rage at how people spend their money on that. Hate seeing people get ripped off


----------



## Whitigir

Peter Ruby said:


> If you sold a cable with that sort of quality for a reasonable price, you would do well. It’s when I see the big dogs and the “word salad” they use to sell cables for thousands of dollars makes me rage.
> 
> I don’t rage at the company, I rage at how people spend their money on that. Hate seeing people get ripped off



I agree, and I am the same here


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lookout57 said:


> Instead of downsampling that extreme why not downsample to 24/88.1 or 24/96 for all source files? That way you get better resolution and save space over the originals. You can also try using a higher compression ratio for FLAC to same space at the expense of battery life.


I have tr d FLAC 5 and 8, the space savings are negligible


----------



## captblaze

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have tr d FLAC 5 and 8, the space savings are negligible



your music collection if played continuously would run longer than 114 days (your poor battery)


----------



## gerelmx1986

captblaze said:


> your music collection if played continuously would run longer than 114 days (your poor battery)


I use dbPower Amp Music converter, which I regard as high quality sample rate converter, even from DSF to flac 24 but, the result is damn transparent


----------



## gerelmx1986

captblaze said:


> your music collection if played continuously would run longer than 114 days (your poor battery)


You guessed almost


----------



## nc8000

captblaze said:


> your music collection if played continuously would run longer than 114 days (your poor battery)



For me doing a lot of travelling the convenience of having access to my entire music collection more than outweighs the minimal sq loss in going from hires to red book


----------



## Dtuck90

Is Saturn still coming?


----------



## Peter Ruby

Whitigir said:


> I agree, and I am the same here



a man of skill, integrity and morals? About as rare as a unicorn.


----------



## Whitigir

Dtuck90 said:


> Is Saturn still coming?


We had it compiled.  However, due to the many feedbacks between people not able to distinct the differences between firmwares and negatives about mod firmwares.  _We have decided that we should stop at these releases_ as Saturn is just a little different between Mercury and Jupiter.  It stays somewhere in between.


----------



## Dtuck90

Whitigir said:


> We had it compiled.  However, due to the many feedbacks between people not able to distinct the differences between firmwares and negatives about mod firmwares.  _We have decided that we should stop at these releases_ as Saturn is just a little different between Mercury and Jupiter.  It stays somewhere in between.



Thanks for the clarification. Looks like I’m sticking with Mercury.


----------



## Queen6

Whitigir said:


> We had it compiled.  However, due to the many feedbacks between people not able to distinct the differences between firmwares and negatives about mod firmwares.  _We have decided that we should stop at these releases_ as Saturn is just a little different between Mercury and Jupiter.  It stays somewhere in between.



Pity...

Q-6


----------



## AlexCBSN

Whitigir said:


> We had it compiled.  However, due to the many feedbacks between people not able to distinct the differences between firmwares and negatives about mod firmwares.  _We have decided that we should stop at these releases_ as Saturn is just a little different between Mercury and Jupiter.  It stays somewhere in between.



Oh man, that’s a pity, I really admire your work and seriously appreciate it. Thank you so much for your dedication guys


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 13, 2020)

Maybe consider to release Saturn as the hard work is done, then take stock and update the signatures again in 3-6 months?

Q-6


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 13, 2020)

We don't think Saturn is neccesary as there's just a niche market filled by Solis mostly.


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> I don't think Saturn is neccesary as it's quite a niche market filled with Solis mostly.


It is true as The differences is very little “nuances” even with hardware modified Walkmans.


----------



## mejoshua

After listening to Solis for awhile on my 1A, I loved the incredible layering, soundstage and resolution. However, I am a little over sensitive to treble and even though Solis is fairly smooth I found after a while that my ears were slightly fatigued from what I suspect is some intensity at the lower treble area (which I think contributes to the grand space and wonderful detail retrieval). I'm on Universal region (I think), and am wondering if changing to J region firmware will help 'balance' out the signature for me. Any thoughts?

I went back to D.1.02 and missed the grandness and detail of Solis  planning to try JupiterT3 today too and see if I can find some middle ground.


----------



## Vitaly2017

flyer1 said:


> Don't worry it's uncapped. I was quite suprised by how good CEV sounded. Better synergies than J for my setup!




Thanks so much for recommending me the CEV region.  CEV + SolisT5 is amazing with my fourte black and 1z!  Something feels more natural in the treble region with CEV vs J.
Solist5 with fourte black is really holographic even more then with my Trio Tomorrow will have a looonnnggg session with my new noire's yaaasss


----------



## aradan

Whitigir said:


> DMP Z1 has Dual Slots
> After a whole journey with Walkman.  Finally my Titan (best of Sony) is going to have the benefits too !!!!
> 
> Time to Enjoy the Titan again



Congrats man. Enjoy the music 

I have got my WM1Z today


----------



## 524419

nc8000 said:


> For me doing a lot of travelling the convenience of having access to my entire music collection more than outweighs the minimal sq loss in going from hires to red book


I don't think SQ loss is minimal, if you are listening on high resolving quality gear. I have a 1TB card and would not even dream on downgrading my file quality.


----------



## nc8000

Diet Kokaine said:


> I don't think SQ loss is minimal, if you are listening on high resolving quality gear. I have a 1TB card and would not even dream on downgrading my file quality.



To my ears the difference is minimal on most recordings but each person make their own choices and compromises to suit their situation


----------



## 524419

nc8000 said:


> To my ears the difference is minimal on most recordings but each person make their own choices and compromises to suit their situation


True enough...we all hear things differently


----------



## Dtuck90

As someone’s who’s set up isn’t good enough for Solis I’d still be interested in Saturn


----------



## Whitigir

Our firmwares are pulled Down and postponed indefinitely.  We are no longer sharing our mod-firmwares.
For all that said, enjoy your music


----------



## siruspan

Whitigir said:


> Our firmwares are pulled Down and postponed indefinitely.  We are no longer sharing our mod-firmwares.
> For all that said, enjoy your music



What's the reason?


----------



## Dtuck90

I’m guessing Sony have got involved?


----------



## nc8000

Or too much negativity from certain members


----------



## Morbideath

Enjoy our music! That's what matters in the end, isn't it?


----------



## Quang23693 (Mar 14, 2020)

siruspan said:


> What's the reason?


They work hard to make all of the best fw for everyone .but some people deny it.  That hurt them .
Thank you for the work dark side team have done for us .
i still wait new fw from them. Hope so


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 14, 2020)

Quang23693 said:


> They work hard to make all of the best fw for everyone .but some people deny it.  That hurt them .
> Thank you for the work dark side team have done for us .
> i still wait new fw form them. Hope so


Nahhhh don't need to exacerbate the issue. We simply have been under too much risk and pressure from the u know who.
Now it's time to step back, unload the burdens and let our community help each other.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Our firmwares are pulled Down and postponed indefinitely.  We are no longer sharing our mod-firmwares.
> For all that said, enjoy your music


----------



## proedros

i have been parked on solis5 for the last 3 days , maybe it's brain-in or cable brain in but Zeus XR has gotten even more balanced and full with 1960s 2w

Huge shout out to @Morbideath  and @Whitigir (aka the WM team) for giving us all these lovely FWs


----------



## CasioPSX (Mar 14, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Nahhhh don't need to exacerbate the issue. We simply have been under too much risk and pressure from the u know who.
> Now it's time to step back, unload the burdens and let our community help each other.



the day I get my wm1a this happens ;_;
good luck to you and whitigir and lots of love thank you both for your hard work for this community (•_•)7


----------



## etlouis

Hi guys, just one question: Is it still worth jumping on the Sony bandwagon this late? Should I invest in some other DAP like a AK SA700 or Sp1000M?
Does anyone have modded wm1a and how it compares to DAPs nowadays?

TBH I have an old Sony PCM M10 (the damn thing is indestructible), and still works perfectly fine. God bless Sony's craftsmanship.
The only thing I'm worried about is the 3.5mm jack and the solder losing its grip from a decade of abuse.


----------



## siruspan (Mar 14, 2020)

etlouis said:


> Hi guys, just one question: Is it still worth jumping on the Sony bandwagon this late? Should I invest in some other DAP like a AK SA700 or Sp1000M?
> Does anyone have modded wm1a and how it compares to DAPs nowadays?
> 
> TBH I have an old Sony PCM M10 (the damn thing is indestructible), and still works perfectly fine. God bless Sony's craftsmanship.
> The only thing I'm worried about is the 3.5mm jack and the solder losing its grip from a decade of abuse.



Cayin N8 came in for a review 2 days ago. First impression is that I like it more than Astell SP2000 (because it's more exciting) and Chord Hugo 2 (because it's warmer and more full bodied). It's not as technically proficient but it's not that far off and it's definately in the same league.

Compared to stock WM1A it's clearly better by quite a margin however compared to WM1A with modded firmware it's not that obvious anymore. They are also quite different and I didn't do all that much a/b comparisons but that's quite remarkable how much better WM1A gets. It really closes the gap to the big (and much more expensive) boys.


----------



## Layman1 (Mar 14, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> That is up to Tier 3.  I only see Romni Audio doing a Tier 4.  I will list out the Tier differences here.  This is due to the complexity on the performed works, and also the performances that scales up with it.  This is from my own views, the modder may look at it differently .  It is always a good idea to email them
> 
> Tier 1: Internal wires upgrades
> 
> ...



@Whitigir or anyone who knows, I saw mention of Tier 5 in some places.

Just wondering what T5 is and how it differs from T4?


----------



## Peter Ruby

I’ve been glued to this thread for months. Pretty much since I bought my wm1A, ier-z1r and ier-m9 combo. Thank you all who have been contributing and adding to it. Best community on the entire web.


----------



## Vitaly2017

siruspan said:


> Cayin N8 came in for a review 2 days ago. First impression is that I like it more than Astell SP2000 (because it's more exciting) and Chord Hugo 2 (because it's warmer and more full bodied). It's not as technically proficient but it's not that far off and it's definately in the same league.
> 
> Compared to stock WM1A it's clearly better by quite a margin however compared to WM1A with modded firmware it's not that obvious anymore. They are also quite different and I didn't do all that much a/b comparisons but that's quite remarkable how much better WM1A gets. It really closes the gap to the big (and much more expensive) boys.




Have done a similar comparison n8 vs stock 1z and 1z still won !

I am glad I stayed with my lovely wm1z  )


----------



## Queen6

etlouis said:


> Hi guys, just one question: Is it still worth jumping on the Sony bandwagon this late? Should I invest in some other DAP like a AK SA700 or Sp1000M?
> Does anyone have modded wm1a and how it compares to DAPs nowadays?
> 
> TBH I have an old Sony PCM M10 (the damn thing is indestructible), and still works perfectly fine. God bless Sony's craftsmanship.
> The only thing I'm worried about is the 3.5mm jack and the solder losing its grip from a decade of abuse.



For me it's Sony's sound signature that draws, the build quality is top notch which I also appreciate. I recently wanted to upgrade my DAP, despite the numerous options I settled on the WM1A. I want my music on the DAP and long battery life, simple as that. Not in a position to comment on A&K, did pickup a FiiO M11 Pro, yet I far prefer the WM1A. The M11 Pro is extremely technically competent, however the magic is missing.

I wouldn't worry about the jacks as they can be replaced by a competent technician and Sony being Sony they will have longevity. The Signature Series IMO Sony absolutely stands behind, more so than most...

Q-6


----------



## gearofwar (Mar 14, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Thanks so much for recommending me the CEV region.  CEV + SolisT5 is amazing with my fourte black and 1z!  Something feels more natural in the treble region with CEV vs J.
> Solist5 with fourte black is really holographic even more then with my Trio Tomorrow will have a looonnnggg session with my new noire's yaaasss


When you tried my 1a at canjam, it happened to be on CEV (mine is a UK unit) , thinking about switching back to that now


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> When you tried my 1a at canjam, it happened to be on CEV (mine is a UK unit) , thinking about switching back to that now




It was very balanced flat as sound. Really sounded like A18T. 
With 1z the sound is different but with cev the treble feels more natural dont know why  I guess new iems doing that


----------



## Whitigir

Synergies!!!! Is the king per @proedros


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 14, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> When you tried my 1a at canjam, it happened to be on CEV (mine is a UK unit) , thinking about switching back to that now





Vitaly2017 said:


> It was very balanced flat as sound. Really sounded like A18T.
> With 1z the sound is different but with cev the treble feels more natural dont know why  I guess new iems doing that



Yet to try CEV, don't want to mix things up too quickly.  Currently on stock 3.02 & J region. Happy to give it some time and then explore further....

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

Queen6 said:


> Yet to try CEV, don't want to mix things up too quickly.  Currently on stock 3.02 & J region. Happy to give it some time and then explore further....
> 
> Q-6




Dude get jupiter t3 or solist5 asap ! ) ) )

Stock fw isnt as good as the new fw )


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 15, 2020)

On WM1A/Z does switching to high gain also increase current to 4.4/3.5, or solely amplitude? QLS 361 has multiple options with high/low current differentiated from high/low gain options.

On WM1A (set to J region) with Dunu 3001 Pro & Campfire Andromeda, High Gain seems to be a touch more revealing, or is it just in my head? Pink Floyd's classic _On The Run_ the train announcement appears to offer more clarity even with volume matching on high gain. Passing 100 hours WM1A started to sound a little thick too thick on J region, passing 120 opening out again.

All tracks DSD@5.6MHz

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 14, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Dude get jupiter t3 or solist5 asap ! ) ) )
> 
> Stock fw isnt as good as the new fw )



All in good time. The solar system is in a very safe place be assured of that, _Cats out the bag_....

Q-6


----------



## proedros (Mar 14, 2020)

fans of ambient/electronica , this is a STELLAR compilation

for just 7$ , you buy 2 hours of sonic bliss

but don't hear me , hear for yourselves.... (@Whitigir  you 're gonna love this....check it out)

*click on the top part of the image to go to the bandcamp page

*


----------



## 8481

Does CEV have the volume cap?


----------



## iamdman

I recently purchased a 1Z and super excited for that! Going through the burn-in process now...it powers my HD650 easily ( high gain and close to 100 volume). I also have a Beyer T1.2 that is powered by Vioelectric HP281 as part of my desktop setup. I was thinking of getting a 4.4mm balanced cable for T1.2 to use with 1Z but not sure if i 1Z will be able to push T1.2. So I am wondering if using a 4.4mm to XLR cable (like: https://lqicables.com/products/balanced-4-4mm-trrrs-plug-to-dual-xlr-3-pin-male) from 1Z to HP281 would be a good options? 1Z doesn't have true analog line out but from what I gather I can set the volume to max in 1Z that should work fine but wondering if it's worth a try?

My current desktop DAC is RME ADI-2 DAC FS and not sure if I will see any difference using 1Z to feed HP281 but wanted to give it a shot...

Any thoughts?

Thanks


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 14, 2020)

8481 said:


> Does CEV have the volume cap?



No according to RockBox CEV is uncapped.

Q-6


----------



## 8481

Queen6 said:


> No according to RockBox is uncapped.
> 
> Q-6



Awesome, thanks!


----------



## Queen6

8481 said:


> Awesome, thanks!



Check the link RockBox Your good with CEV

Q-6


----------



## CasioPSX

Queen6 said:


> On WM1A/Z does switching to high gain also increase current to 4.4/3.5, or solely amplitude? QLS 361 has multiple options with high/low current differentiated from high/low gain options.
> 
> On WM1A (set to J region) with Dunu 3001 Pro & Campfire Andromeda, High Gain seems to be a touch more revealing, or is it just in my head? Pink Floyd's classic _On The Run_ the train announcement appears to offer more clarity even with volume matching on high gain.
> 
> ...



hmm what firmware you using? I'm staying on stock J 3.02 for now. would you say the Andromeda has good synergy with this player? I'm about to buy a new pair of IEMs next week as soon as my tax return comes in so I'm between the andro v3 and the ier m9 as I heard both are great sounding for about the same price, so I'm looking for opinions about synergy with the 1A


----------



## gearofwar

Vitaly2017 said:


> It was very balanced flat as sound. Really sounded like A18T.
> With 1z the sound is different but with cev the treble feels more natural dont know why  I guess new iems doing that


I'm on CEV at the moment, I have to say that it's less bright than J and treble becomes more mellow. I can see why it's pairing well with Foute, I used to have that iem and the treble on it was really piercing, definitely not a good match with J


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> I'm on CEV at the moment, I have to say that it's less bright than J and treble becomes more mellow. I can see why it's pairing well with Foute, I used to have that iem and the treble on it was really piercing, definitely not a good match with J




Mine is fourte black a different type.  Its a new fourte  released last year. A special edition with only 500 units worldwide! 

I been listening to solist5 all day and.... i came back to Jupiter t3! + U  i really like the jupiter tuning after all! One of the best to my preferences. 

I have set U region as its much smoother in treble then J. It has now a superb synergy.


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 14, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> On WM1A/Z does switching to high gain also increase current to 4.4/3.5, or solely amplitude? QLS 361 has multiple options with high/low current differentiated from high/low gain options.
> 
> On WM1A (set to J region) with Dunu 3001 Pro & Campfire Andromeda, High Gain seems to be a touch more revealing, or is it just in my head? Pink Floyd's classic _On The Run_ the train announcement appears to offer more clarity even with volume matching on high gain.
> 
> ...


Try MX3... after 400hs and swich back and forth between new fw and 3.00 and 3.01


----------



## aceedburn

gearofwar said:


> I'm on CEV at the moment, I have to say that it's less bright than J and treble becomes more mellow. I can see why it's pairing well with Foute, I used to have that iem and the treble on it was really piercing, definitely not a good match with J


How’s the sub bass and mids with CEV? I like J because it has nice warmth and powerful sub bass. Mids don’t sound thin. Does CEV give a full warm sound as well?


----------



## aceedburn

Midnstorms said:


> Try MX3... after 400hs and swich back and forth between new fw and 3.00 and 3.01


How’s the sub bass and warmth with MX3? Compared to J?


----------



## gearofwar (Mar 14, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Mine is fourte black a different type.  Its a new fourte  released last year. A special edition with only 500 units worldwide!
> 
> I been listening to solist5 all day and.... i came back to Jupiter t3! + U  i really like the jupiter tuning after all! One of the best to my preferences.
> 
> I have set U region as its much smoother in treble then J. It has now a superb synergy.


I actually did realize that but I still expect it to be bright iem somewhat unless they have changed the tuning completely. That similar Mundorf solder I have in my iem does posses peaky characteristics and it's not that easy to tame.

I have been wondering if someone could make a chart or poll in this thread so that we could vote for the best combo region+fw, it will be interesting to see the result.


----------



## gearofwar (Mar 14, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> How’s the sub bass and mids with CEV? I like J because it has nice warmth and powerful sub bass. Mids don’t sound thin. Does CEV give a full warm sound as well?


I think it does have more sub bass with a more mellow treble. What interesting is that I feel the sound is being thrown more toward my face, remind me of the stock firmware


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> I actually did realize that but I still expect it to be bright iem somewhat unless they have changed the tuning completely. That similar Mundorf solder I have in my iem does posses peaky characteristics and it's not that easy to tame.
> 
> I have been wondering if someone could make a chart or poll so that we can vote for the best combo region+fw, it will be interesting to see.




H.mmm my experience with mundorf solder silver extream is different I felt it with my own ears. It really does transforms the sound and treble . It creates a feeling of sound becoming denser. Treble is so smothered down that it changes it sparkle.

The fourte noire is nothing like the original no treble pain or spike. It has even less treble peak then my trio!

Bass also has more control and less slam then trio. 
An well balanced sound overall with maximum organic feel )

It has superb resolution and imaging. With very fine detail retrieval. 

As you know I like bassy warm organic texturised sound with a slight treble shime...


----------



## NickleCo

aceedburn said:


> How’s the sub bass and warmth with MX3? Compared to J?


My findings might be skewed since my iem is already a bass monster to begin with but here arw my thoughts. MX3 is definitely leaner and more nuetral compared to J, treble is more prominent as well, it gives off a definitely airier feel to it and sub bass has a very natural decay to it so it doesnt linger all that much compared to J. In short MX3 has a milder sound to it compared to J


----------



## aceedburn

gearofwar said:


> I think it does have more sub bass with a more mellow treble. What interesting is that I feel the sound is being thrown more toward my face, remind me of the stock firmware


Hmm. Might try it then. Thanks for tour input bro.


----------



## aceedburn

DatDudeNic said:


> My findings might be skewed since my iem is already a bass monster to begin with but here arw my thoughts. MX3 is definitely leaner and more nuetral compared to J, treble is more prominent as well, it gives off a definitely airier feel to it and sub bass has a very natural decay to it so it doesnt linger all that much compared to J. In short MX3 has a milder sound to it compared to J


Thanks for the info. From what I read it’s not for me then. I prefer fuller warmer sound. That’s why I like J.


----------



## gearofwar

Vitaly2017 said:


> As you know I like bassy warm organic texturised sound with a slight treble shime...


I think our sound preference is matched but somehow we perceive the Foute differently. I'm really treble sensitive and I would pick u18t over Foute and yet the u18t is still somewhat bright for me. 

If you like warm organic sound with beautiful tone and treble, then you should definitely give em10 or Grace a try.


----------



## NickleCo

aceedburn said:


> Thanks for the info. From what I read it’s not for me then. I prefer fuller warmer sound. That’s why I like J.


You should try CEV! Its not as forward sounding as J but it certainly has a fuller sound to it compared to MX3. But unlike J it doesnt get congested since midbass isnt as prominent compared to J


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> I think our sound preference is matched but somehow we perceive the Foute differently. I'm really treble sensitive and I would pick u18t over Foute and yet the u18t is still somewhat bright for me.
> 
> If you like warm organic sound with beautiful tone and treble, then you should definitely give em10 or Grace a try.




I also need apex for pressure control system. Without it I cant listen I get ear fatigue. My ear drums really dont like the vacuum seal any more. After 2.5 hours of consecutive listen its not douable beyond that....

So 64a has all the good tech under same house )

Today was my first day with my noire I got maybe 8 hours of listen lol. They are wven more comfortable then trio and sound being more balanced makes it much easier on my ears to but less fun lol. Cant have it all dang it...


----------



## NickleCo (Mar 15, 2020)

CEV+Solis is another winning combo! You get very natural, smooth sounding vocals (+the sweet sound solis is known for) bass is not overdone at all its pretty subdued but with enough slam to keep your toes tapping. Decay is a tad bit longer compared to mx3+3.00 though.


----------



## hshock76

Vitaly2017 said:


> I also need apex for pressure control system. Without it I cant listen I get ear fatigue. My ear drums really dont like the vacuum seal any more. After 2.5 hours of consecutive listen its not douable beyond that....
> 
> So 64a has all the good tech under same house )
> 
> Today was my first day with my noire I got maybe 8 hours of listen lol. They are wven more comfortable then trio and sound being more balanced makes it much easier on my ears to but less fun lol. Cant have it all dang it...



Keep the trio then. U can have both beer and wine in the fridge


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> Keep the trio then. U can have both beer and wine in the fridge




I just a/b trio and fourte noire and the noire kinda eats the trios for a snack seriously. 
The bass on the noire is enormous! 
I just gota get more used to its treble. Its so different from trio resonance... trio is metalic with slightly more echoing but less resolution.  On the noire its resolution first then the tonality.

Still a little confused here lol Its my first day with them. Will see tomorrow how it goes.


----------



## Queen6

CasioPSX said:


> hmm what firmware you using? I'm staying on stock J 3.02 for now. would you say the Andromeda has good synergy with this player? I'm about to buy a new pair of IEMs next week as soon as my tax return comes in so I'm between the andro v3 and the ier m9 as I heard both are great sounding for about the same price, so I'm looking for opinions about synergy with the 1A



3.02 switched to J. Personally no complaints with Andromeda, there is some background noise, however for it to be intrusive the volume would need to be set to intolerable/dangerous levels.

Q-6


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 15, 2020)

For me CEV is the opposite, i don't feel much changes for treble but mid-bass presence is more prominent than J, the bass is somewhere between J and CA.


----------



## aceedburn

DatDudeNic said:


> You should try CEV! Its not as forward sounding as J but it certainly has a fuller sound to it compared to MX3. But unlike J it doesnt get congested since midbass isnt as prominent compared to J


Absolutely going to try it shortly. Thanks.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> For me CEV is the opposite, i don't feel much changes for treble but mid-bass presence is more prominent than J, the bass is somewhere between J and CA.




I came back to J + j3zu again lol
Tried CEV then U and J+j3zu just has something special no other fw can do. I dony know it so good. Thight bass shimmery treble. Vocals are great. I just love it. Soundstage is very holographic aswell


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 15, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> For me CEV is the opposite, i don't feel much changes for treble but mid-bass presence is more prominent than J, the bass is somewhere between J and CA.



To me _CA_ the midbass tends to spill over as is too dominant, _J _is very full, yet balanced. _CEV_ yet to try and lazy to do so, if getting lost in the music, I don't feel the need to change it up too much, time and a place...



She Rides  

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

Queen6 said:


> To me _CA_ the midbass tends to spill over as is too dominant, _J _is very full, yet balanced. _CEV_ yet to try and lazy to do so, if getting lost in the music, I don't feel the need to change it up too much, time and a place...
> 
> 
> She Rides
> ...




CEV is also good I find it best right after J

J
CEV
CA
U
NEVER USE E  lol that was my oem region boooo


----------



## aceedburn (Mar 15, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> To me _CA_ the midbass tends to spill over as is too dominant, _J _is very full, yet balanced. _CEV_ yet to try and lazy to do so, if getting lost in the music, I don't feel the need to change it up too much, time and a place...
> 
> 
> She Rides
> ...


There is no room for laziness in the quest for audio nirvana. Hahaha. I will try CEV and report back. I think my preferred sig is like yours. As stated in the earlier post, CEV sits in the middle  of J and CA. I found CA too bassy and muddy. J I like but will try CEV.


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 15, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> There is no room for laziness in the quest for audio nirvana. Hahaha. I will try CEV and report back. I think my preferred sig is like yours. As stated in the earlier post, CEV sits in the middle  of J and CA. I found CA too bassy and muddy. J I like but will try CEV.



You know then your _there _as the music simply sends you...

J, 3.02 , Vinyl Processor

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 15, 2020)

D.P.


----------



## proedros

so many combos we can play with - i mean depending on what you can have , the options/combinations are unlimited (almost)

wm1a / wm1z
stock / modified
Region (J, CEV, CA etc)
Sony FWs / M&W FWs
1st batch of M&W FWs / Space Batch Of M&W FWs
Tier 1-2-3 (+Solis T5)

and of course most of you have like 5 diferent iems to rotate with 

So yeah like i said - endless possibilities

*Currently on Stock WM1A /J region / Solis T5 / EE Zeus XR / PW 1960s 2w (4.4 mm)*


----------



## gerelmx1986

What is the difference between CEV and E2? 

Ny the way, I went back to IER-Z1R  stock tips (was using IER-M7  rubber tipa) and the soundstage increased by quite a margin


----------



## jogurt79

Is possible somewhere download service software (test mode) to wm1z?


----------



## nc8000

jogurt79 said:


> Is possible somewhere download service software (test mode) to wm1z?



I don't think such software exist outside Sony service centers. What do you want to test ?


----------



## aceedburn

Queen6 said:


> You know then your _there _as the music simply sends you...
> 
> J, 3.02 , Vinyl Processor
> 
> Q-6


Yeah. Which vinyl processor setting do you use?


----------



## aceedburn (Mar 15, 2020)

Allrighty then. Changed region to CEV. Stock 3.02 on WM1A. Direct On. One word. Milky Way. Quite simply it’s the best combination at the moment. As we all hear differently and use different gear, I can only say what I hear and feel. Sub bass is super good and low. Lower than J with much more definition. Much more resolving and fantastically pounding low. Mids very articulate and clear. No mid bass hump like J and CA. Treble is sparkly and precise. Less piercing than J but more resolving than CA. Here’s my take on the 3 regions which are all based on stock 3.02 on 1A.

CA- my least favourite of all.Deep sub bass with mid bass hump that gets way too muddy. Mids and Treble a bit too recessed for my liking.
J-2nd favourite. Deep sub bass with slight mid bass hump. Mids are sweet and treble very sparkly. Perhaps a little too piercing from time to time.
CEV - My no.1 favourite. Super deep sub bass. Superb resolution and definition. I hear new sounds in the sub region now after so long owning the 1A. Mid bass is transparent. Mids and vocals are sweet and super clear with a slight air. Treble is perfect. Super clear, super resolving. Never too piercing. The perfect mix for me.
Hope this helps out whoever looking to find a suitable region change according to your preferred signature.


----------



## Damz87

aceedburn said:


> Allrighty then. Changed region to CEV. Stock 3.02 on WM1A. Direct On. One word. Milky Way. Quite simply it’s the best combination at the moment. As we all hear differently and use different gear, I can only say what I hear and feel. Sub bass is super good and low. Lower than J with much more definition. Much more resolving and fantastically pounding low. Mids very articulate and clear. No mid bass hump like J and CA. Treble is sparkly and precise. Less piercing than J but more resolving than CA. Here’s my take on the 3 regions which are all based on stock 3.02 on 1A.
> 
> CA- my least favourite of all.Deep sub bass with mid bass hump that gets way too muddy. Mids and Treble a bit too recessed for my liking.
> J-2nd favourite. Deep sub bass with slight mid bass hump. Mids are sweet and treble very sparkly. Perhaps a little too piercing from time to time.
> ...



Thanks for the comparison. Will have to give CEV a shot.

Are you using your Z5’s for these comparisons?


----------



## aceedburn

Damz87 said:


> Thanks for the comparison. Will have to give CEV a shot.
> 
> Are you using your Z5’s for these comparisons?


Yes. I used the Z5 as well as the 1more triple driver headphones.


----------



## proedros

aceedburn said:


> Allrighty then. Changed region to CEV. Stock 3.02 on WM1A. Direct On. One word. Milky Way. Quite simply it’s the best combination at the moment. As we all hear differently and use different gear, I can only say what I hear and feel. Sub bass is super good and low. Lower than J with much more definition. Much more resolving and fantastically pounding low. Mids very articulate and clear. No mid bass hump like J and CA. Treble is sparkly and precise. Less piercing than J but more resolving than CA. Here’s my take on the 3 regions which are all based on stock 3.02 on 1A.
> 
> CA- my least favourite of all.Deep sub bass with mid bass hump that gets way too muddy. Mids and Treble a bit too recessed for my liking.
> J-2nd favourite. Deep sub bass with slight mid bass hump. Mids are sweet and treble very sparkly. Perhaps a little too piercing from time to time.
> ...




what's the way to change to CEV , please ?

Currently on J region , using @nc8000 rockbox exe info


----------



## 8481

proedros said:


> what's the way to change to CEV , please ?
> 
> Currently on J region , using @nc8000 rockbox exe info



Replace 'J' with 'CEV' in the part you copy paste into command prompt.


----------



## jogurt79

nc8000 said:


> I don't think such software exist outside Sony service centers. What do you want to test ?



I have problem with balanced output, right channel is ok, but left is about 80% volume sometimes only 20% - is possible change "turn off" and "turn on" direct mode (from 20 to 80).

It happened after I downgraded software (I dont know exact version, but it was 1.xx) and after upgrade it to last version it remained.


----------



## nc8000

jogurt79 said:


> I have problem with balanced output, right channel is ok, but left is about 80% volume sometimes only 20% - is possible change "turn off" and "turn on" direct mode (from 20 to 80).
> 
> It happened after I downgraded software (I dont know exact version, but it was 1.xx) and after upgrade it to last version it remained.



That happened to me a few years ago. Sony’s advice is to do a full factory reset of the player and that cured the problem for me


----------



## jogurt79

nc8000 said:


> That happened to me a few years ago. Sony’s advice is to do a full factory reset of the player and that cured the problem for me



I tried it and it changed from 20% to 80% mostly.


----------



## Layman1

Hi, just wondering if anyone can provide me with a link to the Rockbox software for changing region?
Every link I've followed seems to have it removed from the webpage..
Or feel free to PM me with suggestions.
Many thanks


----------



## Whitigir

I updated my post with newer link that should have everything inside


----------



## nc8000

Layman1 said:


> Hi, just wondering if anyone can provide me with a link to the Rockbox software for changing region?
> Every link I've followed seems to have it removed from the webpage..
> Or feel free to PM me with suggestions.
> Many thanks



This one from whitigir

https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=...9&parId=205104062D6EF9FE!454180&action=locate


----------



## Vitaly2017

While CEV is also one of my favorite but it doesnt beat the J + j3zu )

Stock firmware doesnt sound as good or refined. But j3zu is like stock fw with extream optimisation and smootbnes.
I can feel more details and it adds some clarity and resolution. 

Maybe will try stock fw for 1 day just to see how it sounds. Since we got new fw I departed from stock fw long time a go hahaha


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> This one from whitigir
> 
> https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=!ABYGSXaLqUDygTA&cid=205104062D6EF9FE&id=205104062D6EF9FE!455039&parId=205104062D6EF9FE!454180&action=locate


Actually is uploaded and hosted by @captblaze .  I just borrowed his link


----------



## iamdman

iamdman said:


> I recently purchased a 1Z and super excited for that! Going through the burn-in process now...it powers my HD650 easily ( high gain and close to 100 volume). I also have a Beyer T1.2 that is powered by Vioelectric HP281 as part of my desktop setup. I was thinking of getting a 4.4mm balanced cable for T1.2 to use with 1Z but not sure if i 1Z will be able to push T1.2. So I am wondering if using a 4.4mm to XLR cable (like: https://lqicables.com/products/balanced-4-4mm-trrrs-plug-to-dual-xlr-3-pin-male) from 1Z to HP281 would be a good options? 1Z doesn't have true analog line out but from what I gather I can set the volume to max in 1Z that should work fine but wondering if it's worth a try?
> 
> My current desktop DAC is RME ADI-2 DAC FS and not sure if I will see any difference using 1Z to feed HP281 but wanted to give it a shot...
> 
> ...



Anyone? Using external amp for Z1 and find it better than their desktop dac?

Thanks


----------



## Vitaly2017

Can you guys see my signature?

I cant see my self I guess?


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Can you guys see my signature?
> 
> I cant see my self I guess?



Yep. If you’re on a smartphone turn it 90 degrees


----------



## Layman1

Whitigir said:


> I updated my post with newer link that should have everything inside



@Whitigir which post is that? Could you provide a link? So sorry to bother you!


----------



## Queen6

aceedburn said:


> Yeah. Which vinyl processor setting do you use?



Right now Standard 

Q-6


----------



## Whitigir

Layman1 said:


> @Whitigir which post is that? Could you provide a link? So sorry to bother you!


https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=...9&parId=205104062D6EF9FE!454180&action=locate


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 15, 2020)

I thnk MX3 its awesome midbass is recesed boosted trebble gives more res to the player and 3.00 gives the most resolution i have heard... maybe the sony team really worked hard in that particular release dough you have to heavy EQ bass and maybe recess the 8k peak.. It the best out of my walkman discovered by accident actually couse one member here stated 3.00 was good and i say it wasent posible it had no bass then i went there and check myself and bass its a beast indeed more when you enable low B and surface noice the player turns into an very wide U, just try it! it is very iem and tip dependant olso i think it will vary if you have balanced....


----------



## Mindstorms

does anyone has a list of all regions that can share with me?


----------



## Queen6

Midnstorms said:


> does anyone has a list of all regions that can share with me?



https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool


----------



## Queen6

aceedburn said:


> Allrighty then. Changed region to CEV. Stock 3.02 on WM1A. Direct On. One word. Milky Way. Quite simply it’s the best combination at the moment. As we all hear differently and use different gear, I can only say what I hear and feel. Sub bass is super good and low. Lower than J with much more definition. Much more resolving and fantastically pounding low. Mids very articulate and clear. No mid bass hump like J and CA. Treble is sparkly and precise. Less piercing than J but more resolving than CA. Here’s my take on the 3 regions which are all based on stock 3.02 on 1A.
> 
> CA- my least favourite of all.Deep sub bass with mid bass hump that gets way too muddy. Mids and Treble a bit too recessed for my liking.
> J-2nd favourite. Deep sub bass with slight mid bass hump. Mids are sweet and treble very sparkly. Perhaps a little too piercing from time to time.
> ...



WM1A is still on J 3.02, liking your description of CEV so might _flip the switch_ in the near future, I'll also revisit E once the player passes 200 hours...

Q-6


----------



## CasioPSX (Mar 15, 2020)

ive tried CEV and J on stock 3.02, i feel like CEV is better for my more bass heavy electronic music while J is better for anything with real instruments, besides stuff with bass emphasis like some jazz. Currently on CEV but might switch back to J because i feel J is a little bit more all arounder.

edit: changed back to J and atleast for me, its still the best, i feel like i was missing some detail in CEV now that im back to J, but again thats up to everyone to decide for themselves due to their hearing and setup! just stating my opinion incase anyone cares!


----------



## CasioPSX

Vitaly2017 said:


> While CEV is also one of my favorite but it doesnt beat the J + j3zu )
> 
> Stock firmware doesnt sound as good or refined. But j3zu is like stock fw with extream optimisation and smootbnes.
> I can feel more details and it adds some clarity and resolution.
> ...



hmm what is your setup?


----------



## nc8000

After another weeks testing I’m sticking to J plus Solis on stock 1Z with IER. It is the combo that does best across all types of music for me


----------



## Vitaly2017

CasioPSX said:


> hmm what is your setup?



Its in my new signature below ma name in colors !


----------



## proedros

Vitaly2017 said:


> Its in my new signature below ma name in colors !



love the LSD colours , i would have put them starting with the source ---> iems (into your ears)

just my 0.02 cents


----------



## Queen6

Woke early 


96kHz/24 bit - DC Lineariser standard, Vinyl Processor Surface Noise, epic...

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

CasioPSX said:


> ive tried CEV and J on stock 3.02, i feel like CEV is better for my more bass heavy electronic music while J is better for anything with real instruments, besides stuff with bass emphasis like some jazz. Currently on CEV but might switch back to J because i feel J is a little bit more all arounder.
> 
> edit: changed back to J and atleast for me, its still the best, i feel like i was missing some detail in CEV now that im back to J, but again thats up to everyone to decide for themselves due to their hearing and setup! just stating my opinion incase anyone cares!



Although an easy task, I'm finding it hard to switch away from J.  My music crosses many genre's to me J seems to offer the best balance of the regions I've tried. Yet to try CEV and will likely do so in time.

Q-6


----------



## Whitigir

Queen6 said:


> Woke early
> 
> 96kHz/24 bit - DC Lineariser standard, Vinyl Processor Surface Noise, epic...
> 
> Q-6


All of those DSP will work even better with mod firmwares due to the improved algorithms


----------



## Queen6

Whitigir said:


> All of those DSP will work even better with mod firmwares due to the improved algorithms



I'm heading there slowly but surely, with the solar system safely captured 

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> All of those DSP will work even better with mod firmwares due to the improved algorithms



I can confirm that details do sound much more clear and refined with custom fw.
Its like a layer of filter was removed and we now have pure sound!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Queen6 said:


> Although an easy task, I'm finding it hard to switch away from J.  My music crosses many genre's to me J seems to offer the best balance of the regions I've tried. Yet to try CEV and will likely do so in time.
> 
> Q-6




CEV  is second best after J so far...

But if u like V sound go CA
Bass, mushiest treble U
Skewed mids and V shaped  E lol.

Feel free to try all regions I only Try those I mentioned.

Again I am back to J+j3zu its perfection with my new Tia Fourte Noire!
There is some hidden black magic somewhere its very addictive! 

So crunchy punchy nice tight bass and super clean black background which plays so nicely when music transitions from 1 nuance to next. 

Its like you dive into a black hole and comeback threw another back to our galaxy lmao


----------



## Peter Ruby

Does anyone have a link to the description of the new firmwares? I was going to take down some notes between the IER-Z1Rs and IRR-M9s.

Thank you in advance.


----------



## Queen6

Vitaly2017 said:


> CEV  is second best after J so far...
> 
> But if u like V sound go CA
> Bass, mushiest treble U
> ...



Tried _CN, E, CA_ & J; _CN _is a resolution monster, with tamed bass, _E _too much V to the point of being harsh on WM1A (low hours), _CA _is good, however the mid-bass spills into other aspects of the music. _J _is thick, rich & emotive.  Also on high gain at present to see the difference versus low gain, barring the obvious.

Q-6


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 15, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> Tried _CN, E, CA_ & J; _CN _is a resolution monster, with tamed bass, _E _too much V to the point of being harsh on WM1A (low hours), _CA _is good, however the mid-bass spills into other aspects of the music. _J _is thick, rich & emotive.  Also on high gain at present to see the difference versus low gain, barring the obvious.
> 
> Q-6


MX3? Ive fiounded MX3 similar to CN ALso CA its mild V shaped E its very harsh on highs

-CA pairs well with 3.01.. its a very robust pair

- E paits well with 3.02

- MX3 Pairs well with 3.00

- DMP 1.01 and CN pairs very well! Its my good allternative to 3.00 and MX3 If you are into super high res and awesome staging


I may made a chart of all variants but may take a wile maybe if we all listen and share impressions its easyer..


----------



## JML

So us Mac users are out of luck with these firmware tweaks?


----------



## captblaze

JML said:


> So us Mac users are out of luck with these firmware tweaks?



if you want to set up a VM running windows or if you have Bootcamp and run windows that way. it seems to be the only sure fire way because there is no Sony support for Catalina at the moment.


----------



## Lookout57

JML said:


> So us Mac users are out of luck with these firmware tweaks?


I did create macOS versions of these firmwares and shared them with Morbideath. The macOS versions only work with macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier.

They were publicly available with the Windows versions before they had to take them down.


----------



## buzzlulu

The last time I looked at the Rockbox tool was 3 years ago when I changed the region on my UK WM1Z to remove the volume cap. 

One thing I just noticed in the Rockbox documentation. It appears to indicate that high gain is not available in the J region.  Is this true?

Second - I changed my region 3 years ago when I borrowed a Windows computer (I am a Mac user).
Is there any way for me to see what region I changed my 1Z to somewhere in the settings on the device?  Or does it needs to be connected to a Windows computer again in order to see the region.


----------



## Whitigir

It has to be connected to a windows PC and use the tool in order to check it software region changes

Japan has no Volume Cap, and all units without Volume Cap will have high gain


----------



## Lookout57

buzzlulu said:


> The last time I looked at the Rockbox tool was 3 years ago when I changed the region on my UK WM1Z to remove the volume cap.
> 
> One thing I just noticed in the Rockbox documentation. It appears to indicate that high gain is not available in the J region.  Is this true?
> 
> ...


FYI, there is a Linux version of Rockbox tool. So macOS users should be able to use it in a virtualized environment.


----------



## CasioPSX

I know this would probably be impossible but I would love if someone could make a sort of bootloader for the 1a/1z, and you would store the files on the internal memory, so every time you reset, on startup it could ask what region and what firmware you wanted and start it up as such. probably would take longer than a normal startup but it would be worth it for experimenting with different regions, firmwares, and iems in a more convenient and efficient way. either way, again, probably just a pipe dream and impossible to make, but it's always nice to dream!


----------



## aceedburn

CasioPSX said:


> I know this would probably be impossible but I would love if someone could make a sort of bootloader for the 1a/1z, and you would store the files on the internal memory, so every time you reset, on startup it could ask what region and what firmware you wanted and start it up as such. probably would take longer than a normal startup but it would be worth it for experimenting with different regions, firmwares, and iems in a more convenient and efficient way. either way, again, probably just a pipe dream and impossible to make, but it's always nice to dream!


Would be an awesome wet dream indeed. But the rock box tool would not be able to execute itself on the walkman. That is a big challenge


----------



## blazinblazin (Mar 16, 2020)

E and E2 are different running 3.02

E2 has more power than E.
E is more V shape while E2 is more balanced.

I am running E2 for my setup.


----------



## auronthas (Mar 16, 2020)

Hi, here's a stupid question ... how to check which firmware that I have installed in my Walkman ? I really forgot whether mine is Jupiter Tier 2 or Tier 3 ?


----------



## newworld666

That's my question since the beginning of those news firmwares parameters ..
I tried also to measure frequency response, waterfall, distortion etc with a minidsp ears and I couldn't confirm any difference between all installed firmwares on my WM1A ..
So I suspect, I could never install them correctly till now.
I was hoping someone would also measure any difference somewhere between firmwares, but no one did it these last weeks, so I have no idea of where to look to confirm some parts of the changes.


----------



## proedros

auronthas said:


> Hi, here's a stupid question ... how to check which firmware that I have installed in my Walkman ? I really forgot whether mine is Jupiter Tier 2 or Tier 3 ?



i think you only get 3.02 - what i do , in the folder where i store all FWs i have a txt file and i just write which FW i have installed by date

*05.03 Mercury T2(universal always)
06.03 venus T2(universal always)-got some sibilance
11.03 Mercury T3(universal) LIKED IT A LOT
11.03 Jupiter T3(universal always) FELING PLASTIC AND HOLLOW
11.03 Venus T3(universal) GOOD BUT SOMEHOW CLOSE
12.03 SOLIS T5 
16.03 Mercury T3(universal)*


----------



## auronthas

proedros said:


> i think you only get 3.02 - what i do , in the folder where i store all FWs i have a txt file and i just write which FW i have installed by date
> 
> *05.03 Mercury T2(universal always)
> 06.03 venus T2(universal always)-got some sibilance
> ...



I fully understand only firmware 3.0.2 can be seen in UNIT INFORMATION.  Thanks for your good tips, looks like i need to recall the firmware J2AU or J3AU , reinstalled again. I created exactly the similar folder structure/directory for these firmwares, good to describe them based on my preference may be with ***** rating at the filename


----------



## blazinblazin

newworld666 said:


> That's my question since the beginning of those news firmwares parameters ..
> I tried also to measure frequency response, waterfall, distortion etc with a minidsp ears and I couldn't confirm any difference between all installed firmwares on my WM1A ..
> So I suspect, I could never install them correctly till now.
> I was hoping someone would also measure any difference somewhere between firmwares, but no one did it these last weeks, so I have no idea of where to look to confirm some parts of the changes.


I would say just use your ears.


----------



## Redcarmoose

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/newworld666.519448/

Only way is to reinstall to make sure.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 16, 2020)

Gravitational waves were never measured and detected, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist....it was just that no human could think of a way to measure it until now.

So let’s keep that in mind

Anyways, as @Redcarmoose said, just use your ears.  If you are not satisfied, stock firmware is the best


----------



## 524419

Battery FINALLY gets delivered tomorrow. 
Rumors of a nationwide "China style 2 week Quarantine are abound" at least my Battery will be here, before that. 
More capacitors coming on Friday.....

Can't wait to try out all these new firmware,  A portable DMP has me jonesing.


----------



## Morbideath

I too am waiting for a custom Wesco boot shipping from USA, "2 weeks quarantine" as they told me.
Sorry for derailing


----------



## Whitigir

Diet Kokaine said:


> Battery FINALLY gets delivered tomorrow.
> Rumors of a nationwide "China style 2 week Quarantine are abound" at least my Battery will be here, before that.
> More capacitors coming on Friday.....
> 
> Can't wait to try out all these new firmware,  A portable DMP has me jonesing.


Woa!! 2 weeks quarantine will suck the Ducks eggs!!!!


----------



## 524419 (Mar 16, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Woa!! 2 weeks quarantine will suck the Ducks eggs!!!!


Yeah it will.... I am getting word from a couple of people.... credible people that it is in the works. "yahoo had a front page article asking for a 2 week quarantine" probably setting the stage. "Their supposed Contact  in Homeland Security" is saying 48 hours till it comes on. We shall see.
I still think this hysteria is way overblown, but people around here are going nuts, just glued to the NEWS.

At least I will have my DMP-1A , to sit this one out with.. Once again, I wanna thank you guys for this.


----------



## Xanderman

Is there any hardware difference between a WM1Z/A bought in 

1) Japan local set
2) Japan tourist set
3) Outside of Japan


----------



## Whitigir

All 1A should be (at least not any differences that I have known off) the same and so does the 1Z in hardware designs...firmwares and hard codes are another matter


----------



## Vitaly2017

Diet Kokaine said:


> Yeah it will.... I am getting word from a couple of people.... credible people that it is in the works. "yahoo had a front page article asking for a 2 week quarantine" probably setting the stage. "Their supposed Contact  in Homeland Security" is saying 48 hours till it comes on. We shall see.
> I still think this hysteria is way overblown, but people around here are going nuts, just glued to the NEWS.
> 
> At least I will have my DMP-1A , to sit this one out with.. Once again, I wanna thank you guys for this.




What you mean 2 weeks for quarantine? 
For every items received in china?


----------



## aceedburn

Xanderman said:


> Is there any hardware difference between a WM1Z/A bought in
> 
> 1) Japan local set
> 2) Japan tourist set
> 3) Outside of Japan


All 1A and 1Z is made in my home country Malaysia. Therefore they should be the same for all regions.


----------



## ttt123

Diet Kokaine said:


> Yeah it will.... I am getting word from a couple of people.... credible people that it is in the works. "yahoo had a front page article asking for a 2 week quarantine" probably setting the stage. "Their supposed Contact  in Homeland Security" is saying 48 hours till it comes on. We shall see.
> I still think this hysteria is way overblown, but people around here are going nuts, just glued to the NEWS.
> 
> At least I will have my DMP-1A , to sit this one out with.. Once again, I wanna thank you guys for this.


Overblown, nothing to worry about?  I guess you could say that it is just a flu.  If 20 Million people are infected, with a 2% mortality rate, that is only 400,000 deaths.....Though the estimate is nearer to  2 to 3.5%


----------



## nc8000 (Mar 16, 2020)

ttt123 said:


> Overblown, nothing to worry about?  I guess you could say that it is just a flu.  If 20 Million people are infected, with a 2% mortality rate, that is only 400,000 deaths.....Though the estimate is nearer to  2 to 3.5%



It will always have to be a balance between the effects of the dissease and the effects of the measures taken. How many deaths from the dissease are acceptable versus how much damage to society as a whole from the counter messaures is acceptable. I’m glad I’m not the one having to make these decissions as no matter what they decide they will be blamed for not doing enough or doing too much


----------



## endlesswaves

Tried Solis last night and had to picked up my jaw from the floor. 

Would like to say thank you again to Team WM. Not sure tagging their handle now is a good idea. But you know who my gratitude is directed to.


----------



## 524419 (Mar 16, 2020)

ttt123 said:


> Overblown, nothing to worry about?  I guess you could say that it is just a flu.  If 20 Million people are infected, with a 2% mortality rate, that is only 400,000 deaths.....Though the estimate is nearer to  2 to 3.5%


That is not how the numbers work.. The only people being tested, are the ones who are really sick and hospitalized. as there is a shortage of testing kits.. Out of these hospitalized people....3% are dying. There are a vast vast majority of people that have the virus and are walking around with mild to no issues. (CDC and the WHO are saying exactly this, China is saying the exact thing). So true mortality rate is a lot lower.

In context 670,000 people were hospitalized with the Regular FLU in the US last year, and 55,000 died. Death rate is 8.2%.....higher than corona. Too soon to panic...really.

and yes, rumors are of a population quarantine. Countrywide...Gross over reaction.


----------



## nc8000

Diet Kokaine said:


> That is not how the numbers work.. The only people being tested, are the ones who are really sick and hospitalized. as there is a shortage of testing kits.. Out of these hospitalized people....3% are dying. There are a vast vast majority of people that have the virus and are walking around with mild to no issues. (CDC and the WHO are saying exactly this, China is saying the exact thing). So true mortality rate is a lot lower.
> 
> In context 800,000 people were hospitalized with the Regular FLU in the US last year, and 55,000 died. Death rate is 8.2%.....higher than corona. Too soon to panic...really.



In Denmark about 900 are tested positive, 64 are now in hospital (10 in intensive) and 3 have died (all male aged over 80 and with preexisting other conditions) out of a population of about 5,5 mill.


----------



## Morbideath

Diet Kokaine said:


> That is not how the numbers work.. The only people being tested, are the ones who are really sick and hospitalized. as there is a shortage of testing kits.. Out of these hospitalized people....3% are dying. There are a vast vast majority of people that have the virus and are walking around with mild to no issues. (CDC and the WHO are saying exactly this, China is saying the exact thing). So true mortality rate is a lot lower.
> 
> In context 670,000 people were hospitalized with the Regular FLU in the US last year, and 55,000 died. Death rate is 8.2%.....higher than corona. Too soon to panic...really.
> 
> and yes, rumors are of a population quarantine. Countrywide...Gross over reaction.


It's far too early to conclude this. The number will go up in geomeric progression, and medical run / hospital crisis emerges. That's when panic and mortality rate surges. 
China was the first to go through such crisis, now Italy. I don't know how long it will take for u guys to get there… hopefully never will be


----------



## captblaze

please don't take what has been an upbeat and fun thread and turn it into what you can get watching any news channel or read elsewhere online.


----------



## 524419

Morbideath said:


> It's far too early to conclude this. The number will go up in geomeric progression, and medical run / hospital crisis emerges. That's when panic and mortality rate surges.
> China was the first to go through such crisis, now Italy. I don't know how long it will take for u guys to get there… hopefully never will be


I am sure numbers will go up, but we are talking about the rate of hospitalizations and mortality. There has been enough time to get a good sample rate to make as somewhat reasonable inference on the data.
If every time someone died in a car accident and the news plastered it on the TV like it was a basketball score, people would be begging to ban cars, lets not even talk about cigarette deaths.
This overreaction is media fed.


sorry, my last virus post here.


----------



## Whitigir

well!! True enough, let’s get back to the walkman


----------



## Lookout57

WM-1A and WM-1Z Planet Editions Rule !!!!!


----------



## Morbideath

W&M1A/Z Solar System powered by the Dark Side, ah such a lengthy name...


----------



## Whitigir

Let’s just call it (Walkman W&M edition Solis) or whatever planets you are on LOL


----------



## Lookout57

Morbideath said:


> W&M1A/Z Solar System powered by the Dark Side, ah such a lengthy name...


WM-1A/Z SE (Solar (System) Edition or Solis Edition)


----------



## Morbideath

Lookout57 said:


> WM-1A/Z SE (Solar (System) Edition or Solis Edition)


I had come up with the exact name in my dream!


----------



## Whitigir

Some people would take 
WM-1A/Z SE as SingleEnded edition....


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 16, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> It will always have to a balance between the effects of the dissease and the effects of the measures taken. How many deaths from the dissease are acceptable versus how much damage to society as a whole from the counter messaures is acceptable. I’m glad I’m not the one having to make these decissions as no matter what they decide they will be blamed for not doing enough or doing too much


I would never blame you friend, walkman may infact protect us from coronavirus making us stay at home and happy! so buy a 1A or 1Z (more efficient due to its slightly heavier weight) assap if you didnt got one! (im worried too its important that we all take care and try our best to protect others)


----------



## mwhals

Does the Sony NW-ZX507 have the same S-Master HX digital amp as the WM1A/Z? If so, I would guess no new models are replacing the current WM1A/Z.


----------



## Whitigir

mwhals said:


> Does the Sony NW-ZX507 have the same S-Master HX digital amp as the WM1A/Z? If so, I would guess no new models are replacing the current WM1A/Z.


Every Walkman has S-Master, but with different implementations, and different OS


----------



## hshock76

Let’s brighten things up a bit.... this is what I’m listening to now... new found joy with the combination of Horus and 1ZR.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vivaldi Oboe concertos


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> Vivaldi Oboe concertos


stillin solis? have you triend solis MX3 or solis CN?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Midnstorms said:


> stillin solis? have you triend solis MX3 or solis CN?


I am on solis region E2, like the cavernous soundstage


----------



## proedros

which region FW has the *flattest bass/ subdued treble* ?

is there such a FW ?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 16, 2020)

proedros said:


> which region FW has the *flattest bass/ subdued treble* ?
> 
> is there such a FW ?


Try Mercury Tier 1 the most neutral and easiest going, change to other regions for subdue trebles as others are saying ?


----------



## proedros

Ι went a bit back to *3.01 with J region* , it is very good too (although i get a bit of a mid-bass hump , probably due to the new cable?)

In a few days though i may shake things up a bit , return to the Solar System

Speaking of space travelling , check your pm shortly - there is an ambient  masterpiece vinyl rip coming up


----------



## Morbideath

proedros said:


> Ι went a bit back to *3.01 with J region* , it is very good too (although i get a bit of a mid-bass hump , probably due to the new cable?)
> 
> In a few days though i may shake things up a bit , return to the Solar System
> 
> Speaking of space travelling , check your pm shortly - there is an ambient  masterpiece vinyl rip coming up


Stock FW is very good and sophisticated. The soundstage shrinks and the whole presentation is somewhat laid-back, more relaxed than the high density Solar flames. So it depends on what u are after


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 16, 2020)

Stock and tier 1 are recommended for 1A.
Tier 2 is recommended for WM1Z, or MS modded 1A
Tier 3 is recommended for MS 1Z, or MS 1A
Solis is really recommended for at least MS 1Z ultimate, or Tier 4 Romni Audio.

It is like water and it hoses.  If you open too much pressure, and the hose is cramped, then you will have very forcefully water spray which may hurts....where as if you has huge hoses, you would have Huge volumetric delivery smoothly 

But feel free to explore as this is where the fun is at

New cables will need burn-in for sure


----------



## proedros

Morbideath said:


> Stock FW is very good and sophisticated. *The soundstage shrinks *and the whole presentation is somewhat laid-back, more relaxed than the high density Solar flames. So it depends on what u are after



i think you are right , i feel like everything is closer to me on stock FW , i will probabaly go back to trying Mercury 1 as @Whitigir suggested


----------



## Mindstorms

ok will try region E2... i stated my remarkable ones!


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 16, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am on solis region E2, like the cavernous soundstage


I can confirm I hear cavernous but may not be solis maybe E2, can someone check this? I hear ir louder than Mx3 and slight reverb on it!

*MX3* ----- Detailed and rumbly low bass with loads of detail Stock FW of my 1A
*J * -------- Thick very warm and some mid-bass present elegant… is thick, rich & emotive
*CN* ------ Similar to MX3 but with better resolution slightly more piercing
*CA* ------ V sound
*CEV* ---- Elevated highs and more power shallow bass? slightly narrow and difuse highs
_*E* -------- _too much V to the point of being harsh in the highs
*E2* ------ Cavernous and Loud Forward Sounding? (I hear that)


----------



## bflat

Whitigir said:


> Gravitational waves were never measured and detected, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist....it was just that no human could think of a way to measure it until now.



Interesting that you mention this. Scientists have measured gravitational waves using LIGO. Ironically one of the key engineers for LIGO was one of the top experts in signal noise reductions including for audio use. If I remember correctly, LIGO accuracy can detect movement on the order of magnitude of the height of Lincoln's nose on a penny placed on top of the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, but observed from the Empire State building in New York! That is some massive noise reduction.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 16, 2020)

bflat said:


> Interesting that you mention this. Scientists have measured gravitational waves using LIGO. Ironically one of the key engineers for LIGO was one of the top experts in signal noise reductions including for audio use. If I remember correctly, LIGO accuracy can detect movement on the order of magnitude of the height of Lincoln's nose on a penny placed on top of the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, but observed from the Empire State building in New York! That is some massive noise reduction.


He is an Audiophile at heart, and years down the rabbit holes has lead him to LIGO 
Later on, or most recently, the whole team has improved on the accuracy of LIGO by ....
.
.
.
.
.
Guess ?
.
.
.
.
.
.
*Cryogenically treating Photons*.  So who says Cryogenic treatments doesn’t improve sound quality ? I know for a fact that all Furutech sound freaking wonderful, and they are cryogenically treated.  But then again, let the pretends play their games.

I love science, and I also love music


----------



## proedros

Ι am back on *stock 3.02 (J region) *cause i remembered it to be very lean (bass-wise) on my stock WM1A , before this whole FWs thing

fun never ends


----------



## RobertP (Mar 16, 2020)

Try CEV last night. For my setup, it's surprisingly much better than E region for some reason. Overall, it reminded me a lot of my WM1Z with fw 3.02. Very noticeable extended depth than E, really nice imaging with excellent background isolation, resolution is just ridiculous IMO, smoother, heavier drum kicks, slightly less high extension than E and that is a good thing beacuse bad recording tracks also sound great, and warmth organic mid. I keep went back and forth between U1.02 and solisT5 at the moment. They are very nice!


----------



## SimpleHuman

The balanced cable port really annoys me. My pair of XBA-Z5's broke on me a year ago and the balanced port on the NW-WM1A is a constant reminder of Sony's crappy customer service on its earbuds :/ 

Assuming the balanced port is only usable with sony buds?


----------



## Whitigir

SimpleHuman said:


> The balanced cable port really annoys me. My pair of XBA-Z5's broke on me a year ago and the balanced port on the NW-WM1A is a constant reminder of Sony's crappy customer service on its earbuds :/
> 
> Assuming the balanced port is only usable with sony buds?


What ? Balanced port can be used with any earbuds that *Has the 4.4mm cables accordingly, regardless of Brands*


----------



## SimpleHuman

Oh. Interesting, thanks. For some reason I remember the 4.4mm cable being unique to only Sony.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 16, 2020)

SimpleHuman said:


> Oh. Interesting, thanks. For some reason I remember the 4.4mm cable being unique to only Sony.


No, 4.4mm is Industrial Standard, just as much as XLR cables is.  The XLR cables is balanced for desktop systems, and 4.4mm is standard for Portable players.  

If anyone is being Unique by themself, it is A&K that has unique plugs of 2.5mm and only A&K, the 2.5mm is not standard, and A&K will not adopt into Industrial standard of 4.4mm

The special about Sony is that Sony was the first one to “adopt the newest industrial standard of 4.4mm into the Walkman WM1A/Z”


----------



## 524419

It's alive!!!!! Changed out batteries, and internals battery wires to 24 gauge Solid copper OCC Neotech. Managed to cramp it all in there.
On DMP 1.02 and stage is super wide, Love it. Solis is next....lets see.


----------



## 524419 (Mar 16, 2020)

The Sub Bass response after changing the battery wires has increased quite a bit, to the point that  firmware 2.0 that I was on is borderline unusable,
Tried Solis, but the Female vocals are bit higher in the mix, reminds me of firmware 3.02, which was not my cup of tea.
Jupiter Tier 3 sounds damn near perfect to my ears.....i'll be parked on this one for a bit.

Thank you @Whitigir @Morbideath
This is awesome, you guys have outdone yourselves 
The clarity, Dynamics, resolution is stunning. Stage is so natural, and realistic. Love it.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 16, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> The Sub Bass response after changing the battery wires has increased quite a bit, to the point that  firmware 2.0 that I was on is borderline unusable,
> Tried Solis, but the Female vocals are bit higher in the mix, reminds me of firmware 3.02, which was not my cup of tea.
> Jupiter Tier 3 sounds damn near perfect to my ears.....i'll be parked on this one for a bit.
> 
> ...


Now, swap the DC Ground in the back, you will see even more improvemenets.  You can use large Awg or multiple 22-24Awg
This is pretty much Music Sanctuary Tier 3 mod.  The best materials here is better be Litz-type


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> Now, swap the DC Ground in the back, you will see even more improvemenets.  You can use large Awg or multiple 22-24Awg
> This is pretty much Music Sanctuary Tier 3 mod.  The best materials here is better be Litz-type


Do you happen to know the gauge of the stock ground wire?
I have a bunch of 20 and 18 gauge copper wire laying around.

This is stunning, can't get over how real and crisp pianos sound, and so much information is coming up in the mix.


----------



## Whitigir

Diet Kokaine said:


> Do you happen to know the gauge of the stock ground wire?
> I have a bunch of 20 and 18 gauge copper wire laying around.
> 
> This is stunning, can't get over how real and crisp pianos sound, and so much information is coming up in the mix, crystal clear.


You don’t have to.  I think the stock is about 24awg or so.....I forgot to check the last time.....  Use at least of that, but Litz type.  If you don’t have Litz, then use multiple insulated solid core, such as Mundorft is wonderful....it could be 4x24awg...remember To remain flexible too, so in the future you can take it off and upgrade caps if needed


----------



## 524419 (Mar 16, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> You don’t have to.  I think the stock is about 24awg or so.....I forgot to check the last time.....  Use at least of that, but Litz type.  If you don’t have Litz, then use multiple insulated solid core, such as Mundorft is wonderful....it could be 4x24awg...remember To remain flexible too, so in the future you can take it off and upgrade caps if needed


I'll get this done tonight, shouldn't take me very long.
This Jupiter T3 has the same DMP rendering of instruments, where it's a holographic rendition. Instruments have that edge that lingers for just an instant. 
I did not think the 1A was capable of reproducing it to this level.
Incredible job  you guys  

DMP is on another level of course, but this is quite something for a DAP.


----------



## Whitigir

Diet Kokaine said:


> I'll get this done tonight, shouldn't take me very long.
> This Jupiter T3 has the same DMP rendering of instruments, where it's a holographic rendition. Instruments have that edge that lingers for just an instant.
> I did not think the 1A was capable of reproducing it to this level.
> Incredible job  you guys
> ...


Well, when you are done with Tier 3 hardware mode, it is better....but Tier 4 (replacing caps) is where the magic is at


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> Well, when you are done with Tier 3 hardware mode, it is better....but Tier 4 (replacing caps) is where the magic is at


Hahaha, and how could I not do it after such an endorsement. 
That is my next project


----------



## Vitaly2017

Cant wait for my K mod project! 

Atm playing with fourte noire and some cable rolling.

Jupiter T3 and Dmp 1.02 on J is the 2 best firmwares in my opinion. 

But lately I tried Mercury T3 with new iem and I liked it!
Was very refined and elegant easy detail separation and good balance.... but dmp and Jupiter are more fun and alive slightly aggressive/active.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

Are these firmware mods likely to affect the sound from my 1A when used as a transport going to an external DAC and amp?   I would guess that all of the firmware enhancements would take place in the 1A DAC and amp sections, not in the upfront transport of bits.


----------



## blazinblazin (Mar 16, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> I can confirm I hear cavernous but may not be solis maybe E2, can someone check this? I hear ir louder than Mx3 and slight reverb on it!
> 
> *MX3* ----- Detailed and rumbly low bass with loads of detail Stock FW of my 1A
> *J * -------- Thick very warm and some mid-bass present elegant… is thick, rich & emotive
> ...



Yes E2 is louder and powerful. You need to reduce your volume a few clicks than your usual listening volume to enjoy it.

For my setup on 3.02.
E I play it at about 72-75.
E2 I play it at 65-68


----------



## Vitaly2017

ruthieandjohn said:


> Are these firmware mods likely to affect the sound from my 1A when used as a transport going to an external DAC and amp?   I would guess that all of the firmware enhancements would take place in the 1A DAC and amp sections, not in the upfront transport of bits.




No only that u input the dap. Not if u use it as usb out. But analog out will be affected...


----------



## Vitaly2017

blazinblazin said:


> Yes E2 is louder and powerful. You need to reduce your volume a few clicks than your usual listening volume to enjoy it.




Hmmm I will try mx3 havent tried that one yet...


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hmmm I will try mx3 havent tried that one yet...


Its awesome on 3.00 please try it also very good at 3.01


----------



## Whitigir

If anyone like my accent, I have a video up about SP2K


----------



## 524419 (Mar 16, 2020)

Pianos sound soooooo good. This modded Jupiter T31A is about as good as my desktop amp, probably better.
If I could only do a comparison to a Stock 1A, it would be very interesting to hear the differences.
SAX is goosebumps, and drums have such a snap, sound very convincing. Vocals stand out, and stage wraps around (what feels like)  the back of my head, with real acoustic depth.
Hard to explain.
Drums have no bloom/distortion, and sound like drums do on stage, such a satisfying snap. Crisp.

To think Sony could have had this level of Sound Quality in their player all along, is baffling. They need to jump on board and relaunch this player in this configuration. Clean the market overnight.
My mods in total, outside of the replacement battery, cost me about 3 Dollars.
aside from all the hard work @Whitigir and @Morbideath  put in, this is stumbled onto Gold.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> Its awesome on 3.00 please try it also very good at 3.01




Just tried it to bassy for my stuff.  I did run across almost all regions on stock fw and find the 2 all time best is J and KR all others affect sound not in a good way....

So I'd say if you like stock fw go with J and its pretty much the best all a rounder hands down.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> If anyone like my accent, I have a video up about SP2K




Have you posted it in a&k thread lol?


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Have you posted it in a&k thread lol?


Of course I do


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> Just tried it to bassy for my stuff.  I did run across almost all regions on stock fw and find the 2 all time best is J and KR all others affect sound not in a good way....
> 
> So I'd say if you like stock fw go with J and its pretty much the best all a rounder hands down.


You found 3.00 bassy?


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 16, 2020)

*MX3* ----- Detailed and rumbly low bass with loads of detail Stock FW of my 1A Focus on highs and mid-highs
*J *-------- Thick very warm and some mid-bass present elegant… is thick, rich & emotive
*CN* ------ Similar to MX3 but with better resolution slightly more piercing
*CA* ------ V sound
*CEV* ---- Elevated highs and more power shallow bass? slightly narrow and difuse highs
_*E* -------- _too much V to the point of being harsh in the highs
*E2* ------ Cavernous and Loud Forward Sounding
*KR-*----- Very Loud and refined! Slight focus on the mids Has some some midbass... it since as its turns 3.00         closer to 2.00! (not stellar definition to my ears but very good volume) maybe a little recesesed bass.. compared to MX3


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> You found 3.00 bassy?



The mx3 is not the fw 3.02


----------



## aceedburn

Midnstorms said:


> *MX3* ----- Detailed and rumbly low bass with loads of detail Stock FW of my 1A Focus on highs and mid-highs
> *J *-------- Thick very warm and some mid-bass present elegant… is thick, rich & emotive
> *CN* ------ Similar to MX3 but with better resolution slightly more piercing
> *CA* ------ V sound
> ...


Hmm it’s weird to see that different gear produces so vast difference. MX3 was said to be lean and treble heavy. But you say otherwise. For me CEV has the lowest sub bass I’ve ever heard. But you hear differently as well.

So which of these regions give you the lowest sub bass with non piercing treble and full mids yet detailed? With stock 3.02 of course. 

This goes to show that nothing we read is indicative as almost everyone has stark or complete opposite observations.


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 17, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Hmm it’s weird to see that different gear produces so vast difference. MX3 was said to be lean and treble heavy. But you say otherwise. For me CEV has the lowest sub bass I’ve ever heard. But you hear differently as well.
> 
> So which of these regions give you the lowest sub bass with non piercing treble and full mids yet detailed? With stock 3.02 of course.
> 
> This goes to show that nothing we read is indicative as almost everyone has stark or complete opposite observations.


I dont agree (we are stating the same thing), MX3 its trebble thast why its detailed heavy and shallow bass confirms what you are saying Testing in my zx100 i can confirm the effects translate it it also enable a couple of diferent functions!  My testings are doned in 3.00 since its the one im more acustomend and for me its the most reference sound.. since it resembles my zx100 and I hear it neutral in some way after my eq setings, mmm from what I hear E2 its a good option.. dough it has that reverb... maybe J... what are your ideas? wich oen is the one that gived you more rumble?


----------



## aceedburn

Midnstorms said:


> I dont agree (we are stating the same thing), MX3 its trebble thast why its detailed heavy and shallow bass confirms what you are saying Testing in my zx100 i can confirm the effects translate it it also enable a couple of diferent functions!  My testings are doned in 3.00 since its the one im more acustomend and for me its the most reference sound.. since it resembles my zx100 and I hear it neutral in some way after my eq setings, mmm from what I hear E2 its a good option.. doug it has that reverb... maybe J... what are your ideas? wich oen is the one that gived you more rumble?


CEV gives me the lowest and best rumble. J was also good but CEV goes lower. J has mid bass elevation but CEV has minimal. So that’s why CEV has more details and resolution in the bass for me.


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 17, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> CEV gives me the lowest and best rumble. J was also good but CEV goes lower. J has mid bass elevation but CEV has minimal. So that’s why CEV has more details and resolution in the bass for me.


So we agree 100% since I hear CEV very shallow... almost like paper bass on my iem... Good news for zx100 users its that this region characteristics translate to their zx100!!! maybe other walkmans! do you hear good bass out of MX3? J  Its very refined! Is the only one that enabled one more option on my zx100 there is a record button and also one more iem option for clear phase!!! and it sounds diferent actually I have just Upgraded my zx100 thanks to this thread! It definitly sounds diferent! So harsh In EI can bearly tolerate the peaks!!! CA sounds like V shaped so i can confirm that they apply in the same way... my zx100 was piercing now its not, the mystery of why some people hear the piercing on diferent walkmans key  may lie here!!! maybe thats why some users reported 1A being piercing! on other forums as well! even my clear audio function works diferent on my zx100 first tme I hear some little rumble on my zx100 bass.. Double checked this im not on prozac nor any other stuff


----------



## Vitaly2017

Well first of all I am using a wm1z and not 1a lol.

And ai got a very very different iem and cable setup so just that is already miles miles in distance of difference.  This is why we hear everything so differently.

Hell even I hear same fw the next day and I find it to bright or missing this and that and I start rolling them to suite my daily taste....

This is really vast and very different. 

How about before we discovered that we have so many region i  reality and that we kept give reviews and feedback without realizing that eeeeerr we have different sound 1z's or 1a's and we still believed in that hahaha

So this cones to say that. I guess its part of the quest, you gota guess the sound and pretend it in your head and decide is it a go or no go to for it? Hnmmm gambling and russian roulette yesss thats what it looms like lol


That was my 2 cents before bed time hahaha


----------



## titoratm

Hi, new user here! I been listening to the WM1A since couple of weeks ago paired with sennheiser hd660s in 4.4 balanced. I updated the stock firmware from 3.01 to 3.02 and noticed a clear difference in sound between these. What I'd like to know is if it's strictly necessary to change region in order to test the new custom firmwares. Someone told me that I just neeed to use the universal files and that's it... Also I wanna know that if I don't like any of the FWs is there a way to roll back to original stock 3.02 or 3.01. Thanks in advance! 
Pd. My unit was imported from mexico, made in Malasya. 

https://postimg.cc/gallery/x5lqi30q/


----------



## 524419 (Mar 17, 2020)

titoratm said:


> Hi, new user here! I been listening to the WM1A since couple of weeks ago paired with sennheiser hd660s in 4.4 balanced. I updated the stock firmware from 3.01 to 3.02 and noticed a clear difference in sound between these. What I'd like to know is if it's strictly necessary to change region in order to test the new custom firmwares. Someone told me that I just neeed to use the universal files and that's it... Also I wanna know that if I don't like any of the FWs is there a way to roll back to original stock 3.02 or 3.01. Thanks in advance!
> Pd. My unit was imported from mexico, made in Malasya.
> 
> https://postimg.cc/gallery/x5lqi30q/


You can go from 3.02 to any of the modded Firmware, and back if you don't like them. Universal will work without changing region.

Another one of my favorites is Venus TIer 3, less Dynamic than the Jupiter T3, a bit more chill.
There are so many sounds to chose from, and so many combinations, this is like being a kid in a candy store.
Tier 3s seem to Work best with my Modded 1A.


----------



## Morbideath

Midnstorms said:


> *MX3* ----- Detailed and rumbly low bass with loads of detail Stock FW of my 1A Focus on highs and mid-highs
> *J *-------- Thick very warm and some mid-bass present elegant… is thick, rich & emotive
> *CN* ------ Similar to MX3 but with better resolution slightly more piercing
> *CA* ------ V sound
> ...


CEV has much more bass for me than J


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 17, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> CEV has much more bass for me than J


weird i will retest tomorrow on my zx100 bass is present but is midbass the Region change on my zx100 its so fast i can pick the diferences faster Can confirm on this device J has a very good warm bass with a very wide staging U since to be a very polite staging very clear sound and balanced region CN has very good resolution and its shouty TW has a ton of bass and is mid highs recesed! It does not sound clear out of my zx100 MX its insanelly loud to the point of distort U2 and U3 are recesed


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> CEV has much more bass for me than J


Precisely my thoughts. But the mid bass is not as elevated giving the sense of stage and resolution in the lower region compared to J which is a bit thicker in the mid bass. Highs are also very very smooth.


----------



## Morbideath

Midnstorms said:


> weird i will retest tomorrow on my zx100 bass is present but is midbass the Region change on my zx100 its so fast i can pick the diferences faster Can confirm on this device J has a very good warm bass with a very wide staging U since to be a very polite staging very clear sound and balanced region CN has very good resolution and its shouty TW has a ton of bass and is mid highs recesed! It does not sound clear out of my zx100 MX its insanelly loud to the point of distort


zx100? My observation is based on 1Z


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 17, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> zx100? My observation is based on 1Z


well im doing zx100 today lol tomorrow 1A i guess if you say that from a 1Z you are right lol i think zx100 doesnt have enough subbass to be on par 1A NOR 1Z but CEV wasent very good on my 1A will recheck tomorrow I can confirm CEV bass is diferent than J J since to have more midbass and CEV more Bass but i cant say about subbass today Staging on J is one of the wider


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 17, 2020)

Yes on 1Z CEV is deeper, while J is wider
I personally would like it to be wider, since 1Z is known to have a great depth not width. J kinda compensates for that. 
But CEV does have a stunning bass


----------



## ttt123

Midnstorms said:


> weird i will retest tomorrow on my zx100 bass is present but is midbass the Region change on my zx100 its so fast i can pick the diferences faster Can confirm on this device J has a very good warm bass with a very wide staging U since to be a very polite staging very clear sound and balanced region CN has very good resolution and its shouty TW has a ton of bass and is mid highs recesed! It does not sound clear out of my zx100 MX its insanelly loud to the point of distort


What you hear on a ZX100 has no point of comparison to another Sony model, and while relevant to another ZX100 user, is not relevant to how changes sound on a WM1x.   

Another question is whether your SQ impressions for the WM1A are with equalization applied, or without?  If with equalization, then there is again no basis for comparison (and misleading), for people who are using no equalization, or different equalization.  

The recommendation to turn DIRECT SOURCE: ON for comparison purposes is so that everybody has a point of reference, and is comparing to the same DAP settings, and reducing the number of variables.  There are already too many variables introduced by other items, like different music, IEMs, cables, ears, and brains.

This is not a judgement on whether to use equalization or not, but just an effort to make comparisons meaningful to different users, by comparing the same things, and not comparing different things.


----------



## Mindstorms

Morbideath said:


> Yes on 1Z CEV is deeper, while J is wider


You mean the staging goes further? havent noticed that will be cheking also if thast the case the staging varies so much between all Regions is amazing 3D cues since to be diferent, also volume and bass mid and trebble characteristics some regions are very recesed like U2 and U3 if you can confirm that in your 1Z I will be gratefull!


----------



## aceedburn

ttt123 said:


> What you hear on a ZX100 has no point of comparison to another Sony model, and while relevant to another ZX100 user, is not relevant to how changes sound on a WM1x.
> 
> Another question is whether your SQ impressions for the WM1A are with equalization applied, or without?  If with equalization, then there is again no basis for comparison (and misleading), for people who are using no equalization, or different equalization.
> 
> ...


I have only ever used the 1A in direct sound mode switched on. Never used or liked any of the DSP or eq for that matter. So all my observations are based on stock 3.02 on 1A with direct mode on.


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 17, 2020)

ttt123 said:


> What you hear on a ZX100 has no point of comparison to another Sony model, and while relevant to another ZX100 user, is not relevant to how changes sound on a WM1x.
> 
> Another question is whether your SQ impressions for the WM1A are with equalization applied, or without?  If with equalization, then there is again no basis for comparison (and misleading), for people who are using no equalization, or different equalization.
> 
> ...


well i dont know i allways equalize but even after eq you can hear the diferences... i can hear consistency between both units... and thats why im asking people to confirm deny what im hearing so if im hear very out of line tomorrow i can resume testing on my 1A im testing zx100 becouse i can change between regions in 3 seconds picking some diferences better wich i will confirm tomorrow and i can repeat there is consistency between how regions affect my zx100 and my 1A i can distinguis the same tones.. but zx100 cant pull same bass... nor staging clarity maybe the regions affect sound to protect hearing on some countries maybe there are tolrances on some frecuencies?


----------



## ttt123 (Mar 17, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> well i dont know i allways equalize but even after eq you can hear the diferences... i can hear consistency between both units... and thats why im asking people to confirm deny what im hearing so if im hear very out of line tomorrow i can resume testing on my 1A im testing zx100 becouse i can change between regions in 3 seconds picking some diferences better wich i will confirm tomorrow and i can repeat there is consistency between how regions affect my zx100 and my 1A i can distinguis the same tones.. but zx100 cant pull same bass... nor staging clarity maybe the regions affect sound to protect hearing on some countries maybe there are tolrances on some frecuencies?


If (for example) you compare from the ZX100, using only a +6 bass boost (for comparison simplicity), you will get the combined results of your equalization, and how well the DAP does the equalization, the hardware difference,  plus the Firmware version, plus the Region setting, etc.  Do you see how many different variables there are?  The result has no meaning for how it will sound on a WM1x.

Apply the same settings to a WM1A, and it still has no value to tell another user what to expect.  Another user, with no, or different equalization applied, would hear a very different sound. 

Do you see the difficulties of getting a meaningful comparison, if each person is comparing different things?


----------



## Mindstorms

ttt123 said:


> If (for example) you compare from the ZX100, using only a +6 bass boost (for comparison simplicity), you will get the combined results of your equalization, and how well the DAP does the equalization, the hardware difference, plus how well the DAP handles equalization, plus the Firmware version, plus the Region setting, etc.  Do you see how many different variables there are?  The result has no meaning for how it will sound on a WM1x.
> 
> Apply the same settings to a WM1A, and it still has no value to tell another user what to expect.  Another user, with no, or different equalization applied, would hear a very different sound.
> 
> Do you see the difficulties of getting a meaningful comparison, if each person is comparing different things?


So what do you suggest? I keep doing testing to myself and not share it?


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 17, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> So what do you suggest? I keep doing testing to myself and not share it?


U can test and share, but with less variable and consistent hardware, such as 1A / 1Z direct on in different regions, that will be more meaningful for most of us to refer to. You may also disclose the monitors and cable used for better reference. 

Last time u messages me to make FW out of stock 3.0 plus heavy EQ, it's totally senseless to me. Just leave EQ for yourself, since it's totally each to his own.

Personally i turn to EQ for help only as a last resort, since it distorts the signature and consumes more power. If FW mods and hardware pairings cannot save a recording (which is very rare) i may EQ specifically.


----------



## NickleCo

Midnstorms said:


> So what do you suggest? I keep doing testing to myself and not share it?


What ttt123 is saying is to turn on direct source and eq off when comparing fw. That way there are lesser amount of variables to consider. Also try to mention the iem youre using or the signature it has to give the reader a better understanding of where youre coming from with your impressions bud .


----------



## Mindstorms

ok let me first hear with the eq and then i will do direct mode maybe gear and eq and FW changes a lot even testing song may affect! will post when im more confident so no confusion


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 17, 2020)

WIll keep posted


----------



## Morbideath

Midnstorms said:


> and i can repeat *there is consistency* between how regions affect my zx100 and my 1A i can distinguis the same tones.. but zx100 cant pull same bass...


Yes there's consistency, but difference matters more than consistency here. You must eliminate all the differences to base your comparisons upon, not the consistency. Otherwise it's misleading.


----------



## proedros

aceedburn said:


> *So which of these regions give you the lowest sub bass with non piercing treble and full mids yet detailed? With stock 3.02 of course.*




looking for the same thing , let me know if you find a FW that ticks all these boxes


----------



## Whitigir

Wow....
I am confused ...
I guess I got MindStormed


----------



## NickleCo (Mar 17, 2020)

proedros said:


> looking for the same thing , let me know if you find a FW that ticks all these boxes


Me three


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> So which of these regions give you the *lowest sub bass with non piercing treble and full mids yet detailed*? With stock 3.02 of course.





proedros said:


> looking for the same thing , let me know if you find a FW that ticks all these boxes





DatDudeNic said:


> Ime three



I didn't expect anyone would be interested in such signature... as it might sound off / subdued. Solis + J/CEV is the closest for now


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 17, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> I didn't expect anyone would be interested in such signature... as it might sound off / subdued. Solis + J/CEV is the closest for now


but then Solis do need modified players to take the advantages.

You know how in F1 racing ....the same car, same driver......different tires will decide the winner ?  It is the same here for Hardware modified player

I will repeat another 2000x times.....Hardware limitations Exists

Oh...and there is no perfection!


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> I didn't expect anyone would be interested in such signature... as it might sound off / subdued. Solis + J/CEV is the closest for now


Thanks for your recommendation. However Solis does not play well with stock 1A. I think it was done with heavily modded Walkmans in mind. Tried it but didn’t like the piercing treble and rather thin sounding female vocals especially.


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> Thanks for your recommendation. However Solis does not play well with stock 1A. I think it was done with heavily modded Walkmans in mind. Tried it but didn’t like the piercing treble and rather thin sounding female vocals especially.


It's not only DAP but the whole hardware setup will play a role in synergy. For me i prefer CEV on my Sony JE-MH1, and J on my Legend Xse. Cables matter too.


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> but then Solis do need modified players to take the advantages.
> 
> You know how in F1 racing ....the same car, same driver......different tires will decide the winner ?  It is the same here for Hardware modified player
> 
> ...



For me Solis is clearly the best overall with stock 1Z and balanced IER with source direct


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 17, 2020)

Same car, same driver...Different Gasoline will also decide a Winner by the way.




nc8000 said:


> For me Solis is clearly the best overall with stock 1Z and balanced IER with source direct



I can see that in some senses.  The stock 1Z is like a Civic Type R where as 1A is a Civic Si.....

Both are Civic...but totally is different.

anyways, I think I am going to take a little break...LoL...I am too confused and I get “Mind Plucked” too much 

pardon me


----------



## NickleCo

Is it weird that i like all the fw mods? Have yet to find one that doesnt sound good lol


----------



## nc8000 (Mar 17, 2020)

DatDudeNic said:


> Is it weird that i like all the fw mods? Have yet to find one that doesnt sound good lol



All the ones I’ve tried sound good but many work better with some kinds of music than others and I find Solis to work best across all types of music with no clear weak areas


----------



## proedros

btw , the EQ option on WM1A is very good , i feel like the 1960s 2w cable is a bit bass heavy , so i took the lows a tad down and everything sounds marvellous now

so make sure you also play with that tool too  

my *stock WM1A* is currently on (let me check my txt file cause i forgot  ) *Mercury T2(universal) , J region

Looking good, Billy Ray! 
Feeling good, Louis!  

(Trading Firmwares)*


----------



## gerelmx1986

[AT TACH]3584535[/ATTACH]
In Deutschland ist derzeit alles zu. 
Enjoying my WM1A with solis


----------



## NickleCo

proedros said:


> btw , the EQ option on WM1A is very good , i feel like the 1960s 2w cable is a bit bass heavy , so i took the lows a tad down and everything sounds marvellous now
> 
> so make sure you also play with that tool too
> 
> ...


You make me want to buy back my zeus lol!


----------



## iamdman

Hello All,

I recently purchased a 1Z and it has around 80 hours now. My 1A has around 400 hours and I am comparing both on balanced out on a HD650. Few questions if someone could clarify: 

1. I think I know the answer but does the region code matter during burn in? I guess not. It came with region U and have it changed to J region now for testing.
2. J region on 1A sounds much better to my ears (bass presence) than J region on 1Z and I attribute that to 1Z not having close to recommended 200 hours?
3. U region on 1Z has more detail retrieval (may be due to more treble)  on HD650 but guess after recommended burn in period J is still a better bet?

Using stock firmware 3.02 on both 1A and 1Z for now...

Thx


----------



## nc8000

iamdman said:


> Hello All,
> 
> I recently purchased a 1Z and it has around 80 hours now. My 1A has around 400 hours and I am comparing both on balanced out on a HD650. Few questions if someone could clarify:
> 
> ...



Region code does not matter for burn in as it is the hardware you are burning in. And yes you need more hours on the 1Z before doing comparisons


----------



## proedros

DatDudeNic said:


> You make me want to *buy back* my zeus lol!



i have 2 questions here

1 - why did you sell them ?
2 - what did you buy to replace it ?

as for zeus , considering they cost me only 1400$ to get a brand new custom XR, i think it's a pretty good deal - besides they have already  clocked almost 4000 hours so yeah i think it is a good investment , all these hours of sonic enjoyment have paid off the money i spent


----------



## Vitaly2017

If you guys want a relaxed sound and well balanced maybe m2zu or m3zu is the one with region J

I also flip to stock fw 3.02 and region J I find it has less bass and not as piercy treble.

If you really want something very easy I think solist5 is the one


----------



## NickleCo (Mar 17, 2020)

proedros said:


> i have 2 questions here
> 
> 1 - why did you sell them ?
> 2 - what did you buy to replace it ?
> ...


Got tired of its signature and i wanted a sturdier iem lol. Way too much resolution (to the point that it got fatiguing and couldnt listen to it for more than 1 hour).

I bought me a pair of campfire atlas (i know, the complete opposite of zeus 1 driver and dynamic lol) but its hella sturdy and its easier to maintain (since it only has a single driver compared to 14). Dunno over the years i found myself wanting a more convenient iem.


----------



## Whitigir

I don’t know where those stock firmwares of 3.0 are.  Can someone link it to me
Thanks !!


----------



## gearofwar

Vitaly2017 said:


> If you guys want a relaxed sound and well balanced maybe m2zu or m3zu is the one with region J
> 
> I also flip to stock fw 3.02 and region J I find it has less bass and not as piercy treble.
> 
> If you really want something very easy I think solist5 is the one


I'm currently rotating between MT3 and JT3, they bring more enjoyable sound than Solis which sometimes exaggerates the detail a bit much on some tracks. Solis is a joy to listen with soundtrack and classical music though


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 17, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I don’t know where those stock firmwares of 3.0 are.  Can someone link it to me
> Thanks !!








Windows :

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_02.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_01.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_00.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.exe

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.exe



Apple :

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_02.dmg

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_01.dmg

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_00.dmg

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.dmg

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V2_00.dmg

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_02.dmg

http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V1_20.dmg

I have no idea why there are 2 links of 2.0?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 17, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Windows :
> 
> http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_02.exe
> 
> ...


Thank you!


----------



## captblaze (Mar 17, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Thank you!
> Incoming Jupiter for 3.01 Beta test, Tier 1.  It will only be on for a couple hours
> 
> Jupiter For 3.01 Walkman WM1A
> ...



This is an entire complete firmware? based off 3.01


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> This is an entire complete firmware?


What do you mean ? Please elaborate

This will not auto execute itself.  It is Beta 

It is 3.01 and your Walkman will show it


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> What do you mean ? Please elaborate
> 
> This will not auto execute itself.  It is Beta



when i installed instead of the bar only filing for a few cm. it went to full and when i completed the install it mention i install 3.01


----------



## Morbideath

captblaze said:


> when i installed instead of the bar only filing for a few cm. it went to full and when i completed the install it mention i install 3.01


Hmm that's totally expected!


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> when i installed instead of the bar only filing for a few cm. it went to full and when i completed the install it mention i install 3.01


That is correct!


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> That is correct!



nice instrument separation on this build. stage a bit taller and isnt so flat


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> nice instrument separation on this build. stage a bit taller and isnt so flat


Yeah, each firmware has it merits...it is just hell to tune .  But I have nothing to do......may just want to tinker around a bit.  
You will also have that special bass from 3.01

This is to accommodate some people asking for it as some post previously.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, each firmware has it merits...it is just hell to tune .  But I have nothing to do......may just want to tinker around a bit.
> You will also have that special bass from 3.01
> 
> This is to accommodate some people asking for it as some post previously.


Pity you don't write with your accent


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 17, 2020)

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Pity you don't write with your accent


I think I actually do too! LOL!

Everybody is KungFlu Fighting!


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 17, 2020)

first of all thanks!! do we need to be on 3.01 to install? im working on the chart of regions but this time will do as you guys sugested with no eq and first my zx100 thher will re-check on my 1A then post (and with a more neutral iem) grrrr


----------



## Whitigir

Midnstorms said:


> first of all thanks!! do we need to be on 3.01 to install? im working on the chart of regions but this time will do as you guys sugested with no eq and first my zx100 thher will recheck on my 1A then post


No, it is complete firmware.  You are very welcome


----------



## newworld666

Because, I am probably the only who doesn't find any real change with all those firmware parameters on my WM1A...
So I went to add a new open headphone and now waiting for a brand new Heddphone in a few weeks to complete my WM1A at home , but for those I need much more power than the WM1A can offer and my actual BA300S is also probably far from sufficient too. I just bought a small High-fidelity PAS3S+ (4.4mm). Basically I just wanted to see how much more power I need to really move the Heddphone, and with 2000MW / 32Ω it's a first step to the way and much cheaper than WOO WA11 as a try.
I really want to be free in my to listen to music while working, sitting deeply in a sofa or anywhere else in my home.

Actually, after a few hours listening, this little portable amp sounds really powerful, 100% noise free (even volume at 100% without music playing), and I can't get any catchable distortion or harshness with some a my own test playlist... it sounds better than expected for such little amp totally balanced, even gain needs to be adjusted left and right separately (though volume is one knob only)

Question ?
Any idea of an existing alternative on the market for an balanced portable amp with a bit more than 1W at 42ohms ?
I would like to avoid to quit the WM1A and go for a quite portable TA-ZH1ES because of lack of Upnp/DLNA for such price, and, power seems also to be maybe too limited with probably less then 1W around 42ohms ?


----------



## AlexCBSN

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, each firmware has it merits...it is just hell to tune .  But I have nothing to do......may just want to tinker around a bit.
> You will also have that special bass from 3.01
> 
> This is to accommodate some people asking for it as some post previously.


Thank you so much for this, seriously appreciate it, to everyone locked in, i think this time is the best to have amazing journeys in music... here in Mexico, it feels like if the government is waiting for a bomb to explode to make it official... im in one of the most complicated times of my life, i need to shut down my business but i cant legally since theres no instructions, pay roll still going on and rent... LMAO i can tell how stupid it sounds, but if i close down, i will be in financial troubles and no one will give a f about it, if i dont, i will feel guilty to know that im part of a bigger problem, besides people is not going out anymore, restaurantes we are still trying to fight... nevertheless... music is the only place where i can run to feel safe... im sorry about the post, im just so stressed... i got meetings with my staff in 2 hours and im breaking apart, i think this fw believe it or not, lifted me from having another cigarette. Good luck to you all. we all need it


----------



## Whitigir

It is too much of a mess, and I agree that Music is the cure for my situation at the moment.  I am glad I saved you a few clean breathes


----------



## proedros

thanx @Whitigir for this new 3.01 FWs , i have a stupid question

*do i need to be on 3.01 to install it or is it working with any FW (2.0, 3.01 , 3.02 etc ?)*


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> thanx @Whitigir for this new 3.01 FWs , i have a stupid question
> 
> *do i need to be on 3.01 to install it or is it working with any FW (2.0, 3.01 , 3.02 etc ?)*


It is a complete firmware
No prerequisite needed


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> It is a complete firmware
> No prerequisite needed



So not a patch like all the other ones that required a stock 3.02 to be installed first


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Thank you!
> Incoming Jupiter for 3.01 Beta test, Tier 1.  It will only be on for a couple hours
> 
> Jupiter For 3.01 Walkman WM1A
> ...




For 3.01 fw only not 3.02?

Is this very different from current Jupiter?


----------



## proedros

am i the only WM1A owner , who also downloads/stores all FWs for WM1Z also, because who knows if sometime later i buy/upgrade to WM1Z ?

just thinking ahead


----------



## Whitigir

Enjoy it guys . Be safe !


----------



## Whitigir

newworld666 said:


> Because, I am probably the only who doesn't find any real change with all those firmware parameters on my WM1A...
> So I went to add a new open headphone and now waiting for a brand new Heddphone in a few weeks to complete my WM1A at home , but for those I need much more power than the WM1A can offer and my actual BA300S is also probably far from sufficient too. I just bought a small High-fidelity PAS3S+ (4.4mm). Basically I just wanted to see how much more power I need to really move the Heddphone, and with 2000MW / 32Ω it's a first step to the way and much cheaper than WOO WA11 as a try.
> I really want to be free in my to listen to music while working, sitting deeply in a sofa or anywhere else in my home.
> 
> ...


That was why No "Saturn" was released


----------



## fjf (Mar 17, 2020)

newworld666 said:


> Because, I am probably the only who doesn't find any real change with all those firmware parameters on my WM1A...
> So I went to add a new open headphone and now waiting for a brand new Heddphone in a few weeks to complete my WM1A at home , but for those I need much more power than the WM1A can offer and my actual BA300S is also probably far from sufficient too. I just bought a small High-fidelity PAS3S+ (4.4mm). Basically I just wanted to see how much more power I need to really move the Heddphone, and with 2000MW / 32Ω it's a first step to the way and much cheaper than WOO WA11 as a try.
> I really want to be free in my to listen to music while working, sitting deeply in a sofa or anywhere else in my home.
> 
> ...



You may need something like the A&K Kann Cube.


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 18, 2020)

Temporary Removed


----------



## Whitigir

now we need something like that but on 3.02


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 17, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> now we need something like that but on 3.02


Will work on it but 3.00 since like its the most compatible with all on my 1A when i heard 3.02 it since very wide i will check how of those may affect 3.02 and maybe update chart but I think general rules apply since gerelmx1986 enlighted me about the cavernous sound i figured out it will be universal after I hear it on my zx100 and then 1A but it will be very interesting to explore synergy between each fw and the ultimate chart  even on newly released fw to find the ultimate combo... regions might actually be the core all walkman experience and FW can really make use of their base. also it may colour your sound depending what region you are so if you are developing firmware you should seek wich will be the optimal base to work!


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 17, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> Will work on it but 3.00 since like its the most compatible with all on my 1A when i heard 3.02 it since very wide i will check how of those may affect 3.02 and maybe update chart but I think general rules apply since gerelmx1986 enlighted me about the cavernous sound i figured out it will be universal after I hear it on my zx100 and then 1A but it will be very interesting to explore synergy between each fw and the ultimate chart  even on newly released fw to find the ultimate combo... regions might actually be the core all walkman experience and FW can really make use of their base. also it may colour your sound depending what region you are so if you are developing firmware you should seek wich will be the *optimal base to work*!


All mod-firmwares are tuned and based on J-region.  However, due to different characteristic, you can always synergies and blend your gears, cables with other regions too.

But all in all, when needles finding in a hay stack, the general picture is that you would want to have your player the same as mine in order to take full advantages.  I use IER-Z1R with modified acoustic foams, and only stock cables.

That is also why I categorized it into “Tier” and “Specific Hardcoded Regions”

The firmware 3.01 is also tuned based on “J-Region”...._however, remember that I am tuning it, so I can blend and complement the Regions itself._


----------



## Lookout57

@Whitigir Since you are the Planet Master. 

What planet would closest match most of Solis on stock 1A and 1Z Region J with TOTL IEMs and cables? I was thinking based on the old descriptions Mars T2 or T3 would be closest or do you think Jupiter T2 or T3?

Just looking for advice on where to start. I like Solis but would like a slightly detuned high as at times I'm treble sensitive.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 17, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> @Whitigir Since you are the Planet Master.
> 
> What planet would closest match most of Solis on stock 1A and 1Z Region J with TOTL IEMs and cables? I was thinking based on the old descriptions Mars T2 or T3 would be closest or do you think Jupiter T2 or T3?
> 
> Just looking for advice on where to start. I like Solis but would like a slightly detuned high as at times I'm *treble sensitive*.


i would say “Jupiter”, and try to match with regions to gears/cables synergies
Also try out 3.01 Jupiter


----------



## 524419 (Mar 17, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> @Whitigir Since you are the Planet Master.
> 
> What planet would closest match most of Solis on stock 1A and 1Z Region J with TOTL IEMs and cables? I was thinking based on the old descriptions Mars T2 or T3 would be closest or do you think Jupiter T2 or T3?
> 
> Just looking for advice on where to start. I like Solis but would like a slightly detuned high as at times I'm treble sensitive.


I would try all the tier 3 Firmware. Jupiter is the most aggressive, Mars is a bit more forgiving , Venus is laid back a bit further, Mercury has stage depth with Vocals a  bit behind (comparatively). There is no substitute for listening yourself.
I am enjoying Jupiter Mars and Venus Tier 3's quite a lot, and It's impossible at this point for me to go back to any of the stock Firmware 
Still haven't messed around with any of the Region codes.
For reference side of my player reads BC


----------



## Vitaly2017

Diet Kokaine said:


> I would try all the tier 3 Firmware. Jupiter is the most aggressive, Mars is a bit more forgiving , Venus is laid back a bit further, Mercury has stage depth with Vocals a  bit behind (comparatively). There is no substitute for listening yourself.
> I am enjoying Jupiter Mars and Venus Tier 3's quite a lot, and It's impossible at this point for me to go back to any of the stock Firmware
> Still haven't messed around with any of the Region codes.
> For reference side of my player reads BC




I had same impressions but still coming back to j3zu !
It has a unique musicality.
Very detailed and same time musical! 

I swapped cable and ear tips and voila it has once again perfect synergy! 

But if you find Jupiter T3 too aggressive try mercury T3 then T2 its best u can do.
Or go back stock region + J.

For me once I tasted to J what ever I do stock or custom fw I always stick to J


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> I had same impressions but still coming back to j3zu !
> It has a unique musicality.
> Very detailed and same time musical!
> 
> ...


There you go !!! I agreed!!!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> There you go !!! I agreed!!!




J is the key! Haha
It is out J spot LMAO


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> J is the key! Haha
> It is out J spot LMAO


When you are dating a new GF, please kindly ask if she knows about “J spot”

Roflmao ?


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 17, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> When you are dating a new GF, please kindly ask if she knows about “J spot”
> 
> Roflmao ?




 

You to your new gf : Hey babe you know , we guys know where your G spot is right...

Do you girls know about our "J" spot?

The new gf:  ???? What ? Lmao

I BET EVEN THE OLD GF will be super puzzled haha


----------



## gearofwar

oh...looks like I'm late to the party, the link for the beta seems down


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 18, 2020)

I need feed back on Wm1Z 3.01 Beta to see if there are anything needs adjusted


----------



## Mindstorms

ist only 1 file right there isent a 1A beta?


----------



## Whitigir

Hmm ? I don’t get your question


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> Due to the Newest Logic.  WM1A has Version 2.0 Beta.  This is 3.01 improved bass lines and virtually Zero compromises
> 
> I need feed back on Wm1Z 3.01 Beta to see if there are anything needs adjusted



bass is bigger. mids a little more forward, separation good. treble sparkles more than B1. width and height of image good. 

stock 1A hard region U soft region J. Moondrop S8 with hybrid 4.4mm cable


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> Hmm ? I don’t get your question


sorry its just one file right? and its for 1Z its diferent than the earlier ones and its just one... correct?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 17, 2020)

captblaze said:


> bass is bigger. mids a little more forward, separation good. treble sparkles more than B1. width and height of image good.
> 
> stock 1A hard region U soft region J. Moondrop S8 with hybrid 4.4mm cable


Excellent!!! I think it makes senses if  I take this 3.01 Jupiter B2 to be Finalized 3.01 Jupiter


Midnstorms said:


> sorry its just one file right? and its for 1Z its diferent than the earlier ones and its just one... correct?


This one is dedicatedly for 1A only.  It is Universal Region, other regions can chime in and give it a spin


----------



## AlexCBSN (Mar 17, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Due to the Newest Logic.  WM1A has Version 2.0 Beta.  This is 3.01 improved bass lines and virtually Zero compromises
> 
> I need feed back on Wm1Z 3.01 Beta to see if there are anything needs adjusted


Please hold it for a couple of hours plz plz plz, i need to get home after this

by the way, is anyone else ULTRAHYPED for doom eternal?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Excellent!!! I think it makes senses if  I take this 3.01 Jupiter B2 to be Finalized 3.01 Jupiter
> 
> This one is dedicatedly for 1A only.  It is Universal Region, other regions can chime in and give it a spin




Oh crap I cant use it with my 1z?


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Oh crap I cant use it with my 1z?


Only B 1.0 for 1Z


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Due to the Newest Logic.  WM1A has Version 2.0 Beta.  This is 3.01 improved bass lines and virtually Zero compromises
> 
> I need feed back on Wm1Z 3.01 Beta to see if there are anything needs adjusted




This one is 1a only?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 17, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> This one is 1a only?


Correct, as there is no 2.0 version for 1Z.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Correct, as there is no 2.0 version for 1Z.


Booo I downloaded it lol


----------



## Vitaly2017

I just made a fantastic findings!

I rolled threw all stock 3.0 to 3.02 fw and found that 3.01 sounds the best among those 3 stock fw!

3.01 is like a similar copy of jupiter t3!

3.02 has strange vocals and bass..

3.01 did correct that and has a smooth treblier sparkle with a very nice superbly controlled bass. Vocals are more natural. 

3.0 feels to bassy and overall not as good as 3.01

Of course Jupiter T3 sounds much more refined and better vocals. Bass has less slam with more detail

I now have heard a real world for the first time the different sounding carachteristics of stock fw!!!!


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> I just made a fantastic findings!
> 
> I rolled threw all stock 3.0 to 3.02 fw and found that 3.01 sounds the best among those 3 stock fw!
> 
> ...


J right>? spot?


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 17, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> J right>? spot?




Haha I am back to my J spit with Jupiter T3 and J!

Was fun trying stock fw but Jupiter owns them....


Hope I can try the @Whitigir  jupiter beta thing for 1z


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 17, 2020)

Every one shows their fancy iems here, Instead I will just state this is my colection!




This will be 1Z If i had one lol



Custom wallpaper for the oldie! It has a radio in it!


----------



## aceedburn

Whitigir said:


> Due to the Newest Logic.  WM1A has Version 2.0 Beta.  This is 3.01 improved bass lines and virtually Zero compromises
> 
> I need feed back on Wm1Z 3.01 Beta to see if there are anything needs adjusted


Tried it on my stock 1A region J. Sound good overall  and i prefer this to solis. However the treble is still to sibilant for me and I’d prefer more sub bass impact. Vocals a bit too thin for my liking. This is my feedback. Thanks.


----------



## blazinblazin

newworld666 said:


> Because, I am probably the only who doesn't find any real change with all those firmware parameters on my WM1A...
> So I went to add a new open headphone and now waiting for a brand new Heddphone in a few weeks to complete my WM1A at home , but for those I need much more power than the WM1A can offer and my actual BA300S is also probably far from sufficient too. I just bought a small High-fidelity PAS3S+ (4.4mm). Basically I just wanted to see how much more power I need to really move the Heddphone, and with 2000MW / 32Ω it's a first step to the way and much cheaper than WOO WA11 as a try.
> I really want to be free in my to listen to music while working, sitting deeply in a sofa or anywhere else in my home.
> 
> ...


Headphones harder to pick up the differences than IEMs from my experience.


----------



## Morbideath

Midnstorms said:


> Well I had finished my 1.0 Version of the region Change experiences gathered form MY 1A and zx100 (consistent between them I have listened without eq and with EQ)
> Please before you start bashing me like last night take a moment to read and experiment a little and of course you can critic and correct (or make any suggestions) to this chart but before bashing take in consideration that it takes time to do it and countless going between regions to pick up the differences so i could appreciate some positive feedback instead of negatives, also i dont think it can confuse more than last night since you can discard this and the rest of them it if you dont agree... and have your own experiences
> 
> 1 - You dont have to reset your walkman to set up a region just plug unplug and rebuild database. (you can unplug USB to save port from wearing)
> ...


Informative and helpful. Thank you! 
Since most people are on 3.02, would u mind doing a comparison with 02?


----------



## Damz87

Midnstorms said:


> Every one shows their fancy iems here, Instead I will just state this is my colection!
> 
> This will be 1Z If i had one lol
> 
> Custom wallpaper for the oldie! It has a radio in it!



Love the old walkmans!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Damz87 said:


> Love the old walkmans!


But old walkmans don't.play flac nor dsd


----------



## proedros

so many FWs so little time (oh wait we are all in our homes scratch the no time part)


----------



## Damz87

gerelmx1986 said:


> But old walkmans don't.play flac nor dsd



The lower quality adds to the nostalgia


----------



## captblaze

Damz87 said:


> The lower quality adds to the nostalgia


when i was a younger man i would OCD on the needle tracking on my turntable and almost forget i was listening to a song. the needle tracking itself became the music, but i am generally an odd person that way. 

when i saw the vinyl processor in the settings menu for the first time it made me long for those days


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 18, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Tried it on my stock 1A region J. Sound good overall  and i prefer this to solis. However the treble is still to sibilant for me and I’d prefer more sub bass impact. Vocals a bit too thin for my liking. This is my feedback. Thanks.


I think the club versions of former firmwares will do what you asked for.  Jupiter is only about musicality and remain detailed + references still.


----------



## Whitigir

Midnstorms said:


> Well I had finished my 1.0 Version of the region Change experiences gathered form MY 1A and zx100 (consistent between them I have listened without eq and with EQ)
> Please before you start bashing me like last night take a moment to read and experiment a little and of course you can critic and correct (or make any suggestions) to this chart but before bashing take in consideration that it takes time to do it and countless going between regions to pick up the differences so i could appreciate some positive feedback instead of negatives, also i dont think it can confuse more than last night since you can discard this and the rest of them it if you dont agree... and have your own experiences
> 
> 1 - You dont have to reset your walkman to set up a region just plug unplug and rebuild database. (you can unplug USB to save port from wearing)
> ...


Out of Respects for all of your findings here.  I am going to have 3.00 Based Firmware for your interests.  All will be stopped at Jupiter Tier 1 likely


----------



## Morbideath

Edit


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 18, 2020)

Now, I will have to Disclose that All of the firmwares.

Stock
3.00 is the most Neutral with both Bass/trebles extentions roll off fastest 
3.01 is the best Bass with Extensions and Decays that goes to the infinity, Energetic body.  Fluid upper details and excellent lower trebles density
3.02 is more Neutral than 3.01 with 3.00 Bass performances (a little more extended), and thinner Trebles density, better details extensions.  Because of the trade offs, the 3.02 has the best Airiness and stages rendering than the other.

So, the 3.02 as you all have known with Planetary traveling.  Because I love Airiness and Staging
I started working on 3.01 because some people seems to crave for better bass performances, where 3.01 is the *best bass performances* IMO.....and @Morbideath has slowly converted me into craving for better bass lines.  This 3.01 is motivated and tuned for him


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> Now, I will have to Disclose that All of the firmwares.
> 
> Stock
> 3.00 is the most Neutral with both Bass/trebles extentions roll off fastest
> ...



The Mad Audio Scientist lives on and our Walkman Appreciation Society benefits greatly


----------



## flyer1

Where can I download Jupiter 3.01 for 1Z?


----------



## Morbideath

flyer1 said:


> Where can I download Jupiter 3.01 for 1Z?


hold tight, im trying hard to catch with him. @Whitigir is outa our universe by this moment......


----------



## siruspan

Whitigir said:


> Now, I will have to Disclose that All of the firmwares.
> 
> Stock
> 3.00 is the most Neutral with both Bass/trebles extentions roll off fastest
> ...



That's great to hear! 3.01 is ma favourite and after visit to other planets I came back to stock 3.01. More details and bigger soundstage are great but I still wanted to have that 3.01 bass response and more body with Shure KSE1200 which are my main iems.


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 18, 2020)

well there is nothing bad with 3.01 except 3.00 staging its better and faster bass I may experiment soon on 3.01 and 3.02 the findings on regionnchart should apply to all fw even new ones but they may vary from iem to iem and from walkman to walkman where can they vary? (balanced vs SE) size of reverbs will be diferent bass response may vary a little thats all.. i think the rest could be consistent but you guys have to give feedback if you agree on most none or all... that would ve awesome to validate the results then its just question to do a final chart with all versions will take time.. not so much also take in mind if you guys love so much direct mode then 3.00 may not be perfect... maybe we will be beter on 3.01 or even 3.02 what will be awesome is if you guys here 3.00 with the pairings i sugested or better propose wich are your favorite regions wich each FW for direct mode.. sorry for the long text!

Stock
3.00 is the most Neutral with both Bass/trebles extentions roll off fastest
3.01 is the best Bass with Extensions and Decays that goes to the infinity, Energetic body. Fluid upper details and excellent lower trebles density
3.02 is more Neutral than 3.01 with 3.00 Bass performances (a little more extended), and thinner Trebles density, better details extensions. Because of the trade offs, the 3.02 has the best Airiness and stages rendering than the other.

So, the 3.02 as you all have known with Planetary traveling. I AGREE ALL except in my iem region config wich was MX3 3.02 staging sounded untural the 3d effect doesnt felt any real... felt exagerated thats why don like 3.02 whereas 3.00 3D cues where the best most credible ones..


----------



## Vitaly2017

I still love jupiter T3
But a new jupiter based on 3.01 wow I want it!


----------



## Mindstorms

Damz87 said:


> The lower quality adds to the nostalgia


My zx100 plays flac and dsd also the little one has a ton of power into it when comparing the 3 of them actually I allways felt each one of them was special! sound diferences are very evident but NWZA864 was very powerfull specially for its age and size it has no bass control nor layers dough staging fells very plain but it really has very good sound quality compared to a any phone of that era...


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 19, 2020)

Edit


----------



## Lookout57

aceedburn said:


> Tried it on my stock 1A region J. Sound good overall  and i prefer this to solis. However the treble is still to sibilant for me and I’d prefer more sub bass impact. Vocals a bit too thin for my liking. This is my feedback. Thanks.


I prefer Jupiter T3 Region J on my stock 1A over Solis. I miss the extra details and smaller soundstage. But happy that Jupiter is not as sibilant as Solis as it could be harsh on female vocals like Joni Mitchell.


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> These Jupiters are based on 3.01, in T1 only. They have better bass response than previous versions, But YMMV.
> Every firmwares has it own merits, the modifications is an improvements upon based stock firmware. Pick your poison!
> We'll only host them for a day!


Listening to this as I type this.


----------



## Mindstorms

so dumb question this are all diferent from the ones posted yesterday here?


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 18, 2020)

Removed


----------



## flyer1

Morbideath said:


> These Jupiters are based on 3.01, in T1 only. They have better bass response than previous versions, But YMMV.
> Every firmwares has it own merits, the modifications is an improvements upon based stock firmware. Pick your poison!
> We'll only host them for a day!



On my to my pc connected euro 1Z I get:'Connect the target device to a computer with a USB cable' when trying to run?


----------



## Morbideath

flyer1 said:


> On my to my pc connected euro 1Z I get:'Connect the target device to a computer with a USB cable' when trying to run?


I need to ask a stupid question in advance: u are running 1Z exe right?


----------



## flyer1

Morbideath said:


> I need to ask a stupid question in advance: u are running 1Z exe right?



Yes!


----------



## Morbideath

flyer1 said:


> Yes!


@Whitigir summoning the bugbuster


----------



## Whitigir

flyer1 said:


> On my to my pc connected euro 1Z I get:'Connect the target device to a computer with a USB cable' when trying to run?





Morbideath said:


> @Whitigir summoning the bugbuster


Why is it always Europe to have problems LOL


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> Why is it always Europe to have problems LOL


we don't know Japan yet......


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> we don't know Japan yet......


@hshock76 is Japan, and he is all green light


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> @hshock76 is Japan, and he is all green light



Managed to install on both my 1Zs - JE & US region stickers


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 18, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Why is it always Europe to have problems LOL



O well.. My 1Z/ex1000 on Solis/CEV is probably unbeatable anyway

Though would be nice for others with a EU Z to try 3.01 Jupiter?


----------



## Whitigir

flyer1 said:


> O well.. My 1Z/ex1000 on Solis/CEV is probably unbeatable anyway
> 
> Though would be nice for others with a EU Z to try 3.01 Jupiter?


you got a PM


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 18, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> Removed...





Please Be noticed, It is “Violation in *compliance*” to even change the Region


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 18, 2020)

Well i only stated that if they taken into consideration synergy between the two systems y pm you Whitigir


----------



## Queen6

Whitigir said:


> The only thing Sony Engineers worry about is that “*You are not supposed to get any of this*”...no Region changes, and No Firmware changes.  So...Please....Don’t start criticizing Sony and their team.
> Sony has a whole company to care for, and being compliance is and will always be their priority
> 
> Me, @Morbideath , and yourself, we are all Just crazy enthusiasts.  We may have different experiences here and there, but without a doubt, without Sony, we have nothing like Walkman, and we will not even be discussing here.
> ...





Oops 

Q-6


----------



## ttt123

Midnstorms said:


> Well i only stated that if they taken into consideration synergy between the two systems y pm you Whitigir


You have just stolen the cookies from the jar!  Smart Kids know enough to hide away and enjoy the forbidden cookies.  The other kids challenge their mother, get the cookies taken away, and are punished.  Which do you want to be?


----------



## Mindstorms

the silent jar!


----------



## proedros

Morbideath said:


> These Jupiters are based on 3.01, in T1 only. They have better bass response than previous versions, But YMMV.
> Every firmwares has it own merits, the modifications is an improvements upon based stock firmware. Pick your poison!
> We'll only host them for a day!



do we need to have stock 3.01 installed before running this one or it doesn't really matter which stock FW we have ?


----------



## captblaze

proedros said:


> do we need to have stock 3.01 installed before running this one or it doesn't really matter which stock FW we have ?


this will install 3.01 along with the sonic magic


----------



## Queen6

Right now stock 3.02, region flipped to J, high gain is doing it for me; Stock Sony is stock, J region is richer/thicker & more emotive. High gain kicks it up, authoritative in the bass, soundstage will reduce versus normal gain. Over all; powerful, intimate, personal, sends you....   

On WM1A, Andromeda's & Dunu 3001 Pro, album Disturbed - Evolution - 44.1, 24 bit, Danzig - Danzig 44.1.16 bit

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

Back on DMP-Z1 1.02


----------



## AlexCBSN (Mar 18, 2020)

Jupiter 3.01 t1 is making a MASSIVE soundstage on IMR aten (dont want to come in with the rah yet, i think it will be even bigger) the bass is tamed and amazingly behaved but stil the extension goes LOOOOOW, seriosly impressed, im using it as a dac right now on my macbook pro -> boom 3d on with a bit of gain -> dunu lyre cable 2 pins (yep... the people at dunu made it for me, they were super cool) -> aten with orange tips from dunu 2001 (best tips in the world)


----------



## Vitaly2017

I am late to the party could I have the post# or link to the new Jupiter 3.01 for 1z  please


----------



## proedros

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am late to the party could I have the post# or link to the new Jupiter 3.01 for 1z  please



https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ltiuQ5BiY56GvFgu0RetYfA01MfEDzne?usp=drive_open


----------



## Whitigir

Now I need to get a hold of DMP-Z1 Version 1.00 firmware LOL!


----------



## proedros

Jupiter 3.01 on my stock WM1A is very good , great job @Whitigir 

I may stay here for a while , really like what i am hearing


----------



## 524419 (Mar 18, 2020)

I wish there was a way to stick copper foil capacitors inside the 1A.
The battery cable MOD made a bigger difference that I thought it would, about as much as the connector cables to be honest.
Resolution, and BASS were the biggest beneficiaries.

I know power cables in amps and DACs make a big difference, but this was still very surprising.

I used 20 gauge Solid OCC Copper for Interconnects
and 24 gauge Solid OCC Copper for Battery connectors.
This combo beats my Benchmark DAC  Sony is the more Natural sound, more true to life rendering. After A/B Switch....I prefer the Sony, if I had to choose one.
Currently on Mars T3


----------



## Mindstorms

I just have arrived Jupiter  but with a very diferent ship the vessel has two 00 zeros before a 3 and some weird dot in the middle thank you Whitigir its really awesome!


----------



## Whitigir

Diet Kokaine said:


> I wish there was a way to stick copper foil capacitors inside the 1A.
> The battery cable MOD made a bigger difference that I thought it would, about as much as the connector cables to be honest.
> Resolution, and BASS were the biggest beneficiaries.
> 
> ...


Which one are you looking into ?


----------



## 524419 (Mar 18, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Which one are you looking into ?


Haven't decided yet, I have Duelund Copper Foil capacitors coming in for my Speakers On Friday.  Redoing the crossovers,
I basically Want the best Capacitors for the 1A that I can get my hands on, Upgrade once and call it a day.
I don't see myself purchasing another DAP after what I am hearing here, just would like to max it out.

I'll also swap out the Grounding cable when I do the capacitor replacement. Have to get the entire board out for both mods.


----------



## Whitigir

Diet Kokaine said:


> Haven't decided yet, I have Duelund Copper Foil capacitors coming infor my Speakers On Friday.  Redoing the crossovers,
> I basically Want the best Capacitors for the Sony that I can get my hands on, Upgrade once and call it a day.
> I don't see myself purchasing another DAP after what I am hearing here, just would like to max it out.


There is no Foil caps that can fit....best caps by far is Electrolytic, and you have to carefully works out the details about the differences between stock vs the one you are going with.  There are some BlackGate as Romni Audio is doing

The Foil Cap at this values is as big as the Walkman itself ...lol or bigger


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> There is no Foil caps that can fit....best caps by far is Electrolytic, and you have to carefully works out the details about the differences between stock vs the one you are going with.  There are some BlackGate as Romni Audio is doing
> 
> The Foil Cap at this values is as big as the Walkman itself ...lol or bigger


I know haha
that would be something now wouldn't it?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Listening to new Jupiter 3.01!
bass is tighter and makes my ears less fatigued from bass with noire and pw1960 a good start!

treble is no sharp treble but sparkly just like I like it to feel.

dynamics are good and fast punchy. Listening further more.  This might be a new favorite! will see what time tells


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 18, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> I know haha
> that would be something now wouldn't it?


There is no need, because capacitors are different.  It depends on applications.  You don’t have to have Foil Caps at the place you think you are going.  Sony has PML for filters purposes.  These PML is made by Rubycon, and they used to make BlackGate.  PML is basically combined benefit from foiled caps and polypropylene caps but in a small and compact SMD package

That is why I kept on saying that WM1A is cheap for it pricing VS Engineering and hardware implementation


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> There is no need, because capacitors are different.  It depends on applications.  You don’t have to have Foil Caps at the place you think you are going.  Sony has PML for filters purposes.  These PML is made by Rubycon, and they used to make BlackGate.  PML is basically combined benefit from foiled caps and polypropylene caps but in a small and compact SMD package
> 
> That is why I kept on saying that WM1A is cheap for it pricing VS Engineering and hardware implementation


I am going to try and  hunt down some Blackgates. 
I really appreciate all your help, you have been extremely kind with your time


----------



## Whitigir

Diet Kokaine said:


> I am going to try and  hunt down some Blackgates.
> I really appreciate all your help, you have been extremely kind with your time


Hificollective have some, but you won’t be seeing shipments until some long months ...and if you think battery waiting were bad !!!!
Thanks to Covid-19


----------



## 524419 (Mar 18, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Hificollective have some, but you won’t be seeing shipments until some long months ...and if you think battery waiting were bad !!!!
> Thanks to Covid-19


I'll order them, and just wait.....they'll get here when they do. Hopefully we haven't all turned to zombies by then 
I know you described the values and sizes before, i'll go back and find them on the thread.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Whitigir said:


> you got a PM


Whitigir,

Can you also send me a PM on latest 3.01 Jupiter 301 T1-1Z; mine is 1Z based on EU region

Thanks


----------



## proedros

hamhamhamsta said:


> Whitigir,
> 
> Can you also send me a PM on latest 3.01 Jupiter 301 T1-1Z; mine is 1Z based on EU region
> 
> Thanks



https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ltiuQ5BiY56GvFgu0RetYfA01MfEDzne


----------



## ttt123

Diet Kokaine said:


> I wish there was a way to stick copper foil capacitors inside the 1A.
> The battery cable MOD made a bigger difference that I thought it would, about as much as the connector cables to be honest.
> Resolution, and BASS were the biggest beneficiaries.
> 
> ...


Interesting....can only guess that this is related to improving noise on the power leads.  If you consider power as another signal ( with micro variances  ), which feeds, and influences every single component/signal in the system, then it is in an area that can have great gains if improved.  Unexpected, as we think of power and ground as simple things that are easy to get right.  But we already have a lot of data that this is really a very complex area....and still not totally understood


----------



## 524419 (Mar 18, 2020)

ttt123 said:


> Interesting....can only guess that this is related to improving noise on the power leads.  If you consider power as another signal ( with micro variances  ), which feeds, and influences every single component/signal in the system, then it is in an area that can have great gains if improved.  Unexpected, as we think of power and ground as simple things that are easy to get right.  But we already have a lot of data that this is really a very complex area....and still not totally understood


Same thing happened the 1st time I made cables for my Amplifiers, Gauge and metals have a direct influence on sound, pretty close to the level of interconnects.
I was even more surprised to learn that  the quality of the AC outlet made an audible difference, even to the extent of affecting timbre. That one I still can't even begin to explain.
GTX Copper with Gold plating sounds different that GTX Rhodium AC plugs. Did extensive A/B tests. Both were better than regular AC outlets (which by the way sound quite grainy in comparison).

To put it mildly...we do not understand how electricity affects sound, at all.

I only use Solid Copper for all my Cables. Litz only for IEM cables


----------



## Vitaly2017

Diet Kokaine said:


> Same thing happened the 1st time I made cables for my Amplifiers, Gauge and metals have a direct influence on sound, pretty close to the level of interconnects.
> I was even more surprised to learn that  the quality of thje AC outlet made an audible difference, even to the extent of affecting timbre. That one I still can't even begin to explain.
> GTX Copper with Gold plating sounds different that GTX Rhodium AC plugs. Did extensive A/B tests. Both were better than regular AC outlets (which by the way sound quite grainy in comparison).
> 
> To put it mildly...we do not understand how electricity affects sound, at all.




And to make it even more complex and confusing imagine now that if the electricity was obtained from wind or water or nuclear and it also affects sound lmao

now we are even more lost, gotta ask Tesla what he thinks which electricity is the purest for sound quality


----------



## Mindstorms

So TW since to bring 3.01 closer to 3.00MX3 but with slower bass 3.02 sounds very good with TW!


----------



## ttt123

Diet Kokaine said:


> Same thing happened the 1st time I made cables for my Amplifiers, Gauge and metals have a direct influence on sound, pretty close to the level of interconnects.
> I was even more surprised to learn that  the quality of thje AC outlet made an audible difference, even to the extent of affecting timbre. That one I still can't even begin to explain.
> GTX Copper with Gold plating sounds different that GTX Rhodium AC plugs. Did extensive A/B tests. Both were better than regular AC outlets (which by the way sound quite grainy in comparison).
> 
> To put it mildly...we do not understand how electricity affects sound, at all.


AC outlets and plugs, do have some explanation, once you take a close look at them.  I have wired AC, both commercially, and at home, so I do know some of what goes on.
The 89 cents AC outlet that goes into most homes, have push connections,, and screws.  Everybody uses the push connection, where you strip the wire, and push it into the hole.  Fast, and easy.  But if you look at the actual physical connection, it is a knife edge contact, between the round wire and a spring metal strip.  Push 10 amps through this super small contact area, and it is noisy, and overheats.  Also very dangerous/can cause fires.    An Extremely bad physical connection.  
Always use the screws to fasten the wire instead.  And never use the cheapest components.  Not a savings, compared to the risk/danger.

Then there is the quality of the outlet/plug.  Why do audio grade hospital outlet/plugs cost $20+ dollars each, versus the the $1.00 or cheaper ones from Home Depot?  
Very different specs and requirements.  Hospital grade components (sockets and plugs) comply to a standard meant to eliminate sparks in oxygen rich surroundings.  

To do that, they use thick clamp plates/stainless steel screw(instead of brass) to clamp the wire under high pressure, and with a very large contact area.  The actual socket contacts (which the plug pins are inserted into), are thick, and have very high clamping pressure.  Just how high a pressure is illustrated by an experiment that one magazine did.  Using hospital grade female and male outlet/plug, they could lift up a 40 pound amplifier by the power cable.  
All this affects the connection, noise, etc.

And then there is the dedicated AC cable from the panel, reducing the noise from refrigerators, microwaves, etc. on a common circuit......
(I can't put in a dedicated AC run, but do have filter capacitors in a box, which I plug into spare outlets, to reduce AC noise)

And it goes on and on....for those people who get interested, and willing to try some of these things.


----------



## Vitaly2017

after rolling a lot of fw and regions tonight ! thanks to the help of @Midnstorms  He kept saying how good is 3.00 fw and U region, well turns out hes been right!
The U + stock 3.00 is very very close and share some interesting similarities with J + Jupiter T3!

If you like U + stock 3.00 but its a little to sharp in treble you can always go down to MX3 + 3.00 I find @Midnstorms is absolutely right on this one and it does sound as phenomenal as our new custom FW I think this is also a nice way to add some extra configurations when needed !!!


What I really Love about U + stock 3.00 is it madd deep sub sub bass, it really a beast it rumble deep and doesnt lose details !!!


Viva the freedom of being able to FW and Region Rolling YESS


----------



## 524419 (Mar 19, 2020)

ttt123 said:


> AC outlets and plugs, do have some explanation, once you take a close look at them.  I have wired AC, both commercially, and at home, so I do know some of what goes on.
> The 89 cents AC outlet that goes into most homes, have push connections,, and screws.  Everybody uses the push connection, where you strip the wire, and push it into the hole.  Fast, and easy.  But if you look at the actual physical connection, it is a knife edge contact, between the round wire and a spring metal strip.  Push 10 amps through this super small contact area, and it is noisy, and overheats.  Also very dangerous/can cause fires.    An Extremely bad physical connection.
> Always use the screws to fasten the wire instead.  And never use the cheapest components.  Not a savings, compared to the risk/danger.
> 
> ...


I contemplated doing a straight dedicated run to the main, but that would have been a lot of work, didn't think of using capacitors inline to clean up the AC Signal, might just have to look into that. You know the funny thing is, there is someone somewhere who is going to come and scream about how wrong we are, and it is his sworn duty to help shield the unsuspecting public from out snake oilery.
If you don't mind, what capacitors do you recommend to filter out a 20 amp line?


----------



## ttt123 (Mar 19, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> I contemplated doing a straight dedicated run to the main, but that would have been a lot of work, didn't think of using capacitors inline to clean up the AC Signal, might just have to look into that. You know the funny thing is, there is someone somewhere who is going to come and scream about how wrong we are, and it is his sworn duty to help shield the unsuspecting public from out snake oilery.
> If you don't mind, what capacitors do you recommend to filter out a 20 amp line?


I followed Jon Risch's recommendations.  http://www.geocities.ws/jonrisch/surge.htm   He has recommendations for parts.
I found Philips MKP cheap and available, at a HK  Apliu St. Stall, so used those.  Wired into a standalone outlet box, with a short cable and plug.  Make sure to wire a bleed resistor in, to bleed the capacitors when unplugged, otherwise somebody may be surprised when they grab the metal plug contacts!
And/or always short out the plug contacts with a screwdriver after unplugging the box from AC..

Yes, there are a lot of write ups on how the Manufacturer knows best, and designed everything needed in, and it cannot be improved. 

The only problem is, the opposite is true.  Manufacturers (the majority) put in the minimum required, to maximize profit.  They also benefit if products fail earlier, thus you find underpowered, low quality power/wall warts, no spark suppression on high current switches, no ventilation holes/airflow, low quality components, cables/wires, no shielding, etc. etc. 

But to each their own.  Do what you believe in.  Be patient with those people who are doing useless things, as it makes them happy.  And this applies to both sides.


----------



## 524419

ttt123 said:


> I followed Jon Risch's recommendations.  http://www.geocities.ws/jonrisch/surge.htm   He has recommendations for parts.
> I found Philips MKP cheap and available, at a HK  Apliu St. Stall, so used those.  Wired into a standalone outlet box, with a short cable and plug.  Make sure to wire a bleed resistor in, to bleed the capacitors when unplugged, otherwise somebody may be surprised when they grab the metal plug contacts!
> And/or always short out the plug contacts with a screwdriver after unplugging the box from AC..
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info.
And good advise, I'll try to keep that in mind.

Looks easy enough to build, should be very interesting.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 20, 2020)

After spending a long while on Solis.......took the peer pressure and jumped over for a relaxing visit on new Jupiter301-T1. Kind of a relatively smoother switch on both 1A and 1Z. Of course with-out flavor enhancing physical DAP mods, I can only guess Solis T5 is all about brute strength and critical details in the treble regions, much like the Sun. Lol 

Thus Solis is what it is. Though Jupiter has those lovely sound-stage environments which are always a welcome visit again, only this time somehow more spacious and top to bottom? Excuse my rambling here, I actually don’t flip updates back and forth but try to use memory? Thanks again @Midnstorms & Whitigir for raising the bar once more and endearing us with these new spectacular expressions of talent! 

Jupiter always reminds of it’s naturalness and seemingly effortless stance. It also quite quickly shows the two players differences in easy to grasp form. Though as many know the 1A has made the biggest turn-around. I still don’t know why? 

Cheers!


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> These Jupiters are based on 3.01, in T1 only. They have better bass response than previous versions, But YMMV.
> Every firmwares has it own merits, the modifications is an improvements upon based stock firmware. Pick your poison!
> We'll only host them for a day!


Can I have this exact same tuning based on 3.02? I love this tuning but feel that I’m missing out on the new features and staging present in 3.02.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 19, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Can I have this exact same tuning based on 3.02? I love this tuning but feel that I’m missing out on the new features and staging present in 3.02.


No, you can not.  This is like modifying a Civic VS modifying a Supra.  Both comes out in the end still being itself...because that is what their core are.


----------



## aceedburn

Whitigir said:


> No, you can not.  This is like modifying a Civic VS modifying a Supra.  Both comes out in the end still being itself...because that is what their core are.


Sure I get it. It’s due to the nature of the specific firmware. But Jupiter 3.01 is out of this world on its own. And I sounds better on J region. I had it on CEV but it sounded a little off in the mids and highs. With J it’s almost perfection to me. Oh that bass. You outdid yourselves on this @Whitigir and @Morbideath   kudos.


----------



## RobertP

Thanks to COVID19, I have so much time on my hands. Swapped out those tiny battery wires on my 1A with 22 awg OCC. Five solid core wires are hard to bent so be extra careful if someone think about of doing this. Did the same with the S-Master active ground wire since it's just one wire on the back side of the board.

What a dramatic change overall. Stock 3.02 is now as good as D1.02 i try last week. At the moment, J + Ultimate 1.02 w/Tone Control 0,0,0 is a good combo for me.

Quite a bit more extension throughout the range. Dynamic range, and resolution are just amazing. Seem like I'm gaining 30% more information from 25dB and lower.


----------



## 524419 (Mar 19, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Thanks to COVID19, I have so much time on my hands. Swapped out those tiny battery wires on my 1A with 22 awg OCC. Five solid core wires are hard to bent so be extra careful if someone think about of doing this. Did the same with the S-Master active ground wire since it's just one wire on the back side of the board.
> 
> What a dramatic change overall. Stock 3.02 is now as good as D1.02 i try last week. At the moment, J + Ultimate 1.02 w/Tone Control 0,0,0 is a good combo for me.
> 
> Quite a bit more extension throughout the range. Dynamic range, and resolution are just amazing. Seem like I'm gaining 30% more information from 25dB and lower.


It's startling. I am not exaggerating When I say this modded 1A is in the same league as my Benchmark DAC3, and beats it in some ways.
That is quite a statement, but it's true in this case.
Really looking forward to finishing it off with some high end capacitors, I don't think another stock DAP will touch this for a long time to come.


----------



## 524419

RobertP said:


> Thanks to COVID19, I have so much time on my hands. Swapped out those tiny battery wires on my 1A with 22 awg OCC. Five solid core wires are hard to bent so be extra careful if someone think about of doing this. Did the same with the S-Master active ground wire since it's just one wire on the back side of the board.
> 
> What a dramatic change overall. Stock 3.02 is now as good as D1.02 i try last week. At the moment, J + Ultimate 1.02 w/Tone Control 0,0,0 is a good combo for me.
> 
> Quite a bit more extension throughout the range. Dynamic range, and resolution are just amazing. Seem like I'm gaining 30% more information from 25dB and lower.


Did you have to disassemble a lot of stuff to get to the back? Is it relatively easy to get to?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Thanks to @proedros  that I could get the Jupiter for 3.01 
It reminds of DMP-Z1 1.02


----------



## RobertP (Mar 19, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> Did you have to disassemble a lot of stuff to get to the back? Is it relatively easy to get to?


Yes, take a look at Service manual. Or take a look how @Whitigir did it Here
If too hard, let K-Mod do it professionally but that come with premium pricetag.


----------



## NickleCo

So I recently rolled to J1 3.01 with J region. You guys weren't kidding about it being smooth and relaxed (also powerful! Had to dial back on the volume because it was too loud lol!) Thanks for yet another compelling fw @Whitigir and thanks for the super detailed write up on the differences in the regions @Midnstorms!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Jupiter T1 for 3.01 region E2 lovely sound


----------



## NickleCo

This album with J region and 3.01J1 feels so realistic. Timbre is just on point really justifies the atlas' signature. Especially on this album.


----------



## RobertP (Mar 19, 2020)

Firmwares are like meats and regions are like salt and piper.

I'm listening to 60's songs at the moment. Never thought these records are better than some newer recordings.


----------



## NickleCo

RobertP said:


> Firmwares are like meats and regions are like salt and piper.
> 
> I'm listening to 60's songs at the moment. Never thought these records are better than some newer recordings.


Same thoughts, could never stand to listen to this album before.


----------



## Morbideath

gerelmx1986 said:


> Jupiter T1 for 3.01 region E2 lovely sound


Nice records!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Morbideath said:


> Nice records!


These specific one is from 1959, sounds awesome,  Phillip's certainly didn't do a good job with the remastering to CD (less bass texture, artificially boosted highs. I have the vinyl RIP in 24/96, bass response is better as well more natural trebles)


----------



## captblaze

gerelmx1986 said:


> These specific one is from 1959, sounds awesome,  Phillip's certainly didn't do a good job with the remastering to CD (less bass texture, artificially boosted highs. I have the vinyl RIP in 24/96, bass response is better as well more natural trebles)



No matter how good our Walkman is at reproducing sound when you take something smooth and make it not smooth (A to D conversion) you arent getting an optimal transfer of information


----------



## nc8000

captblaze said:


> No matter how good our Walkman is at reproducing sound when you take something smooth and make it not smooth (A to D conversion) you arent getting an optimal transfer of information



Technically true. The question is to what extent that non optimal is audible though. To some it will be sometimes but to most it probably won’t be


----------



## Whitigir

captblaze said:


> No matter how good our Walkman is at reproducing sound when you take something smooth and make it not smooth (A to D conversion) you arent getting an optimal transfer of information


We will eventually get there.  Digital music still has a long way to go


----------



## captblaze

nc8000 said:


> Technically true. The question is to what extent that non optimal is audible though. To some it will be sometimes but to most it probably won’t be



1st gen digital was poor, but as processing and algorithmic tech progresses there is less audible artifact. As always there are debates on such things and that is why there is such passion in the Sound Science forum


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 19, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Technically true. The question is to what extent that non optimal is audible though. To some it will be sometimes but to most it probably won’t be


There are 2 key factors


Spoiler: I am still learning and I could be wrong



a/ Phase timing accuracy.
b/ Modulated Pulses Width Accuracy

If the timing is wrong, then the music will sound artificially reproduced.  It is not that it won’t make music.  It will, but the Errors corrections will have filtered out so much that the Timbres isn’t authentic or realistic anymore.

If the Pulses are not accurate, then being Over sampled, and compared, the Error corrections will correct it again. But this time it will be done with “Shaping and filtering”.  Basically, the Shaping is random noises, and hence the filtering has different (Techniques).  At this point, we call it “Digital Filtering”

All in all, both will happen in a senses that the timbres will be off, the imagines will be off, the harshness will begin to be observable, and everything sounds “soulless” or “not emotionally connected”

Sony has taken “steps” to negate these effects.

1/ Timing errors are negated not by the Crystal Oscillators, but by using PML capacitors.  Imagines you have water flowing at the source without vibrations, then you will have a kid holding the hose in the middle and vibrate it....the water at the end Of the hose will be vibrating when it comes out.  “These Kids are Ceramic capacitors and Tantalum capacitors”, and the end of the hose will then be connected to your Processor to be converted....So, using PML, the Piezoelectric (vibrations) is negated and in the end achieved better accuracy.

2/ Pulses accuracy...this will still have timing involved, but the Energy density itself are much more important.  So, to counter this effects, Sony has incorporated “Super Capacitors” at the processors.  This is to make sure that Energy Density is always at peaks for better accuracy





captblaze said:


> 1st gen digital was poor, but as processing and algorithmic tech progresses there is less audible artifact. As always there are debates on such things and that is why there is such passion in the Sound Science forum


majority of them are “keyboard warriors”


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> We will eventually get there.  Digital music still has a long way to go


With Quantum Digital Music  (quantum computing)


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 19, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> With Quantum Digital Music  (quantum computing)


Before that, we need to get GAN-FET in play first, and they are not cheap when implemented into Audio circuitry .  Just output FET is already expensive...Now Imagine all FET are replaced LOL


----------



## Wietjunk

For members who got problems with exe just reboot your windows system run the exe and your Walkman will connect.


----------



## Jon773

Hi there

I have been reading some of this massive thread and see that there used to be custom firmware available for the WM1A/Z that was designed by some clever people on the forum. Question is... Is it still available?

I have two WM1A in my collection. One is stock and the other has the K-Mod Ultimate and I would be very interested in trying out different FW.

Thanks
Jon


----------



## flyer1

For anybody using Solis on a non tier 5 setup: I noticed that the vinyl processor(mine set to standard) can be very effective in improving synergy (for me 1Z/ex1000). Made me also switch back from CEV to J region. Great sub bass now with all the firmware tuning benefits of J region


----------



## Vitaly2017

flyer1 said:


> For anybody using Solis on a non tier 5 setup: I noticed that the vinyl processor(mine set to standard) can be very effective in improving synergy (for me 1Z/ex1000). Made me also switch back from CEV to J region. Great sub bass now with all the firmware tuning benefits of J region




It is highly recommended even suggested to use only J with custom fw as that is how they were all tuned...

With stock fw you can play with regions as thats how you can tune the stock fw sound...


----------



## bana

Whitigir said:


> All mod-firmwares are tuned and based on J-region.  However, due to different characteristic, you can always synergies and blend your gears, cables with other regions too.
> 
> But all in all, when needles finding in a hay stack, the general picture is that you would want to have your player the same as mine in order to take full advantages.  I use IER-Z1R with modified acoustic foams, and only stock cables.
> 
> ...



Excuse me, but I'm a bit confused, (must be the virus) is this new 3.01 different from SONY's official 3.01?


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 19, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Sure I get it. It’s due to the nature of the specific firmware. But Jupiter 3.01 is out of this world on its own. And I sounds better on J region. I had it on CEV but it sounded a little off in the mids and highs. With J it’s almost perfection to me. Oh that bass. You outdid yourselves on this @Whitigir and @Morbideath   kudos.


CEV suffers from ocluded highs! CN could be the closet maybe J also but CN will be piercing... like very lol you can also try U and maybe E2 if you dont mind the reberb?


----------



## Vitaly2017

What you guys think? Is that some good art ???


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 19, 2020)

make a wallpaper same colors black papers best camera you can  get I will use it! I like it!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> make a wallpaper same colors black papers best camera you can  get I will use it! I like it!





Is this good


----------



## hamhamhamsta

A person after my own heart lol


----------



## Mindstorms

I meantd that the hole thingg was black but i will use this for a while lol!ist very nice, also want to clarify averyone recieving a gift that i made that using EQ i plan to do a direct source chart soon for the rest who does not eq, it refers more at what its capable with eq and what its limited to not so much as sound in direct mode!


----------



## Tawek

flyer1 said:


> For anybody using Solis on a non tier 5 setup: I noticed that the vinyl processor(mine set to standard) can be very effective in improving synergy (for me 1Z/ex1000). Made me also switch back from CEV to J region. Great sub bass now with all the firmware tuning benefits of J region


I have no words
only jaw drop
it's like now Wm1z is driving
Ex1000 is simply unbelievable
Solis/ Cev / vinyl processor standard/ 
 thanks


----------



## flyer1

Tawek said:


> I have no words
> only jaw drop
> it's like now Wm1z is driving
> Ex1000 is simply unbelievable
> ...



Try J region also. I believe it is even more unbelievable then. So happy I got my EX1000 just in time for this


----------



## Tawek

flyer1 said:


> Try J region also. I believe it is even more unbelievable then. So happy I got my EX1000 just in time for this


I checked
where is the limit of these iems Ex1000 King  
ten years old flagship sounding better than current flagship cool hehe


----------



## Whitigir

Tawek said:


> I checked
> where is the limit of these iems Ex1000 King
> ten years old flagship sounding better than current flagship cool hehe


That just means the current flagship will last into another 20 years  even cooler!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Tawek said:


> I checked
> where is the limit of these iems Ex1000 King
> ten years old flagship sounding better than current flagship cool hehe




Do you got zome pictures of that flagship  wanna see it


----------



## Tawek

Vitaly2017 said:


> Do you got zome pictures of that flagship  wanna see it


----------



## RobertP

Never care much about this album before on stock WM1A. Now, this is one of my favorite recordings.


----------



## ttt123 (Mar 19, 2020)

Tawek said:


> (Image from quoted post not copied)


What are these?  You were not referring to the Sony EX1000?


----------



## Whitigir

ttt123 said:


> What are these?  You were not referring to the Sony EX1000?


That was what I thought LoL!!


----------



## Tawek (Mar 19, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> That was what I thought LoL!!


Ex1000 exactly
I only compared Ex1000 to another flagship
Ex1000 sounds phenomenal with Wm1z / Solis / cev or J /
especially electronics, ambient and vocals - Koan, Jare, Astronaut Ape, Enya, Enigma...


----------



## Mindstorms

do you want to laugh? i skip sonys i think it was an ex1000 similar model iem to get a pair of Senheisser IE80 i want to kill myself you can bash me for this lol


----------



## Tawek

Whitigir said:


> That was what I thought LoL!!


and the best part is as in case of  Ier - Z1r,  with  Ex1000 you can also modify the filter
to get more dynamics and clarity
https://www.google.pl/amp/s/amp.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/8j7pom/thoughts_on_mdr_ex1000


----------



## Whitigir

Yeah, and I kept saying that but the folks in IER still don’t want to take it in LOL

My IER Z1R is crazily awesome


----------



## Tawek

Whitigir said:


> Yeah, and I kept saying that but the folks in IER still don’t want to take it in LOL
> 
> My IER Z1R is crazily awesome


I think that with some features Ex1000 may equal or even exceed Ier Z1r


----------



## Whitigir

Tawek said:


> I think that with some features Ex1000 may equal or even exceed Ier Z1r


Are you trying to bring my mad beast to snare it Fangs toward the EX1000 ? Lol...stop!!!!

Maybe one day I will get there lol


----------



## Damz87

flyer1 said:


> Try J region also. I believe it is even more unbelievable then. So happy I got my EX1000 just in time for this



I’m going to try vinyl processor tonight with 1Z/Solis/J

EX1000’s are the kings (when paired correctly and you get the right fit) Are you using balanced or SE?


----------



## hshock76

I have both Z1R and EX1000. I can’t say EX1000 is better. They are very different. EX1000 has an analog feel and cannot better the Z1R’s resolution. The EX is more intimate while the Z1R  has a larger sound. I love both and they serve different listening needs.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 19, 2020)

I would say Just Ear is the direct upgrade to EXK, as they were both created by Bandai San, both sharing a huge DD. JE offers many vaious flavors and one more BA than EXK.


----------



## ttt123

hshock76 said:


> I have both Z1R and EX1000. I can’t say EX1000 is better. They are very different. EX1000 has an analog feel and cannot better the Z1R’s resolution. The EX is more intimate while the Z1R  has a larger sound. I love both and they serve different listening needs.


Agree! I have both, with the ex1k original cable reterminated to 4.4. For me, the Z1R is more enjoyable  overall. The ex1k has high freq definition, which can be harsh for some music. Or maybe it is the wrong synergy, and my system is pushing it into areas that are negative, which is not present with other systems with different synergy?. Don't know, just suggest to try before you buy, if possible.


----------



## NickleCo

Okay, this might seem weird but here I go. Is it me or is there a weird coherency issue with J+3.01 J1, I'm hearing the bass notes hitting with different speed to the other frequencies like a delay/pause. Don't get me wrong I like it (a lot lol) gives the song a whole new presence and makes it super holographic!


----------



## hshock76

Morbideath said:


> I would say Just Ear is the direct upgrade to EXK, as they were both created by Bandai San, both sharing a huge DD. JE offers many vaious flavors and one more BA than EXK.



I would love to be able to get a Sony JE custom one day... once the Virus goes away.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 19, 2020)

DatDudeNic said:


> Okay, this might seem weird but here I go. Is it me or is there a weird coherency issue with J+3.01 J1, I'm hearing the bass notes hitting with different speed to the other frequencies like a delay/pause. Don't get me wrong I like it (a lot lol) gives the song a whole new presence and makes it super holographic!


That’s reverberations, the Whitigir magic creating a sense of spatial presence / large staging. 
Some of our other profiles also have it, more or less noticeable depending on your setup, sometimes on purpose, sometimes unintentionally. Venus for example has some reverbs in upper mids area


----------



## NickleCo

Morbideath said:


> That’s reverberations, the Whitigir magic creating a sense of spatial presence / large staging.
> Some of our other profiles also have it, more or less noticeable depending on your setup, sometimes on purpose, sometimes unintentionally. Venus for example has some reverbs in upper mids area


oh, that's why. Very nicely done indeed!


----------



## ttt123

Morbideath said:


> That’s reverberations, the Whitigir magic creating a sense of spatial presence / large staging.
> Some of our other profiles also have it, more or less noticeable depending on your setup, sometimes on purpose, sometimes unintentionally. Venus for example has some reverbs in upper mids area


I’m guessing that the new FWs are allowing more of what is there to come through, as opposed to artificially adding reverb, which should not be possible in the area that the FW are working.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Jupiter301-T1 is big! My gosh....so big?


----------



## audionewbi

Must try tonight.


----------



## Morbideath

Throwing every planets/stars onto 3.01, generally i feel 3.01 planets sound deeper, while 3.02 planets sound wider. Unlike stock 01 and 02, 3.01 doesn't lose any fidelity or resolution to me, but 02 is more airy and milder. ahhhhhh tough choice...


----------



## Mindstorms

what other plannet there is in 3.01?


----------



## Morbideath

Midnstorms said:


> what other plannet there is in 3.01?


None available. I was just doing some self experiments


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 20, 2020)

Oh ok have you guys Tryed KR 3.01 J? it since to unlock it to its full power! It could get piercing.. I can say im getting good results in that version dough a little piercing i can even state on par or better than 3.00 MX3 wich is my all time favorite SInce its very acurate in its 3D presentation KR removes the veil of J letting max res mode on!
It since very Holographic and also with a Taunting Bass It has won my will stay a few days here certificate and also has Hass insane bass power delivery achievement medal I wonder if U or E suits better dough! Im also very amazed at how well can i correct region error now after the little help lol since like R code deterimnes where will the music be projected from and the FW determines how far and loud.. just a thought... E is really WIDE a must try U since to make it super holographic I can state U its the very best on my setup it makes your socks off bass and stage both therea never seen before for me! thank you! I cannot give enough possitive feedback on this one! its awesome! Reminds me of an IMAX theater lol! (plus all effects work like a charm as a bonus)


----------



## NickleCo

Redcarmoose said:


> Jupiter301-T1 is big! My gosh....so big?


Beautiful photo as always red!


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 20, 2020)

DatDudeNic said:


> Okay, this might seem weird but here I go. Is it me or is there a weird coherency issue with J+3.01 J1, I'm hearing the bass notes hitting with different speed to the other frequencies like a delay/pause. Don't get me wrong I like it (a lot lol) gives the song a whole new presence and makes it super holographic!



One of the first things I noticed with Solis as well. Agree with your observation, like it a lot


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 20, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> I’m going to try vinyl processor tonight with 1Z/Solis/J
> 
> EX1000’s are the kings (when paired correctly and you get the right fit) Are you using balanced or SE?



Balanced using a EX1000 to mmcx adapter, works great.


----------



## ProF3T1

Hi, guys, sorry for the dumb question - I am late to the game, but how can I install this modified FW? I have a 1A EU on stock 3.01 and I downloaded the Jupiter301-T1 from one of the google drive links here, but when i connect the 1A via stock cable to a windows 10 PC and turn on mass storage (windows recognizes the player and the SD card), the installer is asking me to connect the device via USB. With stock FWs I do not have this issue. Do I have to change on the player something first?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 20, 2020)

ProF3T1 said:


> Hi, guys, sorry for the dumb question - I am late to the game, but how can I install this modified FW? I have a 1A EU on stock 3.01 and I downloaded the Jupiter301-T1 from one of the google drive links here, but when i connect the 1A via stock cable to a windows 10 PC and turn on mass storage (windows recognizes the player and the SD card), the installer is asking me to connect the device via USB. With stock FWs I do not have this issue. Do I have to change on the player something first?


There is currently probably a compatible issue with Eu.


----------



## Wietjunk

ProF3T1 said:


> Hi, guys, sorry for the dumb question - I am late to the game, but how can I install this modified FW? I have a 1A EU on stock 3.01 and I downloaded the Jupiter301-T1 from one of the google drive links here, but when i connect the 1A via stock cable to a windows 10 PC and turn on mass storage (windows recognizes the player and the SD card), the installer is asking me to connect the device via USB. With stock FWs I do not have this issue. Do I have to change on the player something first?


Reboot your pc and run exe again, that helps for me.


----------



## Whitigir

Wietjunk said:


> Reboot your pc and run exe again, that helps for me.


It did help with EU region players and you were able to install the 3.01 Jupiter ?


----------



## ProF3T1

Wietjunk said:


> Reboot your pc and run exe again, that helps for me.


No, the reboot did not help. I will try other PCs as soon as I will get home.


----------



## Damz87

Tonight’s combo: 1Z Solis J/ALO Super Litz 4.4mm/EX1000


----------



## flyer1

Damz87 said:


> Tonight’s combo: 1Z Solis J/ALO Super Litz 4.4mm/EX1000



Very nice, enjoy! Looks like you are using the same adapter I got


----------



## Damz87

flyer1 said:


> Very nice, enjoy! Looks like you are using the same adapter I got



Yeah I think so, from AliExpress. Cheap and cheerful


----------



## gerelmx1986

Damz87 said:


> Tonight’s combo: 1Z Solis J/ALO Super Litz 4.4mm/EX1000


Current flagship


----------



## gerelmx1986

What is getting fed t the King IER-Z1R


----------



## ubs28

I was interested in replacing the Poly / Mojo combo with the WM1Z. However the amplifier is weak as hell on this thing.

With the Z1R headphone, it was kinda listable once you remove the volume cap. But with more power hungry cans like the Aeon Flow Closed 2 (which is still a portable headphone), the volume was way too low despite maxing out everything on the WM1Z.

So I don’t get it. Why put such a weak amplifier on a $3000 DAP? This does not look like a replacement for the $1000 Poly + Mojo combo.

So I will keep looking for an other DAP  (I know that there is the AK KANN but that thing is way too huge for me).


----------



## Montyl

ProF3T1 said:


> No, the reboot did not help. I will try other PCs as soon as I will get home.



I confirm that reboot did not help. Jupiter301-T1-1Z is not compatible with my WM1Z with J region on FW 3.01 bought in EU (EU HW version). It sucks  
Probably this custom FW is build from FW for Japanese HW of the DAP.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Damz87 said:


> Tonight’s combo: 1Z Solis J/ALO Super Litz 4.4mm/EX1000




Looks pretty  )


----------



## Vitaly2017

ubs28 said:


> I was interested in replacing the Poly / Mojo combo with the WM1Z. However the amplifier is weak as hell on this thing.
> 
> With the Z1R headphone, it was kinda listable once you remove the volume cap. But with more power hungry cans like the Aeon Flow Closed 2 (which is still a portable headphone), the volume was way too low despite maxing out everything on the WM1Z.
> 
> ...




This dap isnt ment to play hungry headphones...

Though its top notch with iems!

Sony headphones works no problem.  
And aeon flow isnt easy to drive by the way!


----------



## siruspan (Mar 20, 2020)

ubs28 said:


> I was interested in replacing the Poly / Mojo combo with the WM1Z. However the amplifier is weak as hell on this thing.
> 
> With the Z1R headphone, it was kinda listable once you remove the volume cap. But with more power hungry cans like the Aeon Flow Closed 2 (which is still a portable headphone), the volume was way too low despite maxing out everything on the WM1Z.
> 
> ...



Because 99,9% of portable headphones are low impedence with high efficiency and thus super easy to drive. Aeon2 are plenars which are in general notioriously hard to drive. That's why this technology was forgotten for 40 something years. The magnets were not strong enough and there wasn't a market for headphone amplifiers. They were revived because there is a market for this but making a plenars portable is still a stupid idea. Go check Focal Stellia for example. They are 35 ohms and go loud even from phone dongles.


----------



## Whitigir

siruspan said:


> Because 99,9% of portable headphones are low impedence with high efficiency and thus super easy to drive. Aeon2 are plenars which are in general notioriously hard to drive. That's why this technology was forgotten for 40 something years. The magnets were not strong enough and there wasn't a market for headphone amplifiers. They were revived because there is a market for this but making a plenars portable is still a stupid idea. Go check Focal Stellia for example. They are 35 ohms and go loud even from phone dongles.


Well said , and if he so desired, the DMP Z1 can drive those headphones !!!


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 21, 2020)

Edit


----------



## gerelmx1986

Back on 3.02 DMP-Z1 1.02, just love this one much


----------



## nc8000

I keep coming back to J plus Solis, none of the others satifies in the same way across all types of music


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> Jupiter T1 3.01 for both Eu and other regions. We'll only host for another day!


This is the same as the earlier release? No tuning changes or anything else?


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> This is the same as the earlier release? No tuning changes or anything else?


The same. Only added compatible version for EU models.


----------



## Montyl

Morbideath said:


> Jupiter T1 3.01 for both Eu and other regions. We'll only host for another day!



Thank you VERY MUCH!


----------



## Mindstorms

Im amazed at how well the chart wo


Montyl said:


> I confirm that reboot did not help. Jupiter301-T1-1Z is not compatible with my WM1Z with J region on FW 3.01 bought in EU (EU HW version). It sucks
> Probably this custom FW is build from FW for Japanese HW of the DAP.


Its only this one issue nowone else has reported problems on any of teh previous FW


----------



## LinstantX

Good afternoon. Can you tell me where to download custom firmware?


----------



## Whitigir

LinstantX said:


> Good afternoon. Can you tell me where to download custom firmware?





Morbideath said:


> Jupiter T1 3.01 for both Eu and other regions. We'll only host for another day!
> 
> Sorry for the time limitation, but we have to cover our ass...


----------



## LinstantX

Thank you of course, but how to understand what archives are there? I'm interested in DMP-Z1 1.02, but is it there?


----------



## LinstantX

I sort of figured it out. I installed some DMP-Z1 3.01. Is this it?


----------



## LinstantX (Mar 20, 2020)

By the way, the sound has changed. Saturation has become less, but the emphasis on treble and midrange is more emphasized. The sound is a bit like Astell Kern products. I don’t know if I like this sound or not ... I need to listen.


----------



## Morbideath

LinstantX said:


> I sort of figured it out. I installed some DMP-Z1 3.01. Is this it?


No it isn't. All The former hosting are down now unfortunately. You may ask any member here to share with u on their behalf


----------



## LinstantX

The sound seemed to change. It means a bummer.


----------



## nc8000

LinstantX said:


> The sound seemed to change. It means a bummer.



Well the whole point of these fw is that they change the sound


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Well the whole point of these fw is that they change the sound


And to try them all and settle with the one you like most


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 20, 2020)

Exactly the points!
There are Stock firmware posted a few page backs.  You just need to look for it 


LinstantX said:


> The sound seemed to change. It means a bummer.





nc8000 said:


> Well the whole point of these fw is that they change the sound


----------



## Wietjunk (Mar 20, 2020)

Today I received the Sony xba-Z5.
The Z5 is the fantastic. 
I like electronic music with very deep bass impact.
Blown the Shure se846 away, no burn in, not yet balanced, got balanced cable in stock.
The se846 lacks bass with my 1A, with my Zx1 they work super.
The 1A is not a ba monster for electronic music, I am on J 3.02 stock with an European unit, no sound cap anymore.
The 1A works super with hybrids, got cheap KZ Zs7 and they sound very good for 40 bucks but missing the last extra SQ.


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 20, 2020)

LinstantX said:


> I don’t know if I like this sound or not ... I need to listen.



And.. put in quite some time and effort to find the firmware/region best suitable for your setup


----------



## Tawek (Mar 20, 2020)

flyer1 said:


> And.. put in quite some time and effort to find the firmware/region best suitable for your setup


interesting Wm1z /
ex1000-  without filter on the nozzle /  Solis / J / it is a synergy of the end of the game
Xelento / Solis / J / nothing revealing
Jvc 1200 / Solis / J / very weak synergy


----------



## nc8000

Yes it’s all about finding the combo that works best for the gear and musical preference


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 20, 2020)

Wietjunk said:


> Today I received the Sony xba-Z5.
> The Z5 is the fantastic.
> I like electronic music with very deep bass impact.
> Blown the Shure se846 away, no burn in, not yet balanced, got balanced cable in stock.
> ...



Hybrids with my WM1A mostly Dunu DK 3001 Pro, set to high gain, has some decent kick without being over whelming or spilling over. Add in Sony's DSP can go deep, the 3001 Pro's also take EQ on the bass with ease 

Sub bass is palpable




WM1A set to J region, stock 3.02, balanced on high gain, DC Phase Lineariser B Standard, Vinyl Processor Surface Noise. DK 3001 Pro is very well balanced can deliver bass as the music demands without overly colouring the source.

Q-6


----------



## Wietjunk

Just suburb...


----------



## nc8000

Fantastic sound


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 20, 2020)

Wietjunk said:


> Just suburb...



Moskau...

High Gain narrows the sound stage a little, bass punch is increased at lower volumes, with hybrid & muti BA IEM's. My opinion _only_, suspect Sony is increasing both current alongside & amplitude when opting for High Gain. Addictive, easily gets very loud, in a good way...


Naturally, be rude not too...

Q-6


----------



## audionewbi

Would it be possible to separate WM1A FW thread from WMA1 thread?


----------



## Lookout57

audionewbi said:


> Would it be possible to separate WM1A FW thread from WMA1 thread?


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> Would it be possible to separate WM1A FW thread from WMA1 thread?


Nope, and we don’t want to.  We would like to be buried as much as possible


----------



## 515164

Thank you very much for your work, gentlemen. DMP-Z1 1.02 (3.02) is just wow. Gonna also try Jupiter 3.01 T1.

Really awesome!


----------



## aradan

I was wondering whether anyone knows the pinout for 4.4mm Balanced TRRRS jack.

I am thinking of updating my SE audeze cable to balanced using TRRRS, but unable to find the exact pinout.

I am a bit worried if they do something strange like the ground area move inTRRS ones 

If anyone has the exact schematics it would he great.

Thanks in advance !


----------



## ttt123

aradan said:


> I was wondering whether anyone knows the pinout for 4.4mm Balanced TRRRS jack.
> 
> I am thinking of updating my SE audeze cable to balanced using TRRRS, but unable to find the exact pinout.
> 
> ...


The WM1x is only wired for TRRR and the GRD is not used.


----------



## Blueoris

covid-19 in the Rockbox tool


----------



## aradan

ttt123 said:


> The WM1x is only wired for TRRR and the GRD is not used.



Thank you will have a look. Took me a while to figure out it is easier to search using pentaconn than 4.4mm jack


----------



## nc8000 (Mar 21, 2020)

aradan said:


> Thank you will have a look. Took me a while to figure out it is easier to search using pentaconn than 4.4mm jack







And since this is an official standard it should be wired like this everywhere abd as others mentioned Sony are not using the ground


----------



## 524419

nc8000 said:


>


Ground is not used.


----------



## nc8000

Diet Kokaine said:


> Ground is not used.



Not by Sony no but others might


----------



## Wietjunk (Mar 21, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Not by Sony no but others might


I have read an article about balanced and the ground can give a problem but I am not sure it was for 4.4 or 2.5mm.

Edit:
https://www.headphonesty.com/2019/05/balanced-vs-unbalanced-audio-connections/


----------



## nc8000

Wietjunk said:


> I have read an article about balanced and the ground can give a problem but I am not sure it was for 4.4 or 2.5mm.
> 
> Edit:
> https://www.headphonesty.com/2019/05/balanced-vs-unbalanced-audio-connections/



2.5 can't have ground since there are only 4 sections in the plug. Same with 3.5 trrs


----------



## aradan (Mar 21, 2020)

Well I think ground usage depends on the models as well.

Audeze does not have a ground wire per se.

And I think the cable is not shielded so no way to connect the shield to ground pin either

A very interesting article about balanced connections. It speaks about grounding as well.


----------



## Stealer

where is the system (of the player) can u see the ver of the mod FW? I have just changed mine.. and I sticked to the D1.02 soley to note that this is the beginning of the new fw mod.


----------



## nc8000

Stealer said:


> where is the system (of the player) can u see the ver of the mod FW? I have just changed mine.. and I sticked to the D1.02 soley to note that this is the beginning of the new fw mod.



You can’t, it only shiws the stock verion it is based on


----------



## Whitigir

Blueoris said:


> covid-19 in the Rockbox tool


Because the program is a hack itself ?


----------



## RobertP (Mar 21, 2020)

Hmm, from what I learned the hard way myself, grounding is not necessary for speaker cables if don't have noise or interference issues. Shielding is a big no no because of lost in details and dynamic range. That is opposite from what we are try to achieve. Same thing to IEM and headphone cables or even power cables for amplifiers, you don't want it to be shielded.


----------



## 524419 (Mar 21, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Hmm, from what I learned the hard way myself, grounding is not necessary if already low noise. Shielding speaker cables is a big no no because of lost in details and dynamic range. That is opposite from what we are try to achieve. Same thing to IEM and headphone cables or even power cables for amplifiers, you don't want it to be shielded.


Completely agree. Excessive shielding muffles the sound, and is pretty much what I have observed. Teflon is all you need, simple insulation....
When I tried putting excessive shielding on my USB and interconnect cables, they started sounding closed in, and sounded less dynamic.
Bare Solid core wires sounded best to my ears, but I think Copper foil cables would probably be better.


----------



## Queen6

Whitigir said:


> Because the program is a hack itself ?



Likely, if cautious store the app on a flash drive. It's not uncommon for modified executables to trigger AV.  On my systems RockBox triggers some scanners, however the executable isn't running or resident in memory. To be safe I blocked the app in the systems firewall.

Q-6


----------



## Whitigir

RobertP said:


> Hmm, from what I learned the hard way myself, grounding is not necessary for speaker cables if don't have noise or interference issues. Shielding is a big no no because of lost in details and dynamic range. That is opposite from what we are try to achieve. Same thing to IEM and headphone cables or even power cables for amplifiers, you don't want it to be shielded.


Exactly!!! This is the reason why WM1 players and other SONY DAPs do not have the ground connected.  Even on the DMP Z1.  
My first lesson was with DIY power cord.  But let’s people argue.


----------



## Whitigir

Sony already explained that if using Ground connections too much at other places, the noises will be suppressed but the dynamic and it energy will be leaked out.  The sound will be weak.  It is very interesting to read the interviews from Engineers and the DMP production.


----------



## RobertP

Diet Kokaine said:


> Completely agree. Excessive shielding muffles the sound, and is pretty much what I have observed. Teflon is all you need, simple insulation....
> When I tried putting excessive shielding on my USB and interconnect cables, they started sounding closed in, and sounded less dynamic.
> Bare Solid core wires sounded best to my ears, but I think Copper foil cables would probably be better.


Couldn't agree more, my recent battery and S-Master chip wire swap mods have almost double the thickness of teflon outer layer. Same to internal wires on balanced 4.4mm output.


----------



## RobertP

Whitigir said:


> Sony already explained that if using Ground connections too much at other places, the noises will be suppressed but the dynamic and it energy will be leaked out.  The sound will be weak.  It is very interesting to read the interviews from Engineers and the DMP production.


I glad Sony engineers know what they are doing.


----------



## aceedburn

Is it just me or is 3.01 Jupiter with 1A on J region the best sounding firmware ever? To me it is. The synergy and sheer warmth and bass which never muddies the mix is contagious. And the mids and vocals are lifelike in itself with super smooth highs without any piercing. Now tell me if this isn’t the perfect sound?  I love the sound it outputs on my 1more triple driver headphones. And the Z5 too. Thanks for the umpteenth time @Whitigir and @Morbideath. Since my country Malaysia is on lockdown too I’ve been doing much more listening. We have more than 1000 cases and 6 deaths so far.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 21, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Is it just me or is 3.01 Jupiter with 1A on J region the best sounding firmware ever? To me it is. The synergy and sheer warmth and bass which never muddies the mix is contagious. And the mids and vocals are lifelike in itself with super smooth highs without any piercing. Now tell me if this isn’t the perfect sound?  I love the sound it outputs on my 1more triple driver headphones. And the Z5 too. Thanks for the umpteenth time @Whitigir and @Morbideath. Since my country Malaysia is on lockdown too I’ve been doing much more listening. We have more than 1000 cases and 6 deaths so far.


You and everyone are welcome . Stay safe and enjoy




RobertP said:


> I glad Sony engineers know what they are doing.


They are more than that.  Sony brought us Digital storage, music, movies, and is the best digital camera sensors in the world.  They have all the teams, researches, development, technologies out there.

the proof is laying inside your Walkman.  These Wm1A and 1Z built is like nothing else out there at all.  Some simple mods and firmwares will make it shine .


----------



## aradan

Yep the grounding if done should be done correctly for the whole system.

The problem is that different components may be using different grounding schemes which do not work good with one another.

Unless you can modify the components yourself or do a full diy grounding may be causing problems because of these inconsistenices.

I like the 0 ground approach in the Bruno Putzeys article I shared before


----------



## aradan

Whitigir said:


> Because the program is a hack itself ?




It would be interesting to check of they provide md5 hash. Which you can compare once the file is donwloaded.

If the hash is the same thay means the trojan is planted intentionally. I.e. the file is not modified.

If the hash is not equal than someone modified the program on the way.

That is the easiest way to check the binary is corrupted or not.


----------



## aceedburn

aceedburn said:


> Is it just me or is 3.01 Jupiter with 1A on J region the best sounding firmware ever? To me it is. The synergy and sheer warmth and bass which never muddies the mix is contagious. And the mids and vocals are lifelike in itself with super smooth highs without any piercing. Now tell me if this isn’t the perfect sound?  I love the sound it outputs on my 1more triple driver headphones. And the Z5 too. Thanks for the umpteenth time @Whitigir and @Morbideath. Since my country Malaysia is on lockdown too I’ve been doing much more listening. We have more than 1000 cases and 6 deaths so far.


Just heard Africa by toto. I have heard this song hundreds of times but I heard new sounds on the right during the intro. And also suspicious minds by Elvis. The strings on the left were not nearly as audible as now. So sweet sounding. 3.01 Jupiter is the king of firmwares!


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 21, 2020)

aradan said:


> It would be interesting to check of they provide md5 hash. Which you can compare once the file is donwloaded.
> 
> If the hash is the same thay means the trojan is planted intentionally. I.e. the file is not modified.
> 
> ...


Why don’t you go ahead and let us know ? I would like to know too... because the tool is the only way to change regions


----------



## Whitigir

aceedburn said:


> Just heard Africa by toto. I have heard this song hundreds of times but I heard new sounds on the right during the intro. And also suspicious minds by Elvis. The strings on the left were not nearly as audible as now. So sweet sounding. 3.01 Jupiter is the king of firmwares!


I have no doubt .  I took lessons and learned, the 3.02 has too many tiers, which could be misleading.  Since 3.01 is excellent with bass performances and many people would love it, especially stock players.  Therefore the Jupiter in 3.01 is Tier 1, and together with the bass performances, it should be the most musical and easily friendly to all other systems


----------



## Whitigir

I freaking love IER Z1R too much!!! I smell something good incoming !!!!

Something like Solis!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Talking about shielding in audio, if walkman has minimal ground or shield
 How come walkmans have zero RF Noise interferences, even if my cellphone is on top of WM1A?


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Talking about shielding in audio, if walkman has minimal ground or shield
> How come walkmans have zero RF Noise interferences, even if my cellphone is on top of WM1A?


because of Class D amplifications and the implementations of induction Coils


----------



## Tawek

Whitigir said:


> I freaking love IER Z1R too much!!! I smell something good incoming !!!!
> 
> Something like Solis!!


Ex1000?


----------



## nc8000

Tawek said:


> Ex1000?



Plugs to reterminate the stock cable or for making a custom cable is my guesd


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 21, 2020)

Tawek said:


> Ex1000?


Nope !


nc8000 said:


> Plugs to reterminate the stock cable or for making a custom cable is my guesd


Yes


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 21, 2020)

In my opinion, cables is the last in the chain where you already maxed out everything and nowhere else to improve.  It could be very little or substantial, and depends on the build, dedication that goes into it.  A high end cables is not only about the wires materials and fancy words salad. It is about the synergies, the choices to improve the systems between personal preferences, gears being used.

I am making a new cables that is better than stock.  Better in performances, enough to compromises the tank like and superb Build quality of stock cables that minimize microphonic to the least.

Atleast I am tuning it to my liking, so the choices of each components will reflect that. I could explain it all as of why....but I ain’t selling it...the job is reserved for people who make money from cables . At the prices that they charge, the least they can do is to personalize and choose “components, to synergize with personal preferences and systems”. But feel free to pay in and buy for universal tuning. Because upgraded cables do bring upgraded performances and is very real to my experiences.

Did I already show you all that firmwares and synergies is so important ? Yes...so does Cables, System, constructions, and the Buds that it is hooked up to.


The only different view is that at this expensive cost and charge, it should be more personal and catered toward dedication instead of Universal.  For example, an AK SP2K SS sound different than Copper, given if it is firmware differences or hardware, the differences are there...and even more so when compare to Walkman.  *Therefore a cables for IER-Z1R that is catered toward SP2K SS has to be different from Copper and or Walkman 1A and 1Z..unless specified by the user....it should not be universal*

anyways, feel free to buy universal because at least with Walkman , you have planetary to choose your own poison 
And I should stop preaching ...


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> anyways, feel free to buy universal because at least with Walkman , you have planetary to choose your own poison
> And I should stop preaching ...


Yes u should, haha. Sharing cancelled just now, now my ass is saved...


----------



## Dtuck90 (Mar 21, 2020)

Has Jupiter 3.01 been removed? All the firmware has disappeared from my google drive. Was hoping to try J3.01 but looks like I’m too late


----------



## endlesswaves

IJupiter301-T1-U&JP-1A sounds better to me than Solis on my stock WM1A. Wider and higher soundstage with better


aceedburn said:


> Is it just me or is 3.01 Jupiter with 1A on J region the best sounding firmware ever? To me it is. The synergy and sheer warmth and bass which never muddies the mix is contagious. And the mids and vocals are lifelike in itself with super smooth highs without any piercing. Now tell me if this isn’t the perfect sound?  I love the sound it outputs on my 1more triple driver headphones. And the Z5 too. Thanks for the umpteenth time @Whitigir and @Morbideath. Since my country Malaysia is on lockdown too I’ve been doing much more listening. We have more than 1000 cases and 6 deaths so far.


agree with your findings. better match for my stock WM1A and Khan. wider and higher soundstage than Solis. I do miss the bass of Solis. Many thanks to @Whitigir and @Morbideath for your efforts and kindness to share with us.


----------



## proedros

wih the whole quarantine thing , there is so much time to hear music so these 3 days with J301 have seemed like a week in normal times

i am also one of the pleased users , evetually i will roll to another FW to change flavor but so far J301 delivers just fine on my stock wm1a

oh, and when this whole thing is over (and if i find the money) i will probably send my WM1A for modding , or buy wm1z or both who knows what the future holds


----------



## gazzington

Has someone got a copy of Solis Japan wm1z firmware?


----------



## Peter Ruby

gazzington said:


> Has someone got a copy of Solis Japan wm1z firmware?



Wish I could help. I only have all the WM1A firmwares saved. Good luck in your quest to find it. I’m sure some generous forum member will help you.


----------



## Peter Ruby

Quick question. It was initially stated that the Walkman had to have FW 3.02 for these modified ones to work. 

Is that saying it won’t work if you upgrade while having 3.01?


----------



## Whitigir

Peter Ruby said:


> Quick question. It was initially stated that the Walkman had to have FW 3.02 for these modified ones to work.
> 
> Is that saying it won’t work if you upgrade while having 3.01?


The 3.02 Planet editions have to have 3.02 installed first as prerequisite 

The 3.01 Jupiter is the only one of this Core firmware and was done so that you don’t need a prerequisite installed

Perhaps, we could upgrade the 3.02 Planet Editions into the similar and convenient package too, but you will need to ask @Morbideath for that


----------



## Peter Ruby

Whitigir said:


> The 3.02 Planet editions have to have 3.02 installed first as prerequisite
> 
> The 3.01 Jupiter is the only one of this Core firmware and was done so that you don’t need a prerequisite installed
> 
> Perhaps, we could upgrade the 3.02 Planet Editions into the similar and convenient package too, but you will need to ask @Morbideath for that



 Perhaps a PM with a link would suddenly pop up in my inbox. Wouldn’t that be something?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 21, 2020)

Peter Ruby said:


> Perhaps a PM with a link would suddenly pop up in my inbox. Wouldn’t that be something?


Once @Morbideath has the finalized versions, I no longer have it kept.  It is likely that others may have it still


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 22, 2020)

Edit


----------



## gearofwar (Mar 21, 2020)

I’m back to Solis, feel like it truly reveals the benefits of modding. I heard it has more holographic staging, pinpoint instrument accuracy compared to J3.01


----------



## nc8000

gearofwar said:


> I’m back to Solis, feel like it truly reveals the benefits of modding. I heard it has more holographic staging, pinpoint instrument accuracy compared to J3.01



Yes I'm sticking with Solis plus J region


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> Few hours Beta Test for what I think is the Best of 3.01 and make it better:
> 
> This is dedicatedly toward the excellent and awesome-wowsome 3.01 Bass, Deep bass, with the soundstage and details that would make *Classic EDM and DISCO Genres be proud of it!*
> 
> ...



You hit the sweet spot for those genres


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 21, 2020)

captblaze said:


> You hit the sweet spot for those genres


Lovely!!! Yeah, it happens to be one of my favorite also, and it just occurred to me that I haven’t had any Dedicated-Editions for it


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> Lovely!!! Yeah, it happens to be one of my favorite also, and it just occurred to me that I haven’t had any Dedicated-Editions for it



My old (2nd gen) UE 18+ Pro respond well to the tuning... even at low gain (SE) i only needed to get to 88 for the sound to bloom


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 21, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Few hours Beta Test for what I think is the Best of 3.01 and make it better:
> 
> This is dedicatedly toward the excellent and awesome-wowsome 3.01 Bass, Deep bass, with the soundstage and details that would make *Classic EDM and DISCO Genres be proud of it!*
> 
> ...


Wow thanks awesome when we will have some more 3.00 action!


----------



## Mindstorms

gearofwar said:


> I’m back to Solis, feel like it truly reveals the benefits of modding. I heard it has more holographic staging, pinpoint instrument accuracy compared to J3.01


 wich tier and 3.02?


----------



## Whitigir

Midnstorms said:


> wich tier and 3.02?


Solis is currently Tier 5 only, and have to have 3.02 installed first before you can install Solis


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 21, 2020)

Oh right sorry! I really loved solis i think it is the pinnacle of 3.02!!! Woow this new 3.01 since very well balanced it works like charm in my MX3 R and also it has taunt Bass


----------



## Whitigir

Midnstorms said:


> Oh right sorry! I really loved solis i think it is the pinnacle of 3.02!!! Woow this new 3.01 since very well balanced it works like charm in my MX3 R and also it has taunt Bass


I am surprised! Solis is “picky” especially toward “Stock 1A” .  But it (Technically) really is the pinnacle of the whole “planetary system”, and modified players with good gears can and will handle it very well


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> The 3.02 Planet editions have to have 3.02 installed first as prerequisite
> 
> The 3.01 Jupiter is the only one of this Core firmware and was done so that you don’t need a prerequisite installed
> 
> *Perhaps, we could upgrade the 3.02 Planet Editions into the similar and convenient package too*, but you will need to ask @Morbideath for that



3.01 Planet Editions ? Yes please


----------



## Mindstorms

It sounded very good on my 1A dunno why one of the best but yes gain was kind of high and finded the limits of my 1A


----------



## Whitigir

Midnstorms said:


> It sounded very good on my 1A dunno why one of the best but yes gain was kind of high and finded the limits of my 1A


Which one ? Lol


----------



## Mindstorms

Solis! T5


----------



## Fsilva

I´m still on Solis since I landed there, unmodded WM1A, don´t feel the needs to travel anywhere else on the Planetary System.


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> Few hours Beta Test for what I think is the Best of 3.01 and make it better:
> 
> This is dedicatedly toward the excellent and awesome-wowsome 3.01 Bass, Deep bass, with the soundstage and details that would make *Classic EDM and DISCO Genres be proud of it!*
> 
> ...



thanx again , downloading now

also expect some disco gems coming your way soon


----------



## Mindstorms

Fsilva said:


> I´m still on Solis since I landed there, unmodded WM1A, don´t feel the needs to travel anywhere else on the Planetary System.


Wich region?


----------



## pdL389

gazzington said:


> Has someone got a copy of Solis Japan wm1z firmware?


Also looking for it...


----------



## ttt123 (Mar 22, 2020)

Tried Jupiter301-T1-U&JP-1Z, and switched back to Solis5ZU.  For my setup, J301 sounds dull, lacking in details and energy.  Solis imparts a richness to individual notes, and an openness to the stage, an immediacy, that makes the music come alive, which I missed.  So just my impression based on specific synergy with my setup.

WM1Z, Romi Audio V4 mod, Direct Source: ON, J Region, IER-Z1R with stock cable


----------



## Morbideath

ttt123 said:


> Tried Jupiter301-T1-U&JP-1Z, and switched back to Solis5ZU.  For my setup, J301 sounds dull, lacking in details and energy.  Solis imparts a richness to individual notes, and an openness to the stage, an immediacy, that makes the music come alive, which I missed.  So just my impression based on specific synergy with my setup.
> 
> WM1Z, Romi Audio V4 mod, Direct Source: ON, J Region, IER-Z1R with stock cable


The scaling is real, it will also backfire


----------



## aceedburn

Whitigir said:


> Few hours Beta Test for what I think is the Best of 3.01 and make it better:
> 
> This is dedicatedly toward the excellent and awesome-wowsome 3.01 Bass, Deep bass, with the soundstage and details that would make *Classic EDM and DISCO Genres be proud of it!*
> 
> ...


Tried it on my stock WM1A on J region. Didn’t like it. Rolled back to Jupiter 3.01 which is currently the best for me by far. This new one had a reverb like feel and highs and mids felt subdued. More club like feeing which I didn’t like.


----------



## Whitigir

ttt123 said:


> Tried Jupiter301-T1-U&JP-1Z, and switched back to Solis5ZU.  For my setup, J301 sounds dull, lacking in details and energy.  Solis imparts a richness to individual notes, and an openness to the stage, an immediacy, that makes the music come alive, which I missed.  So just my impression based on specific synergy with my setup.
> 
> WM1Z, Romi Audio V4 mod, Direct Source: ON, J Region, IER-Z1R with stock cable



Tier 4 Hardware modified player can take it so far away, and even out if this galaxy


----------



## RobertP (Mar 22, 2020)

Will there be ultimate 3.01 in the future?

Going to try Jupiter 3.01 on my 1Z next.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 23, 2020)

Edit


----------



## Fsilva

Midnstorms said:


> Wich region?


J region all the way!!


----------



## captblaze (Mar 22, 2020)

on it..


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 22, 2020)

captblaze said:


> on it..


Edit


----------



## audionewbi

dude he said dont quote....


----------



## nc8000

@Morbideath could you do a zip with the entire file structure, that makes it much easier to dl it all ?


----------



## captblaze

nc8000 said:


> could you do a zip with the entire file structure, that makes it much easier to dl it all ?



the package would be almost 10GB


----------



## Morbideath

nc8000 said:


> @Morbideath could you do a zip with the entire file structure, that makes it much easier to dl it all ?


not everyone is going to take everything, especially half of them are Mac version. This will offer some flexibility


----------



## nc8000

Morbideath said:


> not everyone is going to take everything, especially half of them are Mac version. This will offer some flexibility



True but adding the zip as well would accomodate both scenarios


----------



## Morbideath

nc8000 said:


> True but adding the zip as well would accomodate both scenarios


But my GD is already full, 12/15gb used, unless i pay to enlarge it


----------



## gazzington

Why are these disappearing?


----------



## nc8000 (Mar 22, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> But my GD is already full, 12/15gb used, unless i pay to enlarge it



Fair enough. I’ve downloaded that ones that are appliccable to my equipment, I’m just a hoarder


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> Fair enough. I’ve downloaded that ones that are appliccable to my equipment, I’m just a hoarder




i have downloaded both 1a and 1z fws , all regions

maybe in 2 years i own a uropean 1Z or something , some people stock up on toilet paper i stock up on sony FWs


----------



## Morbideath

nc8000 said:


> Fair enough. I’ve downloaded that ones that are appliccable to my equipment, I’m just a hoarder


Our community benefit from the hoarders like u


----------



## proedros

@Morbideath you have shared them more than once , now it is our duty to share with whoever comes late to the party

i send some FWs to 2 people yesterday , it's no biggie all you do is upload them to something like wetransfer and you are done

if people can't share/pass along then it's neither your duty your fault or your responsibility


----------



## nc8000

Morbideath said:


> Our community benefit from the hoarders like u



I just realized that I can right click on the folder in my browser and choose Download folder and GoogleDrive then creates a zip and downloads it to my pc


----------



## gazzington

I'm trying to get the whole lot. I have European wm1a and wm1z but who knows I may buy a modded one from music sanctuary


----------



## gazzington

nc8000 said:


> I just realized that I can right click on the folder in my browser and choose Download folder and GoogleDrive then creates a zip and downloads it to my pc


That's what I'm doing too


----------



## proedros

gazzington said:


> I'm trying to get the whole lot. I have European wm1a and wm1z but who knows I may buy a modded one from music sanctuary



just get them all ,  better be safe than sorry

besides you could eventually help people out in the near future with different sonys than yours  

don't forget that someone shared these for us , it's our minimal duty to do the same for those coming late


----------



## proedros

@Whitigir  any chance of getting *3.01 FW Mercury* ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Edit



I really like this new jupiter a refined version of jupiter t3 !


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> @Whitigir  any chance of getting *3.01 FW Mercury* ?


There will be a V2.0 version of this Ultimate Disco 3.01 For a few hours soon


----------



## Vitaly2017

The Jupiter 3.01 t1 is just wow!
The bass it creates with my fourte noire is mindblowing good!

I love!!!!!!

Thanks @Whitigir


----------



## Vitaly2017

@Whitigir YOUR A SAVIOR 

I am probably in the singular minority here as I am probably the only one owner here with tia forte noire. I had issues with bass on other custom fw or others just didnt fit good enough. 

But this new Jupiter 3.01 T1 is absolute match! It has such good synergy for I am in total bliss!!!

Bass treble and vocals are insane good. Such impressive extensions both ways I can hear echoes . The tonality is impressive so realistic natural fun and most of all engaging and musical.

The balance between bass and highs are much more linear and coherent. 

This is a really good fw I love it


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> @Whitigir YOUR A SAVIOR
> 
> I am probably in the singular minority here as I am probably the only one owner here with tia forte noire. I had issues with bass on other custom fw or others just didnt fit good enough.
> 
> ...


pay me forward 1700 Corona bottles and you are welcome .  I am glad you are enjoying it.  Be well and stay safe, enjoy the music


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> pay me forward 1700 Corona bottles and you are welcome .  I am glad you are enjoying it.  Be well and stay safe, enjoy the music




Thank you! As you know I am a truck driver and here in north America we keep rolling and move the economy and supply to stores to keep things stable. 

Yea even now in a quarantine time I am on the road, its still quiet surprising to see a lot of people still driving to somewhere. 
Mostly are trucks but where do people go to? I even see rv campers!  LoL are they headed for a vacation trip?

Restaurants are all closed so no food for us truckers . I try to stop at groceries stores and get food there...

People are scared everyone is hiding and acting like its the end of the world.

And I just keep rolling,  customers are waiting for their loads....



By the way whats your address Il rent a trailer and will shipp you 1700 coronas my self in person hahaha free delivery! With my own truck


----------



## blazinblazin

Jupiter 3.01 T1 is a good fw. Probably one of my favourites.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 23, 2020)

The fun is over


----------



## Vitaly2017

blazinblazin said:


> Jupiter 3.01 T1 is a good fw. Probably one of my favourites.



I am using mine with U region.  It hits soo deep into the sub and has a slightly firmer tighter bass slam


----------



## AudioMoksha

I really like this Jupiter 3.01 T1 on WM1A. The bass is deeper


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> pay me forward 1700 Corona bottles and you are welcome .  I am glad you are enjoying it.  Be well and stay safe, enjoy the music



They do not seem to be in much demand


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> They do not seem to be in much demand


Woaaaa!!!


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Woaaaa!!!



It is apparently like this many places in the UK, every other beer gone but plenty of Corona left on the shelves


----------



## nc8000

@Morbideath Is it intentional that the Mac folder is empty ?


----------



## Morbideath

nc8000 said:


> @Morbideath Is it intentional that the Mac folder is empty ?


Whaaaat, i didn't notice it. 
Now my GD is busted. There are many dmgs to upload.


----------



## quodjo105

Tried Jupiter 3.01 T1 on my stock 1z ..quickly rolled back to solis ..much better


----------



## Gww1

quodjo105 said:


> Tried Jupiter 3.01 T1 on my stock 1z ..quickly rolled back to solis ..much better


Same here, Solis on Stock 1z with IER Z1r or Solaris sounds incredible to me.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I guess I am in that few singularities lol dont forget my iem has a typ of K mod version! And pw1960 things are very different for me with regard to synergy! And my music type which is edm spotify.... streamed from zx507 to wm1z stock for now


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Whitigir said:


> Disco
> 
> There will be No Tier differences .  If all goes well, this will become Finalized
> 
> Counting Down for a couple hours


Not available already ?


----------



## Whitigir

It is still there isn’t it ?


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> Ultimate DISCO 3.01 Universal A V2.0
> 
> Ultimate DISCO 3.01 Universal Z V2.0
> 
> ...



Links to both FW still exist as above.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Yep sorry my comp that wasn't working !


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> It is still there isn’t it ?



do these new disco work as they are on any stock FW ? or do they need to be on a specific one ?


----------



## LeFaucon (Mar 22, 2020)

.


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> do these new disco work as they are on any stock FW ? or do they need to be on a specific one ?


Only Universal Atm


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Solis is the only way to go for me.
3.01 Jupiter is good, and i like it more than 3.02 stock (really find there is something in common between thoose 2).
But Solis, it's just another level.


----------



## 524419

LeFaucon said:


> Thanks a lot !


He specifically said not to quote him


----------



## Whitigir

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Solis is the only way to go for me.
> 3.01 Jupiter is good, and i like it more than 3.02 stock (really find there is something in common between thoose 2).
> But Solis, it's just another level.


I am sure  from technical Standpoint, Solis is technically superior.

Solis on 3.02 May has bass too fast, where as on 3.01 it has a slower and more blooming bass.
The downside is Solis is Tier 5 and so it may backfired the stock players

I can have Solis on 3.01 if enough demand


----------



## LeFaucon

Whitigir said:


> I am sure  from technical Standpoint, Solis is technically superior.
> 
> Solis on 3.02 May has bass too fast, where as on 3.01 it has a slower and more blooming bass.
> The downside is Solis is Tier 5 and so it may backfired the stock players
> ...


Yes please ?


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> I am sure  from technical Standpoint, Solis is technically superior.
> 
> Solis on 3.02 May has bass too fast, where as on 3.01 it has a slower and more blooming bass.
> The downside is Solis is Tier 5 and so it may backfired the stock players
> ...


I demand it! lol


----------



## AlexCBSN

Whitigir said:


> I am sure  from technical Standpoint, Solis is technically superior.
> 
> Solis on 3.02 May has bass too fast, where as on 3.01 it has a slower and more blooming bass.
> The downside is Solis is Tier 5 and so it may backfired the stock players
> ...


Can I join the crowd for that release?


----------



## Gww1 (Mar 22, 2020)

What do you mean by backfire? Artifacts? I've not noticed anything bad on stock 1z at least.

Edit: thought I'd quoted but it seems not, I meant with regards to Solis being T5 and used on stock players.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Jupiter3.01 t1 is not a t1 its spell mistake its a T10 forgot to add a 0 ! @Whitigir


----------



## RobertP (Mar 22, 2020)

Disco v2 is really good match for my 1A. Warmth, transparent, natural high and silky smooth. Everything else are same to Ultimate 1.02


----------



## Whitigir

RobertP said:


> Disco v2 is really good match for my 1A. Warmth, transparent, and smooth for my setup. Everything else high are very natural and smooth. Everything else are same to Ultimate 1.02


Correct! It is a “revision” of the Ultimate, and I named it Ultimate Disco 
I am glad you are enjoying it


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> Correct! It is a “revision” of the Ultimate, and I named it Ultimate *Disco *
> I am glad you are enjoying it



*cerrone - supernature* playing right now , what a 'disco' masterpiece and people think those copycats daft punk are geniuses huh


----------



## Maxx134

I want to give big thanks to you guys 
The Sony is blowing my mind how much it is elevated on solis.

Unfortunately, I cannot use IEMs which would make a big importance in tunnig preferences...

So I matched the absolute best headphones for the Sony.

The most sensitive and most resolving headphones that I found which can completely match the sony player are:



Utopia
Denon 9200
Those two were the best and I tried soooo many.

Currently those two are super expensive and I sold my more neutral Utopia to keep the Denon as it had slight  organic tonality  but very similar  level resolve.

Just wanted to let anyone know in case the're looking for a top match.
I owned or heard many others, including all the latest (empyrean, hedd, zmf), but so far the two I mentioned were sensitive enough and at the top level resolve with the sony player (for over ear cans).

With the Solis version, it just elevated my Sony true end game level..
 Like portable version of top desktop equipment.

I see from all these choices using IEMs, when
 you get high level its mainly a synergy choice, so I believe everyone else's choices in the sony settings.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Maxx134 said:


> I want to give big thanks to you guys
> The Sony is blowing my mind how much it is elevated on solis.
> 
> Unfortunately, I cannot use IEMs which would make a big importance in tunnig preferences...
> ...




Have you also happened to have tried the sonorous X ?
At some point I was very interested in that one! And its only 16 ohm's!


----------



## Quang23693

Whitigir said:


> I am sure  from technical Standpoint, Solis is technically superior.
> 
> Solis on 3.02 May has bass too fast, where as on 3.01 it has a slower and more blooming bass.
> The downside is Solis is Tier 5 and so it may backfired the stock players
> ...


Finally , Solis is still best fw with me . I demand it . Thank you for making it come true


----------



## aceedburn

Whitigir said:


> I am sure  from technical Standpoint, Solis is technically superior.
> 
> Solis on 3.02 May has bass too fast, where as on 3.01 it has a slower and more blooming bass.
> The downside is Solis is Tier 5 and so it may backfired the stock players
> ...


Would be awesome to have this buddy.


----------



## lumdicks

Whitigir said:


> I am sure  from technical Standpoint, Solis is technically superior.
> 
> Solis on 3.02 May has bass too fast, where as on 3.01 it has a slower and more blooming bass.
> The downside is Solis is Tier 5 and so it may backfired the stock players
> ...


I am using Jupiter 3.01 and it is fantastic with my new FiR M5.

Thanks again for all of these wonders and a Solis 3.01 will be another good piece of news for us.


----------



## Quang23693

lumdicks said:


> I am using Jupiter 3.01 and it is fantastic with my new FiR M5.
> 
> Thanks again for all of these wonders and a Solis 3.01 will be another good piece of news for us.


Hi , i'm also using fir M5 . Nice to meet you


----------



## Vitaly2017

Some valuable information about coronavirus


----------



## lumdicks

Quang23693 said:


> Hi , i'm also using fir M5 . Nice to meet you


Nice to meet you!


----------



## endlesswaves

Whitigir said:


> I can have Solis on 3.01 if enough demand


Yes please. TIA


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Yes, 3.01 Solis should be interesting to hear


----------



## WindowsX

Coming back to this thread and it seems a lot happened. Well, good luck adventurer and I hope you can enjoy bringing the best out of Sony DAP with firmware tweak.


----------



## willywill

Vitaly2017 said:


> Some valuable information about coronavirus



WM1Z is better then the 1A


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> @Morbideath Is it intentional that the Mac folder is empty ?




I saw that?


----------



## Morbideath

Tonight ill delete the Windows version and share Mac dmgs


----------



## Morbideath

nc8000 said:


> @Morbideath Is it intentional that the Mac folder is empty ?


Thx for the head up, haven't noticed myself at all…


----------



## AlexCBSN

Vitaly2017 said:


> Some valuable information about coronavirus



Thanks for sharing


----------



## Morbideath

Does anyone know, why my Mp3tag cannot embed cover art for DSF files? i could do so with Media Go or Music Center, but for Mp3tag everytime i import cover art it shows, and after i click away it disappear... seems not embedding any jpg into at all.


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> Does anyone know, why my Mp3tag cannot embed cover art for DSF files? i could do so with Media Go or Music Center, but for Mp3tag everytime i import cover art it shows, and after i click away it disappear... seems not embedding any jpg into at all.


I used to use mp3tag until I found tag scanner. It works way better and I’ve never had any problems with it. I use it daily to add cover art and edit flac and dsd files. It also has an online function that saves info and cover art instantly. Very accurate and I highly recommend it.
https://www.xdlab.ru/en/


----------



## nc8000

Morbideath said:


> Does anyone know, why my Mp3tag cannot embed cover art for DSF files? i could do so with Media Go or Music Center, but for Mp3tag everytime i import cover art it shows, and after i click away it disappear... seems not embedding any jpg into at all.



I’ve embedded jpg cover art in all my dsf with mp3tag with no problem


----------



## proedros

Morbideath said:


> Does anyone know, why my Mp3tag cannot embed cover art for DSF files? i could do so with Media Go or Music Center, but for Mp3tag everytime i import cover art it shows, and after i click away it disappear... seems not embedding any jpg into at all.



use this dude's site for album artwork , it works 100% *(just make sure you name the pic as the folder it's in)


https://bendodson.com/projects/itunes-artwork-finder/*

if he does not have an album yu want , try googling *'album title amazon' ,* as all amazons pics play on my wm1a

good luck


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> use this dude's site for album artwork , it works 100% *(just make sure you name the pic as the folder it's in)
> 
> 
> https://bendodson.com/projects/itunes-artwork-finder/*
> ...



His problem is not finding artwork but embedding it in dsf files


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 23, 2020)

Hmmmm guys i have my cover art i just cannot embed it into dsf's tag, unless i use Media Go or Music Center
I used the latest version mp3tag but portable installation


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 23, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> I’ve embedded jpg cover art in all my dsf with mp3tag with no problem


I right click the down left cover art window to import front cover, and the image appears with all the correct jpg info. But after i click away it disappears like nothing happened…


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> I right click the down left cover art window to import front cover, and the image appears with all the correct jpg info. But after i click away it disappears like nothing happened…


you gotta do CTRL+S before you click elsewhere


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> you gotta do CTRL+S before you click elsewhere


Holy crap…




That was… unexpected


----------



## nc8000

Morbideath said:


> I right click the down left cover art window to import front cover, and the image appears with all the correct jpg info. But after i click away it disappears like nothing happened…



Do you mean the Yellow art area to the left ?
After changing anything in there you have to click the Save icon in the tool bar.

I personally use the Import cover art action on multiple files.


----------



## proedros

hey @nc8000  did you hear the Jimi vinyl rip ?


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> hey @nc8000  did you hear the Jimi vinyl rip ?



I did last night. Very good


----------



## Morbideath

nc8000 said:


> Do you mean the Yellow art area to the left ?
> After changing anything in there you have to click the Save icon in the tool bar.
> 
> I personally use the Import cover art action on multiple files.


Done now. Thx for the help!


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 23, 2020)

I've tagged my DSF files with MP3TAG just select all files and then in the cover art area I just add cover as front and click save button.

For multiple albums, I ensure I have the folder jpg  in every folder and then, like @nc8000  I use the import cover from file Action


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> hey @nc8000  did you hear the Jimi vinyl rip ?


Doing filesharing or BitTorrentof copyrighted material is in the EU prohibited and fines can apply


----------



## gerelmx1986

Morbideath said:


> Does anyone know, why my Mp3tag cannot embed cover art for DSF files? i could do so with Media Go or Music Center, but for Mp3tag everytime i import cover art it shows, and after i click away it disappear... seems not embedding any jpg into at all.


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/post-11412101


----------



## Redcarmoose

Jupiter301 T1


----------



## Morbideath

Redcarmoose said:


> Jupiter301 T1


We’ve landed Solis 3.01, stay tuned for the coordinates!


----------



## Queen6

Morbideath said:


> I right click the down left cover art window to import front cover, and the image appears with all the correct jpg info. But after i click away it disappears like nothing happened…



Had a similar issue, on looking on the PC files turned out to be Wav, so no images can be embedded, just a thought.

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Jupiter301 T1




Is that mean good? Haha what planet are you on why its all red hahaha


----------



## Maxx134 (Mar 23, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> All of those DSP will work even better with mod firmwares due to the improved algorithms


I am thinking that discussion on region is overlooking this fact that the mod firmwares are more resolving.



Vitaly2017 said:


> I can confirm that details do sound much more clear and refined with custom fw.
> Its like a layer of filter was removed and we now have pure sound!


I agree this is more important and amazing than the region code sounds.



Vitaly2017 said:


> CEV is second best after J so far.


I noticed that with headphones the MX region gives more liveliness that may be too much for IEMs, but is quite amazing.



endlesswaves said:


> Tried Solis last night and had to picked up my jaw from the floor


I feel that Solis & MX code really boosted my friend's stock 1a the most. It was quite a shocker with quality files that were not saturated.



Diet Kokaine said:


> To think Sony could have had this level of Sound Quality in their player all along, is baffling. They need to jump on board and relaunch this player in this configuration. Clean the market overnight


It is quite an enigma that they would take forever with incremental updates which have pretty much little to do with sound quality, but instead on features.

The ability to scale is mind blowing, and the fact that Sony didn't do it probably has to do with sales.
Everything is money.
Nobody would buy future unit if they had the best now..




Morbideath said:


> I didn't expect anyone would be interested in such signature... as it might sound off / subdued. Solis + J/CEV is the closest for now


I would try all the regions to see what filtering suit your specific model IEM or headphone..




aceedburn said:


> Thanks for your recommendation. However Solis does not play well with stock 1A. I think it was done with heavily modded Walkmans in mind. Tried it but didn’t like the piercing treble and rather thin sounding female vocals especially.


You can remedy this with trying all the region codes.
Check the chart one of the users here has.



newworld666 said:


> Question ?
> Any idea of an existing alternative on the market for an balanced portable amp with a bit more than 1W at 42ohms ?


This is trying to fix an issue by adding more issues.

You don't need three units stacked.
You need try region code that has highest gain (MX & MX3 & others)

I had the Ultrasone ED5 you have.
It is really great and doesn't require more power.
Truly excellent, yet it is still not at resolve level of Utopia.

Forget the headphones that require more power.

Save up and do not get headphones that are not real upgrades.
There are a virtual sea of mediocre & mid-grade inefficient headphones.

I would only recommend the Utopia and the Denon9200 as true over-ear upgrades for the Sony.



Midnstorms said:


> So, the 3.02 as you all have known with Planetary traveling. I AGREE ALL except in my iem region config wich was MX3 3.02 staging sounded untural the 3d effect doesnt felt any real... felt exagerated thats why don like 3.02 whereas 3.00 3D cues where the best most credible ones..


I believe IEM are very sensitive and Specific to users, plus the source files level.
I like that region for headphones.



Lookout57 said:


> I prefer Jupiter T3 Region J on my stock 1A over Solis


Great to have preferences in sound and I see many here going for musicality over last bits resolve, which is actually a wise choice to enjoy music.





Whitigir said:


> Please Be noticed, It is “Violation in *compliance*” to even change the Region


Haha!





Queen6 said:


> Oops
> Q-6






Whitigir said:


> There is no Foil caps that can fit....best caps by far is Electrolytic, and you have to carefully works out the details about the differences between stock vs the one you are going with. There are some BlackGate as Romni Audio is doing



The new "Audio note" electrolytics are incredibly small, but I have no clue how they would sound.
The manufacturer says they base their sound on blackgate...





Diet Kokaine said:


> I am going to try and hunt down some Blackgates


I also not thinking they have the sweet trebles of the Nichion.
Reading up on blackgate I heard they not have the sparkle of the current electrolytics..

So far I tried new audionote and new sansui electrolytics in other tube amps and they had a darker sound over the Nichion.

I currently do not believe any electrolytics have better trebles than Nichion, but willing to try the newer tiny/pretty Audionotes..



ubs28 said:


> With the Z1R headphone, it was kinda listable once you remove the volume cap. But with more power hungry cans like the Aeon Flow Closed 2 (which is still a portable headphone), the volume was way too low despite maxing out everything on the WM1Z.


They are not worthy of the Sony.
Why get more complicated with morr units?
The Z1R is nice resolve and cavernous, but you can get that with a region change to E2 (thanks to the chart from member here)



Vitaly2017 said:


> Have you also happened to have tried the sonorous X ?
> At some point I was very interested in that one! And its only 16 ohm's!


Its not the ohms...
Its the sensitivity!
That's one headphone I have not heard.
It is a dynamic that relieves the cup pressure with a port hole, which they call "BAM"..
This is good because the majority of headphones do not account enough for the internal cup chamber air pressure.
From my experience in modding many headphones, this makes for good low level detailing and more natural mids.
In fact my HEKV2 port mod that K posted in DIY forum does this.

The only issue is the $4k price tag without knowing how it sounds.
Time will tell how good it is.
I expect average decent soundstage.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Maxx134 said:


> I am thinking that discussion on region is overlooking this fact that the mod firmwares are more resolving.
> 
> 
> I agree this is more important and amazing than the region code sounds.
> ...




DUDE you just won the world record Guinness on the longest quote reply ever on headfi LMAO


New story is that Jupiter3.01 T1 + U is my new all time favorite. It is much more refined and evolved over my previous all time best the J + Jupiter T3!
Its in my signature    


Also the problem with sonorous X is its a on ear headphones rather over and thats a huge problem! 

I will 1 day try to audition denon 9200 as I am very curious about it )


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> DUDE you just won the world record Guinness on the longest quote reply ever on headfi LMAO
> 
> 
> New story is that Jupiter3.01 T1 + U is my new all time favorite. It is much more refined and evolved over my previous all time best the J + Jupiter T3!
> ...



Longest post..........ever.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I just want more storage in my wm1A


----------



## NickleCo

Here's a weird one, will the wm1a be able to power/drive a pair of Fostex t50rp's. I'm fancying about buying a pair but I don't know if it can even make em sound. TIA!


----------



## NickleCo (Mar 23, 2020)

I seem to have installed Jupiter T2 on 3.01 don't know if I should be amazed or afraid...


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 24, 2020)

Edit


----------



## Maxx134

Vitaly2017 said:


> Also the problem with sonorous X is its a on ear headphones rather over and thats a huge problem!


OMG!..
That is an epic fail for me.




DatDudeNic said:


> Here's a weird one, will the wm1a be able to power/drive a pair of Fostex t50rp's. I'm fancying about buying a pair but I don't know if it can even make em sound. TIA!


That's like getting a HiFiMan HE6.
Worst choice you can do for sensitivity...
Regardless if it actually does sound good.
Really bad choice.
It would sound both low and distorted.

I used to own a t50 driver transplanted in a vmoda headphones.
Nice but Weak sound from portable players.

An oppo or audeze sine is better planar.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 23, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> OMG!..
> That is an epic fail for me.
> 
> 
> ...




Yeea I had on ear headphone before once AND never in my life again.

It was such pain I was crying. It presses your ears cartilage and creates intense pain. To a point that I couldn't ware them anymore and neither could lay my head on sides on a pillow for a month!

So huge nono

I am using tia fourte noire and pw1960 4wires with wm1z and I can tell you that this setup beats even the he1 its self!

This is one hell of a badass rig I got!


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 23, 2020)

DatDudeNic said:


> Here's a weird one, will the wm1a be able to power/drive a pair of Fostex t50rp's. I'm fancying about buying a pair but I don't know if it can even make em sound. TIA!





DatDudeNic said:


> I seem to have installed Jupiter T2 on 3.01 don't know if I should be amazed or afraid...


I am Currently investigating some of these phenomenal.  So I will say it out here.  There are 2 instances that could happens Because Walkman is very friendly with firmware installations.

1/ If you are using “Planetary Editions”, _you need Prerequisites of 3.02 Firmware_ in order to complete the firmware upgrade.  You will be prompted “You have successfulLy upgraded firmware”
If you Forego the prerequisites and install the mod-firmware anyways.  You will see the “Failed to upgrade” messages

2/ Under the special circumstances as stated in #1, your walkman may sometimes successfully install the Modified-Firmware, or it could prompt failure to upgrade windows.  If it success to install, then you would have a Planetary Tuned Firmwares for the Based Firmwares that you *currently are on.*  FE, if you were on 3.01 and forego the prerequisites and install Jupiter 3.02 , then you are running a 3.01 but with the Tuning of Jupiter 3.02

_This should not be happening as there will be a chance to brick your devices_.  By doing that, I can not guarantee what your Walkmans may behave in the futures.  However, do not panic, I think it will be just fine, because it also happened to me as I got messed up here and there.  Just as long as your Walkman is ok and running, you should be fine

===============================
If you want to be safe, please do with what We mentioned as we have been there and done that.

*with 3.02 modified firmwares, *_you need to install the prerequisites stock 3.02 Firmwares *<============<=======*_
*with 3.01 modified firmwares, *_I had further modified the firmwares so that it do not need any prerequisites installations _


----------



## NickleCo

Maxx134 said:


> OMG!..
> That is an epic fail for me.
> 
> 
> ...


Oof figured lol. I appreciate the answer bud . guess ill be sticking to the meze 99 classics/nior then.


Whitigir said:


> I am Currently investigating some of these phenomenal.  So I will say it out here.  There are 2 instances that could happens Because Walkman is very friendly with firmware installations.
> 
> 1/ If you are using “Planetary Editions”, _you need Prerequisites of 3.02 Firmware_ in order to complete the firmware upgrade.  You will be prompted “You have successfulLy upgraded firmware”
> If you Forego the prerequisites and install the mod-firmware anyways.  You will see the “Failed to upgrade” messages
> ...


Yes, I was using the modded 3.01. But what weirded me out was that I successfully installed T3 Jupiter then (because I found the treble too defined) I rolled to T2 without any problems. I was so used to the software not being able to detect the walkman urging me to investigate my current fw when rolling modded ones. Thanks for the answer @Whitigir hope to read your findings soon


----------



## Mindstorms

what about a solis on 3.00? just a thought


----------



## AlexCBSN

Rolled to 3.02 and then to solis on stock wm1a from the disco tunning, I’m currently using dunu’s hulk with the mdr z7 (with an adapter) and WOW,  I miiiiight give it a try to mx3 región to further gain a bit, but so far, impressive, bass sounds almighty with the linearizer in b standard and the vinyl profesor on arm setting, need to add that my mdr have been modified to silver cables and dynamat in the cavities

Will try mx3 later on


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 23, 2020)

Solis can bring full-size headphones to shines up.  When you have a better firmware upgrades Especially a Tier 4, it could go even further


----------



## Whitigir

Morbideath said:


> We’ve landed Solis 3.01, stay tuned for the coordinates!


Exciting time to come!


----------



## JML (Mar 23, 2020)

This is all very confusing because there's no easy way for figuring out all the firmware, OS, and region issues/options - other than reading over dozens of often conflicting and outdated pages and well over a hundred relevant postings in the thread! I am ready to give up trying to figure out what to do with my stock WM1A via my MacBook in the USA.  [sigh]


----------



## nc8000 (Mar 23, 2020)

JML said:


> This is all very confusing because there's no easy way for figuring out all the firmware, OS, and region issues/options - other than reading over dozens of often conflicting and outdated pages and well over a hundred relevant postings in the thread! I am ready to give up trying to figure out what to do with my stock WM1A via my MacBook in the USA.  [sigh]



You want the goods you have to work for it. The Mac installers have just been posted on this page but be aware that the Sony installer does not work on the latest (or several latest, I’m no Mac person) versions of Mac OS


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> You want the goods you have to work for it. The Mac installers have just been posted on this page


It can’t be worse that the works that we put in to have these firmwares for free eh ?


----------



## hireslover

Midnstorms said:


> what about a solis on 3.00? just a thought


That would be the BOMB!!!


----------



## Mindstorms

hireslover said:


> That would be the BOMB!!!


You like 3.00?


----------



## Dtuck90

I can’t remember 3.00 sound signature but the FW itself was very buggy. Lots of crashes etc


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 23, 2020)

Never hada crash in my 1A dough it suffers from slow bootup
can i share this? http://chiefdundee.blogspot.com/2007/09/index-of-soundtracks.html

AWESOME PAGE


----------



## gerelmx1986

The solis 3.01 not yet uploaded?


----------



## hireslover

Midnstorms said:


> You like 3.00?


3.00 on U region sounds awesome 


Dtuck90 said:


> I can’t remember 3.00 sound signature but the FW itself was very buggy. Lots of crashes etc


Yes it may be buggy and sometimes may have crashes here and there but when it comes to sound it is simply phenomenon


----------



## kubig123

Morbideath said:


> FW Mac DMG version is here, save them locally ASAP!


are the DMG files still available to download?


----------



## Maxx134

Whitigir said:


> *with 3.02 modified firmwares, *_you need to install the prerequisites stock 3.02 Firmwares *<============<=======*_
> *with 3.01 modified firmwares, *_I had further modified the firmwares so that it do not need any prerequisites installations_


You know these firmware updates say 10min but they more like 2min when I do them...


----------



## Vitaly2017

Maxx134 said:


> You know these firmware updates say 10min but they more like 2min when I do them...




Thats good no? Hehe
The custom ones are even faster!


----------



## Maxx134

Switched from the intense Solis, to TJupiter301-T1 and it is very very well done musical, spacious, refined and great soundstage.
More organic like stock versions...

Anyways, the feeling of missing Solis slightly higher resolve is making me move onto try disco.


----------



## Lookout57

kubig123 said:


> are the DMG files still available to download?


Yes click on the link and download now while they are available.

Note they will only work with macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier due to Sony not updating their updaters to work with macOS Catalina 10.15.


----------



## Maxx134

The Sound on disco is a tad thicker but the cymbals not as airy and not as spacious as 
Jupiter301-T1 which I feel is an excellent balance.

Onto Jupiter J3...


----------



## Vitaly2017

Maxx134 said:


> The Sound on disco is a tad thicker but the cymbals not as airy and not as spacious as
> Jupiter301-T1 which I feel is an excellent balance.
> 
> Onto Jupiter J3...




I love the new Jupiter! 
It also make great airy punchy waves, tight, quick puff kind off I am not sure how you call this effect. Palpitating quick burst in notes response?


----------



## Mindstorms

hireslover said:


> 3.00 on U region sounds awesome
> 
> Yes it may be buggy and sometimes may have crashes here and there but when it comes to sound it is simply phenomenon


I agree but maybe too much for some iems maybe?


----------



## RobertP (Mar 23, 2020)

U3.01 is already well rounded fw. Can't wait to give Solis 3.01 a try too.


----------



## Lookout57

I decide to do some testing tonight and wanted to compare my 1Z using the planets to my TA-ZH1ES and see which planet came closest to the TA. 

At home my primary setup is the 1Z in the Sony BCR-NWH10 Dock connected to the TA using a Audioquest Carbon USB to the PC-USB port. The TA also uses an Audioquest NRG-X3 power cable connected to an APC Line-R 600VA Automatic Voltage Regulator. The Sony BCR-NWH10 is also plugged into the Line-R. For headphones I mainly use the Sony MDR-Z1R with the Kimber AXIOS Cu balanced. When traveling my preferred setup with the 1Z is the Campfire Solaris Special Edition and DHC Clone Silver balanced. 

To make it a fair fight, I used direct on the 1Z and turned off DSD Remastering and D.C. Phase on the TA and the 1Z was set to Region J. When not using the TA I kept the 1Z in the BCR-NWH10 Dock and listened to the Campfire using the Clone Silver. So the power source was identical. 

First up the Solaris / Clone Silver on the TA. Compared to the MDR-Z1R, the Solaris has deeper bass but a smaller soundstage and less details. I never thought about using the Solaris / Clone Silver on the TA but might use it when I'm in a bass head mood.

On to the contenders, Jupiter T3 and Solis T5. 

First up, Jupiter T3. The Jupiter sounded great, deep clean bass but was missing the details that I heard when using the TA. Close but no cigar. Next I set the controls for the heart of the sun, Solis. Now we're talking. Solis brought the details that was missing in Jupiter along with a larger soundstage. The only complaint I have is the highs are a little harsh at times, but not a show stopper. But the harshness I heard could be transient, as I do suffer from tinnitus at times and it effects my sensitivity to high frequencies.

So for me, the winner on the 1Z Solaris / Clone Silver combo is the Solis T5. With this setup I can have a portable system that is close to my at home system.


----------



## pdL389

Vitaly2017 said:


> Dont know I still love J3ZU sorry guys )
> 
> It has amazing treble response to make your soul cry of joy.
> 
> ...


Totally agree!! Out of all planets, I am on J3ZU and I haven't even burned in enough (some 130hrs yet) to hear 1z out. J3ZU rules!!


----------



## Mindstorms

Lookout57 said:


> I decide to do some testing tonight and wanted to compare my 1Z using the planets to my TA-ZH1ES and see which planet came closest to the TA.
> 
> At home my primary setup is the 1Z in the Sony BCR-NWH10 Dock connected to the TA using a Audioquest Carbon USB to the PC-USB port. The TA also uses an Audioquest NRG-X3 power cable connected to an APC Line-R 600VA Automatic Voltage Regulator. The Sony BCR-NWH10 is also plugged into the Line-R. For headphones I mainly use the Sony MDR-Z1R with the Kimber AXIOS Cu balanced. When traveling my preferred setup with the 1Z is the Campfire Solaris Special Edition and DHC Clone Silver balanced.
> 
> ...


will be awesome if you can state how close can 1A get with all the new regions and plannets! to 1Z at least?


----------



## Lookout57

Midnstorms said:


> will be awesome if you can state how close can 1A get with all the new regions and plannets! to 1Z at least?


That will be tomorrow's test. See which planet is best on the 1A. But there will be 2 sets of tests. The first is to compare the 1A to 1Z with the Solaris SE / Clone Silver as the IEM combo. Then to see which firmware I like best on the 1A with the Solaris / Effect Eros II+ 8 wire balanced which is my on the go combo for whenever I can be on the go again.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 23, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> will be awesome if you can state how close can 1A get with all the new regions and plannets! to 1Z at least?



The Walkman 1A has no problem to surpass WM1Z with modified hardware.

Firmware wise, the 1A has different Core Algorithms than 1Z.  Both will always be distinctively different from one another.  Except, “Helios” the Deity of the “Sun/Solis”.  But Helios can not descend into the world because the Sun needs to be operational and support life


----------



## AlexCBSN

Whitigir said:


> The Walkman 1A has no problem to surpass WM1Z with modified hardware.
> 
> Firmware wise, the 1A has different Core Algorithms than 1Z.  Both will always be distinctively different from one another
> 
> VIP members of team WM has a passage to “Helios” a Deity of the Sun/Solis.  Technically, and performances wise.  Helios is transcendent and overcomes all limitations.  But he can not be descended upon the world or planets....because once he showed himself and descended, the Sun would no longer burn, and it would be the end of everything




So... not for everyone?


----------



## Mindstorms

I want Helios T7


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> will be awesome if you can state how close can 1A get with all the new regions and plannets! to 1Z at least?




Stop dreaming its about time to buy the 1z LoL
How can you reach 1z with 1a via fw heheheh


----------



## Vitaly2017

pdL389 said:


> Totally agree!! Out of all planets, I am on J3ZU and I haven't even burned in enough (some 130hrs yet) to hear 1z out. J3ZU rules!!




Have you tried the jupiter 3.0.1 T1 and region U ?

Its my new favorite and it blows higher then Jupiter t3


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Stop dreaming its about time to buy the 1z LoL
> How can you reach 1z with 1a via fw heheheh


That is correct, firmware alone can not do it.



Midnstorms said:


> I want Helios T7


Helios is not existed


----------



## pdL389

Vitaly2017 said:


> Have you tried the jupiter 3.0.1 T1 and region U ?
> 
> Its my new favorite and it blows higher then Jupiter t3


Tried JT1 on 3.02+J - didn't like it.  Need at least 200hrs first to start enjoying music. My old zx2 dap plays better today than this new z1 lol. So, out of all steroids, JT3 (the all-rounder)  gives me instruments, vocals, bass - the music (I know it sounds crazy!).


----------



## Peter Ruby

Vitaly2017 said:


> Have you tried the jupiter 3.0.1 T1 and region U ?
> 
> Its my new favorite and it blows higher then Jupiter t3



Im running Jupiter 3.01 with region U and so far listening to OK Computer (OK Not OK) remastered version and I’m very impressed. Got that great low and mid bass response 3.01 did such a great job doing. 

Definitely going to leave this FW on for the  foreseeable future.

Then as I progress through more of my favorites, I’ll know if this is the perfect combo for me until I upgrade the internals via Whitigir’s DIY guide.

Thanks again everyone. This may be the best community of users in the internet.


----------



## Peter Ruby

All this tinkering sure helps pass the time we’re on lockdown. It’s helping me appreciate my music and equipment more each day and more importantly, help me retain my sanity. Hope everyone is doing well and following protocol to see how we can this beast from the east.


----------



## Vitaly2017

pdL389 said:


> Tried JT1 on 3.02+J - didn't like it.  Need at least 200hrs first to start enjoying music. My old zx2 dap plays better today than this new z1 lol. So, out of all steroids, JT3 (the all-rounder)  gives me instruments, vocals, bass - the music (I know it sounds crazy!).




No not Jupiter t1!
Its a different new fw its Jupiter3.01 t1 and not the j1zu


----------



## pdL389

Vitaly2017 said:


> No not Jupiter t1!
> Its a different new fw its Jupiter3.01 t1 and not the j1zu


Must've missed that one.  Links still available? PM would be awesome.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 24, 2020)

Message got evaporated oppps


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Mm no it was @Whitigir who uploaded it. I am not home cant upload it sorry


No, it isn’t me, someone else!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> No, it isn’t me, someone else!




Ohh yea )
Well it got lost only the quick ones who grabbed  has it


----------



## aceedburn

Solis 3.01, wherefore art thou


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 24, 2020)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/lookout57.428336/
That makes three of us now who not only think Solis on the 1Z sounds closest to the TA, but that the TA does surpass. I have the AQCarbon USB/Kimber/TA/MDR-Z1R combo though not the AXIOS Cu. It will be a thrill to read your 1A favorites. If anything it's a win-win having the portables come closer to the TA........for free. 

It would be interesting too if you could try and quantify the improvements from mod-software in the 1Z over what changes have occurred in the general overall from changing from stock firmware with the 1A. Meaning I feel it's a greater jump in improvements using stock to mod-firmware with the 1A, in comparison to how much improvement mod-firmware brings to the 1Z. It's almost like maybe a 1A was used to make the software? This single curiosity has been in my mind. One thing is maybe the stock firmware on the 1A was actually fully thwarting the SQ 1A potential? Where 1Z stock firmware was better at letting the 1Z be a wide improvement over the 1A?


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/lookout57.428336/
> That makes three of us now who not only think Solis on the 1Z sounds closest to the TA, but that the TA does surpass. I have the AQCarbon USB/Kimber/TA/MDR-Z1R combo though not the AXIOS Cu. It will be a thrill to read your 1A favorites. If anything it's a win-win having the portables come closer to the TA........for free.
> 
> It would be interesting too if you could try and quantify the improvements from mod-software in the 1Z over what changes have occurred in the general overall from changing from stock firmware with the 1A. Meaning I feel it's a greater jump in improvements using stock to mod-firmware with the 1A, in comparison to how much improvement mod-firmware brings to the 1Z. It's almost like maybe a 1A was used to make the software? This single curiosity has been in my mind. One thing is maybe the stock firmware on the 1A was actually fully thwarting the SQ 1A potential? *Where 1Z stock firmware was better at letting the 1Z be a wide improvement over the 1A?*



A wm1Z is A *modified WM1A*, in both, *Hardware/Firmware*.  If you want to hear someone who say it.  You are hearing it from me, the WM1A *can and will surpass* a WM1Z if you know what you are doing.  If you do know what you are doing, then perhap, the *only differences* remaining would be an *OFC-Chassis*.


----------



## Damz87

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/lookout57.428336/
> That makes three of us now who not only think Solis on the 1Z sounds closest to the TA, but that the TA does surpass. I have the AQCarbon USB/Kimber/TA/MDR-Z1R combo though not the AXIOS Cu. It will be a thrill to read your 1A favorites. If anything it's a win-win having the portables come closer to the TA........for free.
> 
> It would be interesting too if you could try and quantify the improvements from mod-software in the 1Z over what changes have occurred in the general overall from changing from stock firmware with the 1A. Meaning I feel it's a greater jump in improvements using stock to mod-firmware with the 1A, in comparison to how much improvement mod-firmware brings to the 1Z. It's almost like maybe a 1A was used to make the software? This single curiosity has been in my mind. One thing is maybe the stock firmware on the 1A was actually fully thwarting the SQ 1A potential? Where 1Z stock firmware was better at letting the 1Z be a wide improvement over the 1A?



Yep, the TA & 1Z Solis J 3.02 are very similar to my ears. TA does beat it, but not by much. Also they both have different synergies with certain gear. For example I find the Solaris SE pairs amazingly with the 1Z Solis, and the Anole VX pairs amazingly with the TA, but not vice versa.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 24, 2020)

Edit


----------



## endlesswaves

Morbideath said:


> *Solis 301* & Jupiter 301 are here, they are in their respective folders
> You can find the other old "acquaintances" too


is this Solis 301 for 1Z only?

btw the folders of old acquaintances are empty.


----------



## Redcarmoose

endlesswaves said:


> is this Solis 301 for 1Z only?
> 
> btw the folders of old acquaintances are empty.



Yes?


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> A wm1Z is A *modified WM1A*, in both, *Hardware/Firmware*.  If you want to hear someone who say it.  You are hearing it from me, the WM1A *can and will surpass* a WM1Z if you know what you are doing.  If you do know what you are doing, then perhap, the *only differences* remaining would be an *OFC-Chassis*.


1A would surpass 1Z with some expertise like yours, while 1Z is what Sony originally ideal pinnicle. That chasis alone is one of a kind. For a metalhead like me, “heavy” is always a merit lol


----------



## Morbideath

1


endlesswaves said:


> is this Solis 301 for 1Z only?
> 
> btw the folders of old acquaintances are empty.


1A & 1Z are both there. 
Others are empty? They are all there


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> 1
> 
> 1A & 1Z are both there.
> Others are empty? They are all there


No they’re not. Only 1z is there.


----------



## Morbideath

Solis 301
What about it now?


----------



## endlesswaves

Damz87 said:


> Yep, the TA & 1Z Solis J 3.02 are very similar to my ears. TA does beat it, but not by much. Also they both have different synergies with certain gear. For example I find the Solaris SE pairs amazingly with the 1Z Solis, and the Anole VX pairs amazingly with the TA, but not vice versa.


From this I think for owners of 1A to get the TA and Mod their 1A is a better value than to get a 1Z. What you guys think?



Morbideath said:


> Solis 301
> What about it now?


All good now. Thanks.


----------



## aceedburn

Morbideath said:


> Solis 301
> What about it now?


Yes now it’s there. Thanks bro.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Lookout57 said:


> I decide to do some testing tonight and wanted to compare my 1Z using the planets to my TA-ZH1ES and see which planet came closest to the TA.
> 
> At home my primary setup is the 1Z in the Sony BCR-NWH10 Dock connected to the TA using a Audioquest Carbon USB to the PC-USB port. The TA also uses an Audioquest NRG-X3 power cable connected to an APC Line-R 600VA Automatic Voltage Regulator. The Sony BCR-NWH10 is also plugged into the Line-R. For headphones I mainly use the Sony MDR-Z1R with the Kimber AXIOS Cu balanced. When traveling my preferred setup with the 1Z is the Campfire Solaris Special Edition and DHC Clone Silver balanced.
> 
> ...


Do you know what software update your TA is on?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 24, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Solis 301
> What about it now?



I almost need to refrain from an opinion as it’s too early; still this may be the best yet. The bigger soundstage maybe than Solis T5? Less bright? Or less intense up-top? It’s absolutely spectacular. Though of course this could all be placebo? 

My impressions are the bass is less dense than Jupiter301T1? Not that it really matters, as there is so much goodness! Thank-you! 

Stock 1A-16bit and 24bit-Hansound Zen 4Wire-Noble Audio Encore and 301SolisU


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 24, 2020)

endlesswaves said:


> From this I think for owners of 1A to get the TA and Mod their 1A is a better value than to get a 1Z. What you guys think?
> 
> 
> All good now. Thanks.



I’ve posted that before. That for around two hundred more (than a 1Z) you get a TA and and 1A. And the only one thing I can insist on; the 1A is a better purchase now with mod-firmware than it was. Than it ever was period. That’s an easy assessment. 

But it depends on someone’s subjective taste. I simply used the TA with 1.03 firmware as a reference to where the Walkmans were going with the modification software. It’s difficult to quantify, especially with people who physically updated their 1Z. Meaning where does a hardware modification 1Z go to? Where does it end too? We have three people who in their own opinion on this thread substantiate the superiority of the TA even over firmware modded Walkmans. The added expense though would be the AQCarbon USB and Sony Cradle too; you can’t forget you also need those.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 24, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> I almost need to refrain from an opinion as it’s too early; still this may be the best yet. The bigger soundstage maybe than Solis T5? Less bright? Or less intense up-top? It’s absolutely spectacular. Though of course this could all be placebo?
> 
> My impressions are the bass is less dense than Jupiter301T1? Not that it really matters, as there is so much goodness! Thank-you!
> 
> Stock 1A-16bit and 24bit-Hansound Zen 4Wire-Noble Audio Encore and 301SolisU


I think its sounds a little similar to Solis 3.02? But its more fuller, more dynamic, more toetapping/ headbopping. Everything's bigger, more unleashed. Bass is stellar, I'm not sure if its less bright, but it seems to sparkle more up top. More musical and emotive, more cohesion & better separation between vocals and instruments. 3.02 Solis is more laid back & restrained, while this is more energetic, especially with dance/ disco tunes. Vocals more upfront, louder, clarity is higher, notes hits harder & seem ready to jump out. Gotta add more, reverb is amazing. Its like 3.02 Solis infused with upbeat tunes. I like this and listening to this makes me sing; its definitely better than Solis 3.02


Congratulations gentlemen, you know who you are; you have spectacularly outdone yourselves.


Modded 1Z -> PW 1960 4 core cable -> VE Elysium


----------



## Morbideath

Midnstorms said:


> I want Helios T7


No, he doesn't exist but only in myths


----------



## Tawek

hamhamhamsta said:


> I think its sounds a little similar to Solis 3.02? But its more fuller, more dynamic, more toetapping/ headbopping? Everything's bigger, more unleashed. Bass is stellar, I'm not sure if its less bright, but it seems to sparkle more up top. More musical and emotive, more cohesive between vocals and instruments. 3.02 Solis is more laid back, while this is more energetic, especially with dance/ disco tunes. Vocals more upfront, louder, clarity is higher? Its like 3.02 Solis infused with upbeat tunes? I like this and think this is better than Solis 3.02
> 
> 
> Congratulations gentlemen, you know who you are; you have outdone yourselves.
> ...


do I need 3.01 firmware to install Solis 3.01 firmware or does it install like everything on 3.02 ?  thanks


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Tawek said:


> do I need 3.01 firmware to install Solis 3.01 firmware or does it install like everything on 3.02 ?  thanks


Its a complete package, just run, that's it. No need to look for 3.01


----------



## AudioMoksha

Tawek said:


> do I need 3.01 firmware to install Solis 3.01 firmware or does it install like everything on 3.02 ?  thanks


It installs on 3.2 firmware just fine, as you are simply downgrading to a version lower. I did it and faced no issues apart from the walkman telling me I am going to an older firmware.


----------



## Redcarmoose

AudioMoksha said:


> It installs on 3.2 firmware just fine, as you are simply downgrading to a version lower. I did it and faced no issues apart from the walkman telling me I am going to an older firmware.



The only issue I had is it’s slightly bigger than Jupiter3. I had to remove one album from the memory to fit it.


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> The only issue I had is it’s slightly bigger than Jupiter3. I had to remove one album from the memory to fit it.


Haha. Fully utilised your memory space huh? I still have about 40-50 gigs left to fill.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 24, 2020)

Solis 3.01 timbre sounds realistic: piano notes have differing weights, guitar crunch and wails, vocals sang with whole range and emotions. When needed, emphasis is there, when not, its absent. Omg, even saxophones sounds so alive and playful.

Spectacular. This sounds just right.


----------



## endlesswaves

Solis T5 is very good but I felt I will want more bass. Solis 301 is perfect to me. The sub bass goes lower and rumbles like a mini earthquake in my eardrums with sustained sub bass heavy songs. 

This is my impression using WM1A with Khan. Wonder how it sounds with IER-Z1R. 8.0 Richter scale earthquake?

Immense respect and gratitude to the creators of this FW.


----------



## Damz87

Damn, I think I missed the Solis 3.01 boat. Can anyone hook a brother up?


----------



## Morbideath

Damz87 said:


> Damn, I think I missed the Solis 3.01 boat. Can anyone hook a brother up?


It's just one page back


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 24, 2020)

I think Solis 3.01 is the Perfect Chameleon; makes great imitation to life/ in this case, the music you listen to.


----------



## Morbideath

Damz87 said:


> Damn, I think I missed the Solis 3.01 boat. Can anyone hook a brother up?


I'm sorry, two pages actually. I have just put it up here
Solis 301


----------



## Damz87

@Morbideath


----------



## Nik

.


----------



## 8481

@Morbideath Please, take my firstborn.


----------



## Whitigir

8481 said:


> @Morbideath Please, take my firstborn.


He probably will not, but I do! DHL express to me


----------



## nc8000

@Morbideath and @Whitigir am I missing any or is this everything ?


----------



## 8481

Whitigir said:


> He probably will not, but I do! DHL express to me



Great, first things first, I still need a girlfriend in order to proceed.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 24, 2020)

@nc8000 there is no whitigir FW, but there is Beta  lol!


8481 said:


> Great, first things first, I still need a girlfriend in order to proceed.



just kidding, and you are welcome.  What I will take though is some Corona bottles  LOL


----------



## Sp12er3

still one of the most active thread I see, Self Isolation gave people time to spend hours at home trying to tune their DAP to best fit their gears


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> @Morbideath and @Whitigir am I missing any or is this everything ?



love your folder structure, i will copy it too

on topic, you have everything , except these 5 by Whitigr i will send them to you via pm

*DMP portable Fun
DMP portable Musical
DMP portable Original

3.01 Ultimate NW-A-Disco Universal
3.01 Ultimate NW-Z-Disco Universal*


----------



## lesale08

So I just downloaded the solis 301 and loaded onto my 1a. After installing, unit information says I am on 3.01. Am I good?


----------



## audionewbi

.


----------



## Layman1

Can anyone tell me what the following files are:
DMP-Z1 1.01
DMP-Z1 1.02
DMP portable Fun
DMP portable Musical
DMP portable Original

Specifically, are these custom/mod FW for the DMP-Z1?
Or for the WM1A/Z, designed to make them sound more like DMP-Z1?

And for the last 3 FW in my list, what's the intention behind these?

Finally, if anyone could hook me up with links to those 5, I'd be very grateful.
Someday soon, I'm going to own WM1Z, and I'm determined to get DMP-Z1 as well


----------



## gerelmx1986

Solis 3.01 vs solis 3.02

The 3.01 is thicker in the low end, more rumbre, that my IER-Z1R   tickles the ear. High and mid seem pushed a bit more forward giving it a slight metallic tint.

3.02 feels more natural, more effortless, bass is not so crumbly, but like the control of it, mids and highs on the 3.02 seem to be not so forward, like they were left untouched 
.. like this more for more resolution


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> love your folder structure, i will copy it too
> 
> on topic, you have everything , except these 5 by Whitigr i will send them to you via pm
> 
> ...



The Disco ones are in my structure


----------



## nc8000

Layman1 said:


> Can anyone tell me what the following files are:
> DMP-Z1 1.01
> DMP-Z1 1.02
> DMP portable Fun
> ...



They are all for 1Z and 1A but based on DMP tunings


----------



## captblaze

Layman1 said:


> Can anyone tell me what the following files are:
> DMP-Z1 1.01
> DMP-Z1 1.02
> DMP portable Fun
> ...




first 2 were the original firmware mods from a talented PR specialist and gifted to this thread
last 3 were the first ones developed by a Mad Audio Scientist and gifted to this thread


----------



## NickleCo (Mar 24, 2020)

edit.


----------



## aceedburn (Mar 24, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Solis 3.01 vs solis 3.02
> 
> The 3.01 is thicker in the low end, more rumbre, that my IER-Z1R   tickles the ear. High and mid seem pushed a bit more forward giving it a slight metallic tint.
> 
> ...


I agree with your observations and it was exactly my impressions too. I expected 3.01 to have more subdued highs compared to 3.02 but it’s the opposite. Hence why I don’t like 3.01 solis. It’s too forward and shrieky at times. Nowhere as smooth as 3.01 Jupiter.


----------



## Morbideath

captblaze said:


> first 2 were the original firmware mods from a talented PR specialist and gifted to this thread
> last 3 were the first ones developed by a Mad Audio Scientist and gifted to this thread


The former by our Navigator, the latter by our renowned Captain Mad


----------



## alterseiba

Hi All,

I'm a newbie here I would like to know what would be the next step after I change my region to J? I want to try Solis301AJ or DMP-Z1 1.02 but I have an error "Connect the target device to a computer with a USB cable". Please help. TIA

Model: NW-WM1A
Series: NW-WM1 Series
Destination: J (0)
Sound pressure: 0 (off)


----------



## aceedburn

alterseiba said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I'm a newbie here I would like to know what would be the next step after I change my region to J? I want to try Solis301AJ or DMP-Z1 1.02 but I have an error "Connect the target device to a computer with a USB cable". Please help. TIA
> 
> ...


Hardware and software regions differ. You have changed your software region to J but your hardware region can’t be changed. Download the Universal version. It should work for you unless you have a Europe region unit then download Europe.


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 24, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> I almost need to refrain from an opinion as it’s too early; still this may be the best yet. The bigger soundstage maybe than Solis T5? Less bright? Or less intense up-top? It’s absolutely spectacular. Though of course this could all be placebo?
> 
> My impressions are the bass is less dense than Jupiter301T1? Not that it really matters, as there is so much goodness! Thank-you!
> 
> Stock 1A-16bit and 24bit-Hansound Zen 4Wire-Noble Audio Encore and 301SolisU



Agree as well. With the other FW's it did not take long for me to travel back to the original Solis, Solis 3.01 however is a keeper!(1Z/EX1000)

Curious now as well how Solis would sound on 3.0, my original favourite FW


----------



## NickleCo

oof looks like solis does not play well with 3.01. There's harshness with the revamped 3.01 solis and even moreso with solis T5 with 3.01 (yes solis t5 on 3.01).


----------



## Morbideath

DatDudeNic said:


> oof looks like solis does not play well with 3.01. There's harshness with the revamped 3.01 solis and even moreso with solis T5 with 3.01 (yes solis t5 on 3.01).


Synergies synergies synergies…
I prefer S02 for my Just Ear, S01 for my LegendXse


----------



## nc8000

Now I think I have everything ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 24, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Synergies synergies synergies…
> I prefer S02 for my Just Ear, S01 for my LegendXse



Exactly. That’s why generalizations are difficult. One person likes a personal subjective sound signature and is going that direction. Either the firmware dials the IEM closer in ways or farther in the other direction. Also it must be mentioned the 1Z and 1A sound different and a single firmware is going to show different characters on both along with the IEM of choice. 

The cool part though is reading about the times when the firmware attributes get noticed across the board. I also have an idea there may never be a totally perfect firmware. Some do certain things special and others do other things; try to blend the two together and only some areas respond. But I agree that if you have more than one IEM on hand, there is a chance of finding firmwares which seem to cause embellishment of traits, and reduce issues for each.


----------



## Tawek (Mar 24, 2020)

Solis 3.01


flyer1 said:


> Agree as well. With the other FW's it did not take long for me to travel back to the original Solis, Solis 3.01 however is a keeper!(1Z/EX1000)
> 
> Curious now as well how Solis would sound on 3.0, my original favourite FW



it's hard for me to imagine a bigger sound stage than this Solis 3.01
unreal synergy Ex1000/1Z


----------



## Morbideath

nc8000 said:


> Now I think I have everything ?


You have more than i do!


----------



## kubig123

nc8000 said:


> Now I think I have everything ?


this is perfect, I wish you could share all these folders online.


----------



## nc8000

kubig123 said:


> this is perfect, I wish you could share all these folders online.



I will by pm request once everything has finished uploading to my Dropbox, both the file structure and one huge zip file with everything in it including user manual, service manual, rockbox tool and all original Sony FW


----------



## gerelmx1986

Solis 3.02 has some midbass / lower mids resonances with certain songs. 

DMP-Z1 1.02 is very well done, no resonances, bass may be lacking for some
 But also has an enormous stage while being balanced across the spectrum


----------



## Lookout57

Redcarmoose said:


> Do you know what software update your TA is on?


1.03


----------



## kubig123

nc8000 said:


> I will by pm request once everything has finished uploading to my Dropbox, both the file structure and one huge zip file with everything in it including user manual, service manual, rockbox tool and all original Sony FW


thank you, that's great, unfortunately I missed some of the new FW from the past 10 days.


----------



## proedros

*jupiter 301 for 1a
solis for 1z*

this seems to be the trend


----------



## gerelmx1986

DMP-Z1 v1.02 should be renamed to Sirius


----------



## Redcarmoose

proedros said:


> *jupiter 301 for 1a
> solis for 1z*
> 
> this seems to be the trend



Good Point.


----------



## Morbideath

gerelmx1986 said:


> DMP-Z1 v1.02 should be renamed to Sirius


Given its minimalist tuning, it should be the Earth


----------



## alterseiba

gerelmx1986 said:


> Solis 3.01 vs solis 3.02
> 
> The 3.01 is thicker in the low end, more rumbre, that my IER-Z1R   tickles the ear. High and mid seem pushed a bit more forward giving it a slight metallic tint.
> 
> ...



Hi,

May I know where is the link for Solis 3.02?


----------



## lumdicks

I landed on Solis 3.01 but subsequently back to Jupiter 3.01. For my un-modded 1Z, Jupiter is much smoother with wide soundstage, amazing resolution, sparking but not harsh treble and good cohesiveness.

An exciting journey but I think I can rest at Jupiter and enjoy my music for a while.


----------



## gerelmx1986

alterseiba said:


> Hi,
> 
> May I know where is the link for Solis 3.02?


Iyou can ask @nc8000 he has all of the FWs


----------



## buzzlulu

Every night I go to sleep and every morning I wake up to more of this

Has a MAC version of the new Solis 3.01 been uploaded yet?


----------



## Lookout57

buzzlulu said:


> Every night I go to sleep and every morning I wake up to more of this
> 
> Has a MAC version of the new Solis 3.01 been uploaded yet?


No, I haven't had a chance to build one and share with Morbideath.

FYI, all macOS installers only work with macOS 10.14 Mojave or earlier due to Sony not updating their installers.


----------



## aceedburn

lumdicks said:


> I landed on Solis 3.01 but subsequently back to Jupiter 3.01. For my un-modded 1Z, Jupiter is much smoother with wide soundstage, amazing resolution, sparking but not harsh treble and good cohesiveness.
> 
> An exciting journey but I think I can rest at Jupiter and enjoy my music for a while.


Yep. Me too. Tried Solis 3.01 but found it too harsh especially on female vocals and sub bass a little laid back. Back to my all time favourite,  Jupiter 3.01. It’s just so sweet and gentle. All I’ve ever wanted. I’m an OCD and this is perfection for me.


----------



## Whitigir

Can anyone read Japanese here ?


----------



## aceedburn

1A-Jupiter 3.01-1More triple driver headphones = absolute bliss


----------



## gerelmx1986

aceedburn said:


> 1A-Jupiter 3.01-1More triple driver headphones = absolute bliss


Wm1a stock, FW 3.02 DMP-Z1 1.02 sony IER-Z1R


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Whitigir said:


> Can anyone read Japanese here ?


Did Sony get in touch with you ?


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wm1a stock, FW 3.02 DMP-Z1 1.02 sony IER-Z1R



DMP-Z1 1.02 sounds awesome, right? It has a huge soundstage with MDR-Z7M2, and Shure SE846 sounds better in terms of bass and highs, plus the soundstage.

I still get amazed sometimes when listening.


----------



## nc8000

I will reply to everybody who has pm’ed when the upload is finished. The zip is about 23GB


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> I will reply to everybody who has pm’ed when the upload is finished. The zip is about 23GB


Jeez luiisss....that means we did 10Gb of works more or less


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> Jeez luiisss....that means we did 10Gb of works more or less



There about. My zip also includes all original Windows fw, the original China fw and your various fw on top of the Solar system for both Windows and Mac


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> There about. My zip also includes all original Windows fw, the original China fw and your various fw on top of the Solar system for both Windows and Mac


Whelp* and that is only the released versions ....I blame this Corona


----------



## nc8000

Propper music for Solis. Helios Overture by Danish composer Carl Nielsen describing a sun rise on a summer day


----------



## gerelmx1986

morgenstern09 said:


> DMP-Z1 1.02 sounds awesome, right? It has a huge soundstage with MDR-Z7M2, and Shure SE846 sounds better in terms of bass and highs, plus the soundstage.
> 
> I still get amazed sometimes when listening.


Yes with both MDR-Z1R  and IER-Z1R  huge soundstage plus balanced smooth sound


----------



## gerelmx1986

To combat boredom I've been playing AudioSurf. It is a game mashup between FX zero racing, tetris and Guitar hero.  You play with your own music files (FLAC, MP3, WMA, OGG, WAV).

What I tested with flac its upports up to 24 bit/192kHz


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> Jeez luiisss....that means we did* 10Gb *of works more or less



*12 GB* , give or take


----------



## nc8000

Upload finished and all pm replied to


----------



## Wietjunk

morgenstern09 said:


> DMP-Z1 1.02 sounds awesome, right? It has a huge soundstage with MDR-Z7M2, and Shure SE846 sounds better in terms of bass and highs, plus the soundstage.
> 
> I still get amazed sometimes when listening.


For me SE846 lacks rumble bass with the 1A. 
Tried custom firmwares but sucks anyway. 
With my old Zx1 the SE846 works fine.
SE is not a sparkle iem, mids are extremely nice, bass is for a BA very good but not for 1A.
I ordered a Sony xba-Z5 and they blew the SE846 completely away, all the reviews with the Z5 are spot on. 
Very deep and hard hitting bass with a lot of detail and power.
Mids very neutral studio sound. 
Highs not harsh but very nice sparkle. 
Very big soundstage.
Separation amazing. 
On balanced 3D.
J 3.02 stock.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Holy mind me s...h..i..t the pretzels! 

The new solis 3.01 is a beast ! I loaded my tron special edition cd and kabang there was like a big drum bass hit for 15 sec and eye pupils were blinking left right for thst first 15sec hahaha
I was blown away.

That new solis is madness so powerful so big the bass is strong and unique new flavor in the texture and also treble is new very nice tone !

Very awsom we are touching new limits ! Lady's and gentle man's we have crossed to the outer space limits sit relax now we heading to the new cosmic frontiers!  HahA


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> Upload finished and all pm replied to


----------



## Vitaly2017

I just wanted to clarify when I said the outer space.

I ment we are gone, ciao bye disappeared we no longer in the galaxy!

We're Gone! Out in the wildest farthest space. We cant be stopped at this point the speed of the travel is high that no engines no black holes gravity can even glance It.

This is spectacular we have attained such unique moment in our lives that this a one time thing in millions of years!

I think we have reached the pure state at which there is no more mater its all happening in a spiritual liquid form in space.

Telling you guys we've breached the untouched limits of universe!  This it we are all blissed !

So the cosmic light and the power of cosmos be with you! Hold strong friends solis gonna blow your pants off HAHAHA


----------



## proedros (Mar 24, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I just wanted to clarify when I said the outer space.
> 
> I ment we are gone, ciao bye disappeared we no longer in the galaxy!
> 
> ...



if those impressions are not under some crazy good psychedelic substance , then i think i need to buy what you have bought ( WM1Z actually)

if those impressions are under some crazy good psychedelic substance , then i still think i need to buy what you have bought ( WM1Z actually)


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> if those impressions are not under some crazy good psychedelic substance , then i think i need to buy what you have bought ( WM1Z actually)



Haha there is 1 thing no one ever would be able to have! No matter what gear you will get )

There is only 1 pair of most unique and rarest tiger ears in whole existance of the universe 


Its thanks to them that I can get so high into the unknown to any mortal on earth. Its a privilege and gift to have this ability  )


----------



## proedros

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha there is 1 thing no one ever would be able to have! No matter what gear you will get )
> 
> There is only 1 pair of most unique and rarest tiger ears in whole existance of the universe
> 
> ...



i like your way of thinking , so let me fuel those tiger ears with some more sonic candy

check your pm


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sounds amazing with solis 3.01 + U


----------



## RobertP (Mar 24, 2020)

List of my favorite fw: U3.01 > U1.02 w/High gain > DMP1.2 > VenusT3 > Stock 3.02

Sadly Jupiter is no longer suitable for me right after last modifications. Also changed from CEV to J region.

Will there ever be any T6 fw? What would be the tier for U3.01? @Whitigir


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Been listening to Solis 3.01 for few hours. Sticking to Solis 3.02


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Been listening to Solis 3.01 for few hours. Sticking to Solis 3.02



What is solis 3.02?
Are you referring to solist5 ?


----------



## Lookout57

Vitaly2017 said:


> What is solis 3.02?
> Are you referring to solist5 ?


I think so since Solis T5 is based on 3.02.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Vitaly2017 said:


> What is solis 3.02?
> Are you referring to solist5 ?


2 Solis both Tier 5 exist now :
- Solis 3.01
- Solis 3.02


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrLocoLuciano said:


> 2 Solis both Tier 5 exist now :
> - Solis 3.01
> - Solis 3.02



Solist5 the 3.02 and thew solis301zu 3.01 ?


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Vitaly2017 said:


> Solist5 the 3.02 and thew solis301zu 3.01 ?


Bro stop speaking with your Montreal accent, i don't understand what you say


----------



## RobertP

I think you got it right. @Vitaly2017


----------



## 524419

RobertP said:


> List of my favorite fw: U3.01 > U1.02 w/High gain > DMP1.2 > VenusT3 > Stock 3.02
> 
> Sadly Jupiter is no longer suitable for me right after last modifications. Also changed from CEV to J region.
> 
> Will there ever be any T6 fw? What would be the tier for U3.01? @Whitigir


Try MARS T3


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Bro stop speaking with your Montreal accent, i don't understand what you say



LoL
Beiin la la quoi tu veux je dise hahaha
Je comprend pas ton affaire la le . Vous les Francais de France


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> LoL
> Beiin la la quoi tu veux je dise hahaha
> Je comprend pas ton affaire la le . Vous les Francais de France


Hahaha... you're one crazy Liger! Lol


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Vitaly2017 said:


> LoL
> Beiin la la quoi tu veux je dise hahaha
> Je comprend pas ton affaire la le . Vous les Francais de France


C'est pas dur pourtant mais tu as tendance à te faire des nœuds au cerveau  
2 Solis, un pour 3.01 et un pour 3.02....


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrLocoLuciano said:


> C'est pas dur pourtant mais tu as tendance à te faire des nœuds au cerveau
> 2 Solis, un pour 3.01 et un pour 3.02....




On est rendue avec tellement de firmware quon est perdue!
Si tu utilise des nouveaux nom pour identifier des firmware qui on un nom different Sest claire! On va ce perdre ici!

Dejas qu'on est loing dans l'espace essayon de ne pas la compliquer encore plus la chose! Hihihi


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Vitaly2017 said:


> On est rendue avec tellement de firmware quon est perdue!
> Si tu utilise des nouveaux nom pour identifier des firmware qui on un nom different Sest claire! On va ce perdre ici!
> 
> Dejas qu'on est loing dans l'espace essayon de ne pas la compliquer encore plus la chose! Hihihi


Tu rigoles, il n'y a pas plus simple que Solis 3.01 ou Solis 3.02... C'est du bon sens


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Tu rigoles, il n'y a pas plus simple que Solis 3.01 ou Solis 3.02... C'est du bon sens




Oui sest juste me le suis imaginer different s tout )
Pour moi yavait solist5 et solis 3.01 s comme sa que lartiste la nommer donc jai suivi ses nomination!


----------



## RobertP (Mar 24, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> Try MARS T3


That fw supposed to be flat and neutral I think. For me, I feel bored after half hour LOL. Jupiter turned out to be a bit bright. Venus is good but not enough bass. Try T2 and they are even more worse.


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> That fw supposed to be flat and neutral I think. For me, I feel bored after half hour LOL. Jupiter turned out to be a bit bright. Venus is good but not enough bass. Try T2 and they are even more worse.



Try new solis 3.01 it beats all Jupiters! Its amazing not bright

If you like jupiter then go for Jupiter 3.01 I use U region now on cause it offers the deepest sub bass out of any region!


----------



## RobertP

Solis 3.02 is more suitable for my setup right now. Already try 3.01 this morning. Because of S-Master ground wires mod it changed the hold game.

I used to like SolisT5 > U1.02 w/Tone control 0,0,0 > JupiterT3 > DMP1.2 before the mod.


----------



## 524419 (Mar 24, 2020)

RobertP said:


> That fw supposed to be flat and neutral I think. For me, I feel bored after half hour LOL. Jupiter turned out to be a bit bright. Venus is good but not enough bass. Try T2 and they are even more worse.


Quick question. With your 1A (modded) and 1Z, which one do you like more?
I thought Venus was more flat and neutral sounding compared to the MARS T3.


----------



## alterseiba

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wm1a stock, FW 3.02 DMP-Z1 1.02 sony IER-Z1R


Hi, 

I have an error encountered upon installing DMP1.02 please help.

Model: NW-WM1A
Series: NW-WM1 Series
Destination: E (6)
Sound pressure: 1 (on)


----------



## RobertP

Diet Kokaine said:


> Quick question. With your 1A (modded) and 1Z, which one do you like more?
> I though Venus was more flat an neutral sounding compared to the MARS T3.


I current state, moded 1A is by far better. Venus is warmth and organic but bass are so so.


----------



## RobertP

alterseiba said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have an error encountered upon installing DMP1.02 please help.
> 
> ...


Install stock 3.02 fw first.


----------



## alterseiba

RobertP said:


> Install stock 3.02 fw first.


Thank you! it's working now.


----------



## Whitigir

That is correct, all Solis are T5, because there is only 1 Solis.  Just different Universes
3.01
Then 
3.02


----------



## Whitigir

People don’t know how capable their Walkmans are until Hardware modifications are in place


----------



## fjbruening

Trying to come up to speed on the 1A. it looks like a nice unit, and i'm looking for a DAP to last me years. I don't tend to buy much gear (who am I kidding, beautiful guitars on the wall, wonderful golf clubs in the garage).

I"m concerned that it's already several years old, and I would think a new model is coming out at some point.

Any thoughts? Is the 1A/Z getting long of tooth, and will Sony release an upgrade in the next year?

TIA,
Francis


----------



## nc8000

fjbruening said:


> Trying to come up to speed on the 1A. it looks like a nice unit, and i'm looking for a DAP to last me years. I don't tend to buy much gear (who am I kidding, beautiful guitars on the wall, wonderful golf clubs in the garage).
> 
> I"m concerned that it's already several years old, and I would think a new model is coming out at some point.
> 
> ...



Nobody knows if/when Sony will come out with a new model. If the specs of the Sony fit your needs it is still very much worth buying


----------



## endlesswaves

fjbruening said:


> Trying to come up to speed on the 1A. it looks like a nice unit, and i'm looking for a DAP to last me years. I don't tend to buy much gear (who am I kidding, beautiful guitars on the wall, wonderful golf clubs in the garage).
> 
> I"m concerned that it's already several years old, and I would think a new model is coming out at some point.
> 
> ...


To me, WM1A is the best valued DAPs around, even now. Battery life, stable OS, nice synergy with most IEMs.

Add these new custom FW with different sound signature (pick and choose which have the most synergy with your setup and musical taste) enhance the value of both WM1A/1Z. To me, it also extend the time I will be looking for a new DAP. I might get my 1A modded and a better cable then I might close my headfi account and be happy that I've reached my end game. 

Edit: Unless Sony hire or collaborate with @Whitigir for WM2A/Z.


----------



## aceedburn

Ok. Here’s some trivia. Walkman 1A. Which region and mod firmware on 3.02  gives the lowest and deepest bass with clear mids and non piercing highs yet with details? It’s a tough one eh?


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 25, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Ok. Here’s some trivia. Walkman 1A. Which region and mod firmware on 3.02  gives the lowest and deepest bass with clear mids and non piercing highs yet with details? It’s a tough one eh?



All depends on your setup.. If an easy answer was possible we would only have need for a single FW/Region to rule them all


----------



## aceedburn

flyer1 said:


> All depends on your setup.. If an easy answer was possible we would only have need for a single FW/Region to rule them all


Well my question was easy enough. Stock 1A on 3.02. Which region and firmware combination gives what I mentioned above. Not that hard as it’s general.


----------



## endlesswaves

aceedburn said:


> Well my question was easy enough. Stock 1A on 3.02. Which region and firmware combination gives what I mentioned above. Not that hard as it’s general.


For me, it's Solis 301. Stock WM1A-Single Crystal 5N Copper Cable-Noble Khan


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Well my question was easy enough. Stock 1A on 3.02. Which region and firmware combination gives what I mentioned above. Not that hard as it’s general.



Should depend on which headphone and cable you use. And then it depends on your ears, music and preferences.


----------



## aceedburn

endlesswaves said:


> For me, it's Solis 301. Stock WM1A-Single Crystal 5N Copper Cable-Noble Khan


I was asking for 3.02. As for 3.01, for me it’s Jupiter 3.01 with J region.


----------



## flyer1 (Mar 25, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Well my question was easy enough. Stock 1A on 3.02. Which region and firmware combination gives what I mentioned above. Not that hard as it’s general.



Easy question sure, but tough to answer still as there is no general answer.


----------



## proedros

aceedburn said:


> I was asking for 3.02. As for 3.01, for me it’s* Jupiter 3.01 with J region.*



i am also on this setup with my stock WM1A , as for 3.02 FWs nothing has really wowed me


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 25, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Ok. Here’s some trivia. Walkman 1A. Which region and mod firmware on 3.02  gives the lowest and deepest bass with clear mids and non piercing highs yet with details? It’s a tough one eh?


Do you Buy a stock Civic SI and go to a tuner then ask him to “Tune” your stock SI into a Civic Type R ? With just a “Tune”?

It is just a simple demand ?

My WM1A is exactly what you asked, but it has

_Nichicon caps, TK caps, Elna Caps, Pure Gold internal, 19Awg Cardas Ground wire, Battery Litz wires, and Solis (whatever versions), and I use it with IER-Z1R.  There are also Noises absorbents and Silver soldering

in order to completely transformed it, internal frames (front and back) were also modified, plugs detectors were also modified_

my WM1A is exactly what I used to tune firmwares with.  So, the answer is that All firmwares are excellent in it own rights, if you had a Tier 4 WM1A


----------



## endlesswaves

aceedburn said:


> I was asking for 3.02. As for 3.01, for me it’s Jupiter 3.01 with J region.


Sorry my bad. 

To answer your original question. Mars (my time comparing T1-T3 is too short to conclude which is best) + J region. But not suitable for all genres. Solis is the best all rounder. Just my humble opinion.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 25, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Well my question was easy enough. Stock 1A on 3.02. Which region and firmware combination gives what I mentioned above. Not that hard as it’s general.


I'm on Region Code E, Original mods DMP-Z1  1.02. Cans *MDR-Z1R +Sony KK *IER-Z1R Stock cable, both 4.4mm.

I find DMP-Z1 1.02 to have a clean sound, balanced, with a tiny dash of warmth plug a huge concert-hall/cathedral soundstage


----------



## simon740

gerelmx1986 said:


> I'm on Region Code E, Original mods DMP-Z1  1.02. Cans *MDR-Z1R +Sony KK *IER-Z1R Stock cable, both 4.4mm.
> 
> I find DMP-Z1 1.02 to have a clean sound, balanced, with a tiny dash of warmth plug a huge concert-hall/cathedral soundstage


Nice...My wm1a (stock) is on E2 region code (hardcode is E), DMP-Z1 1.02 FW. Very good. 
And E2 is a little "louder" in comparison with E region.

regards,
Simon


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> i am also on this setup with my stock WM1A , as for 3.02 FWs nothing has really wowed me



Maybe Jupiter3.01 + U ? Works sublime with my psychodelic goa trance LoL


----------



## proedros

Vitaly2017 said:


> Maybe Jupiter3.01 + U ? Works sublime with my *psychodelic goa trance* LoL




Hey Vitaly check out this one , fantastic stuf

Not trance , but a trip album nevertheless

*https://www.discogs.com/The-Infinity-Project-Mystical-Experiences/master/14223*


----------



## tomcourtenay

Any possibility to get JUPITER and SOLIS 3.01 on Mac?

thanks


----------



## Maxx134 (Mar 25, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> One thing is maybe the stock firmware on the 1A was actually fully thwarting the SQ 1A potential? Where 1Z stock firmware was better at letting the 1Z be a wide improvement over the 1A?


I have notice big improvement on stock 1A, to get near stock 1z level, so maybe stock 1a firmware was less optimal.



Vitaly2017 said:


> I think we have reached the pure state at which there is no more mater its all happening in a spiritual liquid form in space.


Wow, so you mean we have passed the waters above the firmament, and have reached heavenly realm!




alterseiba said:


> Sound pressure: 1 (on)


You have limitation in your volume, you need to set to zero.




Whitigir said:


> my WM1A is exactly what I used to tune firmwares with


Can you please explain what is Venus?
To me it is sounding similar to jupiter 301, but better..
My fav was solis before I hear Venus on MX region..
I have Kmod 1Z.
It sounds very holographic and balanced, with good sub bass


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 25, 2020)

proedros said:


> Hey Vitaly check out this one , fantastic stuf
> 
> Not trance , but a trip album nevertheless
> 
> *https://www.discogs.com/The-Infinity-Project-Mystical-Experiences/master/14223*




Lo Lo Lo

This one reminded me sooo much the half life game.
Thst voice like in the game "wake up and rise. Smell the ashe's ) "

Yeaa this is good stuff


@Maxx134 



> Vitaly2017 said:
> I think we have reached the pure state at which there is no more mater its all happening in a spiritual liquid form in space.


Wow, so you mean we have passed the waters above the firmament, and have reached heavenly realm!



We have reached the unlimited cosmos, where there is no more physical matter ! Only divine energies, mind and soul travel threw consciousness. Astral space time is now infinite!


----------



## Maxx134 (Mar 25, 2020)

simon740 said:


> DMP-Z1


The stock 1a is more immediate.
So I can believe DMP-Z1 sounds great, but on modified player you can hear it actually very laid back with less intensity.
So I need to strike a balanced between soundstage laid back, and intensity to sound more lively, like Solis.

I have to compare more the Venus which sounds so good..


----------



## Maxx134

Vitaly2017 said:


> We have reached the unlimited cosmos, where there is no more physical matter ! Only divine energies, mind and soul travel threw consciousness. Astral space time is now infinite


Stephen Hawking's said, the missing element in the cosmos, to cause existence, is the grand "consciousness".. The "mind" of God.


So anyone else tried Venus?


----------



## aceedburn

Maxx134 said:


> Stephen Hawking's said, the missing element in the cosmos, to cause existence, is the grand "consciousness".. The "mind" of God.
> 
> 
> So anyone else tried Venus?


How’s the sub bass in Venus? Is the overall sound warm or bright and piercing?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Good people this one will open your mind and soul to new horizons 




Great stuff here










Space travel here


----------



## Vitaly2017

Maxx134 said:


> Stephen Hawking's said, the missing element in the cosmos, to cause existence, is the grand "consciousness".. The "mind" of God.
> 
> 
> So anyone else tried Venus?




Wow then I said something really serious and with very deep heavy meaning!


----------



## Vitaly2017

@proedros 

Maybe you will like this )


----------



## Mindstorms

aceedburn said:


> Ok. Here’s some trivia. Walkman 1A. Which region and mod firmware on 3.02  gives the lowest and deepest bass with clear mids and non piercing highs yet with details? It’s a tough one eh?


Solis TW?


----------



## Whitigir

Venus was meant to polish Vocal focused genres, while still trying to keep the balances of the boards across.  @Morbideath can tell you more in-depth at it as it is his cooking


----------



## Whitigir

fjbruening said:


> Trying to come up to speed on the 1A. it looks like a nice unit, and i'm looking for a DAP to last me years. I don't tend to buy much gear (who am I kidding, beautiful guitars on the wall, wonderful golf clubs in the garage).
> 
> I"m concerned that it's already several years old, and I would think a new model is coming out at some point.
> 
> ...



everything is meant to be replaced at one time as nothing is permanent, and it is how the world revolves.  It is just a matter of when ? Given that the WM1 series were released for a while, it is inevitable to be having an upgrade.

you question should be, are you willing to pay full retail for new devices ? Or is the used units a better investment for your purposes.


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> Venus was meant to polish Vocal focused genres, while still trying to keep the balances of the boards across.  @Morbideath can tell you more in-depth at it as it is his cooking


You already summarized it well


----------



## Maxx134 (Mar 25, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Venus was meant to polish Vocal focused genres, while still trying to keep the balances of the boards across.  @Morbideath can tell you more in-depth at it as it is his cooking


....


Morbideath said:


> You already summarized it well



I was wondering, since you have fully moded unit, if you noted Venus being more holographic.
What "tier" would Venus be?

I feel Venus is like a Jupiter301, but more detailed.

Does Solis having teir5, mean it that it would always have more resolve?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 25, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> I was wondering, since you have fully moded unit, if you noted Venus being more holographic.
> What "tier" would Venus be?
> 
> I feel Venus is like a Jupiter301, but more detailed.
> ...


Venus is @Morbideath cooking, he will tell you what tier it is.  Solis is Tier 5 due to it having much more complexity in coding and also more complex in performances.  The tier and it complexity scales accordingly to the Hardware of a player.  Every stock players are recommended to have Tier 1 and Tier 2 for a more friendly performances.  However, there are upgraded units with hardware modifications and hence there are Tier 3, and Solis as a Tier 5

However, Tier are categorized in technicality and as a guidelines so you know what you should do.  Every systems will respond and scale differently, listen to it, and trust your ears
*Also keeps in mind* _that the higher the Tier, the more a Hardware modified player will benefit_.  You *may have a stock player* and be using Solis because your Genres+Earbuds+Cables can handle it.  *But trust me when I say You have not even Tapped in or Unlocked even 50% of Solis*
In order to bring out Solis performances potentials, It is always recommended to have A Tier 3 Hardware modified minimum

Any Stock WM1Z under my view is a Modified WM1A


----------



## Morbideath

Maxx134 said:


> ....
> 
> 
> I was wondering, since you have fully moded unit, if you noted Venus being more holographic.
> ...


Venus offers T1 T2 and T3, though T3 was intended to sound best. Whether it fits your setup is each to their own.


----------



## Dtuck90

I think Jupiter 3.01 + J region might be the one for me. The new Grateful Dead box in 24/192 sounds absolutely glorious.


----------



## Vitaly2017

A peaceful relaxy eve today we got some jellis )


----------



## Whitigir

26 hours of continuously 44.1/16 FLAC and still 1 bar left.  This Walkman is crazy!!! LOL


----------



## proedros

i still get around 15 hours , with 3900 hours of use already

Beast.


----------



## pdL389

@Vitaly2017

I should've paid closer attention to your advice!  Thank you! Now I agree to insanely awesome: Jupiter301 & Solis301 *PLUS **U*-region, (not *J)*. Again NOT J!!!! 

To Developers:    Thank you and keep up this AWESOME WORK!!!!


----------



## Vitaly2017

pdL389 said:


> @Vitaly2017
> 
> I should've paid closer attention to your advice!  Thank you! Now I agree to insanely awesome: Jupiter301 & Solis301 *PLUS **U*-region, (not *J)*. Again NOT J!!!!
> 
> To Developers:    Thank you and keep up this AWESOME WORK!!!!



Its always good to trie them all!
So after you will have your true favorite! 

My actual best of them all is solis 3.0.1 and U amazing sound effects I even dedicated 2 crazy post to show it how insane good it is!


----------



## Vitaly2017

@pdL389 @proedros 

Really really good stuff


----------



## pdL389

Vitaly2017 said:


> @pdL389 @proedros
> 
> Really really good stuff



Nice!! First - adopted your fave firmware, Second - started listening to your fave tracks.  What's the third one? Wait, I know! get the PWAudio 1960, Fourth - K-mod.  What is the fifth?  lololol


----------



## Vitaly2017

pdL389 said:


> Nice!! First - adopted your fave firmware, Second - started listening to your fave tracks.  What's the third one? Wait, I know! get the PWAudio 1960, Fourth - K-mod.  What is the fifth?  lololol



Fourte Noir  ) not the regular and yea K Mod on wm1z!!! Good plans
Hahaha


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 25, 2020)

The 5th would be upgraded into BlackGate or Nichicon , or TK, or Elna , or a mixtures of AudioGrade capacitors , and together with K-Mod, now you have a Tier 4 Walkman


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 26, 2020)

After listening......really Solis301T1 U is too bright and is missing the bass soundstage of Jupiter301U? So at first it was Solis301 on the Z1 but now it’s better with Jupiter in both the 1A and 1Z. Something about the bass detail in Jupiter which is special. When it comes down to it I use the stock IER-Z1R as my reference.

As far as examining music Solis has amazing detail. I heard things I’ve never noticed like slight vocal additives to electronic high-hat sounds. Putting lip sounds layered in places you would normal never hear.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> After listening......really Solis301T1 U is too bright and is missing the bass soundstage of Jupiter301U? So at first it was Solis301 on the Z1 but now it’s better with Jupiter in both the 1A and 1Z. Something about the bass detail in Jupiter which is special. When it comes down to it I use the stock IER-Z1R as my reference.
> 
> As far as examining music Solis has amazing detail. I heard things I’ve never noticed like slight vocal additives to electronic high-hat sounds. Putting lip sounds layered in places you would normal never hear.




Really?
To me solis 3.01 is leas less bright then jupiter 3.01 and also solis 3.01 has way much control and sub bass vs Jupiter3.01

To me nothing touches solis 3.01 its the top all mighty


You need very high end gear for this like tia fourte noir  
Pw1960 4wires


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Really?
> To me solis 3.01 is leas less bright then jupiter 3.01 and also solis 3.01 has way much control and sub bass vs Jupiter3.01
> 
> To me nothing touches solis 3.01 its the top all mighty
> ...



Yes, my gear is probably not up to snuff?


----------



## pdL389

Redcarmoose said:


> After listening......really Solis301T1 U is too bright and is missing the bass soundstage of Jupiter301U? So at first it was Solis301 on the Z1 but now it’s better with Jupiter in both the 1A and 1Z. Something about the bass detail in Jupiter which is special. When it comes down to it I use the stock IER-Z1R as my reference.
> 
> As far as examining music Solis has amazing detail. I heard things I’ve never noticed like slight vocal additives to electronic high-hat sounds. Putting lip sounds layered in places you would normal never hear.


Totaly agree!  The only difference is the mdr-z1r as a reference point for me.  I use a +2 bass in Tone Control to deepen it a tad bit.


----------



## Redcarmoose

pdL389 said:


> Totaly agree!  The only difference is the mdr-z1r as a reference point for me.  I use a +2 bass in Tone Control to deepen it a tad bit.



I always have the new firmware is better idea at first?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> I always have the new firmware is better idea at first?




The new firmware fits Edm like a glove its magical ! this is why we love it !!!!
Took me 5 mins to crank into it so deep! 
Solis 3.02 didnt attract me that much as the 3.01 and thats under 5 min of first listen I knew it right away if its love or hate


----------



## RobertP

Guess what I just did to my 1Z. I can tell right away that it's a huge step up from 1A.


----------



## Vitaly2017

SO you changed also the power cables to?
how does it sounds now ?






RobertP said:


> Guess what I just did to my 1Z. I can tell right away that it's a huge step up from 1A.


----------



## lumdicks (Mar 26, 2020)

Just got an used 1A modified with Blackgate capacitors, wiring and power. Waiting for delivery but nervous to see how Solis will work on this Tier 4 device.
Should be a good companion with my stock 1Z in navigating different planets.


----------



## 524419

RobertP said:


> Guess what I just did to my 1Z. I can tell right away that it's a huge step up from 1A.


I am waiting to hear about this.......


----------



## Vitaly2017

pdL389 said:


> Totaly agree!  The only difference is the mdr-z1r as a reference point for me.  I use a +2 bass in Tone Control to deepen it a tad bit.





You need to try this one TOOOO


----------



## briant4pres

Does anyone know the difference in audio hardware between the ZX300 and the WM1A


----------



## aceedburn

A question for all 1A/Z users. I always listen with direct sound on. However if I turn direct sound off and leave everything else turned off, why does the sound change? And does it effect battery life with it left that way as opposed to direct sound on? Have always wondered. There is a noticeable change in sound quality when it’s turned off although all other DSP’s and eq is off. Can’t say for sure if it’s better or worse but I feel that the sound takes on a slightly flatter signature. It’s a weird phenomenon.


----------



## RobertP (Mar 26, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> SO you changed also the power cables to?
> how does it sounds now ?





Diet Kokaine said:


> I am waiting to hear about this.......



So far, it sounds much more anolog/organic than the 1A. Solis 3.01 seem to work really well with 1Z. Very powerful, more layering, and slower decay Bass. Mid are warmer, smoother, and objects have more weight. That's a 1Z unique signature. Notice more high extension.

The pro for 1A I think it's more resolves on higher mid. Feel like listen to musics in a more reflective room. It could be because over 2k hours of usage on 1A vs only 300 hours on 1Z.

So imagine modified 1A was already a lot better than stock 1Z and now modified 1Z take a huge lead over that.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 26, 2020)

lumdicks said:


> Just got an used 1A modified with Blackgate capacitors, wiring and power. Waiting for delivery but nervous to see how Solis will work on this Tier 4 device.
> Should be a good companion with my stock 1Z in navigating different planets.


Congratulations! Nice one indeed


RobertP said:


> So far, it sounds much more anolog/organic than the 1A. Solis 3.01 seem to work really well with 1Z. Very powerful, more layering, and slower decay Bass. Mid are warmer, smoother, and objects have more weight. That's a 1Z unique signature. Notice more high extension.
> 
> The pro for 1A I think it's more resolves on higher mid. Feel like listen to musics in a more reflective room. It could be because over 2k hours of usage on 1A vs only 300 hours on 1Z.
> 
> *So imagine modified 1A was already a lot better than stock 1Z and now modified 1Z take a huge lead over that.*


Modified Tier 3 hardware 1A can not outperform Modified Tier 3 Hardware 1Z.

The 1Z started out as a modified 1A in hardware.  If both are Tier 4 then the only differences would be the firmwares.

However, you are hearing it correctly, the 1A firmware has a wider soundstage with less depth but more intimated vocal and mids with details a little more forward where as 1Z firmware has a deeper soundstage with vocal, mid and details a little further.  With Tier4 on both devices, it will be a matter of preferences


----------



## Whitigir

The tremendous Values of a WM1A on a used market has a values that can not be beat.

A used Stock WM1Z is like $2,000 more or less, and a Used WM1A with Tier 4 is the same price, just harder to obtain.  However, it would leave the stock WM1Z in the dust, and on even ground with  Tier 4 WM1Z which will be around $1,599 more (from Romni Audio)

The differences now as I said, would be the OFC chassis, and it could be a pro or con about it weight


----------



## lumdicks

Whitigir said:


> The tremendous Values of a WM1A on a used market has a values that can not be beat.
> 
> A used Stock WM1Z is like $2,000 more or less, and a Used WM1A with Tier 4 is the same price, just harder to obtain.  However, it would leave the stock WM1Z in the dust, and on even ground with  Tier 4 WM1Z which will be around $1,599 more (from Romni Audio)
> 
> The differences now as I said, would be the OFC chassis, and it could be a pro or con about it weight



Exactly! I got mine directly from Romi Audio of Hong Kong, and will share my experience here once I get my new toys.


----------



## Whitigir

lumdicks said:


> Exactly! I got mine directly from Romi Audio of Hong Kong, and will share my experience here once I get my new toys.


Totally recommended .  The only place that does a Tier 4 upgrade.  It is too much works to do, but it is worth every pennies
If you think working on a DIY upgrade Tier 3 was hard, the Tier 4 would be Hell!!!
When do you expect shipment ?


----------



## lumdicks

Whitigir said:


> Totally recommended .  The only place that does a Tier 4 upgrade.  It is too much works to do, but it is worth every pennies
> If you think working on a DIY upgrade Tier 3 was hard, the Tier 4 would be Hell!!!
> When do you expect shipment ?


I am locating at Hong Kong as well and the device has just been picked up by local courier. Expect to get it tomorrow!
24 hours is so long for waiting!


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 26, 2020)

Sony FPGA is Programable on Interpolations, Digital filters, quantizations and Errors Correction.  *Or Simply put, the more agressive DSP techniques, the algorithms *
Why does Better Hardware Scale so good with modified Firmwares ?
The more Complex the algorithms is working, the higher the Energy consumptions, and the higher the Energy Demand in “Timing Domains”.
In digital world that related to Voltage changes and it values, the slew rate and it timing is “Nano second”!!!  Therefore, the better the Power supplies, the better the “Precision” and together with the more aggressiveness of Algorithms processing.  You have both working Hands in Hands and in Hands

The WM1Z has a better Power Block than WM1A given if you only perform upto Tier 3 modifications in hardware.  But Tier 4 will be where the “Money is at”.  If you know what you are doing, the “Upgrades is at the least 2X in performances” compare to Stock WM1Z power block


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 26, 2020)

Now, with the Power Block explanation away.  Here comes the Battery Wires upgrades

There is Ohms Law, the relationship between R, I, V.

Battery is always constant voltage at it Terminals. When conducting over a piece of conductors, there are something called “Alternated degradation”. This is not a “Degrading” of the power conductivity, but rather it is an Alternated ways to delivery the power on demands when obeying Ohm Law.  When something changes, it effects others parameters
Litz Wires carry better current, and so when Current is related to V and R, this alternate the ways of the power potentials.  The same for “Silver wires” which has the highest conductivity or other materials...etc

I am only stunned at how closely the “Improved performances” from “Sound signature” of a battery wires are so closely resembles the “Sound signature” of Analog Internal Interconnect


----------



## 524419 (Mar 26, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Now, with the Power Block explanation away.  Here comes the Battery Wires upgrades
> 
> There is Ohms Law, the relationship between R, I, V.
> 
> ...


I think there is more happening at the point of power delivery than Altered Degradation, or just better current. The gauge of wires in my experimentation directly influences  the audio image, resolution, treble/bass balance, transparency... mind you this is with power cables. Metal used is another factor, along with finish on connectors. Even quality of AC wall sockets influences sound, not just physical construction, but metals and finishes. I Wouldn't have believed any of this if I hadn't heard it for myself.
It's a Crazy Crazy World out there....


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 26, 2020)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/diet-kokaine.524419/

Power cables do affect the sound. Strange too as it can be simply from the wall to the amp? Some amps more than others.


----------



## RobertP (Mar 26, 2020)

Hell yeah, even just a 2.5 feet long power cable and change nothing else from outlet, my class D amp sounds noticeable better. Make great audiofile power cable is not easy. Took me 3 weeks with many different designs for that short length cable.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 26, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Hell yeah, even just a 2.5 feet long power cable and change nothing else from outlet, my class D amp sounds noticeable better. Make great audiofile power cable is not easy. Took me 3 weeks with many different designs for that short length cable.



My big mistake was ordering a 5 foot AQCarbon USB cable. They make them 1/2 that size. All my fancy power cables are 2.5 feet?


----------



## RobertP (Mar 26, 2020)

Very? Now I know I'm not alone LOL!

It was supposed to be little more than 3 feet long cable. But by the time I satisfy with the result, the cable got shorter do to the geometry and spacing of wires inside.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 26, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Very? Now I know I'm not alone LOL!
> 
> It was supposed to be little more than 3 feet long cable. But by the time I satisfy with the result, the cable got shorter do to the geometry and spacing of wires inside.



Mine, they’re short. Not sure sure the size?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 26, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> I think there is more happening at the point of power delivery than Altered Degradation, or just better current. The gauge of wires in my experimentation directly influences  the audio image, resolution, treble/bass balance, transparency... mind you this is with power cables. Metal used is another factor, along with finish on connectors. Even quality of AC wall sockets influences sound, not just physical construction, but metals and finishes. I Wouldn't have believed any of this if I hadn't heard it for myself.
> It's a Crazy Crazy World out there....


Trust me when I said I know what you meant, and I have been there, done that .  I have built so much stuff that you would think I am crazy and be tossing the money out the windows LOL... just to seek for the truth in sound performances

Anyways, I use Litz 22Awg in my Battery wires, and it not only is for better performances but also better power on demands.  I can drive my HD800S with Helios !!! Woooo.  But for the best of it there is DMP Z1 (Galaxy)


----------



## RobertP

Watch out for snake LOL!


----------



## pdL389

aceedburn said:


> A question for all 1A/Z users. I always listen with direct sound on. However if I turn direct sound off and leave everything else turned off, why does the sound change? And does it effect battery life with it left that way as opposed to direct sound on? Have always wondered. There is a noticeable change in sound quality when it’s turned off although all other DSP’s and eq is off. Can’t say for sure if it’s better or worse but I feel that the sound takes on a slightly flatter signature. It’s a weird phenomenon.


Glad you asked that. Was pondering myself.


----------



## Whitigir

RobertP said:


> Watch out for snake LOL!


Now fit that in WM1Z


----------



## Whitigir

Gold Chassis ? Nahhh

Pure Gold Power Wires for the battery

Why the hell not ? Just because


----------



## RobertP

Is that gold plated silver or gold plated copper? How do you like it?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 26, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Is that gold plated silver or gold plated copper? How do you like it?


*Pure-Gold not Gold Plated . *This is Modified cables of the references

Google up :*Jade Audio Reference Solid Gold , XLR*


----------



## RobertP

Ah, that make sense for 1A stand point. It could use some smoothness and warmth.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 26, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Ah, that make sense for 1A stand point. It could use some smoothness and warmth.


Nope, that would be wrong.  That is not how Pure Gold sound. I  Don’t even think that it relates or share any characteristics with Goldplated materials


----------



## candlejack

I don't want to ruin the fun of some of the people here, but it has to be said: 
_*Insanity intensifies!*_


----------



## bana

Vitaly2017 said:


> Sounds amazing with solis 3.01 + U


I visit for the hardware but the music that I have discovered here is priceless. I must live under a rock!!!


----------



## RobertP

Whitigir said:


> Nope, that would be wrong.  That is not how Pure Gold sound. I  Don’t even think that it relates or share any characteristics with Goldplated materials


Is this it?


> inner detail, texture and hues brought out in a simple bass note. What has always been the definition for me is a sharp leading edge, a bloom and scale and a gentle decay became a sharp leading edge, a bloom of energy, with inner texture and color that changes as the note decays. I discovered the string vibration does not just retain the exact same hue as the energy lessens, it reveals the actual textures.
> In Violins, the same textures are more detailed, as if it is almost a different recording. Brass is very sharp and biting, but not painful or biting. High frequencies open into an infinite effortless decay.


----------



## Tristy

Has there been any signs of a TOTL Sony DAP being released soon with streaming support? I figured its only a matter of time after the release of their mid-tier DAP with it implemented.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 26, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Is this it?


That is correct! Yes!  

Jade Pure Gold is “Neutral, Accurate, Fidelity, and Very Dynamic”.  It is super expensive, but it will leave you to *pick up your jaws times and times again*

Due to it Performances, you will get Improved soundstage, layering, separations, articulations, airiness, clean background too


----------



## Lookout57

Tristy said:


> Has there been any signs of a TOTL Sony DAP being released soon with streaming support? I figured its only a matter of time after the release of their mid-tier DAP with it implemented.


I wouldn't plan on it as their TOTL players are more focused on Music first using closed OS. The ZX507 is the closest you'll see for a high end streamer since it runs Android.


----------



## Tristy

Lookout57 said:


> I wouldn't plan on it as their TOTL players are more focused on Music first using closed OS. The ZX507 is the closest you'll see for a high end streamer since it runs Android.



I feared this might be the case. The possibility of an embedded Tidal / Quobuz might be the answer? I don't know, most of the DAP manufacturers seem to be implementing it in one way or another so I hope Sony does come out with something!


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 26, 2020)

I think and from what I have seen, Walkman is all about battery playtime and sound performances. So Sony will always be using S-Master.  But S-Master is easily susceptible to Noises.  Therefore, Sony already mentioned that WM1 (1St Gen)  series are not going to have Android or WiFi

The only Walkman Line that may have Android is the ZX Lines.  Sony has released the newest Flagship in Zx Line, and it was Zx500.  I don’t think they are going to release Successor anytime soon


----------



## RobertP

Whitigir said:


> That is correct! Yes!
> 
> Jade Pure Gold is “Neutral, Accurate, Fidelity, and Very Dynamic”.  It is super expensive, but it will leave you to *pick up your jaws times and times again*
> 
> Due to it Performances, you will get Improved soundstage, layering, separations, articulations, airiness, clean background too


Sounds good sir! When I'm bored again in the future I'll give it a go. Still very satisfy with current mods so far.


----------



## Vitaly2017

@bana @pdL389 

Some more good stuff 

https://tidal.com/browse/track/74842902


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> I think and from what I have seen, Walkman is all about battery playtime and sound performances. So Sony will always be using S-Master.  But S-Master is easily susceptible to Noises.  Therefore, Sony already mentioned that WM1 (1St Gen)  series are not going to have Android or WiFi
> 
> The only Walkman Line that may have Android is the ZX Lines.  Sony has released the newest Flagship in Zx Line, and it was Zx500.  I don’t think they are going to release Successor anytime soon





Yeaa but zx-500 dont sound even close as good as wm1z....


----------



## pdL389

pdL389 said:


> Totaly agree!  The only difference is the mdr-z1r as a reference point for me.  I use a +2 bass in Tone Control to deepen it a tad bit.


I wish we could have half'n half: Solis301 / Jupiter301 as in (upper/lower, no more, no less than 50/50.  And I wish I was a developer!! lol


----------



## pdL389

Vitaly2017 said:


> @bana @pdL389
> 
> Some more good stuff
> 
> https://tidal.com/browse/track/74842902


Interesting composition with nice addition of a middle-eastern vocal here?!  I went to:   since my ZX2 is resting, I quit streaming Tidal.


----------



## titoratm

Is there a way to make a wm1a unit (bought in japan) multilanguage? Has anyone try or have some information about it? Thanks in advance!


----------



## pdL389

@Whitigir Thank YOU!!

As I am in pursuit of happiness, I continue my exploration within the Galaxy and outside... Is "DMP portable original+U" the Galaxy too?? Absolutely!!! What a gem!!
Comes with clean extensions of highs, vocals are close, very instrumental mids, but never busy, and  *tight *bass, I hear its presence everywhere, Never overpowering.  All Is In Balance! Enjoyable for any genre. Highly recommended!


----------



## 524419

Just had to post this sorry 

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/mar/26/uk-epidemiologist-radically-lowers-his-predicted-c/

"A British epidemiologist who earlier predicted the U.K. could suffer up to 500,000 coronavirus deaths has now testified the actual figure may be less than 20,000 and that the U.K. should have sufficient intensive care units to handle it."


The remarkable change in Mr. Ferguson’s predictions came about due to new data that suggests the virus, which first infected people in Wuhan, China, last year, moves much faster than originally thought. Researchers at Oxford have now tentatively concluded that potentially half the U.K. population has already been infected, in a story first reported by The Financial Times.

Consequently, that would mean coronavirus is far less lethal than early death rates suggest.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Diet Kokaine said:


> Just had to post this sorry
> 
> https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/mar/26/uk-epidemiologist-radically-lowers-his-predicted-c/
> 
> ...


Meanwhile in the US, cases rising.like a rocket...  let's see how many Americans die. Here in Germany the death toll is low at 0.6%


----------



## nc8000

titoratm said:


> Is there a way to make a wm1a unit (bought in japan) multilanguage? Has anyone try or have some information about it? Thanks in advance!



Use the rockbox tool to change the software region of the unit


----------



## 524419 (Mar 27, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Meanwhile in the US, cases rising.like a rocket...  let's see how many Americans die. Here in Germany the death toll is low at 0.6%


Now that the Bank Bailouts are finished, I am sure the infection rate will drop too. I think I just watched a reality TV hostage video this entire last month.
Rest is to be seen.....

This guy's Corona spread models were used to shut down the entire world economy, and now he is saying he was wrong by a factor of 25. Very very interesting. 

Anyways back to the music.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Mar 27, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> Now that the Bank Bailouts are finished, I am sure the infection rate will drop too. I think I just watched a reality TV hostage video this entire last month.
> Rest is to be seen.....
> 
> This guy's Corona spread models were used to shut down the entire world economy, and now he is saying he was wrong by a factor of 25. Very very interesting.
> ...


In mexico , my homeland ,  it is being reported 600 cases. I don't think so, I think they're more. Government loves to tell lies. With some statistics like crime rate for example, they put some makeup to the numbers to make them prettier... disgusting


----------



## gerelmx1986

Back on topic...


----------



## tomcourtenay

Again, theres any possibility to get Jupiter 3.01 and Solis 3.01 for Mac?

thanks!!!


----------



## aceedburn

Guys, as much as the whole world is effected by the virus and we are very concerned about jt, let’s please not discuss that here. Please stick to Walkman issues. We get enough rethoric and bull from the news and internet already. Let just stick to Walkman. Thanks and god bless.


----------



## lumdicks (Mar 27, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Totally recommended .  The only place that does a Tier 4 upgrade.  It is too much works to do, but it is worth every pennies
> If you think working on a DIY upgrade Tier 3 was hard, the Tier 4 would be Hell!!!
> When do you expect shipment ?


Just got my used Tier-4 1A from Romi Audio, updated with Solis 3.01.

One simple word: Stunning. As @Whitigir said, it leaves my stock 1Z in dust.

Background is completely dark, with unbelievable resolution and soundstage. Treble extends wonderfully without any harsh, with deep and fast bass attack.

My stock 1Z simply does not handle Solis. With $1300 that I got the device, it is nearly a steal.

Simply the best sound I have heard ever from any portable gears.

Thanks @Whitigir for leading me to heaven.


----------



## 524419 (Mar 27, 2020)

lumdicks said:


> Just got my used Tier-5 1A from Romi Audio, updated with Solis 3.01.
> 
> One simple word: Stunning. As @Whitigir said, it leaves my stock 1Z in dust.
> 
> ...


where did you purchase this from? How much did you pay for the MOD?


----------



## lumdicks

Diet Kokaine said:


> where did you purchase this from?


Originally I planned to modify my 1Z with Romi, but subsequently found out that Romi listed an used 1A modified with Blackgate capacitors on sale, so I got it immediately and kept my 1Z.


----------



## lumdicks

lumdicks said:


> Just got my used Tier-5 1A from Romi Audio, updated with Solis 3.01.
> 
> One simple word: Stunning. As @Whitigir said, it leaves my stock 1Z in dust.
> 
> ...


Amazing sound with Z1R!


----------



## 524419

lumdicks said:


> Amazing sound with Z1R!


I am ordering these capacitors ASAP. Taking the plunge


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> Gold Chassis ? Nahhh
> 
> Pure Gold Power Wires for the battery


Quick question, what did you use to remove the glue around the installed capacitors? and a quick touch of the soldering iron on both sides of the caps and they come loose?


----------



## Whitigir

*notice, DMP-Z1 being mentioned is a device next to 1A*

Congratulations and welcome to wonderland ! Now if you really want to push into a stock DMP-Z1 Performances level....you need to witness a Tier-5

A Tier-5 Walkman modified In My Opinion is that it include Tier-4 Romni but with

A/ Jade Audio Pure Gold Reference series internally
B/ Solis Tier 6 or Helios Firmware .  

So far, I am crazy, but I have been there and done that, and sharing with all of you what I have found.

Tier 5 (Final Form Walkman) whether it is a 1A or a 1Z.  In my case, the 1A, and I also test 1Z (every time I test it this way, I risk bricking it).  Walkman can put a smile to my face next to a stock DMP Z1.

It does so well that I had to visit DMP-Z1 Firmware and have my DMP-Z1 to dwell on the Galaxy too!!

I am Crazy for sound performances, and why am I this crazy ? Because I have been wanting a Portable device/player that can stay on the Plane of DMP Z1 on the go, or close!!!

Tier 5 Walkman will get you there


----------



## lumdicks

Whitigir said:


> *notice, DMP-Z1 being mentioned is a device next to 1A*
> 
> Congratulations and welcome to wonderland ! Now if you really want to push into a stock DMP-Z1 Performances level....you need to witness a Tier-5
> 
> ...


Unbelievable! You adventurer!


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 27, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> Quick question, what did you use to remove the glue around the installed capacitors? and a quick touch of the soldering iron on both sides of the caps and they come loose?


*That is the hardest part actually*, you have to apply conforming coats Removal Solvents.  Then you will also need Tools to “works and scrape around it”.  You also can not be Reckless as the other components can easily come off....such as Micro Resistors and Micro Ceramic cap.
Feel free to share your own method 

You can not Desolder the Stock capacitors without damaging the other components.  You have to Break the stock caps by Very carefully “Wiggling it” over and over again until it break

Then you will have to Desolder and Clean out the Legs that are remained on the Board.

Then test for the position of the Layout on the board, and Inside the Chassis.

It is one hell of a Job


----------



## lumdicks

Whitigir said:


> *That is the hardest part actually*, you have to apply conforming coats Removal Solvents.  Then you will also need Tools to “works and scrape around it”.  You also can not be Reckless as the other components can easily come off....such as Micro Resistors and Micro Ceramic cap.
> 
> You can not Desolder the Stock capacitors without damaging the other components.  You have to Break the stock caps by Very carefully “Wiggling it” over and over again until it break
> 
> ...


Not easier than a surgery.......


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 27, 2020)

lumdicks said:


> Unbelievable! You adventurer!


But now I have a Mini and Portable DMP Z1 in my pocket !!!
It has different sound signatures but performances wise, it will leave anyone Jaws on the floor If encountered and next to a DMP-Z1 

I will not hesitate to show it next to any Stock DMP-Z1 and Sony Flagship IER Z1R


----------



## Whitigir

Pure Gold for the battery beside the crazy performances for an upgrade.  It does something wonderful that I never expected it

It *considerably* lower the slight hissing and background noises on the Walkman.


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> *That is the hardest part actually*, you have to apply conforming coats Removal Solvents.  Then you will also need Tools to “works and scrape around it”.  You also can not be Reckless as the other components can easily come off....such as Micro Resistors and Micro Ceramic cap.
> Feel free to share your own method
> 
> You can not Desolder the Stock capacitors without damaging the other components.  You have to Break the stock caps by Very carefully “Wiggling it” over and over again until it break
> ...


I see all the glue on both sides, an earwax stick dipped in a solvent will probably work the best, I think.
So you changed 6 capacitors in the back, and 4 up front? what about the remaining 4 in the back....any particular reason that you left them stock?


----------



## Whitigir

Diet Kokaine said:


> I see all the glue on both sides, an earwax stick dipped in a solvent will probably work the best, I think.
> So you changed 6 capacitors in the back, and 4 up front? what about the remaining 4 in the back....any particular reason that you left them stock?


Those 4 in the back are similar to the front.  They are Output for the 3.5mm Single Ended, where the front one is for balanced out 
I do not use 3.5mm
I am an adventurer, and crazy for sound performances, but I don’t do meaningless things that don’t serve my purposes


----------



## Lookout57

tomcourtenay said:


> Again, theres any possibility to get Jupiter 3.01 and Solis 3.01 for Mac?
> 
> thanks!!!


I posted in this thread or in https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/ how to make a Mac version of the installers.


----------



## 524419 (Mar 27, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Those 4 in the back are similar to the front.  They are Output for the 3.5mm Single Ended, where the front one is for balanced out
> I do not use 3.5mm
> I am an adventurer, and crazy for sound performances, but I don’t do meaningless things that don’t serve my purposes


Sweet. Got it, I am just going to follow your directions and change the capacitors piece by piece, going to keep wires as 20 gauge Solid Copper for now.
Thank you very much
A bit down the road, I'll swap them out for Gold


----------



## lumdicks

Diet Kokaine said:


> Sweet. Got it, I am just going to follow your directions and change the capacitors piece by piece, going to keep wires as 20 gauge Solid Copper for now.
> Thank you very much
> A bit down the road, I'll swap them out for Gold


Waiting for your good news and sharing.


----------



## 524419

lumdicks said:


> Waiting for your good news and sharing.


I am super excited to do this. 
My speaker system is sounding out of this world, just rebuilt the crossover with boutique high end parts, and it's only fair that my portable setup goes down the same rabbit hole.


----------



## Whitigir

Diet Kokaine said:


> I am super excited to do this.
> My speaker system is sounding out of this world, just rebuilt the crossover with boutique high end parts, and it's only fair that my portable setup goes down the same rabbit hole.


Also remember the 2nd hardest part is the Modifications of internal frame, the back and the front


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 27, 2020)

Spoiler: Just to head everyone up that I do ignore People



Just to head everyone up that I do Ignore people
and as a fan of “DIY” person.  *I will welcome anyone ”opinions” be it negatives or positives, only when they “DIY” their own stuff.  Don’t you dare giving me Negative opinions while you don’t even know how to handle a Solder*

I do not sell anything, and profit from anything.  I have no obligations to tolerates “*ignorances*”

These images of such conversations are “ignorances” to me

Such as These are what I would be avoiding nowadays

*Firmware mod, or any devices*
A: “I don’t believe it, and you should not believe it”
B: “have you heard it ?”
A: No

Then the conversation should have been stopped right here

*The same goes for modifications*

A: I don’t believe modifications can improve the sound
B: Have you done it ?
A: No

*Then the same also goes for Engineering standpoints *

A: I don’t believe that you are better than a manufacturer engineer. So I don’t believe you can improve the devices
B: Do you know what a Resistor is ? A capacitors ?
A: Yes I googled it
B: There are engineered “parameters”, do you understand all the values and meaning of it and how it behave within a circuit ?
A: I dont actually know how to solder a cables

For all that said, The forum is a place for us to express all our experiences and opinions.  But please be respectful, and act as an enthusiast.


----------



## lumdicks

Whitigir said:


> Spoiler: Just to head everyone up that I do ignore People
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nothing to be argued indeed. Learning what the experts do, try doing yourself, and listen with your ears. If you cannot observe the difference, it is a blessing indeed as you will save a lot of money or spend it on anything else.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Whitigir  where's Solis T6 (Helios) wanna try it on my 1A.

Had a problem of a very long file name in windows, fortunately mp3tag did the trick. And what windows cannot do, the mighty walkman OS did it... it deleted the file fine


----------



## Whitigir

lumdicks said:


> Nothing to be argued indeed. Learning what the experts do, try doing yourself, and listen with your ears. If you cannot observe the difference, it is a blessing indeed as you will save a lot of money or spend it on anything else.


Exactly ! However, my Inner Beast has Landed a “Curse” on me and my hobby....he would not fell at ease when he is not satisfied.  Hence I worked on and on to benefit my own inner beast, and share with everyone 

This curse is very expensive “financially, labor, emotionally” by the way...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Apparently windows 10 now allows long file names, you only need to edit a flag on the Registry


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Whitigir  where's Solis T6 (Helios) wanna try it on my 1A.
> 
> Had a problem of a very long file name in windows, fortunately mp3tag did the trick. And what windows cannot do, the mighty walkman OS did it... it deleted the file fine


Solis T5 is the closest


----------



## lumdicks

Whitigir said:


> Exactly ! However, my Inner Beast has Landed a “Curse” on me and my hobby....he would not fell at ease when he is not satisfied.  Hence I worked on and on to benefit my own inner beast, and share with everyone
> 
> This curse is very expensive “financially, labor, emotionally” by the way...


But it is fruitful and worthing every penny and every drop of sweat.


----------



## Whitigir

lumdicks said:


> But it is fruitful and worthing every penny and every drop of sweat.



Hence my Walkman is WM-1A Helios T7.5


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 27, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Spoiler: Just to head everyone up that I do ignore People
> 
> 
> 
> ...



As much as many engineers and design teams would like to "go the extra mile" frequently they are reined in by budget constraints. For those with knowledge and skill unlocking further potential is fully achievable.  Although many would baulk at the price of the WM1A, let alone the WM1Z they remain to be mass consumer products and priced accordingly, reasonably for WM1A. My own industry requires incredibly high standards for electronics for multiple reasons, single boards can easily exceed $20K - $30K, full packages deep into hundreds of thousands, this is the cost of specifically designed & engineered hardware to the highest level for specific purpose.

Could Sony do better? Undoubtedly, equally there would be far fewer owners as the price points would reflect accordingly. Keep up the good work and thx for sharing the adventure...

Q-6


----------



## candlejack

Whitigir said:


> Just to head everyone up that I do Ignore people
> and as a fan of “DIY” person.  *I will welcome anyone ”opinions” be it negatives or positives, only when they “DIY” their own stuff.*


What a silly requirement. Have you DIY'ed your own amplifier from scratch? I'm not talking about changing a cable here and there. Are you able to modify an electrical circuit outside or replacing one component with an equivalent component?



Whitigir said:


> *Firmware mod, or any devices*
> A: “I don’t believe it, and you should not believe it”
> B: “have you heard it ?”
> A: No
> ...


I'm not sure anybody would argue that messing with the software will have some effect. The question to you, as an expert, is: do you have any idea what you are changing? If you do, then make this a true open project and provide a map of what each parameter does.



Whitigir said:


> *The same goes for modifications*
> 
> A: I don’t believe modifications can improve the sound
> B: Have you done it ?
> A: No


You like to use the the words engineer/engineering. You should know that no respectable engineer would ask people to f*&k up their own equipment as proof of their claims. If you so believe in your gold cable mods, please provide some *shred of proof* that it actually changes something. "I hear it with my ears" is not an acceptable engineering argument.


Whitigir said:


> *Then the same also goes for Engineering standpoints *
> 
> A: I don’t believe that you are better than a manufacturer engineer. So I don’t believe you can improve the devices
> B: Do you know what a Resistor is ? A capacitors ?
> ...


This last part I have no idea what you're trying to say. Are you claiming that you "understand all the values and meaning of it [resistors and capacitors] and how it behave within a circuit" and that makes you better than a OEM engineer? 

Speaking of respect, some of your claims are insulting to a reader's intelligence. You realize that you are claiming that Sony - who went so insane as to mill a chassis out of copper so that they can claim that it improves sound - was too cheap to spend on some "proper" 2 cm power cables from its battery to its consumer components?

There are some really gullible people on the forums and if you want to act responsibly you should temper your discourse until you can quantify (with objective proof) some of these outlandish claims, like your equipment tier system.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Queen6 said:


> As much as many engineers and design teams would like to "go the extra mile" frequently they are reined in by budget constraints. For those with knowledge and skill unlocking further potential is fully achievable.  Although many would baulk at the price of the WM1A, let alone the WM1Z they remain to be mass consumer products and priced accordingly, reasonably for WM1A. My own industry requires incredibly high standards for electronics for multiple reasons, single boards can easily exceed $20K - $30K, full packages deep into hundreds of thousands, this is the cost of specifically designed & engineered hardware to the highest level for specific purpose.
> 
> Could Sony do better? Undoubtedly, equally there would be far fewer owners as the price points would reflect accordingly. Keep up the good work and thx for sharing the adventure...
> 
> Q-6




If Sony made Dmp I doubt they gonna stop there and they could easily build a new era of walkman with a 5 to 6 k price tag and as they have a name and people do know sony is good it will sell! 
Wonder what are their next innovation for flagman walkman in the future... But as I was told at canjam nothing is planned for the next 2 years !!!


----------



## Maxx134 (Mar 28, 2020)

candlejack said:


> There are some really gullible people on the forums and if you want to act responsibly you should temper your discourse until you can quantify (with objective proof) some of these outlandish claims, like your equipment tier system.


Your are being very insulting and would sabotage the advantage he has with the firmwares, if he were to disclose it.
Sony would seal it up.
It's only a matter of time before they come up with a new firmware which would stop this progress we have had.

Forget about this debate you are trying to make.
If you don't believe then try it yourself.
He doesn't have to prove anything to you.
Go take that argument to the people who sell the mods service.

Edit**


----------



## Queen6

Vitaly2017 said:


> If Sony made Dmp I doubt they gonna stop there and they could easily build a new era of walkman with a 5 to 6 k price tag and as they have a name and people do know sony is good it will sell!
> Wonder what are their next innovation for flagman walkman in the future... But as I was told at canjam nothing is planned for the next 2 years !!!



Sony will do, however I also believe that Sony wants to also make high quality audio as accessible as possible, if not ZX300, ZX500 & WM1A would not exist, as offering WM1Z and more run of the mill players would be a lot easier to deal with. Sony's not in a hurry to replace WM1A/Z and the worlds continuously changing as streaming is becoming ever more a factor. No doubt Sony will look at ZX500 sales and will also consider the purists who prefer localised music without the overheads of Android (myself included).

At the end of the day it's very much a game of diminishing returns, especially versus pricing that said if it makes you happy, it certainly isn't hurting anybody else. Audio is a very personal and subjective matter by default. For the next generation of WM1A/Z Sony will want to be able to illustrate a tangible advancement in audio quality while retaining their sound signature similar to the DMP. Pricing Sony may just maintain the status quo as WM1A/Z to me is more about a statement of excellence than turning coin...

Q-6


----------



## candlejack (Mar 27, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> Your are being very insulting and would sabotage the advantage he has with the firmwares, if he were to disclose it.
> Sony would seal it up.
> It's only a matter of time before they come up with a new firmware which would stop this progress we have had.


It is a bit insulting, I agree. I wish it weren't but that doesn't make it any less true.
But how would Sony "seal it up"? And why would they? If anything, this is increasing their sales.



Maxx134 said:


> Forget about this debate you are trying to make.
> If you don't *believe* then try it yourself.
> He doesn't have to prove anything to you.
> Go tell that to the people who sell the mods service.
> ...


You know, I followed the discussion for some time before I replied. I tied to tell myself that I shouldn't say anything because I have no dog in this fight.

It's true, I don't care one way or another if the modified firmwares have higher fidelity than the stock or not or if changing the cables lowers the noise floor. If anything, my life would be more interesting if this was true. So I don't mind these claims of SQ heaven. What I have a problem with is that these exaggerated claims are not supported by any objective proof. And why do I have a problem with that? I just feel it's lowering the quality of the forums, as abstract as it sounds.


----------



## Queen6

Maxx134 said:


> Your are being very insulting and would sabotage the advantage he has with the firmwares, if he were to disclose it.
> Sony would seal it up.
> It's only a matter of time before they come up with a new firmware which would stop this progress we have had.
> 
> ...



Sometimes better to say nothing; on the whole I think only a minority of owners will consider hardware mods, nor are they going to rip apart their DAP's without conducting some research. Frankly it's all debatable and highly subjective, equally as an engineer I would never put anyone down for trying and thinking outside the box, as freedom of thought is what brings innovation.

Personally I've been there myself in a professional capacity, equally those paradigms are still in place. The Acid test with stock WM1A/Z and modified is for an unbiased listener to conduct blind A/B tests, even then the listener needs to be able to listen and note the subtleties and nuances if any.  Excitement and exuberance should not be confused with significant change, as for objectivity totally wrong game until we're all issued the same ears   

Q-6


----------



## Maxx134

candlejack said:


> It is a bit insulting, I agree. I wish it weren't but that doesn't make it any less true.
> But how would Sony "seal it up"? And why would they? If anything, this is increasing their sales


I have to agree with you here.
The components being so sensitive to upgrades.

I do believe Sony intended their players to perform at a certain level, and reserve their best algorithms for their top end units.

A company's drive is sales, more than anything, and so I doubt they would allow the decline in sales of lower units, because of this.



candlejack said:


> . What I have a problem with is that these exaggerated claims are not supported by any objective proof. And why do I have a problem with that? I just feel it's lowering the quality of the forums, as abstract as sounds


I have to agree with you here again. 
There has been much hoopla but the proof in data would probably be hard.
The sound-science forums would have a problem with this, and truthfully, because it is Sony proprietary firmware, I doubt it can be proven as easily as it can be "observed".

Thank you for clarifying your position, and apologies if any offense taken.


I had the Kmod 1z and compared it to stock and we could hear the difference on that alone it was cleaner with more nuance...

Technically speaking, the change of the output caps should be the most noticeable, in theory.

But the explanation of the power caps do make sense because it is such a different design, not using normal  dac chip.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 27, 2020)

Hey folks need some help and suggestions....

I just spoke with Romi audio about wm1z mod.
And they change like 18 caps on the pcb.
Use a occ sensation pure silver cable. Not sure how many braids.

3 types of soldering wbt, wonder, slitech.

Did any one experience the full romi mod tuning as they offer 2 type normal and full.


In comparison k mod from music sanctuary is only cable swap mod and its all...


----------



## ttt123 (Mar 27, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hey folks need some help and suggestions....
> 
> I just spoke with Romi audio about wm1z mod.
> And they change like 18 caps on the pcb.
> ...


PM'ed you with more info.  I have a WM1Z done by Romi Audio in late  2017, with the full V4 Black Gate mod
Edit: V1 Nov 2017, updated to  V4 Mar 2018


----------



## slumberman (Mar 27, 2020)

Finally followed @Whitigir suggestions and guidance and upgraded wiring in my WM1A!

now burning in...

Can anyone link me to 3.01 Jupiter please, or to a comprehensive zip with the whole works?

Thanks!


----------



## Whitigir

I


ttt123 said:


> PM'ed you with more info.  I have a WM1Z done by Romi Audio in late  2017, with the full V4 Black Gate mod
> Edit: V1 Nov 2017, updated to  V4 Mar 2018


they should have a blog or something that people could google up easily LOL


----------



## gearofwar

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hey folks need some help and suggestions....
> 
> I just spoke with Romi audio about wm1z mod.
> And they change like 18 caps on the pcb.
> ...


The K mod doesn't only offer the cable swap. If you got this response directly from MS recently meaning they might have removed other modifications. The mastermind behind this mod has already left the company so whoever doing the mod is not the same person


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 27, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> The K mod doesn't only offer the cable swap. If you got this response directly from MS recently meaning they might have removed other modifications. The mastermind behind this mod has already left the company so whoever doing the mod is not the same person




Well they do change kimber cable to pw1960 16wires and single ended to 4 wires

Add tantalum caps ( 4 )
Battery swap 4.4 female swap
Can change battery wires and swap battery to new one.

Mitsubishi diamond solder....



Romi mod is this

-replace caps by blackgate

-replace female 4.4 connector to sony new

-using 8 wires sensation occ pure silver cable for the balanced and the unbalanced connectors.

-slitech solder, pure silver.

-replace battery to new original sony.

-replace battery wires to sensation.

-with copper shielding added on top of s master and caps....


----------



## gerelmx1986

ttt123 said:


> PM'ed you with more info.  I have a WM1Z done by Romi Audio in late  2017, with the full V4 Black Gate mod
> Edit: V1 Nov 2017, updated to  V4 Mar 2018


Do you know pricing?


----------



## slumberman

gerelmx1986 said:


> Do you know pricing?


I believe it’s around 1400 EUR.


----------



## fjbruening

OK, I've been skimming thru the 2300+ pages of this thread for several days, and have decided to take the plunge on getting a wm1a. Amazon will have it to me next week. Paying retail for tech 4 years old seems almost dumb, but given all the praise I figured I'd keep it for a long time...

It should be a huge step up from my phone playing tidal into a set of etymotic 4p. 

My questions


Is there anything a new user should do, any blogs or threads or resources to check out?
I'm looking for a big step up in IEMs - I've been really happy with my CA comet; realizing sound is incredibly subjective, what's the consensus on CA Andromeda? I'll be using FLAC or better recordings, and listen to most types of music, Jazz, blues/funk, rock, a little EDM and metal.  I'm not a bass head, but do like a good thump every now and then. I like a good amount of transparency, which the 4p's are known for...  but i'm not looking for reference monitors. 
Does Andromeda pair well with the 1A walkman? If not, any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,
Francis


----------



## gerelmx1986

gearofwar said:


> The K mod doesn't only offer the cable swap. If you got this response directly from MS recently meaning they might have removed other modifications. The mastermind behind this mod has already left the company so whoever doing the mod is not the same person


Seems like MS is the only modder to offer battery swap service. Don't know if Romi or fidelizer do this.

It would be a nice idea if American companies like PlusSound, The Source AV, moon Audio offered modding


----------



## candlejack

fjbruening said:


> OK, I've been skimming thru the 2300+ pages of this thread for several days, and have decided to take the plunge on getting a wm1a. Amazon will have it to me next week. Paying retail for tech 4 years old seems almost dumb, but given all the praise I figured I'd keep it for a long time...
> 
> It should be a huge step up from my phone playing tidal into a set of etymotic 4p.
> 
> ...


Congrats!

The Andromeda is a great IEM. I've had the Green V2 and the S. Loved both of them. Unless you're very particular about bass, you should enjoy the Andromeda too. The Andromeda has an unbalanced impedance curve which makes it very picky when it comes to source OI. Luckily I think the WM1A matches well at around 1 Ohm. The only issue you're going to get is hissing. The Andromeda is very sensitive and will make the base noise audible when nothing is playing or during quiet passages, especially with the WM1A on low gain.

I would suggest the IER-Z1R, of course, since that is what I'm using, but it is more expensive and quite risky when it comes to fit. 

Best of luck, whatever you decide!


----------



## hshock76

gerelmx1986 said:


> Seems like MS is the only modder to offer battery swap service. Don't know if Romi or fidelizer do this.
> 
> It would be a nice idea if American companies like PlusSound, The Source AV, moon Audio offered modding


 
I am sure Romi can do the battery swap and I believe it's stated in @Vitaly2017  post earlier.

I will most prob be in SG in April and will check with MS on whether they are able to carry out the Blackgate Cap mods.


----------



## 524419 (Mar 27, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> I am sure Romi can do the battery swap and I believe it's stated in @Vitaly2017  post earlier.
> 
> I will most prob be in SG in April and will check with MS on whether they are able to carry out the Blackgate Cap mods.


I see no reason why any trained electronics repair person cannot work on these mods if provided with the proper materials.
It's not that crazy of a MOD to be honest, and should be pretty standard fare for them.
@Whitigir has already done all the hard work of going first.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 27, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> I am sure Romi can do the battery swap and I believe it's stated in @Vitaly2017  post earlier.
> 
> I will most prob be in SG in April and will check with MS on whether they are able to carry out the Blackgate Cap mods.



Both moder can do battery swap if you ask for it!

In my mod I also asked to change the battery wires as @Whitigir did )

Only thing is romi audio highly recommends hes sensation occ pure silver cable with hes mod.

As he claims with hes tests the pure silver is the cable that offers the best conductivity and that makes the sound to perform with higher fidelity.

I talked to him about the pw1960 and he said that he finds the sensation cable better then pw1960. 
But said if I really want then he can install the pw1960 instead.


----------



## proedros

so many FWs to play with/choose from, the fun never stops

i am now on *DMP-Z1 1.02 on my stock wm1a , *first time to try it actually and i think yeah it's better than stock 3.01

maybe placebo , but the sound seems clearer (in a good way) and the soundstage opened up (this is no placbo i am sure)


----------



## pdL389

proedros said:


> so many FWs to play with/choose from, the fun never stops
> 
> i am now on *DMP-Z1 1.02 on my stock wm1a , *first time to try it actually and i think yeah it's better than stock 3.01
> 
> maybe placebo , but the sound seems clearer (in a good way) and the soundstage opened up (this is no placbo i am sure)


I ended up with DMP portable original, it is instrumentally cleaner to me than 1.02 on 1z with defined lows and highs. And I just clocked 214hrs of burning today. Yay!!  I listen to all genres even those I don't like (non-musical).  After experiementing with ALL, I defaulted to DMP portable original+U as my daily driver.


----------



## Vitaly2017

pdL389 said:


> I ended up with DMP portable original, it is instrumentally cleaner to me than 1.02 on 1z with defined lows and highs. And I just clocked 214hrs of burning today. Yay!!  I listen to all genres even those I don't like (non-musical).  After experiementing with ALL, I defaulted to DMP portable original+U as my daily driver.




I havent tried that one yet, nice you shimed in about it . The one I have doesnt mention if its for 1a or 1z. How does your file looks like? Is it compatible with both 1a/1z same time?


----------



## Quang23693

Vitaly2017 said:


> Both moder can do battery swap if you ask for it!
> 
> In my mod I also asked to change the battery wires as @Whitigir did )
> 
> ...


Hi , i think you should try the mod form romi audio , it's highly recommend . I have the 1A Kmod ultimate . I can show you somes picture . It doesn't have battery swag . As i know , mr kelvin who doing the mod . He move to dita audio and he's upgrading new mod version with dita cable . 
Wish you find the best mod version


----------



## pdL389

Vitaly2017 said:


> I havent tried that one yet, nice you shimed in about it . The one I have doesnt mention if its for 1a or 1z. How does your file looks like? Is it compatible with both 1a/1z same time?


yes to both.  Link in PM


----------



## Vitaly2017

Quang23693 said:


> Hi , i think you should try the mod form romi audio , it's highly recommend . I have the 1A Kmod ultimate . I can show you somes picture . It doesn't have battery swag . As i know , mr kelvin who doing the mod . He move to dita audio and he's upgrading new mod version with dita cable .
> Wish you find the best mod version




that is some huge wires !  Thanks for the recommendations toward Romi audio , I think also that is where I am going to head as it is a bigger step up in modding then just swapping a set of cables....

I spoke with Romi audio via Facebook chat, he took all the necessary time and answered to all my questions very patiently and explained every detail I needed on all modding options.


----------



## Quang23693 (Mar 27, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> that is some huge wires !  Thanks for the recommendations toward Romi audio , I think also that is where I am going to head as it is a bigger step up in modding then just swapping a set of cables....
> 
> I spoke with Romi audio via Facebook chat, he took all the necessary time and answered to all my questions very patiently and explained every detail I needed on all modding options.


How much for mod from romi audio ? and how many version they have ?
i interested chage to orther mod . Thanks


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 27, 2020)

Quang23693 said:


> How much for mod form romi audio ? and how many version they have ?
> i interested chage to orther mod . Thanks




I had 2 options and I took the maximum full package and with battery swap and female 4.4 swap and change the battery wires to...


hes quote to quote

https://www.romiaudio.com/product-page/digital-audio-player-dap-modification-service


first is normal mod HKD4800 swap caps  and cables , copper paper sheilding and add on sound truning components. 2ND package is Blackgate ver, modification is same as normal mod, bit will use 18 pcs vintage blackgate audio caps . The bass will more rich, and the sound like analog LP. The prices is HKD12000. We will provide 180days warranty ( accident damage  not include).


----------



## Quang23693

Vitaly2017 said:


> I had 2 options and I took the maximum full package and with battery swap and female 4.4 swap and change the battery wires to...
> 
> 
> hes quote to quote
> ...


Wao that's amazing. The prices is about 1k5. And how long will it take if you accept the mod . K mod offer about 1 month becase they will check and burn your dap about 100hr.


----------



## hshock76

Quang23693 said:


> Hi , i think you should try the mod form romi audio , it's highly recommend . I have the 1A Kmod ultimate . I can show you somes picture . It doesn't have battery swag . As i know , mr kelvin who doing the mod . He move to dita audio and he's upgrading new mod version with dita cable .
> Wish you find the best mod version



MS is able to do the battery swap but this is not included in their mod package. You can get them to swap the battery for an additional SGD100. The mod package only includes battery related mod below:
_6. Replacement of battery wiring leads (+ and - leads only) to PWAudio 1960s wiring, with additional shielding of the battery. _


----------



## Quang23693

hshock76 said:


> MS is able to do the battery swap but this is not included in their mod package. You can get them to swap the battery for an additional SGD100. The mod package only includes battery related mod below:
> _6. Replacement of battery wiring leads (+ and - leads only) to PWAudio 1960s wiring, with additional shielding of the battery. _


Thank for your info .


----------



## Quang23693

hshock76 said:


> MS is able to do the battery swap but this is not included in their mod package. You can get them to swap the battery for an additional SGD100. The mod package only includes battery related mod below:
> _6. Replacement of battery wiring leads (+ and - leads only) to PWAudio 1960s wiring, with additional shielding of the battery. _


I think i have replacement battery , i'll check it again . Very thanks


----------



## Vitaly2017

Quang23693 said:


> I think i have replacement battery , i'll check it again . Very thanks




They do the battery replacement and they said a fresh new battery adds more power and quality to the sound as it is in a better shape...


----------



## Quang23693

Vitaly2017 said:


> They do the battery replacement and they said a fresh new battery adds more power and quality to the sound as it is in a better shape...


Oh yeah, but i am still looking foward to seeing your modded 1z from romi audio. 
Let review it for me when you received it.
Thank for your helpfull infor


----------



## ttt123

Whitigir said:


> I
> 
> they should have a blog or something that people could google up easily LOL



Romi Audio Facebook posts.   (Use google translate to translate from the Chinese, if needed)
https://www.facebook.com/romiaudio/posts/632577750472322
https://www.facebook.com/romiaudio/posts/528007357596029
https://www.facebook.com/romiaudio/posts/521633664900065
https://www.facebook.com/romiaudio/posts/519173281812770


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Redcarmoose is asked ng who is Good-looking for you
My pick
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/who-are-the-best-looking-people-on-earth.449465/post-15530963


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Redcarmoose is asked ng who is Good-looking for you
> My pick
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/who-are-the-best-looking-people-on-earth.449465/post-15530963



I started that thread in 2009 and it’s still going strong. Feel free to add!


----------



## gearofwar

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well they do change kimber cable to pw1960 16wires and single ended to 4 wires
> 
> Add tantalum caps ( 4 )
> Battery swap 4.4 female swap
> ...


The Romi mod looks like it will alter the original sound signature so beware of it. I personally don’t rely on pure silver wires and replacement of caps


----------



## candlejack

gearofwar said:


> The Romi mod looks like it will alter the original sound signature so beware of it. I personally don’t rely on pure silver wires and replacement of caps


But isn't altering the original sound signature the whole point of modding? Or do you mean that you think it will _butcher_ it?


----------



## gearofwar (Mar 28, 2020)

candlejack said:


> But isn't altering the original sound signature the whole point of modding? Or do you mean that you think it will _butcher_ it?


The purpose of K mod is the improvement upon the original performance while still retaining the original signature, It’s not the same as other mods.The creator of this mod had already spent years to experiment it so he knew what he was doing, wander a bit too much and you will lose it for sure. No ways in hell I would replace my Sony caps


----------



## lumdicks

gearofwar said:


> The purpose of K mod is the improvement upon the original performance while still retaining the original signature, It’s not the same as other mods.The creator of this mod had already spent years to experiment it so he knew what he was doing, wander a bit too much and you will lose it for sure. No ways in hell I would replace my Sony caps


From my experience the Romi Mod does not alter Sony Walkman sound signature. I am using my stock 1Z as my daily gear since it's launch. My Romi modded 1A with cap replacement is having the same signature.


----------



## gearofwar (Mar 28, 2020)

lumdicks said:


> From my experience the Romi Mod does not alter Sony Walkman sound signature. I am using my stock 1Z as my daily gear since it's launch. My Romi modded 1A with cap replacement is having the same signature.


that’s interesting to hear because I have listened to other modded units with replaced caps and they don’t really sound the same as the original ones. Replacing Sony caps is a no go for me but since you have 2 units so it’s not really a lost here to try


----------



## lumdicks

gearofwar said:


> that’s interesting to hear because I have listened to other modded units with replaced caps and they don’t really sound the same as the original ones. Replacing Sony caps is a no go for me but since you have 2 units so it’s not really a lost here to try


I originally planned to mod my 1Z but with the same uncertainty, I decided to keep it unchanged and got a modded 1A.


----------



## gearofwar

lumdicks said:


> I originally planned to mod my 1Z but with the same uncertainty, I decided to keep it unchanged and got a modded 1A.


Whoever still has those blackgate caps, is he hoarding them?


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 28, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> Whoever still has those blackgate caps, is he hoarding them?




Looks like the blackgates are the king caps then .
Romi audio said those things are not for sale any more and they are from the 1990's!

The sound should be very vinyl Lp like he said...


----------



## candlejack

Quick reference for Black Gate capacitors. This Wikipedia page is written like a forum post, lol.


----------



## ttt123

Vitaly2017 said:


> Looks like the blackgates are the king caps then .
> Romi audio said those things are not for sale any more and they are from the 1990's!


From mid  2000's, as BG production was stopped in 2006
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Gate_(capacitor)


----------



## Vitaly2017

ttt123 said:


> From mid  2000's, as BG production was stopped in 2006
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Gate_(capacitor)




wow this is so exclusive !

Romi Audio said the sound will be like an Vinyl Lp , wm1z by nature is very close to that I guess by feelings as I never heard a vinyl in my life. It is quiet indeed a good sound characteristic in my opinion.


----------



## RobertP (Mar 28, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Both moder can do battery swap if you ask for it!
> 
> In my mod I also asked to change the battery wires as @Whitigir did )
> 
> ...



Silver wires in general are not warm sound like copper. Hopefully the High will not be too aggressive. Maybe those caps packed tons of bass and plenty of warmth so it compensate each other well. In this case pw1960 wires might not give you the right synergy.

Anyway, I put some aluminum stickers on top of inductors and chips. They seem to reduce background noise a bit. Also still messing around with wire materials and gauge size for S-Master and battery. My poor 1Z got taken apart like 6 times already.


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> Silver wires in general are not warm sound like copper. Hopefully the High will not be too aggressive. Maybe those caps packed tons of bass and plenty of warmth so it compensate each other well. In this case pw1960 wires might not give you the right synergy.
> 
> Anyway, I put some aluminum stickers on top of inductors and chips. They seem to reduce background noise a bit. Also still messing around with wire materials and gauge size for S-Master and battery. My poor 1Z got taken apart like 6 times already.




Well I asked romi audio and he said hes mod dont get best results with pw1960  and hes sensation cable do.

The end result is a sound like a vinyls Lp disk.

I will ask him again about it...


----------



## Vitaly2017

Yea spoke with Romi audio and he confirmed that real pure pure OCC silver is not bright if the alloy is 100% pure and clean then it doesnt introduce those unwanted treble peaks....


If anyone is interested I got my sony zx507 on....
Check my signature for the direct link!


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yea spoke with Romi audio and he confirmed that real pure pure OCC silver is not bright if the alloy is 100% pure and clean then it doesnt introduce those unwanted treble peaks....
> 
> 
> If anyone is interested I got my sony zx507 on....
> Check my signature for the direct link!



Didn’t you just recently purchase the ZX507? What do you not like about it?


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> Didn’t you just recently purchase the ZX507? What do you not like about it?



1 major problem no bit perfect streaming apps. Its all downsampled to 48.1 khz 16bit.
If I use tidal then its a no go!
For spotify its fine....

The rest zx507 is really good.
Soc is slow if have multiple streaming apps open but its not huge deal breaker as the not bit perfect problem. 

Even when using usb audio out and bluetooth dac that to is downsampled to a fixed 94/24 for me its huge issue. 

Only sony app is bit perfect in all directions


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 29, 2020)

*Noble Audio Kaiser 10 Encore IEM Universal (Sony Clear Silicone Hybrid Tips)(HanSound Audio ZENTOO 4 wire OCC litz copper cable terminated 4.4mm)

Sony NW-WM1A Digital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition)*


----------



## audionewbi

I did some digging around, trying to understand the FW mod. I thought I got it until I didn't. Well if I was to take a guess, all the FW mod is doing is giving a different DSP instruction. But than DMP-Z1 doesnt have an FPGA.


----------



## RobertP (Mar 28, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> 1 major problem no bit perfect streaming apps. Its all downsampled to 48.1 khz 16bit.
> If I use tidal then its a no go!
> For spotify its fine....
> 
> ...


So the USB Audio Player Pro app doesn't work on zx507?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Nows a good time to get Alo 16 Gold iem cable at 50% discount on Alo warehouse deals


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> So the USB Audio Player Pro app doesn't work on zx507?



I haven't tried it...
But on zx507 thread someone did test it and it seems its not helping


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yea spoke with Romi audio and he confirmed that real pure pure OCC silver is not bright if the alloy is 100% pure and clean then it doesnt introduce those unwanted treble peaks....
> 
> 
> If anyone is interested I got my sony zx507 on....
> Check my signature for the direct link!


You know whats the worst part about upgrading your Sony WM1? It's not even the cost.

It's the anticipation of how it will sounds and worse, the waiting part; living without having your 1Z to use in meantime...


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> You know whats the worst part about upgrading your Sony WM1? It's not even the cost.
> 
> It's the anticipation of how it will sounds and worse, the waiting part; living without having your 1Z to use in meantime...




Then buy a second 1z and have 2 lol

Why waiting is in issue?
And there is no guarantee on anything in life. It you eather like it or not.  Its same as when you buy 1z on Amazon or ebay or in a store, its not guaranteed you will like it...

As Romi Audio said it will sound analogue vinyl, more dynamics higher resolution more air.

I cant confirm that I havent heard it yet


----------



## lumdicks

Vitaly2017 said:


> Then buy a second 1z and have 2 lol
> 
> Why waiting is in issue?
> And there is no guarantee on anything in life. It you eather like it or not.  Its same as when you buy 1z on Amazon or ebay or in a store, its not guaranteed you will like it...
> ...


With my wonderful experience with my Romi modded Blackgate 1A, I think it worths the wait.

Playing Eric Clapton Unplugged with my Z1R, the resolution and soundstage is unbelievable. I have listened to this album over hundred times with portable gears and my home HiFi system of Naim, the sound from the modded 1A is just out of heaven.


----------



## Redcarmoose

hamhamhamsta said:


> You know whats the worst part about upgrading your Sony WM1? It's not even the cost.
> 
> It's the anticipation of how it will sounds and worse, the waiting part; living without having your 1Z to use in meantime...



You mentally have to turn the wait around. Make the intrigue and mystery provocative and fun. What you don’t know is the new and exciting challenge. What is to come is the entertainment, not what’s in-front of you.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Redcarmoose said:


> You mentally have to turn the wait around. Make the intrigue and mystery provocative and fun. What you don’t know is the new and exciting challenge. What is to come is the entertainment, not what’s in-front of you.


The journey, not the destination lol


----------



## Redcarmoose

hamhamhamsta said:


> The journey, not the destination lol



I only did it as new equipment was amazingly hard for me to get ahold of; so I made a game up of enjoying.....wondering. It probably only works short term?


----------



## Layman1

Redcarmoose said:


> *Sony NW-WM1A Digital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition)
> *


@Redcarmoose 
Wait, is that the WM1A (Japanese Tourist version) in the photo? Or a ZX500?
Because as far as I can see in the photo, there seems to be no 'sticking out bits' at the top (those bulges at the sides near the top end of the DAP)?

That was something I never much liked about the WM1Z/A models, although I understand it was necessary for getting certain components in.
Anyway, not sure if it's just the angle or if they've actually released a physically different model?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Layman1 said:


> @Redcarmoose
> Wait, is that the WM1A (Japanese Tourist version) in the photo? Or a ZX500?
> Because as far as I can see in the photo, there seems to be no 'sticking out bits' at the top (those bulges at the sides near the top end of the DAP)?
> 
> ...


See the edge now?


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yea spoke with Romi audio and he confirmed that real pure pure OCC silver is not bright if the alloy is 100% pure and clean then it doesnt introduce those unwanted treble peaks....


Did they tell u the thickness / wires of the OCC silver cable to be attached? 
they mentioned with me "1960s wire is rubbish" for their mod. Strong claim it seems, maybe the synergy is not as good...


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> Did they tell u the thickness / wires of the OCC silver cable to be attached?
> they mentioned with me "1960s wire is rubbish" for their mod. Strong claim it seems, maybe the synergy is not as good...



Hahaha you know he didnt say that it was rubish LoL
But he keep insisting that hes sensation cable is much better then pw1960 and that it suites best with hes mod!

At some point he was mad at me cause I said but pw1960 is one really amazing cable, he was like do you only believe in pw1960?  He keep insisting that hes cable is pure occ litz and that is why it wont be treble peaky as a pure carachteristics of a pure silver are clean and smooth treble, maximum resolution. 

Also he was about to fit only 4 wires, I asked 8 instead per connection....


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hahaha you know he didnt say that it was rubish LoL
> But he keep insisting that hes sensation cable is much better then pw1960 and that it suites best with hes mod!
> 
> At some point he was mad at me cause I said but pw1960 is one really amazing cable, he was like do you only believe in pw1960?  He keep insisting that hes cable is pure occ litz and that is why it wont be treble peaky as a pure carachteristics of a pure silver are clean and smooth treble, maximum resolution.
> ...


So that’s why he was mad with me as well. He did call 1960s rubbish for his mod. You may have triggered him already 
I don’t know if I should dump my 1960s internal wire for potential synergy reason, or to combine 1960s with their caps.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> So that’s why he was mad with me as well. He did call 1960s rubbish for his mod. You may have triggered him already
> I don’t know if I should dump my 1960s internal wire for potential synergy reason, or to combine 1960s with their caps.




At some point he almost gave up and said, fine you want pw1960!!! Then send me that cable and I will put that stuff instead...

He did get offended but I calmed him and said dude I am only asking you why sensation vs pw1960 common lol dont get sad about it.

Well he is a good guy I keep talking with him on Facebook chat, he saying that he did a lot of 1z and 1a mods and with hes tests sensation was the best synergy and pw1960 didn't offer that ultimate resolution and details retrieval as he explaining.

He told me that internal wiring is not like a cable headphones wires as they are short and has less effect in comparison.  But pure silver was a better combination as its offering the fastest possible conductivity and that results in higher quality in every aspect as silver is the best transparent clarity and resolution metal for this purpose. It will be less coloring as well and its just the top metal in this regard.

It has to be absolutely pure occ silver ! Other ways a mixture will create odd resonance and siblance....

I spoke with Romi audio for 3 days now and I keep asking various questions about hes mode and effects and sound type it will create!

He is a very patient guy and answers all my questions with good manner )

I feel like Romi Audio is very good at what he does and sounds like a real ultimate top mod ever!

Now rest to try and test it in real life


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> At some point he almost gave up and said, fine you want pw1960!!! Then send me that cable and I will put that stuff instead...
> 
> He did get offended but I calmed him and said dude I am only asking you why sensation vs pw1960 common lol dont get sad about it.
> 
> ...


Yeah i experienced similar situation. Now we are talking in Chinese and worked out the deal. I send my MS 1Z for BG caps and other goodness to mod. Just keep my 16wire 1960s. 
1960s has different performance and response in different thickness. 2wire, 4, 8 and 16 are quite different. So i still incline to keep my 16wire as it's quite neutral already. I don't mind the more warmth added.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> Yeah i experienced similar situation. Now we are talking in Chinese and worked out the deal. I send my MS 1Z for BG caps and other goodness to mod. Just keep my 16wire 1960s.
> 1960s has different performance and response in different thickness. 2wire, 4, 8 and 16 are quite different. So i still incline to keep my 16wire as it's quite neutral already. I don't mind the more warmth added.




Yea I feel that to that hes English is less good I managed to make it hehe

My fourte noir is very warm and thick by nature and pw1960 4wires cable is warm as well and good flavor. I feel sensation cable could balance things out.

Worse Case scenario I will send it back and request pw1960 cables !

What mod you getting? 

I change the 4.4 female for a new one and new battery. 

Change wires on battery and on balanced and se to 8wires.

And 18 bg caps as he cant change all of them thats 60% of 1z caps.

Add copper shield on all chips parts... as he removes the copper plate!


----------



## Whitigir

audionewbi said:


> I did some digging around, trying to understand the FW mod. I thought I got it until I didn't. Well if I was to take a guess, all the FW mod is doing is giving a different DSP instruction. But than DMP-Z1 doesnt have an FPGA.


DMP Z1 has the same FPGA as Walkman, and it also has AK4497EQ.


----------



## proedros

we are very lucky to love music so much in those weird times...


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 29, 2020)

proedros said:


> we are very lucky to love music so much in those weird times...





I got all your links thanks for sharing )


Maybe try this one to is one of my favorites ) can dive deep with this one )

@proedros @pdL389


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> we are very lucky to love music so much in those weird times...






Is this the artist that plays that?  Hes name is Cell?


----------



## Mindstorms

Hi im sorry im late can someone give the link to a solis 3.01? i will much apreciate it for 1A and if possible 1Z


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> Hi im sorry im late can someone give the link to a solis 3.01? i will much apreciate it for 1A and if possible 1Z



Pm sent


----------



## proedros

Vitaly2017 said:


> Is this the artist that plays that?  Hes name is Cell?




yup


----------



## Mindstorms (Mar 29, 2020)

proedros said:


> so many FWs to play with/choose from, the fun never stops
> 
> i am now on *DMP-Z1 1.02 on my stock wm1a , *first time to try it actually and i think yeah it's better than stock 3.01
> 
> maybe placebo , but the sound seems clearer (in a good way) and the soundstage opened up (this is no placbo i am sure)


No its not placebo *DMP-Z1 1.02  its much wider than stock 3.01 i encourage you to try 3.00 region MX then the rest... on your stock 1A if you use direct mode i would go any plannet.... or solis 302*


----------



## lumdicks

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yea I feel that to that hes English is less good I managed to make it hehe
> 
> My fourte noir is very warm and thick by nature and pw1960 4wires cable is warm as well and good flavor. I feel sensation cable could balance things out.
> 
> ...


Congrats @Vitaly2017 and @Morbideath for your new mod! Let's share when you get it back!


----------



## Mindstorms

candlejack said:


> But isn't altering the original sound signature the whole point of modding? Or do you mean that you think it will _butcher_ it?


Only thing I will tell you is that I can hear diferences In:
Cable specially cheap ones... dont have much experience on expensive ones.
Firmware
Regions
thats it In reply of what i have read. everyone here its wellcome to contribute with valuable ideas....


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 29, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> Only thing I will tell you is that I can hear diferences In:
> Cable specially cheap ones... dont have much experience on expensive ones.
> Firmware
> Regions
> thats it In reply of what i have read. everyone here its wellcome to contribute with valuable ideas....




When you get to a tier 4 or tier 5 level things change. When all your gear is super top top. Its much eaiser to feel those very little details and nuances as your gear almost show it in your face.

This is the reason why its so expensive as its precise tools for listening to music !

I do feel different cable on level acting differently and at that point is a question of what you like what you prefer vs each differences.

It also doesnt mean you need that top end expensive gear to enjoy music either....

Some folks like in the ier-z1r keep claiming that the stock sony cable is the holy grail lol

But god damn I heard the difference stock vs custom 8 wires cable and no thank you I keep the custom cable !

See people put preferences differently and maybe they like that cable so much and its comfortable and easy to use they forget those sound changes....


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> When you get to a tier 4 or tier 5 level things change. When all your gear is super top top. Its much eaiser to feel those very little details and nuances as your gear almost show it in your face.
> 
> This is the reason why its so expensive as its precise tools for listening to music !
> 
> ...


agree with everything there .  There are laws of diminishing returns as well.  Therefore, the higher you are going, the less you are going to benefits, but it is real, and of course that it could get expensive.  But not all expensive cables are good, and not all cheap cables are bad either (yes, it is confusing. So hearing is believing)

I am one of those folks who loves the Stock IER Z1R.  It is not the holy grails, but it is what staying on at the edges of the Diminishing return borderlines.  In order to outperform it, a cables will have to be constructed and built in a way that would be very expensive.  I will get there!

Remember, I don’t trolls, don’t BS, and I speak from experiences, and when it comes to “hearing and observing the differences in upgraded components, cables, materials...etc....and especially the latest is Firmwares that I have brought to you, My experiences is enough to demonstrate it to you already ”  I don’t have golden ears, what I hear and observe, everyone else can also do.  My differences from many of you is that I am very crazily be chasing sound quality, and I have the ability and the technical background to work and find out the truth behind it.

What bothers me the most however ? Is that people rather spend ways too much on a cables, while being hesitant about *hardware modifications on pricing perspective. *A cables is only a few plugs and solder joints, and some experiences needed, where as Hardware modifications need *real skills, hard works, real experiences, and real enthusiasm to earn, accumulated, developed, enabled.*

So please do answer me:  *why is it so hard to be paying $2300 for a cables rather than $2300 for a hardware modifications where the level of complexity is 100x harder and more complex ? *I get it, it is your money to spend the way you want, and so it is people skills and labors to do with what they decide, whether to offer the services or not.

Now, do you see why not many places are going to offer you and bringing out the “holy grails” of your own players ?


----------



## Whitigir

Whitigir said:


> agree with everything there .  There are laws of diminishing returns as well.  Therefore, the higher you are going, the less you are going to benefits, but it is real, and of course that it could get expensive.  But not all expensive cables are good, and not all cheap cables are bad either (yes, it is confusing. So hearing is believing)
> 
> I am one of those folks who loves the Stock IER Z1R.  It is not the holy grails, but it is what staying on at the edges of the Diminishing return borderlines.  In order to outperform it, a cables will have to be constructed and built in a way that would be very expensive.  I will get there!
> 
> ...


Also, not every hardware modifications are good, just like cables, it just have to be done right!!!!  Not every platforms can benefit from hardware and software modifications, just like Cars and or other hobbies.  Walkman WM1A/Z have tremendous potentials Hardware/Firmware wise.


----------



## Queen6

Whitigir said:


> agree with everything there .  There are laws of diminishing returns as well.  Therefore, the higher you are going, the less you are going to benefits, but it is real, and of course that it could get expensive.  But not all expensive cables are good, and not all cheap cables are bad either (yes, it is confusing. So hearing is believing)
> 
> I am one of those folks who loves the Stock IER Z1R.  It is not the holy grails, but it is what staying on at the edges of the Diminishing return borderlines.  In order to outperform it, a cables will have to be constructed and built in a way that would be very expensive.  I will get there!
> 
> ...



Likely it's the need to ship the player abroad for many, although with the right instruction any competent electronics tech could perform the internal mods. External cables and IEM's for that matter are frequently just a click away, with an easy return policy if any fault. Personally I think it's as simple as that.

Q-6


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> Likely it's the need to ship the player abroad for many, *although with the right instruction any competent electronics tech could perform the internal mods*. External cables and IEM's for that matter are frequently just a click away, with an easy return policy if any fault. Personally I think it's as simple as that.
> 
> Q-6



this explanation goes both ways

Who is going to provide those instructions ? Hardware mods needs time and real experiences to develop.  There are no free services manuals, some of them leaked out.  But how do you know what components go where to “Tune” the hardware modifications ? Take WM1Z for example, a person who develops the hardware modifications is likely to be damaging his own expensive player.....how can any electricians be damaging any simple cables ?

Now, cables is different.  You don’t need instructions, you need wires and plugs and bring to any electricians.

1 click away is simply a form of Connivence VS Demands.  Then Supplies are obeying Demands and profit returns.  It is simply economic 101.  That means, if people pay up as much as cables and appreciate it as much, then there will be more “Done right hardware modifications” services at 1 click rather than Cables.  However, cables services nowadays are through the roof.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 30, 2020)

Sooo...on a lighter note, I watched the 1st and 2nd episode of Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness on Netflix.

I thought I was batshit crazy, these people takes the cakes man. Watched it and couldn't put it down for the life of me.


Definitely for you Vitaly2017, if Tiger its in your blood lol!


Highly recommended. It's batshit entertainment.


----------



## Queen6

Whitigir said:


> this explanation goes both ways
> 
> Who is going to provide those instructions ? Hardware mods needs time and real experiences to develop.  There are no free services manuals, some of them leaked out.  But how do you know what components go where to “Tune” the hardware modifications ? Take WM1Z for example, a person who develops the hardware modifications is likely to be damaging his own expensive player.....how can any electricians be damaging any simple cables ?
> 
> Now, cables is different.  You don’t need instructions, you need wires and plugs and bring to any electricians



I do agree, as long as the information is a available and it is to some extents, it should be doable. The real challenge is with those that try first, as let's be straight the Mod may or may not have the desired effect, equally those so committed have already done the homework and know the risks.  As said cables you just plug in and if not to ones liking return or sell, entirely a simplistic model. 

Q-6


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> I do agree, as long as the information is a available and it is to some extents, it should be doable. The real challenge is with those that try first, as let's be straight the Mod may or may not have the desired effect, equally those so committed have already done the homework and know the risks.  As said cables you just plug in and if not to ones liking return or sell, entirely a simplistic model.
> 
> Q-6


The same as the cables.  Not all cables will synergize well with DAP and gears.  But you are right on the call about “simplistic model” where you can turn around and sell it “at losses“ or “return” it.

This “simplistic model” can also be applied toward “hardware upgraded players”.  But there are not enough demands and Profit to sustain the model.  That is why there are rarely any places to offer “hardware mod”, let alone offering “simplistic models offer” such as “try it, buy it or return it”

I think it is because people rather sit and wait for “new players” from a manufacturer than upgrading their own player.  Where as Cables, they can plugs and unplugs away.  The cables technologies and offers are much slower “pace” than DAPs.

Anyways, until people is willing to pay that much into “hardwares mod”, there will be “more services”.


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 30, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> The same as the cables.  Not all cables will synergize well with DAP and gears.  But you are right on the call about “simplistic model” where you can turn around and sell it “at losses“ or “return” it.
> 
> This “simplistic model” can also be applied toward “hardware upgraded players”.  But there are not enough demands and Profit to sustain the model.  That is why there are rarely any places to offer “hardware mod”, let alone offering “simplistic models offer” such as “try it, buy it or return it”
> 
> ...



Valid indeed, as the easiest option for many, equally may not sound as good as a well thought out modified player. Personally I prefer to avoid a very sterile signature and love the musicality Sony presents.

Q-6


----------



## candlejack

Whitigir said:


> What bothers me the most however ? Is that people rather spend ways too much on a cables, while being hesitant about *hardware modifications on pricing perspective. *A cables is only a few plugs and solder joints, and some experiences needed, where as Hardware modifications need *real skills, hard works, real experiences, and real enthusiasm to earn, accumulated, developed, enabled.*
> 
> So please do answer me:  *why is it so hard to be paying $2300 for a cables rather than $2300 for a hardware modifications where the level of complexity is 100x harder and more complex ? *I get it, it is your money to spend the way you want, and so it is people skills and labors to do with what they decide, whether to offer the services or not.
> 
> Now, do you see why not many places are going to offer you and bringing out the “holy grails” of your own players ?


I suspect you took your own advice and are muting me, but I'll answer your question for anyone else interested. 

One reason that could be holding people back from getting a hardware mod is losing the aftermarket support from Sony. If something breaks in your player and you send your Frankenstein to a Sony Service Center, they are likely going to refuse repairing it. This is very logical, since you don't want to provide warranty over someone else's hack job. So at best, they might offer you to restore the player to its original spec before repairing it. That should be pretty expensive. So, just to throw some spitball numbers out there:
- getting a stock wm1z ($2,700)
- getting the hw mod you're talking about ($2,300)
[your player breaks]
- Sony service cost to restore player HW ($1,500)
- Sony service cost to repair player - if the defect was not in the modded HW ($500)
- Getting the HW mod again ($2,300)

That's one expensive Tier-whatever device right there ($9,300). At this point I would just buy the DMP-1Z and cancel my gym membership.  

Btw, what makes you say that the $2,300 hardware mod is 100x more complex than making a boutique cable? I get it's a little bit more complicated, but is there something more than replacing some cables and capacitors?


----------



## Vitaly2017

@Whitigir @Queen6 


Hehe I feel like whitigir is slapping me in tha face witht rhat insanely over priced pw1960 hahahaha


As everyone probably know here yes me to I seek the holy grail of sound and max sound quality, I want to enjoy music at its best and that requires time research try and error and many more challenges which also cpuld be your salary as everything here is very expensive! 

As you guys also know I am not a millionaire and its important to think wisely and take the right route that will suite your desired goal at end!

So what is it that I spent so much cash on pw1960 and still winding around and keep holding back on a mod?
Well its simple,  if I would of jump to quickly on a mod and have followed the crowd I would have got the music sanctuary ultimate K mod and it would be it. But with my patient path I got to Romi Mod ! And I think that is even a higher level of mod and it might bring even more benefits then a simple cable swap !!!
So for me to really know where I am going it took me all this time to learn and make concrete understanding about each option so I know with confidence where I am going !


By the way I did  not buy pw1960 blindly lol okey. At that price I knew pw1960 existed even few years a go. But due to price I never bothered I didn't believe in it ! But I heard it at canjam and that where I understood the magic of this cable! Its not an ordinary cable!


Yea so back to mod )

I am now at a point where I have the ultimate best of everything my experience of 5 years now of long try test sell like dislike!
Brought me to a point where I now own
Tia fourte noir
Pw1960 
Wm1z 
Those are the best equipments in the world ! And adding a mod is the only.way I can see goong further more into the new heights of best of the best!

Yes it seems like it  never stops. We always want better and better. 

At where I am right now its pretty much the ceiling what else can be improved at my level ! ?

Yes I am careful with mod I am not that type of person who just ask a moder ok do me the best mod but in reality I dont understan what hes doing you know.
Even if I dont have the knowledge how to do a mod and do the soldering my self...
I will definitely want to know and learn the effect the technique and all the nuances rhat comes along so I know exactly each features does what and how to be sure where we going here and if it even make sense what he will do...

As we all know each metal type each solder type components all affect sound! 
If Romi Audio would told me yea we change all your caps to tantalum its the best!. Then my reaction would be , what you crazy no way lmao

But know exactly each part the process of its done and all the pedigree!  Makes me love and be more reassured about my dap mod!


Hope that explains my point of view sorry if it was a little long lol


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> @Whitigir @Queen6
> 
> 
> Hehe I feel like whitigir is slapping me in tha face witht rhat insanely over priced pw1960 hahahaha
> ...


Nothing is wrong about getting to know more.  What is wrong is the pricing perspective .  

No, you are not the only one.  I have seen it all over.

I have been in Ibasso Platform.  I brought out “EX mod” for the DX200, Amp8 module and other modules.  I provided free DIY guides on “components and how to”.  It is the same story


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> @Whitigir @Queen6
> 
> 
> Hehe I feel like whitigir is slapping me in tha face witht rhat insanely over priced pw1960 hahahaha
> ...



Is there such a thing as "best" in this hobby though? It's all subjective and everyone has different preferences. The most expensive gear doesn't automatically mean it’s the best for everyone.

But it sounds like you are happy with your current setup and maybe the 1Z mod will get you to the elusive (imaginary) end game


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Nothing is wrong about getting to know more.  What is wrong is the pricing perspective .
> 
> No, you are not the only one.  I have seen it all over.
> 
> I have been in Ibasso Platform.  I brought out “EX mod” for the DX200, Amp8 module and other modules.  I provided free DIY guides on “components and how to”.  It is the same story




I know pw1960 is expensive!  Haha

Well I never done soldering bro so I dont feel like I wanna screw up my 1z )


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 30, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> Is there such a thing as "best" in this hobby though? It's all subjective and everyone has different preferences. The most expensive gear doesn't automatically mean it’s the best for everyone.
> 
> But it sounds like you are happy with your current setup and maybe the 1Z mod will get you to the elusive (imaginary) end game




End game   
hmmm
I dont think end game exists as in 3 years I will change the whole thing all over again hahaha


Mmm yes we should stop using the means of its the best true. We shall call this the perfect synergy combination! 

In 5 years they will release iems and headphones who will be superior and will have ability to fly to the sun for free )


----------



## proedros

way i see it , a perfect setup is one that a)gives you tons of joy , b)makes you stay put buying-wise , c)you don't sell it to buy something new

minimum time to qualify as such , 12 months

curious if there is anyone here that ticks boxes a-b-c....


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I know pw1960 is expensive!  Haha
> 
> *Well I never done soldering bro so I dont feel like I wanna screw up my 1z* )



that is exactly what I meant .  A Soldering job for Cables is very simple.  I can provide you a Videos with tools over Amazon to make your own cables in 30 seconds.  Do you want it ?

But I can not show you how to Solder, and Modify Hardware in a player under the same circumstances.  Now you see what I meant ?

Hardware modifications requires, the sizes and fitment of the components, the capacitances, impedance, the ESR....etc..*Not only Soldering .  On top of that, the experiences over Various platforms in the voicing of each components, each of them will effect sound performances....even wires and cables too

again, I don’t blame people for Buying Expensive cables, as The cables are very real in improved performances*.  What I question is why people is willing to pay for an expensive cables rather than a Hardware modifications

Lets put it this way

A/ you buy the quality wires and plugs
B/ you ask a girlfriend or a daughter who knows how to Braid hairs, to braid up your cables
C/ You go to any electricians or cellphones repair store and ask them to make you a cables.  You provide them the “polarity” of the cables you want.  Or you bring them your stock cables

So, instead of buying $2,300 cables.  You could just ended up with a simple $300 cables.  You read that correctly! The return profit is Huge! And I don’t know how people rather pay for it than hardware mod

_Now...Hardware modifications, as I mentioned, I provided free DIY guides and instructions with parts clearly listed for Ibasso *Dx200 and DX220, Amp8 modules*.  People did all the above, but the *many of the Electricians and cell phones repair were not able to perform it right*.  In the end, I had to ask Ibasso to release a special product Amp8EX at a cheaper cost.  I was able to made it happen, and it was the cheapest ever available.
you can always google up *“Ibasso Official Amp8EX Preorder program”*_

My question always come in after what I had done as Fatcs, not just questionings.  It does not apply specifically toward any single individuals, but rather to the mass.


----------



## RobertP (Mar 30, 2020)

It's been very interesting couple days after found out the best possible wire for S-Master active ground. Changed from fw solis3.02 to U3.01.
Clearly, purest copper is just not good enough IMO. Good improvements overall but it darkens the background a bit too much. It's not bad. In some sense it's like listen to vinyl records. But it keep me thinking in my mind it's might not resolved enough.
Later I try silver plated and there goes all the nuance lower level details, airiness/spacious from upper mid which I missed is back. But treble might be over aggressive sometimes.
2x silver plated or silver plated + copper wires will improve soundstage and warmth overall but I feel like it lags some resolution and speed from the bass.
So now I think if I can apply the same technique from 4.4mm negative terminal mod on to this and the result is much better. 22awg OCC silver plated wires with 22awg 2mm length OCC. Solder them on each side. Here is what I have noticed so far. Treble is just prefect and extremely resolved. Sounds like real thing. Never too aggressive no matter what you throw at it. All the nuances, sparkling, airiness, and spacious in upper mid is so addictive to listen. Never thought it would possible for 1Z but there it is. Resolution is extended even more, dynamic is heavier fast, very detail soundstage 3D like, depth has more details, longer decays and go even fairer back. All that make everything much more fun, addictive and very satisfying. Classical, vocalist records are so warmth, emotional, and very romantic. Much clearer and better isolation between instruments and vocals separation. Lower mid Sony sound signature is all there and even better (Loose it if use single silver plated wire). Sub-bass is fast, heavy, extended, and slower decays.

It turns out just copper wire for battery will make everything a bit more vailed. Silver plated makes treble north from neutral. Mixed two type of wires together will take care of those peoblems.
After all that, it seem battery runtime is lower now by 15 maybe 20%. I think my 1Z is so resolves now even connect to charger I can hear a small improvement in SQ. Maybe now I have to turn off battery saving mode to get the most out of it.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

RobertP said:


> It's been very interesting couple days after found out the best possible wire for S-Master active ground.
> Clearly, purest copper is just not good enough IMO. Good improvements overall but it darkens the background a bit too much. It's not bad. In some sense it's like listen to vinyl records. But it keep me thinking in my mind it's might not resolved enough.
> Later I try silver plated and there goes all the neuvone lower level details, airiness/spacious from upper mid which I missed is back. But treble might be over aggressive sometimes.
> 2x silver plated or silver plated + copper wires will improve soundstage and warmth overall but I feel like it lags some resolution and speed from the bass.
> ...


Exactly! Everything effect sound performances , and only the trolls who sit on his Ashes to keeps on trolling around. This is why I will always “respect” and “accepts” anyone opinions whose also can DIY to voice up. I tend to spot out “trolls” very quickly nowadays, and usually ignore 

Do you mind to summarize your mods over the modifications thread ? It will help others to join in DIY too!

BTW, instead of “Negative terminal mods” you could braid up a big “Litz OCC wires” such as Cardas, and have the same effects.  I braided 3x of the 21.5 Awg into a big piece around 19AWG and it fit just fine.  Vastly improved performances

I also observed the “more battery drainage“ on my “new battery with gold wires” vs “older battery with stock cables” and “older battery with Litz copper wires”.  There are so much “mysteries“, but the sound improvements are so real

what Amazes me is that, Walkman barely drain any faster than stock with “much progressive firmware”, and even battery upgrades.  The performances it “gained” is like Multiple folds vs “the battery consumptions”....then It all makes senses in the end.  Class D amplifications has 90-95% efficiency.  Therefore, anything to compromises is still within that 5-10% “wasted energy”.

Walkmam WM1A and WM1Z is one crazy platforms.  I looked into many different platforms, and I keep saying this


----------



## RobertP

Whitigir said:


> BTW, instead of “Negative terminal mods” you could braid up a big “Litz OCC wires” such as Cardas, and have the same effects.  I braided 3x of the 21.5 Awg into a big piece around 19AWG and it fit just fine.  Vastly improved performances


Interesting, hmm! In my experience thicker the wire might result in roll-off high. This not happen to you?

My mod will get almost similar result without roll-off problems. When I have some Cardas wires, I will give it a try.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Interesting, hmm! In my experience thicker the wire might result in roll-off high. This not happen to you?
> 
> My mod will get almost similar result without roll-off problems. When I have some Cardas wires, I will give it a try.



it does not, unless you use “*Multi-Stranded and Non-Litz*”.  The best “Litz wires” I have come across would have to be “Cardas”...surprisingly but...true!  However, Cardas don’t have any easy wires and comfortable for in ears buds

The Litz wires behaves a little different in comparison to internal analog wires at 2 places, the battery wires and the grounding wires.  It does retrieve extensions on both spectrums very well in Power connections (battery and ground)


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> It's been very interesting couple days after found out the best possible wire for S-Master active ground. Changed from fw solis3.02 to U3.01.
> Clearly, purest copper is just not good enough IMO. Good improvements overall but it darkens the background a bit too much. It's not bad. In some sense it's like listen to vinyl records. But it keep me thinking in my mind it's might not resolved enough.
> Later I try silver plated and there goes all the nuance lower level details, airiness/spacious from upper mid which I missed is back. But treble might be over aggressive sometimes.
> 2x silver plated or silver plated + copper wires will improve soundstage and warmth overall but I feel like it lags some resolution and speed from the bass.
> ...




You said ooc silver plated but plated on what ) copper?

Did you mean occ?


----------



## aceedburn

Is it just me or this thread now becoming more of a modification forum? Isn’t there a separate thread for that? I always thought this forum is for discussing tips tricks software etc for Walkman? I’m sure most of us here aren’t keen on hardware modding our rigs. Apologise if I’m out of place.


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Is it just me or this thread now becoming more of a modification forum? Isn’t there a separate thread for that? I always thought this forum is for discussing tips tricks software etc for Walkman? I’m sure most of us here aren’t keen on hardware modding our rigs. Apologise if I’m out of place.


That thread was also created by me, but there are no sub forum for that.  The main thread is to discuss about sound performances of a platform, whether it is modified hardware, or firmware, or comparisons to other platforms, older/newer

hardware includes but not limited to internal components upgrades, it could be a new headphones, cables or new earbuds
firmware/software included but not limited to stock and....the WM team firmware upgrades

Feel free to put us on ignore if you don’t want to read about hardware mods

There is a reason why Solis Tier 6 has never been released.


----------



## RobertP

Vitaly2017 said:


> You said ooc silver plated but plated on what ) copper?
> 
> Did you mean occ?


OCC yes my bad. Basically silver plated copper.


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> OCC yes my bad. Basically silver plated copper.





Hmmm so you saying silver plated copper bring the  best balance in sound?


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hmmm so you saying silver plated copper bring the  best balance in sound?


It depends on applications.  This is like cooking, but high and real quality of SPC can bring good improvements.  For example, the Stock IER-Z1R cables is quality SPC.  Cheap and low grade SPC wires can be very harsh and piercings

This is why it is called “tuning”.

There is no “universal tuning” for everyone, just like firmwares and many different flavors


----------



## RobertP

Silver plated copper wire and small cut 2mm of copper solder on each terminals.


----------



## RobertP (Mar 30, 2020)

SPC wires are bright as hell. Used to take them from 64audio premium. OFC is a bit better but the thicker the gauge the lower dynamic and resolution it gets. OCC is opposite of that.


----------



## Queen6

Whitigir said:


> that is exactly what I meant .  A Soldering job for Cables is very simple.  I can provide you a Videos with tools over Amazon to make your own cables in 30 seconds.  Do you want it ?
> 
> But I can not show you how to Solder, and Modify Hardware in a player under the same circumstances.  Now you see what I meant ?
> 
> ...



In isolation soldering is a very specific skill that requires study and patience. Companies that require such skills spend significant $$$$ on the training of their electronic technicians. Anyone considering hardware mod's should read up on the basics and skill's required, as a bad _joint _at this level may well undo all the good work...

Q-6


----------



## Whitigir

RobertP said:


> SPC wires are bright as hell. Used to get them from CAT6 ethernet. And the thicker gauge the lower dynamic and resolution it gets. OCC is opposite of that.


That is because CAT6 cables are actually OFC with very thin silver plating.  Quality OCC with SPC or higher grade OFC and thicker SPC will sound different.  However, generally, you are correct.  It is very hard to find good SPC, and so I usually tend to stay away from it.  The only SPC I use and trust is “Norne-Audio”


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> In isolation soldering is a very specific skill that requires study and patience. Companies that require such skills spend significant $$$$ on the training of their electronic technicians. Anyone considering hardware mod's should read up on the basics and skill's required, as a bad _joint _at this level may well undo all the good work...
> 
> Q-6


Exactly this too, but a bad joints on a cables isn’t anything to worry about.  That is why I hugely questioned the ways people demand and spend money.

Simply put, a cables is very easy to do...where as Hardware mods isn’t....and it is 100X times more complex in everything

*An electrician may be able to fix Smartphones and Laptop, but won’t be able to carry out ”hardware modifications”.  I have been there and witnessed that.  However, he will never have problem in making a simple cables as I stated previously.*


----------



## Queen6

Vitaly2017 said:


> I know pw1960 is expensive!  Haha
> 
> Well I never done soldering bro so I dont feel like I wanna screw up my 1z )



Wise not too, unless  your willing to get really into it. Soldering is an acquired skill and practise does make perfect; you want bright, strong joints, anything less is not acceptable. Electronic techs working in the know this and perform accordingly as...

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

If sony is spc and as @RobertP mentioned then I now understand why stock cable on ier-z1r is brighter then 8wires occ copper!
It was not huge but enough for me to dislike the stock cable


----------



## proedros (Mar 30, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> That thread was also created by me, but there are no sub forum for that.  The main thread is to discuss about sound performances of a platform, whether it is modified hardware, or firmware, or comparisons to other platforms, older/newer
> 
> hardware includes but not limited to internal components upgrades, it could be a new headphones, cables or new earbuds
> firmware/software included but not limited to stock and....the WM team firmware upgrades
> ...



@Whitigir @Vitaly2017 @RobertP @Queen6  (and i am tired tagging more people)

i think that @aceedburn  he has a valid point here

it's one thing saying 'i had MS or Romi modify my wm1a/z and i get those changes' which is useful in case someone is thinking of maybe sending his wm1a/z there

and it's another (and completely different) thing talking page after page abut how copper does this and silver does this etc

you know i am Team Whitigr but i think @aceedburn is right here - i mean last 4-5 pages have been like a science thread

*if we are talking about personal/DIY mods in your wm1a/z on a purely technical/geek level , than yeah the place to talk about it is this one

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/*

best


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

proedros said:


> @Whitigir  i think that @aceedburn  he has a valid point here
> 
> it's one thing saying 'i had MS or Romi modify my wm1a/z and i get those changes' which is useful in case someone is thinking of maybe sending his wm1a/z there
> 
> ...



Sure, all firmwares and modifications related should have been moved there.  But then, don’t blame me for not posting “newer and upgraded firmwares here”, and you may have missed it.  LOL! You can not have it both ways

The ways I see it, there are many people who have missed the firmwares.  There are reasons why it is time sensitive.  If it isn’t, then there won’t be anymore firmwares


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> @Whitigir  i think that @aceedburn  he has a valid point here
> 
> it's one thing saying 'i had MS or Romi modify my wm1a/z and i get those changes' which is useful in case someone is thinking of maybe sending his wm1a/z there
> 
> ...




Its good to make pauses ) its all related any way to wm1z. 

It also make new people curious and thats how they will learn about diy! )


----------



## RobertP

Queen6 said:


> In isolation soldering is a very specific skill that requires study and patience. Companies that require such skills spend significant $$$$ on the training of their electronic technicians. Anyone considering hardware mod's should read up on the basics and skill's required, as a bad _joint _at this level may well undo all the good work...
> 
> Q-6


Lucky I'm a technician/a bit of coding. Sometimes fix PC/Mac logic board here and there so it's not too far from skill it's required.


----------



## proedros (Mar 30, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Sure, all firmwares and modifications related should have been moved there.  But then, don’t blame me for not posting “newer and upgraded firmwares here”, and you may have missed it.  LOL! You can not have it both ways
> 
> The ways I see it, there are many people who have missed the firmwares.  There are reasons why it is time sensitive.  If it isn’t, then there won’t be anymore firmwares



you are wrong here and i will explain it

sharing FWs that anyone can use - sure share them here

talk about how to solder etc , which not everyone (just a few) can do - they should go to the Mods Thread"

To sum up-* if it's too tech and only a handful few can relate to them = the mods thread is the one to post* (and those interested, they will see about it i am sure as they are all subscribed there too)

*If it's for universal use ,it stays here*

Cheers




Vitaly2017 said:


> Its good to make pauses ) its all related any way to wm1z.
> 
> *It also make new people curious and thats how they will learn about diy! )*



you are wrong again , if someone is curius he will check the mods thread

but most people do not have the passion/knowledge to do self-mods and they want to read about stuff they can relate to

FWs ? sure , everyone can install and share feedback

How to solder etc etc ? Nope , it's just 5-10 people max (and i have to agree with @aceedburn , this thread reminds more of a 'passionate scientist' thread and less about wm1a/z

just my 2 cents , i don't mind reading about mods but i am a very laidback guy...


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

proedros said:


> you are wrong here and i will explain it
> 
> sharing FWs that anyone can use - sure share them here
> 
> ...


They are hand in hand and in hands, my friend.

*Solis T6* *was never released* because without Firmware modifications, it can not be benefited

Stock player can only benefit from Tier 1 and Tier 2 of different firmwares.  But then I get people keep requesting and asking for an ”Ultimate firmwares” that magically transform their player into a “unicorn”

Let me ask you again, respectfully, *Do you bring a Civic SI into a shop and ask the “tuner”, please “provide a firmware/tune” so that my SI magically transform into a Type R ? Oh by the way, never talked about other Mechanical modifications to me*


you are asking me to do this, it is the same as you are asking the tuner above.  Under these circumstances, any tuner would ask you to just go and find someone else.

Should I stop posting about all of this, and never release upgraded firmwares so you or others can further benefits ?

*now, how is that Trolling never get criticized, or asked to go troll in other thread, but providing firmwares, facts on how to improve your players got asked to do this ?*


----------



## proedros

if you want to share a Solis Tier 101 here be my guest , and yeah of course explain how it changes things

But if you post too tech in general , page after page after page - for mods that only relate to you (like i said it's not a md that is available to people around the globe) i think people will get tired

Like i said , a wise man knows where to post what in each of those 2 threads  

I think you are one such man


----------



## RobertP

I believe I'm an Si k20 head swap tuned guy then. LOL!


----------



## Queen6

Whitigir said:


> Exactly this too, but a bad joints on a cables isn’t anything to worry about.  That is why I hugely questioned the ways people demand and spend money.
> 
> Simply put, a cables is very easy to do...where as Hardware mods isn’t....and it is 100X times more complex in everything
> 
> *An electrician may be able to fix Smartphones and Laptop, but won’t be able to carry out ”hardware modifications”.  I have been there and witnessed that.  However, he will never have problem in making a simple cables as I stated previously.*



Bad joints are always a cause for concern, that no one should accept for either cabling or hardware mod's. If I was to drop in excess of $2K on my WM1A safe to say it wouldn't be on cables, nor farmed out work.  As is often stated it's all about synergy, all the mod's in the world won't work if not paired well. 

I'm all about the music, the gear is simply a means to an end. Currently I'm satisfied, will that maintain who knows likely the itch will need to be scratched will need to be scratched in time, and then we'll see...

Q-6


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

proedros said:


> if you want to share a Solis Tier 101 here be my guest , and yeah of course explain how it changes things
> 
> But if you post too tech in general , page after page after page - for mods that only relate to you (like i said it's not a md that is available to people around the globe) i think people will get tired
> 
> ...


One day you don’t see me posting, because I am such a man.  I promise

Romni Audio is available worldwide, and not only Me.  Other mods such as MS, people can DIY, not everyone, but some do.  Is it really fair of you to only ask for your own benefits and don’t think of any others ?


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 30, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Lucky I'm a technician/a bit of coding. Sometimes fix PC/Mac logic board here and there so it's not too far from skill it's required.



Audio isn't my industry, however have been dealing with electronics and SW for  a long time. Can code, just only when the needs must. Mod's to the WM1A/Z are straightforward thx to the pioneers and available information.

Personally I'm in no rush; start on the software side, then consider the hardware, similar to Mac's staying a OS or two behind can pay dividends.    

Q-6


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> One day you don’t see me posting, because I am such a man.  I promise



I don't take this as a threat comment , i take it as a 'do what you feel like doing' comment  

I like how passionate you are , but like i said a wise man sees the full picture

*besides , if you want your mod legacy to stay in people's heads , it's easier to do so in a 40 page thread where all posts are about mods , than in a 2500 page thread where those posts are bound to get lost in this ocean of posts  *

Cheers


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> I don't take this as a threat comment , i take it as a 'do what you feel like doing' comment
> 
> I like how passionate you are , but like i said a wise man sees the full picture
> 
> ...



I am being asked to “stay away from here”, where as “trolls” are not.

yeah, I have spent a lot of resources, time, labors, money all of this to provide people free DIY guides, and because of that, I could tune firmwares and all of that.  Now you people are asking me to only provide what you need, and can not post about anything else ?  

*I earn nothing from all of this.*

and you are calling me that I “threaten“ people ?

amazing, friend


----------



## proedros

we have an obvious miscommunication issue here , so i will just stop and say post on man

but everyone loves you and wants you here , this is a fact

Cheers


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> I am being asked to “stay away from here”, where as “trolls” are not.
> 
> *yeah, I have spent a lot of resources, time, labors, money all of this to provide people free DIY guides, and because of that, I could tune firmwares and all of that.  Now you people are asking me to only provide what you need, and can not post about anything else ? *
> 
> ...



these posts have a better place in the ''wm1a/z mods'' thread

i think it's obvious - you made a thread about DIY mods , so what better place to post them there?

if someone says ah whitigir is awesome , let's see how we can follow his instructions all posts shall be found there

in here they get lost/scattered

if you don't understand that what i am suggesting , only profits your labor then i can not do anything more


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

Do you know @Nayparm ?

He is an enthusiast like me

he provided so much DIY guides on hardware modifications like me.  He damaged many of his own players out of his own pockets to do so....again, like me....sometimes he was asked to provide modifications, and people don’t treat him right....aka....paying, and trolling him, report him.

he also provided so much in Firmware modifications for AR-15, and also bricked his own unit in order to bring the community benefits....

What does he get in the end ? Trolled, reported, and now he can no longer help other people

We are enthusiastic, we are never selfish because we always share what we can.....who is being selfish here ? And who is driving us “contributor” away ? Real contributor

why don’t you guys instead of treating us like this, do treat the trolls this way.....report trolling, asking trolls to stay away instead ?

anyways, I am done going On about this.  I totally understand why @Nayparm and me are being treated this way.  It is not a result of 1 or 2 people.  Fact is that the mass always win the minority


----------



## Queen6

Whitigir said:


> One day you don’t see me posting, because I am such a man.  I promise
> 
> Romni Audio is available worldwide, and not only Me.  Other mods such as MS, people can DIY, not everyone, but some do.  Is it really fair of you to only ask for your own benefits and don’t think of any others ?



See some cross lines; overall I believe the vast majority support and apricate your endeavours, equally they are not likely to commit for numerous personal reasons. I certainly want to see where you can go, the rest is up to you... 

Q-6


----------



## proedros

the mass always wins , true

but no one is driving you to a fire stake , au contraire (as they say in France) i am simply proposing an easy way for your mods legacy/wisdom to inform more interested people  

i am showing you the moon here and you keep on saying about how dirty my nails are

focus on the moon bro


----------



## Whitigir

allow me to ask this, why trolling are not being treated like this, but me and other contributors ?

certainly, you and I could create a thread that reads ”skepticism about Firmware and hardware modifications and upgraded performances”, and kindly ask all of them being over there instead ?

I do know and see what you mean, but do you know and see what I mean and doing ?


----------



## proedros

if i were you , i would light a nice joint and chill 

btw , dmpz1 FW sounds great , let me thank you once again for all your hard work you are a Legend here

cheers


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 30, 2020)

proedros said:


> if i were you , i would light a nice joint and chill
> 
> btw , dmpz1 FW sounds great , let me thank you once again for all your hard work you are a Legend here
> 
> cheers




Decent whisky here, Walkman can take me away from it all for a spell and that helps innumerably...

All thx for some of the recent ambient recommendations as is well received 

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 30, 2020)

Guys please keep it peaceful!

@proedros probably found hes favorite fw and now wants the subject be related to the thread to 1z/1a fine.

But I support @Whitigir he is right he done lot of work with mods fw and also simply with superb advices! Bare in mind people! We are extremely lucky to have such amazingly brave and skilled enthusiasts here in wm1z !

So pay respect.

I feel totally comfortable with what whitigir has to share be it related him driving hes favorite car and listening to stax while driving or be it what ever!

As I feel we are all here friends and a bonded community.
So I suggest we do our part and each extra information is in our benefit!  This is how we evolve together!

So share some compassion love and good judgment people!


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Guys please keep it peaceful!
> 
> @proedros probably found hes favorite fw and now wants the subject be related to the thread to 1z/1a fine.
> 
> ...


Thank you, and here is a thread about what I think lately, feel free to join us.  
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/disappointed-and-disappointment-from-a-head-fi-veteran.928728/


----------



## gerelmx1986

*this thread has become more of a blahs blah blah*


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> *this thread has become more of a blahs blah blah*


----------



## quodjo105

It's becoming too much.


----------



## gerelmx1986

We shall discuss the player. 

Is ok to use Mr. Clean to clean the WM1A? my man did this despite I told him NEIN


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> We shall discuss the player.
> 
> Is ok to use Mr. Clean to clean the WM1A? my man did this despite I told him NEIN



Haha did it took the paint off?


----------



## candlejack

Whitigir said:


> Should I stop posting about all of this, and never release upgraded firmwares so you or others can further benefits ?
> 
> *now, how is that Trolling never get criticized, or asked to go troll in other thread, but providing firmwares, facts on how to improve your players got asked to do this ?*





Whitigir said:


> I am being asked to “stay away from here”, where as “trolls” are not.
> 
> yeah, I have spent a lot of resources, time, labors, money all of this to provide people free DIY guides, and because of that, I could tune firmwares and all of that.  Now you people are asking me to only provide what you need, and can not post about anything else ?
> 
> *I earn nothing from all of this.*





Whitigir said:


> Do you know @Nayparm ?
> 
> He is an enthusiast like me
> 
> ...





Whitigir said:


> allow me to ask this, why trolling are not being treated like this, but me and other contributors ?
> 
> certainly, you and I could create a thread that reads ”skepticism about Firmware and hardware modifications and upgraded performances”, and kindly ask all of them being over there instead ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha did it took the paint off?


No  but I had read on sony website moy to clean it with solvents, abrasive materials or alcohol.


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> No  but I had read on sony website moy to clean it with solvents, abrasive materials or alcohol.




Mmyea can get scary! 

Good its all okay...


----------



## gerelmx1986

The point is that we are NOT CRITIZING or calling @Whitigir  or  @RobertP  a troll. The problem is that he repeats the info over and over like a scratched Vinyl record


----------



## candlejack

gerelmx1986 said:


> No  but I had read on sony website moy to clean it with solvents, abrasive materials or alcohol.


The Sony website also says to not disassemble your player and modify its internals.  Who knows, maybe this will turn out to be the greatest mod of them all: the Mr. Clean mod! Let us know if the sound has improved.


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> The point is that we are NOT CRITIZING or calling @Whitigir  or  @RobertP  a troll. The problem is that he repeats the info over and over like a scratched Vinyl record



Okey WHAATT ! 

not true


----------



## bflat

Wow the amount of criticisms based on a false belief of entitlement is disappointing. Anyone who strongly disagrees with what should or shouldn't be in a particular thread are more than welcome to start their own.

IMHO, a mod is a mod is a mod is a mod....even more so when each mod affects the other.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Why @Vitaly2017  loves streaming from spotify...? Spotify isn't lossless,  tops at 320 kbps

This is lossless


----------



## 524419 (Mar 30, 2020)

proedros said:


> if you want to share a Solis Tier 101 here be my guest , and yeah of course explain how it changes things
> 
> But if you post too tech in general , page after page after page - for mods that only relate to you (like i said it's not a md that is available to people around the globe) i think people will get tired
> 
> ...


There is absolutely nothing you need to know about the 1A or 1Z that you cannot find by using the search function on this thread, 2300 pages worth of information about the non modded stock players. Information about these Mods is on Topic, and especially relevant after most people have benefited from the modded firmware releases.  Again, if you are not interested in the topic at hand......use the MUTE button.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 30, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Why @Vitaly2017  loves streaming from spotify...? Spotify isn't lossless,  tops at 320 kbps
> 
> This is lossless



Like I dont know what is lossless lmao


Id say this someone gota learn how to focus!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I only would like to know if @Whitigir  or @RobertP  are able to do a NAND chip mod. E.g increase the 128GB to let's say 512GB by swapping the inboard nand


----------



## RobertP (Mar 30, 2020)

Can't help it. When sound quality is this good it's so addictive! It's kind of tied to this hobby. So beside that, let's talk cases, cables, accessories, stock firmwares...

Upgrade memory, possible. Usually you want to do that on iphone or galaxy s6 because there is no slot to add micro sd cards.


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> Can't help it. When sound quality is this good it's so addictive! It's kind of tied to this hobby. So beside that, let's talk cases, cables, accessories, stock firmwares...




Lets also talk about hand straps why no one ever talked about that so superb feature!  
You guys knew about this right? 1z and 1a has a spot to attach one how amazing!


----------



## RobertP (Mar 30, 2020)

My arm got numb holding the 1Z. Never happen with 1A LOL!

Anyway, stay safe and enjoy your musics.


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> My arm got numb holding the 1Z. Never happen with 1A LOL!
> 
> Anyway, stay safe and enjoy your musics.




You need this for 1z!

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07RGD31N9/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_DmKGEb4KGJ93B


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 30, 2020)

RobertP said:


> My arm got numb holding the 1Z. Never happen with 1A LOL!
> 
> Anyway, stay safe and enjoy your musics.


You’ll strengthen you dominant hand over time

just don’t be like that guy with overly muscled dominant hand and tiny stump for the other! Moderation is key.


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 30, 2020)

Too much, too uptight, nor do I really see why? People naturally question, both positively and negatively. Personally I'm out, really no need for this. Enjoy the music as Sony presents, if you want more, or if you want a difference there's multiple paths for those that care to explore 

Time for some Blues on the WM1A & Dunu 3001 Pro, as that's what it's all about after all...



96/24, balanced, high gain, Type B Linearizer, Vinyl Standard, it's there, real close, thinking  switching to the Andromeda's for that extra sparkle...

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

Queen6 said:


> Too much, too uptight, nor do I really see why? People naturally question, both positively and negatively. Personally I'm out, really no need for this. Enjoy the music as Sony presents, if you want more, or if you want a difference there's multiple paths for those that care to explore
> 
> Time for some Blues on the WM1A & Dunu 3001 Pro, as that's what it's all about after all...
> 
> ...




Cut down those eq to direct source! LoL they downgrade sq!


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 30, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Cut down those eq to direct source! LoL they downgrade sq!



Personal taste brother, your IEM's are very specific. Dunu 3001 Pro is a touch bass biased with this album, CF Andromeda something very slightly off. You right with this one Direct with Andromeda puts the tracks exactly where they should be   This is what I like about Sony, they know tastes vary and they give the options to effect change.

Still on high gain as think Sony not only increases amplitude, current is also increased which can benefit some IEM's; smaller perceived sound stage, however with a bigger _punch _as required by the track. Overall feels a little more intimate with a greater depth & layering.

Q-6


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

Solis Cables for IER Z1R and Walkman WM1A Helios 7.5 

cables is 24Awg, largest for MMCX that can fit.  The material is Neotech OCC-Silver pure Gold plating:  the materials is selected because it has the characteristics of Solis, which everyone has known

Plug 4.4mm is Pentaconn for the best performances.  Regular and not OFC as I don’t want to over emphasize the bass too much

Plug MMCX is Eidolic MMCX with Terulium Copper and Goldplated:  this one has the characteristics of Jupiter’s .  Therefore is offset by 4.4 Pentaconn regular instead of OFC

Solder is Oyaide SS-47 for the best clarity and fidelity.  My trusted choices of solder


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


>



Your new diy cable ?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Your new diy cable ?


Yes sir !  I aimed toward Solis performances and with carefully selected materials and plugs for great synergies

Now you have my recipes for IER-Z1R and a cables that carry a characteristics of Solis


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 30, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Yes sir !  I aimed toward Solis performances and with carefully selected materials and plugs for great synergies
> 
> Now you have my recipes for IER-Z1R and a cables that carry a characteristics of Solis


Holy moly Guacamole! Ay Caramba!

Just need Andale! LOL


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Sorry dude, I got carried away. My apologies, Whitigir...

This is a somber forum, so better watch my steps Lol

Ahh...screw it


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Yes sir !  I aimed toward Solis performances and with carefully selected materials and plugs for great synergies
> 
> Now you have my recipes for IER-Z1R and a cables that carry a characteristics of Solis




Why not a cable with 8 wire?
Its ussualy best that way for resolution and air no?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Why not a cable with 8 wire?
> Its ussualy best that way for resolution and air no?


No, perhap I could but it isn’t that simple.  Look at PW .  I know his cables is expensive , but he knows what he is doing
https://www.pwaudio.com.hk/fragship-series


----------



## 524419

Vitaly2017 said:


> Why not a cable with 8 wire?
> Its ussualy best that way for resolution and air no?


if it's a Big enough gauge, it makes no difference.
Those 8 wire cables are 26 gauge per conductor, add 2 of them together....you get ...about 24 gauge.


----------



## Whitigir

Diet Kokaine said:


> if it's a Big enough gauge, it makes no difference.
> Those 8 wire cables are 26 gauge per conductor, add 2 of them together....you get ...about 24 gauge.


Beside that, the more counts, the more insulation, the higher the inducted capacitances.  I don’t want to attenuate anything here


----------



## Vitaly2017

Diet Kokaine said:


> if it's a Big enough gauge, it makes no difference.
> Those 8 wire cables are 26 gauge per conductor, add 2 of them together....you get ...about 24 gauge.



So 8 wires 26 is equal to 4 wires 24?


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> So 8 wires 26 is equal to 4 wires 24?


2X of the same awg bring the size to 2 counts larger.  For example, 2x26awg =24awg.  The lower the number, the larger the Sizes

we count per conductor or per polarity.  We don’t count the whole constructions

So the whole constructions of 8 wires with 26Awg would bring the equivalent of 4 wires of 24Awg.

There are pros and cons to how many count of wires being used as stated above


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 30, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> 2X of the same awg bring the size to 2 counts larger.  For example, 2x26awg =24awg.  The lower the number, the larger the Sizes
> 
> we count per conductor or per polarity.  We don’t count the whole constructions
> 
> ...



I always thought it was better to have more conductor's count but smaller awg...
Vs less and bigger.
Maybe thats something to experiment.

I remember to have read that info on custom copper cables offered from zmf....

As from my experience I always felt same awg 4wires vs 8 that the 8 wires offered more resolution clarity and air for me

I just verified it was 26awg ares ii cable


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I always thought it was better to have more conductor's count but smaller awg...
> Vs less and bigger.
> Maybe thats something to experiment.
> 
> ...


I refer you to read this
https://www.google.com/amp/s/gizmod...log-audio-cables-really-arent-all-5210904/amp
There are neither Right nor wrong.  It is all depend upon what you are trying to achieve.  Are you trying to mask up something or are you not ?

That is why there is never a universal tuning at all.
The strongest inducted capacitances are Litz cables as each wires are individually enameled.  It has it pros, and also Cons


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Mar 30, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I refer you to read this
> https://www.google.com/amp/s/gizmod...log-audio-cables-really-arent-all-5210904/amp
> There are neither Right nor wrong.  It is all depend upon what you are trying to achieve.  Are you trying to mask up something or are you not ?
> 
> ...




Well thats some big cable statements there, as from all this reading I got that shielding is the most important part.  Also from lab tests awg should be around 18 to 24 for optimal results....

Didnt really talk about the wires count though )

I still believe 8 wires is the optimal best and maybe 24awg due to this post...

But shielding!  Is the supreme priority !

Oh thats explains why I love pw1960 as those are cardas cables I was told....
It proves that that theory is real business! For better sq


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well thats some big cable statements there, as from all this reading I got that shielding is the most important part.  Also from lab tests awg should be around 18 to 24 for optimal results....
> 
> Didnt really talk about the wires count though )
> 
> ...


Pay attentions to the mention of how capacitors are made, and what differences between capacitances and inductance.

Capacitor = conductor-insulator-Conductor.
This is exactly the many cores would constructed to be like.  LitZ is another type of cables that has the highest inducted capacitance

More wires = more inducted capacitance and it counts as pF.  The less is the better, but it also has it perks.  It could mask out things here and there and grand an illusion of larger soundstage

Shielding is another matter.  There are more to it.  Some people love it and some people don’t.  I know that I don’t LOL

Faraday caging effects can negate common interferences just fine without losing details and sound compressed


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Pay attentions to the mention of how capacitors are made, and what differences between capacitances and inductance.
> 
> Capacitor = conductor-insulator-Conductor.
> This is exactly the many cores would constructed to be like.  LitZ is another type of cables that has the highest inducted capacitance
> ...





A boy. Well I seem to prefer the 8wires then....
And more shieldings


----------



## Whitigir (Mar 30, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> A boy. Well I seem to prefer the 8wires then....
> And more shieldings


Nothing is wrong with that, but pay attention at PW and their flagship Gold series .  His cables is expensive, but he knows what he is doing.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Nothing is wrong with that, but pay attention at PW and their flagship Gold series .  His cables is expensive, but he knows what he is doing.




Well dam I got no more money!
Pw1960 eaten it and the 1z mod


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 30, 2020)

Just saying - Modifying-WM1Z-A will be far easier for those interested Mod's than sifting 2.5K of the regular WM1A/Z posts, Right now it's becoming increasingly scattered.

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

Let's see how @Whitigir Can convert the non-believers of @candlejack  to the Modding religion


----------



## proedros

Queen6 said:


> Just saying - Modifying-WM1Z-A will be far easier for those interested Mod's than sifting 2.5K of the regular WM1A/Z posts, Right now it's becoming increasingly scattered.
> 
> Q-6




a voice of reason , finally


----------



## candlejack

gerelmx1986 said:


> Let's see how @Whitigir Can convert the non-believers of @candlejack  to the Modding religion


I am not a _non-believer_. I am simply waiting for some type of proof that does not require me to _trust someone's ears_. If we were to _trust our eyes (Bedford Level experiment)_, we would still believe the Earth is flat.


----------



## 524419

gerelmx1986 said:


> Let's see how @Whitigir Can convert the non-believers of @candlejack  to the Modding religion


The "Religion" is his. And fat chance that any of "Them" will ever pick up a soldering iron. 
All that work is for the dumb brutes.


----------



## candlejack

Diet Kokaine said:


> The "Religion" is his. And fat chance that any of "Them" will ever pick up a soldering iron.
> All that work is for the dumb brutes.


As it happens I was using a soldering gun in elementary school. Can't remember if it was my idea or my parents' but I was in an electronics club for kids for about a year or so.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Teach a man how to solder, next thing they do..upgrading daps and Lord knows what


----------



## RobertP

Want to learn how to solder? They're many Youtube videos. Keep practicing!


----------



## 524419 (Mar 30, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Want to learn how to solder? They're many Youtube videos. Keep practicing!


So I tried (2x) 22 gauge twisted Solid Copper on my interconnects, and you were 100% right, sounds way better than 20 gauge. Lots more resolution, and better bass/treble balance. Vocals sound fantastic.
Thank you for that, I'll be making the change on my 1A also. Have a bunch of Neotech wire on the way.

---- Damn the (2x) 22 gauge sounds good on my speakers. Now I am going to Waiting for the mail to be delivered like crazy.


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 31, 2020)

Wow, i have sit back and enjoy music for two nights without tracking this threads, now it's kinda exploded... with some dramas...

I enjoy reading those techs put up by Whitigir and RobertP. I’m not a soldering guy myself but I’m absolutely benefited from modding, for years, so I’m always keen on knowing more “hideous” specifics. Im at stake with all the modding approaches. 

On the other hand, long have I come to learn the fact that the majority won’t give a damn about modding. Spending several grands on a premium cable is much easier and justified than spending days and nights and much hassle to pry open their beloved device and start pulling parts aside and putting them back together, at the risk of bricking it and voiding the warranty.

So what our mad Captain put up to discuss is either too hardcore for the majority to digest, nor would they be interested. I found it *sharing something valuable to those who don’t care is the self-humiliated loneliness*. Customers will still buy Porsche without knowing exactly why a Porsche runs faster than a truck. You don’t need to tell them how much performance the engines can output and how to “mod” the engine. It runs faster, it’s a fact, and that’s enough for the majority to know.
(that’s another reason why I don’t feel like disclosing the coding details of FW. It’s simply hideous to the majority)
So let’s be tolerant to each parties. What Whitigir shared with us is treasures not to be found anywhere else. But if u find it too hardcore, pls just mute it for a while.


----------



## Morbideath

@Vitaly2017 i sent my 1Z to Hong Kong yesterday. Mine should be similar to your specs except I keep my 16wires 1960s in balanced output. 
Now is the darkest time for me... my 1Z is gone with the wind for the moment. I’ve done it three times in the past for modding, I know what it felt like... HK is much nearer than Singapore, I keep telling myself this time.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

RobertP said:


> Want to learn how to solder? They're many Youtube videos. Keep practicing!


Is there like baby steps on how to solder in YouTube? That works?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> @Vitaly2017 i sent my 1Z to Hong Kong yesterday. Mine should be similar to your specs except I keep my 16wires 1960s in balanced output.
> Now is the darkest time for me... my 1Z is gone with the wind for the moment. I’ve done it three times in the past for modding, I know what it felt like... HK is much nearer than Singapore, I keep telling myself this time.




Wow thats awsome congratulations ) I hope it gets there safely and on time ) do you guys get custom fees ? Wonder how you shipped yours.

Ad for me its a hell of a ryde for my 1z lol I got a special water proof shock proof pelican case just in case some retard throws it on the floor....

@Morbideath thats going to be so Awsome insane crazy we will have the most elite wm1z in the world that exists with rarest parts inside!!! Thats so exclusive and unique!  This is actually priceless, the experience it will bring in music perception will be mindblowing.  A portable rig so insane that even desktop will be jealous hahaha.


Thanks for all thr support you and couple other fellas with moded 1z's that gave me insights and overview of mods. This brought me to Romi Audio for the extreme mod ever possible!


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 30, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Want to learn how to solder? They're many Youtube videos. Keep practicing!


I can be sarcastic but I’m on Whitigir and on modding side. Just trying to keep the mood lighter. In fact I’m seriously thinking about Romi mod or another mod, but the cost ugh

I love my current 1Z but dilemma and cost


----------



## 524419 (Mar 30, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Is there like baby steps on how to solder in YouTube? That works?




This guy shows how to make cables, but the principles are the same.
Pre Tin both surfaces, and make good connections.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Maybe we should ask romi audio to make YouTube tutorials hahaha how create hes mods our self lo lo lo


----------



## Morbideath (Mar 30, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Maybe we should ask romi audio to make YouTube tutorials hahaha how create hes mods our self lo lo lo


Dont enrage him any further haha


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> Wow thats awsome congratulations ) I hope it gets there safely and on time ) do you guys get custom fees ? Wonder how you shipped yours.


Just by domestic Shun Feng express, takes several days since i shipped it from northern China to the very south. Custom fee is minimal to none.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> Donf enrage him any further haha




You will be surprised  I keep asking questions every day lmao hes 1 hell patient dude !
We do talk about hes sensation cable daily lol


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Mar 30, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Maybe we should ask romi audio to make YouTube tutorials hahaha how create hes mods our self lo lo lo


Wow seriously, is there one tutorial from Romi? Hahaha

That would be priceless lol

sounds like a character, grumpy smurf or jerry from tom&jerry

ugh reminds me of Donald Duck! The classic lol


----------



## RobertP

Diet Kokaine said:


> So I tried (2x) 22 gauge twisted Solid Copper on my interconnects, and you were 100% right, sounds way better than 20 gauge. Lots more resolution, and better bass/treble balance. Vocals sound fantastic.
> Thank you for that, I'll be making the change on my 1A also. Have a bunch of Neotech wire on the way.
> 
> ---- Damn the (2x) 22 gauge sounds good on my speakers. Now I am going to Waiting for the mail to be delivered like crazy.


That's a beautiful thing about DIY. You can fine tune it just the way you like.


----------



## fjbruening

Rookie question:

I just received my wm1a (thx Amazon), and loaded it up with a several albums, flac quality or better.

I first tried my Senn660's , and found the tonality and clarity quite good (considering the WM hasn't broken in at all, however, I found the volume fairly quiet and lacking punch. I suppose that's due to the fact the 660s have a resistance of 150 ohms? This was both SE and balanced, high gain and not. 

I then tried my old Etymotic 4p, and they were easier to drive but lack bottom end (which is why as wonderful clean as they are, they sit in the back of my drawer).

I got the WM1A to replace my mojo (lost! damnit) streaming hi-def from my iphone tidal. The mojo could drive the 660's much easier than the 1A. Is this normal? I mean I could make my ears bleed if I wanted to. 

I've been considering something like the Andromeda or Solaris (B stock sale!) balanced, _any feedback on either of these IEM's with the 1A? Will they be easier to drive and provide good (but not overpowering) bass?_

I like the 1A a lot, the UI is spartan (which I like, I hate the android UI'd devices). The build quality and design are fantastic. I don't listen to music that loud all the time, but once in a while, I'd like to get thumped on EDM tracks, and I'm hoping I can find a pairing that'll do this.

Thanks


----------



## 524419

fjbruening said:


> Rookie question:
> 
> I just received my wm1a (thx Amazon), and loaded it up with a several albums, flac quality or better.
> 
> ...


You need the Atlas or the Vega if you are looking for that hard EDM bass. 
Both are excellent pairings with the 1A.


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> My fourte noir is very warm and thick by nature and pw1960 4wires cable is warm as well and good flavor. I feel sensation cable could balance things out.
> 
> Worse Case scenario I will send it back and request pw1960 cables !


Worst scenario is u fall back to different planets / regions and accidentally land on the Sun, as the last resort.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> Worst scenario is u fall back to different planets / regions and accidentally land on the Sun, as the last resort.




I am already traveling very far. You remember my post when I heard Solis3.01?


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15526398


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am already traveling very far. You remember my post when I heard Solis3.01?
> 
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15526398


Well different synergy different observations. My different earphones connected to MS1Z yield different pair ups as well. 
I suspect Romi V4 will pair well with the good old Solis 3.02


----------



## Queen6

fjbruening said:


> Rookie question:
> 
> I just received my wm1a (thx Amazon), and loaded it up with a several albums, flac quality or better.
> 
> ...



Try high gain, if not already.

Q-6


----------



## nc8000

fjbruening said:


> Rookie question:
> 
> I just received my wm1a (thx Amazon), and loaded it up with a several albums, flac quality or better.
> 
> ...



Just be aware that streaming from the iPhone to 1A will be via lossy aac if over BT


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> Well different synergy different observations. My different earphones connected to MS1Z yield different pair ups as well.
> I suspect Romi V4 will pair well with the good old Solis 3.02



We dont know yet. But I forgot Tier 4 or tier 5. Romi is only Tier 4 ? 
I thought this would be the supremacy of all tiers.
With this type of mod you can travel threw galaxy's and space infinitely!


----------



## 524419 (Mar 31, 2020)

RobertP said:


> That's a beautiful thing about DIY. You can fine tune it just the way you like.


Been listening to music all night.
(2x) 22 gauge is definitely the way to go, I stand beyond corrected.
Cool thing about DIY, very easy to make changes and experiment, and you MUST experiment.... to tune any system 
Thank you


----------



## blazinblazin (Mar 31, 2020)

fjbruening said:


> Rookie question:
> 
> I just received my wm1a (thx Amazon), and loaded it up with a several albums, flac quality or better.
> 
> ...



You would probably want to  check out Dynamic Drivers IEM.
Like the Campfire ones that someone mentioned or from Acoustune will be good too.

You might want to put it on High Gain or Test out different Region or firmwares if you want.


----------



## candlejack

Morbideath said:


> [...] that’s another reason why I don’t feel like disclosing the coding details of FW. It’s simply hideous to the majority [...]


I for one would be very interested to hear about the firmware modifications, from a sw engineering perspective. Please share the details in a dedicated thread or blog post, or whatever you prefer and provide a link here. Thanks a lot!


Morbideath said:


> So let’s be tolerant to each parties. What Whitigir shared with us is treasures not to be found anywhere else. But if u find it too hardcore, pls just mute it for a while.


If enough people want to mute you, then you're speaking in the wrong place.


----------



## lumdicks (Mar 31, 2020)

candlejack said:


> I for one would be very interested to hear about the firmware modifications, from a sw engineering perspective. Please share the details in a dedicated thread or blog post, or whatever you prefer and provide a link here. Thanks a lot!
> 
> If enough people want to mute you, then you're speaking in the wrong place.


With this standard I think there will be way more people want to mute you indeed.


----------



## Morbideath

candlejack said:


> If *enough* people want to mute you, then you're speaking in the *wrong* place.


How could u define "enough" and what's right or wrong? I think it's all related to our device, just to different extent / scopes


----------



## 524419

Morbideath said:


> How could u define "enough" and what's right or wrong? I think it's all related to our device, just to different extent / scopes


Better to not feed wild trolls... guy probably has some unresolved issues, better to just block and forget.


----------



## candlejack

lumdicks said:


> With this standard I think there will be even more people want to mute you indeed.


That might be true, but at least I could take a hint.


----------



## candlejack

Morbideath said:


> How could u define "enough" and what's right or wrong? I think it's all related to our device, just to different extent / scopes


It was just a thought, dude. The significant part of the post was where I was asking you to please share your process regarding the custom firmware.


----------



## candlejack

Diet Kokaine said:


> Better to not feed wild trolls... guy probably has some unresolved issues, better to just block and forget.


I'm not the one going around asking people to mute other people. If you want to mute all opposing ideas and just have a 5-way conversation with your buddies in an echo chamber, you can do us all a favor and just start a PM convo.


----------



## Morbideath

ttt123 said:


> Intermittent connection can be due to oxide build up.   Caig Deoxit is great for that, and I highly recommend it.  Works wonders on old connectors.









Are these u mentioned? Which one should i use? Cheers!


----------



## JML (Mar 31, 2020)

Both are used.  First Deoxit to clean and then Gold to preserve and prevent further oxidation. There are other dispensers: bottles and pens are easy to use.


----------



## ttt123 (Mar 31, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Are these u mentioned? Which one should i use? Cheers!


There are 2 basic ones, D100L Red, and G100L Gold.  They are both used as both a cleaner & protector, with the gold stated as for gold plated connectors.
The red is a more basic general purpose cleaner/protector.  I use either one.  For highly oxidized surfaces, the red is recommended.
I have a bottle of each.

It looks like the red is in short supply, so you may only be able to get the gold, which is fine also.  I got by with just a gold for many years, and there is now still 1/3 left in the bottle.
Edit: Use very sparingly.  A light dab, and rubbed in with a Q-tip or micro fibre cloth, or tissue.  For female jack contacts, a light dab on the male jack, and insert/rotate to apply onto the female jack contact surfaces.

https://www.amazon.com/DeoxIT-G100L-Brush-Applicator-7-4mL/dp/B01FFV8MEO




https://www.amazon.com/CAIG-Laboratories-D100L-2DB-Electric-Cleaner/dp/B0002BBVN2
(274 ratings, 5 star average)


----------



## Morbideath

Thx mates!  Very helpful. 
We have deadstock in Chinese webstores so i can get either easily.


----------



## nc8000

ttt123 said:


> There are 2 basic ones, D100L Red, and G100L Gold.  They are both used as both a cleaner & protector, with the gold stated as for gold plated connectors.
> The red is a more basic general purpose cleaner/protector.  I use either one.  For highly oxidized surfaces, the red is recommended.
> I have a bottle of each.
> 
> ...



I’ve been using both for many years


----------



## aceedburn

There’s just some magical warmth about my stock WM1A on region J with stock 3.02 that just mesmerises me especially with vocal jazz albums. Everything just feels right. Bass digs deep, vocals are full yet airy and highs are silky smooth. Been listening to this for 2 days now after monkeying around with all the different firmwares and regions the past 2-3 weeks. I might change things around again if I feel adventurous but at the moment the above combination is perfect for me. The Walkman now sounds how I like it to sound with my iems and headphones. The synergy is right with my gear and my ears and mind are very happy and that’s what matters at the end of it all. Stay safe folks!


----------



## Queen6

aceedburn said:


> There’s just some magical warmth about my stock WM1A on region J with stock 3.02 that just mesmerises me especially with vocal jazz albums. Everything just feels right. Bass digs deep, vocals are full yet airy and highs are silky smooth. Been listening to this for 2 days now after monkeying around with all the different firmwares and regions the past 2-3 weeks. I might change things around again if I feel adventurous but at the moment the above combination is perfect for me. The Walkman now sounds how I like it to sound with my iems and headphones. The synergy is right with my gear and my ears and mind are very happy and that’s what matters at the end of it all. Stay safe folks!



Feeling the same as keep coming back to 3.02 & J, only I flipped to high gain on both balanced & SE, as to my ears has more punch at same volume levels, could just be in my head mind. 

Q-6


----------



## 515164

Still coming back to the DMP-Z1 1.02 version. The soundstage and details are just amazing!


----------



## aceedburn

Queen6 said:


> Feeling the same as keep coming back to 3.02 & J, only I flipped to high gain on both balanced & SE, as to my ears has more punch at same volume levels, could just be in my head mind.
> 
> Q-6


Just tried high gain and wow. You’re absolutely right brother. Heightened the realism without adding any bulk to the treble which I really like. Dunno why I never thought of using it before. Thanks for the tip. Another thing, do you usually listen with direct sound on or off. And what DSP’s do you use if any. Also if I turned direct sound off and turned off all DSP’s and eq off is it the same as direct on?


----------



## gerelmx1986

morgenstern09 said:


> Still coming back to the DMP-Z1 1.02 version. The soundstage and details are just amazing!


Is the one I'm using


----------



## gerelmx1986

DMP-Z1 1.02


----------



## Queen6

aceedburn said:


> Just tried high gain and wow. You’re absolutely right brother. Heightened the realism without adding any bulk to the treble which I really like. Dunno why I never thought of using it before. Thanks for the tip. Another thing, do you usually listen with direct sound on or off. And what DSP’s do you use if any. Also if I turned direct sound off and turned off all DSP’s and eq off is it the same as direct on?



I kind of sublimely picked it up reading about the Quloos QA361 DAP, as one of the recommendations for multi BA IEM's was to try switching to high current. I just wondered if Sony kicked up the current some on the WM1A with high gain. I don't know if Sony does kick up the current, equally it makes sense in my mind, and the sound signature does change. I also noticed some trade off as the sound stage is a touch narrower to me on high gain. 

DSP as the mood takes me, sometimes it adds and sometimes doesn't. Mostly DC Phase Linearizer Type B Standard or B Low & Vinyl Processor Surface Nose or Standard. I don't bother with the EQ so much. One of the reasons I like the WM1A so much is that you can run high gain & DSP and still have decent battery, or if in need of extended battery life, turn all off.

Q-6


----------



## buzzlulu

Queen6 said:


> Feeling the same as keep coming back to 3.02 & J, only I flipped to high gain on both balanced & SE, as to my ears has more punch at same volume levels, could just be in my head mind.
> 
> Q-6



So you are referring to stock SONY current 3.02 firmware?
The only change is a simple region code?

I have no intention of hardware modifying my 1Z (in Sony I trust) so any of these tier firmwares do not interest me.
If you are saying a simple region change improved things then I might reinstall Parallels on my Mac and give it a try.

My 1Z was bought from Amazon UK and I changed the region to bypass the volume limit.  I do not even remember which region I changed it to.  This was 3 years ago.

Is there a menu which shows the current region?

What percentage degree of improvement did the region change give running Sony stock 3.02


----------



## proedros

buzzlulu said:


> *I have no intention of hardware modifying my 1Z (in Sony I trust) so any of these tier firmwares do not interest me.*
> If you are saying a simple region change improved things then I might reinstall Parallels on my Mac and give it a try.



you don't need to have your 1A/Z modified to enjoy those FWs by @Whitigir and @Morbideath , i use a stock WM1A and have been enjoying them a lot

Changing a region is one step , you also need to try those FWs

cheers


----------



## proedros (Mar 31, 2020)

btw , someone mentioned some ambient albums i have been posting , so i am gonna leave album/discovery of the year

90s psychedelic ambient masterpiece , on good iem/phones this one is a trip

https://www.discogs.com/Älien-Mutation-vs-Îndigo-Egg-Microcosmacrocosm/master/849192?fbclid=IwAR0CjzORjEHmiDDzZJ35UUIlb95dhx5SwTaRGBfFyDED6Mq6OHQawaAQYRk

enjoy


----------



## nc8000

buzzlulu said:


> So you are referring to stock SONY current 3.02 firmware?
> The only change is a simple region code?
> 
> I have no intention of hardware modifying my 1Z (in Sony I trust) so any of these tier firmwares do not interest me.
> ...



You use the rockbox tool that you used to change the region to also shiw your current region, you can’t see it in the gui on the unit. 

You don’t need to have modified hw to try and enjoy the modded fw, just give them a try and see if you can find one you like


----------



## RobertP

DMP-Z1 1.02 is my 3rd choice of the list. For stock DAPs, this fw would be best recommendation.


----------



## Queen6 (Mar 31, 2020)

buzzlulu said:


> So you are referring to stock SONY current 3.02 firmware?
> The only change is a simple region code?
> 
> I have no intention of hardware modifying my 1Z (in Sony I trust) so any of these tier firmwares do not interest me.
> ...



Stock Sony FW, changing regions does effect the sound signature, as too how much I guess depends on the original region, new region and musical tastes. Only way to see the region is to execute a command line code with Rockbox as far as I'm aware.

That said if on J (Japan) or CA (Canada) you will see a wireless certificate presented in settings under others, other regions don't have far as I'm aware. It's not a big difference, however noticeable. There's a lot of posts on the various regions so well worth searching to see the various opinions. Lot seem to prefer J or roll back to it over time. What I'd suggest is to search here and the WM1A/Z Modification thread or DL Rockbock and flip though the regions to hear the differences.

As others stated no need for HW mods for the custom firmware, although higher tiers are designed to work better with modifications from what I've read.

Q-6


----------



## RobertP (Mar 31, 2020)

This is very good recording. Very clear un-colored and quite neutral. Better than some DSD tracks.


----------



## pdL389

RobertP said:


> This is very good recording. Very clear un-colored and quite neutral. Better than some DSD tracks.


I love Римский-Корсаков, and his amazing Шехеризада.


----------



## pdL389

RobertP said:


> DMP-Z1 1.02 is my 3rd choice of the list. For stock DAPs, this fw would be best recommendation.


What is your 1st choice of all, please?


----------



## bana

proedros said:


> btw , someone mentioned some ambient albums i have been posting , so i am gonna leave album/discovery of the year
> 
> 90s psychedelic ambient masterpiece , on good iem/phones this one is a trip
> 
> ...




Thanks for all your suggestions, they are like transcendental meditation sessions.


----------



## proedros

bana said:


> Thanks for all your suggestions, they are like transcendental meditation sessions.



you are welcome , thanx for your kind words glad you get into the same 'space' as i do

Let me know via pm if you want any more feedback or recommendations, this is a genre that i am slowly exploring these last 10 days

But this one , yeah it's a bases-loaded home run , as they say in baseball


----------



## flyer1

For several days I have been back on original 3.0(U/J) with my 1z/ex1000.

 I am starting to believe that while all 'cooked up' fw's are spectacular in one or the other way, on a stock 1Z they deteriorate timbre+tonality to a certain degree. This is something I only noticed after longer listening.

 Might it be that our brain can be tricked into liking the 'spectacular' bit while ignoring the tonality/timbre factor of the new firmwares?


----------



## 524419

flyer1 said:


> For several days I have been back on original 3.0(U/J) with my 1z/ex1000.
> 
> I am starting to believe that while all 'cooked up' fw's are spectacular in one or the other way, on a stock 1Z they deteriorate timbre+tonality to a certain degree. This is something I only noticed after longer listening.
> 
> Might it be that our brain can be tricked into liking the 'spectacular' bit while ignoring the tonality/timbre factor of the new firmwares?


Can you provide examples? Tracks that made you notice this, particular instruments perhaps?


----------



## RobertP (Apr 1, 2020)

pdL389 said:


> What is your 1st choice of all, please?


Solis 3.02J is well rounded overall for my 1Z tier3 hw. Good classical and rock songs will reveal overall strengths and weaknesses of HW and FW.
U1.02 is like extra powder suger on top. It could be too overwhelming sometimes. The U3.01 is somehow it reminded me of Venus t3 a bit. Smooth and beautiful mid. Bass in Ultimate series are powerful strong impacts.


----------



## flyer1 (Apr 1, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> Can you provide examples? Tracks that made you notice this, particular instruments perhaps?



Nothing in particular but present in every song played. Since returning to 3.0 I notice I am now getting back something I missed on the new firmwares. I realize I am a bit vague but tonality and timbre would be the applicable terms to describe this difference between stock and new firmwares. Maybe others here would notice this difference as well and are able to explain it better?


----------



## aceedburn (Apr 1, 2020)

flyer1 said:


> Nothing in particular but present in every song played. Since returning to 3.0 I notice I am now getting back something I missed on the new firmwares. I realize I am a bit vague but tonality and timbre would be the applicable terms to describe this difference between stock and new firmwares. Maybe others here would notice this difference as well and are able to explain it better?


Yes I concur with you. That’s why I went back to stock 3.02. The modded firmwares sound coloured no doubt but they add an artifact or an unnatural overall sound to the player. Too much sound distortion across the frequencies perhaps. I’m not a very technical person but I have very good ears and have been enjoying good audio for at least 3 decades now. The stock 3.02 firmware is perfect in my opinion. And J region sounds the best in terms of timbre, overall tone and balance in sound.


----------



## gerelmx1986

aceedburn said:


> Yes I concur with you. That’s why I went back to stock 3.02. The modded firmwares sound coloured no doubt but they add an artifact or an unnatural overall sound to the player. Too much sound distortion across the frequencies perhaps. I’m not a very technical person but I have very good ears and have been enjoying good audio for at least 3 decades now. The stock 3.02 firmware is perfect in my opinion. And J region sounds the best in terms of timbre, overall tone and balance in sound.


That is why I left solis for 3.02 in favor of DMP-Z1 1.02.

Solis has a weird artifact  in the mid bass, lower mid range. In contrast DMP-Z1 1.02 sound pretty what I like, balanced across the spectrum, big stage without signs of artifacting


----------



## flyer1

gerelmx1986 said:


> That is why I left solis for 3.02 in favor of DMP-Z1 1.02.
> 
> Solis has a weird artifact  in the mid bass, lower mid range. In contrast DMP-Z1 1.02 sound pretty what I like, balanced across the spectrum, big stage without signs of artifacting



I would say what I notice is different than artifacts introduced though I know what you mean. Timbre and tonality are the keywords in my view in what I notice.


----------



## nc8000

I’m still very happy with Solis plus J region on my stock 1Z with IER. I always used to go source direct but with Solis I’m using the vinyl processor as it just adds that final tweak


----------



## 524419

On my setup and based on my preferences I would have to rank the firmware as such..... 
Mars Tier 3
DMP 1.02
Jupiter Tier 3( Best timbre on Drums out of all the firmware, but gives me ear fatigue)
Venus Tier 3
Solis, and 3.02 are non starters for me. 
after all the MODS, my earlier favorite 2.0 is unusable, bass hits way too hard(sounds bloated), and stage is too narrow.
I no longer have a stock 1A to try these firmware on, but if I had to guess, the distortion in the new firmware is the same distortion I was hearing with the OFC copper wires. 
It'll be interesting to see which version I land on after my capacitor swap.


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> I’m still very happy with Solis plus J region on my stock 1Z with IER. I always used to go source direct but with Solis I’m using the vinyl processor as it just adds that final tweak


Based on all the observations here and also my own experience, all the modded firmwares here play very well with either the 1Z or modified 1A units. If you have a stock 1A you get mixed experiences and depends on your iems and headphones as wel. if you ask which is the best mod firmware I like on the stock 1A, the only one that I can recommend is DMP 1.02.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Based on all the observations here and also my own experience, all the modded firmwares here play very well with either the 1Z or modified 1A units. If you have a stock 1A you get mixed experiences and depends on your iems and headphones as wel. if you ask which is the best mod firmware I like on the stock 1A, the only one that I can recommend is DMP 1.02.



DMP 1.02 is my second favourite after Solis


----------



## hireslover

No matter which fw I tried I still see myself going back to stock 3.0 Region U on stock 1Z. I know it has lot of issues in itself but believe it or not the sound is pretty accurate to my ears in my opinion.


----------



## nc8000

hireslover said:


> No matter which fw I tried I still see myself going back to stock 3.0 Region U on stock 1Z. I know it has lot of issues in itself but believe it or not the sound is pretty accurate to my ears in my opinion.



3.0 was a no go for me as it constantly crashed my player, the only crashes I’ve ever experienced in 5 years with 3 different Sony daps


----------



## RobertP (Apr 1, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> On my setup and based on my preferences I would have to rank the firmware as such.....
> Mars Tier 3
> DMP 1.02
> Jupiter Tier 3( Best timbre on Drums out of all the firmware, but gives me ear fatigue)
> ...


My guess that would be the other way around for T3 hardware and higher. But in the end, choose whatever in your cup of tea.

For some reason within solar series, I like Mercury the most. It's the least tuned profile and uncolored. This is the second best.


----------



## candlejack

How are the various DSP settings affecting the sound with the new firmwares? Do you see similar effects as with the stock? For example, is the equalizer working the exact same way as before?


----------



## nc8000

candlejack said:


> How are the various DSP settings affecting the sound with the new firmwares? Do you see similar effects as with the stock? For example, is the equalizer working the exact same way as before?



Everything is working the same way, there are no changes to the functionality, only tuning changes. However many seems to feel that the effect if using some of the dsp features are bigger on the modded fe


----------



## candlejack

nc8000 said:


> Everything is working the same way, there are no changes to the functionality, only tuning changes. However many seems to feel that the effect if using some of the dsp features are bigger on the modded fe


In case I missed it, is there a post describing what exactly are the differences between each firmware version and the stock, I mean it terms of parameter values adjusted, not "how it sounds"?


----------



## nc8000

candlejack said:


> In case I missed it, is there a post describing what exactly are the differences between each firmware version and the stock, I mean it terms of parameter values adjusted, not "how it sounds"?



No, the technical details of these modded fw has never been disclosef


----------



## candlejack

nc8000 said:


> No, the technical details of these modded fw has never been disclosef


Was there a reason given?


----------



## mwhals

candlejack said:


> Was there a reason given?



No reason needed. It was other member's work and they were generous enough to let the rest of us use it.


----------



## nc8000

candlejack said:


> Was there a reason given?



I think it is mainly to keep it under Sony’s radar and avoid drawing unwanted attention to the mods so that Sony might block this in a (possible) future fw release if they don’t like people doing this. Could also be to protect from legal action if Sony were so inclined. The original work was done by Chinese folk outside this forum and Morbideath then brougt them here and made further work with Witigir


----------



## candlejack

nc8000 said:


> I think it is mainly to keep it under Sony’s radar and avoid drawing unwanted attention to the mods so that Sony might block this in a (possible) future fw release if they don’t like people doing this. Could also be to protect from legal action if Sony were so inclined. The original work was done by Chinese folk outside this forum and Morbideath then brougt them here and made further work with Witigir


Thanks for the reply. Would you happen to know if the work of the Chinese guys is documented somewhere online?


----------



## nc8000

candlejack said:


> Thanks for the reply. Would you happen to know if the work of the Chinese guys is documented somewhere online?



I think it is on some Chinese site but I don’t know which or if it is publicly accessible or by invitation only


----------



## NickleCo (Apr 1, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> I think it is mainly to keep it under Sony’s radar and avoid drawing unwanted attention to the mods so that Sony might block this in a (possible) future fw release if they don’t like people doing this. Could also be to protect from legal action if Sony were so inclined. The original work was done by Chinese folk outside this forum and Morbideath then brougt them here and made further work with Witigir


Wholeheartedly agree with you on this nc, learning from the past with the case of Xbox game dev's suing a whole community for modding/hacking. Lets just all keep it under the wraps okay @candlejack ? If you so wanted to prove a point about the fw mods try to do them yourself, don't bother anyone unless you have any good things to report. Or better yet since you have a zx300 kindly take your argument there where you can actually partake and experience it. Also, your argument is half baked. You didn't even try to tinker with your zx300 (it was already stated by one member from this thread that you can actually change regions and experience the differences without a wm1a/z).

p.s. If you still want to argue about it being different devices he used a zx100 an older device to both the zx300 and the wm1 series.


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 1, 2020)

candlejack said:


> Thanks for the reply. Would you happen to know if the work of the Chinese guys is documented somewhere online?


None that i know of. Who would seek trouble for themselves?


----------



## candlejack (Apr 1, 2020)

DatDudeNic said:


> Wholeheartedly agree with you on this nc, learning from the past with the case of Xbox game dev's suing a whole community for modding/hacking. Lets just all keep it under the wraps okay @candlejack ? If you so wanted to prove a point about the fw mods try to do them yourself, don't bother anyone unless you have any good things to report. Or better yet since you have a zx300 kindly take your argument there where you can actually partake and experience it. Also, your argument is half baked. You didn't even try to tinker with your zx300 (it was already stated by one member from this thread that you can actually change regions and experience the differences without a wm1a/z).
> 
> p.s. If you still want to argue about it being different devices he used a zx100 an older device to both the zx300 and the wm1 series.
> 
> another note: Try to do everything/read/gather all the info you can get before raising an argument online mkay?  I can feel that you are just doing this to get the modders here to help you out with your zx300 but since you couldn't get any of them to your side you're just (sorry for the term) shtposting.


Listen, if I wanted to get Sony involved I would just email them. I feel like I've stated my motives multiple times, but people still prefer to invent their own. I work with software. When I hear about a project like this I am immediately interested... not so much in the possible differences in sound, but in the process of reverse engineering the fw and the parameters that were identified as having an effect on sound quality. Also, as I've stated probably 100 times, I can barely notice differences between different sources, I doubt changing the region on my ZX300 will have an effect on me. And even if it did, making me jump out of my seat in excitement, it would still not satisfy my curiosity for how that came to be.

I don't have the time to try to replicate this kind of work. I was/am intrigued by the Rockbox project too, but I can't find the time to look into that either. Then this came up here and I was hoping to pick up some interesting insight.

It's true I have an averse reaction to unproven claims and even more so to people rejecting the need for proof when making a claim, but I'm trying to keep that in check. I raised the issue, the majority was not interested, so I backed off. Fair enough. However, it's important to understand that this feeling manifested itself here so strongly specifically because of the interest I have in the subject.



Morbideath said:


> None that i know of. Who would seek trouble for themselves?


I had a look on the Sony website but saw no license information attached to the firmware update. Is there some license agreement prohibiting the modification and distribution of binary files downloaded from Sony?


----------



## NickleCo (Apr 1, 2020)

candlejack said:


> Listen, if I wanted to get Sony involved I would just email them. I feel like I've stated my motives multiple times, but people still prefer to invent their own. I work with software. When I hear about a project like this I am immediately interested... not so much in the possible differences in sound, but in the process of reverse engineering the fw and the parameters that were identified as having an effect on sound quality. Also, as I've stated probably 100 times, I can barely notice differences between different sources, I doubt changing the region on my ZX300 will have an effect on me. And even if it did, making me jump out of my seat in excitement, it would still not satisfy my curiosity for how that came to be.
> 
> I don't have the time to try to replicate this kind of work.I was/am intrigued by the Rockbox project too, but I can't find the time to look into that either. Then this came up here and I was hoping to pick up some interesting insight.
> 
> It's true I have an averse reaction to unproven claims and even more so to people rejecting the need for proof when making a claim, but I'm trying to keep that in check. I raised the issue, the majority was not interested, so I backed off. Fair enough. However, it's important to understand that this feeling manifested itself here so strongly specifically because of the interest I have in the subject.


Okay, I get on where you're coming from but the way you phrased all of your replies... It's quite aggressive and it might be the reason why people (like me) would find it rude/disrespectful. Now I'm not saying that you shouldn't satisfy your interests but it may be a better idea to not make it as though you're attacking the person. I apologize for what I said earlier but man, try to ask more nicely next time or better yet send a pm to the person you want to have a discussion with.


----------



## nc8000

candlejack said:


> I had a look on the Sony website but saw no license information attached to the firmware update. Is there some license agreement prohibiting the modification and distribution of binary files downloaded from Sony?



I don't know if Sony has any specific disclaimer somewhere but it is normal that software manufacturers have a very grim view on reverse engineering, modyfication and redistribution (even more so if money is made from it which is not the case here). Also to protect their intellectual property if any. To what extent a given manufacturer enforces and pursues this varies a lot


----------



## Quang23693

RobertP said:


> My guess that would be the other way around for T3 hardware and higher. But in the end, choose whatever in your cup of tea.
> 
> For some reason within solar series, I like Mercury the most. It's the least tuned profile and uncolored. This is the second best.


Wao , agree with everything . You have the same flavor as me. 1st is Solis 3.02 , 2nd is Mercury T3 and the last is DMP original . I think so .


----------



## gerelmx1986

I wish some one on this forum could code something like this

foreach (post in Thread.Posts)
{
    If(post.IsBy("CandleJack"))
           post.Mute();
    Else
            post.show();
}
//haha


----------



## Lookout57

From the WM1 Help Guide:

Notes on the software
Copyright laws prohibit the following actions without the permission of the copyright holder.​Reproducing the software or the manual in whole or in part.​​So the software in the player is covered by copyright law.

Here is Sony Electronics EULA https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/4462/44627821M.pdf

Here is the relevant section:

You agree not to modify, reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble the Sony Software in whole or in part or to use the Sony Software in whole or in part for any purpose other than allowed under this EULA.


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 1, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I wish some one on this forum could code something like this
> 
> foreach (post in Thread.Posts)
> {
> ...


Brilliant head-fi mod!


----------



## Lookout57

gerelmx1986 said:


> I wish some one on this forum could code something like this
> 
> foreach (post in Thread.Posts)
> {
> ...


Mouse over or click their name and you'll see an Ignore button. Then you'll never see another post by them.


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 1, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> None that i know of. Who would seek trouble for themselves?


if you are going to right sony please ask them why they havent reply all my e-mails giving feedback about the firmwares ... that I have writen to them a year ago, what im saying they dont have time for this... if they have the time or resources they would have included a moderator a contact and limited the forum and also provide some help to us as users... they have more important thinks to do designing better technology focusing theyr energy into that ...technology wich in fact we all here have come to love so much! so please lets not bash into each other. if anyone has any helpfull ideas they are wellcomed!


----------



## Mindstorms

flyer1 said:


> For several days I have been back on original 3.0(U/J) with my 1z/ex1000.
> 
> I am starting to believe that while all 'cooked up' fw's are spectacular in one or the other way, on a stock 1Z they deteriorate timbre+tonality to a certain degree. This is something I only noticed after longer listening.
> 
> Might it be that our brain can be tricked into liking the 'spectacular' bit while ignoring the tonality/timbre factor of the new firmwares?


Try 3.00 mx3 and also U and also E and also TW they are all awesome


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 1, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> if you are going to right sony please ask them why they havent reply all my e-mails giving feedback about the firmwares ... that I have writen to them a year ago, what im saying they dont have time for this... if they have the time or resources they would have included a moderator a contact and limited the forum and also provide some help to us as users... they have more important thinks to do designing better technology focusing theyr energy into that ...technology wich in fact we all here have come to love so much! so please lets not bash into each other. if anyone has any helpfull ideas they are wellcomed!


As far as i know, some of them were already aware of our deeds. That's why we are diving underground. Legal affairs aside, i fear the upcoming FW upgrades may spoil all the fun if our party goes too loud.
It's nothing wrong to play a safe card. You guys already benefit a lot, my initial good will is now met.


----------



## Mindstorms

well i hope inded they be more customer focus, im really enjoing my 3.00 MX3 couse it pairs really well with my bassy iems (also its the one that camed with my walkman) I wish they could provide some in FW upgrades so we can really chose between each sound we enjoy... then if its not apart of an awesome product to do that leave in peace people than enjoys share their xp with a product...


----------



## Morbideath

Midnstorms said:


> well i hope inded they be more customer focus, im really enjoing my 3.00 MX3 couse it pairs really well with my bassy iems (also its the one that camed with my walkman) *I wish they could provide some in FW upgrades so we can really chose between each sound we enjoy*... then if its not apart of an awesome product to do that leave in peace people than enjoys share their xp with a product...


Forget about that, FWs don't affect sound at all, and you can't roll back FWs as clearly stated by them.


----------



## Queen6

Time to lighten the mood - Kobra and the Lotus




Get over to YouTube and watch Kobra and the Lotus's cover of Black Velvet, will lift the spirits, and then some. Better still the get EP and let her rip   

Q-6


----------



## Morbideath

I'm sorry for always cooling the mood. Time to enjoy music


----------



## candlejack

gerelmx1986 said:


> I wish some one on this forum could code something like this
> 
> foreach (post in Thread.Posts)
> {
> ...


_Et tu, Brute?_


----------



## Queen6

Morbideath said:


> I'm sorry for always cooling the mood. Time to enjoy music



Not so much that, more there's too much contention with really no need IMHO in this case, always the same on forums.  Enjoy the music that's what I'm doing as sleep has long since evaporated no thx to the current situation. 

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

candlejack said:


> _Et tu, Brute?_


Oh, Entschuldigung , ich verstehe kein Französisches Wort


----------



## gerelmx1986

DMP-Z1  1.02 is precise, very clean. Clean cut like a surgeon's scalpel.

Intimate stage gets rendered as is, yet there's is no imaginary border saying "stage ends here"


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 1, 2020)

Following the trend of AOR - Guns N Roses




192/24 It's So Easy, turn around...

Q-6


----------



## pdL389

I love this forum!!


----------



## candlejack

gerelmx1986 said:


> Oh, Entschuldigung , ich verstehe kein Französisches Wort


I guess it could be French too, but in this case it is Latin.


----------



## proedros

stock WM1A uder here, i am *back to 3.02* as i remembered it had a very lean bass - which i did not like with my previous cable - but with the new 1960s cable that beefs up the lows quite a bit it may sound great so let's hear and decide

and here is another great psybient album discovery this month , those of you who like to 'light one up' this should be perfect


----------



## Queen6

Stepping it up - Metallica Garage Inc.



44/16 Good if your into to it, _Turn the Page_ has it...

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Queen6

proedros said:


> stock WM1A uder here, i am *back to 3.02* as i remembered it had a very lean bass - which i did not like with my previous cable - but with the new 1960s cable that beefs up the lows quite a bit it may sound great so let's hear and decide
> 
> and here is another great psybient album discovery this month , those of you who like to 'light one up' this should be perfect




Keep em coming, Ambient is the way in many respects these days to dial down the pressure

Q-6


----------



## candlejack

Queen6 said:


> Stepping it up - Metallica Garage Inc.
> 
> 44/16 Good if your into to it, _Turn the Page_ has it...
> 
> Q-6


Merciful Fate and Astronomy used to be my goto test tracks when I went out to audition stuff. Some of the best recorded, mixed and mastered "loud & busy" songs out there.


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 1, 2020)

candlejack said:


> Merciful Fate and Astronomy used to be my goto test tracks when I went out to audition stuff. Some of the best recorded, mixed and mastered "loud & busy" songs out there.



Just want the music to flow over me, WM1A delivers, as does this album....



96/24 Vinyl, balanced High Gain, DC Phase Lineariser - B Standard, Vinyl Processor - Surface nose

Andromeda your better with the DSP on, Dunu 3001 Pro direct works better IMO. 

Q-6


----------



## Fixxer6671

Has anyone contacted sony about content transfer software for the MAC not working?  I've been trying to get fixed for months without any progress.  

The customer service has been laughable.

Anyone have any connection to SONY or can get this in the right hands?


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 1, 2020)

Fixxer6671 said:


> Has anyone contacted sony about content transfer software for the MAC not working?  I've been trying to get fixed for months without any progress.
> 
> The customer service has been laughable.
> 
> Anyone have any connection to SONY or can get this in the right hands?



Is broken as Apple doesn't remotely prioritise the Mac and Sony is more focused on W10 and or other matters.  Better to DL an older version of OS X and install the OS on an external drive and boot from that. All my Mac's are still on OS X 10.13 with no hurry to advance, with good reason. The W10 systems are all up to date as they don't present any issue.

Believe 10.14 is the last compatible macOS that works with Sony.  Sorry to say welcome to the new Apple. I learnt from a wiser man that staying a year or two behind with OS X releases pays dividends avoiding the drama... 

Q-6


----------



## Mindstorms

Queen6 said:


> Is broken as Apple doesn't remotely prioritise the Mac and Sony is more focused on W10 and or other matters.  Better to DL an older version of OS X and install the OS on an external drive and boot from that. All my Mac's are still on OS X 10.13 with no hurry to advance, with good reason. The W10 systems are all up to date as they don't present any issue.
> 
> Believe 10.14 is the last compatible macOS that works with Sony.  Sorry to say welcome to the new Apple...
> 
> Q-6


Guys you can burrow a PC from a neighbor? or friend


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 1, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> Guys you can burrow a PC from a neighbor? or friend



Not concerned personally as have multiples of both. Region changes and or firmware I opt for Windows 10.  Apple only retains the Mac to prevent outrage, being predominantly a phone & services company focussed only on the $$$$ not the customer.... 

Q-6


----------



## quodjo105

Installing windows 10 on a mac using Bootcamp is so easy and straight forward . I'll recommend it to  any mac user who hasn't tried it yet .


----------



## Mindstorms

quodjo105 said:


> Installing windows 10 on a mac using Bootcamp is so easy and straight forward . I'll recommend it to  any mac user who hasn't tried it yet .


Its really easy even a windows 8 will do and you can have your games there too!


----------



## Lookout57

Queen6 said:


> Is broken as Apple doesn't remotely prioritise the Mac and Sony is more focused on W10 and or other matters.  Better to DL an older version of OS X and install the OS on an external drive and boot from that. All my Mac's are still on OS X 10.13 with no hurry to advance, with good reason. The W10 systems are all up to date as they don't present any issue.
> 
> Believe 10.14 is the last compatible macOS that works with Sony.  Sorry to say welcome to the new Apple. I learnt from a wiser man that staying a year or two behind with OS X releases pays dividends avoiding the drama...
> 
> Q-6


The reason for Sony software not working is Sony ignoring Apple's notice that as of macOS El Capitan (2016) kexts need to be installed into /Library/Extensions. As of macOS Catalina they are enforcing this restriction. 

I'm hoping that Sony decided to not follow this and is rewriting their kext to use the new KPI's instead.


----------



## proedros (Apr 1, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> Just want the music to flow over me, WM1A delivers, as does this album....
> 
> 96/24 Vinyl, balanced High Gain, DC Phase Lineariser - B Standard, Vinyl Processor - Surface nose
> 
> ...



if you like triphop , this one is an underappreciated masterpiece , great female vocals but more spacey vibes i have been playing it since it came out (back in 1996)

*https://www.discogs.com/Hoover-A-New-Stereophonic-Sound-Spectacular/release/127717*




Queen6 said:


> Keep em coming, Ambient is the way in many respects these days to dial down the pressure
> 
> Q-6



ambient is great , it just needs you to be in the correct/patient frame of mind

here is another mellow masterpiece (imo)

ps: pay attention how masterfully/seamlessly they insert the Beatles sample around the 15th minute....


----------



## Damz87

Queen6 said:


> Stepping it up - Metallica Garage Inc.
> 
> 44/16 Good if your into to it, _Turn the Page_ has it...
> 
> Q-6



One of the first cds I ever bought with my own money. Love this album!


----------



## Fixxer6671

Midnstorms said:


> Guys you can burrow a PC from a neighbor? or friend



Or they can support the product they sold.............


----------



## nc8000

Fixxer6671 said:


> Or they can support the product they sold.............



Why do you need software to transfer music, can’t you just drag and drop files to the player like you can on Windows ?


----------



## candlejack (Apr 1, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> One of the first cds I ever bought with my own money. Love this album!


Haha, same here, even though mine was a rip-off. Bought it again, legit, years later. Still have both.






And since we're all sharing our current listening mood (the music video still gets me so nostalgic, but this link has cleaner audio):


----------



## lumdicks

proedros said:


> stock WM1A uder here, i am *back to 3.02* as i remembered it had a very lean bass - which i did not like with my previous cable - but with the new 1960s cable that beefs up the lows quite a bit it may sound great so let's hear and decide
> 
> and here is another great psybient album discovery this month , those of you who like to 'light one up' this should be perfect



You should try Venus of which I found a great synergy with 1960s.


----------



## JML (Apr 1, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Why do you need software to transfer music, can’t you just drag and drop files to the player like you can on Windows ?



The SONY software is totally superfluous for a Mac.  As noted, just drag and drop the music folders/files to one of the two locations on the WM (the MUSIC folders on the player's drive and the card). You can do the same for playlists from iTunes, but use the format M3U8 and edit the file locations with a text editor to conform to the existing playlist syntax.


----------



## Morbideath

I use Synctoy to sync folders between pc and walkman. Very light weight and efficient to sync gygabites of files. Its hard to keep the library organized with drag and drop


----------



## fjbruening

So, 
I wanted to thank several folks on this thread - I've pulled the trigger on a wm1a, and couldn't be happier with it's performance, bank vault like build, and it's UI. Plus it played music for 28 hours before dying. Now that's a battery.

I'm in the process of de-cluttering in preparation of retiring in a few years.  This includes getting rid of old hi-fi equipment, nice but large speakers, a home theatre system, and lots of CD's strewn around the place. What a great excuse to get more stuff - in the spirit of enabling the future removal of stuff - that's the ticket!

My plan was to rip all my CD's onto my laptop, and get a really nice portable rig to play. I decided on the 1A and Solaris. I had the CA Comet's and really liked their sound, and I  picked up some B-stock Solaris. I don't know what makes them B-stock, as I spent several minutes with a magnifying glass trying to find blems - they look flawless.

So, I've put together a nice workflow centered around my mac (redundant HDs), XLD, and brainmuzic picard for tagging, and an aftermarket CD Drive with HW error correct (to enable secure ripping). Evenings are feeding CD's into the box, and catching up on the latest FW releases  

It still blows me away to realize I will hold ALL the music I could possibly want on a little 4 lb laptop, and have incredible sound from something the size of a pack of cigarettes  and these little ear-buds.

I'm working on burning in both the DAP and the IEMs. I also picked up a balanced 4.4mm cable (also CA B-stock) and will eventually play with that, but seriously, how much better can this get?  

I was trying to drive some Senn 660s last night and found they taxed the 1A somewhat, there wasn't a lot of headroom. The Solaris are a different story - i have to keep the volume  under 55 or else it's too loud. Power is not an issue withI'm going to get the prescribed 200 hours burn in, but I'm already wowed with how good this sounds.

I'll keep lurking, but thank you.


----------



## proedros

lumdicks said:


> You should try Venus of which I found a great synergy with 1960s.



which tier would you recommend for a stock WM1A / Zeus XR ?


----------



## lumdicks

proedros said:


> which tier would you recommend for a stock WM1A / Zeus XR ?


You may try Venus 1 first and see whether you like the signature. For stock 1A seems that either Tier 1 or 2 should work fine.


----------



## candlejack (Apr 2, 2020)

fjbruening said:


> So,
> I wanted to thank several folks on this thread - I've pulled the trigger on a wm1a, and couldn't be happier with it's performance, bank vault like build, and it's UI. Plus it played music for 28 hours before dying. Now that's a battery.
> 
> I'm in the process of de-cluttering in preparation of retiring in a few years.  This includes getting rid of old hi-fi equipment, nice but large speakers, a home theatre system, and lots of CD's strewn around the place. What a great excuse to get more stuff - in the spirit of enabling the future removal of stuff - that's the ticket!
> ...


Balanced out is a lot more powerful than SE. Sony claims (and most people agree) that Bal provides higher quality sound, so definitely give it a try. You'll probably not go much higher than 30 on the volume scale though*, so be careful the first time you try it. Oh, and if you think burnin is important, do note that SE and Bal have separate paths and burn in separately.

* I'm not sure about the wm1a but on the zx300 high gain actually has a higher SNR so for the same volume of music, the hissing noise is less audible. To me it actually sounded like the noise floor was the same in both high and low gain for the same volume setting, with the music being obviously louder in high gain. Just something to look out for.


----------



## aceedburn (Apr 2, 2020)

lumdicks said:


> You may try Venus 1 first and see whether you like the signature. For stock 1A seems that either Tier 1 or 2 should work fine.


just tried Venus 1. What would you say is the main difference between the 3 tiers in lay man terms. I already feel a lot of warmth and holographic vocal presence in tier 1 now on my stock 1A. Will I get more warmth or more vocal presence? And what about sub and bass? Thanks for your patience.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> just tried Venus 1. What would you say is the main difference between the 3 tiers in lay man terms. I already feel a lot of warmth and holographic vocal presence in tier 1 now on my stock 1A. Will I get more warmth or more vocal presence? And what about sub and bass? Thanks for your patience.



The higher the tier the higher the demand on the hw so if the hw is not up to it higher tiers may sound worse but if the hw can handle it the higher tier just builds on what the lower tier delivers


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 2, 2020)

Replaced an old Junk record of CPE Bach oboe concertos (Phillip's classics with Heinz Holliger)



With this one from Harmonia Mundi with Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin


----------



## lumdicks

aceedburn said:


> just tried Venus 1. What would you say is the main difference between the 3 tiers in lay man terms. I already feel a lot of warmth and holographic vocal presence in tier 1 now on my stock 1A. Will I get more warmth or more vocal presence? And what about sub and bass? Thanks for your patience.


As explained by @Whitigir, the higher the tier, the sound signature will be more prominent for a particular planet, providing that the hardware can handle it. I am using Venus 3 on my modded 1A and found that it suits my taste, with good vocals but a bit recessed bass. You can switch between different tiers very easily so you are recommended to try them out.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 2, 2020)

fjbruening said:


> So,
> I wanted to thank several folks on this thread - I've pulled the trigger on a wm1a, and couldn't be happier with it's performance, bank vault like build, and it's UI. Plus it played music for 28 hours before dying. Now that's a battery.
> 
> I'm in the process of de-cluttering in preparation of retiring in a few years.  This includes getting rid of old hi-fi equipment, nice but large speakers, a home theatre system, and lots of CD's strewn around the place. What a great excuse to get more stuff - in the spirit of enabling the future removal of stuff - that's the ticket!
> ...



Welcome and congratulations. You should notice some fairly big sound improvements after 200 hours. Sony actually recommends burn-in. You will find the instructions if you go to settings then down to where it says “Guide to High Quality Sound”....there Sony suggests 200 hours burn-in per plug. That’s 200 hours with a 3.5mm IEM then 200 hours with a 4.4mm cable IEM. Most here like 4.4mm as it gets just a smidge better soundstage and imaging.

It’s a great journey as the sound changes with use....enjoy!


----------



## Lookout57

fjbruening said:


> So,
> I wanted to thank several folks on this thread - I've pulled the trigger on a wm1a, and couldn't be happier with it's performance, bank vault like build, and it's UI. Plus it played music for 28 hours before dying. Now that's a battery.
> 
> I'm in the process of de-cluttering in preparation of retiring in a few years.  This includes getting rid of old hi-fi equipment, nice but large speakers, a home theatre system, and lots of CD's strewn around the place. What a great excuse to get more stuff - in the spirit of enabling the future removal of stuff - that's the ticket!
> ...


Which cable did you pick up? 

Of all the CA cables I have I like the SXC-8 balanced or the Gold 16 balanced best with the WM-1A depending on what I want. The SXC-8 best overall sound and the Gold 16 best for soundstage and details with stock 3.02 firmware.


----------



## fjbruening

Lookout57 said:


> Which cable did you pick up?
> 
> Of all the CA cables I have I like the SXC-8 balanced or the Gold 16 balanced best with the WM-1A depending on what I want. The SXC-8 best overall sound and the Gold 16 best for soundstage and details with stock 3.02 firmware.


I picked up the Super Litz 4.4mm, I'm really interested in trying the balanced output on the 1A, but haven't yet. Good to know about the SXC-8 and Gold 16. We'll see how deep down the rabbit hole I go.


----------



## bana

proedros said:


> stock WM1A uder here, i am *back to 3.02* as i remembered it had a very lean bass - which i did not like with my previous cable - but with the new 1960s cable that beefs up the lows quite a bit it may sound great so let's hear and decide
> 
> and here is another great psybient album discovery this month , those of you who like to 'light one up' this should be perfect




You're killing me.


----------



## proedros (Apr 3, 2020)

@Queen6 check out these 2 as well




bana said:


> You're killing me.




Hey @bana  , you may wanna check this one out

For sale , only 7 pounds....


----------



## 524419 (Apr 3, 2020)

RobertP said:


> That's a beautiful thing about DIY. You can fine tune it just the way you like.


I had a 16 gauge copper foil inductor laying around, so took it apart and made XLR cables out of it. It is heads and shoulders above all my Solid copper cables. Resolution is on another level, and sound is effortless, 3 Dimensional.
If you get a chance, try it out. I stuck duct tape on both sides to insulate the foil and rolled it up at the ends to tin it into the connectors.

Give it shot, you will not regret it 

I wonder if I can stick copper foil cables into the 1A...... Time to do so research. something like 20 gauge would be perfect.


----------



## blazinblazin

proedros said:


> stock WM1A uder here, i am *back to 3.02* as i remembered it had a very lean bass - which i did not like with my previous cable - but with the new 1960s cable that beefs up the lows quite a bit it may sound great so let's hear and decide
> 
> and here is another great psybient album discovery this month , those of you who like to 'light one up' this should be perfect



Yup I am still using 3.02 as it has best synergy with my setup.

My favourite region is E2. Provide me with power and concert venue effect with my setup.


----------



## RobertP

Diet Kokaine said:


> I had a 16 gauge copper foil inductor laying around, so took it apart and made XLR cables out of it. It is heads and shoulders above all my Solid copper cables. Resolution is on another level, and sound is effortless, 3 Dimensional.
> If you get a chance, try it out. I stuck duct tape on both sides to insulate the foil and rolled it up at the ends to tin it into the connectors.
> 
> Give it shot, you will not regret it
> ...


Not sure what you did. Any picture?


----------



## 524419 (Apr 3, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Not sure what you did. Any picture?




,

This was my 1st test run, and it works. I'll try to make it look nice on my 2nd go around.


----------



## RobertP

Ah I see, go big or go home hehe. Flat cable design is known to help eliminate bloated bass.


----------



## 524419 (Apr 3, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Ah I see, go big or go home hehe. Flat cable design is known to help eliminate bloated bass.


I also have a 12 gauge inductor on hand, that I was going to return. Would be very interesting to see how the 12 gauge works as speaker cables, and if I can fit it all in, as XLR cables.


----------



## Queen6

proedros said:


> @Queen6 check out these 2 as well
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Nice, have Planetary Unfolding   

Q-6


----------



## Layman1

I recall @Whitigir describing the WM1Z as being 'like a modded WM1A'.

With this in mind, I was wondering which FW you all think might be most suitable for a stock WM1Z, until I have time and money to have the hardware mods done?
It would be a stock WM1Z, and I'd be using a MacBook (Mojave 10.14.5) to install the FW.

From what I've read on here, I remember there was a version of Jupiter that had increased bass.
That's the one I'd ideally like, but which one was it, and would it work with the setup I've described above?

Many thanks


----------



## nc8000

Layman1 said:


> I recall @Whitigir describing the WM1Z as being 'like a modded WM1A'.
> 
> With this in mind, I was wondering which FW you all think might be most suitable for a stock WM1Z, until I have time and money to have the hardware mods done?
> It would be a stock WM1Z, and I'd be using a MacBook (Mojave 10.14.5) to install the FW.
> ...



For me the best fir a stock 1Z is Solis but you really need to try the various fw yourself to find wich suits you


----------



## lumdicks

Layman1 said:


> I recall @Whitigir describing the WM1Z as being 'like a modded WM1A'.
> 
> With this in mind, I was wondering which FW you all think might be most suitable for a stock WM1Z, until I have time and money to have the hardware mods done?
> It would be a stock WM1Z, and I'd be using a MacBook (Mojave 10.14.5) to install the FW.
> ...


I have stock 1Z and using Jupiter 3.01. It is great and you can have a try.
On my modded 1A, I am enjoying much with Venus Tier 3.


----------



## flyer1

Layman1 said:


> I recall @Whitigir describing the WM1Z as being 'like a modded WM1A'.
> 
> With this in mind, I was wondering which FW you all think might be most suitable for a stock WM1Z, until I have time and money to have the hardware mods done?
> It would be a stock WM1Z, and I'd be using a MacBook (Mojave 10.14.5) to install the FW.
> ...



Stock 1Z on stock 3.0. J and CN region


----------



## pdL389

Layman1 said:


> I recall @Whitigir describing the WM1Z as being 'like a modded WM1A'.
> 
> With this in mind, I was wondering which FW you all think might be most suitable for a stock WM1Z, until I have time and money to have the hardware mods done?
> It would be a stock WM1Z, and I'd be using a MacBook (Mojave 10.14.5) to install the FW.
> ...


Jupiter 301


----------



## Mindstorms

flyer1 said:


> Stock 1Z on stock 3.0. J and CN region


Im guessing your iem might be piercing? thats why you dont go MX3 or U? Have you tryed E?


----------



## flyer1 (Apr 3, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> Im guessing your iem might be piercing? thats why you dont go MX3 or U? Have you tryed E?



CN has great synergy with the 1Z/ex1000, my current favourite region 

Tried the others also but CN and J are best for now. On some genres J is slightly too smooth though, CN has all the good stuff from J with higher resolution and better extension on highs. What I really like as well is that gain is not so boosted as on most other regions. All in all CN(3.0) is nicely balanced which goes well with the EX1000/1Z.


----------



## Lookout57

Layman1 said:


> I recall @Whitigir describing the WM1Z as being 'like a modded WM1A'.
> 
> With this in mind, I was wondering which FW you all think might be most suitable for a stock WM1Z, until I have time and money to have the hardware mods done?
> It would be a stock WM1Z, and I'd be using a MacBook (Mojave 10.14.5) to install the FW.
> ...


It depends on what IEM and cable pair you are going to use.

For my stock 1Z  region J using the Campfire Solaris SE with the DHC Clone Silver balanced I was using SolisT5. The DHC Clone Silver extracts every possible detail and has exceptional resolution but it was too much cable.  I found that it was adding too much details (highs) and removed warmth (bass) making the sound too sterile and dry. It also seems to add an odd echo effect to a lot of the vocals. I did find if I switched to the DHC Clone Fusion balanced Solis sounded better. I ended up going back to Jupiter T3 for the Campfire Solaris SE with the DHC Clone Silver balanced and the 1Z.


----------



## Layman1

This is all reminding me; I asked about the best modded FW, but I didn't ask about the region settings!

Is there a region setting that people would consider to be most suitable with WM1Z and Jupiter 3.01?
It's a Japanese Tourist edition WM1Z, if that makes any difference 

Regarding the sound, my goal would pretty much be something like Solis, only with increased sub and mid-bass rumble, warmth and impact, and possibly slightly smoother treble. I'm occasionally a bit treble-sensitive, but it varies from product to product (and song to song), so I won't really know for sure until I hear it


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 3, 2020)

In at the Deep End tonight - _*KoЯn*_




Daddy; dark & deeply emotional, not one to dwell on...

WM1A, Surface Noise, Dunu 3001 Pro

Q-6


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Layman1 said:


> This is all reminding me; I asked about the best modded FW, but I didn't ask about the region settings!
> 
> Is there a region setting that people would consider to be most suitable with WM1Z and Jupiter 3.01?
> It's a Japanese Tourist edition WM1Z, if that makes any difference
> ...


Well I would recommend keeping Solis and using EQ...


----------



## Layman1

Lookout57 said:


> It depends on what IEM and cable pair you are going to use.
> 
> For my stock 1Z  region J using the Campfire Solaris SE with the DHC Clone Silver balanced I was using SolisT5. The DHC Clone Silver extracts every possible detail and has exceptional resolution but it was too much cable.  I found that it was adding too much details (highs) and removed warmth (bass) making the sound too sterile and dry. It also seems to add an odd echo effect to a lot of the vocals. I did find if I switched to the DHC Clone Fusion balanced Solis sounded better. I ended up going back to Jupiter T3 for the Campfire Solaris SE with the DHC Clone Silver balanced and the 1Z.



Yes, I always ask other people this same kind of question when I respond to a request for advice, but somehow I forgot to add it here! 
I added an extra post about the sound signature I am hoping for from the WM1Z (with region/FW mods applied).

Regarding IEMs and cables, here's my existing line-up (brief notes added for anyone not familiar with them):

IEMs:

EE Phantom (rich, warm, very unique tuning, timbre-focused)

EE Nemesis (Dat Bass! Otherwise, fairly neutral with a slight tinge of warmth)

Itsfit Fusion (Hyper-real, vivid, energetic, dynamic)

Stealth Sonics U9 (Neutral reference, with a slight tinge of organic warmth and musicality, endlessly extended treble, crystal clear and very detailed)

Stealth Sonics U4 (terrific note weight and note thickness, warm, rich, effortless natural detail).

At the moment, the Stealth Sonics U4 and the EE Nemesis are probably getting around 90% of my listening time.

Cables:

I have an Ares II 8-wire cable (good low end impact and rumble, increase in soundstage and separation, a slight shift in the tuning of the mids - still figuring this out!)

A thicker gauge Ares II+ cable (optimised for low-end power and impact, but doesn't do a great deal for mids and treble)

A regular Ares II cable

And the excellent Eletech Prudence SPC cable (increases soundstage, separation and detail, slightly tames excess energy, adds air and a faint touch of warmth).

Right now, I'm experimenting between the two Ares II cables on my Nemesis and Phantom.
The Eletech Prudence is doing wonders for both my Itsfit Fusion and my Stealth Sonics U9, so it will be used with one of those.

The U4, I haven't yet found a cable that can add an increase in soundstage and separation, but without affecting the unique and wonderful tuning that makes it so addictive to me. I've been recommended EA's Lionheart cable, so that may be something I look into in the coming months.


----------



## nc8000

Layman1 said:


> This is all reminding me; I asked about the best modded FW, but I didn't ask about the region settings!
> 
> Is there a region setting that people would consider to be most suitable with WM1Z and Jupiter 3.01?
> It's a Japanese Tourist edition WM1Z, if that makes any difference
> ...



They are all tuned using J so that’s probably a good starting point


----------



## aceedburn

Layman1 said:


> This is all reminding me; I asked about the best modded FW, but I didn't ask about the region settings!
> 
> Is there a region setting that people would consider to be most suitable with WM1Z and Jupiter 3.01?
> It's a Japanese Tourist edition WM1Z, if that makes any difference
> ...


I played around with almost all regions and modded firmwares. I too like that super deep sub bass impact with full mids and smooth treble. Never cared for that ultra high resolution which probably gives more detail but I I don’t enjoy the piercing sound it gives. Music is meant to be enjoyed and not analysed. I repeatedly stress this. So warmth and superb sub bass with full and clear mids and silky smooth highs. I don’t like lean and thin sound. So I found my ideal signature and this is what I’m experiencing now after all the experimenting. I’m using 3.02 with Venus T1 on J region. This gives me the sound I described above on all my iems and headphones. Stock 1A.


----------



## Queen6

Lifting my mood Kate Bush - The Kick Inside



Albums as good as it was when first released...

Q-6


----------



## proedros

Queen6 said:


> Nice, have Planetary Unfolding
> 
> Q-6



excellent 

here's another new discovery , @bana may like it too


----------



## Queen6

aceedburn said:


> I played around with almost all regions and modded firmwares. I too like that super deep sub bass impact with full mids and smooth treble. Never cared for that ultra high resolution which probably gives more detail but I I don’t enjoy the piercing sound it gives. Music is meant to be enjoyed and not analysed. I repeatedly stress this. So warmth and superb sub bass with full and clear mids and silky smooth highs. I don’t like lean and thin sound. So I found my ideal signature and this is what I’m experiencing now after all the experimenting. I’m using 3.02 with Venus T1 on J region. This gives me the sound I described above on all my iems and headphones. Stock 1A.



Very much agree music is for enjoyment, best to not fall into the trap of over analysing.  Regions; CN presents a very high resolution, can be little piercing with some IEM's and I feel the bass is also tapered off a little. E is very V shaped, again can be harsh in the treble, little hollow. CA is big & bouncy, great bass, however the boosted midbass tends to spill over. J feels more balanced, yet still resolves nicely, some may find it a little dense.

Region J hasn't given me any reason to flip as yet with stock 3.0.2. It's not that I don't think the sound signature cant be improved, by another region, stock FW or custom firmware, more I have no urgency to do so. Recently listened to first live group in 3 months

I learnt a long time back your gear can approximate, however never replicate...

Bad Wolves - I'll Be there




WM1A - Direct - Dunu 3001 Pro, bass is very forward in this track, equally the WM1A still resolves the cymbal crashes etc. nicely

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 3, 2020)

proedros said:


> excellent
> 
> here's another new discovery , @bana may like it too




Thx man, will be hitting that one up a little later, gonna burn out all the rage first.  Who to blame, this is how nature works, just maybe we should have a little more humility and stop going against the flow...

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

You people screwed everything up I cant believe this. Keep acting like nothing happened. 

I dont have joy that I had with this thread before. 

It turned from the best into the worse hypocritical crap


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 3, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> You people screwed everything up I cant believe this. Keep acting like nothing happened.
> 
> I dont have joy that I had with this thread before.
> 
> It turned from the best into the worse hypocritical crap



Personally I only saw predominantly positive response to the Custom firmware's, including myself. If you put yourself on a public platform, you must expect both positive and negative criticism. How one deals with that is entirely another matter. PM the contributors, if like minded I see no reason why they won't share, as ultimately that was their intention from the onset...

As for "you people" welcome to the internet most simply ignore nor take to heart.

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

Queen6 said:


> Personally I only saw predominantly positive response to the Custom firmware's, including myself. If you put yourself on a public platform, you must expect both positive and negative criticism. How one deals with that is entirely another matter. PM the contributors, if like minded I see no reason why they won't share, as ultimately that was their intention from the onset...
> 
> Q-6




You know exactly what I ment, this is not a question of choice of the moder who shared all this beauty of custom fw within this thread. More of how he got kicked out and disrespected and very few only have responded when this happen.

This just means theres no real point even sharing anything here as a result will be probably same once again. People are to selfish and ignorant, so just enjoy your stock 1a/1z no more ability for you to have further more improved fw neither mods!


I know @Whitigir  for a few years now and he is one of the biggest contributes that do this, share with many others about hes discoveries and new ways how to improve your music pleasure. He not only been doing this for 1z thread. So far all he have done was very good and highly valuable, he should be thanked by many for what he have shared!
He not only good with physical mods but also whit many more stuff related to audio!

Anyways, you guys enjoy your bully thing and stay with your stock fw and gears as all custom stuff are only for advanced users!



@Queen6


----------



## nc8000 (Apr 3, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> You know exactly what I ment, this is not a question of choice of the moder who shared all this beauty of custom fw within this thread. More of how he got kicked out and disrespected and very few only have responded when this happen.
> 
> This just means theres no real point even sharing anything here as a result will be probably same once again. People are to selfish and ignorant, so just enjoy your stock 1a/1z no more ability for you to have further more improved fw neither mods!
> 
> ...



I think you are being way too generalizing here in painting everybody as vilains. The vast majority of feedback to the modded fw has been one of gratitute and respect for the work done


----------



## bana

proedros said:


> @Queen6 check out these 2 as well
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I just received Planetary Unfolding. 
Going to get the Shpongle now. Thanks man, keep them coming. I never had these in my music genre before.
Stay safe.


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 3, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> You know exactly what I ment, this is not a question of choice of the moder who shared all this beauty of custom fw within this thread. More of how he got kicked out and disrespected and very few only have responded when this happen.
> 
> This just means theres no real point even sharing anything here as a result will be probably same once again. People are to selfish and ignorant, so just enjoy your stock 1a/1z no more ability for you to have further more improved fw neither mods!
> 
> ...



No one got kicked out, nor was anyone demanded to do so, or denigrated very much the opposite; if one makes a specific thread for hardware mod's it makes sense for all post's related to hardware modifications to be in that repository, equally if that doesn't work fine post in the general WM1A/Z thread. Suggestions, demands and bullying are very different matters.

TBH is like walking on glass here; cant comment unless you agree with a select few. I thought we'd all have some commonality here with WM1A/Z, enjoying music, guess I was way wrong...

TLDR Simply no need for any of this angst...

Q-6


----------



## 515164 (Apr 3, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> You people screwed everything up I cant believe this. Keep acting like nothing happened.
> 
> I dont have joy that I had with this thread before.
> 
> It turned from the best into the worse hypocritical crap



Who are you talking about, mate? Please don't just throw words like that.

Also, what are you talking about?

"People are to selfish and ignorant, so just enjoy your stock 1a/1z no more ability for you to have further more improved fw neither mods!" - this just sounds like someone who made something, shared it, probably didn't receive the attention that he expected, and now he's mad. Just saying how this sounds.

I encourage anyone who wants to try one of the mods done by people on this forum (and not only), to leave a post here. Someone might help.


----------



## proedros (Apr 3, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> Thx man, will be hitting that one up a little later, gonna burn out all the rage first.  Who to blame, this is how nature works, just maybe we should have a little more humility and stop going against the flow...
> 
> Q-6




yeah , i switch to music genres depending on my mood - ambient is great but as a balancing/chillout tool , you can't hear ambient 24/7 especially now and when everything outside is so quiet and still

currently playing this , some nice 80s disco/groove

so much great stuff coming out between 75-83 especially from 'black' america back then....

https://www.discogs.com/Micky-Milan-Cest-Une-Bombe/release/2311667


----------



## gearofwar

I have been traveling in solar system for a while now, considering the state of this thread i guess i won’t be back to earth for a while. You can’t have the best of everything people...so appreciate every little bit of here and there now


----------



## 515164

gearofwar said:


> I have been traveling in solar system for a while now, considering the state of this thread i guess i won’t be back to earth for a while. You can’t have the best of everything people...so appreciate every little bit of here and there now



There has to be some drama everywhere. Will kind of do the same for a while. Take care everyone.


----------



## proedros

bana said:


> *I just received Planetary Unfolding.*
> Going to get the Shpongle now. Thanks man, keep them coming. I never had these in my music genre before.
> Stay safe.



Planetary is a sonic trip , headphones/iems make the experience very trippy (but it should also sound fantastic on some nice speakers)

here is one more i discovered in my 'Psybient Quarantine' days


----------



## ehaldin

I went along on all the planetary sojourns and kept silent for a long time, but ultimately I find myself glued to Solis 3.02 / 1Z-J-Region (spacecraft/vessel: FAW MKII Noir cable and 2016 Audeze LCD-XC). Its resolution and openness are exactly what I was missing on the 1Z before and it doesn't feel "swaged" on the 1Z like some earlier DMP-Z1 forks did to my ears.

*Big cordial Thank You to morbideath and Whitigir *for all your skill and patience*.* This was really like unwrapping a series of unexpected Christmas gifts. I'm sure most people who listened to the FWs share the sentiment*!*

Solis 3.02 with sound pressure turned on also remedies some of the missing power for the XC... it's actually the only major deficit that still exists (I believe the XC has a minimum recommendation of 1W, not 250mW).

One day I'll have to empty my wallet for the K Mod as I can grasp better now what kind of assets this player can still yield. Can anyone elaborate on the sound difference between the 8, 10 and 16-wire version? I read that any K Mod preserves the 1Z signature but at the cost of a bit of warmth. Is it on a par with something like turning the Vinyl Processor on/off? Do vocals sound more/less/equally natural? Do notes become thicker or leaner?
I experimented with copper/silver hybrids when choosing the FAW cable. I found that I'm all for copper... so I don't see a need to peer beyond the PW1960s cables given choices of hardware mods...


----------



## hshock76

The higher the wire count, the better the resolution. I am currently running both 24-wire (prototype mod which MS no longer offers) K-mod 1Z and a stock 1Z.

The main thing that jumps at you between the modded and stock player is resolution and clarity; other improvements include improved depth (I love the depth), sound stage (still not the widest but has a good natural width), layering, imaging, more sub-bass and a darker background. I can understand why pple say its less warmth; I believe the much higher resolution and clarity gives pple the impression of neutral or reference sounding. The modded 1Z is still obviously warmer than my DX228-EX and Kann Cube and notes being thicker sounding. Vocals sound better with higher resolution vs the stock player. But I must say it took me a bit of time to get used to the resolution as I found it too sharp during the first couple of sessions. However, I can't do without it now. The modded player scales very well with Solis and you get a 3D holographic sound stage. I am running my modded Z with IER-Z1R and Horus.

In case someone asks whether I have in any way measured the improvements I stated above, I will have to politely say no; I did not. What I have stated above is purely based on what I hear going between both modded and stock player. Similarly, I do not need a ruler to tell the difference between 1m and 1.5m. I may not be able to estimate the absolute length accurately but can certainly tell that there is a difference.

You can't go wrong with the K-Mod and another option is the mod offered by Romi Audio from Honkong. Hope this helps.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

hshock76 said:


> The higher the wire count, the better the resolution. I am currently running both 24-wire (prototype mod which MS no longer offers) K-mod 1Z and a stock 1Z.
> 
> The main thing that jumps at you between the modded and stock player is resolution and clarity; other improvements include improved depth (I love the depth), sound stage (still not the widest but has a good natural width), layering, imaging, more sub-bass and a darker background. I can understand why pple say its less warmth; I believe the much higher resolution and clarity gives pple the impression of neutral or reference sounding. The modded 1Z is still obviously warmer than my DX228-EX and Kann Cube and notes being thicker sounding. Vocals sound better with higher resolution vs the stock player. But I must say it took me a bit of time to get used to the resolution as I found it too sharp during the first couple of sessions. However, I can't do without it now. The modded player scales very well with Solis and you get a 3D holographic sound stage. I am running my modded Z with IER-Z1R and Horus.
> 
> ...


Romi Audio mod seems interesting since it used Blackgates. I wonder how it sounds.


----------



## hshock76

I  believe we have some members in the midst of engaging Romi to carry out the Blackgate mods on their players. From what I read in earlier posts, Romi's mod achieves an SQ similar to LP vinyl. I am not familiar with vinyl so I not sure how that would sound but from google search, it seems to suggest an analog and warm sounding signature. MS K-Mod sounds very similar to stock 1Z signature but with everything tuned up a couple of notches.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Well, never hear LP vinyl; but if the description is analog and warm sounding signature, isn't that how the original stock WM1Z sounds?
Then, how does Romi Audio mod improve on the sound quality; more clarity and resolution? But wouldn't that made it less warm and so on?


----------



## gerelmx1986

In diesen Coronavirus Zeiten. Soothing piano Music.


----------



## aceedburn

Lyn Stanley on a nice cool evening. WM1A- Venus T1-FH1S. Bliss


----------



## lumdicks

aceedburn said:


> Lyn Stanley on a nice cool evening. WM1A- Venus T1-FH1S. Bliss


This one is also my favourite!


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 4, 2020)

proedros said:


> yeah , i switch to music genres depending on my mood - ambient is great but as a balancing/chillout tool , you can't hear ambient 24/7 especially now and when everything outside is so quiet and still
> 
> currently playing this , some nice 80s disco/groove
> 
> ...




90's with The Prodigy this afternoon, will see how the evening pans out, btw. really digging Nothing Lasts... But Nothing Is Lost



Q-6


----------



## Queen6

bana said:


> I just received Planetary Unfolding.
> Going to get the Shpongle now. Thanks man, keep them coming. I never had these in my music genre before.
> Stay safe.



Both superb albums, some great recommendations here 

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Apr 4, 2020)

hshock76 said:


> I  believe we have some members in the midst of engaging Romi to carry out the Blackgate mods on their players. From what I read in earlier posts, Romi's mod achieves an SQ similar to LP vinyl. I am not familiar with vinyl so I not sure how that would sound but from google search, it seems to suggest an analog and warm sounding signature. MS K-Mod sounds very similar to stock 1Z signature but with everything tuned up a couple of notches.




Very little information exist on Romi Audio, I spent days in contact with him and I can tell its a far superior mod over MS as it transforms your 1z into a beast ! 18 black gate caps and hes special sensation purest silver cable with a copper shielding, changed battery wires to occ litz copper and add modified fw. You got a most unique 1z ever you can have.

just to say the caps are twice the size of sony caps and need 400 hours of burn in, it will of course sound more cleaner then stock 1z in timbral aspect as I feel it will be extremely detailed and high resolution with natural feel to the sound, rather being super thick and coloring....Bass should hit deep but I dont know yet how deep. I can say new zx507 hits deeper then wm1z but not as wide and airy...
Blackgate caps are among the worlds best caps even to date, nothing reaches its quality in sound quality performance...


I thank @Whitigir  to let me discover this mod ! It is hes work and try and errors that brought me to this conclusion!


----------



## candlejack

...


Vitaly2017 said:


> Very little information exist on Romi Audio, I spent days in contact with him and I can tell its a far superior mod over MS as it transforms your 1z into a beast ! 18 black gate caps and hes special sensation purest silver cable with a copper shielding, changed battery wires to occ litz copper and add modified fw. You got a most unique 1z ever you can have.
> 
> just to say the caps are twice the size of sony caps and need 400 hours of burn in, it will of course sound more cleaner then stock 1z in timbral aspect as I feel it will be extremely detailed and high resolution with natural feel to the sound, rather being super thick and coloring....Bass should hit deep but I dont know yet how deep. I can say new zx507 hits deeper then wm1z but not as wide and airy...
> Blackgate caps are among the worlds best caps even to date, nothing reaches its quality in sound quality performance...
> ...


Thanks for sharing. Since you already spent so much time looking into the subject and talking directly with the mod implementer, maybe you could help correct the situation and expand the knowledge about Romi Audio. Specifically with regards to the wm1z, what exactly is the problem with the original components and how does the mod fix this problem?


----------



## captblaze

candlejack said:


> ...
> 
> Thanks for sharing. Since you already spent so much time looking into the subject and talking directly with the mod implementer, maybe you could help correct the situation and expand the knowledge about Romi Audio. Specifically with regards to the wm1z, what exactly is the problem with the original components and how does the mod fix this problem?



don’t think of it as fixing a problem, but rather is like adding headers and a turbo charger


----------



## Queen6

captblaze said:


> don’t think of it as fixing a problem, but rather is like adding headers and a turbo charger




Very difficult to know, without doing A to B comparisons. I did try to source a used WM1A from a guy locally as he admittedly no longer uses the DAP as he inadvertently dropped it without any case resulting in one of the corners being heavily modified, however we couldn't come to an agreement on price. Seemed better path than having at with a unit still under warrantee.

The Mod's are genuinely interesting, nor excessively complex. What I think personally is that everything matters, from the mastering of the track, to the IEM/headphones. The bigger question is by how much? The word being _incremental _as by adding up the difference will be far more, equally some trial and error is also factor as is the tastes of the listener.

Q-6


----------



## proedros

Queen6 said:


> Both superb albums, some great recommendations here
> 
> Q-6




here is another one that's been blowing my mind those last few days , brilliant stuff 

@bana @Vitaly2017  you need to check this out


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 4, 2020)

proedros said:


> here is another one that's been blowing my mind those last few days , brilliant stuff
> 
> @bana @Vitaly2017  you need to check this out




Thx man, will be looking that one up real soon. Right now on the oddball Acmee MF-01 DAP, Enigma MCMXC a.D with AKG N40's for no other reason than why not; Turn off the light, take a deep breath, and relax.. This album has and always will take me to a better place...



Just something about this album...

Buckled, flipped to the WM1A & Andromeda Final Audio E tips, High Gain, DC Phase B standard, Vinyl Processor Surface Noise _Principles of Lust_ - 44/1/16 on Wav it's right there...

Has to be said for the $80 less I paid for the Acmee MF-01 it's a steal, far from reference with specific requirement's for the file structure, but what a sound signature, absolutely fun, engaging, warm and lush.

Q-6


----------



## proedros

@captblaze  hope you are blazing it , here is one more new psybient discovery


----------



## 515164

Queen6 said:


> Thx man, will be looking that one up real soon. Right now on the oddball Acmee MF-01 DAP, Enigma MCMXC a.D with AKG N40's for no other reason than why not; Turn off the light, take a deep breath, and relax.. This album has and always will take me to a better place...
> 
> Just something about this album...
> 
> ...



Did you have the chance to try it in DSD?


----------



## Queen6

morgenstern09 said:


> Did you have the chance to try it in DSD?



No as mine is Wav, guess could convert, album is pushing 1GB so should be reasonable.

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## gerelmx1986

I think sony is the best in hardware and software usability in a DAP


----------



## captblaze

proedros said:


> @captblaze  hope you are blazing it , here is one more new psybient discovery




isn't that what life is all about? Spent a few hours in the garden yesterday and managed to get the entire Led Zeppelin 4 disc box set down by the time i was finished. The WM-1A has been a battery life wonder and is always with me when i have a few hours work to handle


----------



## Blueoris

hamhamhamsta said:


> Well, never hear LP vinyl; but if the description is analog and warm sounding signature, isn't that how the original stock WM1Z sounds?
> Then, how does Romi Audio mod improve on the sound quality; more clarity and resolution? But wouldn't that made it less warm and so on?



Yep, that's why some folks with DAPs in Tier 3 4, 5 etc need to pair those devices with warmer cables / headphones. Counter-intuitive? Maybe, maybe not.

Personally, I think  the concept that a given mod Tier will position your DAC in a vertical scale of sound quality is incorrect. Instead, I see them as horizontally arranged categories. An analogy would be to see mods like different buckets of ice cream flavors. Some mods will suit people that like caramel, others  will suit  vanilla lovers and other lemon or citric ice cream fans etc. But again, that's just my thoughts which are different to what most of the people in this forum will say.


----------



## 524419

candlejack said:


> ...
> 
> Thanks for sharing. Since you already spent so much time looking into the subject and talking directly with the mod implementer, maybe you could help correct the situation and expand the knowledge about Romi Audio. Specifically with regards to the wm1z, what exactly is the problem with the original components and how does the mod fix this problem?


I know we are all under quarantine and bored, but can you do us all a favor and migrate over to the zx300 thread. You don't own a 1A or a 1Z, and you have never heard the new firmware or any of the modded players. Your input is pretty much useless and not appreciated by quite a few people on here.
I know you have a certain point of view on all things audio related, but this is kind of getting out of hand.


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 5, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think sony is the best in hardware and software usability in a DAP



Love the WM1A/Z & ZX300 user interface and sound signature. I have a FiiO M11 Pro and it's an excellent DAP, however I will generally always pick one of the Sony's as they have a certain intangible magic. For music discovery I have a Huawei Sound X with over a million 24 bit tracks free, I find something I like on the smart speaker I'll pick it up and load on the Dap's

Q-6


----------



## Damz87

Diet Kokaine said:


> I know we are all under quarantine and bored, but can you do us all a favor and migrate over to the zx300 thread. You don't own a 1A or a 1Z, and you have never heard the new firmware or any of the modded players. Your input is pretty much useless and not appreciated by quite a few people on here.
> I know you have a certain point of view on all things audio related, but this is kind of getting out of hand.



It’s a valid question, and relates to the WM1Z. I’m also curious to know more about the mod improvements, as I too am looking into modding my 1Z. So any extra info that @Vitaly2017 can share would be appreciated.


----------



## hshock76

Comparing the details of Romi and MS mods, the main difference is the type of wire used (Sliver vs 1960s Copper) and the addition of the Blackgate Cap prob explains the price difference between the MS Ultimate and Romi V4 Mod > ~SGD1600 vs ~USD1550 (take note of the currency)

I went with the MS Mod as there was an actual unit I could test and their strategy was not to change the fundamentals of the stock setup but replacing them with better quality parts; i.e. kimber Copper to 1960s Copper wires. I did inquire about using Gold Plated Silver wires and the feedback I got was than GPS wire will give a richer sound while 1960s elevates Sony's signature as opposed to changing the sound. I guess Romi's use of their Sensation Silver wire achieves the effect of a richer sounding LP-Vinyl quality SQ while achieving a higher resolution and the blackgate caps add to that and a much darker blackground.

Below are the details I got from MS when I asked more details on their mod. I believe I posted this previously:

1. Sound scales up with an increase in the no. of wires
2. The 1960s mod has the general characteristics of having a much darker background, deeper and more resolving bass response with improvements to resolution and sound stage
3. The tantalum capacitor added contribute to the black background and bass depth

I do not think that there is a better or worst mod; it all depends on personal needs and preferences since everyone hears things differently and how far you wanna go. I have thought of sending my stock 1Z to Romi for the V4 mod so that I could do an A/B with my K-Mod player but will prob hold back till the Virus situation improves. Can't convince myself to spend unnecessarily at this point of time. What I absolutely love about the K-Mod player is how real and natural the music feels with the modified Tier 6-7 FWs. Doesn't get better than this when I feel that the singer is just right in front of me performing...


----------



## 524419 (Apr 4, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> It’s a valid question, and relates to the WM1Z. I’m also curious to know more about the mod improvements, as I too am looking into modding my 1Z. So any extra info that @Vitaly2017 can share would be appreciated.


It's not a valid question as he is asking it. He is coming to this discussion with a made up mind, and is seeking to discredit everyone that has modded their players.
Go back and read what he actually said.
The person that is the most qualified to answer your questions has been run off because of his incessant trolling.
@Whitigir , the biggest contributor towards the 1A and 1Z, has been run off this thread by a guy who doesn't even own the players in question, doesn't plan on owning them and is now posting non stop because he can't help it.


----------



## Damz87

Oh, it seems I’ve put my foot it in. My bad. Well, I like all three of those guys and have pleasant interactions with all of them on multiple threads and in PM. I’ll just ask my own questions privately  carry on!


----------



## lumdicks

Damz87 said:


> It’s a valid question, and relates to the WM1Z. I’m also curious to know more about the mod improvements, as I too am looking into modding my 1Z. So any extra info that @Vitaly2017 can share would be appreciated.


So why didn't he ask Romi or MS directly for what he wants to know, but keep on asking others aggressively here?
With his standard, he should ask in the Modded 1A/1Z thread instead. "If enough wants to mute him, he is at the wrong place". What he said indeed should be applied to himself.


----------



## Damz87

lumdicks said:


> So why didn't he ask Romi or MS directly for what he wants to know, but keep on asking others aggressively here?
> With his standard, he should ask in the Modded 1A/1Z thread instead. "If enough wants to mute him, he is at the wrong place". What he said indeed should be applied to himself.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Nothing much I can add for now my 1z is in china already probably as tracking info dont update during week ends....


I still believe romi audi is the most purist approach to sound and MS mode is like 1z on mega warmth and resolution steroids.

For me I got enough bass from pw1960 4wires and I find I need to put more control on it. Dont forget I got something that no one has is a fourte noir on steroids to!

I dont even know how blackgate caps sound, I can only imagine that they are better for now.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Start of the day with CPE Bach keyboard concertos vol. 1 from BIS. Nice swedish label with great quality even for CDs


----------



## candlejack

Diet Kokaine said:


> You don't own a 1A or a 1Z, and you have never heard the new firmware or any of the modded players.


Indeed and that's precisely why I ask questions instead of giving impressions.


Diet Kokaine said:


> I know we are all under quarantine and bored, but can you do us all a favor and migrate over to the zx300 thread. Your input is pretty much useless and not appreciated by quite a few people on here. I know you have a certain point of view on all things audio related, but this is kind of getting out of hand.


As long as my posts are civil and on-topic, I'm afraid you'll just have to live with me.


----------



## candlejack

Diet Kokaine said:


> The person that is the most qualified to answer your questions has been run off because of his incessant trolling.
> @Whitigir , the biggest contributor towards the 1A and 1Z, has been run off this thread by a guy who doesn't even own the players in question, doesn't plan on owning them and is now posting non stop because he can't help it.


Dude, please, you give me too much credit. The guy left because he had an emotional breakdown when one of his fans suggested that in-depth soldering discussions would be better had in a dedicated thread, so that people who are interested could more easily find them. 
Besides, he muted me (and asked his followers to do the same) as soon as I questioned his claims and reasoning and asked for some proof. So how could I have driven him off if he couldn't even see what I wrote?


----------



## nc8000 (Apr 5, 2020)

candlejack said:


> Dude, please, you give me too much credit. The guy left because he had an emotional breakdown when one of his fans suggested that in-depth soldering discussions would be better had in a dedicated thread, so that people who are interested could more easily find them.
> Besides, he muted me (and asked his followers to do the same) as soon as I questioned his claims and reasoning and asked for some proof. So how could I have driven him off if he couldn't even see what I wrote?



I have several times had you on ignore as I do find that your tone and attitude quiet frequently is very aggressive, bordering offensive and conflict seeking. 

On the other hand you also frequently write things and post opinions that I find interesting and thought provoking which is why I’ve always removed you from the ignore list again. 

Not easy


----------



## candlejack

nc8000 said:


> I have several times had you on ignore as I do find that your tone and attitude quiet frequently is very aggressive, bordering offensive and conflict seeking.
> 
> On the other hand you also frequently write things and post opinions that I find interesting and thought provoking which is why I’ve always removed you from the ignore list again.
> 
> Not easy


I remember you once reported a post in which I jokingly called you a "newbie". I certainly would not have been offended by that, but people's sensibilities differ I guess. I'm glad you could find some redeeming qualities in me to compensate for the stuff you don't like.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Finished programming some personal stuff. Coded a Roman numerals converter, done the right way, was not easy, but music helps ease stress. Not easy because most programmers use the intermediate helping like IV, IX, XC, CM etc, I did it without hard-coding these


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Finished programming some personal stuff. Coded a Roman numerals converter, done the right way, was not easy, but music helps ease stress. Not easy because most programmers use the intermediate helping like IV, IX, XC, CM etc, I did it without hard-coding these



Then for an encore you can code a solution to the 8 queen problem (how many ways can you place 8 queens on a chess board so they can’t hit each other according to their rules of movement)


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hi everyone,  I still love this thread its hard to not come and take a quick look at what's going on new.
But I am still deeply disappointed on hiw things turned at end.


I recently made a big move and left streaming to local library! 
It was very hard took me 3 days none stop work to retrieve all my favorite albums and artists.  I spent 1600$ and I pretty much now have everything I collected over 4 years in spotify! 
Yes I am totally a free audiophile now!

More goodness to this is that I got it all ib wav format and maximum resolution when offered from artist! 
Most is 16/44.1 I do have a lot of 24/96 to!
And my first ever dsd purchase was the thriller from Michael Jackson!  Dsd 2.8 I think 


Now I got ONE HUGE  problem. 
I have no albums art WHY????

Can someone help please.
I dont have my wm1z right now I am on zx507.


----------



## 515164

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hi everyone,  I still love this thread its hard to not come and take a quick look at what's going on new.
> But I am still deeply disappointed on hiw things turned at end.
> 
> 
> ...



I think that the image itself has to be JPEG baseline and not JPEG progressive.

Try taking on the album covers, open it in Paint, and then save it and reattach it to the song. It should show up correctly on your DAP.

I think someone mentioned that album covers from Amazon, for example, are JPEG baseline, so you could download it from there instead of doing the Paint thing.


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 5, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hi everyone,  I still love this thread its hard to not come and take a quick look at what's going on new.
> But I am still deeply disappointed on hiw things turned at end.
> 
> 
> ...



Wav file format is not capable of embedding Album Art, other file types might be related as per above as the Sony players are a little picky. Best place I've found for album art, always worked for me.

https://bendodson.com/projects/itunes-artwork-finder/

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Apr 5, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> I think that the image itself has to be JPEG baseline and not JPEG progressive.
> 
> Try taking on the album covers, open it in Paint, and then save it and reattach it to the song. It should show up correctly on your DAP.
> 
> I think someone mentioned that album covers from Amazon, for example, are JPEG baseline, so you could download it from there instead of doing the Paint thing.




That is nuts I got 2500 songs!

I have 1 album which is flac and 1 the same in wav.
Even if I copy that album cover from the flac to wav it doesn't work but it does with the flac version  weird.

If I play the song with vlc it shows the album art so strange


But my dsd from hd track do work I can see album art and there is no jpeg in that folder!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hi everyone,  I still love this thread its hard to not come and take a quick look at what's going on new.
> But I am still deeply disappointed on hiw things turned at end.
> 
> 
> ...


Wav and Dff don't allow embedding of album art. You have two options either use the external cover art (must be named same as the folder where music files reside) or convert wav to FLAC and dff to dsf


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Vitaly2017  my local library is a juggernaut... 1.26TB 58,564 tracks or 3300+ albums... from that like 260 albums(450+ GB) in Hi-res (flac 24 from 44.1 to 384kHz and DSD from 2.8 to 11.2). Yes dsd purchases can be pricey. Twice or triple the Hi-res flac price (considering between 14.99€ and 17.99€ per HR FLAC album)


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Apr 5, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wav and Dff don't allow embedding of album art. You have two options either use the external cover art (must be named same as the folder where music files reside) or convert wav to FLAC and dff to dsf



My dsd work it reads the embedded  art and there is absolutely no album art in that folder!


I want wav format only no flacs ! As wav is uncompressed  ) flac is !


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> My dsd work it reads the embedded  art and there is absolutely no album art in that folder!
> 
> 
> I want wav format only no flacs ! As wav is uncompressed  ) flac is !


But flac is lossless compression


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> But flac is lossless compression


Check my experiment 
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-14105343


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Apr 5, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> But flac is lossless compression



Key word compression.
I want it to be pure direct  )



Interesting test. But I don't know.  I feel like wav format is purest one.  I bet there is probably some microscopic improvements available


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> Key word compression.
> I want it to be pure direct  )
> 
> 
> ...


I be every DAP must have a buffer or so RAM allocation where it unpacks the lossless formats like APE, FLAC, ALAC... I remember ipod classic had like 64MB anti-skip buffer


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> I be every DAP must have a buffer or so RAM allocation where it unpacks the lossless formats like APE, FLAC, ALAC... I remember ipod classic had like 64MB anti-skip buffer



Hmm I didn't think about it that way. 

I seen more like Compression could affect the sq rather then the unpacking process.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hmm I didn't think about it that way.
> 
> I seen more like Compression could affect the sq rather then the unpacking process.


The only compressed formats that are played so as they are.. compressed are mp3, aac, opus and ogg... I wouldn't call lossy formats compressed, better data reduced/removed.

So you think the player plays the flac compressed, so as is...? Aka only removing headers and playing so. I don't think so. Some sort of unpack must follow before playback /data transmission to DAC


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> The only compressed formats that are played so as they are.. compressed are mp3, aac, opus and ogg... I wouldn't call lossy formats compressed, better data reduced/removed.
> 
> So you think the player plays the flac compressed, so as is...? Aka only removing headers and playing so. I don't think so. Some sort of unpack must follow before playback /data transmission to DAC




Well my exact same almbum in flac vs wav has 3300 kbps bit rate vs 4600.
There gota be something missing no?

I bet it compresses that 1300 part and have to unfold. 
I will experiment in future if it affects sound. 
But specification shows a difference. 

So I think a direct wav should be a purer and better experience.  Thats to be tested. As this is new territory for me


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well my exact same almbum in flac vs wav has 3300 kbps bit rate vs 4600.
> There gota be something missing no?
> 
> I bet it compresses that 1300 part and have to unfold.
> ...


In dbpoweramp music converter suite, when I hover above one of my 24/96 flac it shows bitrate compressed as f.e. 3500 kbps and bitrate RAW as 4600 kbps (DVD-A)

TRY TO edit a word file or photo in photoshopped without first unpacking the zip... won't be possible, windows would ask you to decompress before use


----------



## gerelmx1986

Same dile on mp3tag


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Same dile on mp3tag


Same as dbpoweramp full RAW bitrate shown on Sony MediaGo


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well my exact same almbum in flac vs wav has 3300 kbps bit rate vs 4600.
> There gota be something missing no?
> 
> I bet it compresses that 1300 part and have to unfold.
> ...



There is nothing missing. The files for flac are smaller and the bit rate shown is playtime versus files size. The signal that is played is the uncompressed signal and that is identical. Still there are people who say they can hear a difference and uncompressing flac requires more processing resources than playing wav (that was the reason why the Colourfly C4 could play 24/96 wav but only 16/44 flac as the processor was too weak to handle the uncompressing. 

Wav does not support embedded tags or art so you have to use an external jpg file that has to be named the same as the folder the files sit in. Also files has to be baseline jpg and not progressive jpg (the android based Sony players do support progressive)


----------



## captblaze

gerelmx1986 said:


> Same dile on mp3tag



you can rip .flac with zero compression with dbPoweramp


----------



## 515164 (Apr 5, 2020)

Yep, as others mentioned, lossless compression means that nothing is lost in the compression process, as opposed to MP3, AAC, and other formats.



captblaze said:


> you can rip .flac with zero compression with dbPoweramp



I think this is a matter of pure preference, but you will just waste some space having uncompressed flacs. Logically, it doesn't really make sense to have uncompressed flacs or wavs


----------



## bflat (Apr 5, 2020)

It is impossible to play a lossless compressed file as is (before converting to PCM) because the algorithm removes all the zeros or ones at the bit level, hence roughly 40-50% data compression. Contrast that to sample rate compression of say 96 to 44 kHz and/or 24 to 16 bit - there data is lost starting with what is considered "least significant" meaning least likely to be audible. I personally cannot tell the difference when I compress a 96/24 to 44/16. In fact I use to compress in the past when solid state storage was limited. Now with up to 1 TB SD cards, I can be lazy and not compress at all. So why do I buy 96/24? I generally find the mixing/mastering quality to be the best when an album is available as hi res so I buy for that reason alone and not because I think 96/24 inherently sounds better than 44/16. Heck I even find Apple's "AAC Mastered" lossy compressed tracks for their mainstream albums just as good as 44/16 to my ears.

In brief, I believe that mixing/mastering to affect sound quality at orders of magnitude more than format. The Grammy Awards include both engineered album and remixed categories. I tend to purchase the winning albums each year even though some of them are genres I don't listen to. It gives me a good benchmark of what an audio system can do.

Lastly, ask any sound engineer why they work with 96/24. It's not due to sound quality, but simply having a lot more data bits and range to work with as they mix and master the sound for the final product.


----------



## gerelmx1986

captblaze said:


> you can rip .flac with zero compression with dbPoweramp


Yep, I am aware of this, the level 0... buy as  @morgenstern09  says it would be a waste of precious space, personally use level 5 (default) after testing the level 8 and noticing more negligible difference


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> There is nothing missing. The files for flac are smaller and the bit rate shown is playtime versus files size. The signal that is played is the uncompressed signal and that is identical. Still there are people who say they can hear a difference and uncompressing flac requires more processing resources than playing wav (that was the reason why the Colourfly C4 could play 24/96 wav but only 16/44 flac as the processor was too weak to handle the uncompressing.
> 
> Wav does not support embedded tags or art so you have to use an external jpg file that has to be named the same as the folder the files sit in. Also files has to be baseline jpg and not progressive jpg (the android based Sony players do support progressive)





WOOOOWW
it works YeSssss.

Thanks so much !!!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

bflat said:


> It is impossible to play a lossless compressed file as is (before converting to PCM) *because the algorithm removes all the zeros or ones at the bit leve*l, hence roughly 40-50% data compression. Contrast that to sample rate compression of say 96 to 44 kHz and/or 24 to 16 bit - there data is lost starting with what is considered "least significant" meaning least likely to be audible. I personally cannot tell the difference when I compress a 96/24 to 44/16. In fact I use to compress in the past when solid state storage was limited. Now with up to 1 TB SD cards, I can be lazy and not compress at all. So why do I buy 96/24? I generally find the mixing/mastering quality to be the best when an album is available as hi res so I buy for that reason alone and not because I think 96/24 inherently sounds better than 44/16. Heck I even find Apple's "AAC Mastered" lossy compressed tracks for their mainstream albums just as good as 44/16 to my ears.
> 
> In brief, I believe that mixing/mastering to affect sound quality at orders of magnitude more than format. The Grammy Awards include both engineered album and remixed categories. I tend to purchase the winning albums each year even though some of them are genres I don't listen to. It gives me a good benchmark of what an audio system can do.


That sounds lossy. Dis you meant encodes these 1s and 0s as different shorter way? As I am aware it does so


----------



## 515164

bflat said:


> It is impossible to play a lossless compressed file as is (before converting to PCM) because the algorithm removes all the zeros or ones at the bit level, hence roughly 40-50% data compression. Contrast that to sample rate compression of say 96 to 44 kHz and/or 24 to 16 bit - there data is lost starting with what is considered "least significant" meaning least likely to be audible. I personally cannot tell the difference when I compress a 96/24 to 44/16. In fact I use to compress in the past when solid state storage was limited. Now with up to 1 TB SD cards, I can be lazy and not compress at all. So why do I buy 96/24? I generally find the mixing/mastering quality to be the best when an album is available as hi res so I buy for that reason alone and not because I think 96/24 inherently sounds better than 44/16. Heck I even find Apple's "AAC Mastered" lossy compressed tracks for their mainstream albums just as good as 44/16 to my ears.
> 
> In brief, I believe that mixing/mastering to affect sound quality at orders of magnitude more than format. The Grammy Awards include both engineered album and remixed categories. I tend to purchase the winning albums each year even though some of them are genres I don't listen to. It gives me a good benchmark of what an audio system can do.
> 
> Lastly, ask any sound engineer why they work with 96/24. It's not due to sound quality, but simply having a lot more data bits and range to work with as they mix and master the sound for the final product.



I think that by lossless compression we were talking about, for example, compressing a 96/24 WAV to a 96/24 FLAC. The result will be a smaller file, with nothing lost.


----------



## bflat

gerelmx1986 said:


> That sounds lossy. Dis you meant encodes these 1s and 0s as different shorter way? As I am aware it does so



FLAC and ALAC lossless use algorithms to create complex formulas that can reconstruct the "lost" zeros and ones exactly where they were in the original. Very similar to how general data was compressed to save drive space back in the day when drives were really expensive per GB. The downside is you are limited to how much compression you can do with about 50% as max.

As for lossy compression, data is removed without any information of what was removed. Downside is loss of quality but upside is much higher compression rate only limited by how much audio quality you are willing to sacrifice.


----------



## Vitaly2017

bflat said:


> It is impossible to play a lossless compressed file as is (before converting to PCM) because the algorithm removes all the zeros or ones at the bit level, hence roughly 40-50% data compression. Contrast that to sample rate compression of say 96 to 44 kHz and/or 24 to 16 bit - there data is lost starting with what is considered "least significant" meaning least likely to be audible. I personally cannot tell the difference when I compress a 96/24 to 44/16. In fact I use to compress in the past when solid state storage was limited. Now with up to 1 TB SD cards, I can be lazy and not compress at all. So why do I buy 96/24? I generally find the mixing/mastering quality to be the best when an album is available as hi res so I buy for that reason alone and not because I think 96/24 inherently sounds better than 44/16. Heck I even find Apple's "AAC Mastered" lossy compressed tracks for their mainstream albums just as good as 44/16 to my ears.
> 
> In brief, I believe that mixing/mastering to affect sound quality at orders of magnitude more than format. The Grammy Awards include both engineered album and remixed categories. I tend to purchase the winning albums each year even though some of them are genres I don't listen to. It gives me a good benchmark of what an audio system can do.
> 
> Lastly, ask any sound engineer why they work with 96/24. It's not due to sound quality, but simply having a lot more data bits and range to work with as they mix and master the sound for the final product.





That is well said, I believe that to not all remastering sound good...
Anything 24/44 + is very good in sound quality. 

Dsd is a super sampling file and feels like very smoother version of high res.

Though I like how dsd sounds on Walkman its very fluid and silky.

I do believe in my theory also uncompressed is best


----------



## gerelmx1986

Even 24/44.1 sounds good


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> That is well said, I believe that to not all remastering sound good...
> Anything 24/44 + is very good in sound quality.
> 
> Dsd is a super sampling file and feels like very smoother version of high res.
> ...


I have like 60 or so SACD albums


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have like 60 or so SACD albums




I plan to purchase a couple dsd with 5.6
Will need to make new discoveries as I want it to be sony Japan studios! For maximum quality in recording, format, mixing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

bflat said:


> FLAC and ALAC lossless use algorithms to create complex formulas that can reconstruct the "lost" zeros and ones exactly where they were in the original. Very similar to how general data was compressed to save drive space back in the day when drives were really expensive per GB. The downside is you are limited to how much compression you can do with about 50% as max.
> 
> As for lossy compression, data is removed without any information of what was removed. Downside is loss of quality but upside is much higher compression rate only limited by how much audio quality you are willing to sacrifice.


Are you also a software engineer, developer?... I thought the compression worked some thing like this.

AAAABBCCCVVVVVV compressed as A^4BBC^3V^6


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> I plan to purchase a couple dsd with 5.6
> Will need to make new discoveries as I want it to be sony Japan studios! For maximum quality in recording, format, mixing.


I got a 6 CD set of Haydn trios for strings (complete) from Camerata records, a Japanese label, they're damn good, coated me 60£


----------



## nc8000 (Apr 5, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Are you also a software engineer, developer?... I thought the compression worked some thing like this.
> 
> AAAABBCCCVVVVVV compressed as A^4BBC^3V^6



That is one way of compressing, as far as I remember called rll. It can be expanded to look for identical runs of different bit patterns that then get replaced by a token and the file then contains a kind of index of all tokens and the bit pattern they represent. Then there are all sorts of different algorithms that I'm not up to date on.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 5, 2020)

I see every day streaming so dumb, the dumbest idea. You pay more because f.e spotify may not have music that apple music has and visceversa, same tidal and qobuz, Netflix, hulu, Disney, joyn , TV now...

I tried to watch alien films only to discover Netflix has none due to HBO removing his catalogue.  This is other idea I HATE FROM STREAMING... you can have your "files" bu if lady gaga or Deutsche Gramophone get pissed off with spotify etc and they remove their catalogue, the end user loses their files. The user does not have control over their "Music collection" on streaming platforms . Reason I have local files or physical media.  You only PAY ONCE for the songs instead of 10 or more dollars every month . Let alone I have albums not available in any platform of streaming...


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I see every day streaming so dumb, the dumbest idea. You pay more because f.e spotify may have music that apple music has and visceversa, same tidal and qobuz, Netflix, hulu, Disney, joyn , TV now...
> 
> I tried to watch alien films only to discover Netflix has none due to HBO removing his catalogue.  This is other idea I HATE FROM STREAMING... you can have your "files" bu if lady gaga or Deutsche Gramophone get pushed off with spotify etc and they remove their catalogue, the end user loses their files. The user does not have control over their "Music collection" on streaming platforms . Reason I have local files or physical media.  You only PAY ONCE for the songs instead of 10 or more dollars every month . Let alone I have albums not available in any platform of streaming...



Yep that is the main reason I don't subscribe to any streaming services (sound and video). I use the free level of Spotify to explore new music and then buy if I like


----------



## gerelmx1986

But well the modern audiophile doesn't want to make that "dirty job" anymore. Ripping CDs/waiting for files to download, tagging the files and prettying them up to their tastes


----------



## Vitaly2017

Is it true that sony desktop sony music program can fix the album art issues and each track information?


----------



## 524419 (Apr 5, 2020)

Nothing sounds better than a well mastered DSD, at least to my ears.
Local files are off grid, and the best part about the Walkman, those camping trips out in the desert..... Just sooooooooo sweeeeeet


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> Is it true that sony desktop sony music program can fix the album art issues and each track information?


Personally for album art, to convert from progressive jpg to  baseline I use photoshopped or paint save as again. Then use MP3TAG to reembed the art


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> Is it true that sony desktop sony music program can fix the album art issues and each track information?


My walkman tips and tricks thread dude...

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/post-11412101


----------



## bflat

gerelmx1986 said:


> Are you also a software engineer, developer?... I thought the compression worked some thing like this.
> 
> AAAABBCCCVVVVVV compressed as A^4BBC^3V^6



I was some time ago, but mostly micro controller firmware development. Now I'm stuck in management and all my team members get to have all the fun. But I was pretty average as a coder.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 6, 2020)

I agree with @candlejack about the uncompressed thing. It just doesn't make sense to keep your library as uncompressed files when you are presented with the facts about FLAC.

It's a personal preference for some reason, but that doesn't mean that WAV will sound better than FLAC.

And also yes, it would make sense to have your own thread if you do your own hardware mods to WM1A/WM1Z. This way, the details won't just get lost among other discussions about the device. It's just a suggestion anyway, you could have just ignored the guy, but people get so easily offended about anything these days...


----------



## Lookout57

morgenstern09 said:


> I agree with @candlejack about the uncompressed thing. It just doesn't make sense to keep your library as uncompressed files when you are presented with the facts about FLAC.
> 
> It's a personal preference for some reason, but that doesn't mean that WAV will sound better than FLAC.
> 
> And also yes, it would make sense to have your own thread if you do your own hardware mods to WM1A/WM1Z. This way, the details won't just get lost among other discussions about the device. It's just a suggestion anyway, you could have just ignored the guy, but people get so easily offended about anything these days...


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/


----------



## ehaldin

hshock76 said:


> The higher the wire count, the better the resolution. I am currently running both 24-wire (prototype mod which MS no longer offers) K-mod 1Z and a stock 1Z.
> 
> The main thing that jumps at you between the modded and stock player is resolution and clarity; other improvements include improved depth (I love the depth), sound stage (still not the widest but has a good natural width), layering, imaging, more sub-bass and a darker background. I can understand why pple say its less warmth; I believe the much higher resolution and clarity gives pple the impression of neutral or reference sounding. The modded 1Z is still obviously warmer than my DX228-EX and Kann Cube and notes being thicker sounding. Vocals sound better with higher resolution vs the stock player. But I must say it took me a bit of time to get used to the resolution as I found it too sharp during the first couple of sessions. However, I can't do without it now. The modded player scales very well with Solis and you get a 3D holographic sound stage. I am running my modded Z with IER-Z1R and Horus.
> 
> ...



Thanks, this does help a lot. I can see how higher resolution paints an impression of "less warmth", but if besides that the WM1Z tonality is preserved or even enhanced with the K mod, it sounds like the right choice. Feeling ambivalent about the sharpness early-on reminds me a bit of the transition from 3.5 to balanced.

By the way -- I hope I'm not pouring oil into some fire... -- wav and flac files can indeed subjectively sound different. I did a lot of blind A/Bing when I digitized some of my redbook CDs. 90%+ of the time, I could distinctively tell flac conversions from their original PCM files. In a similar way, different ripping apps (EAC, dBPoweramp, EZCD) with equivalent parameters gave different sounding files. Lossless alac and aiff sound signatures were successfully blind tested as well. Even 16/24/32 bit wave conversions of "inferior" AC3 DVD streams had distinguishable sound qualities, even though they're technically just bloated space.
I suppose it's nicer not to hear this, because it prompted me to assign more space to wav files when I wanted rip quality of the first water.


----------



## hshock76

I personally in A/B tests was not always able to tell the difference between Flac and Wav and when I could, it was via very hard focused listening. Both were good enough for me so I stuck with flac considering I was not going to consistently AB. DSD is a whole different matter being clearing better than both.

@Vitaly2017; Sorry in a different time zone now but when I first read your post on flac vs wav and that you ultimately had to go with non-compression files, the first thing that came to my mind was how you managed to listen to Spotify for 4 years?? but can't accept flac now. Please dun take it negatively; somehow it's a light-hearted joke and it brightened up my morning.

Btw, I thought your 1Z is on route to Romi??


----------



## Lookout57

I think the quality of the FLAC encoder has a lot to do with the perceived differences in FLAC vs. WAV. @Whitigir and I swear by XiSRC but regrettably they are no longer selling it,


----------



## normie610

For my personal taste, DXD files are the best sounding (I believe it's PCM signal), followed by DSD, MQA, FLAC/ALAC. But again, a well-mastered recording can sound phenomenal even if it's in 16/44 format (or in a more extreme, AAC). Thank God, 1Z can decode all those files perfectly


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> I personally in A/B tests was not always able to tell the difference between Flac and Wav and when I could, it was via very hard focused listening. Both were good enough for me so I stuck with flac considering I was not going to consistently AB. DSD is a whole different matter being clearing better than both.
> 
> @Vitaly2017; Sorry in a different time zone now but when I first read your post on flac vs wav and that you ultimately had to go with non-compression files, the first thing that came to my mind was how you managed to listen to Spotify for 4 years?? but can't accept flac now. Please dun take it negatively; somehow it's a light-hearted joke and it brightened up my morning.
> 
> Btw, I thought your 1Z is on route to Romi??




Hahaha I am glad it made you laugh, not mad at all you are also part of the search I was in for a mod on my 1z. Thanks for the help and support you gave me )

I did send my 1z to romi audio its should be there in a matter of hours I guess )

Yes I decided to go Romi mod, as I am seeking the Ultimate best sound quality in a portable setup. 
Haha what also is very funny is that all that journey was searching for best possible gear possible with streaming spotify from a smartphone.  Very puzzling indeed but I was still able to discern a lot of different nuances and all sort of effects in sounds.  Yea even if it was 320kbps mp3!
I had a lot of love and joy with spotify it is thanks to spotify I discovered huge amount of music and what I really like listening! 
So thanks to spotify I am now witha huge library of music and enjoying the new life !

Also I want to add is that. It all happend when I bought pw1960 4wires cable. Yes since I bought the pw1960 I started to feel something very unusual about sound. It drove me to a new level of sound perception. Started downloading some flacs and felt the difference. 
Then I decided to go Romi mod and at this point I am already owing Tia forte noir and pw1960 4wires.

So now I have everything maximized to its limits,  so I decided to search for more,  what else can be improved? 

Well the only thing left is music format! So I decided to go full in ! Only the maximum possible direct source! I read that flac is a lossless compression and to me thats a no no it has some sort of compression so no.

I bought all my favorite albums in wav and most of them is 24bit ( 65% ) and others are regular 16/44. 1 dsd album.
Spent 3 days gathering all the info and it cost me 1600$ 

I now started my new life with a whole new fresh start. Wav files high bit rate, everything just sounds magnificent so impressive that I couldn't believe  it. 

I can say that wav files actually sounds to me even better then flacs! Funny to say but I feel flacs vs wav is like spotify vs flacs lol.
Yes! I cant stand the flac anymore either lmao. 
Wav sound so much more natural airy holographic,  i can now hear the perception of sounds approaching from far distances to nearing me same time a lot of other music is playing at same time, there is absolutely no congestion or distortion nothing is busy, everything just flows fluidly and naturally ! Wav adds even more realism to sound !
And for me once I taste the good stuff no more possibility to go back ! ONLY WAVES NOW ON or DSD.



So that was my long story about the funny guy who is know for he's magnificent tigers ears ability. But been using spotify for all he's impressions LoL


----------



## DetoNatioNFocusFizz

Does anyone know how the WM1A compares to M11 pro?


----------



## 524419 (Apr 6, 2020)

Enough about him. Over it, guy is not worth the effort.  He is on full blast ignore from here on out as far as I am concerned.

Whoever recommended this a few pages back,....Thank you. Been listening to it all day


----------



## slumberman

Diet Kokaine said:


> Enough about him. Over it, guy is not worth the effort.  He is on full blast ignore from here on out as far as I am concerned.



 you as well, as far as I am concerned.


----------



## Queen6

DetoNatioNFocusFizz said:


> Does anyone know how the WM1A compares to M11 pro?



WM1A has a warmer more organic sound signature with better DSP, Sony's unique sound with a simpler UI. The M11 Pro is more analytical, brighter, presents an eerily clean sound signature. Other deciding factors are streaming and battery runtime; the Sony is the champion for runtime, M11 Pro clearly the only one of the two with Wi-Fi streaming. Smaller things the WM1A can be tuned to some extents by flipping a firmware region key, and reverting or changing out the firmware. M11 Pro will be harder in this respect being Android, equally M11 you can flip players at will by installing another Android based one. 

Owning both I generally tend to reach for the WM1A as fundamentally I just the DAP to play music, don't really want another _smart _device that I need to manage and I enjoy Sony's sound/DSP. Both are excellent DAP's nor do I think anyone would be disappointed in either one, I'd look at your core needs and then decide.

Q-6


----------



## DetoNatioNFocusFizz

Queen6 said:


> WM1A has a warmer more organic sound signature with better DSP, Sony's unique sound with a simpler UI. The M11 Pro is more analytical, brighter, presents an eerily clean sound signature. Other deciding factors are streaming and battery runtime; the Sony is the champion for runtime, M11 Pro clearly the only one of the two with Wi-Fi streaming. Smaller things the WM1A can be tuned to some extents by flipping a firmware region key, and reverting or changing out the firmware. M11 Pro will be harder in this respect being Android, equally M11 you can flip players at will by installing another Android based one.
> 
> Owning both I generally tend to reach for the WM1A as fundamentally I just the DAP to play music, don't really want another _smart _device that I need to manage and I enjoy Sony's sound/DSP. Both are excellent DAP's nor do I think anyone would be disappointed in either one, I'd look at your core needs and then decide.
> 
> Q-6


Thanks for the info!


----------



## slumberman

Queen6 said:


> WM1A has a warmer more organic sound signature with better DSP, Sony's unique sound with a simpler UI. The M11 Pro is more analytical, brighter, presents an eerily clean sound signature. Other deciding factors are streaming and battery runtime; the Sony is the champion for runtime, M11 Pro clearly the only one of the two with Wi-Fi streaming. Smaller things the WM1A can be tuned to some extents by flipping a firmware region key, and reverting or changing out the firmware. M11 Pro will be harder in this respect being Android, equally M11 you can flip players at will by installing another Android based one.
> 
> Owning both I generally tend to reach for the WM1A as fundamentally I just the DAP to play music, don't really want another _smart _device that I need to manage and I enjoy Sony's sound/DSP. Both are excellent DAP's nor do I think anyone would be disappointed in either one, I'd look at your core needs and then decide.
> 
> Q-6



great way of putting it!

I wholeheartedly agree.


----------



## 524419 (Apr 6, 2020)

t least a


Vitaly2017 said:


> Hahaha I am glad it made you laugh, not mad at all you are also part of the search I was in for a mod on my 1z. Thanks for the help and support you gave me )
> 
> I did send my 1z to romi audio its should be there in a matter of hours I guess )
> 
> ...


The more resolving your gear gets, the easier it will be to tell the difference between files. I have a really hard time listening to anything below 24/96, unless it's EDM, and even then I try to stay at 24 bits as much as I can. 
Once you get hooked on that DSD sound, watch out!! There is no going back 


@RobertP





Finished Copper Foil XLR Cable 16 gauge. sourced from a mundorf inductor
I have never heard anything like this, do yourself a favor and make this ASAP.
Resolution is to die for, treble is extended and shimmers to the point of goosebumps. Bass becomes so high resolution and tight on my speakers that I am still having to pick my jaw up from the floor every time I listen to anything.
I had to turn my  speakers off last night because it became a sensory overload.

Try it, it'll be the best investment you will ever make. It'll be 30 Dollars tops


----------



## 515164 (Apr 6, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> WM1A has a warmer more organic sound signature with better DSP, Sony's unique sound with a simpler UI. The M11 Pro is more analytical, brighter, presents an eerily clean sound signature. Other deciding factors are streaming and battery runtime; the Sony is the champion for runtime, M11 Pro clearly the only one of the two with Wi-Fi streaming. Smaller things the WM1A can be tuned to some extents by flipping a firmware region key, and reverting or changing out the firmware. M11 Pro will be harder in this respect being Android, equally M11 you can flip players at will by installing another Android based one.
> 
> Owning both I generally tend to reach for the WM1A as fundamentally I just the DAP to play music, don't really want another _smart _device that I need to manage and I enjoy Sony's sound/DSP. Both are excellent DAP's nor do I think anyone would be disappointed in either one, I'd look at your core needs and then decide.
> 
> Q-6



Yes indeed, own them both, intending to sell the M11 Pro.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I donot have any spotify nor any streaming subscription if this is the interest of @candlejack (tho my husband has netflix and Amazon prime, hence my Alien series experience ).

I used to have all my music as mp3 192kbps. When I heard a Mozart CD wit a pair of decent sony HPs , the difference was big specially in the natural essence of reverb and echo decay.

It took me around 3 years to recover the 95% and the rest another 4 years.

@vitalycould have saved some money with BitTorrent and Rapidshare


----------



## Queen6

morgenstern09 said:


> Yes indeed, own them both, intending to sell the M11 Pro.



Yeah probably going down the same path as seems a waste for the M11 Pro to just gather dust. I simply prefer Sony's sound signature and how it's presented. I do stream for music discovery. Personally I far prefer local sources as streaming services both audio & video can and do change potentially resulting in not having access to content, nor is fast network performance a given when travelling.

Q-6


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 6, 2020)

Since my 1Z is at the hand of Romi Audio for BG caps mod atm, i rent an 1A to fill my emptiness.
To my surprise, stock 1A sounds very good. Long have i forgot about how a stock 1A/1Z sounds since i modded my 1Z with MS Ultimate tier. But stock 1A actually sounds WARMER than my MS Ultimate 1Z. the resolution takes a hit for sure, technicalities have a substantial downgrade, but musically stock 1A still sounds very pleasing, relaxed and laid-back. Treble on stock 1A is dark, but also relaxed to my old ears. It's paired with my Labkable Titan AU and Just Ear MH1, the two are also quite warm.
I also disagree with Vitaly2017 concerning Romi BG caps. Romi told me BG are of very high resolution for sure but also very WARM. Im very familiar and fond of vinyls / LP / analogue recordings since i own a record label issuing mostly vinyls for Metal bands. Analogue is distortions that color the sound but to many people's liking (warmth) at the same time keeping large staging and very high density.
Now I miss the warm signature of stock 1A/1Z now, since i have just realized my MS mod has drifted from the stock warm signature for a little far, sometimes to fatigues and less forgiving in poorly recorded albums. Romi is my next step in coloring the sound back.


----------



## 524419

Morbideath said:


> Since my 1Z is at the hand of Romi Audio for BG caps mod atm, i rent an 1A to fill my emptiness.
> To my surprise, stock 1A sounds very good. Long have i forgot about how a stock 1A/1Z sounds since i modded my 1Z with MS Ultimate tier. But stock 1A actually sounds WARMER than my MS Ultimate 1Z. the resolution takes a hit for sure, technicalities have a substantial downgrade, but musically stock 1A still sounds very pleasing, relaxed and laid-back. It's paired with my Labkable Titan AU and Just Ear MH1, the two are also quite warm.
> I also disagree with Vitaly2017 concerning Romi BG caps. Romi told me BG are of very high resolution for sure but also very WARM. Im very familiar and fond of vinyls / LP / analogue recordings since i own a record label issuing mostly vinyls for Metal bands. Analogue is distortions that color the sound but to many people's liking (warmth) at the same time keeping large staging and very high density.
> Now I miss the warm signature of stock 1A/1Z now, since i have just realized my MS mod has drifted from the stock warm signature for a little far, sometimes fatigues and less forgiving in poorly recorded albums. Romi is my next step in coloring the sound back.


The K-Mod is 1960 wire correct?  8 core? any changes to battery wires or capacitors?


----------



## Morbideath

Diet Kokaine said:


> The K-Mod is 1960 wire correct?  8 core? any changes to battery wires or capacitors?


16 core 1960s for balanced output. 2 wire 1960s changed to battery wire and grounding. Two more capacitors, some shieldings etc.
The higher the core counts, the more neutral and higher technicalities 1960s will perform, compared with 2 wire or 4 wire


----------



## 524419 (Apr 6, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> 16 core 1960s for balanced output. 2 wire 1960s changed to battery wire and grounding. Two more capacitors, some shieldings etc.


Is that 16 core/ solder point or 16 core total ( 4 core per channel + - )?
Looking Forward to hearing your impressions on those Black-gate caps.


Just realized... No way you could close the player with 16 core per solder point. That would pretty much be the size of a fat rope.


----------



## Morbideath

Diet Kokaine said:


> Is that 16 core/ solder point or 16 core total ( 4 core per channel + - )?
> Looking Forward to hearing your impressions on those Black-gate caps.


I'm not sure how it's expressed. You may check their website for more rigorous techs.
But it is very thick, Maybe overkill for such mod. Cant be somewhere like 16 awg thickness


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 6, 2020)

Also, about the wav vs flac debate, i can capture some difference with critical A/B test but the small difference cannot justify the much more space wav takes.
Technically we are listening to the exact same files with identical bitrate. Decompress a flac to wav and observe, the wav shares the total identical MD5 value as before. That's the point of LOSSLESS compression. The bitrate shown in player is just a direct calculation from file size to playtime, which tells nothing but the compression ratio itself. But decompressing flac will tax some device buffer so that might be the difference in sound. I wouldn't even call wav being better,  since it sounds more "upforward" to me, with an elevated noise floor than flac. Works good for certain songs but not to some others.


----------



## lumdicks

Morbideath said:


> Since my 1Z is at the hand of Romi Audio for BG caps mod atm, i rent an 1A to fill my emptiness.
> To my surprise, stock 1A sounds very good. Long have i forgot about how a stock 1A/1Z sounds since i modded my 1Z with MS Ultimate tier. But stock 1A actually sounds WARMER than my MS Ultimate 1Z. the resolution takes a hit for sure, technicalities have a substantial downgrade, but musically stock 1A still sounds very pleasing, relaxed and laid-back. Treble on stock 1A is dark, but also relaxed to my old ears. It's paired with my Labkable Titan AU and Just Ear MH1, the two are also quite warm.
> I also disagree with Vitaly2017 concerning Romi BG caps. Romi told me BG are of very high resolution for sure but also very WARM. Im very familiar and fond of vinyls / LP / analogue recordings since i own a record label issuing mostly vinyls for Metal bands. Analogue is distortions that color the sound but to many people's liking (warmth) at the same time keeping large staging and very high density.
> Now I miss the warm signature of stock 1A/1Z now, since i have just realized my MS mod has drifted from the stock warm signature for a little far, sometimes to fatigues and less forgiving in poorly recorded albums. Romi is my next step in coloring the sound back.


Your 1Z will sound warmer after the BG mod. I have compared my BG modded 1A and stock 1Z and the former sounds a bit warmer in comparison.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Flac


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 6, 2020)

lumdicks said:


> Your 1Z will sound warmer after the BG mod. I have compared my BG modded 1A and stock 1Z and the former sounds a bit warmer in comparison.


That's a gospel to hear, lol. Im a total analogue / vinyl sucker who detests crystal clear digital sound.
Thanks!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Morbideath said:


> Also, about the wav vs flac debate, i can capture some difference with critical A/B test but the small difference cannot justify the much more space wav takes.
> Technically we are listening to the exact same files with identical bitrate. Decompress a flac to wav and observe, the wav shares the total identical MD5 value as before. That's the point of LOSSLESS compression. The bitrate shown in player is just a direct calculation from file size to playtime, which tells nothing but the compression ratio itself. But decompressing flac will tax some device buffer so that might be the difference in sound. I wouldn't even call wav being better,  since it sounds more "upforward" to me, with an elevated noise floor than flac. Works good for certain songs but not to some others.


Exactly what I did, before playback the PCM data is uncompressed, buffered and sent to DAC. And the MD5 Hash experiment already did it, both lossless


----------



## 524419 (Apr 6, 2020)

Here is another one.  GET THIS ALBUM NOW


----------



## proedros (Apr 6, 2020)

i am gonna leave another great Psybient album here , hope you guys keep your cool as the quarantine days go by

@nc8000 probably likes/owns this (as he sent me some solar fields album sometime ago)

@bana @Queen6 see what you think


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Vitaly2017 before spotify did you had local library? But spotify made you erase it?
Some stats for you about my library
Grand Total of albums 3, 383
Grand Total of tracks 58, 564
Size 1.25TB
Hi-res albums 244
Hi-res tracks 4, 694
Size 406GB
SACD/DSD album count 88 (226GB more than half of the total HR )
Dsf files 1, 713


----------



## Queen6

Been listening to Duffrey


Kind of does this to your head 

Q-6


----------



## Redcarmoose

I seriously don’t know why I wanted to post this here? Only one rum and Coke?


----------



## lumdicks

Morbideath said:


> That's a gospel to hear, lol. Im a total analogue / vinyl sucker who detests crystal clear digital sound.
> Thanks!


One point to share: I observed that there is a "click" sound (like the sound of certain relays, I am not sure) whenever I turn on the screen or start playing a track, not sure whether it is related to the BG capacitors.


----------



## 515164

lumdicks said:


> One point to share: I observed that there is a "click" sound (like the sound of certain relays, I am not sure) whenever I turn on the screen or start playing a track, not sure whether it is related to the BG capacitors.



WM1A/Z have relays, my stock WM1A makes the same sound.


----------



## lumdicks

morgenstern09 said:


> WM1A/Z have relays, my stock WM1A makes the same sound.


Strange that I do not observe this with my stock 1Z over the years.....


----------



## XP_98

lumdicks said:


> Strange that I do not observe this with my stock 1Z over the years.....


I notice it when reading tracks and changing from HR to standard FLAC files.
Unmodded WM1Z and WM1A.


----------



## nc8000

XP_98 said:


> I notice it when reading tracks and changing from HR to standard FLAC files.
> Unmodded WM1Z and WM1A.



It is relays and happens when going between tracks that are based on the 2 clocks (44 or 48). Also there is a very quiet click when adjusting the volume but to me that is only audible with no music playing and at the top of the volume range


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 6, 2020)

lumdicks said:


> Strange that I do not observe this with my stock 1Z over the years.....



Is related to the source file; Sony included a mechanical relay in the design to protect the player and the users ears when the electronics engages/disengages. If you only listen to the same sample rate then you won't hear the relay tripping as it has no need to. The relays click is also quite subdued so you won't hear unless your listening for it in a quiet space, let alone with IEM/HP, TBH it's not an uncommon solution.

Without any deep dive WM1A/Z looks to have at least two mechanical relays




Q-6


----------



## Gww1

There is also a relay click when turning on and off the balanced output.
It's been the same on both stock WM1A and WM1Z that I've owned.


----------



## nc8000

Gww1 said:


> There is also a relay click when turning on and off the balanced output.
> It's been the same on both stock WM1A and WM1Z that I've owned.



What do you mean turning the balanced output on/off ?


----------



## Gww1 (Apr 6, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> What do you mean turning the balanced output on/off ?


If I am using the balanced output whenever I turn on the device (from standby) it clicks, then once I've finished listening and go back to standby after a little time it will click again. This doesn't happen when using single ended so I summised it is the balanced output being switched on/off.

Edit: in fact just checked and it does it when just plugging or unplugging the balanced output, with screen on the click happens when the balanced text appears and disappears.


----------



## lumdicks

Gww1 said:


> There is also a relay click when turning on and off the balanced output.
> It's been the same on both stock WM1A and WM1Z that I've owned.


or the "sealing" of the modded 1A is not as tight as the stock 1Z so the relay sounds more prominently.

Thanks all for clarifying this.


----------



## nc8000

Gww1 said:


> If I am using the balanced output whenever I turn on the device (from standby) it clicks, then once I've finished listening and go back to standby after a little time it will click again. This doesn't happen when using single ended so I summised it is the balanced output being switched on/off.
> 
> Edit: in fact just checked and it does it when just plugging or unplugging the balanced output, with screen on the click happens when the balanced text appears and disappears.



You’re right. I’ve never noticed that since it is mechanical from the device and not in the headphones and I’ve always got the headphones on when I turn the screen on


----------



## Queen6

lumdicks said:


> or the "sealing" of the modded 1A is not as tight as the stock 1Z so the relay sounds more prominently.
> 
> Thanks all for clarifying this.



Sony may have multiple sources and one relay is a touch louder than the other, equally both will be in specification. Your not likely to operate the DAP face down   and the 1Z is a _very _solid block of copper.

Q-6


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 6, 2020)

lumdicks said:


> or the "sealing" of the modded 1A is not as tight as the stock 1Z so the relay sounds more prominently.
> 
> Thanks all for clarifying this.


Don't quote me on this, but i think Romi torn down the whole back plating to fit into more caps, and reforge the copper shields on top each caps. So the "sealing" for the relay might be less soundproof.
I will try my modded 1Z to see if it's so.
Btw mine will be shipped out tomorrow. Romi can't reuse the 1960s within but to dump it, but customize another OCC copper wire for my liking.




This is the "legendary" 16wire 1960s attached to balanced port. According to Romi, it was badly welded for reuse and the wire itself looks weird as a copper wire.


----------



## 524419 (Apr 6, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Don't quote me on this, but i think Romi torn down the whole back plating to fit into more caps, and reforge the copper shields on top each caps. So the "sealing" for the relay might be less soundproof.
> I will try my modded 1Z to see if it's so.
> Btw mine will be shipped out tomorrow. Romi can't reuse the 1960s within but to dump it, but customize another OCC copper wire for my liking.
> 
> This is the "legendary" 16wire 1960s attached to balanced port. According to Romi, it was badly weld and the wire itself looks weird as a copper wire.


That looks like a short waiting to happen. That is very sloppy work, good thing he is dumping it all.
I would stay far far away from that ultimate MOD if that is the level of work they are doing.


----------



## candlejack

Queen6 said:


> Is related to the source file; Sony included a mechanical relay in the design to protect the player and the users ears when the electronics engages/disengages. If you only listen to the same sample rate then you won't hear the relay tripping as it has no need to. The relays click is also quite subdued so you won't hear unless your listening for it in a quiet space, let alone with IEM/HP, TBH it's not an uncommon solution.
> 
> Without any deep dive WM1A/Z looks to have at least two mechanical relays
> 
> ...


Very cool. Where did you find this service diagram?


----------



## Queen6

Morbideath said:


> According to Romi, it was badly welded for reuse and the wire itself looks weird as a copper wire.



He was correct to do so...

Q-6


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 6, 2020)

I'm not bashing MS mod, I'm benefited from their works for several years and have been a true believer in modding. It sounds indeed much better than stock.

But the first time i bought the premium tier mod, my device was faulty. The balance output keeps switching on and off by itself, with the relay keeps ticking without ending. I had to send back my 1Z for repair. In fact, they did it all over again (welding the balanced wiring with a brand new socket)

I think the sloppy soldering caused it.
I had no problem with my second mod, aka the Ultimate tier, as shown in the pic of my previous post.


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 6, 2020)

candlejack said:


> Very cool. Where did you find this service diagram?



As ever on the web, it's only useful if considering to disassemble WM1A/Z and all SW references are Sony proprietary rendering them of no use.

Q-6


----------



## 524419 (Apr 6, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Don't quote me on this, but i think Romi torn down the whole back plating to fit into more caps, and reforge the copper shields on top each caps. So the "sealing" for the relay might be less soundproof.
> I will try my modded 1Z to see if it's so.
> Btw mine will be shipped out tomorrow. Romi can't reuse the 1960s within but to dump it, but customize another OCC copper wire for my liking.
> 
> This is the "legendary" 16wire 1960s attached to balanced port. According to Romi, it was badly welded for reuse and the wire itself looks weird as a copper wire.


And that is not the 1960 wire. I have repaired my cable, and that is not how the wires are laid out.  The core conductor on the 1960 is surrounded by an outer set of wires that are wrapped around the inside shielding. This is something else.

It's a litz cable of some sort, but to my eyes does not look like the 1960 cable. Either way good thing it's out.


----------



## candlejack

Queen6 said:


> As ever on the web, it's only useful if considering to disassemble WMÀ/Z and all SW references are Sony proprietary rendering them of no use.
> 
> Q-6


Is there a complete set I could have a look at or is this just the odd one that leaked?


----------



## etlouis

Morbideath said:


> I'm not bashing MS mod, I'm benefited from their works for several years and have been a true believer in modding. It sounds indeed much better than stock.
> 
> But the first time i bought the premium tier mod, my device was faulty. The balance output keeps switching on and off by itself, with the relay keeps ticking without ending. I had to send back my 1Z for repair. In fact, they did it all over again (welding the balanced wiring with a brand new socket)
> 
> ...



BTW the google drive for the firmwares expired.... care to reupload them?

I'm also considering the cheaper romi mods, what do they actually do except re-wire a bit / wrap everything in copper foil ? Wouldn't it be dangerous if something touched the copper and short the board.


----------



## lumdicks

Morbideath said:


> Don't quote me on this, but i think Romi torn down the whole back plating to fit into more caps, and reforge the copper shields on top each caps. So the "sealing" for the relay might be less soundproof.
> I will try my modded 1Z to see if it's so.
> Btw mine will be shipped out tomorrow. Romi can't reuse the 1960s within but to dump it, but customize another OCC copper wire for my liking.
> 
> This is the "legendary" 16wire 1960s attached to balanced port. According to Romi, it was badly welded for reuse and the wire itself looks weird as a copper wire.


I know and he has once shared this in his FB page. In the post he claimed that he will seal each caps with copper foils.


----------



## Morbideath

etlouis said:


> BTW the google drive for the firmwares expired.... care to reupload them?
> 
> I'm also considering the cheaper romi mods, what do they actually do except re-wire a bit / wrap everything in copper foil ? Wouldn't it be dangerous if something touched the copper and short the board.


The main point is the additional caps added, wiring and shielding are what accompanying. 
But since this thread does not welcome modding, i will not discuss it further, neither firmwares nor hardwares


----------



## nc8000

candlejack said:


> Is there a complete set I could have a look at or is this just the odd one that leaked?



It’s from the service manual


----------



## Queen6

candlejack said:


> Is there a complete set I could have a look at or is this just the odd one that leaked?



Specific only, nor guaranteed to be up-to-date. You'd likely be better served by the NW-ZX300 if available.

Q-6


----------



## lumdicks

Queen6 said:


> He was correct to do so...
> 
> Q-6


Here were the copper plates removed, as shown in Romi FB.
Agreed with @Morbideath that I shall not discuss modding further here.


----------



## Gww1

Feel free to discuss mods, nobody has forced it to stop - just ignore people who complain, you are doing nothing wrong.

I for one at least appreciate any technical information on what the mods contain and, if known, how that effects sound.
I suspect that @candlejack might feel the same, even though people seem to blame him for the fallout...


----------



## 515164

Morbideath said:


> But since this thread does not welcome modding, i will not discuss it further, neither firmwares nor hardwares



Oh, here we go... Nobody said that, but ok.



etlouis said:


> BTW the google drive for the firmwares expired.... care to reupload them?



PM if you want a specific firmware.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Queen6 said:


> Sony may have multiple sources and one relay is a touch louder than the other, equally both will be in specification. Your not likely to operate the DAP face down   and the 1Z is a _very _solid block of copper.
> 
> Q-6



I love 1z's relay clicks.  It even more analog!


----------



## candlejack

Queen6 said:


> Specific only, nor guaranteed to be up-to-date. You'd likely be better served by the NW-ZX300 if available.
> 
> Q-6


I don't plan to use it for any DIY repair, just curious about the design and construction. @nc8000 was kind enough to send me a copy.


----------



## Mindstorms

Morbideath said:


> Also, about the wav vs flac debate, i can capture some difference with critical A/B test but the small difference cannot justify the much more space wav takes.
> Technically we are listening to the exact same files with identical bitrate. Decompress a flac to wav and observe, the wav shares the total identical MD5 value as before. That's the point of LOSSLESS compression. The bitrate shown in player is just a direct calculation from file size to playtime, which tells nothing but the compression ratio itself. But decompressing flac will tax some device buffer so that might be the difference in sound. I wouldn't even call wav being better,  since it sounds more "upforward" to me, with an elevated noise floor than flac. Works good for certain songs but not to some others.


If my two cents are good I sometimes find FLAC piercing... might be the recording...


----------



## mvvRAZ

Midnstorms said:


> If my two cents are good I sometimes find FLAC piercing... might be the recording...


I think that's recording specific - all my Eminem albums are in MP3 because FLACs make his voice sound really treble hot and fatiguing - depends on the transducer as well of course but I don't own anything with recessed treble


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Apr 6, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> If my two cents are good I sometimes find FLAC piercing... might be the recording...




What you just said was exactly the same thing on spotify mp3's!

The only explanation I have got for this is compression doing  funky things to sound....

This is why no more compression for me Nada 0!
Even if its lossless


And why you want compression!  Its wav format, the original pcm file from studio directly! It was recorded in wav then converted to all other formats


----------



## gerelmx1986

mvvRAZ said:


> I think that's recording specific - all my Eminem albums are in MP3 because FLACs make his voice sound really treble hot and fatiguing - depends on the transducer as well of course but I don't own anything with recessed treble


I have some early cds and with artificially boosted treble to give the apparent of better SQ, common with classical music in the early 90s . Nowadays there are better recordings and is m replacing such baddies


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hell, yeah, BIS records the best of Finland


----------



## lumdicks

Morbideath said:


> Don't quote me on this, but i think Romi torn down the whole back plating to fit into more caps, and reforge the copper shields on top each caps. So the "sealing" for the relay might be less soundproof.
> I will try my modded 1Z to see if it's so.
> Btw mine will be shipped out tomorrow. Romi can't reuse the 1960s within but to dump it, but customize another OCC copper wire for my liking.
> 
> This is the "legendary" 16wire 1960s attached to balanced port. According to Romi, it was badly welded for reuse and the wire itself looks weird as a copper wire.


Can't wait for your sharing after you get it back, by pm or in the modded thread.


----------



## endlesswaves (Apr 6, 2020)

My 2 cents on  WAV vs FLAC. I tried purchasing the same song in flac and in wav format from Beatport just to see if I can tell the difference. Yes there is. Subtle but it's there (not sure how to describe it) and I prefer WAV format more. Ever since, if I have a choice when purchasing, I'll go for WAV format and now a big percentage of my songs have no cover art.   .
Just my preference, I rather have less songs in my WM1A but able listen to my favorites with the best quality I can manage within my means.
Pity most of my songs are chillstep, deephouse nowadays and not able to find them in DSD format. Anybody knows if there is someplace to find EDM in DSD? TIA.

PS: Seems like Romi is a better choice. Something to look for in the future but with the present situation, might be getting pay cut next month.


----------



## Morbideath

lumdicks said:


> Can't wait for your sharing after you get it back, by pm or in the modded thread.


I happen to have a stock 1A rent to compare side by side. Eager as well to see the loss and gain with the mod. 
Romi definitely has won me over MS this time. I don't intend to raise any drama but it does disappoint me. 
Bad craftman / skill is one thing, selling something not as advertised is some much more serious matter. Ah the dilemma of the blackbox.


----------



## nc8000

endlesswaves said:


> My 2 cents on  WAV vs FLAC. I tried purchasing the same song in flac and in wav format from Beatport just to see if I can tell the difference. Yes there is. Subtle but it's there (not sure how to describe it) and I prefer WAV format more. Ever since, if I have a choice when purchasing, I'll go for WAV format and now a big percentage of my songs have no cover art.   .
> Just my preference, I rather have less songs in my WM1A but able listen to my favorites with the best quality I can manage within my means.
> Pity most of my songs are chillstep, deephouse nowadays and not able to find them in DSD format. Anybody knows if there is someplace to find EDM in DSD? TIA.



You can always transcode to dsd to see if there is a difference


----------



## endlesswaves

nc8000 said:


> You can always transcode to dsd to see if there is a difference


The source is important I think. Converting Flac to Wav does not makes any difference except bigger file size. Tried that and that's the reason I bought the same song but in wav format. Not expert here but I do hear some difference and definitely prefer wav more. And same song in Flac and DSD format (different source so not sure how it was mastered) the difference is easier to notice. I really doubt converting the flac to dsd bring any benefits.
By the way, is converting the same as transcoding? Sorry in advance if I presumed wrongly that they are the same.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> I love 1z's relay clicks.  It even more analog!



Those little clicks are a nice reminder that the Walkmans are different.


----------



## nc8000

endlesswaves said:


> The source is important I think. Converting Flac to Wav does not makes any difference except bigger file size. Tried that and that's the reason I bought the same song but in wav format. Not expert here but I do hear some difference and definitely prefer wav more. And same song in Flac and DSD format (different source so not sure how it was mastered) the difference is easier to notice. I really doubt converting the flac to dsd bring any benefits.
> By the way, is converting the same as transcoding? Sorry in advance if I presumed wrongly that they are the same.



Transcoding or converting is to me the same. If you don’t hear a difference with transcoding the difference must be in different mastering of the commercial wav or flac and therefore not actually the same production and therefore not attributable to the file format


----------



## Donmonte

Dear Members,

First post here 

I just upgraded my WM1A from firmware 2.00 to firmware 3.02 using a Mac.

I want to also try firmware 3.01 and i have the file.

My question is: Do I just run the 3.01 file and it will install and revert back to that firmware or do I have to do a factory reset or something else I'm not aware of ? 

I read through a lot of pages and it seems a lot of you guys do it so easily and I don't want to brick my player as I am new to this.

Thanks !


----------



## lumdicks

Donmonte said:


> Dear Members,
> 
> First post here
> 
> ...


Yes. 3.01 is a complete FW so you can install it straight away.


----------



## Donmonte

lumdicks said:


> Yes. 3.01 is a complete FW so you can install it straight away.



Thanks ! So nothing special needs to be done, i'll just run the file and it should downgrade.


----------



## nc8000

Donmonte said:


> Thanks ! So nothing special needs to be done, i'll just run the file and it should downgrade.



No you can go from any standard fw to any other even though Sony states that you can’t downgrade


----------



## lumdicks

Donmonte said:


> Thanks ! So nothing special needs to be done, i'll just run the file and it should downgrade.


No worry, the process will not start if there is anything wrong so it won't brick you device.

Enjoy and we should thank @Whitigir and @Morbideath every time we listen to our loved music with the Planetary FWs.


----------



## Donmonte

nc8000 said:


> No you can go from any standard fw to any other even though Sony states that you can’t downgrade


Thanks for your help !


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> What you just said was exactly the same thing on spotify mp3's!
> 
> The only explanation I have got for this is compression doing  funky things to sound....
> 
> ...


I think once you used to mp3 the rest sound so detailed than its fatiguing and you get used to the mellownes... wich i dont knoww if its the same than saying low res thats a hole new discussion...


----------



## endlesswaves

nc8000 said:


> Transcoding or converting is to me the same. If you don’t hear a difference with transcoding the difference must be in different mastering of the commercial wav or flac and therefore not actually the same production and therefore not attributable to the file format


I might be using the wrong software and the wrong way to convert them. I used Sony Sound Pro 11, save as and change the format and used the same sample rate and bit depth or just dBpoweramp and using the same parameters. Thanks.


----------



## Mindstorms

endlesswaves said:


> My 2 cents on  WAV vs FLAC. I tried purchasing the same song in flac and in wav format from Beatport just to see if I can tell the difference. Yes there is. Subtle but it's there (not sure how to describe it) and I prefer WAV format more. Ever since, if I have a choice when purchasing, I'll go for WAV format and now a big percentage of my songs have no cover art.   .
> Just my preference, I rather have less songs in my WM1A but able listen to my favorites with the best quality I can manage within my means.
> Pity most of my songs are chillstep, deephouse nowadays and not able to find them in DSD format. Anybody knows if there is someplace to find EDM in DSD? TIA.
> 
> PS: Seems like Romi is a better choice. Something to look for in the future but with the present situation, might be getting pay cut next month.


Can you state the diferencefor you? I found FLAC really high on GAIN to the point ruins the song again it must be recording or can be... sound is in your face and not sublte... hate when that happnes...


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 6, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> Can you state the diferencefor you? I found FLAC really high on GAIN to the point ruins the song again it must be recording or can be... sound is in your face and not sublte... hate when that happnes...


Flac and wav should have the same gain, the difference should be at most 0.1db overall which is meaningless. It all concerns with the recording quality / gain and the mastering. Most remaster for pop / rock music are simply rubbish. Check loudenss war, brickwalled waveform and compressed dynamics.

Not looking at anyone specific here, but many enthusiastic spent thousands of dollars into hardware and listen to poor remasters which has brickwalled to death  sound. It makes me sad, as I'm also running a record label doing mastering trying to stay outa the loudness war. 

Btw are we jumping to the mp3 bandwagon now?  low-res seems to be the trendy fashion


----------



## candlejack

Morbideath said:


> I don't intend to raise any drama but it does disappoint me.
> Bad craftman / skill is one thing, selling something not as advertised is some much more serious matter. Ah the dilemma of the blackbox.


Indeed, that would be fraudulent, not just disappointing.


----------



## endlesswaves

Midnstorms said:


> Can you state the diferencefor you? I found FLAC really high on GAIN to the point ruins the song again it must be recording or can be... sound is in your face and not sublte... hate when that happnes...


Not sure how to describe it but roughly I'll say each notes is more distinct or clearer or just more forward. 
I think if you find some songs that are more in your face and you hated it, why not just change to a less energetic IEM?


----------



## Lookout57

endlesswaves said:


> My 2 cents on  WAV vs FLAC. I tried purchasing the same song in flac and in wav format from Beatport just to see if I can tell the difference. Yes there is. Subtle but it's there (not sure how to describe it) and I prefer WAV format more. Ever since, if I have a choice when purchasing, I'll go for WAV format and now a big percentage of my songs have no cover art.   .
> Just my preference, I rather have less songs in my WM1A but able listen to my favorites with the best quality I can manage within my means.
> Pity most of my songs are chillstep, deephouse nowadays and not able to find them in DSD format. Anybody knows if there is someplace to find EDM in DSD? TIA.
> 
> PS: Seems like Romi is a better choice. Something to look for in the future but with the present situation, might be getting pay cut next month.


You can always use AIFF which does support full ID3 tags and artwork if you want raw PCM data.


----------



## endlesswaves

Lookout57 said:


> You can always use AIFF which does support full ID3 tags and artwork if you want raw PCM data.


Able to redownload the songs I paid for in bandcamp in aiff and it has the same file size. I don't really miss cover art since I leave my screen on . But this is a good advice. Thanks.


----------



## Mindstorms

so wich one is the best format AIFF? WAV? same size... and how does DSD compares to  them I also have some DTS discs...will not use in walkman...


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 6, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> You can always use AIFF which does support full ID3 tags and artwork if you want raw PCM data.





endlesswaves said:


> Able to redownload the songs I paid for in bandcamp in aiff and it has the same file size. I don't really miss cover art since I leave my screen on . But this is a good advice. Thanks.



If wanting the Album Art with Wav files; download the album Art then rename the jpg file to *exactly the same name of the album's folder on the player* then copy the file to the players album folder. Album art will appear same as embed files do.

For instance If the album name on the player is named _Beyond Galaxies_, you must name the jpg file_ Beyond Galaxies_.jpg and manually copy to the album folder on the player.

Q-6


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 6, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> so wich one is the best format AIFF? WAV? same size... and how does DSD compares to  them I also have some DTS discs...will not use in walkman...


Again recording / mastering quality comes ahead of format. Sometimes even different countries issue different master redbooks within the same year of the same recording, not to mention masters issued across different years.

Given the exact same content, AIFF simply has a tag header on top of wav, so both should be sonically identical. If u could still spot the difference… pls just ignore me.

DSD also depends on whether it was initially recorded in DSD, or master tape transferred to DSD, or upscalled from processed PCM. The latter is most common in recovering analogue recordings (for example, many recent DGG reissues). Those originally recorded in DSD is the most superior. But since the recording process is DSD, the basis for comparison with PCM is not the same.
Generally speaking DSD is smoother, of higher density and maximum dynamic. Overall level meter (volume) is also lower. But that does not apply to those converted from PCM.


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 6, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> If wanting the Album Art with Wav files; download the album Art then rename the jpg file to *exactly the same name of the album's folder on the player* then copy the file to the players album folder. Album art will appear same as embed files do.
> 
> Q-6


This mitigates most downside of wav tags, but not one thing: wav tag does not support many UTF-8 characters. If u have songs tagged with none-English letters / symbols, they will show as ???？？？???
The tag is not standard ID3v2


----------



## Lookout57

Midnstorms said:


> so wich one is the best format AIFF? WAV? same size... and how does DSD compares to  them I also have some DTS discs...will not use in walkman...


You can rip DTS disc using DVD Audio Extractor. It will even transcode to 2 channel.

I've used it to rip DVD-Audio discs as they typically have 2 channel versions or in the case of the Blue Man Group Audio DVD transcode DTS 6 channel to 2 channel.


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> You can rip DTS disc using DVD Audio Extractor. It will even transcode to 2 channel.
> 
> I've used it to rip DVD-Audio discs as they typically have 2 channel versions or in the case of the Blue Man Group Audio DVD transcode DTS 6 channel to 2 channel.



DVD-Audio discs are not DSD put PCM as far as I'm aware, only SACD is


----------



## Queen6

Morbideath said:


> This mitigates most downside of wav tags, but not one thing: wav tag does not support many UTF-8 characters. If u have songs tagged with none-English letters / symbols, they will show as ???？？？???



Very true, so will still remain problematic for some. Hopefully will save some endless time downloading or converting to another file format, when there's a far simpler solution. Most of my Asian music is old as I replace, Flac or DSD if available from newer sources.

Q-6


----------



## endlesswaves

Midnstorms said:


> so wich one is the best format AIFF? WAV? same size... and how does DSD compares to  them I also have some DTS discs...will not use in walkman...


Download a song I purchased earlier in bandcamp in aiff. Been comparing wav and aiff for the 20 minutes. Going over the same starting 5 seconds over and over again. the bass in wav seems to have more impact and more compact. File size is 56,375,976 bytes for aiff and 56,278,670 bytes for wav. Just a slight difference. 

I do not know how it works in bandcamp when you download different formats of the same song but it seems to be converting it from a master format before allowing you to download them so not sure how realistic is this test.


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 6, 2020)

Hell, in China some even claimed songs tagged with English sound better than with Chinese, while Japanese tagging comes as close second.
I'm glad i don't have their ears.


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 6, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Hell, in China some even claimed songs tagged with English sound better than with Chinese, while Japanese tagging comes as close second.
> I'm glad i don't have their ears.



LOL, maybe they need to upgrade the case   

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

The Sisters of Mercy - Floodland


96/24 Well recommended, still to this day a standout album if it's your thing 

Q-6


----------



## Lookout57

nc8000 said:


> DVD-Audio discs are not DSD put PCM as far as I'm aware, only SACD is


I never said they were DSD.


----------



## gerelmx1986

endlesswaves said:


> I might be using the wrong software and the wrong way to convert them. I used Sony Sound Pro 11, save as and change the format and used the same sample rate and bit depth or just dBpoweramp and using the same parameters. Thanks.


Try a qobuz download, they offer several formats.

For transcoding I use dBPowerAmp (it is available for both win and ma) for me it produces the most transparent conversions, even from DSF to flac


----------



## endlesswaves (Apr 6, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Try a qobuz download, they offer several formats.
> 
> For transcoding I use dBPowerAmp (it is available for both win and ma) for me it produces the most transparent conversions, even from DSF to flac


I wished I can download from Qobuz but not allowed due to my location unless I get a VPN.
There is this song I wanted so bad that only qobuz has the hi res version. Good after a stressful day.


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> I never said they were DSD.



Sorry, confused DTS with DSD


----------



## Lookout57

nc8000 said:


> Sorry, confused DTS with DSD


No problem.


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> Sorry, confused DTS with DSD


No no DTS disc are other thing


----------



## Lavakugel

I want to try Venus T1. Where can I download fw?


----------



## Vitaly2017

I am very happy to see a new very interesting topic on this thread and what I am even more happy with is we finally got on something new and very positive behavior everyone is sharing good impressions and thoughts!

I am also super content with this as I am the one who started  the new subject     

Yes the wav format  ;p


So here what I believe in and my findings + personal testings....

No matter what music you are listening to it has to be bit perfect and as direct source as much possible! 

Now here is the thing, wav is the most used pcm format when recording music or mastering,  yes you can have different type of resolution. 16,24,32 and 44.1 to 192 khz...
They all do sound different!  Higher the resolution better the quality. Highest bit rate better tge quality. Hence same 16/44 with 1 having 800 bitrate vs 1411 will sound inferior!  Yes I hear it no jokes here.

I also believe that who ever is doing downsampling or upsampling hes screwing the quality right away. Yes it will have a degradation due to compression or conversion! 
So consider this!
If the original file was 24/96 wav and you downsampl it to flac 16/44 and then upsampl the flac back to wav 24/96. Well you lost gp much information and all those steps have messed the sound quality to much. It will not sound as original wav !!!

You can use the original wav to convert to any format you like but there will closes in information!  And there is absolutely no point upsampling it to dsd or 32/192! You win 0 information!! And just empry bites of data taking space.


So the reason why there is so much disagreement and different opinions is because people are doing it the wrong way! 
Wrong beliefs and information. 

In what ever your wav was recorded at originally then that the only best it can output. Upsampling wins nothing and downsampling you lose data...


Mastering studios and recording rooms do also affect sound.
Microphones affect sound.

I know wav are the industry's standarts! So everything is done in wav. More bit rates allow the artist to work with more information and efficiency! 

Hell not even all artists understand what is a good quality music !!! So they record their music poorly... or lack of resources $$$


Dsd is a whole different story and use.


Ussualy dsd is an extremely high resolution format even beyond wav. But to benefit from a dsd music.
The only way is to have a studio record live performances in enclosed studios with highest end possible equipment ( 100 + 100 of thousands of $$$ in value ) and all this recorded live into original dsd format!
Be it 64 128 or even higher .

This only way how benefit from a real Dsd format the only way!

Anything upsampled from wav to dsd is false dsd you win nothing! 




Hope that helps and puts a good informative perspective on music formats.



Its of course MY HUGE 2 cents opinion LoL


----------



## endlesswaves

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am very happy to see a new very interesting topic on this thread and what I am even more happy with is we finally got on something new and very positive behavior everyone is sharing good impressions and thoughts!
> 
> I am also super content with this as I am the one who started  the new subject
> 
> ...


This, I think is your longest post. Totally agree.


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 6, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am very happy to see a new very interesting topic on this thread and what I am even more happy with is we finally got on something new and very positive behavior everyone is sharing good impressions and thoughts!
> 
> I am also super content with this as I am the one who started  the new subject
> 
> ...



All starts with the mastering, how much down sampling one accepts is a matter of personal preference and storage capacity on portable solutions. Up sampling mostly a waste of time as reliant yet another algorithm. Personally for me flac is great for a portable as offers the best of both worlds, as ever it's a game of diminishing returns, and there's always a bigger microSD card around the corner  

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Sense of humour required - Lindemann - Skills in Pills




Overall prefer Rammstein, but I like this one just for fun...

Q-6


----------



## bana

Diet Kokaine said:


> That looks like a short waiting to happen. That is very sloppy work, good thing he is dumping it all.
> I would stay far far away from that ultimate MOD if that is the level of work they are doing.


Whose work is that, as an old pro that gets an F?


----------



## Hellraiser86

Queen6 said:


> Sense of humour required - Lindemann - Skills in Pills
> 
> Overall prefer Rammstein, but I like this one just for fun...
> 
> Q-6


In that case you will Love the new Lindemann album (it’s available on Qobuz and even hires)


----------



## Vitaly2017

Queen6 said:


> All starts with the mastering, how much down sampling one accepts is a matter of personal preference and storage capacity on portable solutions. Up sampling mostly a waste of time as reliant yet another algorithm. Personally for me flac is great for a portable as offers the best of both worlds, as ever it's a game of diminishing returns, and there's always a bigger microSD card around the corner
> 
> Q-6




Stop using those terms as they meaningless.

Diminishing returns 
Snake oil
Best gear ever.
Etc etc

It doesn't determine anything when you say that actually...

Its the audiophile choice if he wants to sacrifice quality for space.
And what ever file format he wants to use. Its your freedom. 

But personally we are all here to seek all best maximum possible sound quality experiences and feelings.

To me its clear I invested huge load of $ and research to achieve the best of the best in portable. 

Wm1z + Romi
Pw1960 4wires 
Tia Fourte Noir
And wav's

Is seriously enormous sound quality so high that not even a desktop will overcome!


I will never from now on compromise my sound quality for space.
!!!!!!!!


----------



## bana

proedros said:


> i am gonna leave another great Psybient album here , hope you guys keep your cool as the quarantine days go by
> 
> @nc8000 probably likes/owns this (as he sent me some solar fields album sometime ago)
> 
> @bana @Queen6 see what you think





proedros said:


> i am gonna leave another great Psybient album here , hope you guys keep your cool as the quarantine days go by
> 
> @nc8000 probably likes/owns this (as he sent me some solar fields album sometime ago)
> 
> @bana @Queen6 see what you think



Damm, I'm trying to work here and you have me day dreaming. Not good!!


----------



## Queen6

Hellraiser86 said:


> In that case you will Love the new Lindemann album (it’s available on Qobuz and even hires)



Yep


 
Mastering is far better, Skills in Pills way too much loudness on my rendition

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

Need I also to mention how the wav's transformed my Fourte Noir!?

Its now extremely resolving,  treble harshness agression completely disappeared!
Bass is soo detailed, meticulously nuanced!  So deep just outstanding! 

They sound like the purest nectar you can drink on earth. Just insane spot on !

Nothing alike when played from spotify via ldac from cell to 1z!


----------



## candlejack

Vitaly2017 said:


> So here what I believe in and my findings + personal testings....
> No matter what music you are listening to it has to be bit perfect and as direct source as much possible!


I personally prefer bit-perfect, but it doesn't *have to be* that for everyone.



Vitaly2017 said:


> Now here is the thing, wav is the most used pcm format when recording music or mastering,  yes you can have different type of resolution. 16,24,32 and 44.1 to 192 khz...
> They all do sound different!  Higher the resolution better the quality. Highest bit rate better tge quality. Hence same 16/44 with 1 having 800 bitrate vs 1411 will sound inferior!  Yes I hear it no jokes here.


All 16/44.1 PCM recordings are *exactly* 44100 * 16 * 2 bps, i.e. 1,411.2 kbps. 800 kbps is not the actual playback bit rate, as already explained by others, and if it represents the symbolic bit rate of a lossless compressed file, then it will sound the same, unless your player is crap.



Vitaly2017 said:


> I also believe that who ever is doing downsampling or upsampling hes screwing the quality right away. Yes it will have a degradation due to compression or conversion!
> So consider this!
> If the original file was 24/96 wav and you downsampl it to flac 16/44 and then upsampl the flac back to wav 24/96. Well you lost gp much information and all those steps have messed the sound quality to much. It will not sound as original wav !!!


True, no real information can be generated by simply converting formats. 



Vitaly2017 said:


> You can use the original wav to convert to any format you like but there will closes in information!  And there is absolutely no point upsampling it to dsd or 32/192! You win 0 information!! And just empry bites of data taking space.


Not necessarily. If your DAC is better at dealing with DSD than PCM (or vice-versa), there might be a point to converting formats before sending data to the DAC. Not sure if this is a realistic case, though.



Vitaly2017 said:


> So the reason why there is so much disagreement and different opinions is because people are doing it the wrong way!
> Wrong beliefs and information.


I think the disagreement is because people don't read the specs and make up their own story. But I have to say, I was really intrigued by the user who said he had a 90% success rate when blind testing WAV vs FLAC.


----------



## Queen6

Vitaly2017 said:


> Stop using those terms as they meaningless.
> 
> Diminishing returns
> Snake oil
> ...




Diminishing returns is a fact, nor solely related to the audio industry. Nor should one consider it a negative comment; you need to either pay significantly more or put a lot more work/energy to achieve the highest levels. I'm an engineer therefore tend to be pragmatic, equally lightening can strike and when it does everything lights up.

A desktop solution can be better, potentially at a significantly lower price point, or scale far higher at significantly higher cost, WM1A/Z magic is being truly portable, as are many other DAP's.

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Apr 6, 2020)

Haaaa look at this someone just changed he's attitude and now became a good behaviorist?


@candlejack 

I personally prefer bit-perfect, but it doesn't *have to be* that for everyone.
------
What can be  better then direct source and bitperfect?
No EQ for me no thanks!.
------


All 16/44.1 PCM recordings are *exactly* 44100 * 16 * 2 bps, i.e. 1,411.2 kbps. 800 kbps is not the actual playback bit rate, as already explained by others, and if it represents the symbolic bit rate of a lossless compressed file, then it will sound the same, unless your player is crap.
------
Crap dap or not, I look at the bit rate of my track and in wav format I can discern that sound quality differences very easily! Lower the bitrate worsen the quality .
------

True, no real information can be generated by simply converting formats.
-----
You got that one right congratulations!
------



Not necessarily. If your DAC is better at dealing with DSD than PCM (or vice-versa), there might be a point to converting formats before sending data to the DAC. Not sure if this is a realistic case, though.
-----
Yes true I saw that behavior but what darn hassle converting everything to dsd total non sense
-------


----------



## 524419 (Apr 6, 2020)

bana said:


> Whose work is that, as an old pro that gets an F?


Believe it or not, this is the work of a professional modding company  that charges a lot of money to do this hideous work.


The stated Benefit for Up-sampling a PCM file to something like DSD 64 is the  pushing of all noise to above 40 khz. In my experience this up-conversion starts to erode Dynamic Depth in music, at least to my ears, and smooths the entire playback to an unacceptable level. It's best to keep the original file as it is

Some people might like this smoothness, to each his own I guess.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 6, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I also believe that who ever is doing downsampling or upsampling hes screwing the quality right away. Yes it will have a degradation due to compression or conversion!
> So consider this!
> If the original file was 24/96 wav and you downsampl it to flac 16/44 and then upsampl the flac back to wav 24/96. Well you lost gp much information and all those steps have messed the sound quality to much. It will not sound as original wav !!!



We were talking about converting a WAV 24/96 to a FLAC 24/96. Nothing will be lost, as the compression is lossless. Lossless means that absolutely nothing is lost. Also, the conversion doesn't alter the sound! If you'll convert that 24/96 FLAC back to a 24/96 WAV, the result will be a WAV the same as before converting to FLAC.

Of course, if you convert a 24/96 WAV to a 16/44 FLAC, stuff *will* be lost.

Our point was that it makes no sense to keep 24/96 WAVs when you can have them as 24/96 FLACs and it will save you space.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Queen6 said:


> Diminishing returns is a fact, nor solely related to the audio industry. Nor should one consider it a negative comment; you need to either pay significantly more or put a lot more work/energy to achieve the highest levels. I'm an engineer therefore tend to be pragmatic, equally lightening can strike and when it does everything lights up.
> 
> A desktop solution can be better, potentially at a significantly lower price point, or scale far higher at significantly higher cost, WM1A/Z magic is being truly portable, as are many other DAP's.
> 
> Q-6




Let me say this about diminishing returns I think people see it the wrong way. 

Does zx507 sound better el cheapo daps? Like cellphone, dongles, hence even ibasso and fiio? 
No zx507 sounds better cause its quality. 

Does zx507 sound better then wm1a?
No its not yea but 1a is 1500$ 
Is that a diminishing returns ?
No it sounds significantly better!

Ok does zx507 can touche 1z territory?  Not at all!
So diminishing returns applies? 
No as 1z shews zx507 for snack!

Does wm1a sounds better then wm1z?  Absolutely NOT
Also diminishing returns doesn't apply.....

Diminishing returns cant apply here because all those devices are very different and oriented toward completely different audiophile type and performance!!!!

Diminishing returns apply in this case scenario! 

Hugo2 vs wm1z vs cayin N8 vs sp2000! 
Why because you really wont get more quality but only sound carachteristics chsnge.
So selling 1z buying sp2000 or hugo2 is a waste....

Zx507 vs cayin n6ii because n6ii just also sounds simply different in flavor.


That is diminishing return as you want to sell buy a similar performance device!

Each dap has its performance set and built and priced accordingly to the tier it occupies!

So I dont believe in diminishing returns sorry its only an excuse for people who can't afford the highest tier level gear and or dont believe in it....


I heard all this stuff and I know what I am talking about.
Not all desktop will beat what my 1z setup do sorry...

Your setup would have to be like outstanding good and that will cost way much more then my setup....


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> We were talking about converting a WAV 24/96 to a FLAC 24/96. Nothing will be lost, as the compression is lossless. Lossless means that absolutely nothing is lost. Also, the conversion doesn't alter the sound! If you'll convert that 24/96 FLAC back to a 24/96 WAV, the result will be a WAV the same as before converting to FLAC.
> 
> Of course, if you convert a 24/96 WAV to a 16/44 FLAC, stuff *will* be lost.
> 
> Our point was that it makes no sense to keep 24/96 WAVs when you can have them as 24/96 FLACs and it will save you space.



Theoretically there could be a difference depending on how well each play back device implements a given codec and how powerfull the processor on the device is and some people do hear differences (I don’t)


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> We were talking about converting a WAV 24/96 to a FLAC 24/96. Nothing will be lost, as the compression is lossless. Lossless means that absolutely nothing is lost. Also, the conversion doesn't alter the sound! If you'll convert that 24/96 FLAC back to a 24/96 WAV, the result will be a WAV the same as before converting to FLAC.
> 
> Of course, if you convert a 24/96 WAV to a 16/44 FLAC, stuff *will* be lost.
> 
> Our point was that it makes no sense to keep 24/96 WAVs when you can have them as 24/96 FLACs and it will save you space.




Maybe.  But I rather play it native bit straight perfect! I hate the idea to have a conversion to be in the process before music reaching my ears )
Thats still a downside at some milisteps ) and not as pure !


----------



## bana

Morbideath said:


> Again recording / mastering quality comes ahead of format. Sometimes even different countries issue different master redbooks within the same year of the same recording, not to mention masters issued across different years.
> 
> Given the exact same content, AIFF simply has a tag header on top of wav, so both should be sonically identical. If u could still spot the difference… pls just ignore me.
> 
> ...



Does it make sense to upgrade WAV to DSD and if yes, what software do you use? If the information is not in the source material, isn't it all enhanced.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 6, 2020)

bana said:


> Does it make sense to upgrade WAV to DSD and if yes, what software do you use? If the information is not in the source material, isn't it all enhanced.



In the quote, he just mentioned that "that does not apply to those converted from PCM." aka it does not apply for DSD upsampled from PCM. So no, it doesn't make sense to upsample WAV to DSD.



Vitaly2017 said:


> Maybe.  But I rather play it native bit straight perfect! I hate the idea to have a conversion to be in the process before music reaching my ears )
> Thats still a downside at some milisteps ) and not as pure !



Sure, it's your choice, but that WAV audio is just being packed into another container, without losing anything.

I recommend you this Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FLAC

Here's a quote from the article:


> Digital audio compressed by FLAC's algorithm can typically be reduced to between 50 and 70 percent of its original size *and decompress to an identical copy of the original audio data.*




To summarize it, you choose to keep WAV files as a personal preference, which I fully respect. However, there are no technical benefits from doing so. The only thing here is that you're wasting storage.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Apr 6, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> In the quote he just mentioned that "that does not apply to those converted from PCM." aka it does not apply for DSD upsampled from PCM. So no, it doesn't make sense to upsample WAV to DSD.
> 
> 
> Sure, it's your choice, but that WAV audio is just being packed into another container, without losing anything.
> ...






I dont believe that its just a question of storage.
Lets agree wav was the original format then converted to flac.
And then compressed to what ever%

You have 2 process or 2 steps added here.

That is extra load extra what ever issue could happened during conversion and compression errors happens!

I rather use original wav format for this reason and let my dap play it native 100% as I believe it improves sound quality!

I also use direct source on
As I heard sound degradation with the enhancements....

Only thing didnt degrade sound on wm1z was the tone calibration feature.
( bass, mid, treble  )


----------



## nc8000 (Apr 6, 2020)

bana said:


> Does it make sense to upgrade WAV to DSD and if yes, what software do you use? If the information is not in the source material, isn't it all enhanced.



Might make sense if the play back device is optimized for dsd play back or have features that only are available for dsd but otherwise I would say no


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Vitaly2017 said:


> Let me say this about diminishing returns I think people see it the wrong way.
> 
> Does zx507 sound better el cheapo daps? Like cellphone, dongles, hence even ibasso and fiio?
> No zx507 sounds better cause its quality.
> ...


Bro you are taking yourself too seriously here 
In-Ear offer something different from speakers and even headphones, but I completely agree with Q6. For a much lower price you'll have a house set up sounding way more "true". 
Doesn't mean that In-Ear isn't good, but not presenting music in a "realistic" way. 



Vitaly2017 said:


> Maybe.  But I rather play it native bit straight perfect! I hate the idea to have a conversion to be in the process before music reaching my ears )
> Thats still a downside at some milisteps ) and not as pure !


This is something you keep repeating, but it won't be true just because you say it multiple times...


----------



## candlejack

nc8000 said:


> Theoretically there could be a difference depending on how well each play back device implements a given codec and how powerfull the processor on the device is and some people do hear differences (I don’t)


I see what you're saying, but the situation is pretty binary: it either implements it correctly or incorrectly. If it's incorrectly, I would imagine the differences would not be minor, as the unpacker should have no idea about how to generate errors in a way that minimizes audible effects.

@Vitaly2017 How is it that you trust internet technology to deliver you uncorrupted WAV data from thousands of miles away, but you don't trust a simple Free *Lossless *Audio Codec to do what its name suggests and provide you lossless storage of "pure" PCM data? Have you considered that perhaps downloading the same file multiple times might lead to different sounding files?


----------



## 515164

Vitaly2017 said:


> I dont believe that its just a question of storage.
> Lets agree wav was the original format then converted to flac.
> And then compressed to what ever%



I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I'm not sure you fully know what you're saying here, or what you know about the conversion to FLAC.

A FLAC file contains that exact PCM data of the WAV, only that it's compressed. The player then just decompresses it, the result being that exact original WAV PCM data.

A conversion to FLAC implies the lossless (no loss) compression of the PCM data. They are not two separate processes.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Bro you are taking yourself too seriously here 
In-Ear offer something different from speakers and even headphones, but I completely agree with Q6. For a much lower price you'll have a house set up sounding way more "true".
Doesn't mean that In-Ear isn't good, but not presenting music in a "realistic" way.
------
I was only referring to using same iem and feed from desktop dac/amp, and yes true speakers, headphones are completely different perspective
------



This is something you keep repeating, but it won't be true just because you say it multiple times...

------
Didnt you hear the rule of 3 words?

Repeat it three times and it comes true lmao
--------


@MrLocoLuciano


----------



## nc8000

candlejack said:


> I see what you're saying, but the situation is pretty binary: it either implements it correctly or incorrectly. If it's incorrectly, I would imagine the differences would not be minor, as the unpacker should have no idea about how to generate errors in a way that minimizes audible effects.
> 
> @Vitaly2017 How is it that you trust internet technology to deliver you uncorrupted WAV data from thousands of miles away, but you don't trust a simple Free *Lossless *Audio Codec to do what its name suggests and provide you lossless storage of "pure" PCM data? Have you considered that perhaps downloading the same file multiple times might lead to different sounding files?



As a programmer I fully believe that even if 2 implementations both produce the correct result one can easily be better, more efficient and so on than the other or make better use of the environment it works in


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I'm not sure you fully know what you're saying here, or what you know about the conversion to FLAC.
> 
> A FLAC file contains that exact PCM data of the WAV, only that it's compressed. The player then just decompresses it, the result being that exact original WAV PCM data.
> 
> A conversion to FLAC implies the lossless (no loss) compression of the PCM data. They are not two separate processes.




Yes but its still a compression even if its lossless. That at least 1 extra step in the chain.


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I'm not sure you fully know what you're saying here, or what you know about the conversion to FLAC.
> 
> A FLAC file contains that exact PCM data of the WAV, only that it's compressed. The player then just decompresses it, the result being that exact original WAV PCM data.
> 
> A conversion to FLAC implies the lossless (no loss) compression of the PCM data. They are not two separate processes.



Yes and true but the decompression introduces an extra step that requires processing by the hw which could concivably introduce minute differences to the sound even if the actual resulting bit stream is identical. I have no specific knowledge about this but logic dictates that it could be true


----------



## 515164 (Apr 6, 2020)

@Vitaly2017 I also recommend you read some of the official documentation, available here: https://xiph.org/flac/features.html

I only want you to be correctly informed, though it's your choice if you want to be informed or not.


> The encoding of audio (PCM) data incurs *no loss of information*, and *the decoded audio is bit-for-bit identical to what went into the encoder*. Each frame contains a 16-bit CRC of the frame data for detecting transmission errors. The integrity of the audio data is further insured by storing an MD5 signature of the original unencoded audio data in the file header, which can be compared against later during decoding or testing.





Vitaly2017 said:


> Yes but its still a compression even if its lossless. That at least 1 extra step in the chain.



Yep, but why would you care about it as long as you get the exact same quality, and also save some storage? 

Again, it's your choice, but I recommend you inform yourself before making affirmations on this topic.

Peace


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 6, 2020)

bana said:


> Whose work is that, as an old pro that gets an F?



Yep; in my industry any technician presented this level of workmanship, he/she would be placed for training or dismissal...

Q-6


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> @Vitaly2017 I also recommend you read some of the official documentation, available here: https://xiph.org/flac/features.html
> 
> I only want you to be correctly informed, though it's your choice if you want to bee informed or not.



I don’t think anybody is disputing that the resulting bit stream will be identical


----------



## 515164

nc8000 said:


> I don’t think anybody is disputing that the resulting bit stream will be different



By saying that the WAV audio sounds better, I think it's implied that something is different, right?


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> By saying that the WAV audio sounds better, I think it's implied that something is different, right?



Yes but that does not stem from the bit stream being different but from the extra load and steps involved in producing that bit stream


----------



## 515164

nc8000 said:


> Yes but that does not stem from the bit stream being different but from the extra load and steps involved in producing that bit stream



That would be the job of the player, and I'm 100% it doesn't affect the sound output of it. It's just a codec. When converting to FLAC the PCM audio gets compressed, and when played, that same audio is converted back to uncompressed PCM (basically it just gets uncompressed) and played. I personally don't see how this would affect me so that I would choose not to use FLACs but use WAVs instead.

I'm gonna stop here now, this could go on forever. You can use what you want, it's your choice


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> That would be the job of the player, and I'm 100% it doesn't affect the sound output of it. It's just a codec. When converting to FLAC the PCM audio gets compressed, and when played, that same audio is converted back to uncompressed PCM (basically it just gets uncompressed) and played. I personally don't see how this would affect me so that I would choose not to use FLACs but use WAVs instead.
> 
> I'm gonna stop here now, this could go on forever. You can use what you want, it's your choice



Indeed and I use flac as I can’t hear any difference. I’m just as a software developer speculating as to what could make a difference that some people are able to detect and hear


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> By saying that the WAV audio sounds better, I think it's implied that something is different, right?




Thanks for the information I understand what you ment.
Its lossless we got it )
So yea who cares great lets save some gigabytes of space!

As @nc8000 stated its not the lossless flac vs wav we are against here!

Its the fact that your dap have to do that extra step that will possibly affect the sound quality result. As it maybe be poor or not optimised. 

I aint saying that wm1z/ 1a is poor in that regard but I kinda feel safer and more reassured with a native format file.

And I guess it might be psychological or real but I do prefer the wav over flac just feels a tad more natural I dont know.
Ask tiger ears as they are telling me lmao


----------



## 515164 (Apr 6, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Its the fact that your dap have to do that extra step that will possibly affect the sound quality result. As it maybe be poor or not optimised.



The output of the decoder is PCM audio, how can an exact PCM signal as the original be poor or not optimised? This just doesn't make sense.



Vitaly2017 said:


> I kinda feel safer and more reassured with a native format file.



I can understand that, but it's just a result of some assumptions you are making, and not the result of some technical facts.


----------



## candlejack

I kinda understand what you're saying and at the same time I really don't.



nc8000 said:


> As a programmer I fully believe that even if 2 implementations both produce the correct result one can easily be better, more efficient and so on than the other or make better use of the environment it works in


Totally agree, but what does performance have to do with the actual result? You can implement 2 algorithms to perform a task, one is brute force, the other is optimized. In the end (if brute force actually does find the end before we all grow grey beards) the result will be the same.


nc8000 said:


> Yes but that does not stem from the bit stream being different but from the extra load and steps involved in producing that bit stream


So then what are you suggesting, that the extra CPU cycles introduce some electrical noise that somehow trips up the DAC, even though it's being fed the exact same data?


----------



## 515164

candlejack said:


> So then what are you suggesting, that the extra CPU cycles introduce some electrical noise that somehow trips up the DAC, even though it's being fed the exact same data?



Yeah, I could understand that idea, though I'm not really convinced that this will affect the sound unless some actual Sony engineer would tell me that.


----------



## nc8000

candlejack said:


> I kinda understand what you're saying and at the same time I really don't.
> 
> 
> Totally agree, but what does performance have to do with the actual result? You can implement 2 algorithms to perform a task, one is brute force, the other is optimized. In the end (if brute force actually does find the end before we all grow grey beards) the result will be the same.
> ...



Not trips up the dac but perhaps enough to get picked up in the analog part. I have no measurements or anything to back this up, just speculating as to what could cause differences that are audible to people with more accute hearing than mine


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> The output of the decoder is PCM audio, how can an exact PCM signal as the original be poor or not optimised? This just doesn't make sense.
> 
> 
> 
> I can understand that, but it's just a result of some assumptions you are making, and not the result of some technical facts.




Your a technical person I can tell that.
You judge by facts and numbers given as a result from a certain statistic or equation...

I judge from my real life judgment and hearing! 

I still feel wav has an advantage over flac and I hear the difference. 
But I will be honest with you its extremely hard to differentiate from 1 to another.

Overall I decided to judge by feeling and I feel wav to be slightly more natural and airy just very little. 
And thats enough for me to like wav more! .....


----------



## Queen6

Vitaly2017 said:


> Let me say this about diminishing returns I think people see it the wrong way.
> 
> Does zx507 sound better el cheapo daps? Like cellphone, dongles, hence even ibasso and fiio?
> No zx507 sounds better cause its quality.
> ...



Simple the higher you climb the pyramid the smaller the footprint. You simply invest or pay more for a reducing benefit, Is this a negative? Absolutely not, cutting edge has it's benefit & cost. Again this is not a negative or overly critical response. Your gear your music, enjoy as that what only truly matters...

As for my set up, it's in the signature. My home system is old, nor well suited to the acoustics of the current family room, being overly boomy.  As for a dedicated IEM/HP amp I have considered, equally for my needs a DAP makes more sense as I generally travel internationally. If I wanted TOL Sony, I'd purchase DMP simple as that...

Q-6


----------



## 524419

nc8000 said:


> Not trips up the dac but perhaps enough to get picked up in the analog part. I have no measurements or anything to back this up, just speculating as to what could cause differences that are audible to people with more accute hearing than mine


Some people can hear the difference and don't mind using the extra storage, some people can hear the difference and decide it's not worth the hassle, some people can hear no difference. On the PC side people buffer entire files to the RAM, so the hard drive is not active during playback, and to minimize errors. 
I am in the camp, listen to it for yourself, do A/B tests and go with whatever you think is best.


----------



## 515164

Diet Kokaine said:


> Some people can hear the difference and don't mind using the extra storage, some people can hear the difference and decide it's not worth the hassle, some people can hear no difference. On the PC side people buffer entire files to the RAM, so the hard drive is not active during playback, and to minimize errors.
> I am in the camp, listen to it for yourself, do A/B tests and go with whatever you think is best.



Yep, in the end it's about what each one of us prefers. I'm glad we were able to have this conversation without anyone getting mad


----------



## Vitaly2017

Queen6 said:


> Simple the higher you climb the pyramid the smaller the footprint. You simply invest or pay more for a reducing benefit, Is this a negative? Absolutely not, cutting edge has it's benefit & cost. Again this is not a negative or overly critical response. Your gear your music, enjoy as that what only truly matters...
> 
> As for my set up, it's in the signature. My home system is old, nor well suited to the acoustics of the current family room, being overly boomy.  As for a dedicated IEM/HP amp I have considered, equally for my needs a DAP makes more sense as I generally travel internationally. If I wanted TOL Sony, I'd purchase DMP simple as that...
> 
> Q-6




Good luck with dmp and listening to it in travel trips lol 

Ok in an hotel room its doable sure but that a limitation.


They way you talk about diminishing returns sounds like why buy dmp or 1z to get 1% better performance LoL
Come on seriously? 
Its way beyond that !


----------



## Vitaly2017

candlejack said:


> I kinda understand what you're saying and at the same time I really don't.
> 
> 
> Totally agree, but what does performance have to do with the actual result? You can implement 2 algorithms to perform a task, one is brute force, the other is optimized. In the end (if brute force actually does find the end before we all grow grey beards) the result will be the same.
> ...




Are you trying to pick a side here?
To whom can we argue next against? 

IT a big No No!

We said we dont care about conversion its about the process that it involves to be done on your dap that could make the potential issue.


Who know yes pc is windows and its as crappy as android! 
Bugs happen and its not a new thing.

I bet specialized converters that are studio grade class dont evem occurs on pc machines nor linux and definitely not apple!

Its done on special equipment that run pure on hardware and fga chips....
Enclosed in rooms free of interference and noise.
To attain max possible cleanest results....


----------



## Queen6

Vitaly2017 said:


> Good luck with dmp and listening to it in travel trips lol
> 
> Ok in an hotel room its doable sure but that a limitation.
> 
> ...



Exactly, there's limits and there's practical limits, your DAP your choices. My business international air travel is near mandatory. Trucking I'd opt for the DMP if I wanted the absolute, equally I'm not criticizing your choice by any means. DMP presents the very best Sony produces in a semi portable format, and when you need something pocketable no short of options for the musical fix.

That all said if you want the ultimate of a specific "thing" and it makes you happy go for it, as no one is going to stop you, nor has the right to do so...

Q-6


----------



## nc8000

Queen6 said:


> Exactly, there's limits and there's practical limits, your DAP your choices. My business international air travel is near mandatory. Trucking I'd opt for the DMP if I wanted the absolute, equally I'm not criticizing your choice by any means. DMP presents the very best Sony produces in a semi portable format, and when you need something pocketable no short of options for the musical fix.
> 
> That all said if you want the ultimate of a specific "thing" and it makes you happy go for it, as no one is going to stop you, nor has the right to do so...
> 
> Q-6



Except perhaps the spouse or bank manager


----------



## gerelmx1986

It can be many factors what can in theory cause a wav to sound "different" than a flac.
A) your hardware and software cant properly decoded flac or has a bug
B)bad flac encoder. I was victim of this one when using Weiss Saracon to convert dsd to flac. It introduced distortions in the higher frequencies.
But now I keep originals ... only on DAP I down convert,  buy one with dbpoweramp. 
Dbpoweramp has options for verifying the resulting flac is bit perfect, even so when ripping with AccuRip it double checks my CD RIP with Accurip database, then applies flac encoder and verifies the resulting flac for bit perfect. For mac there's also XLDLossless decoder


----------



## Vitaly2017

As a side joke.

When I enable the the cassette preview on my zx507.
Magically sound becomes even more analog and feels like a true dsd even if its flac!

WOW
Sony what u done!
Amazing hahaha


----------



## candlejack

morgenstern09 said:


> Yep, in the end it's about what each one of us prefers. I'm glad we were able to have this conversation _without anyone getting mad_


Not so fast there! LOL.



nc8000 said:


> Not trips up the dac but perhaps enough to get picked up in the analog part. I have no measurements or anything to back this up, just speculating as to what could cause differences that are audible to people with more accute hearing than mine


If we're going to speculate about possible causes, why don't we have a look at the observer? There are plenty of physiological and even more psychological reasons that could explain the unusual result. Not to mention flawed testing methodology. What is more likely: the listener has some biases they're unaware of, or the listener is so sensitive that they pick up the cosmic background radiation? 



Vitaly2017 said:


> Are you trying to pick a side here?


I've been on the same side since the start. I don't doubt that you _hear _the differences. I just doubt that they _are there_.



Vitaly2017 said:


> I bet specialized converters that are studio grade class dont evem occurs on pc machines nor linux and definitely not apple!
> 
> Its done on special equipment that run pure on hardware and fga chips....
> Enclosed in rooms free of interference and noise.
> To attain max possible cleanest results....


This is a bit besides the point, but I wonder what would be your reaction if you found out what kind of cables are used in studio environments.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Also I buy flac from reputable sources, Prestoclassical gets the flac from the labels themselves. Also buy from labels directly and qobuz . Qobuz must be VERY TEPUTABLE LABELS like BIS, CPO, Hyperion, Harmonia mundi, , Naxos, Glossa. 
Brilliant classics started good but have declined in both recording and mastering quality to the point of screwing the master at wav level cut off at 15KHz like mp3 128kbps. I thought it was the flac, bought the Physocal CDs... same crap


----------



## Queen6

gerelmx1986 said:


> Also I buy flac from reputable sources, Prestoclassical gets the flac from the labels themselves. Also buy from labels directly and qobuz . Qobuz must be VERY TEPUTABLE LABELS like BIS, CPO, Hyperion, Harmonia mundi, , Naxos, Glossa.
> Brilliant classics started good but have declined in both recording and mastering quality to the point of screwing the master at wav level cut off at 15KHz like mp3 128kbps. I thought it was the flac, bought the Physocal CDs... same crap



Very true, a friend "picked up" some albums and wasn't too impressed with the quality. Same tracks I own were significantly larger, my money would be on 320 mp3's transcoded to flac. As they say buy into the seller first and foremost. 

Q-6


----------



## RobertP (Apr 6, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> Since my 1Z is at the hand of Romi Audio for BG caps mod atm, i rent an 1A to fill my emptiness.
> To my surprise, stock 1A sounds very good. Long have i forgot about how a stock 1A/1Z sounds since i modded my 1Z with MS Ultimate tier. But stock 1A actually sounds WARMER than my MS Ultimate 1Z. the resolution takes a hit for sure, technicalities have a substantial downgrade, but musically stock 1A still sounds very pleasing, relaxed and laid-back. Treble on stock 1A is dark, but also relaxed to my old ears. It's paired with my Labkable Titan AU and Just Ear MH1, the two are also quite warm.
> I also disagree with Vitaly2017 concerning Romi BG caps. Romi told me BG are of very high resolution for sure but also very WARM. Im very familiar and fond of vinyls / LP / analogue recordings since i own a record label issuing mostly vinyls for Metal bands. Analogue is distortions that color the sound but to many people's liking (warmth) at the same time keeping large staging and very high density.
> Now I miss the warm signature of stock 1A/1Z now, since i have just realized my MS mod has drifted from the stock warm signature for a little far, sometimes to fatigues and less forgiving in poorly recorded albums. Romi is my next step in coloring the sound back.


If you want to add more warmth to the sound, add one more pw1960 wire to negative terminal for internal balanced. Just leave positive side alone. Ran across that problem before with SolisT5 and that fix it. I think the fw you have might be just a bit on unforgiven side. Like I said before, DIY it to get the best cup of tea for your setup.

Anyway, hopefully Romi mod fixed the problem. Seem like you are in a good hand. If not, you can alway increase internal wires thickness. Can't wait when you have your 1Z back!


----------



## Queen6

While we're at it;- The Cranberries - Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We

Simple answer We Can...

Q-6


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haaaa look at this someone just changed he's attitude and now became a good behaviorist?
> 
> 
> @candlejack
> ...


I decided to help him if he PM that make him a good Head-fier dough he never write lol! anyway dont get why he had that attitude...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Queen6 said:


> Very true, a friend "picked up" some albums and wasn't too impressed with the quality. Same tracks I own were significantly larger, my money would be on 320 mp3's transcoded to flac. As they say buy into the seller first and foremost.
> 
> Q-6


This experience of the fake CDs from brilliant classics was saddening as the CDs contained world premiere recordings, happened twice (first with this telemann concertos and sonatas for viola da Gamba and second band joke with Handel: Harpsichord Music)


----------



## Queen6

gerelmx1986 said:


> This experience of the fake CDs from brilliant classics was saddening as the CDs contained world premiere recordings, happened twice (first with this telemann concertos and sonatas for viola da Gamba and second band joke with Handel: Harpsichord Music)



Disappointing indeed, highly unscrupulous especially with rare and out of print works, irrespective of genre and taste.

Q-6


----------



## Blueoris

Vitaly2017 said:


> As a side joke.
> 
> When I enable the the cassette preview on my zx507.
> Magically sound becomes even more analog and feels like a true dsd even if its flac!
> ...



I don't have the zx507 but would love if this screen gets available in other models as I think will also trick my brain into thinking that it makes the sound more analog...


----------



## Blueoris

The screen of my walkman has developed this weird marks.... I don't feel anything when I pass my finger over them, so I think they are internal. Also, I haven applied any screen protector. Have you guys seen something like this occurring to others? Should I be concern about it and contact the dealer?


----------



## Queen6

Blueoris said:


> The screen of my walkman has developed this weird marks.... I don't feel anything when I pass my finger over them, so I think they are internal. Also, I haven applied any screen protector. Have you guys seen something like this occurring to others? Should I be concern about it and contact the dealer?



Looks like an issue between the glass and the digitizer, if want remedied speaking with Sony is the only recourse, or a competent 3rd party.

Q-6


----------



## Hellraiser86 (Apr 6, 2020)

I don’t get the debate of wav sounding better than flac at all. You can easily proof if there are differences. Just hook up your player to a A/D Converter, record the signal and flip the phase. And If there is anything left to hear (I doubt it, maybe I’ll do this after my 1Z finally arrives - just to stay on topic) or to measure with an analyser, you’ll know it.


----------



## Mindstorms

Blueoris said:


> The screen of my walkman has developed this weird marks.... I don't feel anything when I pass my finger over them, so I think they are internal. Also, I haven applied any screen protector. Have you guys seen something like this occurring to others? Should I be concern about it and contact the dealer?


Thas weird? have you modded? has it goten wet? any important falls?


----------



## Blueoris

Midnstorms said:


> Thas weird? have you modded? has it goten wet? any important falls?



Yeah, no mods, no falls at all, no wet, stays most of the time in a drawer my bed side table for night listening. I can't think of an easier life for a walkman  I will contact the dealer.


----------



## RobertP (Apr 7, 2020)

Blueoris said:


> Yeah, no mods, no falls at all, no wet, stays most of the time in a drawer my bed side table for night listening. I can't think of an easier life for a walkman  I will contact the dealer.


That kind of LCD screen problem is usually come from a combination of heat and pressure pressed against the panel. In rare case, the glue might be  too thin or uneven around that area.

Need to disassemble the panel, separate digitizer from LCD, clean old glue, reapply infrared glue and finally install the screen back on.


----------



## nc8000

Blueoris said:


> The screen of my walkman has developed this weird marks.... I don't feel anything when I pass my finger over them, so I think they are internal. Also, I haven applied any screen protector. Have you guys seen something like this occurring to others? Should I be concern about it and contact the dealer?



Mine has 2 spots like that in the 2 top corners


----------



## Morbideath

RobertP said:


> If you want to add more warmth to the sound, add one more pw1960 wire to negative terminal for internal balanced. Just leave positive side alone. Ran across that problem before with SolisT5 and that fix it. I think the fw you have might be just a bit on unforgiven side. Like I said before, DIY it to get the best cup of tea for your setup.
> 
> Anyway, hopefully Romi mod fixed the problem. Seem like you are in a good hand. If not, you can alway increase internal wires thickness. Can't wait when you have your 1Z back!


Thx for the pro tip! In fact mine is already done modding. Romi customized a occ copper wire for internal wiring for my taste (he checked my huge library within, which is all instrumental music and mostly analogue recording)


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 7, 2020)

I will not base my judgement about Flac vs Wav upon feelings / speculation / reassurance. I admit there's minor difference inccurred when decompressing but it's negligible for me. Again i don't even think wav sounds better, it's more upfront sometimes even harsh to reveal the bad aspects of recording. Sometimes it's clearer so it all depends on the recording not the format. I don't think Flac sacrificed any sound quality. I have 1Tb library in my Walkman so even level 8 Flac compression works better for me than level 5. Wav is only meaningful to me for 24/192 and above, especially DXD (not DSD).

What I'm proposing is not about format at all. Flac and wav differ quite negligiblely while mastering difference is comparatively very pronounced, for various countries' pressing plants within the same generation, and different generations of master tapes across the years. As a label owner i would spend most of my time and labor on researching different versions of recording rather than format itself. A nicely recorded / mastered first press vinyl from the 70s sounds much much better than some recently remastered CD. I heard many quality vinyl drops in mp3 sounding better than 24/96 hi-res remastered bullshits. Any music purists should pursue the content itself not the container that holds it.

Of course, if u are only into digital recordings mastered like last year, u are freed from all the hassle / fun of records collecting.


----------



## 524419

Morbideath said:


> I will not base my judgement about Flac vs Wav upon feelings / speculation / reassurance. I admit there's minor difference inccurred when decompressing but it's negligible for me. Again i don't even think wav sounds better, it's more upfront sometimes even harsh to reveal the bad aspects of recording. Sometimes it's clearer so it all depends on the recording not the format. I don't think Flac sacrificed any sound quality. I have 1Tb library in my Walkman so even level 8 Flac compression works better for me than level 5. Wav is only meaningful to me for 24/192 and above, especially DXD (not DSD).
> 
> As a label owner i would spend most of my time and labor on different versions of recording rather than format itself. A nicely recorded / mastered first press vinyl from the 70s sounds much much better than some recently remastered CD. I heard many quality vinyl drops in mp3 sounding better than 24/96 hi-res remastered bullshits. Any music purists should pursue the content itself not the container that holds it.


Remasters always give me a moment of pause...They are usually worse for the wear, just loud.
Plenty of those recordings have gone straight to the bin.


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 7, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> Remasters always give me a moment of pause...They are usually worse for the wear, just loud.
> Plenty of those recordings have gone straight to the bin.


There are still some minorities doing high quality remaster… but they are the minority unfortunately. Most consumers are easily fooled by the louder remaster rather than the naturally quiet originals.
I suspect many are not awared at all if one does not know what original vinyls sound like back in the days. Many new born genres are born into digital domain with squashed mastering so there's even no comparison to draw.
I still don't understand what the fuss is about wav. Even sound engineers we cooperate with don't show any preference towards wav. Its just a format with negligible sq difference but much higher space occupation. Its more of a production format rather than distribution format.


----------



## 524419

Morbideath said:


> There are still some minorities doing high quality remaster… but they are the minority unfortunately. Most consumers are easily fooled by the louder remaster rather than the naturally quiet originals.
> I suspect many are not awared at all if one does not know what original vinyls sound like back in the days. Many new born genres are born into digital domain with squashed mastering so there's even no comparison to draw.
> I still don't understand what the fuss is about wav. Even sound engineers we cooperate with don't show any preference towards wav. Its just a format with negligible sq difference but much higher space occupation.


Most Producers and engineers are looking at the lowest common denominator. 
If it sounds good on cheap earbuds, or your car speakers, they are happy. Is it crappy recordings driving the market, or crappy gear???  This is where I have my issues with the Harmon Curve, but who knows at this point That's just where the industry has gone....
wav/Flac whatever gets the job done    I for one have maybe a a dozen wav files in my entire library.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hellraiser86 said:


> I don’t get the debate of wav sounding better than flac at all. You can easily proof if there are differences. Just hook up your player to a A/D Converter, record the signal and flip the phase. And If there is anything left to hear (I doubt it, maybe I’ll do this after my 1Z finally arrives - just to stay on topic) or to measure with an analyser, you’ll know it.


Und wiedermal... I stand to my experiment proofing the losslessness from flac
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-14105343


----------



## proedros

to people who like electronic music , this is (for me) the *Greatest Prog House compilation by the master of the genre*

Released in 2001 , still sounds modern and cutting edge (to me at least)

CD 1 is a more druggy, dark type of Prog House but CD 2 is where the rollercoaster begins

Fantastic stuff , i have been coming back to this mix time after time for the last 19 years...


----------



## Damz87

proedros said:


> to people who like electronic music , this is (for me) the *Greatest Prog House compilation by the master of the genre*
> 
> Released in 2001 , still sounds modern and cutting edge (to me at least)
> 
> ...




Love John Digweed! Thanks for this I’ll have a listen


----------



## proedros (Apr 7, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> Love John Digweed! Thanks for this I’ll have a listen



I saw him back in 2000 in Cavo Paradiso (Mykonos Island) , he came on the dexx at 05:00 in the morning played until *13:00 local time* (1 noon)

Unbelievable experience.

If you don't know this , you are in for a RIDE.

ps : this one is also a fantastic Prog House mix , i have heard more than 200 comps from that specific era/genre (prog house 1998-2003) and this one is top-10 probably...


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Vitaly2017 @Morbideath @nc8000 @Hellraiser86 

THIS POST IS SPECIALLY GEARED TOWARDS THAT TIGER of Vitaly2017

FLAC IS LOSSLESS PERIOD.

I grabbed one of my Normal CDs (No SACD), just  a Normalo CD-A



2. Opened DBPOWERAMP suite and selected CD RIPPER, there I selected WAV and selected the longest track of that CD to rip.

3. I went to where the resuling WAV file was ripped

4. I opened dbpoweramp suite again, this time Music Converter, there I selected the calculate audio CRC. Calculate Audio CRC plugin only COMPUTES THE CRC32/MD5 HASHES FROM THE AUDIO STREAM (No metadata is involved for this, only audio stream).

5. There still with Music converter opened, selected Convert To [FLAC] leaving defaults.

6. I moved the FLAC to an USB Thumbdrive, deleted the WAV from PC.
In the USB flash drive, I opened the DBPOWERAMP suite Music Converter. Selected convert to [WAVE] leaving defaults. (unpacking the FLAC file on the USB drive, so a different location from original WAV ripped in previous step).

7. Finally deleted the FLAC from USB drive and, in Music converter selected Compute Audio CRC to compute the CRC/MD5 for the new WAV from the FLAC file.


As you can see WAV ripped from CD and wav from FLAC Yield the same MD5/CRC32 Checksum/hash


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Vitaly2017 @Morbideath @nc8000 @Hellraiser86
> 
> THIS POST IS SPECIALLY GEARED TOWARDS THAT TIGER of Vitaly2017
> 
> ...



Yes and so what ?
Nobody has denied that flac and wav produces the same bit stream.


----------



## Morbideath

Truth be told, I'm bored of this topic. Let's move on.


----------



## Layman1 (Apr 7, 2020)

Hi all,

Late to the party here!
I have a Sony WM1Z, no mods of any kind, FW listed on it as 3.02.

I was told it was a Japanese Tourist version, but I'm not sure how to verify this!
It has a sticker on the side with IC logo and some of the writing for some reason in Korean (?!).

I'll put my questions in separate posts to make it easier for each to be answered (which could also help others searching for a specific issue in the future I hope!).

So, here we go, and thanks in advance for any assistance and advice 

1) When I look at the custom FW's I got from here, for example Tier 2 Jupiter, they are divided up by region; European, Japanese and Universal.
If my player is the Japanese Tourist version (and does anyone know how to verify this?) then which region should I be using?


----------



## proedros

Layman1 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> 
> *It has a sticker on the side with IC logo and some of the writing for some reason in Korean (?!).*
> ...



you need the* Universal* FWs , i also have the Japan tourist WM1A and i use the Universal FWs


----------



## Layman1 (Apr 7, 2020)

.


----------



## proedros

Layman1 said:


> Question 2)
> 
> The FW I most want to install is the 3.01 Jupiter that was custom made for more bass.
> According to some previous posts I took screenshots of when downloading it, this one doesn't need any region or other FW downloaded as a pre-requisite; correct?
> ...



@nc8000 aka batman (to the rescue)


----------



## Layman1 (Apr 7, 2020)

.


----------



## Layman1 (Apr 7, 2020)

Sorry, I thought it best to start over. Further research has brought a bit more clarity to my question, but I still need some advice 

The FW I most want to install is the 3.01 Solis (I'd like to have 3.01 Jupiter too, just for comparison).
I need Mac .dmg versions for both, if anyone can help? I have no access to Windows at this time 

These should be the Firmwares that @Whitigir described as "3.01 is the best Bass with Extensions andDecays that goes to the infinity, Energetic body. Fluid upper details and excellent lower trebles"

According to some previous posts I took screenshots of when downloading it, all 3.01 FW's don't need any region or other FW downloaded as a pre-requisite; correct?


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Apr 7, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Vitaly2017 @Morbideath @nc8000 @Hellraiser86
> 
> THIS POST IS SPECIALLY GEARED TOWARDS THAT TIGER of Vitaly2017
> 
> ...




WoW
Thanks for showing us the real world test and indeed looks the same.

But as @nc8000 mentioned we didnt denied it!
At our long debate from yesterday we all agreed it did had same bites in data no loss.

But its the hardware that could affect the sound or simply the process of the uncompressing the flac could be in cause.


I cannot see a better example than photography, raw vs jpeg.

Jpeg quality is always inferior and software only uses raw to work with pictures.
Even quality is affected by the software you are using....

But even so, if I convert raw to jpeg with 100% quality its still inferior to raw....

For me its same wav vs flac comprehension.
Except in audio we can use wav format but in photagrophy we sacrifice quality because all software uses jpegs....



Its ok if you guys like flac compressed or not but feel more love for wav format.  Its the original pcm file that was recorded on to, it will always be more native that way.


THE UNDENIABLY PRECISE TIGER EARS!
@gerelmx1986


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 7, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> WoW
> Thanks for showing us the real world test and indeed looks the same.
> 
> But as @nc8000 mentioned we didnt denied it!
> ...


I don't agree with the Raw vs Jpg analogy. Jpg is lossy compression just like mp3. But u can perfectly revert Flac to wav without data lost.
And such revert / decompression does not tax the modern hardware that much. So performance difference is each to their own.
raw format is more like ddp the master engineering files (or psd, if u do Photoshop). Wav is also the production output without the ability to go back to ddp. But if u do feel wav is more direct or native, just enjoy it your way.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 7, 2020)

Layman1 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Late to the party here!
> I have a Sony WM1Z, no mods of any kind, FW listed on it as 3.02.
> ...





Layman1 said:


> Sorry, I thought it best to start over. Further research has brought a bit more clarity to my question, but I still need some advice
> 
> The FW I most want to install is the 3.01 Solis (I'd like to have 3.01 Jupiter too, just for comparison).
> I need Mac .dmg versions for both, if anyone can help? I have no access to Windows at this time
> ...



I have Japan Tourist too. It’s highlighted in green; that’s what’s your sticker should look like. In the early days here you needed to be on 3.02 for the first set of firmwares. Also of course they needed to match your destination code. Later firmwares didn't need to be on a specific firmware like Jupiter or Solaris. Cheers! Your destination firmware should be U. I use Windows. Unless you use the Rockbox destination tool, then you would need the firmware for your destination.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> I have Japan Tourist too. It’s highlighted in green; that’s what’s your sticker should look like. In the early days here you needed to be on 3.02 for the first set of firmwares. Also of course they needed to match your destination code. Later firmwares didn't need to be on a specific firmware like Jupiter or Solaris. Cheers! Your destination firmware should be U. I use Windows. Unless you use the Rockbox destination tool, then you would need the firmware for your destination.




I have the same sticker does that mean my unit was a Japan tourist version to?

I recall my stock region was set to E


----------



## Morbideath

Could we move on and forget about the format comparisons? 
Too many facts and even false info were spreaded already. Our brain will believe what we intend to believe, even the info is wrong.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 7, 2020)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/vitaly2017.488010/

There was E,J and U, I always used U? Don’t know what to tell you?


----------



## 515164 (Apr 7, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I have the same sticker does that mean my unit was a Japan tourist version to?
> 
> I recall my stock region was set to E



I think that Japan tourist versions use the E region.

I remember @Whitigir mentioning this, if I remember correctly who posted it.

And for E region you need to flash Universal firmware.


----------



## proedros

keep in mind , @Whitigir tuned the FWs with J region (if i remember correctly)

also J region is said to be the more balanced tuning

@Layman1 for the FWs with 3.01 ahead (like Jupiter and Solis) you just load them without any fear of which initial SONY FW you have pre-installed

for the other planetary FWs (venus-mercury-jupiter-mars) that have tiers 1-2-3 , you need to have *3.02 pre-installed*


----------



## Layman1

proedros said:


> keep in mind , @Whitigir tuned the FWs with J region (if i remember correctly)
> 
> also J region is said to be the more balanced tuning
> 
> ...



Thanks to you and the others who have answered my question! Now all I have to do is see if I can get Solis 3.01 and Jupiter 3.01 for Mac


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/vitaly2017.488010/
> 
> There was E,J and U, I always used U? Don’t know what to tell you?





morgenstern09 said:


> I think that Japan tourist versions use the E region.
> 
> I remember @Whitigir mentioning this, if I remember correctly who posted it.
> 
> And for E region you need to flash Universal firmware.






I hated region E, I found it tobe very wrong.

J is most accurate 
U is deeper in sub bass and slightly brighter.

I love U


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 7, 2020)

proedros said:


> to people who like electronic music , this is (for me) the *Greatest Prog House compilation by the master of the genre*
> 
> Released in 2001 , still sounds modern and cutting edge (to me at least)
> 
> ...



Have you guys listened to My Digital enemy Shamen track? i dont know about mastering quality on this they sound very lazy ly? mastered lol




this are my ringtones lol


this is my wake up call from the part where no bass...

just insanelly cool music


----------



## candlejack

[The elephant in the room]

The fact that you hear something doesn't mean it's there. It just means that you think it's there. Most of the time you'll be right, but sometimes you'll be wrong. 

*If you're going to worry about the tiniest bits of noise in the electronics, then shouldn't you acknowledge your physiological/psychological noise as well? *

I'm sure that to some people FLAC sounds different than WAV, but at the same time I know that they would be unable to tell them apart in a blind ABX test***. Why is it that audiophiles insist on engaging in these "golden ears" pissing contests that lead to the most absurd claims?

I for one don't think there's anything wrong in preferring WAV to FLAC. If you feel better listening to WAV, that's fine. If it removes that (unreasonable) doubt that would otherwise prevent you from fully immersing yourself and enjoying the music, that's perfectly fine. But you don't have to claim that _WAV sounds different from FLAC_ in an absolute sense. 

*** One person previously claimed that they had a 90% success rate in this challenge. I'd love to hear more about his experiment.


----------



## 515164

By the way, did anyone here managed to get hands on the 0.94 firmware and try it?

It seems that the 0.94 firmware was circulating on some Chinese forums sometime around 2019.

They say that this firmware sounds very nice on the 3.5 port. The theory is that the Walkman was not launched then, but you were able to test it when Sony was showcasing it at some events. Since at that time the 4.4 port was not widely used, people would mostly have 3.5 headphones with them to test the players, so they tuned the audio on the 3.5 port better.


----------



## Lookout57

Layman1 said:


> Sorry, I thought it best to start over. Further research has brought a bit more clarity to my question, but I still need some advice
> 
> The FW I most want to install is the 3.01 Solis (I'd like to have 3.01 Jupiter too, just for comparison).
> I need Mac .dmg versions for both, if anyone can help? I have no access to Windows at this time
> ...


I documented here, https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2179#post-15488409 how to make macOS versions of the installers.


----------



## normie610

Morbideath said:


> I will not base my judgement about Flac vs Wav upon feelings / speculation / reassurance. I admit there's minor difference inccurred when decompressing but it's negligible for me. Again i don't even think wav sounds better, it's more upfront sometimes even harsh to reveal the bad aspects of recording. Sometimes it's clearer so it all depends on the recording not the format. I don't think Flac sacrificed any sound quality. I have 1Tb library in my Walkman so even level 8 Flac compression works better for me than level 5. Wav is only meaningful to me for 24/192 and above, especially DXD (not DSD).
> 
> What I'm proposing is not about format at all. Flac and wav differ quite negligiblely while mastering difference is comparatively very pronounced, for various countries' pressing plants within the same generation, and different generations of master tapes across the years. As a label owner i would spend most of my time and labor on researching different versions of recording rather than format itself. A nicely recorded / mastered first press vinyl from the 70s sounds much much better than some recently remastered CD. I heard many quality vinyl drops in mp3 sounding better than 24/96 hi-res remastered bullshits. Any music purists should pursue the content itself not the container that holds it.
> 
> Of course, if u are only into digital recordings mastered like last year, u are freed from all the hassle / fun of records collecting.



Fully agree on mastering. Even a well mastered AAC file (I have a lot Apple Digital Master files) can sound very good combined with Sony’s DSEE-HX.


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> By the way, did anyone here managed to get hands on the 0.94 firmware and try it?
> 
> It seems that the 0.94 firmware was circulating on some Chinese forums sometime around 2019.
> 
> They say that this firmware sounds very nice on the 3.5 port. The theory is that the Walkman was not launched then, but you were able to test it when Sony was showcasing it at some events. Since at that time the 4.4 port was not widely used, people would mostly have 3.5 headphones with them to test the players, so they tuned the audio on the 3.5 port better.





candlejack said:


> [The elephant in the room]
> 
> The fact that you hear something doesn't mean it's there. It just means that you think it's there. Most of the time you'll be right, but sometimes you'll be wrong.
> 
> ...






Subject is closed dude quit making headaches to @Morbideath


----------



## 515164

normie610 said:


> Fully agree on mastering. Even a well mastered AAC file (I have a lot Apple Digital Master files) can sound very good combined with Sony’s DSEE-HX.



Yes indeed, AAC is a very good alternative to FLAC/WAV/etc., especially in a situation where you don't have enough storage, let's say, and you don't care that much about having FLACs/etc.

For someone's birthday, I once made a USB stick with a collection of albums that the person likes. Because of too little space and also because that person is not an audiophile, I just converted everything to high quality AAC, and it sounds great!



Vitaly2017 said:


> Subject is closed dude quit making headaches to @Morbideath



Are you telling me this or to candlejack?


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> I love U


Wait…… Whom?


----------



## Mindstorms

morgenstern09 said:


> By the way, did anyone here managed to get hands on the 0.94 firmware and try it?
> 
> It seems that the 0.94 firmware was circulating on some Chinese forums sometime around 2019.
> 
> They say that this firmware sounds very nice on the 3.5 port. The theory is that the Walkman was not launched then, but you were able to test it when Sony was showcasing it at some events. Since at that time the 4.4 port was not widely used, people would mostly have 3.5 headphones with them to test the players, so they tuned the audio on the 3.5 port better.


can you share some links? in PM


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> Yes indeed, AAC is a very good alternative to FLAC/WAV/etc., especially in a situation where you don't have enough storage, let's say, and you don't care that much about having FLACs/etc.
> 
> For someone's birthday, I once made a USB stick with a collection of albums that the person likes. Because of too little space and also because that person is not an audiophile, I just converted everything to high quality AAC, and it sounds great!
> 
> ...




I am saying that to candle my jack lol 
sorry you got in there somewhere hehe


----------



## fjf

https://www.0db.co.kr/index.php?mid=REVIEW_0DB&category=183&document_srl=91538


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> By the way, did anyone here managed to get hands on the 0.94 firmware and try it?
> 
> It seems that the 0.94 firmware was circulating on some Chinese forums sometime around 2019.
> 
> They say that this firmware sounds very nice on the 3.5 port. The theory is that the Walkman was not launched then, but you were able to test it when Sony was showcasing it at some events. Since at that time the 4.4 port was not widely used, people would mostly have 3.5 headphones with them to test the players, so they tuned the audio on the 3.5 port better.



To the best of my knowledge no fw prio to 1.01 has been available to download, only these


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 7, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> To the best if my knowledge no fw prio to 1.01 has been available to download, only these


There was 0.94 only for the demo shows in China, before 1A/1Z was released. It's laggy and buggy as hell to barely usable.

Also 0.92 existed before 94.


----------



## 515164

Morbideath said:


> There was 0.94 only for the demo shows in China, before 1A/1Z was released. It's laggy and buggy as hell to barely usable.



Yep, and it somehow got on to the web. There was also 0.92 I think, and one or two others < 1.0


----------



## candlejack

Vitaly2017 said:


> Subject is closed dude quit making headaches to @Morbideath


Oh, sorry, I missed the memo in which we decided who gets to close a subject. 
--
If you have 40 minutes to listen to a talk about hi-res music (*not* FLAC vs WAV):


----------



## 515164

Will write more soon.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Vitaly2017 
RAW 》 WAV
TIFF 》 FLAC
JPEG 》 MP3/AAC

For photography I don't care. As I cant see well anymore I just give a sh**


----------



## bana

proedros said:


> to people who like electronic music , this is (for me) the *Greatest Prog House compilation by the master of the genre*
> 
> Released in 2001 , still sounds modern and cutting edge (to me at least)
> 
> ...



I'm showing 1CD with 22 tracks, is that correct?


----------



## ehaldin

From my personal experience, lossless codecs -- for whatever reason -- do have a subtle but clear signature or character to themselves...

Like morbideath and others said, it could very likely be due to some buffering or technicality that occurs with decompression. I'm not claiming the decompressed audio stream would be different from an identical copy in wav. Mastering and any piece of hardware really do outweigh the codec "signatures" and like it's been said, an mp3 of a very good recording can be so much better than HiRes files from a recording gone awry...

When I did blind A/Bing, I didn't want to go on a blurry scientific trip, I only wanted to make sure that I didn't fool myself into eating up my storage space through wav files without reason. First I settled on a ripping app, and what I found was that EAC sounds quite different to me than dBPoweramp (both results confirmed by accuraterip). EAC files sounded dry as a bone but at the same time near-perfectly revealing, while dBPoweramp output seemed a bit more jittery, yet punchy / more flinging.

Blind A/Bing happened with my LCD-XC and FAW MK2 cables on my laptop 3.5 jack (VLC for media playback) as well as the 4.4 of the WM1Z. On the desktop, I made sure to skip both versions in a loop by hitting away on the mousepad with my eyes closed, until I had no way of knowing which version would be playing. On the WM1Z, it was far more convenient to use the side buttons + screen turned off. I remember I even tested on the Cowon Plenue S two years ago, so results were independent of one particular gadget. I settled for EAC rips and checked flac conversions (as well as alac, aiff, ape...) (some done by multiple converters) across quite a few genres in the same way.

How I would describe the codecs subjectively:
- wav to me was the most holographic, fluid, and most revealing in minutiae (shades of voices, slightly longer note decays and so on). The data grid seemed more refined and present. Yet there was a natural softness, non-pretentiousness to the music that bought me.
- flac by comparison was generally a bit more dense, with more pressure in the dynamics, and stronger contours to the sounds. As if a tiny but persistent "seal" had been put on the music. Some shades and decays being somewhat more recessed (or nuances even absent) was quite notable. In general, the flac signature reminded me of what a "lossless mp3" could sound like.
- aiff was simply like a cruder, rougher, shoutier wav PCM with no real benefits
- alac I remember to be somewhat more "colourful", but also more two-dimensional than other codecs
Yes, these are nuances under focused listening, but I was able to blindly assort them way beyond median random probabality / 90%+ in the above manner when I got familiar to these signatures.

Similarly, I had to decode 256kbps AC3 DVD streams into something a DAP could read, and I compared mp3s with flac with 16, 24 and 32 bit wavs and two different decoders -- not once were they the same peas in the pod. The higher the wav bitrate, the more spatial / less flat the sound became, even though it was just adding colossal amounts of silence. I could discern them in the same type of A/B as the codecs with lossless sources.

So now I'm using 16bit wav files for redbook CDs where the slightest hue has meaning to me, flac for quality rips, and mp3s with well-mastered music that's not my grail. I'm in love with what the WM1Z + DSEEHX can fetch even out of a blaring AAC re-re-re-re-convert of decades-old bootlegs taken from youtube. This versatility is one of the greatest upsides I found in the Walkman.



Lookout57 said:


> I think the quality of the FLAC encoder has a lot to do with the perceived differences in FLAC vs. WAV. @Whitigir and I swear by XiSRC but regrettably they are no longer selling it,



Would be interesting to try it!

I'm actually a musician who had some serious handicaps thrown at him and I wanted to get as close to "my" music as possible while I couldn't play it...... maybe that explains why I took the hassle...


----------



## Vitaly2017

ehaldin said:


> From my personal experience, lossless codecs -- for whatever reason -- do have a subtle but clear signature or character to themselves...
> 
> Like morbideath and others said, it could very likely be due to some buffering or technicality that occurs with decompression. I'm not claiming the decompressed audio stream would be different from an identical copy in wav. Mastering and any piece of hardware really do outweigh the codec "signatures" and like it's been said, an mp3 of a very good recording can be so much better than HiRes files from a recording gone awry...
> 
> ...





Wooow you said everything to such a precise degree!

I feel the exact same thing when I listen to wav!
But once I switched back to flac its suddenly different and does not feel as natural. Something changed in the harmonics of the sound waves.
I do feel it!
I am happy you confirmed it!
It is indeed a very subtle feel!
But once you learn how to find it in the music it becomes very prominent and it strikes!


----------



## proedros

bana said:


> I'm showing 1CD with 22 tracks, is that correct?



it is 2 cd but 22 tracks so yeah

check this one to if you liked Digweed , another stellar prog house mix and he used to open for Digweed

the 1st cd is more slow-burning but it is a seminar in sustained buildup , 2nd cd is more banging


----------



## candlejack

ehaldin said:


> From my personal experience, lossless codecs -- for whatever reason -- do have a subtle but clear signature or character to themselves...
> 
> Like morbideath and others said, it could very likely be due to some buffering or technicality that occurs with decompression. I'm not claiming the decompressed audio stream would be different from an identical copy in wav. Mastering and any piece of hardware really do outweigh the codec "signatures" and like it's been said, an mp3 of a very good recording can be so much better than HiRes files from a recording gone awry...
> 
> ...


Thanks for sharing your experience. Very interesting results to say the least!

Despite the detailed description, I somehow did not understand 2 things:
1. How did you produce the FLAC file from the WAV file?
2. How did you exactly conduct your blind A/B tests? 

So I guess you listened to WAV and FLAC, formulated a description of the differences you noticed and then proceeded to blind testing. Here you devised a method to play a file without knowing what file it is. You used this method to play one random file out of a set of two files. Then what? You noted if you thought it was the WAV or its FLAC equivalent and then looked to see if you were correct or not? You then repeated this process multiple times and in the end you were correct about 9 times out of 10?


----------



## gazzington

The wm1z I've had for two months now we about 100hrs on it is sounding very special indeed. Using solis firmware with sony z1r iems. Amazing


----------



## 515164 (Apr 7, 2020)

candlejack said:


> Thanks for sharing your experience. Very interesting results to say the least!
> 
> Despite the detailed description, I somehow did not understand 2 things:
> 1. How did you produce the FLAC file from the WAV file?
> ...



Also, was the FLAC converted _from and at_ the same bit depth and sample rate as the original WAV?

Because otherwise, the FLAC could just be from another source or something.


----------



## etlouis

Vitaly2017 said:


> Wooow you said everything to such a precise degree!
> 
> I feel the exact same thing when I listen to wav!
> But once I switched back to flac its suddenly different and does not feel as natural. Something changed in the harmonics of the sound waves.
> ...



I dislike flac, but in reality whatever I can get my hands on I will listen to. I prefer wav if I can get it. It's hard to describe the reason to hate it, is it slightly more hissy, or missing in the bass? I have no idea, but I'm sure something bad-bad is going on with flac. The only scientific proof I have is that: I don't have the same hate for flac with the other ogg ape mp3 formats. Can't point my finger at it. Here's another curve ball: some music sounds weird with upgraded bitrate. Alec Benjamin - Demons, sounded to me just fine with 320k mp3, getting the flac version of it felt like taking away from the magic. Maybe I prefer him to sing without a background, even, just pure vocals.



Audiophiles like us are always on the pursuit of the ultimate bestest sounding equipment ever (a fantasy in itself). I saw a guy who bought a bunch of SD cards because he hears differences with each brand of card. There's this connector cleaning oil that makes music sound better. I bought a iphone dongle whose manufacturer advertises the copper was hammered a thousand times like a samurai sword, by hand, and that somehow enhances music playback. All the things we've done for music.

Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't, maybe we've gone insane.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 7, 2020)

WM1A/Z stock firmware 0.94 can be found here (click)*.*

It really sounds awesome on the 3.5 port.

Some info about what's not working well:

- scrolling seems just a bit laggy
- unless you "Reset All Settings" from the "Device Settings" menu, you will not be able to switch Direct Mode when sliding the screen up, you will have to go to Settings
- unless you "Reset All Settings", every time you'll go to Settings, you'll get a message that an error occurred and that you can restart the device by holding "Power" for 8 seconds; you can just ignore this
- you will have to "Rebuild Database" from the "Device Settings" menu

Feel free to test it and leave your impressions.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Well discussion ends. . Just as end code, flac is not hussy. And no lack in bass. Depends on recording


----------



## 515164

Morbideath said:


> There was 0.94 only for the demo shows in China, before 1A/1Z was released. It's laggy and buggy as hell to barely usable.
> 
> Also 0.92 existed before 0.94.



It's funny, I am currently using the 0.94 firmware and it's just a bit laggy. I didn't find a specific bug yet.

Also, I will upload 0.92 soon.


----------



## tieuly1

It is really interesting to find how people find sound difference on Flac or WAV. Fmho, even Mp3 could sound better sometim than WAV if it is well recorded, mostly from well known Studio, but it belongs to each audience feeling.
Btw, Vitaly2017, we all respect your feeling about the music but please don't make it a misleading proclaim. 
And please respect others by stopping saying because I have Noire and expensive 1960, My setup can hear difference from Tier. It just proves you lack of knowledge clown  
Thanks


----------



## 524419

The more resolving and transparent your system is, the more you can hear into your music. THIS IS A *FACT*.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Apr 7, 2020)

tieuly1 said:


> It is really interesting to find how people find sound difference on Flac or WAV. Fmho, even Mp3 could sound better sometim than WAV if it is well recorded, mostly from well known Studio, but it belongs to each audience feeling.
> Btw, Vitaly2017, we all respect your feeling about the music but please don't make it a misleading proclaim.
> And please respect others by stopping saying because I have Noire and expensive 1960, My setup can hear difference from Tier. It just proves you lack of knowledge clown
> Thanks




I need to correct you on this one as you probably miss understood.

I never claimed that I can hear the difference because I have such expensive gear!!!

Hey I used spotify for 4.5 years ok. And I was able to discern a lot of different details and nuances.

I do have very good hearing, I even did go to the audiologist and I had all hearing at 100%


Again there is a difference between wav and flac but its not because I have a special gear.
Its because it helps me better to feel my music!

I dont really like what you said at end as I am no clown here bro.
I stand by what I say! And I am not trying to fool or convince no body here!

I started talking about wav vs flac in the beginning and shared my perception that I do feel wav better in sound quality then flacs.
Few have agreed few havent then the debate continued with proof with numbers and conversion thing then this

AND NOW YOU ARE TELLING I am clown lol.


Do what you whant. Its my gear its my pleasure I want wav! Not compressed flac's sorry.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 8, 2020)

I'm back with stock 0.92, 0.92.10 and 1.00.

They can be found *here (click)*.

All the points from my previous post apply:

- scrolling seems just a bit laggy
- unless you "Reset All Settings" from the "Device Settings" menu, you will not be able to switch Direct Mode when sliding the screen up, you will have to go to Settings
- unless you "Reset All Settings", every time you'll go to Settings, you'll get a message that an error occurred and that you can restart the device by holding "Power" for 8 seconds; you can just ignore this
- you will have to "Rebuild Database" from the "Device Settings" menu after flashing to one of these versions

By following these exact instructions, your hour count will not be reset.

Also, in the 0.94 version (and probably 0.92 and 0.92.10) there is no MQA support.

Enjoy.


----------



## Fsilva

I´m sorry but is this still the WM1A/Z thread, or the Flac vs WAV thread?
Back on topic!!


----------



## 515164

Fsilva said:


> I´m sorry but is this still the WM1A/Z thread, or the Flac vs WAV thread?
> Back on topic!!



I agree, we should stop discussing it in order to avoid any conflict or something. Everyone can listen to whatever they think it sounds best


----------



## candlejack

Vitaly2017 said:


> I do have very good hearing, I even did go to the audiologist and I had all hearing at 100%


What does it mean to have all hearing at 100%? Can you give some examples?


----------



## proedros

flac or wav , this prog house mix is one of the best i have heard , stellar job (2002)

@bana i am sorry for your wallet


----------



## 515164

candlejack said:


> What does it mean to have all hearing at 100%? Can you give some examples?



I did a hearing test for my workplace, and they put me in an isolated room, with some headphones, while playing some tones at different frequencies at a very low volume, in order to test what I can hear or not.


----------



## Mindstorms

morgenstern09 said:


> I'm back with stock 0.92, 0.92.10 and 1.00.
> 
> They can be found *here (click)*.
> 
> ...


Well thank you for this! Its awesome when people cooperate! have you been testing this ones? they since safe? i remember when using 1.20 my walkman was superbugged once it stoked up in rebuilding database.... fortunately i was able to go out of that loop so thats why I fear old FW


----------



## candlejack

morgenstern09 said:


> I did a hearing test for my workplace, and they put me in an isolated room, with some headphones, while playing some tones at different frequencies at a very low volume, in order to test what I can hear or not.


And were you 100%?  

I downloaded a headphone perceptual test some time ago. That's how I found out that I can't hear anything above 17 kHz.


----------



## 515164

Midnstorms said:


> Well thank you for this! Its awesome when people cooperate! have you been testing this ones? they since safe? i remember when using 1.20 my walkman was superbugged once it stoked up in rebuilding database.... fortunately i was able to go out of that loop so thats why I fear old FW



I first installed the 0.94, reset the settings and rebuilt the database, and then everything was fine.

Before resetting the settings, I had those bugs that I mentioned in my post.

Afterwards, I installed 0.92 and 1.00 successfully, and I encountered no additional bugs, since the structure of the saved settings/database should be kind of the same I guess.



candlejack said:


> And were you 100%?
> 
> I downloaded a headphone perceptual test some time ago. That's how I found out that I can't hear anything above 17 kHz.



I didn't ask for details, I just passed it and that's it ) But I could hear every played tone, yes.


----------



## nc8000

candlejack said:


> And were you 100%?
> 
> I downloaded a headphone perceptual test some time ago. That's how I found out that I can't hear anything above 17 kHz.



At 57 years old I can hear to about 16khz but have a 10dB dip between 7 and 11kHz on my right ear from an accident as a child


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 7, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> At 57 years old I can hear to about 16khz but have a 10dB dip between 7 and 11kHz on my right ear from an accident as a child


Im sad to hear that.. I have no major dificulties in hearing but when i was 17 boy hear and see a ton more it was amazing I remember hearing clrearly up to 20Khz when avaliable but not in the same way you hear 16kz now i have  to supe-rfocus at very high volumes and its really hard to pick it up


----------



## Vitaly2017

candlejack said:


> And were you 100%?
> 
> I downloaded a headphone perceptual test some time ago. That's how I found out that I can't hear anything above 17 kHz.




Hahah 100% means you can hear from
3hz to 100 000 hz just like the ier-z1r.  Does that answer helps?

I think I can hear 18 000 but its very hard in that area. Barely audible even 17k is very faint.

But I do feel & hear very low bass no problem  ) as I do feel how low my iems go.

For example fir audio states 10hz and noir can do 5hz well I feel that difference. I can feel Noir going deeper






morgenstern09 said:


> I first installed the 0.94, reset the settings and rebuilt the database, and then everything was fine.
> 
> Before resetting the settings, I had those bugs that I mentioned in my post.
> 
> ...





I had similar test and also passed all of it and yea the results are not measured in % 

When I said 100% I meant that me to I passed and was better then average.


----------



## candlejack (Apr 7, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> Im sad to hear that I have no major dificulties in hearing but when i was 17 boy hear and see a ton more it was amazing i remember hearing clrearly up to 20Khz when avaliable but not in the same way you hear 16kz now i have  to superfocus at very high volumes and its really hard to pick it up


I don't mean for this to discourage you from posting, but man, sometimes I have no idea what you're saying. I feel like I'm guessing half the time. 



Vitaly2017 said:


> I can feel Noir going deeper.


:-D


----------



## Lookout57

How many of you can pass this test?

https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2015/06/02/411473508/how-well-can-you-hear-audio-quality

I was able to pick 5/6 correctly and that was using the speakers in my MacBook Pro.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 7, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> How many of you can pass this test?
> 
> https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2015/06/02/411473508/how-well-can-you-hear-audio-quality
> 
> I was able to pick 5/6 correctly and that was using the speakers in my MacBook Pro.



You can guess it by how long it takes to load the song, haha, the uncompressed WAV takes the longest to start playing 

I can't really take this test now that I noticed this detail...


----------



## Vitaly2017

Lookout57 said:


> How many of you can pass this test?
> 
> https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2015/06/02/411473508/how-well-can-you-hear-audio-quality
> 
> I was able to pick 5/6 correctly and that was using the speakers in my MacBook Pro.



Unfortunately i am on my smartphone and my test wont work as there is no bit perfect output  (

Maybe when I get home


----------



## hshock76

Hi All,

The virus situation is already proving to be very difficult for almost everyone and I hope that we do not have another virus spreading in this thread. We are all here for the love of the 1Z/A and ultimately the music we listen to.

Let's agree to disagree and move on. We are all adults and dun have to always win an argument or have the last say in discussions. Let's be cordial and give the other party the benefit of doubt. It is always easy to misinterpret the tone used in online discussions but I believe we all have bigger hearts than this.

Cheers and let's continue to listen to lots and lots of music!


----------



## ehaldin

morgenstern09 said:


> Also, was the FLAC converted _from and at_ the same bit depth and sample rate as the original WAV?
> 
> Because otherwise, the FLAC could just be from another source or something.



I always used converts from the same original (mostly wav) files, because I was aware that any other source (different master, different download, different ripping values, ...) could hoax me into into different results. So my A/Bing always orbited around the _same_ track.



candlejack said:


> 1. How did you produce the FLAC file from the WAV file?



I used whatever software I had at hand -- EAC, dBPoweramp, EZCD, DVD Audio Extractor (wav/flac from ac3). At some point I looked up the flac.exe and it was either the latest or previous official release. I vaguely remember changing the compression values (0 to 8), but that it did not alter the distinctive "character" of the flac files. Whenever there was another option for speed or quality in the app, I set it for best quality. Because of the variety of programs used, I don't think things would have changed much if I'd used the command line instead.



candlejack said:


> 2. How did you exactly conduct your blind A/B tests?
> 
> So I guess you listened to WAV and FLAC, formulated a description of the differences you noticed and then proceeded to blind testing. Here you devised a method to play a file without knowing what file it is. You used this method to play one random file out of a set of two files. Then what? You noted if you thought it was the WAV or its FLAC equivalent and then looked to see if you were correct or not? You then repeated this process multiple times and in the end you were correct about 9 times out of 10?



Basically yes. I often went at not only two files, but a few more (320kbps mp3, flac with different values, alac, aiff, 24/32 bit wave...) in the same set. And importantly, I tried it across genres and with very different sound bites (a whole passage or only just a few seconds, solo instrument vs polyphony, etc). And I sometimes not only listened to one of them, but all of them (at least two) in a row. But always in this blind fashion.


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 8, 2020)

candlejack said:


> I don't mean for this to discourage you from posting, but man, sometimes I have no idea what you're saying. I feel like I'm guessing half the time.
> 
> 
> :-D


No you will not! guess this... why dont you leave the thread? or better head-fi everyone here will be happier and also you will!! also have more time to relate with people like you.

I will do as others and just hit the Ignore button from now... and sorry for that so I wont be reading your un-usefull post wich leave to absolutely nowere! (since you cant hear single difference in any of your gear, (but question other peoples ability to hear) nor be of any use to be readed),  also one last reminder thanks to you some valuable headfiers have left this threat i wont be doing that... also some other people here might know better because we been chating before... so i wont give names but the people that arent comenting here where well worth my time reading so thank you... (sarcasm in case you arent able to detect the the tone difference wich im shure you dont) have a nice life (sarcasm again)


----------



## Hellraiser86 (Apr 7, 2020)

As long as it suits people and makes them feel better it doesn’t matter if it’s flac, wav, sausage, cheese, or else. It’s great if some one has found the holy grail 

And I do believe the guys who claim that they can hear a difference and that this matters to them.

But it would be nice if these people would not try to convince others with it. Just let them hear it for themselves. Especially in a case when  the reproduction of the original sound can be measured. But there are several variables (headphones, ears, brains, ...) after the reproduction.

Someone also said that there are 320kbps track versions sounding better than uncompressed. If the files are from the same mastering project, the only thing that happens is degradation of the sound in mp3. So why does it now sound better? One thing to consider is that the uncompressed mastering had some (in this case bad) content which got lost in conversion 
Another one could be that the mastering differs from compressed to uncompressed as there are clients which demand different versions.
Then there is the possibility that someone’s hearing reacts quite hard on an area within the music where the compression takes place. And there are still other possibilities 

But all of this has nothing to do with the file format itself.


----------



## aceedburn

WAV, FLAC, AAC, DSD. They’re all just different formats that resolve differently, also based on gear that you use. What’s important is the actual music and the enjoyment it provides. That to me is bliss! God bless us all from this deadly virus and let the music heal our souls!


----------



## 515164

morgenstern09 said:


> I'm back with stock 0.92, 0.92.10 and 1.00.
> 
> They can be found *here (click)*.
> 
> ...



Small update, I also noticed that there is no MQA support, at least in the 0.94 version (maybe the 1.00 version has it).


----------



## Mindstorms

morgenstern09 said:


> Small update, I also noticed that there is no MQA support, at least in the 0.94 version (maybe the 1.00 version has it).


No vinil procesor no USB DAC also how is the sound there bassy?


----------



## 515164

Midnstorms said:


> No vinil procesor no USB DAC also



Yep, that's for sure, as it was introduced with the 3.00 version, as well as the BT receiver function.


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> Yep, that's for sure, as it was introduced with the 3.00 version, as well as the BT receiver function.




Is it even safe using that old fw?
Wonder if its even an official one as its a pre release  hmmm


----------



## ehaldin

aceedburn said:


> WAV, FLAC, AAC, DSD. They’re all just different formats that resolve differently, also based on gear that you use. What’s important is the actual music and the enjoyment it provides. That to me is bliss! God bless us all from this deadly virus and let the music heal our souls!



Word! I was transfigured by music when my headphones cost thirty bucks and I never carried a lossless file.

I hope it doesn't come across like I wanted to convince anyone of anything, because I absolutely don't. I just found the different formats interesting to compare myself and to add to the "high-end" experience. If it draws animosity, I'm happy to leave that topic.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 7, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Is it even safe using that old fw?
> Wonder if its even an official one as its a pre release  hmmm



The files were uploaded on October 2016 in the place from where I've got them, trust me on the date.

I flashed all versions and used them, currently listening to "Giorgio by Moroder" by Daft Punk on 0.94 and Shure SE846 on the single ended output (sounds awesome!).

I also flashed back the 3.02 version without any issues.

So I would say it's safe 



Also this is just wonderful (it's actually converted from an official DSD track, uploaded by me ):


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> Small update, I also noticed that there is no MQA support, at least in the 0.94 version (maybe the 1.00 version has it).



I think mqa came in 2.0. Usb dac, vinyl processor and bt receiver in 3.0


----------



## aceedburn

I’m really curious what the reason is for installing the 0.94 firmware which is known to be buggy and very unstable. Audio performance? What kind of SQ jump do you get? And is it worth the trade off for a buggy experience as well as missing out on some o for key features of the player like dac and bt streaming?


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 8, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> I’m really curious what the reason is for installing the 0.94 firmware which is known to be buggy and very unstable. Audio performance? What kind of SQ jump do you get? And is it worth the trade off for a buggy experience as well as missing out on some o for key features of the player like dac and bt streaming?


Especially u need to fully reset to make it work as intended. That will lose all the hour counts. And by working as intended, it's still luggy and buggy also lacking some features.

Well my key feature is the random / repeat buttons shown at playback screen, introduced in 2.0. Before that u must enter setting menu to choose random and repeat settings which is meeehhhh to me

094 was welcomed before all the modding acts, and people by then knew nothing about regions sound. With all the modded FW + regions at hands, i personally don't miss its signature at all.
Of course u guys are welcome to try out.


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hahah 100% means you can hear from
> 3hz to 100 000 hz just like the ier-z1r.  Does that answer helps?
> 
> I think I can hear 18 000 but its very hard in that area. Barely audible even 17k is very faint.
> ...



My wife sent me for a hearing test because she thought I was going deaf.

Turns out my hearing is perfect, but I just don’t listen to my wife. That went down real well.


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## 515164

Morbideath said:


> Especially u need to fully reset to make it work as intended. That will lose all the hour counts. And by working as intended, it's still luggy and buggy also lacking some features.
> 
> Well my key feature is the random / repeat buttons shown at playback screen, introduced in 2.0. Before that u must enter setting menu to choose random and repeat settings which is meeehhhh to me
> 
> ...



Yep, you can just try it if you'd like, or you can just ignore it.

By the way, my hour count did not reset, I specifically mention to use only "Reset All Settings", and not doing a full device reset.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I stay with DMP 1.02


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> I stay with DMP 1.02



I will do the same, trying 0.94 was an interesting experience.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Now I got the point. As I see the access lamp of the SD slot constantly flickering .... it is constantly reading the file (unpacking) while playing (multitask) so hence the differences of flac vs wav during playback of flac. If I stored only wav from these flac files, then I would get the best sound.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 8, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Now I got the point. As I see the access lamp of the SD slot constantly flickering .... it is constantly reading the file (unpacking) while playing (multitask) so hence the differences of flac vs wav during playback of flac. If I stored only wav from these flac files, then I would get the best sound.



Could you ellaborate?

What evidence do you have on the affirmation that multitasking affects the sound quality?

Remember, converting a WAV to FLAC and then back to WAV, results in the exact same WAV as before.


----------



## 524419 (Apr 8, 2020)

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/viewpoint/0716/Why_Do_WAV_And_FLAC_Files_Sound_Different.htm

*Why Lossless FLAC Compression Degrades Uncompressed WAV File Quality*
1. Resolution of metadata associated art (MDA).

2. Degree of MDA compression as created in typical photo-editing software.

3. Degree of FLAC compression according to settings in _dBPowerAmp_.

4. CPU load during decompression and conversion of FLAC files to PCM format.

5. Allocated buffer size in playback software, music server, and/or digital to analog converter.


If you hear it, GREAT!! If you don't hear it, GREAT!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

morgenstern09 said:


> Could you ellaborate?
> 
> What evidence do you have on the affirmation that multitasking affects the sound quality?
> 
> Remember, converting a WAV to FLAC and the back to WAV, results in the exact same WAV as before.


So the SD slot of my wm1A is constantly flickering as it is requesting file reads... if unpacked flac was buffered it won't be flickering constantly as the wm1A would have a.source to grab the raw data
 I feel the wm1A unpacks the flac to pcm as it is, plays and buffers a bit and the request more data, must unpack flac retrieve more data. So processor overhead. And playing back a pure wav doesn't involve u packing the flac with every read


----------



## 515164 (Apr 8, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> So the SD slot of my wm1A is constantly flickering as it is requesting file reads... if unpacked flac was buffered it won't be flickering constantly as the wm1A would have a.source to grab the raw data
> I feel the wm1A unpacks the flac to pcm as it is, plays and buffers a bit and the request more data, must unpack flac retrieve more data. So processor overhead. And playing back a pure wav doesn't involve u packing the flac with every read





gearofwar said:


> do you wish me to show this mgs to one of the engineers behind walkman? one of them is a friend of mine



Maybe @gearofwar's friend could enlighten us of any possible differences in WAV vs FLAC due to processor overhead caused by the unpacking 

It would be really appreciated.

Edit: I also just sent a message to Sony, via their contact form. Hopefully I will get an answer from someone qualified.


----------



## Hellraiser86

Diet Kokaine said:


> http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/viewpoint/0716/Why_Do_WAV_And_FLAC_Files_Sound_Different.htm
> 
> *Why Lossless FLAC Compression Degrades Uncompressed WAV File Quality*
> 1. Resolution of metadata associated art (MDA).
> ...



That all is a matter of the interferences from the device which does the decompression not the file format. If the device is powerful enough it doesn’t matter at all. But you can maybe claim that the Sony players are not capable of doing this and that’s why wav should be the first choice.


----------



## candlejack

ehaldin said:


> I always used converts from the same original (mostly wav) files, because I was aware that any other source (different master, different download, different ripping values, ...) could hoax me into into different results. So my A/Bing always orbited around the _same_ track.
> 
> I used whatever software I had at hand -- EAC, dBPoweramp, EZCD, DVD Audio Extractor (wav/flac from ac3). At some point I looked up the flac.exe and it was either the latest or previous official release. I vaguely remember changing the compression values (0 to 8), but that it did not alter the distinctive "character" of the flac files. Whenever there was another option for speed or quality in the app, I set it for best quality. Because of the variety of programs used, I don't think things would have changed much if I'd used the command line instead.
> 
> Basically yes. I often went at not only two files, but a few more (320kbps mp3, flac with different values, alac, aiff, 24/32 bit wave...) in the same set. And importantly, I tried it across genres and with very different sound bites (a whole passage or only just a few seconds, solo instrument vs polyphony, etc). And I sometimes not only listened to one of them, but all of them (at least two) in a row. But always in this blind fashion.


Sounds pretty legit!

Then, in light of this evidence, there is only one conclusion. Since FLAC <-> WAV has been proven to be a lossless conversion, it means that all of the players you have tried are flawed. The whole point of FLAC is that it gives you the same sound at the cost of some extra processing. If _some extra processing_ makes your player sound audibly different, then your player is poorly designed, or, as I like to call it, _crap!_ 

This is what makes it so hard for me to believe your story. I could maybe see some issues in a portable digital audio player, but on a PC, given how much processing is already going on, decoding a FLAC file should be completely inconsequential (VLC reports < 1% CPU usage on my laptop).

But I don't want this to sound like I'm putting you on trial. I really appreciate you sharing your experience. In a sea of posts that either quoted widely available specs or described unverified "impressions", you managed to add something new and interesting to the conversation***. I would love to try to repeat your test myself, but unfortunately I can't tell a difference, even when sighted. So all I can do is to encourage those who do hear a difference to give your test a try and report back what their succes rate ends up being (at distinguishing between the WAV and the FLAC). 

*** I should also give credit to @gerelmx1986: he provided independent evidence to support the FLAC specs.


----------



## 515164

candlejack said:


> The whole point of FLAC is that it gives you the same sound at the cost of some extra processing. If _some extra processing_ makes your player sound audibly different, then your player is poorly designed, or, as I like to call it, _crap!_
> 
> This is what makes it so hard for me to believe your story. I could maybe see some issues in a portable digital audio player, but on a PC, given how much processing is already going on, decoding a FLAC file should be completely inconsequential (VLC reports < 1% CPU usage on my laptop).



Well, I guess we could believe that for someone WAV could somehow sound better, but it either is a bias from that person, or indeed a flawed player.

Also, just noting that the discussion started with the claim that WAV is better because FLAC is compressed, which was assumed it reduces the audio quality. After we cleared that out, as WAV > FLAC > WAV results in the same original WAV audio, other claims popped up, like this one with the processing stuff. I can't help but wonder, if a Sony Walkman engineer would confirm that there are no differences in sound quality, would this be over or other claims will show up?


----------



## 524419

Hellraiser86 said:


> That all is a matter of the interferences from the device which does the decompression not the file format. If the device is powerful enough it doesn’t matter at all. But you can maybe claim that the Sony players are not capable of doing this and that’s why wav should be the first choice.


All the testing was done on a PC, so computing power was not the issue.


----------



## 524419

morgenstern09 said:


> Well, I guess we could believe that for someone WAV could somehow sound better, but it either is a bias from that person, or indeed a flawed player.
> 
> Also, just noting that the discussion started with the claim that WAV is better because FLAC is compressed, which was assumed it reduces the audio quality. After we cleared that out, as WAV > FLAC > WAV results in the same original WAV audio, other claims popped up, like this one with the processing stuff. I can't help but wonder, if a Sony Walkman engineer would confirm that there are no differences in sound quality, would this be over or other claims will show up?


The claim being made was that the 2 sound different. You are moving the goal post again. 
Go back and re-read the starting conversation. 
This article is in-line with the observations that plenty of people, including Paul McGowan from PS Audio have made time an time again, Digital audio reproduction is not dealing with simple zeroes and ones, there is something else happening at a fundamental level that our current science is unable to explain. 
Our understanding of electricity and quantum structures is in it's infancy.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 8, 2020)

I read the article of enjoy the music, a bit laughable.

But my files are always including DSD
* cover art max 950x950 less than 500kB in size only front cover no more
* basic tags Artist, Album, Genre, Year, Composer, Title, Track Number, Disc Number, TrackTotal, DiscTotal.
* For files that I have control (CD rip) always FLAC 5 level.. I trust what labels provide to be good.

Btw this what I meant by constantly flickering access lamp (continuously reading)
Made a GIF from a clip you must click the image to see the animated GIF


----------



## 524419 (Apr 8, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I read the article of enjoy the music, a bit laughable.
> 
> But my files are always including DSD
> * cover art max 950x950 less than 500kB in size only front cover no more
> ...


None of the explanations that people have offered up so far make much sense...... but that does not mean they are delusional when they say there are audible,consistent differences.
The article was not cited as proof of anything, just that plenty of people are hearing similar things, and they are pretty consistent across a wide spectrum.

Make whatever choices you wanna make, but it's important to not force your beliefs on others..... Or call them clowns when they don't agree with you.

This Covid shutdown needs to end yesterday.


USB Cables change the tonality of Music wildly, affecting everything from instrument timbre, to soundstage, to notes thickness,to resolution,  to imaging . I have 4 different cables, all different combinations and metal, sizes etc. That by itself throws a monkey wrench on all Textbook theories of how digital data is transferred over a wire. This is just the  start of the rabbit hole.


----------



## candlejack

morgenstern09 said:


> Well, I guess we could believe that for someone WAV could somehow sound better, but it either is a bias from that person, or indeed a flawed player.


The _biased observer_ was the explanation I had for this as well, but @ehaldin seems to have been very careful to eliminate this possibility. So, at least in his case, I have to dismiss it. 


morgenstern09 said:


> Also, just noting that the discussion started with the claim that WAV is better because FLAC is compressed, which was assumed it reduces the audio quality. After we cleared that out, as WAV > FLAC > WAV results in the same original WAV audio, other claims popped up, like this one with the processing stuff.


Good point, I actually forgot how this whole thing started. 


morgenstern09 said:


> I can't help but wonder, if a Sony Walkman engineer would confirm that there are no differences in sound quality, would this be over or other claims will show up?


You know very well what the outcome would be.  

However, imagine if more people were able to tell the difference in controlled tests, it would render irrelevant (damn, I really wanted to use the word _trounce_ here) any statement that there are no differences, regardless of source. That doesn't mean I'm not curious to know Sony's official position, so if you do get a reply, please share it with the forum.


----------



## candlejack

Diet Kokaine said:


> [...] including Paul McGowan from PS Audio have made time an time again, Digital audio reproduction is not dealing with simple zeroes and ones, there is something else happening at a fundamental level that our current science is unable to explain.
> Our understanding of electricity and quantum structures is in it's infancy.


Paul McGowan also said that if you compile the same source code multiple times, you get different sounding machine code. For me, that's _'nuf said_.
Paul McGowan's understand of our understanding is also in its infancy.


----------



## proedros

I know this Corona thing is getting us all worked up but seriously you all need to light one up and chill down , this feels like a nerd-fest with all this wav-flac talk 

music is music , hear it in whichever format suits you and don't get all hung up on who is 'right' and who is 'wrong'

I am gonna leave another stellar prog house mix by master Satoshi


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I read the article of enjoy the music, a bit laughable.
> 
> But my files are always including DSD
> * cover art max 950x950 less than 500kB in size only front cover no more
> ...



I get no light flashing no matter what file I play be it mp3, aac, flac or dsd


----------



## 524419 (Apr 8, 2020)

Taking your capacitors off the 1A board is pretty much a twist off. That easy.......jesus.

:Confirmed....they are a simple twist off, just need a set of pliers. They snap off cleanly, and no need to remove glue around the capacitors, can use a solvent after they are safely off.


----------



## Morbideath

My final contribution to the endless debates before i leave this thread:


----------



## 524419

Morbideath said:


> My final contribution to the endless debates before i leave this thread:


Right behind you...


----------



## 515164

Morbideath said:


> My final contribution to the endless debates before i leave this thread:





Diet Kokaine said:


> Right behind you...



Take care guys, bye!


----------



## etlouis

There should be a mythbusters show for audiophiles.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I just spoke with a studio where I bought music from and I asked them about audio quality formats and I got this answer its a quote to quote !!!

Its ultimae record studio from france
https://ultimae.com/

Dear Vitaly,



Glad you got the records you enjoy the most !



Indeed the 24 bit wav files are the originals from the studio, that’s the way they are recorded in each artist’s studio and then mastered by Vincent Villuis / AES Dana at Ultimae.

Theoretically the wav sound is better than a flac file one which has some form of compression but some audiophiles tend to argue about this.



Take care,

Sandrine


----------



## 515164 (Apr 8, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I just spoke with a studio where I bought music from and I asked them about audio quality formats and I got this answer its a quote to quote !!!
> 
> Its ultimae record studio from france
> https://ultimae.com/
> ...



I can say for sure that Sandrine doesn't know what she's talking about  She just says "compression", which is not a 100% complete affirmation. The full term is lossless compression. Let's not forget:



> Digital audio compressed by FLAC's algorithm can typically be reduced to between 50 and 70 percent of its original size and decompress to an identical copy of the original audio data.



Note the "identical".

It's really sad and frustrating at the same time that people are misinformed and spread false or incomplete info like this.

I will personally message them with the correct info, as I think this is unacceptable from their side, as a record studio.

Edit: Again, I get that for some people WAV sounds different. However, let's not spread misinformation!

Edit 2: With all due respect, Vitaly, based on this trend you're presenting us, which is you thinking FLAC being a lossy compression, then "accepting" that it's not lossless but still sounds different (which I'm totally fine with) and then now presenting us this "info", I'm wondering if you would share her quote if she would say that there are no differences.

Edit 3: I messaged them with all the necessary info, also advising them that they should correct their statement to you.


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> I can say for sure that Sandrine doesn't know what she's talking about  She just says "compression", which is not a 100% complete affirmation. The full term is lossless compression. Let's not forget:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Well just to start, if you decide to contact them please dont say that you heard it from me....

As I only asked them if in studio what was the original recording format...
And slso if wav was any how different from flac...

That was the answer I got!

So yes it the 24bit original wav.
Then she said wav sounded better due to that fact as there is a compression and uncompression process involved.



This was question to that studio 


Can I ask you a question about the quality of the file format.
Is the music recorded into a wav file format in studio? What was the original file format? As I see there is formats in 24bit/44.1 I downloaded the wav files instead of flac as I believe wav is better then flacs....
Is that true?


----------



## Mindstorms

aceedburn said:


> I’m really curious what the reason is for installing the 0.94 firmware which is known to be buggy and very unstable. Audio performance? What kind of SQ jump do you get? And is it worth the trade off for a buggy experience as well as missing out on some o for key features of the player like dac and bt streaming?


some people was very affond of 1.20 i guess I should lack the resolution and ve very warm and bass boosted wich might be of interest for a change...


----------



## Mindstorms

Diet Kokaine said:


> http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/viewpoint/0716/Why_Do_WAV_And_FLAC_Files_Sound_Different.htm
> 
> *Why Lossless FLAC Compression Degrades Uncompressed WAV File Quality*
> 1. Resolution of metadata associated art (MDA).
> ...


Rhis is why i dont love flac lol


----------



## Queen6

For me it's about the music and I'll opt for the best quality as is reasonably possible.  WM1A is very much a portable player and space counts .  If I was totally static with unlimited space & time I'd opt for Wav as much as is reasonably possible for no other reason other than you can transcode to whatever format you want.

If wanting the current ultimate Sony portable solution with few bounds, why not opt for the DMP and a WM1A for the fix while on the foot...

Q-6


----------



## 515164 (Apr 8, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well just to start, if you decide to contact them please dont say that you heard it from me....



It's a bit too late now for that... I just meant to share where I know that she said that from.



Vitaly2017 said:


> Then she said wav sounded better due to that fact as there is a compression and uncompression process involved.



Yeah, she said that because she is not well informed, with all due respect. This can happen, you can't know them all. Once someone tells you that you are not well informed, I think it's important that you get informed or not have opinions on the matter.



Vitaly2017 said:


> Is the music recorded into a wav file format in studio? What was the original file format? As I see there is formats in 24bit/44.1 I downloaded the wav files instead of flac as I believe wav is better then flacs....
> Is that true?



Audio is probably recorded in WAV in the studio, and then converted to FLAC in order to take advantage of the smaller file size (I am thinking especially about Tidal, for example, which compared to Spotify, has mostly CD quality music, 16/44 or 16/48, or MQA). Technically, as mentioned before, the compression is lossless, so nothing is lost. If nothing is lost, I don't see how WAV can be better than FLAC. Also, the only advantage of FLAC is the lossless compression, which results in the same audio data but in a smaller file size.

I did this experiment myself, converted a WAV to a FLAC, and then back to WAV, and the resulting WAV file was identical to the original WAV file. I will post a video shortly.


----------



## endlesswaves

Converted wav to flac (uncompressed). Flac is a little bit bigger in size. If uncompressed flac is of the same quality but bigger file size, the only point to do so is to embed artwork.

Now when you compress them to save space, to me, there is be some details missing thru my own experience. Regretted converting the tracks I purchased to flacs to save space and deleting them afterwards in my earlier years. 

For me, I want to push the envelope with what I have now so no compressed flacs if I can help. That's just my preference.

If you hear any difference or don't care, carry on. This post is not to say who is right or wrong. Just sharing my experience and wishing feedbacks from fellow headfiers to better my understanding. I thank all that has contributed their knowledge and experience.

In the mean time stay safe and healthy and enjoy our audio journey.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 8, 2020)

Here's a WAV to FLAC to WAV conversion test, using FLAC 1.3.2.

After the conversion, both the original WAV file and the resulted WAV file were compared at a binary level (using the /B switch) using the "File compare" tool available in Windows (more info here).



As it can be seen, there are no differences between the original and the resulted WAV file.

Also, I used the maximum level of compression, which is 8, with the help of the "--compression-level-8" option.

Hope this clears things up.

Edit: @endlesswaves check this out.


----------



## Hellraiser86

My 1z arrived just today and I was looking for a perfect case. Then I searched at the Dignis store but unfortunately the one I want is sold out... 
I am talking about the blue Midas case as shown in the picture.
So does someone know where I could get it (and get it delivered to Germany)?


----------



## endlesswaves

morgenstern09 said:


> Here's a WAV to FLAC to WAV conversion test, using FLAC 1.3.2.
> 
> After the conversion, both the original WAV file and the resulted WAV file were compared at a binary level using the "File compare" tool available in Windows (more info here).
> 
> ...



Thanks for the effort. You may be right. But I still believe my ears (although I might not be of sound mind). I do not want to dispute. Just as I once argued with a audio store manager that usb cables are just 0s and 1s. Why do I need an expensive usb cable for my amp. I amazed after trying out a few higher end cables and leaving me feeling stupid.


----------



## 515164

endlesswaves said:


> Thanks for the effort. You may be right. But I still believe my ears (although I might not be of sound mind). I do not want to dispute. Just as I once argued with a audio store manager that usb cables are just 0s and 1s. Why do I need an expensive usb cable for my amp. I amazed after trying out a few higher end cables and leaving me feeling stupid.



As mentioned, I get the fact that some people may perceive a difference in the sound quality. I only wanted to clear things up in regards to the fact that FLAC is a lossless audio codec and nothing is lost during the compression.


----------



## lumdicks (Apr 8, 2020)

Hellraiser86 said:


> My 1z arrived just today and I was looking for a perfect case. Then I searched at the Dignis store but unfortunately the one I want is sold out...
> I am talking about the blue Midas case as shown in the picture.
> So does someone know where I could get it (and get it delivered to Germany)?


I am a huge fans of Dignis and yes, the blue Patina case is gorgeous! I suggest you dropping an email to Dignis on stock availability and their dealers in Europe. From my own experience, the customer service is excellent.


----------



## Queen6

Hellraiser86 said:


> My 1z arrived just today and I was looking for a perfect case. Then I searched at the Dignis store but unfortunately the one I want is sold out...
> I am talking about the blue Midas case as shown in the picture.
> So does someone know where I could get it (and get it delivered to Germany)?



Very much like the Blue case myself and would be my choice for leather, however opted for a solution that offers more protection both in use and transit. Don't know of any would readily ship to Germany as been based in Asia for many a year. 

Q-6


----------



## nc8000

endlesswaves said:


> Converted wav to flac (uncompressed). Flac is a little bit bigger in size. If uncompressed flac is of the same quality but bigger file size, the only point to do so is to embed artwork.
> 
> Now when you compress them to save space, to me, there is be some details missing thru my own experience. Regretted converting the tracks I purchased to flacs to save space and deleting them afterwards in my earlier years.
> 
> ...



Well you can just convert back to wav as flac is a lossless compression


----------



## 515164

nc8000 said:


> Well you can just convert back to wav as flac is a lossless compression



Well, unless the conversion was done using a lower bit depth/sample rate than the original file.


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> Well, unless the conversion was done using a lower bit depth/sample rate than the original file.



Yes it naturally requires like for like


----------



## endlesswaves

nc8000 said:


> Well you can just convert back to wav as flac is a lossless compression


Did that. Convert wav to flac (level 5) then convert back to wav.



36 bytes was lost in the process but a/b ing them, I feel they are identical.
Thanks @nc8000


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 8, 2020)

lumdicks said:


> I am a huge fans of Dignis and yes, the blue Patina case is gorgeous! I suggest you dropping an email to Dignis on stock availability and their dealers in Europe. From my own experience, the customer service is excellent.



I travel internationally for work purpose (normally) so protection out weighed beauty and design.

Very quick & dirty



Hard case is similar to a Pelican Case, offering both shock and water resistance.  Silicon case is dense and ribbed internally to absorb shock in the event of being dropped, without adding excessive bulk to the player.

Q-6


----------



## Morbideath

endlesswaves said:


> Did that. Convert wav to flac (level 5) then convert back to wav.
> 
> 36 bytes was lost in the process but a/b ing them, I feel they are identical.
> Thanks @nc8000


It should be difference of taggings. You may cleanse all tagging and compare again


----------



## nc8000

Morbideath said:


> It should be difference of taggings. You may cleanse all tagging and compare again



There shouldn’t be any tags in either since wav does not support tagging


----------



## Morbideath

nc8000 said:


> There shouldn’t be any tags in either since wav does not support tagging


It does not support ID3v2 but some basic tagging is there, title / artist / album, etc


----------



## 515164

Morbideath said:


> It should be difference of taggings. You may cleanse all tagging and compare again





nc8000 said:


> There shouldn’t be any tags in either since wav does not support tagging



Well, there has to be something for sure, as in my example nothing is missing.


----------



## endlesswaves (Apr 8, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> It does not support ID3v2 but some basic tagging is there, title / artist / album, etc


No tags. Used Mp3tag to remove just in case. Same results. A few bytes does not seems to matter to the overall listening quality as far as I can tell A/B ing them for few minutes.


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 8, 2020)

endlesswaves said:


> No tags. Used Mp3tag to remove just in case. Same results. A few bytes does not seems to matter to the overall listening quality as far as I can tell A/B ing them for few minutes.


That's odd. My experiment done years ago show total identical result, with also the same MD5 hash


----------



## endlesswaves

Morbideath said:


> That's odd. They even have the same size on disk which is beyond me… the larger file size goes beyond size on disk
> 
> My experiment done years ago show total identical result, with also the same MD5 hash


Maybe it's because I used Sony Sound Forge to convert wav to flac? Let me try using dbpoweramp.

Same result using powerdbamp.


----------



## 515164

endlesswaves said:


> Maybe it's because I used Sony Sound Forge to convert wav to flac? Let me try using dbpoweramp.
> 
> Same result using powerdbamp.



There has to be something related to the parameters that the encoder/decoder is being run with, as my experiment clearly shows that there are no differences.


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 8, 2020)

Disregard was wrong.

Q-6


----------



## bflat

I personally love FLAC. Without it, I could never say "WHAT THE FLAC?????" and not have to go to confession or put $1 in the swear jar.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

This thread is turning nuts


----------



## 515164

MrLocoLuciano said:


> This thread is turning nuts



Well, just because some people can't accept the technical fact that the codec is lossless ) Again, I'm ok with some people perceiving differences between FLAC and WAV, that's not the point.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Queen6 said:


> I travel internationally for work purpose (normally) so protection out weighed beauty and design.
> 
> Very quick & dirty
> 
> ...




Wow can I have a link?


----------



## Queen6

Morbideath said:


> That's odd. My experiment done years ago show total identical result, with also the same MD5 hash



All being equal should be as that's how the formats work to the best of my knowledge. 

Q-6


----------



## bflat

MrLocoLuciano said:


> This thread is turning nuts



As crazy as it is, I've come to and accepted the fact that a passionate community around numbers, science, and brand loyalty produce very heated and esoteric arguments. No different for automotive, smartphones, PC/laptops, digital photography, or power tools. However, go to a CanJam once this crazy pandemic is over and meet some of the folks here in person and you would swear you found a long lost brother/sister.


----------



## Queen6

Vitaly2017 said:


> Wow can I have a link?



I can, however I'm an expat in China so unsure of international shipping. Try searching for Fat Bear, FatBear & Fat&Bear, eBay has I believe.  Pelican Case's are likely to be more durable, equally given the size, mass of the player and physical size the hard case is more than durable enough.  I've obviously not tried to deliberately damage the hard case, equally it's resistant to external force.

What interested me is that they have both soft & hard case to fit WM1A/Z, with the latter being some form of polycarbonate. They offer multiple sizes from memory, you'll want the medium sized hard case. Silicon case has access to all ports & buttons including hold. Silicon  comes in Black or Grey.

Q-6


----------



## nc8000

Queen6 said:


> I can, however I'm an expat in China so unsure of international shipping. Try searching for Fat Bear, FatBear & Fat&Bear, eBay has I believe.  Pelican Case's are likely to be more durable, equally given the size, mass of the player and physical size the hard case is more than durable enough.  I've obviously not tried to deliberately damage the hard case, equally it's resistant to external force.
> 
> What interested me is that they have both soft & hard case to fit WM1A/Z, with the latter being some form of polycarbonate. They offer multiple sizes from memory, you'll want the medium sized hard case. Silicon case has access to all ports & buttons including hold. Silicon  comes in Black or Grey.
> 
> Q-6



fat Bear cases are available at Amazon


----------



## Queen6

nc8000 said:


> fat Bear cases are available at Amazon



There you go  Direct links for Taobao are not useful outside China, Those in the West will be far better serve by Amazon. Case's aren't very elaborate or eye candy, they are however eminently practical in their own rights.

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 8, 2020)

On to more important matters  Stone Temple Pilots - Core

FLAC 96/24 - Creep a personal favourite, epic memories  while watching Richard Stanley's ill fated _The Island of Dr. Moreau_. For those interested _Lost Soul The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr Moreau_ is compelling watch, suitably followed by the feature....

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

Queen6 said:


> There you go  Direct links for Taobao are not useful outside China, Those in the West will be far better serve by Amazon. Case's aren't very elaborate or eye candy, they are however eminently practical in their own rights.
> 
> Q-6




Yea but I wanted that pelican  case )


----------



## Vitaly2017

Something different from what I usually listen !
Here is some truck driver songs lol


FERNANDO SEZ


----------



## Queen6

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yea but I wanted that pelican  case )



Check Pelican's site they may have something that fit's WM1A/Z, equally I wouldn't sweat on it unless your planning on dropping the DAP out of a helicopter or taking it diving. The Fat Bear case easily resits me trying to crush it and short of jumping on it, even then I think I will easily survive 100KG without issue, more chance of hurting myself 

Q-6


----------



## Lookout57

I have the Fat Bear case and bought it on Amazon.I bought it after I dropped my WM1A which was in the Benks TPU case which resulted in a small chip on the top right of the screen. Luckily the crack doesn't effect screen performance.


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 8, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> I have the Fat Bear case and bought it on Amazon.I bought it after I dropped my WM1A which was in the Benks TPU case which resulted in a small chip on the top right of the screen. Luckily the crack doesn't effect screen performance.



Fat Bear IMO is the better option as it's designed to absorb and dissipate shock to some extents. The TPU cases are more aligned with visual elegance, preventing scratching & abrasion.

n.b. No affiliation with Fat Bear or associated products, just something that makes sense for those that need...

Q-6


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yea but I wanted that pelican  case )




Both the skin and the case in his picture are Fat Bear. 

I have been using the Benks gel skin plus this case from Amazon


----------



## Queen6

nc8000 said:


> Both the skin and the case in his picture are Fat Bear.
> 
> I have been using the Benks gel skin plus this case from Amazon



Small investments can pay dividends 

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> Both the skin and the case in his picture are Fat Bear.
> 
> I have been using the Benks gel skin plus this case from Amazon




The one that @Queen6 shown with case and pelican box was really good. 
As it matches so well together. 


I use my pelican case from my iems its an Empire Ears case with rigid foam that I have cut out to fit my 1z super snug tight and shock proof, also its water  proof to.

But fat bear case+pelican is really well thought out


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> The one that @Queen6 shown with case and pelican box was really good.
> As it matches so well together.
> 
> 
> ...



What Queen showed in his picture was a Fat Bear skin for the player and a Fat Bear case, no Pelican case


----------



## gerelmx1986

Enjoying Flac


----------



## candlejack

etlouis said:


> There should be a mythbusters show for audiophiles.


Surely you meant _about_ audiophiles. The whole industry would collapse.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Apr 8, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Enjoying Flac




Haha thanks for specifying it...
Is it compression lvl 8?
Right its lossless  ) no difference.


Anyway what is important you like it! And it sounds very good

Wav or flac
Its the 2 best audio formats you can get to date for lossless audio experience


----------



## proedros (Apr 8, 2020)

candlejack said:


> Surely you meant _about_ audiophiles. The whole industry would collapse.




have you seen this 20 minute doc about audiophiles ? always laugh at the wife's expression when her husband mentions the amount he has spent on such stuff

hilarious (in a good way)

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvkes


----------



## candlejack

proedros said:


> have you seen this 20 minute doc about audiophiles ? always laugh at the wife's expression when her husband mentions the amount he has spent on such stuff
> 
> hilarious (in a good way)
> 
> https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvkes


Thanks, I'll check it out. That's not you in the movie, is it?


----------



## proedros

candlejack said:


> Thanks, I'll check it out. That's not you in the movie, is it?




nope , i am a poor portable guy myself , this doc is all about people with full blown systems


----------



## Queen6

Dark album, Tool - Undertow 

To better days for all. An album one can easily get lost in deeply so....

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 8, 2020)

proedros said:


> nope , i am a poor portable guy myself , this doc is all about people with full blown systems



Absolutely not, you have the joy of appreciating music for what it is that some will never attain, being far too focused chasing the hardware. Recently got out for a drink and live band. Never sounded sweeter, nor will any hardware ever replicate that feeling or emotion, what a boost...

Music is highly subjective and emotive, no device compares irrespective of price be it to a local indie group, rock concert of world class orchestra, an approximation at best. Music is the source, it can and does move you. I learned a long time back there are no absolutes...

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 8, 2020)

One I cant easily get again (disk lost, thx to yet another international move )




Dust Junkies Done...and Dusted

Q-6


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 8, 2020)

I noticed that DS


nc8000 said:


> Both the skin and the case in his picture are Fat Bear.
> 
> I have been using the Benks gel skin plus this case from Amazon


Indeed a very nice box! looks waterproof! someone posted about the sisters of mercy the other day Thanks for that I ended loving this band if more music recomendations are maded i will follow them!


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 8, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> I noticed that DS
> 
> Indeed a very nice box! looks waterproof! *someone *posted about the sisters of mercy the other day Thanks for that I ended loving this band if more music recomendations are maded i will follow them!



Happy you like Sisters of Mercy, try Portishead - Dummy

Epic Trip-Hop, nothing comes close

Or the Cranberries

Such a beautiful voice, sends you to a better place.

Or Ghost

Meliora -_ He is_ can literally take your breath away...

Q-6


----------



## Mindstorms

Queen6 said:


> Happy you like Sisters of Mercy, try Portishead - Dummy
> 
> Epic Trip-Hop, nothing comes close
> 
> ...


Will try them all thanks i can share you some names in private i love music a lot


----------



## Queen6

If not listened, you owe it to yourself - Paolo Nutini - Caustic Love



Be rude not too...

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Old School - Supertramp - Crime of the Century

First listened as a youngster, far more impactful today. The album simply flows beautifully, some epic tracks...

Q-6


----------



## Hellraiser86

Let the games begin


----------



## Layman1

Hellraiser86 said:


> Let the games begin



Is that a modded version or the original? 
Congratulations either way! 

You'll need to update the Source list in your signature now, but that's a good 'problem' to have


----------



## slumberman

Hellraiser86 said:


> Let the games begin



I have the same setup! Delicious! And outstanding version of that record.
Enjoy!


----------



## Hellraiser86 (Apr 9, 2020)

Layman1 said:


> Is that a modded version or the original?
> Congratulations either way!
> 
> You'll need to update the Source list in your signature now, but that's a good 'problem' to have



It is still the original with 3.02 fw. Barely 50h of playback now.
I do not know if I am going to mod it.This decision will come later, I guess 
And I am going to try all the fw when the device reached above 200h.

Because you mentioned it: I have updated my signature  (it was a pleasure)

And dare I say it ? I got it for 2.2k€ new in Germany


----------



## proedros (Apr 9, 2020)

Hellraiser86 said:


> Let the games begin



here , try this *24/96 Vinyl Rip version of Abbey Road (Original UK Pressing)* , let me know how it sounds , guy who ripped this is considered the best ripper on the planet

@Morbideath is also a huge fan of this vinyl ripper wizard.....

*http://www.filefactory.com/file/41zfseo5xt1h/

pw (to unzip the file) : b0nn13mCmurr@y *


----------



## gerelmx1986

Before these walkman and before I discovered head-fi. I was a member in the now defunct Anything but iPod forum.  People swore by APE (Monkey's Audio) and flac. 

Seems like APE went dead  or is no longer popular (if I remember its license was not fully open like flac). I tried it for a while (compressed even more than flac) it was very CPU intensive in bot encode and decode. Resulting in VLC freezing and so on, I ditched for flac.

So I remember a few lossless codecs

* APE - resource hog but saves more space than flac
* WavPack got a few albums in this format. Immediately made the files to wav and then flac
* FLAC - probably the most popular and widely used
^  ALAC - Apple's lossless cousin of flac, doesn't compress as space saving a flac, also saved in same mp3 container as AAC
^ WMA-Lossless - never tried it but reportedly only capable to 24/96, no longer given support by MS.

The only I have tried  (left least space saving and right most most space saving)

WAV > ALAC > FLAC > APE


----------



## Amber Rain

Queen6 said:


> The Sisters of Mercy - Floodland
> 
> 96/24 Well recommended, still to this day a standout album if it's your thing
> 
> Q-6



Is this a vinyl rip? Or is it available to purchase as a download somewhere?

It really is a good album.

TIA


----------



## Layman1

Lookout57 said:


> *UPDATE*:
> 
> Link to where to download macOS DMG files: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2152#post-15484593.
> 
> ...



to whoever can help..

I am not a tech kind of person at all (at least not in the area of computers).

I have Mac only. I am trying to follow these instructions but somehow it's just not working and I have no idea why..
I desperately want to have .dmg versions of Solis 3.01 and Jupiter 3.01 for Mac (the firmwares that don't require any pre-requisite FW to be installed).

Is there anyone out there who finds this kind of stuff easy who could create .dmg versions of those two FW's and provide a link for me? I can provide original .exe files if required.
I always try to help out others on other threads where I'm more knowledgeable, and really hoping someone can help me out here


----------



## Morbideath

proedros said:


> here , try this *24/96 Vinyl Rip version of Abbey Road (Original UK Pressing)* , let me know how it sounds , guy who ripped this is considered the best ripper on the planet
> 
> @Morbideath is also a huge fan of this vinyl ripper wizard.....
> 
> ...


He's the One! If he ever gets into classical I would give out my firstborn!


----------



## Mindstorms

Layman1 said:


> to whoever can help..
> 
> I am not a tech kind of person at all (at least not in the area of computers).
> 
> ...


just burrow a pc from a friend its easyer than having to deal with the driver issues


----------



## Hellraiser86

gerelmx1986 said:


> Before these walkman and before I discovered head-fi. I was a member in the now defunct Anything but iPod forum.  People swore by APE (Monkey's Audio) and flac.
> 
> Seems like APE went dead  or is no longer popular (if I remember its license was not fully open like flac). I tried it for a while (compressed even more than flac) it was very CPU intensive in bot encode and decode. Resulting in VLC freezing and so on, I ditched for flac.
> 
> ...



There is also AIFF which is the same as Wav but with Metadata


----------



## Hellraiser86

proedros said:


> here , try this *24/96 Vinyl Rip version of Abbey Road (Original UK Pressing)* , let me know how it sounds , guy who ripped this is considered the best ripper on the planet
> 
> @Morbideath is also a huge fan of this vinyl ripper wizard.....
> 
> ...


THX. I am really excited and will try it tomorrow


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hellraiser86 said:


> There is also AIFF which is the same as Wav but with Metadata




Is aiff same thing as a wav but with album arts and all the tags?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 9, 2020)

endlesswaves said:


> Maybe it's because I used Sony Sound Forge to convert wav to flac? Let me try using dbpoweramp.
> 
> Same result using powerdbamp.


In dbpoweramp try installing the codec Calculate Audio CRC and run it on the two wav files if both MD5 and CRC hashes are equal then audio stream is identical


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Is aiff same thing as a wav but with album arts and all the tags?



Aiff is an uncompressed format just like wav but it supports tagging like flac


----------



## endlesswaves

gerelmx1986 said:


> In dbpoweramp try installing the codec Calculate Audio CRC and run it on the two wav files if both MD5 and CRC are equal then audio stream is identical


Was curious. Not that curious anymore. Will try when not so lethargic due to being confined at home. Thanks anyway, will keep it in mind.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I tried a 24/352.8 file aprox 3 minutes in length 220MB in wav

FLAC level 8 is pointless as it is 1MB less than flac 5 (131.03MB)
Ape High (max sony supports for ape (120MB, eleven MB less than flac 5) this figure didn't change in extra high nor insane compression for ape (only ****ing slow encoding times).

So flac level 5 is fine


----------



## Hellraiser86

Vitaly2017 said:


> Is aiff same thing as a wav but with album arts and all the tags?


Yes


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> I tried a 24/352.8 file aprox 3 minutes in length 220MB in wav
> 
> FLAC level 8 is pointless as it is 1MB less than flac 5 (131.03MB)
> Ape High (max sony supports for ape (120MB, eleven MB less than flac 5) this figure didn't change in extra high nor insane compression for ape (only ****ing slow encoding times).
> ...



But technically, it shouldn't matter if you choose 5 or 8, as the result is the same anyway.


----------



## kiling92

why can i no longer download the customized firmware for the wm1a? google drive tells me "access denied"..someone maybe can help me please?


----------



## Layman1

ok, quick question:

I'm using a Mac (of the older Mojave OS).
I've got a .dmg file for the modded FW for WM1Z.

Now, what do I actually do with it in order to change my WM1Z into using this new FW mod? 
All help appreciated


----------



## Lookout57

Layman1 said:


> ok, quick question:
> 
> I'm using a Mac (of the older Mojave OS).
> I've got a .dmg file for the modded FW for WM1Z.
> ...


Double click it to install. Just don't connect your WM1Z until it tells you.


----------



## Layman1 (Apr 9, 2020)

Sorry, a couple more questions (for anyone):

1) Is Solis 3.01 suitable for use with an unmodded WM1Z? Or should I stick with Jupiter 3.01?
I'd read that WM1Z is equivalent to a modded WM1A, but I'm not sure what Tier of FW is appropriate to use with an unmodded WM1Z. Anyone know?

[Edited: I've searched the thread again and found comparisons of Solis 3.01 vs Jupiter 3.01, so I don't need help with that now]


----------



## Lookout57

Layman1 said:


> Sorry, a couple more questions (for anyone):
> 
> 1) Is Solis 3.01 suitable for use with an unmodded WM1Z? Or should I stick with Jupiter 3.01?
> I'd read that WM1Z is equivalent to a modded WM1A, but I'm not sure what Tier of FW is appropriate to use with an unmodded WM1Z. Anyone know?
> ...


I have a stock WM1Z and WM1A and found that Solis can be too much depending on the IEM and cable combo. 

My main IEM cable combo for the 1Z is the Campfire Solaris SE and DHC Clone Silver. I did change the region to J from E as I have the remote for the 1Z and it only works with region J or E. Also it seems that region J is warmer than E which is good for me as I prefer a warm analog sound.

After a week I moved from Solis T5 3.02 to Jupiter T3 3.02 as the DHC Clone Silver is such a resolving cable that it sounded unnatural. Too dry and analytical for my tastes. I also heard a weird echo effect with some vocal and other high frequency. When I get a chance I should try 3.01 Jupiter and Solis. But do't know when that will be. Too many projects.

So depending on what type of sound you like warm analog or analytical and the IEM cable combo you are using will dictate which tier is best. The only solution is try them all.


----------



## Peter Ruby

Queen6 said:


> Dark album, Tool - Undertow
> 
> To better days for all. An album one can easily get lost in deeply so....
> 
> Q-6



You can replace that album with any Tool album and say the same. Although Lateralus and Fear Inoculum are my favorites. Time to flip a coin and see which one I’m going to get lost in tonight.


----------



## Lookout57

Peter Ruby said:


> You can replace that album with any Tool album and say the same. Although Lateralus and Fear Inoculum are my favorites. Time to flip a coin and see which one I’m going to get lost in tonight.


Agree they are their 2 best albums. 

I'm also glad that their whole catalog (except for Salival) are now available in HiRes.


----------



## proedros

Lookout57 said:


> Agree they are their 2 best albums.
> 
> I'm also glad that their whole catalog (except for Salival) are now available in HiRes.



their best album is aenima , hands down - they went interstellar there

lateralus is great , but aenima is like eating LSD

Experience.


----------



## Lookout57

proedros said:


> their best album is aenima , hands down - they went interstellar there
> 
> lateralus is great , but aenima is like eating LSD
> 
> Experience.


I could do without the following tracks:
"Useful Idiot", "Message to Harry Manback", "Die Eier von Satan" and "Cesaro Summability" on Ænima. 
"Litanie contre la peur", "Legion Inoculant" and "Mockingbeat" on Fear Inoculum.
"Disgustipated" on Undertow
"Faaip de Oiad" on Lateralus
"Viginti Tres" on 10,000 Days

Other than those tracks the rest of their albums are great. Superb musicianship and interesting complex music.

I can hear the influence King Crimson has had on them.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Peter Ruby said:


> You can replace that album with any Tool album and say the same. Although Lateralus and Fear Inoculum are my favorites. Time to flip a coin and see which one I’m going to get lost in tonight.


Completely agree with that. Complete discography is a thrill.
But clearly for me Fear Inoculum takes it to another meditation level 
Took me some time to nail it, but what an astonishing album


----------



## proedros

Lookout57 said:


> I could do without the following tracks:
> "Useful Idiot", "Message to Harry Manback", "Die Eier von Satan" and "Cesaro Summability" on Ænima.
> "Litanie contre la peur", "Legion Inoculant" and "Mockingbeat" on Fear Inoculum.
> "Disgustipated" on Undertow
> ...



the segues on aemima are genius , imo - gives a more trippy atmosphere to the album

regarding KC , there is a great video of Danny Carey talking about *Discipline* (KC album) and how much it has inluenced him.....


----------



## Holdmyown83

With the battery crapping out should I buy a 507 or another Wm1a?


----------



## Mindstorms

Holdmyown83 said:


> With the battery crapping out should I buy a 507 or another Wm1a?


If you already have a 1A it might be a plus to have another for spares or modding... if you wish to change sound signature.... what happens to your 1A battery?


----------



## Quadfather

Holdmyown83 said:


> With the battery crapping out should I buy a 507 or another Wm1a?




I would get your existing DAP's battery replaced with OEM battery.


----------



## Holdmyown83

Quadfather said:


> I would get your existing DAP's battery replaced with OEM battery.


How would one do that exactly? Where would it be sent?


----------



## candlejack

Holdmyown83 said:


> How would one do that exactly? Where would it be sent?


I heard there's a company called Sony that can service the Walkman.


----------



## 515164

I would say it's a logical thing that you can send the device to a Sony authorized service to replace your battery.

Otherwise, maybe someone can point you to a third-party service, which may mean sending your device out of the country, for example.


----------



## Damz87

Holdmyown83 said:


> With the battery crapping out should I buy a 507 or another Wm1a?



I’d only bother with the ZX507 if you need streaming. If not, then stick with 1A. The battery life is a huge downgrade on the 507. Plus it’s less powerful.


----------



## Redcarmoose

My first Walkman before the Tape Sports Walkman around 1991. The Watchman!


----------



## Damz87

Redcarmoose said:


> My first Walkman before the Tape Sports Walkman around 1991. The Watchman!



That’s awesome! Does it still work?

Unfortunately I lost my OG tape Walkman from childhood and my discman from teenage years.


----------



## Damz87

Still have some old headphones though. MDR-009


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 10, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> That’s awesome! Does it still work?
> 
> Unfortunately I lost my OG tape Walkman from childhood and my discman from teenage years.



Actually my Dad wanted it so I gave it to him. But they quit broadcasting analog TV signals around 2007-2009? He always liked my Sony gear too?

Time for a rock out!


----------



## nc8000 (Apr 10, 2020)

Holdmyown83 said:


> With the battery crapping out should I buy a 507 or another Wm1a?



What is wrong ?

From the user manual





Sony rates the battery at 500 recharge cycles. I’ve had my 1Z for nearly 3 1/2 years and played about 3.500 hours and the battery lasts as long as it did when new. I think gerelmex is near 8.000 hours and started detecting shorter time. He let it fully discharge and then charged it to 100% (dissbled battery saver for that one charge) to recalibrate it and it was back to normal.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> What is wrong ?
> 
> From the user manual
> 
> ...


That's correct, I had to recalibrate my battery to "reset it". Uou discharge it completely until your walkman cannot turn on again (takes some tries) then charge it to 100% (no BatteryCare) uninterrupted - so don't disconnect device from charging source until it reaches FULL


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am having currently less battery play time but because I am using high gain in some high dynamic range BIS CDs


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 10, 2020)

@Vitaly2017 @Whitigir  if you notice distortions in your flac files, may be placebo or the fact you guys don't know your instruments well.

I do know how the instruments of my music sound like, especially novelty ones like a Tangent Piano, which has many high frequency and low frequency buzzing of its strings when struck, that a novice listener may confuse with distortions or ripping artifacts. Learn to know the sound of your music instruments.

I've learned to distinguish ripping  artifacts (skips, statics, scratch, often associated with high speed cd ripping and often with insecure software like MediaGo) from such nuances of instruments.

I must buy a flac download of this CPE BACH the solo keyboard music volume 13, as last two tracks have artifacts (got them pirated from a music blog back in 2009)


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Vitaly2017 @Whitigir  if you notice distortions in your flac files, may be placebo or the fact you guys don't know your instruments well.
> 
> I do know how the instruments of my music sound like, especially novelty ones like a Tangent Piano, which has many high frequency and low frequency buzzing of its strings when struck, that a novice listener may confuse with distortions or ripping artifacts. Learn to know the sound of your music instruments.
> 
> ...



Have you tried this new recording played on his own hammer klavier ?


----------



## proedros

nc8000 said:


> Sony rates the battery at 500 recharge cycles. I’ve had my 1Z for nearly 3 1/2 years and played about 3.500 hours and the battery lasts as long as it did when new. I think gerelmex is near 8.000 hours and started detecting shorter time. *He let it fully discharge and then charged it to 100% (dissbled battery saver for that one charge) to recalibrate it and it was back to normal.*



is this a trick to refresh battery ?


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> is this a trick to refresh battery ?



It certainly worked for him, I’ve had no need to try it


----------



## gerelmx1986

proedros said:


> is this a trick to refresh battery ?


Dis the same on an iPhone who had battery problems and turned on the phone until I could not turn it on anymore and then charged it uninterrupted to 100% restored the battery issue


----------



## Quadfather

Holdmyown83 said:


> How would one do that exactly? Where would it be sent?




Sony has a network of authorized service centers and provides them with authentic Sony Parts.  The beauty of this is that you get to keep all the sonic benefits of the player's lengthy burn-in.


----------



## Montyl (Apr 16, 2020)

After a lot of experimenting I find a solution how to achieve analog musical sound with my Sony WM1Z EU HW version based on 3.01 FW. I have my own DIY DAC with PCM1704K DACs and TPA6120 amplifiers. I love the lifelike musical sound timbre of it, but I have big issue to find the DAP with this superb timbre. I labour with differrent FW of SONY and find one which for me sounds very musical and analog, not sharp, but energetic. It sound analog like cassette deck.
Audio timbre of the Sony is setted by commands in the file.


----------



## Montyl (Apr 16, 2020)

Then set your WM1Z to "J" region.
Then install this modified FW 3.01 to player with J region.
After SW is installed it will sound nice but very fatique.
Then continue and set your player to CEV region and restart your player (8sec pwr. button press).
Now the sound will be nice vivid analog not fatique.
No install FW directly to CEV region because it will sound different - fatique and sharp and lose musical timbre.


----------



## Queen6

Amber Rain said:


> Is this a vinyl rip? Or is it available to purchase as a download somewhere?
> 
> It really is a good album.
> 
> TIA


Vinyl and is the Floodland Collection 

Q-6


----------



## Gww1

Montyl said:


> Original FW in which file "SWUpdate.xml" is modified must be version 3.01.
> Then set your WM1Z to "J" region.
> Then install this modified FW 3.01 to player with J region.
> After SW is installed it will sound nice but very fatique.
> ...


Do you have any information on what each of these changes actually does? Or have you just been experimenting by randomly changing things to listen to the effect?


----------



## Montyl (Apr 16, 2020)

Gww1 said:


> Do you have any information on what each of these changes actually does? Or have you just been experimenting by randomly changing things to listen to the effect?


I just experimenting ang comparing moded FW there on Head-Fi because I need to modify FW to work with my WM1Z EU HW version.


----------



## Queen6

proedros said:


> is this a trick to refresh battery ?



Full drain to full charge will recalibrate the battery, however batteries are consumable & wear. If the battery isn't holing charge is well worth calibrating, if short runtimes persist only solution is to replace the battery with new. 

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Cat's out the bag now....

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


>




Aaaaa flac that flac haha )


----------



## Amber Rain

I've finally managed to update (standard) firmware from 3.01 to 3.02, as I have managed to get my very old mac (battery dead / trackpad broken) to unpack / install the FW, as my new Mac is on Catalina which won't play nicely  with the files  (I'm not going back to an old OS, as the 'upgrade' to Catalina has caused all sorts of problems...).

I was keen on trying out the DMP-Z1 1.02 mod  for a Mac, but I can't seem to find it anywhere now, could someone point me in the right direction please?


----------



## Jauregui7 (Apr 10, 2020)

Hey guys, got a question concerning battery life per charge, I got my WM1Z about a month ago, awesome device and sound, been using it mostly with my MDR-Z1Rs, but trying to put the battery to the test (they were an open box item, so I saved a bit...) I am down to 2 lines after only 5 hours of play at around 70 volume without high gain over 4 days, I know the meter is not linear but still seems it won't last the stated 24 to 30 hrs. (Music is mostly 96/24 and some 192/24), am I correct, should I return it and get me a new one instead? The savings are not worth a shot battery, who knows how it was used or if a demo unit, constantly plugged? Anyways, I'm grateful for any thoughts...


----------



## Peter Ruby

For those that have a stock WM1A and the IER-Z1Rs, what’s your favorite combo of the planetary FW and destination codes?

With all this today down time, I thought I’d have if figured out by now. I suppose that a blessing in disguise.


----------



## Morbideath

Train of Consequences…

See u on the dark side (of humanity)


----------



## Queen6

Morbideath said:


> Train of Consequences…
> 
> See u on the dark side (of humanity)




This album & Countdown to Extinction always did for me, and still does to this very day, two thumbs up....

Train of Consequences 

Q-6


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 10, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> This album & Countdown to Extinction always did for me, and still does to this very day, two thumbs up....
> 
> Train of Consequences
> 
> Q-6


I'm more into their earlier stuffs upto RIP.
This song however is dedicated to our community here


----------



## Queen6

Morbideath said:


> I'm more into their earlier stuffs upto RIP.
> This song however is dedicated to our community here



Dig that...

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Child of the 60's and all 

Never gets old 

Q-6


----------



## etlouis (Apr 11, 2020)

Peter Ruby said:


> For those that have a stock WM1A and the IER-Z1Rs, what’s your favorite combo of the planetary FW and destination codes?
> 
> With all this today down time, I thought I’d have if figured out by now. I suppose that a blessing in disguise.



What I'm about to say has no reference value whatsoever... because I don't have the ier-z1rs... my wm1a is going to Moondrop S8. I'd really like to know if z1r handles the higher tier FW.

After flashing every FW available... finally I settled with stock 3.01 J region. The ultimates blasted me in the face with details... details which the hardware couldn't handle. Especially in the bass region which became oose and flappy. I don't know if modded wm1a/1z and more expensive headphones could've handle it better.

The DMPs sounded exciting and more engaging, with noticeably more bass. On naturally bass-heavy tracks like metal/ACG it began to overshadow the other freqs, becoming too loud to focus on other instruments or inducing fatigue. That's a nono. Stock 3.01/3.02 was more chilled and relax. Instruments and vocals floated in and out of my consciousness as their volume wax and waned. The stage of music was darker with less things happening, but still very enjoyable.


----------



## ttt123

Jauregui7 said:


> Hey guys, got a question concerning battery life per charge, I got my WM1Z about a month ago, awesome device and sound, been using it mostly with my MDR-Z1Rs, but trying to put the battery to the test (they were an open box item, so I saved a bit...) I am down to 2 lines after only 5 hours of play at around 70 volume without high gain over 4 days, I know the meter is not linear but still seems it won't last the stated 24 to 30 hrs. (Music is mostly 96/24 and some 192/24), am I correct, should I return it and get me a new one instead? The savings are not worth a shot battery, who knows how it was used or if a demo unit, constantly plugged? Anyways, I'm grateful for any thoughts...


Battery life is greatly affected when any DSP/Sound Quality settings are turned on.
The type of file played also has a great effect on battery life.  Also screen brightness, how often you use the screen, etc., etc.
To get a baseline of the state of your battery, turn *Direct Source: On* to disable all Sound Quality settings, and play one type of music file on repeat.


****************************************************************************************************************************
(From manual
Digital Music Player
NW-WM1A/WM1Z
Battery life
The values shown below are the approximate battery life when content is played continuously at the default settings.

Music (Approx.)
MP3 128 kbps 33 hours
AAC 256 kbps 31 hours
FLAC 96 kHz/24 bit 30 hours
FLAC 192 kHz/24 bit 26 hours
DSD 2.8224 MHz/1 bit 15 hours
DSD 5.6448 MHz/1 bit 13 hours
DSD 11.2896 MHz/1 bit 11 hours

Bluetooth (Approx.)
MP3 128 kbps SBC - Connection Preferred: 17 hours
FLAC 96 kHz/24 bit LDAC - Connection Preferred (Auto): 15 ho
Note
Even if the player is turned off for an extended period, a small amount of battery power is still consumed.
Battery life may vary depending on volume setting, conditions of use and ambient temperature.
The battery is consumed considerably when the screen is on.
*The battery life may become about 45 % shorter when some of the sound quality settings are active.*
A Bluetooth connection will shorten the battery life by up to 55 % depending on the following conditions.
Format of the content.
Settings of the connected device.


----------



## nc8000 (Apr 12, 2020)

Jauregui7 said:


> Hey guys, got a question concerning battery life per charge, I got my WM1Z about a month ago, awesome device and sound, been using it mostly with my MDR-Z1Rs, but trying to put the battery to the test (they were an open box item, so I saved a bit...) I am down to 2 lines after only 5 hours of play at around 70 volume without high gain over 4 days, I know the meter is not linear but still seems it won't last the stated 24 to 30 hrs. (Music is mostly 96/24 and some 192/24), am I correct, should I return it and get me a new one instead? The savings are not worth a shot battery, who knows how it was used or if a demo unit, constantly plugged? Anyways, I'm grateful for any thoughts...



Mine is 3 1/2 years old and has played about 3.500 hours.

I never turn it off, play mostly red book flac with source direct, screen on the lowest setting and only turn the screen on to pick the next album to play, disabled BT and NFC, have battery saver on (only charge to 90%), normal gain at 70. 

I get 20-25 hours play time and 7 days stand by so I charge once a week (play about 3 hours every night). 

DSP functions, high gain, much screen use, BT and file format can all affect play time. 

With vinyl processor on and high gain playing a mix of DSD and hires flacs I get 15 hours play time and 5 days stand by.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Today I replaced the offending CPE Bach vol. 13 and 16 with legal downloads from presto music.

However something rather interesting  happened , while vol 13 last two tracks bad rip from filesharer had a total different CRC and MD5 checksum from the master provided by BIS to presto. The brief click heard last minute 4:00 at track 9 from vol. 16 is present in recording... the CRC and MD5 hashes from filesharing flac vs BIS master flac produced EXACT SAME VALUES


----------



## aceedburn

Stock 1A-XBA-Z5-Venus T1J. This is my nirvana. This is all I need. Have been on this firmware for the past 5 days. The longest time with a single firmware thus far.  Deal is done. I’m a happy man. Nothing sounds better to my ears if I remove any of the combinations I mentioned above. Period. Stay safe and god bless folks!


----------



## gerelmx1986

What a luck, is the luck of @Vitaly2017  damn, he scored THE LAST BLACKGATE CAPS from romi audio


----------



## Lookout57

etlouis said:


> What I'm about to say has no reference value whatsoever... because I don't have the ier-z1rs... my wm1a is going to Moondrop S8. I'd really like to know if z1r handles the higher tier FW.
> 
> After flashing every FW available... finally I settled with stock 3.01 J region. The ultimates blasted me in the face with details... details which the hardware couldn't handle. Especially in the bass region which became oose and flappy. I don't know if modded wm1a/1z and more expensive headphones could've handle it better.
> 
> The DMPs sounded exciting and more engaging, with noticeably more bass. On naturally bass-heavy tracks like metal/ACG it began to overshadow the other freqs, becoming too loud to focus on other instruments or inducing fatigue. That's a nono. Stock 3.01/3.02 was more chilled and relax. Instruments and vocals floated in and out of my consciousness as their volume wax and waned. The stage of music was darker with less things happening, but still very enjoyable.


I found with my stock WM1A and Campfire Solaris Effect Eros II+ 8 wire balanced I prefer Jupiter T3 3.02 and Region J. Most balanced sound for bass heavy tracks.


----------



## Morbideath

gerelmx1986 said:


> What a luck, is the luck of @Vitaly2017  damn, he scored THE LAST BLACKGATE CAPS from romi audio


Truth be told, i believe they can still mod 1~2 BG device at full scale. But for now 18 units BG full scale is hard to achieve.


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Jauregui7

ttt123 said:


> Battery life is greatly affected when any DSP/Sound Quality settings are turned on.
> The type of file played also has a great effect on battery life.  Also screen brightness, how often you use the screen, etc., etc.
> To get a baseline of the state of your battery, turn *Direct Source: On* to disable all Sound Quality settings, and play one type of music file on repeat.
> 
> ...



Thanks ttt123, I have it in Direct Source, but it is true the player is still going with about 10hrs. and considering with or without use it consumes power, it may not be bad afterall


----------



## nc8000

Jauregui7 said:


> Thanks ttt123, I have it in Direct Source, but it is true the player is still going with about 10hrs. and considering with or without use it consumes power, it may not be bad afterall



You should be able to get close to 20 hours


----------



## Jauregui7

nc8000 said:


> mine is 3 1/2 years old and has played about 3.500 hours. I never turn it off, play mostly red book flac with source direct, screen on the lowest setting and only turn the screen on to pick the next album to play, disabled BT and NFC, have battery saver on (only charge to 90%), normal gain at 70. I get 20-25 hours play time and 7 days stand by so I charge once a week (play about 3 hours every night). DSP functions, high gain, much screen use, BT and file format can all affect play time. With vinyl processor on and high gain plying a mix of DSD and hires flacs I get 15 hours play time and 5 days stand by.



Hi nc8000, I just turned off NFC a few days ago, which I suspect would consume power for sure and I don't use it, also, just yesterday I lowered brightness from 25% to 10% which is plenty bright, what I'm going to try to do next is turn off battery saver mode, let it fully drain and charge fully once for the 1Z to calibrate battery properly, some posts suggest that so I think it can't hurt...

Still thinking I should've gone new, so who knows, maybe just for peace of mind since I still have 30 days to return this one and exchange for a new unit...

Thanks


----------



## bflat

Jauregui7 said:


> Hi nc8000, I just turned off NFC a few days ago, which I suspect would consume power for sure and I don't use it, also, just yesterday I lowered brightness from 25% to 10% which is plenty bright, what I'm going to try to do next is turn off battery saver mode, let it fully drain and charge fully once for the 1Z to calibrate battery properly, some posts suggest that so I think it can't hurt...
> 
> Still thinking I should've gone new, so who knows, maybe just for peace of mind since I still have 30 days to return this one and exchange for a new unit...
> 
> Thanks



Turning off/on drains quite a bit of battery too especially if you have a large SD card where it does an index scan every time you turn on.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 11, 2020)

Jauregui7 said:


> Hi nc8000, I just turned off NFC a few days ago, which I suspect would consume power for sure and I don't use it, also, just yesterday I lowered brightness from 25% to 10% which is plenty bright, what I'm going to try to do next is turn off battery saver mode, let it fully drain and charge fully once for the 1Z to calibrate battery properly, some posts suggest that so I think it can't hurt...
> 
> Still thinking I should've gone new, so who knows, maybe just for peace of mind since I still have 30 days to return this one and exchange for a new unit...
> 
> Thanks


Qfe you playing lots of Hi-res? >96kHz or DSD >2.8MHz  and/or high gain mode enabled


----------



## Mindstorms

Jauregui7 said:


> Hi nc8000, I just turned off NFC a few days ago, which I suspect would consume power for sure and I don't use it, also, just yesterday I lowered brightness from 25% to 10% which is plenty bright, what I'm going to try to do next is turn off battery saver mode, let it fully drain and charge fully once for the 1Z to calibrate battery properly, some posts suggest that so I think it can't hurt...
> 
> Still thinking I should've gone new, so who knows, maybe just for peace of mind since I still have 30 days to return this one and exchange for a new unit...
> 
> Thanks


Go 0 zero nada .0000 empty brightness


----------



## nc8000

Jauregui7 said:


> Hi nc8000, I just turned off NFC a few days ago, which I suspect would consume power for sure and I don't use it, also, just yesterday I lowered brightness from 25% to 10% which is plenty bright, what I'm going to try to do next is turn off battery saver mode, let it fully drain and charge fully once for the 1Z to calibrate battery properly, some posts suggest that so I think it can't hurt...
> 
> Still thinking I should've gone new, so who knows, maybe just for peace of mind since I still have 30 days to return this one and exchange for a new unit...
> 
> Thanks



I have screen at 0 (or is it 1 that is the lowest, can’t remember).


----------



## candlejack

nc8000 said:


> I have screen at 0 (or is it 1 that is the lowest, can’t remember).


It's 1... the sw guy in me is very annoyed.  Although, I guess 0 is achieved by pressing the power button.


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> I have screen at 0 (or is it 1 that is the lowest, can’t remember).


1 lol i wish there be a-1


----------



## nc8000

candlejack said:


> It's 1... the sw guy in me is very annoyed.  Although, I guess 0 is achieved by pressing the power button.



Yes the eternal question, 0 based or 1 based. Smalltalk that I have been programming in the last 25 years is 1 based while C# that I’m moving to is 0 based. Catches me out frequently


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 11, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Yes the eternal question, 0 based or 1 based. Smalltalk that I have been programming in the last 25 years is 1 based while C# that I’m moving to is 0 based. Catches me out frequently



My question was is the 1 just a random thought? Then I saw that 100 was the maximum brightness. Then the 1 made total sense as 0 would be totally dark.....meaning no back light at all. Zero would have no use as a setting.


----------



## RobertP (Apr 11, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> What a luck, is the luck of @Vitaly2017  damn, he scored THE LAST BLACKGATE CAPS from romi audio


Yes, congrats to @Vitaly2017 !
Blackgate caps are sooo expensive because they are no longer in production for more than 10 years. These caps are well known in hw mod community for long time and they one of the top pick. After do some reading, it seem pure silver wires will do very well with these BG's because of their sound profile. So far, I believe Elna Silmic II caps are great alternative with similar sound signature.

I plan to replace my 1A caps myself sometime in the future. Still doing more research and deciding which combination is best for my cup of tea. Kanpai!


----------



## gerelmx1986

With 24/96 and beyond you get pretty nice "unbounded" room acoustics


----------



## nc8000

New dsd for Easter


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 11, 2020)

Cant say for other's; bass on my WM1A really started to bloom past 250 hours. So much so that on albums I'd previously opt for DSP I now prefer Direct...

Epic...

Amp to B Standard and Vinyl to Surface Noise, is absolutely right there.... 

Q-6


----------



## NickleCo

nc8000 said:


> It certainly worked for him, I’ve had no need to try it


Worked for me as well! Been 8 hours since last charge but still on full battery (on TW 3.01 SOLIS T5)! Good stuff man!


----------



## NickleCo (Apr 12, 2020)

etlouis said:


> What I'm about to say has no reference value whatsoever... because I don't have the ier-z1rs... my wm1a is going to Moondrop S8. I'd really like to know if z1r handles the higher tier FW.
> 
> After flashing every FW available... finally I settled with stock 3.01 J region. The ultimates blasted me in the face with details... details which the hardware couldn't handle. Especially in the bass region which became oose and flappy. I don't know if modded wm1a/1z and more expensive headphones could've handle it better.
> 
> The DMPs sounded exciting and more engaging, with noticeably more bass. On naturally bass-heavy tracks like metal/ACG it began to overshadow the other freqs, becoming too loud to focus on other instruments or inducing fatigue. That's a nono. Stock 3.01/3.02 was more chilled and relax. Instruments and vocals floated in and out of my consciousness as their volume wax and waned. The stage of music was darker with less things happening, but still very enjoyable.


I find that higher tier iems tend to be able to discern the differences per fw (and region) better even if its only on SE.


----------



## gerelmx1986

DatDudeNic said:


> I find that higher tier iems tend to be able to discern the differences per fw (and region) better even if its only on SE.


When you try balanced... taa daaah, you must go 4.4


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 12, 2020)

My Walkman 1Z battery reset experience. Purchasing the 1Z in November of 2017...... I’ve never really put that many hours on it at 1106 hours total.

Still.....I’ve never had good battery life. The Walkman 1A has always had superior battery life; probably double. I’m pretty sure my first charge of the 1Z may have set it up to not fully charge well. I was in a hotel charging it off a laptop which died on it’s first charge.

So finally after reading about the reset here I did it. Also before the reset I always had a funny issue with the 1Z screen flickering right before it turned off. My 1A never did it. But with the screen set on 1 it would start to kind of flash a little before fully going black each time?

Long story short. This reset is a big deal. The screen doesn’t flicker any longer before turning off? Also my battery life seems to be greatly improved; probably the way it’s suppose to be? I still need fully time the battery. Amazing!

Anyone in question should run the Walkman till it turns off. Try to turn it on a couple of times until the battery is fully at zero. Then go for a full uninterrupted charge with battery saver off. Strangely too it seems to sound better........don’t laugh.


----------



## tieuly1

it is great to hear that worked out well for your 1z. I might give a try tonight.
Thank you and @gerelmx1986


----------



## gerelmx1986

tieuly1 said:


> it is great to hear that worked out well for your 1z. I might give a try tonight.
> Thank you and @gerelmx1986


At first I thought that it may be my kimber cable for my MDR-Z1R,  but then remembered a similar issue with an iphone 5 my sister gave me
 The battery died at 15% so I charged the phone at max, used it.like crazy to deplete the battery to zero and then charger it again uninterrupted to 100%. Did same to my walkman and now its fine


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 12, 2020)

tieuly1 said:


> it is great to hear that worked out well for your 1z. I might give a try tonight.
> Thank you and @gerelmx1986



It’s the slight flickering stopping, that I can’t seem to get over? I’ve checked it ten times so far? Lol. Really wild. I just accepted the battery life of my 1Z and was planning on doing a battery replacement. I’ve always had the 1A as kind of a baseline of what the batteries were suppose to be like.

They always say the first charge is super important when you take new equipment out of the box.


----------



## candlejack

Redcarmoose said:


> Strangely too it seems to sound better........don’t laugh.


Can I cry instead? 

It seems that *Useful Post Of The Month* goes to @gerelmx1986. I'll try the battery cycling on my ZX300... I never quite felt like the battery held up as well as advertised.


----------



## aceedburn

As a rule of thumb I do this battery cycling exercise to all my battery powered devices including my iPhone from time to time. This should not be done regularly as it will shorten to lifespan of the battery if done all the time. A healthy practise is every 60 charges or so.


----------



## NickleCo

gerelmx1986 said:


> When you try balanced... taa daaah, you must go 4.4


after the corona ends im sure gonna buy one


----------



## gerelmx1986

aceedburn said:


> As a rule of thumb I do this battery cycling exercise to all my battery powered devices including my iPhone from time to time. This should not be done regularly as it will shorten to lifespan of the battery if done all the time. A healthy practise is every 60 charges or so.


I've learned that the hard way with a Dell laptop , the battery only lasted one year because I did this quite often, i discharged it to 0 and charged to 100% and it ended killing the battery, so do it every 60 - 100 charges or every three to six month


----------



## gerelmx1986

candlejack said:


> Can I cry instead?
> 
> It seems that *Useful Post Of The Month* goes to @gerelmx1986. I'll try the battery cycling on my ZX300... I never quite felt like the battery held up as well as advertised.


There is a person who has me on his block list for supposedly making off-topic posts in the past... he is missing this useful info. @proedros ... being a thread nazi doesn't bring you to anywhere


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 12, 2020)

candlejack said:


> Can I cry instead?
> 
> It seems that *Useful Post Of The Month* goes to @gerelmx1986. I'll try the battery cycling on my ZX300... I never quite felt like the battery held up as well as advertised.



Well no one has ever reported the slight flickering before the screen shuts off. It’s been doing that since November of 2017. Now no? And the sound is connected to battery health. If not it’s still a great placebo pill. 

If anything too, I learned the very first charge of these is ultimately important to do correct.


----------



## Dtuck90

I’m going to do a battery reset on my WM1A. I never get close to the advertised time and I “only” have 1500 hours on mine


----------



## Quadfather

Dtuck90 said:


> I’m going to do a battery reset on my WM1A. I never get close to the advertised time and I “only” have 1500 hours on mine




The advertised time is doable with direct mode and minimal screen and button use...


----------



## nc8000

Quadfather said:


> The advertised time is doable with direct mode and minimal screen and button use...



I’ve never been able to get near to 30 hours even under ideal conditions (except perhaps 30 hours none stop, never tried that) but normally get over 20 hours


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> The advertised time is doable with direct mode and minimal screen and button use...


Factors that affect battery life
Usage of DSP
High value for screen brightness
Fiddling too frequently with screen
Turn it on and off, specially if you have a micro SD > 256GB
Using high gain
Playing UHD files (>= 192/DSD)
using Bluetooth in either way
Having not done a battery reset after a long time
Battery may need replacement (either due to defect or by longevity)
Using USB Audio out with WMC-H10 Cable


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I’ve never been able to get near to 30 hours even under ideal conditions (except perhaps 30 hours none stop, never tried that) but normally get over 20 hours


Me too, advertised 30h is with wav or lossy compression


----------



## proedros

gonna try the battery thing , it's been more than 100 cycles since i did a full (re)charge , see what happens

about to hit the *3500 hours* mark use on balanced (and there was another 500 hours from previous owner) , still no thoughts about selling/upgrading


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Me too, advertised 30h is with wav or lossy compression



Actually 30 hours is supposed to be doable even with 24/92 flac but I get at most a little over 20 hours with 16/44 (plus 7 days stand by)


----------



## NickleCo

Redcarmoose said:


> Well no one has ever reported the slight flickering before the screen shuts off. It’s been doing that since November of 2017. Now no? And the sound is connected to battery health. If not it’s still a great placebo pill.
> 
> If anything too, I learned the very first charge of these is ultimately important to do correct.


My unit had that issue before. Don't know what i did/ happened but its fixed now.


----------



## Redcarmoose

DatDudeNic said:


> My unit had that issue before. Don't know what i did/ happened but its fixed now.



Did you notice that the only time it would happen was on the lowest brightness? At brighter levels it would never happen? My 1Z did it since day one but the 1A never has.


----------



## NickleCo

Just a follow up, its been a whole 14 hours of usage (13 hours SE mix of lo and hi gain and an hour of bluetooth streaming) and only 1 bar has been lost. So far so good


----------



## NickleCo

Redcarmoose said:


> Did you notice that the only time it would happen was on the lowest brightness? At brighter levels it would never happen? My 1Z did it since day one but the 1A never has.


Sorry red but i didnt pay much attwntion to it when it had the issue...


----------



## gerelmx1986

I like Sony's approach, unlike most smart DAP manufacturrs...

Dor example fiio is becoming more.like a smartphone company like apple or sammy, releasing two o three DAPs a year....
And they advertise if it was a computer,  octacore cpu, 4G ram bla bla bla.... it is important in a DAP to have octacore cpu? Hell, no, it is no computer that will used f.e. for compiling in visualstudio, or doing video editing with 3D or DSD or audio conversion


----------



## Jauregui7

gerelmx1986 said:


> Qfe you playing lots of Hi-res? >96kHz or DSD >2.8MHz  and/or high gain mode enabled



Mostly 96KHz and some 192KHz, very few DSD


----------



## Jauregui7

nc8000 said:


> I have screen at 0 (or is it 1 that is the lowest, can’t remember).



I'll lower it further, kind of funny how it goes to 1, not 0, being someone with OCD it kind of irks me not having 0


----------



## gerelmx1986

Jauregui7 said:


> I'll lower it further, kind of funny how it goes to 1, not 0, being someone with OCD it kind of irks me not having 0


Zero is having it off


----------



## Quadfather

Jauregui7 said:


> I'll lower it further, kind of funny how it goes to 1, not 0, being someone with OCD it kind of irks me not having 0




Now I am thinking of Zero the Hero by Black Sabbath; Ian Gillan on vocals.


----------



## Queen6

Special Request - Vortex

Some gonna love, some gonna hate this one, what is certain bass is not in short supply 

Q-6


----------



## Mindstorms

flyer1 said:


> CN has great synergy with the 1Z/ex1000, my current favourite region
> 
> Tried the others also but CN and J are best for now. On some genres J is slightly too smooth though, CN has all the good stuff from J with higher resolution and better extension on highs. What I really like as well is that gain is not so boosted as on most other regions. All in all CN(3.0) is nicely balanced which goes well with the EX1000/1Z.


I thought TW was going to be the best with that...


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> My Walkman 1Z battery reset experience. Purchasing the 1Z in November of 2017...... I’ve never really put that many hours on it at 1106 hours total.
> 
> Still.....I’ve never had good battery life. The Walkman 1A has always had superior battery life; probably double. I’m pretty sure my first charge of the 1Z may have set it up to not fully charge well. I was in a hotel charging it off a laptop which died on it’s first charge.
> 
> ...


Can you send me the link to post where it explains how to do it?


----------



## Queen6

Midnstorms said:


> Can you send me the link to post where it explains how to do it?



Use the player until it turns off, keep restarting the player until it won't turn on, then charge the player without using it, like overnight. This will recalibrate the battery, same used to apply for older laptops.

Batteries wear down, nor can the capacity be generally regained, however it's possible to realign the software with the hardware. In general batteries want to be used and need the ions to flow. Some batteries will recover to some extents, equally don't expect miracles. I recently revived an old notebook as it came back into my hands, 2011 15"MBP, battery was less than 60% of design capacity, with some gentle massaging it's now up to 67% That said a replacement is in order.

Q-6


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 12, 2020)

I fear this method dough it sounds very good i had some experiences with other devices  once fully drain and doing this method i lost about 10% of their capacity so it ended up being worst what i did was using it till it told me recharge, and a little more... the fully charge 100% not 90% my batery since a little better will post if I see improvements my batery was bad  because i let the player conected several month without use at 100% bad idea... now it since to be getting better.... will see I think its not very bad since I use heavy eq almost allways 115 vol no high gain allwways 2 efects on... electronic music.. so.. very demanding


----------



## Queen6

Midnstorms said:


> I fear this method dough it sounds very good i had some experiences with other devices  once fully drain and doing this method i lost about 10% of their capacity so it ended up being worst what i did was using it till it told me recharge, and a little more... the fully charge 100% not 90% my batery since a little better will post if I see improvements my batery was bad  because i let the player conected several month without use at 100% bad idea... now it since to be getting better.... will see I think its not very bad since I use heavy eq almost allways 115 vol no high gain allwways 2 efects on... electronic music.. so.. very demanding



You won't really gain or loose, rather more have an accurate understanding of the batteries runtime. TBH leaving portable devices continuously plugged in tends to cause more harm than good. One of the reasons why my old MacBook Pro's battery is in poor condition as the other users left it plugged in to the mains supply continuously and then it sat for over a year with the battery totally drained.

Ultimately batteries with current technology are consumable and therefore disposable items, requiring replacement in time...

Q-6


----------



## Mindstorms

Yes iknow it was a very bad idea but im timing its capacity as we speak so we can compare it


----------



## flyer1

Midnstorms said:


> I thought TW was going to be the best with that...



Have already been using TW for just over a week now. Just took me a while to find out


----------



## gazzington

Morbideath said:


> Train of Consequences…
> 
> See u on the dark side (of humanity)



I think your a metal head like me!


----------



## Morbideath

gazzington said:


> I think your a metal head like me!


Yeah man, your Hammer smashed face is an eye catcher


----------



## gazzington

Morbideath said:


> Yeah man, your Hammer smashed face is an eye catcher


What are you listening to at the moment?  Also what iems/headphones do you use?


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 13, 2020)

gazzington said:


> What are you listening to at the moment?  Also what iems/headphones do you use?


Sony Just Ear MH1 / EE Legend X SE, both custom paired with Labkable Titan AU. I only listen to Metal and classical music.


----------



## gazzington

Morbideath said:


> Just Ear MH1 / EE Legend X SE paired with Labkable Titan AU. I only listen to Metal and classical music.


I'm considering legend x or solaris at the moment.  Hey I'm trying to get more in to classical, what would you recommend? 
I have too many daps, n8, sp2k, wm1z, wm1a, lpgt, tera, n6ii.  Need to sell some. The sonys are keepers though


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 13, 2020)

gazzington said:


> I'm considering legend x or solaris at the moment.  Hey I'm trying to get more in to classical, what would you recommend?
> I have too many daps, n8, sp2k, wm1z, wm1a, lpgt, tera, n6ii.  Need to sell some. The sonys are keepers though


I had Solaris and sold it. It's too balanced / unexciting to my taste and is a bit unforgiving.


----------



## gazzington

Morbideath said:


> I had Solaris and sold it. It's too balanced / unexciting to my taste and is a bit unforgiving.


It's a shame as gold dap with gold solaris looks stunning


----------



## slumberman

Morbideath said:


> I had Solaris and sold it. It's too balanced / unexciting to my taste and is a bit unforgiving.



Wow that’s the opposite of me!

I own both the Solaris and SE version and I love them to death! I also wouldn’t call them balanced... they definitely are V shaped with a lower mid scoop which makes it all much easier on the ears, I found.
It’s amazing how every time I read other people’s opinion I realize we all have to try and test everything ourselves to REALLY know if it’ll work for us.
Once again this is not to diss your opinion at all...just to show how different perception can be.


----------



## Damz87

Morbideath said:


> I had Solaris and sold it. It's too balanced / unexciting to my taste and is a bit unforgiving.


What’s your thoughts on the Legend X mate? Have you heard the Z1R and if so, how would you compare them?

I’ve been considering the Legend X as a guilty pleasure when I feel like going full basshead. But worried that they might not be worth it, already having the Z1R.


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 13, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> What’s your thoughts on the Legend X mate? Have you heard the Z1R and if so, how would you compare them?
> 
> I’ve been considering the Legend X as a guilty pleasure when I feel like going full basshead. But worried that they might not be worth it, already having the Z1R.


First of all LX se is different than LX. Se has flatter response, bass is the same as before but mids and treble are more forward. It has beautiful timbre. Normal LX is somewhat darker comparatively. 

Z1R has deeper bass but more controlled mid-bass. Treble is a bit harsh for me, and not as light weight / comfortable than a custom LX


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 13, 2020)

slumberman said:


> Wow that’s the opposite of me!
> 
> I own both the Solaris and SE version and I love them to death! I also wouldn’t call them balanced... they definitely are V shaped with a lower mid scoop which makes it all much easier on the ears, I found.
> It’s amazing how every time I read other people’s opinion I realize we all have to try and test everything ourselves to REALLY know if it’ll work for us.
> Once again this is not to diss your opinion at all...just to show how different perception can be.


I totally understand as many share your opinion. But i found Solaris has a weak bass to me. That dd is definitely underperforming compared with the same driver in Atlas.
plus the treble is too bright for me, in poor recording It's unforgiving. 
Haven't listened to Solaris SE yet so don't know if they sound different. When i bought and sold Solaris the SE is not out yet.


----------



## Damz87

Morbideath said:


> First of all LX se is different than LX. Se has flatter response, bass is the same as before but mids and treble are more forward. It has beautiful timbre.
> Z1R has deeper bass but more controlled mid-bass. Treble is a bit harsh for me, and not as light weight / comfortable than a custom LX



Thanks!


----------



## gazzington

Shows we all have different ears. I have the sonys and love them! Fit can be awkward for some though


----------



## slumberman

Morbideath said:


> I totally understand as many share your opinion. But i found Solaris has a weak bass to me. That dd is definitely underperforming compared with the same driver in Atlas.
> plus the treble is too bright for me, in poor recording It's unforgiving.
> Haven't listened to Solaris SE yet so don't know if they sound different. When i bought and sold Solaris the SE is not out yet.



I agree on that : Atlas has thunderous bass...it was a bit too much for me


----------



## Morbideath

slumberman said:


> I agree on that : Atlas has thunderous bass...it was a bit too much for me


Yeah i prefer somewhere between, that's how Legend X SE did it for me. The technicalities are also much better


----------



## Morbideath

gazzington said:


> It's a shame as gold dap with gold solaris looks stunning









well... I have Plan B and Plan C


----------



## gazzington

Morbideath said:


> well... I have Plan B and Plan C


Wow those are beautiful. What sonys are they?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Morbideath said:


> well... I have Plan B and Plan C




WOW GLOWS


----------



## Morbideath

gazzington said:


> Wow those are beautiful. What sonys are they?


Sony Just Ear MH1, the customized tuning version


----------



## gazzington

Morbideath said:


> Sony Just Ear MH1, the customized tuning version


Look really beautiful. I take it legend x special edition is no longer available?


----------



## Vitaly2017

You all need to try Tia Trio and Tia forte noir as ultimate, it surpasses the solaris by a big margin and also better in sq then LX.
Ier-z1r fit is bad and sound quality while being amazing still sits in an in between world. I find Tia trio / Tia Noir crazy insane performance and super smooth refined treble.
Lx is totally overly boomy for me


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 13, 2020)

gazzington said:


> Look really beautiful. I take it legend x special edition is no longer available?


I don't know. SE was meant for Asian market i think. Gold brushed plating is Japan limited and silver brushed Hong Kong limited. Mine is undergoing refit in Atlanta and they will offer both Gold and silver to my pair. 
Custom LX SE seems to be another niche market, It's available in HK and mainland China though


----------



## Damz87

Morbideath said:


> well... I have Plan B and Plan C



Yours is by far my favourite setup! Looks amazing, and I’m guessing it sounds the part too


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Apr 13, 2020)

@Morbideath  what are the specs of the sony iem? how many drivers and frequency range?




@Damz87  he is a chosen one as well, of course it will sound like a holy liquid watery song silkily flowing fluids haha


----------



## gazzington

Vitaly2017 said:


> You all need to try Tia Trio and Tia forte noir as ultimate, it surpasses the solaris by a big margin and also better in sq then LX.
> Ier-z1r fit is bad and sound quality while being amazing still sits in an in between world. I find Tia trio / Tia Noir crazy insane performance and super smooth refined treble.
> Lx is totally overly boomy for me


I always wanted the u18t. I bet it sounds as very good for details. Very expensive though


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 13, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> @Morbideath  what are the specs of the sony iem? how many drivers and frequency range?


1DD (the samd dd as EXK) and 1BA hybrid. It may not meet your technicality requirement if u prefer Tia. But the beauty is that, MH1 can be customized tuned upon my own request.


----------



## Morbideath

Vitaly2017 said:


> You all need to try Tia Trio and Tia forte noir as ultimate, it surpasses the solaris by a big margin and also better in sq then LX.
> Ier-z1r fit is bad and sound quality while being amazing still sits in an in between world. I find Tia trio / Tia Noir crazy insane performance and super smooth refined treble.
> Lx is totally overly boomy for me


LX is very boomy when not burned in and not fed properly with gain. When fully burnt in the technicalities will shine through the bass, and LX SE is slight better in this regard.


----------



## Scorpio1957

Another day in lockdown here in the UK, at least I can listen to some fantastic music on the awesome combination of my Sony WM1Z and 64 Audio A18t.

Stay safe everyone and enjoy your music.


----------



## slumberman

Vitaly2017 said:


> You all need to try Tia Trio and Tia forte noir as ultimate, it surpasses the solaris by a big margin and also better in sq then LX.
> Ier-z1r fit is bad and sound quality while being amazing still sits in an in between world. I find Tia trio / Tia Noir crazy insane performance and super smooth refined treble.
> Lx is totally overly boomy for me


Very subjective. I tried both Tias and they didn’t do anything for me, so I wouldn’t say they surpass anything. It’s all personal choice


----------



## Vitaly2017

Wooo Nice view Bro I like that 





Scorpio1957 said:


> Another day in lockdown here in the UK, at least I can listen to some fantastic music on the awesome combination of my Sony WM1Z and 64 Audio A18t.
> 
> Stay safe everyone and enjoy your music.


----------



## Scorpio1957

Vitaly2017 said:


> Wooo Nice view Bro I like that




Cheers mate,

Keep safe and enjoy your music.


----------



## gazzington

slumberman said:


> Very subjective. I tried both Tias and they didn’t do anything for me, so I wouldn’t say they surpass anything. It’s all personal choice


Did you ever try u18t?


----------



## slumberman

gazzington said:


> Did you ever try u18t?



not yet!


----------



## RobertP (Apr 13, 2020)

I had an opportunity to try all of 64 audio IEM's except the new fourte noir. Trio is a bit more on organic side and A18t has more 3D space, depth. Very special sound. U12t has just a bit more energetic than Trio. Tia Fourte are north of neutral but not too harsh and very energetic. Sound just like listening with big tower speakers.
In general, A series has fuller and more dynamic than U.


----------



## normie610

Spending the whole day yesterday with this combo. Sublime pairing indeed.


----------



## nc8000

Thanks to Lookout57 my fw folder now contains both Windows and Mac installers for all the modded fw.
Also the Windows package now contains the V1.0 and earlier fw (sorry, I can't remeber who shared those).


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Apr 13, 2020)

RobertP said:


> I had an opportunity to try all of 64 audio IEM's except the new fourte noir. Trio is a bit more on organic side and A18t has more 3D space, depth. Very special sound. U12t has just a bit more energetic than Trio. Tia Fourte are north of neutral but not too harsh and very energetic. Sound just like listening with big tower speakers.
> In general, A series has fuller and more dynamic than U.




Hmm For me it was different, Fourte original was very treble elevated and painful but overall best most natural sound you can get. extremely holographic and emphasized echoes and extensions with best in class bass control.

Trio is the more fun iem very nice treble shimmery and zingy with a  nice metallic resonance. Not treble fatiguing and very smooth. Bass hits a little more then Fourte and slightly less control, mids aren't as present but very nice forward dome shaped sound.

The u18 are very very linear and almost feels flat line but they are made to be the most analytical tuning and detail monsters, no treble peaks nor bass booming, just all natural and transparent.

U12 are different, has the aspect of u18 but with a more musical approach and has very high similarity's with trio except no DD and even less treble elevation and no bass slam. In other words if you like u18 but find it to analytical go with u12's. I think 64a is working on a new u12t with a DD!

Forte noir is completely new thing and nothing is alike in the whole line of 64a even if its supposedly a fourte sibling its actually a different type of beast.
Less treble then fourte regular and even trio! A treble that has a flavor of an electrostatic driver and tia high driver with a slight metallic tone but feels natural and like cold water droplets...

Mids are very present and much more then fourte regular, and yes more then trio's. very natural warm and thick slightly feel.

Bass is very different nothing in 64a line has the bass of noir's, bass is like a conjunction of 3 headphones. The hd820, mdr-z1r, he-1. Yes you have that feel with noir as it took the best aspects of those 3 headphones and put it all in one, quiet impressive!

With noir you get a very analogue warm thick sound flavor, no treble elevations, seducing mids, new submersive massive bass its very wide and surrounding. The music get loud and very powerful.







normie610 said:


> Spending the whole day yesterday with this combo. Sublime pairing indeed.




Nice little raspberries


----------



## normie610

Vitaly2017 said:


> Nice little raspberries



They look more like strawberries I think


----------



## Vitaly2017

normie610 said:


> They look more like strawberries I think




Okay cherries !  ;P)


----------



## RobertP (Apr 13, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hmm For me it was different, Fourte original was very treble elevated and painful but overall best most natural sound you can get. extremely holographic and emphasized echoes and extensions with best in class bass control.
> 
> Trio is the more fun iem very nice treble shimmery and zingy with a  nice metallic resonance. Not treble fatiguing and very smooth. Bass hits a little more then Fourte and slightly less control, mids aren't as present but very nice forward dome shaped sound.
> 
> ...


U12t with DD? That would be interesting!
Hmm, I feel u12t has more treble and linear than my A18t. And also a bit less mid bass. Maybe for U18t perhaps.


----------



## gerelmx1986

My walkman skipped (correct behaviour) some corrupted flac files, turns out it was the microSD inserted in the walkman for writing new files. The walkman cant handle the WRITE VOLTAGE of the 1TB card causing it to unmount and corrupt files, better to use an USB or built-in reader of computer with adapter


----------



## RobertP

gerelmx1986 said:


> My walkman skipped (correct behaviour) some corrupted flac files, turns out it was the microSD inserted in the walkman for writing new files. The walkman cant handle the WRITE VOLTAGE of the 1TB card causing it to unmount and corrupt files, better to use an USB or built-in reader of computer with adapter


So for read or scan database no problem for 1TB card?


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> U12t with DD? That would be interesting!
> Hmm, I feel u12t has more treble and linear than my A18t. And also a bit less mid bass. Maybe for U18t perhaps.




my impression where with all U models at canjam 2020


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> My walkman skipped (correct behaviour) some corrupted flac files, turns out it was the microSD inserted in the walkman for writing new files. The walkman cant handle the WRITE VOLTAGE of the 1TB card causing it to unmount and corrupt files, better to use an USB or built-in reader of computer with adapter



I have no problems writing to my 1TB in the 1Z, I never remove it. Also no problem writing to another 1TB card inthe A45 when I had that


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I have no problems writing to my 1TB in the 1Z, I never remove it. Also no problem writing to another 1TB card inthe A45 when I had that


That is odd with mine , but my windows machine complains of drive or location not found in the middle of writing while inside my 1A, every time I want to write new files to SD card must use the card slot of my laptop


----------



## gerelmx1986

RobertP said:


> So for read or scan database no problem for 1TB card?


Yeah that works fine in my 1A but not while connected to computer writing files to the card


----------



## RobertP (Apr 13, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> my impression where with all U models at canjam 2020


NAMM 2017 here. Maybe I should go for a second visit. Want to try Fourte Noir and their u12t with DD when it's out.


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> NAMM 2017 here. Maybe I should go for a second visit. Want to try Fourte Noir and their u12t with DD when it's out.




Noir is special edition only 500 in the entire world and they are all sold 

Only way to get one is to buy second hand, I got mine for a sublime price


----------



## RobertP

Damn! Lucky you. Take good care of it.


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> Damn! Lucky you. Take good care of it.




I got a collection now  Tia noir / wm1z+Romi / Pw 1960 4wires


----------



## Lookout57

Morbideath said:


> I totally understand as many share your opinion. But i found Solaris has a weak bass to me. That dd is definitely underperforming compared with the same driver in Atlas.
> plus the treble is too bright for me, in poor recording It's unforgiving.
> Haven't listened to Solaris SE yet so don't know if they sound different. When i bought and sold Solaris the SE is not out yet.


I've found that the Solaris and SE are very cable sensitive. They are also sensitive to firmware versions on the Sony's.

For example the best all over sound for the Solaris and stock WM1A is Region J, Jupiter T3 and Effect Eros II+ 8 wire balanced. On the tracks that have bass it delivers and the treble is not as bright. I had been using the ALO Gold 16 but switched to the Eros II+ after the planets launched . I found that the bass had been neutered with the Gold 16 and was too bright. I prefer an analog/warm sound. If I get bored I might try some other planets on this combo.

Then for the Solaris SE and stock WM1Z I'm still rolling cables and firmware but sticking on Region J for remote support instead of E. Right now I'm on Mars T3 with DHC Clone Fusion. I was previously on Jupiter T3. Tonight I'm going to test DHC Clone Silver to see if it improves the mids tonight with Mars as I like it's bass and highs. I found that Solis T5 and Clone Silver was a bad match, way too bright and harsh. Clone Fusion was better but missed the bass I heard on the WM1A. So that why I'm rolling firmware.

BTW, when I first posted my impressions of the SE against the OG I stated that the bass is different in the SE in that it is now much more detailed and cleaner than the OG but still there.


----------



## Lookout57

gerelmx1986 said:


> That is odd with mine , but my windows machine complains of drive or location not found in the middle of writing while inside my 1A, every time I want to write new files to SD card must use the card slot of my laptop


Which 1TB card? I have the the Sandisk purchased thru Amazon and never had any issue using macOS direct connect to the computer.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lookout57 said:


> Which 1TB card? I have the the Sandisk purchased thru Amazon and never had any issue using macOS direct connect to the computer.


Ssndisk extreme PRO 1TB purchased in SATURN GmbH.


----------



## Lookout57

gerelmx1986 said:


> Ssndisk extreme PRO 1TB purchased in SATURN GmbH.


Same card. But, I have heard there were knockoff Sandisk cards being sold. Could you have gotten a knockoff?


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Ssndisk extreme PRO 1TB purchased in SATURN GmbH.



That is the same as both mine


----------



## bflat

Lookout57 said:


> Same card. But, I have heard there were knockoff Sandisk cards being sold. Could you have gotten a knockoff?



I've played around with fake SD cards just to know what to look for. In all cases, writing is not the problem. Your file explorer will even show all the files to make you think you have a full spec capacity. It's when you try to read the files you find out everything is corrupted because files have been overwritten because the true size is much smaller. This is why the scam works so well to the average consumer.

The issue from the OP could be a bad cable if direct from PC works fine.


----------



## gerelmx1986

bflat said:


> I've played around with fake SD cards just to know what to look for. In all cases, writing is not the problem. Your file explorer will even show all the files to make you think you have a full spec capacity. It's when you try to read the files you find out everything is corrupted because files have been overwritten because the true size is much smaller. This is why the scam works so well to the average consumer.
> 
> The issue from the OP could be a bad cable if direct from PC works fine.


Yeah, I have it filled to maximum capacity (before needing to convert those DSF files). Perhaps my cable or my laptop isn't just old USB 3.0 (Sony VAIO with i5 4200U from 2014)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lookout57 said:


> Same card. But, I have heard there were knockoff Sandisk cards being sold. Could you have gotten a knockoff?


I've got a fake 32GB one but from a bazaar market. SATURN is a serious store just like BestBuY in mexico and the USA


----------



## bflat (Apr 13, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yeah, I have it filled to maximum capacity (before needing to convert those DSF files). Perhaps my cable or my laptop isn't just old USB 3.0 (Sony VAIO with i5 4200U from 2014)



LOL, you have one of the very last Sony laptops ever produced since they exited the PC business in 2014. It may even become collectible since there were many fans of the VAIO line.

Edit - looks like VAIO line was sold off and still being sold, but not from Sony.


----------



## gerelmx1986

bflat said:


> LOL, you have one of the very last Sony laptops ever produced since they exited the PC business in 2014. It may even become collectible since there were many fans of the VAIO line.
> 
> Edit - looks like VAIO line was sold off and still being sold, but not from Sony.


Love it as hell, still snappy fast (Sandisk SSD), for visual studio and android emulation or windows virtual machine works like a charm (processor has built-in Virtualization)


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## 515164

nc8000 said:


> sorry, I can't remeber who shared those


----------



## Fsilva

Just another sunny day at the beach, using my Wm1A on Solis (no pun intended) and shoot another playthrough video.


----------



## Morbideath

gerelmx1986 said:


> Ssndisk extreme PRO 1TB purchased in SATURN GmbH.


Mine is the same card, actually i have 3 of those 1TB, none has your issue either


----------



## XP_98

Hello,
I missed Venus for WM1Z europe and WM1A europe, could someone kindly give me a working link for download (at least T3, if possible also T2) ?
Thanks in advance


----------



## Morbideath

XP_98 said:


> Hello,
> I missed Venus for WM1Z europe and WM1A europe, could someone kindly give me a working link for download (at least T3, if possible also T2) ?
> Thanks in advance


Summoning @nc8000 for help


----------



## RobertP

Andrea Bocelli live in the mass is pure heaven to my eyes.


----------



## 515164

Morbideath said:


> Summoning @nc8000 for help





XP_98 said:


> Hello,
> I missed Venus for WM1Z europe and WM1A europe, could someone kindly give me a working link for download (at least T3, if possible also T2) ?
> Thanks in advance



*Here you go*, man. I just packed all tiers and regions in there.


----------



## proedros

any thoughts on the Mars FWs ? i have not tried them yet as the v-shaped description kinda frightened me , but being bored and all i decided to install Mars 2 on my stock wm1a.....


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 14, 2020)

All About Eve

You were either there, or you weren't...

Favourite track has to be_ In The Meadow_, simply builds and builds, demands one to push the volume.

Q-6


----------



## slumberman

Hello all!
I’m looking for a Musashino Label case for my WM1Z. Does anyone have one for sale or know where I can find one? I only found one on eBay  but would love to find one in Europe if possible.
Thanks in advance!


----------



## gazzington

slumberman said:


> Hello all!
> I’m looking for a Musashino Label case for my WM1Z. Does anyone have one for sale or know where I can find one? I only found one on eBay  but would love to find one in Europe if possible.
> Thanks in advance!


Wm1z deserves a nice case. I need one too!


----------



## nc8000

slumberman said:


> Hello all!
> I’m looking for a Musashino Label case for my WM1Z. Does anyone have one for sale or know where I can find one? I only found one on eBay  but would love to find one in Europe if possible.
> Thanks in advance!



I only think they are sold from Japan, at least that’s where I had to get my 4.4 to 3.5 adapter from


----------



## Lookout57

Morbideath said:


> Mine is the same card, actually i have 3 of those 1TB, none has your issue either


I also have 3 of the Sandisk cards. One each in my two WM1A's and one in my WM1Z with zero issues.


proedros said:


> any thoughts on the Mars FWs ? i have not tried them yet as the v-shaped description kinda frightened me , but being bored and all i decided to install Mars 2 on my stock wm1a.....


I installed Mars T3 on my stock WM1Z set to region J. I found the mid-range was a bit recessed with the DHC Clone Fusion cable balanced with the Campfire Solaris SE. But when I switched it out for the DHC Clone Silver, eureka! The Clone Silver is a extremely resolving cable and brought the mid-range up. So now on the 1Z I think I have the perfect match. Nice deep clean bass that doesn't overpowers. The soundstage and details are wide and expansive. I think this is my final paring.

However on my WM1A I'm using Jupiter T3, set to region J with the Campfire Solaris, Effect Eros II+ 8-wire balanced and that gives me the most satisfying sound signature.

So, cable and firmware rolling is the only way you will determine which setup is best for you.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@bflat does the offending "SQ" in the fiio M15 appear for every track? Even 16/44.1 or 16/48 ? In the walkmans the "HR" only appears for hi-res tracks


----------



## bflat

gerelmx1986 said:


> @bflat does the offending "SQ" in the fiio M15 appear for every track? Even 16/44.1 or 16/48 ? In the walkmans the "HR" only appears for hi-res tracks



Just checked, 48/16 shows up as SQ as well.


----------



## gerelmx1986

bflat said:


> Just checked, 48/16 shows up as SQ as well.


Well, no need to hate the walkman


----------



## bflat

I think the whole "HR" certification is utter BS. I've heard plenty of bad recordings at alleged "HR".


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## slumberman

bflat said:


> I think the whole "HR" certification is utter BS. I've heard plenty of bad recordings at alleged "HR".



the fact that they are HR doesn’t mean the recording is good to begin with. Sample rate/ bit resolution has nothing to do with recording material quality.


----------



## candlejack

slumberman said:


> the fact that they are HR doesn’t mean the recording is good to begin with. Sample rate/ bit resolution has nothing to do with recording material quality.


Not to mention that if you listen to people like Dr. Mark Waldrep, no music recorded before the 2000's even has Hi-Res information in it, so you can buy it at 32/192 but you're still getting CD quality at best, just bigger.


----------



## bflat

slumberman said:


> the fact that they are HR doesn’t mean the recording is good to begin with. Sample rate/ bit resolution has nothing to do with recording material quality.



That's the conundrum right? If the original recording is bad, then a HR version should sound worse because all you get is more resolution of a bad recording. For example, I hate brussel sprouts so a whole bowl of sprouts would actually be worse for me than a single sprout.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 17, 2020)

This post was updated. Check it out *here (click)*.

Also, check out *Autumn+* *here (click)*.




> Hello,
> 
> I've been experimenting a bit, and I came up with 3 versions of tuning for WM1A: A, B, and C.
> 
> ...


----------



## Donmonte (Apr 15, 2020)

I finally tried Solar firmwares on my setup which is:

Stock MW1A Japan Tourist Edition region E

Focal Clear - Lavricable Silver 12 core Master 4.4mm

Audioquest Nighthawk Carbon and Original - LQi Cables Esprit Series UP-OCC silver plated copper 4.4mm

I’ve had the Focal Clear since it came out, and although I thought it was a good headphone, I never really agreed with all the reviewers who said it was one of the best headphones available.
It was good yes, but I never thought it was amazing. I just didn’t get the sense of scale that open headphones should be able to give you, the sound was narrow and a bit agressive compared to the Nighthawks which was more open sounding and silky smooth, a sound signature of the Hawks that you either love or hate.

Fast forward to the firmwares, I tried most tiers of Jupiter, Mars, Mercury and Solis.

And on the Clears, lo and behold with Solis (Mercury was great also), it was a transformative experience. Everything that I imagined before I bought them was finally coming to fruition. It was literally perfect ! Sound stage, cohesiveness, detail and impact, everything came together with perfect synergy. I could not believe it at first. I was finally happy with the investment I made when I first bought them.

The only negative to this story, is that Solis did not play well at all with the Nighthaws. Everything was all over the place.

EDIT: I just changed the pads of the Hawks, and they’re now perfect... every little thing matters. END EDIT

But I’m not willing to find a planet that plays well with both of them now that I’ve tasted perfection with one of them.

So the moral of the story that has been said previously by @Whitigir and @Morbideath is synergy, synergy and more synergy.

Great job guys, and thank you for helping me realize the potential that I’ve been so desperately trying to achieve.

And another thank you to @nc8000 and @Lookout57 for sharing the files.


----------



## Blueoris

morgenstern09 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I've been experimenting a bit, and I came up with 3 versions of tuning for WM1A: A, B, and C.
> 
> ...



Is this an alternative way to apply the same mods shared in this thread and packed up in bigger files? Also, what do you mean by "All the magic takes place in the SWUpdate.xml file".


----------



## 515164 (Apr 14, 2020)

Blueoris said:


> Is this an alternative way to apply the same mods shared in this thread and packed up in bigger files?



It's basically the same way, except that in those packages there's a big .UPG file that helps with nothing, as no actual flashing is involved.



> When the firmware upgrade kernel is booted ... the upgrade script does the following:
> 
> mounts the user partition (the one accessible through USB)
> looks for a file called NW_WM_FW.UPG
> ...



*Quote source (click)*.

If the big .UPG were to actually be decrypted and unpacked, the update progress bar would reach the end, and the update would take more than just 2-3 seconds (more like almost 1 minute, like when flashing stock official firmware downloaded from Sony).

So all Planetary System mods could be also made into these small packages as well, and they would work.



Blueoris said:


> "All the magic takes place in the SWUpdate.xml file"



As Morbideath/Whitigir prefer not sharing stuff about this process, I would rather not share as well. The info is still available out there, somewhere.

By the way, *this* is an official 192 kHz MQA file (it gets unpacked to this sample rate by the Walkman), if you would be curious about how it sounds


----------



## aceedburn (Apr 14, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I've been experimenting a bit, and I came up with 3 versions of tuning for WM1A: A, B, and C.
> 
> ...


So i took the plunge and decided to load version A which in your words are the best of the three. I'm impressed  Indeed it sounds very much like the original dmp1.02 mod but with slightly fuller and warmer mids  Bass digs deep and doesn't overpower. Treble is smooth and not sibilant which i love  Overall i'm quite impressed mate  Fantastic work and with bloody smaller packages as well and i like the fact that you can use the mod for all original firmware versions with just a quick selection upon start up  You've done a great job with the installers and a fantastic job with the tuning  I'd like to try version B as well but i'm liking A at the moment  Kudos to you mate!

p.s. if it's not too much work, i'd be really pleased if you listed the main differences between the 3 version in more detail. as in bass quantity/quality, mids, treble etc so it would make it easier for anyone wanting to try  thanks


----------



## 515164 (Apr 14, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> So i took the plunge and decided to load version A which in your words are the best of the three. I'm impressed  Indeed it sounds very much like the original dmp1.02 mod but with slightly fuller and warmer mids  Bass digs deep and doesn't overpower. Treble is smooth and not sibilant which i love  Overall i'm quite impressed mate  Fantastic work and with bloody smaller packages as well and i like the fact that you can use the mod for all original firmware versions with just a quick selection upon start up  You've done a great job with the installers and a fantastic job with the tuning  I'd like to try version B as well but i'm liking A at the moment  Kudos to you mate!
> 
> p.s. if it's not too much work, i'd be really pleased if you listed the main differences between the 3 version in more detail. as in bass quantity/quality, mids, treble etc so it would make it easier for anyone wanting to try  thanks



Really appreciate the feedback!

- Version A should be exactly like you describe it (this is how I hear it as well) 
- Version B should be a bit overpowered with the bass compared to A, but otherwise pretty similar to A. Personally I don't like the overpowered bass, that's why I tried to achieve version A
- Version C shouldn't have the overpowered bass, but the soundstage sounds different. I can't seem to put my finger on how exactly it sounds different, but it does, and I thought it sounds interesting, so I decided to have it as this version C

By the way, it's called "V7" as I was doing some testing starting with a version 2 (of DMP-Z1 1.02 mod) until I reached this 7th version, with small adjustments between C and the others.


----------



## aceedburn

morgenstern09 said:


> Really appreciate the feedback!
> 
> - Version A should be exactly like you describe it (this is how I hear it as well)
> - Version B should be a bit overpowered with the bass compared to A, but otherwise pretty similar to A. Personally I don't like the overpowered bass, that's why I tried to achieve version A
> ...


Brilliantly done once again. A gives me enough bass and I do like my bass so for the most extreme bass heads, B might be the one for them.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 15, 2020)

_*Sony NW-WM1Z Digital Audio Player Japanese Tourist Edition Firmware Jupiter301-T1
qdc Anole V3 IEM #817993 (stock setting/Sony Hybrid Tips) Han Sound Audio Zen 4 wire OCC litz copper cable terminated Furutech Rhodium plated CF - 7445 R  4.4mm*_


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 15, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> It's basically the same way, except that in those packages there's a big .UPG file that helps with nothing, as no actual flashing is involved.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


MQA is a diabolical format
*lossy truncated to between 13 and 17 bits
*producers must PAY ROYALTIES (in theory in the future.it could be DRM botched )
DRM is  already happening with TIDAL offline files, iant it?


----------



## mw7485

gerelmx1986 said:


> *Invented by British people = brexit



Nice objective viewpoint. 
Suggest you bin the political claptrap, it does you a disservice. What MQA has to do with brexit, and brexit has to do with portable audio is beyond me.


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> MQA is a diabolical format
> *lossy truncated to between 13 and 17 bits
> *producers must PAY ROYALTIES (in theory in the future.it could be DRM botched )
> *Invented by British people = brexit



- don't care extraordinarily much about that, the difference is probably not really noticeable
- I agree with this 
- boooo  (just kidding)


----------



## 515164 (Apr 15, 2020)

oops. (posted by mistake)


----------



## nanaholic

The only thing MQA is good for is that it is forcing the sound engineers to remix their masters and getting rid of bad practices that were introduced by the loudness war by using rigid guidelines and a certification process so people won't do stupid things like dynamically compressing the music until it has no dynamic range left, as a container it is inferior to just plan old hires lossless FLAC.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mw7485 said:


> Nice objective viewpoint.
> Suggest you bin the political claptrap, it does you a disservice. What MQA has to do with brexit, and brexit has to do with portable audio is beyond me.


Sorry, my bad , post edited


----------



## aceedburn

morgenstern09 said:


> oops. (posted by mistake)


haha, that was a close call!


----------



## proedros

morgenstern09 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I've been experimenting a bit, and I came up with 3 versions of tuning for WM1A: A, B, and C.
> 
> ...



version A seems very interesting , will try it out

one question , i am currently on *FW 3.02 *, does this mean i run V1 and then press a?


----------



## aceedburn

proedros said:


> version A seems very interesting , will try it out
> 
> one question , i am currently on *FW 3.02 *, does this mean i run V1 and then press a?


Yes. It’s a very user friendly installer. Just press the alphabet that corresponds with your firmware version and the installer will start right away. And the installers are super small in size. There are version for all three regions. Universal, Europe and Japan as usual. Stay tuned for more exciting firmware coming your way from @morgenstern09 
We just spent the last 3 hours testing loads of firmwares. Installer has also been fixed to auto exit the firmware loading screen when done. Exciting new sounds coming your way real soon.


----------



## aceedburn (Apr 15, 2020)

Ok. So here goes. After spending an entire afternoon with @morgenstern09  trying out some new firmwares that dramatically change the sound of the stock 1A, we have finalised 4 new firmwares for your enjoyment. Here is the summary of the firmwares. We hope you like it and please give us your comments. The installers are super lightweight, very intuitive and user friendly and works for 3.0, 3.01 and 3.02 original firmwares. There will be a firmware selection screen that pops up asking you to select your firmware version and then the installer works it magic and shuts downs automatically. Uploading of files will be done shortly.

*WM2020 Firmware*
(all these firmwares were tested on stock 1A without any modifications or the need for any high end gear)

_1. *Summer* - As the sun shines brightly, the warm and Holographic soundstage that is insanely wide envelopes you with lush mids and ultra smooth highs while producing a very refined and deep bass experience. 
2. *Autumn* - As the leaves fall, the thick and rich mids coupled with refined treble and super deep bass gives you an enveloping wide stage of powerful and impactful sound. 
3. *Winter* - As the snow falls, the gentle and warm mids coupled with silky smooth treble elevate you to reach the deepest depths of bass and enjoy a sound that plays well with all genres. 
4. *Spring* - When the leaves grow, you get a sense of clean and detailed resolution that shines through with ease. The highs, mids and lows blend together in a very balanced yet enjoyable way with a tinge of warmth._


----------



## 515164 (May 8, 2020)

*Edit (May 8th): In the meantime, another tuning mod was released for the WM1A (ZTAZ1), which is available here (click). Also, feel free to check my signature for additional ones.*


Check out *Autumn+* here (click).


Hello again 

After the initial experimentation which resulted in the V7 A, B, and C tunings (most notable being A), here are...

*The Seasons (click)*


If you applied other tunings before, it's recommended that you first flash the stock 3.02 firmware (*download here*) before applying one of these tunings.


_*Read more about each season, here:*_


aceedburn said:


> 1. *Summer* - As the sun shines brightly, the warm and Holographic soundstage that is insanely
> wide envelopes you with lush mids and ultra smooth highs while producing a very refined and
> deep bass experience.
> 
> ...



We hope you'll enjoy them as much as we do, and don't hesitate to leave your feedback.

In the link above you can find packages for each region (EU/JP/U). Also, before the Software Update tool will start, you will be greeted with this:






This will allow you to choose to what version of firmware you would like to apply the tuning to. For example, if at the moment you use the 3.01 firmware, you should choose option *b*. After you'll enter "*b*" and then press the Enter key, the Software Update tool will start, ready to apply the tuning for the firmware you have already installed.

*What about WM1Z?*

I don't own a WM1Z and the end result might be a bit different. If anyone wants to try this on a WM1Z, *click here*.

As @aceedburn mentioned, the testing was done on stock WM1A with 3.02 firmware, using the J region.

*Credits:*

_- unknown Chinese Walkman enthusiast who decided to share some details about his discovery
- me for the tuning process
- @aceedburn for helping me with testing different tunings until this was achieved, and providing the descriptions for these mods_


*Also, don't hesitate to try out that 3.5 mm port!*


----------



## lumdicks

morgenstern09 said:


> Hello again
> 
> After the initial experimentation which resulted in the V7 A, B, and C tunings (most notable being A), here are...
> 
> ...


Just tried my romi modded 1A with Autumn and I enjoy it very much (Autumn is my favorite season so I tried this at once). As described by @aceedburn, the mid is thick with deep bass and smooth treble. Will try all seasons out with my different gears and share later.

Thanks so much @aceedburn and @morgenstern09 for bringing us these wonderful FWs of seasons with the great installer.


----------



## proedros (Apr 15, 2020)

so i let my wm1a play till the battery drained out and it shut off

i have put the charging cable in order for the battery to recharge, but it does not open - so i guess it's normal to not power up after i have just plugged it in order for the battery to recharge , right ?

edit : it opened up so everything is fine i guess , i will just let it recharge till 100%


----------



## tieuly1

@morgenstern and @aceedburn Thank you so much for yours hard work, I am totally fall in love with Autumn. 
Great Job.


----------



## 515164

proedros said:


> so i let my wm1a play till the battery drained out and it shut off
> 
> i have put the charging cable in order for the battery to recharge, but it does not open - so i guess it's normal to not power up after i have just plugged it in order for the battery to recharge , right ?



Yes, it happened to me. Just leave it for a few minutes and it will eventually turn on and continue charging.


----------



## proedros

morgenstern09 said:


> Yes, it happened to me. Just leave it for a few minutes and it will eventually turn on and continue charging.



yeah it just opened up , one question is it better if i let it charge all the way to 100% while being in use or swhile being hut down ?


----------



## 515164

proedros said:


> yeah it just opened up , one question is it better if i let it charge all the way to 100% while being in use or swhile being hut down ?



I think for any device it would be better to let it charge while not being used at all


----------



## aceedburn

morgenstern09 said:


> I think for any device it would be better to let it charge while not being used at all


Yes indeed. Do a complete charge and discharge of Walkman every 50 charges or so. It will help recalibrate the battery.


----------



## proedros

well i am shutting down my wm1a while it's charging (from a socket) and it opens up on its own

weird.

anyway , i did as you people said, i let it shut down on its own , and i will not hear any music on it until it's charged to 100% (i have disabled the 90% charge option) see if the battery improves


----------



## 515164 (Apr 15, 2020)

proedros said:


> well i am shutting down my wm1a while it's charging (from a socket) and it opens up on its own
> 
> weird.
> 
> anyway , i did as you people said, i let it shut down on its own , and i will not hear any music on it until it's charged to 100% (i have disabled the 90% charge option) see if the battery improves



Oh, yes, it doesn't stay turned off. Just don't use it while it's charging, it's enough. I'm pretty sure it goes to sleep while the screen is turned off.


----------



## proedros

@morgenstern09 ah i see 

thanx , btw i see that you have tuned those 2020 FWs with a stock wm1a / J region - i have the exact same setup so i am very eager to try those FWs

could you guys give a more music-centered description - which FW is the reference/neutral one , which is the musical one and so on ?

thanx again


----------



## aceedburn

proedros said:


> @morgenstern09 ah i see
> 
> thanx , btw i see that you have tuned those 2020 FWs with a stock wm1a / J region - i have the exact same setup so i am very eager to try those FWs
> 
> ...


Summer and spring will be the audiophiles choice I’m sure while winter and autumn is the musical and fun ones. Like I wrote in my description 2 of them have very deep bass and 2 of them have unbelievable soundstage. If you love soundstage, summer is the one you want. It’s unbeatable.


----------



## aceedburn

aceedburn said:


> Summer and spring will be the audiophiles choice I’m sure while winter and autumn is the musical and fun ones. Like I wrote in my description 2 of them have very deep bass and 2 of them have unbelievable soundstage. If you love soundstage, summer is the one you want. It’s unbeatable.


And none of them are for reference listening because music is not meant to be analysed. It’s meant to be enjoyed. Period.


----------



## 515164

aceedburn said:


> And none of them are for reference listening because music is not meant to be analysed. It’s meant to be enjoyed. Period.



Yes indeed, the goal was something that sounds awesome!


----------



## aceedburn

Listening to Vivaldi’s Seasons on the Seasons firmware. Absolutely divine.


----------



## lumdicks (Apr 15, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> Hello again
> 
> After the initial experimentation which resulted in the V7 A, B, and C tunings (most notable being A), here are...
> 
> ...


Thanks @morgenstern09 that I have the privilege to try the seasons FWs with my stock 1Z. I also have a Romi Blackgate modded 1A but for the interest of most members here, I shall share my view on the 4 FWs briefly here (in sequence of my preference) with my stock 1Z:

Player - Stock 1Z, Firmware Version 3.01, Region: Universal / Japan
IER - FiR Audio M5, PW Audio Mercer 4-wires, 4.4mm Balanced Out

1. Autumn - A thick and smooth mid makes it perfect for vocal. Bass is deep with smooth treble, with an impressive soundstage and resolution. For me it is the one for soft jazz vocal and pops.

2. Spring - A perfect balanced low, mid and high. Nothing stands out but it works in a harmonic way. Recommended for all genres.

3. Winter - Similar to autumn but with a deeper bass. Soundstage is a bit narrower than Spring and Summer. Suitable for Jazz / pops / rock.

4. Summer - Amazing soundstage and resolution, mid is a bit thin but overall a neutral tonality. Suitable for Live Album / Classical.

What impressed me most is the smoothness of the high for all seasons of which I am a bit sensitive on. I think technically these FWs are not stressing much on hardware capability of the device and the IEM, but overall musicality and tonality is fantastic. I can easily listen for these FWs for hours.

Thanks again @aceedburn and @morgenstern09 for your contribution and unselfish sharing.


----------



## lumdicks

lumdicks said:


> Thanks @morgenstern09 that I have the privilege to try the seasons FWs with my stock 1Z. I also have a Romi Blackgate modded 1A but for the interest of most members here, I shall share my view on the 4 FWs briefly here (in sequence of my preference) with my stock 1Z:
> 
> Player - Stock 1Z, Firmware Version 3.01, Region: Universal / Japan
> IER - FiR Audio M5, PW Audio Mercer 4-wires, 4.4mm Balanced Out
> ...


I have never been satisfied with this track but it sings perfectly with my modded 1A and Autumn FW!


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> MQA is a diabolical format
> *lossy truncated to between 13 and 17 bits
> *producers must PAY ROYALTIES (in theory in the future.it could be DRM botched )
> DRM is  already happening with TIDAL offline files, iant it?





morgenstern09 said:


> - don't care extraordinarily much about that, the difference is probably not really noticeable
> - I agree with this
> - boooo  (just kidding)




Its time to start a new war debate between Mqa and Flac HAHAhahaha      Lets admit Mqa is lossy so boo booo





lumdicks said:


> Thanks @morgenstern09 that I have the privilege to try the seasons FWs with my stock 1Z. I also have a Romi Blackgate modded 1A but for the interest of most members here, I shall share my view on the 4 FWs briefly here (in sequence of my preference) with my stock 1Z:
> 
> Player - Stock 1Z, Firmware Version 3.01, Region: Universal / Japan
> IER - FiR Audio M5, PW Audio Mercer 4-wires, 4.4mm Balanced Out
> ...








Does those new FW compatible with wm1z and 1a at same time?


----------



## lumdicks

Vitaly2017 said:


> Its time to start a new war debate between Mqa and Flac HAHAhahaha      Lets admit Mqa is lossy so boo booo
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The FWs on the thread is for 1A and you can pm @morgenstern09 for 1Z versions


----------



## kenjamin0523

lumdicks said:


> The FWs on the thread is for 1A and you can pm @morgenstern09 for 1Z versions



Do we need to restore to stock FW first before we install seasonal FW?


----------



## lumdicks

kenjamin0523 said:


> Do we need to restore to stock FW first before we install seasonal FW?


No, just run the installer and select the version of your firmware, and it will run in a breeze.


----------



## proedros (Apr 15, 2020)

i just installed Autumn on my stock WM1A (3.02 FW) - great job guys the sound is nicely beefed up without sounding bloated

I will try all FWs in the next few days/weeks to see which one plays best to my preferences but initial impression is very positive , indeed

kudos to @aceedburn  and @morgenstern09 for their hard work - and of course thanx to @Whitigir and @Morbideath for getting this party started 

edit : 2 hours later, i switched to Spring, this FW seems more balanced than Autumn, the bass hits nicely but not as much as before and i get just great balance across the sonic spectrum.

These are some great FWs.


----------



## 515164

kenjamin0523 said:


> Do we need to restore to stock FW first before we install seasonal FW?



Not necessarily. Only in the case you wish, for example, to use the tuning on the 3.01 firmware and you have stock 3.02 installed. In this case you would have to first install stock 3.01 and then choosing option "B" (3.01) from that blue window.


----------



## proedros

@morgenstern09  seeing that your FWs are all tuned with *musical* as a priority i think 3.02 , which is a leaner FW may suit better with them ?

just a thought.


----------



## 515164

proedros said:


> @morgenstern09  seeing that your FWs are all tuned with *musical* as a priority i think 3.02 , which is a leaner FW may suit better with them ?
> 
> just a thought.



Yeah, it may be, everyone can just choose on what version they want to apply the tuning, in that blue window.


----------



## proedros (Apr 15, 2020)

i am gonna leave (again) what i consider to be the most perfect prog house mix i have heard (and i have heard more than 200-300 official comps/mixes)

The tunes , the mixing , the buildup , the journey - all are stellar.

If you like DJs like Sasha / Digweed / Dave Seaman / Hernan Cattaneo , this will blow your mind.

From 2002 , when Prog was kickin' ass (it was too good to last but at least it lasted for some time...)

*CD 1*




*CD 2

*


----------



## Montyl (Apr 15, 2020)

With my WM1Z I found (Changed to J region on 3.01 FW):
I found that the J region is the best from all the other regions but with stock 3.01 the higs sound very piercing and fatigue for me.
Because that I rolled to CEV (stock 3.01) region which has smoother highs than J. In this setup I stayed long time.

*Now I changed region back to J (on 3.01 FW) and go to try new Season FWs:*

Autumn FW sounds too much thick and smooth on my WM1Z. It is because of thicker and smoother sound signature of 1Z than 1A. It is because the Kimber Cable inside 1Z which is Litz type - this eliminates the current jumping between the strands like happens in OFC cable in 1A. There in 1Z are also used different resistors in output filtering stage (slow roll-off). In 1A are used MELF resistors with different value and filter is seted to sharp roll-off.

Spring FW has really very balanced sound slightly on brighter side on 1Z. Probably neutral.

Summer FW is the most detailed and clear from all four season FWs. The brighter one.

But the Winter surprisingly is the better of all season FW for me! I immediately started dancing with it! It is less thick and smooth than Autumn. Because more bass it add body and depth to the sound. This one has the deepest sound which I am looking for. The sound is just a bit on darker side. But that MUSICALITY and correct vocal timbre is phenomenal.

Im happy now.
These 4 FW are definitely perfect for precise tune of your players (both 1A and 1Z) sound signature to pair with your headphones.
*Great job!*


----------



## normie610

morgenstern09 said:


> Hello again
> 
> After the initial experimentation which resulted in the V7 A, B, and C tunings (most notable being A), here are...
> 
> ...



is this windows only?


----------



## 515164

normie610 said:


> is this windows only?



Yep, if you need a certain version on Mac, PM me, I may be able to quickly do it.


----------



## Fsilva

morgenstern09 said:


> Yep, if you need a certain version on Mac, PM me, I may be able to quickly do it.


Can you do a version to run on Catalina?


----------



## 515164 (Apr 16, 2020)

Fsilva said:


> Can you do a version to run on Catalina?



Oh, I meant like a .dmg from the official Sony .dmg. I heard it doesn't run on Catalina at the moment. If there is another method, I have no idea about it unfortunately


----------



## Lookout57

Fsilva said:


> Can you do a version to run on Catalina?


Not until Sony updates the official firmware updater. 

The issue is the kernel extension that Sony uses to do the installation hasn't been update after Apple warned them 4 years ago that where they installed it and the API they used would be no longer available in a future release which happened to be Catalina.

The only way to do updates on Catalina is to use a Mojave or Windows VM. That is what I'm doing.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 17, 2020)

*Autumn+*

_When the leaves fall, so do the beats. This version of Autumn punches way down with
superb bass resolution. The vocals are full and warm yet airy and articulate. Highs are
silky smooth. The soundstage is wide and well spread out. The best all round sound for
all genres._

This is basically a more refined tuning of Autumn, which sounds really great in my opinion.

But enough with the descriptions. If you'd like to try it out yourself, you can find it *here (click)*.

As previously mentioned, the tuning was done using a stock WM1A, using the J region.
Using this on a WM1Z (included in the link) or on a WM1A with a different region may
result in a slightly different sound.

*Credits:*

_- unknown Chinese Walkman enthusiast who decided to share some details about his discovery
- me for the tuning process
- @aceedburn for helping me with testing different tunings until this was achieved, and providing the descriptions for these mods_

As always, feedback is welcomed 

Enjoy!


----------



## aceedburn

morgenstern09 said:


> *Autumn+*
> 
> _When the leaves fall, so do the beats. This version of Autumn punches way down with
> superb bass resolution. The vocals are full and warm yet airy and articulate. Highs are
> ...


The best tuning so far. Tried it even on my Z5 which is quite bassy and the sound is amazing. Bass is so well defined and tight with great decay.  Soundstage goes well behind my ears, literally. Well done yet again to @morgenstern09


----------



## Blueoris (Apr 16, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> *Autumn+*
> 
> _When the leaves fall, so do the beats. This version of Autumn punches way down with
> superb bass resolution. The vocals are full and warm yet airy and articulate. Highs are
> ...



I admire the work you have done to pack up these mods and make the process really easy for end users.

I haven't tried them yet, but I am keen on testing Autumn+ in my 1z. And just to clarify, I bought it outside Japan, but I set it to Japan region and would like to keep that region. Does it mean I should install the universal (U) version of these mods?


----------



## 515164

Blueoris said:


> I bought it outside Japan, but I set it to Japan region and would like to keep that region set. Does it mean I should install the universal (U) version of these mods?



Yep, you have to match the factory region of your device, not the one that you set afterwards.


----------



## aceedburn

Blueoris said:


> I admire the work you have done to pack up these mods and make the process really easy for end users.
> 
> I haven't tried them yet, but I am keen on testing Autumn+ in my 1z. And just to clarify, I bought it outside Japan, but I set it to Japan region and would like to keep that region. Does it mean I should install the universal (U) version of these mods?


Yes try universal version.


----------



## proedros (Apr 16, 2020)

Spring is fantastic , i think i am gonna stay here for a little while

here is another great Prog House dj mix from 2001

*CD1*



*CD2*


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have  244 albums in Hi-res  36% is DSD. These 244 represent the 7,21% of my collection of 3383 albums, 92.79% is CD.

I don't know if @Vitaly2017  is just getting dsd without checking it. There's no hi-res from material produced in the 90s and early 2000. Hi-res only formulate 2000s, 2010s and early analogue (before 90s)


----------



## lumdicks (Apr 16, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> *Autumn+*
> 
> _When the leaves fall, so do the beats. This version of Autumn punches way down with
> superb bass resolution. The vocals are full and warm yet airy and articulate. Highs are
> ...


Using Autumn+ with my modded 1A and it is a masterpiece and end game FW for me.

Thanks @aceedburn and @morgenstern09 again, my joy is even higher than spending three grands on a new IEM.


----------



## AudioMoksha

I have a silly question and I did search but I guess my search skills are not up to the mark.

Can I plug in 2 headphones or IEMs in the WM1A at the same time? One in the balanced port and one in the single ended port and have 2 people listen to the same music. 

Before I blow my WM1A with this experiment I wanted to check with the gurus here.


----------



## Queen6

AudioMoksha said:


> I have a silly question and I did search but I guess my search skills are not up to the mark.
> 
> Can I plug in 2 headphones or IEMs in the WM1A at the same time? One in the balanced port and one in the single ended port and have 2 people listen to the same music.
> 
> Before I blow my WM1A with this experiment I wanted to check with the gurus here.



Once you plug in the balanced IEM's the single ended port is disconnected.

Q-6


----------



## nc8000

AudioMoksha said:


> I have a silly question and I did search but I guess my search skills are not up to the mark.
> 
> Can I plug in 2 headphones or IEMs in the WM1A at the same time? One in the balanced port and one in the single ended port and have 2 people listen to the same music.
> 
> Before I blow my WM1A with this experiment I wanted to check with the gurus here.



Balanced disables single ended. You could use a splitter on the single ended


----------



## 515164 (Apr 16, 2020)

lumdicks said:


> Using Autumn+ with my modded 1A and it is a masterpiece and end game FW for me.
> ...
> my joy is even higher than spending three grands on a new IEM.



Yes,  it just sounds awesome! I'm still blown away myself.

I would dare saying it sounds better than all 4 previously released Seasons.

I don't feel like looking for more with this one. Maybe only for the sake of experimentation, because otherwise it's sublime.

Edit: This is on top of 3.02, no idea how it sounds on 3.01 but maybe I'll check.


----------



## aceedburn

lumdicks said:


> Using Autumn+ with my modded 1A and it is a masterpiece and end game FW for me.
> 
> Thanks @aceedburn and @morgenstern09 again, my joy is even higher than spending three grands on a new IEM.


Indeed. It is really nice. Glad we found this special tuning after loads of testing. This magic created by @morgenstern09 really changes the perceived sound of the 1A we have in our mind. It shows what proper tuning can do to sound and further enhances the capabilities of this beautiful DAP. I’m really blown away by Autumn+ as well. Couldn’t stop listening and re listening to all my favourite songs.


----------



## proedros

@aceedburn which stock FW are you on (before putting autumn+) ?

3.01 ? 3.02 ? something else ?


----------



## aceedburn

proedros said:


> @aceedburn which stock FW are you on (before putting autumn+) ?
> 
> 3.01 ? 3.02 ? something else ?


3.02.


----------



## Layman1

aceedburn said:


> _1. *Summer* - As the sun shines brightly, the warm and Holographic soundstage that is insanely wide envelopes you with lush mids and ultra smooth highs while producing a very refined and deep bass experience.
> 2. *Autumn* - As the leaves fall, the thick and rich mids coupled with refined treble and super deep bass gives you an enveloping wide stage of powerful and impactful sound.
> 3. *Winter* - As the snow falls, the gentle and warm mids coupled with silky smooth treble elevate you to reach the deepest depths of bass and enjoy a sound that plays well with all genres.
> 4. *Spring* - When the leaves grow, you get a sense of clean and detailed resolution that shines through with ease. The highs, mids and lows blend together in a very balanced yet enjoyable way with a tinge of warmth._



@Lookout57 and @nc8000 
Is there any chance you guys (or anyone else) could make .dmg Mac versions of these for WM1Z? 
The original poster has links to them he can provide you


----------



## aceedburn (Apr 16, 2020)

Layman1 said:


> @Lookout57 and @nc8000
> Is there any chance you guys (or anyone else) could make .dmg Mac versions of these for WM1Z?
> The original poster has links to them he can provide you


Edited. Sorry.


----------



## nc8000

Layman1 said:


> @Lookout57 and @nc8000
> Is there any chance you guys (or anyone else) could make .dmg Mac versions of these for WM1Z?
> The original poster has links to them he can provide you



I can’t I’m just hosting the work of others


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Edited. Sorry.



Hmmm, I don’t see any Mac versions ....


----------



## 515164

aceedburn said:


> There already are Mac versions of these in the gdrive. Please click the link.



No, there are no Mac versions.

As the installer is not even updated properly to work on latest Mac OS releases, I'm not sure this would be worth it... But if anyone wants to do it, feel free to PM me.


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> Hmmm, I don’t see any Mac versions ....


Sorry I edited my post that wrongly mentioned there are. Apologies again.


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> No, there are no Mac versions.
> 
> As the installer is not even updated properly to work on latest Mac OS releases, I'm not sure this would be worth it... But if anyone wants to do it, feel free to PM me.



All the other modded fw are available for Mac up til OS 10.14 as I remember. After that Sony have not released an installer


----------



## lumdicks (Apr 16, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> Yes,  it just sounds awesome! I'm still blown away myself.
> 
> I would dare saying it sounds better than all 4 previously released Seasons.
> 
> ...


I am resting with Summer for my 1Z so I can own the best of both worlds. Autumn+ provides an organic, rich mid with deep bass and silky high to my modded 1A, while Summer gives me huge soundstage and resolution, more neutral presentation to my warmer 1Z.


----------



## nc8000

Hmmm. I’m unable to run any of the Seasons on my Win10 machine. I double click on the exe files and nothing happens not even an error message or anti virus warning. Does not help trying Run as administrator, still nothing happens


----------



## 515164 (Apr 16, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Hmmm. I’m unable to run any of the Seasons on my Win10 machine. I double click on the exe files and nothing happens not even an error message or anti virus warning. Does not help trying Run as administrator, still nothing happens



Something seems to prevent CMD from launching, in my opinion.

Later today I will also make some classic installers, without the ability to change the version.

Also using Windows 10 by the way.


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> Something seems to prevent CMD from launching, in my opinion.
> 
> Later today I will also make some classic installers, without the ability to change the version.
> 
> Also using Windows 10 by the way.



Tried to reboot the machine and disable anti virus and malware protection but still no luck


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> Hmmm. I’m unable to run any of the Seasons on my Win10 machine. I double click on the exe files and nothing happens not even an error message or anti virus warning. Does not help trying Run as administrator, still nothing happens


Hmm that’s odd. All of them work fine with my windows 10 as well. Maybe an issue with your access control?


----------



## Tanjiro

morgenstern09 said:


> *Autumn+*
> 
> _When the leaves fall, so do the beats. This version of Autumn punches way down with
> superb bass resolution. The vocals are full and warm yet airy and articulate. Highs are
> ...



Wow!  I am completely blown away by this Autumn+.  Best mod FW I have heard so far.  Great job @morgenstern09 & @aceedburn.


----------



## Binome

Hi guys

Would anyone know the part number for the Sony cable that links the WM1A data/charge port to the PHA2A micro USB port please...

I have seen one in a YT video but I am struggling to find it on the interweb...

It’s not the cable that links WM1A to a male or female usb A ... it’s a very short cable that can be used to stack the PHA2A with the WM1A..

Thanks


----------



## Layman1

aceedburn said:


> ...2 of them have very deep bass and 2 of them have unbelievable soundstage. If you love soundstage, summer is the one you want..


@aceedburn and @morgenstern09 
I like both very deep bass AND huge soundstage.. what to do?  

How about creating a 'Monsoon Season' that combines them?


----------



## aceedburn

Layman1 said:


> @aceedburn and @morgenstern09
> I like both very deep bass AND huge soundstage.. what to do?
> 
> How about creating a 'Monsoon Season' that combines them?


Try the new Autumn+. You won’t be disappointed.


----------



## Layman1

aceedburn said:


> Try the new Autumn+. You won’t be disappointed.



I very much intend to 
I've got it now, but have no access to a Windows machine, so have to wait and see if a Mac version ever gets made by anyone here 

I noticed you also did a version of Autumn+ for the ZX300! Delighted to see that and got that too.

Plan to buy a cheap Windows desktop at some point in the future, but what with everything going on right now, that plan's on the back burner for the time being! 
Regardless, huge appreciation to you guys for your great work!


----------



## Lookout57

Layman1 said:


> @Lookout57 and @nc8000
> Is there any chance you guys (or anyone else) could make .dmg Mac versions of these for WM1Z?
> The original poster has links to them he can provide you


I can do macOS versions that will run on 10.14 Mojave or earlier. I just will need someplace to upload them to.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Hmm that’s odd. All of them work fine with my windows 10 as well. Maybe an issue with your access control?



I don’t know, I’m local admin on my machine. I was able to run them from my Win8.1 VMWare virtual machine


----------



## Lookout57

I had issues installing Autumn 1Z U in a Win10 VM. It installed but would never finish after the 2nd reboot. The installer just kept slowing counting up for 44%. When it hit 56% after 10 minutes and I saw the player was in storage mode I disconnected it and had to reboot the VM.

I ended up using my macOS VM to install the other versions for testing using the hack I originally posted for creating macOS versions of the solar system installers.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 16, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> I had issues installing Autumn 1Z U in a Win10 VM



I'm pretty sure it's related to the VM in this case. I did something similar on a VM and had a similar situation.

I also uploaded MAC installers for Autumn+ in the same folder (click).

As I see no reason why on Windows it wouldn't work in the way it is now, I won't really hurry and make versions without the version selector. This just avoids having separate 3.01 versions or stuff like that.

However, the MAC versions are based on 3.02 for WM1A and WM1Z, and on 2.02 for ZX300 (it was tuned on 3.02 anyway).


----------



## Mindstorms

Thanks for the seasoning FW updates they sound awesome in 3.00 as well i can confirm that in fact autum+3.00 did really shine on my 1A one question dough if i want to go spring now do i have to go 3.00 stock again or just run spriung and wil remove autum? and install spring tunings thanks!


----------



## 515164

Midnstorms said:


> Thanks for the seasoning FW updates they sound awesome in 3.00 as well i can confirm that in fact autum+3.00 did really shine on my 1A one question dough if i want to go spring now do i have to go 3.00 stock again or just run spriung and wil remove autum? and install spring tunings thanks!



Just run the Spring update, choose 3.00 in the blue window, and that's it.


----------



## Lookout57

Midnstorms said:


> Thanks for the seasoning FW updates they sound awesome in 3.00 as well i can confirm that in fact autum+3.00 did really shine on my 1A one question dough if i want to go spring now do i have to go 3.00 stock again or just run spriung and wil remove autum? and install spring tunings thanks!


No need to go back, the next install will just overwrite the tunings.


----------



## aceedburn

Midnstorms said:


> Thanks for the seasoning FW updates they sound awesome in 3.00 as well i can confirm that in fact autum+3.00 did really shine on my 1A one question dough if i want to go spring now do i have to go 3.00 stock again or just run spriung and wil remove autum? and install spring tunings thanks!


Yes just go ahead and run spring onto any other season and it will overwrite. It’s that easy.


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> I'm pretty sure it's related to the VM in this case. I did something similar on a VM and had a similar situation.
> 
> I also uploaded MAC installers in the same folder (click).
> 
> ...



As far as I can see Mac installers are only for Autumn+ ?


----------



## 515164 (Apr 16, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> As far as I can see Mac installers are only for Autumn+ ?



Yep, it's kind of too much manual work, and the others are 12 in total... )

I also find Autumn+ to be better than the others on the WM1A.

I edited my post, so it specifies that I added the Mac installers for Autumn+ 

Will maybe do for the rest of them as well, but I need some rest now.


----------



## Lookout57

nc8000 said:


> As far as I can see Mac installers are only for Autumn+ ?


Yep, that's all I saw.


----------



## hireslover

How do we get Autumn+?


----------



## Lookout57

morgenstern09 said:


> Yep, it's kind of too much manual works, and the others are 12 in total... )
> 
> I also find Autumn+ to be better than the others on the WM1A.


That's why I wrote a shell script for the solar system installers. I think at the end I was able to build all the solar systems installers for macOS in like 2 minutes.


----------



## 515164

hireslover said:


> How do we get Autumn+?





morgenstern09 said:


> But enough with the descriptions. If you'd like to try it out yourself, you can find it *here (click)*.



Original post here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15561180


----------



## MrLocoLuciano (Apr 16, 2020)

Can we run Season or Automn + over Solis for example with no risk or we need stock 3.xx ?
If it's possible what will we have at the end ? A kind of automn Solis +


----------



## 515164 (Apr 16, 2020)

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Can we run Season or Automn + over Solis for example with no risk or we need stock 3.xx ?
> If it's possible what will we have at the end ?



You will just have the Autumn+ or the chosen Season tuning, no worries. Just choose the correct version (like 3.02, or 3.01) after you start the chosen update.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

OK thanks for your answer and for the great work done.

Tried Automn + with 3.02.
And came back to Solis 3.02.
Clearly prefer this last one on my set up, it pushes everything further for my taste.


----------



## hireslover

morgenstern09 said:


> Original post here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15561180


Thanks


----------



## 515164

MrLocoLuciano said:


> OK thanks for your answer and for the great work done.
> 
> Tried Automn + with 3.02.
> And came back to Solis 3.02.
> Clearly prefer this last one on my set up, it pushes everything further for my taste.



Thanks for trying it, and for the feedback! It also depends on the device (it was tuned on a stock WM1A, so it sounds the best for sure on this device) and also on personal tastes, of course


----------



## Binome

Further to my last post...

I found the FIiO L27 and the one sold on AliExpress which I had but they are no longer available...

I have the NWH10 which works great between my WM1A and PHA2A but it’s a long cable even using shortest options 

Up until today I thought the NWH10 was the only option available today for an OTG cable option on the WM1A but I accidentally found an old YT video and the guy has a short Sony branded WM port to micro USB...

So I am hoping one of you guys in Asia might have seen or know the part number for the cable I am after... unless anyone in UK EU or US has imported one ... because I know neither my PHA2A or that specific cable are available apart from Asia .... (officially)

Thanks in advance....

PS Does anyone know what region the WM1A is if it’s a tourist model?


----------



## 515164

Binome said:


> Does anyone know what region the WM1A is if it’s a tourist model?



Tourist version is the Universal variant.


----------



## aceedburn

Binome said:


> Further to my last post...
> 
> I found the FIiO L27 and the one sold on AliExpress which I had but they are no longer available...
> 
> ...


The FiiO L27 is your best bet and it’s readily available here in Malaysia.


----------



## Layman1

morgenstern09 said:


> However, the MAC versions are based on 3.02 for WM1A and WM1Z, and on 2.02 for ZX300 (it was tuned on 3.02 anyway).



Do you mean original Sony FW 3.02? Or the 3.02 modded FW's that were made (or both)?

I'm running Jupiter 3.01 on my WM1Z at the moment, and have 2 questions:

1) I want to try the new Mac version of Autumn+
Please can anyone remind me what I need to do with the .dmg file to put Autumn+ on my WM1Z?
I kind of muddled through the process once before with Jupiter 3.01, but can't remember now how I did it   

2) in addition to the question above, my WM1Z has Jupiter 3.01 on it right now; can I just overwrite it with Autumn+?
Or do I need to install Sony FW 3.02 first? (no idea how to do this either!)

Sorry for bothering you all


----------



## Lookout57

Layman1 said:


> Do you mean original Sony FW 3.02? Or the 3.02 modded FW's that were made (or both)?
> 
> I'm running Jupiter 3.01 on my WM1Z at the moment, and have 2 questions:
> 
> ...


1) As long as you have macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier you can just install as you would install any firmware update. 
2) Autumn+ will just modify the sound signature and doesn't replace the actual running firmware.


----------



## Binome

Thanks guys ..... sorry to the prefix on the WM1A will be U ?

I tried Penon and AliExpress and a few others like FiiO UK and their store etc

But none of them had any and some didn’t list...

so I guessed it was OOP... that’s when I posted my question...as I am either stupid or unlucky or both (   )

Would anyone know of any sites that might have them..

Thanks again for all your help


----------



## 515164 (Apr 16, 2020)

Layman1 said:


> Do you mean original Sony FW 3.02? Or the 3.02 modded FW's that were made (or both)?



I meant that you should have 3.02 installed already before trying the MAC version. 



Layman1 said:


> Please can anyone remind me what I need to do with the .dmg file to put Autumn+ on my WM1Z?



I already uploaded a .dmg for Autumn+ WM1Z in the link provided above, if that's what you're looking for (click).

Remember that this was tuned on a stock WM1A, so it might not sound as good as I hear it on the 1A


----------



## ttt123

morgenstern09 said:


> However, the MAC versions are based on 3.02 for WM1A and WM1Z, and on 2.02 for ZX300 (it was tuned on 3.02 anyway).


Trying Autumn+ on the ZX300 (Romi Audio mod). Thank you for this.  It's really good and brings the ZX300 up a notch.  It removed a HF hardness/edge.  Better stage, and I think a slightly warmer sound.  Improved PRAT, with a more involving/immersive sound.


----------



## zhrdjy11

Morbideath said:


> Although Solis is T5 level, it was created with balance in mind. Theoretically its signature is an all-rounder, but whether your device can handle it technically is each to his own.


qq     about je


----------



## 515164

zhrdjy11 said:


> qq about je





Morbideath said:


> Recently I got less and less incentive to listen to music, mainly because stock 1A is too muddy / fuzzy dealing with large orchestral pieces.



I hope he sees the Autumn+ tuning and maybe he gives it a try. Especially that it's a WM1A.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Have you tried dmp portable original? Its also based on 3.0.2  One of the most accurate fw out there





MrLocoLuciano said:


> OK thanks for your answer and for the great work done.
> 
> Tried Automn + with 3.02.
> And came back to Solis 3.02.
> Clearly prefer this last one on my set up, it pushes everything further for my taste.


----------



## SenorLoco

Just starting to mess with these firmware mods since I was finally able to spin up a Windows 10 VM...just wondering if there is any way to see/confirm what is currently loaded?


----------



## rev92

Friends,

i plan to install autumn+ to my zx300a in 2 hours, first time playing with this stuff.

Anything to know? Should i change FW before it? Anything to keep in mind? 

I hope its gonna make my zx300 sing prettier, more smooth and warm <3


----------



## 515164 (Apr 16, 2020)

SenorLoco said:


> Just starting to mess with these firmware mods since I was finally able to spin up a Windows 10 VM...just wondering if there is any way to see/confirm what is currently loaded?



There isn't, at least at the moment.

If the update process finishes successfully, it means it worked and you should definitely hear something different.


----------



## lumdicks

ttt123 said:


> Trying Autumn+ on the ZX300 (Romi Audio mod). Thank you for this.  It's really good and brings the ZX300 up a notch.  It removed a HF hardness/edge.  Better stage, and I think a slightly warmer sound.  Improved PRAT, with a more involving/immersive sound.


Agreed that the most prominent change is the smoothness of high. Same here for both of my 1A and 1Z.


----------



## 515164

rev92 said:


> Friends,
> 
> i plan to install autumn+ to my zx300a in 2 hours, first time playing with this stuff.
> 
> ...



This was tuned on 3.02 WM1A, so I would first try the mod with 2.02 preinstalled (as they are the same revision, 02).

If you already have 2.02 installed, just apply the mod update for your variant (Universal/etc.).


----------



## rev92

Where to get/how to install this firmware? Would you be so awesomely kind to tell?  Im new to everything regarding messing with zx300, mine is pretty much stock, out of box and i just couldnt stand the harshness on HF :<


----------



## 515164

rev92 said:


> Where to get/how to install this firmware? Would you be so awesomely kind to tell?  Im new to everything regarding messing with zx300, mine is pretty much stock, out of box and i just couldnt stand the harshness on HF :<



Check out my post here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15561180


----------



## rev92

Thank you very much!

this post is about season as i can see, what about 2.02 FW for zx300?


----------



## 515164

rev92 said:


> Thank you very much!
> 
> this post is about season as i can see, what about 2.02 FW for zx300?



All the versions are in the link provided in the post.

Seasons post: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15559438
Autumn+ post: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15561180

Both posts will send you to the same Google Drive link, but you can read the info if you'd like.


----------



## aceedburn

rev92 said:


> Thank you very much!
> 
> this post is about season as i can see, what about 2.02 FW for zx300?


You can download the 2.02 firmware for zx300 in the Sony support site.


----------



## rev92

Thank you very much guys!

ill let you know if after that my zx300 finally sounds as i'd like - i hope so <3


----------



## chortya (Apr 16, 2020)

rev92 said:


> Thank you very much guys!
> 
> ill let you know if after that my zx300 finally sounds as i'd like - i hope so <3


I really don't get this? Why don't you just equalize to your preference and have full control without adventurous custom firmwares?
The issue is typically with your headphones/IEMs and not source. How can a source be harsh if its main purpose to reproduce the sound as linear as possible.


----------



## rev92

Im using Aether R which isnt harsh on Cayin N6ii, Fiio M11, Cayin N8 etc. It just doesnt seem to pair with stock ZX300 for my taste.

I triend EQ'ing, but wasnt able to reduce harshness without making it sound absurdly dark and dull.


----------



## chortya

rev92 said:


> Im using Aether R which isnt harsh on Cayin N6ii, Fiio M11, Cayin N8 etc. It just doesnt seem to pair with stock ZX300 for my taste.
> 
> I triend EQ'ing, but wasnt able to reduce harshness without making it sound absurdly dark and dull.


Thanks for additional info. Interesting, probably this is electrical issue and impedance incompatibility. This is is also why all this cables changing mumble jumble happens. Invest into stable IEMs like Custom Art FIBAE which specifically try to reduce external impedance impact.


----------



## proedros

nice to see this thread again booming , i came back after 3 hours and i see 4 pages of new posts

you guys need to try the new FWs - me, i like spring very much , but i need to put autumn+

great job guys


----------



## 515164 (Apr 16, 2020)

chortya said:


> I really don't get this? Why don't you just equalize to your preference and have full control without adventurous custom firmwares?
> The issue is typically with your headphones/IEMs and not source. How can a source be harsh if it's main purpose to reproduce the sound as linear as possible.



Trying mods (in general) is basically a matter of under 1 minute update process, and it's not really adventurous (if by this you mean risky, even a little bit).

Also, reverting the change consists in just flashing back the stock firmware, which can take a bit over a minute if I'm not mistaken.

There are basically more options, which I think it's pretty nice and unique in a way. From the new sound, you then can also adjust using the EQ, for example - one more option.


----------



## nc8000

I’ve loaded Autumn+ on my 1Z and will try tonight to see if it can beat Solis


----------



## 515164

nc8000 said:


> I’ve loaded Autumn+ on my 1Z and will try tonight to see if it can beat Solis



Well, can't promise that, as Solis is more powerful and Autumn+ is tuned in reference to a stock WM1A. But looking forward to your experience!

Also feel free to try the other 4 seasons (link to my post in the signature). Maybe you'll also find something there.


----------



## lumdicks

nc8000 said:


> I’ve loaded Autumn+ on my 1Z and will try tonight to see if it can beat Solis


For me it is a matter of preference. Solis pushes everything to extreme so there is a wow factor inside with sound unheard before, but it stresses on hardware capability and synergy with gears. On the other hand, the Seasons FWs are going for musicality and smoothness. It can be auditioned over prolonged period without fatigue.


----------



## chortya

morgenstern09 said:


> Trying mods (in general) is basically a matter of under 1 minute update process, and it's not really adventurous (if by this you mean risky, even a little bit).
> 
> Also, reverting the change consists in just flashing back the stock firmware, which can take a bit over a minute if I'm not mistaken.
> 
> There are basically more options, which I think it's pretty nice and unique in a way. From the new sound, you then can also adjust using the EQ, for example - one more option.



Modding is anyway just a geeky hobby that has nothing to do with listening to music or using a phone in case of Android phone modding.
I always wonder why the advanced users think they are more intelligent or inventive then the big corporations with 100s of engineers and millinions of R&D funds. The SW config/development decisions are made and reviewed for a reason and if it's not a bug then why try to break it? How can you be sure that without having access to the sources of the firmware there is a way to really improve (not just change) the FW for all possible IEM/headphones/music combinations?

And yes, burn-in makes everything sound better, earth is flat and every source and headphone combination sounds better with 2k$ cable.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 16, 2020)

chortya said:


> Modding is anyway just a geeky hobby that has nothing to do with listening to music or using a phone in case of Android phone modding.
> I always wonder why the advanced users think they are more intelligent or inventive then the big corporations with 100s of engineers and millinions of R&D funds. The SW config/development decisions are made and reviewed for a reason and if it's not a bug then why try to break it? How can you be sure that without having access to the sources of the firmware there is a way to really improve (not just change) the FW for all possible IEM/headphones/music combinations?
> 
> And yes, burn-in makes everything sound better, earth is flat and every source and headphone combination sounds better with 2k$ cable.



Well, I can only say that you can try one of these and see for yourself, while also taking into the account the experiences described by other members on this thread, which they kinda match from experience to experience.

Unless you tried and you heard absolutely no difference (which seems unlikely), I wouldn't have this big of an opinion about it. Just my 2 cents.

Also, maybe you misunderstood me - I'm not trying to break anything, just trying to improve, and on WM1A the Autumn+ experience is pretty much awesome in my opinion.

I have some headphones with stock cables and a stock WM1A which I'm pretry sure it's under the 200 hours necessary for the burn-in, which I don't really care about, so nothing really "special" or something, about me or my gear.

If it sounds good, I enjoy it.

Edit:


> How can you be sure that without having access to the sources of the firmware there is a way to really improve (not just change) the FW for all possible IEM/headphones/music combinations?



I didn't claim that it improves the sound signature for all possible combinations you mentioned. It just sounds awesome to me on my current gear and with my music. It may sound good on your gear and music as well, who knows? You can try it or not, it's simple


----------



## chortya

Could you please just fill me in what changes are exectaly done in the FW compared to the original Sony FW on a technical level?  is it just standard DSP config changed to reflect some preset?
Not sure I understand these esotheric descriptions, should this apply to any IEM?


    WM2020 - Seasons


1. Summer - As the sun shines brightly, the warm and Holographic 
    soundstage that is insanely wide envelopes you with lush
    mids and ultra smooth highs while producing a very refined
    and deep bass experience. 


2. Autumn - As the leaves fall, the thick and rich mids coupled with
    refined treble and super deep bass gives you an enveloping
    wide stage of powerful and impactful sound.

3. Winter - As the snow falls, the gentle and warm mids coupled with
    silky smooth treble elevate you to reach the deepest depths
    of bass and enjoy a sound that plays well with all genres. 


4. Spring - When the leaves grow, you get a sense of clean and detailed
    resolution that shines through with ease. The highs, mids and
    lows blend together in a very balanced yet enjoyable way with a
    tinge of warmth.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 16, 2020)

chortya said:


> Could you please just fill me in what changes are exectaly done in the FW compared to the original Sony FW on a technical level? is it just standard DSP config changed to reflect some preset?
> Not sure I understand these esotheric descriptions, should this apply to any IEM?



For me it sounds like you have some predefined idea about modding in general, and you just try to make everyone believe what you believe, no offence.

I think the descriptions are giving you a pretty nice idea about what you should expect each mod to sound like. As no specific gear is mentioned (like a specific IEM or headphone), it's safe to assume that the described result is expected to apply to any gear you have, more or less, depending on the sound signature of your gear, or course.

I recommend you put aside the predefined beliefs, and try any of these for yourself. If you don't like how it will sound, you can easily switch back to the stock sound signature.

As I was mentioning before, I strongly recommend Autumn+ for a WM1A (it may sound slightly different on a WM1Z or ZX300). 

Edit: I remembered an analogy that could apply here - how can you say a certain cake, for example, is not good, as long as you did not taste it? In this case, I can assure you that the cake is real, and it's a cake (which we assume it's on the good side of things that you could eat, even if it may not be that tasty for you).


----------



## chortya

I have nothing against modding  I just want to understand what exactly I am doing to my gear. Is it just a xml change or is it a different version of official Sony FW downgraded or whatever and why should I exactly hear what is described. Magic?


----------



## rev92

Upgraded FW to 2.02, downloaded the Autumn+ for zx300a CN and U and both wont start. I double click the .exe file, and nothing happens


----------



## 515164

chortya said:


> I have nothing against modding  I just want to understand what exactly I am doing to my gear. Is it just a xml change or is it a different version of official Sony FW downgraded or whatever and why should I exactly hear what is described. Magic?



No magic involved here.  

I previously mentioned that I won't get into details about the technical part - there are other people on this forum that also know about the tuning process, but they didn't want to share any details about it, which is fine, it's their choice. If they would decide to release such details, I may also reconsider my decision.

You'll have to trust me and others who tried that you're not doing anything bad to your device, and the changes can be reverted with a simple flashing of the stock firmware.


----------



## 515164

rev92 said:


> Upgraded FW to 2.02, downloaded the Autumn+ for zx300a CN and U and both wont start. I double click the .exe file, and nothing happens



Oh, this again?

Ok, will send you a PM and I will upload variants that will not contain the "Firmware version changer" thing.


----------



## chortya (Apr 16, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> No magic involved here.
> 
> I previously mentioned that I won't get into details about the technical part - there are other people on this forum that also know about the tuning process, but they didn't want to share any details about it, which is fine, it's their choice. If they would decide to release such details, I may also reconsider my decision.
> 
> You'll have to trust me and others who tried that you're not doing anything bad to your device, and the changes can be reverted with a simple flashing of the stock firmware.


Ok, thanks. Understood.
So much snake oil in the audiophile community and nobody asks "why" and "how" but writes nice descriptions of all the great changes in the sound. Love it.
Enjoy a new modding esotheric cult


----------



## 515164 (Apr 16, 2020)

chortya said:


> Ok, thanks. Understood.
> So much snake oil in the audiophil community and nobody asks "why" and "how" but writes nice descriptions of all the great changes in the sound. Love it.
> Enjoy a new modding esotheric cult



It seems you're still trying to impose your preconceptions about these things, without actually trying them yourself. It's entirely up to you if you'd like to try it or not, of course.

However, my advice remains the same: don't have an opinion this big (especially about these mods, not talking about 2k cables) without trying it for yourself first.

This is unless you're intentionally trying to annoy people, of course.

If not, then peace


----------



## Lookout57

chortya said:


> I have nothing against modding  I just want to understand what exactly I am doing to my gear. Is it just a xml change or is it a different version of official Sony FW downgraded or whatever and why should I exactly hear what is described. Magic?


All these updates do is change the sound signature based on the information in the xml. The actual firmware running is the original Sony released firmware.


----------



## Dtuck90

How does Autumn+ on 3.02 compare to Jupiter on 3.01?


----------



## Dtuck90

Just downloaded the Mac version on High Sierra but I keep getting a message saying the firmware has collapsed. Any ideas?


----------



## Lookout57

Dtuck90 said:


> Just downloaded the Mac version on High Sierra but I keep getting a message saying the firmware has collapsed. Any ideas?


Typically this is due to running the wrong version J when you should be using U.


----------



## Dtuck90

Lookout57 said:


> Typically this is due to running the wrong version J when you should be using U.



Ive tried with both EU and U as my player is from the UK (but changed to J region)


----------



## 515164 (Apr 16, 2020)

Dtuck90 said:


> Ive tried with both EU and U as my player is from the UK (but changed to J region)



Can you PM me so we can check what's happening? Thanks.

Edit: actually, it seems that the .dmg files are not done correctly. I'll work on them tomorrow maybe. Sorry for that.


----------



## chortya

Lookout57 said:


> All these updates do is change the sound signature based on the information in the xml. The actual firmware running is the original Sony released firmware.


Thanks, so basically achievable by the DSP settings. Would be great if the creators could be more transparent and just post the changes to the default flat setting.

This remindes me of MathAudio Headphone EQ, great product and available as plugin for Foobar2000 or as manual settings for equalizers to compensate different headphones to sound as near to the Harman target curve as possible. Pure transparent science and no magic 
https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index#wiki_oratory1990.2019s_list_of_eq_presets
https://mathaudio.com/



morgenstern09 said:


> It seems you're still trying to impose your preconceptions about these things, without actually trying them yourself. It's entirely up to you if you'd like to try it or not, of course.
> 
> However, my advice remains the same: don't have an opinion this big (especially about these mods, not talking about 2k cables) without trying it for yourself first.
> 
> ...


This has nothing to do with me wanting to annoy anybody or try anything. I just ask simple questions and try to understand things better. Appologies if anybody takes (or wants to take) my cynical comments personally.


----------



## Lookout57

chortya said:


> Thanks, so basically achievable by the DSP settings. Would be great if the creators could be more transparent and just post the changes to the default flat setting.
> 
> This remindes me of MathAudio Headphone EQ, great product and available as plugin for Foobar2000 or as manual settings for equalizers to compensate different headphones to sound as near to the Harman target curve as possible. Pure transparent science and no magic
> https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index#wiki_oratory1990.2019s_list_of_eq_presets
> ...


The creators do not want to widely publish how they are doing that to prevent Sony from potentially closing this capability in future updates.


----------



## chortya

Thanks for the explanation.


----------



## proedros (Apr 16, 2020)

chortya said:


> Thanks, so basically achievable by the DSP settings. Would be great if the creators could be more transparent and just post the changes to the default flat setting.
> 
> This remindes me of MathAudio Headphone EQ, great product and available as plugin for Foobar2000 or as manual settings for equalizers to compensate different headphones to sound as near to the Harman target curve as possible. Pure transparent science and no magic
> https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index#wiki_oratory1990.2019s_list_of_eq_presets
> ...



it's a quick, safe and most important fully reverssable tweak on the sony sound , you should try it it's no biggie 

and here is another *great dark prog house mix from 2003*


----------



## nc8000

Autumn+ is very impressive, just as impressive as Solis but a completely different flavour, I think it will be hard to decide which way to go


----------



## Dtuck90

Dig out an old windows 7 laptop to try Autumn+ on 3.02 J region. I was previously using Jupiter 3.01 but this sounds more natural and the sound staging and detail is just fantastic.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 16, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Autumn+ is very impressive, just as impressive as Solis but a completely different flavour, I think it will be hard to decide which way to go



Nice, and I see you own a WM1Z. Some members were mentioning how some of the other seasons also sound good on their WM1Z. 

As I can't know for sure how it sounds on the 1Z, I recommend 1Z users to feel free to also try the "Seasons". Maybe one of the others will sound even better.


----------



## rev92 (Apr 16, 2020)

Just tried Autumn+ on my zx300

Oh my

To the pojnt - soundstage got huge and wjde, it became more analog, warm and natural without loosing any detail. Treble is smoother and more refined. Its a huge upgrade, dont want to sell zx300 anymore


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> Nice, and I see you own a WM1Z. Some members were mentioning how some of the other seasons also sound good on their WM1Z.
> 
> As I can't know for sure how it sounds on the 1Z, I recommend 1Z users to feel free to also try the "Seasons". Maybe one of the others will sound even better.



Both Solis and Autumn+ seem to be very even and work well across all genres and types of music. Detail retreval is good on both and nothing seems to be recessed or unduely prominent. Solis is more performance super car or Arab horse whereas Autumn+ is more lush English luxury car and country house. I love both presentations


----------



## Dtuck90

nc8000 said:


> Both Solis and Autumn+ seem to be very even and work well across all genres and types of music. Detail retreval is good on both and nothing seems to be recessed or unduely prominent. Solis is more performance super car or Arab horse whereas Autumn+ is more lush English luxury car and country house. I love both presentations



Autumn+ is also more forgiving on stock players


----------



## Mindstorms

Dtuck90 said:


> Autumn+ is also more forgiving on stock players


SO wich stock FW is the chosen for autumn+ and wich preferable Region J right?


----------



## aceedburn (Apr 16, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> SO wich stock FW is the chosen for autumn+ and wich preferable Region J right?


I would recommend 3.02 on J region with Autumn+. To me nothing sounds better than this combo. Believe me I have tried all regions and stock firmwares as well as mod firmwares. Autumn+ is in a class of its own. Sheer warmth, exceptional musical flavour, the deepest bass you can imagine and the smoothest highs I have ever heard. Vocals are sublime and sound stage is unbelievable. For all those who have not heard it and are doubting what this firmware can do, stop ranting up the tree and listen to it. Bro @morgenstern09 has painstakingly tuned this for all of us with perfection after so many iterations of firmwares which I personally helped to test as well and the best part is it’s free and just takes 30 seconds to hear the difference. Take that step, you won’t regret it.


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> SO wich stock FW is the chosen for autumn+ and wich preferable Region J right?



I use 3.02 and J, but you can run it against 3.0, 3.01 and 3.02


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 16, 2020)

It since to be better adjusted for J 3.02 I tested in 3.00 was not the same.. it varies a lot between each FW it ill be aweosme to make a chart on this new FW.. I can confirm ITS very smoth! on 3.02 and very diferent from planetary editions.. wich i was listening a few days ago.. i like better this gain levels are more forgiving on my 1A stock! staging feels special right from the start... will try other variations


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 17, 2020)

chortya said:


> I really don't get this? Why don't you just equalize to your preference and have full control without adventurous custom firmwares?
> The issue is typically with your headphones/IEMs and not source. How can a source be harsh if its main purpose to reproduce the sound as linear as possible.



Your right there can be an issue with the headphones. But audiophiles can be paranoid of EQ causing distortions; or unbalances. It’s kind of a feel-good thing to have modded firmware be fantastic out of the box. It’s a feeling of stuff being more pure.

Also after spending time with the different firmwares they can be better than what you can simply do with EQ. Meaning there is an introduction of staging/imaging elements which just can’t be accomplished with past stock firmware and/or EQ. So in the end it’s an advancement.

Many of us don’t know and question why the included firmware couldn’t just simply be better. Your right with millions in assets for research and development; where is the development. We don’t know?

It’s not that the new mod firmwares are always perfect. But what they are is a way to get closer to what we subjectively hear as perfect. So you can look at it like a tailor made suit. They offer so many choices that the end result simply ends on a more personal experience.

It’s all subjective anyway. But the Sony included firmwares are amazing. 3.02 with the 1Z is still spectacular in my use. What we question is if the tuning technology actually went maybe farther with DMP-Z1 firmware? That there is a chance that the DMP-Z1 software can result in a better listening experience with the Walkmans. The only one thing I am 100% certain of is the Walkman 1A is way better.

Remember too, everyone is going to have different outcomes due to soundsignature preferences and equipment differences.

We are always dealing with trying to get synergy. Maybe some frequencies of a certain firmware are going to compensate for what we hear as inadequacies in an IEM. It’s really just extra choices in the end.


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 16, 2020)

I can confirm Autumn+ can retrieve much more detail than 3.00 (specially In CN) wich for me was the best so far... and with similar staging... , but I wish gain was a tad lower only that... maybe at the expense of resolution? its really a well maded Tuning maybe autum its like that dont know if anyone else agrees on that i mean Autum since to pull out less resolution than its + counterpart winter its also very good indeed it takes bass to a hole new meaning of the depth word.. (use E) for a better experience


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 16, 2020)

Can we apply this tuned seasons to dmp 1.01 for example? i think not... since it will overwrite the custom tunings right?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hi can some one please help me understanding why does this daft punk vinyl rip sound so incredible I just cant comprehend this. Its beyond me. When I listen to this album plus its a rip I am simply thorn away from reality its so beautiful so warm gentle just sublime. I havent heard nothing a like and would really want to seek deeper into this as maybe I will start buying vinyls and rip them into dsd. This is just mind blowing its the supreme best sound quality ever possible, vinyl and dsd in conjunction doing this?

I am listening to all this on zx507 lol I am crazy, I lost my mind and thinking....


https://rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4924863



Specter analysis, this is going so high up to 75khz !!!


----------



## Blueoris

aceedburn said:


> I would recommend 3.02 on J region with Autumn+. To me nothing sounds better than this combo. Believe me I have tried all regions and stock firmwares as well as mod firmwares. Autumn+ is in a class of its own. Sheer warmth, exceptional musical flavour, the deepest bass you can imagine and the smoothest highs I have ever heard. Vocals are sublime and sound stage is unbelievable. For all those who have not heard it and are doubting what this firmware can do, stop ranting up the tree and listen to it. Bro @morgenstern09 has painstakingly tuned this for all of us with perfection after so many iterations of firmwares which I personally helped to test as well and the best part is it’s free and just takes 30 seconds to hear the difference. Take that step, you won’t regret it.



Agree. Coming from Solis 3.02 set in J region, I see Authum+ as a step ahead for my stock 1Z. To my ears, it was like adding soul on top of Solis technicalities. Users with DAPS in upper tiers would probably welcome this version even more than me, in my opinion.


----------



## RobertP (Apr 19, 2020)

Try to do sound tuning for my WM1A J. If anyone want to try >> Here
Require stock fw 3.02!


----------



## Joe Tan

Blueoris said:


> Agree. Coming from Solis 3.02 set in J region, I see Authum+ as a step ahead for my stock 1Z. To my ears, it was like adding soul on top of Solis technicalities. Users with DAPS in upper tiers would probably welcome this version even more than me, in my opinion.




Im looking to get another dap , may i know what is consider upper tier comparing to 1Z that will be able to use this authum+ tuning ?
Tia


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> Try to do sound tuning for my WM1A J. If anyone want to try >> Here
> Require stock fw 3.02!


Hmm. What kind of sound can we expect from this? Any sound summary?


----------



## aceedburn

Joe Tan said:


> Im looking to get another dap , may i know what is consider upper tier comparing to 1Z that will be able to use this authum+ tuning ?
> Tia


These firmwares only work for 1A, 1Z and ZX300.


----------



## Joe Tan

aceedburn said:


> These firmwares only work for 1A, 1Z and ZX300.




Precisely ! I was referring to that post abt upper tier benefitting more from this tuning then his 1Z .
Thought ive miss out on a newer model


----------



## 524419 (Apr 17, 2020)

D


----------



## Blueoris

Joe Tan said:


> Precisely ! I was referring to that post abt upper tier benefitting more from this tuning then his 1Z .
> Thought ive miss out on a newer model


I was just referring to people that get their 1A, 1Z and ZX300 modded with different caps, cables etc.. In this thread, those DAPs are considered to be in "higher tiers".


----------



## nc8000

Blueoris said:


> I was just referring to people that get their 1A, 1Z and ZX300 modded with different caps, cables etc.. In this thread, those DAPs are considered to be in "higher tiers".



Also the 1Z can be considered Sony’s attempt at modding the 1A to a higher tier


----------



## Joe Tan

ok


----------



## RobertP (Apr 17, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Hmm. What kind of sound can we expect from this? Any sound summary?


Only for WM1A at the moment. WM1Z need completely different fw to sound best.

My 1A wasn't as resolved compare to my 1Z. After applied new sound tune, it seem 1A maybe even more resolved than 1Z in some areas. At the same time, I want it to be good for long listening.


----------



## flyer1 (Apr 17, 2020)

On my stock 1Z Winter on region E(J is slightly tamer/recessed highs) sounds fantastic, best for me out of the 4 seasons though each of them, incl Autumn+, got something nice on offer. Very musical+analogue! Prefer this now over Solis or stock.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 17, 2020)

Midnstorms said:


> SO wich stock FW is the chosen for autumn+ and wich preferable Region J right?



I already mentioned in the main post for Autumn+ that it was tuned with 3.02 and J region.

This also applies for the other Seasons.



Midnstorms said:


> Can we apply this tuned seasons to dmp 1.01 for example? i think not... since it will overwrite the custom tunings right?



The tuning for Autumn+ already started from the idea of DMP-Z1 (especially the idea that the soundstage can be improved), so there would be no point chasing something that's already here.


----------



## proedros

time to go autumn+

impressions to follow


----------



## aceedburn

I don’t see why anyone would want to be on an older firmware anyway apart from the different tuning, you are losing out on all the new features and most importantly bug fixes and stability. I was on 3.01 for a long time and once I updated to 3.02 I never turned back. The system was more stable, databases built way faster and most importantly the Bluetooth audio worked flawlessly. On 3.01 there were some inconsistent issues that totally went away with 3.02. And now with autumn+ and 3.02, it’s bliss.


----------



## ttt123

Trying WM20 Autumn+ on WM1Z_J (Romi_BG mod), does not work for my setup. Feels unbalanced, with a bass/mid emphasis which feels forced, and makes vocals/stage unnatural, and not immersive.  I hasten to add that  I believe this is just wrong synergy for my particular hardware, and I am probably in a minority, where this tuning does not work for me.


----------



## 515164

ttt123 said:


> Trying WM20 Autumn+ on WM1Z_J (Romi_BG mod), does not work for my setup. Feels unbalanced, with a bass/mid emphasis which feels forced, and makes vocals/stage unnatural, and not immersive.  I hasten to add that  I believe this is just wrong synergy for my particular hardware, and I am probably in a minority, where this tuning does not work for me.



Yep, especially that the tuning was achieved on a stock 1A (J region, 3.02 firmware).

Feel free to give a try to the *Seasons*, maybe one of them will sound right/better.


----------



## Layman1

Did someone say the Mac versions of Autumn+ (specifically, the ones for WM1Z and ZX300) had an error and were not working?
Just want to check before I try to use them!


----------



## NickleCo (Apr 17, 2020)

@morgenstern09 and @aceedburn thank you so much for yet another wonderful set of fw mods . Currently at autumn+ on MX3 3.01. When i tried this combo last night i wasn't that impressed. Thought the vocals sounded too forced (splashy at times) so i rolled back to my previous combo (Solis 3.01 on E2). A day passed and was curious about the seasons again so i changed the cable on my atlas to stock and changed the tips to spiral dots and voila! Magic. Sounded very refreshing, musical, soundstage is not what i would call the widest but because of the added sparkle made things surreal. A few songs later when andrea bocelli came up and subconsciously i started singing lol! Same thing happened to Michael Buble's La vie en rose! The fw squeezes resolution at a very impressive feat but its never rough!


----------



## 515164

DatDudeNic said:


> @morgenstern09 and @aceedburn thank you so much for yet another wonderful set of fw mods . Currently at autumn+ on MX3 3.01. When i tried this combo last night i wasn't that impressed. Thought the vocals sounded too forced (splashy at times) so i rolled back to my previous combo (Solis 3.01 on E2). A day passed and was curious about the seasons again so i changed the cable on my atlas to stock and changed the tips to spiral dots and voila! Magic. Sounded very refreshing, musical, soundstage is not what i would call the widest but because of the added sparkle made things surreal. A few songs later when andrea bocelli came up and subconsciously i started singing lol! Same thing happened to Michael Buble's La vie en rose! The fw squeezes resolution at a very impressive feat but its never rough!



Nice! If you have the WM1A, I recommend giving a try to 3.02 with J region


----------



## lumdicks

ttt123 said:


> Trying WM20 Autumn+ on WM1Z_J (Romi_BG mod), does not work for my setup. Feels unbalanced, with a bass/mid emphasis which feels forced, and makes vocals/stage unnatural, and not immersive.  I hasten to add that  I believe this is just wrong synergy for my particular hardware, and I am probably in a minority, where this tuning does not work for me.


I suggest trying Summer of which I enjoy much with my stock 1Z.


----------



## ttt123

lumdicks said:


> I suggest trying Summer of which I enjoy much with my stock 1Z.


Yes, I did try Summer.  Also lacks synergy for my setup. I think what I am running into, is that SQ tuning changes made for different player/hw will affect me more, due to my HW differences from stock being greater.


----------



## Steen Pihl

chortya said:


> Modding is anyway just a geeky hobby that has nothing to do with listening to music or using a phone in case of Android phone modding.
> I always wonder why the advanced users think they are more intelligent or inventive then the big corporations with 100s of engineers and millinions of R&D funds. The SW config/development decisions are made and reviewed for a reason and if it's not a bug then why try to break it? How can you be sure that without having access to the sources of the firmware there is a way to really improve (not just change) the FW for all possible IEM/headphones/music combinations?
> 
> And yes, burn-in makes everything sound better, earth is flat and every source and headphone combination sounds better with 2k$ cable.


2 out of 3 ain't bad! (quote: Meat Loaf!)


----------



## hireslover

Perfect timing to own a WM1Z. I am on stock 1Z, FW 3.02, J Region trying Autumn+ I never thought I would ever say that but this morning while listening to my old collection I happened to hear things I have never heard before.  First of all I want to thank @Whitigir and @Morbideath for getting this thing started and for creating the planets and Solis is my favorite of all.  Secondly thumbs up to you guys @morgenstern09 and @aceedburn for creating the seasons as Autumn+ is my favorite of all.  Now I have two favorites, I am enjoying both worlds season and planet.  Ain't nothing like it. This is fun.  Keep it going guys maybe someday together we will achieve perfection.  You guys make me love my WM1Z more.


----------



## 515164

hireslover said:


> Perfect timing to own a WM1Z. I am on stock 1Z, FW 3.02, J Region trying Autumn+ I never thought I would ever say that but this morning while listening to my old collection I happened to hear things I have never heard before.  First of all I want to thank @Whitigir and @Morbideath for getting this thing started and for creating the planets and Solis is my favorite of all.  Secondly thumbs up to you guys @morgenstern09 and @aceedburn for creating the seasons as Autumn+ is my favorite of all.  Now I have two favorites, I am enjoying both worlds season and planet.  Ain't nothing like it. This is fun.  Keep it going guys maybe someday together we will achieve perfection.  You guys make me love my WM1Z more.



Thanks for the feedback! I'm also grateful for Whitigir and Morbideath for starting this thing here.

However, I feel the need to mention that this was achieved without any kind of help or knowledge sharing from their side. I just want to make this clear.

Also thanks again to aceedburn for testing different tunings until this was achieved!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Tried the fws but m back on DMP-Z1


----------



## Mindstorms

DatDudeNic said:


> @morgenstern09 and @aceedburn thank you so much for yet another wonderful set of fw mods . Currently at autumn+ on MX3 3.01. When i tried this combo last night i wasn't that impressed. Thought the vocals sounded too forced (splashy at times) so i rolled back to my previous combo (Solis 3.01 on E2). A day passed and was curious about the seasons again so i changed the cable on my atlas to stock and changed the tips to spiral dots and voila! Magic. Sounded very refreshing, musical, soundstage is not what i would call the widest but because of the added sparkle made things surreal. A few songs later when andrea bocelli came up and subconsciously i started singing lol! Same thing happened to Michael Buble's La vie en rose! The fw squeezes resolution at a very impressive feat but its never rough!


hey I helped on this decition lol


----------



## Vitaly2017

I wish you had the wm1z so those firmwares would be perfected for 1z but I guess its time for the 1a lovers to enjoy 
I have 1 friend who tried your firmwares on wm1z, he said its very beautiful, he used autumn + and with this firmware he could see all the musicality and the spectrum of the colors of the music hue  He loved it and was very happy and thankfull for your work @morgenstern09 .





morgenstern09 said:


> I already mentioned in the main post for Autumn+ that it was tuned with 3.02 and J region.
> 
> This also applies for the other Seasons.
> 
> ...












gerelmx1986 said:


> Tried the fws but m back on DMP-Z1





hmmmmm I guess its the flac  being problematic here hmm hmmm


----------



## RobertP

Vitaly2017 said:


> I wish you had the wm1z so those firmwares would be perfected for 1z but I guess its time for the 1a lovers to enjoy
> I have 1 friend who tried your firmwares on wm1z, he said its very beautiful, he used autumn + and with this firmware he could see all the musicality and the spectrum of the colors of the music hue  He loved it and was very happy and thankfull for your work @morgenstern09 .
> 
> 
> ...


I try my 1A fw on 1Z and it didn't sound right at all. I should have fw for 1Z in a day or two.


----------



## slumberman

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hi can some one please help me understanding why does this daft punk vinyl rip sound so incredible I just cant comprehend this. Its beyond me. When I listen to this album plus its a rip I am simply thorn away from reality its so beautiful so warm gentle just sublime. I havent heard nothing a like and would really want to seek deeper into this as maybe I will start buying vinyls and rip them into dsd. This is just mind blowing its the supreme best sound quality ever possible, vinyl and dsd in conjunction doing this?
> 
> I am listening to all this on zx507 lol I am crazy, I lost my mind and thinking....
> 
> ...




If you think that one vinyl to DSD conversion sounds good, wait to hear this one:



https://rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5548967


----------



## normie610

tried autumn+ on my stock E region 1Z, and while the soundstage is unbelievably wide and deep (quite literally), I found the bass is lacking a bit in slam and impact, but beautifully textured. I think I‘m gonna go back to Ultimate 1.02 since it does have more bass slam. Maybe I should try autumn+ with J, but I don’t have windows pc/laptop so cannot run rockbox.


----------



## lumdicks

normie610 said:


> tried autumn+ on my stock E region 1Z, and while the soundstage is unbelievably wide and deep (quite literally), I found the bass is lacking a bit in slam and impact, but beautifully textured. I think I‘m gonna go back to Ultimate 1.02 since it does have more bass slam. Maybe I should try autumn+ with J, but I don’t have windows pc/laptop so cannot run rockbox.


Winter is similar to Autumn but with deeper and stronger bass. May worth a try.


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> I try my 1A fw on 1Z and it didn't sound right at all. I should have fw for 1Z in a day or two.




Please keep me updated 




slumberman said:


> If you think that one vinyl to DSD conversion sounds good, wait to hear this one:
> 
> 
> 
> https://rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5548967





Loading and will try this I have the wav album of this from hdtracks in 24/96 will be interesting to compare


----------



## Vitaly2017

slumberman said:


> If you think that one vinyl to DSD conversion sounds good, wait to hear this one:
> 
> 
> 
> https://rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5548967




hey I am unable to unpack that iso with my iso2dsd software, how do you do it?


----------



## 515164

Vitaly2017 said:


> hey I am unable to unpack that iso with my iso2dsd software, how do you do it?



That is a SACD iso image. Use this tool to extract DSD files from it: https://www.sonore.us/iso2dsd.html

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Audio_CD


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Apr 17, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> That is a SACD iso image. Use this tool to extract DSD files from it: https://www.sonore.us/iso2dsd.html
> 
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Audio_CD





thats what I just said it doesnt work.....


----------



## 515164

Vitaly2017 said:


> thats what I just said it doesnt work.....



Right, missed the "iso2dsd" on my phone.

Try mounting it in Windows, it may truly not be a SACD image (right click on the ISO and click "Mount").


----------



## Lavakugel

Does Autum + 3.01 work?


----------



## aceedburn

Lavakugel said:


> Does Autum + 3.01 work?


Yes indeed. Just choose 3.01 in the software splash screen when you click on the installer.


----------



## slumberman

Vitaly2017 said:


> hey I am unable to unpack that iso with my iso2dsd software, how do you do it?


Ahhh sorry I didn’t think of that. I can read ISOs. I will find a way to unpack it and message you once I find it!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Yes I also tried to mount it with daemon tools and no go, its a sacd but I guess maybe created with a different type of program?





morgenstern09 said:


> Right, missed the "iso2dsd" on my phone.
> 
> Try mounting it in Windows, it may truly not be a SACD image (right click on the ISO and click "Mount").





slumberman said:


> Ahhh sorry I didn’t think of that. I can read ISOs. I will find a way to unpack it and message you once I find it!


----------



## slumberman

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yes I also tried to mount it with daemon tools and no go, its a sacd but I guess maybe created with a different type of program?


I don’t know, sorry: I play it on an N8 as is... hopefully we can find a way to export it so I can also put it on the Sony


----------



## NickleCo (Apr 17, 2020)

Spring on 3.01 with E2 region.... I'm just speechless.... Super detailed, ridiculously high resolution but really smooth and handles bass so good?! It even made my atlas sound bright, not v shaped but just bright!


----------



## proedros

@DatDudeNic  i also like Spring very much , i suggest you also try it with 3.02 and J region which is a more lean/flat sounding FW

The bass hits nicely and the sound seems more full/musical than stock FWs

I need to also try Summer/Winter/AUtumn+, but we 'll have time for those so no stress


----------



## flyer1 (Apr 17, 2020)

lumdicks said:


> I am resting with Summer for my 1Z so I can own the best of both worlds. Autumn+ provides an organic, rich mid with deep bass and silky high to my modded 1A, while Summer gives me huge soundstage and resolution, more neutral presentation to my warmer 1Z.



Did not expect it but after longer listening also found Spring+ Summer to go very well with a stock 1Z(3.02). Switch to U region and you get back very deep bass rumble also +more organic feel!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I extract my ISO with SACDISOS2EMFLAC


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> I extract my ISO with SACDISOS2EMFLAC


Note that I don't install Weiss saracon, to avoid flac conversion and retain the dff


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Vitaly2017  If I get SACD iso I use this SACDISOS2EMFLAC tool to extract DSD.

The Weiss saracon produces 24/96 FLAC with pretty bad result, lack of details and finesse, distorted highs. That's why I stood using it and I quit the SACDISOS2EMFLAC before the foobar DR finishes.

If I get physical SACDi rip them with a pioneer BDP-170


----------



## Lookout57

Player: 1Z stock
Region: J
Tuning: Autumn+ U Direct
IEM: Campfire Solaris SE with ADV Eartune Fidelity custom tips
Cable: DHC Clone Silver balanced

Previous Tuning: I was testing Summer and Winter before I loaded Autumn+ last night. Before that I tried Solis T5 and the Clone Silver is too much for that tuning. I appreciate the amount of information it relayed, but the Clone Silver presented all of it. So the bass was light and the highs were harsh. It also made the soundstage sound unnatural and introduced weird echos in some vocals. I ended up going back to Jupiter T3 as it was more balanced.

Autumn+ U: WOW!!! @morgenstern09 what deal did you make with the devil to come up with this tuning? This is so far my favorite. It's so immersive and enveloping. With the previous tunings I felt like I was standing in front of the musicians. Now I feel like I'm right in the middle of them. 

The sound is clean with detailed bass that goes as deep as is recorded. The highs are now much more refined with just a hint of harshness that is most likely present in the original recording. Autumn+ also fixed some imaging issues that I was hearing in some recordings. For example, Crosby, Stills and Nash Helplessly Hoping FLAC 24/96. In this track Stephen Stills vocals are right in the middle but can get lost in the different tunings. Now I can clearly hear him in the center, Graham Nash on my right and David Crosby on my left who in other tunings could be too pronounced compared to the other two. Another example is Tool Chocolate Chip Trip 24/96. When I sit with my eyes closed I can see in my mind each drum he's striking all around me. Another example of amazing imaging is The Who Live at Leeds FLAC 24/96. You can clearly hear and see in your mind John Entwistle on your left, Roger Daltrey and Keith Moon in the center and Pete Townshend on your right. Check out the last two tracks, My Generation and Magic Bus and sit back and enjoy the concert 

Another thing that I look for is how natural sounding is acoustic instruments, drums, pianos and guitars. With good recording/mastering they sound so realistic. Examples of this are the Steve Wilson remixes of the first three Yes albums in FLAC 24/96. This is evident in Starship Trooper and Perpetual Change from the Yes Album and Heart of the Sunrise from Fragile. Then on Close to the Edge in the opening it sounded like I was in the middle of the forest with the babbling stream and birds all around me.

Hats off and virtual toast to @Whitigir and @Morbideath for starting us on this tuning journey and @morgenstern09 for taking it to the next level.


----------



## Queen6

Cycled through a bunch of regions & FW today, settled back on J with Sony 3.02, works well across all my IEM's and that's all I want. 



Q-6


----------



## proedros

@Queen6 that Leiner album,  is some deep ambient pick you got there bro


----------



## Queen6

proedros said:


> @Queen6 that Leiner album,  is some deep ambient pick you got there bro



Yeah is one that can take you away to a different place, dark & deep. Just on FLAC, add in Sony DSP and Boom...

Q-6


----------



## Gww1

Queen6 said:


> Cycled through a bunch of regions & FW today, settled back on J with Sony 3.02, works well across all my IEM's and that's all I want.
> 
> 
> Q-6


I agree, I've been through most if not all FW over the last few weeks and recently tried the new ones. I was on Solis for the longest (probably because it was closest to stock 3.02) but in the end found stock 3.02 J region is just the best all round for me on a stock 1z with Z1r and Solaris IEMs.


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 18, 2020)

Gww1 said:


> I agree, I've been through most if not all FW over the last few weeks and recently tried the new ones. I was on Solis for the longest (probably because it was closest to stock 3.02) but in the end found stock 3.02 J region is just the best all round for me on a stock 1z with Z1r and Solaris IEMs.



Ultimately any custom firmware will be highly subjective by default. as it's very much dependant on the creator and their personal hardware. I can get behind it, equally I find that is often less flexible over time across multiple IEM's, as ever it's all about balance and synergy.

Bottom line it's all about the music...

n.b. This should not be taken negatively as the work to create such custom firmware is considerable. I encourage all to try for themselves.

Q-6


----------



## Damz87

Queen6 said:


> Ultimately any custom firmware will be highly subjective by default. as it's very much dependant on the creator and their personal hardware. I can get behind it, equally I find that is often less flexible over time across multiple IEM's, as ever it's all about balance and synergy.
> 
> Bottom line it's all about the music...
> 
> Q-6



That’s where I’m at too. Was on U1.02 from the first batch of fw, and then migrated to Solis 3.02 which I used for a good chunk of time. Now I’m back on stock 3.02 J region and completely happy. I’ll try out the new seasons fw eventually but at the moment I’m completely satisfied with stock.


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 17, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> That’s where I’m at too. Was on U1.02 from the first batch of fw, and then migrated to Solis 3.02 which I used for a good chunk of time. Now I’m back on stock 3.02 J region and completely happy. I’ll try out the new seasons fw eventually but at the moment I’m completely satisfied with stock.



I like to take my time and absorb, crossing many genres, Even a region change has very specific nuances, add in the listening gear and the preferred listening experience. Over all a lot to take in.

Q-6


----------



## Tawek

Koan music is ethereal, hypnotizing, and otherworldly... Wm1z / Mdr Ex1000/ SE  / Autumn + 3.02 firmware / TW region  
"Awakening "-KOAN 
The spoken part  "It's about this boy and this girl, and they love each other more than anything. But they can never be together." "Why?" "Because there is this curse. Every 17 years they meet and they fall in love, and then just when they are happiest, the girl dies."


----------



## Vitaly2017

what would be the best tool to convert wavpack to wav? I found foobar to do this but sometimes it gives an error as 32/192 being to large and cant be lossless in conversion weird bug...


----------



## NickleCo

Does anyone know how to convert 88.2-24, 96-24 5.1SACD to a bitrate the wm1a can decode?


----------



## Lookout57

DatDudeNic said:


> Does anyone know how to convert 88.2-24, 96-24 5.1SACD to a bitrate the wm1a can decode?


https://www.sonore.us/iso2dsd.html


----------



## NickleCo

Lookout57 said:


> https://www.sonore.us/iso2dsd.html


sadly that software cant be used to convert flac to flac files  it can only convert iso.


----------



## tieuly1

It is quite often I realise that returned 3.02 stock fw does sound fretty good or the same as other custom fw. I hope my dopamine did not mess of with the true sound.


----------



## NickleCo

my files already came in a flac format bit wm1a cant read it.


----------



## Mindstorms

Tawek said:


> Koan music is ethereal, hypnotizing, and otherworldly... Wm1z / Mdr Ex1000/ SE  / Autumn + 3.02 firmware / TW region
> "Awakening "-KOAN
> The spoken part  "It's about this boy and this girl, and they love each other more than anything. But they can never be together." "Why?" "Because there is this curse. Every 17 years they meet and they fall in love, and then just when they are happiest, the girl dies."


good choice


----------



## Vitaly2017

You two should try dmp portable original its much better then stock 3.02 and has an extreme accuracy in tuning. One of the most accurate and capable fw among all  You can try it in J or U. I find it sounds absolute and has a good all a rounder capabilities plus all the performance of the dmp fw ;p





Queen6 said:


> Ultimately any custom firmware will be highly subjective by default. as it's very much dependant on the creator and their personal hardware. I can get behind it, equally I find that is often less flexible over time across multiple IEM's, as ever it's all about balance and synergy.
> 
> Bottom line it's all about the music...
> 
> ...





Damz87 said:


> That’s where I’m at too. Was on U1.02 from the first batch of fw, and then migrated to Solis 3.02 which I used for a good chunk of time. Now I’m back on stock 3.02 J region and completely happy. I’ll try out the new seasons fw eventually but at the moment I’m completely satisfied with stock.







DatDudeNic said:


> sadly that software cant be used to convert flac to flac files  it can only convert iso.





That software do iso to dsd not flac....


----------



## Vitaly2017

DatDudeNic said:


> sadly that software cant be used to convert flac to flac files  it can only convert iso.




I use this tool to convert flacs or waves and all kind of formats, even just to split single long flacs into multiples tracks, It works well. Sometimes it doesnt take some cds though...

http://cue.tools/wiki/CUETools


----------



## Queen6

Vitaly2017 said:


> You two should try dmp portable original its much better then stock 3.02 and has an extreme accuracy in tuning. One of the most accurate and capable fw among all  You can try it in J or U. I find it sounds absolute and has a good all a rounder capabilities plus all the performance of the dmp fw ;



All down to your gear and more importantly your ears. Been through the various firmware & region and always settle on the same as it meets my tastes. I like how my 1A sounds with J & 3.02, no fatigue and works with all my IEM's 

Repeated, equally moving...

Time and a place...

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

Queen6 said:


> All down to your gear and more importantly your ears. Been through the various firmware & region and always settle on the same as it meets my tastes. I like how my 1A sounds with J & 3.02, no fatigue and works with all my IEM's
> 
> Repeated, equally moving...
> 
> ...




I thought you had 1z sorry


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 18, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I thought you had 1z sorry



IA,1Z will be more trouble than it's worth on international flights as the copper chassis will be a red flag with security. If I was static I'd opt for a DMP. Once this COVID-19 issue calms I may revisit the DMP or Z1. That said a well cared for DMP is a serious consideration as that's where the real value is, $5K for the very best of Sony is well worth considering...

Q-6


----------



## NickleCo

Vitaly2017 said:


> I use this tool to convert flacs or waves and all kind of formats, even just to split single long flacs into multiples tracks, It works well. Sometimes it doesnt take some cds though...
> 
> http://cue.tools/wiki/CUETools


thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

DatDudeNic said:


> sadly that software cant be used to convert flac to flac files  it can only convert iso.


DbPoweramp


----------



## Vitaly2017

Queen6 said:


> IA,1Z will be more trouble than it's worth on international flights as the copper chassis will be a red flag with security. If I was static I'd opt for a DMP. Once this COVID-19 issue calms I may revisit the DMP or Z1. That said a well cared for DMP is a serious consideration as that's where the real value is, $5K for the very best of Sony is well worth considering...
> 
> Q-6




I am sorry but at this point it starts to be a questions of preferences.
Hence even 1z vs dmp and I seem to prefer 1z 

Soon my moded 1z will arrive and I cant wait to hear those impressive rare Black Gate caps!

I had no trouble with my 1z in airport and no security asked anything about it


----------



## NickleCo

gerelmx1986 said:


> DbPoweramp


Ill try it thanks!


----------



## nc8000

DatDudeNic said:


> my files already came in a flac format bit wm1a cant read it.



I assume it is because it is a 5.1 channel file. WM only plays mono and 2 channel. DBPowerAmp can convert from 5.1 to 2.0


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I assume it is because it is a 5.1 channel file. WM only plays mono and 2 channel. DBPowerAmp can convert from 5.1 to 2.0


 Qobuz sells some albums in 5.1, have never tried one as I always buy stereo


----------



## NickleCo

nc8000 said:


> I assume it is because it is a 5.1 channel file. WM only plays mono and 2 channel. DBPowerAmp can convert from 5.1 to 2.0


Thanks for clearing things up nc! Appreciate it man.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have always thought, we have two ears (or one in case of some defect at birth or accident), stereo music is enough. I know the purpose of multi channel recordings, is to recreate the real life experience at a concert. Nonetheless we still hear a real life concert with two (or one)ear(s)


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have always thought, we have two ears (or one in case of some defect at birth or accident), stereo music is enough. I know the purpose of multi channel recordings, is to recreate the real life experience at a concert. Nonetheless we still hear a real life concert with two (or one)ear(s)



Yes we hear with 2 ears but sound comes from 360 degrees which is what 5.1 and 7.1 tries to recreate


----------



## slumberman

Queen6 said:


> IA,1Z will be more trouble than it's worth on international flights as the copper chassis will be a red flag with security. If I was static I'd opt for a DMP. Once this COVID-19 issue calms I may revisit the DMP or Z1. That said a well cared for DMP is a serious consideration as that's where the real value is, $5K for the very best of Sony is well worth considering...
> 
> Q-6



I don't know where you got the idea that copper will be a red flag for security.
 I traveled for years with an AK 380 on planes around the world  and never had a single issue.


----------



## nc8000

slumberman said:


> I don't know where you got the idea that copper will be a red flag for security.
> I traveled for years with an AK 380 on planes around the world  and never had a single issue.



I have been questioned a few times about the 1Z because the xray can’t penetrate it but no problems


----------



## kenjamin0523

Today, I tried to change region and I wonder if when we set them "on" or "off", what does it mean?. For example: When we set J on the alert "Sound pressure: 1 (on)" and when we set J off the alert "Sound pressure: 0 (off)". I do heard the sound when we set on or off, but I don't know what is it, can someone explain for me pls thank you.


----------



## 515164

kenjamin0523 said:


> Today, I tried to change region and I wonder if when we set them "on" or "off", what does it mean?. For example: When we set J on the alert "Sound pressure: 1 (on)" and when we set J off the alert "Sound pressure: 0 (off)". I do heard the sound when we set on or off, but I don't know what is it, can someone explain for me pls thank you.



The sound pressure setting refers to the volume limit cap set to these players in some regions (like Europe for example).

Setting it to on will limit the volume, and setting it to off will remove the limit.


----------



## normie610

nc8000 said:


> I have been questioned a few times about the 1Z because the xray can’t penetrate it but no problems



Likewise, on domestic flights it seems to be better, but on international flights my 1Z almost always raises questions and further scrutiny from airport security. Because of this I bought N6ii for plane travels, it’s just too risky for me if airport security decides to confiscate my 1Z.


----------



## 515164

normie610 said:


> Likewise, on domestic flights it seems to be better, but on international flights my 1Z almost always raises questions and further scrutiny from airport security. Because of this I bought N6ii for plane travels, it’s just too risky for me if airport security decides to confiscate my 1Z.



To me it sounds as easy as just showing the guys the Sony webpage with the player, as well as turning it on in front of them to show them it's indeed a music player.

Yes, it would really suck to get your dap confiscated.


----------



## Vitaly2017

When I was traveling I had my fujifilm mirror-less camera with 3 lens with 1z and 1 extra box for iems. They said put all this in the box here . OKey I did it it went threw the scanner all was fine.
They asked questions as they though I was a professional photographer lmao. I was like ummm no no I dont work for big Hollywood media I am just a simple guy no worries lo lo lo
Maybe that why they didnt want to go further asking to much questions about my 1z ;p as I could be a bomb in the news LMAO


----------



## normie610

Vitaly2017 said:


> When I was traveling I had my fujifilm mirror-less camera with 3 lens with 1z and 1 extra box for iems. They said put all this in the box here . OKey I did it it went threw the scanner all was fine.
> They asked questions as they though I was a professional photographer lmao. I was like ummm no no I dont work for big Hollywood media I am just a simple guy no worries lo lo lo
> Maybe that why they didnt want to go further asking to much questions about my 1z ;p as I could be a bomb in the news LMAO



The completely opposite happened to me. I had my Sony A7RIV with 3 G-Master lenses and 1Z and all they asked about was my 1Z, not a single question on my camera and lenses


----------



## Vitaly2017

normie610 said:


> The completely opposite happened to me. I had my Sony A7RIV with 3 G-Master lenses and 1Z and all they asked about was my 1Z, not a single question on my camera and lenses





See next time get your self the FujiFilm gear hahah its more serious , fujifilm guys own sony and g-master


----------



## 515164

Vitaly2017 said:


> See next time get your self the FujiFilm gear hahah its more serious , fujifilm guys own sony and g-master



I would say it's a matter of personal preference  Let's not start a discussion over this, here (or at all)


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> I would say it's a matter of personal preference  Let's not start a discussion over this, here (or at all)




I was just teasing as I am simply an enthusiast in photography, but I do know in the field their is some tight corners between those two teams lol and it can get quickly into a fight haha

If I was a real professional for work I would probably go with sony or canon


----------



## Mindstorms

I wonder why sony dont get even bigger they excel at almos everithing but they since to change technology so fast remember the VAIO P series? why didnt they competed with apple they maded awesome phones in photography for me they are the best they exceed in the walkman area why dont they focus on their good products and make them last... upgrading them apple did that and I really hurted sony and other brands i dont get they even maded a personal theater with glases wich had bluray player it was awesome i cant find it anymore... so just develop the best technology on the plannet then let it die.... iwish they think diferent and maybe they are changing that...


----------



## Binome (Apr 18, 2020)

I managed to find out the cable part number for the Sony OTG cable which has the WM Port connection and micro usb connection ( short stacking length) here is the link in case anyone else starts looking..






https://eu.eetgroup.com/i/184885611-Sony-Cable-Usb-Micro-B-Micro-B


----------



## flyer1

Midnstorms said:


> I wonder why sony dont get even bigger they excel at almos everithing but they since to change technology so fast remember the VAIO P series? why didnt they competed with apple they maded awesome phones in photography for me they are the best they exceed in the walkman area why dont they focus on their good products and make them last... upgrading them apple did that and I really hurted sony and other brands i dont get they even maded a personal theater with glases wich had bluray player it was awesome i cant find it anymore... so just develop the best technology on the plannet then let it die.... iwish they think diferent and maybe they are changing that...



Because we on this thread who appreciate quality and are willing to spent a lot of money for that are sadly in the minority. 

Luckily Sony considers it part of their company prestige to continue the Walkman heritage offering the best in portable audio But if they earn much selling WM1Z's I doubt it.


----------



## Lookout57

Vitaly2017 said:


> See next time get your self the FujiFilm gear hahah its more serious , fujifilm guys own sony and g-master


It all starts with Nikon, the grandfather of DSLR.

I have a D800 and some year will upgrade to a D850.


----------



## Maxx134 (Apr 18, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> The creators do not want to widely publish how they are doing that to prevent Sony from potentially closing this capability in future updates.


This is very important to keep the lid on this.
It's only a matter of time before Sony takes notice, and makes any decisions to either pay attention, or dissmiss.



Blueoris said:


> Agree. Coming from Solis 3.02 set in J region, I see Authum+ as a step ahead for my stock 1Z. To my ears, it was like adding soul on top of Solis technicalities. Users with DAPS in upper tiers would probably welcome this version even more than me, in my opinion.


Quick impressions I still believe solis to have slight edge on technicalities, while seasons autumn+ have a soundstage edge.
Not 100% sure so need more listening.
Varying differences would be noted on modified players.



morgenstern09 said:


> However, I feel the need to mention that this was achieved without any kind of help or knowledge sharing from their side. I just want to make this clear.


This!
I whish both teams could get together, to combine their strengths into yet another upgrade!!






Damz87 said:


> That’s where I’m at too. Was on U1.02 from the first batch of fw, and then migrated to Solis 3.02 which I used for a good chunk of time. Now I’m back on stock 3.02 J region and completely happy. I’ll try out the new seasons fw eventually but at the moment I’m completely satisfied with stock


To me, 3.02 was best stock for 1z, but all planets and seasons are noticably superior in technicalities and/or soundstage.

I realize it really is a preference choice, and more noticable on modified players, as solis was said to be too much processing for stock players.


----------



## 515164

Maxx134 said:


> This!
> I whish both teams could get together, to combine their strengths into yet another upgrade!!



Well, it's not like I didn't want to. Too bad now.


----------



## proedros (Apr 18, 2020)

Prog House sounds fantastic with *Spring* on *stock WM1A (J Region)* , whoever said that Zeus XR is bass-lite has not obviously paired it with 1960s 2wire (and those FWs)

@Morbideath @Whitigir @morgenstern09 @aceedburn  Great job guys, your FWs have been truly kisses of life for ourDAPs


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Queen6

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am sorry but at this point it starts to be a questions of preferences.
> Hence even 1z vs dmp and I seem to prefer 1z
> 
> Soon my moded 1z will arrive and I cant wait to hear those impressive rare Black Gate caps!
> ...



Enjoy  Flying internationally is normally an aspect of my work and that copper chassis will be an issue in my experience, as already have a lot of electronics in the carry on, which already raises questions. 1A is perfect for the time I'm on engineering project's and a DMP would be perfect for home and I

Q-6


slumberman said:


> I don't know where you got the idea that copper will be a red flag for security.
> I traveled for years with an AK 380 on planes around the world  and never had a single issue.



Already too much electronics in the bags, safe to say more questions & weight isn't what I'm looking for...

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

nc8000 said:


> I have been questioned a few times about the 1Z because the xray can’t penetrate it but no problems



That's my concern, just don't need the hassle. The density of the copper will no doubt trigger some and having to then explain; the why, wherefore and what for is beyond tedious. Been at this for years, much depends on the routes and destinations and although international travel sounds like a great gig it mostly isn't these days...

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

normie610 said:


> Likewise, on domestic flights it seems to be better, but on international flights my 1Z almost always raises questions and further scrutiny from airport security. Because of this I bought N6ii for plane travels, it’s just too risky for me if airport security decides to *confiscate *my 1Z.



Exactly, as there's little you can do, short of leaving the airport....

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 18, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> To me it sounds as easy as just showing the guys the Sony webpage with the player, as well as turning it on in front of them to show them it's indeed a music player.
> 
> Yes, it would really suck to get your dap confiscated.



Is really very much down to the routes and the country, worse the individual concerned. Had multiple run in's with airport security, I appreciate the merit, equally don't appreciate the needless BS, stupidity or the sheer bloody mindedness at times. My experience over several decades, tells me that traveling with a big chunk of copper is asking for a problem. If I want a better set up at home I'll source a DMP, best of both worlds...

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 18, 2020)

After the airport security, a spot of anger management...


Sony's XBA-N3 will fix all your bass problems  KMFDM - Oh My Goth

Next up....


Q-6


----------



## proedros

that RATM album is a highlight of everything that was right in the rock 90s and all that is sh.it in ''rock'' today

Torrential stuff , they don't make them like this anymore.


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 18, 2020)

proedros said:


> that RATM album is a highlight of everything that was right in the rock 90s and all that is sh.it in ''rock'' today
> 
> Torrential stuff , they don't make them like this anymore.



Right on brother, all this nonsense today is totally needless, there's good and bad in all walks of life. Rocking out KMDF with Richard Stanley's The Island of Dr Moreau on the big screen Soon as Rage hits the ear's I'll be pushing the volume hard...



Q-6


----------



## proedros

Queen6 said:


> Right on brother, all this nonsense today is totally needless, there's good and bad in all walks of life. Rocking out KMDF with Richard Stanley's The Island of Dr Moreau on the big screen Soon as Rage hits the ear's I'll be pushing the volume hard...
> 
> 
> 
> Q-6



let me send you a stellar 24/96 vinyl rip of RATM see what you think....


----------



## Morbideath

morgenstern09 said:


> Well, it's not like I didn't want to. Too bad now.


*You wanted to join and call us selfish and liars when i rejected u. I also want to state that whatever u made and shared isn't related with us. I'm glad they are not from our help and knowledge, which u still have little.  

I don't care what a stock 1A/1Z performs with a FW now. I'm out. May u guys enjoy the party. Put u back to ignore list (and the list only contains you alone)*


----------



## 515164 (Apr 18, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> *You wanted to join and call us selfish and liars when i rejected u. I also want to state that whatever u made and shared isn't related with us. I'm glad they are not from our help and knowledge, which u still have little.
> 
> I don't care what a stock 1A/1Z performs with a FW now. I'm out. May u guys enjoy the party. Put u back to ignore list (and the list only contains you alone)*



I called you "liar" (didn't use this exact term) when you suggested that there are .UPG firmware file modifications in place for your mods, which is not true.

At the moment, the encryption for the firmware of the WM1/DMP-Z1/ZX300/ZX300A (including A30 Series for example) was not yet cracked. The firmware for these devices are using a different type of encryption than others like A20 Series for example.

So I didn't call you a "liar" for no reason. The actual term that was used is that you are trying to mislead people. All the tuning takes place in the SWUpdate.xml file. The .UPG that you included in each of your mod is the stock DMP-Z1 firmware which you (still) believe that it's being flashed or partially flashed for some reason, without doing some research first. That file has to be decrypted by the player after the player reboots, and then a script is executed which applies everything in the .UPG to the device's memory and this is not the case, as the player quickly reboots when it realises it cannot decrypt the .UPG you included, because it's not encrypted with the same key (as it belongs to the DMP-Z1).

I can understand that you don't want to share, but at least don't say things which are not true. That's all I ask!

Let's maybe not go further with this discussion and call it a day.



Morbideath said:


> Put u back to ignore list (and the list only contains you alone)



I won't want you trying to say things which are not true again, so I'm totally fine with this, thanks!


----------



## 515164 (Apr 18, 2020)

I don't want to just say something without some evidence first.

Check this out, the "Upgrade process" part: https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWAnalysis

Also, this is an example of an upgrade script that's inside an .UPG (extracted by myself from some firmware which doesn't use this new type of encryption which is not supported yet):



Spoiler





```
#!/bin/sh

NVP_FNI="0x00000000"
NVP_SID="0x00000000"
NVP_MLK="0x41544b20"

##################################
echo "------ INIT SEQUENCE ------"

ROOTFS_TMP_DIR=/tmp/rootfs

source /install_script/constant.txt

_UPDATE_FN_=`nvpstr ufn`
if [ "$?" != 0 ]; then
    echo "nvpstr(ufn) error"
    fwfb /root/fwup_err.rgb
    exit 1
fi


####################################################
echo "------ FORMAT AND MOUNT ROOT PARTITION ------"

if [ -e /usr/local/bin/icx_mkfs.ext4 ]; then
    MKFS_CMD="/usr/local/bin/icx_mkfs.ext4"
else
    MKFS_CMD="mkfs.ext3"
fi
echo "MKFS_CMD=$MKFS_CMD"

$MKFS_CMD $COMMON_ROOTFS_PARTITION
if [ "$?" != 0 ]; then
    echo "mkfs(root) error"
    fwfb /root/fwup_err.rgb
    exit 1
fi

mkdir $ROOTFS_TMP_DIR
if [ "$?" != 0 ]; then
    echo "mkdir(tmp) error"
    fwfb /root/fwup_err.rgb
    exit 1
fi

if [ -e /usr/local/bin/icx_mount.ext4 ]; then
    MOUNT_CMD="/usr/local/bin/icx_mount.ext4"
else
    MOUNT_CMD="mount -t ext3"
fi
echo "MOUNT_CMD=$MOUNT_CMD"

$MOUNT_CMD $COMMON_ROOTFS_PARTITION $ROOTFS_TMP_DIR
if [ "$?" != 0 ]; then
    echo "mount(root) error"
    fwfb /root/fwup_err.rgb
    exit 1
fi

#################################################
echo "------ WRITE COMMON KERNEL & ROOTFS ------"

fwpup -f /contents/$_UPDATE_FN_.UPG -k 1 -r 2 | tar -C $ROOTFS_TMP_DIR -xvzf -
if [ "$?" != 0 ]; then
    echo "fwpup error"
    fwfb /root/fwup_err.rgb
    exit 1
fi

###########################################
echo "------ UNMOUNT ROOT PARTITION ------"

sync
if [ "$?" != 0 ]; then
    echo "sync error"
    fwfb /root/fwup_err.rgb
    exit 1
fi

umount $ROOTFS_TMP_DIR
if [ "$?" != 0 ]; then
    echo "umount(mnt) error"
    fwfb /root/fwup_err.rgb
    exit 1
fi

###############################
echo "------ UPDATE NVP ------"

/usr/local/bin/nvpflag -x fni $NVP_FNI
if [ "$?" != 0 ]; then
    echo "nvpflag fni $NVP_FNI error"
    exit 1
fi

/usr/local/bin/nvpflag -x sid $NVP_SID
if [ "$?" != 0 ]; then
    echo "nvpflag sid $NVP_SID error"
    exit 1
fi

/usr/local/bin/nvpflag -x mlk $NVP_MLK
if [ "$?" != 0 ]; then
    echo "nvpflag mlk $NVP_MLK error"
    exit 1
fi

###########################################
echo "------ UPDATED!! ------"

exit 0
```




Why would you not do some research first and keep stating something which is not true? Also, the update process doesn't show an error if the file cannot be decrypted, it just restarts. You can try renaming a Notepad file to NW_WM_FW.UPG, and place it in the Software Update folder (in Data/Device) and try updating. You'll see it does exactly the same thing as for all mods, which is the update progress bar gets filled just a little and then the player restarts (as the signature doesn't match).

Sure, we could use the 3.02 stock UPG (mods will still work) but why flash again the device when we only want to apply the tuning?

Too bad you now ignored me and you can't see the message I guess.


----------



## Vitaly2017




----------



## aceedburn (Apr 18, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> *You wanted to join and call us selfish and liars when i rejected u. I also want to state that whatever u made and shared isn't related with us. I'm glad they are not from our help and knowledge, which u still have little.
> 
> I don't care what a stock 1A/1Z performs with a FW now. I'm out. May u guys enjoy the party. Put u back to ignore list (and the list only contains you alone)*


Whoa, take it easy brother. Whatever transpired between you and him is not my concern, but let’s get the facts right. You and @Whitigir came up with the brilliant planet firmwares which we enjoyed and I personally liked some of them as well. Then bro @morgenstern09 came up with these brilliant season firmwares which i personally helped to test before they were officially released. The seasons firmware have a more streamlined installer and you can choose the firmware version prior to installing and it comes in a super small package. That, to me is innovation and research done right!  I also liked some of them. So in a nutshell everyone here gets to enjoy different sounding walkmans due to the unselfish and kind nature of you, @Whitigir and @morgenstern09 
So let’s chill, sit back and relax these awesome tunings and not compare who is smarter and who isn’t. The planets and seasons have an option for everyone, I’m sure of that and it just adds to the vast options we can enjoy with our beloved walkman. So let the planets align with the seasons and we all get the best of what we want. There is enough hatred in the world and this virus is eating us up. So let’s all live in harmony and be happy with our blessings.  I’m leaving it at that. God bless everyone!


----------



## Morbideath (Apr 19, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Whoa, take it easy brother. Whatever transpired between you and him is not my concern, but let’s get the facts right. You and @Whitigir came up with the brilliant planet firmwares which we enjoyed and I personally liked some of them as well. Then bro @morgenstern09 came up with these brilliant season firmwares which i personally helped to test before they were officially released. The seasons firmware have a more streamlined installer and you can choose the firmware version prior to installing and it comes in a super small package. That, to me is innovation and research done right!  I also liked some of them. So in a nutshell everyone here gets to enjoy different sounding walkmans due to the unselfish and kind nature of you, @Whitigir and @morgenstern09
> So let’s chill, sit back and relax these awesome tunings and not compare who is smarter and who isn’t. The planets and seasons have an option for everyone, I’m sure of that and it just adds to the vast options we can enjoy with our beloved walkman. So let the planets align with the seasons and we all get the best of what we want. There is enough hatred in the world and this virus is eating us up. So let’s all live in harmony and be happy with our blessings.  I’m leaving it at that. God bless everyone!


God bless ya'all.
Im a wild troll living in vast forest feeding on rasberries. Our forest is far away from solar system so I don't know what seasons are like. Pls just ignore my rants cuz it's totally personal.
Sorry again, my last post here. Unwatched and get back to my LPs.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 19, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> God bless ya'all.
> Im a wild troll living in vast forest feeding on rasberries. Our forest is far away from solar system so I don't know what seasons are like. Pls just ignore my rants cuz it's totally personal.
> Sorry again, my last post here. Unwatched and get back to my LPs.



Yeah man, you are really funny, what can I say?

What is that forest called? The forest of throwing some mud to someone and when evidence is being provided in return, you avoid the subject?

I don't think anyone needs that here.

Just gonna ignore "trolls" like you from now on.


----------



## Hinomotocho

rev92 said:


> Im using Aether R which isnt harsh on Cayin N6ii, Fiio M11, Cayin N8 etc. It just doesnt seem to pair with stock ZX300 for my taste.
> 
> I triend EQ'ing, but wasnt able to reduce harshness without making it sound absurdly dark and dull.


Sony recommends 200 hours burn in - alot of people scoff at it but there are many ZX300 owners on the thread that will swear the sound improves. I experienced improvements with the bass - out of the box the ZX300's bass made the XBA-Z5 sound bloated which after 70+ hours became much tighter and ended up sounding glorious (definitely wasn't brain burn in)


----------



## Dtuck90

Burn in definitely exists with these players. I was noticing changes up to 1000 hours


----------



## etlouis

Anybody else run into this weird issue where plugging in 4.4 disables all sound? Like after plugging something in the 4.4 (no sound), unplug the 4.4, plug in 3.5, the 3.5 is also silenced.

But if I reboot and only use 3.5 it's fine.

Is something broken inside?


----------



## ttt123

etlouis said:


> Anybody else run into this weird issue where plugging in 4.4 disables all sound? Like after plugging something in the 4.4 (no sound), unplug the 4.4, plug in 3.5, the 3.5 is also silenced.
> 
> But if I reboot and only use 3.5 it's fine.
> 
> Is something broken inside?


What are you plugging into 4.4?  If a headphone or earphone, try another one.  The player design will switch the audio output to the 4.4 if/when it detects a 4.4mm plug is inserted.  So if playing on 3.5mm, and you plug in a 4.4mm, the audio will switch to 4.4mm, and disable the 3.5mm output.  If you have a defective 4.4mm earphone, or are not plugging in an earphone into 4.4mm, then that may be your problem.  If you are sure the 4.4mm is a working IEM/Earphone, and you are not hearing anything, then the DAP is defective.


----------



## etlouis

ttt123 said:


> What are you plugging into 4.4?  If a headphone or earphone, try another one.  The player design will switch the audio output to the 4.4 if/when it detects a 4.4mm plug is inserted.  So if playing on 3.5mm, and you plug in a 4.4mm, the audio will switch to 4.4mm, and disable the 3.5mm output.  If you have a defective 4.4mm earphone, or are not plugging in an earphone into 4.4mm, then that may be your problem.  If you are sure the 4.4mm is a working IEM/Earphone, and you are not hearing anything, then the DAP is defective.



Yeah I know that if balanced it plugged in it disables the 3.5. Sigh. Seems like an inevitable trip to the repair center. I’m not in warranty either.


----------



## gerelmx1986

etlouis said:


> Yeah I know that if balanced it plugged in it disables the 3.5. Sigh. Seems like an inevitable trip to the repair center. I’m not in warranty either.


No no, t
If you plug simultaneously 4.4 and 3.5 the 4.4mm takes priority #1, you must unplug 4.4 if you want to use 3.5 Jack. No need to reboot, just press play/pause


----------



## Vitaly2017

Dtuck90 said:


> Burn in definitely exists with these players. I was noticing changes up to 1000 hours




From my experience with burn in there is a difference once you reach 800 hours mark. I recommend to do burn in on any gear to 800 hours to reach the ultimate sound performance. 200 hours that recommended by sony is just an introduction to make them work properly


----------



## Binome

I much prefer the SS of the 1A over the 1Z... I was very close to buying a used 1Z but I really didn’t like the differences between the 1Z and my 1A .... I found the 1Z to be too warm whereas the 1A was neutral and to me seemed not to color the sound...

I also found a good few of the ‘good’ after market cables like EA PW Plus sound and even the ‘good’ cheaper cables like Electrocousti also changed the SS of the 1A and 1Z ... whereas I was trying to build on the SS of the 1A rather than change it... if you see what I mean... it was also the same with the iems... I tried a good few iems on my 1A and plenty of other sources or amps etc.... I did not enjoy the ier z1 or the m9 or M7 or some Shures, IMRs, RHAs, Audeze ISine and LCD i3, Andromeda or Vega plus many others which we all seem to try at one time or another as we search for the best set up for us individually... surprisingly I found that for me the 1A didn’t drive a lot of those iems very well... especially say the LCDi3 or CL2 or a few Sony iems... don’t get me wrong they were driven okay by the 1A but the volume level had to be exceedingly high and in most cases well over a 100 just for reasonable volume level ( FLACs DSDs etc)

I settled on the CA Solaris for my iems.... they pair beautifully with the 1A and my average volume is around 60 on the 1A and that is still louder than many of the other iems I tried... my 1A is the tourist version so it is uncapped....

I then decided I needed a neutral sounding cable and one that didn’t really change the SS but simply improved the soundstage and detail and separation.... I found again after trying so many cables from EA PW ALO etc etc I found that the one I wanted for that purpose was the Linum Super Bax 4.4 or the Bax version which I had found even on 3.5 the linum was the most accurate sound in terms of detail and separation just on that SE connection...

As we all know Tips can make a big difference on the sound we hear... I did so many tip rolls... Spirals, Comply, Simbio, Spin fit, and several others including those from the iem themselves or the cheaper universal ones from AE etc... none gave me the SS I could hear without tips ... so I tried going with custom tips and after trying Ambient, Snugs and Custom Art ... I settled on Custom Art.... they were very helpful and were very patient with me because the first set they sent for my Solaris weren’t that great and I did a bit of testing and found that if those tips were slightly beefed up especially on the shoulders adjacent to where it meets the Solaris itself the isolation improved to better than I had ever had and with a slightly deeper tip the sound was as close as I could get to the 1A SS...

So with that set up and some trial and error on the eq I was very happy and I know even with that set up alone I was in my Audio nirvana..!

I then by chance alone happened to borrow a Sony PHA2A... initially it was for a different reason but I thought that while I have it I will connect it to my set up as above...

And WoW...! On its own that PHA2A is nothing special... it’s a nice amp but dated no doubt... I was using it with other iems ...

But once put in my set up.... the soundstage opened up.... I mean really opened up... didn’t need a A/B side by side as even after swapping it out and the time that can take I could still hear a big difference in width height and depth... the other details were the detail itself and separation both of which I put above the 1Z and other DAPs I have had like AKs (Cube, Kann SR15 SP1000), Onkyo, Sony, FiiO Hiby, iBasso etc...

I am so completely blown away by what I am hearing.... I have never heard some of the details I am now hearing.....

It’s hard to express but if you know Hotel California the live 78 version... once those guitars started I felt like my head was sitting between those 2 guitars ... I have heard the plucking and fret noise with other kit etc but I never had it so clear... even instruments that I didn’t think were in a track I could hear...

I genuinely feel like my head is in a dome of musical sound and I am almost rushing around to each instrument to hear not just the musical sound but the musicians actions... it’s an amazing sensation.... and truly only by chance...

I was thinking about trying one of the FW adaptions but I really don’t want to lose what I am getting now.... I am locked in battle with what I know on one shoulder and things might be even better on the other shoulder...!!

The stacking ain’t for everyone even for me all the time but it’s definitely worth it if the circumstances are right when you are travelling or getting about...

Sorry to have prattled on but I just wanted to share my good fortune.... and you guys are the only ones that understand what it means...

😀


----------



## Binome

Vitaly2017 said:


> From my experience with burn in there is a difference once you reach 800 hours mark. I recommend to do burn in on any gear to 800 hours to reach the ultimate sound performance. 200 hours that recommended by sony is just an introduction to make them work properly



Do you think that is a general usage or using one port over another... ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Binome said:


> Do you think that is a general usage or using one port over another... ?




each connector each cable each headphone each dap ect ect


----------



## Mindstorms

Guys sorry this is totally of topic but can someone recomend me a very good music player for mp3 and FLAC will apreciate!


----------



## Maxx134 (Apr 19, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> , as the player quickly reboots when it realises it cannot decrypt the .UPG you included, because it's not encrypted with the same key (as it belongs to the DMP-Z1).


Since this is the case that is happening, then there must be some other reason why UPG is inserted, and also why some firmware sound more resolving among the planet versions, like solis.

I was unaware of the friction between certain members and like to apologise of my ignorance in  bringing up the topic if it was uncomfortable.

Also like to express gratitude and thanks for all involved in  making all the firmwares.


----------



## Lookout57

Maxx134 said:


> Since this is the case that is happening, then there must be some other reason  why it is inserted, and also why some firmware sound more resolving among the planet versions, like solis.
> 
> I was unaware of the friction between certain members and like to apologise of my ignorance in  bringing up the topic if it was uncomfortable.
> 
> Also like to express gratitude and thanks for all involved in  making all the firmwares.


The magic is not in the firmware but in the XML that is applying a different tuning.

I have some theories on what is happening but I won't post anything until it passes peer review.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 19, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> Since this is the case that is happening, then there must be some other reason why it is inserted, and also why some firmware sound more resolving among the planet versions, like solis.



I'm sure that it's just being assumed that it helps. Some people think (maybe them as well, no idea) that only a part of the DMP-Z1 stock UPG applies to the WM1A/WM1Z, one that's responsible for the tuning, or something like that. Some even think that it's actually a WM1A/Z firmware with the DMP-Z1 kernel, which is false, as the stock DMP-Z1 1.02 UPG and the one in the mods have the same MD5 hash.

Let's say that maybe the DMP-Z1 .UPG is being applied to the device and think about it:

The DMP-Z1 .UPG is even a bit bigger than the WM1A/WM1Z .UPG, and did you see how "long" it takes for a stock 3.02 WM1A/WM1Z update to apply? That's because it has to decrypt the file, and then execute that script which formats the internal memory and then copies the entire content from the UPG to that internal memory. So if the DMP-Z1 .UPG would flash, shouldn't the update take at least as long as the stock 3.02 WM1A/WM1Z takes?

Also, if you compare the update time and behavior of the device when applying a DMP-Z1 mod and the update time and behavior of the device when having a random Notepad file with the name changed to NW_WM_FW.UPG, you will see that at least the behavior is the same (update progress bar loading just a little, never to the end, and then a restart). The "update" time would be shorter in case of the Notepad example, because the "UPG" file would be very small (depending if you choose to have a lot of random text inside), so it takes a lot less time to try and decrypt it and realizing that it cannot.



Maxx134 said:


> and also why some firmware sound more resolving among the planet versions, like solis.



Just because of different tuning codes used in the SWUpdate.xml.


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> Guys sorry this is totally of topic but can someone recomend me a very good music player for mp3 and FLAC will apreciate!



Any of the Sony dap


----------



## RobertP (Apr 19, 2020)

I have two firmware for WM1A that work very well. Both of them have silky smooth, warmth, very good resolution and dynamic.
Vinyl tune is an inspiration of firmware v1.2 and v2.0. If you missed how they sound before then give it a try.
Classical tune is updated. Very resolved. Retrieved every little tiny spat of details very well when tested with my gears. Instruments sound more believable.
Sorry no 1Z version yet! Will be done soon.

Make sure you are on fw 3.02. The link is >> *Here*


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> Any of the Sony dap


Jaja n sorry for windows inded up with AIMP think its very good I also have others!


----------



## proedros

RobertP said:


> I have two firmware for WM1A that work very well. Both of them have silky smooth, warmth, very good resolution and dynamic.
> Vinyl tune is an inspiration of firmware v1.2 and v2.0. If you missed how they sound before then give it a try.
> Classical tune is updated. Very resolved. Retrieved every little tiny spat of details very well when tested with my gears. Instruments sound more believable.
> Sorry no 1Z version yet! Will be done soon.
> ...



thank you


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> Jaja n sorry for windows inded up with AIMP think its very good I also have others!



For play back on my Windows computer I use foobar2000 and have done for many years. I used iTunes when my daps were iPods


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> For play back on my Windows computer I use foobar2000 and have done for many years. I used iTunes when my daps were iPods


Well thank you!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Midnstorms said:


> Well thank you!




VLC also do the job


----------



## gerelmx1986

MusicBee


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> Well thank you!



I expect that there today are better options with more features than foobar (which is old) but I’m used to how it looks and works so have had no reason to look elsewhere and it’s free


----------



## Lookout57

Audirvana +, work every penny.


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> I expect that there today are better options with more features than foobar (which is old) but I’m used to how it looks and works so have had no reason to look elsewhere and it’s free


do you like plug ins? i guess not right?


----------



## Mindstorms

Lookout57 said:


> Audirvana +, work every penny.


Wow you can add VST? with native support geniuses! is that streaming plataform right?


----------



## Mindstorms

so has anyone experienced battery reset? and being blessed by it? im doing one right now.. so im curious


----------



## Hinomotocho

Midnstorms said:


> so has anyone experienced battery reset? and being blessed by it? im doing one right now.. so im curious


When I had a ZX100 my battery started draining really quickly after only a year, I thought it was a dud and required replacement - gerelmx1986 told me the reset process and it went back to what it should have been. Just remember to utterly drain the battery until it won't even turn on, then absolutely fully charge and it should be reset.


----------



## Mindstorms

OK thank you!


----------



## Mindstorms

So its turning of by itself now i charge?


----------



## Hinomotocho

Midnstorms said:


> So its turning of by itself now i charge?


My understanding of the process is to keep turning it on (the battery icon will flash red and it will turn itself off) until it won't boot at all, then the battery is absolutely drained - from there do a full 100% charge without interrupting the charge, then it should have reset itself.


----------



## Mindstorms

Ok thank you!


----------



## Hinomotocho

Midnstorms said:


> Ok thank you!


You're welcome - If you click on 'reply' on the right side underneath the person's post, it will quote their post then show up in their notifications, then if you require a response to a question you will get their attention and a quicker reply. Good luck with the battery reset, let us know if you succeed.


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> I have two firmware for WM1A that work very well. Both of them have silky smooth, warmth, very good resolution and dynamic.
> Vinyl tune is an inspiration of firmware v1.2 and v2.0. If you missed how they sound before then give it a try.
> Classical tune is updated. Very resolved. Retrieved every little tiny spat of details very well when tested with my gears. Instruments sound more believable.
> Sorry no 1Z version yet! Will be done soon.
> ...


Thanks mate  Tried both of them  Vinyl sounds just like it should  That warm and rich sound of vinyls with good detail retrieval and deep bass  I like this as it returns the warmth to the 1A and makes it sound almost similar to 1Z  The classical version still has slight warmth, but the detail retrieval is more and i heard some artifacts in the recording  Bass is not as deep here and treble is heightened a little  Depending on your gear, classical can sound a bit harsh maybe  Vinyl sounds very smooth all round


----------



## RobertP

aceedburn said:


> Thanks mate  Tried both of them  Vinyl sounds just like it should  That warm and rich sound of vinyls with good detail retrieval and deep bass  I like this as it returns the warmth to the 1A and makes it sound almost similar to 1Z  The classical version still has slight warmth, but the detail retrieval is more and i heard some artifacts in the recording  Bass is not as deep here and treble is heightened a little  Depending on your gear, classical can sound a bit harsh maybe  Vinyl sounds very smooth all round


Thanks for feedbacks. Will keep this in mind for later on.

Vinyl is doing very well on my more energetic /north of neutral bookshelve speakers too. Similar type of headphones and IEMs will benefit from this also. I got goosebumps when hear solo electric guitar and violin. Flutes, horns and saxophones tone are all their similar to 1Z counterparts.


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> Thanks for feedbacks. Will keep this in mind for later on.
> 
> Vinyl is doing very well on my more energetic /north of neutral bookshelve speakers too. Similar type of headphones and IEMs will benefit from this also. I got goosebumps when hear solo electric guitar and violin. Flutes, horns and saxophones tone are all their similar to 1Z counterparts.


Which is your favourite among these 2?


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> Thanks for feedbacks. Will keep this in mind for later on.
> 
> Vinyl is doing very well on my more energetic /north of neutral bookshelve speakers too. Similar type of headphones and IEMs will benefit from this also. I got goosebumps when hear solo electric guitar and violin. Flutes, horns and saxophones tone are all their similar to 1Z counterparts.


I’m testing vinyl on my Z5 which has superb bass. Plays well. Bass not boomy but punchy.


----------



## RobertP

aceedburn said:


> Which is your favourite among these 2?


Hard to pick for my IEM. They both good.
Bookshelf speakers have to go with Vinyl. Depending on your gears.


----------



## lumdicks

Midnstorms said:


> so has anyone experienced battery reset? and being blessed by it? im doing one right now.. so im curious


I have done it with my modded 1A with over 4800 hours play time. Seems work with better battery life but I have not scientifically measured it.


----------



## nc8000

Midnstorms said:


> do you like plug ins? i guess not right?



I use a few plug ins, mainly codecs


----------



## gerelmx1986

Musicbee may be a bit difficult getting used to. One caveat I found it.that it would duplicate albums (in total albums count) if.you chose it.to split by Artist (unlike MesiaGo it merges albums with same name and uses VA as artist).  Other caveat I didn't get fully around with MB isthe creation of a Hi-res Audio filter/view


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Musicbee may be a bit difficult getting used to. One caveat I found it.that it would duplicate albums (in total albums count) if.you chose it.to split by Artist (unlike MesiaGo it merges albums with same name and uses VA as artist).  Other caveat I didn't get fully around with MB isthe creation of a Hi-res Audio filter/view


On the other hand ,  MB is fully featured, you can browse your music virtually by any tag, including. Composer. Has many settings and skins. You can even point to the encoder to use when ripping, it can even convert between formats. And super useful you can customize for each device how it will transfer. I had use for both walkman and SD card  MUSIC\<Composer>\<Album>\<Track> - <Title>
 And also selected copy front cover Image to file and remove from tag during transfer


----------



## Layman1

I've been having concerns about the battery life of my secondhand WM1Z.
It was fully charged, and then in the last couple of days it was down to half power.
I'd only played music for maybe 4 hours at most.
However, I had also installed two FW's whilst it wasn't plugged in to a charger, so perhaps that was the reason.

In any case, I've drained the battery to the point where it won't boot at all (no more icon saying it needs to recharge) and then charged it overnight to 100%.
Now I'm going to play it non-stop until it's drained (unless anyone says this is a bad idea?)

The idea being, I just want to find out how long the battery will truly last whilst continuously playing one of my most common playlist folders.
It has a mixture of 16/44 and 24bit FLACs of various resolutions, as well as a few WAV, mp3 and DSD files.

However, would draining it to zero again be detrimental to the battery?
Or it's fine as long as I don't drain it to the point where the 'battery needs charging' icon no longer appears?
All advice welcome 

On a side note, huge thanks to all the members here who have helped me out with FW and technical advice etc!
Despite the unfortunate occasional in-fighting, it's a great community to be a part of and I'm excited to be taking this WM1Z journey with you all


----------



## 515164 (Apr 20, 2020)

Layman1 said:


> Despite the unfortunate occasional in-fighting



Well, no fighting initiated from my side, as you can all see for yourself.



Layman1 said:


> However, would draining it to zero again be detrimental to the battery?
> Or it's fine as long as I don't drain it to the point where the 'battery needs charging' icon no longer appears?



If you do it just now it should be fine. I'm not an expert, but I'm pretty sure it's usually better to not let your battery fully drain before charging it. If you let it drain and then charge it, you kind of use up one recharge cycle. Remember that these batteries have a "limited" number of recharging cycles before they start not being as efficient and slowly wear out completely.

But as I've seen around here, the 1A/1Z's battery can last much longer when kind of resetting it when you let it fully drain (like you did, to the point where it was not turning on anymore).

By the way, thanks for the advice, whoever gave it here! (forgot who )


----------



## Layman1

morgenstern09 said:


> Well, no fighting initiated from my side, as you can all see for yourself.



Let's not go back there lol. You (and others) have made huge contributions to this thread, and I'd rather focus on that 
I wasn't actually referring to you specifically anyway, more just a general trend.
It's something that happens on most threads from time to time.
Sometimes people get into arguments over stuff, but that happens in real life too, and doesn't need to be permanently divisive necessarily.
And there's people who are passionate about the hobby in different ways, so often there's clashing opinions and viewpoints, and communicating by text makes it even easier for friction to occur.
I can't help thinking that in many cases, if the same people who got into an argument on the thread were to have met in a cafe or something, they'd probably get along really well, despite any differences


----------



## 515164 (Apr 20, 2020)

Layman1 said:


> Let's not go back there lol. You (and others) have made huge contributions to this thread, and I'd rather focus on that
> I wasn't actually referring to you specifically anyway, more just a general trend.
> It's something that happens on most threads from time to time.
> Sometimes people get into arguments over stuff, but that happens in real life too, and doesn't need to be permanently divisive necessarily.
> ...



I have absolutely no wish to fight anyone here, lol, as you noticed, nothing from my PM discussion with him ever came up here, until he decided to. I just want to make that very clear when people mention "they don't want fighting here". I don't want either, it doesn't help anyone, even though there were some people liking his comments. They probably like the fighting, which is really bad in my opinion, and encouraging a fight. I guess sometimes it's like in the real world, when *a bully* is not alone, but in a group which supports him/her.

In the last 100 pages I consider this the only "fight" that happened.

Best way to forget about this is if all people would stop mention it.


----------



## akãjerovia (Apr 20, 2020)

Hello, can someone please share the 3.01 firmware stock, i updated to 3.02 but i'm no feeling this bass, great detail though, but changes a lot the Z1R signature. I'm around 192 hours of burn in, and the resolution for me started getting better at around 135 hours.


----------



## 515164

akãjerovia said:


> Hello, can someone please share the 3.01 firmware stock, i updated to 3.02 but i'm no feeling this bass, great detail though, but changes a lot the Z1R signature. I'm around 192 hours of burn in, and the resolution for me started getting better at around 135 hours.



Here you go, man: http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_01.exe


----------



## AmnesiacSix

Just wanted to share 









I got the WM1A last week and since I have a lot of time, I decided to do a photoshoot. 

Ridiculous I know but boredom brings a lot of possibilities. Anyway I love this thing. I'm upgrading from an ZX300 that I loved dearly and decided to get this over the ZX507 mainly due to battery and a bit cause of various digging around saying the WM1A is better then the new ZX507 but not by a lot. I prefer more neutral sound as well and this one is neutral. With the UE 18+ 3rd gen, I don't know, I can't really fault it. 

Any of it. 

To me, they reached that perfect enough stage and now I'll start to find my endgame headphones. It's a pretty gorgeous device too, the WM1A. Love how it feels in the hand.​​Currently at 120hrs burn in with a metric crap ton of music to listen through all over again.​​In a year I took the ZX300 to over 1000 hours so I'm excited to do it all over again with this one.​


----------



## AmnesiacSix

Not sure why the format came out that way. Sorry.


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 20, 2020)

AmnesiacSix said:


> Just wanted to share
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Why dont you think 1A its better than zx507 by a lot?


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 20, 2020)

Thread is pretty silent today


----------



## Queen6

Did look at the ZX500, but already have a ZX300 and wanted a little more and for the most part I'm not that big into streaming, so WM1A was the better choice for me.

Q-6


----------



## Hinomotocho

Anyone from Australia? What's the lowest price the WM1A has been on Sony.com.au?


----------



## AmnesiacSix

The simple explanation basically aligns with @Queen6. I did first look at the 507 and heard that's it's a noticeable improvement over the 300, for the most part since we're all different, and the consensus I got from digging into the 1A vs the 507 is that it is also noticeably better with someone saying the 507 is in between the two older models. 

I think I heard that the 507 is quieter than the 1A in terms of noise but to me the 1A with my UE 18's is already quiet enough so I don't mind that. 

I also got a 1tb memory card so I don't care for streaming and the battery life is astounding. 

The bass is supposed to be better on the 507 but the 1A has better bass than than the 300 already so again, I'm happy with my choice. 

I meant the 1A is way better than the ZX300 since I've never listened to the 507. I used the same DSD files across certain albums between the Walkmans and fresh out of the box the balanced end of the 1A spanked the 300. And now? 

No contest. 

To me its like going from 1080p with the 300 and going 4k with the 1A. I've personally never heard the amount of detail across almost all the music I listen to with the 1A. The 300 sounds kinda flat dimensionally and a little dense with instrument separation and this is something I noticed without any burn in on the 1A. Haven't done a comparison now at 125hrs. 

I've also used it in my car on the auxiliary and the 3.5 also spanks the 300. 

The 1A has finally started to show which of my flac files aren't quality. That's a first. Also, at least to me, as I burn it in more, I have to redo EQ settings and the adjustments become more subtle as I get closer to 200hrs. So that's proof to me that the sound is changing. The most I apply to any setting in the EQ is +3 with a few frequencies untouched.


----------



## Hinomotocho

AmnesiacSix said:


> The simple explanation basically aligns with @Queen6. I did first look at the 507 and heard that's it's a noticeable improvement over the 300, for the most part since we're all different, and the consensus I got from digging into the 1A vs the 507 is that it is also noticeably better with someone saying the 507 is in between the two older models.
> 
> I think I heard that the 507 is quieter than the 1A in terms of noise but to me the 1A with my UE 18's is already quiet enough so I don't mind that.
> 
> ...


I'm a ZX300 owner lurking around here for motivation to take the step up, thanks


----------



## Damz87

Hinomotocho said:


> Anyone from Australia? What's the lowest price the WM1A has been on Sony.com.au?



I’ve never actually seen the WM1A or WM1Z discounted directly from Sony Australia.

Addicted to Audio has had them both discounted at various times over the past 12 months. I picked up my WM1Z for $2,899 from them a little under a year ago.


----------



## KurobaHeiji

Damz87 said:


> I’ve never actually seen the WM1A or WM1Z discounted directly from Sony Australia.
> 
> Addicted to Audio has had them both discounted at various times over the past 12 months. I picked up my WM1Z for $2,899 from them a little under a year ago.



You can check on minidisc.com.au as well. They also have some discounts sometimes over the year.


----------



## AmnesiacSix

@Hinomotocho 

I've been trying to find reasons to return it cause this is now breaching price points that lead the way to horrible life choices financially. Haha. 

I just can't though! 

I've heard the sentiment around here about how much is that extra 10% worth, and I think between the 1A and the 300 it's more than a 10% gain, which is an understandable thought but just can't find any motivation to return it. In fact the more I listen to it the more I love the tiny little insignificant box. 

I forgot to mention how with my UE 18+'S all the voices suddenly sounded lively and almost filled in with color now. They were just more pronounced and carried more of that "warm and alive" feeling. Haha. So vocals were another big obvious improvement over the 300. This alone, to me, changed how I listened. 

I know us audio folk get colorful with our analogies and metaphors for this pursuit of fidelity but God damn, when the vocals sound great it really does carry all this vibrant energy to what you listen. 

Live albums sound soo, soo good on this. 

I wish it came in silver though. Maybe my single worst criticism of it and I'm making a point with that. 

TLR 

I love it. I can't convince myself to return it try as might and if you're a Zx300 owner I'd say the jump in fidelity is around the 25% mark, give or take depending on the listener but this is NOT a 10% boost. 

Can't say about a 507 vs a 1A.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Damz87 said:


> I’ve never actually seen the WM1A or WM1Z discounted directly from Sony Australia.
> 
> Addicted to Audio has had them both discounted at various times over the past 12 months. I picked up my WM1Z for $2,899 from them a little under a year ago.





KurobaHeiji said:


> You can check on minidisc.com.au as well. They also have some discounts sometimes over the year.


Thank you for your replies. I'm actually from NZ and our market it too small for the higher end audio gear. I'll keep an eye out for those 2 stores, I have purchased from them in the past. Hopefully after the virus drama dies down I'll be over later in the year - I had to postpone an upcoming planned trip to Sydney, which might be a good thing as I have time to accumulate some funds for the WM1A


----------



## Hinomotocho

AmnesiacSix said:


> @Hinomotocho
> 
> I've been trying to find reasons to return it cause this is now breaching price points that lead the way to horrible life choices financially. Haha.
> 
> ...


Good to hear, thanks for the boost.
My journey started with the A15/17 which allowed me to go all flac/hi-res and then stepped up to the ZX100, then on to the ZX300 (balanced). I mostly listen at home without distractions so I can really 'listen' to my music and enjoy all the glorious elements like soundstaging and textures and details etc so I tend to really notice and appreciate even subtle improvements as I've moved onwards and upwards. Also, I'm the type of fool that'll go to great lengths and expense to claw at even a small gain - even 10% has me excited


----------



## akãjerovia

morgenstern09 said:


> Here you go, man: http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/WM1/NW-WM1_V3_01.exe



Thanks a lot!


----------



## LaValentin (Apr 21, 2020)

I have a little bit technical question. Do you know if the recent Walkmans are DC coupled or AC coupled? On my A55 I am measuring around 2 mV DC offset on one channel and 5 mV on the other one, while my decade old NW-S615F measures 0.2 mV and 2 mV. It might be that the WM1A/Z would be more accurately trimmed in case of DC coupled output. Is it anyway normal to have couple mV DC offset?


----------



## akãjerovia (Apr 21, 2020)

Finally reached 200 hours of the burn in process, but it feels like it's gonna get better. I like the synergy of the 3.01 fw with the Z1R, that bass rumble appears like a mobster. Briefly try the 3.02 fw, i've never hear the Z1R with that much detail, especially in the vocals, my mother lenguage is spanish, so i have to concentrate a bit more to understand the lyrics, but with the 3.02 fw i didn't have to try hard, but the bass was way back in the picture, like if it was grounded, altough it was tight.

Best records i heard so far on the WM1A were "Ella and Louis" 1956  24-96 FLAC and James Blake 2011 again on 24-96 FLAC. To me, this is the sweet spot, i don't have to put it on high gain, have a ton of battery, and after comparing it with 24-192 and DSD albums, to my learning ears there's no difference yet or at all.


----------



## akãjerovia

Hinomotocho said:


> I'm a ZX300 owner lurking around here for motivation to take the step up, thanks


----------



## Maxx134 (Apr 21, 2020)

akãjerovia said:


> Finally reached 200 hours of the burn in process, but it's feel like it's gonna get better. I like the synergy of the 3.01 fw with the Z1R, that bass rumble appears like a mobster. Briefly try the 3.02 fw, i've never hear the Z1R with that much detail, especially in the vocals, my mother lenguage is spanish, so i have to concentrate a bit more to understand the lyrics, but with the 3.02 fw i didn't have to try hard, but the bass was way back in the picture, like if it was grounded, altough it was tight.
> 
> Best records i heard so far on the WM1A were "Ella and Louis" 1956  24-96 FLAC and James Blake 2011 again on 24-96 FLAC. To me, this is the sweet spot, i don't have to put it on high gain, have a ton of battery, and after comparing it with 24-192 and DSD albums, to my learning ears there's no difference yet or at all.


Yeah I remember it being agreed that the 3.02 did better on the 1z, and was mixed opinions for the 1a.

If I had 1a, I would still use 3.02, because of the units overall improvements , and then add a firmware mod to it.
Then I would change the region code for last bits of sound tune.

You can quite readily fix that 3.02 impression, just with a region code change alone...
I personally like MX region.


----------



## proedros

Maxx134 said:


> Yeah I remember it being agreed that the 3.02 did better on the 1z, and was mixed opinions for the 1a.
> 
> *If I had 1a, I would still use 3.02, because of the units overall improvements , and then add a firmware mod to it.
> Then I would change the region code for last bits of sound tune.*
> ...



well you have decribed me to a T 

i have 1a , using 3.02 , added the Spring FW (from @morgenstern09  and @aceedburn )
oh, and i also changed the regin code into J


----------



## akãjerovia (Apr 21, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> Yeah I remember it being agreed that the 3.02 did better on the 1z, and was mixed opinions for the 1a.
> 
> If I had 1a, I would still use 3.02, because of the units overall improvements , and then add a firmware mod to it.
> Then I would change the region code for last bits of sound tune.
> ...



It would be nice to merge the 3.01 fw bass with the 3.02 fw detail and soundstage


----------



## aceedburn

akãjerovia said:


> It would be nice to merge to the 3.01 fw bass with the 3.02 fw detail and soundstage


You can have it on 3.02 with the seasons firmware collection  try it.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Apr 21, 2020)

I have finally received my modded 1z from romi and started to play with firmwares again lol as everything changed!

I loaded my dsd music from album Jazz at the pawn shop as I found this recording done in a natural way and the open atmosphere of the room where it seems like to be a coffee shop. So I tuned my region and firmware accordingly to that to have the most natural real to life like resonance and perception.

I came down to region CEV and stock fw 3.0.2  maybe things will change later once my burn in process completes but for now I like that new combination.


thanks to @Mindstorms  hes chart on regions overview was very help full I could at least have glance of a view to where to head


----------



## akãjerovia (Apr 21, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> You can have it on 3.02 with the seasons firmware collection  try it.



I want to burn in the 1A a bit more before i play with it, but i can imagine the fun you guys must be having, great tunneable player. Made me sold my Plenue 1 to buy an A45 just to have that "Sony sound" with my micro BL while i'm painting, very fun sound. To me the sony's are the only ones yet where i found that "holographicness"


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 21, 2020)

Dont you guys notice something different? My name its now correctly spelled lol   thansk to the headfi admin AxelCloris! he rules!


----------



## Maxx134

akãjerovia said:


> It would be nice to merge to the 3.01 fw bass with the 3.02 fw detail and soundstage


Yes just upgrade to 3.02, then change the region code for that.
I like MX & mx3 but so many others...



Vitaly2017 said:


> thanks to @Mindstorms hes chart on regions overview was very help full I could at least have glance of a view to where to head


Yes his chart is quite amazing.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Mindstorms said:


> Dont you guys notice something different? My name its now correctly spelled lol   thansk to the headfi admin AxelCloris! he rules!




WoW for real????  I never paid attention to that lo lo lo you where always the mindstorms on my mind 


Maybe Alex could help me change my name to Tiger Ears to ?    That would be so great!


----------



## Highbury73

Vitaly2017 said:


> WoW for real????  I never paid attention to that lo lo lo you where always the mindstorms on my mind
> 
> 
> Maybe Alex could help me change my name to Tiger Ears to ?    That would be so great!


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> WoW for real????  I never paid attention to that lo lo lo you where always the mindstorms on my mind
> 
> 
> Maybe Alex could help me change my name to Tiger Ears to ?    That would be so great!


I think it was a one time exception since it was only a reversed letter lol i was Midnstorms anyways i also have this name registered so it as no problem for them dont think you can be changing names randomly lol


----------



## Vitaly2017

Mindstorms said:


> I think it was a one time exception since it was only a reversed letter lol i was Midnstorms anyways i also have this name registered so it as no problem for them dont think you can be changing names randomly lol





Yea but Tiger Ears is my earned name vitaly2017 was just random stuff at that time haha I wasnt so famous back then          Nor was paying such importance to headfi...


----------



## Quang23693

Vitaly2017 said:


> I have finally received my modded 1z from romi and started to play with firmwares again lol as everything changed!
> 
> I loaded my dsd music from album Jazz at the pawn shop as I found this recording done in a natural way and the open atmosphere of the room where it seems like to be a coffee shop. So I tuned my region and firmware accordingly to that to have the most natural real to life like resonance and perception.
> 
> ...


Hi, maybe i missed his chart on regions. Could u please show it again ? I really need it. Tks


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 21, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yea but Tiger Ears is my earned name vitaly2017 was just random stuff at that time haha I wasnt so famous back then          Nor was paying such importance to headfi...


Well I guess you can allways ask! But its understanded since everyone here have seen madascar movie (and surely they think about that all the time lol) that Vitaly its a tiger and sice you have tiger ears then its preaty easy to relate lol


----------



## nc8000 (Apr 21, 2020)

Over the last month at home I’ve been timing my 1Z under various conditions. 

3 1/2 years old with about 3.500 hours of play time (unit had a factory reset at about 2.700 hours).
Unit in stand by when not playing, never turned off. 
Battery saver 90% play 3-5 hours per day until turn off.
Balanced out 3.02 J plus Autumn+ or Solis

2020-03-26 723 hours: BaseLine
2020-03-31 738 hours: 15 hours HiRes flac with Vinyl processor + Normal gain
2020-04-05 753 hours: 15 hours HiRes flac with Vinyl processor + High gain
2020-04-10 771 hours: 18 hours HiRes flac Source Direct + Normal gain
2020-04-16 788 hours: 18 hours HiRes flac Source Direct + High gain
2020-04-21 809 hours: 21 hours Red Book flac Source Direct + High gain

So vinyl processor cost 3 hours play time as does mixed hires but high gain to same volume does not cost any.


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> Over the last month at home I’ve been timing my 1Z under various conditions.
> 
> Privat Sony
> 
> ...


So does battery actually getting better with time also you have auto powerf off? and also you are on 3.02 right balanced? (also sorry when do you recharge when last bar starts flashing?)


----------



## nc8000 (Apr 21, 2020)

Mindstorms said:


> So does battery actually getting better with time also you have auto powerf off? and also you are on 3.02 right balanced?



No auto power off, just goes to stand by when not playing, has not been turned off in 3 1/2 years. Balanced out and 3.02 (Autumn+ and J at the moment but have also been on Solis).
My feeling is that the battery time is about the same as it has always been


----------



## LaValentin (Apr 21, 2020)

LaValentin said:


> I have a little bit technical question. Do you know if the recent Walkmans are DC coupled or AC coupled? On my A55 I am measuring around 2 mV DC offset on one channel and 5 mV on the other one, while my decade old NW-S615F measures 0.2 mV and 2 mV. It might be that the WM1A/Z would be more accurately trimmed in case of DC coupled output. Is it anyway normal to have couple mV DC offset?


The output DC offset compensation should be done by the DAC internally using negative feedback. And assuming that all of the latest DAPs from Sony use the CXD3778GF *S-Master HX,* they all should share similar DC offset performance, as this should not depend on any external filter components used. In general heaving a DC offset at the headphone output is undesirable for many reasons, these include: reduced dynamic range, heating up of the driver coil, waste of power etc. So I am just curious if 5 mV is acceptable? You can measure yours with multimeter set to mV range and a male to male 3.5 cable.


----------



## Mindstorms

Does anyone has issues sometimes not showing the Track Photo? it is happening to me in two walkmas dough in my computer it shows all the photos of each track in the walkman some photos just dont show im in 3.00!


----------



## nc8000

Mindstorms said:


> Does anyone has issues sometimes not showing the Track Photo? it is happening to me in two walkmas dough in my computer it shows all the photos of each track in the walkman some photos just dont show im in 3.00!



They are probably progressive jpg. Walkman OS only support baseline. The Android based players do support progressive


----------



## Vitaly2017

Screen print of the picture and then saved to paint in to jpeg did help me solve the trick.

At some point with 1 album it didnt work, so I just renamed it lol and it then worked go figure jesus!


----------



## Hinomotocho

Mindstorms said:


> Does anyone has issues sometimes not showing the Track Photo? it is happening to me in two walkmas dough in my computer it shows all the photos of each track in the walkman some photos just dont show im in 3.00!


There are a couple of methods for converting the images to show up. I use Tagscanner (Windows/free) for tagging my music - it has an option in the album art section to simply 'recompress' which has worked for every album I previously had an issue with. There is another option using Windows paint but someone else would have to help you with that method.


----------



## NickleCo

morgenstern09 said:


> Nice! If you have the WM1A, I recommend giving a try to 3.02 with J region


Been holding out on 3.02 J since i think it would be way too bassy but i'm thoroughly impressed! It's not bassy (at all) plus that treble smoothness (on autumn+ rn) can really tell that you tuned with this combo. Thanks for recommending it man and appreciate the mods you brought to us normies


----------



## NickleCo

Mindstorms said:


> Does anyone has issues sometimes not showing the Track Photo? it is happening to me in two walkmas dough in my computer it shows all the photos of each track in the walkman some photos just dont show im in 3.00!


get mp3tag man  just cut+paste the cover art. Just remember to save it after doing so and another thing, save when you're dealing with different cover arts.


----------



## Mindstorms

How on earth this is happening lol


----------



## Highbury73

Hi all, its been a while since i updated my unit. I see 3.02 is available with some useful features I would like to use. Problem is i only have a mac at home and it seems like its only available to update with a windows PC. Is there away around this other user have found pls?


----------



## slumberman

Highbury73 said:


> Hi all, its been a while since i updated my unit. I see 3.02 is available with some useful features I would like to use. Problem is i only have a mac at home and it seems like its only available to update with a windows PC. Is there away around this other user have found pls?



I used my Mac to update to 3.02. Depends on what OS you’re currently running. Works fine on anything up to Mojave.


----------



## Highbury73

slumberman said:


> I used my Mac to update to 3.02. Depends on what OS you’re currently running. Works fine on anything up to Mojave.


Thanks slumberman ive got Catalina onboard.  Will give it a try.  The last update i did was years ago and i remmebr then ont he websites there were two routes to go down to update.  One PC one Mac.  I'll connect and give it a go, see where it gets me.  Cheers


----------



## slumberman

Highbury73 said:


> Thanks slumberman ive got Catalina onboard.  Will give it a try.  The last update i did was years ago and i remmebr then ont he websites there were two routes to go down to update.  One PC one Mac.  I'll connect and give it a go, see where it gets me.  Cheers


I don’t think Catalina will work unfortunately.


----------



## Highbury73

slumberman said:


> I don’t think Catalina will work unfortunately.


 oh well i do have another machine with an older operating system, maybe that will work.  I think its mountain lion but i could be wrong.


----------



## Highbury73

Highbury73 said:


> oh well i do have another machine with an older operating system, maybe that will work.  I think its mountain lion but i could be wrong.


perhaps i can update it from my Xbox ha!


----------



## slumberman

Highbury73 said:


> oh well i do have another machine with an older operating system, maybe that will work.  I think its mountain lion but i could be wrong.


Mojave is the last OS under which the installer works as expected as far as I know. Mt Lion should work ok!


----------



## kenjamin0523

I would be nice if anyone can try to mod stock 1Z FW 2.0, I really miss out that oganic sound


----------



## siruspan (Apr 22, 2020)

I started testing the Season firmwares and I would like to thank @morgenstern09 and @aceedburn for their hard work.

I've installed so far Autumn, Autumn+ and WInter but I must say they are not my cup of tea. They sound clean, impactful, tighter and very resolving without being sharp but they are very upper midrange/treble heavy and lack some kind of softness and finesse. I find them fatiguing and not really melodious. At the same time they are not as direct as stock firmwares. I feel very slight, like semi translucent barrier between me and the music. It's hard to compare these firmwares head to head but I've got Ibasso DX160 which is neutral with only slight hint of warmth and it feels warmer, more musical and more direct than WM1A on season firmwares. On the contrary with stock firmwares it's the WM1A which feels more melodious, thicker and warmer than DX160.

I would say that these firmware would be probably a good pair with headphones that are darker and with very gentle and laid back treble. I assume from the descriptions that summer and Spring are even brighter?

I was testing on Shure KSE1200.


----------



## Queen6

PJ Harvey 



If not listened to her work, you owe it to yourself...

Q-6


----------



## akãjerovia

nc8000 said:


> Over the last month at home I’ve been timing my 1Z under various conditions.
> 
> 3 1/2 years old with about 3.500 hours of play time (unit had a factory reset at about 2.700 hours).
> Unit in stand by when not playing, never turned off.
> ...



Thanks man, i needed this. I tought high gain drained the battery like the screen brightness so i leave it off, now i'm back to 3.02 on high gain and the bass is more where i like it volume 80, and with the improve clarity of the 3.02. Yesterday i listened to The Chemical Brothers Come With Us with this configuration, big sound


----------



## Lookout57

siruspan said:


> I started testing the Season firmwares and I would like to thank @morgenstern09 and @aceedburn for their hard work.
> 
> I've installed so far Autumn, Autumn+ and WInter but I must say they are not my cup of tea. They sound clean, impactful, tighter and very resolving without being sharp but they are very upper midrange/treble heavy and lack some kind of softness and finesse. I find them fatiguing and not really melodious. At the same time they are not as direct as stock firmwares. I feel very slight, like semi translucent barrier between me and the music. It's hard to compare these firmwares head to head but I've got Ibasso DX160 which is neutral with only slight hint of warmth and it feels warmer, more musical and more direct than WM1A on season firmwares. On the contrary with stock firmwares it's the WM1A which feels more melodious, thicker and warmer than DX160.
> 
> ...


Try Spring which has a more balanced sound.


----------



## Lookout57

kenjamin0523 said:


> I would be nice if anyone can try to mod stock 1Z FW 2.0, I really miss out that oganic sound


There really isn't modded firmware. The reality is there is modified tunings that get loaded when installing firmware. 

If you reinstall the same firmware version or even try to load an invalid firmware image the new tuning which is in SWUpdate.xml will get loaded and overwrite the default sound signature but still allow access to all normal sound settings.

The details on how to modify SWUpdate.xml has not been made public but maybe @Whitigir or @morgenstern09 can help you.


----------



## 515164 (May 8, 2020)

*Edit: In the meantime, another tuning mod was released for the WM1A (ZTAZ1), which is available here (click). Also, feel free to check my signature for additional ones.*


Hello, and allow me to introduce you...


*Avlos* and *Diavlos.

If you applied other tunings before, it's recommended that you first flash the stock 3.02 firmware (download here) before applying one of these tunings.


Avlos* (or *Diavlos*) was one of the most significant ancient Greek wind instruments used
in almost all the private and public ceremonies, in national competitions, in processions
and in tragedies. It was connected with the worship of the ancient God Dionysus. Dionysus
was the Olympian god of wine, vegetation, pleasure, festivity, madness and wild frenzy.


*Avlos *- _Sweet and laid back sound, with unmistakable detail retrieval, and balanced
               all across the range. Experience warmth, musicality, and smoothness in your music._

*Diavlos* - _Feel the punch and let the bass depth rattle your senses while producing
                clear and airy vocals, coupled with silky smooth highs with excellent detail retrieval._


Feel free to give them a try, *here (click)*.


Please note that the tunings were achieved on a stock WM1A, with firmware version 3.02, and
region J. Though you can find packages for WM1Z and ZX300/A in the link above, the tunings
may sound slightly different than on a stock WM1A.

Only Windows versions are available.

Thanks again, @aceedburn, for helping with the testing and with the descriptions for the mods.

Enjoy!


----------



## proedros

morgenstern09 said:


> Hello, and allow me to introduce you...
> 
> 
> *Avlos* and *Diavlos.
> ...



yes please , thank you very much indeed  

ps : here is today's stellar Prog House mix (from 2001)


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> Hello, and allow me to introduce you...
> 
> 
> *Avlos* and *Diavlos.
> ...





Awsom will try them very soon      I suspect those new names on the firmwares are related to the latest interactions that occurred between the two teams he, quiet a big deviation from seasons all the way up to the gods  ;P

From the description I feel that I might like the Avlos  the god of the pleasures ?


----------



## 515164

Vitaly2017 said:


> I suspect those new names on the firmwares are related to the latest interactions that occurred between the two teams



Ah, no, trust me, there's no link here, I just liked the name.

Avlos is actually an instrument, connected with the worship of the ancient God Dionysus, and Dionysus was the Olympian god of wine, vegetation, pleasure, festivity, madness and wild frenzy. 

I actually studied a bit of Greek in highschool, so it's not my first time when I had contact with ancient Greece and its culture.


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> Ah, no, trust me, there's no link here, I just liked the name.
> 
> Avlos is actually an instrument, connected with the worship of the ancient God Dionysus, and Dionysus was the Olympian god of wine, vegetation, pleasure, festivity, madness and wild frenzy.
> 
> I actually studied a bit of Greek in highschool, so it's not my first time when I had contact with ancient Greece and its culture.




why you use J always for tuning how about other regions?  Like U seems to have deeper sub bass, MX3 seems more natural, J has also its own little special taste like feels airy


----------



## 515164

Vitaly2017 said:


> why you use J always for tuning how about other regions?  Like U seems to have deeper sub bass, MX3 seems more natural, J has also its own little special taste like feels airy



Well, I don't have that much time to also experiment with regions. Avlos on J really sounds special, and has plenty of bass to me. Diavlos has even a bit more.


----------



## bana

nc8000 said:


> Over the last month at home I’ve been timing my 1Z under various conditions.
> 
> 3 1/2 years old with about 3.500 hours of play time (unit had a factory reset at about 2.700 hours).
> Unit in stand by when not playing, never turned off.
> ...


Do you prefer Autumn+ or Solis?


----------



## Lookout57

bana said:


> Do you prefer Autumn+ or Solis?


 For my setup stock 1Z, Region J, Solaris SE, DHC Clone Silver balanced Solis was too much as the Clone Silver is a resolution beast and presented everything. To me it ended up sounding unnatural with weird echo's in some vocals.

I went to Jupiter T3 for awhile and now on Autumn+. 

So it all depends on IEM cable paring and what signature you like. For me I like a warm natural sound where I can get lost in the music.


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> Well, I don't have that much time to also experiment with regions. Avlos on J really sounds special, and has plenty of bass to me. Diavlos has even a bit more.




Its alright I was just curious as maybe it was the chef special recipe  With J


----------



## nc8000

bana said:


> Do you prefer Autumn+ or Solis?



Both. Different presentation but both very good. Solis is a McLaren F1 and Autumn+ is an Aston Martin


----------



## etlouis

akãjerovia said:


> Finally reached 200 hours of the burn in process, but it feels like it's gonna get better. I like the synergy of the 3.01 fw with the Z1R, that bass rumble appears like a mobster. Briefly try the 3.02 fw, i've never hear the Z1R with that much detail, especially in the vocals, my mother lenguage is spanish, so i have to concentrate a bit more to understand the lyrics, but with the 3.02 fw i didn't have to try hard, but the bass was way back in the picture, like if it was grounded, altough it was tight.
> 
> Best records i heard so far on the WM1A were "Ella and Louis" 1956  24-96 FLAC and James Blake 2011 again on 24-96 FLAC. To me, this is the sweet spot, i don't have to put it on high gain, have a ton of battery, and after comparing it with 24-192 and DSD albums, to my learning ears there's no difference yet or at all.



That seems to be the case with any unofficial FW. Bass boost. More forward vocals. I really should A-B the effects of these FW and compare it to EQ.

Can someone make an opposite effect FW with lower the bass and push the vocals back?


----------



## 515164

etlouis said:


> That seems to be the case with any unofficial FW. Bass boost. More forward vocals. I really should A-B the effects of these FW and compare it to EQ.
> 
> Can someone make an opposite effect FW with lower the bass and push the vocals back?





akãjerovia said:


> I like the synergy of the 3.01 fw with the Z1R, that bass rumble appears like a mobster



I'm pretty sure he's talking about stock 3.01 firmware. There are differences from version to version between official firmwares.


----------



## Vitaly2017

So I tried the Avlos and Diavlos.

Avlos was a little too sharp for my preference slightly bright felt a little to strong on the attacks they have a sparkly hitting notes.
Was quiet well balanced.

Diavlos was right away aaa yea that bass is good , I preferred that one more. Still felt a little to aggressive for my setup. 

I once again came back to MX3+stock 3.0.2 it feels more balanced and not sharp very good synergy for my rig

Maybe if @morgenstern09  can smooth the edges of diavlos make a little more balanced, even out the bass with treble to bring them a little down. It might also be the 7 to 12 k region that might be bright instead of the 15k + I am not sure at 100%. With less aggression things would get more easy for the long run listeners, as the firmwares you made are great but for long term listen that can get fatiguing.


----------



## bana

nc8000 said:


> Both. Different presentation but both very good. Solis is a McLaren F1 and Autumn+ is an Aston Martin


Thanks. I'm sticking with Solis, J region for now and will just enjoy the music. Heck, I had an Ipod forever until I found this site.


----------



## slumberman

bana said:


> Heck, I had an Ipod forever until I found this site.



relatable!


----------



## Vitaly2017

bana said:


> Thanks. I'm sticking with Solis, J region for now and will just enjoy the music. Heck, I had an Ipod forever until I found this site.




Solis 3.0.1 or 3.0.2?  man 3.0.1 is much wilder animal then 3.0.2  3.0.2 to smooth too gentle


----------



## Blueoris

I opened Media Go in my PC and I noticed a weird label there (first image). When I clicked on it, some information got displayed in the right side panel of the application (second image). I clicked on the link and I got taken to https://mora.jp/help/?cpid=mediago.help.soushin/ (third image). Any idea what is this and why it is in Media Go? 

I should say I changed the region of my 1Z to JP, and ran some mods in this PC.This was the first time I opened Media Go since then, and that label wasn't there last time I opened the program.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Blueoris said:


> I opened Media Go in my PC and I noticed a weird label there (first image). When I clicked on it, some information got displayed in the right side panel of the application (second image). I clicked on the link and I got taken to https://mora.jp/help/?cpid=mediago.help.soushin/ (third image). Any idea what is this and why it is in Media Go?
> 
> I should say I changed the region of my 1Z to JP, and ran some mods in this PC.This was the first time I opened Media Go since then, and that label wasn't there last time I opened the program.


From my basic Japanese understanding I think it detected the Japanese region change which added/unlocked a Japanese only feature, a link to download music from Mora.jp. But I think because you are outside of Japan it won't allow a direct link from the program and it is asking you to try using your browser to access the site.


----------



## Queen6

morgenstern09 said:


> Well, I don't have that much time to also experiment with regions. Avlos on J really sounds special, and has plenty of bass to me. Diavlos has even a bit more.



J is the most balanced of the regions, although a touch veiled in the highs. Other regions are more V shaped _E_, some tilted to bass _TW_, some tilted to higher resolution _CN_. IMO best regions are _J, MX3 & CEV_, equally your IEM/HP & music will also play a big part. 

Note some Regions do not support Sony's BT Remote (RMT-NWS20)

Q-6


----------



## Lookout57

Queen6 said:


> J is the most balanced of the regions, although a touch veiled in the highs. Other regions are more V shaped _E_, some tilted to bass _TW_, some tilted to higher resolution _CN_. IMO best regions are _J, MX3 & CEV_, equally your IEM/HP & music will also play a big part.
> 
> Note some Regions do not support Sony's BT Remote (RMT-NWS20)
> 
> Q-6


Only Regions E and J support Sony's BT Remote (RMT-NWS20)


----------



## Queen6

Apocalyptica's best album for me


Flows beautifully, deep & moving...

Q-6


----------



## Blueoris

Hinomotocho said:


> From my basic Japanese understanding I think it detected the Japanese region change which added/unlocked a Japanese only feature, a link to download music from Mora.jp. But I think because you are outside of Japan it won't allow a direct link from the program and it is asking you to try using your browser to access the site.



That makes sense. Thanks Hinomotocho.


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 22, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> Only Regions E and J support Sony's BT Remote (RMT-NWS20)



More do it's just not publicised, however not all, which is a pity as MX3 is excellent. From memory; J, E, CA, TW, CN support RMT-NWS20, potentially more.

Q-6


----------



## proedros

Queen6 said:


> More do it's just not publicised, however not all, which is a pity as MX3 is excellent. From memory; J, E, CA, TW, CN support RMT-NWS20, potentially more.
> 
> Q-6



how is MX3 compared to J ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> how is MX3 compared to J ?




I found mx3 more dynamic and more powerful in presentation and has much tighter bass, mids present nice natural voices and more closer to you. Highs are not bright nor recessed.

J has more airy presentation and not as deep in sub bass. J is also easy to listen.
MX3 is over all a dynamic and and active sound presentation, I find MX3 more natural while J is more special.


----------



## Queen6

proedros said:


> how is MX3 compared to J ?



_MX3 _is more dynamic, U shaped, boosts the bass and treble, yet maintains a good mid range, touch narrower than_ J_. Flip the _switch_, ultimately your ears will decide  _E _is more V shaped and can be piercing with some highly resolving IEM's. Best bet is to listen to a very familiar track then flip to see the difference.   

J to me offers the best Region for tuning, and will suit those with a wide variety of genres, of all the Regions personally I'd opt for _J_ or _MX3._ I've yet to try CEV as that may be another Region that will impress...

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

CEV is to low in volume I dont find it as good as mx3, I did like it at first but to recessed over all 
I like J but MX3 is better, I have to admit when I had stock 1z I didnt like neither CEV nor MX3 lol. I liked the U second the J


----------



## Lookout57

Queen6 said:


> _MX3 _is more dynamic, U shaped, boosts the bass and treble, yet maintains a good mid range, touch narrower than_ J_. Flip the _switch_, ultimately your ears will decide  _E _is more V shaped and can be piercing with some highly resolving IEM's. Best bet is to listen to a very familiar track then flip to see the difference.
> 
> J to me offers the best Region for tuning, and will suit those with a wide variety of genres, of all the Regions personally I'd opt for _J_ or _MX3._ I've yet to try CEV as that may be another Region that will impress...
> 
> Q-6


I agree that E can be piercing with some highly resolving IEM's like the Solaris SE and the DHC Clone Silver. I was glad when I moved to J and sticking to that and experimenting with all the different tunings. Currently I'm liking Avlos with the 1A. Going to try Diavlos on the 1Z.


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 22, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I found mx3 more dynamic and more powerful in presentation and has much tighter bass, mids present nice natural voices and more closer to you. Highs are not bright nor recessed.
> 
> J has more airy presentation and not as deep in sub bass. J is also easy to listen.
> MX3 is over all a dynamic and and active sound presentation, I find MX3 more natural while J is more special.



I would say that _J _is more accurate on WM1A, _MX3 _is more enjoyable. _J_ is more balanced which lends to those of us who listen across multiple IEM & genres

_CN_ - Tuned for the Chinese market, heavy on resolution, bass is tamed
_CA_ - Mid bass spills over, big fun & bouncy wears off in time
_J_ - Relatively neutral, little veiled in the treble, equally allows for prolonged listening without fatigue
_E_ - V shaped, can be piercing with some highly resolving IEM's, fine on ZX300, not so much on WM1A
_MX3_ - U shaped very musical and enjoyable
_TW_ - Trades of resolution for bass, with narrower staging

Worth noting these changes are rather nuanced, depending on your IEM & HP, choice of genres and hearing; if I had to call it _J_ & _MX3..._

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Lookout57 said:


> I agree that E can be piercing with some highly resolving IEM's like the Solaris SE and the DHC Clone Silver. I was glad when I moved to J and sticking to that and experimenting with all the different tunings. Currently I'm liking Avlos with the 1A. Going to try Diavlos on the 1Z.



I ran my ZX300 on_ E_ for a good while without out any issue, 30 seconds into _E _with a very familiar track with the same IEM (Andromeda) on WM1A I was reaching for the USB cable  Speaks volumes as the WM1A is simply far more resolving than the ZX300 and more suited to_ J _or _MX3_ IMO 

Q-6


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Queen6 said:


> I would say that _J _is more accurate on WM1A, _MX3 _is more enjoyable. _J_ is more balanced which lends to those of us who listen across multiple IEM & genres
> 
> _CN_ - Tuned for the Chinese market, heavy on resolution, bass is tamed
> _CA_ - Mid bass spills over, big fun & bouncy wears in time
> ...


Thanks for that


----------



## Queen6

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Thanks for that



Just impressions, best to try for yourself as is no risk. Very easy to flip through the various regions, best to pick the same well known High Res track and the difference should be noticeable. 

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

It's all in the title

Groove is on...

Q-6


----------



## Maxx134 (Apr 23, 2020)

bana said:


> Do you prefer Autumn+ or Solis?


After some testing on Autumn+, I felt it was nice and different experience, but I still went back to Solis.

I personally feel Solis sounds more alive and detailed than all the firmwares (planets & seasons & others), and it makes me always go back to Solis.




Queen6 said:


> _CN_ - Tuned for the Chinese market, heavy on resolution, bass is tamed


I have been on MX & MX3 regions for long time, as my fav regions... On Solis firmware.
But.
This "CN" region  does sound to have the most detail of all the regions, but it's missing the bass!

So I thought wait,  I will combine this region, with the bass from Diavlos...And...wow.

I have to say, I finally feel I'm not missing the liveliness and resolve that I am used to( with Solis).


So I now have another "sweet spot" choice of firmware/region to enjoy.

So for my 1z, Diavloss firmwares on CN region works very well. Great synergy!


Need to test more, so we'll see how long this love lasts!


----------



## Quang23693

Maxx134 said:


> After some testing on Autumn+, I felt it was nice and different experience, but I still went back to Solis.
> 
> I personally feel Solis sounds more alive and detailed than all the firmwares (planets & seasons & others), and it makes me always go back to Solis.
> 
> ...


I also have a same impression on CN region. I love solis on J or MX3. With me MX too much bass and CN missing bass though it have more detail.


----------



## flyer1 (Apr 23, 2020)

These new firmware mods keep impressing me.

Diavlos, set to U region sounds great on my 1Z/EX1000. Deepest sub bass I heard on my 1Z, fantastic resolution and extended but smooth highs


----------



## aceedburn

Been a while. WM1A - Autumn+ - J


----------



## lumdicks

morgenstern09 said:


> Hello, and allow me to introduce you...
> 
> 
> *Avlos* and *Diavlos.
> ...


Thanks much @morgenstern09 and @aceedburn for another wonderful FWs! I am using Diavlos with my stock 1Z and FiR Audio M5 with Eletech Lliad cable and it is so amazing! 

For my modded 1A, I still think Autumn+ is the one best suits me!


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 23, 2020)

For my library for 16/44 or hi-res that is not dsd I use for multi disc compukations in album name either Album CD # or Album (Roman number) or Album, vol #.

For DSD I use Album SACD # and the above of roman or col. # too


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> For my library for 16/44 or hi-res that is not dsd I use for multi disc compukations in album name either Album CD # or Album (Roman number) or Album, vol #.
> 
> For DSD I use Album SACD # and the above of roman or col. # too



I never use the cd# tag, I renumber the tracks on cd 2 and upwards so it just appears as one album with a lot of tracks


----------



## 515164

Usually I use:


```
Artist Name/Album Name (year) [bit depth-sample rate]/Cd number Two digits track - Track title

Example: Arctic Monkeys/AM (2013) [16-44]/101 - Do I Wanna Know
```

Sometimes I use:


```
Artist Name/Album Name (year) [bit depth-sample rate]/CD number/Two digits track number - Track title

Example: Arctic Monkeys/AM (2013) [16-44]/CD 1/01 - Do I Wanna Know
```

For DSD I replace [16-44] with just DSD usually, the sample rate is already showing up in the player when playing the file and I mostly have DSD64 files.

Worked fine for me so far


----------



## nc8000

These examples just show how impossible it is for music suppliers to deliver meta data that fits everybody


----------



## 515164

nc8000 said:


> These examples just show how impossible it is for music suppliers to deliver meta data that fits everybody



I use some software that renames the files like that based on the files' metadata. I just create the folder structure 

EZ CD Audio Converter (it also supports DSD)


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> I use some software that renames the files like that based on the files' metadata. I just create the folder structure
> 
> EZ CD Audio Converter (it also supports DSD)



Yes so do I, but I almost always have to massage the meta data first as it does not meet how I use meta data


----------



## bana

Vitaly2017 said:


> Solis 3.0.1 or 3.0.2?  man 3.0.1 is much wilder animal then 3.0.2  3.0.2 to smooth too gentle


Ok, I will try 3.0.1 at your suggestion.


----------



## Lookout57 (Apr 23, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> Usually I use:
> 
> 
> ```
> ...


I only note the source type in the Album name: Here are a couple of examples:

Fleetwood Mac [Hi-Res]         Downloaded or purchased content or a DVD-Audio rip.
Music from Big Pink [DSD]     Purchased DSD or SACD rip
Hell Freezes Over [DVD]       DVD Video rips, either 2 channel hi-res or hi-res multi-channel down mixed down during import to 2 channel

I also like to add the year to the album folder name so when browsing by folder I can see quicker which is the older albums and also makes it nice when listen to an folder as it will cycle from oldest to newest albums. I've thinking about even adding the year to the album sort tag. So when I browse by artist I'll see the albums by year since Sony is ignoring the Year tag.

This is how I organize my folders. At the top level I have folders for all the letters of the alphabet. Then under that a folder for each artist in alphabetical sort order and then album by year along with the appropriate playlist if I have one for that artist. Here is an example:

B
Band, The​1968 - Music from Big Pink [DSD]​1969 - The Band [DSD]​1970 - Stage Fright [Hi-Res]​1971 - Cahoots [Hi-Res]​1975 - Northern Lights – Southern Cross [Hi-Res]​2000 - Greatest Hits​Band, The.m3u8​Beach Boys, The​1966 - Pet Sounds [Hi-Res]​Beatles, The​1967 - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition [Hi-Res]​1968 - The Beatles (The White Album) 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition [Hi-Res]​1969 - Abbey Road 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition [Hi-Res]​


----------



## RobertP

Classical tune for NW-WM1Z is up! >> *Here*

Much improvement over the 1A version. I'll update a much better tune for vinyl and classical for 1A soon.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Apr 24, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Classical tune for NW-WM1Z is up! >> *Here*
> 
> Much improvement over the 1A version. I'll update a much better tune for vinyl and classical for 1A soon.


I’m very impressed with your interpretation for Classical 1Z. This is definitely top dog. Soundstage is very wide and grand, coupled with 1Z depth makes amazing 3 D stage. Feels very natural, lifelike. Timber spot on. Speed is right, no too fast or too slow. Separation is very good, you can hear every instruments clearly without having to strain yourself, even during complex passages. Bass is slamming, hits hard and no bleed. F*ck the vocals and echoes, they’re haunting. Most importantly to me, you achieve all this having energy, excitement while still sounding  very bold and musical. This is done Right. Applaud to you!

Just want to say, AVLOS, DIAVLOS as well as Solis and Classical 1Z are the top FW for me. Thank you all who makes all these possible. You guys have amazing Tiger Ears. Continue churning up these FW and keep raising the bar Higher!


I’m using mod 1Z J Region 3.02 high gain, ALO 16 Gold iem cable and EE Phantom, never my fav since it’s so thick, cloudy and syrupy, but now I’m in heaven. 😃


----------



## RobertP

hamhamhamsta said:


> I’m very impressed with your interpretation for Classical 1Z. This is definitely top dog. Soundstage is very wide and grand, coupled with 1Z depth makes amazing 3 D stage. Feels very natural, lifelike. Timber spot on. Speed is right, no too fast or too slow. Separation is very good, you can hear every instruments clearly without having to strain yourself, even during complex passages. Bass is slamming, hits hard and no bleed. F*ck the vocals and echoes, they’re haunting. Most importantly to me, you achieve all this having energy, excitement while still sounding  very bold and musical. This is done Right. Applaud to you!
> 
> Just want to say, AVLOS, DIAVLOSS as well as Solis and Classical 1Z are the top FW for me. Thank you all to who makes all these possible. You guys have amazing Tiger Ears. Continue churning up these FW and keep raising the bar Higher!
> 
> ...


Glad you like it.


----------



## Redcarmoose

_Sony Pentaconn 4.4mm MUC-M12NB1 1.2m StarQuad OFC IEM Cable
BGVP DM6 5BA Universal IEM
Sony NW-WM1Z Digital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW Jupiter301T1_


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Apr 24, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Glad you like it.


I just want to say, the magic is in high gain.

Just earlier, I was listening low gain, I was like, hey this sounds lifeless, so different from my earlier perception, and when I turn on high gain, voila the magic is back again.

The difference is that in low gain, everything sounds flat & monotone, while in high gain, there's energy, peak and valleys, live vocals, notes & instruments have weight, bass hits hard, treble goes high. Huge difference in sound qualities and enjoyment, music becomes alive, and playing loudly helps too.


----------



## gerelmx1986

RobertP said:


> Glad you like it.


Do you have the updated classical for wm1A?


----------



## siruspan (Apr 24, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> I would say that _J _is more accurate on WM1A, _MX3 _is more enjoyable. _J_ is more balanced which lends to those of us who listen across multiple IEM & genres
> 
> _CN_ - Tuned for the Chinese market, heavy on resolution, bass is tamed
> _CA_ - Mid bass spills over, big fun & bouncy wears off in time
> ...



I use E on WM1A because it just sounds best to my ear but I agree that if someone uses iems that have any hint of sharpness that can be too much with that region. It isn't even how much treble you're iems have it's about how good they are.


----------



## RobertP

gerelmx1986 said:


> Do you have the updated classical for wm1A?


Yes. I just finished right now. >> *Here*
Enjoy!


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> Yes. I just finished right now. >> *Here*
> Enjoy!


Hmm the file name is the same as the old one? And the new updated vinyl a?


----------



## Queen6

siruspan said:


> I use E on WM1A because it just sounds best to my ear but I agree that if someone uses iems that have any hint of sharpness that can be too much with that region. It isn't even how much treble you're iems have it's about how good they are.



Region _E _was fine with CF Andromeda on ZX-300, I may revisit as the WM1A has now has a lot more hours on the clock which another factor, equally _E_ is more V shaped. _J_ is flatter and presents a certain warmth. As I like to listen across many genres and with various IEM's the more balanced tuning of J works well for my needs.

As ever no rights or wrongs, it's all a matter of personal taste & hearing  

Q-6


----------



## RobertP

aceedburn said:


> Hmm the file name is the same as the old one? And the new updated vinyl a?


Not yet.


----------



## audionewbi

As a WM1A user, Autum+ and IER-Z1R just feel so nice, I cannot go back to other FW. I still need to try spring, but Autum+ 3.02 with J region has amazing synergy.


----------



## lumdicks

RobertP said:


> Classical tune for NW-WM1Z is up! >> *Here*
> 
> Much improvement over the 1A version. I'll update a much better tune for vinyl and classical for 1A soon.


Thanks @RobertP for the Classical FW for 1Z and it is another fantastic one! The soundstage, resolution and smoothness is perfect for me with my stock 1Z and preferred music genres. Congrats for the great work and thanks for your selfless sharing. I am trying Vinyl FW on my modded 1A and wonder whether there will be an updated version as well?


----------



## RobertP

RobertP said:


> Yes. I just finished right now. >> *Here*
> Enjoy!


OK Vinyl for WM1A is updated.


----------



## RobertP

Much much better in Vinyl


----------



## NickleCo (Apr 24, 2020)

Does sq change when you resolder broken solder joints in the jacks? Also how do you open up the wm1a?


----------



## NickleCo (Apr 24, 2020)

Retracted


----------



## gerelmx1986

Classical sounds too bassy, let's see vinyl...


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Classical sounds too bassy, let's see vinyl...


Vinyl sounds a bit like DMP-Z1 1.02 BUT less bass


----------



## waxiboy

Can someone help me find the links for the FW mods? Currently I only have the seasons mods but I can’t find solice, jupiter etc.. please help me..


----------



## Layman1

RobertP said:


> Classical tune for NW-WM1Z is up! >> *Here*
> 
> Much improvement over the 1A version. I'll update a much better tune for vinyl and classical for 1A soon.



If anyone could create a .dmg version for Mac (for Classical 1Z), that would be hugely appreciated 

For those who've heard both, what differences do you hear between that and Autumn+?


----------



## flyer1

Retract


----------



## lumdicks

RobertP said:


> OK Vinyl for WM1A is updated.


Thanks again @RobertP, I enjoy both of the Vinyl on my 1A and Classical for my 1Z.  They are by far the best FWs I have experienced with my gears and my preferred genres. I can enjoy my music for whole day without any harshness and fatigue. Really a masterpiece.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hi guys @nc8000 @Morbideath @captblaze 

do you know if Carus (Carus verlag) SACDs are like Deutsche Grammophone or BIS records SACDs "16/44.1 Upsampled to DSD"?

if no, then i am looking for this but it is not longer being sold, presto classical only sells the 16/44.1 which i have


----------



## Morbideath

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hi guys @nc8000 @Morbideath @captblaze
> 
> do you know if Carus (Carus verlag) SACDs are like Deutsche Grammophone or BIS records SACDs "16/44.1 Upsampled to DSD"?
> 
> if no, then i am looking for this but it is not longer being sold, presto classical only sells the 16/44.1 which i have


Not sure. Sorry mate


----------



## RobertP (Apr 24, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> I just want to say, the magic is in high gain.
> 
> Just earlier, I was listening low gain, I was like, hey this sounds lifeless, so different from my earlier perception, and when I turn on high gain, voila the magic is back again.
> 
> The difference is that in low gain, everything sounds flat & monotone, while in high gain, there's energy, peak and valleys, live vocals, notes & instruments have weight, bass hits hard, treble goes high. Huge difference in sound qualities and enjoyment, music becomes alive, and playing loudly helps too.


I have some 80's mp3 songs and like what you said, everything sounds flat and lag of energy. I was surprise too that high gain helps a lot in this situation. Music will become alive and full of energy. For the 60's, 70's and high-res recordings, everything are fine. Try the Vinyl version when it's out if it works better for you.

Main focus on Classical fw is everything have to be neutral, warmth, life like timber, good resolve, and dynamic. The name say it all. Cheers!


----------



## RobertP (Apr 24, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Vinyl sounds a bit like DMP-Z1 1.02 BUT less bass


Hmm, bass in Vinyl should be a bit more. How interesting. Maybe synergy in lower-high ticks us to think it has less bass. Thanks for the feedback.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hi guys @nc8000 @Morbideath @captblaze
> 
> do you know if Carus (Carus verlag) SACDs are like Deutsche Grammophone or BIS records SACDs "16/44.1 Upsampled to DSD"?
> 
> if no, then i am looking for this but it is not longer being sold, presto classical only sells the 16/44.1 which i have



Don’t know


----------



## proedros

Hi-Gain seems to be a more mid-bass boost , whereas Noemal Gain is more sub(bass)dued.

@Vitaly2017 now that you have the perfect setup , check out this amazing prog house/trance mix from another great DJ from 2000

They don't make them like that anymore


----------



## bana

RobertP said:


> Much much better in Vinyl


It's a mortal sin to have MP3s at 160K on your 1Z, or any MP3s for that matter.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

RobertP said:


> I have some 80's mp3 songs and like what you said, everything sounds flat and lag of energy. I was surprise too that high gain helps a lot in this situation. Music will become alive and full of energy. For the 60's, 70's and high-res recordings, everything are fine. Try the Vinyl version when it's out if it works better for you.
> 
> Main focus on Classical fw is everything have to be neutral, warmth, life like timber, good resolve, and dynamic. The name say it all. Cheers!


I’m looking forward to Vinyl 1Z version. High anticipation for this given earlier Classical 1Z great performance 👍


----------



## Maxx134

DatDudeNic said:


> Does sq change when you resolder broken solder joints in the jacks? Also how do you open up the wm1a?


Just goto the mod thread to learn & see if you are able.



lumdicks said:


> hanks again @RobertP, I enjoy both of the Vinyl on my 1A and Classical for my 1Z. They are by far the best FWs I have experienced with my gears and my preferred genres


Wow nice.
Just Wondering if you have you tried any of the seasons or planets?
Just a yes or no answer, as we appreciate all the firmwares.
I myself am im flux not determine as they all getting so good!


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hi guys @nc8000 @Morbideath @captblaze
> 
> do you know if Carus (Carus verlag) SACDs are like Deutsche Grammophone or BIS records SACDs "16/44.1 Upsampled to DSD"?
> 
> if no, then i am looking for this but it is not longer being sold, presto classical only sells the 16/44.1 which i have


Never mind, found the SACDs at saturn GmbH


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Apr 24, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Much much better in Vinyl


Whoops 2020? That's a nasty bitrate, I used to have my music in MP3 192kbps CBR until 2011, then six months with AAC 256 VBR before making the final switch to lossless in mid 2012, since then haven't looked back at lossy compression


----------



## RobertP

bana said:


> It's a mortal sin to have MP3s at 160K on your 1Z, or any MP3s for that matter.


That's a 1A actually. Vinyl make mp3 sounds friendly enough. Masked out distortions, smoother, better imaging and fuller body.



gerelmx1986 said:


> Whoops 2020? That's a nasty bitrate, I used to have my music in MP3 192kbps CBR until 2011, then six months with AAC 256 VBR before making the final switch to lossless in mid 2012, since then haven't looked back at lossy compression


Have those mp3 files from friends maybe seen ipod video time. LOL!


----------



## Hinomotocho (Apr 25, 2020)

.


----------



## NickleCo

Maxx134 said:


> Just goto the mod thread to learn & see if you are able.
> 
> 
> Wow nice.
> ...


thanks


----------



## lumdicks

[QUOTE="Maxx134, post: 155

Wow nice.
Just Wondering if you have you tried any of the seasons or planets?
Just a yes or no answer, as we appreciate all the firmwares.
I myself am im flux not determine as they all getting so good!
[/QUOTE]
Yes I have tried all of them and I liked Jupiter, Solis, Autumn+ and Spring. However, the Classical and Vinyl are the most neutral and easy listening ones while maintain good timbre with balanced tonality. Both are my favourites now


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> Hi-Gain seems to be a more mid-bass boost , whereas Noemal Gain is more sub(bass)dued.
> 
> @Vitaly2017 now that you have the perfect setup , check out this amazing prog house/trance mix from another great DJ from 2000
> 
> They don't make them like that anymore






Oooh that is some good stuff I can feel how organic and natural this trance is really like this do you happen to be able to share this?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Oldies but goodies


----------



## proedros (Apr 25, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Oooh that is some good stuff I can feel how organic and natural this trance is really like this do you happen to be able to share this?




sure , i'll send you a PM with this one (plus 2 more) later on


----------



## gerelmx1986

RobertP said:


> That's a 1A actually. Vinyl make mp3 sounds friendly enough. Masked out distortions, smoother, better imaging and fuller body.
> 
> 
> Have those mp3 files from friends maybe seen ipod video time. LOL!


Was left wo dering if being Yje Eagles a rock band. Wouldn't you find these far more easily in at least 16/44.1 FLAC? I had an mp3 192k telemann album until about 2018 I found it in presto music as flac


----------



## Queen6

More 90's...



Q-6


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Could someone give me a link to download Solis 3.01 and 3.02 for WM1A please. Thank you


----------



## RobertP (Apr 25, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Yes. I just finished right now. >> *Here*
> Enjoy!


Click the link above. Minor updated and vinyl for 1Z. Try High-Gain enable if you prefer more V shape sounds.
Cheers!


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> Click the link above. Minor updated and vinyl for 1Z. Try High-Gain enable if you prefer more V shape sounds.
> Cheers!


Updated all or new for 1z only?


----------



## RobertP

aceedburn said:


> Updated all or new for 1z only?



Yes all but except ClassicalZ


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> Yes all but except ClassicalZ


Nice. Would be good if you can tell us what changes you did to both of them?


----------



## RobertP

aceedburn said:


> Nice. Would be good if you can tell us what changes you did to both of them?


Adjusted bass in Classical A and Vinyl A sounds quality be much closer to the Z counterpart.


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> Adjusted bass in Classical A and Vinyl A sounds quality be much closer to the Z counterpart.


Ok that’s good. Will try it out. And will also be helpful if you name them with different version like version 1,2 so that we can compare them. Cheers.


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> Adjusted bass in Classical A and Vinyl A sounds quality be much closer to the Z counterpart.


And also what is the main difference between classical a and vinyl a?


----------



## Phifer

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Could someone give me a link to download Solis 3.01 and 3.02 for WM1A please. Thank you



Same please. =)


----------



## Maxx134 (Apr 25, 2020)

lumdicks said:


> Yes I have tried all of them and I liked Jupiter, Solis, Autumn+ and Spring. However, the Classical and Vinyl are the most neutral and easy listening ones while maintain good timbre with balanced tonality. Both are my favourites now


Yes, good choices now for sensitive IEMs.
I use headphones, so prioritize other aspects.

Well I tried all of the latest firmwares again, including the new classical version.


Many preference choices now.
Solis was my "ruler" for the others, as I prioritize resolution, then  liveliness, then soundstage...

Organic nature hasn't seemed to change yet in any of the firmwares.

You basically need either hardware upgrades to 1a, or a 1z to get more organic nature...(less solid-state).

Anyways,
I am currently now on Avlos, and Staying here for now.


----------



## Lavakugel

Avlos with 3.01 would be interesting...


----------



## RobertP (Apr 25, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> And also what is the main difference between classical a and vinyl a?



With classical fw, you should be able to hear every notes and instruments. Smooth and a bit of warmth. Good separation and focus. 3D space and depth should be more than Vinyl. Object tones are more life like.

Vinyl should do well on all type of musics. Analog records will shine more with this fw. It's an attempt to be sound more like class A/B amplifiers.

I'll upload solis if someone needed


----------



## Donmonte

I find that Avlos works really good on a wide variety of headphones, sound is really relaxing and laid back. 
Solis is really a different animal, if your headphones can handle it, I still think there is nothing like it. But it’s definitely not for everyone.

Stock WM1A user here.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Album upgrade from 16/44


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> Album upgrade from 16/44




next upgrade dsd


----------



## RobertP (Apr 25, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Album upgrade from 16/44


24bits does preserve audio information well when converting from other formats. DSD is great too but waste lot more space from 16bits sources.

I converted live youtube audio myself too. Very spacious and powerful vocal.


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> 24bits does preserve audio information well when converting from other formats. DSD is great too but waste lot more space from 16bits sources.
> 
> I converted live youtube audio myself too. Very spacious and powerful vocal.




you whatt??  You play youtube video and record it into 24/48???


----------



## RobertP (Apr 25, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> you whatt??  You play youtube video and record it into 24/48???


I have audiophile sound card on my PC and capture it to wav: (well avi) then edit them. Convert them in 16bits but it suck. 24bits works well enough when compared to original. Youtube live streams are suck. Just try to preserve quality as much as possible. Good space vs quality.

They have remastered in studio version  from Amazon prime but it doesn't capture live performance feel in it.


----------



## AmnesiacSix

My A1 just reached 202hrs today. Just checked it right now. Going to be testing it again against the ZX300 once I'm recovered enough to listen for long sessions. I'm coming out from what I assume is the coronavirus and have only really listened to the A1 when the Tylenol alleviated the headache. 

It's been a fever dream kinda week for me but at least my A1 has reached it burn in period. I know people on here say that it sounds better with more than the required burn in but for now, at least I can hear its fuller sound signature. 

I know about the firmware mods too but for now, I'll enjoy fw 3.01

Ive been listening to some orchestra pieces, mostly Yoko Shimomura but I have other stuff too and on the A1 it all sounds soo damn good! My neurons flare like crazy when I hear the separation between the instruments or when I can focus on certain sounds without them being "blended" into the rest of the music. 

I love this little thing.


----------



## RobertP

AmnesiacSix said:


> My A1 just reached 202hrs today. Just checked it right now. Going to be testing it again against the ZX300 once I'm recovered enough to listen for long sessions. I'm coming out from what I assume is the coronavirus and have only really listened to the A1 when the Tylenol alleviated the headache.
> 
> It's been a fever dream kinda week for me but at least my A1 has reached it burn in period. I know people on here say that it sounds better with more than the required burn in but for now, at least I can hear its fuller sound signature.
> 
> ...


Your health is the most important thing. Please take good care of yourself.


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> sure , i'll send you a PM with this one (plus 2 more) later on



That was some good stuff adding it to the proedros collection hhehe





RobertP said:


> I have audiophile sound card on my PC and capture it to wav: (well avi) then edit them. Convert them in 16bits but it suck. 24bits works well enough when compared to original. Youtube live streams are suck. Just try to preserve quality as much as possible. Good space vs quality.
> 
> They have remastered in studio version  from Amazon prime but it doesn't capture live performance feel in it.




Dude youtube is youtube haha, dont even wast ya time with this !


----------



## audionewbi

I've been playing around with my stock WM1A, I have to say for stock user, on 3.02 base FW, the AVLOS is more warmer Autum+, and Davalos has more of an aggressive bit to it in the treble. 
I cannot pick between Autum+ and Avlos, but I think Autum+ is my favourite so far.Thank you @morgenstern09, looking forward to future releases.


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> With classical fw, you should be able to hear every notes and instruments. Smooth and a bit of warmth. Good separation and focus. 3D space and depth should be more than Vinyl. Object tones are more life like.
> 
> Vinyl should do well on all type of musics. Analog records will shine more with this fw. It's an attempt to be sound more like class A/B amplifiers.
> 
> I'll upload solis if someone needed


Thanks for the descriptions. So vinyl is supposed to have more bass than classical?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Is Music center still crappy slow? If yeah, then I have no interest in upgrading from media Go


----------



## gerelmx1986

So you trust Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR) Harddrives? Supposedly all hard drives from 2016 afterwards are SMR and not perpendicular recording... I read  SMR overlaps tracks  and order to write data if overlapping the drive must rewrite the whole strip.. some say they are more prone to bad sections quite frequently.. I stor all my music in two 4TB WD my passport external HDD


----------



## gerelmx1986

I was browsing the website of Audirvana, apparently is no longer MAC-only toy. They have also made windows version. Has some one tried it on W10? Whoops they recommend 8GB RAM


----------



## Duncan

Really sorry if I'm being an idiot 

I'm trying to update to Diavlos (U) - My WM1A reports the following:

K:\>scsitool-nwz-v25.exe H: dest_tool get
Model: NW-WM1A
Series: NW-WM1 Series
Destination: U (1)
Sound pressure: 0 (off)

...all the installer says is to connect the player to USB 

What do I need to do? =  I'm on stock 3.02 (have prior to this tried SolisSAE - just bouncing around to see which I like the most)

Thanks.


----------



## aceedburn (Apr 26, 2020)

Duncan said:


> Really sorry if I'm being an idiot
> 
> I'm trying to update to Diavlos (U) - My WM1A reports the following:
> 
> ...


That’s the rockbox tool for changing region. To update your firmware just run the diavlos installer and it will update to it. Nothing else to do. If the U installer doesn’t work try the EU installer as your unit may be from that region or J even.


----------



## 515164

Duncan said:


> Really sorry if I'm being an idiot
> 
> I'm trying to update to Diavlos (U) - My WM1A reports the following:
> 
> ...



U in the mod's name is for the "Universal" variants of WM1A, while U in the "Destination" field in the Rockbox tool means the region of the device, which is USA. Region ≠ Variant 

And yes, if the installer just says to connect the player, it means that you got the "wrong" mod for your device. You must choose the variant matching your device's factory region (if you ever changed it to U from something else).

In this case I just recommend also trying with JP/EU, one of them has to match your device (just because I have no idea if you changed the destination previously).


----------



## Duncan

Thanks @aceedburn 

To be clearer of my own original post - My WM1A can be seen with Rockbox (and also the SolisSAE installer - but, not with the installer for diavlos or aclos installers 

You're right in fairness, that this is an EU originating player - I hope that doesn't mean that I have to install the EU version, and nerf the high gain


----------



## 515164

Duncan said:


> Thanks @aceedburn
> You're right in fairness, that this is an EU originating player - I hope that doesn't mean that I have to install the EU version, and nerf the high gain



Yep, you need to install the EU version. However, your destination will still remain U and you won't get the volume cap, it's just that you have to match the mod with the original destination of your device (which seems to be one from the European variants).


----------



## Duncan (Apr 26, 2020)

Thanks @morgenstern09 - I'll download the different packages now  

[Edit] - Diamond - thanks for that - my naivety got the better of me - cheers for the instant help


----------



## nc8000

Duncan said:


> Thanks @morgenstern09 - I'll download the different packages now



Yes the fw installers are based on the hard region that is on the lavel on the side of the player and not the soft region set by the rockbox tool


----------



## 515164 (May 8, 2020)

*Edit: In the meantime, another tuning mod was released for the WM1A (ZTAZ1), which is available here (click). Also, feel free to check out WM1Aᶻ revision B, *_*here (click)*_*.*


I'm also back with yet another tuning.

Meet the...

*WM1Aᶻ*

_Get the organic, lush, and warm sound signature of WM1Z, with_
_increased sound stage and impeccable imaging, on your WM1A.
Truly balanced sound that transforms your 1A to 1Z, without having
to spend anything to modify your precious DAP***. This could be the
ultimate upgrade firmware for anyone who likes a warm sound that_
_is unlike any other on your 1A._

*If you applied other tunings before, it's recommended that you first flash the stock 3.02 firmware (download here) before applying one of this tuning.*

Feel free to give it a try, *here (click)*.

As always, feedback would be really appreciated, as it may also help others in deciding
to give this a try 

Also, as for other previous mods, this is based on stock 3.02, region J (but it sounds good on MX3 as well, give it a try). Also, this is only for WM1A, as the point
is to make the 1A sound as close as possible to 1Z, with improved soundstage.

Thanks again, @aceedburn, for helping with the testing and with the description for the mod!

I almost forgot, enjoy! 

***_Just want to mention that I have nothing against hardware modding, everyone is free to __do as they wish with their hardware._


----------



## Duncan (Apr 26, 2020)

Seeing that I'm bouncing around all of the mods at the moment (I wish I'd have kept up with this thread!) - let me be the first to say that the WM1Az mod on very initial listening is fantastic @morgenstern09

The Diavlos version was a bit heavy for me - this WM1Az version is bang on the money - a delicious punch at the bottom end, and a generally more open (airy) feel than stock.

This has brought new life into my listening - making the balanced AK T8ie mkII sing even more sweetly than I'm used to 

This is after 2-3 minutes of listening I must obviously say, but - with one of my absolutely favourite tracks that I know inside out and back to front 

[edit] I don’t have a 1Z to compare to, so cannot say if this is mission successful, but my god, this makes female vocals sound good!


----------



## aceedburn

Duncan said:


> Seeing that I'm bouncing around all of the mods at the moment (I wish I'd have kept up with this thread!) - let me be the first to say that the WM1Az mod on very initial listening is fantastic @morgenstern09
> 
> The Diavlos version was a bit heavy for me - this WM1Az version is bang on the money - a delicious punch at the bottom end, and a generally more open (airy) feel than stock.
> 
> ...


Indeed. When I was testing it a while back, I had goosebumps. I’ve always liked a warm yet musical sounding dap and although I knew the 1Z has that signature it was out of reach when I picked up my 1A. Now I have no regrets. WM1Az firmware on 1A is quite simply unrealistically superb.


----------



## kiling92 (Apr 26, 2020)

I’m trying this new WM1Az,until now I used Solis/J 3.02...I must say that this touch of warmth on the low notes, the more airy sound and a wider soundstage...listening is absolutely wonderful,absolutely outstanding.
maybe/probably Solis is more revealing and has more punch, but simply they're two different types of listening, and I take this opportunity to thank those who dedicate their time to these mods/ tuning sharing them with all of us!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Converted  all Hi-res content in walkman to 16/44.1 or 16/48, library is 969GB approx


----------



## Duncan

gerelmx1986 said:


> Converted  all Hi-res content in walkman to 16/44.1 or 16/48, library is 969GB approx


Wow! Those hours of use! I still wish that Bluetooth connectivity added to the stats.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Duncan said:


> Wow! Those hours of use! I still wish that Bluetooth connectivity added to the stats.


Probably it has more hours, as in the first FWs from sony I experienced random crashes and lost like 800 to 1200h count


----------



## 515164

Duncan said:


> I don’t have a 1Z to compare to, so cannot say if this is mission successful, but my god, this makes female vocals sound good!



Really appreciate the feedback!

Yep, the "A" in WM1A will still always be there


----------



## Mindstorms

Duncan said:


> Really sorry if I'm being an idiot
> 
> I'm trying to update to Diavlos (U) - My WM1A reports the following:
> 
> ...


Go mx3 region and use universal installer mx3 its awesome!!!!!!


----------



## Duncan

Mindstorms said:


> Go mx3 region and use universal installer mx3 its awesome!!!!!!


I’ve switched to MX3, alongside WM1Az, holy moly - I always thought that the T8ie mkII sounded like full sized headphones, now I know they do! What a brilliant day this has been! - a totally different listening experience to what I’ve been used to with the WM1A, it drives both harder and cleaner than I’ve ever given it credit for.


----------



## 515164

Mindstorms said:


> Go mx3 region and use universal installer mx3 its awesome!!!!!!



Yep, WM1A*ᶻ* sounds really nice with MX3!


----------



## Hinomotocho

I watched Hawaiibadboy's Youtube review of the WM1A - he really sold it to me saying (not direct words) that other brands are always coming out with a something newer and better eg. newer chips etc, whereas Sony has their own technology, they do it well, and for him it's a keeper.


----------



## Peter Ruby

It’s difficult for me to express how much I love the forum here and all of our users.  

I won’t mention any names because you all know all know who you are. Thank you to everyone contributing and making “old” technology remain the best technology.

Also, thank you Sony for bringing us all these incredible products. Aside from the little stuff, Sony has me as a fan for life.


----------



## kubig123

morgenstern09 said:


> Yep, WM1A*ᶻ* sounds really nice with MX3!


Is the MX3 anther FW?


----------



## Duncan

kubig123 said:


> Is the MX3 anther FW?


There is a Rockbox Tool that changes the firmware location of the WM1 players, changing tonality slightly depending on the market that you change it to (and enables removal of the volume limit / reminder if you’re in the EU)


----------



## 515164 (Apr 26, 2020)

kubig123 said:


> Is the MX3 anther FW?





Duncan said:


> There is a Rockbox Tool that changes the firmware location of the WM1 players, changing tonality slightly depending on the market that you change it to (and enables removal of the volume limit / reminder if you’re in the EU)



You'll need to open CMD (Win+R and then type CMD and press Enter), then change directory to where you put the downloaded tool (move it to the Desktop for example and then do "cd Desktop" (no commas) in the CMD console). To change the destination, just do "scsitool-nwz-v25.exe G: dest_tool set MX3 0", where G: is the drive letter for the internal storage of the Walkman, after you enable Mass Storage on the device.

Before you do that, you can see what destination your device already is by doing "scsitool-nwz-v25.exe G: dest_tool get", just in case you want to set it back to the previous one.

To switch to J, for example, you do "scsitool-nwz-v25.exe G: dest_tool set J 0" (0 controls the sound pressure/volume cap setting - 0 means it's off).


----------



## 515164

Music always sounds better at night.


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 26, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> Music always sounds better at night.



It will be awesome if after all this trip into newer and beter FW you went back to 3.00 just  to check it

I was very sckeptical about that FW since it happened so fast the trsition but with my iem via SE still the best combo I spended a year in 3.01 and have tried the majority of FW and only  can say its very shouty on some iems but on very capable ones with deep bass and not harsh highs its magical... will revisit 3.02 soon..

And if sony does a 3.03 I wish they look deeply on 3.00 for me they where very focus on that one since they instroduced the vinyl procesor I think they where afraid that users complain about changing their sound on a 1000 or 3000 US Gear so they focused very well.. and really succeded in making an awesome staging and also making the vinil procesor work as intended.... then 3.01 make bass users like me happy! and then 3.02 for my ears is really weird... its like balanced sound witha ton of finese no doubt but im already in love with 3.00 MX3 wich is a like a sound mondster it just screams reality to my  ears and its the most shouty combo.. but the amount of Resolution it pulls out and bass is very deep after proper EQ...

I would only say after many comes and goes to 3.02 that 3.02 sounds fuller cleaner and constrained and 3.00 shouty but its 3D cues are further more real to my ears and iem combo.. and custom FW feels a little like overlaping if you get me...dough i insist on you guys keep it going since options are very wellcome i just wish someone really codes having 3.00 staging and balance in mind... just an idea.... I like all new FW and if sony decides 3.03 will be an option or hey what about a hole new 4.0 with some extra features wouldnt that be great?.. i always wanted a cassete emulator maybe some options or vary the staging widening knoob I noticed also in dmp 1.01 that there is this muddiness in the center some of you have described but when I tried my headphones on it simulates the empty space of my head really well so its like center is muddier it works like charm on headphones why not to use it as an option I wonder..

only company for me that took 3D audio seriously for me was sensaura wich was inmediatly bought and silenced by creative since i think it was their more serious rival you can read this... well if you se they worked a lot on binaural recordings I whish the company where still alive today and allways wanted some other giant like Sony to take a huge bite into their work. let me tell you if something i love about my 1A its they staging and how sound positioning its doned specially on 3.00 I just wish they include a little bit more of customization.. cheers and sorry for the long post i need to take this out and share. (leave you gusy some link to some of their work sorry if I went of toppic)


----------



## Blueoris (Apr 26, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> Music always sounds better at night.




Love that album... but who doesn't.

And with your comment, I presume you are talking about the music from your walkman, through batteries...

That just made me reflect on the common believe of an "cleaner electrical power" from the mains at night -  due to low grid usage - that makes audio equipment sound better at that time of the day. I have been aligned to that though for a while, since my home stereo sounds better at night.... but now that you mention it.... my walkman does it too!   LOL

Maybe as few other "audiophile" believes, it is all in my head...


----------



## JackSkully

Hey guys I was looking to try out the firmware mod for the wm1a to change the region code but it seems I can't find any information on the software to use and the stuff I have found always had links that have stopped working so I'd appreciate if anyone could point me the way to the software.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 27, 2020)

Blueoris said:


> Maybe as few other "audiophile" believes, it is all in my head..



I would say it's more related to our state of mind at night, and not to a possible cleaner current or anything.



Mindstorms said:


> It will be awesome if after all this trip into newer and beter FW you went back to 3.00 just to check it



To be honest, I'm not really a fan of using previous firmware versions. But to each their own, I have no issue with that


----------



## gerelmx1986

Ripping SACD


----------



## Duncan

JackSkully said:


> Hey guys I was looking to try out the firmware mod for the wm1a to change the region code but it seems I can't find any information on the software to use and the stuff I have found always had links that have stopped working so I'd appreciate if anyone could point me the way to the software.


Hi,

the most up to date information was posted on the previous page


----------



## 515164 (May 8, 2020)

*Edit: In the meantime, another tuning mod was released for the WM1A (ZTAZ1), which is available here (click).*


Hello again, this time with...


*WM1A-z1*

_An attempt at bringing the nuanced and refined sound signature of
the DMP-Z1 to our awesome little WM1A. Lush, airy and live vocals
come forward majestically, surrounded by silky smooth treble and
superb definition and depth of bass. Feel the sound all around you,
thanks to the expansive sound stage and impressive imaging._


*If you applied other tunings before, it's recommended that you first flash the stock 3.02 firmware (download here) before applying one of these tunings.*

Feel free to give this a try, *here (click)*. Feedback would be appreciated!

As for previous mods, this is based on stock 3.02, region J (though it may sound good with other regions as well).

Thanks once again to @aceedburn, for helping with testing and with the description for the mod 

Enjoy 3000!


----------



## aceedburn

morgenstern09 said:


> Hello again, this time with...
> 
> 
> *WM1A-z1*
> ...


Fresh off the press. I think this is the fastest release post tuning and testing thus far. Enjoy guys! This will give you goosebumps too!


----------



## audionewbi

What is the ideal way to install all this FW? I keep flashing back to stock and I than install the new FW, is this necessarily?


----------



## 515164

audionewbi said:


> I keep flashing back to stock and I than install the new FW, is this necessarily?



Nope, it's not necessary. You can just apply another mod, without having to flash to stock every time.


----------



## aceedburn

audionewbi said:


> What is the ideal way to install all this FW? I keep flashing back to stock and I than install the new FW, is this necessarily?


Not necessary to reflash stock. I’ve flashed hundreds of times. Just run the installer over your existing and you’re done


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Ripping SACD


Enjoying the upgrade from 16/44.1


----------



## Duncan (Apr 27, 2020)

This new world of possibility is making me wish I had a second WM1A to A-B!!!

WM1A-z1 (on MX3) seems to be cleaner, more linear sounding than WM1A-z - very pure...

Thanks again @morgenstern09 - seems I'm going to be having an enjoyable time under lockdown after all.

[edit] a question if I may - when I first got my WM1A I straight away swapped it to J, and had one helluva nightmare working out how to get it into English (hence my player ended up on U region) - if I switch you J to keep English language menus but don’t reset the player, do the sound differences (regional) apply? thanks!


----------



## Liono

proedros said:


> to people who like electronic music , this is (for me) the *Greatest Prog House compilation by the master of the genre*
> 
> Released in 2001 , still sounds modern and cutting edge (to me at least)
> 
> ...




Thanks for your post!! There's me searching Tidal, Amazon and Qobuz to have a listen and realised I have this album on my NAS!! Giving it a listen right now! Was listening to John Digweeds Essential mix from 2010 just prior! 

Quite a nostalgic period this lockdown!


----------



## 515164

Duncan said:


> This new world of possibility is making me wish I had a second WM1A to A-B!!!
> 
> WM1A-z1 (on MX3) seems to be cleaner, more linear sounding than WM1A-z - very pure...
> 
> Thanks again @morgenstern09 - seems I'm going to be having an enjoyable time under lockdown after all.



For a sound that's a bit more relaxed, I sugest you also try the J region.


----------



## Duncan

morgenstern09 said:


> For a sound that's a bit more relaxed, I sugest you also try the J region.


Funnily I just edited my previous post, I don’t understand Japanese, so I was wondering if I switch region but don’t reset, do the regional tonal differences get applied?


----------



## 515164 (Apr 27, 2020)

Duncan said:


> Funnily I just edited my previous post, I don’t understand Japanese, so I was wondering if I switch region but don’t reset, do the regional tonal differences get applied?



Oh, you don't have to reset, by the way. A restart is enough, after changing the region.

So choose English, set region to J, and then just turn off/on or restart.

J region disables the possibility of choosing another language, but it will keep the language you had before changing the region.


----------



## Duncan (Apr 27, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> Oh, you don't have to reset, by the way. A restart is enough, after changing the region.
> 
> So choose English, set region to J, and then just turn off/on or restart.
> 
> J region disables the possibility of choosing another language, but it will keep the language you had before changing the region.


 Great! Yes, J version alongside WM1A-z1 wow!

I’ll just need to remember in future times to NOT reset the player, I remember it took me something like an hour to fumble my way through the menus to be able to reset to U hehe

You are a legend!

edit - yay! The remote control option is now there, just need to find one...


----------



## 515164

Duncan said:


> yay! The remote control option is now there, just need to find one...



Yep, it's there for J and E regions.


----------



## aceedburn

morgenstern09 said:


> Yep, it's there for J and E regions.


Yes. as far as I remember the regions that have remote support is J, E, CA, CEV


----------



## lumdicks

morgenstern09 said:


> Hello again, this time with...
> 
> 
> *WM1A-z1*
> ...


Thanks so much. It is another lovely FW with smoothness, airy presentation, great soundstage and resolution for my modded 1A, 3.02 Region J.

My new favourite now!


----------



## Donmonte

lumdicks said:


> Thanks so much. It is another lovely FW with smoothness, airy presentation, great soundstage and resolution for my modded 1A, 3.02 Region J.
> 
> My new favourite now!



Fully agree, these are some great Firmwares.
I’ll be listening to them more in the next few days, but I’m definitely liking what I’m hearing. Very nice timbre and soundstage. 
Awesome job @morgenstern09 @aceedburn
Stock MW1A Region J.


----------



## Queen6 (Apr 27, 2020)

Mindstorms said:


> Go mx3 region and use universal installer mx3 its awesome!!!!!!





morgenstern09 said:


> Yep, WM1A*ᶻ* sounds really nice with MX3!



Always torn between J & MX3, tend to fall back to J as is more balanced & resolving with my IEM's/hearing, either ways top two regions IMO. You get a good bass boost with MX3 and a smooth U shaped sound signature, however the likes of cymbal crashes are slightly veiled, with a shorter presentation, doesn't sound as accurate to me as J.

Music feels a little less energetic with MX3 versus J, don't have a feeling of any lack of bass on J Sound\garden's Spoonman bangs it out without the bass spilling into the mid and the highs remain clear. If I want to trip out on bass I'll switch to the XBA-N3, already strong on single ended, with Sony's 4.4 Kimber cable inbound...

As ever just personal impressions and totally subjective.

Audioslave, aren't we all 


Banging....

Special Request - Vortex

55 seconds in will reveal if your tuning and or gear is up for bass, album builds and builds...

WM1A, Sony 3.02, Region J, High Gain, DC Phase Lineariser - Type B Standard, Vinyl Processor - Surface Noise, IEM's in the signature.

If your getting lost in the music, your already there...

Q-6


----------



## 515164

Queen6 said:


> Special Request - Vortex
> 
> 55 seconds in will reveal if your tuning and or gear is up for bass, album builds and builds...



Nice bass on "Sp4nn3r3d". Thanks for sharing!


----------



## Queen6

Keep coming back to Apocalyptica's 7th Symphony, Not Strong Enough...

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

morgenstern09 said:


> Nice bass on "Sp4nn3r3d". Thanks for sharing!



Wil fix any bass concerns 

Q-6


----------



## Mindstorms

Queen6 said:


> Always torn between J & MX3, tend to fall back to J as is more balanced & resolving with my IEM's/hearing, either ways top two regions IMO. You get a good bass boost with MX3 and a smooth U shaped sound signature, however the likes of cymbal crashes are slightly veiled, with a shorter presentation, doesn't sound as accurate to me as J.
> 
> Music feels a little less energetic with MX3 versus J, don't have a feeling of any lack of bass on J Sound\garden's Spoonman bangs it out without the bass spilling into the mid and the highs remain clear. If I want to trip out on bass I'll switch to the XBA-N3, already strong on single ended, with Sony's 4.4 Kimber cable inbound...
> 
> ...


so you have to pick a winner or you can allways come and go... 3.00 its the mx3 of the FW IMO awesome song You guys know who are my winners lol


----------



## nc8000

I’m staying on J but still can’t make up my mind if I prefer Solis or Autumn+


----------



## 515164

nc8000 said:


> I’m staying on J but still can’t make up my mind if I prefer Solis or Autumn+



Give a try to WM1A-z1 or WM1Az, they should surpass Autumn+


----------



## Duncan

I couldn’t find the seasons - I saw some mentions about files being in someone’s signature, but the files were not found.


----------



## 515164

Duncan said:


> I couldn’t find the seasons - I saw some mentions about files being in someone’s signature, but the files were not found.



In my signature.


----------



## proedros

Queen6 said:


> Music feels a little less energetic with MX3 versus J, don't have a feeling of any lack of bass on J Sound\garden's Spoonman bangs it out without the bass spilling into the mid and the highs remain clear. If I want to trip out on bass I'll switch to the XBA-N3, already strong on single ended, with Sony's 4.4 Kimber cable inbound...
> 
> As ever just personal impressions and totally subjective.
> 
> ...



let me give you some kickass SG vinyl rips , check your pm


----------



## MrLocoLuciano (Apr 27, 2020)

Duncan said:


> I couldn’t find the seasons - I saw some mentions about files being in someone’s signature, but the files were not found.


That's the problem when you are late to a party, no more beer


----------



## Duncan

morgenstern09 said:


> In my signature.


Blame it on the iPhone!

In portrait mode signatures don’t show... good Lord, that’s makes me look an idiot!


----------



## 515164

Duncan said:


> Blame it on the iPhone!
> 
> In portrait mode signatures don’t show... good Lord, that’s makes me look an idiot!



It's fine, I was thinking that they just look like some colored text, and not links


----------



## mrrayray (Apr 27, 2020)

Can't believe I just discovered all these few hundreds new pages to this thread 2 days ago!!
Still amazed at how you guys have transformed the 1a and 1z into completely new beasts!!
It's like I just bought a new toy

I'm pairing my 1z (J) (WM1A-z1) with z1r. Just curious if you guys keep it at Direct Source mode or not? Not all my files are hires, that's why I'm asking.
Thanks again and enjoy guys


----------



## Lookout57

mrrayray said:


> Can't believe I just discovered all these few hundreds new pages to this thread 2 days ago!!
> Still amazed at how you guys have transformed the 1a and 1z into completely new beasts!!
> It's like I just bought a new toy
> 
> ...


Direct for the Win


----------



## Duncan

DSEE HX on standard and DC Phase Lineariser on Type A Low for me...

used to have DSEE on strings but WM1A-z1 changed that 😉


----------



## mrrayray (Apr 27, 2020)

excuse me if I sound naive!
I have always been wondering how sony "creates those missing frequencies" from a non-hires file to make it hires
and more importantly, how accurate (don't even know if accurate is the right word) are those extra sound dimension, if you know what I mean?


----------



## Duncan

As a guess, as they created ATRAC in the 1990s, that stripped out certain frequencies to shrink file sizes, maybe they’ve reverse engineered that?

For sure over the course of time it has become more refined, my oldest player that contains it is my NWZ-X1060 from 2008, that definitely sounds coarse compared to the 2016 WM1x variant...

purists will say that it does more harm than good (how tv frame insertion creates soap opera effect), I like the effect though on a personal level.


----------



## mrrayray (Apr 27, 2020)

Duncan said:


> As a guess, as they created ATRAC in the 1990s, that stripped out certain frequencies to shrink file sizes, maybe they’ve reverse engineered that?
> 
> For sure over the course of time it has become more refined, my oldest player that contains it is my NWZ-X1060 from 2008, that definitely sounds coarse compared to the 2016 WM1x variant...
> 
> purists will say that it does more harm than good (how tv frame insertion creates soap opera effect), I like the effect though on a personal level.


Yes I guess that is their commercial secret that makes them Sony 
Personally I also like the effects and I constantly switch to different settings for different genres.
Some tracks I think they're even better with the Direct Source mode.
Finding the best sound is a constant struggle but I enjoy every bit of the process!


----------



## Queen6

Mindstorms said:


> so you have to pick a winner or you can allways come and go... 3.00 its the mx3 of the FW IMO awesome song You guys know who are my winners lol



No winners or losers, is totally a personal preference, whatever works for you is all that counts

Q-6


----------



## Mindstorms

Testing battery from 90%charge) as we speak 4.8 Hs still hasent drop the first mark, 112 avg volume mp3 320 allways one effect on.... lest see how much it endures after the reset (i did the reset top 100%)


----------



## Stealer

Sorry for asking but I kept forgetting.. 
So I need to write in down somewhere.
after each of these steps :
 region change - just restart the player
 fw update - Reset all settings or Restore to factory configuration

Am I right ?


----------



## 515164

Stealer said:


> Sorry for asking but I kept forgetting..
> So I need to write in down somewhere.
> after each of these steps :
> region change - just restart the player
> ...



Region change - just restart
Fw update - nothing needed here, the player basically restarts itself and there's no need to reset the settings.

If you ever decide to flash an older firmware, like 1.20 for example, you would have to use the Rebuild database option, but that's all.


----------



## Stealer

thank you for the quick rsponse


----------



## 515164

Cool track + video


----------



## Mindstorms

Stealer said:


> Sorry for asking but I kept forgetting..
> So I need to write in down somewhere.
> after each of these steps :
> region change - just restart the player
> ...


region change - just rebuild database or restart the player for full effect but you can hear it after database rebuild
(fw update - Reset all settings or Restore to factory configuration) NOT NECESARY neither


----------



## akãjerovia

nice


----------



## gerelmx1986

Solis is good but it displays some weird resonances in the bass


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have tried the three grand transformations for the wm1A

Autum+ is like a Solis with fixed bass resonances (exhoing) but treble can be in some songs way too much
Wm1AZ and WM1AZ1 both displayed the same resonances in bass as solis, back to DMP-Z1 1.02


----------



## proedros

this (for me) is album/discovery of the year so far

the bet thing about internet , you can go back in time and discover hidden/lost gems

this is one of them.

Fans of trippy ambient , you are in for a treat (and the 2-cd 2015 reissue with an extra hour of music is fantastic)

If anyone wants the FLAC files , pm me and we'll see what we can do....

https://www.discogs.com/Älien-Mutation-vs-Îndigo-Egg-Microcosmacrocosm/release/114742


----------



## RobertP

*Concerto* firmware is up! Completely new written tune. Works for 1A at the moment.  >> Here


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have tried the three grand transformations for the wm1A
> 
> Autum+ is like a Solis with fixed bass resonances (exhoing) but treble can be in some songs way too much
> Wm1AZ and WM1AZ1 both displayed the same resonances in bass as solis, back to DMP-Z1 1.02


Have you ever went to 3.00 MX3?


----------



## mrrayray

RobertP said:


> *Concerto* firmware is up! Completely new written tune. Works for 1A at the moment.  >> Here


you have any descriptions about its sound signature? and the differences between the three?
Thanks


----------



## RobertP (Apr 28, 2020)

mrrayray said:


> you have any descriptions about its sound signature? and the differences between the three?
> Thanks


Both Classical and Concerto are aiming for life-like instruments. Classical has more holographic 3D, depth, larger stage. Concerto will focus more on solo instrument piece. More intimate tone, anology and energy.
Vinyl firmware is an attempt for more anolog tone for all type of genre records.


----------



## Holdmyown83

So with changing the FW is it best to have direct mode on? I’m not sure if I’m hearing any difference in them except for the solris


----------



## aceedburn

Holdmyown83 said:


> So with changing the FW is it best to have direct mode on? I’m not sure if I’m hearing any difference in them except for the solris


Yes, it’s recommended to try all the new firmwares with direct mode on to immediately notice the differences in the sound tuning. After which you can turn on any DSP that you like and the effect will be even more pronounced than before. I personally have always listened to my WM1A with direct sound on.


----------



## Mindstorms

Holdmyown83 said:


> So with changing the FW is it best to have direct mode on? I’m not sure if I’m hearing any difference in them except for the solris


I can help you on that


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Quang23693

RobertP said:


> Both Classical and Concerto are aiming for life-like instruments. Classical has more holographic 3D, depth, larger stage. Concerto will focus more on solo instrument piece. More intimate tone, anology and energy.
> Vinyl firmware is an attempt for more anolog tone for all type of genre records.


Many thanks for your work. I'll try concerto soon. I really love vinyl which is analog and relax. I can hear it for a long time. I also like the classical but the vocal in vinyl is the best for me.


----------



## blazinblazin

Redcarmoose said:


>


The last time I tried Z1R and WM1A felt that it don't drive the Z1R well.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 29, 2020)

blazinblazin said:


> The last time I tried Z1R and WM1A felt that it don't drive the Z1R well.



 lol.
Seems fine to me? They are made to be put together by Sony?
Using Jupiter301-T1 with high gain. Obviously going desktop gets them a touch better, but both ways sound enjoyable to me? Before the custom firmware the 1A was my preferred way even over the TA and 1Z? Though I just updated the TA to FW 1.03 and it’s best.


----------



## 515164 (May 3, 2020)

In the meantime, a new version appeared, *JustAnother WM1Z Tuning, *and it's available *here (click)*.

___________________________
Hello again,

Feel free to give *WM1Z²* a try, *here (click)*.

*If you applied other tunings before, it's recommended that you first flash the stock 3.02 firmware (download here) before applying one of these tunings.*

If the name is not enough, *this is intended for the WM1Z*. The mod is based on the 3.02 firmware.

As always, feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks @Maxx134 for giving this a test.

Enjoy!


----------



## Duncan

Kind of deviating from the flow of the thread, according to this Sony document, on page 2 it says that the WM1x can play video, did Sony goof that badly with their own documentation or have I missed something somewhere along the way?

Also, I didn’t realise just how brutally my region (CEW) gets screwed over on power output - first section of page 2 reveals all - no wonder Sony don’t show the output specifications on the U.K. page! Thankfully we all know a way around that!


----------



## 515164

Duncan said:


> Kind of deviating from the flow of the thread, according to this Sony document, on page 2 it says that the WM1x can play video, did Sony goof that badly with their own documentation or have I missed something somewhere along the way?



Well, it has that "MUSICCLIP" folder that shows up, at least when using the J region, and you can also see video references in the default-capability.xml file, that's present at the root of the internal storage/sd card.





Will give it a try.


----------



## Quang23693 (Apr 29, 2020)

Hi
I has tried your wm1a-z1 on my 1A Kmod Ultimate . It's very clean and has more detail , big soundstage but it also has too much bass with me.Sometime i feel mid is faded by bass. The bass is deeper but it's very slow and has more decay. I think it will better if the bass is fast, compact, deep. This is my impresion. Thanks for your work.


----------



## aceedburn

Quang23693 said:


> I has tried your wm1az1 . It's very clean and has more detail , big soundstage but it also has too much bass with me.Sometime i feel mid is faded by bass. The bass is deeper but it's very slow and has more decay. I think it will better if the bass is fast, compact, deep. This is my impresion. Thanks for your work.


Actually it depends on your iem or headphones or if you have any DSP settings. Also the region plays a huge part in the sound signature. My Z5 which is know to be quite bassy is a perfect match for WM1A-z1!on J region with direct sound on. Bass is very deep but never muddies the mix. It’s perfect for me.


----------



## Quang23693

aceedburn said:


> Actually it depends on your iem or headphones or if you have any DSP settings. Also the region plays a huge part in the sound signature. My Z5 which is know to be quite bassy is a perfect match for WM1A-z1!on J region with direct sound on. Bass is very deep but never muddies the mix. It’s perfect for me.


My 1a on region J and i tested wm1a-z1 with ier-Z1r and fir audio M5. Both of them have a same result. I'll try it with the other region. Thanks for your support


----------



## 515164 (Apr 29, 2020)

Duncan said:


> Kind of deviating from the flow of the thread, according to this Sony document, on page 2 it says that the WM1x can play video, did Sony goof that badly with their own documentation or have I missed something somewhere along the way?



The Walkman doesn't seem to recognize the files as videos, even though they are within the mentioned specifications... They are seen as audio files and they will play as such, without displaying a video.

I thought Music Center may support importing videos to the player, and maybe it would do a conversion or something, required to play on the device, but no luck.

However, it seems that Music Center has the DSEE HX integrated into it:





Also, it support direct access to a DAC via WASAPI or ASIO, which is pretty cool!


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> Well, it has that "MUSICCLIP" folder that shows up, at least when using the J region, and you can also see video references in the default-capability.xml file, that's present at the root of the internal storage/sd card.
> 
> 
> 
> Will give it a try.



I tried that some weeks ago and posted here and it can play the sound track from some video files but not the actual video. And it only works in region J


----------



## RobertP

Quang23693 said:


> My 1a on region J and i tested wm1a-z1 with ier-Z1r and fir audio M5. Both of them have a same result. I'll try it with the other region. Thanks for your support


Just wondering how ier-z1r sounds comparing to M5. All I know is that M5 are similar to 64 audio.


----------



## lumdicks (Apr 29, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Just wondering how ier-z1r sounds comparing to M5. All I know is that M5 are similar to 64 audio.


I have both and you are right that the M5 is having strong signature with 64 Audio. I have been using Tia Fourte for over 2 years and M5 is having similar signature, but is a bit less bassy and having more refined mid and high. I will describe it as Fourte Plus for my personal preference. On the other hand, Z1R is an amazing IEM with one of the best high, deep bass and prominent sub-bass. Soundstage wise Z1R is having a more holographic presentation but M5 is having higher resolution. In my opinion, both are excellent hybrid IERs for my stock 1Z, modded 1A and Cayin N6ii with E02 sound card.


----------



## Lookout57

RobertP said:


> Both Classical and Concerto are aiming for life-like instruments. Classical has more holographic 3D, depth, larger stage. Concerto will focus more on solo instrument piece. More intimate tone, anology and energy.
> Vinyl firmware is an attempt for more anolog tone for all type of genre records.


What firmware version is included in Concerto? I see it's a full NW_WM_FW.UPG file unlike the other versions.


----------



## 515164 (Apr 29, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> What firmware version is included in Concerto? I see it's a full NW_WM_FW.UPG file unlike the other versions.



It's the DMP-Z1 1.02 .UPG firmware, that's also present in the original DMP-Z1 1.02 mod, which is useless, as nothing is being flashed from it - but to each their own, I have nothing against that 

@RobertP can confirm that it's the .UPG that I'm talking about.


----------



## Lookout57

morgenstern09 said:


> It's the DMP-Z1 1.02 .UPG firmware, that's also present in the original DMP-Z1 1.02 mod, which is useless, as nothing is being flashed from it - but to each their own, I have nothing against that


Thanks for clarifying. I was concerned if it was Sony official 3.01 and installing it.

Since we know that only the official Sony firmware for the WM1 will ever get installed it make it very easy for me to test different tunings. I just replace the SWUpdate.xml with the one I want to test before running SoftwareUpdateTool. 

But if a tuning is for for a specific version of Sony firmware I'll use that NW_WM_FW.UPG and the new SWUpdate.xml.


----------



## mwhals

Is a WM1A with a top K mod or other as good as a stock WM1Z? It would be less money for the same performance if yes.


----------



## proedros

mwhals said:


> Is a WM1A with a top K mod or other as good as a stock WM1Z? It would be less money for the same performance if yes.



you should ask @Morbideath and @Whitigir  about this , which are well versed into modding


----------



## Morbideath

mwhals said:


> Is a WM1A with a top K mod or other as good as a stock WM1Z? It would be less money for the same performance if yes.


Sorry i never owned a MS1A before. MS1Z sounded way better than stock 1Z for its technicalities though. I prefer Romi mod for both of its musicality and technicality


----------



## Quang23693

lumdicks said:


> I have both and you are right that the M5 is having strong signature with 64 Audio. I have been using Tia Fourte for over 2 years and M5 is having similar signature, but is a bit less bassy and having more refined mid and high. I will describe it as Fourte Plus for my personal preference. On the other hand, Z1R is an amazing IEM with one of the best high, deep bass and prominent sub-bass. Soundstage wise Z1R is having a more holographic presentation but M5 is having higher resolution. In my opinion, both are excellent hybrid IERs for my stock 1Z, modded 1A and Cayin N6ii with E02 sound card.


Accept all of your impression. But my M5 is the different version. I can show you some picture.It has a RCX connector and plastic shell. With me it's very wonderful


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Quang23693

mwhals said:


> Is a WM1A with a top K mod or other as good as a stock WM1Z? It would be less money for the same performance if yes.


I has MS1A ultimate and my friend has a stock 1Z. Both of them are the exellent dap but have a different signature. I feel 1A warm,black background , vocal also better than 1Z. While 1Z has more detail, big soundtage and very clean than 1A. Therefore, you should pick up a dap which suits your taste. Hope my impression helpful to you


----------



## RobertP (Apr 29, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> What firmware version is included in Concerto? I see it's a full NW_WM_FW.UPG file unlike the other versions.


It's from DMP1.02 and sound signature is quite different than wm1a file.


----------



## Lookout57

RobertP said:


> It's from DMP1.02


OK, not needed since it won't install.


----------



## RobertP (Apr 29, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> OK, not needed since it won't install.


Did you get error? Make sure you wm1a is on fw 3.02


----------



## Lookout57

RobertP said:


> Did you get error?


Including that NW_WM_FW.UPG file is not required as it will never load since it's for the DMP-Z1. 

The proof is when you watch the install. The progress bar stops very quickly and the player reboots. Unlike with valid firmware where the progress bar takes like a minute to go all the way to then end before rebooting. Another validation is to start with a clean 3.02 and install any tuning SWUpdate.xml. Listen to a couple of tracks. Then try installing with the DMP-Z1 NW_WM_FW.UPG and listen to the same tracks. No change. 

So you can make the install packages much smaller by including a dummy NW_WM_FW.UPG like morgenstern09 does for his for 3.02 based tunings.


----------



## gazzington

Wm1z with jupiter firmware and atlas iems sounds very nice indeed


----------



## RobertP

Lookout57 said:


> Including that NW_WM_FW.UPG file is not required as it will never load since it's for the DMP-Z1.
> 
> The proof is when you watch the install. The progress bar stops very quickly and the player reboots. Unlike with valid firmware where the progress bar takes like a minute to go all the way to then end before rebooting. Another validation is to start with a clean 3.02 and install any tuning SWUpdate.xml. Listen to a couple of tracks. Then try installing with the DMP-Z1 NW_WM_FW.UPG and listen to the same tracks. No change.
> 
> So you can make the install packages much smaller by including a dummy NW_WM_FW.UPG like morgenstern09 does for his for 3.02 based tunings.


It could be partially flash, because the progress bar took 3 sec. longer before reboot again. Why dmp1.01 sound different than dmp1.02 with same xml?


----------



## 515164 (Apr 29, 2020)

RobertP said:


> It could be partially flash, because the progress bar took 3 sec. longer before reboot again. Why dmp1.01 sound different than dmp1.02 with same xml?



https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15566474

If the .UPG would be successfully decrypted, the progress bar would just reach the end, as the update kernel would execute the bash script inside the package. There is no partial flashing involved, as it cannot exist, due to how the update process works.



RobertP said:


> Why dmp1.01 sound different than dmp1.02 with same xml?



I have no idea what you are hearing, just explaining how the update process works.


----------



## Lookout57

RobertP said:


> It could be partially flash, because the progress bar took 3 sec. longer before reboot again. Why dmp1.01 sound different than dmp1.02 with same xml?


It's most likely due to the size of the UPG file. The bogus ones are less than 1K so it loads and realizes it can't decrypt it and reboots. The DMP-Z1 file is much larger so that's way it takes longer to realize it can't decrypt it and reboots.


----------



## Queen6

We there


Never gets old, superb set...

Q-6


----------



## 515164

Queen6 said:


> We there
> 
> Never gets old, superb set...
> 
> Q-6



When I look at him I get a feel of Benedict Cumberbatch mixed with Chris Martin


----------



## Lookout57

morgenstern09 said:


> When I look at him I get a feel of Benedict Cumberbatch mixed with Chris Martin


When I quickly looked at that I saw dickweed instead of digweed. I had to look again to see it correctly.


----------



## Queen6

Shifting genres - All About Eve

A time and a place, so much emotion with this album, simply builds and builds, 22 years on absolutely nothing has changed - In the Meadow, demands to push the volume...

Q-6


----------



## Mindstorms

morgenstern09 said:


> The Walkman doesn't seem to recognize the files as videos, even though they are within the mentioned specifications... They are seen as audio files and they will play as such, without displaying a video.
> 
> I thought Music Center may support importing videos to the player, and maybe it would do a conversion or something, required to play on the device, but no luck.
> 
> ...


So Can I use Vinil procesor on my pc lol


----------



## 515164

Mindstorms said:


> So Can I use Vinil procesor on my pc lol



It only has DSEE HX


----------



## Maxx134

Quang23693 said:


> My 1a on region J and i tested wm1a-z1 with ier-Z1r and fir audio M5. Both of them have a same result. I'll try it with the other region. Thanks for your support


If too much bass for you, I would suggest try CN region .


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 30, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> It only has DSEE HX


so can you listen in pc with DSEE? without any use of walkman? like an pc player with DSEE


----------



## aceedburn

Mindstorms said:


> so can youlisten in pc with DSEE?


Yes. It also works in DAC mode


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 30, 2020)

I mean using the program not the walkman itself! I installed it It has DSEE nice feature


----------



## Quang23693

Maxx134 said:


> If too much bass for you, I would suggest try CN region .


Oh yeah, but i like J region and i need to use remote pair with my 1A. Thank for your help


----------



## Mindstorms (Apr 30, 2020)

A voice from the heavens tells me there might be some 3.00 action around the corner but I just cant see it! well Im still there..


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 30, 2020)

Spoiler: Gears using Jupiter301-T1


----------



## gerelmx1986

2nd SACD arrived, still waiting for the las one


----------



## IAMTHEEGGMAN

Hi mates, trying to decide between wm1z, sp1000m and n6ii, to go fully portable with my Solaris SE from a Hugo 2.

Now there's a big discount in wm1z but I have some doubts. 

I listen almost any genre and listen at low-medium volume. 

I've red balanced output has no hiss with Solaris, but someone, @Currawong I think, said a noise can be heard at the begining and end of the tracks, which is a big downside. Also, I like neutral and natural sound with a little of bass enhancement, but something overly bassy wouldn't fit my tastes either.

Can anyone advice me?

Thx a lot.


----------



## mwhals

IAMTHEEGGMAN said:


> Hi mates, trying to decide between wm1z, sp1000m and n6ii, to go fully portable with my Solaris SE from a Hugo 2.
> 
> Now there's a big discount in wm1z but I have some doubts.
> 
> ...



Big discount on WM1Z???


----------



## 515164 (Apr 30, 2020)

IAMTHEEGGMAN said:


> Hi mates, trying to decide between wm1z, sp1000m and n6ii, to go fully portable with my Solaris SE from a Hugo 2.
> 
> Now there's a big discount in wm1z but I have some doubts.
> 
> ...



I see the Solaris SE have a 10 Ohms impedance.

I use the Shure SE846 (9 Ohms impedance) with my WM1A, and I only hear some noise when changing the volume, especially if I have high gain on. This is for the 3.5 single ended output, will check for the balanced one as well.

But otherwise, I hear no noise when there's no sound in the song or if paused or at the beginning/end of a track.


----------



## Vitaly2017

IAMTHEEGGMAN said:


> Hi mates, trying to decide between wm1z, sp1000m and n6ii, to go fully portable with my Solaris SE from a Hugo 2.
> 
> Now there's a big discount in wm1z but I have some doubts.
> 
> ...




lotoo paw gold touch is your best friend!


----------



## nc8000

IAMTHEEGGMAN said:


> Hi mates, trying to decide between wm1z, sp1000m and n6ii, to go fully portable with my Solaris SE from a Hugo 2.
> 
> Now there's a big discount in wm1z but I have some doubts.
> 
> ...



If you are going to just use the dap as a transport to feed your Hugo I would consider it a waste to spend thath much to buy any of those daps


----------



## IAMTHEEGGMAN

mwhals said:


> Big discount on WM1Z???



Yes, 2335 € at supersonido.es. Maybe a new model is coming.



morgenstern09 said:


> I see the Solaris SE have a 10 Ohms impedance.
> 
> I use the Shure SE846 (9 Ohms impedance) with my WM1A, and I only hear some noise when changing the volume, especially if I have high gain on. This is for the 3.5 single ended output, will check for the balanced one as well.
> 
> But otherwise, I hear no noise when there's no sound in the song or if paused or at the beginning/end of a track.



Thanks mate! I normally do not hear hiss with se846 either... They are not so hissy such as Solaris.



Vitaly2017 said:


> lotoo paw gold touch is your best friend!



Wow, for sure, but it's over my budget.



nc8000 said:


> If you are going to just use the dap as a transport to feed your Hugo I would consider it a waste to spend thath much to buy any of those daps



No, no. The idea is go fully portable. Use Solaris only and exclusively from the dap.

Thank you all! Let's see if I can get more info about because I can't audition them, so I have to make a blind buy.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Apr 30, 2020)

IAMTHEEGGMAN said:


> Yes, 2335 € at supersonido.es. Maybe a new model is coming.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I would say go with 1Z, but then again I’m Sony fan.


In all seriousness, 1Z sound is opposite of Hugo2 in that the former is more analogue sound, think warm, amazing bass and treble, while the later is digital type. The different FW available will provide variable choices and sound profiles, so flexibility here. The bad thing about Sony is it realistically needs huge amount of burn time >400 to 500 hours each side. You cannot judge 1Z direct out of the box, you’ll be greatly disappointed. You gotta burn them. Good news is that sound quality wise should be better than SP 1K and N6ii, bad news is it cost more.  


If you don’t really mind the cost and more analogue sound, I think you’ll be very happy with 1Z over time.


----------



## gearofwar

IAMTHEEGGMAN said:


> Hi mates, trying to decide between wm1z, sp1000m and n6ii, to go fully portable with my Solaris SE from a Hugo 2.
> 
> Now there's a big discount in wm1z but I have some doubts.
> 
> ...


You are coming into a sony thread and ask for recommendation? honestly 90% people will say Sony daps rule all. Seriously, I have already stopped looking for new daps at the moment. The last ones I tried were sp2000 and m15


----------



## RobertP (Apr 30, 2020)

Just confirmed, tested my tune with UPG file from DMP1.02 and sound quality is good as it should every time.

Update Concerto right after restore stock fw 3.02 (normal flash) and it sounds just horrible. Too boomy or blanketed in lower-mid and bass. Lag of resolution overall. Treble fine details are gone.

If Concerto tune had already installed and flash it again but this time with blank UPG file, that's the only way to achieve the closest similarity. I can still hear some differences between with and without DMP1.02 file. It sounds blanketed still but at least not boomy like before. Treble is a little better. I don't have an explanation for all this but that's what I got as a results.

So if anyone update any tune with dummy UPG file in it, I would recommend restore stock fw first. Useless you know you are on vanilla version of the 3.02. That's including Classical and Vinyl fw.

Cheers!


----------



## Vitaly2017

IAMTHEEGGMAN said:


> Yes, 2335 € at supersonido.es. Maybe a new model is coming.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




if you only want to use it as a source, may as well then buy dx160 or dx220 if budget is an issue....


----------



## IAMTHEEGGMAN

Vitaly2017 said:


> if you only want to use it as a source, may as well then buy dx160 or dx220 if budget is an issue....



I want to use it as a portable DAC/amp solution, without anything else in the chain, selling the Hugo 2. I can't have a place where install a desktop setup, so I need something to listen on the go.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (May 1, 2020)

IAMTHEEGGMAN said:


> I want to use it as a portable DAC/amp solution, without anything else in the chain, selling the Hugo 2. I can't have a place where install a desktop setup, so I need something to listen on the go.




If you want TOTL you got no other choices then wm1z or LPGT or sp2000, you wanna save a buck then you got, wm1a lp6k cayin n6ii plenue L, wanna save even more zx507 ibasso Fiio shanling.

If I where you I would go below 1a or lotoo paw 6000 plenue L, even cayin n6ii dont have all the nuances that totl dap offers. zx507 not theire either. To my ears and experience 1z is a notche above hugo2 I did a/b test the 2 side by side for 3.5 hours. came out that 1z has better bass and more musical and better isolation. all chord devices tend to catch emi rfi noise.


I forgot you also got cayin N8, Id rate it this way 1z->n8->hugo2->lpgt->sp2000->lp6k->plenue L->dx220->zx507->m15->dx160->mojo


----------



## gerelmx1986

The ONLY WAY TO DEAL WITH QOBUZ'S FAKE FLAC DOWNLOADS is VIA PAYPAL. Downloaded a 24/96 album and it is a CD upsample! No inofrmation above 22Khz


----------



## IAMTHEEGGMAN

Vitaly2017 said:


> If you want TOTL you got no other choices then wm1z or LPGT or sp2000, you wanna save a buck then you got, wm1a lp6k cayin n6ii plenue L, wanna save even more zx507 ibasso Fiio shanling.
> 
> If I where you I would go below 1a or lotoo paw 6000 plenue L, even cayin n6ii dont have all the nuances that totl dap offers. zx507 not theire either. To my ears and experience 1z is a notche above hugo2 I did a/b test the 2 side by side for 3.5 hours. came out that 1z has better bass and more musical and better isolation. all chord devices tend to catch emi rfi noise.
> 
> ...



Nice info. Thank you very much! 
Damn, 1z offer is biting me hard.


----------



## Layman1 (May 1, 2020)

IAMTHEEGGMAN said:


> Hi mates, trying to decide between wm1z, sp1000m and n6ii, to go fully portable with my Solaris SE from a Hugo 2.
> 
> Now there's a big discount in wm1z but I have some doubts.
> 
> ...



Hi there,

Just to add my 2€ to the range of comments here (I saw you are in Spain) 

Well, I have owned both WM1Z and LPGT.
I've heard the SP1000 for a short demo at CanJam. It sounded good but didn't blow me away at first listen.
But then, as I said, it was only a short demo in a non-ideal listening environment, so I'll focus on the WM1Z and LPGT with which I have a lot of experience.

There are some factors that you might wish to consider before making this decision.

1) With the WM1Z, if you read around this thread, and the companion thread about modding the WM1Z, you will find there has been a LOT of information posted about hardware modifications (mods) that can be done to the WM1A or WM1Z.

There are different levels of hardware mods, ranging from upgrading some of the internal wires, to swapping (and even adding) capacitors, etc.
These mods can cost from a relatively small amount, up to several hundred pounds.

A pretty heavily modified WM1A can, from reports here, very much exceed the performance of the WM1Z.
A heavily modified WM1Z can approach the level of Sony's flagship desktop/transportable DMP-1Z ($7k or so!).

The best value (and we're talking EXTREMELY good value for money) option seems to be to get a new or used WM1A and then have it modded with a medium to heavy level of hardware mods.

Also, with such mods, you have the chance to customise the sound signature of the DAP to your preferred signature.
Choices of wire materials and capacitors can make it sound more organic and warm, or more reference or bright, etc.

There's always a risk that something could go wrong, but if you go to a recommended modder, those risks are low, and I imagine they'd do everything they can to help you in the event of repairs being required etc. Only you can decide if that's a risk you're willing to take.
I personally think that for the potential upside, balanced against the level of risk (including the likelihood of that risk event occurring), it IS a decision worth considering.



2) Then, on top of that, you will again find in these two Head-Fi threads people posting firmware mods.
They are mostly ones that can be easily added with little to no risk onto the WM1Z and can just be swapped back easily to the Sony official ones if you wish.
They all offer different kinds of sound signatures, so again the key here is the ability to heavily customise the DAP to your personal preferences.


3) of course, on top of that, both LPGT and WM1Z offer the ability to digitally alter your DAP's sound.
Sony has an outstanding range of  'effects', and the LPGT has legendary PMEQ (advanced graphic equaliser) function.
Sony has it's S-Master stuff and sophisticated digital processing.
LPGT has discrete hardware/power sections for different functions, including a Blackfin chip (see their thread for more info - I'm no expert on this stuff, but I just know it sounds great!). Anyone interested should take a look at the hardware architecture for the LPGT, it's something that I haven't seen elsewhere.

4) Finally, if you're not interested in any mods, whether FW or hardware, then here's my comparison of the two players.
They are both built like a tank, but the LPGT is significantly smaller and lighter (still weighty in the hand, but less of a gold brick than the WM1Z).
I haven't held a WM1A, but I imagine it would be more similar in weight to an LPGT.

If you like using digital effects to modify the sound signature, Sony has a comprehensive range.
I never really explored those options on the LPGT, but I'd imagine it has some too, and based on it's other functions and performance, I'd imagine they're excellent too.

Regarding appearance, this is going to be even more subjective to most of us than all the other things I suppose 
Personally, I love gold when it's classy and understated (not too shiny and bling-like). I find the LPGT pretty unappealing in appearance, only the gold volume wheel was good for me. However, when I take the protective sleeve off the WM1Z, and gaze upon it on all its naked glory, it's just an object of utter beauty to me 

Regarding battery life, I can't remember what it is for the LPGT, but based on my usage, I'm guessing a more normal 7-10 hours.
With these Sony DAPs, I don't know how they do what no one else in the market seems to be able/willing to do, but they last for crazy amounts of hours (22-32 hours?).

Regarding UI and speed.
Sony has a fast and polished UI of course, being a huge company with money to throw at such development.
I've had some issues with album art not appearing (which I never had an issue with on the LPGT).
However, there's various posts on here about how to resolve it (and in another related thread helping people with any such issues); I've just been too busy to read and do it.

Sony start up takes.. I don't know how long, but it seems like 2-3 minutes, as it says 'creating database' whenever it's powered on.
LPGT start up (from powering on) is the stuff of legend. They've developed their own OS, and you can be playing files in 2 - 5 seconds from powering on 

Regarding sound, I have to say I think the LPGT sounds better out of the box than the WM1Z.
Meaning if I had to choose one of the other based solely on its default sound signature, with no hardware mods, FW mods or DSP/EQ tweaking, then I felt the LPGT was just better, and a fair amount better too.
With the LPGT, it just made every IEM I plugged into it (at any price) sound like it was one tier better.
So a midrange one sounded more like TOTL, cheaper one sounded more like mid-range, etc.

Also, it just did it in an effortlessly natural way. Just big holographic soundstage and separation, superb layering and imaging, terrific detail levels and a sound signature that's somehow addictively musical and engaging but without excessively colouring the sound signature in any way. Really, it's just astonishing.

So you'd have to weigh up all these various factors to make a decision.
I've seen places doing offers on the LPGT (I think I saw one well known website selling it at around $2500?).
I think if you're open to the idea of modding FW or hardware, then based on all my reading thus far, I suspect/hope the WM1Z has the ability to scale higher (perhaps quite a bit higher) than the LPGT.
And if you get a new or used WM1A and have that modded, then you can get a similar result for a MUCH lower cost 

Well, that's my thoughts. I know you weren't initially considering the LPGT, but it's what I have experience with, plus I've seen it on sale at prices around your budget range, so I felt these comparisons might be worth posting. And of course if they can help anyone else on here, then great!
Hope you (and anyone else) found this helpful. All constructive questions/comments welcome


----------



## 515164 (May 1, 2020)

Layman1 said:


> Regarding battery life, I can't remember what it is for the LPGT, but based on my usage, I'm guessing a more normal 7-10 hours.
> With these Sony DAPs, I don't know how they do what no one else in the market seems to be able/willing to do, but they last for crazy amounts of hours (22-32 hours?).



This is because Sony uses the class D amplifier design, which can theoretically be 100% efficient. In real life, it's usually more than 90% efficient.

Lotoo Paw Gold uses a class A amp design, which has an efficiency of around 25-50%.

That's also why the Sony daps are not heating up when playing, while other daps are. The heat is the wasted (dissipated) power.






An example graph, though it's a comparison between class D and class AB, which can be more efficient than class A.


----------



## IAMTHEEGGMAN

Layman1 said:


> Hi there,
> 
> Just to add my 2€ to the range of comments here (I saw you are in Spain)
> 
> ...



Wow, really helpful post mate. 

Yes, I noticed the thread is plenty of people who mod their Sony daps. To be honest, I'm a bit afraid of hardware mods, software seems much safer, but in any case, I won't do any mod to a 1z until warranty is expired. Yes, I'm that kind of person lol.

About price range I was thinking of 2k budget... Sp1000m, n6ii, etc. But 1z offer made me think to go up until 2,4k, because possibly it is worth the money. I'm a bit disappointed with Sony in the past years, but seems this product is like a stone, so I hope it has the durability it is supposed to have. The battery life is really attractive and I don't care too much about design, but yes, looks nice.

I'll get more info about lpgt, but seems a good contender also, as vitally said. Low battery life maybe it's a downside but not a deal-breaker. And the price is higher than I wanted.

The wm1a problem is I red it hisses considerably with CA Solaris, and can't know for sure if mods can fix this. A high modification would be the answer but how much does it cost? I can find it for 900€ approx new, but I really need it to be dead silent. It's an option I'm going to study.

Thanks so much for this awesome post... Really helpful. I have to collect more info and take a decision based on your advices, so I'm very pleased with you all.


----------



## mwhals

IAMTHEEGGMAN said:


> Wow, really helpful post mate.
> 
> Yes, I noticed the thread is plenty of people who mod their Sony daps. To be honest, I'm a bit afraid of hardware mods, software seems much safer, but in any case, I won't do any mod to a 1z until warranty is expired. Yes, I'm that kind of person lol.
> 
> ...



The Lotoo Paw 6000 is 90% of the Lotoo Paw Gold Touch For less than half the price. Both of the Lotoos have a very black background and no hiss based on reviews I have read.


----------



## etlouis (May 1, 2020)

IAMTHEEGGMAN said:


> Nice info. Thank you very much!
> Damn, 1z offer is biting me hard.



Few weeks ago I went and listened to a whole bunch of Daps. Basically the totl models are all aiming at this hifi tuning where things are not in your face, but still conserving the details. A velvety sound if you will. Like the difference between vodka and wine. Cheaper daps like Fiio m11pro and SR15 deliver good details, but lack the “refined warmth” that we audiophiles seem to pursue.

I’d suggest sp1000m for being the cheapest and yet have that “TOTL” sound signature. Or perhaps Kann cube or wm1a. They all aren’t very portable either.


----------



## Mindstorms (May 1, 2020)

So you guys stated Media Center had DSEE but you guys have the magic plug for it lol! also been able to measure and DSEE does a lot on the 18 to 20K region it boost a lot if you see my eq i do that normally i wish my 1A had a 20k EQ cheers!


----------



## Lookout57

IAMTHEEGGMAN said:


> Wow, really helpful post mate.
> 
> Yes, I noticed the thread is plenty of people who mod their Sony daps. To be honest, I'm a bit afraid of hardware mods, software seems much safer, but in any case, I won't do any mod to a 1z until warranty is expired. Yes, I'm that kind of person lol.
> 
> ...


I don't hear any hiss on the Solaris in balanced on the 1A using normal volume (50-65) on low gain.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mindstorms said:


> So you guys stated Media Center had DSEE but you guys have the magic plug for it lol! also been able to measure and DSEE does a lot on the 18 to 20K region it boost a lot if you see my eq i do that normally i wish my 1A had a 20k EQ cheers!


Is a windows MAC skin or you're running a virtual machine in a MAC?


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> Is a windows MAC skin or you're running a virtual machine in a MAC?


Its a mysterious PC Its not apple


----------



## Queen6

Blondie - Parallel Lines

Fueled by Absinth, rage and a heavy hand on the volume button...

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (May 1, 2020)

Disturbed - The Sickness

All starts here...

IEM swap, although similar and on 4.4 Dunu 3001 Pro switched out for XBA-N3 on Sony's Kimber Kabel (MUC-S12B1), N3's nails the sub bass that touch more... 

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (May 1, 2020)

Die Antwoord - Donker Mag

You owe it to yourself to see Die Antwoord's music videos, way out there. On XBA-N3 bass just sings out...

Q-6


----------



## Lookout57

Queen6 said:


> Die Antwoord - Donker Mag
> 
> You owe it to yourself to see Die Antwoord's music videos, way out there. On XBA-N3 bass just sings out...
> 
> Q-6


More so than Tool's?


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Queen6

Black Sabbath 

Will test your gear as is al over the place

Q-6


----------



## LoveMusicEveryday

Can any kind souls here post the links to all the various firmware mods for the Sony WM1A? I am having a hard time finding these links. I presume these links will also provide instructions on how to load the modified firmware to the WM1A. Thank you in advance!


----------



## Queen6

Lookout57 said:


> More so than Tool's?



Nah, very different; Tool is slower, more articulated, Die Antwoord bangs the bass out, needing a fast response from the IEM/HP.  Concentration is busted thx to Absinth & Black Sabbath, bass lines are tripping...

FWIW Sony WM1A, stock 3.02, direct, Sony XBA-N3 on Sony MUC-S12B1, epic...

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

This Mobtverdi album with IER-Z1R  epic huge soundstage same for MDR-Z1R  epic giant SS


----------



## Queen6

Danzig - She Rides 

What a track, I think only surpassed by How the God's Kill intro to She Rides just kill it, decay on the cymbals spot on... 

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 1, 2020)

I have another selva morale e spirituale with a CD so 4 instead of 3 and like them both. Saw the 4 cd as 24/96 at qobuz only to be bitten by fake upsampled cd. Maks me wanna cancel my qobuz store account and stick with presto classical who give far better customer support.

With presto classical have had only one fake flac and got my money back, simply as that.qobuz have been many times I've been owned by fake Hi-res. I already had a qobuz account and deleted it out of rage


----------



## Queen6

LoveMusicEveryday said:


> Can any kind souls here post the links to all the various firmware mods for the Sony WM1A? I am having a hard time finding these links. I presume these links will also provide instructions on how to load the modified firmware to the WM1A. Thank you in advance!



Search for @morgenstern09 posts will solve all your concerns

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (May 1, 2020)

Duffrey - The World That You Know

Way out there, is an experience with or without...

Q-6


----------



## 515164

LoveMusicEveryday said:


> Can any kind souls here post the links to all the various firmware mods for the Sony WM1A? I am having a hard time finding these links. I presume these links will also provide instructions on how to load the modified firmware to the WM1A. Thank you in advance!



You can find some links in my signature.

I personally recommend WM1Az or WM1A-z1.

You will just have to download the package coresponding to your variant (European/Japanese/Universal), and then everything is like a Sony official update. Just run the package, and connect your Walkman via USB and enable the Mass Storage mode.

If you have no idea what variant your Walkman is, just try all three variants (and eventually remember which one worked for you).


----------



## Damz87

Queen6 said:


> Duffrey - The World That You Know
> 
> Way out there, is an experience with or without...
> 
> Q-6


Love this album


----------



## denis1976

Great with 1Z the subbass....


----------



## mrrayray

morgenstern09 said:


> You can find some links in my signature.
> 
> I personally recommend WM1Az or WM1A-z1.
> 
> ...



Is WM1A-z1 also boosting the wm1z towards DMP-Z1's sound signature?
I'm kind of curious how you would describe the differences between these 2 on the wm1z.
Thanks so much again for your amazing contribution


----------



## 515164 (May 1, 2020)

mrrayray said:


> Is WM1A-z1 also boosting the wm1z towards DMP-Z1's sound signature?
> I'm kind of curious how you would describe the differences between these 2 on the wm1z.
> Thanks so much again for your amazing contribution



Unfortunately I don't have the WM1Z, but based on feedback from other users who tried it, I recommend you give a try to WM1Z², link in my signature.

WM1A-z1 can also be applied to WM1Z Universal btw, but I have no idea if it's good or not.


----------



## 515164 (May 3, 2020)

Also...

Feel free to give a try to...

*JustAnother WM1Z Tuning *(didn't have a better idea for the name )

You can find it *here (click)*.

*If you applied other tunings before, it's recommended that you first flash the stock 3.02 firmware (download here) before applying one of these tunings.*

Compared to WM1Z², this one has an increased soundstage, with a more relaxed/distanced presentation, while having no loss in details.

Recommended region is J, but it may sound good/better with other regions as well, of course.

Thanks again to @Maxx134 for giving it a try!

As always, feedback would be appreciated.


----------



## Maxx134

morgenstern09 said:


> Compared to WM1Z², this one has an increased soundstage, with a more relaxed/distanced presentation, while having no loss in details.
> 
> Recommended region is J, but it may sound good/better with other regions as well, of course.
> 
> Thanks again to @Maxx134 for giving it a try!


Hi thanks for letting me try them.
I personally really like "WM1Z²", probably because "Solis" was my fave, and this one is very musical.

I feel the "*JustAnother WM1Z Tuning" *is great for those that like soundstage.


----------



## Donmonte

morgenstern09 said:


> Also...
> 
> Feel free to give a try to...
> 
> ...


Will this work on a MW1A ?


----------



## 515164

Donmonte said:


> Will this work on a MW1A ?



It's not intended to do that.

I recommend trying the other tunings for WM1A.


----------



## Maxx134 (May 2, 2020)

Donmonte said:


> Will this work on a MW1A


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Maxx134 said:


>


Oooh...brutal 😃


----------



## Donmonte

hamhamhamsta said:


> Oooh...brutal 😃


Haha, I already have the other tunings for MW1A, but since @morgenstern09  doesn’t have a 1Z, I thought just maybe


----------



## Dtuck90

Just gone from Autumn+ to WM1A-z1 and put on the new Circles Around the Sun Live album. The bass is insane.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Quang23693

Dtuck90 said:


> Just gone from Autumn+ to WM1A-z1 and put on the new Circles Around the Sun Live album. The bass is insane.


I really like WM1A-z1. I feel it too much bass and slow. Then i installed stock 3.02 and move to WM1A-z1 again. I feel happy with it. Maybe the my old fw affect it. This is my fault. Everyone should install stock fw first and try wm1a-z1. Special thank to @morgenstern09. Enjoy!


----------



## gerelmx1986

i have the original port of DMP-Z1 V1.02 my favorite so far


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 2, 2020)

One thing i wish they implement on the OS is The album titles Fonts to have color-coding to easily guess if they're Hi-res
* MP3/AAC -lossy (faded grey kind of like disabled grayed-out list item)
* 16-bit 44.1/48 White
* 24-bit 44.1/48 to 88.2/96 Silver
* 24-bit 176.4/192 to 352.8/384 Bronze, copper
*DSD Gold (or DSD icon, then 176.4/192 bronze copper, 352.8/384 Gold)

I don't know if the charging LED is red, because if it is a RGB-LED they could do a LED color code for this of sample rate-telling feature. Chord electronics does this on their line up like Mojo and Hugo


----------



## 515164

Quang23693 said:


> I really like WM1A-z1. I feel it too much bass and slow. Then i installed stock 3.02 and move to WM1A-z1 again. I feel happy with it. Maybe the my old fw affect it. This is my fault. Everyone should install stock fw first and try wm1a-z1. Special thank to @morgenstern09. Enjoy!



Interesting, I also thought I heard something similar to what you describe, some time ago.

Will do some tests in order to find the best way to do this. I wouldn't want to include the stock 3.02 .UPG unless really necessary.


----------



## Donmonte

morgenstern09 said:


> Interesting, I also thought I heard something similar to what you describe, some time ago.
> 
> Will do some tests in order to find the best way to do this. I wouldn't want to include the stock 3.02 .UPG unless really necessary.


I also noticed changing through regions resets the firmware to its original tuning.


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> i have the original port of DMP-Z1 V1.02 my favorite so far



That was also my favorite before!

However, WM1Az, WM1A-z1 are better alternatives now, at least for me. I would say they are evolved versions of the DMP-Z1 1.02 port.

I also consider them better than Autumn+, though I didn't use it in some time already, as the new ones are just awesome.


----------



## Quang23693

morgenstern09 said:


> Interesting, I also thought I heard something similar to what you describe, some time ago.
> 
> Will do some tests in order to find the best way to do this. I wouldn't want to include the stock 3.02 .UPG unless really necessary.


Thanks for your help. Let me know when you release a new fw. I'll try and feedback as soon as possible. Now i am very happy with your fw. Thanks again. Have a nice day


----------



## ngxant

Pleas tell me why Upgrade a mod FW can effect to sound of WM1A?
I think it based from hardware.
And what exactly you changed in those fw?
I tested on my WM1A + IER Z1R but nothing big changes?


----------



## 515164 (May 2, 2020)

Quang23693 said:


> Thanks for your help. Let me know when you release a new fw. I'll try and feedback as soon as possible. Now i am very happy with your fw. Thanks again. Have a nice day



It indeed seems to have an effect, however I'm still not sure about the exact circumstances in which this can occurr.

Just to be on the safe side, I added a recommendation to all of my posts that if you had any tunings applied before, to flash stock 3.02 first (also added a download link to the stock 3.02).

Thinking about what RobertP was also saying, I remember a weird situation when I applied a certain tuning but it didn't sound as good as I remembered. So, as debugging mode was turned on in my head for a moment, I applied the same tuning again, and then it sounded as I remembered.

The thing that the 1.02 UPG is not flashed (not even partially, this just can't work anyway, as this is not how the upgrade process works) is pretty much a fact, and I still stand by it. The thing that something can stick around between applying different tunings makes more sense.



ngxant said:


> Pleas tell me why Upgrade a mod FW can effect to sound of WM1A?
> I think it based from hardware.
> And what exactly you changed in those fw?
> I tested on my WM1A + IER Z1R but nothing big changes?



Because the WM1A/WM1Z seems to use an FPGA that does some processing to the sound in some way.

Proof of that is how using different regions can slightly alter the sound signature.

You can find instructions on how to change your region/destination, on *this page (click)*.

The ones I posted are not basically firmware mods, we're just calling different tunings in different ways, tunings that are already inside the firmware, hence how it can sound slightly different when changing the region/destination.

Also, not everyone listens to sounds in the same way, I even noticed this with friends in real life. Someone who was using some Bose QC35 II found no difference between those and some Beyerdynamics DT770 Pro, which had a very clear/precise sound in all ranges, with a clearly expanded soundstage.

Some people will listen to the sound as a whole, while some people seem to focus more on lyrics, for example. For them, lyrics have a bigger emotional impact than the song as a whole. I knew people who couldn't listen to music that had no lyrics, and for me it makes no sense, as lyrics are not that important for me. But I learned to accept it, as each one of us are different.


----------



## Quang23693 (May 2, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> It indeed seems to have an effect, however I'm still not sure about the exact circumstances in which this can occurr.
> 
> Just to be on the safe side, I added a recommendation to all of my posts that if you had any tunings applied before, to flash stock 3.02 first (also added a download link to the stock 3.02).
> 
> ...


Yeah, i don't think it affect because i have changed too many fw. Untill this morning, I accidentally chose the wrong stock fw. I must reinstall and i don't believe it. I reinstalled it again. I recognize that the change is too different. I don't understand it but i trust that my experience is real and i learn to accept it


----------



## Dtuck90

Looks like I’m going to flash 3.02 then reinstall WM1A-z1


----------



## Mindstorms (May 2, 2020)

ngxant said:


> Pleas tell me why Upgrade a mod FW can effect to sound of WM1A?
> I think it based from hardware.
> And what exactly you changed in those fw?
> I tested on my WM1A + IER Z1R but nothing big changes?


I can explain it to you but you will be better haring it... some of us can hear very sublte changes in Region and FW some like the user Candlejack that cant discriminate sound diferences between an Iphone and a ZX300 so its very up to what you can hear and how trained is your hearing and how good your iem can depicte the diferencies accurately. I been listening to walkmans for now 17 years so i can tell my ear has acustomed to their analogue singnature to the point that when I heard some TOTL FIIO DAP It sounded plain digital and very wide but exagerated here you can get that signature but with a more analog feeling... 1A on 3.00 its very digital and very acurate while in 2.00 and 3.02 its very warm and not that neutral also regions very well explained here in previous posts has effects on fw to the point i can hear it very clearly on my ZX100 wich has not the power nor resolution of 1A... so feel free to test and share your own experience with us! (this are not my claims many users can actually hear it very well)


----------



## 515164 (May 2, 2020)

Dtuck90 said:


> Looks like I’m going to flash 3.02 then reinstall WM1A-z1



Yep, it would hurt nothing to do that anyway 

Reflashing the stock firmware does not reset the played hours counter or settings or anything.


----------



## Quang23693

Dtuck90 said:


> Looks like I’m going to flash 3.02 then reinstall WM1A-z1


You should try it. Maybe you feel happier  . Enjoy


----------



## Queen6 (May 2, 2020)

Mindstorms said:


> I can explain it to you but you will be better haring it... some of us can hear very tamed changes in Region and FW some like the user Candlejack that cant discriminate sound diferences between an Iphone and a ZX300 so its very up to what you can hear and how trained is your hearing and how good your iem can depicte the diferencies accurately. I been listening to walkmans for now 17 years so i can tell my ear has acustomed to their analogue singnature to the point that when I heard some TOTL FIIO DAP It sounded plain digital and very wide but exagerated here you can get that signature but with a more analog feeling... 1A on 3.00 its very digital and very acurate while in 2.00 and 3.02 its very warm and not that neutral also regions very well explained here in previous posts has effects on fw to the point i can hear it very clearly on my ZX100 wich has not the power nor resolution of 1A... so feel free to test and share your own experience with us! (this are not my claims many users can actually hear it very well)



Agree I have Fiio M11 Pro, Sony WM1A & ZX300, if reaching for a DAP it will always be the WM1A as for me it's all about the music...

Q-6


----------



## ngxant

morgenstern09 said:


> It indeed seems to have an effect, however I'm still not sure about the exact circumstances in which this can occurr.
> 
> Just to be on the safe side, I added a recommendation to all of my posts that if you had any tunings applied before, to flash stock 3.02 first (also added a download link to the stock 3.02).
> 
> ...


Thanks for your kindly support. One more question: what fw region i should try?
My 1A has U region (universe). What better between U or J version of regions?


----------



## Mindstorms (May 2, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> Agree I have Fiio M11 Pro, Sony WM1A & ZX300, if reaching for a DAP it will always be the WM1A as for me it's all about the music...
> 
> Q-6


I can comment on this couse at the time I was about to buy my 1A i asked the seller of an important commerce wich had a that time tons of gear and was letting me hear the FIIO what he thought about Sony WM1A he told me  "its nothing special" the FIIO its better..... since I has heard both I took the right hoice the FIIO its a awesome player but totally diferent than my current 1A


----------



## Mindstorms (May 2, 2020)

ngxant said:


> Thanks for your kindly support. One more question: what fw region i should try?
> My 1A has U region (universe). What better between U or J version of regions?


I can also help you with that send you something as we speak lol wellcome here fell free to share impresion some user have more Idea about the hardware inside.. be shure to know wich region you are before anything!!!


----------



## 515164 (May 2, 2020)

ngxant said:


> Thanks for your kindly support. One more question: what fw region i should try?
> My 1A has U region (universe). What better between U or J version of regions?



Personally, I mostly used the J region, as I find it the most balanced of all.

By the way, there are regions/destinations, and variants. For example, the U region is not the same thing as the Universal variant. In the Universal variant there are also the MX/MX3/U2/U3/CA/E/E2/etc. regions.

U/U2/U3 should be for US, while CA is for Canada, for example, and MX/MX3 for Mexico/Latin America.

So your device is indeed an Universal variant in this case. But if your region would be CEV, for example, which is for Eastern Europe, then the variant would be European.

A note here is that when downloading tunings, you should always match your factory variant. Your device will always be Universal, even if you'll change the region/destination to J, for example.


----------



## 515164

I recommend giving a listen to this guy:



By the way, the tunings are also being used when using the USB DAC function.


----------



## Queen6 (May 3, 2020)

Mindstorms said:


> I can comment on this couse at the time I was about to buy my 1A i asked the seller of an important commerce wich had a that time tons of gear and was letting me hear the FIIO what he thought about Sony WM1A he told me nothing special the FIIO its better since I has heard both I took the right hoice the FIIO its a awesome player but totally diferent than my current 1A



M11 Pro is a very pure and clear DAP especially with THX, WM1A is far more organic and natural. To me the Sony represents live music, not dead, sterile & pre-packaged. I can feel the emotion with Sony, M11 Pro is just another digital transport...

Q-6


----------



## Ryokan

Are we due a successor to the WM1A soon do you guys think?


----------



## nc8000

Ryokan said:


> Are we due a successor to the WM1A soon do you guys think?



I doubt it


----------



## Maxx134 (May 2, 2020)

Mindstorms said:


> I can comment on this couse at the time I was about to buy my 1A i asked the seller of an important commerce wich had a that time tons of gear and was letting me hear the FIIO what he thought about Sony WM1A he told me  "its nothing special" the FIIO its better..... since I has heard both I took the right hoice the FIIO its a awesome player but totally diferent than my current 1A


I compared the sony 1a to the ibasso & the fiio, as I was first ones to buy.
I sold the fiio right away and then upgrade to a 1z.

The fiio don't come close to the 1a, but it does have all the resolution of the ibass and Sony..

Its just that BOTH ibasso & Fiio are simply not as real in presentation and timbre/tonality.
Just the resolution is there, presented artificially...

Think solid state vs organic .


----------



## nc8000

My travel rig the last year and increasingly also home rig with the lovely Dignis travel case


----------



## Hinomotocho

Queen6 said:


> M11 Pro is a very pure and clear DAP especially with THX, WM1A is far more organic and natural. To me the Sony represents live music, not dead, sterile & pre-packaged. I can feel the emotion with Sony, M11 Pro is just another digital transport...
> 
> Q-6


I have a Q5s with AM3D amp module - I think you summed it up nicely there. It sounds quite clear and detailed which could be perceived as better, but there is something about Sony that is more pleasing. Also I can't push the volume with my Fiio whereas I can happily damage my hearing with my ZX300.


----------



## Queen6 (May 3, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> I have a Q5s with AM3D amp module - I think you summed it up nicely there. It sounds quite clear and detailed which could be perceived as better, but there is something about Sony that is more pleasing. Also I can't push the volume with my Fiio whereas I can happily damage my hearing with my ZX300.



Absolutely nothing amiss with M11 Pro, equally WM1A has the road.  I listen to a lot of live music and the Sony DAP's captures far better.  Some DAP's are playing music and some are merely replicating music...

Music is always the source, never your hardware...

Q-6


----------



## ngxant (May 2, 2020)

So, any ideas about WM1A to “weak” to drive Z1R (in ear).
And with Mod FW WM1A maybe better when pair with Z1R?
I try alot DAP but i feel power of Sony Dap is very low.


----------



## Hinomotocho

To finance my WM1A purchase I'm considering selling my amp/dac - I was wondering how many people listen to music entirely using their WM1A and prefer that than PC with amp/dac?


----------



## Hinomotocho

Ryokan said:


> Are we due a successor to the WM1A soon do you guys think?


Not talking about the consumer range here, but they seem to take a long time between releases of their products eg the XBA range to the M7/M9/Z1R, then there have been no updated amp/dacs since the PHA range. 
Probably the ZX507 was just a necessary release to cater for all the streamers and not lose out to all the competition. As the WM1A/Z are catering to the high end users who have hi-res/DSD etc on SD cards they don't have the urgency to release anything yet. Like Hawaiibadboy's Youtube review said they have their own technology and do it well and are not caught up in the 'new' chip etc continual upgrades other companies are, also with the number of pages and the amount of activity on this thread they perhaps don't see the need to come out with something new.


----------



## Ryokan (May 2, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> I doubt it



WM1A is 4 years old now, ZX507 is like an interim player (upgrade from the ZX300) so would've thought a new flagship was due out this year.


----------



## Ryokan

Hinomotocho said:


> Not talking about the consumer range here, but they seem to take a long time between releases of their products eg the XBA range to the M7/M9/Z1R, then there have been no updated amp/dacs since the PHA range.
> Probably the ZX507 was just a necessary release to cater for all the streamers and not lose out to all the competition. As the WM1A/Z are catering to the high end users who have hi-res/DSD etc on SD cards they don't have the urgency to release anything yet. Like Hawaiibadboy's Youtube review said they have their own technology and do it well and are not caught up in the 'new' chip etc continual upgrades other companies are, also with the number of pages and the amount of activity on this thread they perhaps don't see the need to come out with something new.



4 years is quite a long time for a DAP though, especially considering some companies seem to release a new player every other month.


----------



## Hinomotocho (May 2, 2020)

Ryokan said:


> 4 years is quite a long time for a DAP though, especially considering some companies seem to release a new player every other month.


Agreed, but like I said the ZX507 was probably required to not lose customers who want to stream to other brands offering streaming connections.
It must cost alot of money to come out with a new DAP - it sounds like the WM1Z/A are already great sounding DAPs so they probably don't see the financial gains in the minor improvements to the sound they could make and although streaming might be convenient these are targeted to those who want maximum benefit from lossless or hi-res files played from the device.
As I am looking to purchase WM1A it does enter my mind that in this day and age I'm buying something that was released in 2016 - perhaps proof of it's quality.


----------



## mwhals

Ryokan said:


> 4 years is quite a long time for a DAP though, especially considering some companies seem to release a new player every other month.



The Sony HAP-Z1ES, that is a very nice device, was released in 2013 and there has not been a replacement model for it. We have one in our stereo rack.


----------



## 515164 (May 2, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> Agreed, but like I said the ZX507 was probably required to not lose customers who want to stream to other brands offering streaming connections.
> It must cost alot of money to come out with a new DAP - it sounds like the WM1Z/A are already great sounding DAPs so they probably don't see the financial gains in the minor improvements to the sound they could make and although streaming might be convenient these are targeted to those who want maximum benefit from lossless or hi-res files played from the device.
> As I am looking to purchase WM1A it does enter my mind that in this day and age I'm buying something that was released in 2016 - perhaps proof of it's quality.



Prepare your wallet/bank account until then. Not saying that it would be more expensive that the current prices, but the current prices are not so low or something 

Even if they are made in 2016, they are very good at what they are supposed to do, and they are not old stock. I bought mine this year, beginning of February, and it's manufactured in September 2019.

We might even get future firmware updates! They are usually releasing them at the end of August, though this year it might be a little delayed because of this whole situation with the virus...


----------



## Hinomotocho

morgenstern09 said:


> Prepare your wallet/bank account until then. Not saying that it would be more expensive that the current prices, but the current prices are not so low or something
> 
> Even if they are made in 2016, they are very good at what they are supposed to do, and they are not old stock. I bought mine this year, beginning of February, and it's manufactured in September 2019.
> 
> We might even get future firmware updates! They are usually releasing them at the end of August, though this year it might be a little delayed because of this whole situation with the virus...


Yes, I swear in Japan the prices have gone up. I can't get it in my country, but fortunately I can source from a nearby country for probably the lowest I have seen anywhere - the only kick in the nuts is the local tax AND some other add-on fee I have to pay to get it. What is frustrating is that I was due to go on holiday there later this month but travel won't be possible in the foreseeable future with this virus drama.


----------



## 515164

Hinomotocho said:


> the only kick in the nuts is the local tax AND some other add-on fee I have to pay to get it



Tell me about it, in Europe they didn't have it available on Amazon (.co.uk/.de) so I imported it from US. Had to pay around $255 USD for that, but all this is in the past now.

Glad I made this choice.


----------



## blazinblazin

So what do you wish to see in the new Signature series DAP?

Probably more power from each port, even longer battery life, smaller form factor?

We can see current DAPs catching up in terms of power and battery life of WM1 series.

So they probably will have something revolutionary too for the next gen.


----------



## Quang23693

ngxant said:


> So, any ideas about WM1A to “weak” to drive Z1R (in ear).
> And with Mod FW WM1A maybe better when pair with Z1R?
> I try alot DAP but i feel power of Sony Dap is very low.


You can try 1A/1Z with high gain and balance 4.4. I'm using 1A to pair with Z1R. I feel very good. If you need more power , you can tried cayin N8, Lotoo paw touch gold but i think you'll miss the sony signature  . Enjoy


----------



## 515164

blazinblazin said:


> We can see current DAPs catching up in terms of power and battery life of WM1 series.



There are DAPs more powerful than the WM1 series. However, I didn't see a DAP yet that is close to the battery life of the WM1


----------



## Blueoris

morgenstern09 said:


> Also...
> 
> Feel free to give a try to...
> 
> ...



I gave JustAnother WM1z Tuning a try.

Compared to Authum+ I can hear the relaxed presentation in the midrange, still detailed. It is the best so far for my very resolved audio system, where the 1Z servers as preamp.

In my tests, David Bowie's Joe the Lion (my favorite track to test the harshness of my single driver full range speakers) gave me a warm and relaxed, precise and detailed presentation. This track can be harsh and sterile on these kind of speakers.

Well done again @morgenstern09


----------



## Mindstorms (May 3, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> To finance my WM1A purchase I'm considering selling my amp/dac - I was wondering how many people listen to music entirely using their WM1A and prefer that than PC with amp/dac?


Me ( wich amp do you have?) I have a Creative E5 and several creative cards i hate them compared to 1A used to praise them a lot


----------



## Mindstorms (May 2, 2020)

ngxant said:


> So, any ideas about WM1A to “weak” to drive Z1R (in ear).
> And with Mod FW WM1A maybe better when pair with Z1R?
> I try alot DAP but i feel power of Sony Dap is very low.


Maybe the very advanced user Redcarmoose  can adress this one, since hes one here that have 1A 1Z and some desktop amps and the mentioned iem


----------



## ngxant (May 2, 2020)

Quang23693 said:


> You can try 1A/1Z with high gain and balance 4.4. I'm using 1A to pair with Z1R. I feel very good. If you need more power , you can tried cayin N8, Lotoo paw touch gold but i think you'll miss the sony signature  . Enjoy


Z1R is perfect pair with hifi flagship DAP.
But when plug it into 1Z have alot of details. With 1A seems balanced and sweet mid.
So with those mods, with a simple think is it will change firmware from this region to that region, for reach difference tone, right?
It don’t have different about power and performance of DAC chip?


----------



## Mindstorms (May 3, 2020)

ngxant said:


> Z1R is perfect pair with hifi flagship DAP.
> But when plug it into 1Z have alot of details. With 1A seems balanced and sweet mid.
> So with those mods, with a simple think is it will change firmware from this region to that region, for reach difference tone, right?
> It don’t have different about power and performance of DAC chip?


It shouldnt do wonders to power output but it can manage it better in my experience diferent Firmwares manage power output very diferently wich firmware are you actually on your 1A and what region I never heard 1A being less powerfull than 1Z... if someone here can help will be awesome... wich firmware and region are you on both... thats VERY important to compare


----------



## Quang23693

ngxant said:


> Z1R is perfect pair with hifi flagship DAP.
> But when plug it into 1Z have alot of details. With 1A seems balanced and sweet mid.
> So with those mods, with a simple think is it will change firmware from this region to that region, for reach difference tone, right?
> It don’t have different about power and performance of DAC chip?


One of mod fw improve dynamic, bass deeper, warmer the other provide too much treb, more detail and good resolation. So you should try all of fw to find the fw suitable for you. About the power, those mod fw just increase a bit of power if you need to improve power , you should to mod both hardware and software. But i think wm1a + mod fw still easy to drive Z1r. Why not try it instead of asking these questions.


----------



## flyer1

Blueoris said:


> I gave JustAnother WM1z Tuning a try.
> 
> Compared to Authum+ I can hear the relaxed presentation in the midrange, still detailed. It is the best so far for my very resolved audio system, where the 1Z servers as preamp.
> 
> ...



I Am still hooked on the WM1Z² mod. Like it alot, very analogue type of sound without a hint of solid state harshness. Exactly what I am after! 

@morgenstern09
What are the differences between these 2 1Z specific mods and how did you tune these mods so well without owning a 1Z yourself?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hinomotocho said:


> To finance my WM1A purchase I'm considering selling my amp/dac - I was wondering how many people listen to music entirely using their WM1A and prefer that than PC with amp/dac?


WM1A has USB DAC feature


----------



## 515164 (May 3, 2020)

flyer1 said:


> What are the differences between these 2 1Z specific mods



Well, I mentioned the main differences in the post for the new mod  They are basically the same as how Blueoris mentioned.



flyer1 said:


> how did you tune these mods so well without owning a 1Z yourself



I first started from the idea that 1Z has a warmer sound in comparison to the 1A. I then had it tested by someone who actually owns the device, and I tried adjusting it according to their feedback.

About the analog sounding, I would say that the players already have this sound, the mods are just amplifying that. 

Good job Sony, once again!


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 3, 2020)

Ryokan said:


> 4 years is quite a long time for a DAP though, especially considering some companies seem to release a new player every other month.


As long as it sounds and functions properly i see no urgency to update. I have a 6 year old VAIO laptop and still rocks , fast


----------



## gerelmx1986

So  I have bought  a couple of Hi-res musoc from qobuz, 2 albums , one single cd and a 4 disc (album) set. The 4 disc set all are fake hi-res flac. I always open my purchases roghtaway with spek,  to analyze them.

I already filed a PayPal dispute. Some one in a hifi audio whatsapp group told me that my dispute won't be proceeding anyfirther as it was a digital download and not a physical medium like a cd. That it does not apply to file "Got the product but not as advertised" claim. That I am only risking my self that qobuz will be blocking my account. Is that true? I just want my money back because in a week also got another bad flac from qobuz.. two times


----------



## Vitaly2017

ngxant said:


> Z1R is perfect pair with hifi flagship DAP.
> But when plug it into 1Z have alot of details. With 1A seems balanced and sweet mid.
> So with those mods, with a simple think is it will change firmware from this region to that region, for reach difference tone, right?
> It don’t have different about power and performance of DAC chip?




Ooh that r2r black is so sexy, what kind of perception feel and emotion do you feel/hear with r2r black vs wm1z?  I have cayin n6ii amp t01 on mind but I guess this dac used in the r2k black is way better?


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> So  I have bought  a couple of Hi-res musoc from qobuz, 2 albums , one single cd and a 4 disc (album) set. The 4 disc set all are fake hi-res flac. I always open my purchases roghtaway with spek,  to analyze them.
> 
> I already filed a PayPal dispute. Some one in a hifi audio whatsapp group told me that my dispute won't be proceeding anyfirther as it was a digital download and not a physical medium like a cd. That it does not apply to file "Got the product but not as advertised" claim. That I am only risking my self that qobuz will be blocking my account. Is that true? I just want my money back because in a week also got another bad flac from qobuz.. two times



I would suggest that you first write to Qobuz and see what they say.

PayPal might tell you to do that first, as well.


----------



## Ryokan

mwhals said:


> The Sony HAP-Z1ES, that is a very nice device, was released in 2013 and there has not been a replacement model for it. We have one in our stereo rack.



It's more to do with buying something expensive that could soon be superceded, and would have a four year old battery.


----------



## proedros

50 days of lockdown , my survival pack starts with WM1A and Zeus XR (and ends with Internet and some good hash)

times like these , these audio 'purchases' are tools to keep our mental sanity

and wm1a is one hell of a DAP


----------



## nc8000

Ryokan said:


> It's more to do with buying something expensive that could soon be superceded, and would have a four year old battery.



Why would it have a 4 year old battery (unless you buy second hand) ?
They are still in current production, one mentioned he bought one this year produced in September 2019.


----------



## Ryokan

nc8000 said:


> Why would it have a 4 year old battery (unless you buy second hand) ?
> They are still in current production, one mentioned he bought one this year produced in September 2019.




Hard to find a new WM1A, so I thought they were being discontinued.


----------



## slumberman (May 3, 2020)

Ryokan said:


> Hard to find a new WM1A, so I thought they were being discontinued.


Hard to find?
It’s in stock pretty much everywhere.


----------



## aceedburn

Ryokan said:


> Hard to find a new WM1A, so I thought they were being discontinued.


Brand new units are all over the place mate.


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> WM1A has USB DAC feature


But you wont be able to use  it in games movies only if you delay image thats important to keep in mind


----------



## Mindstorms

Ryokan said:


> Hard to find a new WM1A, so I thought they were being discontinued.


Friend WM1A Battery Its very good I accidentally leave it plugged for 3 month all the time(thats detrimental to the battery) my 1A has 900 hours in it thats 3 full hours every day for a year almost and the incident and its the worst runtime here it has passed the 13HS playing with effects on and an avg volume of 113 so have that in mind and it has for shure 2 or 3 years some users here reports same battery time in devices with 3000 hs on them also I got mine at 750US dollars sealed and brand new so i wont call it expensive in my case its a bargain since its the only device I use every day on pair to my phone...


----------



## Mindstorms

Ok Im using Sony madia center and its very good but I have this problem my library its too big it should be about 1.5TB and when Import it program hangs so its a no go to import its just to big and for some reason it gets corrupted so i wont mind using it as a regular player but every time i double click a song it ask me how to import it to its database wich is super anoying!!! anyone has any solution to this? thanks in advance!


----------



## mwhals

Mindstorms said:


> Friend WM1A Battery Its very good I accidentally leave it plugged for 3 month all the time(thats detrimental to the battery) my 1A has 900 hours in it thats 3 full hours every day for a year almost and the incident and its the worst runtime here it has passed the 13HS playing with effects on and an avg volume of 113 so have that in mind and it has for shure 2 or 3 years some users here reports same battery time in devices with 3000 hs on them also I got mine at 750US dollars sealed and brand new so i wont call it expensive in my case its a bargain since its the only device I use every day on pair to my phone...



Where did you get one for $750? International? I have never seen discounts in the USA.


----------



## 515164

Mindstorms said:


> Ok Im using Sony madia center and its very good but I have this problem my library its too big it should be about 1.5TB and when Import it program hangs so its a no go to import its just to big and for some reason it gets corrupted so i wont mind using it as a regular player but every time i double click a song it ask me how to import it to its database wich is super anoying!!! anyone has any solution to this? thanks in advance!



I guess you could try importing it in several parts, and not all at once.


----------



## Mindstorms (May 3, 2020)

mwhals said:


> Where did you get one for $750? International? I have never seen discounts in the USA.


It was two years ago in santiago de chile also they gift me a battery for my sony camera on that same purchase so it was an awesome deal dont really know why was so cheap every where was 1200 I guess they have very high saling objetives it was at discount indeed i dont know why so cheap maybe it was good repaying me beacuse I bought my ZX100 in NY I payed 680US at that tiem it was a lot shame on NY stores... Its the big one...


----------



## Mindstorms (May 3, 2020)

so I ended up battery test this are the results... From 90% to Please Recharge (thanks for you help)

*5H 35M First Bar went home*

Turn off rebuild database

*8H35M Second bar Out*

Turn off rebuild database

*11H Third Bar out*

Turn off rebuild database

*13H 40M Please Recharge*

_Effects most all the time 2 On sometimes 3 sometimes 1_
_Volume 113 AVG
EQ USE heavy_
_Gain LOW_

_Question A do you guys USE it till you se the Please Recharge sign?
Question B You think its ok or very good or mediocre?_


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mindstorms said:


> Ok Im using Sony madia center and its very good but I have this problem my library its too big it should be about 1.5TB and when Import it program hangs so its a no go to import its just to big and for some reason it gets corrupted so i wont mind using it as a regular player but every time i double click a song it ask me how to import it to its database wich is super anoying!!! anyone has any solution to this? thanks in advance!


Maybe your hard drive is heavily fragmented?
or you have corrupted files? I check twice a year for corruption with Audiochecker


----------



## proedros

Mindstorms said:


> so I ended up battery test this are the results... From 90% to Please Recharge (thanks for you help)
> 
> _*Volume 113 AVG*
> EQ USE heavy_
> ...



i think you will have to change ears sooner than your battery , at those levels (if it is with an IEM)

how many hours have you used your sony ? if it's new , it seems kinda low ??


----------



## mrrayray

Have you guys got your player's battery changed at the Sony factory?
I believe it's my 4th year using my 1z and I start to notice my battery runs out a bit quicker than it used to be. (Is this normal or do you guys have similar experience?)
I wonder if I need to backup all the songs in internal storage before letting them"rebuild" my player?
Thanks


----------



## 515164

proedros said:


> how many hours have you used your sony ? if it's new , it seems kinda low ??



Almost 40 hours doesn't seem low to me.


----------



## mrrayray

proedros said:


> i think you will have to change ears sooner than your battery , at those levels (if it is with an IEM)
> 
> how many hours have you used your sony ? if it's new , it seems kinda low ??


Yeah 113 volume is pretty high. Normally I turn up to 80 something on low gain and 50 something on high...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mindstorms said:


> so I ended up battery test this are the results... From 90% to Please Recharge (thanks for you help)
> 
> *5H 35M First Bar went home*
> 
> ...


A- i recharge when the icon start flashing
B 13 hours battery is AVG... i get arround 22


----------



## Ryokan

Mindstorms said:


> Friend WM1A Battery Its very good I accidentally leave it plugged for 3 month all the time(thats detrimental to the battery) my 1A has 900 hours in it thats 3 full hours every day for a year almost and the incident and its the worst runtime here it has passed the 13HS playing with effects on and an avg volume of 113 so have that in mind and it has for shure 2 or 3 years some users here reports same battery time in devices with 3000 hs on them also I got mine at 750US dollars sealed and brand new so i wont call it expensive in my case its a bargain since its the only device I use every day on pair to my phone...



ZX300 battery very good to so far, always turned off every night, not babied. $750 was a great bargain.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mrrayray said:


> Yeah 113 volume is pretty high. Normally I turn up to 80 something on low gain and 50 something on high...


 I use Low gain 
* IER-Z1R     62/120
* MDR-Z1R   75/120
*IER-M7         68/120

High Gain
* IER-Z1R     46/120
* MDR-Z1R   64/120
*IER-M7         55/120


----------



## nc8000

Mindstorms said:


> so I ended up battery test this are the results... From 90% to Please Recharge (thanks for you help)
> 
> *5H 35M First Bar went home*
> 
> ...



Playing flac 16/44 high gain at 50 and source direct with battery saver I get a bit over 20 hours play time and 6-7 days stand by (never turn it off). Player is 3 1/2 years old and have played about 3.500 hours. It is virtually the same time as when it was brand new


----------



## gerelmx1986

I note thta the IER-M7 to sound at same volume as IER-Z1R require more volume. Are multi-BA IEM's notoriously difficult to drive?


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I note thta the IER-M7 to sound at same volume as IER-Z1R require more volume. Are multi-BA IEM's notoriously difficult to drive?



I use same volume for IER-Z1R and JH13 that has 8 BA in each side


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I use same volume for IER-Z1R and JH13 that has 8 BA in each side


At least volume is not that high apart from Z1R, also I find the M7 sound better with Hi gain. btw IER-M7 are half the BA per side as your JH13


----------



## Peter Ruby

gerelmx1986 said:


> I note thta the IER-M7 to sound at same volume as IER-Z1R require more volume. Are multi-BA IEM's notoriously difficult to drive?



I noticed the same thing with my M9s. They need a little more juice than the Z1Rs do. I’m talking about a difference of 5-10 clicks max.

My theory is the way I have them inserted. The Z1Rs are further inserted in my ears than my M9s are. Or I could just be dead wrong.


----------



## Mindstorms (May 3, 2020)

than you all for the answers Im sure the problem is the way im using it since i like sub-bass a lot I tame a lot of frecuencies my iem IS very average its a revonext QT2 so I push the player to its limits every time also I listen to lectronic music and also I use effects i can try a softer eq lower volume also... my ears are very fine and i can hear very well as some user here may be able to tell, but i just get sub-bass all the way Ip then -8db on 60hz and -10db on 125 I hate midbass so i get this like very U sound (i also tame 8k a lot!) I like then MX3 brings all the detail up and 3.00 has me coverend in the soundstage and detail retriebal and also it gets so high on the treble extension so for me it works like that direct sound with my cheap iem its a no go and low volumes dont allow me to go U so I may have to upgrade IEM sometime.... also i dont like high gain..for the same orinciples i explained may try going a little easyer on the player next charge see if can get 20 hs as an objective also you all use SD cards? mine is allways reading from the SD


----------



## Maxx134 (May 3, 2020)

ngxant said:


> I try alot DAP but i feel power of Sony Dap is very low


I did at first but once I put high gain output and started using balanced out ot really is a good output level for my higher impedance headphones like the Senheisers.



Hinomotocho said:


> I was wondering how many people listen to music entirely using their WM1A and prefer that than PC with amp/dac


I noticed that their is a large advantage of using a DAP in general, which is not having any connection issues (like USB or Spdif or AES out).
No jitter issues. No player comparability with Windows drivers issues..
There is a huge audible advantage in this, and when I do use my Sony as a dac, I am using it's own cable and the connection which also not have issues.



Ryokan said:


> 4 years is quite a long time for a DAP though, especially considering some companies seem to release a new player every other month.


But there is a difference between those type units which have a "Delta-Sigma" architecture, which by necessity are prone to ever improving upgrade chips...

The Sony is totally different, like Chord is different.
You don't see Chord Mojo, Hugo, & Dave being changed, do you?
How long those out?
Ok, they did do a Hugo2 ..




Blueoris said:


> Compared to Authum+ I can hear the relaxed presentation in the midrange, still detailed. It is the best so far for my very resolved audio system, where the 1Z servers as preamp.


I use my 1z as my desktop DAC.
I sold my $2k dacs (I had two) because th3 Sony gave me more pleasure and the type of sound I wanted, an organic sound.
I was willing to give up any small loss of resolve/soundstage for this sound.
But now?...
With these firmware upgrades?
Its just mind blowing that the Sony has elevated itseft so much more!
I no longer even have any doubt that my Sony can hold itself up to any top dac!




flyer1 said:


> I Am still hooked on the WM1Z² mod. Like it alot, very analogue type of sound without a hint of solid state harshness. Exactly what I am after!


This one is just exactly as it labeled.
Just more of that 1z sound even more.
I use solis as a firmware that sets the bar for me.
It has incredible details and width and realism over the past and even most others.

This new "WM1Z²"  firmware is like having the width/ involvement of the the presence & resolve of Solis, but solidifying the instrument 3D placement while expanding the soundstage and keeping the liviness and resolve. Then  adding more juicy organicness on top!
So yeah, this is now my favorite  firmare and new reference point for me to compare any future firmwares.
I currently like the involvement more than the other new one that sets a more relaxed and even more  bigger stage.





flyer1 said:


> What are the differences between these 2 1Z specific mods and how did you tune these mods so well without owning a 1Z yourself?


The "WM1Z²" is more involving, while the latest one is more laid-back with greater sounstage.
I don't know how he did it so well either, but he let me test it for initial impressions.




morgenstern09 said:


> About the analog sounding, I would say that the players already have this sound, the mods are just amplifying that.


I feel your two latest focused on this desirable aspect.



proedros said:


> 50 days of lockdown , my survival pack starts with WM1A and Zeus XR (and ends with Internet and some *good hash*)
> 
> times like these , these audio 'purchases' are tools to keep our mental sanity
> 
> and wm1a is one hell of a DAP


Nice!
I hope to be able to do that one day!


----------



## mwhals

Ryokan said:


> It's more to do with buying something expensive that could soon be superceded, and would have a four year old battery.



A new one will not have a four year old battery. Batteries don’t age until they are used as far as I know. Also, new WM1Z and WM1A units are manufactured within the last few months.

Every battery operated device will eventually need a new battery or new device. That does not mean a new model is needed. One could buy a new 1A or 1Z again if they like the first one really well. That would not be any more expensive than a replacement model priced similarly.


----------



## Ryokan

mwhals said:


> A new one will not have a four year old battery. Batteries don’t age until they are used as far as I know. Also, new WM1Z and WM1A units are manufactured within the last few months.
> 
> Every battery operated device will eventually need a new battery or new device. That does not mean a new model is needed. One could buy a new 1A or 1Z again if they like the first one really well. That would not be any more expensive than a replacement model priced similarly.




Fair point. 

I would be miffed if I bought one now and later this year a new model came out. Nothing wrong with my ZX300 either.

 There have been 7 models since 2014, reckon we're due one soon.


----------



## Maxx134

mwhals said:


> A new one will not have a four year old battery. Batteries don’t age until they are used as far as I know. Also, new WM1Z and WM1A units are manufactured within the last few months.
> 
> Every battery operated device will eventually need a new battery or new device. That does not mean a new model is needed. One could buy a new 1A or 1Z again if they like the first one really well. That would not be any more expensive than a replacement model priced similarly.


Also, a battery replacement install, is probably the cheapest route.


----------



## Maxx134

Ryokan said:


> here have been 7 models since 2014, reckon we're due one soon.



I remember I bought the fiio m11, only to have the newer model out in a few months lol.

That type of thinking mostly apply with those other players that have short life expectancy.

Waiting for the next best thing is like a pipe dream.

Better to have the current dream now, and not worry.


----------



## mwhals

Maxx134 said:


> Also, a battery replacement install, is probably the cheapest route.



Exactly. Just like a new iPhone battery is much less expensive.


----------



## nc8000

Ryokan said:


> Fair point.
> 
> I would be miffed if I bought one now and later this year a new model came out. Nothing wrong with my ZX300 either.
> 
> There have been 7 models since 2014, reckon we're due one soon.



That is only a problem if you have to have the newest and latest gadget. I’ve had my 1Z for 3 1/2 years and don’t expect to buy anything new for another 5-7 years and that only if I then can’t get the battery replaced or if the unit breaks and can’t be reasonably repaired


----------



## Ryokan

Maxx134 said:


> I remember I bought the fiio m11, only to have the newer model out in a few months lol.
> 
> That type of thinking mostly apply with those other players that have short life expectancy.
> 
> ...



I'm well happy with my two ZX300's, I'm in no rush to find a replacement. Just curious if anyone knew what the word on the street was regarding the possibility of a new model anytime soon .


----------



## Ryokan

nc8000 said:


> That is only a problem if you have to have the newest and latest gadget. I’ve had my 1Z for 3 1/2 years and don’t expect to buy anything new for another 5-7 years and that only if I then can’t get the battery replaced or if the unit breaks and can’t be reasonably repaired



That's why you forked out for one of the best, so you wouldn't feel the need to upgrade for a long long time.


----------



## nc8000

Ryokan said:


> That's why you forked out for one of the best, so you wouldn't feel the need to upgrade for a long long time.



exactly


----------



## Krutsch

Thinking of upgrading my Walkman. Currently, I have a NW-A55, which I reviewed here:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-a50-series.888101/post-14463892

Nothing wrong with the A55, but I want more power for full-sized 'phones and (maybe?) better sound to use with an HD-660S using the stock 4.4mm balanced cable (which will become my new work 'phones).

I was very close to buying the new 500 series, but managing *another*, expensive, Android phone with poor battery life that cannot stream full versions from TIDAL, et al., doesn't appeal to me.

I have observed that the WM1z/1a now support a firmware update that provides Bluetooth receiver function - used with my A55 and a Google Pixel 4 w/ LDAC, this has been a great way to bridge streaming stuff. But... and this was a surprise to me... I cannot use my external PHA-3 with the A55 when in BT receiver mode. So, no full-sized cans in this mode.

Now, I am now looking at solving the full-sized cans problem with a WM1z/1a. I've been reading this thread (and looking at other stuff) and I can't really understand the differences between the 1z and the 1a, excluding:

- Increased internal storage
- Kimber Kable internal wiring and higher quality capacitors
- Gold plated enclosure
- Massively higher price

Is there a real/serious sound difference between the two models? I am really asking people that have lived with both models, like @Redcarmoose, among others.

If my wife caught me spending $3K US on a Walkman, I would have bigger problems than how to drive full-sized cans at work. But, still... if it sounds better...


----------



## Maxx134

Krutsch said:


> Is there a real/serious sound difference between the two models? I am really asking people that have lived with both models, like @Redcarmoose, among others


Differences of increased organic (less solid-state) nature are very noticable, but the practicality doesn't make sense unless you are looking for end game...
The 1a is still dam good & similar.
 



Krutsch said:


> If my wife caught me spending $3K US on a Walkman, I would have bigger problems than how to drive full-sized cans at work. But, still... if it sounds better...


Not if you sell some your gear for it (desktop DAC) like I did.


----------



## mrrayray

This discussion reminds me of my decision to upgrade from my last ak240 to wm1z (instead of the numerous versions of the ak380) cuz I felt that the AK market strategy lures their customers to keep spending to upgrade (every few months).
I was like "Okay I've enough of that! I will switch to Sony because they seem to take good care of their loyal customers and continue to gift them what they look for without pushing them to upgrade their gears continuously."
And that was one of the best decisions I made


----------



## Hinomotocho

Ryokan said:


> I'm well happy with my two ZX300's, I'm in no rush to find a replacement. Just curious if anyone knew what the word on the street was regarding the possibility of a new model anytime soon .


My ZX300 could keep me happy for many more years to come but I enjoy music and this hobby and I am addicted to taking the next step up so I am saving for the WM1A (although I think I will retire there).
I wouldn't chose to buy any electronic device or other brand DAP from 2016 but because it's Sony there is nothing that feels dated about it. 
I'd be bummed out if they did after buying the 2016 model, but being Sony it's not like the older model would even drop in price. I think they usually announce new models by the first quarter for a third quarter release?


----------



## Mindstorms

Krutsch said:


> Thinking of upgrading my Walkman. Currently, I have a NW-A55, which I reviewed here:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-a50-series.888101/post-14463892
> 
> ...


This walkman arent characterized as the end game nuclear power house for cans have that in mind there are plenty of powerfull DAPS and Desktop Amps that may serve you better if you go balanced its very decent power output specially with sony headphones but you will need to invest on that also... my creative E5 can seriosly deliver more power than my 1A Via SE but the sound its not even close in signature you are genting the analog feeling and the soundstage interpretation that no oder devices can... well at least not my Creative stuff Nor other FIIO Devices Its a diferent sound I advice you to go and test your self if possible.... VIA SE with regular cans its a no go.. un less you dont enjoy high volumes or have very sensible headphones.... that require low power. earlyer I stated I use my walkman at 112 when max volume its 120 an im using regualar iems, some user was really worried about my audition when inded its powerfull but not even close to what my E5 Does with Cans you cant tolerate the volumes.... its seriously loud enough to damage.. if long time sessions at that volume... Not the case of my 1A


----------



## Duncan

I listen to my 1A at high gain between 75 and 110 depending on my mood / the music with the pretty damned effectivity AK T8ie mkII...  

That, to me - is the volume range where things sound quite realistically loud compared to real life


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 3, 2020)

Krutsch said:


> Thinking of upgrading my Walkman. Currently, I have a NW-A55, which I reviewed here:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-a50-series.888101/post-14463892
> 
> ...


The Walkman 1A is by far.....by far the better deal. But, wanting that tiny piece of character the 1Z provides will never come from the 1A. No matter what new firmware you try........short of changing parts in the 1A around. The 1Z offers a different soundstage as notes are projected (especially in the treble) in different more 3D imaging. There is a thick front to back vignette that displays the soundstage and inside that the 1Z notes have more physicality.

With-in that imaging is a more realistic and less flat-field timbre. Where there is this slightly congested midrange tone that the 1A always has. That area is open, wide and smooth with the 1Z. Like mentioned the 1Z has an almost tube like personality where the 1A is solid-state.


----------



## Mindstorms

Duncan said:


> I listen to my 1A at high gain between 75 and 110 depending on my mood / the music with the pretty damned effectivity AK T8ie mkII...
> 
> That, to me - is the volume range where things sound quite realistically loud compared to real life


How many hours playing you get on your device? wow thats high volumes like me do you EQ?


----------



## Hinomotocho

Redcarmoose said:


> The Walkman 1A is by far.....by far the better deal. But, wanting that tiny piece of character the 1Z provides will never come from the 1A. No matter what new firmware you try........short of changing parts in the 1A around. The 1Z offers a different soundstage as notes are projected (especially in the treble) in different more 3D imaging. There is a thick front to back vignette that displays the soundstage and inside that the 1Z notes have more physicality.
> 
> With-in that imaging is a more realistic and less flat-field timbre. Where there is this slightly congested midrange tone that the 1A always has. That area is open, wide and smooth with the 1Z. Like mentioned the 1Z has an almost tube like personality where the 1A is solid-state.


That's what I was wondering about but couldn't express in a post on the ZX300 thread. 
What is the limitations of the hardware, and what can be achieved with tunings, but your post sort made sense to me.  I have experimented with a couple of ZX300 tuning mods and as much as I have enjoyed some aspects of them I have realised the limitations of what the ZX300 can achieve sound wise.


----------



## Mindstorms

Hinomotocho said:


> That's what I was wondering about but couldn't express in a post on the ZX300 thread.
> What is the limitations of the hardware, and what can be achieved with tunings, but your post sort made sense to me.  I have experimented with a couple of ZX300 tuning mods and as much as I have enjoyed some aspects of them I have realised the limitations of what the ZX300 can achieve sound wise.


What device are you comparing it with?


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 4, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> That's what I was wondering about but couldn't express in a post on the ZX300 thread.
> What is the limitations of the hardware, and what can be achieved with tunings, but your post sort made sense to me.  I have experimented with a couple of ZX300 tuning mods and as much as I have enjoyed some aspects of them I have realised the limitations of what the ZX300 can achieve sound wise.



Regardless of their players.......listeners are listening for tone and of course detail and other abilities. As many don’t like to EQ....... the firmwares can offer attributes which can’t be achieved simply by EQ. I have tried to explain the personality of the 1Z that makes me admire it.

There are probably people in this very thread that could explain the actual hardware aspects of each player and how the hardware affects the over-all sound; but I’m not an expert in any way on the subject.

Each player does have it’s own personality and each owner has a direction they would want the player to go towards sonic wise. There is also a list of adjectives which could go to the bottom of the page in a post to describe audiophile attributes. When we are describing differences or changes here we are really tree topping and leaving most ideas left out.

But for each person there would be similarly valuable traits and other “higher-on-the-list” traits someone else may want. In so many ways the 1A and ZX300 are on opposite poles with the 1Z kind of in the middle? The ZX300 is dark, at least the time I heard it. So some would value making it seem brighter and faster. To me at times even the 1Z sounds better if the firmware changes it to a brighter and more nimble response. Then of course there are those which admire a more sleepy and laggy bass response. So it’s all subjective to a point.

Some equipment is always going to have a personality which is beyond the firmwares ability to change. I mean what we are dealing with is software and hardware working together to arrive at something. But knowing the limitations of the player may be something learned. Meaning if your entertained all is well. Many have sold their gear as they simply didn’t need the more capable sound. I’m pretty much at the point you do get what you pay for, but of how much value that percent is....can always be a question of practicality. Is the 1Z 5X better than the ZX300? No. But the people that value what it can do outside and above the latest firmware are willing to pay for that small percentage.

It’s also very much a concept of synergy where at times the firmware, IEMs and player can get to a special place beyond what was expected. If that’s also the style of sound the owner wanted, it’s a win,win situation.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 4, 2020)

mrrayray said:


> This discussion reminds me of my decision to upgrade from my last ak240 to wm1z (instead of the numerous versions of the ak380) cuz I felt that the AK market strategy lures their customers to keep spending to upgrade (every few months).
> I was like "Okay I've enough of that! I will switch to Sony because they seem to take good care of their loyal customers and continue to gift them what they look for without pushing them to upgrade their gears continuously."
> And that was one of the best decisions I made


Not only AK. Also fiio is doing this and IMO al well-known brands from China are doing this. They're acting like Intel, PC makers and cell phone makers


----------



## ttt123

Redcarmoose said:


> Regardless of their players.......listeners are listening for tone and of course detail and other abilities. As many don’t like to EQ....... the firmwares can offer attributes which can’t be achieved simply by EQ. I have tried to explain the personality of the 1Z that makes me admire it.
> 
> There are probably people in this very thread that could explain the actual hardware aspects of each player and how the hardware affects the over-all sound; but I’m not an expert in any way on the subject.
> 
> ...


Very true. I see the hardware capability order as wm1z over wm1a, over zx2. But as to which one to get, that is up to each person's system/synergy, what aspects of sound are the priorities for their music tastes / type of music, how much difference they perceive, and which, and how much difference  is important to them, what they view as practical to spend, etc, etc. 

In the end, it is a personal decision  to make.  i.e I advise to get the wm1z, and that will save money and give greater satisfaction in the long run. That is based on my personal experience. But is that true for other people? Maybe  yes, maybe  no. 

Some will have similar experiences , and agree with me.  
And some will call me a deluded fool(which I of course  disagree  with!).  

Which is right?. Ask me, and I will tell you I am right....


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Regardless of their players.......listeners are listening for tone and of course detail and other abilities. As many don’t like to EQ....... the firmwares can offer attributes which can’t be achieved simply by EQ. I have tried to explain the personality of the 1Z that makes me admire it.
> 
> There are probably people in this very thread that could explain the actual hardware aspects of each player and how the hardware affects the over-all sound; but I’m not an expert in any way on the subject.
> 
> ...





Its way more then a small percentage of difference. 1z is way better performer then zx300 1a zx507 pha3. Only thing that beats 1z is probably taz and dmp is completely different story... When I say performer I mean by sound quality. Its more audiophile tuned and present a different way to music. While 1a can be a more fun approach and zx507 is simple pure lets simply listen to music. The audience is different this is why there is many dap segments. a happy camper with zx300 that dont believe in 1z magic lol and listens to spotify haha will never fully understand whats the point paying 3.2 grand for a dap


----------



## Hinomotocho

Mindstorms said:


> What device are you comparing it with?


I'm not really comparing to anything at the moment, maybe thinking of reviews stating the WM1A and ZX300 sound differences. I'm not knocking the ZX300 down with my comment I was curious whether the stock tunings maximised things like soundstage etc and how far the tuning mods could take advantage of device hardware/components.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Redcarmoose said:


> Regardless of their players.......listeners are listening for tone and of course detail and other abilities. As many don’t like to EQ....... the firmwares can offer attributes which can’t be achieved simply by EQ. I have tried to explain the personality of the 1Z that makes me admire it.
> 
> There are probably people in this very thread that could explain the actual hardware aspects of each player and how the hardware affects the over-all sound; but I’m not an expert in any way on the subject.
> 
> ...


Interesting the way you said that the WM1A and ZX300 are on the opposite poles in many ways, my impression from many comparison mentions was that there wasn't alot of difference, perhaps my misunderstanding. This may be a good thing as my tastes have changed a bit, the WM1A may be better for me than I thought.


----------



## Duncan

Mindstorms said:


> How many hours playing you get on your device? wow thats high volumes like me do you EQ?


I don't know how many hours I'm afraid, I don't have long sessions, and always leave the player on standby - as to enhancements - I use DSEE HX (standard) and DC Phase Linearizer set to Type A Low, that’s all.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 4, 2020)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/hinomotocho.145148/

I meant on a simple tone level the ZX300 was the darkest. Then I Z and 1A is brightest. But it’s a very convoluted subject as it’s subjective and dependent on what IEMs your using. Also if you were to just go in a shop the 1A, 1Z and ZX300 could sound close to the same. It’s not till you spend time does all these differences start to emerge. Also some folks are simply less likely to notice change. That they don’t notice really means nothing as everyone hears differently. There is no write or wrong in this hobby. Also too when in a public store folks can be affected by prior confirmation bias. Meaning if they think there is no difference, they will not hear a difference. Same as if they think it will sound a certain way then that’s what happens. So in reality my listening of the ZX300 was way too short to make a judgment. The only way you really know is to spend a day with a player and let mental burn in allow to take place.

There was a time when I gravitated to darker sound, so I maybe would have wanted the ZX300 thinking it was dark. But the 1A has more detail I think?


----------



## Mindstorms

Duncan said:


> I don't know how many hours I'm afraid, I don't have long sessions, and always leave the player on standby - as to enhancements - I use DSEE HX (standard) and DC Phase Linearizer set to Type A Low, that’s all.


If you can chek the Hour counter on your 1A at charge finish and when low bat apears i can do the math for you and also fi you can check if you have the batery proteccion on.. thats all.. only if you can will be usefull to me.. thanks in advance


----------



## Mindstorms (May 4, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/hinomotocho.145148/
> 
> I meant on a simple tone level the ZX300 was the darkest. Then I Z and 1A is brightest. But it’s a very convoluted subject as it’s subjective and dependent on what IEMs your using. Also if you were to just go in a shop the 1A, 1Z and ZX300 could sound close to the same. It’s not till you spend time does all these differences start to emerge. Also some folks are simply less likely to notice change. That they don’t notice really means nothing as everyone hears differently. There is no write or wrong in this hobby. Also too when in a public store folks can be affected by prior confirmation bias. Meaning if they think there is no difference, they will not hear a difference. Same as if they think it will sound a certain way then that’s what happens. So in reality my listening of the ZX300 was way too short to make a judgment. The only way you really know is to spend a day with a player and let mental burn in allow to take place.
> 
> There was a time when I gravitated to darker sound, so I maybe would have wanted the ZX300 thinking it was dark. But the 1A has more detail I think?


Dont forget FW and regions affect sound a lot.... so you can go and see a 1A in CEV and think it has veiled highs compared to a CN 1Z.... and maybe its like that but i can tell you it introduces a ton of error to the comparison when you say aplayer its dark maybe region its afecting sound somehow also? maybe if they are all in J.. its other story or all in U or E etc and all in 3.00 all in 3.01 etc...


----------



## Wietjunk (May 4, 2020)

For the EU members, i bought my 1A last januari at a Frence site for a steel 715 euro.

K mod is at the horizon. 

https://www.son-video.com/article/baladeurs-audiophiles/sony/nw-wm1a?LGWCODE=111022;157267;9377

Its now 839,


----------



## Duncan

I'm staggered...

Okay, certainly not hi-fi, but holy mackerel (and not that I recommend this) listening to the below track on WM1A-Z1 firmware, J region at volume 110, high gain - my balanced AK T8IE mkII are sounding more like full sized headphones than full sized headphones lol...

This firmware has tightened up the 1A quite a lot, pretty staggering!


----------



## gerelmx1986

DMP-Z1  port rocks, playing the reference recording for Buxtehude's organ works (I have also the complete Ton Koopman Opera omnia ser)


----------



## Hinomotocho

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/hinomotocho.145148/
> 
> I meant on a simple tone level the ZX300 was the darkest. Then I Z and 1A is brightest. But it’s a very convoluted subject as it’s subjective and dependent on what IEMs your using. Also if you were to just go in a shop the 1A, 1Z and ZX300 could sound close to the same. It’s not till you spend time does all these differences start to emerge. Also some folks are simply less likely to notice change. That they don’t notice really means nothing as everyone hears differently. There is no write or wrong in this hobby. Also too when in a public store folks can be affected by prior confirmation bias. Meaning if they think there is no difference, they will not hear a difference. Same as if they think it will sound a certain way then that’s what happens. So in reality my listening of the ZX300 was way too short to make a judgment. The only way you really know is to spend a day with a player and let mental burn in allow to take place.
> 
> There was a time when I gravitated to darker sound, so I maybe would have wanted the ZX300 thinking it was dark. But the 1A has more detail I think?


Funny how we all feel the need to constantly add little disclaimers about how we are expressing our opinion and everyone may experience it differently - I totally get what you are saying.
I have a long history with Sony going back to cassette Walkmans, in more recent years I have chosen them for factors like battery life and for a while they were the only ones with buttons, but mostly I liked that I could hear the sub bass in certain songs and the music never got harsh. Recently I got a Fiio Q5s with THX AAA amp module and it is quite 'transparent', 'analytical' (not my words) and I realise my tastes have changed, and as much as I have loved my ZX300 I am now finding it a bit dark and in need of a bit of sparkle. I still would chose a WM1A as my next step up for several other factors but with your description and experimenting with firmwares and tuning mods I feel I could achieve a more desirable sound.


----------



## gearofwar

Quang23693 said:


> Hi
> I has tried your wm1a-z1 on my 1A Kmod Ultimate . It's very clean and has more detail , big soundstage but it also has too much bass with me.Sometime i feel mid is faded by bass. The bass is deeper but it's very slow and has more decay. I think it will better if the bass is fast, compact, deep. This is my impresion. Thanks for your work.


This is the same impression I got for this firmware, wish it has less bass


----------



## 515164

gearofwar said:


> This is the same impression I got for this firmware, wish it has less bass



Both him and me we recommend flashing to stock and the reapllying the tuning.

He mentioned he did that and the bass was better afterwards.


----------



## Vitaly2017

ngxant said:


> So, any ideas about WM1A to “weak” to drive Z1R (in ear).
> And with Mod FW WM1A maybe better when pair with Z1R?
> I try alot DAP but i feel power of Sony Dap is very low.








So how do you like the sound of the plenue L ?

How would it compare vs 1z?


----------



## Mindstorms

morgenstern09 said:


> Both him and me we recommend flashing to stock and the reapllying the tuning.
> 
> He mentioned he did that and the bass was better afterwards.


Why you need to flash to stock you mean reset all setings?


----------



## Maxx134 (May 4, 2020)

Quang23693 said:


> Hi
> I has tried your wm1a-z1 on my 1A Kmod Ultimate . It's very clean and has more detail , big soundstage but it also has too much bass with me.





gearofwar said:


> This is the same impression I got for this firmware, wish it has less bass



I have found that _too_ _many_ of the "regions" have a bass boost.

So I checked for the region with the  clarity and least bass (but with sub-bass).
I ended up with region "CN".
You both should try  this region, as the resolution is also highest there.
Special thanks to member "Mindstorms" for showing me the regions.


----------



## Mindstorms

Maxx134 said:


> I have found that _too_ _many_ of the "regions" have a bass boost.
> 
> So I checked for the region with the  clarity and least bass (but with sub-bass).
> I ended up with region "CN".
> ...


CN its very good as U as MX3 amongs the best!


----------



## mrrayray

Have been switching back and forth from different firmwares (wm1a-z1 => wm1z2 => another tuning for wm1z).
Another tuning has a wider soundstage which I like but I felt like the vocals are tiny little bit harsh. Then I switched back to wm1z2 and felt better but the bass was a bit distracting at times.
I am now back to wm1a-z1 for my 1z (DSEE HX on standard & Type B High) and it felt more natural to my ears under this setting!
But who knows, I think I'll wander a bit for a while still to find the "perfect sound".
Blame it on my selection phobia


----------



## Redcarmoose

Hinomotocho said:


> Funny how we all feel the need to constantly add little disclaimers about how we are expressing our opinion and everyone may experience it differently - I totally get what you are saying.
> I have a long history with Sony going back to cassette Walkmans, in more recent years I have chosen them for factors like battery life and for a while they were the only ones with buttons, but mostly I liked that I could hear the sub bass in certain songs and the music never got harsh. Recently I got a Fiio Q5s with THX AAA amp module and it is quite 'transparent', 'analytical' (not my words) and I realise my tastes have changed, and as much as I have loved my ZX300 I am now finding it a bit dark and in need of a bit of sparkle. I still would chose a WM1A as my next step up for several other factors but with your description and experimenting with firmwares and tuning mods I feel I could achieve a more desirable sound.



The new firmwares unlock the hidden potential that the 1A always had. It was almost a feeling of betrayal; having never been able to hear the product for what it was. It is beyond just some random idea of how the 1A was suppose to sound, it was held back betore somehow. The firmwares moved the 1A right next to the 1Z. I always thought the change with the 1A with aftermarket firmware was more dramatic. And even though lately I’ve been using the 1Z, there was times when I thought all I would ever need is a 1A.


----------



## gearofwar (May 4, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> Both him and me we recommend flashing to stock and the reapllying the tuning.
> 
> He mentioned he did that and the bass was better afterwards.


Actually, I have already flashed to the stock firmware before installing them as you said. This is my impression after all, I'm not sure how he came to that at first without flashing to stock. It could be that I have a modded unit, i remember the original 1a was a bit on brighter side so wm1a-z1 might be better for it though


----------



## mrrayray

Mindstorms said:


> CN its very good as U as MX3 amongs the best!


Oh my......I just tried switching from J to MX3 and it's like another world here.... Bass and resolutions are so different... Guess I'll have to switch to different firmwares to test all over again haha


----------



## Lookout57

Mindstorms said:


> Why you need to flash to stock you mean reset all setings?


Because it seems the tunings are cumulative and the new tunings are added to the previous. So that is why it's recommended to go back to stock by installing the official Sony firmware to clear out any additional tunings as the Sony installer formats the system partition. Thus giving you a fresh start to a custom tuning.

I can confirm this is true as I installed WM1A-Z which I licked. I then installed WM1A-Z1 which I didn't like. When I went back to WM1A-Z it didn't sound like I remembered. After doing a stock 3.02 install and then WM1A-Z. The sound was back to what I remembered for WM1A-Z.


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> The new firmwares unlock the hidden potential that the 1A always had. It was almost a feeling of betrayal; having never been able to hear the product for what it was. It is beyond just some random idea of how the 1A was suppose to sound, it was held back betore somehow. The firmwares moved the 1A right next to the 1Z. I always thought the change with the 1A with aftermarket firmware was more dramatic. And even though lately I’ve been using the 1Z, there was times when I thought all I would ever need is a 1A.


Jupiter right?


----------



## aceedburn

In my unbiased opinion and trusting my ears, I think these are my personal best firmware versions for the 1A. My software region is on J.

1. WM1A-z1
2. WM1Az
3. LPGT Mod
4. DMP-Z 1.02 Mod
5. DMP Portable Original


----------



## Mindstorms (May 4, 2020)

mrrayray said:


> Oh my......I just tried switching from J to MX3 and it's like another world here.... Bass and resolutions are so different... Guess I'll have to switch to different firmwares to test all over again haha


Haha maybe someone already doned that! MX3 is the unloker for my its the stock on my 1A I love it so much! abrief description would be Awesome rumbling bass, maximum resolution unlocked + Huge stage what else can you ask! it can be too much for some users Bonnus Track - Credible 3D cues


----------



## aceedburn

Mindstorms said:


> Haha maybe someone already doned that! MX3 is the unloker for my its the stock on my 1A and all others felt like dowgrade lol


I tried MX3 a couple of times and actually liked the sound. But unfortunately it doesn’t support the remote so that was the deal breaker for me. I use the remote extensively on a daily basis and won’t trade anything for it. So J is the best for me.


----------



## gearofwar

I'm back to Autumn +, I found this firmware to have more overall balance sound and this works so well for my modded unit


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mindstorms said:


> Jupiter right?


Lots of them.


----------



## Vitaly2017

LoL I came back to 3.0.2 and mx3 after done playing with all firmwares


----------



## gearofwar

Vitaly2017 said:


> LoL I came back to 3.0.2 and mx3 after done playing with all firmwares


What's so special about the mx3?


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> What's so special about the mx3?



unburned wm1z/romi seems to like that haha

I found that vocals are more closer to me and instruments are behind. Also musical recordings like dsd files for example jazz at pawn shop or natural jazz sound more realistic and true to life, lets say closer to true to life sound perception...

I love U as it has the deepest sub bass hit.

J  because its just very special no other region sound like it.

Mx3 is more balanced and better all arounder then U. I think U is good for edm  J for more airy perception. I use pw1960 4wires and tia fourte noir iems. So my synergies are different


----------



## hamhamhamsta

My favorite song at the moment, its so comfortable and soothing

Eason Chan - Soar


----------



## Quang23693

gearofwar said:


> This is the same impression I got for this firmware, wish it has less bass





gearofwar said:


> Actually, I have already flashed to the stock firmware before installing them as you said. This is my impression after all, I'm not sure how he came to that at first without flashing to stock. It could be that I have a modded unit, i remember the original 1a was a bit on brighter side so wm1a-z1 might be better for it though


Maybe it depend your gear. I think you should stay on wm1a-z1 at least 1 day to recognize the different thing. Or you can change region to orther region such as CN if you wish less bass. I am still on J region + Wm1A-z1 . It's really suitable for my taste. Try it for a long time. Hope you feel happy as me. Thanks


----------



## Quang23693

gearofwar said:


> I'm back to Autumn +, I found this firmware to have more overall balance sound and this works so well for my modded unit


With my flavor, i don't like the autumn+, i'm so sorry about this. Maybe you can fell it seem very balance but if you stay on it for a long time. You recognize it very smooth and flat. It's easy to hear but also boring. It's miss the aggresive sound, the micro detail,..... I think you should try wm1az or wm1a-z1. Both of them are better than autumn+. I respect your taste but i think it will be better for you. Thanks and enjoy the music


----------



## 515164

Lookout57 said:


> Because it seems the tunings are cumulative and the new tunings are added to the previous. So that is why it's recommended to go back to stock by installing the official Sony firmware to clear out any additional tunings as the Sony installer formats the system partition. Thus giving you a fresh start to a custom tuning.
> 
> I can confirm this is true as I installed WM1A-Z which I liked. I then installed WM1A-Z1 which I didn't like. When I went back to WM1A-Z it didn't sound like I remembered. After doing a stock 3.02 install and then WM1A-Z. The sound was back to what I remembered for WM1A-Z.



In some way, yes, but when I had a similar issue, just applying the same tuning again worked.

Maybe you should try WM1A-Z1 again, after flashing to stock.  I personally can't fully decide between the two, hehe


----------



## ngxant

perfect with sony 😘


----------



## Tawek

ngxant said:


> perfect with sony 😘


Sp2000ss?


----------



## Redcarmoose

ngxant said:


> perfect with sony 😘



Is that a triple-shot of espresso?


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Hi Folks!

Heads-up that amazon.es has WM1Z for €2060: https://www.amazon.es/Sony-NW-WM1A-...=1588671981&sprefix=nw-wm,aps,147&sr=8-3&th=1​


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

OK, so I have the WM1Z on order, and a pair of Z1R's too... And I'm working my way through this thread, currently on page 400... pfff! 

I'm wondering whether to get a TA-Z1HE as well, but unsure if this would bring me anything on top of the WM1Z?

So the question, for those that have this setup, and I'm sure there are a few - is it worth splurging the extra money for the desktop amp - I read somewhere that it gives a more expansive experience??

Note that for casual listening I bought a pair of WH-1000MX3's, which pending the delivery of the 1Z I'm streaming with Apt-X from MacBook Pro and Audirvana, which sounds quite decent, if a little bit woolly. I note that over AAC from iPhone though, thy sound terrible.


----------



## gearofwar (May 5, 2020)

Quang23693 said:


> With my flavor, i don't like the autumn+, i'm so sorry about this. Maybe you can fell it seem very balance but if you stay on it for a long time. You recognize it very smooth and flat. It's easy to hear but also boring. It's miss the aggresive sound, the micro detail,..... I think you should try wm1az or wm1a-z1. Both of them are better than autumn+. I respect your taste but i think it will be better for you. Thanks and enjoy the music


I have already tried both of them for entire day. My iem is not flat, neutral or boring. It’s funny that I flashed to Solis and found it also just fine, a balance sound that is less boring perhaps


----------



## 515164

TheBonkingFrog said:


> WH-1000MX3



While I recommend them for the noise cancelling, I don't recommend them for the sound.

Their smaller counterparts, WF-1000XM3, sounds a lot better - everything is a lot more clear, including the bass, and they have an unexpectedly good rendition of soundstage for their size.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 5, 2020)

TheBonkingFrog said:


> OK, so I have the WM1Z on order, and a pair of Z1R's too... And I'm working my way through this thread, currently on page 400... pfff!
> 
> I'm wondering whether to get a TA-Z1HE as well, but unsure if this would bring me anything on top of the WM1Z?
> 
> ...



The Sony TA-ZH1ES may be slightly better than the 1Z, still to get the best sound from the Sony TA-ZH1ES, you need a 1A or 1Z to feed it. Though it’s probably almost as good using USB computer. The TA was not so special using it with CDs from a transport with coaxial RCA.

But really the TA does it’s magic more with full-size headphones. Though you will notice some difference over the 1Z and 1A with the Sony TA-ZH1ES and IER-Z1R. Though also it will be maybe better (a bigger difference) using the MDR-Z1R. You don’t list which Z1R your getting?


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

morgenstern09 said:


> While I recommend them for the noise cancelling, I don't recommend them for the sound.
> 
> Their smaller counterparts, WF-1000XM3, sounds a lot better - everything is a lot more clear, including the bass, and they have an unexpectedly good rendition of soundstage for their size.





Redcarmoose said:


> The Sony TA-ZH1ES may be slightly better than the 1Z, still to get the best sound from the Sony TA-ZH1ES, you need a 1A or 1Z to feed it. Though it’s probably almost as good using USB computer. The TA was not so special using it with CDs from a transport with coaxial RCA.
> 
> But really the TA does it’s magic more with full-size headphones. Though you will notice some difference over the 1Z and 1A with the Sony TA-ZH1ES and IER-Z1R. Though also it will be maybe better (a bigger difference) using the MDR-Z1R. You don’t list which IER your getting?



OK, I ordered the TA- anyway, what the hell! Was going for €1700 on amazon.fr - and that's the beauty of Amazon, if it doesn't cut the mustard then I can send it back.

As for IEM's, TBH I tend to find them super uncomfortable. I have some wired Shure SE-215 (I think they are) that I bought to wear in bed so as not to disturb the wife, but I find them quite unpleasant, with the wire behind the ear and all.

I bought some B&O E8's, but they were ergonomically awful.

I have the original AirPods, which are great for very casual listening, but sound crap and I have the AirPod Pro's, which are a lot better and are very comfortable, plus the noise-cancellation is great. These I use when out walking or in the office where the iPhone integration and simplicity is an asset.

Maybe I should try the WF-1000XM3 as suggested - I see the "gold" ones pretty cheap on Amazon (€179) and I'm still in the window to send the WH'd back - which indeed might be considered redundant when I get the 1ZR's... With the WF's I'd still be getting the benefit of LDAC... Will order!

It has to be said that I'm so used to wireless BT from iPhone, as I appreciate the utility, but have a desire for something more. The 1ZR's appeal as they're closed-back, I have HD600's, but they're unusable in the living room with a wife and three kids...


----------



## 515164

TheBonkingFrog said:


> With the WF's I'd still be getting the benefit of LDAC



They don't have LDAC, only SBC or AAC. But they at least have DSEE HX, which can help.

And to be honest, even SBC can sound really good. I just listened today for about 2 hours, connected to WM1A, where I chose "SBC - Quality Preferred" and I have nothing to complain about.

Trust me, they sound better than the bigger ones. I also have the big ones and I tested them again a few moments ago. The sound feels bloated, it's not even close to the clarity of the small ones.


----------



## aceedburn

morgenstern09 said:


> They don't have LDAC, only SBC or AAC. But they at least have DSEE HX, which can help.
> 
> And to be honest, even SBC can sound really good. I just listened today for about 2 hours, connected to WM1A, where I chose "SBC - Quality Preferred" and I have nothing to complain about.
> 
> Trust me, they sound better than the bigger ones. I also have the big ones and I tested them again a few moments ago. The sound feels bloated, it's not even close to the clarity of the small ones.


Indeed. I’m blown away with the sound of the WF1000XM3 paired with WM1A although on SBC. can’t fault them in any way.


----------



## gearofwar

@morgenstern09 I know it’s a bit too much to ask but you are the only few contributors around who would share with us. I have always been curious, if it’s possible to make a firmware based on on dmp-z1, then how is about one based on TA-ZH1ES <= I spoke to Jude and he said he prefers this the most


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> unburned wm1z/romi seems to like that haha
> 
> I found that vocals are more closer to me and instruments are behind. Also musical recordings like dsd files for example jazz at pawn shop or natural jazz sound more realistic and true to life, lets say closer to true to life sound perception...
> 
> ...


exactly


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## nc8000

gearofwar said:


> @morgenstern09 I know it’s a bit too much to ask but you are the only few contributors around who would share with us. I have always been curious, if it’s possible to make a firmware based on on dmp-z1, then how is about one based on TA-ZH1ES <= I spoke to Jude and he said he prefers this the most



The TA does not share the same code base as the WM and Z1 so I doubt that would be possible except for somebody trying to emulate the sound by ear like the original Lootoo sound emulated fw


----------



## 515164

gearofwar said:


> @morgenstern09 I know it’s a bit too much to ask but you are the only few contributors around who would share with us. I have always been curious, if it’s possible to make a firmware based on on dmp-z1, then how is about one based on TA-ZH1ES <= I spoke to Jude and he said he prefers this the most



I could certainly give it a try, but as @nc8000 mentioned, I don't think that it shares the same code base, so it may not do anything in particular.


----------



## nc8000 (May 5, 2020)

TheBonkingFrog said:


> OK, I ordered the TA- anyway, what the hell! Was going for €1700 on amazon.fr - and that's the beauty of Amazon, if it doesn't cut the mustard then I can send it back.
> 
> As for IEM's, TBH I tend to find them super uncomfortable. I have some wired Shure SE-215 (I think they are) that I bought to wear in bed so as not to disturb the wife, but I find them quite unpleasant, with the wire behind the ear and all.
> 
> ...



I had the WH and the WF and ended up selling the WH for several reasons
   - I preferred the sound of the WF
   - Although the WH noise cancelling was better than the WF, the WF is good enough even for planes
   - It was simply more convenient to bring the WF than the WH
   - The WH did go nicely with a ldac source but the aac on the WF again really is good enough


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 5, 2020)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/gearofwar.344545/


Solis was the firmware that emulated the Sony TA-ZH1ES.

Don’t remember if pure Solis or a variant of it?


----------



## 515164

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/gearofwar.344545/
> 
> 
> Solis was the firmware that emulated the Sony TA-ZH1ES.
> ...



I think he meant actually using TA-ZH1ES tuning codes.


----------



## Maxx134 (May 5, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> unburned wm1z/romi seems to like that haha
> 
> I found that vocals are more closer to me and instruments are behind. Also musical recordings like dsd files for example jazz at pawn shop or natural jazz sound more realistic and true to life, lets say closer to true to life sound perception...
> 
> ...


What about CN?






gearofwar said:


> then how is about one based on TA-ZH1ES <= I spoke to Jude and he said he prefers this the most


I think because it have the S Master chip.



Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/gearofwar.344545/
> 
> 
> Solis was the firmware that emulated the Sony TA-ZH1ES.
> ...



To me the Solis was most immersive and involving at the time, but in comparison to the latest offerings it is a bit busy/wide/diffuse.
I using moded 1z (wiring only) and details were a bit more noticable.


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Redcarmoose said:


> The Sony TA-ZH1ES may be slightly better than the 1Z, still to get the best sound from the Sony TA-ZH1ES, you need a 1A or 1Z to feed it. Though it’s probably almost as good using USB computer. The TA was not so special using it with CDs from a transport with coaxial RCA.
> 
> But really the TA does it’s magic more with full-size headphones. Though you will notice some difference over the 1Z and 1A with the Sony TA-ZH1ES and IER-Z1R. Though also it will be maybe better (a bigger difference) using the MDR-Z1R. You don’t list which Z1R your getting?



Apologies, I realise I didn't respond to your question - MDR-1ZR's, as I said in other post, I'm not a big fan of inner-ear phones, on the other hand if the IER 1ZR's were worth it then I'd take a look. I guess the IEM work better with the 1Z than the MDR's, maybe I could get both, although the IEM's seem quite pricey.


----------



## bana

Maxx134 said:


> What about CN?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I stuck with Solis as it worked for me. What did you change to if you don't mind me asking?


----------



## Mindstorms

morgenstern09 said:


> In some way, yes, but when I had a similar issue, just applying the same tuning again worked.
> 
> Maybe you should try WM1A-Z1 again, after flashing to stock.  I personally can't fully decide between the two, hehe


when i told this was happening nowone believed me... i listened sort of overlaping in stage! but dont trust me I have hearing problems (not true)


----------



## Mindstorms

Maxx134 said:


> What about CN?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


CN is awesome


----------



## Morbideath (May 5, 2020)

I've been listening to this record for years, and first time in my life have i heard the bass string to bounce and vibrate with textures but at the same time rumble deep, rather than just a boomy decay, WHILE THE REST OF THE BAND IS FIRING. Thx to Romi-1Z, Chronos T10.5, Labkable Titan Au and LX SE. Every bricks to the fortress contributes to this ultimate bass resolution. Can't believe it's from such a portable setup.
Thx to such profound improvement, im rediscovering my huge metal library like never before. I don't even want to write about other goodness. It may go rather long.
Sorry for derailing, let's move on.


----------



## Redcarmoose

The TA and MDR are made for each other. The only extra things you could do down the line is get the cradle to stream the 1A/1Z to the TA with and get a AQCarbon USB to complete everything. Also some enjoy the aftermarket Kimber cable for the MDR-Z1R. Some of us with this combo think the 2 cables and cradle make a big difference.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Morbideath said:


> I've been listening to this record for years, and first time in my life have i heard the bass string to bounce and vibrate with textures but at the same time rumble deep, rather than just a boomy decay, WHILE THE REST OF THE BAND IS FIRING. Thx to Romi-1Z, Chronos T10.5, Labkable Titan Au and LX SE. Every bricks to the fortress contributes to this ultimate bass resolution. Can't believe it's from such a portable setup.
> Thx to such profound improvement, im rediscovering my huge metal library like never before. I don't even want to write about other goodness. It may go rather long.
> Sorry for derailing, let's move on.


(FEMS / Roadrunner, APCY-8239) 

Just came upon one early Japan pressing of Symbolic.....finding out how good the album sounded right at the start. I’m pretty sure it’s the best I’ve heard it.


----------



## Maxx134

bana said:


> I stuck with Solis as it worked for me. What did you change to if you don't mind me asking?


Solis was fantastic on my friend's stock 1a.
Because of the covid19 crisis, I am not able to update him with the newer firmwares.

As for change, I am talking not about these firmwares, but instead the "region" .
The region alters the EQ & clarity slightly.

You just need the software to run and type in the different "region" letters.
I switched to region "CN", but "MX3" is also fantastic.
I did try region "J" and it was very nice, but I went back to the others for more liveliness.

If you use IEMs, then everything is magnified and that's why changing region is great to tune to your liking, after you decide on a fav firmware choice.
The firware changes the whole perception & flavor   of the sonic image, so it's different than the regions.



Mindstorms said:


> CN is awesome


Haha yeah I know!
I wanted to see if "Vitaly2017" tried it.




Morbideath said:


> Thx to Romi-1Z, Chronos T10.5, Labkable Titan Au and LX SE


From my research in the mods, I feel the romi upgrade of using the blackgate caps may be helping alot with your new detailing.

I am not sure if any cap can hold up to those caps...


----------



## Morbideath (May 5, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> (FEMS / Roadrunner, APCY-8239)
> 
> Just came upon one early Japan pressing of Symbolic.....finding out how good the album sounded right at the start. I’m pretty sure it’s the best I’ve heard it.


I believe the JP CD has a pretty squashed dynamics. Within the CD pressings only the Canadian press has normal / fuller dynamic but unfortunately it's pretty rare.
The first press Roadrunner vinyl is unbeatable, which i happen to own and its transfer. That's what this masterpiece was initially intended to sound like


----------



## Morbideath (May 5, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> From my research in the mods, I feel the romi upgrade of using the blackgate caps may be helping alot with your new detailing.
> 
> I am not sure if any cap can hold up to those caps...


Yeah i guess the 18 BGs are the major contributors too.
I have never experienced such a high technicality together with a warm musical signature *coexisting *from a portable system with IEM, only from some high-end turntable decks


----------



## nc8000

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Apologies, I realise I didn't respond to your question - MDR-1ZR's, as I said in other post, I'm not a big fan of inner-ear phones, on the other hand if the IER 1ZR's were worth it then I'd take a look. I guess the IEM work better with the 1Z than the MDR's, maybe I could get both, although the IEM's seem quite pricey.



I have both the MDR and the IER but if I had to choose it would certainly be the IER I would keep


----------



## gazzington

nc8000 said:


> I have both the MDR and the IER but if I had to choose it would certainly be the IER I would keep


With wm1z, the ier is the best iem I've heard


----------



## nc8000

gazzington said:


> With wm1z, the ier is the best iem I've heard



Me too and it is also great with the TA amp


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> I have both the MDR and the IER but if I had to choose it would certainly be the IER I would keep


can you elaborate on why? whats the reason one over the other?


----------



## nc8000

Mindstorms said:


> can you elaborate on why? whats the reason one over the other?



It would be hard to part with either but I find the sound of the IER more engaging and even while maintaining the musical rather than analytical approach that the MDR has so much of. Also I find that the IER isolates better than the MDR. And then the IER is more versatile from a logistic point as I travel a lot. However the IER does not produce the physical feeling/presence of the music that the large driver and around ear design of the MDR does. Also while I have no comfort or fit problems even for long sessions with the IER the MDR is more comfortable for long sessions and there are times where I can’t use an in ear. So I don’t want to get rid of either and fortunately don’t have to but that being said I probably would not have bought the MDR if I already had the IER


----------



## Queen6 (May 5, 2020)

Mindstorms said:


> CN is awesome



Not so much with neutral and or highly resolving IEM's, bass is tamed. CN is really focused on the high end resolution to suit the majority of music presented in China. Is like a gradual slope all the way up the peak at 20K. One of the first things I did was flip my WM1A off CN as lacks bass to my taste.

E  - is strongly V shaped and can be piercing in the treble with WM1A and little hollow in the mid's
CA - Big & bouncy, mid bass spills over too much, fun but wore off fast
MX3 - U shaped, really nice no real negatives other than no BT remote support
TW - The opposite of CN, storming bass, with reduced resolution in the treble
J - Is the most balanced to me and never wearing, maybe little unexciting depending on the headgear/listener. This region works well if flipping between varying IEM/HP with differing sound signatures as doesn't tilt one way or the other too much. Also sounds the most accurate region to my ears that I've tried; cymbals, bass guitar etc. all sound on point in the same track...

Currently The Sisters of Mercy - Floodland on the WM1A (J) with Sony XBA-N3 with Sony's 4.4 balanced Kimber Kabel, sounds right even with the N3's inherent bass boost with the details across the track not being overshadowed. That's what I like about J...

Q-6


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> It would be hard to part with either but I find the sound of the IER more engaging and even while maintaining the musical rather than analytical approach that the MDR has so much of. Also I find that the IER isolates better than the MDR. And then the IER is more versatile from a logistic point as I travel a lot. However the IER does not produce the physical feeling/presence of the music that the large driver and around ear design of the MDR does. Also while I have no comfort or fit problems even for long sessions with the IER the MDR is more comfortable for long sessions and there are times where I can’t use an in ear. So I don’t want to get rid of either and fortunately don’t have to but that being said I probably would not have bought the MDR if I already had the IER


Interesting to know! i was going to say the same its an advantage the sound headphones produce... they say the better is speakers then headphones then iems but thats what i was thinking today if im missing my speakers do you guys have speaker setup why you chose iems over speakers and headphones? its a good question!


----------



## Mindstorms (May 5, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> Not so much with neutral and or highly resolving IEM's, bass is tamed. CN is really focused on the high end resolution to suit the majority of music presented in China. Is like a gradual slope all the way up the peak at 20K. One of the first things I did was flip my WM1A off CN as lacks bass to my taste.
> 
> E  - is strongly V shaped and can be piercing in the treble with WM1A and little hollow in the mid's
> CA - Big & bouncy, mid bass spills over too much, fun but wore off fast
> ...


I agree Queen 6!


----------



## Queen6 (May 5, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> I've been listening to this record for years, and first time in my life have i heard the bass string to bounce and vibrate with textures but at the same time rumble deep, rather than just a boomy decay, WHILE THE REST OF THE BAND IS FIRING. Thx to Romi-1Z, Chronos T10.5, Labkable Titan Au and LX SE. Every bricks to the fortress contributes to this ultimate bass resolution. Can't believe it's from such a portable setup.
> Thx to such profound improvement, im rediscovering my huge metal library like never before. I don't even want to write about other goodness. It may go rather long.
> Sorry for derailing, let's move on.



Epic album as is Symbolic   As you said the dynamics are killed by the more modern releases. I really wish that they would rerelease as was intended in the day, this loudness war serves no purpose other than making great music sound bad IMO...

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Mindstorms said:


> Have you guys heard KR its like having a huge cotton between the iem and the ear wow!tell me if im crazy



Not tried KR, I prefer to move slowly as switching rapidly across regions and or firmware doesn't work for me. I want to take time to absorb the details of the music across multiple genre's. Kind of expect KR to be inline with CN, J & TW so could be great or could be not so great, 

A lots gong to depend on the headgear as some of Asian only brands present very resolving hardware which can be perceived as piercing in the west, equally Sony's tuning may take this into account hence the dullness of KR with some headgear. 

Q-6


----------



## mwhals

Mindstorms said:


> Interesting to know! i was going to say the same its an advantage the sound headphones produce... they say the better is speakers then headphones then iems but thats what i was thinking today if im missing my speakers do you guys have speaker setup why you chose iems over speakers and headphones? its a good question!



I prefer speakers if both my wife and I want to hear music and for when we are watching movies. I prefer headphones if it is only me listening if my wife is doing something quiet. I prefer IEMs if my wife is on the phone, watching TV or something else not quiet. IEMs give me the best sound isolation.


----------



## Queen6

Mindstorms said:


> Testing battery from 90%charge) as we speak 4.8 Hs still hasent drop the first mark, 112 avg volume mp3 320 allways one effect on.... lest see how much it endures after the reset (i did the reset top 100%)



WOW your IEM's must be hard to drive, I rarely pass 60/70 of 120. If I listened at 100+ would be way too loud.  Think that the Westone W40 is the hardest I have to drive at 31 Ohms or the XBA-N3 on 4.4 balanced at 32 Ohm (@1KHz) although I've switched the cable from the stock N3AP cable to Sony's own 4.4 balanced Kimber Kabel.

Q-6


----------



## Mindstorms

Queen6 said:


> WOW your IEM's must be hard to drive, I rarely pass 60/70 of 120. If I listened at 100+ would be way too loud.  Think that the Westone W40 is the hardest I have to drive at 31 Ohms or the XBA-N3 on 4.4 balanced at 32 Ohm (@1KHz) although I've switched the cable from the stock N3AP cable to Sony's own 4.4 balanced Kimber Kabel.
> 
> Q-6


yap its hard to drive and I eq VERY agresively like+10 -8 -10 -2.5 -1.5 -3.5 -3.5 -7  -1 two effects on avg I like rumbling a lot its via SE 16 ohms el cheapo iem lol


----------



## DeviantArt

Hi guys, can you check my WM1A in this case is normal or this is something wrong with it! I am looking for a lot of things about this but I am very confused. I bought 2nd from another person, they will refund if it is an error, so please get confirmation from everyone! Thank you
Click link to watch video please:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=10nMRpxU4NvDiY2yvcy9AqB7gh7VUFBGl


----------



## gearofwar

DeviantArt said:


> Hi guys, can you check my WM1A in this case is normal or this is something wrong with it! I am looking for a lot of things about this but I am very confused. I bought 2nd from another person, they will refund if it is an error, so please get confirmation from everyone! Thank you
> Click link to watch video please:
> https://drive.google.com/open?id=10nMRpxU4NvDiY2yvcy9AqB7gh7VUFBGl


what firmware is it on? try installing the latest firmware , maybe it will resolve


----------



## DeviantArt

gearofwar said:


> what firmware is it on? try installing the latest firmware , maybe it will resolve


My WM1A run 3.02 is the latest fw. It happened in the last few days. A few days ago, a tick-tock sound i heard it from the IEM when i plugged in, or changing content but it wasn't heard from outside


----------



## gearofwar (May 6, 2020)

DeviantArt said:


> My WM1A run 3.02 is the latest fw. It happened in the last few days. A few days ago, a tick-tock sound i heard it from the IEM when i plugged in, or changing content but it wasn't heard from outside


the tick-tock sound is very normal by switching between high-res recording and regular 16/44 ones. Nothing wrong with forward and backward button, a bit slow on the Play button, did you not touch it properly?


----------



## DeviantArt (May 6, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> the tick-tock sound is very normal by switching between high-res recording and regular 16/44 ones. Nothing wrong with forward and backward button, a bit slow on the Play button, did you not touch it properly?


I didn't use a physical button, i'm touching switch the song by a touch-screen. And like a told, few days ago, that sound didn't heard from outside, it heard from the IEM when i plugged in and i heard it from my IEM. But today it occurred outside, you can hear the tick-tock sound from the outside, not from IEM.


----------



## 515164

DeviantArt said:


> I didn't use a physical button, i'm touching switch the song by a touch-screen. And like a told, few days ago, that sound didn't heard from outside, it heard from the IEM when i plugged in and i heard it from my IEM. But today it occurred outside, you can hear the tick-tock sound from the outside, not from IEM.



Search here for "relay". That's where the sound is coming from. It's perfectly normal for this player.

https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449016.html


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 6, 2020)

DeviantArt said:


> My WM1A run 3.02 is the latest fw. It happened in the last few days. A few days ago, a tick-tock sound i heard it from the IEM when i plugged in, or changing content but it wasn't heard from outside



Don’t forget lags and functionality like shown can also come from the memory card or even the files in the player. I don’t have these type of response issues at the moment......but many of us have even having the players crash from time to time; though super rare. It’s normally the files you have added being the issue. Much of the time it is a faulty memory card or files on the memory card. Also I think years ago we would format to Exfat so the cards could take more, though it’s been years since the subject has come up.

A quick test is erase the memory and do a soft reset, meaning your not fully erasing the hours, then simply add one or two files on a memory card and see. Of course some have done a full factory reset; though rarely is that needed.

Maybe someone that knows can respond, as their is a file system which works best. Though all work, STFS is the fastest. Exfat holds more than Fat32. I’m not sure if the players read STFS? 

Note:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-13659665


----------



## DeviantArt

Redcarmoose said:


> Don’t forget lags and functionality like shown can also come from the memory card or even the files in the player. I don’t have these type of response issues at the moment......but many of us have even having the players crash from time to time; though super rare. It’s normally the files you have added being the issue. Much of the time it is a faulty memory card or files on the memory card. Also I think years ago we would format to Exfat so the cards could take more, though it’s been years since the subject has come up.
> 
> A quick test is erase the memory and do a soft reset, meaning your not fully erasing the hours, then simply add one or two files on a memory card and see. Of course some have done a full factory reset; though rarely is that needed.


I tried many ways (flashing older fw, refactory, unmount SD card using Stronge, etc...) but it doesn't work. I think it maybe related to hardware


----------



## Redcarmoose

DeviantArt said:


> I tried many ways (flashing older fw, refactory, unmount SD card using Stronge, etc...) but it doesn't work. I think it maybe related to hardware



Good luck.


----------



## 515164 (May 6, 2020)

DeviantArt said:


> I tried many ways (flashing older fw, refactory, unmount SD card using Stronge, etc...) but it doesn't work. I think it maybe related to hardware



The latest versions, 3.0 and up, are the fastest currently.

Also, while the relays are switching, the player will be "stuck" for that short period of time, which is, again, normal

To summarize, there is nothing wrong with your player in the video.


----------



## DeviantArt

Thank you guys so much!!!


----------



## Redcarmoose

The servomechanism makes a sound when changing kHz rates on files and mine makes a slight clicking in places just raising the volume with no music playing.


----------



## 515164

Redcarmoose said:


> The servomechanism makes a sound when changing kHz rates on files and mine makes a slight clicking in places just raising the volume with no music playing.



If you stop playing files for a while, I think it disengages the circuit in balanced mode, similar to when you turn the screen off with no music, after some seconds it will disengage the circuit.

I am thinking that changing the volume may wake up the player, at least, so that's why it may re-engage the circuit.

I'm pretty sure the player uses two crystal oscillators, for both 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz (and all other multiples of these values) and that's why you will hear the clicks for different sample rates.

Try listening to a 44.1/88.2/176.4/352.8 kHz file, switch to one with the same sample rate, and there will be no clicks. Once you'll switch to a 48/96/192/384 kHz file, there will be relay switching.


----------



## DeviantArt

morgenstern09 said:


> If you stop playing files for a while, I think it disengages the circuit in balanced mode, similar to when you turn the screen off with no music, after some seconds it will disengage the circuit.
> 
> I am thinking that changing the volume may wake up the player, at least, so that's why it may re-engage the circuit.
> 
> ...


Just like what I think. But my case is sound coming from outside IEM (that sound is coming directly from WM1A), different from other cases that I've encountered is sound coming from inside IEM.


----------



## 515164

DeviantArt said:


> Just like what I think. But my case is sound coming from outside IEM (that sound is coming directly from WM1A), different from other cases that I've encountered is sound coming from inside IEM.



What do you mean with sound from outside/inside of your IEM?

You only mentioned of the clicking being heard when you plug in your IEM. Every time you will plug something in the balanced connector, you will hear clicking coming from the player, as it engages the balanced circuitry.

"A few days ago, a tick-tock sound i heard it from the IEM when i plugged in, or changing content but it wasn't heard from outside"

Are you 100% sure that sound is not from the player itself? I would recommend checking again to make sure that you hear clicks in your IEM, apart from those of the player, which can be clearly heard in the video as well.


----------



## etlouis

morgenstern09 said:


> What do you mean with sound from outside/inside of your IEM?
> 
> You only mentioned of the clicking being heard when you plug in your IEM. Every time you will plug something in the balanced connector, you will hear clicking coming from the player, as it engages the balanced circuitry.
> 
> ...



For me it was clicking inside the IEM, twice, after switching file types.

Strange things happening with my 3.5 jack. Also switching between balanced and 3.5 would now require a power on/off. Otherwise both plugs would output no sound at all. The detection part of my player is broken perhaps (after using 3.5 the player loses ability to know anything is plug and won't stop playing music.) 

I've avoided the problem by exclusively using balanced. Sound is intact and unaffected.


----------



## 515164

etlouis said:


> For me it was clicking inside the IEM, twice, after switching file types.
> 
> Strange things happening with my 3.5 jack. Also switching between balanced and 3.5 would now require a power on/off. Otherwise both plugs would output no sound at all. The detection part of my player is broken perhaps (after using 3.5 the player loses ability to know anything is plug and won't stop playing music.)
> 
> I've avoided the problem by exclusively using balanced. Sound is intact and unaffected.



Well, I hear one pop each time I change the volume 1 by 1 (like from 90 to 91 for example) when using Shure SE846, especially when using high gain. This is not clicking, though.

In your case, then yeah, something might be wrong with one of the relays, if you hear clicking inside the IEM. I worked as tech support, so I'm always trying to understand exactly what is happening, and I was not sure if you guys literally hear clicking inside the IEM or if it's actually the normal clicking of the relays, coming from the player


----------



## Vitaly2017

I had such issue and it was the relay switch inside dap between 3.5 and 4.4 that made this issue. 

It turns out the relay solder get lose and need to be resoldered....
Nothing major but requires to open dap and do some solder work )

When Romi did my mod he said he found that problem!  But I never experienced any malfunction in my end. Looks like it could of start to misbehave in future.


----------



## etlouis (May 6, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I had such issue and it was the relay switch inside dap between 3.5 and 4.4 that made this issue.
> 
> It turns out the relay solder get lose and need to be resoldered....
> Nothing major but requires to open dap and do some solder work )
> ...



Ack now there's another reason for me to hand over my wm1a to Romi... I wish he also change out the batteries

Is the sound signature totally changed after modding? The blackgate version mod seems to be too expensive for me (almost a brand new wm1z). Are they only changing the wires from circuit board to output jacks for the cheaper mod package?

I'm quite comfortable with my current set up. Stock 3.01 FW on wm1a paired with Moondrop S8. A very laidback listening experience as I dislike things that sound over excited and fatiguing. Nothing really jumps out at my ears and that's exactly why I can leave the music playing for hours. It's like a bubble bath with perfect temperature.

If I had cash I might dump it into M9 for the ultimate reference sound.


----------



## captblaze

etlouis said:


> I'm quite comfortable with my current set up. Stock 3.01 FW on wm1a paired with Moondrop S8. A very laidback listening experience as I dislike things that sound over excited and fatiguing. Nothing really jumps out at my ears and that's exactly why I can leave the music playing for hours. It's like a bubble bath with perfect temperature.



Ditto


----------



## aceedburn

etlouis said:


> Ack now there's another reason for me to hand over my wm1a to Romi... I wish he also change out the batteries
> 
> Is the sound signature totally changed after modding? The blackgate version mod seems to be too expensive for me (almost a brand new wm1z). Are they only changing the wires from circuit board to output jacks for the cheaper mod package?
> 
> ...


If you like laidback and smooth sound which is exactly what I like without anything in your face. Just fun listening then I don’t think you should splurge on modding your 1A. Just use one of the firmwares here and you can get just the sound you like. I suggest either Autumn+ or WM1Az.


----------



## DeviantArt

morgenstern09 said:


> What do you mean with sound from outside/inside of your IEM?
> 
> You only mentioned of the clicking being heard when you plug in your IEM. Every time you will plug something in the balanced connector, you will hear clicking coming from the player, as it engages the balanced circuitry.
> 
> ...



I mean for the first time, this sound is only heard through my IEM. Now it somehow directly come from my player, it is clearly heard when i resume/change the song. I notice that changing between the sound marked with or without HR tag will make the sound. is it normal now?


----------



## nc8000

DeviantArt said:


> I mean for the first time, this sound is only heard through my IEM. Now it somehow directly come from my player, it is clearly heard when i resume/change the song. I notice that changing between the sound marked with or without HR tag will make the sound. is it normal now?



There are mechanical relays build into the player and they will make a click either when play back starts (I think) or when the player changes between the 2 clocks (one based on 44khz and one based on 48khz) so will click when you go from playing say a 16/44 track to playing a 24/96 track as they are based on different clocks. These clicks are mechanical from the player and not really heard through the headphone. There are clicks/pops very faintly heard sometimes through the headphone when the volume is changed, a pop/click per volume step. Mostly heard at higher volumes and with no music playing. All this is perfectly normal


----------



## Vitaly2017

etlouis said:


> Ack now there's another reason for me to hand over my wm1a to Romi... I wish he also change out the batteries
> 
> Is the sound signature totally changed after modding? The blackgate version mod seems to be too expensive for me (almost a brand new wm1z). Are they only changing the wires from circuit board to output jacks for the cheaper mod package?
> 
> ...




Dude are you serious? 
You really think I would of sent my dap to get lower tier parts???

You seem lost in your sound signature preferences as you tell me you desire to send your to Romi and right after you telling me your happy with stock 1a.

I am sorry to burst your bubble but even stock 1z is a big step up from 1a!

And moded 1z from romi brings 1z to new hights and sound characteristics that you probably never heard before. 

The mod as it self keeps sony 1z core signature and it still same as before but with new abilities as more resolution and balance to the sound. Less treble elevation, with smoother attacks.

More control in bass and mids very natural.

Same old sony 1z but with bg caps.


----------



## hshock76

Vitaly2017 said:


> Dude are you serious?
> You really think I would of sent my dap to get lower tier parts???
> 
> You seem lost in your sound signature preferences as you tell me you desire to send your to Romi and right after you telling me your happy with stock 1a.
> ...



I think you misunderstood his post. He did not suggest or say about Romi’s mod using lower tier parts.U must be too impatient waiting for your 1Z to come back to your loving ears. Haha

He is just asking whether Romi offers a lower cost Mod which involves upgrading just the wires and battery and not the Caps.

And notice he just states he is “quite” happy with his 1A... not “very” happy. That’s why he is exploring an upgrade.


----------



## Vitaly2017

hshock76 said:


> I think you misunderstood his post. He did not suggest or say about Romi’s mod using lower tier parts.U must be too impatient waiting for your 1Z to come back to your loving ears. Haha
> 
> He is just asking whether Romi offers a lower cost Mod which involves upgrading just the wires and battery and not the Caps.
> 
> And notice he just states he is “quite” happy with his 1A... not “very” happy. That’s why he is exploring an upgrade.




Well indeed I am quiet impatient at my current stage, it been very long and its frustrating. 

Sorry but thats how I felt from hes message, maybe I misunderstood it sorry then.


----------



## Damz87 (May 6, 2020)

Easy tiger.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Damz87 said:


> Easy tiger.




I keep it calm & under control


----------



## Lookout57

DeviantArt said:


> Just like what I think. But my case is sound coming from outside IEM (that sound is coming directly from WM1A), different from other cases that I've encountered is sound coming from inside IEM.


Check that under Settings > Device Settings > Beep Settings is off.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Latest music purchase , the las installment shows f the Fitzwilliam virginal book by Brilliant classics


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> I keep it calm & under control


Remember, you are Tigger from Winnie the Pooh, gentle in nature, not some wild beast like Tony the Tiger 😜


----------



## aceedburn

LPGT Firmware is another one that I really love on my 1A. Loved it since I heard it a couple of months ago. Loaded it again just now. Sings beautifully with 3.02. It just has a charm to it that I can’t describe. Warmth, check! Musicality, check! Smoothness, check!

p.s. always remember to load stock3.02 first before loading any other firmware. It makes a difference.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Some good stuff

@proedros 
@Queen6 
@hamhamhamsta


----------



## hamhamhamsta

hamhamhamsta said:


> Remember, you are Tigger from Winnie the Pooh, gentle in nature, not some wild beast like Tony the Tiger 😜


And for the more visual pleasure seeking crowd

This should be it    





And not this ... too much excitement and energy, that's not what we want


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> And for the more visual pleasure seeking crowd
> 
> This should be it
> 
> ...




Haha thank you that brings my mood up 🤩🙃😁


How about some Frosties?


----------



## Duncan

Redcarmoose said:


> The servomechanism makes a sound when changing kHz rates on files and mine makes a slight clicking in places just raising the volume with no music playing.


Yes, for me it is above 80 that you can hear the clicking through the IEM


----------



## akãjerovia

R. I. P. Florian


----------



## Hinomotocho

akãjerovia said:


> R. I. P. Florian






This is one of the first albums I go to when testing gear


----------



## Lookout57

akãjerovia said:


> R. I. P. Florian


Sad, I saw them in 1975 in a very small venue, it was a great show.


----------



## JackSkully

hey everyone atm i have most firmwares for the wm1a the vinyle /classic/concerto/seasons/solar system /witigir Fw /China fw am i missing any new ones that have come out


----------



## aceedburn

JackSkully said:


> hey everyone atm i have most firmwares for the wm1a the vinyle /classic/concerto/seasons/solar system /witigir Fw /China fw am i missing any new ones that have come out


There’s a whole load there to try out bro. You have all of them I believe.


----------



## nc8000

JackSkully said:


> hey everyone atm i have most firmwares for the wm1a the vinyle /classic/concerto/seasons/solar system /witigir Fw /China fw am i missing any new ones that have come out



Looks line you are missing the ones in Morgenstern’s signature


----------



## JackSkully

nc8000 said:


> Looks line you are missing the ones in Morgenstern’s signature


oh okay thanks any idea where i can get that one


----------



## nc8000

JackSkully said:


> oh okay thanks any idea where i can get that one



Just click on the links in his signature


----------



## JackSkully

nc8000 said:


> Just click on the links in his signature


?? Ya I'm clueless here mate gona need a link or something


----------



## aceedburn

JackSkully said:


> ?? Ya I'm clueless here mate gona need a link or something


Let me solve this for you. Bro @morgenstern09 , could you please say hi to him.


----------



## JackSkully

aceedburn said:


> Let me solve this for you. Bro @morgenstern09 , could you please say hi to him.


Thanks man much appreciated just found them 👍


----------



## Duncan

On the flip of this, I don’t know where to get the seasons etc - I saw someone had the links in their signature, but they were dead...


----------



## proedros

a heads up to all you maniacs out there always striving for the best iem , the best cable , the best mod , the best 68/854 DSD THC LSD uber duper file quality

i have been enjoying immensely the radio shows from John Digweed on Kiss FM between 2000-4 , files are only 192k mp3 (sacrilege!) but damn if those dj sets don's sound TASTY

t a s t y.


----------



## 515164

Links


----------



## JackSkully

Duncan said:


> On the flip of this, I don’t know where to get the seasons etc - I saw someone had the links in their signature, but they were dead...


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2417#post-15559438


----------



## JackSkully

aceedburn said:


> Let me solve this for you. Bro @morgenstern09 , could you please say hi to him.


Your sound cloud music is amazing man 👌 God eargasmic if I do say so


----------



## aceedburn

JackSkully said:


> Your sound cloud music is amazing man 👌 God eargasmic if I do say so


Ahh thanks mate. Those were songs I wrote a very long time ago.


----------



## proedros

morgenstern09 said:


> Links




if you mean the Digweed radio shows , i will pm you a torrent link to download them - if you like this specific genre (progressive House) i suggest you start with 2000-4 as these are the peak years , after 2004 the sound became more minimal/boring (imo)

listening to his 2002 shows atm (which is probably peak year for the genre) , damn they really made fantastic tunes then


----------



## aceedburn

proedros said:


> if you mean the Digweed radio shows , i will pm you a torrent link to download them - if you like this specific genre (progressive House) i suggest you start with 2000-4 as these are the peak years , after 2004 the sound became more minimal/boring (imo)
> 
> listening to his 2002 shows atm (which is probably peak year for the genre) , damn they really made fantastic tunes then


I think he posted because people wanted the links to the seasons firmwares which are in his signature.


----------



## XP_98 (May 7, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> LPGT Firmware is another one that I really love on my 1A. Loved it since I heard it a couple of months ago. Loaded it again just now. Sings beautifully with 3.02. It just has a charm to it that I can’t describe. Warmth, check! Musicality, check! Smoothness, check!
> 
> p.s. always remember to load stock3.02 first before loading any other firmware. It makes a difference.


Wanted to give it à try (use Autumn+ at the time), but in seems installer does not work with EU WM1A ("connect USB" message...)...


----------



## XP_98

By the way, which is the "warmest and smoothest" (no harsh highs, relaxing sound) FW for WM1A in your opinion ?


----------



## lumdicks

XP_98 said:


> By the way, which is the "warmest and smoothest" (no harsh highs, relaxing sound) FW for WM1A in your opinion ?


I would say that vinyl may be a good one for you.


----------



## JML

Any progress on Mac versions of the seasons FW?


----------



## aceedburn

XP_98 said:


> Wanted to give it à try (use Autumn+ at the time), but in seems installer does not work with EU WM1A ("connect USB" message...)...


Use the Universal (U) installer. It should work fine.


----------



## aceedburn

XP_98 said:


> By the way, which is the "warmest and smoothest" (no harsh highs, relaxing sound) FW for WM1A in your opinion ?


Try WM1Az or Autumn+. These 2 are warm and smooth. In fact all the seasons firmwares are smooth without any harshness.


----------



## XP_98

aceedburn said:


> Use the Universal (U) installer. It should work fine.


By EU, I ment Europe...How can I can I change the installer that comes with the FW package (LPGT for instance) ?


----------



## Lookout57

XP_98 said:


> By the way, which is the "warmest and smoothest" (no harsh highs, relaxing sound) FW for WM1A in your opinion ?


WM1Aᶻ https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2449#post-15579954


----------



## Lookout57

JML said:


> Any progress on Mac versions of the seasons FW?


There hasn't been a large demand for them since they only work with macOS Mojave (10.14) or earlier.


----------



## aceedburn

XP_98 said:


> By EU, I ment Europe...How can I can I change the installer that comes with the FW package (LPGT for instance) ?


Ahh. So you need the EU version. Well the seasons firmwares have all the necessary versions in the folders. As for the LPGT, I only have the Universal installer. I believe bro @nc8000 posted a google drive link for all versions some time back.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Ahh. So you need the EU version. Well the seasons firmwares have all the necessary versions in the folders. As for the LPGT, I only have the Universal installer. I believe bro @nc8000 posted a google drive link for all versions some time back.



Yes but only by pm


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Mindstorms said:


> Interesting to know! i was going to say the same its an advantage the sound headphones produce... they say the better is speakers then headphones then iems but thats what i was thinking today if im missing my speakers do you guys have speaker setup why you chose iems over speakers and headphones? its a good question!



In my case I have a wife and three kids, but don't have a dedicated music room. I sold off my valve amp and gave my speakers away a few years ago and lived with iPhone and AirPods - yeah, they sound crap (Pro's not sooo bad), but recently pulled-out the Mini-Matric DAC I was using with my hifi, installed Audirvana (tousling from MacBook Pro) and plugged in my HD600's (which were being used on the electric piano up to that point), bought new ear pads, head-band and foam pads for the HD's to refurbish them.

But then, of course, when you jump back to something more revealing and precise, then you start listening to the equipment rather than the music and I felt that this combination was sounding rather harsh and really tiring. Even worse, because of the open nature of the HD's, I had to turn them up so loud to drown-out the noise from the family that it was becoming unpleasant.

So I first started looking for a new DAC. Initially I was thinking of a valve-headphone amp with integrated DAC, the Quad PA-One+ was on my list and the Woo Audio WA7, but getting hold of these in Belgium, certainly during C19 lockdown seems impossible. I stumbled across the TA-ZH1E, which looked interesting and tried to buy one cheap from Amazon, but it turned out to be a scam (I realised early enough). During the course of searching for reviews, I somehow stumbled across the NW-WM1Z and loved that it was so stupidly expensive, and gold, plus seems to have a analogue/value sound to it that I like. Under normal circumstances I'd never drop that kind of money on a "walkman", but I've done rather well on the stock-markets these last few months. I first ordered the WM1A as I found it for a good price on Amazon NL.

By pure luck I searched other EU Amazon stores and found the WM1Z for €2000 from Spain - even less for me as I'm VAT registered. Seemed to me that I would no longer have to mess about with streaming and my MacBook, but I could also use it away from the family, in the bedroom, so would solve the HD600 open-back issue. But then one thing lead to another and I ended up ordering the 1ZR's too, on the basis that I could listen anywhere due to closed-back. And then I though "screw-it" and ordered the TA_ZH1E too. The 1ZR's were relatively cheap from Amazon UK at £1350, the ZA from Amazon FR €1450.

The NW-WM1Z arrives va UPS tomorrow - the rest is supposed to be end of next week... Can't find the IEM-1ZR's for the moment, stocks are low everywhere due to C19, but I'm not ruling-out getting those at some point. If the TA- doesn't add anything I'll return it - that's why I like Amazon for these things.

So sorry for the long post, but you have the full story now. Will be interesting to see how the 1Z sounds with my HD600's, if it can drive them, they're 300ohms, I think, so need some juice...


----------



## Lookout57

TheBonkingFrog said:


> In my case I have a wife and three kids, but don't have a dedicated music room. I sold off my valve amp and gave my speakers away a few years ago and lived with iPhone and AirPods - yeah, they sound crap (Pro's not sooo bad), but recently pulled-out the Mini-Matric DAC I was using with my hifi, installed Audirvana (tousling from MacBook Pro) and plugged in my HD600's (which were being used on the electric piano up to that point), bought new ear pads, head-band and foam pads for the HD's to refurbish them.
> 
> But then, of course, when you jump back to something more revealing and precise, then you start listening to the equipment rather than the music and I felt that this combination was sounding rather harsh and really tiring. Even worse, because of the open nature of the HD's, I had to turn them up so loud to drown-out the noise from the family that it was becoming unpleasant.
> 
> ...


What you need with the 1Z and TA is the SONY Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10 and Audioquest Carbon USB cable. This combo brings out the best in the 1Z and the TA since the dock has active USB clocking circuits and using the PC-USB opens up the TA to higher resolutions than the Walkman port.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Lookout57 said:


> What you need with the 1Z and TA is the SONY Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10 and Audioquest Carbon USB cable. This combo brings out the best in the 1Z and the TA since the dock has active USB clocking circuits and using the PC-USB opens up the TA to higher resolutions than the Walkman port.



Thanks dude. Looks like the cradle is only available from Japan, right?

Really, USB cable makes a difference? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised as I see a difference with upgraded HDMI on my 4KOLED, etc.

I was about to say that the Carbon cable was expensive, but then I saw the "Diamond" 

And no doubt I'll be looking to upgrade the MDR-1ZR cable at some point - the Sony/Kimber doesn't seem too expensive, but it is a bit on the short side...


----------



## Lookout57

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Thanks dude. Looks like the cradle is only available from Japan, right?
> 
> Really, USB cable makes a difference? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised as I see a difference with upgraded HDMI on my 4KOLED, etc.
> 
> ...


The cradle only seems to be available in Japan but I bought mine thru Amazon. 

The Carbon is a excellent upgrade for a reasonable price. 

The best cable for the MDR-1ZR is the Kimber AXIOS Cu which can be custom made to any length. But the standard length is 2x the Sony/Kimber. But you also go from 8 wires to 16 wires and it's a work of art.


----------



## akãjerovia

Lookout57 said:


> Sad, I saw them in 1975 in a very small venue, it was a great show.



It is sad, but they've influenced a wide range of genres and transcended in history, really like the early albums. Great memory you have of them.


----------



## akãjerovia

Hinomotocho said:


> This is one of the first albums I go to when testing gear



Tour De France is one of my favourites


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Lookout57 said:


> The cradle only seems to be available in Japan but I bought mine thru Amazon.
> 
> The Carbon is a excellent upgrade for a reasonable price.
> 
> The best cable for the MDR-1ZR is the Kimber AXIOS Cu which can be custom made to any length. But the standard length is 2x the Sony/Kimber. But you also go from 8 wires to 16 wires and it's a work of art.



Ugh - $1000 for that (balanced 2m) cable - I'm not tight or anything, but that's some money to pay to replace what is probably already a pretty decent stock cable. Would need to provide a seiorus sound upgrade, but then you'd be wondering why Sony would ship such excellent headphones with something sub-standard.

To be fair, I bought some Kimber speaker cables with my last hi-fi setup and they sounded magnificent... Anyone that says interconnects don't change the sound are, well, wrong.


----------



## Hinomotocho

akãjerovia said:


> Tour De France is one of my favourites


I prefer some of those originals to the 3-D compilation versions, but they sound awesome - all those different frequencies bouncing around really make me smile and enjoy this hobby.


----------



## akãjerovia

Hinomotocho said:


> I prefer some of those originals to the 3-D compilation versions, but they sound awesome - all those different frequencies bouncing around really make me smile and enjoy this hobby.



Those bouncy frequencies are why we buy all this machines


----------



## JackSkully

aceedburn said:


> I think he posted because people wanted the links to the seasons firmwares which are in his signature.


Hey man where can I find the LPGT Firmware


----------



## TSAVAlan

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Thanks dude. Looks like the cradle is only available from Japan, right?
> 
> Really, USB cable makes a difference? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised as I see a difference with upgraded HDMI on my 4KOLED, etc.
> 
> ...


We had an event last year with Sony and our rep brought the cradle. I said it was cool and if we could order them. He said it was an "Asia Exclusive" at the moment.

Asia getting all the cool accessories.


----------



## Lookout57

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Ugh - $1000 for that (balanced 2m) cable - I'm not tight or anything, but that's some money to pay to replace what is probably already a pretty decent stock cable. Would need to provide a seiorus sound upgrade, but then you'd be wondering why Sony would ship such excellent headphones with something sub-standard.
> 
> To be fair, I bought some Kimber speaker cables with my last hi-fi setup and they sounded magnificent... Anyone that says interconnects don't change the sound are, well, wrong.


The stock cable is silver plated so it has a tendency to accentuate the highs which is a shame as an all copper cable like the Sony/Kimber or Kimber AXIOS Cu smooth it out.


----------



## Krutsch

TSAVAlan said:


> We had an event last year with Sony and our rep brought the cradle. I said it was cool and if we could order them. He said it was an "Asia Exclusive" at the moment.
> ...



What models do you think will work with the cradle? I see them for sale on eBay and thinking of getting one for my NW-A55.


----------



## Damz87

Krutsch said:


> What models do you think will work with the cradle? I see them for sale on eBay and thinking of getting one for my NW-A55.



Any model with a WM Port should work. It comes with adapters to fit the width of different models. I’ve used it with WM1Z, ZX1 & ZX2 without a problem


----------



## 515164

Krutsch said:


> What models do you think will work with the cradle? I see them for sale on eBay and thinking of getting one for my NW-A55.





Damz87 said:


> Any model with a WM Port should work. It comes with adapters to fit the width of different models. I’ve used it with WM1Z, ZX1 & ZX2 without a problem



Yes, as far as I know, this adapter just has some circuitry that uses the digital output of the WM port while also providing current to the charging pins.


----------



## Hinomotocho

I'm peachy keen on the WM1A but as I add up the multiple extra costs of getting one to me it is a lot of $$, for the dap itself, ok, but the extras - ouch! A few pages ago I was selling it to myself regardless of age, but that voice of doubt creeps in. I know it's anybodies guess, but with the state of the world and the extra cost of freight and parts etc would it be likely that Sony would release a successor in the near future?


----------



## hamhamhamsta (May 7, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> I'm peachy keen on the WM1A but as I add up the multiple extra costs of getting one to me it is a lot of $$, for the dap itself, ok, but the extras - ouch! A few pages ago I was selling it to myself regardless of age, but that voice of doubt creeps in. I know it's anybodies guess, but with the state of the world and the extra cost of freight and parts etc would it be likely that Sony would release a successor in the near future?


Just a guess, chances of new WM1A in 2020 is 0%, 2021 is 10-15%, 2022 is 15%-20%. Well, you get the gist of it...

Realistically, I think with the world economy going down the drain now, maybe 2023, and given how slow Sony does things, more realistically maybe 2024 or 2025, if we are talking about WM1XXX successors. And besides, modded 1A/1Z is just so ahead that it would take huge discoveries and implementation on Sony part to comfortably come with worthy successors.

Put it this way, it makes more sense for the world to discover vaccine or cure to Covid19 much earlier than Sony to come out with successor to 1A/1Z


----------



## TSAVAlan

Krutsch said:


> What models do you think will work with the cradle? I see them for sale on eBay and thinking of getting one for my NW-A55.


We tried it with the ZX300, WM1A and WM1Z and they all worked fine. Any WM port should indeed work fine with it.


hamhamhamsta said:


> Just a guess, chances of new WM1A in 2020 is )%, 2021 is 10-15%, 2022 is 15%-20%. This is just a joke...
> 
> Realistically, I think with the world economy going down the drain now, maybe 2023, and given how slow Sony does things, more realistically maybe 2024 or 2025, if we are talking about WM1XXX successors. And besides, modded 1A/1Z is just so ahead thatit would take huge discoveries and implementation on Sony part to comfortably come with worthy successors.


Sony had major interruptions to their supply chains earlier this year, hell I am still waiting for my opening order of ZX507! If Sony had plans for a successor to the WM1A/1Z, I would say that plan is on the back burner.

We also are a dealer for Sony TVs and new TVs that were already in production, announced at CES and had a Q1 launch were in most cases delayed to Q2. We just got word earlier this week, some of the Q3 TVs they had planned were flat out canceled for the time being is amazing to me.


----------



## Krutsch (May 7, 2020)

Question: how responsive is the 1A/1Z with a large library?

I have a 1TB microSD card in my NW-A55 with about 20K tracks (a mix of FLAC/AAC, with some high-res). The scrolling and selection behavior is quite good with that DAP (very smooth and responsive).

What can I expect with the WM1a/1z with respect to the UI responsiveness and a similar music load-out?

Thanks, in advance... almost ready to pull the trigger.


----------



## NickleCo

XP_98 said:


> By the way, which is the "warmest and smoothest" (no harsh highs, relaxing sound) FW for WM1A in your opinion ?


The smoothest ive tried it jupiter 3.01 on J.


----------



## NickleCo

Oh wow just shy of 2500 pages. This is probably the biggest thread here on head fi atm!


----------



## Lookout57

Krutsch said:


> Question: how responsive is the 1A/1Z with a large library?
> 
> I have a 1TB microSD card in my NW-A55 with about 20K tracks (a mix of FLAC/AAC, with some high-res). The scrolling and selection behavior is quite good with that DAP (very smooth and responsive).
> 
> ...


Very, I have a 1TB card with a little over 110 GB free and over 10,000 tracks on a 1A and 1Z.


----------



## 515164

XP_98 said:


> By the way, which is the "warmest and smoothest" (no harsh highs, relaxing sound) FW for WM1A in your opinion ?





DatDudeNic said:


> The smoothest ive tried it jupiter 3.01 on J.



I would give a try to WM1Az, you can find a link in my signature.


----------



## dhc0329

Sorry for the noob question but is it safe to connect 4.4mm to 3.5mm (balanced) interconnect cable to connect
between WM1Z to Pico AMP? 

I was looking at the cable below to see if it can work. 
https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Sil...ced+Male+to+Male+Silver&qid=1588915147&sr=8-4


----------



## 515164

dhc0329 said:


> Sorry for the noob question but is it safe to connect 4.4mm to 3.5mm (balanced) interconnect cable to connect
> between WM1Z to Pico AMP?
> 
> I was looking at the cable below to see if it can work.
> https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Sil...ced+Male+to+Male+Silver&qid=1588915147&sr=8-4



I sometimes use a 4.4mm to 2.5mm balanced. It is safe, as its balanced to balanced.


----------



## dhc0329

morgenstern09 said:


> I sometimes use a 4.4mm to 2.5mm balanced. It is safe, as its balanced to balanced.



Understood but pico amp doesnt have the 2.5mm balanced jack but only 3.5mm unbalanced jack,
so I wondering if i could go balanced to unbalanced jack in pico amp using balance 3.5mm cable.


----------



## 515164

dhc0329 said:


> Understood but pico amp doesnt have the 2.5mm balanced jack but only 3.5mm unbalanced jack,
> so I wondering if i could go balanced to unbalanced jack in pico amp using balance 3.5mm cable.



I was not aware that the amp does not support 3.5mm balanced.

Not sure, you can have sound only on one channel and/or some pins on the balanced 3.5 adapter could be connected together because of how the 3.5 unbalanced female pinout is.

Maybe someone else has a better idea of this.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Krutsch said:


> Question: how responsive is the 1A/1Z with a large library?
> 
> I have a 1TB microSD card in my NW-A55 with about 20K tracks (a mix of FLAC/AAC, with some high-res). The scrolling and selection behavior is quite good with that DAP (very smooth and responsive).
> 
> ...


Mines good, only selecting a category such as composer, release year etc causes slight delay. 1TB card with 58000+ tracks all flac 16/44


----------



## nc8000 (May 8, 2020)

dhc0329 said:


> Sorry for the noob question but is it safe to connect 4.4mm to 3.5mm (balanced) interconnect cable to connect
> between WM1Z to Pico AMP?
> 
> I was looking at the cable below to see if it can work.
> https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Sil...ced+Male+to+Male+Silver&qid=1588915147&sr=8-4



The cable you link is a balanced to balanced cable and that is safe if both devices are balanced. You shouldn’t go balanced to single ended as you might damage both devices


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Lookout57 said:


> The stock cable is silver plated so it has a tendency to accentuate the highs which is a shame as an all copper cable like the Sony/Kimber or Kimber AXIOS Cu smooth it out.



What about the Sony/Kimber cable Sony MUC-B20SB1 - is this not a decent upgrade for a reasonable cost?

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MUC-B20SB1-SONY-Headphone-cable/dp/B01LRR04F0


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

gerelmx1986 said:


> Mines good, only selecting a category such as composer, release year etc causes slight delay. 1TB card with 58000+ tracks all flac 16/44



For those with larger SD cards, are you putting all the music on the card or utilising both the internal memory and card? I wonder if there's any benefit to one approach or the other?


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> The cable you link is a balanced to balanced cable and that is safe if both devices are balanced. You shouldn’t go balanced to single ended as you might damage both devices


And there's proof  in the Hugo TT2 thread that people have shorted their Hugo's and one saw smoke puffing from the window that has blue light.


----------



## Hinomotocho

hamhamhamsta said:


> Just a guess, chances of new WM1A in 2020 is 0%, 2021 is 10-15%, 2022 is 15%-20%. Well, you get the gist of it...
> 
> Realistically, I think with the world economy going down the drain now, maybe 2023, and given how slow Sony does things, more realistically maybe 2024 or 2025, if we are talking about WM1XXX successors. And besides, modded 1A/1Z is just so ahead that it would take huge discoveries and implementation on Sony part to comfortably come with worthy successors.
> 
> Put it this way, it makes more sense for the world to discover vaccine or cure to Covid19 much earlier than Sony to come out with successor to 1A/1Z


Thanks, that's what I assumed but needed to hear. Order placed


----------



## aceedburn

TheBonkingFrog said:


> What about the Sony/Kimber cable Sony MUC-B20SB1 - is this not a decent upgrade for a reasonable cost?
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MUC-B20SB1-SONY-Headphone-cable/dp/B01LRR04F0


It’s a brilliant upgrade. I use it with my Z5 and it sounds beautiful. Never used anything else after I heard this


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Hinomotocho said:


> Thanks, that's what I assumed but needed to hear. Order placed



Just remember, there is long burn in period, the changes are extreme especially for 1Z. It says at least 200 hr for each side, but for me it’s more like 400-500 hours before you can really judge them. You’ll go through the 5 stages of denial/ grief for a while at least 😁


----------



## Queen6

aceedburn said:


> It’s a brilliant upgrade. I use it with my Z5 and it sounds beautiful. Never used anything else after I heard this



I have Sony's Kimber Kabel on my XBA-N3's (MUC-M12SB1 4.4 Pentagon to MMCX) was definitely a decent upgrade.

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

Friday morning session with Dietrich Buxtehude


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

So, UPS just delivered this 😊

Charging it a bit as the battery is totally flat. SD cars is in the post, so just internal memory for now.

Delivery 1/3, waiting for Z1R, so let’s see how it copes with the HD600’s (will certainly provide a nice load for burn-in for the unbalanced output...


----------



## Lookout57

TheBonkingFrog said:


> For those with larger SD cards, are you putting all the music on the card or utilising both the internal memory and card? I wonder if there's any benefit to one approach or the other?


One thing to remember is tracks in a playlist must all be on the same volume, internal or microSD card. 

In my case I keep the majority of my music on a 1 TB microSD card. I only use the internal memory for some artists that would never be in a playlist with artists on the microSD card.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 8, 2020)

TheBonkingFrog said:


> What about the Sony/Kimber cable Sony MUC-B20SB1 - is this not a decent upgrade for a reasonable cost?
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MUC-B20SB1-SONY-Headphone-cable/dp/B01LRR04F0



Love that cable. Try to charge that thing all the way to 100% the first time.


----------



## 515164

TheBonkingFrog said:


> So, UPS just delivered this 😊
> 
> Charging it a bit as the battery is totally flat. SD cars is in the post, so just internal memory for now.
> 
> Delivery 1/3, waiting for Z1R, so let’s see how it copes with the HD600’s (will certainly provide a nice load for burn-in for the unbalanced output...



Noice!


----------



## nc8000

TheBonkingFrog said:


> For those with larger SD cards, are you putting all the music on the card or utilising both the internal memory and card? I wonder if there's any benefit to one approach or the other?



I use both. A 1TB card holds most downsampled to 16/44 flac and the internal holds dsd and selected other hires


----------



## Damz87

TheBonkingFrog said:


> What about the Sony/Kimber cable Sony MUC-B20SB1 - is this not a decent upgrade for a reasonable cost?
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MUC-B20SB1-SONY-Headphone-cable/dp/B01LRR04F0



The Sony Kimber is a great upgrade from stock. It’s a good middle ground option between the Axios Cu and stock cable. It works well to tame the highs and improves overall clarity/definition.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Redcarmoose said:


> Love that cable. Try to charge that thing all the way to 100% the first time.



Yeah, I'm on a conference call anyway and have several meetings this afternoon, so letting it charge.

I did sneak a listen to some of the pre-installed music and although it wasn't ideal listening conditions and music I didn't know, I was like "HOLY crap!!"

I left it looping to start the burn-in.

Can't wait to get my stuff on it. The very first album I head for is Dire Straits' eponymous. Brilliant recording, beautiful instrument separation, mix and position. It's a very revealing listen I find.


----------



## gerelmx1986

What MQA really is
https://amp.reddit.com/r/audiophile/comments/8itd0z/mqa_vs_plain_old_flac/


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> What MQA really is
> https://amp.reddit.com/r/audiophile/comments/8itd0z/mqa_vs_plain_old_flac/



Well, maybe I wouldn't buy albums in MQA, but if I can manage to get them for free, given that they are also supported by my WM1A for example, why not?

Of course, if it won't sound good, I will just not use it. I guess it's up to how the person hears it. However, we should not be biased by technical facts too much. MQA is not equal to a legit 24/96 FLAC album for example, but the quality is still higher than CD.

And no, I don't support formats that require special devices so you can play them. But well, it's not like MQA has the potential of completely replacing the classic FLAC/WAV format. It's just an alternative, and it's something good especially for streaming services, where they can't just stream 24/96 or 24/192 FLACs to users.


----------



## Steen Pihl

morgenstern09 said:


> I would give a try to WM1Az, you can find a link in my signature.


No love for MAC? I would love to try this, but I'm nowhere near Windows!


----------



## 515164

Steen Pihl said:


> No love for MAC? I would love to try this, but I'm nowhere near Windows!



Unfortunately I don't have a personal MAC (only work one) and I tried doing these on Windows, but they did not just work as a normal .dmg should do.

Also, it's already a bit of work making these for all regions and packing them. Plus the fact that they don't work on all latest MAC OS versions.

I would advise either Bootcamp (which works really great) or maybe a small virtual machine with Windows. It may come in handy!


----------



## 515164 (May 8, 2020)

And here comes another tuning.

Meet...

*ZTAZ1*

The name was inspired by the tuning codes used for this tuning, which
include codes for WM1*Z* (~70%), *TA*-ZH1ES (~10%) and DMP-*Z1 *(~20%).

ZTAZ1 comes in two versions, ZTAZ1 and ZTAZ1x2, and it's not meant
to be better than other existing tunings. You can look at it as a different
experience which you may like or not, as "perfect" or "good" can mean
something different for each one of us. 

ZTAZ1 has nice detail retrieval together with involving soundstage and
deep bass, while ZTAZ1x2 is more or less the same, but can be louder
at the same volume than ZTAZ1. While it's louder, the sound does not
seem forced.

Feel free to give them a try, *here (click)*.

As always, feedback would be appreciated, especially because it can
help others decide if they would like to give it a try or not (though your
opinion can be different than someone else's, so it's just better if you
try it yourself  - your choice though, of course).

Also, the tunings are achieved using the J region on the 3.02 firmware,
and while they could be flashed on all WM1Z variants, they are intended
for the WM1A.

_*If you used other tunings before, it's recommended that you first flash*_
*back to stock, and then apply any other tunings. Stock 3.02 is available*
_*here (click).*_

Thanks @aceedburn for giving it a listen and providing feedback! 

Hope you'll enjoy it!


----------



## Hinomotocho

hamhamhamsta said:


> Just remember, there is long burn in period, the changes are extreme especially for 1Z. It says at least 200 hr for each side, but for me it’s more like 400-500 hours before you can really judge them. You’ll go through the 5 stages of denial/ grief for a while at least 😁


I'm coming from a ZX300 so I'm prepared for some burn-in time and I never bothered with the 3.5mm - it'll take a week to get to me, maybe I'll ask them to start it playing when they send it 
The real grief for me is album art - I had heard the ZX300 could only display up to 600x600 so now with a bigger screen I will have to redo it all.


----------



## 515164

Hinomotocho said:


> I'm coming from a ZX300 so I'm prepared for some burn-in time and I never bothered with the 3.5mm - it'll take a week to get to me, maybe I'll ask them to start it playing when they send it
> The real grief for me is album art - I had heard the ZX300 could only display up to 600x600 so now with a bigger screen I will have to redo it all.



600x600 album art, which is already not full screen, on a 854 × 480 resolution display at 4 inch shouldn't be bad 

But I guess you will see when you'll see.


----------



## nc8000

Hinomotocho said:


> I'm coming from a ZX300 so I'm prepared for some burn-in time and I never bothered with the 3.5mm - it'll take a week to get to me, maybe I'll ask them to start it playing when they send it
> The real grief for me is album art - I had heard the ZX300 could only display up to 600x600 so now with a bigger screen I will have to redo it all.



The resolution on the screen is 854×480 so if your art is 600x600 it is already more than big enough. All my art is 300x300 which to me is plenty fine


----------



## Lookout57

I resize all my artwork to 600x600.


----------



## 515164 (May 8, 2020)

And feel free to also give a try to...

*WM1Aᶻ revision B*

To keep it short, this is WM1Aᶻ, but with improved resolution.

As I really like how it sounds, I'm also sharing it here.

Depending on each person's preferences, it may not sound
better than the original WM1Aᶻ. As with the ZTAZ1, see this
as a different experience, having WM1Aᶻ as the base. Some
people may like this one more, some may not. 

You can find it *here (click)*.

Same story goes here too: based on J region, and on the 3.02
firmware. If you decide to give it a try, feedback would be appreciated.

_*Also, if you used other tunings before, it's recommended that you
first flash *_*back to stock, and then apply any other tunings. Stock
3.02 is available* _*here (click).*_

While this can also be applied to all WM1Z variants, it was originally
intended for the WM1A.

Thanks again @aceedburn for giving it a listen!

I might soon have to make a single post for all these, to link them all
in my signature, as you can't put more than five links in there


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lookout57 said:


> I resize all my artwork to 600x600.


Mine is between 600x600 and 960x960 for the newest acquisitions


----------



## mwhals

All of my album art is 800x800 and I never have problems with the small screens of my Questyle daps.


----------



## proedros

4000+ hours on my WM1A ,  still in love with it like it's Day 1 

i may upgrade my battery sometime soon though , as it won't pass the 15 hour mark anymore


morgenstern09 said:


> And feel free to also give a try to...
> 
> *WM1Aᶻ revision B*
> 
> ...




thank you , one question - these 2 FWs in the Google Drive , what are they about ? new onew or did i miss them when released by you ?

*WM1Az-TA(u) (+ VERSION B)* ?


----------



## 515164

proedros said:


> 4000+ hours on my WM1A ,  still in love with it like it's Day 1
> 
> i may upgrade my battery sometime soon though , as it won't pass the 15 hour mark anymore
> 
> ...



Ah, they are basically some leftovers from testing, they became the ZTAZ1 and ZTAZ1x2.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog (May 8, 2020)

Well for those that didn't try - the WM1Z connects just fine to a Synology for the loading process, can't say it's very fast though...

And no SD card yet, so just filling up the internal memory for now with some favourites.


----------



## nc8000

proedros said:


> 4000+ hours on my WM1A ,  still in love with it like it's Day 1
> 
> i may upgrade my battery sometime soon though , as it won't pass the 15 hour mark anymore
> 
> ...



I’m at about 3.500 hours and 3 1/2 years and still get roughly the same play and stand by time as I got when it was brand new (20+ hours play time and a weeks stand by)


----------



## frost15

Well, it's been a while since I posted a message here, and I gotta say, I'm gladly surprised to see this thread still going so busily! Now that we are all affected by the virus situation I found time to catch up with the new firmwares and mods and I was astonished. I tried many things with my stock 3.02 1Z and I've settled with the Autumn+ (J). I was blown away by this combo... Listening to Devin Townsend's Singularity is a total revelation now. Patricia Barber's Cafe Blue always sound better with every listen but now she is there, I close my eyes and she is playing in the room... Anekdoten's Until All the Ghosts are Gone is on another level of dynamics now... Thanks to all the people involved in this, specially @morgenstern09!. Gotta love this dedicated community.


----------



## 515164

frost15 said:


> Well, it's been a while since I posted a message here, and I gotta say, I'm gladly surprised to see this thread still going so busily! Now that we are all affected by the virus situation I found time to catch up with the new firmwares and mods and I was astonished. I tried many things with my stock 3.02 1Z and I've settled with the Autumn+ (J). I was blown away by this combo... Listening to Devin Townsend's Singularity is a total revelation now. Patricia Barber's Cafe Blue always sound better with every listen but now she is there, I close my eyes and she is playing in the room... Anekdoten's Until All the Ghosts are Gone is on another level of dynamics now... Thanks to all the people involved in this, specially @morgenstern09!. Gotta love this dedicated community.



Nice! I'm glad you found something that works for you!


----------



## nc8000

frost15 said:


> Well, it's been a while since I posted a message here, and I gotta say, I'm gladly surprised to see this thread still going so busily! Now that we are all affected by the virus situation I found time to catch up with the new firmwares and mods and I was astonished. I tried many things with my stock 3.02 1Z and I've settled with the Autumn+ (J). I was blown away by this combo... Listening to Devin Townsend's Singularity is a total revelation now. Patricia Barber's Cafe Blue always sound better with every listen but now she is there, I close my eyes and she is playing in the room... Anekdoten's Until All the Ghosts are Gone is on another level of dynamics now... Thanks to all the people involved in this, specially @morgenstern09!. Gotta love this dedicated community.



That is also the combo I’ve settled on


----------



## flyer1 (May 8, 2020)

First impression of WM1Aᶻ B on my 1Z is very good. I don't notice the WM1A specific tuning. 

 I do notice the higher resolution compared to WM1Z². Bass is also better balanced now. A change to CEV region after a clean install of 3.02+WM1Aᶻ B however makes it complete for me. More dynamic than on J region. 

 Best thing about these mods is that they seem to increase the organic and anologue nature of my 1Z while keeping impressive soundstage and resolution


----------



## nc8000

.


----------



## frost15

I am under the impression that my cans (Shure 1540s) benefited a lot from that Autumn+ mod. It's incredible how it affected the soundstage and overall dynamics in all layers (mids were so improved I'm still in denial)... And the bass sound so analogue right now...


----------



## 515164

frost15 said:


> I am under the impression that my cans (Shure 1540s) benefited a lot from that Autumn+ mod. It's incredible how it affected the soundstage and overall dynamics in all layers (mids were so improved I'm still in denial)... And the bass sound so analogue right now...



Well, it's incredible what these little players can do. Kudos to Sony!


----------



## TheBonkingFrog (May 8, 2020)

That sounds mighty good! So much detail and the sound-stage is fantastic. This with just 5 hours play time and on “difficult” HD600’s.

My unit is Euro capped, but it’s just about ok for my volume needs - should be fine with the 1ZR’s.

What grabs me so far are cymbals, bass, of course, which is lovely and deep, without being boomy, and very precise. Analogue keyboards are stunning.


----------



## 515164 (May 8, 2020)

TheBonkingFrog said:


> That sounds mighty good! So much detail and the sound-stage is fantastic. This with just 5 hours play time and on “difficult” HD600’s.
> 
> My unit is Euro capped, but it’s just about ok for my volume needs - should be fine with the 1ZR’s.
> 
> What grabs me so far are cymbals, bass, of course, which is lovely and deep, without being boomy, and very precise. Analogue keyboards are stunning.



Up to you, of course, but removing the cap is very simple and risk free.

You only have to download this program (click), and do the following commands in CMD:


```
scsitool-nwz-v25.exe G: dest_tool get
```

This is in order to get the current destination/region for your device, just in case you want to keep using that one. G: is the drive letter for the internal storage of your player, visible after you enable the mass storage mode.

Afterwards, you just do:


```
scsitool-nwz-v25.exe G: dest_tool set REGION 0
```

"REGION" will be the region of your choice (or the one that you got with the "get" command above) and 0 means that the volume cap setting will be deactivated. After this, just restart the player.

J region is considered to be the most balanced of all. @Mindstorms has a chart made with the characteristics of all regions if you're interested.

For example, to use the J region, you would do this:


```
scsitool-nwz-v25.exe G: dest_tool set J 0
```


----------



## nc8000

TheBonkingFrog said:


> That sounds mighty good! So much detail and the sound-stage is fantastic. This with just 5 hours play time and on “difficult” HD600’s.
> 
> My unit is Euro capped, but it’s just about ok for my volume needs - should be fine with the 1ZR’s.
> 
> What grabs me so far are cymbals, bass, of course, which is lovely and deep, without being boomy, and very precise. Analogue keyboards are stunning.



You can easily uncap it with the rockbox tool by changing the region provided you have access to a Windows computer


----------



## Hinomotocho

nc8000 said:


> I’m at about 3.500 hours and 3 1/2 years and still get roughly the same play and stand by time as I got when it was brand new (20+ hours play time and a weeks stand by)


That is impressive - I come from a long line of Sonys and know of their long battery life but after that many hours and charge cycles is, well, impressive.


----------



## pdL389

Hinomotocho said:


> I'm coming from a ZX300 so I'm prepared for some burn-in time and I never bothered with the 3.5mm - it'll take a week to get to me, maybe I'll ask them to start it playing when they send it
> The real grief for me is album art - I had heard the ZX300 could only display up to 600x600 so now with a bigger screen I will have to redo it all.


It took 673 for my 1Z to match the sound of the old ZX2, followed by the additional 40hrs to finally surpass and continue opening up to the wider sound stage along with detail retrieval. It was insane to live thru this experience, especially after reading the claims that one should not expect noticeable changes to the sound quality after 500 hrs of burning-in.


----------



## Hinomotocho

That is good news that I can keep my existing album art at 600x600 - saved me some hours, especially customising my rarities and bootlegs. 
Another daunting task is going through what has to be one of the largest threads on Headfi. 
Coming from a ZX300 I have a basic grasp on the usual stuff but there are all those tips and tweaks and user experiences that I may benefit from. I wouldn't dare ask something for without reading all 37,224 posts first


----------



## nc8000 (May 8, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> That is impressive - I come from a long line of Sonys and know of their long battery life but after that many hours and charge cycles is, well, impressive.



I must have about 170-180 charge cycles as I charge roughly once a week and the battery is rated at 500 cycles so should last another 5-6 years. Gerelmex is near 8.000 hours and still gets close to original play time


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

morgenstern09 said:


> Up to you, of course, but removing the cap is very simple and risk free.
> 
> You only have to download this program (click), and do the following commands in CMD:
> 
> ...



Thanks mate - I will do it anyway, but need to borrow my son's Windows Laptop as I'm Mac man and I don't have admin rights on my work craptop...


----------



## nc8000

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Thanks mate - I will do it anyway, but need to borrow my son's Windows Laptop as I'm Mac man and I don't have admin rights on my work craptop...



I don’t think you need admin right to run the rockbox tool as it doesn’t install anything


----------



## frost15

My battery life is still getting to 30 hours after 1600 hours of use so I'm very happy with that, yet I think I saw a battery upgrade mod somewhere? can somebody confirm that?


----------



## nc8000

frost15 said:


> My battery life is still getting to 30 hours after 1600 hours of use so I'm very happy with that, yet I think I saw a battery upgrade mod somewhere? can somebody confirm that?



Not upgrade, just guideline to recalibrate the battery by totally discharging it and then fully charging it once to 100%


----------



## Mindstorms

morgenstern09 said:


> Up to you, of course, but removing the cap is very simple and risk free.
> 
> You only have to download this program (click), and do the following commands in CMD:
> 
> ...


region 0 meaning no change right?


----------



## Mindstorms

frost15 said:


> My battery life is still getting to 30 hours after 1600 hours of use so I'm very happy with that, yet I think I saw a battery upgrade mod somewhere? can somebody confirm that?


Whats your usage i only get 15 hours lol


----------



## frost15

Mindstorms said:


> Whats your usage i only get 15 hours lol


My collection is primarily composed of 44/16 FLAC files (about 80%), then I have a few higher resolution PCM files (10%) and some DSD aswell (10%).
Most of the time I have Bluetooth  turn off, NFC always off and Battery Care on almost always. Turning off Battery Care and playing 44/16 FLAC files makes the battery last 30 hours aproximately.


----------



## 515164

Mindstorms said:


> region 0 meaning no change right?



No, 0 means volume cap off.

You always have to specify the region and the volume cap setting.


----------



## mwhals

morgenstern09 said:


> No, 0 means volume cap off.
> 
> You always have to specify the region and the volume cap setting.



So one means volume cap on I assume.


----------



## 515164

mwhals said:


> So one means volume cap on I assume.



Indeed, you could re-enable it if you want, I guess for warranty reasons, for example.


----------



## proedros

music helped those 2 months in lockdown pass quite fast

here is a stellar prog House mix , again from the golden era of this specific genre (2003)


----------



## 515164

proedros said:


> music helped those 2 months in lockdown pass quite fast
> 
> here is a stellar prog House mix , again from the golden era of this specific genre (2003)




Just gonna leave this here 

​


----------



## Waynesday (May 9, 2020)

I wrote this post because i felt there had been a lot posts regarding battery life in the sony player lately,
and that some of us read the manual and thought that the battery would have to be replaced after 500 cycles,
so I thought I would jump in and clarify some things regarding all this, but ended up confusing you instead because of my uneducated assumptions and misunderstandings.. Sorry..

Disregard this post, a much better explanation of how things work comes on the following pages by ttt123 and Morgenstern09




Hi guys!
Just some thoughts on battery life.. (Lithium ion)

I think Sony puts some grills in our ocd heads by stating something about 500 cycles in the manual, I think they have to do that to cover their butts for warranty issues.
The battery should last a lot longer than that if we learn how to take care of it.. (10-15% degradation over time is normal behaviour)

Enemy number one is heat,and then charging it to 100% and leave unused for extended periods of time or let it drain to 0%.
So keep the player out of direct sunlight, charge it with a 500mA charger (Avoid fast-chargers) and just "top it up"every now and then to keep the charge between lets say 25-75% and save the full 100% charges for when you need it.

If you are really ocd you can use a USB extension cord between the charger and the Sony cable to lower the charging voltage. (Not correct, misunderstanding from my side..)

With low charging voltage the capacity diminishes over time but is recovered again by a high voltage charge (try this if you are experiencing short battery time). (use the battery care option and if capacity diminishes disable it and do a full charge)

All batteries are "individuals" and the A-grades are sold at a premium to those who are willing to pay for it, think military, medical and other professionals who want the extra 2-5% of performance and reliability, we the "consumers" are lucky if we see the B-grades, most likely we get those C-grades with a couple of percent under the specs, D and E you will find at ebay and the likes for a "decent" price and in cheap OEM no-name products.

If you are really really ocd, put the player in the refrigerator while charging, and while you are waiting you can look through the yellow pages to see if there is a nearby psychologist who can see you... might be a good investment..  (Don't do this.. just me trying to be funny..)

Lots of good info here:https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 9, 2020)

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Well for those that didn't try - the WM1Z connects just fine to a Synology for the loading process, can't say it's very fast though...
> 
> And no SD card yet, so just filling up the internal memory for now with some favourites.


A question, does that synology converts on the fly 24bit flac and DSD to 16/44.1 flac for SONOS sinfonisk? I've tried sony media go, music center, Windows media player, musicbee, VLC all refuse to stream flac to the goddamn speakers, all must be lossy encodes to work


----------



## Ryokan (May 9, 2020)

Waynesday said:


> Hi guys!
> Just some thoughts on battery life.. (Lithium ion)
> 
> I think Sony puts some grills in our ocd heads by stating something about 500 cycles in the manual, I think they have to do that to cover their butts for warranty issues.
> ...




Have used this charger for many years, have got a more powerful one but always thought a low amperage was kinder to the battery.


----------



## frost15 (May 9, 2020)

Waynesday said:


> Hi guys!
> Just some thoughts on battery life.. (Lithium ion)
> 
> I think Sony puts some grills in our ocd heads by stating something about 500 cycles in the manual, I think they have to do that to cover their butts for warranty issues.
> ...


Funny, I've always used a 500mA charger and I did not know about this at all!
Moving to another topic (coming back to the fw thing)the more time I spend with Autumn+ (J) the more impressed I am. One thing that amazes me is that it does not matter the genre I play, everything sounds perfect (or very close to perfection). I had a listening session with Die Antwoord, Aphex Twin, Vivaldi, Yes, Deeds of Flesh and Pain of Salvation and everything sounded better than ever... I'm still in awe...


----------



## 515164 (May 9, 2020)

Ryokan said:


> Have used this charger for many years, have got a more powerful one but always thought a low amperage was kinder to the battery.



I am pretty sure that any device being charged will just draw as much current as they need and only that. The amperage of the charger is basically how much current that charger can output - it's the current capacity of the charger.

If you would plug in a 1a device into a 2a charger, the device will only draw the 1a and that's it. Basically, it's the device that draws power from the charger, and not the charger that "pushes" current into the device.

If you would plug in a 2a device into a 1a charger, then the device will charge slower than expected, as the charger doesn't have the current capacity that the device is expecting.

But well, not providing the device with the current capacity that it usually requires and charging the battery more slowly could impact the battery life positively.

Edit: actually, you shouldn't try charging a 2a device with a 1a charger, as the device could overload the charger and cause some unwanted surprises to the charger.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog (May 9, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> A question, does that synology converts on the fly 24bit flac and DSD to 16/44.1 flac for SONOS sinfonisk? I've tried sony media go, music center, Windows media player, musicbee, VLC all refuse to stream flac to the goddamn speakers, all must be lossy encodes to work



No idea as I don't have anything SONOS.

When I do stream music I do it through the receiver Sony STR-DN1070 for 5.1 albums, which streams file unadulterated. Only problem with this is that neither the STR-DN1070 or my BD player, the UHP-H1 stream gapless - which is really pathetic IMO and quite an issue with the type of music I listen to (mostly progressive rock and prog-metal, which has lots of tracks flowing into one-another).

Edit: I should add that I'm just connecting to the NAS from my receiver with UPnP


----------



## NickleCo

morgenstern09 said:


> I would give a try to WM1Az, you can find a link in my signature.


Lol what coincidence! I was finding the jupiter 3.01 a bit harsh on the treble lately and was looking for a smoother alternative without sacrificing the resolution. Earlier i was fiddling around with your new fw and all it took was one try and poof ive been loving it ever since! Currently at wm1az rev B on MX3 since i read that @Mindstorms liked the pairing. Its not as wide as the jupiter 3.01 coupled with E2 but man that silky smooth treble and the tasteful bass! (Im pretty particular with the bass since my daily iem are bass cannons and can be very sibilant with the wrong combo). Thanks for the rec man (and sorry i only saw this now lol).


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 9, 2020)

TheBonkingFrog said:


> No idea as I don't have anything SONOS.
> 
> When I do stream music I do it through the receiver Sony STR-DN1070 for 5.1 albums, which streams file unadulterated. Only problem with this is that neither the STR-DN1070 or my BD player, the UHP-H1 stream gapless - which is really pathetic IMO and quite an issue with the type of music I listen to (mostly progressive rock and prog-metal, which has lots of tracks flowing into one-another).



I often think about folks experiencing non-gapless playback, as so much of what I listen too has songs connected.


----------



## ttt123 (May 9, 2020)

Waynesday said:


> Hi guys!
> Just some thoughts on battery life.. (Lithium ion)
> 
> I think Sony puts some grills in our ocd heads by stating something about 500 cycles in the manual, I think they have to do that to cover their butts for warranty issues.
> ...


I believe you have misinterpreted the information on charge voltage.  It is referring to the voltage of the battery at the end of the charge cycle, and not the charge voltage during the charge.
*A li-ion battery is charged to a maximum voltage, as determined by the charger design/specs*.
Some chargers will charge a li-ion battery up to 4.20 volts (or higher) at full charge.  Other chargers will charge a battery to 4.15 (for example), or less.  The result will be less battery capacity, but is kinder to the battery.  The people who want maximum battery capacity for their application, make sure to get battery chargers that will charge a battery up to 4.20 volts or higher.
For devices like a DAP, Phone, etc., the full charge voltage is determined by the charge circuit built into the DAP/Phone.  It is programmed as to what the max charge voltage will be.  When you set battery saver ON in the Sony DAP settings, this tells the charge circuit to charge up to 4.10 voltage only, and stop.  This is effectively 90% of the battery capacity.
For full capacity charging, the charger would charge the battery up to the full capacity 4.20 volts.

An external charger that shows charge voltage during charging is illustrative of what happens during charging.  An example is the Nitecore SC4 battery charger for li-ion batteries for flashlights, e-cigs, etc.  It shows you the voltage of the battery when inserted, which is typically 3.xx Volt.  As it charges up, the voltage will increase, until at the end of the charge cycle, it shows 4.20 Volt, and the charger shows the battery is fully charged, and stops charging.


********************************************************************
https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries

Most Li-ions *charge to* 4.20V/cell, and every reduction in peak charge voltage of 0.10V/cell is said to double the cycle life. For example, a lithium-ion cell charged to 4.20V/cell typically delivers 300–500 cycles. If charged to only 4.10V/cell, the life can be prolonged to 600–1,000 cycles; 4.0V/cell should deliver 1,200–2,000 and 3.90V/cell should provide 2,400–4,000 cycles.

On the negative side, a lower peak charge voltage reduces the capacity the battery stores. As a simple guideline, every 70mV reduction in charge voltage lowers the overall capacity by 10 percent. Applying the peak charge voltage on a subsequent charge will restore the full capacity.

In terms of longevity, the optimal charge voltage is 3.92V/cell. Battery experts believe that this threshold eliminates all voltage-related stresses; going lower may not gain further benefits but induce other symptoms. (See BU-808b: What causes Li-ion to die?) Table 4 summarizes the capacity as a function of charge levels. (All values are estimated; Energy Cells with higher voltage thresholds may deviate.)



*Charge level **(V/cell)​*Discharge cycles*​*Available stored energy ***​*Table 4: Discharge cycles and capacity as a function of charge voltage limit. *Every 0.10V drop below 4.20V/cell doubles the cycle but holds less capacity. Raising the voltage above 4.20V/cell would shorten the life. The readings reflect regular Li-ion charging to 4.20V/cell.
*Guideline:* Every 70mV drop in charge voltage lowers the usable capacity by about 10%.

*Note: *Partial charging negates the benefit of Li-ion in terms of high specific energy.

* Similar life cycles apply for batteries with *different voltage levels on full charge.*

** Based on a new battery with 100% capacity when *charged to the full voltage.*[4.30][150–250][110–115%]4.25200–350105–110%*4.20**300–500**100%*4.15400–70090–95%4.10600–1,00085–90%4.05850–1,50080–85%4.001,200–2,00070–75%3.902,400–4,00060–65%3.80See note35–40%3.70See note30% and less


*General recommendations as to which charger is good to use,* is to use a high quality, high output charger.  The higher the charger capacity, the better, as a high output charger is engineered with higher capacity and quality parts, and have lots of reserve capacity, and thus will not overheat and break down, which can, in worse case, send damaging high voltages or noise to the device.  (All modern chargers use switching power supplies, which generate  very high voltages internally.)

One test for charge capacity/reserve is to check the heat of a charger while it is charging a depleted device.  If it is hot, then that is not good, and a sign that you are pushing it beyond it's design limits.  I use, and recommend multi port chargers, by brands like Anker, Aukey, etc..  I use a 6 port Aukey charger rated at 10 Amps output maximum.  It never gets hot, even if charging 3-4 device simultaneously.

*Another general recommendation is to keep the DoD (Depth of Discharge) low,* which you can read about in the article link.  The lower the DoD, the higher the number of discharge cycles (i.e. longevity of battery).  Lower DoD also results in lower charge current (Amps), and less heat buildup, which are both good for the battery.


*Depth of
 discharge*​*Discharge cycles*​*Table 2: Cycle life as a function of
 depth of discharge.*  *A partial discharge reduces stress and prolongs battery life, so does a partial charge. Elevated temperature and high currents also affect cycle life.

*Note: *100% DoD is a full cycle; 10% is very brief. Cycling in mid-state-of-charge would have best longevity.NMCLiPO4100% DoD~300~60080% DoD~400~90060% DoD~600~1,50040% DoD~1,000~3,00020% DoD~2,000~9,00010% DoD~6,000~15,000


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Redcarmoose said:


> I often think about folks experiencing non-gapless playback, as so much of what I listen too has songs connected.



It's not just annoying, it renders an album unlistenable IMO.

It's the same with the media player in my Tesla, no gapless, either from Spotify or USB. I've complained many times about it over the years. Unacceptable!


----------



## Ryokan

morgenstern09 said:


> I am pretty sure that any device being charged will just draw as much current as they need and only that. The amperage of the charger is basically how much current that charger can output - it's the current capacity of the charger.
> 
> If you would plug in a 1a device into a 2a charger, the device will only draw the 1a and that's it. Basically, it's the device that draws power from the charger, and not the charger that "pushes" current into the device.
> 
> ...



And yet a higher rated charger charges a device quicker doesn't it? So I thought that means the battery will get hotter which isn't good for it.


----------



## Waynesday (May 9, 2020)

ttt123 and morgenstern09 , You are right.. I misunderstood, I thought a smaller charger would generate less heat in the battery while charging but its is as you point out. a good charger should read the voltage in the battery and regulate the charge accordingly. Circuits in the player controls the charging..
sorry for any confusion i have caused.. it was a uneducated assumption and some attempts at being funny... I will edit the post..

From battery university:
*Simple Guidelines to Prolong Lithium-ion Batteries*


Do not discharge Li-ion too low; charge more often. A random or partial charge is fine. Li-ion does not need to be fully full charged as with lead acid.
Heat the battery to room temperature before charging. Do not charge below freezing.
Limit the time the battery resides at 4.2V/cell (full charge), especially when warm.
Moderate the charge current to between 0.5C and 0.8C for cobalt-blended lithium-ion. Avoid ultra-fast charging and harsh loading.
When possible, lower the charge voltage limit to prolong battery life.
Keep the battery cool. Move it away from heat-generating environments. Avoid hot cars and windowsills that are exposed to the sun.
It is not necessary to unplug the laptop from the power grid when not in use. The charger stops charging when the battery is fully charged.
When the SoC fuel gauge becomes inaccurate, calibrate smart batteries by applying a deliberate full discharge and charge.
Add some charge before a long storage. The charge level is not as critical as cool storage.

"Caution also applies when purchasing aftermarket chargers. Some low-end units may not terminate the battery correctly and rely on the battery’s internal protection circuit to terminate the charge when the battery is full. Redundancy in charging is important as the protection circuit of a bona fide battery can be damaged."


----------



## 515164 (May 9, 2020)

Waynesday said:


> a good charger should read the voltage in the battery and regulate the charge accordingly



Nope, actually the device will just draw as much as it needs. If the device is rated for 2A, it will draw 2A from a 5A charger, for example. Again, it's the device which is drawing current from the charger, and it's not the charger "pushing" current into the device.



Ryokan said:


> And yet a higher rated charger charges a device quicker doesn't it?



Yes, but it's limited by how much the device will draw from the charger, depending on how it was created. If it's rated for 5V 2A, it will draw only 2A from a 5A charger, for example.



Ryokan said:


> So I thought that means the battery will get hotter which isn't good for it.



Yes, it can heat up a bit when the device is charging at its full capacity, especially when talking about higher voltages/amperages.

However, using a charger with a lower current capacity (lower amperage) can result in the overload of the charger, as the device will try to draw the full 2A from a 1A charger, for example.

For WM1A/Z I can only find 5V, and that it's USB 2.0 compliant, which should mean 500ma. So if you would connect it to a charger with current capacity of 2A, the player will draw from the charger only the 500ma it was made to draw - assuming it's made to draw a maximum of 500ma (this is what USB 2.0 compliant should mean).


----------



## ttt123 (May 9, 2020)

Edit: accidental post


----------



## gearofwar

Hi guys, I'm wondering if there is anything that converts 1a/1z signal to the optical output,  I don't see that the sony cradle has it


----------



## ttt123 (May 9, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> For WM1A/Z I can only find 5V, and that it's USB 2.0 compliant, which should mean 500ma. So if you would connect it to a charger with current capacity of 2A, the player will draw from the charger only the 500ma it was made to draw.


The USB 2.0 spec is meaningful mainly for data transfer protocol compliance.  The spec does specify the output power of a single USB port is limited to 500ma, and PCs/(laptops) usually comply to this, as they want to lengthen battery life.  However, this 500ma max limit is not followed for chargers, or any manufacturer who does not have the need to comply.  i.e. There is no necessity to conserve power.

I have checked my WM1Z on a edit: Charger Doctor, which is a passthru dongle which plugs into the charger, and the Sony charge cable plugs into the dongle.  It has a readout of the voltage and current passing through the dongle.  The WM1x charge circuit maxes out at around 700-800 ma, for a normal partial discharged device charge.  (I have not checked for a fully discharged WM1Z, whether the charge current may be higher than 700-800ma.)


----------



## 515164 (May 9, 2020)

ttt123 said:


> The WM1x charge circuit maxes out at around 700-800 ma, for a normal partial discharged device charge. (I have not checked for a fully discharged WM1Z, whether the charge current may be higher than 700-800ma.)



Nice! So yep, it won't draw more than aprox. these values, even if the charger has the capacity to output more current.


----------



## Pillsburydough

Apologies for being slightly off topic. I have my settings set so that battery is charged to 90% max, however it still indicates FULL when I charge it, is that normal guys?


----------



## ttt123

Pillsburydough said:


> Apologies for being slightly off topic. I have my settings set so that battery is charged to 90% max, however it still indicates FULL when I charge it, is that normal guys?


Yes, it is 100% of the 90% max.  Meaning it is 100% full at 90%.  Set battery save off, and FULL will mean 100% of 100%


----------



## Pillsburydough

ttt123 said:


> Yes, it is 100% of the 90% max.  Meaning it is 100% full at 90%.  Set battery save off, and FULL will mean 100% of 100%


That's good to know, thanks 😊


----------



## Waynesday

Hi again, sorry for all the confusion I caused. I'll just leave this here and not bring my own "interpretations" of it hehe.. 
But I have learned a lot today so thank you for that @ttt123 and @morgenstern09 you rock!

https://www.androidauthority.com/maximize-battery-life-882395/


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> Hi guys, I'm wondering if there is anything that converts 1a/1z signal to the optical output,  I don't see that the sony cradle has it



I dont see this happening, hardware isnt built to output optical nor coax.
The only way is usb to use external dac.
Or amp via se or balanced.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

morgenstern09 said:


> Up to you, of course, but removing the cap is very simple and risk free.
> 
> You only have to download this program (click), and do the following commands in CMD:
> 
> ...



OK, I'm really crap with Windows, this is the result of the get:

Model: NW-WM1Z
Series: NW-WM1 Series
Destination: CEW2 (103)
Sound pressure: 0 (off)

Do I need to change the region? Doesn't the '0' already mean it's off?

I don't want to do something stoopid and brick it...


----------



## 515164

TheBonkingFrog said:


> OK, I'm really crap with Windows, this is the result of the get:
> 
> Model: NW-WM1Z
> Series: NW-WM1 Series
> ...



There's no risk of bricking the device, no worries.

Yes, 0 would mean that the volume cap is not active. Also, your region is CEW2, which means that this is an European device, if you ever decide to try out any tuning mod.

If you go to Settings => Output Settings can you see "High Gain Output"?


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

morgenstern09 said:


> There's no risk of bricking the device, no worries.
> 
> Yes, 0 would mean that the volume cap is not active. Also, your region is CEW2, which means that this is an European device, if you ever decide to try out any tuning mod.
> 
> If you go to Settings => Output Settings can you see "High Gain Output"?



No, that's the thing, I don't have this option. Yesterday when I turned the volume up for the first time it beeped and warned me, but let me carry on, then today while playing for burn in, it appeared to have paused with a volume warning message (I wasn't listening at the time).

Maybe the region needs to be changed away from Europe to get the high gain?


----------



## 515164

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Maybe the region needs to be changed away from Europe to get the high gain?



Yes, that's why I was asking. J region has the option, and also CA (Canada), CN (China), E (Asia/Australia/NZ/Tourist version) and E2 should have it, at least.

Some other regions may have it as well, but I have no idea about that.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

morgenstern09 said:


> Yes, that's why I was asking. J region has the option, and also CA (Canada), CN (China), E (Asia/Australia/NZ/Tourist version) and E2 should have it, at least.
> 
> Some other regions may have it as well, but I have no idea about that.



Ah OK, apologies, I probably didn't read your initial post properly.

What's the benefit of using region J as opposed to CA, for instance? I'm a native English speaker, so don't need other languages.


----------



## ttt123

morgenstern09 said:


> Yes, that's why I was asking. J region has the option, and also CA (Canada), CN (China), E (Asia/Australia/NZ/Tourist version) and E2 should have it, at least.
> 
> Some other regions may have it as well, but I have no idea about that.


The EU region is what has the volume lock implemented.  Change the region to anything other than CEW  to remove the volume lock.
See the table below for more info.


----------



## 515164

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Ah OK, apologies, I probably didn't read your initial post properly.
> 
> What's the benefit of using region J as opposed to CA, for instance? I'm a native English speaker, so don't need other languages.



@Mindstorms made a chart highlighting how all the regions sound like.

J region is the most balanced and good for listening to for longer periods of time, as the highs are just slightly recessed. CA should have a bit more piercing highs in comparison, for example.

Just so you won't forget, after changing the region, you won't have to reset the settings as the tool will guide you. Just restarting the player will do.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Thanks to you both!

I find it a bit odd that Sony change the EQ of the player for different regions!

If I choose J won't the player then be in Japanese? Looks like E is a good bet, but maybe the sound profile isn't a "pleasant" as the J...

Apologies for all these questions, if there's a website/user guide, feel free to just point me there.

Thank you for your help and patience!


----------



## 515164

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Thanks to you both!
> 
> I find it a bit odd that Sony change the EQ of the player for different regions!
> 
> ...



No worries for the questions. If you'll change to J, for example, you won't be able to choose another language, but English will stay if you had it before changing the region to J.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog (May 10, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> No worries for the questions. If you'll change to J, for example, you won't be able to choose another language, but English will stay if you had it before changing the region to J.



Indeed it did. I tried with J and now have high-gain enabled. Not needed for 99% of what I've heard so far, but the occasional track has been a bit too quiet - those 300ohm HD600's are demanding buggers! Will be easier when I get the Z1R's (due Friday, they say...)

Thanks again for you help


----------



## 515164

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Indeed it didn't I tried for J and now have high-gain enabled. Not needed for 99% of what I've heard so far, but the occasional track has been a bit too quiet - those 300ohm HD600's are demanding buggers! Will be easier when I get the Z1R's (due Friday, they say...)
> 
> Thanks again for you help



Yes, it can be useful especially for some DSD tracks


----------



## nc8000 (May 9, 2020)

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Indeed it didn't I tried for J and now have high-gain enabled. Not needed for 99% of what I've heard so far, but the occasional track has been a bit too quiet - those 300ohm HD600's are demanding buggers! Will be easier when I get the Z1R's (due Friday, they say...)
> 
> Thanks again for you help



Even if single ended can give you enough volume balanced with the more power should drive them better with more control


----------



## Mindstorms

DatDudeNic said:


> Lol what coincidence! I was finding the jupiter 3.01 a bit harsh on the treble lately and was looking for a smoother alternative without sacrificing the resolution. Earlier i was fiddling around with your new fw and all it took was one try and poof ive been loving it ever since! Currently at wm1az rev B on MX3 since i read that @Mindstorms liked the pairing. Its not as wide as the jupiter 3.01 coupled with E2 but man that silky smooth treble and the tasteful bass! (Im pretty particular with the bass since my daily iem are bass cannons and can be very sibilant with the wrong combo). Thanks for the rec man (and sorry i only saw this now lol).


If you need wider go U I can confirm its wider also, if you want you can go to your beloved 3.01 but U you may be amazed...


----------



## Mindstorms

ttt123 said:


> I believe you have misinterpreted the information on charge voltage.  It is referring to the voltage of the battery at the end of the charge cycle, and not the charge voltage during the charge.
> *A li-ion battery is charged to a maximum voltage, as determined by the charger design/specs*.
> Some chargers will charge a li-ion battery up to 4.20 volts (or higher) at full charge.  Other chargers will charge a battery to 4.15 (for example), or less.  The result will be less battery capacity, but is kinder to the battery.  The people who want maximum battery capacity for their application, make sure to get battery chargers that will charge a battery up to 4.20 volts or higher.
> For devices like a DAP, Phone, etc., the full charge voltage is determined by the charge circuit built into the DAP/Phone.  It is programmed as to what the max charge voltage will be.  When you set battery saver ON in the Sony DAP settings, this tells the charge circuit to charge up to 4.10 voltage only, and stop.  This is effectively 90% of the battery capacity.
> ...


So will my Ipad 10V charger work better than my iphone?


----------



## 515164

Mindstorms said:


> So will my Ipad 10V charger work better than my iphone?



You should always match the voltage. The discussion was about the amperage (current capacity of the charger).

You shouldn't use a 10V charger on a 5V rated device, unless you don't need the device anymore.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Nice bass from DMP-Z1 V1.02 deep and shaking


----------



## Mindstorms

morgenstern09 said:


> You should always match the voltage. The discussion was about the amperage (current capacity of the charger).
> 
> You shouldn't use a 10V charger on a 5V rated device, unless you don't need the device anymore.


Its my ipad mini charger let me see this one

https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Power-...ords=apple+ipad+charger&qid=1589047202&sr=8-3


----------



## nc8000

Mindstorms said:


> So will my Ipad 10V charger work better than my iphone?



I can’t imagine that is a 10V, to my understanding the USB standard is 5V


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> Nice bass from DMP-Z1 V1.02 deep and shaking


J?


nc8000 said:


> I can’t imagine that is a 10V, to my understanding the USB standard is 5V


Yeah i think you are very right! but question is if it will serve better than standard


----------



## Lookout57

Mindstorms said:


> Its my ipad mini charger let me see this one
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Power-...ords=apple+ipad+charger&qid=1589047202&sr=8-3


Yes that 12W adapter will work as it's maximum output 2.4A. The Sony will draw only what it needs to charge.


----------



## Mindstorms

Lookout57 said:


> Yes that 12W adapter will work as it's maximum output 2.4A. The Sony will draw only what it needs to charge.


Thanks


----------



## Hinomotocho

With this talk of battery care what would be the best burn in method then please?


----------



## nc8000

Hinomotocho said:


> With this talk of battery care what would be the best burn in method then please?



I connected mine to power and headphones at above normal listening and then random play during the day for about 2 weeks and listened every evening for 2-3 hours


----------



## gearofwar

With the talk of the battery, any impressions on the new firmwares so far?


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Hey folks. Any recommendations on SD cards? I've got a high speed (3) 512GB on order, but a 1TB would be more comfortable given the size of my library. 1TB's tend to be pricey though, so I'd be looking for a slower transfer rate card.

User guide doesn't enlighten much...


----------



## Duncan

Having a moment of lockdown infused insanity - can anyone comment on the pairing of WM1A and FiiO FH7?


----------



## gerelmx1986

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Hey folks. Any recommendations on SD cards? I've got a high speed (3) 512GB on order, but a 1TB would be more comfortable given the size of my library. 1TB's tend to be pricey though, so I'd be looking for a slower transfer rate card.
> 
> User guide doesn't enlighten much...


I have the 1TB one and fits all my collection downsample to 16/44 (hi-res intact on 4TB hard drive)


----------



## Liono

hamhamhamsta said:


> Just a guess, chances of new WM1A in 2020 is 0%, 2021 is 10-15%, 2022 is 15%-20%. Well, you get the gist of it...
> 
> Realistically, I think with the world economy going down the drain now, maybe 2023, and given how slow Sony does things, more realistically maybe 2024 or 2025, if we are talking about WM1XXX successors. And besides, modded 1A/1Z is just so ahead that it would take huge discoveries and implementation on Sony part to comfortably come with worthy successors.
> 
> Put it this way, it makes more sense for the world to discover vaccine or cure to Covid19 much earlier than Sony to come out with successor to 1A/1Z



Perhaps.. but there was a big purge of the hi-res audio kit from Sony UK in 2018, raising hopes of a successor. Two years down the line, still nothing whilst no stock of 1A or 1Z units. Either they are stopping this line or there is/was something in the pipileline. Obvious supply lines being affected.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1679


----------



## IAMTHEEGGMAN

New big discount on supersonido. Wm1z 2099 €.

https://www.supersonido.es/p/sony-nwwm1z


----------



## frost15

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Hey folks. Any recommendations on SD cards? I've got a high speed (3) 512GB on order, but a 1TB would be more comfortable given the size of my library. 1TB's tend to be pricey though, so I'd be looking for a slower transfer rate card.
> 
> User guide doesn't enlighten much...


I also have the 1TB card and I am very happy with it. Alongside the internal 256GB cappacity of my 1Z i'm able to storage all my collection (and it's quite big). Again, most of it is 16/44 FLAC (80%), followed by a similar amount of higher rates pcm (10%) & DSD (10%).


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have the 1TB one and fits all my collection downsample to 16/44 (hi-res intact on 4TB hard drive)





frost15 said:


> I also have the 1TB card and I am very happy with it. Alongside the internal 256GB cappacity of my 1Z i'm able to storage all my collection (and it's quite big). Again, most of it is 16/44 FLAC (80%), followed by a similar amount of higher rates pcm (10%) & DSD (10%).



Sure, but my question was more whether there's a requirement for any type of card, i.e. ones with higher transfer rate, or whether the cheapest of ScanDisk's offerings would be OK. Cheers.



IAMTHEEGGMAN said:


> New big discount on supersonido. Wm1z 2099 €.
> 
> https://www.supersonido.es/p/sony-nwwm1z



This appears to match Amazon ES's pricing, but elsewhere in Europe it's more like €2700


----------



## TheBonkingFrog (May 10, 2020)

50 hours burn-in on the unbalanced and I begin hear a difference - might also be the change to region "J", of course, but seems a little more mellow, and more revealing - this on my rather harsh sounding HD600's. I find it's handling complex, dense music very well, for instance:

(and yeah, the screen-shots work too (vol +, vol -, power), although it gives no indication of having taken one...)


----------



## 515164

TheBonkingFrog said:


> 50 hours burn-in on the unbalanced and I begin hear a difference - might also be the change to region "J", of course, but seems a little more mellow, and more revealing - this on my rather harsh sounding HD600's. I find it's handling complex, dense music very well, for instance:
> 
> (and yeah, the screen-shots work too (vol +, vol -, power), although it gives no indication of having taken one...)



Based on user feedback, Autumn+ should certainly bring an improvement, no matter the burn-in period.


----------



## mwhals

IAMTHEEGGMAN said:


> New big discount on supersonido. Wm1z 2099 €.
> 
> https://www.supersonido.es/p/sony-nwwm1z



I hate that the USA does seem to ever get any discounts on these daps.


----------



## AlexCBSN

TheBonkingFrog said:


> 50 hours burn-in on the unbalanced and I begin hear a difference - might also be the change to region "J", of course, but seems a little more mellow, and more revealing - this on my rather harsh sounding HD600's. I find it's handling complex, dense music very well, for instance:
> 
> (and yeah, the screen-shots work too (vol +, vol -, power), although it gives no indication of having taken one...)



2 things: 

1) Thanks for the screenshot shortcut, I’ve seen many times in my Walkman drive some of em and I always wanted to know how I did em but always forgot to research

2) That’s my favorite opeth track ever, the last section, just ... chills


----------



## Lookout57

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Hey folks. Any recommendations on SD cards? I've got a high speed (3) 512GB on order, but a 1TB would be more comfortable given the size of my library. 1TB's tend to be pricey though, so I'd be looking for a slower transfer rate card.
> 
> User guide doesn't enlighten much...


In the US the only legit 1TB microSD card is the SanDisk. I have them in my two WM1A and in my WM1Z with no issues. I've heard in Europe there is another brand available but not sure.


----------



## frost15

The brand I'm using is Sandisk Extreme Pro 1TB Micro SD. It's a very fast card in every aspect. I was a bit worried about such a huge collection for the database creation, but it takes less than a minute most times to load everything once it's been built for the first time (which should take longer).


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> In the US the only legit 1TB microSD card is the SanDisk. I have them in my two WM1A and in my WM1Z with no issues. I've heard in Europe there is another brand available but not sure.



Integral


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have had sandisk (have currently 400GB and the 1TB) and I am satisfied also samsung are good , the bad is that samsung has not come with a 1TB yet, but I have the 512GB evo plus that I got for 81€


----------



## Hinomotocho (May 10, 2020)

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Sure, but my question was more whether there's a requirement for any type of card, i.e. ones with higher transfer rate, or whether the cheapest of ScanDisk's offerings would be OK. Cheers.
> 
> 
> 
> This appears to match Amazon ES's pricing, but elsewhere in Europe it's more like €2700


I've heard with Sony DAPs that there is no benefit in any of the higher speed cards.
I may have read a post that if your album art is all in the right format it may read faster(?).


----------



## gerelmx1986

My library is 1.27TB in size
*  3386 albums total (100%)
* 257 Hi-res (7.59%) from these -- 95 SACD/DSD (36.96%) 162 24-BIT FLAC (63.03%)
* 3129 CD FLAC (92.41%)


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

morgenstern09 said:


> Based on user feedback, Autumn+ should certainly bring an improvement, no matter the burn-in period.



What's the mechanism in these firmwares to change the sound profile?


Lookout57 said:


> In the US the only legit 1TB microSD card is the SanDisk. I have them in my two WM1A and in my WM1Z with no issues. I've heard in Europe there is another brand available but not sure.



Blah, the one I've ordered is a Samsung Evo 512GB - was fairly inexpensive at €76. The SanDisk 1TB's are €350, which is more than I'd like to pay right now.


----------



## Lookout57

TheBonkingFrog said:


> What's the mechanism in these firmwares to change the sound profile?
> 
> 
> Blah, the one I've ordered is a Samsung Evo 512GB - was fairly inexpensive at €76. The SanDisk 1TB's are €350, which is more than I'd like to pay right now.


These modified installers install modified tunings that take advantage of undocumented capabilities in the official firmware. They are safe as there is no actual firmware modifications and you can revert to the stock sound at any time.


----------



## RobertP (May 10, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> These modified installers install modified tunings that take advantage of undocumented capabilities in the official firmware. They are safe as there is no actual firmware modifications and you can revert to the stock sound at any time.


I agree. I flash mod WM1A firmware countless of times and never have a single problem. Just make sure you cable connection is in great condition!


----------



## kiling92

As always many thanks @morgenstern09; i tried your WM1Aᶻ B with my denon 9200
Against the WM1Az1 have slighty more resolution but i feel the timbre less oganic,slighty small soundstage and bass more artificial.
i'm stuck on the WM1Az1, it's a wonderful custom firmware


----------



## 515164

kiling92 said:


> As always many thanks @morgenstern09; i tried your WM1Aᶻ B with my denon 9200
> Against the WM1Az1 have slighty more resolution but i feel the timbre less oganic,slighty small soundstage and bass more artificial.
> i'm stuck on the WM1Az1, it's a wonderful custom firmware



Glad you like it! Hopefully I can do even better one day


----------



## Maxx134

kiling92 said:


> As always many thanks @morgenstern09; i tried your WM1Aᶻ B with my denon 9200
> Against the WM1Az1 have slighty more resolution but i feel the timbre less oganic,slighty small soundstage and bass more artificial.
> i'm stuck on the WM1Az1, it's a wonderful custom firmware


Did you compare to the last version ZTAZ1 ?
Also,
Thats a great combo of Sony with that Denon.


----------



## gearofwar (May 10, 2020)

After trying out all the new firmwares, I have to admit WM1Az-B is my new favorite next to Autumn+ and Solis. It has the most balance, coherent, and natural sound compared to any recent releases, such a pleasant sound


----------



## Quadfather

Can anyone here repair the termination end of a 4.4 balanced cable that cuts out?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 11, 2020)

Quadfather said:


> Can anyone here repair the termination end of a 4.4 balanced cable that cuts out?


Tip L+
Ring 1 L-
Ring 2 R+
Ring 3 R-
Sleeve ground (not used on sony cables)


----------



## 515164 (May 11, 2020)

Hello, and meet...

*WM1Aᶻ Bass+ (revision C)*

This tuning mod is the normal WM1Az warm sound, with
silky smooth highs, but now also with the DMP-Z1 deep
bass.

You can try it out, *here (click)*.

As always, the tuning mod is based on the 3.02 firmware,
and on the J region. It is also meant to be used on a WM1A.

Also, if you used other tunings before, it's recommended that
you first flash back to stock, and then apply any other tunings.
Stock 3.02 is available *here (click).*

I hope that nobody minds so many versions. Everyone
has different tastes and it's good to have different options
to choose from. 

Thanks to @aceedburn for giving it a listen, and for the idea!

Enjoy!


----------



## TheBonkingFrog (May 11, 2020)

So I started using my Shure IEM's with the 1Z and am loving it - they're super precise, but are slightly bright and lack a little bass, but otherwise very nice combination.

So this begs the question, should I consider the IEM-1ZR's? I've read they sound great, but aren't particularly ergonomic and are a bit too heavy??

Being a bit of an old hippy at heart, I was listening to this last night and it was absolutely shimmering. I swear I could sense the shape of the room from the choir...

This has the Deluxe reissue art, but the mix is the original 1978, which I find much better.


----------



## 515164 (May 11, 2020)

TheBonkingFrog said:


> So I started using my Shure IEM's with the 1Z and am loving it - they're super precise, but are slightly bright and lack a little bass, but otherwise very nice combination.
> 
> So this begs the question, should I consider the IEM-1ZR's? I've read they sound great, but aren't particularly ergonomic and are a bit too heavy??
> 
> ...



I would also give a try to the SE846, especially with a balanced cable, and maybe to the Sony XBA-Z5 (which are cheaper than the SE846, and use a BA for highs, another BA for mids, and a dynamic driver for lows). The Z5 has bigger soundstage than the Shure, plus a lot of punchy bass from the dynamic driver. They certainly feel like listening to normal/big headphones.

The IER-Z1R are a bit on the expensive side, and I didn't hear them yet, so can't really say anything about them.

Edit: About the SE846, they really mean it when they say "true subwoofer". The low bass is really clearly audible, but it's more like the quality of it rather than the quantity, which is a pretty normal thing for balanced armature IEMs. With the Z5 you also really feel the bass, hence the sensation that you listen to headphones.


----------



## aceedburn

morgenstern09 said:


> I would also give a try to the SE846, especially with a balanced cable, and maybe to the Sony XBA-Z5 (which are cheaper than the SE846, and use a BA for highs, another BA for mids, and a dynamic driver for lows). The Z5 has bigger soundstage than the Shure, plus a lot of punchy bass from the dynamic driver. They certainly feel like listening to normal/big headphones.
> 
> The IER-Z1R are a bit on the expensive side, and I didn't hear them yet, so can't really say anything about them.
> 
> Edit: About the SE846, they really mean it when they say "true subwoofer". The low bass is really clearly audible, but it's more like the quality of it rather than the quantity, which is a pretty normal thing for balanced armature IEMs. With the Z5 you also really feel the bass, hence the sensation that you listen to headphones.


I agree. Tried the 846, tried campfire, tried z1r, but nothing gave me the satisfaction of the Z5. It just has a nice analogue live sound with the best bass impact I’ve ever heard.


----------



## proedros (May 11, 2020)

i have been since *26.04* on *WM1Az FW , *in fact i had to look my txt file where i keep score to see which FW i am on

great job , i need to try all those new FWs at some point but i am good now.


ps : i counted how many FWs i have from @Morbideath and @Whitigir  and @RobertP and @morgenstern09 

and i counted* 50* , all for use with my WM1A so great job guys you are the stars of the thread


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Thanks guys. Ergonomy is very important for me, which is why I get on OK with the Shure's, I think, they sit nicely in the ears - although the cable around the back of the ear is a bit annoying, so I'll certainly look at the 846's.

You mention Campfire Audio - I've seen a few people with these, but they look like the Z1R's, big lumps of metal. I can't imagine they're remotely comfortable? They do come with a balanced cable though, I see (the Solaris ones, that is), and they're not crazy expensive at around €1400.


----------



## 515164

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Thanks guys. Ergonomy is very important for me, which is why I get on OK with the Shure's, I think, they sit nicely in the ears - although the cable around the back of the ear is a bit annoying, so I'll certainly look at the 846's.



The Shure's true subwoofer statement is especially true, as they have these plates put together in front of the 15 - 200 Hz balanced armature. The plates create a 4 inch long pathway that the lows have to go through before they get out to your ear, effectively reducing distortion/artifacts.



 



I didn't use them for a while, as I prefer using normal headphones when at home. Using them now and the lows are indeed delicious, especially with a warm sound signature (currently using the WM1Az Bass+).

You maybe already know this, but on the 846 you can also easily adjust the sound signature by replacing those filters in the nozzles that are detachable. There are three options, warm, balanced, and bright - and modding the filters is also possible, I read a lot on the SE846 thread here on the forum.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

morgenstern09 said:


> The Shure's true subwoofer statement is especially true, as they have these plates put together in front of the 15 - 200 Hz balanced armature. The plates create a 4 inch long pathway that the lows have to go through before they get out to your ear, effectively reducing distortion/artifacts.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I might grab a pair - considering I like the 535's, I'll likely be good with these - plus they're half the price of the Sony's IEM-1ZR's

I'm seeing two types on Amazon though - SE846-CL and SE846-CL-EFS, any idea what the difference may be, if any? I Googled fo it, but didn't find anything as of yet.


----------



## slumberman

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Thanks guys. Ergonomy is very important for me, which is why I get on OK with the Shure's, I think, they sit nicely in the ears - although the cable around the back of the ear is a bit annoying, so I'll certainly look at the 846's.
> 
> You mention Campfire Audio - I've seen a few people with these, but they look like the Z1R's, big lumps of metal. I can't imagine they're remotely comfortable? They do come with a balanced cable though, I see (the Solaris ones, that is), and they're not crazy expensive at around €1400.



Campfires (all of them) are much lighter then Z1Rs. I own Solaris and Andromedas and they’re very comfortable in my ears. Never had issues either at home or walking outside (not much walking outside these days I’m afraid). 

Solaris are my goto with the WM1 series!


----------



## 515164 (May 11, 2020)

TheBonkingFrog said:


> considering I like the 535's



Yep, that's why I was talking about the bass, I know that the 535 don't have this particular technology regarding the bass, and it's not as present.



TheBonkingFrog said:


> I'm seeing two types on Amazon though - SE846-CL and SE846-CL-EFS, any idea what the difference may be, if any? I Googled fo it, but didn't find anything as of yet.



Just found this link: https://service.shure.com/s/article/se215ltd-efs?language=en_US

They mention "Model number for the United States:  SE215LTD-EFS" and "Model numbers for Asia: SE215SPE-A; SE215SPE-CHN". Maybe it's related only to this?

By the way, in Europe, you can find them at approximately 650 EUR, on this site: https://www.e-infin.com/eu/category/headphones_and_earphones - the only downside is that you'll have only one year warranty.

I bought the 846 from here, and I also bought some cameras and camera gear. They are all new, so no worries about that.


----------



## Krutsch

Pulled the trigger on a WM1a ... I couldn't justify the 2x cost for gold plating and Kimber wiring. I also purchased a dock from Japan; hopefully, it can still be shipped to the US.

New Walkman arrives on Wed... can't wait!


----------



## Duncan

morgenstern09 said:


> Hello, and meet...
> 
> *WM1Az Bass+ (revision C)*
> 
> ...


OMG! This is pure filth (translate that as a term of happiness) with my brand new and shiny FiiO FH7!


----------



## AlexCBSN (May 11, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> Yep, that's why I was talking about the bass, I know that the 535 don't have this particular technology regarding the bass, and it's not as present.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



WM1Az Bass+ - bro! you got me at bass! bass i mighty good funnily last night i was trying to do something about the tips on the ier m9 and tried a pair that i took from my girlfriend wf1000xm3, the ones with the extra long sleeve, i dont know if the extra silicon touching the ear canal has anything to do with, but soundstage went ABYMALLY big, mainly the 3d effect, i can feel the rumble in another way, even though i have plenty of iems, i always usemy imr r1z, its just a personal attachement i got with em, personal history, they are known for their powerful bass, MAN! your new firmware made it even better adn the feeling of rumble in my ears with this tips... dude... , i was using the second revision of vinyl but this goes far deeper, congrats man, im loving it! seriously impressive


----------



## 515164 (May 11, 2020)

Duncan said:


> This is pure filth



We all need some "dirty" in our lives from time to time, so I fully get it as a term of happiness 

Glad you guys like it. Currently using it as well!


----------



## Queen6

TheBonkingFrog said:


> So I started using my Shure IEM's with the 1Z and am loving it - they're super precise, but are slightly bright and lack a little bass, but otherwise very nice combination.
> 
> So this begs the question, should I consider the IEM-1ZR's? I've read they sound great, but aren't particularly ergonomic and are a bit too heavy??
> 
> ...





morgenstern09 said:


> I would also give a try to the SE846, especially with a balanced cable, and maybe to the Sony XBA-Z5 (which are cheaper than the SE846, and use a BA for highs, another BA for mids, and a dynamic driver for lows). The Z5 has bigger soundstage than the Shure, plus a lot of punchy bass from the dynamic driver. They certainly feel like listening to normal/big headphones.
> 
> The IER-Z1R are a bit on the expensive side, and I didn't hear them yet, so can't really say anything about them.
> 
> Edit: About the SE846, they really mean it when they say "true subwoofer". The low bass is really clearly audible, but it's more like the quality of it rather than the quantity, which is a pretty normal thing for balanced armature IEMs. With the Z5 you also really feel the bass, hence the sensation that you listen to headphones.





aceedburn said:


> I agree. Tried the 846, tried campfire, tried z1r, but nothing gave me the satisfaction of the Z5. It just has a nice analogue live sound with the best bass impact I’ve ever heard.



I opted for XBA-N3 with Sony's own 4.4 Kimber Kabel as has superb tonality and deep bass (too much for some). Z5 being more neutral IMO, with the N3 being the more exciting & engaging.  

CF Andromeda lives up to the expectation's as long as you know what a multi BA IEM can present. Comfort wise the latest Gen 2 Andromeda has no issue, however they can and do accumulate condensation in some environment's.  Campfire's advice is to remove and dry periodically...

Another worthy mention is Dunu 3001 Pro, similar profile to the XBA-N3, punches well above it's weight, with a killer cable solution, that puts many others to shame. Many rate FiiO's FH7, personally 3001 Pro easily surpasses for my tastes. FH7 is a little on the bright side, 3001 Pro is more mid focused and can take serous EQ in the bass.

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (May 11, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> We all need some "dirty" in our lives from time to time, so I fully get it as a term of happiness
> 
> Glad you guys like it. Currently using it as well!



Got that covered  


Doesn't even come close  to the real deal  Danzig - She Rides, a very pale comparison...

Q-6


----------



## fire2368

For anyone interested in the Romi mod, I just got a quote from his and apparently there's 2 options now: 

Version 3.5 is replace most of capacitor on main power supply S master supply, amplifier module output wire replace to REAL occ copper or occ silver PRICE HKD$4800 
Blackgate Mod Same as Version 3.5 But replace of Blackgate capacitor This is discontinued Capacitor And the sound become more warm PRICE HKD$12000 

Looks like prices has gone up. He can't specify what capacitors he uses on the Version 3.5 mod either.


----------



## aceedburn

fire2368 said:


> For anyone interested in the Romi mod, I just got a quote from his and apparently there's 2 options now:
> 
> Version 3.5 is replace most of capacitor on main power supply S master supply, amplifier module output wire replace to REAL occ copper or occ silver PRICE HKD$4800
> Blackgate Mod Same as Version 3.5 But replace of Blackgate capacitor This is discontinued Capacitor And the sound become more warm PRICE HKD$12000
> ...


I personally think it’s insane to pay these prices to mod your device. Well, there’s a sucker born every minute so life goes on, right?


----------



## Morbideath

fire2368 said:


> For anyone interested in the Romi mod, I just got a quote from his and apparently there's 2 options now:
> 
> Version 3.5 is replace most of capacitor on main power supply S master supply, amplifier module output wire replace to REAL occ copper or occ silver PRICE HKD$4800
> Blackgate Mod Same as Version 3.5 But replace of Blackgate capacitor This is discontinued Capacitor And the sound become more warm PRICE HKD$12000
> ...


V3.5 is Elna


----------



## lumdicks (May 12, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> I personally think it’s insane to pay these prices to mod your device. Well, there’s a sucker born every minute so life goes on, right?


The price is more or less a premium IEM cable worths. From my experience on my Blackgate modded 1A, I would say it worths every penny, comparing to different premium cables that I own (please see my signature if interested).


----------



## Morbideath

aceedburn said:


> I personally think it’s insane to pay these prices to mod your device. Well, there’s a sucker born every minute so life goes on, right?


I have a Romi v4 1Z and bought TWO v3.5 1As for my friends now. I am insane!


----------



## endlesswaves

In the pursuit for the last few percentage of gain in SQ in upgrades are insanely expensive. I call these people perfectionist (with means). I can't afford it but I don't go around saying they are suckers. Same as cameras, performance cars or luxury watches. It's a niche market. It's priced accordingly.


----------



## ttt123

aceedburn said:


> I personally think it’s insane to pay these prices to mod your device. Well, there’s a sucker born every minute so life goes on, right?


Yes, that can be true.  It all depends on your viewpoint, and personal preferences.  Ridiculous amounts of money are spent on: wife/girlfriend/children, jewelry, wine, cigars, cars, yachts, personal planes, etc., etc.  From one viewpoint, any of the items can be viewed as a total waste of money.  From another viewpoint, any of the items can be viewed as essential, and money well spent.   It all depends on what is important to you, and your situation in life.   

So is everybody a sucker, as everybody has their own foibles and weaknesses?  Yes, we are all suckers to our personal weaknesses.  And yes, that is normal.  

And we all view things as ridiculous if we are not interested, or believe in them, or see no value in them.   But that does not mean, or prove, that they are ridiculous, except solely to ourselves.


----------



## Morbideath

endlesswaves said:


> In the pursuit for the last few percentage of gain in SQ in upgrades are insanely expensive. I call these people perfectionist (with means). I can't afford it but I don't go around saying they are suckers. Same as cameras, performance cars or luxury watches. It's a niche market. It's priced accordingly.


Agree with everything except it's not a few percentage gain with Romi mod. If so few i wouldn't justify to pay them either. I can be biased, but like @lumdicks said, it's worth every penny to me.


----------



## Morbideath (May 12, 2020)

I think most people in our daily life also regard us as suckers, or even idiots. Who will spend that much to buy a wm1a? Don't we have cellphones + streaming?
Such "sucker" sequence can go on and on.


----------



## endlesswaves

Morbideath said:


> Agree with everything except it's not a few percentage gain with Romi mod. If so few i wouldn't justify to pay them either. I can be biased, but like @lumdicks said, it's worth every penny to me.


Agree. Was musing what will happen if I tell my missus her designers handbags are for suckers...


----------



## Morbideath

endlesswaves said:


> Agree. Was musing what will happen if I tell my missus her designers handbags are for suckers...


You will end up buying her another bag for sucking atonement? 😂


----------



## ttt123

endlesswaves said:


> Agree. Was musing what will happen if I tell my missus her designers handbags are for suckers...


Please do, and report on the results!  You are encouraged to do so by the X Files motto:  The Truth Will Set You Free


----------



## aceedburn

Please read my post carefully guys. I mentioned that the price is insane. I never once implied that the intention or cause for upgrade is insane. It’s 2 different meanings altogether.


----------



## endlesswaves

ttt123 said:


> Please do, and report on the results!  You are encouraged to do so by the X Files motto:  The Truth Will Set You Free


Lol. I am not that suicidal, yet. Being in a lockdown now cooped up at home, this is a recipe for disaster.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Please read my post carefully guys. I mentioned that the price is insane. I never once implied that the intention or cause for upgrade is insane. It’s 2 different meanings altogether.



Well if somebody thinks what they get is worth the price paid then the price is not insane. I have no idea how much work is involved in performing the mod or what the parts involved cost so can’t comment on what the mark up is


----------



## hshock76

I have been "suckered" countless times since I started this hobby. Dun think I have regretted it as I learn something new every single time.

I personally do not feel that the price Romi charges is insane. You can't just take into account the cost of goods. He had prob put in a lot of time and effort on R&D, destroyed more than a handful of boards along the way and it's not always possible to just put in down to pure dollars and cents.The joy experienced by some members who went ahead with the mods is worth more that what he charges and prob priceless. Money can't buy everything and in this case, I consider ourselves lucky to have the option to pay to acquire a certain level of audiophile experience. It's always good to have options in life and it boils down to individual needs and preferences.


----------



## RobertP

Morbideath said:


> V3.5 is Elna


Likey likey!


----------



## aceedburn

hshock76 said:


> I have been "suckered" countless times since I started this hobby. Dun think I have regretted it as I learn something new every single time.
> 
> I personally do not feel that the price Romi charges is insane. You can't just take into account the cost of goods. He had prob put in a lot of time and effort on R&D, destroyed more than a handful of boards along the way and it's not always possible to just put in down to pure dollars and cents.The joy experienced by some members who went ahead with the mods is worth more that what he charges and prob priceless. Money can't buy everything and in this case, I consider ourselves lucky to have the option to pay to acquire a certain level of audiophile experience. It's always good to have options in life and it boils down to individual needs and preferences.


Sure. I respect your opinion. To each his own. Like I said I don’t see the value in spending that amount of cash for it.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (May 12, 2020)

endlesswaves said:


> Lol. I am not that suicidal, yet. Being in a lockdown now cooped up at home, this is a recipe for disaster.


Ohoho, you never know till you try; I think you should try your luck, you look like quite a lucky guy..(Evil Laugh hahaha)


----------



## endlesswaves

hamhamhamsta said:


> Ohoho, you never know till you try; I think you should try your luck, you look like quite a lucky guy..(Evil Laugh hahaha)


Can I request for a blindfold and a cigarette?


----------



## hshock76

aceedburn said:


> Sure. I respect your opinion. To each his own. Like I said I don’t see the value in spending that amount of cash for it.



100% agree on to each his own and  I respect your opinion on the value of the mods. As I've highlighted previously, most 1A/1Z owners will be more than satisfied with what the stock players+modded FW can give them. But there are also this small population of us who have an insatiable appetite for better SQ and who are willing to DIY or pay for modding services (like me). I envy the folks in the first group but at the same time happy that I crossed over to the darker side.


----------



## hshock76

hamhamhamsta said:


> Ohoho, you never know till you try; I think you should try your luck, you look like quite a lucky guy..(Evil Laugh hahaha)



The first question we need to ask is whether @endlesswaves paid for all his wife's designer bags.


----------



## endlesswaves

hshock76 said:


> The first question we need to ask is whether @endlesswaves paid for all his wife's designer bags.



Between getting a Romi mod or get a bag for her....


----------



## hamhamhamsta (May 12, 2020)

endlesswaves said:


> Between getting a Romi mod or get a bag for her....


Decisions, decisions...between new and newer, the choice is clear. My advice, go with your heart


----------



## ttt123

hshock76 said:


> The first question we need to ask is whether @endlesswaves paid for all his wife's designer bags.


A redundant question.  We always pay, in one way or another...


----------



## endlesswaves

ttt123 said:


> A redundant question.  We always pay, in one way or another...


So true.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

I ordered some SE846, but won't receive for 2 weeks - bit of a disaster with Amazon delivery times at the moment... 

I was sorely tempted to get a pair if the Campfire Solaris as the price seems very good, but as I like the sound of the Shure SE535's and find them comfortable, will stick with those (plus half the price).


----------



## Damz87

TheBonkingFrog said:


> I ordered some SE846, but won't receive for 2 weeks - bit of a disaster with Amazon delivery times at the moment...
> 
> I was sorely tempted to get a pair if the Campfire Solaris as the price seems very good, but as I like the sound of the Shure SE535's and find them comfortable, will stick with those (plus half the price).


The Solaris Special Edition sounds amazing with a WM1Z. I’d recommend trying them if you get a chance


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

The MW-WM1A is €741+VAT on Amazon ES:

https://www.amazon.es/Sony-NW-WM1A-...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=370AB8E3RMRGYNYJF22T


----------



## fire2368

Morbideath said:


> V3.5 is Elna



I'm tempted to try the V3.5, what's the difference between Elna and Blackgate? He mentioned Blackgate is warmer.


----------



## Morbideath (May 12, 2020)

fire2368 said:


> I'm tempted to try the V3.5, what's the difference between Elna and Blackgate? He mentioned Blackgate is warmer.



He's right!


----------



## proedros

''insanity'' in this hobby can be transformed into semi-sanity if taken with small steps


TheBonkingFrog said:


> *I was sorely tempted to get a pair if the Campfire Solaris as the price seems very good*, but as I like the sound of the Shure SE535's and find them comfortable, will stick with those (plus half the price).



*1400 euros* for a mid-tir iem? bro, that's too much money (imho)

you should check the FS threads , since you are not int customs  there are bargainsthere every day


----------



## proedros (May 12, 2020)

TheBonkingFrog said:


> The *MW-WM1A is €741*+VAT on Amazon ES:
> 
> https://www.amazon.es/Sony-NW-WM1A-...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=370AB8E3RMRGYNYJF22T




now that is  indeed a BARGAIN (if real , there seems to be no link for such price)


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

proedros said:


> now that is  indeed a BARGAIN (if real , there seems to be no link for such price)



Link works OK, but temporarily out of stock:


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

proedros said:


> ''insanity'' in this hobby can be transformed into semi-sanity if taken with small steps
> 
> 
> *1400 euros* for a mid-tir iem? bro, that's too much money (imho)
> ...



I admit that I know feck-all about IEM's. In any case, I'll see how the Shure's 846's sound and I like the cheaper 535's I have already, just missing some low-end bass.


----------



## Ryokan

TheBonkingFrog said:


> I ordered some SE846, but won't receive for 2 weeks - bit of a disaster with Amazon delivery times at the moment...
> 
> I like the sound of the Shure SE535's and find them comfortable




When buying an iem fit is one of my main considerations now. Shure and especially Westone are practically 'fit and forget'.


----------



## Vitaly2017

aceedburn said:


> Sure. I respect your opinion. To each his own. Like I said I don’t see the value in spending that amount of cash for it.




That is what I call making a psychological barrier!  You have already preset your mind on to aaa I dont need this because it is not worth thr cost....

Well that is false, to think that way. You may not want to proceed for a mod but the way you yalk about it is as you dont believe in it!

Same goes for every aspect of audio, some believe in this and that others dont...


Let me tell you that this mode changes your life once again as when you got your stock dap for the first! time!

Yes its that good. Its more then 5% improvement heck its not even measurable in % as the goodness it does is beyond that.

If your happy with stock 1a or 1z fine but dont let your mind fool you 😇 because it looks outrageously expensive. 




endlesswaves said:


> Between getting a Romi mod or get a bag for her....




The best scenario is get them both hahaha and she will approve the Romi mod LoL


----------



## gearofwar

Krutsch said:


> Pulled the trigger on a WM1a ... I couldn't justify the 2x cost for gold plating and Kimber wiring. I also purchased a dock from Japan; hopefully, it can still be shipped to the US.
> 
> New Walkman arrives on Wed... can't wait!


Tbh, not only the wiring and the frame here are different but also the resistor used in 1Z . It makes sound simply a bit better, more driving power


----------



## fire2368

Krutsch said:


> Pulled the trigger on a WM1a ... I couldn't justify the 2x cost for gold plating and Kimber wiring. I also purchased a dock from Japan; hopefully, it can still be shipped to the US.
> 
> New Walkman arrives on Wed... can't wait!



When I did a direct comparison of the two, the change was very evident in the balanced connection. The WM1Z is a whole different beast. The SE is meh imo. I moved to WM1Z from the SP1000 after I heard that balanced connection.


----------



## gerelmx1986

TheBonkingFrog said:


> I ordered some SE846, but won't receive for 2 weeks - bit of a disaster with Amazon delivery times at the moment...
> 
> I was sorely tempted to get a pair if the Campfire Solaris as the price seems very good, but as I like the sound of the Shure SE535's and find them comfortable, will stick with those (plus half the price).


I got my IER-Z1R for €1500 with accessory jack. They're based in Hong Kong, so to avoid heavy import duties you ask him for an invoice of €200


----------



## endlesswaves

Vitaly2017 said:


> The best scenario is get them both hahaha and she will approve the Romi mod LoL


Let's see. Right or left kidney...


----------



## RobertP (May 12, 2020)

Plan to do capacitors upgrade my own but wait until they need replaced. Maybe LOL. Elna are very good alternative caps also. They have similar sound signature from what I had read.
I'm still not bore with fw mod yet.


----------



## Wietjunk

TheBonkingFrog said:


> I might grab a pair - considering I like the 535's, I'll likely be good with these - plus they're half the price of the Sony's IEM-1ZR's
> 
> I'm seeing two types on Amazon though - SE846-CL and SE846-CL-EFS, any idea what the difference may be, if any? I Googled fo it, but didn't find anything as of yet.


Hi, the bass of the se846 are no match with the Z5 and the highs are not that sparkle as the Z5.
SE846 have fantastic mids and the fit is very good.
The sound tubes are a gimmick, the neutral blue tube is fine.
The Z5 are awsome with electronic music, just like at a concert, when on balanced you are in the studio.


----------



## 515164 (May 12, 2020)

Wietjunk said:


> Hi, the bass of the se846 are no match with the Z5 and the highs are not that sparkle as the Z5.
> SE846 have fantastic mids and the fit is very good.
> The sound tubes are a gimmick, the neutral blue tube is fine.
> The Z5 are awsome with electronic music, just like at a concert, when on balanced you are in the studio.



It depends if you want balanced sound or not. The SE846 are really good at reproducing the rumble of a subwoofer for lower frequencies, but the bass is not amplified like in the Z5. It's more to listen to it rather than to feel it.

I personally wish the bass of Z5 would be in just a bit less quantity, and they would be perfect.

Also, you're comparing apples to oranges, as the SE846 are fully balanced armature based, while the Z5 are hybrid. And the tubes really do what Shure says they do. The black one has a -2.5dB reduction in highs, while the white one offers a +2.5dB increase.


----------



## Krutsch

fire2368 said:


> When I did a direct comparison of the two, the change was very evident in the balanced connection. The WM1Z is a whole different beast. *The SE is meh imo.* I moved to WM1Z from the SP1000 after I heard that balanced connection.



Hmm... well, I have both SE and 4.4mm balanced cables for my HD-660S. If "meh" really turns out to be true, it's going back to Amazon.


----------



## frost15

RobertP said:


> Plan to do capacitors upgrade my own but wait until they need replaced. Maybe LOL. Elna are very good alternative caps also. They have similar sound signature from what I had read.
> I'm still not bore with fw mod yet.


How do you compare the Classical fw to the Autumn+? I'm interested because I did not try Classical and judging by this thread is the prefered along with Autumn+.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

gerelmx1986 said:


> I got my IER-Z1R for €1500 with accessory jack. They're based in Hong Kong, so to avoid heavy import duties you ask him for an invoice of €200



Yeah, I looked at their page, but was wondering what they did regarding customs. Useful info for the future, thanks!

I have IER-Z1R's arriving Thursday from Amazon UK - £1350 with the VAT off (I am registered)


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

morgenstern09 said:


> It depends if you want balanced sound or not. The SE846 are really good at reproducing the rumble of a subwoofer for lower frequencies, but the bass is not amplified like in the Z5. It's more to listen to it rather than to feel it.
> 
> I personally wish the bass of Z5 would be in just a bit less quantity, and they would be perfect.
> 
> Also, you're comparing apples to oranges, as the SE846 are fully balanced armature based, while the Z5 are hybrid. And the tubes really do what Shure says they do. The black one has a -2.5dB reduction in highs, while the white one offers a +2.5dB increase.



Well there are no absolutes in sound, as we know, it's a very individual thing.

I'm not overly keen on too much bass - it's the Achilles-heel of the 1000X3's, woofy bass and too much of it, I'm sending the pair back that I bought.

Also wearability - I look at the XBA-Z5 and they're pretty bulky. Most of my inner-ear listening will be in bed, so something comfortable, that I can even lie on, is very appealing.

So I'll see how the 846's go - I can't seem to find the XBA-Z5 on Amazon anyway (and I insist to use Amazon as I can return without hassle stuff I don't like).


----------



## kiling92

After tried all combo sinergy i'm stuck on mx3 and wm1az1....the MX3 give me a brilliant  three-dimensionality while wm1az1 gives a gloriously organic tone.
This combo made my 9200 really natural,but my ears got a different resolution between "digital sound" and "organic sound";with the second one i feel more real but "less" clear.
i have a wm1a...and i tought..if i buy  wm1z and use same settings...should i've hear substantial differences?I red the wm1z without any mod it sound so smooth,natural and more resolute..
is better to modify (trought hardware) my wm1a or buy a new wm1z?
i tried to change other regions,but no one give me this three-dimensionality of MX3.
i just want to improve a little the resoution,because this is my perfect sound


----------



## Hinomotocho (May 12, 2020)

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Well there are no absolutes in sound, as we know, it's a very individual thing.
> 
> I'm not overly keen on too much bass - it's the Achilles-heel of the 1000X3's, woofy bass and too much of it, I'm sending the pair back that I bought.
> 
> ...


If you enjoy listening in bed you might want to avoid the Z5, even on your back your head sinks into the pillow the stick out design can be affected. They sounded so right for me but that darn fit drove me to seek out something with an actual in-ear design. The Z5 driven from a phone or weak source might give you an undesirable boomy bass sound but driven from a balanced output it tightens up and has a nice textured presentation that made me smile, but is comes down to taste.


----------



## nc8000 (May 12, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> If you enjoy listening in bed you might want to avoid the Z5, even on your back your head sinks into the pillow the stick out design can be affected. They sounded so right for me but that darn fit drove me to seek out something with an actual in-ear design. The Z5 driven from a phone or weak source might give you an undesirable boomy bass sound but driven from a balanced output it tightens up and has a nice textured presentation that made me smile, but is comes down to taste.



I did like the Z5 sound but fit was impossible so I sold them when I got the IER-Z1R which fits me perfectly even for lying on my side with the head on the pillow and I also prefer the Z1R sound but then they cost a lot more


----------



## gerelmx1986

What a great sound (MDR-Z1R) from this one, despite being early CD box set (initial release with Erato ca. 1987) x34CD


----------



## RobertP (May 12, 2020)

frost15 said:


> How do you compare the Classical fw to the Autumn+? I'm interested because I did not try Classical and judging by this thread is the prefered along with Autumn+.


Classical tuned from mod WM1A tier3.
Autumn+ I think tuned from stock WM1A. If your 1A is currently stock, it should works best with it. Feel free to try classical and other fw too if you like. You can always restore back to whatever fw you like.
Tier3 mod is just a different beast so imho any stock tuned fw won't optimize for it. That doesn't mean the tune is bad either. I don't have stock 1A so I can't very give you fair opinion on Autumn+ firmware.


----------



## 515164 (May 12, 2020)

frost15 said:


> How do you compare the Classical fw to the Autumn+? I'm interested because I did not try Classical and judging by this thread is the prefered along with Autumn+.



Instead of Autumn+, I nowadays recommend either WM1A-z1, WM1Az, or WM1Az Bass+ for the WM1A. But you're surely welcome to try the previous mods as well.

Also, the best comparison between tuning mods you could make is the one you'll make yourself, as each one of us has different preferences.


----------



## gearofwar

RobertP said:


> Classical tuned from mod WM1A tier3.
> Autumn+ I think tuned from stock WM1A. If your 1A is currently stock, it should works best with it. Feel free to try classical and other fw too if you like. You can always restore back to whatever fw you like.
> Tier3 mod is just a different beast so imho any stock tuned fw won't optimize for it. That doesn't mean the tune is bad either. I don't have stock 1A so I can't very give you fair opinion on Autumn+ firmware.


I wish you could continue experimenting on new firmware for folks who have modded 1a/1z. I'm currently jumping on Classical and like it a lot


----------



## frost15

morgenstern09 said:


> Instead of Autumn+, I nowadays recommend either WM1A-z1, WM1Az, or WM1Az Bass+ for the WM1A. But you're surely welcome to try the previous mods as well.
> 
> Also, the best comparison between tuning mods you could make is the one you'll make yourself, as each one of us has different preferences.


I'm a 1z user, so if the Classical fw was created for the 1A I think I'll stick with the Autumn+ (which I'm more than happy with). 
Hardware mods are so expensive that I have not even considered them for now...


----------



## aceedburn

frost15 said:


> I'm a 1z user, so if the Classical fw was created for the 1A I think I'll stick with the Autumn+ (which I'm more than happy with).
> Hardware mods are so expensive that I have not even considered them for now...


Loading a custom tuning firmware here, you have to first find out whether it was tuned on a 1A or 1Z because it won’t sound the same if you use a firmware tuned for 1A on a 1Z and vice versa. You’re free to try however the rule of the thumb is to note the device and also software region that was used in the firmware tuning to hear it as closely as possible to how he hears it. Of course there are variables like headphones, iems and cables as well to consider but that’s the way to gauge.


----------



## 515164

frost15 said:


> I'm a 1z user, so if the Classical fw was created for the 1A I think I'll stick with the Autumn+ (which I'm more than happy with).
> Hardware mods are so expensive that I have not even considered them for now...



Oh, ok, yes, other users reported that Autumn+ sounds good on the 1Z as well.


----------



## RobertP (May 13, 2020)

frost15 said:


> I'm a 1z user, so if the Classical fw was created for the 1A I think I'll stick with the Autumn+ (which I'm more than happy with).
> Hardware mods are so expensive that I have not even considered them for now...


The Classical1Z is tuned from my own WM1Z tier3 just for clarification.


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> The Classical1Z is tuned from my own WM1Z tier3 just for clarification.




What 1z mod you already had I forgot? 

What music you listen? Classic?  Since its called classical 1Z 😜


----------



## RobertP (May 13, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> What 1z mod you already had I forgot?
> 
> What music you listen? Classic?  Since its called classical 1Z 😜


All OCC internal wires with teflon insulated swapped + ground terminal mod.
Have some classical in DSD and 24/96 records. I'm listening to Hoist: The Planets Jupiter at the moment. A much better version will come soon when it ready.


----------



## Duncan

I've been driving myself mad in the past 36 hours after getting the FiiO FH7 - far more revealing than the AK T8ie mkII

I think I've settled with WM1A (stock, 3.02fw) with Autumn+, FiiO LC4.4D cable, FH7 IEMs with treble filter and bass tips - way too many combinations to play around with lol

Anyway, I'm there - for now... Sounds pretty damned incredible.

Thank you to the modding teams for the achievements you've made for the community


----------



## mmwwmm

Hi. Just a question regarding FW mods. How to go back to the stock sound after installing a Fw mod? I mean, how to revert the Fw mod and go back to the original and “official” unmodded sound? Is there any way to know which Fw mod is installed and working at anytime?
Thanks!


----------



## 515164

mmwwmm said:


> Hi. Just a question regarding FW mods. How to go back to the stock sound after installing a Fw mod? I mean, how to revert the Fw mod and go back to the original and “official” unmodded sound? Is there any way to know which Fw mod is installed and working at anytime?
> Thanks!



There is no way to know which mod you are using.

In order to revert the changes, just flash the stock firmware available on Sony's website.


----------



## Duncan

mmwwmm said:


> Hi. Just a question regarding FW mods. How to go back to the stock sound after installing a Fw mod? I mean, how to revert the Fw mod and go back to the original and “official” unmodded sound? Is there any way to know which Fw mod is installed and working at anytime?
> Thanks!


Just install the stock back over the top if you want to revert...

As to knowing which one is in, I'll leave that to the experts...


----------



## RobertP

mmwwmm said:


> Hi. Just a question regarding FW mods. How to go back to the stock sound after installing a Fw mod? I mean, how to revert the Fw mod and go back to the original and “official” unmodded sound? Is there any way to know which Fw mod is installed and working at anytime?
> Thanks!


Just restore the official update you download from sony and that should do it.


----------



## mmwwmm

Thanks!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I hear a very slight almost none difference with DSEE HX on... this is for 44.1kHz audio.. these folks who have DMP-Z1  player is the DSEE HX engaged better for 44.1kHz or no difference at all? Same for DSD-Remastering or is this better?

The point is that I've read the whole ifi audio technical sheet about the effects of Transient alignment and its effect.on the perceived music (audible artifacts). I am now confused thought always the more taps  the fine the window frame. Less taps big window so less accurate reconstruction.
Immediately thought of UK Based Chord ltd who swear by their M-scaler withone million tap filter. Ifi says that 44.1 need just as low as 32 taps... now I am so confused lol


----------



## frost15 (May 13, 2020)

RobertP said:


> All OCC internal wires with teflon insulated swapped + ground terminal mod.
> Have some classical in DSD and 24/96 records. I'm listening to Hoist: The Planets Jupiter at the moment. A much better version will come soon when it ready.


Holst Planets is one of my fav classical suites! Any Star Wars OST fan should listen to that in order to recognize the true pioneer of space classical music!
PS: The very best version of the suite is one conducted by Charles Dutoit!


----------



## TheBonkingFrog (May 13, 2020)

So my 512GB Samsung Evo Card arrived. Looks like my non-classical library is around 480GB, and that's with a few duplicates, so will dump all those on the card, FLAC and a few DSD, DSF.

Some relief that I can copy to the SD directly rather than using the abysmally slow cabled connection!

I will use the internal memory for classical, opera, etc. - seems like a logical split and will allow for easier curating - these I'll just take from my iTunes library where it's all ALAC as I never transcoded to FLAC.

Will get a 1TB card when they become a bt more reasonably priced.

Now, some of the albums aren't displaying album-art and I can't work out why. Most of the content has come from iTunes originally, transcoded to FLAC from ALAC using XLD, most is present some are not. I've used Bliss to repair and all show in Audirvana, so I'm scratching my head a bit - any ideas?


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

frost15 said:


> Holst Planets is one of my fav classical suites! Any Star Wars OST fan should listen to that in order to recognize the true pioneer of space classical music!
> PS: The very best version of the suite is one conducted by Charles Dutoit!



It's badass! Checkout the crazy Isao Tomita version too.


----------



## aceedburn

TheBonkingFrog said:


> So my 512GB Samsung Evo Card arrived. Looks like my non-classical library is around 480GB, and that's with a few duplicates, so will dump all those on the card, FLAC and a few DSD, DSF.
> 
> I will use the internal memory for classical, opera, etc. - seems like a logical split and will allow for easier curating - these I'll just take from my iTunes library where it's all ALAC as I never transcoded to FLAC.
> 
> ...


Download this handy program. https://www.mp3tag.de/en/
You can organise your entire library with album art. There’s also an online feature that gets the album art automatically for you.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

aceedburn said:


> Download this handy program. https://www.mp3tag.de/en/
> You can organise your entire library with album art. There’s also an online feature that gets the album art automatically for you.



Thank you, but only for Windows, I'm on Mac.

Yes, there are plenty of metadata edit tools available, but I'm using one and normally should be fine, so I'm missing something fundamental here.


----------



## nc8000

TheBonkingFrog said:


> So my 512GB Samsung Evo Card arrived. Looks like my non-classical library is around 480GB, and that's with a few duplicates, so will dump all those on the card, FLAC and a few DSD, DSF.
> 
> Some relief that I can copy to the SD directly rather than using the abysmally slow cabled connection!
> 
> ...



The art that don’t show is most likely progressive jpg, the Sony OS players only support baseline jpg wheras the Android based players also support progressive


----------



## aceedburn

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Thank you, but only for Windows, I'm on Mac.
> 
> Yes, there are plenty of metadata edit tools available, but I'm using one and normally should be fine, so I'm missing something fundamental here.


Ahh. Then use tag editor on the Mac store.


----------



## Lookout57 (May 13, 2020)

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Thank you, but only for Windows, I'm on Mac.
> 
> Yes, there are plenty of metadata edit tools available, but I'm using one and normally should be fine, so I'm missing something fundamental here.


I'm on macOS and use kid3 (free) or Metadatics ($9.99 on MAS). kid3 is great for editing the tags but I prefer Metadatics for album art as you can do bulk editing, resizing and change format.

I also had an issue with art not loading that I had fix by rewriting the tags. I had added the art with Metadatics (where there was no art tag) and then fixed it with kid3.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog (May 13, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> The art that don’t show is most likely progressive jpg, the Sony OS players only support baseline jpg wheras the Android based players also support progressive



OK, I inspected a selection of cover.jpg from the folders for various albums and indeed any that came up as progressive don't display - so thanks for that heads-up!

I used this tool for testing: http://techslides.com/demos/progressive-test.html 

One curious case where I have three versions of Relayer by Yes and one of them won't display, the other two are OK. I suspect in this case there's an embedded progressive file in the one.

I note that png's are fine and the Bliss tool I use allows to update art by file type and will convert where necessary, so I'll try a pass with this rule enabled.


----------



## JerryHead

Hi all!  I've been listening to the ZX300 for the last few years, and just ordered the WM1A, with plans to sell my ZX300 if I like it.  I used to own the ZX2 and when I bought the ZX300, and sold the ZX2, I felt that the ZX300 was lacking something in SQ and power that the ZX2 had provided.  I missed the ZX2 power and umph, soundstage, separation and brightness.   However, everywhere I look online, I'm reading reviews that say the ZX300 is on par with the WM1A, and that there's no real significant difference.  Well, this is confusing to me, as I definitely noticed a difference between the ZX2 and the ZX300 in terms of sound quality, the ZX2 seemed better and the WM1A is supposed to be even better than the ZX2.  Can anyone clarify?  Am I going to be wowed by the WM1A after listening to the ZX300 for the last few years?  I'm hoping so..


----------



## 515164 (May 13, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> Hi all!  I've been listening to the ZX300 for the last few years, and just ordered the WM1A, with plans to sell my ZX300 if I like it.  I used to own the ZX2 and when I bought the ZX300, and sold the ZX2, I felt that the ZX300 was lacking something in SQ and power that the ZX2 had provided.  I missed the ZX2 power and umph, soundstage, separation and brightness.   However, everywhere I look online, I'm reading reviews that say the ZX300 is on par with the WM1A, and that there's no real significant difference.  Well, this is confusing to me, as I definitely noticed a difference between the ZX2 and the ZX300 in terms of sound quality, the ZX2 seemed better and the WM1A is supposed to be even better than the ZX2.  Can anyone clarify?  Am I going to be wowed by the WM1A after listening to the ZX300 for the last few years?  I'm hoping so..



I didn't own the ZX300, but you should give a try to some tuning mods, you may be surprised. There should be a noticeable improvement in comparison with the stock firmware.

You can find some, here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-zx300.854693/post-15586089

B is recommended, but feel free to give all a try. Something to do while waiting for your WM1A


----------



## proedros (May 13, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> Hi all!  I've been listening to the ZX300 for the last few years, and just ordered the WM1A, with plans to sell my ZX300 if I like it.  I used to own the ZX2 and when I bought the ZX300, and sold the ZX2, I felt that the ZX300 was lacking something in SQ and power that the ZX2 had provided.  I missed the ZX2 power and umph, soundstage, separation and brightness.   However, everywhere I look online, I'm reading reviews that say the ZX300 is on par with the WM1A, and that there's no real significant difference.  Well, this is confusing to me, as I definitely noticed a difference between the ZX2 and the ZX300 in terms of sound quality, the ZX2 seemed better and the WM1A is supposed to be even better than the ZX2.  Can anyone clarify?  Am I going to be wowed by the WM1A after listening to the ZX300 for the last few years?  I'm hoping so..



had zx2 for 2 years , loved it , decided to move on up to wm1a and i love it even some more , definitely an upgrade over zx2 , you are in for a treat

enjoy


----------



## Hinomotocho (May 13, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> Hi all!  I've been listening to the ZX300 for the last few years, and just ordered the WM1A, with plans to sell my ZX300 if I like it.  I used to own the ZX2 and when I bought the ZX300, and sold the ZX2, I felt that the ZX300 was lacking something in SQ and power that the ZX2 had provided.  I missed the ZX2 power and umph, soundstage, separation and brightness.   However, everywhere I look online, I'm reading reviews that say the ZX300 is on par with the WM1A, and that there's no real significant difference.  Well, this is confusing to me, as I definitely noticed a difference between the ZX2 and the ZX300 in terms of sound quality, the ZX2 seemed better and the WM1A is supposed to be even better than the ZX2.  Can anyone clarify?  Am I going to be wowed by the WM1A after listening to the ZX300 for the last few years?  I'm hoping so..


I hope so, I am in the same situation waiting for mine to be delivered.
There are comments saying there is no difference (!?) or minimal difference, but I have been digging and the more I read the more I am understanding how they differ. When someone described the ZX300 as warm, that summed up what I have come to dislike about the ZX300 and my reason to move on - fingers crossed, but now with the tuning mods at least I will have a better quality device to tweak. If you think about how many pages there are on this thread I don't think we can go wrong with our choice.


----------



## JerryHead

Thanks everyone.  When you scour the internet, and read absolutely everything you can about a product such as a DAP, you end up reading a lot of conflicting information, and after a while, become unsure who to believe.  I'll just have to wait for it.  the WM1A is almost five years old now, and so buying anything that dated, that costs this much, makes me anxious.  But I'm all about SQ.  If this is still up there as Sony's Flagship for a reason, I'm psyched!


----------



## nc8000

JerryHead said:


> Thanks everyone.  When you scour the internet, and read absolutely everything you can about a product such as a DAP, you end up reading a lot of conflicting information, and after a while, become unsure who to believe.  I'll just have to wait for it.  the WM1A is almost five years old now, and so buying anything that dated, that costs this much, makes me anxious.  But I'm all about SQ.  If this is still up there as Sony's Flagship for a reason, I'm psyched!



It's not yet 4 years old as a product, it was first available to buy late 2016. I'd buy one today in a heartbeat


----------



## JerryHead

My apologies, I stand corrected


----------



## Lookout57

JerryHead said:


> Hi all!  I've been listening to the ZX300 for the last few years, and just ordered the WM1A, with plans to sell my ZX300 if I like it.  I used to own the ZX2 and when I bought the ZX300, and sold the ZX2, I felt that the ZX300 was lacking something in SQ and power that the ZX2 had provided.  I missed the ZX2 power and umph, soundstage, separation and brightness.   However, everywhere I look online, I'm reading reviews that say the ZX300 is on par with the WM1A, and that there's no real significant difference.  Well, this is confusing to me, as I definitely noticed a difference between the ZX2 and the ZX300 in terms of sound quality, the ZX2 seemed better and the WM1A is supposed to be even better than the ZX2.  Can anyone clarify?  Am I going to be wowed by the WM1A after listening to the ZX300 for the last few years?  I'm hoping so..


I started with a WM1Z and picked up the ZX300 to use for traveling on the train. But after a couple of weeks I found it lacking. I gave the ZX300 to the wife and bought a WM1A and couldn't be happier. The WM1A sounds so much better and with the WM1Z² tuning it's even closer to the WM1Z in sound.


----------



## Krutsch

JerryHead said:


> Thanks everyone.  When you scour the internet, and read absolutely everything you can about a product such as a DAP, you end up reading a lot of conflicting information, and after a while, become unsure who to believe.  I'll just have to wait for it.  the WM1A is almost five years old now, and so buying anything that dated, that costs this much, makes me anxious.  But I'm all about SQ.  If this is still up there as Sony's Flagship for a reason, I'm psyched!



I would also add that Sony continues to support the WM1A - their latest firmware update is dated 08-29-2019 ... one of the reasons I decided to buy one now.

The other reason?



> But I'm all about SQ.



I am, as well.


----------



## 515164

Krutsch said:


> I would also add that Sony continues to support the WM1A - their latest firmware update is dated 08-29-2019



Yep, and thinking that they released updates in 2017, 2018, and 2019, they may release also release one this year, or next year at most. They usually do this at the end of August, so stay tuned.


----------



## JerryHead

Thank you all!  That's all really encouraging!


----------



## JerryHead

Can someone recommend a good leather case for it?  If we want to pass on the genuine Sony leather case, is the Dignis the only real option for the WM1A?


----------



## Lookout57

Dignis was the only nice case I was able to find that I could get in the US easily.


----------



## kubig123

Lookout57 said:


> Dignis was the only nice case I was able to find that I could get in the US easily.


+1
If you ou want to go with a leather case go with Dignis, you naught also check Valentinum on Etsy, but I prefer dignis design.


----------



## JerryHead

Thanks, the Dignis does look like the better bet.  I'll wait to be sure I want to keep the unit before ordering, but from what you guys are saying, sounds like it's inevitable.  I do miss the SQ of the ZX2 while I've had the ZX300, but don't miss the super slow, laggy interface.  I just couldn't tolerate that after a while.  So I'm crossing my fingers I'll be at least just as impressed by the SQ of the WM1A, and possibly more!!!


----------



## proedros

JerryHead said:


> Thanks, the Dignis does look like the better bet.  I'll wait to be sure I want to keep the unit before ordering, but from what you guys are saying, sounds like it's inevitable.  I do miss the SQ of the ZX2 while I've had the ZX300, but don't miss the super slow, laggy interface.  I just couldn't tolerate that after a while.  *So I'm crossing my fingers I'll be at least just as impressed by the SQ of the WM1A, and possibly more!!!*



wm1a is better and more balanced sq-wise , also the mids are not lacking (as zx2 did)

just be patient ,if you get a new one as there is a 500 hour burn-in period


----------



## JerryHead

proedros said:


> wm1a is better and more balanced sq-wise , also the mids are not lacking (as zx2 did)
> 
> just be patient ,if you get a new one as there is a 500 hour burn-in period


Jeez, and I thought 200 hours was a lot for the ZX300.  For burn in, is it not recommended to just plug this thing into the wall and leave it playing on a loop for a week or two?


----------



## 515164 (May 13, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> Jeez, and I thought 200 hours was a lot for the ZX300.  For burn in, is it not recommended to just plug this thing into the wall and leave it playing on a loop for a week or two?



I guess it would be up to you, though I don't think it's a good idea for the battery to just leave it plugged in for that period of time.

Why not just enjoy it in the meanwhile?


----------



## JerryHead

morgenstern09 said:


> I guess it would be up to you, thought I don't it's a good idea for the battery to just leave it plugged in for that period of time.
> 
> Why not just enjoy it in the meanwhile?


Absolutely will do.  Not taking any chances burning through the battery or anything else on this.  In addition to preparing for the sale of my ZX300 (bundled with loads of accessories) I'm in the process of returning my Sony NW-A105 because I'm still within the return period.  Instead I also ordered the Hiby R5 for a more mobile, portable solution, and one that has allows for full, bit by bit Tidal downloads.


----------



## Hinomotocho

JerryHead said:


> Thank you all!  That's all really encouraging!


Have a look at Hawaiibadboy's YouTube review - he made a great statement about Sony's technology among other positive comments that pretty much sold it to me regardless of the fact it was released in 2016.


----------



## JerryHead

Hinomotocho said:


> Have a look at Hawaiibadboy's YouTube review - he made a great statement about Sony's technology among other positive comments that pretty much sold it to me regardless of the fact it was released in 2016.


Thanks, I already watched it in the middle of the night last night when I was having trouble sleeping.  Maybe thinking too much about the potential of the WM1A!  You guys have been making feel much better though. I was just surprised by all those reports that the ZX300 sounded pretty much the same as the WM1A.  That just didn’t seem right!


----------



## aceedburn

JerryHead said:


> Can someone recommend a good leather case for it?  If we want to pass on the genuine Sony leather case, is the Dignis the only real option for the WM1A?


The Miter Case is a great case for the 1A/Z. Great quality and doubles up as a stand as well. I had it for the longest time and only sold it because it didn’t fit into the sony dock. It’s here on amazon but you can also find it in various other online stores. https://www.amazon.com/Handmade-MITER-Leather-Case-Patented/dp/B07K46XQQG


----------



## JerryHead

aceedburn said:


> The Miter Case is a great case for the 1A/Z. Great quality and doubles up as a stand as well. I had it for the longest time and only sold it because it didn’t fit into the sony dock. It’s here on amazon but you can also find it in various other online stores. https://www.amazon.com/Handmade-MITER-Leather-Case-Patented/dp/B07K46XQQG


Cool, does the WM1A fit into the dock with the Dignis on?  Do you have a link to the dock btw?


----------



## Hinomotocho

JerryHead said:


> Thanks, I already watched it in the middle of the night last night when I was having trouble sleeping.  Maybe thinking too much about the potential of the WM1A!  You guys have been making feel much better though. I was just surprised by all those reports that the ZX300 sounded pretty much the same as the WM1A.  That just didn’t seem right!


I guess it highlights how we all hear things differently. Perhaps because they have a general Sony signature it may not have the difference of listening to a Fiio dap with a different chip with different qualities. I am still waiting to see if I get stung for import duties so it may end up costing quite a lot so I understand. I am waiting for some updates as our courier system is absolutely overloaded post-4 week lockdown and there will be big delays - this precious time I could be burning in.


----------



## aceedburn (May 13, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> Cool, does the WM1A fit into the dock with the Dignis on?  Do you have a link to the dock btw?


No. The only case that fits the docking stand is the Benks clear case which is what I’m using now. It’s a great case as well. Here’s the link for the stand. https://www.ebay.com.my/itm/202791156399
And this is the case I’m using. NW-WM1A Case, NW-WM1Z Case, Benks TPU Gel Case for Sony Walkman NW-WM1A NW-WM1Z (Clear-Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077Q5TMGJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DDlVEbN7XA5AH


----------



## JerryHead

Hinomotocho said:


> Have a look at Hawaiibadboy's YouTube review - he made a great statement about Sony's technology among other positive comments that pretty much sold it to me regardless of the fact it was released in 2016.


Actually I just rewatched that video.  Isn’t he basically saying the WM1A is just a slightly more powerful version of the zx300?  That otherwise they’re the same?  I was hoping not.


----------



## pdL389

JerryHead said:


> Jeez, and I thought 200 hours was a lot for the ZX300.  For burn in, is it not recommended to just plug this thing into the wall and leave it playing on a loop for a week or two?


I posted earlier that my burn in was about 700hrs when it really surpassed the aging ZX2 in SQ .  I was going nuts after 500hrs. Lol


----------



## Hinomotocho (May 14, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> Actually I just rewatched that video.  Isn’t he basically saying the WM1A is just a slightly more powerful version of the zx300?  That otherwise they’re the same?  I was hoping not.


Quite possibly I've gotten confused with all my research. In my mind I thought he'd tried the ZX300 first and was saying that WM1A is a keeper for him and praised it, and Sony with their own technology that doesn't get caught up with new chip/new daps etc.
At the very least, more power is a good thing


----------



## Vitaly2017

pdL389 said:


> I posted earlier that my burn in was about 700hrs when it really surpassed the aging ZX2 in SQ .  I was going nuts after 500hrs. Lol




When I was at canjam I tried the wm1z that had 15 hours on them!   Done A/B with my 2500 hours 1Z and couldnt believe it sounded that much different from 1 to another...   If I didnt believe in burn in I wouldnt baught a 1z for sure from how it sounds at first!


----------



## Hinomotocho

aceedburn said:


> No. The only case that fits the docking stand is the Benks clear case which is what I’m using now. It’s a great case as well. Here’s the link for the stand. https://www.ebay.com.my/itm/202791156399
> And this is the case I’m using. NW-WM1A Case, NW-WM1Z Case, Benks TPU Gel Case for Sony Walkman NW-WM1A NW-WM1Z (Clear-Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077Q5TMGJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DDlVEbN7XA5AH


I have ordered the Benks case. The leather cases are a bit more than I want to spend, but I actually think the TPU clear case will show off the beauty of the device.


----------



## frost15

Hinomotocho said:


> I have ordered the Benks case. The leather cases are a bit more than I want to spend, but I actually think the TPU clear case will show off the beauty of the device.


The Benks case is a must imo. I've been using it on my 1Z from week 1 and it has saved the device 3 or 4 times by now...


----------



## aceedburn

frost15 said:


> The Benks case is a must imo. I've been using it on my 1Z from week 1 and it has saved the device 3 or 4 times by now...


Indeed. It’s nice to hold, provides 360 protection and the beauty of the player shines right through. And it fits into the stand nicely. For the price of about USD10 it’s a no brainer.


----------



## gearofwar

aceedburn said:


> Indeed. It’s nice to hold, provides 360 protection and the beauty of the player shines right through. And it fits into the stand nicely. For the price of about USD10 it’s a no brainer.


Jude saw me using this case and he was against it, it is definitely not going to prevent the heavy drops


----------



## aceedburn

gearofwar said:


> Jude saw me using this case and he was against it, it is definitely not going to prevent the heavy drops


Yeah it’s not designed to withstand heavy drops but I love it nonetheless.


----------



## Maxx134

proedros said:


> i need to try all those new FWs at some point but i am good now


There have been consideral improvements since those Firmwares.



kiling92 said:


> i tried to change other regions,but no one give me this three-dimensionality of MX3


Hmmm, I'm going to have to try that region again..



morgenstern09 said:


> Instead of Autumn+, I nowadays recommend either WM1A-z1


I think both _ZTAZ1_ and _ZTAZ1_x2 sound better.
A bit more resolution and solidity around the body of the instruments, and more open, with the _ZTAZ1_x2 a tiny bit more intense/forward, which works with headphones to be more lively.
I tested and noted these aspects with the HD800 (works at max volumes).



frost15 said:


> I'm a 1z user, so if


I am a 1z user as well, and I found the latest two firmwares, ZTAZ1 to be the best so far. 
Before that I considered the ones in @morgenstern09 signature links best.




Morbideath said:


> V3.5 is Elna


This is a problem or miscommunication.
I checked the data.
Elna doesn't make anything other than the 47uf that will fit in the Sony.
So it may be just the 47uf in the center board, and then some other mix of cap choices for the other positions.


----------



## Maxx134 (May 14, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> I have ordered the Benks case.





frost15 said:


> The Benks case is a must imo





aceedburn said:


> Indeed. It’s nice to hold





gearofwar said:


> Jude saw me using this case and he was against it, it is definitely not going to prevent the heavy drops





aceedburn said:


> Yeah it’s not designed to withstand heavy drops but I love it nonetheless




I been thru three different leather cases, and currently using this one,





with a nice hard case as well (which also hold the cable):







I needed this protection for my rock heavy 1z..

I was actually able to shove this in my front pocket!

Edit* I will try to find the links:
Here is the
Hard case

It's hard to find the leather case when it's discontinued and available in other places,


----------



## JerryHead (May 14, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> I been thru three different leather cases, and currently using this one,
> 
> 
> with a nice hard case as well (which also hold the cable):
> ...


Can you say what the black leather case is called, where you got it, and maybe a link to it?  And also the same for the hard case that also stores your items?  That link you provided isn't working.  Is it the same as this one?  https://www.amazon.com/Durable-Tough-Carrying-Storage-ZX300/dp/B07ML7B3GQ


----------



## Maxx134

JerryHead said:


> Can you say what the black leather case is called, where you got it, and maybe a link to it?  And also the same for the hard case that also stores your items?  That link you provided isn't working.  Is it the same as this one?  https://www.amazon.com/Durable-Tough-Carrying-Storage-ZX300/dp/B07ML7B3GQ


AliExpress for both:


...





But can't find the case now.


----------



## Maxx134

Also have that hard case on Amazon.


----------



## Maxx134 (May 14, 2020)

Ok, I found my leather case on Amazon as well:


Here is fixed link.

I used to own the more expensive thick Dignis case, but I didn't like the face exposed, so I got this one.
It was good coverage on the corners, which other folding types did not have (like the one with the stand).


----------



## JerryHead

Maxx134 said:


> Ok, I found my leather case on Amazon as well:
> 
> 
> Here is link.
> ...


Thanks, that one is a definite possibility for me.  I'd immediately get the Dignis if they still had it in this color, which I'm told has since been discontinued:  
https://www.ebay.com/itm/262872714687


----------



## Maxx134

JerryHead said:


> Thanks, that one is a definite possibility for me.  I'd immediately get the Dignis if they still had it in this color, which I'm told has since been discontinued:
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/262872714687


That's the one I had.
Found if you clean it with wet wipe, the ink rubs off a tiny bit each time.
Otherwise it's a really thick strong leather case, and very tight fit!

PM me if you want my used one.
I have to find it though..


----------



## JerryHead

Maxx134 said:


> That's the one I had.
> Found if you clean it with wet wipe, the ink rubs off a tiny bit each time.
> Otherwise it's a really thick strong leather case, and very tight fit!
> 
> ...


I just did, but also found it via the link below.  I can't tell if that site is legit or not though.  Ink rubbing off?  Maybe you used an alcohol-based wipe?  Might be why Dignis explained to me that the current version of their cases for our DAP is an "updated" model..
https://www.jmrsanaie.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=161989


----------



## bana

Maxx134 said:


> Ok, I found my leather case on Amazon as well:
> 
> 
> Here is fixed link.
> ...


+1 for this case. I have the light brown color, plus they can add your name/initials to the case.


----------



## JerryHead

bana said:


> +1 for this case. I have the light brown color, plus they can add your name/initials to the case.


Looks nice, thanks.  And not so expensive either..


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Bloody hell, was supposed to take delivery of MDR-1ZR's today, but package delayed due to "exceptional demand" by the courier 

133 hours but-in so far on the single-end, will have to go through it all again with the balanced...

Question: the *Dignis* case, where can I get this from (in Europe), I'm not getting much luck searching on Google?


----------



## Lookout57

JerryHead said:


> Cool, does the WM1A fit into the dock with the Dignis on?  Do you have a link to the dock btw?


It barely does and leaves a mark on the back of the case. I ended up taking the case off when it's in the dock and put it on when I take it out.


----------



## JerryHead

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Bloody hell, was supposed to take delivery of MDR-1ZR's today, but package delayed due to "exceptional demand" by the courier
> 
> 133 hours but-in so far on the single-end, will have to go through it all again with the balanced...
> 
> Question: the *Dignis* case, where can I get this from (in Europe), I'm not getting much luck searching on Google?


The combo of the WM1A and the Z1Rs must be pretty amazing, huh?


----------



## frost15

Maxx134 said:


> There have been consideral improvements since those Firmwares.
> 
> 
> Hmmm, I'm going to have to try that region again..
> ...


I'm gonna try that ZTAZ1 mod in the next hour. I will post my thoughts.


----------



## 515164

frost15 said:


> I'm gonna try that ZTAZ1 mod in the next hour. I will post my thoughts.



It may not work on the 1Z, as it's intended for the 1A.

Talking about installing it.


----------



## slumberman

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Question: the *Dignis* case, where can I get this from (in Europe), I'm not getting much luck searching on Google?



Nowhere in Europe. Asia or US are your only bets


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

JerryHead said:


> The combo of the WM1A and the Z1Rs must be pretty amazing, huh?



WM1Z... (although I'm thinking to get a 1A for taking to the office, etc.). As for the combination, will let you know when they turn up!

And after that I have the TA-1ZHE coming, interesting to see if that really adds...


----------



## Wietjunk

aceedburn said:


> The Miter Case is a great case for the 1A/Z. Great quality and doubles up as a stand as well. I had it for the longest time and only sold it because it didn’t fit into the sony dock. It’s here on amazon but you can also find it in various other online stores. https://www.amazon.com/Handmade-MITER-Leather-Case-Patented/dp/B07K46XQQG


I orderd the case at Amazon but the fit sucks to tight as the reviews  says, i sent it back.


----------



## slumberman

TheBonkingFrog said:


> WM1Z... (although I'm thinking to get a 1A for taking to the office, etc.). As for the combination, will let you know when they turn up!
> 
> And after that I have the TA-1ZHE coming, interesting to see if that really adds...



it does. I was on the same boat. Got the Walkman, then Z1R, wondered if the Tazzie would add anything to the recipe.... I am very happy I purchased it and it definitely makes the Z1R shine.


----------



## Hinomotocho

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Bloody hell, was supposed to take delivery of MDR-1ZR's today, but package delayed due to "exceptional demand" by the courier
> 
> 133 hours but-in so far on the single-end, will have to go through it all again with the balanced...
> 
> Question: the *Dignis* case, where can I get this from (in Europe), I'm not getting much luck searching on Google?


I have been impatiently checking the status of my WM1A delivery, would have had it in normal circumstances but found a link to new estimations, up to 15 days due to @#%&! virus lockdown online frenzy. It has given me some extra time to attempt to speed read some of this thread in preparation. 
I never had the energy to burn in the single end of my ZX300, I just put all my efforts into the balanced.


----------



## frost15

frost15 said:


> I'm gonna try that ZTAZ1 mod in the next hour. I will post my thoughts.


Nah, Autumn+ is still my prefered choice definitely.


----------



## 515164

frost15 said:


> Nah, Autumn+ is still my prefered choice definitely.



Just curious, did you had the chance to give a try to WM1Z² and to JustAnother WM1Z Tuning?


----------



## frost15

morgenstern09 said:


> Just curious, did you had the chance to give a try to WM1Z² and to JustAnother WM1Z Tuning?


I tried the JustAnother WM1Z tuning and I prefered the Autumn+. I have not tried WM1Z² though... How does it supposedly compare to the Autumn+?


----------



## Maxx134 (May 14, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> It may not work on the 1Z, as it's intended for the 1A.
> Talking about installing it.


I tried them all, and they worked on my 1z...
(!)





frost15 said:


> Nah, Autumn+ is still my prefered choice definitely.


 did you also try the others?
I'm guessing Autumn+ was more laid back?
I realize using EIMs everything is magnified.
I don't remember how Autumn+ sounded.
At that time I think I still preferred the planets solis.



Wietjunk said:


> I orderd the case at Amazon but the fit sucks to tight as the reviews  says, i sent it back.


I had that miter case for the 1a it fit, but the corners are exposed (!), So I moved onto the red dignis with the 1z.
That case is very tight!
Yet the leather was the most thick and stiff. Some users may like this, but
I personally didn't feel it was that important to me.

The black leather "EASECASE" case I'm using now has a more leather feel to it, and I preferred the style.


----------



## 515164

frost15 said:


> I tried the JustAnother WM1Z tuning and I prefered the Autumn+. I have not tried WM1Z² though... How does it supposedly compare to the Autumn+?



Unfortunately I couldn't test it myself at the time, as I don't own the device, but I received only good feedback about it from people who own the WM1Z.

Along the feedback was more organic sound, better instrument placement... It shouldn't be too overpowered compared to Autumn+.

I guess it will be better if you will just try it - if you are curious, of course, no pressure


----------



## frost15 (May 14, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> I tried them all, and they worked on my 1z...
> (!)
> 
> 
> ...


I listen to a lot of metal and Autumn+ makes the ideal drumming sound for my ears (with a fast deep punch). ZTAZ1 was more aggressive on the mids, but at the cost of less bass punch and detail.


----------



## Maxx134 (May 14, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> It may not work on the 1Z, as it's intended for the 1A.
> 
> Talking about installing it.


I didn't know, so I was just installing all of them lol

I noticed in general, the 1a firmware versions have a bit too much bass.

This must be to adjust to the different tonality of the players, as 1z naturally has more bass.

So I just compensated, by using the "region" with the least mid-bass, which is "CN".
This also happens to be one of the most resolving detailed "regions" .
So it balances out nicely.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Hinomotocho said:


> I have been impatiently checking the status of my WM1A delivery, would have had it in normal circumstances but found a link to new estimations, up to 15 days due to @#%&! virus lockdown online frenzy. It has given me some extra time to attempt to speed read some of this thread in preparation.
> I never had the energy to burn in the single end of my ZX300, I just put all my efforts into the balanced.



Indeed, it's a nightmare trying to buy stuff right now - it's taking two weeks from order to delivery from Amazon.  Still, who am I to complain who can afford to buy this stuff when there are terrible things going on in the world...

I've made it to page 500 with this thread, I go spend 30 minutes every morning on it while I'm in the sauna   



slumberman said:


> it does. I was on the same boat. Got the Walkman, then Z1R, wondered if the Tazzie would add anything to the recipe.... I am very happy I purchased it and it definitely makes the Z1R shine.



Looking forward to it


----------



## Maxx134

You can find more versions of the leather case on ebay:


----------



## JerryHead

Maxx134 said:


> You can find more versions of the leather case on ebay:


thanks, I'm leaning towards the Dignis at this point however.


----------



## gerelmx1986

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Indeed, it's a nightmare trying to buy stuff right now - it's taking two weeks from order to delivery from Amazon.  Still, who am I to complain who can afford to buy this stuff when there are terrible things going on in the world...
> 
> I've made it to page 500 with this thread, I go spend 30 minutes every morning on it while I'm in the sauna
> 
> ...


I have since 24th April a pending delivery of a two-SACD set... not yet show at home


----------



## Krutsch (May 14, 2020)

My WM1A showed up last night. Unboxed and charged the battery this morning. First thing I noticed, when I inserted my 1TB microSD with the the music I was carrying in my NW-A55: the Create Database is somewhat slower, but not so much so that it spoils the experience. The UI is almost identical to the '55s UI, so that made everything easy. I left the default Direct Source enabled.

Interestingly, the F/W version was 3.02, which is the newest version released in August of 2019; seems like this is a newly manufactured unit - which is great.

I will also add that pictures do not do justice to the heft and build quality of the WM1A - it just feels great in your hand and I love that the backing is non-slip, so I can set it down and it doesn't move around.

My first test was with 6.3mm SE headphone out into the NuForce amp, listening with HD-660S, just because that's what I've been listening to from my NW-A55. Louder, of course, but a quick listen wasn't immediately anything I could remark on (i.e. vs. the NW-A55 into the same amp and cans).

Then, I switched up to my HD-660S with the 4.4mm balanced cable, directly into the WM1A. Initial impressions are: very sweet sound. More full, lots of detail, good bass (no bloom, sharp attack), fluid mids, and without *any* listening fatigue (which is a problem for me with the NW-A55, IMO). So, mission accomplished and I am happy.

A volume of 100/120 is plenty loud for me with these 'phones and extended listening. However, when it's time to open the Scotch and loosen some tooth fillings, I need more volume. At full volume 120/120, it still sounds pretty clean and is pretty loud with the 660S - loud enough for most cases, I think, and too loud to extended listening (for me, anyway).

I was hoping for more... but, long term, I need to set Plan B into motion (which is to upgrade my home head-fi tube amp and bring the WA3 into the office to pair with the WM1A). I really with the Walkmans supported a Line Out function.

I have read that the FT CAPs on the WM1A/Z require about 200 hours of listening to fully realize their potential, so I will keep listening, knowing it's only going to get better.

EDIT: holy cow! I am listening to female vocals and the sound is incredible. Maybe Deafheaven wasn't the right first test album


----------



## JerryHead

Krutsch said:


> My WM1A showed up last night. Unboxed and charged the battery this morning. First thing I noticed, when I inserted my 1TB microSD with the the music I was carrying in my NW-A55: the Create Database is somewhat slower, but not so much so that it spoils the experience. The UI is almost identical to the '55s UI, so that made everything easy. I left the default Direct Source enabled.
> 
> Interestingly, the F/W version was 3.02, which is the newest version released in August of 2019; seems like this is a newly manufactured unit - which is great.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the mini-review.  Mine arrive tomorrow.  I also ordered a "returned - open box" set of Shure SRH1840 for the occasion.  Anyone have any experience with these cans with the WM1A?  Should I have gone with a set of HD660s instead?  I wanted open back.  And I so like the Shure SE846s that I thought I would stay brand loyal..


----------



## RONJA MESCO (May 14, 2020)

I saw this question several years ago but no concrete answer. I just got a 1A and its 'demo mode' is activated. I guess it's used when stores actually 'demo' it in their stores. That said, does anyone know how to turn this function off?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

JerryHead said:


> Thanks for the mini-review.  Mine arrive tomorrow.  I also ordered a "returned - open box" set of Shure SRH1840 for the occasion.  Anyone have any experience with these cans with the WM1A?  Should I have gone with a set of HD660s instead?  I wanted open back.  And I so like the Shure SE846s that I thought I would stay brand loyal..


I think you'll be happy with Shure SRH1840, it should sound pretty good with a burned in WM1A given its 65 ohms. Just read its review in Amazon, and given the so many different FWs available, you'll bound to find a few FWs here that would make this heaphone sounds really good. The important thing is that you used the 4.4 mm balanced cable and 1A needs to be burned in at least 200 hrs, more like 400-500 hours.

Same with Krutch's Senn HD-660S, play around with high gain, it should provide more power and a little different sound signature.


----------



## 515164

RONJA MESCO said:


> I saw this question several years ago but no concrete answer. I just got a 1A and its 'demo mode' is activated. I guess it's used when stores actually 'demo' it in their stores. That said, does anyone know how to turn this function off?



Did you try just flashing the stock firmware available on Sony's website?


----------



## RONJA MESCO

morgenstern09 said:


> Did you try just flashing the stock firmware available on Sony's website?


No.. Lemme try that. Thanks. At least I have a direction


----------



## 515164 (May 14, 2020)

RONJA MESCO said:


> No.. Lemme try that. Thanks. At least I have a direction



I would also recommend to Restore to Factory Configuration, in Settings > Device Settings > Reset/Format.


----------



## Krutsch

JerryHead said:


> Thanks for the mini-review.  Mine arrive tomorrow.  I also ordered a "returned - open box" set of Shure SRH1840 for the occasion.  Anyone have any experience with these cans with the WM1A?  Should I have gone with a set of HD660s instead?  I wanted open back.  *And I so like the Shure SE846s *that I thought I would stay brand loyal..



I have those, as well. I ordered the Sony/Kimber balanced cable for my SE846s and I can't wait to try these out.


----------



## RONJA MESCO

morgenstern09 said:


> I would also recommend to Restore to Factory Configuration, in Settings > Device Settings > Reset/Format.


Thanks... I'll try that too.


----------



## Krutsch

Krutsch said:


> I have those, as well. I ordered the Sony/Kimber balanced cable for my SE846s and I can't wait to try these out.



I plugged in my SE846 + Moon Audio Silver Dragon cables and listened to Everything But The Girl's "Amplified Heart". I am super impressed with the sound from the WM1A. I may not be heating up the tubes at my desk for a while.

I would not have believed that a DAP could sound this good.


----------



## JerryHead

hamhamhamsta said:


> I think you'll be happy with Shure SRH1840, it should sound pretty good with a burned in WM1A given its 65 ohms. Just read its review in Amazon, and given the so many different FWs available, you'll bound to find a few FWs here that would make this heaphone sounds really good. The important thing is that you used the 4.4 mm balanced cable and 1A needs to be burned in at least 200 hrs, more like 400-500 hours.
> 
> Same with Krutch's Senn HD-660S, play around with high gain, it should provide more power and a little different sound signature.


Great, thanks for your feedback.  It's going to be years before I burn in 400-500 hours.  I just don't have that much time to do so.  Even 200 will probably take me over a year or more.  Hopefully it's going to still sound damn good without the burning in.  Anyone else use this combo?  the WM1A with the Shure SRH1840 cans?


----------



## Queen6

JerryHead said:


> Great, thanks for your feedback.  It's going to be years before I burn in 400-500 hours.  I just don't have that much time to do so.  Even 200 will probably take me over a year or more.  Hopefully it's going to still sound damn good without the burning in.  Anyone else use this combo?  the WM1A with the Shure SRH1840 cans?



Just play and enjoy, let the hours build naturally don't worry about it. There's is a difference, equally not night & day, just more refined. As ever focus on your music not the rhetoric as that's the source at the end of the day...

Q-6


----------



## Krutsch

Krutsch said:


> ...
> I would not have believed that a DAP could sound this good.



I made a mistake. I should have dug deep for the WM1Z, because after today, the purchase is inevitable.


----------



## JerryHead (May 14, 2020)

Krutsch said:


> I made a mistake. I should have dug deep for the WM1Z, because after today, the purchase is inevitable.


Uh oh.  Really?  You're thinking the difference is that significant?  The first reviewer on the Amazon listing page states, "Must have item even if you have to sell your children."  Not sure how the wife would feel about that.


----------



## 515164

JerryHead said:


> Uh oh.  Really?  You're thinking the difference is that significant?  The first reviewer on the Amazon listing page states, "Must have item even if you have to sell your children."  Not sure how the wife would feel about that.



If you can afford spending the money, then why not?

I would for sure first try tuning mods (the only current way of modding without spending money), for example, as they certainly close the gap between a stock 1A and a 1Z.


----------



## JerryHead

hey guys, can the WM1A be used as an external DAC?  I would like to use it this way with my iPhone X as I did with the ZX300.  I still have my Apple camera USB3 connector for this.


----------



## nc8000

JerryHead said:


> hey guys, can the WM1A be used as an external DAC?  I would like to use it this way with my iPhone X as I did with the ZX300.  I still have my Apple camera USB3 connector for this.



Yes. And as BT receiver


----------



## Queen6

Toyah - The Blue Meaning




You were either there or you weren't, time and a place.  As good as the album ever was, especially with WM1A, the DAP captures the album beautifully.  My ZX300 simply can't compete with it's bigger brother, 1A nails it. The additional resolution and power, especially on 4.4 balanced WOW.

Toyah has never sounded this good outside of a live performance - Ieya & She are standout tracks, WM1A with Sony's XBA-N3 & own Kimber Kable delivers a less V shaped signature than the stock single stranded cable, without reducing the impactful bass or spoiling the tonality, begs one to push the volume... 

Our feet were never _chained to the floor_ We went wild with She & Danced, WM1A brings it all back and then some...

Q-6


----------



## RobertP

At this point, I have to confess one thing. WM1A can easily surpass the 1Z counterpart with the right modified firmware. It's extremely hard but the result is jaw dropping.

And wow! We are already at 2500 page.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Queen6 said:


> Toyah - The Blue Meaning
> 
> You were either there or you weren't, time and a place.  As good as the album ever was, especially with WM1A, the DAP captures the album beautifully.  My ZX300 simply can't compete with it's bigger brother, 1A nails it. The additional resolution and power, especially on 4.4 balanced WOW.
> 
> ...



Saw her live in the 90's, playing with her husband Robert Fripp and the future King Crimson bass player Trey Gunn. Great gig!


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 15, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> Thanks, the Dignis does look like the better bet.  I'll wait to be sure I want to keep the unit before ordering, but from what you guys are saying, sounds like it's inevitable.  I do miss the SQ of the ZX2 while I've had the ZX300, but don't miss the super slow, laggy interface.  I just couldn't tolerate that after a while.  So I'm crossing my fingers I'll be at least just as impressed by the SQ of the WM1A, and possibly more!!!



I didn’t spend that much time with the ZX300 but it is very different than the 1A. The 1A is more detail-driven and lacks the slow tube sound which seems to dominate the ZX300. The 1A offers an unique signature which can even be brought higher with aftermarket firmware unlocking the hidden potential at hand. Enjoy! You’ll be amazed how good it is, once it’s burned in and your used to it.


----------



## Hinomotocho (May 15, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> I didn’t spend that much time with the ZX300 but it is very different than the 1A. The 1A is more detail-driven and lacks the slow tube sound which seems to dominate the ZX300. The 1A offers an unique signature which can even be brought higher with aftermarket firmware unlocking the hidden potential at hand. Enjoy! You’ll be amazed how good it is, once it’s burned in and your used to it.


From my hours and days of scouring the internet for reasons to upgrade, in a couple of sentences you have given the most concise to the point description and boost for someone deciding between the two.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Krutsch said:


> I made a mistake. I should have dug deep for the WM1Z, because after today, the purchase is inevitable.


I tried it in Berlin sony store, I did not note a my huge difference versus my 1A, only if it was some difference it noticed it on solo instrumental tracks (solo piano , solo violin) the sound was so natural so analogue it added something special to the notes, that cannot remember


----------



## proedros

Queen6 said:


> Toyah - The Blue Meaning
> 
> You were either there or you weren't, time and a place.  As good as the album ever was, especially with WM1A, the DAP captures the album beautifully.  My ZX300 simply can't compete with it's bigger brother, 1A nails it. The additional resolution and power, especially on 4.4 balanced WOW.
> 
> ...



Toyah is one sexy fox , and she is married to the genius Robert Fripp (aka the KC mastermind) so extra points there too

Gives me hope , that maybe all us smart dudes may eventually find a woman who is hot AND super smart (not many women around like this, but we can at least hope, right ?)


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I tried it in Berlin sony store, I did not note a my huge difference versus my 1A, only if it was some difference it noticed it on solo instrumental tracks (solo piano , solo violin) the sound was so natural so analogue it added something special to the notes, that cannot remember



I was not able to hear either before buying but as I at the time could afford the 1Z plus wanted the most storage I just went with the 1Z and have loved it since but suspect I would have been happy with the 1A as well which is what I would buy today as I can’t afford the price of a 1Z now


----------



## TheBonkingFrog (May 15, 2020)

So, these just arrived 😊

Burn-in all over again... 

A very quick listen (as I'm on a conference call) - really laid-back, super bass - quite fat, but precise. Mids seem a bit recessed, treble is very present, but mellow. Great sound-stage and very revealing.

HD600's sound harsh by comparison.

The drivers are real bigly!!






Spoiler: Unboxing Photos


----------



## gerelmx1986

To anyone who wants to accelerate the turn-in process leave your.player playing 24/7, you'll achieve the Burn-in target in 9 days


----------



## JerryHead

gerelmx1986 said:


> To anyone who wants to accelerate the turn-in process leave your.player playing 24/7, you'll achieve the Burn-in target in 9 days


 Besides some possible premature wear on the battery, can doing this be harmful to the unit in any way?  (Incidentally, can the battery ever be replaced by Sony on the WM1A?)


----------



## nc8000

JerryHead said:


> Besides some possible premature wear on the battery, can doing this be harmful to the unit in any way?  (Incidentally, can the battery ever be replaced by Sony on the WM1A?)



It should not damage the battery, that is what I initially did and mine is still essentially as when new after 3 1/2 years. 

Replacement batteries can be bought and there are companies and individuals who have replaced them. Wether Sony will do it I have no idea, I don’t expect it to be relevant for me for nother 5-6 years with my use pattern


----------



## gerelmx1986

Im glad I have all sony chain IER-Z1R,  IER-M7,  MDR-Z1R  and NW-WM1A  NW-A55L. s cually on the headphones.

After watching the.movie about Edward Snowden... let me skeptic about american made IEMs (Noble, audeze, campfire and others) if they can spy on you by capturing your voice... an HP is basically ally a microphone. Especially if we talk many have android DAPs (internet connection)


----------



## chrisgtl

Currently have the IER-Z1R and a Mojo.

Looking for a more portable setup. Anyone with WM1A or WM1Z compared to the Mojo? I wouldn't want to 'downgrade' by selling the Mojo.

Also, what are the biggest differences between WM1A and WM1Z? The weight of the 1Z puts me off but would make an exception if it's worlds apart from the 1A.


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> skeptic about american made IEMs



I'm pretty sure every headphone/IEM can act like a (really bad quality) mic, though I am not so sure about balanced armature ones.

It would be more like the DAP that could "spy" on you (if it has internet), and that would only be doable when you're not listening to music... They would have to make the output (2.5/3.5/4.4) act like an input when the DAP is not playing music I guess.

First, this is a bit far-fetched, and second, they can listen to me all day, they will hear nothing interesting anyway, especially through a headphone/IEM that is not made to capture sound.


----------



## nc8000

chrisgtl said:


> Currently have the IER-Z1R and a Mojo.
> 
> Looking for a more portable setup. Anyone with WM1A or WM1Z compared to the Mojo? I wouldn't want to 'downgrade' by selling the Mojo.
> 
> Also, what are the biggest differences between WM1A and WM1Z? The weight of the 1Z puts me off but would make an exception if it's worlds apart from the 1A.



1Z is probably better than 1A, but if the difference can justify the price only you can say and there are indeed people who prefer the 1A sound sig to that of the 1Z. I doubt either would be a downgrade from the Mojo but it will most certainly be a different sound so again comes down to your preferences


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

nc8000 said:


> It should not damage the battery, that is what I initially did and mine is still essentially as when new after 3 1/2 years.
> 
> Replacement batteries can be bought and there are companies and individuals who have replaced them. Wether Sony will do it I have no idea, I don’t expect it to be relevant for me for nother 5-6 years with my use pattern



And you can check the "battery care" box so it only charges to 90%


----------



## gerelmx1986

morgenstern09 said:


> I'm pretty sure every headphone/IEM can act like a (really bad quality) mic, though I am not so sure about balanced armature ones.
> 
> It would be more like the DAP that could "spy" on you (if it has internet), and that would only be doable when you're not listening to music... They would have to make the output (2.5/3.5/4.4) act like an input when the DAP is not playing music I guess.
> 
> First, this is a bit far-fetched, and second, they can listen to me all day, they will hear nothing interesting anyway, especially through a headphone/IEM that is not made to capture sound.


Haha perhaps I am being overly paranoid lol as my spouse.told me he experimented recording audio with loudspeakers acting as mic


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

nc8000 said:


> 1Z is probably better than 1A, but if the difference can justify the price only you can say and there are indeed people who prefer the 1A sound sig to that of the 1Z. I doubt either would be a downgrade from the Mojo but it will most certainly be a different sound so again comes down to your preferences



I'm working my way through this thread from the beginning and there are some 1Z/Mojo comparisons. Typically some say they prefer the Mojo, others that they've sold the Mojo to keep the Sony. The general comment favourable to Mojo is that it's a more "exciting" and digital listen, if that makes sense, The 1A and especially the 1Z is more laid-back and analogue - valve and tube are words that often bet bandied around.


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> Haha perhaps I am being overly paranoid lol as my spouse.told me he experimented recording audio with loudspeakers acting as mic



Yep, you can do that, but it's basically normal that it can also capture sound. 

The sound will vibrate the speaker's diaphragm, which in turn moves the coil which produces electric signals.


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> Yep, you can do that, but it's basically normal that it can also capture sound.
> 
> The sound will vibrate the speaker's diaphragm, which in turn moves the coil which produces electric signals.



And spies can detect vibrations in a window pane from talk from a distance


----------



## 515164

nc8000 said:


> And spies can detect vibrations in a window pane from talk from a distance



Well, not sure if you're sarcastic or not, but you can indeed capture sound with a speaker. It's just that it's not made to capture sound and it will not really capture something necessarily useful.


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> Well, not sure if you're sarcastic or not, but you can indeed capture sound with a speaker. It's just that it's not made to capture sound and it will not really capture something necessarily useful.



No I was not being sarcastic, I actually meant it


----------



## Krutsch

morgenstern09 said:


> If you can afford spending the money, then why not?
> 
> I would for sure first try tuning mods (the only current way of modding without spending money), for example, as they certainly close the gap between a stock 1A and a 1Z.



Good advice.

I am going to first get through the burn-in timeline, acclimate with my new (incoming) SE846 balanced cables, then I will plunge into F/W mods.


----------



## JerryHead

Krutsch said:


> Good advice.
> 
> I am going to first get through the burn-in timeline, acclimate with my new (incoming) SE846 balanced cables, then I will plunge into F/W mods.


I plan on doing the same, with my SE846s and also my Shure SRH1840s..


----------



## ttt123

nc8000 said:


> No I was not being sarcastic, I actually meant it


Yep, using a laser microphone to read the vibrations off a glass window pane to monitor what is being talked about inside the room is common technology.  
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_microphone

Here's a commercial set up:
http://www.pki-electronic.com/products/audio-surveillance-equipment/laser-monitoring-system/


----------



## JerryHead

hamhamhamsta said:


> I think you'll be happy with Shure SRH1840, it should sound pretty good with a burned in WM1A given its 65 ohms. Just read its review in Amazon, and given the so many different FWs available, you'll bound to find a few FWs here that would make this heaphone sounds really good. The important thing is that you used the 4.4 mm balanced cable and 1A needs to be burned in at least 200 hrs, more like 400-500 hours.
> 
> Same with Krutch's Senn HD-660S, play around with high gain, it should provide more power and a little different sound signature.


So, with the 65 ohms of the Shure SRH1840s, there's no possibility I can over time damage the WM1A or the headphones with this combo, right?  Just want to make sure..


----------



## 515164

JerryHead said:


> So, with the 65 ohms of the Shure SRH1840s, there's no possibility I can over time damage the WM1A or the headphones with this combo, right?  Just want to make sure..



Hmm, why do you think that? Using Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 250 Ohm on the single ended output and it works like charm. They are pretty efficient anyway, so they can sound louder than other 250 Ohm headphones at the same volume.

Using them on the balanced connector would require modding of the headphone, as it can't accept balanced connections normally.


----------



## proedros (May 15, 2020)

chrisgtl said:


> Currently have the IER-Z1R and a Mojo.
> 
> Looking for a more portable setup. Anyone with WM1A or WM1Z compared to the Mojo?* I wouldn't want to 'downgrade' by selling the Mojo.*
> 
> Also, what are the biggest differences between WM1A and WM1Z? *The weight of the 1Z puts me off but* *would make an exception if it's worlds apart from the 1A.*



*WM1A* is what you need , based on the 2 bold parts.


----------



## JerryHead (May 15, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> Hmm, why do you think that? Using Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 250 Ohm on the single ended output and it works like charm. They are pretty efficient anyway, so they can sound louder than other 250 Ohm headphones at the same volume.
> 
> Using them on the balanced connector would require modding of the headphone, as it can't accept balanced connections normally.


What?!  So, I can't just simply plug those headphones into the balanced (4.4) input of the WM1A for a balanced connection?  I would need to modify something?!  Uh-oh, sounds like I need to cancel that headphone purchase..  The Shure SRH1840 can't accept a balanced connection?  I'd only be able to plug them into the SE on the WM1A?


----------



## 515164

JerryHead said:


> What?!  So, I can't just simply plug those headphones into the balanced (4.4) input of the WM1A for a balanced connection?  I would need to modify something?!  Uh-oh, sounds like I need to cancel that headphone purchase..  The Shure SRH1840 can't accept a balanced connection?  I'd only be able to plug them into the SE on the WM1A?



I was talking about the Beyerdynamic headphones  No idea about the Shure.


----------



## JerryHead

morgenstern09 said:


> I was talking about the Beyerdynamic headphones  No idea about the Shure.


oh, okay, how do I determine if the Shures can accept balanced connections normally?  I wasn't able to find anything on the product page that they were balanced, but I just assumed that they were..


----------



## nc8000

JerryHead said:


> oh, okay, how do I determine if the Shures can accept balanced connections normally?  I wasn't able to find anything on the product page that they were balanced, but I just assumed that they were..



Balanced requires a cable with 2 individual wires per side all the way from the driver to the terminating plug at the source end. Many headphone cables only have 2 wires per side from cuo to the Y join and then join the 2 ground wires and only run 3 wires to the plug (even worse for single entry phones). It looks like the Shure have a detachable 2 sided cable so with the right cable it should be possible to make them balanced


----------



## JerryHead (May 15, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Balanced requires a cable with 2 individual wires per side all the way from the driver to the terminating plug at the source end. Many headphone cables only have 2 wires per side from cuo to the Y join and then join the 2 ground wires and only run 3 wires to the plug (even worse for single entry phones). It looks like the Shure have a detachable 2 sided cable so with the right cable it should be possible to make them balanced


So does it not look like the included cable will allow me to do this without any modification?  Or am I looking at needing to purchase a different cable?


----------



## 515164

JerryHead said:


> So does it not look like the included cable will allow me to do this without any modification?  Or am I looking at needing to purchase a different cable?



Yes, you would need a different cable. The one provided with the headphones is not balanced.

https://www.shure.com/en-US/products/accessories/hpasca2


----------



## nc8000

JerryHead said:


> So does it not look like the included cable will allow me to do this without any modification?  Or am I looking at needing to purchase a different cable?



If the included cable runs all 4 wires from the Y-join to the single ended plug you can cut that plug of and solder a balanced plug on. If it only runs 3 wires from the Y-join to the single ended plug you need a different cable. And the only way to find out is to cut the cable


----------



## JerryHead

nc8000 said:


> If the included cable runs all 4 wires from the Y-join to the single ended plug you can cut that plug of and solder a balanced plug on. If it only runs 3 wires from the Y-join to the single ended plug you need a different cable. And the only way to find out is to cut the cable


Well, Im not up for soldering.  Anyone have a recommendation for a good balanced cable for under $100 to use with these headphones?  I believe they need the MMCX connectors


----------



## nc8000

JerryHead said:


> Well, Im not up for soldering.  Anyone have a recommendation for a good balanced cable for under $100 to use with these headphones?  I believe they need the MMCX connectors



Here is one option but I have no experience with it or the seller

https://www.surfcables.com/products/shure-srh-1540-cables?variant=39140848259


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

These guys appear to make a balanced cable for Shure IEM's https://www.linum.dk/products/linum-balanced/

I also read that one of the Sony Kimber cables does the job too, but don't know which one.

I'll also be looking for a balanced for my SE846 when I receive them.


----------



## nc8000

TheBonkingFrog said:


> These guys appear to make a balanced cable for Shure IEM's https://www.linum.dk/products/linum-balanced/
> 
> I also read that one of the Sony Kimber cables does the job too, but don't know which one.
> 
> I'll also be looking for a balanced for my SE846 when I receive them.



The Linum SuperBax is an excelent cable but hardly around $100. I got one of the very first ones when it came out several years ago and had a friend reterminate it to 4.4 mm for use with my 1Z and JH13 customs


----------



## JerryHead

nc8000 said:


> Here is one option but I have no experience with it or the seller
> 
> https://www.surfcables.com/products/shure-srh-1540-cables?variant=39140848259


Thanks!  This looks perfect!  And the seller looks reputable and not far from where I live.  Am I going to notice a difference in SQ between the Standard (24OWG) and the OCC versions of this cable?  they're a $90 difference..


----------



## Maxx134 (May 15, 2020)

chrisgtl said:


> Anyone with WM1A or WM1Z compared to the Mojo?


Ok.
I had mojo, then ifi iDSD BL, then Fiio m11, Sony 1a, now Sony wm1z.

If your ears are used the the mojo, then certainly you would be able to hear the improvements in other units.

The mojo has a narrow, soft dulled sound, with actually very good image holography,   which is probably due to crosstalk.
It's dac is not delta-sigma but a specific FPGA chip, so, like the sony, has a more non-solidstate sound.

The issue is that your comparing a turtle to a leopard.
Notice I did not pick machine type (car) analogy, as these are both non-solidstate, so more liquid& alive type dac chips.

Ok so when you switch from a dull, narrow, soft, nice and forgiving sound....
To a well balanced, realistic, organic free, holographic, detailed desktop level sound, then you may wonder how you have lived, not knowing the full beauty of life (in your recordings)...
That's what the WM1a/1z brings.


----------



## psikey (May 15, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> Well, Im not up for soldering.  Anyone have a recommendation for a good balanced cable for under $100 to use with these headphones?  I believe they need the MMCX connectors



I've no experience of these but not standard mmcx by the looks of it

https://www.surfcables.com/products/shure-srh-1540-cables Can choose end connector type (2.5mm/4.4mm etc.)

_"Our cables use a narrow MMCX type of connector which perfectly mates with each earcup on these headphones "_

Oops just realised linked above.

As for "hear difference" vs cable type, with my 8 Ohm Shure SE846 I can hear a difference if the cable adds more resistance than another cable slightly. Nothing major with cable material IMO.


----------



## nc8000

JerryHead said:


> Thanks!  This looks perfect!  And the seller looks reputable and not far from where I live.  Am I going to notice a difference in SQ between the Standard (24OWG) and the OCC versions of this cable?  they're a $90 difference..



No idea as I am neither familiar with the headphone nor any of the cables


----------



## hamhamhamsta

JerryHead said:


> Thanks!  This looks perfect!  And the seller looks reputable and not far from where I live.  Am I going to notice a difference in SQ between the Standard (24OWG) and the OCC versions of this cable?  they're a $90 difference..


Get the more expensive one, it seems to be better build and from description, sounds better than the regular one. The goal is to maximize sound quality as you’ll be enjoying these for months ahead. It make more sense to do that.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Well for those that didn't know, balanced output has a much lower sound-floor, hiss in particular is almost eliminated. First time I ever hear a balanced output and I'm well impressed.

Uncapped volumes:

HD600's (300ohm) : 95-105
MDR-1ZR (64ohm) : 75 - 85
SE535 (36ohm) : 45 - 55
MDR-Z1R's indeed sound like speakers. Takes some getting used to, especially the huge (but not floppy) bass. It's like a tight subwoofer.


----------



## JerryHead

psikey said:


> I've no experience of these but not standard mmcx by the looks of it
> 
> https://www.surfcables.com/products/shure-srh-1540-cables Can choose end connector type (2.5mm/4.4mm etc.)
> 
> ...


HA!  Didn't expect you to be watching this thread Psikey.  I didn't think you were concerned with Sony DAPs any longer.  Do you own a WM1A or 1Z?


----------



## nc8000

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Well for those that didn't know, balanced output has a much lower sound-floor, hiss in particular is almost eliminated. First time I ever hear a balanced output and I'm well impressed.
> 
> Uncapped volumes:
> 
> ...



Lower noise floor is usual with balanced probably mostly due to eliminating the common ground


----------



## psikey

JerryHead said:


> HA!  Didn't expect you to be watching this thread Psikey.  I didn't think you were concerned with Sony DAPs any longer.  Do you own a WM1A or 1Z?



Always interested in Sony DAP's. Not interested in this one, but wanted to see if any info in here regarding its replacement.

I have just ordered a Japanese import ZX507 as do love the design/usage but not with the UK volume cap. Managed to pickup a Used/New condition off Amazon Japan for a reasonable price imported to UK. Will still be keeping/using my BTR5 too.


----------



## gearofwar

RobertP said:


> A much better version will come soon when it ready.


----------



## Hinomotocho

JerryHead said:


> Besides some possible premature wear on the battery, can doing this be harmful to the unit in any way?  (Incidentally, can the battery ever be replaced by Sony on the WM1A?)


I wonder if there is a difference between a constant burn in where it is a continual 200 hour current (or whatever) running through the parts and on/off listening periods eg. does several 1/2 hour listening periods 'warm up' the parts and burn in as well as a constant multiple hour period? I am not talking about temperature.


----------



## JerryHead

Hinomotocho said:


> I wonder if there is a difference between a constant burn in where it is a continual 200 hour current (or whatever) running through the parts and on/off listening periods eg. does several 1/2 hour listening periods 'warm up' the parts and burn in as well as a constant multiple hour period? I am not talking about temperature.


That's a real good question.  I was assuming not, but now wondering as well.
BTW, I accidentally purchased a brand new genuine Sony MUC-M12SM2 cable (3.5mm end) if anyone is interested in purchasing it from me.  You can't find them in North America.  I had it sent from Asia, and it turned out to be an accidental purchase as I anticipate only listening to my DAPs through their balanced connections.


----------



## Hinomotocho

My listening time is usually brief - over 2 years of owning my ZX300 and I've only got 500 hours on it and about 100 of that was pure burn in. Life is a journey to be enjoyed, but as you get older time flies so I am thinking when I get mine I go all out for 200 with battery care on. Most people's comments on battery life is really positive so I'm going to put aside my overly protective battery approach and go for it.


----------



## bflat

I have a little but annoying issue with my WM1z. This existed before and after my K-Mod so definitely net related and the issue is purely digital. Occasionally, like 1 in 100 times I will come across a track that won't play or has a sec or 2 of static while playing. Each time, I re-copy the same file I originally copied to WM1z and it fixes the problem every time. It can't be a bad copy because unlike audio streaming, data transfer over USB has error correction built in. I'm thinking about just recopying every single file over because even though this happens very infrequently, that static sounds always catches me by surprise and makes my heart skip a beat. Anyone have an ideas on this? All my files are ALAC. Maybe my SD Card (Samsung 512 GB EVO) is faulty?


----------



## 515164

bflat said:


> I have a little but annoying issue with my WM1z. This existed before and after my K-Mod so definitely net related and the issue is purely digital. Occasionally, like 1 in 100 times I will come across a track that won't play or has a sec or 2 of static while playing. Each time, I re-copy the same file I originally copied to WM1z and it fixes the problem every time. It can't be a bad copy because unlike audio streaming, data transfer over USB has error correction built in. I'm thinking about just recopying every single file over because even though this happens very infrequently, that static sounds always catches me by surprise and makes my heart skip a beat. Anyone have an ideas on this? All my files are ALAC. Maybe my SD Card (Samsung 512 GB EVO) is faulty?



Are you sure it's not just the player switching relays? While switching relays, there will be a small pause before the music will start playing.


----------



## bflat

morgenstern09 said:


> Are you sure it's not just the player switching relays? While switching relays, there will be a small pause before the music will start playing.



Definitely not sample rate changing. That wouldn't explain tracks that don't play at all. Also the static I hear happens randomly throughout a given track - a few seconds in, in the middle, towards the end)

I should add once I hear the issue on a track, I can reproduce it 100% until I re-copy the original file.


----------



## 515164

bflat said:


> Definitely not sample rate changing. That wouldn't explain tracks that don't play at all. Also the static I hear happens randomly throughout a given track - a few seconds in, in the middle, towards the end)
> 
> I should add once I hear the issue on a track, I can reproduce it 100% until I re-copy the original file.



That's weird indeed.

Are you sure that recopying the file solves the issue or just the fact that you go to mass storage and then the player does that scan? I would also test this, and maybe restarting the player, in order to be sure that it's not just the player doing this, and it's the card.


----------



## bflat

morgenstern09 said:


> That's weird indeed.
> 
> Are you sure that recopying the file solves the issue or just the fact that you go to mass storage and then the player does that scan? I would also test this, and maybe restarting the player, in order to be sure that it's not just the player doing this, and it's the card.



It could be, but the only way to re-scan is to copy the file again so that date stamp changes to trigger re-scan. Ever since 3.02 when Sony firmware fixed the slow scan in 3.01, it is now an increment scan that only indexes new files added from last startup. Just restarting doesn't solve the issue either. I think I am just going to wipe and recopy all my files overnight and then go from there.


----------



## Blueoris

What is your favorite way for listening to redbook CD quality files stored in an Android phone? LDAC Bluetooth or wired connection?


----------



## Mindstorms

JerryHead said:


> Thanks everyone.  When you scour the internet, and read absolutely everything you can about a product such as a DAP, you end up reading a lot of conflicting information, and after a while, become unsure who to believe.  I'll just have to wait for it.  the WM1A is almost five years old now, and so buying anything that dated, that costs this much, makes me anxious.  But I'm all about SQ.  If this is still up there as Sony's Flagship for a reason, I'm psyched!


Wy dont you demo it!


----------



## Mindstorms

Lookout57 said:


> I started with a WM1Z and picked up the ZX300 to use for traveling on the train. But after a couple of weeks I found it lacking. I gave the ZX300 to the wife and bought a WM1A and couldn't be happier. The WM1A sounds so much better and with the WM1Z² tuning it's even closer to the WM1Z in sound.


have you installed a 1Z Fw on your 1A i did not understand...


----------



## JerryHead

Mindstorms said:


> Wy dont you demo it!


Too late.  It came this afternoon.  Just charging it up.  I did listen to a few tracks and liked what I heard.  It was almost like I had my ole Z2 back, but it does seem as if it's going to need some burn in, or alternate tunings, or something.  I haven't had much time with it yet to make a decision on what I think.  (listening with my Shure SE846s).  In some ways, I am demo-ing it, as if I don't like, I can send it back, but I'm thinking that's unlikely at this point.


----------



## Mindstorms

JerryHead said:


> Actually I just rewatched that video.  Isn’t he basically saying the WM1A is just a slightly more powerful version of the zx300?  That otherwise they’re the same?  I was hoping not.


No its not i can assure its diferent In the bass department and power output.. but zx300 its dead silent and also a very good DAP


----------



## Mindstorms

JerryHead said:


> Too late.  It came this afternoon.  Just charging it up.  I did listen to a few tracks and liked what I heard.  It was almost like I had my ole Z2 back, but it does seem as if it's going to need some burn in, or alternate tunings, or something.  I haven't had much time with it yet to make a decision on what I think.  (listening with my Shure SE846s).  In some ways, I am demo-ing it, as if I don't like, I can send it back, but I'm thinking that's unlikely at this point.


1A changes after 450 Hours and varies with firmwares and regions I will help you


----------



## JerryHead (May 16, 2020)

Mindstorms said:


> 1A changes after 450 Hours and varies with firmwares and regions I will help you


Thanks, okay, I'm listening more now, and the soundstage, separation, the bass, are all incredible.  I'm listening to a DSD of the self titled album by The Band, and can hear instruments in ways I've never heard them before, and instruments, vocals are unbelievably separated out.  One singer is off in one corner, the other singer is much closer on the other side.  Pretty cool!


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> It could be, but the only way to re-scan is to copy the file again so that date stamp changes to trigger re-scan. Ever since 3.02 when Sony firmware fixed the slow scan in 3.01, it is now an increment scan that only indexes new files added from last startup. Just restarting doesn't solve the issue either. I think I am just going to wipe and recopy all my files overnight and then go from there.



You can go into settings and force a full rescan


----------



## gerelmx1986

bflat said:


> I have a little but annoying issue with my WM1z. This existed before and after my K-Mod so definitely net related and the issue is purely digital. Occasionally, like 1 in 100 times I will come across a track that won't play or has a sec or 2 of static while playing. Each time, I re-copy the same file I originally copied to WM1z and it fixes the problem every time. It can't be a bad copy because unlike audio streaming, data transfer over USB has error correction built in. I'm thinking about just recopying every single file over because even though this happens very infrequently, that static sounds always catches me by surprise and makes my heart skip a beat. Anyone have an ideas on this? All my files are ALAC. Maybe my SD Card (Samsung 512 GB EVO) is faulty?


I've ran into same issue, I must also recopy the file. But I also analyze the flac for corruption with the CRC32 checksum and it is fine... I have 1TB sandisk


----------



## aceedburn

gerelmx1986 said:


> I've ran into same issue, I must also recopy the file. But I also analyze the flac for corruption with the CRC32 checksum and it is fine... I have 1TB sandisk


Is your player modded?


----------



## gerelmx1986

There is one poor soul with his walkman stuck in demo.mode, perhaps the service manual provides us with a boot sequence to enter to the secret menu?


----------



## gerelmx1986

aceedburn said:


> Is your player modded?


Nope, hardware wise, firmware wise yes with DMP-Z1 v1.02


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> There is one poor soul with his walkman stuck in demo.mode, perhaps the service manual provides us with a boot sequence to enter to the secret menu?



No, it doesn't. Also, for previous players the test menu was not helping with turning off the demo mode either.


----------



## Gamerlingual

So what is the consensus on this player? Is it still worth it if the cheapest price is $1600? I bought the FiiO M6 and iFi Hip DAC and wonder if together in specs, if it is comparable to the WM1Z? I bought the Sony IER-Z1R which I'll receive on Monday, and testing it with the Hip DAC M6 together yielded wonderful results.


----------



## gerelmx1986

morgenstern09 said:


> No, it doesn't. Also, for previous players the test menu was not helping with turning off the demo mode either.


Thanks, then perhaps @RONJA MESCO  may need to ask for a refund or that the shop send him a new unit


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks, then perhaps @RONJA MESCO  may need to ask for a refund or that the shop send him a new unit



Maybe, he didn't say that he tried resetting or stock firmware flashing and none worked.


----------



## 515164

Gamerlingual said:


> So what is the consensus on this player? Is it still worth it if the cheapest price is $1600? I bought the FiiO M6 and iFi Hip DAC and wonder if together in specs, if it is comparable to the WM1Z? I bought the Sony IER-Z1R which I'll receive on Monday, and testing it with the Hip DAC M6 together yielded wonderful results.



I'm pretty sure it's not even comparable to WM1A, not talking about 1Z.

I recommend reading this thread several pages back (maybe 20), you will read some reasons why I say this.


----------



## Gamerlingual

morgenstern09 said:


> I'm pretty sure it's not even comparable to WM1A, not talking about 1Z.
> 
> I recommend reading this thread several pages back (maybe 20), you will read some reasons why I say this.


And based on your list of audio equipment, it far exceeds what I am capable of affording


----------



## Gamerlingual

Can anyone else provide an opinion? Thanks for any advice


----------



## 515164 (May 16, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> And based on your list of audio equipment, it far exceeds what I am capable of affording



I bought all the equipment over time. I first had a FiiO M11 Pro (which I sold) but it was just too analytical and basically boring compared to the WM1A.

If the 1A is better than the FiiO M11 Pro, I don't imagine M6 + iFi Hip DAC being comparable to the 1Z.


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Can anyone else provide an opinion? Thanks for any advice


The 1A is a superb DAP. I know I sound bias saying it because I own it but it’s the fact. I have tried and had at least 10 different DAPs over time and nothing came close to the sheer musicality and effortless overall enjoyable presentation of the 1A. You buy a DAP to enjoy your music, not to analyse it or compare it with a graph or chart that tells you which one sounds better. I have never believed in charts and reviewers that rely solely on technical aspects to grade a players performance. I believe in my ears and the enjoyment that the music gives me. I’ve had Fiio, AK, Opus players on the past. I would buy another 1A in a heartbeat if god forbid, mine craps out.


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 16, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> I bought all the equipment over time. I first had a FiiO M11 Pro (which I sold) but it was just too analytical and basically boring compared to the WM1A.
> 
> If the 1A is better than the FiiO M11 Pro, I don't imagine M6 + iFi Hip DAC being comparable to the 1Z.





aceedburn said:


> The 1A is a superb DAP. I know I sound bias saying it because I own it but it’s the fact. I have tried and had at least 10 different DAPs over time and nothing came close to the sheer musicality and effortless overall enjoyable presentation of the 1A. You buy a DAP to enjoy your music, not to analyse it or compare it with a graph or chart that tells you which one sounds better. I have never believed in charts and reviewers that rely solely on technical aspects to grade a players performance. I believe in my ears and the enjoyment that the music gives me. I’ve had Fiio, AK, Opus players on the past. I would buy another 1A in a heartbeat if god forbid, mine craps out.


After reading 20 pages or so and learning about balanced cables and supposed modified firmware for these players, just seems like I discover something new where a new item has to be added just to enjoy music and its detail at its most basic level. The M6 and iFi Hip DAC were amazing when I sampled the IER-Z1R with them. But if requiring to max out those IEM's with the 1Z or 1Z requires a balanced cable or extra firmware, prolly better that I stay put. I mean, the IER-Z1R comes with that, but seems like something is amiss when reading the feedback for these players. Simplicity is probably what I will go for.


----------



## 515164 (May 16, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> After reading 20 pages or so and learning about balanced cables and supposed modified firmware for these players, just seems like I discover something new where a new item has to be added just to enjoy music and its detail at its most basic level. The M6 and iFi Hip DAC were amazing when I sampled the IER-Z1R with them. But if requiring to max out those IEM's with the 1Z or 1Z requires a balanced cable or extra firmware, prolly better that I stay put.



Tuning mods just add to the already existing quality of the 1A (in my case, as I don't own the 1Z).

I also use it mostly on the single ended connector, with both my Shure SE846 and the XBA-Z5.

I don't mean to be rude, but you should really read more about them, as they are truly amazing DAPs.

I used mine without any tuning mods (was not aware of them) for more than a month, and I was totally happy!

Sure, up to you, I'm just against drawing quick and erroneous conclusions. 

Edit: I was also impressed about the FiiO M11 Pro's rendering of details and soundstage, but the 1A was clearly a step up!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Both the 1Z and 1A are amazing daps for the price they are retailing for. If you can’t afford the price tag, there’s also the second hand market. If you don’t like using second hand, you can also consider the more affordable ZX507 or the ZX300. Both are also great sounding for the price.

Though I have a very serious problem with my ZX507 Walkman: It’s really hard for me to discontinue listening once I hit play on the Walkman as it is so addictively enjoying to listen on it.


----------



## Gww1

chrisgtl said:


> After reading 20 pages or so and learning about balanced cables and supposed modified firmware for these players, just seems like I discover something new where a new item has to be added just to enjoy music and its detail at its most basic level. The M6 and iFi Hip DAC were amazing when I sampled the IER-Z1R with them. But if requiring to max out those IEM's with the 1Z or 1Z requires a balanced cable or extra firmware, prolly better that I stay put. I mean, the IER-Z1R comes with that, but seems like something is amiss when reading the feedback for these players. Simplicity is probably what I will go for.


If you already have an ier-z1r it comes with the balanced cable, so you buy a WM1A or Z and connect the earphones. Does get much simpler than that, then you get the most user friendly Sony UI and the best battery life too.
If you want to tweak the sound you can try the custom tunings, but it's not required in order to make the WM1A or Z good, they are already fantastic in stock form.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Gww1 said:


> If you already have an ier-z1r it comes with the balanced cable, so you buy a WM1A or Z and connect the earphones. Does get much simpler than that, then you get the most user friendly Sony UI and the best battery life too.
> If you want to tweak the sound you can try the custom tunings, but it's not required in order to make the WM1A or Z good, they are already fantastic in stock form.


I asked about this because I tried the NW-A105HN B and the battery for that thing was too short and literally felt hot in the hand. So my first experience trying a Sony Walkman was not positive and I understand that it doesn't mean all their DAP's will produce the same result. I sampled the FiiO M6 and the 1A with the IER Z1R and the sound quality was pretty darn close from what I could catch. That's is why I bought the FiiO M6 instead of the WM1A because I thought differences were very minimal but still sounded really good. Adding the iFi Hip DAC made it all the more amazing.

So I thought asking what people thought about the 1Z, seems like it might be a good way to go. But here in Japan, it can't be found for under 180,000 yen. So I may need to wait a couple of more years before I could get it for less than 120,000 yen.


----------



## Gamerlingual

morgenstern09 said:


> Tuning mods just add to the already existing quality of the 1A (in my case, as I don't own the 1Z).
> 
> I also use it mostly on the single ended connector, with both my Shure SE846 and the XBA-Z5.
> 
> ...


I wouldn't call them erroneous. If no one agrees with what I say, I have no problem with that.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> I asked about this because I tried the NW-A105HN B and the battery for that thing was too short and literally felt hot in the hand. So my first experience trying a Sony Walkman was not positive and I understand that it doesn't mean all their DAP's will produce the same result. I sampled the FiiO M6 and the 1A with the IER Z1R and the sound quality was pretty darn close from what I could catch. That's is why I bought the FiiO M6 instead of the WM1A because I thought differences were very minimal but still sounded really good. Adding the iFi Hip DAC made it all the more amazing.
> 
> So I thought asking what people thought about the 1Z, seems like it might be a good way to go. But here in Japan, it can't be found for under 180,000 yen. So I may need to wait a couple of more years before I could get it for less than 120,000 yen.



If you could hear no difference and is happy with what you have just stay with that and enjoy your music


----------



## Ryokan

Gamerlingual said:


> I asked about this because I tried the NW-A105HN B and the battery for that thing was too short and literally felt hot in the hand. So my first experience trying a Sony Walkman was not positive and I understand that it doesn't mean all their DAP's will produce the same result. I sampled the FiiO M6 and the 1A with the IER Z1R and the sound quality was pretty darn close from what I could catch. That's is why I bought the FiiO M6 instead of the WM1A because I thought differences were very minimal but still sounded really good. Adding the iFi Hip DAC made it all the more amazing.
> 
> So I thought asking what people thought about the 1Z, seems like it might be a good way to go. But here in Japan, it can't be found for under 180,000 yen. So I may need to wait a couple of more years before I could get it for less than 120,000 yen.



From what I've read some prefer the WM1A to the 1Z, and the new ZX507 sounds very good, even the ZX300 is rated by some as being as good as the WM1A, or at the least very close sound wise. If money isn't an issue (and you've considered the weight of the 1Z) get it but you don't need to spend this much (I haven't heard the 1Z).


----------



## 515164

Gamerlingual said:


> I wouldn't call them erroneous. If no one agrees with what I say, I have no problem with that.



Was talking about your conclusion that you need balanced cables and tuning mods to "enjoy music and its detail at its most basic level", which is not true.


----------



## Gamerlingual

morgenstern09 said:


> Was talking about your conclusion that you need balanced cables and tuning mods to "enjoy music and its detail at its most basic level", which is not true.


I'm learning something new everyday with this hobby. I just started at the beginning of this month. It is appalling how much there is to know about audio. It's fun, but can be complex. Still, that 1Z is tempting and since it would be for home use, weight wouldn't be an issue. I like the enthusiasm and passion everyone has. Thanks, guys.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Discovery  They're not the same master.... I ripped the SACD of Schumann violin sonatas BIS Records....
The CD layer CRC and MD 5 are totally different from the SACD layer (converted a dsf to flac 16/44)


----------



## 515164 (May 16, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Discovery  They're not the same master.... I ripped the SACD of Schumann violin sonatas BIS Records....
> The CD layer CRC and MD 5 are totally different from the SACD layer (converted a dsf to flac 16/44)



I'm not sure that converting a DSF to a FLAC should yield the same result as the CD layer of a SACD. A DSF to FLAC is not the same as a WAV to FLAC and back.

For example, converting a WAV to FLAC and then to WAV, will yield the same result, as FLAC is only a container, which just compresses the data without any loss. DSD, on the other hand, is a totally different type of format than PCM (WAV).

Edit: I would advise going beyond CRC here, as it's not really relevant when converting a totally different format to another, and trust your ears


----------



## Krutsch

morgenstern09 said:


> I'm not sure that converting a DSF to a FLAC should yield a same result as the CD layer of a SACD. A DSF to FLAC is not the same as a WAV to FLAC and back, for example.



FLAC is both an audio file container format and compression method. AFAIK, FLAC can only contain PCM data and is not a container for DSD. So, transcoding to/from FLAC and DSF is actually changing the audio format and is not lossless (i.e. going from DSF (DSD) to FLAC (PCM) and back is possible, but you will loose data). Whether the differences are audible is another discussion.

The CD layer in a SACD is sometimes from a different master and not simply a PCM transcoding of the DSD audio.

Sometimes it is actually the other way around. For example, Donald Fagen's "The Nightfly" was originally recorded as 44.1 PCM and then later transcoded/upsampled to DSD for sale on a SACD.


----------



## Lookout57 (May 16, 2020)

Mindstorms said:


> have you installed a 1Z Fw on your 1A i did not understand...


Sorry typo. It should have been WM1Az.

The tunings morgenstern09 created were developed and tested on a WM1A but can be used on a WM1Z.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Krutsch said:


> FLAC is both an audio file container format and compression method. AFAIK, FLAC can only contain PCM data and is not a container for DSD. So, transcoding to/from FLAC and DSF is actually changing the audio format and is not lossless (i.e. going from DSF (DSD) to FLAC (PCM) and back is possible, but you will loose data). Whether the differences are audible is another discussion.
> 
> The CD layer in a SACD is sometimes from a different master and not simply a PCM transcoding of the DSD audio.
> 
> Sometimes it is actually the other way around. For example, Donald Fagen's "The Nightfly" was originally recorded as 44.1 PCM and then later transcoded/upsampled to DSD for sale on a SACD.


I verifief with an analyzer tool, this sacd is a 16/44 updample, so true that BIS récords say so, their sacd are 16/44. But sounds better yes tan the cd layer


----------



## 515164

Krutsch said:


> transcoding to/from FLAC and DSF is actually changing the audio format and is not lossless



Yep, this is exactly what I wanted to convey.


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Both the 1Z and 1A are amazing daps for the price they are retailing for. If you can’t afford the price tag, there’s also the second hand market. If you don’t like using second hand, you can also consider the more affordable ZX507 or the ZX300. Both are also great sounding for the price.
> 
> Though I have a very serious problem with my ZX507 Walkman: It’s really hard for me to discontinue listening once I hit play on the Walkman as it is so addictively enjoying to listen on it.


The ZX507 is actually more ideal since it has the USB-C. I guess I'll hop on the boards for that player to check on info for it since I think asking here would be off topic. Looking at the Sony proprietary connector just doesn't seem appealing. Thanks for the info


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> The ZX507 is actually more ideal since it has the USB-C. I guess I'll hop on the boards for that player to check on info for it since I think asking here would be off topic. Looking at the Sony proprietary connector just doesn't seem appealing. Thanks for the info



If you are much into streaming the 507 is the better bet but if you are mainly playing local files and want the best sound and longest battery life the 1A or 1Z is the way to go in the Sony line up


----------



## 515164

Gamerlingual said:


> The ZX507 is actually more ideal since it has the USB-C. I guess I'll hop on the boards for that player to check on info for it since I think asking here would be off topic. Looking at the Sony proprietary connector just doesn't seem appealing. Thanks for the info



By the way, ZX505 is cheaper, with the same components, except the internal memory which is 16 GB (compared to 64 GB on the ZX507).


----------



## bflat

gerelmx1986 said:


> I've ran into same issue, I must also recopy the file. But I also analyze the flac for corruption with the CRC32 checksum and it is fine... I have 1TB sandisk



I re-formatted my sd card and re-copied all my files again. However, when I formatted, I noticed the block size was set to 128K so just to try something different, I lowered to the smallest block size I could select and that is 32K using exFAT. Will report back if I run into the same issue again, but could take weeks or months. I didn't think much of this before but I've spent the last 4 weeks or so listening to my Fiio M15 and have not had the same issue so now I want to solve it for the WM1z.


----------



## Lookout57

bflat said:


> I re-formatted my sd card and re-copied all my files again. However, when I formatted, I noticed the block size was set to 128K so just to try something different, I lowered to the smallest block size I could select and that is 32K using exFAT. Will report back if I run into the same issue again, but could take weeks or months. I didn't think much of this before but I've spent the last 4 weeks or so listening to my Fiio M15 and have not had the same issue so now I want to solve it for the WM1z.


Did you reformat it in the player? It's always been recommended to always format the cards in the player to ensure that it's formatted with the optimum configuration.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lookout57 said:


> Did you reformat it in the player? It's always been recommended to always format the cards in the player to ensure that it's formatted with the optimum configuration.


That is what I've always done


----------



## VancityDreaming

I want to experience custom firmware on my wm1a. Namely Jupiter 301. Does anyone have the file? And can anyone walk me through installing it? Thank you all.


----------



## JerryHead

VancityDreaming said:


> I want to experience custom firmware on my wm1a. Namely Jupiter 301. Does anyone have the file? And can anyone walk me through installing it? Thank you all.


I need these instructions as well.


----------



## JerryHead

Can someone recommend good, free CD ripping software for a Mac with latest macOS?  I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm still using iTunes and now I can't even seem to get album artwork attached to my files.  It used to happen automatically, but no longer for exports..


----------



## Lookout57

JerryHead said:


> Can someone recommend good, free CD ripping software for a Mac with latest macOS?  I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm still using iTunes and now I can't even seem to get album artwork attached to my files.  It used to happen automatically, but no longer for exports..


XLD https://tmkk.undo.jp/xld/index_e.html


----------



## JerryHead

JerryHead said:


> Can someone recommend good, free CD ripping software for a Mac with latest macOS?  I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm still using iTunes and now I can't even seem to get album artwork attached to my files.  It used to happen automatically, but no longer for exports..


thanks for recommendation Scorpio1957, dbpoweramp just did an amazing job at ripping my Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions CDs.  I'll probably buy it after the trial.  Those tracks sounded night and day from those from my current library - so perfect and bright on my WM1A.  I'm getting the sinking feeling that the inferior software (iTunes) I've used to rip most of my music files in the past degraded the SQ of the end product..  I don't even want to think about having to re-rip those hundreds of CDs again, but I just might, one day..


----------



## JerryHead

Lookout57 said:


> XLD https://tmkk.undo.jp/xld/index_e.html


I've used XLD too in the past too and remember I was wow'd by it.


----------



## JerryHead

what (macOS) software is best for unpacking an .iso file?  preferably free


----------



## Lookout57

JerryHead said:


> what (macOS) software is best for unpacking an .iso file?  preferably free


The Finder will mount .iso files.


----------



## Krutsch

I have spent the weekend listening to my WM1A + balanced 4.4mm Shure SE846. Sounds really great... while I would be happy with this while traveling, it's not going to cut it for the office. I need more power and I want to be able to drive full-sized 'phones.

I just ordered a Woo Audio WA2 to replace my home head tube amp (WA3) which will move to my office, using the WM1A as a source component. My Sony dock arrived on Friday, so I will be all set.

I will say this, however: I continue to be impressed with the sound from the WM1A. Though, I was surprised that when I changed out the Moon Audio Silver Dragon SE for the Sony/Kimber balanced cable on the SE846, it felt like a step backwards in sound quality.


----------



## Donmonte

Krutsch said:


> I have spent the weekend listening to my WM1A + balanced 4.4mm Shure SE846. Sounds really great... while I would be happy with this while traveling, it's not going to cut it for the office. I need more power and I want to be able to drive full-sized 'phones.
> 
> I just ordered a Woo Audio WA2 to replace my home head tube amp (WA3) which will move to my office, using the WM1A as a source component. My Sony dock arrived on Friday, so I will be all set.
> 
> I will say this, however: I continue to be impressed with the sound from the WM1A. Though, I was surprised that when I changed out the Moon Audio Silver Dragon SE for the Sony/Kimber balanced cable on the SE846, it felt like a step backwards in sound quality.



Did you enable High Gain ?


----------



## Maxx134

Gamerlingual said:


> Can anyone else provide an opinion? Thanks for any advice


Yes, I can.
You are looking too steep and trying to justify where your at currently, and whether going this route is worth it.
Do the smart thing.
Stay with what you have, and save, save, save.
In a few months to even a year, get to a position to ne able to jump over the endless sea of mid-fi gear, that waste your money.
Buy music.
Then jump all way here , to end game.
Your looking too soon.
Enjoy where your at and not be fooled with eldless gear purchase.

The Sony 1z is endgame territory, and worth it, but more so later, when your ears becoming very picky and need the best.




Gamerlingual said:


> . I just started at the beginning of this month. It is appalling how much there is to know about audio.


Don't get side tracked with gear too much.
Enjoy the music.




Gamerlingual said:


> The M6 and iFi Hip DAC were amazing


There are few moments when we have a "honeymoon" stage and love what the gear is doing.
Stay in that moment as long as possible, while saving up for your inevitable journey upwards in this hobby.



Sonywalkmanuser said:


> If you don’t like using second hand, you can also consider the more affordable ZX507 or the ZX300


Those would be a good solution for a stepping stone into sony sound, if you currently can't get a used 1a/1z.




Krutsch said:


> , it's not going to cut it for the office. I need more power and I want to be able to drive full-sized 'phones


I have no issues with full sized headphones with high gain on balanced output.
Also make sure your unit not have volume capped/limited.

Also, when using output as source to amp, the balanced out should not be used into any single ended inputs.

Balanced out to balanced input.

Single ended out to single ended inputs.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Maxx134 said:


> Yes, I can.
> You are looking too steep and trying to justify where your at currently, and whether going this route is worth it.
> Do the smart thing.
> Stay with what you have, and save, save, save.
> ...


That was the point to my IER-Z1R, to make it endgame for earphones. What was the lowest price people have seen in USD or Japanese Yen? I'm perfectly fine with used. Good condition with some scratches is no problem.


----------



## gerelmx1986

JerryHead said:


> Can someone recommend good, free CD ripping software for a Mac with latest macOS?  I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm still using iTunes and now I can't even seem to get album artwork attached to my files.  It used to happen automatically, but no longer for exports..


Dbpower amp, noce program,it is not free,but worth every penny.

And if you've got SACD eitherget an original al PS3, the fat one. Or get a pioneer BDP-160/170; BDP80FX to rip the SACD


----------



## chrisgtl

Didn't realise the 1A/1Z has a proprietary connector. Another damn cable to carry - I wonder if Sony are working on a new 1A/1Z with USB-C.


----------



## nc8000

chrisgtl said:


> Didn't realise the 1A/1Z has a proprietary connector. Another damn cable to carry - I wonder if Sony are working on a new 1A/1Z with USB-C.



Sony has for many years on daps and phones been using theit own WM port, just like Apple


----------



## slumberman

Hello all,

today, while adding a track to a playlist I got an error and suggestion to rebuild the database.
I went ahead and started rebuilding but it’s been stuck on “creating database” for 45 minutes with no progress (at 0 basically). 
any suggestions?

I have a Sandisk 1TBcard installed

thanks!


----------



## hireslover

gerelmx1986 said:


> Dbpower amp, noce program,it is not free,but worth every penny.
> 
> And if you've got SACD eitherget an original al PS3, the fat one. Or get a pioneer BDP-160/170; BDP80FX to rip the SACD


Do you have to pay to update the software every time there is an update or once you purchase it all the future updates come for free?


----------



## gerelmx1986

slumberman said:


> Hello all,
> 
> today, while adding a track to a playlist I got an error and suggestion to rebuild the database.
> I went ahead and started rebuilding but it’s been stuck on “creating database” for 45 minutes with no progress (at 0 basically).
> ...


This happens time often, but when  I remove the SD card while it is not.on pc transfer mode ...

I do a reboot press and hold power BUTTON for circa. 10 seconds


----------



## slumberman

gerelmx1986 said:


> This happens time often, but when  I remove the SD card while it is not.on pc transfer mode ...
> 
> I do a reboot press and hold power BUTTON for circa. 10 seconds



yes thank you that works, but the database is still corrupted when I try to add to playlists. 
I am wondering if I need to format the card and copy it all over again


----------



## gerelmx1986

hireslover said:


> Do you have to pay to update the software every time there is an update or once you purchase it all the future updates come for free?


If you have a registered version you pay a small difference I think. Havent updated mine since version 16


----------



## Vitaly2017

slumberman said:


> Hello all,
> 
> today, while adding a track to a playlist I got an error and suggestion to rebuild the database.
> I went ahead and started rebuilding but it’s been stuck on “creating database” for 45 minutes with no progress (at 0 basically).
> ...




Reboot retry it again
Make sure that the card was formated by the dap and not by pc. If you got songs loaded already, you  might maybe need to reformat and retransfer your music

What firmware are you at maybe  older fw got some bugs


----------



## gerelmx1986

slumberman said:


> yes thank you that works, but the database is still corrupted when I try to add to playlists.
> I am wondering if I need to format the card and copy it all over again


Once it boosts and rebuilds the corrupted db I do a second database rebuild and leave it.. mine takes like 25 minutes (I have all my tunes in 16/44)


----------



## hireslover

gerelmx1986 said:


> If you have a registered version you pay a small difference I think. Havent updated mine since version 16


Thanks


----------



## VancityDreaming

Just changed my 1A from U region to J region with Rockbox, and then paired it with Jupiter T2. I love it on my ier-z1r. Tried Solis FW and it was sibilant to my ears. Audio community is awesome.


----------



## slumberman

gerelmx1986 said:


> Once it boosts and rebuilds the corrupted db I do a second database rebuild and leave it.. mine takes like 25 minutes (I have all my tunes in 16/44)



unfortunately it still hangs on the second database rebuild...I might have to format and copy it all again.

Thanks for the suggestions, all!


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

+1 for XLD - I've been a registered user for about 7 years now. Has a great batch mode too, needed this to transcode my ALAC library to FLAC for the car, which tidied-up the file-naming at the same time.

But oh noes!!! While copying files to my micro SD card yesterday I got some error messages, now the card is locked in read-only mode. I've tried every suggestion I can find on the internet, but have come to the conclusion that it's a hardware failure... Never, ever had that on a UDB key or SD card before. Have already initiated a replacement with Amazon, but will need to live with 256GB for a couple of weeks now. Time to compile a "favourites" folder. Bloody hell!!


----------



## JerryHead

gerelmx1986 said:


> Dbpower amp, noce program,it is not free,but worth every penny.
> 
> And if you've got SACD eitherget an original al PS3, the fat one. Or get a pioneer BDP-160/170; BDP80FX to rip the SACD


I have an Oppo 103D and was reading that I could use this to rip SACDs.  I followed all the instructions, but couldn't get it to work.  Tried several times. My mac found the Blu-ray player, but it wouldn't rip for some reason.  I think because I didn't have the correct needed file that is inserted into the Oppo (via USB thumb drive).  I think the one I was using was a for a Pioneer.  If I could rip my SACDs, I'd be able to sell them and pay off my WM1A.


----------



## gerelmx1986

JerryHead said:


> I have an Oppo 103D and was reading that I could use this to rip SACDs.  I followed all the instructions, but couldn't get it to work.  Tried several times. My mac found the Blu-ray player, but it wouldn't rip for some reason.  I think because I didn't have the correct needed file that is inserted into the Oppo (via USB thumb drive).  I think the one I was using was a for a Pioneer.  If I could rip my SACDs, I'd be able to sell them and pay off my WM1A.


 Yes the Auyoscript folder must be copied entirely.to usb stick, and yes you need to have the package for the Oppo


----------



## mwhals

JerryHead said:


> I have an Oppo 103D and was reading that I could use this to rip SACDs.  I followed all the instructions, but couldn't get it to work.  Tried several times. My mac found the Blu-ray player, but it wouldn't rip for some reason.  I think because I didn't have the correct needed file that is inserted into the Oppo (via USB thumb drive).  I think the one I was using was a for a Pioneer.  If I could rip my SACDs, I'd be able to sell them and pay off my WM1A.



I never sell CDs that I ripped.

1. They are proof of ownership
2. There is always the possibility you might need to re-rip them one day.


----------



## JerryHead

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes the Auyoscript folder must be copied entirely.to usb stick, and yes you need to have the package for the Oppo


Yes, I copied the Autoscript folder entirely to the usb stick.  But that didn't work.  I think I didn't have the correct one.  I think it was for a Pioneer.  If anyone on here has the correct one for the Oppo 103D, please lemme know.


----------



## JerryHead

mwhals said:


> I never sell CDs that I ripped.
> 
> 1. They are proof of ownership
> 2. There is always the possibility you might need to re-rip them one day.


Well, if I save the .iso's to like 4-5 different hard drives, and maybe even to some data-DVDs, I'll always have copies and will never need them to re-rip.  I'd also prefer to have less physical media lying around.  All those CDs/SACDs/DVDs/Blu-rays take up too much room,  and make it harder to move.


----------



## gerelmx1986

mwhals said:


> I never sell CDs that I ripped.
> 
> 1. They are proof of ownership


Why this?


----------



## nc8000

JerryHead said:


> Well, if I save the .iso's to like 4-5 different hard drives, and maybe even to some data-DVDs, I'll always have copies and will never need them to re-rip.  I'd also prefer to have less physical media lying around.  All those CDs/SACDs/DVDs/Blu-rays take up too much room,  and make it harder to move.



Ripping and then selling the original media is pirating


----------



## Krutsch

Donmonte said:


> Did you enable High Gain ?



Thanks for the suggestion.

I did not... I tend to avoid High Gain settings, as it tends to change the sound. But, I will try it when I get back into my office.


----------



## Krutsch

Maxx134 said:


> ...
> *Also, when using output as source to amp, the balanced out should not be used into any single ended inputs.*
> ...



Yeah... I got that part.


----------



## captblaze

JerryHead said:


> I have an Oppo 103D and was reading that I could use this to rip SACDs.  I followed all the instructions, but couldn't get it to work.  Tried several times. My mac found the Blu-ray player, but it wouldn't rip for some reason.  I think because I didn't have the correct needed file that is inserted into the Oppo (via USB thumb drive).  I think the one I was using was a for a Pioneer.  If I could rip my SACDs, I'd be able to sell them and pay off my WM1A.



did you edit the script to reflect the network IP of your Oppo?


----------



## JerryHead (May 17, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Ripping and then selling the original media is pirating


So, we're not able to save backups of our own media?  and we're not allowed to sell media that we own and we originally purchased? I may have gotten it wrong, but I had thought the definition of pirating was when you sold or gave someone a ripped version of the media?


----------



## JerryHead

captblaze said:


> did you edit the script to reflect the network IP of your Oppo?


yep, just as the instructions online said to do.  And, it seemed, that when I looked, the software on my mac was in fact recognizing the existence of the Oppo player on the network, it just wouldn't rip for some reason.  When I clicked for it to run, I would either get an error code, or nothing at all would happen.


----------



## nc8000 (May 17, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> So, we're not able to save backups of our own media?  and we're not allowed to sell media that we own and we originally purchased? I may have gotten it wrong, but I had thought the definition of pirating was when you sold or gave someone a ripped version of the media?



Yes you can save a backup of your own media (depending on copyright law in your country) but if you sell the disc it is no longer a backup of your own media but a (illeagal) copy of somebody elses media. But of course if you delete the rips when you sell the disc then that is fine but that is not how I understood your post. I understood that you buy the disc, rip it and then keep the rip but sell the disc to fund other things


----------



## mwhals

gerelmx1986 said:


> Why this?



Piracy. It is no different than borrowing a friend’s CD and burning a copy of it. Selling after burning the CD is no different. You lose the right to the music if you sell the licensed CD.


----------



## JerryHead

nc8000 said:


> Yes you can save a backup of your own media (depending on copyright law in your country) but if you sell the disc it is no longer a backup of your own media but a (illeagal) copy of somebody elses media. But of course if you delete the rips when you sell the disc then that is fine but that is not how I understood your post. I understood that you buy the disc, rip it and then keep the rip but sell the disc to fund other things


Okay, good to know. I won't be selling them after all then.  I have enough (non-media) things to sell anyhow.  I'd still like to rip my SACDs though to put them on my DAPs.


----------



## Lookout57

JerryHead said:


> I have an Oppo 103D and was reading that I could use this to rip SACDs.  I followed all the instructions, but couldn't get it to work.  Tried several times. My mac found the Blu-ray player, but it wouldn't rip for some reason.  I think because I didn't have the correct needed file that is inserted into the Oppo (via USB thumb drive).  I think the one I was using was a for a Pioneer.  If I could rip my SACDs, I'd be able to sell them and pay off my WM1A.


I've been using my OPPO 103 to rip SACDs. I've done probable 50+ with no problems. 

I've attached a zip of the autoscript that works.

Are you using the latest version iso2dsd? I use version 6.


----------



## nc8000

JerryHead said:


> Okay, good to know. I won't be selling them after all then.  I have enough (non-media) things to sell anyhow.  I'd still like to rip my SACDs though to put them on my DAPs.



Yep. I’ve ripped all my cd’s, dvd’s and many lp’s but keep the originals. These days I buy loads of second hand cd’s with the sole purpose of ripping, most likely will never actually play the cd


----------



## JerryHead

Lookout57 said:


> I've been using my OPPO 103 to rip SACDs. I've done probable 50+ with no problems.
> 
> I've attached a zip of the autoscript that works.
> 
> Are you using the latest version iso2dsd? I use version 6.


Hey, thanks, very much appreciated.  And I checked the version of iso2dsd I was using, and yes, it was version 6.  will try it all again a little later..  would love to get my SACDs on my DAPs..


----------



## Pillsburydough

Apologies if this has been covered already, but are there other programs better than Media Go for ripping CDs to FLAC? (Windows)


----------



## 515164 (May 17, 2020)

Pillsburydough said:


> Apologies if this has been covered already, but are there other programs better than Media Go for ripping CDs to FLAC? (Windows)



Search EZ CD Audio Converter (also supports converting to/from DSD). Also, this was a lot of off topic, as this is supposed to be about WM1A/Z and not about ripping stuff and etc. Just saying.


----------



## mwhals

Pillsburydough said:


> Apologies if this has been covered already, but are there other programs better than Media Go for ripping CDs to FLAC? (Windows)



DbPowerAmp is great. Ripped over 700 CDs with it.


----------



## JerryHead

Lookout57 said:


> I've been using my OPPO 103 to rip SACDs. I've done probable 50+ with no problems.
> 
> I've attached a zip of the autoscript that works.
> 
> Are you using the latest version iso2dsd? I use version 6.


okay, I retried it, and no go.  Just like before, I'm getting an error message. That message is: "Failed to connect. libsacdread.  Can't open 10.0.x.x.xx:2002 for reading"  (I replaced some of the numbers here for the network address with "x"s).  I'm beginning to think that my problem is that I have my Oppo attached to an Apple Time Capsule which has created an extended network.  Maybe that's causing the problem?


----------



## 515164

JerryHead said:


> okay, I retried it, and no go.  Just like before, I'm getting an error message. That message is: "Failed to connect. libsacdread.  Can't open 10.0.x.x.xx:2002 for reading"  (I replaced some of the numbers here for the network address with "x"s).  I'm beginning to think that my problem is that I have my Oppo attached to an Apple Time Capsule which has created an extended network.  Maybe that's causing the problem?



Yup, it may be that. I would try a classic router/switch between your computer and the Oppo, or doing port forwarding for the 2002 port on the Apple Time Capsule.


----------



## JerryHead

morgenstern09 said:


> Yup, it may be that. I would try a classic router/switch between your computer and the Oppo, or doing port forwarding for the 2002 port on the Apple Time Capsule.


okay, I unplugged the ethernet connection from the Oppo and plugged in the original USB wireless network adapter, and it successfully changed the IP address, but when I tried connecting with ISO2DSD with new IP address, it came up with same error message, but this time with the new IP address.  Sigh..


----------



## 515164

JerryHead said:


> okay, I unplugged the ethernet connection from the Oppo and plugged in the original USB wireless network adapter, and it successfully changed the IP address, but when I tried connecting with ISO2DSD with new IP address, it came up with same error message, but this time with the new IP address.  Sigh..



Is there any way to just connect your Oppo to your computer with an ethernet cable, with no device in between?


----------



## JerryHead

morgenstern09 said:


> Is there any way to just connect your Oppo to your computer with an ethernet cable, with no device in between?


possibly, will try


----------



## 515164

JerryHead said:


> possibly, will try



If that doesn't work either, then I have no idea. You can try pinging the Oppo from your computer after connecting it with the ethernet cable, to confirm that they can communicate with each other.


----------



## gerelmx1986

JerryHead said:


> okay, I retried it, and no go.  Just like before, I'm getting an error message. That message is: "Failed to connect. libsacdread.  Can't open 10.0.x.x.xx:2002 for reading"  (I replaced some of the numbers here for the network address with "x"s).  I'm beginning to think that my problem is that I have my Oppo attached to an Apple Time Capsule which has created an extended network.  Maybe that's causing the problem?


Try attaching the ethernet (oppo) to the router directly No apple timeCapsule
So like oppo ====> router


----------



## JerryHead

morgenstern09 said:


> If that doesn't work either, then I have no idea. You can try pinging the Oppo from your computer after connecting it with the ethernet cable, to confirm that they can communicate with each other.


thanks anyhow. yeh, something screwy going on.  couldn't figure it out.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

nc8000 said:


> Yep. I’ve ripped all my cd’s, dvd’s and many lp’s but keep the originals. These days I buy loads of second hand cd’s with the sole purpose of ripping, most likely will never actually play the cd



I buy the CD's, rip and then gift them to friends - I just can't be doing with them taking up space.

I had 1350 original CD's that I ripped lossless in 2013 and then gave the collection away to a friend.

I don't think many artists would have a problem with that.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Out of curiosity, what is the lowest price you have seen the WM1Z to the members here?


----------



## Pillsburydough

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Hi Folks!
> 
> Heads-up that amazon.es has WM1Z for €2060: https://www.amazon.es/Sony-NW-WM1A-Reproductor-Walkman-pantalla/dp/B01LHGLALI/ref=sr_1_3?__mk_es_ES=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&crid=1A53KUA4GS35F&dchild=1&keywords=nw-wm1a&qid=1588671981&sprefix=nw-wm,aps,147&sr=8-3&th=1​


Thanks to the Bonking Frog I've got mine on order from Amazon Spain, at 2029 euros, which is the lowest price I've seen it. It's back up to 2141 euros at the moment.


----------



## Gamerlingual

I think I found a possible major deterrent in purchasing this in Japan, but can someone confirm if this offers multiple language support?


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> Ripping and then selling the original media is pirating


MM are you shure? if you owned the discs and you took them as backup then you sell them you mean you are selling the rights?


----------



## mwhals

Mindstorms said:


> MM are you shure? if you owned the discs and you took them as backup then you sell them you mean you are selling the rights?



Yes, It states right on the CD case that unauthorized duplication is a violation of law. If you do not own it and have a copy, it is unlawful. The music licensed for consumer use is on the CD, not the duplicate copy.

I just have my CDs archived in boxes. They take up minimal space compared to other things at my house such as the movie collection, Christmas decorations, books, etc.


----------



## 515164

Gamerlingual said:


> I think I found a possible major deterrent in purchasing this in Japan, but can someone confirm if this offers multiple language support?



You can change the region from Japan to another with English, and then back, risk-free and very easily.


----------



## mwhals

morgenstern09 said:


> You can change the region from Japan to another with English, and then back, risk-free and very easily.



So regardless of where in the world one buys, they can change the language to English?


----------



## JerryHead

mwhals said:


> So regardless of where in the world one buys, they can change the language to English?


You do need a PC to do this, not a mac.  It's pretty easy, and straight forward to do.  Can someone provide him with a link to "the" Rockblox?


----------



## mwhals

JerryHead said:


> You do need a PC to do this, not a mac.  It's pretty easy, and straight forward to do.  Can someone provide him with a link to "the" Rockblox?



Thanks. I don’t need the link now as. I haven’t bought it yet. Just wanting to know in case I find a better price than in the USA.


----------



## JerryHead

mwhals said:


> Thanks. I don’t need the link now as. I haven’t bought it yet. Just wanting to know in case I find a better price than in the USA.


Yeh, that's how I bought my ZX300, as it wasn't available yet in the U.S. when I bought it.  At this point, I would in fact recommend it.  You do also need to take into account that it won't be coming with a U.S. warranty, which is something to consider due to the price.


----------



## mwhals

JerryHead said:


> Yeh, that's how I bought my ZX300, as it wasn't available yet in the U.S. when I bought it.  At this point, I would in fact recommend it.  You do also need to take into account that it won't be coming with a U.S. warranty, which is something to consider due to the price.



I checked and the WM1Z is about $1000 less than the US price.


----------



## JerryHead

mwhals said:


> I checked and the WM1Z is about $1000 less than the US price.


 Where are you seeing this?  eBay?  or elsewhere?


----------



## 515164

JerryHead said:


> Where are you seeing this?  eBay?  or elsewhere?



In this quoted post from the previous page

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15621179


----------



## mwhals

JerryHead said:


> Where are you seeing this?  eBay?  or elsewhere?



Japan Amazon 245,000 yen, which converted to dollars is about $1000 less than in the US for a WM1Z.


----------



## JerryHead

mwhals said:


> Japan Amazon 245,000 yen, which converted to dollars is about $1000 less than in the US for a WM1Z.


Nice.  where are you? if in the U.S., then no sales tax either.  Do it.


----------



## 515164

JerryHead said:


> Nice.  where are you? if in the U.S., then no sales tax either.  Do it.





mwhals said:


> Japan Amazon 245,000 yen, which converted to dollars is about $1000 less than in the US for a WM1Z.





morgenstern09 said:


> In this quoted post from the previous page
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15621179



Same price as in the quoted post from the previous page.


----------



## JerryHead

morgenstern09 said:


> Same price as in the quoted post from the previous page.


It's the same price on Amazon.uk but sold out at the moment.  Looks like it could be back in soon. however.


----------



## Gamerlingual

morgenstern09 said:


> You can change the region from Japan to another with English, and then back, risk-free and very easily.


Could you please provide a screen shot so I know I’m not short changing myself on that? Or if someone else could?


----------



## 515164

Edit - nevermind.


----------



## Gamerlingual

morgenstern09 said:


> Edit - nevermind.


Meaning not possible?


----------



## 515164

Gamerlingual said:


> Meaning not possible?



Meaning:

1. I am on my phone right now
2. If I would not be totally sure about it, I would have not said what I said previously. It's basically a fact, actually, there's no "totally sure" involved.


----------



## Gamerlingual

I contacted Sony support of Japan, spoke to them in Japanese and there is no way of changing the menu. Best thing I can do is buy an American version since from my understanding, the British one has a volume limit. Not sure about the Australian one, tho


----------



## 515164 (May 18, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I contacted Sony support of Japan, spoke to them in Japanese and there is no way of changing the menu. Best thing I can do is buy an American version since from my understanding, the British one has a volume limit. Not sure about the Australian one, tho



...

Sure man, sorry for wasting my time. I was gonna provide some details about the process, but probably it's for nothing, as Sony support already clarified that for you.

Best regards.

Edit: You're jumping to conclusions again, like before. Maybe someone else will decide to provide those details. The process is really simple, and I don't understand why you're asking us if you don't believe us and make up your own conclusions. I'm becoming increasingly hesitant on trying to help you with answers, unfortunately, because of this.

Of course Sony support will say that you cannot change the language... There is no "official" way of doing that.


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 18, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> ...
> 
> Sure man, sorry for wasting my time. I was gonna provide some details about the process, but probably it's for nothing, as Sony support already clarified that for you.
> 
> ...


Because I misunderstood your previous message that I thought it might be hard to do which you then later corrected which in turn I see now. I’m not trying to cause trouble. I thought it was the next intended step I could do. Doesn’t mean I was trying to be rude or difficult to deal with.


----------



## Gamerlingual

morgenstern09 said:


> ...
> 
> Sure man, sorry for wasting my time. I was gonna provide some details about the process, but probably it's for nothing, as Sony support already clarified that for you.
> 
> ...


Check my edit. It has a better explanation


----------



## Gamerlingual

The last thing I wanted to do was irritate you. Sorry if that’s how I came off, but I figured I am showing enthusiasm and interest for the product and I can’t control how others feel. If you could still please provide any guidance, I will be patient. But as I said, I wasn’t trying to rub you off the wrong way


----------



## 515164 (May 21, 2020)

Removed. Putting too much effort in for stubborn people.


----------



## Gamerlingual

morgenstern09 said:


> Well, I am at the computer now.
> 
> The WM1A and WM1Z have "regions". The J region, for the Japanese variant, doesn't allow changing the language. However, other regions allow that. If you will change the region from J to U, for example (U is for US), you can change the language to English. After that, if you decide to change the region back to J, you will not be able to change the language again, but you will still have the English language which you chose while you were on the U region.
> 
> ...


Roger that. Patience is a virtue. If it helps that I am trying to follow the Sony path, this arrived today. Thank you for the help and I will check your links. If I have additional questions, I’ll ask and simply wait at least a few days.


----------



## 515164

Gamerlingual said:


> Roger that. Patience is a virtue. If it helps that I am trying to follow the Sony path, this arrived today. Thank you for the help and I will check your links. If I have additional questions, I’ll ask and simply wait at least a few days.



Nice! I was also thinking of selling some headphones that I have and buying the IER-Z1R. Hopefully soon.


----------



## Gamerlingual

morgenstern09 said:


> Nice! I was also thinking of selling some headphones that I have and buying the IER-Z1R. Hopefully soon.


There’s a reputable seller from Japan on eBay, Sunshine Tokyo that may have good prices or you offer a price to him. Could help you save a bit more.

I also realized that perhaps my happiness and excitement is what came off as impatience because I’m super stoked after listening to the IER. Starting this hobby since the beginning of this month has changed my life for the better. If you need help locating the headphones from a cheaper source, let me know


----------



## Hinomotocho

Gamerlingual said:


> I contacted Sony support of Japan, spoke to them in Japanese and there is no way of changing the menu. Best thing I can do is buy an American version since from my understanding, the British one has a volume limit. Not sure about the Australian one, tho


When I purchased my ZX300 a few years ago I was in Japan on holiday and sourced one from Accessory Jack based in Hong Kong - they sell the standard uncapped english versions and usually they are quite well priced.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 18, 2020)

For me a unauthorized duplication is to copy the entire cd in a CD-R.

Having the files proves NOTHING, I have an album 24/88.2 that I bought at Analekta website, a few years back the label announced it would shutdown their online store


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> For me a unauthorized duplication is to copy the entire cd in a CD-R



Ripping the CD to FLAC, while you keep the CD for yourself, is ok. That's why some programs give you the option to rip a CD, like Windows Media Player for example.

However, ripping the CD to FLAC and then selling it/giving it to someone else, is basically an unauthorized duplication.


----------



## gerelmx1986

morgenstern09 said:


> Ripping the CD to FLAC, while you keep the CD for yourself, is ok. That's why some programs give you the option to rip a CD, like Windows Media Player for example.
> 
> However, ripping the CD to FLAC and then selling it/giving it to someone else, is basically an unauthorized duplication.


I don't think they can prove it as like it happened to analekta records, they had to shutdown their line shop. Thusi have this flac album(a digital download)


----------



## Hinomotocho

I buy a lot of secondhand CDs because I like older stuff that you can't get anymore - funny to think that secondhand music shops make profit off selling music where nothing goes to the artist.


----------



## 515164 (May 18, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I don't think they can prove it as like it happened to analekta records, they had to shutdown their line shop. Thusi have this flac album(a digital download)



Well, this was not about whether they can prove it or not, but whether it's unauthorized duplication or not 

If something cannot be proven, it shouldn't mean that it's ok, or that you should also do it. Not my business though, of course.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I don't think they can prove it as like it happened to analekta records, they had to shutdown their line shop. Thusi have this flac album(a digital download)



So everything is OK to do as long as it can't be proved you did it ?
I'm pretty sure I don't subscribe to that interpretation


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> So everything is OK to do as long as it can't be proved you did it ?
> I'm pretty sure I don't subscribe to that interpretation


Perhaps having receipts of those CD purchases would be the bare minimum needed for evidence


----------



## gerelmx1986

One of my favorite sonatas of scarlatti


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Perhaps having receipts of those CD purchases would be the bare minimum needed for evidence



If we get all legal having the original disc it was ripped from or a receipt if bought as download would be the requirement. 

Of course allowing for copyright law in each individual country, f.ex. at one point in Denmark it was leagal to rip a cd you had borrowed at a public library though I’m not sure if that is legal today. Likewise it was legal to make analoug copies but not digital copies.


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> If we get all legal having the original disc it was ripped from or a receipt if bought as download would be the requirement.
> 
> Of course allowing for copyright law in each individual country, f.ex. at one point in Denmark it was leagal to rip a cd you had borrowed at a public library though I’m not sure if that is legal today. Likewise it was legal to make analoug copies but not digital copies.


Oh, I mean I would imagine it could be one approach. But indeed, it is different in each country. Here in Japan, no problem to burn them to your PC and keep the files. I personally like to keep my CD's. Got them in a small corner organized and love my collection.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I will never sell mine as I feel an emotional connection to them. It's something I grew up with: CDs and discmans.
Some of these CD were gifts  from my ex/father/mother


----------



## mwhals

Gamerlingual said:


> Perhaps having receipts of those CD purchases would be the bare minimum needed for evidence



Receipts are good for digital files bought from internet sites. Not sure they would fly for physical CDs from a legal perspective. This is USA law, but I am not familiar with other countries.


----------



## mwhals

Hinomotocho said:


> I buy a lot of secondhand CDs because I like older stuff that you can't get anymore - funny to think that secondhand music shops make profit off selling music where nothing goes to the artist.



The artist was already compensated when the CD was bought new, so no need to compensate an artist more than once for the same CD.


----------



## Gww1

I'm curious, how would anyone ever be in a situation where somebody (I assume we are talking police.....) Would be comparing your digital music collection to your physical music collection and then asking for evidence to prove you had bought any discrepancies???


----------



## nc8000

Gww1 said:


> I'm curious, how would anyone ever be in a situation where somebody (I assume we are talking police.....) Would be comparing your digital music collection to your physical music collection and then asking for evidence to prove you had bought any discrepancies???



Highly unlikely from a practical point but that does not make it any more legal


----------



## Gww1

nc8000 said:


> Highly unlikely from a practical point but that does not make it any more legal


Agreed, morally hopefully everyone knows what's right and wrong - it was the talk of evidence and receipts I was referring to.


----------



## 515164

Gww1 said:


> I'm curious, how would anyone ever be in a situation where somebody (I assume we are talking police.....) Would be comparing your digital music collection to your physical music collection and then asking for evidence to prove you had bought any discrepancies???



This discussion was more about the definition of unauthorized duplication.


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> This discussion was more about the definition of unauthorized duplication.



Indeed. But even though I try to toe the line, I’m sure there are albums in my collection I shouldn’t have


----------



## Gamerlingual

Can anyone recommend what pages on this thread to read through for comparisons of the two players? I listened to them both and loved them both. I’m wondering if the WM1A is considered an end of the line player for some. It felt like it has more detail and an open soundstage while the WM1Z is more neutral across the board. Sony did a marvelous job with these two players. So I’ll have to figure out which to get after I mess with them more at the nearby electronics shop


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Can anyone recommend what pages on this thread to read through for comparisons of the two players? I listened to them both and loved them both. I’m wondering if the WM1A is considered an end of the line player for some. It felt like it has more detail and an open soundstage while the WM1Z is more neutral across the board. Sony did a marvelous job with these two players. So I’ll have to figure out which to get after I mess with them more at the nearby electronics shop



There are certainly people who prefer the 1A signature to the 1Z


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> There are certainly people who prefer the 1A signature to the 1Z


Really? That’s good to know. So it can still be a halo player for some. I just need to look at the Bluetooth codecs and a few other details before I said which one to get


----------



## RobertP

If their is a DAP that has warm, lush, nice timbre, great dynamic in mid to low and nice treble details of the WM1Z + great upper-mid detail and transparency of WM1A + a bit more synergy on top, that would be a killer.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Really? That’s good to know. So it can still be a halo player for some. I just need to look at the Bluetooth codecs and a few other details before I said which one to get



On all functional specs they are identical


----------



## hamhamhamsta

RobertP said:


> If their is a DAP that has warm, lush, nice timbre, great dynamic in mid to low and nice treble details of the WM1Z + great upper-mid detail and transparency of WM1A + a bit more synergy on top, that would be a killer.


Haha, sounds like you’re describing my modded 1Z, with help of Z1 1.02FW and ALO 16 iem Gold cable


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> On all functional specs they are identical


Then I’ll save up for the WM1A. Thinking maybe by June I’ll get it and then add that custom firmware to change to English. Looks like if I get a used one, Sony can replace the battery if it ever becomes low in the future. Good to know since that means I can use the player for many years to come. I’m ok if the used one has some scratches but is still in good condition. Thank you for the info


----------



## nc8000 (May 18, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Then I’ll save up for the WM1A. Thinking maybe by June I’ll get it and then add that custom firmware to change to English. Looks like if I get a used one, Sony can replace the battery if it ever becomes low in the future. Good to know since that means I can use the player for many years to come. I’m ok if the used one has some scratches but is still in good condition. Thank you for the info



I’ve had my 1Z for 3 1/2 years and played about 3.500 hours and expect the battery to last at least another 5-6 years. Changing region is done by the rockbox tool that only works on Windows machines. On top of that there are now many different tunings based on several of the official fw mixing tuning parameters of the 1A, 1Z and Z1 but not affecting functionality


----------



## 515164

Gamerlingual said:


> Then I’ll save up for the WM1A. Thinking maybe by June I’ll get it and then add that custom firmware to change to English. Looks like if I get a used one, Sony can replace the battery if it ever becomes low in the future. Good to know since that means I can use the player for many years to come. I’m ok if the used one has some scratches but is still in good condition. Thank you for the info



The thing I was talking about is not a custom firmware, but an unofficial capability of the device itself. 

The device has set a different region based on the region where you buy it from. We just change that region to another, which allows you to change the language, while the firmware is exactly the same and not touched.

Contrary to what some people around here may claim, there is no custom firmware for these devices at the moment.


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> I’ve had my 1Z for 3 1/2 years and played about 3.500 hours and expect the battery to last at least another 5-6 years. Changing region is done by the rockbox tool that only works on Windows machines. On top of that there are now many different tunings based on several of the official fw mixing tuning parameters of the 1A, 1Z and Z1 but not affecting functionality


Tuning wise, I’ll just keep it as is out of the box. I had looked into the ZX300 and ZX500, but something about the 1A exudes more charm when I saw them in person. It is fun to test so many options and I think the journey is more fun than the end goal. Whether my choice to go for the 1A over the ZX300 and ZX500 is a good one, I won’t know. But hey, this has been a fun hobby and hope to cherish my music more no matter what route I take


----------



## Ryokan

Anyone else happy with their players stock sound without flashing with any tuning mods?


----------



## Gww1

Ryokan said:


> Anyone else happy with their players stock sound without flashing with any tuning mods?


I'm back running stock 3.02 (J) on my 1Z


----------



## mmwwmm

Gamerlingual said:


> Can anyone recommend what pages on this thread to read through for comparisons of the two players? I listened to them both and loved them both. I’m wondering if the WM1A is considered an end of the line player for some. It felt like it has more detail and an open soundstage while the WM1Z is more neutral across the board. Sony did a marvelous job with these two players. So I’ll have to figure out which to get after I mess with them more at the nearby electronics shop


I’ve owned both players and I really understand why a few people prefer 1A to 1Z... But at the end, and if you match it to the right headphone, the 1Z is just a “masterpiece of tone” like no other. I haven’t heard a more special sounding DAP than this one. Constantly reminds me as listening to a good vinyl rig or open reel deck. It has an ANALOG quality in its sound that is really like no other DAP. Just intoxicating. To me it’s worth the extra cost over the 1A.


----------



## Rob49

RobertP said:


> If their is a DAP that has warm, lush, nice timbre, great dynamic in mid to low and nice treble details of the WM1Z + great upper-mid detail and transparency of WM1A + a bit more synergy on top, that would be a killer.



Would that be a DMP-Z1 ?? ( Not exactly a DAP, though ! )



mmwwmm said:


> I’ve owned both players and I really understand why a few people prefer 1A to 1Z... But at the end, and if you match it to the right headphone, the 1Z is just a “masterpiece of tone” like no other.



Which headphone would that be then ? ( In your opinion, of course. )


----------



## RobertP

Rob49 said:


> Would that be a DMP-Z1 ?? ( Not exactly a DAP, though ! )
> 
> 
> 
> Which headphone would that be then ? ( In your opinion, of course. )


hard to say. I'll leave it for those who has all 3.


----------



## mmwwmm (May 18, 2020)

Rob49 said:


> Which headphone would that be then ? ( In your opinion, of course. )



I LOVE the sound I get with HD650 and using just a cheap pure silver braided balanced cable from lunashop. I feel this cable critical to get the right tone from this combo (I‘ve tried and own some other way more expensive cables and this is just the best sounding one I’ve heard for this combo).


----------



## Hinomotocho (May 18, 2020)

mwhals said:


> The artist was already compensated when the CD was bought new, so no need to compensate an artist more than once for the same CD.


True, but I just meant laws can sometimes not make any sense when it comes to the rights to something like music or movies. In my country it was technically illegal to make a copy of an album in any form eg. Mp3 etc and we weren't allowed to rip a DVD to put on a phone or tablet. I could have imagined them having some system where resale of an artists work like a CD could only be resold through an official channel.


----------



## proedros

Ryokan said:


> Anyone else happy with their players stock sound without flashing with any tuning mods?



stock WM1A , j region 3.02 FW

listening to this prog house masterpiece on my Zeus XR + 1960s 2 wire 4.4 mm , dancing like i am back on those prog house parties circa 2001


----------



## Rob49

mmwwmm said:


> I LOVE the sound I get with HD650 and using just a cheap pure silver braided balanced cable from lunashop. I feel this cable critical to get the right tone from this combo (I‘ve tried and own some other way more expensive cables and this is just the best sounding one I’ve heard for this combo).



Interesting....i'm assuming you can no longer buy the HD650 new ?? HD660 S the option...?? I've been thinking of buying the 660's. ( I don't own the 1Z or 1A. )


----------



## nc8000

Rob49 said:


> Interesting....i'm assuming you can no longer buy the HD650 new ?? HD660 S the option...?? I've been thinking of buying the 660's. ( I don't own the 1Z or 1A. )



HD650 is still being sold every where as brand new


----------



## Lookout57

Ryokan said:


> Anyone else happy with their players stock sound without flashing with any tuning mods?


WM1A Region J WM1Aᶻ tuning with the CFA Solaris OG and DHC Clone Silver Balanced.
WM1Z Region J stock tuning with the CFA Solaris SE and DHC Clone Silver Balanced.

I found that the WM1Aᶻ tuning take the WM1A closer to the sound of the 1Z but the 1Z can't be beat with the right IEM and cable combo.


----------



## Rob49

nc8000 said:


> HD650 is still being sold every where as brand new



Oh right....not seen them listed on Amazon U.K. ?? You'd think they would have them ??


----------



## nc8000

Rob49 said:


> Oh right....not seen them listed on Amazon U.K. ?? You'd think they would have them ??



Actually looking closer many places list them but they are out of stock most of them


----------



## Rob49

nc8000 said:


> Actually looking closer many places list them but they are out of stock most of them



Well i haven't seen them listed for quite sometime now...


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have a duplicate file somewhere in my WM1A,  .

I tried Norton utilities bit this does not see any walkman (not internal nor SD)


----------



## Quadfather

Ryokan said:


> Anyone else happy with their players stock sound without flashing with any tuning mods?




Yes.  Me.


----------



## Hinomotocho

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have a duplicate file somewhere in my WM1A,  .
> 
> I tried Norton utilities bit this does not see any walkman (not internal nor SD)


Have you tried CCleaner - a free utilities program for Mac and PC, I think that searches external media for duplicates.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hinomotocho said:


> Have you tried CCleaner - a free utilities program for Mac and PC, I think that searches external media for duplicates.


I will try it. I was removing some tags from my files and found three duplicates on my hard drive so I deleted these files on both hard drives and walkman. And I checked but my wm1A shows one song more 🤬


----------



## Lookout57

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have a duplicate file somewhere in my WM1A,  .
> 
> I tried Norton utilities bit this does not see any walkman (not internal nor SD)


Look at the details for each suspected duplicate. It will show you the exact path where it's stored. Then you can deleted the duplicate on the player or when connected to your computer.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Does anyone else consider their WM1A their holy grail DAP or their end of the line player?


----------



## 524419 (May 18, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Does anyone else consider their WM1A their holy grail DAP or their end of the line player?


My Modded 1A competes with my desktop DACs, and in ways outdoes them.
Perfect player as far as I am concerned. weight/size/sound quality/battery life etc is right on point.


----------



## VancityDreaming

Gamerlingual said:


> Does anyone else consider their WM1A their holy grail DAP or their end of the line player?


Me, cause i don't want to spend anymore money. And the synergy with my ier-z1r is really nice.


----------



## Gamerlingual

VancityDreaming said:


> Me, cause i don't want to spend anymore money. And the synergy with my ier-z1r is really nice.


Owning the IER-Z1R myself, I sampled both players and found like yourself, there was a much better synergy to them with the 1A. Crazy that even a more expensive player didn’t match the sheer joy I felt after listening to the 1A and IER together.

but the MDR-Z1R pairs better with the 1Z from what I sampled, but those cans are too big in size


----------



## VancityDreaming

Gamerlingual said:


> Owning the IER-Z1R myself, I sampled both players and found like yourself, there was a much better synergy to them with the 1A. Crazy that even a more expensive player didn’t match the sheer joy I felt after listening to the 1A and IER together.
> 
> but the MDR-Z1R pairs better with the 1Z from what I sampled, but those cans are too big in size


Please try it with the J region setting with jupiter t2.


----------



## YCHANGE

Gamerlingual said:


> Does anyone else consider their WM1A their holy grail DAP or their end of the line player?



I've got about 680 hours on my 2nd WM1A.(1st WM1A had sound cutting out on the 4.4)  My best all around combo is the WM1A /Ares 8-wire cable/Lyra II.  I've stayed with stock 3.01 firmware because it fits my sound signature needs best.

Even though I bought a Fiio M15 recently,  I still fit in time for the WM1A.  It's just so comfortable to use and don't even have to turn it off.  It may not be my end of the line player, but it's the only player I bought twice and the one I've spent the most time with.


----------



## mwhals

Gamerlingual said:


> Owning the IER-Z1R myself, I sampled both players and found like yourself, there was a much better synergy to them with the 1A. Crazy that even a more expensive player didn’t match the sheer joy I felt after listening to the 1A and IER together.
> 
> but the MDR-Z1R pairs better with the 1Z from what I sampled, but those cans are too big in size



Any description of how those two headphones sound? It may help me know which dap to get based on which headphone is closer to my IEM signatures


----------



## JerryHead

I'm sure this has been covered somewhere here, but is there a Sony glass screen protector for the WM1A?  If so, can someone reply with the model number?  I bought an aftermarket one, but I've always had the best experience with the Sony branded ones..


----------



## Hinomotocho

JerryHead said:


> I'm sure this has been covered somewhere here, but is there a Sony glass screen protector for the WM1A?  If so, can someone reply with the model number?  I bought an aftermarket one, but I've always had the best experience with the Sony branded ones..


I have ordered one from AliExpress that comes with the port caps, is your one not adequate or of poor quality?


----------



## JerryHead

Gamerlingual said:


> Does anyone else consider their WM1A their holy grail DAP or their end of the line player?


I absolutely do, and I'm also convinced that there are quite a few people watching our thread and waiting for word of when Sony announces a DAP that is on the same level of the WM1A  and 1Z but can access Tidal and other services via wifi.  Might actually not be too far off now..


----------



## Lookout57

JerryHead said:


> I'm sure this has been covered somewhere here, but is there a Sony glass screen protector for the WM1A?  If so, can someone reply with the model number?  I bought an aftermarket one, but I've always had the best experience with the Sony branded ones..


These were recommended by others here and I can vouch for them: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079JPK1L6/


----------



## Gamerlingual

JerryHead said:


> I absolutely do, and I'm also convinced that there are quite a few people watching our thread and waiting for word of when Sony announces a DAP that is on the same level of the WM1A  and 1Z but can access Tidal and other services via wifi.  Might actually not be too far off now..


Thinking the closest thing to a TOTL player with streaming services would be the FiiO M15?


----------



## Kad998

JerryHead said:


> I absolutely do, and I'm also convinced that there are quite a few people watching our thread and waiting for word of when Sony announces a DAP that is on the same level of the WM1A  and 1Z but can access Tidal and other services via wifi.  Might actually not be too far off now..



You are on the money! I am that person that you are talking about that's waiting for either one of them to be able to access Tidal! Then I am sold!


----------



## JerryHead

Gamerlingual said:


> Thinking the closest thing to a TOTL player with streaming services would be the FiiO M15?


I haven't heard the M15, but you're probably correct from the looks of it.  But of course, it lacks the Sony sound signature.


----------



## JerryHead

Lookout57 said:


> These were recommended by others here and I can vouch for them: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079JPK1L6/


thanks, that's the one I bought


----------



## akãjerovia

Gamerlingual said:


> Does anyone else consider their WM1A their holy grail DAP or their end of the line player?



To me is end game, with the MDR Z1R is all i need, the instant i hear both together i knew. Big soundstage, refined bass, nice amount of detail, and an excellent all rounder for my music preferences, the WM1A cured my itch.


----------



## Queen6

Ryokan said:


> Anyone else happy with their players stock sound without flashing with any tuning mods?



My WM1A is back on Sony 3.02 (Region J)  as works well across all my IEM's 

Q-6


----------



## VancityDreaming

Queen6 said:


> My WM1A is back on Sony 3.02 (Region J)  as works well across all my IEM's
> 
> Q-6


Which custom firmware did you try and what were the reasons that made you switch back?


----------



## JerryHead

Anybody ever hear such thing as a metadata editor that goes into your DAP, like a WM1A/1Z (while connected to a computer ) and cleans everything up, replaces or applies new album artwork, and allows you to make manual batch changes?  No such thing, right?


----------



## Queen6

VancityDreaming said:


> Which custom firmware did you try and what were the reasons that made you switch back?



Many from differing contributor's, mostly as I have differing  sounding IEM's and a wide range of genres so want to preserve a balance on the DAP. There's no compliant with the tuning equally it's always going to be specific to another's taste and headgear. Sony very likely look to strike the balance; going from the likes of CF Andromeda to Sony XBA-N3 is significant difference in sound signature.

The other factor is there are now over 50 variations of custom tuning and 16 regions to go through, I came  to the conclusion that prefer to be enjoying the music without constantly analysing the tuning. I did consider doing something solely for myself, equally I came to the same endpoint where I would likely end up skewing the sound signature to serve one IEM over the others.

Q-6


----------



## Gamerlingual

VancityDreaming said:


> Please try it with the J region setting with jupiter t2.


 I tested the players at a shop, so they are J region by default. What is Jupiter t2? Google searched and couldn't come up with any results. Is that Campfire brand earphones?


mwhals said:


> Any description of how those two headphones sound? It may help me know which dap to get based on which headphone is closer to my IEM signatures


 I would describe the MDR-Z1R as more of a concert stage presence and the IER-Z1R had me imagining like I'm at a movie theater or home theater surround sound if that makes sense?


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> I tested the players at a shop, so they are J region by default. What is Jupiter t2? Google searched and couldn't come up with any results. Is that Campfire brand earphones?
> I would describe the MDR-Z1R as more of a concert stage presence and the IER-Z1R had me imagining like I'm at a movie theater or home theater surround sound if that makes sense?


Jupiter T2 or Tier 2 is a custom firmware for the 1A/Z.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> Jupiter T2 or Tier 2 is a custom firmware for the 1A/Z.


Ah, then I can't do that since I only sampled the players at the store. Thanks a lot


----------



## nc8000

JerryHead said:


> Anybody ever hear such thing as a metadata editor that goes into your DAP, like a WM1A/1Z (while connected to a computer ) and cleans everything up, replaces or applies new album artwork, and allows you to make manual batch changes?  No such thing, right?



Mp3tag on Windows but it is not magic and cant figure out on it’s own what you want done. In fact any tag editor can work on the files on the player when connected to a computer as the player is just another drive. Just be aware that you will probably have to do a manual rebuild of the library after you disconnect the player as it only recognises new and deleted files (and files where the name has changed)


----------



## Hinomotocho

JerryHead said:


> Anybody ever hear such thing as a metadata editor that goes into your DAP, like a WM1A/1Z (while connected to a computer ) and cleans everything up, replaces or applies new album artwork, and allows you to make manual batch changes?  No such thing, right?


I believe MP3tag and Tagscanner are able to do batch editing. I chose Tagscanner because it has a simple recompress setting to get those pesky album art to show up in Sony daps.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I tried CCleaner also could find anything haha damn it


----------



## TheBonkingFrog (May 19, 2020)

100 hours on the balanced output now with MDR-1ZR's.

I have to say that the experience is variable. With some music it sounds heavenly, other times it's totally swamped by the bass and thick mids. I think this is more a legacy of the 1Z than the 1ZR's - I tried them on my old DAC (single-ended) and they sounded "normal". I have the TA-ZH1E coming sometime in the next week, so will be interesting to see how that sounds.

I'm looking for an cable upgrade, probably the Sony Kimber is good enough, but I'm open to suggestions.

In the interim, I've dialled the bass down to -2, the mid -1 and treble +2 via the tone control and it's much better.

I have SE846's arriving tomorrow, so back onto the single-ended with those for night listening...


----------



## etlouis

TheBonkingFrog said:


> 100 hours on the balanced output now with MDR-1ZR's.
> 
> I have to say that the experience is variable. With some music it sounds heavenly, other times it's totally swamped by the bass and thick mids. I think this is more a legacy of the 1Z than the 1ZR's - I tried them on my old DAC (single-ended) and they sounded "normal". I have the TA-ZH1E coming sometime in the next week, so will be interesting to see how that sounds.
> 
> ...



Going to break it to you but the 846 is all about sinking into sub-bass. The fit of shures are always awesome though.


----------



## Hinomotocho (May 19, 2020)

My WM1A arrived yesterday, so after an initial full charge and a tweak of the settings (battery saver) etc I had a listen. Coming from a 3 year old ZX300 with about 550 hours on it I could immediately notice the difference and definitely consider it a step up, even without burn in, and worth the extra money. I have nothing bad at all to say about the ZX300, I had just found it too warm and lacking in detail and clarity as my tastes changed. My WM1A is nice to hold and I am enjoying the larger screen size.
In my simplistic descriptive terms I noticed more clarity and a wider soundstage with a more 3D presentation. There were on some songs an instrument in the background brought forward, almost sounding a bit odd, but I think this is where burn in smoothes things out across the frequencies. I'm going to clock up some burn in hours and I'll stay stock for a fair while to understand the sound before having a play with the firmwares or tunings.
Funny how warped your sense of time can be - I left it burning in overnight and I woke up and checked the device hoping to see 50 hours on it, no, not even close - the journey begins.


----------



## Hinomotocho (May 19, 2020)

I'm at work now and forgot to check about creating playlists on the device. The ZX300 was quite sluggish when using the playlist function, both adding and deleting a track, is the WM1A any faster?


----------



## VancityDreaming

Hinomotocho said:


> I'm at work now and forgot to check about making playlists on the device. The ZX300 was quite sluggish when using the playlist function, both adding and deleting a track, is the WM1A any faster?


Music pauses when you delete a track. Dunno bout playlists since i do not use them


----------



## Krutsch (May 19, 2020)

Donmonte said:


> Did you enable High Gain ?



So... I spent the afternoon listening with high gain enabled, using the balanced 4.4mm connection into Senn HD-660S.
Much louder... but is the sound as good? Not sure I can tell, yet. I've been listening to some metal tracks and you know how that can dull your senses  

To this point in burn-in, I would say I've heard the best sound from the WM1A using a SE connection to Shure 846 + Moon Audio Silver Dragon cables - that was a "wow" moment.

FT CAP burn-in continues... but the new Woo amp has been ordered.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Krutsch said:


> So... I spent the afternoon listening with high gain enabled, using the balanced 4.4mm connection into Senn HD-660S.
> Much louder... but is the sound as good? Not sure I can tell, yet. I've been listening to some metal tracks and you know how that can dull your senses
> 
> To this point in burn-in, I would say I've heard the best sound from the WM1A using a SE connection to Shure 846 + Moon Audio Silver Dragon cables - that was a "wow" moment.
> ...


The more I read people’s experiences about their 1A, the more I see that for some it really is an end of the line player. Lots of positive feedback and I feel encouraged to buy one sometime this month or next. Just depends on work. I am glad so many are ecstatic about the 1A and after holding the 1Z, I see that it’s too much of a brick to carry around the house. I get why because of the components and build quality, but it certainly is heavy.


----------



## Donmonte

Krutsch said:


> So... I spent the afternoon listening with high gain enabled, using the balanced 4.4mm connection into Senn HD-660S.
> Much louder... but is the sound as good? Not sure I can tell, yet. I've been listening to some metal tracks and you know how that can dull your senses
> 
> To this point in burn-in, I would say I've heard the best sound from the WM1A using a SE connection to Shure 846 + Moon Audio Silver Dragon cables - that was a "wow" moment.
> ...



I also use full sized headphones, mainly the Focal Clear with high gain on balanced connection, and the volume stays between 80-100. Quality is frankly astounding.


----------



## Krutsch

Gamerlingual said:


> ...after holding the 1Z, I see that it’s too much of a brick to carry around the house. I get why because of the components and build quality, but it certainly is heavy.



Really? It's that much heavier? Now I really want one...


----------



## 515164

Krutsch said:


> Really? It's that much heavier? Now I really want one...



269g for WM1A and 455g for WM1Z. The difference is an aluminium frame vs a copper one.


----------



## Hinomotocho

I've worked my way through a lot of this thread and I see most people don't turn it off and let it sleep between uses. Approximately how many days standby do you get? My ZX300 had poor battery life and if I left it on standby the battery would lose a bar every 2 days - just wondering if the WM1A has a more efficient sleep mode. I'm sure my previous Sony daps all had a decent standby battery life.


----------



## akãjerovia

Hinomotocho said:


> I've worked my way through a lot of this thread and I see most people don't turn it off and let it sleep between uses. Approximately how many days standby do you get? My ZX300 had poor battery life and if I left it on standby the battery would lose a bar every 2 days - just wondering if the WM1A has a more efficient sleep mode. I'm sure my previous Sony daps all had a decent standby battery life.



The best thing you can do to improve battery is to put screen brightness to 1, otherwise it's gonna drain fast.


----------



## nc8000

Hinomotocho said:


> I've worked my way through a lot of this thread and I see most people don't turn it off and let it sleep between uses. Approximately how many days standby do you get? My ZX300 had poor battery life and if I left it on standby the battery would lose a bar every 2 days - just wondering if the WM1A has a more efficient sleep mode. I'm sure my previous Sony daps all had a decent standby battery life.



20+ hours play back plus 7 days standby with battery saver enabled. I charge once a week and never turn it off


----------



## nc8000

Krutsch said:


> So... I spent the afternoon listening with high gain enabled, using the balanced 4.4mm connection into Senn HD-660S.
> Much louder... but is the sound as good? Not sure I can tell, yet. I've been listening to some metal tracks and you know how that can dull your senses
> 
> To this point in burn-in, I would say I've heard the best sound from the WM1A using a SE connection to Shure 846 + Moon Audio Silver Dragon cables - that was a "wow" moment.
> ...



Remember you need at least 200 hours burn-in for each output before final judgement


----------



## VancityDreaming

Has anyone had their battery replaced for their 1A yet?


----------



## nc8000

VancityDreaming said:


> Has anyone had their battery replaced for their 1A yet?



Some have as part of mods


----------



## Queen6

I leave both WM1A & ZX300 on auto shutoff at 24 hours, that's it...

Q-6


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

etlouis said:


> Going to break it to you but the 846 is all about sinking into sub-bass. The fit of shures are always awesome though.



Yeah, I heard they had decent bass on them so will see. It's why I always buy stuff from Amazon, if I don't like they get returned without discussion.

Thing is that I like the sound of my SE535's, but they lack bass, so was looking for an upgrade on those. And indeed they are very comfortable, whereas other IEM's look the opposite in general.


----------



## Hinomotocho

I have a WMP-NWM10 which is an adapter with WM-Port - micro usb that saves having to carry an extra cable, but now most of my devices are USB-C I was wondering if there is a USB-C version of this adapter?


----------



## nc8000 (May 20, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> I have a WMP-NWM10 which is an adapter with WM-Port - micro usb that saves having to carry an extra cable, but now most of my devices are USB-C I was wondering if there is a USB-C version of this adapter?



Not that I know of but I have a tiny female usb-c to male micro usb adapter that I plug into the WM adapter


----------



## Vitaly2017

Some extra goodness for the ears.




@Queen6 
@proedros


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Just arrived - SE846 (and Philip Glass Violin Concerto = I adore this version and could find the CD until now )


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 20, 2020)

Welp, now debating getting the 1Z for 220,000 yen very good condition or the 1A for 85,000 yen mint condition. What would you guys think is the way to go? I know it's up to me, but just wondering what you guys think. It's always interesting to what people think. Let me know.

Edit: Yup 1Z. Hooray for Auto correct!  Also found out that despite being in mint condition, the battery has been used for 700 hours. Seems like a long time


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Welp, now debating getting the Z1 for 220,000 yen very good condition or the 1A for 85,000 yen mint condition. What would you guys think is the way to go? I know it's up to me, but just wondering what you guys think. It's always interesting to what people think. Let me know.



I assume you mean 1Z and not Z1 ?

Having not tried the 1A I can’t comment but sure love my 1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> Welp, now debating getting the 1Z for 220,000 yen very good condition or the 1A for 85,000 yen mint condition. What would you guys think is the way to go? I know it's up to me, but just wondering what you guys think. It's always interesting to what people think. Let me know.
> 
> Edit: Yup 1Z. Hooray for Auto correct!


Last year I tried an 1Z in Berlin sony store. I found no difference between both (both stock FW) . Only the 1Z has some more uephonic sound on Solo instrumental music (solo ciolin/flute/etc) but not much as to justify the 3200€ preis


----------



## gearofwar

Does anyone know if there is any software that scans and normalize the volume for all of the tracks? I don't want to turn off Direct sound.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 20, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> Does anyone know if there is any software that scans and normalize the volume for all of the tracks? I don't want to turn off Direct sound.


I've seen a ReplayGain option in dbPoweramp(that is Tag based sony doesnt support.it)  but I am not sure if it has other option than that. to be honest, I've never tried such stuff, as I don't like the idea of DR Kompressor

EDIT found this among the various DSPs of dbpoweramp


----------



## nc8000

gearofwar said:


> Does anyone know if there is any software that scans and normalize the volume for all of the tracks? I don't want to turn off Direct sound.



dbPowerAmp is one but I don’t actually know if the Sony players recognize and uses the ReplayGain tag


----------



## Vitaly2017

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Just arrived - SE846 (and Philip Glass Violin Concerto = I adore this version and could find the CD until now )






Congratulations!  The 846 where my first audiophile iem that I got before entering the big and deep rabbit hole of the audiophile world!

846 thrives for 2 years until I jumped in for something new.
I highly recommend you change that stock mmcx cable you will be marveled to know how enormously 846 can scale up! And if you can get 1z!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Forgot to add, I’m guessing neither price screams value for their offer?


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Vitaly2017 said:


> Congratulations!  The 846 where my first audiophile iem that I got before entering the big and deep rabbit hole of the audiophile world!
> 
> 846 thrives for 2 years until I jumped in for something new.
> I highly recommend you change that stock mmcx cable you will be marveled to know how enormously 846 can scale up! And if you can get 1z!



Any recommendation on the cable? I was thinking of the Linum https://www.linum.dk/products/linum-balanced/

Isn't there a Sony/Kimber that works with Shure?

I was going to get the Sony IEM's, but they just don't look comfortable at all. Plus they're as rare as rocking-horse poop around here...


----------



## nc8000 (May 20, 2020)

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Any recommendation on the cable? I was thinking of the Linum https://www.linum.dk/products/linum-balanced/
> 
> Isn't there a Sony/Kimber that works with Shure?
> 
> I was going to get the Sony IEM's, but they just don't look comfortable at all. Plus they're as rare as rocking-horse poop around here...



I have tried and owned both and both are good but not on the same iem so can't comment on sound differences but ergonomically the Linum is light years better being much thinner and more flexible


----------



## nc8000

When I bought my 1Z it was because I at that time had the money to spend so went for the top. Today where I can't spend money like that I would go with the 1A as I'm sure I would also have been happy with it, but I have never tried the 1A


----------



## gearofwar

nc8000 said:


> dbPowerAmp is one but I don’t actually know if the Sony players recognize and uses the ReplayGain tag





gerelmx1986 said:


> I've seen a ReplayGain option in dbPoweramp(that is Tag based sony doesnt support.it)  but I am not sure if it has other option than that. to be honest, I've never tried such stuff, as I don't like the idea of DR Kompressor
> 
> EDIT found this among the various DSPs of dbpoweramp


I have dbPowerAmp, too bad, the replay gain is not recognized on Sony dap


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 20, 2020)

Anyhow, update. I found this auction was practically brand new, about 30 hours used in and it includes a silicon case and screen protector. Mint, complete with box and all accessories. The price includes shipping and tax. So I think I found a really good price on it. Feeling really happy right now. Thank you for your feedback, everyone. This should complete my audio adventure collection. And here is the snapshot of my purchase of the 1A


----------



## 524419 (May 20, 2020)

The Jump from 1A to 1Z for me is just not there. Especially now with custom firmware and modding options.
It would be a better investment to get a cheaper 1A and spend the extra money on Mods, and if you can do it DIY, there is not a better deal in all of audio.
I have heard both players extensively.

ADD: I would at the very least change the 1A internal wires, the bare minimum of the mods available.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Yea it seemed like a better fit with my Sony IER-Z1R. Thank you
> 
> Yea after I saw this auction and saw the extras, it made better sense to get the better deal. Yea I can afford the Gold one, but it just didn’t provide enough volume to normalize my IER-Z1R. Thanks for the feedback.



Well if you don't find that the 1Z can drive the IER to your liking the 1A can't either as they are speced identical. I never go over 50 on balanced high gain or 70 normal gain with the IER which is plenty loud enough for me and is driven well so can't imagine why you find them lacking


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Well if you don't find that the 1Z can drive the IER to your liking the 1A can't either as they are speced identical. I never go over 50 on balanced high gain or 70 normal gain with the IER which is plenty loud enough for me and is driven well so can't imagine why you find them lacking


It’s odd because what I sampled at the store, I played them both at around 56 volume and the 1A sounded both louder and fuller than the 1Z. I was amazed at the 1A and at least from what I heard, I loved it. Dunno why my ears interpreted that, but hey, it should be one of the best players in the market regardless. I was also able to navigate the Japanese menu better than I expected. So I may also keep it in Japanese to continue to further polish my studies. It wouldn’t hurt but then eventually change it over to English.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Diet Kokaine said:


> The Jump from 1A to 1Z for me is just not there. Especially now with custom firmware and modding options.
> It would be a better investment to get a cheaper 1A and spend the extra money on Mods, and if you can do it DIY, there is not a better deal in all of audio.
> I have heard both players extensively.
> 
> ADD: I would at the very least change the 1A internal wires, the bare minimum of the mods available.


Good to know. Perhaps some YouTube tutorials can show me how to become a DIY person. Wouldn’t mind trying it and I figure if I screw up, I can perhaps to
do a factory reset like the FiiO M6 has


----------



## ttt123

Gamerlingual said:


> Welp, now debating getting the 1Z for 220,000 yen very good condition or the 1A for 85,000 yen mint condition. What would you guys think is the way to go? I know it's up to me, but just wondering what you guys think. It's always interesting to what people think. Let me know.
> 
> Edit: Yup 1Z. Hooray for Auto correct!  Also found out that despite being in mint condition, the battery has been used for 700 hours. Seems like a long time


It really is up to you.  What type of audioholic are you, the type who is happy with what they decide on, or the type who keeps looking for more?  Even though you may be new to this audio area, how are you with purchases in other areas?

- Do you buy things, and then itch for the better model, and start to see the improvements which originally seemed miniscule or non-existant, start to be more important/essential, and this nags at you until you upgrade?  If you are this type of person, get the WM1Z
- Do you rationally and practically make a decision on cost/benefit, diminishing returns, affordability, and after evaluating everything, make a purchase, and then remain happy with your decision, do not look at anything else, and use it until it breaks, before you look for a replacement?  If this is you, the WM1A may satisfy you.

Personally, when I decided to upgrade from the ZX2, I went to the Sony store and listened to the WM1A and WM1Z.  In this short listen,  I did not hear enough to justify the 3 x higher cost, and double the weight to 1 lb, so not practical to carry around, and I did not like the gold color.  Just seemed too bling to carry around.  So I got the WM1A

- After 6 months, I decided to get the WM1Z, as I decided that the WM1Z's more analog sound, and more involving/emotive SQ, are actually the qualities that I value the most.  More than the technical sound of the WM1A.  Nothing wrong with the WM1A, just that I was looking for qualities which I thought the WM1Z could do, and the WM1A could not do.
And I am happy with the WM1Z, since I got it in early 2017.

So the end result of this is that it cost me quite a bit more to go down this path of getting the 1A first, and then the 1Z.  And I should have known myself better, but even after so long in this hobby, I did not know myself well enough, and thought that I would be happy with the WM1A.  I should have known better, from past experiences.

So, what type of person are you, and how well do you know yourself?

And 700 hours on a WM1x is nothing to worry about.  After owning the WM1A for  3 1/2 months, I already had 1600 hours on it.


----------



## Krutsch

I did some Googling and found someone that did measurements for the output impedance values for the WM1Z/A (0.94 ohms and 0.92 ohms, respectively).

See: https://pmrreviews.com/?p=1193

But, the author doesn't mention if this is with the SE or balanced headphone out. Reading the article, I am assuming this is for the SE output.  Does anyone know these values for the balanced headphone out?


----------



## nc8000

ttt123 said:


> It really is up to you.  What type of audioholic are you, the type who is happy with what they decide on, or the type who keeps looking for more?  Even though you may be new to this audio area, how are you with purchases in other areas?
> 
> - Do you buy things, and then itch for the better model, and start to see the improvements which originally seemed miniscule or non-existant, start to be more important/essential, and this nags at you until you upgrade?  If you are this type of person, get the WM1Z
> - Do you rationally and practically make a decision on cost/benefit, diminishing returns, affordability, and after evaluating everything, make a purchase, and then remain happy with your decision, do not look at anything else, and use it until it breaks, before you look for a replacement?  If this is you, the WM1A may satisfy you.
> ...



amazing, that equates to about 16 hours a day every day. Took me 1 1/2 years to reach that


----------



## ttt123

nc8000 said:


> amazing, that equates to about 16 hours a day every day. Took me 1 1/2 years to reach that


I do not baby my players.  I use it to burn in IEMs and Cables, in addition to what is needed for the 3.5mm and the 4.4mm jacks.  I run the player for burn in when not using the DAP.  I especially want to rack up the hours when I first get it, as I want to use it heavily while it is under warranty.  If it is going to fail under hard use, I want it to fail early, while under warranty.  And if it lasts the first year of hard use, I am not too worried about it after that.


----------



## Vitaly2017

ttt123 said:


> I do not baby my players.  I use it to burn in IEMs and Cables, in addition to what is needed for the 3.5mm and the 4.4mm jacks.  I run the player for burn in when not using the DAP.  I especially want to rack up the hours when I first get it, as I want to use it heavily while it is under warranty.  If it is going to fail under hard use, I want it to fail early, while under warranty.  And if it lasts the first year of hard use, I am not too worried about it after that.




If we all remember there was 1 guy who had its 1z or 1a cant remember who he was. He had around 15 or 17 000 hours on hes dap and still the original battery!  And still was running perfectly fine and no issues to keep going Haha 

So good luck trying to kill your wm1a/z by indefinitely playing it none stop 🤭🤪😏


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> If we all remember there was 1 guy who had its 1z or 1a cant remember who he was. He had around 15 or 17 000 hours on hes dap and still the original battery!  And still was running perfectly fine and no issues to keep going Haha
> 
> So good luck trying to kill your wm1a/z by indefinitely playing it none stop 🤭🤪😏



The max I’ve seen is gerelmex with about 8.000 hours


----------



## bflat

Keep in mind that LiON battery life under normal usage degrades slowly over time. You don't wake up one day to find you only get 50% battery life when the day before you got 100%. In fact, many studies have shown if you limit the max charge to under 90% and you don't let the battery drain below 20%, you may lose around 10% battery life over 5 years. This is based on a study on Tesla batteries that show if you charge to 80% every day and drive to 20% every day, it will be about 5 years for you to see a 5% drop in battery life. After that, the degradation slows down even more.

What will absolutely kill your batteries are 2 things:

1) Overcharging - on the Sony, just use battery saver so it never goes over 90% charge.
2) Fully depleting - just don't use to zero battery life. A few times per year is fine.

Assuming you do all that, 5 years of 15+ of playing every day will net you about a 1-2 hour loss of overall battery life.


----------



## Maxx134 (May 20, 2020)

RobertP said:


> If their is a DAP that has warm, lush, nice timbre, great dynamic in mid to low and nice treble details of the WM1Z + great upper-mid detail and transparency of WM1A + a bit more synergy on top, that would be a killer.


I never heard anything on the wm1a that the wm1z didn't have, except forwardness.



mmwwmm said:


> if you match it to the right headphone, the 1Z is just a “masterpiece of tone” like no other. I haven’t heard a more special sounding DAP than this one. Constantly reminds me as listening to a good vinyl rig or open reel deck. It has an ANALOG quality in its sound that is really like no other DAP. Just intoxicating


Yep I prefer this sound to any Dap or Dac.



hamhamhamsta said:


> Haha, sounds like you’re describing my modded 1Z


Yep, there's your answer for either unit, a mod upgrade.



Gamerlingual said:


> It’s odd because what I sampled at the store, I played them both at around 56 volume and the 1A sounded both louder and fuller than the 1Z.




Yep, probably these output settings, or volume cap enabled.




Diet Kokaine said:


> The Jump from 1A to 1Z for me is just not there. Especially now with custom firmware and modding options.
> It would be a better investment to get a cheaper 1A and spend the extra money on Mods, and if you can do it DIY, there is not a better deal in all of audio


Yep...
The 1a has never been better, now that there is BOTH firmware and hardware upgrades...
You can probably be satisfied with the "WM1Az" firmware and not even bother with much mods.



ttt123 said:


> It really is up to you.  What type of audioholic are you, the type who is happy with what they decide on, or the type who keeps looking for more?  Even though you may be new to this audio area, how are you with purchases in other areas?
> 
> - Do you buy things, and then itch for the better model, and start to see the improvements which originally seemed miniscule or non-existant, start to be more important/essential, and this nags at you until you upgrade?  If you are this type of person, get the WM1Z
> - Do you rationally and practically make a decision on cost/benefit, diminishing returns, affordability, and after evaluating everything, make a purchase, and then remain happy with your decision, do not look at anything else, and use it until it breaks, before you look for a replacement?  If this is you, the WM1A may satisfy you.
> ...



This is the best post for those that thinking which one to buy.


----------



## mwhals

Is the WM1Z too warm for my IEMs in my signature or would the WM1A pair better?


----------



## ttt123

Vitaly2017 said:


> If we all remember there was 1 guy who had its 1z or 1a cant remember who he was. He had around 15 or 17 000 hours on hes dap and still the original battery!  And still was running perfectly fine and no issues to keep going Haha
> 
> So good luck trying to kill your wm1a/z by indefinitely playing it none stop 🤭🤪😏


That was me.  Though my battery has been replaced once already, not because it absolutely needed it, but seeing as how it was at Romi Audio for a mod, I decided to replace it in March 2018.    And I am now at 18,170 hours.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> It’s odd because what I sampled at the store, I played them both at around 56 volume and the 1A sounded both louder and fuller than the 1Z. I was amazed at the 1A and at least from what I heard, I loved it. Dunno why my ears interpreted that, but hey, it should be one of the best players in the market regardless. I was also able to navigate the Japanese menu better than I expected. So I may also keep it in Japanese to continue to further polish my studies. It wouldn’t hurt but then eventually change it over to English.



Are you sure both were at the same gain level ?


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Are you sure both were at the same gain level ?


Both had the high gain output off for balanced mode.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Both had the high gain output off for balanced mode.



Strange as they have identical power output specs


----------



## bflat

I've found if I listen "fresh" on any device I own, it always sound louder than the output setting I left so I have to reduce by about 10 clicks. After about 2-5 min of adjustment, I am back to where I left it.


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> I've found if I listen "fresh" on any device I own, it always sound louder than the output setting I left so I have to reduce by about 10 clicks. After about 2-5 min of adjustment, I am back to where I left it.



Yes that happens frequently for me as well


----------



## Vitaly2017

ttt123 said:


> That was me.  Though my battery has been replaced once already, not because it absolutely needed it, but seeing as how it was at Romi Audio for a mod, I decided to replace it in March 2018.    And I am now at 18,170 hours.



Sorry I have not remembered it was you oopsies 😄


----------



## Gamerlingual

mwhals said:


> Is the WM1Z too warm for my IEMs in my signature or would the WM1A pair better?


The WM1A felt more lively for with better instrument separation when I sampled them with my IER-Z1R.


----------



## Hinomotocho (May 20, 2020)

I am really thrilled with my WM1A, I am enjoying the quality of it in my hand, the bigger screen with file playback info (ZX300 lacked) and the quality of the sound. Also is the bonus of having a wide range of tuning mods available and participating in a highly active thread with a wealth of knowledge, tuning mod feedback and experience to learn from.


----------



## Ravenous (May 20, 2020)

Hey everyone! I was considering getting a WM1A after saving up enough, but I was wondering if anyone here would be able to compare the sound quality of this DAP to that of  thebit Opus #1S. The main reason for the upgrade is that I've befallen the dreaded "battery drainage" problem that is common with this player and even after changing out the battery with a new replacement, the issue persists... Considering that thebit (now audio-opus) is pretty much DOA when it comes to customer support, I would think that a Sony product would be a safe choice not just in product reliability but in customer support if anything happens to go wrong. Would anyone recommend this DAP as a good upgrade from the Opus#1S?


----------



## Lookout57

Ravenous said:


> Hey everyone! I was considering getting a WM1A after saving up enough, but I was wondering if anyone here would be able to compare the sound quality of this DAP to that of  thebit Opus #1S. The main reason for the upgrade is that I've befallen the dreaded "battery drainage" problem that is common with this player and even after changing out the battery with a new replacement, the issue persists... Considering that thebit (now audio-opus) is pretty much DOA when it comes to customer support, I would think that a Sony product would be a safe choice not just in product reliability but in customer support if anything happens to go wrong. Would anyone recommend this DAP as a good upgrade from the Opus#1S?


No comparison. I had an OPUS#2 before I got the W1A and the changes in sound quality is significant. Deeper bass, bigger soundstage, better details and an easier to use interface.


----------



## aceedburn

Ravenous said:


> Hey everyone! I was considering getting a WM1A after saving up enough, but I was wondering if anyone here would be able to compare the sound quality of this DAP to that of  thebit Opus #1S. The main reason for the upgrade is that I've befallen the dreaded "battery drainage" problem that is common with this player and even after changing out the battery with a new replacement, the issue persists... Considering that thebit (now audio-opus) is pretty much DOA when it comes to customer support, I would think that a Sony product would be a safe choice not just in product reliability but in customer support if anything happens to go wrong. Would anyone recommend this DAP as a good upgrade from the Opus#1S?


For whatever it’s worth I had the opus #1 sometime back and yes the 1A is a major step up from that. To my ears, it’s not even a fair comparison. 1A wins by a huge leap.


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> The WM1A felt more lively for with better instrument separation when I sampled them with my IER-Z1R.



Potentially the WM1A had more running hours as these DAP's do take several hundred hours time to mature.  As for the answer to which DAP; WM1A as it represents decent value and is not leagues behind WM1Z. As ever it's a game of diminishing returns with a significant increase in price for a subjective +/- 10% improvement in audio, equally that's the accepted norm of the market.

Generally I frequently travel internationally for work purpose, IMO the WM1Z's copper chassis is just asking for problems with airport security, which for me is a concern.  I don't discount the idea of picking up a WM1Z, equally I would need to be a lot more convinced that the DAP would bring more than +/- 10% improvement.  The other factor is when Sony release the next generation they will likely be substantially improved, which I expect to happen sooner rather than later.

Some will always want the "ultimate" although realistically it doesn't exist and be willing to pay regardless of the price. To some extents this is what drives the market across many premium brands.

Q-6


----------



## aceedburn

Queen6 said:


> Potentially the WM1A had more running hours as these DAP's do take several hundred hours time to mature.  As for the answer to which DAP; WM1A as it represents decent value and is not leagues behind WM1Z. As ever it's a game of diminishing returns with a significant increase in price for a subjective +/- 10% improvement in audio, equally that's the accepted norm of the market.
> 
> Generally I frequently travel internationally for work purpose, IMO the WM1Z's copper chassis is just asking for problems with airport security, which for me is a concern.  I don't discount the idea of picking up a WM1Z, equally I would need to be a lot more convinced that the DAP would bring more than +/- 10% improvement.  The other factor is when Sony release the next generation they will likely be substantially improved, which I expect to happen sooner rather than later.
> 
> ...


With that said, I had tested the 1z neck to neck with the 1A loaded with WM1Az firmware using the same tracks and headphones. My result? The 1A sounded much better than the 1Z. These are findings baes on what I heard.


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 21, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> Potentially the WM1A had more running hours as these DAP's do take several hundred hours time to mature.  As for the answer to which DAP; WM1A as it represents decent value and is not leagues behind WM1Z. As ever it's a game of diminishing returns with a significant increase in price for a subjective +/- 10% improvement in audio, equally that's the accepted norm of the market.
> 
> Generally I frequently travel internationally for work purpose, IMO the WM1Z's copper chassis is just asking for problems with airport security, which for me is a concern.  I don't discount the idea of picking up a WM1Z, equally I would need to be a lot more convinced that the DAP would bring more than +/- 10% improvement.  The other factor is when Sony release the next generation they will likely be substantially improved, which I expect to happen sooner rather than later.
> 
> ...


Much like how Apple does with their products. I just wanted a good music only player. The FiiO M6 will be my streaming music player. That’s why I got the 1A used as I know it will get replaced with something more modern but my goal was just to get a solid DAP and for the price I got, the cost performance is perfect for me. I plan to hum to it for years to come. It’s the perfect match for my IER-Z1R. Cheers


----------



## Queen6 (May 21, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> With that said, I had tested the 1z neck to neck with the 1A loaded with WM1Az firmware using the same tracks and headphones. My result? The 1A sounded much better than the 1Z. These are findings baes on what I heard.



That's my point the 1A & 1Z are more similar than they are different. Sony charges what it does for the 1Z as that's what the market will bear...

Q-6


----------



## aceedburn

Queen6 said:


> That's my point the 1A & 1Z are more similar than they are different. Sony charges what it does for the 1Z as that's what the market will bear...
> 
> Q-6


Exactly. With the 1z you’re paying more than double for better materials(subjective) and the wow factor. Because the sound difference is sure as hell not double!!


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> Much like how Apple does with their products. I just wanted a good music only player player. The FiiO M6 will be my streaming music player. That’s why I got the 1A used as I know it will get replaced with something more modern but my goal was just to get a solid DAP and for the price I got, the cost performance is perfect for me. I plan to hum to it for years to come. It’s the perfect match for my IER-Z1R. Cheers



There's a lot be said for Sony's approach as you won't be looking at the latest and greatest every year or so, with both WMA1 & WM1Z still ranking as first class DAP's as long as streaming is not a factor.  I also have a FiiO M11 Pro and it hardly see's the light of day as I simply far prefer the more analogue sound signature of the Sony players.  

Apple is seriously smart with it's sales and marketing of the brand, resulting in a perception of being premium, while producing in vast numbers with some of it's lines suffering serious design flaws.  

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (May 21, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Exactly. With the 1z you’re paying more than double for better materials(subjective) and the wow factor. Because the sound difference is sure as hell not double!!



Undoubtedly your paying significantly more for the OFC copper chassis, beyond that a few components and mostly brand kudos. Admittedly is also more complex as Sony has to factor in profitability with lower production runs and fewer sales, as realistically the vast majority of people baulk at the price of a ZX300 let alone a WM1Z...

Would I buy a WM1Z? I guess I would in the right situation, equally I'd also be more inclined to keep an eye out for a well cared for DMP on the secondary market. IMO there's just not enough of a difference, if there was I'd own one.  The gold finish is irrelevant to me and additional weight and potential headaches at the airport not particularly desirable, equally for some the opposite may apply as in some culture's gold colouration is very much sought after and heft associated with quality.

As ever it's a personal choice and harms no one  Personally I like to focus more on the music, as once you start to over analyse the hardware there's always something better coming up and so the cycle restarts. Once Sony releases an update to WM1A/Z I'll revaluate, in the meantime I'll keep both WM1A & ZX300, the M11 Pro will go to a friend and the Acmee MF-01 just for fun or environment's where I really don't want use the Sony's.

I still may let go of the ZX300, as I'm interested in the QLS QA361 and I can source readily. Not a DAP for all by any means, however one I'd like to try first hand.

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

I found the duplicate file a la brite force.
I don't know what really happened but on the Marc-Antoine de Charpentier folder had a folder with a cut album name and a track 04 inside it.
Like
Charpentier- Trois Histo
¡_ 04.flac

After that folder I had the two CDs complete... maybe related to what @bflat says of SD card corruption? Esp when deleting files in player?


----------



## mmwwmm (May 21, 2020)

ttt123 said:


> Personally, when I decided to upgrade from the ZX2, I went to the Sony store and listened to the WM1A and WM1Z.  In this short listen,  I did not hear enough to justify the 3 x higher cost, and double the weight to 1 lb, so not practical to carry around, and I did not like the gold color.  Just seemed too bling to carry around.  So I got the WM1A
> 
> - After 6 months, I decided to get the WM1Z, as I decided that the WM1Z's more analog sound, and more involving/emotive SQ, are actually the qualities that I value the most.  More than the technical sound of the WM1A.  Nothing wrong with the WM1A, just that I was looking for qualities which I thought the WM1Z could do, and the WM1A could not do.
> And I am happy with the WM1Z, since I got it in early 2017.
> ...


Almost same experience here. Owned 1A and, although being very impressed with its sound, I wondered what would be having “a bit more” so I went for the 1Z. Being very happy with the 1Z I considered the purchase of a DMP-Z1 (another “a bit more”, you know...). I sold the 1Z and went back to 1A while waiting the DMPZ1 to be available and to have a lighter DAP for use out of home. While enjoying again the 1A I missed A LOT the special tone qualities of the 1Z more and more so I went back again to the 1Z and I am extremely happy now.

BTW I have heard extensively the DMP-Z1 of a friend of mine and decided to stay with the 1Z...

As a final note I would like to stress about the burn in period with these DAPs. Its effect is REAL and profound. In fact with my first 1A I was not impressed with its sound and almost returned. I let the unit in repeat for almost two weeks without listening to it with some burn in tracks and were instantly amazed with its sound from that point so no “brain burn in” here. So my advice is to be sure to listen to a very used unit prior to take any judgement.


----------



## Ravenous

Thanks for the replies! Does anyone know if this player can accept 512GB or even 1TB Micro SD cards?


Lookout57 said:


> No comparison. I had an OPUS#2 before I got the W1A and the changes in sound quality is significant. Deeper bass, bigger soundstage, better details and an easier to use interface.





aceedburn said:


> For whatever it’s worth I had the opus #1 sometime back and yes the 1A is a major step up from that. To my ears, it’s not even a fair comparison. 1A wins by a huge leap.


Thank you for the replies! Considering this may be my "end game" DAP, would you happen to know if this player would read a 512GB or even a 1TB Micro SD card?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Ravenous said:


> Thanks for the replies! Does anyone know if this player can accept 512GB or even 1TB Micro SD cards?
> 
> 
> Thank you for the replies! Considering this may be my "end game" DAP, would you happen to know if this player would read a 512GB or even a 1TB Micro SD card?


Yes it does


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Maybe you can try refreshing your sdcard using this method:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/imp...micro-sd-storage-performance-for-free.853271/


----------



## Queen6

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Maybe you can try refreshing your sdcard using this method:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/imp...micro-sd-storage-performance-for-free.853271/



Save your writes, will do nothing for an SD card other than add wear...

Q-6


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 21, 2020)

Welp, sampled them again and both with or without the gain. 1A was just a tad bit louder and more clear while the 1Z had barely a hint of extra bass and sounded a little warmer yet mids and highs maintained the same quality. Otherwise, there isn’t a 200,000 yen difference in sound quality to make me say “Yea wow this is what sound is worth” what it’s practically the same quality for both. Both sound amazing and the 1A has better synergy once again with my IER-Z1R while the MDR-Z1R works better with the 1Z. Didn’t think I jumped to conclusions before and this only adds to what I think was the better decision my case. I can afford the 1Z no problem, but might as well keep the extra money for savings. Glad I found my halo player for a lot less and hope everyone is enjoying whatever they have now.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Maybe you can try refreshing your sdcard using this method:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/imp...micro-sd-storage-performance-for-free.853271/


Sounds like snake oil, fairy dust and unicorn poop cocktail


----------



## Gww1

Gamerlingual said:


> Welp, sampled them again and both with or without the gain. 1A was just a tad bit louder and more clear while the 1Z had barely a hint of extra bass and sounded a little warmer yet mids and highs maintained the same quality. Otherwise, there isn’t a 200,000 yen difference in sound quality to make me say “Yea wow this is what sound is worth” what it’s practically the same quality for both. Both sound amazing and the 1A has better synergy once again with my IER-Z1R while the MDR-Z1R works better with the 1Z. Didn’t think I jumped to conclusions before and this only adds to what I think was the better decision my case. I can afford the 1Z no problem, but might as well keep the extra money for savings. Glad I found my halo player for a lot less and hope everyone is enjoying whatever they have now.


Do you know what firmware each had? When I had the 1A I preferred 3.01 over 3.02 with the ier-z1r. But 3.02 on the 1Z with the ier-z1r I find to be an incredible match.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Both had 3.01


----------



## Duncan

Everyone is entitled to a stupid question once in a while... My turn:

I've added some bookmarks, but how do I (re)view them?


----------



## Gww1

Duncan said:


> Everyone is entitled to a stupid question once in a while... My turn:
> 
> I've added some bookmarks, but how do I (re)view them?


Swipe from the right on the now playing screen


----------



## Queen6

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sounds like snake oil, fairy dust and unicorn poop cocktail



LOL 

Q-6


----------



## Duncan

Gww1 said:


> Swipe from the right on the now playing screen


That was easy!

Thank you!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Welp, sampled them again and both with or without the gain. 1A was just a tad bit louder and more clear while the 1Z had barely a hint of extra bass and sounded a little warmer yet mids and highs maintained the same quality. Otherwise, there isn’t a 200,000 yen difference in sound quality to make me say “Yea wow this is what sound is worth” what it’s practically the same quality for both. Both sound amazing and the 1A has better synergy once again with my IER-Z1R while the MDR-Z1R works better with the 1Z. Didn’t think I jumped to conclusions before and this only adds to what I think was the better decision my case. I can afford the 1Z no problem, but might as well keep the extra money for savings. Glad I found my halo player for a lot less and hope everyone is enjoying whatever they have now.



There is a difference between the two but it’s not super giant and maybe very hard to notice in a retail environment. But I own both and they start to become different. If that difference is worth $2000 it’s totally subjective. Also at times stuff is simply more noticeable, as we can’t always judge stuff well all the time. I was listening to ALAC of an album on the 1A then switched to FLAC of the same album on the 1Z, and was amazed. I always say there is like a 10% improvement gained by getting the 1Z, but at that point......I don’t know.....the difference was priceless!

Cheers.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> There is a difference between the two but it’s not super giant and maybe very hard to notice in a retail environment. But I own both and they start to become different. If that difference is worth $2000 it’s totally subjective. Also at times stuff is simply more noticeable, as we can’t always judge stuff well all the time. I was listening to ALAC of an album on the 1A then switched to FLAC of the same album on the 1Z, and was amazed. I always say there is like a 10% improvement gained by getting the 1Z, but at that point......I don’t know.....the difference was priceless!
> 
> Cheers.


It was the second time I sampled them. First time was 40 minutes and this time was about 35 minutes. Sure more time could be used to listen to them, but it was enough for me and the files were also FLAC. This is a hobby that may never have an end in sight for some as the journey itself is more fun than the end point. I was lucky enough to listen to them and I appreciate that I'm able to afford this hobby. Everyone will always have different standards and there isn't a right way. Whatever works, but I'm happy that the player I got came with the extra accessories like the silicon case and the screen cover.


----------



## Redcarmoose

mmwwmm said:


> Almost same experience here. Owned 1A and, although being very impressed with its sound, I wondered what would be having “a bit more” so I went for the 1Z. Being very happy with the 1Z I considered the purchase of a DMP-Z1 (another “a bit more”, you know...). I sold the 1Z and went back to 1A while waiting the DMPZ1 to be available and to have a lighter DAP for use out of home. While enjoying again the 1A I missed A LOT the special tone qualities of the 1Z more and more so I went back again to the 1Z and I am extremely happy now.
> 
> BTW I have heard extensively the DMP-Z1 of a friend of mine and decided to stay with the 1Z...
> 
> As a final note I would like to stress about the burn in period with these DAPs. Its effect is REAL and profound. In fact with my first 1A I was not impressed with its sound and almost returned. I let the unit in repeat for almost two weeks without listening to it with some burn in tracks and were instantly amazed with its sound from that point so no “brain burn in” here. So my advice is to be sure to listen to a very used unit prior to take any judgement.




Yes, burn in is profound. It is such an issue I would guess a burned in 1A would sound better than a new out of box 1Z. It’s wild as I have a stock 1A about 700 hours and a stock 1Z with about 1200 hours. I always have said that the 1A is near the 1Z with the 1Z being maybe 10% better. But......I actually go back and forth between liking them. The 1Z is always better but at times the 1A is near and at times there is a huge difference between the two. Using Jupiter301-T1 on both along with both the IER-Z1R and Noble Audio Encore Universal. The thing is that the 1Z at times is spectacular and a giant distance into another realm? So I guess I’m focusing in on the quality of that difference. The 1Z soundstage is thicker and the sound is just more realistic and clear. 

Actually I’m fairly confused as for the last month or two I’ve really been amazed at the 1A and especially how great the new firmware has improved it. But this week the 1Z is totally miles different?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> It was the second time I sampled them. First time was 40 minutes and this time was about 35 minutes. Sure more time could be used to listen to them, but it was enough for me and the files were also FLAC. This is a hobby that may never have an end in sight for some as the journey itself is more fun than the end point. I was lucky enough to listen to them and I appreciate that I'm able to afford this hobby. Everyone will always have different standards and there isn't a right way. Whatever works, but I'm happy that the player I got came with the extra accessories like the silicon case and the screen cover.



If using stock firmware 3.01 the IER-Z1R is way better with the 1A. The 1Z is better in my opinion with stock 3.02. 3.02 just trims the bass a little. I loved the 1A and IER-Z1R and 3.01 combo and even wrote about it in reviews. Congratulations! You’ll love your player! They are amazing!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> If using stock firmware 3.01 the IER-Z1R is way better with the 1A. The 1Z is better in my opinion with stock 3.02. 3.02 just trims the bass a little. I loved the 1A and IER-Z1R and 3.01 combo and even wrote about it in reviews. Congratulations! You’ll love your player! They are amazing!


Both players were actually scratched up and you can tell people sampled them a lot. Most likely, they have been on display for the last couple years so they are probably more used than expected.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Both players were actually scratched up and you can tell people sampled them a lot. Most likely, they have been on display for the last couple years so they are probably more used than expected.



It’s totally confusing, and having both is kind of like being in a relationship with them. Their personalities change from time to time, but obviously that’s just me. But a big part of course is finding firmware that you like. And burn-in is a huge issue where the players really don’t start to sound right till 100 hours minimum. Because the IER-Z1R is kind-of thick sounding it’s almost thickness overkill with 3.01 and the 1Z, where 3.01 and the 1A balance out the IER-Z1R in my opinion.

The problem of 3.01 and the 1Z and IER-Z1R is there is a loss in bass detail, where 3.02 is heaven!


----------



## Mindstorms

Ryokan said:


> Anyone else happy with their players stock sound without flashing with any tuning mods?


Im happy in 3.00 MX3 region but is a question of synergy with my iem i think


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have a duplicate file somewhere in my WM1A,  .
> 
> I tried Norton utilities bit this does not see any walkman (not internal nor SD)


there are programs that can find duplicate files Iobit or Auslogics are the best brands


----------



## Mindstorms

Gamerlingual said:


> Ah. So for you, the cost to performance just isn’t there. Ok thank you


It is there but it wont scale as much as twice the benefit also its very dependable on your sound needs and preferences


----------



## Mindstorms

Gamerlingual said:


> I think it is best that you stop trying to judge others as I’m simply acknowledging what they mean. There’s also your quickness to draw conclusions of my personality when it is best that you get to know me, even tho that may not happen.
> [/QUOT
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## etlouis

Mindstorms said:


> Im happy in 3.00 MX3 region but is a question of synergy with my iem i think



Same. Too happy with 3.01 to bother.



Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, burn in is profound. It is such an issue I would guess a burned in 1A would sound better than a new out of box 1Z. It’s wild as I have a stock 1A about 700 hours and a stock 1Z with about 1200 hours. I always have said that the 1A is near the 1Z with the 1Z being maybe 10% better. But......I actually go back and forth between liking them. The 1Z is always better but at times the 1A is near and at times there is a huge difference between the two. Using Jupiter301-T1 on both along with both the IER-Z1R and Noble Audio Encore Universal. The thing is that the 1Z at times is spectacular and a giant distance into another realm? So I guess I’m focusing in on the quality of that difference. The 1Z soundstage is thicker and the sound is just more realistic and clear.
> 
> Actually I’m fairly confused as for the last month or two I’ve really been amazed at the 1A and especially how great the new firmware has improved it. But this week the 1Z is totally miles different?



My own experience with burn in was less dramatic with DAPs. Mostly with deeper sub-bass + its increased volume. That's not to say the 1a produced any bad sounds out of the box, I thought it was even more analytical in the beginning. Overall my wm1a grew warmer over time, compared to where I could feel a digital after-taste. Not so much as an upgrade* but rather aging like fine wine. I think over time I would slowly lose the ability to tell, since I would forget how it sounded before.


----------



## Redcarmoose

etlouis said:


> Same. Too happy with 3.01 to bother.
> 
> 
> 
> My own experience with burn in was less dramatic with DAPs. Mostly with deeper sub-bass + its increased volume. That's not to say the 1a produced any bad sounds out of the box, I thought it was even more analytical in the beginning. Overall my wm1a grew warmer over time, compared to where I could feel a digital after-taste. Not so much as an upgrade* but rather aging like fine wine. I think over time I would slowly lose the ability to tell, since I would forget how it sounded before.



Back before 2.0 the 1Z was really really dark and fuzzy sounding. I remember the first 20 hours maybe? Then 2.0 came out and it was brighter. Before 2.0 and before burn-in was dramatic for me anyway. 

But I also have to wonder how much is brain burn-in too? Brain burn-in is real also.


----------



## mmwwmm (May 21, 2020)

etlouis said:


> Same. Too happy with 3.01 to bother.
> 
> 
> 
> My own experience with burn in was less dramatic with DAPs. Mostly with deeper sub-bass + its increased volume. That's not to say the 1a produced any bad sounds out of the box, I thought it was even more analytical in the beginning. Overall my wm1a grew warmer over time, compared to where I could feel a digital after-taste. Not so much as an upgrade* but rather aging like fine wine. I think over time I would slowly lose the ability to tell, since I would forget how it sounded before.



Iinteresting cause my experience with burn in the 1A it’s almost the opposite. Fresh out of the box the 1A sounded almost dull and boring without life in the upper mid and treble ranges lacking transparency, inner detail and openness compared to the 1A with two weeks of constant playing. To me the player improved with a more fresh, open detailed and expressive sound. Definitivetely I didn’t feel the sound as warmer after burn in...


----------



## Layman1

Gamerlingual said:


> Welp, sampled them again and both with or without the gain. 1A was just a tad bit louder and more clear while the 1Z had barely a hint of extra bass and sounded a little warmer yet mids and highs maintained the same quality. Otherwise, there isn’t a 200,000 yen difference in sound quality to make me say “Yea wow this is what sound is worth” what it’s practically the same quality for both. Both sound amazing and the 1A has better synergy once again with my IER-Z1R while the MDR-Z1R works better with the 1Z. Didn’t think I jumped to conclusions before and this only adds to what I think was the better decision my case. I can afford the 1Z no problem, but might as well keep the extra money for savings. Glad I found my halo player for a lot less and hope everyone is enjoying whatever they have now.



Glad you've managed to find a player that you love, and saved a bunch of money in doing so! 
One thing that I feel wasn't mentioned enough in this comparison is that the WM1Z is gold. 
Am I shallow? One of the reasons I *had* to have it is the gold  
I could probably be happy with the sound of a modded WM1A, but I know I'd always, in the back of my mind, be thinking wistfully about the gold WM1Z


----------



## Ryokan

Layman1 said:


> Glad you've managed to find a player that you love, and saved a bunch of money in doing so!
> One thing that I feel wasn't mentioned enough in this comparison is that the WM1Z is gold.
> Am I shallow? One of the reasons I *had* to have it is the gold
> I could probably be happy with the sound of a modded WM1A, but I know I'd always, in the back of my mind, be thinking wistfully about the gold WM1Z



Ah the ecstasy of gold


----------



## etlouis (May 21, 2020)

Layman1 said:


> Glad you've managed to find a player that you love, and saved a bunch of money in doing so!
> One thing that I feel wasn't mentioned enough in this comparison is that the WM1Z is gold.
> Am I shallow? One of the reasons I *had* to have it is the gold
> I could probably be happy with the sound of a modded WM1A, but I know I'd always, in the back of my mind, be thinking wistfully about the gold WM1Z



Sony is only slightly dipped their toes in that game. AK players have every imaginable gimmick with coating... copper coated, stainless steel, gold version of sp2000.

And then there's advertised "different sound tuning" with blue, dark green of the same dap like sp1000m. On top of releasing a new model almost monthly.


----------



## 515164

Well, it's really gold-plated copper. This is especially done in order to prevent copper oxidation, aka the copper turning green.


----------



## Duncan

etlouis said:


> Sony is only slightly dipped their toes in that game. AK players have every imaginable gimmick with coating... copper coated, stainless steel, gold version of sp2000.
> 
> And then there's advertised "different sound tuning" with blue, dark green of the same dap like sp1000m. On top of releasing a new model almost monthly.


That is one thing to give Sony credit for, they find a winning formula and just stick with it...

Considering the 1Z was out at approx the same time as the AK380, let's think about how many times each player has been superceded...


----------



## Vitaly2017

I think there is some sound influence due to chassis being gold plated copper. I believe copper is very musical cable and pair that with gold dang magic stuff can happen! 

Sony stock cables should be gold plated copper instead of harsh treble siblant silver plated copper....

Why you think they use gold soldering now on zx507 and dmp ! Cause gold sounds very good! Even more then good just what needed to drive that sound to higher joyful experiences.

But its costly....


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

OK, so I've got about 150 hours on the balanced now and it's beginning to settle-down - the bass is less thick and the mids better defined, more clarity. This on MDR-1ZR with stock cable.

And playing DSF which I note the DSP doesn't apply...?

The Shure SE846's sound fabulous - not at all overly heavy in the bass, but extremely balanced, I would say. They' re a little bit more uncomfortable than the 535's, I get the impression they're a bit bigger and deeper in the ear...?

Anyway, going in the right direction, I need the TA-ZH1ES (arriving next week, sitting in a German Amazon hub doing nothing...).

And then cables...


----------



## Queen6 (May 21, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I think there is some sound influence due to chassis being gold plated copper. I believe copper is very musical cable and pair that with gold dang magic stuff can happen!
> 
> Sony stock cables should be gold plated copper instead of harsh treble siblant silver plated copper....
> 
> ...



The copper chassis has very little impact on SQ, especially given the back is wide open.  WM1Z certainly nice to the eye and in the hand. I don't doubt that there's some very minor benefit sonically, however the WM1Z benefits far more from it's internal cabling and differing capacitors and very likely it's tuning.  What the copper chassis is potentially better at is blocking more external RF interference at certain angles due the increased density, however that could backfire in the x-ray machine 

You also have to take into account sales & marketing, where market differentiation and pricing counts heavily. TBH unless you own both with similar hours it's a tough call. I maintain the WM1A represents fair value, while the WM1Z presents +/- 10% with a significantly higher price point and Sony want's to be seen to be competing at the highest level including price.  If I had to make a call I'd say the real money of WM1A/Z is in the S-Master as that no doubt took significant time & money to develop. The longevity of the DAP's alone illustrates, nor does anything else have that certain magic in the presentation...

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

This time i analyzer my library more careful and found six more Hi-res upgrades


----------



## Krutsch

Now my WM1A sounds just about right with the HD-660S. Work rig end game.


----------



## Lookout57

Queen6 said:


> The copper chassis has very little impact on SQ, especially given the back is wide open.  WM1Z certainly nice to the eye and in the hand. I don't doubt that there's some minor benefit sonically, however the WM1Z benefits far more from it's internal cabling and differing capacitors and very likely it's tuning.  What the copper chassis is potentially better at is blocking more external RF interference at certain angles due the increased density, however that could backfire in the x-ray machine
> 
> You also have to take into account sales & marketing, where market differentiation and pricing counts heavily. TBH unless you own both with similar hours it's a tough call. I maintain the WM1A represents fair value, while the WM1Z presents +/- 10% with a significantly higher price point and Sony want's to be seen to be competing at the highest level including price.  If I had to make a call I'd say the real money of WM1A/Z is in the S-Master as that no doubt took significant time & money to develop. The longevity of the DAP's alone illustrates, nor does anything else have that certain magic in the presentation...
> 
> Q-6


I've never had issues with US airport security with my 1Z. But I also have TSA PreCheck which is more lenient than normal security.


----------



## nc8000

Krutsch said:


> Now my WM1A sounds just about right with the HD-660S. Work rig end game.



Nice but that is one expensive charging station if that is all you use it for


----------



## 515164

nc8000 said:


> Nice but that is one expensive charging station if that is all you use it for



It looks cool and maybe he'll also use the hi-res output one day


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> It looks cool and maybe he'll also use the hi-res output one day



True. I also had the dock but knew I would never use the outputs so sold it and bought the much cheaper, smaller and simpler charging stand


----------



## Queen6

Lookout57 said:


> I've never had issues with US airport security with my 1Z. But I also have TSA PreCheck which is more lenient than normal security.



Always international, so security is more stringent, nor are all countries equal. Just not worth the hassle IMO, as ultimately if they don't agree your either not flying or the DAP will be left behind...

Q-6


----------



## gearofwar

nc8000 said:


> Nice but that is one expensive charging station if that is all you use it for


I actually appreciate the output on it and almost bought it if it wasn't because it doesn't have the optical or coaxial output. The dock comes in handy for people who have desktop setup.


----------



## nc8000

gearofwar said:


> I actually appreciate the output on it and almost bought it if it wasn't because it doesn't have the optical or coaxial output. The dock comes in handy for people who have desktop setup.



Yes but only if somebody actually intend to use the outputs, it is very expensive if only used for charging


----------



## gearofwar (May 21, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Yes but only if somebody actually intend to use the outputs, it is very expensive if only used for charging


Well, there is really no other options unless you know something. I think he also uses the output on it, not only charge


----------



## 515164

gearofwar said:


> Well, there is really no other options unless you know something. I think he also uses the output on it, not only charge



https://www.ebay.com/itm/WMC-NWH10-USB-Conversion-Cable-for-Hi-Res-Audio-Output-Sony/184228098593


----------



## hshock76

New companion for the 1Z came today!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Welp, it’s here. Time to hum and enjoy my music. Practicing my Japanese reading will make this all the more interesting to cycle through the menus.


----------



## etlouis

I find myself plugging straight into the phone with foobar loaded up in flacs. Just not feasible for me to lob a dap around since I’m already carrying a lot of gear. (Sort of a field engineer)

Sony has been releasing smaller daps like nx507... but I think there’s been rumors of very poor battery life. Has anyone heard them if they belong in the same conversation as wm1a 1z?


----------



## mwhals

etlouis said:


> I find myself plugging straight into the phone with foobar loaded up in flacs. Just not feasible for me to lob a dap around since I’m already carrying a lot of gear. (Sort of a field engineer)
> 
> Sony has been releasing smaller daps like nx507... but I think there’s been rumors of very poor battery life. Has anyone heard them if they belong in the same conversation as wm1a 1z?



I see people in the ZX507 thread stating that is is not in the same league at the WM1A (my paraphrase).


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> Welp, it’s here. Time to hum and enjoy my music. Practicing my Japanese reading will make this all the more interesting to cycle through the menus.



Flip the region with Rockbox, (other regions are all multilingual) set the language to English then reset the DAP back to region J for Japan, player will retain the selected language, not default back to Japanese.

Q-6


----------



## Krutsch

Comments about my dock... Yes, it looks cool, holds my Walkman upright, is easy to plug and remove. 

Bluetooth remote is on the way from Accessory Jack. 

Why would I use the digital output when the WM1A headphone out sounds so great?


----------



## jaibautista

Approaching three years of use and yet I still smile sheepishly whenever I pull them out of the carrying pouch


----------



## gearofwar

morgenstern09 said:


> https://www.ebay.com/itm/WMC-NWH10-USB-Conversion-Cable-for-Hi-Res-Audio-Output-Sony/184228098593


I'm well aware of the existence of this cable but I was actually looking for something to convert the signal to coaxial/optical to work with my dac....in fact, I'm disappointed there aren't any options around based on this
My modded 1a is really good for iems and low impedance hp like Z1R but my desktop does push hard-to-drive hp and even Z1R to the next level. At the same times, I appreciate having the navigation convenience from my sony dap where I have better organized the library more than my computer


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> I'm well aware of the existence of this cable but I was actually looking for something to convert the signal to coaxial/optical to work with my dac....in fact, I'm disappointed there aren't any options around based on this
> My modded 1a is really good for iems and low impedance hp like Z1R but my desktop does push hard-to-drive hp and even Z1R to the next level. At the same times, I appreciate having the navigation convenience from my sony dap where I have better organized the library more than my computer





Get this Romi Bx2 or woo audio wa11! 
Its all balanced and lots of power!!!

Bx2 is actually more powerful then wa11...

https://www.romiaudio.com/product-page/romi-audio-balanced-headphone-amp-lessbx2


----------



## nc8000

gearofwar said:


> Well, there is really no other options unless you know something. I think he also uses the output on it, not only charge



Sony have a simple stand just for the WM cable. This is what I use as I only wanted a charging stand


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Sony have a simple stand just for the WM cable. This is what I use as I only wanted a charging stand


Sony’s Japanese website has the stand with the hi-res audio. What model number is that stand of yours?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Sony’s Japanese website has the stand with the hi-res audio. What model number is that stand of yours?



Mine is the black STD-NWU10-B but it also comes in other colours. I got mine on eBay


----------



## Redcarmoose

Krutsch said:


> Now my WM1A sounds just about right with the HD-660S. Work rig end game.



Haha, I’m sitting here with a Woo3 in front of me too, I never tried that?


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> Sony have a simple stand just for the WM cable. This is what I use as I only wanted a charging stand


Yep this is exactly what I have. Love it. Got it on eBay for about USD35 last year.


----------



## frost15

aceedburn said:


> Yep this is exactly what I have. Love it. Got it on eBay for about USD35 last year.


Excuse my ignorance but what are the benefits of a charging stand over the normal way of charging (simply USB cable)?


----------



## Gamerlingual

frost15 said:


> Excuse my ignorance but what are the benefits of a charging stand over the normal way of charging (simply USB cable)?


Keep the cable at your PC or on the go. The charging stand is the one stop shop for wherever you listen and minimizes well... excess cables


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> Yep this is exactly what I have. Love it. Got it on eBay for about USD35 last year.


Going to see what other cool accessories are available for this player. I do not plan on getting them now, but it will be nice to see what to get. But I can confirm mine came with the silicon case and screen protector. That auction really was a major score.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 22, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Going to see what other cool accessories are available for this player. I do not plan on getting them now, but it will be nice to see what to get. But I can confirm mine came with the silicon case and screen protector. That auction really was a major score.



Besides charging and holding the Walkman upright for screen access, the Cradle acts as a digital out to the TA amp. Many in this thread have joined the TA and Cradle with the AQCarbon USB as a way to unitize the Walkmans as better digital sources. The Cradle has USB filters and reclocking becoming a noticeable alternative to simply the included side connector or rear USB adapter. The Cradle also allows you to run a computer into the back of the Cradle then into the back of the TA, or switch back switch to the side to utilize the Walkman.


----------



## aceedburn

frost15 said:


> Excuse my ignorance but what are the benefits of a charging stand over the normal way of charging (simply USB cable)?


The benefits are exactly what it was designed for. As a charging stand. So when I listen to my WM1A on my desktop and when connected to a dac it looks nice and tidy and the wire conveniently loops out through it. As in my pic.


----------



## nc8000

frost15 said:


> Excuse my ignorance but what are the benefits of a charging stand over the normal way of charging (simply USB cable)?



I just dont like loose cables so it is an OCD thing, there is no technical benefit as it is just a way of organizing the standard usb cable (there is no captive cable in the stand, you just fit the standard cable into the stand)


----------



## Layman1

hshock76 said:


> New companion for the 1Z came today!



Hurrah! More gold!   
Is that the PW 1950's cable? I heard they do some good gold ones, if it's of any interest to you


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Besides charging and holding the Walkman upright for screen access, the Cradle acts as a digital out to the TA amp. Many in this thread have joined the TA and Cradle with the AQCarbon USB as a way to unitize the Walkmans as better digital sources. The Cradle has USB filters and rechecking becoming a noticeable alternative to simply the included side connector or rear USB adapter. The Cradle also allows you to run a computer into the back of the Cradle then into the back of the TA, or switch back switch to the side to utilize the Walkman.


Pardon my ignorance, but do you mean the stand that was shown on eBay or the more expensive one made by Sony?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Pardon my ignorance, but do you mean the stand that was shown on eBay or the more expensive one made by Sony?




This one.
https://www.amazon.com/Walkman-Cradle-BCR-NWH10-NW-ZX2-Japan/dp/B00S94R5RK


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> This one.
> https://www.amazon.com/Walkman-Cradle-BCR-NWH10-NW-ZX2-Japan/dp/B00S94R5RK


Ah. I found this used for 11,000 yen. It is the Sony made one. Perhaps next month I can get this. Loving the 1A and it’s perfect weight distribution. Solid brick but not overbearing weight. It’s strange that I feel so giddy for this, about as much was when I got my gaming laptop to play Doom Eternal. Thank you for the clarification


----------



## Gamerlingual

To anyone else, aside from the cradle, what other accessories do you recommend since I already have the case and screen protector? Perhaps a more solid case that protects it against drops?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Ah. I found this used for 11,000 yen. It is the Sony made one. Perhaps next month I can get this. Loving the 1A and it’s perfect weight distribution. Solid brick but not overbearing weight. It’s strange that I feel so giddy for this, about as much was when I got my gaming laptop to play Doom Eternal. Thank you for the clarification



Yes if you want the best to connect your player to desktop equipment the dock is superior. If you just want a stand for charging and perhaps occasional pc connection the stand is a much cheaper solution


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Yes if you want the best to connect your player to desktop equipment the dock is superior. If you just want a stand for charging and perhaps occasional pc connection the stand is a much cheaper solution


From looking at the Sony page, it is only compatible with certain amps. But could it also be used with say the ifi Zen or Hip amps?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Ah. I found this used for 11,000 yen. It is the Sony made one. Perhaps next month I can get this. Loving the 1A and it’s perfect weight distribution. Solid brick but not overbearing weight. It’s strange that I feel so giddy for this, about as much was when I got my gaming laptop to play Doom Eternal. Thank you for the clarification



Some still use the Walkmans as a source also some have moved on to network players and so on. The Cradle may help with the digital audio quality with other amps as a source. The Cradle also can work in reverse with a mini-USB from your computer allowing to use the Walkman while in the Cradle as a DAC. You just plug in on top. 

Though keep in mind most of us purchased it for use with the Sony TA-ZH1ES. The AQCarbon USB  increases SQ maybe by helping with EMI? I leaned all this on this thread.


----------



## Redcarmoose

The Walkmans don’t always join with every external DAC/amp. Especially the older ones, it seems the protocol was not as consistent. 

The Walkmans totally refuse to join up with my Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus DAC.....no matter what.


----------



## Duncan

Just managed to snag the companion remote on eBay, super happy about that - I hate the wait for items from Japan (so impatient) - glad I blindly looked and found a UK seller


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> From looking at the Sony page, it is only compatible with certain amps. But could it also be used with say the ifi Zen or Hip amps?



I don’t know as I’ve never used my 1Z as source into anything


----------



## Vitaly2017

Only 3 way to get audio out of 1A/Z 
From 4.4 or 3.5 or usb audio out!

I really loved  the pairing of wm1z usb audio out to Hugo2 was really pleasant sont and so elegant. 

Even 1z not supposed to color the sound,  I  could hear hugo2 getting warmer and very beautiful was really musical to.

As by it self hugo2 didnt impressed me but with 1z uhhhhh🤤🤤🤤


----------



## hamhamhamsta

nc8000 said:


> Mine is the black STD-NWU10-B but it also comes in other colours. I got mine on eBay


Get the pink one!


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> From looking at the Sony page, it is only compatible with certain amps. But could it also be used with say the ifi Zen or Hip amps?


Works perfectly via usb out with FiiO K5 Pro.


----------



## aceedburn

Duncan said:


> Just managed to snag the companion remote on eBay, super happy about that - I hate the wait for items from Japan (so impatient) - glad I blindly looked and found a UK seller


The remote is a godsend. Just hate that the price is so high. I use it daily as I usually sit away from my desk with longer headphone cables.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Some still use the Walkmans as a source also some have moved on to network players and so on. The Cradle may help with the digital audio quality with other amps as a source. The Cradle also can work in reverse with a mini-USB from your computer allowing to use the Walkman while in the Cradle as a DAC. You just plug in on top.
> 
> Though keep in mind most of us purchased it for use with the Sony TA-ZH1ES. The AQCarbon USB  increases SQ maybe by helping with EMI? I leaned all this on this thread.


I'll word search AQCarbon for your explanation in this thread in a bit. Sounds good. Thanks


----------



## Gamerlingual

Can't install rockbox. I get this error message:
'scsitool-nwz-v25.exe' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.''

I downloaded the exe file Windows and when I opened it, nothing happened (probably part of the step). I imagine it is waiting for me to connect the Sony player. After that, I connected my Sony player, switched it to Mass Storage mode and it recognizes the file as a D: drive.  I tried both G: and then I switched the command prompt to scsitool-nwz-v25.exe D: dest_tool set REGION 0

I even checked video tutorials like YouTube and nothing pops up on how to set it up. If I'm stuck in Japanese mode, I'll survive. But I certainly gave it a try. If anyone can provide any help, please let me know. If I simply just can't do it, so be it and I'll just study more Japanese. Thanks in advance.


----------



## hshock76

Layman1 said:


> Hurrah! More gold!
> Is that the PW 1950's cable? I heard they do some good gold ones, if it's of any interest to you



it’s the 1960 4 wire. 





Just received my PW Lucifer last week. 4W GPS + 4W Silver+1%Gold Alloy


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Can't install rockbox. I get this error message:
> 'scsitool-nwz-v25.exe' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
> operable program or batch file.''
> 
> ...



I assume you are running it on a Windows machine and run it from the directory where it lives ?

And yes the WM has to be connected to the computer first and you have to reference the drive letter of the build in memory


----------



## Gamerlingual

This is my setup for now: 







This is how the open_cmd_here.bat file looks when I open it


----------



## mmwwmm

Gamerlingual said:


> Can't install rockbox. I get this error message:
> 'scsitool-nwz-v25.exe' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
> operable program or batch file.''
> 
> ...


You just have to download this .bat file and put it in the* same directory* as the .exe file and double-click on it (the .bat file). A CMD window will open and you must type the commands on that cmd window. You don’t have to click on the .exe file at anytime. Just type the commands on the cmd window

hope this helps.


----------



## aceedburn (May 22, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> This is my setup for now:
> 
> 
> 
> This is how the open_cmd_here.bat file looks when I open it


Try running the bat file again in administrator mode. It should work.

I noticed that the bat file has a .txt extension. It needs to be .bat. Try changing the extension.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Just in case, what I typed in the CMD:


----------



## Gamerlingual

mmwwmm said:


> You just have to download this .bat file and put it in the* same directory* as the .exe file and double-click on it (the .bat file). A CMD window will open and you must type the commands on that cmd window. You don’t have to click on the .exe file at anytime. Just type the commands on the cmd window
> 
> hope this helps.


The problem is, when I download it, it simply opens another screen like this and it doesn't download to my hard drive:


----------



## aceedburn (May 22, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Just in case, what I typed in the CMD:


The command is wrong it should be as follows :
Scsitool-nwz-vX.exe E: dest_tool set J off

E is your walkman drive and J is Japan region.


----------



## Ameerzs

hshock76 said:


> it’s the 1960 4 wire.
> 
> 
> Just received my PW Lucifer last week. 4W GPS + 4W Silver+1%Gold Alloy


what case is this


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Just in case, what I typed in the CMD:



Yes that won’t work as Windows don’t kniw where the exe file is. You have to change to the directory with the exe file in in order to run it


----------



## hshock76

Ameerzs said:


> what case is this











Dignis Midas Artisan Series Leather Case. Comes in Blue, brown and grey. No longer sold on the Dignis site though.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> The command is wrong it should be as follows :
> Scsitool-nwz-vX.exe E: dest_tool set J off
> 
> E is your walkman drive and J is Japan region.


Ok. So first step is connect the walkman, open the command prompt and then type what you showed me to CMD?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok. So first step is connect the walkman, open the command prompt and then type what you showed me to CMD?



And change to the directory with the exe file before running the command or you get your original error as Windows can’t find the exe file


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 22, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I'll word search AQCarbon for your explanation in this thread in a bit. Sounds good. Thanks



https://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-Carbon-Cable-Type-1-5m/dp/B0041EDIIW

I own this but it’s 5 feet long. They make one 1/2 as long and less money. If your only going to use the USB with the Cradle the shorter one is the one to get.

Edit: 
This shorter one is really the one to get. Mine I couldn’t return, but even manufactures will recommend the shortest possible one.

https://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-C...audioquest+carbon+.75+m&qid=1590150995&sr=8-1


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 22, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> And change to the directory with the exe file before running the command or you get your original error as Windows can’t find the exe file


That’s probably the part that has me stumped. But it should be on the C drive in the Desktop. I’ll try to show the directory. One monent


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok. So first step is connect the walkman, open the command prompt and then type what you showed me to CMD?


Yes, 
scsitool-nwz-vX.exe E: dest_tool set J off
The earlier one had a capital S. Use the one above.


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Gamerlingual (May 22, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Yes,
> scsitool-nwz-vX.exe E: dest_tool set J off
> The earlier one had a capital S. Use the one above.


My Walkman says D Drive from this snapshot. Change E to D?




Edit: I did both and it still brings the same error. Better check the actual directory


----------



## Gamerlingual

Ok this should explain the directory better: 



And I typed the command prompts as instructed but also checking if it's D Folder:


----------



## Ryokan

mwhals said:


> I see people in the ZX507 thread stating that is is not in the same league at the WM1A (my paraphrase).



That does surprise me, especially after reading some well respected posters state in the past they'd be hard pushed to tell ZX300 from WM1A in a blind test. No wonder people get confused reading all the opinions


----------



## mwhals

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok this should explain the directory better:
> 
> And I typed the command prompts as instructed but also checking if it's D Folder:


While in command, you need to be in the directory C:\Users\csunt\desktop\Rockbox Folder


----------



## nc8000 (May 22, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok this should explain the directory better:
> 
> And I typed the command prompts as instructed but also checking if it's D Folder:



I assume csunt is your user name on the computer. I also see that you have placed the exe file in a folder called Rockbox Folder on your desktop. You can either copy the files from the Rockbox folder to the users\csunt folder where your command window opens or first type the command

Cd “desktop\rockbox folder”

And the run the exe file


----------



## Gamerlingual

Ok, so I didn't know how to change the directory, so I looked up how to change it and I need to type "cd". Current results:


----------



## nc8000 (May 22, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok, so I didn't know how to change the directory, so I looked up how to change it and I need to type "cd". Current results:



Yes now you are in the correct place so now you can run the command

I run these 3 commands

scsitool-nwz_64-nwz-v25.exe V: dest_tool get
scsitool-nwz_64-nwz-v25.exe V: dest_tool set J off
scsitool-nwz_64-nwz-v25.exe V: dest_tool get

The first to show me what the current region on the player is
The second to change it to J and remove volume cap (change J to any other region you want)
The third to confirm that the change worked

In my case the internal memory on the player is drive V:


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok this should explain the directory better:
> 
> And I typed the command prompts as instructed but also checking if it's D Folder:


Ahh I see the problem. Your tool is named differently. It’s ok. Use the command below and it will work this time.
scsitool-nwz_64-nwz-v25.exe E: dest_tool set J
off

I also notice that the scsi tool does not have an .exe extension. You might want to rename the extension to .exe as well.


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 22, 2020)

Ok, finally got the correct command and I get this result. Converted the file to EXE as I was instructed and that is in the second screenshot. I typed the command exactly as the file was named. Where do I go from here?




Rockbox folder file name:


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 22, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Yes now you are in the correct place so now you can run the command
> 
> I run these 3 commands
> 
> ...


When I open the BAT file, it automatically opens up to Notepad. How can I ask it to load to CMD instead?

Edit: I ran it as administrator and was able to make the changes, but the above screen still showed up. So now it opens in the CMD screen


----------



## Ameerzs

hshock76 said:


> Dignis Midas Artisan Series Leather Case. Comes in Blue, brown and grey. No longer sold on the Dignis site though.


dang so nice, i need the brown one


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> When I open the BAT file, it automatically opens up to Notepad. How can I ask it to load to CMD instead?
> 
> Edit: I ran it as administrator and was able to make the changes, but the above screen still showed up. So now it opens in the CMD screen





Gamerlingual said:


> Ok, finally got the correct command and I get this result. Converted the file to EXE as I was instructed and that is in the second screenshot. I typed the command exactly as the file was named. Where do I go from here?
> 
> Don’t know. I run it on a 64-bit Windows machine with
> 
> Rockbox folder file name:



Somebody else mentioned that your bat file is actually named xxxxx.bat.txt so it is a text file so you need to get rid of the .txt extension. You need to tell you Windows Explorer to show file extensions in order to edit them


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok, finally got the correct command and I get this result. Converted the file to EXE as I was instructed and that is in the second screenshot. I typed the command exactly as the file was named. Where do I go from here?
> 
> 
> Rockbox folder file name:



Looks from the exe name like you have downloaded the Linux version and not the Windows version


----------



## Gamerlingual

Yup. Editing now. Incompetence at its finest. Ouch


----------



## Gamerlingual

Positive update:


----------



## Gamerlingual

What is the next step? Actually reset the device?


----------



## Lookout57

Gamerlingual said:


> What is the next step? Actually reset the device?


All you need to do know is reboot the player.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Never mind. I went to the menu and saw I could change the menu! It's English now! Thank you!


----------



## etlouis

Ameerzs said:


> dang so nice, i need the brown one



Is that the legendary EX1000s?


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> When I open the BAT file, it automatically opens up to Notepad. How can I ask it to load to CMD instead?


I think your


Gamerlingual said:


> Never mind. I went to the menu and saw I could change the menu! It's English now! Thank you!


Don’t forget to restart your player to finalize the region change. It’s a must every time you change your region. Just restart. Reset not required.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> I think your
> 
> Don’t forget to restart your player to finalize the region change. It’s a must every time you change your region. Just restart. Reset not required.


Which is just turning it off and turning it back on? On the menu, I just see reset when I cycle through which I won't do.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Which is just turning it off and turning it back on? On the menu, I just see reset when I cycle through which I won't do.



Yes just turn off and on again


----------



## nc8000

etlouis said:


> Is that the legendary EX1000s?




Looks like it


----------



## Gamerlingual

Well, now to rummage through these pages to get the best battery life possible. Always something new to learn


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Well, now to rummage through these pages to get the best battery life possible. Always something new to learn



Screen brightness to 1, enable battery saver, disable BT and NFC unless you need it and use source direct (all DSP uses extra battery). Also limited the time the screen is turned on as much as possible


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> Well, now to rummage through these pages to get the best battery life possible. Always something new to learn


Screen brightness at 25 or below. Also dont use the screen much.
Limit the use of DSP (vinyl processor, EQ, DSEEHX etc) source direct

Disable BT/NFC
Play FLAC 16/44.1 (if you want the most battery play MP3 lol)
Sont turn it off/on frequently this consumers more battery than just leaving.it in standby


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Screen brightness to 1, enable battery saver, disable BT and NFC unless you need it and use source direct (all DSP uses extra battery). Also limited the time the screen is turned on as much as possible


Looks like in this case, Battery Care would be considered the battery saver per the menu settings


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Screen brightness to 1, enable battery saver, disable BT and NFC unless you need it and use source direct (all DSP uses extra battery). Also limited the time the screen is turned on as much as possible


Ah. I thought some people loved the DSEE HX feature. How many hours does the DSP consume? I'll probably have it disabled as it is. Would High Gain Output impact the battery?


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Ah. I thought some people loved the DSEE HX feature. How many hours does the DSP consume? I'll probably have it disabled as it is. Would High Gain Output impact the battery?


Turning off all DSPs will indeed save battery life but would you buy a Lamborghini and just cruise it at 50kmh al the while??  Just use as many DSPs as you want and don’t worry about using the battery. Just charge it when it needs to be charged, and don’t let the battery drain to zero all the time. Enjoy the player. Don’t worry about the battery.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> Turning off all DSPs will indeed save battery life but would you buy a Lamborghini and just cruise it at 50kmh al the while??  Just use as many DSPs as you want and don’t worry about using the battery. Just charge it when it needs to be charged, and don’t let the battery drain to zero all the time. Enjoy the player. Don’t worry about the battery.


Sounds good. And for the IER-Z1R, would you recommend continue to play it in High Gain mode?


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Sounds good. And for the IER-Z1R, would you recommend continue to play it in High Gain mode?


High gain generally introduces more noise. So only use high gain if you don’t get the volume you like with low gain. For iems usually low gain is enough. High gain is used for more demanding higher ohm headphones. Try both and volume match and see which you prefer. High gain may seem to sound better and more dynamic because of the loudness factor. If you volume match properly you’ll find low gain much more relaxing and much easier on battery.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Sounds good. And for the IER-Z1R, would you recommend continue to play it in High Gain mode?



I use high gain and volume at 50 for IER-Z1R. DSP can comsume up to 20-30% extra depending on which you use and the higher resolution files you play also consumes more battery. On the other hand high gain does not seem to consume more battery if played to the same loudness as on normal gain (loudness not volume setting). I normally go with source direct but sometimes use the vinyl processor which cuts 3-4 hours of my play time per charge. Also I almost exclusively play 16/44 flac mixed with a few select hires but this is more to be able to fit my entire library on the player as I would need a 2TB card to fit all my hires


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> High gain generally introduces more noise. So only use high gain if you don’t get the volume you like with low gain. For iems usually low gain is enough. High gain is used for more demanding higher ohm headphones. Try both and volume match and see which you prefer. High gain may seem to sound better and more dynamic because of the loudness factor. If you volume match properly you’ll find low gain much more relaxing and much easier on battery.





nc8000 said:


> I use high gain and volume at 50 for IER-Z1R. DSP can comsume up to 20-30% extra depending on which you use and the higher resolution files you play also consumes more battery. On the other hand high gain does not seem to consume more battery if played to the same loudness as on normal gain (loudness not volume setting). I normally go with source direct but sometimes use the vinyl processor which cuts 3-4 hours of my play time per charge. Also I almost exclusively play 16/44 flac mixed with a few select hires but this is more to be able to fit my entire library on the player as I would need a 2TB card to fit all my hires


Roger to both suggestions. I'll try to see what makes my ears jingle the most. As far as battery saver would be known as Battery Care? Thank you all for the help. This is definitely the most amazing sound ever.


----------



## nc8000

I have now updated my FW Dropbox folder to also include all Morgenstern’s tunings beyond the Seasons and they are also included in the EverythingWindows.zip file that has now grown to 14.5GB. I might still be missing a few fw that somebody have put up but I certainly have most in one location. PM me if anybody needs the current link


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> High gain generally introduces more noise. So only use high gain if you don’t get the volume you like with low gain. For iems usually low gain is enough. High gain is used for more demanding higher ohm headphones. Try both and volume match and see which you prefer. High gain may seem to sound better and more dynamic because of the loudness factor. If you volume match properly you’ll find low gain much more relaxing and much easier on battery.


Looks like the Dynamic Normalizer is the way to go. Everything else can stay as is. Should be good enough to enjoy and getting a little extra battery. Can anyone else answer the Battery Care question?

And my final one and I'm done asking, is there a limit to the MicroSD card? Would it be able to manage more than 512GB, possibly 1TB?


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> Never mind. I went to the menu and saw I could change the menu! It's English now! Thank you!



Good you got it sorted 

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (May 22, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Ah. I thought some people loved the DSEE HX feature. How many hours does the DSP consume? I'll probably have it disabled as it is. Would High Gain Output impact the battery?



I wouldn't worry about it, I frequently use the DSP and vast majority of the time high gain on both 3.5 & 4.4. Only time I turn thing's off is if I know I'm going to be traveling for extended periods of time without power. I also have battery saver checked to help reduce the wear on the battery. 

Overall I want the enjoy the music how I want, not worry about the battery. WM1A/Z has plenty of stamina and one of the reasons I opted for one as I don't see the point of having features and never touching them in fear of using the battery.

Q-6


----------



## Gamerlingual

Queen6 said:


> Good you got it sorted
> 
> Q-6


Thanks! As quick as I was to jump the gun for some high end gear (IER and 1A), it was really fun. At least I’ve found my end game sets and it’s going to stay that way. As much as people say their tastes get more picky as time passes, I’m keeping my audio playing simple. Very effective, but simple. 

And the play of the walkman was only 12 minutes. Check the screen! It was practically brand new! This was a WAY better deal than I could even ask for knowing the playing time! No regrets not getting the 1Z especially with all the accessories and low play time this DAP has! Very lucky and thankful.

And if people are wondering, Software is version 3.02


----------



## nc8000 (May 22, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Thanks! As quick as I was to jump the gun for some high end gear (IER and 1A), it was really fun. At least I’ve found my end game sets and it’s going to stay that way. As much as people say their tastes get more picky as time passes, I’m keeping my audio playing simple. Very effective, but simple.
> 
> And the play of the walkman was only 12 minutes. Check the screen! It was practically brand new! This was a WAY better deal than I could even ask for knowing the playing time! No regrets not getting the 1Z especially with all the accessories and low play time this DAP has! Very lucky and thankful.
> 
> And if people are wondering, Software is version 3.02



You can’t rely on the counter. If the seller has done a factory reset the counter resets to 0.

Dynamic normalizer can be usefull if you do playlists or random play across a lot of albums but otherwise it will kill any intended dynamic variation within an album by making all tracks equally loud so I never use it as I always play one album end to end. 

And 1TB cards are supported (should support up to 2 TB if/when they come)


----------



## Queen6 (May 22, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Thanks! As quick as I was to jump the gun for some high end gear (IER and 1A), it was really fun. At least I’ve found my end game sets and it’s going to stay that way. As much as people say their tastes get more picky as time passes, I’m keeping my audio playing simple. Very effective, but simple.
> 
> And the play of the walkman was only 12 minutes. Check the screen! It was practically brand new! This was a WAY better deal than I could even ask for knowing the playing time! No regrets not getting the 1Z especially with all the accessories and low play time this DAP has! Very lucky and thankful.
> 
> And if people are wondering, Software is version 3.02



It's a better way to think, as otherwise it's just a bottomless pit, being very much a game of diminishing returns. The most important thing is that "your" satisfied, nothing else really matters 

Q-6


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 22, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> You can’t rely on the counter. If the seller has done a factory reset the counter resets to 0.
> 
> Dynamic normalizer can be usefull if you do playlists or random play across a lot of albums but otherwise it will kill any intended dynamic variation within an album by making all tracks equally loud so I never use it as I always play one album end to end.
> 
> And 1TB cards are supported (should support up to 2 TB if/when they come)


Got it. The player sure looks darn new, tho. Wow

And can someone please tell me what the battery saver mode is? Can’t find it unless it’s the “Battery Care” Label?


----------



## minzink

Hello Community, 

I am new here. First, thanks a lot for a bulk of very helpful information in this great thread! 

I purchased a preowned WM1A (so burn-in should not be an issue) for a reasonable price and I got it Wednesday last week. I am realy happy! This is what I was looking for. 

Comming from an A45 (uncapped) which I wanted to upgrade, I first tried a NW-ZX2. I bought this at ebay (maybe too expensive, but I changed it with the WM1A...don't ask why...) However, the player was nearly mint and had a great build and sound quality. But streaming was impossible due to outdated Android. So I sold it without a lose and got the new NW-Zx507. What a disappointment. EU volume cap was activateted and no chance to disable it. I know, it also had need time for burning in, but the A45 sounded just better in my ears. And more powerful due to disabled volume cap. And streaming? Sound quality on Amazon music was not overwhelming. And mostly I only listened to music I already own. So I returned it and decided for the WM1A which is perfect for me! What a beautiful and detailed sound.

These is only a minor thing: the WM1A is lacking the virtual surround program VTP the A45 has. Due to minieer desease I cannot hear certain frequences on the left ear. E.g. Rolling Stones' stereo version of '2000 light years from home' turns into an instrumental, because the vocals are in the range I cannot hear. VTP Studio setting mitigates this pretty good.

So, long story, short question: is there a modyfied firmware with a 'close to mono' soundstage similar to VTP Studio setting you can recommend? 

Thanks for you answers in advance!


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Got it. The player sure looks darn new, tho. Wow
> 
> And can someone please tell me what the battery saver mode is? Can’t find it unless it’s the “Battery Care” Label?



Yes it is Battery care which ensures that it only charges to 90% capacity and you should never let it completely discharge


----------



## nc8000

minzink said:


> Hello Community,
> 
> I am new here. First, thanks a lot for a bulk of very helpful information in this great thread!
> 
> ...



Unfortunately no. The modded fw that are referred often in this thread isen't really modded as there are no functional changes, only different tuning parameters being applied to the fpga


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Yes it is Battery care which ensures that it only charges to 90% capacity and you should never let it completely discharge


Perhaps the lowest I should allow it is around 10 to 15%?


----------



## minzink

nc8000 said:


> Unfortunately no. The modded fw that are referred often in this thread isen't really modded as there are no functional changes, only different tuning parameters being applied to the fpga


OK. That's not really an issue. I love the player so much. Then I will listen to the mono version in future... thanks a lot for your fast reply.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Perhaps the lowest I should allow it is around 10 to 15%?



I normally charge before the last block in the battery icon starts flashing so probably around the 10% mark


----------



## mwhals

Gamerlingual said:


> Perhaps the lowest I should allow it is around 10 to 15%?



I think  20% is better as a low.


----------



## nc8000

mwhals said:


> I think  20% is better as a low.



it's just difficult to determine as we just have the 4 blocks to go by and I don't even know if they are equal in capacity. Could usean option to have a number displayed instead


----------



## JerryHead (May 22, 2020)

Finally received the Shure SRH1840s today and am listening as I write this, connected to my WM1A.  I'm still waiting for silver coated OCC 4.4 cable from Surf Cables, but am listening through the SE with the stock cable for now.  I'm needing to turn the volume of the WM1A up to between 85 and 100 to get any sufficient to power these cans. The sound is truly neutral, and I'm not sure what I think quite yet.  The WM1A is fairly neutral sounding as it is, so adding a neutral headphone might just dull the sound a bit too much.  I'm going to wait for the 4.4mm cable and make a better decision next week.  I'm wondering however if I should've gone for the HD660s, and might still swap depending on the 1840s sound with the new cable and through the 4.4mm output.  LOVE the open back design though.


----------



## proedros

minzink said:


> Hello Community,
> 
> I am new here. First, thanks a lot for a bulk of very helpful information in this great thread!
> 
> ...



*Settings >Output Settings > L/R Balance*

maybe this helps ?


----------



## JerryHead

So, I'm pretty much getting the message that the consensus is the best open back headphones with the WM1A for under $500 are the HD660s, correct?


----------



## Krutsch

I would agree with that 100%. The HD-660S is my favorite all-a rounder.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (May 22, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> Finally received the Shure SRH1840s today and am listening as I write this, connected to my WM1A.  I'm still waiting for silver coated OCC 4.4 cable from Surf Cables, but am listening through the SE with the stock cable for now.  I'm needing to turn the volume of the WM1A up to between 85 and 100 to get any sufficient to power these cans. The sound is truly neutral, and I'm not sure what I think quite yet.  The WM1A is fairly neutral sounding as it is, so adding a neutral headphone might just dull the sound a bit too much.  I'm going to wait for the 4.4mm cable and make a better decision next week.  I'm wondering however if I should've gone for the HD660s, and might still swap depending on the 1840s sound with the new cable and through the 4.4mm output.  LOVE the open back design though.


If you need more warmth, play around with the vinyl processor, eq, DSSE HX, Phase Linearizer, it should help quite a bit. also, there are different FWs available, you should be able to find the ones more suitable to your taste. What do you like? Warmth, thick vocals, huge soundstage etc? People here should be able to help and advise you on what would be suitable to your needs. Tell us what is your favorite sound profile and go from there.


----------



## JerryHead

hamhamhamsta said:


> If you need more warmth, play around with the vinyl processor, eq, DSSE HX, Phase Linearizer, it should help quite a bit. also, there are different FWs available, you should be able to find the ones more suitable to your taste. What do you like? Warmth, thick vocals, huge soundstage etc? People here should be able to help and advise you on what would be suitable to your needs. Tell us what is your favorite sound profile and go from there.


Thanks, now I'm beginning to wonder if the SRH1840s sound better with my Hiby R5 which I bought at same time as the WM1A (for a more portable solution).  Believe it or not, the R5 is a little more powerful than the WM1A and there are many more sound adjustments/equalizer settings that can be tweaked.  I'm listening to these cans with the R5 and now am thinking that with a nice balanced cable and connection, I may keep them after all. I got a great deal on them ($380USD).


----------



## JerryHead

hamhamhamsta said:


> If you need more warmth, play around with the vinyl processor, eq, DSSE HX, Phase Linearizer, it should help quite a bit. also, there are different FWs available, you should be able to find the ones more suitable to your taste. What do you like? Warmth, thick vocals, huge soundstage etc? People here should be able to help and advise you on what would be suitable to your needs. Tell us what is your favorite sound profile and go from there.


I prefer strong, forward mids, not too much bass, bright, sparkly highs.  Yes, wide soundstage and retaining that excellent, native separation.  Warmth and thick vocals not as important.  I’m on 3.02 and no idea what region.  I don’t have a PC to check, only a Mac.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (May 23, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> I prefer strong, forward mids, not too much bass, bright, sparkly highs.  Yes, wide soundstage and retaining that excellent, native separation.  Warmth and thick vocals not as important.  I’m on 3.02 and no idea what region.  I don’t have a PC to check, only a Mac.


I think 3.02 fw is a good Fw for huge soundstage, bright, good separation. Using China region gives best seperation and clarity, Japan Region is very special and very good too. I just remember, if you like strong forward vocal , maybe Japan region is a better choice while I prefer max clarity and separation, so I use China region.There are other regions but I’m not familiar with them.

For FW I recommend maybe try Classical FW, or Solis, or WM1Az; there are other suitable FWs as well but there are so many of them and I didn’t try all. Others can help you with different Fw they think maybe good for you; what’s the best synergy with your headphone and cables. Everyone has different taste of what’s best to them, we can only recommend what we think maybe good match.

Also ask Nc8000 for different fws, he should be able to help you


----------



## minzink

proedros said:


> *Settings >Output Settings > L/R Balance*
> 
> maybe this helps ?


Thanks! Already tried. But it doesn't center soundstage close to mono what I am looking for.


----------



## Duncan

JerryHead said:


> Thanks, now I'm beginning to wonder if the SRH1840s sound better with my Hiby R5 which I bought at same time as the WM1A (for a more portable solution).  Believe it or not, the R5 is a little more powerful than the WM1A and there are many more sound adjustments/equalizer settings that can be tweaked.  I'm listening to these cans with the R5 and now am thinking that with a nice balanced cable and connection, I may keep them after all. I got a great deal on them ($380USD).


The problem with the 1840s is that they can tend to sound thin (I haven’t listened to my own pair for a very long time for the same reason), so - if the R5 has a heavier sound then I can see exactly where you’re coming from - better system matching.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (May 23, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> I think 3.02 fw is a good Fw for huge soundstage, bright, good separation. Using China region gives best seperation and clarity, Japan Region is very special and very good too.
> 
> For FW I recommend maybe try Classical FW, or Solis, or WM1Az; there are other suitable FWs but there are so many of them and I didn’t try all. Others can help you with different Fw they think maybe good for you; what’s the best synergy with your headphone and cables. Everyone has different taste of what’s best to them, we can only recommend what we think maybe good match.
> 
> Also ask Nc8000 for different fws, he should be able to help you





Duncan said:


> The problem with the 1840s is that they can tend to sound thin (I haven’t listened to my own pair for a very long time for the same reason), so - if the R5 has a heavier sound then I can see exactly where you’re coming from - better system matching.


Maybe JerryHead could try FW 3.01, it will thicken the sound a bit at expense of soundstage, clarity and separation. It should make 1840s sound better? Or even FW 2.00 that has a very thick sound although clarity and separation would suffer quite a bit; use Cn Region to alleviate some of the problem


----------



## gerelmx1986

Deutsche Gramophone ESOTERIC LTD upgrade from crappy original first CD mastering.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 23, 2020)

Finally got around to changing regions now on my 1A and 1Z. Been taking mental notes on people’s progress with firmware and region combos. Even received a couple PMs (out of the blue) asking if I changed regions yet. Lol

Still on Jupiter301 T1 and new Japan region on both players. I was expecting from what I read that the 1A would move to warmer from my original factory U region and it did. I know this has been said before, but J is good for a frequency midrange correction over region U with the 1A. Obviously Jupiter301 T1 has an add, but I’m guessing that J is the way the 1A is actually designed to sound? Really good I have to say. Probably less curious about changing firmware on the 1A? Though the 1Z seems to emerge with greater smoothness and laidbackness from factory U?

I was actually expecting this from reading about the J region and the 1Z; kind of adding upon factors the 1Z has anyway. Maybe the midrange on U region set better with the 1Z? It’s going to take a while for the dust to settle with the 1Z. Probably will have to go back and forth over some older brighter firmwares as well as roll back to stock 3.02? 3.02 to my ears is pretty cool with the 1Z. Though with the new J region cohesiveness and politeness it’s grounds for taking the 1Z back into those forward and brighter sparkler firmwares.

You may not hear from me for awhile?

Big thanks out to https://www.head-fi.org/members/nc8000.54845/ for helping me confirm the J region.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog (May 23, 2020)

Well this wasn’t supposed to arrive until next Thursday 

Sounds rather good, I have to say!






Spoiler: Boring Unboxing Photos...


----------



## JerryHead

Duncan said:


> The problem with the 1840s is that they can tend to sound thin (I haven’t listened to my own pair for a very long time for the same reason), so - if the R5 has a heavier sound then I can see exactly where you’re coming from - better system matching.


Yes, you nailed it when you mentioned "heavier."  That's exactly the word to describe the synergy of the R5 with the 1840s.  The WM1A isn't working with them. I'd probably send the 1840s back if I didn't have the R5. But with these two, it's working, and with a balanced and upgraded quality cable, it'll likely be all that much better.


----------



## Redcarmoose

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Well this wasn’t supposed to arrive until next Thursday
> 
> Sounds rather good, I have to say!
> 
> ...



Congratulations! It’s one of the greatest things I’ve ever purchased...ever! Enjoy!!


----------



## 524419

Gamerlingual said:


> Looks like the Dynamic Normalizer is the way to go. Everything else can stay as is. Should be good enough to enjoy and getting a little extra battery. Can anyone else answer the Battery Care question?
> 
> And my final one and I'm done asking, is there a limit to the MicroSD card? Would it be able to manage more than 512GB, possibly 1TB?


Dynamic normalizer is junk. It kills dynamic range in your music, and takes down battery life.
After a good burn in, Direct sound is usually the best sounding.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Diet Kokaine said:


> Dynamic normalizer is junk. It kills dynamic range in your music, and takes down battery life.
> After a good burn in, Direct sound is usually the best sounding.


Everyone has different tastes. I'm listening to all modes and will eventually decide what works for me. No method is wrong. But loving what I'm hearing so far.


----------



## 524419

Gamerlingual said:


> Everyone has different tastes. I'm listening to all modes and will eventually decide what works for me. No method is wrong. But loving what I'm hearing so far.


True. I like hearing into my music, Dynamic Normalizer makes everything loud, not very good for high resolution music to my ears.


----------



## TheThingGoesSkrrr

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2449#post-15579954
FYI , i was trying to download the mod and google drive detected Trojan malware and wouldn't allow me to download.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Everyone has different tastes. I'm listening to all modes and will eventually decide what works for me. No method is wrong. But loving what I'm hearing so far.



True though to me I much prefer to get the dynamic differences the performer or composer intended in a recording, not just everything at the same loudness but if you just play random across a lot of different albums rather than playing a given album in full dynamic normalizer can be usefull as you don’t constantly have to adjust volume manually


----------



## 515164

TheThingGoesSkrrr said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2449#post-15579954
> FYI , i was trying to download the mod and google drive detected Trojan malware and wouldn't allow me to download.



It's a false positive, it also happens on my computer with Windows Defender. I already reported this twice and they always said they removed the detection, but it still happens for me.

It's a simple SFX archive actually.


----------



## nc8000

TheThingGoesSkrrr said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2449#post-15579954
> FYI , i was trying to download the mod and google drive detected Trojan malware and wouldn't allow me to download.



It is actually Windows anti virus that complains about some of the fw even though there is no virus in any of them. I’ve had to download some of them in my older Win8 virtual machine and the clear them in Defender after copying them to my Win10 physical machine


----------



## Mindstorms

jaibautista said:


> Approaching three years of use and yet I still smile sheepishly whenever I pull them out of the carrying pouch


Does it have a minor dent?


----------



## TheThingGoesSkrrr

thanks yall for clearing it up!


----------



## nc8000

Mindstorms said:


> Does it have a minor dent?



Looks like a nick to the screen protector


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> It is actually Windows anti virus that complains about some of the fw even though there is no virus in any of them. I’ve had to download some of them in my older Win8 virtual machine and the clear them in Defender after copying them to my Win10 physical machine



My Avast said Malware too, but I went ahead anyway, because my Windows 10 machine runs slower that Windows ME in 2000 with a 1GB drive normally. I don’t think malware could live in my machine...too  slow.


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> Looks like a nick to the screen protector


Thought so!


----------



## TheThingGoesSkrrr

is there any indicator that your 1A is currently running a modded version? seems like the device itself still registered it as 3.02 version


----------



## nc8000

TheThingGoesSkrrr said:


> is there any indicator that your 1A is currently running a modded version? seems like the device itself still registered it as 3.02 version



No there is no way so you have to manully keep track


----------



## Mindstorms

TheThingGoesSkrrr said:


> is there any indicator that your 1A is currently running a modded version? seems like the device itself still registered it as 3.02 version


Best way to be shure its just to reinstall 3.02 stock


----------



## Mindstorms

Diet Kokaine said:


> True. I like hearing into my music, Dynamic Normalizer makes everything loud, not very good for high resolution music to my ears.


It depends on your setup and iem for me it only works well on certain songs that have very low volume... also gives you slight margin of EQ adjusting.. but yes everiothingyou turn on even drains up battery or degrades resolution...


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 23, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> No there is no way so you have to manully keep track



Though what is that certificate thing now under unit information? Do you get one when you leave your factory region on all regions?


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Though what is that certificate thing now under unit information? Do you get one when you leave your factory region on all regions?



It appears when changing to J


----------



## Mindstorms

I can happily confirm that morgenstern09 work on WM1Az rev. B its very good and i may stick with it for some days Specially On U it sounds refined in did not like other stuff i tested Staging its very good and has crisp highs!


----------



## Gamerlingual

I'm thinking at the minimum sometimes just listen to Stock Direct Sound or using the DSEE HX. It does get annoying when adjusting the volume for certain songs, but if that was the intention even with the FLAC or ALAC files, so be it.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> I'm thinking at the minimum sometimes just listen to Stock Direct Sound or using the DSEE HX. It does get annoying when adjusting the volume for certain songs, but if that was the intention even with the FLAC or ALAC files, so be it.



It was never the intention that all music should be equally loud


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> It was never the intention that all music should be equally loud


As I said, if that’s how the composer wanted the music to be intended all along, then I will take that route.

What volume level are people listening their music to? Somewhere between 60 and 100?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> As I said, if that’s how the composer wanted the music to be intended all along, then I will take that route.
> 
> What volume level are people listening their music to? Somewhere between 60 and 100?



With the IER-Z1R I usually use about 50 on high gain and 70 on low gain but some albums (especially dsd) are recorded low so I might raise the volume. Remember that I almost always listen to an album end to end and therefor don’t use dynamic normalizer to keep the dynamic differences between individual tracks in the album. For playlists and random play across many albums dynamic normalizer can make sense and in those situations there is no natural dynamic relationship between each track. But as you said ultimately it is you listening so you should use what works best for you


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> As I said, if that’s how the composer wanted the music to be intended all along, then I will take that route.
> 
> What volume level are people listening their music to? Somewhere between 60 and 100?


Depending on headphones or iem. But usually my levels are between 65 to max 85. Always on low gain and only dsee hx on standard.


----------



## Gamerlingual

I’m at 70 with DSEE HX on and off every now and then to catch the slight nuances


----------



## Mindstorms

what happends if you connect both SE and BAL at the same time BAL wins right? no dual sound


----------



## nc8000

Mindstorms said:


> what happends if you connect both SE and BAL at the same time BAL wins right? no dual sound



Yes balanced wins


----------



## Lookout57

It varies based on the recording. So anywhere from 55-80 on low gain balanced.


----------



## RobertP

nc8000 said:


> True though to me I much prefer to get the dynamic differences the performer or composer intended in a recording, not just everything at the same loudness but if you just play random across a lot of different albums rather than playing a given album in full dynamic normalizer can be usefull as you don’t constantly have to adjust volume manually


Normalizer crush pipe organ dynamic big time when go through my classical records last night.


----------



## nc8000

RobertP said:


> Normalizer crush pipe organ dynamic big time when go through my classical records last night.



Yes I don't like or use it either but each their own


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> Yes balanced wins


You are 3.02 J right?


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Yes I don't like or use it either but each their own


Guess I’m one of the few who likes it. But right now all DSP is off and the music is solid. I’m not sure what would qualify a person to be an audiophile, but definitely wowed by this sound signature


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Guess I’m one of the few who likes it. But right now all DSP is off and the music is solid. I’m not sure what would qualify a person to be an audiophile, but definitely wowed by this sound signature



Don't worry about labels, as long as you enjoy your music, just do what works best for you


----------



## nc8000

Mindstorms said:


> You are 3.02 J right?



J plus Solis 3.02


----------



## proedros

i think that Loud Gain also gives a bump to the mid-bass region, whereas Low Gain just focuses on the low bass region

again , all these options are there so that everyone can find the sound that resonates best with him , this is the great thing about sound there is no right/wrong only like/don't like


----------



## RobertP

High Gain sounds more like V shape when matched to EQ


----------



## Redcarmoose

My, my Japan and regular stock firmware 3.02 with the 1Z are really something.


----------



## jaibautista

Mindstorms said:


> Does it have a minor dent?



The minor dent that you see is on the glass protector. I can't remember how i got that dent, since I haven't dropped my WM1A on the floor/dropped stuff on it. When using my other case (a leather Miter in black) I rarely notice it.


----------



## Hinomotocho

I am about to pass 100 hours burn in and it is coming along nicely. 
Having come from a ZX300 it is a really nice step up and worth the money for me. People frequently have put an estimate of 10% improvement over the ZX300 and I get where they are coming from, but I think this can undervalue it a lot and in the past has put me off even considering the WM1A. It comes down to how much your focus is on that 10% that can increase the value of that percentage and therefore perhaps give people more confidence in deciding on the upgrade.


----------



## terminaut

Hello head-fi'ers... It's been a few years as I've just been enjoying the heck out of my ZX2 (which I still love for watching concert videos), but with covid and working full remote nowadays I figured it was time to step up my game since I'm sitting around at home listening to music so much.

Anyways, I've been reading this thread the last few weeks and finally caught up so thought I'd plop a quick photo of my current setup and say hi. Looking forward to CAN-JAM SoCal this December!


----------



## Queen6

Redcarmoose said:


> Though what is that certificate thing now under unit information? Do you get one when you leave your factory region on all regions?



The certificate is for wireless compliance and is in J & CA regions.

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (May 23, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> I am about to pass 100 hours burn in and it is coming along nicely.
> Having come from a ZX300 it is a really nice step up and worth the money for me. People frequently have put an estimate of 10% improvement over the ZX300 and I get where they are coming from, but I think this can undervalue it a lot and in the past has put me off even considering the WM1A. It comes down to how much your focus is on that 10% that can increase the value of that percentage and therefore perhaps give people more confidence in deciding on the upgrade.



For me the difference between the ZX300 & WM1A has expanded over time as the WM1A has clocked up more hours. with both DAP's to hand I'll opt for the WM1A unless I just want something small to carry.

Q-6


----------



## Redcarmoose

_*Noble Audio Kaiser 10 Encore IEM Universal (Sony Clear Silicone Hybrid Tips)(HanSound Audio ZENTOO 4 wire OCC litz copper cable terminated 4.4mm)*_
*https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/noble-audio-kaiser-encore.22120/reviews#review-22519
*
_*Sony NW-WM1Z Digital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) Japan Region and Stock 3.02 firmware*_


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> J plus Solis 3.02



But, you used to like J and stock 3.02....with the IER-Z1R? Yes?


----------



## terminaut

Redcarmoose said:


> _*Noble Audio Kaiser 10 Encore IEM Universal (Sony Clear Silicone Hybrid Tips)(HanSound Audio ZENTOO 4 wire OCC litz copper cable terminated 4.4mm)*_
> *https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/noble-audio-kaiser-encore.22120/reviews#review-22519*
> 
> _*Sony NW-WM1Z Digital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) Japan Region and Stock 3.02 firmware*_



Love the looks of those Encores but unfortunately they (and many other bigger IEMs) don't fit my ears comfortably. I'm also running stock 3.02 on my Japanese  unit for now, but will probably dabble with some of the mods on these threads at some point.


----------



## Redcarmoose

terminaut said:


> Love the looks of those Encores but unfortunately they (and many other bigger IEMs) don't fit my ears comfortably. I'm also running stock 3.02 on my Japanese  unit for now, but will probably dabble with some of the mods on these threads at some point.



I spent two years without good fit with them. I’m from a heavy make-do upbringing. Which means if you purchased something, you make it work-out. Hence on a side note I did use it less, until I found the extra large Sony Silicone Hybrid Clear Tips. At that point the tips moved the IEM away from my ear and I achieved perfect fit. You could always get a CIEM of them made? But my story is unusual I guess. I thought they were fitting me, but they only fit half-way before, which meant they would move and need to be adjusted and were always sound compromised.


----------



## Mindstorms

proedros said:


> i think that Loud Gain also gives a bump to the mid-bass region, whereas Low Gain just focuses on the low bass region
> 
> again , all these options are there so that everyone can find the sound that resonates best with him , this is the great thing about sound there is no right/wrong only like/don't like





Redcarmoose said:


> I spent two years without good fit with them. I’m from a heavy make-do upbringing. Which means if you purchased something, you make it work-out. Hence on a side note I did use it less, until I found the extra large Sony Silicone Hybrid Clear Tips. At that point the tips moved the IEM away from my ear and I achieved perfect fit. You could always get a CIEM of them made? But my story is unusual I guess. I thought they were fitting me, but they only fit half-way before, which meant they would move and need to be adjusted and were always sound compromised.


I learned Tips are more important than what everyone thinks thats my 2 cents..


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mindstorms said:


> I learned Tips are more important than what everyone thinks thats my 2 cents..



They are the missing link, along with fit..... to almost everything. After years I realized tip importance can’t be understated.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 24, 2020)

terminaut said:


> Love the looks of those Encores but unfortunately they (and many other bigger IEMs) don't fit my ears comfortably. I'm also running stock 3.02 on my Japanese  unit for now, but will probably dabble with some of the mods on these threads at some point.



Firmware is something that’s only half the equation. Meaning it’s 1/2 attitude. It would be like finding a shirt you like. You could keep changing shirts but there is something about your favorite shirt? So you have to stick with it, and you actually can’t over think the whole process. My issue is as Jupiter301 T1 was too warm with the 1Z.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Redcarmoose said:


> Firmware is something that’s only half the equation. Meaning it’s out attitude. It would be like finding a shirt you like. You could keep changing shirts but there is something about your favorite shirt? So you have to stick with it, and you actually can’t over think the whole process. My issue is as Jupiter301 T1 was too warm with the 1Z.


Maybe use the FW Lpgt version, that brightness should counteract 1Z warmth and make it more balanced


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 24, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Maybe use the FW Lpgt version, that brightness should counteract 1Z warmth and make it more balanced



You know I always look at that LPGT......it’s on my list of things to do. The thing is that when I find something it’s like visiting a town. I don’t want to leave. I’ve always been a fan of 3.02 stock with the 1Z but now “J” region has injected a special magic that’s hard to walk away from. I’ve gone and used many of the firmwares except only in stock “U” region.

Jupiter301 T1 was actually made on a 1A, though I’m not sure if it was physically modded or not, which can explain the incapability with the “J” 1Z. Though I guess if someone had a super bright IEM it may work? At this point I can’t imagine what it was like to be Japanese and buy a home sold Walkman and listen to the early 1.02 firmware styles?


----------



## Ravenous (May 24, 2020)

So I asked about the wm1a a couple pages back and I am definitely saving up for it as my "endgame" dap. But I wanted to get someone feedback on the reliability and longevity of this player. Considering it only has a year warranty, would this player last me for 5 to even 10 years (of course replacing the battery when needed) without any real issues? Anyone hear who bought it when it was first available still have it?


----------



## Ameerzs

who have drive hifiman sundara through wm1a 4.4mm? 
thanks


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 24, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> So I asked about this player a couple pages back and I am definitely saving up for it as my "endgame" dap. But I wanted to get someone feedback on the reliability and longevity of this player. Considering it only has a year warranty, would this player last me for 5 to even 10 years (of course replacing the battery when needed) without any real issues?



I have been following the thread since about September-November 2017....and have not read about any issues across posts here? The irony was folks who were subdued from a purchase in 2018 thinking new models would come. We always think they could show up?


----------



## terminaut

My Japanese WM1Z came with a selection of sampler tracks pre-installed that sound really great. I'm not sure if this is normal as I don't recall seeing anyone else mentioning it but I did find one of the tracks online that is REALLY worthwhile to download if you don't already have it.

https://helpguide.sony.net/high-res/sample1/v1/en/index.html

Obviously, download the Hi-Res version.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Redcarmoose said:


> You know I always look at that LPGT......it’s on my list of things to do. The thing is that when I find something it’s like visiting a town. I don’t want to leave. I’ve always been a fan of 3.02 stock with the 1Z but now “J” region has injected a special magic that’s hard to walk away from. I’ve gone and used many of the firmwares except only in stock “U” region.
> 
> Jupiter301 T1 was actually made on a 1A, though I’m not sure if it was physically modded or not, which can explain the incapability with the “J” 1Z. Though I guess if someone had a super bright IEM it may work? At this point I can’t imagine what it was like to be Japanese and buy a home sold Walkman and listen to the early 1.02 firmware styles?


Since 1Z is warm and Kaiser 10 is also warm, Lpgt fw should do nicely. I think DMP1Z version 1.02 should also do very nicely, as well as Jupiter. Region J or Cn should do well, assuming you want balanced sound profile with nice clarity and separation. Maybe also use some kind of silver wire type, but that’s more like the last step.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 24, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Since 1Z is warm and Kaiser 10 is also warm, Lpgt fw should do nicely. I think DMP1Z version 1.02 should also do very nicely, as well as Jupiter. Region J or Cn should do well, assuming you want balanced sound profile with nice clarity and separation. Maybe also use some kind of silver wire type, but that’s more like the last step.








The original K-10 may be warmer? Actually never heard it. The K-10 Encore on the other hand is kind-of an odd duck. A pulled lower-midrange focuses aspects on the middle midrange, though they could be called midrange emphasized...........they are not midrange forward. There is also both a treble spike and treble dip, which adds to the overall general feeling of them being midrange emphasized. IMO

The Encore IEMs actually like the 1Z and “J” moves it even closer. I will give some other firmwares a try if anything for completeness. I’ve played with many of them but only on the “U” region. Actually 3.02 is pretty amazing right now. Though I do add about 3 notches of bass, which is the only EQ I do all year. I will try DMPZ1 1.02 as it was the first one I tried with “U” only.......awhile back? It’s so true that “J” does gives some warmth which offers more freedom now. Thank-you.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Mindstorms said:


> I learned Tips are more important than what everyone thinks thats my 2 cents..


Thanks for the tip


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Thanks for the tip



That’s a giant tip.


----------



## RobertP (May 24, 2020)

Jupiter tune increased the upper-mid and bass a bit so if your gears are too warm, it may sound a bit too harsh. More balanced tune will do well like DMP1.02, Solis, Mercury, or even my tunes


----------



## proedros

Ravenous said:


> So I asked about the wm1a a couple pages back and I am definitely saving up for it as my "endgame" dap. But I wanted to get someone feedback on the reliability and longevity of this player. Considering it only has a year warranty, would this player last me for 5 to even 10 years (of course replacing the battery when needed) without any real issues? Anyone hear who bought it when it was first available still have it?



got my wm1a in July 2017 , 4000+ hours of use , zero problems so far

SONY loves you.


----------



## nc8000

terminaut said:


> My Japanese WM1Z came with a selection of sampler tracks pre-installed that sound really great. I'm not sure if this is normal as I don't recall seeing anyone else mentioning it but I did find one of the tracks online that is REALLY worthwhile to download if you don't already have it.
> 
> https://helpguide.sony.net/high-res/sample1/v1/en/index.html
> 
> Obviously, download the Hi-Res version.



All players com with a number of hires sample tracks and they get reinstalled by a factory reset as far as I remember


----------



## nc8000

Ravenous said:


> So I asked about the wm1a a couple pages back and I am definitely saving up for it as my "endgame" dap. But I wanted to get someone feedback on the reliability and longevity of this player. Considering it only has a year warranty, would this player last me for 5 to even 10 years (of course replacing the battery when needed) without any real issues? Anyone hear who bought it when it was first available still have it?



i've had mine for 3 1/2 years and played 3.500 hours and expect it to last at least another 5-6 years before a battery replacement might be needed. One user has about 8.000 hours on his still on the original battery. Another user is on his second battery and about 18.000 hours


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> But, you used to like J and stock 3.02....with the IER-Z1R? Yes?



actually I've never tried that combo. I didn't change to J until I was playing with the modded tunings. I've the last 3-4 weeks been swapping between Solis and Autumn+ (on 3.02 basis) on J and am now stuck with Solis and finished playing with the various fw


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sorry if I didn’t catch this, but using the high gain mode, how much power does it eat into the battery with the IER-Z1R for example?


----------



## nc8000 (May 24, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Sorry if I didn’t catch this, but using the high gain mode, how much power does it eat into the battery with the IER-Z1R for example?



No more than normal gain for the same actual loudness and the same phone. I do 50 on high gain and 70 on normal gain to get roughly the same loudness for the IER-Z1R and that cosumes roughly the same battery


----------



## Hinomotocho (May 24, 2020)

I'm trying to download the Seasons files (WM1A folder, not individual) and Avast keeps blocking the download. I tried to add google drive as an exception, any ideas please?

**nevermind, turned the pesky thing off for the download


----------



## 515164

Hinomotocho said:


> I'm trying to download the Seasons files (WM1A folder, not individual) and Avast keeps blocking the download. I tried to add google drive as an exception, any ideas please?



Create a new download folder and maybe add that one as an exclusion in Avast - only for this download, of course.


----------



## nc8000

Hinomotocho said:


> I'm trying to download the Seasons files (WM1A folder, not individual) and Avast keeps blocking the download. I tried to add google drive as an exception, any ideas please?



Disable you anti virus while downloading


----------



## Hinomotocho

nc8000 said:


> Disable you anti virus while downloading


Just did that, thanks


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> No more than normal gain for the same actual loudness and the same phone. I do 50 on high gain and 70 on normal gain to get roughly the same loudness for the IER-Z1R and that cosumes roughly the same battery


Thank you very much


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> actually I've never tried that combo. I didn't change to J until I was playing with the modded tunings. I've the last 3-4 weeks been swapping between Solis and Autumn+ (on 3.02 basis) on J and am now stuck with Solis and finished playing with the various fw



Thank-you, good to know. I thought you were using 3.02, though I guess I do need to try Solis again as I never used it with “J”.

Cheers!


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Thank-you, good to know. I thought you were using 3.02, though I guess I do need to try Solis again as I never used it with “J”.
> 
> Cheers!



I’ve been on 3.02 since it came out and region CEV since I got the player. Then started playing with the new tunings a couple of months ago and liked dmp1.02. The the planets came out abd I started playing with them and changed to J and liked that with Solis. Then tried the Seasons and preferred the Autumn+ still on J. Went back and forth between Solis and Autumn+ for the last month and now stuck on Solis. This with stock 1Z and IER-Z1R using the stock balanced cable


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Thank-you, good to know. I thought you were using 3.02, though I guess I do need to try Solis again as I never used it with “J”.
> 
> Cheers!


Wow. I just saw in your signature that you have both the 1A and 1Z? What is your reasoning behind it? Positive asking


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 24, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Wow. I just saw in your signature that you have both the 1A and 1Z? What is your reasoning behind it? Positive asking



Well, I kinda thought the 1Z would be like a desktop DAC/amp and might be better because no interconnections, and was trying to get away from computers and transports. And.....it was OK on a short demo. Though after burn-in of aspects both mental/player the results were special. 

So I thought heck, I should get a 1A to maybe walk around with? It’s ended up a nice contrast and has slowly improved with firmwares and region changes. Though the 1A ended up staying at home too. The two somehow are complementary with showing contrasting personalities? Both players were on stock U region for the last month or two with Jupiter301 T1, but now both in J region and only the 1A has Jupiter301 T1, 1Z has stock 3.02.

Maybe the best part of the story is using one for awhile then switching over and having a different sound to appreciate? The 1A is by far the better deal, and the best player for the money I feel of the Sony line. Haven’t heard the new Android players from Sony but the rest including  even the ZX300 maybe......don’t get near the 1A. IMO But strangely the players can drift farther away in performance from one another then even drift closer. Just when you think/guess the 1A is at the 1Z’s doorstep, the 1Z changes and walks away again? So owning both may be almost a good style of confusion?


----------



## frost15

Redcarmoose said:


> Thank-you, good to know. I thought you were using 3.02, though I guess I do need to try Solis again as I never used it with “J”.
> 
> Cheers!


Where can i try solis? I can't find any links


----------



## Gww1 (May 24, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> My, my Japan and regular stock firmware 3.02 with the 1Z are really something.


After trying most of the different custom FWs (tunings) I settled back on stock 3.02 J region on my 1Z. This combo with the ier Z1r is pretty hard to beat in my opinion.


----------



## Mindstorms

Hinomotocho said:


> Just did that, thanks


or get windows antivirus haha i wont detect anithing not even if its malware lol


----------



## nc8000

Mindstorms said:


> or get windows antivirus haha i wont detect anithing not even if its malware lol



Windows Defender also prevents the download, at least on Win10


----------



## JerryHead (May 24, 2020)

Last word on the Shure SRH1840s with the WM1A.  They're probably going back.  The precision, clarity, soundstage and separation were incredible.  But these are truly neutral headphones, and with a fairly neutral sounding DAP, the sound is just a bit too thin, dry, and unexciting.  They lacked that "wow" factor I get from the SE846s, and am thinking that they would probably sound better with a headphone amp which I'm not willing to invest in at this point.  I ordered the HD660s as they're on sale now ($399USD) and will give those a try.


----------



## flyer1

Gww1 said:


> After trying most of the different custom FWs (tunings) I settled back on stock 3.02 J region on my 1Z. This combo with the ier Z1r is pretty hard to beat in my opinion.



Same here, 3.0 works best for my 1Z/ex1000. Best tonality and timbre.

Sony did a great job on those stock fw's

Maybe next new update due in August, like last year?


----------



## JerryHead

Newbie question:  when you use a headphone amp with the WM1A, do you lose any of the distinctive Sony sound signature?  or is it retained, with just added ampage?


----------



## nc8000

JerryHead said:


> Newbie question:  when you use a headphone amp with the WM1A, do you lose any of the distinctive Sony sound signature?  or is it retained, with just added ampage?



If you connect via the 3.5 or 4.4 you maintain the sig of the player but depending on the amp it may add it’s own sig as well


----------



## JerryHead

nc8000 said:


> If you connect via the 3.5 or 4.4 you maintain the sig of the player but depending on the amp it may add it’s own sig as well


what is an example of an amp that would not change the SS?


----------



## Gamerlingual

JerryHead said:


> what is an example of an amp that would not change the SS?


Good luck trying to find the right specs. Sounds like your ears are VERY picky. But everyone has their own taste.


----------



## nc8000 (May 24, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> what is an example of an amp that would not change the SS?



I don’t know, it’s been many years since I’ve been into amps (apart from the Sony TA amp/dac I have not bought an amp since the RSA SR-71B 8 years ago), so I have no idea about the market today


----------



## JerryHead

Gamerlingual said:


> Good luck trying to find the right specs. Sounds like your ears are VERY picky. But everyone has their own taste.


was wondering what you were thinking of when you suggested my ears were VERY picky?  Was it because I was asking about headphone amps?  or was it my critique of the Shure SRH1840s?


----------



## Gamerlingual

JerryHead said:


> was wondering what you were thinking of when you suggested my ears were VERY picky?  Was it because I was asking about headphone amps?  or was it my critique of the Shure SRH1840s?


Multiple setups and the sound signature that people desire. I see how diverse people’s setups are with the headphones in this thread and I appreciate how people want to strive for something better to suit their audio needs


----------



## JerryHead

Are people here listening to their WM1A through the HD660s needing a headphone amp to do so?  or no?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Wow. I wanted to ask questions about the MDR-Z1R but saw that thread was closed due to toxicity. Guess I can’t ask peeps opinions how it pairs with a certain DAC but I can see on this thread how it pairs up with the 1A and 1Z


----------



## TheThingGoesSkrrr

any idea how long it takes to fully charge 1a?


----------



## Gamerlingual

TheThingGoesSkrrr said:


> any idea how long it takes to fully charge 1a?


Manual says 7 hours


----------



## Gamerlingual

TheThingGoesSkrrr said:


> any idea how long it takes to fully charge 1a?


Also, try a high speed 3.0 connection and see if that jacks up the charging time quicker. It might do wonders. Would be interesting if you could provide feedback on that


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> Windows Defender also prevents the download, at least on Win10


Im in win 8 so it cant see anithing sadly but thanks for the update


----------



## Gamerlingual

Mindstorms said:


> Im in win 8 so it cant see anithing sadly but thanks for the update


Good luck. Hope it works out


----------



## Duncan

As always, behind the times - today I got around to trying the WM1Az revision B that @morgenstern09 has posted - I think it’s right on the limit as to what bass the WM1A can put out cleanly, but my oh my is the texturing right on the money with the FiiO FH7!


----------



## nc8000

Mindstorms said:


> Im in win 8 so it cant see anithing sadly but thanks for the update



The ones that I hve not been able to downlod on my Win10 machine I've been able to downlod in my Win8.1 virtual machine


----------



## Mindstorms

JerryHead said:


> Last word on the Shure SRH1840s with the WM1A.  They're probably going back.  The precision, clarity, soundstage and separation were incredible.  But these are truly neutral headphones, and with a fairly neutral sounding DAP, the sound is just a bit too flat, dry, and unexciting.  They lacked that "wow" factor I get from the SE846s, and am thinking that they would probably sound better with a headphone amp which I'm not willing to invest in at this point.  I ordered the HD660s as they're on sale now ($399USD) and will give those a try.


so i think we are the only ones that like 3.00 lol not much adepts here.. how do you find it? can you describe it? also what region?


----------



## nc8000

Mindstorms said:


> so i think we are the only ones that like 3.00 lol not much adepts here.. how do you find it? can you describe it? also what region?



3.0 never worked for me. It crashed the player every few hours, the only Sony FW I’ve ever had do that


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> 3.0 never worked for me. It crashed the player every few hours, the only Sony FW I’ve ever had do that


Have you consider that i could have been an sd card error? or corruption in the download files? it never ever crash my 1A not even moded 3.0FW


----------



## 515164

Mindstorms said:


> Have you consider that i could have been an sd card error? or corruption in the download files? it never ever crash my 1A not even moded 3.0FW



Modded 3.0 FW is actually just stock 3.0 FW. Sound tunings have nothing to do with the FW's functionality, and true firmware modding is not actually possible, no matter what some people could tell you.

Regarding the SD Card, why would the error only manifest on the 3.0 FW and not on 3.02 for example?


----------



## Mindstorms

morgenstern09 said:


> Modded 3.0 FW is actually just stock 3.0 FW. Sound tunings have nothing to do with the FW's functionality, and true firmware modding is not actually possible, no matter what some people could tell you.
> 
> Regarding the SD Card, why would the error only manifest on the 3.0 FW and not on 3.02 for example?


Unfortunately I cant answer this one I had errors in 1.20 that wont manifest in 2.0 and later FW because sony changed the way the database ruibild was doned...


----------



## mwhals

Is this the Japan Tourist version and would it have a 1 year international warranty if bought in the USA?

https://www.accessoryjack.com/porta...resolution-walkman-signature-series-gold.html


----------



## Hinomotocho (May 24, 2020)

mwhals said:


> Is this the Japan Tourist version and would it have a 1 year international warranty if bought in the USA?
> 
> https://www.accessoryjack.com/porta...resolution-walkman-signature-series-gold.html


I bought my ZX300 through them - I believe they sell the U (?) which is English, uncapped, remote capable models. They are very good to deal with - honest and quick to reply to questions and with shipping. I don't think Sony does international warranties, perhaps you'd have to send it back to them.


----------



## mwhals (May 24, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> I bought my ZX300 through them - I believe they sell the U (?) which is English, uncapped, remote capable models. They are very good to deal with - honest and quick to reply to questions and with shipping. I don't think Sony does international warranties, perhaps you'd have to send it back to them.



Thanks. I sent them an email.


----------



## Hinomotocho

I was going to recommend Minidisc.com.au for the cheapest price I had seen (AU$1364) which I paid 2 weeks ago, but I see they have put their price up to $1699, and their competitor also has done the same. I don't know the reason for the increase, but when deciding I had a thought that if companies are being cautious and holding back on new models for a while, and/or pricing increases because of manufacturing and freight I'd better jump in - so lucky I did.
Just my way of thinking but if you see a good price maybe jump on it now in case things change.


----------



## titoratm

JerryHead said:


> Are people here listening to their WM1A through the HD660s needing a headphone amp to do so?  or no?


Nop, I'm using it directly to the pentaconn output and I don't think I need any external amp right know. Wm1a gives me enough power to use those headphones.


----------



## JerryHead

titoratm said:


> Nop, I'm using it directly to the pentaconn output and I don't think I need any external amp right know. Wm1a gives me enough power to use those headphones.


Hey thanks.  What do you think of them?  The combination?  I’m reading reviews saying they’re good, but not quite worth even $400, a bit less.  I’ve had $350 Sony headphones (ended up selling them) and assumed these would sound better.


----------



## Krutsch

JerryHead said:


> Are people here listening to their WM1A through the HD660s needing a headphone amp to do so?  or no?



Yes. Using a Woo WA3 for added power and tubey goodness.


----------



## JerryHead

Krutsch said:


> Yes. Using a Woo WA3 for added power and tubey goodness.


Nice, bet it sounds awesome.


----------



## JerryHead

Anyone come across a small circular hard case for their iems where there's actually enough room for them?  I have a pair of SE846s and the upgraded Sony cable which is considerably thicker than the stock cable.  Every circular iem case I've found has a diameter of 3" or less inside, and I'm finding this just too small for these.


----------



## Krutsch

JerryHead said:


> Anyone come across a small circular hard case for their iems where there's actually enough room for them?  I have a pair of SE846s and the upgraded Sony cable which is considerably thicker than the stock cable.  Every circular iem case I've found has a diameter of 3" or less inside, and I'm finding this just too small for these.



My Sony/Kimber balanced MMCX cable fits just fine with the 846s themselves in the original Shure case.


----------



## JerryHead

Krutsch said:


> My Sony/Kimber balanced MMCX cable fits just fine with the 846s themselves in the original Shure case.


I was looking for something a bit harder, a hard case, that was maybe circular, not oval.  Might be too much to ask however.


----------



## ttt123

JerryHead said:


> I was looking for something a bit harder, a hard case, that was maybe circular, not oval.  Might be too much to ask however.


I use/like these AT-HPP300 cases.
https://www.amazon.com/audio-technica-ear-headphone-case-AT-HPP300/dp/B01GYBV8PE
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/campaign/gadget_atearphonecase

These used to be available on Amazon, but currently, don't see any listings.  May have to order from Ebay Japan
https://www.ebay.com/p/1745802296


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gww1 said:


> After trying most of the different custom FWs (tunings) I settled back on stock 3.02 J region on my 1Z. This combo with the ier Z1r is pretty hard to beat in my opinion.



There is a magic to it. Though I must admit I’ve not tried any other regions but U and J and have missed a few of the firmwares out there.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Wow. I wanted to ask questions about the MDR-Z1R but saw that thread was closed due to toxicity. Guess I can’t ask peeps opinions how it pairs with a certain DAC but I can see on this thread how it pairs up with the 1A and 1Z


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-z1r-listening-impressions-only.853330/

Controversy is good at times.


----------



## Redcarmoose

mwhals said:


> Is this the Japan Tourist version and would it have a 1 year international warranty if bought in the USA?
> 
> https://www.accessoryjack.com/porta...resolution-walkman-signature-series-gold.html


Japan Tourist Edition is what I have, not sure about warranty, but normally it’s called Sony International Warranty? By the way, that price is amazing! It will be a U region model. 

Cheers!


----------



## auronthas

morgenstern09 said:


> Yep, it would hurt nothing to do that anyway
> 
> Reflashing the stock firmware does not reset the played hours counter or settings or anything.


Too bad, unable to install Morgenstern two WM1A firmwares on my Window 10, i have lowered the malware sensitivity to lowest and giving exception to run, they are errors on the exe files, when I run them,  no softwaretools window pop up but extraction file with errors.





I just installed RobertP's VinylA firmware, no problem flashing/installing, and I love this firmware with my WM1A 3.0.2 U region (J), more analogue/warm sound than previous firmwares, will listen to more genres for comparison.


----------



## 515164 (May 25, 2020)

auronthas said:


> Too bad, unable to install Morgenstern two WM1A firmwares on my Window 10, i have lowered the malware sensitivity to lowest and giving exception to run, they are errors on the exe files, when I run them,  no softwaretools window pop up but extraction file with errors.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Too bad, man.

They are packed exactly the same way, and they work fine on my computer, and not only. I have no idea what could be wrong on your computer.


----------



## auronthas

morgenstern09 said:


> Too bad, man.
> 
> They are packed exactly the same way, and they work fine on my computer, and not only. I have no idea what could be wrong on your computer.


No problem, I will change back my malware setting to medium. I am happy with current firmware  Cheers.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Japan Tourist Edition is what I have, not sure about warranty, but normally it’s called Sony International Warranty? By the way, that price is amazing! It will be a U region model.
> 
> Cheers!


I just listened to a FLAC file that was 24 bit and 96Hz vs an MP3 that had 320 kbps with my 1A and IER-Z1R and could tell no real world difference. I kept going through the most detailed percussion and acoustic parts but it sounded the same. Is that common for music? It was the exact same song, but in both cases despite not sounding different that means they both sounded awesome. If FLAC files and such are overrated then perhaps just keeping MP3 files at 320 kbps to reduce storage consumption and increase battery durability would be the way to go?


----------



## 515164

auronthas said:


> No problem, I will change back my malware setting to medium. I am happy with current firmware  Cheers.



By the way, I was mentioning that I submitted the detection as false positive, to Microsoft, and they confirmed it was, for anyone who had any worries.


----------



## auronthas

morgenstern09 said:


> By the way, I was mentioning that I submitted the detection as false positive, to Microsoft, and they confirmed it was, for anyone who had any worries.


Yes, I did submit false positive to Avast, then i unticked fix automatically, so i can "get exception" into my Avast virus chest.  But too bad, still unable to run the executive file.


----------



## 524419 (May 25, 2020)

auronthas said:


> Yes, I did submit false positive to Avast, then i unticked fix automatically, so i can "get exception" into my Avast virus chest.  But too bad, still unable to run the executive file.


windows 10 has other programs in the background blocking it. I think its Defender (ironic because the whole operating system itself is a spyware)
Microsoft's shenanigans forced me to go back to 7.


----------



## 515164

Diet Kokaine said:


> windows 10 has other programs in the background blocking it. I think its Defender



Defender should be automatically disabled if another antivirus program is installed, but I didn't use another one except Defender for a long time already, so I don't know how it is these days.


----------



## 524419

morgenstern09 said:


> Defender should be automatically disabled if another antivirus program is installed, but I didn't use another one except Defender for a long time already, so I don't know how it is these days.


It doesn't work that way, I had to bypass it on a friend's computer, and I remember it being a major pain in the @$$. Had to find instructions online. it's very counterintuitive.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Diet Kokaine said:


> It doesn't work that way, I had to bypass it on a friend's computer, and I remember it being a major pain in the @$$. Had to find instructions online. it's very counterintuitive.


Weird. I had windows defender off but Malwarebytes was on and I had no problems. Maybe try that? Good luck and hope it works out


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 25, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I just listened to a FLAC file that was 24 bit and 96Hz vs an MP3 that had 320 kbps with my 1A and IER-Z1R and could tell no real world difference. I kept going through the most detailed percussion and acoustic parts but it sounded the same. Is that common for music? It was the exact same song, but in both cases despite not sounding different that means they both sounded awesome. If FLAC files and such are overrated then perhaps just keeping MP3 files at 320 kbps to reduce storage consumption and increase battery durability would be the way to go?



This subject is controversial at this time. Also of course we as human always have conformation bias (attitudes)....which always color our true objectivity of sound. The whole Sony marketing with DSEE HX is it’s ability to enhance MP3 kbps files. Keep in mind though too, that the marketing is such that it’s touted that 16bit/44.1kHz also get the treatment up-scaling them too to a 24bit character.

When interviewed (which the site is now down) the Sony engineers went on to explain “some files react”....which basically explains at times it works and at times it is a wash. Many are purists in audio, I am. A purist standpoint is less in-front. Meaning no vinyl process, no DESEE HX. No EQ, and no normalizer. Though the DSD upscale on the Sony TA-ZH1ES seems to really work. I’ve just recently been able to now with “J” region remove all EQ all the time on all IEMs and headphones, players and amps; so for many that has been an end goal. Even though we don’t judge others for liking EQ, believe that EQ adds distortions in areas. Many believe “Direct Source (Direct)” bypassing everything is the way to go with the Walkmans, yet there is no right or wrong.

The basis is the understanding that if everything is the best it can be 320 will sound better too and they do. In my uses 24bit and at times DSD and 48kHz do make a difference. But the recording and the issue of the recording (the file version) make more difference. I would rather have a well done 320 remaster than the original in DSD if the remaster was added dynamic range. But also realize I’m maybe odd, in that I would also rather take brickwalled loud modern recordings over CD first  pressings 60% of the time. In short it’s a example by example issue.

Typically 24bit seems to add more air, better imaging than regular 16/44.1 files to me. But again it depends on the system tone too. Meaning I have a first edition CD that sounds better at times especially if the system I’m using has thick bass, and the new remaster is more of a V shaped remix.

A lot of this is the player and the IEMs, as well as the listener’s learning curve on learning to spot improvement. If benefits are even there they are small, and if you were not experienced to recognize them you may miss them. Also keep in mind most of this level of perception doesn’t happen in public but in a quiet dark room. Because we learn to value the most sound quality possible then we may value even an extra small  %? But my reference recordings that I use all the time to test firmware, IEMs, players and regions are all 24bit. Some songs I have listened to almost every day for years. This listening process can even be like sports where you warm up your ears and brain before the event.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> This subject is controversial at this time. Also of course we as human always have conformation bias (attitudes)....which always color our true objectivity of sound. The whole Sony marketing with DSEE HX is it’s ability to enhance MP3 kbps files. Keep in mind though too, that the marketing is such that it’s touted that 16bit/44.1kHz also get the treatment up-scaling them too to a 24bit character.
> 
> When interviewed (which the site is now down) the Sony engineers went on to explain “some files react”....which basically explains at times it works and at times it is a wash. Many are purists in audio, I am. A purist standpoint was less in-front. Meaning no vinyl process, no DESEE HX. No EQ, and no normalizer. Though the DSD upscale on the Sony TA-ZH1ES seems to really work. I’ve just recently been able to now with “J” region remove all EQ all the time on all IEMs and headphones, players and amps; so for many that has been an end goal. Even though we don’t judge others for liking EQ, believe that EQ adds distortions in areas. Many believe “Processor Direct” is the way to go with the Walkmans, yet there is no right or wrong.
> 
> ...


I was laying down in my room with no one home when I listened to them and did not use any DSP. I tried both high and low gain and still couldn’t discern the difference. At the same time, I think having the FLAC file may be helpful in the future so I can train my ear more. I played piano for 10 years and developed some music training in trying some improv. So I had wondered if my musical experiences might help, not a professional by any means. That’s why I wanted people’s feedback as I’m still trying to get the nuances in but they are very hard to pick up. Of course I noticed a big difference in quality when I used the IER-M9 and those weren’t to my liking. But the 1A is certainly a better player than I realized. Just makes me appreciate it more


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 25, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I was laying down in my room with no one home when I listened to them and did not use any DSP. I tried both high and low gain and still couldn’t discern the difference. At the same time, I think having the FLAC file may be helpful in the future so I can train my ear more. I played piano for 10 years and developed some music training in trying some improv. So I had wondered if my musical experiences might help, not a professional by any means. That’s why I wanted people’s feedback as I’m still trying to get the nuances in but they are very hard to pick up. Of course I noticed a big difference in quality when I used the IER-M9 and those weren’t to my liking. But the 1A is certainly a better player than I realized. Just makes me appreciate it more



The old old way to think about 320kbps was that FLAC has more bass. You hardly ever hear people talk that way anymore. But even if people never notice the difference between 320 and FLAC doesn’t mean they don’t have fantastic ears. There is actually more we don’t know than what we know concerning the psychological aspects of hearing. There are ideas that we truly only perceive 50% of the world. The other half is from our subconscious. So it’s very hard to filter out audiophile truths from non-truths. Though I would suggest keeping a library in FLAC as you never know if a day will come to where you totally can tell all the time.....or at least with certain headphones and files?

Cheers!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> The old old way to think about 320kbps was that FLAC has more bass. You hardly ever hear people talk that way anymore. But even if people never notice the difference between 320 and FLAC doesn’t mean they don’t have fantastic ears. There is actually more we don’t now than what we know concerning the psychological aspects of hearing. There are ideas that we truly only perceive 50% of the world. The other half is from our subconscious. So it’s very hard to filter out audiophile truths from non-truths. Though I would suggest keeping a library in FLAC as you never know if a day will come to where you totally can tell all the time.....or at least with certain headphones and files?
> 
> Cheers!


Yup. Having a 4TB hard drive was purchased so I could have music files even in large formats. Thank you very much and cheers as well.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> I was laying down in my room with no one home when I listened to them and did not use any DSP. I tried both high and low gain and still couldn’t discern the difference. At the same time, I think having the FLAC file may be helpful in the future so I can train my ear more. I played piano for 10 years and developed some music training in trying some improv. So I had wondered if my musical experiences might help, not a professional by any means. That’s why I wanted people’s feedback as I’m still trying to get the nuances in but they are very hard to pick up. Of course I noticed a big difference in quality when I used the IER-M9 and those weren’t to my liking. But the 1A is certainly a better player than I realized. Just makes me appreciate it more



Also I think people should gravitate towards an IEM that’s musical. It’s typically a combination of technically and (anti-technicality) musical sound replay distortion which makes something musical and able to sit down and play multiple genres and albums in a row? The systems that I had that were recording quality microscopes were not fun. Hard to imagine but a big part of the Walkman success (I think) is musicality at the expense of clarity. They are a balance.....maybe?

Most of the time it’s maybe tone? Tone of Walkman firmwares and tone of the IEM? Tone beats out over resolving power and the ability to discern file quality. IMO


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Also I think people should gravitate towards an IEM that’s musical. It’s typically a combination of technically and (anti-technicality) musical sound replay distortion which makes something musical and able to sit down and play multiple genres and albums in a row? The systems that I had that were recording quality microscopes were not fun. Hard to imagine but a big part of the Walkman success (I think) is musicality at the expense of clarity. They are a balance.....maybe?
> 
> Most of the time it’s maybe tone? Tone of Walkman firmwares and tone of the IEM? Tone beats out over resolving power and the ability to discern file quality. IMO


Which IEM’s do you think are musical with the 1A, if the player allows for such an output?


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 25, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Which IEM’s do you think are musical with the 1A, if the player allows for such an output?



I actually haven’t heard all that many IEMs. I live in an area far from shops so I can’t really say. Though the last couple of years I did travel, and tried some, though not many.

Due to firmware changes and region tone changes making the 1A nearer the 1Z tone, I don’t think it’s exactly finding different IEMs, with some special for the 1A. If someone liked an IEM on the 1A they would also find it fine with the 1Z. I’m using Jupiter301 T1 “J” on the 1A and “J” stock 3.02 firmware on the 1Z.

Also IEMs are going to be major and the DAP character secondary to arrival at a tone you can simply forget about and play albums with.

Also there has been so many (firmware-region-sound-changes) with the 1A that it’s not a subject I have experience with. I did try the Universal 64Audio N8, but I read the custom (which is all they offer) is very bass centered? The Universal was nice with the 1A. Also the qdc Anole VX was spectacular with my 1A. Also the IER-Z1R which you own. I am kind-of down the rabbit-hole with the Noble Encore Universal. So to me the IER-Z1R is technically better, but I use the Encore more? Though everyone has different hearing. I’m 58 and have been to a lot of concerts and been in bands, so I have had a lot of amplifiers in my face, probably getting me less treble sensitivity. With that said, it’s difficult and personal which IEM would work. They seem to come out with more every month. But after a while you can kind of know what would work. For me the Noble Katana was a little straight laced and calm, where it’s twin release the Encore was more fun. But also I have other IEMs that get used less that are totally fun with the 1A, the XBA-Z5 comes to mind. Though the XBA-Z5 needs an aftermarket cable and even then doesn’t sit in the ear that well, but it’s cool. I’ve have heard a bunch of IEMs in a way but I almost forget them if didn’t like them. Heard the CA Atlas, whole qdc line, many of the 64Audio...DITA ..lots of Chi-Fi, Noble Khan. I’m probably curious about the Empire Ears line? I mean stuff like the IER-Z1R adds some low end authority which to me makes the 1A signature close to perfect?

If you know someone who likes forward midrange response IEMs and your more of a V or U response, then none of their IEMs are musical. That’s really how it goes.


----------



## RobertP

How interesting, I looked @morgenstern09 tune and I don't see any difference in files structure. If my works, his should works too. All my PC version tunes were build in Windows 10 btw.


----------



## 515164

RobertP said:


> How interesting, I looked @morgenstern09 tune and I don't see any difference in files structure. If my works, his should works too. All my PC version tunes were build in Windows 10 btw.



Yes, exactly, that's why it's so weird. Maybe I'm using some different version of WinRAR (using the latest) that maybe has a different SFX module than usual or something?

It's also weird that even for me, the antivirus doesn't detect all tunings as malicious.

You could use Sandboxie to run a program safely in a protected "box", without needing to install a whole virtual machine. Any viruses would only do changes in that box, and not to your computer. I am just not sure if USB works, I never tried it.


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> Which IEM’s do you think are musical with the 1A, if the player allows for such an output?


That is a rabbit hole if ever there was one - I loved my AK T8ie mkII - search for posts from me in the past 3 years and a helluva lot of them will be me praising them...

step forward to a couple of weeks ago, me coming back to this thread after a hiatus, seeing all the possibilities with tuning the players, I was like a child in a sweet shop.

on my travels around YouTube I came across the FiiO FH7 review by @Currawong - I decided to buy them, knowing they’re half the price of the AK and also my RHA CL2, and a fifth of the price off my JH Layla, I was cynical but having lockdown fever and hit the buy button anyway...

totally glad that I did, without going into full blown review territory, the bass (as a simplistic viewpoint) on the FH7 is totally different, organic, deeper, richer - than my other premium IEMs - I’m in seventh heaven with the whole soundspace - and, these have proven to me once and for all that just because something is cheap (relatively speaking) it doesn’t mean it is going to be a technical failure...

beauty is unfortunately, in the ear of the beholder


----------



## frost15

Well, I just made the comparison between Autumn+ and Solis (which seems to be the final fw showdown). I had not tried Solis until now and I'll start by saying that I immediately understood it's appeal. Very detailed and balanced tuning. I came back to Autumn+ and realized why I like it so much. It's punch in the bass section and overall musicality has no contest. Sure it loses a tiny bit of detail in the mids, but the drums sound too damn perfect for these ears. I'm staying with Autumn+.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Duncan said:


> That is a rabbit hole if ever there was one - I loved my AK T8ie mkII - search for posts from me in the past 3 years and a helluva lot of them will be me praising them...
> 
> step forward to a couple of weeks ago, me coming back to this thread after a hiatus, seeing all the possibilities with tuning the players, I was like a child in a sweet shop.
> 
> ...


Lots of good points there. The FiiO M6 works awesome with the MDR-1AM2 and the IER-Z1R. It’s my portable player on the go and after learning more about my research, the WH-1000XM3 also work great with the 1A and FiiO M6. It’s been audio heaven for me


----------



## nc8000

frost15 said:


> Well, I just made the comparison between Autumn+ and Solis (which seems to be the final fw showdown). I had not tried Solis until now and I'll start by saying that I immediately understood it's appeal. Very detailed and balanced tuning. I came back to Autumn+ and realized why I like it so much. It's punch in the bass section and overall musicality has no contest. Sure it loses a tiny bit of detail in the mids, but the drums sound too damn perfect for these ears. I'm staying with Autumn+.



Those 2 are my favourite tunings and it is hard to chose as they bring different things to the table but I’m leaning towards Solis


----------



## Gamerlingual

In general, how many hours do people play their 1A between charges? 15 to 22 hours?


----------



## proedros

Gamerlingual said:


> Which IEM’s do you think are musical with the 1A, if the player allows for such an output?



this one is a bargain , imo

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-massdrop-x-empire-ears-zeus.930682/


----------



## Gamerlingual

proedros said:


> this one is a bargain , imo
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-massdrop-x-empire-ears-zeus.930682/


No kidding. Too bad he doesn’t ship to Japan. But thank you.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> In general, how many hours do people play their 1A between charges? 15 to 22 hours?



20+ hours plus 7 days stand by. I never turn it off and charge every Sunday. This on a 1Z but there should be no difference


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> 20+ hours plus 7 days stand by. I never turn it off and charge every Sunday. This on a 1Z but there should be no difference


Hmm... I'm on 14 hours and it's already on the last bar, but not flashing yet. Wondering if the high gain is the reason as I now switched it off. Brightness is 20 and all DSP is off with battery saver mode on


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Hmm... I'm on 14 hours and it's already on the last bar, but not flashing yet. Wondering if the high gain is the reason as I now switched it off. Brightness is 20 and all DSP is off with battery saver mode on



High gain should not matter. I have screen on 1 and use the screen very little, nfc and bt disabled, source direct, battery saver on, play 16/44 flac. Balanced high gain 50 to IER-Z1R


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 25, 2020)

I do all of that minus the screen brightness. Ok. Set it to one. Thanks for the feedback. Should I deplete it just one time to zero to see how far the battery goes or just charge it as soon as it flashes?


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 25, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I do all of that minus the screen brightness. Ok. Set it to one. Thanks for the feedback. Should I deplete it just one time to zero to see how far the battery goes or just charge it as soon as it flashes?



Also if you read the thread there is a battery reset procedure that folks do every couple years. You let the player go to zero. Before though make sure you take and switch off the battery saver, which only allows a 90% charge. Then you try and turn on the player. Normally at this battery point they will go back on one or two times. After that the player will not turn on. You then set it up for a full charge to 100%. You also want to make sure this process does not get interrupted. Next turn on your player and set the battery saver feature back on.

Many of us use screen brightness one.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

After a couple of weeks with the WM1Z, a week with the MDR-1DR and a long weekend to the TA-1ZHES, some general thoughts.

Around 400 hours burn-on on the 1Z (50/50 split between balanced and SE) now and the character has totally changed. The overly thick bass has moderated and tightened-up. The treble has sharpened somewhat - is this the DAP adapting, the headphones changing, or maybe my brain re-wiring, who knows, but it's much more balanced now, but still favouring the bass end.

The addition of the TA-1 was a revelation. This amp makes the MDR's absolutely shimmer. The general characteristics are the same a direct from the DAP, but there's a wider presence, like the music has more life to it, has been gold-plated, something, but it's glorious. TBH, it's hard to go back to the 1Z alone... The bass is even more tamed and tighter too, treble is a bit brighter. Might be the on-the-fly DSD remastering that performing this magic?

I was still feeling that mids were a bit recessed, in particular, for some recordings, vocals seemed a somewhat lost in the mix (with the exception of opera, where it's just glorious), so I did some comparison with my iPhone and AirPods Pro's. My conclusion was that the mix is the same, but the details and separation from the various instrument as presented by the Sony puts them more up-front, giving the impression that the vocals are diminished, but it's not the case.

And for the record, the iPhone/AirPod Pro combination sounds pretty poor by comparison, although I intend to continue using them as my work/walking solution or the moment as it's is practical.

Along the same lines, I reconnected the WM-1000XM3 that I hadn't used for a couple of weeks and yeah, the bass is uncontrollable. This is a shame as otherwise they're very decent, comfortable, with excellent NR, but oh, that bass! It's somewhat better with the LDAC connection, but still too much and AFAIK, no way to EQ this unless you're playing via phone with Sony app - would be nice if you could alter the characteristics in the headphone itself that would be utilised for any device.

So those are going back to Amazon...

Now musing over cable upgrades. Probably need this more for the Shure SE846, which are stuck on SE for the moment. Need a balanced cable for these.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 25, 2020)

TheBonkingFrog said:


> After a couple of weeks with the WM1Z, a week with the MDR-1DR and a long weekend to the TA-1ZHES, some general thoughts.
> 
> Around 400 hours burn-on on the 1Z (50/50 split between balanced and SE) now and the character has totally changed. The overly thick bass has moderated and tightened-up. The treble has sharpened somewhat - is this the DAP adapting, the headphones changing, or maybe my brain re-wiring, who knows, but it's much more balanced now, but still favouring the bass end.
> 
> ...



Have you checked the firmware version on the TA? Mine I used for years then started thinking that there may be a different firmware. No one, no one talks about this on Head-Fi. Basically there has been 1.00, 1.01,1.02 and 1.03. 1.00 and 1.03 can be found on line, but Sony does not offer old downloads of 1.02 or 1.01, same as our older Walkman firmwares. You simply plug into a Windows computer and turn the TA to PC. Though 1.03 is slightly thinner and brighter, but I love it. In my experience the midrange became more understandable after a week of headphone use with the TA and MDR-Z1R?

Also Windows will show you in a box what firmware your on now. The way is to download the latest Sony TA Firmware. You can see what firmware your running without even changing firmware, as the program gives you a choice of moving forward.

Had the same ideas about the WM-1000XM3 bass. The TA, headphones and Walkmans all burn-in. You may want the Cradle and AQCarbon USB. You may like the MDR-Z1R or MDR-Z7?

Cheers!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Have you checked the firmware version on the TA? Mine I used for years then started thinking that there may be a different firmware. No one, no one talks about this on Head-Fi. Basically there has been 1.00, 1.01,1.02 and 1.03. 1.00 and 1.03 can be found on line, but Sony does not offer old downloads of 1.02 or 1.01, same as our older Walkman firmwares. You simply plug into a Windows computer and turn the TA to PC. Though 1.03 is slightly thinner and brighter, but I love it. In my experience the midrange became more understandable after a week of headphone use with the TA and MDR-Z1R?
> 
> Also Windows will show you in a box what firmware your on now. The way is to download the latest Sony TA Firmware. You can see what firmware your running without even changing firmware, as the program gives you a choice of moving forward.
> 
> ...


Before that, should I just charge it normally when the battery indicator starts flashing? Looks like there's no percent indicator to show how much is left.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog (May 25, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Have you checked the firmware version on the TA? Mine I used for years then started thinking that there may be a different firmware. No one, no one talks about this on Head-Fi. Basically there has been 1.00, 1.01,1.02 and 1.03. 1.00 and 1.03 can be found on line, but Sony does not offer old downloads of 1.02 or 1.01, same as our older Walkman firmwares. You simply plug into a Windows computer and turn the TA to PC. Though 1.03 is slightly thinner and brighter, but I love it. In my experience the midrange became more understandable after a week of headphone use with the TA and MDR-Z1R?
> 
> Also Windows will show you in a box what firmware your on now. The way is to download the latest Sony TA Firmware. You can see what firmware your running without even changing firmware, as the program gives you a choice of moving forward.
> 
> ...



MDR-Z1R is my primary headphone - the Shure's are for bedtime listening...

Will checkout the FW for the TA - although the manufacture date is March 2020, so I suspect it should be up to date. I put a W10 BootCamp on one of my Macs while trying to revive my expired SD card, now I can leave it in place for this sort of thing.

A few extra points I should have added:
- sometimes think I'm hearing some sibilance on pushier vocals
- the sound isolation on the MDR-1ZR's is OK, but not good enough - our ground floor is open-space living, dining and kitchen together, it's too disturbing listening here and I'm thinking to move the rig to our yoga room
- this setup has turned a number of recordings for me, the poor mix and mastering makes them sound a mess
- DSD sounds superb
- 24bit/16bitFLAC, can't hear any differencence


----------



## aceedburn

TheBonkingFrog said:


> After a couple of weeks with the WM1Z, a week with the MDR-1DR and a long weekend to the TA-1ZHES, some general thoughts.
> 
> Around 400 hours burn-on on the 1Z (50/50 split between balanced and SE) now and the character has totally changed. The overly thick bass has moderated and tightened-up. The treble has sharpened somewhat - is this the DAP adapting, the headphones changing, or maybe my brain re-wiring, who knows, but it's much more balanced now, but still favouring the bass end.
> 
> ...


Actually whatever eq you use for the xm3 on the Sony connect app carries forward whenever you use the headphones with any other device.


----------



## mmwwmm

Redcarmoose said:


> Have you checked the firmware version on the TA? Mine I used for years then started thinking that there may be a different firmware. No one, no one talks about this on Head-Fi. Basically there has been 1.00, 1.01,1.02 and 1.03. 1.00 and 1.03 can be found on line, but Sony does not offer old downloads of 1.02 or 1.01,



Here it goes.

http://hav.update.sony.net/UDA/Updater/Win/Sony Headphone Amplifier Updater(Win)_v1.0.1.zip

http://hav.update.sony.net/UDA/Updater/Win/Sony Headphone Amplifier Updater(Win)_v1.0.2.zip


----------



## Redcarmoose

TheBonkingFrog said:


> MDR-Z1R is my primary headphone - the Shure's are for bedtime listening...
> 
> Will checkout the FW for the TA - although the manufacture date is March 2020, so I suspect it should be up to date. I put a W10 BootCamp on one of my Macs while trying to revive my expired SD card, now I can leave it in place for this sort of thing.
> 
> ...



If you do ever use a Mac with the TA there was a guy in the TA thread who had issues? Something about Sony not making a driver for what he was using? I’m using a DAP with the Cradle and at times my Mac laptop works fine. Due to sibilance many of us have switched to the Kimber 4.4mm cable and never looked back. When I first did sighted testing I did notice the Z1R was a little treble hot in songs from time to time. Changing to the Kimber fixed it. Though the MDR-Z1R will change dramatically over time. It normally takes two weeks for mental/physical burn-in to take place. 

Cheers!


----------



## Redcarmoose

mmwwmm said:


> Here it goes.
> 
> http://hav.update.sony.net/UDA/Updater/Win/Sony Headphone Amplifier Updater(Win)_v1.0.1.zip
> 
> http://hav.update.sony.net/UDA/Updater/Win/Sony Headphone Amplifier Updater(Win)_v1.0.2.zip



I’ve never seen those, though I’ve looked. Thank-you.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Anyone is have any feedback how long their battery last between charges for their 1A?


----------



## mmwwmm

TheBonkingFrog said:


> The addition of the TA-1 was a revelation. This amp makes the MDR's absolutely shimmer. The general characteristics are the same a direct from the DAP, but there's a wider presence, like the music has more life to it, has been gold-plated, something, but it's glorious. TBH, it's hard to go back to the 1Z alone... The bass is even more tamed and tighter too, treble is a bit brighter. Might be the on-the-fly DSD remastering that performing this magic?


Did you use DSD remastering on the TA-ZH1 when comparing to the 1Z? Have you compared both in source direct? Just curious to know your findings. My experience is that, with both units using source direct, 1Z has the more delicate and transparent sound of both although clearly less powerful.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

aceedburn said:


> Actually whatever eq you use for the xm3 on the Sony connect app carries forward whenever you use the headphones with any other device.



Pffff, just took them to the post-office... Damn


----------



## aceedburn

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Pffff, just took them to the post-office... Damn


Well since you have one foot in might as well send it back and get the new xm4 which should be out any moment now.


----------



## Redcarmoose

mmwwmm said:


> Here it goes.
> 
> http://hav.update.sony.net/UDA/Updater/Win/Sony Headphone Amplifier Updater(Win)_v1.0.1.zip
> 
> http://hav.update.sony.net/UDA/Updater/Win/Sony Headphone Amplifier Updater(Win)_v1.0.2.zip




Disregard these random photos.










Actually getting 1.02 now helps as I can roll back to 1.02 and truly find out how different it is from 1.03. I never rolled back because I didn’t have 1.02. Thank-you.


----------



## Lookout57 (May 25, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Which IEM’s do you think are musical with the 1A, if the player allows for such an output?


Campfire Solaris with a balanced OCC Silver cable. Also Region J and WM1Aᶻ tuning.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Disregard these random photos.
> 
> 
> 
> Actually getting 1.02 now helps as I can roll back to 1.02 and truly find out how different it is from 1.03. I never rolled back because I didn’t have 1.02. Thank-you.


If this is your setup, very nice!!

Anyone else have battery feedback? How long yours lasts before you charge again?


----------



## Lookout57

TheBonkingFrog said:


> MDR-Z1R is my primary headphone - the Shure's are for bedtime listening...
> 
> Will checkout the FW for the TA - although the manufacture date is March 2020, so I suspect it should be up to date. I put a W10 BootCamp on one of my Macs while trying to revive my expired SD card, now I can leave it in place for this sort of thing.
> 
> ...


There is a macOS updater for the TA. But most likely will only work with Mojave or earlier.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

aceedburn said:


> Well since you have one foot in might as well send it back and get the new xm4 which should be out any moment now.



Impatient person that I am, I ordered another pair of XM3's - Warehouse Deal though, €40 cheaper than the previous pair  If I can tame the bass, like you say, then for the money they'll be a good kitchen pair for a couple of years...


----------



## Gamerlingual

Lookout57 said:


> There is a macOS updater for the TA. But most likely will only work with Mojave or earlier.


Saw the price for the TA. $2500 and a little cheaper than the 1Z. Interesting


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Gamerlingual said:


> Saw the price for the TA. $2500 and a little cheaper than the 1Z. Interesting



I nabbed mine for £1200 from Amazon UK - oh the thrill of chasing down a good price!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> If this is your setup, very nice!!
> 
> Anyone else have battery feedback? How long yours lasts before you charge again?



No just a store display photographed that was one of the first clues as to this stuff. It’s actually posted as the first post in the MDR-Z1R thread.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> No just a store display photographed that was one of the first clues as to this stuff. It’s actually posted as the first post in the MDR-Z1R thread.


Got it. Reaching 16.5 hours and no battery flashing. Seems like the screen brightness to its lowest setting did the trick. I’m shocked


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Got it. Reaching 16.5 hours and no battery flashing. Seems like the screen brightness to its lowest setting did the trick. I’m shocked



I have no idea how long the battery lasts. I kinda go by guessing if battery life is going well or not?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> I have no idea how long the battery lasts. I kinda go by guessing if battery life is going well or not?


15 hour minimum is still heavenly. Lasted me since I got it. I feel like hugging this DAP. Strange how such a small device can bring such a ton of happiness. Using my MDR-1AM2 with the 4.4mm and high gain and it sounds go good! The 1AM2 are so underrated!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> 15 hour minimum is still heavenly. Lasted me since I got it. I feel like hugging this DAP. Strange how such a small device can bring such a ton of happiness. Using my MDR-1AM2 with the 4.4mm and high gain and it sounds go good! The 1AM2 are so underrated!



Out of curiosity, what is your hour total at the moment?


----------



## Gamerlingual

16 hours and 28 minutes. It started out at 17 minutes


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> 16 hours and 28 minutes. It started out at 17 minutes



Just let run as it needs 200 hours 4.4mm and 200 hours 3.5mm before it even sounds normal, then it will continue to continuously improve. It needs to have IEMs plugged in to burn-in. 

It will also be noticeably better when you get to 100 hours. It’s been reported and I even noticed volume sputtering the first 20 hours. The capacitors will continue to stabilize. Cheers!

You haven’t even heard it yet.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Just let run as it needs 200 hours 4.4mm and 200 hours 3.5mm before it even sounds normal, then it will continue to continuously improve. It needs to have IEMs plugged in to burn-in.
> 
> It will also be noticeably better when you get to 100 hours. It’s been reported and I even noticed volume sputtering the first 20 hours. The capacitors will continue to stabilize. Cheers!
> 
> You haven’t even heard it yet.


Oh. So you recommend to use the IER-Z1R much more than the 1AM2 on both connections?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Oh. So you recommend to use the IER-Z1R much more than the 1AM2 on both connections?



For burn in? I’m not sure. But the good part about having new stuff is if you need 200 hours on your IER-Z1R then with the 1A you end up with both burned in. But you could use anything at medium volume.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> For burn in? I’m not sure. But the good part about having new stuff is if you need 200 hours on your IER-Z1R then with the 1A you end up with both burned in. But you could use anything at medium volume.


Yea. I’m thinking about mixing things up with the WH-1000XM3, 1AM2, and mostly using the IER-Z1R since it is the gem both literally and figuratively in my collection. That jewelry box setup for the IER is such a site to he hold and having magnets to keep things held together is a nice touch


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Yea. I’m thinking about mixing things up with the WH-1000XM3, 1AM2, and mostly using the IER-Z1R since it is the gem both literally and figuratively in my collection. That jewelry box setup for the IER is such a site to he hold and having magnets to keep things held together is a nice touch



Time with the XM3 don't count as burn-in and also does not get counted on the Hours played counter. Also using BT will probably cut your battery time by up to 50%


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Time with the XM3 don't count as burn-in and also does not get counted on the Hours played counter. Also using BT will probably cut your battery time by up to 50%


I’m not using BT. I’ll be using it in wired mode with the noise cancelation on.

Plus, BT mode is for my iPhone 11 Pro and FiiO M6


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> For burn in? I’m not sure. But the good part about having new stuff is if you need 200 hours on your IER-Z1R then with the 1A you end up with both burned in. But you could use anything at medium volume.


Correction. Please see the screen shot:


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Correction. Please see the screen shot:



Right but as mentioned burn-in will be only with wired IEMs or headphones.


----------



## JerryHead

Has anyone here listened to the WM1A through the Sony PHA-3 headphone amp, and if so, what'd you think?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Right but as mentioned burn-in will be only with wired IEMs or headphones.


Yup. So all connections, even wireless ones, will be wired. It’s the way to go with this DAP


----------



## Gamerlingual

JerryHead said:


> Has anyone here listened to the WM1A through the Sony PHA-3 headphone amp, and if so, what'd you think?


I’m curious to know as well plus the PHA-2. Too bad the PHA-1 doesn’t that the 4.4mm connector


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Yup. So all connections, even wireless ones, will be wired. It’s the way to go with this DAP



LDAC to the XM3 was actually rather good but the A45 did just as good that way


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> LDAC to the XM3 was actually rather good but the A45 did just as good that way


Is it possible to make the A45 English as well since the Japanese model is only in Japanese?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Is it possible to make the A45 English as well since the Japanese model is only in Japanese?



Yes the rockbox tool works on the A45 as well


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Yes the rockbox tool works on the A45 as well


Oh! That might be tempting to get. But specs wise, wouldn’t the A55 be better?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Oh! That might be tempting to get. But specs wise, wouldn’t the A55 be better?



If you are only going to use it as a LDAC source I don't think it matters but I don't really know what the difference between them are. The A45 also takes a 1TB card but it seems to have a limit on the number of files it can handle at about 38.000 files, the 1A/1Z has no such limit, I have well over 40.000 files on mine


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> If you are only going to use it as a LDAC source I don't think it matters but I don't really know what the difference between them are. The A45 also takes a 1TB card but it seems to have a limit on the number of files it can handle at about 38.000 files, the 1A/1Z has no such limit, I have well over 40.000 files on mine


Hah or buy the elusive 1Z as my BT player. But that would be a big waste on it’s wired potential. Still, my iPhone and M6 should be good enough Bluetooth audio on the go


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Hah or buy the elusive 1Z as my BT player. But that would be a big waste on it’s wired potential. Still, my iPhone and M6 should be good enough Bluetooth audio on the go



Yes LDAC to XM3 I could not detect any difference between 1Z and A45. However I ended up selling the A45 with XM3 as I just never used the, all my on the go listening is with iPhone8 and the iem XM3, it's simply more convenient and in transport ambient noise there really were no meaningfull difference to me, even on a plane the iem XM3 is plenty good enough


----------



## frost15

Hell's bells... Listening to Immolation's "Close to a World Below" with Autumn+ makes the album sound exactly like a World Below... At the risk of being too repetitive but this is the pinnacle of Death Metal sound for me...


----------



## JerryHead

JerryHead said:


> Has anyone here listened to the WM1A through the Sony PHA-3 headphone amp, and if so, what'd you think?





Gamerlingual said:


> I’m curious to know as well plus the PHA-2. Too bad the PHA-1 doesn’t that the 4.4mm connector


answered my question:  https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-pha-3-balanced-portable-dac-amp.733162/page-111


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Yes LDAC to XM3 I could not detect any difference between 1Z and A45. However I ended up selling the A45 with XM3 as I just never used the, all my on the go listening is with iPhone8 and the iem XM3, it's simply more convenient and in transport ambient noise there really were no meaningfull difference to me, even on a plane the iem XM3 is plenty good enough


Ah. Meaning the WF-1000XM3. I have those as well and they sound really good. They are about 90% as good at noise canceling as the WH-1000XM3.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Ah. Meaning the WF-1000XM3. I have those as well and they sound really good. They are about 90% as good at noise canceling as the WH-1000XM3.



Yep and yes my estimate was 80-90% of the full size XM3, I very rarely go over 50-60% volume on my iPhone with the WF even on planes


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Yep and yes my estimate was 80-90% of the full size XM3, I very rarely go over 50-60% volume on my iPhone with the WF even on planes


I keep mine around 45%. Seems like it gets plenty loud at that point at full noise cancel mode.


----------



## 515164

A55 is newer, and is water resistant. I would go for it instead of the A45.


----------



## Gamerlingual

morgenstern09 said:


> A55 is newer, and is water resistant. I would go for it instead of the A45.


Saved your info about changing region files to Word. It’ll help when I decide to get the next compatible player to the English region. Thanks a lot


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> A55 is newer, and is water resistant. I would go for it instead of the A45.



Are you sure about this ?

They are both described like this in the spec sheet on the Sony web site


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Are you sure about this ?
> 
> They are both described like this in the spec sheet on the Sony web site


You’re right. I just checked and they’re both waterproof


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> You’re right. I just checked and they’re both waterproof



I interpret it as neither are waterproof and there is no description of waterproofing in any web shop I've checked


----------



## 515164

I read several times about A55 being waterproof. If they both are, then only the "newer" thing remains.


----------



## nc8000 (May 25, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> I read several times about A55 being waterproof. If they both are, then only the "newer" thing remains.



I interpret the spec sheet as neither being waterproof. The word Waterproof is a section heading and inside that section is a - where there would normally be IPX something


----------



## Hinomotocho

I


Redcarmoose said:


> Just let run as it needs 200 hours 4.4mm and 200 hours 3.5mm before it even sounds normal, then it will continue to continuously improve. It needs to have IEMs plugged in to burn-in.
> 
> It will also be noticeably better when you get to 100 hours. It’s been reported and I even noticed volume sputtering the first 20 hours. The capacitors will continue to stabilize. Cheers!
> 
> You haven’t even heard it yet.


I am nearing 150 and can definitely say there are qualities to the whole sound that 'settle down' and just sound better. To know that it gets even better is fantastic.


----------



## JerryHead (May 25, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> I
> 
> I am nearing 150 and can definitely say there are qualities to the whole sound that 'settle down' and just sound better. To know that it gets even better is fantastic.


I had about 40 hours on my ZX300, and I plugged it into the electrical outlet with my iems attached to the balanced, turned it up to 50, and let it run for a week on a loop.  After that, I had over 200 hours on it, and I didn't hear any difference.  Not quite sure why, as I realize my experience was contrary to that of others.


----------



## gerelmx1986

New hi-res music upgrades. Yeah the dupe album from schumann, disc the xrorrection ASAP on my hard drive


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> New hi-res music upgrades. Yeah the dupe album from schumann, disc the xrorrection ASAP on my hard drive





I feel very big difference between music recorded into 24 bit vs 16bit, to a point that 16bit is not even appealing anymore.


----------



## JerryHead

The TA-ZH1ES sounds really intriguing from everything that I'm reading about it.
What cable is it that is used to plug the WM1A into the TA-ZH1ES?
also, my guess is the TA needs to be plugged straight into the wall, and not into an extension cord/surge protector, correct?
thanks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> I feel very big difference between music recorded into 24 bit vs 16bit, to a point that 16bit is not even appealing anymore.


As soon as I solve my 2nd paypal account issues.. locked due to suspicious activity. I-ll gwt the most expensive SACDs ever  .... japanese remasters from DG

The issue with paypal arose as I created a 2and account with my german bank account, as I had used the email previously with my first paypal account from Mexico


----------



## Lookout57

Vitaly2017 said:


> I feel very big difference between music recorded into 24 bit vs 16bit, to a point that 16bit is not even appealing anymore.


I've found some CD rips 16/44.1 can sound amazing if they are mastered correctly. But 24/96 or 24/192 copies of the same CD does sound better.


----------



## Hinomotocho (May 25, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> I had about 40 hours on my ZX300, and I plugged it into the electrical outlet with my iems attached to the balanced, turned it up to 50, and let it run for a week on a loop.  After that, I had over 200 hours on it, and I didn't hear any difference.  Not quite sure why, as I realize my experience was contrary to that of others.


Probably because I am paying more attention to the new sound of my WM1A that I am noticing the changes more.
Burn in for Sony was new to me when I got my ZX300 but I did notice a settling in after 70 -100 hours, after that I was already enjoying it and not paying attention.
When I first got my ZX300 I tried 2 pairs of secondhand XBA-Z5 which were a slight upgrade to my A3 but with bigger bass - they sounded terrible, bass was odd sounding on both pairs. 6 months later I ended up buying another secondhand pair and they sounded glorious, considering all factors I can only put it down to my ZX300 not having any burn in hours and the bass frequencies not having 'ripened`. 
I am particularly noticing improvements of the bass with my WM1A.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Krutsch said:


> Now my WM1A sounds just about right with the HD-660S. Work rig end game.



Looks great. What tubes are you using (curious because I see they all need adapters)?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Is charging the 1A through a PC USB 3.0 port good enough to fully fill it up or better to use a plug outlet?


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> As soon as I solve my 2nd paypal account issues.. locked due to suspicious activity. I-ll gwt the most expensive SACDs ever  .... japanese remasters from DG
> 
> The issue with paypal arose as I created a 2and account with my german bank account, as I had used the email previously with my first paypal account from Mexico




I wonder if it was not because of my big discussion about flac vs wav and DSD on top, made you go this route and now you are going full high res as you can?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Speaking of DSD.

This YouTuber has made a very interesting take on it. He even have test files recorded in various formats.


----------



## 515164

Gamerlingual said:


> Is charging the 1A through a PC USB 3.0 port good enough to fully fill it up or better to use a plug outlet?



It is enough, yes.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Lookout57 said:


> I've found some CD rips 16/44.1 can sound amazing if they are mastered correctly. But 24/96 or 24/192 copies of the same CD does sound better.




well be careful to not fall into that trap. It has to be natively recorded into 24/96 resolution to sound at its best anything upsampled or rip a cd 16/44.1 into a 24/192 is not going to give any benefits, you are simply upsampling and thats not native so you dont gain full sound potential here.
It may sound better as you probably feel the upsample version smoother... But a real 24/96 record sound very much more dynamic full and authoritative! cd dont stand near it.

also need good software and good gear to do the rips to make them sound as genuine as it can be, wrong equation and boom some losse's.


----------



## Gamerlingual

morgenstern09 said:


> It is enough, yes.


Cool. I'll charge it while working and gaming from my home PC. Thanks


----------



## frost15

Vitaly2017 said:


> well be careful to not fall into that trap. It has to be natively recorded into 24/96 resolution to sound at its best anything upsampled or rip a cd 16/44.1 into a 24/192 is not going to give any benefits, you are simply upsampling and thats not native so you dont gain full sound potential here.
> It may sound better as you probably feel the upsample version smoother... But a real 24/96 record sound very much more dynamic full and authoritative! cd dont stand near it.
> 
> also need good software and good gear to do the rips to make them sound as genuine as it can be, wrong equation and boom some losse's.


In my experience bit depth has very little to do with appreciable sound quality. 24 bit is a marketing gimmick in the audiophile market. I did a lot of blind testing with 16/44,1 vs 24/44,1 and I could not hear any difference at all. This video explains it pretty well. Also there was this blind test experiment conducted in the Steve Hoffman forums where even people with very expensive gear could not hear a difference between 16 and 24 bit audio. Now 24/96 vs 24/44, that's another story, and I could hear the difference most of the time while doing abx blind tests. Between 24/96 and 24/192 I could not tell the difference most of the times but I don't think I have the best gear in the world to judge that quality jump.


----------



## Lookout57

Vitaly2017 said:


> well be careful to not fall into that trap. It has to be natively recorded into 24/96 resolution to sound at its best anything upsampled or rip a cd 16/44.1 into a 24/192 is not going to give any benefits, you are simply upsampling and thats not native so you dont gain full sound potential here.
> It may sound better as you probably feel the upsample version smoother... But a real 24/96 record sound very much more dynamic full and authoritative! cd dont stand near it.
> 
> also need good software and good gear to do the rips to make them sound as genuine as it can be, wrong equation and boom some losse's.


When I'm talking about "24/96 or 24/192 copies" I was talking about hi-res downloaded versions of the same album. Not an upsampled version.

As for software I use XiSRC to convert AIFF to FLAC or to downsample DSD to FLAC. It sucks that they no longer sell it or will update it.


----------



## Vitaly2017

frost15 said:


> In my experience bit depth has very little to do with appreciable sound quality. 24 bit is a marketing gimmick in the audiophile market. I did a lot of blind testing with 16/44,1 vs 24/44,1 and I could not hear any difference at all. This video explains it pretty well. Also there was this blind test experiment conducted in the Steve Hoffman forums where even people with very expensive gear could not hear a difference between 16 and 24 bit audio. Now 24/96 vs 24/44, that's another story, and I could hear the difference most of the time while doing abx blind tests. Between 24/96 and 24/192 I could not tell the difference most of the times but I don't think I have the best gear in the world to judge that quality jump.




its not a gimmick it does exist and works. Just to many different perceptions and test done differently... If you want the test to work you really have to record the same song natively in all those different formats as first step then what kind of gear are you using for the test you know. Too many factors are involved so I speak to my own system and from what I hear.
I agree some cd-done right do sound amazing pink floyd is one example I havent heard any other to sound as good as theires cds...

Too many different beliefs and brain amping different ideas lol.
I done the tests for my self and I say what I learned. This is how it is for me if you dont believe in high res then keep listening to cd's and be happy with it 


Same goes to folks who say well 1a sounds good enough for me why do I need to buy 1z, uhhhh well okey dont buy ha what you want me to say .

I can say this why did I buy tia fourte noir? why did I buy pw1960 cable? why did I buy 1z and mod it ...?  Man I am so crazy there is no difference why why


SO I could buy the sony Bluetooth mx3 and use with my samsung  s9 using spotify and forget all this troubles and maybe never even know that such a website As headfi exists! and not explaining a thing to any one lol and be happy enjoy mp3 320 which sounds fantastic to the blissful tears


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> its not a gimmick it does exist and works. Just to many different perceptions and test done differently... If you want the test to work you really have to record the same song natively in all those different formats as first step then what kind of gear are you using for the test you know. Too many factors are involved so I speak to my own system and from what I hear.
> I agree some cd-done right do sound amazing pink floyd is one example I havent heard any other to sound as good as theires cds...
> 
> Too many different beliefs and brain amping different ideas lol.
> ...


I couldn’t discern between a FLAC file and a 320 kbps MP3 yet I could discern the sound differences in the 1A and 1Z all for the same song. It can be an endless argument. Whatever works for the listener is good for them which is all that matters


----------



## Fsilva

frost15 said:


> Hell's bells... Listening to Immolation's "Close to a World Below" with Autumn+ makes the album sound exactly like a World Below... At the risk of being too repetitive but this is the pinnacle of Death Metal sound for me...


Another metal head with good taste!!!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> I couldn’t discern between a FLAC file and a 320 kbps MP3 yet I could discern the sound differences in the 1A and 1Z all for the same song. It can be an endless argument. Whatever works for the listener is good for them which is all that matters




I coudnt really much tell the difference either, but I could definitely say a difference between mp3 and flac LoL common 

The secret to my ability to feel the difference more prominently is the pw1960 4 wires cable, I am very impressed by this cable this cable showed me a lot of resolution and nuances that lays deep in to the music. I had a gps plus sound cable before it was a 4 wires type ( gold plated silver ) well the cost was 600 usd$ and I couldnt feel much the difference but once I got the pw1960 I was shocked it is there and very very perceptible.

Now are you willing to pay 2550 $ for a cable for this ability is your call


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> I coudnt really much tell the difference either, but I could definitely say a difference between mp3 and flac LoL common
> 
> The secret to my ability to feel the difference more prominently is the pw1960 4 wires cable, I am very impressed by this cable this cable showed me a lot of resolution and nuances that lays deep in to the music. I had a gps plus sound cable before it was a 4 wires type ( gold plated silver ) well the cost was 600 usd$ and I couldnt feel much the difference but once I got the pw1960 I was shocked it is there and very very perceptible.
> 
> Now are you willing to pay 2550 $ for a cable for this ability is your call


Nope. I’m good with my 1A and IER-Z1R


----------



## Gamerlingual

So just wondering, people who use this as their DAC for the PC, is it better than say the PHA-2A or 3A? Is it pretty much the best all around device for all audio needs minus music streaming which I don’t need? I’m wondering if the 1A or 1Z makes for a better DAC than the ifi hip dac that I bought. Thoughts? Maybe I didn’t need to get the ifi Hip DAC if that was the case since people say research first before you buy.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 25, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> The TA-ZH1ES sounds really intriguing from everything that I'm reading about it.
> What cable is it that is used to plug the WM1A into the TA-ZH1ES?
> also, my guess is the TA needs to be plugged straight into the wall, and not into an extension cord/surge protector, correct?
> thanks.




https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE



https://www.amazon.com/Walkman-Cradle-BCR-NWH10-NW-ZX2-Japan/dp/B00S94R5RK



https://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-Carbon-USB-B-Plug-0-75m/dp/B0041EH0WW

TA comes with a side connection mini USB. Though the sonic upgrade is the rear USB adapter. The third and final best is the Cradle with the AQCarbon USB. Probably best to get the shortest USB possible.

The Cradle allows charging as well as reclocking and noise USB filters, and has a switch so you can choose to use your computer or Walkman as a digital transport for the TA. Don’t know about surge protection, but you don’t want to plug it into a power strip which has PC running off it. Probably direct to the wall best. 
Cheers


----------



## JerryHead

Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you!!  Would you happen to have a link to that rear USB adapter?  I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on the TA..  What I'm reading is that with a set of headphones, I'm going to notice a world of difference, right?  Anyone here listen to the TA through the HD660s?


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 25, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> Thank you!!  Would you happen to have a link to that rear USB adapter?  I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on the TA..  What I'm reading is that with a set of headphones, I'm going to notice a world of difference, right?  Anyone here listen to the TA through the HD660s?



https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE?tag=headfi-20

Don’t use the HD660s. The difference in comparison to what? Most people do notice  a small difference in comparison to a DAP. Your results may vary. As a whole we are trying to get small, extra changes when possible. The use of the cable listed allows for slightly higher bit-rate files at times. For starters there is nothing really wrong with the TA included cable.


----------



## JerryHead

Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE?tag=headfi-20
> 
> Don’t use the HD660s. The difference in comparison to what? Most people do notice  a small difference in comparison to a DAP. Your results may vary. As a whole we are trying to get small and extra changes when possible.


Difference in comparison to just using the WM1A without any amp.  Sooo, just a small difference?  And is there a different open back headphone you'd recommend besides the HD660s?  I'd really like to stick to open back..


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 25, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> Difference in comparison to just using the WM1A without any amp.  Sooo, just a small difference?  And is there a different open back headphone you'd recommend besides the HD660s?  I'd really like to stick to open back..



The only openback I use once in a while is the AKGk701 but the TA will not drive them, not enough power. The difference is debatable as it’s more important/noticeable to some than others. It’s for sure  a headphone by headphone issue, where it’s a bigger change with different headphones. But added damping factor can at times clean up the lower midrange adding definition to the bass. Imaging gets clearer and the bass maybe gets 1dB louder but seems like more due to it being better delineated amongst the low end. Power also gets you better pace and transient response.


----------



## JerryHead

Redcarmoose said:


> The only openback I use once in a while is the AKGk701 but the TA will not drive them, not enough power. The difference is debatable as it’s more important/noticeable to some than others. It’s probably a headphone by headphone issue, where it’s a bigger change with different headphones. But added damping factor can at times clean up the lower midrange adding definition to the bass. Imaging gets clearer and the bass maybe gets 1dB louder but seems like more due to it being better delineated amongst the low end. Power also gets you better pace and transient response.


Can I ask why you wouldn't recommend the HD660S with the TA?  Would the TA not be enough to drive them?  or you just don't think the HD660s would do the TA justice?  So, what you're saying is, to hear the real difference with the TA, I'd be looking at needing to get the Z1R, huh?


----------



## Hinomotocho

I was excitedly waiting for my Benks TPU case and screen protector to crawl through the mass of parcels the courier service is trying to work through and my parcel finally arrived, with a pair of small sized ultra cheap Chinese quality woman's plastic sandals.... sigh


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 25, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> Can I ask why you wouldn't recommend the HD660S with the TA?  Would the TA not be enough to drive them?  or you just don't think the HD660s would do the TA justice?  So, what you're saying is, to hear the real difference with the TA, I'd be looking at needing to get the Z1R, huh?


What? I never said I don’t recommend the HD660? I simply don’t know about them. I don’t know about everything, only the few headphones I’ve had experience with.

Neve tried the HD660 with the TA, normally we just don’t recommend stuff we don’t know about?

Like I said before adding a TA may be the endgame for some, but others don’t seem to notice a giant difference. I’m happy with it and can recommend it. Most of success here is taking chances and owning stuff long term.


----------



## JerryHead

Redcarmoose said:


> What? I never said I don’t recommend the HD660? I simply don’t know about them. I don’t know about everything, only the few headphones I’ve had experience with.
> 
> Neve tried the HD660 with the TA, normally we just don’t recommend stuff we don’t know about?


Oh, my apologies, when you replied, "Don't use the HD660S,"  I read that to mean that you didn't recommend them with the TA, and were advising against using them in this instance. I understand what you'd meant now. So, it sounds like the difference made by the TA, in comparison to the WM1A alone, really depends on the headphones.  okay, good to know.


----------



## Redcarmoose

JerryHead said:


> Oh, my apologies, when you replied, "Don't use the HD660S,"  I read that to mean that you didn't recommend them with the TA, and were advising against using them in this instance. I understand what you'd meant now. So, it sounds like the difference made by the TA, in comparison to the WM1A alone, really depends on the headphones.  okay, good to know.



For most of us discovering what works has been a journey. Maybe for some they are never satisfied? Though some people have gelled with the Sony sound, it’s always a question and a mystery. The MDR-Z1R continues to be controversial but many love them. It’s safe to say that some are totally happy with the MDR-Z1R and a DAP. Or maybe the HD660 and a DAP. Much of the end happiness comes from being satisfied and you have to take chances and make mistakes to figure it out. Though many on the Sony threads seem to have found groupings of Sony gear that goes together and becomes synergistic with itself. Are we delusional or confused? It’s a basic concept that a house sound can be spread out over a company product base, and people will all find agreement in discovering it. Is it for everyone? No.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Can anyone describe their experience with the 1A and 1Z as their DAC?


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 26, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Can anyone describe their experience with the 1A and 1Z as their DAC?



I’ve used the DAC feature with both Mac and PC. Unfortunately for movies there is a lag causing talking synchronization to be off. So movies are Bluetooth. Though if someone was adamant about using the DAC feature there are programs like VLC that allow you to change the syncing of speech. You want to be in DAC mode before you attach cable.

Bluetooth has some fairly noticeable lack of sound quality. Obviously with music DAC with a computer is the way to go as sync doesn’t matter. But playing Apple “AAC files” on iTunes with the DAC is noticeably better than if you switch to Bluetooth. IMO


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 26, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> I’ve used the DAC feature with both Mac and PC. Unfortunately for movies there is a lag causing talking synchronization to be off. So movies are Bluetooth. Though if someone was adamant about using the DAC feature there are programs like VLC that allow you to change the syncing of speech. You want to be in DAC mode before you attach cable.
> 
> Bluetooth has some fairly noticeable lack of sound quality. Obviously with music DAC with a computer is the way to go as sync doesn’t matter. But playing Apple “AAC files” on iTunes with the DAC is noticeably better than if you switch to Bluetooth. IMO


It would be used for music. The Audeze Mobius is more for games and movies. Variety is good


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> I wonder if it was not because of my big discussion about flac vs wav and DSD on top, made you go this route and now you are going full high res as you can?


Partially yes. I feel getting the original resolution of the master is the best sound quality possible. F.e I got some.flac 24/96 from Mozart symphonies 35-41 and someone here passed me the DSD of the #41..
 The DSD had more open feeling, more reverb (yet not artificial reverb as the first CD master which I posses) the flac sounds drier in comparison


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Speaking of DSD.
> 
> This YouTuber has made a very interesting take on it. He even have test files recorded in various formats.



I find such comparisons pointless as YouTube audio is compressed lossy


----------



## gazzington

frost15 said:


> Well, I just made the comparison between Autumn+ and Solis (which seems to be the final fw showdown). I had not tried Solis until now and I'll start by saying that I immediately understood it's appeal. Very detailed and balanced tuning. I came back to Autumn+ and realized why I like it so much. It's punch in the bass section and overall musicality has no contest. Sure it loses a tiny bit of detail in the mids, but the drums sound too damn perfect for these ears. I'm staying with Autumn+.


Where do you get the autumn firmware from?


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> I find such comparisons pointless as YouTube audio is compressed lossy




If you look closely there is a link below the video so you can download the original samples in different formats! Yes YouTube sound is real crap.


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> Partially yes. I feel getting the original resolution of the master is the best sound quality possible. F.e I got some.flac 24/96 from Mozart symphonies 35-41 and someone here passed me the DSD of the #41..
> The DSD had more open feeling, more reverb (yet not artificial reverb as the first CD master which I posses) the flac sounds drier in comparison




❤ I am glad you felt the difference.  This is why I keep fighting it! Many many folks are misinterpreting this and they do wrong aknowledgement of this works...


----------



## frost15

gazzington said:


> Where do you get the autumn firmware from?


Mr @morgenstern09 's signature has all the links.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> ❤ I am glad you felt the difference.  This is why I keep fighting it! Many many folks are misinterpreting this and they do wrong aknowledgement of this works...


What S-MASTERsoes a simple LPF to recover the analogue signal... was sony original intention of DSD to use a simple class D and  LPF to recover the signal instead of delta sigma.modulation or R2R DACs which sony said were more complex with thereconstriction of the analogue signal


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## gerelmx1986

Why I choose always Hi-res first?
Because it sounds more natural, more effortless,  music has no restraints, decays natural, reverb,  bass textures and responses much better,room cues and instrument separation/distancing cues, layering.

I think that we human beings hear the frequencies of Hi-Res audio but NOT AS TONES like a Bat or your dog but.more in the form of Harmonic modulations that translate into room cues, separation cues


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hey guys. I found a Z1 that I could get for 170,000 yen but it comes with no accessories. Literally just the player and the owner says it has only 50 hours of usage. Excellent condition except that the protective film is a little cracked and the headphone jack area has a couple of small scratches. Sound weird? I'm not quite feeling the jump the gun mode on this yet as waiting is a virtue. Thoughts?


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> Hey guys. I found a Z1 that I could get for 170,000 yen but it comes with no accessories. Literally just the player and the owner says it has only 50 hours of usage. Excellent condition except that the protective film is a little cracked and the headphone jack area has a couple of small scratches. Sound weird? I'm not quite feeling the jump the gun mode on this yet as waiting is a virtue. Thoughts?



Personally I'd pass...

Q-6


----------



## Gamerlingual

Queen6 said:


> Personally I'd pass...
> 
> Q-6


Yea, prolly used it a lot more than 50 hours is my thought


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> Yea, prolly used it a lot more than 50 hours is my thought



Maybe, it's an expensive device that can be fully reset including operating hours, as ever you've got to buy the seller first and foremost. 

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Gamerlingual

Queen6 said:


> Maybe, it's an expensive device that can be fully reset including operating hours, as ever you've got to buy the seller first and foremost.
> 
> Q-6


Is it better to buy it brand new?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Yea, prolly used it a lot more than 50 hours is my thought


The hour meter can be reset.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Is it better to buy it brand new?



Depends mostly if you trust the seller and used you don’t get the factory warranty


----------



## Gamerlingual

I'm still charging my Walkman now and got my Battery Care activated. Will it indicate when it stops charging and then, from that point, is it a bad idea to charge to 100% as long as I carefully monitor the charging?

Thanks for the feedback, guys


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> I'm still charging my Walkman now and got my Battery Care activated. Will it indicate when it stops charging and then, from that point, is it a bad idea to charge to 100% as long as I carefully monitor the charging?
> 
> Thanks for the feedback, guys



The red light turns of when it stops charging. 

If you want to recalibrate the battery turn battery care off and then use the player until it turns off and cant be turned on again (usually takes a couple of times turning it on before it refuses) and then charge until the red light turns off and enable battery care


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> Why I choose always Hi-res first?
> Because it sounds more natural, more effortless,  music has no restraints, decays natural, reverb,  bass textures and responses much better,room cues and instrument separation/distancing cues, layering.
> 
> I think that we human beings hear the frequencies of Hi-Res audio but NOT AS TONES like a Bat or your dog but.more in the form of Harmonic modulations that translate into room cues, separation cues




That is so important but hard to realize cause there isnt no one to teach us and show the right way.
This is why there is so much misunderstanding. 

What you are saying is what I call feeling the music and not just listening. I often say I feel and not listen. 

This is where things are extremely important to get maximum feelings you need a native recording done at maximum resolution possible,  microphones placed in such way so you get full dynamics and acoustics of the instruments. 

In what environment was is it recorded plays a vast major roll as it all affects sound stage perception. 

Then the equipment itself! 

The mastering at end...
The chain keeps going and going!
That aside from you are already in high res format!
The chain is very long and all the aspects has to be done all accurately.  Then! You can start comparing or simply enjoying.

The high res format gives us the ability to register that segment of the music that is present in real life as we hear it. So this is the reason why high res format exists!  So we can perceive enjoy the music at its best!

But so many fella say they dont hear the difference its all the same snake oil diminishing returns and bla bla bla.

Well its because they got it all wrong using wrong gear and brain locked them selfs also to not believe in this from start...


Be open minded concentrate and feel it! Yes it not cheap it cost a lot of $ but there is a reason for that!

I specially picked my tia fourte noir + pw1960 4wires because it even enhances those harmonics we love so much! Musicality, bass waves and natural thick mids.

The way I feel my music with my equipment is simply mindblowing and ludacriously good its pure drugs seriously! 
I can feel the waves and ripples!  Fast dynamic punches of music and tithes nuts nuts.
Musical treble to the point you cant stop crying cause its so beautiful! 

I can keep going and going 🙃
I try my best to share my experience and knowledge I acquired  so you folks can save some time and go straight to the real DEAL and start enjoying this hobby to its best!

That was Tiger Ears mind&soul
🌿🐯🐾👑


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> The red light turns of when it stops charging.
> 
> If you want to recalibrate the battery turn battery care off and then use the player until it turns off and cant be turned on again (usually takes a couple of times turning it on before it refuses) and then charge until the red light turns off and enable battery care


Understood. It sounds like in general, it is better to maximize the battery WITH battery care on always. Would I be correct in assuming that most people never charge their batteries to 100% under the condition that they carefully monitor the red light status? Appreciate your info always, nc8000


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 26, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> That is so important but hard to realize cause there isnt no one to teach us and show the right way.
> This is why there is so much misunderstanding.
> 
> What you are saying is what I call feeling the music and not just listening. I often say I feel and not listen.
> ...


I watched this video on Hi-Res and am wondering if Sony's marketing for the 1Z and price jack up is partially due to it being well.... a marketing gimmick.



In the case of the 1Z and 1A when used with the MDR-Z1R, I honestly did feel a difference in audio quality, recessed mids in the 1A versus more defined bass in the 1Z


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Gold isn't cheap ain't it.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Gold isn't cheap ain't it.


I thought it was only the outer service that has gold? Is it really a bunch of gold used in the chassis? Gold plated gives me the impression that it's just coated on the outer surface and not mixed with the copper.


----------



## 515164

Gamerlingual said:


> I thought it was only the outer service that has gold? Is it really a bunch of gold used in the chassis? Gold plated gives me the impression that it's just coated on the outer surface and not mixed with the copper.



It is just plated indeed. Especially because copper would oxidize if exposed to air.


----------



## Gamerlingual

morgenstern09 said:


> It is just plated indeed. Especially because copper would oxidize if exposed to air.


It’s just after watching that YouTube video, I’m just thinking Sony just decided to beef up the weight of the 1Z with a brand name of Kimber Kable which I’m sure does help improve the sound, but also as a means to jack up the price a ton. The more I’m learning about the marketing for audio, the more I feel disappointed. I’ll get over it eventually


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 26, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I watched this video on Hi-Res and am wondering if Sony's marketing for the 1Z and price jack up is partially due to it being well.... a marketing gimmick.
> 
> 
> 
> In the case of the 1Z and 1A when used with the MDR-Z1R, I honestly did feel a difference in audio quality, recessed mids in the 1A versus more defined bass in the 1Z




It is actually something to be skeptical about. The history of Sony is based on the buzz-words in a way. So you have to wonder if it’s just a Japanese company trying to market technology to the world, or truly putting names to innovation? It’s probably a little of both? But the innovation and differences of the 1Z do separate it from the 1A. So the differences are real; how important they are for you to pay for is subjective. But the ground-floor innovations like native DSD support, S-Master HX, and introducing 4.4mm Pentaconn balanced technology is different so why not name it? The emotional context that causes folks to spend will always be triggered by buzzwords; nothing different there. Every product for sale in the world has a sense of marketing attached to it, so nothing new to see here in that regard. Jars of pickles get new names, roofing tile gets composite brands, tires get names for tread technology, it’s everywhere.

Even though you have a new 1A, and you think you notice a 1Z difference......it maybe would not sink in till you had a 1Z for a week or two after burn-in and time alone. It’s all about how much that little extra is worth to you.


----------



## Layman1

Fsilva said:


> Another metal head with good taste!!!



See, that to me is a total oxymoron right there   
Just joking, don't form a lynch mob against me 

I'm of the view that good music is good music and if the music is good enough, to some extent it won't matter which genre it comes from if one is open-minded enough.
There's genres I would say I like, and others that, if asked, I would probably say I didn't really like. 
But even from the ones I don't really like, I have found songs that I hugely enjoy


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Understood. It sounds like in general, it is better to maximize the battery WITH battery care on always. Would I be correct in assuming that most people never charge their batteries to 100% under the condition that they carefully monitor the red light status? Appreciate your info always, nc8000



If you enable battery care the battery never gets charged beyond 90% which is what Sony recommends and you should also not let it discharge completely. I have 3 1/2 years stand by and 3.500 hours play time on mine (has never been turned off except when a reboot has been required) and I still get roughly the same times as when it was new. Gerelmex also has over 3 years but over 8.000 hours play time and after a re calibrate also roughly get the same play time as when new. Another user is on his second battery and 18.000 hours play time. Sony specs the battery at 500 full charge cycles but it will likely be functional a lot longer than that


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> If you enable battery care the battery never gets charged beyond 90% which is what Sony recommends and you should also not let it discharge completely. I have 3 1/2 years stand by and 3.500 hours play time on mine (has never been turned off except when a reboot has been required) and I still get roughly the same times as when it was new. Gerelmex also has over 3 years but over 8.000 hours play time and after a re calibrate also roughly get the same play time as when new. Another user is on his second battery and 18.000 hours play time. Sony specs the battery at 500 full charge cycles but it will likely be functional a lot longer than that


Ok. So I will never let it reach 100%. This first charge I saw the indicator flashing after 17 hours and 30 minutes of usage and that’s when I started charging it. The player telling me that I needed to charge it when the flash commenced was also a big help. Probably if I maintain those charging habits and leave the brightness in its lowest setting, I will be able to enjoy it for years to come


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> I watched this video on Hi-Res and am wondering if Sony's marketing for the 1Z and price jack up is partially due to it being well.... a marketing gimmick.
> 
> 
> 
> In the case of the 1Z and 1A when used with the MDR-Z1R, I honestly did feel a difference in audio quality, recessed mids in the 1A versus more defined bass in the 1Z





Wow this video is dope!!!
I mean this engineer tells us the damn truth in our face!!!

And I am kinda proud as many stuff he mentioned is exactly what I been saying! 

Ok I am not a pro but maybe hes right a proper cd quality with best db dynamic range will sound as good as a high res file because we barely can hear the difference. 
But let me tell this he still acclaimed the fact that 24/96 is legit and does bring improvement to the sound! But we arent hearing them enough cause its subtle. But I dooo! As I listen 5 hours a day and again you are not guaranteed and immune against fake upsamples albums sold to you.

So in reality if everything is legit and you got s true high res capable hardware and true native high res recording.  Then you got it! You have real high res experience to listen.

But as the engineer said there is so much BS that we get fooled by companies... we get totally confused. 

I will honest I did a lot of experiments my self I purchased original albums and downloaded rips from vinyls cds and upsampled pcm....

The best way to experience real native dynamic range and music frequency is in wav 24/96 as a bare minimum.
You will get an outstanding dynamic very authoritive sound, warm thick presentation, not bright as cd tend to do.
Big deep thumpy bass.

Wav format is at its purest and uncompressed form! Wav is the birth its the base dna unaltered of the music file.
Anything like flac mqa is a conversion and it does alter the sound to my ears.


Again I I totaly agree with this guy he telling us the truth and we get fooled by big companies.
Though your statement about sony making 1z over beefed and over priced vs 1a has no correlation to this video which is all about file formats.



Once more get native 24/96wav or dsd64 and experience the best sound you ever heard!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Wow this video is dope!!!
> I mean this engineer tells us the damn truth in our face!!!
> 
> And I am kinda proud as many stuff he mentioned is exactly what I been saying!
> ...


Do you own the 1A or 1Z?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Do you own the 1A or 1Z?




Thats a great question read my signature and youl see )


----------



## proedros

@Vitaly2017 if you say you want the best in iems , why are you still on tia fourte and not own VE erikonig ?

you disappoint me dude


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> @Vitaly2017 if you say you want the best in iems , why are you still on tia fourte and not own VE erikonig ?
> 
> you disappoint me dude




Haha I honestly havent heard it yet. And I also love my noir they offer something that none headphones or iems can do!

I am past 1500 hours and I can say it sits very high above the everest mountain. 
Heck what am I saying... I am in intergalactic cosmic space exploration long time ago!!!


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok. So I will never let it reach 100%. This first charge I saw the indicator flashing after 17 hours and 30 minutes of usage and that’s when I started charging it. The player telling me that I needed to charge it when the flash commenced was also a big help. Probably if I maintain those charging habits and leave the brightness in its lowest setting, I will be able to enjoy it for years to come



I’m certainly expecting mine to last at least another 5-6 years and possibly more before I will need a new battery


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Thats a great question read my signature and youl see )


Using smart phone. That’s why I couldn’t see


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> I’m certainly expecting mine to last at least another 5-6 years and possibly more before I will need a new battery


Fully charged at 90%. Thank you much


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Using smart phone. That’s why I couldn’t see


----------



## gsiu33

Queen6 said:


> Always international, so security is more stringent, nor are all countries equal. Just not worth the hassle IMO, as ultimately if they don't agree your either not flying or the DAP will be left behind...
> 
> Q-6


I took 20 international flights since I had WM1Z in Feb-2017, including China, Japan, Dubai, France, Germany, Poland, Baltic States, Sweden, etc. and don’t have any issue with it. Only one time being asked by an officer at Beijing airport, I showed him it is a DAP and said that I am a Audiophile, he smiled and let me go.


----------



## TheThingGoesSkrrr

Any idea how long 1A should last if you use it as bluetooth receiver?


----------



## Gamerlingual

TheThingGoesSkrrr said:


> Any idea how long 1A should last if you use it as bluetooth receiver?


nc8000 said the battery will cut in half


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> nc8000 said the battery will cut in half



17 to 18 hours for me


----------



## aceedburn

TheThingGoesSkrrr said:


> Any idea how long 1A should last if you use it as bluetooth receiver?


I got about 18 hours previously. Don’t use it much nowadays though.


----------



## TheThingGoesSkrrr

my unit drains it pretty fast. I charged it on sunday and i only have 50% left (5-6 hours of usage). Maybe i should do a battery reset after all the updates


----------



## Vitaly2017

TheThingGoesSkrrr said:


> my unit drains it pretty fast. I charged it on sunday and i only have 50% left (5-6 hours of usage). Maybe i should do a battery reset after all the updates




Screen time and the enhancements can affect the battery a lot...

Try timing the usage 50% judging by the bars on top arent really accurate


----------



## TheThingGoesSkrrr

my screen is off like 99% of the time but i do have 2 enhancements on. Im gonna drain it down to 0% and charge it 100% since i haven't done that yet


----------



## nc8000

TheThingGoesSkrrr said:


> Any idea how long 1A should last if you use it as bluetooth receiver?



I think about 10 hours, have never used it like that for long enough to actually find out


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> 17 to 18 hours for me



As BT receiver ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> As BT receiver ?



Bluetooth dac mod receiver in Ldac well 15+ for sure.

It ussualy lasts me 2 days from 90% charge


----------



## Gamerlingual

Corny question, does anyone listen to their Walkman while it's charging on the PC or do you just let it fully charge before going at it again?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Corny question, does anyone listen to their Walkman while it's charging on the PC or do you just let it fully charge before going at it again?



I use mine mostly in the evening when I travel and sometimes also at home, I send 100-150 nights away from home each year


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 26, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> I use mine mostly in the evening when I travel and sometimes also at home, I send 100-150 nights away from home each year


So I'm guessing it's fine to listen while it's charging? I'm perhaps being TOO careful with this new Walkman


----------



## Krutsch

CaptainFantastic said:


> Looks great. What tubes are you using (curious because I see they all need adapters)?



I have my travel tubes in the WA3 for work... you can see my complete collection in my profile.

Those are not adapters; they are socket savers.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> So I'm guessing it's fine to listen while it's charging?



Yes


----------



## Krutsch

Uh, oh... just got my RMT-NWS20 Remote Commander for the WM1A. But guess what? Isn't supported by the North America version.

Seems that I need the Asia/Australia/NZ (E) region set and then the "remote control setting" will appear in the Bluetooth menu.

I guess I will have to plunge into the world of changing the region on this player...


----------



## 515164

Krutsch said:


> Uh, oh... just got my RMT-NWS20 Remote Commander for the WM1A. But guess what? Isn't supported by the North America version.
> 
> Seems that I need the Asia/Australia/NZ (E) region set and then the "remote control setting" will appear in the Bluetooth menu.
> 
> I guess I will have to plunge into the world of changing the region on this player...



Changing regions is something really simple once you'll do it once. The remote will show up at least for the E and J region (I think there was one more).

Original info is here: https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> Is it better to buy it brand new?



I'd rather find a good deal on a new one, unless I know the seller, if you get a dud it will just be problem to deal with.

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Krutsch said:


> Uh, oh... just got my RMT-NWS20 Remote Commander for the WM1A. But guess what? Isn't supported by the North America version.
> 
> Seems that I need the Asia/Australia/NZ (E) region set and then the "remote control setting" will appear in the Bluetooth menu.
> 
> I guess I will have to plunge into the world of changing the region on this player...



Flip it to J, CA, CN or E as these all support the BT remote, possibly more.  

Q-6


----------



## 524419

Gamerlingual said:


> So I'm guessing it's fine to listen while it's charging? I'm perhaps being TOO careful with this new Walkman


These things are built like Tanks, they don't need to be babied. I would get a Benk's case, a glass screen protector, and call it  a day. 
And down the line When you want to upgrade to a new DAP, instead of spending money on something new, just get this one modded.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Diet Kokaine said:


> These things are built like Tanks, they don't need to be babied. I would get a Benk's case, a glass screen protector, and call it  a day.
> And down the line When you want to upgrade to a new DAP, instead of spending money on something new, just get this one modded.


Meaning just mod the 1A and call it a day? The 1Z isn't much for you?


----------



## 524419 (May 26, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Meaning just mod the 1A and call it a day? The 1Z isn't much for you?


A 1A modded is equal to a modded 1Z, minus the extra weight and copper chasis (otherwise they are identical)
a Modded 1A is head and shoulders above a stock 1Z..... So save your money, and if you want to move to a better player, invest it into the 1A that you already have.
That would be my advice for whatever it's worth.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Diet Kokaine said:


> A 1A modded is equal to a modded 1Z, minus the extra weight and copper chasis (otherwise they are identical)
> a Modded 1A is head and shoulders above a stock 1Z..... So save your money, and if you want to move to a better player, invest it into the 1A that you already have.
> That would be my advice for whatever it's worth.


Not much of a handy man, would need to watch videos very thoroughly to make sure I knew what I was doing. Roger that


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Not much of a handy man, would need to watch videos very thoroughly to make sure I knew what I was doing. Roger that



Or send it of to one of the companies that perform modds


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Or send it of to one of the companies that perform modds


Oh. What thread describes those companies? Didn’t know they existed. If they actually could match the sound signature of the 1Z, I would be curious how they do it


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Oh. What thread describes those companies? Didn’t know they existed. If they actually could match the sound signature of the 1Z, I would be curious how they do it



There is info in this thread and there is a seperate thread about modding these players. Both companies are in the East (don’t remember countries) and are called Music Sanctuary and Romni (or Romi, again can’t remember)


----------



## 515164

Gamerlingual said:


> Oh. What thread describes those companies? Didn’t know they existed. If they actually could match the sound signature of the 1Z, I would be curious how they do it



https://music-sanctuary.com/products/1960s-mod-wm1-zx300
https://www.romiaudio.com/product-page/digital-audio-player-dap-modification-service

I suggest asking more in this thread, as there are people there who modded their players using both services: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/page-147


----------



## Duncan

So my remote (NWS20) arrived today, and I'm sort of guessing the battery is dead, no little light pops up when pressing any of the buttons...

If the remote is paired to a previous device, looking at it this way around, is there a way to unpair it, without the other device being present? I don't see any reset holes or anything.

I've ordered some CR1620 batteries, hope I'm not throwing good money after bad here.


----------



## 524419 (May 26, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> There is info in this thread and there is a seperate thread about modding these players. Both companies are in the East (don’t remember countries) and are called Music Sanctuary and Romni (or Romi, again can’t remember)


Music sanctuary mods are a total scam. I would not send it there.
Romi does very good work on the other hand.


----------



## Krutsch

Duncan said:


> So my remote (NWS20) arrived today, and I'm sort of guessing the battery is dead, no little light pops up when pressing any of the buttons...
> 
> If the remote is paired to a previous device, looking at it this way around, is there a way to unpair it, without the other device being present? I don't see any reset holes or anything.
> 
> I've ordered some CR1620 batteries, hope I'm not throwing good money after bad here.



Still working on getting mine paired... but... I've read in the manual that simply removing the battery will force you to repair.


----------



## nc8000

Duncan said:


> So my remote (NWS20) arrived today, and I'm sort of guessing the battery is dead, no little light pops up when pressing any of the buttons...
> 
> If the remote is paired to a previous device, looking at it this way around, is there a way to unpair it, without the other device being present? I don't see any reset holes or anything.
> 
> I've ordered some CR1620 batteries, hope I'm not throwing good money after bad here.



There is a reset combination and it has been mentioned at some point in this thread but I don’t remember it


----------



## aceedburn

Duncan said:


> So my remote (NWS20) arrived today, and I'm sort of guessing the battery is dead, no little light pops up when pressing any of the buttons...
> 
> If the remote is paired to a previous device, looking at it this way around, is there a way to unpair it, without the other device being present? I don't see any reset holes or anything.
> 
> I've ordered some CR1620 batteries, hope I'm not throwing good money after bad here.


If it’s brand new it won’t be paired. Just turn on the remote Bluetooth setting in your player and press any button a few times on the remote. The player will find it and it will ask to pair. Then you’re done. It’s a very handy thing. I can’t live without it.


----------



## Gamerlingual

morgenstern09 said:


> https://music-sanctuary.com/products/1960s-mod-wm1-zx300
> https://www.romiaudio.com/product-page/digital-audio-player-dap-modification-service
> 
> I suggest asking more in this thread, as there are people there who modded their players using both services: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/page-147


I will read these carefully and follow your advice to the T. Understood. I’m thinking with more understanding after reading, then I can formulate better questions on this thread. Lots of good peeps in head fi. Thanks a lot (sometimes I think I thank people too much because of living in Japan for the past 6 years. It’s part of the culture)


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Oh. What thread describes those companies? Didn’t know they existed. If they actually could match the sound signature of the 1Z, I would be curious how they do it


There some firmwares that can do that right now for you without spending any money. Try either WM1Az or WM1Az revision B. And if you’re like me and love that extra punch down there use WM1Az Bass+.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> There some firmwares that can do that right now for you without spending any money. Try either WM1Az or WM1Az revision B. And if you’re like me and love that extra punch down there use WM1Az Bass+.


Those firmwares are on Morgen Stern’s signature, correct?


----------



## Queen6

Duncan said:


> So my remote (NWS20) arrived today, and I'm sort of guessing the battery is dead, no little light pops up when pressing any of the buttons...
> 
> If the remote is paired to a previous device, looking at it this way around, is there a way to unpair it, without the other device being present? I don't see any reset holes or anything.
> 
> I've ordered some CR1620 batteries, hope I'm not throwing good money after bad here.



Need to press multiple buttons at the same time to pair the remote.

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (May 26, 2020)

Duncan said:


> So my remote (NWS20) arrived today, and I'm sort of guessing the battery is dead, no little light pops up when pressing any of the buttons...
> 
> If the remote is paired to a previous device, looking at it this way around, is there a way to unpair it, without the other device being present? I don't see any reset holes or anything.
> 
> I've ordered some CR1620 batteries, hope I'm not throwing good money after bad here.





Krutsch said:


> Still working on getting mine paired... but... I've read in the manual that simply removing the battery will force you to repair.







Both BT and the Remote Commander needs to be set to on in the DAP.

Q-6


----------



## Gamerlingual

Looking at the mod thread, those are amazing looking internals inside. Now I see why people call it such an engineering marble. It really does look like it was built to provide the best audio stock out of the box


----------



## RobertP

NW-WM1Z with Orion stage2 is equivalence NW-WM1A on the same tune stage6. That's how good the 1Z is.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Gamerlingual said:


> Looking at the mod thread, those are amazing looking internals inside. Now I see why people call it such an engineering marble. It really does look like it was built to provide the best audio stock out of the box


You are still on honeymoon phase, it’ll wear out.

But seriously, Sony sound on 1A/1Z are really good and addicting, especially modded 😃


----------



## Hinomotocho (May 26, 2020)

I am nearing 200 hours burn in and as nicely as the sound has 'ripened' (the only word that comes to mind) I am wanting a bit more low end than the 3.02 E stock firmware offers. I'd prefer not to change regions to achieve the sound I'm after but I see people changing regions and using tuning mods combinations - do the tuning mods alone not cater to everyone's tastes, and it takes a combination to get their desired sound?
As my music is so wide and varied I fear experimenting and never being able to settle on one with so many combinations available.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 26, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> I am nearing 200 hours burn in and as nicely as the sound has 'ripened' (the only word that comes to mind) I am wanting a bit more low end than the 3.02 E stock firmware offers. I'd prefer not to change regions to achieve the sound I'm after but I see people changing regions and using tuning mods combinations - do the tuning mods alone not cater to everyone's tastes, and it takes a combination to get their desired sound?
> As my music is so wide and varied I fear experimenting and never being able to settle on one with so many combinations available.



I experimented with firmware only and was very satisfied with the added 1A  warmth. Also if you didn’t want to use aftermarket firmware or change regions rolling back to 3.01 will add bass. I found that Jupiter 301 T1 added some nice lows to the 1A. But after changing to the famous “J” region this week, I maybe wish I would have done it sooner. I think most would be able to settle, look at it like tone knobs on a stereo.


----------



## Queen6 (May 26, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> I am nearing 200 hours burn in and as nicely as the sound has 'ripened' (the only word that comes to mind) I am wanting a bit more low end than the 3.02 E stock firmware offers. I'd prefer not to change regions to achieve the sound I'm after but I see people changing regions and using tuning mods combinations - do the tuning mods alone not cater to everyone's tastes, and it takes a combination to get their desired sound?
> As my music is so wide and varied I fear experimenting and never being able to settle on one.



Changing region is the safest option as your not replacing Sony's original data, more flipping a software switch.  Region E is very V shaped and can be piercing on the WM1A with some IEM's. For more mid bass try region CA, for a less pronounced V with better bass region MX3 or bigger bass boost region TW. If listening to a lot of mixed genres and or headgear region J is best as it's the most balanced by far. You can also try the DC Phase Lineariser A or B Low to add warmth/bass.

It's not so much that region E is lacking bass, more that the treble is overpowering. E was fine on my ZX300, however on the more resolving WM1A I found E to be piercing when combined with more highly resolving IEM's. I have both the ZX300 & WM1A set to J now as that works across all genres and all my IEM's, also like MX3, however with this region there is no support for Sony's BT remote.

J is best described as being Is thick, rich & emotive, yet retains accuracy and Sony's classic sound signature. Is also worth noting that the vast majority of the custom tuning/FW is based on J for that reason. I've tried a good number of regions and always come back to J.

The custom tuning is now a big subject with over 50 variations provided by multiple creators, combined with the 16 different regions one could easily spend more time exploring than actually listening  Switching to J  is a safe bet as the region wont offend and many agree J & MX3 are the top choices, although what's in or on your ears is going to matter more.  Beauty of the Sony DAP's is you can try differing regions, firmware & tuning without any penalty which is not to be underestimated 

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Simply sounds epic thx to Sony 


Q-6


----------



## Gamerlingual

hamhamhamsta said:


> You are still on honeymoon phase, it’ll wear out.
> 
> But seriously, Sony sound on 1A/1Z are really good and addicting, especially modded 😃


Honeymoon will only keep me more motivated to keep digging in


----------



## minzink

Hi! I tried to install the firmware mod autum+ via my windows 10 PC. However, it does not work....

After setting the firmware version to 3.02 with firware version changer the software update tool appears on PC screen. I agree to the software terms and then I am requested to connect the target device via USB with the computer. After this is done, the message will not disappear, even the computer has recognised the walkman. But firmware installation will not start; I am always requested to connect to the computer. I tried with USB massstorage on and of but always same result. 

What is wrong? Can you help me out please? Any ideas? 

Thanks a lot in advance!


----------



## Hinomotocho

Redcarmoose said:


> I experimented with firmware only and was very satisfied with the added 1A  warmth. Also if you didn’t want to use aftermarket firmware or change regions rolling back to 3.01 will add bass. I found that Jupiter 301 T1 added some nice lows to the 1A. But after changing to the famous “J” region this week, I maybe wish I would have done it sooner. I think most would be able to settle, look at it like tone knobs on a stereo.





Queen6 said:


> Changing region is the safest option as your not replacing Sony's original data, more flipping a software switch.  Region E is very V shaped and can be piercing on the WM1A with some IEM's. For more mid bass try region CA, for a less pronounced V with better bass region MX3 or bigger bass boost region TW. If listening to a lot of mixed genres and or headgear region J is best as it's the most balanced by far. You can also try the DC Phase Lineariser A or B Low to add warmth/bass.
> 
> It's not so much that region E is lacking bass, more that the treble is overpowering. E was fine on my ZX300, however on the more resolving WM1A I found E to be piercing when combined with more highly resolving IEM's. I have both the ZX300 & WM1A set to J now as that works across all genres and all my IEM's, also like MX3, however with this region there is no support for Sony's BT remote.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your replies above. 

I was just about to ask how to download the Japanese Region firmware and remembered it is done via the rockbox tool. So that means that there is only one universal firmware, but depending on your region it unlocks that particular region firmware/tunings?


----------



## 515164

minzink said:


> Hi! I tried to install the firmware mod autum+ via my windows 10 PC. However, it does not work....
> 
> After setting the firmware version to 3.02 with firware version changer the software update tool appears on PC screen. I agree to the software terms and then I am requested to connect the target device via USB with the computer. After this is done, the message will not disappear, even the computer has recognised the walkman. But firmware installation will not start; I am always requested to connect to the computer. I tried with USB massstorage on and of but always same result.
> 
> ...



This means that you downloaded the wrong variant for your device.

Just try with all variants (EU, U or J) available in the folder.



Hinomotocho said:


> So that means that there is only one universal firmware, but depending on your region it unlocks that particular region firmware/tunings?



Indeed.


----------



## minzink

morgenstern09 said:


> This means that you downloaded the wrong variant for your device.
> 
> Just try with all variants (EU, U or J) available in the folder.
> 
> ...


ok, thanks. I will try....


----------



## gearofwar (May 26, 2020)

RobertP said:


> NW-WM1Z with Orion stage2 is equivalence NW-WM1A on the same tune stage6. That's how good the 1Z is.


Are there any other ways you could share that firmware to the public? I have stayed on Classical firmware for over a weak now, jumped to Solis today, and currently back to Classical again.


----------



## Krutsch

Queen6 said:


> ...
> *Region E is very V shaped* and can be piercing on the WM1A with some IEM's.
> ...
> It's not so much that region E is lacking bass, more that* the treble is overpowering*. E was fine on my ZX300, however on the more resolving WM1A I found E to be piercing when combined with more highly resolving IEM's.
> ...



Ugh... really? So if I change the region to E to support the Remote Commander, I will end-up wrecking the sound signature?

Glad I read this beforehand.


----------



## etlouis

Redcarmoose said:


> This subject is controversial at this time. Also of course we as human always have conformation bias (attitudes)....which always color our true objectivity of sound. The whole Sony marketing with DSEE HX is it’s ability to enhance MP3 kbps files. Keep in mind though too, that the marketing is such that it’s touted that 16bit/44.1kHz also get the treatment up-scaling them too to a 24bit character.
> 
> When interviewed (which the site is now down) the Sony engineers went on to explain “some files react”....which basically explains at times it works and at times it is a wash. Many are purists in audio, I am. A purist standpoint is less in-front. Meaning no vinyl process, no DESEE HX. No EQ, and no normalizer. Though the DSD upscale on the Sony TA-ZH1ES seems to really work. I’ve just recently been able to now with “J” region remove all EQ all the time on all IEMs and headphones, players and amps; so for many that has been an end goal. Even though we don’t judge others for liking EQ, believe that EQ adds distortions in areas. Many believe “Direct Source (Direct)” bypassing everything is the way to go with the Walkmans, yet there is no right or wrong.
> 
> ...



I do agree. All this pursuit of audio gear... but it was all to train our hearing perception.

It feels like turning on extra options will affect the "focal point" of my iems. Or maybe it is just me, so only volume auto balancing is turned on. DSEE HX was quite interesting, I felt that it did what it advertised and upscaled some low bit-rate mp3, yet it made the soundstage smaller. I own an old Sony pcm m10, and I swear to god... I can hear the difference between AAA batteries and their types: lithium / alkaline / nimh rechargeable. I once ordered custom iem cables and when I received them they were not equally loud on left right channels. I fumbled around on my player and discovered a 0.5 db difference between the channels. It just feels the focus isn't in the middle but tilted towards one side. I sent it back and when it returned, the tilt was gone.

Another thing is that resting days where you listen to nothing for a few days, maybe even a week... and you'll come back stronger. Hearing more details out of the music.


----------



## RobertP (May 26, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> Are there any other ways you could share that firmware to the public? I have stayed on Classical firmware for over a weak now, jumped to Solis today, and currently back to Classical again.


I'm try to finishing up for both 1A and 1Z version. Still do final testing and tweaking. Make sure I'm getting the most out of sound quality.


----------



## 515164 (May 26, 2020)

Say hello to...

*WM1+*

...a tuning mod for both WM1A and WM1Z. Feel free to
give it a try and to leave your feedback below.

The tuning is based on the J region, and 3.02 firmware,
and it can be found *here (click)*.


_*If you used other tunings before, it's recommended
that you first flash *_*back to stock, and then apply any
other tunings. Stock 3.02 is available* _*here (click).*_


Hope that some of you will find it interesting.  I'll soon
have to make a post containing all these... One day  
________


There is also *TA-ZH1ES (WM1 3.02)* which is made in a
similar way to the _DMP-Z1 1.02_ mod, in case some of you
are curious.

It can be found *here (click)*.
________


----------



## JerryHead

Anyone know if the WM1A will sufficiently power the HD800S without a headphone amp?


----------



## gearofwar

JerryHead said:


> Anyone know if the WM1A will sufficiently power the HD800S without a headphone amp?


HD800 is not recommended to be driven with a portable amp even daps. You will need a capable system for it otherwise, get another headphone that is more efficient


----------



## JerryHead (May 26, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> HD800 is not recommended to be driven with a portable amp even daps. You will need a capable system for it otherwise, get another headphone that is more efficient


But I’ve read in a few different places in this thread of people claiming that the 1A/TZ/HD800 combo was amazing.. now I’m confused


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 27, 2020)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/etlouis.527659/

If I understand you right, your only using the “Dynamic Normalizer”?

It’s normalization taking every song volume to the same level. 

Interesting that you like it? It’s actually compression?


----------



## gearofwar (May 26, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> Ah, okay, well, here in lies my dilemma.  I currently own the 1A, and my goal is to eventually purchase the TA and the HD800S to use with my 1A.  But, I can only afford one right now, and want to purchase one soon while I have the funds to do so.  I was going to buy the TA, and the HD660S to use temporarily with this setup, while I save for the HD880S, except that I recently learned that I won't be hearing that much of a difference listening to the TA through the HD660s.  So, I thought I'd just buy the HD800S now instead, to use with my 1A alone, but you're saying that I shouldn't do so.  What other choices do I have?  I'll never be in the position to purchase the TA and the HD800S at the same time, as I'll need to wait about a year in-between these two purchases.


Any reasons for choosing only HD800s or TA? If you like HD800s that much (there are many other options), you can still live fine with 1A but it will be underwhelmed, not saying it's that bad but it's still do-able. If HD800s is your chosen headphone, then you should think about getting TA down the line. I'm not sure if you meant TA-A1ES? I have no Exp with this amp but I can say your HD800 would appreciate a tube amp more


----------



## Duncan

morgenstern09 said:


> Say hello to...
> 
> *WM1+*
> 
> ...



You know me, happy to try 

They appear to be failing the OneDrve / Chrome scanner though - yes, you have the option to click and "keep" rather than "Discard", however - for those new to your work, this will probably bring up alarm bells...

I hope this helps,

Duncan.


----------



## Queen6 (May 27, 2020)

Krutsch said:


> Ugh... really? So if I change the region to E to support the Remote Commander, I will end-up wrecking the sound signature?
> 
> Glad I read this beforehand.


I wouldn't go as far as to say "wrecking" the sound signature, I personally didn't care for it and there are multiple other regions that support the BT remote; J, CN, CA, etc.  Best thing to do is try and see which you prefer best, even if the region does not support the BT remote you can try and always set the player to another later on.

Many have settled on region J so should be a safe bet and the remote is supported 

Q-6


----------



## 515164

Duncan said:


> You know me, happy to try
> 
> They appear to be failing the OneDrve / Chrome scanner though - yes, you have the option to click and "keep" rather than "Discard", however - for those new to your work, this will probably bring up alarm bells...
> 
> ...



It now does the same for me in Chrome for any of my tunings when downloading them from GDrive, probably because they are small .exe files, no idea and nothing to do about it except packing them in .zip archives or something.

Will see.


----------



## JerryHead

gearofwar said:


> Any reasons for choosing only HD800s or TA? If you like HD800s that much (there are many other options), you can still live fine with 1A but it will be underwhelmed, not saying it's that bad but it's still do-able. If HD800s is your chosen headphone, then you should think about getting TA down the line. I'm not sure if you meant TA-A1ES? I have no Exp with this amp but I can say your HD800 would appreciate a tube amp more


My ears heat right up in a closed back headphone.  I don’t care how good the MDR-Z1Rs sound, I won’t be able to hear them once I rip them off due to discomfort.  Open back on the other hand let my ears breathe and I keep them on much, much longer.  I heard the HD800s are getting closer to to the Z1Rs.  And yes, I was hoping to stick with the TA-ZH1ES for my amp in order to retain that Sony sound signature.  I just don’t want to buy the HD800s if I won’t be able to enjoy them with my 1A alone because I won’t be getting the TA for quite a while.


----------



## Duncan

morgenstern09 said:


> It now does the same for me in Chrome for any of my tunings when downloading them from GDrive, probably because they are small .exe files, no idea and nothing to do about it except packing them in .zip archives or something.
> 
> Will see.


Sorry, yes, GDrive, not OneDrive, apologies...

These are the only tunings that I've had this issue with, fingers crossed just a temporary hiccup their side 

As an aside, I went straight for the second tuning on your post, the first track that came up from where I left off, it sounds immense...  I think I'm going to have to find my top five favourites, and relate them to moods, hot swapping depending.

As always, thanks


----------



## Quang23693

morgenstern09 said:


> Say hello to...
> 
> *WM1+*
> 
> ...



Well, i'll try it when i come back home. I'll give you feed back as soon as possible


----------



## gearofwar (May 27, 2020)

I found the new firmware bearing the resemblance to the Classical firmware coming from it. It’s a very good balance sound, I do appreciate this kind of tuning more since I use not only one iem or hp or listen to specific music genre



JerryHead said:


> My ears heat right up in a closed back headphone.  I don’t care how good the MDR-Z1Rs sound, I won’t be able to hear them once I rip them off due to discomfort.  Open back on the other hand let my ears breathe and I keep them on much, much longer.  I heard the HD800s are getting closer to to the Z1Rs.  And yes, I was hoping to stick with the TA-ZH1ES for my amp in order to retain that Sony sound signature.  I just don’t want to buy the HD800s if I won’t be able to enjoy them with my 1A alone because I won’t be getting the TA for quite a while.


Have you actually tried Mdr-z1r before though? I have no heat issues wearing them for hours , unless you are in a hot room. They are extremely comfortable compared to most closed-back hps. Have you ever considered iems/ custom iems? they are more friendly with 1A than full-size


----------



## Viszla

JerryHead said:


> Anyone know if the WM1A will sufficiently power the HD800S without a headphone amp?


Yes. But with my Violectric HPA 281 it is better!


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 27, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> Say hello to...
> 
> *WM1+*
> 
> ...





I am curious.......as the TA-ZH1ES tone is my reference tone. As a preliminary test, and due to the 1Z newly on “J”.........I’ve spent a half hour doing side by side listening. While I don’t have an actual volume meter this test could or could not be that reliable. But even now with “J” and 3.02 stock firmware on the 1Z......the 1Z tone is continuing to show itself to be the classic understanding of the 1Z in contrast to the classic well known and always accepted TA response. So, I have to say there is nothing new in my tests prior to trying the TA-ZH1ES ported tune into the 1Z.

Basically the 1Z is slightly brighter (with “J” and stock 3:02), with treble elements seemingly more crisp and upfront. As always the TA offers it’s slightly wider and warmer lower imaging and slightly laid-back treble response. Though now with TA firmware edition 1.03 in the TA and “J” stock 3.02 firmware in the 1Z, it’s actually a difficult study? I do it by listening to the TA, then placing the cable into the 1Z, then turning off the TA, which then sends the signal to the 1Z 4.4mm top output. This is as momentary as I can make a side by side test using the same song from the 1Z.

So to summarize it’s going back and forth between the 1Z as a source to the TA then turning off the TA and using the 1Z with the same song.

I can only guess the TA tune emulation will be darker than stock 3.02? Also of the most  subtle of things, there is actually a small repositioning of imaging in the soundstage which is additional to tone changes while going back and forth between the two. The only way I could discover this is by using really simplistic drum sections at the beginning of this song.



Above played back in FLAC 44.1-24bit. Drum study until one minute fourteen seconds.

So I will give it a try........


----------



## JerryHead (May 27, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> I found the new firmware bearing the resemblance to the Classical firmware coming from it. It’s a very good balance sound, I do appreciate this kind of tuning more since I use not only one iem or hp or listen to specific music genre
> 
> 
> Have you actually tried Mdr-z1r before though? I have no heat issues wearing them for hours , unless you are in a hot room. They are extremely comfortable compared to most closed-back hps. Have you ever considered iems/ custom iems? they are more friendly with 1A than full-size


Really?  Cause other online reviews I'm reading say the MDR-z1rs heat up just like every other closed back headphone even though Sony claims they don't as much.  I'm not quite sure who to believe.  I do know my ears heat up quicker than others, which is why I'm gravitating towards the HD800S's.  I do have iems, the SE846s.  I do like them, but wanted to invest in some hdphs.  So, another noobie question: Can the MDR-Z1r's sound good right off the WM1A without using a headphone amp?


----------



## gearofwar (May 27, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> Really?  Cause other online reviews I'm reading say the MDR-z1rs heat up just like every other closed back headphone even though Sony claims they don't as much.  I'm not quite sure who to believe.  I do know my ears heat up quicker than others, which is why I'm gravitating towards the HD800S's.  I do have iems, the SE846s.  I do like them, but wanted to invest in some hdphs.  So, another noobie question: Can the MDR-Z1r's sound good right off the WM1A without using a headphone amp?


It is, so efficient that you can run off a phone. However, I plugged it into my desktop amp, it sounded better than my 1a but picked up hisses because of its low impedance similar to that of iems so the desktop amp is not necessary but it does benefit from a good amp like other full-size hp but the amp needs to support low impedance. I have tried HD800, 600 out of 1A on balance and I never wanted to try again, they are better off on my desktop system, both of these hp are clinical, made for studio mixing, mastering, they need high-quality sources. But for my Z1R , it has stayed on 1A ever since I got it. You will need to look at the impedance and sensitivity when buying a headphone, a high impedance hp or low sensitivity from that of planar will not cut it. The reason I bought Z1R (might be similar to you) was that I wanted to have a high-end full-size headphone that can be used with portable dap and it succeeded


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> It is, so efficient that you can run off a phone. However, I plugged it into my desktop amp, it sounded better than my 1a but picked up hisses because of its low impedance similar to that of iems so the desktop amp is not necessary but it does benefit from a good amp like other full-size hp but the amp needs to support low impedance. I have tried HD800, 600 out of 1A on balance and I never wanted to try again, they are better off on my desktop system, both of these hp are clinical, made for studio mixing, mastering, they need high-quality sources. But for my Z1R , it has stayed on 1A ever since I got it. You will need to look at the impedance and sensitivity when buying a headphone, a high impedance hp or low sensitivity from that of planar will not cut it. The reason I bought Z1R (might be similar to you) was that I wanted to have a high-end full-size headphone that can be used with portable dap and it succeeded




😅😅😅
Hocking a 300 ohm headphones into 1a isnt the best use hihi 😄

Try Romi bx2 amp!  5000 mw output super dead silent no hiss.
Clean natural uncolored sound. It plays what your 1a will play true to its source.

Can be used balanced unbalanced! 

Very neet full class A discreet design. 

https://www.romiaudio.com/product-page/romi-audio-balanced-headphone-amp-lessbx2


----------



## JerryHead

gearofwar said:


> It is, so efficient that you can run off a phone. However, I plugged it into my desktop amp, it sounded better than my 1a but picked up hisses because of its low impedance similar to that of iems so the desktop amp is not necessary but it does benefit from a good amp like other full-size hp but the amp needs to support low impedance. I have tried HD800, 600 out of 1A on balance and I never wanted to try again, they are better off on my desktop system, both of these hp are clinical, made for studio mixing, mastering, they need high-quality sources. But for my Z1R , it has stayed on 1A ever since I got it. You will need to look at the impedance and sensitivity when buying a headphone, a high impedance hp or low sensitivity from that of planar will not cut it. The reason I bought Z1R (might be similar to you) was that I wanted to have a high-end full-size headphone that can be used with portable dap and it succeeded


Thanks. That's actually why I'm returning the Shure SRH1840s, too neutral, too clinical, intended for studio work, as you describe. I think I'm going for the HD660S then.  These are perhaps the best of both worlds.  Easily powered by the 1A, not too neutral, as they're made for DAPs, but can also be brought out more fully by using a desktop headphone amp.  And with the $ I save, I'll be closer to getting the TA-ZH1ES to make even better use of them.  Sensitivity of the HD660S is close to the MDR-Z1R and the impedance is right in the middle (150) of the Z1R and the HD800S.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Does anyone have experience with the MDR-7506 with the 1A and 1Z? If I recall, it doesn't have the 4.4mm balanced cable since it's an older model? Seems real budget friendly seems like the reviews say that they are really good for general use.


----------



## Duncan

After working out that the reason why the remote was not working was that the button battery was flat, I fixed that...

My holy trinity - running the newest firmware tweak of @morgenstern09


----------



## Gamerlingual

Duncan said:


> After working out that the reason why the remote was not working was that the button battery was flat, I fixed that...
> 
> My holy trinity - running the newest firmware tweak of @morgenstern09


What was the price for your remote? Looks really cool in that small size


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> What was the price for your remote? Looks really cool in that small size


It was £41 including shipping - thankfully I got it in country so saved on customs etc.

Agreed though, is a very cool little remote


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> What was the price for your remote? Looks really cool in that small size


I got mine from eBay japan for around USD45 last year. It’s very handy and the battery lasts around 10 months for daily use.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> I got mine from eBay japan for around USD45 last year. It’s very handy and the battery lasts around 10 months for daily use.


Good stuff. Maybe I’ll get one. Looks like I can get one for 3500 yen at one of the Japanese online shops. Any little small priced toy would be cool to add.

And anyone else pair these devices with the MDR-7506? How is the pairing?


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> Good stuff. Maybe I’ll get one. Looks like I can get one for 3500 yen at one of the Japanese online shops. Any little small priced toy would be cool to add.
> 
> And anyone else pair these devices with the MDR-7506? How is the pairing?


The 7506 is kind of outdated, being around since 1983 - that isn't to say they're bad, just superceded...

FWIW, the MDR-V6 is exactly the same headphone, just without the "Professional" stickers on, and - with a lower sticker price


----------



## Gamerlingual

Duncan said:


> The 7506 is kind of outdated, being around since 1983 - that isn't to say they're bad, just superceded...
> 
> FWIW, the MDR-V6 is exactly the same headphone, just without the "Professional" stickers on, and - with a lower sticker price


Oh. Good to know. I’ll look at that instead. How is the audio quality tho? Mediocre with the 1A and 1Z?


----------



## Mfalcon

JerryHead said:


> Really?  Cause other online reviews I'm reading say the MDR-z1rs heat up just like every other closed back headphone even though Sony claims they don't as much.  I'm not quite sure who to believe.  I do know my ears heat up quicker than others, which is why I'm gravitating towards the HD800S's.  I do have iems, the SE846s.  I do like them, but wanted to invest in some hdphs.  So, another noobie question: Can the MDR-Z1r's sound good right off the WM1A without using a headphone amp?


I will second what some are saying here.  I have a 1Z, Z1R and HD800S.  The z1r are driven effortlessly but the 1Z.  The HD800S need more juice and are very different sounding from a higher powered desktop vs the 1Z.  I use a 300b amp and the sim audio moon neo 430a.  I think you need atleast 2w to drive the HD800S properly.  Otherwise your bass response sucks and the tonal balance throughout is way off.  It’s like taking a Lamborghini around the neighborhood.


----------



## Gamerlingual

According to this, there are later models surpassing it with just updated pads and wires but essentially the same headphones?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_MDR-V6


----------



## Gamerlingual

So the cable isn’t detachable and it’s 10 Feet long.  Better just stick to my 1AM2


----------



## JerryHead

Mfalcon said:


> I will second what some are saying here.  I have a 1Z, Z1R and HD800S.  The z1r are driven effortlessly but the 1Z.  The HD800S need more juice and are very different sounding from a higher powered desktop vs the 1Z.  I use a 300b amp and the sim audio moon neo 430a.  I think you need atleast 2w to drive the HD800S properly.  Otherwise your bass response sucks and the tonal balance throughout is way off.  It’s like taking a Lamborghini around the neighborhood.


I see, soo, you're saying the WM1A alone won't be sufficient to power the HD800s, but probably the TA-zh1es would?


----------



## Ravenous

So, I'm wondering why are their nearly no reviews of the 1A and 1Z compared to other players like the A&K 380/SP1000? I find reviews for the top A&K players all over youtube and tons of reviews for the product pages of A&K players on here, yet their are practically no reviews on youtube for these players and no product page for these players on headfi.


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> According to this, there are later models surpassing it with just updated pads and wires but essentially the same headphones?
> 
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_MDR-V6


That wiki page isn't strictly true, the V600 was terrible, and not a stable mate


----------



## Krutsch

Queen6 said:


> I wouldn't go as far as to say "wrecking" the sound signature, I personally didn't care for it and there are multiple other regions that support the BT remote; J, CN, CA, etc.  Best thing to do is try and see which you prefer best, even if the region does not support the BT remote you can try and always set the player to another later on.
> 
> *Many have settled on region J so should be a safe bet and the remote is supported*
> 
> Q-6



That's where I landed... the tool was easy to use and I switched to region J. Now the listening tests can begin with the new Remote Commander.

All in, that was an expensive upgrade for my office rig, including accessories, but I am pleased with the result:


----------



## Layman1

Duncan said:


> It was £41 including shipping - thankfully I got it in country so saved on customs etc.
> 
> Agreed though, is a very cool little remote



I too am in the UK, and have been thinking about getting one of these.
Was it a private trade, or are there more for sale? If so, would you be able to PM me a link?


----------



## Layman1

Mfalcon said:


> The HD800S need more juice and are very different sounding from a higher powered desktop vs the 1Z.  I use a 300b amp and the sim audio moon neo 430a.  I think you need atleast 2w to drive the HD800S properly.  Otherwise your bass response sucks and the tonal balance throughout is way off.  It’s like taking a Lamborghini around the neighborhood.



I get your analogy. Still, I have to say, if I had a Lamborghini, I would *totally* drive it all round the neighbourhood


----------



## bana

nc8000 said:


> Those 2 are my favourite tunings and it is hard to chose as they bring different things to the table but I’m leaning towards Solis



+Solis


----------



## mwhals

Ravenous said:


> So, I'm wondering why are their nearly no reviews of the 1A and 1Z compared to other players like the A&K 380/SP1000? I find reviews for the top A&K players all over youtube and tons of reviews for the product pages of A&K players on here, yet their are practically no reviews on youtube for these players and no product page for these players on headfi.



Twister6 reviews of top daps usually does a comparison of them to the WM1Z, so that is one way to get some flavor of how it compares.


----------



## Duncan

Layman1 said:


> I too am in the UK, and have been thinking about getting one of these.
> Was it a private trade, or are there more for sale? If so, would you be able to PM me a link?


Sorry, was a lucky spot on eBay


----------



## Hinomotocho

JerryHead said:


> Thanks. That's actually why I'm returning the Shure SRH1840s, too neutral, too clinical, intended for studio work, as you describe. I think I'm going for the HD660S then.  These are perhaps the best of both worlds.  Easily powered by the 1A, not too neutral, as they're made for DAPs, but can also be brought out more fully by using a desktop headphone amp.  And with the $ I save, I'll be closer to getting the TA-ZH1ES to make even better use of them.  Sensitivity of the HD660S is close to the MDR-Z1R and the impedance is right in the middle (150) of the Z1R and the HD800S.


I have tried but have never considered Sennheiser because I require a closed back design, also if you have been around here for a few years the much loved HD650 seem to require a decent amount of power to sound their best.
I very briefly tried the HD660S because they were lower ohm and wanted to see what they sounded like - I was really impressed and although, like many headphones may sound better with more power, they sounded very good out of my less powered ZX300's 4.4mm output.
It would make sense to get the more easy to drive HD660s for straight up use with your WM1A, perhaps you could research if a higher end cable may bring benefits to the HD660s as a future upgrade as you are saving on the HD800.


----------



## Ravenous

mwhals said:


> Twister6 reviews of top daps usually does a comparison of them to the WM1Z, so that is one way to get some flavor of how it compares.


Thanks for the reponse! Didn't see any review for the Sony NW-WM1A there though.


----------



## mwhals

Ravenous said:


> Thanks for the reponse! Didn't see any review for the Sony NW-WM1A there though.



He never received a WM1A to review.


----------



## nc8000

Ravenous said:


> Thanks for the reponse! Didn't see any review for the Sony NW-WM1A there though.



As I understand it Sony don’t send many units out to reviewers so reviewers have to source them in other ways which limits the number of “traditional” tests


----------



## Mfalcon

JerryHead said:


> I see, soo, you're saying the WM1A alone won't be sufficient to power the HD800s, but probably the TA-zh1es would?


Yes, although I’ve never used the TA-zh1es so I couldn’t say for certain but it’s specs are good enough and I’ve read plenty of others says it would..  the specs are up to par and I’ve heard nothing but great things about the amp.


----------



## titoratm

JerryHead said:


> Anyone know if the WM1A will sufficiently power the HD800S without a headphone amp?


Here's a video where the wm1a + hd800 combo is tested without any amp. Unfortunately it's in spanish only but the guy says and proves the wm1a have enough juice to drive the headphones. check it out! minute 33:37


----------



## Hinomotocho

titoratm said:


> Here's a video where the wm1a + hd800 combo is tested without any amp. Unfortunately it's in spanish only but the guy says and proves the wm1a have enough juice to drive the headphones. check it out! minute 33:37



I think you can achieve what some people deem to be enough volume and an acceptable sound, but with many headphones more power is needed to get the drivers moving to open up all the frequencies to sound their best eg. sometimes bass will tighten up and improve dramatically with more power.


----------



## JerryHead

Hinomotocho said:


> I think you can achieve what some people deem to be enough volume and an acceptable sound, but with many headphones more power is needed to get the drivers moving to open up all the frequencies to sound their best eg. sometimes bass will tighten up and improve dramatically with more power.


Thanks for the video by the way.  Yes, it's what I assumed by now. The bottom line is, it's debatable.  Yes, the 1A can drive the HD800S, but the real question is, to what extent?  And that's where you'll get conflicting opinions. Some will say they sound fine, and others will say they're not really listenable as they're not being driven hard enough.  No real way to know unless you listen to them yourself, at say volume 80, and judge yourself.  A little off topic, what does it do to the WM1A to have it turned up between 70-100 volume level a lot of the time?  Does anything internally wear prematurely as a result of such use?


----------



## hamhamhamsta (May 27, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> I have tried but have never considered Sennheiser because I require a closed back design, also if you have been around here for a few years the much loved HD650 seem to require a decent amount of power to sound their best.
> I very briefly tried the HD660S because they were lower ohm and wanted to see what they sounded like - I was really impressed and although, like many headphones may sound better with more power, they sounded very good out of my less powered ZX300's 4.4mm output.
> It would make sense to get the more easy to drive HD660s for straight up use with your WM1A, perhaps you could research if a higher end cable may bring benefits to the HD660s as a future upgrade as you are saving on the HD800.


If you are willing to try iems, they will blow your mind! Iem match extremely well with 1A/1Z


----------



## Hinomotocho

hamhamhamsta said:


> If you are willing to try iems, they will blow your mind! Iem match extremely well with 1A/1Z


I primarily use iems, although my easy to drive Denon D5200 sound spectacular. 
I was just offering some input for JerryHead.


----------



## Hinomotocho

JerryHead said:


> Thanks for the video by the way.  Yes, it's what I assumed by now. The bottom line is, it's debatable.  Yes, the 1A can drive the HD800S, but the real question is, to what extent?  And that's where you'll get conflicting opinions. Some will say they sound fine, and others will say they're not really listenable as they're not being driven hard enough.  No real way to know unless you listen to them yourself, at say volume 80, and judge yourself.  A little off topic, what does it do to the WM1A to have it turned up between 70-100 volume level a lot of the time?  Does anything internally wear prematurely as a result of such use?


I feel if you're going for a really high end headphone it would be best to do it justice. 
I wouldn't imagine any wear from high volume, but someone with tech knowledge might something to say.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Anyone else have experience pairing the MDR-Z7M2 with the 1A or the 1Z?


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> Anyone else have experience pairing the MDR-Z7M2 with the 1A or the 1Z?


I hope I don’t come across badly when I ask this, if I do, it isn’t intentional - however I see you bouncing around with various different options, so let me tell you something, and then in turn ask you something that may help...

I used to love the AK T8ie mkII - they were pretty much perfect for me, along came the FiiO FH7 and upended my thoughts, now I couldn’t recommend the AKs to anyone - it doesn’t mean they’re bad IEMs, not at all, they’re still fantastic, but the flavour is wrong for me now...  

All of the how does this go with this is like asking if a certain type of cheese goes with a certain type of wine - to some people yes, others not at all...

my question to you, you’ve just got the 1A, what is missing for you, that is making you look around at all price points, from budget (7506), midrange (1AM2), and upper midrange (Z7M2)? I don’t see any consistency there, so just seeing what you are looking for, it might be better thinking of it that way, to make the overall experience better for you, What is your budget, what do you listen to, what is missing, what is great, what is bad with what you have...

additional consideration is that your player is still settling in, as are your ears - basically, I don’t want to see you throwing good money after bad.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Duncan said:


> I hope I don’t come across badly when I ask this, if I do, it isn’t intentional - however I see you bouncing around with various different options, so let me tell you something, and then in turn ask you something that may help...
> 
> I used to love the AK T8ie mkII - they were pretty much perfect for me, along came the FiiO FH7 and upended my thoughts, now I couldn’t recommend the AKs to anyone - it doesn’t mean they’re bad IEMs, not at all, they’re still fantastic, but the flavour is wrong for me now...
> 
> ...


No offense taken. Thanks for the kind words


----------



## 515164

Gamerlingual said:


> No offense taken. Thanks for the kind words



There was also a question there, and not only kind words 🤣


----------



## Gamerlingual

I took it as rhetorical. Nothing bad


----------



## 515164 (May 27, 2020)

Well, then maybe he should have also taken your question as rethorical, lol. He really tried to help you, rather than just answering with his own opinion, which can be different than yours.


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> I took it as rhetorical. Nothing bad


Definitely not rhetorical...  what extra would you like to gain from your time / experience with the 1A? What is the tone you like / your musical preferences? These two points for starters would start to point you in the right direction - for example, if you were to like let’s say EDM, there would be little point in you having thin / bright headphones recommended to you...

just trying to narrow down the search for you, whereas, if you have some spare cash, and just want to experiment, and you don’t care about any of the above considerations, give us a budget to work with...   it is all good fun, system matching, but - just need a starting point


----------



## Gamerlingual

Duncan said:


> Definitely not rhetorical...  what extra would you like to gain from your time / experience with the 1A? What is the tone you like / your musical preferences? These two points for starters would start to point you in the right direction - for example, if you were to like let’s say EDM, there would by little point in you having thin / bright headphones recommended to you...
> 
> just trying to narrow down the search for you, whereas, if you have some spare cash, and just want to experiment, and you don’t care about any of the above considerations, give us a budget to work with...   it is all good fun, system matching, but - just need a starting point


Copy that. 60,000 yen, most likely buy used as I have with the 1A and IER. Music ranges a lot: Linkin Park, video game music done as classical, trance or rock remixes, salsa and merengue, Hard rock, heavy metal with more singing less screaming, punk, R&B like Boyz II Men or more recent, and Spanish hip hop


----------



## Hinomotocho (May 28, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Copy that. 60,000 yen, most likely buy used as I have with the 1A and IER. Music ranges a lot: Linkin Park, video game music done as classical, trance or rock remixes, salsa and merengue, Hard rock, heavy metal with more singing less screaming, punk, R&B like Boyz II Men or more recent, and Spanish hip hop


If you are in Japan I would wait until e earphone opens up again and go and try various ones with your WM1A - you have a luxury very few others have being able to try and compare. Compile a list and try them in store and see what you like, it will at least narrow down your options to ask again on here. Perhaps consider some like  Denon D5200 or D7200, Sennheiser HD660S, Sony MDR-Z7MK2


----------



## Gamerlingual

What to gain? Something close to the soundstage or accuracy of the IER-Z1R with even trebles and mids, solid bass that isn’t heart pounding like Beats.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hinomotocho said:


> I'm trying to tame my chronic surfing
> 
> If you are in Japan I would wait until e earphone opens up again and go and try various ones with your WM1A - you have a luxury very few others have being able to try and compare. Compile a list and try them in store and see what you like, it will at least narrow down your options to ask again on here. Perhaps consider some like  Denon D5200 or D7200, Sennheiser HD660S, Sony MDR-Z7MK2


The state of emergency in my area was lifted just yesterday. So I will go to E-Earphone in Akihabara this Sunday to tackle the daunting but fun task


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> Copy that. 60,000 yen, most likely buy used as I have with the 1A and IER. Music ranges a lot: Linkin Park, video game music done as classical, trance or rock remixes, salsa and merengue, Hard rock, heavy metal with more singing less screaming, punk, R&B like Boyz II Men or more recent, and Spanish hip hop


Cool!

What is missing from your IER experience (if anything)? I was thinking about them myself before heading down the FH7 path - or, just looking for a companion over-ear?

over-ears are not my thing, so I’ll pass over to those way more in the know.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Duncan said:


> Cool!
> 
> What is missing from your IER experience (if anything)? I was thinking about them myself before heading down the FH7 path - or, just looking for a companion over-ear?
> 
> over-ears are not my thing, so I’ll pass over to those way more in the know.


The IER fit isn’t the most comfortable after 2 hours of listening, so long term listening at home with the best cans I can get, but the MDR-Z1R sounded too airy for me and the IER is more concise. Plus in the winter, over ear closed back headphones are ideal to keep warm. Don’t want open back headphones because my beautiful corgi puppy you see barks a lot. Still love her and hug her a lot, as she’s a fun dog. Oh, and only noise isolating as noise canceling isn’t needed, doesn’t need to be 100%. Maybe cut the noise around 25%?


----------



## Hinomotocho

Gamerlingual said:


> The state of emergency in my area was lifted just yesterday. So I will go to E-Earphone in Akihabara this Sunday to tackle the daunting but fun task


I usually spend a month in Japan and make regular visits to e earphone over that time to make sure I am really happy with what I like before buying - be patient and don't rush the process. I totally understand your eagerness to rush into audio heaven, but if you take a bit more time and make a good choice you'll save yourself dissatisfaction and hassle of finding the 'better' one later.


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 28, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> I usually spend a month in Japan and make regular visits to e earphone over that time to make sure I am really happy with what I like before buying - be patient and don't rush the process. I totally understand your eagerness to rush into audio heaven, but if you take a bit more time and make a good choice you'll save yourself dissatisfaction and hassle of finding the 'better' one later.


Oh. That’s why I’m asking for feedback. That way I can go tackle the stuff for the next couple of weeks. I have no regret with my current earphone choices. If I buy a pair, maybe around mid June. Since it will get hot here, the IEM’s like my IER and WF-1000XM3 will keep me afloat just fine. Whatever people suggest I want to go and try. Perhaps too curious, but love the adventure. If I don’t end up buying anything, that’s good as well.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Oh. That’s why I’m asking for feedback. That way I can go tackle the stuff for the next couple of weeks. I have no regret with my current earphone choices. If I buy a pair, maybe around mid June. Since it will get hot here, the IEM’s like my IER and WF-1000XM3 will keep me afloat just fine. Whatever people suggest I want to go and try. Perhaps too curious, but love the adventure. If I don’t end up buying anything, that’s good as well.



Being in Japan you should also be able to audition most of Audio Technica’s line up, they should have some great closed phones but they are not readily available in Europe so I have not tried any since I owned the legendary L3000 many years ago


----------



## gazzington

nc8000 said:


> Being in Japan you should also be able to audition most of Audio Technica’s line up, they should have some great closed phones but they are not readily available in Europe so I have not tried any since I owned the legendary L3000 many years ago


What are the best audio technica cans these days?


----------



## nc8000

gazzington said:


> What are the best audio technica cans these days?



No idea


----------



## nanaholic

gazzington said:


> What are the best audio technica cans these days?



ATH-IEX1 - their TOTL in ear, the direct competitor to Sony IER-Z1R and Victor FW-10000 etc
ATH-ADX5000 - TOTL open back over ear headphone
ATH-L5000 - supposedly the follow up to the L3000
ATH-AWKT/AWAS - two TOTL woodies, sort of a pair of twins with the difference in the housing material made from different wood.


----------



## gsiu33

Redcarmoose said:


> My, my Japan and regular stock firmware 3.02 with the 1Z are really something.


Totally agreed. First time when I upgraded to stock firmware 3.02, I don’t like the sound signature, especially for me from stock firmware 3.0.1. So I re-installed 3.01.

But around 1 week ago, I updated to stock 3.02 again and also changed the region code to Japan, then I found that sound is really something.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> ATH-IEX1 - their TOTL in ear, the direct competitor to Sony IER-Z1R and Victor FW-10000 etc
> ATH-ADX5000 - TOTL open back over ear headphone
> ATH-L5000 - supposedly the follow up to the L3000
> ATH-AWKT/AWAS - two TOTL woodies, sort of a pair of twins with the difference in the housing material made from different wood.


ATH-IEX1 used A2DC connector, looks like MMCX. I think they're not same standards


----------



## Redcarmoose

gsiu33 said:


> Totally agreed. First time when I upgraded to stock firmware 3.02, I don’t like the sound signature, especially for me from stock firmware 3.0.1. So I re-installed 3.01.
> 
> But around 1 week ago, I updated to stock 3.02 again and also changed the region code to Japan, then I found that sound is really something.



We owe it to ourselves to not leave any stone un-turned. Though the firmware given to us here is great, so is 3.02. I was dumb-founded by 3.02! As mentioned before it's classic Sony, but with a twist.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog (May 28, 2020)

Hi folks, just checking-in with some impressions...

1Z now has three weeks of near-continual play on it, but the last week has been through the TA-1ZHES 70% of the time, the rest through the SE overnight.

I've had the MDR-1ZR's for two weeks now and I would guess 200 hours burn on those (mostly from TA-). I don't know if it's my imagination, or whether the cans have evolved, but now listening to King Crimson's The Power to Believe (2019 24-48 Remix), and it's sounding really, REALLY good. Clarity has improved, bass has tightened and is less overwhelming, vocals/mids are more forward in the mix. And the sound-stage, detail and clarity are just phenomenal. All this directly from the 1Z, which doesn't have the shimmer the TA- exhibits.

Really interesting!


----------



## Redcarmoose

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Hi folks, just checking-in with some impressions...
> 
> 1Z now has three weeks of near-continual play on it, but the last week has been through the TA-1ZHES 70% of the time, the rest through the SE overnight.
> 
> ...



That’s about the time when the MDR-Z1R becomes friendly. It’s shy at first.


----------



## Gamerlingual

TheBonkingFrog said:


> Hi folks, just checking-in with some impressions...
> 
> 1Z now has three weeks of near-continual play on it, but the last week has been through the TA-1ZHES 70% of the time, the rest through the SE overnight.
> 
> ...





Redcarmoose said:


> We owe it to ourselves to not leave any stone un-turned. Though the firmware given to us here is great, so is 3.02. I was dumb-founded by 3.02! As mentioned before it's classic Sony, but with a twist.


Just from sampling at the store, it makes a better partner than the IER-Z1R with the 1Z


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Just from sampling at the store, it makes a better partner than the IER-Z1R with the 1Z



To me the IER is better than MDR from 1Z. From the TA I probably prefer the MDR


----------



## Redcarmoose

Member

https://www.head-fi.org/members/vancitydreaming.506237/

Let me know about Jupiter2 on “J” region. I may have tried it but don’t remember it. At the time I would have heard it in “U” only. As a rule I’m typically not impressed with 3.02 varieties on the 1A. The 1Z yes, but not the 1A.

I’m pretty amazed. It seems like J is adding something that allows Jupiter2 to be pretty special indeed! Obviously the lows are curtailed slightly from Jupiter301 T1, but the soundstage and silkiness more than  make up for it. I did have to go back to my old ways with three clicks of extra bass EQ, with the tone knobs.........but it’s amazing. Amazing if you like long drawn-out reverb along with great transient response and a quick attack. It’s maybe the imaging characteristics which are interesting. Going to have to listen non-stop


----------



## Gamerlingual

Well, I've had one of the most shocking revelations I think EVER. I tested the Bluetooth ability of my 1A with th WF-1000XM3 earbuds and the audio was consistent throughout, similar to the 1AM2 in sound signature. Then I used the WH-1000XM3 in wireless mode as well and the music AMAZED my ears just like the IER-Z1R wowed me. I could not believe how good the LDAC transmitted the signal to them. In wired mode (high gain mode), the WH-1000XM3 has too much bass and not enough treble. But in wireless mode, the mids and highs are about even and the bass feels punchy without being overbearing like Beats headphones. The XM3 headphones in wireless mode sounded better than the MDR-Z1R sounded with the 4.4mm cable in balanced mode. Now the only question is, how can I enjoy Bluetooth without killing the battery since it drains the power in half. At this rate, I will probably use the XM3 in wireless mode when the Walkman needs to be charged back to normal. Like people said, trust your ears and that's just what I felt when listening to them. I was really surprised. Any advice on how to maximize the battery when in Bluetooth mode or just only do BT mode when charging the player. Thoughts? Heck, knowing this, perhaps the MDR-Z1R or the MDR-Z7M2. Still, I'm planning to go to E-Earphone this weekend to test as many sets as possible just for the adventure.


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Well, I've had one of the most shocking revelations I think EVER. I tested the Bluetooth ability of my 1A with th WF-1000XM3 earbuds and the audio was consistent throughout, similar to the 1AM2 in sound signature. Then I used the WH-1000XM3 in wireless mode as well and the music AMAZED my ears just like the IER-Z1R wowed me. I could not believe how good the LDAC transmitted the signal to them. In wired mode (high gain mode), the WH-1000XM3 has too much bass and not enough treble. But in wireless mode, the mids and highs are about even and the bass feels punchy without being overbearing like Beats headphones. The XM3 headphones in wireless mode sounded better than the MDR-Z1R sounded with the 4.4mm cable in balanced mode. Now the only question is, how can I enjoy Bluetooth without killing the battery since it drains the power in half. At this rate, I will probably use the XM3 in wireless mode when the Walkman needs to be charged back to normal. Like people said, trust your ears and that's just what I felt when listening to them. I was really surprised. Any advice on how to maximize the battery when in Bluetooth mode or just only do BT mode when charging the player. Thoughts? Heck, knowing this, perhaps the MDR-Z1R or the MDR-Z7M2. Still, I'm planning to go to E-Earphone this weekend to test as many sets as possible just for the adventure.


Wf1000xm3 only has the SBC codec but it sounds great nevertheless. I think it’s the best true wireless iem in the market now. Heard the wh1000xm3 but didn’t quite like it due to its boomy bass.
The best way to listen to Bluetooth headphones is to just listen to it without worrying about the battery. If you worry about depleting your battery then you can’t use your device for anything really. Don’t worry about it. There’s no battery saving options in Bluetooth. It just transmits the music to your headphones and you enjoy it. Forget about preserving your battery and start enjoying your player more.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sorry I meant perhaps the MDR-Z7M2 anD MDR-Z1R maybe won’t be needed as this is probably the high end closed can sound I’ve wanted. I certainly have my two best IEM’s.


----------



## 515164

Gamerlingual said:


> Sorry I meant perhaps the MDR-Z7M2 anD MDR-Z1R maybe won’t be needed as this is probably the high end closed can sound I’ve wanted. I certainly have my two best IEM’s.



Well, each one of us hears differently, for sure. I have both the *WF* and *WH*-1000XM3 and the big ones sound really bad. The noise cancelling is excellent, but if you are used to something like Z7M2 for example, the *WH* will just sound bad. The sound is just... not really clean, with too much bass.

Actually, the *WF*-1000XM3 sounds a lot better than the big ones, I was actually impressed!

Comparing big noise cancelling headphones, I happened to test the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 and they really impressed me with that sound. I am waiting to see if *WH*-1000XM4 will sound any better than the XM3. If not, then Bose 700 is gonna be my choice for sure.


----------



## aceedburn

Imagine a world where you get to enjoy something different, something way more expensive sounding while maintaining your existing player. To put that in relevant context, imagine hearing the sound of WM1Z on your WM1A. How cool would that be right? Bro @morgenstern09 and me have been testing some new groundbreaking stuff that has dropped our jaws wide open. Stay tuned folks!


----------



## Gamerlingual

morgenstern09 said:


> Well, each one of us hears differently, for sure. I have both the *WF* and *WH*-1000XM3 and the big ones sound really bad. The noise cancelling is excellent, but if you are used to something like Z7M2 for example, the *WH* will just sound bad. The sound is just... not really clean, with too much bass.
> 
> Actually, the *WF*-1000XM3 sounds a lot better than the big ones, I was actually impressed!
> 
> Comparing big noise cancelling headphones, I happened to test the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 and they really impressed me with that sound. I am waiting to see if *WH*-1000XM4 will sound any better than the XM3. If not, then Bose 700 is gonna be my choice for sure.


The 700 didn’t have much of an audio improvement over the QC35 II for my ears. It disappointed me, but it does have better noise canceling than the QC35 series. Then again, I liked both their neutral sound signatures. After comparing the 700 to the big XM3, I felt the XM3 has better noise canceling, the adjustable EQ, and the LDAC connection brought out all the musical joy from the 1A. The tune is much better than in wired mode. 

Perfect example here of how people have contrasts. Now I see why people say trust me own ears and glad that others enjoy what they have.


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 28, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Imagine a world where you get to enjoy something different, something way more expensive sounding while maintaining your existing player. To put that in relevant context, imagine hearing the sound of WM1Z on your WM1A. How cool would that be right? Bro @morgenstern09 and me have been testing some new groundbreaking stuff that has dropped our jaws wide open. Stay tuned folks!


I hear that the battery is easy to get replaced with Sony. Is the replacement cost like $100 with parts and labor? Basically, enjoy it in wireless mode and when ready to replace, no problem. Unless a different company is better to send it to down the road? Just for knowledge


----------



## Whitigir

According to this website.  The HD800S has no problem driven by Walkman.  Just FYI
http://www.digizoid.com/headphones-power.html


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> Well, each one of us hears differently, for sure. I have both the *WF* and *WH*-1000XM3 and the big ones sound really bad. The noise cancelling is excellent, but if you are used to something like Z7M2 for example, the *WH* will just sound bad. The sound is just... not really clean, with too much bass.
> 
> Actually, the *WF*-1000XM3 sounds a lot better than the big ones, I was actually impressed!
> 
> Comparing big noise cancelling headphones, I happened to test the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 and they really impressed me with that sound. I am waiting to see if *WH*-1000XM4 will sound any better than the XM3. If not, then Bose 700 is gonna be my choice for sure.



I also had both XM3 and still have the WF but sold the WH. I agree that the WH sounded better over ldac than they did wired but nowhere near as good as the MDR-Z1R from the balanced output. I also prefer the sound from the WF to the sound from the WH but from the Sony players the WF can only use SBC (from my iPhone it is aac and sound really good).


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> I hear that the battery is easy to get replaced with Sony. Is the replacement cost like $100 with parts and labor? Basically, enjoy it in wireless mode and when ready to replace, no problem. Unless a different company is better to send it to down the road? Just for knowledge


Yeah I guess any authorised Sony centre would get that done for you easily. But like what other here have mentioned and also based on my experience , you don’t have to worry about the battery for at least 4-5 years. So just enjoy the player.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Auto correct certainly doesn’t help me. The big XM3 in wireless mode is much better than direct connection is what I meant to write


----------



## nc8000 (May 28, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I hear that the battery is easy to get replaced with Sony. Is the replacement cost like $100 with parts and labor? Basically, enjoy it in wireless mode and when ready to replace, no problem. Unless a different company is better to send it to down the road? Just for knowledge



I don’t think anybody has had the battery replaced by Sony. The ones that have had the battery replaced have either bought the battery as a spare part and replaced it themself or had it done by Music Sanctuary or Romi as part of having the player modded


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> Yeah I guess any authorised Sony centre would get that done for you easily. But like what other here have mentioned and also based on my experience , you don’t have to worry about the battery for at least 4-5 years. So just enjoy the player.


Got it. When the time comes, I’ll just ask for guidance. For now, just love and appreciate what I just discovered


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> I don’t think anybody has had the battery replaced by Sony. The ones that have had the battery replaced have either bought the battery as a sore part and replaced it themself or had it done by Music Sanctuary or Romi as part of having the player modded


I made a memo of those shop names just in case. Good to know


----------



## VancityDreaming

aceedburn said:


> Imagine a world where you get to enjoy something different, something way more expensive sounding while maintaining your existing player. To put that in relevant context, imagine hearing the sound of WM1Z on your WM1A. How cool would that be right? Bro @morgenstern09 and me have been testing some new groundbreaking stuff that has dropped our jaws wide open. Stay tuned folks!


Can firmware supersede hardware limitations? Im interested to find out haha


----------



## Duncan

VancityDreaming said:


> Can firmware supersede hardware limitations? Im interested to find out haha


What I would love to know is if the official firmware loads a different sound profile onto the 1A compared to the 1Z for the FPGA to crunch...

BTW - @aceedburn - you're officially a tease!


----------



## TubeStack

Can the WM1A stream high res?  Tidal MQA, etc?


----------



## 515164 (May 28, 2020)

Duncan said:


> What I would love to know is if the official firmware loads a different sound profile onto the 1A compared to the 1Z for the FPGA to crunch...



Yes, that is the idea, as some tuning mods can bring the WM1A closer to the 1Z sound. However, there will always be a part of the WM1A left. Also, WM1Z contains different wires and some other/better components which can slightly alter the sound. But I am pretty sure that the firmware plays an important part.

I mean, changing regions alters the sound. As they use the same firmware for both 1A and 1Z, and we can also call tunings for other devices, why there couldn't be the case for the 1A/1Z?



TubeStack said:


> Can the WM1A stream high res?  Tidal MQA, etc?



Stream, no. But if you manage to download some MQA files, the WM1A can play them.

WM1A only has Bluetooth and you can stream stuff like this, but no wireless or anything internet-related.


----------



## TubeStack

morgenstern09 said:


> Yes, that is the idea, as some tuning mods can bring the WM1A closer to the 1Z sound. However, there will always be a part of the WM1A left. Also, WM1Z contains different wires and some other/better components which can slightly alter the sound. But I am pretty sure that the firmware plays an important part.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Ok, thanks.

I see they’ve added high res streaming to the ZX-507. Any talk of adding it for the WM1A?

Thanks again.


----------



## nc8000

TubeStack said:


> Can the WM1A stream high res?  Tidal MQA, etc?



You can stream to it from a phone or tablet over BT as the players can act as BT receivers


----------



## nc8000

TubeStack said:


> Ok, thanks.
> 
> I see they’ve added high res streaming to the ZX-507. Any talk of adding it for the WM1A?
> 
> Thanks again.



No because the players don’t have wifi hw build in. The 507 is Android based while the 1A is based on Sony WM OS


----------



## gerelmx1986

Thanks to @nc8000  I am trying the firmware "Lotoo paw gold" I like what I am hearing. To be safe I rolled back to stock 3.02 and restarted and then applied FW lotoo


----------



## TubeStack

nc8000 said:


> No because the players don’t have wifi hw build in. The 507 is Android based while the 1A is based on Sony WM OS



Ok thanks.  I won’t bug you guys any more.


----------



## gerelmx1986

TubeStack said:


> Can the WM1A stream high res?  Tidal MQA, etc?


If everybody knew that MQA is the biggest lie in audio industry.


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> If everybody knew that MQA is the biggest lie in audio industry.



It's fine man, I know that and I still don't care. I will say again, as you also seem to repeat yours as well, MQA is still good for streaming audio that is higher than CD quality. Nobody forces you to buy MQA equipment or to buy MQA files from somewhere, so why should we really care that much about it?


----------



## VancityDreaming

Anyone can get blueray 5.1 flacs to play on WM1A? Always says it is not supported.


----------



## 515164

VancityDreaming said:


> Anyone can get blueray 5.1 flacs to play on WM1A? Always says it is not supported.



Probably the device doesn't support multichannel FLACs.


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> If everybody knew that MQA is the biggest lie in audio industry.




That Mqa is only good for streaming tidal nothing else!


----------



## VancityDreaming

morgenstern09 said:


> Probably the device doesn't support multichannel FLACs.


Yeah. The only downside. But poweramp on my note 8 plays its fine, i can usb dac it to my wm1a


----------



## Ravenous

Can anyone confirm if the WM1A would drive both the Philips Fidelio X2 and Periodic Audio Be's efficiently from the unbalanced output? How can I tell if the unbalanced output of the WM1A is sufficient for these headphones/earphones? Thanks!


----------



## 515164

Ravenous said:


> Can anyone confirm if the WM1A would drive both the Philips Fidelio X2 and Periodic Audio Be's efficiently from the unbalanced output? How can I tell if the unbalanced output of the WM1A is sufficient for these headphones/earphones? Thanks!



I am using Beyerdynamic DT1770 Pro (250 Ohms) and the unbalanced output can drive them very good. At 30 Ohms and respectively 32 Ohms, your phones should be easily driven by the 1A.


----------



## Ravenous

Ok cool, thanks! Was told that the WM1A doesn't have a lot of power in the unbalanced connection to drive alot of earphones but since I am only using those two those are the only one's that concern me.


----------



## JackSkully

Ravenous said:


> Ok cool, thanks! Was told that the WM1A doesn't have a lot of power in the unbalanced connection to drive alot of earphones but since I am only using those two those are the only one's that concern me.


You should invest in a 4.4mm cable for your headphones the balanced output can definitely drive 300ohm headphones. I use my 300ohm hd650 with my wm1a


----------



## JackSkully

Also if getting the cable is not an option you could always go into the settings and change output to high impedance for both balanced and unbalanced


----------



## nc8000

VancityDreaming said:


> Yeah. The only downside. But poweramp on my note 8 plays its fine, i can usb dac it to my wm1a



That's because poweramp downmixes it to two channels before sending it on. The WM players don't support more than two channels


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> If everybody knew that MQA is the biggest lie in audio industry.



MQA is not a lie, you just have to understand what it is and take it as that


----------



## VancityDreaming

nc8000 said:


> That's because poweramp downmixes it to two channels before sending it on. The WM players don't support more than two channels


Ahh i see. Thanks for the clarification


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> MQA is not a lie, you just have to understand what it is and take it as that


Iy is only lossless at 13/44.1 on the lower end and the rest 17bits is lossy


----------



## nc8000 (May 28, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Iy is only lossless at 13/44.1 on the lower end and the rest 17bits is lossy



It is technically lossy if played on a device that is not certified to do the full unfold as some bits precission is then lost to the audio origami folding data.  

It is always logically lossy in the sense that the bit stream that comes out at the end is not identical to the bit stream that was fed into the mqa process as the mqa process is more than just a compressed storage format but a whole system and philossofy about “improving” the sound. 

So it is not a lie but one need to understand what it is. It is a lie if it is simply described as a lossless file compression like flac as that is not what it is.

It is the same as HDCD discs as they also lost some bits if played on a cd player that was not HDCD certified but had enhanced dynamics and resolution when played on a HDCD certified player


----------



## Amber Rain

Hi all 

Some fairly noob questions here, but if anyone can help out it would be appreciated.

I got my WM1a second hand about 6 or so months ago (VGC), all good so far. It is a UK unit (going by the details in the side of the unit), but the Volume Cap has been lifted and High Gain feature has been enabled.

Q1. Is there any way for me to check which region the WM1A is on?

Q2. I have tried to flash / install some of the firmware mods (thanks @nc8000 for providing these), but I can't get any to install, as I get the following error message:

"Update will be terminated because the firmware data has collapsed
Redownload the program

Error Code: - 60002".

It would appear that my region is incompatible. My problem is that I have a Mac (which is on Catalina), but I also have a knackered old Mac (battery dead, trackpad broken), which is on an older operating system, which I used to install FW 3.02. However, this doesn't work either. Any suggestions? 

As I only have access to a Mac presumably I can't reset the region on the WM1a?

Thanks


----------



## 515164 (May 28, 2020)

Amber Rain said:


> Q1. Is there any way for me to check which region the WM1A is on?



With the Rockbox tool do:


```
rockbox_tool.exe G: dest_tool get
```

Replace G: with the letter of your internal driver after you enable the Mass Storage mode. It's normally named "WALKMAN". However, this only works on Windows or Linux.



Amber Rain said:


> Q2. I have tried to flash / install some of the firmware mods (thanks @nc8000 for providing these), but I can't get any to install, as I get the following error message:
> 
> "Update will be terminated because the firmware data has collapsed
> Redownload the program
> ...



This means that the Software Updater executable doesn't see the rest of the files, which is actually a directory named "Data". It has nothing to do with your region and you don't need to reset anything.

As you say you are on Mac OS, I'm pretty sure someone mentioned to me once that custom made installers don't work out of the box like the Sony official installers. I have no idea what to say... Maybe extract the files from the .dmg into a folder, and try running it from there.

If not, I really recommend Windows.






This is how the structure looks like on a Windows machine. If some of the files in the Data folder are not present or they are corrupted somehow, I will receive the same error as you did. My guess is that the folder is not seen by the app somehow, it shouldn't be anything related to corrupt files.


----------



## Lookout57

Amber Rain said:


> Hi all
> 
> Some fairly noob questions here, but if anyone can help out it would be appreciated.
> 
> ...


None of the custom tuning installers work with macOS Catalina due to Sony not updating their software as Apple recommended 4 years ago.

The only thing you can do is us macOS Mojave or Windows 10 in a VM. FYI, you can use Windows 10 without a license. You just lose some capabilities.


----------



## 515164

Lookout57 said:


> None of the custom tuning installers work with macOS Catalina due to Sony not updating their software as Apple recommended 4 years ago.



Well, he mentioned he has a "knackered old Mac (battery dead, trackpad broken), which is on an older operating system" 

But on the Catalina Mac you could easily give 20 GB or something for Bootcamp and quickly have a Windows 10 there at least for this thing or just for running something on a Windows machine when needed.


----------



## Krutsch

Question: I am running my WM1A (now with region J, which is nice...) with the headphone out into an external amp.

For others that do this, what volume do you set the Walkman to, assuming your primary volume control is the external amp.

I am mostly asking because the old school audiophool in me just can't run the WM1A at 120/120, since we all *know*  that distortion, et al. increases non-linearly, and greatly, as you near max power output.

However, maybe this doesn't apply with the S-Master digital amps in the modern Walkmans... I really don't know, so I'm asking.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Low or high gain max volume.  I suggest low gain and max volume and then watch it  burn muhahahaha 😇

Kidding its safe lol


----------



## Duncan

Agreed, on older Sony players (HD5 is my point of reference, got a couple of them, love them!) there is a specific line out mode, which is principally maximum volume (1.2v I believe), same with my other point of reference (Chord Mojo) - max volume (low gain I'd say) should be line out level


----------



## JerryHead (May 28, 2020)

sorry deleted this post as it was about the TA, so wrong thread..


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> ATH-IEX1 used A2DC connector, looks like MMCX. I think they're not same standards



All new Audio Technica products uses the A2DC connector as far as I know.


----------



## aceedburn

Krutsch said:


> Question: I am running my WM1A (now with region J, which is nice...) with the headphone out into an external amp.
> 
> For others that do this, what volume do you set the Walkman to, assuming your primary volume control is the external amp.
> 
> ...


Technically 120/120 low gain is the cleanest max volume. I usually set mine at 100 and my headphone amp at around 11 o’clock. So this gives me some headroom for my NWS-20 remote adjustment for the 1A as i usually sit away from my desk.


----------



## Krutsch

I ordered an XLR4 to 4.4mm Pentaconn converter from Woo Audio ... comes in a sweet wooden storage box and has very nice build quality.

Anyway, I am experimenting with my headphone collection using the adaptor, as all of my home 'phones have XLR connectors.

Right now, I am listening to my MrSpeakers ETHER directly connected to the balanced out with high gain set... I am impressed with the sound. I could actually see the WM1A replacing my home rig ... just kidding ... but seriously, this DAP is a contender for desktop replacement.


----------



## VancityDreaming

aceedburn said:


> Technically 120/120 low gain is the cleanest max volume. I usually set mine at 100 and my headphone amp at around 11 o’clock. So this gives me some headroom for my NWS-20 remote adjustment for the 1A as i usually sit away from my desk.


Would an external amp add anything for ier-z1r and wm1a? Genuinely want to know.


----------



## aceedburn

VancityDreaming said:


> Would an external amp add anything for ier-z1r and wm1a? Genuinely want to know.


A good transparent amp will definitely add that extra push out of your player. I love the sound of my headphones and iems directly thru the 1A. But with my K5 Pro amp, the bass gets more punchy and detailed, mids open up to be more airier and detailed and treble smoothens out and I hear better micro details on the edges. So yes, an amp does improve the sound. It drives your headphones better and unleashes it’s full potential. . That’s the way to look at it.


----------



## VancityDreaming

aceedburn said:


> A good transparent amp will definitely add that extra push out of your player. I love the sound of my headphones and iems directly thru the 1A. But with my K5 Pro amp, the bass gets more punchy and detailed, mids open up to be more airier and detailed and treble smoothens out and I hear better micro details on the edges. So yes, an amp does improve the sound. It drives your headphones better and unleashes it’s full potential. . That’s the way to look at it.


Just waiting for a company to release a 4.4 balanced amp. I know of the Oriolus ba300, but that only give +3 db.


----------



## aceedburn

VancityDreaming said:


> Just waiting for a company to release a 4.4 balanced amp. I know of the Oriolus ba300, but that only give +3 db.


Balanced is better for more power output and slightly better separation. I’ve tested a lot of stuff balanced Vs unbalanced and the results are usually marginal. SE out on a good device and on a good amp will give you what you need. All I’m saying is balanced is not always better. It’s very dependent on the gear that’s used.


----------



## Ravenous (May 29, 2020)

Hey again! So my Fidelio X2 and Pediodic Audio Be's have a 3.5mm cable but I was wondering, how would I go about listening to the WM1A through the balanced connection? What cables would you guys recommend for these headphones?


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> All new Audio Technica products uses the A2DC connector as far as I know.


So I can't run into a store and grab an MMCX cable to plug into these new ATHs?


----------



## Layman1

Amber Rain said:


> Hi all
> 
> Some fairly noob questions here, but if anyone can help out it would be appreciated.
> 
> ...



Have PM'd you


----------



## Manuelle27

[QUOTE = "proedros, publicación: 15495688, miembro: 158478"]
Probablemente terminaré usando WM1A - FW de nivel 2J el 90% de mi tiempo (teniendo un stock WM1A de Japón) pero qué demonios voy a descargar todos los FW, puedo terminar comprando un 1Z tal vez más tarde, ¿verdad?

este hilo está en llamas, gracias chicos (M&W)
[/CITAR]
He buscado enlaces de descarga de roms en toda la red y no pude encontrarlos, ¿podría alguien darme un nuevo enlace, por favor?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Manuelle27 said:


> [QUOTE = "proedros, publicación: 15495688, miembro: 158478"]
> Probablemente terminaré usando WM1A - FW de nivel 2J el 90% de mi tiempo (teniendo un stock WM1A de Japón) pero qué demonios voy a descargar todos los FW, puedo terminar comprando un 1Z tal vez más tarde, ¿verdad?
> 
> este hilo está en llamas, gracias chicos (M&W)
> ...


@nc8000  Tiene todos los firmware creados hasta la fecha, quizás l faltan los las nuevos de @morgenstern09  y @aceedburn


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> @nc8000  Tiene todos los firmware creados hasta la fecha, quizás l faltan los las nuevos de @morgenstern09  y @aceedburn



They are all there, except WM1+ probably.


----------



## aceedburn (May 29, 2020)

As a follow up to my post yesterday, I must say WM1Z with v2 firmware from bro @morgenstern09 is musical bliss. Can’t stop listening to my entire collection again. Heavenly, majestic and warm. All elements of a perfect sounding device. But wait, I don’t have a 1Z, I have a 1A. So how is it possible?? Hallucination? Magic? 1A becomes 1Z.


----------



## gerelmx1986

*i really like the lotoo firmware almost similar to DMP-Z1 1.02 but with a bigger stage*


----------



## Duncan

aceedburn said:


> As a follow up to my post yesterday, I must say WM1Z with v2 firmware from bro @morgenstern09 is musical bliss. Can’t stop listening to my entire collection again. Heavenly, majestic and warm. All elements of a perfect sounding device. But wait, I don’t have a 1Z, I have a 1A. So how is it possible?? Hallucination? Magic? 1A becomes 1Z.


Grr! Sharing is caring


----------



## aceedburn

Duncan said:


> Grr! Sharing is caring


Very true and it shall be shared. Very soon. Need to tidy up a few loose ends and oil the pumps etc. very soon.


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> @nc8000  Tiene todos los firmware creados hasta la fecha, quizás l faltan los las nuevos de @morgenstern09  y @aceedburn


@Manuelle27 Creo que lo que el té está diciendo es que los expertos del firmware son las personas que el mencionó. Morgen y aceed burn te pueden ayudar, pero no se si ellos hablan español o tal vez necesiten usar un app de traducción como Google. Si necesitas clarificación de los explicaciones, puedo ayudar cuando mi tiempo permite. Buena suerte


----------



## Manuelle27

Gamerlingual said:


> @Manuelle27 Creo que lo que el té está diciendo es que los expertos del firmware son las personas que el mencionó. Morgen y aceed burn te pueden ayudar, pero no se si ellos hablan español o tal vez necesiten usar un app de traducción como Google. Si necesitas clarificación de los explicaciones, puedo ayudar cuando mi tiempo permite. Buena suerte


Gracias bro. Saludos


----------



## Gamerlingual

Manuelle27 said:


> Gracias bro. Saludos


Mi primer idioma es inglés. Mi español está más o menos. Pero allí voy cuando yo puedo


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> Mi primer idioma es inglés. Mi español está más o menos. Pero allí voy cuando yo puedo


Mi primer idioma es el español,  seguido el inglés y mi tercero el alemán (mexicano viviendo en alemania desde hace 2 años)


----------



## Vitaly2017

Did someone changed the default language to espagniola?
Que passo amigos???


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> Did someone changed the default language to espagniola?
> Que passo amigos???


Despanglisch


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> Mi primer idioma es el español,  seguido el inglés y mi tercero el alemán (mexicano viviendo en alemania desde hace 2 años)


Americano con padres de Costa Rica viviendo en Japón por 6 años


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Did someone changed the default language to espagniola?
> Que passo amigos???


Nope. Just supporting the multi language users when I can. I talk to my parents in Spanish and English all the time. Also studied 4 years of French in high school and speak some Italian because my great grandpops is from Rovigo, Italia. My Japanese is maybe mid level at best. Having the 1A DAP available in so many languages has been helpful for training.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Despanglisch



One thing that is sure is that there will be less replys to posts in other languages than english


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> One thing that is sure is that there will be less replys to posts in other languages than english


That I agree.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> One thing that is sure is that there will be less replys to posts in other languages than english


Yes, i aknowledge that. Something i wanted to say to out buddy, but didn't want to come as a snob despite I know is a worldwide forum thus english is the default


----------



## gerelmx1986

Back on topic , I wish sony implemented a voice-over like iPod touch for the visually impaired


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Back on topic , I wish sony implemented a voice-over like iPod touch for the visually impaired



To read tag info ?


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> Back on topic , I wish sony implemented a voice-over like iPod touch for the visually impaired


Do you own a 1Z by the way, or the 1A for now?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Nope. Just supporting the multi language users when I can. I talk to my parents in Spanish and English all the time. Also studied 4 years of French in high school and speak some Italian because my great grandpops is from Rovigo, Italia. My Japanese is maybe mid level at best. Having the 1A DAP available in so many languages has been helpful for training.




Sest cool sa moi je parle tres bien francais. Jhabite a montrel!
Ainsi langlais et le russe!


----------



## frost15

Gamerlingual said:


> Nope. Just supporting the multi language users when I can. I talk to my parents in Spanish and English all the time. Also studied 4 years of French in high school and speak some Italian because my great grandpops is from Rovigo, Italia. My Japanese is maybe mid level at best. Having the 1A DAP available in so many languages has been helpful for training.


Aquí otro español que se desenvuelve en inglés también


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Sest cool sa moi je parle tres bien francais. Jhabite a montrel!
> Ainsi langlais et le russe!



What about those that learn French just to read the literature in French; I met someone who did that.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I got my moded 1z/romi back in case you guys didn't know 😜😅


----------



## frost15

I give faith that the new fw developed by our fellow creator @morgenstern09 is bliss on the 1Z. It's like Autumn+ with more clarity and detail, at the cost of some bass that wasn't really needed.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> To read tag info ?


More.like if I left my finger pressed ar a category that it would say f.e Compiser etc and read a.list


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> Do you own a 1Z by the way, or the 1A for now?


1A


----------



## Vitaly2017

frost15 said:


> I give faith that the new fw developed by our fellow creator @morgenstern09 is bliss on the 1Z. It's like Autumn+ with more clarity and detail, at the cost of some bass that wasn't really needed.




I will be able to finally try them as I just got my 1z back finally!


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> Back on topic , I wish sony implemented a voice-over like iPod touch for the visually impaired



Waiiitt are you blind? How you use your 1a and respond to the thread 😝

So tiger can do talks about you and you wont see them 🤠



Redcarmoose said:


> What about those that learn French just to read the literature in French; I met someone who did that.




Its simply that the area where I live is french province.
All provinces in canada are English except mine LoL so I always asked my self why the heck????
Usa and Canada is all English just Quebec had to be different you know


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Waiiitt are you blind? How you use your 1a and respond to the thread 😝
> 
> So tiger can do talks about you and you wont see them 🤠
> 
> ...



Of course, I knew that, I been to a couple cities in Canada! Wonderful place; though never seen Quebec.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (May 29, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Waiiitt are you blind? How you use your 1a and respond to the thread 😝
> 
> So tiger can do talks about you and you wont see them 🤠
> 
> ...


I am not 100% blind but according.to my doctor I have an estimated 16-20% trmaining vision after my retinal detachment. At the day I can see ok but I am learning to use a cane to walk at night. To answer to head-fi, read cell phone and walkman and read books, news paper etc I use an extreme magnifying glass


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Mindstorms

Crap I lost all the hablemos español jokes! I know spanish and some italian too unfortunately I dont speak english....


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am not 100% blind but according.to my doctor I have an estimated 16-20% trmaining vision after my retinal detachment. At the day I can see ok but I am learning to use a cane to walk at night. To answer to head-fi, read cell phone and walkman and read books, news paper etc I use an extreme magnifying glass


sorry to hear this dough I already knew about your condition friend


----------



## Amber Rain

Thanks for all your help, greatly appreciated. @Layman1 had the solution which was to right click on the relevant software tool and select “show package contents”  and click on the software tool there 😁


----------



## Layman1

Amber Rain said:


> Thanks for all your help, greatly appreciated. @Layman1 had the solution which was to right click on the relevant software tool and select “show package contents”  and click on the software tool there 😁



You're welcome, and for anyone else who might need it, here's a screenshot of the workaround I found.
Just to reiterate, this is a workaround for people trying to install Mac versions of the custom FW's using an older version of MacOS (mine was on Mojave)


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Of course, I knew that, I been to a couple cities in Canada! Wonderful place; though never seen Quebec.




You ever come to quebec absolutely try the poutine  🤩🤩🤩
Only in quebec ! The squishy squishy cheese !!!


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am not 100% blind but according.to my doctor I have an estimated 16-20% trmaining vision after my retinal detachment. At the day I can see ok but I am learning to use a cane to walk at night. To answer to head-fi, read cell phone and walkman and read books, news paper etc I use an extreme magnifying glass




😯😮🥺

Thats though man . 
I share you some super tiger powers may it help you in your journey 🐯


----------



## VancityDreaming

Vitaly2017 said:


> You ever come to quebec absolutely try the poutine  🤩🤩🤩
> Only in quebec ! The squishy squishy cheese !!!


Or come to Vancouver for some fish n chips :^)


----------



## Queen6 (May 29, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Very true and it shall be shared. Very soon. Need to tidy up a few loose ends and oil the pumps etc. very soon.



After all, patience is a virtue 

Q-6


----------



## Ravenous

Sorry to ask again, and I do appreciate all the help in this thread. I just ordered my WM1A but I was just wondering if anyone could recommend a balanced solution for both the Philips Fidelio X2 and the Periodic Audio Beryllium.


----------



## Gamerlingual

I know I’ve been posting too much when I appear on “This week’s top posters”. 

Oh well. Anyhow, does anyone here use the DSP in either over your players? How obvious are the sound changes when using say the IER-Z1R or 1AM2? Or any other headphones


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> I know I’ve been posting too much when I appear on “This week’s top posters”.
> 
> Oh well. Anyhow, does anyone here use the DSP in either over your players? How obvious are the sound changes when using say the IER-Z1R or 1AM2? Or any other headphones


I use DSEE HX, female vocals and Phase lineariser, Type A Low

it does change the sound, when switching on / off direct mode, but is it a night and day difference, no - given 24hrs of not using them, I’d probably forget they’re not on.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> 😯😮🥺
> 
> Thats though man .
> I share you some super tiger powers may it help you in your journey 🐯


I've asked my trainer if there are guide cats for the blind, cause I don't like dogs, haha because they stink like d'oh dogs


----------



## akãjerovia (May 29, 2020)

frost15 said:


> Aquí otro español que se desenvuelve en inglés también



Sudamerica presente, desde Paraguay


----------



## RobertP (Jun 7, 2020)

Edited


----------



## gearofwar (May 29, 2020)

RobertP said:


> *Orion* _Stage5_
> sound tunes firmware are up >> *Here*
> 
> After a month of sound tuning, I think this is by far better than my other tunes. Orion tune should do well in all type of genre.
> ...


The tone is so rich !! I’m so amazed , this is a match-made in heaven for my modded unit. Thanks a lot for sharing, you and @morgenstern09 are outstanding individuals of this community


----------



## Tanjiro

RobertP said:


> *Orion* _Stage5_
> sound tunes firmware are up >> *Here*
> 
> After a month of sound tuning, I think this is by far better than my other tunes. Orion tune should do well in all type of genre.
> ...


Is this a 3.02 or 3.01 base?  Thanks.


----------



## RobertP

Tanjiro said:


> Is this a 3.02 or 3.01 base?  Thanks.


It's 3.02 base


----------



## Tanjiro (May 29, 2020)

RobertP said:


> It's 3.02 base


Thanks a lot. 

It brings the vocal a little bit more forward, bass is richer and treble is a bit more define.  Very  Nice!  Thanks for sharing.

This one is a keeper for me definitely.😍


----------



## nc8000

Ravenous said:


> Sorry to ask again, and I do appreciate all the help in this thread. I just ordered my WM1A but I was just wondering if anyone could recommend a balanced solution for both the Philips Fidelio X2 and the Periodic Audio Beryllium.



As far as I can see the X2 has a captive single entry cable. If the cable runs 4 wires all the way to the trs plug you could cut of the existing plug and solder a 4.4 mm plug onto the cable. If it only runs 3 wires you would need to take the phones apart and fit a completely new cable. 

The same goes for the Beryllium although it looks like they might have a removable cable so you might find a cable manufacturer who can supply a balanced cable for them but the plug at the headphone end does not look like a type I recognize.


----------



## Duncan

RobertP said:


> *Orion* _Stage5_
> sound tunes firmware are up >> *Here*
> 
> After a month of sound tuning, I think this is by far better than my other tunes. Orion tune should do well in all type of genre.
> ...


This works beautifully with the FiiO FH7.


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> *Orion* _Stage5_
> sound tunes firmware are up >> *Here*
> 
> After a month of sound tuning, I think this is by far better than my other tunes. Orion tune should do well in all type of genre.
> ...




So we should set J region for this fw?


----------



## Tanjiro

Vitaly2017 said:


> So we should set J region for this fw?


FYI.  My 1A is J region & it sounds great.


----------



## RobertP

Vitaly2017 said:


> So we should set J region for this fw?


Hmm, the tune developed in J region. I haven't try other region myself so I can't say much about it yet.


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> Hmm, the tune developed in J region. I haven't try other region myself so I can't say much about it yet.




I see in your signature you also have stage 7?    I have set it to J will test soon!  Was this tuned for your modded 1z right?


----------



## RobertP (May 29, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I see in your signature you also have stage 7?    I have set it to J will test soon!  Was this tuned for your modded 1z right?


You don't missed much with stage5 tune. Anything higher than that might be too overwhelmed of details sometimes. It's for my 8 cores cable and ground terminal mod setup. Not intended for public release.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Can someone please remind me of what happens when an official firmware update comes out when you have changed your region and other settings?


----------



## Ravenous

nc8000 said:


> As far as I can see the X2 has a captive single entry cable. If the cable runs 4 wires all the way to the trs plug you could cut of the existing plug and solder a 4.4 mm plug onto the cable. If it only runs 3 wires you would need to take the phones apart and fit a completely new cable.
> 
> The same goes for the Beryllium although it looks like they might have a removable cable so you might find a cable manufacturer who can supply a balanced cable for them but the plug at the headphone end does not look like a type I recognize.


Thanks for the reply! The Periodic Audio Be's don't have a removable cable unfortunately, but the Philips Fidelio X2's come with a detatchable 3.5mm cable that can be replaced with any 3.5mm male to 3.5mm male. So as far as you know the X2's can't really run balanced unless I modify the internal entry of the headphone?


----------



## 524419 (May 29, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> Thanks for the reply! The Periodic Audio Be's don't have a removable cable unfortunately, but the Philips Fidelio X2's come with a detatchable 3.5mm cable that can be replaced with any 3.5mm male to 3.5mm male. So as far as you know the X2's can't really run balanced unless I modify the internal entry of the headphone?


Just have the cable reterminated to 4.4mm. If you are handy with a soldering iron, you can do it in 10 minutes. You don't have to mess with any internals, its a very simple swap.


----------



## 515164

Diet Kokaine said:


> Just have the cable reterminated to 4.4mm. If you are handy with a soldering iron, you can do it in 10 minutes. You don't have to mess with any internals, its a very simple swap.



If it's integrated 3.5mm cable, it should have only 3 wires, so you can't put 4.4 to just 3 wires.


----------



## 524419 (May 29, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> If it's integrated 3.5mm cable, it should have only 3 wires, so you can't put 4.4 to just 3 wires.


You are right. Maybe some cable builders that have experience with this issue can chime in.
The 3 wires only go to 1 side of the headphone. Grounds to the left and right side would have to isolated and reterminated separately, it's a bigger job than just wiring the cable end.
The entire wire would have to be replaced.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 8, 2020)

all good things end some day


----------



## Ravenous

morgenstern09 said:


> If it's integrated 3.5mm cable, it should have only 3 wires, so you can't put 4.4 to just 3 wires.





Diet Kokaine said:


> You are right. Maybe some cable builders that have experience with this issue can chime in.
> The 3 wires only go to 1 side of the headphone. Grounds to the left and right side would have to isolated and reterminated separately, it's a bigger job than just wiring the cable end.
> The entire wire would have to be replaced.


Are you referring to the X2's detatchable cable, or the built in cable of the Be's? Would it be possible to get a custom cable for the X2's? I'm sorry I literally have no idea how to listen to balanced as it's my first time getting a player that focuses on the balanced connection. I'd rather not have to buy another headphone for balanced if that's possible lol.


----------



## aceedburn

Hinomotocho said:


> Can someone please remind me of what happens when an official firmware update comes out when you have changed your region and other settings?


Nothing happens, the firmware just gets upgraded. But whether you’ll be able to load any more tuning mods after that depends on whether sony has plugged that hole or not. Region settings doesn’t matter.


----------



## Gamerlingual

I wonder if I should try this firmware or not since I'm already in J firmware


----------



## RobertP

Gamerlingual said:


> I wonder if I should try this firmware or not since I'm already in J firmware


You can always restore offical firmware back later if anything.


----------



## Gamerlingual

RobertP said:


> You can always restore offical firmware back later if anything.


Ok, I'll check the file. But all the instructions are included for restoring if something goes wrong? Thanks for the prompt reply


----------



## RobertP

The fw will be untouched. Just the tune will apply. So you DAP will boot right up if anything.


----------



## Gamerlingual

RobertP said:


> The fw will be untouched. Just the tune will apply. So you DAP will boot right up if anything.


Thanks a lot. Will try in a bit


----------



## Hinomotocho

For people who use playlists, how do you create yours? 
I am a chronic surfer trying to cut my screen time down and was looking for recommendations for the best way to make playlists on PC.
Is Music Centre the best for Walkmans? Are you able to edit Music Centre playlists in the the WM1A? I think in the past certain externally made playlists weren't able to be edited with my ZX300.


----------



## gazzington

Managed to buy a cheap Sony MDR z7 headphones yesterday. They will arrive on Monday.


----------



## Gamerlingual

gazzington said:


> Managed to buy a cheap Sony MDR z7 headphones yesterday. They will arrive on Monday.


How much?


----------



## gazzington

£250 under 40 hrs use


----------



## hamhamhamsta (May 30, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> The tone is so rich !! I’m so amazed , this is a match-made in heaven for my modded unit. Thanks a lot for sharing, you and @morgenstern09 are outstanding individuals of this community


Another stellar FW! The tones feel very solid, have weight to them and yes very rich, very musical, vocals full of emotions and shimmers. Yet there is abundant air around. Usually in tuning like this, clarity and separation are quite mediocre, but here its just so crystal clear. Btw I'm using CN Region. This should give different but spectacular flavor to iems such as EE Zeus, Andromeda alleviating some of its lack of bass, weight notes and so on.

Another really Amazing and Spectacular FW! It's clear a lot of love, labor and polish have been invested in this, it shows.


----------



## Gamerlingual

gazzington said:


> £250 under 40 hrs use


Cheap indeed. Good score.


----------



## nc8000

Ravenous said:


> Are you referring to the X2's detatchable cable, or the built in cable of the Be's? Would it be possible to get a custom cable for the X2's? I'm sorry I literally have no idea how to listen to balanced as it's my first time getting a player that focuses on the balanced connection. I'd rather not have to buy another headphone for balanced if that's possible lol.



If the X2 have a removable cable that has a 3.5 trs in both ends you cant make them balanced unles you modify the phone itself as that means the interface only has 3 wires. The BE you might be able to cut the 3.5 plug of and solder a 4.4 plug on but only IF the cable runs 4 wires all the way to the 3.5 plug and the only way to find out is to cut the plug off


----------



## Layman1

hamhamhamsta said:


> Another stellar FW! The tones feel very solid, have weight to them and yes very rich, very musical, vocals full of emotions and shimmers. Yet there is abundant air around. Usually in tuning like this, clarity and separation are quite mediocre, but here its just so crystal clear. Btw I'm using CN Region. This should give different but spectacular flavor to iems such as EE Zeus, Andromeda alleviating some of its lack of bass, weight notes and so on.
> 
> Another really Amazing and Spectacular FW! It's clear a lot of love, labor and polish have been invested in this, it shows.



Mac version of Orion?
Someone, anyone, please?  
This sounds like a must-try


----------



## Gamerlingual

Is there a database of headphones I could find that state which ones have the 4.4mm balanced connector? Would be good to know for my 1A


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Is there a database of headphones I could find that state which ones have the 4.4mm balanced connector? Would be good to know for my 1A



Don't think so. Not that many come stock with 4.4 but any phone with dual entry and removable cable can have a 4.4 fitted and there are many that make these cables at all price ranges


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Don't think so. Not that many come stock with 4.4 but any phone with dual entry and removable cable can have a 4.4 fitted and there are many that make these cables at all price ranges


Im guessing with Sony, only the MDR-Z1R, 1AM2, and the Z7M2 are the only over ear cans with the 4.4mm?


----------



## nc8000 (May 30, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Im guessing with Sony, only the MDR-Z1R, 1AM2, and the Z7M2 are the only over ear cans with the 4.4mm?



And all the IER in ears. Loads of headphones though use cables with 2 x 3.5 into the cups and they can all use the same 4.4 cables and most higher end in ears have detachable cables. 

Some of the Sennheiser also come with 4.4


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> And all the IER in ears. Loads of headphones though use cables with 2 x 3.5 into the cups and they can all use the same 4.4 cables and most higher end in ears have detachable cables.
> 
> Some of the Sennheiser also come with 4.4


Ah. Meaning any headphones with detachable cables can use the balanced cable as long as the connectors work. Like 1000XM3 can use a 3.5mm to 4.4mm cable


----------



## nc8000 (May 30, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Ah. Meaning any headphones with detachable cables can use the balanced cable as long as the connectors work. Like 1000XM3 can use a 3.5mm to 4.4mm cable



If the headphone only have a single entry point for one single ended 3.5 mm plug (look at the stock cables male plug that goes into the cup, 3 sections = single ended, 4 sections = possibly prepared for balanced) it can't be made balanced just with a cable but has to be modified internally to accept a full 4 wire connection. Balanced always requires 4 wires (a + and a - signal for each driver). Single ended just requires 3 wires (a + for each driver and a common ground). The single ended also runs 2 wires to each driver but the ground connection for each driver is joined together either in the single 3.5 female plug on the phone or in the Y splitter where the wires from each cup meet and then only run 3 wires to the 3.5 (or 6.5) plug but some cables do run all 4 wires all the way to the 3.5 plug where 2 wires are then soldered to the ground ring.


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> If the headphone only have a single entry point for one 3.5 mm plug it can't be made balanced just with a cable but has to be modified internally to accept a full 4 wire connection. Balanced always requires 4 wires (a + and a - signal for each driver). Single ended just requires 3 wires (a + for each driver and a common ground). The single ended also runs 2 wires to each driver but the ground connection for each driver is joined together either in the single 3.5 female plug on the phone or in the Y splitter where the wires from each cup meet and then only run 3 wires to the 3.5 (or 6.5) plug but some cables do run all 4 wires all the way to the 3.5 plug where 2 wires are then soldered to the ground ring.


Oh. Simply put I’m thinking of using the 4.4mm ended cable from the 1AM2 for the WH-1000XM3, which is where the idea comes from. I’ll see how it sounds. Thanks for that explanation


----------



## nc8000 (May 30, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Oh. Simply put I’m thinking of using the 4.4mm ended cable from the 1AM2 for the WH-1000XM3, which is where the idea comes from. I’ll see how it sounds. Thanks for that explanation



That probably wont work. If you look at the XM3 cable you will see that the plug that goes into the cup has 3 sections (as far as I remember as I dont have them any more) whereas the 4.4 cable from the 1AM2 has 4 sections on the plug going into the cup(I assume). So the 1AM2 is internally prepared for balanced as opposed to the XM3 that is internally only prepared for single ended


----------



## Duncan

nc8000 said:


> That probably wont work. If you look at the XM3 cable you will see that the plug that goes into the cup has 3 sections (as far as I remember as I dont have them any more) whereas the 4.4 cable from the 1AM2 has 4 sections on the plug going into the cup(I assume). So the 1AM2 is internally prepared for balanced as opposed to the XM3 that is internally only prepared for single ended


Correct, only 3 pole, almost certain damage to the player if this is tried


----------



## gerelmx1986

What does this means? FeDex Estimated Shipment date: Open


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> What does this means? FeDex Estimated Shipment date: Open



That they at the moment have no idea when delivery will be I would assume


----------



## Gamerlingual

Duncan said:


> Correct, only 3 pole, almost certain damage to the player if this is tried


Not tested. Will leave as is to not damage it if that is the case.


----------



## Duncan

I think that Orion has stopped my lusting for the 1Z (one currently available on Amazon UK) - I might be going a bit against the grain, but I do like to add DSEE HX, and this fw allows me to use Strings again, rather than Female Vocals

I love this fw modding scene, definitely something for everyone!


----------



## slumberman

gerelmx1986 said:


> What does this means? FeDex Estimated Shipment date: Open


Means they’re waiting for a plane with space for your package, essentially: my IER Z1R was stuck “open” for 3 days for the same reason. Coronavirus has drastically modified routes and transition times.


----------



## gerelmx1986

slumberman said:


> Means they’re waiting for a plane with space for your package, essentially: my IER Z1R was stuck “open” for 3 days for the same reason. Coronavirus has drastically modified routes and transition times.


Thanks in my case is a duo pack of now-discontinued Handel SACD


----------



## RobertP

Layman1 said:


> Mac version of Orion?
> Someone, anyone, please?
> This sounds like a must-try


I'll have Mac Version soon.


----------



## bana

Vitaly2017 said:


> I have something very cool for you all! A compilation of all FW that we have been sharing from day 1. This are all windows versions only sorry
> 
> Tiger ears feel share full so enjoy the goodies!
> 
> ...


Thanks for the effort in putting everything in one place. Much appreciated.


----------



## Layman1

RobertP said:


> I'll have Mac Version soon.



That's great!
Please feel free to change your username to 'The Mac Daddy' upon completion


----------



## VancityDreaming

How close does orion stage 5 on wm1a get towards the stock 1z? Anyone here can test this?😅


----------



## proedros

been on 3.02 since 13.05 - time to try some of the newer FWs , starting with @RobertP 's orion 5


----------



## proedros

Vitaly2017 said:


> I have something very cool for you all! A compilation of all FW that we have been sharing from day 1. This are all windows versions only sorry
> 
> Tiger ears feel share full so enjoy the goodies!
> 
> ...




very cool share, indeed


----------



## mmwwmm

Sorry if this has been asked before but, which are the mods developed exclusively in (or for) the 1Z? 

Thanks!


----------



## Gamerlingual

I’m all set to go to E-Earphone in Akihabara all day to finally test some high end closed cans with my 1A. Should be a day of bliss in 10 hours


----------



## RobertP (May 30, 2020)

VancityDreaming said:


> How close does orion stage 5 on wm1a get towards the stock 1z? Anyone here can test this?😅


Should be a hair away closer to stock 1Z. Orion stage5 on NW-WM1Z is far better. But with same tier3 mods. Stock 1A have only OFC internal wires.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Having purchased in Australia I assume mine must be E region firmware. Before changing the firmware regions is there a tuning mod that may achieve the sound of J region staying on stock E?


----------



## 515164

Hinomotocho said:


> Having purchased in Australia I assume mine must be E region firmware. Before changing the firmware regions is there a tuning mod that may achieve the sound of J region staying on stock E?



Each region (J, E, U, CN) belong to a variant. There are 3 variants for the 1A/1Z: Universal, Japanese, and European.

J belongs to the Japanese version, this is the one that matches. U (US), CN, MX, E, CA, and others, belong to the Universal variant, while CEV, CEW and some more, belong to the European variant.

The variant always stays the same, while the region can be changed. If your player has U region by default, and then you change your region to CEV, the player will not become European variant. It will still remain Universal, as variants don't change, but it can use a different region, as regions can be changed.

If your player would be E, that means it's Universal. If you change to J, it will still be Universal, and you should choose only the Universal variant of any tuning mod (if there are separate versions for each region). 

Hope I make sense.

@gerelmx1986 https://www.avforums.com/news/mqa-expands-global-partnerships-for-high-end-experience.17636


----------



## JerryHead

Is it ultimately better for long term battery life to keep the 1A on, and in standby for several days until it's close to running out, or should I be turning it off every time I'm not using it, as in multiple times per day?  Thanks.


----------



## 515164

JerryHead said:


> Is it ultimately better for long term battery life to keep the 1A on, and in standby for several days until it's close to running out, or should I be turning it off every time I'm not using it, as in multiple times per day?  Thanks.



The player has a setting to close automatically if not used. By default it's set to 24h. I don't worry additionally past this.


----------



## Hinomotocho

morgenstern09 said:


> Each region (J, E, U, CN) belong to a variant. There are 3 variants for the 1A/1Z: Universal, Japanese, and European.
> 
> J belongs to the Japanese version, this is the one that matches. U (US), CN, MX, E, CA, and others, belong to the Universal variant, while CEV, CEW and some more, belong to the European variant.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your explanation - I have made it through a lot of this thread but I haven't quite sourced the start of the region/tuning mods posts, so I am still trying to get my head around it all. 
I clocked up 200 hours recently and I know there are still improvements to come but I am understanding what my stock sound characteristics are. I am happy with the sound but would like to steer it more to a tuning that I prefer. I know everyone says changing regions is easy but because of changing to J also means changing language and (I'd prefer) radio frequencies I am still concerned I may botch it up so a straight up tuning mod like I tried on my ZX300 seems more straightforward. To reverse the region change process (with language and radio changed also) to revert to stock as my player is now, is that done by reversing the steps with the tool or installing the original stock firmware to 'reset' it?


----------



## 515164

Hinomotocho said:


> Thanks for your explanation - I have made it through a lot of this thread but I haven't quite sourced the start of the region/tuning mods posts, so I am still trying to get my head around it all.
> I clocked up 200 hours recently and I know there are still improvements to come but I am understanding what my stock sound characteristics are. I am happy with the sound but would like to steer it more to a tuning that I prefer. I know everyone says changing regions is easy but because of changing to J also means changing language and (I'd prefer) radio frequencies I am still concerned I may botch it up so a straight up tuning mod like I tried on my ZX300 seems more straightforward. To reverse the region change process (with language and radio changed also) to revert to stock as my player is now, is that done by reversing the steps with the tool or installing the original stock firmware to 'reset' it?



There is no chance of botching anything, I wouldn't worry about that.

Reverting the changes means just using the tool again to set the region back to E, for example, and restarting the player.

The language will remain the same as before changing to J, and WM1A/Z doesn't have FM radio, so no point of thinking about frequencies.


----------



## mmwwmm

How can I make my own tuning mod? I’d like to make my own “tuning mod” to fit the sound to my taste so, which is the procedure to make and tweak these mods?


----------



## Duncan

morgenstern09 said:


> There is no chance of botching anything, I wouldn't worry about that.
> 
> Reverting the changes means just using the tool again to set the region back to E, for example, and restarting the player.
> 
> The language will remain the same as before changing to J, and WM1A/Z doesn't have FM radio, so no point of thinking about frequencies.


The only foot note I’ll add to this, when the rockbox program tells you to reset the player to get the new functionality, *DON’T* do the hard reset within the player, at most hold down the power button for 8 seconds to reboot...

for example, J region only supports Japanese text on screen, I learned that the hard way when I first got my player!


----------



## Hinomotocho

morgenstern09 said:


> There is no chance of botching anything, I wouldn't worry about that.
> 
> Reverting the changes means just using the tool again to set the region back to E, for example, and restarting the player.
> 
> The language will remain the same as before changing to J, and WM1A/Z doesn't have FM radio, so no point of thinking about frequencies.


Thank you again my friend. Just me, but I get a bit anxious tampering with new devices - I know it is probably safe but worst case scenario I'm sure a warranty claim would be rejected for unofficial tweaks.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

hamhamhamsta said:


> Another stellar FW! The tones feel very solid, have weight to them and yes very rich, very musical, vocals full of emotions and shimmers. Yet there is abundant air around. Usually in tuning like this, clarity and separation are quite mediocre, but here its just so crystal clear. Btw I'm using CN Region. This should give different but spectacular flavor to iems such as EE Zeus, Andromeda alleviating some of its lack of bass, weight notes and so on.
> 
> Another really Amazing and Spectacular FW! It's clear a lot of love, labor and polish have been invested in this, it shows.





Layman1 said:


> Mac version of Orion?
> Someone, anyone, please?
> This sounds like a must-try


I'm using the Orion FW with JBL LS305 active speakers via balanced cables to both 1Z and speakers; it sounds really really good. So musical and natural. Gentle and soothing vocal, crystal clear and good separation and bass, in fact I have to put bass at -2 and it still rumble well, no spill at all.

This is the best FW for me so far for using with speakers.


----------



## Duncan

Hinomotocho said:


> Thank you again my friend. Just me, but I get a bit anxious tampering with new devices - I know it is probably safe but worst case scenario I'm sure a warranty claim would be rejected for unofficial tweaks.


If worried about that, when looking at the guide for the program, you’ll see that you can check both the region code and sound pressure level setting, make a note of both before making any changes - just so that you can switch back if any warranty repairs are needed


----------



## Hinomotocho

Duncan said:


> If worried about that, when looking at the guide for the program, you’ll see that you can check both the region code and sound pressure level setting, make a note of both before making any changes - just so that you can switch back if any warranty repairs are needed


Good idea - will do that thanks


----------



## terminaut

Might be old news for most folks here, but I just stumbled on some interesting reading for those who might be curious about the WM1Z's development.

https://www.sony.jp/walkman/special/flagship/manufacturer/index.html
(be sure to look through all six pages of details)

I wasn't aware of this, but the audio doesn't stabilize till about 220 seconds after power on.


_"Katsumasa Yoshioka [Electrical Design]

Increased from 350mF (Millifarad) to 500mF. Since the power supply capacity was also increased when a big wave of power fluctuations was made, the power supply became stable further. However, because the capacity is large, it takes a very long time to charge it. It takes about 220 seconds to fill this up, so the sound is still not perfect until then from power-on."_


----------



## RobertP

mmwwmm said:


> Sorry if this has been asked before but, which are the mods developed exclusively in (or for) the 1Z?
> 
> Thanks!





RobertP said:


> *Orion* _Stage5_
> sound tunes firmware are up >> *Here*
> 
> After a month of sound tuning, I think this is by far better than my other tunes. Orion tune should do well in all type of genre.
> ...



^ Maybe you didn't see it just in case.


----------



## JerryHead

morgenstern09 said:


> The player has a setting to close automatically if not used. By default it's set to 24h. I don't worry additionally past this.


soo, bottom line, it's not advisable to be constantly turning it off/on a few times per day?  Better for battery life long term to just leave it on and let it shut down on its own after 24hrs?


----------



## mwhals

JerryHead said:


> soo, bottom line, it's not advisable to be constantly turning it off/on a few times per day?  Better for battery life long term to just leave it on and let it shut down on its own after 24hrs?



The most stress on a circuit board is when it is first turned on.


----------



## mmwwmm

RobertP said:


> ^ Maybe you didn't see it just in case.


Thanks! I will try you Orion5Z mod just tonight. By the way. Can I ask for the tools or procedures to make my own “tuning mod”? May have I need just a software tool? If so, where can I find it?
Thanks again!


----------



## JerryHead

mwhals said:


> The most stress on a circuit board is when it is first turned on.


okay, so to both preserve the life of the device and its battery, is it best to 1. set to turn off on its own after 24 hours and leave it on when not using it? or, 2. just turn off auto shut off feature and let it run the battery down and shut off on its own - unless of course you don't plan on using it for several days, and then just manually shut it off after your session is over?


----------



## mwhals

JerryHead said:


> okay, so to both preserve the life of the device and its battery, is it best to 1. set to turn off on its own after 24 hours and leave it on when not using it? or, 2. just turn off auto shut off feature and let it run the battery down and shut off on its own - unless of course you don't plan on using it for several days, and then just manually shut it off after your session is over?



I wouldn’t worry about it too much based on people having 1000s of hours on their WM1A and WM1A. I think one person is well past 10,000 hours with the original battery.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (May 30, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> okay, so to both preserve the life of the device and its battery, is it best to 1. set to turn off on its own after 24 hours and leave it on when not using it? or, 2. just turn off auto shut off feature and let it run the battery down and shut off on its own - unless of course you don't plan on using it for several days, and then just manually shut it off after your session is over?


I almost never turn off 1Z in three years, only in first few months and it’s over 1700 hours. Battery life is guesstimate maybe over 85% of its original. So wouldn’t be a problem even if you never turn it off. Battery consumption is ridiculously efficient, in terms of hours music can be played, it is the last thing you ever need to worry about.


----------



## JerryHead

hamhamhamsta said:


> I almost never turn off 1Z in three years, only in first few months and it’s over 1700 hours. Battery life is guesstimate maybe over 85% of its original. So wouldn’t be a problem even if you never turn it off.


Dude, sounds like yo puttin that to good use!


----------



## Mindstorms

RobertP said:


> You don't missed much with stage5 tune. Anything higher than that might be too overwhelmed of details sometimes. It's for my 8 cores cable and ground terminal mod setup. Not intended for public release.


1 Question about orion why the fw is so small its the smallest ive seen! 1.7mb roughly its that ok? i feel moreconfident with bigger files will test dough!


----------



## RobertP

Mindstorms said:


> 1 Question about orion why the fw is so small its the smallest ive seen! 1.7mb roughly its that ok? i feel moreconfident with bigger files will test dough!


Just a sound tune applied. No need to flash fw.


----------



## Colors

Anyone think WM1A / WM1Z will be classics?

All the new stuff is heading over to Android/Streaming, aka lower battery life and SRC.

1A I have is just so perfect in terms of battery life + SQ. 1Z is better in my demo, but can't afford it. Almost the last DAPs that focus pure only on SQ + battery + excellent ergonomics...what a Walkman should be.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Colors said:


> Anyone think WM1A / WM1Z will be classics?
> 
> All the new stuff is heading over to Android/Streaming, aka lower battery life and SRC.
> 
> 1A I have is just so perfect in terms of battery life + SQ. 1Z is better in my demo, but can't afford it. Almost the last DAPs that focus pure only on SQ + battery + excellent ergonomics...what a Walkman should be.




1z got cheaper on second hand market save ya money and buy it!
Been rocking mine for over 2.5 years now! And I bought it second hand back then!


----------



## mwhals

I am saving for a WM1Z, Got derailed a little when I bought a JH Audio custom Lola during their recent sale.  Might sell my desktop rig, because I never use it since I went portable.


----------



## VancityDreaming

RobertP said:


> *Orion* _Stage5_
> sound tunes firmware are up >> *Here*
> 
> After a month of sound tuning, I think this is by far better than my other tunes. Orion tune should do well in all type of genre.
> ...


Just moved from Jupiter T2 to Orion 5 (both on J region). Everything is similar with regards to soundstage/detail retrevial, but the male vocals sounds much more full now. Great FW!


----------



## 515164 (Jun 6, 2020)

Link obsolete.


----------



## RobertP (May 31, 2020)

Edited


----------



## 515164

morgenstern09 said:


> Allow me to introduce, the...
> 
> *NW Model Switcher*
> 
> ...



The WM1 players will also display the new model in the Unit Information section:


----------



## Gamerlingual

Almost at the shop. I’ll take a picture or two for you guys. Any other closed cans you recommend to try with my 1A?


----------



## VancityDreaming

morgenstern09 said:


> Allow me to introduce, the...
> 
> *NW Model Switcher*
> 
> ...


Does this mean we are able to trick the 1A to think that itself is a 1Z?

Edit: you just answered this. Thanks.


----------



## 515164

VancityDreaming said:


> Does this mean we are able to trick the 1A to think that itself is a 1Z?



Yep, and most importantly, we are able to trick the Software Update tool into applying tunings to a 1Z while we have a 1A.


----------



## Gamerlingual

morgenstern09 said:


> Yep, and most importantly, we are able to trick the Software Update tool into applying tunings to a 1Z while we have a 1A.


Good stuff. Even tho the release said it won’t quite match it, I’m thinking others can judge with their ears and there is a good chance it can match the 1Z sound.


----------



## VancityDreaming

Gamerlingual said:


> Almost at the shop. I’ll take a picture or two for you guys. Any other closed cans you recommend to try with my 1A?


Meze Emperyan?


----------



## Gamerlingual

VancityDreaming said:


> Meze Emperyan?


Sounds good. I’ll look into some of the closed back Sennheiser cans


----------



## Hinomotocho

I just switched from E to J - this is closer to what the ZX300 sounded like, much more bass going on which is a good thing as E was really lacking in the lower frequencies. 
When using the tool to bring up the player settings there were some codes under Destination/Headphones header, I was wondering what these are for?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Wow this place is heaven! Time to dig in!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Audio Mecca of the world is in Japan for sure.


----------



## Duncan

morgenstern09 said:


> Allow me to introduce, the...
> 
> *NW Model Switcher*
> 
> ...






I'm on my way! 

May the fun begin again! 

Thanks @morgenstern09


----------



## Hinomotocho

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Audio Mecca of the world is in Japan for sure.


I usually spend a month there every year. Coming from a country with very little options, most things you can't even try, and of course having to order from overseas and wait for accessories Japan is a real treat. Being able to walk into e earphone or Yodobashi Camera and try anything, cable swap, choose from a range of accessories and not have to pay high prices and shipping with lengthy wait times is definitely a highlight of my life.
My Japanese is basically words and sign language so I really appreciate the time and patience of the girl at e earphone in Nagoya who spends time google translating on her phone in an effort to help me out.


----------



## Ravenous

morgenstern09 said:


> Allow me to introduce, the...
> 
> *NW Model Switcher*
> 
> ...


This looks very promising! Thank you for sharing! Would this perhaps replace your WM1Az line of tunings?


----------



## 515164

Ravenous said:


> This looks very promising! Thank you for sharing! Would this perhaps replace your WM1Az line of tunings?



Theoretically, but even I need to do more testing and fully realize the possibilities.

At least we have an easy way to switch the model whenever we like.


----------



## Duncan

Every now and then you see news articles about people that marry their dolls, or have intimate times with their food processors...  generally thinking, I think they’re completely bananas...

I might be having my mind changed for me though, @morgenstern09 1A to 1Z conversion is seemingly quite magical... I think this could be love!

If nothing else, it could’ve saved me the £2500 that I was going to spend on getting the 1Z

I’d love in time - from those lucky enough to own both, to see a direct comparison between the 1Az and 1Z, and also 1Za to 1A...


----------



## 515164 (May 31, 2020)

Duncan said:


> Every now and then you see news articles about people that marry their dolls, or have intimate times with their food processors...  generally thinking, I think they’re completely bananas...
> 
> I might be having my mind changed for me though, @morgenstern09 1A to 1Z conversion is seemingly quite magical... I think this could be love!
> 
> ...



It's really interesting, and people with 1Z could even try how the 1A stock tuning sounds like.

One idea would be to try the Orion tuning again on the 1A(Z) and notice differences.

I also recommend this one (click).


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 31, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Good stuff. Even tho the release said it won’t quite match it, I’m thinking others can judge with their ears and there is a good chance it can match the 1Z sound.



Wanting the 1A to become closer to the 1Z has been a quest for years on end. Amazingly the first aftermarket third party firmwares did just that more than at anytime before. If you own both players you start to get into a relationship to how they sound.

Neither of my players have a physical mod of any kind. Right now though I’m in J region on both and enjoying stock 3.02 on the 1Z and Jupiter2 on the 1A. Jupiter2 is an adaptation of 3.02 which is typically bass-lite on the 1A. And it still is bass-lite now. Yet I’ve never been more amazed at just the basic personality of the 1A. In conclusion the 1A has it’s own romantic tone, which the 1Z can’t replicate? It’s because the tone comes from different capacitors, wiring and casework. IMO

Though if a tune is able to make the 1A emulate some of the magic of the 1Z, that would be cool. One of the first surprises early on was noticing that with stock firmware; the players each still showed that one was a 1A and one was a 1Z even though we used the same firmware.

It’s crazy as now the 1A will say it’s a 1Z?


----------



## Duncan

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s crazy as now the 1A will say it’s a 1Z?


It does indeed, I can independently confirm this 

the rest of what you say holds true for me, I got the 1A because I could not afford the 1Z, and now I feel like I’m cheating on the 1A, having fantasies about her more beautiful sister, dating her for 2yrs, and realising that if she wears her sisters clothes, that fantasy comes that much closer to reality...


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Wow this place is heaven! Time to dig in!


I was in Tokyo last year, looks like where I got my case from? 

I would also include looking for Musashino Label amoung the best options for leather cases for the 1A/1Z.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Duncan said:


> It does indeed, I can independently confirm this
> 
> the rest of what you say holds true for me, I got the 1A because I could not afford the 1Z, and now I feel like I’m cheating on the 1A, having fantasies about her more beautiful sister, dating her for 2yrs, and realising that if she wears her sisters clothes, that fantasy comes that much closer to reality...



All I can say is some IEMs make the difference between the two more drastic. Part of this thread I’ve never liked was that it was about two audio players with distinctively different price tags. I’ve actually always thought this thread would be better only about one player. To me it’s being at a dinner party with two groups eating different food?

But there is another member who wishes to keep his upgrade a secret who will also substantiate that the differences are actually fairly small with the IER-Z1R on both players. While at different times with other IEMs the differences are big. Cheers!


----------



## nc8000 (May 31, 2020)

JerryHead said:


> Is it ultimately better for long term battery life to keep the 1A on, and in standby for several days until it's close to running out, or should I be turning it off every time I'm not using it, as in multiple times per day?  Thanks.



I’ve not turned mine off in 3 1/2 years and played about 3.500 hours and still get roughly the same usage per charge as I did when it was new. The main reason why I don’t turn it off is that I can’t be bothered to wait the 5 minutes at start up when it builds the library


----------



## Gamerlingual

Looks like there’s not many headphone choices with the balanced cable. Now testing the Sennheiser HD820 that uses it with the 1A and 1Z. Any other headphones use the 4.4?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Looks like there’s not many headphone choices with the balanced cable. Now testing the Sennheiser HD820 that uses it with the 1A and 1Z. Any other headphones use the 4.4?



Sennheiser HD660 I think


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jun 8, 2020)

Duncan said:


> It does indeed, I can independently confirm this
> 
> the rest of what you say holds true for me, I got the 1A because I could not afford the 1Z, and now I feel like I’m cheating on the 1A, having fantasies about her more beautiful sister, dating her for 2yrs, and realising that if she wears her sisters clothes, that fantasy comes that much closer to reality...


I'm still on the honeymoon


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> I’ve not turned mine off in 3 1/2 years and played about 3.500 hours and still get roughly the same usage per charge as I did when it was new. The main reason why I don’t turn it off is that I can’t be bothered to wait the 5 minutes at start up when it builds the library


Sony recommends not to turn off the player frequently as well to maintain the battery


----------



## Hinomotocho

Gamerlingual said:


> Looks like there’s not many headphone choices with the balanced cable. Now testing the Sennheiser HD820 that uses it with the 1A and 1Z. Any other headphones use the 4.4?


The HD660S comes with a 3.5mm and 4.4mm cable. For any headphone you can ask them to give you a balanced cable, they'll find a compatible one in the secondhand cable cabinet and you can try balanced.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Sony recommends not to turn off the player frequently as well to maintain the battery



Really they say that? Where?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Got it backwards I think. Here is the post. Pardon the error


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 31, 2020)

Update: didn’t like the Sennheiser HD820. Scrapped it after 20 minutes. Now trying the MDR-Z7M2


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Update: didn’t like the Sennheiser HD820. Scrapped it after 20 minutes. Now trying the MDR-Z7M2



Most phones with detachable cables using 2 x 3.5 plugs can use the Sony balanced cable


----------



## Gamerlingual

Some Audio Technica that I asked for didn’t have them readily available


----------



## Duncan

I think I need to leave this thread now...

WM1Az with Orion5 - seemingly bang on the money for me, moreso than any other combination / permutation - makes the FiiO FH7 sing beautifully...

I know that my gear is not really that great (or high end) compared to some of  the combinations in this thread, but the synergy is off of the charts, pushes my previous thoughts of the FH7 being giant killers even more apparent - the AK T8IE mkii, RHA CL2 and JH Layla that I have do not offer half of the enjoyment of the FH7 on this setup.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Ok. Here’s the meat and potatoes of what I’m looking for


----------



## Ravenous (May 31, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> I was in Tokyo last year, looks like where I got my case from?
> 
> I would also include looking for Musashino Label amoung the best options for leather cases for the 1A/1Z.


Where would one find a Musashino case btw? Can it be imported?


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 31, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> Where would one find a Musashino case btw? Can it be imported?


The is 10,000 yen for the case. Ouch

Edit: I got it. Oh well.


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 31, 2020)

@Redcarmoose Well said. I like it


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> The is 10,000 yen for the case. Ouch
> 
> Edit: I got it. Oh well.





Gamerlingual said:


>



I’m so envious, I saw that when I was there. I actually was suppose to be in Japan for the Blossoms this year and was going to buy another in black. They were only $40 USD, not $100? You’ll love it. Did you find it before or after my post just now?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Ravenous said:


> Where would one find a Musashino case btw? Can it be imported?



Japan or Japan EBay.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok. Here’s the meat and potatoes of what I’m looking for



Try the MDR-Z7!


----------



## proedros

4200 hours with wm1a , still so much in love with it

music is the most addictive thing in the universe (along with coffee)

here is another prog house masterpiece mix , from 2001


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Try the MDR-Z7!


That will be next. I bought the case AFTER your recommendation and ironically, that was the only case they had


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> That will be next. I bought the case AFTER your recommendation and ironically, that was the only case they had



Your so lucky......they only had three when I was there.


----------



## mmwwmm (May 31, 2020)

Just a question for the firmware modders.

How do you know the player tuned settings goes back to factory status after flashing the original firmware? Just by listening or do you have access to check that after flashing the original fimware the original tunning settings (numerical values?) have been back again? I ask this cause I see that some of the settings that can be modified (i.e. region or 1A/1Z model per*  @morgenstern09* latest findings) doesn´t back to original status after reloading original firmware. So It´s clear that a firmware reflashing doesn´t revert ALL the modified settings and I am worried if some of the tuned sound settings may won´t back to original form just with a firmware reload. So the question is: do you have access to check all tuning data really goes back to original form after loading the original firmware?
Thanks and sorry about my English grammar...


----------



## nc8000

mmwwmm said:


> Just a question for the firmware modders.
> 
> How do you know the player tuned settings goes back to factory status after flashing the original firmware? Just by listening or do you have access to check that after flashing the original fimware the original tunning settings (numerical values?) have been back again? I ask this cause I see that some of the settings that can be modified (i.e. region or 1A/1Z model per*  @morgenstern09* latest findings) doesn´t back to original status after reloading original firmware. So It´s clear that a firmware reflashing doesn´t revert ALL the modified settings and I am worried if some of the tuned sound settings may won´t back to original form just with a firmware reload. So the question is: do you have access to check all tuning data really goes back to original form after loading the original firmware?
> Thanks and sorry about my English grammar...



No settings are reset during flashing a fw. Doing a Factory reset from the meny on the player will reset all settings except the region as that is not a setting Sony ever intended to be user adjustable. The “modded fw” which aren’t really modded fw but only new fpga tunings are overwritten when installing a Sony fw as they are part of the Sony fw together with the functional part


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 31, 2020)

Hmm... after a ton of back and forth listening, I tried the Sennheisser HD820 and HD660, MDR-Z1R, MDR-Z7M2, MDR-Z7, Pioneer SE-Master1, Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000, HiFiman HE6se, and my own MDR-1AM2, I decided to stick with my MDR-1AM2. I spent over 6 hours listening to so many cans, the ones that jumped ahead were the MDR-Z1R, Pioneer SE-Master 1 and the 1AM2. I did one EQ adjustment on my 1A to try to match the sound of the Z1R in particular by bringing out the electric guitar strings in particular, and it matched the Z1R virtually in the sound quality. Of course the Z1R does a better job of noise isolation which means the audio stands out in even noisy environments. But I thought the 1AM2 was so darn close, millimeters apart so to speak that as long as my environment isn’t noisy, it’s a very underrated set of headphones for the money. I wanted to buy overhead cans for home listening only and I came to the conclusion the 1AM2 gave me all the audio pleasure I need while my IER-Z1R will be my go to for IEM’s. Sometimes you just gotta go through the motions to realize you already achieved the audio your ears love just with what you have. I’m just happy I could go on the adventure and finally come up with my own conclusion after my ears took time to thoroughly analyze a list of songs I made as a separate list for test for all the little details I was looking for. The 1A and 1AM2 really do make a great pair!


----------



## Layman1

RobertP said:


> Mac version is now available. Enjoy!



Huge thank to you @RobertP and everyone who continues helping out us Mac users who may not have the knowledge/time to convert Windows-based FW's to Mac ones


----------



## mmwwmm (May 31, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> No settings are reset during flashing a fw. Doing a Factory reset from the meny on the player will reset all settings except the region as that is not a setting Sony ever intended to be user adjustable. The “modded fw” which aren’t really modded fw but only new fpga tunings are overwritten when installing a Sony fw as they are part of the Sony fw together with the functional part


When I talked about tuning settings I meant just the fpga tunings you have mentioned. You say Sony never intended the region to be user adjustable but the fact is we change it and now we can change the unit model too and these changes doesn’t revert to original status after a firmware reload and neither with a factory reset. So I‘m asking if any of the firmware modders over here when tuning the fpga settings have checked that all of these fpga tuning (values?) are restored to its original form when the original firmware is loaded again (I assume they are numerical values and easy to copy its original status before modding and then,and after modding, easy to compare between after and before loading original firmware ro see if those values get really back to original status).
So at the end everybody’s saying that after an original firmware reload all fpga “modded” settings goes back to original status but I am asking if somebody have checked this 
Thanks!


----------



## gearofwar

Duncan said:


> I think I need to leave this thread now...
> 
> WM1Az with Orion5 - seemingly bang on the money for me, moreso than any other combination / permutation - makes the FiiO FH7 sing beautifully...
> 
> I know that my gear is not really that great (or high end) compared to some of  the combinations in this thread, but the synergy is off of the charts, pushes my previous thoughts of the FH7 being giant killers even more apparent - the AK T8IE mkii, RHA CL2 and JH Layla that I have do not offer half of the enjoyment of the FH7 on this setup.


In my case, I actually prefer Classical and reverted back to it. For my current hardware, Classical is able to produce better separation and staging. I asked Robert and he told me that Classical was being tuned with higher hardware in mind, people with less modification will not like it so Orion is made for that gap which tends to satisfy most people


----------



## Mindstorms

mmwwmm said:


> When I talked about tuning settings I meant just the fpga tunings you have mentioned. You say Sony never intended the region to be user adjustable but the fact is we change it and now we can change the unit model too and these changes doesn’t revert to original status after a firmware reload and neither with a factory reset. So I‘m asking if any of the firmware modders over here when tuning the fpga settings have checked that all of these fpga tuning (values?) are restored to its original form when the original firmware is loaded again (I assume they are numerical values and easy to copy its original status before modding and then,and after modding, easy to compare between after and before loading original firmware ro see if those values get really back to original status).
> So at the end everybody’s saying that after an original firmware reload all fpga “modded” settings goes back to original status but I am asking if somebody have checked this
> Thanks!


I think you will have to use the tool they found again...


----------



## Gamerlingual

Mindstorms said:


> I think you will have to use the tool they found again...


Seeing stuff like this makes me wonder if it's worth experimenting with the Firmwares. Hmm...


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Seeing stuff like this makes me wonder if it's worth experimenting with the Firmwares. Hmm...



It is very much worth it and in my opinion perfectly safe, I have tried most of them with no bad side effects that I’m aware of


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> It is very much worth it and in my opinion perfectly safe, I have tried most of them with no bad side effects that I’m aware of


Good to know. Thanks


----------



## Mindstorms (May 31, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Seeing stuff like this makes me wonder if it's worth experimenting with the Firmwares. Hmm...


mmm its really advanced stuff I remember when we use to pray for Sony to release new fw.... its nice to have people who actually cares for the device many people have been here helping us users sqeze the last bit of sound out of our 1A who knows if new people comes in reads, then and step into their sholders helping back with a sort of synery and feedback power

I guess in the end its a win win situation since some users began to be curious about how good is moded firmware and tunings they just go and buy a GREAT DAP such as 1A and 1Z.

if wish that could go a step further and sony Aknoledges that and let users play with options might be a bright future imagine booting your 1A and have a menu of Region select FW select A/Z Tuning select staging select or just go as last time  wont it be awesome? it will add so much value to the device...


----------



## mmwwmm

Anyway some comments from the tuning developers about these concerns will be great


----------



## nc8000

mmwwmm said:


> Anyway some comments from the tuning developers about these concerns will be great



Indeed but the best advice if you don't feel comfotable trying the different tunings is just don't as the players in stock form are still great


----------



## Gamerlingual

Mindstorms said:


> mmm its really advanced stuff i remember when we use to pray for Sony to release new fw.... its nice to have people who actually cares for the device many people have been here helping us users sqeze the last bit of sound out of our 1A who knows new people comes in reads and step into their sholders helping back with a sort of synery and feedback power so I guess in the end its a win win situation since some users began to be curious about how good is moded firmware and tunings they just go and buy a GREAT DAP such as 1A and 1Z so if that could go a step further and sony aknoledges that and let users play with options might be a bright future imagine booting your 1A and have a menu of Region select FW select A/Z Tuning select staging select or just go as last time  wont it be awesome? it will add so much value to the device...


Really? Sony is cool with changing the regions? Awesome! Since when?


----------



## mwhals

Gamerlingual said:


> Really? Sony is cool with changing the regions? Awesome! Since when?



I doubt it. I think Mindstorms was saying it would be nice if Sony implemented the option to select in their own firmware.


----------



## frost15

I just tested Orion 5 with my 3.02 1Z (J). I come from a version of Autumn+. I was surprised by the openess in sound. It's a really open sound tuning with great clarity. It lost a touch of "brutality" in comparison with Autumn+ (which is appreciable in some metal songs), yet that's not necessarily a bad thing. Definitely a very nice option to have. I actually find myself torn between it and Autumn+. It would be so nice if we could have an option to switch between tunings without having to go full USBietnam.


----------



## nc8000

frost15 said:


> I just tested Orion 5 with my 3.02 1Z (J). I come from a version of Autumn+. I was surprised by the openess in sound. It's a really open sound tuning with great clarity. It lost a touch of "brutality" in comparison with Autumn+ (which is appreciable in some metal songs), yet that's not necessarily a bad thing. Definitely a very nice option to have. I actually find myself torn between it and Autumn+. It would be so nice if we could have an option to switch between tunings without having to go full USBietnam.



I’m also trying it now on my 1Z 3.02 J coming from 3 weeks of Autumn+ and really liking it. It is now a toss up between Autumn+, Orion or Solis but all are great


----------



## Duncan

Snow Patrols “Eyes Open” album has great tracks but has always sounded like hot garbage to me - with the 1Z trigger on my 1A, and the Orion5 mod (J Region), it sounds fantastic...

I know that things are good, I’ve moved from bass tips and treble filter on the FH7 to neutral filter with SpinTips, and - switched off all of the DSP, and it still sounds fantastic...  no more artificial boosts, manipulations or otherwise 

I’m genuinely impressed / staggered by what the plucky little 1A is truly capable of, and I’d have never known without the modders here...

A personal special mention goes to both @morgenstern09 and @RobertP - and an honorary mention to everyone else who has brought all of the magic to the party!


----------



## Krutsch

Gamerlingual said:


> Hmm...* after a ton of back and forth listening*, I tried the Sennheisser HD820 and HD660, MDR-Z1R, MDR-Z7M2, MDR-Z7, Pioneer SE-Master1, Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000, HiFiman HE6se, and my own MDR-1AM2, *I decided to stick with my MDR-1AM2*
> ....



I am just going to throw out an opinion, based on my own listening experience. Be careful judging headphones with a lot of back-and-forth listening. It takes time for your brain to adjust to the new sound. What I have learned at meets is that your brain sort-of has a baseline for judgement that is aligned to the 'phones you listen to the most (and/or most recently) for a period of time. I am intentionally being vague, as the time required for "brain burn-in" varies between people and equipment.

So, it should not surprise you that you ultimately fell back to your existing 'phones of choice: your MDR-1AM2.

IMO, you really need to "live with" a set of cans, acclimating to their sound across a variety of music selections, before deciding what you like. That's why so many head-fi'ers are constantly buying and selling headphones (sometimes selling and re-buying the same brand/model).

Jealous of your shopping experience, nonetheless... last time I was in Tokyo for work, one of our salesmen took me to a store like that, but we didn't spend enough time there to listen to gear.


----------



## Gamerlingual (May 31, 2020)

Krutsch said:


> I am just going to throw out an opinion, based on my own listening experience. Be careful judging headphones with a lot of back-and-forth listening. It takes time for your brain to adjust to the new sound. What I have learned at meets is that your brain sort-of has a baseline for judgement that is aligned to the 'phones you listen to the most (and/or most recently) for a period of time. I am intentionally being vague, as the time required for "brain burn-in" varies between people and equipment.
> 
> So, it should not surprise you that you ultimately fell back to your existing 'phones of choice: your MDR-1AM2.
> 
> ...


Having the IER-Z1R also gave some other perspective. I actually listened to the MDR-Z1R for 3 hours and really enjoyed it. So it was mostly down to that and the 1AM2 that got me the most. But I definitely did not like the sound from the Sennheiser headphones. As for the others? Pretty good in their own right and the Pioneer S-Master was a huge star. Everyone approaches things differently. Besides, I may go back and try some headphone amps and see how my IER-Z1R works with them and the 1A. The 1AM2 never had harsh trouble when sampling both the 1A and 1Z. Just felt like it had a great synergy.


----------



## nc8000

Sitting in a deck chair in the garden with 1Z and IER-Z1R reading the papers on my iPad. Fantastic to be able to bring that level of sound with me


----------



## proedros (May 31, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> Allow me to introduce, the...
> 
> *NW Model Switcher*
> 
> ...



3 questions

1 - we download both 1.2.1 bat and nwzv26 ? but we only run-double click 1.2.1 bat ?

2 - the sound tuning in bold that's offered , is only fr 1a-turned into-1z ? or can we run itto normal 1a models ?

*3 - i can not seem t be able to download the 2 files present , why so ?*


----------



## 515164

proedros said:


> 2 questions
> 
> 1 - we download both 1.2.1 bat and nwzv26 ? but we only run-double click 1.2.1 bat ?
> 
> 2 - the sound tuning in bold that's offered , is only fr 1a-turned into-1z ? or can we run itto normal 1a models ?



1. The bat file just does some commands using the Rockbox tool (the nwz etc. .exe).

2. It's for a 1Z. You will be able to install it after changing the model of your 1A, or if you own a 1Z.

Remember to flash to stock after changing the model to 1Z and restarting the player.

So it should always be:

1. Change the model
2. Restart player
3. Flash to stock

4. Apply tuning (optional)
5. Flash stock before applying another tuning (we think it might help)

6. Change model back to 1A and restart (if you want to revert the change)
7. Flash to stock again


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok. Here’s the meat and potatoes of what I’m looking for


Wow, makes Hi-fi profis in wiesbaden look like a crappy mini market lol, with almost no selection to choose from compared to the shop you visited... feeling jealous indeed


----------



## proedros

morgenstern09 said:


> 1. The bat file just does some commands using the Rockbox tool (the nwz etc. .exe).
> 
> 2. It's for a 1Z. You will be able to install it after changing the model of your 1A, or if you own a 1Z.
> 
> ...




thanx for the tips , sounds a bit complicate to me , i downloaded the zip file but for now i shall just experiment with all those 1a fws available

one last question , this will pseudo-change 1a into 1z , right ? so the sound becomes more 1z-like and analog ?

what are the main sonic changes if i do this ?


----------



## Mindstorms

Gamerlingual said:


> Really? Sony is cool with changing the regions? Awesome! Since when?


I did not say they where cool I say I wish they where


----------



## Mindstorms

mwhals said:


> I doubt it. I think Mindstorms was saying it would be nice if Sony implemented the option to select in their own firmware.


Exactly


----------



## Dtuck90

If my WM1A takes less than 4 hours to charge from 1 bar of battery does that suggest I’ve got battery degradation issues?


----------



## nc8000

Dtuck90 said:


> If my WM1A takes less than 4 hours to charge from 1 bar of battery does that suggest I’ve got battery degradation issues?



Sony states that a full charge over usb takes about 7 hours but I’m sure mine charges in closer to your 4 hours


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Sony states that a full charge over usb takes about 7 hours but I’m sure mine charges in closer to your 4 hours


According to my experience, battery degradation is the inverse.of normal battery. Takes.too long.to charge and lasts less on a full charge


----------



## Ravenous

So quick question about the nw mod changer. If I change the model from 1A to 1Z, will the 1a have stock sound signature of the 1z? Should I also a apply the WM1Az tuning as well to achieve default 1z sound?


----------



## 515164

Ravenous said:


> So quick question about the nw mod changer. If I change the model from 1A to 1Z, will the 1a have stock sound signature of the 1z? Should I also a apply the WM1Az tuning as well to achieve default 1z sound?



The theory is that you will have the 1Z stock sound, without needing to apply any other tuning.

Also, WM1Az is made for a 1A, with the sound signature of a 1A. After switching to 1Z, you could try tunings made for the 1Z.


----------



## 515164 (May 31, 2020)

mmwwmm said:


> the fact is we change it and now we can change the unit model too and these changes doesn’t revert to original status after a firmware reload and neither with a factory reset



This is because the changes are not firmware related, but device related. The device has certain parameters that can be changed regardless of the firmware.

A firmware update has the possibility to also change these parameters, if Sony wanted to, btw.



mmwwmm said:


> I‘m asking if any of the firmware modders over here when tuning the fpga settings have checked that all of these fpga tuning (values?) are restored to its original form when the original firmware is loaded again



Sound tunings work in a different way, one which we didn't really figure out - I mean we didn't really figure out where they are applied and how can we see what tuning is currently in use, for example. I am pretty sure that we don't even need to apply the stock firmware, but only the stock tuning, in order to restore it to the official one.

Many users experimented with sound tunings and there were no reports that the stock sound doesn't get back or something, and having experimented myself with this, I can also say that all is ok.

The one thing to remember is that the destination/region and the model name are stored in a different way than the tuning (which is applied by the Software Update tool).


----------



## Ravenous

morgenstern09 said:


> The theory is that you will have the 1Z stock sound, without needing to apply any other tuning.
> 
> Also, WM1Az is made for a 1A, with the sound signature of a 1A. After switching to 1Z, you could try tunings made for the 1Z.


Ah, ok. You're awesome dude. Can't wait to get my WM1A to try it out!


----------



## proedros

you FW guys are indeed awesome , it feels like i have 20 daps in one (with all those FWs at hand for my 1a)

and i haven't even touched this 'turn your 1a into 1z' wizardry yet

thank you all.


----------



## terminaut

proedros said:


> you FW guys are indeed awesome , it feels like i have 20 daps in one (with all those FWs at hand for my 1a)
> 
> and i haven't even touched this 'turn your 1a into 1z' wizardry yet
> 
> thank you all.



I concur.. Although I am currently enjoying my 1Z with its stock 3.02 J region setup, it's really cool to see all these mods (both both software and hardware) being explored for this DAP platform.


----------



## gearofwar (May 31, 2020)

Has anyone here tried to switch to dmp-z1 and applied z1 tuning?


----------



## Maxx134 (May 31, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> Allow me to introduce, the...
> 
> *NW Model Switcher*
> 
> ...



OMG, I away for a few days and 25pages fly by and such MASSIVE PROGRESS happened here!!!

Never has it been so good for 1a crowd, to now take part in full 1z tunnings!




morgenstern09 said:


> The WM1 players will also display the new model in the Unit Information section:


This is so unreal its almost rediculous.
With this, and a hardware mod, you theoretically won't need a 1z anymore, (except for looks & prestige)... This is HUGE, and I am late to the party lol.. 



Duncan said:


> might be having my mind changed for me though, @morgenstern09 1A to 1Z conversion is seemingly quite magical... I think this could be love!


The reason I switched from a 1a unit, to a 1z, is for the more realistic organic sound...
Totally void of "solid-state" sound..
There was no going back...
I predict this move for 1a to use 1z, to be the route of choice.
This is really a turning point for the 1a ..


----------



## mwhals

So the 1Z is no longer worth it over the 1A assuming cost isn’t a factor?


----------



## Ravenous

Has anyone tested the NW Model Switcher with a 1A dap with 1Z firmware and compared it to a 1Z? Interested in seeing the results!


----------



## Maxx134 (May 31, 2020)

mwhals said:


> So the 1Z is no longer worth it over the 1A assuming cost isn’t a factor?


The only difference left would be the 1z  hardware upgrades of resistors and capacitors, and copper body sheilding.
You get closer but would still need a hardware mod to possibly match it.
That's why the mod thread is worth following.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Maxx134 said:


> The only difference left would be the 1z  hardware upgrades of resistors and capacitors, and copper body sheilding.
> You get closer but would still need a hardware mod to possibly match it.
> That's why the mod thread is worth following.


Meaning the 1A with the firmware mods reduces that gap where the 1Z isn't needed?


----------



## AlexCBSN

Maxx134 said:


> OMG, I away for a few days and 25pages fly by and such MASSIVE PROGRESS happened here!!!
> 
> Never has it been so good for 1a crowd, to now take part in full 1z tunnings!
> 
> ...



Same thing about this thread, I love to come back to it and find something cool, the switcher it’s an amazing new game changer, got right away to wm1+z and well, so far, I can feel a change, cannot describe it right away, I wish I could have a second unit for a/ b comparison.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gearofwar said:


> Has anyone here tried to switch to dmp-z1 and applied z1 tuning?


That +1


----------



## Duncan

gerelmx1986 said:


> That +1






Doesn't work.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I tried WM1Z and TBH didn't like the sound


----------



## 515164

Duncan said:


> Doesn't work.



Needs a little adjustment, will give it a go later and maybe post a link.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Duncan said:


> Doesn't work.


 I get because dmp is AKM DAC and WM1 are Sonys Smaster


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> I get because dmp is AKM DAC and WM1 are Sonys Smaster



No, the package needs an adjustment to be installable on a 3.02 firmware.


----------



## gerelmx1986

morgenstern09 said:


> No, the package needs an adjustment to be installable on a 3.02 firmware.


I cant rollback to WM1A

IT SAYS  connected model WM1A
Wrote 64 bytes to file (mode 33, )


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> I cant rollback to WM1A
> 
> IT SAYS  connected model WM1A
> Wrote 64 bytes to file (mode 33, )



Just restart the device and everything is fine.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am back to DMP-z1 1.02 original from Morbiddeath


----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am back to DMP-z1 1.02 original from Morbiddeath



Originally created by a Chinese enthusiast.


----------



## Duncan

Orion5 is so totally bang on the money for me, on my 1Az that it isn’t even funny - I can truly say that the only time it sounds bad is when it is a poor recording to begin with...  if I were to sum it up in one word, it would either be “effortless” or “organic”... absolutely fantastic combo


----------



## Maxx134

Duncan said:


> Orion5 is so totally bang on the money for me, on my 1Az that it isn’t even funny - I can truly say that the only time it sounds bad is when it is a poor recording to begin with...  if I were to sum it up in one word, it would either be “effortless” or “organic”... absolutely fantastic combo


Doesn't the 1Az get erased when you put Orion5 on?


----------



## aceedburn

Maxx134 said:


> Doesn't the 1Az get erased when you put Orion5 on?


I think he meant he has a 1A and switched the model to 1Z. If you load a tuning mod onto another then yes it gets overwritten.


----------



## Duncan

aceedburn said:


> I think he meant he has a 1A and switched the model to 1Z. If you load a tuning mod onto another then yes it gets overwritten.


That’s what I mean, thank you for clarifying on my behalf @aceedburn - will be clearer when noting this in future


----------



## VancityDreaming

Duncan said:


> That’s what I mean, thank you for clarifying on my behalf @aceedburn - will be clearer when noting this in future


Do you hear a difference between orion 5 on wm1a firmware vs wm1z firmware on the wm1a?
Confusing wording. I know haja


----------



## Duncan (Jun 1, 2020)

VancityDreaming said:


> Do you hear a difference between orion 5 on wm1a firmware vs wm1z firmware on the wm1a?
> Confusing wording. I know haja


I can say that I enjoy it more for sure, but being blunt, short of having two 1As with me, one with the A version, the other with the Z, my auditory memory isn’t good enough to play spot the difference...

i would say that it is smoother, more balanced with a more textured bass, but I can’t rule out expectation hype / bias from having WM1Z displayed on the Unit Information screen rather than WM1A.

what I can say, whether or no is that Orion5 for me is an awesome tune 

Edit: Larkin Poe - Cure For The Common Cold - this track on its own redefines for me what textured bass can sound like - especially for a portable device! Also how much @RobertP ‘s tune can do for these players


----------



## VancityDreaming

Duncan said:


> I can say that I enjoy it more for sure, but being blunt, short of having two 1As with me, one with the A version, the other with the Z, my auditory memory isn’t good enough to play spot the difference...
> 
> i would say that it is smoother, more balanced with a more textured bass, but I can’t rule out expectation hype / bias from having WM1Z displayed on the Unit Information screen rather than WM1A.
> 
> ...


p
Haha placebo effects are real. I guess ill have to experiment it myself.


----------



## Duncan (Jun 1, 2020)

VancityDreaming said:


> p
> Haha placebo effects are real. I guess ill have to experiment it myself.


Please do, and confirm for me that it isn’t in my head - to be fair, I’d be shocked if it was!

Another track that has redefined bass for me is Falling Free on the Slor album by Eivør - the plucky little 1A really can shine given the right ingredients!

YouTube won’t do this justice...


----------



## 524419

Duncan said:


> Please do, and confirm for me that it isn’t in my head - to be fair, I’d be shocked if it was!
> 
> Another track that has redefined bass for me is Falling Free on the Slor album by Eivør - the plucky little 1A really can shine given the right ingredients!
> 
> YouTube won’t do this justice...



Great find. Have to download the album now


----------



## mwhals

I would love to hear comparisons between a WM1Z and a WM1A with the 1Z change. Both as stock to not inject extra variables.


----------



## mwhals

Duncan said:


> Please do, and confirm for me that it isn’t in my head - to be fair, I’d be shocked if it was!
> 
> Another track that has redefined bass for me is Falling Free on the Slor album by Eivør - the plucky little 1A really can shine given the right ingredients!
> 
> YouTube won’t do this justice...




Thanks for posting as I have found another artist I like. I previously had never hear of Eivor.


----------



## VancityDreaming

mwhals said:


> I would love to hear comparisons between a WM1Z and a WM1A with the 1Z change. Both as stock to not inject extra variables.


I dont know anyone except for redcarmoose who owns both. Haha for science!


----------



## captblaze

@morgenstern09 - thanks for the contribution. Is it normal for Rockbox to display the player info as WM-1A after the patch is applied?


----------



## 515164

captblaze said:


> @morgenstern09 - thanks for the contribution. Is it normal for Rockbox to display the player info as WM-1A after the patch is applied?



Where does it show that it's WM1A? Did that happen after changing and restarting?


----------



## Duncan (Jun 1, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> Where does it show that it's WM1A? Did that happen after changing and restarting?


If it helps, I see WM1A (bottom), but WM1Z (top):

```
K:\>scsitool-nwz-v26.exe H: help_us
Please contact developers and send them the information below.
See https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool#ReportDevice
It seems your devices belongs to the NW-WM1 Series series.
You can try to re-run this tool with the option -s nw-wm1
-------------------[ Paste information below ]-------------------
Model ID: 0x20000007
Raw device info:
44 45 56 49 4e 46 4f 80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 DEVINFO.........
53 4f 4e 59 20 20 20 20 4e 57 2d 57 4d 31 5a 00 SONY    NW-WM1Z.
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 33 2e 30 32 30 30 20 20 ........3.0200
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 128Gxxxxxxx.....
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
Vendor identification: SONY
Product identification: NW-WM1Z
Product revision: 3.02
Product sub revision: 00
Storage size: 128G
Serial number: xxxxxxxx
Vendor specific:
Destination/Headphones:
00 00 00 00 50 48 4f 4e 07 00 00 20 31 32 38 47 ....PHON... 128G
4e 57 2d 57 4d 31 5a 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 NW-WM1Z.........
00 00 00 00                                     ....

K:\>scsitool-nwz-v26.exe H: dest_tool get
Model: NW-WM1A
Series: NW-WM1 Series
Destination: J (0)
Sound pressure: 0 (off)
```


----------



## 515164

Duncan said:


> Model: NW-WM1A Series: NW-WM1 Series



This info is based on something else, which is how the script can also tell you what's the original model and what is the current model (the option number 5), if it's changed.

In short, everything is fine. After changing just restart, flash to stock, and check the Unit information menu, where you should see the model you chose.


----------



## Duncan

morgenstern09 said:


> This info is based on something else, which is how the script can also tell you what's the original model and what is the current model (the option number 5), if it's changed.
> 
> In short, everything is fine. After changing just restart, flash to stock, and check the Unit information menu, where you should see the model you chose.


Sorry @morgenstern09 - I'm absolutely cool with it, just hopefully helping out @captblaze to show where the different places are to look


----------



## captblaze

Duncan said:


> Sorry @morgenstern09 - I'm absolutely cool with it, just hopefully helping out @captblaze to show where the different places are to look




sorted... thanks


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hey guys, if space is an issue, what portable headphone amp would you recommend to use with my desktop? I use the ifi Hip DAC for on the go listening with my iPhone. Wondering if the Sony PHA-2 or the ifi-Zen might be good alternatives since they have the 4.4mm balanced jack and the source would be my 1A or Acer Triton 500 Windows PC. Or the DAP as-is should be good enough? The Sony TA-ZH1ES checks a lot of the boxes, but probably not the space factor. What do you guys think? I've listened to advice, so for sure willing to listen to input. Thanks in advance.


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> Hey guys, if space is an issue, what portable headphone amp would you recommend to use with my desktop? I use the ifi Hip DAC for on the go listening with my iPhone. Wondering if the Sony PHA-2 or the ifi-Zen might be good alternatives since they have the 4.4mm balanced jack and the source would be my 1A or Acer Triton 500 Windows PC. Or the DAP as-is should be good enough? The Sony TA-ZH1ES checks a lot of the boxes, but probably not the space factor. What do you guys think? I've listened to advice, so for sure willing to listen to input. Thanks in advance.


 What is wrong with the power output of the 1A?

personally I’m not a believer in double amping - you’d be better off hunting down one of these cables which then means you can connect digitally to an external DAC...  that’s just my opinion though, sure there will be plenty of others.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Duncan said:


> What is wrong with the power output of the 1A?
> 
> personally I’m not a believer in double amping - you’d be better off hunting down one of these cables which then means you can connect digitally to an external DAC...  that’s just my opinion though, sure there will be plenty of others.


Like I said, I'm open to advice. If no amp is needed, I'm good with that.


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> Like I said, I'm open to advice. If no amp is needed, I'm good with that.


I should mention that my question wasn’t meant in a combative way, I was trying to see if there was an element you didn’t like, so as to narrow down the search / criteria


----------



## Gamerlingual

Duncan said:


> I should mention that my question wasn’t meant in a combative way, I was trying to see if there was an element you didn’t like, so as to narrow down the search / criteria


Not at all, as having an open mind helps. Just wondering if the PHA-2A in particular would be a positive standout since it's small, can be used while charging, AND it has the 4.4mm port. But then again, if the difference of audio is much at all. Heck, how big of an improvement is it when using a 1A or 1Z or while using the IER-Z1R if the PHA-2A or TA-ZH1ES is used? If barely, then I can see why people hold pause. I've read cables hardly make a difference (doesn't mean it's the end all be all advice)


----------



## Duncan

This is another track that quite literally has just brought a tear to my eye, the quality of the bass that the firmware tweaks on the 1A afford the FiiO FH7 is phenomenal...

As before, YouTube really isn’t the best place to listen, however - even if the vocals don’t get you, the bass notes half way through should...


----------



## 515164

Duncan said:


> This is another track that quite literally has just brought a tear to my eye, the quality of the bass that the firmware tweaks on the 1A afford the FiiO FH7 is phenomenal...
> 
> As before, YouTube really isn’t the best place to listen, however - even if the vocals don’t get you, the bass notes half way through should...




Youtube can sound really good if you're not "OCD-ing" about always listening to Hi-Res. There are songs that I just listen from time to time, on Youtube (via USB DAC) and it's awesome.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Duncan said:


> This is another track that quite literally has just brought a tear to my eye, the quality of the bass that the firmware tweaks on the 1A afford the FiiO FH7 is phenomenal...
> 
> As before, YouTube really isn’t the best place to listen, however - even if the vocals don’t get you, the bass notes half way through should...



Need to try those Firmwares. I'll see how they mix with my IER-Z1R. In the meantime, cable or 4.4m headphone amp advice I shall await.


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> Need to try those Firmwares. I'll see how they mix with my IER-Z1R. In the meantime, cable or 4.4m headphone amp advice I shall await.


As maybe an aside, maybe not - I know your musical preferences, you mentioned them a few pages back - for the sound that you’re after, are you looking for an emotional (log fire, warm, lush) type connection, or a technical (science lab, precise, analytical) one?

I kind of thought I was technical, in the past few weeks I’ve realised I’m quite the opposite


----------



## Gamerlingual

Duncan said:


> As maybe an aside, maybe not - I know your musical preferences, you mentioned them a few pages back - for the sound that you’re after, are you looking for an emotional (log fire, warm, lush) type connection, or a technical (science lab, precise, analytical) one?
> 
> I kind of thought I was technical, in the past few weeks I’ve realised I’m quite the opposite


Give yourself more credit than you realize. You’ve been an inspiration, thank you for that


----------



## Fsilva

Someone mentioned on this thread a workaround to install the new firmware tunings on a Mac...but i can´t seem to find that workaround, and the VM i had with WindBlows has expired already...i really want to try that new Orion!!!

Also cannot install WindBlows using bootcamp, keeps generating a stupid error message to verify my disk, and already run the disk utility several times, and no errors were detected on my disk....


----------



## AlexCBSN (Jun 1, 2020)

Fsilva said:


> Someone mentioned on this thread a workaround to install the new firmware tunings on a Mac...but i can´t seem to find that workaround, and the VM i had with WindBlows has expired already...i really want to try that new Orion!!!
> 
> Also cannot install WindBlows using bootcamp, keeps generating a stupid error message to verify my disk, and already run the disk utility several times, and no errors were detected on my disk....


Are you using a downloaded version? I actually bought a serial and downloaded the image from Microsoft’s website, I did the boot camp procedure and it worked flawlessly. Funnily, windows boot super fast but the track pad goes crazy with it, you could erase the partition and do it again


----------



## 515164 (Jun 1, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I cant rollback to WM1A
> 
> IT SAYS  connected model WM1A
> Wrote 64 bytes to file (mode 33, )



Updated the NW Model Switcher tool in order to fix this issue.

Also, edited the post in order to include some instructions: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15647585

There is now a link that includes a DMP-Z1 stock sound for WM1. However, please keep in mind the hardware differences between the two players. Nonetheless, being able to truly have the DMP-Z1 as a base for tuning mods on a WM1A, should be of help.

*Edit:* I hope that releasing this tool would serve as a reminder that *sharing is caring*, to people who feel like not sharing for one reason or another. We wouldn't have anything like this if everyone would start keeping things to themselves.


----------



## Queen6 (Jun 1, 2020)

Duncan said:


> This is another track that quite literally has just brought a tear to my eye, the quality of the bass that the firmware tweaks on the 1A afford the FiiO FH7 is phenomenal...
> 
> As before, YouTube really isn’t the best place to listen, however - even if the vocals don’t get you, the bass notes half way through should...




Totally agree, should always be about the music first and foremost. In this day & age we are spoilt by so many ways to enjoy. Some mediums are worse than others, however few are poor...

Q-6


----------



## VancityDreaming

Changed my 1A to the 1Z. Then applied stock 1Z, and then got orion stage 5 (1Z ver). Makes me feel like im sitting in the live crowd of adele's live at royal albert hall album


----------



## VancityDreaming

morgenstern09 said:


> Updated the NW Model Switcher tool in order to fix this issue.
> 
> Also, edited the post in order to include some instructions: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15647585
> 
> ...


You're awesome. Thanks for making this hobby so awesome to be apart of. Wish I could buy you a coffee haha


----------



## Duncan

VancityDreaming said:


> Do you hear a difference between orion 5 on wm1a firmware vs wm1z firmware on the wm1a?
> Confusing wording. I know haja


Glad to see you’ve done this 


VancityDreaming said:


> Changed my 1A to the 1Z. Then applied stock 1Z, and then got orion stage 5 (1Z ver). Makes me feel like im sitting in the live crowd of adele's live at royal albert hall album


If you had Orion5 as a 1A, then I guess you’re with me, and can confirm to me that its not my head


----------



## Mal Waldron

Thank you for all @morgenstern09, really appreciated! I was still using Solis version on my WM1A. I have a doubt after getting the WM1Z firmware on the WM1A: you talk about applying it's tunings, but where are they? Thank you again for all your dedication.


----------



## Dtuck90

Mal Waldron said:


> Thank you for all @morgenstern09, really appreciated! I was still using Solis version on my WM1A. I have a doubt after getting the WM1Z firmware on the WM1A: you talk about applying it's tunings, but where are they? Thank you again for all your dedication.



For example WM1Z2 which is in morgenstern09s signature could only be installed on a WM1Z but by using the model switcher it can now be applied to a WM1A


----------



## Mal Waldron

Dtuck90 said:


> For example WM1Z2 which is in morgenstern09s signature could only be installed on a WM1Z but by using the model switcher it can now be applied to a WM1A



OK, thank you! WM1Z stock firmware sounds great on WM1A. I think I will stay a couple of days with it.


----------



## Dtuck90

Has anybody gone from WM1A-z1 to stock WM1Z? Just wondering how they compare


----------



## Fsilva

AlexCBSN said:


> Are you using a downloaded version? I actually bought a serial and downloaded the image from Microsoft’s website, I did the boot camp procedure and it worked flawlessly. Funnily, windows boot super fast but the track pad goes crazy with it, you could erase the partition and do it again


I was using a dw version from WindBlows 10 from Microsoft website, no intention on paying, the idea was just to use it to install the tuning fw and then delete the all thing, as i´m not a fan of Microsoft, nor any of them shady products....


----------



## Layman1

Duncan said:


> As maybe an aside, maybe not - I know your musical preferences, you mentioned them a few pages back - for the sound that you’re after, are you looking for an emotional (log fire, warm, lush) type connection, or a technical (science lab, precise, analytical) one?
> 
> I kind of thought I was technical, in the past few weeks I’ve realised I’m quite the opposite



@Duncan  totally agree 
I've found that my tastes have been evolving with time.
I think for many years, I felt that neutral-reference was the grail, and I regarded qualities like warm and organic to be a negative thing. 
Oh, the folly of youth 

But after listening to iBasso's AMP3 and AMP5, and later after trying Stealth Sonics U4 and then the EE Phantom, I started to realise how much I loved qualities such as warm, organic, note weight, note thickness, richness, etc. It just made things so musical and engaging.
So for a while, I did something of a 180 degree turn in that direction.

Now, I've come to the place where I think I'm seeking a balance between them.
This hobby, especially at the top end tends to involve some compromises. Too much warmth and richness etc can have a deleterious effect on clarity, soundstage, separation and technical performance. And aside from those warm qualities, I equally love the feeling of a wide open, holographic soundstage, great separation and terrific detail retrieval.
So now I'm seeking something that can combine those qualities in a ratio that suits my tastes 

I feel the WM1Z, especially with HW and FW mods, will be able to be a part of my audio chain that will help me to achieve this.
Loving this journey either way, and your comments about those Fiio IEMs has got me very curious; they sound reminiscent of my beloved mid-range Stealth Sonics U4 IEMs!


----------



## VancityDreaming

Duncan said:


> Glad to see you’ve done this If you had Orion5 as a 1A, then I guess you’re with me, and can confirm to me that its not my head


Hard to say without a side by side. But in my head it sounds better. Perception is reality haha


----------



## aceedburn




----------



## Vitaly2017

Layman1 said:


> @Duncan  totally agree
> I've found that my tastes have been evolving with time.
> I think for many years, I felt that neutral-reference was the grail, and I regarded qualities like warm and organic to be a negative thing.
> Oh, the folly of youth
> ...





What you just described I been chasing that for the past 5 years!

That organic sound with technical abilities + a most at all cost to be musical!

Brought me down the path to wm1z/ Romi + pw1960 4wires  + Tia Forte Noir.
The supreme all arounder and the sky is the limit!


----------



## Duncan

Vitaly2017 said:


> What you just described I been chasing that for the past 5 years!
> 
> That organic sound with technical abilities + a most at all cost to be musical!
> 
> ...


Wow, that is like what I’ve got, but on super body builder steroids...

Congrats on what I’m sure is a killer killer sound!


----------



## proedros (Jun 2, 2020)

i still think that @Vitaly2017 gets an A+ on dap , A on cable , but iem-wise i think there is a lot of room for improvement (just a hunch that TFN is TOTL only in the wallet department)

still, if he think this is the best setup in all universes , well kudos to him for being so happy inside his 'reality' (i mean we all have our own subjective 'truths' and opinions on what things we like or not)

but i am very curious of his impressions when he buys/upgrades to a new iem....

btw any other *Tia Fourte Noir owners* here ? Is it that good ?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Did anyone ever catch what was at the bottom of this picture? I tried to be stealthy and see if someone could figure out what it means, but apparently nope, not yet. Anyone wanna give it a shot?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Did anyone ever catch what was at the bottom of this picture? I tried to be stealthy and see if someone could figure out what it means, but apparently nope, not yet. Anyone wanna give it a shot?



I know


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> I know



Ya, what is that? A pack of smokes, deck of cards?


----------



## VancityDreaming

Gamerlingual said:


> Did anyone ever catch what was at the bottom of this picture? I tried to be stealthy and see if someone could figure out what it means, but apparently nope, not yet. Anyone wanna give it a shot?


Its obviously the fiio m3.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Duncan said:


> Wow, that is like what I’ve got, but on super body builder steroids...
> 
> Congrats on what I’m sure is a killer killer sound!




Hehe a sound that is beyond any mortals imagination!  Many folks say this and that but once you hear my setup its dangerous, audaciously addictive and delicious rarity that dont exists anywhere else. 

You get my setup and you can forget your life 😇🥰





proedros said:


> i still think that @Vitaly2017 gets an A+ on dap , A on cable , but iem-wise i think there is a lot of room for improvement (just a hunch that TFN is TOTL only in the wallet department)
> 
> still, if he think this is the best setup in all universes , well kudos to him for being so happy inside his 'reality' (i mean we all have our own subjective 'truths' and opinions on what things we like or not)
> 
> ...




Hehe nope there is something that 64audio offers that others cant.
For me 64a is the best iem brand ever what they create is not simply a device to play music but rather an iem that is devoted to bring you joy masterpiece of sound, pure high end possible technology no one else has not even Sony!

What 64a offers that is best in class and surpass many other brands is.

- Tia Ba drivers
- Acoustical air chambers for each driver
- Fully tubeless design 
-Apex anti air pressure system release.

What many of you probably dont realize is that this feature alone for me is an absolute must have. If there is no anti air pressure system I disregard the iem.
I have developed pain /fatigue over time with iems that dont have this feature and after 2hours of listen I cant stand it no longer my ear drums starts be discomfortable with the membrane being pressurized and tightened in a sealed environment....


This is why fourte Iems are top best ever!


----------



## Gamerlingual

And in full guise


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Ya, what is that? A pack of smokes, deck of cards?


Definitely will switch between the players. When the battery of one runs out, the other is fully charged and ready to be listened to. Stock 3.02 firmware at its bliss before I experiment after


----------



## RobertP

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hehe a sound that is beyond any mortals imagination!  Many folks say this and that but once you hear my setup its dangerous, audaciously addictive and delicious rarity that dont exists anywhere else.
> 
> You get my setup and you can forget your life 😇🥰
> 
> ...


64 Audio CIEM is absolute endgame. I'm enjoy listening and sound tuning with it. Discover better and better sounds everyday.


----------



## mwhals

Gamerlingual said:


> And in full guise



So you have both? I would really love a comparison of the WM1Z against the WM1A switched to 1z with the switcher. Both on stock firmware. I need to know if it is still worth saving for a WM1Z if cost is not an issue.


----------



## Gamerlingual

mwhals said:


> So you have both? I would really love a comparison of the WM1Z against the WM1A switched to 1z with the switcher. Both on stock firmware. I need to know if it is still worth saving for a WM1Z if cost is not an issue.


Yup I have both. Pardon my ignorance, but when you say switcher, is that a firmware
Mod?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Yup I have both. Pardon my ignorance, but when you say switcher, is that a firmware
> Mod?



That is Morgensterns tool (using the rockbox tool) that patches the model signature in the players so they will load fw (original and tunings) as if the were other models than they really are


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> That is Morgensterns tool (using the rockbox tool) that patches the model signature in the players so they will load fw (original and tunings) as if the were other models than they really are


Ok. So I can’t answer his question until I do the firmware applications. Got it. Thank you


----------



## Dtuck90

Just switched from WM1A-z1 to stock WM1Z. Looking forward to how It sounds


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 2, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok. So I can’t answer his question until I do the firmware applications. Got it. Thank you



Yes, but also as an extra “factor” your players are really not considered “normal” till you get 200 hours on them. Meaning the sound that they produce is generally regarded as more “correct” and of their nature after burn-in.

Also keep in mind that while these firmwares and region changes are able to do small wonders, the sound is a mixture of hardware and firmware together. So there may be a limit as to how far one can truly emulate the other.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, but also as an extra “factor” your players are really not considered “normal” till you get 200 hours on them. Meaning the sound that they produce is generally regarded are more “correct” and of their nature after burn-in.


Yup. Right now they sound about the same. So after the burn in, differences should finally start showing themselves hopefully


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Yup. Right now they sound about the same. So after the burn in, differences should finally start showing themselves hopefully



They have never sounded exactly the same to me. Though if anything their personalities tend to bloom with burn-in. Also mental adjustment will allow a person to get closer to their sound over time.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> They have never sounded exactly the same to me. Though if anything their personalities tend to bloom with burn-in. Also mental adjustment will allow a person to get closer to their sound over time.


Yup. But the IER-Z1R has been so great with both. Now I may need to aim for thE MDR-Z1R someday. Wish it could be had for Around $1,000


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Yup. Right now they sound about the same. So after the burn in, differences should finally start showing themselves hopefully



Also having the contrast to normal 3.02 in “J” region on the 1Z and “J” region with Jupiter2 on the 1A; actually let’s both players own personality shine unto themselves. There is a special sound, and different sound with the 1A, that’s a contrast. Having that contrast is actually complementary and fun to have different; especially since it’s good. IMO


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Yup. But the IER-Z1R has been so great with both. Now I may need to aim for thE MDR-Z1R someday. Wish it could be had for Around $1,000



If I could only have one it would be the IER and not the MDR as to mebthe IER as a complete package is better than the MDR but I love both and want to keep both


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Also having the contrast to normal 3.02 in “J” region on the 1Z and “J” region with Jupiter2 on the 1A; actually let’s both players own personality shine unto themselves. There is a special sound, and different sound with the 1A, that’s a contrast. Having that contrast is actually complementary and fun to have different; especially since it’s good. IMO





nc8000 said:


> If I could only have one it would be the IER and not the MDR as to mebthe IER as a complete package is better than the MDR but I love both and want to keep both


From both your guys’ perspectives, it sounds like the IER-Z1R may really just be the gold and if I want my PC to the the source, can’t I use my 1Z or 1A as a headphone through the walkman USB cable and that should be enough versus getting a headphone amp DAC?

I’ll hopefully experiment with the Jupiter 2
Tomorrow


----------



## Gamerlingual

I thought about it deeply. I think if I get the PHA-2A or the TA, it would only be used for my PC and then I can bridge the IER-Z1R to listen to the music instead of using the Z1 with the PHA-2A or with the TA. Just seems much more logical. Cost performance wise, the PHA-2A might help either with the MDR or IER right?


----------



## Nostoi

Vitaly2017 said:


> Get this Romi Bx2 or woo audio wa11!
> Its all balanced and lots of power!!!
> 
> Bx2 is actually more powerful then wa11...
> ...


Would you be kind enough to give some info on the BX2. The specs are amazing and the build quality looks top notch. How does it pair with the WM1A/Z? Is there any chance you can photo them together to get a sense of dimensions? Any more description on the character of the amp would be much appreciated, thank you.


----------



## 515164

Dtuck90 said:


> Just switched from WM1A-z1 to stock WM1Z. Looking forward to how It sounds



You mean you switched the model on your WM1A (which you were using with the z1 tuning) to WM1Z?

A better comparison would be between a stock WM1A and the same WM1A but switched to WM1Z. Remember to reapply the stock tuning after switching the model.


----------



## Dtuck90

morgenstern09 said:


> You mean you switched the model on your WM1A (which you were using with the z1 tuning) to WM1Z?
> 
> A better comparison would be between a stock WM1A and the same WM1A but switched to WM1Z. Remember to reapply the stock tuning after switching the model.



Yes that’s what I meant sorry.


----------



## Lookout57

morgenstern09 said:


> You mean you switched the model on your WM1A (which you were using with the z1 tuning) to WM1Z?
> 
> A better comparison would be between a stock WM1A and the same WM1A but switched to WM1Z. Remember to reapply the stock tuning after switching the model.


I have two WM1A so I can do this comparison without having to switch back and forth.


----------



## mwhals

I would just like to know if the 1A switched to act like a 1Z sounds like the 1Z meaning no need to get a 1Z.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Do you guys think the 1Z would make for a better headphone amp connected to my PC And then listening to my IER-Z1R than say using the PHA-2A or the TA as a headphone amp for the same purpose? Source PC to IER-Z1R in balanced mode?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Nostoi said:


> Would you be kind enough to give some info on the BX2. The specs are amazing and the build quality looks top notch. How does it pair with the WM1A/Z? Is there any chance you can photo them together to get a sense of dimensions? Any more description on the character of the amp would be much appreciated, thank you.




Post #30,018 of 30,215
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/pictures-of-your-portable-rig-part-xvi.633511/post-15571279

Take a look there


This is a very interesting amp. Its transparent neutral I mean it does not add coloring or anything. I found using a copper inter connector brought more musicality to the synergy. 
It is very efficient amp can run anything tought I havent tried lol only my iems...

Whats cool about it is it has 4.4/2.5 in balanced and out , 3.5 Se in and out. You can input balanced and output Se! And it works! Same thing input Se and can get balanced out!

The only downside side is the battery max 7hours of autonomy.  But it has quick charge usb C so it can be charged quickly.


I would say wa11 is more musical warm and bx2 is neutral transparent.


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> And in full guise



You need it get some hours on both before you can really see the difference...

Q-6


----------



## Nostoi

Vitaly2017 said:


> Post #30,018 of 30,215
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/pictures-of-your-portable-rig-part-xvi.633511/post-15571279
> 
> Take a look there
> ...


Marvellous, thanks. It seems like an incredibly veritable amp, that could basically do anything one wanted. As you say, the only other competing amp would be the WA11. Neutral and transparent is more my preference. 

Do you know what the relation between LessFox Audio and Romi Audio is? LessFox seems to be the branding here even though it's sold through Romi. It's also listed on AliExpress with some more specs. Did you order directly from Romi. I'm fairly tempted. 

Any notable build issues? Connectors feel tight? Volume knob smooth but with resistance?


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok. So I can’t answer his question until I do the firmware applications. Got it. Thank you



You should wait until at least 200 hours on both players as the sound signature will not be fully developed. My own WM1A sound signature is still building and it's just passing 400 hours. Likely you can expect a +/- 10% difference depending on your taste between the 1A & 1Z

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

Nostoi said:


> Marvellous, thanks. It seems like an incredibly veritable amp, that could basically do anything one wanted. As you say, the only other competing amp would be the WA11. Neutral and transparent is more my preference.
> 
> Do you know what the relation between LessFox Audio and Romi Audio is? LessFox seems to be the branding here even though it's sold through Romi. It's also listed on AliExpress with some more specs. Did you order directly from Romi. I'm fairly tempted.
> 
> Any notable build issues? Connectors feel tight? Volume knob smooth but with resistance?



Built quality is very heavy duty. Id say by feel I think volume knob is plastic chrome.  Its solid not flimsy. The volume rotary is soft enough to precisely fine tune the volume.
I can hear some tshhh shhh sort of sound when adjusting volume between 0 to 1/4 then its quiet clean. Id say for iem users it can be annoying, not sure if youd hear it on headphones...

Only 1 button is flimsy and its the battery level meter. 
 Really it just slightly rattles when you shake the device nothing dramatic all other buttons are actually stiffer and will get better with use.

Other then that cant see any other issues.

I recommend contacting romi via Facebook chat and I paid him via PayPal around 900 Canadian $ much more affordable then wa11 frankly. He can also sell you the jumper cable he calls it...

In my case he sent me the unit for demo test and I am an iem user so dont really need it. Its quiet with iems no hiss.


Romi stands behind hes stuff you buy from him and you got a lifetime warranty pretty much!  Very honest and reliable modder


----------



## Duncan

Wow @Gamerlingual !

what was the price on the 1Z?


----------



## VancityDreaming

Excited to find out if firmware can close the gap of hardware!


----------



## Nostoi

Vitaly2017 said:


> Built quality is very heavy duty. Id say by feel I think volume knob is plastic chrome.  Its solid not flimsy. The volume rotary is soft enough to precisely fine tune the volume.
> I can hear some tshhh shhh sort of sound when adjusting volume between 0 to 1/4 then its quiet clean. Id say for iem users it can be annoying, not sure if youd hear it on headphones...
> 
> Only 1 button is flimsy and its the battery level meter.
> ...


Great, thanks again. I'm already in touch with him - Johnny/Romi - about shipping to Vienna. Definitely seems better value than the WA11. 

Is the tssshhhh sound some kind of noise in the knob itself? As in, a scratchy pot? 

The battery life is not such an issue for me. I'm expecting this to be more transportable.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Gamerlingual said:


> Do you guys think the 1Z would make for a better headphone amp connected to my PC And then listening to my IER-Z1R than say using the PHA-2A or the TA as a headphone amp for the same purpose? Source PC to IER-Z1R in balanced mode?


You are quickly moving up to some high end gear - it is an addiction and a thrill to achieve the next step up but I think there is a lot of value in enjoying each step and getting to know what you have, then moving up and enjoying those benefits. I'm not saying this to spoil your fun, just enhance it.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Nostoi said:


> Great, thanks again. I'm already in touch with him - Johnny/Romi - about shipping to Vienna. Definitely seems better value than the WA11.
> 
> Is the tssshhhh sound some kind of noise in the knob itself? As in, a scratchy pot?
> 
> The battery life is not such an issue for me. I'm expecting this to be more transportable.




 I cant say what is a scratchy pot I am not familiar with those terms sorry.
It occurs when you change volume at lower levels... its quiet but you can hear it. Again maybe on headphones wont be a big deal. I think the volume control is digital not analog...


----------



## Nostoi

Vitaly2017 said:


> I cant say what is a scratchy pot I am not familiar with those terms sorry.
> It occurs when you change volume at lower levels... its quiet but you can hear it. Again maybe on headphones wont be a big deal. I think the volume control is digital not analog...


Scratchy pot is what one often finds on an old guitar amp - when you turn the volume up, the sound is a little brittle before it settles. But then, if it's digital probably not.


----------



## Whitigir

mwhals said:


> I would just like to know if the 1A switched to act like a 1Z sounds like the 1Z meaning no need to get a 1Z.


From my own experiences, not quiet....remember the 1Z has Kimber Kables and upgraded hardware as well

1Z is a modified 1A from both perspective “firmware and hardware”

certainly, the 1Z firmware on 1A would elevate it performances away from stock 1A firmware


----------



## Gamerlingual

Queen6 said:


> You need it get some hours on both before you can really see the difference...
> 
> Q-6


Yea, figured as much. If both need burn in, probably means that they haven't been used much which is good as both were bought used.



Queen6 said:


> You should wait until at least 200 hours on both players as the sound signature will not be fully developed. My own WM1A sound signature is still building and it's just passing 400 hours. Likely you can expect a +/- 10% difference depending on your taste between the 1A & 1Z
> 
> Q-6


Ah. So just keep using them until then with only the IER-Z1R and less with the MDR-1AM2? (not assuming you said that, just asking as a recommendation)


Duncan said:


> Wow @Gamerlingual !
> 
> what was the price on the 1Z?


Yup, 1Z in the flesh! Or metal?



Hinomotocho said:


> You are quickly moving up to some high end gear - it is an addiction and a thrill to achieve the next step up but I think there is a lot of value in enjoying each step and getting to know what you have, then moving up and enjoying those benefits. I'm not saying this to spoil your fun, just enhance it.


Would the PHA-2A be considered very high end? Considering the retail between $400 to $500 for Japan? I know the TA is a big jump and goes for about $1500 or more in Japan. I will definitely NOT go for the DMP.


----------



## Gww1

Gamerlingual said:


> Yea, figured as much. If both need burn in, probably means that they haven't been used much which is good as both were bought used.
> 
> 
> Ah. So just keep using them until then with only the IER-Z1R and less with the MDR-1AM2? (not assuming you said that, just asking as a recommendation)
> ...


My prediction is that you will have the DMP by the end of this week


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 2, 2020)

Exactly folks that mod switch for 1a users to experience 1z sound is just an "avant gout thing" so you can some what feel the 1z.
But by no means you get 1z just by fooling 1a identity to 1z hehe.

Why do you think we mod even our modified 1z! To go beyond what even sony was thinking...
I have no doubt next 1z successor will be really bad ass high end dap! For now BG caps are ruling!

@Whitigir
If it was so easy to snap 1z tuning into 1a because we believe its a step up in sq. I bet sony would just have dine that and call it a day 🙃

Those 2 daps are designed and oriented towards 2 very different users and make sense they sound different.  1 for audiophiles 1 for fun hifi audiophiles.

And here we are still debating 1a to 1z 😛🤠🤓


----------



## Vitaly2017

Nostoi said:


> Scratchy pot is what one often finds on an old guitar amp - when you turn the volume up, the sound is a little brittle before it settles. But then, if it's digital probably not.




I see, 

I think youl be happy with bx2, that amp can outburst 5000mw!!! What portable amp can even do that! A real beast!


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> I see,
> 
> I think youl be happy with bx2, that amp can outburst 5000mw!!! What portable amp can even do that! A real beast!


And where do I buy it LoL ???


----------



## 515164

Whitigir said:


> From my own experiences, not quiet....remember the 1Z has Kimber Kables and upgraded hardware as well
> 
> 1Z is a modified 1A from both perspective “firmware and hardware”
> 
> certainly, the 1Z firmware on 1A would elevate it performances away from stock 1A firmware



Firmware alone should bring a bigger change than the hardware in the 1A vs 1Z example, though.


----------



## Nostoi

Vitaly2017 said:


> I see,
> 
> I think youl be happy with bx2, that amp can outburst 5000mw!!! What portable amp can even do that! A real beast!


Thanks for all the info. I likely put in an order in the next day or so. I also quite like the oversized form factor. A beast, indeed!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> And where do I buy it LoL ???



From Romi house directly LoL


----------



## Vitaly2017

Nostoi said:


> Thanks for all the info. I likely put in an order in the next day or so. I also quite like the oversized form factor. A beast, indeed!



It fits well with 1z sandwiched.  Bx2 becomes a portable mini table for 1z 😅😅😂


----------



## Gamerlingual

Oh, and to be clear, I bought my 1Z used. Price was 170,000 yen. Darn good deal if you ask me.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Gww1 said:


> My prediction is that you will have the DMP by the end of this week


Nah, basically the 1Z and 1A serve my DAP purposes


----------



## hamhamhamsta

aceedburn said:


>


What is this monstrosity? Hahaha


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> Oh, and to be clear, I bought my 1Z used. Price was 170,000 yen. Darn good deal if you ask me.


Just a little over the price of the 1A in the UK!


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> What is this monstrosity? Hahaha




😁 a Se sound in a balanced T shaped sound lol


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Gamerlingual said:


> Oh, and to be clear, I bought my 1Z used. Price was 170,000 yen. Darn good deal if you ask me.


That’s smart buying 1Z used. As long as condition is good, you already have burned in there. And another small but important difference between 1Z and 1A is that 1Z allow for faster charging. 

So instead of waiting 7 hours for your DAP to be fully charged, probably about 3.5 to 4 hours. Small thing that makes a big difference in the long run.


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> That’s smart buying 1Z used. As long as condition is good, you already have burned in there. And another small but important difference between 1Z and 1A is that 1Z allow for faster charging.
> 
> So instead of waiting 7 hours for your DAP to be fully charged, probably about 3.5 to 4 hours. Small thing that makes a big difference in the long run.




Are you sure? How you know 1z has fast charge?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 2, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Do you guys think the 1Z would make for a better headphone amp connected to my PC And then listening to my IER-Z1R than say using the PHA-2A or the TA as a headphone amp for the same purpose? Source PC to IER-Z1R in balanced mode?



If your watching movies or gaming with the PC, the delay is an issue with the 1Z, where the TA has zero delay.


----------



## RobertP

hamhamhamsta said:


> That’s smart buying 1Z used. As long as condition is good, you already have burned in there. And another small but important difference between 1Z and 1A is that 1Z allow for faster charging.
> 
> So instead of waiting 7 hours for your DAP to be fully charged, probably about 3.5 to 4 hours. Small thing that makes a big difference in the long run.


Bought my 1z refurbished $1700


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 2, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Bought my 1z refurbished $1700




Dang and I tought I had the best deal ever 2100 for used 1z 2 years ago


----------



## RobertP

Vitaly2017 said:


> Dang and I tought I had the best deal ever 2100 for used 1z 2 years ago


Not a bad deal for 1Z consider that I bought brand new 1A for $1100 from Amazon UK on the initial year.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> If your watching movies or gaming with the PC, the delay is an issue with the 1Z, where the TA has zero delay.


Oh so not good for that. I’m thinking the TA and PHA-2A both will have no lag. Good stuff if that is the case

Oh and my player comes with a 1 month warranty. So that’s good to know


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> Are you sure? How you know 1z has fast charge?


I used to own both 1A and 1Z and noticed the big difference in charging. One of the main reason I sold 1A is the faster charging with 1Z. I think it’s on this thread somewhere in way much earlier posts. Those that own both can probably chime in.


----------



## Redcarmoose

hamhamhamsta said:


> I used to own both 1A and 1Z and noticed the big difference in charging. One of the main reason I sold 1A is the faster charging with 1Z. I think it’s on this thread somewhere in way much earlier posts. Those that own both can probably chime in.


I kinda remember being surprised at the 1A taking longer. Will have to test by placing both on a double charger at the same depletion level.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Gamerlingual said:


> Yea, figured as much. If both need burn in, probably means that they haven't been used much which is good as both were bought used.
> 
> 
> Ah. So just keep using them until then with only the IER-Z1R and less with the MDR-1AM2? (not assuming you said that, just asking as a recommendation)
> ...


The PHA-3 is supposed to be decent, but I was referring to your mention of the TA. 
Recently getting the WM1A, now the WM1Z and talking about the TA and Z1R - you'll be having your main course, sides, dessert, cheese board and port all together at your rate


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 2, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> The PHA-3 is supposed to be decent, but I was referring to your mention of the TA.
> Recently getting the WM1A, now the WM1Z and talking about the TA and Z1R - you'll be having your main course, sides, dessert, cheese board and port all together at your rate



Sadly at the place he is at there will be not much difference between the TA and Walkman 1Z/1A with IER-Z1R until he uses the TA with the MDR-Z1R. It’s lonely at the top tier....with all of them good.


----------



## Gamerlingual

hamhamhamsta said:


> I used to own both 1A and 1Z and noticed the big difference in charging. One of the main reason I sold 1A is the faster charging with 1Z. I think it’s on this thread somewhere in way much earlier posts. Those that own both can probably chime in.


Tokyo apartments are way too small. After measuring my area based on the TA dimensions, I won’t be able to fit it in. So it’s now out the running. The last idea if at all is the PHA-2A and if it isn’t an improvement on 1Z with the IER-Z1R, I’ll let my FiiO M6 be my DAC. The ifi hip dac can’t be used while it’s charging while the PHA-2A can be used while charging. Hence why the hip dac is for on the go in Tokyo trains


----------



## Damz87

Gamerlingual said:


> Tokyo apartments are way too small. After measuring my area based on the TA dimensions, I won’t be able to fit it in. So it’s now out the running. The last idea if at all is the PHA-2A and if it isn’t an improvement on 1Z with the IER-Z1R, I’ll let my FiiO M6 be my DAC. The ifi hip dac can’t be used while it’s charging while the PHA-2A can be used while charging. Hence why the hip dac is for on the go in Tokyo trains



I've got the PHA-2A as well as a WM1Z & IER-Z1R. If I were you, I wouldnt bother with the PHA-2A if your sole purpose is to use it with your IER-Z1R. The WM1Z sounds much better with the IER-Z1R in my opinion. Just use the DAC mode for the 1Z and you'll be right as rain


----------



## Mindstorms

mwhals said:


> So you have both? I would really love a comparison of the WM1Z against the WM1A switched to 1z with the switcher. Both on stock firmware. I need to know if it is still worth saving for a WM1Z if cost is not an issue.


+1


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 2, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Tokyo apartments are way too small. After measuring my area based on the TA dimensions, I won’t be able to fit it in. So it’s now out the running. The last idea if at all is the PHA-2A and if it isn’t an improvement on 1Z with the IER-Z1R, I’ll let my FiiO M6 be my DAC. The ifi hip dac can’t be used while it’s charging while the PHA-2A can be used while charging. Hence why the hip dac is for on the go in Tokyo trains



Being in Tokyo your going to have way more fun trying to very IEM at E Earphone instead of buying an amp. 



Somehow this was one of the few places I didn’t visit while in Tokyo? Fate protecting my bill fold?


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jun 2, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Sadly at the place he is at there will be not much difference between the TA and Walkman 1Z/1A with IER-Z1R until he uses the TA with the MDR-Z1R. It’s lonely at the top tier....with all of them good.


Financially I'm at a different place - the WM1A is it for me. I am enjoying stepping up from the ZX300 and listening to all my music as I get burn in improvements and having switched regions to J. If you get to that top tier too quickly and don't experience each step I think you miss out on the experience of fully understanding your equipment and the differences each component makes. I'm sure the IER-Z1R and either the WM1A or WM1Z could bring much pleasure until a full set up is practical.
I imagine reaching top tier leaves no place to go but sideways.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Hinomotocho said:


> Financially I'm at a different place - the WM1A is it for me. I am enjoying stepping up from the ZX300 and listening to all my music as I get burn in improvements and having switched regions to J. If you get to that top tier too quickly and don't experience each step I think you miss out on the experience of fully understanding your equipment and the differences each component makes. I'm sure the IER-Z1R and either the WM1A or WM1Z could bring much pleasure until a full set up is practical.



I agree, your mind focuses in on the music and you don’t judge without comparison around if everything is musical. That’s why the 1A is such a deal in the end. It also depends on what sound signature you like. Sony is offering different sound signatures in an attempt to placate the divergent audiophile community.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Damz87 said:


> I've got the PHA-2A as well as a WM1Z & IER-Z1R. If I were you, I wouldnt bother with the PHA-2A if your sole purpose is to use it with your IER-Z1R. The WM1Z sounds much better with the IER-Z1R in my opinion. Just use the DAC mode for the 1Z and you'll be right as rain


There’s lag when using Youtube


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Being in Tokyo your going to have way more fun trying to very IEM at E Earphone instead of buying an amp.


I’m heading to Dyna 5555 now for more testing in Akihabara


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 2, 2020)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/gamerlingual.531179/
Just get a six-pack of energy drinks and spend 20 hours here.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> I’m heading to Dyna 5555 now for more testing in Akihabara



What fascinates me is even though the buildings have no windows they are a marvel of engineering. The fact that the fire doors automatically lock on all floors and they have giant sprinkler systems made me feel totally safe.


----------



## Ravenous

Hey everyone! So I just received my WM1A and I've been charging it for about 10 minutes but I am still unable to turn it on. I realize I am being quite impatient but I was wondering how long would you normally have to wait while charging it to turn it on for the first time?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/gamerlingual.531179/
> Just get a six-pack of energy drinks and spend 20 hours here.



Roger that! I’ll show pics when I get there. As far as previous audio experience, I owned Bose QC 25 headphones and had the WH-1000XM2 which I passed on to my wife. I had them the last 3 to 5 years, so I felt I wanted to move up to the next level. I’ve had more audio experience than people may think, but I joined head-fi to get to that next level. If there’s nothing left after this listening skill, I’ll be good. Still fun no matter what happens


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Roger that! I’ll show pics when I get there. As far as previous audio experience, I owned Bose QC 25 headphones and had the WH-1000XM2 which I passed on to my wife. I had them the last 3 to 5 years, so I felt I wanted to move up to the next level. I’ve had more audio experience than people may think, but I joined head-fi to get to that next level. If there’s nothing left after this listening skill, I’ll be good. Still fun no matter what happens


----------



## Damz87

Gamerlingual said:


> There’s lag when using Youtube


Connect via bluetooth instead of DAC to fix the sync issue


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


>


Heck, if people honestly want to see the pictures and it helps the community, works for me


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Gamerlingual said:


> Roger that! I’ll show pics when I get there. As far as previous audio experience, I owned Bose QC 25 headphones and had the WH-1000XM2 which I passed on to my wife. I had them the last 3 to 5 years, so I felt I wanted to move up to the next level. I’ve had more audio experience than people may think, but I joined head-fi to get to that next level. If there’s nothing left after this listening skill, I’ll be good. Still fun no matter what happens


You’ll never reach the summit, but that’s the fun part: the journey, the discoveries, not the destination.


----------



## Gamerlingual

hamhamhamsta said:


> You’ll never reach the summit, but that’s the fun part: the journey, the discoveries, not the destination.


Works for me. The journey continues as these pics show


----------



## Gamerlingual

Heaven indeed. Digging in


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Heaven indeed. Digging in




Paradise


----------



## aceedburn

hamhamhamsta said:


> What is this monstrosity? Hahaha


Haha..That’s the DJ44C adaptor from DD Hifi. Nifty little superbly built 316l stainless steel adaptor. So i can use my 4.4mm cables on my amp.


----------



## RobertP (Jun 3, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Exactly folks that mod switch for 1a users to experience 1z sound is just an "avant gout thing" so you can some what feel the 1z.
> But by no means you get 1z just by fooling 1a identity to 1z hehe.
> 
> Why do you think we mod even our modified 1z! To go beyond what even sony was thinking...
> ...


Must agree with that. It's extremely hard for just only some kind of software sound tunes or tools for 1A to capture the same level of emotion, warmth, dynamic, punchiness bass, real fine treble, and etc. Even my stage9 tune could manage to capture some of it unfortunately. 

Don't over estimate how much hardware mods could influence sound quality.


----------



## Gamerlingual

And now this


----------



## Ravenous (Jun 3, 2020)

Can my music library be orginaized by flacs>album>artist or does every file have to be in a single directory? Also, do I have to embed the album art using mp3tag or can I simply add a "folder.jpg in the directory to have it recognized?


----------



## RobertP (Jun 3, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> From my own experiences, not quiet....remember the 1Z has Kimber Kables and upgraded hardware as well
> 
> 1Z is a modified 1A from both perspective “firmware and hardware”
> 
> certainly, the 1Z firmware on 1A would elevate it performances away from stock 1A firmware


From what I remember, Kimber Kables is an OK sound but a bit lag upper-mid to lower-high imo.


----------



## Gamerlingual (Jun 3, 2020)

Yea. Survey says with the TA with 1Z there’s practically no difference. That is pretty shocking indeed. Then listening to just turn 1Z alone was darn good enough. Same applies to the PHA-2D, but the PHA-2D is perhaps the best bang for the buck. Pretty amazing results. The PHA-2D has better synergy with my IER-Z1R. So I found one for 23,000 yen and snapped it up. The TA does a good job, but the compact PHA-2A did it for me


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> Must agree with that. It's extremely hard for just only some kind of software sound tunes or tools for 1A to capture the same level of emotion, warmth, dynamic, punchiness bass, real fine treble, and etc. Even my stage9 tune could manage to capture some of it unfortunately.
> 
> Don't over estimate how much hardware mods could influence sound quality.


Agree that hardware mods will definitely affect the sound quality. But how does it affect it? Better or worse? And after spending so much money on the mods, it would be a downright loss or almost impossible to go back to the original sound if you don’t like it. So you’re left to it and forced to like it after spending the money. With software mods, you can reverse everything if it’s not to your liking and the best part is it’s free! So software mods are definitely the way to go as I’m sure at least 90% of us here will never get into hardware modding.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Gamerlingual said:


> Yea. Survey says with the TA with 1Z there’s practically no difference. That is pretty shocking indeed. Then listening to just turn 1Z alone was darn good enough. Same applies to the PHA-2D, but the PHA-2D is perhaps the best bang for the buck. Pretty amazing results. The PHA-2D has better synergy with my IER-Z1R. So I found one for 23,000 yen and snapped it up. The TA does a good job, but the compact PHA-2A did it for me


Possibly because the PHA-2A has a more powerful output - I find sometimes even easy to drive iems sound good with a dac/amp that has higher power output. The older XBA-Z5 which were also hybrid sound great with more power than the Walkmans offer. The PHA-3 gets good reviews but lacks the 4.4mm.


----------



## RobertP (Jun 3, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Agree that hardware mods will definitely affect the sound quality. But how does it affect it? Better or worse? And after spending so much money on the mods, it would be a downright loss or almost impossible to go back to the original sound if you don’t like it. So you’re left to it and forced to like it after spending the money. With software mods, you can reverse everything if it’s not to your liking and the best part is it’s free! So software mods are definitely the way to go as I’m sure at least 90% of us here will never get into hardware modding.


For those who can't do hardware mod, I do understand. If DIY is possible, that save a load of money. I believe I only spend like less than a couple hundred dollars doing hardware mods myself. Even if hardware mods are not an option, now we have many sound tune firmwares out there for free to try. I have no problem supporting that. That's why I haven't stop doing it.
With software alone, sound quality will increase dramatically. I do appreciate what @morgenstern09 bring to the community. Don't stop! 
Because I own 1Z too, I feel the need to defend it when someone have the wrong idea.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hinomotocho said:


> Possibly because the PHA-2A has a more powerful output - I find sometimes even easy to drive iems sound good with a dac/amp that has higher power output. The older XBA-Z5 which were also hybrid sound great with more power than the Walkmans offer. The PHA-3 gets good reviews but lacks the 4.4mm.


Yup. Since the neighbors are quiet people, I’ll just stick to headphone audio. With the PHA-2A, my collection audio collection is complete. Glad I accomplished my goal. Thank you to everyone for your guidance and care


----------



## 515164

Gamerlingual said:


> my collection audio collection is complete



For now


----------



## Hinomotocho

morgenstern09 said:


> For now


Today


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hinomotocho said:


> Today


Sure if something breaks down, it would have to be replaced


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 3, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Yea. Survey says with the TA with 1Z there’s practically no difference. That is pretty shocking indeed. Then listening to just turn 1Z alone was darn good enough. Same applies to the PHA-2D, but the PHA-2D is perhaps the best bang for the buck. Pretty amazing results. The PHA-2D has better synergy with my IER-Z1R. So I found one for 23,000 yen and snapped it up. The TA does a good job, but the compact PHA-2A did it for me



Right, but if you had the MDR-Z1R there would be more difference.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Right, but if you had the MDR-Z1R there would be more difference.


I gave the MDR 45 minutes on the TA and 15 mints on my 1Z player and the results were surprisingly minimal for my ears. It had the DSEE HX on while listening but my player was stock sound. Still, they both sounded wonderful and just felt a better connection with the IER. Am I missing out by not spending enough time? Quite possibly. But as many stated and what I’ve learned today, I shot too high and it’s going to be too hard to get better. I’m ok hitting my peak. Whether having the MDR-Z1R is a good idea to have on my radar or not is up for debate to some. For now, I’m lucky that my work is early morning and at night so I can go out midday and do my audio exploring.


----------



## 515164

Trying to discover more cool stuff 



 



Just experimenting, won't share stuff that is not stable/not working properly.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> I gave the MDR 45 minutes on the TA and 15 mints on my 1Z player and the results were surprisingly minimal for my ears. It had the DSEE HX on while listening but my player was stock sound. Still, they both sounded wonderful and just felt a better connection with the IER. Am I missing out by not spending enough time? Quite possibly. But as many stated and what I’ve learned today, I shot too high and it’s going to be too hard to get better. I’m ok hitting my peak. Whether having the MDR-Z1R is a good idea to have on my radar or not is up for debate to some. For now, I’m lucky that my work is early morning and at night so I can go out midday and do my audio exploring.



The MDR-Z1R can actually take about three or four days to get used to. Meaning there was people who had purchased the MDR as their only headphone and were on the fence if it would work or not; until brain burn in made them like it. Still with what you have it’s really not needed. Just ride off into the sunset with the gear you have! It’s not even burned in yet; most of it!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> The MDR-Z1R can actually take about three or four days to get used to. Meaning there was people who had purchased the MDR as their only headphone and were on the fence if it would work or not; until brain burn in made them like it. Still with what you have it’s really not needed. Just ride off into the sunset with the gear you have! It’s not even burned in yet; most of it!


Thank you and @nc8000 for your guidance. Super helpful and to others who else gave their feedback, thank you


----------



## nc8000

Ravenous said:


> Can my music library be orginaized by flacs>album>artist or does every file have to be in a single directory? Also, do I have to embed the album art using mp3tag or can I simply add a "folder.jpg in the directory to have it recognized?



You can have whatever folder structure you want as long as it is inside the music folder. 

Album art can be either embedded or an external jpg, but it has to have the same name as the folder it sits in, folder.jpg does not work. 

And the SonyOS players only recognize baseline jpg, not progressive jpg


----------



## nc8000

Ravenous said:


> Hey everyone! So I just received my WM1A and I've been charging it for about 10 minutes but I am still unable to turn it on. I realize I am being quite impatient but I was wondering how long would you normally have to wait while charging it to turn it on for the first time?



It automatically turns on when it has enough power


----------



## auronthas

aceedburn said:


> Please read my post carefully guys. I mentioned that the price is insane. I never once implied that the intention or cause for upgrade is insane. It’s 2 different meanings altogether.


Sorry to bring out old post, this thread grows too fast than i read.  There must be reason behind the high cost as it involves research, studies, including damaged parts and other risks that the companies may need to replace for their customers. No body know the behind story.  We always must look at different perspective, that said to be fair to everyone.


----------



## aceedburn

auronthas said:


> Sorry to bring out old post, this thread grows too fast than i read.  There must be reason behind the high cost as it involves research, studies, including damaged parts and other risks that the companies may need to replace for their customers. No body know the behind story.  We always must look at different perspective, that said to be fair to everyone.


Exactly. So it’s my opinion that the cost is crazy high. Anyone who can afford it, by all means spend that money. Who’s stopping you?


----------



## NickleCo

So i was rummaging through my stuff (out of boredom) and found my old audio technica ATH-CKW1000ANV (old ATH flagship around 2011) decided to plug it on my wm1a and was surprised how well it sounded. Very natural sounding. Bass was I'd say at neutral levels but enough slam to make things exciting. Proceeded to read some reviews of it and was shocked why everyone was saying that it sounds super dark and bassy I then thought to myself that it might just be a technological gap in daps but then i tried to plug it on my note 8 (while playing the same song and basically file) I was speechless at how dark it sounded. It was bass cannons!

It really is amazing how much control the wm1a has over these things (to the point where it sounds super lean when i went back to the wm1a).

Currently on 3.01 Jupiter E2.


----------



## Duncan

morgenstern09 said:


> Trying to discover more cool stuff
> 
> 
> 
> Just experimenting, won't share stuff that is not stable/not working properly.


Interesting, looking forward to how this experiment evolves


----------



## ttt123 (Jun 3, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Agree that hardware mods will definitely affect the sound quality. But how does it affect it? Better or worse? And after spending so much money on the mods, it would be a downright loss or almost impossible to go back to the original sound if you don’t like it. So you’re left to it and forced to like it after spending the money. With software mods, you can reverse everything if it’s not to your liking and the best part is it’s free! So software mods are definitely the way to go as I’m sure at least 90% of us here will never get into hardware modding.


True.  It's like cosmetic surgery for women....(edit: or men)

And it is a leap of faith, and not everybody will be willing to make a physical alteration.  Understood, and agree.

Here is some feedback, that many people do find that it was worthwhile, and relatively practical and good value for money, and got results that were not possible in any other way.  Though this option is not for everybody, of course.

So as usual, to each their own.  Do what you are willing to do, and are comfortable with.  And don't worry, there will always be people who will agree, and people who will disagree.


----------



## Raf2411

Hi all,

I just tried to have my NW-WM1Z play songs with 6 channels (ripped from a blu-ray), but it refuses to play them... Is that because the NW-WM1Z is not capable of downmixing?


----------



## nc8000

Raf2411 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I just tried to have my NW-WM1Z play songs with 6 channels (ripped from a blu-ray), but it refuses to play them... Is that because the NW-WM1Z is not capable of downmixing?



Yes the players only support 2 channel audio


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 3, 2020)

Raf2411 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I just tried to have my NW-WM1Z play songs with 6 channels (ripped from a blu-ray), but it refuses to play them... Is that because the NW-WM1Z is not capable of downmixing?



https://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_input_dts

I don’t downmix any multitrack files, but everything else. Meaning with the plugins you can transpose 24bit to 16bit or 320kbps. With Foobar2000 you simply find the plugins and highlight the tracks and choose quick convert. Add and name a file and put the tracks into a folder. You can make SACD into FLAC.....basically make anything play on the 1Z.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_input_dts
> 
> I don’t downmix any multitrack files, but everything else. Meaning with the plugins you can transpose 24bit to 16bit or 320kbps. With Foobar2000 you simply find the plugins and highlight the tracks and choose quick convert. Add and name a file and put the tracks into a folder. You can make SACD into FLAC.....basically make anything play on the 1Z.



The question was does the WM players natively play multichannel files (5.1, 6.1 etc) and they dont, the files have to be downmixed to 2 channel files before the WM players can play them


----------



## slumberman

nc8000 said:


> The question was does the WM players natively play multichannel files (5.1, 6.1 etc) and they dont, the files have to be downmixed to 2 channel files before the WM players can play them



To my knowledge no DAP has the ability to downmix multi channel files. I don’t see how that would be possible, given the need for an arbitrary assignment of the remainder of the channels in the stereo spectrum.


----------



## Maxx134 (Jun 3, 2020)

VancityDreaming said:


> Changed my 1A to the 1Z. Then applied stock 1Z, and then got orion stage 5 (1Z ver). Makes me feel like im sitting in the live crowd of adele's live at royal albert hall album


Woohoo sounds great.



Redcarmoose said:


> They have never sounded exactly the same to me.


I agree, they share a base sound, but  not sounding same. Maybe with firmare switcher they become like true twins and just a bit difference?




Redcarmoose said:


> There is a special sound, and different sound with the 1A,


I would say opposite.. there is a special different sound with the 1z!





Gamerlingual said:


> can’t I use my 1Z or 1A as a headphone through the walkman USB cable and that should be enough


Its enough for me using player in balanced high gain..



Gamerlingual said:


> I’ll hopefully experiment with the Jupiter 2
> Tomorrow


Better to try the firmware switcher mod on your 1a with stock firmwares that your already used to, and compare it to your 1z.
Then you have the "base" to try firmware mods.




Gamerlingual said:


> Do you guys think the 1Z would make for a better headphone amp connected to my PC And then listening to my IER-Z1R than say using the PHA-2A or the TA as a headphone amp for the same purpose? Source PC to IER-Z1R in balanced mode?


I use my 1z for everything, Dac & player. No need for anything else wich has a different signature sound to mix.
Unless you have a desktop setup with planars I don't see a need for an amp.




morgenstern09 said:


> Firmware alone should bring a bigger change than the hardware in the 1A vs 1Z example, though.


I am in agreement that firmwares and regions make the signature tunnings.
Probably around 90% of signature is in firmware.

Hardware is a different road and doesn't bring them closer..
The 1a already has the same circuit, and only needs the hardware upgrades to boost its resolve to 1z levels, BUT upgrading the 1z with hardware upgrades will STILL boost it further than a 1a because it still has better resistors and grounding.
As to how much? Maybe two fully moded units may not be detectable, and just a preference choice?
Only time will tell, but the choice of hardware cap upgrades will ensure that we will never have a fair comparison.
Currently with both stock, the 1z has the hardware advantage.




Redcarmoose said:


> Sadly at the place he is at there will be not much difference between the TA and Walkman 1Z/1A with IER-Z1R until he uses the TA with the MDR-Z1R. It’s lonely at the top tier....with all of them good.


Don't forget the amazing synergy with both the Denon9200 & the Focal Utopia! Those surpass the sony a bit more in  clarity and liveliness, except sub-bass rumble, and soundstage.
The big beautiful Sony has amazing soundstage for a closed headphone.
But the resolution is a bit more noticable on the other two.
Those three are end game full sized match with the Sony players, that DO NOT require any amp.
All very efficient headphones.



Ravenous said:


> Hey everyone! So I just received my WM1A and I've been charging it for about 10 minutes but I am still unable to turn it on. I realize I am being quite impatient but I was wondering how long would you normally have to wait while charging it to turn it on for the first time?


Haha you have to hold the power button on for about 5seconds.





RobertP said:


> Must agree with that. It's extremely hard for just only some kind of software sound tunes or tools for 1A to capture the same level of emotion, warmth, dynamic, punchiness bass, real fine treble, and etc. Even my stage9 tune could manage to capture some of it unfortunately.
> 
> Don't over estimate how much hardware mods could influence sound quality.


In truth, I believe the firmware mods and region tunning  are capturing the unique sound, at least 80%.
Then tbe hardware difference (only a few caps, wires and resistors) are doing the rest.
So although you will get a similar signature with firmware, it is my assumption (from my modding experience with amps) that the actual resolve and life comes more from the hardware.




Gamerlingual said:


> And now this


IMHO your going the wrong route.
You must the experience the amazing holography and euphoia to be encountered by  using the Sony 1z with tube amps!



The rabbit hole goes deep into music bliss!


----------



## ttt123

RobertP said:


> Must agree with that. It's extremely hard for just only some kind of software sound tunes or tools for 1A to capture the same level of emotion, warmth, dynamic, punchiness bass, real fine treble, and etc. Even my stage9 tune could manage to capture some of it unfortunately.
> 
> Don't over estimate how much hardware mods could influence sound quality.


Agree with you about the hardware mods being in an area of their own, and important.  
The Software/Firmware Sound Tuning mods do a fantastic job, and full credit for all the gains they bring.  However, they run on the hardware base platform.

Whatever bottlenecks are in the hardware, the Firmware sound tuning can alleviate, and modify, but they cannot remove the hardware bottlenecks themselves.

I see the situation as there being these 2 major areas, ST (Sound Tuning) software, and hardware mods.
You can get great gains in either one, but the most gain is from improving them both.  
Can changes/upgrades in only one of the areas be equal to changes in both?  Can doing Software tuning by themselves, make  the hardware mods unnecessary, or replace the combined hardware and software upgrades?

I do not believe so, theoretically, though the ST software alone can certainly do a very good job.  

Also,  people can certainly enjoy stock hardware, or stock FW, without any mods.  Mods are only an option, just like new/different IEMs and Cables.

Though if you want more than stock, then the FW is a simple first step, and an easy way to get a major gain.  
And if you want even more, then the hardware mods are the next step.  

People who doubt the need or effectiveness of hardware mods, then you have already answered your own question.  You do not believe in them or need them.  

We are fortunate to have the different capabilities and options available.  People who want to, can take them up, either in one, or both areas.  If you have no need/desire, or do not believe in them, then no need to do either, and you save money and time.


----------



## nc8000

slumberman said:


> To my knowledge no DAP has the ability to downmix multi channel files. I don’t see how that would be possible, given the need for an arbitrary assignment of the remainder of the channels in the stereo spectrum.



I don’t think there is either. The few multi chanel albums I have I have downmixed with foobar or dbPoweramp to 2 channel files before putting on the 1Z


----------



## Gamerlingual

ttt123 said:


> Agree with you about the hardware mods being in an area of their own, and important.
> The Software/Firmware Sound Tuning mods do a fantastic job, and full credit for all the gains they bring.  However, they run on the hardware base platform.
> 
> Whatever bottlenecks are in the hardware, the Firmware sound tuning can alleviate, and modify, but they cannot remove the hardware bottlenecks themselves.
> ...


I do believe hardware mods help a lot. I just couldn’t do the mod if my life depended on it


----------



## Duncan

I’m not going to chase the dragon - there is a WM1Z on Amazon UK at the moment, but I simply cannot justify it...

I’ve listened to my 1A vs 1Z at CanJam last year, and - yes, the 1Z definitely, from my brief listen - sounded more organic, I cannot deny that, but these recent developments have definitely closed the gap...

With that gap closed a bit, I would say potentially it would be better to chase synergy with the headphones / IEMs - as example I just got my Shure 1840s out from their hiding place, and they sound truly awful to me out of the 1A, thin, shrill and unconvincing.

I’m probably living in denial, but - I can handle that.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Duncan said:


> I’m not going to chase the dragon - there is a WM1Z on Amazon UK at the moment, but I simply cannot justify it...
> 
> I’ve listened to my 1A vs 1Z at CanJam last year, and - yes, the 1Z definitely, from my brief listen - sounded more organic, I cannot deny that, but these recent developments have definitely closed the gap...
> 
> ...


Well, to be honest with you, when I compared stock 1A with my beloved WM1Z Ultimate K Mod both in Solis, I decided to sell my WM1Z.
There is definitely a difference that I could spot blindly in the tones, intensity and weight of the music, but I'm sure we can work on that with a full internal mod : caps, gold wiring, shielding.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jun 3, 2020)

This thread is definitely going in the right direction! Amazing how far this thread has come from its humble beginnings. We are now literally light years away from 1A/1Z beginning. With so many choices to suit our needs, gears, preferences. We are doing things never thought possible in the past. Truly an amazing time to own Sony DAP.


----------



## Maxx134 (Jun 3, 2020)

Duncan said:


> these recent developments have definitely closed the gap...


Here's my analogy.
I thinking the firmware change from 1a to 1z, is like having a different person riding different bikes.
A professional athlete ( 1z software) to ride either "bikes" ( 1a or 1z)..
1a is a pro bike.
1z is the pro bike with more gears.

You get the character, style, potential, and driving skill of the better "pro" athlete in 1z Firmwares, but instead of riding th full pro bike (1z unit), he is now pedaling stock pro bike with less gears(1a unit)..
His driving skills are only limited by his bike, so he could upgrade either bike...!

Hardware upgrades would enhance either bikes, which in turn helps the althelete's style of performance, but not change the athelete.

Firmware change would be like changing to a different athelete/driver, with 1z firmware being the better professional driver.
You would Gain his (more organic) character and style!
Yet he driving a different version of same bike, as both units have same circuit board.


So a hardware upgrades would be a different story.
They would be like an upgrade on any machine, bike, or electronics, and help out either athelete with their bikes, haha.


----------



## Mal Waldron

Hearing now my pair of modded EX800 (EX1000 cable, tape on vent and no foam filter) with WM1A and WM1Z's stock firmware...It hasn't the bass definition of EX1000 but, in any case, it sounds gorgeous. By the way, the battery seems to last much longer than the WM1A tunings I tried...and this is VERY important to me.


----------



## Maxx134

Mal Waldron said:


> Hearing now my pair of modded EX800 (EX1000 cable, tape on vent and no foam filter) with WM1A and WM1Z's stock firmware...It hasn't the bass definition of EX1000 but, in any case, it sounds gorgeous. By the way, the battery seems to last much longer than the WM1A tunings I tried...and this is VERY important to me.


Hmm, so there are more beninfits to upgrading firmware, than just sound.


----------



## nc8000

Maxx134 said:


> Hmm, so there are more beninfits to upgrading firmware, than just sound.



Yes some of the modded fw seem to consume more battery than others


----------



## Mal Waldron

Maxx134 said:


> Hmm, so there are more beninfits to upgrading firmware, than just sound.



Yes, even though the tunings of WM1A firmware I tested (last one was Solis v2) the sound was spectacular, I also perceived a great decrease in battery life, so I think I will be using the WM1Z stock firmware for a long time.


----------



## RobertP (Jun 3, 2020)

On my 1A, basic tune fw play volume at 60. With more complex tune, it's interesting I have to reduce volume down to around 57 to 55. DAP itself is tiny bit warmer. Not sure if it just me thinking.


----------



## gazzington

I love my wm1a and wm1z but then I’m a Sony fan as I also have ier z1r, mdr z7, ma900, mdr 1am mk2 and xba n3ap. I’m trying to sell my other totl daps as I’m happy with Sony


----------



## 515164

RobertP said:


> On my 1A, basic tune fw play volume at 60. With more complex tune, it's interesting I have to reduce volume down to around 57 to 55. DAP itself is tiny bit warmer. Not sure if it just me thinking.



For me, those louder tunings were always a turn off. It seems like everything is loud even if you turn the volume down, similar to brick-wall mastered songs.


----------



## Ravenous (Jun 3, 2020)

Hey everyone so after receiving and updating my WM1A to 3.02 I've tested it out and it sounds pretty expansive with my Periodic Audio Be's but when using my Fidelio X2's with it I realized that the sound is not expansive but in fact kind of narrow in comparison, the sibilant nature of the X2's really show as well. I am also finding that I have to increased the volume to about 120 and sometimes I need to use High Gain to get the volume loud enough with some vinyl hi res flacs that have, but at that point I can clearly hear the noise floor of the songs. What I've noticed is that while I can get the sound loud enough to hear, the notes of every sound I hear, be it drums, voices, guitars, sound VERY thin lacking body and texture that I am used to with the X2's when plugged through my Walkman CD player or even my computer. This lack of body adds to a sense of narrowness to the "soundstage" making everything sound slightly further away without any sense of engagement with the notes. The sound with the X2's is very clean but just not engaging, immersive, or fun, which is what I am used to with the X2's. The Periodic Audio Be's on the other hand sound just fine, although I still have to get the volume to around 100-110 to drive them to the volume I like. Could these problems simply be due to the lack of power of the unbalanced output? I would really appreciate someone's opinion as I really do like this player, I just don't understand why it makes my Fidelio X2's sound so anemic when it comes to resolution and texture. I do apologize for the lengthy post, just would like to get some input on how to improve my sound with the Fidelio X2's if that is at all possible.


----------



## denis1976

Change the firmware to 3.01,and be careful with your ears, 120 with high gain in fidelio is to much, only if the music you play is recorded at a really low volume, I have the x2hr and in my 1Z 100 volume is more than enough in normal gain, maybe your taste for earing things loud has damage your earing, earing very loud especially with in ear phones is very bad for your earing


----------



## Vitaly2017

denis1976 said:


> Change the firmware to 3.01,and be careful with your ears, 120 with high gain in fidelio is to much, only if the music you play is recorded at a really low volume, I have the x2hr and in my 1Z 100 volume is more than enough in normal gain, maybe your taste for earing things loud has damage your earing, earing very loud especially with in ear phones is very bad for your earing




Which 3.0.1? There many of them


----------



## denis1976

Original Sony 3.01firmware with J region


----------



## Ravenous (Jun 3, 2020)

Thanks for the replies!! Where would I find the firmwares to download? And would changing to J region change the language of my player?

EDIT:


mmwwmm said:


> To download any of the older firmware you just need to replace the firmware version number in the latest firmware download link at Sony site for the version desired
> 
> That is:
> 
> ...



Nevermind, found this!


----------



## Raf2411

Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_input_dts
> 
> I don’t downmix any multitrack files, but everything else. Meaning with the plugins you can transpose 24bit to 16bit or 320kbps. With Foobar2000 you simply find the plugins and highlight the tracks and choose quick convert. Add and name a file and put the tracks into a folder. You can make SACD into FLAC.....basically make anything play on the 1Z.



Thanks, I will check it out!



slumberman said:


> To my knowledge no DAP has the ability to downmix multi channel files. I don’t see how that would be possible, given the need for an arbitrary assignment of the remainder of the channels in the stereo spectrum.



Actually, the Cowon Plenues do it (or at least the Plenue 1 and the Plenue 2)... I don't know how exactly, but I have been ripping my music blu-rays in both stereo and multichannel versions in the last weeks, and both my Plenues play the files well (and indicate that they are downmixing when playing the multichannel versions - meaning that they recognize the different channels and process them in some way, as opposed to simply taking the 2 "main" channels and playing only those)...

The results are always interesting... sometimes I like the stereo version better, sometimes I like the downmixed multichannel one better...


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> This time i analyzer my library more careful and found six more Hi-res upgrades


what does this mean?


----------



## Mindstorms (Jun 3, 2020)

mwhals said:


> I see people in the ZX507 thread stating that is is not in the same league at the WM1A (my paraphrase).


I entered a hole fight with a user that stated that zx507 was so much better than 1A and that it was so piercing to him that he couldent stand it... and he bought two of them if you search you will find my answer to him probably he was on U region stock 2.0 or 3.0 poor soul if he had known J region tames the high so much he wouldnt have argued me to the point of being insulting... also I suspect there was something weird about his gear (iem)....


----------



## Redcarmoose

Ravenous said:


> Hey everyone so after receiving and updating my WM1A to 3.02 I've tested it out and it sounds pretty expansive with my Periodic Audio Be's but when using my Fidelio X2's with it I realized that the sound is not expansive but in fact kind of narrow in comparison, the sibilant nature of the X2's really show as well. I am also finding that I have to increased the volume to about 120 and sometimes I need to use High Gain to get the volume loud enough with some vinyl hi res flacs that have, but at that point I can clearly hear the noise floor of the songs. What I've noticed is that while I can get the sound loud enough to hear, the notes of every sound I hear, be it drums, voices, guitars, sound VERY thin lacking body and texture that I am used to with the X2's when plugged through my Walkman CD player or even my computer. This lack of body adds to a sense of narrowness to the "soundstage" making everything sound slightly further away without any sense of engagement with the notes. The sound with the X2's is very clean but just not engaging, immersive, or fun, which is what I am used to with the X2's. The Periodic Audio Be's on the other hand sound just fine, although I still have to get the volume to around 100-110 to drive them to the volume I like. Could these problems simply be due to the lack of power of the unbalanced output? I would really appreciate someone's opinion as I really do like this player, I just don't understand why it makes my Fidelio X2's sound so anemic when it comes to resolution and texture. I do apologize for the lengthy post, just would like to get some input on how to improve my sound with the Fidelio X2's if that is at all possible.



I personally have never liked the stock 1A with 3.02. Yet 3.02 was an amazing revolution to the sound of the 1Z. These first early ideas came with both players being Japan Export Models in “U” region.

Later I found changing the players to “J” region made them both slightly warmer, but added something else great too? I can’t actually describe it?

But now with all the modification from third party firmware, there is the ability to make the 1A take on many “tones”. These tones are a departure from your stock 1A with 3.02 that will allow slightly less brightness. Though this whole thing is a quest for a personal desired tone along with the synergy from the combinations of IEM, player and firmware.

In ending due to the added warmth of “J” I now use a variation of 3.02 which is named Jupiter2 in “J” region. The end result is a slightly less bright result. And while the multitude of firmwares out there along with EQ can add bass and subdue a hot treble; there is also a magic that 3.02 brings to the table. I totally think it’s a big soundstage?


----------



## Mindstorms

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Well, to be honest with you, when I compared stock 1A with my beloved WM1Z Ultimate K Mod both in Solis, I decided to sell my WM1Z.
> There is definitely a difference that I could spot blindly in the tones, intensity and weight of the music, but I'm sure we can work on that with a full internal mod : caps, gold wiring, shielding.


so you like better your 1A than moded Z have you tried Jupiter 3.01 T1? also you like your 1A more than your stock 1Z when it was stock??


----------



## Mindstorms

Ravenous said:


> Hey everyone so after receiving and updating my WM1A to 3.02 I've tested it out and it sounds pretty expansive with my Periodic Audio Be's but when using my Fidelio X2's with it I realized that the sound is not expansive but in fact kind of narrow in comparison, the sibilant nature of the X2's really show as well. I am also finding that I have to increased the volume to about 120 and sometimes I need to use High Gain to get the volume loud enough with some vinyl hi res flacs that have, but at that point I can clearly hear the noise floor of the songs. What I've noticed is that while I can get the sound loud enough to hear, the notes of every sound I hear, be it drums, voices, guitars, sound VERY thin lacking body and texture that I am used to with the X2's when plugged through my Walkman CD player or even my computer. This lack of body adds to a sense of narrowness to the "soundstage" making everything sound slightly further away without any sense of engagement with the notes. The sound with the X2's is very clean but just not engaging, immersive, or fun, which is what I am used to with the X2's. The Periodic Audio Be's on the other hand sound just fine, although I still have to get the volume to around 100-110 to drive them to the volume I like. Could these problems simply be due to the lack of power of the unbalanced output? I would really appreciate someone's opinion as I really do like this player, I just don't understand why it makes my Fidelio X2's sound so anemic when it comes to resolution and texture. I do apologize for the lengthy post, just would like to get some input on how to improve my sound with the Fidelio X2's if that is at all possible.


I will reply you in private


----------



## Mindstorms

Gamerlingual said:


> Looks like the Dynamic Normalizer is the way to go. Everything else can stay as is. Should be good enough to enjoy and getting a little extra battery. Can anyone else answer the Battery Care question?
> 
> And my final one and I'm done asking, is there a limit to the MicroSD card? Would it be able to manage more than 512GB, possibly 1TB?


Just never leave it plugged in... don start plug it in and detaching it, just use it normally and set the turn off function to the max so if you forget i will turn off many users never turn it off i leave off all the time.. so


----------



## Gamerlingual

Mindstorms said:


> Just never leave it plugged in... don start plug it in and detaching it, just use it normally and set the turn off function to the max so if you forget i will turn off many users never turn it off i leave off all the time.. so


Meaning you always turn it off when you don’t use it? Am I correct on that?


----------



## Mindstorms

yes some user just leave it on not playing... my batery is somehow degraded.. in comparison to the rest...


----------



## Ravenous (Jun 3, 2020)

So is it bad to leave it in sleep mode for too long? Should we turn it off before bed? Also If I have it plugged in while I am editing tags of files stored on the internal storage of the player, would it be ok to do so considering I have enabled the option to "charge player up to 90%"? Will this option stop charging the player after 90% has been reached? Thanks!


----------



## Hinomotocho

XDA Developers site is the palce for android custom rom support. What I like about the threads for the roms and devices is on the first main page it has links for accessories, roms, guides etc. 
As HeadFi has a different set up perhaps the person who started the thread may be able to add the links to the bottom of the first original post of this thread for the firmwares, tuning mods, region change tool etc to save everyone asking for the links as even using the search function for an almost 39,000 post thread is a mission.


----------



## aceedburn

Ravenous said:


> So is it bad to leave it in sleep mode for too long? Should we turn it off before bed? Also If I have it plugged in while I am editing tags of files stored on the internal storage of the player, would it be ok to do so considering I have enabled the option to "charge player up to 90%"? Will this option stop charging the player after 90% has been reached? Thanks!


You can leave it in sleep mode indefinitely. It will turn off when the battery is insufficient. If you have battery care enabled the device will never charge above 90%. Just enjoy your player and don’t worry too much about the battery.


----------



## Ravenous

aceedburn said:


> You can leave it in sleep mode indefinitely. It will turn off when the battery is insufficient. If you have battery care enabled the device will never charge above 90%. Just enjoy your player and don’t worry too much about the battery.



Alright cool. Thanks for the reply!


----------



## Ravenous (Jun 4, 2020)

Quick question; If I am using the 1z version on a 1a player, can I switch firmwares using the same installers that I used for the 1a version? So for instance I am on 1a(z) with version 3.02 but I want to downgrade to 3.01, can I just simply use the 3.01 installer that I used for my 1a version? Also does anyone know where I can find the different regions to download?


----------



## 515164

Ravenous said:


> Quick question; If I am using the 1z version on a 1a player, can I switch firmwares using the same installers that I used for the 1a version? So for instance I am on 1a(z) with version 3.02 but I want to downgrade to 3.01, can I just simply use the 3.01 installer that I used for my 1a version?



Yes, just use the same official installer while the 1A has the model changed to 1Z.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Mindstorms said:


> so you like better your 1A than moded Z have you tried Jupiter 3.01 T1? also you like your 1A more than your stock 1Z when it was stock??


I did not like 1A better. It's just that difference wasn't that huge for me. Solis was the best firmware for my taste on the modded 1Z so did not change it to compare with stock 1A.
Both stock 1A and 1Z with stock firmwares, difference was far more important than what I heard with Solis on stock 1A and ultimate Kmod 1Z.


----------



## ttt123

Ravenous said:


> So is it bad to leave it in sleep mode for too long? Should we turn it off before bed? Also If I have it plugged in while I am editing tags of files stored on the internal storage of the player, would it be ok to do so considering I have enabled the option to "charge player up to 90%"? Will this option stop charging the player after 90% has been reached? Thanks!


See the related post on battery charging information:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15604331


----------



## nc8000

Ravenous said:


> Quick question; If I am using the 1z version on a 1a player, can I switch firmwares using the same installers that I used for the 1a version? So for instance I am on 1a(z) with version 3.02 but I want to downgrade to 3.01, can I just simply use the 3.01 installer that I used for my 1a version? Also does anyone know where I can find the different regions to download?



You don’t download the regions, those you set using the rockbox tool


----------



## Ravenous

morgenstern09 said:


> Yes, just use the same official installer while the 1A has the model changed to 1Z.





ttt123 said:


> See the related post on battery charging information:
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15604331


Thanks for the reply! I appreciate all the help you guys provide!


----------



## RONJA MESCO (Jun 4, 2020)

To the Headfi Gang who tried to help me out with my 1A stuck in Demo(n) mode, I found a solution I wanted to share if anyone comes across it in the future.

If you send your DAP to United Audio in Syracuse, New York, you will get results. They are the ones who  handle Sony's out of warranty service, even though I've gotten my Teac amps serviced there in the past.

For about $50 or so, they factory reset the 1A and it's on my way back to me. You can't beat $50 (it's like $40 for the reset and about $15 for the shipping) . Thanks to all who were trying to help me weeks back.

Also another Headfier also told me too, if you're in Asia... The Hong Kong Sony Service Center will do the reset as well for you. Good luck!


----------



## Duncan (Jun 4, 2020)

RONJA MESCO said:


> To the Headfi Gang who tried to help me out with my 1A stuck in Demo(n) mode, I found a solution I wanted to share if anyone comes across it in the future.
> 
> If you send your DAP to United Audio in Syracuse, New York, you will get results. They are the ones who  handle Sony's out of warranty service, even though I've gotten my Teac amps serviced there in the past.
> 
> ...


There must be a flag somewhere, not to take money from the hands of those that earn a living from fixing issues such as this, yet with the firmware decompiled, hopefully in time if I’m right with my assumption, this can be another function added to the tool...  until that point, it’s good to know there are at least two avenues to resolve this type of issue!

You’ll finally be able to start enjoying your player 

edit to avoid double posting - wow, simple things and all that, I can now have my phone and the 1A in my pockets, playing straight from the player or streaming away from the phone, and that little tiny remote... does exactly what I need it to do - such a simple thing to have / want, the ability to change tracks without the need to get the source out, whether player or phone!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hey guys, can I use a 3.5mm to 4.4mm adapter on a set of headphones to help improve the sound quality to my 1A if the headphones can only use 3.5mm? I found an adapter for 600 yen, so risk seems minimal.


----------



## 515164

Gamerlingual said:


> Hey guys, can I use a 3.5mm to 4.4mm adapter on a set of headphones to help improve the sound quality to my 1A if the headphones can only use 3.5mm?



You can't really transform balanced 4.4 to single ended 3.5. Trying to do so might damage the device, due to how these connectors work.



Gamerlingual said:


> I found an adapter for 600 yen, so risk seems minimal.



Not sure how you assumed that the risk seems minimal because it costs 600 yen, but well.


----------



## Gamerlingual

morgenstern09 said:


> You can't really transform balanced 4.4 to single ended 3.5. Trying to do so might damage the device, due to how these connectors work.
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure how you assumed that the risk seems minimal because it costs 600 yen, but well.


I mean the other way, a 3.5mm port plugged into an adapter that outputs 4.4mm

Here is an example: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Geekria-変換...&keywords=3.5+mm+4.4+mm&qid=1591280026&sr=8-3


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 4, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I mean the other way, a 3.5mm port plugged into an adapter that outputs 4.4mm
> 
> Here is an example: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Geekria-変換プラグ-4-4mm-→3-5mm-ステレオプラグソケット/dp/B075165H2M/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=3.5+mm+4.4+mm&qid=1591280026&sr=8-3



There is 3.5mm balanced out there too, which will not work for your needs. Don’t think you can go balanced to single ended without damaging your player.




Don’t think you can plug 3.5mm single ended into that?


----------



## Maxx134

Ravenous said:


> Could these problems simply be due to the lack of power of the unbalanced output?


You need to check the settings for high gain output, as that gets reset to lower volume with a reset or a firmware change.



Gamerlingual said:


> I mean the other way, a 3.5mm port plugged into an adapter that outputs 4.4mm
> 
> Here is an example: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Geekria-変換プラグ-4-4mm-→3-5mm-ステレオプラグソケット/dp/B075165H2M/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=3.5+mm+4.4+mm&qid=1591280026&sr=8-3


No headphones have balanced that size.
You will end up plugging an unbalanced headphones that will short the balance outputs together.
Best to use a 4.4 cable if your headphones support balanced input.
For example, the portable sony 1am2 has a separate balanced cable for this use.

Unless you're using the headphones like these, with a  balanced plug for it.
You can't just use any plug or headphone that fits.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> There is 3.5mm balanced out there too, which will not work for your needs. Don’t think you can go balanced to single ended without damaging your player.
> 
> Don’t think you can plug 3.5mm single ended into that?


Good point. Got it, Moose. Meaning there is no solution to that. I figured the worst thing I can do is not ask. Thank you very much


----------



## Gamerlingual

Maxx134 said:


> You need to check the settings for high gain output, as that gets reset to lower volume with a reset or a firmware change.
> 
> 
> No headphones have balanced that size.
> ...


Was thinking of my WH-1000XM3. I'll just stick to my IER-Z1R and 1AM2. Roger that and thank you


----------



## 515164

Gamerlingual said:


> I mean the other way, a 3.5mm port plugged into an adapter that outputs 4.4mm
> 
> Here is an example: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Geekria-変換プラグ-4-4mm-→3-5mm-ステレオプラグソケット/dp/B075165H2M/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=3.5+mm+4.4+mm&qid=1591280026&sr=8-3



Hmm, you mentioned "if the headphones can only use 3.5mm". If the headphones are the one with the 3.5mm, then the player has to be the one with the 4.4mm, right?

The adapter in your link does 4.4mm (player) to 3.5mm (headphones), but it's balanced 4.4 to balanced 3.5. Your headphones most probably are single ended 3.5, so the adapter won't work.






A single ended 3.5mm connector would have only 3 poles.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Was thinking of my WH-1000XM3. I'll just stick to my IER-Z1R and 1AM2. Roger that and thank you




Just go to E Earphone and get the local version of this! They are bound to have one. 
https://www.google.co.id/amp/s/h5.aliexpress.com/item/32844179111.html


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Good point. Got it, Moose. Meaning there is no solution to that. I figured the worst thing I can do is not ask. Thank you very much



No there is no adaptor that will allow you to use a headphone that is cabled and terminated for single ended (3 sections on the plug) from the balanced output. You can go the other way and get an adaptor that will allow a balanced cabled and terminated phone from the single ended output. And you can use adaptors to go from one single ended termination to a different single ended termination or from one balanced termination to another balanced termination like the one you linked that goes between 4.4 balanced and 3.5 balanced


----------



## Wietjunk

On 1A balanced is the way to go.


----------



## 515164

Redcarmoose said:


> Just go to E Earphone and get the local version of this! They are bound to have one.
> https://www.google.co.id/amp/s/h5.aliexpress.com/item/32844179111.html



WH1000XM3 doesn't support 4 poles 3.5mm balanced, or any kind of balanced connection at all, so I wouldn't recommend this.

Ali Express is gonna be Ali Express sometimes.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Just go to E Earphone and get the local version of this! They are bound to have one.
> https://www.google.co.id/amp/s/h5.aliexpress.com/item/32844179111.html



That will not work as the XM3 female terminal only has 3 sections for single ended


----------



## Redcarmoose

morgenstern09 said:


> WH1000XM3 doesn't support 4 poles 3.5mm balanced, or any kind of balanced connection at all, so I wouldn't recommend this.
> 
> Ali Express is gonna be Ali Express sometimes.





nc8000 said:


> That will not work as the XM3 female terminal only has 3 sections for single ended



Of course, that’s what I get for believing the listing would work. 

Thank-you.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 4, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> WH1000XM3 doesn't support 4 poles 3.5mm balanced, or any kind of balanced connection at all, so I wouldn't recommend this.
> 
> Ali Express is gonna be Ali Express sometimes.





nc8000 said:


> That will not work as the XM3 female terminal only has 3 sections for single ended



So even though it’s suggested in the cable listing that it would work, the cable would actually ruin the Walkman!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Actually going to try the direct connection with the XM3 to the 1Z for the first time and see if there's a difference using the Noise Canceling feature in wired mode and check out how the DSP's will process. 

Other question, if you use the equalizer, will it also eat at the battery just like the DSP does? If so, got it. Just to be aware and I'll probably keep the DSP route if I find a tuning that works unless the normal sound with the 3.5mm and Noise Canceling make my ears happy.


----------



## 515164 (Jun 4, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> So even though it’s suggested in the cable listing that it would work, the cable would actually ruin the Walkman!



It depends if some pins will be connected together when you're inserting 3.5 male balanced into 3.5 female single ended.

This can also just result in having sound only on one side while using the cable.



Gamerlingual said:


> Actually going to try the direct connection with the XM3 to the 1Z for the first time and see if there's a difference using the Noise Canceling feature in wired mode and check out how the DSP's will process.



They actually sound better if listening while they are turned on and with noise cancelling active.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> So even though it’s suggested in the cable listing that it would work, the cable would actually ruin the Walkman!



It might or it might not. Some have reported that the WM players have some kind of protection build in to prevent a short, don’t know how. Another result could be that you only get sound in one side depending on how the 4 sections on the male plug mates with the 3 sections in the female socket


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Actually going to try the direct connection with the XM3 to the 1Z for the first time and see if there's a difference using the Noise Canceling feature in wired mode and check out how the DSP's will process.
> 
> Other question, if you use the equalizer, will it also eat at the battery just like the DSP does? If so, got it. Just to be aware and I'll probably keep the DSP route if I find a tuning that works unless the normal sound with the 3.5mm and Noise Canceling make my ears happy.



Any dsp effect including eq will take a hit on battery life, some effects probably more than others


----------



## Gamerlingual

Looks THE best modes for me are the 1A or 1Z in 4.4mm using the IER-Z1R and 1AM2 and in BT wireless mode with the WH-1000XM3. Regarding the XM3, it has that right amount of bass I’m looking for while still bringing out the mids and highs more. The problem with the BT mode for the XM3 is that it will eat at the batteries quickly and from my understanding, it is not a good idea to charge the batteries while using BT mode and only charge from low to 90% so the battery can be preserved the longest. Seems like there is no easy workaround for the XM3. From my perspective, a little bit sad but wow it sounds better than I thought with the LDAC


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Looks THE best modes for me are the 1A or 1Z in 4.4mm using the IER-Z1R and 1AM2 and in BT wireless mode with the WH-1000XM3. Regarding the XM3, it has that right amount of bass I’m looking for while still bringing out the mids and highs more. The problem with the BT mode for the XM3 is that it will eat at the batteries quickly and from my understanding, it is not a good idea to charge the batteries while using BT mode and only charge from low to 90% so the battery can be preserved the longest. Seems like there is no easy workaround for the XM3. From my perspective, a little bit sad but wow it sounds better than I thought with the LDAC



You could play files off anything and Bluetooth it to that headphone. You don’t have to use a Walkman.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> You could play files off anything and Bluetooth it to that headphone. You don’t have to use a Walkman.



Yes like an A45 or A55 walkman, I could detect no difference between the A45 and the 1Z feeding the XM3 over ldac


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> You could play files off anything and Bluetooth it to that headphone. You don’t have to use a Walkman.


My other BT source would be the iPhone 11 Pro and it doesn’t support LDAC. Not sure if ALAC would work. Need to check the specs sheet on the XM3 on Sony and Apple website


----------



## Gamerlingual

Yup. SBC or AAC. Both codecs are nothing to write home about, am I correct on that?


----------



## nc8000 (Jun 4, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> My other BT source would be the iPhone 11 Pro and it doesn’t support LDAC. Not sure if ALAC would work. Need to check the specs sheet on the XM3 on Sony and Apple website



iOS only streams aac as far as I know however I actually prefer the WF-1000XM3 over aac to the WH-1000XM3 over ldac


----------



## Redcarmoose

https://darko.audio/2018/03/shanling-m0-a-tiny-99-dap-with-ldac-aptx-bluetooth/

Even these. I heard one and thought a phone sounded better? But really anything would work.


----------



## Gamerlingual (Jun 4, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> iOS only streams aac as far as I know however I actually prefer the WF-1000XM3 over aac to the WH-1000XM3 over ldac





Redcarmoose said:


> https://darko.audio/2018/03/shanling-m0-a-tiny-99-dap-with-ldac-aptx-bluetooth/
> 
> Even these. I heard one and thought a phone sounded better? But really anything would work.


Ok. So regardless of the source and Codecs, I should get the same high quality sound that I’m getting the LDAC over the 1Z?

I’m trying to find a closed can to listen to music at home since the clamp force of the MDR-Z1R and MDR-Z7M2 both applied pressure to the sides of my head where I felt dizzy after about 45 minutes or more of listening and my neck was hurting since those headphones are heavier than the average headphones


----------



## Lookout57

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok. So regardless of the source and Codecs, I should get the same high quality sound that I’m getting the LDAC over the 1Z?
> 
> I’m trying to find a closed can to listen to music at home since the clamp force of the MDR-Z1R and MDR-Z7M2 both applied pressure to the sides of my head where I felt dizzy after about 45 minutes or more of listening and my neck was hurting since those headphones are heavier than the average headphones


If you think those are heavy stay away for Audeze. My LCD-X weighs at least twice as much as my MDR-Z1R


----------



## Gamerlingual

Lookout57 said:


> If you think those are heavy stay away for Audeze. My LCD-X weighs at least twice as much as my MDR-Z1R


I have the Audeze Mobius for PC gaming. No problem with those


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok. So regardless of the source and Codecs, I should get the same high quality sound that I’m getting the LDAC over the 1Z?
> 
> I’m trying to find a closed can to listen to music at home since the clamp force of the MDR-Z1R and MDR-Z7M2 both applied pressure to the sides of my head where I felt dizzy after about 45 minutes or more of listening and my neck was hurting since those headphones are heavier than the average headphones



I’ve only heard that little thing in wired mode. But supposedly you can hear the difference in firmwares with Walkmans in Bluetooth, but I haven’t tried it. Actually I have experimented with different codecs and yes there is a difference. One way is stream Bluetooth from your Walkman then your phone. Apple AAC and LDAC does sound different but it depends on the headphone response if you’ll pick it up or not. If you do notice a difference the problem is getting battery life no matter what you use...... right? It will always be an issue.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> I’ve only heard that little thing in wired mode. But supposedly you can hear the difference in firmwares with Walkmans in Bluetooth, but I haven’t tried it. Actually I have experimented with different codecs and yes there is a difference. One way is stream Bluetooth from your Walkman then your phone. Apple AAC and LDAC does sound different but it depends on the headphone response if you’ll pick it up or not. If you do notice a difference the problem is getting battery life no matter what you use...... right? It will always be an issue.


For the iPhone 11 Pro, I’m ok with using th battery since Apple’s battery replacement program is pretty easy and straight forward without being too pricey. I actually treasure the 1A and 1Z  WAY more than the 11 Pro. Those DAP’s are amazing for their audio output that I consider them my audio crown jewels


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok. So regardless of the source and Codecs, I should get the same high quality sound that I’m getting the LDAC over the 1Z?
> 
> I’m trying to find a closed can to listen to music at home since the clamp force of the MDR-Z1R and MDR-Z7M2 both applied pressure to the sides of my head where I felt dizzy after about 45 minutes or more of listening and my neck was hurting since those headphones are heavier than the average headphones



On pure bit rate ldac obviously beats aac but that does not necasarily mean that ldac sounds better but since the WF-1000XM3 dont do ladac I can’t directly compare and since I generally prefer the WF sound sig to the WH sound sig I’ll be biased from the start. 

The Z1R is not a particularily heavy phone, probably average weight but if your head shape means they excert to much clamping they just wont work for you. 

What is the reason you want a closed when you have the IER ?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> For the iPhone 11 Pro, I’m ok with using th battery since Apple’s battery replacement program is pretty easy and straight forward without being too pricey. I actually treasure the 1A and 1Z  WAY more than the 11 Pro. Those DAP’s are amazing for their audio output that I consider them my audio crown jewels



To me using a 1A or 1Z as a BT source is a waste and overkill


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> On pure bit rate ldac obviously beats aac but that does not necasarily mean that ldac sounds better but since the WF-1000XM3 dont do ladac I can’t directly compare and since I generally prefer the WF sound sig to the WH sound sig I’ll be biased from the start.
> 
> The Z1R is not a particularily heavy phone, probably average weight but if your head shape means they excert to much clamping they just wont work for you.
> 
> What is the reason you want a closed when you have the IER ?


In the winter when I listen to music. 5 months it gets COLD where I live in Japan and using IEM’s only will freeze up my ears. I speak from experience. Corny? Probably. But if not, then I’ll just have to use the XM3 and 1AM2 and nothing beyond that. Figured people have told me to not spend too much more money, so just trying to find any work around with what I already have instead of buying another headphone set


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> For the iPhone 11 Pro, I’m ok with using th battery since Apple’s battery replacement program is pretty easy and straight forward without being too pricey. I actually treasure the 1A and 1Z  WAY more than the 11 Pro. Those DAP’s are amazing for their audio output that I consider them my audio crown jewels



One test you can do Bluetooth from your 1A to the 1Z. Then Bluetooth from your phone to the 1Z while using the IER-Z1R and you’ll pick up the difference.


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> To me using a 1A or 1Z as a BT source is a waste and overkill


Which is why I will not do the BT route with the 1A and 1Z. I’m trying to get my priorities straight. Good point


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> One test you can do Bluetooth from your 1A to the 1Z. Then Bluetooth from your phone to the 1Z while using the IER-Z1R and you’ll pick up the difference.


So the 1Z receives the Bluetooth signal from the 1A and then then I output through the IER-Z1R. Makes sense. Sorry for giving everyone a headache. Every person has a different circumstance no matter what. But from I have read, I have seen no one else Complain about the clamp force and the weight of the MDR-Z1R and Z7M2 cause neck pain and dizziness because they compress so much. If someone can prove me otherwise, I would prefer that


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> So the 1Z receives the Bluetooth signal from the 1A and then then I output through the IER-Z1R. Makes sense. Sorry for giving everyone a headache. Every person has a different circumstance no matter what. But from I have read, I have seen no one else Complain about the clamp force and the weight of the MDR-Z1R and Z7M2 cause neck pain and dizziness because they compress so much. If someone can prove me otherwise, I would prefer that



If they cause that to you that’s what matter and means they just aren’t for you


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> If they cause that to you that’s what matter and means they just aren’t for you


Sad development, isn’t it? At least the IER-Z1R gets the job done wonderfully


----------



## gerelmx1986

Is the recording industry being affected by the COVI? I meant that for around this time.the'previews" from the BIS Series of CPE Bach the solo keyboard Music begin showing up, up to now no info on the vol. 40. Also Naive has promised the Vivaldi Concerti per Fagotto V, also nothing shows up


----------



## Queen6

gerelmx1986 said:


> Is the recording industry being affected by the COVI? I meant that for around this time.the'previews" from the BIS Series of CPE Bach the solo keyboard Music begin showing up, up to now no info on the vol. 40. Also Naive has promised the Vivaldi Concerti per Fagotto V, also nothing shows up



Everything is being impacted by COVID-19 across the globe, delays should be expected with many priorities changing...

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Hinomotocho (Jun 4, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> There is 3.5mm balanced out there too, which will not work for your needs. Don’t think you can go balanced to single ended without damaging your player.
> 
> Don’t think you can plug 3.5mm single ended into that?


There is 3.5mm TRRS balanced connection, not common but my iFi xDSD had one (3.5mm single/balanced output), perhaps these are for the adapting 3.5mm balanced to 4.4mm? It does say 4 pole.

*apologies, I was scrolling down on my phone and quoted your post, then realised you said the same thing.


----------



## nc8000

Hinomotocho said:


> There is 3.5mm TRRS balanced connection, not common but my iFi xDSD had one (3.5mm single/balanced output), perhaps these are for the adapting 3.5mm balanced to 4.4mm? It does say 4 pole.



The 1A, 1Z and ZX2 (and perhaps others) have seperate ground (also known as pseudo balanced) on the 3.5 output


----------



## Hinomotocho

Gamerlingual said:


> Which is why I will not do the BT route with the 1A and 1Z. I’m trying to get my priorities straight. Good point


For convenience you can use Bluetooth and it may even sound very good, but after spending money to own high end daps you may want to maximise your music experience by getting the best you can which would be balanced out. 
99% of the time I use balanced out of my WM1A  but once in a while for convenience I use Bluetooth with my Fiio BTR5 and the quality is actually impressive and when commuting with external noise it may be OK - give it a go if it serves a purpose.


----------



## RobertP (Jun 7, 2020)

Edited


----------



## proedros

RobertP said:


> _Stage10 for 1A is up! it s_eems many people here want to experience how NW-WM1Z sound like. It's not easy at all. Even this tune is not quite their yet.
> 
> Cheers!



using orion 5 now , how is stage 10 sound-wise ?

and ofc thanx for the new FW


----------



## gearofwar

morgenstern09 said:


> Trying to discover more cool stuff
> 
> 
> 
> Just experimenting, won't share stuff that is not stable/not working properly.





RobertP said:


> _Stage10 for 1A is up! it s_eems many people here want to experience how NW-WM1Z sound like. It's not easy at all. Even this tune is not quite their yet.
> 
> Cheers!


Is it updated? I still saw the stage 5 . I'm quite happy with Stage 5Z, not sure if it's better


----------



## RobertP (Jun 4, 2020)

proedros said:


> using orion 5 now , how is stage 10 sound-wise ?
> 
> and ofc thanx for the new FW





gearofwar said:


> Is it updated? I still saw the stage 5 . I'm quite happy with Stage 5Z, not sure if it's better


Yes, should be more dynamic, better separation and warmer. You don't see Orion_S10A.exe in Orion/PC folder? Their is no 1Z yet.


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> Is it updated? I still saw the stage 5 . I'm quite happy with Stage 5Z, not sure if it's better




I liked your orion 5z but felt it was not musical enough but its very accurate and super balanced!


----------



## RobertP

Vitaly2017 said:


> I liked your orion 5z but felt it was not musical enough but its very accurate and super balanced!


Thanks. Wait when Orion_S10Z becomes available.


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> Thanks. Wait when Orion_S10Z becomes available.




Thats the musicalists in the finest tuning? Will I sign  🙃🙂 and my 1z will dance 😛😜


----------



## Ravenous

So I am using 1Z firmware with my WM1A 3.02 J region and the Autumn+ installer for WM1Z/JP 3.02 does not detect my player. I get a "Connect the target Device to a computer with a USB Cable" when clicking next. Should I be using the WM1A/JP 3.02 for Autumn+?


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> Allow me to introduce, the...
> 
> *NW Model Switcher*
> 
> ...




Very impressive work @morgenstern09  thanks a lot for sharing such new abilities to tweak and trick our wm1 devices!

Just tried the dmp-z1 and heck yea it sounds slightly like a dmp haha with 1z twists 🙃🙂😍

Awaiting for your future innovations !


As of your fw, my favorite from you is the autumn it has a nice warm sound and also has a touch of good musicality. Well balanced bold tasty sound!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 4, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> So the 1Z receives the Bluetooth signal from the 1A and then then I output through the IER-Z1R. Makes sense. Sorry for giving everyone a headache. Every person has a different circumstance no matter what. But from I have read, I have seen no one else Complain about the clamp force and the weight of the MDR-Z1R and Z7M2 cause neck pain and dizziness because they compress so much. If someone can prove me otherwise, I would prefer that



Right, it’s simply a way to compare your phone AAC codex with another situation which should (and does) sound better on all accounts.  Obviously your not going to be streaming Bluetooth to your 1Z from a phone, but the test goes to show you the limits of your hearing and the reality of Apple AAC file transfer quality. Also giving you a clue to the sound on the IER-Z1R may delineate the character to be noticed on other headphones in Bluetooth. Basically you know what artifacts to listen for when testing.

I did it first as I wanted to hear LDAC and only had Apple senders around.


----------



## Quang23693

Vitaly2017 said:


> Thats the musicalists in the finest tuning? Will I sign  🙃🙂 and my 1z will dance 😛😜


If you like musical, you have to try vinyl tuning from him. It's the best of his fw for musical man


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 4, 2020)

Quang23693 said:


> If you like musical, you have to try vinyl tuning from him. It's the best of his fw for musical man




There is so much fw now to try haha we get lost!
We need to create an encyclopedia now as for fw dedication only lmao

Wiki my firmwares .com lmao


----------



## Damz87 (Jun 4, 2020)

Love this pairing


----------



## Redcarmoose

Damz87 said:


> Love this pairing



I did get a chance to hear the VX with my 1A once and it was excellent!


----------



## Damz87

Redcarmoose said:


> I did get a chance to hear the VX with my 1A once and it was excellent!


The mix of insane technicalities from the VX with the rich, natural sound signature from the WM1 is really special


----------



## Ravenous

Well I'm on my last bar of battery life.  Does anyone know if there is some sort of "low battery" indication that should let me know when to charge, or should I just charge immediately when the battery indicator is on it's last bar?


----------



## VancityDreaming

Anyone knows if Sony does out of warranty battery replacements? If any one has experienced this, how much did you pay? Thanks


----------



## Gamerlingual

Ravenous said:


> Well I'm on my last bar of battery life.  Does anyone know if there is some sort of "low battery" indication that should let me know when to charge, or should I just charge immediately when the battery indicator is on it's last bar?


Once you use it, eventually the battery will flash and indicate to charge it. I think it’s safe to play it up to the point it starts flashing


----------



## Colors

I think a pretty underrated feature of the 1A/1Z/ZX300 is the BT Reciever Mode. Sounds alright and lets you connect your smartphone + streaming service. Has LDAC too.


----------



## Ravenous

Gamerlingual said:


> Once you use it, eventually the battery will flash and indicate to charge it. I think it’s safe to play it up to the point it starts flashing


Ok, thanks!


----------



## 515164 (Jun 5, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> So I am using 1Z firmware with my WM1A 3.02 J region and the Autumn+ installer for WM1Z/JP 3.02 does not detect my player. I get a "Connect the target Device to a computer with a USB Cable" when clicking next. Should I be using the WM1A/JP 3.02 for Autumn+?



You need to install the 1A version, unless you switch the model to 1Z.



Vitaly2017 said:


> As of your fw, my favorite from you is the autumn it has a nice warm sound and also has a touch of good musicality. Well balanced bold tasty sound!



If you liked Autumn+, you should try this whenever you find some time: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KlDLzWBSPpOpGLA8vKEbsf8wEaNAgizs?usp=sharing


----------



## ttt123

Ravenous said:


> Well I'm on my last bar of battery life.  Does anyone know if there is some sort of "low battery" indication that should let me know when to charge, or should I just charge immediately when the battery indicator is on it's last bar?


The worse thing you can do for a li-ion battery is to do a full drain, and then charge.  This is only done once in a long while, to re-calibrate the battery indicator.
The flashing battery indicator is just a warning to tell you that you are running critically low,.  It is *not *a charge indicator to wait for, before you charge.

A full discharge/charge cause the most stress on the battery and will shorten battery life, as this results in high current charging, and high heat.  For a drained/empty battery, the charge circuit will ask for the highest current it can get from the charger, and this will also stress out the charger.

The best thing for the battery is to do partial top up charges, from around 40% or higher remaining.  No need to be exact, just be aware that full discharge is bad for the battery, and partial discharge/charge is good for the battery, and use this to guide you on charging habits.

There is an earlier post with details on battery charging that explains the reasoning behind the recommendations.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Vitaly2017 said:


> There is so much fw now to try haha we get lost!
> We need to create an encyclopedia now as for fw dedication only lmao
> 
> Wiki my firmwares .com lmao


Actually that would be a good idea - something also with a flow chart to show region change > tuning mods and the differnet traits, then how  to go back to stock etc


----------



## Gamerlingual

ttt123 said:


> The worse thing you can do for a li-ion battery is to do a full drain, and then charge.  This is only done once in a long while, to re-calibrate the battery indicator.
> The flashing battery indicator is just a warning to tell you that you are running critically low,.  It is *not *a charge indicator to wait for, before you charge.
> 
> A full discharge/charge cause the most stress on the battery and will shorten battery life, as this results in high current charging, and high heat.  For a drained/empty battery, the charge circuit will ask for the highest current it can get from the charger, and this will also stress out the charger.
> ...


Can you find that quote?


----------



## blazinblazin

We are few months away till WM series reached 4years old.
Wonder how long is the WM series cycle.

ZX series seems to start having a 2years cycle starting from ZX100.


----------



## Ravenous

morgenstern09 said:


> You need to install the 1A version, unless you switch the model to 1Z.



Ah I see. Does this also apply to all of your other tuning mods? Even if I am using your nw switcher to switch my 1A to 1Z I have to use the 1A version of the tuning mods?


----------



## 515164

Ravenous said:


> Ah I see. Does this also apply to all of your other tuning mods? Even if I am using your nw switcher to switch my 1A to 1Z I have to use the 1A version of the tuning mods?



If you change the model to 1Z, then you will have to use 1Z tunings.

Most of my tunings are for 1A, but some are for 1Z as well, like this one, which I recommend trying: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KlDLzWBSPpOpGLA8vKEbsf8wEaNAgizs?usp=sharing

There is another one in my signature, WM1Z².


----------



## ttt123 (Jun 5, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Can you find that quote?


Post number 38871 yesterday https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15655487,
with a link to earlier discussions at:  https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15604331

***********************************************************************
Here's a nice chart from that discussion, that summarizes how voltage/current behaves during charging.
https://www.androidauthority.com/maximize-battery-life-882395/


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 5, 2020)

VancityDreaming said:


> Anyone knows if Sony does out of warranty battery replacements? If any one has experienced this, how much did you pay? Thanks


I did look in to it at one point. Though I never moved forward. After the reset the battery performance improved to a place that it’s fine. But as I understand it any Sony service center can replace it. Also places like Music Sanctuary in Singapore will replace it. Don’t remember the cost, but I would guess around $100 or so. I was actually at one point going to buy the battery from the Sony service and hand it in with my Walkman to increase the turnaround speed at Music Sanctuary.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 5, 2020)

ttt123 said:


> The worse thing you can do for a li-ion battery is to do a full drain, and then charge.  This is only done once in a long while, to re-calibrate the battery indicator.
> The flashing battery indicator is just a warning to tell you that you are running critically low,.  It is *not *a charge indicator to wait for, before you charge.
> 
> A full discharge/charge cause the most stress on the battery and will shorten battery life, as this results in high current charging, and high heat.  For a drained/empty battery, the charge circuit will ask for the highest current it can get from the charger, and this will also stress out the charger.
> ...



That is exactly how I have understood it too. Simply top off your battery after 40% or slightly lower. Also it’s not necessary to reach the full 90% charge too. Then you can reset every couple of years if you feel the need to.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> That is exactly how I have understood it too. Simply top off your battery after 40% or slightly lower. Also it’s not necessary to reach the full 90% charge too. Then you can reset every couple of years if you feel the need to.



In 3 1/2 years I’ve never turned the player off, never let it discharge fully or even to the indicator starts flashing and always had battery care enabled and I still get roughly the same battery time per charge as when new (about 20 hours play time with flac 16/44 and source direct and 7 days standby so charge every Sunday)


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> In 3 1/2 years I’ve never turned the player off, never let it discharge fully or even to the indicator starts flashing and always had battery care enabled and I still get roughly the same battery time per charge as when new (about 20 hours play time with flac 16/44 and source direct and 7 days standby so charge every Sunday)


How do you know when to charge it before it even reaches the flashing point? That’s what I’m trying to figure out


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> How do you know when to charge it before it even reaches the flashing point? That’s what I’m trying to figure out



I charge not that long after it goes to 1 bar but that is because I probably only play about 15 hours a week, the 20 hours have been the few times I’ve actively timed play time per charge and that has been till it flashes.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

Got me a Dignis...


----------



## RobertP (Jun 5, 2020)

Nowadays, I make sure that battery stay around 90 to 40 percent charge to insure maximize sound performance.


----------



## Maxx134

Gamerlingual said:


> Oh. Simply put I’m thinking of using the 4.4mm ended cable from the 1AM2 for the WH-1000XM3, which is where the idea comes from. I’ll see how it sounds. Thanks for that explanation


It may fit perfectly but no good for player if the headphones are wired not balanced inside.


Gamerlingual said:


> thinking of my WH-1000XM3


If it's single ended wiring it will short the negatives together inside.


Redcarmoose said:


> So even though it’s suggested in the cable listing that it would work, the cable would actually ruin the Walkman!


Agreed, the perfect fitting cables have no relevance, if the headphones is wired inside single-ended, then it will combine the negatives and so be danger for the Sony wich needs the wires separated, and full balanced inside the headphones wiring.


----------



## Gamerlingual (Jun 5, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> It may fit perfectly but no good for player if the headphones are wired not balanced inside.
> 
> If it's single ended wiring it will short the negatives together inside.
> 
> Agreed, the perfect fitting cables have no relevance, if the headphones is wired inside single-ended, then it will combine the negatives and so be danger for the Sony wich needs the wires separated, and full balanced inside the headphones wiring.


I actually went back to E-Earphone to sample the Z7M2 and Z1R and spent a solid 3 hours using them both. I did a lot of stretching around my neck and back before diving in and finally noticed the little differences. Both offer better sounds for the electric guitar riffs and drums while the Z1R has more of a concert feel to it. After really analyzing the sounds using my Z1, I went back to adjusting the EQ on the Z1 using my WH-1000XM3 while going back to the Direct stock sound on the big cans. I managed to get the ideal EQ to match the sound of them as close as I could. Mission accomplished. Then, I transferred whatever FLAC files I had and changed them into ALAC and adjusted the EQ from the Z1 settings (as close as I could) to the Sony App and virtually got the matching soundstage I wanted. It worked out better than expected and now I can keep using my iPhone 11 Pro in BT mode while using my 1A and 1Z for my 1AM2. People are right that you gotta put in the time to really analyze all the sounds and pitches to understand how the instruments can create that synergy you want out of your cans. 

Oh and regarding the clamp force, I really made sure I adjusted both headphones and didn’t have much pressure today, Stretching then lightly and made sure the height was where it needed to be so I could feel the comfort. I was too determined to give up. Ultimately, I felt that the biggest difference was spending an extra $500 to $1700 USD on the MDR-Z1R and Z7M2 to get more stable guitar rifts and better mid percussion which I found it hard to justify when comparing it with my 1AM2. Still, I see why people love those headphones for their different target markets. They are well done and worth the price of admission to those that decide to take the plunge. 

Truly, the best combo I found was the Z1 combined with the IER-Z1R connected to my PHA-2A amp in balanced mode brought the best audio experience that my ears could listen to after all the studying I did at E-Earphone and Dyna 5555. This was probably more extensive than it needed to be. But hey, I did my homework.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I felt that Z7M2 has wider soundstage and a deeper bass over the 1AM2.

Tonality wise they sound 95% similar. 1AM2 had abit more midbass boost and slightly brighter.

In the end I picked the 1AM2 as I felt it has a more fun tuning over the more neutral Z7M2.


----------



## Gamerlingual (Jun 5, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I felt that Z7M2 has wider soundstage and a deeper bass over the 1AM2.
> 
> Tonality wise they sound 95% similar. 1AM2 had abit more midbass boost and slightly brighter.
> 
> In the end I picked the 1AM2 as I felt it has a more fun tuning over the more neutral Z7M2.


Hi there. I was referred to you by @Redcarmoose but it says your profile is limited in who can see it. Would it be ok to ask a couple of follow up questions considering your expertise over PM?


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 8, 2020)

Mysterious mystios


----------



## Ravenous

morgenstern09 said:


> If you change the model to 1Z, then you will have to use 1Z tunings.
> 
> Most of my tunings are for 1A, but some are for 1Z as well, like this one, which I recommend trying: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KlDLzWBSPpOpGLA8vKEbsf8wEaNAgizs?usp=sharing
> 
> There is another one in my signature, WM1Z².



So I've noticed that the reason why I was not able to install your Autumn+ tuning to my WM1A(1Z J) was because the WM1Z+JP installer detected my device as U region, even though I set the region to J with the command prompt (scsitool-nwz-v26.exe H: dest_tool set J). Does this mean that even though the command prompt lists my device as J region with the command "scsitool-nwz-v26.exe H: dest_tool get", that my device is actually still U region?


----------



## 515164

Ravenous said:


> So I've noticed that the reason why I was not able to install your Autumn+ tuning to my WM1A(1Z J) was because the WM1Z+JP installer detected my device as U region, even though I set the region to J with the command prompt (scsitool-nwz-v26.exe H: dest_tool set J). Does this mean that even though the command prompt lists my device as J region with the command "scsitool-nwz-v26.exe H: dest_tool get", that my device is actually still U region?



If the original region was one from the Universal variant (like U, MX, E), and then you change the region to one from another variant (like J from JP variant, or CEV, CEW from EU variant), you will still have to install packages for the original variant.

So if your device is Universal by default, that does not change when you change the region. You can use the J region but the device will stay Universal.


----------



## Ravenous (Jun 5, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> If the original region was one from the Universal variant (like U, MX, E), and then you change the region to one from another variant (like J from JP variant, or CEV, CEW from EU variant), you will still have to install packages for the original variant.
> 
> So if your device is Universal by default, that does not change when you change the region. You can use the J region but the device will stay Universal.



Ah ok, so the region change command just changes the sound signature of the device, and not the actual region. Would I have to reapply the region command change after using any tuning mods/firmware updates/nw changer or does the region signature stay set?


----------



## 515164

Ravenous said:


> Ah ok, it just the region change command just changes the sound signature of the device, and not the actual region. Would I have to reapply the region command change after using any tuning mods or does the region signature stay set?



It's actually more like each region belongs to a variant. However, the variant will always be the original one, while the region can be changed.

Once you set a new region, it will stay set until you change it again.


----------



## mwhals

Still saving for a WM1Z, but it will be later in the year before I have the cash in my personal account. If at the time, it is determined there is a new model announced, I will just wait for the new model. If the new model kills battery time like the ZX507, I may still get the WM1Z (maybe at discount).


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> Then, I transferred whatever FLAC files I had and changed them into ALAC and adjusted the EQ from the Z1 settings (as close as I could) to the Sony App and virtually got the matching soundstage I wanted. It worked out better than expected and now I can keep using my iPhone 11 Pro in BT mode while using my 1A and 1Z for my 1AM2. People are right that you gotta put in the time to really analyze all the sounds and pitches to understand how the instruments can create that synergy you want out of your cans.


Because my CD ripper (dbPoweramp) seems a bit fussy with trying to obtain track listings - every now and then I resort to ALAC via iTunes, as the Apple database seems to be very thorough, I can note two things:

I don’t personally like the tone of the ALAC decoder on the WM players, something not as nice to me as using the FLAC one...

Additionally, even if you’ve ripped to ALAC and are using that with BT from your iPhone into the WM, you’ll see it is transcoded into AAC, so even if it does work for you, to save space, just stick with AAC for BT connections out of your iPhone


----------



## nc8000

Ravenous said:


> So I've noticed that the reason why I was not able to install your Autumn+ tuning to my WM1A(1Z J) was because the WM1Z+JP installer detected my device as U region, even though I set the region to J with the command prompt (scsitool-nwz-v26.exe H: dest_tool set J). Does this mean that even though the command prompt lists my device as J region with the command "scsitool-nwz-v26.exe H: dest_tool get", that my device is actually still U region?



there are 2 regions on a player. One is a hardwired region defined by the label on the side of the player relating to where the player was intended to be sold and this region cant be changed and decides which fw installer you should use. Then there is the soft region which can be changed with the rockbox tool and decides features and sound tunings


----------



## Duncan

@RobertP - whilst I’m patiently waiting for your magician skills on the upcoming Orion10Z - do you think that switching my player back to 1A, flashing stock fw, and then installing 10A will yield me better results than my 1A switched to 1Z with stage 5?

I must learn to not be so impatient lol


----------



## nc8000

Duncan said:


> Because my CD ripper (dbPoweramp) seems a bit fussy with trying to obtain track listings - every now and then I resort to ALAC via iTunes, as the Apple database seems to be very thorough, I can note two things:
> 
> I don’t personally like the tone of the ALAC decoder on the WM players, something not as nice to me as using the FLAC one...
> 
> Additionally, even if you’ve ripped to ALAC and are using that with BT from your iPhone into the WM, you’ll see it is transcoded into AAC, so even if it does work for you, to save space, just stick with AAC for BT connections out of your iPhone



yes ALAC is a file codec not a BT codec and iOS only supports SBC and AAC over BT


----------



## mwhals

Duncan said:


> Because my CD ripper (dbPoweramp) seems a bit fussy with trying to obtain track listings - every now and then I resort to ALAC via iTunes, as the Apple database seems to be very thorough, I can note two things:
> 
> I don’t personally like the tone of the ALAC decoder on the WM players, something not as nice to me as using the FLAC one...
> 
> Additionally, even if you’ve ripped to ALAC and are using that with BT from your iPhone into the WM, you’ll see it is transcoded into AAC, so even if it does work for you, to save space, just stick with AAC for BT connections out of your iPhone



Do you ever look at the metadata options. There are always 4 to choose from. You can also manually type them. I always go to the metadata options and select the closest one and fix the one or two songs if needed. Usually I don't need to fix anything with dbPoweramp.


----------



## 515164

Duncan said:


> @RobertP - whilst I’m patiently waiting for your magician skills on the upcoming Orion10Z - do you think that switching my player back to 1A, flashing stock fw, and then installing 10A will yield me better results than my 1A switched to 1Z with stage 5?
> 
> I must learn to not be so impatient lol



You could just give it a try in the meanwhile 😁


----------



## Duncan

mwhals said:


> Do you ever look at the metadata options. There are always 4 to choose from. You can also manually type them. I always go to the metadata options and select the closest one and fix the one or two songs if needed. Usually I don't need to fix anything with dbPoweramp.


I have tried quite a few times, and you’re right, I generally find iirc GraceNote to be the most likely to find the listings, maybe it’s my eclectic taste in music lol - I will find one of my awkward CDs and see if I can track it down...

Thanks


----------



## minzink

Hi Community,


I am still busy reading all the posts in this tread to learn more about my WM1A and it is so astonishing. So many posts with very helpful information on my DAP. Thanks for that a lot!


I experimented a little bit with the region code. My favourite is still region U. I tried standard EU (with volume limit – it is a no go!) and J (for three times). But with my current headphones (Teufel Real Z connected via 3.5mm port) region J seems to have lower bass vs region U. Most fun and also clarity I had with U - so I will keep this for the timebeing.



I also installed WM1A-z1 firmware mod. Thank you Morgenstern for posting this and for support (now I get the difference between hard region code which is still on EU on my DAP and soft region code). WM1A-z1 is really an improvement over stock firmware 3.02.



Next steps will be to try the model changer (really looking forward) and I will try to get a used Sony MDR-Z7M2 for the balanced port (there are some opportunities on ebay from time to time).



 Best regards from Bavaria and stay safe!


----------



## Krutsch

Gamerlingual said:


> Yup. SBC or AAC. Both codecs are nothing to write home about, am I correct on that?



If you are using devices that support AAC (both source and receiver), the audio is sent *unchanged*. If you are using, for example, an iPhone with AAC audio files, like those on Apple Music, and your BT headphones support the AAC codec via Bluetooth (almost everything new does), you will experience no loss of audio quality from Bluetooth (assuming a clean radio connection).

If your audio files are lossless (i.e. ALAC or FLAC), the source will encode for AAC at high quality and you *still* won't suffer any audible loss of quality.

SBC is another discussion, depending on the quality of the source component and the quality of the radio connection (i.e. SBC will aggressively lower bandwidth to maintain a stable connection, but for a DAP and headphones, you will hardly have a range problem).


----------



## 515164 (Jun 6, 2020)

minzink said:


> I also installed WM1A-z1 firmware mod. Thank you Morgenstern for posting this and for support (now I get the difference between hard region code which is still on EU on my DAP and soft region code). WM1A-z1 is really an improvement over stock firmware 3.02.



Edited, so new, young flowers of the community, would stop feeling targeted or anything.


----------



## minzink

morgenstern09 said:


> Hello and welcome!
> 
> I am currently enjoying WM1A changed to Z, with a certain mod for 1Z, available in the same link as the model switcher itself. Also, I am using it with the Z7M2. I could listen for hours and still enjoy it as much without any fatigue.


Great! Next week I am out of office and weather forecast is bad. So, this seems to be a good project for a lazy day at home. I am really looking forward.


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> Hello and welcome!
> 
> I am currently enjoying WM1A changed to Z, with a certain mod for 1Z, available in the same link as the model switcher itself. Also, I am using it with the Z7M2. I could listen for hours and still enjoy it as much without any fatigue.




What are those stock tuning fw exactly?  Is it stock fw from 1a or 1z or dmp? What if I switch to dmp from 1z but dont apply the stock tuning and go for a moded one straight what happens?


----------



## 515164 (Jun 5, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> What are those stock tuning fw exactly?  Is it stock fw from 1a or 1z or dmp?



It's basically the stock SWUpdate.xml for those players, which handles the tuning.



Vitaly2017 said:


> What if I switch to dmp from 1z but dont apply the stock tuning and go for a moded one straight what happens?



Nothing will happen. The stock tunings are made to be used instead of applying the stock fw, which would be recommended to be done before applying another tuning.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

For those interested, this site has the internal hardware differences between A & Z explained in detail, use Google translate to read in English:

https://satouchi.com/walkman/wm_review.html


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> For those interested, this site has the internal hardware differences between A & Z explained in detail, use Google translate to read in English:
> 
> https://satouchi.com/walkman/wm_review.html


Or use Google Chrome to translate the entire page and read it in the browser. Good find


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 5, 2020)

Duncan said:


> Because my CD ripper (dbPoweramp) seems a bit fussy with trying to obtain track listings - every now and then I resort to ALAC via iTunes, as the Apple database seems to be very thorough, I can note two things:
> 
> I don’t personally like the tone of the ALAC decoder on the WM players, something not as nice to me as using the FLAC one...
> 
> Additionally, even if you’ve ripped to ALAC and are using that with BT from your iPhone into the WM, you’ll see it is transcoded into AAC, so even if it does work for you, to save space, just stick with AAC for BT connections out of your iPhone



Yep, Apple only puts out Bluetooth in AAC quality. You could only imagine how great it would be if they updated that!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> I actually went back to E-Earphone to sample the Z7M2 and Z1R and spent a solid 3 hours using them both. I did a lot of stretching around my neck and back before diving in and finally noticed the little differences. Both offer better sounds for the electric guitar riffs and drums while the Z1R has more of a concert feel to it. After really analyzing the sounds using my Z1, I went back to adjusting the EQ on the Z1 using my WH-1000XM3 while going back to the Direct stock sound on the big cans. I managed to get the ideal EQ to match the sound of them as close as I could. Mission accomplished. Then, I transferred whatever FLAC files I had and changed them into ALAC and adjusted the EQ from the Z1 settings (as close as I could) to the Sony App and virtually got the matching soundstage I wanted. It worked out better than expected and now I can keep using my iPhone 11 Pro in BT mode while using my 1A and 1Z for my 1AM2. People are right that you gotta put in the time to really analyze all the sounds and pitches to understand how the instruments can create that synergy you want out of your cans.
> 
> Oh and regarding the clamp force, I really made sure I adjusted both headphones and didn’t have much pressure today, Stretching then lightly and made sure the height was where it needed to be so I could feel the comfort. I was too determined to give up. Ultimately, I felt that the biggest difference was spending an extra $500 to $1700 USD on the MDR-Z1R and Z7M2 to get more stable guitar rifts and better mid percussion which I found it hard to justify when comparing it with my 1AM2. Still, I see why people love those headphones for their different target markets. They are well done and worth the price of admission to those that decide to take the plunge.
> 
> Truly, the best combo I found was the Z1 combined with the IER-Z1R connected to my PHA-2A amp in balanced mode brought the best audio experience that my ears could listen to after all the studying I did at E-Earphone and Dyna 5555. This was probably more extensive than it needed to be. But hey, I did my homework.



Remember though, your phone can only Bluetooth AAC, no matter what quality of file. Same as there is actually high bite rate ALAC; higher than 16/44.1 but it’s bottleneck is the IPhone DAC (16/48) if wired and AAC if Bluetooth.


----------



## Amber Rain

Vitaly2017 said:


> I just updated my signature so you guys can quickly access my firmwares uploads ! Enjoy everyone  I plan to leave it up permanently so no more looking for fw )



Thanks, greatly appreciated. Are the FWs for Windows or Mac>


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 8, 2020)

poopoo


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Remember though, your phone can only Bluetooth AAC, no matter what quality of file. Same as there is actually high bite rate ALAC; higher than 16/44.1 but it’s bottleneck is the IPhone DAC (16/48) if wired and AAC if Bluetooth.


Ah, so if it's wired, you still get better audio in that case. Great to know. Thanks for that. Still, having the IER-Z1R with the Z1 has been a blessing. The smallest sized SS Rubber Tips have been the best fit and my ears got used to them.


----------



## RobertP

Duncan said:


> @RobertP - whilst I’m patiently waiting for your magician skills on the upcoming Orion10Z - do you think that switching my player back to 1A, flashing stock fw, and then installing 10A will yield me better results than my 1A switched to 1Z with stage 5?
> 
> I must learn to not be so impatient lol


I'm tuning another pass of 1Z revision for even better quality overall. It takes time but well worth it. Maybe I should do the same to 1A too but not until I finished 1Z first.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I felt that Z7M2 has wider soundstage and a deeper bass over the 1AM2.
> 
> Tonality wise they sound 95% similar. 1AM2 had abit more midbass boost and slightly brighter.
> 
> In the end I picked the 1AM2 as I felt it has a more fun tuning over the more neutral Z7M2.


What do you think of the MDR-Z1R? Is it still brighter and are the 1AM2 90% of the tonality of the MDR-Z1R?


----------



## Amber Rain

Vitaly2017 said:


> Windows only sorry



No problem at all, thanks for confirming.


----------



## Maxx134 (Jun 6, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> and go for a moded one straight what happens?


The blackgates will leak..




Gamerlingual said:


> What do you think of the MDR-Z1R? Is it still brighter and are the 1AM2 90% of the tonality of the MDR-Z1R?


The 1am2 is my favorite portable now.
I had so many portables its not even funny how much I spent.
I even had the Utrasone ED5, & the oppo PM1 & 2, Audeze sine, HiFiMan ed S, beyer, denon, &  many Audio Techincas even the rarest wood ones...
Bla bla.

Anyways I am settled on the sony 1am2, as it has nicest fit and still an over ear size, plus sound quality very good in stock form.

Actually, now that I think of it, almost all of the top portables, all have had very, very good sound.
So it was kind of a waste to go from one to another....


----------



## Vitaly2017

Maxx134 said:


> The blackgates will leak..
> 
> 
> 
> ...






Yeaaa right lol, leak gold ? Hmmm


----------



## NickleCo

New cables arrived  still in the proess to find the best fw combo.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Maxx134 said:


> The blackgates will leak..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Why did you find it better than the Z1R and Z7M2? I want to make sure I'm not the only one who thinks that the audio quality on the 1AM2 with the 1Z was virtually spot on with those more expensive cans.


----------



## Vitaly2017

DatDudeNic said:


> New cables arrived  still in the proess to find the best fw combo.




So sexy x😛


----------



## NickleCo

Vitaly2017 said:


> So sexy x😛


Thanks!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Z1R sounded darker than the 1AM2 and Z7M2. Z1R felt wider in soundstage and felt less closed in. I just felt that Z1R was like wearing a darker shade of sunglasses. 

I felt that the price of the 1AM2 when I got for USD$250 back in dec 2019 was a quite a steal. 

The 40mm drivers and it's housing on 1AM2 can handle very strong bass. I tried setting my balanced
 zx507 to excited EQ, DC phase Linearizer type A low and High Gain. Maxing out volume on this track and there's no audible crackling or distortion from the headphones:


----------



## Vitaly2017

DatDudeNic said:


> Thanks!



What are those toxic green dual flange ear tips? You got a link so I can see more details pls


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Z1R sounded darker than the 1AM2 and Z7M2. Z1R felt wider in soundstage and felt less closed in. I just felt that Z1R was like wearing a darker shade of sunglasses.
> 
> I felt that the price of the 1AM2 when I got for USD$250 back in dec 2019 was a quite a steal.
> 
> ...



Thanks for your feedback. If I have anymore questions, would it be better to ask you here on the boards since you have personal messages shut off on your profile? I read your criteria on how to determine the best headphones based on your questions and I came up with the same conclusions based on your list. The 1AM2 is a great combo with the 1A and 1Z


----------



## NickleCo (Jun 6, 2020)

Biflanges from my old razer hammerhead pro v1. Very wide bores a good tip for very bassy iems . Its been discontinued for years now :/ the iems themselves were not good but their tips were something else.


Vitaly2017 said:


> What are those toxic green dual flange ear tips? You got a link so I can see more details pls


----------



## Maxx134

Gamerlingual said:


> Why did you find it better than the Z1R and Z7M2? I want to make sure I'm not the only one who thinks that the audio quality on the 1AM2 with the 1Z was virtually spot on with those more expensive cans.


I also was impressed by the nice tonality of these portables.
It had a touch of upper end type sound, approaching the resolve of its bigger brother. The 7zm2, but the 1Z is still a thicker, larger and more resolving  can regardless.



Sonywalkmanuser said:


> The 40mm drivers and it's hous oring on 1AM2 can handle very strong bass. I tried setting my balanced


Yeah I could tell these are probably Sony's best quality sounding portable.
They can also be altered in tonality a bit ( moded) if you're into that.


----------



## vilhelm44 (Jun 6, 2020)

Hi guys, first off, thank you for all he wonderful FW, it's a lot of fun trying different flavours with my WM1Z and VE8. I've been experiencing sibilant vocals over the last month, even with J and 3.01 which I thought would help. I'm currently using CEV and 3.01 which has reduced it slightly. Has anyone got any ideas on any other region/FW combos which would help reduce this please?


----------



## Lookout57

vilhelm44 said:


> Hi guys, first off, thank you for all he wonderful FW, it's a lot of fun trying different flavours with my WM1Z and VE8. I've been experiencing sibilant vocals over the last month, even with J and 3.01 which I thought would help. I'm currently using CEV and 3.01 which has reduced it slightly. Has anyone got any ideas on any other region/FW combos which would help reduce this please?


Region J and 3.02 has the smoothest treble to me on the 1Z. That is using a pure silver cable and Solaris SE IEM.


----------



## vilhelm44

Lookout57 said:


> Region J and 3.02 has the smoothest treble to me on the 1Z. That is using a pure silver cable and Solaris SE IEM.



Thank you. I've tried that combo with a Leo II and sounded great but still sibilant with a lot of vocals unfortunately. Sounded a little better with a gold plated copper cable. I have a EA Lionheart coming next week, which I hope will help a little.


----------



## gerelmx1986

vilhelm44 said:


> Hi guys, first off, thank you for all he wonderful FW, it's a lot of fun trying different flavours with my WM1Z and VE8. I've been experiencing sibilant vocals over the last month, even with J and 3.01 which I thought would help. I'm currently using CEV and 3.01 which has reduced it slightly. Has anyone got any ideas on any other region/FW combos which would help reduce this please?


Try region E/E2


----------



## Lookout57

vilhelm44 said:


> Thank you. I've tried that combo with a Leo II and sounded great but still sibilant with a lot of vocals unfortunately. Sounded a little better with a gold plated copper cable. I have a EA Lionheart coming next week, which I hope will help a little.


That combos doesn't remove it, it just tamed the treble. I found that if the recording is sibilant and you are using a high resolution cable and IEM it's going to be more prominent. For those recordings, like CSN Helplessly Hoping 24/96, I find just turning the volume down a bit helps. But with smooth clean recording that combo sounded the best.


----------



## vilhelm44

gerelmx1986 said:


> Try region E/E2



Thank you, I'll give those two a go and see how I get on.



Lookout57 said:


> That combos doesn't remove it, it just tamed the treble. I found that if the recording is sibilant and you are using a high resolution cable and IEM it's going to be more prominent. For those recordings, like CSN Helplessly Hoping 24/96, I find just turning the volume down a bit helps. But with smooth clean recording that combo sounded the best.



Yes, I think the lift in resolution in the chain does highten the sibilance if in a recording. I'll keep experimenting


----------



## Vitaly2017

vilhelm44 said:


> Hi guys, first off, thank you for all he wonderful FW, it's a lot of fun trying different flavours with my WM1Z and VE8. I've been experiencing sibilant vocals over the last month, even with J and 3.01 which I thought would help. I'm currently using CEV and 3.01 which has reduced it slightly. Has anyone got any ideas on any other region/FW combos which would help reduce this please?




Try also U3 and MX3


----------



## TheThingGoesSkrrr (Jun 6, 2020)

Anyone read this?
Seems like this guy actually went out and bought another wm1a to compare the FWs.
You can check out his review here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/gxxdwv/ladder_sony_wm1a/


----------



## Duncan

TheThingGoesSkrrr said:


> Anyone read this?
> Seems like this guy actually went out and bought another wm1a to compare the FWs.
> You can check out his review here:
> https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/gxxdwv/ladder_sony_wm1a/


That doesn’t make sense to me as I can have really hot treble on one fw versus another, or a big bass hump etc etc...

obviously that user has two players, so holds more validity than me with just the one...  definitely not convinced that my ears are that faulty / prone to placebo though.


----------



## hyper8

My experience is consistent with that reviewer. I compared with my friend's WM1A directly and couldn't tell a difference. I don't want to ruin your guys' fun though.


----------



## Lookout57

Duncan said:


> That doesn’t make sense to me as I can have really hot treble on one fw versus another, or a big bass hump etc etc...
> 
> obviously that user has two players, so holds more validity than me with just the one...  definitely not convinced that my ears are that faulty / prone to placebo though.


I also have two WM1A and a WM1Z and can hear a difference in treble and bass when I compared tunings between the two WM1A's. 

In that post he doesn't say how many hours he had on either unit, what cable and connection (balanced or SE). So I would discount it to a typical reddit post, half-assed. 

Here on a dedicated site, you will get a better impression, as most members that post here understand how burn-in, cables, IEM and connection can effect sound.


----------



## TheThingGoesSkrrr

hyper8 said:


> My experience is consistent with that reviewer. I compared with my friend's WM1A directly and couldn't tell a difference. I don't want to ruin your guys' fun though.


Me too, i started FW rolling two weeks ago and I thought i could clearly hear the difference BUT when i compared it with my friend's WM1A (3.02 stock) I couldn't tell them apart from a blind test (conducted by my friend). Both units have over 200 hours and tested on balanced


----------



## nc8000

TheThingGoesSkrrr said:


> Anyone read this?
> Seems like this guy actually went out and bought another wm1a to compare the FWs.
> You can check out his review here:
> https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/gxxdwv/ladder_sony_wm1a/



Interesting. I never heard any great differences between the various stock fw but I hear clear differences between stock and various custom tunings and between the different tunings


----------



## gearofwar

TheThingGoesSkrrr said:


> Anyone read this?
> Seems like this guy actually went out and bought another wm1a to compare the FWs.
> You can check out his review here:
> https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/gxxdwv/ladder_sony_wm1a/


it seems you just started the damn old arguments. If this guy can’t hear the differences , good for him. Everybody’s ears is different, buying good expensive equipments doesn’t make you have trained ears.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 6, 2020)

We are all audiophile psychopaths we hear things, we imagine stuff, we are traveling threw time and space. What are we smoking?  It gota be some good shiiuut 😁😉🙃🙂


It is not because 1 cannot hear it that others wont !
Also its not because you dont hear it then the information is abscent... its all in your mind! You got the wrong focus and never heard what is missing due to many factors as you are less experienced audiophile...

But trust me its all there! You just dont want to hear it and dont have the hints to what to listen..... 
Things can be subtle.  Sometimes more obvious to spot ect ect....

You need 1000 and 1000 of hours of trained ear to hear something new and realize new sound captures....

It goes beyond and beyond. 
Havent you ever tought about why same file format sounds better and better on newer gear?
Every year there is a new dap but the file format stays the same ???? But it sounds better????
Yes because new dap acquired new abilities to present music in a more harmonic way, more dynamics go on and on.


----------



## Tanjiro

I am sure I can hear the difference between different FWs.  I think earphone and cable also play an important role in this.


----------



## normie610

I could certainly hear the difference between FW mods. It’s very noticeable.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

We do see and hear things differently:


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> We do see and hear things differently:





I am good I got them all right!

Laurel waring a blue black dress 🤣😂😍🤩


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> We do see and hear things differently:



I see me Laurel wearing white and gold dress!


----------



## NickleCo

vilhelm44 said:


> Hi guys, first off, thank you for all he wonderful FW, it's a lot of fun trying different flavours with my WM1Z and VE8. I've been experiencing sibilant vocals over the last month, even with J and 3.01 which I thought would help. I'm currently using CEV and 3.01 which has reduced it slightly. Has anyone got any ideas on any other region/FW combos which would help reduce this please?


the smoothest ive ever tried is Jupiter 3.01 on E2


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> I see me Laurel wearing white and gold dress!




Damn I was looking and looking but all I see it blue and black ! And I tried outside and inside my house always same.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> Damn I was looking and looking but all I see it blue and black ! And I tried outside and inside my house always same.


Maybe because you got special Tiger eyes haha


----------



## Gamerlingual

Anyone think this adapter is safe to use on the players?


----------



## RobertP (Jun 7, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Anyone think this adapter is safe to use on the players?


Safe to use? Maybe. It depends on the jack material. Copper core is preferred for best sound quality and durability.


----------



## Gamerlingual

RobertP said:


> Safe to use? Maybe. It depends on the jack material. Copper core is preferred for best sound quality and durability.


After owning the 1Z, I do agree on that copper statement. But it’s gold played. Would copying and pasting the details help?


----------



## RobertP (Jun 7, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> After owning the 1Z, I do agree on that copper statement. But it’s gold played. Would copying and pasting the details help?



Just check out the product site and the adapter construction seems OK. You are good to go. If it copper core. I would buy one too.


----------



## Gamerlingual

RobertP said:


> Just check out the product site and the adapter construction seems OK enough. You are good to go.


Thank you for the feedback. After my last adapter question, I wanted to be extra cautious since I don’t want to break my players


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Anyone think this adapter is safe to use on the players?


Yes. It’s by DD Hifi. They sent me a review unit together with TC35i for iPhone. Fantastic build quality and transparent sound. Used to connect your 4.4mm cables to 3.5mm inputs. Perfectly safe and top notch product. In fact I posted a picture of it a few days ago here.


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> Just check out the product site and the adapter construction seems OK. You are good to go. If it copper core. I would buy one too.


This is the construction of the DJ44C adaptor.

*4.4mm BAL Female to 3.5mm TRS / 2.5 TRRRS Balanced Audio Adapter *

Apply to 4.4mm TRRRS balance earphone cable
Full CNC integrated molding
 Stainless steel housing
6N-OCC Internal Connection Wire
Extremely Small and Light


----------



## RobertP (Jun 7, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> This is the construction of the DJ44C adaptor.
> 
> *4.4mm BAL Female to 3.5mm TRS / 2.5 TRRRS Balanced Audio Adapter *
> 
> ...


If it's a Phosphor bronze connector which has some copper in it just like their 2 pin connectors then no bad. Check mark for durability.


----------



## Gamerlingual

One question, how would I know what the right amount of volume to use on some cans have say a 58 ohm impedance versus the 16 ohms required for the 1AM2? I listen to my volume on high gain at around 35 to 40 and find the volume satisfying but need to jack it up to 65 or so to get similar performance. 

I get that it means it uses more power, but even with a website suggested to determine the output needed to listen to the larger cans at a safe volume, the 1Z and 1A don’t have the decibel indicators that the Sony TA-ZH1ES has displayed on its menu. I think it would also help me understand how to handle volume appropriately so I don’t go deaf


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> One question, how would I know what the right amount of volume to use on some cans have say a 58 ohm impedance versus the 16 ohms required for the 1AM2? I listen to my volume on high gain at around 35 to 40 and find the volume satisfying but need to jack it up to 65 or so to get similar performance.
> 
> I get that it means it uses more power, but even with a website suggested to determine the output needed to listen to the larger cans at a safe volume, the 1Z and 1A don’t have the decibel indicators that the Sony TA-ZH1ES has displayed on its menu. I think it would also help me understand how to handle volume appropriately so I don’t go deaf


Find a volume you’re happy with and then turn it down by two notches...

There is no science to it, by example - my comfortable volume is 65 on high gain, but depending on the mood, I can go up to 85, 100 - even 110 (depending on the recording, don’t forget, a lot depends on the mastering of the recording too) - i don’t like making it too scientific, go with what you’re comfortable with.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Duncan said:


> Find a volume you’re happy with and then turn it down by two notches...
> 
> There is no science to it, by example - my comfortable volume is 65 on high gain, but depending on the mood, I can go up to 85, 100 - even 110 (depending on the recording, don’t forget, a lot depends on the mastering of the recording too) - i don’t like making it too scientific, go with what you’re comfortable with.


Ok. If it’s not ear piercing, my ears can judge what’s too loud. Ok. Thank you.


----------



## frost15

Yeah, the volume thing is very headphone resistance dependant, yet depending on the person you may be surprised aswell. I listen to most stuff at 55 (no high gain). Then there are some very dynamic recordings that invite me to go up to 65-70. But all the times I've shared my gear with other people I've been told that I listen to music on very quiet levels. I've seen people going full Berserk to 100-110 in order to "hear something" (too damn loud for me! ) 😂


----------



## chewyR

Maxx134 said:


> I also was impressed by the nice tonality of these portables.
> It had a touch of upper end type sound, approaching the resolve of its bigger brother. The 7zm2, but the 1Z is still a thicker, larger and more resolving  can regardless.



The MDR-Z1R is the flagship, and includes a luxury leather and wood case. It costs significantly more than 7zm2, and while its sound signature is different, i would say it adds definition to the highs, older men likely wont hear much difference between these two.


----------



## Gamerlingual

For owners of the WH-1000XM3, I came up with these EQ settings to try to achieve the best balance of all instruments possible. Later on in the week, I’ll try do do the same with the EQ settings for the 1Z and/or 1A using LDAC and hopefully find another happy medium for those that like to go wireless once in a while:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/son...qc35-in-noise-cancelling.887797/post-15661986


----------



## 524419 (Jun 7, 2020)

TheThingGoesSkrrr said:


> Anyone read this?
> Seems like this guy actually went out and bought another wm1a to compare the FWs.
> You can check out his review here:
> https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/gxxdwv/ladder_sony_wm1a/


This guy has hearing issues or straight up lying about testing the players.
Or he is using Iems that are extremely over bearing and colored that changes in firmware and Daps make little to no difference.


----------



## echineko

Diet Kokaine said:


> This guy has hearing issues or straight up lying about testing the players.
> Or he is using Iems that are extremely over bearing and colored that changes in firmware and Daps make little to no difference.


I have tried multiple firmware with my Walkman in the past and noticed very little changes to the sound as well, definitely not as much as some people have claimed. 

This dude goes into some detail on how he tested it also, might be worth checking out before claiming he's deaf etc. Personally I think it's better to be deaf and content, than have golden ears and be delusional.


----------



## treofan

Hi all,

Can you help to share latest version nw_model_switcher ? I tried to find but cannot.

Thank a lot


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 8, 2020)

nada nono


----------



## treofan

Vitaly2017 said:


> Just search in this thread for switch.  When I get back home I'll add it to my sharing link



I have gone through many posts in this thread. I found out the Google drive link but I cannot access since need approval from owner. So I want to ask for other link. Very interesting for this mod.


----------



## nc8000

treofan said:


> I have gone through many posts in this thread. I found out the Google drive link but I cannot access since need approval from owner. So I want to ask for other link. Very interesting for this mod.



You can’t find it because morgenstern who created it has removed it


----------



## Ravenous

nc8000 said:


> You can’t find it because morgenstern who created it has removed it



Interesting, any idea as to why it was removed?


----------



## Ravenous

aceedburn said:


> This is the construction of the DJ44C adaptor.
> 
> *4.4mm BAL Female to 3.5mm TRS / 2.5 TRRRS Balanced Audio Adapter *
> 
> ...



This won't work for a unbalanced 3.5mm cable would it? lol


----------



## aceedburn

Ravenous said:


> This won't work for a unbalanced 3.5mm cable would it? lol


I am using it with unbalanced 3.5mm. That’s what it’s intended for. So you can use your 4.4mm cables with any 3.5mm port.


----------



## nc8000

Ravenous said:


> This won't work for a unbalanced 3.5mm cable would it? lol



It is for using phones terminated with 4.4 male on sources that only have 3.5 single ended output


----------



## nc8000 (Jun 7, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> Interesting, any idea as to why it was removed?



Don’t know, just noticed he has cleared his post and removed all his links. 

DropBox also disabled my shared folder after they had received complainst about illeagal activity with some of the files and banned me for 24 hours from creating new public shared links


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> Don’t know, just noticed he has cleared his post and removed all his links.
> 
> DropBox also disabled my shared folder after they had received complainst about illeagal activity with some of the files and banned me for 24 hours from creating new public shared links




Weird what illegal activity was there ????
Who the heck filed a complaint?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Ok. No using Dropbox. That sucks


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Weird what illegal activity was there ????
> Who the heck filed a complaint?



Don’t know they didn’t say


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 8, 2020)

no clues


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> Weird what illegal activity was there ????
> Who the heck filed a complaint?


As soon I read this I redownload the Lotoo paw FW


----------



## Queen6

Vitaly2017 said:


> Weird what illegal activity was there ????
> Who the heck filed a complaint?



Very likely the owner of the IP or their representative's i.e. Sony...  

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 8, 2020)

damn its gone


----------



## Lookout57

I wonder if someone from Sony was monitoring this thread and complained for copyright/DCMA? 

Or did someone here report them?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I can only think if sony... remember that we have @Sonyvores ... or perhaps the VIP Mods group e.g W/M, perhaps


----------



## gerelmx1986

Wiyh the news that @nc8000 unmentioned about his dropbox lock... I have this gut feeling that, sony will patch this hole on next FW Update


----------



## Quadfather

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok. No using Dropbox. That sucks


A lot of Internet censorship happens.


----------



## Queen6 (Jun 7, 2020)

Corporate Sony can be very aggressive regarding IP, anyone following the gaming scene and the soon to be released "last of us" part 2 knows exactly just how extreme they can be, up to and including blatantly violating YouTube copywrite strikes for their own means.

Personally I believe that companies should work with their communities and be more open to dialogue on such matters not arbitrarily block and sterilise. After all without us, what are they...

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> A lot of Internet censorship happens.


One reason I don't download illegal music anymore here in Germany, they know the IP address, I'd better buy digital or.physycal, now that I can rip SACD


----------



## RobertP (Jun 7, 2020)

Maybe I should take my stuff down temporarily. Everything is OK here btw.


----------



## Maxx134 (Jun 7, 2020)

Get them downloads!


----------



## Maxx134 (Jun 7, 2020)

echineko said:


> This dude goes into some detail on how he tested it also, might be worth checking out before claiming he's deaf etc. Personally I think it's better to be deaf and content, than have golden ears and be delusional.


Hmm..no..



It takes people time as they're brain to ear develop more into it.
The golden ear is just that, for a reason.
You try to get the golden ears for a dam good reason.

Being able to experience a recording to such a level 

as to sense the event and have music more moving experience to make you do this:

...


----------



## Dtuck90

I had a feeling the model switcher would be a step too far for Sony.


----------



## Queen6

Dtuck90 said:


> I had a feeling the model switcher would be a step too far for Sony.



Possibly, much would depend on the sound signature being driven by the tuning rather than the hardware. If the former, that's something that some may not want out in the wild, or simply a  matter of IP...

Q-6


----------



## Maxx134

Vitaly2017 said:


> Weird what illegal activity was there ????
> Who the heck filed a complaint?


Somebody filed a complaint in order for the file sharing to be closed...



Queen6 said:


> Very likely the owner of the IP or their representative's i.e. Sony...
> 
> Q-6


That's a very possible  assumption, but they didn't bother before, so we will find out soon enough.



Dtuck90 said:


> I had a feeling the model switcher would be a step too far for Sony.


Even if that was the tipping point, somebody had to have complained or squealed to Sony...


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Thats why private message exist guys.

Though that’s also the reason why I don’t use private messaging on headfi as I want my information/opinions to be shared with everyone here instead of between two persons.


----------



## Dtuck90

Maxx134 said:


> Somebody filed a complaint in order for the file sharing to be closed...
> 
> 
> That's a very possible  assumption, but they didn't bother before, so we will find out soon enough.
> ...



I wouldn’t be surprised if Sony periodically follow what’s going on here


----------



## Vitaly2017

Maxx134 said:


> Hmm..no..
> 
> 
> It takes people time as they're brain to ear develop more into it.
> ...





Oh my god how could you forget Tiger Ears Powers !!!

Oh no , I am so disappointed!


----------



## Maxx134 (Jun 7, 2020)

Best I can do on short notice..

Was looking for "gif" files..


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jun 7, 2020)

Did he not


gerelmx1986 said:


> Wiyh the news that @nc8000 unmentioned about his dropbox lock... I have this gut feeling that, sony will patch this hole on next FW Update


Usually a firmware update corrects or improves a problem and/or adds a feature - be interesting to see what they try to lure WM1A/WM1Z owners with to get them to update. I came across a forum in French that was sharing the tuning mods so there are many owners (not just here) that aren't going to 'de-value' their dap with an update that prevents tuning mods etc.
This reminds me of when Sony released that update years ago to PS3, blu ray players etc that tried to stop piracy.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Which are the most important FW to download? RobertP and Morgen?


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 8, 2020)

mistified


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Whitigir was the first ones to appear they are the pioneers ones you definitely need those!


And the one that eats up the most Hard drive space. So get them all or what are the most important ones?


----------



## InstantSilence

Does the WM1Z have more resolu, detail, clarity vs Hugo 2?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> And the one that eats up the most Hard drive space. So get them all or what are the most important ones?





Jupiter t1 t2 t3
Solis3.01 and solis3.02


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Jupiter t1 t2 t3
> Solis3.01 and solis3.02


Good to know, thanks. I'm guessing after this, we can't discuss FW anymore?


----------



## Gww1

_Could someone PM me the switcher please?_


----------



## 524419

Vitaly2017 said:


> Weird what illegal activity was there ????
> Who the heck filed a complaint?


I would bet money it's the same ones that were trolling when the original modded Firmware came out. 
Snitches....these people are bottom of the garbage pile. Karens all of them, salty as hell.


----------



## RobertP (Jun 7, 2020)

Sound tuning is like tuning your own car engine. We should have the right to sound tune our WM1A/Z.


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I can only think if sony... remember that we have @Sonyvores ... or perhaps the VIP Mods group e.g W/M, perhaps


I hope you don’t mean what I think you are.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Diet Kokaine said:


> I would bet money it's the same ones that were trolling when the original modded Firmware came out.
> Snitches....these people are bottom of the garbage pile. Karens all of them, salty as hell.




No words to add damn shame


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 8, 2020)

mistios


----------



## Gamerlingual

But for the rest, is it a bad idea to discuss the FW now?


----------



## InstantSilence

I don't understand... Is it bad to mod your own device? Does Sony like it?


----------



## RobertP

InstantSilence said:


> I don't understand... Is it bad to mod your own device? Does Sony like it?


Probably there is a limit how much fun you can have.


----------



## InstantSilence

RobertP said:


> Probably there is a limit how much fun you can have.


But if one buys the device.... It's theirs.... What's the argument. 
I mean we can still mod the 1z right?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Guess worst case scenario, I stay on stock 3.02 J region in English


----------



## Whitigir

InstantSilence said:


> But if one buys the device.... It's theirs.... What's the argument.
> I mean we can still mod the 1z right?


Hardware layout and product is your, firmware is Not your, you can see it in firmware installation windows pop up.

You can break your device if you wanted to, or put it in a blender, run a tank over it, or modify it.  But firmware ? Any bugs or loopholes, Sony has obligations to patch it, secure it, improve it.  Sony is not alone, other companies are as well

AK for example, they don’t allow you to install any apps you want, eventhough they run on Android OS, but locked down and very limited.  Any loopholes that allow installation of unauthorized app by AK, they locked it up


----------



## InstantSilence

Whitigir said:


> Hardware layout and product is your, firmware is Not your, you can see it in firmware installation windows pop up.
> 
> You can break your device if you wanted to, or put it in a blender, run a tank over it, or modify it.  But firmware ? Any bugs or loopholes, Sony has obligations to patch it, secure it, improve it.  Sony is not alone, other companies are as well
> 
> AK for example, they don’t allow you to install any apps you want, eventhough they run on Android OS, but locked down and very limited.  Any loopholes that allow installation of unauthorized app by AK, they locked it up


Do you enjoy modding your 1a/1z. Do you feel remorse when doing so?


----------



## Lookout57

I think we wouldn't be here if it was called modified tunings (which it actually is), instead of modified firmware.


----------



## mwhals

To me modifying a dap is no different than modifying a car for performance enhancements. The latter is acceptable, so why not daps?


----------



## InstantSilence

Why does this even matter... Let the modding continue...


----------



## Hinomotocho

InstantSilence said:


> But if one buys the device.... It's theirs.... What's the argument.
> I mean we can still mod the 1z right?


Usually it's in all that fine print somewhere not to modify the device/software etc.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Is there any risk that they may pressure Headfi to take down this thread?


----------



## Mindstorms (Jun 7, 2020)

so can I use Orion 5 1Z in my 1A? 1A version its very good for me... (not only very good biut one of the best 3.02 Based tunings ive tried STage is a solid 10)


----------



## Queen6

Whitigir said:


> Hardware layout and product is your, firmware is Not your, you can see it in firmware installation windows pop up.
> 
> You can break your device if you wanted to, or put it in a blender, run a tank over it, or modify it.  But firmware ? Any bugs or loopholes, Sony has obligations to patch it, secure it, improve it.  Sony is not alone, other companies are as well
> 
> AK for example, they don’t allow you to install any apps you want, eventhough they run on Android OS, but locked down and very limited.  Any loopholes that allow installation of unauthorized app by AK, they locked it up



Correct, sadly music, video and software we only pay and own a licence for personal use not to own or modify. What irritates is there's conveniently no mechanism to upgrade say: VHS, DVD, BlueRay we just get to pay...

Q-6


----------



## NickleCo

Could anyone also pm me of the new fws


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 8, 2020)

Mystery


----------



## NickleCo (Jun 7, 2020)

@Vitaly2017  Thanks mate!


----------



## 524419 (Jun 8, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Hardware layout and product is your, firmware is Not your, you can see it in firmware installation windows pop up.
> 
> You can break your device if you wanted to, or put it in a blender, run a tank over it, or modify it.  But firmware ? Any bugs or loopholes, Sony has obligations to patch it, secure it, improve it.  Sony is not alone, other companies are as well
> 
> AK for example, they don’t allow you to install any apps you want, eventhough they run on Android OS, but locked down and very limited.  Any loopholes that allow installation of unauthorized app by AK, they locked it up


Didn't used to be that way, you can thank Microsoft for all this gatekeeping and walling off of Software. Bill Gates cornered the Freeware programming community and was the first one to monetize it.
Turned the whole industry upside down, almost overnight.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Even repairing your own hardware has been made difficult nowadays:


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Even repairing your own hardware has been made difficult nowadays:



That is why no service manuals can be found, unless illegally leaked.  But still, the product physical is your, do what you want with it


----------



## Mindstorms

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Even repairing your own hardware has been made difficult nowadays:



I already follow hi he knows whats hes talking about


----------



## Queen6

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Even repairing your own hardware has been made difficult nowadays:




Equally one still has the right of choice to avoid companies such as Apple that deliberately design hardware to be unrepairable & disposable. I dropped Apple both personally and professionally due to it's inconsistency, unreliability and self-serving design philosophy...

Q-6


----------



## Mindstorms (Jun 7, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> Equally one still has the right of choice to avoid companies such as Apple that deliberately design hardware to be unrepairable & disposable. I dropped Apple both personally and professionally due to it's inconsistency, unreliability and self-serving design philosophy...
> 
> Q-6


have you guys seen what sony is doing to the new ssd on consoles they put propietary advanced chips on them they say they may be really something else acording to linustechtips latest apology.. if you google that you can se what im talking about.
Maybe Sony's future its to made custom chips like no one else can? It reminded me to walkman..


----------



## Queen6 (Jun 7, 2020)

Mindstorms said:


> have you guys seen what sony is doing to the new ssd on consoles they put propietary advanced chips on them they say they may be really something else acording to linustechtips latest apology.. if you google that you can se what im talking about.
> Maybe Sony's future its to made custom chips like no one else can? It reminded me to walkman..



Good enough if it presents a genuine advantage to the end user, however most big multinationals want to lock in and control the customer as Apple does. I'll stick with a PC and make my own choices. As for phones & DAP's one has or accept  compromise with the miniaturisation at this level. If you don't agree with a companies philosophy the answer is very simple don't purchase from them.

I'm happy with my WM1A, however I have no brand allegiance and don't care for some companies antics. As an end user I fully expect a fair deal, if not there are plenty of others who care and value their customers...  

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

For my curious little friends !!!

I just made a comparison of 2 ultra majestic daps, its worth reading plese see my review here on our modifying thread 


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15663691


----------



## fire2368

I'm getting a trojan horse notification when downloading your link @Vitaly2017 

It's appearing here: file: Custom FW\MODs by morgenstern09\WM1Aᶻ only 1A\


----------



## Vitaly2017

fire2368 said:


> I'm getting a trojan horse notification when downloading your link @Vitaly2017
> 
> It's appearing here: file: Custom FW\MODs by morgenstern09\WM1Aᶻ only 1A\




just disable antivirus others can confirm its a glitch in antivirus threat detection


----------



## Gamerlingual

Yup no problems for me


----------



## flyer1

Vitaly2017 said:


> I just updated my link for Firmwares now region tool with all the region explanations made by _*X mention Tormenta*_  are also available...
> Nw switcher tool also now available
> DOWNLOAD WHILE ITS AVAILABLE HURRY



Where can I find this link?


----------



## aceedburn

flyer1 said:


> Where can I find this link?


It’s in his signature.


----------



## flyer1

aceedburn said:


> It’s in his signature.



Found it. Thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jun 8, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I hope you don’t mean what I think you are.


No but hell remember sonyvores, i think i read on his blog he is from sony france.... so bettet be more careful and keep quiet for some time. I had totally forgotten about votes


----------



## RobertP (Jun 8, 2020)

Sorry guys! there will be no Orion stage10 for 1Z do to some kind of limitation.


----------



## Amber Rain

These are Windows FW only, correct?


----------



## RobertP (Jun 8, 2020)

Yes, he has just for PC


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> Sorry guys! there will be no Orion stage10 for 1Z do to some kind of limitation. @Vitaly2017 should have stage8 and 9 upload shorty. Get them while you can!
> 
> Cheers!


What’s the difference between 8 and 9?


----------



## RobertP (Jun 8, 2020)

Stage9 is a bit fuller, warmer, and more bass. Stage8 is more transparent, neutral, and very resolved with my gear.


----------



## gerelmx1986

RobertP said:


> Stage9 is a bit fuller, warmer, and more bass. Stage8 is more transparent, neutral, and very resolved with my gear.


Much like the lotoo vs the DMP-Z1  1.02?


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> Stage9 is a bit fuller, warmer, and more bass. Stage8 is more transparent, neutral, and very resolved with my gear.


And how would you compare Orion 5 vs Orion 9 for 1z then?


----------



## RobertP (Jun 8, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Much like the lotoo vs the DMP-Z1  1.02?


Never try lotoo before so sorry I don't know.



aceedburn said:


> And how would you compare Orion 5 vs Orion 9 for 1z then?


Should be vastly improve overall. Maybe like t3 vs t5 I think. You got to try it yourself. 

Now we have 3 choices. Choose which ever best to your liking.


----------



## Amber Rain

RobertP said:


> Yes, he have just for PC


Thanks for confirming.


----------



## aceedburn

Ok, I thought @RobertP  Orion stage5 was an excellent tuning. Well, Orion Stage9 is the best from him by far. It improves significantly every aspect of the earlier one. Overall sound is warmer and bass is more defined. Vocals have a very lush and sweet tonality to it. I love this tuning. Way to go bro. I’m using an unmodded 1A  on region J and model switched to 1Z in case anyone wants to know.


----------



## mmwwmm

RobertP said:


> Stage9 is a bit fuller, warmer, and more bass. Stage8 is more transparent, neutral, and very resolved with my gear.


How would you compare stage5 vs stage8 for 1Z? And with your gear which do you like the most? Stage8 or stage9?


----------



## Gamerlingual

can't find orion stage 9. Only 5 and 6


----------



## Tanjiro

aceedburn said:


> Ok, I thought @RobertP  Orion stage5 was an excellent tuning. Well, Orion Stage9 is the best from him by far. It improves significantly every aspect of the earlier one. Overall sound is warmer and bass is more defined. Vocals have a very lush and sweet tonality to it. I love this tuning. Way to go bro. I’m using an unmodded 1A  on region J and model switched to 1Z in case anyone wants to know.


Hello, whe


RobertP said:


> Stage9 is a bit fuller, warmer, and more bass. Stage8 is more transparent, neutral, and very resolved with my gear.


Thanks RobertP.  I prefer Stage8 more with my gears.  I love the slight bass boost without sacrificing too much treble.


----------



## kiling92

Where can i find Orion stage 8 and 9? I change my wm1a with switcher to 1z with Orion 5,simply spectacular


----------



## Gamerlingual

kiling92 said:


> Where can i find Orion stage 8 and 9? I change my wm1a with switcher to 1z with Orion 5,simply spectacular


Me, too. How can we access it? The link only shows 5 and 6


----------



## gsiu33

Gamerlingual said:


> Works for me. The journey continues as these pics show


what is the name of this shop? Is it in Akihabara?


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Me, too. How can we access it? The link only shows 5 and 6


There only Orion 5, 8 and 9 for 1z. There’s no 6. Vitally will upload it soon.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Ok guys I just updated the link you should see stage 8 and 9 along with the 5


----------



## frost15

Vitaly2017 said:


> Ok guys I just updated the link you should see stage 8 and 9 along with the 5


Appreciated!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Downloaded along with the Switcher. Thank you!


----------



## camera

Vitaly2017 said:


> Ok guys I just updated the link you should see stage 8 and 9 along with the 5


Thank you Tiger.


----------



## vilhelm44

Vitaly2017 said:


> Ok guys I just updated the link you should see stage 8 and 9 along with the 5



Thank you! I'll check it out later.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Well, I think this is one combo that hasn't happened yet. Gonna test the Audeze Mobius with the 1Z. I use the Mobius for gaming, so it should be interesting how it'll sound with the 3.5mm in high gain mode.


----------



## RobertP

mmwwmm said:


> How would you compare stage5 vs stage8 for 1Z? And with your gear which do you like the most? Stage8 or stage9?


Stage9 is best because of the warmth.


----------



## RobertP

Gamerlingual said:


> Well, I think this is one combo that hasn't happened yet. Gonna test the Audeze Mobius with the 1Z. I use the Mobius for gaming, so it should be interesting how it'll sound with the 3.5mm in high gain mode.


The one for 1A need to be revised first. There might be little room for improvement.


----------



## Gamerlingual

RobertP said:


> The one for 1A need to be revised first. There might be little room for improvement.


Oh I’m testing on stock firmware 3.02 and then gonna try the customs with my IER-Z1R


----------



## Donmonte

RobertP said:


> The one for 1A need to be revised first. There might be little room for improvement.


Do you still recommend Orion 10 on the 1A ?


----------



## RobertP (Jun 8, 2020)

Donmonte said:


> Do you still recommend Orion 10 on the 1A ?


Yes, it's still very good.


----------



## frost15

I just tested Orion 9. It brings the 'brutality' that was missing to my metal and it brings a very special type of warmth that makes everything sound very, very analogue. Incredible tunning. I pick it over Orion 5 definitely. Now I gotta compare it to Autumn+.


----------



## Donmonte

@morgenstern09 has been MIA these past few days, hope everything is well on his end and that he hasn’t been subjected to trouble for his recent discovery about the switcher.


----------



## frost15

Sincerely all these legal troubles for fiddling with something you have bought, not profiting, but just modifying and sharing it with other people under their own responsabilities is shameful for us a species, common sense. Like a wise man said 'Law is definitely the language of evil'


----------



## Gamerlingual (Jun 8, 2020)

frost15 said:


> Sincerely all these legal troubles for fiddling with something you have bought, not profiting, but just modifying and sharing it with other people under their own responsabilities is shameful for us a species, common sense. Like a wise man said 'Law is definitely the language of evil'


Is there a website that says what legal troubles can happen? I bought the player and just want to enjoy it. I’m not doing any harm I feel


----------



## camera

Is morgenstern still banned to post here?  Hope that he is doing well.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Is there a website that says what legal troubles can happen? I bought the player and just want to enjoy it. I’m not doing any harm I feel



The legal writeup in the WM user manual states that you are not allowed to modify, reverse enginer or distribute the fw so purely legally we are all breaching that when using rockbox tool and modded tunings


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> The legal writeup in the WM user manual states that you are not allowed to modify, reverse enginer or distribute the fw so purely legally we are all breaching that when using rockbox tool and modded tunings


Learn something new everyday. Thanks


----------



## mwhals

camera said:


> Is morgenstern still banned to post here?  Hope that he is doing well.



That name does not exist on head-fi, so if that is the correct name, his account was removed or disabled.


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> That name does not exist on head-fi, so if that is the correct name, his account was removed or disabled.




exact name is morgenstern09


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> exact name is morgenstern09



That's what I thought, but I knew the name Camera stated did not exist.


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> The legal writeup in the WM user manual states that you are not allowed to modify, reverse enginer or distribute the fw so purely legally we are all breaching that when using rockbox tool and modded tunings




So then I should take down my link as its not legal?  That sucks we had lot of fun with those


----------



## Lavakugel

Is there a manual how to us switcher (1a to 1z?)


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> So then I should take down my link as its not legal?  That sucks we had lot of fun with those



If you are to comply with Sony’s legal terms yes


----------



## AlexCBSN

Ok, can someone clarify if there’s indeed legal action or complaining? I mean from what I grasp it’s only speculation right? I don’t see why A multinational like Sony would bother to make noise when this product it’s so forgotten by them, only us actually care about it. it’s like what? 50,000 Active users or so? Can you imagine how many ps4’s, TVs and wireless headphones they sell? Yes, its a premium product, but not their main income nor revenue 

I hope the firmware sharing culture doesn’t stop, it would suck since I myself enjoy so much that time of discovering the capabilities of my device; I’m not a big fan of this thread since lately it has become the “hi I’m new and I have no idea what’s a search button” but nevertheless it’s so amazing the compromise and community that it’s in here.

By the way, the search button is on the top right side of the website main banner, you can actually consult a bunch of things without adding 9 pages to the thread, and mqa it’s a good format for the mainstream, if someone don’t like it, well... nobody cares... nobody cares... Seriously like, NO ONE


----------



## Duncan

AlexCBSN said:


> Ok, can someone clarify if there’s indeed legal action or complaining? I mean from what I grasp it’s only speculation right? I don’t see why A multinational like Sony would bother to make noise when this product it’s so forgotten by them, only us actually care about it. it’s like what? 50,000 Active users or so? Can you imagine how many ps4’s, TVs and wireless headphones they sell? Yes, its a premium product, but not their main income nor revenue
> 
> I hope the firmware sharing culture doesn’t stop, it would suck since I myself enjoy so much that time of discovering the capabilities of my device; I’m not a big fan of this thread since lately it has become the “hi I’m new and I have no idea what’s a search button” but nevertheless it’s so amazing the compromise and community that it’s in here.
> 
> By the way, the search button is on the top right side of the website main banner, you can actually consult a bunch of things without adding 9 pages to the thread, and mqa it’s a good format for the mainstream, if someone don’t like it, well... nobody cares... nobody cares... Seriously like, NO ONE


I've had a couple of things going on in my personal space, so not been too active in the past couple of days.

Whilst I cannot go into specifics, I can answer one question...

There were a couple of posts that I felt the need to moderate / remove (misunderstandings which didn't add anything to the posts here) - as a consequence, whether temporarily or not I do not know, one of the members in question decided to take some time out time...

As such, the only question that remains unanswered is why a forum member had their personal repository confiscated / closed down, but - the two incidents would be, so far as I am logically aware - totally unrelated.


----------



## Gamerlingual

So I tried the 1Z with my Audeze Mobius. Found out it requires 4250 ohms wow. Needed to boost the volume up to 90 in high gain in direct 3.5mm just to get a reasonable listening amount. Didn’t think they needed that much juice. Would they eat at the 1Z battery to power up? Is it better to stick to the 16 ohms of the 1AM2 or the 40 ohms of the IER-Z1R?


----------



## nc8000

AlexCBSN said:


> Ok, can someone clarify if there’s indeed legal action or complaining? I mean from what I grasp it’s only speculation right? I don’t see why A multinational like Sony would bother to make noise when this product it’s so forgotten by them, only us actually care about it. it’s like what? 50,000 Active users or so? Can you imagine how many ps4’s, TVs and wireless headphones they sell? Yes, its a premium product, but not their main income nor revenue
> 
> I hope the firmware sharing culture doesn’t stop, it would suck since I myself enjoy so much that time of discovering the capabilities of my device; I’m not a big fan of this thread since lately it has become the “hi I’m new and I have no idea what’s a search button” but nevertheless it’s so amazing the compromise and community that it’s in here.
> 
> By the way, the search button is on the top right side of the website main banner, you can actually consult a bunch of things without adding 9 pages to the thread, and mqa it’s a good format for the mainstream, if someone don’t like it, well... nobody cares... nobody cares... Seriously like, NO ONE



I got an e-mail from DropBox saying that my shared folder with all the fw and tools had been disbled following complaints about "problematic files in the share" and that I was banned for 24 hours from creating public shares. No mentioning of what files were considered problematic, why or who had made the complaint


----------



## RobertP

Gamerlingual said:


> So I tried the 1Z with my Audeze Mobius. Found out it requires 4250 ohms wow. Needed to boost the volume up to 90 in high gain in direct 3.5mm just to get a reasonable listening amount. Didn’t think they needed that much juice. Would they eat at the 1Z battery to power up? Is it better to stick to the 16 ohms of the 1AM2 or the 40 ohms of the IER-Z1R?


3.5mm side don't eat up as much battery compared to 4.4mm balanced side. I wouldn't worry.


----------



## Lookout57

I think the safest thing we can do is just share the SWUpdate.xml files and instructions on how you can use them.

There is no copyright notice in the Sony XML file and we wouldn't be redistributing any Sony compiled code.


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> I got an e-mail from DropBox saying that my shared folder with all the fw and tools had been disbled following complaints about "problematic files in the share" and that I was banned for 24 hours from creating public shares. No mentioning of what files were considered problematic, why or who had made the complaint


Nor is there proof that Sony was the one complaining about the file removal. Perhaps a false alarm to some degree? @Vitaly2017 Maybe for now it’s ok to still share the link?


----------



## RobertP (Jun 8, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> I got an e-mail from DropBox saying that my shared folder with all the fw and tools had been disbled following complaints about "problematic files in the share" and that I was banned for 24 hours from creating public shares. No mentioning of what files were considered problematic, why or who had made the complaint


Hmm, so far never have any problem with my share. Wonder why.


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> I got an e-mail from DropBox saying that my shared folder with all the fw and tools had been disbled following complaints about "problematic files in the share" and that I was banned for 24 hours from creating public shares. No mentioning of what files were considered problematic, why or who had made the complaint


A couple of people did say that their anti virus did launch a Trojan warning in that anti virus. Perhaps that’s where the stems came from and they thought it could be some sort of malware when it isn’t. Seems like the more we discuss, the more the dust settles and we are ok


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> A couple of people did say that their anti virus did launch a Trojan warning in that anti virus. Perhaps that’s where the stems came from and they thought it could be some sort of malware when it isn’t. Seems like the more we discuss, the more the dust settles and we are ok



I have no idea why or who, but yes several of the versions produce false posetives in various anti virus software, most recently both Orion5 but no warning on Orion8 and Orion9


----------



## Steen Pihl

RobertP said:


> Probably there is a limit how much fun you can have.


This, I gave it a like, but I have to say that it gave me a good healthy laugh as well!👍😄🎧


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 8, 2020)

mistious misterious


----------



## Gamerlingual (Jun 9, 2020)

That I can’t determine except only a few because I’m still a noob here


----------



## mwhals (Jun 8, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> I got an e-mail from DropBox saying that my shared folder with all the fw and tools had been disbled following complaints about "problematic files in the share" and that I was banned for 24 hours from creating public shares. No mentioning of what files were considered problematic, why or who had made the complaint



I wonder if someone got a Trojan virus warning from their antivirus while downloading and thought it was real, so they reported you. I had seen earlier in this thread a claim that antivirus software does that with the FW files.

Edit: I see someone already posted this above. I had not gone to the next page before commenting.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 8, 2020)

Guess we have to do something like this:

Can Someone pm me the [redacted] link?

I have cooked a new [redacted] recipe.. pm me for link.


----------



## nc8000

mwhals said:


> I wonder if someone got a Trojan virus warning from their antivirus while downloading and thought it was real, so they reported you. I had seen earlier in this thread a claim that antivirus software does that with the FW files.
> 
> Edit: I see someone already posted this above. I had not gone to the next page before commenting.



Yes various anti virous flags some if the fw as false positives but in that case it would have to ve somebody here on head-fi who have complained as the link has exclusively been shared via pm with instructions to not post it publicly


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> mistious misterious


----------



## AlexCBSN

nc8000 said:


> I got an e-mail from DropBox saying that my shared folder with all the fw and tools had been disbled following complaints about "problematic files in the share" and that I was banned for 24 hours from creating public shares. No mentioning of what files were considered problematic, why or who had made the complaint



I put my money on a “personal” matter rather than Sony spying on us.


----------



## RobertP (Jun 8, 2020)

This is probably a little too late for the topic about best listening volume that I saw a month or two ago.


----------



## Hinomotocho

AlexCBSN said:


> I put my money on a “personal” matter rather than Sony spying on us.


Quite possibly as I would imagine that a major company taking action would mean either an immediate closure of the thread or a warning as these files have been shared and are in the possession of many people and can still be easily distributed.


----------



## Whitigir

Hinomotocho said:


> Quite possibly as I would imagine that a major company taking action would mean either an immediate closure of the thread or a warning as these files have been shared and are in the possession of many people and can still be easily distributed.


Well, they can only push further firmware which patches the loop holes

PS3 had it done that way


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jun 8, 2020)

Legally these mods are a breach of their terms but it hasn't actually altered the official firmware at a functional level - as a company it could be viewed that it has added huge interest and value to a 4 year old device.
A forward thinking move is to offer the guy a job and officially add these tuning mods etc as part of an official firmware that can be switched like a sound setting.
For android (open source) Sony has a Developer page with support, different I know but that could give them a boost in a world where people like to tweak.


----------



## Duncan

Once upon a time Sony allowed access via a convoluted process to the service menu on their players, which allowed you to clear the EU volume limit flag, this option was removed with the Z1060 (Android) - I bought the player and hated it - the ZX2 sounded better as a Japanese player, and could play louder, same for the WM1x, if you couldn't adjust the region / volume cap, I wouldn't have bought it...

My reason for coming back to this thread a month or so ago was to see if anyone had compared against the ZX507, that being said, I'd have had to have bought a grey import if I had of picked it up, I applaud those that give us what we want...

The EU directive re volume caps is for a total volume limit with the bundled earphones, the fact there aren't any included should mean that no limit is applied, never mind - thanks to the creative types (I only got my player in 2018 after finding the rockbox tweak) I actually bought the player, without them I'd have let it pass like I have on the ZX507!


----------



## bana

Duncan said:


> Once upon a time Sony allowed access via a convoluted process to the service menu on their players, which allowed you to clear the EU volume limit flag, this option was removed with the Z1060 (Android) - I bought the player and hated it - the ZX2 sounded better as a Japanese player, and could play louder, same for the WM1x, if you couldn't adjust the region / volume cap, I wouldn't have bought it...
> 
> My reason for coming back to this thread a month or so ago was to see if anyone had compared against the ZX507, that being said, I'd have had to have bought a grey import if I had of picked it up, I applaud those that give us what we want...
> 
> The EU directive re volume caps is for a total volume limit with the bundled earphones, the fact there aren't any included should mean that no limit is applied, never mind - thanks to the creative types (I only got my player in 2018 after finding the rockbox tweak) I actually bought the player, without them I'd have let it pass like I have on the ZX507!




The original mods done by let's say Mr. X then a few weeks later Mr. Y, briefly mentioned issues with Sony then stopped all their mods completely. I could be wrong but to me that suggests legal action of sorts. My position is what mods?


----------



## Fsilva

Guy´s could someone please send me a Pm with the latest Orion 8 and 9 tunigs?
Thanks in advance!


----------



## proedros

@RobertP , can you tell me the *sonic differences between orion 5 and orion 10 (for use on a stock wm1a)* ?

also , can someone pm me a* link for orion 8 & 9 *?

thank you


----------



## gearofwar

It’s disturbing me that there are large amount people watching this thread without even being member of this forum and they can freely access and share the works of members


proedros said:


> @RobertP , can you tell me the *sonic differences between orion 5 and orion 10 (for use on a stock wm1a)* ?
> 
> also , can someone pm me a* link for orion 8 & 9 *?
> 
> thank you


The orion 10 has more refined , forward sound with higher resolution than stage 5


----------



## proedros

gearofwar said:


> The orion 10 has more refined , forward sound with higher resolution than stage 5



thanx for the feedback, have been on orion 5 last 10 days and enjoying it very much , but i may wanna ''shuffle the cards'' again and try something new

lovely times to own a sony wm1a/z


----------



## Ravenous

proedros said:


> thanx for the feedback, have been on orion 5 last 10 days and enjoying it very much , but i may wanna ''shuffle the cards'' again and try something new
> 
> lovely times to own a sony wm1a/z



Hey was just wondering if you've tried any Orion builds with the 1z firmware on the 1a (using the nw switcher) and if you can compare it to Orion 5 for the 1a stock. On the 1a (1z) with just J region and no sound mods and was wondering what would be considered the best 1a(1z) mod for rock music.


----------



## AlexCBSN

Let me guess... links are down now? Just got home about to download the orion fws


----------



## frost15

I kept testing the Orion9 with other fw and like @Tanjiro mentioned I've come to the conclusion that the treble sacrifice is a thing... I love Orion9 for some genres but others lose some magic in the upper fq range. I'm still favoring Autumn+ for this reason, yet the warmth of Orion9 is a force to reckon.


----------



## RobertP (Jun 8, 2020)

frost15 said:


> I kept testing the Orion9 with other fw and like @Tanjiro mentioned I've come to the conclusion that the treble sacrifice is a thing... I love Orion9 for some genres but others lose some magic in the upper fq range. I'm still favoring Autumn+ for this reason, yet the warmth of Orion9 is a force to reckon.


That's why there is not stage10 for 1Z. Just 5, 8 and 9.
Thanks for feedback.


----------



## Hi-fi Wigwammer

pCollins said:


> Would the last one, http://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/headphone-extension-cables/muc-m12sb1
> work with Z1R?


----------



## Maxx134 (Jun 9, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Nor is there proof that Sony was the one complaining about the file removal. Perhaps a false alarm to some degree? @Vitaly2017 Maybe for now it’s ok to still share the link?


Maybe. Nobody wants to look like the bad guy, so we may never know what happened.
They may have issued him a "cease and desist" or a "gag order" to not be able to communicate anything about it, and then come with a firmware upgrade to close the loopholes.

Regardless, what this whole issue shows, is that Sony could have updated these units, especially the 1a with way better sounding firmwares.




Gamerlingual said:


> That I can’t determine except only a few because I’m still a noob here


Maybe but your still a 100 headfier, so not a stranger asking for files..



AlexCBSN said:


> I put my money on a “personal” matter rather than Sony spying on us.


It can even be the competition causing these complaints and troubles!
I'm sure they don't like the realization that Sony 1a/1z daps can now be custom-optimised to destroy any dap out there!


----------



## auronthas

Of late, from my observation through local online shopping apps, I notice a new WM1Z is nearly 1K cheaper than (~ USD 2,270) when it first launched, still worth to buy this 4-year tech Walkman ?


----------



## Gamerlingual

auronthas said:


> Of late, from my observation through local online shopping apps, I notice a new WM1Z is nearly 1K cheaper than (~ USD 2,270) when it first launched, still worth to buy this 4-year tech Walkman ?


Bought mine used for 170,000. Darn good it is


----------



## Vitaly2017

auronthas said:


> Of late, from my observation through local online shopping apps, I notice a new WM1Z is nearly 1K cheaper than (~ USD 2,270) when it first launched, still worth to buy this 4-year tech Walkman ?




Sony does not age bro you are seeing it wrong way


----------



## RobertP (Jun 9, 2020)

auronthas said:


> Of late, from my observation through local online shopping apps, I notice a new WM1Z is nearly 1K cheaper than (~ USD 2,270) when it first launched, still worth to buy this 4-year tech Walkman ?


I'm glad to own Gold Walkman. They are special. You will not come across something like this often. Last time I see Sony did this in Gold alloy was when cassette tapes are a thing back in early 90's.

WM1 signature series hold value much better when compared to most electronics like TVs, phones, and DSLR cameras.


----------



## Gamerlingual

RobertP said:


> I'm glad to own Gold Walkman. They are special. You will not come across something like this often. Last time I see Sony did this in Gold alloy was when cassette tapes are a thing back in early 90's.
> 
> WM1 signature series hold value much better when compared to most electronics like TVs, phones, and DSLR cameras.


It’s a site to behold and amazing audio. Love it


----------



## auronthas

RobertP said:


> I'm glad to own Gold Walkman. They are special. You will not come across something like this often. Last time I see Sony did this in Gold alloy was when cassette tapes are a thing back in early 90's.
> 
> WM1 signature series hold value much better when compared to most electronics like TVs, phones, and DSLR cameras.


Thanks all for your feedback. Ordered mine,  wait for delivery.


----------



## auronthas

Gamerlingual said:


> Bought mine used for 170,000. Darn good it is


Wow, thats cheap


----------



## vilhelm44

frost15 said:


> I kept testing the Orion9 with other fw and like @Tanjiro mentioned I've come to the conclusion that the treble sacrifice is a thing... I love Orion9 for some genres but others lose some magic in the upper fq range. I'm still favoring Autumn+ for this reason, yet the warmth of Orion9 is a force to reckon.



I've been going through so many different combos I've lost count. I have finally found one that sounds perfect with the right amounty of everything; Orion 9 (3.02) with region E. Think I'll be staying on this for the time being. Fantastic tuning @RobertP!


----------



## Vitaly2017

vilhelm44 said:


> I've been going through so many different combos I've lost count. I have finally found one that sounds perfect with the right amounty of everything; Orion 9 (3.02) with region E. Think I'll be staying on this for the time being. Fantastic tuning @RobertP!




Try Ca and stock 3.0 2 tell me what you think ? Mx3 also not bad


----------



## vilhelm44

Vitaly2017 said:


> Try Ca and stock 3.0 2 tell me what you think ? Mx3 also not bad



I have tried MX3 and liked that but not CA yet, will give it a go, thanks . The sibilant issues don't seem as bad on E with Orion 9 either.


----------



## Vitaly2017

vilhelm44 said:


> I have tried MX3 and liked that but not CA yet, will give it a go, thanks . The sibilant issues don't seem as bad on E with Orion 9 either.




I hate E for high sharp treble lol


----------



## Duncan

Orion8 seems pretty damned perfect for smoothing / softening BA treble - don't know if it's my imagination, but with 8, it seems like the sound space has widened?!


----------



## proedros (Jun 9, 2020)

Duncan said:


> Orion8 seems pretty damned perfect for smoothing / softening BA treble - don't know if it's my imagination, but with 8, it seems like the sound space has widened?!



hey , i see you have 1A turned into 1z (with the switcher)

is the move worth it? stock 1a owner here , curious how this 1z pseudo-transition sounds....

*currently i am on stock 1a / J region / 3.02 with Orion 5 *, sunds great btw...


----------



## gasan

Hi! 
I have wm1a, and it sounds fantastic on most of the music genres with my Dunu DK-2001 and IMR R2 red headphones.

But when I try to listen to something really heavy, I feel some lack of "punch power". The bass is too accurate and moderate, and it steals some aggression and energy from the music (i.e. remastered Sepultura).
My other sources are "classic" Hifiman 603 and Fiio X7 II + AM3D, both of them give much more energy when playing heavy music. 
I've tried downgrading to 3.01, looks like it adds a bit energy, but "bass explosion" is still missing.

Did anyone notice that? Maybe there is somе firmware, that I should try?


----------



## Duncan

proedros said:


> hey , i see you have 1A turned into 1z (with the switcher)
> 
> is the move worth it? stock 1a owner here , curious how this 1z pseudo-transition sounds....
> 
> *currently i am on stock 1a / J region / 3.02 with Orion 5 *, sunds great btw...


I haven't given myself opportunity to listen to stock 1A versus stock 1A with stock Z tuning, my reason for switching was to open myself up to the extra tunings available - for how simple the process is, it would be definitely worth the try


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jun 9, 2020)

gasan said:


> Hi!
> I have wm1a, and it sounds fantastic on most of the music genres with my Dunu DK-2001 and IMR R2 red headphones.
> 
> But when I try to listen to something really heavy, I feel some lack of "punch power". The bass is too accurate and moderate, and it steals some aggression and energy from the music (i.e. remastered Sepultura).
> ...


Hi, which region do you have? I just got mine recently and found the E (English firmware 3.02) lacking in bass - I switched to J and have found it better, but I would like to try some of the tuning mods for a better low end. I had a Q5s with AM3D amp and it had more sub bass.


----------



## gasan

Hinomotocho said:


> Hi, which region do you have? I just got mine recently and found the E (English firmware 3.02) lacking in bass - I switched to J and have found it better, but I would like to try some of the tuning mods for a better low end. I had a Q5s with AM3D amp and it had more sub bass.


I've tried J and CA regions.
I also have Q5s with stock AM3E and AM3D amps. It's quite bright comparing to WM1A


----------



## auronthas

aceedburn said:


> The benefits are exactly what it was designed for. As a charging stand. So when I listen to my WM1A on my desktop and when connected to a dac it looks nice and tidy and the wire conveniently loops out through it. As in my pic.


Keep the WM1A/1Z on charging stand while charging and playing music, will it deteriorate the battery lifespan?  I would rather listen until the last battery bar then only do a battery saving charge.95% ?


----------



## proedros

as i said to @RobertP via pm , i am amazed by how good orion 5 sounds with my Zeus XR on my stock wm1a (J region)

i feel like my stock wm1a sounds better than ever , it's so good i don't feel like trying another FW (for now)

fantastic job


----------



## frost15 (Jun 9, 2020)

proedros said:


> as i said to @RobertP via pm , i am amazed by how good orion 5 sounds with my Zeus XR on my stock wm1a (J region)
> 
> i feel like my stock wm1a sounds better than ever , it's so good i don't feel like trying another FW (for now)
> 
> fantastic job


Yeah, Orion5 is amazing. I was first seduced by Orion9 warmth and thought I prefered it to Orion5, but after some listening I realised the treble was almost killed and I went back to the Orion5 / Autumn+ dichotomy. I'm also on J region.
It's funny because Autumn+ is kind of "funnier" and has a very nice bass section, but lacks the resolve and openness of the Orion5. I want to put a bit more of bass to Orion5, but would it lose it's openness and detailed sound?...


----------



## Duncan

There is an analogue seduction with Orion8, not that this is strictly relevant, however with this fw, I can use the FiiO FH7 as stock (FiiO's signature statement) - had to mess with filters and tips before this.


----------



## proedros

frost15 said:


> Yeah, Orion5 is amazing. I was first seduced by Orion9 warmth and thought I prefered it to Orion5, but after some listening I realised the treble was almost killed and I went back to the Orion5 / Autumn+ dichotomy. I'm also on J region.
> It's funny because Autumn+ is kind of "funnier" and has a very nice bass section, but lacks the resolve and openness of the Orion5.* I want to put a bit more of bass to Orion5*, but would it lose it's openness and detailed sound?...



the 1960s 2wire cable gives my Zeus XR all the bass it needed/lacked , so judging by your impressions i think i am good with orion 5 so thanx for the impressions

hell , i even turn the bass a few DBs down (with the wm1a equalizer option) , this is how much the bass improves with the 1960s cable 

Zeus XR is marvellous at imaging/transparency (i also like my Highs crystal and Zeus delivers in this region in spades) but orion really improves the whole spectrum a notch

lows are there , mids are great , and highs are super airy without any sibilance

if/when i get bored with orion 5 , i may try Orion 10 (and orion 8/9 if i do the wm1a/z switcher mod)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Bassoon Dx220MAX booo.... one micro SS slot and 128GB internal... I doubt 256 or 512G chips are crazy expensive nowadays.... DMP-Z1  has 256 and x2 mSD


----------



## kiling92

I can't choose between CN and MX3 regions.
I hear more resolution in CN but i feel the sound...(the staging)flat...while MX3 loose a bit in definition but the stage IMHO Is much more realistic,three-dimensionality..mmm hard decision


----------



## proedros

kiling92 said:


> I can't choose between CN and MX3 regions.
> I hear more resolution in CN but i feel the sound...(the staging)flat...while MX3 loose a bit in definition but the stage IMHO Is much more realistic,three-dimensionality..mmm hard decision



have you tried J region ? looks like it should be somewhere between CN and MX3 tuning....


----------



## kiling92

proedros said:


> have you tried J region ? looks like it should be somewhere between CN and MX3 tuning....


Tried J but with my denon 9200 without 009 earpads mod...now i'll try again,thanks


----------



## Hinomotocho

gasan said:


> I've tried J and CA regions.
> I also have Q5s with stock AM3E and AM3D amps. It's quite bright comparing to WM1A


I haven't tried the tuning mods, maybe someone can suggest a tuning mod that may give you the sound you're after. I haven't experimented yet.


----------



## proedros

aceedburn said:


> Ok, I thought @RobertP  Orion stage5 was an excellent tuning. *Well, Orion Stage9 is the best from him by far. It improves significantly every aspect of the earlier one. Overall sound is warmer and bass is more defined. Vocals have a very lush and sweet tonality to it. I love this tuning.* Way to go bro. I’m using an unmodded 1A  on region J and model switched to 1Z in case anyone wants to know.



damn , let me stay on stock 1a and orion 5 a little more bro  

(orion 9 on wm1a->z sounds the bomb)


----------



## aceedburn

proedros said:


> damn , let me stay on stock 1a and orion 5 a little more bro
> 
> (orion 9 on wm1a->z sounds the bomb)


Take the plunge bro, you won’t regret it. It will but cost you a few minutes but the endless joy after is priceless.


----------



## proedros

aceedburn said:


> Take the plunge bro, you won’t regret it. It will but cost you a few minutes but the endless joy after is priceless.



i need to get bored of orion 5 , then try orion 10 (on 1a) and after that i will prbably do the switch to 1z (and try orion 8+9)

feels like we have many daps to play around these days


----------



## aceedburn

proedros said:


> i need to get bored of orion 5 , then try orion 10 (on 1a) and after that i will prbably do the switch to 1z (and try orion 8+9)
> 
> feels like we have many daps to play around these days


How’s the bass on Orion 5 with 1A? Deep? Slam?


----------



## Duncan (Jun 9, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> How’s the bass on Orion 5 with 1A? Deep? Slam?


That is an interesting question...

On most of my IEMs it is tight, with the FH7, it's rumbly, textured...

Anyhow, seeing the praise for Orion9, I installed it again, listening to Natalie Merchant, Beloved Wife (from the Paradise is there album) - I'm lost for words, the intimacy is really off of the scale...

I'm like a child in a candy store.

Edit: if you want a really good quality, raspy, rumbly bass fix, take a listen to Maybe Love by GuGabriel, you can thank me later


----------



## vilhelm44

Vitaly2017 said:


> I hate E for high sharp treble lol



It's funny as it doesn't sound too sharp to me and I have issues with bright treble.


----------



## proedros

aceedburn said:


> How’s the bass on Orion 5 with 1A? Deep? Slam?



well i am using a Zeus XR (which isn't a bass monster) so i did not expect bass bleeding out of my ears, but i am very pleased with the bass , not boomy or bloated - it hits as hard as i need it to

the main improvement i think i get from orion 5 , *the mids sound sweeter and the transparency is even more (in a good way)*

sound flows like pure water (zeus helps there i guess too)

like i said , i have been on orion 5 for 10 days now and i love it - currently listening to this top notch prog house mix from 2001 and at some moments i just closed my eyes and started swaying like i was in a club

Zeus XR is a fuc.kin' chameleon , works well with any genre i try it with, and these new FWs have really made my wm1a even more enjoyable

good times.


----------



## frost15

aceedburn said:


> Take the plunge bro, you won’t regret it. It will but cost you a few minutes but the endless joy after is priceless.


Does not it kill the treble in your gear?


----------



## aceedburn

frost15 said:


> Does not it kill the treble in your gear?


I’m treble sensitive so I always prefer a warmer more laid back sound. That’s why I hate the E region.


----------



## Lookout57

proedros said:


> hey , i see you have 1A turned into 1z (with the switcher)
> 
> is the move worth it? stock 1a owner here , curious how this 1z pseudo-transition sounds....
> 
> *currently i am on stock 1a / J region / 3.02 with Orion 5 *, sunds great btw...


I have a WM1A that I switched to a 1Z and the sound is very close to my stock WM1Z. Both are Region J.


----------



## mwhals

Lookout57 said:


> I have a WM1A that I switched to a 1Z and the sound is very close to my stock WM1Z. Both are Region J.



I think Sony might patch the firmware to prevent the switching in order to preserve WM1Z sales. Why would I buy a WM1Z if I can get the WM1A to 97% of the same sound???


----------



## aceedburn

mwhals said:


> I think Sony might patch the firmware to prevent the switching in order to preserve WM1Z sales. Why would I buy a WM1Z if I can get the WM1A to 97% of the same sound???


Exactly. Although there are few different components and different chassis, if you can get even 90% of the sound, why pay more than double the price for a 1Z? It also shows that Sony plays dirty games and we know now for a fact that the firmwares hold different tunings for each player. This is quite dishonorable of Sony and I’m pissed at them for that.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> Exactly. Although there are few different components and different chassis, if you can get even 90% of the sound, why pay more than double the price for a 1Z? It also shows that Sony plays dirty games and we know now for a fact that the firmwares hold different tunings for each player. This is quite dishonorable of Sony and I’m pissed at them for that.


So would it be best to never update to Sony's next firmware in the future? That is dirty


----------



## Lookout57

mwhals said:


> I think Sony might patch the firmware to prevent the switching in order to preserve WM1Z sales. Why would I buy a WM1Z if I can get the WM1A to 97% of the same sound???


I should have said a WM1A patched as a 1Z is closer to a WM1Z in sound signature, but can't match the real thing.

If I had to choose I would take the real 1Z over the spoofed 1Z.


----------



## Quang23693

So, could anyone share me orion stage 8 and 9? Very appreciate, many tks


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> So would it be best to never update to Sony's next firmware in the future? That is dirty


I doubt they will patch the exploit but to be safe don’t update immediately. Best to wait from feedback from those who update if there ever will be a new firmware in the first place.


----------



## Quang23693

aceedburn said:


> I doubt they will patch the exploit but to be safe don’t update immediately. Best to wait from feedback from those who update if there ever will be a new firmware in the first place.


I found them, Thanks for reply me ^^


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> So would it be best to never update to Sony's next firmware in the future? That is dirty



Firmware updates don't roll out so fast and sooner or later someone will update one of the NW players then we will all know one way or the other. If Sony closes the door on users tuning the DAP's by encrypting the firmware further it would be an expected corporate response. Hopefully Sony simply won't be interested in a minority of users within a minority who want to try differing tuning.

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

aceedburn said:


> I doubt they will patch the exploit but to be safe don’t update immediately. Best to wait from feedback from those who update* if there ever will be a new firmware in the first place*.



That's what would be in my mind. Why stir up a very vocal minority when in all likelihood replacements for the DAP's are already planned for. 

Q-6


----------



## Gamerlingual

Queen6 said:


> That's what would be in my mind. Why stir up a very vocal minority when in all likelihood replacements for the DAP's are already planned for.
> 
> Q-6


I'm certainly at peace with what I have.


----------



## Duncan

Queen6 said:


> That's what would be in my mind. Why stir up a very vocal minority when in all likelihood replacements for the DAP's are already planned for.
> 
> Q-6


Exactly, I for one would be less inclined to purchase again, hence why I went Xbox One rather than PS4 after Sony stopped the use of Linux on the PS3...

As long as it isn’t a security risk (I.e. the android players), why worry, if it gives those that purchase more usage, and in turn more exposure to those outside of the circle - why not?

even if it is a close approximation of the 1Z - it still isn’t the real deal, much like drinking Coke Zero, it’s an approximation of Coke, but without that extra sugary goodness that makes it taste so good.


----------



## Whitigir

aceedburn said:


> I doubt they will patch the exploit but to be safe don’t update immediately. Best to wait from feedback from those who update if there ever will be a new firmware in the first place.


Beginning of an end ? Who knows .... may be when you think of yourself as a “supreme being“ in cracking codes and programs, you would challenge the engineers behind the science by telling them and disclose to them what you have found, then they can patch it.

To us, @Morbideath and myself especially, we are not that high being, and so we would like to “hide” things behind the back doors, to not challenge the power and the brains of Sony and the “power to Law Suit” people .  It also benefits many people as well.

But we will see, the cat is out of the bag, the challenges toward Sony engineering teams were paid....it started as soon as “planetary versions” got released, but still under controls.....now, we will see if the Cat is going to survive, and how.

Me on another hand, I can always move on to other platforms.  I enjoy Sony, but it doesn’t mean I have to stick to them.


----------



## Queen6

Duncan said:


> Exactly, I for one would be less inclined to purchase again, hence why I went Xbox One rather than PS4 after Sony stopped the use of Linux on the PS3...
> 
> As long as it isn’t a security risk (I.e. the android players), why worry, if it gives those that purchase more usage, and in turn more exposure to those outside of the circle - why not?
> 
> even if it is a close approximation of the 1Z - it still isn’t the real deal, much like drinking Coke Zero, it’s an approximation of Coke, but without that extra sugary goodness that makes it taste so good.



The real factor is Sony's stance. A lot of these SW agreements are put in place to protect the company as a whole, not solely the IP. For instance if someone was to create an actual custom firmware that then subsequently "Bricked" countless players Sony would be on hook legally for repair without such an agreement in place. I also think if the bee's nest had been stirred you'd be one the first to know and this thread subsequently purged...

Here Sony has little to lose barring a lot of goodwill that no doubt helps to drive the sales of what for many is considered an expensive device. As ever time will tell...

Q-6


----------



## mwhals

Lookout57 said:


> I have a WM1A that I switched to a 1Z and the sound is very close to my stock WM1Z. Both are Region J.



How does the sound differ? I have been hoping for a comparison. Thanks in advance.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I feel that the WM1 is already reaching it's end of life period. Typical lifecycle of an electronic product is around 5year period. 

It's only a matter of time before they release a new walkman to replace this model. Meaning they are unlikely to release new functions or firmware for this model.


----------



## 515164

Whitigir said:


> Beginning of an end ? Who knows .... may be when you think of yourself as a “supreme being“ in cracking codes and programs, you would challenge the engineers behind the science by telling them and disclose to them what you have found, then they can patch it.
> 
> To us, @Morbideath and myself especially, we are not that high being, and so we would like to “hide” things behind the back doors, to not challenge the power and the brains of Sony and the “power to Law Suit” people . It also benefits many people as well.



The only intention here was to discover/create stuff that we can all enjoy, and not to be a supreme being in cracking codes, etc., though you (both, in one way or another) were always keen to mention how I wouldn't get how tuning works and how little I know, from trying to scavenge through various forums in foreign languages.

Letting that aside, I would also mention your and Morbideath's idea to sell tunings, in one form or another. Other people are already doing that actually, in more eastern parts or the world. You may got the idea from them, maybe it came from yourself; however, stuff like this should never be sold. Come on, like really? Can't we just enjoy something for once?

Your choice, of course, but then you could really get into trouble with Sony.

Once RobertP stops releasing tunings as well, maybe then you could transform the idea into a project. 

Take care guys.

Feel free to delete my post if necessary. Trust me or not, this post contains no lies.


----------



## Vitaly2017

kiling92 said:


> I can't choose between CN and MX3 regions.
> I hear more resolution in CN but i feel the sound...(the staging)flat...while MX3 loose a bit in definition but the stage IMHO Is much more realistic,three-dimensionality..mmm hard decision




I find CA to be just below J very very similar! you may give it a crap, CA is my new favorite heheh. I dont know why is it because sony knows what canadian truck driver like to hear


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> the 1960s 2wire cable gives my Zeus XR all the bass it needed/lacked , so judging by your impressions i think i am good with orion 5 so thanx for the impressions
> 
> hell , i even turn the bass a few DBs down (with the wm1a equalizer option) , this is how much the bass improves with the 1960s cable
> 
> ...




why is everyone talking about orion 10 dont we only have 5,8,9?


----------



## Duncan

Vitaly2017 said:


> why is everyone talking about orion 10 dont we only have 5,8,9?


10 is for the 1A (on 1A fw)


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> The only intention here was to discover/create stuff that we can all enjoy, and not to be a supreme being in cracking codes, etc., though you (both, in one way or another) were always keen to mention how I wouldn't get how tuning works and how little I know, from trying to scavenge through various forums in foreign languages.
> 
> Letting that aside, I would also mention your and Morbideath's idea to sell tunings, in one form or another. Other people are already doing that actually, in more eastern parts or the world. You may got the idea from them, maybe it came from yourself; however, stuff like this should never be sold. Come on, like really? Can't we just enjoy something for once?
> 
> ...




Your back man good to hear your not deleted hehe we all got worried


----------



## Whitigir

morgenstern09 said:


> The only intention here was to discover/create stuff that we can all enjoy, and not to be a supreme being in cracking codes, etc., though you (both, in one way or another) were always keen to mention how I wouldn't get how tuning works and how little I know, from trying to scavenge through various forums in foreign languages.
> 
> Letting that aside, *I would also mention your and Morbideath's idea to sell tunings*, in one form or another. Other people are already doing that actually, in more eastern parts or the world. You may got the idea from them, maybe it came from yourself; however, stuff like this should never be sold. Come on, like really? Can't we just enjoy something for once?
> 
> ...


Who is selling tuning ? Thank you for accusing us, but if that makes you feel better then sure.


----------



## 515164

Whitigir said:


> Who is selling tuning ? Thank you for accusing us, but if that makes you feel better then sure.



Did I accuse you of selling tunings? You can't even read the post properly. This exact thing happened before as well. You just have to read it carefully.

I already said what I wanted to say, so I will not continue, it's just not worth it.


----------



## Whitigir

morgenstern09 said:


> Did I accuse you of selling tunings? You can't even read the post properly. This exact thing happened before as well. You just have to read it carefully.
> 
> I already said what I wanted to say, so I will not continue, it's just not worth it.


English is my second language, and I admit that it isn’t my strongest point.  It could be my reading comprehension skills or it could be your writing.  But I am seeing that, and may be I am alone or not alone in seeing that.  But as I said, whatever makes you feel better, I am happy for you.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Whitigir said:


> English is my second language, and I admit that it isn’t my strongest point.  It could be my reading comprehension skills or it could be your writing.  But I am seeing that, and may be I am alone or not alone in seeing that.  But as I said, whatever makes you feel better, I am happy for you.


Thank you for your efforts. If it helps, I appreciate them. Cheers, Whitigir


----------



## Vitaly2017

strangely enough both avatar images of @Whitigir  and @morgenstern09  are absent are you guys been deleted from headfi temporarily ????


----------



## RobertP

Hmm, I see.  

So much bad things going on in the real world already. Let's keep this thread fun.


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> strangely enough both avatar images of @Whitigir  and @morgenstern09  are absent are you guys been deleted from headfi temporarily ????


Lol !! Nah, I just couldn’t find a tiger avatar that I love which doesn’t confuse mine and your


----------



## RobertP (Jun 9, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> strangely enough both avatar images of @Whitigir  and @morgenstern09  are absent are you guys been deleted from headfi temporarily ????


I'm wondering abut that too.


----------



## Morbideath

I have tracked this threads since day 1, page 1. It turns utterly boring and unconstructive nowadays. I still don't know porting the FW here is a good idea, it's inevitable to stir up the mess. 

Take care guys. Virus is not eliminated yet, don't let it contaminate our music. 

Thank you @morgenstern09 for taking the torches and benefitting everyone, and for not forgetting me after my long absence.


----------



## Duncan

RobertP said:


> I'm wondering abut that too.


I’ll partially reiterate what I said yesterday, by saying that no one has been banned or deleted.


----------



## Queen6

Lookout57 said:


> I have a WM1A that I switched to a 1Z and the sound is very close to my stock WM1Z. Both are Region J.





mwhals said:


> How does the sound differ? I have been hoping for a comparison. Thanks in advance.



I'd also be interested in a direct comparison of the "Switched" 1A versus the stock 1Z on stock firmware/tuning, Thx

Q-6


----------



## Lookout57

Queen6 said:


> I'd also be interested in a direct comparison of the "Switched" 1A versus the stock 1Z on stock firmware/tuning, Thx
> 
> Q-6


That's on my to do list.


----------



## bflat

Anyone think Sony will add PEQ to firmware? Have to admit, I am now a big believer of PEQ after learning how to use it for my LCD i4. I haven't used my WM1z ever since. Rather, I've using my M15 with UAPP and setting PEQ for each of my IEMs and headphone. I don't see me upgrading to future DAPs that don't have PEQ.


----------



## frost15 (Jun 9, 2020)

bflat said:


> Anyone think Sony will add PEQ to firmware? Have to admit, I am now a big believer of PEQ after learning how to use it for my LCD i4. I haven't used my WM1z ever since. Rather, I've using my M15 with UAPP and setting PEQ for each of my IEMs and headphone. I don't see me upgrading to future DAPs that don't have PEQ.


Well... Given what has been said lately I think you just gave Sony the perfect excuse to launch a fw update which caps all unofficial fw.


----------



## RobertP

Sound tune updates could actually make Sony Walkmans more attractive to buy in 2020. I'm keep seeing newcomers more and more now. Am I wrong?


----------



## Wietjunk

RobertP said:


> Sound tune updates could actually make Sony Walkmans more attractive to buy in 2020. I'm keep seeing newcomers more and more now. Am I wrong?


When the 1A get close to the 1Z they got a problem selling the 1Z in the future. 
Most People will buy the 1A.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Well this is how audio technology evolves.

2015 flagship Sony ZX2 walkman sound quality  can be matched/exceeded by today's mid tier A105 walkman.


----------



## denis1976 (Jun 9, 2020)

Wietjunk said:


> When the 1A get close to the 1Z they got a problem selling the 1Z in the future.
> Most People will buy the 1A.


When that happened?I mean the 1A is closer to 1Z now?


----------



## RobertP (Jun 9, 2020)

Wietjunk said:


> When the 1A get close to the 1Z they got a problem selling the 1Z in the future.
> Most People will buy the 1A.


I had already try all that. Sorry, softwer tunes will only give you just a grin of what the real 1Z sound like.



RobertP said:


> Must agree with that. It's extremely hard for just only some kind of software sound tunes or tools for 1A to capture the same level of emotion, warmth, dynamic, punchiness bass, real fine treble, and etc. Even my stage9 tune could manage to capture some of it unfortunately.
> 
> Don't over estimate how much hardware mods could influence sound quality.



The only possibility to match or pass the 1Z sound quality is HW mods.


----------



## Ravenous

denis1976 said:


> When that happened?I mean the 1A is closer to 1Z now?



I believe he's referring to the "NW Switcher" that morgenstern released a couple of weeks ago which allows you to switch the firmware of a WM1A to the firmware of the WM1Z and essentially have the stock sound signature of the 1Z by doing this. So you would get a hint of what the 1Z would sound like theoretically. With this mod you can also use tunings that were developed for the 1Z, on your 1A.


----------



## Ravenous

aceedburn said:


> Take the plunge bro, you won’t regret it. It will but cost you a few minutes but the endless joy after is priceless.



Hey I was thinking of using Orion 9 on a 1a with 1z firmware but do I need to be on 3.02 to install this tuning or can I install it on my 3.01? If I do have to update to 3.02, can I downgrade to 3.01 and still keep Orion 9? Also which firmware version are you using? Thanks!


----------



## RobertP

It should work only for fw 3.02 sorry.


----------



## Ravenous

RobertP said:


> It should work only for fw 3.02 sorry.



Ah. So if I update to 3.02 and install Orion 9, then downgrade, it will switch back the sound signature to default 1z?


----------



## RobertP

Any official fw will do.


----------



## Ravenous

RobertP said:


> It should work only for fw 3.02 sorry.





RobertP said:


> Any official fw will do.



Sorry I don't quite understand. It installs only on 3.02? Can I downgrade to 3.01 after installing the Orion 9 tuning?


----------



## frost15

Ravenous said:


> Sorry I don't quite understand. It installs only on 3.02? Can I downgrade to 3.01 after installing the Orion 9 tuning?


No, Orion9 should only work with 3.02 installed. If you revert back to 3.01 you will lose Orion9.


----------



## Ravenous

frost15 said:


> No, Orion9 should only work with 3.02 installed. If you revert back to 3.01 you will lose Orion9.



Thank you for the clarification lol. Didn't mean to confuse anyone.


----------



## proedros

if i want to switch from 1a to 1z , should i do the switch mode first , then install stock 3.02 and then any of those users FWs like Orion 9 ?

is this the correct order ?


----------



## frost15

proedros said:


> if i want to switch from 1a to 1z , should i do the switch mode first , then install stock 3.02 and then any of those users FWs like Orion 9 ?
> 
> is this the correct order ?


And do not forget to wash your hands in between every step.
PD: On a serious note I'm not sure of the correct order but yours sound fine.


----------



## Blueoris

RobertP said:


> The only possibility to match or pass the 1Z sound quality is HW mods.



The way a 1A can match a 1Z is by putting all 1Z components and cooper chassis in the 1A, so it actually becomes a 1Z   

Ok, seriously speaking, it is complicated. I think modding an 1A with components that are not in the 1Z will take its sound quality into any direction, and that for some ears with some gear may be more likable than a stock 1Z. Even with specific gear, the sound quality of stock 1A can surpass 1Z for some ears. It's complicated.

I own a 1Z and it has been OK. Only when I installed a specific software mod (all other mods sounded very very similar and meh) it blew me up with my gear.


----------



## Ravenous

proedros said:


> if i want to switch from 1a to 1z , should i do the switch mode first , then install stock 3.02 and then any of those users FWs like Orion 9 ?
> 
> is this the correct order ?



I believe you have to update to 3.02 first then switch as the switch only works with 3.02. You can downgrade to 3.01 with the 1z firmware but the tuning mods only work with 3.02 as far as I know.


----------



## proedros

Ravenous said:


> I believe you have to update to 3.02 first then switch as the switch only works with 3.02. You can downgrade to 3.01 with the 1z firmware but the tuning mods only work with 3.02 as far as I know.



thanx , i am still trying the orion FWs , will probably do the 1a>1z switch sometime maybe next week

is the procedure simple/easy to do ?


----------



## Duncan

proedros said:


> thanx , i am still trying the orion FWs , will probably do the 1a>1z switch sometime maybe next week
> 
> is the procedure simple/easy to do ?


It’s fully guided, you press a couple of buttons from a menu, job done


----------



## Ravenous

Sorry for being off topic but I just wanted to say everyone here is awesome  .


----------



## mmwwmm

Blueoris said:


> I own a 1Z and it has been OK. Only when I installed a specific software mod (all other mods sounded very very similar and meh) it blew me up with my gear.


Which software mod did you install?


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> Ok guys I just updated the link you should see stage 8 and 9 along with the 5


where?


----------



## Blueoris

mmwwmm said:


> Which software mod did you install?



JustAnother WM1Z Tuning firmware


----------



## mmwwmm

Blueoris said:


> JustAnother WM1Z Tuning firmware


Of course. Can I ask you which 1Z tuning firmware? I own a 1Z too.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

If a FW can make a 1A sound close to the 1Z

That means you can also tune a custom FW specific to the 1Z to make the sound quality beyond the yonder.


----------



## Maxx134

mwhals said:


> I think Sony might patch the firmware to prevent the switching in order to preserve WM1Z sales. Why would I buy a WM1Z if I can get the WM1A to 97% of the same sound???


This is what irks me, that Sony reserved better runnings for the 1z, and essentially gimped the 1a from sounding as good, and closer to 1z.

With the firmware switch to 1z,  and a hardware mod (wires&caps upgrade) you would have all you need.



Gamerlingual said:


> So would it be best to never update to Sony's next firmware in the future? That is dirty


Probably no need to ever update anything official ever again, as any sound tunning can possibly be extracted by future  modders.




Vitaly2017 said:


> strangely enough both avatar images of @Whitigir  and @morgenstern09  are absent are you guys been deleted from headfi temporarily ????


Removing "association info" is not same as being actually being removed.




mmwwmm said:


> Of course. Can I ask you which 1Z tuning firmware? I own a 1Z too.


That's the name...


----------



## mmwwmm

Maxx134 said:


> That's the name...


So are you saying “JustAnother” is the name of the 1Z tuning firmware? Really?


----------



## AeroSatan

A hypothetical question for you guys,

Would you guys upgrade a Sony wm1a for a wm1z and keep it with z5's, N3AP's and the  over the head Z7 with it or keep the wm1a and use it with the hypothetically newly acquired ier z1r's


----------



## Blueoris

mmwwmm said:


> So are you saying “JustAnother” is the name of the 1Z tuning firmware? Really?



Yep, that's the name . *JustAnother WM1Z Tuning*


----------



## Blueoris (Jun 10, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> This is what irks me, that Sony reserved better runnings for the 1z, and essentially gimped the 1a from sounding as good, and closer to 1z.



I am not sure that the stock tuning of the 1Z is "better" than the 1A really. I think that's a miss-conception that has been in this forum for a while - just my opinion as 1Z owner.

1A is more reference sound than 1Z, and 1Z is more colored (euphonic) sound.

Edit: But I understand that some people will prefer and label one signature better over the other.


----------



## gearofwar

AeroSatan said:


> A hypothetical question for you guys,
> 
> Would you guys upgrade a Sony wm1a for a wm1z and keep it with z5's, N3AP's and the  over the head Z7 with it or keep the wm1a and use it with the hypothetically newly acquired ier z1r's


are you kidding me, upgrading the headphone/iem should be prioritized and on top of everything rather than your source


----------



## AeroSatan (Jun 10, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> are you kidding me, upgrading the headphone/iem should be prioritized and on top of everything rather than your source


Not entirely true. I wouldn’t even consider the ier's if my source was my phone for example. Even some lg phone with a decent dac.


----------



## Hinomotocho

AeroSatan said:


> But that’s the comparison, change the source from 1a to a 1z or change the headphones from something like z5 to ier's. The Z5's are no slouches with good amping; they punch above their relatively low new price


I gave up on the Z5 due to fit/design issues but they brought me much pleasure. I'd love to hear them from my WM1A


----------



## Gamerlingual

Well, apparently I got a huge taste of FLAC files after sampling music from a site that sells higher bit rate music. True hi-res files. Which streaming service do you guys think I could use my 1Z with when it’s in DAC mode to get the best sound? Is it just Tidal or Amazon HD? Are those services better than buying specific albums that I love?


----------



## AeroSatan

Hinomotocho said:


> I gave up on the Z5 due to fit/design issues but they brought me much pleasure. I'd love to hear them from my WM1A



The z1r's aren’t getting rave reviews regarding fit either sadly.


----------



## Gamerlingual

AeroSatan said:


> The z1r's aren’t getting rave reviews regarding fit either sadly.


Agree. Not the most stable or comfy. But when I sit or lay down with them, no problem. Usually listen to them 2 to 3 hours at a time. The sound on the IER-Z1R is out of this world. Wow


----------



## AeroSatan

Gamerlingual said:


> Agree. Not the most stable or comfy. But when I sit or lay down with them, no problem. Usually listen to them 2 to 3 hours at a time. The sound on the IER-Z1R is out of this world. Wow



Does it begin to get tiresome beyond that? I can easily have a 5 hour session at a time.


----------



## Gamerlingual

AeroSatan said:


> Does it begin to get tiresome beyond that? I can easily have a 5 hour session at a time.


Nope, even with my overhead cans, it's my normal listening time. With the small SS tips, my ears adapted fine.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Well, apparently I got a huge taste of FLAC files after sampling music from a site that sells higher bit rate music. True hi-res files. Which streaming service do you guys think I could use my 1Z with when it’s in DAC mode to get the best sound? Is it just Tidal or Amazon HD? Are those services better than buying specific albums that I love?



I have only used Tidal and that is generally fine and their Master tier in mqa is higher res than cd but not full resolution (wether you can hear a difference is another matter) but I prefer to buy and own my music. An advantage for streaming is the huge choice and instant availabillity but a down side is that music might suddenly dissapear if an artist or label decides that they don’t want their contents available on a given platform


----------



## Hinomotocho

AeroSatan said:


> The z1r's aren’t getting rave reviews regarding fit either sadly.


They are well beyond my spending but I have wondered about how they sound. I'm so disappointed they didn't do an upgraded Z5 ie. dynamic hybrid, same price range, instead they went BA for the M7 & M9 and twice the price Z1R


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> I have only used Tidal and that is generally fine and their Master tier in mqa is higher res than cd but not full resolution (wether you can hear a difference is another matter) but I prefer to buy and own my music. An advantage for streaming is the huge choice and instant availabillity but a down side is that music might suddenly dissapear if an artist or label decides that they don’t want their contents available on a given platform


Well that sucks. Tidal doesn’t serve Japan and I don’t want Amazon HD. Any other suggestions?


----------



## Wietjunk

Where can i find the model switcher tool and sound firmware?


----------



## nanaholic

Gamerlingual said:


> Well that sucks. Tidal doesn’t serve Japan and I don’t want Amazon HD. Any other suggestions?



Sony's Mora qualitas.


----------



## aceedburn

Hinomotocho said:


> They are well beyond my spending but I have wondered about how they sound. I'm so disappointed they didn't do an upgraded Z5 ie. dynamic hybrid, same price range, instead they went BA for the M7 & M9 and twice the price Z1R


I love my Z5 and i think its the best fit for the 1A/1Z. It’s my go to IEM all the time. Especially with the 4.4mm kimber kable, the organic warm and lush sound is enchanting.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Well that sucks. Tidal doesn’t serve Japan and I don’t want Amazon HD. Any other suggestions?



Quobos


----------



## nc8000

AeroSatan said:


> The z1r's aren’t getting rave reviews regarding fit either sadly.



To me the Z1R are lightyears better in fit and comfort than the Z5


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

there's a aftermarket solution to the Z1R fitting issues:
https://eddie0817.wordpress.com/2020/02/29/adv客製軟膜給sony-ier-z1r/


----------



## nc8000

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> there's a aftermarket solution to the Z1R fitting issues:
> https://eddie0817.wordpress.com/2020/02/29/adv客製軟膜給sony-ier-z1r/



There are many companies that offer custom tips for universal fit in ears


----------



## Maxx134 (Jun 10, 2020)

Blueoris said:


> I am not sure that the stock tuning of the 1Z is "better" than the 1A really. I think that's a miss-conception that has been in this forum for a while - just my opinion as 1Z owner.
> 
> 1A is more reference sound than 1Z, and 1Z is more colored (euphonic) sound



I was of similar assumptions, until I owned both and compared 1a vs 1z vs 1z kmod.

At first I thought the 1a was more neutral/clear, while the 1 was more organic sounding.

Then the difference ( with additional direct comparisons to both the Fiio m11 & with ibasso 220 w/amp8 & with  tube stage amp ) was that the 1a had more solid state state sound, while the 1z was more analog sounding.

Then the realization that there was a more holographic and bigger soundstage presentation, while the 1a was slightly more artificially flat, similar but not all the way like in between the flat distant ibasso 220, and the forward flat but wide fiio m11...
They had a much more solid-state sound, which the 1a still had, but at least had more holography.

Yet the 1z pulls ahead of them all to have zero solid-state sound and a well laid out soundstage.
These are the cues that separate better gear.

Most top gear today easily have very accurate reference sound, but still sound artificiall in soundstage presentation.

The 1z does not have those issues.
The 1a does still have a 50% that issue.

All other DAPs, no matter how top choice they are, have these issues of soundstaging presentation.

They can try fool you with a distance but still flat & not laid out properly,
OR,
They can try fool you with an artificially created one with use of a tube stage...

Tubes are great for reconstructing lost soundstage, but they cannot bring back any lost detailing or lost ambient cues, so would not be a 100% correct soundstage, which you would note either by soundtrack memory or desktop comparison.

So bottom line is that I am convinced that the 1z had a better firmwares.
That doesn't mean contrary opinions are wrong, as it still is a choice/synergy thing.
But I do appreciate the more accurate soundstage of the 1z, and do not want solid-state sound.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

@Maxx134 
I agree with your statement on stock WM1A and WM1Z. 
But with same firmware, here is what I already said. 


MrLocoLuciano said:


> Well, to be honest with you, when I compared stock 1A with my beloved WM1Z Ultimate K Mod both in Solis, I decided to sell my WM1Z.
> There is definitely a difference that I could spot blindly in the tones, intensity and weight of the music, but I'm sure we can work on that with a full internal mod : caps, gold wiring, shielding.


All other aspects are very similar for sure.


----------



## Maxx134

MrLocoLuciano said:


> @Maxx134
> I agree with your statement on stock WM1A and WM1Z.
> But with same firmware, here is what I already said.
> All other aspects are very similar for sure.


Agree 100%...
The firmware fixes that issue 95% even if it not sound like 1z, it definitely cures the gimped 1a sold-state sound, even if kept stock.
That's why I consider the 1a to  have way more potential.

I while back, when solice came out, I put solice on my friend's 1a and it was so big a jump from stock, it was amazing,  simply a better unit.

To some, firmware may be all they need.
Then you have others that either want the prestige of gold brick, or want to use as desktop replacement DAC, like me.
I sold off my yggy and my "Holo Spring" dacs, and would choose the Sony 1z over them easily any day, because they don't have the organic sound.

I will then further elevate the 1z thru hardware upgrade, so that both the resolve and soundstage is even better, to soundly  eclipse those dacs in those areas.


----------



## Duncan (Jun 10, 2020)

I’m trying to work it whether it is worth the effort to attempt to recable my old Sony MDR-EX1000 to be balanced...  they sound pretty good SE, but I have a really love hate relationship with them, if it extended the treble even further, I’d really not like it at all...

Does anyone use the EX1000 that might have an opinion on this?

sideline edit: I see someone bought the WM1Z on Amazon UK, so missed my chance again - guess I will just stick where I am


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 10, 2020)

It's phenomenal how a class D "1 bit" dap can beat top of the line summit-fi tier 20.5bit R2R dac.

I guess it's all about clever audio engineering(shielding, conductive materials and electrical circuitry design) and algorithms (DSP).

The best part about the Sony walkman is that you don't have to deal with jitter management with those totl dacs with things like USB cables, USB galvanic isolation or USB reclocking..


----------



## Wietjunk (Jun 10, 2020)

Hi, i can 't find any working download links to the model switcher tool and last sound firmware files.
I live in The Netherlands, i am not afraid sharing those files from any company because in my country a lawsuit has no change against consumers with no profit.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> there's a aftermarket solution to the Z1R fitting issues:
> https://eddie0817.wordpress.com/2020/02/29/adv客製軟膜給sony-ier-z1r/




I had adv and I am not satisfied with them, bad sound isolation not easy to set in as its super extremely sticky! You need to leak your custom sleeves and enjoy the taste of your wax lmao.  + I did not find it good as it altered the sound signature by a lot. So for me adv is a no no !


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I think custom sleeves could have too much accoustic pathing issues to work well. Maybe finding a better fitting foam/silicon tip would be better solution after all.


----------



## Deffy

I've been lurking here for a while and finally took the WM1A plunge. Now that I have it and would love to bask in glorious sound made possible by the pure ingenuity of some of the forum members. Without meaning any offense or possible inappropriateness, could somebody guide me on this path by means of PM and where I could find the fruits of their labor?


----------



## Lookout57

Vitaly2017 said:


> I had adv and I am not satisfied with them, bad sound isolation not easy to set in as its super extremely sticky! You need to leak your custom sleeves and enjoy the taste of your wax lmao.  + I did not find it good as it altered the sound signature by a lot. So for me adv is a no no !


I have the opposite experience with ADV tips and have them for all of my Campfire IEMs.

As for sound isolation, I've found it to be good, but they will never block out all external sounds.

It took me awhile to figure out how get them inserted correctly and comfortably. Did you clean them first and then use the supplied Oto-Ease lubricant? I found for the first couple of times I need to use the lubricant to get it to insert easily. I also found I preferred to insert the tip first and then insert the IEM into the tip.


----------



## Lookout57

Blueoris said:


> I am not sure that the stock tuning of the 1Z is "better" than the 1A really. I think that's a miss-conception that has been in this forum for a while - just my opinion as 1Z owner.
> 
> 1A is more reference sound than 1Z, and 1Z is more colored (euphonic) sound.
> 
> Edit: But I understand that some people will prefer and label one signature better over the other.


I have to disagree with you on this one. I've found the 1Z to be more reference sounding than the 1A. The 1Z has a larger soundstage with better details. The 1A has a warmer sound.


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> I have to disagree with you on this one. I've found the 1Z to be more reference sounding than the 1A. The 1Z has a larger soundstage with better details. The 1A has a warmer sound.



That’s interresting as most who have heard both deffinately feel the 1Z is the warmer and more analog sounding of the 2 (I have never heard a 1A)


----------



## Lookout57

nc8000 said:


> That’s interresting as most who have heard both deffinately feel the 1Z is the warmer and more analog sounding of the 2 (I have never heard a 1A)


To me analog is reference. I just think the 1A has more of a solid state sound.


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> To me analog is reference. I just think the 1A has more of a solid state sound.



That’s the problem when terms don’t have universally agreed defenitions as to me reference means neutral flat clinical cold digital whereas analog is warm euphonic and possibly coloured


----------



## Vitaly2017

Lookout57 said:


> I have the opposite experience with ADV tips and have them for all of my Campfire IEMs.
> 
> As for sound isolation, I've found it to be good, but they will never block out all external sounds.
> 
> It took me awhile to figure out how get them inserted correctly and comfortably. Did you clean them first and then use the supplied Oto-Ease lubricant? I found for the first couple of times I need to use the lubricant to get it to insert easily. I also found I preferred to insert the tip first and then insert the IEM into the tip.





No I never used their lubricant, but I had sensaphonics before which are also silicone grade and I had absolutely no issues and sound isolation was amazing. That was back when I had shure se846....  I though the adv would be better but it didnt go well for me.


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> That’s interresting as most who have heard both deffinately feel the 1Z is the warmer and more analog sounding of the 2 (I have never heard a 1A)




I heard both at canjam, 1a is more visceral and quick in attacks. Bass slams good but not as long decay and flavorful as 1z. 1z definitely wins in bass department and treble. They like 2 same dap but with different sound presentation.
The best example I can tell you is see how the M9 sounds? well compare that to ier-z1r and there you have it, it goes the same for 1a vs 1z!
Both are supper fun and addictive but different approach....


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Vitaly2017 said:


> I heard both at canjam, 1a is more visceral and quick in attacks. Bass slams good but not as long decay and flavorful as 1z. 1z definitely wins in bass department and treble. They like 2 same dap but with different sound presentation.
> The best example I can tell you is see how the M9 sounds? well compare that to ier-z1r and there you have it, it goes the same for 1a vs 1z!
> Both are supper fun and addictive but different approach....



Best to own all 4 gears! WM1Z, WM1A, Z1R, M9. Also add ZX507 as streaming source to USB dac mode WM1.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Best to own all 4 gears! WM1Z, WM1A, Z1R, M9. Also add ZX507 as streaming source to USB dac mode WM1.


Does the ZX507 eat up lots of battery?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 10, 2020)

Yes if you stream via Wifi on Hi-res. It will last 4-5hours only.

If you playback offline tidal it should be around 10hours.

If using stock walkman music player, high res flac/dsd is 12hour to 15hours depending on how much DSP you enabled.

Compressed audio is between 14hour to 18hour typical depending on DSP enabled.

Though it charges quickly with USB-C Power delivery. It takes about 1hour half to full.


----------



## Wietjunk

Vitaly2017 said:


> I heard both at canjam, 1a is more visceral and quick in attacks. Bass slams good but not as long decay and flavorful as 1z. 1z definitely wins in bass department and treble. They like 2 same dap but with different sound presentation.
> The best example I can tell you is see how the M9 sounds? well compare that to ier-z1r and there you have it, it goes the same for 1a vs 1z!
> Both are supper fun and addictive but different approach....


I am just on 1Z stock J 3.02 mode with my 1A, the bass is a little less faster then the 1A 3.02 firmware... 
Let you all know....


----------



## proedros

Duncan said:


> I’m trying to work it whether it is worth the effort to attempt to recable my old Sony MDR-EX1000 to be balanced...  they sound pretty good SE, but I have a really love hate relationship with them, if it extended the treble even further, I’d really not like it at all...
> 
> Does anyone use the EX1000 that might have an opinion on this?
> 
> sideline edit: I see someone bought the WM1Z on Amazon UK, so missed my chance again - guess I will just stick where I am



bro, there is a EU member here selling his wm1z for just* 1500 euros* , 700 hours use....


----------



## frost15

proedros said:


> bro, there is a EU member here selling his wm1z for just* 1500 euros* , 700 hours use....


Very, very good price.


----------



## proedros

frost15 said:


> Very, very good price.



i am kinda broke , otherwise yeah i really drooled over this price tbh


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 10, 2020)

@Vitaly2017

Another Sony "Z1" gear for you to try:



https://www.sony.jp/feature/products/200528/?s_tc=aff_999_0_10_170686&utm_medium=aff&utm_source=001


----------



## frost15

proedros said:


> i am kinda broke , otherwise yeah i really drooled over this price tbh


Remember when I got mine for 1200€? haha! That gotta be one of the best bargains this site has ever witnessed!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> @Vitaly2017
> 
> Another Sony "Z1" gear for you to try:
> 
> ...



780,000 yen. Prolly go for at least $7,000 USD


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> @Vitaly2017
> 
> Another Sony "Z1" gear for you to try:
> 
> ...





Gamerlingual said:


> 780,000 yen. Prolly go for at least $7,000 USD





It looks really cool , not affordable hehe.  I am sure I can have more fun with my 1z and tia noir 

Wish sony could send it to me for an audio spin


----------



## Mindstorms

So can anyone that have use the magic swich confirms that it actually makes 1A better? closer to the gold brick as some folks in china call it!


----------



## Queen6

proedros said:


> i am kinda broke , otherwise yeah i really drooled over this price tbh



_Feel that_, been home since end Dec 19, no Thx to COVID.  Already written the year off financially. We all gota start thinking and working smarter to beat this. Governments need to grow up and work together, STOP bickering and posturing. As ever united we stand, decided we fall...

Music being the one thing that takes the edge off, so keep em coming  

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

Aftertwo weeks of wsit with amazon , finally my "last" hi-res upgrade chimed in


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> Aftertwo weeks of wsit with amazon , finally my "last" hi-res upgrade chimed in


what is it?


----------



## frost15

I just thought there is one last combo I need to try. Orion9 with China region on the 1Z. I need to check if the excellent warmth of Orion9 plus the treble boosted China region mixes well.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mindstorms said:


> what is it?


Handel Ode to St. Cecilias Day and Alexander's Fest   2x SACD (discontinued)


----------



## hamhamhamsta

frost15 said:


> I just thought there is one last combo I need to try. Orion9 with China region on the 1Z. I need to check if the excellent warmth of Orion9 plus the treble boosted China region mixes well.


Sounds like a good combo; though your iem/headphone will play a big part.


----------



## ttt123 (Jun 10, 2020)

Duncan said:


> I’m trying to work it whether it is worth the effort to attempt to recable my old Sony MDR-EX1000 to be balanced...  they sound pretty good SE, but I have a really love hate relationship with them, if it extended the treble even further, I’d really not like it at all...
> 
> Does anyone use the EX1000 that might have an opinion on this?
> 
> sideline edit: I see someone bought the WM1Z on Amazon UK, so missed my chance again - guess I will just stick where I am


I have the EX1K, with the original cable re-terminated to 4.4mm balanced.  The original plug had a broken/intermittent connection when I bought it 2nd hand, so I bought it with the intention of replacing the plug with a 4.4mm, which I did.
My personal opinion is that the EX1K's harshness in the treble makes it uncomfortable on a lot of music, and I suspect the 4.4mm may make that worse, as the balanced output has more definiton. 
If you can re-terminate to 4.4mm for a cheap cost, then you can try, and see for yourself. 
If it is going to cost any significant amount of money, I would not bother, as the EX1K is 10+ years old, and there are better IEMs to apply that money to.

Having said that, I also see that there are users who love the EX1K over many other modern IEMs, so for those people, it would be worth the money to re-cable, or re-terminate the plug to 4.4mm.  Re-cabling is also difficult, as the earphone connectors are custom, and not available, except from 3rd party sources, which have proven to be very hit and miss in quality and compatibility.  (I've tried some of them.  2 sets could not be soldered, due to the composition)

If you find the treble can already be harsh on the current 3.5mm, then I would definitely say it is not worth it to re-cable or re-terminate the plug.  Instead, put the money you would have spent on this towards a modern IEM, and just enjoy the EX1K on the 3.5mm cable/plug.

Edit: Another option is to try the conversion plug from custom Sony to MMCX, which Lunashops has.  I have tried that, and got the 2nd set to work.


----------



## Duncan

ttt123 said:


> I have the EX1K, with the original cable re-terminated to 4.4mm balanced.  The original plug had a broken/intermittent connection when I bought it 2nd hand, so I bought it with the intention of replacing the plug with a 4.4mm, which I did.
> My personal opinion is that the EX1K's harshness in the treble makes it uncomfortable on a lot of music, and I suspect the 4.4mm may make that worse, as the balanced output has more definiton.
> If you can re-terminate to 4.4mm for a cheap cost, then you can try, and see for yourself.
> If it is going to cost any significant amount of money, I would not bother, as the EX1K is 10+ years old, and there are better IEMs to apply that money to.
> ...


Thank you 

I think that answers me perfectly - if the converters are cost effective I will get some just to say I have tried


----------



## Queen6 (Jun 10, 2020)

One of Bowie's very best...


Demands Volume, it's analogue because it is, clicks and all  WM1A presents the album superbly on stock 3.02 & J region. Can get totally lost in this one  After all  what's the point of talking about DAP's without referencing music...

Listening on Dunu 3001 Pro on 4.4 High Gain, 3001 elevates the mid's a touch, keeps the rest very natural. Nice synergy with the DD & BA great mid range  IEM, nothing spectacular, equally nothing bad to note.  WM1A on Direct, the DSP adds too much or too little sounds imbalanced, or maybe just my choice of DSP.

Switching the 4.4 to Low Gain, sharper, felt less analogue, staging a touch wider. Overall flipped back to High Gain as seemed to complement the analogue origins of the album more. 4.4 on High Gain warmer & smother like liquid gold.... 

Q-6


----------



## Duncan

It's weird, people ask why do you need a DAP when you've got Bluetooth headphones, well - I decided to listen to a bit of Amazon Music HD on my Galaxy S10+ and Ananda BT, choppy as anything and muted volume.

Putting the WM1A in place of the Galaxy, instant rock solid connection, and more volume on tap than I can handle - oh, and sweet sweet sounds.  The WM players really are the gift that keeps on giving!

Strangely I couldn't work out how to connect them via the the WMC-NWH10 connector, USB Audio popped up on the top left of the screen, but no audio out of the Ananda, but with BT sounding this sweet, not sure that I'm that bothered.


----------



## Queen6

Duncan said:


> It's weird, people ask why do you need a DAP when you've got Bluetooth headphones, well - I decided to listen to a bit of Amazon Music HD on my Galaxy S10+ and Ananda BT, choppy as anything and muted volume.
> 
> Putting the WM1A in place of the Galaxy, instant rock solid connection, and more volume on tap than I can handle - oh, and sweet sweet sounds.  The WM players really are the gift that keeps on giving!
> 
> Strangely I couldn't work out how to connect them via the the WMC-NWH10 connector, USB Audio popped up on the top left of the screen, but no audio out of the Ananda, but with BT sounding this sweet, not sure that I'm that bothered.



There's a certain magic with WM1A/Z, that's both engaging and musical. I've a Fiio M11 Pro, arguably a very accomplished TOTL DAP, it's going to be gifted to a friend soon as COVID allows. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the M11 Pro, however it pales in comparison to the WM1A. Forget the features, for me it's all about the music. I can get _lost _with the Sony. I don't want to continuously be analysing. I just want to experience and enjoy the music as it should be.

Q-6


----------



## Hinomotocho

nc8000 said:


> That’s interresting as most who have heard both deffinately feel the 1Z is the warmer and more analog sounding of the 2 (I have never heard a 1A)


Maybe it comes down to the different region firmwares? I am surprised to hear the difference switching regions from E to J - so much that you could be fooled into thinking you were listening to a different device.


----------



## Duncan

ttt123 said:


> I have the EX1K, with the original cable re-terminated to 4.4mm balanced.  The original plug had a broken/intermittent connection when I bought it 2nd hand, so I bought it with the intention of replacing the plug with a 4.4mm, which I did.
> My personal opinion is that the EX1K's harshness in the treble makes it uncomfortable on a lot of music, and I suspect the 4.4mm may make that worse, as the balanced output has more definiton.
> If you can re-terminate to 4.4mm for a cheap cost, then you can try, and see for yourself.
> If it is going to cost any significant amount of money, I would not bother, as the EX1K is 10+ years old, and there are better IEMs to apply that money to.
> ...


Wow, shiver my timbers...



I think this has to be done...


----------



## Queen6 (Jun 10, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> Maybe it comes down to the different region firmwares? I am surprised to hear the difference switching regions from E to J - so much that you could be fooled into thinking you were listening to a different device.



Some would say not. My ears have been with me for the last 56 years and  they say very different

CN - All about resolution, trading off reduced mid bass
CA - Big & Bouncy, sounds great initially, mid bass spills over and tends to spoils the party
MX3 - Really good, well balanced, however no BT remote capacity, Nice U with great bass & treble.
J - Probably the most balanced with the best timbre (my choice)
E - Very V shaped, fine with the ZX300, on the more resolving WM1A not so much as can be piercing with some IEM's
U - More U shaped, nothing wrong, nothing exceptional
TW - Trades bass for high end resolution, equally banging if that's your thing

This is the beauty of the NW series as we can flip to our own personal taste. All 16 regions have a distinct flavour 

Q-6


----------



## proedros

Queen6 said:


> _Feel that_, been home since end Dec 19, no Thx to COVID.  Already written the year off financially. We all gota start thinking and working smarter to beat this. Governments need to grow up and work together, STOP bickering and posturing. As ever united we stand, decided we fall...
> 
> *Music being the one thing that takes the edge off, so keep em coming *
> 
> Q-6



music and some good weed have really helped me get throught these weird, neurotic times - and ofc


Queen6 said:


> One of Bowie's very best...
> 
> Demands Volume, it's analogue because it is, clicks and all  WM1A presents the album superbly on stock 3.02 & J region. Can get totally lost in this one  After all  what's the point of talking about DAP's without referencing music...
> 
> ...



let me pm you a vinyl rip of this one (plus a few more DB albums) by possibly the best vinyl ripper on the planet atm

imagine the crystal clear sound of cd mixed with the organic/analog warmth of the vinyl

best of both worlds , in other words.


----------



## frost15 (Jun 10, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> Some would say not. My ears have been with me for the last 56 years and  they say very different
> 
> CN - All about resolution, trading off reduced mid bass
> CA - Big & Bouncy, sounds great initially, mid bass spills over and tends to spoils the party
> ...



I just tested the CN+Orion9 combo, since I thought the overly warm Orion9 would benefit from CN region, but to my surprise the sound did not convince me at all. It was still too treble shy and "bouncy" in a weird way.



proedros said:


> music and some good weed have really helped me get throught these weird, neurotic times - and ofc
> 
> 
> let me pm you a vinyl rip of this one (plus a few more DB albums) by possibly the best vinyl ripper on the planet atm
> ...


best vinyl ripper? mmm Pbthal? haha


----------



## nc8000

Duncan said:


> Wow, shiver my timbers...
> 
> I think this has to be done...



Not much to loose at that price


----------



## proedros

frost15 said:


> best vinyl ripper? mmm* Pbthal*? haha




hahahaha , another fan here ? yup ofc it's PB


----------



## frost15 (Jun 10, 2020)

Pbthal rips are awesome yes!


----------



## nc8000

frost15 said:


> I just tested the CN+Orion9 combo, since I thought the overly warm Orion9 would benefit from CN region, but
> 
> best vinyl ripper? mmm Pbthal? haha



Ripping vinyl to digital is an art and requires very good gear plus software paired with skill and patience and can produce very good resulte


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 10, 2020)

For users with WH-1000XM3, using a Sony walkman(any model) with LDAC sound quality mode is the closest you will ever get to wired mode.

In my experience, all other mobile phone, including Sony's own Xperia LDAC Bluetooth lacks the deep, emotive, musical bass which only Sony walkman Bluetooth LDAC codec can present.

The only part which is missing from the Sony ldac vs wired s-master hx 3.5mm, is the airy treble/high frequency sound which the LDAC codec can't reproduce in full.


----------



## nc8000

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> For users with WH-1000XM3, using a Sony walkman(any model) with LDAC sound quality mode is the closest you will ever get to wired mode.
> 
> Other mobile phone, including Sony's own Xperia LDAC Bluetooth lacks the emotive, musical bass which only Sony walkman Bluetooth LDAC can present.
> 
> The only part which is missing from the Sony ldac vs wired s-master hx 3.5mm, is the airy treble/high frequency sound which the LDAC codec can't reproduce in full.



Or the XM3 isen’t tuned to or able to deliver it. I did like the combo (could not tell any difference between feeding from 1Z or A45 on ldac) but the A45 and XM3 in the end were surplus to requirement and got sold


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 10, 2020)

What I meant was if you compare XM3 running on wired mode(powered up mode) as compared to it's ldac performance.

Take for example if you run xm3 via wired mode LG V20 Ess Sabre dac and compared to Lg v20's bluetooth ldac connection. You will find that the bass on Bluetooth mode is gimped(can't think of a better word)

But of course XM3 overall sound quality in any mode isnt what I would grade as audiophile level headphones. They are just entry level audio equipment.

The MDR-1AM2 is technically so much more proficient than the XM3 in every regard.


----------



## nc8000

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> What I meant was if you compare XM3 running on wired mode(powered up mode) as compared to it's ldac performance.
> 
> Take for example if you run xm3 via wired mode LG V20 Ess Sabre dac and compared to Lg v20's bluetooth ldac connection. You will find that the bass on Bluetooth mode is gimped(can't think of a better word)
> 
> ...



Ah. Never tried them wired when I had them


----------



## hamhamhamsta

proedros said:


> music and some good weed have really helped me get throught these weird, neurotic times - and ofc
> 
> 
> let me pm you a vinyl rip of this one (plus a few more DB albums) by possibly the best vinyl ripper on the planet atm
> ...


Can you pm me too? Would like to hear if it’s as good as you says


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Duncan said:


> Wow, shiver my timbers...
> 
> I think this has to be done...


Welcome to the rabbit cable whole, it’s deep and very welcoming! Hahaha 😆
And wallet busting too Lol


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Cables omg it’s a black hole, not a rabbit hole...


----------



## proedros

hamhamhamsta said:


> Can you pm me too? Would like to hear if it’s as good as you says




pm'ed


----------



## frost15

Why is it said that the MX3 region does not support BT recevier? I just switched my 1Z to MX3 and I could use it.


----------



## Queen6 (Jun 10, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Ripping vinyl to digital is an art and requires very good gear plus software paired with skill and patience and can produce very good resulte



True and the end result is simply epic in the right hands exactly where it should be, not clinical or sanitised...

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

frost15 said:


> Why is it said that the MX3 region does not support BT recevier? I just switched my 1Z to MX3 and I could use it.



On my CN WM1A the BT remote was not present on MX3, maybe need to flip though more regions? Definitely didn't have the remote option in settings going from J to MX3.

Q-6


----------



## Duncan (Jun 10, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> For users with WH-1000XM3, using a Sony walkman(any model) with LDAC sound quality mode is the closest you will ever get to wired mode.
> 
> In my experience, all other mobile phone, including Sony's own Xperia LDAC Bluetooth lacks the deep, emotive, musical bass which only Sony walkman Bluetooth LDAC codec can present.
> 
> The only part which is missing from the Sony ldac vs wired s-master hx 3.5mm, is the airy treble/high frequency sound which the LDAC codec can't reproduce in full.


Agreed, QFT!

I was really pleasantly surprised by the Ananda BT, to the point that i needed to out the treble filters on the FH7 as they sounded congested in comparison


Queen6 said:


> On my CN WM1A the BT remote was not present on MX3, maybe need to flip though more regions? Definitely didn't have the remote option in settings going from J to MX3.
> 
> Q-6


CA is another region that has it.


----------



## Queen6 (Jun 10, 2020)

Duncan said:


> Agreed, QFT!
> 
> I was really pleasantly surprised by the Ananda BT, to the point that i needed to out the treble filters on the FH7 as they sounded congested in comparison
> CA is another region that has it.



Yep CA has the BT commander, flying low tonight  

Q-6


----------



## frost15

After testing all the regions with different fw I've definitely made my mind... I'm staying in the J region with Orion5. It's the best sounding combo I've heard with my gear. I feel it lacks a tiny bit of something along the low frequencies, but it's so open, natural, and resolute that no other combo makes me enjoy music this much. My region ranking as of today is:
1 - J
2  - MX3
3 - U
4 - CN
5 - CA tied with E (even though different sound signatures)
I did not tried TW because I don't like too much bass.


----------



## RobertP (Jun 10, 2020)

frost15 said:


> I just thought there is one last combo I need to try. Orion9 with China region on the 1Z. I need to check if the excellent warmth of Orion9 plus the treble boosted China region mixes well.


Stage8 has a bit more treble than 9 with my gear. But a little less warmth. Have you try it?



frost15 said:


> After testing all the regions with different fw I've definitely made my mind... I'm staying in the J region with Orion5. It's the best sounding combo I've heard with my gear. I feel it lacks a tiny bit of something along the low frequencies, but it's so open, natural, and resolute that no other combo makes me enjoy music this much. My region ranking as of today is:
> 1 - J
> 2  - MX3
> 3 - U
> ...


If added more low end to stage5 tune, some clarity, natural and resolution will be gone. It's hard to preserve them.


----------



## Hinomotocho

I was surprised when I first found out that the different regions and firmwares had different tunings, strange that they decide that different countries have different tastes they decide to cater for, does any other company do this? 
I understand the volume cap is complying with a region's law requirements, but the fact that not all regions have the ability to use the bluetooth remote is something I can't understand - I know the remote is not sold everywhere but to restrict some countries from using it seems an odd move, especially from a sales perspective.


----------



## Duncan

Hinomotocho said:


> I was surprised when I first found out that the different regions and firmwares had different tunings, strange that they decide that different countries have different tastes they decide to cater for, does any other company do this?
> I understand the volume cap is complying with a region's law requirements, but the fact that not all regions have the ability to use the bluetooth remote is something I can't understand - I know the remote is not sold everywhere but to restrict some countries from using it seems an odd move, especially from a sales perspective.


It’s a more common thing than you’d think.

By example, sticking with Sony, you had ES components, but you also had QS components, which were tuned to UK tastes.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jun 10, 2020)

Late to the party, just tried Orion 8 FW with modded 1Z - ALO 16 core iem cable and EE Phantom. Wow, it's really amazing. I just listened to my fav song, about 5:10 minutes. The hairs at the back of my neck keep raising up, waves and waves keep coming throughout the whole song, and after.

Its so open, vocals so gentle and emotive. Each note sounds focused and natural at same time. Like a gentle rainfall or maybe waterfall. I can't really describe what I hear in the songs I heard, but its so crystal clear, open, natural. I'm not sure what is your original intent with Orion 8 FW RobertP, but it definitely surpassed version 5. Orion 5 I would describe as technically very proficient and natural, and with Orion 8 FW the songs especially vocals just come alive, not in forceful way, it just flow so naturally, like flowing water or streams.

I think it helps that I'm using EE Phantom, a very thick, bassy, syruppy iem. Orion 8 FW not only plugged all its weakness, but enhanced its strengths. At its base characteristics, EE Phantom warmth/warmth is an enhanced EE Zeus cold/Yin, on its opposite spectrum. Hence any warm iems/headphones should do extremely well with Orion 8.

On the other hand, just reading Orion 9 description, it should do well with neutral/colder based iem/headphones.

Well done! I can't praise enough. I like vocals based songs, and Orion 8 makes them come alive. They just popped out and flow naturally.

Good Job!


Perhaps RobertP, you can explain what is your original goals with Orion8/9, if it reaches, how it deviates, if its surpassed its original targets and so on based on your own observation, other receptions etc. I think we can learn a lot even from just listening from your point of view and maybe contribute through suggestions


----------



## frost15

RobertP said:


> Stage8 has a bit more treble than 9 with my gear. But a little less warmth. Have you try it?
> 
> 
> If added more low end to stage5 tune, some clarity, natural and resolution will be gone. It's hard to preserve them.


1- I tried it yes, but I did not find it as engaging as stage5.
2 - That was my guess, I imagine it must be impossible to have everything.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

frost15 said:


> 1- I tried it yes, but I did not find it as engaging as stage5.
> 2 - That was my guess, I imagine it must be impossible to have everything.


I think a lot of it would also depends on the base capabilities of your iems/ headphones. the FW would help the iems/headphones achieve their max potentials, but not surpassed them.


----------



## frost15

hamhamhamsta said:


> I think a lot of it would also depends on the base capabilities of your iems/ headphones. the FW would help the iems/headphones achieve their max potentials, but not surpassed them.


Yeah my friend. I saw you use IEMs for example. I use mostly headphones, Shure1540SRH to be exact, and these are very neutral sounding headphones. With Orion5 they sound incredible, actually it's the fw I've tested that best complements Shure 1540s subtle sub-bass emphasis.


----------



## Tanjiro

RobertP said:


> Stage8 has a bit more treble than 9 with my gear. But a little less warmth. Have you try it?
> 
> 
> If added more low end to stage5 tune, some clarity, natural and resolution will be gone. It's hard to preserve them.


Stage 8 is the best with my gears👍🏼


----------



## RobertP

frost15 said:


> Yeah my friend. I saw you use IEMs for example. I use mostly headphones, Shure1540SRH to be exact, and these are very neutral sounding headphones. With Orion5 they sound incredible, actually it's the fw I've tested that best complements Shure 1540s subtle sub-bass emphasis.


What kind or genre of music you are listening if you don't mind?


----------



## frost15

RobertP said:


> What kind or genre of music you are listening if you don't mind?


I mainly listen to metal (death, black and many other sub-genres), jazz and classical music.


----------



## RobertP

frost15 said:


> I mainly listen to metal (death, black and many other sub-genres), jazz and classical music.


Ahh, I can see why you like stage5 more.


----------



## frost15

RobertP said:


> Ahh, I can see why you like stage5 more.


Elaborate please  I'm curious about your thoughts on it, since you are the creator.


----------



## Maxx134 (Jun 10, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> On my CN WM1A the BT remote was not present on MX3, maybe need to flip though more regions? Definitely didn't have the remote option in settings going from J to MX3.
> 
> Q-6


Did you check to be on 3.02 level FW?
Also, did you try the switcher for more FW choices?






frost15 said:


> After testing all the regions with different fw


I just did a tour of almost all the different (Latest) FW, with  CN region for maximum resolution.

I find my picks are:
Orion9 & "just another WM1Z Tunning", as the most musical + resolving of all the latest FW so far..

Also, I'm  currently on "DMP portable Musical" as my pick for best  "reference DAC" sounding FW.

Those are my top three picks for best FW on region "CN", on a 1z.


----------



## RobertP

frost15 said:


> Elaborate please  I'm curious about your thoughts on it, since you are the creator.


If i have to guess, you are probably looking for more body and a bit boost high something like V shape sounds.


----------



## frost15

RobertP said:


> If i have to guess, you are probably looking for more body and a bit boost high something like V shape sounds.


Yeah, yet it's gotta be a subtle V. I dislike piercing treble and overly present bass. Is Orion5 V shaped?


----------



## RobertP

frost15 said:


> Yeah, yet it's gotta be a subtle V. I dislike piercing treble and overly present bass. Is Orion5 V shaped?


Yes, but with a little north of neutral side.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 10, 2020)

For some reason I always thought that the enthusiast firmwares were more active changing the 1A? The 1A went from something nice to own to something amazing. Where no matter what the 1A is always very clean and fast sounding. The 1A is solid state to where the 1Z IS almost like a tube amp. Still to me the small difference in the 1Z is everything, to me it’s perfect in “J” with stock 3.02. Where at times the 1A needs aftermarket firmware as a remedy. The remedy is a dance around what is both the best and worst part of the 1A. It’s the fascinating midrange which can at times be intriguing and at other times piercing. So going “J” helps the 1A, but Jupiter301 T1 too adds a bigger soundstage and lower midrange reverberation which subdues the thinness of the mids. You would think adding a boatload of bass to the 1A would be the bandaid but it’s not. In fact it’s not really possible to get the 1A to become that bass heavy.

Though all this depends on IEMs as some IEMs actually level out with the 1A due to synergy. Meaning they were dark and had flabby bass to begin with and the 1A additive saves the day. The thing is, the bass personality of the 1A is cool. It’s better focused and more nimble!

I’ve now started to romance the 1A, with not always trying to make it a 1Z, because that will never happen (without new parts). But learning to love the 1A for it’s own individuality. There is a stock 1A personality that’s actually special and different. It’s it’s own animal and separate from everything. Putting Jupiter2 in “J” makes it classic in it’s own charm. In many ways having different DAPs is like owning different guitars. You don’t try to change them but let them exist to be themselves and take awe in their individuality which separates themselves from everything. The mental gymnastics is to trick yourself into not calling personally wrong sounding. Especially if something is as good as the 1A/1Z it’s possible to simply attempt to accept them as having each a different stance and each a different filter to hear the music.


----------



## RobertP (Jun 11, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Late to the party, just tried Orion 8 FW with modded 1Z - ALO 16 core iem cable and EE Phantom. Wow, it's really amazing. I just listened to my fav song, about 5:10 minutes. The hairs at the back of my neck keep raising up, waves and waves keep coming throughout the whole song, and after.
> 
> Its so open, vocals so gentle and emotive. Each note sounds focused and natural at same time. Like a gentle rainfall or maybe waterfall. I can't really describe what I hear in the songs I heard, but its so crystal clear, open, natural. I'm not sure what is your original intent with Orion 8 FW RobertP, but it definitely surpassed version 5. Orion 5 I would describe as technically very proficient and natural, and with Orion 8 FW the songs especially vocals just come alive, not in forceful way, it just flow so naturally, like flowing water or streams.
> 
> ...



What make me want to do all this is because at first I'm very impressed how good Solis3.02 sounds. But then I found out later that music instruments in classical records are not quite natural enough after compared to DMP-Z1 1.02. Another factor is I had too much free time during the COVID19 stay at home order in California. With a tiny fragment of idea how sound tuning works, I gave it a try.

BTW, I must thanks @Whitigir and @Morbideath because without their xml to study I wouldn't have known how to began. Also thanks to @morgenstern09 for his method that reduce sound tune fw size.

Stage7 rev4 for 1Z is where I believe I have reached my original goal. But with my curiosity I decided to keep pushing forward. It's not easy. What makes it so complicated beyond stage7 is because it was like a journey to the unknown. This is where 1Z unique tones and 1A sounds are meet together. Got to make them homogenize and complement to each other. Much trickier and longer time to tune. Stage5 tooks 1 day for tuning and testing with various genres. Stage8 tooks 2 days. Stage9 tooks 3.5 days when compared to stage1 it tooks for just an hour. After wasted 3 days going nowhere with stage10, I gave up. So, you get and idea.

I'm just glad my hearing is good enough LOL.


----------



## proedros

RobertP said:


> Yes, but with a little north of neutral side.



orion 5 is v-shaped ? how would you describe orion 10 then ?


----------



## RobertP

proedros said:


> orion 5 is v-shaped ? how would you describe orion 10 then ?


For 1Z, even warmer than 9 but lag of treble so it's not musical that's a problem.


----------



## proedros (Jun 11, 2020)

ok, after 10 days on orion 5 i think i am gonna try* just another wm1z* tuning now on my stock 3.02/j region wm1a , nver tried it before and i saw some people praising it so let's see how this one sounds

like i said , to many FWs so little time 

edit : system refuses to load JAWM1Z , so i went for *Autumn+ *instead


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jun 11, 2020)

Goofed it up.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Redcarmoose said:


> For some reason I always thought that the enthusiast firmwares were more active changing the 1A? The 1A went from something nice to own to something amazing. Where no matter what the 1A is always very clean and fast sounding. The 1A is solid state to where the 1Z IS almost like a tube amp. Still to me the small difference in the 1Z is everything, to me it’s perfect in “J” with stock 3.02. Where at times the 1A needs aftermarket firmware as a remedy. The remedy is a dance around what is both the best and worst part of the 1A. It’s the fascinating midrange which can at times be intriguing and at other times piercing. So going “J” helps the 1A, but Jupiter301 T1 too adds a bigger soundstage and lower midrange reverberation which subdues the thinness of the mids. You would think adding a boatload of bass to the 1A would be the bandaid but it’s not. In fact it’s not really possible to get the 1A to become that bass heavy.
> 
> Though all this depends on IEMs as some IEMs actually level out with the 1A due to synergy. Meaning they were dark and had flabby bass to begin with and the 1A additive saves the day. The thing is, the bass personality of the 1A is cool. It’s better focused and more nimble!
> 
> I’ve now started to romance the 1A, with not always trying to make it a 1Z, because that will never happen (without new parts). But learning to love the 1A for it’s own individuality. There is a stock 1A personality that’s actually special and different. It’s it’s own animal and separate from everything. Putting Jupiter2 in “J” makes it classic in it’s own charm. In many ways having different DAPs is like owning different guitars. You don’t try to change them but let them exist to be themselves and take awe in their individuality which separates themselves from everything. The mental gymnastics is to trick yourself into not calling personally wrong sounding. Especially if something is as good as the 1A/1Z it’s possible to simply attempt to accept them as having each a different stance and each a different filter to hear the music.


Having recently clocked up 200 hours on my WM1A and switched to J 3.02 I am now looking to experiment with some tunings. 
Your post has given me some clarity and a better frame of mind in approaching the whole process, and a better idea of what to expect from my WM1A. 
I appreciate your wisdom.


----------



## aceedburn

proedros said:


> ok, after 10 days on orion 5 i think i am gonna try* just another wm1z* tuning now on my stock 3.02/j region wm1a , nver tried it before and i saw some people praising it so let's see how this one sounds
> 
> like i said , to many FWs so little time
> 
> edit : system refuses to load JAWM1Z , so i went for *Autumn+ *instead


That’s because the tuning is meant for 1Z. You need to use the model switcher to change to 1Z then load it.


----------



## Queen6

Maxx134 said:


> Did you check to be on 3.02 level FW?
> Also, did you try the switcher for more FW choices?



3.02 J slowly working through it 

Q-6


----------



## proedros (Jun 11, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> That’s because the tuning is meant for 1Z. You need to use the model switcher to change to 1Z then load it.



ah i see , thanx for the tip

well i went for Venus 3 , just gonna play around with some FWs

edit : v3 sounds quite nice , more mids/vocal centric FW (i think)


----------



## Vitaly2017

Are you guys saying that if I use switch tool my 1z into 1a and load the stock tuning my 1z will sound like 1a !!!???? For real?

But better as I will use my 1z components?


----------



## RobertP

God NO! LOL!


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> God NO! LOL!


----------



## Ravenous

I never thought to ask this, but does anyone think that it would be bad to use the nw switcher or the different tunings if we haven't reached the 200 hour threshold for the capacitors to develop?


----------



## nc8000

Ravenous said:


> I never thought to ask this, but does anyone think that it would be bad to use the nw switcher or the different tunings if we haven't reached the 200 hour threshold for the capacitors to develop?



It wont be bad or damage anything but the base sound of the player is still developing


----------



## auronthas

auronthas said:


> Thanks all for your feedback. Ordered mine,  wait for delivery.


Ya, the seller confirm I will get mine brand new WM1Z ,USD 2250 next week. Woo-Hoo !


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 11, 2020)

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...ifier-live-from-ifa-2016.818848/post-15670223

Interestingly after all this time I tried using another digital source to the Sony TA desktop. It was interesting to find coaxial from a CD transport to be inferior to the Walkmans as a digital source, though now it turns out optical from a TV is just as good as the elaborate AQCarbon/Cradle/1A/1Z? The only downside is that the TV could not play some files. Though now I have curiosities as to how good optical from a computer would be. Many MacBooks have optical out hidden in the 3.5mm headphone output.


----------



## gerelmx1986

How is the sound quality of the fiio X7ii or M11 non-pro (because the two SD slots) compares to WM1A


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> How is the sound quality of the fiio X7ii or M11 non-pro (because the two SD slots) compares to WM1A



I actually gave the M11 a short listen when it came out. Primarily due to the cost. It’s maybe warmer than the 1A. Though I think it may be missing some cohesiveness that the 1A does. It was a very short listen using my Noble Encore IEMs in a store. I think after ownership more realities would emerge? Also the UI was very different being used to the Sony UI. Such a great price though.


----------



## Hi-fi Wigwammer

I am awaiting delivery of a brand new uncapped WM1A from South Korea next week. 
However, temptation got the better of me and I bought the WM1Z in the classifieds from denis1976.
Anyone want a brand new 1A?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Hi-fi Wigwammer said:


> I am awaiting delivery of a brand new uncapped WM1A from South Korea next week.
> However, temptation got the better of me and I bought the WM1Z in the classifieds from denis1976.
> Anyone want a brand new 1A?



Enjoy!


----------



## frost15

Hi-fi Wigwammer said:


> I am awaiting delivery of a brand new uncapped WM1A from South Korea next week.
> However, temptation got the better of me and I bought the WM1Z in the classifieds from denis1976.
> Anyone want a brand new 1A?


I think I'm going mad, I see two faces in the lights of your tubes!


----------



## Redcarmoose

frost15 said:


> I think I'm going mad, I see two faces in the lights of your tubes!







That’s preferable to the phone lobster.


----------



## Duncan

Duncan said:


> Wow, shiver my timbers...
> 
> I think this has to be done...


I guess this shows the power of the internet...  this is a pretty niche item, and there were five in stock yesterday, only one today!

in other news, I’ve noticed since being happy with the total quality of the 1A, my listening volume has dropped, from 85+ to 60... interesting!


----------



## proedros

Duncan said:


> I guess this shows the power of the internet...  this is a pretty niche item, and there were five in stock yesterday, only one today!
> 
> *in other news, I’ve noticed since being happy with the total quality of the 1A, my* listening volume has dropped, from 85+ to 60... interesting!



is the 1z switch a sonic upgrade to stock 1a ? what sonic differences do you perceive ?


----------



## frost15

Dang, thanks to @Redcarmoose I realized I had not tested Stock 3.02 (J) region with no added fw. I was really glad to see it's very very musical! Lush and rich sound with the perfect amount of warmth. I prefer it over Orion5 for Classical Music and some Intimate Jazz recordings. For faster music I still prefer Orion5's resolute and clear sound signature.


----------



## Duncan

proedros said:


> is the 1z switch a sonic upgrade to stock 1a ? what sonic differences do you perceive ?


I cannot answer that as I haven’t gone stock to stock, I’ve gone 1A Orion5 to 1Az Orion9


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 11, 2020)

frost15 said:


> Dang, thanks to @Redcarmoose I realized I had not tested Stock 3.02 (J) region with no added fw. I was really glad to see it's very very musical! Lush and rich sound with the perfect amount of warmth. I prefer it over Orion5 for Classical Music and some Intimate Jazz recordings. For faster music I still prefer Orion5's resolute and clear sound signature.



We can’t forget that our subjective opinions can at times be formed through personal history; not present audio truth. It’s true that stock 3.02 may be overlooked due to folks guessing that new firmwares are better. It’s definitely not as detailed or forward pushed as some. It is not the most clear either. I’m the Luddite who is new to region changes; making me a little behind. I need to try Orion5? New firmware feels fresh and fun sometimes. I have to admit I have still not heard them all.


----------



## proedros

Duncan said:


> I cannot answer that as I haven’t gone stock to stock, I’ve gone 1A Orion5 to 1Az Orion9



would like to hear your thoughts on those 2 settings, as well - i was using stock wm1a on orion 5 and liked it a lot.


----------



## Gamerlingual

I tested the Audio Technica ATH-AP2000Ti with my 1A and wow, compared to the MDR-Z1R and the MDR-Z7M2, it completely shocked me and made me as happy as listening to the Sony IER-Z1R. It had better balance to the highs, the mid bass wasn't as heavy as the MDR-Z1R with crisp, even mids and highs. I may look into the WP900 model as well, but wonder if the wood trim would be wasted or worn out quicker from normal home use (won't take them out). Wow, if I play my cards right and Japan gives me the 100,000 yen stimulus package, I may go get the AP2000Ti. On Monday, I will do some more testing at E-Earphone!

And with this being Post number 500, my title may change from 100+ Head-Fier, even though I still consider myself a noob at this hobby and only registered since May.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 11, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I tested the Audio Technica ATH-AP2000Ti with my 1A and wow, compared to the MDR-Z1R and the MDR-Z7M2, it completely shocked me and made me as happy as listening to the Sony IER-Z1R. It had better balance to the highs, the mid bass wasn't as heavy as the MDR-Z1R with crisp, even mids and highs. I may look into the WP900 model as well, but wonder if the wood trim would be wasted or worn out quicker from normal home use (won't take them out). Wow, if I play my cards right and Japan gives me the 100,000 yen stimulus package, I may go get the AP2000Ti. On Monday, I will do some more testing at E-Earphone!
> 
> And with this being Post number 500, my title may change from 100+ Head-Fier, even though I still consider myself a noob at this hobby and only registered since May.



Your in headphone heaven. qdc also has a Anole VX IEM without switching I read. Japan is only place that has it. The whole Anole line normally has crossovers.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Your in headphone heaven. qdc also has a Anole VX IEM without switching I read. Japan is only place that has it. The whole Anole line normally has crossovers.


Doesn’t hurt to check. But it seems like only 3 companies right now have the balanced cable, 4 If I recall a certain HiFiman set of cans having the 4.4mm (HE6SE if I remember correctly?). Audio-Technica, Sony, and Sennheiser. The HD820 sounded like garbage sadly when combined with my 1Z. The Z7M2 and MDR-Z1R I thought sounded good, but didn’t necessarily reflect their price points. This is all my opinion and I know others love Sony’s cans as much as I love the IER-Z1R And 1AM2. Just it just shows how certain sounds jell better with other people. I’m all fine with people disagreeing with my viewpoints here. All I know is that the AP2000Ti is now on my radar as my endgame cans which makes it all the more happy. 

@Redcarmoose I will check out the Anole on Monday and report my impressions after testing them. By the way, I’m guessing test all the cans with both the 1A and 1Z or is the 1Z only enough?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Doesn’t hurt to check. But it seems like only 3 companies right now have the balanced cable, 4 If I recall a certain HiFiman set of cans having the 4.4mm (HE6SE if I remember correctly?). Audio-Technica, Sony, and Sennheiser. The HD820 sounded like garbage sadly when combined with my 1Z. The Z7M2 and MDR-Z1R I thought sounded good, but didn’t necessarily reflect their price points. This is all my opinion and I know others love Sony’s cans as much as I love the IER-Z1R And 1AM2. Just it just shows how certain sounds jell better with other people. I’m all fine with people disagreeing with my viewpoints here. All I know is that the AP2000Ti is now on my radar as my endgame cans which makes it all the more happy.
> 
> @Redcarmoose I will check out the Anole on Monday and report my impressions after testing them. By the way, I’m guessing test all the cans with both the 1A and 1Z or is the 1Z only enough?



I’m not sure the HE6SE comes terminated with 4.4 but even if they do no dap will be able to power them and many headphone amps might also struggle


----------



## gerelmx1986

I've switched to Lotoo PAW Gold Touch FW tunning mod. I did this time as follow: Rather than going from DMP-Z1 1.02 to Lotoo directly, I decided to roll-back to sony stock 3.02 and reboot, then apply the Lotoo and reboot again.. Nice sound quality I feel it is bigger soyndstage as the DMP-Z1


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> I’m not sure the HE6SE comes terminated with 4.4 but even if they do no dap will be able to power them and many headphone amps might also struggle


E-Earphone has one HiFiman headset with the 4.4mm. Should have taken pictures of it, doh.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> E-Earphone has one HiFiman headset with the 4.4mm. Should have taken pictures of it, doh.



Might not be a stock cable then


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Might not be a stock cable then


Ah ok. It was still nice to try them. They weren’t bad. Just not my cup of tea


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Ah ok. It was still nice to try them. They weren’t bad. Just not my cup of tea



What did you listen to them from ?


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> What did you listen to them from ?


My 1Z was the source. They required over level 90 to listen to even less than medium noise levels. Takes too much juice to get th at a proper volume level


----------



## Ravenous

I have a question, if I want to change the region of the player and the firmware at the same time, can I change the region, then install the firmware that I want, then restart? Or should I change the region, restart, then change the firmware and restart again?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> My 1Z was the source. They required over level 90 to listen to even less than medium noise levels. Takes too much juice to get th at a proper volume level



they require several watt to give their best.I had the original HE6 before I bought the MDR and TA and even the TA from balanced did not drive the HE6 properly, they could go loud enough but were nowhere near their best


----------



## nc8000

Ravenous said:


> I have a question, if I want to change the region of the player and the firmware at the same time, can I change the region, then install the firmware that I want, then restart? Or should I change the region, restart, then change the firmware and restart again?



Change region (and model if desired) and reboot, then install the correct stock fw (reboot happens automatically) and then install the desired mod (again reboot happens automatically)


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 11, 2020)

Thats quiet interesting when going to 1a from real 1z dap with the switch tool.
I feel my 1z becomes much less vibrant and thick, bass has reduced alot no more sub bass rumble.
Everything seems to have flaten and became audiophile slim and thin sounding.

I came back to 1z original identity and all is back and fun and lushy )


I tested J + stock 3.0.2 on both


----------



## Duncan

I’ve noticed that my battery is going flat very quickly all of a sudden... I’ve turned off the Bluetooth remote option, to see if this helps to stabilise it, if not - I’ll go back to stock for a while


----------



## RobertP (Jun 11, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Thats quiet interesting when going to 1a from real 1z dap with the switch tool.
> I feel my 1z becomes much less vibrant and thick, bass has reduced alot no more sub bass rumble.
> Everything seems to have flaten and became audiophile slim and thin sounding.
> 
> ...


Yes, same goes from 1A to 1Z. After tested J + stock 3.0.2, it's less warmth than the actual 1Z and it a different kind of warmth. Vocals and instruments seem unnatural and vailed. Bass still far less energy and treble not as refined.


----------



## Maxx134

gerelmx1986 said:


> How is the sound quality of the fiio X7ii or M11 non-pro (because the two SD slots) compares to WM1A


I can tell you the Fiio m11 has a very lively and nice but artificially wide and magnified soundstage.
I still would pick it over the slightly more distant and flat ibasso 220.
The 1a, even in stock form, destroy them.




Gamerlingual said:


> I may look into the WP900 model as well, bu


I love all the Audio technica as I started with them, but lately the value for the money is just does not there..
They are very overpriced now as the competition has grown.




gerelmx1986 said:


> I've switched to Lotoo PAW Gold Touch FW tunning mod. I did this time as follow: Rather than going from DMP-Z1 1.02 to Lotoo directly, I decided to roll-back to sony stock 3.02 and reboot, then apply the Lotoo and reboot again.. Nice sound quality I feel it is bigger soyndstage as the DMP-Z1


I tried those yesterday.
That one was very good.
Did you try the "DMP portable Musical" yet?




Vitaly2017 said:


> Thats quiet interesting when going to 1a from real 1z dap with the switch tool.
> I feel my 1z becomes much less vibrant and thick, bass has reduced alot no more sub bass rumble.
> Everything seems to have flaten and became audiophile slim and thin sounding.
> 
> ...


So you just prove that the 1a firmware is flatter and less lively.


----------



## Maxx134

Duncan said:


> I’ve noticed that my battery is going flat very quickly all of a sudden... I’ve turned off the Bluetooth remote option, to see if this helps to stabilise it, if not - I’ll go back to stock for a while


Remember, if you did a reset of system settings, then you must also check or redo the battery energy-savings, screen timeout, brightness, and turn off the NFC..


----------



## Mindstorms

RobertP said:


> Yes, same goes from 1A to 1Z. After tested J + stock 3.0.2, it's less warmth than the actual 1Z and it a different kind of warmth. Vocals and instruments seem unnatural and vailed. Bass still far less energy and treble not as refined.


Can you specify wich one its less warm so it makes it clearer for me? pelase


----------



## RobertP

Mindstorms said:


> Can you specify wich one its less warm so it makes it clearer for me? pelase


1Z is noticable warmer.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Duncan said:


> I’ve noticed that my battery is going flat very quickly all of a sudden... I’ve turned off the Bluetooth remote option, to see if this helps to stabilise it, if not - I’ll go back to stock for a while


You need to recalibrate your battery, let it run flat, until the "LIW BATTERY, PLEASE CHARGE" icon displays and turns off, conti ue turning it on until you cannot turn on anymore (takes time), then charge it.to 100% uninterrupted


----------



## Vitaly2017

Maxx134 said:


> I can tell you the Fiio m11 has a very lively and nice but artificially wide and magnified soundstage.
> I still would pick it over the slightly more distant and flat ibasso 220.
> The 1a, even in stock form, destroy them.
> 
> ...



Was it something folks been debating about?
I never bothered as I got 1z 🙂🙃😃


----------



## gerelmx1986

Spent 310€ on Seutsche Grammophon SHM-SACD, wow cant believe I reached 106 DSD/SACD-album count and that I filled a 512Gig card with only Hi-rez... I have right now 446GB (theorizing 2.3GB per SACD had bought 8, most likely 20GB increase) 512GB = 476GB once formatted


----------



## proedros (Jun 11, 2020)

i still have not seen much feedback on this 1a>1z switcher , so for now i will just keep on trying all those available FWs for wm1a

*Venus 3* is very good , i don't know if it's placebo or not (probably not) buy i can hear the general sound Iof my wm1a changing with each FW

i think though that due to the neutralish nature of both wm1a and zeus xr , i seem to prefer FWs that focus mostly on the mids - as zeus has top notch highs and the 1960s cable has beefed up the lows to a very very satisfactory level - but mids are necessary to those ears as i consider them the meat of music , i hate v-shaped/recessed mids

this is why i decided to try after many days passed the Venus FW as according to the inventor (and i simply quote his description)


*VENUS: is a silky smooth, mid-centric profile eyeing for vocal oriented music.

again , great job guys every FW is hugely appreciated (whether it has been tried or not , liked or not) *


and guys don't fret too much on files quality etc , i am listening to some 192 kbps mp3 radio shows of John Digweed (aka the Master of Prog House) from 2002 and they sound delicious


----------



## Duncan

gerelmx1986 said:


> You need to recalibrate your battery, let it run flat, until the "LIW BATTERY, PLEASE CHARGE" icon displays and turns off, conti ue turning it on until you cannot turn on anymore (takes time), then charge it.to 100% uninterrupted


Okay, I will do


----------



## Donmonte

RobertP said:


> 1Z is noticable warmer.


Compared to the 1A with 1Z firmware via the switcher?


----------



## nc8000

Duncan said:


> Okay, I will do



Some of the fw tunings consume more battery. I feel like Orion9 has shortened my battery life a fair bit but have not done any structured timing


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jun 11, 2020)

Can someone please tell me if any of these switching/tuning tweaks require a total reset where I would lose my playtime count?
Those hours feel life achievement medals to me and don't want to lose them.


----------



## nc8000

Hinomotocho said:


> Can someone please tell me if any of these switching/tuning tweaks require a total rest where I would lose my playtime count?
> Those hours feel life achievement medals to me and don't want to lose them.



They don’t


----------



## RobertP

Donmonte said:


> Compared to the 1A with 1Z firmware via the switcher?


Yes.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Maxx134 said:


> Remember, if you did a reset of system settings, then you must also check or redo the battery energy-savings, screen timeout, brightness, and turn off the NFC..


I found putting screen brightness to 1 helps a lot too.


----------



## Donmonte

RobertP said:


> Yes.


So it seems it's best for each player to stay in its respective mode, and to just add its corresponding tuned firmware.
Will probably give it a go later on...


----------



## RobertP

Donmonte said:


> So it seems it's best for each player to stay in its respective mode, and to just add its corresponding tuned firmware.
> Will probably give it a go later on...


Not necessarily. With switching tool, now you have both 1A and 1Z sound tunes to play with. Whichever combo works then stay with it.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 11, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Doesn’t hurt to check. But it seems like only 3 companies right now have the balanced cable, 4 If I recall a certain HiFiman set of cans having the 4.4mm (HE6SE if I remember correctly?). Audio-Technica, Sony, and Sennheiser. The HD820 sounded like garbage sadly when combined with my 1Z. The Z7M2 and MDR-Z1R I thought sounded good, but didn’t necessarily reflect their price points. This is all my opinion and I know others love Sony’s cans as much as I love the IER-Z1R And 1AM2. Just it just shows how certain sounds jell better with other people. I’m all fine with people disagreeing with my viewpoints here. All I know is that the AP2000Ti is now on my radar as my endgame cans which makes it all the more happy.
> 
> @Redcarmoose I will check out the Anole on Monday and report my impressions after testing them. By the way, I’m guessing test all the cans with both the 1A and 1Z or is the 1Z only enough?



Well, there could be some synergy maybe with certain IEMs/headphones which would be slightly better with one or the other. But that’s just the thing. The Anole VX is absolutely well driven off the 1Z or 1A as it’s simply 10BA drivers. Typically BA IEMs are easy to drive in comparison to DD or DD/hybrid designs. Issues about not having enough power are at times connected with personal opinions about the 1Z and IER-Z1R together. It’s a super small area of difference and maybe almost a wash but some people seem to think the 1Z is almost not powerful enough for the IER-Z1R. I don’t know about how serious that issue is? But......there are absolutely many many full-size headphones that you may not really be able to drive off the 1A/1Z. The sound will be compromised and you will not be able to conclude the full potential sound of the headphone.

The whole volume level/power thing is also individual as some listen on very low volumes. Also different people cue into different sound aspects, and play different genres. But I would say the 1A/1Z put out enough power for the MDR-Z1R and MDR-Z7. They can get a super small add from a desktop but it’s minimal. Still they are really not at their full potential with the Sony DAPs. Stuff like imaging, transient response and bass clarity will change with more damping factor from a full desktop.

And while it has been written that the HD800 was a great match with the 1Z, it depends on the individual and what they are looking for in tone. Some headphones are really picky and require a certain amp to sound their best. The Sennheiser line can be picky that way. Obviously these are broad generalizations and our hobby centers around small details. That’s why there are so many subjective opinions.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Well, there could be some synergy maybe with certain IEMs/headphones which would be slightly better with one or the other. But that’s just the thing. The Anole VX is absolutely well driven off the 1Z or 1A as it’s simply 10BA drivers. Typically BA IEMs are easy to drive in comparison to DD or DD/hybrid designs. Issues about not having enough power are at times connected with personal opinions about the 1Z and IER-Z1R together. It’s a super small area of difference and maybe almost a wash but some people seem to think the 1Z is almost not powerful enough for the IER-Z1R. I don’t know about how serious that issue is? But......there are absolutely many many full-size headphones that you may not really be able to drive off the 1A/1Z. The sound will be compromised and you will not be able to conclude the full potential sound of the headphone.
> 
> The whole volume level/power thing is also individual as some listen on very low volumes. Also different people cue into different sound aspects, and play different genres. But I would say the 1A/1Z put out enough power for the MDR-Z1R and MDR-Z7. They can get a super small add from a desktop but it’s minimal. Still they are really not at their full potential with the Sony DAPs. Stuff like imaging, transient response and bass clarity will change with more damping factor from a full desktop.
> 
> And while it has been written that the HD800 was a great match with the 1Z, it depends on the individual and what they are looking for in tone. Some headphones are really picky and require a certain amp to sound their best. The Sennheiser line can be picky that way. Obviously these are broad generalizations and our hobby centers around small details. That’s why there are so many subjective opinions.


I’ll also bring my PHA-2A to test just in case. Not a bad idea


----------



## Blueoris

Guys, if any of you had found evidence that the 4.4mm pentaconn output in WM1a/z Walkmans don't carry a ground signal, can you please shared it with me. Cheers.


----------



## RobertP

Only four wires and no ground.


----------



## Blueoris

RobertP said:


> Only four wires and no ground.



Excellent, can't get better than that, thanks 

One question: what is that black cable pointing up? Is that the ground


----------



## RobertP

Blueoris said:


> Excellent, can't get better than that, thanks
> 
> One question: what is that black cable pointing up? Is that the ground


That wire is for antana.


----------



## Gamerlingual

So there's a Yodabashi Camera near me with the Audio Technica WP900, but they said I can only sample it with the 3.5mm. It also comes with the 4.4 balanced cable. Can I still get a basic idea of the sound quality on high gain with the 3.5mm using the 1Z or 1A? I can go today. Or is it better to go to E-Earphone on Monday to sample the version I want? Thoughts?


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> So there's a Yodabashi Camera near me with the Audio Technica WP900, but they said I can only sample it with the 3.5mm. It also comes with the 4.4 balanced cable. Can I still get a basic idea of the sound quality on high gain with the 3.5mm using the 1Z or 1A? I can go today. Or is it better to go to E-Earphone on Monday to sample the version I want? Thoughts?


Single ended to balanced isn’t a night and day difference. Better separation and that’s about it. So if you don’t like the sound on 3.5mm port you won’t like it on 4.4mm either.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> So there's a Yodabashi Camera near me with the Audio Technica WP900, but they said I can only sample it with the 3.5mm. It also comes with the 4.4 balanced cable. Can I still get a basic idea of the sound quality on high gain with the 3.5mm using the 1Z or 1A? I can go today. Or is it better to go to E-Earphone on Monday to sample the version I want? Thoughts?




Nope se sucky you should never listen to 1a or 1z via Se LoL
Its their least performant side its simply not as good!
Balanced is a tremendous upgrade trust me!

Go as full you can with balanced only. Se is like 35% behind the balanced


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Nope se sucky you should never listen to 1a or 1z via Se LoL
> Its their least performant side its simply not as good!
> Balanced is a tremendous upgrade trust me!
> 
> Go as full you can with balanced only. Se is like 35% behind the balanced


So wait until Monday? I can't sample today because Yodobashi says they don't have access to the balanced cable. The sample cans


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> So wait until Monday? I can't sample today because Yodobashi says they don't have access to the balanced cable. The sample cans




You can sample it and if you like the se you will love the balanced even more!

I meant in the long run you should only listen to balanced the se lacks behind.  For temporary listen is totally fine


----------



## aceedburn (Jun 12, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> You can sample it and if you like the se you will love the balanced even more!
> 
> I meant in the long run you should only listen to balanced the se lacks behind.  For temporary listen is totally fine


To my ears the only thing SE lacks is power. No difference in SQ. numerous reviewers have also mentioned that there is zero SQ difference in SE vs balanced. The perceived “better” sound you’re hearing is because the higher power of the balanced portr drives your higher ohm headphones better. That’s it. Sound quality is the same coming out of both ports. And on lower impedance gear there is no difference expect a tiny bit better separation. Only power is different.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> To my ears the only thing SE lacks is power. No difference in SQ. numerous reviewers have also mentioned that there is zero SQ difference in SE vs balanced. The perceived “better” sound you’re hearing is because the higher power of the balanced portr drives your higher ohm headphones better. That’s it. Sound quality is the same coming out of both ports. And on lower impedance gear there is no difference expect a tiny bit better separation. Only power is different.


Meaning I might need to raise the volume a little bit more to achieve the same audio level vs balanced and the audio quality should be about the same?


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Meaning I might need to raise the volume a little bit more to achieve the same audio level vs balanced and the audio quality should be about the same?


Yes like I said higher ohm headphones are drive better by 4.4mm port because it outputs higher power. Sound quality from the Walkman is exactly the same from both ports.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Yes like I said higher ohm headphones are drive better by 4.4mm port because it outputs higher power. Sound quality from the Walkman is exactly the same from both ports.



Well balanced has a few extra advantages. It plays dsd natively and it generaly has better separation and lower noice floor and blacker background due to not having common ground


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> Nope se sucky you should never listen to 1a or 1z via Se LoL
> Its their least performant side its simply not as good!
> Balanced is a tremendous upgrade trust me!
> 
> Go as full you can with balanced only. Se is like 35% behind the balanced


Balanced vs SE is like day and night, light years away with the right gears; SE is like 100% behind balanced. I have balanced for 2200 hours plus, SE at around 200 hrs and that was 2-3 years ago last time I used them.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Yeah first batch of japanese SACDs
They're slowly coming and yeah rip inmediately


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 20, 2020)

Single ended vs Balanced:


----------



## gerelmx1986

These SHM SACDs are only stereo and non hybrid, so am ripping the tracks separately, no ISO


----------



## frost15

nc8000 said:


> Well balanced has a few extra advantages. It plays dsd natively and it generaly has better separation and lower noice floor and blacker background due to not having common ground


It's a different sound circuit all along, so yeah, I was able to notice differences, specially with DSD files (natively vs non-natively). Now, they are not night and day differences, like others mentioned balanced is more separate and refined for the trained ears, but that could very well circuitry trickery.


----------



## frost15

hamhamhamsta said:


> Balanced vs SE is like day and night, light years away with the right gears; SE is like 100% behind balanced. I have balanced for 2200 hours plus, SE at around 200 hrs and that was 2-3 years ago last time I used them.


I don't hear such a huge difference, yet I always listen through balanced since I first used it, because there is definitely a difference, but not that big I think.


----------



## Hi-fi Wigwammer

My WM1Z Jp version should arrive next week. Which standard firmware version do you recommend SQ wise?


----------



## frost15

Hi-fi Wigwammer said:


> My WM1Z Jp version should arrive next week. Which standard firmware version do you recommend SQ wise?


It depends on your headphones sound signature. From my experience if you have neutral headphones or phones that tend a little bit to the warm side I would recommend either Orion5 or stock (J) fw. Then there are also Autumn+ and Solis. Autumn+ is a very fun musical fw and Solis is more elegant and refined.


----------



## Redcarmoose

To me it turns out balanced is super effective with the XBA-Z5. Reason being they demand what ever balanced has over 3.5mm single ended. There really minimal change with pure BA IEMs. Meaning with some pure BA IEMs it’s a wash and some do show slight benefit from 4.4mm. 

I don’t think it’s beneficial to always be changing cables or I would test this subject more. Though what I always found fascinating was the posts by others that prescribe 3.5mm to be much better with some IEMs. I kept trying to look at what the variables would be; different cable or adapter, different hours (more hours) on the 3.5mm plug?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 12, 2020)

Hi-fi Wigwammer said:


> My WM1Z Jp version should arrive next week. Which standard firmware version do you recommend SQ wise?



I like regular 3.02 in J mode. But if new it’s not going to even start to sound right till at least 50 hours. So that’s 50 hours on 3.5mm and 50 hours on 4.4mm. Just leave headphone plugged in a medium or low volume. Finally at 70 or 100 is a big change then a big change at 200. It will continue sounding better too way up into the 500s and 700s of hours. First 50 can be pretty murky with not much bass definition. IMO

Though at that time (for me) there was only firmware 1.02 or something which is warm anyway.


----------



## Hi-fi Wigwammer

Redcarmoose said:


> I like regular 3.02 in J mode. But if new it’s not going to even start to sound right till at least 50 hours. So that’s 50 hours on 3.5mm and 50 hours on 4.4mm. Just leave headphone plugged in a medium or low volume. Finally at 70 or 100 is a big change then a big change at 200. It will continue sounding better too way up into the 500s and 700s of hours. First 50 can be pretty murky with not much bass definition. IMO
> 
> Though at that time (for me) there was only firmware 1.02 or something which is warm anyway.



It's a used unit with approx 700 hours use. It may even be on 3.02 Jp firmware. I'll check when it arrives. Thanks for your assistance.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 12, 2020)

He highlights an important point on the quietness of your listening environment. As it affects how much difference you will discern between balanced and single ended.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Hi-fi Wigwammer said:


> It's a used unit with approx 700 hours use. It may even be on 3.02 Jp firmware. I'll check when it arrives. Thanks for your assistance.



Your going to love it! Cheers!


----------



## aceedburn

I switched back to 1A and loaded orion5 for 1A and something just struck me. I feel this configuration sounds better than 1Z with orion5. Bass sounds fuller and more defined. Perhaps @RobertP tuned it that way for the 1A to compensate for the lack of bass on 1A stock. Mids and treble are the same with 1Z. Whatever it is, I’m rocking this config. Fits my preferred sound sig  better and I love it.


----------



## Gamerlingual (Jun 12, 2020)

I tested both the WP900 and ATH-AP2000Ti and they lacked bass but had a very bright signature. Then I went back to the Z7M2 and it didn’t have enough treble. The MDR-Z1R seemed more confused on where the treble should be as it seemed scattered but was better than the Z7M2. Seems like I can’t win and find a TOTL set of closed cans that can match the IER-Z1R’s perfection across the spectrum with the 1Z. I think I need to stop associating end game with high price. It may not always work that way. Or so I thought. I went back to my 1AM2 on the 1Z and it just needed a little more thickness to the drum beats but everything else was solid. Finally I tested my WH-1000XM3 on my iPhone 11 Pro and I could hear all the instruments equally with the EQ on the App and it made my ears completely satisfied. Sometimes I wonder if there’s something weird with my ears that it just seems to enjoy the XM3 is the best closed cans along with a very close second with the 1AM2 :-/


----------



## Quang23693

aceedburn said:


> I switched back to 1A and loaded orion5 for 1A and something just struck me. I feel this configuration sounds better than 1Z with orion5. Bass sounds fuller and more defined. Perhaps @RobertP tuned it that way for the 1A to compensate for the lack of bass on 1A stock. Mids and treble are the same with 1Z. Whatever it is, I’m rocking this config. Fits my preferred sound sig  better and I love it.


I also switched back to 1A and i had a same impression. I feel that 1A has deeper bass ,3D while the 1Z has speeder bass, clean and more details. Moreover, the mid of 1Z is thinner, fly more, smoother than 1A. The treb is also sprakle, attractive.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 12, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I tested both the WP900 and ATH-AP2000Ti and they lacked bass but had a very bright signature. Then I went back to the Z7M2 and it didn’t have enough treble. The MDR-Z1R seemed more confused on where the treble should be as it seemed scattered but was better than the Z7M2. Seems like I can’t win and find a TOTL set of closed cans that can match the IER-Z1R’s perfection across the spectrum with the 1Z. I think I need to stop associating end game with high price. It may not always work that way. Or so I thought. I went back to my 1AM2 on the 1Z and it just needed a little more thickness to the drum beats but everything else was solid. Finally I tested my WH-1000XM3 on my iPhone 11 Pro and I could hear all the instruments equally with the EQ on the App and it made my ears completely satisfied. Sometimes I wonder if there’s something weird with my ears that it just seems to enjoy the XM3 is the best closed cans along with a very close second with the 1AM2 :-/



Even if you own the TOTL headphones you’ll always go back to your IER-Z1R as your used to them. Look at all the people that told you they like the IERs better. Also don’t forget all the people that the IERs don’t fit, or are uncomfortable to get fit for long periods. I myself don’t even try to put them in some order. I have in the past but the hierarchy changed. Your in a place (Tokyo) where maybe there is no personal TOTL choice; too many. And your simply doing these judgments siting in shops. It could even take place at home with a six feet tall stack of retail boxes. That’s why they say there is no end at times.

Have your best friend change you password. Leave now while you still have a chance of getting out. Your on the edge of the slippery slope.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Even if you own the TOTL headphones you’ll always go back to your IER-Z1R as your used to them. Look at all the people that told you they like the IERs better. Also don’t forget all the people that the IERs don’t fit, or are uncomfortable to get fit for long periods. I myself don’t even try to put them in some order. I have in the past but the hierarchy changed. Your in a place (Tokyo) where maybe there is no personal TOTL choice. And your simply doing these judgments siting in shops. It could even take place at home with a six feet tall stack of retail boxes. That’s why they say there is no end at times.
> 
> Have your best friend change you password. Leave now while you still have a chance of getting out. Your on the edge of the slippery slope.


Nyuk nyuk nyuk. Good point. I was just so surprised when I went back to the 1AM2, how such a low priced headphone (vs MDR-Z1R for example) can still be so darn close to the IER-Z1R in audio satisfaction minus the slightly muffled drum beats. But even then, their presence is known, so it’s not like they are overtaken by the other instruments present


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Even if you own the TOTL headphones you’ll always go back to your IER-Z1R as your used to them. Look at all the people that told you they like the IERs better. Also don’t forget all the people that the IERs don’t fit, or are uncomfortable to get fit for long periods. I myself don’t even try to put them in some order. I have in the past but the hierarchy changed. Your in a place (Tokyo) where maybe there is no personal TOTL choice; too many. And your simply doing these judgments siting in shops. It could even take place at home with a six feet tall stack of retail boxes. That’s why they say there is no end at times.
> 
> Have your best friend change you password. Leave now while you still have a chance of getting out. Your on the edge of the slippery slope.


I’ll say this, I can’t walk around with the IER-ZIR as the buds will always fall out. There was definitely a flaw in the design of the placement of the headphones. But then when I just sit or lay down at home for a couple of hours or late at night, they stay in place with no interference and my ears don’t hurt. For the audio goodness they bring, I will definitely compromise without a problem. Such exquisite presentation with the stock J 1Z and the 1A is so close. Wow


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Nyuk nyuk nyuk. Good point. I was just so surprised when I went back to the 1AM2, how such a low priced headphone (vs MDR-Z1R for example) can still be so darn close to the IER-Z1R in audio satisfaction minus the slightly muffled drum beats. But even then, their presence is known, so it’s not like they are overtaken by the other instruments present



Look how much gear you already have. And you like it. The issue is only when a person isn’t satisfied. IMO

Actually there is nothing wrong with liking a consumer tune. I always think the IER-Z1R and others by Sony are some super consumer tune. Like they took Beats By Dre and made them audiophile? Actually I never heard Beats By Dre, but you get the idea.


----------



## RobertP

Quang23693 said:


> I also switched back to 1A and i had a same impression. I feel that 1A has deeper bass ,3D while the 1Z has speeder bass, clean and more details. Moreover, the mid of 1Z is thinner, fly more, smoother than 1A. The treb is also sprakle, attractive.


Agree with you assessment. wait until you try stage6 and 7. They sound even better with my gear.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Look how much gear you already have. And you like it. The issue is only when a person isn’t satisfied. IMO
> 
> Actually there is nothing wrong with liking a consumer tune. I always think the IER-Z1R and others by Sony are some super consumer tune. Like they took Beats By Dre and made them audiophile? Actually I never heard Beats By Dre, but you get the idea.


The latest Beats Pro on ear cans sound muffled. Just too much bass. However, compared to the very first few years that beats came out, the current ones aren’t garbage at least. I can safely say that. But the bass in the XM3 can rival the Beats anytime if you tune it right, plus with the right EQ, can in my view be what many would call that neutral sound signature people are looking for. The WH-1000XM3’s bass can also be tamed very easily on the EQ of the 1Z and iPhone 11 Pro, but I just don’t think people have explored the true capabilities of those wireless cans. In my book, man they keep me happy whether I’m on the go or at home.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Nyuk nyuk nyuk. Good point. I was just so surprised when I went back to the 1AM2, how such a low priced headphone (vs MDR-Z1R for example) can still be so darn close to the IER-Z1R in audio satisfaction minus the slightly muffled drum beats. But even then, their presence is known, so it’s not like they are overtaken by the other instruments present



The other thing is the 1AM2 is your friend. There is something to be said about being used to a tone. Your brain accepts it as correct. You could adjust to other tones but it takes time.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> The latest Beats Pro on ear cans sound muffled. Just too much bass. However, compared to the very first few years that beats came out, the current ones aren’t garbage at least. I can safely say that. But the bass in the XM3 can rival the Beats anytime if you tune it right, plus with the right EQ, can in my view be what many would call that neutral sound signature people are looking for. The WH-1000XM3’s bass can also be tamed very easily on the EQ of the 1Z and iPhone 11 Pro, but I just don’t think people have explored the true capabilities of those wireless cans. In my book, man they keep me happy whether I’m on the go or at home.



The reason I talk that way is in 1989 even up-to like 2009, there was a different Sony house sound. Then they started to go the present direction.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yeah first batch of japanese SACDs
> They're slowly coming and yeah rip inmediately


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> Agree with you assessment. wait until you try stage6 and 7. They sound even better with my gear.


listening to orion stage 7 on 1A now. wow, still same warmth, deep bass and sweet mids and smooth treble but with more resolve. It's like orion 5 had it's veil lifted off, that's how i hear it on my stock 1A. Great job @RobertP


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> The other thing is the 1AM2 is your friend. There is something to be said about being used to a tone. Your brain accepts it as correct. You could adjust to other tones but it takes time.


This makes a lot of sense. Good advice that I will take with me. Thankee


----------



## Deffy

Currently on Autumn+ after having tested some other firmwares. Pure magic is created in this thread. Still look for the best (sub)-bass though. For some reason I can't make my WM1A  - IER-Z1R combination reach the bass extension of my iFi xDSD (without bass boost). So if anyone has some tips that would be great!

Another note is the bluetooth on my WM1A. Perhaps I read it wrong, but I should be able to connect it to my phone right? And then play whatever I play on my phone through my WM1A? I try to pair the two (galaxy s9) but it doesn't find anything in either devices.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 12, 2020)

There's no right or wrong when it comes to audio gear.

My niece thinks the Apple Airpod Pro is the best sounding earphones she ever heard. I leave her to that.

I remember so fondly about 20years ago when I first listened to the Koss Porta Pros. Oh boy they were amazing sounding back then, that was before HD600/800, LCD and Z1R. But I think I might just buy myself a pair of Porta Pros in 2020 so as to reminiscent the sound from the old days of the tape Walkman.


There's is no such thing as the best/


----------



## proedros

RobertP said:


> Agree with you assessment. wait until you try *stage6 and 7*. They sound even better with my gear.



is there a wm1a version for orion 6/7 ? i thought only orion 5/10 were wm1a-available


----------



## Duncan

Redcarmoose said:


> The reason I talk that way is in 1989 even up-to like 2009, there was a different Sony house sound. Then they started to go the present direction.


 Funny you mention that!

The balanced cable came for the EX1000 today, very different animals being balanced compared to SE (maybe I can blame it on the stock EK-EX1000 cable??) - I think the EX1000 was the first high end Sony IEM after this transition, with the - at the time, newly developed LCP drivers - still a bit sharp in the treble, but I think I can work with that - FiiO bass tips seem to be a good start!

The bass on the LCP driver, whilst not as in your face / rich as that of the beryllium one in the FiiO FH7 - is seriously tuneful.


----------



## aceedburn

proedros said:


> is there a wm1a version for orion 6/7 ? i thought only orion 5/10 were wm1a-available


Yes fresh out of the oven. There’s no 10 for 1A. Not any more anyway. Only Orion 5,6&7


----------



## proedros

aceedburn said:


> *Yes fresh out of the oven.* There’s no 10 for 1A. Not any more anyway. Only Orion 5,6&7



dl link , please ? or pm me if not available to public posts

thanx man


----------



## Donmonte

proedros said:


> dl link , please ? or pm me if not available to public posts
> 
> thanx man


Same here please ! 🙏🏼


----------



## JackSkully

proedros said:


> is there a wm1a version for orion 6/7 ? i thought only orion 5/10 were wm1a-available


Pm as well would like these files to try out


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jun 23, 2020)

Orion 8 goes extremely well with....tada...Senheiser Momentum 2 headphone, one of the warmest headphone I have in my stable, extremely colored, extremely warm, veiled, with overwhelming and messy bass.

Don't laugh, I'm very smitten with Momentum. With Orion 8 it becomes very lively, well disciplined, extremely well separation and clarity, open soundstage is the word. Slight warmth, crystal clear, good vocals, you can feel the emotions in the vocals, in the notes, extremely well controlled bass, very very good subbass, extended treble and bass, you can pretty much hear everything that's in the recording if its there, or at least 99% ( well, I'm using modded 1Z, but still). Just Wow, doesn't lose to EE Phantom at all. Using 4.4 mm balanced using generic 4.4 mm cables from Amazon. Just Wow!

I think I will be happy with Momentum if its the only headphone/ iem I have in my stable. Not saying Momentum is a very good headphone, its not, it has its limits. But the basic building block is already there, Orion 8 shaped everything else, put them the right order and speed, and voila, ear orgasm! My God, male vocals its so mesmerizing, they caress my soul; females vocals are so lively. I can listen for hours and hours, its very easy to get lost since they sounds so soothing and good.


Just want to add, majority of my songs are MP3 320 mbps format, some are FLAC and DSD, but they perform extremely well with Orion 8. I don't notice a lot of difference between different formats as longs as the master recording is good. Maybe the headphone/iems are forgiving, maybe the new FW help them perform to their max potentials, not sure, but I'm sure am enjoying them.


----------



## Quang23693

RobertP said:


> Agree with you assessment. wait until you try stage6 and 7. They sound even better with my gear.


First, many tks to you because you bring the best thing for everyone such as me hehe. Second,I realy love your fw because it's very neutral, balance and relax. I can hear it for a long time. I love vinyl tuning but it too much bass for me and then i tried  classical. It's maybe better but the mid of this fw is close to my ear. I tested orion 5 and orion 10. The orion10 is the best for me. It has the big soundstage, more details, high resolation but the subbass lack of deep, it's very speed so i definitely lost the energy of song. Maybe it suitable for pop, ballad so i can't feel it with rock, metal or classical. It'll better if you can improve the bass. This is my impression for your fw. Hope it will be helpful to you. Thanks again


----------



## Hinomotocho

Gamerlingual said:


> I tested both the WP900 and ATH-AP2000Ti and they lacked bass but had a very bright signature. Then I went back to the Z7M2 and it didn’t have enough treble. The MDR-Z1R seemed more confused on where the treble should be as it seemed scattered but was better than the Z7M2. Seems like I can’t win and find a TOTL set of closed cans that can match the IER-Z1R’s perfection across the spectrum with the 1Z. I think I need to stop associating end game with high price. It may not always work that way. Or so I thought. I went back to my 1AM2 on the 1Z and it just needed a little more thickness to the drum beats but everything else was solid. Finally I tested my WH-1000XM3 on my iPhone 11 Pro and I could hear all the instruments equally with the EQ on the App and it made my ears completely satisfied. Sometimes I wonder if there’s something weird with my ears that it just seems to enjoy the XM3 is the best closed cans along with a very close second with the 1AM2 :-/


Whenever I have tried any Audio Technica they have usually sounded too bright or mid forward because my ears are used to the general old Sony tuning.
Someone mentioned a while back that both the Z7M2 and Z1R aren't actually designed to be used with portable devices, and as it is frequently said that they need more power to get all the frequencies sounded right, but then again they may just not be right for you. Probably because the 1AM2 were intended for out and about portable use they will sound better to you - I tried them and really liked them. I have the Denon D5200 and I feel they are easier to drive even with my WM1A, there are the D7200 and D9200 above my model, maybe you could try them? The D9200 are considered TOTL, you could try them next time.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Redcarmoose said:


> Even if you own the TOTL headphones you’ll always go back to your IER-Z1R as your used to them. Look at all the people that told you they like the IERs better. Also don’t forget all the people that the IERs don’t fit, or are uncomfortable to get fit for long periods. I myself don’t even try to put them in some order. I have in the past but the hierarchy changed. Your in a place (Tokyo) where maybe there is no personal TOTL choice; too many. And your simply doing these judgments siting in shops. It could even take place at home with a six feet tall stack of retail boxes. That’s why they say there is no end at times.
> 
> Have your best friend change you password. Leave now while you still have a chance of getting out. Your on the edge of the slippery slope.


Good advice, because you could have been cruel and opened another can of worms saying different cables might help, try the Z1R with a silver cable that'll bring out the treble


----------



## Blueoris

After changing the region of my Walkman, I got the white certificate showing up under settings.

Would that go away if I revert back to the original region?

If not, is there a way I can remove it?


----------



## Queen6

Been here and been before...



Simply builds and builds...

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Blueoris said:


> After changing the region of my Walkman, I got the white certificate showing up under settings.
> 
> Would that go away if I revert back to the original region?
> 
> If not, is there a way I can remove it?


Is just a certification of wireless conformity, nothing more nothing less, ignore it.

Q-6


----------



## 515164 (Jun 12, 2020)

Blueoris said:


> After changing the region of my Walkman, I got the white certificate showing up under settings.
> 
> Would that go away if I revert back to the original region?
> 
> If not, is there a way I can remove it?



That only appears when you use the J version as far as I know. It doesn't do anything special or wrong, so I would just ignore it.




 





Edit: Some more fun stuff


----------



## Queen6 (Jun 12, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> That only appears when you use the J version as far as I know. It doesn't do anything special or wrong, so I would just ignore it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Also CA, likely a formality and an over sight. Has nothing to do with the sound signature. 

Q-6


----------



## proedros (Jun 12, 2020)

if there are any *beatles* fans here , this album is essential listening , imo

John and Paul's favorite musician , imagine an album *as melodic as Abbey Road and as diverse as The White Album*

Masterpiece , and i have a top notch 24/96 vinyl rip to share , to whoever is interested (just shoot me a pm)



full album in the YT link


----------



## Fsilva

Plus one here please! PM the new versions


----------



## SebaE2012

Deffy said:


> I've been lurking here for a while and finally took the WM1A plunge. Now that I have it and would love to bask in glorious sound made possible by the pure ingenuity of some of the forum members. Without meaning any offense or possible inappropriateness, could somebody guide me on this path by means of PM and where I could find the fruits of their labor?



So did I! Can't really try it yet, as it's supposed to be a gift from my children... But I guess I will give it a short try and re-package everything tidy...


----------



## Redcarmoose

They have been described as the first clue of a departure. I’ve read that! 

I was referring to stuff I owned like the CD-870. Or stuff I heard like the 1989 R-10 or the 2004 Qualia -010. But there are probably 100s of examples of the old Sony sound before your EX1000?



Duncan said:


> Funny you mention that!
> 
> The balanced cable came for the EX1000 today, very different animals being balanced compared to SE (maybe I can blame it on the stock EK-EX1000 cable??) - I think the EX1000 was the first high end Sony IEM after this transition, with the - at the time, newly developed LCP drivers - still a bit sharp in the treble, but I think I can work with that - FiiO bass tips seem to be a good start!
> 
> The bass on the LCP driver, whilst not as in your face / rich as that of the beryllium one in the FiiO FH7 - is seriously tuneful.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> They have been described as the first clue of a departure. I’ve read that!
> 
> I was referring to stuff I owned like the CD-870. Or stuff I heard like the 1989 R-10 or the 2004 Qualia -010. But there are probably 100s of examples of the old Sony sound before your EX1000?




I keep hearing and reading that the old r10 are still to date the best sounding headphones ever even now nothing touches it.

I wish 1 day to hear them 🙂 they are the all time legendary headphones as rare and unique as tiger ears powers 😁


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hinomotocho said:


> Good advice, because you could have been cruel and opened another can of worms saying different cables might help, try the Z1R with a silver cable that'll bring out the treble


The one thing I refuse to buy is new cables. I'll keep my cables stock and not have extra lying around taking up more stuff (I speak for myself when saying that), as it helps me stay organized.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Gamerlingual said:


> The one thing I refuse to buy is new cables. I'll keep my cables stock and not have extra lying around taking up more stuff (I speak for myself when saying that), as it helps me stay organized.


It's good to try and keep it simple. I didn't want to complicate the process for you but many people have spoken of significant improvements to the Z7, Z7M2 and Z1R with upgrade cables like the Kimber cables.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hinomotocho said:


> It's good to try and keep it simple. I didn't want to complicate the process for you but many people have spoken of significant improvements to the Z7, Z7M2 and Z1R with upgrade cables like the Kimber cables.


I did test the kimber cables and they do sound better than the stock MDR-Z1R. But for the price and the aesthetics, just didn't sit well with me especially considering I need to still buy the headset PLUS that to get better sound. The 1Z and IER-Z1R were a big investment (although both used), and the synergy was instant, knowing I didn't need extra cables to do that. I wanted an amp that doesn't take too much space but still has almost the same spunk of the TA, hence the PHA-2A. But if I play it smart, if I ever get the TA for super cheap, I'm thinking about how to set it up under my desk to keep my space.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> I did test the kimber cables and they do sound better than the stock MDR-Z1R. But for the price and the aesthetics, just didn't sit well with me especially considering I need to still buy the headset PLUS that to get better sound. The 1Z and IER-Z1R were a big investment (although both used), and the synergy was instant, knowing I didn't need extra cables to do that. I wanted an amp that doesn't take too much space but still has almost the same spunk of the TA, hence the PHA-2A. But if I play it smart, if I ever get the TA for super cheap, I'm thinking about how to set it up under my desk to keep my space.




When I had ier-z1r I found it did benefit a lot from aftermarket cables. The stock cable is very peaky and bright + the 8 wires bring slightly more details to music and more resolution. 

Stock cable is super comfortable but it is a bottleneck to ier-z1r.


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> The one thing I refuse to buy is new cables. I'll keep my cables stock and not have extra lying around taking up more stuff (I speak for myself when saying that), as it helps me stay organized.



Totally depends on the IEM/HP Sony's XBA-N3 is surprisingly transformed by Sony's own Kimber Kable, likely due to the weave, materials and shielding. Smart money is on sourcing from OEM specialists or DIY solutions.

Q-6


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> When I had ier-z1r I found it did benefit a lot from aftermarket cables. The stock cable is very peaky and bright + the 8 wires bring slightly more details to music and more resolution.
> 
> Stock cable is super comfortable but it is a bottleneck to ier-z1r.



Are you sure you mean IER and not MDR ?

You are the first I’ve seen describing the IER stock cable that way whereas this is the common description of the MDR stock cable


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Are you sure you mean IER and not MDR ?
> 
> You are the first I’ve seen describing the IER stock cable that way whereas this is the common description of the MDR stock cable


IER isn't comfortable cable wise, but sounds so good!


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> Are you sure you mean IER and not MDR ?
> 
> You are the first I’ve seen describing the IER stock cable that way whereas this is the common description of the MDR stock cable




I never owned mdr z1r and I never liked it eather. Yes I am talking about ier-z1r stock cable is brighter in comparison with ares ii 8 wires from effect audio. I found the custom cable brought the treble a good 2 db down it was good for my ears.

That was paired with stock 1z dap!
When I paired the the stock cable with ier z1r with another dap it was cayin n6ii amp a01 and treble was less bright vs 1z.

Though by all means custom cables always improves sq of iems or headphones


----------



## Ravenous

aceedburn said:


> Yes fresh out of the oven. There’s no 10 for 1A. Not any more anyway. Only Orion 5,6&7


Would like to try the new orion 9 as well, please and thank you!


----------



## aceedburn

Ravenous said:


> Would like to try the new orion 9 as well, please and thank you!


Orion 9 is for 1z. Only 5,6&7 is for 1A


----------



## RobertP

Ravenous said:


> Would like to try the new orion 9 as well, please and thank you!


Sould be the same link in pm.


----------



## Ravenous

RobertP said:


> Sould be the same link in pm.


Ah! I see, thanks! Can you tell me the difference between the different versions for the 1a and 1z? I'm using the 1z firmware on a 1a and I am looking for a smooth, warm but "holographic" signature, something that is the opposite of sibilant. Thanks again!


----------



## aceedburn

Ravenous said:


> Ah! I see, thanks! Can you tell me the difference between the different versions for the 1a and 1z? I'm using the 1z firmware on a 1a and I am looking for a smooth, warm but "holographic" signature, something that is the opposite of sibilant. Thanks again!


For me, 1A produced a warmer sound. I was on 1Z using Orion 5 and also Orion 9. But then I switched back to 1A and Orion 5 was superbly warm and smooth. Orion7 took that to a better place. With more resolve and details yet still warm. Never sibilant as I’m treble sensitive myself.


----------



## Ravenous (Jun 13, 2020)

Quang23693 said:


> I also switched back to 1A and i had a same impression. I feel that 1A has deeper bass ,3D while the* 1Z has speeder bass, clean and more details*. Moreover, *the mid of 1Z is thinner*, fly more, smoother than 1A. The treb is also sprakle, attractive.


I may be wrong but maybe the different components of the 1z may compensate for the 1z signature on the 1z vs 1z signature on the 1a, which is why it sounds cleaner on the 1a, but probably more "fuller" on the 1z.



aceedburn said:


> For me, 1A produced a warmer sound. I was on 1Z using Orion 5 and also Orion 9. But then I switched back to 1A and Orion 5 was superbly warm and smooth. Orion7 took that to a better place. With more resolve and details yet still warm. Never sibilant as I’m treble sensitive myself.


Thanks! Trying the 7a right now!

Andrea's voice soars with Orion 7a! Amazing!


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> IER isn't comfortable cable wise, but sounds so good!



The stock cable is extremely comfortable for me and I detect absolutely no harsh or spiky treble


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> The stock cable is extremely comfortable for me and I detect absolutely no harsh or spiky treble


When I’m idle, I feel relaxed. But when I’m on the go, it’s always falling out and just doesn’t stay on tight which is a bit of a hassle.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> When I’m idle, I feel relaxed. But when I’m on the go, it’s always falling out and just doesn’t stay on tight which is a bit of a hassle.



The cable is getting detached from the buds when you move ?


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> I never owned mdr z1r and I never liked it eather. Yes I am talking about ier-z1r stock cable is brighter in comparison with ares ii 8 wires from effect audio. I found the custom cable brought the treble a good 2 db down it was good for my ears.
> 
> That was paired with stock 1z dap!
> When I paired the the stock cable with ier z1r with another dap it was cayin n6ii amp a01 and treble was less bright vs 1z.
> ...



Obviously having not heard that particular cable I can’t comment on what it does vs the stock cable, however I tried the Sony Kimber at it was clearly inferior to the stock cable while on the Z5 the Sony Kimber was clearly superior to their stock cable


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> The cable is getting detached from the buds when you move ?


The earbuds keep falling off, and this is with the smallest SS size that fits me. The S rubber size still seems a tad too big for my eyes as the insides hurt when I use them. Styrofoam versions didn’t fit in either. It’s like my ears in particular are cursed. So I just find ways to work around the shortcomings.


----------



## nc8000 (Jun 13, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> The earbuds keep falling off, and this is with the smallest SS size that fits me. The S rubber size still seems a tad too big for my eyes as the insides hurt when I use them. Styrofoam versions didn’t fit in either. It’s like my ears in particular are cursed. So I just find ways to work around the shortcomings.



oh so the buds fall out of you ears when you move ?

well that's hardly a fault of the cable but simply that the buds are so big and heavy compared to how well you are able to seat them in your ear. In my big ear they sit deep and rock solid with Final Audio E LL tips


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> oh so the buds fall out of you ears when you move ?
> 
> well that's hardly a fault of the cable but simply that the buds are so big and heavy compared to how well you are able to seat them in your ear. In my big ear they sit deep and rock solid with Final Audio E LL tips


I got small ears. So they can’t fit so snugly. The WF are now my to go IEMs along with the Soundcore Liberty Pro 2. But reading how long BT eats into the battery of the 1Z, iPhone 11 Pro is a good enough BT source


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> I got small ears. So they can’t fit so snugly. The WF are now my to go IEMs along with the Soundcore Liberty Pro 2. But reading how long BT eats into the battery of the 1Z, iPhone 11 Pro is a good enough BT source



Yes on the go I also use the WF from my iPhone8 and that is plenty good enough out and about in urban noise. The IER are only used stationary


----------



## minzink

Unfortunately, I missed to download the model switcher. Now it is no longer available on the former source. Please could someone provide me a valid download link (also welcomed via pm). Thanks a lot in advance for that!


----------



## proedros

minzink said:


> Unfortunately, I missed to download the model switcher. Now it is no longer available on the former source. Please could someone provide me a valid download link (also welcomed via pm). Thanks a lot in advance for that!



if no one else sends it , pm me and i will upload it to wetransfer and send you a link

cheers


----------



## ttt123

Gamerlingual said:


> The earbuds keep falling off, and this is with the smallest SS size that fits me. The S rubber size still seems a tad too big for my eyes as the insides hurt when I use them. Styrofoam versions didn’t fit in either. It’s like my ears in particular are cursed. So I just find ways to work around the shortcomings.


My favorite is also the Final E.  Just recently found another which works even better, the AZLA SednaEarfitLight.  It comes in:
10.4mm SS
11.2mm S
11.9mm MS
12.6mm M
13.3mm ML
14mm L

Measure the size of the SS you are using, and try to find one a little larger, so it will seal properly and stay in the ear.  The  bass and the rest of the sound will also improve if you get a good seal.  Many peoplecan vouch for how important it is to get a good seal, to get the most out of the IEM, so definitely worth the extra effort to find a tip that will work for your ears.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Rach #3 in DSD wow


----------



## proedros (Jun 13, 2020)

mwhals said:


> How does the sound differ? I have been hoping for a comparison. Thanks in advance.



i have never seen this symmetry in my 10 years here but i just noticed that *you have two items from each company , in your signature - 2 EE iems , 2 64audio iems , 2 JH audio iems , 2 questyle daps*

don't know if it's a coincidence or some OCD thing (or consumerism symmetry?)

but in any case , i think you should continue the trend, how ? by buying (ypo probably guessed it) sony wm1a and sony wm1z

cheers


----------



## Gamerlingual

ttt123 said:


> My favorite is also the Final E.  Just recently found another which works even better, the AZLA SednaEarfitLight.  It comes in:
> 10.4mm SS
> 11.2mm S
> 11.9mm MS
> ...


I did buy a new seal for my WF-1000XM3 that certainly improved the stability. Can you name the maker again? It was difficult for me to decipher in your last post. Apologies for that


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> Obviously having not heard that particular cable I can’t comment on what it does vs the stock cable, however I tried the Sony Kimber at it was clearly inferior to the stock cable while on the Z5 the Sony Kimber was clearly superior to their stock cable





I am not surprised as both cables are ofc based and not occ!
Yes even kimber kable its still using an inferior metal alloy to ares ii cable.


----------



## Maxx134 (Jun 13, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I tested both the WP900 and ATH-AP2000Ti and they lacked bass but had a very bright signature.


This is true. No matter their driver size, they're somewhat lacking in bass department, as all the Audio Technica models are...
You will get a grounded idea when you listen to more neutral cans.



Gamerlingual said:


> The HD820 sounded like garbage sadly when combined with my 1Z. The Z7M2 and MDR-Z1R I thought sounded good, but didn’t necessarily reflect their price points.


Yes they both good but you still have to pay more for a better can.
The HD820 is a compromised  embarrassment in my view.
The original HD800 is the best out of the three versions.

So when you said the HD820 sound like garbage, your ears did not decieve you..that's what it was.

There are users that doubt or don't believe what they hear, because of some current trends, or tricks from "sound science" forums. Don't fall for the trap.

We all know what various instruments sound like...
A piano, a violin, a sax, etc.
Same should apply to headphones or a particular type of gear.

The brain/ear is a very powerful tool.
For instance although we have digital analyzers today, most top pianos were tuned by professional piano tuners by ear.
Most music teachers know if a note is off as well.

_*We are simply not giving ourselves enough credit to know what we are hearing.*_

For instance, You can even be asleep in front of a TV, yet your mind can pick out a loved one's voice to wake up..

These doubts mostly comes from the sound/science era  that all have _the same _similarly of bias, in  all their science.
That is a prominent red flag.

A smart person knows that all data can be manipulated to show _*any*_ point of view.
This has become prevalent in the science community, in ALL areas, not just in audio..
They don't even test theories anymore.
Will you believe anyone in a white suit?





Redcarmoose said:


> Obviously these are broad generalizations and our hobby centers around small details. That’s why there are so many subjective opinions


I find a good way to find out what anything sounds like is to search it's associated thread, to find the most mentioned and general idea that most agree upon. So that weeds out the ambiguous or broad generalizations posts.





aceedburn said:


> I feel this configuration sounds better than 1Z with orion5


Most of these nerwer firmware versions already sound a bit above level of Autumn & solice versions, so it all about finding synergy.


----------



## mwhals (Jun 13, 2020)

proedros said:


> i have never seen this symmetry in my 10 years here but i just noticed that *you have two items from each company , in your signature - 2 EE iems , 2 64audio iems , 2 JH audio iems , 2 questyle daps*
> 
> don't know if it's a coincidence or some OCD thing (or consumerism symmetry?)
> 
> ...



LOL. It was not intentional. I have been thinking about selling my JH Audio Angie metal jacket.

I do only have one desktop dap and headphone amp.


----------



## frost15

The more I listen to stock 3.02 (J) the more I like it. Like @Redcarmoose said I think many of us have a bias to consider anything "new" better, but give it a chance guys, it's really musical and makes very little concesions. Perhaps a tiny bit of detail and clarity is lost but that is something common (I would say even a must) for musical sound signatures.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Me  to I like J+3.0.2 stock and I believe its the most balanced and best vocals setup for wm1z! 


GUYS I SET UP BACK ONLINE MY LINK
Feel free to click on it via signature
😄😇🤩


----------



## frost15

Vitaly2017 said:


> Me  to I like J+3.0.2 stock and I believe its the most balanced and best vocals setup for wm1z!
> 
> 
> GUYS I SET UP BACK ONLINE MY LINK
> ...


Precisely! Vocals sound incredible! Listening to iamthemorning ("The Bell" album) is mesmerizing...


----------



## Vitaly2017

frost15 said:


> Precisely! Vocals sound incredible! Listening to iamthemorning ("The Bell" album) is mesmerizing...




Hey! It was made by sony for 1z it better be good 😂😂


----------



## NickleCo (Jun 13, 2020)

Using the NW switcher, DMP-Z1 with E2 provides a very unique sound. Even though the midbass isn't as prominent as with what one might say a typical sony would sound, it still provides enough note thickness to make the timbre accurate. Not only that but it provides a very surreal experience! It sounds more 3D than say the 1Z (via switcher). The closest I can pit it with is the SP1000 (from memory). It might take some time to get used to the treble since it is a tad forward but once you get around it it'll all make sense. The sub is also more defined and gives off an exorbitant amount of details! I say all this in hopes that you guys will also try this out and give your own thoughts about it. Cheers everyone!


----------



## Redcarmoose

frost15 said:


> The more I listen to stock 3.02 (J) the more I like it. Like @Redcarmoose said I think many of us have a bias to consider anything "new" better, but give it a chance guys, it's really musical and makes very little concesions. Perhaps a tiny bit of detail and clarity is lost but that is something common (I would say even a must) for musical sound signatures.



I simply keep using 3.02 as I had a profound epiphany.........with it at one time?


----------



## ttt123 (Jun 13, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I did buy a new seal for my WF-1000XM3 that certainly improved the stability. Can you name the maker again? It was difficult for me to decipher in your last post. Apologies for that


The name is as written in the post.  Yes, it's a cumbersome name:  "AZLA SednaEarfitLight"

These also come in black, for the regular (non-Light) version.  The black ones have a stiffer composition, and they did not seal well for me.  They are the "AZLA SednaEarfit" .

Edit: These also come in a "short" version.  The center core is shorter on these, allowing the IEM nozzle to sit further into the ear.  I have not tried these yet.

I bought two pair of each to try, and expected the regular black to seal better due to it's stiffer construction, but that was not the case.  The stiffer material slips, and does not grab the side of the ear canal like the "light" version.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/AZLA-Sedna-Earfit-Light-Ear-Tip-Earphone-817-/283782400431

https://www.amazon.com/AZLA-SednaEa...J9F2TYJJ5JK&psc=1&refRID=7ZM8REAVQJ9F2TYJJ5JK


*AZLA SednaEarfitLight 2 Pairs (Size L)*
by AZLA
_5.0 out of 5 stars_  3 ratings


Price:$12.99 + No Import Fees Deposit & $28.66 Shipping to Hong Kong Details

Size: Size L

Size S
$12.99
Size M
$12.99
Size L
$12.99
Size ML
$12.99
Size MS
$12.99
Size SS
$12.99
- Greater satisfaction with minimum investment on your earbuds
- Soft hardness which increases the flexibility of the umbrella and reduces the burden on the ear canal
- 10mm length of inner shaft for standard earphones.(inner hole from 5.4~7.2mm of diameter)
- Medical grade silicone offers in-ear stability and a lasting comfort
- Various option of size by analyzing the shape of more than 1,500 ears over two years. (L-Large / ML-Medium Large / M-Medium / MS-Medium Small / S-Small / SS-Small Small)




Edit: Some more info about these Korean earbuds.  Not a review of the sound, unfortunately, so you'll have to look online for user reviews.
https://www.audioreviews.org/azla-sednaearfit-value/


----------



## Gamerlingual

ttt123 said:


> The name is as written in the post.  Yes, it's a cumbersome name:  "AZLA SednaEarfitLight"
> 
> These also come in black, for the regular (non-Light) version.  The black ones have a stiffer composition, and they did not seal well for me.  They are the "AZLA SednaEarfit" .
> 
> ...


The rubber tips of the stock SS fit me better than the thicker ones as they also don’t mesh. Perhaps light is the way to go. Thanks, as I did with the WF earbuds, I’ll get these unless something else pops up. But the guidance is there and I hope this helps boost the performance with the 1Z


----------



## hamhamhamsta

mwhals said:


> LOL. It was not intentional. I have been thinking about selling my JH Audio Angie metal jacket.
> 
> I do only have one desktop dap and headphone amp.


It’s time to look for another desktop dap and another headphone amp


----------



## Gamerlingual

ttt123 said:


> The name is as written in the post.  Yes, it's a cumbersome name:  "AZLA SednaEarfitLight"
> 
> These also come in black, for the regular (non-Light) version.  The black ones have a stiffer composition, and they did not seal well for me.  They are the "AZLA SednaEarfit" .
> 
> ...


Is this it? Amazon of Japan link: https://www.amazon.co.jp/SednaEarfi...9HCX/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1


----------



## kiling92

Oh wow,i just tried to switch my wm1a in DMP-Z1,region CN and official firmware 3.01 for the best resolution...soundstage is even bigger than orion8,amazing!!


----------



## 515164 (Jun 13, 2020)

kiling92 said:


> Oh wow,i just tried to switch my wm1a in DMP-Z1,region CN and official firmware 3.01 for the best resolution...soundstage is even bigger than orion8,amazing!!



Indeed, just changing the model from WM1A (with stock firmware/tuning) to DMP-Z1, for example, and restarting, seems to bring a change, which is really interesting! Hopefully more will try this and confirm the change.

At least the soundstage sounds really increased, but I also smoked something and everything sounds really good anyway.


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> Indeed, just changing the model from WM1A (with stock firmware/tuning) to DMP-Z1, for example, and restarting, seems to bring a change, which is really interesting! Hopefully more will try this and confirm the change.
> 
> At least the soundstage sounds really increased, but I also smoked something and everything sounds really good anyway.




Can we load dmp z1 official  fw into 1a or 1z once we change the device identity?


----------



## 515164 (Jun 13, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Can we load dmp z1 official  fw into 1a or 1z once we change the device identity?



Nope. The Z1 firmware cannot be decrypted in the update process by using the WM1A/Z's encryption key.

Also, the Z1 firmware on a WM1A/WM1Z would result in a bootloop (this is from my own experience).

Edit: You could certainly try downloading the official DMP-Z1 firmware, but the update will just fail, while the WM1A/Z will stay on 3.02. I would instead give a try switching your 1Z (with stock firmware) to DMP-Z1, restart, and just giving it a listen.


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> Nope. The Z1 firmware cannot be decrypted in the update process by using the WM1A/Z's encryption key.
> 
> Also, the Z1 firmware on a WM1A/WM1Z would result in a bootloop (this is from my own experience).
> 
> Edit: You could certainly try downloading the official DMP-Z1 firmware, but the update will just fail, while the WM1A/Z will stay on 3.02. I would instead give a try switching your 1Z (with stock firmware) to DMP-Z1, restart, and just giving it a listen.




Already did.
Found I preferred 1z stock. Maybe playing with regions would be the only way to fine tune this I think


----------



## 515164

Vitaly2017 said:


> Already did.
> Found I preferred 1z stock. Maybe playing with regions would be the only way to fine tune this I think



The procedure I recommended at first was switching model, restarting, installing stock tuning package from the folder, and then listening.

What I was recommending now was switching model (have stock installed before switching) and just restarting and listening


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> The procedure I recommended at first was switching model, restarting, installing stock tuning package from the folder, and then listening.
> 
> What I was recommending now was switching model (have stock installed before switching) and just restarting and listening




Yea switch identity to dmp then restart.
After load stock dmp tuning and no need to restart as it already while updating the tuning...

Now all you are left to do if want to experiment further is changing regions


----------



## Donmonte

morgenstern09 said:


> The procedure I recommended at first was switching model, restarting, installing stock tuning package from the folder, and then listening.
> 
> What I was recommending now was switching model (have stock installed before switching) and just restarting and listening


So if I get this right:
1- Switch my 1A to 1Z or Z1
2- Restart
3- Load original firmware corresponding to the new model
4- Listen

Correct ?


----------



## 515164

Donmonte said:


> So if I get this right:
> 1- Switch my 1A to 1Z or Z1
> 2- Restart
> 3- Load original firmware corresponding to the new model
> ...



This was the first recommended way.

This new recommended way is:
1-Install stock FW on your original model
2-Switch to new model
3-Restart
4-Listen


----------



## Donmonte

morgenstern09 said:


> This was the first recommended way.
> 
> This new recommended way is:
> 1-Install stock FW on your original model
> ...


Ok got it thanks ! So there is no need to install the Z1 firmware anymore.


----------



## 515164

Donmonte said:


> Ok got it thanks ! So there is no need to install the Z1 firmware anymore.



Exactly.


----------



## ttt123

Gamerlingual said:


> Is this it? Amazon of Japan link: https://www.amazon.co.jp/SednaEarfi...9HCX/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1


Yes, they are the ones I posted about.


----------



## Hinomotocho

I was tidying up my bag of tricks and found one of these from the days of the early underpowered Walkmans, is this still the way to connect to an external amp? Obviously not the high end ones.


----------



## nc8000

Hinomotocho said:


> I was tidying up my bag of tricks and found one of these from the days of the early underpowered Walkmans, is this still the way to connect to an external amp? Obviously not the high end ones.



No the WM port no longer carries an analog signal on the daps and havent for at leadt 5-6 years so you have to use the headphone out


----------



## Hinomotocho

nc8000 said:


> No the WM port no longer carries an analog signal on the daps and havent for at leadt 5-6 years so you have to use the headphone out


Thank you, I can free up some clutter


----------



## Vitaly2017

Funny and weird did someone reported my thread with peaches?
It got deleted...
Oh well I tried to bring the mod up but looks like my peaches arent liked


----------



## gerelmx1986

The more I listen to these SACDs from analogue tapes. I can say analogue tapes should have never had to be mastered in CD,CD did damage the SA badly compared to.the new.DSD masters (Hi-tes flac also good). CD only sounds good if the entire recording process is all digital


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> Funny and weird did someone reported my thread with peaches?
> It got deleted...
> Oh well I tried to bring the mod up but looks like my peaches arent liked


Is there something wrong with peaches?


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> Is there something wrong with peaches?




Dont know whats wrong with peaches damn their beautiful. 
🍑


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Maybe next time we should use this

Some one please send me the *F*ire *W*ood


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> Dont know whats wrong with peaches damn their beautiful.
> 🍑


I know, they are sweet and juicy and well...peachy hahaha


----------



## audionewbi

Has anyone tried to tune a specific FW for IER-Z1R?


----------



## minzink

proedros said:


> if no one else sends it , pm me and i will upload it to wetransfer and send you a link
> 
> cheers


Already got it. Thanks a lot!


----------



## ttt123

Vitaly2017 said:


> Funny and weird did someone reported my thread with peaches?
> It got deleted...
> Oh well I tried to bring the mod up but looks like my peaches arent liked


I liked the peaches, but realized you could have improved on the description.  
Something like: "the PW1960 4W combined with the WM1Z as a system, has this sublime sound, with the ability to make the music so clear and transparent, that it is like this picture of these fresh peaches, which I ran across while I was in xxxxx, where you can see clearly the fuzz on the skin, and the color is so vibrant, and real, you have this urge to pick it up and take a bite out of it.  "


----------



## Duncan

Looks like the reason cited was off topic, so let’s try to steer back on topic...

I have been through 5,6 and 7 on A and 8 and 9 on Z, and I’m finding the sound of A (and it’s associated tunings) too clinical for the FH7, I’m sat on 9 at the moment, and the lushness is compelling... good that we can quite possibly tune our imperfections in all but the crappiest of IEMs et al


----------



## Gamerlingual

For the people who own the MDR-Z7M2, do you play these cans on high or low gain and do you prefer 3.5mm or 4.4mm? Looks like I found the Z7M2 for 53,000 yen used which is like $480. The ATH-AP2000Ti just needed more bass or I would have bought them on the spot. Thoughts?


----------



## Redcarmoose

audionewbi said:


> Has anyone tried to tune a specific FW for IER-Z1R?



Not joking.....it seems like Sony did with 3.02 and the 1Z.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Not joking.....it seems like Sony did with 3.02 and the 1Z.


I tried Orion 5 and 6, but liked the stock tuning more. It worked so good with my IER-Z1R


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> For the people who own the MDR-Z7M2, do you play these cans on high or low gain and do you prefer 3.5mm or 4.4mm? Looks like I found the Z7M2 for 53,000 yen used which is like $480. The ATH-AP2000Ti just needed more bass or I would have bought them on the spot. Thoughts?


I am interested in seeing if anyone that has the option of 3.5 and 4.4 actually prefers the 3.5 - wouldn’t be many if any from my own thoughts...

I look forward to the follow ups.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Duncan said:


> I am interested in seeing if anyone that has the option of 3.5 and 4.4 actually prefers the 3.5 - wouldn’t be many if any from my own thoughts...
> 
> I look forward to the follow ups.


I should try the 1AM2 on 3.5mm. Always using the 3.5mm. It makes me wonder if perhaps the mids will come out more


----------



## Donmonte

Just installed Orion 7 and what better way to test it than with this :




Impressions to follow coming from Solis...


----------



## RobertP (Jun 14, 2020)

Donmonte said:


> Just installed Orion 7 and what better way to test it than with this :
> 
> 
> 
> Impressions to follow coming from Solis...


If you installed Solis before, make sure to restore the stock 3.02 firmware first then flash Orion after for the right sound quality.


----------



## gerelmx1986

What is more convenient to you guys?
Having all my tracks on my 1A at 16/44.1 
Or
Having all as is(hi-res as hi-tes, DSD as DSD and CD as CD) but spanning across multiple micro SD cards?


----------



## Ravenous

gerelmx1986 said:


> What is more convenient to you guys?
> Having all my tracks on my 1A at 16/44.1
> Or
> Having all as is(hi-res as hi-tes, DSD as DSD and CD as CD) but spanning across multiple micro SD cards?


Doesn't the WM1 support 1TB cards? So theoretically all your music should fit on one, no?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Ravenous said:


> Doesn't the WM1 support 1TB cards? So theoretically all your music should fit on one, no?


True, but he may be asking in general how people use their music setting aside the memory card space songs eat up


----------



## 515164 (Jun 14, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> What is more convenient to you guys?
> Having all my tracks on my 1A at 16/44.1
> Or
> Having all as is(hi-res as hi-tes, DSD as DSD and CD as CD) but spanning across multiple micro SD cards?



All at 16/44 would do, as the more important part is the mastering process rather than the format. Though, I would convert any DSD to 24 bits instead of 16, and any other hi-res music to 24/44.1 or 24/48, while keeping CDs at 16/44.1 or 16/48, of course.

I don't have any issues with the storage at the moment, so it's all a mix for me.




Donmonte said:


> Yes that is the correct way 👍🏼, I also reload the stock firmware then add the tuning after a restart.
> 
> Don’t know why but I also think a restart wipes the tuning away... might be wrong about that one, but I get peace of mind.



Can confirm that it doesn't


----------



## Donmonte

RobertP said:


> If you installed Solis before, make sure to restore the stock 3.02 firmware first then flash Orion after for the right sound quality.


Yes that is the correct way 👍🏼, I also reload the stock firmware then add the tuning after a restart.

Don’t know why but I also think a restart wipes the tuning away... might be wrong about that one, but I get peace of mind.


----------



## nc8000 (Jun 14, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> Doesn't the WM1 support 1TB cards? So theoretically all your music should fit on one, no?



He as I have way too much music to fit in hires on one 1TB. I have about 2TB music but have diwnsapled all my hires to 16/44 or 16/48 and then I can just fit it on one 1TB card plus the internal memory (I want to have everything with me and am willing to sacrifice a little bit of sq for that but the internal memory holds my dsd albums). In my home rig I have a 2GB ssd in the Auralic streamer


----------



## aceedburn

Donmonte said:


> Yes that is the correct way 👍🏼, I also reload the stock firmware then add the tuning after a restart.
> 
> Don’t know why but I also think a restart wipes the tuning away... might be wrong about that one, but I get peace of mind.


Restart will not erase any tunings. I have tested this many times before.


----------



## Vitaly2017

The dsd processing on walkman is better then playing pcm files.

When a dsd is played it has less pass threw in the processing and it equals in quiter and less possibilities of error intrusions. Means it has best cleanest sound results dsd vs pcm.


@gerelmx1986 
@morgenstern09


----------



## 515164

Vitaly2017 said:


> The dsd processing on walkman is better then playing pcm files.
> 
> When a dsd is played it has less pass threw in the processing and it equals in quiter and less possibilities of error intrusions. Means it has best cleanest sound results dsd vs pcm.
> 
> ...



Yes, but if you really want to have all your more than 1 TB of music on your 1 TB micro sd card, you'll have to do something, that was the point here


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> The dsd processing on walkman is better then playing pcm files.
> 
> When a dsd is played it has less pass threw in the processing and it equals in quiter and less possibilities of error intrusions. Means it has best cleanest sound results dsd vs pcm.
> 
> ...



But only using the balanced out


----------



## gerelmx1986

Like @nc8000  my music doesn't fit in the 1TB, I have right now with these SACD frenzy 1.32TB, 8% hi-res 92% CD


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Like @nc8000  my music doesn't fit in the 1TB, I have right now with these SACD frenzy 1.32TB, 8% hi-res 92% CD


I have at home two 4TB hard drives with the same stuff. All my SACD/DSD albums have a TXT file called chck-sum data.txt yo ensure integrity


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have at home two 4TB hard drives with the same stuff. All my SACD/DSD albums have a TXT file called chck-sum data.txt yo ensure integrity


Dang. How many songs is that and where do you purchase your audio?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Dang. How many songs is that and where do you purchase your audio?



I have ripped about 1.500 cd’s and purchased about 1.000 hires albums from the various sites I posted to you the other day giving about 42.000 tracks. Gerelmex also buys and rips many sacd discs


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> I have ripped about 1.500 cd’s and purchased about 1.000 hires albums from the various sites I posted to you the other day giving about 42.000 tracks. Gerelmex also buys and rips many sacd discs


Oh I meant in his case. How much is each album, like $25 USD?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> Dang. How many songs is that and where do you purchase your audio?


Albums like 3.385
Tracks (aka songs) 58.653
From that 5.000+ tracks Hi-res (1850 dsf) or 269 albums (100 SACD)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> Oh I meant in his case. How much is each album, like $25 USD?


Depends, presto classical sells Hi-res flac for between 13 and 20€. Native DSDMusic sells between 25 and 50€.
Physical SACD varies a lot from 6€ to whopping 50€ for these SHM-SACD from DG


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> Depends, presto classical sells Hi-res flac for between 13 and 20€. Native DSDMusic sells between 25 and 50€.
> Physical SACD varies a lot from 6€ to whopping 50€ for these SHM-SACD from DG


So meaning, investing in Hi-Res can put a hole in my wallet? Am I right?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> So meaning, investing in Hi-Res can put a hole in my wallet? Am I right?


Yes, I have found some CDs in libraries, my ex let me rip some.of his discs and gave me some, my dad also gifted me many CD


----------



## RobertP

aceedburn said:


> Restart will not erase any tunings. I have tested this many times before.


From observation, Orion9 on 1Z sounds best around medium to low volume for some reason. When turn volume too high, I'm feel like it could use some more bass. Let see if I can bump some more bass up some how.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> So meaning, investing in Hi-Res can put a hole in my wallet? Am I right?



Absolutely. I have build my library over about 40 years and still buy many cd’s (mostly second hand for $2-4 a piece and then rip). New releases I mostly buy as hires download. I probably spend about $100 a month on music and have for 40 years so considerably more money spent on music than gear


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> From observation, Orion9 on 1Z sounds best around medium to low volume for some reason. When turn volume too high, I'm feel like it could use some more bass. Let see if I can bump some more bass up some how.


That would be great. And also on Orion 7 for 1A. The bass quantity in Orion 5 is good but it is not as much in Orion 7.


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Absolutely. I have build my library over about 40 years and still buy many cd’s (mostly second hand for $2-4 a piece and then rip). New releases I mostly buy as hires download. I probably spend about $100 a month on music and have for 40 years so considerably more money spent on music than gear


I’ll make sure to only buy like albums of my top 3 artists in Hi-Res and leave it like that. Will save lots of money in the long run


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> I’ll make sure to only buy like albums of my top 3 artists in Hi-Res and leave it like that. Will save lots of money in the long run


If I exclude analogue recorded music from DECCA, PHILIPS and DG most of what I have was recorded in the 90s as 16/44.1 , this I wanted to say to @Vitaly2017  that most of my music cant be upgraded to Hi-res infortunatelt, but sounds great too IMHO, recent releases I get them as Hi-res or upgrade those early CD releases from above labels that were recorded between 1959-1980


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> Yes, but if you really want to have all your more than 1 TB of music on your 1 TB micro sd card, you'll have to do something, that was the point here






nc8000 said:


> But only using the balanced out



Well thats what I use all the time



gerelmx1986 said:


> I have at home two 4TB hard drives with the same stuff. All my SACD/DSD albums have a TXT file called chck-sum data.txt yo ensure integrity





Cant you use the hdd connected via usb into 1z?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well thats what I use all the time
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No you cannot, these 5TB drives draw much power


----------



## gerelmx1986

One solution I think is span my music on my three micro SD cards (1TB, 512GB und 400GB)


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well thats what I use all the time
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You can’t connect anything via usb to 1Z, only 1Z to a pc or dac as source


----------



## Donmonte

Ok a few hours into Orion 7, here are my observations compared to Solis: 

The sound is richer and even more holographic than Solis even though it has less width presence. Orion has more height and depth.

Solis is faster and leaner with the notes and compliments darker sounding headphones better.
Both should do great with neutral headphones, Solis would bring excitement with its impact and slam and Orion lushness and warmth.

Orion paired with a brighter headphones would be ideal in my opinion as it gives a warm organic sound which could be more muddied on a darker sounding one.

Detail retrieval is great on both, but Solis only seems more detailed because of its leaner sound. Nothing is lost on both of them. 

Treble retrieval is not sibilant on both and I didn’t feel that any of them needed anymore bass on my gear. Vocals I felt were closer with Orion and Solis a bit further back. Also nothing wrong with both approaches. 

So basically both are great tunings in addition to the excellent WM1Az revision B tuning which I found is closer to Orion than Solis.
So choose a tuning that best matches your gear and you will be covered with exceptional sound.

Thank you to all the creators 🙏🏼 you guys are amazing.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hey guys, need your honest answer. When using either the MDR-Z7M2 and MDR-Z1R, what volume output is your player at High Gain when using the 4.4mm? Is it 80 or 75? I find that 45 is comfortable when using either the IER-Z1R and MDR-1AM2. If someone can let me know, this might help me find the right volume to use to get the best performance for those cans and perhaps understand why they felt underwhelming in performance when using the 1Z and 1A. Might be that I just didn't put in enough volume juice but want to make sure I don't go deaf.


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> Hey guys, need your honest answer. When using either the MDR-Z7M2 and MDR-Z1R, what volume output is your player at High Gain when using the 4.4mm? Is it 80 or 75? I find that 45 is comfortable when using either the IER-Z1R and MDR-1AM2. If someone can let me know, this might help me find the right volume to use to get the best performance for those cans and perhaps understand why they felt underwhelming in performance when using the 1Z and 1A. Might be that I just didn't put in enough volume juice but want to make sure I don't go deaf.


 Unfortunately the answer will be different for pretty much every user...

Some, to me - have laughably low volume levels, on the flip of that, if you ever get the opportunity to go to a CanJam, you wonder how everyone isn’t deaf!

I remember the sheer look of horror as one member (I believe accidentally) powered up a pair of Utopias at a volume powerful enough to clip the drivers, quite sure they were toast after that!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Duncan said:


> Unfortunately the answer will be different for pretty much every user...
> 
> Some, to me - have laughably low volume levels, on the flip of that, if you ever get the opportunity to go to a CanJam, you wonder how everyone isn’t deaf!
> 
> I remember the sheer look of horror as one member (I believe accidentally) powered up a pair of Utopias at a volume powerful enough to clip the drivers, quite sure they were toast after that!


I would still like numbers, so anyone who can let me know would help. Thanks in advance


----------



## Donmonte

Gamerlingual said:


> Hey guys, need your honest answer. When using either the MDR-Z7M2 and MDR-Z1R, what volume output is your player at High Gain when using the 4.4mm? Is it 80 or 75? I find that 45 is comfortable when using either the IER-Z1R and MDR-1AM2. If someone can let me know, this might help me find the right volume to use to get the best performance for those cans and perhaps understand why they felt underwhelming in performance when using the 1Z and 1A. Might be that I just didn't put in enough volume juice but want to make sure I don't go deaf.


I use a volume between 80-100 on high gain, depending on the recording on my Focal Clear. Anything lower than that and I don’t get any enjoyment. The Clears have an impedance of 55 Ohms, which is comparable to Z7M2, the Z1R are 64Ohms which is also in the same ballpark.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Donmonte said:


> I use a volume between 80-100 on high gain, depending on the recording on my Focal Clear. Anything lower than that and I don’t get any enjoyment. The Clears have an impedance of 55 Ohms, which is comparable to Z7M2, the Z1R are 64Ohms which is also in the same ballpark.


Ok. So if I don’t go past 100, it should be considered dangerous. Good to know. Thank you


----------



## Donmonte

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok. So if I don’t go past 100, it should be considered dangerous. Good to know. Thank you


Each headphone has different power requirements, but those stated should be in the same ballpark power wise. An HD800s would probably require you to go all the way up to 120, and still wouldn’t be loud enough to drive them comfortably.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Donmonte said:


> Each headphone has different power requirements, but those stated should be in the same ballpark power wise. An HD800s would probably require you to go all the way up to 120, and still wouldn’t be loud enough to drive them comfortably.


Those 300 ohms are crazy. I tried a pair of HiFiman headphones and even at the max
120, they were barely audible. It’s nuts!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 14, 2020)

Although HD800 is rated by Sennheiser as 300Ohms. The actual input impendence across the frequency isnt linear. It can as high as 600ohms and more. In my opinon, to make HD800 sound it's ultimate best, you will require really high powered desktop class amps or something like the DMP-Z1. The WM1 series is more suitable for IEMs and lower impedance headphones.

In my experience, the amplifer ability make the headphone sound loud isn't good enough, the amp must be able to make it sound dynamic on transient.

See the hd800 impedance graphs here:
https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/brilliant-sennheiser-hd-800-page-2


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Although HD800 is rated by Sennheiser as 300Ohms. The actual input impendence across the frequency isnt linear. It can as high as 600ohms and more. In my opinon, to make HD800 sound it's ultimate best, you will require really high powered desktop class amps or something like the DMP-Z1. The WM1 series is more suitable for IEMs and lower impedance headphones.
> 
> See the hd800 impedance graphs here:
> https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/brilliant-sennheiser-hd-800-page-2


So 64 ohms is considered low impedance?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> So 64 ohms is considered low impedance?




Well not really low but in the mid maybe


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well not really low but in the mid maybe


What volume do you listen to your Z7M2 on?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> What volume do you listen to your Z7M2 on?




I have not yet received them. But my tia noir iem are at 70 to 80 and dsd can go to 95 at low gain.

But I most often listen at 68 regularly low gain


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> I have not yet received them. But my tia noir iem are at 70 to 80 and dsd can go to 95 at low gain.
> 
> But I most often listen at 68 regularly low gain


Sounds good. Thank you and cheers. Gotta see what high gain gives me


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Sounds good. Thank you and cheers. Gotta see what high gain gives me




Reason why I dont use high is I feel it mess up the frequencies balance. Feel uneven and some what  ot as linear as the low gain.

It is possibly because I have an iem and high gain is better for headphones... it is to try Id go for sure high gain in your case for headphones.


----------



## Quadfather

Shure SRH1540 are 45-46 ohms and work great with my Sony NW-WM1A.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I think the selection between high gain and low gain depends on two factors:

First is your listening preferences, high gain tend to sound more brighter or have a tendency to be more simbliant as the dynamics increases.

Although there's also a tendency for low gain to sound duller as the high frequency take a hit.

Second is your audio gear. Some gear require high gain in order to deliver it's full potential while more sensitive gear don't require so much power.

In my opinion, if you are running single driver IEMs, low gain should suffice. Multi driver IEMs and headphone can switch to high gain if you find low gain to be too dull or lack volume/dynamics.


----------



## etlouis

nc8000 said:


> He as I have way too much music to fit in hires on one 1TB. I have about 2TB music but have diwnsapled all my hires to 16/44 or 16/48 and then I can just fit it on one 1TB card plus the internal memory (I want to have everything with me and am willing to sacrifice a little bit of sq for that but the internal memory holds my dsd albums). In my home rig I have a 2GB ssd in the Auralic streamer



What sdcard is everyone using? I've tried sandisk ultra 128Gb and samsung evo 512gb. There are some sonic differences between the two. I prefer the 128g with the slower transfer speed... seemed to have to do with "air" and decay of notes. The faster the speed, the faster the decay and the perceived sharpness of notes. It sounded almost like a DAC chip lowpass filters. Anyhow this made me on a quest to find the largest sdcard with the slowest transfer speeds. Some difficulty because the more expensive a card is, the larger the storage and speed, at the same time.

Anyone know of such a product?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 14, 2020)

I think there's not much choices when it comes to high capacity cards with low read speeds.

The only one I can think of is the Sandisk High Endurance 256GB. They are designed for constant writing in dashcam and high operating temperature. They are pretty slow when it comes to data transfer.

You should also consider Industrial Grade Microsd cards. They are probably designed better internally as they have to work in medical grade life saving devices and etc, thus the manufacturer will build them with better read/write controllers and error management systems.

For me I use ADATA pro 128GB microsd card. I find it to offer better sound quality over the bog standard sandisk or Samsung Evo that I have tried.


----------



## Ravenous

Wait, so SD card size and transfer speed affects sound quality playback?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Well, on my way to test the TA along with other headphones for the 1A and 1Z. E-Earphone feels like my second home


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Gamerlingual said:


> Well, on my way to test the TA along with other headphones for the 1A and 1Z. E-Earphone feels like my second home


Ever since this pandemic, I miss going to e-earphone so much  spent so much time there just having fun listening to everything


----------



## nc8000

etlouis said:


> What sdcard is everyone using? I've tried sandisk ultra 128Gb and samsung evo 512gb. There are some sonic differences between the two. I prefer the 128g with the slower transfer speed... seemed to have to do with "air" and decay of notes. The faster the speed, the faster the decay and the perceived sharpness of notes. It sounded almost like a DAC chip lowpass filters. Anyhow this made me on a quest to find the largest sdcard with the slowest transfer speeds. Some difficulty because the more expensive a card is, the larger the storage and speed, at the same time.
> 
> Anyone know of such a product?



Sony used to sell an audiophile microSD card but can’t remember specs and don’t know it they are still acailable


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Hey guys, need your honest answer. When using either the MDR-Z7M2 and MDR-Z1R, what volume output is your player at High Gain when using the 4.4mm? Is it 80 or 75? I find that 45 is comfortable when using either the IER-Z1R and MDR-1AM2. If someone can let me know, this might help me find the right volume to use to get the best performance for those cans and perhaps understand why they felt underwhelming in performance when using the 1Z and 1A. Might be that I just didn't put in enough volume juice but want to make sure I don't go deaf.



From my 1Z i use high gain 50 for the IER and high gain 60-70 for the MDR


----------



## Duncan

nc8000 said:


> From my 1Z i use high gain 50 for the IER and high gain 60-70 for the MDR


It is interesting, and aware that impedance plays a part here, the Z1R is 40ohms at 103db/mw - the FH7 is 16ohms at 111db/mw and I sit between 65 and 85, high gain...


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 15, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> Wait, so SD card size and transfer speed affects sound quality playback?



Even though the walkman is very well shielded from external interference, there's also internal interference in the form of electrical noise being generated by the walkman's own internal electrical components, which includes the micro sdcard.

When the sdcard is being accessed by the walkman, there is electrical noise being generated. This noise varies according to the sdcard's internal design(how much shielding, SLC, MLC, TLC and etc). Usually the bigger the capacity, the more power required to read/write, and also the more faster the transfer speeds, the more likely that more electrical noise is being generated.

Basically the electrical noise generated from the microsd can have an adverse effect on the walkman's internal electrical components(clock oscillators, power supply). This may cause additional jitter to the overall sound.

Now whether you can hear this electrical noise pollution will depend on how golden your ears are and the grade of gear you have. Usually there are other sound quality bottlenecks in lower grade gears/dap/audio systems thus you won't be able to hear the difference in sound quality between sdcards for most people.

However when you talk about the high grade WM1 walkman and the kind of high grade audio gear owned by the golden ear audiophiles in this forum, I am very sure there are people here who can hear the sound differences between different brand/models of microsd cards. That is along with people who can hear the sound differences between a Loss-less highly compressed FLAC vs PCM .WAV files being played on their system.

For those interested in this topic, here's a related video by Mr Hans which explains how electrical noise and clock jitter affects audio:


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Even though the walkman is very well shielded from external interference, there's also internal interference in the form of electrical noise being generated by the walkman's own internal electrical components, which includes the micro sdcard.
> 
> When the sdcard is being accessed by the walkman, there is electrical noise being generated. This noise varies according to the sdcard's internal design(how much shielding, SLC, MLC, TLC and etc). Usually the bigger the capacity, the more power required to read/write, and also the more faster the transfer speeds, the more likely that more electrical noise is being generated.
> 
> ...





I can hear a difference between 1z internal memory vs sandisk extreme pro vs sandisk ultra...

The difference goes same from ultra to pro then to 1z internal memory.

Bass get tighter sound transitions are faster. It feels slightly more dynamic. Its extremely subtle but its there to shew your brain lol once you heard it!


----------



## frost15

Like others mentioned, headphones impendance is key to volume listening levels. In my case the Shure 1540SRH, at 46ohm, have low impendance. Besides I generally enjoy long listening sessions with moderately low volume levels. Paired with my 1Z I listen to most stuff in the range of low gain 50-64, then for more dynamic genres such as classical and jazz I can go up to low gain 75-80. Very rarely I feel the need to go full epic mode (specially with movie soundtracks) and I can reach the 95-100 range, but that's very rare lol.


----------



## nc8000 (Jun 15, 2020)

frost15 said:


> Like others mentioned, headphones impendance is key to volume listening levels. In my case the Shure 1540SRH, at 46ohm, have low impendance. Besides I generally enjoy long listening sessions with moderately low volume levels. Paired with my 1Z I listen to most stuff in the range of low gain 50-64, then for more dynamic genres such as classical and jazz I can go up to low gain 75-80. Very rarely I feel the need to go full epic mode (specially with movie soundtracks) and I can reach the 95-100 range, but that's very rare lol.



Apart from impedance driver efficiency also has to be taken into account. At the extreme you have some of the early HiFiMan planars that had very liw efficiency and therefore required loads of power


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> I can hear a difference between 1z internal memory vs sandisk extreme pro vs sandisk ultra...
> 
> The difference goes same from ultra to pro then to 1z internal memory.
> 
> Bass get tighter sound transitions are faster. It feels slightly more dynamic. Its extremely subtle but its there to shew your brain lol once you heard it!


I decided to get the Z7M2! It was amazing with the TA and DSD!!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> I decided to get the Z7M2! It was amazing with the TA and DSD!!




I never heard the Ta I wonder how it sound vs 1z?


Congrats you are a true sony fan now 😁🙃🙂
After you heard so many headphones that means a lot! Z7M2 is really good then


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I wonder which will sound better?

Firmware and hardware modded WM1Z vs Tazzy vs DMPZ1. 

Assuming we are running MDR Z1R or IER Z1R


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I wonder which will sound better?
> 
> Firmware and hardware modded WM1Z vs Tazzy vs DMPZ1.
> 
> Assuming we are running MDR Z1R or IER Z1R




I cant answer that havent heard them enough. I do know 1z moded is really something,  and I also feel its a preferential tonality choice. Dmp is very different in sound tonality vs 1z.
1z is very fun and pleasant sounding while its still an audiophile dap. Dmp goes very linearly tuned and more serious sound presentation.  While 1z can more fun oriented. 

I think 1z can drive mdr-z1r and ier-z1r farely super well. I am sure it can be better driven by Ta or dmp for sure, a few notches will be improved in sq department


----------



## normie610

Wow, looking at the volume numbers, I maybe one of those who listen at very high volume. Right now I’m using 1Z for i4 and M5 only. Both in high gain, i4 volume level around 75-85 and M5 around 55-62. Of course when listening to DSD, I need to increase the volume even more (it will depend on the DSD recording though).


----------



## nc8000

normie610 said:


> Wow, looking at the volume numbers, I maybe one of those who listen at very high volume. Right now I’m using 1Z for i4 and M5 only. Both in high gain, i4 volume level around 75-85 and M5 around 55-62. Of course when listening to DSD, I need to increase the volume even more (it will depend on the DSD recording though).



Yes dsd is often lower recorded due to generally having wider dynamic range


----------



## normie610

nc8000 said:


> Yes dsd is often lower recorded due to generally having wider dynamic range



Yep that’s correct


----------



## Vitaly2017

To help the dsd volume I set compensation to 0 and I like sharp roll-off

@nc8000 


That sounds about right for m5 in high gain but still pretty loud at 50&+ be careful.
Also M5 is a tubeless design it what makes you increase volume as its like an open headphone effect

@normie610


----------



## frost15

Vitaly2017 said:


> To help the dsd volume I set compensation to 0 and I like sharp roll-off
> 
> @nc8000
> 
> ...


The Roll-off option for DSD is highly dependent on the genre of music in my experience. Since most DSD recordings I listen to are classical music recordings from NativeDSD.com I tend to favor Slow Roll-off.


----------



## Vitaly2017

frost15 said:


> The Roll-off option for DSD is highly dependent on the genre of music in my experience. Since most DSD recordings I listen to are classical music recordings from NativeDSD.com I tend to favor Slow Roll-off.




Yes true preference and music genra depending. 

I feel fast roll-off kinda more realistic sounding. 
Slow roll-off is more warm and lush, to much for me.


----------



## normie610

Vitaly2017 said:


> To help the dsd volume I set compensation to 0 and I like sharp roll-off
> 
> @nc8000
> 
> ...



yeah that‘s mostly for hi res tracks. AAC or 16/44 files usually are louder, so volume level will be 45-55.


----------



## businesstron

Does anyone know if the WM1A has a song limit?  I've had mines for about about a year now and recently when I load songs to it via Mediago or the PC Music Center it doesn't show up on the player when I disconnect it.   It's weird because when I try to manually rebuild the database the thing just hangs for hours.     I have 81,201 songs on it right now and  I have about 21 gb left on my micro sd card.


----------



## gerelmx1986

businesstron said:


> Does anyone know if the WM1A has a song limit?  I've had mines for about about a year now and recently when I load songs to it via Mediago or the PC Music Center it doesn't show up on the player when I disconnect it.   It's weird because when I try to manually rebuild the database the thing just hangs for hours.     I have 81,201 songs on it right now and  I have about 21 gb left on my micro sd card.


No, it doesn't has a limit as I think so. Mine has ca. 58.653 tracks and takes to rebuild the entire database (a complete rebuild takes 30 min) 2 minutes


----------



## nc8000

businesstron said:


> Does anyone know if the WM1A has a song limit?  I've had mines for about about a year now and recently when I load songs to it via Mediago or the PC Music Center it doesn't show up on the player when I disconnect it.   It's weird because when I try to manually rebuild the database the thing just hangs for hours.     I have 81,201 songs on it right now and  I have about 21 gb left on my micro sd card.



There probably is a limit decided by the size of internal memory (not storage). I have about 42.000 tracks with no problem but the A45 gave up at about 38.000 tracks. Sony have as far as I know not published any info about track limit on any of their players


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Even though the walkman is very well shielded from external interference, there's also internal interference in the form of electrical noise being generated by the walkman's own internal electrical components, which includes the micro sdcard.
> 
> When the sdcard is being accessed by the walkman, there is electrical noise being generated. This noise varies according to the sdcard's internal design(how much shielding, SLC, MLC, TLC and etc). Usually the bigger the capacity, the more power required to read/write, and also the more faster the transfer speeds, the more likely that more electrical noise is being generated.
> 
> ...



I sounds so ... sciency. I trust your words on these 😉


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jun 15, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Sony used to sell an audiophile microSD card but can’t remember specs and don’t know it they are still acailable


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wh...-claims-high-end-sd-card-offers-premium-sound


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hinomotocho said:


> Der Ring des Nibelung
> 
> https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wh...-claims-high-end-sd-card-offers-premium-sound




Yes but where to buy this and I want 512 gigs!


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yes but where to buy this and I want 512 gigs!



I don’t think they ever went that high


----------



## 515164 (Jun 15, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> There probably is a limit decided by the size of internal memory (not storage). I have about 42.000 tracks with no problem but the A45 gave up at about 38.000 tracks. Sony have as far as I know not published any info about track limit on any of their players



If anyone's curious how the database looks like, feel free to check this one out.

The file inside the archive can be opened with something like SQLite Browser.






Edit: The maximum size of the database can be 100 MB.


----------



## mwhals

Torn between WM1A and WM1Z. Can get the 1A anytime and the 1Z later in the year. Also found the 1A for $1079, which is lower than the normal price.


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> Torn between WM1A and WM1Z. Can get the 1A anytime and the 1Z later in the year. Also found the 1A for $1079, which is lower than the normal price.




Depends give them a good listen I highly preferred 1z though


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> Depends give them a good listen I highly preferred 1z though



There are none locally or even within 100 miles for me to hear unless there is someone that has both that lives near me, which I doubt.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jun 15, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I decided to get the Z7M2! It was amazing with the TA and DSD!!


I'm also curious, how does Z7M2 sounds? It would be good if its warmth, should be better than Sennheiser Momentum 2. Maybe something I could consider getting, but I want to know what's its sound characteristics; maybe you can elaborate?


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> I'm also curious, how does Z7M2 sounds? It would be good if its warmth, should be better than Sennheiser Momentum 2. Maybe something I could consider getting, but I want to know what's its sound characteristics; maybe you can elaborate?



Similar to m9 and very close to tia trio


----------



## bana

nc8000 said:


> I have ripped about 1.500 cd’s and purchased about 1.000 hires albums from the various sites I posted to you the other day giving about 42.000 tracks. Gerelmex also buys and rips many sacd discs


I can't find your list of sites you buy from. Please post again. Thanks.


----------



## captblaze (Jun 15, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yes but where to buy this and I want 512 gigs!



you can find the 64 gb version for roughly $375 USD if you really must have one

looks like i was $100 lower than amazon




nearly put my back out slipping on all the snake oil


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

In my opinion I rather get higher capacity Industrial grade microsd card or prosumer microsd card that have ECC correction built in over the small capacity 64GB Sony audiophile card.

I suggest doing sound quality prioritisation by squeezing your most favourite hi res music in your collection into your Walkman’s internal memory as much as possible while storing the rest of your music collection on to the high capacity sdcard.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Any specific models to check to buy future SD cards?


----------



## Vitaly2017

captblaze said:


> you can find the 64 gb version for roughly $375 USD if you really must have one
> 
> looks like i was $100 lower than amazon
> 
> ...




Seems like a no brainer to me.
Buy it get max sq 😁🙃🙂

But damn 64 gb and so expensive!!!
No wonder why its not selling, so unpractical...

Sony needs to set future daps with a minimum 1tb internal memory for best performance and value wise.

I almost managed to fit in the 250 gigs 😏🤗


----------



## Queen6

Sandisk or Kodak, potentially the same origin sound perfectly good to me, and if any difference I can't tell.

Q-6


----------



## frost15

Vitaly2017 said:


> Seems like a no brainer to me.
> Buy it get max sq 😁🙃🙂
> 
> But damn 64 gb and so expensive!!!
> ...


Sony is known for creating propietary cards that are ridiculously expensive, it's one of the main reasons their handheld gaming console PSVita was a disaster...


----------



## frost15

Queen6 said:


> Sandisk or Kodak, potentially the same origin sound perfectly good to me, and if any difference I can't tell.
> 
> Q-6


I've always used Sandisk and Samsung cards and I've never heard anything wrong with either of them.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 15, 2020)

Panasonic is probably the real OEM of the Sony audiophile microsd card.

There's a updated 256GB version of it, RP-TMTC25DA1

Also made in TAIWAN.

Industrial grade stuff, just see the applications they listed below.

https://www.mouser.com/new/panasonic/panasonic-tc-series-memory-cards/

The TC Series 3D TLC NAND Memory Cards have a higher overall card endurance and low failure rate due to* 100% product screening before shipment*. The TC Series is available in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB capacities.

APPLICATIONS
Medical
CPAP Machine
ECG Monitor
Pacemaker Monitor
Medication Dispensing
Building Automation & Security
HVAC Controls
Security Cameras (On-Board Storage)
Access Control Systems
Fire Alarm Systems
Office Telecommunications
Teleconferencing Systems (Tablets, Remotes, Displays)
Commercial Cooking
Kitchen Dispensing Equipment
Commercial Cooking Ovens
Test & Measurement
Gas Meter
Thermal Camera
Water Flow Metering


----------



## Whitigir

This is the best sound performances that also has good capacity and speed IMO/IME


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> This is the best sound performances that also has good capacity and speed IMO/IME




Haha all because there is s TIGERRR  😁😄😃


----------



## Krutsch

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha all *because there is s TIGERRR*  😁😄😃



It's as good a reason as anyone else could give as to why there is a sound difference between microSD cards.


----------



## Colors

mwhals said:


> Torn between WM1A and WM1Z. Can get the 1A anytime and the 1Z later in the year. Also found the 1A for $1079, which is lower than the normal price.



Can't go wrong with either, both are top of the class DAPs. 1Z is literally top dog though, but 1A does not compromise either. I'd get the 1Z if you can afford it, if not, you won't be disappointed w/ the 1A.


----------



## Quadfather

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok. No using Dropbox. That sucks





Colors said:


> Can't go wrong with either, both are top of the class DAPs. 1Z is literally top dog though, but 1A does not compromise either. I'd get the 1Z if you can afford it, if not, you won't be disappointed w/ the 1A.




I love my NW-WM1A, but I am jonesing for the 1Z.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 16, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha all because there is s TIGERRR  😁😄😃



🐅Hifi System



> Hey you, sir letter, put the record on
> I wanna dance with my baby
> And when the rhythym starts
> I never wanna stop
> ...


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> 🐅Hifi System



Purrrrrr ...I mean Rooaaarrrr! Lol
My Gosh, I think I’m losing my marbles hahaha


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> 🐅Hifi System






Ohhh hahaha mAannnn that is some real tigaaar ShiiiTtt Brooo 

This is going to be my intro song LoL 
When the Tiger enters the music starts playing 😅😆😁

Tiger HiFi jamaican style 😂🙃🙂 yo yo bro Bling bling show me ya gold hihihi😆🥰😍🤩😛😜


----------



## Ravenous

I apologize for this, but it's dumb question time.  When using the the NW switcher to switch back to default player, is there a difference between using the WM1 stock sound installer vs just using the 3.02 firmware installer? Does switching back to the original NW model then using the WM1 stock sound installer the same as using firmware 3.02 for WM1?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Ravenous said:


> I apologize for this, but it's dumb question time.  When using the the NW switcher to switch back to default player, is there a difference between using the WM1 stock sound installer vs just using the 3.02 firmware installer? Does switching back to the original NW model then using the WM1 stock sound installer the same as using firmware 3.02 for WM1?




Just play the tiger hifi song it will answer to all your questions 😅😅😅😅


I personally run the stock tuning and then after rerun the real 3.0.2 fw just to be sure 😊


----------



## aceedburn

Ravenous said:


> I apologize for this, but it's dumb question time.  When using the the NW switcher to switch back to default player, is there a difference between using the WM1 stock sound installer vs just using the 3.02 firmware installer? Does switching back to the original NW model then using the WM1 stock sound installer the same as using firmware 3.02 for WM1?


Yes. It’s the same. You can use the official 3.02 stock firmware for 1A/z


----------



## nc8000

bana said:


> I can't find your list of sites you buy from. Please post again. Thanks.







And there are probably more over the years


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 16, 2020)

“Even Sony is not so sure about the demand of the new card, according to its spokesperson, but it believes that some "who are committed to great sound quality would want it."





That’s us!


----------



## nc8000

Whitigir said:


> This is the best sound performances that also has good capacity and speed IMO/IME



That’s the one I use


----------



## masahito24@chart

Whitigir said:


> This is the best sound performances that also has good capacity and speed IMO/IME


Where can you find this card? Been looking all over the US.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> “Even Sony is not so sure about the demand of the new card, according to its spokesperson, but it believes that some "who are committed to great sound quality would want it."
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Too small in size! 1z has 250gigs!


----------



## Duncan

masahito24@chart said:


> Where can you find this card? Been looking all over the US.


Try Amazon? Available on the UK site.

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07RKL6PK9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_bOg6Eb593E8C2


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Too small in size! 1z has 250gigs!







Those are gourmet songs on those cards.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Same in Japan. But if you get the 512, it's 14,600 yen. Makes me wonder if paying triple price for double the storage is worth it. I have my external 4TB HD I use to store all my music and only select certain songs that I send over to my 1A and 1Z. 1TB for 43,450 yen is a tough pill to swallow @.@

https://www.amazon.co.jp/マイクロSD-Ext...treme+pro+1tb+microsdxc&qid=1592290223&sr=8-3


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> And there are probably more over the years


With the sites you listed, are they for Europe only? Can any be used for Japan? I know the Japanese sites, but expanding into other sites would help


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Same in Japan. But if you get the 512, it's 14,600 yen. Makes me wonder if paying triple price for double the storage is worth it. I have my external 4TB HD I use to store all my music and only select certain songs that I send over to my 1A and 1Z. 1TB for 43,450 yen is a tough pill to swallow @.@
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.jp/マイクロSD-Ext...treme+pro+1tb+microsdxc&qid=1592290223&sr=8-3



To me it was worth it so I can have all my musiv on the 1Z (though all hires downsampled to fit) as I travel 100-150 nights a year and just want everything readily available


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> With the sites you listed, are they for Europe only? Can any be used for Japan? I know the Japanese sites, but expanding into other sites would help



I would guess most of them can be used world wide but since I’m in EU I don’t know


----------



## Gamerlingual

Looks like e-onkyo has more selection than I expected. I guess I'll make that my go to shop


nc8000 said:


> To me it was worth it so I can have all my musiv on the 1Z (though all hires downsampled to fit) as I travel 100-150 nights a year and just want everything readily available


Do you use a file convertor to reduce the size while maintaining the Hi-Res quality?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> Looks like e-onkyo has more selection than I expected. I guess I'll make that my go to shop
> 
> Do you use a file convertor to reduce the size while maintaining the Hi-Res quality?


Yes I use dbpower amp


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Gamerlingual 

My sites for download are
Presto classical
Nativedsd.com
Qobuz (I no longer buy from them much since a string of fake Hi-res downloads)


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Gamerlingual
> 
> My sites for download are
> Presto classical
> ...


So Quboz isn't the greatest now I've heard


----------



## Gamerlingual

Ok, so I'm listening to my CD recording of Green Day's song that is 320kb at 44.1MHz sampling frequency. Yet I listened to E-Onkyo's file which is FLAC file which is 192 KHz at 24/bit and my CD file has more drum bass yet I'm able to hear all the details no problem. Am I missing something and perhaps should not buy Hi-Res? O_o


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Looks like e-onkyo has more selection than I expected. I guess I'll make that my go to shop
> 
> Do you use a file convertor to reduce the size while maintaining the Hi-Res quality?



I use dbPowerAmp to downsample my hires. It does loose a little but to me it is worth it in order to have everything with me


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Ok, so I'm listening to my CD recording of Green Day's song that is 320kb at 44.1MHz sampling frequency. Yet I listened to E-Onkyo's file which is FLAC file which is 192 KHz at 24/bit and my CD file has more drum bass yet I'm able to hear all the details no problem. Am I missing something and perhaps should not buy Hi-Res? O_o



Some people hear differences and others don’t. I usually hear small differences but can’t always tell which is the higher res version unless I really sit down and concentrate on minute differences which isen’t how I normally listen to music. Anything belowe 320kb aac gets fairly noticable though and I have very few files that go lower


----------



## Gamerlingual

My source: Windows PC to PHA-2A to my IER-Z1R as well as my 1Z to my IER-Z1R

Same song, slightly different titles:


----------



## Layman1

nc8000 said:


> And there are probably more over the years



Just to let you know, HDTracks shut down their UK site a couple of months ago; very annoying and I'm not sure why.

On the plus side, there's another couple of resources that I can add to this list:

1) www.bandcamp.com  Although I imagine this website is known chiefly for being a place where independent artists can release their own music, I've found quite a few artists I already liked who have released stuff on there too (Club 8, Curve, The Ataris, etc) . And it's also helped me to discover quite a few very good new artists too (Cigarettes After Sex, Jasmine Thompson, Wise Blood, Aurora, etc). 
It allows downloads in various formats (inc. WAV and FLAC) and here's the thing; some of them turn out to be hi-res.
The problem is, there's no way of knowing until you buy it, at which point you can go to the file download section and see the file sizes.
You can however message the artist to ask, so that can help.
One of my favourite artists actually personally sent me FLAC versions of an album that I couldn't find anywhere in lossless from his own masters, so that was pretty sweet 

2) https://uk.7digital.com
I don't know whether this site has international versions or not. It seems to be a weird thing where there used to be a site called 7digital, which may have ceased operating or something, but now I found this fully legitimate UK version by chance. It's very good in terms of the variety of music available; most genres, big artist selection, even Chinese, Japanese artists, etc.
You can select search filters for what type of file you want (e.g. 24 bit FLAC only, or 24 bit MQA FLAC, etc).
Unlike most such sites, this one often (but not always) allows you to download hi-res versions of specific tracks, rather than having to buy the whole album.

Finally, to finish up, I'd add that it pays to shop around. There were hi-res albums I found on HDTracks that were half the price charged by uk7digital or HiResAudio (Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast) and the reverse was true for other albums. Each of these sites (plus Bandcamp) have been the cheapest option for different albums.
And that's comparing like for like, in terms of format (e.g. 24-192 FLAC). Also, occasionally I've found higher hi-res versions on one site than the others, e.g. 24-96 on one site, but 24-192 on another.


----------



## Duncan

Gamerlingual said:


> My source: Windows PC to PHA-2A to my IER-Z1R as well as my 1Z to my IER-Z1R
> 
> Same song, slightly different titles:


I’m going to contradict myself here, however I normally find 48khz (and multiples) files (DVD Audio as it was) sound better than those clocked at 44.1khz - that doesn’t really help though, considering in this case the higher res file is 96khz...

Different masters could play a part here to muddy the waters further.


----------



## Gamerlingual (Jun 16, 2020)

Duncan said:


> I’m going to contradict myself here, however I normally find 48khz (and multiples) files (DVD Audio as it was) sound better than those clocked at 44.1khz - that doesn’t really help though, considering in this case the higher res file is 96khz...
> 
> Different masters could play a part here to muddy the waters further.


Maybe if I get the TA-ZH1ES and play with the DSD it will make a huge difference with that file? Didn't seem the case with the PHA-2A or the 1Z. Don't get me wrong, they sounded wonderful, but would love to see how I can fully expose those sounds.

And no Hi-Res debate. If it can’t be done, the DSD from the TA should suffice for that end game sound


----------



## Redcarmoose

Duncan said:


> I’m going to contradict myself here, however I normally find 48khz (and multiples) files (DVD Audio as it was) sound better than those clocked at 44.1khz - that doesn’t really help though, considering in this case the higher res file is 96khz...
> 
> Different masters could play a part here to muddy the waters further.


I was going to say that. Different master editions.


----------



## auronthas (Jun 16, 2020)

Hi, received my WM1Z recently, I have question about first time battery charging procedure.

Currently the battery is half full with two bars, should I use until the battery is completely flat, follow by charging to 100% battery full, then set to battery saver, turn off NFC, turn off Bluetooth and never power off until the last bar alert then repeat the battery charging process?


----------



## Duncan (Jun 16, 2020)

I’ve just found an oddity, really not sure if it is the 1A or iOS 13.6 (beta) on the iPhone - using USB DAC mode and Amazon Music HD, always running at 24/192 - I’m kind of used to that, where it goes really screwball though is that I swapped to YouTube, and instead of the audio being at 48khz, it’s at 44.1, but - not down sampling - instead, the audio runs slower than the video.

Odd!

Edit: Just checked, and the same thing doesn’t happen with the DF Cobalt, it plays fine.



Gamerlingual said:


> And no Hi-Res debate. If it can’t be done, the DSD from the TA should suffice for that end game sound


It should be noted that I wasn’t debating anything to do with hi-res, merely saying that if your file was an 88.2khz source then it would be different clocks, which could play into my school of thought, but as 96khz is a direct multiple of 48khz (so using the same clock) that eliminates that school of thought!


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Hinomotocho

auronthas said:


> Hello, received my WM1Z recently, I have question about first time battery charging procedure.
> 
> Currently the battery is half full with two bars, should I use until the battery is completely flat, follow by charging to 100% battery full, then set to battery saver, turn off NFC, turn off Bluetooth and never power off until the last bar alert then repeat the battery charging process?


Hi, I recently got the WM1A, I could be corrected but I think it is good to set battery saver, then fully charge and go from there. I recharge when the last bar comes up. I constantly change albums requiring the screen to be on briefly but often so I'm otherwise very conservative with the battery, setting brightness to 1, direct source on, nfc and Bluetooth off


----------



## Gamerlingual

Duncan said:


> I’ve just found an oddity, really not sure if it is the 1A or iOS 13.6 (beta) on the iPhone - using USB DAC mode and Amazon Music HD, always running at 24/192 - I’m kind of used to that, where it goes really screwball though is that I swapped to YouTube, and instead of the audio being at 48khz, it’s at 44.1, but - not down sampling - instead, the audio runs slower than the video.
> 
> Odd!
> 
> ...


Oh I know. I've just seen on Facebook and the forums here how that could get hectic. But if someone can teach me how to max out the potential of the sound files, I want to learn. Pardon for not being specific


----------



## auronthas

Hinomotocho said:


> Hi, I recently got the WM1A, I could be corrected but I think it is good to set battery saver, then fully charge and go from there. I recharge when the last bar comes up. I constantly change albums requiring the screen to be on briefly but often so I'm otherwise very conservative with the battery, setting brightness to 1, direct source on, nfc and Bluetooth off


Thanks for your reply.  But for the first time charging, I thought need to full charge 100% capacity?  Subsequently charging I will set to battery saver. Just need some clarification.

Yes, like my WM1A, i set brighteness to 1, all DSP off, direct source on.


----------



## Gamerlingual

auronthas said:


> Thanks for your reply.  But for the first time charging, I thought need to full charge 100% capacity?  Subsequently charging I will set to battery saver. Just need some clarification.
> 
> Yes, like my WM1A, i set brighteness to 1, all DSP off, direct source on.


Go all the way, then set it to Battery Saver.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 16, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> So Quboz isn't the greatest now I've heard




I use mainly bandcamp  as it has all file format options and wav!
Many of my artists are there and offer 24bit sound quality.


To complete my purchase I also love nativedsd.com they have rhe best dsd quality...

And also hdtracks.


By the way what you heard with cd quality sounding better then high res, its probably different studio releases and different mastering.

When comparing always make sure its exact same studio, like in bandcamp you can download the same album in wav, flac, mp3 and many many more that gives an opportunity to test how each file format sounds...


Yes Ta will offer more performance but 1z is really not that much behind.


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jun 24, 2020)

auronthas said:


> Thanks for your reply.  But for the first time charging, I thought need to full charge 100% capacity?  Subsequently charging I will set to battery saver. Just need some clarification.
> 
> Yes, like my WM1A, i set brighteness to 1, all DSP off, direct source on.


Good point, I can't remember now - I hope someone may confirm this for you. The first charge even though already at 2 bars seemed to take quite a while for me.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 16, 2020)

auronthas said:


> Hi, received my WM1Z recently, I have question about first time battery charging procedure.
> 
> Currently the battery is half full with two bars, should I use until the battery is completely flat, follow by charging to 100% battery full, then set to battery saver, turn off NFC, turn off Bluetooth and never power off until the last bar alert then repeat the battery charging process?



Ok. This is really important for your first charge. Let the player go to zero, where it turns off. Make sure before to take off the battery saver. Your going to want to keep trying to turn it on. Eventually the player will not turn on at all. Then with battery saver off go to full 100% charge. Make sure the charge is not interrupted. Then turn on go and set battery saver on. After that don’t let the player get below 20% -15% and recharge with battery saver on. Only do this reset every couple years.

Best battery life with brightness 1. Also best life running direct with BT sensor off. Also best with no other extras like BT.


----------



## Lookout57

Be careful with HDtracks as they are now selling albums that are 16/44.1 which are no better than CD rips.


----------



## auronthas

Redcarmoose said:


> Ok. This is really important for your first charge. Let the player go to zero, where it turns off. Make sure before to take off the battery saver. Your going to want to keep trying to turn it on. Eventually the player will not turn on at all. Then with battery saver off go to full 100% charge. Make sure the charge is not interrupted. Then turn on go and set battery saver on. After that don’t let the player get below 20% -15% and recharge with battery saver on. Only do this reset every couple years.
> 
> Best battery life with brightness 1. Also best life running direct with BT sensor off. Also best with no other extras like BT.


Yeah,  many thanks for your clarification and confirmation.  Will do the same to take extra care of the battery for a better lifespan.  Thanks again bro.


----------



## Lookout57

Quick comparison of a WM1AZ (1A switched to a 1Z) and a 1Z.

The 1Z has a bigger soundstage and is more 3D than the 1AZ. So it's close, but the hardware changes in the 1Z can't be overcome.

When I get a chance I'll compare a 1A, 1AZ and 1Z since I have them all.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Lookout57 said:


> Quick comparison of a WM1AZ (1A switched to a 1Z) and a 1Z.
> 
> The 1Z has a bigger soundstage and is more 3D than the 1AZ. So it's close, but the hardware changes in the 1Z can't be overcome.
> 
> When I get a chance I'll compare a 1A, 1AZ and 1Z since I have them all.


What's the 1AZ? Never heard of it


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> What's the 1AZ? Never heard of it



A 1A that has been switched to Z with Morgensterns model switcher


----------



## RobertP

I got Orion stage7.1 for WM1A on the same pm link. Thanks to @aceedburn for the feedback. This update has more bass and low end with almost none details lost.


----------



## Edsonarentes

RobertP said:


> I got Orion stage7.1 for WM1A on the same pm link. Thanks to @aceedburn for the feedback. This update has more bass and low end with almost none details lost.


Please, could you tell me where I can find that link. I have Orion5 for 1A. I find it is really musical. It seems less detailled than others but in the same time nothing is missing.


----------



## Ravenous

RobertP said:


> I got Orion stage7.1 for WM1A on the same pm link. Thanks to @aceedburn for the feedback. This update has more bass and low end with almost none details lost.


Hey thanks for the update! What would be the differences between Orion7.0 and 7.1 for 1a?


----------



## proedros

Ravenous said:


> Hey thanks for the update! What would be the differences between Orion7.0 and 7.1 for 1a?



quoting @RobertP exact words ,  *This update has more bass and low end with almost none details lost. *


----------



## aceedburn (Jun 16, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> Hey thanks for the update! What would be the differences between Orion7.0 and 7.1 for 1a?


I like deep bass. Never cared for lean analytical sound. Music is meant for enjoyment, not to make a graph look good. With that said, Orion7 was a very good tuning. Had that warm, lush and analogue sound that had a nice Low end, sweet mids and smooth treble. Well, Orion7.1, makes that bass even deeper, practically bass you can feel. But the mids are not affected and the treble is still silky smooth. So the only difference is an insanely deep bass and impact which doesn’t take away anything from the mix. I love it! Kudos to @RobertP


----------



## bana

nc8000 said:


> And there are probably more over the years


Thanks for this. 
I am building a new PC after 8 years and I have noticed that all of the cases don't have space for a CD ROM anymore. Am I the only one buying CDs because most of the people are downloading music from sites like the above?


----------



## Gamerlingual

bana said:


> Thanks for this.
> I am building a new PC after 8 years and I have noticed that all of the cases don't have space for a CD ROM anymore. Am I the only one buying CDs because most of the people are downloading music from sites like the above?


Nope. I buy CDs to burn and still keep them


----------



## Alucard09

aceedburn said:


> I like deep bass. Never cared for lean analytical sound. Music is meant for enjoyment, not to make a graph look good. With that said, Orion7 was a very good tuning. Had that warm, lush and analogue sound that had a nice Low end, sweet mids and smooth treble. Well, Orion7.1, makes that bass even deeper, practically bass you can feel. But the mids are not affected and the treble is still silky smooth. So the only difference is an insanely deep bass and impact which doesn’t take away anything from the mix. I love it! Kudos to @RobertP



Please allow us to try this new firmware (Orion Firmware for 1A  7 & 7.1).
Currently using Orion_S9Z which is very musical and well balanced with my unmodded 1A.
Thank you in advance...Great job! Regards to everyone....


----------



## 515164

Lookout57 said:


> Quick comparison of a WM1AZ (1A switched to a 1Z) and a 1Z.
> 
> The 1Z has a bigger soundstage and is more 3D than the 1AZ. So it's close, but the hardware changes in the 1Z can't be overcome.
> 
> When I get a chance I'll compare a 1A, 1AZ and 1Z since I have them all.



Did you switch the model and flash to stock again after that?

If you wish, give a try to having stock installed and just switching the model and restart, nothing else.


----------



## bana

Gamerlingual said:


> Nope. I buy CDs to burn and still keep them



Thanks. My kids think I'm an old fart for buying CDs But new PCs just don\t have CD ROMs anymore.


----------



## Lookout57

morgenstern09 said:


> Did you switch the model and flash to stock again after that?
> 
> If you wish, give a try to having stock installed and just switching the model and restart, nothing else.


I installed stock software then switched.


----------



## gerelmx1986

bana said:


> Thanks for this.
> I am building a new PC after 8 years and I have noticed that all of the cases don't have space for a CD ROM anymore. Am I the only one buying CDs because most of the people are downloading music from sites like the above?


You can get an external CD/DVD-RW Drive


----------



## Lookout57

bana said:


> Thanks for this.
> I am building a new PC after 8 years and I have noticed that all of the cases don't have space for a CD ROM anymore. Am I the only one buying CDs because most of the people are downloading music from sites like the above?


Since you are building a PC why not add a DVD drive? 

I put a DVD burner in all the computers I build since they are cheap <$20.


----------



## 515164

Lookout57 said:


> I installed stock software then switched.



Hmm, ok, then I would advise also giving a try to switching the model and applying stock after. Up to you.


----------



## gerelmx1986

bana said:


> Thanks. My kids think I'm an old fart for buying CDs But new PCs just don\t have CD ROMs anymore.


It's rare nowadays that I buy a CD (16/44), i buy always digital flac /DSD download. Tho, i am buying eight now more physical SA-CD


----------



## Lookout57

morgenstern09 said:


> Hmm, ok, then I would advise also giving a try to switching the model and applying stock after. Up to you.


I did that first then redid it using your new recommended method.

Before the final comparison I'll set the 1AZ back to a pure 1A and then switch to 1Z.


----------



## nc8000

bana said:


> Thanks for this.
> I am building a new PC after 8 years and I have noticed that all of the cases don't have space for a CD ROM anymore. Am I the only one buying CDs because most of the people are downloading music from sites like the above?



I just use an external usb dvd/cd burner/reader since I’ve been on slim line laptops for many years now. And I still buy loads of cd’s, mostly second hand for cheap, and rip. Much more than buying hires downloads


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> It's rare nowadays that I buy a CD (16/44), i buy always digital flac /DSD download. Tho, i am buying eight now more physical SA-CD





SA-CD is same as dsd... its just capped at 64dsd. Personally I haven't done the comparison tests between dsd sizes as I though dsd64 is already darn good!

I guess sa-cd is like a dvd in size capacity as an dsd album can be easily 3gigs

So short but not least you can buy digital dsd online hopefully from a good source and genuine! And there is no difference from sa-cd and digital dsd online purchases....


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> SA-CD is same as dsd... its just capped at 64dsd. Personally I haven't done the comparison tests between dsd sizes as I though dsd64 is already darn good!
> 
> I guess sa-cd is like a dvd in size capacity as an dsd album can be easily 3gigs
> 
> So short but not least you can buy digital dsd online hopefully from a good source and genuine! And there is no difference from sa-cd and digital dsd online purchases....


Well the above DSD file came from the SACD. These SACDs are available at JPC.de as japan import. 

I saw the DSF at e-onkyo.jp and mora.jp (sony) and they sont allow yo buy from Germany, tried a VON and they don't allow western cards either, the fore have to buy these physical


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have an interesting question for savvy guys like @Whitigir @Morbideath  etc.

In theory DSDcan capture up to 1.44MHz if we assume perfect Nyquist theorem.. 

When I rip a SACD with the SACD-extract.exe , does the player (pioneer BDP-170) or the program apply a low pass filter either at 100kHz or 50kHz? Or the file transferred as is with no brickwalling?


----------



## Duncan

Alucard09 said:


> Please allow us to try this new firmware (Orion Firmware for 1A  7 & 7.1).
> Currently using Orion_S9Z which is very musical and well balanced with my unmodded 1A.
> Thank you in advance...Great job! Regards to everyone....


 The mods that are being created are fantastic, however - since @morgenstern09  created the 1A/Z switcher, I can’t go back to A weighted firmware, I tried 7.1 and to me it loses the organic lushness that Orion9 offers...  I’ve been bouncing around various firmware mods in the past couple of hours, and time and time again, 9 has it for me.

It’s a great time to own one of these players!


----------



## Donmonte

Lookout57 said:


> I did that first then redid it using your new recommended method.
> 
> Before the final comparison I'll set the 1AZ back to a pure 1A and then switch to 1Z.


So did you notice a difference between the 2 methods ?


----------



## 515164

Donmonte said:


> So did you notice a difference between the 2 methods ?



That was my curiosity as well


----------



## mwhals

Gamerlingual said:


> Nope. I buy CDs to burn and still keep them



Exactly what I do.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Redcarmoose said:


> Ok. This is really important for your first charge. Let the player go to zero, where it turns off. Make sure before to take off the battery saver. Your going to want to keep trying to turn it on. Eventually the player will not turn on at all. Then with battery saver off go to full 100% charge. Make sure the charge is not interrupted. Then turn on go and set battery saver on. After that don’t let the player get below 20% -15% and recharge with battery saver on. Only do this reset every couple years.
> 
> Best battery life with brightness 1. Also best life running direct with BT sensor off. Also best with no other extras like BT.


I can't remember now if for the first charge I did 100% full charge or turned on battery saver, then did 'full 90%' charge. Does it matter in the long run that I didn't 100% full capacity charge initially? Should I do a reset or should it be OK.


----------



## mwhals (Jun 16, 2020)

Which has better sub bass between a stock 1A and 1Z? I do not want to assume more expensive means better sub bass.

Edit: Read a review and it appears 1Z has the better sub bass.


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> Which has better sub bass between a stock 1A and 1Z? I do not want to assume more expensive means better sub bass.
> 
> Edit: Read a review and it appears 1Z has the better sub bass.




It does bass in all aspects better. 1a bass is faster and visceral like


----------



## RobertP (Jun 16, 2020)

mwhals said:


> Which has better sub bass between a stock 1A and 1Z? I do not want to assume more expensive means better sub bass.
> 
> Edit: Read a review and it appears 1Z has the better sub bass.



1Z sub-bass ofcourse is better. Noticeable more authority, slam, and dynamic. 1A have good amount of bass but more muddier and veil even for tier3 HW mods.


----------



## Mindstorms

mwhals said:


> Torn between WM1A and WM1Z. Can get the 1A anytime and the 1Z later in the year. Also found the 1A for $1079, which is lower than the normal price.


I bought mine new at 750 us dolars in santiago de chile was a bargain inded


----------



## RobertP (Jun 16, 2020)

Never mind. Edited.
$750 for 1A yeah very possible.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Mindstorms said:


> I bought mine new at 750 us dolars in santiago de chile was a bargain inded


Got mine for 80,000 yen used which is about $745 and included a case and screen protector. It was in pristine condition, so we both got good deals!!


----------



## Mindstorms

Mindstorms said:


> I bought mine new at 750 us dolars in santiago de chile was a bargain inded it was NEW sealed


----------



## Hinomotocho

I got mine last month from Australia for about US$780 which was the cheapest by far. Amazon, Japanese retailers, everywhere else I looked were selling up to twice as much so I count myself very lucky.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Just a question for those running custom fw.

Which mode do you run your walkman with?

Direct Source mode On
Direct Source mode Off, all DSP off
Specific DSP effects(please specify)


----------



## Tanjiro

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Just a question for those running custom fw.
> 
> Which mode do you run your walkman with?
> 
> ...



Always running with Direct Source: On.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jun 16, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> I can't remember now if for the first charge I did 100% full charge or turned on battery saver, then did 'full 90%' charge. Does it matter in the long run that I didn't 100% full capacity charge initially? Should I do a reset or should it be OK.



My 1A has always had better battery life. I thought it was because I only partially charged by 1Z when I first started using it. So I did the battery reset procedure and it fixed the 1Z. It simply depends if your happy with your battery performance.


----------



## Donmonte

Tanjiro said:


> Always running with Direct Source: On.


Same, plus it gets you better battery life and fidelity.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Redcarmoose said:


> My 1A has always had better battery life. I thought it was because I only partially charged by 1Z when I first started using it. So I did the battery reset procedure and it fixed the 1Z. It simply depends if your happy with your battery performance.


I don't think I have any issues, just battery anxiety - wondering if it would have been better to max out that first charge. Good to know the reset option is there.


----------



## Lookout57

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Just a question for those running custom fw.
> 
> Which mode do you run your walkman with?
> 
> ...


Direct always


----------



## aceedburn

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Just a question for those running custom fw.
> 
> Which mode do you run your walkman with?
> 
> ...


Direct mode on always. Never liked any of the DSPs anyway.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hinomotocho said:


> I don't think I have any issues, just battery anxiety - wondering if it would have been better to max out that first charge. Good to know the reset option is there.


You’ll be fine. Been through the same steps myself and the batteries are solid. I juice both my 1A and 1Z. So when one player shows the single battery level, I charge it on battery care and then simply use the other player til the battery runs low and use the newly charged player. It’s a good switch off or cycle, so since my players last for a few days, I turn off the battery for the one I’m not using since it will still be dormant for a one week while knowing that Sony said that the battery can still deplete a tiny bit. So far, so good 

Direct mode 100%


----------



## Redcarmoose

Hinomotocho said:


> I don't think I have any issues, just battery anxiety - wondering if it would have been better to max out that first charge. Good to know the reset option is there.



Yes, well in my personal experience the first charge from my laptop which died (ran out of battery power) was not consistent. So this is a guess, though after a single reset all is well. Cheers.

But when doing the full reset it is recommended to take off battery saver during the reset procedure. Also most here use battery saver in daily use.


----------



## RobertP (Jun 16, 2020)

Direct mode is always on here. Save more power and less sound distortions. The right sound tuned FW is best to improve sound quality and avoid any degradation at the same time.


----------



## Damz87

Anyone here use their Walkman as a DAC with Tidal from a PC/Mac?

I've noticed that MQA files are downsampled to PCM 16-bit/44.1khz when using MQA passthrough from the Tidal app to the walkman. I always thought that the WM1 could decode MQA but I'm guessing that's only MQA files, not MQA through DAC mode...?

The thing that's confusing me is that the TA-ZH1ES has no MQA compatibility whatsoever, so if I switch on MQA Passthrough on the tidal app using the TA, nothing will play at all. But with the walkman, it plays, but shows PCM in the downsampled format. When I switch off MQA passthrough, it will show the correct bitrate e.g. 24-bit/88.2khz


----------



## Vitaly2017

Tiger ears here also uses only direct source!  Its the most accurate and best way to listen for max sq


----------



## Vitaly2017

Damz87 said:


> Anyone here use their Walkman as a DAC with Tidal from a PC/Mac?
> 
> I've noticed that MQA files are downsampled to PCM 16-bit/44.1khz when using MQA passthrough from the Tidal app to the walkman. I always thought that the WM1 could decode MQA but I'm guessing that's only MQA files, not MQA through DAC mode...?
> 
> The thing that's confusing me is that the TA-ZH1ES has no MQA compatibility whatsoever, so if I switch on MQA Passthrough on the tidal app using the TA, nothing will play at all. But with the walkman, it plays, but shows PCM in the downsampled format. When I switch off MQA passthrough, it will show the correct bitrate e.g. 24-bit/88.2khz




I guess do the second method as it seems more right.


----------



## auronthas (Jun 17, 2020)

auronthas said:


> Yeah,  many thanks for your clarification and confirmation.  Will do the same to take extra care of the battery for a better lifespan.  Thanks again bro.


Despite the modded firmware I have tried several first batches by the pioneers on my WM1A , love them especially Solis and Jupiter, Region J but not Morgan's due to malware issue, I still can't figure out how to download them to bypass malware warning.  

Anyway, my curiosity is still the hardware, thus I bought myself WM1Z. I have successfully downloaded RobertP's Orion's firmwares for 1Z. I will keep the 1Z run in with stocked 3.0.2 firmware until it's "matured" with my "brain burn-in" then only switch region and install RobertP's firmware.  

Enjoy music is my first priority now. Cheers.


----------



## Duncan

One thing that puzzles me...

We have two clocks (44.1 and 48) that are assigned by a relay - yet went turning on / off direct sound (Regardless off if any DSP is activated or not) and regardless of which clock is active, another relay clicks, is this implying that the DSP is on a third clock, or that there is a specific part of the PCB that is activated / deactivated when switching mode?


----------



## auronthas

Duncan said:


> One thing that puzzles me...
> 
> We have two clocks (44.1 and 48) that are assigned by a relay - yet went turning on / off direct sound (Regardless off if any DSP is activated or not) and regardless of which clock is active, another relay clicks, is this implying that the DSP is on a third clock, or that there is a specific part of the PCB that is activated / deactivated when switching mode?


Two different relays for different bit depth (16, 24, 32) and clock speed 44.1kHz (11.025, 22.05, 88.2, 176.4, 352.8) and 48kHz (8, 12, 16, 24, 96. 192, 384)


----------



## Whitigir

Duncan said:


> One thing that puzzles me...
> 
> We have two clocks (44.1 and 48) that are assigned by a relay - yet went turning on / off direct sound (Regardless off if any DSP is activated or not) and regardless of which clock is active, another relay clicks, is this implying that the DSP is on a third clock, or that there is a specific part of the PCB that is activated / deactivated when switching mode?


I think it is more like a temporary mute with the very same relay


----------



## hamhamhamsta

auronthas said:


> Despite the modded firmware I have tried several first batches by the pioneers on my WM1A , love them especially Solis and Jupiter, Region J but not Morgan's due to malware issue, I still can't figure out how to download them to bypass malware warning.
> 
> Anyway, my curiosity is still the hardware, thus I bought myself WM1Z. I have successfully downloaded RobertP's Orion's firmwares for 1Z. I will keep the 1Z run in with stocked 3.0.2 firmware until it's "matured" with my "brain burn-in" then only switch region and install RobertP's firmware.
> 
> Enjoy music is my first priority now. Cheers.


I think Orion 8 will do well on 1Z


----------



## 515164

auronthas said:


> but not Morgan's due to malware issue, I still can't figure out how to download them to bypass malware warning



I don't have issues with all of them myself. I will probably repack them at some point, hopefully the false alarm will go away.


----------



## auronthas (Jun 17, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> I don't have issues with all of them myself. I will probably repack them at some point, hopefully the false alarm will go away.


Thanks bro, will try to download them (similar to file format like RobertP's, need to flash FW? ) ,  when it's available.



hamhamhamsta said:


> I think Orion 8 will do well on 1Z


Just edited the FW filename with notes for future installation. Thank you.


----------



## Duncan

Going back to the talk of the battery, does anyone know the rated capacity? I ran mine to empty and (apart from the result may be skewed by trickle charging) it drew 1697mah from the wall whilst charging - with battery saver on


----------



## Redcarmoose

Duncan said:


> Going back to the talk of the battery, does anyone know the rated capacity? I ran mine to empty and (apart from the result may be skewed by trickle charging) it drew 1697mah from the wall whilst charging - with battery saver on



Part of ownership is letting them run to zero. You can leave the player running and that can happen. Though very few if any have had to replace their battery. People have replaced the battery when doing modifications upgrade.


----------



## ttt123

Duncan said:


> One thing that puzzles me...
> 
> We have two clocks (44.1 and 48) that are assigned by a relay - yet went turning on / off direct sound (Regardless off if any DSP is activated or not) and regardless of which clock is active, another relay clicks, is this implying that the DSP is on a third clock, or that there is a specific part of the PCB that is activated / deactivated when switching mode?


The manual does mention what seems like the equivalent of a speaker mute relay on a regular amplifier.  It is on the Balanced output only, from the description. 

FROM THE MANUAL:
Headphone jack (Balanced Standard) (*2) Connect headphones with a balanced standard plug. 
Push in the headphone plug until it clicks into place. 
Connect the headphones properly. Otherwise, the output sound will be impaired. 
Connect passive headphones (*3) to the headphone jack (Balanced Standard) only. 
If you use an audio cable to connect the headphone jack (Balanced Standard) to the line-in jack of an audio device, it may damage the device.

*The internal circuit of the Walkman uses a relay. 
When a pair of headphones is connected to the headphone jack (Balanced Standard), you may hear sound from the relay in the following cases.
When you change the output device. 
When you change the content or the sound quality settings. 
When you turn the power on or off. While the screen is off.*


----------



## ttt123 (Jun 17, 2020)

Duncan said:


> Going back to the talk of the battery, does anyone know the rated capacity? I ran mine to empty and (apart from the result may be skewed by trickle charging) it drew 1697mah from the wall whilst charging - with battery saver on


Looks like it is an 1860 mAh battery.

https://uk.eetgroup.com/i/185358811-Sony-BATTERY-LITHIUM-ION-STORAG?id=185358811
https://encompass.com/item/10955862/Sony/1-853-588-11/

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-14690562


----------



## Gamerlingual (Jun 17, 2020)

Has anyone tried Deezer with their 1Z and 1A? Seems like they are available in Japan and have FLAC files for both streaming and downloading. Thoughts?

Edit: Never mind. They have no hi-res music. I'm guessing Amazon Japan's music the only Hi-Res service I can use? Sony's seems TOO limited


----------



## Gamerlingual

Had some Rakuten points and listening to a Linkin Park FLAC file vs the CD file and I can definitely note the little subtle differences in the drums and strings, but like I said, little differences. Seems like the cost of FLAC files vs 320 Kbps vs 96 KHz plus the album eating 1GB of space on the hard drive makes me think that spending that extra cash and space for just a little small difference. Good thing I got this Hi-Res album for free. So far, I'm listening directly from my PC. So tomorrow I'll try from my 1Z with the IER-Z1R before I make the final conclusion and test it whenever I am able to get the TA. Still, at least I'm trying to analyze as carefully as possible but also realizing I need to enjoy my music as well. The enjoy part is what counts the most.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> Had some Rakuten points and listening to a Linkin Park FLAC file vs the CD file and I can definitely note the little subtle differences in the drums and strings, but like I said, little differences. Seems like the cost of FLAC files vs 320 Kbps vs 96 KHz plus the album eating 1GB of space on the hard drive makes me think that spending that extra cash and space for just a little small difference. Good thing I got this Hi-Res album for free. So far, I'm listening directly from my PC. So tomorrow I'll try from my 1Z with the IER-Z1R before I make the final conclusion and test it whenever I am able to get the TA. Still, at least I'm trying to analyze as carefully as possible but also realizing I need to enjoy my music as well. The enjoy part is what counts the most.


1GB is not much compared to DSD 2.2 to whopping 3.9GB per album
 I can hear differences between CD, 24bit flac and DSD (same master, same studio)


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> 1GB is not much compared to DSD 2.2 to whopping 3.9GB per album
> I can hear differences between CD, 24bit flac and DSD (same master, same studio)


So do I, but as I said, not as substantial from even a critical listening experience, so it might lower even the listening enjoyment if it sounds the same and doesn’t wow me. If it’s the case, then no problem and I can still have one album to focus on the small hi-res differences. Will still wait for other equipment to come


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> So do I, but as I said, not as substantial from even a critical listening experience, so it might lower even the listening enjoyment if it sounds the same and doesn’t wow me. If it’s the case, then no problem and I can still have one album to focus on the small hi-res differences. Will still wait for other equipment to come


On the PC I hear like you, little differences, on the other hand, on the 1A the difference for me is substantial.

Take for example the CD rom the Mozart symphonies Nos. 35-41, on the top end sounds artificial same goes for the reverb.  Switching to 24-bit flac from the DSF master, the sound is.more natural, but some how sounds body, enclosed like recorded in a studio with reverb control.. almost no reverb. Switch lastly to the SACD rips, these sound perfect, more clear back instruments like flutes, oboes and clarinets, reverb is nice, feels like you're at the hall


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> On the PC I hear like you, little differences, on the other hand, on the 1A the difference for me is substantial.
> 
> Take for example the CD rom the Mozart symphonies Nos. 35-41, on the top end sounds artificial same goes for the reverb.  Switching to 24-bit flac from the DSF master, the sound is.more natural, but some how sounds body, enclosed like recorded in a studio with reverb control.. almost no reverb. Switch lastly to the SACD rips, these sound perfect, more clear back instruments like flutes, oboes and clarinets, reverb is nice, feels like you're at the hall


I could say labels often play tricks on us, by mastering better for Hi-res/DSD vs the normal CD release, this have been noticing on the hybrid SACDs and some flac 16/44 compared to the recently bought 24bit versions


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 17, 2020)

There are tracks where the master recording is recorded at 16bit 44.1KHz, and the store just "remaster" using software DSP to 24bit 96kHz format or thereabouts to sell to you as Hi Res tracks.


----------



## Amber Rain

Surely that's what you'd expect, for the labels / studios to master for the better format (to make use of the greater headroom), otherwise we'd be complaining that we'd been given a crap master that did not take full advantage of this?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Master quality records from studios are usually recorded in highest possible res, 32/192 for example but I think they stick at 24/192....
now you can down sample to still benefit from the quality but anything up sampled will be useless.

dsd are recorded in what they are 64 or 128 or 256 ect those dont get down sampled or up sample it is recorded in its native format and sold...
now if you convert dsd to pcm and then start the yada yda high res game thing with down samples and all that stuff, I do believe its wrong and it will result in a quality loss.

Once more I do feel wavs sounds the best flac is a lossless compression but its still a compression, compression compression and compression !


----------



## Whitigir (Jun 17, 2020)

There are “very little recordings” done in “Native DSD”.  Because DSD can not be edited if some artists have an “oopsie daisy moment”

Most recording are done in high sampling rate such as 384Khz....because PCM can be edited

Usually DSD or SACD from producers are PCM then modulated into DSD....what is this modulations ? A sigma delta conversions being done offline.  Similar to if you were to use a program to convert 16/44.1 into DSD.  It all depends on the algorithms that decided  the performances


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jun 17, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Had some Rakuten points and listening to a Linkin Park FLAC file vs the CD file and I can definitely note the little subtle differences in the drums and strings, but like I said, little differences. Seems like the cost of FLAC files vs 320 Kbps vs 96 KHz plus the album eating 1GB of space on the hard drive makes me think that spending that extra cash and space for just a little small difference. Good thing I got this Hi-Res album for free. So far, I'm listening directly from my PC. So tomorrow I'll try from my 1Z with the IER-Z1R before I make the final conclusion and test it whenever I am able to get the TA. Still, at least I'm trying to analyze as carefully as possible but also realizing I need to enjoy my music as well. The enjoy part is what counts the most.


Because you have some high end gear it would be an advantage to feed it with the highest quality files, but if cost of services or storage is a factor your gear will still sound fantastic regardless.
I sometimes listen to some music from my S10 phone (FLAC/Hi-Res) and it sounds very satisfying although it's a nothing special 3.5mm headphone output.
Personally I use FLAC as a minimum and not mp3 because it sounds better to my ears, it's not night and day, kind of like a very thin veil of clarity or something I can't find the words for. I have some DSD albums that sound great, but will sound also great as a CD FLAC and perhaps even mp3, just my choice and mindset.
It comes down to what your ears hear and can be satisfied with and works for you financially.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> There are “very little recordings” done in “Native DSD”.  Because DSD can not be edited if some artists have an “oopsie daisy moment”
> 
> Most recording are done in high sampling rate such as 384Khz....because PCM can be edited
> 
> Usually DSD or SACD from producers are PCM then modulated into DSD....what is this modulations ? A sigma delta conversions being done offline.  Similar to if you were to use a program to convert 16/44.1 into DSD.  It all depends on the algorithms that decided  the performances





Reading this and if its true then dsd sucks as its a pcm and then whats the point doing it so just use the pcm!
I dont know tough nativedsd.com claims they sell only natively recorded dsd! so I guess its still a mater of where you buy your dsd from and quality gets affected...  And if the artist does a ooopsies well we start the whole recording scenario ALL OVER hahaha no ooopsies next TIME okay


----------



## 524419 (Jun 18, 2020)

DSD tracks are converted from Analogue tapes. It is by far the best archiving format for analogue recordings available, as of yet.


----------



## wahdoy

Could someone please PM me the link for Orion 8,9 and 10? 
Thanks!


----------



## Vitaly2017

wahdoy said:


> Could someone please PM me the link for Orion 8,9 and 10?
> Thanks!





check me link YAAOoooo its open and wildly been shared ! in ma signature


----------



## wahdoy

Got it. Thanks so much.


----------



## Liono

Diet Kokaine said:


> DSD tracks are converted from Analogue tapes. It is by far the best archiving format for analogue recordings available, as of yet.



Agree, but I have a Hybrid SACD of Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms, but when you look up how the album was recorded you realise it was recorded on a DAT tape (16-bit 48KHz PCM). So one has to wonder, in this instance, if SACD is worthwhile. Does sound good non-the-less. The other Dire Straits Albums which were recorded on analogue tape sound fantastic on SACD.


----------



## proedros

i am listening to a *stellar *vinyl rip by a *test pressing* of this iconic album , if you think those HD Tracks are good , well ignorance is bliss i guess so yeah ignore my post

otherwise if you want the 24/96 FLAC files , pm me

ps: some of you already know what i am talking about


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jun 18, 2020)

.


----------



## nc8000

Liono said:


> Agree, but I have a Hybrid SACD of Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms, but when you look up how the album was recorded you realise it was recorded on a DAT tape (16-bit 48KHz PCM). So one has to wonder, in this instance, if SACD is worthwhile. Does sound good non-the-less. The other Dire Straits Albums which were recorded on analogue tape sound fantastic on SACD.



The sacd should technically produce more or less the same as the cd/flac with dsd upsampling on the TA


----------



## gerelmx1986

*DSD/SACD von analogue tapes sounds the best. Hence me buying these DGG SHM-SACDs*


----------



## auronthas

hamhamhamsta said:


> I think Orion 8 will do well on 1Z





aceedburn said:


> This is the construction of the DJ44C adaptor.
> 
> *4.4mm BAL Female to 3.5mm TRS / 2.5 TRRRS Balanced Audio Adapter *
> 
> ...


Single ended 3.5mm TRS to 4.4mm balanced TRRRS, does it works? If it works, still single ended soundstage not a true balanced ? 

I always thought 2.5mm TRRRS to 4.4mm TRRRS is true balanced.


----------



## gerelmx1986

auronthas said:


> Single ended 3.5mm TRS to 4.4mm balanced TRRRS, does it works? If it works, still single ended soundstage not a true balanced ?
> 
> I always thought 2.5mm TRRRS to 4.4mm TRRRS is true balanced.


I do have a fiio pigtail 4.4 female to 3.5 single-end male.to use with my smartphone or.laptop


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> Single ended 3.5mm TRS to 4.4mm balanced TRRRS, does it works? If it works, still single ended soundstage not a true balanced ?
> 
> I always thought 2.5mm TRRRS to 4.4mm TRRRS is true balanced.



You can use an adaptor with a female 4.4 to any male termination be it balanced or single ended and it will be balanced or single ended depending on the male termination, 6.3 will be trs single ended 3.5 can be either trs single ended or trrs balanced and 2.5 I think is only used trrs balanced or it could be xlr-4 or 2xlr-3 or any of the other balanced connectird


----------



## Amber Rain

This is a different sort of compression though, it's just like zipping a file that then gets unpacked when played. There _should be_ no loss of quality. There is an argument that this uses more processing power, but whether or not you can 'hear' this is up to you...


----------



## frost15

Amber Rain said:


> This is a different sort of compression though, it's just like zipping a file that then gets unpacked when played. There _should be_ no loss of quality. There is an argument that this uses more processing power, but whether or not you can 'hear' this is up to you...


Yeah, in any decent gear you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I remember seeing some blind tests proving this a while ago.


----------



## nc8000

frost15 said:


> Yeah, in any decent gear you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I remember seeing some blind tests proving this a while ago.



Some people can hear a difference between wav and flac but I can’t


----------



## SebaE2012

Vitaly2017 said:


> I have not yet received them. But my tia noir iem are at 70 to 80 and dsd can go to 95 at low gain.
> 
> But I most often listen at 68 regularly low gain



Same here. I've just begun using WM1-A with Z7M2 and, so far, I've been feeling comfortable with low gain, volume around 70 for most tracks. I still need to experiment a bit more, with different songs and some iems. 

Cheers.


----------



## frost15

nc8000 said:


> Some people can hear a difference between wav and flac but I can’t


I think that's highly dependant on gear's decoding efficiency... I for one can't tell the difference in my WM1Z


----------



## phonomat

nc8000 said:


> Some people can hear a difference between wav and flac but I can’t


Let's say some people claim (and certainly do believe) they can hear a difference, when all evidence seems to suggest that there should be none.


----------



## 515164

phonomat said:


> Let's say some people claim (and certainly do believe) they can hear a difference, when all evidence seems to suggest that there should be none.



Be careful, you don't want to awaken that crowd


----------



## Redcarmoose

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/vitaly2017.488010/

Thanks for the FWs, had many but never all in one place like now. 

Cheers!


----------



## gsiu33

gerelmx1986 said:


> Like @nc8000  my music doesn't fit in the 1TB, I have right now with these SACD frenzy 1.32TB, 8% hi-res 92% CD


no need to bother because in some point of time, just like me, you cannot fit all of your album in a single 1TB or even 2TB card. 
I got a few 256gb cards, so just copy selected albums from my music server to one of the 256gb card, then swap the card in WM1Z, I usually do it every 2 months for WM1Z.


----------



## Vitaly2017

phonomat said:


> Let's say some people claim (and certainly do believe) they can hear a difference, when all evidence seems to suggest that there should be none.




Haa hah   look it okay but you need to understand some gear and iems combination can be extremely resolving! And what I use is one hell of a iem setup! I can sens a lot of nuances and dig very very low into the sub world perceptions with this! So it is normal majority of folks cant hear this difference because your setup is simply not going to show you that! Nothing bad here actually I am happy for you guys as you can live with flacs lol and dont get bothered! I do get annoyed and want straight pure sound. Hell there is a reason why wav is used in studios!
I have a friend who is a SOUND MASTERING BROO and he even told me we never use flac in any circumstances as there is some compression happening and the voids are deleted that is how you save room and when its unpacked the voids that been deleted dont comeback so the flacs do have some minor loss in data. Wav loss's nothing and always direst source! as 1z direct source.   We can argue on this for ever I tell you there is a difference. But can you hear it or not is a different story.


----------



## 515164 (Jun 18, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I have a friend who is a SOUND MASTERING BROO and he even told me we never use flac in any circumstances as there is some compression happening and the voids are deleted that is how you save room and when its unpacked the voids that been deleted dont comeback so the flacs do have some minor loss in data.



Man, stop saying stuff if you don't actually know how lossless compression works. What the heck is "voids" that are being "deleted", really? Lossless means *nothing* is being lost.

I thought we already cleared this out........... Please.

Just inform yourself properly, and stop blindly listening to others. Even the record house you were buying hi-res stuff from was actually saying false stuff, if you remember.

Here, this was when that discussion started, with the record house: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15548024


----------



## bana

Lookout57 said:


> Since you are building a PC why not add a DVD drive?
> 
> I put a DVD burner in all the computers I build since they are cheap <$20.


The cases I'm looking at just don't have slots for DVD burner. I will have to compromise.


----------



## Duncan

Going back to my battery draining quickly (At least on the gauge), I can now add myself to the voices that will vouch for running the battery flat to recalibrate it, I’m still on 4/4 after using for 5-6hrs

Panic over


----------



## Queen6

proedros said:


> i am listening to a *stellar *vinyl rip by a *test pressing* of this iconic album , if you think those HD Tracks are good , well ignorance is bliss i guess so yeah ignore my post
> 
> otherwise if you want the 24/96 FLAC files , pm me
> 
> ps: some of you already know what i am talking about



It's always about the sound never the numbers, that's just something that helps you get there 

Q-6


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 18, 2020)

for those interested in the flac vs wave phenomena:

they use a pair of B&W 802 speakers to compare actual sound system difference between wave, flac lvl 0 and flac lvl5. The subjective measurement they used is the ability of the sound system to produce sound stage height. It’s broken down into two parts:

https://www.hificritic.com/flac-wav-sound-quality-research.html



> Late in 2014 and early 2015, TAS published our next series of 3 articles. During the course of our work on computer audio, we noticed an apparent correlation on certain recordings between our previous subjective sound quality scale and the ability to reproduce height information. On a lark we measured the height of specific instruments or voices judged from the listening position (with the aid of a tape measure suspended from the ceiling to the center of the midrange between the speakers) as a function of up- or down-sampling between 44.1 kHz and 192 kHz using two recordings (the harp in Chabrier’s España and the soprano chorus in Misa Criolla by Ramirez). When these data were plotted together with our subjective sound quality scoring method, the two methods exhibited a striking linear correlation.





> Discussion
> We undertook this lengthy investigation of FLAC-induced WAV file sonic degradation because of the strong negative reaction we received as a result of our original description of this phenomenon. This criticism emanated from those whose belief system was based on a one dimensional view of the FLAC system of lossless compression and their firm belief in the argument that “bits are bits”. Our hope was that we could reproduce our original findings and expose the source of this FLAC-induced decline in WAV file SQ. We believe that we have been successful in meeting our goals with the powerful aid of our height method for measuring SQ. Our results provide a two-fold benefit first to the purveyors and consumers of high resolution music files and second to those who have been lulled into a mistaken dependency on DBT and ABX for studying SQ.
> To summarize, we have found at least four different reasons why the lossless FLAC compression format degrades the SQ when compared with uncompressed WAV files. These are:
> 1. The pixel size and file size of the cover art attached to the metadata (MDA);
> ...


----------



## RobertP

It's all about how good the master recording sources are. If garbage in then garbage out no matter what. Sadly, less and less high quality records are out nowadays.


----------



## Queen6 (Jun 18, 2020)

End of the day it's all about the music; I'd rather be happier with less than be dissatisfied with more...

Q-6


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 18, 2020)

With regards to Sony walkman’s battery component quality . This is my 5year old ZX2 Walkman. 24days of standby time from 100% to flat.


----------



## 524419

After listening to High Res albums, especially well Mastered DSD albums, it is almost impossible for me to enjoy 16/44 Flac music. It sounds grainy, artificial, and stagnant. 
Entire frequency ranges have been chopped off, music to my ears sounds like it has no air. 
what a conundrum.... Ignorance is bliss??? 
Jazz , Classical, instrumental music only going forward I guess. Most popular music sounds like pots and pans


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> for those interested in the flac vs wave phenomena:
> 
> they use a pair of B&W 802 speakers to compare actual sound system difference between wave, flac lvl 0 and flac lvl5. The subjective measurement they used is the ability of the sound system to produce sound stage height. It’s broken down into two parts:
> 
> https://www.hificritic.com/flac-wav-sound-quality-research.html




Well that is some very cool science!  Thanks for sharing


----------



## Amber Rain

Diet Kokaine said:


> Most popular music sounds like pots and pans



Not quite popular, but try some Einstürzende Neubauten then.,,


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jun 18, 2020)

proedros said:


> i am listening to a *stellar *vinyl rip by a *test pressing* of this iconic album , if you think those HD Tracks are good , well ignorance is bliss i guess so yeah ignore my post
> 
> otherwise if you want the 24/96 FLAC files , pm me
> 
> ps: some of you already know what i am talking about


My God, I got chills. Just listen to first song 'Street has No Name' was 2 decades ago since I last heard it. I'm sure gonna enjoy the rest of the album.

Good times! Good times!


----------



## phonomat

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> for those interested in the flac vs wave phenomena:
> 
> they use a pair of B&W 802 speakers to compare actual sound system difference between wave, flac lvl 0 and flac lvl5. The subjective measurement they used is the ability of the sound system to produce sound stage height. It’s broken down into two parts:
> 
> https://www.hificritic.com/flac-wav-sound-quality-research.html


So they used a tape measure to measure sound quality? Lol! I don"t even know where to begin with this ...


----------



## proedros

hamhamhamsta said:


> My God, I got chills. Just listen to first song 'Street has No Name' was 2 decades ago since I last heard it. I'm sure gonna enjoy the rest of the album.
> 
> Good times! Good times!



glad you enjoy it , it is a stellar rip indeed , and i have had more than 10 people here asking for the links , hopefully thy enjoy it as much as you do

i will share some more goodies later on , music needs to be shared

cheers


----------



## Blueoris

Diet Kokaine said:


> After listening to High Res albums, especially well Mastered DSD albums, it is almost impossible for me to enjoy 16/44 Flac music. It sounds grainy, artificial, and stagnant.
> Entire frequency ranges have been chopped off, music to my ears sounds like it has no air.
> what a conundrum.... Ignorance is bliss???
> Jazz , Classical, instrumental music only going forward I guess. Most popular music sounds like pots and pans




Once I recover from the same disease, and I just go back to enjoy music as I did when I was a kid, I will offer some help to you and other guys in this forum


----------



## businesstron

businesstron said:


> Does anyone know if the WM1A has a song limit?  I've had mines for about about a year now and recently when I load songs to it via Mediago or the PC Music Center it doesn't show up on the player when I disconnect it.   It's weird because when I try to manually rebuild the database the thing just hangs for hours.     I have 81,201 songs on it right now and  I have about 21 gb left on my micro sd card.


  Anyone have any suggestions on this?   It's weird because I i tried to remove a couple hundred track from my sd card and from device storage and nothing I had to it will show up on the player.   When it's hooked up to the computer I can see the tracks in Media go and on in my music folder.  When I try to manuualy rebuild the data base it just hangs and never progresses.  I let it sit for six hours one night and the progress bar did move any.   I'm stuck in musical purgatory.


----------



## fire2368

Someone is selling their wm1z for $1.25k. user is mrgray on classifieds. I don't know him but that's a good price.


----------



## 515164

businesstron said:


> Anyone have any suggestions on this?   It's weird because I i tried to remove a couple hundred track from my sd card and from device storage and nothing I had to it will show up on the player.   When it's hooked up to the computer I can see the tracks in Media go and on in my music folder.  When I try to manuualy rebuild the data base it just hangs and never progresses.  I let it sit for six hours one night and the progress bar did move any.   I'm stuck in musical purgatory.



I will do some calculations tomorrow and will let you an approximate number.

I also have an idea about possibly increasing the limit, but will see.


----------



## 524419

Blueoris said:


> Once I recover from the same disease, and I just go back to enjoy music as I did when I was a kid, I will offer some help to you and other guys in this forum


I've never enjoyed listening to music more than I do now. Thank you for the offer, but no help needed here.


----------



## Quang23693

Anyone have a problem with battery of wm1a. My 1A Kmod replaced the battery about a year. Generally, it can work about 11~13h but recently, it just work 5-6h. Could anyone help me? Thank in advance


----------



## Queen6

Quang23693 said:


> Anyone have a problem with battery of wm1a. My 1A Kmod replaced the battery about a year. Generally, it can work about 11~13h but recently, it just work 5-6h. Could anyone help me? Thank in advance



Try a battery reset, as may just be a software issue.

Play until the DAP shuts down
Open until the DAP won't start
Recharge to 100% plus a couple of hours without turning on
See what you see 

Q-6


----------



## Quang23693

Queen6 said:


> Try a battery reset, as may just be a software issue.
> 
> Play until the DAP shuts down
> Open until the DAP won't start
> ...


Many tks, i'll try it now


----------



## nc8000

businesstron said:


> Anyone have any suggestions on this?   It's weird because I i tried to remove a couple hundred track from my sd card and from device storage and nothing I had to it will show up on the player.   When it's hooked up to the computer I can see the tracks in Media go and on in my music folder.  When I try to manuualy rebuild the data base it just hangs and never progresses.  I let it sit for six hours one night and the progress bar did move any.   I'm stuck in musical purgatory.



It sounds like there might be a track the player doesn’t like and that hangs the build. 

I downloaded the database Morgenstern uploaded and installed DBBrowser and that database contains 827 albums and about 9.000 tracks and folders and the database file is about 10MB so it would fit that if it can at the most be 100MB it will max out at around 80.000 tracks.


----------



## Hinomotocho

nc8000 said:


> It sounds like there might be a track the player doesn’t like and that hangs the build.
> 
> I downloaded the database Morgenstern uploaded and installed DBBrowser and that database contains 827 albums and about 9.000 tracks and folders and the database file is about 10MB so it would fit that if it can at the most be 100MB it will max out at around 80.000 tracks.


Do corrupt files cause this perhaps?


----------



## nc8000

Hinomotocho said:


> Do corrupt files cause this perhaps?



Very possible Or a defective area on the sd card


----------



## proedros (Jun 19, 2020)

today's pick is *ABC - The Lexicon Of Love *

I have a stellar rip of this 80s pop masterpiece to share with you guys - for those who never heard this one and want an idea , *imagine Bob Dylan writing extra clever (bittersweet) lyrics on love (and the heartbreak caused by it), fused with Chic-like dance grooves , and melodies laced with strings to die for - with a stellar production by Trevor Horn*

to my ears at least ,greatest/favorite 80s pop album (and i have heard lots of pop albums...)

if you want the vinyl rip 24/96 FLAC files , you know the drill....


----------



## auronthas

nc8000 said:


> You can use an adaptor with a female 4.4 to any male termination be it balanced or single ended and it will be balanced or single ended depending on the male termination,


That's my question... if the adaptor is single ended TRS 3.5mm male to 4.4mm female out as the photo previously shown, that's still single ended ?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

proedros said:


> today's pick is *ABC - The Lexicon Of Love *
> 
> I have a stellar rip of this 80s pop masterpiece to share with you guys - for those who never heard this one and want an idea , *imagine Bob Dylan writing extra clever (bittersweet) lyrics on love (and the heartbreak caused by it), fused with Chic-like dance grooves , and melodies laced with strings to die for - with a stellar production by Trevor Horn*
> 
> ...


Sounds like a daily thing; that's great if it is. Count me in as your loyal groupie hahaha


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> That's my question... if the adaptor is single ended TRS 3.5mm male to 4.4mm female out as the photo previously shown, that's still single ended ?



Yes TRS is single ended (unless you have 2 of them like the cable that came with the Z5 to be used on the PHA-3 amp). 

That one you linked is to be able to use a headphone that is terminated with a 4.4 male from sources that only have a 3.5 output


----------



## auronthas (Jun 19, 2020)

morgenstern09 said:


> I don't have issues with all of them myself. I will probably repack them at some point, hopefully the false alarm will go away.


Sir @morgenstern09, i managed to copy your FWs from Sir "Tiger"" @Vitaly2017 link. Thanks both


----------



## auronthas

nc8000 said:


> Yes TRS is single ended (unless you have 2 of them like the cable that came with the Z5 to be used on the PHA-3 amp).
> 
> That one you linked is to be able to use a headphone that is terminated with a 4.4 male from sources that only have a 3.5 output


Thanks, that's my point, one can listen via 4.4mm but it is not true balanced. I find the adaptor serves no point.


----------



## gerelmx1986

businesstron said:


> Anyone have any suggestions on this?   It's weird because I i tried to remove a couple hundred track from my sd card and from device storage and nothing I had to it will show up on the player.   When it's hooked up to the computer I can see the tracks in Media go and on in my music folder.  When I try to manuualy rebuild the data base it just hangs and never progresses.  I let it sit for six hours one night and the progress bar did move any.   I'm stuck in musical purgatory.


Why you don't add songs by parts? F.e artists A-C then build database. Then continue Artists D-F and let it build and so on


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hinomotocho said:


> Do corrupt files cause this perhaps?


No, I've had corrupt flac files and the walkman does just skip.to next track


----------



## etlouis

RobertP said:


> It's all about how good the master recording sources are. If garbage in then garbage out no matter what. Sadly, less and less high quality records are out nowadays.



Indeed. I recommend you guys try UNAMAS label music. They did some magic with the mastering and it is the first time I heard the timbre of violins and appreciated it. 

ViVa The Four Seasons DSD(A.Vivaldi Concerto NO-1_NO-04)


----------



## aceedburn

auronthas said:


> Thanks, that's my point, one can listen via 4.4mm but it is not true balanced. I find the adaptor serves no point.


It definitely serves a point. If your iems or headphones are terminated with a 4.4mm Jack then you can now listen to it on any 3.5mm port. That’s the purpose of it. Who cares about balanced or unbalanced? The purpose of this adaptor is just  for that.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> It definitely serves a point. If your iems or headphones are terminated with a 4.4mm Jack then you can now listen to it on any 3.5mm port. That’s the purpose of it. Who cares about balanced or unbalanced? The purpose of this adaptor is just  for that.


Meaning no need to change the cables and always keep the 4.4mm say the IER-Z1R to prevent damage from constant swapping?


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> Thanks, that's my point, one can listen via 4.4mm but it is not true balanced. I find the adaptor serves no point.



Yes it is single ended but the point of this adapter is to allow you to actually be able to use your phones on all sources that only have 3.5. I use one so that I can use both my 4.4 terminated Z1R from my iPad and iPhone


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Meaning no need to change the cables and always keep the 4.4mm say the IER-Z1R to prevent damage from constant swapping?



Yep


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Meaning no need to change the cables and always keep the 4.4mm say the IER-Z1R to prevent damage from constant swapping?



The super adaptors pyramid  lol
4.4 to 3.5 then to 6.3 haha


----------



## auronthas

aceedburn said:


> It definitely serves a point. If your iems or headphones are terminated with a 4.4mm Jack then you can now listen to it on any 3.5mm port. That’s the purpose of it. Who cares about balanced or unbalanced? The purpose of this adaptor is just  for that.





aceedburn said:


> Yes. It’s by DD Hifi. They sent me a review unit together with TC35i for iPhone. *Fantastic build quality and transparent sound*. Used to connect your 4.4mm cables to 3.5mm inputs. Perfectly safe and top notch product. In fact I posted a picture of it a few days ago here.


Amazing indeed.


----------



## auronthas

nc8000 said:


> Yes it is single ended but the point of this adapter is to allow you to actually be able to use your phones on all sources that only have 3.5. I use one so that I can use both my 4.4 terminated Z1R from my iPad and iPhone


Yeah, it works, but does the sound improved, more transparent ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Gamerlingual


----------



## Gamerlingual

Can someone recommend the adapter? Or adapters to check? Thanks in advance


----------



## aceedburn

auronthas said:


> Yeah, it works, but does the sound improved, more transparent ?


The sound doesn’t improve neither does it get worse. So it’s fully transparent. I tried it on multiple devices and did a review on it.


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Meaning no need to change the cables and always keep the 4.4mm say the IER-Z1R to prevent damage from constant swapping?


Yes indeed. Especially mmcx connectors are prone to malfunction with multiple attach and remove actions. That’s why I never remove cables from my iems.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Can someone recommend the adapter? Or adapters to check? Thanks in advance



if you want best quality adapters and transparent it will cost you an arm  moonaudio.com makes ones of the best. You have plussound less expensive but also quality, I would never buy fiio ibasso or cayin ones sorry  I even tested an pw audio adapter the other day and found it degraded sq...

http://www.plussoundaudio.com/customcables/interconnect.html



I highly rec 8wires adapters as they will retain max sq possible.

https://www.moon-audio.com/dragon-audio-cables/adapter-cables.html


----------



## nc8000 (Jun 19, 2020)

auronthas said:


> Yeah, it works, but does the sound improved, more transparent ?



That is not the point, the point is being able to use a headphone in places where you otherwise couldn’t so I suppose it improves the sound infinately from no sound to sound


----------



## auronthas (Sep 17, 2020)

.


----------



## Gww1

Wouldn't transparent be the opposite of snake oil? ie. It makes no difference to sound with or without it.


----------



## aceedburn

Gww1 said:


> Wouldn't transparent be the opposite of snake oil? ie. It makes no difference to sound with or without it.


Absolutely. That’s my interpretation and probably the only correct interpretation of the word “transparent”.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Vitaly2017 said:


> if you want best quality adapters and transparent it will cost you an arm  moonaudio.com makes ones of the best. You have plussound less expensive but also quality, I would never buy fiio ibasso or cayin ones sorry  I even tested an pw audio adapter the other day and found it degraded sq...
> 
> http://www.plussoundaudio.com/customcables/interconnect.html
> 
> ...


With DD Hi-Fi offer, thoose are useless if you want my humble opinion.


----------



## auronthas (Sep 17, 2020)

.


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrLocoLuciano said:


> With DD Hi-Fi offer, thoose are useless if you want my humble opinion.




I personally haven't tried those so I dont comment on them but true I hear more often good feedbacks on the DD adapters


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> To say it sounds "transparent", that's snake oil !!!



???


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> Can someone recommend the adapter? Or adapters to check? Thanks in advance


U do like this fiio adapter, only con, is the screw, jack with the aluminum barrel, that makes it.feel not good. But raise that I like it. Note that it can be tight to remove but not much


----------



## Gww1

auronthas said:


> I would never buy these adapters, better get a portable DAC with higher SINAD, less THD spec like AKM or ESS DAC chipsets.
> 
> 
> 
> The transparent is wrongly use here for this adapter !


You would rather buy a different portable DAC than use a 4.4mm to 3.5mm adapter?


----------



## nc8000

Gww1 said:


> You would rather buy a different portable DAC than use a 4.4mm to 3.5mm adapter?



I have for many years had my main headphones and in ears terminated to various balanced terminations and then used pig tails or adapters to accomodate other terminations be it single ended or different balanced to avoid having to have several cables and swap them and have never experienced any sound improvement or degredation as a result


----------



## Gww1

nc8000 said:


> I have for many years had my main headphones and in ears terminated to various balanced terminations and then used pig tails or adapters to accomodate other terminations be it single ended or different balanced to avoid having to have several cables and swap them and have never experienced any sound improvement or degredation as a result


I agree, me too.

I was confused why somebody wouldn't want to.


----------



## gerelmx1986

More yummy DSD music


----------



## bana

proedros said:


> glad you enjoy it , it is a stellar rip indeed , and i have had more than 10 people here asking for the links , hopefully thy enjoy it as much as you do
> 
> i will share some more goodies later on , music needs to be shared
> 
> cheers


You sir, have an ear for music.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Yup, after listening to the FLAC files, I definitely notice the nuances more now than ever. I’ll probably buy a few more Linkin Park albums in FLAC or MQB is it and just have those as my Hi-Res songs. They certainly sounded much better than I expected. The 1Z really does bring the best out of the IER-Z1R when using FLAC. Stunning and positive turnaround indeed. Can’t wait to see what the TA does. Looking at the DMP-Z1, I’m thinking the TA just offers a lot more variety and flexibility. With the MDR-Z7M2 also coming with the 6.35mm adapter, that really does expand all the listening possibilities. Good stuff


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> Yup, after listening to the FLAC files, I definitely notice the nuances more now than ever. I’ll probably buy a few more Linkin Park albums in FLAC or MQB is it and just have those as my Hi-Res songs. They certainly sounded much better than I expected. The 1Z really does bring the best out of the IER-Z1R when using FLAC. Stunning and positive turnaround indeed. Can’t wait to see what the TA does. Looking at the DMP-Z1, I’m thinking the TA just offers a lot more variety and flexibility. With the MDR-Z7M2 also coming with the 6.35mm adapter, that really does expand all the listening possibilities. Good stuff


Flac can be also CD-Quality, wg. 16bit/44.1khz,  DAT-Quality 16bit/48kHz as well as hi-res


----------



## Hinomotocho

gerelmx1986 said:


> U do like this fiio adapter, only con, is the screw, jack with the aluminum barrel, that makes it.feel not good. But raise that I like it. Note that it can be tight to remove but not much


I'm happy with my Fiio 2.5mm-4.4mm which is much smaller and lighter than my Musashino 3.5mm-4.4mm, and a 3rd of the price.


----------



## flyer1 (Jun 19, 2020)

proedros said:


> i am listening to a *stellar *vinyl rip by a *test pressing* of this iconic album , if you think those HD Tracks are good , well ignorance is bliss i guess so yeah ignore my post
> 
> otherwise if you want the 24/96 FLAC files , pm me
> 
> ps: some of you already know what i am talking about


This Joshua Tree version is stunningly good. Must have listened over the years to lower quality cd/radiocassette/MP3 versions for over a 100 hours.Then after 30+years this arrives..

Ready for another 100!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hinomotocho said:


> I'm happy with my Fiio 2.5mm-4.4mm which is much smaller and lighter than my Musashino 3.5mm-4.4mm, and a 3rd of the price.


I like mine too, only wish it was L shaped instead straight on the male end


----------



## Hinomotocho

gerelmx1986 said:


> I like mine too, only wish it was L shaped instead straight on the male end


Yes, I prefer L shaped, feels less likely to get damaged if knocked. Some of their upgrade cables are L shaped whereas all of Sony's seem to be.


----------



## Hinomotocho

With the talk of the difference between wav and flac, is the difference similar to VBR and CBR mp3s? Is the mentioned difference in quality due to how the FLAC is played back having to be uncompressed as it goes?


----------



## 515164 (Jun 19, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> With the talk of the difference between wav and flac, is the difference similar to VBR and CBR mp3s? Is the mentioned difference in quality due to how the FLAC is played back having to be uncompressed as it goes?



Check out this post: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15686499

By the way, to get things more on topic, it seems that just turning Direct Mode off (without any effects active) reveals a noise floor, that it's not there while Direct Mode is active.

I noticed this with my Shure SE846, low gain, volume set to 90, playing via the Bluetooth Receiver function using LDAC, on the balanced connection.


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 19, 2020)

From a data preservation stand point, a compressed FLAC file is going to be exact lossless bit perfect copy of WAVE if you extract/convert the FLAC back to WAVE.

when it comes to real-time playback of FLAC file on an audio system, it’s going to incur more performance penalties vs WAVE file playback, there are probably some Software engineering workarounds(like decoding entire flac file to system memory as raw PCM data and do direct data streaming to DAC).

However this kind of workarounds do not work practically in a portable environment like in a Walkman which needs to reduce battery load and limit cpu/memory usage, so the Walkman  has to do decoding of the flac file in a sequential portion by portion manner which induces more bursty like periodic cpu & memory I/O usage and power draw. This will likely impact sound quality slightly due to additional incurred periodic cpu/ram generated electrical noise and power draw during decoding/playback process.

You can always set FLAC compression to lvl 0 which means it’s basically an uncompressed pcm wave stream but with album art and editable track information. This is the closest to a WAVE file in terms of the system utilisation during playback.

I think this firmware engineer has the Flac vs Wave phenomenal explained in the most understandable manner:

https://www.audioshark.org/computer...uality-difference-between-flac-wav-15491.html


> > True. For those who believe WAV and FLAC must sound the same and heard no difference, the reason is that they are exactly the same digitally after FLAC decoding.
> >
> > For those who heard a difference, the reason is that the process of the FLAC decoding needs additional CPU and memory accesses, which cause additional noise. *Additional CPU usage also means slightly increased power requirements. Power is of utmost importance to audio SQ.*
> >
> ...


----------



## Mindstorms

morgenstern09 said:


> Man, stop saying stuff if you don't actually know how lossless compression works. What the heck is "voids" that are being "deleted", really? Lossless means *nothing* is being lost.
> 
> I thought we already cleared this out........... Please.
> 
> ...


I hear something weird in lossless audio as they call it it may not lose sound but FLAC sometimes sound weird to me maybe we are so acustomed to mp3  than when you hear flac it sounds like volume its too much... if someone knows what i mean... DSD on the other side I loved on my walkman maybe its recording and has nothing to do with the format.... but noone can explain...


----------



## 515164

Mindstorms said:


> I hear something weird in lossless audio as they call it it may not lose sound but FLAC sometimes sound weird to me maybe we are so acustomed to mp3  than when you hear flac it sounds like volume its too much... if someone knows what i mean... DSD on the other side I loved on my walkman maybe its recording and has nothing to do with the format.... but noone can explain...



Well, this has nothing to do with imagining how something works and then thinking that the imagined thing is actually true and then spreading it around as true information.

Ok, the decoding of the FLAC (which is made to be a lot faster than the encoding process) may produce some noise as the CPU works or something - this is plausible.

However, "voids" being "deleted" or claiming that the data is compressed in a lossy way, is false.

That was my point of the post - that we should inform ourselves about stuff.


----------



## mwhals

All my almost 10,000 flac files ripped from CDs sound great to me.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 19, 2020)

mwhals said:


> All my almost 10,000 flac files ripped from CDs sound great to me.



Most people won’t notice or can live with the very slight differences.

However there exist people with *Golden Tiger Ears* that can hear 4x better!!! X-men audiophiles


----------



## Krutsch

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> From a data preservation stand point, a compressed FLAC file is going to be exact lossless bit perfect copy of WAVE if you extract/convert the FLAC back to WAVE.



That part is correct.



> ...
> You can always set FLAC compression to lvl 0 which means it’s basically an uncompressed pcm wave stream but with album art and editable track information. This is the closest to a WAVE file in terms of the system utilisation during playback.
> ...



One thing you need to understand is that FLAC compression level has more to do with the level of effort expended during compression - de-compression (transcoding back to PCM) is basically the same level of processing, regardless of the compression level used.

I've actually done some testing on this, using an older system. I've run CPU benchmarks on large FLAC files (i.e 192/24) encoded with default compression levels (i.e. 5); during playback on an older system, the CPU was barely doing anything - like low single digits to unpack and decode, consistently and over time.

Conversely, on the same system, running Apple's lossless codec (ALAC) was a different story - almost 50% CPU utilization to unpack/de-code the same hi-res music on the same system. Why is this? The metadata. ALAC has a more complex metadata structure that allows arbitrary data to appear throughout the audio file, which translates into more processing required to play back the same song.

Guess what happened when I tried the same experiment using WAV audio files (again, the same tracks as above, but transcoded to WAV)? The CPU numbers looked like FLAC. Yes, that's right - (almost) no difference. FLAC de-compression is very fast and light-weight and the metadata structure is well designed.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 19, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> From a data preservation stand point, a compressed FLAC file is going to be exact lossless bit perfect copy of WAVE if you extract/convert the FLAC back to WAVE.
> 
> when it comes to real-time playback of FLAC file on an audio system, it’s going to incur more performance penalties vs WAVE file playback, there are probably some Software engineering workarounds(like decoding entire flac file to system memory as raw PCM data and do direct data streaming to DAC).
> 
> ...





Mindstorms said:


> I hear something weird in lossless audio as they call it it may not lose sound but FLAC sometimes sound weird to me maybe we are so acustomed to mp3  than when you hear flac it sounds like volume its too much... if someone knows what i mean... DSD on the other side I loved on my walkman maybe its recording and has nothing to do with the format.... but noone can explain...





Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Most people won’t notice or can live with the very slight differences.
> 
> However there exist people with *Golden Tiger Ears* that can hear 4x better!!! X-men audiophiles





Thank you for you support guys and it is indeed true what @Sonywalkmanuser explained about the flac vs wav have a higher impact in sq perception flac vs wav in pc then on the Walkman.  I once did the experiment and I could feel a more prominent difference in wav sounding better then flac on pc.

On Walkman its almost unnoticeable as I presume its a dedicated music player and it been optimized as max possible for highest sq performance!  So that make sense!

But @morgenstern09 keeps arguing with and looking into everyway to prove I am wrong lol. Hey there is a difference between flac and wav it will always be there and to hear it you need very particular circumstances and mind set and of course your gear matters!
Worse the gear easier is to spot it with ToTL iems.... or headphones.

I will admit I had flacs I converted them back to wav and what I feel is that. Flac files seems to act really like zip files to music data and when converted back to wav and flac and vis versa it seems to hold its same data value!

But by all means I still find the wav to offer best performance what ever is the playback circumstances!
Wav has no compression in its way its playing the music file directly without the hassle of going threw the uncompression process.

Believe me or not is your choise!
I think @morgenstern09 keep trying to correct me as because he believes that I falsely claim flac physically degrading the sound quality of the music. But I think it is not. I think its the compression that flac has to go threw that degrades a layer of purness of the sound quality.
It does sound better in wav even flacs that I convert back to wav still seems to offer a better sense and perception of the music.



So I hope you understand my point of view better @morgenstern09 flac is lossless compression yes but I will repeat again that word 3 times that I HATE


compression  compression  compression!  That is the problem!


----------



## 515164

Vitaly2017 said:


> I think @morgenstern09 keep trying to correct me as because he believes that I falsely claim flac physically degrading the sound quality of the music.



No man, come on...

You were saying that FLAC encoding is lossy, which is not true, and then you came up with this "voids" being "deleted", lol. This is not how compression of data works. That's all.

I'm not here to prove you wrong, I am just mentioning that some stuff you say is not true. If nobody would correct a false claim, then other people may think it's true as well.


----------



## normie610

Vitaly2017 said:


> So I hope you understand my point of view better  flac is lossless compression yes but I will repeat again that word 3 times that I HATE
> 
> 
> compression  compression  compression!  That is the problem!



And you hate lossless compression because it sounds worse to you than wav?


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> No man, come on...
> 
> You were saying that FLAC encoding is lossy, which is not true, and then you came up with this "voids" being "deleted", lol. This is not how compression of data works. That's all.
> 
> I'm not here to prove you wrong, I am just mentioning that some stuff you say is not true. If nobody would correct a false claim, then other people may think it's true as well.




Well I tell you a secret lol the black voids being deleted and lost is an idea that my friend said I simply used it. Yea it may be perceived as lossy conversion but it is not what I meant !
Hey after all we are here for friendly discussions and I didnt think that my words could be used against me lmao.

So lets agree flac is a lossless compression everyone ! We all agree and the decompression process is what Tiger Ears hate and disagrees with Ok people 🙂🐅

I see compression like disabling direct sources in walkman menu.

I always use direct source! So for me wav is a sort of a direct source thing in a way....


I think what I am saying is totally credible and make sense no?


----------



## 515164

Vitaly2017 said:


> I think what I am saying is totally credible and make sense no?



It could make sense. However, it would affect the sound in a very small proportion.

One thing that I can't get out of my mind is that at first you were thinking that it's not a lossless compression, and that was your reason that you don't use FLAC files. After some discussions where we cleared out that nothing is actually lost, then you started with this other reason, that the decompression process produces noise that you can perceive. To me this sounds a little like some bias, and you just try finding reasons to justify why you don't use FLAC files.

Just my 2 cents. I don't really care about FLAC vs WAV as I already have my choice, I just didn't want to have false info here.

Cheers!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 19, 2020)

End of the day it's your own choice on how you as an audiophile/walkman user wish to store your files.

It's good to have a friendly discussion where we are able to exchange opinions or differing information to the topic that relates to our walkman.

In my opinion:

If you need extra space then flac is definitely a good format to store more music.

If you can hear a difference, and you have the excess storage space to spare, then go for wave format for your most precious PCM based music.

Or you can even convert to lossy AAC files if you think it's audiblly transparent enough for you.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 19, 2020)

With regards to Direct Source On, Direct Source Off with all DSP off and DSP modes:


Depending on my mood and music playing, sometimes I prefer to use DSP and sometimes I like to use Direct Source mode.

Take for example when listening to old songs, for example the band Eagles, I like to use vinyl processor surface noise so that the music from the walkman sounded more like it is coming from a cassette tape Walkman player rather than a hi res digital player. It brought back the familar hisser/noiser sound that I used to listen when younger.

Also sometimes I feel DSEE HX AI on the zx507 can help add ambience to the live music while there are other music recordings which I feel sounded better with direct source mode ON.

Same thing with DC phase Linearizer, some music I prefer to have it switched off but there are many music which sounded better with it on. My taste for bass changed with my mood, so sometimes I prefer a stronger bass setting and sometimes I like lower bass on the same music track.

So in my opinion, it's good that Sony has included so many DSP and switches that allow us to select what best suits us at the moment of listening.


----------



## Damz87

No offence to @Vitaly2017 specifically, but I find it hard to believe anyone that says they hear a difference between wav & flac without backing it up from a genuine blind a/b test. The differences are so minute, and I suspect there’s an element of placebo. If you tell yourself WAV sounds better, it will sound better (to you)


----------



## Vitaly2017

morgenstern09 said:


> It could make sense. However, it would affect the sound in a very small proportion.
> 
> One thing that I can't get out of my mind is that at first you were thinking that it's not a lossless compression, and that was your reason that you don't use FLAC files. After some discussions where we cleared out that nothing is actually lost, then you started with this other reason, that the decompression process produces noise that you can perceive. To me this sounds a little like some bias, and you just try finding reasons to justify why you don't use FLAC files.
> 
> ...





Yea I am evolving!  On a daily basis ! I jumped from spotify to flac then to wav. As back at that time I was living a big change in my audio life and it brought me very far down the rabbit's hole!

You all know I been enjoying my life with simple gear streaming my music via Ldac and wm1z !
And I still got my Tiger Ear title even back then hehe 😃😛😍🐯

I enjoyed my music for many years until I decided to go beyond and my goal was to reach the ultimate sound quality at its best possible reproducible way! This is the reason why I got down here even to fight with wav and flacs!

I eventually got my self the Tia Fourte Noir after trying a hell of a lot of gear. I discovered new sound qualities and I share my findings with others just as you share with us all the good fw options!

I try help as much as I can by sharing my experiences with different gear and also share my philosophy about audiophile hobby! It is my passion and I been developing this for the past 5 years! I know 5 years might seem small but the enormous evolution I went threw is so vast and radical, thats what made me to be The Mighty Tiger Ears!

I do it with compassion and good will so I really hope it helps other folks as I find it quiet a hard ride.

In the beginning I had many difficulties to understand everything and I was reading a lot of threads and forums and articles about audio, cables , daps, file formats, music and ect ect...

But it was never consistent and most of the time to much bias!
So I decide to do it on my own. Bought cables bought daps iems and buy resale many many times!  A load pile of cash was burned into ash's. 

I understood that what most info is spread on headfi and forums is not accurate to many people hearing differently its all subjective!  And it NEVER ENDS

So I did the path my self and now share as much I can so others can skip many steps a head of them! And be happier listener's! 


Now that was Tiger Ears personal life experience and journey now you know more about me and I keep evolving there is no end to this evolution! 

Viva Golden ears ROOOOAArrrrsss


----------



## Vitaly2017

Damz87 said:


> No offence to @Vitaly2017 specifically, but I find it hard to believe anyone that says they hear a difference between wav & flac without backing it up from a genuine blind a/b test. The differences are so minute, and I suspect there’s an element of placebo. If you tell yourself WAV sounds better, it will sound better (to you)





My a/b testing methods are different then rather just doing a blind test sitting on a chair and some one changes the track for you.

I listen and the switch and trie to re listen the same passages I just been listening but in wav then back and same passage in flac.

I pick different music files it can be random some show more of this effect some less.

I dont find blind testing alway an accurate test as it seems more of a guess of guessing then being concentrated and digging or technical changes in specific passages...


I also spend many many hours listening in a row and once the ear get used to the sound and then you swap a change. It simply jump right at you and in your face much easier to be perceived!

That is how I do this and it takes alot of time and listening! 
I have around 3500 hours in 5 years of listening thats quiet a lot.


----------



## Damz87 (Jun 19, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> My a/b testing methods are different then rather just doing a blind test sitting on a chair and some one changes the track for you.
> 
> I listen and the switch and trie to re listen the same passages I just been listening but in wav then back and same passage in flac.
> 
> ...



I have no doubt that you hear a difference, and if WAV brings you a better listening experience, then that is awesome  at the end of the day that’s what is most important.

But you gotta realise that from other people’s perspective, you’re just another guy on the internet that claims there’s a difference without any actual proof. For me to believe that there’s a difference between WAV & FLAC, I’d need to see a blind test. But, it doesn’t matter what I or anyone thinks, as long as you’re getting the best sound quality to your ears and you’re enjoying the music, that’s all that matters. 

Again, I don’t mean any offence. Just sharing another perspective.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 19, 2020)

Sometimes it’s like a eureka moment when you actually hear what others are describing/experiencing.

Sadly most will involve spending money buying many different types of gears to experience and understand them. It’s like the taste of Unami, it’s hard to describe it but once you taste it, it is likely that you will grow to enjoy it .

for example:
Jitter Effect
Sound Stage Height/depth
Instrument layering
Vocal isolation
Balanced Sound stereo separation
Sony House Sound
Digital grain
ESS Sabre Glare
R2R sound
NOS sound


----------



## 524419 (Jun 20, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Sometimes it’s like a eureka moment when you actually hear what others are describing/experiencing.
> 
> Sadly most will involve spending money buying many different types of gears to experience and understand them. It’s like the taste of Unami, it’s hard to describe it but once you taste it, it is likely that you will grow to enjoy it .
> 
> ...


*You can't prove any of these*

Jitter Effect
Sound Stage Height/depth
Instrument layering
Balanced Sound stereo separation
Sony House Sound
Digital grain
ESS Sabre Glare
R2R sound
NOS sound

How do you prove reviews? How do you prove something you hear?
All these claims are understood to be observations, the only way to prove any of it, is to listen to it for yourself. So I don't think @Vitaly2017 is out of line by sticking to his observations and claiming to hear a difference. I should be upto the reader to try and figure it out for themselves, that is if they are even interested in figuring it out.


----------



## Damz87

Diet Kokaine said:


> *You can't prove any of these*
> 
> Jitter Effect
> Sound Stage Height/depth
> ...



Of course. That’s all it is, observations and opinion. I don’t think anyone said Vitaly is out of line. But it’s certainly not factually proven at this point in time that WAV will sound objectively better than FLAC. Maybe it never will be.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 19, 2020)

There’s probably scientific or measurable data to show the differences but it’s probably hard to nail it down by using static FFT graphs which only shows one aspect or stopwatch measurement of a constantly changing audio spectrum.

Like for example accurate soundstage has to do mostly with an audio system ability to have very low noise floor but it also includes other aspects like good stereo separation and low phase noise.

Also in my opinion, It is not possible just use a few sets of measurement alone to prove the entirety of the sound system sound quality. Thee are too many other variability and measurements to consider.

It will require listening by a discernible audiophile.


----------



## Damz87 (Jun 19, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> There’s probably scientific or measurable data to show the differences but it’s probably hard to nail it down by using static FFT graphs which only shows one aspect or stopwatch measurement of a constantly changing audio spectrum.
> 
> Like for example accurate soundstage has to do mostly with an audio system ability to have very low noise floor but it also includes other aspects like good stereo separation and low phase noise.
> 
> ...



Anyway, this is way off topic so I’ll shut up  I always enjoy hearing other perspectives and learning something new  thanks for sharing your knowledge.

At the end of the day, I just love music and love hearing it as best as I can. It’s a true blessing to be able to enjoy music at such high quality and I’m thankful for what we have available to us in this day and age


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

My mantra for audiophile hobby:

1. Enjoy the music
2. Don't be a sound neurotic 
3. Spend money wisely
4. Keep open mind about others opinions and information. 
5. Be nice to others.

Listen at 9min 45sec for definition of a sound nerotic


----------



## quan72io

Hi guys, I just changed my WM1A region code to J (stock region E - universal) and my 1A is in English now. I wonder if Sony announces new firmware updates, 3.03 for example, do I have to switch back to stock region code for the new update or I can just install Japanese 3.03 firmware?  

Also does anyone notice that clicking relay sound appears less frequently on J and not as loud compared to E?


----------



## 515164

quan72io said:


> I wonder if Sony announces new firmware updates, 3.03 for example, do I have to switch back to stock region code for the new update or I can just install Japanese 3.03 firmware?



No, you won't need to switch back.


----------



## dubudubutofu

anyone tried using nw switcher from wm1a to wm1z and use solis t5 for wm1z?


----------



## Hinomotocho

quan72io said:


> Hi guys, I just changed my WM1A region code to J (stock region E - universal) and my 1A is in English now. I wonder if Sony announces new firmware updates, 3.03 for example, do I have to switch back to stock region code for the new update or I can just install Japanese 3.03 firmware?
> 
> Also does anyone notice that clicking relay sound appears less frequently on J and not as loud compared to E?


Hello, I recently switched like you, I'm sure those clicks are the same as before - it could be you are listening to different tracks with different formats that trigger a different amount of clicks.


----------



## Colors

Before this thread devolves into a Sound Science thread, I'd like to express how much I'm enjoying BT Reciever + Apple Music. You lose a little SQ bc of BT (AAC, probably much better if you used LDAC source), but essentially turns it into a streaming device (without Android).


----------



## Vitaly2017

Colors said:


> Before this thread devolves into a Sound Science thread, I'd like to express how much I'm enjoying BT Reciever + Apple Music. You lose a little SQ bc of BT (AAC, probably much better if you used LDAC source), but essentially turns it into a streaming device (without Android).




been using my 1z in ldac from android phone and streaming spotify and I was happy to for many years. But that changed!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Tomorrow my MDR-Z7M2, so I'll try out my FLAC files with my 1Z and 1A to see how varied the sound stage is for both. For those that pair your players with the Z7M2, what settings are your players on?


----------



## Queen6

proedros said:


> glad you enjoy it , it is a stellar rip indeed , and i have had more than 10 people here asking for the links , hopefully thy enjoy it as much as you do
> 
> i will share some more goodies later on , music needs to be shared
> 
> cheers



Is beyond that, you can literally feel the emotion and I've yet to get it onto the Sony and that will be an experience...

Album digs so deep, emotionally so.

Q-6


----------



## Hinomotocho

Colors said:


> Before this thread devolves into a Sound Science thread, I'd like to express how much I'm enjoying BT Reciever + Apple Music. You lose a little SQ bc of BT (AAC, probably much better if you used LDAC source), but essentially turns it into a streaming device (without Android).


Too late - we've moved on to lossless lossless files and audiophile SD cards, kindly move your post to the lossy, degraded sound WM1A/WM1Z thread please


----------



## Gamerlingual

@Vitaly2017 Are you on Direct Sound, no DSP settings?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yea I am evolving!  On a daily basis ! I jumped from spotify to flac then to wav. As back at that time I was living a big change in my audio life and it brought me very far down the rabbit's hole!
> 
> You all know I been enjoying my life with simple gear streaming my music via Ldac and wm1z !
> And I still got my Tiger Ear title even back then hehe 😃😛😍🐯
> ...


OMG! I love you Tiger LOL


----------



## auronthas

Gww1 said:


> Wouldn't transparent be the opposite of snake oil? ie. It makes no difference to sound with or without it.





nc8000 said:


> I have for many years had my main headphones and in ears terminated to various balanced terminations and then used pig tails or adapters to accomodate other terminations be it single ended or different balanced to avoid having to have several cables and swap them and have never experienced any sound improvement or degredation as a result


I only trust balanced to balanced adapter like this one. It works but doesn't sound improvement and "transparent", it's rubbish in rubbish out.


----------



## auronthas

Enjoy weekend with lovely IEMs and 1Z cheers 



EX800ST




Intime Sora Light


----------



## nc8000 (Jun 20, 2020)

auronthas said:


> I only trust balanced to balanced adapter like this one. It works but doesn't sound improvement and "transparent", it's rubbish in rubbish out.



Oh so now even the balanced output from your Sony is rubbish. What output in this world do you not consider rubbish ?

And you would obviously rather do without music than stoop so low as to use a balanced to single ended adapter.

What is the reason for this vendetta against pig tails and adapters ?

If it really comes diwn to it even the headphone out jack on the source or amp is an adapter so by that logic only soldering the headphone cable directly to the circuit board would be pure enough


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Mindstorms  LOL you say flac sounds weird because you are uded yo mp3 sound. So i covid say DSD sounds weird as i was used to FLAC CD


----------



## etlouis

nc8000 said:


> Oh so now even the balanced output from your Sony is rubbish. What output in this world do you not consider rubbish ?
> 
> And you would obviously rather do without music than stoop so low as to use a balanced to single ended adapter.



This talk about adapters got me thinking about the connection on the iem side. IMO it tends to break far more often than the to-player side whether it's 2.5, 3.5 or 4.4mm. Both 2 pin and mmcx are not good enough, while 2-pin is the worse of the two. I've bent these pins twice by falling asleep with my iems. Once they break, if it is on the wire side that's fine. A solder job or another wire is easily available. If the tiny pin gets stuck inside iem... oh boy.


----------



## Gamerlingual

By the way, guys. Don’t need a reason why. But if the music shop offers MQA-Studio instead of FLAC, which do I choose? It’s for the 1Z and 1A


----------



## Gww1

auronthas said:


> I only trust balanced to balanced adapter like this one. It works but doesn't sound improvement and "transparent", it's rubbish in rubbish out.


That is exactly the same thing.........


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> By the way, guys. Don’t need a reason why. But if the music shop offers MQA-Studio instead of FLAC, which do I choose? It’s for the 1Z and 1A



MQA files are flac files that have gone through the whole MQA process wich is a philosofy intending to make the end result better. The files can be played on any equipment that supports flac but unless the player specifically support full MQA unfolding they are lossy and even if the player does support full MQA unfolding they are still technically lossy as the signal that comes out is different from the signal that was originally fed into the MQA process. As to wich sounds better you cant really say as the process alters the signal


----------



## nc8000

etlouis said:


> This talk about adapters got me thinking about the connection on the iem side. IMO it tends to break far more often than the to-player side whether it's 2.5, 3.5 or 4.4mm. Both 2 pin and mmcx are not good enough, while 2-pin is the worse of the two. I've bent these pins twice by falling asleep with my iems. Once they break, if it is on the wire side that's fine. A solder job or another wire is easily available. If the tiny pin gets stuck inside iem... oh boy.



Yes I’ve had the cable near the 2-pin connector on my JH13 break many times over 10 years


----------



## aceedburn

auronthas said:


> I only trust balanced to balanced adapter like this one. It works but doesn't sound improvement and "transparent", it's rubbish in rubbish out.


What’s the difference with this adaptor? In fact it’s worse off as you’re feeding a balanced signal into an adaptor and output as balanced. A new cable would be better. This adaptor is worse than the balanced to unbalanced adaptor.


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> MQA files are flac files that have gone through the whole MQA process wich is a philosofy intending to make the end result better. The files can be played on any equipment that supports flac but unless the player specifically support full MQA unfolding they are lossy and even if the player does support full MQA unfolding they are still technically lossy as the signal that comes out is different from the signal that was originally fed into the MQA process. As to wich sounds better you cant really say as the process alters the signal


Well, more players offer FLAC. So in compatibility aspects, it’s safer


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Well, more players offer FLAC. So in compatibility aspects, it’s safer



As I wrote MQA is a flac file so any player that can play flac can play mqa but only certified players can unfold mqa and get full quality. And the mqa signal is an altered signal so it will be different from a non mqa processed file. There is no objective criteria for which one sounds best as mqa is also a mastering process so it is based on a different master just like an original cd and the 20 years jubilee remaster are different and will likely sound different


----------



## Deffy

Been having a blast testing out the latest Orion 7+ by RobertP. Such quality custom FW releases in this thread. I'm by no means an expert, dont know much about the terms but can only say what to my ears sounds pleasant. Orion 7+ has finally convinced me more of my WM1A purchase in terms of giving me more of that deep-bass, feeling the music like in those great Hans Zimmer tracks. But the music also feels much closer. 

Great work, and very enjoyable reading everybody's experiences ondifferent gear and fws.


----------



## auronthas (Sep 17, 2020)

.


----------



## aceedburn

Deffy said:


> Been having a blast testing out the latest Orion 7+ by RobertP. Such quality custom FW releases in this thread. I'm by no means an expert, dont know much about the terms but can only say what to my ears sounds pleasant. Orion 7+ has finally convinced me more of my WM1A purchase in terms of giving me more of that deep-bass, feeling the music like in those great Hans Zimmer tracks. But the music also feels much closer.
> 
> Great work, and very enjoyable reading everybody's experiences ondifferent gear and fws.


orion 7.1 you mean? there's no orion+. Yes the deep bass and surreal holographic feeling of the overall mix is really excellent. And the bass never takes away anything from the mids and highs, that's the best part.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> What’s the difference with this adaptor? In fact it’s worse off as you’re feeding a balanced signal into an adaptor and output as balanced. A new cable would be better. This adaptor is worse than the balanced to unbalanced adaptor.


How is it worse? Can you recommend something else then to not swap cables?


----------



## Deffy

aceedburn said:


> orion 7.1 you mean? there's no orion+. Yes the deep bass and surreal holographic feeling of the overall mix is really excellent. And the bass never takes away anything from the mids and highs, that's the best part.



Apologies. Yes Orion 7.1  thanks for the correction. And indeed, just really nice to listen to.


----------



## Krutsch

Colors said:


> Before this thread devolves into a Sound Science thread, I'd like to express *how much I'm enjoying BT Receiver + Apple Music*. You lose a little SQ bc of BT (AAC, *probably much better if you used LDAC source*), but essentially turns it into a streaming device (without Android).



I am using the BT Receiver with my WM1A and a Pixel 4 phone that connects with LDAC - it still sounds awful, IMO, in comparison to the on-board music. I am using it with Spotify in max quality mode. I wish it sounded better, but it is "muffled" or "flat" sounding, which I didn't expect with LDAC.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Krutsch said:


> I am using the BT Receiver with my WM1A and a Pixel 4 phone that connects with LDAC - it still sounds awful, IMO, in comparison to the on-board music. I am using it with Spotify in max quality mode. I wish it sounded better, but it is "muffled" or "flat" sounding, which I didn't expect with LDAC.


Don't even bother trying YouTube music, it sounds even more awful,  so many compression artifacts and muddy... this is from a Samsung Galaxy A50 also LDAC to wm1A


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I feel Sony has better LDAC BT output implementation. Maybe an Android based Sony Xperia/walkman will serve as a better YouTube source over Samsung/LG/Apple source for your WM1A BT reciever.


----------



## Krutsch

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I feel Sony has better LDAC BT output implementation. Maybe an Android based Sony Xperia/walkman will serve as a better YouTube source over Samsung/LG/Apple source for your WM1A BT reciever.



Sony released their LDAC software stack which was then incorporated into Android for distribution to all phone makes and models. Should be the same output quality, everywhere.


----------



## gerelmx1986

But this sounds better than all the streaming crap like spotify or YouTube


----------



## Lookout57

nc8000 said:


> Yes I’ve had the cable near the 2-pin connector on my JH13 break many times over 10 years


That's why I only buy IEMs with MMCX now.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jun 20, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> How is it worse? Can you recommend something else then to not swap cables?




Looks like friends here need some Tiger ears philosophy about dongle cables here     

Very simple in order to have the best accurate result, technically your adapter needs to be the same metal alloy as your main cable... But that is hard to find if your cable is not a custom as sony probably wont make you one that has same specs as the cable...

Many things to consider here to better understand how adapters works.  Most of the time quality adapters are made of copper and plated gold.
there is also adapter where you have a small braided wire, those affect sound differently. They are actually of better quality.

In my experience along my journey I found that the best results for best sound quality and performance, you need 8 wires cables, same goes for dongles. AND YEa those dongles are hell expensive!

Different metals, different alloys, soldering, shielding and resistance, is all factors that affect sound quality and there is so much companies out there that have their own philosophies! that its quiet easy to get confused lost and just dont know what to buy lol.


If you want really good connectors there is moon audio their silver dragon is really transparent and will bring your own cable qualities straight I dont think youl notice much of sound alterations.

There is a few other companies that exists also.



To give you an idea of how dongles affect sound here is some experiments I did, I have cayin 2.5 to 4.4, pwaudio 2.5 to 4.4, black dragon 2.5 to 4.4.
Here what happend
PwAudio dongle sounded the worse to my ears as it altered the sound to a very high degree and changed the whole sound to something more warm thick and unprecise!
Cayin was better but still lacked on accuracy and transparencies but it was much better and sounded closer to what the cable sound without dongles!
Black dragon ( moon audio ) this is the version 1 the 2 wires only and pretty old dongle nowa days... This one is occ and has a silver plated copper concept.
Yes this is the dongle that had wires, the 2 others where adapter small interconnects. I found this dongle to sound the best almost as the cable without dongles. It was the closest and the most accurate but still behind. I believe if it was 8 wires and better more recent plugs it would improve the sound quality.

So here you see how adapters affect sound, what is important to understand if the adapter is 8 wires, uses highest quality soldering, matches wires alloy to the cable it will sound as it was part of the cable and will practically not affect the sound at all!

For instance think of it this way, if you have wm1z then you can buy a kimber kable dongle 8 wires copper version which is exactly the same as inside the wm1z! And there you have an exact exact same wires setup as inside your dap and it all continue its way to the dongle. Practically the only alteration here you have is the solder in the adapter and gold plating! It will be very subtle and you may not feel it!  But do you want to spend 500$ for that option   







Krutsch said:


> I am using the BT Receiver with my WM1A and a Pixel 4 phone that connects with LDAC - it still sounds awful, IMO, in comparison to the on-board music. I am using it with Spotify in max quality mode. I wish it sounded better, but it is "muffled" or "flat" sounding, which I didn't expect with LDAC.




Try galaxy phones they add more bass and dont sound as flat!  Best results was using a sony device in my case it was zx507...





@gerelmx1986   Yea totally understanding How could I live with streaming all this years before I dont know haha


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Looks like friends here need some Tiger ears philosophy about dongle cables here
> 
> Very simple in order to have the best accurate result, technically your adapter needs to be the same metal alloy as your main cable... But that is hard to find if your cable is not a custom as sony probably wont make you one that has same specs as the cable...
> 
> ...


What about that FiiO adapter? It’s braided from what I saw. I know acid burn might not recommend it. But my FiiO M6 has been a great pocket player


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> What about that FiiO adapter? It’s braided from what I saw. I know acid burn might not recommend it. But my FiiO M6 has been a great pocket player



The vast majority of people will not be able to hear any degradation of sound from using an adapter as long as it is well build. 

At any rate for me an adapter is a means to be able to use my headphones from secondary sources (my phones are always terminated for my main source) so they serve a purely practical purpose in allowing me to actually listen to music rather than not being able to listen to music so even a minute degradation in sound is fully acceptable


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> That's why I only buy IEMs with MMCX now.



When I bought my JH13 over 10 years ago 2-pin was virtually the industry standard for replacable iem cables


----------



## Gww1

Gamerlingual said:


> What about that FiiO adapter? It’s braided from what I saw. I know acid burn might not recommend it. But my FiiO M6 has been a great pocket player


I have the 4.4mm to 3.5mm Fiio adapter and it does the job, the 4.4mm side is a bit tight but never caused me any issues. I don't hear any change in sound for better or worse.


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> The vast majority of people will not be able to hear any degradation of sound from using an adapter as long as it is well build.
> 
> At any rate for me an adapter is a means to be able to use my headphones from secondary sources (my phones are always terminated for my main source) so they serve a purely practical purpose in allowing me to actually listen to music rather than not being able to listen to music so even a minute degradation in sound is fully acceptable


Yea I’ll just see what I can find on amazon so I can preserve my cable for 4.4mm on the 1Z and 1A


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> What about that FiiO adapter? It’s braided from what I saw. I know acid burn might not recommend it. But my FiiO M6 has been a great pocket player




pass me the link to that adapter, it might be good but again it will affect sound as its not same alloy, it may get brighter to or thicker warmer. I recommend you look into silver plated copper dongles as your stock sony cable is SPC.

I think Fiio and Ibasso for example are much safer buys then amazon built in the garage cables lmao


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Yea I’ll just see what I can find on amazon so I can preserve my cable for 4.4mm on the 1Z and 1A



The 4.4 is a huge advantage as this is the first time I’ve got the same balanced connector in both my home and portable rig so I only need an adaptor to use phones every now and then on my iPhone and iPad and at meets


----------



## 515164 (Jun 20, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> What’s the difference with this adaptor? In fact it’s worse off as you’re feeding a balanced signal into an adaptor and output as balanced. A new cable would be better. This adaptor is worse than the balanced to unbalanced adaptor.



These adapters just link the L+ of the 4.4 connector with L+ of 2.5 connector, and so on. It's not actually converting the balanced signal to something or anything like that.

Except in the case where the adapter's wires are really cheap and it could affect the sound quality, the signal can't get worse.



gerelmx1986 said:


> Don't even bother trying YouTube music, it sounds even more awful,  so many compression artifacts and muddy... this is from a Samsung Galaxy A50 also LDAC to wm1A



It's funny, I listen to Youtube music when browsing to discover new stuff, both via DAC mode and via BT receiver mode (with my Samsung S10e/LDAC) and it can sound awesome, especially on channels that don't convert the audio to 128 kbps/don't mess with the audio before uploading.



Krutsch said:


> I am using the BT Receiver with my WM1A and a Pixel 4 phone that connects with LDAC - it still sounds awful, IMO, in comparison to the on-board music. I am using it with Spotify in max quality mode. I wish it sounded better, but it is "muffled" or "flat" sounding, which I didn't expect with LDAC.



As mentioned above, I really enjoy the BT receiver mode with my WM1A. Had no issues like it sounding muffled or flat or anything. No idea what it's happening.

Actually, if I think about it, when using BT headphones to connect to a Macbook Pro, the sound is nicer than the one on my phone for example. Still, I have nothing to complain about the phone's BT, it's just that the Macbook's one is nicer.

Also, when connecting BT headphones to my WM1A, the tuning seems to apply there as well. So BT audio sounding different from device to device is possible.



Gamerlingual said:


> Yea I’ll just see what I can find on amazon so I can preserve my cable for 4.4mm on the 1Z and 1A



I use this for 3.5 to 4.4 (in order to use Z7M2 with the 4.4 cable on 3.5 sources): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0827VZVSW
And I use this for 4.4 to 2.5 (I have a 2.5 connector on the Shure SE846 cable): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RLZX7RC

The balanced adapter just connects pins together, it doesn't do any kind of conversion or something.






It's basically the same as in the image, only that there are wires between the 4.4 male and 2.5 female connectors.


----------



## Lookout57

nc8000 said:


> When I bought my JH13 over 10 years ago 2-pin was virtually the industry standard for replacable iem cables


I know that is about when I got my TripleFi. I broke my cable on them and ended up switching to MMCX.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> pass me the link to that adapter, it might be good but again it will affect sound as its not same alloy, it may get brighter to or thicker warmer. I recommend you look into silver plated copper dongles as your stock sony cable is SPC.
> 
> I think Fiio and Ibasso for example are much safer buys then amazon built in the garage cables lmao


I mean check for Amazon for name brand adapters to buy


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 20, 2020)

I have four Android devices that supports LDAC codec:
Sony ZX507 walkman
Sony ZX2 Walkman
Sony Xperia 1 smartphone
LG V20 smartphone.

All using LDAC at 990kbps mode connected to my Sony WH-1000XM3, there is a perceived difference in sound quality between the devices for YouTube music playback.

Deep Bass response was best on the ZX507 Walkman followed closely by the ZX2 Walkman, Xperia 1 being a far 3rd and LG V20 being the most lackluster sounding.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jun 20, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Looks like friends here need some Tiger ears philosophy about dongle cables here
> 
> Very simple in order to have the best accurate result, technically your adapter needs to be the same metal alloy as your main cable... But that is hard to find if your cable is not a custom as sony probably wont make you one that has same specs as the cable...
> 
> ...


The best and most affordable 4.4 male to 2.5 mm female connector that I find is this DDHiFi connector from Amazon. I have close to 10 different connectors, from expensive to cheap. Most pigtails connectors they alter the sound somewhat because of their metal compositions. So the end sound will one way or another change, whether its better or worse, its up to your interpretation of what sounds good.

With this DDHiFi adapter, I can say the music sound 'transparent' for lack of better word. There is barely any noticeable sound changes or alteration, just in and out. As you can see, there is barely any metal cable attached to it; its just a simple connector. Maybe there is sound changes, but it's barely perceptible and I can't hear any. So I would really recommend this adapter if you need it, also its really cheap. It just works and cost wise make sense.


There you go, BAMM!!! Hahahaha


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> The best and most affordable 4.4 male to 2.5 mm female connector that I find is this DDHiFi connector from Amazon. I have close to 10 different connectors, from expensive to cheap. Most pigtails connectors they alter the sound somewhat because of their metal compositions. So the end sound will one way or another change, whether its better or worse, its up to your interpretation of what sounds good.
> 
> With this DDHiFi adapter, I can say the music sound 'transparent' for lack of better word. There is barely any noticeable sound changes or alteration, just in and out. As you can see, there is barely any metal cable attached to it; its just a simple connector. Maybe there is sound changes, but it's barely perceptible and I can't hear any. So I would really recommend this adapter if you need it, also its really cheap. It just works and cost wise make sense.
> 
> ...





Yeaa I really gota dig into it I have to try it they are relatively new but same time I been hearing about DD for some time now....

Need to try!
Need 4.4 to 2.5
2.5 to 4.4
4.4 to 3.5 
Yad yada need them all lol


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


>


Only way I can listen to classical is if it’s an orchestral remix of video game music. And this is coming from studying 10 years of classical piano and got too bored with it. Once I found piano books from video game soundtracks sounded like classical, I was able to find a way to appreciate the genre again. Everyone has their way


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> Only way I can listen to classical is if it’s an orchestral remix of video game music. And this is coming from studying 10 years of classical piano and got too bored with it. Once I found piano books from video game soundtracks sounded like classical, I was able to find a way to appreciate the genre again. Everyone has their way


Me because my dad gifted me many classic CDs and I liked them...
Damn I am still struggling.to find a SHM-SACD of this Brahms piano concerto No. 1 with Karl Bohm and maurizio Pollini


----------



## etlouis (Jun 21, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Only way I can listen to classical is if it’s an orchestral remix of video game music. And this is coming from studying 10 years of classical piano and got too bored with it. Once I found piano books from video game soundtracks sounded like classical, I was able to find a way to appreciate the genre again. Everyone has their way



For me, it depends on the music and how well it was recorded. Out of a 100 discs I may only find 5-6 which were recorded good enough to deserve the DSD format. I found orchestral and piano music hard to listen to. Orchestral music is a lot of build up and dare I say... boredom... until the exciting bit comes. Again and again we hear the same music like Hisaishi's N-th retake on studio ghibli. How many times do we have to listen to Laputa? Haha. So I understand your point.

Video game music... Monster hunter, Nier Automata, FF maybe? They make one every year or so. I doubt if the orchestral version is better than the original though. Nier Gestalt - Song of the Ancients / Grandma. Ragnarok Online - title song / Prontera theme.


----------



## nc8000

etlouis said:


> For me, it depends on the music and how well it was recorded. Out of a 100 discs I may only find 5-6 which were recorded good enough to deserve the DSD format. I found orchestral and piano music hard to listen to. Orchestral music is a lot of build up and dare I say... boredom... until the exciting bit comes. Again and again we hear the same music like Hisaishi's N-th retake on studio ghibli music. How many times do we have to listen to Laputa? Haha. So I understand your point.
> 
> Video game music... Monster hunter, Nier Automata, FF maybe? They make one every year or so. I doubt if the orchestral version is better than the original though. Nier Gestalt - Song of the Ancients / Grandma. Ragnarok Online - title song / Prontera theme.



I grew up primarily listening to classical and probably at least 50% of my library is classical music including a lot of opera. Probably 25% jazz and then 25% everything else (very little heavy and rap)


----------



## Gamerlingual

etlouis said:


> For me, it depends on the music and how well it was recorded. Out of a 100 discs I may only find 5-6 which were recorded good enough to deserve the DSD format. I found orchestral and piano music hard to listen to. Orchestral music is a lot of build up and dare I say... boredom... until the exciting bit comes. Again and again we hear the same music like Hisaishi's N-th retake on studio ghibli music. How many times do we have to listen to Laputa? Haha. So I understand your point.
> 
> Video game music... Monster hunter, Nier Automata, FF maybe? They make one every year or so. I doubt if the orchestral version is better than the original though. Nier Gestalt - Song of the Ancients / Grandma. Ragnarok Online - title song / Prontera theme.


I always listen to the original soundtracks of Final Fantasy 6 and 7, Zelda Ocarina of time, and Zelda Twilight Princess. I feel a hint of surround sound when I listen to their Midi formats.


----------



## gazzington

nc8000 said:


> I grew up primarily listening to classical and probably at least 50% of my library is classical music including a lot of opera. Probably 25% jazz and then 25% everything else (very little heavy and rap)


I’m trying to get into classical music. What recordings would you recommend to get me started?


----------



## nc8000

gazzington said:


> I’m trying to get into classical music. What recordings would you recommend to get me started?



the first lp I got given at age 7 was Dvorak's 9th symphony "From the new world"
Gustav Holst's The Planets
Bach's 6 cello suites
Carl Orff's Carmina Burana
Leos Janacek's Sinfonietta
Ariel Ramirez' Missa Criolla
Camille Saint-Saen's Symphony #3 "Organ"

and loads more


----------



## 524419 (Jun 21, 2020)

joe hisaishi - beethoven complete symphonies 2019   DSD256 is just a joy to listen to.


----------



## gazzington

nc8000 said:


> the first lp I got given at age 7 was Dvorak's 9th symphony "From the new world"
> Gustav Holst's The Planets
> Bach's 6 cello suites
> Carl Orff's Carmina Burana
> ...


Cool thanks. Any particular versions of those I should listen to?


----------



## nc8000 (Jun 26, 2020)

gazzington said:


> Cool thanks. Any particular versions of those I should listen to?



I'd say just try any version to see if it the music at all appeals to you. To me looking at specific versions is a bit like looking for alternative cables once you have settled on source and headphones


----------



## aceedburn

gazzington said:


> Cool thanks. Any particular versions of those I should listen to?


I’d also listen to Vivaldi’s four seasons. It’s one of my favorite series by any composer to date.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> I’d also listen to Vivaldi’s four seasons. It’s one of my favorite series by any composer to date.



Yes that’s a good one to add to the list


----------



## Gamerlingual

@Redcarmoose The Kimber cable DOES make a huge difference. The piercing treble is gone. Should have tried it more @_@


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> @Redcarmoose The Kimber cable DOES make a huge difference. The piercing treble is gone. Should have tried it more @_@



This is the perfect place here to voice such talk. Though many other areas will get that statement shot with arrows from a multitude of positions.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> This is the perfect place here to voice such talk. Though many other areas will get that statement shot with arrows from a multitude of positions.


Yea. Now I NEED to try the Kimber cable with the Z7M2


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Yea. Now I NEED to try the Kimber cable with the Z7M2


The kimber kable is indeed a remarkably made cable. I only listen to my Z5 with the balanced kimber kable. Much more dynamics, warmth and refined bass. Compared to any other cable I have used. And it’s built very well too.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jun 21, 2020)

I used to own a NW-ZX100. with that player I did a test of DSD vs FLAC 24bit/96kHzx I could not hear a difference at all. This tell that the DSD downsample to PCM by sony is very good.

Now that I own a NW-WM1A,  this device made me rethink about DSD and yes via 4.4 the DSD sounds the best. Even better than 24/96


----------



## SebaE2012

Gamerlingual said:


> Nope. I buy CDs to burn and still keep them



So do I. Although I admit that I'm getting a flair for higher than CD files. It's probably mastering differences to my ears, but whatever the reasons, many times I find those files better than CD. I still purchase CDs, though. I guess I like having them as a back up and I really like having the booklet (when it's well done).


----------



## SebaE2012

bana said:


> Thanks. My kids think I'm an old fart for buying CDs But new PCs just don\t have CD ROMs anymore.


So does my wife about me. I'm still thinking about buying a good external drive for ripping purposes, because when the Blu Ray drive in my 2012 Sony Vaio dies, I'll be out in the cold regarding ripping CDs. Any advice as to what to buy? Thanks a lot.


----------



## SebaE2012

Mindstorms said:


> I bought mine new at 750 us dolars in santiago de chile was a bargain inded


I've just bought mine at 500 dollars in Argentina. But that's just because of almost incomprehensible economic and exchange rate distortions. Every now and then there's a window of opportunity like this one. Most of the times, it sucks, of course.


----------



## gerelmx1986

SebaE2012 said:


> So does my wife about me. I'm still thinking about buying a good external drive for ripping purposes, because when the Blu Ray drive in my 2012 Sony Vaio dies, I'll be out in the cold regarding ripping CDs. Any advice as to what to buy? Thanks a lot.


In méxico i have an Asus and here an LG


----------



## SebaE2012

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> With regards to Sony walkman’s battery component quality . This is my 5year old ZX2 Walkman. 24days of standby time from 100% to flat.


Agree. My zx2 still holds its charge for amazingly long hours.


----------



## SebaE2012

gerelmx1986 said:


> In méxico i have an Asus and here an LG


Thanks!!


----------



## frost15

Anyone saying classical music is boring is mad!   I recommend anyone trying to get into it to go to a live concert first. If that's not possible then my recommendations would be (in no particular order):
1 - Camille Saint Saëns - The Carnival of the Animals
2 - Gustav Host - The Planets (like Star Wars OST?... you'll be quite surprised to find it's original influence!)
3 - Antonio Vivaldi -  The Four Seasons
4 - Ludwig Van Beethoven - Symphony N.9
5 - Erik Satie - Gymnopédie No. 1
6 - J.S.Bach - Cello Suites

Some Less Known Personal Favourites:
Alexander Scriabin - Symphony No.1
George Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue (proto-Jazz meets 20th century Classical music, resulting in a timeless masterpiece!)


----------



## Gamerlingual

frost15 said:


> Anyone saying classical music is boring is mad!   I recommend anyone trying to get into it to go to a live concert first. If that's not possible then my recommendations would be (in no particular order):
> 1 - Camille Saint Saëns - The Carnival of the Animals
> 2 - Gustav Host - The Planets (like Star Wars OST?... you'll be quite surprised to find it's original influence!)
> 3 - Antonio Vivaldi -  The Four Seasons
> ...


I went to live orchestral concerts of Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney at the Hollywood Bowl and Pantages Theater and absolutely loved every moment of it. I also attended concerts that featured music from a couple of hundred years ago and didn’t find it as enjoyable. Anyone who loves classical music or any other music is enjoying what they love.

Now that I’m playing the Z7M2 and 1Z, I also notice a bigger improvement in sound being my bedroom. So it reinforces what others have said, that a quiet environment makes the music sound that much better. @Vitaly2017, the Z7M2 are so much better than I thought! But the MDR-Z1R headphones are wonderful in their own right. I love how this hobby offers so much variety


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> I went to live orchestral concerts of Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney at the Hollywood Bowl and Pantages Theater and absolutely loved every moment of it. I also attended concerts that featured music from a couple of hundred years ago and didn’t find it as enjoyable. Anyone who loves classical music or any other music is enjoying what they love.
> 
> Now that I’m playing the Z7M2 and 1Z, I also notice a bigger improvement in sound being my bedroom. So it reinforces what others have said, that a quiet environment makes the music sound that much better. @Vitaly2017, the Z7M2 are so much better than I thought! But the MDR-Z1R headphones are wonderful in their own right. I love how this hobby offers so much variety




Burn in will also help bring your bliss to a new level a good minimum 200hours and you got it!

I love how 1z performs I find its unique nothing does sound like a good 1z! Z7M2 are fun and serious listening experience at same time they good all arounders I am sure!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Burn in will also help bring your bliss to a new level a good minimum 200hours and you got it!
> 
> I love how 1z performs I find its unique nothing does sound like a good 1z! Z7M2 are fun and serious listening experience at same time they good all arounders I am sure!


I think it punched above it’s price and for the type of headphones they are, offer more performance than I could ask for. Excellent bang for the buck


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> I think it punched above it’s price and for the type of headphones they are, offer more performance than I could ask for. Excellent bang for the buck




I think its better then the other headphones you tried. But bey they are hard not to like hehe thats why me to I ordered 1! Still on backorder man coronita is screwing a lot of manufacturing processes


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> I think its better then the other headphones you tried. But bey they are hard not to like hehe thats why me to I ordered 1! Still on backorder man coronita is screwing a lot of manufacturing processes


You haven’t gotten your Z7M2 yet?? Wow. Where did you test them?


----------



## nanaholic (Jun 21, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I went to live orchestral concerts of Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney at the Hollywood Bowl and Pantages Theater and absolutely loved every moment of it. I also attended concerts that featured music from a couple of hundred years ago and didn’t find it as enjoyable. Anyone who loves classical music or any other music is enjoying what they love.



I absolutely know what you mean.

I have no interest in "classical" classic music (Bach, Beethoven etc), but I absolutely love going to game/anime orchestral music lives. Just the past couple of years I went to the Composers Summit which was a Kajiura Yuki (dot Hack, Madoka Magia, SAO etc) and Shiina Go (God Eater, Tales series, Idolmaster, Demon Slayer etc) collaboration orchestra live, Key Orchestra Live, and the NiER Automata Orchestra Live (though only online cos of COVID-19) and they were all freaking amazing. I also have the Zelda concerts and Monster Hunter concerts on CD and regularly plays them as background music. When you've played those games/watch the anime the emotions it invokes in you is on a completely different level to classical music as having some form of attachment to the work really brings the level of enjoyment and excitement to a much higher level compared to a pure piece of music.

It's a shame they stopped doing the Press Start! game orchestral music lives several years ago, those were amazing as well.


----------



## nc8000 (Jun 21, 2020)

nanaholic said:


> I absolutely know what you mean.
> 
> I have no interest in "classical" classic music (Bach, Beethoven etc), but I absolutely love going to game/anime orchestral music lives. Just the past couple of years I went to the Composers Summit which was a Kajiura Yuki (dot Hack, Madoka Magia, SAO etc) and Shiina Go (God Eater, Tales series, Idolmaster, Demon Slayer etc) collaboration orchestra live, Key Orchestra Live, and the NiER Automatic Orchestra Live (though only online cos of COVID-19) and they were all freaking amazing. I also have the Zelda concerts and Monster Hunter concerts on CD and regularly plays them as background music. When you've played those games/watch the anime the emotions it invokes in you is on a completely different level to classical music as having some form of attachment to the work really brings the level of enjoyment and excitement to a much higher level compared to a pure piece of music.
> 
> It's a shame they stopped doing the Press Start! game orchestral music lives several years ago, those were amazing as well.



I’ve been to a couple of Final Fantasy and Star Wars/SciFi/Harry Potter live concerts with Danish symphony orchestras with my oldest son and that has been OK


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> You haven’t gotten your Z7M2 yet?? Wow. Where did you test them?




I did not test them I bought it from adorama for 400$ usd brand new.
Had a listen at canjam new york 2020


----------



## Gamerlingual

nanaholic said:


> I absolutely know what you mean.
> 
> I have no interest in "classical" classic music (Bach, Beethoven etc), but I absolutely love going to game/anime orchestral music lives. Just the past couple of years I went to the Composers Summit which was a Kajiura Yuki (dot Hack, Madoka Magia, SAO etc) and Shiina Go (God Eater, Tales series, Idolmaster, Demon Slayer etc) collaboration orchestra live, Key Orchestra Live, and the NiER Automata Orchestra Live (though only online cos of COVID-19) and they were all freaking amazing. I also have the Zelda concerts and Monster Hunter concerts on CD and regularly plays them as background music. When you've played those games/watch the anime the emotions it invokes in you is on a completely different level to classical music as having some form of attachment to the work really brings the level of enjoyment and excitement to a much higher level compared to a pure piece of music.
> 
> It's a shame they stopped doing the Press Start! game orchestral music lives several years ago, those were amazing as well.


Hearing even the Pokemon orchestral concert was amazing. You summed it up perfectly. It’s just a new approach to the classical style and I simply appreciate it in a different capacity. The stories to those games were AMAZING and brought so much intrigue that anytime I go back to playing them, the music and sounds I hear just bring a feeling of warmth to my heart


----------



## nanaholic

nc8000 said:


> I’ve been to a couple of Final Fantasy live concerts with Danish symphony orchestras with my oldest son and that has been OK



On an objective level most of those music aren't really the top level quality of "classical" classic music, but sort of like whenever a Star Wars geek (or most people) would instantly recognise John Williams' the Star Wars theme or the Imperial March which ties back to the excitement a person feels when seeing the iconic Star Wars scroll text or scenes of the Empire/Darth Vader appearing, the emotion it invokes are often a lot more than the sum of its parts.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 21, 2020)

Ok guys... This is the kind of "audiophile" music I dig, don't judge pls!


----------



## nc8000

nanaholic said:


> On an objective level most of those music aren't really the top level quality of "classical" classic music, but sort of like whenever a Star Wars geek (or most people) would instantly recognise John Williams' the Star Wars theme or the Imperial March which ties back to the excitement a person feels when seeing the iconic Star Wars scroll text or scenes of the Empire/Darth Vader appearing, the emotion it invokes are often a lot more than the sum of its parts.



Indeed context for most film and game music absolutely plays a part as opposed to most classical classical music that has to stand alone


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jun 21, 2020)

frost15 said:


> Anyone saying classical music is boring is mad!   I recommend anyone trying to get into it to go to a live concert first. If that's not possible then my recommendations would be (in no particular order):
> 1 - Camille Saint Saëns - The Carnival of the Animals
> 2 - Gustav Host - The Planets (like Star Wars OST?... you'll be quite surprised to find it's original influence!)
> 3 - Antonio Vivaldi -  The Four Seasons
> ...


I've found such people and i don't mind if they say classical is boring. But if they tell me it's Gay/Ret***/[insert insult here] then yeah i get really angry


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Ok guys... This is the kind of "audiophile" music I dig, don't judge pls!






Woaaaaa I  Loved the transformers track!  This is the Song for me while trucking Hooshooo Transsformerssssz

Not only the track is awsome its also made the year I was born!
So double Bonus right here instantly!


----------



## Gww1

Vitaly2017 said:


> Woaaaaa I  Loved the transformers track!  This is the Song for me while trucking Hooshooo Transsformerssssz
> 
> Not only the track is awsome its also made the year I was born!
> So double Bonus right here instantly!


Arise Rodimus Prime


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gww1 said:


> Arise Rodimus Prime




TIGER EARS OPTIMUS PRIME 🤣😇


----------



## Hinomotocho

Gamerlingual said:


> The one thing I refuse to buy is new cables. I'll keep my cables stock and not have extra lying around taking up more stuff (I speak for myself when saying that), as it helps me stay organized.





Gamerlingual said:


> Yea. Now I NEED to try the Kimber cable with the Z7M2


It's a slippery slope


----------



## 515164 (Jun 21, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> The one thing I refuse to buy is new cables. I'll keep my cables stock and not have extra lying around taking up more stuff (I speak for myself when saying that), as it helps me stay organized.





Gamerlingual said:


> Yea. Now I NEED to try the Kimber cable with the Z7M2





Hinomotocho said:


> It's a slippery slope





Gamerlingual said:


> And based on your list of audio equipment, it far exceeds what I am capable of affording



This was about Fiio M6 &  iFi Hip DAC vs. WM1Z/WM1A and potentially getting the 1Z.

My list of equipment was Shure SE846, Z7M2, XBA-Z5, Beyerdynamic DT1770 Pro, Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and WM1A


----------



## gerelmx1986

The problem I have with Film OST music, video game sound tracks is that excessive repetition of the main theme of the score. The lord of the rings and doctor szchivago is a prime example of this.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hinomotocho said:


> It's a slippery slope


I tried the DMP-Z1 as well. The TA in DSD mode especially is better.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> I tried the DMP-Z1 as well. The TA in DSD mode especially is better.




Whaaaattttt Ta better then dmp z1 🤯🥶😱


Welll I guess the Ta is a true sony sound house! It has s-master!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Whaaaattttt Ta better then dmp z1 🤯🥶😱
> 
> 
> Welll I guess the Ta is a true sony sound house! It has s-master!


People don't give it enough credit. Pairs great with the 1Z and 1A


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> People don't give it enough credit. Pairs great with the 1Z and 1A



And all sony iem headphones I bet Too.

Ta is so much more affordable vs dmp.

Ta + 1z gota be something really hot.
Just need that usb upgraded its so cheapo lol. Definitely not audiophile grade!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> And all sony iem headphones I bet Too.
> 
> Ta is so much more affordable vs dmp.
> 
> ...


The stock cable from Sony is that bad?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> The stock cable from Sony is that bad?




Well look at it the price also confirms it.

I wish there were some pure occ coper and well shilded one that was sold....

That stock usb is only good for usb transmissions for files and charging...
Not using it as dac feed to ta


----------



## Fsilva

this thread everyday that passes looses what it used to be (about WM series) to be about flac vc dsd vs mp3...and/or, user opinions about everything besides the name of the thread....


----------



## Vitaly2017

Fsilva said:


> this thread everyday that passes looses what it used to be (about WM series) to be about flac vc dsd vs mp3...and/or, user opinions about everything besides the name of the thread....




Well dont read it then 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀🤦‍♂️🙇‍♂️


----------



## frost15

Fsilva said:


> this thread everyday that passes looses what it used to be (about WM series) to be about flac vc dsd vs mp3...and/or, user opinions about everything besides the name of the thread....


Which is not a bad thing! It enriches our perspective and knowledge, and prevents this thread from stagnation. There are still things coming up about WM series from time to time aswell, so everyone wins imho.


----------



## 515164

Fsilva said:


> with a variety of flac, dsd, mp3 files



FLAC? Why not WAV?



Fsilva said:


> all stored on my 1 TB micro sd card



Using a low read/write speed card? Otherwise, the card will most probably generate noise that could be perceived in the sound when listening 

This post is a joke and it should be treated as such


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sounds interesting 
The other day I was listening to my 1z to wavs! And I took pictures of my delicious peaches that my 1z sang laaaa liiiii get me those georgian peaches!


----------



## 524419 (Jun 22, 2020)

Flute Concerto No.2 Op.80: IV. Mrala


Say: Concerto For Cello And Orchestra "Never Give Up", Op. 73 - 2. Terror - Elegy


Concerto For Cello And Orchestra "Never Give Up", Op. 73 - 3. Song Of Hope


----------



## Lookout57

SebaE2012 said:


> So does my wife about me. I'm still thinking about buying a good external drive for ripping purposes, because when the Blu Ray drive in my 2012 Sony Vaio dies, I'll be out in the cold regarding ripping CDs. Any advice as to what to buy? Thanks a lot.


I use this on my Mac mini for ripping CDs, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ODDE33U/


----------



## Lookout57

gazzington said:


> I’m trying to get into classical music. What recordings would you recommend to get me started?


Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition (Orchestral and Piano versions)
Bach  Toccata & Fugue in D minor
Holst The Planers


----------



## Hinomotocho

gazzington said:


> I’m trying to get into classical music. What recordings would you recommend to get me started?


I'm in the same situation. 
If you are absolutely starting out I got myself a compilation to give a sampler of the different classics, you could start there. 

https://www.amazon.com › 50-Great...
Web results
The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music by London Philharmonic Orchestra & David Parry ...


----------



## auronthas (Jun 22, 2020)

Duncan said:


> Does anyone use the EX1000 that might have an opinion on this?



Bro. @Duncan  with regards to your old query, I have EX800ST, little brother of EX1000, I bought the  EXK to MMCX converter at USD 25, you can search around at AliExpress, currently I am using Kimber Kable MMCX  balanced 4.4mm cable with this IEM.

There are more wide range of balanced MMCX cable than balanced EXK cable IMHO.


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## 515164

gerelmx1986 said:


>



Wow, nice @gerelmx1986, thanks for sharing!


----------



## Ravenous

So I found a Musashino Label case for the NW-WM1 but I was wondering if anyone can confirm that this company ships to US at all. So far I see that it seems to ship exclusively in Japan.

http://www.malof.xyz/product.php?id=54792


----------



## SebaE2012

Lookout57 said:


> I use this on my Mac mini for ripping CDs, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ODDE33U/



I'll look into it. Thanks a lot for the suggestion!


----------



## nc8000

Ravenous said:


> So I found a Musashino Label case for the NW-WM1 but I was wondering if anyone can confirm that this company ships to US at all. So far I see that it seems to ship exclusively in Japan.
> 
> http://www.malof.xyz/product.php?id=54792



When I bought their 4.4 female to 3.5 male adapter 3 1/2 years ago I had to use a forewarding service as they only shipped to Japan


----------



## frost15

@proedros That Joshua Tree's rip is the best version of the album I've ever heard. Much appreciated!


----------



## Ravenous

nc8000 said:


> When I bought their 4.4 female to 3.5 male adapter 3 1/2 years ago I had to use a forewarding service as they only shipped to Japan


Thanks for the reply! How does that work if I want it shipped to the US? Do I use a forwarding service that is based in Japan, such as https://www.jpn-depot.com/?


----------



## proedros (Jun 22, 2020)

frost15 said:


> @proedros That Joshua Tree's rip is the best version of the album I've ever heard. Much appreciated!




glad you enjoyed it, appreciate the kind words


----------



## hamhamhamsta

frost15 said:


> @proedros That Joshua Tree's rip is the best version of the album I've ever heard. Much appreciated!


I think Marvin Gaye is excellent if not better


----------



## nc8000

Ravenous said:


> Thanks for the reply! How does that work if I want it shipped to the US? Do I use a forwarding service that is based in Japan, such as https://www.jpn-depot.com/?



Yes something like that, can’t remember which one I used


----------



## phonomat

proedros said:


> taking a break from rock , this is an ambient masterpiece


What is?


----------



## proedros (Jun 22, 2020)

phonomat said:


> What is?



it was a draft post , maybe it was or this one not sure which one i had in mind when i began writing this comment 



ps : if you like it , you can buy it here in digital form (FLAC files) for just 5 pounds - a bargain , imo

**


----------



## Blueoris

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well look at it the price also confirms it.
> 
> I wish there were some pure occ coper and well shilded one that was sold....
> 
> ...



I was thinking on this the other day. I wonder if LDAC connection is better than the cable, when using Sony as DAC for Spotify / Tidal?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Blueoris said:


> I was thinking on this the other day. I wonder if LDAC connection is better than the cable, when using Sony as DAC for Spotify / Tidal?




Usb still wins I tried it many times.
But phones sucks even pc gives better results


----------



## purk

Guys....

Can anyone please post a downloadable link to the  *NW Model Switcher?  *
I'm late to the party as usual and the original link is now obsoleted  Thanks.


----------



## captblaze

purk said:


> Guys....
> 
> Can anyone please post a downloadable link to the  *NW Model Switcher?  *
> I'm late to the party as usual and the original link is now obsoleted  Thanks.



check above your post (one post above)


----------



## Vitaly2017

LOL
 Guysss I been uploading for a long time now and you didnt see it 🙃🙃😂


----------



## proedros (Jun 23, 2020)

if you know/love this album , you need to PM me - nice surprise for you


----------



## gerelmx1986

Is High definition Tape transfers (HDTT) a good site to buy DSD music or is amateurish transfers that can sound crappy like rutracker?


----------



## auronthas (Jun 23, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Single ended to balanced isn’t a night and day difference. Better separation and that’s about it. So if you don’t like the sound on 3.5mm port you won’t like it on 4.4mm either.


It depends on the recording as well as music format eg. DSD and the synergy of your gears DAC/DAP , etc.




nc8000 said:


> Well balanced has a few extra advantages. It plays dsd natively and it generaly has better separation and lower noice floor and blacker background due to not having common ground



Yes, I concur, I can hear better separation, wider soundstage, more dynamic on good sound quality and recording pieces.



hamhamhamsta said:


> Balanced vs SE is like day and night, light years away with the right gears; SE is like 100% behind balanced. I have balanced for 2200 hours plus, SE at around 200 hrs and that was 2-3 years ago last time I used them.



Agreed, I can hear day and night differences between balanced vs SE too.



frost15 said:


> I don't hear such a huge difference, yet I always listen through balanced since I first used it, because there is definitely a difference, but not that big I think.



I could hear slight differences in WM1Z than WM1A.  So it really depends on synergy of gears I would say.

Listen with Andromeda is more pronounced


----------



## frost15

hamhamhamsta said:


> I think Marvin Gaye is excellent if not better


I found it a bit bass shy for my taste.


----------



## auronthas

gerelmx1986 said:


> The more I listen to these SACDs from analogue tapes. I can say analogue tapes should have never had to be mastered in CD,CD did damage the SA badly compared to.the new.DSD masters (Hi-tes flac also good). CD only sounds good if the entire recording process is all digital



That's why I prefer AAD (SPARS code) recording and digital mastered, more analogue sound.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPARS_code


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Is High definition Tape transfers (HDTT) a good site to buy DSD music or is amateurish transfers that can sound crappy like rutracker?



I have bought several from there and have generally been satisfied with them


----------



## Queen6

frost15 said:


> I found it a bit bass shy for my taste.



For me the bass was spot on with my WM1A, 3.02, J and Dunnu 3001 Pro (4.4), sounding full and accurate, really nice 

Q-6


----------



## Gamerlingual

Can't find any Kimber Kables below 25,000 yen for the MDR-Z7M2 to pair with my 1Z and 1A. Is it a result of the Pandemic I guess? Not enough being made?


----------



## Hinomotocho

Gamerlingual said:


> Can't find any Kimber Kables below 25,000 yen for the MDR-Z7M2 to pair with my 1Z and 1A. Is it a result of the Pandemic I guess? Not enough being made?


https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-4mm-Bala...-/264082347124?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

I've been watching this one, seems genuine


----------



## nc8000

Hinomotocho said:


> https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-4mm-Bala...-/264082347124?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292
> 
> I've been watching this one, seems genuine



Looks like the pictures are from 2 different cables, one is the 4.4 with angled plug but the other is a single ended with straight plug


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Looks like the pictures are from 2 different cables, one is the 4.4 with angled plug but the other is a single ended with straight plug


Does it seem genuine to you or anyone else?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Does it seem genuine to you or anyone else?



It looks real, was just wondering about the 2 different terminations


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> It looks real, was just wondering about the 2 different terminations


Just not sure what experiences with eBay people have had with people in China. Just hoping it isn’t a fake


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Just not sure what experiences with eBay people have had with people in China. Just hoping it isn’t a fake



I’ve had no problem the few times I’ve tried. With this one I would write to the seller and ask if it is indeed the 4.4 version he is selling as at least one of the pictures look like a 3.5 or 6.3 single ended version


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Gamerlingual said:


> Can't find any Kimber Kables below 25,000 yen for the MDR-Z7M2 to pair with my 1Z and 1A. Is it a result of the Pandemic I guess? Not enough being made?


E-earphone does get them in used pretty often.  Keep an eye on their site too since you can check their other stores.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sigh... $150 would be ideal, but think that's probably still too expensive for me. Oh well, guess I'll wait it out


----------



## Hinomotocho

nc8000 said:


> Looks like the pictures are from 2 different cables, one is the 4.4 with angled plug but the other is a single ended with straight plug


I think the picture you are talking about is showing the 3.5mm connectors that go into the headphone side.


----------



## nc8000

Hinomotocho said:


> I think the picture you are talking about is showing the 3.5mm connectors that go into the headphone side.



Ah yes I think you are right and it shows the back side of the right angle plug


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jun 23, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Sigh... $150 would be ideal, but think that's probably still too expensive for me. Oh well, guess I'll wait it out


It has been the best price I've seen - the seller seems to have good feedback.
Keep watching the e earphone site for secondhand cables, I think they will send from another store free of charge (they did for me but is was between the 2 stores in Osaka).
Also try yahoo auctions in Japan.


----------



## WAmadeusM

Hello - a question to the WM1A community  - can you run an OTG external thumbnail drive into it?   As you can with android phones.  Thanks all.


----------



## Nostoi

WAmadeusM said:


> Hello - a question to the WM1A community  - can you run an OTG external thumbnail drive into it?   As you can with android phones.  Thanks all.


No.


----------



## nc8000

WAmadeusM said:


> Hello - a question to the WM1A community  - can you run an OTG external thumbnail drive into it?   As you can with android phones.  Thanks all.



Nope


----------



## bana

proedros said:


> glad you enjoyed it, appreciate the kind words


+1, the man knows his music.


----------



## Ravenous (Jun 23, 2020)

Now this is a very odd question but I was wondering if anyone experienced this happening to their WM1A/WM1Z. So I've had my WM1A for about 3 weeks now and I noticed some odd "black film" accumulating around the rim of both the balanced and unbalanced output of the player. I must first note that I do keep my player in a headphone case with a couple of bags of Silica Gel inside (in a pouch on the inside wall of the case) to prevent and remove moisture build-up. Could the Silica gel be causeing a oxidation of the inner wall(the rim) of the outputs. So far I've only been using the 3.5mm output as I do not yet have a balanced option for it and the sound from the unbalanced output sounds fine (no noticeable unnatural distortion) but I was wondering if this could be a problem that would require me to return or exchange it before my 30 days are up to return from the store I bought it from.





I apologize in advance for the mess lol but I hope you can see the "black dirt" that shows in the picture around the inside of the balanced output


----------



## aceedburn

Ravenous said:


> Now this is a very odd question but I was wondering if anyone experienced this happening to their WM1A/WM1Z. So I've had my WM1A for about 3 weeks now and I noticed some odd "black film" accumulating around the rim of both the balanced and unbalanced output of the player. I must first note that I do keep my player in a headphone case with a couple of bags of Silica Gel inside (in a pouch on the inside wall of the case) to prevent and remove moisture build-up. Could the Silica gel be causeing a oxidation of the inner wall(the rim) of the outputs. So far I've only been using the 3.5mm output as I do not yet have a balanced option for it and the sound from the unbalanced output sounds fine (no noticeable unnatural distortion) but I was wondering if this could be a problem that would require me to return or exchange it before my 30 days are up to return from the store I bought it from.
> 
> 
> I apologize in advance for the mess lol but I hope you can see the "black dirt" that shows in the picture around the inside of the balanced output


You sure its not just lint? Can you clean it with a cotton bud?


----------



## mungster

Ravenous said:


> Now this is a very odd question but I was wondering if anyone experienced this happening to their WM1A/WM1Z. So I've had my WM1A for about 3 weeks now and I noticed some odd "black film" accumulating around the rim of both the balanced and unbalanced output of the player. I must first note that I do keep my player in a headphone case with a couple of bags of Silica Gel inside (in a pouch on the inside wall of the case) to prevent and remove moisture build-up. Could the Silica gel be causeing a oxidation of the inner wall(the rim) of the outputs. So far I've only been using the 3.5mm output as I do not yet have a balanced option for it and the sound from the unbalanced output sounds fine (no noticeable unnatural distortion) but I was wondering if this could be a problem that would require me to return or exchange it before my 30 days are up to return from the store I bought it from.
> 
> 
> I apologize in advance for the mess lol but I hope you can see the "black dirt" that shows in the picture around the inside of the balanced output


Get a q-tip put some rubbing alcohol and stick it in the balance port and clean the dirt out and go ebay and buy one of the port plugs and plug the port your not using to prevent dirt or contaminant getting in.


----------



## 524419

Ravenous said:


> Now this is a very odd question but I was wondering if anyone experienced this happening to their WM1A/WM1Z. So I've had my WM1A for about 3 weeks now and I noticed some odd "black film" accumulating around the rim of both the balanced and unbalanced output of the player. I must first note that I do keep my player in a headphone case with a couple of bags of Silica Gel inside (in a pouch on the inside wall of the case) to prevent and remove moisture build-up. Could the Silica gel be causeing a oxidation of the inner wall(the rim) of the outputs. So far I've only been using the 3.5mm output as I do not yet have a balanced option for it and the sound from the unbalanced output sounds fine (no noticeable unnatural distortion) but I was wondering if this could be a problem that would require me to return or exchange it before my 30 days are up to return from the store I bought it from.
> 
> 
> I apologize in advance for the mess lol but I hope you can see the "black dirt" that shows in the picture around the inside of the balanced output


It's good practice to clean it with alcohol every once in a while. Q-tip works very well like described above ^^^^


----------



## auronthas (Jun 24, 2020)

Duncan said:


> It is interesting, and aware that impedance plays a part here, the Z1R is 40ohms at 103db/mw - the FH7 is 16ohms at 111db/mw and I sit between 65 and 85, high gain...



Relatively, FH7 is easier to drive than ZIR as it's more sensitive dBSPL/w and lower impednance.  FH7 is near Andromeda, usually I listen at 60-70, low gain.
Here's my "estimation" of mW, Vrms, mA required based on desired SPL loudness of 110dB for relative comparison. Sorry for late post


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

His recommendation of music is really good. Worth a view:


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## mwhals (Jun 24, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> His recommendation of music is really good. Worth a view:




Thanks for posting this! I wrote down a lot of the albums he recommended to further evaluate. A few I have already, but many I do not. I love new (to me) music.


----------



## WAmadeusM

Nostoi said:


> No.
> [/QUOTE
> 
> Thanks


----------



## Deffy

I just added the Oriolus BA300S to my collection. So right now my setup is the IER-Z1R - WM1A - Oriolus ba300s and alternatively for my preferred vocal listening the Campfire Andromeda S with Alo Audio SXC-8. The WM1A is set to J, uncapped with the Orion 7.1 Custom Firmware.

As I already stated previously I am by no means an expert, don't know how to describe sound with terms and should not in anyway influence you in decisions whereas some of the great ears and minds in this thread should  Anyway, having added the oriolus only to day with just a few sessions, to MY ears... this is where it's at for me. No way I can describe it and perhaps it's just the unfamiliar tube sound that does it for me. No idea, but I can honestly say that with this setup I'm drifting away. I know that much better ears in this thread tried it as well and it wasn't for them, but to me.. time just disappeared.


----------



## Mindstorms

Guys there is just so much info i cant process ca someone tell me if there are any news on Firmware topic? nice to see newcomers to the thread also!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Mindstorms said:


> Guys there is just so much info i cant process ca someone tell me if there are any news on Firmware topic? nice to see newcomers to the thread also!




Not really and I think I got them all set and loaded except the mac versions...

Its all in my link in signature


----------



## aceedburn

It’s awfully quiet in here. Last post at 6am my time zone today.


----------



## Amber Rain

Does anyone know if using the USB OUT to an amp depletes the battery more quickly than using the headphone ports?  Anecdotally, it appears to be the case.


----------



## aceedburn

Amber Rain said:


> Does anyone know if using the USB OUT to an amp depletes the battery more quickly than using the headphone ports?  Anecdotally, it appears to be the case.


Yes I think so too. I use the usb out quite a bit to my desktop dac and output to my desktop speakers and the battery definitely drains faster. But the sound is amazing so I’m not complaining. Only downside is can’t charge and use usb audio at the same time.


----------



## RobertP (Jun 25, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> It’s awfully quiet in here. Last post at 6am my time zone today.


Hopefully because everyone enjoy playing music.

BTW, I have too much fun tuning lately and I just broke the sync/charging cable right now. Lucky I another one for spare.


----------



## Gamerlingual

RobertP said:


> Hopefully because everyone enjoy playing music.


Yup, so far so great using the TA and 1Z/1A with my MDR-Z7M2 and IER-Z1R. Best wishes to all.


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> Hopefully because everyone enjoy playing music.
> 
> BTW, I have too much fun tuning lately and I just broke the sync/charging cable right now. Lucky I another one for spare.


Oops, i bought a spare one afteri got my walkman. So one cable is always in my dock stand and the other is used for syncing or as spare. It’s a worthwhile investment and is very cheap direct from sony.


----------



## Amber Rain

aceedburn said:


> Yes I think so too. I use the usb out quite a bit to my desktop dac and output to my desktop speakers and the battery definitely drains faster. But the sound is amazing so I’m not complaining. Only downside is can’t charge and use usb audio at the same time.



Yes, it's a small price to pay!! Just wanted to make sure it wasn't me gong mad or my unit having a battery issue.


----------



## nc8000

I’ve just got the cable that came with the player, but then I have a couple of these micro usb to WM port adapters


----------



## RobertP

Wish they have it in USB-C.


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> I’ve just got the cable that came with the player, but then I have a couple of these micro usb to WM port adapters


Nice. I’m sure they can be used for charging but Do they work with syncing as well? But I wouldn’t use it for usb audio as it surely wont be a pure signal from dap to dac.


----------



## AlexCBSN

RobertP said:


> Wish they have it in USB-C.



maybe this one?


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Nice. I’m sure they can be used for charging but Do they work with syncing as well? But I wouldn’t use it for usb audio as it surely wont be a pure signal from dap to dac.



Yes they work for sync and as far as I know also for dac use


----------



## Gamerlingual

AlexCBSN said:


> maybe this one?


That’s the jackpot. Nice find


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> Yes they work for sync and as far as I know also for dac use


Yes I know it can be used but it would take away something though. The less connectors in between devices are always best.


----------



## nc8000

RobertP said:


> Wish they have it in USB-C.


----------



## RobertP

AlexCBSN said:


> maybe this one?





nc8000 said:


>


Thank you. That's will do.


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


>


No no no


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> No no no



And why not ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

It should be time for a new Flagship walkman model IMHO. I think my battery is no longer on its optimum performance.
However the new flagship should have
2x msd slots  + internal > 128GB
DSD Remastering (with AI) + DSEE HX AI
Filters in the DAC to customize SQ
PEQ
I would love to see a volume pot and a small led ball a la Chord hugo for sample rate visualization
Increased power output
USB C cable


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> It should be time for a new Flagship walkman model IMHO. I think my battery is no longer on its optimum performance.
> However the new flagship should have
> 2x msd slots  + internal > 128GB
> DSD Remastering (with AI) + DSEE HX AI
> ...




And more premium components then wm1z!


----------



## Vitaly2017

We are not debating flac vs wav here lol so yes a better usb cable will bring substantial benefits!

1z warmth is also due to kimber kable!

My romi 1z has all pure silver cables ! And its not as warm and the musicality changed into a different form of musicality....


Trust me IFi is 1 very very reputable company for bringing products with super fidelity approach in mind!


----------



## iFi audio (Jun 25, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Trust me IFi is 1 very very reputable company for bringing products with super fidelity approach in mind!



Thank you, sound quality is one of those things that are very important to us


----------



## Whitigir

iFi audio said:


> Thank you, sound quality is one of those things that are very important to us


You really are everywhere !!!! I am amazed


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 25, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> It should be time for a new Flagship walkman model IMHO. I think my battery is no longer on its optimum performance.
> However the new flagship should have
> 2x msd slots  + internal > 128GB
> DSD Remastering (with AI) + DSEE HX AI
> ...



Sony will likely incorporate technology from the zx507 and sa-z1 into the next flagship. But I speculate that it won't be happening this year due to covid and trade wars causing bad economic outlook which will likely result in poor sales for such high ticket item. I suspect their main goal this year is to sell their zx500 and a100 series as much as possible. Then release a flagship when the global economy and supply chain recovers.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 25, 2020)

Here's what the next Sony flagship might have but all these will depend on the power/thermal limitation they can squeeze into the form factor of the WM1.

DSD Native up to 22.4 MHz
PCM up to 768 kHz/32 bit
DSEE HX AI upsampling to 32bit 384KHz
DSD remastering 11.2MHz

Use of Gallium nitride materials to improve power efficiency(tech from SA-Z1)
Use of improved PCB that can handle high frequencies better (tech from ZX507)
Use of improved gold solder and improved ball joint techniques (tech from ZX507, ZX300)
Use of milled copper shielding(tech from ZX507)
Use of FTCAP2 (tech from DMP-Z1)
Volume adjustment of 120 levels(tech from ZX507)

Again all these are my speculations and the next flagship might be different from what is Iisted here.


----------



## Vitaly2017

iFi audio said:


> Thank you, sound quality is one of those things that are very important to us





HAHAha     One real surprise ! hehe thanks for your support in my recommendations and I do indeed talk from EXPERIENCE I once owned the sennheiser hdv820 dac/amp I had the gimini usb with isilencer and idefender and have to say those devices really works! They are designed for purity and cleanest sound possible.

From my experience with Ifi products it is the image that I have built of you, Pure Clean Refined Genuine sound.  If Folks like to hear what is sound that is refined to the bone IFI is one of those !


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> Not really and I think I got them all set and loaded except the mac versions...
> 
> Its all in my link in signature


thank you!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Using different cable combos with the TA and 1Z/1A. Getting feedback from others’ experiences and all while using those DAPs. Just basic guidance or understanding and then determine how we want to enjoy those players.

Speaking of which, gonna see how different the output is with my PC vs the 1Z/1A using the Kimber Kable. Cheers to everyone.


----------



## AxelCloris

We've removed some of the off-topic discussion since the thread was getting away from the NW-WM1Z/NW-WM1A. Thank you to those who helped keep things on track. We appreciate it.


----------



## Gamerlingual

For those that use the 1Z/1A on their cradle, if you would like that to use that as your main source to the TA, is it a bad idea to use those players a lot with that cradle in terms of keeping the battery stable? Would it be bad to keep the battery care on always but knowing the battery may stay charged at the 90% if I decide to take that route?


----------



## Whitigir

Gamerlingual said:


> For those that use the 1Z/1A on their cradle, if you would like that to use that as your main source to the TA, is it a bad idea to use those players a lot with that cradle in terms of keeping the battery stable? Would it be bad to keep the battery care on always but knowing the battery may stay charged at the 90% if I decide to take that route?


I have used it before that way, and it would be just fine As long as you have “battery care” on.

Just for your interests, the DMP Z1 doesn’t even have battery care feature


----------



## Gamerlingual

Whitigir said:


> I have used it before that way, and it would be just fine As long as you have “battery care” on.
> 
> Just for your interests, the DMP Z1 doesn’t even have battery care feature


I noticed that when I tested it at Yodbashi Camera. Quite surprised, but then it has so many batteries inside, it probably wouldn't need it. Which player would you recommend to be the Portable on the go and the other to use the Cradle? I'm noticing using just the Walkman cable plugged into my 1A vs my PC connected (both into the TA) that the MDR-Z7M2 has more even mids using DSD. Seems like the DAP's make the Z7M2 smoother across the spectrum.


----------



## Kad998

She’s here!!!!!


----------



## iFi audio

Kad998 said:


> She’s here!!!!!



Congrats! It's going to be quite the weekend for you


----------



## Whitigir

iFi audio said:


> Congrats! It's going to be quite the weekend for you


Not until 500 hours later


----------



## Pillsburydough

Whitigir said:


> Not until 500 hours later


I know, I've had mine for just over two weeks now and still only on 25 hours.


----------



## normie610

Pillsburydough said:


> I know, I've had mine for just over two weeks now and still only on 25 hours.



You can leave it playing 24/7 though


----------



## Kad998

iFi audio said:


> Congrats! It's going to be quite the weekend for you



Yes, yes! I’m excited!!!!! 4 hours down, 546 to go! Lol but I’m on cloud 9.


----------



## RobertP

Nonetheless, 1Z still quite good from first few hours


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jun 26, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Nonetheless, 1Z still quite good from first few hours


Those using 1A going to 1Z the first few hours would get quite a shock. It’s completely different sound profile. May seem they bought a dud; that’s how I feel the first few hours I got 1Z. I thought is that it? But a few hundred hours later, 1Z superiority shows itself and pull ahead

Hold the fort! Keep burning for at least 500 hours. You can do it - hahahaha


----------



## Pillsburydough

normie610 said:


> You can leave it playing 24/7 though


Is this ok to do? Should I have any concerns for the capacitors in burning them in this way? Or would say, 8 hours overnight be a better method? Asking as I know that I know nothing on this matter


----------



## normie610

That’s what I did and everything works perfectly


----------



## nanaholic

Pillsburydough said:


> Is this ok to do? Should I have any concerns for the capacitors in burning them in this way? Or would say, 8 hours overnight be a better method? Asking as I know that I know nothing on this matter



It's fine, the Walkmans don't heat up so there's no threat of heat degradation to the components.


----------



## nc8000

Pillsburydough said:


> Is this ok to do? Should I have any concerns for the capacitors in burning them in this way? Or would say, 8 hours overnight be a better method? Asking as I know that I know nothing on this matter



I’ve always just left things playing with headphones plugged in at a bit above average volume all day and then listened every evening


----------



## Pillsburydough

nc8000 said:


> I’ve always just left things playing with headphones plugged in at a bit above average volume all day and then listened every evening


And in terms of battery care for using this method for burning in, leave it plugged in whilst leaving it play, or just normal charge to 90%, keep an eye on it and recharge when getting low? Thanks in advance for your advice guys


----------



## Gamerlingual

I’ll give feedback on the performance of the SA-Z1 with WM1Z after


----------



## normie610

Pillsburydough said:


> And in terms of battery care for using this method for burning in, leave it plugged in whilst leaving it play, or just normal charge to 90%, keep an eye on it and recharge when getting low? Thanks in advance for your advice guys



Do the latter, but keep it playing while charging. When full, disconnect the charger and let it continue using the battery.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Maybe it is a good idea to keep your Walkman powered up continuously if you seek the best sound quality:
https://www.audiostream.com/content...l-devices-and-proper-warm-ideal-listening-and


----------



## phonomat

Or, you know, just do something for your wallet as well as the environment and "burn it in" while actually listening to it as well as turn it off when you don't use it. But I guess this is not the forum for this kind of nonsense talk.


----------



## nc8000

Pillsburydough said:


> And in terms of battery care for using this method for burning in, leave it plugged in whilst leaving it play, or just normal charge to 90%, keep an eye on it and recharge when getting low? Thanks in advance for your advice guys



I’ve just left it plugged in


----------



## nc8000

phonomat said:


> Or, you know, just do something for your wallet as well as the environment and "burn it in" while actually listening to it as well as turn it off when you don't use it. But I guess this is not the forum for this kind of nonsense talk.



Well I’ve never turned mine off in 3 1/2 years and never turned the ZX2 off either the 2 years I had that before. Can’t be bothered to wait 5-10 minutes at turn on while the library is being rebuild


----------



## nanaholic (Jun 27, 2020)

phonomat said:


> Or, you know, just do something for your wallet as well as the environment and "burn it in" while actually listening to it as well as turn it off when you don't use it. But I guess this is not the forum for this kind of nonsense talk.



The Walkman sips power. The internal battery is only 1560mAH and it plays mp3 for 40 hours.

It very likely draws less power than 99.9% of the equipment that people talks about on this forum for several hours even if you let it play 24/7 to reach the 200 hour mark. Heck it DEFINITELY uses less power than your average  smartphone.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

My Sony zx2 lasted 24days with idle standby.. it has a 1860mah battery. It's only drawing 77.5mah a day. 

The WM1 walkman will likely draw even less idle power given it is not running Android.

Dont think you will contribute any significant pollution by running your Walkman 24/7.


----------



## nc8000

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> My Sony zx2 lasted 24days with idle standby.. it has a 1860mah battery. It's only drawing 77.5mah a day.
> 
> The WM1 walkman will likely draw even less idle power given it is not running Android.
> 
> Dont think you will contribute any significant pollution by running your Walkman 24/7.



I did at one point try to just leave my 1Z in stand by and not using it at all until it turned off. With battery saver on so charged to 90% from the start it lasted 20 days before turning off (I checked every morning and evening to see if it was still alive).


----------



## 515164 (Jun 27, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> My Sony zx2 lasted 24days with idle standby.. it has a 1860mah battery. It's only drawing 77.5mah a day.
> 
> The WM1 walkman will likely draw even less idle power given it is not running Android.
> 
> Dont think you will contribute any significant pollution by running your Walkman 24/7.



It doesn't run Android per se, but it's actually Linux and among the binaries in the firmware you can also find "adb", which is Android Debug Bridge. There are also some scrips to enable or disable ADB.

The device also has a "recovery" partition, which instead of the classic recovery mode on an Android device, it contains another small Linux system, with the script for the firmware update process.

So it's not that different actually, also given the fact that the device uses a Mediatek SoC.

Edit: Fun/interesting fact - Sony calls this custom Linux OS "Hagoromo".


----------



## nc8000

morgenstern09 said:


> It doesn't run Android per se, but it's actually Linux and among the binaries in the firmware you can also find "adb", which is Android Debug Bridge. There are also some scrips to enable or disable ADB.
> 
> The device also has a "recovery" partition, which instead of the classic recovery mode on an Android device, it contains another small Linux system, with the script for the firmware update process.
> 
> ...



The ZX2 he was refering to does run Android


----------



## 515164 (Jun 27, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> The ZX2 he was refering to does run Android



Yep, I know.

He also mentioned WM1 and that it doesn't run Android


----------



## mmwwmm (Jun 27, 2020)

I just used my 1Z today, and for the first time, as a digital transport plugged to my Chord Hugo 2 and I am absolutely amazed! The 1Z is a monster of a digital transport! Previously I used an Audiolab 8200CD V12 (an extremely good transport with very low levels of jitter in its digital output) as the digital transport for my Hugo 2 in a loudspeaker stereo setup and the 1Z is shockingly better than the Audiolab
Awesome...


----------



## Vitaly2017

mmwwmm said:


> I just used my 1Z today, and for the first time, as a digital transport plugged to my Chord Hugo 2 and I am absolutely amazed! The 1Z is a monster of a digital transport! Previously I used an Audiolab 8200CD V12 (an extremely good transport with very low levels of jitter in its digital output) as the digital transport for my Hugo 2 in a loudspeaker stereo setup and the 1Z is shockingly better than the Audiolab
> Awesome...




Do you find that 1z bring some seductive warmth and smoothness to the sound? I didnt like the Hugo2 alone how it sounded but when I hooked the wm1z I was like WOOW


----------



## phonomat

nanaholic said:


> The Walkman sips power. The internal battery is only 1560mAH and it plays mp3 for 40 hours.
> 
> It very likely draws less power than 99.9% of the equipment that people talks about on this forum for several hours even if you let it play 24/7 to reach the 200 hour mark. Heck it DEFINITELY uses less power than your average  smartphone.


I don't let my smartphone play music or videos or do whatever in a drawer while I'm in the other room though. I use it when necessary. But suit yourself.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

morgenstern09 said:


> Hagoromo



Is it named after this famous Japanese chalk?
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2...e-chalk-continues-writing-legacy-south-korea/


----------



## Colors

auronthas said:


> Relatively, FH7 is easier to drive than ZIR as it's more sensitive dBSPL/w and lower impednance.  FH7 is near Andromeda, usually I listen at 60-70, low gain.
> Here's my "estimation" of mW, Vrms, mA required based on desired SPL loudness of 110dB for relative comparison. Sorry for late post



I usually listen w/ my Andros at 20-25 Vol on balanced max...sometimes up to 35-40 for quieter recorded songs, ex: Stairway to Heaven, Dreams. Low gain as well.

Any idea how many dB that's at and if it's safe for hearing? Just curious.


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Finally found the Dignis walkman case!


----------



## Gamerlingual

cosplayerkyo said:


> Finally found the Dignis walkman case!


Where did you get that cool case?


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Gamerlingual said:


> Where did you get that cool case?



Dignis made these a while back and sadly stopped making them.  I lucked out and found someone selling it here on headfi.


----------



## Gamerlingual

cosplayerkyo said:


> Dignis made these a while back and sadly stopped making them.  I lucked out and found someone selling it here on headfi.


For the 1Z/1A?


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Gamerlingual said:


> For the 1Z/1A?



Yup yup.  I think they made two classic walkman cases before?  This isn't my picture but i saw someone post this on twitter:


----------



## Gamerlingual

cosplayerkyo said:


> Yup yup.  I think they made two classic walkman cases before?  This isn't my picture but i saw someone post this on twitter:


What was the selling price?


----------



## Gamerlingual

cosplayerkyo said:


> Yup yup.  I think they made two classic walkman cases before?  This isn't my picture but i saw someone post this on twitter:


Actually, if you can PM me the details like the model type and stuff, that would be helpful. This looks cool. At least less than $200 USD cool


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

For folks in Europe, Amazon have the Sony Kimber for MDR-1ZR in stock, in particular Amazon NL have it really cheap - €180

https://www.amazon.nl/Sony-MUC-B20S...eywords=Sony+MUC-B20SB1&qid=1593277509&sr=8-1


----------



## minzink

Hi,

In the meantime, with the model changer I changed my WM1A into the 1Z and installed Diavolos FW. Thanks to Morgenstern! Further, I upgraded my headphones to the MDR1AM2 connected to the 4.4mm port. Region is still set on U. 

I cannot say that I really hear a diffierence to the previous FW (WM1aZ+), but I really like the sound and especially the very deep basses. Far better as stock FW. I will keep this configuration for a few weeks to identify some differences. Looking forwared for testing.

Best
Armin


----------



## Donmonte

So what’s the consensus for those of you who used the model switcher ? Did you notice a change at all by going up a tier (1Z< Z1) or 2 tiers (1A< 1Z< Z1) ?


----------



## nanaholic (Jun 28, 2020)

phonomat said:


> I don't let my smartphone play music or videos or do whatever in a drawer while I'm in the other room though. I use it when necessary. But suit yourself.



Most modern smartphone struggles to standby for more than a couple of days doing nothing except background tasks with a 3000mAh battery. The Walkman plays music for 40hrs on a battery that is half the capacity.

That means the Walkman draws LESS power when playing music than a smartphone on standby, so yeah, suit yourself.

It's good to be environmentally aware, but you are barking up the wrong tree.


----------



## mmwwmm

Vitaly2017 said:


> Do you find that 1z bring some seductive warmth and smoothness to the sound? I didnt like the Hugo2 alone how it sounded but when I hooked the wm1z I was like WOOW


I find the sound of the Hugo 2 with the 1Z used just as a digital transport more fluid in the mids and highs and incredibly resolute, precise and spacious compared to my current Audiolab transport. The 1Z is really a superb transport! And yes, the first reaction is a big and unexpected “WOW”


----------



## Gamerlingual

nanaholic said:


> Most modern smartphone struggles to standby for more than a couple of days doing nothing except background tasks with a 3000mAh battery. The Walkman plays music for 40hrs on a battery that is half the capacity.
> 
> That means the Walkman draws LESS power when playing music than a smartphone on standby, so yeah, suit yourself.
> 
> It's good to be environmentally aware, but you are barking up the wrong tree.


Seconded. And I own the iPhone 11 Pro which has much improved battery longevity. The Walkman still beats it out.



mmwwmm said:


> I find the sound of the Hugo 2 with the 1Z used just as a digital transport more fluid in the mids and highs and incredibly resolute, precise and spacious compared to my current Audiolab transport. The 1Z is really a superb transport! And yes, the first reaction is a big and unexpected “WOW”


I find it a chunky little brick to transport. But that sound signature is heavenly on the 1Z


----------



## Nayparm

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> My Sony zx2 lasted 24days with idle standby.. it has a 1860mah battery. It's only drawing 77.5mah a day.
> 
> The WM1 walkman will likely draw even less idle power given it is not running Android.
> 
> Dont think you will contribute any significant pollution by running your Walkman 24/7.



Just fitted a 4100mah battery to one I modded yesterday


----------



## Whitigir

Nayparm said:


> Just fitted a 4100mah battery to one I modded yesterday


That means 48 or 50 days standing by !!! OMG...now I want 1Z again


----------



## Nayparm

I know mad 

The circuit board needs removing from stock battery and swapping with the one the ak240 battery comes with. It will work without swapping but the temp sensor isn't compatible so you will get a thermometer symbol flashing when charging.


----------



## proedros

4300 hours on my wm1a , now with the option to use as dac (with my laptop) and as bluetooth (with stereo speakers) this baby is an all-in-one solution

Sunday Chillout sessions , with the legendary *Tetsu Inoue* (aka Japan Brian Eno)


----------



## Gamerlingual

proedros said:


> 4300 hours on my wm1a , now with the option to use as dac (with my laptop) and as bluetooth (with stereo speakers) this baby is an all-in-one solution
> 
> Sunday Chillout sessions , with the legendary *Tetsu Inoue* (aka Japan Brian Eno)



How’s the battery going? Still charges during DAC mode and I’m guessing it uses up a little extra in BT mode?


----------



## proedros

Gamerlingual said:


> How’s the battery going? Still charges during DAC mode and I’m guessing it uses up a little extra in BT mode?



you worry too much for insignificant things , bro

just enjoy the music


----------



## Gamerlingual

proedros said:


> you worry too much for insignificant things , bro
> 
> just enjoy the music


Doesn’t hurt to learn or ask


----------



## Nayparm

Whitigir said:


> That means 48 or 50 days standing by !!! OMG...now I want 1Z again



I left it  playing since last night. Just past 20 hours play back and the battery graphic is still on full


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Nayparm said:


> I left it  playing since last night. Just past 20 hours play back and the battery graphic is still on full


That’s Locco/ crazy Dude! It’s the ultimate DAP! Hail the DAP Lord

When the archeologists unearth the archeological site, this will be one of the only ancient Walkman’s still working 2000 years from now. 😂


----------



## normie610 (Jun 28, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> That means 48 or 50 days standing by !!! OMG...now I want 1Z again



Didn’t you just modify yours not so long ago?


----------



## Nayparm

Nayparm said:


> I left it  playing since last night. Just past 20 hours play back and the battery graphic is still on full



Lost the first bar at around 22hours
(Playing Flacs)


----------



## Nayparm

normie610 said:


> Didn’t you just modified yours not so long ago?



Its out on loan I think


----------



## iFi audio (Jun 28, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Not until 500 hours later



I think I would attack it after 120 hours or so, although briefly, just to ease my curiosity


----------



## Whitigir

Nayparm said:


> Its out on loan I think


It is sold to @hshock76 .  I need to work on Ibasso MAX, and so I need to move stuff.  I don’t have any Walkman atm


----------



## normie610

Whitigir said:


> It is sold to @hshock76 .  I need to work on Ibasso MAX, and so I need to move stuff.  I don’t have any Walkman atm



He’s one lucky fella!


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> It is sold to @hshock76 .  I need to work on Ibasso MAX, and so I need to move stuff.  I don’t have any Walkman atm



I still have a mint stock 1Z with me which is on standby to be "improved" anytime u find yourself having an itch for a walkman


----------



## Gamerlingual

Whitigir said:


> It is sold to @hshock76 .  I need to work on Ibasso MAX, and so I need to move stuff.  I don’t have any Walkman atm


Doesn't the DMP-Z1 count as a Walkman?


----------



## hshock76

This is my current endgame all gold setup which should last a very long time.... 1ZEM + EA Horus Octa + EE Legend X Jap Gold SE.


----------



## normie610

hshock76 said:


> This is my current endgame all gold setup which should last a very long time.... 1ZEM + EA Horus Octa + EE Legend X Jap Gold SE.



Very nice gold setup! You do know that there’s Horus X now right?


----------



## hshock76 (Jun 28, 2020)

normie610 said:


> Very nice gold setup! You do know that there’s Horus X now right?









Horus Octa is a 8-wire GPS cable with all 8 wires having multi-sized strands and is a higher tier cable vs Horus X which has 4 multi-sized strand GPS wires + 4 *single-sized* strand GPS wires. The difference in price speaks for itself. I have not heard the X but the Octa sounds amazing. I had a stand Horus and got it updated to the Octa version taking advantage of EA's summer sale.


----------



## iFi audio

hshock76 said:


> This is my current endgame all gold setup which should last a very long time.... 1ZEM + EA Horus Octa + EE Legend X Jap Gold SE.



That's one fine setup right there. I suppose it sounds as good as it looks


----------



## nanaholic (Jun 28, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Doesn't the DMP-Z1 count as a Walkman?



No. It's made by the Walkman team, but it's not a Walkman.
That's why the model name doesn't begin with designation "NW" (which stands for "Network Walkman") but the new "DMP" (Digital Media Player) designation.


----------



## Gamerlingual

nanaholic said:


> No. It's made by the Walkman team, but it's not a Walkman.
> That's why the model name doesn't begin with designation "NW" (which stands for "Network Walkman") but the new "DMP" (Digital Media Player) designation.


Testing it at Yodobashi Camera, it said walkman when I turned it on. Although Carryman would make a for a better name


----------



## nanaholic

Gamerlingual said:


> Testing it at Yodobashi Camera, it said walkman when I turned it on. Although Carryman would make a for a better name



That's because it shares the same basic firmware/OS code with some of the recent Walkman (starting from the A30 and the WM1 series) and is made by the same Walkman engineering team of those devices so it has the same splash screen, but it is officially "not a Walkman".


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jun 28, 2020)

Unboxing of the SA-Z1:
https://www.chiphell.com/thread-2235792-1-1.html

https://www.u-headphone.com/Feature/62521/打破常規的近場聆聽－Sony Signature SA-Z1 媒體說明會


----------



## Gamerlingual

nanaholic said:


> That's because it shares the same basic firmware/OS code with some of the recent Walkman (starting from the A30 and the WM1 series) and is made by the same Walkman engineering team of those devices so it has the same splash screen, but it is officially "not a Walkman".


How do you like the DMP-Z1 vs the NW1Z? Seems like the cheapest the DMP is going for is over 900,000 yen. Ouch.


----------



## Whitigir

DMP Z1 is still very different than Walkman


----------



## hshock76 (Jun 28, 2020)

iFi audio said:


> That's one fine setup right there. I suppose it sounds as good as it looks



I will say it sounds better than it looks.Have not been getting much sleep since I received the Horus Octa on Tuesday.

The thick organic and buttery mids from this setup are perfect for the vocal genres I listen to. Impressions of the 1ZEM are on the modifying thread so anyone interested can head over there to find out more. The Horus Octa and Legend X (I love the bass on these) further extends the 1ZEM's capabilities and this combination is for me now the ultimate portable setup.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Whitigir said:


> DMP Z1 is still very different than Walkman


That I agree. Sound wise, using Kimber Kable and stock with the Z7M2 and the MDR-Z1R, I couldn’t find much of a difference in sound signature. I found more of a difference between the NW1Z and TA. Granted, I still really liked the DMP-Z1. Just the price was a big sticker shock. Nice chunky build with quality materials like the 1Z


----------



## nanaholic

Gamerlingual said:


> How do you like the DMP-Z1 vs the NW1Z? Seems like the cheapest the DMP is going for is over 900,000 yen. Ouch.



They don't really compare. 
The DMP-Z1 has the clarity and treble sparkle as you would expect from a perfectly designed and tuned AKM-based player. Whereas the WM1Z is tuned for a bit more warmth and musicality. The DMP-Z1 also has much more headroom when driving headphones, and the fine control of the analog volume dial plays a huge part in getting the perfect volume for listening. 

I'm glad I got my DMP-Z1 when it was cheaper, it seems like it is getting to be a desirable item and the price is rising.


----------



## Hinomotocho

hshock76 said:


> This is my current endgame all gold setup which should last a very long time.... 1ZEM + EA Horus Octa + EE Legend X Jap Gold SE.


That is stunning! 
Do you live in one of those palaces with gold taps and toilets etc?


----------



## hshock76

Hinomotocho said:


> That is stunning!
> Do you live in one of those palaces with gold taps and toilets etc?







No gold fittings in toilets.... Just Gold 1Zs with gold cables (Horus Octa + PW Lucifer) and 2 extremely capable IEMs)


----------



## Hinomotocho

hshock76 said:


> No gold fittings in toilets.... Just Gold 1Zs with gold cables (Horus Octa + PW Lucifer) and 2 extremely capable IEMs)


Great photos too, I can seldom tame my cables to take good pics


----------



## Gamerlingual

nanaholic said:


> They don't really compare.
> The DMP-Z1 has the clarity and treble sparkle as you would expect from a perfectly designed and tuned AKM-based player. Whereas the WM1Z is tuned for a bit more warmth and musicality. The DMP-Z1 also has much more headroom when driving headphones, and the fine control of the analog volume dial plays a huge part in getting the perfect volume for listening.
> 
> I'm glad I got my DMP-Z1 when it was cheaper, it seems like it is getting to be a desirable item and the price is rising.


What was your price for the DMP-Z1? I was lucky to find the WM1Z for 170,000 yen


----------



## nanaholic

Gamerlingual said:


> What was your price for the DMP-Z1? I was lucky to find the WM1Z for 170,000 yen



I bought it at 780,000yen new last year.


----------



## Gamerlingual

nanaholic said:


> I bought it at 780,000yen new last year.


Good price indeed congrats


----------



## auronthas (Jun 29, 2020)

Colors said:


> I usually listen w/ my Andros at 20-25 Vol on balanced max...sometimes up to 35-40 for quieter recorded songs, ex: Stairway to Heaven, Dreams. Low gain as well.
> 
> Any idea how many dB that's at and if it's safe for hearing? Just curious.


That's quite a safe listening sound level.

Usually I would listen my Andros at 50-60 or 60-70 volume for quieter recordings at low gain.  Getting poorer hearing as aging. LOL

I believe it is approx. 60-70 sound decibel ?!  Haven't really measure it though.

Usually I will spend an hour or two, not too long hour listening to take care my hearing.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

For those who are constantly evaluating audio gears like @Gamerlingual


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> For those who are constantly evaluating audio gears like @Gamerlingual



Thanks. It’s just my nature to learn new things. Hence why I speak 5 languages and have worked in video game translation. I like to give things my full attention and still have good family time with my wife and Corgi puppy. The WM1Z is still a fascinating little machine. Cheers!


----------



## Nayparm

Nayparm said:


> Lost the first bar at around 22hours
> (Playing Flacs)



Just checked at 31 hours playback and its lost 2 bars (not sure when it lost it, I was asleep )


----------



## Vitaly2017

Nayparm said:


> I know mad
> 
> The circuit board needs removing from stock battery and swapping with the one the ak240 battery comes with. It will work without swapping but the temp sensor isn't compatible so you will get a thermometer symbol flashing when charging.




Thats soo  sexy 🤩


----------



## auronthas

nanaholic said:


> I absolutely know what you mean.
> 
> I have no interest in "classical" classic music (Bach, Beethoven etc), but I absolutely love going to game/anime orchestral music lives. Just the past couple of years I went to the Composers Summit which was a Kajiura Yuki (dot Hack, Madoka Magia, SAO etc) and Shiina Go (God Eater, Tales series, Idolmaster, Demon Slayer etc) collaboration orchestra live, Key Orchestra Live, and the NiER Automata Orchestra Live (though only online cos of COVID-19) and they were all freaking amazing. I also have the Zelda concerts and Monster Hunter concerts on CD and regularly plays them as background music. When you've played those games/watch the anime the emotions it invokes in you is on a completely different level to classical music as having some form of attachment to the work really brings the level of enjoyment and excitement to a much higher level compared to a pure piece of music.
> 
> It's a shame they stopped doing the Press Start! game orchestral music lives several years ago, those were amazing as well.


Yes, I attended one Distant World Concert features Final Fantasy World Tour with composer, *Nobuo Uematsu , *fantastic and emotion listening to those "classic" JRPG music.   I do have few copies of Distant World Tour Series, it's good keep. 

May be we are not born in those hundred years old classical music era, with different classical music style, try to imagine and appreciate the classical music evolution and influence over time.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> That I agree. Sound wise, using Kimber Kable and stock with the Z7M2 and the MDR-Z1R, I couldn’t find much of a difference in sound signature. I found more of a difference between the NW1Z and TA. Granted, I still really liked the DMP-Z1. Just the price was a big sticker shock. Nice chunky build with quality materials like the 1Z




Mdr-z1r and mdr-z7m2 with kimber kable sound same? Now that's some news!


----------



## auronthas

nanaholic said:


> On an objective level most of those music aren't really the top level quality of "classical" classic music, but sort of like whenever a Star Wars geek (or most people) would instantly recognise John Williams' the Star Wars theme or the Imperial March which ties back to the excitement a person feels when seeing the iconic Star Wars scroll text or scenes of the Empire/Darth Vader appearing, the emotion it invokes are often a lot more than the sum of its parts.


What about modern orchestra works from Hans Zimmer & Two Steps from Hell ?


----------



## auronthas

I have been to few Japan online music websites of late like e-Onkyo, Mora music store, but it won't allow me (outside japan) to buy any online music for my WM1A/1Z. 

Anyone care to share how to do it, also payment method.  

Thanks in advance


----------



## Gamerlingual

Trying this out now. Hmm...


----------



## auronthas

aceedburn said:


> Yes I know it can be used but it would take away something though. The less connectors in between devices are always best.


I could hear it as transparent as WMport - USB stocked cable WMC-NW20MU LOL


----------



## auronthas

nanaholic said:


> I bought it at 780,000yen new last year.


@Gamerlingual  You can get it at 700,000 yen here with pre-order

https://s.lazada.com.my/s.bHh3c


----------



## nanaholic

auronthas said:


> What about modern orchestra works from Hans Zimmer & Two Steps from Hell ?



You can substitute any modern cinema/game music composer you like, for the particular example I just thought that the Star War pieces by John Williams is just so iconic that anyone can recognise the significance of associating music to particular characters/scenes in entertainment such that it invokes a much stronger emotional response in the listener than a piece of music on its own.


----------



## Redcarmoose

auronthas said:


> @Gamerlingual  You can get it at 700,000 yen here with pre-order
> 
> https://s.lazada.com.my/s.bHh3c


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Trying this out now. Hmm...




LoL in Se I doubt it has enough juice to run the utopia at least balanced has so much more mW 🙂🙃


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


>



Hahaha maybe instead of modifying my wm1z I should of bought the dmp?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hahaha maybe instead of modifying my wm1z I should of bought the dmp?



I had the cash in-hand when they came out (and interest)....but just couldn’t get my head around the retail price? I’m sure they are worth it, not maybe for me?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> I had the cash in-hand when they came out (and interest)....but just couldn’t get my head around the retail price? I’m sure they are worth it, not maybe for me?





I was hesitant on dmp all the time. I heard it at canjam and lost interest.  As when I a/b my 1z to dmp I just liked how 1z was bassy and more fun as a sound signature.  Dmp is very refined and more flat in comparison.  I think its totally different from 1z sound and philosophy


----------



## Gamerlingual (Jun 29, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> I had the cash in-hand when they came out (and interest)....but just couldn’t get my head around the retail price? I’m sure they are worth it, not maybe for me?


Nope. Not worth it. The Focal Clear were actually much better. Even better than the Stellia while using this amp you see in the background plus the 1Z. All 3 headphones can play on the 1Z no problem. Sennheiser is where you get screwed with the 300 ohms impedance. For me, the overhead champs remain the MDR-Z7M2 and the Audeze Mobius with the MDR-Z1R just a hair behind. But overall, I’ve yet to find a set of overhead headphones that can topple the IER-Z1R. For my ears, that’s too difficult to do. 

Some pictures for a quick tour. And yup, the 1Z is there. This is Fujiya Avic in Nakano:


Spoiler: Images


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Nakano



You must have found some small magic trick to keep the little lady pacified?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Nope. Not worth it. The Focal Clear were actually much better. Even better than the Stellia while using this amp you see in the background plus the 1Z. All 3 headphones can play on the 1Z no problem. Sennheiser is where you get screwed with the 300 ohms impedance. For me, the overhead champs remain the MDR-Z7M2 and the Audeze Mobius with the MDR-Z1R just a hair behind. But overall, I’ve yet to find a set of overhead headphones that can topple the IER-Z1R. For my ears, that’s too difficult to do.
> 
> Some pictures for a quick tour. And yup, the 1Z is there. This is Fujiya Avic in Nakano:




🤩😍🤩😍😇😍😇


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> You must have found some small magic trick to keep the little lady pacified?




Probably shes the one taking the pictures!  🙃🙂


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Probably shes the one taking the pictures!  🙃🙂


Nope. All me. She was at work while I went to the shop. We traveled together to our destinations and I showed her the Focal Utopia. She thought the price was insane.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Nope. All me. She was at work while I went to the shop. We traveled together to our destinations and I showed her the Focal Utopia. She thought the price was insane.




Audio hobby is priceless  🙂
There is no limit only your wallet and logic can stop you


----------



## Gamerlingual (Jun 29, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Audio hobby is priceless  🙂
> There is no limit only your wallet and logic can stop you


I have the money for them. But it just doesn't have that WOW factor for the price. Joshua Valour sums it up the best in his review. The Focal Clear was the set that wowed me the most, even more than the Stellia which I also enjoyed more than the Utopia. I was surprised how good the Focal Clear hummed with the 1Z. But the Audeze Mobius and MDR-Z7M2 remain on top.


----------



## auronthas

auronthas said:


> I have been to few Japan online music websites of late like e-Onkyo, Mora music store, but it won't allow me (outside japan) to buy any online music for my WM1A/1Z.
> 
> Anyone care to share how to do it, also payment method.
> 
> Thanks in advance


Anyone can share some tips buying online Japanese High Res music for your WM1A/1Z ?


----------



## nanaholic

auronthas said:


> I have been to few Japan online music websites of late like e-Onkyo, Mora music store, but it won't allow me (outside japan) to buy any online music for my WM1A/1Z.
> 
> Anyone care to share how to do it, also payment method.
> 
> Thanks in advance



The easiest method is to register an Amazon JP account and use Amazon payment option on Mora.

You'll still need to use a VPN to access Mora, but at least you would clear the credit card block which is much harder to circumvent as most of these sites will cross check where the credit card is issued, and if it is not a Japanese card or a card from a Japanese bank, the payment will likely be refused.


----------



## Gamerlingual

nanaholic said:


> The easiest method is to register an Amazon JP account and use Amazon payment option on Mora.
> 
> You'll still need to use a VPN to access Mora, but at least you would clear the credit card block which is much harder to circumvent as most of these sites will cross check where the credit card is issued, and if it is not a Japanese card or a card from a Japanese bank, the payment will likely be refused.


Seconded. As I used mora and Amazon JP in the states before


----------



## graffy1

Hello.

Does anyone have problem with Noble Falcon?

When I listen with the Falcon connected to WM1Z, noise pops up when bass hits big.

How about you, gentlemen?


----------



## iFi audio

auronthas said:


> Yes, I attended one Distant World Concert features Final Fantasy World Tour with composer, *Nobuo Uematsu , *fantastic and emotion listening to those "classic" JRPG music. I do have few copies of Distant World Tour Series, it's good keep.



Ah, "One Winged Angel" by various orchestras is one of those things I've been returning to over and over and over again!


----------



## Nayparm

Nayparm said:


> Just checked at 31 hours playback and its lost 2 bars (not sure when it lost it, I was asleep )



This is bonkers, just back in from work (late) and its still playing, 1 bar left.
in 23mins it will be on 43 hours playback !!!!


----------



## Queen6

Nayparm said:


> This is bonkers, just back in from work (late) and its still playing, 1 bar left.
> in 23mins it will be on 43 hours playback !!!!



That's not bonkers, that's epic, especially given those caps   

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

As they said in the day


and Your Ass Will Follow   43 hours and counting, top Mod 

Q-6


----------



## Donmonte

Gamerlingual said:


> I have the money for them. But it just doesn't have that WOW factor for the price. Joshua Valour sums it up the best in his review. The Focal Clear was the set that wowed me the most, even more than the Stellia which I also enjoyed more than the Utopia. I was surprised how good the Focal Clear hummed with the 1Z. But the Audeze Mobius and MDR-Z7M2 remain on top.



I love the Clears, they pair also really well with the 1A. But you have to be in total silence to really enjoy them.


----------



## iFi audio

Nayparm said:


> This is bonkers, just back in from work (late) and its still playing, 1 bar left.
> in 23mins it will be on 43 hours playback !!!!



That's a very respectable running time indeed


----------



## Nayparm

Nayparm said:


> This is bonkers, just back in from work (late) and its still playing, 1 bar left.
> in 23mins it will be on 43 hours playback !!!!



at 45 hours now


----------



## Nayparm

Nayparm said:


> at 45 hours now



47.5 hours and still playing...
I'm off to bed so i'm not sure when it will go to sleep 😂


----------



## Nayparm (Jun 29, 2020)

Nayparm said:


> 47.5 hours and still playing...
> I'm off to bed so i'm not sure when it will go to sleep 😂



I put the headphones on to hear it past the 2 day mark 😁

Is this the first dap to measure playback time in days instead of hours?


----------



## Whitigir

Nayparm said:


> I put the headphones on to hear it past the 2 day mark 😁
> 
> Is this the first dap to measure playback time in days instead of hours?


It is crazy!!! A DAP that can last for 1/2 a week continuously playing !!!!


----------



## Whitigir

That also means if one listens to this Walkman 8 hours a day.... it lasts 1 full week!!!!


----------



## Nayparm (Jun 29, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> That also means if one listens to this Walkman 8 hours a day.... it lasts 1 full week!!!!



Wow your right 😱
Its still playing and i'm still listening, a great way to mask the wifes snoring 🙈😂


----------



## hshock76

Whitigir said:


> That also means if one listens to this Walkman 8 hours a day.... it lasts 1 full week!!!!



And I always thought charging is an essential part of the DAP ownership experience!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Nayparm said:


> Wow your right 😱
> Its still playing and i'm still listening, a great way to mask the wifes snoring 🙈😂


Well then, how long does it take to charge from 0% to 90%? A day? 2 days? 😂😂🤣


----------



## Gamerlingual

hamhamhamsta said:


> Well then, how long does it take to charge from 0% to 90%? A day? 2 days? 😂😂🤣


I’ve used one of the USB charges from Anker and it juices it up in about 4.5 hours. Pretty good if you ask me


----------



## Redcarmoose

2021?


----------



## Hinomotocho

Redcarmoose said:


> 2021?


2020 has been officially cancelled so it will now roll over to 2022


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hinomotocho said:


> 2020 has been officially cancelled so it will now roll over to 2022


The WH-1000XM4, SA-Z1, and some new wireless earbuds show that nothing is canceled this year for Sony. We don’t know 100%


----------



## Hinomotocho

Gamerlingual said:


> The WH-1000XM4, SA-Z1, and some new wireless earbuds show that nothing is canceled this year for Sony. We don’t know 100%


it was just a cynical poke at the general state of things due to covid-19


----------



## Nayparm

Nayparm said:


> I put the headphones on to hear it past the 2 day mark 😁
> 
> Is this the first dap to measure playback time in days instead of hours?



I don't believe it, its still playing this morning!
It's now actually saying 'Low Battery, please charge'

Thats 55 hours !!!! can't be much left now surely


----------



## Hinomotocho

Nayparm said:


> I don't believe it, its still playing this morning!
> It's now actually saying 'Low Battery, please charge'
> 
> Thats 55 hours !!!! can't be much left now surely


and it doesn't even break a sweat - other devices would be glowing by now, this thing is cool as a cucumber


----------



## Nayparm

Hinomotocho said:


> and it doesn't even break a sweat - other devices would be glowing by now, this thing is cool as a cucumber



Yep its actually cold to the touch


----------



## auronthas (Jun 30, 2020)

nanaholic said:


> The easiest method is to register an Amazon JP account and use Amazon payment option on Mora.
> 
> You'll still need to use a VPN to access Mora, but at least you would clear the credit card block which is much harder to circumvent as most of these sites will cross check where the credit card is issued, and if it is not a Japanese card or a card from a Japanese bank, the payment will likely be refused.


Off topic but related to music download to WM1A/1Z.

Thanks, I manage to use VPN to access to Mora with Japan IP, but not e-Onkyo, don't know why. I registered payment method via Rakuten, managed to use my credit card (not native Japan registered) to purchase music online at Mora, my 2nd purchase failed however.

Managed to get my favorite Japanese 80s superstar Seiko Matsuda and Yoko Minamino Collection album 

If using Amazon JP account, do I still need a credit card issued from Japanese Bank?


----------



## Hinomotocho

Nayparm said:


> Yep its actually cold to the touch


When I was doing the first straight 200 hour burn in I kept checking for a pulse, 'is this thing on'?


----------



## Nayparm (Jun 30, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> When I was doing the first straight 200 hour burn in I kept checking for a pulse, 'is this thing on'?



Yep, I keep turning it on to see the battery status, I can also hear the music


----------



## auronthas (Jun 30, 2020)

Double Post


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Nayparm said:


> Yep its actually cold to the touch


Is this even...possible? 😂😂😂


----------



## nanaholic (Jun 30, 2020)

auronthas said:


> Off topic but related to music download to WM1A/1Z.
> 
> Thanks, I manage to use VPN to access to Mora with Japan IP, but not e-Onkyo, don't know why. I registered payment method via Rakuten, managed to use my credit card (not native Japan registered) to purchase music online at Mora, my 2nd purchase failed however.
> 
> ...



e-onkyo has a much stronger IP filter, they seem to know common VPN IP addresses so they block those as well. Most overseas commercial VPN providers don't seem to be able to get pass their IP filtering.

Amazon JP doesn't require a Japanese credit card, I think Amazon is big enough that they have insurance against credit card fraud so they aren't as picky, plus Amazon has never been very tough on region/IP restrictions, as long as you are happy to pay, they will sell to you, since that's their business model.


----------



## auronthas (Jun 30, 2020)

Nayparm said:


> I don't believe it, its still playing this morning!
> It's now actually saying 'Low Battery, please charge'
> 
> Thats 55 hours !!!! can't be much left now surely


How long you spend to charge this 4100mAh battery ?   2.2x 4 hours (normal 1860mAh battery)?


nanaholic said:


> Amazon JP doesn't require a Japanese credit card, I think Amazon is big enough that they have insurance against credit card fraud so they aren't as picky, plus Amazon has never been very tough on region/IP restrictions, as long as you are happy to pay, they will sell to you, since that's their business model.


Well, I will register Amazon JP account then, thanks.

Edit: Using my Amazon US account similar user login ID to verify. Amazon JP sent me verification code with email and phone for double verification. Cool !


----------



## gerelmx1986

auronthas said:


> Off topic but related to music download to WM1A/1Z.
> 
> Thanks, I manage to use VPN to access to Mora with Japan IP, but not e-Onkyo, don't know why. I registered payment method via Rakuten, managed to use my credit card (not native Japan registered) to purchase music online at Mora, my 2nd purchase failed however.
> 
> ...


Also if I use amazon Japan address can be still Germany or has to be a fake japanese address?


----------



## Nayparm (Jun 30, 2020)

auronthas said:


> How long you spend to charge this 4100mAh battery ?   2.2x 4 hours (normal 1860mAh battery)?
> 
> Well, I will register Amazon JP account then, thanks.



They came pretty flat, so charged after installing overnight. Not sure how long that was, not enough days have past since installing to do all these tests 😂


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> Also if I use amazon Japan address can be still Germany or has to be a fake japanese address?



I don't think it matters, but it was a long time ago I created my account so things might have changed.


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> Also if I use amazon Japan address can be still Germany or has to be a fake japanese address?


Try to use Amazon points as a work around


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> I don't think it matters, but it was a long time ago I created my account so things might have changed.


Which VPN  you recommend?


----------



## Nayparm

Nayparm said:


> I don't believe it, its still playing this morning!
> It's now actually saying 'Low Battery, please charge'
> 
> Thats 55 hours !!!! can't be much left now surely



It finally gave up after 56.5 hours ! 👍


----------



## auronthas (Jun 30, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Which VPN  you recommend?


I used ExpressVPN




Nayparm said:


> It finally gave up after 56.5 hours ! 👍



So it is exactly full one week, 8 hour/day listening. 



gerelmx1986 said:


> Also if I use amazon Japan address can be still Germany or has to be a fake japanese address?



Just now I used my gmail address registered for Amazon US for Amazon JP, just need some verification code sent from email and mobile phone.  For Mora website, still require VPN to get Japanese IP.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Many VPNs have a cost and only yo download one album ...


----------



## nanaholic

gerelmx1986 said:


> Many VPNs have a cost and only yo download one album ...



You can use VPN Gate. 
Since it is a free public VPN run by University of Tsukuba, even e-onkyo don't dare to block their IP address blocks......


----------



## Nayparm

auronthas said:


> I used ExpressVPN
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Your right, 8.07142857 hours per day 😁


----------



## newworld666 (Jun 30, 2020)

Nayparm said:


> It finally gave up after 56.5 hours ! 👍



Can we get some information about the way this was measured, I imagine no DSD or even Hires files, and bluetooth connection or using a 3.5mm output with low volume level (less than 40), no DSP, connected to a 125 dB SPL/mW with low impedance IEM, and screen off and luminosity to minimum ?
Am I wrong ?
As I could almost never go over 14 to 15 hours with a WM1A with the 4.4mm output playing DSD at a comfortable level and Z7M2 with some EQ connected.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nanaholic said:


> You can use VPN Gate.
> Since it is a free public VPN run by University of Tsukuba, even e-onkyo don't dare to block their IP address blocks......


Thanks for the tipp


----------



## Donmonte

newworld666 said:


> Can we get some information about the way this was measured, I imagine no DSD or even Hires files, and bluetooth connection or using a 3.5mm output with low volume level (less than 40), no DSP, connected to a 125 dB SPL/mW with low impedance IEM, and screen off and luminosity to minimum ?
> Am I wrong ?
> As I could almost never go over 14 to 15 hours with a WM1A with the 4.4mm output playing DSD at a comfortable level and Z7M2 with some EQ connected.


He used a custom battery which is roughly 3 times the capacity, not the stock one.


----------



## nc8000

newworld666 said:


> Can we get some information about the way this was measured, I imagine no DSD or even Hires files, and bluetooth connection or using a 3.5mm output with low volume level (less than 40), no DSP, connected to a 125 dB SPL/mW with low impedance IEM, and screen off and luminosity to minimum ?
> Am I wrong ?
> As I could almost never go over 14 to 15 hours with a WM1A with the 4.4mm output playing DSD at a comfortable level and Z7M2 with some EQ connected.



It was on a modded unit with a 4100mah battery (compared to the stock at about 1600mah) playing flac files


----------



## newworld666

nc8000 said:


> It was on a modded unit with a 4100mah battery (compared to the stock at about 1600mah) playing flac files


 
I could see it, but It would be 35 to 37hours with my way of using a WM1a never 55 hours, unless some other mod was done. 
Already the device staying cold, never happens in my case too   .


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

cosplayerkyo said:


> Finally found the Dignis walkman case!


I still have one in the box. Could never bring myself to use it. I'd be all sad if it got dirty.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Deffy said:


> I just added the Oriolus BA300S to my collection. So right now my setup is the IER-Z1R - WM1A - Oriolus ba300s and alternatively for my preferred vocal listening the Campfire Andromeda S with Alo Audio SXC-8. The WM1A is set to J, uncapped with the Orion 7.1 Custom Firmware.
> 
> As I already stated previously I am by no means an expert, don't know how to describe sound with terms and should not in anyway influence you in decisions whereas some of the great ears and minds in this thread should  Anyway, having added the oriolus only to day with just a few sessions, to MY ears... this is where it's at for me. No way I can describe it and perhaps it's just the unfamiliar tube sound that does it for me. No idea, but I can honestly say that with this setup I'm drifting away. I know that much better ears in this thread tried it as well and it wasn't for them, but to me.. time just disappeared.


I've got the same set up. Except my 1A has been modded with PW woreing and upgraded caps


----------



## nc8000

newworld666 said:


> I could see it, but It would be 35 to 37hours with my way of using a WM1a never 55 hours, unless some other mod was done.
> Already the device staying cold, never happens in my case too   .



Well you play dsd and use dsp so that considerably reduces battery time. I get 20-25 hours playing 16/44 flac balanced with source direct per charge


----------



## newworld666

nc8000 said:


> Well you play dsd and use dsp so that considerably reduces battery time. I get 20-25 hours playing 16/44 flac balanced with source direct per charge


 
I know ... but, actually and unfortunately, none of my headphones sounds at the right level of details without some little EQ (Z7M2, Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas, Airpod Pro)...  and for sure I use my WM1A only with stored DSD/Hires Flacs (limited to 1Tb + 128Gb stored), for any other matter, my WM1A is used as a DAC of my Iphone Xsmax with Qobuz and some EQ is also active in this case (through DAC). 
Sometimes myAirpod Pro is also shared between the WM1A and the Iphone (but no EQ available as I can do with a new fiio M11).


----------



## frost15

Nayparm said:


> It finally gave up after 56.5 hours ! 👍


Excuse me, I lost track... Which DAP are you talking about again?!


----------



## Nayparm

newworld666 said:


> Can we get some information about the way this was measured, I imagine no DSD or even Hires files, and bluetooth connection or using a 3.5mm output with low volume level (less than 40), no DSP, connected to a 125 dB SPL/mW with low impedance IEM, and screen off and luminosity to minimum ?
> Am I wrong ?
> As I could almost never go over 14 to 15 hours with a WM1A with the 4.4mm output playing DSD at a comfortable level and Z7M2 with some EQ connected.



It was placed in a safe place, at a volume not too intrusive to the family 47 and direct source, 4.4mm output as thats all this dap has now, going to my balanced modded Beoplay H6. It was just left playing randomly from a 400gb card, a mixture of 16 and 24 bit flacs, mostly 16bit. The screen was off when I wasn't checking it. This isn't my dap so I wasn't going to use it as my dap, I wanted to burn in the new caps, calibrate the new battery and as a side effect I got to see how long it lasted.


----------



## nc8000

frost15 said:


> Excuse me, I lost track... Which DAP are you talking about again?!



A 1A with a 4100mah battery in place of the stock 1600mah


----------



## Nayparm

frost15 said:


> Excuse me, I lost track... Which DAP are you talking about again?!



This one:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15706601


----------



## newworld666

Thank you Nayparm for your reply..


----------



## Whitigir

Nayparm said:


> This one:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15706601


I just realized that you used Li-Po and not Li-Ion!!!  Now if you can find double capacity for Max


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Whitigir said:


> I just realized that you used Li-Po and not Li-Ion!!!  Now if you can find double capacity for Max


what does that change?


----------



## numberonesuperman

phonomat said:


> I remain doubtful, especially about the "very different" part. That would be no less than a disaster for Sony, assumig that they actually care about sound and consistency. I don't really see them continually tweaking the sound, and neither can I imagine that any software changes would necessarily change the sound signature, but what do I know, I'm not an electronics engineer. What I do know is that I have gone through every single firmware update so far, and my unit has always been sounding just the same to me, but of course that could mean that I'm just insensitive to those changes or not listening critically enough or that my audio memory does simply not permit me to observe them or all of those ...
> In any case, I suspect we have very different definitions of "very different". I try to keep an open mind, however, and it would certainly be interesting to try and compare two units myself, but it's unlikely that I'll get the chance anytime soon ...


It's all down to your ability to hear.  I use cat repellent device in my garden no one can hear it but I do.  Every update has changed the sound signature, to certain extent, as Sony strive to improve the sound of their Walkmans.  As for last update Sony 3.02, since the update the WM1Z has become  scarce on the used market.


----------



## mwhals (Jun 30, 2020)

MrLocoLuciano said:


> what does that change?



It changes nothing on sound. It is just a different technology in the battery. Lithium ion batteries last longer in life than lithium polymer batteries. Also, lithium ion batteries have no memory, lithium polymer does. Also, lithium ion batteries have a liquid in them and true lithium polymer batteries usually have a dry solid.


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jun 30, 2020)

mwhals said:


> It changes nothing on sound. It is just a different technology in the battery. Lithium ion batteries last longer in life than lithium polymer batteries. Also, lithium ion batteries have no memory, lithium polymer does. Also, lithium ion batteries have a liquid in them and true lithium polymer batteries usually have a dry solid.


Actually lithium polymer batteries sound more transparent and widen the soundstage

              *JOKE* in reference to recent previous discussions here, I repeat *JOKE*

This wasn't a poke at anyone, just at the levels we go in the quest for audio perfection


----------



## square-none

So I just acquired IER-Z1R and the upgraded MUC-M12SB1 Kimber Kable playing from my 1A and damn does it sound good but now that I have a TOTL iem, I'm itching to upgrade my DAP to totl as well. 

Is the 1Z still worth looking at? Other DAP's I'm looking at are the LPGT and Cayin N8. I don't want an Android based DAP, so iBasso, Fiio, Hiby and Cayin N6ii are excluded. I have no need for streaming or additional apps.


----------



## phonomat

numberonesuperman said:


> It's all down to your ability to hear.  I use cat repellent device in my garden no one can hear it but I do.  Every update has changed the sound signature, to certain extent, *as Sony strive to improve the sound of their Walkmans*.  As for last update Sony 3.02, since the update the WM1Z has become  scarce on the used market.


You see, it's this part that I have trouble to believe. Why would they want to tweak the sound of a device the sound signature of which I've gotten used to, behind my back, as it were? Especially since the official stance is "you can't switch back to an earlier firmware", iIRC. If my hearing was so acute that I could hear cat repellent and dog whistles and would therefire highlight these tiny changes, all the worse. That would be an audiophile catastrophe as well as some shady behavior on Sony's part. Doesn't really make sense IMHO. If the sound dors indeed change from (official) firmware to firmware, I can only see it being the inadvertent result of any other software changes (which is also doubtful).


----------



## bflat

Talk about full circle - I was using one of the modded firmware with my 1z and IER-Z1R and decided more is better so got an upgrade cable for the Z1R which resulted in too much intensity in the upper mids so ended up back to stock 3.02 but kept region to J. I find the combo to be organic with good sparkle and strong low end.


----------



## Donmonte

There is nothing wrong with the original stock 3.02 firmware with region J, it's actually very well balanced.


----------



## Hinomotocho

phonomat said:


> You see, it's this part that I have trouble to believe. Why would they want to tweak the sound of a device the sound signature of which I've gotten used to, behind my back, as it were? Especially since the official stance is "you can't switch back to an earlier firmware", iIRC. If my hearing was so acute that I could hear cat repellent and dog whistles and would therefire highlight these tiny changes, all the worse. That would be an audiophile catastrophe as well as some shady behavior on Sony's part. Doesn't really make sense IMHO. If the sound dors indeed change from (official) firmware to firmware, I can only see it being the inadvertent result of any other software changes (which is also doubtful).


I was more surprised to hear about and experience more significant differences between region firmwares. They somehow decide that people from different regions prefer different signatures. Without knowledge of this or that you can switch regions, if you tried one and didn't like it you may decide to go with the preferable sound of another brands device. 
Makes me wonder how many people read experiences here and based on that bought one in their country and experienced a very different sound and were disappointed.


----------



## RobertP

With very good headphone cable, stock 3.02 could sounds almost as good to DMP-Z1 1.02 fw.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I like rolling regions, they really do affect not only how it sounds but also how instruments vocals and so many other factors get affected... changing region + stock fw and you literally changing the 1z sound signature! 

I am kinda mad at sony as back then I didnt know about this and had region E which I abruptly hate! To bright and hurts my ears. Later 2 years after I discover region rolling well what sony you made me suffer and now I learn I can do that !!!!! 

Now I found my preferred region and fw I am not rolling them anymore as only if necessary....


I think there is a reason why sony chosen the ofc kimber kable and as it also offer it as a premium cable upgrade to all of its iems and headphones!  

Sony is no dumb they really know how to please you for a nice long treat!


I frankly cant wait for a new Walkman flagship dap from Sony as I trust in them and I know they build very awsome sound quality products!


----------



## RYCeT

I bought WM1A. I'll be using it with Sony ex1k for portable use and TA-ZH1ES + Sony MDR-Z1R for home use. 
What is the best firmware & region to use for sony EX1k? 

For home use with the TA-ZH1ES, does the firmware & region make any difference since I'll be using the dock & USB to connect them? Thanks


----------



## RYCeT

double post


----------



## Gamerlingual

1.03 should be good for the TA and it works good with the 1A


----------



## Damz87

RYCeT said:


> I bought WM1A. I'll be using it with Sony ex1k for portable use and TA-ZH1ES + Sony MDR-Z1R for home use.
> What is the best firmware & region to use for sony EX1k?
> 
> For home use with the TA-ZH1ES, does the firmware & region make any difference since I'll be using the dock & USB to connect them? Thanks



Regions and firmware mods didn’t make any audible difference for me when using the WM1Z as a transport to the TA-ZH1ES


----------



## Ghostsounds

Hi, to those who are lucky to have them all, is there any difference n sound using a 1z v 1a as transport with the TA-1ZHES? Thanks.


----------



## auronthas (Jul 1, 2020)

Ghostsounds said:


> Hi, to those who are lucky to have them all, is there any difference n sound using a 1z v 1a as transport with the TA-1ZHES? Thanks.


I would say no sound difference as DIGITAL transport bypass 1Z or 1A 's internal DAC to any external DAC.

That said, you may lost Sony Signature's sound if the external DAC is not Sony made.


----------



## Kad998

square-none said:


> So I just acquired IER-Z1R and the upgraded MUC-M12SB1 Kimber Kable playing from my 1A and damn does it sound good but now that I have a TOTL iem, I'm itching to upgrade my DAP to totl as well.
> 
> Is the 1Z still worth looking at? Other DAP's I'm looking at are the LPGT and Cayin N8. I don't want an Android based DAP, so iBasso, Fiio, Hiby and Cayin N6ii are excluded. I have no need for streaming or additional apps.



Sounds like it all depends on what you can and can’t live with. My initial battle before getting the 1Z was can I give up streaming. But my problem with every portable source was battery life. Some days my sources wouldn’t even make it through the work day!  And that absolutely drove me nuts. So I started dabbling in the realm of leaving streaming alone and purchasing my library piece by piece. Eventually, with the jump In sound quality, my streaming necessity kind of died but my hate for short battery life didn’t. So I just bit the bullet and went with the 1Z. @Vitaly2017 Helped me through the 1Z knowledge portion of it and he was right about everything he said. The sound sig is amazing, the battery life is awesome, and it’s honestly just reliable. Never crashes.... It exists to do one thing and one thing only.... produce high fidelity reproduction ... and it does that with ease.

There are people who prefer the sound of the N8 and it’s also a beauty. But what could you live with? The 9 hours vs 30 outweighed everything for me.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Kad998 said:


> Sounds like it all depends on what you can and can’t live with. My initial battle before getting the 1Z was can I give up streaming. But my problem with every portable source was battery life. Some days my sources wouldn’t even make it through the work day!  And that absolutely drove me nuts. So I started dabbling in the realm of leaving streaming alone and purchasing my library piece by piece. Eventually, with the jump In sound quality, my streaming necessity kind of died but my hate for short battery life didn’t. So I just bit the bullet and went with the 1Z. @Vitaly2017 Helped me through the 1Z knowledge portion of it and he was right about everything he said. The sound sig is amazing, the battery life is awesome, and it’s honestly just reliable. Never crashes.... It exists to do one thing and one thing only.... produce high fidelity reproduction ... and it does that with ease.
> 
> There are people who prefer the sound of the N8 and it’s also a beauty. But what could you live with? The 9 hours vs 30 outweighed everything for me.





I am happy that you found love with 1z and that my help was helpful for your decision   😍🙃😊

Indeed 1z is really beautiful in sound and looks haha.

Dont forget also the N8 is a portable heating solution lmao very handy in winter regions like me in the north! But when I travel to south usa it get up to 45 ° Celsius that is like 100 F so imagine that N8 melting. But what worse is the N8 wont melt you will burn your fingers touching! NUTS


And sometimes if you desire so you can hook 1z via bluetooth dac and stream from phone to 1z. I like doing that when I watch YouTube or listen to watsup haha


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am happy that you found love with 1z and that my help was helpful for your decision   😍🙃😊
> 
> Indeed 1z is really beautiful in sound and looks haha.
> 
> ...


All in one solution. I like having to switch between players when the battery of one runs out and the other is fully juiced up ready to play. It’s an endless positive cycle of musical joy


----------



## Colors

The 1A/1Z just does what a Walkman should - portable, high battery life, easy to use interface and most importantly, pure SQ.

If you want to stream, you can always use BT reciever mode. It connects to your smartphone quite fast and sounds alright.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Ghostsounds said:


> Hi, to those who are lucky to have them all, is there any difference n sound using a 1z v 1a as transport with the TA-1ZHES? Thanks.



1Z and 1A sound the same as digital transports to the TA. 

Cheers.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Colors said:


> The 1A/1Z just does what a Walkman should - portable, high battery life, easy to use interface and most importantly, pure SQ.
> 
> If you want to stream, you can always use BT reciever mode. It connects to your smartphone quite fast and sounds alright.




What more funny is that from all my experience even in bluetooth dac mod wm1z sounds better then android daps lmao

Its simply a no chance 1z rules simply


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> 1Z and 1A sound the same as digital transports to the TA.
> 
> Cheers.


Meaning sound quality is the same if we put it through the TA but they sound different when used as standalone players?


----------



## nc8000

square-none said:


> So I just acquired IER-Z1R and the upgraded MUC-M12SB1 Kimber Kable playing from my 1A and damn does it sound good but now that I have a TOTL iem, I'm itching to upgrade my DAP to totl as well.
> 
> Is the 1Z still worth looking at? Other DAP's I'm looking at are the LPGT and Cayin N8. I don't want an Android based DAP, so iBasso, Fiio, Hiby and Cayin N6ii are excluded. I have no need for streaming or additional apps.



To me the Sony Kimber was no upgrade sound wise from the stock cable and a downgrade comfort wise


----------



## gerelmx1986

Thanks to @nanaholic  for your help
In order to buy from mora you'll need
A vpn client such as Express vpn
Set your vpn to a japanese server (IP address)
An amazon japan account with a faked Japanese address.
A credit card to buy amazon gift card. for me only works with GIFT CARD BALANCE

That's all then when buying mora music use amazon pay  with the gift card


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks to @nanaholic  for your help
> In order to buy from mora you'll need
> A vpn client such as Express vpn
> Set your vpn to a japanese server (IP address)
> ...


Forgot to mention 
You can disconnect the VPN , as.yoy don't need it anymore for downloading the files


----------



## Ghostsounds

Thanks for the responses. I kin of suspected


Redcarmoose said:


> 1Z and 1A sound the same as digital transports to the TA.
> 
> Cheers.


Thanks for replying. I kind of suspected that. So the TA has its own signature sound. BTW I just want to see this community is the best! Have been following the thread for  quite a while and have made the jump and got me a 1z this week! It’s a thing of great beauty, sounds glorious to my wooden ears and love the sound!


----------



## Ghostsounds

Oops! Chubby fingers syndrome!


----------



## square-none

Kad998 said:


> Sounds like it all depends on what you can and can’t live with. My initial battle before getting the 1Z was can I give up streaming. But my problem with every portable source was battery life. Some days my sources wouldn’t even make it through the work day!  And that absolutely drove me nuts. So I started dabbling in the realm of leaving streaming alone and purchasing my library piece by piece. Eventually, with the jump In sound quality, my streaming necessity kind of died but my hate for short battery life didn’t. So I just bit the bullet and went with the 1Z. @Vitaly2017 Helped me through the 1Z knowledge portion of it and he was right about everything he said. The sound sig is amazing, the battery life is awesome, and it’s honestly just reliable. Never crashes.... It exists to do one thing and one thing only.... produce high fidelity reproduction ... and it does that with ease.
> 
> There are people who prefer the sound of the N8 and it’s also a beauty. But what could you live with? The 9 hours vs 30 outweighed everything for me.



I've traveled to Asia numerous times and the long battery life has saved me so many times, I'm so glad it can last the entire 16-20hr flight and more. I have no need for streaming or apps, I have a pretty big library of 4000 songs or nearly 400gbs and if I need to steam anything, I'll use my LG V30+.. Battery life was the biggest determining factor, I like the UI as well so changing over to the 1Z will be nothing. The biggest con for me is the weight and color, but it'll be in my limited edition light blue Dignis case and the Z1R is flashy as hell already so people are going to notice anyways. I rules out the N8 due to its extremely warm sound sig, so it was LPGT vs 1Z. 

I just bit the bullet and bought the 1Z, should be here in a week. LPGT was almost a winner but I believe the 1Z will pair better with the Z1R.


----------



## square-none

nc8000 said:


> To me the Sony Kimber was no upgrade sound wise from the stock cable and a downgrade comfort wise



I only have it since it was included in the sale. I haven't tried the stock cable yet, but the Kimber lable is very nicely made, just wish it had the memory ear hooks, takes me a few seconds to orient the iem and cable before inserting in my ear


----------



## auronthas

Gamerlingual said:


> Meaning sound quality is the same if we put it through the TA but they sound different when used as standalone players?


It's Sony TA's DAC signature... whether the DAC is the same as 1A/1Z I do not know , but it's DAC/headphone amplifier


----------



## auronthas

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks to @nanaholic  for your help
> In order to buy from mora you'll need
> A vpn client such as Express vpn
> Set your vpn to a japanese server (IP address)
> ...


Good, you got it finally


----------



## Whitigir

auronthas said:


> It's Sony TA's DAC signature... whether the DAC is the same as 1A/1Z I do not know , but it's DAC/headphone amplifier


TA ZH1ES uses S-Master similar to Walkman, but with different implementations that enabled it to have stronger output and with active noises cancelations to negate the typical hissing away from S-Master


----------



## auronthas

Whitigir said:


> TA ZH1ES uses S-Master similar to Walkman, but with different implementations that enabled it to have stronger output and with active noises cancelations to negate the typical hissing away from S-Master


Thanks for further clarification, waiting next Sony headphone amplifier with XLR balanced output as "Pre-Amp" to my integrated amplifier  LOL.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Ghostsounds said:


> Thanks for the responses. I kin of suspected
> 
> Thanks for replying. I kind of suspected that. So the TA has its own signature sound. BTW I just want to see this community is the best! Have been following the thread for  quite a while and have made the jump and got me a 1z this week! It’s a thing of great beauty, sounds glorious to my wooden ears and love the sound!



The TA and 1Z sound closer together, where the 1A is the odd one out of the group. With IEMs and the 1Z, there may be almost no reason to get a TA. Though the TA is so versatile as it could find other uses? A preamp, a home theater headphone amp. But the TA with firmware 1.03 is really a definite example of the Sony sound, of course maybe needed for full-size like the MDR-Z1R, MDR-Z7 and MDR-Z72? Cheers! 

Most though could ride off with the 1Z and IEMs....off into the sunset, never to be heard of again.


----------



## TheBonkingFrog

This just turned up. Pretty pleased for €150.


----------



## blazinblazin (Jul 2, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks to @nanaholic  for your help
> In order to buy from mora you'll need
> A vpn client such as Express vpn
> Set your vpn to a japanese server (IP address)
> ...


My way of buying from Mora.
Download Mora APK install to your android phone.
Setup Rakuten pay account.
Buy using Mora App on your phone, pay by Rakuten Pay.
But recently Mora don't allow my foreign VISA card in Rakuten pay but using foreign JCB card works.

You can download the music using Handphone or using Mora App installed for PC.


----------



## Redcarmoose

TheBonkingFrog said:


> This just turned up. Pretty pleased for €150.



Will be curious to read your impressions.


----------



## Ghostsounds

Redcarmoose said:


> The TA and 1Z sound closer together, where the 1A is the odd one out of the group. With IEMs and the 1Z, there may be almost no reason to get a TA. Though the TA is so versatile as it could find other uses? A preamp, a home theater headphone amp. But the TA with firmware 1.03 is really a definite example of the Sony sound, of course maybe needed for full-size like the MDR-Z1R, MDR-Z7 and MDR-Z72? Cheers!
> 
> Most though could ride off with the 1Z and IEMs....off into the sunset, never to be heard of again.



Thanks. Sounds like I can save some money in not purchasing the TA, although looks a fantastic piece of kit.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 2, 2020)

Ghostsounds said:


> Thanks. Sounds like I can save some money in not purchasing the TA, although looks a fantastic piece of kit.



While many do use the 1Z for full-size headphones, I’m under the impression that the TA can offer more with them. Then there is the DSD upsampling which the TA does and the 1Z does not. Still the differences are so very small with IEMs. IMO

If your going to watch movies, it’s maybe better to go Bluetooth with the 1Z. The 1Z/DAC mode has a noticeable lag with lip-sync in movie dialogue,  which the TA does not.

But as far as a piece of equipment the TA is amazing. Stuff like simply the RCA inputs are absolutely gorgeous. The look, operation and feel are great. It’s super heavy too due to the encasement. It’s one of the nicest amps I’ve ever purchased?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> While many do use the 1Z for full-size, I’m under the impression that the TA can offer more with them. Then there is the DSD upsampling which the TA does and the 1Z does not. Still the differences are so very small with IEMs. IMO
> 
> If your going to watch movies, it’s maybe better to go Bluetooth with the 1Z. The 1Z/DAC mode has a noticeable lag with lip-sync in movie dialogue,  which the TA does not.
> 
> But as far as a piece of equipment the TA is amazing. Stuff like simply the RCA inputs are absolutely gorgeous. The look, operation and feel are great. It’s super heavy too due to the encasement.


So true it's heavy! By the way, what do you use to clean the internals? Dust air canisters?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 2, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> So true it's heavy! By the way, what do you use to clean the internals? Dust air canisters?



I never have. I do have an air burst device that photographers use, though I’m not sure how it would work? The scary thing with those canisters, is if the liquid comes out.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> I never have. I do have an air burst device that photographers use, though I’m not sure how it would work? The scary thing with those canisters, is if the liquid comes out.


Oh, so there's no way to protect it from dust other than using a cover of sorts?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Oh, so there's no way to protect it from dust other than using a cover of sorts?



I use a towel which gives the room an old auntie aesthetic?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Oh, so there's no way to protect it from dust other than using a cover of sorts?





Redcarmoose said:


> I use a towel which gives the room an old auntie aesthetic?







You should be able to find one of these the perfect size, or have one made from Lexan.


----------



## Ghostsounds

Redcarmoose said:


> While many do use the 1Z for full-size headphones, I’m under the impression that the TA can offer more with them. Then there is the DSD upsampling which the TA does and the 1Z does not. Still the differences are so very small with IEMs. IMO
> 
> If your going to watch movies, it’s maybe better to go Bluetooth with the 1Z. The 1Z/DAC mode has a noticeable lag with lip-sync in movie dialogue,  which the TA does not.
> 
> But as far as a piece of equipment the TA is amazing. Stuff like simply the RCA inputs are absolutely gorgeous. The look, operation and feel are great. It’s super heavy too due to the encasement. It’s one of the nicest amps I’ve ever purchased?


Very nice setup! I was surprised how heavy the 1z was, so I can guess the TA must be a heavy beast.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> You should be able to find one of these the perfect size, or have one made from Lexan.


Ah a website called Lexan? First I’ve heard of them


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> While many do use the 1Z for full-size headphones, I’m under the impression that the TA can offer more with them. Then there is the DSD upsampling which the TA does and the 1Z does not. Still the differences are so very small with IEMs. IMO
> 
> If your going to watch movies, it’s maybe better to go Bluetooth with the 1Z. The 1Z/DAC mode has a noticeable lag with lip-sync in movie dialogue,  which the TA does not.
> 
> But as far as a piece of equipment the TA is amazing. Stuff like simply the RCA inputs are absolutely gorgeous. The look, operation and feel are great. It’s super heavy too due to the encasement. It’s one of the nicest amps I’ve ever purchased?









Sony made one fine dac/amp desktop unit with the Ta. I often see the Ta and sennheiser hdv820 as 2 most popular dac/amp units on the web I did own one even but never the Ta. I have no doubt the Ta is a much better unit then the hdv820 and it has that all to dsd function... + Ta sound is the sony sound house I really like 

But I wonder if its still going to be an upgrade since now I have a modifed wm1z/Romi with Black Gate caps hehe.
we will see maybe I'l one day lay my hands on this Ta as I recently purchased a new pair of mdr-z7m2


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Sony made one fine dac/amp desktop unit with the Ta. I often see the Ta and sennheiser hdv820 as 2 most popular dac/amp units on the web I did own one even but never the Ta. I have no doubt the Ta is a much better unit then the hdv820 and it has that all to dsd function... + Ta sound is the sony sound house I really like
> 
> But I wonder if its still going to be an upgrade since now I have a modifed wm1z/Romi with Black Gate caps hehe.
> we will see maybe I'l one day lay my hands on this Ta as I recently purchased a new pair of mdr-z7m2


@Redcarmoose It is surprising how much more of a 3D effect the Kimber Kable gave the Z7M2 using the TA. WOW!! The Z1R cans are very good, but the Kimber Kable brought that X-Factor I wanted in closed back cans. I’ve swapped it with the stock cables and do notice the changes, louder mids that aren’t as boxed up but everything still remains a smooth sound signature with the TA whether using my 1Z, PC or 1A. I’m still wondering about that Carbon cable.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Ah a website called Lexan? First I’ve heard of them



It’s a clear plastic that they make stuff with. You would just look up a craftsman that works with it and give him the dimensions. Audiophiles regularly have turntable covers made that way.


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> Sony made one fine dac/amp desktop unit with the Ta. I often see the Ta and sennheiser hdv820 as 2 most popular dac/amp units on the web I did own one even but never the Ta. I have no doubt the Ta is a much better unit then the hdv820 and it has that all to dsd function... + Ta sound is the sony sound house I really like
> 
> But I wonder if its still going to be an upgrade since now I have a modifed wm1z/Romi with Black Gate caps hehe.
> we will see maybe I'l one day lay my hands on this Ta as I recently purchased a new pair of mdr-z7m2



Congrats on the new Z7m2 cans! What are your thoughts on their sound? I regret not picking up a pair when they were on sale for AU$450 last year


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> @Redcarmoose It is surprising how much more of a 3D effect the Kimber Kable gave the Z7M2 using the TA. WOW!! The Z1R cans are very good, but the Kimber Kable brought that X-Factor I wanted in closed back cans. I’ve swapped it with the stock cables and do notice the changes, louder mids that aren’t as boxed up but everything still remains a smooth sound signature with the TA whether using my 1Z, PC or 1A. I’m still wondering about that Carbon cable.



It’s funny but the Kimber does add a cohesive and coherent smoothness that’s far beyond the cost as far as an upgrade! IMO


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Sony made one fine dac/amp desktop unit with the Ta. I often see the Ta and sennheiser hdv820 as 2 most popular dac/amp units on the web I did own one even but never the Ta. I have no doubt the Ta is a much better unit then the hdv820 and it has that all to dsd function... + Ta sound is the sony sound house I really like
> 
> But I wonder if its still going to be an upgrade since now I have a modifed wm1z/Romi with Black Gate caps hehe.
> we will see maybe I'l one day lay my hands on this Ta as I recently purchased a new pair of mdr-z7m2



It’s only a benefit over the 1Z with full-size if you truly focus in on the damping factor. Which for some listening to quiet music at low volume don’t get uptight about. But if your looking for pace and authority the 1Z just can’t get there with most full-size. The TA is just a 1Z with slightly more juice and DSD upsampling? Though I’ve never heard your mods, so who knows? But it’s the control of the full-size headphone diaphragm which in-turn creates better soundstage and tighter imaging and low-end.


----------



## gearofwar

What is everyone's favorite custom firmware nowadays?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Ah a website called Lexan? First I’ve heard of them



Measure your TA then go around Tokyo looking at these. The bottom one has places for the cables to go past.


----------



## Redcarmoose

gearofwar said:


> What is everyone's favorite custom firmware nowadays?



Spent a day with different ones, though back to J stock 3.02 on the 1Z and J with Jupiter2 on the 1A.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> @Redcarmoose It is surprising how much more of a 3D effect the Kimber Kable gave the Z7M2 using the TA. WOW!! The Z1R cans are very good, but the Kimber Kable brought that X-Factor I wanted in closed back cans. I’ve swapped it with the stock cables and do notice the changes, louder mids that aren’t as boxed up but everything still remains a smooth sound signature with the TA whether using my 1Z, PC or 1A. I’m still wondering about that Carbon cable.




I recently did some new discoveries about cables, stock vs custom cables vs oem cables in the box.  What I came out as a comprehension even shocked my self !!!    It turns out that all I was thinking before or believed was just a small segment of what it is in reality...

It turns out that occ vs ofc has very minor factor in affecting sound so small that its practically not even important at all!  So any ofc cable is ass good as an occ ( 1.5% difference for sound quality )
Now the most and only most important factor in cables is the impedance and resistance!!! Now let me explain why the sound signatures changes!

1 Many people believe and keep saying Silver is brigther and copper is bassier....

Well its wrong thinking!  Sound signature is acctualy not even affected by the metal type you are using, why?   Because even a full pure copper cable can sound less bright then a silver cable.  Because the way the manufacturer buit the copper cable had less resistance then the silver cable  one... ( this is an example )

Here is the real facts!

If you have less resistance the cable become less bright! Tighter bass and everything has a more natural tone and higher the resolution.
If you want more treble brightness, more bass and warm sound signature! You need to increase the cable resistance so it will create those effects!

So this is totally the opposite of what people where thinking even my self... There is so so so much factors that can play in the sound effect of a cable that its an infinite combination of different specs... It can be copper it can be silver, what is the most important factor at the end resistance and synergies to your headphones!

Also bare in mind there is the fact that silver has better conductivity vs copper. But if you use the wrong wires count in a single strand of the silver cable and also less effective solder it will make the silver cable sound inferior to the well properly done copper cable....
This is why there is so many controversy reviews and feedback's on cables. People came out with the term snake oil as its never easy to get it right and its so mixed up manufacturers never tell the truth as they want their secret cable recipe to stay their properties...


Also another new fact I learned still under investigation is, the small wire strands amounts in the single strand.  So lets say Kimber kable is an 8 braided strand cable, but they keep it secret we dont know how many small wires count is in the single strand...
But we know 1 Fact the kimber Kable sounds better then the stock z7m2 cable right?
Well here is your answer to this!

Z7m2 stock cable to start with is probably has much less wire count then kimber kable and they are much thinner in size to!  What it means is the stock cable has a much worse resistance spec vs Kimber kable and that is why kimber kable has 8 wires, resulting in being more open more detailed and more balanced, higher resolution.  But Wait why is it not more bassy and more warm lol because its full copper! See because it has less resistance it offers a better sound resolution!!!

You can play the tests and see for your self I bet 100% Kimber kable is less bright in treble and has better control in bass! Vs Stock cable.  



So I think it is important to understand this factors about cables and make the right decisions! Not all stock cables are good but not all custom cables either!
its all about resistance! Just think if you need more resistance or less according to how you want to tune your sound signature!


----------



## gearofwar

Redcarmoose said:


> Spent a day with different ones, though back to J stock 3.02 on the 1Z and J with Jupiter2 on the 1A.


Why not Jupiter 3?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Damz87 said:


> Congrats on the new Z7m2 cans! What are your thoughts on their sound? I regret not picking up a pair when they were on sale for AU$450 last year




I was waiting for the z7m2 to be on special for a longgg time after I missed the B&H special at 350 usd 
I got adorama sold me a pair for 400$ usd but it was on backorder and still is,,,,, I am waiting for a month now I think.





Redcarmoose said:


> It’s funny but the Kimber does add a cohesive and coherent smoothness that’s far beyond the cost as far as an upgrade! IMO




I think sony dont share the information but there gota be something special with the kimber kable specifications the way they build their cables. As probably they have the best resistance factors equaling in a best possible sound experience.

By they way did you guys notice all kimber kables are OFC and not OCC !!!!   and di you saw their price tags !!! Axios cables are in the 1k prices for copper and 3 000$ for silvers !!!

Sony did go with the 8 wires variant as I believe they tought it was pointless going over 8 wires counts, 16 wires variant means twice less resistance then the 8 wires. BUT going from 4 to 8 is more effective then from 8 to 16 LoL you barely hear it probably....

And plus of that sony Kimber Kable is only at 280$ much more affordable, so do you realize what a gift sony did for its users here?





Redcarmoose said:


> It’s only a benefit over the 1Z with full-size if you truly focus in on the damping factor. Which for some listening to quiet music at low volume don’t get uptight about. But if your looking for pace and authority the 1Z just can’t get there with most full-size. The TA is just a 1Z with slightly more juice and DSD upsampling? Though I’ve never heard your mods, so who knows? But it’s the control of the full-size headphone diaphragm which in-turn creates better soundstage and tighter imaging and low-end.




Yea I understand bigger caps more wider power capabilities drives big drivers much better, some may like the easier sound presentation made by a dap vs a more aggressive attacks on a desktop unit




gearofwar said:


> What is everyone's favorite custom firmware nowadays?




Mine is J + 3.0.2 stock lol  Best vocals ever nothing touches this


----------



## Redcarmoose

gearofwar said:


> Why not Jupiter 3?



That’s where I was before! Yes, may go back? It’s as I understand it, 3.01 is the basis for Jupiter3 and firmware 3.02 is the basis for Jupiter2. At least that’s also how they sound to me? I agree Jupiter3 is a great firmware with the 1A.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> I was waiting for the z7m2 to be on special for a longgg time after I missed the B&H special at 350 usd
> I got adorama sold me a pair for 400$ usd but it was on backorder and still is,,,,, I am waiting for a month now I think.
> 
> 
> ...



Mine too J 3.02 stock Sony firmware, but I’m unmoderatededed. I mean un-modded....


----------



## gearofwar

@Vitaly2017 I'm back to J 3.02 stock 2 days ago and found that while it had a good vocal, everything else such as instrument separation was not good enough. If you love vocal, maybe give Classical Z/A a try


----------



## Damz87

Redcarmoose said:


> Mine too J 3.02 stock Sony firmware, but I’m unmoderatededed. I mean un-modded....



Same, 3.02 stock J region all the way


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Measure your TA then go around Tokyo looking at these. The bottom one has places for the cables to go past.



I will look at this. Wow, that is nice!! Thanks a lot!!

Regarding the Kimber Kable, it is probably THE most underrated of all upgrades. Like I said, I went back and forth and could note the big differences. Granted, even the stock cable sounded good. It’s a hidden treasure!!



Vitaly2017 said:


> I recently did some new discoveries about cables, stock vs custom cables vs oem cables in the box.  What I came out as a comprehension even shocked my self !!!    It turns out that all I was thinking before or believed was just a small segment of what it is in reality...
> 
> It turns out that occ vs ofc has very minor factor in affecting sound so small that its practically not even important at all!  So any ofc cable is ass good as an occ ( 1.5% difference for sound quality )
> Now the most and only most important factor in cables is the impedance and resistance!!! Now let me explain why the sound signatures changes!
> ...


Would any of the audio quest cables make a difference? Is it an actual waste? What say you?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> I was waiting for the z7m2 to be on special for a longgg time after I missed the B&H special at 350 usd
> I got adorama sold me a pair for 400$ usd but it was on backorder and still is,,,,, I am waiting for a month now I think.
> 
> 
> ...



Look what https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/ did when he had the original MDR-Z7. He did physically do a mod to the cups, but also used silver cables. For me the original included Sony cables that come with the MDR-Z1R and MDR-Z7 are junk. They seem to be responsible for a lot of the sound issues folks had? IMO

I have no interest in spending AXIOS money but if there was ever an easy fix for the MDR-Z7 and MDR-Z1R the basic Kimber is it. The cable comes and fixes so very much. Basically using the TA and Kimber cleans up the lower midrange fog, smooths out and expands the treble then adds detail and separation in the mids. Everything? It’s like solid gold? It becomes the best deal in audio for what a simple cable does? IMO

And I was not going to even buy the Kimber but they gave it to me with the MDR-Z1R. Actually they were sold out of the Kimber and gave me the demo Kimber on the sales floor.


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> @Vitaly2017 I'm back to J 3.02 stock 2 days ago and found that while it had a good vocal, everything else such as instrument separation was not good enough. If you love vocal, maybe give Classical Z/A a try





With my moded 1z, I was on Ca because it made vocals more forward, then after 500 hours on my dap. it started to open up after burn in its very impressive and I went back to try the J+3.0.2 and wooowww what a massive speciousness feeling! Like everything has space dimensions and room. Vocals are so so natural and beautiful.

I understand you may not like the instruments separations , but to my perception J is the most natural and realistic tuning made by sony. It is simply musical enchanting and bring musicality to a bliss we can say.

All other regions are very different they change the way instruments are presented and positioned, vocals changes and the timbral tonality changes.  J is just like the perfect sweet spot seriously. Of course it aint perfect but it is very natural. Let your brain adapt to J and hear the sound in a more normal way as it should be.
As you know even 1z is not a perfect sound reproduction in comparison to real life sounds. It is a question of stop rolling fw and regions and focus on the sound J is the most right and properly done region tuning.

Of course its up to you


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> I will look at this. Wow, that is nice!! Thanks a lot!!
> 
> Regarding the Kimber Kable, it is probably THE most underrated of all upgrades. Like I said, I went back and forth and could note the big differences. Granted, even the stock cable sounded good. It’s a hidden treasure!!
> 
> ...



I just said what you just said about the Kimber.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Damz87 said:


> Same, 3.02 stock J region all the way



I totally respect what people get when they use the aftermarket firmwares with the 1Z. I mean, depending on your IEMs or 1Z mods; maybe the aftermarket firmwares do something? They do, do something great with the 1A? But the stock 1Z in J with 3.02 is just very special. IMO.

Wild to see so many using it here?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> I just said what you just said about the Kimber.


Indeed. It also makes a big difference with the 1A and 1Z. The TA does offer that extra juice, but listening to them on the go was quite a treat today.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Indeed. It also makes a big difference with the 1A and 1Z. The TA does offer that extra juice, but listening to them on the go was quite a treat today.



Yes it does. That’s what is crazy. The Kimber helps make the DAPs better even with full-size headphones. Hard to believe but true.


----------



## Damz87

Redcarmoose said:


> Look what https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/ did when he had the original MDR-Z7. He did physically do a mod to the cups, but also used silver cables. For me the original included Sony cables that come with the MDR-Z1R and MDR-Z7 are junk. They seem to be responsible for a lot of the sound issues folks had? IMO
> 
> I have no interest in spending AXIOS money but if there was ever an easy fix for the MDR-Z7 and MDR-Z1R the basic Kimber is it. The cable comes and fixes so very much. Basically using the TA and Kimber cleans up the lower midrange fog, smooths out and expands the treble then adds detail and separation in the mids. Everything? It’s like solid gold? It becomes the best deal in audio for what a simple cable does? IMO
> 
> And I was not going to even buy the Kimber but they gave it to me with the MDR-Z1R. Actually they were sold out of the Kimber and gave me the demo Kimber on the sales floor.



The difference between the Sony Kimber & the Axios isn’t huge imo. Certainly not for the price difference. The sound improvement jump from stock to Sony Kimber is far more tangible and as you said, probably the sweet spot in terms of price to performance.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> I will look at this. Wow, that is nice!! Thanks a lot!!
> 
> Regarding the Kimber Kable, it is probably THE most underrated of all upgrades. Like I said, I went back and forth and could note the big differences. Granted, even the stock cable sounded good. It’s a hidden treasure!!
> 
> ...





Redcarmoose said:


> Look what https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/ did when he had the original MDR-Z7. He did physically do a mod to the cups, but also used silver cables. For me the original included Sony cables that come with the MDR-Z1R and MDR-Z7 are junk. They seem to be responsible for a lot of the sound issues folks had? IMO
> 
> I have no interest in spending AXIOS money but if there was ever an easy fix for the MDR-Z7 and MDR-Z1R the basic Kimber is it. The cable comes and fixes so very much. Basically using the TA and Kimber cleans up the lower midrange fog, smooths out and expands the treble then adds detail and separation in the mids. Everything? It’s like solid gold? It becomes the best deal in audio for what a simple cable does? IMO
> 
> And I was not going to even buy the Kimber but they gave it to me with the MDR-Z1R. Actually they were sold out of the Kimber and gave me the demo Kimber on the sales floor.






You know when folks send me private message on recommendations about what should they get or do while maintain a reasonable price tag and dont go wild crazy. 

I tell them get sony headphones or iems you like and get the kimber Kable ! this is it you cant get any better than that seriously from all I heard and tried sony hits the spot at most possible sound quality with VERY good price tag.

I for example love the 64 audio brand and they also make amazing iems, mine is Tia Fourte Noir paired with their stock cable which is a custom made cable with special solder and 8 wires variant + 200 small wires count from all the strands together.

(((  BUT DO YOU WANT TO SPEND 4000$ ON THIS IEM LMAO  )))

Yes its the best iem in the world I did test it against a load of stuff, but does it make sense financially guys!


This is why sony is hard to beat    I am sad ier-z1r didnt stay due to comfort issue I was unable to ware it over 2 hours so cant use it and I TRIED. But also it does lose vs tia forte Noir 


@Gamerlingual  I am not bashing other brands but I am simply sharing what I found personally about cables secrets. You may study specs of a cable and try get as much info you can and then compare... And as I know audio quest make also hdmi and usb cables so are you referring to audio or the digital cables?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Damz87 said:


> The difference between the Sony Kimber & the Axios isn’t huge imo. Certainly not for the price difference. The sound improvement jump from stock to Sony Kimber is far more tangible and as you said, probably the sweet spot in terms of price to performance.




I said that first


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes it does. That’s what is crazy. The Kimber helps make the DAPs better even with full-size headphones. Hard to believe but true.


To be honest, the players had plenty of juice to power up the Focal Stellia, Utopia, and Clear. The DAP’s are very underrated. Sennheiser uses insane impedance, but again, I never liked their high end sound signature. The Focal headsets really surprised me using all the hardware like the Nimbus amp, the DAPS, and the TA. Ironically, the best in order were the Clear, then the Stellia, and last being the Utopia. The Utopia is just not worth the price and that’s with testing it with high end equipment  with a quiet environment. The Clear were pure joy and the Stellia certainly offers a lot as a closed headset, but I would say it shouldn’t go over $2,000 if that?


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> I said that first


Oops sorry man haha, this thread moves too fast for me


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> I said that first


What’s your take on the Audioquest audio USB cables? Are the Carbon or Cinnamon worth a buy for the TA? Too bad there are no Sony versions of those cables for the 1A and 1Z


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> To be honest, the players had plenty of juice to power up the Focal Stellia, Utopia, and Clear. The DAP’s are very underrated. Sennheiser uses insane impedance, but again, I never liked their high end sound signature. The Focal headsets really surprised me using all the hardware like the Nimbus amp, the DAPS, and the TA. Ironically, the best in order were the Clear, then the Stellia, and last being the Utopia. The Utopia is just not worth the price and that’s with testing it with high end equipment  with a quiet environment. The Clear were pure joy and the Stellia certainly offers a lot as a closed headset, but I would say it shouldn’t go over $2,000 if that?




I have experienced bass distortion on the clear but that was paired with sennheiser hdv820... in Se     I dont know if its the bad synergies but made me go like What is the bass distortion have to do here. I did not boost eq it was clean source and had a very bassy song and I set volume quiet high and clear could not take it was rattling the headphone interiors and was awful.


You didnt experience anything like that ? Maybe you could try 






Let me go see your audio quest cables give me a sec


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 2, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> What’s your take on the Audioquest audio USB cables? Are the Carbon or Cinnamon worth a buy for the TA? Too bad there are no Sony versions of those cables for the 1A and 1Z



Do you have the Cradle? The Cradle not only has proprietary reclocking but USB filtering too. The USB cable choice will be the smallest effect at the end. I’ve tried to do sighted tests and noticed USB    AQCarbon changes at times and other times not? It’s very small style of improvement. Though at times it seems to make the treble clearer more detailed and brighter.

Edit: 

Or you can just be like many here and just buy the dam thing and forget about it.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Do you have the Cradle? The Cradle not only has proprietary reclocking but USB filtering too. The USB cable choice will be the smallest effect at the end. I’ve tried to do sighted tests and noticed USB    AQCarbon changes at times and other times not? It’s very small style of improvement. Though at times it seems to make the treble clearer more detailed and brighter.
> 
> Edit:
> 
> Or you can just be like many here and just buy the dam thing and forget about it.


Better go with the cradle next as it seems cheaper used than the cables oddly. Thanks!


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> So true it's heavy! By the way, what do you use to clean the internals? Dust air canisters?



I have never done anything. Feather duster and slightlydamp cloth on the outside


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 2, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Better go with the cradle next as it seems cheaper used than the cables oddly. Thanks!



Well remember too, I just did a short test hooking the TA to optical from a TV. And while optical has a bit-rate ceiling that the DAPs and a computer with USB don’t........the optical sounds exactly the same as the 1Z in the Cradle with the AQCarbon USB. Though it may have failed using higher bit-rate files?

I’m pretty sure if someone just had 16/44,1 files on a notebook they would be equally happy going to the TA (Optical) as having a DAP in the Cradle with AQCarbon USB?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> What’s your take on the Audioquest audio USB cables? Are the Carbon or Cinnamon worth a buy for the TA? Too bad there are no Sony versions of those cables for the 1A and 1Z






WOaaaa thos audio quest cables ARE F reaking DOP man, I never seen specs so high lol.  I will say the carbon version is really the best option it has the 3 way layer distortion dissipation and offers 5% SILVER vs 1.5% in cinnamon.  I say go with carbon for maximum performance but I dont know how much it cost lol vs the cinnamon.

Cinnamon is also excellent and very high grade specs to! But not as carbon because of the 3 layers distortion dissipation.

You buy this and man you gonna fart unicorns  coins lmao it will be that good! 




By the way, i forgot to mention Kimber kable use a nitrogen infused solder technique, I just read on audio quest they to use something similar very impressive I never saw any soldering technique using nitrogen to improve the process.!!!  This is another factor why the cables have such a high level of performance!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Well remember too, I just did a short test hooking the TA to optical from a TV. And while optical has a bit-rate ceiling that the DAPs and a computer with USB don’t........the optical sounds exactly the same as the 1Z in the Cradle with the AQCarbon USB. Though it may have failed using higher bit-rate files?
> 
> I’m pretty sure if someone just had 16/44,1 files on a notebook they would be equally happy going to the TA as having a DAP in the Cradle with AQCarbon USB?


Well, the cradle could also be seen as an organizer of sorts to keep the player on display. Although when I think about it, I can’t fit it with the Musashino case on. Wonder if that defeats the purpose, then


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> WOaaaa thos audio quest cables ARE F reaking DOP man, I never seen specs so high lol.  I will say the carbon version is really the best option it has the 3 way layer distortion dissipation and offers 5% SILVER vs 1.5% in cinnamon.  I say go with carbon for maximum performance but I dont know how much it cost lol vs the cinnamon.
> 
> Cinnamon is also excellent and very high grade specs to! But not as carbon because of the 3 layers distortion dissipation.
> 
> ...


12,000 yen used as its hard to find one cheap vs 10,000 yen for the cradle for the 1A and 1Z


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> WOaaaa thos audio quest cables ARE F reaking DOP man, I never seen specs so high lol.  I will say the carbon version is really the best option it has the 3 way layer distortion dissipation and offers 5% SILVER vs 1.5% in cinnamon.  I say go with carbon for maximum performance but I dont know how much it cost lol vs the cinnamon.
> 
> Cinnamon is also excellent and very high grade specs to! But not as carbon because of the 3 layers distortion dissipation.
> 
> ...








I once just looked at a picture of the AQDiamond USB while listening to the TA and the placebo effects seemed to work wonders?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Well, the cradle could also be seen as an organizer of sorts to keep the player on display. Although when I think about it, I can’t fit it with the Musashino case on. Wonder if that defeats the purpose, then



The regular case that comes with the 1Z fits inside the Cradle while on the 1Z. I figured that out just trying it.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> 12,000 yen used as its hard to find one cheap vs 10,000 yen for the cradle for the 1A and 1Z





I just looked at the cradle and it doesnt intrigues my interest lol, it looks not very high end and audiophile grade dont know. Look at the small usb cables that come in with it... It feels china cheap sorry.

I never tried the cradle and dont know its real potential.



My highest best recommendations would be get a usb cable that can hook into wm1z port and out into Ta usb in. This is the best solution and cleanest!  This is direct and straight line no interconnection, no chances for errors and distortion or what ever can get threw that cradle....


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> I just looked at the cradle and it doesnt intrigues my interest lol, it looks not very high end and audiophile grade dont know. Look at the small usb cables that come in with it... It feels china cheap sorry.
> 
> I never tried the cradle and dont know its real potential.
> 
> ...



Talk to https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/ about the Cradle. He has modded two of them.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Talk to https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/ about the Cradle. He has modded two of them.




link dont redirect to the post...


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> link dont redirect to the post...


He means message him directly


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jul 2, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> He means message him directly






Just an example, this is how I see sony cable should be so we can hook it to Ta with better quality....












Or maybe en robing the stock cable in copper foil hahaha maybe it will work 


























As of what I can see their is no best solution for the usb out 
best option would be roll an coppoer foil over the cable and its plug for maximum shielding isolation I guess, but the internal parts arnt audiophile grade, even if you buy a super expensive usb you will downgrade it with the wm port connector as it wont reach that quality level unffortunately.

Sony need to release a proprietary usb cable for 1z with audiophile grade built...

so maybe after all the cradle will be as good as any usb cables lol, maybe use the oem usb cable that came with your 1z and use that to connect to Ta, I dont see any better ways to do this ......  For now.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> He means message him directly



No give me time. I will find the posts.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> link dont redirect to the post...


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-14675034


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-14675034





hmm looks like it also filters the signal I didnt know that one...  Maybe Sony has some secrets implemented into their usb cables to ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 2, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> hmm looks like it also filters the signal I didnt know that one...  Maybe Sony has some secrets implemented into their usb cables to ?



Strangely the included Sony USB that hooks to the side has a bit-rate ceiling that’s overcome if you buy the DAP adapter and go to the back.

So it’s

Cradle best to rear USB
Rear USB with adapter
Finally last is included side mini-USB

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Strangely the included Sony USB that hooks to the side has a bit-rate ceiling that’s overcome if you buy the DAP adapter and go to the back.
> 
> So it’s
> 
> ...


More cables and headaches. Momma Mia @.@


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Strangely the included Sony USB that hooks to the side has a bit-rate ceiling that’s overcome if you buy the DAP adapter and go to the back.
> 
> So it’s
> 
> ...





Thats the one I use when I need to ouput my audio from wm1z!  

Bought mine straight from japan it sounds very very clean





Gamerlingual said:


> More cables and headaches. Momma Mia @.@




HAHAA  you asked for it LOL


----------



## Redcarmoose

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE?tag=headfi-20


Gamerlingual said:


> More cables and headaches. Momma Mia @.@



It’s just choices are hard as you have to choose. Actually many have found the Cradle to be too rickety and gone with the adapter not caring about filtering.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 2, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Thats the one I use when I need to ouput my audio from wm1z!
> 
> Bought mine straight from japan it sounds very very clean
> 
> ...



I picked one up too in Tokyo at Sony Flagship. The place where they built the Walkman museum.


----------



## mmwwmm

Redcarmoose said:


> Do you have the Cradle? The Cradle not only has proprietary reclocking but USB filtering too.



Where it says that the cradle reclocks the digital signal or filter the USB output? As far as I know Sony just says in its literature the cradle uses OS-cons capacitors in its power supply but nothing about reclocking the signal or any filtering in the output stream (those features would be great)
Thanks!


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jul 2, 2020)

found another custom modified cable with wm port, this one is shielded to ! looks good



http://yahoo.aleado.com/lot?auctionID=288900334#enlargeimg


Fiio has one more option as well

https://www.samma3a.com/tech/en/fiio-introduces-l27-cable-wm-devices/




Check this out a detailed comparison between 1a and 1z at the bottom page you can see more about kimber kable in 1z vs the ofc on the 1a

https://satouchi.com/walkman/wm_review.html


----------



## bflat

Vitaly2017 said:


> found another custom modified cable with wm port, this one is shielded to ! looks good
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I don't think the custom WM Port to USB B cable will work with the TA because TA USB input requires power. I don't think WM Port can provide any power which is why the dock comes with an external power supply.


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jul 2, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> Congrats on the new Z7m2 cans! What are your thoughts on their sound? I regret not picking up a pair when they were on sale for AU$450 last year


Damn Australia gets some good pricing, I'm still surprised that Minidisc.au was selling the WM1A for $1364 (- AU GST for me) - Amazon, even Japan retailers were almost twice that, I am monitoring A2A etc for these specials.

* I just checked their site and they are opening a store in my city - probably won't get the specials but very happy to be able to go and try things.


----------



## phonomat

Gamerlingual said:


> Well, the cradle could also be seen as an organizer of sorts to keep the player on display. Although when I think about it, I can’t fit it with the Musashino case on. Wonder if that defeats the purpose, then





Gamerlingual said:


> 12,000 yen used as its hard to find one cheap vs 10,000 yen for the cradle for the 1A and 1Z





Gamerlingual said:


> He means message him directly





Gamerlingual said:


> More cables and headaches. Momma Mia @.@


From the forum rules:

"Only make one post at a time in any thread. If your post is the last one in the thread and you need to add something, use the Edit button instead. If your browser glitches and re-posts the same thing by accident, please report the duplicate posts and we'll delete them."

No offense, just saying.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 2, 2020)

phonomat said:


> From the forum rules:
> 
> "Only make one post at a time in any thread. If your post is the last one in the thread and you need to add something, use the Edit button instead. If your browser glitches and re-posts the same thing by accident, please report the duplicate posts and we'll delete them."
> 
> No offense, just saying.




I was just reading this thread and got to posts done by Gamerlingual, and had the same thought... Oh, Jesus...


----------



## Vitaly2017

bflat said:


> I don't think the custom WM Port to USB B cable will work with the TA because TA USB input requires power. I don't think WM Port can provide any power which is why the dock comes with an external power supply.





From what I remember but I might be wrong, I think TA can charge simultaneously your 1a or 1z while it being feed by the dap into TA but I am not sure maybe some folks can confirm this?


----------



## Redcarmoose

mmwwmm said:


> Where it says that the cradle reclocks the digital signal or filter the USB output? As far as I know Sony just says in its literature the cradle uses OS-cons capacitors in its power supply but nothing about reclocking the signal or any filtering in the output stream (those features would be great)
> Thanks!



One place. 
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1743#post-14675034


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 2, 2020)

bflat said:


> I don't think the custom WM Port to USB B cable will work with the TA because TA USB input requires power. I don't think WM Port can provide any power which is why the dock comes with an external power supply.



One member wanted to figure out a way to use the side connection to the TA, but broke his Sony included cable. We figured out the $38.60 WMC-NWH10 cable (normally for the rear of the TA) would work hooked to the side with a simple mini-usb cable. This solution was 1/2 the cost of getting a new side connection from Sony.

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE?tag=headfi-20





Those of us with the Cradle need to unplug it from time to time so the DAPs are not always charged to 90%. It works unplugged.


----------



## 524419 (Jul 2, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Just an example, this is how I see sony cable should be so we can hook it to Ta with better quality....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Those tiny wires in the connector are the weak link.
It would be very easy to change everything in there to solid copper. Copper foil would take a bit more work, but would be the best sounding.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Diet Kokaine said:


> Those tiny wires in the connector are the weak link.
> It would be very easy to change everything in there to solid copper. Copper foil would take a bit more work, but would be the best sounding.





Just need a good expert to build one 😁

I would love to have one made that way


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> found another custom modified cable with wm port, this one is shielded to ! looks good
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Note....Sony Premium Sound Micro Card in action there.


----------



## 524419

Vitaly2017 said:


> Just need a good expert to build one 😁
> 
> I would love to have one made that way


I'll make you one. send it to me.


----------



## RobertP (Jul 2, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> Those tiny wires in the connector are the weak link.
> It would be very easy to change everything in there to solid copper. Copper foil would take a bit more work, but would be the best sounding.


Love the idea of solid copper core but down side are durability and flexibility. Try to DIY one from WM-port to USB-C and it did'nt go well LOL.


----------



## 524419

RobertP said:


> Love the idea of solid copper core but down side are durability and flexibility. Try to DIY one from WM-port to USB-C and it did'nt go well LOL.


USB B would be pretty simple to make.  Copper foil for data wires, and regular cable for ground and power.
cables such as these are only useful if you are not moving them around constantly 
If flexibility is required, Copper lItz is the only way to go.


----------



## Damz87

Hinomotocho said:


> Damn Australia gets some good pricing, I'm still surprised that Minidisc.au was selling the WM1A for $1364 (- AU GST for me) - Amazon, even Japan retailers were almost twice that, I am monitoring A2A etc for these specials.
> 
> * I just checked their site and they are opening a store in my city - probably won't get the specials but very happy to be able to go and try things.



Last year A2A had some amazing sales on Sony gear. WM1A dropped to below $1000, WM1Z $3000, MDR-Z1R & IER-Z1R $1,500...  But since COVID hit, all the prices went up and haven’t budged. Normally we get an end of financial year sale around this time, but that didn’t happen. It’s looking like we’ll have to wait until at least Boxing Day before anything gets discounted!


----------



## RobertP

Redcarmoose said:


> Note....Sony Premium Sound Micro Card in action there.


I ordered Samsung 128GB Pro Endurance micro SD card the try. Hopefully they are good.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Diet Kokaine said:


> I'll make you one. send it to me.





🤩😍 

That would be awsome  man !


----------



## RobertP (Jul 2, 2020)

Edit


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hi guys I got a question about a wm1a, it show on the side sticker label NOM and behind the package box the region is LA.  I see no region like that in our 1z/1a list????   Is this a new Region added by sony?   This is a Mexican country based wm1a apparently.
And whats strange is when he set the region to J and did a factory reset all the language became Japanese without an option to chose a different language.

Any idea what wm1a is this an tourist version or something completely new? This wm1a was purchased new in December 2019 so its not really old at all.
Your suggestions ideas are very welcome


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 3, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hi guys I got a question about a wm1a, it show on the side sticker label NOM and behind the package box the region is LA.  I see no region like that in our 1z/1a list????   Is this a new Region added by sony?   This is a Mexican country based wm1a apparently.
> And whats strange is when he set the region to J and did a factory reset all the language became Japanese without an option to chose a different language.
> 
> Any idea what wm1a is this an tourist version or something completely new? This wm1a was purchased new in December 2019 so its not really old at all.
> Your suggestions ideas are very welcome



Japan Tourist Edition Engraving photo

Chart diagram.





Region changing could be a thing of the past?


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> Japan Tourist Edition Sticker
> 
> 
> Here are what we know?


Makes me feel so proud every time I see these pictures. Made in Malaysia. My country.


----------



## auronthas

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes it does. That’s what is crazy. The Kimber helps make the DAPs better even with full-size headphones. Hard to believe but true.


Indeed, my Kimber Kable 4.4mm MMCX with Sony EX800ST sound smooth and musical with WM1Z with stocked 3.0.2 than WM1A. 

Haven't change to Region J yet on my 1Z, want to hear more on stocked 3.0.2 and current region before moving to next, I have the patience to wait hahaha, enjoy the journey of change


----------



## Redcarmoose

auronthas said:


> Indeed, my Kimber Kable 4.4mm MMCX with Sony EX800ST sound smooth and musical with WM1Z with stocked 3.0.2 than WM1A.
> 
> Haven't change to Region J yet on my 1Z, want to hear more on stocked 3.0.2 and current region before moving to next, I have the patience to wait hahaha, enjoy the journey of change



I only changed to J region last month.


----------



## auronthas (Jul 3, 2020)

One question puzzle me concerning USB charging WM1Z or 1A.

Is it harmful to battery life using USB fast charger 2-3 A or Apple iPad charger 2.1A ?  I do not have conventional 1A charger.




aceedburn said:


> Makes me feel so proud every time I see these pictures. Made in Malaysia. My country.


I would be proud if our Malaysian can come out with an innovative DAP one day !


----------



## auronthas

double post


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> One question puzzle me concerning USB charging WM1Z or 1A.
> 
> Is it harmful to battery life using USB fast charger 2-3 A or Apple iPad charger 2.1A ?  I do not have conventional 1A charger.
> 
> ...



Not dangerous, the player will only consume what it needs


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Most importantly, use quality made USB charger that has protection circuitry built in.

Most of the modern smartphone chargers will suffice. 

Alternatively you can always get a after market USB chargers from Anker, Aukey, Belkin or Ravpower.


----------



## auronthas

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Most importantly, use quality made USB charger that has protection circuitry built in.
> 
> Most of the modern smartphone chargers will suffice.
> 
> Alternatively you can always get a after market USB chargers from Anker, Aukey, Belkin or Ravpower.


Thanks both @nc8000 and @Sonywalkmanuser I am using Anker and Ugreen brand , they are reliable .


----------



## aceedburn

auronthas said:


> One question puzzle me concerning USB charging WM1Z or 1A.
> 
> Is it harmful to battery life using USB fast charger 2-3 A or Apple iPad charger 2.1A ?  I do not have conventional 1A charger.
> 
> ...


We already have our own homegrown headphone amps though. Stoner Acoustics. Pretty good for starting audiophiles.


----------



## blazinblazin

aceedburn said:


> Makes me feel so proud every time I see these pictures. Made in Malaysia. My country.


I think they choose SEA cause they don't want their technology to be stolen and pirated.
A lot of Japan companies are now setting up companies all over SEA in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc.
Those top secret technology items will be still Made in Japan.


----------



## terminaut

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Most importantly, use quality made USB charger that has protection circuitry built in.
> 
> Most of the modern smartphone chargers will suffice.
> 
> Alternatively you can always get a after market USB chargers from Anker, Aukey, Belkin or Ravpower.



For those who might be Walkman-centric, there's a nice travel charger with a flip-out plug which is rather attractive IMHO.


----------



## nc8000

terminaut said:


> For those who might be Walkman-centric, there's a nice travel charger with a flip-out plug which is rather attractive IMHO.



not so neat in Europe


----------



## terminaut (Jul 3, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> not so neat in Europe



Yeah if we ever get to travel again I'd probably pack my Hyperjuice for treks through Europe.


----------



## mmwwmm

Redcarmoose said:


> One place.
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-1743#post-14675034


As far as I know this is the only mention to that features. I have tried to find more info about those ones and found none


----------



## nc8000

terminaut said:


> Yeah if we ever get to travel again I'd probably pack my Hyperjuice for treks through Europe.




I have for years been travelling all over the world with this one


----------



## RYCeT

I just got my WM1A. I copied all my flac files. Some of the album did not display the album cover. How can I fix these? All the album cover has been tagged in and has cover.jpg in the associated folder. I have tried rebuilding the database, it's still not working.


----------



## nc8000

RYCeT said:


> I just got my WM1A. I copied all my flac files. Some of the album did not display the album cover. How can I fix these? All the album cover has been tagged in and has cover.jpg in the associated folder. I have tried rebuilding the database, it's still not working.



Non embedded art has to have the exact same file name as the name of the folder it resides in. Embedded art is supported. All art has to be baseline jpg, progressive jpg is only supported on the Android based players not on the Sony OS based players


----------



## mwhals

What is the best way to set metadata and directory structure for multi CD albums for use with Sony Daps or any daps?


----------



## Ravenous (Jul 3, 2020)

mwhals said:


> What is the best way to set metadata and directory structure for multi CD albums for use with Sony Daps or any daps?


You can structure albums and artists as you would on your PC, such as FLAC>Artist>Album>Songs. For metadata, I would recommend the software MP3Tag to ensure all metadata is accurate for the DAP to read and structure files to their appropriate locations. For Multi-CD Albums I would create a directory with the Album name, then seperate directories for each CD (Artist>Album>CD1>CD2). I would then edit the album info metadata with the corresponding CD number; EX. Album Name CD 1, Album Name CD 2. MP3Tag also allows you to embed album art onto the song files so if viewing your album art on your 1a/1z is important I would utilize MP3Tag for that function alone.


----------



## Ravenous

Accidental Double Post, please disregard.


----------



## nc8000

mwhals said:


> What is the best way to set metadata and directory structure for multi CD albums for use with Sony Daps or any daps?



I have genre main folders and then a folder per album named <artist> - <album>

If it is a multi disc album I renumber cd2 and onwards starting where the previous cd stopped so I just end up with something that looks like a very large cd, never use the disc number tag or subfolders per disc


----------



## Hinomotocho

Ravenous said:


> You can structure albums and artists as you would on your PC, such as FLAC>Artist>Album>Songs. For metadata, I would recommend the software MP3Tag to ensure all metadata is accurate for the DAP to read and structure files to their appropriate locations. MP3Tag also allows you to embed album art onto the song files so if viewing your album art on your 1a/1z is important I would utilize MP3Tag for that function alone.


On the subject of tagging, due to compilation albums and other multiple artist scenarios I use folder view because everything is where it should be. Does anyone else use folder view or is artist view the norm?


----------



## Mindstorms

any news about fw im not readig guys sorry im too busy lately i miss you dough!


----------



## Amber Rain

Hinomotocho said:


> On the subject of tagging, due to compilation albums and other multiple artist scenarios I use folder view because everything is where it should be. Does anyone else use folder view or is artist view the norm?



I only ever use 'Folder' view.

I will have to sit down one day and re-tag (a lot of) my album art, but it is a real PITA!! Any suggestions for something that works on a Mac that an idiot with limited patience could use


----------



## proedros (Jul 3, 2020)

RYCeT said:


> I just got my WM1A. I copied all my flac files. Some of the album did not display the album cover. How can I fix these? All the album cover has been tagged in and has cover.jpg in the associated folder. I have tried rebuilding the database, it's still not working.



welcome to the sony family

*i use this site* to find cover art that shows on the 1a/z players , find the album cover you want and then name the pic as the name of the folder you will put it in your sony

*https://bendodson.com/projects/itunes-artwork-finder/

just choose 'album' from the drop down menu*

if you have an album with 2 different sub-folders (say CD1 and CD2) place the cover pic in both subfolders named as CD1 and CD2 - or whatever name the subfolders have)

also if the above site does not have the album you want , try google search images with *the album title + amazon*

pics taken/copied from the amazon sites (us, uk etc) usually show up on my wm1a

cheers


----------



## RYCeT (Jul 3, 2020)

Amber Rain said:


> I only ever use 'Folder' view.
> 
> I will have to sit down one day and re-tag (a lot of) my album art, but it is a real PITA!! Any suggestions for something that works on a Mac that an idiot with limited patience could use



I bought dbpoweramp & perfect tunes to rip & tag my files. It's a bit expensive but worth the time saving for ripping all my cd collection.



Hinomotocho said:


> On the subject of tagging, due to compilation albums and other multiple artist scenarios I use folder view because everything is where it should be. Does anyone else use folder view or is artist view the norm?



For compilation album, I put "VA Mixed" on the Album artist field. It will show up as VA Mixed on artist view. 

Btw, for my previous album cover issue, I have to re-open those album cover which are not showing up using GIMP, convert & overwrite them. There goes my day today. Urrggh.


----------



## feverfive

Why not embed the file with the album art?  Wouldn't that solve all the naming convention issues?  Or am I being obtuse?

<showing myself out now>


----------



## Hinomotocho

RYCeT said:


> I bought dbpoweramp & perfect tunes to rip & tag my files. It's a bit expensive but worth the time saving for ripping all my cd collection.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I use a free program for Windows called TagScanner and there is any easy 1 click 'recompress' option that magically makes the album art display. It is also a decent tag software in general.


----------



## Lookout57

I use the following structure:

Letter -> Artist (Last, First) -> Year - Album -> Track

A
    AC-DC
        1976 -  High Voltage
            01 It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll).flac
            02 Rock 'n' Roll Singer.flac
            03 The Jack.flac
            04 Live Wire.flac
            05 T.N.T..flac
            06 Can I Sit Next to You Girl.flac
            07 Little Lover.flac
            08 She's Got Balls.flac
            09 High Voltage.flac


----------



## 524419

Hinomotocho said:


> I use a free program for Windows called TagScanner and there is any easy 1 click 'recompress' option that magically makes the album art display. It is also a decent tag software in general.


Does it automatically find album art and resave it? 
what options do I have to use if I wanna go that route? 
help


----------



## Hinomotocho

Diet Kokaine said:


> Does it automatically find album art and resave it?
> what options do I have to use if I wanna go that route?
> help


I don't think so, I have only really used it for the last year with new albums I've added, and the odd correction of old ones with album art issues. There may be a batch function but I'm at work so I won't be able to check for a while.


----------



## Ravenous

Diet Kokaine said:


> Does it automatically find album art and resave it?
> what options do I have to use if I wanna go that route?
> help



Also if album art that you have embedded to files doesn't display on the 1A/1Z, all you have to do is open the album art file in MS Paint and "Save As" whatever file it originally is. Make sure that you use "Save As" though. It should ask if you would like to replace the original file. Do that and simply re-embed the album art and it should work.


----------



## mwhals (Jul 4, 2020)

RYCeT said:


> I bought dbpoweramp & perfect tunes to rip & tag my files. It's a bit expensive but worth the time saving for ripping all my cd collection.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I already have dbpoweramp, perfect tunes and GIMP.

I decided to create a cover.png at 2500x2500 and a folder.jpg at 1000x1000 that gets embedded in the flac file. For multidisc sets, I just decided to number them by disc number, hypen, then track number(for example 1-01, 1-02,....... 2-01, 2-01, etc). I also put sub directories Disc 1, Disc 2, etc underneath multi-CD albums.

I am scanning all my CD album covers to make every song have a 1000x1000 cover. I can lower the resolution for daps that cannot use that resolution. My goal is to have all cover art exactly square. In 2015, it was the music and in 2020 it is the album art. While adding the pictures to the flac files, I am restructuring all multi-CD set metadata and directory structure. Also fixing any metadata errors I find along the way. Not an enviable task as it will take me weeks.


----------



## aceedburn

I make sure all music file are properly tagged and manually embed cover art into all of them. Then i run all of them through music centre to embed the 12 tone analysis feature. Only after all this is done, i transfer them to the walkman. This is my routine because I’m OCD like that. Haha. So all 8000 plus music files i have are perfectly tagged and with proper cover arts and 12 tone analysis.


----------



## Ravenous

aceedburn said:


> I make sure all music file are properly tagged and manually embed cover art into all of them. Then i run all of them through music centre to embed the 12 tone analysis feature. Only after all this is done, i transfer them to the walkman. This is my routine because I’m OCD like that. Haha. So all 8000 plus music files i have are perfectly tagged and with proper cover arts and 12 tone analysis.


What's 12 tone analysis?


----------



## aceedburn

Ravenous said:


> What's 12 tone analysis?


It’s a Walkman feature. If all files are embedded with that feature through Sony music centre, hit the sense me channels button in your Walkman and your music is automatically categorized to various listening situations, like evening, daytime, relaxing etc. it’s very nice for shuffling your entire collection and you can choose the sense me channels based on your mood.


----------



## aceedburn

Desktop listening session in progress. Bliss!


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> Desktop listening session in progress. Bliss!


What’s ther FiiO item? Reminds me of the DMP-Z1


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> What’s ther FiiO item? Reminds me of the DMP-Z1


That’s the K5 Pro. Excellent sounding amp and DAC.


----------



## auronthas (Jul 4, 2020)

Weekend music and photo sessions.

Easier to bring this lighter and portable WM1A along.

a) WM1A and Moondrop Kanas Pro





b) WM1A and COROS watch 




c) WM1A and last year Osaka Marathon medal


----------



## minzink

aceedburn said:


> I make sure all music file are properly tagged and manually embed cover art into all of them. Then i run all of them through music centre to embed the 12 tone analysis feature. Only after all this is done, i transfer them to the walkman. This is my routine because I’m OCD like that. Haha. So all 8000 plus music files i have are perfectly tagged and with proper cover arts and 12 tone analysis.


I still use Sony's Media Go. It is no longer supported, but for me, it works great to rip CDs, edit file names and to embed cover arts. I also use it to load the music to my DAPs. I never had problems that cover art hasn't been showed on the WM1's display. And for me it is more handy as successor Media Center.


----------



## Vitaly2017

auronthas said:


> Weekend music and photo sessions.
> 
> Easier to bring this lighter and portable WM1A along.
> 
> ...





Nice photo session 
Congratulation on your medal!
How long was the marathon you did?  I was my self a runner when I was younger


----------



## Ravenous (Jul 4, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> What’s ther FiiO item? Reminds me of the DMP-Z1


Interesting that you have a 1Z and 1A. May I ask, why keep the 1A when you have the 1Z?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Ravenous said:


> Interesting that you have a 1Z and 1A. May I ask, why keep the 1A when you have the 1Z?


1Z for home listening and 1A for on the go.


----------



## auronthas

Vitaly2017 said:


> Nice photo session
> Congratulation on your medal!
> How long was the marathon you did?  I was my self a runner when I was younger


Thanks bro. Tiger. 

Thats cool to know you are a runner. Are you still running ?

I am a slow runner, 5 hours plus, started running at age 42, next year will be 50 😆.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I use Media Go for media management, for ripping CD i use dbPower amp suite.  To rip SACD  i use sacd_extract tools with a Pioneer BLURAY


----------



## Vitaly2017

auronthas said:


> Thanks bro. Tiger.
> 
> Thats cool to know you are a runner. Are you still running ?
> 
> I am a slow runner, 5 hours plus, started running at age 42, next year will be 50 😆.





Thank you  
I started running when I was 12 and kept like that for 5 years or 6.  Been running every day and never missed a single day! Had to cover 10 km in course of 30 to 35 min before school.
One day I did some competition and was 11th from all the schools that participated from my province ( state )
was a hard run I had to run as fast I could for 4.7km. It was on a trail in forest type run on an island.  At end when I completed the run it was so difficult to breath like everything burned threw my lounges and chest. I had to cover my face with my hands to slow down the inhale and exhale process. Yea I could feel my heart pumping so hard. It was the toughest run I ever did 

Unfortunately I didnt continue my running career as a youngster but I was invited to the international competitions. I never had a coach or a trainer it was all done just as a self training hobby  


You dont give up! You are encouraging me that means if I am 33 I can always start back later haha and recover my tiger leaps any time 😸🐯🌿🐾


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Jul 4, 2020)

To tag either flac files or dsf I use mp3tag, I love its batch editing features.

I use the following folder structure
Music -> composer name (e.g. Antonio Vivaldi)-> Album name (with disc number)-> track number - title. File_ext (flac or dsf)

For tags I use
*flac
Title
Album
Artist (separate by comma and last with ampersand when various)
Track
TrackTotal
Release year
Genre
Disc
DiscTotal

^DSD
title
Artist
Current track/track count
Release year
Genre
Current disc/Disc count

For album art all is baseline jpg at max 950x950


----------



## auronthas

Vitaly2017 said:


> You dont give up! You are encouraging me that means if I am 33 I can always start back later haha and recover my tiger leaps any time 😸🐯🌿🐾


 Thanks for your encouraging words, yes, you should start to run longer distance,  endurance is a different ball game and that's why many 10k runners like Mo Farah turns marathoner.  I have done couple 100k ultra, to test my endurance. Sorry for OT. Back to WM1Z, enjoy music 🎶


----------



## Vitaly2017

auronthas said:


> Thanks for your encouraging words, yes, you should start to run longer distance,  endurance is a different ball game and that's why many 10k runners like Mo Farah turns marathoner.  I have done couple 100k ultra, to test my endurance. Sorry for OT. Back to WM1Z, enjoy music 🎶




You bring your 1a while you running the 100k ultra


----------



## phonomat

minzink said:


> I still use Sony's Media Go. It is no longer supported, but for me, it works great to rip CDs, edit file names and to embed cover arts. I also use it to load the music to my DAPs. I never had problems that cover art hasn't been showed on the WM1's display. And for me it is more handy as successor Media Center.


Same here. Like others, I'm currently in the process of digitalizing my whole music collection, and it works very nicely with Media Go. Well, for the CD's at least. Vinyl is an entirely different story, of course ...


----------



## auronthas

Vitaly2017 said:


> You bring your 1a while you running the 100k ultra


Of course not,  too expensive for 1a LOL, I used Sony waterproof earphone NW-WS413 though especially during midnight to stay awake haha


----------



## gerelmx1986

phonomat said:


> Same here. Like others, I'm currently in the process of digitalizing my whole music collection, and it works very nicely with Media Go. Well, for the CD's at least. Vinyl is an entirely different story, of course ...


How people digitize their vinyls? Typisch 24-bit PCM oder als DSD 2.8Mhz /5.6/11.2MHz


----------



## captblaze

gerelmx1986 said:


> How people digitize their vinyls? Typisch 24-bit PCM oder als DSD 2.8Mhz /5.6/11.2MHz




24 bit 96kHz Flac is common


----------



## proedros

speaking of digitized vinyls , hope people enjoy those rips i shared with some of you


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> How people digitize their vinyls? Typisch 24-bit PCM oder als DSD 2.8Mhz /5.6/11.2MHz



I rip min to 16/44 flac. Tried to do 5.6 dsd but to me the difference was minimal


----------



## phonomat

captblaze said:


> 24 bit 96kHz Flac is common


Yeah, that's what I do too.


----------



## Hinomotocho

aceedburn said:


> Desktop listening session in progress. Bliss!


Nice - that would be 3.5mm to rca?


----------



## auronthas

Alternatively, listen to WM1Z via WMport to USB A female then USB A male to USB B connecting to Topping D90 AKM4499 DAC then Topping A90 head amp via XLR cable , power up HD650 or HE4XX


----------



## aceedburn

Hinomotocho said:


> Nice - that would be 3.5mm to rca?


Yes using sommer onyx cable with hicon connectors.


----------



## nanaholic (Jul 5, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> How people digitize their vinyls? Typisch 24-bit PCM oder als DSD 2.8Mhz /5.6/11.2MHz



I do 24/96 wav then convert to FLAC instead of ripping directly to DSD, as I can use audio editing programs to remove clicks for PCM-based rips but couldn't for DSD.

If I spent hours cleaning and prepping my vinyl to rip to DSD I can get almost click/noise free vinyl, but that's really just too much effort.


----------



## minzink

Hi, 
After I learned so much about battery care, battery reset (which I did before) and about battery in general here (thanks to all for very valuable info), I decided to do a battery life test with my NW-WM1A (pre-used, own it for approx. 5 or 6 weeks now). 

I prepared it with my normal sound settings:
EQ on, 
DSEE on, 
DC Phase linearizer on, type A low, 
dynamic normalizer on and 
vinyl processor on standard. 

NFC and Bluetooth are off. Connected was my MDR-1AM2 on the 4.4 port. Low gain with 45 volume (normal volume for listening is between 40 and 45). Volume limitation is switched off while using region U. Battery care is activated, so I started with approx. 90% of battery capacity. Display time was below 2 minutes for the whole test.

Total running time to first automatic shutdown was 14 hours and 58 minutes.

This is not so impressive I think.... Is it still in an acceptable benchmark or do you think battery should be replaced? What are your experiences so far? Your thoughts are very welcomed!

Best
Armin


----------



## Gamerlingual

The EQ settings will drain the battery in half. Sony has said as such in their product guides.


----------



## Dtuck90

I probably only get about 18 hours with Direct mode ON. I’ve figured that charging overnight thinking that it will take 7 hours to charge (as per Sony’s info) when it only takes about 3 hours has damaged my battery.


----------



## nc8000 (Jul 5, 2020)

minzink said:


> Hi,
> After I learned so much about battery care, battery reset (which I did before) and about battery in general here (thanks to all for very valuable info), I decided to do a battery life test with my NW-WM1A (pre-used, own it for approx. 5 or 6 weeks now).
> 
> I prepared it with my normal sound settings:
> ...



That’s about right with all the effects you have enabled, they consume an extra 25-50% compared to source direct. All Sony's timings are with everything disabled. It also depends on what files you play, dsd and high res consumes most battery and low res mp3 the least


----------



## minzink

nc8000 said:


> That’s about right with all the effects you have enabled, they consume an extra 25-50% compared to source direct. All Sony's timings are with everything disabled. It also depends on what files you play, dsd and high res consumes most battery and low res mp3 the least



Thanks to everyone for sharing your thoughts... It's clear that the 30 to 40 hours could only reached with perfect conditions (direct mode, all sound options are off). But good to know that my player is still in average.


----------



## Quadfather

minzink said:


> Thanks to everyone for sharing your thoughts... It's clear that the 30 to 40 hours could only reached with perfect conditions (direct mode, all sound options are off). But good to know that my player is still in average.




I get 25 hours in direct mode.  I have 2,700 hours on the device.  Listen at 65 to 80 volume.


----------



## Donmonte

I also get around 14 hours, direct mode with high gain and a volume between 80-100.


----------



## Gamerlingual

19 hours average with mostly FLAC and ALAC files on direct mode, high gain at 45 using my IER-Z1R


----------



## Mindstorms

Hinomotocho said:


> I was more surprised to hear about and experience more significant differences between region firmwares. They somehow decide that people from different regions prefer different signatures. Without knowledge of this or that you can switch regions, if you tried one and didn't like it you may decide to go with the preferable sound of another brands device.
> Makes me wonder how many people read experiences here and based on that bought one in their country and experienced a very different sound and were disappointed.


so true


----------



## Vitaly2017

roufly 2 days here with iem and high gain at 45, Wavs and DSD all the way


----------



## aceedburn

Vitaly2017 said:


> roufly 2 days here with iem and high gain at 45, Wavs and DSD all the way


2 days? You can’t be serious bro.


----------



## Vitaly2017

This is crazy there is major flooding in Japan that happend yesterday, I dont know how that will affect future sony products now. World nature is going wild


----------



## Vitaly2017

aceedburn said:


> 2 days? You can’t be serious bro.




Well I didnt count my hours lol it just holds approximately 2 days with my listening use


----------



## mwhals (Jul 5, 2020)

I will have to be happy with FLAC. I do not want to spend days of my life again rescanning for WAV. I am spending days now rescanning my album art to get a high res PNG image and a 1000x1000 jpg image. In the future if I want a 1500x1500 jpg image, I just have to use an image converter and convert all my high res PNG to the new jpg size. It is similar to being able to make a copy of another music format from my existing FLAC files with a converter.

I do not think it gives me any sonic benefit converting my FLAC files to WAV. Correct? It would need to be scanned initially as WAV for the best audio. I may do it one day, but not today. I think burning does not take as long as the album art. It is time consuming scanning, fixes blemished, resizing to 2500x2500, saving as PNG, resizing to 1000x1000, saving as JPG and embedding JPG into the album files. Burning the audio in dbpoweramp and dragging the art to it would be much faster especially since I can burn two or three at the same time.'

I think I will rip one CD I know and love, Dire Straights Brothers in Arms, to WAV and do a comparison with my FLAC copy. If I hear nothing different, I will not worry about it. If I do, then I might as well rerip them since I am already doing albums.


----------



## Gamerlingual

mwhals said:


> I will have to be happy with FLAC. I do not want to spend days of my life again rescanning for WAV. I am spending days now rescanning my album art to get a high res PNG image and a 1000x1000 jpg image. In the future if I want a 1500x1500 jpg image, I just have to use an image converter and convert all my high res PNG to the new jpg size. It is similar to being able to make a copy of another music format from my existing FLAC files with a converter.
> 
> I do not think it gives me any sonic benefit converting my FLAC files to WAV. Correct? It would need to be scanned initially as WAV for the best audio. I may do it one day, but not today. I think burning does not take as long as the album art. It is time consuming scanning, fixes blemished, resizing to 2500x2500, saving as PNG, resizing to 1000x1000, saving as JPG and embedding JPG into the album files. Burning the audio in dbpoweramp and dragging the art to it would be much faster especially since I can burn two or three at the same time.'
> 
> I think I will rip one CD I know and love, Dire Straights Brothers in Arms, to WAV and do a comparison with my FLAC copy. If I hear nothing different, I will not worry about it. If I do, then I might as well rerip them since I am already doing albums.


I keep hearing great things about DB power amp. Just wish it’s price wasn’t $100


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> I will have to be happy with FLAC. I do not want to spend days of my life again rescanning for WAV. I am spending days now rescanning my album art to get a high res PNG image and a 1000x1000 jpg image. In the future if I want a 1500x1500 jpg image, I just have to use an image converter and convert all my high res PNG to the new jpg size. It is similar to being able to make a copy of another music format from my existing FLAC files with a converter.
> 
> I do not think it gives me any sonic benefit converting my FLAC files to WAV. Correct? It would need to be scanned initially as WAV for the best audio. I may do it one day, but not today. I think burning does not take as long as the album art. It is time consuming scanning, fixes blemished, resizing to 2500x2500, saving as PNG, resizing to 1000x1000, saving as JPG and embedding JPG into the album files. Burning the audio in dbpoweramp and dragging the art to it would be much faster especially since I can burn two or three at the same time.'
> 
> I think I will rip one CD I know and love, Dire Straights Brothers in Arms, to WAV and do a comparison with my FLAC copy. If I hear nothing different, I will not worry about it. If I do, then I might as well rerip them since I am already doing albums.





In my tests I did when comparing flac vs wav.  I head the most biggest difference was in pc system. But when comparing on wm1z It was really really hard to spot any difference between flac and wav honestly. They sounded very similar.

I bought all my audio library already in native wav, so this is why I keep my trend and stay in wave realm.

When converting flac into wav I think it preserves the wav original data and simply unpacks it as a zip fil...
I would say stay with flac if space is crucial, but go wav for maximum benefits. To me flacs can be slightly more aggressive and harshy in comparison to wav in the long run listening sessions.
24/44.1 flacs are much much better in sound then 16/44.1 and sounds much closer to a wav feeling. Then converting cd into a 24bit... It might simply smooth down the frequencies curve and sound slightly less edgier but still being limited to the 16/44 quality...


----------



## nc8000

mwhals said:


> I will have to be happy with FLAC. I do not want to spend days of my life again rescanning for WAV. I am spending days now rescanning my album art to get a high res PNG image and a 1000x1000 jpg image. In the future if I want a 1500x1500 jpg image, I just have to use an image converter and convert all my high res PNG to the new jpg size. It is similar to being able to make a copy of another music format from my existing FLAC files with a converter.
> 
> I do not think it gives me any sonic benefit converting my FLAC files to WAV. Correct? It would need to be scanned initially as WAV for the best audio. I may do it one day, but not today. I think burning does not take as long as the album art. It is time consuming scanning, fixes blemished, resizing to 2500x2500, saving as PNG, resizing to 1000x1000, saving as JPG and embedding JPG into the album files. Burning the audio in dbpoweramp and dragging the art to it would be much faster especially since I can burn two or three at the same time.'
> 
> I think I will rip one CD I know and love, Dire Straights Brothers in Arms, to WAV and do a comparison with my FLAC copy. If I hear nothing different, I will not worry about it. If I do, then I might as well rerip them since I am already doing albums.



Both flac and wav are lossless so you can always transcode between them without any loss. With wav you loose tags. Some people seem to be able to hear a difference between the formats, I can’t so go for flac for convenience and space saving. All my album art is 300x300 wich is fine for me


----------



## nc8000

minzink said:


> Thanks to everyone for sharing your thoughts... It's clear that the 30 to 40 hours could only reached with perfect conditions (direct mode, all sound options are off). But good to know that my player is still in average.



And low bit rate mp3.

I never turn my player off and get about 20 hours play plus a weeks stand by on a 90% charge with no dsp and flac 16/44.


----------



## mungster

nc8000 said:


> And low bit rate mp3.
> 
> I never turn my player off and get about 20 hours play plus a weeks stand by on a 90% charge with no dsp and flac 16/44.


I think wav is the next best thing to dsd.  I would go dsd all the way but not much titles in dsd.


----------



## Vitaly2017

mungster said:


> I think wav is the next best thing to dsd.  I would go dsd all the way but not much titles in dsd.




Sony play dsd really beautifully it is on a different level!  here is an image what happens and why we should all use dsd only but its not very practical as it eats huge space amounts!
Dsd from my findings, sounds the best as it has the best sound of a vinyl and the best dynamics of a high resolution recordings.


----------



## mungster

Vitaly2017 said:


> Sony play dsd really beautifully it is on a different level!  here is an image what happens and why we should all use dsd only but its not very practical as it eats huge space amounts!
> Dsd from my findings, sounds the best as it has the best sound of a vinyl and the best dynamics of a high resolution recordings.



I just store all my dsd music on my 10tb hard drive and transfer only the song i want on my 1tb wm1z or lpgt. You can always make copues of flac and wav from dsd, dsd is best quality.


----------



## nanaholic (Jul 5, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Both flac and wav are lossless so you can always transcode between them without any loss. With wav you loose tags. Some people seem to be able to hear a difference between the formats, I can’t so go for flac for convenience and space saving. All my album art is 300x300 wich is fine for me



Small correction - wav is uncompressed PCM while flac is lossless compressed PCM, this is supposedly where people hear the difference.
While it's true you cannot embed art work for wav files, Wav tag is now supported by the Walkmans but it's kind of hit and miss especially regarding double-byte characters.


----------



## minzink

mungster said:


> I think wav is the next best thing to dsd.  I would go dsd all the way but not much titles in dsd.


Well, forget to mention that I used a random playlist, approx 60% FLAC 44.1/16 files, very few high res and the rest is 320 kbits MP3, maybe a few with lower bitrate. Sound settings an file quality seems to be more important to battery as I I supposed before. Once again thank you to all for the helpful input.


----------



## Ravenous

aceedburn said:


> Desktop listening session in progress. Bliss!





Gamerlingual said:


> I keep hearing great things about DB power amp. Just wish it’s price wasn’t $100


Or you could simply use a program like Foobar and download the free encoder pack to convert to WAV. All free.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Ravenous said:


> Or you could simply use a program like Foobar and download the free encoder pack to convert to WAV. All free.


@aceedburn has the goods. Very nice


----------



## mwhals

nc8000 said:


> Both flac and wav are lossless so you can always transcode between them without any loss. With wav you loose tags. Some people seem to be able to hear a difference between the formats, I can’t so go for flac for convenience and space saving. All my album art is 300x300 wich is fine for me



I am just keeping mine as FLAC files. I always leave my FLACs alone and make a copy album for other formats, like the one I have for itunes (iphones). Everything else accepts FLAC. I can down sample art size when I put the flacs on devices. I just think 1000x1000 JPG gives me better options later in life. I think my 2500x2500 PNG will serve me even better in life if we ever get to the point of high resolution dap screens and I need to make a larger resolution JPG from them.

Just keep saving towards the WM1Z. Almost 2/3 way there.


----------



## Gamerlingual

mwhals said:


> I am just keeping mine as FLAC files. I always leave my FLACs alone and make a copy album for other formats, like the one I have for itunes (iphones). Everything else accepts FLAC. I can down sample art size when I put the flacs on devices. I just think 1000x1000 JPG gives me better options later in life. I think my 2500x2500 PNG will serve me even better in life if we ever get to the point of high resolution dap screens and I need to make a larger resolution JPG from them.
> 
> Just keep saving towards the WM1Z. Almost 2/3 way there.


It’ll be worth it. Best wishes. Cheers!


----------



## Quadfather (Jul 5, 2020)

I have lqi cables and listen balanced out of a Sony NW - WM1A with Shure SRH1540 headphones, and the combination is really delightful. I don't like the phones as much out of my Lotoo Paw Gold. I like the combination so much, that I have considered getting rid of all of my other players and headphones and just sticking with the Sony DAPs and the Shures. I also own AKG K812 headphones and Sennheiser hd650 Headphones. The Sony players don't have as much technical detail as some of my other players but they are by far the most Pleasant to listen to. I did not own the Sony when I had my msr7 originals. I may try the msr7b. The Sony players are the only ones that approach tube amplifier or rich vinyl sound.  Just goes to show that technical details don't equate to music enjoyment.


----------



## Vitaly2017

nanaholic said:


> Small correction - wav is uncompressed PCM while flac is lossless compressed PCM, this is supposedly where people hear the difference.
> While it's true you cannot embed art work for wav files, Wav tag is now supported by the Walkmans but it's kind of hit and miss especially regarding double-byte characters.





This exactly why I use wav format as its like direct source in wm1z... I the compression in the way and want it to be as direct native possible! 
It is my choice and folks dont have to follow my recommendation on that but it is a better way to experience music.

Every step counts at end and all have its own affectation on the end results....


By the way I used mp3tags and allllll my wav's files are tagged and have album arts that work in my wm1z! 
Yea it was a hell of job to do it nut now its done. Boy I enjoy it!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Given that I posses 3 micro SD cards, decided to put my music as is, splitting across these cards (400GB, 512GB and the 1.0TB). I am removing the covers and using the directory_name.jpg trick from fw 3


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jul 5, 2020)

Mindstorms said:


> so true


Also, we already experience differences in how we each hear things but if there are reviews on here from someone using a certain iem with a WM1A /WM1Z with one region firmware and someone with the same iem buys one based on that review in their country with another region firmware with a significantly different sound signature there may be some disappointment.
Does this mean the Asia/Pacific XBA-N3 is tuned differently to the Japanese version?
(I know it won't be, just making a point).


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jul 5, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> This is crazy there is major flooding in Japan that happend yesterday, I dont know how that will affect future sony products now. World nature is going wild



It's their rainy season, happens every year, I haven't seen the whole clip yet and this may be more extreme than usual but they are prone to torrential rainfall and severe flooding. 
With typhoons, earthquakes, blizzards, and 43c temperatures with 100% humidity the country takes a battering throughout the year.
Kumamoto is near Nagasaki in the south-west, I don't know where Sony factories are.


----------



## Duncan

I don’t know how many people were invited to do this (Or even if I should be under an NDA at the moment), however - I’m currently testing an updated version of one of the fw mods for the 1A, and - I can tell that this will bring a smile to a lot of people’s faces 

watch this space...


----------



## mwhals

mwhals said:


> I am just keeping mine as FLAC files. I always leave my FLACs alone and make a copy album for other formats, like the one I have for itunes (iphones). Everything else accepts FLAC. I can down sample art size when I put the flacs on devices. I just think 1000x1000 JPG gives me better options later in life. I think my 2500x2500 PNG will serve me even better in life if we ever get to the point of high resolution dap screens and I need to make a larger resolution JPG from them.
> 
> Just keep saving towards the WM1Z. Almost 2/3 way there.



After this weekend plus Friday on vacation, I got to 21% complete. WM1Z fund is still about 60% complete.


----------



## mwhals

aceedburn said:


> I make sure all music file are properly tagged and manually embed cover art into all of them. Then i run all of them through music centre to embed the 12 tone analysis feature. Only after all this is done, i transfer them to the walkman. This is my routine because I’m OCD like that. Haha. So all 8000 plus music files i have are perfectly tagged and with proper cover arts and 12 tone analysis.



Glad to see another OCD person. All my FLAC files are proper tagged. I will also run all of them through 12 Tone Analysis when I get my next dap, which I plan to be a WM1Z. Rescanning all of my album covers so every album has exactly the same size 1000 x 1000 JPEG. Of course I will also have a 2500 x 2500 PNG file so I can easily make whatever size JPEG I want to embed for daps. JPEG is lossy like MP3s and PNG is lossless like FLAC. The files are just too big in comparison to JPEG, which is why I embed JPEG. A JPEG and PNG look the same to me at same resolution, but when resized, that is when differences are seen.


----------



## immortalsoul

Hi, for those of you that live in US I have an Sony Wm1a for sale. Thank you!


----------



## aceedburn

Duncan said:


> I don’t know how many people were invited to do this (Or even if I should be under an NDA at the moment), however - I’m currently testing an updated version of one of the fw mods for the 1A, and - I can tell that this will bring a smile to a lot of people’s faces
> 
> watch this space...


That makes the both of us. Currently about the test yet another version.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jul 5, 2020)

mwhals said:


> Glad to see another OCD person. All my FLAC files are proper tagged. I will also run all of them through 12 Tone Analysis when I get my next dap, which I plan to be a WM1Z. Rescanning all of my album covers so every album has exactly the same size 1000 x 1000 JPEG. Of course I will also have a 2500 x 2500 PNG file so I can easily make whatever size JPEG I want to embed for daps. JPEG is lossy like MP3s and PNG is lossless like FLAC. The files are just too big in comparison to JPEG, which is why I embed JPEG. A JPEG and PNG look the same to me at same resolution, but when resized, that is when differences are seen.


I never tag any of my albums, too much work for too little return. Just make little sense, so I got a bunch of blank no pic screens. Doesn’t mean I’m a flaky guy 😂


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> I never tag any of my albums, too much work for too little return. So I got a bunch of blank no pic screens 😂



Lmao too  much for little return hahaha

I get crazy and hissing at my screen when I see no album arts. A big no no!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> Lmao too  much for little return hahaha
> 
> I get crazy and hissing at my screen when I see no album arts. A big no no!


You’re being too uptight, Mr. Mighty TigerEars 😝


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> You’re being too uptight, Mr. Mighty TigerEars 😝




Tigers love pictures 😻 need beautiful slide shows with water falls haha


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> Tigers love pictures 😻 need beautiful slide shows with water falls haha


Tiger hiss, hahaha


----------



## nanaholic

hamhamhamsta said:


> I never tag any of my albums, too much work for too little return. Just make little sense, so I got a bunch of blank no pic screens. Doesn’t mean I’m a flaky guy 😂



I tag and pic all my files even since id3 tags began to support album art in iTunes and iPods. The Album Flow view in iTunes was beautiful - it's not as good as going through a physical collection of CDs/records, but it's pretty darn close.

Now they look beautiful when displayed in Roon. There's a certain satisfaction and emotional connection when looking at your collection like that. Plus musicians created the album art as part of the presentation, so I believe they wanted us to see the art as well.


----------



## Gamerlingual

nanaholic said:


> I tag and pic all my files even since id3 tags began to support album art in iTunes and iPods. The Album Flow view in iTunes was beautiful - it's not as good as going through a physical collection of CDs/records, but it's pretty darn close.
> 
> Now they look beautiful when displayed in Roon. There's a certain satisfaction and emotional connection when looking at your collection like that. Plus musicians created the album art as part of the presentation, so I believe they wanted us to see the art as well.


Who is Nana? Is that avatar also related to a music album?


----------



## Hinomotocho

nanaholic said:


> I tag and pic all my files even since id3 tags began to support album art in iTunes and iPods. The Album Flow view in iTunes was beautiful - it's not as good as going through a physical collection of CDs/records, but it's pretty darn close.
> 
> Now they look beautiful when displayed in Roon. There's a certain satisfaction and emotional connection when looking at your collection like that. Plus musicians created the album art as part of the presentation, so I believe they wanted us to see the art as well.


There used to be an impact and power of an image on an LP cover/sleeve as it was held and studied while listening to the music, that diminished as the format shrunk with cassettes and CDs and almost no longer exists. 
Think of all those classic rock'n roll images that come from album covers. 
There was an exhibition a few years ago called 'Who Shot Rock'n Roll' - I went when it came to my city and someone bought me the book, it was very interesting.


----------



## Queen6

Vitaly2017 said:


> Lmao too  much for little return hahaha
> 
> I get crazy and hissing at my screen when I see no album arts. A big no no!



Problem solved...



Q-6


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Hinomotocho said:


> There used to be an impact and power of an image on an LP cover/sleeve as it was held and studied while listening to the music, that diminished as the format shrunk with cassettes and CDs and almost no longer exists.
> Think of all those classic rock'n roll images that come from album covers.
> There was an exhibition a few years ago called 'Who Shot Rock'n Roll' - I went when it came to my city and someone bought me the book, it was very interesting.


Omg, you guys make me feel guilty, but its just so much work for so little return hahahaha


----------



## Hinomotocho

hamhamhamsta said:


> Omg, you guys make me feel guilty, but its just so much work for so little return hahahaha


True, I have mine set to minimal screen time and brightness but I am so OCD about that album art.


----------



## aceedburn

Hinomotocho said:


> True, I have mine set to minimal screen time and brightness but I am so OCD about that album art.


Yeah can’t stand a blank image anywhere. And I also make sure I always save the correct version for the correct album issue.


----------



## gerelmx1986

A small correction,  PNG is also lossy buy it has an additional transparency layer, which jpg does not. TIFF files are the photo equivalent.of flac , RAW würde, dann equivqlenz von wavr


----------



## auronthas (Jul 6, 2020)

mwhals said:


> What is the best way to set metadata and directory structure for multi CD albums for use with Sony Daps or any daps?



My way of directory structure will be iTunes/Music/Artist Name > Album Title Disc 1, Album Title Disc 2 , ... etc.

For Multi CD albums for the same artist, my way of directory structure will be


Hinomotocho said:


> On the subject of tagging, due to compilation albums and other multiple artist scenarios I use folder view because everything is where it should be. Does anyone else use folder view or is artist view the norm?


For various artists in one album collection, my way of directory structure will be iTunes/Music/Various Artists > Album Title,  metadata for Album Artist will be Various Artists, Artist will be individual song artist to be named separately.

With regards to album cover art, I have renamed the image file from cover.jpg or folder.jpg to the <album_name>.jpg in the album directory, but WM1A/1Z still unable to show album cover art.  What's wrong?  How to check the image file is baseline or progressive ?  File property ?  I have tried to use mp3tag with discogs to search album art, added, but it still does not show in WM1A/1Z.


----------



## gerelmx1986

auronthas said:


> My way of directory structure will be iTunes/Music/Artist Name > Album Title Disc 1, Album Title Disc 2 , ... etc.
> 
> For Multi CD albums for the same artist, my way of directory structure will be
> 
> ...


I use photoshopped save as...
It.is not.<album name>.jpg ot should be <folder name>.jpg instead


----------



## auronthas

gerelmx1986 said:


> I use photoshopped save as...
> It.is not.<album name>.jpg ot should be <folder name>.jpg instead


Right, I meant <album folder name>, I think just found web based image check , to tidy up my album cover art progressively but not with progressive jpg LOL
https://www.imgonline.com.ua/eng/progressive-or-baseline-jpeg.php


----------



## auronthas

Gamerlingual said:


> Who is Nana? Is that avatar also related to a music album?


I know Nanno  Don't think they are related ? @nanaholic


----------



## minzink (Jul 6, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I use photoshopped save as...
> It.is not.<album name>.jpg ot should be <folder name>.jpg instead


Or embed it directly into the MP3 or FLAC file with Sony's Media Go or with Sony's Musiccenter....high resolution photos will be reduced but for the wm1a or z screen it is sufficient. I never had problems that my Walkman does not show cover artwork.....


----------



## auronthas

minzink said:


> Or embed it directly into the MP3 or FLAC file with Sony's Media Go or with Sony's Musiccenter....high resolution photos will be reduced but for the wm1a or z screen it is sufficient. I never had problems that my Walkman does not show cover artwork.....


Just notice Sony Music Center, there's acquire art (from internet) and convert art.  

Can this software direct connect to WM1A/1Z ? Or need to import all to PC ?  

Can this software direct connect to my 1TB SSD with over 14000 songs?  Can Music Center access SSD without importing the files ?


----------



## aceedburn

auronthas said:


> Just notice Sony Music Center, there's acquire art (from internet) and convert art.
> 
> Can this software direct connect to WM1A/1Z ? Or need to import all to PC ?
> 
> Can this software direct connect to my 1TB SSD with over 14000 songs?  Can Music Center access SSD without importing the files ?


Yes music centre can access and edit all music without copying/importing.


----------



## aceedburn

aceedburn said:


> That makes the both of us. Currently about the test yet another version.


The new tuning version I’m testing is unbelievable. Warm yet super detailed. Pleasant yet engaging. Ticks all the boxes for me. Stage is extended beyond Orion v1. @RobertP has outdone himself yet again.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Queen6 said:


> Problem solved...
> 
> 
> Q-6




Woowwww 🤩🤩😍😍😍😍


----------



## hamhamhamsta

aceedburn said:


> The new tuning version I’m testing is unbelievable. Warm yet super detailed. Pleasant yet engaging. Ticks all the boxes for me. Stage is extended beyond Orion v1. @RobertP has outdone himself yet again.


I really loved Orion tuning for 1Z. It’s unbelievably good. I don’t see how much further it can be improved, but I’m looking forward to this.


----------



## proedros

aceedburn said:


> The new tuning version I’m testing is unbelievable. Warm yet super detailed. Pleasant yet engaging. Ticks all the boxes for me. Stage is extended beyond Orion v1. @RobertP has outdone himself yet again.




been on Venus T3 since 11/06 , time for a change i guess

one question, *should i run 3.02 first/before putting the new Orion FW ?*


----------



## aceedburn

proedros said:


> been on Venus T3 since 11/06 , time for a change i guess
> 
> one question, *should i run 3.02 first/before putting the new Orion FW ?*


Yes. As a rule of thumb always run stock before running any new tuning mods.


----------



## Ghostsounds

Any chance I can join the party? Currently on 3.02 J with Robert’s v8 Orion on 1z.( thanks Vitaly2017 and RobertP). This already sounds amazing already BTW!


----------



## Vitaly2017

If you guys have more fw available you can Pm me Il add them to the fw sharing Saga 🙃🙂😄


----------



## Donmonte (Jul 6, 2020)

Here are my findings regarding Orion V2 and V2.1 with my gear:

I found V2 very similar to stock 3.02, but a bit more intimate with a tighter presentation. Detail retrieval is excellent and bass is very well handled.

As for V2.1, this is quite a different sound. Detail retrieval is even better, each instrument is clearly defined in the soundstage but I found there was an unnaturalness to vocals. Sub bass hits really hard but mid and upper bass were lacking. Maybe that is why you could make out each note, as there was no bleeding at all between instruments. Classical music lovers should definitely give V2.1 a try. This one is quite different from stock 3.02.

For my personal taste, I still prefer Orion 7 as it is different enough from stock 3.02 for when I want to try a warmer sound signature, with no particular weaknesses for my type of music.

As always thank you very much @RobertP much respect for all the hard work 🙏🏼


----------



## RobertP (Jul 6, 2020)

The v2 is still not ready yet. Thanks for those who tested so far. It's very helpful.



Donmonte said:


> Here are my findings regarding Orion V2 and V2.1 with my gear:
> 
> I found V2 very similar to stock 3.02, but a bit more intimate with a tighter presentation. Detail retrieval is excellent and bass is very well handled.
> 
> ...


Yes, I'm getting some what similar result after observation also. Will do another tweak and update later. Thanks


----------



## Ravenous

Does any know if there is a way to disable screen activation with the hold switch activated? I think it is quite counter-productive to let the power button turn on the screen when the hold switch is on.


----------



## Whitigir

Ravenous said:


> Does any know if there is a way to disable screen activation with the hold switch activated? I think it is quite counter-productive to let the power button turn on the screen when the hold switch is on.


What if you just want to hold everything else and but still want to turn on the screen to see album art ? I don’t see it being counter productive at all


----------



## Ravenous

Whitigir said:


> What if you just want to hold everything else and but still want to turn on the screen to see album art ? I don’t see it being counter productive at all



Just for the sake of not accidentally pressing the power button and turning the screen on.


----------



## Whitigir

Ravenous said:


> Just for the sake of not accidentally pressing the power button and turning the screen on.


But then even if the screen is on, nothing else can be touched ? And then it would turn off after a few minutes right ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> But then even if the screen is on, nothing else can be touched ? And then it would turn off after a few minutes right ?




He wants to be a purist 🙂
And yes can set screen of timer 15 sec! Easy


----------



## Ravenous (Jul 6, 2020)

Alright fella's, I wasn't trying to start an argument as to whether or not being able to turn the screen on/off with he power button with the hold switch on was productive or counter-productive lol. Was just asking if it was possible to disable the power button with the hold switch.


----------



## MrWalkman

https://www.sammobile.com/news/samsung-material-discovery-could-revolutionize-semiconductors/amp/

If they would make a CPU that could possibly be used in a future Walkman, then maybe some people will finally be able to listen to FLACs, as electrical interferences will be very low compared to how integrated circuits are made right now. You know, for those who can perceive interferences caused by processing the FLAC decompression.

Pfew


----------



## Vitaly2017

Woopsy doopsi wrong thread

Mystios was here 🤫


----------



## MrWalkman

Vitaly2017 said:


> Woopsy doopsi wrong thread
> 
> Mystios was here 🤫



Not really a wrong thread, I saw a pretty long discussion about wav, and about flac + cpu noise and stuff.

If my post is in a wrong thread, then all other posts should be deleted as well


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> Not really a wrong thread, I saw a pretty long discussion about wav, and about flac + cpu noise and stuff.
> 
> If my post is in a wrong thread, then all other posts should be deleted as well



Noo I wrote something by mistake not you haha


----------



## nanaholic (Jul 7, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Who is Nana? Is that avatar also related to a music album?



Nana is the name I took from one of my favourite singer Mizuki Nana.

My current avatar is from the cover art of the single "Senpai" by my favourite singer group TrySail. The member Asakura Momo was shown wearing a pair of headphones enjoying music from a music player in her hand on the cover which I thought is quite suitable to use on a forum about headphones.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 7, 2020)

By the way, someone was mentioning DSEE AI for a successor of WM1A/Z.

DSEE AI is actually already present in the firmware, it's just not enabled as an option in the app.






The DseeHxCustom_Mode files are the ones for the 5 modes currently available on the players.
So it may as well become available in the next firmware update. 


Edit: Not sure if too many people know about this, but in Japan, Sony has a program for custom iems together with variants of the ZX500 (called ZX5R), WM1 (called WM1R), and DMP-Z1 (called DMP-Z1R), that will be tuned according to the preferences of the buyer. The sound signature can also be changed at a later time, somehow via their online Sony Store. They kind of barely started doing this, so hopefully we'll discover more interesting and precise stuff related to sound tunings.

Google Translate:
_In response to many requests for "I want to change the sound quality according to the change of my favorite music genre", we have released a new product with the internal structure of the main unit updated to allow the sound quality to be changed after purchase. To do. From now on, at the timing required by the customer, it will be possible to change the sound quality tuning through face-to-face consulting with a dedicated engineer, and the engineer can select from variations that have been adjusted optimally assuming each listening style. _
https://www.sony.co.jp/Products/justear/news/2019/10/post.html


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> By the way, someone was mentioning DSEE AI for a successor of WM1A/Z.
> 
> DSEE AI is actually already present in the firmware, it's just not enabled as an option in the app.
> 
> ...




I still dislike the dsee hx as it manipulates the sound and it is modified. I still find the direct source better as the dsee hx feels brighter and lose bass definition on the decay


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 7, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I still dislike the dsee hx as it manipulates the sound and it is modified. I still find the direct source better as the dsee hx feels brighter and lose bass definition on the decay



Hmm, ok, the discussion was not about whether we like DSEE HX or not, but about the possibility that DSEE AI will be in a future device or not. It may seem that it may actually be on our WM1A/Z already, in a future firmware.

But thanks for the input 

Edit: Could someone with a WM1A that is not on the Universal region from the factory PM me, please? Thanks.


----------



## nanaholic

MrWalkman said:


> Edit: Not sure if too many people know about this, but in Japan, Sony has a program for custom iems together with variants of the ZX500 (called ZX5R), WM1 (called WM1R), and DMP-Z1 (called DMP-Z1R), that will be tuned according to the preferences of the buyer. The sound signature can also be changed at a later time, somehow via their online Sony Store. They kind of barely started doing this, so hopefully we'll discover more interesting and precise stuff related to sound tunings.
> 
> Google Translate:
> _In response to many requests for "I want to change the sound quality according to the change of my favorite music genre", we have released a new product with the internal structure of the main unit updated to allow the sound quality to be changed after purchase. To do. From now on, at the timing required by the customer, it will be possible to change the sound quality tuning through face-to-face consulting with a dedicated engineer, and the engineer can select from variations that have been adjusted optimally assuming each listening style. _
> https://www.sony.co.jp/Products/justear/news/2019/10/post.html



There's a dedicated thread to Sony's custom IEM brand Just ear and how they are made:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-announces-the-just-ear-brand-of-custom-iems.739725/

There's no electronic gizmo magic to this, it's all tedious manual hand labour work where they physically open up the IEM to change the filters and tweak the air vents to alter the sound signature. The only online component is the application which can be done online.


----------



## MrWalkman

nanaholic said:


> There's a dedicated thread to Sony's custom IEM brand Just ear and how they are made:
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-announces-the-just-ear-brand-of-custom-iems.739725/
> 
> There's no electronic gizmo magic to this, it's all tedious manual hand labour work where they physically open up the IEM to change the filters and tweak the air vents to alter the sound signature. The only online component is the application which can be done online.



In my post I also mentioned about variants of the ZX500/WM1/DMP-Z1 players, that can have a customizable sound signature. These special variants of the players will be sold together with the custom IEMs.


----------



## nanaholic (Jul 7, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> In my post I also mentioned about variants of the ZX500/WM1/DMP-Z1 players, that can have a customizable sound signature. These special variants of the players will be sold together with the custom IEMs.



They are not variants of the players - the model number you are quoting are the variants of Just ear CIEMs that are custom tuned to the player.

The current full Just ear line up looks something like this:
XJE-MH2R - standard preset model which comes in three flavours - Monitor, Listening, Club
XJE-MH1R - fully sound customised model where the customer spends one-on-one face time with a Sony sound engineer (now 3 consultants are available to consult instead of 1 when Just ear began) to tune the MH1R to their exact liking
XJE-MH/WM1 - sound preset model tuned to the WM1 Walkmans
XJE-MH/Z1R - sound preset model tuned to the DMP-Z1
XJE-MH/ZX5R - sound preset model tuned to the ZX500

With the "R" refresh update customers can now choose to change their Just ear custom into any form they want for a small fee and about a month of labour/waiting time - which includes going from a preset model to the fully customised MH1R model.


----------



## MrWalkman

nanaholic said:


> They are not variants of the players - the model number you are quoting are the variants of Just ear CIEMs that are custom tuned to the player.
> 
> The current full Just ear line up looks something like this:
> XJE-MH2R - standard preset model which comes in three flavours - Monitor, Listening, Club
> ...



Hmm, ok, I get it. For some reason I was pretty sure I got that they will be different devices (at least in terms of firmware). Google Translate most probably.


----------



## Quadfather

nc8000 said:


> I’d much rather have the insane long battery life of the current players as opposed to more power and shorter battery life




Battery life is big for me as well.  There are plenty of audiophile-quality headphones out there that are easy to drive. Yes it will limit some choices, but what is available sounds freaking delicious with great battery life.


----------



## auronthas

Hi, any recommeded link for lyric search english, japanese, chinese songs? 

Also how does the lyric work in WM1A/WM1Z, will the text scroll according to song played? Shown on the playing page?


----------



## Hinomotocho

auronthas said:


> Hi, any recommeded link for lyric search english, japanese, chinese songs?
> 
> Also how does the lyric work in WM1A/WM1Z, will the text scroll according to song played? Shown on the playing page?


I didn't have much success, only came up with ways to create your own.


----------



## auronthas (Jul 8, 2020)

Usually I listen with Direct On. 

However, to get a flat response of earphone/headphone, is the EQ setting should counter the opposite of earphone/headphone's frequency graph/pattern ?



Hinomotocho said:


> I didn't have much success, only came up with ways to create your own.



Cool !  Do you set time format and lyric per row basis?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 8, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> Or you could simply use a program like Foobar and download the free encoder pack to convert to WAV. All free.



There is actually a whole series of different decoder packs. Some for DTS...... and so on.
https://www.foobar2000.org/encoderpack
https://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_input_dts


----------



## Hinomotocho

auronthas said:


> Usually I listen with Direct On.
> 
> However, to get a flat response of earphone/headphone, is the EQ setting should counter the opposite of earphone/headphone's frequency graph/pattern ?
> 
> ...


I don't have the patience to create my own - I was really hoping to discover a site with a highly active group of lyric creators.


----------



## auronthas

Hinomotocho said:


> I don't have the patience to create my own - I was really hoping to discover a site with a highly active group of lyric creators.


In fact, we are buying digital audio online nowadays, the recording companies should attach lyric (lrc file format ) for each song purchased, not just a pdf booklet. *sigh*


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jul 8, 2020)

auronthas said:


> In fact, we are buying digital audio online nowadays, the recording companies should attach lyric (lrc file format ) for each song purchased, not just a pdf booklet. *sigh*


True, it wouldn't take a lot of effort to do. I am surprised it hasn't taken off whether it was for free or for a small fee. There are times I would appreciate lyrics, but then again I'm trying to milk the battery so I limit my screen time and probably wouldn't end up using the lyric feature.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> There is actually a whole series of different decoder packs. Some for DTS...... and so on.
> https://www.foobar2000.org/encoderpack
> https://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_input_dts



I use foobar to play all my files including dts


----------



## Duncan

Donmonte said:


> Here are my findings regarding Orion V2 and V2.1 with my gear:
> 
> I found V2 very similar to stock 3.02, but a bit more intimate with a tighter presentation. Detail retrieval is excellent and bass is very well handled.
> 
> ...


I am torn, nothing is simple...  I really really like 9z, but going to 2.1 - it loses some of the lushness, the intimacy, but for what it loses, it gains attack and power, a whole lot of power...

I see 2.1 as being V shaped and 9z as being a bit like (although not as extreme as) the Cyrillic L, л

It might well be no different to turning the volume up to 11, however my dream sound would be 2.1 for bass, treble and attack, and 9z for lushness and everything else...


----------



## aceedburn

Duncan said:


> I am torn, nothing is simple...  I really really like 9z, but going to 2.1 - it loses some of the lushness, the intimacy, but for what it loses, it gains attack and power, a whole lot of power...
> 
> I see 2.1 as being V shaped and 9z as being a bit like (although not as extreme as) the Cyrillic L, л
> 
> It might well be no different to turning the volume up to 11, however my dream sound would be 2.1 for bass, treble and attack, and 9z for lushness and everything else...


I actually found 2.1 slightly warmer compared to 2. But compared to v1 7.1 which I really like has the full bass body and impact with maximum warmth and lushness.


----------



## Duncan (Jul 8, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> I actually found 2.1 slightly warmer compared to 2. But compared to v1 7.1 which I really like has the full bass body and impact with maximum warmth and lushness.


Ironically I didn’t really like 7.1, which leads me to what was originally going to be an edit, for those yet to try the new wizardry, 2.1 is a great new version, and the differences I cited in my past post aren’t in your face, they are subtle, and notable...

I’m starting to question if the bigger difference is the fact that 9z is for (switched) 1Z, and 2.1 is for 1A, I’ve tended to find that the 1Z mods are warmer than those for the 1A.

edit: that is making me think to myself that maybe my vision of perfection would be a 1Z switched to A, with this 2.1fw mod!?!


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> I use foobar to play all my files including dts



And what’s amazing as how fast anything can be transcoded to work with the 1A/1Z; a fast convert over to a folder then your playing a DTS file in the Walkman as a FLAC.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> And what’s amazing as how fast anything can be transcoded to work with the 1A/1Z; a fast convert over to a folder then your playing a DTS file in the Walkman as a FLAC.



Yes. For some things I let foobar do the transcode, for others I use dbPowerAmp


----------



## gerelmx1986

The IER-M7  Isolate very damn good, I am currently on an ICE Train to hamburg


----------



## aceedburn

Duncan said:


> Ironically I didn’t really like 7.1, which leads me to what was originally going to be an edit, for those yet to try the new wizardry, 2.1 is a great new version, and the differences I cited in my past post aren’t in your face, they are subtle, and notable...
> 
> I’m starting to question if the bigger difference is the fact that 9z is for (switched) 1Z, and 2.1 is for 1A, I’ve tended to find that the 1Z mods are warmer than those for the 1A.
> 
> edit: that is making me think to myself that maybe my vision of perfection would be a 1Z switched to A, with this 2.1fw mod!?!


Yes because the 1Z is indeed warmer in nature. I was on 1Z for a while but then switched back to 1A and stayed put. I preferred the 1A with the 7.1.


----------



## Donmonte

aceedburn said:


> Yes because the 1Z is indeed warmer in nature. I was on 1Z for a while but then switched back to 1A and stayed put. I preferred the 1A with the 7.1.


I also liked 7.1 very much, my only wish for it was to have a bit more width in the soundstage, which is a bit narrower than stock 3.02 even though it ticks all the boxes in height and depth. Guess you can’t have it all without some compromises.


----------



## RYCeT

I got the sony dock to connect my 1A to TA-ZH1ES. I have no complain on the sound, it's awesome. However, my 1A does not sit snugly on the dock. It feels wobbly when I use the 1A to change songs. The audio connection is fine. When I try to push it down, it bounce back once I release it. Is this how it should be? 

Btw, the remote for WM1A (RMT-NWS20), Can I use it to browse all my albums while leaving the player docked? It doesn't look like it has the necessary button to do that from the picture.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 8, 2020)

RYCeT said:


> I got the sony dock to connect my 1A to TA-ZH1ES. I have no complain on the sound, it's awesome. However, my 1A does not sit snugly on the dock. It feels wobbly when I use the 1A to change songs. The audio connection is fine. When I try to push it down, it bounce back once I release it. Is this how it should be?
> 
> Btw, the remote for WM1A (RMT-NWS20), Can I use it to browse all my albums while leaving the player docked? It doesn't look like it has the necessary button to do that from the picture.


Yes, the players can be a little bouncy in the Cradle. Though if you see the charge light on it means it’s fully joined and will not fall out. It’s on a spring to reduce the force on the connections when adjusted. 

Know nothing myself of the remote. Though mine doesn’t bounce that much when I change songs or albums while in the Cradle; though I use two hands with one behind to stabilize the player at times. 

Do you find the players as a better source to the TA than USB with a computer?


----------



## gearofwar

After trying to all these firmwares over and over, I’m back to my beloved Classical, who are with me?


----------



## Whitigir

MrWalkman said:


> By the way, someone was mentioning DSEE AI for a successor of WM1A/Z.
> 
> DSEE AI is actually already present in the firmware, it's just not enabled as an option in the app.
> 
> ...



did somebody already working on cracking the DSEEHX AI already ?


----------



## RYCeT

Redcarmoose said:


> Do you find the players as a better source to the TA than USB with a computer?



I do find it clearer and more impact compare to TA with my mac mini. If only I can find a way to browse it without reaching out to the player each time then it'll be much more convenient.


----------



## MrWalkman

Whitigir said:


> did somebody already working on cracking the DSEEHX AI already ?



Well, it's already in the 3.02 firmware files, just not enabled. I am trying to find out how some stuff works. For example, the player app on WM1 also has the DSD Remastering function, but it's also just not showing up. I know that Sony says they use a FPGA for that on TA-ZH1ES/DMP-Z1, but what if we get it working for WM1 as well?


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> After trying to all these firmwares over and over, I’m back to my beloved Classical, who are with me?



Which classical?  J + stock 3.0.2?


----------



## Donmonte

Vitaly2017 said:


> Which classical?  J + stock 3.0.2?


He probably meant the Classical firmware from @RobertP, which he made before Orion.


----------



## gearofwar

Vitaly2017 said:


> Which classical?  J + stock 3.0.2?


Classical A + 3.02 J


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 8, 2020)

RYCeT said:


> I do find it clearer and more impact compare to TA with my mac mini. If only I can find a way to browse it without reaching out to the player each time then it'll be much more convenient.



Another method to try would maybe be optical out. I know many Apple products will have optical output from the 3.5mm jack with a cable linked below. I have not used this method but do use optical out from a smart TV with regular 16/44.1 and 24 bit files. Optical will bypass any inherit noise in standard USB, but you don’t get a large bit-rate range. To me in short side-by-side tests it is as good as the Cradle. Though keep in mind optical has a bit-rate ceiling so no big DSD song will get passed along. Pretty sure the remote just changes songs, though you can look into it. 

Also situating the Cradle in a certain way can bring about better ergonomics. I’m actually looking slightly up at it from the place I use it at?

https://www.amazon.com/Toslink-Fosmon-Digital-Optical-Chromecast/dp/B01MY2DJUM


----------



## nc8000

MrWalkman said:


> Well, it's already in the 3.02 firmware files, just not enabled. I am trying to find out how some stuff works. For example, the player app on WM1 also has the DSD Remastering function, but it's also just not showing up. I know that Sony says they use a FPGA for that on TA-ZH1ES/DMP-Z1, but what if we get it working for WM1 as well?



As I understand it the 1A and 1Z also use a fpga


----------



## MrWalkman

nc8000 said:


> As I understand it the 1A and 1Z also use a fpga



Yes, they may do. There's still the question of based on what are these functions (like DSD remastering, Surround effects which is available on A45/A55, etc) are being enabled on a device?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Another method to try would maybe be optical out. I know many Apple products will have optical output from the 3.5mm jack with a cable linked below. I have not used this method but do use optical out from a smart TV with regular 16/44.1 and 24 bit files. Optical will bypass any inherit noise in standard USB, but you don’t get a large bit-rate range. To me in short side-by-side tests it is as good as the Cradle. Though keep in mind optical has a bitrate ceiling so no big DSD song will get passed along. Pretty sure the remote just changes songs, though you can look into it.
> 
> Also situating the Cradle in a certain way can bring about better ergonomics. I’m actually looking up at it from the place I use it at?
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Toslink-Fosmon-Digital-Optical-Chromecast/dp/B01MY2DJUM



Cant we just use the included long usb cable? I think have read somewhere it charges and transmits data to Ta ! So much more convenient!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 8, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Cant we just use the included long usb cable? I think have read somewhere it charges and transmits data to Ta ! So much more convenient!



You need the adapter? 
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE

Many do only use the adapter as going into the rear USB in gets the same High Bit-Rate standard as the Cradle. Though you don’t get the USB reclocking and USB filtration from the Cradle. But yes, laying the Walkman flat could be considered less rickety? But in my uses I’m looking slightly up at the Cradle, so I’m not wanting to lay the Walkman flat. But if someone had the TA at coffee table level, yes, flat would work well. 

Still you theoretically want the shortest USB you can use. 

Cheers!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> You need the adapter?
> https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE
> 
> Many do only use the adapter as going into the rear USB in gets the same High Bit-Rate standard as the Cradle. Though you don’t get the USB reclocking and USB filtration from the Cradle. But yes, laying the Walkman flat could be considered less rickety? But in my uses I’m looking slightly up at the Cradle, so I’m not wanting to lay the Walkman flat. But if someone had the TA at coffee table level, yes, flat would work well.
> ...




But I saw it somewhere on the web sony showing the 1z connected to the side of the Ta via that stock long usb cable .... that came with 1a and 1z

I sm not sure that the cradle can do all those filtering and why you need to filter and clean out the usb digital signal of 1z? Its already super clean!

And I think you can even charge and transmit data with Ta.
Its the advantage of the big wm port it has a lot of pins


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> But I saw it somewhere on the web sony showing the 1z connected to the side of the Ta via that stock long usb cable .... that came with 1a and 1z
> 
> I sm not sure that the cradle can do all those filtering and why you need to filter and clean out the usb digital signal of 1z? Its already super clean!
> 
> ...



The side plug on the TA is a special one, micro usb plus and extra small plug. I think the micro usb itself carries the signal only and the small extra block is the one that carries power to charge. I have not seen a long cable with that termination, only the short one that comes with the TA. Also the side plug is limited in music resolution compared to the rear, as I remember the side plug only carries up to 24/96 while the rear can do 24/192


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 8, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> But I saw it somewhere on the web sony showing the 1z connected to the side of the Ta via that stock long usb cable .... that came with 1a and 1z
> 
> I sm not sure that the cradle can do all those filtering and why you need to filter and clean out the usb digital signal of 1z? Its already super clean!
> 
> ...







The included TA  mini USB has a bit-rate ceiling. That’s why folks go to the rear of the TA with the adapter I linked in the last post. 


You need the USB adapter as the cable that comes with 1A/1Z doesn’t hook up to the TA in any way or fashion. How are all USB cables hooked into devices? Not that end? 





Sony built USB filtering into the Cradle as the PC also gets put into the back of the Cradle and there is a switch to change from Walkman to PC. This is not the time to go into USB noise and it’s effects on audio. And your right the 1Z is a cleaner USB source than a PC with standard USB. Still the Cradle is offered by Sony as an improvement to both the PC USB signal and the Walkman USB signal.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> The included TA  mini USB has a bit-rate ceiling. That’s why folks go to the rear of the TA with the adapter I linked in the last post.
> 
> 
> You need the USB adapter as the cable that comes with 1A/1Z doesn’t hook up to the TA in any way or fashion. How are all USB cables hooked into devices? Not that end?
> ...




Bummer what where you thinking Sony limiting the side usb of Ta 😬🤨
Now I only see the special short usb out audio dongle + a quality usb cable as there is ultimately no other existant options!
And now you will also get the full Dsd output Too


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 8, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Bummer what where you thinking Sony limiting the side usb of Ta 😬🤨
> Now I only see the special short usb out audio dongle + a quality usb cable as there is ultimately no other existant options!
> And now you will also get the full Dsd output Too



Right, Sony included a compromised cable with the TA. Only 96kHz not 192kHz possible. As noted by https://www.head-fi.org/members/nc8000.54845/

The way it comes, a computer goes to the back and the Walkman goes to the side. Then the enthusiasts like us buy adapter cables or Cradles.

But if you get the Cradle and AQCarbon it does sound great. IMO


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Right, Sony included a compromised cable with the TA. Only 96kHz not 192kHz possible. As noted by https://www.head-fi.org/members/nc8000.54845/
> 
> The way it comes, a computer goes to the back and the Walkman goes to the side. Then the enthusiasts like us buy adapter cables or Cradles.
> 
> But if you get the Cradle and AQCarbon it does sound great. IMO




Unfortunately its not my scenario I only use 1z and iem haha.

But if I am thinking to upgrade my experience or go desktop.  This is exactly what I would do!
Ta plus quality usb cable and cradle + 1z or 1a not sure...

I hate pc its infested with pollution and noise.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Right, Sony included a compromised cable with the TA. Only 96kHz not 192kHz possible. As noted by https://www.head-fi.org/members/nc8000.54845/
> 
> The way it comes, a computer goes to the back and the Walkman goes to the side. Then the enthusiasts like us buy adapter cables or Cradles.
> 
> But if you get the Cradle and AQCarbon it does sound great. IMO



I dodn’t know if it is the included cable or the sidd entry that imposes the limit but my guess is that it is the side entry. It might somehow be linked internally to the optical input that also is limited to 24/96 (well the optical protocol is)


----------



## aceedburn

Using the NWH10 adaptor from my 1A into my desktop amp I get full DSD256 encoding in case anyone doubts it.


----------



## Vitaly2017

To be fully a true sony fan and follow their philosophy.  You can add this kimber kable usb cable to your usb out sony adapter and enjoy maximum potential sound quality you can get...

A true sony sound with best hardware match ability....

https://www.kimber.com/products/USB-CU



This are my suggestions not that I heard it to rec it! ....


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Using the NWH10 adaptor from my 1A into my desktop amp I get full DSD256 encoding in case anyone doubts it.



Into the side entry on the TA with the included cable ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 8, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Unfortunately its not my scenario I only use 1z and iem haha.
> 
> But if I am thinking to upgrade my experience or go desktop.  This is exactly what I would do!
> Ta plus quality usb cable and cradle + 1z or 1a not sure...
> ...



Right, that was my whole thing too, when I started. PC messages or Windows Updates and restarting fiascos........not to mention noise and timing issues. So to avoid the PC or Mac was the whole thing. 


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...ifier-live-from-ifa-2016.818848/post-15724974

Go to the TA thread and check the new post about a member who is using the TA but has really bad house wiring noise issues. The has done a long itemized list of his audiophile perception of electrical noise. But he has less when he unplugs his Mac from the house power? It’s a form of electricity that does travel across and into the TA. So going optical for 16/44.1 or using filtering on USB with DSD or 192kHz is a thing.

This is why we hear the DAPs as great sources to the TA. They offer a blacker background and there is also some connection between the 1Z and the TA? Coaxial is not as good or regular computer USB as a source. Though I haven’t tried streamers?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Right, that was my whole thing too, when I started. PC messages or Windows Updates and restarting fiascos........not to mention noise and timing issues. So to avoid the PC or Mac was the whole thing. Go to the TA thread and check the new post about a member who is using the TA but has really bad house wiring noise issues. The has done a long itemized list of his audiophile perception of electrical noise. But he has less when he unplugs his Mac from the house power? It’s a form of electricity that does travel across and into the TA. So going optical for 16/44.1 or using filtering on USB with DSD or 192kHz is a thing.
> 
> This is why we hear the DAPs as great sources to the TA. They offer a blacker background and there is also some connection between the 1Z and the TA? Coaxial is not as good or regular computer USB as a source. Though I haven’t tried streamers?





The only huge downside with the dongle is that you cannot connect bluetooth ldac mode to phone when using the usb audio out and thats a big frustration here! Sony need to fix this.

I experience and hear power noise from my laptop inside my wm1z when using usb dac feature from laptop to 1z . If I cut the charge 1z while in dac mode, I don't hear the noise anymore.  But still pc is dirty noisy awful piece in your audio chain no matter what.  You need a dedicated dap for this.


I whish 1z/1a could do usb audio out and audio in via bluetooth.  That way we can stream! 
But now I have a big audio collection I dont need that any more


----------



## MrWalkman

Vitaly2017 said:


> The only huge downside with the dongle is that you cannot connect bluetooth ldac mode to phone when using the usb audio out and thats a big frustration here! Sony need to fix this.
> 
> I experience and hear power noise from my laptop inside my wm1z when using usb dac feature from laptop to 1z . If I cut the charge 1z while in dac mode, I don't hear the noise anymore.  But still pc is dirty noisy awful piece in your audio chain no matter what.  You need a dedicated dap for this.
> 
> ...



I manage to hear a higher noise floor with my IEMs when switching to high gain mode, but I never heard any noise when using the device in USB DAC mode...


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> The only huge downside with the dongle is that you cannot connect bluetooth ldac mode to phone when using the usb audio out and thats a big frustration here! Sony need to fix this.
> 
> I experience and hear power noise from my laptop inside my wm1z when using usb dac feature from laptop to 1z . If I cut the charge 1z while in dac mode, I don't hear the noise anymore.  But still pc is dirty noisy awful piece in your audio chain no matter what.  You need a dedicated dap for this.
> 
> ...



People were disappointed Bluetooth was disabled from being sent into the TA while the Walkman was in the Cradle. But I agree to be able to send something out while in DAC mode would be better than the either-or choice we have now. I don’t have any LDAC gear, so I did send LDAC from the 1A to the 1Z and LDAC is pretty great! I could learn to really like LDAC if it gets more common.

But in reality these DAPs were always supposed to be stripped down low option devices with the efforts on sound quality. I guess if someone had the TA they could stream with a laptop? And that’s another use for the Cradle as it filters the PC streaming into the TA, I’m pretty sure?

I could care less about streaming really. I’m not going to go into it, but I’m pretty sure some of the music wasn’t listed as it actually was. Meaning with streaming it was very difficult to get verification of what the music was. Some albums were listed as original, but I found they were later an actual remix at a later date but not noted. Then of course the times when artists just pull their whole catalogue from the service one day and it’s gone! Haha


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> People were disappointed Bluetooth was disabled from being sent into the TA while the Walkman was in the Cradle. But I agree to be able to send something out while in DAC mode would be better than the either or choice we have now. I don’t have any LDAC gear, so I did send LDAC from the 1A to the 1Z and LDAC is pretty great! I could learn to really like LDAC if it gets more common.
> 
> But in reality these DAPs were always supposed to be stripped down low option devices with the efforts on sound quality. I guess if someone had the TA they could stream with a laptop? And that’s another use for the Cradle as it filters the PC streaming into the TA, I’m pretty sure?
> 
> I could care less about streaming really. I’m not going to go into it, but I’m pretty sure some of the music wasn’t listed as it actually was. Meaning with streaming it was very difficult to get verification of what the music was. Some albums were listed as original, but I found they were later an actual remix at a later date but not noted. Then of course the times when artists just pull their whole catalogue from the service one day and it’s gone! Haha



If you see USB AUDIO and Bluetooth Audio as two virtual sound cards, then you'll understand why this is not working. Even on a computer, you usually output sound to only one sound interface, unless a specific software (like a special music player) gives you the option of selecting two sound interfaces for output, at the same time.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> People were disappointed Bluetooth was disabled from being sent into the TA while the Walkman was in the Cradle. But I agree to be able to send something out while in DAC mode would be better than the either-or choice we have now. I don’t have any LDAC gear, so I did send LDAC from the 1A to the 1Z and LDAC is pretty great! I could learn to really like LDAC if it gets more common.
> 
> But in reality these DAPs were always supposed to be stripped down low option devices with the efforts on sound quality. I guess if someone had the TA they could stream with a laptop? And that’s another use for the Cradle as it filters the PC streaming into the TA, I’m pretty sure?
> 
> I could care less about streaming really. I’m not going to go into it, but I’m pretty sure some of the music wasn’t listed as it actually was. Meaning with streaming it was very difficult to get verification of what the music was. Some albums were listed as original, but I found they were later an actual remix at a later date but not noted. Then of course the times when artists just pull their whole catalogue from the service one day and it’s gone! Haha




Streaming is fun period but nothing serious.  I been in that boat for 4 + years. I love spotify and still do but its mp3 love haha

No need for cradle!  Check out this 3 usb devices from ifi audio! Its all you need.
Sony cradle dont even stand close 😆😅😅😅

https://ifi-audio.com/products/ipurifier3/

https://ifi-audio.com/products/idefender-plus/

https://ifi-audio.com/products/mercury3-0/


Now lets wait and see how long it will take for Mr.Ifi rep to put a like here hihihi


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> If you see USB AUDIO and Bluetooth Audio as two virtual sound cards, then you'll understand why this is not working. Even on a computer, you usually output sound to only one sound interface, unless a specific software (like a special music player) gives you the option of selecting two sound interfaces for output, at the same time.



Yes, no I’m not complaining. Really these options are on the farthest level of needs for me anyway. I’m happy just the way stuff works. Really if Sony was to come out with a new DAP......a 1ZMK2......maybe a 10% increase in output power would be the only feature that I would look at as cool. But it is crazy to expect more from a DAP really. I really have no needs at this point in time. I probably would not even be interested in the 1ZMK2 whatever the options were. They will probably look cool though?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Streaming is fun period but nothing serious.  I been in that boat for 4 + years. I love spotify and still do but its mp3 love haha
> 
> No need for cradle!  Check out this 3 usb devices from ifi audio! Its all you need.
> Sony cradle dont even stand close 😆😅😅😅
> ...



I know Jude must have upgraded to some slick artificial intelligence that scans the posts and sends the venders PMs lickety-split!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> I know Jude must have upgraded to some slick artificial intelligence that scans the posts and sends the venders PMs lickety-split!




Hahaha that one is a good one, high tech!
I have no doubt it was fiio who probably developed that Ai software as he loves fiio 😛😛😛🙃🙂


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, no I’m not complaining. Really these options are on the farthest level of needs for me anyway. I’m happy just the way stuff works. Really if Sony was to come out with a new DAP......a 1ZMK2......maybe a 10% increase in output power would be the only feature that I would look at as cool. But it is crazy to expect more from a DAP really. I really have no needs at this point in time. I probably would not even be interested in the 1ZMK2 whatever the options were. They will probably look cool though?




Ohhh dont sparkle the talk my list is big hahaha


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Ohhh dont sparkle the talk my list is big hahaha



Sony OS-CON. 







                Post #26,139 of 40,582









I don’t know why you hate the Cradle, maybe you don’t like kids?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Sony OS-CON.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Os cons! 🤔😲😯😳 in a cradle  waaaat.


No lol nothing against kids hehe just couple hiss at them and all quiet again. 

Kidding I dont have kids atm 😊 maybe one day will make little tiger fury tales haha


----------



## Vitaly2017

I wonder how much better is stock dmp z1 vs 1z and Ta.

Dmp has all the bells and whistles of sony current offerings.
Plus its a battery operated unit so no noise and power problems.
But so so expensive hmmm


----------



## RobertP

Duncan said:


> I am torn, nothing is simple...  I really really like 9z, but going to 2.1 - it loses some of the lushness, the intimacy, but for what it loses, it gains attack and power, a whole lot of power...
> 
> I see 2.1 as being V shaped and 9z as being a bit like (although not as extreme as) the Cyrillic L, л
> 
> It might well be no different to turning the volume up to 11, however my dream sound would be 2.1 for bass, treble and attack, and 9z for lushness and everything else...





aceedburn said:


> I actually found 2.1 slightly warmer compared to 2. But compared to v1 7.1 which I really like has the full bass body and impact with maximum warmth and lushness.





Donmonte said:


> I also liked 7.1 very much, my only wish for it was to have a bit more width in the soundstage, which is a bit narrower than stock 3.02 even though it ticks all the boxes in height and depth. Guess you can’t have it all without some compromises.


Might have found somewhat the mix of 7.1 and v2_1 but it lag some upper-mid synergy at the moment. Got to find just the right balance.


----------



## Hinomotocho

RYCeT said:


> I got the sony dock to connect my 1A to TA-ZH1ES. I have no complain on the sound, it's awesome. However, my 1A does not sit snugly on the dock. It feels wobbly when I use the 1A to change songs. The audio connection is fine. When I try to push it down, it bounce back once I release it. Is this how it should be?
> 
> Btw, the remote for WM1A (RMT-NWS20), Can I use it to browse all my albums while leaving the player docked? It doesn't look like it has the necessary button to do that from the picture.


Unfortunately you can't use the remote to browse the menus - it is purely for starting/stopping/skipping tracks and adjusting volume. I can't even find an android one for doing that when I'm driving.


----------



## square-none

Vitaly2017 said:


> I wonder how much better is stock dmp z1 vs 1z and Ta.
> 
> Dmp has all the bells and whistles of sony current offerings.
> Plus its a battery operated unit so no noise and power problems.
> But so so expensive hmmm



IDK about better but it is drastically different from the 1Z, I would guesstimate that it's a different sound signature for people that don't want Sony's proprietary technology or house sound and a more analog sounding DAP. It seems Sony went a more traditional route in terms of DAC and Amp using Dual Mono AK4497EQ and an Analog Amp instead of the S-Master HX DAC and Digital Amp, I thought I read somewhere that it featured dual S-Master HX but maybe that was a different product or I misread. For such a big and heavy "DAP' the battery life is very short at 10 hrs, I quoted DAP since while it is a Walkman, it's just too big to be carrying around, I would call it transportable than portable.

DMP has:
-Thicker Kimber Kables 
-In addition to Fine sound resistor and FT caps, it features EDLC capacitors
-Dual Mono AK4497EQ and Analog Amp
-Upscaling to DSD from PCM


----------



## Whitigir

It (DMP-Z1) has 5 EDLC or super capacitors.  There is only one in Walkman WM1A/Z


----------



## Vitaly2017

square-none said:


> IDK about better but it is drastically different from the 1Z, I would guesstimate that it's a different sound signature for people that don't want Sony's proprietary technology or house sound and a more analog sounding DAP. It seems Sony went a more traditional route in terms of DAC and Amp using Dual Mono AK4497EQ and an Analog Amp instead of the S-Master HX DAC and Digital Amp, I thought I read somewhere that it featured dual S-Master HX but maybe that was a different product or I misread. For such a big and heavy "DAP' the battery life is very short at 10 hrs, I quoted DAP since while it is a Walkman, it's just too big to be carrying around, I would call it transportable than portable.
> 
> DMP has:
> -Thicker Kimber Kables
> ...




I heard dmp z1 at canjam ny and it didnt felt like my cup of tea sound....
Wm1z was very blessing and gorgeous bass. Dmp was not sounding like a sony sound house


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 8, 2020)

Oops 





Edit: It seems that we're dealing with a dual-core Mediatek CPU here.


----------



## Blueoris

Vitaly2017 said:


> I heard dmp z1 at canjam ny and it didnt felt like my cup of tea sound....
> Wm1z was very blessing and gorgeous bass. Dmp was not sounding like a sony sound house



DMP will drive high impedance headphones better because has almost six times the power of the NW-WM1 series. That was the initial goal of Sony and they achieved it. Tomoaki Sato said in an interview,  "the full-sized DMP-Z1 matches the sound quality and characteristics of the [S-Master HX digital amp inside the NW-1Z], but the volume can go way higher". 

He also said that they tried to make the DMP smaller size product but "the sound quality was not as detailed or dynamic as the smaller NW- WM1Z [with the S-Master HX digital amp]. The NW- WM1Z actually sounded better. ". That explains the size of the DMP and to me, it talks highly of the NW-WM1 series.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Blueoris said:


> DMP will drive high impedance headphones better because has almost six times the power of the NW-WM1 series. That was the initial goal of Sony and they achieved it. Tomoaki Sato said in an interview,  "the full-sized DMP-Z1 matches the sound quality and characteristics of the [S-Master HX digital amp inside the NW-1Z], but the volume can go way higher".
> 
> He also said that they tried to make the DMP smaller size product but "the sound quality was not as detailed or dynamic as the smaller NW- WM1Z [with the S-Master HX digital amp]. The NW- WM1Z actually sounded better. ". That explains the size of the DMP and to me, it talks highly of the NW-WM1 series.




LoL ok if I understood this correctly and from what I heard. It makes total sense then why I love so much more the wm1z with iems rather the dmp z1.

If dmp z1 main goal was to replicate 1z sound in a big form factor then 1z is still the clear champion here and dmp z1 simply trying to open a new horizon for the headphones guys.  But then why would you do that of you can simply buy Ta?????


----------



## proedros

aceedburn said:


> Yes because the 1Z is indeed warmer in nature. I was on 1Z for a while but then switched back to 1A and stayed put.* I preferred the 1A with the 7.1.*




stock wm1a , J region 

i had *OrionV2_S6A_1 for 2-3 days , but i think something was off*

nyway I just installed *Orion_S7A_1 ,* never tried it so curious about it


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 8, 2020)

proedros said:


> stock wm1a , J region
> 
> i had *OrionV2_S6A_1 for 2-3 days , but i think something was off*
> 
> nyway I just installed *Orion_S7A_1 ,* never tried it so curious about it


After having been to 10a for a while, the 7 variants felt somewhat lacking for me, but they do have their own strong points. For me the Classical A remains the most balance with natural tonality to it, I even switched back to Jupiter3, Solis and Autumn+ but they could never replace Classical, this firmware just works incredibly well for me


----------



## Vitaly2017

robert





gearofwar said:


> After having been to 9a for a while, the 7 variants felt somewhat lacking for me, but they do have their own strong points. For me the Classical A remains the most balance with natural tonality to it, I even switched back to Jupiter3, Solis and Autumn+ but they could never replace Classical, this firmware just works incredibly well for me







Hmmmmm I will have to give that one a trie! I will soon have 2 x 1a and 2 x 1z !

I will do an all time mighty comparison between 2 identical 1a's from 2 different countries and also do a 1z stock vs 1z romi! As a comparison  🙃🙂


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 8, 2020)

Could this confirm that the S-Master HX chip itself does the DSD Remastering?

For who doesn't know, CXD3778GF is the S-Master HX chip that is available in more recent devices, like the WM1A/1Z, A45, A55, DMP-Z1, etc.






Also, this is the default music that can be found by us in the internal storage. It's actually located in a separate partition and it's restored to the internal storage whenever we do a factory reset.


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> Could this confirm that the S-Master HX chip itself does the DSD Remastering?
> 
> For who doesn't know, CXD3778GF is the S-Master HX chip that is available in more recent devices, like the WM1A/1Z, A45, A55, DMP-Z1, etc.
> 
> ...





Man your digging some very deeply buried stuff. How did you access all this? Can you activate anything for tests?


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 8, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Can you activate anything for tests?



These more recent players don't have a test mode integrated in the firmware. If they want to test the player at a service, they are basically running a temporary application that is installed in a similar way to the normal firmware, using a .UPG file.

The blue interface you see in the screenshots is TWRP, which is a custom recovery, used on Android devices. Our devices are really similar to an Android device. If Sony wanted, the device could run normal Android with no problem.


By the way, it seems that there are some more regions besides the ones we know, like "EE", "LA", "UC", or "KR3". Will reach out to the creator of the destination tool, maybe he'll also add these. 





These images are the ones that are showing up in the "Certificates" option in Settings, depending on what region you are on.


----------



## masahito24@chart

MrWalkman said:


> These more recent players don't have a test mode integrate in the firmware.


I wonder if you could do a ROM dump. Custom ROMs would be pretty cool.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jul 8, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> These more recent players don't have a test mode integrated in the firmware. If they want to test the player at a service, they are basically running a temporary application that is installed in a similar way to the normal firmware, using a .UPG file.
> 
> The blue interface you see in the screenshots is TWRP, which is a custom recovery, used on Android devices. Our devices are really similar to an Android device. If Sony wanted, the device could run normal Android with no problem.
> 
> ...




The new regions you just mentioned I found about this when I was shopping for used 1a snd 1z. Turns out Usa are Uc coded and Mexican LA. The 2 others most be from the east side of the world didnt encounter those...

But I dont think this is anything new as I have a zx2 on hands and its an UC and that thing is 10 years old you know...
Few months ago I bought zx507 it was a J as I bought it from Japan ebay...

I plan to test those same dap models but comparing different countries daps and see if they sound equals 🙂🙂🙂

So 1 x 1a is mexico and the other 1 is usa 🙂

I will also compare 1x 1z stock usa vs romi/1z 


But what weird is if you try to change region to those 4 new you found it wont load it...


----------



## MrWalkman

Vitaly2017 said:


> The new regions you just mentioned I found about this when I was shopping for used 1a snd 1z. Turns out Usa are Uc coded and Medican LA. The 2 others most be from the east side of the world didnt encounter those...
> 
> 
> I plan to test those same dap models but comparing different countries daps and see if they sound equals 🙂🙂🙂
> ...



You're right, I just figured out that UC is what we know as U, and LA is what we know as MX3, more specifically.


----------



## gearofwar

masahito24@chart said:


> I wonder if you could do a ROM dump. Custom ROMs would be pretty cool.


This, it's absolutely a dream come true. Imagining all the possibilities of sound modification on this new medium


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 8, 2020)

I managed to boot the Z1's player app, but I suspect that the touchscreen is not working somehow, even though I'm using WM1A's touchscreen driver.


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> I managed to boot the Z1's player app, but I suspect that the touchscreen is not working somehow, even though I'm using WM1A's touchscreen driver.



Careful down there.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Careful down there.




😅😅😅💥


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> Careful down there.



No worries 

Someone was asking about a ROM dump. I managed to do one basically, and I can restore the device whenever I want to the default state.

In the meanwhile, there is actually a script that updates the firmware of the touchscreen interface with one for the DMP-Z1. Will try removing it, hopefully it will work after that.


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> No worries
> 
> Someone was asking about a ROM dump. I managed to do one basically, and I can restore the device whenever I want to the default state.
> 
> In the meanwhile, there is actually a script that updates the firmware of the touchscreen interface with one for the DMP-Z1. Will try removing it, hopefully it will work after that.




So what is it going to be after you do all that?  It will do dsd remaster and new dsee hx AI ?


----------



## MrWalkman

Vitaly2017 said:


> So what is it going to be after you do all that?  It will do dsd remaster and new dsee hx AI ?



If DSEE AI was not already present on the DMP-Z1 or another player, I'm not sure I can make it show up.

I am trying to get the Z1 app running on our devices, hopefully DSD Remastering will work.


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> Into the side entry on the TA with the included cable ?


I don’t have the TA. I’m using it with FiiO K5 Pro DAC/AMP.


----------



## MrWalkman

Ok, it works, partially.

Of course, the app doesn't know how to output sound to the sound card of the WM1, so there's absolutely no sound at the moment.

However, bluetooth audio works fine, and DSD Remastering works via bluetooth (someone who owns a Z1 can also confirm this).

I really like the interface, it looks a bit nicer! 




 




After a few seconds, everything else disappears and only this info remains on the screen.







Spoiler: And it seems there is also a test mode actually











Spoiler: Hehe









So our WM1 can support the DSD Remastering function as well. However, Sony won't implement it most probably


----------



## Gamerlingual

I haven't experienced noise or hiss while using my 1Z and TA


Redcarmoose said:


> Careful down there.


For a second, I thought you were in that picture.


----------



## auronthas

aceedburn said:


> Using the NWH10 adaptor from my 1A into my desktop amp I get full DSD256 encoding in case anyone doubts it.


I have no doubt to receive DSD512 from my desktop DAC AK4499 with NWH10


----------



## auronthas

MrWalkman said:


> Ok, it works, partially.
> 
> Of course, the app doesn't know how to output sound to the sound card of the WM1, so there's absolutely no sound at the moment.
> 
> ...


Wow, that's a huge treasure inside !!! That's why FPGA is future proof, reprogrammed to desire application after manufacturing, and upto manufacturer(s) to release its firmware or not.


----------



## Star Mastering

Does that firmware work on NW-A55, A105, or ZX507? DSD remastering doesn't seem to rely on FPGA?


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 9, 2020)

S-Master is Multibit processor, it can not handle 1 bit stream.  That is the reason why the TA-ZH1ES has FPGA to act as the 1 bit processor.  The one inside the Walkman is actually a more like a DSP propriety chip that is programmable and so I often referred it to as an FPGA, _but it is more like a SOC processor....because if I keep saying that it is using a programmable SOC processors then it would be too long, and many people wouldn’t understand it anyways._

The same thing inside the DMP Z1, this very same DSP Processors is doing DSD remastering and output 1 bit streams, then the AKM 4499EQ is acting as a 1 bit processor

Perhaps, the only way to try and enable DSD remastering in Walkman is to

1/ switch on DOP over DSD, so the DSD 1 bit streams becomes multi bit PCM

2/ then using Balanced out that is known to be able to handle this signals by S-Master ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> Ok, it works, partially.
> 
> Of course, the app doesn't know how to output sound to the sound card of the WM1, so there's absolutely no sound at the moment.
> 
> ...




WOOOW   you got something really awsome here!


----------



## Duncan

Having a numerical battery level meter would be fantastic for me... I’m definitely intrigued


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> I don’t have the TA. I’m using it with FiiO K5 Pro DAC/AMP.




OK. The limitation we are talking about is on the side entry on the TA


----------



## SebaE2012

auronthas said:


> In fact, we are buying digital audio online nowadays, the recording companies should attach lyric (lrc file format ) for each song purchased, not just a pdf booklet. *sigh*



I agree. It'd be a nice touch, if only to give in digital format something as close as possible to the prior, physical-media based experience. It shouldn't be too much of a problem, I guess.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I wonder if the successor 1z can also do this kind of features  🙃🙃🙃🙃😉


----------



## MrWalkman

Vitaly2017 said:


> I wonder if the successor 1z can also do this kind of features  🙃🙃🙃🙃😉




Sorry for the off-topic - these are very nice devices, they basically have a surface that heats up on a side and cools down on the other. It can reach temperatures of 0 celsius or even more below that on the cool side. However, you have to eliminate the heat on the side which produces heat, otherwise, the cool side will also start to warm up a bit.


----------



## nanaholic

Vitaly2017 said:


> I wonder if the successor 1z can also do this kind of features  🙃🙃🙃🙃😉




The Walkmans already runs super cool, if it gets any colder it would get condensation on the surface.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Sony prototype Robot Coffee Maker IEM system.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Sony prototype Robot Coffee Maker IEM system.




Haha so much sony stuff for true fan boys heheh


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha so much sony stuff for true fan boys heheh



True. I love my HAP-Z1ES.


----------



## Facta

Would love to know where 1Z is standing
4 years since its release with so many
new age DAPs with ToTL chips and
Class-A amps inside them  today.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 10, 2020)

Facta said:


> Would love to know where 1Z is standing
> 4 years since its release with so many
> new age DAPs with ToTL chips and
> Class-A amps inside them  today.






The 2016 Walkman 1Z is old; a lifetime ago in DAP years. It’s ugly and antiquated by modern DAP standards. Low output power, non-streaming, and Sony should be jailed for asking $3200. People should have their head examined for even buying them considering what is out there today. Heck my dated IPhone has better sound quality. Weighing in at 16.05 oz it becomes a nuisance taking it anywhere. Pretty much a silly thing of the past.



Spoiler: Spoiler 



I’m joking.


----------



## Facta (Jul 10, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> The 2016 Walkman 1Z is old; a lifetime ago in DAP years. It’s ugly and antiquated by modern DAP standards. Low output power, non-streaming, and Sony should be jailed for asking $3200. People should have their head examined for even buying them considering what is out there today. Heck my dated IPhone has better sound quality. Weighing in at 16.05 oz it becomes a nuisance taking it anywhere. Pretty much a silly thing of the past.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Cute. . Taking the same analogy a step forward, I too loved and still love and still watch "Smoky and the Bandit" decades after it spanned a never ending series of car and road films like the "Fast and Furious".

But I really would love to know an fair assessment from any 1Z owner/lover about how great/good/decent a purchase it is with all the new 2020 DAPs around to win us over.


----------



## Ghostsounds

I would too. I’m a blinkered Sony fan who only looked at buying the 1z without really assessing what was out there and probably influenced by this very thread...


----------



## Ghostsounds

And influenced by long battery life, big storage capability, the Sony sound and firmware switching.


----------



## Gww1 (Jul 10, 2020)

I bought my 1Z a few months ago, it was used and about 18 months old with around 1500 hours on it. The battery has been great but this week I thought I would actually measure it to see how much it had dropped off in that time and usage. Well with battery saver on and playing random songs on shuffle (nothing lower quality than 44.1 16 Flac and some hi Res) I got 23.5 hours before the flashing indicator!

This is why I like Sony!

Edit: this was with Ier-z1r using the 4.4mm.


----------



## Facta

Battery, yes, Sony is the greatest. Sure, low output is good IEMs. But then IEMs are what most of us carry with portable Walkmans. Makes sense.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 10, 2020)

Facta said:


> Cute. . Taking the same analogy a step forward, I too loved and still love and still watch "Smoky and the Bandit" decades after it spanned a never ending series of car and road films like the "Fast and Furious".
> 
> But I really would love to know an fair assessment from any 1Z owner/lover about how great/good/decent a purchase it is with all the new 2020 DAPs around to win us over.



I haven’t heard or owned enough to make an objective write-up for you. Though the last 10K posts of the full 40K of this thread may be enlightening. Also there are other “rate the DAPs” threads here which will have simple reviews from owners who have a stable of em. But as a whole it is confusing. Meaning if you go to the “Post a Photo of your Portable” you will not see too many posts with Sony DAPs in them. Yet if you hang out here it’s like a cult? So reality is maybe somewhere in the middle. Obviously other DAP threads are going to have folks who have left the Walkman tribe. Also here you will find people big on defending their purchase, which is and is not objective. 

I really still love mine, but I don’t get around much to hear other DAPs.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/rank-the-best-sounding-daps-that-you-heard.936707/


----------



## Facta

Thank you. That gives me a good idea of where I am in my search.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Facta said:


> Thank you. That gives me a good idea of where I am in my search.


Underrated and under appreciated. The DMP-Z1 uses the same OS with a few extras and that machine is light years ahead. Sony also offers streaming DAPs, but these specific players suit my needs along with their audio wizardry to make our headphones sound amazing


----------



## Duncan

Facta said:


> Thank you. That gives me a good idea of where I am in my search.


I think where these players (albeit I’m focusing more on the 1A) are in 2020, is a pretty good taste of the high end at a middle of the road price...

let’s not discredit the fw mod scene here either, this player is quite the chameleon versus others with their house sound that you either love, hate, or live with.

final point - and I’m looking squarely at AK players, you dip your toe in the water, and before you’ve even taken the player out of the box it’s been superseded four times - Sony kind of reminds me of Pioneer with their old A300/A400(X) amplifiers - phenomenal value and stayed in their line up for years - why fix what isn’t broken?


----------



## 524419

Don't forget, you can always upgrade your players with new capacitors and an aftermarket battery that gives you over 45 hours of music per charge. 
Sony players have a lot of mileage still left to be squeezed out. They are a phenomenal value


----------



## Layman1

Facta said:


> But I really would love to know an fair assessment from any 1Z owner/lover about how great/good/decent a purchase it is with all the new 2020 DAPs around to win us over.



Just want to share some thoughts I had regarding this discussion, which I've covered in a couple of Head-Fi posts.
I've owned the LPGT, I own the WM1Z and I've heard SP1000 and SP2000 briefly at CanJams and the Chord Hugo 2 DAC.

Please check out this post that I wrote a couple of months ago on this thread:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15588836
If I recall correctly, it was written in response to someone who was considering between the Lotoo PAW Gold Touch (LPGT) and the WM1Z.
This post focuses mainly on the qualities of those two DAPs, along with some more general comments on modded vs unmodded and how this affects comparisons.


I'd also refer you to another post I wrote on the iBasso DX220MAX thread (I own this DAP too):
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/iba...ality-sound-reproduction.911378/post-15726053
This post focuses more on the qualities of various DAPs and how we even think about defining the 'best'.

Anyway, hope this might be helpful to somebody, somewhere


----------



## mwhals

My Hap Z1ES was also released in 2016 and is still the current model. The transfer software for PC is ancient, but works as intended on a Windows 10 machine. It sounded good then and still sounds the same. If a new model came out, I might bite, but probably wouldn't.


----------



## Kad998

Facta said:


> Would love to know where 1Z is standing
> 4 years since its release with so many
> new age DAPs with ToTL chips and
> Class-A amps inside them  today.



As of today, it seems timeless, even against other daps. Even with the Mojo/Poly, the M11, and Cayin N6ii, the Sony still stands above them all in my opinion.  

Battery isn’t a contest... Imagine going days without having to charge your DAP? Lol .... I loved my N6ii for its sound but I couldn’t even be confident that it would make it through the work day with Sporadic use, let alone traveling for a day. 

Connectivity - So the inability to stream was my biggest scare of jumping to the 1Z. But it’s sound quality solved so many of those problems. FLAC on an SD card or saved to the internal storage was head and shoulders above the quality I got for streaming. So then you think wow, will I have to buy everything I want!? So I didn’t believe people when they told me how great the SQ was for the Bluetooth receiver mode in the 1Z. But it was great! Even that quality sounded better than SD Card quality on the few I mentioned above.

SQ: For me there was no contest with the M11 or MojoPoly.The Cayin was closer than I thought in SQ but for me, it was a bit punchier in treble and bass while the 1Z was a bit smoother, closer to my personal preference. They are both warm luscious sounds, especially in the mids, which i love. I could have lived with both but the battery life was enough for me to part ways with it but I don’t regret it a bit. All I lost was streaming from the DAP itself but can still use the BT Receiver mode. So in essence, I lost nothing and gained the world 😎😎

All in all, I believe it comes down to personal preference when it comes to “TOTL”.... Sound preference, feature preference, deal breaking preferences .... HOWEVER.... the 1Z, even 4 years later, is absolutely still on the Mount Rushmore for digital audio players


----------



## Vitaly2017

Kad998 said:


> As of today, it seems timeless, even against other daps. Even with the Mojo/Poly, the M11, and Cayin N6ii, the Sony still stands above them all in my opinion.
> 
> Battery isn’t a contest... Imagine going days without having to charge your DAP? Lol .... I loved my N6ii for its sound but I couldn’t even be confident that it would make it through the work day with Sporadic use, let alone traveling for a day.
> 
> ...




Seee told you how good 1z is 😉😊

I am glad you love it.


----------



## Kad998

Vitaly2017 said:


> Seee told you how good 1z is 😉😊
> 
> I am glad you love it.



Much Praise to the Tiger Ears! You didn’t let me down! 💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jul 10, 2020)

Kad998 said:


> Much Praise to the Tiger Ears! You didn’t let me down! 💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿




🤩🤩😜🥰😇😊


PST :
I have new experiments on horizon! 
1z stock vs 1z/romi
1a mexican vs 1a United states 
!

STAY TUNED!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> 🤩🤩😜🥰😇😊


It's got plenty of juice to power the MDR-Z7M2 with the Kimber Kable. Really good combo.


----------



## Duncan

I might well be barking up a very incorrect tree here, but trialling @RobertP ’s V2.1 mod, I do wonder if there is a different EQ at each volume step, for me - the absolute sweet spot tonality wise is at 85, high gain - could be any reason under the sun I suppose, either way it really works for me


----------



## proedros

i returned to stock 3.02 , clean my ears and do a little detox of all those FWs

so many FWs to play with , picking which FW to test next  feels like picking random numbers for a bingo game


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> i returned to stock 3.02 , clean my ears and do a little detox of all those FWs
> 
> so many FWs to play with , picking which FW to test next  feels like picking random numbers for a bingo game




You got 1 to change every day.  Its like waring different clothes! 
You dont ware the same one every day right 😜


----------



## letitgoo

Hi All, 

could you tell me where can I download the fw mods like dmp from ? Any link? I checked the previous posts but it seems those links are expired/invalid. Thank you in advance.


----------



## proedros

Vitaly2017 said:


> You got 1 to change every day.  Its like waring different clothes!
> You dont ware the same one every day right 😜




more like having different girlfriends , you don't break up with them on the 2nd day


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> more like having different girlfriends , you don't break up with them on the 2nd day




Thats alright you can stretch it for a week then time for a new one ! More sexy 😝😍😍😍


----------



## Eduarmusic

Can anyone please share the avlos and diavlos mods?
I arrived too late


----------



## Hinomotocho

proedros said:


> i returned to stock 3.02 , clean my ears and do a little detox of all those FWs
> 
> so many FWs to play with , picking which FW to test next  feels like picking random numbers for a bingo game


I'm still on J 3.02 and don't even know where to start.


----------



## proedros

Hinomotocho said:


> I'm still on J 3.02 and don't even know where to start.



i used to think that 3.02 is kinda lean with my Zeus XR but i got a new cable 4 months ago, that injected the lows with much needed punch so now i feel like it's a great FW

again , synergy is king in this hobby.


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jul 11, 2020)

proedros said:


> i used to think that 3.02 is kinda lean with my Zeus XR but i got a new cable 4 months ago, that injected the lows with much needed punch so now i feel like it's a great FW
> 
> again , synergy is king in this hobby.


That's part of my problem as I am in the process of changing iems and also have acquired a new cable for my overheads which has had a significant impact on the sound - there are so many variables, I think that's why I'm trying to stay stable with J 3.02, then when I settle on gear I can go from there.


----------



## etlouis

proedros said:


> i used to think that 3.02 is kinda lean with my Zeus XR but i got a new cable 4 months ago, that injected the lows with much needed punch so now i feel like it's a great FW
> 
> again , synergy is king in this hobby.



Eh that's great, same story happened to me and my 8 braid cable. It brought this roaring sub-bass that did not exist before. Now I am faced with a new issue: the cable is too thick to be portable. It slaps my body when I walk and I can hear it very clearly. I need a clip on the Y-split.


----------



## matevana

proedros said:


> i returned to stock 3.02 , clean my ears and do a little detox of all those FWs
> 
> so many FWs to play with , picking which FW to test next  feels like picking random numbers for a bingo game




If you're like me, you will start to miss the buttery mids that only Venus 2 & 3 seem to provide. Try Venus 3 with CA region for a little more balanced sound than J.  I think you will really like it.


----------



## proedros

matevana said:


> If you're like me, you will start to miss the buttery mids that only Venus 2 & 3 seem to provide. Try Venus 3 with CA region for a little more balanced sound than J.  I think you will really like it.




i try to write down which FWs i used when and how they sounded , keeping a frame of reference (stock wm1a on J region)

regarding Venus 2/3 i see some thoughts on them , but i will try them again i love nice mids as i feel like they are the backbone of the music  

*06.03 venus T2(universal always)-got some sibilance
11.03 Mercury T3(universal) LIKED IT A LOT
11.03 Jupiter T3 FELING PLASTIC AND HOLLOW
12.03 SOLIS T5 
16.03 3.02 LEAN BASS CONTROLLED
16.03 Mercury T2
18.03 3.01 Walkman 1A jupiter T1 (Universal) I GET SiBILANCE
28.03 DMP-Z1 1.02
05.04 Mercury T3
14.04 Venus T1 (not great)
14.04 Mars T2
15.04 3.02 Autumn (nice full sound , great bass)
15.04 3.02 Spring (very nice)
25.04 avlos
26.04 WM1Az
30.05 orion 5 (very good)
11/06 Venus T3 (very good)
06/07 OrionV2_S6A_1
09/07 Orion_S7A_1
10/07 3.02*


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 10, 2020)

proedros said:


> i try to write down which FWs i used when and how they sounded , keeping a frame of reference (stock wm1a on J region)
> 
> regarding Venus 2/3 i see some thoughts on them , but i will try them again i love nice mids as i feel like they are the backbone of the music
> 
> ...



I used WM1+Z on a WM1A switched to 1Z for some time and I really keep liking it. It's just so listenable for long periods of time.

WM1+Z is based on some TA-ZH1ES tuning codes.


----------



## matevana (Jul 10, 2020)

proedros said:


> i try to write down which FWs i used when and how they sounded , keeping a frame of reference (stock wm1a on J region)
> 
> regarding Venus 2/3 i see some thoughts on them , but i will try them again i love nice mids as i feel like they are the backbone of the music
> 
> ...




I agree that the mids are the backbone of the music. When I design speakers, if the mids don't come together I usually scrap the design and start over. When playing with firmware, I think of FW as a coarse voicing adjustment, and then fine tune with region changes. Whoever took the time to develop the Region chart did a great job. I find their interpretation to be spot-on.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 10, 2020)

matevana said:


> I agree that the mids are the backbone of the music. When I design speakers, if the mids don't come together I usually scrap the design and start over. When playing with firmware, I think of FW as a coarse voicing adjustment, and then fine tune with region changes. Whoever took the time to develop the Region chart did a great job. I find their interpretation to be spot-on.



Yes, WM1+Z (or TA-ZH1ES tuning codes) have really nice mids in my opinion.


----------



## auronthas (Jul 10, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Seee told you how good 1z is 😉😊
> 
> I am glad you love it.



I start to love my 1Z too, 50 hours (Pretty Young Thing) , still long way to go, enjoy the listening while burning 🔥.  Have a sweet weekend guys.


----------



## minzink

Hi, 

One question? I am considering to upgrade my 4.4 cable for my Sony MDR-1am2 from stock cable to this one: 

https://www.ebay.de/itm/OCC-4-4mm-B...rand=Unbranded&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851


Has someone tried this cable? Will it really bring an audible upgrade vs the stock cable? 

I am aware that it is not a Kimber Cable. But I spent 120 EUR for the headphones and in my opinion it is not reasonable to spend more for the cable as for the headphones... Rather I will upgrade the headphones someday....

In principle I am very happy with the current setup WM1A and MDR-1am2. But if the cable would be a significant further improvement ...


Thanks in advance for your feedback. I am curious on that!

Best


----------



## phonomat

minzink said:


> Hi,
> 
> One question? I am considering to upgrade my 4.4 cable for my Sony MDR-1am2 from stock cable to this one:
> 
> ...


Cables are a tricky subject, and answers will range from "makes no difference whatsoever" to "incredible upgrade, night and day difference" on the same item. I'm afraid there's no way around trying for yourself if you really want to know if it's worth it for you. Sorry not to be more helpful.


----------



## Vitaly2017

minzink said:


> Hi,
> 
> One question? I am considering to upgrade my 4.4 cable for my Sony MDR-1am2 from stock cable to this one:
> 
> ...




It looks like a very good idea and it has an interesting concept too. material wise its highly specked, now how is the cable built inside the strands and solder type and the connectors will also affect sound quality, you can give it a try if you dont like it well you lost 66 usd haha


----------



## SebaE2012

G





MrWalkman said:


> Oops
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: It seems that we're dealing with a dual-core Mediatek CPU here.



Great find! I guess it's not much of a hindrance, as it only as to deal with a presumably rather light and efficient proprietary OS that's pretty much limited to reproducing music. So far, I'm loving how the wm1a works. It feels snappy enough to me.


----------



## matevana

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, WM1+Z (or TA-ZH1ES tuning codes) have really nice mids in my opinion.



I spent the morning listening to WM1+Z. It doesn't have the syrupy mids that Venus Tier 3 has, but the bass is better, and it is easy to listen to without any fatigue. The mids are also very pleasant, just not as thick as Venus 3. 

It would be great if the players could boot into a batch file, that allowed the user to select from 2 or more calls to SWUpdate, which would then copy the file before the player finished booting. I'm guessing the OS is too limited to support something like that, but how great would it be to select a firmware version at boot-up!


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 11, 2020)

matevana said:


> I spent the morning listening to WM1+Z. It doesn't have the syrupy mids that Venus Tier 3 has, but the bass is better, and it is easy to listen to without any fatigue. The mids are also very pleasant, just not as thick as Venus 3.
> 
> It would be great if the players could boot into a batch file, that allowed the user to select from 2 or more calls to SWUpdate, which would then copy the file before the player finished booting. I'm guessing OS is too limited to support something like that, but how great would it be to select a firmware version at boot-up!



Something could be done, but at least I didn't get to find out how data from the SWUpdate.xml is being sent to the device in the first place.

What I mean is how does the device gets the data more precisely, and what exactly it does with it, as the file is not simply copied to the device.


----------



## MrWalkman

SebaE2012 said:


> G
> 
> Great find! I guess it's not much of a hindrance, as it only as to deal with a presumably rather light and efficient proprietary OS that's pretty much limited to reproducing music. So far, I'm loving how the wm1a works. It feels snappy enough to me.



Yep, I am good with the OS as is too.

I was just really curious about it 

Sorry about the double-post, I'm on my smartphone.


----------



## matevana

MrWalkman said:


> Something could be done, but at least I didn't get to find out how data from the SWUpdate.xml is being sent to the device in the first place.
> 
> What I mean is how does the device gets the data more precisely, and what exactly it does with it, as the file is not simply copied to the device.



Maybe it's compiled when you run the FW install, and then resides in the player's machine language? I didn't see any hidden files when my Walkman is connected to my PC.


----------



## MrWalkman

matevana said:


> Maybe it's compiled when you run the FW install, and then resides in the player's machine language? I didn't see any hidden files when my Walkman is connected to my PC.



I'm thinking the same, that the fw updater compiles the data in some way and then it sends it to the player.


----------



## minzink

Vitaly2017 said:


> It looks like a very good idea and it has an interesting concept too. material wise its highly specked, now how is the cable built inside the strands and solder type and the connectors will also affect sound quality, you can give it a try if you dont like it well you lost 66 usd haha


Thanks to Phonomat and the Tiger! I think I give it a try... I spent 66 USD for other junk already which was worse less. And if it's not what I have expected, the money is not lost. It is just somewhere else and no longer with me... haha ...as my daddy always says....

I will report.... Thanks again for your opinion. Well appreciated!


----------



## Vitaly2017

minzink said:


> Thanks to Phonomat and the Tiger! I think I give it a try... I spent 66 USD for other junk already which was worse less. And if it's not what I have expected, the money is not lost. It is just somewhere else and no longer with me... haha ...as my daddy always says....
> 
> I will report.... Thanks again for your opinion. Well appreciated!




I did play with amazon el chepo cables before and the most common problem was bad isolation of the wires and they got corroded after 1 or 2 months. If your cable makes it past that then your lucky it was well made hahaha

Sound wise its far behind vs quality cables like custom ones.

But its a cool cable to try give it a go! 🙂


----------



## Gamerlingual

Specifically Audioquest cables?


----------



## firemess

Hi everyone, and thanks for the great work done on custom firmware !
I just bought a WM1A today and tried to download the full package (with all tiers ands mods), but I can't acces the file with a 404 error... anybody can help me ?

Thank you!


----------



## gearofwar

firemess said:


> Hi everyone, and thanks for the great work done on custom firmware !
> I just bought a WM1A today and tried to download the full package (with all tiers ands mods), but I can't acces the file with a 404 error... anybody can help me ?
> 
> Thank you!


It was up for a limited time only by the uploader as he did mention, custom firmware are basically violating Sony's copyright at the moment that's why many of contributors here have stopped making them


----------



## SebaE2012

MrWalkman said:


> Yep, I am good with the OS as is too.
> 
> I was just really curious about it
> 
> Sorry about the double-post, I'm on my smartphone.



Yeah, coming from the ZX2, I was a bit hesitant about the lack of Android (specially for streaming), but I must say that I'm liking the rather stripped-down, audio-only OS of the WM1A much better than the mostly standard Android experience on the ZX2. It feels more special and way lighter. Plus, the SQ is absolutely top notch to me (someone relatively new to the hobby and late to the 1A/1Z party). I still love my ZX2 and use it for streaming and casual listening (I may even considering getting a new Android-based DAP when the time comes, as it's useful for using it in the car or for steaming, as a second player), but the WM1 experience is very very special. Completely pleased with the purchase. And I'm itching for the 1Z but at its price point I simply can't justify it... Perhaps some day.


----------



## firemess

gearofwar said:


> It was up for a limited time only by the uploader as he did mention, custom firmware are basically violating Sony's copyright at the moment that's why many of contributors here have stopped making them


Thank you for the clarification, I understand.
At this stage I am happy enough with my new WM1A paired with CA Solaris so that’s fine


----------



## Donmonte

firemess said:


> Hi everyone, and thanks for the great work done on custom firmware !
> I just bought a WM1A today and tried to download the full package (with all tiers ands mods), but I can't acces the file with a 404 error... anybody can help me ?
> 
> Thank you!


Go to @Vitaly2017 signature above, all the firmwares are there.


----------



## mmwwmm

Anyone who prefers 3.01 over 3.02 Fw with the 1Z? I have downgraded mine and I really likes the 3.01 more than 3.02 (using U region). At this moment I think I feel 3.01 a bit more resolute, tactile and rich sounding to my ears.


----------



## Lookout57

mmwwmm said:


> Anyone who prefers 3.01 over 3.02 Fw with the 1Z? I have downgraded mine and I really likes the 3.01 more than 3.02 (using U region). At this moment I think I feel 3.01 a bit more resolute, tactile and rich sounding to my ears.


The 1Z sounds best to me with 3.02 and Region J.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 11, 2020)

Managed to get the A45 app to work on the 1A. ClearAudio+ seems to provide a DSP effect on itself, compared to the Direct Mode of the 1A/1Z, and it sounds pretty interesting - really big soundstage and you can easily hear everything.

If there will be a safe way to do this in the future, will share more.

Some interesting info, the OS on 1A/1Z is a second version, the one on the A40/A50 Series is a third version, while the one on the DMP-Z1 is a fourth version, hence the different features/audio effects or the slightly different interface.


----------



## Nayparm

MrWalkman said:


> Managed to get the A45 app to work on the 1A. ClearAudio+ seems to provide a DSP effect on itself, compared to the Direct Mode of the 1A/1Z, and it sounds pretty interesting - really big soundstage and you can easily hear everything.
> 
> If there will be a safe way to do this in the future, will share more.
> 
> Some interesting info, the OS on 1A/1Z is a second version, the one on the A40/A50 Series is a third version, while the one on the DMP-Z1 is a fourth version, hence the different features/audio effects or the slightly different interface.



This is all awesome work 👍 very impressive.


----------



## MrWalkman

Nayparm said:


> This is all awesome work 👍 very impressive.



Thanks! I also got to the part which tunes the DAC to the 1A or 1Z sound, basically, and once I can also share that safely, I will do so.

In the meanwhile, still listening to the ClearAudio+ stuff, it provides a really good volume/soundstage boost somehow. I was thinking that it may also have to do with the fact that by default WM1A has more output power, and this is why it sounds like this.


----------



## Nayparm

MrWalkman said:


> Thanks! I also got to the part which tunes the DAC to the 1A or 1Z sound, basically, and once I can also share that safely, I will do so.
> 
> In the meanwhile, still listening to the ClearAudio+ stuff, it provides a really good volume/soundstage boost somehow. I was thinking that it may also have to do with the fact that by default WM1A has more output power, and this is why it sounds like this.



Excellent, good man, looking forward to it, it was cool seeing TWRP on a Sony 😁
The software and hardware mods for these daps has accelerated massively over these last few months.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 11, 2020)

I have an idea, it's possible that we could have something like the sound signature of 3.01 on 3.02 firmware, or even the one of 0.94 actually, or any other, I just had the idea while writing. I heard only good opinions about the 0.94 sound signature.

I'm almost sure it could be done, but I have to just take a look at it before I can say certainly.

Edit: It is possible.


----------



## auronthas

Lookout57 said:


> The 1Z sounds best to me with 3.02 and Region J.


I am still using stocked FW 3.0.2 on my 1Z, until it reaches 500 hours then switch to J region and other firmwares , Venus is my liking on 1A.

As for topic on cheapo earphone cable, I do encounter few Chi-fi made,  it turns greenish aka oxidised copper though it stated OFC copper cable.


----------



## gearofwar

MrWalkman said:


> I have an idea, it's possible that we could have something like the sound signature of 3.01 on 3.02 firmware, or even the one of 0.94 actually, or any other, I just had the idea while writing. I heard only good opinions about the 0.94 sound signature.
> 
> I'm almost sure it could be done, but I have to just take a look at it before I can say certainly.
> 
> Edit: It is possible.


I remember @Morgensterns has figured out this Clear audio function before, I wonder where has he been.


----------



## MrWalkman

gearofwar said:


> I remember @Morgensterns has figured out this Clear audio function before, I wonder where has he been.



I saw the post, there was an issue, the volume was really low and it could not be adjusted. However, I fortunately managed to get it to work.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 12, 2020)

Listening to this 1Z sound I realize that the soundstage is larger, in a more or less subtle way, and the sound has really a delicious warmthness, this is the word that I get in my mind when I hear some nice bass guitars. It's also more detailed than the 1A sound, and maybe even more musical. It feels like it can get you more emotionally involved. But long story short, that warmthness alone is awesome. I'll definitely listen to this for some time.

I also want to get my hands on an A55, it seems it has a fifth version of the OS, and the sound might work on the 1A, unlike the Z1 one.


----------



## aceedburn

MrWalkman said:


> Listening to this 1Z sound I realize that the soundstage is larger, in a more or less subtle way, and the sound has really a delicious warmthness, this is the word that I get in my mind when I hear some nice bass guitars. It's also more detailed than the 1A sound, and maybe even more musical. It feels like it can get you more emotionally involved. But long story short, that warmthness alone is awesome. I'll definitely listen to this for some time.
> 
> I also want to get my hands on an A55, it seems it has a fifth version of the OS, and the sound might work on the 1A, unlike the Z1 one.


Interesting findings there mate. Are you running on stock firmware or are there any specific tuning loaded?


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 12, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Interesting findings there mate. Are you running on stock firmware or are there any specific tuning loaded?



Just stock firmware.

Made a little something so I'll know for sure if the 1Z side was loaded or the 1A.





The certificate is basically an image, and there are two identical images for each model, 1A and 1Z. So I edited both images with a 1A or 1Z respectively, and voila.


----------



## minzink (Jul 12, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Managed to get the A45 app to work on the 1A. ClearAudio+ seems to provide a DSP effect on itself, compared to the Direct Mode of the 1A/1Z, and it sounds pretty interesting - really big soundstage and you can easily hear everything.
> 
> If there will be a safe way to do this in the future, will share more.
> 
> Some interesting info, the OS on 1A/1Z is a second version, the one on the A40/A50 Series is a third version, while the one on the DMP-Z1 is a fourth version, hence the different features/audio effects or the slightly different interface.


Yes please! I would be very interested to activate the surround program of the A45 on my WM1A. This would be very helpful for me!


----------



## auronthas

gearofwar said:


> I remember @Morgensterns has figured out this Clear audio function before, I wonder where has he been.


I don't like Clear Audio sound , my Sony Sound Bar produces very bad quality souns using CA


----------



## Cinderella87

[QUOTE = "515164, 게시물 : 15561180, 회원 : 515164"]
*가을 +*

_나뭇잎이 떨어지면 비트도 마찬가지입니다. 이 가을 펀치 버전은
뛰어난 저음 해상도. 보컬은 꽉 차고 따뜻하지만 공기가 잘 통하고 명료합니다. 최고점은
부드러운 부드러운. 사운드 스테이지는 넓고 넓게 퍼져 있습니다. 최고의 전 라운드 사운드
모든 장르._

이것은 기본적으로 가을의 더 세련된 튜닝입니다. 제 생각에는 정말 좋습니다.

그러나 설명으로는 충분합니다. 직접 사용 해보고 싶다면 *여기에서* 찾을 수 *있습니다 (클릭)* .

전술 한 바와 같이, 튜닝은 J 영역을 사용하여 스톡 WM1A를 사용하여 수행되었다.
WM1Z (링크에 포함) 또는 다른 지역의 WM1A에서 이것을 사용하면
약간 다른 소리가납니다.

*크레딧 :*

_-그의 발견에 대한 세부 사항을 공유하기로 결정한 알 수없는 중국 워크맨 애호가
-튜닝 과정에있어
-[USER = 455872] @aceedburn [/ USER]이 작업을 수행 할 때까지 다른 튜닝 테스트 및이 모드에 대한 설명 제공_

언제나 그렇듯이 피드백은 환영합니다 :눈짓:

즐겨!
[/인용문]
안녕하세요, 저는 zx300을 사용하고 있으며 귀하의 게시물에 경의를 표합니다. 하지만 파일을 다운로드 할 수 없습니다. 파일을 얻을 수있는 방법이 있습니까?


----------



## Cinderella87

515164 said:


> *Autumn+*
> 
> _When the leaves fall, so do the beats. This version of Autumn punches way down with
> superb bass resolution. The vocals are full and warm yet airy and articulate. Highs are
> ...


Hi, I am using zx300 and paying tribute to your posts. But I can't download the file. Is there any way I can get the file?


----------



## MrWalkman

Cinderella87 said:


> Hi, I am using zx300 and paying tribute to your posts. But I can't download the file. Is there any way I can get the file?



I happen to have them, I sent you a message.


----------



## Cinderella87

MrWalkman said:


> I happen to have them, I sent you a message.


Thank you for your kindness


----------



## KurobaHeiji

Cinderella87 said:


> [QUOTE = "515164, 게시물 : 15561180, 회원 : 515164"]
> *가을 +*
> 
> _나뭇잎이 떨어지면 비트도 마찬가지입니다. 이 가을 펀치 버전은
> ...



Wow! Have to use google translate.


----------



## Cinderella87

KurobaHeiji said:


> Wow! Have to use google translate.


Yeah, I know. It's my fault.


----------



## aceedburn

Jaw dropping change. I’m not dreaming. I’m fully awake.


----------



## dubudubutofu (Jul 12, 2020)

Hi guys im planning to blindbuy a pre owned iem, which has better synergy for wm1a, hum pristine(500usd) or ex1000(400usd)


----------



## flyer1

dubudubutofu said:


> Hi guys im planning to blindbuy a pre owned iem, which has better synergy for wm1a, hum pristine(500usd) or ex1000(400usd)



Can't speak for WM1A but with my 1Z/EX1000 on 3.02 (Spring+region U) I believe synergie is great


----------



## Donmonte

aceedburn said:


> Jaw dropping change. I’m not dreaming. I’m fully awake.


Did you notice a change in the sound profile ?


----------



## aceedburn

Donmonte said:


> Did you notice a change in the sound profile ?


Huge change. Not subtle. Analogue, organic, insane soundstage, bass with superb depth and definition. And the list goes on.


----------



## Donmonte

aceedburn said:


> Huge change. Not subtle. Analogue, organic, insane soundstage, bass with superb depth and definition. And the list goes on.


Wow, so basically this is a different sound profile than the Model Switcher ?


----------



## dubudubutofu

flyer1 said:


> Can't speak for WM1A but with my 1Z/EX1000 on 3.02 (Spring+region U) I believe synergie is great



Thnks ill try that with nw switcher to 1z but im still waiting for others opinion on this


----------



## aceedburn

Donmonte said:


> Wow, so basically this is a different sound profile than the Model Switcher ?


Yes. This is 100% stock 1Z sound on 1A. Nothing added or taken away. It’s not a tuning mod or firmware mod. Sounds sublime.


----------



## Vitaly2017

aceedburn said:


> Yes. This is 100% stock 1Z sound on 1A. Nothing added or taken away. It’s not a tuning mod or firmware mod. Sounds sublime.




where did you get it? Id like to try


----------



## aceedburn

Vitaly2017 said:


> where did you get it? Id like to try


Can’t really say right now. Really apologise for that as the person who sent it to me asked me not to reveal anything as yet. I’m sure there’ll be more news about it soon. But I can’t believe what I’m hearing. It’s really that good.


----------



## Quadfather

I have been so satisfied with my WM1A on 1.20 that I've never really pursued anything else.  I am still trying to procure the NW - WM1Z


----------



## proedros

aceedburn said:


> Can’t really say right now. Really apologise for that as the person who sent it to me asked me not to reveal anything as yet. I’m sure there’ll be more news about it soon. But I can’t believe what I’m hearing. It’s really that good.



fair enough , let us know if/when this can be shared with all us loonies in here

cheers


----------



## Dtuck90

aceedburn said:


> Can’t really say right now. Really apologise for that as the person who sent it to me asked me not to reveal anything as yet. I’m sure there’ll be more news about it soon. But I can’t believe what I’m hearing. It’s really that good.



How does it compare to using the model switcher and switching a 1A to 1Z? As that’s what I’m using at the moment and I love the sound


----------



## Donmonte

aceedburn said:


> Can’t really say right now. Really apologise for that as the person who sent it to me asked me not to reveal anything as yet. I’m sure there’ll be more news about it soon. But I can’t believe what I’m hearing. It’s really that good.


Awesome, we’ll all be waiting


----------



## Donmonte

Dtuck90 said:


> How does it compare to using the model switcher and switching a 1A to 1Z? As that’s what I’m using at the moment and I love the sound


Apparently it’s something else completely, different sound signature.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I cant believe this I just snaged a 512 gb sandisk extrem pro for 144 Cad! $


----------



## aceedburn

Dtuck90 said:


> How does it compare to using the model switcher and switching a 1A to 1Z? As that’s what I’m using at the moment and I love the sound


Totally different. Mindblowingly different.


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> I cant believe this I just snaged a 512 gb sandisk extrem pro for 144 Cad! $


Is it even authentic ? Lol


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Is it even authentic ? Lol




100% and if not going back to amazon!  It is at amazon facilities so cant be a copie...  Its amazon they will take it back lol


----------



## Cinderella87

Is the zx300 subject to regional changes? How to do it and the files are not available.


----------



## Duncan

aceedburn said:


> Totally different. Mindblowingly different.


I cannot disagree... took me by surprise first thing this morning...  I’m in the same test group as yourself and I have questioned if this is a separate tuning, and have been told it is pure stock...

exciting times!


----------



## Kad998

I just got the message of Autumn FW Completion. Should it say anywhere in the system details? How do I know it worked? Lol


----------



## MrWalkman

Kad998 said:


> I just got the message of Autumn FW Completion. Should it say anywhere in the system details? How do I know it worked? Lol



Tunings just alter the sound signature, nothing different will show up in the player. Just give it a listen.


----------



## Ghostsounds

aceedburn said:


> Yes. This is 100% stock 1Z sound on 1A. Nothing added or taken away. It’s not a tuning mod or firmware mod. Sounds sublime.


Is this for the 1A? Or 1z, or both? Thanks.


----------



## Duncan

MrWalkman said:


> Tunings just alter the sound signature, nothing different will show up in the player. Just give it a listen.


That would actually be something next level, if there was something that could be added to say for example “WM1Z Autumn T3 edition”


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 12, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> where did you get it? Id like to try





Ghostsounds said:


> Is this for the 1A? Or 1z, or both? Thanks.



This is intended to get the 1Z sound on your 1A. So if you own a WM1Z already, this is a bit pointless basically - unless you want to try the 1A sound on the 1Z.

This is not a tuning mod. A tuning mod brings small differences to the sound compared with this new mod that involves an actual modification of the firmware.

Somewhere in the future this may come as a simple UPG, and this is when I plan sharing it to everyone. Sorry for now.


----------



## proedros

@MrWalkman  i have a stock wm1a as well plus no job atm so i have all the time in the world to test this new sorcery 

so if you want more test people....pm me


----------



## Queen6 (Jul 12, 2020)

Duncan said:


> I cannot disagree... took me by surprise first thing this morning...  I’m in the same test group as yourself and I have questioned if this is a separate tuning, and have been told it is pure stock...
> 
> exciting times!



Stock is exactly what I'd be really interested in...

Q-6


----------



## Ghostsounds

MrWalkman said:


> This is intended to get the 1Z sound on your 1A. So if you own a WM1Z already, this is a bit pointless basically - unless you want to try the 1A sound on the 1Z.


Thanks. Still, looking forward to see how this wizardry works! Hats off to Whoever has worked this magic! 👌


----------



## Donmonte

Guess there’s more than a few of us interested in this, hopefully it all goes smoothly and we’ll get to experience it soon.


----------



## MrWalkman

Ghostsounds said:


> Hats off to Whoever has worked this magic!



Well, hats off to me then   

I am trying to share good things, but I don't want this thing to be patched or something, though I am thinking it's less probably - still, I would prefer not risking it.


----------



## Ravenous

MrWalkman said:


> This is intended to get the 1Z sound on your 1A. So if you own a WM1Z already, this is a bit pointless basically - unless you want to try the 1A sound on the 1Z.
> 
> This is not a tuning mod. A tuning mod brings small differences to the sound compared with this new mod that involves an actual modification of the firmware.
> 
> Somewhere in the future this may come as a simple UPG, and this is when I plan sharing it to everyone. Sorry for now.



Would also like to try if/when it becomes available please! Originally wanted to get the 1Z for that more organic, warmer sound but couldn't bare to shell out that extra 2k for it lol.


----------



## Queen6

MrWalkman said:


> This is intended to get the 1Z sound on your 1A. So if you own a WM1Z already, this is a bit pointless basically - unless you want to try the 1A sound on the 1Z.
> 
> This is not a tuning mod. A tuning mod brings small differences to the sound compared with this new mod that involves an actual modification of the firmware.
> 
> Somewhere in the future this may come as a simple UPG, and this is when I plan sharing it to everyone. Sorry for now.



Nothing wrong with solid testing and the simpler the better as they say  patience is a virtue 

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> Well, hats off to me then
> 
> I am trying to share good things, but I don't want this thing to be patched or something, though I am thinking it's less probably - still, I would prefer not risking it.




Sony is actually working on the next fw update but we dont know when it will be released. In that update there will be new features like changing sound signature mods I think like we did with our custom fw. I dont know if its all true I have read it somewhere...


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 12, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Sony is actually working on the next fw update but we dont know when it will be released. In that update there will be new features like changing sound signature mods I think like we did with our custom fw. I dont know if its all true I have read it somewhere...



While this could be entirely possible actually, I honestly doubt they would do that officially. Also, they have the possibility to alter the sound signature in ways that brings a big difference, and not a more subtle one like tunings mods.

While I won't share too many details, I can confirm that indeed there are sound changes for each firmware version, and changing the region indeed counts.


----------



## Ghostsounds

MrWalkman said:


> While this could be entirely possible actually, I honestly doubt the would do that officially. Also, they have the possibility to alter the sound signature in ways that brings a big difference, and not a more subtle one like tunings mods.
> 
> While I won't share too many details, I can confirm that indeed there are sound changes for each firmware version, and changing the region indeed counts.


Wow!!! My hat is officially off! This is very impressive deep diving of the Inception sort of level. Excuse my poor metaphor....


----------



## minzink

Cinderella87 said:


> Is the zx300 subject to regional changes? How to do it and the files are not available.


Please have a look here: https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool

I haven't checked but maybe it also applies for the  zx300.


----------



## Queen6

minzink said:


> Please have a look here: https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool
> 
> I haven't checked but maybe it also applies for the  zx300.



Rockbox region change works 100% with the ZX300, procedure is exactly the same as WM1A/Z.

Q-6


----------



## Gww1

MrWalkman said:


> This is intended to get the 1Z sound on your 1A. So if you own a WM1Z already, this is a bit pointless basically - unless you want to try the 1A sound on the 1Z.
> 
> This is not a tuning mod. A tuning mod brings small differences to the sound compared with this new mod that involves an actual modification of the firmware.
> 
> Somewhere in the future this may come as a simple UPG, and this is when I plan sharing it to everyone. Sorry for now.


Is it possible to also update a ZX300 firmware to sound like a 1Z? I have a ZX300 and a 1Z so if you want somebody to try it out and feedback the results....


----------



## MrWalkman

Gww1 said:


> Is it possible to also update a ZX300 firmware to sound like a 1Z? I have a ZX300 and a 1Z so if you want somebody to try it out and feedback the results....



Not entirely sure, as they don't share a common firmware, but I'll have a look at it and will let you know if something's up.


----------



## Duncan

I'm actually astounded - this "new" version of switching the 1A to 1Z definitely does something different in my mind (following on from posts by @aceedburn ) - It is at a whole different level, and - I don't need to install alternate fw mods (I just tried, and found that this version of stock sounds better to my ears)...

This has screwed with my mind,,,


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 12, 2020)

Duncan said:


> I'm actually astounded - this "new" version of switching the 1A to 1Z definitely does something different in my mind (following on from posts by @aceedburn ) - It is at a whole different level, and - I don't need to install alternate fw mods (I just tried, and found that this version of stock sounds better to my ears)...
> 
> This has screwed with my mind,,,



Yep, while everything sounds good, I keep getting impressed about how organic and analog it sounds. It really gives soul to the music.

Listening to vinyl rips is awesome.


----------



## Dtuck90

I’m so jealous. Hopefully we can all try it out soon!


----------



## captblaze

MrWalkman said:


> Listening to vinyl rips is awesome.



I would agree and please count me in


----------



## proedros

captblaze said:


> I would agree and please count me in



a little birdie sent him some vinyl rips ,as a small token of appreciation......


----------



## proedros (Jul 12, 2020)

looks like walls come tumbling down , again and again in this thread

to celebrate this , if you like this album and you like the analog sound of vinyl , please do hit me up via pm....

*Mother , do you think they'll dig this sound ? (oh yes they will , dear)*


----------



## mwhals (Jul 12, 2020)

For those that go by last name, first name, could You answer the following?

1. Did you keep artist and album artist as first name, last name and only use the album artist sort tag as last name, fist name?

2. Did you also tag artist and album artist as last name, first name?

3. If yes on number 2, did you make your file folders and files with last name, first name? Did you use commas in the folder and file names?

4. I know Windows 10 can do commas in file and folder names, but what about the software on WM1A and WM1Z? How about other DAPs?

5. Does the WM1A and WM1Z do genres with artist to album to songs? I hate how chinese DAPs do it with just a huge list of songs, which is useless for big music collections.

Still scanning album covers. I am 37.3% complete. Will do tags and file structure after I am done with album work.

Thanks in advance.


----------



## Lookout57

mwhals said:


> For those that go by last name, first name, could You answer the following?
> 
> 1. Did you keep artist and album artist as first name, last name and only use the album artist sort tag as last name, fist name?
> 
> ...


1. Yes
2. No
3. NA
4. Yes, Yes
5. Yes

I've also tag the sort album with the release order so that when viewing an artist the albums are shown in release order. For example 101 - Led Zeppelin , 102 - Led Zeppelin II, etc. I also 2xx for live albums, 3xx for compilations and 4xxx for soundtracks. I used to use year, but some older classic rock artists used to release more than 1 album a year and I had to play tricks to get them to sort correctly. So I moved to this method. This method also allows for up to 99 albums per category.


----------



## Cinderella87

Queen6 said:


> Rockbox region change works 100% with the ZX300, procedure is exactly the same as WM1A/Z.
> 
> Q-6


Do you have open_cmd_here.bat? I can't download it from that site.


----------



## Star Mastering

MrWalkman said:


> DSEE AI is actually already present in the firmware, it's just not enabled as an option in the app.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I'm curious as to how you got the BIN and CSV files from firmware?


----------



## MrWalkman

Star Mastering said:


> I'm curious as to how you got the BIN and CSV files from firmware?



Unfortunately I won't get into details about that. But I can assure you they are real.


----------



## aceedburn

Duncan said:


> I'm actually astounded - this "new" version of switching the 1A to 1Z definitely does something different in my mind (following on from posts by @aceedburn ) - It is at a whole different level, and - I don't need to install alternate fw mods (I just tried, and found that this version of stock sounds better to my ears)...
> 
> This has screwed with my mind,,,


It continues to screw with me. Honestly in as long as I can remember, I had a tough time putting down my Walkman as each song that was playing sounded so bloody good that I kept going on and on. Yes like i mentioned, the key words here are organic, warm and sheer analogue sounding. This is not a tuning mod and I don’t think I will ever need any tuning mod as the stock firmware is simply marvelous sounding. Every nuance, every sound, every frequency comes at you in that best possible way. Bro @MrWalkman has changed the 1A we know. It’s that drastic. I kid you not!


----------



## mwhals

So what is the point of getting a WM1Z if the WM1A can be made to sound like it?


----------



## mwhals

mwhals said:


> For those that go by last name, first name, could You answer the following?
> 
> 1. Did you keep artist and album artist as first name, last name and only use the album artist sort tag as last name, fist name?
> 
> ...





Lookout57 said:


> 1. Yes
> 2. No
> 3. NA
> 4. Yes, Yes
> ...



Thanks for answering. So you are saying you do album sort like the following:

Carry Underwood's first album is 101
Her second album is 102
If she has a live album, that would be 201 regardless of when it was released?
If she did an album with someone else, it would be 301?
If she did a sound track, that would be 401?

Just trying to understand the live, compilations and soundtracks numbering.

Glad to hear the WM1A/Z does genres correct. I will not consider a DAP that does not anymore.


----------



## aceedburn

mwhals said:


> So what is the point of getting a WM1Z if the WM1A can be made to sound like it?


If you can afford it why not. Maybe you prefer the gold color or the copper chassis and a few different components?


----------



## ttt123

mwhals said:


> So what is the point of getting a WM1Z if the WM1A can be made to sound like it?


Because a WM1Z will sound even more organic, emotive, involving, musical,  by nature of the improved hardware and components, than a WM1A running WM1Z firmware?

It's like swapping out the engine on an american car, with a porsche engine.  It may be better than stock,maybe much better,  but it will never be a porsche.


----------



## Maxx134

Duncan said:


> I cannot disagree... took me by surprise first thing this morning...  I’m in the same test group as yourself and I have questioned if this is a separate tuning, and have been told it is pure stock...
> 
> exciting times!


I owned both units and yes it was rather obvious how much more organic the 1Z is over the 1a.
So nice that you guys can finally experience that without the 1z.



aceedburn said:


> . Yes like i mentioned, the key words here are organic, warm and sheer analogue sounding


This is the main reason I sold off my desktop dacs and settled with the 1z.
Goodbye my yggy and Holo-Spring dacs.
They not nowhere as seductive or organic as the Sony.
I plan to do a comparison with some desktop dacs once I upgrade the 1z caps to Kaisie mod.





mwhals said:


> So what is the point of getting a WM1Z if the WM1A can be made to sound like it?


If I could get a 1a with stock 1z sound, then it would be a lighter to carry unit. Then I would do hardware mods to further elevate and eliminate any hardware advantage. I doubt the resistor difference would matter, only the caps.

The solid block of hard copper not matter as much if you use both copper tape shielding and silver internal plate. 

Essentially save money, and also have a lighter unit to carry.
That in itself is a huge advantage and motivation to actually sell my 1z and take up a 1A..

Only drawback I see that we forgetting is the built-in memory advantage.

But heck, I would keep 1z home and get a 1a for outside and not have to worry about carrying a 1Z around...


----------



## Gamerlingual

Traveling through Gunma prefecture in Japan in the express train gives a good opportunity to look for those little nuances you find as you slowly burn into your DAPs and IEMs more. Hope everyone had a good weekend and keep relaxing away with that good music.


----------



## firemess

I just use the stock wm1z sound on my wm1a with the model switcher and I already feel it amazing...
Very curious and excited to test this new version with a better sound again 
Do we know why the version is even better (I mean technically)?


----------



## Redcarmoose

firemess said:


> I just use the stock wm1z sound on my wm1a with the model switcher and I already feel it amazing...
> Very curious and excited to test this new version with a better sound again
> Do we know why the version is even better (I mean technically)?



I do want to make the 1A have a 1Z transformation!


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> I do want to make the 1A have a 1Z transformation!


Yes. This new method is a full transformation. At least software and tuning wise. The earlier model changer only changes a few values. Not complete like this. Hence the very significant sound change.And the beat part of it all is you’re using stock 3.02 firmware, so your battery will last longer than if you use any tuning mods.


----------



## Redcarmoose

aceedburn said:


> Yes. This new method is a full transformation. At least software and tuning wise. The earlier model changer only changes a few values. Not complete like this. Hence the very significant sound change.And the beat part of it all is you’re using stock 3.02 firmware, so your battery will last longer than if you use any tuning mods.



You’ve tested it side by side a 1Z?


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 13, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> I owned both units and yes it was rather obvious how much more organic the 1Z is over the 1a.
> So nice that you guys can finally experience that without the 1z.
> 
> 
> ...


I can second this.  There is *Zero way* that a 1A can be made to sound like a 1Z just with *firmware Alone. * Just like I mentioned before, *a 1Z is a modified 1A in both firmware and hardware wise.* It is up to whether a person can hear the differences, but if you can observe the changes from firmware, then you can pretty much observe the differences between hardware as well.

I have experimented this before, to install a stock 1Z firmware on a 1A.  There are improvements to be heard, yet, the 1Z will still sound better, period.  The exact case where @ttt123 and @Maxx134 just mentioned as above


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 13, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I have experimented this before, to install a stock 1Z firmware on a 1A.



The firmware is actually the same for both devices, so technically you can't install "the 1Z firmware". Also, installing a firmware alone will not actually be enough, due to the way the firmware works internally when choosing the 1A or 1Z sound.

I don't mean to be rude, but reading this thread, you were mentioning how the DMP-Z1 firmware is partially applied, or that 3.01 tunings are loading without needing to install stock 3.01 firmware due to someone else modifying the firmware, when actually it's because the stock 3.01 UPG was used instead of the DMP-Z1 1.02 one, so I'm not sure what to believe...


Due to how big the change is when compared to tuning mods, I would say that firmware alone is already 98-99% percent of the deal. Just my opinion, hopefully one day someone can test this side by side.


----------



## Ravenous

Gamerlingual said:


> Traveling through Gunma prefecture in Japan in the express train gives a good opportunity to look for those little nuances you find as you slowly burn into your DAPs and IEMs more. Hope everyone had a good weekend and keep relaxing away with that good music.



Hey, could you please pick me up a Musashino Label case for mewhile you're their when you get the chance? Lol. I didn't jump at the opportunity to buy one off of a Japanese electronic site and now I'm afraid I'll never get one.


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> You’ve tested it side by side a 1Z?


No. I am talking about the sound difference compared to any other tuning mods or the old model switcher and this new method.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> The firmware is actually the same for both devices, so technically you can't install "the 1Z firmware". Also, installing a firmware alone will not actually be enough, due to the way the firmware works internally when choosing the 1A or 1Z sound.


So no matter what external or firmware changes are done, the internals will always make a difference in the end? I’m curious to test the 1A mod since I own both DAPs


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 13, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> So no matter what external or firmware changes are done, the internals will always make a difference in the end?



No, the firmware has a way of "deciding" which tuning to load basically. Internals could bring a change, but the change should be more on the subtle side of things.


----------



## Whitigir

Gamerlingual said:


> So no matter what external or firmware changes are done, the internals will always make a difference in the end? I’m curious to test the 1A mod since I own both DAPs



Unless you can’t tell the differences between cables.  Just the internal cables alone from KimberKables is already an upgrade to the OFC from the 1A, period.  Give both DAPs a try when the new firmware released after it testing phase, you will see.


----------



## aceedburn

Whitigir said:


> Unless you can’t tell the differences between cables.  Just the internal cables alone from KimberKables is already an upgrade to the OFC from the 1A, period.  Give both DAPs a try when the new firmware released after it testing phase, you will see.


There’s a new official firmware forthcoming?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Ravenous said:


> Hey, could you please pick me up a Musashino Label case for mewhile you're their when you get the chance? Lol. I didn't jump at the opportunity to buy one off of a Japanese electronic site and now I'm afraid I'll never get one.



I would suggest black as the “natural” shows marks.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Ravenous said:


> Hey, could you please pick me up a Musashino Label case for mewhile you're their when you get the chance? Lol. I didn't jump at the opportunity to buy one off of a Japanese electronic site and now I'm afraid I'll never get one.


They were sold out last time I checked. If it comes up, I’ll let you know. I bought two for each of my DAPs


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 13, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> There’s a new official firmware forthcoming?


Not from me Or from official and as I don’t have either 1A nor 1Z anymore, just saying that I played around with it previously.


----------



## Ravenous

Gamerlingual said:


> They were sold out last time I checked. If it comes up, I’ll let you know. I bought two for each of my DAPs


Ty so much! Incredibly hard to come by indeed!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 13, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Yes. This new method is a full transformation. At least software and tuning wise. The earlier model changer only changes a few values. Not complete like this. Hence the very significant sound change.And the beat part of it all is you’re using stock 3.02 firmware, so your battery will last longer than if you use any tuning mods.





Whitigir said:


> I can second this.  There is *Zero way* that a 1A can be made to sound like a 1Z just with *firmware Alone. * Just like I mentioned before, *a 1Z is a modified 1A in both firmware and hardware wise.* It is up to whether a person can hear the differences, but if you can observe the changes from firmware, then you can pretty much observe the differences between hardware as well.
> 
> I have experimented this before, to install a stock 1Z firmware on a 1A.  There are improvements to be heard, yet, the 1Z will still sound better, period.  The exact case where @ttt123 and @Maxx134 just mentioned as above





MrWalkman said:


> The firmware is actually the same for both devices, so technically you can't install "the 1Z firmware". Also, installing a firmware alone will not actually be enough, due to the way the firmware works internally when choosing the 1A or 1Z sound.
> 
> I don't mean to be rude, but reading this thread, you were mentioning how the DMP-Z1 firmware is partially applied, or that 3.01 tunings are loading without needing to install stock 3.01 firmware due to someone else modifying the firmware, when actually it's because the stock 3.01 UPG was used instead of the DMP-Z1 1.02 one, so I'm not sure what to believe...
> 
> ...





aceedburn said:


> No. I am talking about the sound difference compared to any other tuning mods or the old model switcher and this new method.





Gamerlingual said:


> So no matter what external or firmware changes are done, the internals will always make a difference in the end? I’m curious to test the 1A mod since I own both DAPs





MrWalkman said:


> No, the firmware has a way of "deciding" which tuning to load basically. Internals could bring a change, but the change should be more on the subtle side of things.





Whitigir said:


> Unless you can’t tell the differences between cables.  Just the internal cables alone from KimberKables is already an upgrade to the OFC from the 1A, period.  Give both DAPs a try when the new firmware released after it testing phase, you will see.



I think we can all agree that the 1A and 1Z sound is a combination of physical electronic properties and firmware. The choice is really if you care to imagine that firmware continued to delineate the two players farther apart than what the mods do to the 1Z?

For many of us the new introduction of firmwares seemed to unlock the 1A hidden potential. If you choose to admire the changes is purely subjective and depends on IEM and personal tone preferences.

As we will see, this new model switcher may give the 1A a new and different personality unheard of as yet. I welcome the changes and actually don’t care to confuse the situation with attempts at quantitative analysts of the power of firmware. We basically know the case, capacitors and wire modified the 1A into the different 1Z. The only question here is how much was done to the stock 1A sound to delineate it farther from the 1Z.


----------



## Whitigir

Yes, I can tell for certain that the 1A was intentionally tuned to be behind the 1Z in firmware, and as you said, with the progress of firmware modifications, they get closer from one another.  I just want to state Out what I observed, firmware alone can not get the 1A to the 1Z level as many may have thought, ......it only Gets closer to it


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 13, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> I think we can all agree that the 1A and 1Z sound is a combination of physical electronic properties and firmware. The choice if you care to imagine that firmware continued to delineate the two players farther apart than what the mods do to the 1Z?
> 
> For many of us the new introduction of firmwares seemed to unlock the 1A hidden potential. If you choose to admire the changes is purely subjective and depends on IEM and personal tone preferences.
> 
> As we will see, this new model switcher may give the 1A a new and different personality unheard of as yet. I welcome the changes and actually don’t care to confuse the situation with attempts at quantitative analysts of the power of firmware. We basically know the case, capacitors and wire modified the 1A into the different 1Z. The only question here is how much was done to the stock 1A sound to delineate it farther from the 1Z.



What me, Duncan and aceedburn experienced is a combination of actual firmware modification + modification of other things in the device. Tuning mod-wise, we're using the stock sound.

It's difficult to explain but not really explaining it, but well, everyone can have their opinion in the meantime.

I hope I'll be able to make a modified UPG soon, so you can all test it.



Whitigir said:


> Yes, I can tell for certain that the 1A was intentionally tuned to be behind the 1Z in firmware



Yes, this is more like it.



Whitigir said:


> and as you said, with the progress of firmware modifications, they get closer from one another.  I just want to state Out what I observed, firmware alone can not get the 1A to the 1Z level as many may have thought, ......it only Gets closer to it



Tuning mods are more or less nothing compared to this, and there are no actual tuning mods involved here.

There was the idea that the 1A sound will always be there, with tuning mods, and that is true. However, this method really deals with that.

I tested the model switcher, and it brings a change to the sound, but not like this, no.


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> What me, Duncan and aceedburn experienced is a combination of actual firmware modification + modification of other things in the device. Tuning mod-wise, we're using the stock sound.
> 
> It's difficult to explain but not really explaining it, but well, everyone can have their opinion in the meantime.
> 
> I hope I'll be able to make a modified UPG soon, so you can all test it.



Actually doing a part change too with the 1A. That’s changes things.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Yes, I can tell for certain that the 1A was intentionally tuned to be behind the 1Z in firmware, and as you said, with the progress of firmware modifications, they get closer from one another.  I just want to state Out what I observed, firmware alone can not get the 1A to the 1Z level as many may have thought, ......it only Gets closer to it



I’ve always been a little skeptical of that. And in the end it truly does make you wonder. It would be like a car maker making two price brackets of cars and actively attempting to detune the performance of the cheaper car. And while many of us believe the 1A stock Sony tune was an attempt at satisfying a group; it’s hard to believe that Sony sold the 1A being actuality tuned to it’s fullest potential? 

The public statement was the 1Z was one style of audiophile preferences and the 1A the other. The other reality that hit home with us was hearing audiophile headphone set-ups at meets. You could find both the neutral (more flat) response curves as well as go one station over and hear more warmth and color. 

Thus the elephant in the room is if the 1Z color and basic attributes of tone make the 1A definitively better?


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> Thus the elephant in the room is if the 1Z color and basic attributes of tone make the 1A definitively better?



I can say that it's a big change, and that yes, it definitely sounds better. Whenever I write "big change" I'm wondering if I'm overreacting a bit, but then I think about it and I'm not overreacting at all.

Duncan and aceedburn could confirm themselves (at the moment).


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> I’ve always been a little skeptical of that. And in the end it truly does make you wonder. It would be like a car maker making two price brackets of cars and actively attempting to detune the performance of the cheaper car. And while many of us believe the 1A stock Sony tune was an attempt at satisfying a group; it’s hard to believe that Sony sold the 1A being actuality tuned to it’s fullest potential?
> 
> The public statement was the 1Z was one style of audiophile preferences and the 1A the other. The other reality that hit home with us was hearing audiophile headphone set-ups at meets. You could find both the neutral (more flat) response curves as well as go one station over and hear more warmth and color.
> 
> Thus the elephant in the room is if the 1Z color and basic attributes of tone make the 1A definitively better?


the change is huge. On the other hand, give this a thought. Forget about the 1z and the 1a having different hardware as we already know it does. So now this new change brings the exact original Sony tuning of 1z to the 1A using stock 3.02 firmware. So I believe that this new sound is in a category of its own. It’s not the1z sound neither is it the 1A sound. Follow me so far? Let’s call this new sound 1AZ for clarity. What if 1AZ sounds better on the 1A than it does on the 1Z? This is highly possible because we know there are hardware differences between the 1A and 1z. So what is 1AZ sounds the best on the 1A? Think about it! Upgraded components and wires aside, it doesn’t guarantee better fidelity.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 13, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> the change is huge. On the other hand, give this a thought. Forget about the 1z and the 1a having different hardware as we already know it does. So now this new change brings the exact original Sony tuning of 1z to the 1A using stock 3.02 firmware. So I believe that this new sound is in a category of its own. It’s not the1z sound neither is it the 1A sound. Follow me so far? Let’s call this new sound 1AZ for clarity. What if 1AZ sounds better on the 1A than it does on the 1Z? This is highly possible because we know there are hardware differences between the 1A and 1z. So what is 1AZ sounds the best on the 1A? Think about it! Upgraded components and wires aside, it doesn’t guarantee better fidelity.



The elephant in the room is this (tease) of a physical mod change. We are now at the level of high school girls smoking in the bathroom wondering if someone made love with a boy or not.

Best to not confuse people. It’s confusing enough.

Obviously a physical change and firmware would change the tone of the 1A. And if you don’t change the case, wiring or capacitors, you of course will wind up with a sound that’s the 1A sound, possibly improved and it’s own personality. I have no issue with that.

It’s just attempting to secretly introduce changes and not have full description and disclosure is a full waist of our time. Pictures of what change? What physical change to the 1A?

Hopefully high school is over here?


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> The elephant in the room is this (tease) of a physical mod change. We are now at the level of high school girls smoking in the bathroom wondering if someone made love with a boy or not.
> 
> Best to not confuse people. It’s confusing enough.
> 
> ...



If you are thinking about this last mod we're talking around here, it only consists of modified firmware (not tuning mod).

He was thinking that due to hardware differences, 1A with 1Z sound could maybe sound better than 1Z with 1Z sound.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Oh, wrong understanding on my part. So this has to be on the down-low as you don’t have the bugs worked out. Makes sense. I’ll move along now.


----------



## aceedburn

MrWalkman said:


> If you are thinking about this last mod we're talking around here, it only consists of modified firmware (not tuning mod).
> 
> He was thinking that due to hardware differences, 1A with 1Z sound could maybe sound better than 1Z with 1Z sound.


Yes that’s exactly what I meant.


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> Oh, wrong understanding on my part. So this has to be on the down-low as you don’t have the bugs worked out. Makes sense. I’ll move along now.



No worries. It's more on the down-low to protect the way this was done. Once I'll manage to create an UPG, will share it with everyone.


----------



## Redcarmoose

aceedburn said:


> Yes that’s exactly what I meant.



Cheers!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 13, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> No worries. It's more on the down-low to protect the way this was done. Once I'll manage to create an UPG, will share it with everyone.



Yes, my enthusiasm is overwhelming at times.


----------



## nc8000

Is any of all this going to be of relevance to the 1Z or is this purely a project aimed at trying to get the most out of the 1A ?


----------



## MrWalkman

nc8000 said:


> Is any of all this going to be of relevance to the 1Z or is this purely a project aimed at trying to get the most out of the 1A ?



My idea was to bring the 1Z sound to 1A. Not sure yet if anything can be done for 1Z using this, but I'd rather test it when we'll have UPGs.


----------



## Star Mastering

MrWalkman said:


> Unfortunately I won't get into details about that. But I can assure you they are real.


Either the exe file or UPG file could be opened, or perhaps somehow the firmware could be extracted from the hardware?


----------



## Redcarmoose

People probably don’t think this was but if you had a 1Z in the early days and were running the firmware before 2.0 you had an amazingly dark signature. So I’m not sure people realize that the 1Z has continued to be modified by Sony software engineers to become both slightly more detailed and slightly brighter in stock form? 

Then on the 1A what we have always admired was the aftermath firmwares to bring about the inherent warmth and detail of the 1Z.


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> in the early days and were running the firmware before 2.0 you had an amazingly dark signature



One next thing will be to try having the sound signature of older firmware versions to the 3.02 version.



Star Mastering said:


> Either the exe file or UPG file could be opened, or perhaps somehow the firmware could be extracted from the hardware?



I can tell you it's one of these, yes.


----------



## auronthas

aceedburn said:


> Yes. This is 100% stock 1Z sound on 1A. Nothing added or taken away. It’s not a tuning mod or firmware mod. Sounds sublime.


Bro. please provide us blindtest between stocked 1Z and 1A with 1Z mode switcher, also to list your listening equipment and song/music.  

Best if there's measurement can justify it . Looking forward to appreciate your test review.


----------



## Queen6 (Jul 13, 2020)

Cinderella87 said:


> Do you have open_cmd_here.bat? I can't download it from that site.



Rockbox tool here
https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool

Q-6


----------



## auronthas (Jul 20, 2020)

mwhals said:


> So what is the point of getting a WM1Z if the WM1A can be made to sound like it?



This will get attention to the corporation/manufacturer and he/she will be prosecuted. Don't say I never warn those who involve direct or indirect. Be cautious


----------



## Duncan

For me, only having heard a pure 1Z a couple of years ago, and having no point of reference - all I will say is that there is a SQ difference between the two versions of the switchers - yet using a common firmware, so - whether this changes the 'stock sound' to let's say 1A+, or 1Z lite, I cannot say - either way, there is a tangible difference between the two ways to apply the switch.


----------



## Star Mastering

Walkman modders have the hardware, so what is there to worry about?


----------



## Cinderella87

Queen6 said:


> Rockbox tool here
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool
> 
> Q-6


I know, but I can't get the file I marked.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 13, 2020)

mwhals said:


> So what is the point of getting a WM1Z if the WM1A can be made to sound like it?



In theory it can’t happen. It’s like trying to make something that’s physically different the same with firmware. The sound of these things are a combination of hardware and firmware. Though in the last year our basic understanding of the full intentions of the 1A stock firmware has changed. Many of us simply feel the 1A has never been optimized by Sony. There is an unlocked potential for improvement. Some in this thread have modified their 1A player with both  hardware and firmware modifications. Others have found the 1A become closer to the stock 1Z with a simple 30 second aftermarket firmware. But there are sound properties from the 1Z copper case. There are differences in tone due to the 1Z capacitors. The Kimber Kable used in the 1Z makes a change too. 

But in the end the 1A has it’s own special sound normally. So if you do believe the stock firmware is holding the 1A back, the solution can be a choice of changing firmware? It can in reality be it’s own enjoyable and charismatic player. The reality we may be understanding though is that a larger section of the 1Z personally came from firmware? That’s to be determined when the masses get this update.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> In theory it can’t happen. It’s like trying to make something that’s physically different the same with firmware. The sound of these things are a combination of hardware and firmware. Though in the last year our basic understanding of the full intentions of the 1A stock firmware has changed. Many of us simply feel the 1A has never been optimized by Sony. There is an unlocked potential for improvement. Some in this thread have modified their 1A player with both  hardware and firmware modifications. Others have found the 1A become closer to the stock 1Z with a simple 30 second aftermarket firmware. But there are sound properties from the 1Z copper case. There are differences in tone due to the 1Z capacitors. The Kimber Kable used in the 1Z makes a change too.
> 
> But in the end the 1A has it’s own special sound normally. So if you do believe the stock firmware is holding the 1A back, the solution can be a choice of changing firmware? It can in reality be it’s own enjoyable and charismatic player. The reality we may be understanding though is that a larger section of the 1Z personally came from firmware? That’s to be determined when the masses get this update.


This sums up what I was trying to ask. Thanks!


----------



## proedros

stock wm1a is also very enjoyable , but yeah very eager to see what this new transformation sounds like

meanwhile , funk/groove discovery of the day - a monster hit from 1984 , when 'black' music was still COOKING


----------



## Ghostsounds

Redcarmoose said:


> In theory it can’t happen. It’s like trying to make something that’s physically different the same with firmware. The sound of these things are a combination of hardware and firmware. Though in the last year our basic understanding of the full intentions of the 1A stock firmware has changed. Many of us simply feel the 1A has never been optimized by Sony. There is an unlocked potential for improvement. Some in this thread have modified their 1A player with both  hardware and firmware modifications. Others have found the 1A become closer to the stock 1Z with a simple 30 second aftermarket firmware. But there are sound properties from the 1Z copper case. There are differences in tone due to the 1Z capacitors. The Kimber Kable used in the 1Z makes a change too.
> 
> But in the end the 1A has it’s own special sound normally. So if you do believe the stock firmware is holding the 1A back, the solution can be a choice of changing firmware? It can in reality be it’s own enjoyable and charismatic player. The reality we may be understanding though is that a larger section of the 1Z personally came from firmware? That’s to be determined when the masses get this update.


This is really interesting. However, why would they still produce more units of the 1z as it much more expensive to do and assuming profit margins lower and demand lower than the 1a? They could focus on unleashing the true potential of the 1a and really market that. 
This is very exciting work that Mr Walkman is doing.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 13, 2020)

Ghostsounds said:


> This is really interesting. However, why would they still produce more units of the 1z as it much more expensive to do and assuming profit margins lower and demand lower than the 1a? They could focus on unleashing the true potential of the 1a and really market that.
> This is very exciting work that Mr Walkman is doing.



The hardest pill for me to swallow was the 1A being intentionally thwarted. It does not make sense that you would make the biggest seller have a compromised sound to give way for a few to step up to the 1Z. It’s science fiction almost. But it may be true.......... it’s still a matter of opinion.

Again the public statement is that the two players catered to two distinctly different listeners.

I mean I’ve been around the “headphone block”, I’ve been to the meets and dipped my ears in the STAX equipment and the Sony MDR R10 accomplishments. I think I know what good fairly neutral audiophile sound is. I also kind of know what old school mid 1960s Hi/Fi is. It’s obviously a matter of taste if the legendary AKG K1000 was truly great or bass shy? But it’s not a chance opinion that the Sony 1A Walkman with U region and stock 3.02 is awful.......it’s awful sounding! IMO


In general the 1A is OK but in 20/20 hindsight we all know the 1A can be better. And not just “matter of subjective opinion” better. But across the board better in anyone’s judgment. So it makes you wonder what Sony is thinking. Everyone has their own theory but for me I simply rolled the 1A firmware back to 3.01 and left the 1Z on 3.02 before custom firmwares emerged.

We now know that maybe the 1A was just too good. Remember when they came out with the very first series of firmware; they had a very different sound? Before 2.00 there was a completely different sound and as always it was subjective what was the correct firmware to use. So as always it’s arguable if this new era of sound from the later firmware was Sony simply getting more advanced with the firmware? I mean how do you sell more Walkmans and new Walkman models in the future if your basic $1200 1A has such a platform that it can get maximized into a different sounding and better unit just with firmware updates?


Sony may have said?
“We have to roll this sound quality back.”


The New Aftermarket Home-Brew Firmwares:

Remember these new firmwares are only scratching the surface of ground work that’s already been done by Sony. These firmware mods are built off 3.00, 3.01 and 3.02 if I understand this right. (Someone correct me if I’m wrong)

So the 1A actually became better way after the Walkman was introduced. Same as the 1Z...the 1Z has sonic potential unlocked if your into 3.01, 3.02? But for many of users, that owned both players, we found 3.02 to be subjectively a strange sound for the 1A. So in many ways it almost seemed like 3.02 was this statement firmware that was custom made for the 1Z.......like Sony was still supporting it’s top dog.


It’s hard to 2nd guess Sony as they have a history of just basking in what accomplishment they can get!

It’s a concept of performance at any cost. Look at the concept cars that car manufacturers make. They are not for sale but end up a statement of innovation.

Look at the 10K DMP-Z1......look at  the 2020 $70,000 98 inch 8K Master Series TV that made debut last month. They don’t even carry them in stock anywhere. You pay the money and they go and build it. Much of this has to do with extreme strange accomplishments that they hold as something they are smitten with themselves over.


----------



## Gamerlingual

People have probably seen from others, but just in case, the internals were on display at Yodobashi Camera and I took some shots. Hope they are at least a little clear enough


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> But it’s not chance that the Sony 1A Walkman with U region and stock 3.02 is good. It’s OK but in 20/20 hindsight we all know the 1A can be better.



The only difference is capacitors, resistors, wires, and copper instead of aluminium. How could these and just a different type of signature produce such a difference?

So it makes sense that it could be better.




Redcarmoose said:


> Remember these new firmwares are only scratching the surface of ground work that’s already been done by Sony. These firmware mods are built off 3.00, 3.01 and 3.02 if I understand this right. (Someone correct me if I’m wrong)



And well, DSD Remastering worked on the device when testing the Z1 app, DSEE AI is somewhere there as well.

But such is the life sometimes. It's good that we can do ourselves something about it at least.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 13, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> The only difference is capacitors, resistors, wires, and copper instead of aluminium. How could these and just a different type of signature produce such a difference?
> 
> So it makes sense that it could be better.



The 1A can do DSD remastering? (Sorry left that out of your quote)


But exactly I’m fully ready to find out how much a stock 1A can go up against a stock 1Z. Also I am suspect as why is J such a great region and only offered to locals like local seafood benefits? Lol

I myself value the 1A for it’s character alone because at times different is better just because it’s different. The 1Z has a lifelike sound that the 1A does not. Now if that’s because of casework and cables and wires, OK. But without that lifelike tone the 1A is still highly entertaining. But it gets an improvement by becoming warmer (with aftermarket firmware) than any of the stock firmware does. IMO


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> The 1A can do DSD remastering? (Sorry left that out of your quote)
> 
> 
> But exactly I’m fully ready to find out how much a stock 1A can go up against a stock 1Z. Also I am suspect as why is J such a great region and only offered to locals like local seafood benefits? Lol
> ...


After trying out lots of headphones on my these DAPs, I think it’s also good to appreciate how much variety of sound there is regardless of price. I discovered a lot in this journey


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> After trying out lots of headphones on my these DAPs, I think it’s also good to appreciate how much variety of sound there is regardless of price. I discovered a lot in this journey



The variety in you can relate with the changes when they are there.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> The variety in you can relate with the changes when they are there.


Yup. I honestly haven’t done much of a comparison between the players as I have simply swapped them out when one battery is low and the other charges. Then once that player is on low, rinse and repeat the cycle. Maybe that’s something I can check out tomorrow on how the 1Z and 1A are different enough. Little things like these are why it’s important to appreciate what you have.


----------



## gearofwar

aceedburn said:


> the change is huge. On the other hand, give this a thought. Forget about the 1z and the 1a having different hardware as we already know it does. So now this new change brings the exact original Sony tuning of 1z to the 1A using stock 3.02 firmware. So I believe that this new sound is in a category of its own. It’s not the1z sound neither is it the 1A sound. Follow me so far? Let’s call this new sound 1AZ for clarity. What if 1AZ sounds better on the 1A than it does on the 1Z? This is highly possible because we know there are hardware differences between the 1A and 1z. So what is 1AZ sounds the best on the 1A? Think about it! Upgraded components and wires aside, it doesn’t guarantee better fidelity.


so this new switcher you are testing, are you still on the J region for this sound impression? It’s possible to apply other regions for more varieties , isn’t it?


----------



## Maxx134 (Jul 13, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> So no matter what external or firmware changes are done, the internals will always make a difference in the end


I am not of this opinion actually.
I view the hardware mods as a separate direction of refinement.




MrWalkman said:


> My idea was to bring the 1Z sound to 1A. Not sure yet if anything can be done for 1Z using this, but I'd rather test it when we'll have UPGs.


Yes, we can see if there is any way to initiate the "AI", or get higher player level sound like DMP.



auronthas said:


> Best if there's measurement can justify it . Looking forward to appreciate your test review.


There is a problem there, in the scientific world, the correct method used to be that any theory or test was always verified based on observation.

Real world observation was the final say, or it was incorrect.

Today we can get any data manipulated to show any point of view, but final observation is always proof.

In past I was questioned where is my data, so then after I have proven my headphone mods with data (and measuring coupler tuned to inner fidelity), in another childish website (S**F) they were still bashing. So there is a limit to how much measuring will actually convince people. It has to be observed/verified with ears.



MrWalkman said:


> The only difference is capacitors, resistors, wires, and copper instead of aluminium. How could these and just a different type of signature produce such a difference?


I view most changes as equivalent to cable change, with the exception of the caps.

The upgrade of the stock output caps to some "oscon" caps, is the main difference for me.
But this difference is still not enough to explain the sound difference.

The (1z) Pana oscon caps are really not that much better than the (1a) stock caps, and would still have limited crappy abilities compared to normal caps that the hardware mods do.
So I am of the view that I believe the 1a firmware  mods.

That's why I view hardware mods as a different type upgrade, and actually a higher refinement of the player to end game status..


----------



## aceedburn

gearofwar said:


> so this new switcher you are testing, are you still on the J region for this sound impression? It’s possible to apply other regions for more varieties , isn’t it?


Yes. Tested on J. IMO, J has he beat synergy for all the tunings that have been released thus far as well as this new method. I only use J And nothing else as it is the most balanced, has the beat timbre and is an overall clean sound and the most neutral region.


----------



## Lookout57

mwhals said:


> Thanks for answering. So you are saying you do album sort like the following:
> 
> Carry Underwood's first album is 101
> Her second album is 102
> ...


Correct, except I use 301 for a greatest hits compilations.


----------



## Duncan

I bagged what I think is a bargain today, a 1tb Sandisk Extreme Pro mSD for the 1A, for just under $200 - guaranteed authentic, 2yr warranty etc etc...

now the unenviable task of transferring from my 400gb card to this one...


----------



## Ghostsounds

Duncan said:


> I bagged what I think is a bargain today, a 1tb Sandisk Extreme Pro mSD for the 1A, for just under $200 - guaranteed authentic, 2yr warranty etc etc...
> 
> now the unenviable task of transferring from my 400gb card to this one...


I’m lazy on that front. I just copy straight from Media Go to the new card.


----------



## RYCeT

Duncan said:


> I bagged what I think is a bargain today, a 1tb Sandisk Extreme Pro mSD for the 1A, for just under $200 - guaranteed authentic, 2yr warranty etc etc...
> 
> now the unenviable task of transferring from my 400gb card to this one...



Do Sd cards make a difference? Isn't regular sd card with 100mb/s read sufficient enough for this DAP?


----------



## Kad998

Duncan said:


> I bagged what I think is a bargain today, a 1tb Sandisk Extreme Pro mSD for the 1A, for just under $200 - guaranteed authentic, 2yr warranty etc etc...
> 
> now the unenviable task of transferring from my 400gb card to this one...



Beautiful deal! But yep, the transfer sucks! Just get it started and go on about your day 😂 It’ll finish eventually 😩😢


----------



## bana

proedros said:


> i used to think that 3.02 is kinda lean with my Zeus XR but i got a new cable 4 months ago, that injected the lows with much needed punch so now i feel like it's a great FW
> 
> again , synergy is king in this hobby.


Man, not only do i love your music, but your setup is exactly like mine. What cable are you using?


----------



## Duncan

RYCeT said:


> Do Sd cards make a difference? Isn't regular sd card with 100mb/s read sufficient enough for this DAP?


I could’ve saved $50 by just getting the Extreme, they had one of each, but I thought of future usage (swapping to phone maybe), and made my decision that way...

you’re right though, considering my 400gb card was just an extreme, the extra speed is superfluous.


----------



## Whitigir

Where are you guys getting extreme Pro 1Tb for $200 ? I can’t find any authentic sources for that price.  Keep us updated


----------



## proedros

bana said:


> Man, not only do i love your music, but your setup is exactly like mine. What cable are you using?



thank you for the kind words , the cable is the *PW Audio* *1960s 2-wire* , i took a leap of faith after 2 other Zeus XR users highly praised it , and it was worth the dough i spent

btw ,let me send over a small music gift via pm....


----------



## Queen6

Maxx134 said:


> I view most changes as equivalent to cable change, with the exception of the caps.
> 
> The upgrade of the stock output caps to some "oscon" caps, is the main difference for me.
> But this difference is still not enough to explain the sound difference.
> ...



Agree bulk of the difference in the 1A & 1Z sound signature's is likely software related. 

Q-6


----------



## Duncan

Whitigir said:


> Where are you guys getting extreme Pro 1Tb for $200 ? I can’t find any authentic sources for that price.  Keep us updated


Mine was from here - potential for fraud I guess, but they put the serial number on the receipt, so - if it is a fake one, they’ll swap it out with their 2yr warranty.


----------



## Kad998

Has anybody had issues with installing FW mods with the J Region. I followed the instructions using the region tool, ensuring the driver in the code matched the Walkman’s. Then I used the coding to confirm that it was a success. It gave me the correct code. I reset the settings and then have tried to install numerous FW Mods with the J region. I always get the message telling me to plug my device in. However, when I do the same mods in U, they work seamlessly. Has anybody else come across this problem


----------



## Donmonte (Jul 13, 2020)

Kad998 said:


> Has anybody had issues with installing FW mods with the J Region. I followed the instructions using the region tool, ensuring the driver in the code matched the Walkman’s. Then I used the coding to confirm that it was a success. It gave me the correct code. I reset the settings and then have tried to install numerous FW Mods with the J region. I always get the message telling me to plug my device in. However, when I do the same mods in U, they work seamlessly. Has anybody else come across this problem


You should install the firmwares in relation to your original region regardless of the changed region.
For example if your original player was an E or U region, you should install the Universal Firmware Mod and not the Japanese Firmware regardless if you changed it to J.


----------



## Kad998

Donmonte said:


> You should install the firmwares in relation to your original region regardless of the changed region.
> For example if your original player was an E or U region, you should install the Universal Firmware Mod and not the Japanese Firmware regardless if you changed it to J.



Thanks! I appreciate that. This has been going nowhere fast, for two days now.


----------



## Donmonte

Kad998 said:


> Thanks! I appreciate that. This has been going nowhere fast, for two days now.


Awesome, enjoy !


----------



## gsiu33

bflat said:


> I don't think the custom WM Port to USB B cable will work with the TA because TA USB input requires power. I don't think WM Port can provide any power which is why the dock comes with an external power supply.


The USB B input at the back of TA does not require power.


----------



## Redcarmoose

bflat said:


> I don't think the custom WM Port to USB B cable will work with the TA because TA USB input requires power. I don't think WM Port can provide any power which is why the dock comes with an external power supply.


No we unplug the Cradle at times to quit over-charging the Walkmans and it still works fine.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> No we unplug the Cradle at times to quit over-charging the Walkmans and it still works fine.


I second this as I tried it recently


----------



## Donmonte

@MrWalkman don’t go and disappear on us  Any progress update on the switcher ?


----------



## MrWalkman

Donmonte said:


> @MrWalkman don’t go and disappear on us  Any progress update on the switcher ?



Well, it just works, but I plan on having an UPG for doing that, as I still don't think it's a good idea to make the method of acomplishing this widely known.


----------



## Whitigir

Did you manage to get DSD engine to output sound yet ?


----------



## MrWalkman

Whitigir said:


> Did you manage to get DSD engine to output sound yet ?



I was talking about 1A to 1Z. I don't think we're gonna be able to use the Z1 app on WM1 too soon, or enable the option in the WM1 app.

The DSD Remaster function works in the Z1 app when launched in a WM1, but only via bluetooth audio, as there is no audio working via the balanced or 3.5mm jacks.


----------



## auronthas (Sep 17, 2020)

.


----------



## 524419

auronthas said:


> Now headphone measurement can be more accurate , read here https://www.head-fi.org/threads/headphone-measurements-the-new-standard-part-1.937301/#post-15735920


Is that admission that previous measurements were incomplete, faulty. And who is to say this new method isn't just as lacking as the one people have argued over for decades? 
I'll stick with my hearing, no offense


----------



## nanaholic

Diet Kokaine said:


> Is that admission that previous measurements were incomplete, faulty. And who is to say this new method isn't just as lacking as the one people have argued over for decades?
> I'll stick with my hearing, no offense



Science is always works in progress - the previous measurements were good for the time they were designed but is no longer adequate as equipment performances have outgrown them, which is why we need new measurements (which themselves will also be made obsolete eventually).

Headphone measurements had always just been a reference point for sound accuracy reproduction and for those who understands how to interpet them to quantify why they may like certain headphones in their possession. They were never supposed to be an indicator for "perfection" or "be-all end-all must own device over others", which many people seem to confuse them for.


----------



## Ryokan

nanaholic said:


> Science is always works in progress - the previous measurements were good for the time they were designed but is no longer adequate as equipment performances have outgrown them, which is why we need new measurements (which themselves will also be made obsolete eventually).



Science is governed by the latest theory that looks to explain an event the most satisfactorily, until it's either mis-proven  or a new theory comes up with a better explanation.


----------



## aceedburn

auronthas said:


> Now headphone measurement can be more accurate , read here https://www.head-fi.org/threads/headphone-measurements-the-new-standard-part-1.937301/#post-15735920


I for one don’t care about measurements or graphs. Never have and never will. I trust my ears and hearing. Period!


----------



## 524419

Ryokan said:


> Science is governed by the latest theory that looks to explain an event the most satisfactorily, until it's either mis-proven  or a new theory comes up with a better explanation.


"Theory", and given the track record for the measurements camp in the last 40 years, I hope you can understand why I am not jumping for joy at the unveiling of their new play thing. This is not some momentous occasion to celebrate, it's just another futile attempt to standardize human hearing, and to somehow transcribe a multifaceted auditory experience, into some squiggly lines on a piece of paper. 
It cannot be done.


----------



## bflat

Redcarmoose said:


> No we unplug the Cradle at times to quit over-charging the Walkmans and it still works fine.



Interesting. I have my TA connected to a Matrix Elemental H PCIE card. One of the features of the H is I can disable bus power on the USB port. When I do, the TA will not connect to my PC. I have to turn bus power on in order for the TA to work. It seems the dock and my PCIE card work differently with the TA.


----------



## proedros

stock wm1a user ? not anymore  

the (wm1z) eagle has landed , wanna thank @MrWalkman  and @Queen6 for helping me out with this procedure , this place is the best community


----------



## firemess

proedros said:


> stock wm1a user ? not anymore
> 
> the (wm1z) eagle has landed , wanna thank @MrWalkman  and @Queen6 for helping me out with this procedure , this place is the best community


Congrats !!
Wish the same Grace will hit me soon !


----------



## captblaze

firemess said:


> Congrats !!
> Wish the same Grace will hit me soon !



My WM-1A is ready and so am I


----------



## minzink

captblaze said:


> My WM-1A is ready and so am I


I would not refuse either!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Haha so is it official yet?

Just for info me to I have a wm1a on hands right now and can give some feedback!


----------



## gearofwar

my body is ready, could anyone pm me about this? thanks


----------



## Tanjiro

My WM1A is back to stock.  Can anyone pm me the details please?  Thanks in advance.


----------



## MrWalkman

The plan is to share the UPG when it will be available, which would be installable via the normal update tool. I hope it will be rather sooner than later.


----------



## captblaze

Now the $64,000 question...

If Sony does release another firmware update for our beloved Walkman will it be locked down and prevent downgrading?


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 14, 2020)

captblaze said:


> Now the $64,000 question...
> 
> If Sony does release another firmware update for our beloved Walkman will it be locked down and prevent downgrading?



Probably not, if we don't spread this too much for a while. Firmware updates usually come in August/September/October from what I've seen. And at this stage, it's actually possible to get past stuff like not able to downgrade. However, it would be nice to not get Sony to do this


----------



## Queen6

captblaze said:


> Now the $64,000 question...
> 
> If Sony does release another firmware update for our beloved Walkman will it be locked down and prevent downgrading?



Sony could lockdown the firmware via an update in a heartbeat. The simple answer is not to update the DAP straight out the gate until more is known about the next release and if using Sony Music Centre etc. block it's executable's files via W10 firewall or it will auto update the DAP.

Q-6


----------



## Whitigir

Sony is encrypting the Walkman OS or firmware on WM series and DMP very highLy secured, all for the sake of other proprietary algorithms such as DSD remastering, Vinyl processor, and DSEEHX-AI.

theoretically speaking, DSD remastering and DSEE-HX can be tweaked to turn up it aggressiveness in trade for more power consumptions, but whether you can grab hold of, dissecting it, and editing it...would be another problem....

However, once it is done, Sony would quickly patch it up for sure , and as the reason stated above


----------



## gsiu33

Dtuck90 said:


> I probably only get about 18 hours with Direct mode ON. I’ve figured that charging overnight thinking that it will take 7 hours to charge (as per Sony’s info) when it only takes about 3 hours has damaged my battery.


Nowadays DAPs, similar to iPhone, they will stop the charging once it is full, so it shall not hurt.


----------



## Quadfather

Loving the Sony NW-WM1A with lqi cable and Shure SRH1540 headphones!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Quadfather said:


> Loving the Sony NW-WM1A with lqi cable and Shure SRH1540 headphones!


Seeing Shure SRH1540 is analytical, I think it would do even better with 1Z 😃


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 14, 2020)

Well, it’s truly a question of what motivates Sony to include the basic firmware that’s with the 1A upon purchase. Surely they heard and tested the 1A in a parallel form (with 1Z software) as we have now. In convoluted sets of personal questions I try and ascertain the direction here by myself listening. Still? 

As being used to the 1A personality and being used to the 1Z (actual 1Z player) improvements..................many may be wondering if this new firmware allows the 1A to emulate the 1Z sound. And........if it in fact does not emulate it (all-the-way) how close in places does it? 

And that’s in a way the confusing part trying to figure out if this (the 1Z software) is an attempt to fine tune an aspect of the 1Z sound. Meaning with 1A there are all those improvements that we agree upon (from the new 1Z model switcher program) but in this situation it may actually answer questions by switching the 1Z over to a 1A with the switcher? 

A direct answer to how close the 1A is:

The 1Z still has all those qualities which has always separated the two players. The 1Z in comparison to the 1Z firmware added 1A still has more physicality and density of sound. The 1Z still gets the soundstage more forward and back? But here is the confusing part; the 1A soundstage is drastically different now with the 1Z software. So it makes you guess that soundstage with the 1Z is both a function of hardware and software. (Which of course it is )

The bass is still more heavy in the 1Z. The treble is still added with a boost in the 1Z. 

But.......the thing is the 1A has it’s own magic. It would be like listening to speakers in a very live room (the 1Z). Then the room had a boatload of sound treatments (the 1A naturally). The 1A has a more reduced treble which can be a win-win over the 1Z. I mean if your IEMs also have a dynamic treble boost the swarm of bees created can enjoy a break from time to time. And the 1A treble is that vacation place as it’s really nice. Also the low end has a speed that when combined with the right aftermarket firmware (on-top of J region and the 1Z model switcher) can become it’s own magic thing. 

The 1A is it’s own special thing, and the great part is the model switcher adds smoothly to increase that magic. It’s hard to put your finger on what that magic is? It’s when everything works out, but still there is a characteristic delineated personality that makes the sound special. IMO 

A classic sound?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Well, it’s truly a question of what motivates Sony to include the basic firmware that’s with the 1A upon purchase. Surely they heard and tested the 1A in a parallel form (with 1Z software) as we have now. In convoluted sets of personal questions I try and ascertain the direction here by myself listening. Still?
> 
> As being used to the 1A personality and being used to the 1Z (actual 1Z player) improvements..................many may be wondering if this new firmware allows the 1A to emulate the 1Z sound. And........if it in fact does not emulate it (all-the-way) how close in places does it?
> 
> ...




Amen !

You said everything right. It is exactly how I feel it!
1a is no downgrade in sq to 1z at all. Today its my first long listen with 1a and wow. So natural lifelike sound, better frequency balance no treble spike and more controlled bass.

I am at a point right now do I prefer 1a or 1z!
Yes 1z is the all mighty  but, its very colored, thick and warm , substantially bassier and in treble too.

1a is neutral natural balanced I really like 1a with my Tia Noir very nice pairing 0 fatigue


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 15, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Amen !
> 
> You said everything right. It is exactly how I feel it!
> 1a is no downgrade in sq to 1z at all. Today its my first long listen with 1a and wow. So natural lifelike sound, better frequency balance no treble spike and more controlled bass.
> ...



The thing the 1A has going for it is midrange. Meaning that midrange on the 1A has a duality. With the wrong IEMs or firmwares it can be scathing, but in the correct context it’s absolutely beautiful! IMO

There is no 1Z treble or bass to get in the way of it. The switcher to 1Z model adds the final organic smoothness and tames a set of upper frequencies. Almost like maybe the two players were tuned by Sony to be contrast to one another. But us on the user end want the two players to actually be closer in style. As there is still room with-in that close proximity where both players can shine as the musical stars they each are. IMO

Presently using 1Z stock 3.02 J region. The 1A has 1Z model switcher with a post 3.02 firmware flash, in J region with U (1Z) Jupiter2 placed on top.

The player thinks it’s a 1Z, thus 1Z U Jupiter2. Lol


----------



## normie610

Vitaly2017 said:


> Amen !
> 
> You said everything right. It is exactly how I feel it!
> 1a is no downgrade in sq to 1z at all. Today its my first long listen with 1a and wow. So natural lifelike sound, better frequency balance no treble spike and more controlled bass.
> ...



Am I sensing that the Tiger is about to unleash the 1Z Romi at the buy & sell forum?


----------



## Vitaly2017

normie610 said:


> Am I sensing that the Tiger is about to unleash the 1Z Romi at the buy & sell forum?



Haha it may be who knows whos the lucky one who will get the super BG Romi dap!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha it may be who knows whos the lucky one who will get the super BG Romi dap!



The dreaded “new-toy” phenomenon being the absolute delusion affecting reviewers from time infinite. Lock your 1Z in a safe till this excitement falls away.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> The dreaded “new-toy” phenomenon being the absolute delusion affecting reviewers from time infinite. Lock your 1Z in a safe till this excitement falls away.



Haha we are never safe! Thingss will always move forward to new horizons


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 15, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha we are never safe! Thingss will always move forward to new horizons



The reality that there is very little true audio reality subjectively. After now going back to the 1Z after a night of 1Z model-switcher 1A the original 1Z seems to have slightly less bass than I remember? First world problems with both of us.


----------



## minzink

captblaze said:


> Now the $64,000 question...
> 
> If Sony does release another firmware update for our beloved Walkman will it be locked down and prevent downgrading?


Maybe Sony should reconsider its strategy for the wm1a and wm1z. A good approach in my opinion, would be to offer the player with a very sound hardware and software basis (as it is done now already) but open for software mods and maybe also supporting the modders with hosting sharing platforms and other technical support. I think, the relative open platform of the wm1a and wm1z is one essential part of the sale success. For me this was crucial to purchase a wm1a and not the Fiio M11....but maybe I am a dreamer....


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> The reality that there is very little true audio reality subjectively. After now going back to the 1Z after a night of 1Z model-switcher 1A the original 1Z seems to have slightly less bass than I remember? First world problems with both of us.


No matter how much technology tries to improve music, I think it’s going to be capped no matter how much we spend and change the equipment. Best to keep what I have for at least the next 10 years if not more as long as I stay in Japan


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> No matter how much technology tries to improve music, I think it’s going to be capped no matter how much we spend and change the equipment. Best to keep what I have for at least the next 10 years if not more as long as I stay in Japan




Amazingly the new 2021 devices will be so big as to attract the attention of law officers thinking the owners are inebriated as they try to make it from point A to point B.

That’s how maybe you save up for the 2021 Sony Walkman 1ZXL the larger more heavy Walkman called the Sony Staggerman. You buy it 6 years from now.


----------



## proedros

Vitaly2017 said:


> Amen !
> 
> You said everything right. It is exactly how I feel it!
> 1a is no downgrade in sq to 1z at all. Today its my first long listen with 1a and wow. So natural lifelike sound, better frequency balance no treble spike and more controlled bass.
> ...



hey tiger , did you try the latest '1A to 1Z' mod ? how did you find it ?


----------



## Cinderella87

Does the NW Model Switch also work on zx300?  I've tried the files I have, but they're still zx300 on the device.


----------



## auronthas (Sep 17, 2020)

.


----------



## newworld666

Any measurements somewhere ? 
I doubt Sony didn't optimize NW-WM1A and NW-WM1Z to their respective hardware !!! It should be amazing to noticed that a WM1A could be improved to perform as well a WM1Z and a WM1Z to a DMP-Z1 !!!! Probably it can sound different, but can it be called improvements ?.

And if all to DSD is not active, it's probably also due to some underperformance of the hardware in a way or another and results will probably often a disaster than an improvement.

What is really pity, is that those 3 models were just a kind of proof of concept for hires DAP and that there won't be (like every time with Sony) any future models with USB-C port, Wifi, 2 microSD, Super Capacitor for hungry instant peak voltage headphones, and speed improvement to build music library.
Atually the WM1A is my best DAP compared to Hiby and Fiio (by far).. I cry that Sony don't explore further this way of TOTL DAP.


----------



## phonomat

newworld666 said:


> Any measurements somewhere ?
> I doubt Sony didn't optimize NW-WM1A and NW-WM1Z to their respective hardware !!! It should be amazing to noticed that a WM1A could be improved to perform as well a WM1Z and a WM1Z to a DMP-Z1 !!!! Probably it can sound different, but can it be called improvements ?.
> 
> And if all to DSD is not active, it's probably also due to some underperformance of the hardware in a way or another and results will probably often a disaster than an improvement.
> ...


Perhaps the differences between capacitors and interior cables are just not as vast as some would have us believe. I'm curious to hear for myself.


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> hey tiger , did you try the latest '1A to 1Z' mod ? how did you find it ?




Will do it soon had work til 1 am yesterday. Run out of time.
Will load it in a few


----------



## RobertP (Jul 19, 2020)

Edited

Do to the recent discovered sound quality issue on my WM1A. OrionV2 will be rewrite.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Jul 15, 2020)

Cheers, All! 

Just  jump on board the 1A bandwagon  -
someone who has a good experience with both 1A and 1Z sound signatures vocal wise -
are they more or less the same regarding the vocal presence?

Does a 1Z have more "standing out" vocals in the sound (a 1A - respectively a bit more "pushed back") or more or less the same?

Take care!


----------



## Ghostsounds

If anyone is after this it’s on special at Amazon.com for $183 limited time deal. I think 17 hours left. Hope ok to post here.


----------



## 534409

Good day to all Head-fiers. I'm new member here, using WM1A with Orion5A firmware.


----------



## RobertP (Jul 15, 2020)

Dramba said:


> Good day to all Head-fiers. I'm new member here, using WM1A with Orion5A firmware.


Replied.

A combination of V2 Stage 2 + custom silver back plate & copper tape wrapped mod is really good especially for those warmer or older recordings. Treble is perfect it so natural, smooth, refine and warmth. Bass is very close to real 1Z.


----------



## matevana

RobertP said:


> *OrionV2* fw is finally here. This second edition is designed with higher level hardware mods in mind so this might not be for everyone. Same pm link btw.
> 
> Stage 2 will be on the smoother, sweeter, and softer side. Has large amount of bass on this one.
> Stage 3 has more impact, energy, and holographic 3D like. Good clarity, and details overall. Better bass textures, layering, and slam.
> ...




Orion V2 Stage 3 sounds very nice on my ZX300!    

.


----------



## Fsilva

@MrWalkman i´m really craving for that 1Z sw for the 1A...anyway i could join the "band"?

Thanks for unleashing this new "beast" for all of us 1A users!!!


----------



## Quadfather

normie610 said:


> Am I sensing that the Tiger is about to unleash the 1Z Romi at the buy & sell forum?




Well, this post makes me feel better. I have been jonesing for the 1Z for over a year.  I currently have and enjoy 1A very much


----------



## Quadfather

Redcarmoose said:


> Amazingly the new 2021 devices will be so big as to attract the attention of law officers thinking the owners are inebriated as they try to make it from point A to point B.
> 
> That’s how maybe you save up for the 2021 Sony Walkman 1ZXL the larger more heavy Walkman called the Sony Staggerman. You buy it 6 years from now.




Man, now I can start dreaming about the sweet sound of that Sony Staggerman.


----------



## captblaze

I do believe I am falling in like with this combo


----------



## Quadfather

hamhamhamsta said:


> Seeing Shure SRH1540 is analytical, I think it would do even better with 1Z 😃


Believe me, I really want to pair it with the 1Z.  I just have to keep saving.  LOL


----------



## Vitaly2017

Quadfather said:


> Well, this post makes me feel better. I have been jonesing for the 1Z for over a year.  I currently have and enjoy 1A very much




Please be patient we have something outstanding cooking for 1a!!!!
You all gonna LOVE it!


----------



## Donmonte

Vitaly2017 said:


> Please be patient we have something outstanding cooking for 1a!!!!
> You all gonna LOVE it!


Seriously the 1A is slowly becoming the master of all trades...


----------



## Vitaly2017

Donmonte said:


> Seriously the 1A is slowly becoming the master of all trades...




It surely is kicking 1z in the butt LoL  it's really a strong contender vs 1z


----------



## Kad998

Vitaly2017 said:


> It surely is kicking 1z in the butt LoL  it's really a strong contender vs 1z


Mighty Tiger Ears! After all of our talks, now you’re telling me the 1A might be the king!? 😩


----------



## Vitaly2017

Kad998 said:


> Mighty Tiger Ears! After all of our talks, now you’re telling me the 1A might be the king!? 😩



I haven't call the 1a king lol 
1z still hold that title!

The new sound we are working on 1a will also bring some new features to 1z!

We need more time please as We carefully listen to each configuration to pick the best one!

1z lovers aren't left behind!


----------



## Kad998

Vitaly2017 said:


> I haven't call the 1a king lol
> 1z still hold that title!
> 
> The new sound we are working on 1a will also bring some new features to 1z!
> ...



LOL just wanted to make sure! I was about to be heartbroken 😂😂😂

But no! I love this forum. It’s weird to say but it’s like a little family in here and it’s such a great time for music! I’m all about it 💪🏿💪🏿


----------



## Vitaly2017

Kad998 said:


> LOL just wanted to make sure! I was about to be heartbroken 😂😂😂
> 
> But no! I love this forum. It’s weird to say but it’s like a little family in here and it’s such a great time for music! I’m all about it 💪🏿💪🏿



I once said that too! We have a small community here and many folks stay we make solid friends!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 15, 2020)

That goes to show that having good hardware design is only part of the story to good sound quality. Software tuning is essentially as important.

Just like IEMs with multiple drivers. It is not just about the number of drivers but also the crossover network, internal bracing, housing and venting system. More importantly the designer of the iem must have good ears to be able to tune the iem to sound great.

Essentially audio is like cooking, the ingredients must be good and the chef also plays alot of part in the process.

Thankfully we have Sony and the modders who can cook a good meal for us all.


----------



## Redcarmoose

captblaze said:


> I do believe I am falling in like with this combo







Changed over to Jupiter301 T1 with 1A “J” region and Model 1Z switches flashed with alternate 3.02.

Amazing bass, though I do miss a little of Jupiter2 resolution?


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 15, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Changed over to Jupiter301 T1 with 1A “J” region and Model 1Z switches flashed with alternate 3.02.
> 
> Amazing bass, though I do miss a little of Jupiter2 resolution?



Flashing the Jupiter 3.01 tuning removes the changes done by the switching process, as that mod includes the official 3.01 firmware from Sony. So basically you're experiencing the classic 3.01 firmware with the Jupiter tuning.

I can do the same thing for 3.01 if you'd really like to try it.


----------



## Cinderella87

matevana said:


> Orion V2 Stage 3 sounds very nice on my ZX300!
> 
> .


Where can I get Orion V2 Stage 3 in zx300?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> That goes to show that having good hardware design is only part of the story to good sound quality. Software tuning is essentially as important.
> 
> Just like IEMs with multiple drivers. It is not just about the number of drivers but also the crossover network, internal bracing, housing and venting system. More importantly the designer of the iem must have good ears to be able to tune the iem to sound great.
> 
> ...




Send them to me Tiger Ears wil cook those iems tuning like  gloves fitting perfectly on your hands!


----------



## 534409

Cinderella87 said:


> Where can I get Orion V2 Stage 3 in zx300?


Just use nw_model_switcher to switch to 1A. Then install the firmware. This is the way...


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> Flashing the Jupiter 3.01 tuning removes the changes done by the switching process, as that mod includes the official 3.01 firmware from Sony. So basically you're experiencing the classic 3.01 firmware with the Jupiter tuning.
> 
> I can do the same thing for 3.01 if you'd really like to try it.



Oh, I can hear that it’s still in 1Z switched mode, but your saying because 3.01 aftermarket firmwares are built off 3.01 that aftermarket firmwares like 3.02 (Jupiter2) leave the noise filters off? Or do you have to only stick with the Switcher 3.02 flash to get that?


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> Oh, I can hear that it’s still in 1Z switched mode, but your saying because 3.01 aftermarket firmwares are built off 3.01 that aftermarket firmwares like 3.02 (Jupiter2) leave the noise filters off? Or do you have to only stick with the Switcher 3.02 flash to get that?



Installing 3.01 tunings is like flashing official 3.01 firmware, except it has a different tuning.

So the changes done by the switcher will get erased.

Let's switch to PM about this.


----------



## Cinderella87

Dramba said:


> Just use nw_model_switcher to switch to 1A. Then install the firmware. This is the way...


I see. I tried to change my zx300 to 1z using NW Model Switcher, but it doesn't work. Can you tell me how?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Looks like I’ll be one of the few out of the loop. Guess I stick to J 3.02


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> Installing 3.01 tunings is like flashing official 3.01 firmware, except it has a different tuning.
> 
> So the changes done by the switcher will get erased.
> 
> Let's switch to PM about this.



.


----------



## mwhals

Quadfather said:


> Believe me, I really want to pair it with the 1Z.  I just have to keep saving.  LOL



I don’t have a WM1A, but am also saving up for a WM1Z. I can get a WM1A now, but will get it second as I can save for it much faster. I am just shy of 2/3 of the way to a WM1Z and closer than that if I get one for less than retail by buying outside the US.


----------



## proedros

mwhals said:


> I don’t have a WM1A, but am also saving up for a WM1Z. I can get a WM1A now, but will get it second as I can save for it much faster. I am just shy of 2/3 of the way to a WM1Z and closer than that if I get one for less than retail by buying outside the US.



wm1a is probably the wise buy , plus @Vitaly2017 was telling me via pm that he enjoys wm1a more than wm1z (yeh that was one  huge plot twist...)

in the end it's your hard-earned money and you should buy whaat your heart desires (and your bank account allows)


----------



## 524419

proedros said:


> wm1a is probably the wise buy , plus @Vitaly2017 was telling me via pm that he enjoys wm1a more than wm1z (yeh that was one  huge plot twist...)
> 
> in the end it's your hard-earned money and you should buy whaat your heart desires (and your bank account allows)


He doesn't like the Romi mod. It's internal silver wires are probably to blame.
If I was to get a player modded, I would personally only go with Audio Note capacitors, and only use copper wires, Solid core of course


----------



## XP_98

Vitaly2017 said:


> Please be patient we have something outstanding cooking for 1a!!!!
> You all gonna LOVE it!


----------



## normie610

proedros said:


> wm1a is probably the wise buy , plus @Vitaly2017 was telling me via pm that he enjoys wm1a more than wm1z (yeh that was one  huge plot twist...)
> 
> in the end it's your hard-earned money and you should buy whaat your heart desires (and your bank account allows)



Probably the romi mod just doesn’t suit his taste


----------



## Duncan

normie610 said:


> Probably the romi mod just doesn’t suit his taste


That’s interesting, as in effect that is a destructive mod, you don’t like it, game over - I think if this is confirmed as correct, that I’ll probably keep mine as vanilla for as long as I have it


----------



## normie610

Duncan said:


> That’s interesting, as in effect that is a destructive mod, you don’t like it, game over - I think if this is confirmed as correct, that I’ll probably keep mine as vanilla for as long as I have it



Yes I also have the same thought. FW mod is the best way to go if you want to experience a different tuning.


----------



## Blueoris

This is an opinion: The thing with mods... why is there the general assumption that they are an improvement over the original? They may change the sound characteristics, but that doesn't imply that the sound quality will go tiers up. That's one of the biggest misleading assertions I have see in this forum. 

This is just an opinion...


----------



## Donmonte

Hopefully we can get some sort of DSP on the next firmware so we could change the sound instantaneously. But I’m not crossing my fingers on it happening unfortunately. Good news is our Daps sound awesome already, this would just be icing on the cake.


----------



## 524419 (Jul 16, 2020)

Duncan said:


> That’s interesting, as in effect that is a destructive mod, you don’t like it, game over - I think if this is confirmed as correct, that I’ll probably keep mine as vanilla for as long as I have it


Silver wires will change the sound of the walkman, Copper will not. I tried warning him when he was talking about getting his player modded.
Other Than that, Capacitor Mods will be superior to a stock player in every possible way.

ADD: Changing the internal wires should be an easy enough fix.


----------



## aceedburn

Blueoris said:


> This is an opinion: The thing with mods... why is there the general assumption that they are an improvement over the original? They may change the sound characteristics, but that doesn't imply that the sound quality will go tiers up. That's one of the biggest misleading assertions I have see in this forum.
> 
> This is just an opinion...


You are right. There is no guarantee that a mod will improve the original sound. But some mods supersede that tremendously. Like the one we’re testing now. So yes, a mod can definitely make the sound way better than the original. If a proper AB test is done, the difference is instantly heard.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 16, 2020)

Not all mods are an upgrade, and that is why there are what you would call “tuning”.

However, @Vitaly2017 Romni Mod is likely “*defected*”

It started out with “hisses”, and then even after the 2nd trip, it didn’t even sound right.

All I can say is that there are people who are totally satisfied with their Romni mod, and @Nayparm can vouch for it.  Also there are people who are not satisfied, and @Nayparm can also vouch for it, and *they are defected*.  There are people who totally satisfied with EM mod such as @hshock76...and more.

_Even large manufacturers such as Sony , will have to_* provide warranty as defect happens, getting your player modded by any person is risking it, and even higher chance to brick and or defect it.*

So, is it fair to say that “mods don’t improve ?” Because it was defect or bricked ? *Nope*

Is it fair to say that 1A is as good as 1Z ? Or that you relying on 1 person to say that he prefer 1A over 1Z and to claim that they are on equal ground ? *Nope. *There are many who also could observe the 1A being lower tier in performances

1A by it design, development, engineered, to be a lower tier player than 1Z.  Because it is priced cheaper, used lower technically components and parts on paper such as resistors, capacitors, wires and chassis, and it was engineered that way by the very same team that made 1Z.  _I do agree that 1A is an excellent buy for the money, and that it has many better components than other DAP on the markets, but certainly it isn’t anywhere closer to 1Z in performances, and I observed it side by side for different occasions, stock or modified _


----------



## phonomat

Blueoris said:


> This is an opinion: The thing with mods... why is there the general assumption that they are an improvement over the original? They may change the sound characteristics, but that doesn't imply that the sound quality will go tiers up. That's one of the biggest misleading assertions I have see in this forum.
> 
> This is just an opinion...


It happens to be my opinion as well.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 16, 2020)

Deleted


----------



## lumdicks

Whitigir said:


> Not all mods are an upgrade, and that is why there are what you would call “tuning”.
> 
> However, @Vitaly2017 Romni Mod is likely “*defected*”
> 
> ...


Absolutely. I am one of those fully satisfied with the Romi BG modded 1A. It became even better with the 1A/1Z Switcher of @MrWalkman. I also flashed my 1Z and I can confirm that both are amazingly good, but with different sound.

Even with the intensive hardware modifications, I cannot say it is better than my stock 1Z for all gears and music.


----------



## Queen6

Whitigir said:


> Not all mods are an upgrade, and that is why there are what you would call “tuning”.
> 
> However, @Vitaly2017 Romni Mod is likely “*defected*”
> 
> ...



Nor is it fair to imply that all hardware Mod's result in a spectacular positive difference, which is frequently the case. In reality some mods will add and some will detract to varying degrees. Overall hardware modification will change the sound signature plain & simple. Those getting into hardware Mod's are best to do their homework and fully understand the implications, especially if paying a third party to do so...

Those interested in hardware mod's my advice is educate yourself, learn & practise soldering. Don't pay exorbitant fees to a third party for what amounts to basic technical work. Pick up a well beaten up ZX300 or WM1A and have at it. There's a plethora of advice and direction on the web. Frankly with concise instruction your average smartphone repair booth could conduct far more professional work than some of the images that have been publicly shared, with clients charged significant amounts for completely unacceptable shoddy work. Worse some remain to defend, poor workmanship is what it is no excuses required...

Q-6


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 16, 2020)

Blueoris said:


> This is an opinion: The thing with mods... why is there the general assumption that they are an improvement over the original? They may change the sound characteristics, but that doesn't imply that the sound quality will go tiers up. That's one of the biggest misleading assertions I have see in this forum.
> 
> This is just an opinion...





Diet Kokaine said:


> Silver wires will change the sound of the walkman, Copper will not. I tried warning him when he was talking about getting his player modded.
> Other Than that, Capacitor Mods will be superior to a stock player in every possible way.
> 
> ADD: Changing the internal wires should be an easy enough fix.





aceedburn said:


> You are right. There is no guarantee that a mod will improve the original sound. But some mods supersede that tremendously. Like the one we’re testing now. So yes, a mod can definitely make the sound way better than the original. If a proper AB test is done, the difference is instantly heard.





Whitigir said:


> Not all mods are an upgrade, and that is why there are what you would call “tuning”.
> 
> However, @Vitaly2017 Romni Mod is likely “*defected*”
> 
> ...





lumdicks said:


> Absolutely. I am one of those fully satisfied with the Romi BG modded 1A. It became even better with the 1A/1Z Switcher of @MrWalkman. I also flashed my 1Z and I can confirm that both are amazingly good, but with different sound.
> 
> Even with the intensive hardware modifications, I cannot say it is better than my stock 1Z for all gears and music.





Queen6 said:


> Nor is it fair to imply that all hardware Mod's result in a spectacular positive difference, which is frequently the case. In reality some mods will add and some will detract to varying degrees. Overall hardware modification will change the sound signature plain & simple. Those getting into hardware Mod's are best to do their homework and fully understand the implications, especially if paying a third party to do so...
> 
> Those interested in hardware mod's my advice is educate yourself, learn & practise soldering. Don't pay exorbitant fees to a third party for what amounts to basic technical work. Pick up a well beaten up ZX300 or WM1A and have at it. There's a plethora of advice and direction on the web. Frankly with concise instruction your average smartphone repair booth could conduct far more professional work than some of the images that have been publicly shared, with clients charged significant amounts for completely unacceptable shoddy work. Worse some remain to defend, poor workmanship is what it is no excuses required...
> 
> Q-6



The blatant truth is that the 1Z is a modified 1A and it’s considered by many as a general improvement. We are all like kids in a candy store and actually very spoiled to have so many options. But outside of making generalizations there could be a group of folks that can agree that a certain aftermarket set of physical change-outs to a 1A or 1Z do make them better. It’s subjective but most of us would agree our Walkmans have a more audiophile response than a simple iPhone. 

So there is a set of parameters we can all agree upon. I’ve only heard a modified 1A once in my life but my listening session doesn’t count as it was simply laying around and I needed a DAP to demo IEMs. 

I don’t seek out mods for my Walkmans but have found plenty of joy in learning to appreciate the new firmwares and switchers. I’ve come to the conclusion that actually the 1A stock but with aftermarket firmware can get pretty exciting. So much so that it offers a refreshing change from daily 1Z use. As it turns out there are tons of variables to enjoyment it seems. 

Once you realize the 1A can still offer a rather complete and satisfying tone, it’s then a spectacle of new and different abilities which are still amazingly good, even with the physical 1A untouched. 

So days go by and now the new sound offers a contrast. The 1A can be exciting in a sense that it approaches the tone from a different direction. The 1A has it’s own charms. Then going back to the 1Z shows why it is popular and good. The reason we arrived here (on this thread) was looking for perfection. We were under the impression that the better the sound quality the more enjoyable the listening experience would be. My idea is maybe there could be many perfections in tone?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Ok Guys First off all my Romi/1z is not defective! It working as it is supposed to !
And thos assumption that @Whitigir did are not relavant as he never heard it and only base hes idea on talking to another headfier... He never acctually heard the dap it self!

Why I keep it quiet because I am learning the new sound that my wm1z/Romi has to offer!  Is it because I prefer stock 1a or stock 1z means my romi/1z is deffective and broken NOT AT ALL.

There is no hiss and no defective components inside! The reason that @Whitigir  thinks my romi bg is deffective is because of the soundstage as it has a different sound presentation!
I didnt pay attention to that at first but then decided to buy a second stock 1z to do further tests and decide which I prefer. To say my romi is deffective that is false claims!

Further more I spoke closly with Romi about everything was done with my wm1z he explained me that in hes mod he used a capacitor to make the soundstage more vast grandiose ! WHat that means is, instead of having your vocals and mid centric soundstage intimate its now more spacious! it has a distance now its not intimate its more like a hall room its bigger and goes much further. The sound presentation of soundstage simply changed why does that automatically means its defective???

Silver cables bring more neutrality and detail precision, its a little closer to 1a sound but different... With BG caps its still plenty warm and bassy as stock 1z even with silver cables!
My romi/1z is simply changed in sound and tuning and it is not true it is defective!

You guys know I am trying a lot of stuff around and claiming that because I went out and bought 1a and stock 1z that my romi is defective is totally false rumors.
I have the right to not like or dislike it, its all personal! 


This is crazy , I havent even shared anything about my Romi and you guys already make false claims for me thanks!


----------



## Donmonte

Vitaly2017 said:


> Ok Guys First off all my Romi/1z is not defective! It working as it is supposed to !
> And thos assumption that @Whitigir did are not relavant as he never heard it and only base hes idea on talking to another headfier... He never acctually heard the dap it self!
> 
> Why I keep it quiet because I am learning the new sound that my wm1z/Romi has to offer!  Is it because I prefer stock 1a or stock 1z means my romi/1z is deffective and broken NOT AT ALL.
> ...


Getting accustomed to a new sound can take lots of time once you’ve been hearing things a certain way, hopefully you’ll really enjoy it down the line. In the end, that’s all that really matters.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Donmonte said:


> Getting accustomed to a new sound can take lots of time once you’ve been hearing things a certain way, hopefully you’ll really enjoy it down the line. In the end, that’s all that really matters.




I been in love with wm1z for past 2 years. It is normal that I am used to stock sound a lot. And big dramatic change like this can evoke disbalance and it isnlife changing!
As I listen to my dap around 20hours a week! Its my life and energy essence! 

For me its crucial to have that perfect sound signature!  It is why I try many options


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> I been in love with wm1z for past 2 years. It is normal that I am used to stock sound a lot. And big dramatic change like this can evoke disbalance and it isnlife changing!
> As I listen to my dap around 20hours a week! Its my life and energy essence!
> 
> For me its crucial to have that perfect sound signature!  It is why I try many options


Probably something that will never be achieved by some. If someone finds it 100%, works for me.


----------



## Donmonte

Vitaly2017 said:


> I been in love with wm1z for past 2 years. It is normal that I am used to stock sound a lot. And big dramatic change like this can evoke disbalance and it isnlife changing!
> As I listen to my dap around 20hours a week! Its my life and energy essence!
> 
> For me its crucial to have that perfect sound signature!  It is why I try many options


Did you try changing your 1Z to a 1A via the switcher ? The 1A firmware is more intimate and would maybe bring your Romi mod closer to what it was before. Can’t hurt to try if you haven’t done so already.


----------



## MrWalkman

Donmonte said:


> Did you try changing your 1Z to a 1A via the switcher ? The 1A firmware is more intimate and would maybe bring your Romi mod closer to what it was before. Can’t hurt to try if you haven’t done so already.



Even try it on 1Z. Heard it brings nice improvements as well. 

This turned out to be more than just 1A to 1Z. It was 1A to something else² .


----------



## Vitaly2017

Donmonte said:


> Did you try changing your 1Z to a 1A via the switcher ? The 1A firmware is more intimate and would maybe bring your Romi mod closer to what it was before. Can’t hurt to try if you haven’t done so already.




I am about to do that in a few minutes, I am having a tiger breakfast right now hehe





MrWalkman said:


> Even try it on 1Z. Heard it brings nice improvements as well.
> 
> This turned out to be more than just 1A to 1Z. It was 1A to something else² .




It turned out into a 1a that even sony didnt imagine could sound so good haha


----------



## lumdicks

MrWalkman said:


> Even try it on 1Z. Heard it brings nice improvements as well.
> 
> This turned out to be more than just 1A to 1Z. It was 1A to something else² .


Yes I got an improvement with just flashing without switching for my stock 1Z.


----------



## captblaze

I think I am more in like with this combo




Don't get me wrong the Starfield has a smooth sounding playback, but the Form 1.1 brings a bit of edge and bite to the playback that I really enjoy


----------



## 534409

Cinderella87 said:


> I see. I tried to change my zx300 to 1z using NW Model Switcher, but it doesn't work. Can you tell me how?


Right now I don't have ZX 300. But I remember changing it to DMP-Z1 with switcher without problems. Just try switcher again.


----------



## MatthewWeflen

Hey everybody,

I am expecting delivery of a new WM1A on Monday, to pair with my MDR-Z7 cans (via balanced cable). Any tips or tricks? I'm getting the impression that people don't like the newest firmware - why is that?


----------



## Vitaly2017

MatthewWeflen said:


> Hey everybody,
> 
> I am expecting delivery of a new WM1A on Monday, to pair with my MDR-Z7 cans (via balanced cable). Any tips or tricks? I'm getting the impression that people don't like the newest firmware - why is that?




Go get Kimber Kable and try J+stock 3.0.2 then wait for our new fw release to explode your world and impressions like you never imagined before!

Oh yea please dont forget the 200 hours burn in !!! Very crucial part for maximum sound quality


----------



## MatthewWeflen

Vitaly2017 said:


> Go get Kimber Kable and try J+stock 3.0.2 then wait for our new fw release to explode your world and impressions like you never imagined before!
> 
> Oh yea please dont forget the 200 hours burn in !!! Very crucial part for maximum sound quality


I don't think a Kimber Kable upgrade is in my near future, having just plunked down for the DAP itself. As far as 200 hours go, I'll be doing that the old fashioned way - by listening 

What are the features of this custom firmware?


----------



## nnrrwz

thanks for the info


----------



## MrWalkman

MatthewWeflen said:


> What are the features of this custom firmware?



More details will come when it'll be released.


----------



## Vitaly2017

MatthewWeflen said:


> I don't think a Kimber Kable upgrade is in my near future, having just plunked down for the DAP itself. As far as 200 hours go, I'll be doing that the old fashioned way - by listening
> 
> What are the features of this custom firmware?




you can listen and do burn in I always do that and try to remember at which hour mark what changes occures. Its actually a fun game to play around with lol
But Trust me Kimber Kable has a big changing roll here to! Its designed by sony to bring the best sound possible. the kimber kable is significantly better over stock cable. maybe in future or buy a used one on headfi?  That cable new is 280 on amazon


----------



## proedros

captblaze said:


> I think I am more in like with this combo
> 
> 
> 
> Don't get me wrong the Starfield has a smooth sounding playback, but the Form 1.1 brings a bit of edge and bite to the playback that I really enjoy



Desert Island Disc , SD are geniuses

ps : get the US Pressing vinyl rip , it's fantastic


----------



## MatthewWeflen

MrWalkman said:


> More details will come when it'll be released.


Is there a download and installation guide? What does J+3.0.2 bring to the table?

Apologies for noob questions


----------



## MrWalkman

MatthewWeflen said:


> Is there a download and installation guide?



As mentioned, it's not yet fully released. Once it will, there will be a link and more info.


----------



## Vitaly2017

MatthewWeflen said:


> Is there a download and installation guide? What does J+3.0.2 bring to the table?
> 
> Apologies for noob questions




You can get the region tool from my signature, and then you can always download stock fw from sony site...
Under my name in the signature part I got all the custom fw

Such a question lol, it brings you the best you can have available for now


----------



## RobertP (Jul 16, 2020)

In the end after playing around with the new method last night. I think @Vitaly2017 way is sound best for those with Romi's mods and something equivalent to that. I try that on my modified 1A and for a bit and this sound profile is not very in my cup of tea. Bass seem to almost disappear and the upper-mid is way too much. 
I try OEM firmwares again started from v3.0 and up because I don't want to lose any new features. To my suprises, FW v3.0 is very good but I wish it has a little more bass and wider soundstage. Try OrionV2 Stage2 again on v3.02 and I'm back to th he happy place.


----------



## MrWalkman

RobertP said:


> Bass seem to almost disappear



That is really weird, as for everyone of us who tried it on a stock WM1A, the bass is greatly improved, while in rest there is an increased sense of realism in the sound, as it's more organic/analog.

Well...


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> In the end after playing around with the new method last night. I think @Vitaly2017 way is sound best for those with Romi's mods and something equivalent to that. I try that on my mod 1A for a bit and this sound profile is not very in my cup of tea. Bass seem to almost disappear and the upper-mid is way too much.
> I try OEM firmwares again started from v3.0 and up because I don't want to lose any new features. To my suprises, FW v3.0 is very good but I wish it has a little more bass and wider soundstage. Try OrionV2 Stage2 again on v3.02 and I'm back to th he happy place.




I am listening to my Romi with the new method I found and it does sound very exclusive, so seductive and cozy sound. I feel like my romi is hugging and caressing me all over my body hahaha


----------



## MrWalkman

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am listening to my Romi with the new method I found and it does sound very exclusive, so seductive and cozy sound. I feel like my romi is hugging and caressing me all over my body hahaha



Vitaly, I think you also tried it on a stock 1A, right?


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> That is really weird, as for everyone of us who tried it on a stock WM1A, the bass is greatly improved, while in rest there is an increased sense of realism in the sound, as it's more organic/analog.
> 
> Well...




Yea it is true, the 1a has more bass then my romi with the new fw on 1a!


----------



## RobertP (Jul 16, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> That is really weird, as for everyone of us who tried it on a stock WM1A, the bass is greatly improved, while in rest there is an increased sense of realism in the sound, as it's more organic/analog.
> 
> Well...


Will try one more time just in case.


----------



## Mindstorms

RobertP said:


> In the end after playing around with the new method last night. I think @Vitaly2017 way is sound best for those with Romi's mods and something equivalent to that. I try that on my mod 1A for a bit and this sound profile is not very in my cup of tea. Bass seem to almost disappear and the upper-mid is way too much.
> I try OEM firmwares again started from v3.0 and up because I don't want to lose any new features. To my suprises, FW v3.0 is very good but I wish it has a little more bass and wider soundstage. Try OrionV2 Stage2 again on v3.02 and I'm back to th he happy place.


I told you 3.00 was very good!


----------



## Ravenous

So, random question. If I wanted to clean the metal surface of the WM1A, would isopropyl alcohol be too strong to use?


----------



## Queen6

Ravenous said:


> So, random question. If I wanted to clean the metal surface of the WM1A, would isopropyl alcohol be too strong to use?



Very much doubt will do any harm, I just use a microfibre cloth on the odd occasion I remove the DAP from the silicon case.

Q-6


----------



## Ravenous

Queen6 said:


> Very much doubt will do any harm, I just use a microfibre cloth on the odd occasion I remove the DAP from the silicon case.
> 
> Q-6



The thing is, I've learned first hand how easy it is to scratch and remove the black paint on the wm1a so I wasn't sure if any cleaning agents, other than water, would be safe.


----------



## Maxx134

Duncan said:


> that I’ll probably keep mine as vanilla for as long as I have it


My Kmod is better than vanilla stock! That's from side-by-side observations with two of same headphones for fast A/B switching.
More air and delicacy. With juicy bass.
Stock was a bit bolder & less nuanced.



Blueoris said:


> .. why is there the general assumption that they are an improvement over the original?


Why is grass green? Because it is.
Why are tunnig mods an improvement?
Because _they are.!_
Hearing is believing.
You should try it.




Blueoris said:


> That's one of the biggest misleading assertions I have see in this forum


Nothing misleading.
Just many users verifying observations on which tunning they prefer.

The new switcher method is actually a real true upgrade in sound from my observations.




Vitaly2017 said:


> This is crazy , I havent even shared anything about my Romi and you guys already make false claims for me thanks!


That's what I thought. 
Your preference in sound has nothing to do with the quality of the mod and I also do remember you stating the unit was fully restored to optimal condition after it was fixed.

Some users like me actually like bigger soundstage.



lumdicks said:


> Yes I got an improvement with just flashing without switching for my stock 1Z.


Well, now that the cat's out of the bag, yes I can verify that the switcher _*also improved *_my 1z.





RobertP said:


> Will try one more time just in case.


It's not correct of your not on 3.02, why would you try old firmwares when all new mods and tunnings are mainly based on 3.02.
Nothing to be gained that a tunnig can't do.

The switcher is for 3.02, so before you even start to apply it, you should have flashed a fresh install big stock 3.02.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 16, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> It's not correct of your not on 3.02, why would you try old firmwares when all new mods and tunnings are mainly based on 3.02.
> Nothing to be gained that a tunnig can't do.
> 
> The switcher is for 3.02, so before you even start to apply it, you should have flashed a fresh install big stock 3.02.



It's ok, he actually assumed that by flashing 3.00, then 3.01, and then 3.02, some lost things due to the mod, will be restored, as he wanted to revert the mod's changes.

However, WM1A/Z updates don't work like Windows Updates. Every time you update, the system is rewritten from scratch, so nothing comes over from older versions. So just installing 3.02 is enough, as stated in the instructions...

And well, some people prefer how older versions sound, if talking about why someone would try 3.00 or 3.01.


----------



## gsiu33

nc8000 said:


> The side plug on the TA is a special one, micro usb plus and extra small plug. I think the micro usb itself carries the signal only and the small extra block is the one that carries power to charge. I have not seen a long cable with that termination, only the short one that comes with the TA. Also the side plug is limited in music resolution compared to the rear, as I remember the side plug only carries up to 24/96 while the rear can do 24/192


In term of music resolution, the side plug support up to PCM 32,384 and native DSD 11.2Mhz. The optical plug only support up to 24,96.


----------



## nc8000

gsiu33 said:


> In term of music resolution, the side plug support up to PCM 32,384 and native DSD 11.2Mhz. The optical plug only support up to 24,96.



You are perfectly right, I just tried it for the first time (well at least pcm192 as I don’t have anything higher). It has just been mentioned many times that the side entry is limited so I assumed it to be true.


----------



## phonomat

Maxx134 said:


> My Kmod is better than vanilla stock! That's from side-by-side observations with two of same headphones for fast A/B switching.
> More air and delicacy. With juicy bass.
> Stock was a bit bolder & less nuanced.
> 
> ...


No offense, but that statement is completely nonsensical. The color green is a quality. What we are talking about is if a certain kind of sound is subjectively perceived as an improvement or not. Grass may indeed be green, but some might like the color green while others might dislike it. (I'm not even going into the question if we all perceive the same shade of green in the exact same way, which is highly unlikely.)

Sound is not about absolutes. After your bold statement, you go on saying that many users "prefer" a certain kind of sound yourself and that is is better based on "[your] observations", then going on to say that "some users like [you] actually like bigger soundstage". Everything you say after claiming that sound can be an absolute quality is about subjective experience.


----------



## Redcarmoose

My apologies as I had not switched over fully until now. Maybe same as interpretations, maybe not? Will post tomorrow.


----------



## RobertP

RobertP said:


> In the end after playing around with the new method last night. I think @Vitaly2017 way is sound best for those with Romi's mods and something equivalent to that. I try that on my modified 1A and for a bit and this sound profile is not very in my cup of tea. Bass seem to almost disappear and the upper-mid is way too much.
> I try OEM firmwares again started from v3.0 and up because I don't want to lose any new features. To my suprises, FW v3.0 is very good but I wish it has a little more bass and wider soundstage. Try OrionV2 Stage2 again on v3.02 and I'm back to th he happy place.



Finally, fix what ever holed me back. Now the tool+tune works as intended.
As far as sound quality goes, it's actually very good. Maybe better than stock v3.0. Just wish it's a bit fuller sound that is all.


----------



## Whitigir

Have DSEEHX been cranked up yet in the Walkman + firmware ?


----------



## Mindstorms

Ravenous said:


> So, random question. If I wanted to clean the metal surface of the WM1A, would isopropyl alcohol be too strong to use?


dont ever use alcohol! on anithing


----------



## Whitigir

Mindstorms said:


> dont ever use alcohol! on anithing


I would use it on myself, gladly


----------



## gsiu33

Vitaly2017 said:


> I wonder how much better is stock dmp z1 vs 1z and Ta.
> 
> Dmp has all the bells and whistles of sony current offerings.
> Plus its a battery operated unit so no noise and power problems.
> But so so expensive hmmm


I have all of them and IMO DMP >> TA > 1Z. Running in battery mode DMP is so good, have a very quite background, big sound stage and magnetic vocal. TA have similar soundstage as  compare with 1Z (may he marginal wider), but have a more impact bass.


----------



## Whitigir

gsiu33 said:


> I have all of them and IMO DMP >> TA > 1Z. Running in battery mode DMP is so good, have a very quite background, big sound stage and magnetic vocal. TA have similar soundstage as  compare with 1Z (may he marginal wider), but have a more impact bass.


Agreed!!!


----------



## Maxx134

phonomat said:


> . Grass may indeed be green, but some might like the color green while others might dislike it.





phonomat said:


> Everything you say after claiming that sound can be an absolute quality is about subjective experience





phonomat said:


> is not about absolutes


All of creation is about absolutes.
All perceived are coming from absolute quantities.
Your view is coming from modernist theology.

If everyone can see the grass is green, then it's green.
It is not subjective.
It is your reality.
We live in a real world, wether we perceive it as subjective or not.
Every solid/liquid/gas has an exact chemical make up.
Every perceived light ray is of an exact frequency color spectrum.

Every sound frequency is of an exact value, but vary with time.

So to speak subjectively is a slippery slope to negate everything.

Meanwhile your position will end up believing in theories instead of observed realities.
This is where mainstream science is pushing us.

For me, Observation is truth.
If the _*majority*_ of observers here _*VERIFY*_ thru their _own ears, and agree_ that there is an improvement, then that's an observed reality.
So it's is not me alone making claims, it is instead the *general consensus of the thread.*

Singling me out is not the answer to your dilemma.
Modernism is.


----------



## Whitigir

Human magic comes from their senses, and observations.  Human science comes from observations and figuring out how to manipulate Or replicate the phenomenal.

Sciences is just a tools to be used as guidance

Human observations and their senses are where they can break away from the boxes and keep on inNovation and creativities, inventions...etc

For example, gravitational waves have always been existed, and how did Einstein came out with such theories ? What observations triggered him to discovered it ? It is a mystery.  Sciences as it were, were never able to measure and or finding out a solid evidence of it existences, does not mean it did not exist.....now, some one can finally measure and capture it

geniuses such as Einstein and or Newton are rarely come by.  The same as Audiophiles hobby and observations, some people is more gifted than others.  This is what I keep on saying, even in blind test, if only 1 out of millions who can constantly tell the differences, then the differences existed.  You will find many blind tests with this conclusions

We are all human, but there are geniuses among us


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> I would use it on myself, gladly





Spoiler: Who would have thought? 



You may want to have a drink? The 1Z has just been passed by the 1A?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Any one willing to join the party ?
🙃🙂😇


----------



## Gamerlingual

Me. Waiting patiently


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Any one willing to join the party ?
> 🙃🙂😇


Does the IPad sound as good as 1Z ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Does the IPad sound as good as 1Z ?



That’s his clock.


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> I would use it on myself, gladly


hahaa it may irritate you!


----------



## Ghostsounds

Redcarmoose said:


> Spoiler: Who would have thought?
> 
> 
> 
> You may want to have a drink? The 1Z has just been passed by the 1A?


Woah 😳


----------



## Ghostsounds

Gamerlingual said:


> Me. Waiting patiently


Me too!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Ghostsounds said:


> Me too!



Strangest thing I’ve ever seen?


----------



## mwhals

Two months or a little over and I will have the rest of the money for a WM1Z from Accessory Jack!


----------



## Ravenous

Mindstorms said:


> dont ever use alcohol! on anithing



Earlier in this thread I asked about how to clean the gunk around the entry of the headphone ports and was told I could use isopropyl alcohol and a q tip. Would isopropyl alcohol not be safe for the outer rims of the headphone jacks?


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jul 17, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Strangest thing I’ve ever seen?




You do now understand why mr.Tiger ears is so over excited about the new 1a ! It seriously blows ass real hard!


----------



## Donmonte (Jul 17, 2020)

Deleted.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> You do now understand why mr.Tiger ears is so over excited about the new 1a ! It seriously blows ass real hard!


Sounds the same to me. I hear no change at all. I tried. Oh well.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 17, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Sounds the same to me. I hear no change at all. I tried. Oh well.



That's pretty much impossible. If you did the steps as intended and you still can't hear a difference, you would probably not be able to hear a difference between a stock 1A and a stock 1Z.

Let's PM.


----------



## hyper8

I would like to try this firmware out


----------



## MrWalkman

hyper8 said:


> I would like to try this firmware out



I'm not sure about the capability of other people to successfully install this, which results in impressions that nothing is changed or similar stuff.

Until we'll have a simpler process, I'm not gonna share this further.

Thanks for understanding.


----------



## Ravenous

MrWalkman said:


> I'm not sure about the capability of other people to successfully install this, which results in impressions that nothing is changed or similar stuff.
> 
> Until we'll have a simpler process, I'm not gonna share this further.
> 
> Thanks for understanding.



Not to sound rude, but just to clarify, you are not going to release this to the public anytime soon?


----------



## MrWalkman

Ravenous said:


> Not to sound rude, but just to clarify, you are not going to release this to the public anytime soon?



As soon as there will be UPGs available, will do. If it could be tomorrow, I would release it tomorrow 

That's the only thing.


----------



## Ravenous

MrWalkman said:


> As soon as there will be UPGs available, will do. If it could be tomorrow, I would release it tomorrow
> 
> That's the only thing.



Ah ok. I appreciate your candidness and response. By the way, what is a UPG?


----------



## nc8000

Ravenous said:


> Ah ok. I appreciate your candidness and response. By the way, what is a UPG?



The standard packging format of the Sony updater I think


----------



## MrWalkman

Ravenous said:


> Ah ok. I appreciate your candidness and response. By the way, what is a UPG?



UPG is a format which Sony uses for packing up their firmware. The UPG file is then used by the official Sony update tool when updating the firmware.

So when we'll have UPGs, we'll be able to easily update the device with the mod.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jul 17, 2020)

Well after 3 huge days Of testing the new fw. No its not yet ready be patient!

But I wanted to share some impressions for ya all.

I am thorn in between my Romi and 1a+ new fw. The new fw brought 1a into such an impressive new height of sound quality and technicality that no one have even tought possible!

The new fw also improves 1z performance of course!  But the real star of the show is 1a!!!

This is so impressive and insane but the tonality of the new 1a and sound signature is so realistic so addictive so delusional. I am completely lost in the music with 1a it simply baffles me and slaps me in the face saying and you tough 1z is the best!  Hahaha

I really like the synergy of 1a and new fw with my tia noir its total win win situation for me! I love it so much. That I think I made my mind on selling the stock 1z and then probably the romi! But I am still deciding as I do like how romi sounds.  At the stage where I am my preference goes. 1A then 1z/Romi then 1Z stock!

Yeaa what can I do My heart has spoken!
I make this official! 1a is my new love and honey moon is all over in the air 😍😍😍🥰🥰


For folks who own 1z or lately has acquired  one! Please dont cry as the new fw also improves 1z to a new height of unprecedented sound quality it offer better bass response more tight and quick! Better tonal balance and slightly less thick in wamrth...
I believe  the new fw we found thanks to @MrWalkman is a huge revolution in wm1 player! No fw has achieved this kind of level in musical experience!


Both world wins the 1a and the 1z so soon you guys will be impressed by a new fw that will change your wm1a/z into a new beast of a dap!


----------



## gearofwar

Vitaly2017 said:


> Well after 3 huge days Of testing the new fw. No its not yet ready be patient!
> 
> But I wanted to share some impressions for ya all.
> 
> ...


this smells extremely and highly controversial but it's good you speak your mind


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> this smells extremely and highly controversial but it's good you speak your mind




Nothing controversial as we have a new fw for 1a!

I never had a 1a before either! For me 1a is a new experience. Also it is very possible my tastes and flavors have changed and shifted into a new direction. 

After all I been testing sooo much gear lately and had different tastes and flavors of this and that. My mind found a new desired signature and this turns out to be 1a+new fw and my tia noir!

I dont believe in the idea that more expensive gear has better sound.... its all dependent on what you like and seek!


----------



## gearofwar

Vitaly2017 said:


> Nothing controversial as we have a new fw for 1a!
> 
> I never had a 1a before either! For me 1a is a new experience. Also it is very possible my tastes and flavors have changed and shifted into a new direction.
> 
> ...


it's about the synergy all along


----------



## Vitaly2017

To add a spoiler !
I traded my ubber insane expensive pw1960 4wires cable for a 1a+cash!!!

Because no synergy for me was found!


Does that mean pw1960 is a total crap? NOPE its my preference!  I like it with stock cable more!


----------



## Queen6

As ever, Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder...

Q-6


----------



## proedros

@Vitaly2017  is the official *'music = better than drugs' *spokesperson of head-fi


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> @Vitaly2017  is the official *'music = better than drugs' *spokesperson of head-fi





Hahaha 🤣

Follow my example dont do drugs! And listen to music!


----------



## Whitigir

I am jealous !!! If I could have prefer

1Z > DMP and then 1A > 1Z

then I could have saved a whole bunch just because 1A would be the best of them all from Sony Portable

I AM Honestly Jealous !!!!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> I am jealous !!! If I could have prefer
> 
> 1Z > DMP and then 1A > 1Z
> 
> ...





If I sale 1z+1z/romi thats a nice 4.5k back into my pockets!
Thanks to 1a lmao


----------



## JSQT

Hey folks, happy new owner of a WM1Z as of today. My IEMs are Meze Rai Pentas with the Meze 4.4 balanced cable and I think it's a really great match with this DAP. 

I've been doing a lot of digging & experimenting over the past few hours and I think I have a pretty good working knowledge of the ins and outs of the unit & operating system... But one thing I can't get my head around is the Play Queue functionality of the system. 

I'm a big user of Roon on my home systems and I am used to adding songs dynamically to the queue as I listen. So if I am listening to a Tom Petty song and I feel like hearing a particular Beck song next, I'm used to being able to just select the Beck song and "add it to the queue," so it plays next. Most streaming services have this same functionality where you add it to play next or to the end of the current queue, etc. 

But with the 1Z from what I can tell, there's no way to add a song to the queue. If I select another song it just starts playing next. If I select a song off a Tom Petty album, the queue just lines up all the rest of the songs on that album next. 

Am I missing something - there must be a way to add songs or move around songs in the current queue isn't there?

Also I'm not talking about a Playlist where you add the songs to the playlist ahead of time and they always play the song. I'm talking about dynamically deciding mid-song that I want to hear a different song/artist next and it adds it to either play next or to the end of the current queue. 

That's about the only thing I'm frustrated with right now - the sound of this unit is wonderful.


----------



## Lookout57

JSQT said:


> Hey folks, happy new owner of a WM1Z as of today. My IEMs are Meze Rai Pentas with the Meze 4.4 balanced cable and I think it's a really great match with this DAP.
> 
> I've been doing a lot of digging & experimenting over the past few hours and I think I have a pretty good working knowledge of the ins and outs of the unit & operating system... But one thing I can't get my head around is the Play Queue functionality of the system.
> 
> ...


Sorry what you are looking for isn't possible. 

Sony does offer 10 Bookmarks (swipe left to see them). You can add content to a Bookmark and add and delete on the fly. That is the closest I can think of to what you are looking to do.


----------



## Maxx134

Vitaly2017 said:


> For folks who own 1z or lately has acquired one! Please dont cry as the new fw also improves 1z to a new height of unprecedented sound quality it offer better bass response more tight and quick! Better tonal balance and slightly less thick in wamrth...
> I believe the new fw we found thanks to @MrWalkman is a huge revolution in wm1 player! No fw has achieved this kind of level in musical experience!


What I noticed (on my 1z) was a larger and more raw sound.

In my test track, the piano had more energy in the key presses, and the cymbals had more timbre  and separated from piano in air.
The sound seemed more intense and deeper and taller, but the impression as a whole was of a more lifelike clarity.

It was as if some extra compression & processing  was turned off.

So if the 1a has this same sound, I think I may have to get a 1a again, and see if it worth keeping my 1z(!)


The main advantage I see of the 1a, is the weight for portability.



gearofwar said:


> this smells extremely and highly controversial but it's good you speak your mind


Controversial if it was just tunning,   but this is not a tunnig mod install. It's actually running  the 1z firmware in your 1a.


----------



## MrWalkman

Maxx134 said:


> Controversial if it was just tunning, but this is not a tunnig mod install. It's actually running the 1z firmware in your 1a.



Controversial that it can sound better than a stock 1Z I guess.


----------



## 534409

@MrWalkman Man, yhank you for all your work. I'm also curious how the new firmware will be. All this reminds me old days with iBasso DX90 and some packages from player.ru forum


----------



## JSQT

Lookout57 said:


> Sorry what you are looking for isn't possible.
> 
> Sony does offer 10 Bookmarks (swipe left to see them). You can add content to a Bookmark and add and delete on the fly. That is the closest I can think of to what you are looking to do.



Aw man. Okay.... So I guess we're all just listening to full albums and playlists then. 

That's okay... kind of like the original Walkman where you had to listen to the whole cassette tape.


----------



## Vitaly2017

For the curious ones that love Mr.tiger ears! Hehe

Here is a link about my personality.  I completed that questionary and the result is word to word who I am!

https://www.16personalities.com/infj-personality


----------



## 534409 (Jul 18, 2020)

off-topic:
Nelson Mandela... I was on trip in his house in Soweto in 2005. Imagine small house made of bricks fitting all his family. And of course gepard skin on bed as a sign of noble Xhosa family.


----------



## RobertP

My 1A perform less than optimal lately do to try so many FWs in the past year. Been trying to fixed it out in the past couple days why. I just learned the hard way today that my 1A need to be restore to factory in order the get the purest true sony sound as intend out of it. I know it suck beacuse the total play time will also be reset. But the end result is just amazing. Now it sound like a complete different unit.


----------



## Vitaly2017

RobertP said:


> My 1A perform less than optimal lately do to try so many FWs in the past year. Been trying to fixed it out in the past couple days why. I just learned the hard way today that my 1A need to be restore to factory in order the get the purest true sony sound as intend out of it. I know it suck beacuse the total play time will also be reset. But the end result is just amazing. Now it sound like a complete different unit.




A new 1a game changer!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 18, 2020)

So it seems for the very first time a new Walkman chapter has begun. Beyond simple subjective taste.........there has now been made changes to the 1A to bring about a sound quality to surpass the stock 1Z.

What? Yes, you just read that correct. Somehow confusing as it seems, firmware IS more important than hardware at times. This obviously is not always the case........but in this direct competition between a J region stock 1Z and a firmware switched (J region) stock 1A, the 1A pulls ahead. Many of us have suspected such a enigma yet we were only given a subtle hint before with firmware mods. Now the firmware mods as we used to use them are outdated.

With introduction of this marvelously confusing methodology of adds to the players, there are many tone choices. Yet we now realize that Sony has made the choice to sell the 1A firmware crippled, leaving room for the stock 1Z to gather sales. For 1Z owners (like yours truly) there is always the chance of combining hardware mods with this new switcher to pull ahead of the stock 1A. Of course now that we have become enlightened to the pure power of firmware; there is always the chance the 1Z can be improved into a leapfrog over the 1A. I truly never thought I would ever write what is above.

Cheers!


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> So it seems for the very first time a new Walkman chapter has begun. Beyond simple subjective taste it there has now been made changes to the 1A to bring about a sound quality to surpass the stock 1Z.
> 
> What? Yes, you may have read that correct? Somehow confusing as it seems, firmware IS more important than hardware at times. This obviously is not always the case........but in this direct competition between a J region stock 1Z and a firmware switched (J region) stock 1A, the 1A pulls ahead. Many of us have suspected such a enigma yet we were only given a taste before with firmware mods. Now the firmware mods as we used to use them are outdated.
> 
> ...


Absolutely well said. And I have said time and time again.IMO hardware mods are a total waste of money and they are irrreversible. This is very evident with the latest developments. Software has superseded hardware in every possible way. Everyone will try to justify the money they spent(blew) on their hardware mods and defend them to the bone. Well, if it makes you happy then why not? If for one am a happy Walkman owner thanks to @MrWalkman


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> Absolutely well said. And I have said time and time again.IMO hardware mods are a total waste of money and they are irrreversible. This is very evident with the latest developments. Software has superseded hardware in every possible way. Everyone will try to justify the money they spent(blew) on their hardware mods and defend them to the bone. Well, if it makes you happy then why not? If for one am a happy Walkman owner thanks to @MrWalkman


So perhaps all that stuff packed into the DMP-Z1 isn’t worth the cost of the price?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 18, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Absolutely well said. And I have said time and time again.IMO hardware mods are a total waste of money and they are irrreversible. This is very evident with the latest developments. Software has superseded hardware in every possible way. Everyone will try to justify the money they spent(blew) on their hardware mods and defend them to the bone. Well, if it makes you happy then why not? If for one am a happy Walkman owner thanks to @MrWalkman



I’m simply pointing out stock J region 1A to stock J region 1Z. With the 1Z having regular 3.02 and the 1A with MrWalkmans inventive “plus” firmware added.

 This is still very subjective (though for extra  drama) I probably didn’t underline (a thing about subjectivity) in the prior post? 

This is truly confusing. I mean this is a big deal, and the story is not over yet. I’m just happy to have had this opportunity, and happy (and grateful) the 1A had it inside to scale to such an unguessable place. This place was never thought of. Now I fully understood your original introduction post about it being on a whole new level. No better words have been written. I’m not sure how 1A owners would take it, if they just had a 1A? It would be like getting something new causing a paradigm shift in understanding what’s possible with a Walkman?


----------



## tieuly1

Hi guys, it is better to respect everyone perspective. You don't do hardware mod, doesn't mean it is waste of money. Everyone would like to explore their own project. So please respect other territory.
I love that Wm1a could achieve that far after such a long 4-5 years. Because of the enthusiastic pioneers, We could enjoy such a great fruit today )


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> So perhaps all that stuff packed into the DMP-Z1 isn’t worth the cost of the price?


Never once mentioned the Z1


----------



## aceedburn

tieuly1 said:


> Hi guys, it is better to respect everyone perspective. You don't do hardware mod, doesn't mean it is waste of money. Everyone would like to explore their own project. So please respect other territory.
> I love that Wm1a could achieve that far after such a long 4-5 years. Because of the enthusiastic pioneers, We could enjoy such a great fruit today )


If you read my post carefully you will see that I started with IMO. And so this is a forum and everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. Anyone may agree or disagree with my opinion. That’s just the way it is. It is still My Opinion nevertheless. Enjoy the music mate!


----------



## Redcarmoose

.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Well, at least we can agree that the 1Z is still pretty anyway?


----------



## 524419 (Jul 18, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Absolutely well said. And I have said time and time again.IMO hardware mods are a total waste of money and they are irrreversible. This is very evident with the latest developments. Software has superseded hardware in every possible way. Everyone will try to justify the money they spent(blew) on their hardware mods and defend them to the bone. Well, if it makes you happy then why not? If for one am a happy Walkman owner thanks to @MrWalkman


If you had actually listened to a modded walkman, you wouldn't be saying this. As I hear it, there is no comparison between a stock 1A and one with modded internal wires and capacitors. Not even in the same league. Both using the same software.
Stock sounds like a middling DAP, nothing special, and a modded one competes with my desktop DAC, and surpasses it in some ways.
Again, don't make grand statements without trying it for yourself.

add: I can't speak for Romi's mod, it uses 4 volt capacitors that are 20 years old, instead of 16 volt capacitors being used by the rest of us. Silver wires will also change the stock sony sound.
Again can't say much without A/B ing it for myself.


----------



## Ghostsounds

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m simply pointing out stock J region 1A to stock J region 1Z. With the 1Z having regular 3.02 and the 1A with MrWalkmans inventive “plus” firmware added.
> 
> This is still very subjective (though for extra  drama) I probably didn’t underline (a thing about subjectivity) in the prior post?
> 
> This is truly confusing. I mean this is a big deal, and the story is not over yet. I’m just happy to have had this opportunity, and happy (and grateful) the 1A had it inside to scale to such an unguessable place. This place was never thought of. Now I fully understood your original introduction post about it being on a whole new level. No better words have been written. I’m not sure how 1A owners would take it, if they just had a 1A? It would be like getting something new causing a paradigm shift in understanding what’s possible with a Walkman?


Have you tried the mod (not the switcher) on your 1z?


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> Never once mentioned the Z1


guessing you’ve never tried it? I was asking


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 18, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> guessing you’ve never tried it? I was asking



I think he was just talking about hardware mods in relation to the WM1A and WM1Z only 



Diet Kokaine said:


> If you had actually listened to modded walkman, you wouldn't be saying this. As I hear it, there is no comparison between a stock 1A and one with modded internal wires and capacitors. Not even in the same league. Both using the same software.
> Stock sounds like a middling DAP, nothing special, and a modded one competes with my desktop DAC, and surpasses it in some ways.
> Again, don't make grand statements without trying them for yourself.
> 
> ...



I would say he's referring to how stock 1A sounds with the recent mod. It's a different sound, not just a tuning, so it may sound better than a hardware modded 1A, just because the software part brings such a difference.


----------



## 524419

MrWalkman said:


> I think he was just talking about hardware mods in relation to the WM1A and WM1Z only
> 
> 
> 
> I would say he's referring to how stock 1A sounds with the recent mod. It's a different sound, not just a tuning, so it may sound better than a hardware modded 1A, just because the software part brings such a difference.


Looking forward to your next release. Thank you for all the hard work


----------



## MrWalkman

Diet Kokaine said:


> Looking forward to your next release. Thank you for all the hard work



Soon soon


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 18, 2020)

Ghostsounds said:


> Have you tried the mod (not the switcher) on your 1z?



No. And I may? I’m typically very slow at this process? I mean that’s what is happening, people are going to subjectively lean towards a tone as it caters to their desired sound signature as well as joins-up with the IEM they are using. As much as we try to unilaterally gain absolute ideas, it never works in the end as this game is subjective to a fault. 

Though I do have questions and have gained ideas about people using the switcher to put Sony 1A firmware on their 1Z, modded 1Z and of course 1A”plus”. There are now many windows of opportunity if you think about it. 

There are no rules except the listening test. Preconceived notions get dropped and these players take on their own happenstance end-results unexpectedly. 

That’s the surprise of it all. 

Obviously my test so far is not apples to apples. But the general relevance is folks may not want to get a 1Z, if the 1A sounds this good. God knows at just under 700 hours my 1A has sat unused much. But now, it’s special. If the 1Z would also do this jump is yet to be seen. Though our results may be due to the general personality of these players regardless of firmware used. Meaning that the positive results with our 1A now are maybe a direct result of it’s tone? 

The soundstage is amazing with the 1A now? If that soundstage gets pulled over to the 1Z chassis is yet to be seen. It actually could be better? Time will tell. And if I don’t do it someone will eventually.  

Edit: I assume your not talking about a physically modded 1Z? Your speaking of the “plus” firmware?


----------



## aceedburn (Jul 18, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> I think he was just talking about hardware mods in relation to the WM1A and WM1Z only
> 
> 
> 
> I would say he's referring to how stock 1A sounds with the recent mod. It's a different sound, not just a tuning, so it may sound better than a hardware modded 1A, just because the software part brings such a difference.


You took the words right out of my mouth. Indeed I still stick by what I said. IMO hardware mods are a waste of money. If Sony intended to make their Walkman sound a different way they would’ve used different parts and wires. The reason why they used the components they did is because it’s probably the best match for what they wanted people to hear. So hardware mods alter the sound. If an artist records a song a certain way you can’t ask him to re record it because you don’t like it. You simply don’t buy the record and buy another one. Software mods on the other hand are totally reversible and give you a different take. So it’s the best option and it’s free. IMO of course!


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> No. And I may? I’m typically very slow at this process? I mean that’s what is happening, people are going to subjectively lean towards a tone as it caters to their desired sound signature as well as joins-up with the IEM they are using. As much as we try to unilaterally gain absolute ideas, it never works in the end as this game is subjective to a fault.
> 
> Though I do have questions and have gained ideas about people using the switcher to put Sony 1A firmware on their 1Z, modded 1Z and of course 1A”plus”. There are now many windows of opportunity if you think about it.
> 
> ...



We may soon have a way to do this headache free. Stay tuned.


----------



## phonomat

Maxx134 said:


> All of creation is about absolutes.
> All perceived are coming from absolute quantities.
> Your view is coming from modernist theology.
> 
> ...


Oookay ...


----------



## Gamerlingual

Even when the 1A sounds better, I’ll keep the 1Z. I’m realizing how hard it is for most people to obtain such a player that it’s better to appreciate it for what it is and what it CAN be after software mods. If there’s a way to make it sound better than the DMP-Z1, I’ll be all over there bandwagon and listen to music all day


----------



## Vitaly2017

I just want to put a few things straight as it becomes to be a little free for all frenzy with opinions. In fact I was worried a few folks would go to the extreme and start set trash cans on fire lmao

Of course when folks hear statements like oh ss 1a is better then 1z with new fw. ! 


Listen,  here is the statement 1z is a warm sounding dap with a lush and seductive sound presentation. 1z was built by sony to represent what sony loves as sound signature! Period !

1a os a different philosophy and people should stop fooling them selfs with the idea of more expensive means better.  Also folks should stop comparing 1a vs 1z!
This is 2 different dap and the idea behind each was very different from the start!

1a is the neutral natural sound, more balanced more precise and oriented to be as the artist's meant it to be heard! A life like sound! 



Now modified daps is not a waste of money so wrong thinking that way to! There is many mods and many ways to configure how a dap can sound!

People make huge claims but never really experienced the real thing on their skin and simply take judgments from what they read...
Mods exist for a reason and they do change how your dap will sound!

I guess those judgments are made because Mr.Tiger Ears is not hyping hes romi/1z?
Well wait till tomorrow I am gonna make you a mega hype of a train and you all gonna run and mode your dpas lmao


Folks stay cold blooded their is an option for each user. So everyone can be comfortable in what ever they decide to do!

Fw mod
Hardware mode
Or stay stock
There is an option for everyone! 


This was Tiger Ears I am signing off now time to sleep


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Even when the 1A sounds better, I’ll keep the 1Z. I’m realizing how hard it is for most people to obtain such a player that it’s better to appreciate it for what it is and what it CAN be after software mods. If there’s a way to make it sound better than the DMP-Z1, I’ll be all over there bandwagon and listen to music all day




LoL no one has a dmp on hands so we will never know!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> LoL no one has a dmp on hands so we will never know!


Never say never. Someone out there may be able to mod if. Not me of course


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 18, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I just want to put a few things straight as it becomes to be a little free for all frenzy with opinions. In fact I was worried a few folks would go to the extreme and start set trash cans on fire lmao
> 
> Of course when folks hear statements like oh ss 1a is better then 1z with new fw. !
> 
> ...




And you have the 1A “plus” switcher on both your 1Z players. Which is crazy as before I never would have thought someone would like that combo reading it on paper. But as you rate your players you go... from best to less best. 


1) Modded 1Z 

2) Stock 1A

3) Stock 1Z


My question is what firmware  on your 1A stock to beat out the 1Z stock?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> And you have the 1A “plus” switcher on both your 1Z players. Which is crazy as before I never would have thought someone would like that combo reading it on paper. But as you rate your players you go... from best to less best.
> 
> 
> 1) Modded 1Z
> ...




I rate my romi above both and I rate 1a+ second because I think it offers a proper tonal balance like it is tuned to be a reference precision detail retrieval machine!
1z on other hand is built for pleasures for people who love warm thick bassy sound.


Why did I load 1a+ fw into 1z? Because I really like the hybrid sound presentation! It brings 1z into a more tonal balance, it makes the bass more tight and faster decay! Over all it reduces the thickness of the 1z signature and brings it into a new natural warmish pleasant tone.

There is compromise!  1a has the edge on details retrieval ! No matter what fw you load on 1a. It is its nature because or the components that sony has put into it...

On the other hand 1a is not warm and ass thick sounding as 1z. It can be thinner in vocals while 1z can offer that nice throaty timbral vibrancy in voices!

Also 1z bass is very long decay and not as speedy. Overall 1z sound presentation is slower and more relaxed vs 1a. This is where I prefer 1a speed and quick agile velocity response! And it is amazing that installing 1a+ fw onto 1z brings that speed to 1z!!!

It is the reason why I load 1a+ into 1z dap! I even did the same for my romi!
-I like the speedier sound
-Tighter bass
-More balanced sound 
-Less thick and less warm, becomes very natural not analytical 
-it exchanges 1z warmth for slightly more clarity and cleanness in general.


There is that as a start point why I like 1z with 1a+ fw....


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> I rate my romi above both and I rate 1a+ second because I think it offers a proper tonal balance like it is tuned to be a reference precision detail retrieval machine!
> 1z on other hand is built for pleasures for people who love warm thick bassy sound.
> 
> 
> ...



Your 1A has 1A”plus” as firmware?


----------



## gerelmx1986

*i am wondering what will the next FW update bring, if there's a planned FW release from sonys part*


----------



## Duncan

gerelmx1986 said:


> *i am wondering what will the next FW update bring, if there's a planned FW release from sonys part*


The only real thing I can think of would be to expand the regions that can use the remote control (of course assuming that a fair few people have 1A/Z who have never visited forums / the rockbox page and are still none the wiser)


----------



## Ghostsounds

Redcarmoose said:


> No. And I may? I’m typically very slow at this process? I mean that’s what is happening, people are going to subjectively lean towards a tone as it caters to their desired sound signature as well as joins-up with the IEM they are using. As much as we try to unilaterally gain absolute ideas, it never works in the end as this game is subjective to a fault.
> 
> Though I do have questions and have gained ideas about people using the switcher to put Sony 1A firmware on their 1Z, modded 1Z and of course 1A”plus”. There are now many windows of opportunity if you think about it.
> 
> ...


Yes, just talking about the firmware ++mod applied not hardware or switcher. If it’s so good applied to a sstock 1a , I’m wondering if there’s any hidden potential to be unleashed with a stock 1z 🙂 using just the +mod.


----------



## Hinomotocho

gerelmx1986 said:


> *i am wondering what will the next FW update bring, if there's a planned FW release from sonys part*


It depends on how they view these mods - if they see them as a positive thing that has generated so much interest and perhaps renewed value for their 4 year old devices, or a threat and breach of user rights, then they may want to patch but will have to throw us a bone. If they added some official sound/tuning profile options they may have a chance to get people to update, otherwise it would probably been seen as devaluing the device should anyone sell on in the future. 
If it's true that they held back the WM1A's sound to make the WM1Z sound better they had better do something spectacular if the initial talk of this latest tweak for the WM1A is anything to go by.


----------



## aceedburn

Hinomotocho said:


> It depends on how they view these mods - if they see them as a positive thing that has generated so much interest and perhaps renewed value for their 4 year old devices, or a threat and breach of user rights, then they may want to patch but will have to throw us a bone. If they added some official sound/tuning profile options they may have a chance to get people to update, otherwise it would probably been seen as devaluing the device should anyone sell on in the future.
> If it's true that they held back the WM1A's sound to make the WM1Z sound better they had better do something spectacular if the initial talk of this latest tweak for the WM1A is anything to go by.


Make no mistake about it, they definitely held back the 1A by a huge margin software wise. This has been proven so many times here and with this new method, the evidence is in your face! The 1A is indeed capable of so so much more. Insanely more. And I’m talking without any hardware mods whatsoever.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 18, 2020)

Ghostsounds said:


> Yes, just talking about the firmware ++mod applied not hardware or switcher. If it’s so good applied to a sstock 1a , I’m wondering if there’s any hidden potential to be unleashed with a stock 1z 🙂 using just the +mod.




No, I’ve only done choice #1. As listed below plus final *Proprietary 3.02 *at the end after a restart. Probably never going to change for the rest of my ownership period with the 1A. It could vary well change the 1Z? I may change the 1Z, but I’m pretty close to it just the way it is.


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> LoL no one has a dmp on hands so we will never know!


Wait..what ? LOL ? Let me call up @purk  for an example.  But he may not bother


----------



## Queen6

Duncan said:


> The only real thing I can think of would be to expand the regions that can use the remote control (of course assuming that a fair few people have 1A/Z who have never visited forums / the rockbox page and are still none the wiser)



Likely Sony will bring in improvements to the DSP, DSEE HX AI etc. and the general way the DAP's process sound. The BT remote isn't really on the table as Sony only sells it in specific regions, even then hardly popular.

Q-6


----------



## captblaze (Jul 18, 2020)

if you appreciate well recorded and mastered progressive rock music from a group of awesome musicians I would suggest this



Guthrie Govan (guitar), Bryan Beller (bass) and Marco Minnemann (drums)
All masters of their craft


----------



## gasan

Redcarmoose said:


>



Checked history for the last few days, but can't find any info.
"Plus" firmware already available for anyone? Or it's internal testing for chosen ones?


----------



## 534409 (Jul 18, 2020)

Or maybe for internal circle of believers


----------



## Redcarmoose

gasan said:


> Checked history for the last few days, but can't find any info.
> "Plus" firmware already available for anyone? Or it's internal testing for chosen ones?





Dramba said:


> Or maybe for internal circle of believers


I was told it may become available soon? It has been refined and improved both in quality and ease-of-use by the day.


----------



## MrWalkman

gasan said:


> Checked history for the last few days, but can't find any info.
> "Plus" firmware already available for anyone? Or it's internal testing for chosen ones?





Dramba said:


> Or maybe for internal circle of believers



Already mentioned that it will come soon, and that I will not share the testing version anymore until this is released for all.

So no, it's not just for "believers". 

Thanks for understanding.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sony S-MASTER is their own in house chip as we.know, I remember having read it is not quite a FPGA perse, . Irather, all in hardware level in wafer. 
I don't.know if.iy is wise to believe  that, I think is a fpga and I hope sont is almost finished brewing the next generation of the S-Master.

I theorize they will add support for 768kHz, DSD 512 and hopefully DSD trmaster engine (either another external FPGA or in-chip inside the S-Master)


----------



## 534409

I'm only joking. Waiting with patience.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Dramba said:


> I'm only joking. Waiting with patience.



I was looking to get you a card?


----------



## tieuly1

Hi everyone, I happened to have factory reset device. Now everything is Japanese language. I tried to use Google translate but no option to change language event reset again under sony guidance. Do I need to use region change to change language?
Thanks


----------



## 534409

Redcarmoose said:


> I was looking to get you a card?


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 18, 2020)

tieuly1 said:


> Hi everyone, I happened to have factory reset device. Now everything is Japanese language. I tried to use Google translate but no option to change language event reset again under sony guidance. Do I need to use region change to change language?
> Thanks



Yes, change region to something else except J, restart, and you'll be able to change the language.


----------



## JSQT

A few more dumb new-owner questions that I can't seem to find the answers to...

Is there any charging option for directly plugging into the wall with a wall wart, etc? I have the Walkman USB cable plugged into my clamshell laptop for 4 hours... however my laptop is being powered from my monitor USB-C, so I believe that when the monitor went to sleep there wasn't enough power to charge the Walkman. Because after 4 hours, I had less battery available than when I started charging - even though I could see the charging progress meter in the battery icon on the Walkman.

So I am thinking for charging it would be better to plug directly into the wall - can I just use a standard iPad charging bloc to connect to the USB end of the Walkman cable?

One more question is - Is it possible to delete an entire album or artist from within the Walkman menu? I only see the delete option when a single song is selected. So if I want to delete a duplicate album on the Walkman I have to individually delete each of its songs. 

Which leads me to the final question - to save time from the above option, I plugged the Walkman into my MacBook Pro and went to the "MUSIC" folder in the Walkman "drive" in the Finder. I deleted an entire duplicate artist, waited about 10 minutes then ejected the Walkman from within finder. But I went back into the Walkman menu and the duplicate was STILL there. So is it possible to edit/change/delete the contents of the MUSIC folder on the Walkman from within Mac Finder? Maybe I just didn't give it long enough before disconnecting. 

Sorry for all the questions, there are quite a few pages in this post and searching within the thread wasn't yielding results.


----------



## Lookout57

1. You can use any USB charger. I've used iPhone, iPad and something similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/Charger-RAVPower-Charging-Multiple-Compatible/dp/B00OQ19QYA/

2. Yes, but only when viewing Folders. Then you can select a folder to delete it and its contents.

3. Yes, I do it all the time for copying content from my Mac to the Sony. If you are using a microSD card I would eject it from the player and use a USB3 card reader for better performance.


----------



## nc8000 (Jul 18, 2020)

JSQT said:


> A few more dumb new-owner questions that I can't seem to find the answers to...
> 
> Is there any charging option for directly plugging into the wall with a wall wart, etc? I have the Walkman USB cable plugged into my clamshell laptop for 4 hours... however my laptop is being powered from my monitor USB-C, so I believe that when the monitor went to sleep there wasn't enough power to charge the Walkman. Because after 4 hours, I had less battery available than when I started charging - even though I could see the charging progress meter in the battery icon on the Walkman.
> 
> ...



You can charge from any usb charger. 

You can only delete individual tracks on the player or a folder in folder view. 

When you eject the player from the computer and removes the cable the player rebuilds the library and add/deleted tracks are updated in the library. 

Just modifying a file on the player does not get recognized.


----------



## Lookout57

Last night I listened to my SACD rip of this and was blown away:



On my WM1AZ+ Solaris 2020, ADV Custom Tips and DHC Clone Fusion balanced. If you aren't familiar with it "it may be considered the most influential of all live acoustic guitar albums". Three amazing masters at work.


----------



## captblaze

Lookout57 said:


> Last night I listened to my SACD rip of this and was blown away:
> 
> 
> 
> On my WM1AZ+ Solaris 2020, ADV Custom Tips and DHC Clone Fusion balanced. If you aren't familiar with it "it may be considered the most influential of all live acoustic guitar albums". Three amazing masters at work.




a surprisingly coherent guitar battle that spans roughly 42 minutes


----------



## Holdmyown83

mwhals said:


> Two months or a little over and I will have the rest of the money for a WM1Z from Accessory Jack!



im thinking of getting one thru them also just a lil scared either covid crap going on and getting it to the US.


----------



## captblaze

a combination of boredom and the lingering effects of my latest garden harvest led me to this


----------



## Lookout57

captblaze said:


> a combination of boredom and the lingering effects of my latest garden harvest led me to this


Wait until you hear the new custom firmware. It totally transforms the WM1A.


----------



## alterseiba

Is anyone here try to use remote using FW Solis 1.02?


----------



## audionewbi

Has anyone tried turning a FW for M9 IER-Z1R?


----------



## MrWalkman

alterseiba said:


> Is anyone here try to use remote using FW Solis 1.02?



If I'm not mistaken, Solis 1.02 is just a tuning, so the firmware is the official 3.02 from Sony.

As far as I know, the remote function can only be used while the device is on the J region.


----------



## aceedburn

MrWalkman said:


> If I'm not mistaken, Solis 1.02 is just a tuning, so the firmware is the official 3.02 from Sony.
> 
> As far as I know, the remote function can only be used while the device is on the J region.


Remote works on J, E, CA, CEV and maybe others which I haven’t tested.


----------



## audionewbi

Can some please share me the new WM1A+ firmware please, thank you


----------



## Redcarmoose

audionewbi said:


> Can some please share me the new WM1A+ firmware please, thank you



It officially comes out soon. Hold tight, it’s worth waiting for.


----------



## alterseiba

aceedburn said:


> Remote works on J, E, CA, CEV and maybe others which I haven’t tested.



Oh i see. Thanks i will try later. Is there is possibilities to a add function remote in solis 1.02?


----------



## Ravenous

I WILL NOT WAIT. I, AS WELL AS MANY ARE TIRED OF WAITING. WE WANT THE FIRMWARE NOW. #GIVEUSTHEFIRMWARE

Just kidding! Lol, I honestly can't wait for it to come out, but I am sure it is well worth the wait!


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 27, 2020)

It's sad it has to be this way, but the mods not available anymore. If you got hold of them, enjoy them! 

Music is , forever.


----------



## captblaze

MrWalkman said:


> Here we go:
> 
> *WM1A/Z+*
> 
> ...




the download is being blocked by Win 10


----------



## MrWalkman

captblaze said:


> the download is being blocked by Win 10



It could be, it's not in my control unfortunately.

I didn't have any issue on my PC, also using Windows Defender.


----------



## Ravenous

MrWalkman said:


> Here we go:
> 
> *WM1A/Z+*
> 
> ...



Thank you so much for sharing! So these two different firmware's are completely different? Which firmware would change the sound WM1A to equal/exceed that of the WM1Z? Thanks again!


----------



## captblaze

MrWalkman said:


> It could be, it's not in my control unfortunately.
> 
> I didn't have any issue on my PC, also using Windows Defender.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 19, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> Thank you so much for sharing! So these two different firmware's are completely different? Which firmware would change the sound WM1A to equal/exceed that of the WM1Z? Thanks again!



Well, it's already mentioned in the description I guess 

WM1A/Z+ is intended to bring sound improvements to both 1A and 1Z, while WM1A to 1Z is just meant to give the ability to experience the stock 1Z sound on a 1A.



captblaze said:


>



I also scanned them all four actually, and nothing came up.

Could you also show the name of the file, please?

Even tuning mods are known to cause false positives.


----------



## captblaze




----------



## Ravenous

MrWalkman said:


> Well, it's already mentioned in the description I guess
> 
> WM1A/Z+ is intended to bring sound improvements to both 1A and 1Z, while WM1A to 1Z is just meant to give the ability to experience the stock 1Z sound on a 1A.



What would be the difference of improvement of the WM1A/Z+ vs the 1A to 1Z on a WM1A? I apologize if the question is redundant. I've tried the previous Model Switcher and I could barely notice a difference with the "WM1A to WM1Z" switch with that one.


----------



## MrWalkman

captblaze said:


>



Look at this for example:





Unfortunately it is not in my control. Help yourself, or do not.


----------



## MrWalkman

Ravenous said:


> What would be the difference of improvement of the WM1A/Z+ vs the 1A to 1Z on a WM1A? I apologize if the question is redundant. I've tried the previous Model Switcher and I could barely notice a difference with the "WM1A to WM1Z" switch with that one.



This is not just a Model Switcher, it's a custom firmware.

Feel free to try it. Also, there are some posts back on the thread with impressions about it.


----------



## Ravenous

captblaze said:


>



You might want to disable Windows Defender while using these programs: 


*To turn Microsoft Defender Firewall on or off:*

Select the Start button > Settings > Update & Security > *Windows* Security and then *Firewall* & network protection. Open *Windows* Security settings.
Select a network profile.
Under Microsoft *Defender Firewall*, switch the setting to On. ...
To *turn* it off, switch the setting to Off.


----------



## MrWalkman

Ravenous said:


> You might want to disable Windows Defender while using these programs:
> 
> 
> *To turn Microsoft Defender Firewall on or off:*
> ...



It's ok to be worried, but there's absolutely nothing to worry about here.

You're all welcome to scan them with some better antivirus programs or something.


----------



## Gamerlingual

I had zero issues downloading. It works fine for me. Gotta get some burn in time on this


----------



## MrWalkman

Gamerlingual said:


> I had zero issues downloading. It works fine for me. Gotta get some burn in time on this



Also tried ESET Online Scanner, and got no issues with all 4 files.

Link: https://www.eset.com/int/home/online-scanner/


----------



## Ravenous

MrWalkman said:


> It's ok to be worried, but there's absolutely nothing to worry about here.
> 
> You're all welcome to scan them with some better antivirus programs or something.



Wasn't trying to advertise for anything, was simply giving instructions on how to turn off Windows Defender, which seems to be the problem he was having with opening the files.


----------



## MrWalkman

Ravenous said:


> Wasn't trying to advertise for anything, was simply giving instructions on how to turn off Windows Defender, which seems to be the problem he was having with opening the files.



Oh, I had no problem with that, I just had something to say I guess


----------



## Redcarmoose

Remember those times when you wanted to listen to all your favorites all over again. The times when it was so exciting you didn’t sleep. Well get ready because this is that time. Cheers!

We have so much to be grateful to MrWalkman for. He has changed our humble 1A players into the stuff of dreams.


----------



## wahdoy

I was having problems using Google Chrome browser. I used Firefox and it allowed me to download the files without any problems. I'm also running Windows 10.


----------



## captblaze

wahdoy said:


> I was having problems using Google Chrome browser. I used Firefox and it allowed me to download the files without any problems. I'm also running Windows 10.




that makes sense.. i am using the new edge chromium based browser...


----------



## Vitaly2017

Enjoy the New Firmware everyone! Hope you like it


----------



## audionewbi

Just to double-check, if I wanted to apply the WM1AZ+ to my WM1A, and then switch to 1Z, I need to
1) Install the FW
2)Use the Model switcher and change to WM1Z and 
3)Install the FW, again?

Thank you guys for your help, love this thread.


----------



## MrWalkman

audionewbi said:


> Just to double-check, if I wanted to apply the WM1AZ+ to my WM1A, and then switch to 1Z, I need to
> 1) Install the FW
> 2)Use the Model switcher and change to WM1Z and
> 3)Install the FW, again?
> ...



Yes, exactly.

It's also mentioned in the firmware installer.


----------



## audionewbi (Jul 19, 2020)

Using WM1AZ+, on my WM1A, set to 1Z,l paired with my very picky HUM Pristine, I like what I hear. The question I have is, at what point does one need to do a factory reset, as @RobertP suggested?

*Things I notice:*
I never quite noticed, or should I say, liked what DSEE HX did to the sound. I can clearly hear a difference using the above setup, and I like what I hear.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 19, 2020)

audionewbi said:


> Using WM1AZ+, on my WM1A, set to 1Z,l paired with my very picky HUM Pristine, I like what I hear. Question I have is, at what point does one need to do a factory reset, as @RobertP suggested?



I didn't encounter anything like RobertP mentioned, nor me or others that we tried this mod. He actually mentioned that it might by due to numerous tunings that he tried lately.

So I have no idea what to tell you.



RobertP said:


> My 1A perform less than optimal lately do to try so many FWs in the past year. Been trying to fixed it out in the past couple days why. I just learned the hard way today that my 1A need to be restore to factory in order the get the purest true sony sound as intend out of it. I know it suck beacuse the total play time will also be reset. But the end result is just amazing. Now it sound like a complete different unit.


----------



## 534409

As of system operation - it's snappier, menus are rendered really fast. One question - do I need to reset all settings in player after installing this mod?


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 19, 2020)

Dramba said:


> One question - do I need to reset all settings in player after installing this mod?



Nope. Otherwise, I would have mentioned it. 



Dramba said:


> As of system operation - it's snappier, menus are rendered really fast.



I actually enabled hardware accelerated rendition of the UI, so it should definitely help. Added this info to "Additional info" in the original post.


----------



## 534409 (Jul 19, 2020)

Oh my, what a change! Amazing... I thought that I knew this song well... Using WM1AZ+ with Andromeda 2019.


----------



## MrWalkman

Dramba said:


> Oh my, what a change! Amazing... I thought that I knew this song well... Using WM1AZ+ with Andromeda 2019.




I actually also recommend the USB DAC mode, Youtube can sound awesome sometimes, more so with this new sound!


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> I actually also recommend the USB DAC mode, Youtube can sound awesome sometimes, more so with this new sound!



Is the public version different from the Beta?


----------



## 534409 (Jul 19, 2020)

Youtube link is posted only to direct to artist and song. I'm Karolina's fan and have bought 2 albums she released. Playing my own ripped WAV files. Fantastisk allerede!


----------



## MrWalkman

Gamerlingual said:


> Is the public version different from the Beta?



No, they are just a lot more easy to install now, like Sony firmware updates.


----------



## Dtuck90

I’ve been using the firmware this week, and Mr Walkman might be able to confirm this that originally the battery improvements were an accident. I’d noticed for example that it took over 8 and half hours to go down to 3 bars whereas previously it would take about 6 and a half.

I love the sound of Z+. Currently listening to the Bob Dylan Travelling Thru set in 24/96 and it just sounds so analog and real


----------



## audionewbi

Just wondering, is there a chance of DSD mastering feature been implemented?


----------



## MrWalkman

audionewbi said:


> Just wondering, is there a chance of DSD mastering feature been implemented?



Not sure yet, but we'll see.


----------



## audionewbi

MrWalkman said:


> Not sure yet, but we'll see.


Can I ask, do you recommend 1A or 1Z on the stock 1A player?


----------



## MrWalkman

audionewbi said:


> Can I ask, do you recommend 1A or 1Z on the stock 1A player?



I personally use WM1A/Z+ with 1A switched to 1Z.

I recommend instead trying out the options, and give some time to listen to each option, as your ear has to adapt to the change.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> No, they are just a lot more easy to install now, like Sony firmware updates.


Ok. I’ll download the public link you provided. Thank you


----------



## Kad998

Here we go!!!! Just installed it on the + FW on the Z! Waiting for the lady of the house to fall asleep and then it’s party time! Thanks @MrWalkman !!!


----------



## terminaut

I tried to put my 1Z back to stock with the "WM1 Back to Stock" app and it seems to have a bug as there was an intermediate screen that popped up on the player about WM1A to WM1Z, and now the cert reflects that.

Hopefully there's a way to back out of everything? The Model Switcher app says my player is still WM1Z.


----------



## newworld666 (Jul 19, 2020)

Impossible to execute the model switcher v3.0
It seems there is a Trojan in the exe. (according to win 10 defender)
I tried on 2 workstations .. on in my home and one in my office (through mstsc) both delete the fils instantly as there is a trojan inside


----------



## 534409

newworld666 said:


> Impossible to execute the model switcher v3.0
> It seems there is a Trojan in the exe. (according to win 10 defender)


Disable temporarily your antivirus software than install firmware. It's a false communique.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 19, 2020)

newworld666 said:


> Impossible to execute the model switcher v3.0
> It seems there is a Trojan in the exe. (according to win 10 defender)



We already talked about this a few pages back, some tunings were detected as well, it's false positive.

Feel free to scan it with something else, not Windows Defender. By the way, I also scanned these with Windows Defender and for me they didn't get detected.

Up to you if you wish to try it or not.


----------



## terminaut

MrWalkman said:


> As mentioned in the post, make sure you switched back to the origi



I did use the Switcher app to switch back to 1Z (even though it identified that I had a 1Z... and I didn't switch my model previously). Is that what you mean or is there some other step in switching back to original?


----------



## MrWalkman

terminaut said:


> I tried to put my 1Z back to stock with the "WM1 Back to Stock" app and it seems to have a bug as there was an intermediate screen that popped up on the player about WM1A to WM1Z, and now the cert reflects that.
> 
> Hopefully there's a way to back out of everything? The Model Switcher app says my player is still WM1Z.



Seems I did a misclick. Gonna reupload the correct WM1 Back to Stock, will let you know when I did it.



terminaut said:


> I did use the Switcher app to switch back to 1Z (even though it identified that I had a 1Z... and I didn't switch my model previously). Is that what you mean or is there some other step in switching back to original?



Yep, I checked it, and it's my fault. Nothing is wrong though, don't worry. Gonna let you know.


----------



## terminaut

MrWalkman said:


> Yep, I checked it, and it's my fault. Nothing is wrong though, don't worry. Gonna let you know.



Phew. Thanks!


----------



## MrWalkman

terminaut said:


> Phew. Thanks!



Fixed it, I uploaded the correct installer in the folder, and deleted the previous one.

*LINK*


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 19, 2020)

newworld666 said:


> Impossible to execute the model switcher v3.0
> It seems there is a Trojan in the exe. (according to win 10 defender)
> I tried on 2 workstations .. on in my home and one in my office (through mstsc) both delete the fils instantly as there is a trojan inside



I also uploaded the Model Switcher v3.0 as just an archive. You can try downloading the archived "version", hopefully Windows Defender won't "detect" it again.

I sometimes think Windows Defender "detects" executables just by how small they are, or by their name, lol.


----------



## terminaut

MrWalkman said:


> Fixed it, I uploaded the correct installer in the folder, and deleted the previous one.
> 
> *LINK*



All good now. Thanks for all the work with this stuff. I'll donate you a beer!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 19, 2020)

Well I’ve just tried to find out if the 1Z is as susceptible to this sonic wizardry as the stock 1A. The stock 1Z is a Japan Export Edition (region U) with 1239 hours. The unit was in regular Sony 3.02 and I went and added it again just to be on the safe side. Did a switch over to 1A/Z+ then listened for awhile. It seems the 1A/Z+ does add the same expanded sounstage as the effect on the stock 1A. I then did the model switcher with and without the 1A/Z+ and then returned to the 1Z with 1A/Z+. I then found out about an interesting way to very quickly change back to stock. As listening in 1A/Z+ mode I went to reset and did just a setting reset. This is a very quick change back to stock only after a brief moment while listening to the same song. With this abrupt contrast it’s beneficial to comprehend the dramatic changes that come with 1A/Z+.

In ending this review the changes are great to the 1Z, but the 1A becomes a much different animal, with maybe room to grow due to how it comes from the factory. All and all even with the 1Z switched over to 1A with the model switcher and 1A/Z+ new firmware released today, the two players are still very different in sound. I attribute this of course to the two players having different components like wire, transistors, capacitors and cases.

Though I have to say the end result is the 1Z shows it’s treble boost still as well as bass enhancements. I didn’t like the 1Z on 1A stock mode.

But in ending the great part is both players seem equally able, with the 1A having the “new toy” advantage in sound? The 1A bass is still faster and better defined yet both players show a smoother and more detailed midrange and soundstage experience with 1A/Z+.

Edit:
I probably need to spend a day with the 1Z/1A/Z+ combo to truly “get it”?

2nd Edit:

Well it turns out doing the setting reset is not a going to change the 1A/Z+ tuning I am told. So I’m not sure what I did.


----------



## Ghostsounds

I want add my thanks to Mr Walkman for all the great work he has down. Not tried the switcher but have applied his + mod. Echo all the wonderful things people have been saying, it truly sounds incredible! Going to stay on this before trying the switcher function as I want to enjoy the new sound on all my fav music. Thank you Mr Walkman!😍😍😍


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> Well I’ve just tried to find out if the 1Z is as susceptible to this sonic wizardry as the stock 1A. The stock 1Z is a Japan Export Edition (region U) with 1239 hours. The unit was in regular Sony 3.02 and I went and added it again just to be on the safe side. Did a switch over to 1A/Z+ then listened for awhile. It seems the 1A/Z+ does add the same expanded sounstage as the effect on the stock 1A. I then did the model switcher with and without the 1A/Z+ and then returned to the 1Z with 1A/Z+. I then found out about an interesting way to very quickly change back to stock. As listening in 1A/Z+ mode I went to reset and did just a setting reset. This is a very quick change back to stock only after a brief moment while listening to the same song. With this abrupt contrast it’s beneficial to comprehend the dramatic changes that come with 1A/Z+.
> 
> In ending this review the changes are great to the 1Z, but the 1A becomes a much different animal, with maybe room to grow due to how it comes from the factory. All and all even with the 1Z switched over to 1A with the model switcher and 1A/Z+ new firmware released today, the two players are still very different in sound. I attribute this of course to the two players having different components like wire, transistors, capacitors and cases.
> 
> ...



I would have thought that the Settings reset only deletes the new certificate image and nothing else


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 19, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> the Settings reset only deletes the new certificate image



Resetting settings or doing a Factory reset does not remove anything related to the mod. Otherwise, I would have mentioned it in the post. 

The mod is basically in a place that is always read-only, as well as the images.

In order to get back to stock you need to switch the device back to its original model (if you switched to something else before), and then you need to apply the Back to Stock firmware. This will bring the images back to default, as well as reverting any changes related to the mods.


----------



## RobertP

audionewbi said:


> Using WM1AZ+, on my WM1A, set to 1Z,l paired with my very picky HUM Pristine, I like what I hear. The question I have is, at what point does one need to do a factory reset, as @RobertP suggested?
> 
> *Things I notice:*
> I never quite noticed, or should I say, liked what DSEE HX did to the sound. I can clearly hear a difference using the above setup, and I like what I hear.


For me, WM1AZ+ sound good on most genres. But I feel like something was slightly off especially for classical records. I know this sound mod delivered tighter bass, noticeable more weight, and textures. But I just wish it's fuller and warmer. Not just good sounding in the lower-mid and on down. Also, some music instruments didn't sound quite right for some reason and that throw me off a bit from my listening experience.

After restored back to OEM v3.02 and then followed by Orion fw. I didn't get exact 100% the sound quality I remembered and that annoying. I also learned later that even DMP1.2 fw also cause similar issue. I believe it gotta be something to do with non-WM1A UPG files that cause it.

In the end, after factory restored. Now the 1A I have sounds almost similar to WM1AZ+ with fuller proper sony sound house. And music instruments sound more accurate.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Well I’ve just tried to find out if the 1Z is as susceptible to this sonic wizardry as the stock 1A. The stock 1Z is a Japan Export Edition (region U) with 1239 hours. The unit was in regular Sony 3.02 and I went and added it again just to be on the safe side. Did a switch over to 1A/Z+ then listened for awhile. It seems the 1A/Z+ does add the same expanded sounstage as the effect on the stock 1A. I then did the model switcher with and without the 1A/Z+ and then returned to the 1Z with 1A/Z+. I then found out about an interesting way to very quickly change back to stock. As listening in 1A/Z+ mode I went to reset and did just a setting reset. This is a very quick change back to stock only after a brief moment while listening to the same song. With this abrupt contrast it’s beneficial to comprehend the dramatic changes that come with 1A/Z+.
> 
> In ending this review the changes are great to the 1Z, but the 1A becomes a much different animal, with maybe room to grow due to how it comes from the factory. All and all even with the 1Z switched over to 1A with the model switcher and 1A/Z+ new firmware released today, the two players are still very different in sound. I attribute this of course to the two players having different components like wire, transistors, capacitors and cases.
> 
> ...




I just wanna make sure that you try the new fw on 1a specifically! 
Install the fw 1a/1z+ then leave the 1a dap in the 1a identity dont change it to 1z.
That is how I love the new 1a to sound!

Idid the same for my moded 1z and stock 1z. I love how 1z now becomes a hybrid 1z-1a plus!


----------



## nc8000

MrWalkman said:


> Resetting settings or doing a Factory reset does not remove anything related to the mod. Otherwise, I would have mentioned it in the post.
> 
> The mod is basically in a place that is always read-only, as well as the images.
> 
> In order to get back to stock you need to switch the device back to its original model (if you switched to something else before), and then you need to apply the Back to Stock firmware. This will bring the images back to default, as well as reverting any changes related to the mods.



Well that was essentially what I tried to convey that a settings reset couldn't revert the entire fw to stock but that perhaps it deleted the new certificate image so it looked like it was back to stock


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> I just wanna make sure that you try the new fw on 1a specifically!
> Install the fw 1a/1z+ then leave the 1a dap in the 1a identity dont change it to 1z.
> That is how I love the new 1a to sound!
> 
> Idid the same for my moded 1z and stock 1z. I love how 1z now becomes a hybrid 1z-1a plus!



So you use the model changer to change your 1Z to 1A identity ?


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 19, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> So you use the model changer to change your 1Z to 1A identity ?



He installed WM1A/Z+, and then he switched the model to 1A and that's it.

Usually I recommend installing the mod again, to make sure the 1A or 1Z sound tuning is properly set, but not doing that may result in some combination of 1Z sound and 1A sound or something like that. I didn't test it myself, but there is nothing wrong in doing it like this.

So only use model switcher after installing one of the mods (WM1A/Z+ or WM1A to 1Z). And if you'll want to switch back, first change the model back, and then apply the Back to Stock firmware.


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> Resetting settings or doing a Factory reset does not remove anything related to the mod. Otherwise, I would have mentioned it in the post.
> 
> The mod is basically in a place that is always read-only, as well as the images.
> 
> In order to get back to stock you need to switch the device back to its original model (if you switched to something else before), and then you need to apply the Back to Stock firmware. This will bring the images back to default, as well as reverting any changes related to the mods.



I have just used the back to 3.02 replaced corrected firmware from the G-Drive, and yes, it takes away the certification that said 1A/Z and then said what it is at. Also it removed the boot-screen that stated 1A/Z+.

When I did the setting only device reset, I felt it changed the sound of the 1Z, the big added soundstage of 1A/Z+ seemed to be removed and then added later when I reinstalled the mod firmware?


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> When I did the setting only device reset, I felt it changed the sound of the 1Z, the big added soundstage of 1A/Z+ seemed to be removed and then added later when I reinstalled the mod firmware?



Maybe something related to the "external" tuning. Things where the mod is located can't get changed.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> I just wanna make sure that you try the new fw on 1a specifically!
> Install the fw 1a/1z+ then leave the 1a dap in the 1a identity dont change it to 1z.
> That is how I love the new 1a to sound!
> 
> Idid the same for my moded 1z and stock 1z. I love how 1z now becomes a hybrid 1z-1a plus!



Well that’s the thing. I’m never touching the firmware on the 1A ever again. When we had the 2.4 test firmware I may have installed 1Z? And of course for sure I put in 1A/Z+. But let me ask you if you have only put in 1A/Z+ and you go to the J certified, does it show a picture of a small gold 1Z? Haha

Does that small picture delineate the 1A has 1Z? Also my 1A has the marking of 1Z at the top of the settings menu (where it says unit information)? 

 But even if I’m a stick in the mud here, I’m not experimenting with the 1A. Endgame reached, not even curious. I’ll keep it like it is forever. Though hopefully by these clues I can determine that I did a model switch and 1A/Z+ add?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> I just wanna make sure that you try the new fw on 1a specifically!
> Install the fw 1a/1z+ then leave the 1a dap in the 1a identity dont change it to 1z.
> That is how I love the new 1a to sound!
> 
> Idid the same for my moded 1z and stock 1z. I love how 1z now becomes a hybrid 1z-1a plus!



I need to spend more time with the 1Z with 1A/Z+ but the 1A now is a thrill. My 1Z in 1Z is actually close to the same as before except some added micro details very smoothed out in places and a bigger soundstage. And it’s probably better than even the 1A (maybe) but every-time I listen to this new 1A I actually like it better than the 1Z, even with the 1Z in these new tune modes. 

Like you say the 1A now has improved detail and a wicked new bass placement. I have never heard anything in my life like the 1A now! 

It’s maybe slightly less clear in comparison to the 1Z, the 1Z does have a blacked background. But the 1A is now placing imaging that are 3D. You can hear a whole aspect to musical layers. There is detail inside of more detail and the timbre seems dead on correct only it is even more real sounding like the music is simply more clear?


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> There is detail inside of more detail and the timbre seems dead on correct only it is even more real sounding like the music is simply more clear?



Yes, also depending on the music, it can sound just so natural, so real!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I no longer use.the internal memory, I've decided to distribute my music across three mSD cards. Library builds faster
1TB - composers A-C, D-F, G-I
512GB - J-K, L-N
400GB - O-Q, R-T, U-W, X-Z


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 19, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, also depending on the music, it can sound just so natural, so real!



The joke here is that I’m pretty confused about if I in-fact did do the 1A to 1Z model change over in 2.4 edition test software. I’m actually pretty sure I did as I have the tiny gold 1Z in the Japan certificate screen and it says 1Z in the top “Unit Information” screen in settings. But it is something I’m not going to simply reset and try to achieve again.

That’s because my 1A is priceless now. I’m about 97% sure it’s better than the 1Z with the exact same firmware you created.

That’s what is crazy....the $1200 one is better than the $3200 one?


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> The joke here is that I’m pretty confused about if I in-fact did do the 1A to 1Z model change over in 2.4 edition test software. I’m actually pretty sure I did a I have the tiny gold 1Z in the Japan certificate screen and it says 1Z in the top “Unit Information” screen in settings. But it is something I’m not going to simply reset and try to achieve again.
> 
> That’s because my 1A is priceless now. I’m about 97% sure it’s better than the 1Z with the exact same firmware you created.
> 
> That’s what is crazy....the $1200 one is better than the $3200 one?



If you have the small WM1Z showing up, it means it's switched to 1Z.

I use it the same way.

I removed the 1Z image though, and instead went for a more minimalistic choice.


----------



## Duncan

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s maybe slightly less clear in comparison to the 1Z, the 1Z does have a blacked background. But the 1A is now placing imaging that are 3D. You can hear a whole aspect to musical layers. There is detail inside of more detail and the timbre seems dead on correct only it is even more real sounding like the music is simply more clear?


i mentioned back on 2.2 that the 1A to me is cleaner much higher into the volume range compared to stock, and as someone who creeps higher and higher into the volume as my mood takes me, this is a very welcome side effect / by product


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> If you have the small WM1Z showing up, it means it's switched to 1Z.
> 
> I use it the same way.
> 
> I removed the 1Z image though, and instead went for a more minimalistic choice.




Thank-you! So the 1A is the 1Z switcher and the 1A/Z+ then. Everyone just needs to explore and find out what is best for them. That’s funny you removed the photos after 2.4. As I did not seem to see them any longer when going through the paces with the 1Z.


----------



## lumdicks

MrWalkman said:


> He installed WM1A/Z+, and then he switched the model to 1A and that's it.
> 
> Usually I recommend installing the mod again, to make sure the 1A or 1Z sound tuning is properly set, but not doing that may result in some combination of 1Z sound and 1A sound or something like that. I didn't test it myself, but there is nothing wrong in doing it like this.
> 
> So only use model switcher after installing one of the mods (WM1A/Z+ or WM1A to 1Z). And if you'll want to switch back, first change the model back, and then apply the Back to Stock firmware.


I managed to switch my Romi BG modded 1A to 1Z using the Switcher and installed the WM 1A/Z+. Bass is tightened with darker background but seems that the mid and high are a bit recessed. I then switched it back to 1A without re-installing the firmware and now I have an amazing player with extended bass and treble, with very good resolution and dark background. I installed the WM 1A/Z+ on my stock 1Z as well and the most prominent change is a smoother treble and even better soundstage. I would not describe that the modded 1A is better than my stock 1Z, both running WM 1A/Z+ but they are simply different with 1A more organic and analogue while 1Z is more refined with better soundstage and darker background. 

I like them both! Thanks again @MrWalkman !


----------



## Redcarmoose

Duncan said:


> i mentioned back on 2.2 that the 1A to me is cleaner much higher into the volume range compared to stock, and as someone who creeps higher and higher into the volume as my mood takes me, this is a very welcome side effect / by product



What player do you have 1A or 1Z?


----------



## kiling92

Another beautiful project,now the wm1a Is much louder,and clearer in the microdetails...what can i say?thank you guys,i love this community!!as always... thanks to all developer for share your work with us!!


----------



## Redcarmoose

kiling92 said:


> Another beautiful project,now the wm1a Is much louder,and clearer in the microdetails...what can i say?thank you guys,i love this community!!as always... thanks to all developer for share your work with us!!




So true.


----------



## Dtuck90

I’ve just switched from Z+ to A+ on my 1A and wow I think I’ve found my endgame. It’s not quite as warm as when my player was set to 1Z but I have never heard bass sound like this on my 1A and it pulls out these extra details that weren’t there when my player was set to 1Z


----------



## Duncan

Redcarmoose said:


> What player do you have 1A or 1Z?


1A for me


----------



## proedros

as


Dtuck90 said:


> I’ve just switched from Z+ to A+ on my 1A and wow I think I’ve found my endgame. It’s not quite as warm as when my player was set to 1Z but I have never heard bass sound like this on my 1A and it pulls out these extra details that weren’t there when my player was set to 1Z



i am on 1z+ (via 2.2) if i change to 1a and run the 3.02 fw i will be in 1a+ like you ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Duncan said:


> 1A for me



Man, everyone is raving about 1A on the 1A, I assume with 1A/Z+?


----------



## Dtuck90

proedros said:


> as
> 
> 
> i am on 1z+ (via 2.2) if i change to 1a and run the 3.02 fw i will be in 1a+ like you ?



Yeah you will


----------



## Dtuck90

Redcarmoose said:


> Man, everyone is raving about 1A on the 1A, I assume with 1A/Z+?



Yes. It seems that’s the real revelation. I can’t believe I didn’t apply it sooner.

Remember when stock 3.02 was too light on bass on the 1A? Not any more.


----------



## Duncan

Redcarmoose said:


> Man, everyone is raving about 1A on the 1A, I assume with 1A/Z+?


Sorry, i was a bit short on my reply, it is 1A with 1Z tuning, I found over the course of time (which I mentioned here a few dozen pages back) that I found I preferred the various tunings offered by the various modders on a Z base, warmer, more to my taste, A tunings (and stock) have always been enjoyable but at the same time a bit clinical - so now I truly have the best of both worlds 

as an aside, and to stop me double posting - for Windows, can anyone recommend a good duplicate file manager? A couple of my albums are duplicated so 1,1,2,2 etc and I’d love to clear that up!


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> Man, everyone is raving about 1A on the 1A, I assume with 1A/Z+?



Of course WM1A/Z+.

As the description says, the other one (WM1A to 1Z) is just to test the 1Z stock sound on 1A, so 1A will sound like normal 1A unless switched to 1Z.



proedros said:


> as
> 
> 
> i am on 1z+ (via 2.2) if i change to 1a and run the 3.02 fw i will be in 1a+ like you ?



If you are on 2.2 1Z+, just switch model to 1A, then install WM1A/Z+ from the link, and that's it, it will be 1A+.


----------



## proedros

Dtuck90 said:


> I’ve just switched from Z+ to A+ on my 1A and wow I think I’ve found my endgame. It’s not quite as warm as when my player was set to 1Z but I have never heard bass sound like this on my 1A and it pulls out these extra details that weren’t there when my player was set to 1Z



i will also try switching between 1a+ and 1z+ , but without running the included 3.02 fw (i am still on 2.2) to see if i get any difference in sound

for now 1a tuned to 1z+ with 3.02 run after restarting and it sounds great


----------



## NickleCo

MrWalkman said:


> Before we start, the things below are actual firmware mods, and not just tunings.
> I think someone was asking about some, once upon a time.
> 
> 
> ...


Woah another new mod. May I ask what region you were on when making it?


----------



## aceedburn

DatDudeNic said:


> Woah another new mod. May I ask what region you were on when making it?


J. it’s the best sounding of all regions and that’s what this was tuned upon and also tested upon by all of us.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 19, 2020)

DatDudeNic said:


> Woah another new mod. May I ask what region you were on when making it?



This is not a tuning mod, it's a modified firmware.

I am using this with region J, but it might as well sound good with other regions as well, depending on your preference.

Before proceeding to install, please read all the indications carefully, as it would help understanding more what this is about, thanks


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> Of course WM1A/Z+.
> 
> As the description says, the other one (WM1A to 1Z) is just to test the 1Z stock sound on 1A, so 1A will sound like normal 1A unless switched to 1Z.
> 
> ...




Haha of course other wise it would be stock? Funny.


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> Haha of course other wise it would be stock? Funny.



Yes, the other one would be stock unless switched to 1Z.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Duncan said:


> Sorry, i was a bit short on my reply, it is 1A with 1Z tuning, I found over the course of time (which I mentioned here a few dozen pages back) that I found I preferred the various tunings offered by the various modders on a Z base, warmer, more to my taste, A tunings (and stock) have always been enjoyable but at the same time a bit clinical - so now I truly have the best of both worlds
> 
> as an aside, and to stop me double posting - for Windows, can anyone recommend a good duplicate file manager? A couple of my albums are duplicated so 1,1,2,2 etc and I’d love to clear that up!



Yes, we are the same tune then as your using the 1A/Z+ then too?


----------



## kiling92

A question..with this new custom firmware,which sound settings do you use?or you use direct mode?
And in your hopinions is better low gain or high gain?


----------



## MrWalkman

kiling92 said:


> A question..with this new custom firmware,which sound settings do you use?or you use direct mode?
> And in your hopinions is better low gain or high gain?



Personally I used only direct mode and low gain for Sony Z7M2. I just didn't feel the need to try any sound effects yet


----------



## Ghostsounds

Redcarmoose said:


> Man, everyone is raving about 1A on the 1A, I assume with 1A/Z+?





Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, we are the same tune then as your using the 1A/Z+ then too?


l’m on the 1A/Z+ without switching which is enough for me. 🙂


----------



## Ghostsounds

kiling92 said:


> A question..with this new custom firmware,which sound settings do you use?or you use direct mode?
> And in your hopinions is better low gain or high gain?


Direct mode only for me.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m not experimenting with the 1A. Endgame reached, not even curious. I’ll keep it like it is forever. Though hopefully by these clues I can determine that I did a model switch and 1A/Z+ add?


 Do you have 1WM AZ+ installed and then you have switched your 1A to 1Z and then flashed 
1WM AZ+ once again?

Or would it maybe be enough for 1A just to install 1WM AZ+ once over 3.02? 
Thanks! 
Too much info - that's super but not to get confused..


----------



## Redcarmoose

kiling92 said:


> A question..with this new custom firmware,which sound settings do you use?or you use direct mode?
> And in your hopinions is better low gain or high gain?



It’s all personal choice. I use plus three on the bass tone wheel as my Noble Encore IEMs are just ever slightly bass lite. It’s the only EQ I do all year. But remember too their are many who don’t use EQ. Also if it’s slight you can listen for a month and mentally adapt to a sight out of alignment. I look at my three bass notch setting as a guilty pleasure.


----------



## MrWalkman

Mystic Traveller said:


> Do you have 1WM AZ+ installed and then you have switched your 1A to 1Z and then flashed
> 1WM AZ+ once again?
> 
> Or would it maybe be enough for 1A just to install 1WM AZ+ once over 3.02?
> ...



If you want to try that mod without switching, just install and that's it.

If you want to switch, first install the mod if it's not already installed, then switch, then install again.


----------



## Redcarmoose

How to: First install the firmware, and ONLY THEN you can use the Model Switcher v3.0 to
switch the model to 1A or to 1Z. Of course, if you have 1A, you don't need to switch again to 1A,
and the same goes for 1Z - if you already have 1Z, you don't need to switch again to 1Z. Also,
switching the model is not mandatory, as the mod brings sound improvements for both players."

This was just posted. I’m not the guy to ask, though I wish I was. I did my firmware on the 1A while we were testing 2.4; before the introduction of what was put out today. I don’t remember how it was done. I do know I’m using a 1A which is a Japan Export “U” region put into “J” region. I show as a 1Z in the Unit Information screen (which is in settings) at the top. My Japan Certificate says 1Z too. 

Enjoy. Get ready for the ride of your life!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mystic Traveller said:


> Do you have 1WM AZ+ installed and then you have switched your 1A to 1Z and then flashed
> 1WM AZ+ once again?
> 
> Or would it maybe be enough for 1A just to install 1WM AZ+ once over 3.02?
> ...




Note post above, also I’m in 1Z mode on my 1A.


----------



## audionewbi

I've noticed when I turn on the direct sound, with all the DSP features off, there is constant background noise, just like a vinyl record noise on quiet passage, but when i turn DSP off (direct sound), the noise disappears.


----------



## MrWalkman

audionewbi said:


> I've noticed when I turn on the direct sound, with all the DSP features off, there is constant background noise, just like a vinyl record noise on quiet passage, but when i turn DSP off (direct sound), the noise disappears.



I think someone else mentioned it. I personally didn't hear anything on low gain, balanced, using Shure SE846.

If I switch to high gain, even on stock firmware, I hear what you mention.


----------



## Queen6

audionewbi said:


> I've noticed when I turn on the direct sound, with all the DSP features off, there is constant background noise, just like a vinyl record noise on quiet passage, but when i turn DSP off (direct sound), the noise disappears.



Best to also state which mode, which firmware (WM1A/Z or WM1A/Z+) and if switched  

Q-6


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 19, 2020)

Removed.


----------



## audionewbi (Jul 19, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> I think someone else mentioned it. I personally didn't hear anything on low gain, balanced, using Shure SE846.
> 
> If I switch to high gain, even on stock firmware, I hear what you mention.





Queen6 said:


> Best to also state which mode, which firmware (WM1A/Z or WM1A/Z+) and if switched
> 
> Q-6


I have a WM1A, J region, with WM1AZ+, using 1Z setting.

Don't get me wrong, it is not a deal-breaker as it still sounds nice, but it is something I noticed.

If I want to now try the 1A version, do I need to run the FW again or all I need to do is just change device? (the answer is yes, it says in the notes )


Edit 2: Changed my WM1A back to 1A, using the WM1AZ+, the noise disappeared.


----------



## Mindstorms (Jul 19, 2020)

I never say this since 2 years i been talkning about 3.00 to the point i got you guys tired on it.. today I can confirm there is something better than it thanks to MrWalkman.
I can say my 1A never sounded this diferent and in a good freshly way. thanks for making my music and player better


----------



## aceedburn

kiling92 said:


> A question..with this new custom firmware,which sound settings do you use?or you use direct mode?
> And in your hopinions is better low gain or high gain?


always on low gain and direct mode on. as good as it gets.


----------



## aceedburn (Jul 19, 2020)

audionewbi said:


> I have a WM1A, J region, with WM1AZ+, using 1Z setting.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, it is not a deal-breaker as it still sounds nice, but it is something I noticed.
> 
> If I want to now try the 1A version, do I need to run the FW again or all I need to do is just change device? (answer is yes, it says in the notes )


just change the device back to 1A using the model switcher and after it restarts automatically, run the WM1AZ+ firmware again and you're good to go. and to switch back to 1z follow the same steps again. Easy peesy! I've tried both and the 1Z switch is the best for most of us. But please try it and explore the difference yourself.


----------



## NickleCo

MrWalkman said:


> This is not a tuning mod, it's a modified firmware.
> 
> I am using this with region J, but it might as well sound good with other regions as well, depending on your preference.
> 
> Before proceeding to install, please read all the indications carefully, as it would help understanding more what this is about, thanks


ah yes, modified fw lol thanks for the correction, read some of your previous replies and looks like I have a similar combo to you before using the new modded fw (1A switched to 1Z but instead of J I'm on E2). Currently using the WM1Z/A+ on E2, still in the process of dissecting the differences compared to my previous combo (Jupiter T2 3.02) but one thing I can say is that it sounds very good! There is a noticeable bump in the upper mids making it sound more resolving and also the bass control is very good! Digs down to the nitty-gritty frequencies. There also seems to be tighter lower mids (?) I can't really say if it's just my brain playing tricks on me but it seems to give more body to male vocals. Very interesting firmware indeed!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 19, 2020)

DatDudeNic said:


> ah yes, modified fw lol thanks for the correction, read some of your previous replies and looks like I have a similar combo to you before using the new modded fw (1A switched to 1Z but instead of J I'm on E2). Currently using the WM1Z/A+ on E2, still in the process of dissecting the differences compared to my previous combo (Jupiter T2 3.02) but one thing I can say is that it sounds very good! There is a noticeable bump in the upper mids making it sound more resolving and also the bass control is very good! Digs down to the nitty-gritty frequencies. There also seems to be tighter lower mids (?) I can't really say if it's just my brain playing tricks on me but it seems to give more body to male vocals. Very interesting firmware indeed!



It’s very clean and pure, like no tuning almost?


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Mindstorms said:


> I can say my 1A never sounded this diferent and in a good freshly way.


Did you flash only 1A/Z or also switched to 1Z?


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Jul 19, 2020)

*MrWalkman,  Redcarmoose*   -
thanks, mates! I'll give a try to both.


----------



## NickleCo

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s very clean and pure, like no tuning almost?


Yes very clean and pure!


----------



## aceedburn

Mystic Traveller said:


> Did you flash only 1A/Z or also switched to 1Z?


Why don’t you try it first as 1A then switch to 1Z and try again? It’s best that way because only you can appreciate the sound you prefer. It takes just a few seconds to do the change and install the firmware again after. I prefer the switch to 1Z. As the sounds becomes so analogue, organic and holographic. It’s the perfect end game sound for me.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mindstorms said:


> I never say this since 2 years i been talkning about 3.00 to the point i got you guys tired on it.. today I can confirm there is something better than it thanks to MrMalkman.
> I can say my 1A never sounded this diferent and in a good freshly way. thanks for making my music and player better



It’s a way different thing than anything we have ever seen happen here in this thread.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mystic Traveller said:


> Did you flash only 1A/Z or also switched to 1Z?



He so far is just on the switcher but I’m trying to get him to join us with 1A/Z+......just because.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Redcarmoose said:


> He so far is just on the switcher but I’m trying to get him to join us with 1A/Z+......just because.


Thanks, I see! I asked 'cos I also do like the 3.0 on my 1A. And 3.02 didn't impress me,
went back to 3.0.
So I first can try this application Model Switcher 3.0, to start with it, leaving 3.0?


----------



## aceedburn

Mystic Traveller said:


> Thanks, I see! I asked 'cos I also do like the 3.0 on my 1A. And 3.02 didn't impress me,
> went back to 3.0.
> So I first can try this application Model Switcher 3.0, to start with it, leaving 3.0?


you Need to be on 3.02 to install any of the firmwares. Even the model switcher only works on 3.02.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 19, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


> Thanks, I see! I asked 'cos I also do like the 3.0 on my 1A. And 3.02 didn't impress me,
> went back to 3.0.
> So I first can try this application Model Switcher 3.0, to start with it, leaving 3.0?



If you never installed any of the two mods in the post, you first need to install one of them.

Only after you install one of the mods, you can then use the Model Switcher to change the model.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15747959

Please read all the indications before doing anything!



MrWalkman said:


> *WM1A/Z+*
> 
> This mod brings improvements to the sound on both WM1A and WM1Z, better battery life,
> and allows switching your WM1A to WM1Z and back, or your WM1Z to WM1A and back.
> ...







aceedburn said:


> you Need to be on 3.02 to install any of the firmwares



Actually no, you can be even on 1.20. You can just come and install one of the mods and it will be fine.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mystic Traveller said:


> Thanks, I see! I asked 'cos I also do like the 3.0 on my 1A. And 3.02 didn't impress me,
> went back to 3.0.
> So I first can try this application Model Switcher 3.0, to start with it, leaving 3.0?



No this is all about 3.02. I am also the same way about 1A and 3.01 with Sony stock sound. But remember here if you go to 1Z, put 1Z in and then 1A/Z+ it is warm and full like 3.01 but 1000,000 times better. 

But yes, depending on your tone preferences and IEM, maybe just maybe you may think this is bright? But trust me, keep listening and keep getting used to it. You will want nothing to do with old 3.01. 

Cheers!


----------



## Redcarmoose

aceedburn said:


> you Need to be on 3.02 to install any of the firmwares. Even the model switcher only works on 3.02.



I was not sure if that was still the case? But I always start with 3.02.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mystic Traveller said:


> Thanks, I see! I asked 'cos I also do like the 3.0 on my 1A. And 3.02 didn't impress me,
> went back to 3.0.
> So I first can try this application Model Switcher 3.0, to start with it, leaving 3.0?



Start after putting Sony downloaded 3.02 in your player first.


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> Start after putting Sony downloaded 3.02 in your player first.



I just mentioned above, it's not necessary. You can come from older firmware versions.


----------



## Redcarmoose

https://www.head-fi.org/members/aceedburn.455872/

Said different so it confused me. 



MrWalkman said:


> I just mentioned above, it's not necessary. You can come from older firmware versions.



Good to know.


----------



## Layman1

Hi, just wondering whether anyone might be able to create .dmg versions of these new modded FW's so that I can install them using my Mac?
Am running the older Mojave OS still.

Either way, a huge thanks to @MrWalkman and all those in testing the FW's and writing their impressions


----------



## captblaze (Jul 19, 2020)

?


Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/members/aceedburn.455872/
> 
> Said different so it confused me.
> 
> ...




i am in the process of going from 0.94 to the @MrWalkman versions... installed and waiting for a long database rebuild, but am confident it works

UPDATE - after an unusually long database rebuild I am running WM1AZ+ (3.02) from stock 0.94


----------



## MrWalkman

captblaze said:


> after an unusually long database rebuild I am running WM1AZ+ (3.02) from stock 0.94



When updating from older versions, like 0.94, it rebuilds the database from scratch, so it takes some time.


----------



## Redcarmoose

captblaze said:


> ?
> 
> 
> 
> ...








You can always reset too?


----------



## captblaze

Redcarmoose said:


> You can always reset too?



its all good. I am guessing Sony adjusted how the database rebuild is executed in later builds


----------



## Redcarmoose

captblaze said:


> its all good. I am guessing Sony adjusted how the database rebuild is executed in later builds



The only really troublesome one was 3.00. So Sony came out with 3.01 soon after. Depending on your card it could take forever then and even crash. But now 3.02 and 3.01 will take a while the first time then quick the second time and from there on.


----------



## gasan

@MrWalkman 
My WM1A displayed as WM1Z in the Model Switcher.
Don't think it's a real issue, just FYI.

Thanks a lot for your fantastic work! Great chance to listen to all my music at least three more times with a different sound (A+, Z+, A to Z) without buying any new hardware!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Seems like burn in might be the only way to go. But I feel like the sub bass is picking up a bit more in the modded 1A. But then again, if it sounds just as good if not just slightly more detailed than the 1Z, is the 1A modded enough? Just sell of the little gold guy? It does make me think why have the 1Z, but it’s nice to know I was able to buy both without using credit cards. This will be my 1,000th post according to my history. Oh well. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


----------



## MrWalkman

MrWalkman said:


> After switching the model, install this firmware again.





gasan said:


> @MrWalkman
> My WM1A displayed as WM1Z in the Model Switcher.
> Don't think it's a real issue, just FYI.
> 
> Thanks a lot for your fantastic work! Great chance to listen to all my music at least three more times with a different sound (A+, Z+, A to Z) without buying any new hardware!



That is normal if you switched the model to WM1Z.

Please read all the indications in the original post regarding changing the model and others: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15747959


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s very clean and pure, like no tuning almost?


I agree it has blackness wich important and it put elements where they go specially stock WM1Z the + is the most engaging I havent tried the A tunings on my 1A since I loved the stockZ tuning so much


----------



## gerelmx1986

I installed WM1A/Z+

Reverted to stock 3.02 rebooted and re-rebooted and then applied the wm1a/z+


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> I installed WM1A/Z+
> 
> Reverted to stock 3.02 rebooted and re-rebooted and then applied the wm1a/z+


If you can share your whoughts it will be awesome since you have very good hearing and taste


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> I installed WM1A/Z+
> 
> Reverted to stock 3.02 rebooted and re-rebooted and then applied the wm1a/z+



Actually you can load the current firmware on top of any tuning.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mindstorms said:


> I agree it has blackness wich important and it put elements where they go specially stock WM1Z the + is the most engaging I havent tried the A tunings on my 1A since I loved the stockZ tuning so much



So you do like the 1A/Z+ changes after all.


----------



## aceedburn

Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could change the models from within the DAP itself? Change from 1A to 1Z on the fly without a PC? Wouldn’t that be super awesome?


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> So you do like the 1A/Z+ changes after all.


yes but i like reference sound first then i go to more expanded then decide since if your ears acoustom to expanded sound then narrow sounds bad lol and also couse i feel a little more punch on reference 1Z but from all Custom FW before this one is the best Ive hearded out of SE so very good indeed! i would only change the booscrees to the ones that camed with 2.0 since i loved how my walkman turned on in just black and walkman logo it was surreal!


----------



## MrWalkman

Mindstorms said:


> yes but i like reference sound first then i go to more expanded then decide since if your ears acoustom to expanded sound then narrow sounds bad lol and also couse i feel a little more punch on reference 1Z but from all Custom FW before this one is the best Ive hearded out of SE so very good indeed! i would only change the booscrees to the ones that camed with 2.0 since i loved how my walkman turned on in just black and walkman logo it was surreal!



Hmm, didn't know about the different logo on 2.0.

However, gonna leave it like this for a while.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mindstorms said:


> yes but i like reference sound first then i go to more expanded then decide since if your ears acoustom to expanded sound then narrow sounds bad lol and also couse i feel a little more punch on reference 1Z but from all Custom FW before this one is the best Ive hearded out of SE so very good indeed! i would only change the booscrees to the ones that camed with 2.0 since i loved how my walkman turned on in just black and walkman logo it was surreal!



Really a big part of learning to understand that bigger soundstage is just mental burn in. We have to train our minds into understanding the illusion. As some soundstage responses are big but maybe not correct. This one has surprises around corners. There is the greatest placement of electric guitars in the mix. They sit in a special pocket, then at times there are big bass drops. At first we are skeptic as it’s a new audio environment which seems unreal. After time we learn to take notes as to what to expect and the real soundstage starts to become a familiar place. I say all this but I’m only used to the 1A, the 1Z soundstage is maybe slightly bigger? I’m not used to the 1Z, so it’s this adaptation phase, which could go either way really.


----------



## nc8000 (Jul 19, 2020)

All this model switcher stuff reminds me of the big IBM line printers in the 70’s. They had a 1200 lines per minute and a 2400 lines per minute version. When a company wanted to upgrade an IBM lorry with 2 men came and carried the old printer out and carried the new printer in, but actually the only difference was a switch derp inside the printe that decided wich model it was.


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> All this model switcher stuff reminds me of the big IBM line printers in the 70’s. They had a 1200 lines per minute and a 2400 lines per minute version. When a company wanted to upgrade an IBM lorry with 2 men came and carried the old printer out and carried the new printer in, but actually the only difference was a seitch derp inside the printe that decided wich model it was.


have you heard 1A? they say its really good in comparison! we are all exited!


----------



## nc8000

Mindstorms said:


> have you heard 1A? they say its really good in comparison! we are all exited!



No I’ve never heard the 1A


----------



## Queen6

Mindstorms said:


> have you heard 1A? they say its really good in comparison! we are all exited!



Game Changer...

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

I can say it (WM1A/Z+) sounds better than DMP-Z1 1.02


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> I can say it (WM1A/Z+) sounds better than DMP-Z1 1.02


You own the DMP-Z1?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> You own the DMP-Z1?


No, the "DMP-Z1  1.02" was a fw mod that emulated or ported the sound.of the dmpt


----------



## Mindstorms (Jul 19, 2020)

I can say only good things about this ones! the Z plus version sounds very refined! its a very wellcomed tunning I can confirm 1Z+ sounds like a Huge IMAX theater but extended in widenes even more its like if the IMAX effect is there but then it goes superwide in the back it makes all things sound huge!


----------



## AlexCBSN (Jul 19, 2020)

Ok, 3 days without checking this thread and my god! has things gone crazy here eh? im giving it a spin right now, so far wm1a turned 1z with the modded firmware, so far theres a smoothness that is almost unreal, the background is pitch black, mids are textured and sweet with certain mellowness that my favorite firmware didnt had, so far impressed (QUITE impressed) soundstage feels larger... will comment later on cause i need to get back to work (thanks to covid 19 i dont have any day off... im working every day and im quite exhausted right now, just came home to grab a bite and couldnt held my self to install this)


----------



## aceedburn (Jul 19, 2020)

Photoshop?


----------



## Donmonte

This mod (1A to 1Z+) is the real deal people, amazing clarity and soundstage.

Don’t go in expecting to find a radical difference, but for most of us searching for that extra 10% of performance and refinement (which in high end audio gear is a lot). This is it!

As always, BIG thanks to the man @MrWalkman


----------



## Gamerlingual

Donmonte said:


> This mod (1A to 1Z+) is the real deal people, amazing clarity and soundstage.
> 
> Don’t go in expecting to find a radical difference, but for most of us searching for that extra 10% of performance and refinement (which in high end audio gear is a lot). This is it!
> 
> As always, BIG thanks to the man @MrWalkman


I was expecting a 30% change. My expectations jumped too high. @aceedburn Does mean it now has DMP-1Z capabilities? Pardon any ignorance


----------



## Mindstorms (Jul 19, 2020)

Donmonte said:


> This mod (1A to 1Z+) is the real deal people, amazing clarity and soundstage.
> 
> Don’t go in expecting to find a radical difference, but for most of us searching for that extra 10% of performance and refinement (which in high end audio gear is a lot). This is it!
> 
> As always, BIG thanks to the man @MrWalkman


I dont hear 10% hear more... i will say its much better than any previous atempt, its that good it takes the player to another level.. you see most tunings in the past where focused particularly on 1A on bass bosting but no real subbass gain.. and maked the player sound congested now in this upgrade you get the full sound you should expect and is V1.00 who knows what we can expect... its really something! im very bass head oriented and very critical on soundstage and this stuff has the hole package if the battery refinement is true this baby stays till the screen says malfunction... i can say this does not sound like sound tuning but a real device upgrade.... I creates a special undistorted sound with black space and very refined sound placement.. and bass managment.. main diference with 3.00 wich its now my second favorite its that 3.00 created the acurate staging but wouldent manage bass well it had deep bass but not taunt. this one creates a similar staging a little wider but with a lot better bass managment closer to 3.01. (1Z+ on 1A)


----------



## Lookout57

Duncan said:


> Sorry, i was a bit short on my reply, it is 1A with 1Z tuning, I found over the course of time (which I mentioned here a few dozen pages back) that I found I preferred the various tunings offered by the various modders on a Z base, warmer, more to my taste, A tunings (and stock) have always been enjoyable but at the same time a bit clinical - so now I truly have the best of both worlds
> 
> as an aside, and to stop me double posting - for Windows, can anyone recommend a good duplicate file manager? A couple of my albums are duplicated so 1,1,2,2 etc and I’d love to clear that up!


In the past when I was using Windows, I used Auslogics Duplicate File Finder. I don't know if it's still available.


----------



## XP_98

Thanks a lot for this fine FW mod, again we have an old-new toy !


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> I was expecting a 30% change. My expectations jumped too high. @aceedburn Does mean it now has DMP-1Z capabilities? Pardon any ignorance


I wouldn’t say it has 1Z capabilities as I don’t see the relevance really. But it’s really nice to be now able to have 2 different sound signatures built in to the player itself.


----------



## Donmonte

Lol, I was being conservative when I said 10%, didn’t want to raise expectations so high.

Still whatever FREE upgrades you can get in high end players, they’re always welcome however big or small!


----------



## Nayparm

aceedburn said:


> New breakthrough  Switch to 1A or 1Z from your device directly which instantly restarts and updates the new model selected



this is awesome!


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> I wouldn’t say it has 1Z capabilities as I don’t see the relevance really. But it’s really nice to be now able to have 2 different sound signatures built in to the player itself.


Oh I thought those Specific capabilities were also available in the DMP from the menu that you showed.


----------



## Mindstorms

Donmonte said:


> Lol, I was being conservative when I said 10%, didn’t want to raise expectations so high.
> 
> Still whatever FREE upgrades you can get in high end players, they’re always welcome however big or small!


Did you saw independence day? when the all motherships arrive... this its a lot like that lol


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Oh I thought those Specific capabilities were also available in the DMP from the menu that you showed.


No. The DMP definitely does not have a model switcher anywhere in the settings. I’m 1000% sure of that mate.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> No. The DMP definitely does not have a model switcher anywhere in the settings. I’m 1000% sure of that mate.


Cool. Then it’s a whole unique thing now. Great to know about this discovery. Thank you.


----------



## Lookout57

Layman1 said:


> Hi, just wondering whether anyone might be able to create .dmg versions of these new modded FW's so that I can install them using my Mac?
> Am running the older Mojave OS still.
> 
> Either way, a huge thanks to @MrWalkman and all those in testing the FW's and writing their impressions


Sorry it's not possible to do this on a Mac.

You can use Windows 10 in a VM on a Mac to run this. If you don't own VMware Fusion or Parallels download and install VirtualBox. Then download the Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft and instal it without a license key. It will run with a few features disabled after 30 days and then you will get nags to get a license, but it will continue to run.


----------



## mmwwmm (Jul 19, 2020)

A question to those who owns both 1A and 1Z.
Using this custom Fw on 1A and 1Z...is then the 1A”+” better sounding than the 1Z”+”?


----------



## Lookout57

mmwwmm said:


> A question to those who owns both 1A and 1Z.
> Using this custom Fw on 1A and 1Z...is then the 1A”+” better sounding than the 1Z”+”?


I do, but I haven't had a chance to compare them yet.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 19, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> No I’ve never heard the 1A



You’d be surprised to hear the 1A now. It’s better than the 1Z now? Strange really?


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> You’d be surprised to hear the 1A now.



Ignorance is bliss. I’m perfectly happy with my 1Z


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> Ignorance is bliss. I’m perfectly happy with my 1Z


I can trade no extra charge!  mine comes with dead battery as a bonus!


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> Ignorance is bliss. I’m perfectly happy with my 1Z



Enjoy.


----------



## RobertP (Jul 23, 2020)

Thanks for made WM1 back to stock tool. It change region certificate image back to stock. 

But still, I have to update OEM v3.02 after run the tool and do factory restore it just to get a proper stock sound.  (Be careful, Restore to Factory Configuration will reset the unit total play time) Reset all setting actually increase some sound distortion. I don't know why.


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> If you have the small WM1Z showing up, it means it's switched to 1Z.
> 
> I use it the same way.
> 
> I removed the 1Z image though, and instead went for a more minimalistic choice.



I like thed the litle logo's it was a nice touche!  It would be nice if underneeth the wm1/z+ There was an extra logo of the dap   





Dtuck90 said:


> I’ve just switched from Z+ to A+ on my 1A and wow I think I’ve found my endgame. It’s not quite as warm as when my player was set to 1Z but I have never heard bass sound like this on my 1A and it pulls out these extra details that weren’t there when my player was set to 1Z



Exactly it sounds amazing on 1a with 1a+ 



Redcarmoose said:


> Man, everyone is raving about 1A on the 1A, I assume with 1A/Z+?



That is how I love my 1a now with 1a+ and even has set my moded and stock 1z to 1a+ mode !!!  To me its the best sound! I really love it.




Mindstorms said:


> I never say this since 2 years i been talkning about 3.00 to the point i got you guys tired on it.. today I can confirm there is something better than it thanks to MrWalkman.
> I can say my 1A never sounded this diferent and in a good freshly way. thanks for making my music and player better



Finally you moved on from 3.0.0   



Gamerlingual said:


> Seems like burn in might be the only way to go. But I feel like the sub bass is picking up a bit more in the modded 1A. But then again, if it sounds just as good if not just slightly more detailed than the 1Z, is the 1A modded enough? Just sell of the little gold guy? It does make me think why have the 1Z, but it’s nice to know I was able to buy both without using credit cards. This will be my 1,000th post according to my history. Oh well. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯



Definitely will help anything below 200 hours will slowly cook after the 200hours wont be that much noticeable....




aceedburn said:


> New breakthrough  Switch to 1A or 1Z from your device directly which instantly restarts and updates the new model selected




Where ? How ? and WHENNN?    but from what I know, we need to reapply the fw tuning after the switch so I am not sure if this is going to be of any help...




nc8000 said:


> Ignorance is bliss. I’m perfectly happy with my 1Z




I was like you for 2 years ignorance is bliss lol, thinking only 1z is the king...  I can say that there is 2 kings now 1a and 1z chose your CLAN! they both rule the world! I really got addicted on the 1a+ fw and this is my current happy little end game till the next big revelation


----------



## Redcarmoose

RobertP said:


> Thanks for made WM1 back to stock tool. It change region certificate image back to stock.
> 
> But still, I have to update OEM v3.02 after run the tool and do factory restore it just to get a proper stock sound. Reset all setting actually increase some sound distortion. I don't know why.



Does not change region back.


----------



## Ravenous

A couple of questions about the new 1A/1Z+ firmware:

Can the WM1A/Z+ be installed over official firmware 3.01 work in tangent with 3.01 firmware, or do we have to have official 3.02 installed before installing this firmware? Also, how would I be able to check which firmware mod is installed on my WM1A, just to confirm? I checked the settings page and unit information page and it only shows version 3.02 but no indication of WM1A/Z+. If it makes a difference I am using version 3.02 region MX3 with WM1A/Z+ installed with model 1A. Also, I saw a screenshot by @aceedburn showing that you can switch between model 1A and 1Z. I don't have this option on my device either, is this a new feature being tested? Thank you again MrWalkman!


----------



## Donmonte

Redcarmoose said:


> Does not change region back.


He meant the image certificate in J is now blank, same as stock, without the image of the WM or the additional writings added in firmware WM1A/Z+.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I want to refresh the new fw in few words of the options you got so folks can better understand them

-option 1 you can run wm1a/z+ fw then apply 1a or 1z in switch, restart and reapply the wm1a/z+ fw ( My preferred 1a+ , on 1a and 1z )

-option 2 you can run wm1a to 1z fw, but stay in 1a without reapplying the fw! ( this offers a new flavor of super smooth refined sound on 1a a true hybrid 50/50 between 1a and 1z tuning !!! )

-option 3 same steps as option 2 but reapply the same fw after switching to 1z on 1a and restarting....


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 19, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> MrWalkman!



This new firmware goes right on top, you don’t need to be on 3.02 or 3.01, it gets over written. Last time you asked I thought I was only on 1A/S+ but truly I’m also on the 1Z switcher too. I have 1A/Z+ with a 1A switched to 1Z, in Japan region from the original Japan Export Edition “U”.

It does not work along with the old firmware tunes. But as always you can run the old firmware switcher (or this new one) and put like Jupiter301 tier1 or Jupiter2 on-top. Still there is no reason you would want that. As if you go with this new firmware it will surpass all that. If you attempt to put old tunes like Jupiter2 on top it will erase the tune. But you will still have an effect of the switcher.


----------



## gearofwar

Does anyone here have A50/55 and want to contribute partially? Please pm me for more details, this is for @Mr.walkman next project


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> Does anyone here have A50/55 and want to contribute partially? Please pm me for more details, this is for @Mr.walkman next project



I have a zx2 its android based dont know if it can be of any help?


----------



## proedros (Jul 19, 2020)

i expect this thread to have reached 3000 pages by tomorrow   -  i have been a head-fi member 10 years now and i can not remember another thread that comes even close to what has been happening here these last few months

this is a 4-year old DAP we are talking about , which in industry time is more like decades , and  people still rave and continue to use their 1a/1z as if it is a 6-month old product

kudos to SONY and kudos to all the people who are mad enough to make all these FW/mod changes

and yes the hype is real , i have my stock wm1a on 1z+ mode , and the sound is delicious

Lovely times to be a crazy music lover


----------



## Quadfather

Duncan said:


> That’s interesting, as in effect that is a destructive mod, you don’t like it, game over - I think if this is confirmed as correct, that I’ll probably keep mine as vanilla for as long as I have it




I want to just own a 1A and a 1Z, both stock.


----------



## Ravenous

Vitaly2017 said:


> -option 1 you can run wm1a/z+ fw then apply 1a or 1z in switch, restart and reapply the wm1a/z+ fw ( My preferred 1a+ , on 1a and 1z )



So your install process for your 1A in particular is to install the WM1A/Z+ firmware, change the device "model" with the "model switcher" to WM1A (even though it is already set to WM1A) and install the WM1A/Z+ firmware once more?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 19, 2020)

Quadfather said:


> I want to just own a 1A and a 1Z, both stock.



https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2738#post-15747959

No need to own a 1Z. Add J region along with model 1Z to your 1A and also 1A/Z+.... it’s better than a stock 1Z.






It was a destructive mod until a full roll back was included. But yes, it’s not going back with a reset. I rolled my 1Z back to stock today.


----------



## Dtuck90

Ravenous said:


> So your install process for your 1A in particular is to install the WM1A/Z+ firmware, change the device "model" with the "model switcher" to WM1A (even though it is already set to WM1A) and install the WM1A/Z+ firmware once more?




No need to do that if you want to keep the model as 1A


----------



## Queen6

Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2738#post-15747959
> 
> No need to own a 1Z. Add J region along with model 1Z to your 1A and also 1A/Z+.... it’s better than a stock 1Z.
> 
> ...



Rolling back to stock is a simple task, just need to follow the instructions, literally just a couple of steps now...

Q-6


----------



## Redcarmoose

Duncan said:


> That’s interesting, as in effect that is a destructive mod, you don’t like it, game over - I think if this is confirmed as correct, that I’ll probably keep mine as vanilla for as long as I have it





Queen6 said:


> Rolling back to stock is a simple task, just need to follow the instructions, literally just a couple of steps now...
> 
> Q-6



Yes, did it.


----------



## 534409 (Jul 19, 2020)

As of me - I'm staying with  WM1A/Z+ on WM1A. Funny thing - ethnic music in other languages sounds better than music in (American/British) English. Kari Bremnes (Norway) or Osamu Kitajima (Japan) i.e.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Dramba said:


> As of me - I'm staying with  WM1A/Z+ on WM1A. Funny thing - ethnic music in other languages plays better than music in (American/British) English  Kari Bremnes i.e.







Another converted.


----------



## Queen6 (Jul 19, 2020)

Which one are you


----------



## Dtuck90

Dramba said:


> As of me - I'm staying with  WM1A/Z+ on WM1A. Funny thing - ethnic music in other languages sounds better than music in (American/British) English. Kari Bremnes (Norway) or Osamu Kitajima (Japan) i.e.



Have you left it as 1A or have you used the model switcher to 1Z?

1A seems the best sound for me


----------



## Redcarmoose

Queen6 said:


> Which one are you



I’m the guy in front with the long hair who looks like he just lost his phone.


----------



## Duncan

Dtuck90 said:


> Have you left it as 1A or have you used the model switcher to 1Z?
> 
> 1A seems the best sound for me


Contradicting one of my last posts - I've switched back to 1A,= and, running 1A+ - and, I'll agree with others, this is really nice...

Damn - fun that there are now so many options


----------



## 534409

Tried switching to 1Z, but it sounded less fancy. WM1A/Z+ is in my ears very similar to DMP-Z1 1.02 by Whitgir. Only better


----------



## Redcarmoose

Duncan said:


> Contradicting one of my last posts - I've switched back to 1A,= and, running 1A+ - and, I'll agree with others, this is really nice...
> 
> Damn - fun that there are now so many options



Another converted.


----------



## Queen6

Redcarmoose said:


> Another converted.



Amen 

Q-6


----------



## 534409 (Jul 19, 2020)

Really, even french-lebanese songs (Touffic Farroukh) sounds much better than english ones. Mr Walkman - is this a secret power of this firmware to make English soundin' worse?


----------



## Dtuck90

Dramba said:


> Tried switching to 1Z, but it sounded less fancy. WM1A/Z+ is in my ears very similar to DMP-Z1 1.02 by Whitgir. Only better



I had issues with the mids on DMP-Z1 1.02 but no such problems here


----------



## 534409

No problems also with hissing on multi-armature IEMs like Andromeda or dynamic ones like Xelento. No hiss on high gain. I'm using 3,5 mm jack now due to lack of balanced cable.


----------



## Queen6

Dramba said:


> No problems also with hissing on multi-armature IEMs like Andromeda or dynamic ones like Xelento. No hiss on high gain. I'm using 3,5 mm jack now due to lack of balanced cable.



Same no issue here with Andromeda and or DD/muti BA IEM's

Q-6


----------



## Duncan

Queen6 said:


> Same no issue here with Andromeda and or DD/muti BA IEM's
> 
> Q-6


This was one of my early observations on one of the much earlier builds - there is still a noise floor - but, it is most definitely pushed further up the volume dial - that in itself is worth the price of admission (which, let's face it - is all of about 2 minutes sat in front of a PC, and a five minute database rebuild) alone, for multi ba / hyper sensitive IEMs


----------



## minzink

Just a relaxed Sunday evening on my terrace with the new WM1A/Z+ firmware mod and a beautiful regional Craftbeer. Just great - both  . I really love this modded firmware... No desire to change anything on my player.... MrWalkman, once again thank you very much!!!


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jul 19, 2020)

minzink said:


> Just a relaxed Sunday evening on my terrace with the new WM1A/Z+ firmware mod and a beautiful regional Craftbeer. Just great - both  . I really love this modded firmware... No desire to change anything on my player.... MrWalkman, once again thank you very much!!!


You know how to enjoy life 

Edit: Tell me more about the beer 🍺 😂


----------



## minzink

hamhamhamsta said:


> You know how to enjoy life
> 
> Edit: Tell me more about the beer 🍺 😂


Haha, thanks! It's the Auris19 from Riegele Brewery in Augsburg. It has 9% alcohol - for a Bavarian beer very strong (typically Bavarian beer has 4.5 to 6% depending on the sort..). Sweet and fruity tast... A slight tast of gratefruit and pineapple with a hop note... Great. But not cheap and not a beer for every day... Just for special moments! It was a birthday present from my neighbor a few months ago, and today with the new WM1A/Z+ mod it was the perfect moment...


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 26, 2020)

There has been an update.

Instead of using the model switcher (the blue thing), you can now switch the model
from inside the "Settings" of the DAP.



Spoiler: Images






 

 






*How to do this?*
To do this, go to "Settings", then "Device Settings", then "Reset/Format", and instead
of "Factory Reset" we will now have "Switch Device Model". If you have the device switched
to 1A, the function will switch it to 1Z. Also, if you have the device switched to 1Z, the function
will switch it to 1A. Pretty simple! The process takes only about 1 or 2 seconds, and then the
player will restart. *After the restart, you should reinstall the firmware mod, in order to fully apply
the new model's sound signature.


- How do I know the change worked?*
It will work for sure. But in order to see the current model of the device, just go to "Settings"
and then to "Certificates", or to "Settings" and "Unit information".

*- What happens if I switch the model, but then I don't install the firmware again?*
Nothing wrong will happen. The sound might not be the same as if installing the firmware again though.
Feel free to experiment, but the recommendation is that you should install the firmware again after
switching the model.

*- How to revert back to stock?*
For reverting back to stock, the same thing apply as before - first, make sure you switch to the
original model of your player, and then install the "WM1 Back to Stock" firmware. From there on,
you can install any other firmware you like.

*- Do I need to be on version 3.02 before installing the mods?*
No, you do not.

*- If I am already using one of the two firmware mods, do I need to first switch back to 1A or
to 1Z and then I can install the new firmware?*
No, you can just go ahead and install the new firmware.


Link to firmware in the main post: *CLICK*


----------



## firemess

Dtuck90 said:


> I had issues with the mids on DMP-Z1 1.02 but no such problems here


Try to combine Z+ and DMP Z1 1.02, for me it sounds awesome


----------



## Nayparm

MrWalkman said:


> There has been an update.
> 
> Instead of using the model switcher (the blue thing), you can now switch the model
> from inside the "Settings" of the DAP.
> ...



Absolutely amazing work 👍 I very much appreciate all the hours/days/weeks you have  put into this.


----------



## MrWalkman

Nayparm said:


> Absolutely amazing work 👍 I very much appreciate all the hours/days/weeks you have  put into this.



Thanks!

By the way, I added a Frequently Asked Questions section in the main post.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15747959


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Jul 19, 2020)

Dramba said:


> I'm staying with WM1A/Z+ on WM1A


Just tried the same - flashed WM1A/Z+ over 3.0 on 1A without switching - sounds nice!!
And what I did want  -vocals now "stand out".
Thank you *MrWalkman* et al. for all your work, time and efforts!! Kudos!


----------



## minzink

MrWalkman said:


> There has been an update.
> 
> Instead of using the model switcher (the blue thing), you can now switch the model
> from inside the "Settings" of the DAP.
> ...




Wow! Thank you very much. !!!


----------



## Ravenous

I hate to be contrarian but does anyone else find the firmware mod a bit sibilant/strong/sharp as a result of it being using firmware version 3.02? Again I apologize for criticizing the firmware so early in it's inception but I just wanted to note my experience compared to my previous firmware which was 3.01 without any mods. I remember experiencing this issue before when switching from 3.00/3.01 to 3.02, where at first the sound signature sounded better with more clarity and resolve and less perceived bass "bloating", but after a while I realized a lot of my music with guitars, cymbals, trumpets etc would sound to a point incredibly sharp and at times overbearing, to a point where I just had to switch back to 3.01. 

After doing that I've been on 3.01 for several weeks without feeling any need to change the firmware or the tuning. Now, back to this firmware mod, while to me it does sound excellent, incredibly expanded sound stage and certain micro details are seemingly brought to the forefront in detail, but yet again I am experiencing this sharpness in treble when it comes to high energy music with high pitch guitar solos, keyboard synthesizers, cymbal crashes etc.... Has anyone else experienced this? Anyway my experience is all coming from listening to this firmware mod with my Periodic Audio Be earphones, so it just very well be the synergy of these earphones with the player and firmware mod.


----------



## MrWalkman

Ravenous said:


> Anyway my experience is all coming from listening to this firmware mod with my Periodic Audio Be earphones, so it just very well be the synergy of these earphones with the player and firmware mod.



I was thinking of that, I didn't experience what you describe with WM1A/Z+ and player switched to 1Z.

I was thinking of doing the same mod for 3.00 and 3.01 as well, so stay tuned.


----------



## Ravenous

MrWalkman said:


> I was thinking of that, I didn't experience what you describe with WM1A/Z+ and player switched to 1Z.
> 
> I was thinking of doing the same mod for 3.00 and 3.01 as well, so stay tuned.



Thank you for the reply and considering using 3.0/3.0.1 as an foundation for your mods! I feel all alone in my sentiment about the sharpness of the treble, but whenever I use 3.02, even if I apply sound tuning, that sharpness is always there somehow lol.


----------



## Queen6

hamhamhamsta said:


> You know how to enjoy life
> 
> Edit: Tell me more about the beer 🍺 😂



Cold and Flowing  


Q-6


----------



## Hinomotocho

Ravenous said:


> I hate to be contrarian but does anyone else find the firmware mod a bit sibilant/strong/sharp as a result of it being using firmware version 3.02? Again I apologize for criticizing the firmware so early in it's inception but I just wanted to note my experience compared to my previous firmware which was 3.01 without any mods. I remember experiencing this issue before when switching from 3.00/3.01 to 3.02, where at first the sound signature sounded better with more clarity and resolve and less perceived bass "bloating", but after a while I realized a lot of my music with guitars, cymbals, trumpets etc would sound to a point incredibly sharp and at times overbearing, to a point where I just had to switch back to 3.01.
> 
> After doing that I've been on 3.01 for several weeks without feeling any need to change the firmware or the tuning. Now, back to this firmware mod, while to me it does sound excellent, incredibly expanded sound stage and certain micro details are seemingly brought to the forefront in detail, but yet again I am experiencing this sharpness in treble when it comes to high energy music with high pitch guitar solos, keyboard synthesizers, cymbal crashes etc.... Has anyone else experienced this? Anyway my experience is all coming from listening to this firmware mod with my Periodic Audio Be earphones, so it just very well be the synergy of these earphones with the player and firmware mod.


Which region 3.02? My stock WM1A was E and it wasn't harsh but quite bright - I switched to J 3.02 and it was more to my tastes with more bass presence.


----------



## XP_98

Nayparm said:


> Absolutely amazing work 👍 I very much appreciate all the hours/days/weeks you have  put into this.


+1 👍 Great work !


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Queen6 said:


> Cold and Flowing
> 
> 
> Q-6


Music usually sounds better when alcohol is involved; not that I personally know something about it, hahaha 😂


----------



## Ravenous

Hinomotocho said:


> Which region 3.02? My stock WM1A was E and it wasn't harsh but quite bright - I switched to J 3.02 and it was more to my tastes with more bass presence.



I am using region MX3. I notice that there isn't such a "boost" in treble on 3.01 so I don't know why it was done with 3.02.


----------



## Queen6

Ravenous said:


> I hate to be contrarian but does anyone else find the firmware mod a bit sibilant/strong/sharp as a result of it being using firmware version 3.02? Again I apologize for criticizing the firmware so early in it's inception but I just wanted to note my experience compared to my previous firmware which was 3.01 without any mods. I remember experiencing this issue before when switching from 3.00/3.01 to 3.02, where at first the sound signature sounded better with more clarity and resolve and less perceived bass "bloating", but after a while I realized a lot of my music with guitars, cymbals, trumpets etc would sound to a point incredibly sharp and at times overbearing, to a point where I just had to switch back to 3.01.
> 
> After doing that I've been on 3.01 for several weeks without feeling any need to change the firmware or the tuning. Now, back to this firmware mod, while to me it does sound excellent, incredibly expanded sound stage and certain micro details are seemingly brought to the forefront in detail, but yet again I am experiencing this sharpness in treble when it comes to high energy music with high pitch guitar solos, keyboard synthesizers, cymbal crashes etc.... Has anyone else experienced this? Anyway my experience is all coming from listening to this firmware mod with my Periodic Audio Be earphones, so it just very well be the synergy of these earphones with the player and firmware mod.



Best to state which DAP and Switcher 3.0 WM1A/Z or WM1A/Z+. In your case I'd recommend spending some time with stock Sony 3.02 on region J then comment and as ever headgear will make for a significant differnce. Coming from stock 3.01 differnce will be significant...


----------



## MrWalkman

Queen6 said:


> Best to state which DAP and Switcher 3.0 WM1A/Z or WM1A/Z+



I also recommend just using the new firmwares instead of using the previous ones with the blue switcher.

This is just because the new firmwares makes this so much easier, and also to not confuse people when we're gonna talk about Switcher 3.0, as the switcher is now in the firmware itself.


----------



## captblaze

Just when I think the pinnacle of outstanding 3rd party development of this generation of Walkman has been reached, along comes @MrWalkman to reach above and beyond what I could imagine. Many thanks


----------



## Ravenous

MrWalkman said:


> There has been an update.
> 
> Instead of using the model switcher (the blue thing), you can now switch the model
> from inside the "Settings" of the DAP.
> ...



Question, If I perform a factory reset will that remove my "listening hours"?


----------



## nc8000

Ravenous said:


> Question, If I perform a factory reset will that remove my "listening hours"?



Yes


----------



## MrWalkman

Ravenous said:


> Question, If I perform a factory reset will that remove my "listening hours"?



Yes, Factory reset will always remove listening hours. However, it the menu it now says "Switch Device Model", and not "Factory Reset". This means that this firmware will not do factory reset anymore, so no worries about the hours.

If you want to do Factory reset, you will have to install Back to stock, after making sure you switched back to your original model.


----------



## gasan

MrWalkman said:


> I was thinking of that, I didn't experience what you describe with WM1A/Z+ and player switched to 1Z.


A+ makes my "soft" Dunu DK-2001 sounds great. But for IMR Athens A+ seems to be too bright, so I prefer "softer" Z+ with them.

Switching from A+ to Z+ without flashing from the PC will be a killer-feature


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 19, 2020)

gasan said:


> Switching from A+ to Z+ without flashing from the PC will be a killer-feature



Yep, but you should still install the firmware again after switching the model, in order to make sure that the Z sound signature will be fully in use.

The in-firmware switcher basically allows us to switch the model without having to use other tools.

So always switch, flash firmware again.

I added something about switching in the Frequently asked questions in the main post: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2738#post-15747959


----------



## Mindstorms (Jul 19, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> I hate to be contrarian but does anyone else find the firmware mod a bit sibilant/strong/sharp as a result of it being using firmware version 3.02? Again I apologize for criticizing the firmware so early in it's inception but I just wanted to note my experience compared to my previous firmware which was 3.01 without any mods. I remember experiencing this issue before when switching from 3.00/3.01 to 3.02, where at first the sound signature sounded better with more clarity and resolve and less perceived bass "bloating", but after a while I realized a lot of my music with guitars, cymbals, trumpets etc would sound to a point incredibly sharp and at times overbearing, to a point where I just had to switch back to 3.01.
> 
> After doing that I've been on 3.01 for several weeks without feeling any need to change the firmware or the tuning. Now, back to this firmware mod, while to me it does sound excellent, incredibly expanded sound stage and certain micro details are seemingly brought to the forefront in detail, but yet again I am experiencing this sharpness in treble when it comes to high energy music with high pitch guitar solos, keyboard synthesizers, cymbal crashes etc.... Has anyone else experienced this? Anyway my experience is all coming from listening to this firmware mod with my Periodic Audio Be earphones, so it just very well be the synergy of these earphones with the player and firmware mod.


yes i agree on 1Z+ its more aparent than on 1Z using on 1A i come from 3.00 wich require heavy eq 1Z it sbetter in this regard and also its region dependant you go J that will fade since J its better for that also you can go A+ insteaz of Z+ copy? i find it less sharp


----------



## gasan

MrWalkman said:


> Yep, but you should still install the firmware again after switching the model, in order to make sure that the Z sound signature will be fully in use.
> 
> The in-firmware switcher basically allows us to switch the model without having to use other tools.
> 
> ...


I understand the right sequence. 
I mean maybe someday you will find a way how to flash the "full" firmware from the player itself after switching the model...
Sent you a beer. Appreciate what you are doing for all of us.


----------



## MrWalkman

gasan said:


> I mean maybe someday you will find a way how to flash the "full" firmware from the player itself after switching the model...



That would be awesome indeed, yes 




gasan said:


> Sent you a beer. Appreciate what you are doing for all of us.



Really appreciate it, man! Cheers


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Jul 19, 2020)

Just spotted at home a hidden Ad of a 1Z, dated 1982.. 



Spoiler


----------



## Gamerlingual

Ravenous said:


> I hate to be contrarian but does anyone else find the firmware mod a bit sibilant/strong/sharp as a result of it being using firmware version 3.02? Again I apologize for criticizing the firmware so early in it's inception but I just wanted to note my experience compared to my previous firmware which was 3.01 without any mods. I remember experiencing this issue before when switching from 3.00/3.01 to 3.02, where at first the sound signature sounded better with more clarity and resolve and less perceived bass "bloating", but after a while I realized a lot of my music with guitars, cymbals, trumpets etc would sound to a point incredibly sharp and at times overbearing, to a point where I just had to switch back to 3.01.
> 
> After doing that I've been on 3.01 for several weeks without feeling any need to change the firmware or the tuning. Now, back to this firmware mod, while to me it does sound excellent, incredibly expanded sound stage and certain micro details are seemingly brought to the forefront in detail, but yet again I am experiencing this sharpness in treble when it comes to high energy music with high pitch guitar solos, keyboard synthesizers, cymbal crashes etc.... Has anyone else experienced this? Anyway my experience is all coming from listening to this firmware mod with my Periodic Audio Be earphones, so it just very well be the synergy of these earphones with the player and firmware mod.


Sounds like the earphones are the problem. Try out some other cans if you can to notice less harshness.


----------



## Mindstorms

Mystic Traveller said:


> Just spotted at home a hidden Ad of a 1Z, dated 1982..
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler


maybe you can travel trough time and go to the past... and thats why your name is Mystic Traveller


----------



## Fsilva

@MrWalkman Sir congrats!! You are the true Wm1 wizard!!!
Was amazed listening to "Puscifer - Conditions on Parole" this afternoon while on Wm1A+
Was at the beach while listening to that album, but sometimes i´ve felt i was traveling through the hyperspace!!!
And the Wizard keeps surprising us with easier ways to suit or tastes and changing the new firmwares.....
This gentleman deserves more than 1000 beers!!!!


----------



## SebaE2012

captblaze said:


> if you appreciate well recorded and mastered progressive rock music from a group of awesome musicians I would suggest this
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yeah, I agree with the recommendation. It's a very impressive band, with awesome musicians. Govan is a truly gifted guitar player, who mixes shredding with tasteful melodies in a masterful way. Not trying to go off topic, though. So I'll leave it there.


----------



## NickleCo (Jul 19, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> I hate to be contrarian but does anyone else find the firmware mod a bit sibilant/strong/sharp as a result of it being using firmware version 3.02?


I found that when I switched to J region things got a bit out of hand. Treble was a tad too much for my liking. Went to TW it was better but lost the note thickness that I oh so desired when I first installed the fw. In the end i went back to the region I first was when I installed the fw, E2.


----------



## proedros

one of the true pop masterpieces of the 80s , master Bryan Ferry from an era when music mattered and musicians were true titans

West German Target CD (famous for its sonic fidelity), on 1Z+ you can almost see BF singing next to you

No drug like music....


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 19, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Sounds like the earphones are the problem. Try out some other cans if you can to notice less harshness.


If you check hundreds of pages back in the thread, there was a chart comparing between the stock firmware
The 3.02 has a boosted treble and bass while 3.01 is more overall balance. I was always on my stock 3.01 for many years, even after trying 3.02 and only switching to 3.02 after the first firmware mod released


----------



## Redcarmoose

Trying the IER-Z1R for a day or two with this new brew? Ahhh....maybe longer?


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jul 21, 2020)

Listening again to both 1A and 1Z using the switcher, I’m starting to remember again.

Even using WM1A/Z+, 1A version sounds 2D. Not saying it’s bad, none at all, it’s very very good technically. Everything sounds so forward in your face, it dynamic, it loud. The + version increase the clarity by a lot/max. Some songs may have sound coming from far, maybe a mile away(exaggeration btw); in regular 1A/1Z version, if I remember correctly, after a certain distance, things become fuzzy; not on +version. Everything is crystal clear. The good thing for 1A, is it’s very very good technically, very suitable for certain type of music. The bad thing for me personally, it’s emotionless. I can’t for the life of me feel the music moving my emotions and soul. This maybe just my personal experience.


Now for 1Z+ version, it’s leap above. Why? It’s not flat, its very 3D, there’s landscape to the music. It’s not like 1A, flat, there’s peak and valley to the songs. Bass is wicked, but resonance and echoes are also really good. It is very emotional, it wring emotions out of you, depending on the songs you listen to. There’s different emphasis and different speed on different notes. It sounds grand, notes goes up and down, not flat.


So is 1Z+ is better than 1A+ version? I think it’s just 2 different representation of the same music. 1A+ is honest, direct, forceful, in your face,  there’s little dressing, it is what it is. As for 1Z+, it’s colorful, emotional, subtle, there’s light and shadow playing in the background. There’s no right or wrong. It’s like ordering ramen, 1A+ is basic ramen, with soy sauce soup and few basic ingredients while 1Z+ is the same ramen, with additional poached egg, chasu/roast pork, and many different garnishes. Both are ramen, both are good, depends on your preference at the time. 

I think we are very lucky indeed. What a great time to own 1A/1Z. Keep striving to improve and see how much potential can be wrung out of 1A/1Z. 😃


----------



## Redcarmoose

hamhamhamsta said:


> Listening again to both 1A and 1Z using the switcher, I’m starting to remember again.
> 
> Even using WM1A/Z+, 1A version sounds 2D. Not saying it’s bad, none at all, it’s very very good technically. Everything sounds so forward in your face, it dynamic, it loud. The + version increase the clarity by a lot/max. Some songs may have sound coming from far, maybe a mile away(exaggeration btw); in regular 1A/1Z version, if I remember correctly, after a certain distance, things become fuzzy; not on +version. Everything is crystal clear. The good thing for 1A, is it’s very very good technically, very suitable for certain type of music. The bad thing for me personally, it’s emotionless. I can’t for the life of me feel the music moving my emotions and soul. This maybe just my personal experience.
> 
> ...



This is great!


----------



## gearofwar

hamhamhamsta said:


> Listening again to both 1A and 1Z using the switcher, I’m starting to remember again.
> 
> Even using WM1A/Z+, 1A version sounds 2D. Not saying it’s bad, none at all, it’s very very good technically. Everything sounds so forward in your face, it dynamic, it loud. The + version increase the clarity by a lot/max. Some songs may have sound coming from far, maybe a mile away(exaggeration btw); in regular 1A/1Z version, if I remember correctly, after a certain distance, things become fuzzy; not on +version. Everything is crystal clear. The good thing for 1A, is it’s very very good technically, very suitable for certain type of music. The bad thing for me personally, it’s emotionless. I can’t for the life of me feel the music moving my emotions and soul. This maybe just my personal experience.
> 
> ...


yes, currently need someone with A50/55


----------



## NickleCo

Bought it for the looks, was not expecting much of it. But through your modified fw, @MrWalkman These are now one of my favorites! So musical, grand, images unlike anything near its price point at $50. It won't win any awards for its clarity but for its staging and imaging prowess, its a whole different story! Here's a 🍻 good sir!


----------



## MrWalkman

DatDudeNic said:


> Bought it for the looks, was not expecting much of it. But through your modified fw, @MrWalkman These are now one of my favorites! So musical, grand, images unlike anything near its price point at $50. It won't win any awards for its clarity but for its staging and imaging prowess, its a whole different story! Here's a 🍻 good sir!



Really appreciate the feedback, and cheers 🍻 

Also, that album sounds great, yes!


----------



## NickleCo

MrWalkman said:


> Really appreciate the feedback, and cheers 🍻
> 
> Also, that album sounds great, yes!


Anything chesky made has been a blast!


----------



## aceedburn

DatDudeNic said:


> Bought it for the looks, was not expecting much of it. But through your modified fw, @MrWalkman These are now one of my favorites! So musical, grand, images unlike anything near its price point at $50. It won't win any awards for its clarity but for its staging and imaging prowess, its a whole different story! Here's a 🍻 good sir!


One of the best binaural albums I have. Music and sound top notch!


----------



## gerelmx1986

gearofwar said:


> yes, currently need someone with A50/55


I have one, I don't use it so much, so planning on selling.it


----------



## DeviantArt

Hi there,

i need some help.

I just buy a 2nd WM1a and its current firmware is 3.02 from DMP-Z1, now i want to restore to stock firmware. I download stock firmware on sony website and install. However, i just recieved a message
"Connect the Target Device to a computer with a USB cable" all the time.

please help me to solve this problem.


----------



## aceedburn

DeviantArt said:


> Hi there,
> 
> i need some help.
> 
> ...


It looks like an issue with the usb cable or your USB port. You sure you downloaded the original Sony firmware from Sony website? Try using another USB port if your have.


----------



## Duncan

DeviantArt said:


> Hi there,
> 
> i need some help.
> 
> ...


If the model name says “DMP-Z1”, ie the model number has been swapped, not just the sound tuning, then you’ll need a model switcher tool to switch it to 1A, then the Sony update will work fine


----------



## gerelmx1986

gearofwar said:


> yes, currently need someone with A50/55


Already gave him the info he needs


----------



## auronthas (Sep 17, 2020)

.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 20, 2020)

auronthas said:


> I am happy with my stocked 3.0.2 1Z and 1A firmware respectively, 1Z is still "young" at 70 hours.  As one of Sony loyal fans, I will stick to stocked firmware though I have "tried" 1A few tuned firmwares previously but had reverted to stocked firmware.  Who knows Sony suddenly implement no backward compatible firmwares ?  Who knows Sony come out with new firmware with new features and those mod firmwares are not able to install it no more.  No body knows.  Love both my 1Z and 1A.  YMMV



If you are thinking about this last mod we're talking around here, it only consists of modified firmware (not tuning mod).

Tuning-wise, this uses the stock tuning.

If they would implement some of the stuff that you mentioned, they should have also patched out the possibility of changing regions, plus others, a long time ago.

Thanks for the thoughts!

Cheers.


----------



## aceedburn

auronthas said:


> This will get attention to the corporation/manufacturer and he/she will be prosecuted. Don't say I never warn those who involve direct or indirect. Be cautious


Hahahahaha.


----------



## Gww1

@MrWalkman, firstly along with everyone else I really appreciate your amazing work!

I just wanted to try to understand, what is it that makes the sound improvement on the + firmware? Is there also a tuning change, like the previous mods, or is it something else?


----------



## MrWalkman

Gww1 said:


> @MrWalkman, firstly along with everyone else I really appreciate your amazing work!



Thanks!



Gww1 said:


> I just wanted to try to understand, what is it that makes the sound improvement on the + firmware? Is there also a tuning change, like the previous mods, or is it something else?



Unfortunately, I won't get into details about that, for obvious reasons.

We should still be cautious.

But, as I just mentioned above, it uses the stock tuning.


----------



## Duncan

On 1A+, I can finally say that one of my demons is cured...

on a different thread (RHA CL2), I was moaning that one of my favourite EPs (Freya Ridings, Live at the Omeara) was recorded badly, great music, but not very listenable - anyway, listening to it right now, and it sounds great.

the gift that keeps on giving!


----------



## newworld666 (Jul 20, 2020)

I am one who didn't find any improvement with 100% of the tuned firmware these last months which were available through this forum.

Until yesterday, I tried a lot of them and measured some of them with MiniDSP ears and frequency response or THD were 100% identical with stock firmware, so I was not surprised that I couldn't get sound differences, as they must be so tiny and mostly impossible to detect without any direct A/B comparison. If some were catchable, who can tell if it's an improvement and not just different ?

I gave a chance yesterday to MrWalkman Z+ firmware, though I was obliged to deactivate my windows defender to switch between WM1A/WM1Z conf.
I didn't measure the Z+ till now( MiniDSP ears), but this time (for teh first time) I can really ear some differences in ultra-bass section quite noticeable like deeper faster and clearer impacts (I can get those with an Heddphone which is even clearer than my closed Ultrasone Ed15 veritas).
I would even say that is my best experience till now with a portable player (WM1A/M6/M11/H6pro).
I am waiting for a stronger portable amp (Centrance M8 V2), and then I will make some measurements compared to a Monolyth THX887 with stock firmware and Z+.

A real pleasure to have spent more than 12 hours now with the Z+ firmware on WM1A.


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> I am one who didn't find any improvement with 100% of the tuned firmware these last months which were available through this forum.
> 
> Until yesterday, I tried a lot of them and measured some of them with MiniDSP ears and frequency response or THD were 100% identical with stock firmware, so I was not surprised that I couldn't get sound differences, as they must be so tiny and mostly impossible to detect without any direct A/B comparison. If some were catchable, who can tell if it's an improvement and not just different ?
> 
> ...



Nice! Glad you like it!

Check out the main post, it has been updated. The switcher is no longer a separate tool.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I really like WM1A+ big thanks to @MrWalkman 
So i've converted my WM1A to 1Z and will spend some time and them apply again while it is still 1Z the WM1A/Z+ and see results


----------



## newworld666

MrWalkman said:


> Nice! Glad you like it!
> 
> Check out the main post, it has been updated. The switcher is no longer a separate tool.


 
By the way, I forgot to thank you. Really Interesting job you have done !!!!
I will have a look to the new tool.


----------



## newworld666 (Jul 20, 2020)

As my WMA1 is not set in English, I tried to swicth between 1A and 1Z with the "Factory reset" option, and it's working as indicated in MrWalkman post => no real factory reset, but just  a switch between the 1A and 1Z and then I had to reload the firmware again to be with 1AZ+ or Z firmware on WM1A.
It's much better than de-activate Microsoft Defender  
Really good job !


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> As my WMA1 is not set in English, I tried to swicth between 1A and 1Z with the "Factory reset" option, and it's working as indicated in MrWalkman post => no real factory reset, but just  a switch between the 1A and 1Z and then I had to reload the firmware again to be with 1AZ+ or Z firmware on WM1A.
> It's much better than de activate Microsoft Defender
> Really good job !



Yes, I need to update the translation for other languages as well.


----------



## newworld666

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, I need to update the translation for other languages as well.


Already a good job done ! so have nice drink with some little beers I just offered you.


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> Already a good job done ! so have nice drink with some little beers I just offered you.



Thanks, I really appreciate it!


----------



## aceedburn

It’s interesting to have so many different sound variations from the mods released by @MrWalkman. For instance now we can change the model from the device itself. So you can switch form 1A to 1Z and vice versa while still having the stock firmware of what you had when you loaded the WM1A/Z+stock firmware. So if you were on 1A and loaded the firmware you will have 1A stock firmware and can switch the mode to 1Z on your Walkman and listen to 1Z using 1A stock firmware or the other way around. I can say that every variant sounds different. However the best variant for me is 1Z model with 1Z firmware using WM1A/Z+ firmware.


----------



## captblaze

My time with these packages has lead me (key word being me YMMV ) to the following.

WM1A to 1Z - best for DD and DD hybrid 

WM1AZ+ - best for all BA


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am tearing wm1A-> wm1a to 1z->wm1a/z+ I am thinking of reverting back to stock wm1A form and then apply wm1a/z+


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 20, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am tearing wm1A-> wm1a to 1z->wm1a/z+ I am thinking of reverting back to stock wm1A form and then apply wm1a/z+



It won't make any difference returning to stock first. But it's up to you.

Remember to first switch the model back to the original one (1A in your case) before going back to stock.

Imagine you're just switching from version 3.02 to version 3.01 or 3.00. It works in the same way.


----------



## aceedburn

These new firmwares have struck a chord with almost everyone that’s using them. In a nutshell these new firmwares don’t sound like the original 1A does. Neither does it make the 1A sound like the 1Z. So it doesn’t sound like a 1A and neither does it sound like a 1Z. Well, what does it sound like? I don’t know. All I know is, for me it’s the best sound possible for the 1A. I’ve tried probably hundreds of different tuning mods over this past 6 months or so and have never heard anything quite like WM1A/Z+. It has its own unique, remarkable, enchanting and addictive sound that has set a precedence on how the 1A can and should sound. Period! And the battery life on this firmware has been spectacular. No other firmware has given me the battery life this one has. It’s truly a breakthrough that we all should be thankful for.


----------



## NeoDiNardo

How a far is Sony away from a NW-WMZ1 Walkman model update? I really want to get a top of the line Walkman but with USB-C and Android. I know there is the NW-ZX500 but it’s not a Z series Walkman. I want to get away from the Walkman unnecessary custom ports and Android’s streaming options seem worthwhile. Or do NW-WMZ1 owners prefer non-Android?


----------



## Gamerlingual

NeoDiNardo said:


> How a far is Sony away from a NW-WMZ1 Walkman model update? I really want to get a top of the line Walkman but with USB-C and Android. I know there is the NW-ZX500 but it’s not a Z series Walkman. I want to get away from the Walkman unnecessary custom ports and Android’s streaming options seem worthwhile. Or do NW-WMZ1 owners prefer non-Android?


WAY better than Android. They easily drive the Focal Stellia without issues and the sound is just amazing with them. Still prefer my Z7M2, but when I sampled the Stellia with them, very nice 3D effect


----------



## mmwwmm

mmwwmm said:


> A question to those who owns both 1A and 1Z.
> Using this custom Fw on 1A and 1Z...is then the 1A”+” better sounding than the 1Z”+”?



Anybody?


----------



## NeoDiNardo (Jul 20, 2020)

I really wanted the Sony NW-WMZ1 when it first came out. Now I have the money and I have a need for a high-end DMP or transportable DAC amplifier setup for my Focal Stellia headphones. The other options I’ve lusted after are Chord’s Hugo 2 / 2Go and Woo Audio’s WA8 Eclipse. Sony’s Pentagon port is far superior for mobile balanced connections so I’ve been a Walkman fan over most A&K options.

All three are amazing options but I need to narrow it down a bit. I realize that Sony’s NW-WMZ1 is far more portable. And it might be perfect for the Stellia sound wise. Chord’s Hugo 2 / 2Go is an amazing transportable WiFi streaming DAC headphone amplifier that can do double duty as a stereo system DAC. It has Chord’s famous DAC magic and it’s compatible with Chord’s M Scaler. The only flaws that I can see is that it’s far less portable than it is transportable and it’s reported to be less warm sounding. Some have indicated that Woo Audio’s WA8 Eclipse is the better DAC headphone amplifier package vs the Hugo 2 with its warmer tube assisted sound even if the DAC part is more average. Woo’s WA8 is more simplistic and needs a tethered source and therefore it’s probably the perfect laptop buddy. Whereas Chord’s Hugo 2 / 2Go combo is wireless and perfect for your iPhone or Android phone. Finally, Sony’s NW-WMZ1 has the best ultra portability but not be used as a DAC.

In the end I feel like I need two purchases.
Perhaps the Sony NW-WMZ1 for on the go and the Chord Hugo 2 / 2Go for around the house or for transportable laptop sessions. And I’d love to still try out the Woo Audio WA8 Eclipse. I might be stupid enough to try all three options someday. And there is another, the Woo Audio WA11 Topaz. I have to read up on that one.

Is Sony’s Walkman port a pain in any way? How is the NW-WMZ1’s interface? Is it easy to use, fast, any other NW-MWZ1 issues I should know about?


----------



## nc8000

NeoDiNardo said:


> How a far is Sony away from a NW-WMZ1 Walkman model update? I really want to get a top of the line Walkman but with USB-C and Android. I know there is the NW-ZX500 but it’s not a Z series Walkman. I want to get away from the Walkman unnecessary custom ports and Android’s streaming options seem worthwhile. Or do NW-WMZ1 owners prefer non-Android?



Had the ZX2, much prefer the Sony OS to Android. I do very little streaming but if I want to I just set the 1Z to BT receiver


----------



## NeoDiNardo

Quick question, if I buy a NW-WMZ1 or NW-ZX507 do they have AVLS? I’m in the USA. Can I buy one of these units without that? Or do I have to buy an import model from Japan to avoid AVLS?


----------



## Donmonte

NeoDiNardo said:


> I really wanted the Sony NW-WMZ1 when it first came out. Now I have the money and I have a need for a high-end DMP or transportable DAC amplifier setup for my Focal Stellia headphones. The other options I’ve lusted after are Chord’s Hugo 2 / 2Go and Woo Audio’s WA8 Eclipse. Sony’s Pentagon port is far superior for mobile balanced connections so I’ve been a Walkman fan over most A&K options.
> 
> All three are amazing options but I need to narrow it down a bit. I realize that Sony’s NW-WMZ1 is far more portable. And it might be perfect for the Stellia sound wise. Chord’s Hugo 2 / 2Go is an amazing transportable WiFi streaming DAC headphone amplifier that can do double duty as a stereo system DAC. It has Chord’s famous DAC magic and it’s compatible with Chord’s M Scaler. The only flaws that I can see is that it’s far less portable than it is transportable and it’s reported to be less warm sounding. Some have indicated that Woo Audio’s WA8 Eclipse is the better DAC headphone amplifier package vs the Hugo 2 with its warmer tube assisted sound even if the DAC part is more average. Woo’s WA8 is more simplistic and needs a tethered source and therefore it’s probably the perfect laptop buddy. Whereas Chord’s Hugo 2 / 2Go combo is wireless and perfect for your iPhone or Android phone. Finally, Sony’s NW-WMZ1 has the best ultra portability but not be used as a DAC.
> 
> ...





NeoDiNardo said:


> Quick question, if I buy a NW-WMZ1 or NW-ZX507 do they have AVLS? I’m in the USA. Can I buy one of these units without that? Or do I have to buy an import model from Japan to avoid AVLS?


No they don't, only the ones sold in some part of Europe do.


----------



## captblaze

NeoDiNardo said:


> Quick question, if I buy a NW-WMZ1 or NW-ZX507 do they have AVLS? I’m in the USA. Can I buy one of these units without that? Or do I have to buy an import model from Japan to avoid AVLS?


US model


----------



## Ghostsounds

Donmonte said:


> No they don't, only the ones sold in some part of Europe do.


If you do buy a non-US, it’s very easy to remove volume limiter with the free Rockbox software tool.


----------



## proedros (Jul 20, 2020)

@NeoDiNardo 

*AVLS exists in all models *, i have a Japan WM1A (no volume cap) but the option for AVLS exists - if you want it on , fine if you want it off you have it disabled

your problem should be whether your wm1x has *volume cap or not* - if it has , there is *no High Gain option in the settings* and the volume is compromised and can not reach as high as a non-volume cap model can.

US model does not have a volume cap , hence the presence of HighGain in the sound settings

*Just get a non-EU model and you are good , as EU models are the only ones which are compromised , volume-wise*


----------



## NeoDiNardo

captblaze said:


> US model


Cool, is that the WN-WMZ1’s menus?


----------



## Gamerlingual

NeoDiNardo said:


> Cool, is that the WN-WMZ1’s menus?


Yes. It’s much better than people realize. Check YouTube videos for it’s smooth operation


----------



## captblaze

NeoDiNardo said:


> Cool, is that the WN-WMZ1’s menus?



Its a 1A, but they are similar


----------



## NeoDiNardo

Alright. I just might buy a Sony NW-WM-Z1 and a Hugo 2 / 2Go. I feel they both have things I want. Then I can move on to the stereo system plans and purchases.

I was just taking to Moon Audio and the rep there believes that the NW-WMZ1 (that’s so hard to type on my iPhone lol) possibly has a FPGA doing some function that Sony doesn’t talk about?! But then again, he also said the NW-WMZ1 can act as a USB DAC and I thought the Sony was a closed system.


----------



## Donmonte

@NeoDiNardo I use my 1A with the Focal Clears, and it's a match made in heaven. So i'm pretty sure they'll work very well with the Stellias as they are even more power efficient. Just make sure you're using the 4.4mm port as it gives you much more power to drive those headphones even more comfortably.

You might find the interface slow and clunky coming from an iPhone or Android device, but it's actually very usable once you get used to it and the battery life pretty much beats every other battery enabled DAP by a long shot.

And the Sony is a closed system? You haven't been reading the thread it seems  And yes it can be used as a DAC among other things...


----------



## NeoDiNardo (Jul 20, 2020)

Donmonte said:


> @NeoDiNardo I use my 1A with the Focal Clears, and it's a match made in heaven. So i'm pretty sure they'll work very well with the Stellias as they are even more power efficient. Just make sure you're using the 4.4mm port as it gives you much more power to drive those headphones even more comfortably.
> 
> You might find the interface slow and clunky coming from an iPhone or Android device, but it's actually very usable once you get used to it and the battery life pretty much beats every other battery enabled DAP by a long shot.
> 
> And the Sony is a closed system? You haven't been reading the thread it seems  And yes it can be used as a DAC among other things...



At nearly 3000 pages I definitely have not read all of this thread!! Perhaps someday when I have time.

Next I’ll have to go Google ninja on which brand of custom cables to buy.


----------



## nc8000

NeoDiNardo said:


> Alright. I just might buy a Sony NW-WM-Z1 and a Hugo 2 / 2Go. I feel they both have things I want. Then I can move on to the stereo system plans and purchases.
> 
> I was just taking to Moon Audio and the rep there believes that the NW-WMZ1 (that’s so hard to type on my iPhone lol) possibly has a FPGA doing some function that Sony doesn’t talk about?! But then again, he also said the NW-WMZ1 can act as a USB DAC and I thought the Sony was a closed system.



It can be used as usb dac and BT receiver now though neither facility were present the first couple of years, they were added via fw updates. And yes there is something similar to a fpga in them


----------



## NeoDiNardo

nc8000 said:


> It can be used as usb dac and BT receiver now though neither facility were present the first couple of years, they were added via fw updates. And yes there is something similar to a fpga in them



Is there any notable USB lag for watching movies on my laptop? I read the in the DMP-Z1 thread that the DMP-Z1 has a bit of lag with the Walkman OS processing the signal.


----------



## MrWalkman

NeoDiNardo said:


> Is there any notable USB lag for watching movies on my laptop? I read the in the DMP-Z1 thread that the DMP-Z1 has a bit of lag with the Walkman OS processing the signal.



Yes, there is. I would recommend that mode only for listening to music, unless you can compensate for the delay in your movie player.

Maybe they'll "fix" that in the next firmware update.


----------



## Mindstorms (Jul 20, 2020)

newworld666 said:


> I am one who didn't find any improvement with 100% of the tuned firmware these last months which were available through this forum.
> 
> Until yesterday, I tried a lot of them and measured some of them with MiniDSP ears and frequency response or THD were 100% identical with stock firmware, so I was not surprised that I couldn't get sound differences, as they must be so tiny and mostly impossible to detect without any direct A/B comparison. If some were catchable, who can tell if it's an improvement and not just different ?
> 
> ...


My ears also detected the bass imediatly! even via SE!


----------



## kiling92

Donmonte said:


> @NeoDiNardo I use my 1A with the Focal Clears, and it's a match made in heaven. So i'm pretty sure they'll work very well with the Stellias as they are even more power efficient. Just make sure you're using the 4.4mm port as it gives you much more power to drive those headphones even more comfortably.
> 
> You might find the interface slow and clunky coming from an iPhone or Android device, but it's actually very usable once you get used to it and the battery life pretty much beats every other battery enabled DAP by a long shot.
> 
> And the Sony is a closed system? You haven't been reading the thread it seems  And yes it can be used as a DAC among other things...


I didn't like my ex stellia with my wm1a...so i sold them....the sound was too muddle...anche soundstage was so intimate...and the skin... beautiful,really...but too delicate...while driving the stellias with Hugo 2 was another story..


----------



## RONJA MESCO (Jul 21, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> Thank you so much for sharing! So these two different firmware's are completely different? Which firmware would change the sound WM1A to equal/exceed that of the WM1Z? Thanks again!


Bruh...you are a godsend!!! I was wondering what all this switcher talk was all about. I was baffled when the Sony site didnt have it...now I got the update and hot damn this is killer. My WM1A is WHOLE DIFFERENT BEAST NOW!!! Props to ya for this!!


----------



## gearofwar

RONJA MESCO said:


> Bruh...you are a godsend!!! I was wondering what all this switcher talk was all about. I was baffled when the Sony sight didnt have it...now I got the update and hot damn this is killer. My WM1A is w WHOLE DIFFERENT BEAST NOW!!! Props to ya for this!!


you should buy @MrWalkman a beer, he spent sleepless nights working for these


----------



## RONJA MESCO

Ghostsounds said:


> I want add my thanks to Mr Walkman for all the great work he has down. Not tried the switcher but have applied his + mod. Echo all the wonderful things people have been saying, it truly sounds incredible! Going to stay on this before trying the switcher function as I want to enjoy the new sound on all my fav music. Thank you Mr Walkman!😍😍😍


This is a huge upgrade for the 1A owners...this update tightened everything up mos def.


----------



## RONJA MESCO

MrWalkman said:


> Before we start, the things below are actual firmware mods, and not just tunings.
> I think someone was asking about some, once upon a time.
> 
> 
> ...


Hooked ya up with that Beer my friend...you made sure I aint never selling this 1A .


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Jul 20, 2020)

RONJA MESCO said:


> This is a huge upgrade for the 1A owners...this update tightened everything up mos def.


No crap, mate!! YES!! I've just moved from 1AZ to 1Z and swithed my A to Z  - sounds just Class!! 
Again Kudos and Huge Thanks to Mr. Walkman!!
Another beer from myself, mate, for your health.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 20, 2020)

RONJA MESCO said:


> Hooked ya up with that Beer my friend...you made sure I aint never selling this 1A .



Really appreciate it, man! I'm glad you like it, hehe 

Can't stop listening myself!



Mystic Traveller said:


> No crap, mate!! YES!! I've just moved from 1AZ to 1Z and swithed my A to Z  - sounds just Class!!
> Again Kudos and Huge Thanks to Mr. Walkman!!
> Another beer from myself, mate, for your health.



Thank you!







A small update will come soon. Stay tuned!


----------



## Mystic Traveller

BTW, who is using an orginal Sony cover CKL-NWWM1? Is it soft and comfy inside, 
I mean, don't wear away the player's edges while pulling out and fit back in?


----------



## Vitaly2017

You remember guys when I hyped the new fw before it gets out in to the wild!

When now you all heard it and it is the best fw sound ever released for 1a and 1z!

The hype was reall! This is a new sound revolution for oneA


----------



## NeoDiNardo

MrWalkman said:


> Really appreciate it, man! I'm glad you like it, hehe
> 
> Can't stop listening myself!
> 
> ...



So Mr Walkman really is MR WALKMAN.


----------



## proedros

i want to try another setting but 1z+ has gotten my soul , i have never heard my wm1a have bass like this

damn.


----------



## Fsilva

Just switched to 1z+ also, have to trust the Wizard @MrWalkman! 
If that´s the setting is using, i will now give it a go!


----------



## NeoDiNardo

Fsilva said:


> Just switched to 1z+ also, have to trust the Wizard @MrWalkman!
> If that´s the setting is using, i will now give it a go!


Is there any special firmware like this for the WMZ1?


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 20, 2020)

Fsilva said:


> Just switched to 1z+ also, have to trust the Wizard @MrWalkman!
> If that´s the setting is using, i will now give it a go!



After switching, don't forget to install WM1A/Z+ again 



NeoDiNardo said:


> Is there any special firmware like this for the WMZ1?



I think you mean WM1Z?

WMZ1 does not exist.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15747959


----------



## Donmonte

Fsilva said:


> Just switched to 1z+ also, have to trust the Wizard @MrWalkman!
> If that´s the setting is using, i will now give it a go!


Oh yeah, 1Z+ is the place to be right now


----------



## NeoDiNardo (Jul 20, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> After switching, don't forget to install WM1A/Z+ again
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yes, NW-WM1Z, butterfinger iPhone typing, sorry. Thanks so much


----------



## Mindstorms

anyone that has SE can report back on new Z1+ FW?


----------



## gearofwar

Mindstorms said:


> anyone that has SE can report back on new Z1+ FW?


1Z+? there is DMP-Z1 model, do not be mistaken


----------



## NeoDiNardo (Jul 20, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> 1Z+? there is DMP-Z1 model, do not be mistaken



“Too many fracking Z’s and other letters FLYING AROUND HERE!! What is this, gods damn Sesame Street?!” - Saul Tigh


----------



## yagislav

Is there anyway to get the 1Z to play TIDAL?


----------



## Kad998

Dithyrambes said:


> I'm sure the W1ma sounds good. Of course there will be an improvement, but I just wanted clarification of the magnitude of the difference. Its just financially I'm on the ropes because.....someone offered a mint zx2 for 500 Dollars. I think its a steal so I'm taking it for now, but then the thought of the W1MA creeped in. Going to the Sony Store and getting WM1a is $1200 plus 8 percent New York sales tax is about 1300 dollars. Then for the andromedas I would try to have to get hands on the 4.4mm kimber kable for mmcx. That's around 200 or so? So we are talking 1500 Dollars vs 500 Dollars. Of course there is the law of diminishing returns but for me almost 3x the price for like 3% difference is a bit harsh. That's why I'm trying more detailed impressions from people who have heard both so I can make an informed decision. If the difference is most definitely noticeable like going ZX2 SE to TRRS, I wouldn't mind spending the extra money.



My advice would be to go for it! If you get the zx2 when you’ve had the WM1A on your mind, it’ll continue to bug you.... You don’t want to wonder “what if” .. because you’ll end up getting it later on anyway! Pull the trigger on it! 💪🏿


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jul 20, 2020)

Hey guys I think I found a new sound improvement in the new method switch we are using on 1a!

This is the method I find sounds best.
It might be hard to hear it but I think it has improved treble and details in treble to. It feels more precise and refined in treble area. Very clean!


1 install wn1a/z+ fw
2 switch to 1z, restart
3 reinstal wm1a/z+ fw
4 then switch back to 1a restart
5 reapply the wm1a/z+ fw


----------



## Ravenous

Honest question...


MrWalkman said:


> Before we start, the things below are actual firmware mods, and not just tunings.
> I think someone was asking about some, once upon a time.
> 
> 
> ...



Bought you a beer my friend! Atleast, I hope it was enough for one lol! Thanks again for sharing your work with everyone!


----------



## MrWalkman

Ravenous said:


> Bought you a beer my friend! Atleast, I hope it was enough for one lol! Thanks again for sharing your work with everyone!



Cheers!


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> Cheers!


Guess bought a beer means you bought a beer to drink in Mr. Walkman’s honor?


----------



## Ravenous

Gamerlingual said:


> Guess bought a beer means you bought a beer to drink in Mr. Walkman’s honor?



Lol that would be disingenuous in my opinion. Nah, I donated to him.


----------



## Damz87

1000th post on headfi and what better way to celebrate than shouting a beer for @MrWalkman 

Enjoy the beer mate! Haven’t got a 1A to try out your amazing work, but it’s appreciated nonetheless.

Plus, i’ll take any excuse to crack open a cold one in the middle of the day on a Tuesday haha 




Cheers boys!!


----------



## MrWalkman

Damz87 said:


> 1000th post on headfi and what better way to celebrate than shouting a beer for @MrWalkman
> 
> Enjoy the beer mate! Haven’t got a 1A to try out your amazing work, but it’s appreciated nonetheless.
> 
> ...



Thanks, mate!

By the way, WM1A/Z+ also brings improvements to a stock 1Z.

To try it, just install WM1A/Z+, and that's it. Or, you could try checking the new 1A sound on your 1Z. Install the firmware, then switch to 1A as described in the main post, and then install the firmware again.

It's all in the main post, including how to return to the stock firmware


----------



## Damz87

MrWalkman said:


> Thanks, mate!
> 
> By the way, WM1A/Z+ also brings improvements to a stock 1Z.
> 
> ...



Awesome, I didn't realise the 1Z will also benefit. I'll give it a go  thanks man!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Damz87 said:


> 1000th post on headfi and what better way to celebrate than shouting a beer for @MrWalkman
> 
> Enjoy the beer mate! Haven’t got a 1A to try out your amazing work, but it’s appreciated nonetheless.
> 
> ...





MrWalkman said:


> Thanks, mate!
> 
> By the way, WM1A/Z+ also brings improvements to a stock 1Z.
> 
> ...




I support that! You should absolutely try wm1a/z+ on your wm1z switched to 1a !!! I am sure you will love it!


----------



## Duncan

Vitaly2017 said:


> I support that! You should absolutely try wm1a/z+ on your wm1z switched to 1a !!! I am sure you will love it!


If the tiger says it, you know it’s the truth


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> I support that! You should absolutely try wm1a/z+ on your wm1z switched to 1a !!! I am sure you will love it!



Alright I'll definitely try tonight and report back. Maybe after a few more brews to get in the zone  hahaha



Duncan said:


> If the tiger says it, you know it’s the truth



100%. Tiger knows best


----------



## Vitaly2017

@MrWalkman 

I admire your work ! Thanks to you , you made our 1a and 1z community even more stronger and with new super sonic sound quality ability!  Thanks for letting me be your ears for the new fw and I feel proud to be part of it!

To celebrate this I decided to not only give you 1 beer but a whole champagne bottle ! Hope you enjoy it !!!

This was mighty Mr.Tiger Ears   ROARrsss


----------



## lumdicks

Damz87 said:


> Awesome, I didn't realise the 1Z will also benefit. I'll give it a go  thanks man!


Try and you will be amazed by the improvement on your stock 1Z.

I have a Romi modded 1A and a stock 1Z, both with WM1A/Z+ so I am having 2 keys to heaven.


----------



## Ravenous

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hey guys I think I found a new sound improvement in the new method switch we are using on 1a!
> 
> This is the method I find sounds best.
> It might be hard to hear it but I think it has improved treble and details in treble to. It feels more precise and refined in treble area. Very clean!
> ...



Maybe it's just my ears adjusting... But after applying J region (as per Mindstorms suggestion) and going from stock 3.02 WM1A > WM1A/Z+ > Switch to 1Z > WM1A/Z+ > Switch to 1A> WM1A/Z+. I notice that  music is a bit softer in certain areas (that were once "sharp"to my ears), yet lively still. Thanks for the suggestion! Still testing but sounds great!


----------



## nc8000

yagislav said:


> Is there anyway to get the 1Z to play TIDAL?



Only as usb dac or as BT receiver as it has no wifi hw build in and no way to install apps


----------



## newworld666

nc8000 said:


> Only as usb dac or as BT receiver as it has no wifi hw build in and no way to install apps


At least, *there is full fMAQ decoder included *in the WM1A/Z firmware working fine for a destructive compressed format.
So as UBS DAC, it's quite nice to be able to apply some EQ to MAQ files to adapt the sound to your headphones.


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> At least, *there is full fMAQ decoder included *in the WM1A/Z firmware working fine for a destructive compressed format.
> So as UBS DAC, it's quite nice to be able to apply some EQ to MAQ files to adapt the sound to your headphones.



I think I tested it, and the MQA decoder doesn't work via USB DAC. Maybe in the next official firmware update?


----------



## newworld666 (Jul 21, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> I think I tested it, and the MQA decoder doesn't work via USB DAC. Maybe in the next official firmware update?



As I use only Qobuz, but I could test various MQA flac files...
Sorry for my wrong  extrapolation, I didn't know that USB dac won't convert MQA stream.


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> As I use only Qobuz, but I could test various MAQ flac files...
> Sorry for my wrong  extrapolation, I didn't know that USB dac won't convert MAQ stream.



No worries.

I use Tidal, which has MQA. As long as it's used only for streaming, and no one will force us to buy MQA files or something, I am ok with it.

Because MQA files are smaller than normal high-res files, MQA is good for streaming audio higher-than-CD quality.


----------



## XP_98

Vitaly2017 said:


> I support that! You should absolutely try wm1a/z+ on your wm1z switched to 1a !!! I am sure you will love it!


How would you compare it with Solis (on stock WM1Z) ?


----------



## aceedburn

XP_98 said:


> How would you compare it with Solis (on stock WM1Z) ?


From my experience, solis was too revealing and harsh. It was very analytical in nature and very unforgiving of older recordings. In contrast, this is smooth and analogue yet fluid and very detailed.


----------



## Blueoris

lumdicks said:


> I have a Romi modded 1A and a stock 1Z, both with WM1A/Z+ so I am having 2 keys to heaven.



If you would have to let one of those two keys go, hypothetically speaking of course, which one would you keep and why?


----------



## lumdicks

Blueoris said:


> If you would have to let one of those two keys go, hypothetically speaking of course, which one would you keep and why?


For me the improvement on my stock 1Z is even more significant. My 1A is intensively modified so the sound quality might be different with the stock one such that the additional leap with 1A+ is not as prominent. My 1Z+ is almost perfect now with organic, analogue, high resolution, smooth presentation with good extension of  low and high. The sound is indeed quite different between the two while the modded 1A is more exciting but a bit bright for some tracks of music.

If I have to pick one to keep, I shall give my vote to my stock 1Z.


----------



## XP_98 (Jul 21, 2020)

lumdicks said:


> For me the improvement on my stock 1Z is even more significant. My 1A is intensively modified so the sound quality might be different with the stock one such that the additional leap with 1A+ is not as prominent. My 1Z+ is almost perfect now with organic, analogue, high resolution, smooth presentation with good extension of  low and high. The sound is indeed quite different between the two while the modded 1A is more exciting but a bit bright for some tracks of music.
> 
> If I have to pick one to keep, I shall give my vote to my stock 1Z.


When you say "My 1Z+" = WM1A/Z+ applied to stock WM1Z, or with added switching to WM1A ?


----------



## lumdicks

XP_98 said:


> When you say "My 1Z+" = WM1A/Z+ applied to stock WM1Z, or with added switching to WM1A ?


It is stock 1Z with WM1A/Z+ applied without model switching.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 26, 2020)

There has been an update, which brings the DSEE HX AI function to both *WM1A/Z+ *and *WM1A to 1Z* mods.

The DSEE HX AI function replaces the "Standard" option from the DSEE HX effect type menu. This function is
present in devices like the NW-A55, or the DMP-Z1.

Official description:





DSEE HX (AI, or not) works only for CD quality audio, or lower. DSEE HX will not have an effect for audio with
a sampling frequency over 44.1kHz or 48kHz, like "24 bit/96kHz".

DSEE HX (both AI or the other options) also works with the Bluetooth receiver or the USB DAC functions.

You can "see" the function in action by switching the visualizer to "Spectrum Analyzer", and monitoring the "HIGH"
spectrum of the sound.

There are also some improvements to the integrated switcher, and all the languages were updated to reflect the
DSEE HX AI function replacing the "Standard" option of the DSEE HX effect type menu, as well as the "Switch Device
Model" replacing the "Factory Reset" function.


*Do I need to first switch back to stock before installing this?*
No. Like always, this works like any other firmware update. Just install it and that's it.


Link to firmware in the main post: *CLICK*


Enjoy!


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> There has been an update, which brings the DSEE HX AI function to both *WM1A/Z+ *and *WM1A to 1Z* mods.
> 
> The DSEE HX AI function replaces the "Standard" option from the DSEE HX effect type menu. This function is
> present in devices like the NW-A55, or the DMP-Z1.
> ...


Dang, dude. The stuff of gold! I seriously need to download this! @Redcarmoose , still want to give this a shot!


----------



## aceedburn

MrWalkman said:


> There has been an update, which brings the DSEE HX AI function to both *WM1A/Z+ *and *WM1A to 1Z* mods.
> 
> The DSEE HX AI function replaces the "Standard" option from the DSEE HX effect type menu. This function is
> present in devices like the NW-A55, or the DMP-Z1.
> ...


I have an ALAC  88.2/24 file playing but the high indicator is still moving? Is it not supposed to move when it’s not in action?


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 21, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> I have an ALAC  88.2/24 file playing but the high indicator is still moving? Is it not supposed to move when it’s not in action?



Activity in the HIGH spectrum means high frequencies in the song. As the song is already at 88.2kHz sample rate, it has high frequencies, so you should see activity in that spectrum, yes.

That spectrum is not only for DSEE HX, but as the effect is meant to restore lost high frequencies, you will see that activity when the effect is on.

So check it with CD or lower quality music, or even Bluetooth audio and USB DAC modes.

You can easily make a comparison by turning the effect off an on. Of course, also listen to the sound.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> Activity in the HIGH spectrum means high frequencies in the song. As the song is already at 88.2kHz sample rate, it has high frequencies, and DSEE HX (AI, or not) will not apply.
> 
> Check it with CD or lower quality music, or even Bluetooth audio and USB DAC modes.


Will it eat up at the battery for activating it?


----------



## Vitaly2017

XP_98 said:


> How would you compare it with Solis (on stock WM1Z) ?





aceedburn said:


> I have an ALAC  88.2/24 file playing but the high indicator is still moving? Is it not supposed to move when it’s not in action?




Its normal. Its your high res music file that have this in it!


----------



## aceedburn

MrWalkman said:


> Activity in the HIGH spectrum means high frequencies in the song. As the song is already at 88.2kHz sample rate, it has high frequencies, and DSEE HX (AI, or not) will not apply.
> 
> Check it with CD or lower quality music, or even Bluetooth audio and USB DAC modes.


Ah, so with it on the high spectrums will be higher on those lower res songs and without it on the spectrums will be lower. Right? Is that what we need to see whether it’s working or not?


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 21, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Will it eat up at the battery for activating it?



Probably, like any other DSP effect in the player. But maybe the battery usage by the effect, is compensated by the fact that battery consumption is reduced with the mod.



aceedburn said:


> Ah, so with it on the high spectrums will be higher on those lower res songs and without it on the spectrums will be lower. Right? Is that what we need to see whether it’s working or not?



Exactly.

Lower res songs will most probably not have any activity at all in the HIGH spectrum, but with DSEE HX, they will.


----------



## Vitaly2017

XP_98 said:


> How would you compare it with Solis (on stock WM1Z) ?




I know I loved solis 3.0.2 a lot it was a quality resolution fw with overall a great balanced sound.

But new fw is on a new layer of balance in frequency. It mains the fun factors in music with a nice more firmer bass and amazing treble response. 
The treble is the super star of the show and bass as its assistant  🙂

New fw offers better imaging and instruments positioning.  Everything just sounds wow and super addictive! 


@Ravenous 
I am happy to see someone felt the little change as my self to I felt there is something improved with my new method.  I feel the treble is ultra refined and cleansed. It also feels a little more detailed and more precise imaging...

The change is very minimal and super subtle but for someone sensitive in that area he will definitely feel it!!!

Pay close attention I say feel and not hear!


----------



## lumdicks

Vitaly2017 said:


> I know I loved solis 3.0.2 a lot it was a quality resolution fw with overall a great balanced sound.
> 
> But new fw is on a new layer of balance in frequency. It mains the fun factors in music with a nice more firmer bass and amazing treble response.
> The treble is the super star of the show and bass as its assistant  🙂
> ...


I have never touched my Fiio M15 and Cayin N6ii since I installed the new firmware. Just using 1A and 1Z unstoppedly, with each of my IEMs. I do not have such experience for quite a long time.

Music becomes an unbelievable joy now.


----------



## newworld666

I just had a kick look to the DSEE HX AI vs Percussions for some CD @ 16bits 44khz .. and there is some loss in mid-low frequencies between these 2 parameters. It becomes something like a little flat in AI mode.
I understood the AI version should replace all other parameters of DSEE HX ?

Do I miss something? Can normal DSEE HX bring too strong corrections in some situations?

Should DSEE HX AI be definitely more accurate for sound quality or is it more optimized enhance to limit battery consumption and just select automatically correct parameters (voice male female, etc) ?


----------



## blazinblazin

Definitely enjoying the new Firmware mod.
Using 1A+


----------



## Vitaly2017

newworld666 said:


> I just had a kick look to the DSEE HX AI vs Percussions for some CD @ 16bits 44khz .. and there is some loss in mid-low frequencies between these 2 parameters. It becomes something like a little flat in AI mode.
> I understood the AI version should replace all other parameters of DSEE HX ?
> 
> Do I miss something? Can normal DSEE HX bring too strong corrections in some situations?
> ...




It is unfortunately the nature of dsee hx...
When I had the zx500 I also end up doing the same way as on 1z, direct source! No matter what.

Because no matter what dsee is a computer thinking algorithm that decides what should sound how...

For me the best unaltered sound quality is done via direct source. 
But guys this is still amazing that we have dsee hx Ai as its not an available feature normally.


----------



## RobertP

lumdicks said:


> The sound is indeed quite different between the two while the modded 1A is more exciting but a bit bright for some tracks of music.
> 
> If I have to pick one to keep, I shall give my vote to my stock 1Z.


Yes, I have that same experience on my modded 1A. It's a bit north of neutral if I may say.
While pops, rocks, hip pops, and 80's to present time sound excellent on 1A+, but most of classicals, 60's and 70's seem to lost it magic some how. One thing I notice it's missing right away is fullness. 1A+ has very wide and high soundstage wise but I feel it needs a bit more deeper and rounder I think.

Cheers to you all!


----------



## minzink

MrWalkman said:


> There has been an update, which brings the DSEE HX AI function to both *WM1A/Z+ *and *WM1A to 1Z* mods.
> 
> The DSEE HX AI function replaces the "Standard" option from the DSEE HX effect type menu. This function is
> present in devices like the NW-A55, or the DMP-Z1.
> ...


Wow! You are faster with updating as I am able to give a thorough listing to all modes. Thanks a lot. Even I was sure never to touch the firmware to avoid loosing the beautiful WM1A toZ+ sound, I will give it a try today. . Really excited...

I am wondering if it's possible to activate the VPT surround sound program as the A45 has? This I liked very much and it's the only feature I am missing on the WM1A.


----------



## aceedburn

Here’s a little something to read on DSEE HX AI. 

More about DSEE HX AI

Since 2018, DSEE HX AI, now with variants: DSEE Extreme (AI for 192kHz for wireless headphones) and DSEE Ultimate (AI for both 32 bit and 192kHz first used in Xperia 1 Mk2) has improved upon the old DSEE HX a lot. _DSEE HX AI is like those software algorithms that can convert black and white photos/films into Color photos/films but works on audio data instead. It's really almost like a very experienced sound engineer is remastering your music collection in real time.

What Sony has done is they ran simulation models of what is lost during the conversion from their studio master DSD/DXD files and the end result consumer PCM / AAC format that we usually listen to. Then they came out with this DSEE HX algorithm that can restore the audio back to near studio master quality. It can deliver a sound closest to what you experience when you attend a concert in real life.

The old DSEE HX achieves smoothing only.

DSEE HX AI Effect has two parts:

One is the soundstage part which adds a natural sounding soundstage height feel to your songs that has recorded soundstage information to begin with. It doesn't seem to add any additional soundstage to songs that are electronically synthesized(eurodance music).

The other part is the transient attack and smoothing part. Vocals sound smoother and Transient sound e.g. Cymbals, sounds more immediate and drums sound more impactful.

And this is how I find the DSEE HX effect varies with file resolution:

Soundstage height improvement shows up in all lossy, normal 16bit resolution and high resolution music. DSEE HX will alter how the soundstage sounds for as long as the original music content has some form of soundstage info.

As for the smoother vocals and transient attack. With higher resolution files, DSEE HX doesn't seem to add much of a noticable difference as the music is already smooth and dynamic to begin with. As for normal 16bit resolution and lossy files, that's where DSEE HX effect has the most noticeable improvement to the sound._


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jul 21, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Here’s a little something to read on DSEE HX AI.
> 
> More about DSEE HX AI
> 
> ...


This is some useful high level chit😃 👍


Footnote: chit slang definition: a bag of cheetos/ chips/ crisps 😂🤣🤣

That’s a joke btw🍺


----------



## yagislav

Just to clarify, for us WM1Z users, I just have to install the WM1AZ+ firmware, and good to go? I just ran the WM1AZ+[DSEEAI] tool and once it completes I just start listening?

No need to go into the Model Device Switcher and re-installing the WM1AZ+ right?

Thanks a lot!


----------



## Donmonte (Jul 21, 2020)

yagislav said:


> Just to clarify, for us WM1Z users, I just have to install the WM1AZ+ firmware, and good to go? I just ran the WM1AZ+[DSEEAI] tool and once it completes I just start listening?
> 
> No need to go into the Model Device Switcher and re-installing the WM1AZ+ right?
> 
> Thanks a lot!


Correct, because you’re on 1Z you only need to install the firmware once.

For those on 1A, they have to first install the firmware, then switch to 1Z, then install firmware again to get to 1Z+. Or install it just once to have 1A+


----------



## Lookout57

yagislav said:


> Just to clarify, for us WM1Z users, I just have to install the WM1AZ+ firmware, and good to go? I just ran the WM1AZ+[DSEEAI] tool and once it completes I just start listening?
> 
> No need to go into the Model Device Switcher and re-installing the WM1AZ+ right?
> 
> Thanks a lot!


Correct


----------



## Dtuck90

yagislav said:


> Just to clarify, for us WM1Z users, I just have to install the WM1AZ+ firmware, and good to go? I just ran the WM1AZ+[DSEEAI] tool and once it completes I just start listening?
> 
> No need to go into the Model Device Switcher and re-installing the WM1AZ+ right?
> 
> Thanks a lot!



Yes that’s correct. Just install it and go.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I still preferr the 1a+ sound on my 1z...


----------



## yagislav (Jul 21, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I still preferr the 1a+ sound on my 1z...


Hi, oh by this you mean, I should install WM1AZ+ firmware, then switch via Switch Device Model to the 1a, and then re-install the WM1AZ+? (for us 1Z users).

If I understood the steps correctly, I could give this a try too, doesnt hurt!

Also had another question! I only recently started dabbing with direct mode "off". I want to look for the hardest hitting and deepest bass settings WITHOUT using the equalizer. I am currently using DSEE HX AI, Type A LOW, Arm Resonance settings. EQ settings off and Dynamic Normalizer off. Is this what you guys would use if looking for the most impactful bass and deep bass reproduction?

Thanks!!


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 21, 2020)

yagislav said:


> Hi, oh by this you mean, I should install WM1AZ+ firmware, then switch via Switch Device Model to the 1a, and then re-install the WM1AZ+? (for us 1Z users).
> 
> If I understood the steps correctly, I could give this a try too, doesnt hurt!



Yep, you got the steps correctly.

I never mentioned that you have to use DC Phase Linearizer or even DSEE HX AI in order to get impactful bass. It may help, but feel free to experiment yourself and find the right combination for you.

Until DSEE HX AI I just used Direct Source all the time.


With this post, I would like to advise everyone trying the mods to please follow the indications in the main post, top to bottom! There is a link to the main post in my signature (WM1 Mods).

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15747959


----------



## flyer1 (Jul 21, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I still preferr the 1a+ sound on my 1z...



Same preference here, 1a+ on my 1Z sounds fantastic


----------



## Vitaly2017

yagislav said:


> Hi, oh by this you mean, I should install WM1AZ+ firmware, then switch via Switch Device Model to the 1a, and then re-install the WM1AZ+? (for us 1Z users).
> 
> If I understood the steps correctly, I could give this a try too, doesnt hurt!
> 
> ...




The cleanest way to add bass would be via tones eq in 1z and not the eq bars...
Its actually pretty equivalent but with tone control much easier and better I find all other enhancements off


----------



## Vitaly2017

flyer1 said:


> Same here, 1a+ on my 1Z sounds fantastic




Its even better on Romi/1z ! With 1a+


----------



## flyer1

Vitaly2017 said:


> Its even better on Romi/1z ! With 1a+



I can only imagine enjoy


----------



## mmwwmm

Is it possible to change region when using WM1AZ+? If so, would the region affect the sound as it happens with the official FW?


----------



## Vitaly2017

mmwwmm said:


> Is it possible to change region when using WM1AZ+? If so, would the region affect the sound as it happens with the official FW?



It should but I am on J and didn't have any desire to change it yet


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 21, 2020)

mmwwmm said:


> Is it possible to change region when using WM1AZ+? If so, would the region affect the sound as it happens with the official FW?



Yes, you can change regions, and that should theoretically work the same in terms of changing the sound. Can't see any reasons why it would not, if I'm thinking of how it works right now (can't go into details about that though).



Vitaly2017 said:


> It should but I am on J and didn't have any desire to change it yet



Same, didn't feel the need to try that or tuning mods.


----------



## Dtuck90

I’m a big fan of the improved battery life. 10 and a half hours and still on 3 bars


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 21, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I know I loved solis 3.0.2 a lot it was a quality resolution fw with overall a great balanced sound.
> 
> But new fw is on a new layer of balance in frequency. It mains the fun factors in music with a nice more firmer bass and amazing treble response.
> The treble is the super star of the show and bass as its assistant  🙂
> ...




Yes, that is the whole thing going on here. I like how you explain it. The older firmware like Solis used tweaks and maybe tunes that were supposed to be borrowed from the  DMP-Z1 to the add enhancements. And while these early firmware mods were great, now we are at a deeper and much clearer base level. We are closer to the true character as the music is relayed in a transparent highly detailed way. It’s the perfect example of better natural information (even if enhanced or extrapolated by technology) being better than what ever was the choice before.


----------



## mwhals

Oh no!


----------



## kiling92 (Jul 21, 2020)

This is for me live the music;in any possible place;in home,in the beach or under the stars,with a good glass of wine,and lose my mind in this magic world,and now with my faithful walkman,It bring magic everywhere!!
Thanks again @MrWalkman for this modding masterpiece!!cheers from Sardinia!!


----------



## MatthewWeflen (Jul 21, 2020)

I have my new WM1A in hand. I've put 4 hours of listening in (a long way to go until 200). I can't say it sounds appreciably different than my ZX300 - they both sound terrific over balanced cable to my MDR-Z7 cans. I tried A-B comparisons on many genres. If there is a difference, it might be very slight increased clarity on high frequency sounds like cymbals or vocals. But my comparison was not blind, and I wouldn't swear on it. With that said, the screen is much nicer in comparison to the ZX300 and the overall build quality is splendid (though the ZX300 was no slouch). And it has twice the internal storage (though of course I am augmenting with 512gb sd storage). So, off to eBay I go, to sell the ZX300.


----------



## MrWalkman

kiling92 said:


> This is for me live the music;in any possible place;in home,in the beach or under the stars,with a good glass of wine,and lose my mind in this magic world,and now with my faithful walkman,It bring magic everywhere!!
> Thanks again @MrWalkman for this modding masterpiece!!cheers from Sardinia!!



I thought porn was not allowed here. 😅

Just beautiful!


----------



## Redcarmoose

A 1A with J region 1A/Z+ and the Z switcher seems to just offer such a spectacular experience. I have come to realize that the gift is just feeling closer to the music. Now in contrast you would think a bigger soundstage would be rather distant away? But no. The soundstage is also filled-in. So now stuff isn’t just bigger but it’s all around, kind of some superficial yet real recorded virtual reality. Even early 1990 poor recordings which were borderline unlistenable due to being strident are now fleshed-out, smoothed out and detail-nuanced into an involving experience. Not just accessible but accurate and real, as instruments seem to offer an increase in timber and clarity? The total flip side was the way the 1A before offered the antithesis of any of this. A bright and compressed original response was a repellent forcing the 1Z to be the remedy and cure. Now this land becomes a new adventure full of excitement and vigor at every turn. Plus there is nothing fake or enhanced with process.....it’s just feeling that everything is just more realistic and true to life. Then comes the delivery being consistent and uniformly without seeming hiccups or downsides? The 1A now may still not have the absolute bottom frequencies parlayed with 1Z playback, but it’s irrelevant as this style seems correct but is even more long term listenable. In this world the volume can be pushed and the imaging just opens up. More volume doesn’t seem to make trebles too bright but just increases the clarity?


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jul 21, 2020)

MatthewWeflen said:


> I have my new WM1A in hand. I've put 4 hours of listening in (a long way to go until 200). I can't say it sounds appreciably different than my ZX300 - they both sound terrific over balanced cable to my MDR-Z7 cans. I tried A-B comparisons on many genres. If there is a difference, it might be very slight increased clarity on high frequency sounds like cymbals or vocals. But my comparison was not blind, and I wouldn't swear on it. With that said, the screen is much nicer in comparison to the ZX300 and the overall build quality is splendid (though the ZX300 was no slouch). And it has twice the internal storage (though of course I am augmenting with 512gb sd storage). So, off to eBay I go, to sell the ZX300.


I had the ZX300 for 3 years and was very happy with it, I had become a little bored with the sound after owning some portable dac/amps with different sound signatures and have a tendency to move on and up anyway. My WM1A was E 3.02 when I got it and it was a lot brighter with the bass pushed into the background - if you follow this thread you understand how different the regions and firmwares are, something I scoffed at on the ZX300 thread. I switched to J region and the sound was closer to the ZX300's firmware I had.
For me the WM1A has a bit more detail and a wider soundstage, I think these things will become more noticeable with time. It is often estimated that the WM1A is 10% improvement on the ZX300 - perhaps, but that 10% can become 50% of your focus now and increase the value of the upgrade. There are also recent simple tuning mods and new custom firmwares that take the WM1A to a new level. I have recently started using my overheads and found new love for them, and I am waiting for some new iems to arrive so I am staying with the stock sound for a while before trying the new firmwares.
I haven't followed the ZX300 thread for a few months but this thread is incredibly active and offers a lot more info and support to get the best out of your device - part of the motivation for me to upgrade.


----------



## Lookout57

Redcarmoose said:


> A 1A with J region 1A/Z+ and the Z switcher seems to just offer such a spectacular experience. I have come to realize that the gift is just feeling closer to the music. Now in contrast you would think a bigger soundstage would be rather distant away? But no. The soundstage is also filled-in. So now stuff isn’t just bigger but it’s all around, kind of some superficial yet real recorded virtual reality. Even early 1990 poor recordings which were borderline unlistenable due to being strident are now fleshed-out, smoothed out and detail-nuanced into an involving experience. Not just accessible but accurate and real, as instruments seem to offer an increase in timber and clarity? The total flip side was the way the 1A before offered the antithesis of any of this. A bright and compressed original response was a repellent forcing the 1Z to be the remedy and cure. Now this land becomes a new adventure full of excitement and vigor at every turn. Plus there is nothing fake or enhanced with process.....it’s just feeling that everything is just more realistic and true to life. Then comes the delivery being consistent and uniformly without seeming hiccups or downsides? The 1A now may still not have the absolute bottom frequencies parlayed with 1Z playback, but it’s irrelevant as this style seems correct but is even more long term listenable. In this world the volume can be pushed and the imaging just opens up. More volume doesn’t seem to make trebles too bright but just increases the clarity?


Another example of a recording that was improved on a 1A with J region 1A/Z+ switch to 1Z is Coldplay X&Y. 

A lot of people have complained about the mastering on this album being very harsh and strident. Now it's very listenable as the high are smooth.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Lookout57 said:


> Another example of a recording that was improved on a 1A with J region 1A/Z+ switch to 1Z is Coldplay X&Y.
> 
> A lot of people have complained about the mastering on this album being very harsh and strident. Now it's very listenable as the high are smooth.



This correction thing is actually a big surprise for me. Just another turn in this whole story? I mean when you test gear, you break out the well recorded music not the old imprecise recordings. So then the good recordings sound great, but the bad recording sound great? What?

The great recordings sound better obviously but there is a special value to be able to enjoy bad recordings. Most gear can make good recordings sound enjoyable. But...........enigma gear makes the bad recordings good sounding without simultaneously causing any harm to the best recordings.


----------



## Ravenous

Redcarmoose said:


> This correction thing is actually a big surprise for me. Just another turn in this whole story? I mean when you test gear, you break out the well recorded music not the old imprecise recordings. So then the good recordings sound great, but the bad recording sound great? What?
> 
> The great recordings sound better obviously but there is a special value to be able to enjoy bad recordings. Most gear can make good recordings sound enjoyable. But...........enigma gear makes the bad recordings good sounding without simultaneously causing any harm to the best recordings.



Out of curiosity, how does the WM1A (with WM1A+) sound on the IER-Z1R? I was considering these earphones as my "endgame" earphones and have been saving up for them.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jul 21, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> This correction thing is actually a big surprise for me. Just another turn in this whole story? I mean when you test gear, you break out the well recorded music not the old imprecise recordings. So then the good recordings sound great, but the bad recording sound great? What?
> 
> The great recordings sound better obviously but there is a special value to be able to enjoy bad recordings. Most gear can make good recordings sound enjoyable. But...........enigma gear makes the bad recordings good sounding without simultaneously causing any harm to the best recordings.


Therefore, this is controversial issue many will not agree with, but I feel if your gears eg: Daps, cables and iems have great synergy and up to par, especially with 1A/1Z and the different FWs, especially the most current ones, different formats like FLAC, WAV, even MP3 don’t matter as much as people think as long as the master is good. Is it pure, of course no, there’s a lot of different artifacts your gears can add eg: smoothing, extended treble and bass etc but if it derive great pleasure when listening, I think it’s acceptable. Do I hear difference between DSD/ DSF etc vs 320 mbps MP3, of course I hear it. But if I enjoy it, then I can live with the differences, since I have to also consider how much space the music will take up. So yes, I believe with good master and up to par gears and good synergy, format don’t matter as much since your gears will bring the differences in performance closer and it’s acceptable trade off I can live with.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Ravenous said:


> Out of curiosity, how does the WM1A (with WM1A+) sound on the IER-Z1R? I was considering these earphones as my "endgame" earphones and have been saving up for them.



They are spectacular. Strangely (and to be honest with you) I use my Noble Encore K10 more. But the IER is way way more correct and technically superior in most every way. So.....that’s the thing with choices. The IER is more U response and the Encore a W response. Where the IER is the full realization of the Sony house sound. The Encore is maybe going to be messed up to some? It’s a hidden bass, but still emphasized in comparison to the Noble Katana. So the Encore comes off more midrange when it’s really a linear midrange. The mids get their focus from a pulled lower midrange. Also an added treble dip and treble spike, make the Encore a W graph. 

So who knows I may come back to the IER-Z1R. Now it’s more like watching a smaller TV where the IER-Z1R is the accurate big screen.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> They are spectacular. Strangely (and to be honest with you) I use my Noble Encore K10 more. But the IER is way way more correct and technically superior in most every way. So.....that’s the thing with choices. The IER is more U response and the Encore a W response. Where the IER is the full realization of the Sony house sound. The Encore is maybe going to be messed up to some? It’s a hidden bass, but still emphasized in comparison to the Noble Katana. So the Encore comes off more midrange when it’s really a linear midrange. The mids get their focus from a pulled lower midrange. Also an added treble dip and treble spike, make the Encore a W graph.
> 
> So who knows I may come back to the IER-Z1R. Now it’s more like watching a smaller TV where the IER-Z1R is the accurate big screen.


Have you tried the DSEE HX? How is it?


----------



## MrWalkman

Tried a little experiment.

Captured a 24 bit/44.1 kHz song for a duration of 1:30 minutes, using the noisy line in of my computer, from the single-ended output of the player, low gain, at the same volume, of course.
The capture was done at 24 bit/96 kHz.

*24 bit/96 kHz, Direct mode:*


Spoiler









*24 bit/96 kHz, DSEE HX Percussion:*


Spoiler









*24 bit/96 kHz, DSEE HX AI:*


Spoiler









It seems that DSEE HX AI also adds stuff in the lower frequencies, and not only in the high frequencies.

The song is this one:


Spoiler


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 21, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Therefore, this is controversial issue many will not agree with, but I feel if your gears eg: Daps, cables and iems have great synergy and up to par, especially with 1A/1Z and the different FWs, especially the most current ones, different formats like FLAC, WAV, even MP3 don’t matter as much as people think as long as the master is good. Is it pure, of course no, there’s a lot of different artifacts your gears can add eg: smoothing, extended treble and bass etc but if it derive great pleasure when listening, I think it’s acceptable. Do I hear difference between DSD/ DSF etc vs 320 mbps MP3, of course I hear it. But if I enjoy it, then I can live with the differences, since I have to also consider how much space the music will take up. So yes, I believe with good master and up to par gears and good synergy, format don’t matter as much since your gears will bring the differences in performance closer and it’s acceptable trade off I can live with.


I’m with you on the master being more important than file size. I’m more accurately trying to describe replay of music that was intentionally recorded bad. Many underground metal bands intended for mood rather than quality. Their quality they wanted was mood. Mood was in essence their attitude, and maybe you could envision it to be like an old movie? That it was not what you see but how the experience makes you feel. Unfortunately for audiophiles it’s a conflict. But with some equipment it can extrapolate the detail and smooth out a bad recording by adding life maybe? What ever it is it’s making it more accessible. It may even work for people into old 78 recordings from pre stereo times not sure?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Have you tried the DSEE HX? How is it?



No.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 21, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m with you on the master being more important than file size. I’m more accurately trying to describe replay of music that was intentionally recorded bad. Many underground metal bands intended for mood rather than quality. Their quality they wanted was mood. Mood was in essence their attitude, and maybe you could envision it to be like an old movie? That it was not what you see but how the experience makes you feel. Unfortunately for audiophiles it’s a conflict. But with some equipment it can extrapolate the detail and smooth out a bad recording by adding life maybe? What ever it is it’s making it more accessible. It may even work for people into old 78 recordings from pre stereo times not sure?



Yeah, mastering is more important!

It annoys me when I see people on a very good sounding Youtube video of a vinyl record, and they say "vinyl is better than a CD".

Actually, CD quality or even less can be very good. I mean, you're listening to that "best-than-CD vinyl" on Youtube, which is the equivalent of an 192-256 kbps AAC file, if I'm not mistaken, and it sounds that good.


----------



## Lookout57

MrWalkman said:


> Yeah, mastering is more important!
> 
> It annoys me when I see people on a very good sounding Youtube video of a vinyl record, and they say "vinyl is better than a CD".
> 
> Actually, CD quality or even less can be very good. I mean, you're listening to that "best-than-CD vinyl" on Youtube, which is the equivalent of an 192-256 kbps AAC file, if I'm not mistaken, and it sounds that good.


I have heard some very good CDs, but they still can't compare to a Hi-res version (greater than 16/44.1) or vinyl rips @ 24/96.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 21, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> Out of curiosity, how does the WM1A (with WM1A+) sound on the IER-Z1R? I was considering these earphones as my "endgame" earphones and have been saving up for them.



But the 1A and the 1A/Z+ and 1Z Switcher just add to the soundstage and accuracy of the IER-Z1R. Everything sounds natural but very very huge, it must be the biggest soundstage I’ve ever heard? The IER also has the ability to make EDM and Electro super satisfying and correct. They are the best EDM IEMs I’ve ever heard ever.

They do great for classic rock and ost playback too. Just so much fun, they almost seem like they should be illegal or something?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Welp, these showed up in the mail yesterday. I was able to get them under 100,000 yen and having a 6 month warranty included is just the cherry on top. It will be nice to listen to my 1Z with these cans. It’s my first time experience to own some open back headphones.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Gamerlingual said:


> Welp, these showed up in the mail yesterday. I was able to get them under 100,000 yen and having a 6 month warranty included is just the cherry on top. It will be nice to listen to my 1Z with these cans. It’s my first time experience to own some open back headphones.


I was looking at your signature, you're definitely a hardcore Sony fanboy. I approve   

I also have wireless Sony iem WF 1000XM3; it sounds really good considering its only sbc connection


----------



## Fsilva

@MrWalkman i just cannot describe what you have done with this new firmware mod...
I´ve bought my WM1A in 2016, it has been 4 years, and these new fw just brought a new "life" into this player...
Spent the afternoon listening with the 1z+ and its just unreal....mp3´s sound like heaven....vynil rips sound like heaven....everything sounds like heaven...the soundstage sounds like heaven....the 3D image you get from music sounds like heaven.....did we all just died and are in @MrWalkman heaven???
What kind of sorcery is this?!?!?!?!?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Fsilva said:


> @MrWalkman i just cannot describe what you have done with this new firmware mod...
> I´ve bought my WM1A in 2016, it has been 4 years, and these new fw just brought a new "life" into this player...
> Spent the afternoon listening with the 1z+ and its just unreal....mp3´s sound like heaven....vynil rips sound like heaven....everything sounds like heaven...the soundstage sounds like heaven....the 3D image you get from music sounds like heaven.....did we all just died and are in @MrWalkman heaven???
> What kind of sorcery is this?!?!?!?!?




Its funny that me spending the last 2 years with my 1z I am more attracted by the 1a+ on 1z hehe while 1a owners want to see the 1z side of things 🙃🙃🙃😋😛


----------



## Fsilva

Vitaly2017 said:


> Its funny that me spending the last 2 years with my 1z I am more attracted by the 1a+ on 1z hehe while 1a owners want to see the 1z side of things 🙃🙃🙃😋😛


I´ve followed your suggestion when we were testing the new fw, but yesterday i´ve decided to follow the Wizard of Wm1 FW and go with the 1z+ and it´s just another level of awesomeness!!!!!! I´m addicted to Music, i spent more than 14h per day listening to music, and only use the wm1a when i´m not at home, and with this new firmware you just loose yourself in the music! It´s surreal, unreal, magical, and i cannot use any other adjectives to express the JOY!!!!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Fsilva said:


> I´ve followed your suggestion when we were testing the new fw, but yesterday i´ve decided to follow the Wizard of Wm1 FW and go with the 1z+ and it´s just another level of awesomeness!!!!!! I´m addicted to Music, i spent more than 14h per day listening to music, and only use the wm1a when i´m not at home, and with this new firmware you just loose yourself in the music! It´s surreal, unreal, magical, and i cannot use any other adjectives to express the JOY!!!!


That's the magic of 1Z+!!!


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jul 21, 2020)

I'm listening on 1Z+ using DSEEHX AI, MP3/CD scale On,  Phase Linearizer: Type A high, dynamic normalizer off, Vinyl processor: Arm Resonance, Tone Control: 0:0:0


I think DSEEHX AI works very well. Per Mr. Walkman graphs, it add high frequencies that are missing in lower format. MP3 sounds alive, it sounds closer to live performance, I can hear the breath of the singers when they breath in and out, for lack of better word. It brings more positively impact although different compared to Direct: On. It just click right. Maybe its new toy syndrome, but I think it works as advertised. Need confirmation from others regarding if this is just a gimmick or its the real deal.



Edit: For fun, pull out your old iems, earbuds, headphones that you haven't touch and try listening again using 1A+/1Z+, many will be greatly and positively surprised. The lesson here I think is there is actually not that much differences between iems after they reach a certain threshold if you use 1A/1Z as Dap, you'll enjoy listening to you music either way, and don't sell your least fav iems/headphones too early, you may regret it and have to buy it back


----------



## Vitaly2017

Fsilva said:


> I´ve followed your suggestion when we were testing the new fw, but yesterday i´ve decided to follow the Wizard of Wm1 FW and go with the 1z+ and it´s just another level of awesomeness!!!!!! I´m addicted to Music, i spent more than 14h per day listening to music, and only use the wm1a when i´m not at home, and with this new firmware you just loose yourself in the music! It´s surreal, unreal, magical, and i cannot use any other adjectives to express the JOY!!!!




Yes yes! Very addictive I was often saying this! In my observation I see many reconfirm this as it is hard to not get in love with this new sound!




hamhamhamsta said:


> I'm listening on 1Z+ using DSEEHX AI, MP3/CD scale On,  Phase Linearizer: Type A high, dynamic normalizer off, Vinyl processor: Arm Resonance, Tone Control: 0:0:0
> 
> 
> I think DSEEHX AI works very well. Per Mr. Walkman graphs, it add high frequencies that are missing in lower format. MP3 sounds alive, it sounds closer to live performance, I can hear the breath of the singers when they breath in and out, for lack of better word. It brings more positively impact although different compared to Direct: On. It just click right. Maybe its new toy syndrome, but I think it works as advertised. Need confirmation from others regarding if this is just a gimmick or its the real deal.




Remember its still artificial and Mr.Tiger Ears is against unatural and artificial sounds! It is my philosophy 🙂🙂🙃🙃😇

I only want real and organic sound! So be it mp3 or cd low quality  or higher resolution files. You listen to what music is offering you! That is the true love!
Anything artificially added is all unatural and results in unrealistic unpleasant feel!


That is why I went moding my romi/1z to get that extremely organical feel!
Stock 1z is there but the BG caps is nuts! Specially with the bass and new 1a+ sound making it like a Huge Mega Hallelujah,  wow how can this sound so good!

The reason why I am so highly after the new 1a+ on 1a. Its because it gives you all the benefits of what 1z is but with even a higher grade of naturalness to a point you seem to hear music like you would without any headphones! Its literally life like and so so natural and real! Closest sound to naturalist and purists! 

With my Tia Noir I can feel an intensely natural and light sound out of 1a it impresses me so much. Feels light precise quick natural realistic.  

1z is much more warmer and adds a layer of thickness to the sound with much biger wider and stretcher bass decay. For that I prefer 1a as its really realistic 1z is super duper fun but I like the side of the natural sound!


----------



## Vitaly2017

I am having an extremely hard time deciding what dap I love more!
My romi/1z or new 1a+
Its so hard to decide because both have something special! 1a is like clean and more realistic.  Closer to the real life like sound. 
While romi being a 1z has some warmth but offers such crazy bass responses that 1a cannot replicate! 
Romi is less warm then stock 1z and also offers a very natural realistic sound presentation but with more warmy side then 1a+

But romi and 1a+ fighting 1 on 1 side by side for already few days ! This a serious battle of the Titans!  And there is of course going to be only 1a king and leader to stand the throne! 

But I Cant Decide yet WHOOO!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am having an extremely hard time deciding what dap I love more!
> My romi/1z or new 1a+
> Its so hard to decide because both have something special! 1a is like clean and more realistic.  Closer to the real life like sound.
> While romi being a 1z has some warmth but offers such crazy bass responses that 1a cannot replicate!
> ...


How about you get another Tia Noir and listen 1A on your left ear and 1Z on your right ear? Eargasm there! Hehehe

Or you could do the unprecedented; get another pair of Tiger Ears; use 2 pairs of Ears to reach Music Heaven!


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> How about you get another Tia Noir and listen 1A on your left ear and 1Z on your right ear? Eargasm there! Hehehe
> 
> Or you could do the unprecedented; get another pair of Tiger Ears; use 2 pairs of Ears to reach Music Heaven!




DUDE I can do that already 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Just need another cable !!! No need to have 4 tia noir 😛😛😛🤑🤑🤑


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 21, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Here’s a little something to read on DSEE HX AI.
> 
> More about DSEE HX AI
> 
> ...





hamhamhamsta said:


> I'm listening on 1Z+ using DSEEHX AI, MP3/CD scale On,  Phase Linearizer: Type A high, dynamic normalizer off, Vinyl processor: Arm Resonance, Tone Control: 0:0:0
> 
> 
> I think DSEEHX AI works very well. Per Mr. Walkman graphs, it add high frequencies that are missing in lower format. MP3 sounds alive, it sounds closer to live performance, I can hear the breath of the singers when they breath in and out, for lack of better word. It brings more positively impact although different compared to Direct: On. It just click right. Maybe its new toy syndrome, but I think it works as advertised. Need confirmation from others regarding if this is just a gimmick or its the real deal.
> ...



I happen to have an AAC 96kbps song, from a Coldplay EP (Easy to Please is the name of the song), and with DSEE AI it indeed sounds more alive, and not just another low resolution song. The sound opens up!

Turning it off and on during the song confirmed it.

I really recommend giving it an unbiased try.


----------



## proedros

@Vitaly2017  wm1a user here , switched from 1z+ to 1a+ but without running the FW and yeah the sound is awesome

plus , i have had my wm1a for 3 years , and i have never heard the bass slam like it is now 

*s l a m wham bam thank you ma'am*


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jul 21, 2020)

I think I am getting closer and closer with my favorite dap!

To me feels like 1a+ is the best all arounder.  Sounds good with pretty much anything!

1z stock on 1a+ is somewhat oriented to sound best with edm music.  Maybe because of the warmer and bassier nature.

Romi/1z is a more audiophile music master. It has a warmish natural feel to the music with a delicate vibranr touch to the bass. Also very holographic as all 3 daps.


I will give a few more days but I think by the end of this week I will post my daps for sale. If any one interested you can start pm me 🙃🙂

There will be 2 x 1a stock 1x 1z stock and 1 x romi/1z


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> I think I am getting closer and closer with my favorite dap!
> 
> To me feels like 1a+ is the best all arounder.  Sounds good with pretty much anything!
> 
> ...



Anyone looking for a used 1Z let me know? 








Spoiler: Spoiler 



Joking.....I’m joking.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Anyone looking for a used 1Z let me know?
> 
> 
> 
> ...




NOOO WAY 🙃🙂

Didn't you tell me lock it UP in the safe and lose the keys 🤣🤣😅


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> NOOO WAY 🙃🙂
> 
> Didn't you tell me lock it UP in the safe and lose the keys 🤣🤣😅



Yes, we have to hold tight for the leapfrog software 2023.


----------



## auronthas (Jul 22, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> From my experience, solis was too revealing and harsh. It was very analytical in nature and very unforgiving of older recordings. In contrast, this is smooth and analogue yet fluid and very detailed.


hahahaha.

No wonder the price of 1Z is keep dropping. Good time to invest one if you don't.


----------



## Ghostsounds

Vitaly2017 said:


> I think I am getting closer and closer with my favorite dap!
> 
> To me feels like 1a+ is the best all arounder.  Sounds good with pretty much anything!
> 
> ...


You might regret it later, selling the Toni 1z?


----------



## Blueoris (Jul 22, 2020)

Nice work @MrWalkman

Subjectively, WM1AZ+ (3.02) [DSEE AI]  worked well with my acoustic, slow pace music. It was enjoyable. On more complex songs however, I thought the DAP lost its fluidity and as a result, the presentation wasn't as effortless as with official 3.02. Also, I noticed a sort of "compressed", "space-less" sound, which I thought it was similar to the way I feel and perceive sounds when I am in an airplane taking off and my ears get congested. I know this is weird but please keep in mind these are subjective statements.

I also gave  DSEE HX AI a try. It was hit or miss.
All in all, it is amazing how far these mods have come. Please keep the good work  

Note: I would love a switching tool in the settings to flip between the different tunings of the official firmwares.


----------



## MrWalkman

Thanks for the feedback!



Blueoris said:


> Note: I would love a switching tool in the settings to flip between the different tunings of the official firmwares.



That is not really possible at the moment, as nobody knows how those tunings work yet. But hopefully we'll find out.


----------



## Whitigir

Ghostsounds said:


> You might regret it later, selling the Toni 1z?


And he will be keeping a Stark 1Z instead of Toni ?


----------



## RobertP

Just try the DSEE AI function on both mod FWs and I prefer 1A to 1Z more for type of genres I do normally listen. This new AI function is actually really good. I like it because it makes everything sound more natural. If bass are not as boomy and slightly less aggressive on high then this would be a solid FW to recomend.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 22, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Just try the DSEE AI function on both mod FWs and I prefer 1A to 1Z more for type of genres I do normally listen. This new AI function is actually really good. I like it because it makes everything sound more natural. If bass are not as boomy and slightly less aggressive on high then this would be a solid FW to recomend.



The DSEE AI function is also added to the WM1A to 1Z mod, which only enables switching the model, while the sound is the stock 1A or 1Z sound. You might want to give it a try with the stock sound as well, otherwise 

And you can also have tunings on top of that mod.

Edit: you actually mentioned you tried it on both mods, my fault. I guess that by boomy and aggressive on highs, you were talking about WM1A/Z+, and not about WM1A to 1Z.

Also, the boomy and highs aggressiveness should really depend on your gear, as with Shure SE846 or with Sony Z7M2 it really just sounds so nice. It's really like a veil has been lifted of the sound.

You might wanna try different regions, it might help.


----------



## Duncan (Jul 22, 2020)

Listening to “put my heart on the line” by Elkie Brooks, the difference between HX AI being on or not is staggering (the most difference I’ve heard up to this point) - switching off direct sound is to me like having a naughty cigarette...

I don’t want to like it (from a purist perceptive), but switching on HX AI makes the music sound more... “there” - it sounds quite thin and distant without.

Just maybe it’s time for me to go buy a pack of smokes!

edit: a large proportion of my listening is via YouTube on my Samsung TV (SBC connection), I think this is the best place for AI - does the trick nicely!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Ghostsounds said:


> You might regret it later, selling the Toni 1z?




It depends. I might for ever have the thought of it my mind but I ussualy at end go by what suits me best in terms of usability and all arounder best match...

1a and romi and 1z are 3 different sound signature they are all different from each to another. And it will be what you prefer at end


----------



## Ghostsounds

Whitigir said:


> And he will be keeping a Stark 1Z instead of Toni ?


Ha ha. Excuse my chubby fingers on my phone. Iromiman strikes again😁


----------



## kiling92

Just tried some regions in combo with wm1a/Z1+,including MX3,J,and CN.
I always liked CN for his monster resolution,but the low frequencies were missing and the soundstage wasn't holographic...but now with this combo It sound awesome;someone tried CN region with wm1a/z+?i would like to hear your impressions  
P.s i digitalized my Nightwish-decades vinyl,and i neve heard my recorded album in high quality like this...thanks to DSEE AI....ok,i felt an huge improvement with 16/44.1,but the real improvement i felt with my AIFF. files.


----------



## Gamerlingual

What volume level do you listen to the DSEE HX and with what cans, IEM's? Wondering what people use to hear the difference and at what listening volume is recommended to catch all the difference using the IER-Z1R or the MDR-Z7M2. Thinking High Gain is the way to go?


----------



## MrWalkman

Gamerlingual said:


> What volume level do you listen to the DSEE HX and with what cans, IEM's? Wondering what people use to hear the difference and at what listening volume is recommended to catch all the difference using the IER-Z1R or the MDR-Z7M2. Thinking High Gain is the way to go?



Using Z7M2 on balanced, low gain, around 80-95 volume.


----------



## minzink

MrWalkman said:


> Using Z7M2 on balanced, low gain, around 80-95 volume.


Balanced output on MDR-1AM2 with low gain between 40 and 45

but EQ, linear optimizer, Vinyl processor and DSEE HX AI all on.

In direct mode I need a volume from 50 to 60, some albums even 65 to have the fun factor in listening


----------



## Vitaly2017

Tiger Loves it hot!
High  gain 45/120 to 55/120
Tia Noir


----------



## normie610

Gamerlingual said:


> What volume level do you listen to the DSEE HX and with what cans, IEM's? Wondering what people use to hear the difference and at what listening volume is recommended to catch all the difference using the IER-Z1R or the MDR-Z7M2. Thinking High Gain is the way to go?



Z1R definitely needs high gain.


----------



## Whitigir

normie610 said:


> Z1R definitely needs high gain.


Totally agreed


----------



## aceedburn

Vitaly2017 said:


> Tiger Loves it hot!
> High  gain 45/120 to 55/120
> Tia Noir


Any difference if I use low gain and higher volume? Won’t the noise floor be lower? Since you still have headroom, why use high gain?


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> Any difference if I use low gain and higher volume? Won’t the noise floor be lower? Since you still have headroom, why use high gain?


This is why I'm asking. Better to find out and learn


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> This is why I'm asking. Better to find out and learn


Yes. Because in my understanding you only use high gain if you run out of headroom or your headphones are not driven properly. As high gain generally introduces a higher noise floor and consumes more battery. I’ve never had the need to use high gain for any of my headphones. I don’t have super high impedance headphones either so maybe that’s why I never had the need to use high gain.


----------



## aceedburn

A show of hands, who prefers WM1A to WM1Z over WM1A/Z+? Just curious.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> Yes. Because in my understanding you only use high gain if you run out of headroom or your headphones are not driven properly. As high gain generally introduces a higher noise floor and consumes more battery. I’ve never had the need to use high gain for any of my headphones. I don’t have super high impedance headphones either so maybe that’s why I never had the need to use high gain.


Ah I didn't know high gain uses more battery. Thanks for the tip


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jul 22, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Any difference if I use low gain and higher volume? Won’t the noise floor be lower? Since you still have headroom, why use high gain?




It doesn't really matter whit 1a/1z if you are in low or high gain , the noise floor hiss doesn't change its always same. I did a lot of listening with both gains.

The main thing that changed is the strength of the dynamics...
And more energy a little.

When 1a+ didnt existed I was using low gain on stock fw because I found that it was smoother. 
But with 1a+ its more refined and feels clean and smooth. So far in high gain and really loving it!

Today I am listening to my 1z stock with 1a+ fw and I am as delighted as on my 1a with 1a+



Pst forgot to mention 1a/1z has more noise floor above 90 /120.
You can test this. Put pause snd scroll volume to 100 and from there to 120


----------



## aceedburn

Vitaly2017 said:


> It doesn't really matter whit 1a/1z if you are in low or high gain , the noise floor hiss doesn't change its always same. I did a lot of listening with both gains.
> 
> The main thing that changed is the strength of the dynamics...
> And more energy a little.
> ...


In terms of low end, doesn’t high gain cut off bass frequencies a little bit? I always felt it did while increasing the upper mids and highs significantly. That was also one of the reasons why I didn’t like high gain.


----------



## Vitaly2017

aceedburn said:


> In terms of low end, doesn’t high gain cut off bass frequencies a little bit? I always felt it did while increasing the upper mids and highs significantly. That was also one of the reasons why I didn’t like high gain.




It is true that high gain can change the frequency curve . Definitely more affecting the easier to drive headphones or iems.

If you want maximum linear sound go with low gain but its less fun then high gain.

For example during the day you are more active and high gain can be a better feel.
At end the day your tired want to relax you can set low gain!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> It is true that high gain can change the frequency curve . Definitely more affecting the easier to drive headphones or iems.
> 
> If you want maximum linear sound go with low gain but its less fun then high gain.
> 
> ...


Can the sound still different with the mods on Low Gain?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Ah I didn't know high gain uses more battery. Thanks for the tip



For the same volume normal gain and high gain uses the same amount of battery, at least for me with the IER-Z1R. 

Also I don’t really hear any difference with the IER on normal or high gain. 

About 70 on normal gain and 50 on high gain for the same volume


----------



## aceedburn

Vitaly2017 said:


> It is true that high gain can change the frequency curve . Definitely more affecting the easier to drive headphones or iems.
> 
> If you want maximum linear sound go with low gain but its less fun then high gain.
> 
> ...


Indeed high gain has more dynamics. No doubt about it as the perception of higher volume also plays a part in it. I still prefer low gain as the sound stays constant and even when amped the output would be cleaner.


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> For the same volume normal gain and high gain uses the same amount of battery, at least for me with the IER-Z1R.
> 
> Also I don’t really hear any difference with the IER on normal or high gain.
> 
> About 70 on normal gain and 50 on high gain for the same volume


Yes volume matching taken into account, my question is why use high gain when normal  gain is enough to drive your headphone and you have ample headroom? And if you’re amping it up wouldn’t high gain have more noise when amplified?


----------



## Lookout57

I forget where I read it, but it was recommended to always use low gain as long as you can keep the volume level at 80% of maximum or lower. So on the Sony if you have to listen at 96 or higher, switch to high gain.


----------



## Queen6

aceedburn said:


> Yes volume matching taken into account, my question is why use high gain when normal  gain is enough to drive your headphone and you have ample headroom? And if you’re amping it up wouldn’t high gain have more noise when amplified?



High gain likely also increases current which some multi BA IEM's perform better with.

Q-6


----------



## aceedburn

Lookout57 said:


> I forget where I read it, but it was recommended to always use low gain as long as you can keep the volume level at 80% of maximum or lower. So on the Sony if you have to listen at 96 or higher, switch to high gain.


Yes. I’ve never had to need to go beyond 85-90 on any of my headphones on normal gain.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Can the sound still different with the mods on Low Gain?



Yes the sound acts the same way on any fw or mod your on...



nc8000 said:


> For the same volume normal gain and high gain uses the same amount of battery, at least for me with the IER-Z1R.
> 
> Also I don’t really hear any difference with the IER on normal or high gain.
> 
> About 70 on normal gain and 50 on high gain for the same volume



Yes the sound acts the same way on any fw or mod your on...





aceedburn said:


> Yes volume matching taken into account, my question is why use high gain when normal  gain is enough to drive your headphone and you have ample headroom? And if you’re amping it up wouldn’t high gain have more noise when amplified?




But I explained it lol. More punch more fun a more dynamic and aggressive sound. 
More bass....


Low gain is very smooth and gentle.  Good for sensitive ears or in paine from some unwanted frequencies. 

There is no added distinction...


----------



## normie610

In most cases, I’m also experiencing better dynamics with high gain, providing more fun sound signature and better control both in bass and treble. However, whenever I’m using my aging Fitear 335, they always sound best using low gain SE output. I believe it depends on whether your IEM requires more power or not.


----------



## aceedburn

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yes the sound acts the same way on any fw or mod your on...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Maybe I’ll play around with high gain more and compare. Never had the need to all this while though. Cheers.


----------



## aceedburn

Has anyone made a wishlist for what you want in the new firmware for the 1A/Z if there will be one in the first place.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Has anyone made a wishlist for what you want in the new firmware for the 1A/Z if there will be one in the first place.



#()

No wishies


----------



## Gamerlingual

Odd thing is, I listen on high gain and my volume is around 35 to 40. Guess that means my ears are ok? IER-Z1R specs


----------



## mwhals

auronthas said:


> hahahaha.
> 
> No wonder the price of 1Z is keep dropping. Good time to invest one if you don't.



WM1Z is still the same price as in 2016 within the United States. Where are you that the price is dropping?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Cheapest price on Amazon JP is 222,000 yen for a used one in good condition. The players retain their value no doubt


----------



## Lookout57

Gamerlingual said:


> Odd thing is, I listen on high gain and my volume is around 35 to 40. Guess that means my ears are ok? IER-Z1R specs


Then I bet on low gain you would be around 60.


----------



## minzink

aceedburn said:


> A show of hands, who prefers WM1A to WM1Z over WM1A/Z+? Just curious.


I prefer the WM1A/Z+. Sound is overwhelming )


----------



## proedros

aceedburn said:


> Any difference if I use low gain and higher volume? Won’t the noise floor be lower? Since you still have headroom, why use high gain?





aceedburn said:


> In terms of low end, doesn’t high gain cut off bass frequencies a little bit? I always felt it did while increasing the upper mids and highs significantly. That was also one of the reasons why I didn’t like high gain.



i feel like High Gain boosts the mid-bass , whereas Low Gain keeps it more sub-bass centered and more 'balanced' in general....Usually listen to Low Gain since like you said i have all the headroom i need with my Zeus XR


----------



## 534409 (Jul 22, 2020)

Someone wrote here about changing region to CN via NW DesktTool. Nope, CN sounds dull and flat. The one and only J


----------



## Queen6 (Jul 22, 2020)

Dramba said:


> Someone wrote here about changing region to CN via NW DesktTool. Nope, CN sounds dull and flat. The one and only J



CN is biased towards resolution for the Chinese market and doesn't compliment many western genres, the mid bass seems rather tamed, with treble elevated.

J & MX3 are the better regions IMO.

Q-6


----------



## Hinomotocho

normie610 said:


> In most cases, I’m also experiencing better dynamics with high gain, providing more fun sound signature and better control both in bass and treble. However, whenever I’m using my aging Fitear 335, they always sound best using low gain SE output. I believe it depends on whether your IEM requires more power or not.


I found low gain a little flat so went with high gain and prefer the sound, to my ears it's much more dynamic for my hybrids.


----------



## Ravenous

Dumb question time.  If I have WM1AZ+ instlalled and I change the region, would I have to reinstall the WM1AZ+ firmware?


----------



## mwhals

What region is MX3? If I get one from Accessory Jack, what is the region code?


----------



## Lookout57

Ravenous said:


> Dumb question time.  If I have WM1AZ+ instlalled and I change the region, would I have to reinstall the WM1AZ+ firmware?


No


----------



## Lookout57

mwhals said:


> What region is MX3? If I get one from Accessory Jack, what is the region code?


https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool


----------



## bana

Vitaly2017 said:


> I know I loved solis 3.0.2 a lot it was a quality resolution fw with overall a great balanced sound.
> 
> But new fw is on a new layer of balance in frequency. It mains the fun factors in music with a nice more firmer bass and amazing treble response.
> The treble is the super star of the show and bass as its assistant  🙂
> ...



I am happy with Solis, J region, but you guys sound convincing enough to make want to try this new sauce WM1AZ+.  Going to give it a try..


----------



## Queen6

mwhals said:


> What region is MX3? If I get one from Accessory Jack, what is the region code?



MX3 is for Mexico / Latin America. As for Accessory Jack could be CN or I think more likely E.

Q-6


----------



## Hinomotocho

Queen6 said:


> MX3 is for Mexico / Latin America. As for Accessory Jack could be CN or I think more likely E.
> 
> Q-6


I got my ZX300 from them and it was E, which I believe is their standard.


----------



## gearofwar

Does anyone know the exact region code for UK ? there seems to be 2 of them


----------



## Vitaly2017

bana said:


> I am happy with Solis, J region, but you guys sound convincing enough to make want to try this new sauce WM1AZ+.  Going to give it a try..




Stop hesitating!  Its a bomb , once you try it you wont go back ever. So you were warned!


----------



## titoratm

Vitaly2017 said:


> Stop hesitating!  Its a bomb , once you try it you wont go back ever. So you were warned!


I'd like to try the new fw but then if I wanna go back to stock 3.2 do I need to reset my playtime hour count? I wouldn't like to reset it. :-/


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 22, 2020)

titoratm said:


> I'd like to try the new fw but then if I wanna go back to stock 3.2 do I need to reset my playtime hour count? I wouldn't like to reset it. :-/



Hello, please read the main post for the mod, top to bottom. There is a link in my signature (WM1 Mods).

There is no mention of needing to reset your playtime hour count.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15747959


----------



## Lookout57

gearofwar said:


> Does anyone know the exact region code for UK ? there seems to be 2 of them


Why, it will be volume limited?


----------



## captblaze

gearofwar said:


> Does anyone know the exact region code for UK ? there seems to be 2 of them


region chart


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 22, 2020)

captblaze said:


> region chart


So do you know which one? there are 2 of them.



Lookout57 said:


> Why, it will be volume limited?


I can remove the limit, my unit is UK, currently on J. The UK unit has similar signature to another flagship dap I tried at canjam


----------



## captblaze

gearofwar said:


> So do you know which one? there are 2 of them.



I have seen posts mentioning CEW2 frequently, but if that is what you seek I cant tell you for certain. try both and decide


----------



## Duncan

Unfortunately I cannot answer, I was so disappointed with the abysmal volume limit / crippling, that I switched straight away, without verifying...

i wonder actually, if you can set U.K.- with volume limit off, never thought of that


----------



## gearofwar

Duncan said:


> Unfortunately I cannot answer, I was so disappointed with the abysmal volume limit / crippling, that I switched straight away, without verifying...
> 
> i wonder actually, if you can set U.K.- with volume limit off, never thought of that


The UK region was fantastic which kept me for many years without changing daps, I think the J region has a bit more treble.


----------



## Ravenous

titoratm said:


> I'd like to try the new fw but then if I wanna go back to stock 3.2 do I need to reset my playtime hour count? I wouldn't like to reset it. :-/



So I believe your referring to the update that allows you to "switch from either the 1a or the 1z within the player". This function replaces the "factory reset" button in the settings menu but in order to get this button to appear you must use the factory reset button, which in turn will reset your play time counter. I'm not sure if a further update was made to simply replace the "factory reset" button with the "switch model" button without having to use "factory reset" though.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 22, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> This function replaces the "factory reset" button in the settings menu but in order to get this button to appear you must use the factory reset button, which in turn will reset your play time counter.



It was never like this and I never mentioned that 

So no, you don't need to do any factory resets.

For all the necessary info, read the main post for the mod, link in my signature. Do not "create" steps that you have to do. Thanks!


----------



## Ravenous

MrWalkman said:


> It was never like this and I never mentioned that
> 
> So no, you don't need to do any factory resets.
> 
> For all the necessary info, read the main post for the mod, link in my signature. Do not "create" steps that you have to do. Thanks!



Sorry about that! I must have read the original post stating the update wrong. So with the newly update WM1AZ+, which integrates the switcher into the mod, all I have to do is install this update package over the existing one on my device and the "switch device" button will appear?


----------



## Maxx134 (Jul 22, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> So I believe your referring to


The misunderstanding came from member Robert P describing the  specific issue with his unit, which he should not have confused with the firmware mod.



RobertP said:


> In the end, after factory restored. Now the 1A I have sounds almost similar to WM1AZ+ with fuller proper sony sound house. And music instruments sound more accurate.


Of course restoring to stock is similar tunning as the firmware mod is said to use stock tunnig.

Is your mention of more accurate sound is in comparison to your previous tuning?
I ask Because it instead seems like your promoting stock firmware.
Did you do a factory restore on the WM1AZ+ ROM? That would explain the unit sounding better than before..


The WM1AZ+ firmware mod is a substantial improvement over stock.



audionewbi said:


> The question I have is, at what point does one need to do a factory reset, as @RobertP suggested?


This is result of the confusion of reading posts of modders having specific issue.

To keep in mind, Robert P was making many Tunning mods, so it was unfortunate that he resorted to reset and loose his hours, but that was his decision, and is a different topic than this firmware mod.


----------



## aceedburn

Ravenous said:


> Sorry about that! I must have read the original post stating the update wrong. So with the newly update WM1AZ+, which integrates the switcher into the mod, all I have to do is install this update package over the existing one on my device and the "switch device" button will appear?


Yes, the new version replaces factory reset with switch device model.


----------



## Gamerlingual

I’ll finally be able to test this since today is a holiday in Japan. Hope the DSEE HX sounds as good as it did on the DMP-Z1 and TA. It was really good on the SA-Z1


----------



## MrWalkman

Ravenous said:


> all I have to do is install this update package over the existing one on my device and the "switch device" button will appear?



Yes, you can just install it.

Just clarifying, to avoid misunderstandings - after every update, the package is a standalone package, and not an update package, so you can just install it, without needing to already have an older version installed or anything like that.

Also, after every update, I always update the main post for the mod with any new instructions or information. 

Cheers!


----------



## RobertP (Jul 23, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> The misunderstanding came from member Robert P describing the  specific issue with his unit, which he should not have confused with the firmware mod.
> 
> 
> Of course restoring to stock is similar tunning as the firmware mod is said to use stock tunnig.
> ...


Believe me, I take proper steps for restore back to vanilla version OEM v3.02 update. Sounds really good with my modded 1A. PMed details.


----------



## auronthas (Jul 23, 2020)

mwhals said:


> WM1Z is still the same price as in 2016 within the United States. Where are you that the price is dropping?


I got mine last month at USD 2,200, I notice it has slight drop from USD 2,500.



Gamerlingual said:


> Cheapest price on Amazon JP is 222,000 yen for a used one in good condition. The players retain their value no doubt



Mine is new at slight below 240,000 yen

If there is high demand of WM1A and good used price, I may sell it hahahaha.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 23, 2020)

RobertP said:


> I installed back to stock v3.02 tool from @MrWalkman link. When it's all done,  installed the Sony offical v3.02 update. Next, I changed my 1A region from J to E2 then do the "Restore to Factory Configuration" so that way I'll not get stuck in Japanese language. After unit  restarted and finished setup date and time, I change region back to J.
> For me, that is the only way to get a proper OEM sound.
> 
> Notice: after applied back to stock tool alone, my 1A sound kind of north of neutral when play with some of my test records.
> ...



I just want to mention that nor me or other users who tried the mod had such issues.

The update process works exactly like any other update done with an official firmware. All previous system files are deleted, and then the new files are written to the internal system.

There is nothing that could be left over or anything like that, that would require doing a Factory reset.

So, if installing 3.01 (which has a different internal sound, but external stock tuning, exactly like my mods) does not result in a different sound when coming back to 3.02, installing the mods and then going back to 3.02 also can't result in a different sound, that would require any Factory reset.

*Then why can't I just install the stock official firmware and instead I have to first install the "WM1 Back to Stock" firmware?*

This is because the firmware mods also provides the custom certificate images. These images are located in a separate place (that contains just the images) which the official firmware update does not update. The "WM1 Back to Stock" firmware is exactly like the official stock 3.02 version, except it also restores the original certificate images.


As a conclusion, always read the main post for the mod (link in my signature) for the latest instructions and any additional info that you should know.

Thanks!


----------



## RobertP

MrWalkman said:


> The "WM1 Back to Stock" firmware is exactly like the official stock 3.02 version, except it also restores the original certificate images


Thanks for the tool for restores original certificate images.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 23, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Thanks for the tool for restores original certificate images.



Thanks!

It's basically the stock firmware, but that also restores the images, so not really a tool though.

I like spreading correct information, this is why I felt the need to mention that it's not a tool.

Cheers.


Edit: I might just remove the new Certificate images, as we can already confirm the change by seeing "DSEE HX AI" in the effects display. This way, we wouldn't need "WM1 Back to Stock" anymore, avoiding all sorts of confusion that could appear.


----------



## audionewbi

I wonder as a result to the recent FW changes, how much more walkman have been sold.
I for one wasn't feeling my wm1a until the FW mods.

I highly doubt Sony would care, they probably are watching and learning.


----------



## Gamerlingual

audionewbi said:


> I wonder as a result to the recent FW changes, how much more walkman have been sold.
> I for one wasn't feeling my wm1a until the FW mods.
> 
> I highly doubt Sony would care, they probably are watching and learning.


I think it would encourage others to buy the 1A. It’s underrated.


----------



## MrWalkman

audionewbi said:


> I wonder as a result to the recent FW changes, how much more walkman have been sold.
> I for one wasn't feeling my wm1a until the FW mods.
> 
> I highly doubt Sony would care, they probably are watching and learning.





Gamerlingual said:


> I think it would encourage others to buy the 1A. It’s underrated.



I doubt that enough people visited this thread to make a difference.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Been doing everything with the IER-Z1R. Gonna switch to the Focal Clear on 3.5mm and see what results I get. By the way, the Clear cans have an XLR4 balanced adapter. Is it safe to use the XLR4 into a 4.4mm adapter so I can listen to them in balanced mode?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Been doing everything with the IER-Z1R. Gonna switch to the Focal Clear on 3.5mm and see what results I get. By the way, the Clear cans have an XLR4 balanced adapter. Is it safe to use the XLR4 into a 4.4mm adapter so I can listen to them in balanced mode?



Yes if it is wired correctly


----------



## auronthas (Jul 23, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Been doing everything with the IER-Z1R. Gonna switch to the Focal Clear on 3.5mm and see what results I get. By the way, the Clear cans have an XLR4 balanced adapter. Is it safe to use the XLR4 into a 4.4mm adapter so I can listen to them in balanced mode?


Make sure the wiring termination of 4.4mm adaptor as follow configuration.





By the way, pay attention from single ended to balanced, such as DD ddHiFi DJ30A 4.4 mm male to 3.5mm female is not compatible with Sony 4.4mm


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Yes if it is wired correctly


Depends on the adapter and I’m guessing it’s not safe to use?

Can anyone recommend a safe adapter just to be safe? XLR4 femaleto 4.4mm male adapter I guess is what I need? Meaning my headphones output a male XLR, so the adapter should be XLR4 female to 4.4mm male?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Need to give DSEE HX AI more trials, testing it initially with Benda Harpsichord concertos,cant really note a difference


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> Need to give DSEE HX AI more trials, testing it initially with Benda Harpsichord concertos,cant really note a difference


It works better with files that are not Hi-Res. Should actually sound better with 320kbps or below files most likely


----------



## NickleCo

So i was looking at the power output of thw wm1a and found this odd feature. Can it really?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> It works better with files that are not Hi-Res. Should actually sound better with 320kbps or below files most likely


The difference I note is that I perceive more bass weight and body added


----------



## Gamerlingual

Think I found a solution:

https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B07JXYLNQP/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1SFXMGX9NU7VO&psc=1


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Think I found a solution:
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B07JXYLNQP/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1SFXMGX9NU7VO&psc=1



Yes that should work


----------



## nc8000

DatDudeNic said:


> So i was looking at the power output of thw wm1a and found this odd feature. Can it really?



In J region the WM players support playing the 2-channel soundtrack from certain video formats when placed in the musiclip directory but no video


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Yes that should work


Thanks for your help as always. Cheers.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Hiya, mates!
I am wondering if somebody has already compared a stock 1A "converted" to 1Z with a switch and the 1Z FW
with a stock 1Z in a sort of blind listening test?

I assume that by doing so you'd be able to catch what are the "sound signature" differences
which are resulting only from the different hardware 1Z has onboard (wires, body, caps, etc.)
Did someone give it a try and what's the result?


----------



## gerelmx1986

audionewbi said:


> I wonder as a result to the recent FW changes, how much more walkman have been sold.
> I for one wasn't feeling my wm1a until the FW mods.
> 
> I highly doubt Sony would care, they probably are watching and learning.


Hope they see these mods as a positive thing and don't become the next Astell and kern blocking the FW from future mod. I really like this mod by @MrWalkman , seriously before his mouth d I had DMP-Z1 v 1.02 mod and liked it but felt it leaked some warmth and was getting bored of my wm1A, wanted to trade it for an AK or fiio, glad ths new mod spared my wm1A from being sold.

Wonder if MrWalkman can further tweak the firmware image to give us back, perhaps 1GB more of space by removing the demo songs that come in the Walkman (if you remove them they are not gone, I did a factory reset on my A55 and they came back!)


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> Hope they see these mods as a positive thing and don't become the next Astell and kern blocking the FW from future mod. I really like this mod by @MrWalkman , seriously before his mouth d I had DMP-Z1 v 1.02 mod and liked it but felt it leaked some warmth and was getting bored of my wm1A, wanted to trade it for an AK or fiio, glad ths new mod spared my wm1A from being sold.
> 
> Wonder if MrWalkman can further tweak the firmware image to give us back, perhaps 1GB more of space by removing the demo songs that come in the Walkman (if you remove them they are not gone, I did a factory reset on my A55 and they came back!)


I'm happy with how he's united our community. These DAPs really are ahead of their time.


----------



## MrWalkman

Mystic Traveller said:


> I am wondering if somebody has already compared a stock 1A "converted" to 1Z with a switch and the 1Z FW
> with a stock 1Z in a sort of blind listening test?



It should be made clear that this could only be done with "*WM1A to 1Z*" firmware, and 1A switched to 1Z, as "*WM1A/Z+*" sounds different than the stock 1Z.



gerelmx1986 said:


> Wonder if MrWalkman can further tweak the firmware image to give us back, perhaps 1GB more of space by removing the demo songs that come in the Walkman (if you remove them they are not gone, I did a factory reset on my A55 and they came back!)



That could actually be possible, but not with just the normal UPG update method. We could also increase the database capacity, as I understood it caps out at some point.

Maybe after a year or two a tutorial will show up somewhere.

Also, for devices like the A55 I would need to own it first. I was actually think of buying the A55 at some point (not right now), I am curious how it sounds.


----------



## nc8000

MrWalkman said:


> It should be made clear that this could only be done with "*WM1A to 1Z*" firmware, and 1A switched to 1Z, as "*WM1A/Z+*" sounds different than the stock 1Z.
> 
> 
> That could actually be possible, but not with just the normal UPG update method. We could also increase the database capacity, as I understood it caps out at some point.
> ...



Yes it seems that the database maxes out somewhere around 80.000 tracks


----------



## aceedburn

MrWalkman said:


> It should be made clear that this could only be done with "*WM1A to 1Z*" firmware, and 1A switched to 1Z, as "*WM1A/Z+*" sounds different than the stock 1Z.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yeah I had zx300 before I got the 1A. I would say the main difference the ZX300 had from the A series is the balanced port. Sound wise I have also heard the A45 and couldn’t tell the difference.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> Yeah I had zx300 before I got the 1A. I would say the main difference the ZX300 had from the A series is the balanced port. Sound wise I have also heard the A45 and couldn’t tell the difference.


Does the 1A sound better than them in stock form?


----------



## NickleCo

nc8000 said:


> In J region the WM players support playing the 2-channel soundtrack from certain video formats when placed in the musiclip directory but no video


Aw was hoping to play some movies lol thanks for the answer man!


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Does the 1A sound better than them in stock form?


Yes it does. The first time I heard the 1A I knew I was going to sell my ZX300. Lol.


----------



## captblaze

Take a day or two off on this thread and you got quite a bit to catch up on. Thankfully with a deep deep selection of soft mods, I can satisfy my somewhat compulsion toward Sony Walkman sonic awesomeness


----------



## Reima

Gamerlingual said:


> Think I found a solution:
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B07JXYLNQP/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1SFXMGX9NU7VO&psc=1


That is the same one that I am using with my Ibasso DX220 Max.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> Yes it does. The first time I heard the 1A I knew I was going to sell my ZX300. Lol.


Oh, thought the A45 being so compact can also sound really good. But the 1A is plenty light. I also have the FiiO M6 and its sound is good, but the screen isn't very smooth


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Oh, thought the A45 being so compact can also sound really good. But the 1A is plenty light. I also have the FiiO M6 and its sound is good, but the screen isn't very smooth


FiiO daps have problematic firmwares. None of them are as smooth as Sony. I have tried at least 3 different FiiO daps.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Tight now I not a difference with DSEE HX AI, playing some liszt's piano solo music.

I note that the piano sounds a bit distant, like sitting in a big hall in 4th tow or more from stage


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 23, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


> Hiya, mates!
> I am wondering if somebody has already compared a stock 1A "converted" to 1Z with a switch and the 1Z FW
> with a stock 1Z in a sort of blind listening test?
> 
> ...



Yes, I actually can give you a fairly complete run-down. Though keep in mind the Japan export 1A and 1Z originally come with a Sony factory “U” region setting and I have used the Rockbox region changer to switch both to “J”. Both players have good burn-in with the 1A at just under 700 hours and the 1Z around 1500 hours?

Anyway this direct comparison is the 1A with both the 1Z switcher and 1A/Z+ used. The 1Z on standard factory 3.02 firmware. Also I have not done this test blind but spent a total of maybe 13 hours listening at minimum.

The thing is the 1A with these mods, has a new and exciting sound. My previous love was the stock 1Z with 3.02. So the big deal is the excitement of the new toy phenomenon. Typically stuff can simply sound new (different) but not better and become a choice.

I have to say at this point actually I prefer the 1A. But not maybe for the best reasons. The 1A now has a bigger soundstage than the stock 1Z. The 1Z may still have a better front to back soundstage but the 1A mods make the 1A very much improved in soundstage. The 1A soundstage seems to be made thicker in all directions than before?

The 1A bass does not go as deep nor the treble.......as bright as the stock 1Z. What we are left with is a more correct and midcentric experience. Yet there seems to be nothing left out and nothing to be of wanting more. The excitement comes from fast sonic change-ups that allows the perception of speed, but not just in bass but across the frequency range. Also with less boomy bass comes an offering of better detail view.

The 1A has this placement of electric rhythm guitars that has em delineated and in spaced separation from everything else. In that unique imaging they are detailed and correctly textured all while being also up close and clear. So it’s a bigger soundstage but all filled in with elements. All those elements are of great timbre and focus.

So it’s a new form of real for the 1A. Where the 1Z still has more authority and going back it’s maybe technically better, but the 1A is just so fun. The difference would be the 1A is thinner but has added fullness and complexity......from the old way it was. So with the 1A there is this fast hidden bass that’s surprising and new. Where the 1Z has a slower and warmer response which is great too, but different. It’s just if you had both for years this pace with the 1A becomes addictive and something that you look forward to.

But the crazy part is on paper the stock 1Z should win. It has a more complete sound, it has more physicality to the imaging elements? The 1Z should by all accounts be better here? Yet in the end the 1A even seems to have better transient response? 

I’m using the Noble Encore IEM and IER-Z1R in balanced 4.4mm.


----------



## gerelmx1986

More DSEEHX AI testing, sound good


----------



## gsiu33

gerelmx1986 said:


> I no longer use.the internal memory, I've decided to distribute my music across three mSD cards. Library builds faster
> 1TB - composers A-C, D-F, G-I
> 512GB - J-K, L-N
> 400GB - O-Q, R-T, U-W, X-Z


So you have to swap card if you want to change from Mahler to Bach, and it will take longer time to rebuild the library. How much will it take to build the database for the 1TB card?


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, I actually can give you a fairly complete run-down.


A great detailed review - thanks much! 
If someone could do the same for a 1A switched to a Z (1Z FW) vs a stock "real"  1Z - 
that would be nice and much appreciated!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Can someone try CEV region and share some impressions 

I think its surprisingly well balanced between bass/mid/treble...  I hear slightly more definition in bass....


----------



## proedros

Vitaly2017 said:


> Can someone try CEV region and share some impressions
> 
> I think its surprisingly well balanced between bass/mid/treble...  I hear slightly more definition in bass....



hey crazy tigro , which mode has won your heart today ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> hey crazy tigro , which mode has won your heart today ?




Rocking 1z stock today still on 1a+ decided to fool around with regions 😜😛🤩


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, I actually can give you a fairly complete run-down. Though keep in mind the Japan export 1A and 1Z originally come with a Sony factory “U” region setting and I have used the Rockbox region changer to switch both to “J”. Both players have good burn-in with the 1A at just under 700 hours and the 1Z around 1500 hours?
> 
> Anyway this direct comparison is the 1A with both the 1Z switcher and 1A/Z+ used. The 1Z on standard factory 3.02 firmware. Also I have not done this test blind but spent a total of maybe 13 hours listening at minimum.
> 
> ...


Reading your info is like listening to Morgan Freeman narrate a story. Soothing to the soul. Nice write up.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gsiu33 said:


> So you have to swap card if you want to change from Mahler to Bach, and it will take longer time to rebuild the library. How much will it take to build the database for the 1TB card?


Like 1 minute


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jul 23, 2020)

I really like DSEEHX AI with Z+ FW version. I play it with JBL 305 active speakers via balanced cables direct to Sony 1Z. It sounds even better, more clearer than the speakers in my Lexus sedan. That's quite an achievement, considering JBL 305 is a pretty much cheap speakers. Very warm and muddy, now it sounds crystal clear, alive. It's magic. Its like listening to iems using speakers form, maybe 85% to 90% performance in terms of clarity. Very very musical, thanks a huge part to FW1A/1Z+, which I think works best with warm iems/headphones. I'm sure a lot of us who own 1A/1Z are very pleased with the latest FWs. It curbs the itch to upgrade to latest and greatest Daps.


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 23, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> I really like DSEEHX AI with Z+ FW version. I play it with JBL 305 active speakers via balanced cables direct to Sony 1Z. It sounds even better, more clearer than the speakers in my Lexus sedan. That's quite an achievement, considering JBL 305 is a pretty much cheap speakers. Very warm and muddy, now it sounds crystal clear, alive. It's magic. Its like listening to iems using speakers form, maybe 85% to 90% performance in terms of clarity. Very very musical, thanks a huge part to FW1A/1Z+, which I think works best with warm iems/headphones. I'm sure a lot of us who own 1A/1Z are very pleased with the latest FWs. It curbs the itch to upgrade to latest and greatest Daps.


I have JBL 305 and the speaker performs ways above its price tag. Currently hooked it to my Taurus balance preamp and r2r dac.


----------



## matevana

Vitaly2017 said:


> Can someone try CEV region and share some impressions
> 
> I think its surprisingly well balanced between bass/mid/treble...  I hear slightly more definition in bass....



I liked CEV but I don't believe it supports the Sony remote so I couldn't use it. The mids are slightly scooped so you can hear the bass more clearly. CE7 is similar to CEV (with slightly more high frequencies), and does support the remote.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gearofwar said:


> I have JBL 305 and the speaker perform ways above its price tag. Currently hooked it to my Taurus balance preamp and r2r dac.


Try using your JBL 305 speakers direct to 1A/1Z with balanced cables and use the DSEEHX AI, how good does it sound?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Makes you wonder why Sony isn't officially incorporating DSEE HX AI into WM1 series if they are not ready to release their next flagship in 2020. It could boost the sales of their WM1 for now.


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 23, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Try using your JBL 305 speakers direct to 1A/1Z with balanced cables and use the DSEEHX AI, how good does it sound?


Not as good my desktop system which is overkill  but it is pretty nice. Back when I had HD800, I could get the similar sound out of the speaker that's why HD800 didn't stay there long


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gearofwar said:


> Not as good my desktop system which is overkill  but it is pretty nice. Back when I had HD800, I could get the similar sound out of the speaker that's why HD800 didn't stay there long


Btw I'm using CN region and high gain. Of course, I don't think it could be compared to higher end desktop system, but considering what it is, I think its pretty good. 

Haha, pity HD800, it had to go.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Interesting stuff going on here.

So in the first half of my day I had stock 1z then was missing my 1a+ 🙃 . So I switched back to 1a...
Few hours later I was hmm 1a missing something not warm not bassy kinda a little boring sounding 😅🤔

Well decided to play with enhancements LoL
Now
dsee hx on
Linear phade A low
Vinyl standart

And yopalay woot 1a got so much more fun and warmy 😁😄😄
A great way to get closer 1z sound when needed!  🙃🙃🙃🙂


----------



## gsiu33

gerelmx1986 said:


> Like 1 minute


That’s pretty good. I thought it will take much longer when you change the card as the player needed to rebuild the database.

Anyway, one minor suggestion. I instead of storing the albums in the 3 cards by composer according to the alphabetical order, you may consider to group those favourite composers in the 1TB card. cheers.


----------



## Kad998

Vitaly2017 said:


> Rocking 1z stock today still on 1a+ decided to fool around with regions 😜😛🤩



When you went 1Z stock with 1A+ were your steps as follows?

1. Install FW
2. Switch to a+ 

Did it end there or did you reinstall the firmare?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Kad998 said:


> When you went 1Z stock with 1A+ were your steps as follows?
> 
> 1. Install FW
> 2. Switch to a+
> ...



Then you need to reinstall the 1a/1z+ 1 more time!

Dont forget
On 1z
Install
Switch to 1a
Install again and done


----------



## Kad998

Vitaly2017 said:


> Then you need to reinstall the 1a/1z+ 1 more time!
> 
> Dont forget
> On 1z
> ...



Ah okay! There was already a huge difference in the sound so I wasn’t sure if I should reinstall. I almost didn’t want to touch it because it sounded so good lol


----------



## Gamerlingual

Kad998 said:


> Ah okay! There was already a huge difference in the sound so I wasn’t sure if I should reinstall. I almost didn’t want to touch it because it sounded so good lol


Meaning you got good sound before installing the firmware a second time?


----------



## MrWalkman

Kad998 said:


> Ah okay! There was already a huge difference in the sound so I wasn’t sure if I should reinstall. I almost didn’t want to touch it because it sounded so good lol





Gamerlingual said:


> Meaning you got good sound before installing the firmware a second time?





MrWalkman said:


> *Frequently Asked Questions*
> 
> *- What happens if I switch the model, but then I don't install the firmware again?*
> Nothing wrong will happen. The sound might not be the same as if installing the firmware again though.
> ...


----------



## Mindstorms

whats   DSEEHX AI ?


----------



## normie610

Vitaly2017 said:


> Interesting stuff going on here.
> 
> So in the first half of my day I had stock 1z then was missing my 1a+ 🙃 . So I switched back to 1a...
> Few hours later I was hmm 1a missing something not warm not bassy kinda a little boring sounding 😅🤔
> ...



I thought you’re a purist with direct mode always on and you don’t want to add any DSP effect at all


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Mindstorms said:


> whats   DSEEHX AI ?


You’re late to the party dude hahahaha


----------



## Vitaly2017

normie610 said:


> I thought you’re a purist with direct mode always on and you don’t want to add any DSP effect at all





hamhamhamsta said:


> You’re late to the party dude hahahaha






Mmm yeaa @normie610  you are late tiger ears gone wild and furious seriously thos dsee hx AI damn good!
Everything is sp different on a 1a then 1z mannn  you gota stretch that elastic you know! 🤣🤣🤣
Other ways you will never know 😉😅🙂


----------



## MrWalkman

Mindstorms said:


> whats   DSEEHX AI ?



https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15752506


----------



## Mindstorms

MrWalkman said:


> There has been an update, which brings the DSEE HX AI function to both *WM1A/Z+ *and *WM1A to 1Z* mods.
> 
> The DSEE HX AI function replaces the "Standard" option from the DSEE HX effect type menu. This function is
> present in devices like the NW-A55, or the DMP-Z1.
> ...


Thank you!


----------



## Ravenous

Mindstorms said:


> whats   DSEEHX AI ?



As far I as I can tell, it apparently "adds information" to the sound of the music you are listening to, essentially mimicking "high resolution" for standard resolution audio in 16/44.k format.

EDIT: Thanks Mr. Walkman, was too slow lol.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gsiu33 said:


> That’s pretty good. I thought it will take much longer when you change the card as the player needed to rebuild the database.
> 
> Anyway, one minor suggestion. I instead of storing the albums in the 3 cards by composer according to the alphabetical order, you may consider to group those favourite composers in the 1TB card. cheers.


It did took like 2 or 4 minutes when I had everything crammed as 16/44.1 — e.g I converted all Hi-res and DSD as 16/44 on the walkman, but then as I got these DGG SHM-SACD I decided to transfer all over again as original resolution


----------



## flyer1 (Jul 24, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> He installed WM1A/Z+, and then he switched the model to 1A and that's it.
> 
> Usually I recommend installing the mod again, to make sure the 1A or 1Z sound tuning is properly set, but not doing that may result in some combination of 1Z sound and 1A sound or something like that. I didn't test it myself, but there is nothing wrong in doing it like this.
> 
> So only use model switcher after installing one of the mods (WM1A/Z+ or WM1A to 1Z). And if you'll want to switch back, first change the model back, and then apply the Back to Stock firmware.




This is what I prefer on my 1Z/EX1000. Switching to 1a but not installing the WM1A/Z+ again, gives me an excellent sonic experience, like a whole new world opened up! And even better than when I do install WM1A/Z+ again.

Also find myself keeping DSEE AI continuously on, it's like magic applied to all my normal FLAC files


----------



## Redcarmoose

flyer1 said:


> This is what I prefer on my 1Z/EX1000. Switching to 1a but not installing the WM1A/Z+ again, gives me an excellent sonic experience, like a whole new world opened up! And even better than when I do install WM1A/Z+ again.
> 
> Also find myself keeping DSEE AI continuously on, it's like magic applied to all my normal FLAC files



I’m going to have to try. Cheers!


----------



## aceedburn

I discovered a new nirvana. WM1A to wm1z and model switched to 1z. This to me is the best I’m hearing right now. I can’t describe the feeling but I prefer it over WM1Az+. More natural, vocals more alive, bass deeper and more impactful, treble crystal clear yet smooth. Full rich mids with breathy vocals. A fuller and more dynamic sound.


----------



## Vitaly2017

aceedburn said:


> I discovered a new nirvana. WM1A to wm1z and model switched to 1z. This to me is the best I’m hearing right now. I can’t describe the feeling but I prefer it over WM1Az+. More natural, vocals more alive, bass deeper and more impactful, treble crystal clear yet smooth. Full rich mids with breathy vocals. A fuller and more dynamic sound.





And dsee hx AI enabled?


----------



## aceedburn

Vitaly2017 said:


> And dsee hx AI enabled?


I’m listening through an amp so it’s always direct mode on. I only use DSEE HX AI when I’m using the Walkman direct with headphones.


----------



## Duncan

Vitaly2017 said:


> And dsee hx AI enabled?


The one negative about any of the DSPs, as soon as you switch off source direct, no matter how they improve the sound, the background hiss is much easier to hear - even if all DSPs are disabled...

As good as HX AI is, on extended listening, I'd rather have inky blackness


----------



## aceedburn

Duncan said:


> The one negative about any of the DSPs, as soon as you switch off source direct, no matter how they improve the sound, the background hiss is much easier to hear - even if all DSPs are disabled...
> 
> As good as HX AI is, on extended listening, I'd rather have inky blackness


Yes and easier on the battery as well with DSEE HX AI off. I’d only use it for older recordings like the 70s and 80’s rips I have. The newer jazz and vocal jazz recordings don’t really benefit much from it. But it does work very nicely and the sound difference is very discernible.


----------



## proedros

aceedburn said:


> I discovered a new nirvana. *WM1A to wm1z and model switched to 1z.* This to me is the best I’m hearing right now. I can’t describe the feeling but I prefer it over WM1Az+. More natural, vocals more alive, bass deeper and more impactful, treble crystal clear yet smooth. Full rich mids with breathy vocals. A fuller and more dynamic sound.



do you have a typo or something ? if you are already to wm1z , how do you change to 1z ?


----------



## aceedburn

proedros said:


> do you have a typo or something ? if you are already to wm1z , how do you change to 1z ?


WM1A to wm1z is the firmware mod. And I changed my model to 1Z.


----------



## gearofwar

aceedburn said:


> I’m listening through an amp so it’s always direct mode on. I only use DSEE HX AI when I’m using the Walkman direct with headphones.


Do you reapply the firmware after switching model?


----------



## aceedburn

gearofwar said:


> Do you reapply the firmware after switching model?


Yes after switching models i always reinstall the firmware as it loads the specific tuning for that model and will be more accurate. Without losing it you get a different sound but some like it that way too.


----------



## Vitaly2017

aceedburn said:


> I’m listening through an amp so it’s always direct mode on. I only use DSEE HX AI when I’m using the Walkman direct with headphones.





Duncan said:


> The one negative about any of the DSPs, as soon as you switch off source direct, no matter how they improve the sound, the background hiss is much easier to hear - even if all DSPs are disabled...
> 
> As good as HX AI is, on extended listening, I'd rather have inky blackness




What I discovered is I like to use dsp on wm1a cause they add some warmer and more cozy sound.

On wm1z I dont like enabling the filters and stay direct source as maximum possible.  1z is already fully optimized and warm by nature, all dsp's only ruining it.

1a yes dsp
1z Nooo
😁


----------



## Mystic Traveller

aceedburn said:


> discovered a new nirvana. WM1A to wm1z and model switched to 1z.


I am those days listening in the same setting too - really nice!! This should be the sound of the stock 1Z (only
without its hardware upgrades - caps, wires, etc.)


----------



## gearofwar

aceedburn said:


> Yes after switching models i always reinstall the firmware as it loads the specific tuning for that model and will be more accurate. Without losing it you get a different sound but some like it that way too.


I believe this Wm1a to Wm1z doesn't have the same modification process applied to the system compared to Wm1az+


----------



## aceedburn

gearofwar said:


> I believe this Wm1a to Wm1z doesn't have the same modification process applied to the system compared to Wm1az+


The process is till the same for whichever firmware you use. Once you load the firmware it installs the tuning based on your device model. So if you’re on 1A it installs that tuning and if you’re on 1Z it install the 1Z tuning. So it’s always advisable to run the firmware again after switching models.


----------



## Vitaly2017

aceedburn said:


> The process is till the same for whichever firmware you use. Once you load the firmware it installs the tuning based on your device model. So if you’re on 1A it installs that tuning and if you’re on 1Z it install the 1Z tuning. So it’s always advisable to run the firmware again after switching models.




Yes but on 1a you have 1a/1z+  and 1a to 1z! Then switched 1z.
It is 2 different tuning 1z+ and 1a to 1z


----------



## proedros

aceedburn said:


> WM1A to wm1z is the firmware mod. And I changed my model to 1Z.



ah i see , so there are even more variations that i thought...

excellenr.


----------



## Lookout57

Here are all the possible combinations:

1A     - Sony Stock firmware
1AZ   - 1A switched to 1Z using "WM1A to 1Z (3.02) [IntegratedSwitcher].exe"
1A+   - 1A running 1AZ+ custom firmware using "WM1AZ+ (3.02) [IntegratedSwitcher].exe"
1AZ+ - 1A switched to 1Z running 1AZ+ custom firmware using "WM1AZ+ (3.02) [IntegratedSwitcher].exe"

I am slowing comparing all of these permutations against a stock 1A and a stock 1Z using Region J and will post my findings here. So, please me patient as it is time consuming.


----------



## mmwwmm

But it’s been said WM1AZ+ is not just a sound tune but a custom firmware so I assume the sound tuning parameters known and manipulated by some people over here when making his Fw tunings are untouched and the improvements in sound comes from changes in another area so the players sound different than with the stock fw.  Am I right @MrWalkman ?


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jul 24, 2020)

mmwwmm said:


> But it’s been said WM1AZ+ is not just a sound tune but a custom firmware so I assume the sound tuning parameters known and manipulated by some people over here when making his Fw tunings are untouched and the improvements in sound comes from changes in another area so the players sound different than with the stock fw.  Am I right @MrWalkman ?



Its a new fw that has sony sound. Not custom

With added dsee hx and improved battery life also faster ui navigation....


----------



## 534409

I'm staying with WM1A/Z+. For my IEMs - the best.


----------



## proedros

@Vitaly2017 

check your pm


----------



## Mindstorms




----------



## Whitigir

Mindstorms said:


>



That actually doesn’t really explains anything LOL


----------



## mwhals

Whitigir said:


> That actually doesn’t really explains anything LOL



Glad I didn't take the time to watch it then.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 24, 2020)

I have been describing my experience with DSEE HX AI for quite sometime over at the ZX500 headfi thread.

Someone over at ASR copied and pasted my opinion/post without referencing, but it doesn't matter much, I think he has done a good job to collect information on explaining:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...e-ultimate-dsee-extreme-do.14832/#post-462091


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> That actually doesn’t really explains anything LOL


It explain for a very marketing and less than average user point of view dont be so mean to our beloved sony haha


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

This is the official Sony article on DSEE HX AI, you need google translate to read it in English:
https://www.sony.jp/feature/products/dseehx/


----------



## Mindstorms (Jul 24, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> This is the official Sony article on DSEE HX AI, you need google translate to read it in English:
> https://www.sony.jp/feature/products/dseehx/


Thank you I have the same from the vinyl procesor! wow this new FW is getting even better every update
-like the new tipo on boot
-I can actually hear improvement over original DSEE on this HX one! even just by installing the software IMPRESIVE JOB! maybe im crazy but i can hear the high they are talking about!
I think this DSEE HX sounds closer to ClearAudio+ since clearaudio also improves staging wideness and elevation!
-if there would be a way to include ClearAudio+ on one extra tab and innclude good old Standard it will be awesome but I know the SO has it limitations and i guess for all our safety reason its better this way.
-im really liking that i produces better the soundstage and the effect that standart produced kind of capped the resolution more... this one since more tolerant and also its more-audible overall! like it selects what to boost and it do it right!
-it should say Insane Staging its unvailed just for isntalling this FW and enabling DSEE HX .. did not have to swich anything it sounds way more natural and balanced than before but with the new staging it feels like a new walkman... Bass Is very well balanced Also
-And yes I AM a effect fan! will never trade my effects for nothing else haha
-Side Effect now I can hear some songs of michael jackson and they dont sound piercing at all...
Also Thank you Nishio-san and as Usual MrWalkman


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 24, 2020)

One thing to note about this DSEE HX AI.

This is coming from my experience with it on my ZX507 and not WM1. Please do note this is my own subjective experience and cannot be backed up by facts or measurements.

I find that if my Walkman has been left powered off for a while and cold started, when I first enable DSEE HX AI, I find some well recorded tracks to exhibit un-natural sounding vocal simbliance.

But when my Walkman has been switch on and running for more than 24hours. The vocal simbliance is no longer present with DSEE HX AI.

I don't know what is causing this but I am speculating it might have to do with upsampling to 32bit 192KHz requiring much more precise clocking from the clock osilicator and that clock osilicator need warm up time to achieve it's timing stability.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> One thing to note about this DSEE HX AI.
> 
> This is coming from my experience with it on my ZX507 and not WM1. Please do note this is my own subjective experience and cannot be backed up by facts or measurements.
> 
> ...


Does it mean that 1A/1Z should not be turned off ever if we want to achieve max potential with DSEE HX?

I think I know what it means,DSEE HX when used on mp3 actually added the height part that is missing in lower format, creating illusion of listening live. Thus lower format sounds more natural, more lifelike when this feature is used. Without it, lower format will sound less lively.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 24, 2020)

Now, I wonder, is DSEEHX AI that is inside Walkman has the same Level of Progressiveness as when it is Inside DMP Z1 ?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 24, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> Does it mean that 1A/1Z should not be turned off ever if we want to achieve max potential with DSEE HX?
> 
> I think I know what it means,DSEE HX when used on mp3 actually added the height part that is missing in lower format, creating illusion of listening live. Thus lower format sounds more natural, more lifelike when this feature is used. Without it, lower format will sound less lively.



Vocal simbliance varies with music tracks, iems and the sensitivity of the listener. Some might notice it but some might not. I guess what I have noticed can be experimented by anyone who has a Walkman with DSEE HX AI.

I think this warming up/constantly powered up practice is something that is up to the individual to decide if that's something that they would want to do. Some would worry about ecological damage caused by wasted energy and others would fear causing unnecessary wear to their precious lithum-ion battery. And there are some of us with special tiger ears that would do anything to achieve maximum sonic pleasure.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Now, I wonder, is DSEEHX AI that is inside Walkman has the same Level of Progressiveness as when it is Inside DMP Z1 ?



They give out the Hi-Res Audio coats at that meeting.


----------



## MrWalkman

gearofwar said:


> I believe this Wm1a to Wm1z doesn't have the same modification process applied to the system compared to Wm1az+



It's already mentioned in the main post that *"WM1A to 1Z" *enables just switching the model and also adds DSEE HX AI. This is so 1A users can check out the 1Z stock sound signature. 



mmwwmm said:


> But it’s been said WM1AZ+ is not just a sound tune but a custom firmware so I assume the sound tuning parameters known and manipulated by some people over here when making his Fw tunings are untouched and the improvements in sound comes from changes in another area so the players sound different than with the stock fw.  Am I right @MrWalkman ?



Yes, the stock tuning is used externally, while the changes in the sound comes from inside the firmware.



hamhamhamsta said:


> Does it mean that 1A/1Z should not be turned off ever if we want to achieve max potential with DSEE HX?



I would never just take absolutes from internet. I think it's best to experiment and decide for yourself, though advice and sharing of your personal experience is always welcomed.



Whitigir said:


> Now, I wonder, is DSEEHX AI that is inside Walkman has the same Level of Progressiveness as when it is Inside DMP Z1 ?



It uses the same parameters as in the DMP-Z1. The NW-A55 uses slightly different parameters. Unfortunately, I can't go into details.


----------



## Whitigir

That meant you were able to look into DMP Z1 as well ? Even without the DMP ?


----------



## MrWalkman

Whitigir said:


> That meant you were able to look into DMP Z1 as well ? Even without the DMP ?



Yeah, at this point I don't need to own any player to be able to check out stuff.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 24, 2020)

This is what Sony help guide recommends for ZX507 users on which mode to use(guess this also should be advisable for wm1 with DSEE HX AI firmware):

https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwzx500/v1/en/contents/TP0002432956.html

*Direct Source*
This setting outputs the file’s original sound quality directly without applying any sound effects.
Turn on this function to listen to music without processing the audio signals. This will be *effective* *when you enjoy* *High-Resolution Audio content*. On one of the sound adjustment screens, tap the [DIRECT] switch to turn this function on or off

*DSEE HX*
This function upscales the sound quality of audio files. The sound quality will become *almost* *equal* to that of High-Resolution Audio. The function reproduces the *clear high-range sound that is often lost*.


----------



## Whitigir

MrWalkman said:


> Yeah, at this point I don't need to own any player to be able to check out stuff.


Simply Brilliant!!


----------



## Whitigir

Now what would happen if externally and internally come together ? Like RobertP Autums and A/Z + ?


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Jul 24, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> I am slowing comparing all of these permutations against a stock 1A and a stock 1Z using Region J and will post my findings here.


Yep, that would be very interesting, mate!  Wondering if you on your IEMs would find any variant very close
sound wise to the stock 1Z (or the same for your ears).


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 24, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Now what would happen if externally and internally come together ? Like RobertP Autums and A/Z + ?


I have been testing that stuffs since early prototype of the modification process. Ideally, I was playing around with Classical. Actually, it sounded amazing for me but I have been jumping around and still I like A/Z+ sound the most for its naturalness
P/s: actually, we do need someone to rewrite those custom firmwares to better match the current system and that would be amazing to Solis again on the new form


----------



## Mystic Traveller

BTW, is it possible to wake up an 1A, turn the screen on by any other button/touch screen other than power button?
Any hidden trick?


----------



## nc8000

hamhamhamsta said:


> Does it mean that 1A/1Z should not be turned off ever if we want to achieve max potential with DSEE HX?
> 
> I think I know what it means,DSEE HX when used on mp3 actually added the height part that is missing in lower format, creating illusion of listening live. Thus lower format sounds more natural, more lifelike when this feature is used. Without it, lower format will sound less lively.



I have not turned my 1Z off in the 3 1/2 years I’ve had it and didn’t turn the ZX2 off in 2 years


----------



## Vitaly2017

I have a new very special favorite!  
Tiger ears bunny honey moon with 1a+ isnt over!

Region  CEV
1a+ new fw 😛😋
Dsee hx Ai  on
Linear phase A low
Rest is off.


Impressive detailed and nuances can be perceived.  New level fun and precision! 

I hear more echoes,  it can get airy on the cymbals very fun neet new sound!

Bass is really deep and rumbly with mass to it and air


----------



## Vitaly2017

Mystic Traveller said:


> BTW, is it possible to wake up an 1A, turn the screen on by any other button/touch screen other than power button?
> Any hidden trick?




You need to look at your 1a then say simsima open up and double tap right earphone.

It worked fore me!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 24, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> You need to look at your 1a then say simsima open up and double tap right earphone.
> 
> It worked fore me!



Or read the manual......all 144 pages. I figure we pretty much know these things? 

Interesting I always thought the 1Z charges faster. They say it’s 7 hours for both. 

https://static1.squarespace.com/sta...071/1484868905546/Sony+1Z+Walkman.pdf#page120


----------



## AlexCBSN

Vitaly2017 said:


> I have a new very special favorite!
> Tiger ears bunny honey moon with 1a+ isnt over!
> 
> Region  CEV
> ...


The new firmware you mention, has it been released yet?
Cev, haven’t  heard of that region. Might give it a go.


----------



## MrWalkman

AlexCBSN said:


> The new firmware you mention, has it been released yet?
> Cev, haven’t  heard of that region. Might give it a go.



Good evening.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15747959


----------



## Vitaly2017

Ok I am almost done with my hyper deep testings!
I spent more then a week trying all kinds of stuff and fw roll also lately region rolling with new fw.

And I am at a conclusion phase 90%!

I love 1a+ to much and with my recent explanations in sound and different paths brought me here to like 1a at its pure core! Its so impressive what the new fw and findings have made possible for us the 1a lovers!

Here is my conclusion! 
I like wm1a this way
Region CEV
1a+ mode
Dsee hx AI : on
Linear phase : A low

For wm1z I found it sounds best - direct source
Region CEV
1z+ mod


Now my other final decision is going to chock a lot of folks here but it my mainly and pure preference!  It does not mean 1a is better then 1z or vice versa!
1a and 1z is 2 different daps for 2 different flavors! 
And my decision was tough! As I am my self a 1z lover for over 2 years!!!!

Yes lady's and gentlemen's!
I am selling my wm1z stock! Its in mint conditions and has screen protector and case....

Who ever is interested PM me as I havent yet posted it on sale thread! Its literally brand new!

I am also selling my second wm1a! So also pm me 🙂🙂🙂

Ciao ciao!  Pffrrrt rrrr furing Tigers!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Ok I am almost done with my hyper deep testings!
> I spent more then a week trying all kinds of stuff and fw roll also lately region rolling with new fw.
> 
> And I am at a conclusion phase 90%!
> ...


I thought the 1Z would be considered a collector's item. If I'm wrong, no problem


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 25, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I thought the 1Z would be considered a collector's item. If I'm wrong, no problem



I tend to think there can be a compensation too with the 1A for older ears. God knows 1/2 of Head-Fi is people buying gear which replaces the lost frequencies after 50 years old. It seems it would be a sad state of affairs for an 18 year old with perfect hearing. All this bright tilted stuff that sounds fine to the oldies who mastered it (in recording studios) with *geriatric ears *played back on a supplemental treble boost to make music sound normal in the end. 

I think part of the 1A charm now with the new software IS the epitome of that concept in tuning. Where the 1Z is actually somewhat normal?


----------



## RobertP

Whitigir said:


> Now what would happen if externally and internally come together ? Like RobertP Autums and A/Z + ?


Lol, you can do it too. Still quite impress with pure stage official v3.02 fw at the moment.


----------



## blazinblazin

Can i change region after update to WM1A/Z+ ?

Should change region before update or after update?


----------



## aceedburn

blazinblazin said:


> Can i change region after update to WM1A/Z+ ?
> 
> Should change region before update or after update?


You can change the region anytime you like freely. Don’t worry about it.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> I thought the 1Z would be considered a collector's item. If I'm wrong, no problem



It can be a collector's edition on a mass scale but to me its a sony signature dap.

I for instance dont like to collect stuff and rather sell to keep what I really use on daily basis and simply reuse that money into the future gear or in my current case recollect the funds into my bank account...




Redcarmoose said:


> I tend to think there can be a compensation too with the 1A for older ears. God knows 1/2 of Head-Fi is people buying gear which replaces the lost frequencies after 50 years old. It seems it would be a sad state of affairs for an 18 year old with perfect hearing. All this bright tilted stuff that sounds fine to the oldies who mastered it (in recording studios) with *geriatric ears *played back on a supplemental treble boost to make music sound normal in the end.
> 
> I think part of the 1A charm now with the new software IS the epitome of that concept in tuning. Where the 1Z is actually somewhat normal?





I would not call 1z normal sound tuning bit you might know better as you are in audiophile world.longer then I am.

For me 1a sounds normal and 1z fun and warm tuned


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 25, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> It can be a collector's edition on a mass scale but to me its a sony signature dap.
> 
> I for instance dont like to collect stuff and rather sell to keep what I really use on daily basis and simply reuse that money into the future gear or in my current case recollect the funds into my bank account...
> 
> ...



My post was simply a side-line statement about aging audiophiles and treble boosts. That’s why when I read about young ones complaining about treble I believe them. A persons hearing starts to drop pretty early and it’s typically high frequency loss. I agree the 1Z is classic Hi-Fi. My statements are not original but have been a long going complaint especially after young ones read about hearing loss among audiophiles and look to see if it really could be compensated by tuning stuff brighter.

The subjectivity involved in such a claim also voids the discussion as we know there are both treble heads and bass heads at all ages. As such it’s probably up for opinion if the 1A with it’s tune is catering to older ears.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

blazinblazin said:


> Can i change region after update to WM1A/Z+ ?
> 
> Should change region before update or after update?


Instructions are here:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2738#post-15747959


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jul 25, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> My post was simply a side-line statement about aging audiophiles and treble boosts. That’s why when I read about young ones complaining about treble I believe them. A persons hearing starts to drop pretty early and it’s typically high frequency loss. I agree the 1Z is classic Hi-Fi. My statements are not original but have been a long going complaint especially after young ones read about hearing loss among audiophiles and look to see if it really could be compensated by tuning stuff brighter.
> 
> The subjectivity involved in such a claim also voids the discussion as we know there are both treble heads and bass heads at all ages.




Thankfully my hearing isnt lost cause I still can experience treble fatigue.

But yes its true, that makes things uneven and annoying for the younger generation. Some recordings are so bright I just skip them and dont spend my time on it as why the heck its so bright to start off...

Been also reading before about the boosted treble war...

I this days tend to go into a more neutral natural sounds! And it is the reason why 1a stole my heart from my 1z hahaha
I feel so much guilty about it. Its like if you got a new girl friend secretly but havent broke up with your current one and still want to go and run to see the new one. Ohhh boy haha the life of a youngster right 😉🙃🙂😂😂😂


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Thankfully my hearing isnt lost cause I still can experience treble fatigue.
> 
> But yes its true, that makes things uneven and annoying for the younger generation. Some recordings are so bright I just skip them and dont spend my time on it as why the heck its so bright to start off...
> 
> ...


Are you younger than 30?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Are you younger than 30?




33


----------



## Gamerlingual (Jul 25, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> 33


Now that I look at it, I see why we experienced treble fatigue with the MDR-Z1R until I swapped to Kimber. It means my hearing is good and I need to preserve it


----------



## Whitigir

RobertP said:


> Lol, you can do it too. Still quite impress with pure stage official v3.02 fw at the moment.


I only have DMP with me  no more Walkman LoL!!!

Did you mean you are enjoying stock 3.02 now ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Thankfully my hearing isnt lost cause I still can experience treble fatigue.
> 
> But yes its true, that makes things uneven and annoying for the younger generation. Some recordings are so bright I just skip them and dont spend my time on it as why the heck its so bright to start off...
> 
> ...



For me the players can change in how I judge the sound. Earlier today stuff seemed too bright. Then later the 1A was warmer but not too much, just right. These differences still with using same exact gear, so who knows what that is? I’m 58 and started going to concerts at 15.....so my hearing is fairly subdued I’m sure.


----------



## Queen6

Redcarmoose said:


> For me the players can change in how I judge the sound. Earlier today stuff seemed too bright. Then later the 1A was warmer but not too much, just right. These differences still with using same exact gear, so who knows what that is? I’m 58 and started going to concerts at 15.....so my hearing is fairly subdued I’m sure.



https://hearingtest.online/ want be accurate, but an at least an indication  

Q-6


----------



## RobertP (Jul 25, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I only have DMP with me  no more Walkman LoL!!!
> 
> Did you mean you are enjoying stock 3.02 now ?


For some reason with all HW stuffs I put into 1A right now including the micro SD in got recently, I'm quite familiar with this sound signature I remembered about a year maybe year and a half ago but with much much better sound now in just about any categories on factory clean v3.02 FW. I'm in loovve with the custom back plate.


----------



## RONJA MESCO

MrWalkman said:


> Activity in the HIGH spectrum means high frequencies in the song. As the song is already at 88.2kHz sample rate, it has high frequencies, so you should see activity in that spectrum, yes.
> 
> That spectrum is not only for DSEE HX, but as the effect is meant to restore lost high frequencies, you will see that activity when the effect is on.
> 
> ...


it mos def works...on the WM1A I love the fact that each audio setting actually makes an audible difference, whereas in other DAPs such word soup effects are garbage.


----------



## RONJA MESCO

Vitaly2017 said:


> I still preferr the 1a+ sound on my 1z...


Really? That's different to hear that from a 1Z owner.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 25, 2020)

RONJA MESCO said:


> Really? That's different to hear that from a 1Z owner.



Ditto, it is surprising.


----------



## Vitaly2017

RONJA MESCO said:


> Really? That's different to hear that from a 1Z owner.




I just switched to 1z+ on my 1z 😉🙂
And CEV region


----------



## RONJA MESCO

Redcarmoose said:


> My post was simply a side-line statement about aging audiophiles and treble boosts. That’s why when I read about young ones complaining about treble I believe them. A persons hearing starts to drop pretty early and it’s typically high frequency loss. I agree the 1Z is classic Hi-Fi. My statements are not original but have been a long going complaint especially after young ones read about hearing loss among audiophiles and look to see if it really could be compensated by tuning stuff brighter.
> 
> The subjectivity involved in such a claim also voids the discussion as we know there are both treble heads and bass heads at all ages. As such it’s probably up for opinion if the 1A with it’s tune is catering to older ears.


There is a part of me that wonders if older listeners are just used to the tonality of the gear they grew up with, like reel to reels, 8-tracks, vinyl, etc , whereas in tuning brighter, theyre trying to get the timbre you get from said formats that you cant get in most digital from jump (without doing higher quality formats and depending on the source used). Guttenberg was just talking about this on his channel the other day on this very thing.


----------



## RONJA MESCO

hamhamhamsta said:


> Does it mean that 1A/1Z should not be turned off ever if we want to achieve max potential with DSEE HX?
> 
> I think I know what it means,DSEE HX when used on mp3 actually added the height part that is missing in lower format, creating illusion of listening live. Thus lower format sounds more natural, more lifelike when this feature is used. Without it, lower format will sound less lively.


I agree with this actually...it seems to work that way on the unwashed lower formats lol


----------



## RONJA MESCO

mwhals said:


> Glad I didn't take the time to watch it then.


Yea, most Sony explainers suck at explainering


----------



## ttt123

RobertP said:


> For some reason with all HW stuffs I put into 1A right now including the micro SD in got recently, I'm quite familiar with this sound signature I remembered about a year maybe year and a half ago but with much much better sound now in just about any categories on factory clean v3.02 FW. I'm in loovve with the custom back plate.


My suspicion is that the HW mods, including things like a better (lower noise?) microSD, and for me adding some copper foil over the internal microSD holder, cumulatively improve the noise floor, and allow micro details/micro dynamics to come through.  This results in individual notes being rich and with nuances, bass with details, and more clarity and fluidity, and the backing rhythm pulls you in.  These micro improvements shift the music from being passive, to  involving.   

This area is a function of the base hardware capabilities, and is in a different (but important) direction from the changes that firmware tuning can do.  They are both important, though, and necessary, and together can bring you closer to the end goal.  I personally believe that removing the hardware bottlenecks that we are aware of, is of major importance, to improve the system synergy.


----------



## Whitigir

ttt123 said:


> My suspicion is that the HW mods, including things like a better (lower noise?) microSD, and for me adding some copper foil over the internal microSD holder, cumulatively improve the noise floor, and allow micro details/micro dynamics to come through.  This results in individual notes being rich and with nuances, bass with details, and more clarity and fluidity, and the backing rhythm pulls you in.  These micro improvements shift the music from being passive, to  involving.
> 
> This area is a function of the base hardware capabilities, and is in a different (but important) direction from the changes that firmware tuning can do.  They are both important, though, and necessary, and together can bring you closer to the end goal.  I personally believe that removing the hardware bottlenecks that we are aware of, is of major importance, to improve the system synergy.


Hardware have to scale up with firmware and even tuning.  Then there are similar issues “a correct approach to tuning or an incorrect one”.  The same as in Car modifications.  Not every places, shops, garages, are equal in this regard.  In the end, users experiences are what count 

Regardless, being different doesn’t meant being better.  Therefore, not all modifications are an improvements, and not all tuning are an upgrade.

This is why “tuning and engineering” these devices are an “art”. The Audio Players


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 25, 2020)

RONJA MESCO said:


> There is a part of me that wonders if older listeners are just used to the tonality of the gear they grew up with, like reel to reels, 8-tracks, vinyl, etc , whereas in tuning brighter, theyre trying to get the timbre you get from said formats that you cant get in most digital from jump (without doing higher quality formats and depending on the source used). Guttenberg was just talking about this on his channel the other day on this very thing.



We had a huge slant towards folks not wanting new remasters. And we even had what seemed like a mass opinion on new recording values. It was easy maybe to think the old recordings and old gear/replay methodology was superior? Actually I think part of that opinion was based on replay. Somehow their replay didn’t sound so good with 16/44.1 digital? I actually come from total vinyl listening in the past. 

Still maybe in 2003 I started to really gravitate towards strong big digital recordings. It seemed new recordings offered something? Still I really think times are great now. If the same band records in 2020 (and that recording is compared side by side to the 2003 recording)....the 2020 is a much better recording? I am under the impression right now is the best ever. Like the new Blade Runner soundtrack for example. Big, lush, dynamic and authoritative. I simply don’t think music has ever sounded better than now? Old recordings are thin and weak. Some of course are great due to reminders of past times, but I look at the recording art as advancing by the year? Actually I’m in shock how good recordings have been since 2019? Some bands even with a small budget get out great recordings.


----------



## aceedburn

A question. I’m getting a new 512gb microSD card. What format is best for it? Or should I format it from within the player? Is that the best approach? Or NTFS? Thanks in advance for the opinions.


----------



## proedros

Redcarmoose said:


> We had a huge slant towards folks not wanting new remasters. And we even had what seemed like a mass opinion on new recording values. It was easy maybe to think the old recordings and old gear/replay methodology was superior? Actually I think part of that opinion was based on replay. Somehow their replay didn’t sound so good with 16/44.1 digital? I actually come from total vinyl listening in the past.
> 
> Still maybe in 2003 I started to really gravitate towards strong big digital recordings. It seemed new recordings offered something? Still I really think times are great now.* If the same band records in 2020 (and that recording is compared side by side to the 2003 recording)....the 2020 is a much better recording?* *I am under the impression right now is the best ever.* Like the new Blade Runner soundtrack for example. Big, lush, dynamic and authoritative*. I simply don’t think music has ever sounded better than now? Old recordings are thin and weak. Some of course are great due to reminders of past times, but I look at the recording art as advancing by the year?* Actually I’m in shock how good recordings have been since 2019? Some bands even with a small budget get out great recordings.



every opinion is respected , but i have to correct you here as you are wrong 101% , imho

but then again , ignorance is bliss so yeah i guess you are fine (you obviously enjoy the music recorded nowdays so good for you  )

ps : music quality / production kinda started going downhill around 1998 , also read about 'loudness wars' etc

best


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 25, 2020)

proedros said:


> every opinion is respected , but i have to correct you here as you are wrong 101% , imho
> 
> but then again , ignorance is bliss so yeah i guess you are fine (you obviously enjoy the music recorded nowdays so good for you  )
> 
> ...



Again it could also be the genres I now listen to. I come from vinyl, and yes some music like  Jazz on a vinyl recording sounds great. I know where your coming from, I used to be there with you!

I have a VPI Scout with a Denon 103 cart. and old records now. 

I was a record collector and had a room of old recordings. Living Stereo, Classical records, Pink Floyd British first pressings.....on and on. I absolutely know where your coming from. But with Modern Metal..........stuff is great now. New Heavy Metal recordings are amazing. Mostly both heavy metal and EDM from 2010 until now is the only stuff I listen to?

So I’m out of the loop as far as loudness war remasters or any other genre of music. I guess I’m narrow minded. I don’t listen to vocal or jazz or classical or country. So in my small two genres I listen mostly to............. stuff has never sounded better. I mostly listen to 2019 and 2020 recordings?


----------



## Whitigir

Music acoustic engineering for production had gone down hill starting even earlier than 1998 LOL...it just keep getting more and more on newer releases.

Master pieces of the 60-70 ripped correctly from LP would make all modern music appear to be “pupils” in level of differences


----------



## Donmonte (Jul 25, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> A question. I’m getting a new 512gb microSD card. What format is best for it? Or should I format it from within the player? Is that the best approach? Or NTFS? Thanks in advance for the opinions.


I always format from the player. That way you ensure that it works well with it before you transfer your music files.


----------



## Gamerlingual (Jul 25, 2020)

Music past or present, I always check out what I want to listen to, first. If my ears enjoy it, I will buy it. Last song that stuck out was Inevitable by Diamond Ortiz (No copyright, as he distributed it). Really enjoyed that track and how we brought some nostalgia to a modern song. It made my Z7M2 and 1A shine with glee.


----------



## Mindstorms (Jul 25, 2020)

well i got to one conclusion DSEE HX AI varies the staging so it will sound weird on + versions wich already have awesome staging! is there anyway to pick a diffrent effect for + versions? you dont hear the wide staging overlap? + versions work awesome on MX3 and stock versions are really good with DSEE HX AI! so hope that info may result usefull?
also i got to another one if you use the new DSEE AI it operates as the old strings it creates the all beloved HALL EFFECT wich is usefull! in combination with low from DC phase linearizer


----------



## mwhals

Gamerlingual said:


> Music past or present, I always check out what I want to listen to, first. If my ears enjoy it, I will buy it. Last song that stuck out was Inevitable by Diamond Ortiz (No copyright, as he distributed it). Really enjoyed that track and how we brought some nostalgia to a modern song. It made my Z7M2 and 1A shine with glee.



Dream Weaver by Gary Wright is stuck in my head after hearing it on our local radio station the other day. It was released in 1975. At that time artists were frowned upon if they used synthesizers. Now it is common to use them.


----------



## aceedburn

Donmonte said:


> I always format from the player. That way you ensure that it works well with it before you transfer your music files.


Yes that’s my intention too. Thanks for the tip.


----------



## WAmadeusM

A simple question for the community? Why no search on the W1s? A database builder with no search? Is that a possible FW mod addition for @MrWalkman ???


----------



## nc8000 (Jul 25, 2020)

WAmadeusM said:


> A simple question for the community? Why no search on the W1s? A database builder with no search? Is that a possible FW mod addition for @MrWalkman ???



I've never had any need of search


----------



## flyer1 (Jul 25, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> What I discovered is I like to use dsp on wm1a cause they add some warmer and more cozy sound.
> 
> On wm1z I dont like enabling the filters and stay direct source as maximum possible.  1z is already fully optimized and warm by nature, all dsp's only ruining it.
> 
> ...



Maybe also depending on type of IEM used, like "colder" Vs "warmer"


Mindstorms said:


> well i got to one conclusion DSEE HX AI varies the staging so it will sound weird on + versions wich already have awesome staging! is there anyway to pick a diffrent effect for + versions? you dont hear the wide staging overlap? + versions work awesome on MX3 and stock versions are really good with DSEE HX AI! so hope that info may result usefull?
> also i got to another one if you use the new DSEE AI it operates as the old strings it creates the all beloved HALL EFFECT wich is usefull! in combination with low from DC phase linearizer




MX3 indeed sounds suprisingly good, as good or better than J on my 1Z WM1A/Z+ switched to A. A more powerfull+ V shaped engaging sound?

Also tried CEV but consider that to be a downgrade from J, at least for my setup.


----------



## Mindstorms

flyer1 said:


> Maybe also depending on type of IEM used, like "colder" Vs "warmer"
> 
> 
> 
> MX3 indeed sounds suprisingly good, as good or better than J on my 1Z WM1A/Z+ switched to A. Also tried CEV but consider that to be a downgrade from J, at least for my setup.


Mx3 its the best depending IEM


----------



## Vitaly2017

flyer1 said:


> Maybe also depending on type of IEM used, like "colder" Vs "warmer"
> 
> 
> 
> ...




My Tia Noir is one of the most extremely resolving iems. To a point you can hear the tone differences in an artists breath!



Mindstorms said:


> Mx3 its the best depending IEM




Will give that a try to I used to love mx3 as well


----------



## 534409 (Jul 25, 2020)

I agree, MX3 sounds good on Andromedas. It adds 'meat' to old tracks from 80's, like "Middle Of The Road" by Pretenders. It even sounds good in Norsk


----------



## Mindstorms

I dont understand why in a premium 3000US dollar device we dont count with sony suport adding DSEE HX AI to our firmwares as courtesy? since we all have been loyal customers and some you guys even buying IEMs and top tier desktop amps i think sony fails there dont you guys agree?


----------



## nc8000

Mindstorms said:


> I dont understand why in a premium 3000US dollar device we dont count with sony suport adding DSEE HX AI to our firmwares as courtesy? since we all have been loyal customers and some you guys even buying IEMs and top tier desktop amps i think sony fails there dont you guys agree?



No I don’t think so. Sony never promissed any of the extra features that they have added nor anything they haven’t added so people always knew exactly what they were buying and any new features have been bonuses. I can’t think of any other manufacturer who has consistently over so many years added new features to a product


----------



## Mindstorms (Jul 25, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> No I don’t think so. Sony never promissed any of the extra features that they have added nor anything they haven’t added so people always knew exactly what they were buying and any new features have been bonuses. I can’t think of any other manufacturer who has consistently over so many years added new features to a product


Apple? (For me its not a new feature more an upgrade of an existing feature of the product) I disagree on both also!
The way i see it you have only two path on todays market Intel its a clear example.. thats one path... the other AMD wich has been in the shadows for years sony will be a top tier brand it should very much keep it that way keeping customers happy, not intentionally cutting features on products... like intel has been doing but hey a premium DAP its not a processor I agree! but prices are about the same.. and competence its fierce! every new DAP its including many meny new features some of them cloned from other brands. this its 2020 and many customers arent uninformed any more.. lets not forget how cerative started loosing market in  sound cards exactly that way limiting premium features to new products... way to go creative!


----------



## Whitigir

Mindstorms said:


> Apple? (For me its not a new feature more an upgrade of an existing feature of the product) I disagree on both also!
> The way i see it you have only two path on todays market Intel its a clear example.. thats one path the other AMD wich has been in the shadows for years sony will be a top tier brand it should very much keep it that way keeping customers happy, not intentionally cutting features on products... like intel has been doing but hey a premium DAP its not a processor I agree! but prices are about the same.. and competence its fierce! every new DAP its including many meny new features some of them cloned from other brands. this its 2020 and many customers arent uninformed any more..


yeah, like how they wrongly and intentionally misinforming the battery level on older iphones to reduce usage time , which force the users to buy newer phones ? Sure

Apple doesnt have any audiophile products though


----------



## Mindstorms (Jul 25, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> yeah, like how they wrongly and intentionally misinforming the battery level on older iphones to reduce usage time , which force the users to buy newer phones ? Sure
> 
> Apple doesnt have any audiophile products though


i dont praise apple im only saying they have very clear that part they try to make you run their latest software even if it runs bad... and thats sort of ok.. and im not stating apple make any audiophile anithing nor im saying its the way to sony should go either... but i can see someone may not agree with me.. not everyone has to by the way.


----------



## nc8000

Mindstorms said:


> i dont praise apple im only saying they have very clear that part they try to make you run their latest software even if it runs bad... and thats sort of ok.. and im not stating apple make any audiophile anithing nor im saying its the way to sony should go either... but i can see someone may not agree with me.. not everyone has to by the way.



no you are totally entitled to your opinion. Personally I buy a product for what it contains when I buy it, not what I feel the maker should add to it in the future but then again I'm so old that most of my purchase history happened before it was even possible to upgrade a product after it was sold, at most you might hope for a trade in program


----------



## captblaze

Whitigir said:


> yeah, like how they wrongly and intentionally misinforming the battery level on older iphones to reduce usage time , which force the users to buy newer phones ? Sure
> 
> Apple doesnt have any audiophile products though




What Apple really fails to mention is that installing a new battery restores original settings for CPU


----------



## AlexCBSN

MrWalkman said:


> Good evening.
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15747959


Hehe sorry mr. Walkmen, thought you released another one and I was late for the game. Loving the 1A+


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 25, 2020)

Mindstorms said:


> I dont understand why in a premium 3000US dollar device we dont count with sony suport adding DSEE HX AI to our firmwares as courtesy? since we all have been loyal customers and some you guys even buying IEMs and top tier desktop amps i think sony fails there dont you guys agree?



The device when introduced in 2016 was touted as less bells and whistles. No android, no video, no internet etc. So the Bluetooth receiver and DAC features were added extras. Then the vinyl effect filter was added as a new addition...............Sony has always stated that these were more sound quality statement products. To me they are  more or less purist devices. Sometimes it’s not about what you add, but what you take away. Look at race cars, no seats, ash trays.....that kinda thing.


----------



## NeoDiNardo (Jul 25, 2020)

Does anyone really wish the WM1Z had a USB-C port over the Walkman port? Is the Walkman port a decent quality port at least? As in much better than micro USB? Are you at all tempted to buy the ZX507? Or does the WM1Z just sound so good it hardly matters?


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 25, 2020)

NeoDiNardo said:


> Does anyone really wish the WM1Z had USB-C over the Walkman port? Is the Walkman port decent at least? Are you tempted to buy the ZX507?



It would be nice to have a 1Z or 1A with an USB-C port. However, I never had any issues with the Walkman port either. You just need to make sure you have the cable with you if you're gonna leave the country or anything like that.

I own the 1A, and before buying it, I was considering the ZX507. However, at that time I also had the FiiO M11 Pro, and there was nothing special related to the battery or to the Android OS it was using. I actually ordered the ZX507, but Amazon Germany didn't ship the device in almost 2 days, and I changed my mind in the meanwhile, cancelled the order, and ordered the 1A from Amazon.com. I didn't exactly know how the regions thing works, but I knew I didn't want to have to deal with it.

I decided against buying the ZX507, as the 1A and 1Z have the Bluetooth Receiver function. If I really wanted to stream music, I could just send it via Bluetooth from my phone. Plus, I would get to have an awesome battery life, and an awesome looking device.

Edit: I'm pretty sure the WM Port could be removed and an USB-C port added instead (thinking about the port's pinout). It's not something impossible, though I'm not sure anyone tried it. We used other ports than USB-C before. It was never a problem for me, though USB-C is more convenient, for sure.


----------



## Gamerlingual

NeoDiNardo said:


> Does anyone really wish the WM1Z had a USB-C port over the Walkman port? Is the Walkman port a decent quality port at least? As in much better than micro USB? Are you at all tempted to buy the ZX507? Or does the WM1Z just sound so good it hardly matters?


Not tempted. Standard cable is plenty good


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Not tempted. Standard cable is plenty good


Yeah I have no issues with the wm port either. However it’s a good idea to keep a spare cable with you as it’s inexpensive as well.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> Yeah I have no issues with the wm port either. However it’s a good idea to keep a spare cable with you as it’s inexpensive as well.


Yup. One for home and one for on the go. Makes it easier


----------



## Redcarmoose

NeoDiNardo said:


> Does anyone really wish the WM1Z had a USB-C port over the Walkman port? Is the Walkman port a decent quality port at least? As in much better than micro USB? Are you at all tempted to buy the ZX507? Or does the WM1Z just sound so good it hardly matters?



No but it’s amazing how much people spend on cables? Lol
https://www.moon-audio.com/sony-nw-...audio-iem-and-silver-dragon-cable-bundle.html


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> No but it’s amazing how much people spend on cables? Lol
> https://www.moon-audio.com/sony-nw-...audio-iem-and-silver-dragon-cable-bundle.html


Ouch!! Even the Kimber Kable wasn’t that much!


----------



## normie610

Redcarmoose said:


> No but it’s amazing how much people spend on cables? Lol
> https://www.moon-audio.com/sony-nw-...audio-iem-and-silver-dragon-cable-bundle.html



isn’t that the price of a bundle that consists of 3 items (1Z, JH Audio IEM and silver dragon cable)?


----------



## MrWalkman

Gamerlingual said:


> Ouch!! Even the Kimber Kable wasn’t that much!



I think it's a bundle of the 1Z plus those IEMs and that cable.

You can see specs of the DAP down in the page.


----------



## gearofwar

The cable in the picture is not even Moon Silver Dragon but just a stock


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 26, 2020)

Kimber Axios Silver is $4,499

that bundle from moon audio is cheap!! Does that mean 1Z new can be purchased at $1500 ? Lol


----------



## normie610

Whitigir said:


> Kimber Axios Silver is $4,499



And the copper is “only“ $830....that’s a massive difference vs. the silver one!


----------



## gearofwar

Whitigir said:


> Kimber Axios Silver is $4,499
> 
> that bundle from moon audio is cheap!! Does that mean 1Z new can be purchased at $1500 ? Lol


I just checked because the title didn't mention which iem. The price that you see now is actually only for 1Z and Silver Dragon, choosing the iem from the list will increase the price to at least 1000 more


----------



## 534409 (Jul 26, 2020)

I wonder... Does the super-expensive cable plays really better than cheaper stock cable? I doubt. In many cases it's a placebo effect or psychosomatic deceiving. I've bought Oriveti Afinity SE cable and it sounds a little better than stock Andromeda Litz. 5% better IMO. For 300 bucks quality increase is unprofitable.


----------



## lumdicks

Dramba said:


> I wonder... Does the super-expensive cable plays really better than cheaper stock cable? I doubt. In many cases it's a placebo effect or psychosomatic deceiving. I've bought Oriveti Afinity SE cable and it sounds a little better than stock Andromeda Litz. 5% better IMO. For 300 bucks quality increase is unprofitable.


I will not describe anything as placebo easily. Cable does play a role of sound tuning and provide a more comfortable wearing in my experience. Whether it worths the price, it is simply upto ability and the amount that a buyer willing to pay for the final piece of sound improvement.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 26, 2020)

Dramba said:


> I wonder... Does the super-expensive cable plays really better than cheaper stock cable? I doubt. In many cases it's a placebo effect or psychosomatic deceiving. I've bought Oriveti Afinity SE cable and it sounds a little better than stock Andromeda Litz. 5% better IMO. For 300 bucks quality increase is unprofitable.



It’s kind of a situation by situation choice. I’m not sure about currently, but in the past there has been huge threads comparing cables. Some folks even choose the cable first and IEM second to go with the music they think they are optimizing. 

But in measurements IEM cables do actually offer difference electronic resistance. Also even whole groups with different DAPs and different IEMs will at some point agree on a tone character for a particular cable.

So in general people will agree on different traits from a 4 wire or 8 wire cable, gold and silver mixtures will sound brighter at times and OFC or OCC cables are known to make differences. Some people hear them, and whole groups will agree on traits. Though typically these purchases are either as insurance to make sure your doing it right, or to try and use a cable to dial in a particular sound.

It’s nothing worth anyone getting emotional about really. Some people hear a difference and some don’t. Probably the biggest success in our group here has been the addition of both Kimber and AXIOS cables making a special noticeable improvement on full size headphones.

Though it could be said that the area is at the level of fractions of improvement per $100 spent, still some focus and believe in the success and reality of the added improvement.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 26, 2020)

Dramba said:


> I wonder... Does the super-expensive cable plays really better than cheaper stock cable? I doubt. In many cases it's a placebo effect or psychosomatic deceiving. I've bought Oriveti Afinity SE cable and it sounds a little better than stock Andromeda Litz. 5% better IMO. For 300 bucks quality increase is unprofitable.



I’ve never spent more than $190-$400 on a cable. But it’s scary if you add up all the purchases. They are nothing more than wire?


----------



## 534409 (Jul 26, 2020)

I knew some audio enthusiasts, that believe in changing electrical outlets in home to audiophile grade ones  In this case changing outlets only doesn't work, it's better to change power plant and all cables between


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s kind of a situation by situation choice. I’m not sure about currently, but in the past there has been huge threads comparing cables. Some folks even choose the cable first and IEM second to go with the music they think they are optimizing.
> 
> But in measurements IEM cables do actually offer difference electronic resistance. Also even whole groups with different DAPs and different IEMs will at some point agree on a tone character for a particular cable.
> 
> ...


I’m seeing those cable prices for the Focal Clear and thinking, I’m good with the stock ones. The Kimber wasn’t too over the top, price wise, and really made the Z7M2 and MDR-Z1R shine with the 1A/1Z. Talk about a pleasant surprise


----------



## Whitigir




----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 26, 2020)

*Edit: If you want to post this on other forums, it would be nice to provide a link to **the main post**, and not
a direct Google Drive link. Thanks!*

Hello,

A small update has arrived.






Changes:
*- removed the modified Certificate images*
Installing the mods will no longer modify the "Certificates" images. This means that we won't need
to use "WM1 Back to Stock" anymore. In order to get back to stock, just make sure you switched
the model to the original one for your device, and then just flash the official stock firmware of your
choice. If you used previous versions of the mods, I uploaded an updater which is made only to
restore the "Certificate" images to the original ones.

*- really updated the translations for all languages*
It seems that I missed some last time, regarding the "DSEE HX AI" and the "Model Switcher" options.

*- the "WM1A to 1Z" mod name has been changed to "CHAMELEON"*
As the mod's main purpose is to allow switching your model, without adding any improvements to
the stock sound, and also to make it less confusing when mentioning both mods, the name was
changed.

_- the update bar fills up to the end now - really important fix, haha_


I also added these mods for the 3.00 and 3.01 firmware versions, for those of you who would like
to try them.


As always, please read the indications in the main post, as well as the *Frequently Asked Questions*
section that can be found there.

*MAIN POST*

Link to firmware in the main post: *CLICK*


Thanks!


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Redcarmoose said:


> The device when introduced in 2016 was touted as less bells and whistles. <>...............Sony has always stated that these were more sound quality statement products.


Exactly the same thoughts, that's the SQ in the first place.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

MrWalkman said:


> A small update has arrived.


Wonders never cease, thank you for all your time and efforts!


----------



## minzink

MrWalkman said:


> Hello,
> 
> A small update has arrived.
> 
> ...


MrWalkman thanks a lot! Really awesome. I will give it a try this afternoon.


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> Hello,
> 
> A small update has arrived.
> 
> ...



These firmwares are absolutely historic for us! MrWalkman is ushering in a new and exciting era. IMO


----------



## Focux

MrWalkman said:


> It would be nice to have a 1Z or 1A with an USB-C port. However, I never had any issues with the Walkman port either. You just need to make sure you have the cable with you if you're gonna leave the country or anything like that.
> 
> I own the 1A, and before buying it, I was considering the ZX507. However, at that time I also had the FiiO M11 Pro, and there was nothing special related to the battery or to the Android OS it was using. I actually ordered the ZX507, but Amazon Germany didn't ship the device in almost 2 days, and I changed my mind in the meanwhile, cancelled the order, and ordered the 1A from Amazon.com. I didn't exactly know how the regions thing works, but I knew I didn't want to have to deal with it.
> 
> ...



is this common for people to do? 

if so, i presume there is little to no lag etc.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 26, 2020)

Focux said:


> is this common for people to do?
> 
> if so, i presume there is little to no lag etc.



Indeed, there is just the normal Bluetooth lag that you would get from a smartphone to some Bluetooth headphones. Movies/Youtube will be in sync, but if you're gonna play computer games, for example, you'll notice a slight delay (you would need aptX Low Latency in order to play games with no noticeable delay, which the player does not have).

There is more lag via the USB DAC function than via the Bluetooth Receiver one.


----------



## MrWalkman

MrWalkman said:


> *Edit: If you want to post this on other forums, it would be nice to provide a link to this post, and not
> a direct Google Drive link. Thanks!*
> 
> Hello,
> ...



Just a quick note. If you wish to spread the news about this, it would be nice to provide a link to the main post from this forum, and not just copying the Google Drive link to the other forum.

The main post on this forum also contains indications, plus the Frequently Asked Questions section, for people who never tried the mods before.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15747959

Thanks!


----------



## captblaze

MrWalkman said:


> Just a quick note. If you wish to spread the news about this, it would be nice to provide a link to the main post from this forum, and not just copying the Google Drive link to the other forum.
> 
> The main post on this forum also contains indications, plus the Frequently Asked Questions section, for people who never tried the mods before.
> 
> ...



does that mean all embargos are lifted?


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 26, 2020)

captblaze said:


> does that mean all embargos are lifted?



If I wanted the firmwares to not be public, they would not be published.

I guess everyone is free to share them now, I can't keep anyone from coming here and sharing a link.

Just share the link to the post instead of sharing the GDrive link. The post will always be up to date with the latest indications and answers to frequent questions. 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15747959


----------



## WAmadeusM

nc8000 said:


> I've never had any need of search


I work in radio - so the ability to search for specific feature - like songs with 'red' in the title for example - especially if you have a large SD - card just seems a logical extension of having a database.  Is anyone aware why the Sony WM1 engineers decided against a search function?


----------



## WAmadeusM

MrWalkman said:


> If I wanted the firmwares to not be public, they would not be published.
> 
> I guess everyone is free to share them now, I can't keep anyone from coming here and sharing a link.
> 
> ...


great work @MrWalkman  - beer donated. Best wishes. WAmadeusM


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 26, 2020)

@MrWalkman
Do you know how to modify the android firmware of the ZX507/A105?

Because the European Union region walkmans cannot access high gain even if they flash to International firmware. I don’t think the EU Walkman are any different in terms of hardware.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 27, 2020)

I have integrated "Cerberus" toward @MrWalkman 1A/Z + Brilliantly made FirmWare.  Just as Promised to people who have requested previously.  It is named Cerberus + as the + is to honor @MrWalkman creation 1A/Z +

This is the combinations of Works from @Morgenstern09  @Morbideath , myself and thanks to @MrWalkman  brilliant works.  We have yet again to witness another level of performances improvements by firmware *, We are Stronger Together !! *_Until Giant Sony request it down _

After Beta testers, Cerberus is friendly and also showing improvements toward Stock and modified Hardware Walkman

*Disclaimers*:  Your preferences may be different from Mine, and Cerberus, and therefore If it doesnt suite your taste, please consider reverting back to stock, or @MrWalkman , or any other so desired firmwares.  Also, I no longer have Walkman to test ride this tuning with you.  Beta Testers majorily "likes" it

You can Download this File here
Download this Model Switcher Here

*Steps by Steps*

1/ Download Model Switcher
2/ Run Windows Batch File
3/ Switch to DMP Z1 Model
*4/ Restart Very Important*
5/ Recommended but not Neccessary (Check your Model by using Model Switcher and make sure it is DMP Z1)
6/ Download Firmware
7/ Install

_You may be prompted by AntiVirus and blah....blah....but you are all safe

EU model_s *may have problem installing it*


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 26, 2020)

WAmadeusM said:


> great work @MrWalkman  - beer donated. Best wishes. WAmadeusM



Really appreciate it! 



Whitigir said:


> I have integrated "Cerberus" toward @MrWalkman 1A/Z + Brilliantly made FirmWare.  Just as Promised to people who have requested previously
> 
> This is the combinations of Works from @Morgenstern09  @Morbideath , myself and thanks to @MrWalkman  brilliant works.  We have yet again to witness another level of performances improvements by firmware *, We are Stronger Together !! *_Until Giant Sony request it down _
> 
> ...



Some things to mention:

*- "Cerberus" is just a tuning mod, that was now made to be used with the WM1A/Z+ modded firmware, and I have no affiliation with it. Everything "official" about my firmware mods can be found here: **https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2738#post-15747959*
- using the Model Switcher in the archive will not actually switch the internal tuning to the DMP-Z1 one, it will only make it possible to apply a full DMP-Z1 external tuning
- using the switcher available inside the modded WM1A/Z+ firmware will still change the DMP-Z1 to WM1A or WM1Z
- the UPG inside is a previous version of the WM1A/Z+ firmware, and not the latest from today, and it will change the "Certificates" images

@Whitigir, thanks, and I recommend updating the UPG inside to the latest one, so people won't need to have to restore the images


----------



## Tanjiro

MrWalkman said:


> *Edit: If you want to post this on other forums, it would be nice to provide a link to **the main post**, and not
> a direct Google Drive link. Thanks!*
> 
> Hello,
> ...


Thanks a lot MrWalkman.  1A+ 3.00 is my favourite now.


----------



## RobertP (Jul 26, 2020)

Now if 1A to 1Z fw + @Whitigir tune solved some boomy or muddy lower frequencies region that would be amazing. Got it test it out.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 26, 2020)

Ah, yes...may be later LOL!  Since I don’t have walkman anymore, I am slower to do anything.  This is the oldest version from @MrWalkman so you will love this Images of 1Z too


----------



## Tanjiro (Jul 26, 2020)

I love the new Walkman logo. 
Just updated to 1A+ 3.00 and now there is another one from Whitigir.  Gonna be busy day.  Thanks @Whitigir


----------



## MrWalkman

Tanjiro said:


> I love the new Walkman logo.



Yep, it was used before, especially on Sony Ericsson Walkman models 



Tanjiro said:


> Thanks a lot MrWalkman. 1A+ 3.00 is my favourite now.



Yup, 3.00 sounds nice. I hope I'll be able to actually have the sound of 3.00, for example, on the 3.02 firmware. But will see.


----------



## Morbideath (Jul 27, 2020)

Cerberus+ rocks on my Romi v4 BG 1Z and prototype 24wire MS1Z, the best of the best!


----------



## Whitigir

MrWalkman said:


> Yep, it was used before, especially on Sony Ericsson Walkman models
> 
> 
> 
> Yup, 3.00 sounds nice. I hope I'll be able to actually have the sound of 3.00, for example, on the 3.02 firmware. But will see.


If you are going to play with DMP Z1 firmware, count me in


----------



## MrWalkman

Whitigir said:


> If you are going to play with DMP Z1 firmware, count me in



Harder to do that without the device, and the Z1 firmware doesn't allow the same mod to work on it.

However, the ZX300 allows the + mod to work, and can even run the 1A/1Z firmware, for example. To be continued.


----------



## Tanjiro

MrWalkman said:


> Yep, it was used before, especially on Sony Ericsson Walkman models
> 
> 
> 
> Yup, 3.00 sounds nice. I hope I'll be able to actually have the sound of 3.00, for example, on the 3.02 firmware. But will see.


Looking forward to it😁


----------



## lumdicks

Whitigir said:


> I have integrated "Cerberus" toward @MrWalkman 1A/Z + Brilliantly made FirmWare.  Just as Promised to people who have requested previously.  It is named Cerberus + as the + is to honor @MrWalkman creation 1A/Z +
> 
> This is the combinations of Works from @Morgenstern09  @Morbideath , myself and thanks to @MrWalkman  brilliant works.  We have yet again to witness another level of performances improvements by firmware *, We are Stronger Together !! *_Until Giant Sony request it down _
> 
> ...


Wow! The dream team united!


----------



## ze3e13

Wow thank u so much !!!   Please also consider the zx300 mods @MrWalkman


----------



## Whitigir

MrWalkman said:


> Harder to do that without the device, and the Z1 firmware doesn't allow the same mod to work on it.
> 
> However, the ZX300 allows the + mod to work, and can even run the 1A/1Z firmware, for example. To be continued.


I am here <== and DMP is ready


----------



## MrWalkman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> @MrWalkman
> Do you know how to modify the android firmware of the ZX507/A105?
> 
> Because the European Union region walkmans cannot access high gain even if they flash to International firmware. I don’t think the EU Walkman are any different in terms of hardware.



Nope, especially as I don't own the device.


----------



## Ravenous

MrWalkman said:


> *Edit: If you want to post this on other forums, it would be nice to provide a link to **the main post**, and not
> a direct Google Drive link. Thanks!*
> 
> Hello,
> ...



Thank you so much for updating the WM1AZ+ for 3.0/3.01 compatibility! You're awesome dude!


----------



## lumdicks

Whitigir said:


> I have integrated "Cerberus" toward @MrWalkman 1A/Z + Brilliantly made FirmWare.  Just as Promised to people who have requested previously.  It is named Cerberus + as the + is to honor @MrWalkman creation 1A/Z +
> 
> This is the combinations of Works from @Morgenstern09  @Morbideath , myself and thanks to @MrWalkman  brilliant works.  We have yet again to witness another level of performances improvements by firmware *, We are Stronger Together !! *_Until Giant Sony request it down _
> 
> ...


Busy with the final matches of premier league and just listened 1 track on my Romi modded 1A and stock 1Z but OMG! The deep the bass, the smooth the treble, the crazy the resolution and the dark the background, it is simply a dream comes true!


----------



## proedros

MrWalkman said:


> *Edit: If you want to post this on other forums, it would be nice to provide a link to **the main post**, and not
> a direct Google Drive link. Thanks!*
> 
> Hello,
> ...



one question , do those changes/updates appear in a new(er) FW which we should download and re-install ?


----------



## Lookout57

proedros said:


> one question , do those changes/updates appear in a new(er) FW which we should download and re-install ?


I would reinstall using these versions since it has a few bug fixes according to Mr Walkman.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> Nope, especially as I don't own the device.


Wish I could buy you to send it on a test cycle and see what new things you can check from it. Best wishes in all this. Cheers!


----------



## Ghostsounds

Wow. Thanks for the new update Mr Walkman. Can’t keep up with the improvements you are making. Also big thanks to Whitigir for releasing the Cerberus firmware. So much to try out! Great times to be owning a WM1. Thank you!


----------



## MrWalkman

proedros said:


> one question , do those changes/updates appear in a new(er) FW which we should download and re-install ?



After every update, I am always removing previous versions from the download link and the I upload the latest ones.

So just download, and install. You don't need to do anything special before installing.


----------



## tieuly1

It seems like " after switching to DMP-Z1 model, I was unable to run Firmware cerberus with issue "Please connect to the usb" 
I might patiently wait for next integration updated firmware from MrWalkman. 
Grad to hear that the team start work together


----------



## hshock76

tieuly1 said:


> It seems like " after switching to DMP-Z1 model, I was unable to run Firmware cerberus with issue "Please connect to the usb"
> I might patiently wait for next integration updated firmware from MrWalkman.
> Grad to hear that the team start work together



You need to restart the player after switching to DMP-Z1. Give it a try.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 26, 2020)

tieuly1 said:


> It seems like " after switching to DMP-Z1 model, I was unable to run Firmware cerberus with issue "Please connect to the usb"



You need to restart the player after changing the model with that switcher.



tieuly1 said:


> I might patiently wait for next integration updated firmware from MrWalkman.
> Grad to hear that the team start work together



Integrating the Cerberus external tuning with the modded firmware is a separate thing, which I will not start releasing by default. The modded firmware will be released with the stock external tuning.

I am not part of any team. If anyone wants to release their tunings with the modded firmware, up to them.


----------



## 534409 (Jul 26, 2020)

Meanwhile in Sony HQ in Tokyo:
ヘッドファイを破壊する
Heddofai o hakai suru
(Google translated)


----------



## Vitaly2017

wooooaaa so many fw I am so lost lol, I dont have time to test all aaaaaa

got them all downloaded


----------



## Duncan

tieuly1 said:


> It seems like " after switching to DMP-Z1 model, I was unable to run Firmware cerberus with issue "Please connect to the usb"
> I might patiently wait for next integration updated firmware from MrWalkman.
> Grad to hear that the team start work together


I'm the same... I have a 1A, showing as a DMP-Z1, but - still got the connect the target device issue...


----------



## Whitigir

Duncan said:


> I'm the same... I have a 1A, showing as a DMP-Z1, but - still got the connect the target device issue...


You gotta restart the Walkman


----------



## mrrayray

Why can't I use the model switcher for my wm1z to switch to dmp-z1?
I updated my firmware to wm1az 3.02 (1.3) already but the model switcher keeps saying I need to connect my device via usb...


----------



## Duncan

Whitigir said:


> You gotta restart the Walkman


Yup,

Did that, and - the DMP-Z1 stock tuning from your switcher package installs (but neither the WM1 or ZX300 do, which is correct action in my mind) - but, the Cerberus package doesn't...

Is it region specific?


----------



## kiling92

Also if i restart After change from wm1a to dmp-z1 i always see in the walkman info "wm1a" IMHO all of us previously installed wm1a/z+...and as the first thing we have to install "wm1a back to stock",After stock 3.02 and After again follow the new instruction for the  cerberus update..


----------



## Whitigir

kiling92 said:


> Also if i restart After change from wm1a to dmp-z1 i always see in the walkman info "wm1a" IMHO all of us previously installed wm1a/z+...and as the first thing we have to install "wm1a back to stock",After stock 3.02 and After again follow the new instruction for the  cerberus update..


That could be the case here.  If anyone who couldn’t get Cerberus + to work. Please try this method
1/ install stock firmware
2/ follow the installation method


----------



## MrWalkman

kiling92 said:


> Also if i restart After change from wm1a to dmp-z1 i always see in the walkman info "wm1a" IMHO all of us previously installed wm1a/z+...and as the first thing we have to install "wm1a back to stock",After stock 3.02 and After again follow the new instruction for the  cerberus update..



Please read the main post, you don't need to install Back to Stock anymore. I actually deleted it from the GDrive folder.


----------



## Mindstorms

i can agree more on those last thoughts


MrWalkman said:


> Yep, it was used before, especially on Sony Ericsson Walkman models
> 
> 
> 
> Yup, 3.00 sounds nice. I hope I'll be able to actually have the sound of 3.00, for example, on the 3.02 firmware. But will see.


I love the new Walkman logo!!!


----------



## Steen Pihl

Whitigir said:


> That could be the case here.  If anyone who couldn’t get Cerberus + to work. Please try this method
> 1/ install stock firmware
> 2/ follow the installation method


I’ve done all the instructions (& re-started), but to no success. I’m starting from basic firmware 3.02 region J and its a Eu model. My 1Z just don’t get recognized!


----------



## MrWalkman

Whitigir said:


> That could be the case here.  If anyone who couldn’t get Cerberus + to work. Please try this method
> 1/ install stock firmware
> 2/ follow the installation method



Beware that the WM1A/Z+ in the Cerberus tuning will modify the Certificate images!

To revert the Certificate images to the original ones, check the main post please.


----------



## Whitigir

Mindstorms said:


> i can agree more on those last thoughts
> 
> I love the new Walkman logo!!!


I also love that older Walkman logo


----------



## proedros

if i use those new 3.00/3.01 FWs , does this mean that* i lose the USB DAC option* (which is a 3.02 thing) ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Steen Pihl said:


> I’ve done all the instructions (& re-started), but to no success. I’m starting from basic firmware 3.02 region J and its a Eu model. My 1Z just don’t get recognized!




I am not 100% sure but I remember back in time @Whitigir  had different fw for each region, Euro, universal and Japan. Might be that hes fw maybe not compatible to Europe version....


----------



## MrWalkman

proedros said:


> if i use those new 3.00/3.01 FWs , does this mean that* i lose the USB DAC option* (which is a 3.02 thing) ?



The USB DAC was added on version 3.00, so you're good.


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> if i use those new 3.00/3.01 FWs , does this mean that* i lose the USB DAC option* (which is a 3.02 thing) ?


Since 3.00 the USB DAC is a thing already ?


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> Since 3.00 the USB DAC is a thing already ?


yes i been there since man lived in caves! so yes haha


----------



## fzr100098

The WM1A is probably the best overall DAP on the market in terms of value and build quality.  Very impressed.  No bugs like most of the other newer DAPs I've tried, Music Center transfers are fine once you get used to it (no issues with album art), and Sony quality - my old A17 was still working perfectly after ~10 years and I expect the same here


----------



## Duncan

I've taken myself all the way back to the beginning (vanilla 1A) - and even then, I cannot get the new fw to load (after setting to DMP-Z1, confirmed on the settings screen)

If it isn't region locked, then I guess it just isn't meant to be for me...

Thanks anyway


----------



## Donmonte

Duncan said:


> I've taken myself all the way back to the beginning (vanilla 1A) - and even then, I cannot get the new fw to load (after setting to DMP-Z1, confirmed on the settings screen)
> 
> If it isn't region locked, then I guess it just isn't meant to be for me...
> 
> Thanks anyway


Most probably, it’s for universal based players from the factory.


----------



## mrrayray

Finally my 1z is able to update to Cerberus fw. 
Here's what I did:
1. update to wm1az+ 3.02 (1.3) fw
2. switch my model to dmp-z1 using NW Model Switcher 1.2.2 by clicking on the nw_model_switcher_1.2.2.bat file and follow instructions. (both the.bat file and the .exe file in the same folder)
3. restart my walkman and check in unit info if it's showing dmp-z1
4. update to cerberus fw

maybe I sound like an idiot because these were explained in the main post and whitigir's post but maybe some ofus mixed up the steps.
Just friendly sharing about my own process


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> Since 3.00 the USB DAC is a thing already ?





MrWalkman said:


> The USB DAC was added on version 3.00, so you're good.



ah excellent , in that case i will download these 2 versions , in case i get bored of 3.02

thanx again @MrWalkman  for all this hard work


----------



## mrrayray

Now it's time for me to sneak out and explore a bit with my NEW 1Z
Thanks so much MrWalkman and Whitigir


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hi folks if some one is in for a nice wm1a dap I got one if interested check my signature link 

Yea those new fw there is so many of them I am starting to lose count and haha, I will soon load @MrWalkman new updated fw to see how it goes...

@MrWalkman in those new fw you made, everything stays the same except new name for 1a to 1z and no more signature alterations?  We still got our dsee hx and nice new sound right.


----------



## Mindstorms (Jul 26, 2020)

After some quick pick I already knew some how what will happen 3.01+ sounds awesome! with new AI since DSEE has a staging expansion it runs better in 3.01 than 3.00 wich already has expanded imaging so its a good place to start with this new FW simply the best fw ive tested..


----------



## Ghostsounds

Whitigir said:


> I also love that older Walkman logo


Me too!


----------



## mrrayray

MrWalkman said:


> Beware that the WM1A/Z+ in the Cerberus tuning will modify the Certificate images!
> 
> To revert the Certificate images to the original ones, check the main post please.



After installing Cerberus, do I switch my model back to wm and install the certificate images or should I just leave everything as it is?


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 26, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> @MrWalkman in those new fw you made, everything stays the same except new name for 1a to 1z and no more signature alterations? We still got our dsee hx and nice new sound right.



No idea about any signature alterations. You still have to install the firmware again after switching the model from the Settings.

The sound is the same, yes, and I only renamed the "WM1A to 1Z" to "CHAMELEON". And yes, they still have DSEE HX AI.

I always update the main post after every update, so feel free to check the main post out. 



mrrayray said:


> After installing Cerberus, do I switch my model back to wm and install the certificate images or should I just leave everything as it is?



I think you're meant to keep the DMP-Z1 model. You can install the "Revert Certificates images" update only if you want to restore the original images.


----------



## mrrayray

MrWalkman said:


> No idea about any signature alterations. You still have to install the firmware again after switching the model from the Settings.
> 
> The sound is the same, yes, and I only renamed the "WM1A to 1Z" to "CHAMELEON". And yes, they still have DSEE HX AI.
> 
> ...


I asked this because the restore certificate image software doesn't recognize my wm1z anymore after switching the model and installing Cerberus fw.
Thanks!


----------



## MrWalkman

mrrayray said:


> I asked this because the restore certificate image software doesn't recognize my wm1z anymore after switching the model and installing Cerberus fw.
> Thanks!



The Certificates images restoring update will only work on a WM1A or WM1Z. As long as the player is being seen as DMP-Z1 (because of the other switcher), it will not work.


----------



## proedros

MrWalkman said:


> Hello,
> A small update has arrived.
> 
> *I also added these mods for the 3.00 and 3.01 firmware versions, for those of you who would like
> to try them.*



one question , so the 3.00/3.01 FW work with the 3.00/3.01 sound as base ?

do we need to have the original stock FW (3.00/3.01) installed before applying them or they work with any FW pre-installed ?


----------



## MrWalkman

proedros said:


> one question , so the 3.00/3.01 FW work with the 3.00/3.01 sound as base ?
> 
> do we need to have the original stock FW (3.00/3.01) installed before applying them or they work with any FW pre-installed ?



Nope, the same indications apply. You don't need to have 3.00 or 3.01 preinstalled.

And yes, the 3.00/3.01 firmware mods have the 3.00/3.01 sound as base.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

MrWalkman said:


> *- the "WM1A to 1Z" mod name has been changed to "CHAMELEON"*
> As the mod's main purpose is to allow switching your model, without adding any improvements to
> the stock sound, and also to make it less confusing when mentioning both mods, the name was
> changed.


BTW, forgot to ask - here the sound signature wasn't changed with this update,
remained the same as in the previous "WM1A to 1Z"?


----------



## Mindstorms (Jul 26, 2020)

there are 2 versions the plus includes sound refinement the chameleon version is stock sound!
See the chameleon face it will guide you to true sound... you can picture him dancing couse hes happy he has options!


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 26, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


> BTW, forgot to ask - here the sound signature wasn't changed with this update,
> remained the same as in the previous "WM1A to 1Z"?





Mindstorms said:


> there are 2 versions the plus includes sound refinement the chamaleon version is stock sound!



Indeed, only the name was changed.

A chameleon can change colors, and the 1A or the 1Z will be also able to change, in this case the model.

People on Baidu (Chinese forum) are calling the players "black brick" and "gold brick", so you can also think of it as of a color change.


----------



## mmwwmm (Jul 26, 2020)

After trying a lot of “tuned and custom” FWs in my 1Z I feel the OEM 3.02 the most balanced, coherent and transparent sounding of all of them.At the end and to my ears every tuned fw sounded colored in different ways. But be cautious. For some strange reason reverting from a tuned firmware to the OEM firmware and getting OEM sound again is not as simple as it seems...Thanks to @RobertP for his method to revert to an OEM Fw and getting OEM sound


----------



## Lookout57 (Jul 26, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Indeed, only the name was changed.
> 
> A chameleon can change colors, and the 1A or the 1Z will be also able to change, in this case the model.
> 
> People on Baidu (Chinese forum) are calling the players "black brick" and "gold brick", so you can also think of it as of a color change.


Here's what I call my three players since I got them:

Cracked Brick (WM1A with a small screen crack)
Black Brick (my other WM1A)
Gold Brick (WM1Z)


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 26, 2020)

mmwwmm said:


> After trying a lot of “ tuned and cuatom” FWs in my 1Z I feel the OEM 3.02 the most balanced, coherent and transparent sounding of all of them.At the end and to my ears every tuned fw sounded colored in different ways. But be cautious. For some strange reason reverting from a tuned firmware to the OEM firmware and getting OEM sound again is not as simple as it seems...Thanks to @RobertP for his method to revert to an OEM Fw and getting OEM sound



This could maybe happen if using tunings others than the stock one?

The CHAMELEON and WM1A/Z+ mods are using the stock tuning, so it's basically like switching from OEM 3.02 to OEM 3.00 and back to OEM 3.02.


----------



## Mindstorms (Jul 26, 2020)

mmwwmm said:


> After trying a lot of “tuned and custom” FWs in my 1Z I feel the OEM 3.02 the most balanced, coherent and transparent sounding of all of them.At the end and to my ears every tuned fw sounded colored in different ways. But be cautious. For some strange reason reverting from a tuned firmware to the OEM firmware and getting OEM sound again is not as simple as it seems...Thanks to @RobertP for his method to revert to an OEM Fw and getting OEM sound


so is there a procedure to be safer than we will get back?


----------



## Whitigir

Mindstorms said:


> so is there a procedure to be safer than you will get back safe?


I hope that isn’t you and Covid25


----------



## nc8000

WAmadeusM said:


> I work in radio - so the ability to search for specific feature - like songs with 'red' in the title for example - especially if you have a large SD - card just seems a logical extension of having a database.  Is anyone aware why the Sony WM1 engineers decided against a search function?



My only guess is that they didn’t find the screen size and resolution good enough to support an on screen keyboard


----------



## Lookout57

nc8000 said:


> My only guess is that they didn’t find the screen size and resolution good enough to support an on screen keyboard


Another reason could be the keyboard drivers killed the battery and/or performance.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Lookout57 said:


> Another reason could be the keyboard drivers killed the battery and/or performance.


I haven't tried making a playlist since getting my WM1A - doesn't that method have a keyboard for naming the playlist? From memory the ZX300 did - I might be wrong.


----------



## MrWalkman

Hinomotocho said:


> I haven't tried making a playlist since getting my WM1A - doesn't that method have a keyboard for naming the playlist? From memory the ZX300 did - I might be wrong.



Yes, there is a keyboard.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Duncan said:


> I've taken myself all the way back to the beginning (vanilla 1A) - and even then, I cannot get the new fw to load (after setting to DMP-Z1, confirmed on the settings screen)
> 
> If it isn't region locked, then I guess it just isn't meant to be for me...
> 
> Thanks anyway


I also can't upload the Cerberus 1A/1Z+ version after switching to DMPZ1 and restarting. 
Mine is original Europe 1Z version


----------



## Whitigir

hamhamhamsta said:


> I also can't upload the Cerberus 1A/1Z+ version after switching to DMPZ1 and restarting.
> Mine is original Europe 1Z version


This is so strange, it may be possible or may not be that the problem is isolated for European units alone.  You may want to tag @Morbideath and seek for helps ? otherwise European units may be missing out on the fun


----------



## RONJA MESCO

Redcarmoose said:


> No but it’s amazing how much people spend on cables? Lol
> https://www.moon-audio.com/sony-nw-...audio-iem-and-silver-dragon-cable-bundle.html


Moon Audio is borderline extortion


Whitigir said:


> I have integrated "Cerberus" toward @MrWalkman 1A/Z + Brilliantly made FirmWare.  Just as Promised to people who have requested previously.  It is named Cerberus + as the + is to honor @MrWalkman creation 1A/Z +
> 
> This is the combinations of Works from @Morgenstern09  @Morbideath , myself and thanks to @MrWalkman  brilliant works.  We have yet again to witness another level of performances improvements by firmware *, We are Stronger Together !! *_Until Giant Sony request it down _
> 
> ...


so just we are clear...is this a rename of Mr. Walkman's firmware updates from the other day (1A/1Z switcher and 1A/1Z+), or is this another download? Because with all the changes coming so fast its becoming confusing as hell, no offense. I already have the switcher and the plus versions, so is there more firmware I must download?


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 26, 2020)

RONJA MESCO said:


> so just we are clear...is this a rename of Mr. Walkman's firmware updates from the other day (1A/1Z switcher and 1A/1Z+), or is this another download?



"Cerberus" is just a tuning mod, that was now made to be used with the WM1A/Z+ modded firmware, and I have no affiliation with it.

Everything "official" about my firmware mods can be found here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2738#post-15747959

By the way, you don't need to use any switcher anymore with the modded firmware, in it's "official" form. The switcher is now integrated into the firmware.

Just read the main post, that can be found in the link above. You can delete any other previous stuff you saved, like switchers, etc.



Also quoting the main post here:


MrWalkman said:


> *Edit: If you want to post this on other forums, it would be nice to provide a link to this post, and not
> a direct Google Drive link. Thanks!*
> 
> Before we start, the things below are actual firmware mods, and not just tunings.
> ...


----------



## Ravenous (Jul 26, 2020)

Now this is kinda random, and to preface I mean no offense to any of the modders here but, does anyone else experience a weird issue where just after installing any tuning mod, or modded firmware for that matter, the sound does distinctly change, as the tuning/modded firmware suggests it would, but after several hours of not playing music on the player and going back to it, the sound of the player changes back to how it sounds with just the default firmware version for the player (3.0, 3.01, 3.02).

I believe I've experienced this multiple times, and more recently with the WM1AZ+ mod. I changed my player to Z+ using the switcher inside the firmware, then re-installing the firmware again and the sound did change when playing music immediately after the installation finished. But after leaving my player alone without touching it overnight when I slept, I went back to it and it sounded, to my ears, significantly different (i.e. the sound wasn't "expansive and big" as it appeared to be when first playing music right after installing.). So, when I realized this I tried installing the firmware again by simply switching the model, then installing the firmware and vioala, the sound changed as I remembered it.

Again, I don't mean to insult anyone by stating these observations, I was just wondering if anyone else has possibly experienced this. I totally believe that these mods do change the sound for the better, it's just I find that I am constantly needing to "reinstall" the modded firmware to retain the sound that it initially creates.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 26, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> Now this is kinda random, and to preface I mean no offense to any of the modders here but, does anyone else experience a weird issue where just after installing any tuning mod, or modded firmware for that matter, the sound does distinctly change, as the tuning/modded firmware suggests it would, but after several hours of not playing music on the player and going back to it, the sound of the player sounds like it should on the default firmware version for the player (3.0, 3.01, 3.02).
> 
> I believe I've experienced this multiple times, and more recently with the WM1AZ+ mod. I changed my player to Z+ using the switcher inside the firmware, then re-installing the firmware again and the sound did change when playing music immediately after the installation finished. But after leaving my player alone without touching it overnight when I slept, I went back to it and it sounded, to my ears, significantly different (i.e. the sound wasn't "expansive and big" as it appeared to be when first playing music right after installing.). So, when I realized this I tried installing the firmware again by simply switching the model, then installing the firmware and vioala, the sound changed as I remembered it.
> 
> Again, I don't mean to insult anyone by stating these observations, I was just wondering if anyone else has possibly experienced this. I totally believe that these mods do change the sound for the better, it's just I find that I am constantly needing to "reinstall" the modded firmware to retain the sound that it initially creates.



In case of tuning mods, I don't know what to say...

But the firmware mod doesn't have anything to do with the tuning, and consists of an actual firmware modification, that is permanent as long as you don't return to stock.

No idea what could have happened in your case.

Are you entirely sure it's not just some placebo, and your ears just needed a bit of "waking up" or anything like that?


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> I have integrated "Cerberus" toward @MrWalkman 1A/Z + Brilliantly made FirmWare.  Just as Promised to people who have requested previously.  It is named Cerberus + as the + is to honor @MrWalkman creation 1A/Z +
> 
> This is the combinations of Works from @Morgenstern09  @Morbideath , myself and thanks to @MrWalkman  brilliant works.  We have yet again to witness another level of performances improvements by firmware *, We are Stronger Together !! *_Until Giant Sony request it down _
> 
> ...




edit your initial post and state* 'this works only on a wm1a/z Universal model'*

not editing your post shows sloppiness (imo) and has caused many users who tried t install it , confusion

cheers


----------



## RobertP (Jul 26, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> Now this is kinda random, and to preface I mean no offense to any of the modders here but, does anyone else experience a weird issue where just after installing any tuning mod, or modded firmware for that matter, the sound does distinctly change, as the tuning/modded firmware suggests it would, but after several hours of not playing music on the player and going back to it, the sound of the player changes back to how it sounds with just the default firmware version for the player (3.0, 3.01, 3.02).
> 
> I believe I've experienced this multiple times, and more recently with the WM1AZ+ mod. I changed my player to Z+ using the switcher inside the firmware, then re-installing the firmware again and the sound did change when playing music immediately after the installation finished. But after leaving my player alone without touching it overnight when I slept, I went back to it and it sounded, to my ears, significantly different (i.e. the sound wasn't "expansive and big" as it appeared to be when first playing music right after installing.). So, when I realized this I tried installing the firmware again by simply switching the model, then installing the firmware and vioala, the sound changed as I remembered it.
> 
> Again, I don't mean to insult anyone by stating these observations, I was just wondering if anyone else has possibly experienced this. I totally believe that these mods do change the sound for the better, it's just I find that I am constantly needing to "reinstall" the modded firmware to retain the sound that it initially creates.


It could be that your walkman need to be warm up? If so, your device should be running at optimal after 30 minutes.
And when battery drop down below 30%, sound quality will drop a bit too. Less energetic and weight I think.


----------



## firemess

@Ravenous you know what ? I’ve just experienced exactly the same thing right now.
I was also on 1Z+.

i don’t remember that I got it on the previous version...


----------



## Whitigir

proedros said:


> edit your initial post and state* 'this works only on a wm1a/z Universal model'*
> 
> not editing your post shows sloppiness (imo) and has caused many users who tried t install it , confusion
> 
> cheers


Theoretically speaking it should be working.  I am not sure why some just can not install it.  I do not have a Walkman here to test.  So that would need to ask @Morbideath to step in or so.

The only device that is having this problem is likely European models.  But as stated above.  Until we found out what and what then we can’t say for sure why some can’t install it


----------



## Mindstorms

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, there is a keyboard.


What is that a 1A?


----------



## RobertP

Mindstorms said:


> What is that a 1A?


Yeah, that how I named my playlists on 1A.


----------



## Mindstorms

never seen the built in keyboard!


----------



## normie610

Mindstorms said:


> never seen the built in keyboard!



Which means you’ve never created a playlist on your 1Z/A


----------



## tieuly1

@Whitigir : your firmware actually worked after reinstall switch 1.2 version to DMP-z1 with reset. I did reset after changing to DMP-z1 but new firmware did not apply so I reinstall again, reset, then firmware work perfectly.


----------



## Whitigir

tieuly1 said:


> @Whitigir : your firmware actually worked after reinstall switch 1.2 version to DMP-z1 with reset. I did reset after changing to DMP-z1 but new firmware did not apply so I reinstall again, reset, then firmware work perfectly.





Whitigir said:


> Theoretically speaking it should be working.  I am not sure why some just can not install it.  I do not have a Walkman here to test.  So that would need to ask @Morbideath to step in or so.
> 
> The only device that is having this problem is likely European models.  But as stated above.  Until we found out what and what then we can’t say for sure why some can’t install it


Thank you for your confirmations!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Ravenous said:


> Now this is kinda random, and to preface I mean no offense to any of the modders here but, does anyone else experience a weird issue where just after installing any tuning mod, or modded firmware for that matter, the sound does distinctly change, as the tuning/modded firmware suggests it would, but after several hours of not playing music on the player and going back to it, the sound of the player changes back to how it sounds with just the default firmware version for the player (3.0, 3.01, 3.02).
> 
> I believe I've experienced this multiple times, and more recently with the WM1AZ+ mod. I changed my player to Z+ using the switcher inside the firmware, then re-installing the firmware again and the sound did change when playing music immediately after the installation finished. But after leaving my player alone without touching it overnight when I slept, I went back to it and it sounded, to my ears, significantly different (i.e. the sound wasn't "expansive and big" as it appeared to be when first playing music right after installing.). So, when I realized this I tried installing the firmware again by simply switching the model, then installing the firmware and vioala, the sound changed as I remembered it.
> 
> Again, I don't mean to insult anyone by stating these observations, I was just wondering if anyone else has possibly experienced this. I totally believe that these mods do change the sound for the better, it's just I find that I am constantly needing to "reinstall" the modded firmware to retain the sound that it initially creates.




I think this is due to user fatigue.  I meam no offense but I think we listen to much music lately 😅😅😅 there is so much goodness that our brains are simply over saturated!

Take a break watch netflix 😁 

I been speaking about something similar with @MrWalkman and we concluded it is due to user getting too used to the sound!  If it helps just rerun the installation fw and switch to 1a restart reinstall switch to 1z reinstall... and see if you like it better that way 🙂

After numerous tests and try and errors this fw is legit and it works 100% but its so good it can play tricks on your brain!


----------



## Mindstorms (Jul 26, 2020)

normie610 said:


> Which means you’ve never created a playlist on your 1Z/A


yes! never! couse some users back in the old days reported they had trouble when updating from old fw to new 1.2 2.0 and 3.0 so never used playlist names  only bookmarks


----------



## gearofwar

mrrayray said:


> Finally my 1z is able to update to Cerberus fw.
> Here's what I did:
> 1. update to wm1az+ 3.02 (1.3) fw
> 2. switch my model to dmp-z1 using NW Model Switcher 1.2.2 by clicking on the nw_model_switcher_1.2.2.bat file and follow instructions. (both the.bat file and the .exe file in the same folder)
> ...


I got stuck after switching to DMP , the Cerberus installer wouldn't let me proceed, perhaps, it's made for different region? mine is EU ver


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> I got stuck after switching to DMP , the Cerberus installer wouldn't let me proceed, perhaps, it's made for different region? mine is EU ver


Did you try what he did ?


tieuly1 said:


> @Whitigir : your firmware actually worked after reinstall switch 1.2 version to DMP-z1 with reset. I did reset after changing to DMP-z1 but new firmware did not apply so I reinstall again, reset, then firmware work perfectly.


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 26, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Did you try what he did ?


Tbh, I saw this post and not sure what he meant. I'm currently on 3.02 wm1az+ , does that mean I have to reinstall this firmware or something else?

p/s after switching to dmp , looks like the wm1az+ installer doesn't work anymore. Both DMP-Z1 1.01,1.02 also don't work


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Whitigir said:


> This is so strange, it may be possible or may not be that the problem is isolated for European units alone.  You may want to tag @Morbideath and seek for helps ? otherwise European units may be missing out on the fun


I’m ashamed to say but how do I tag Morbideath?


----------



## gearofwar

@Morbideath


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jul 26, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> @Morbideath


Ahahaha!

So direct, me eyes hurt LOL


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> @Morbideath


Almost choked on my own saliva...lmao


----------



## tieuly1

after unable to install new firmware, I have to change DMP-z1 back to Wm1a, then install "back to stock" from Mrwalkman, as @Whitigir used previous version Wm1a/z+1 from Mr walkman.
Then I repeated the same steps for switch to DMP-z1 with reset and new firmware can be applied afterward.
Damm, I am also confused with my words.


----------



## RONJA MESCO

MrWalkman said:


> "Cerberus" is just a tuning mod, that was now made to be used with the WM1A/Z+ modded firmware, and I have no affiliation with it.
> 
> Everything "official" about my firmware mods can be found here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2738#post-15747959
> 
> ...


Ok, thanks for this....I was starting to lose it trying to figure out everything. I do have the original downloads you offered. I guess my next choice is if I want to check out Cerberus.


----------



## RONJA MESCO

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, there is a keyboard.


yep...mines has it too.


----------



## Morbideath (Jul 26, 2020)

EU model is always a different animal. TBH there’s nothing much I can do here, but guys with issues may follow our fella advice:


tieuly1 said:


> after unable to install new firmware, I have to change DMP-z1 back to Wm1a, then install "back to stock" from Mrwalkman, as @Whitigir used previous version Wm1a/z+1 from Mr walkman.
> Then I repeated the same steps for switch to DMP-z1 with reset and new firmware can be applied afterward.
> Damm, I am also confused with my words.



I have a universal model (Romi) and a Japanese model (MS proto). Both work just fine. Cerberus+ can be directly installed. I beta test it then Whitigir published. But unfortunately neither of us have a EU model to test


----------



## Morbideath

My japanese model with Cerberus+ installed (DSEE AI)


----------



## VeeAndBobby

I have a question for other users of the Sony NW-WM1A/1Z.  I'm new to this site, so I apologize if I'm posting this in the wrong place.
Are there non/Sony dacs that will connect to the Walkman's usb port, and allow playback of music files residing in the Walkman, through the dac? I know that the Sony TA-ZH1ES can do this, but are there non-Sony dacs that can?


----------



## Vitaly2017

VeeAndBobby said:


> I have a question for other users of the Sony NW-WM1A/1Z.  I'm new to this site, so I apologize if I'm posting this in the wrong place.
> Are there non/Sony dacs that will connect to the Walkman's usb port, and allow playback of music files residing in the Walkman, through the dac? I know that the Sony TA-ZH1ES can do this, but are there non-Sony dacs that can?





You can use the usb that came with your walkman and when connected with the other dac via usb... You just need to enable the usd bac option on your walkman and it will receive the signal and play the music using the sony dac and amp....


----------



## gearofwar

Morbideath said:


> EU model is always a different animal. TBH there’s nothing much I can do here, but guys with issues may follow our fella advice:
> 
> 
> I have a universal model (Romi) and a Japanese model (MS proto). Both work just fine. Cerberus+ can be directly installed. I beta test it then Whitigir published. But unfortunately neither of us have a EU model to test


I have tried what he mentioned, restore to stock and redo the whole process but still the same issue 



tieuly1 said:


> after unable to install new firmware, I have to change DMP-z1 back to Wm1a, then install "back to stock" from Mrwalkman, as @Whitigir used previous version Wm1a/z+1 from Mr walkman.
> Then I repeated the same steps for switch to DMP-z1 with reset and new firmware can be applied afterward.
> Damm, I am also confused with my words.


Which region your 1a was on originally?


----------



## MrWalkman

gearofwar said:


> I have tried what he mentioned, restore to stock and redo the whole process but still the same issue
> 
> 
> Which region your 1a was on originally?



The Cerberus tuning doesn't contain any European variant tuning code, so people with European variants of the player should just stop trying, it will never work unless the tuning is modified.

Any tuning creator should know that, and they shouldn't need an EU model in order to test anything.


----------



## Hinomotocho (Jul 27, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> You can use the usb that came with your walkman and when connected with the other dac via usb... You just need to enable the usd bac option on your walkman and it will receive the signal and play the music using the sony dac and amp....


I think he wants to play the files stored on his WM1A /Z through an external amp/dac. I am not sure so I can't answer this - does it require that special Sony USB cable?


----------



## gearofwar

Morbideath said:


> EU model is always a different animal. TBH there’s nothing much I can do here, but guys with issues may follow our fella advice:
> 
> 
> I have a universal model (Romi) and a Japanese model (MS proto). Both work just fine. Cerberus+ can be directly installed. I beta test it then Whitigir published. But unfortunately neither of us have a EU model to test


it could be compatible if you help us modify that SW file


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mindstorms said:


> never seen the built in keyboard!



Been there since day one. It’s how you name playlists. You must not have ever made a playlist?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 27, 2020)

RONJA MESCO said:


> Moon Audio is borderline extortion
> 
> so just we are clear...is this a rename of Mr. Walkman's firmware updates from the other day (1A/1Z switcher and 1A/1Z+), or is this another download? Because with all the changes coming so fast its becoming confusing as hell, no offense. I already have the switcher and the plus versions, so is there more firmware I must download?



The changes are due to improvements being made and more options offered. Your perfectly fine to simply use the first firmware you started with. The only confusing thing is being curious if you have missed out on new inventions. There has been many new editions and I suspect they will continue. That’s progress and it’s a wonderful thing. It’s simply more choices and more options. The direct contrast would be a player that came out in 2016, which people have forgotten about and thus offers nothing new. Here were are just super lucky to have stumbled upon Sony DAPs, and even more lucky for the modification efforts.

As far as my Moon Audio post; I didn’t realize it was a cable with IEMs included with the price. Retailers who make stuff found out it was more profitable to be retailers for other junk than just what they build, and people trust them due to their high profile. I would rather buy online from Moon Audio than “Mr Q’s House of Cards”.


----------



## MrWalkman

RONJA MESCO said:


> Moon Audio is borderline extortion
> 
> so just we are clear...is this a rename of Mr. Walkman's firmware updates from the other day (1A/1Z switcher and 1A/1Z+), or is this another download? Because with all the changes coming so fast its becoming confusing as hell, no offense. I already have the switcher and the plus versions, so is there more firmware I must download?





Redcarmoose said:


> The changes are due to improvements being made and more options offered. Your perfectly fine to simply use the first firmware you started with. The only confusing thing is being curious if you have missed out on new inventions. There has been many new editions and I suspect they will continue. That’s progress and it’s a wonderful thing. It’s simply more choices and more options. The direct contrast would be a player that came out in 2016, which people have forgotten about and thus offers nothing new. Here were are just super lucky to have stumbled upon Sony DAPs, and even more lucky for there modification efforts.



He was talking about this: 


Whitigir said:


> I have integrated "Cerberus" toward @MrWalkman 1A/Z + Brilliantly made FirmWare.  Just as Promised to people who have requested previously.  It is named Cerberus + as the + is to honor @MrWalkman creation 1A/Z +
> 
> This is the combinations of Works from @Morgenstern09  @Morbideath , myself and thanks to @MrWalkman  brilliant works.  We have yet again to witness another level of performances improvements by firmware *, We are Stronger Together !! *_Until Giant Sony request it down _
> 
> ...



Let's not confuse people any more


----------



## mrrayray (Jul 27, 2020)

I got used to the old UI speed to the point that I feel like the new UI speed is too fast and not matching the (physical) weight of my 1z 
It's like drifting with a tank haha


----------



## aceedburn

VeeAndBobby said:


> I have a question for other users of the Sony NW-WM1A/1Z.  I'm new to this site, so I apologize if I'm posting this in the wrong place.
> Are there non/Sony dacs that will connect to the Walkman's usb port, and allow playback of music files residing in the Walkman, through the dac? I know that the Sony TA-ZH1ES can do this, but are there non-Sony dacs that can?


Yes you can. You need to get the Sony nwh10 cable and then you can use any external dac/amp. I’m using it with FiiO K5 Pro dac/amp


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 27, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> He was talking about this:
> 
> 
> Let's not confuse people any more


I agreed

Anyone who have tried installing and couldn’t get it recognized, try to do a *reset all setting* and see if it help ? May possibly have the play hours wiped clean as well ?




MrWalkman said:


> The Cerberus tuning doesn't contain any European variant tuning code, so people with European variants of the player should just stop trying, it will never work unless the tuning is modified.
> 
> Any tuning creator should know that, and they shouldn't need an EU model in order to test anything.



*It does not contain any region code at all*, and it was intentional.  If region codes are included, sound performances would have been changed .  If EU can’t have it to work out then my apologies.  However, it seems random ATM that some of the same regions has it worked out and some doesn’t.  _It may be something else as Cerberus tuning has Zero region codes of any regions, period._
It would be nice to see if someone whoSe model is EU, also has not yet installed 1A/Z + modified firmware to directly try that Cerberus + and see if it install.  I have got words that *people need a Rese*t (if they have installed 1A/Z +).  Just as @tieuly1 mentioned, his is probably not EU, but failed to install at first, and afterward got it done


----------



## aceedburn

This just arrived.


----------



## Ghostsounds

gearofwar said:


> @Morbideath


So DAPman, The DAC Knight Returns?

So, sorry! Couldn’t resist...


----------



## Whitigir

Ghostsounds said:


> So DAPman, The DAC Knight Returns?
> 
> So, sorry! Couldn’t resist...


Roflmao !!! You guys are too funny


----------



## RONJA MESCO (Jul 27, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> The changes are due to improvements being made and more options offered. Your perfectly fine to simply use the first firmware you started with. The only confusing thing is being curious if you have missed out on new inventions. There has been many new editions and I suspect they will continue. That’s progress and it’s a wonderful thing. It’s simply more choices and more options. The direct contrast would be a player that came out in 2016, which people have forgotten about and thus offers nothing new. Here were are just super lucky to have stumbled upon Sony DAPs, and even more lucky for the modification efforts.
> 
> As far as my Moon Audio post; I didn’t realize it was a cable with IEMs included with the price. Retailers who make stuff found out it was more profitable to be retailers for other junk than just what they build, and people trust them due to their high profile. I would rather buy online from Moon Audio than “Mr Q’s House of Cards”.


No, actually you got me all wrong. Mr. Walkman responded to me earlier on this issue I had...and I responded back. I don't know if you saw that. I am in agreement with you.

My concern was that I couldn't keep track of the mods/firmware, so i wasn't sure if the firmware updates I got were all being changed to new names or not. When Cerebus got  made, I thought it was a new 'catchall' name for the 1A/1Z and 1A/1Z + mods, so I was essentially trying to figure out what was what. I found out that it was actually a brand new tuning, in addition to the ones I just downloaded.

 Im all down for tweaking and tuning. It was just that info was coming out so fast, I couldnt keep up with the changes.


----------



## Ghostsounds

As penance for my terrible puns, those of you in the UK, Amazon have reduced the prices of the Sandusky micro SD cards, eg 512gb extreme pro is £135.


----------



## Ghostsounds

Ghostsounds said:


> As penance for my terrible puns, those of you in the UK, Amazon have reduced the prices of the Sandusky micro SD cards, eg 512gb extreme pro is £135.


Sandisk, not Sandusky...


----------



## Whitigir

Ghostsounds said:


> As penance for my terrible puns, those of you in the UK, Amazon have reduced the prices of the Sandisk micro SD cards, eg 512gb extreme pro is £135.


I love this particular SDcard.  If that is an authentic one then it is a good buy.  Totally recommended for Sound performances, read and write speed, reliability


Ghostsounds said:


> Sandisk, not Sandusky...



Lol, you can edit it


----------



## aceedburn

Ghostsounds said:


> As penance for my terrible puns, those of you in the UK, Amazon have reduced the prices of the Sandusky micro SD cards, eg 512gb extreme pro is £135.


Got mine for about USD135. And they’re made in Malaysia just like the walkmans.


----------



## Ghostsounds

Whitigir said:


> I love this particular SDcard.  If that is an authentic one then it is a good buy.  Totally recommended for Sound performances, read and write speed, reliability
> 
> 
> Lol, you can edit it


Thanks. Didn’t realise - still new to posting. 😊


----------



## ttt123 (Jul 27, 2020)

.


Whitigir said:


> I agreed
> 
> Anyone who have tried installing and couldn’t get it recognized, try to do a *reset all setting* and see if it help ? May possibly have the play hours wiped clean as well ?
> 
> ...


Two ways to do a restart are:
1. Reset All Settings - will force a restart
2. Do a Power Down/Up

The Reset All Settings just resets the user settings. i.e. EQ, High Gain, DSP, etc.
It returns the settings to stock: NFC=ON, Direct Sound=ON, High Gain=OFF
BookMark list is not affected. Probably Playlist will not be affected either. (I am not using Playlist)

> Settings/Device Settings/ Reset/Format/ Reset All Settings

The Audio Play Time counter is *not affected*. It will only be affected if RESTORE TO FACTORY CONFIGURATION is done.


----------



## Whitigir

Thank you @ttt123 for the confirmation


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 27, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> *It does not contain any region code at all*, and it was intentional.  If region codes are included, sound performances would have been changed .  If EU can’t have it to work out then my apologies.  However, it seems random ATM that some of the same regions has it worked out and some doesn’t.  _It may be something else as Cerberus tuning has Zero region codes of any regions, period._
> It would be nice to see if someone whoSe model is EU, also has not yet installed 1A/Z + modified firmware to directly try that Cerberus + and see if it install.  I have got words that *people need a Rese*t (if they have installed 1A/Z +).  Just as @tieuly1 mentioned, his is probably not EU, but failed to install at first, and afterward got it done



The Software Update tool needs a 00020000 in the SWUpdate.xml in order for European devices to be recognized. It works for Universal devices as there is at least one 00000000.

So unless someone will add a 00020000, it will never work for European devices.

Anyway, this is why technically it's not working. If you guys will find a way, good luck.


----------



## newworld666

I know MrWalkman is keeping some secret with his cooked Z+ firmware for WM1A, but it's probably more than 30 hours, that I have spend now with this firmware and almost all of Steven Wilson remixes analysed in all aspects.
I did some A/B comparison with an M11/H6Pro and I am still amazed how deep low frequencies can be retrieved with 2 of my TOTL headphones (Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas and Heddphone)... and it's still keeping high frequencies so "clean".
Can't we get some indication of what is applied in this Z+ firmware to extend so far the low frequencies ? 
I tried to apply some EQ to a 3.02 firmware and M11 or H6Pro, but none will work in this range à frequencies or like that.


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> I know MrWalkman is keeping some secret with his cooked Z+ firmware for WM1A, but it's probably more than 30 hours, that I have spend now with this firmware and almost all of Steven Wilson remixes analysed in all aspects.
> I did some A/B comparison with an M11/H6Pro and I am still amazed how deep low frequencies can be retrieved with 2 of my TOTL headphones (Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas and Heddphone)... and it's still keeping high frequencies so "clean".
> Can't we get some indication of what is applied in this Z+ firmware to extend so far the low frequencies ?
> I tried to apply some EQ to a 3.02 firmware and M11 or H6Pro, but none will work in this range à frequencies or like that.



Sorry, can't get into details, or indications


----------



## normie610

newworld666 said:


> I know MrWalkman is keeping some secret with his cooked Z+ firmware for WM1A, but it's probably more than 30 hours, that I have spend now with this firmware and almost all of Steven Wilson remixes analysed in all aspects.
> I did some A/B comparison with an M11/H6Pro and I am still amazed how deep low frequencies can be retrieved with 2 of my TOTL headphones (Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas and Heddphone)... and it's still keeping high frequencies so "clean".
> Can't we get some indication of what is applied in this Z+ firmware to extend so far the low frequencies ?
> I tried to apply some EQ to a 3.02 firmware and M11 or H6Pro, but none will work in this range à frequencies or like that.



Well said. Now the bass on my Elysium uni with 1Z+ J region can amazingly match the bass on my M5 paired with N6ii E02, both in quantity and texture. I’m just blown away. What is this sorcery that you’re using @MrWalkman ?


----------



## newworld666 (Jul 27, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Sorry, can't get into details, or indications



Even, with a couple of more beers    .. 

Basically, the sound is really impressive, but now I am wondering if it's not on the way of being too unnatural!!
In fact, it's really near the result I was looking for months to get a portable way of my Laptop+M500+THX887, and I ordered some portable amp like Centrance M8 V2 to try to reach more or less the Z+ WM1A results.
I was imagining that available peak voltage with WM1A connected to a powerful amp or even go tp some extra capacitors like DMP-Z1, would be the way to reach this type of sound... and it seems I was wrong !


----------



## captblaze

MrWalkman said:


> The Software Update tool needs a 00020000 in the SWUpdate.xml in order for European devices to be recognized. It works for Universal devices as there is at least one 00000000.
> 
> So unless someone will add a 00020000, it will never work for European devices.
> 
> Anyway, this is why technically it's not working. If you guys will find a way, good luck.



looks like a simple enough edit. nice to see you are continuing development on your packages. although I am giving my ears a much needed ruler flat retuning for the next day or two.


----------



## MrWalkman

captblaze said:


> looks like a simple enough edit



Yep, looks simple, but adding a 00020000 might alter the sound signature the tuning is aimed to bring.

Not my business


----------



## 534409

Ghostsounds said:


> So DAPman, The DAC Knight Returns?
> 
> So, sorry! Couldn’t resist...



WayneM1A


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> Nope, the same indications apply. You don't need to have 3.00 or 3.01 preinstalled.
> 
> And yes, the 3.00/3.01 firmware mods have the 3.00/3.01 sound as base.





Now thats a nice touch! we even have the freedom of 3.0 and 3.01!    I wish I had a zx-300 to try your mod on there tooo.

I love the new walkman orange logo on the boot load! Its a perfect match !!! I like orange it fits with my truck color which is also orange ;P hahaha


----------



## Lookout57

Vitaly2017 said:


> Now thats a nice touch! we even have the freedom of 3.0 and 3.01!    I wish I had a zx-300 to try your mod on there tooo.
> 
> I love the new walkman orange logo on the boot load! Its a perfect match !!! I like orange it fits with my truck color which is also orange ;P hahaha


So your truck is tiger orange?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Lookout57 said:


> So your truck is tiger orange?



Orange like this, like the logo !


----------



## MrWalkman

Vitaly2017 said:


> Orange like this, like the logo !



Really nice truck!


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> Really nice truck!




I custom ordered my truck with all my specifications to the build also the color as well!
This is one of the more fuel efficient trucks on the planet probably hehe, it is an 2018 model maybe more recent will get better fuel economie... But mine gets like 25L/100km average
It is considered here in the usa stellar good!


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> I custom ordered my truck with all my specifications to the build also the color as well!
> This is one of the more fuel efficient trucks on the planet probably hehe, it is an 2018 model maybe more recent will get better fuel economie... But mine gets like 25L/100km average
> It is considered here in the usa stellar good!


Is that Tiger rational? Or is the tiger vegan ? Lol


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Is that Tiger rational? Or is the tiger vegan ? Lol




No need to waste money on fuel! I got around 25 000 $ in fuel savings per year !!!

So how many 1z I can buy with those savings ??? 😁😁😁


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> No need to waste money on fuel! I got around 25 000 $ in fuel savings per year !!!
> 
> So how many 1z I can buy with those savings ??? 😁😁😁


3x DMP Z1 for sure


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 28, 2020)

deleted


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 27, 2020)

There is a trick to make it to work with all other regions.  You can download an extracted packages here

*Previously, we couldnt share it because no one could have cracked UPG, but thank you to @MrWalkman *

After extraction you will go into the installer just as you would in the earlier modded firmware

After running the updater you will have the first window popped up, click Yes.  Then second window popped up, leave it there, do not click on anything yet

*You will go into the Data folder and you will see the SWUpdate XML of 645Kb* (This is Cerberus tuning), Everyone can integrate this Tuning toward any other Firmware versions if they so desired.  *You will drag this into the Device folder.  Window will ask you if you wanted to replace it, click agreed.  Then go back to the Installer of the firmware and proceed*


----------



## gearofwar

Whitigir said:


> There is a trick to make it to work with all other regions.  You can download an extracted packages here
> 
> *Previously, we couldnt share it because no one could have cracked UPG, but thank you to @MrWalkman *
> 
> ...


Does this affect the tuning at all?


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> Does this affect the tuning at all?


No, This does not effect the tuning and this was originally intended to work this way.


----------



## gearofwar

Whitigir said:


> No, This does not effect the tuning and this was originally intended to work this way.


thanks, I almost went over and messed up that xml file


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> thanks, I almost went over and messed up that xml file


No Worry, and I understand.

I couldn’t share this way previously because no one could have worked on UPG back then. Now, I do believe @MrWalkman can crack just about any eggs from Sony


----------



## gearofwar

Whitigir said:


> No Worry, and I understand.
> 
> I couldn’t share this way previously because no one could have worked on UPG back then. Now, I do believe @MrWalkman can crack just about any eggs from Sony


Actually, before the planet edition, some of us have already worked on this UPG to make it work for EU model which seems to be excluded regularly in the custom firmwares. This made me think that the majority of the firmwares were written by people without EU models around


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> Actually, before the planet edition, some of us have already worked on this UPG to make it work for EU model which seems to be excluded regularly in the custom firmwares. This made me think that the majority of the firmwares were written by people without EU models around


Did you mean someone cracked into the m UPG even before @MrWalkman ? If so, I wasn’t aware of.  Well, there was a reason, and now it is being told


----------



## gearofwar

Whitigir said:


> Did you mean someone cracked into the m UPG even before @MrWalkman ? If so, I wasn’t aware of.  Well, there was a reason, and now it is being told


I think we should not discuss this on here lol


----------



## MrWalkman

gearofwar said:


> Actually, before the planet edition, some of us have already worked on this UPG to make it work for EU model which seems to be excluded regularly in the custom firmwares. This made me think that the majority of the firmwares were written by people without EU models around



The UPG is the NW_WM_FW file in the device folder. I don't think anyone figured that out until now.


----------



## Whitigir

MrWalkman said:


> The UPG is the NW_WM_FW file in the device folder. I don't think anyone figured that out until now.


And thank you to you ! I am always glad to see the end users can finally have more options


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 27, 2020)

Above 1995 remaster.




Radiobirdman were Australia’s very first punk band. This album is also noted as one of Australia’s top 50 rock albums of all time. They were released slightly in the USA just as Sire Records were going out of business. In the mid 1990s bands like Green Day were showing this style of music could actually become marketable in the US, thus this album was rereleased again as a remaster. I purchased the original in 1977, but have never heard the CD remaster sound like it does until the 1A to 1Z mod to 1A/Z+ salvaged this one. I’ve never heard this album ever sound this good?

Thank-you MrWalkman!


----------



## Duncan

Whitigir said:


> There is a trick to make it to work with all other regions.  You can download an extracted packages here
> 
> *Previously, we couldnt share it because no one could have cracked UPG, but thank you to @MrWalkman *
> 
> ...


Awesome, I’ll try this when I get home...

This opens up a whole new world of possibilities!


----------



## MrWalkman

Whitigir said:


> There is a trick to make it to work with all other regions.  You can download an extracted packages here
> 
> *Previously, we couldnt share it because no one could have cracked UPG, but thank you to @MrWalkman *
> 
> ...



That sounds nice, but are you sure that the XML is not actually loaded only at the Software Update tool's startup? What happens if you start the tool, and then you delete the SWUpdate.xml file and try to proceed with the installation? If nothing happens, then it means that the file is loaded at the startup and then it's not loaded again.

I will check it later when I'll be at home.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> That sounds nice, but are you sure that the XML is not actually loaded only at the Software Update tool's startup? What happens if you start the tool, and then you delete the SWUpdate.xml file and try to proceed with the installation? If nothing happens, then it means that the file is loaded at the startup and then it's not loaded again.
> 
> I will check it later when I'll be at home.


I think for simplicity, I’ll focus on your FM’s. Hope everyone else enjoys whatever they decide to listen to.


----------



## minzink

Gamerlingual said:


> I think for simplicity, I’ll focus on your FM’s. Hope everyone else enjoys whatever they decide to listen to.


Mee too. I am still quite happy with my new WM1A/Z+


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 27, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> That sounds nice, but are you sure that the XML is not actually loaded only at the Software Update tool's startup? What happens if you start the tool, and then you delete the SWUpdate.xml file and try to proceed with the installation? If nothing happens, then it means that the file is loaded at the startup and then it's not loaded again.
> 
> I will check it later when I'll be at home.


That is true, it could still install even if deleted.  That means EU can’t get it to work correctly.  There is nothing there I could touch since I don’t have EU Walkman here to hear how it could change the sound.  I suppose anyone can goes in there and add up that codes

UPG was not cracked back then, no one really know how the XML does what it did. None of us had EU model either.  All of the behavior and changes were all done in blindfold


----------



## Duncan

I’m happy to be a guinea pig for this...  the only downside of course is the length of time switching from one to the other...  hopefully there is someone here with Audacity or any other similar program that can take an official stance on this.


----------



## 534409

Vitaly2017 said:


> Orange like this, like the logo !



отлично / nice


----------



## Vitaly2017

Dramba said:


> отлично / nice




Спасибонки 🙃🙂
Катаюсь и слушаю музыку селими днями!


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Спасибонки 🙃🙂
> Катаюсь и слушаю музыку селими днями!


I didn’t know tiger was Russian ? Do they live up in that cold ?


----------



## 534409 (Jul 27, 2020)

From his photos - there is a monitor with Windows in Russian  From the name also, I suspected.Good for me -  I remember some things from school, reading cyryllic i.e.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jul 27, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I didn’t know tiger was Russian ? Do they live up in that cold ?


Yes, I believe it’s called Siberian Tiger😃

Might want to change the truck to white with tiger stripes on it🐯


----------



## Vitaly2017

Haha

You know siberian tigers are even more BADASS  😅🤣🤣

So be aware 🙃🙂


----------



## 534409 (Jul 27, 2020)

In my family, there is a war story about  people that went to Siberia and returned 6 years later (Павлодарский район). History is even more bad-ass.
BTW Agnes Obel on WM1A/Z+ sounds fantastic.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jul 27, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Orange like this, like the logo !


I think you should seriously consider adding tiger stripes to your orange truck.

Imagine the fear all the the other motorists when they see your truck. Not to mention the amazement and wonder, and I'm pretty sure that's a chick magnet! Hahahahaha   


Guys, don't choke on your drink! LOL


----------



## Lookout57

hamhamhamsta said:


> I think you should seriously consider adding tiger stripes to your orange truck.
> 
> Imagine the fear all the the other motorists when they see your truck. Not to mention the amazement and wonder, and I'm pretty sure that's a chick magnet! Hahahahaha
> 
> ...


@Vitaly2017 , that way all of the US based Head-Fi'ers will know it's you terrorizing our highways.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jul 27, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> @Vitaly2017 , that way all of the US based Head-Fi'ers will know it's you terrorizing our highways.





I'l make sure I blow my big truck horn loud so you will get some noise to disturb you while you got your headphones on . 
  🤬


----------



## Vitaly2017

*Tiger* *Ears *_in person hehe_


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jul 27, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> *Tiger* *Ears *_in person hehe_


Holy Moly, you’re a Beast Transformer! 😂


----------



## Mindstorms

Guys could anyone make a votation here of best FW 3.00 vs 3.01 vs 3.02? anyone has the knoledge of how to do it?


----------



## Lookout57

If you want to do a poll on which version is best you need to create a new thread and it will have the option to create a poll.


----------



## normie610

Vitaly2017 said:


> *Tiger* *Ears *_in person hehe_



Wait....you’re also a lion???


----------



## mwhals

normie610 said:


> Wait....you’re also a lion???



The lion is his Halloween costume.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 11, 2020)

Edit - August 11th

The Region Changer was only meant to let you install tunings made for a region on a player from another region. It was really "useful" only for testing the Cerberus tuning on EU/JP devices, but people like RobertP, for example, are "advertising" installing Cerberus using invalid/not working ways anyway, like the XML swapping which is just not working like he (and maybe others) thinks it does.

As the region changer is really of no actual use otherwise and it can confuse people rather than helping them, I removed it from the post and from the Google Drive folder. If you really have a use of it, PM me with the details.


----------



## normie610

MrWalkman said:


> Please welcome, the...
> 
> *Region Changer*
> 
> ...



So this has a different function from the Rockbox?


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 11, 2020)

Edit - August 11th

The Region Changer was only meant to let you install tunings made for a region on a player from another region. It was really "useful" only for testing the Cerberus tuning on EU/JP devices, but people like RobertP, for example, are "advertising" installing Cerberus using invalid/not working ways anyway, like the XML swapping which is just not working like he (and maybe others) thinks it does.

As the region changer is really of no actual use otherwise and it can confuse people rather than helping them, I removed it from the post and from the Google Drive folder. If you really have a use of it, PM me with the details.


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> Please welcome, the...
> 
> *Region Changer*
> 
> ...




aaa this is not like region rolling hmmm


----------



## matevana

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, there is a default region, and the "destination". The Rockbox tool allows us to only change the destination, and not the default region.
> 
> The default region does not affect the sound, compared to the destination.
> 
> ...


Very SMART!


----------



## normie610

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, there is a default region, and the "destination". The Rockbox tool allows us to only change the destination, and not the default region.
> 
> The default region does not affect the sound, compared to the destination.
> 
> ...



Thanks. Just bought you a beer btw


----------



## Vitaly2017

normie610 said:


> Thanks. Just bought you a beer btw




it took time hehe  did you drink all the others on the way ? lo lo lo


----------



## MrWalkman

normie610 said:


> Thanks. Just bought you a beer btw



Really appreciate it!


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> Really appreciate it!




      some one had so many beers lately I see hahaa


----------



## normie610

Vitaly2017 said:


> it took time hehe  did you drink all the others on the way ? lo lo lo



yep, luckily managed to save a pint for mrwalkman


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 27, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> There is a trick to make it to work with all other regions.  You can download an extracted packages here
> 
> *Previously, we couldnt share it because no one could have cracked UPG, but thank you to @MrWalkman *
> 
> ...


Hmm, I just got home and tried out this method; however, it didn't work out in my case coz I didn't see separate SWupdate file outside the Device folder, tried to duplicate and replaced during the process didn't help either. Messing around a bit inside the sw file and finally got it to work but I'm not sure if the tuning is what you intended originally but it does sound good
P/s : Mr.walkman was right, not a simple task because adding a line in there would make the firmware collapse


----------



## Morbideath (Jul 27, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> Hmm, I just got home and tried out this method; however, it didn't work out in my case coz I didn't see separate SWupdate file outside the Device folder, tried to duplicate and replaced during the process didn't help either. Messing around a bit inside the sw file and finally got it to work but I'm not sure if the tuning is what you intended originally but it does sound good
> P/s : Mr.walkman was right, not a simple task because adding a line in there would make the firmware collapse


Yes, we found that long ago but could not disclose it. Using a line of 00020000 to trick the installer. As long as u bypass the check and replace the tuning, u will enjoy the Whitigir magic.
btw, personally I found Cerberus sounds the best with Region U, not J anymore


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gearofwar said:


> Hmm, I just got home and tried out this method; however, it didn't work out in my case coz I didn't see separate SWupdate file outside the Device folder, tried to duplicate and replaced during the process didn't help either. Messing around a bit inside the sw file and finally got it to work but I'm not sure if the tuning is what you intended originally but it does sound good
> P/s : Mr.walkman was right, not a simple task because adding a line in there would make the firmware collapse


Can you send us the updated working file for those of us who are blind to messing with computer lines, including me


----------



## Morbideath (Jul 27, 2020)

I wanna say thank you to @MrWalkman for all the progress on the FW.
Previously it was quite a hassle to get it working, but I suppose the EU units are salvaged?


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 28, 2020)

deleted


----------



## hamhamhamsta

hamhamhamsta said:


> Can you send us the updated working file for those of us who are blind to messing with computer lines, including me


We need batsign; Bat 911!

Any Bat Gentleman to the rescue LOL!😂


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jul 27, 2020)

Where’s Robin when we need them 😹🤣


----------



## Morbideath

gearofwar said:


> If I only I knew where to use that 00020000 then I wouldn't have asked for help. Ofc this was long known before, the point we were trying to make is that this could change the intended tuning


As long as u substitute the big xml with only 00020000, it will apply the big xml so won't change the tuning


----------



## Morbideath (Jul 27, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> If I only I knew where to use that 00020000 then I wouldn't have asked for help. Ofc this was long known before, the point we were trying to make is that this could change the intended tuning





hamhamhamsta said:


> We need batsign; Bat 911!
> 
> Any Bat Gentleman to the rescue LOL!😂


https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1e5ukOgXMHawRy0tWUufrqO70mlJJo_9i?usp=sharing
This is the file for maximum compatibility to trick the installer. Replace it with Whitigir's Cerberus xml (which means, first put it inside the device folder. after the installer goes to the second step, replace it with Cerberus xml then install). We've done it numerous times and it WAS the only way to get Cerberus working and sounds as intended without distortions. Thus, *Don't add 00020000 to the Cerberus xml.*
However i suggest u try MrWalkman's latest tool. it looks much simpler and foolproof to tame the strange EU animal:


MrWalkman said:


> Please welcome, the...
> 
> *Region Changer*
> 
> ...


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 28, 2020)

deleted


----------



## Morbideath (Jul 27, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> This is basically the setting that was used in the past custom firmwares; however, the pattern is not the same as in the case of dmp1 and you know this file plays a role in the tuning, can you test this on your unit and confirm the sound? thanks . Yes, this will trick (or just simply delete the file) but doesn't mean you would get the same sound


we've done it numerous times. it was the only way to install Cerberus properly and won't affect the tuning.
And no, don't simply delete the file. it won't get the big xml flashed in.
So u see why we didn't disclose it in the first place, this could raise lots of confusions, and Sony could possibly patch it up someday.


----------



## Morbideath

Whitigir said:


> There is a trick to make it to work with all other regions.  You can download an extracted packages here
> 
> *Previously, we couldnt share it because no one could have cracked UPG, but thank you to @MrWalkman *
> 
> ...





Morbideath said:


> https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1e5ukOgXMHawRy0tWUufrqO70mlJJo_9i?usp=sharing
> This is the file for maximum compatibility to trick the installer. Replace it with Whitigir's Cerberus xml (which means, first put it inside the device folder. after the installer goes to the second step, replace it with Cerberus xml then install). We've done it numerous times and it WAS the only way to get Cerberus working and sounds as intended without distortions. Thus, *Don't add 00020000 to the Cerberus xml.*
> However i suggest u try MrWalkman's latest tool. it looks much simpler and foolproof to tame the strange EU animal:


@hamhamhamsta @gearofwar Again, this old method worked for any EU/JP/Universal device if u wanna install Cerberus. Once u know how to do it, it only takes seconds to operate.
However again, i suggest MrWalkman's new tool. It's the same thing but won't require your operations. Much simpler and foolproof.


MrWalkman said:


> Please welcome, the...
> 
> *Region Changer*
> 
> ...


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 27, 2020)

@Morbideath oh man, I didn't realize Mr.Walkman released such an important tool. It's few hours and this thread just fly. This would make my day after work easier. This region changer thing is mind-blowing

Interestingly enough, I think messing around with the file has made the firmware has a deeper stage than it was intended to be somehow.


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 28, 2020)

@MrWalkman  included the EU region changer is just like offering people a chance to tryout the curse lol

@Morbideath I think U region made Cerberus thinner than J even the tonality, is there any particular reasons you like it best?


----------



## 534409 (Jul 28, 2020)

Orange Walkman logo on the start - now I remember! It was on old Sony Ericsson phones, Walkman line. Mr Walkman - thanks for region changer, changed to universal and installed Cerberus.


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 28, 2020)

Dramba said:


> Orange Walkman logo on the start - now I remember! It was on old Sony Ericsson phones, Walkman line. Mr Walkman - thanks for region changer, changed to universal and installed Cerberus.


I do wish lord @Whitigir would revise Cerberus with the new Wm1az+, that orange logo is truly eyes candy


----------



## NickleCo

So I'm still at wm1z/a+ (without dseehx) I own the wm1a (switched to 1z via switcher). Do I still need to go through the chameleon 1.3 or do i go directly to the wm1az+ 1.3? Sorry if my question is already answered in a previous page/reply but I'm just a bit confused. I arrived so late in the game and not sure where or what page answers this. Thanks!


----------



## NickleCo

RONJA MESCO said:


> Yea, most Sony explainers suck at explainering


I think the reasoning behind this is that we sony listeners aren't bothered by the fact that our units don't have the best in class technicalities, bleeding edge tech, etc. instead we go for what we like the most (which doesn't always go in tandem with listeners from other brands lol).


----------



## gearofwar

DatDudeNic said:


> So I'm still at wm1z/a+ (without dseehx) I own the wm1a (switched to 1z via switcher). Do I still need to go through the chameleon 1.3 or do i go directly to the wm1az+ 1.3? Sorry if my question is already answered in a previous page/reply but I'm just a bit confused. I arrived so late in the game and not sure where or what page answers this. Thanks!


You don't need to go through one to reach another , just apply directly and it will bring you straight to the result


----------



## NickleCo

gearofwar said:


> You don't need to go through one to reach another , just apply directly and it will bring you straight to the result


I see, thanks for the timely reply!


----------



## Morbideath

gearofwar said:


> @MrWalkman  included the EU region changer is just like offering people a chance to tryout the curse lol
> 
> @Morbideath I think U region made Cerberus thinner than J even the tonality, is there any particular reasons you like it best?


It was tuned based on U. i don't find it thin though, very smooth and analogue. You haven't add any lines like 00020000 right?


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jul 28, 2020)

After a few days listening here and there, I come up with an initial review of 1A/1Z+ on 1Z mod with Z tuning. And I'm using HSEEX AI and C tuning. I listen to vocals, accoustics, easy listening, jazz etc. Feel free to agree, disagree, discuss etc. After all, that's the point of bantering and comparing in this forum.

1) Version 3.00 - Has amazing textured bass, best of the best of all version.
2) Version 3.01 - Initially I forgot what makes this special; I listen and listen and can't figure out; then it hits me. This is emotional tuning, damn I cried listening to some songs, can't pinpoint what but maybe others can chime in.
3) Version 3.02 - Amazing soundstage. There rest I forgot.

On all the 1A/1Z+ different version, the clarity and separation are really really good. I'm talking about using 1 BA iem, Warbler Prelude. It's a clear step higher compared to all earlier versions.


And then I tried Cerberus NWZ1  Z tuning version. Holy moly, clarity and resolution is 1/2 step higher than 3.0 3.1 & 3.2 1A/1Z+ V. There are 2 right now.
1) Whitigir version - its very even keel, sounds like a mature version of neutral tuning. Soundstage is wide. Again neutral but likeable. Has very good resonance or echoes. Did I mention it has the best clarity and resolution?

2) GearofWar version - this maybe considered a flawed version, since it alters the original tuning somehow. But GearofWar mentioned the soundstage is deeper; I wasn't very convinced, so keep switching back and forth with Whitigir original version. Lo and behold, it is deeper. Because it is deeper, bass seems to hit a little harder, I noticed timber seems to be better, meaning instruments sound more real, like its real life counterparts. Vocals stands out. This version is no longer neutral, but I like this more. It gives more "soul" or its own characters to the songs.


What would even be better is to somehow marry the Cerberus version to 1A/1Z+ tuning. I'm not sure if you consider this Whitigir version as already having 1A+/1Z+. So much dap improvements in the last few weeks, compared in the last almost 4 years. Its warp speed man!




PS: Remember, earlier I said my LS305 speakers sounds better than the speakers on Lexus sedan? Usually, I used Bluetooth to connect using sbc connection ( Hey, that's all the connections I have in the car). This time I used Line out via balanced 4.4mm to Aux In. Omg, I swear the songs I heard almost sound 3D. Now my car audio sound almost like my iems. What an amazing surprise!


----------



## Morbideath

hamhamhamsta said:


> What would even be better is to somehow marry the Cerberus version to 1A/1Z+ tuning. *I'm not sure if you consider this Whitigir version as already having 1A+/1Z+.* So much dap improvements in the last few weeks, compared in the last almost 4 years. Its warp speed man!


It already has, that's why it's called Cerberus+. Ive enjoying normal Cerberus for months but its marriage with 1Z+ is clearly a step up in technicalities. Since i don't know how the algorithms within 1Z+ work, i can't explain how these are achieved. it's pure magic.


----------



## 534409

hamhamhamsta said:


> After a few days listening here and there, I come up with an initial review of 1A/1Z+ on 1Z mod with Z tuning. And I'm using HSEEX AI and C tuning. I listen to vocals, accoustics, easy listening, jazz etc. Feel free to agree, disagree, discuss etc. After all, that's the point of bantering and comparing in this forum.
> 
> 1) Version 3.00 - Has amazing textured bass, best of the best of all version.
> 2) Version 3.01 - Initially I forgot what makes this special; I listen and listen and can't figure out; then it hits me. This is emotional tuning, damn I cried listening to some songs, can't pinpoint what but maybe others can chime in.
> 3) Version 3.02 - Amazing soundstage. There rest I forgot.



In case you don't know what to turn on - there is a switch


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 28, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> It already has, that's why it's called Cerberus+. Ive enjoying normal Cerberus for months but its marriage with 1Z+ is clearly a step up in technicalities. Since i don't know how the algorithms within 1Z+ work, i can't explain how these are achieved. it's pure magic.



It still doesn't use the latest version of the WM1A/Z+ firmware, and people would have to go back and restore the Certificates images after using that previous version of the firmware.



Morbideath said:


> Replace it with Whitigir's Cerberus xml (which means, first put it inside the device folder. after the installer goes to the second step, replace it with Cerberus xml then install)



You say that after the installer goes to the second step, to replace the SWUpdate.xml file in the Device folder, as the installer will supposedly load the XML file again after going to the second step.

I just checked this, and if you delete the SWUpdate.xml in the Device folder, before the installer goes to the second step, the updater still works totally fine. This means that the SWUpdate.xml is loaded just once, at startup, and it's not loaded again after going to the second step!

So the "trick" is not actually working. It's funny, and weird, that you used this method for some time and you still heard differences.

Feel free to test this yourself.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 28, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> @MrWalkman included the EU region changer is just like offering people a chance to tryout the curse lol



Just helping people out. I personally wasn't that curious to try any other tuning yet.



DatDudeNic said:


> So I'm still at wm1z/a+ (without dseehx) I own the wm1a (switched to 1z via switcher). Do I still need to go through the chameleon 1.3 or do i go directly to the wm1az+ 1.3? Sorry if my question is already answered in a previous page/reply but I'm just a bit confused. I arrived so late in the game and not sure where or what page answers this. Thanks!



No, you can just install the latest versions.

In order to restore the original "Certificates" images, follow the indications in the main post.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15747959


----------



## Duncan

MrWalkman said:


> Please welcome, the...
> 
> *Region Changer*
> 
> ...


This is the stuff of legend - the walls that stopped various tunings working have come tumbling down!

An over-priced UK beer is on its way to you now


----------



## Morbideath

MrWalkman said:


> It still doesn't use the latest version of the WM1A/Z+ firmware, and people would have to go back and restore the Certificates images after using that previous version of the firmware.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


if you delete the SWUpdate.xml in the Device folder, before the installer goes to the second step, the updater still works totally fine. This *doesn't neccesarily* mean that the SWUpdate.xml is loaded just once, at startup. 
Many have already tried and witnessed. 
And for the latest version, just combine your upg with the xml then it's finely updated. Whitigir host the files so i can't make such changes. 
Btw the orange logo rocks!


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 28, 2020)

Duncan said:


> This is the stuff of legend - the walls that stopped various tuning working have come tumbling down!
> 
> An over-priced UK beer is on its way to you now



Haha, thanks man!

Infinite beer 🤣:








Morbideath said:


> if you delete the SWUpdate.xml in the Device folder, before the installer goes to the second step, the updater still works totally fine. This *doesn't neccesarily* mean that the SWUpdate.xml is loaded just once, at startup.
> Many have already tried and witnessed.



Ok, sure, will test it with a process analyzer. That will tell us exactly what the Software Update tool is reading and from what folder.

It looks like this:






Morbideath said:


> And for the latest version, just combine your upg with the xml then it's finely updated. Whitigir host the files so i can't make such changes.



Hopefully Whitigir will change it.



Morbideath said:


> Btw the orange logo rocks!



Thanks! The old Sony Ericsson Walkman days.


----------



## Morbideath

MrWalkman said:


> Ok, sure, will test it with a process analyzer. That will tell us exactly what the Software Update tool is reading and from what folder.


Would u pls also examine when the installation starts running, replacing the xml after 10% and right before 40% progress bar on PC, whether the new xml is loaded. Many in China uses such operation to bypass ID check.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 28, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> if you delete the SWUpdate.xml in the Device folder, before the installer goes to the second step, the updater still works totally fine. This *doesn't neccesarily* mean that the SWUpdate.xml is loaded just once, at startup.
> Many have already tried and witnessed.
> And for the latest version, just combine your upg with the xml then it's finely updated. Whitigir host the files so i can't make such changes.
> Btw the orange logo rocks!





Morbideath said:


> Would u pls also examine when the installation starts running, replacing the xml after 10% and right before 40% progress bar on PC, whether the new xml is loaded. Many in China uses such operation to bypass ID check.







Exactly what I was thinking. The SWUpdate.xml file is loaded only at startup, and it's never loaded again afterwards.

What is the Software Update tool doing in the image?

1. (red color) When you first start it, it reads the "SWUpdate.xml" file and the "disclaimer_en.txt" file (depending on your computer's language)
2. (green color) After you go to the second step and then you start the update process, the Software Update tool reads the "NW_WM_FW.UPG" file, which is the firmware, and then it sends it to your Walkman device (the "I:\NW_WM_FW.UPG" in the screenshot, in my case)

The difference in seconds, from 16 to 36, is the time I took to enable the Mass Storage mode on my player. I then went to the second step, and started the update process.

And that's the only thing that the Software Update tool reads from the folders.

Feel free to test it yourself, the Process Monitor executable can be found here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon

With that being said, I'm really not sure what you guys witnessed...


----------



## Morbideath

MrWalkman said:


> Exactly what I was thinking. The SWUpdate.xml file is loaded only at startup, and it's never loaded again afterwards.
> 
> What is the Software Update tool doing in the image?
> 
> ...


Thx! Very handy info


----------



## Duncan

It really is some unholy trinity - the combination of @MrWalkman and the ability to manipulate the internal settings, and @Whitigir and @Morbideath for the Cerberus+ tuning!

I have been sat between 1A+ and 1Z+ for a couple of weeks now, since the idea was first conceived - mostly on 1Z+. I love the organic warmness - Cerberus+ has added even more enjoyment (now that I can install it... that is a boon!)

Anyway - whilst ears are not the most reliable tools, I can say that it would appear that swapping out the xml file did not have the desired result (at least for the EU version of the player), as the tonality was different using that method rather than using the installer with the modified region.


----------



## Morbideath

Duncan said:


> It really is some unholy trinity - the combination of @MrWalkman and the ability to manipulate the internal settings, and @Whitigir and @Morbideath for the Cerberus+ tuning!
> 
> I have been sat between 1A+ and 1Z+ for a couple of weeks now, since the idea was first conceived - mostly on 1Z+. I love the organic warmness - Cerberus+ has added even more enjoyment (now that I can install it... that is a boon!)
> 
> Anyway - whilst ears are not the most reliable tools, I can say that it would appear that swapping out the xml file did not have the desired result (at least for the EU version of the player), as the tonality was different using that method rather than using the installer with the modified region.


I don't deserve any praise man. Im just a  fan trying to help out.
I still don't get it since Cerberus doesn't contain any 00010000 code but it installs on my Japanese unit just fine, yet EU cannot.


----------



## captblaze

Morbideath said:


> I don't deserve any praise man. Im just a  fan trying to help out.
> I still don't get it since Cerberus doesn't contain any 00010000 code but it installs on my Japanese unit just fine, yet EU cannot.



just thinking out loud, but could the fact that EU versions are volume limited be a factor in why they have issues while U & J don't?


----------



## Morbideath

captblaze said:


> just thinking out loud, but could the fact that EU versions are volume limited be a factor in why they have issues while U & J don't?


Volume cap is just a parameter to change with Rockbox. I don't know how it could be related to FW installation. 
Long time no see man


----------



## captblaze

Morbideath said:


> Volume cap is just a parameter to change with Rockbox. I don't know how it could be related to FW installation.
> Long time no see man



when I change to a different player using the switcher tool, the rockbox tool shows the original player, not the updated one

likewise on the long time... I tend to lurk and then say a few things and then back under my rock


----------



## RobertP (Jul 28, 2020)

During install fw process, it's not too late to edit and save XML file (tune parameter) before it hit 42%. I did a quick change so many times while tuning and it works. Just saying.


----------



## MrWalkman

RobertP said:


> During install fw process, it's not too late to edit and save XML file (tune parameter) right before it hit 42%. I did a quick change so many times while tuning and it works. Just saying.



Well, if you say that "how you think it works" is "more true" than actual facts, then whatever floats your boat man.



MrWalkman said:


> Exactly what I was thinking. The SWUpdate.xml file is loaded only at startup, and it's never loaded again afterwards.
> 
> What is the Software Update tool doing in the image?
> 
> ...


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> Well, if you say that "how you think it works" is "more true" than actual facts, then whatever floats your boat man.


Like I said, keeping it simple with Mr. Walkman’s stuff. Thank you, again, sir.


----------



## Duncan

Wow, that dislodged any earwax that may've been in my ears...

Erich Kunzel's version of the 1812 overture, I decided to go for it - high gain, 105 on the volume...  yowzers! the FH7 stood their ground admirably (The best I ever heard that was with the Philips M1 over ears - maximum volume, the earcups moved...) 

I'm sure youtube kills the dynamics, but - the part in question:


----------



## firemess

Anyone tried the Cerberus+ on WM1a?


----------



## proedros (Jul 28, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Like I said, keeping it simple with Mr. Walkman’s stuff. Thank you, again, sir.



same here , also seeing that* cerberus was tuned on a U region* , so it's a pass for me as i am on J region 

and i have to be sincere here - i think it's sloppy releasing something that does not work 100% and causing all this confuson

less is more , i guess.

my 2 cents , and i am back on wm1a/z+


----------



## Mystic Traveller

MrWalkman said:


> *CHAMELEON **(stock sound)*
> *How to:* First install this firmware, and then go to "Settings", "Device Settings", "Reset/Format/Model Switcher",
> and then choose "Switch Device Model". *After switching the model, install this firmware again, in
> order to fully apply the 1Z sound signature to your 1A.*



A clarifying question, Mr. SuperSonic  - if my 1A is already switched to 1Z (1Z+ installed), then am I right
that after flashing Chameleon it will remain as 1Z and there is no need to 
switching the model, install this firmware again as above? Many thanks!


----------



## MrWalkman

Mystic Traveller said:


> A clarifying question, Mr. SuperSonic  - if my 1A is already switched to 1Z (1Z+ installed), then am I right
> that after flashing Chameleon it will remain as 1Z and there is no need to
> switching the model, install this firmware again as above? Many thanks!



Exactly. You can switch between mods, and the model will not change. You can look at the Unit Information menu after flashing Chameleon, to confirm it.

Just remember to switch back to the original model if you wish to go back to stock.


----------



## Gamerlingual

proedros said:


> same here , also seeing that* cerberus was tuned on a U region* , so it's a pass for me as i am on J region
> 
> and i have to be sincere here - i think it's sloppy releasing something that does not work 100% and causing all this confuson
> 
> ...


I also question the timing of the release as well. But as told, I’ll just stick to Mr. Walkman’s FMs. They’ve done huge wonders for the community. Cheers @MrWalkman


----------



## aceedburn

WM1A/z+ on 1A switched to 1Z is all I’ll ever need. No need to fool around with any other tuning anymore for me. And the battery life is fantastic.


----------



## lumdicks

Gamerlingual said:


> I also question the timing of the release as well. But as told, I’ll just stick to Mr. Walkman’s FMs. They’ve done huge wonders for the community. Cheers @MrWalkman


It is personal choice of using which modded firmwares but all of @MrWalkman , @Whitigir and @Morbideath deserve a big salute for their wonderful works and unselfish sharing.

I think we as free riders should show more respect to them.


----------



## proedros

aceedburn said:


> *WM1A/z+ on 1A switched to 1Z* is all I’ll ever need. No need to fool around with any other tuning anymore for me. And the battery life is fantastic.



yeah , the 4 tunings available here 1a(with/without reapplying the FW) + 1z(with/without reapplying the FW) are enough for me too


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 28, 2020)

lumdicks said:


> It is personal choice of using which modded firmwares but all of @MrWalkman , @Whitigir and @Morbideath deserve a big salute for their wonderful works and unselfish sharing.
> 
> I think we as free riders should show more respect to them.




I don't mean to spoil the party, but I read most of the things around here, and we shouldn't overlook some things though.


Morbideath said:


> Any FW above T5 level, aka Solis, need more than running the exe to install and be done with it. For the FW to fully work as intended we need to exploit some unexpected bugs and some workarounds. These can't be easily applied to most device on a mass scale and may have the chance to brick your device, not to mention if we make the bug public, Sony will surely fix it. A bug is not like modifying codes which is harmless.





Morbideath said:


> As for the performance, i managed to flash Helios (T7) on my rented stock 1A. It doesn't sound much different than Solis T5. And there are some harshness inherited by stock 1A itself. Now Chronos is T10 level so i don't expect it to do anything special on stock 1A either. Attention again, such FW installation involves more than running an exe but more operations, so don't need to try it.




Cerberus was said to be Tier 10, and I guess that the exploiting/workaround is actually the swapping of the XML file, which it doesn't actually work (see *here*). Also, I don't personally see how this could brick the player.



Whitigir said:


> Now you know why I kept on with those tier differences , and never went beyond it or release anything beyond it. Because it wouldn’t help anything. Even with Veritas series, stock Walkmans can not hold up, but with tier 4 Walkman hardware, you will witness it yourself
> 
> Now your Blackgate needed to be opened, We welcome you with Cerberus



Again, the mentioning that if you don't match the tier of the tuning with the tier of the player (through hardware modding), then stock players would not benefit from using a higher tier tuning, especially a tier 10 one.

Now suddenly it also benefits stock players. And there are other things claimed before, that are not true. It's a bit fishy, and this is only my opinion, backed up by facts.

Cheers.


Edit: To Morbideath and Whitigir, and anyone else who may do a tuning mod, feel free to use the WM1A/Z+ UPG with the Cerberus tuning, but I would really advise using the latest version of it, at least.


----------



## audionewbi

If anyone is wondering about the Sony DSEE feature, here is visual proof of it. I know this is not the same, this one is on the actual PC, but this is still good enough to demonstrate the purpose.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 28, 2020)

There was a question, if changing the region will also alter the sound, as changing the destination does.

I actually have no idea, as this is the first time we also changed regions, so feel free to experiment.

If there would be any change, it should be a subtle change, like with tuning mods.

As with switching models, I recommend installing any firmware again after changing the region.


REGIONS or VARIANTS​DESTINATIONS (this is what we were able to change until now)​*Universal/Japanese/European*​*J/U/CA/CEV/CEW/CN/KR/E/MX3/etc.  **(more info)*​

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2794#post-15766039


----------



## Blueoris

@MrWalkman your hard-headed approach, combined with your professional demeanour is appreciated in this thread.

What's your favourite beer by the way?


----------



## MrWalkman

Blueoris said:


> @MrWalkman your hard-headed approach, combined with your professional demeanour is appreciated in this thread.



Thanks!



Blueoris said:


> What's your favourite beer by the way?








Haha, just a bad joke.

I usually drink Budweiser, it's a Czech lager  But good beer is good beer, when you're thirsty, especially in the summer, any cold beer is good!


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 28, 2020)

@MrWalkman , all the props go to you and with due respects.  Like I kept saying the last couple posts.

1/ First and most important, *no one know how to crack* the firmware on Walkman, _and *UPG* back then, *everyone kept it behind the door just as you are keeping how you are cracking the UPG*, for the sake of Sony not peeking and patching it up.  _
Also, once you cracked the main UPG, there are possibilities that you could crack it again regardless if or when Sony patch up the securities.  It is much and seriously Much more differences than just able to “extract” the firmwares into packages, and tweak the XML.  It was the more reasons to keep the ”hacks” behind the door

2/ tuning has it limitations, as you already see, and again, everyone knew that there are more to be done within the UPG, but No one could have cracked it.  This, was explicitly mentioned over and over even before many different tunings came out from me.  For example, @Morbideath mentioned that “here are a few firmwares tweaked by Chinese pioneers, *but there are a big black box* that no one know how to work around with”.  Different changes, effected how the player sounds.  *Back then, *our limitations stopped at, the higher the tuning, *the only beta testers with hardware modified could have benefits.  *We could only stated what were the facts back then

3/ Why did we keep Cerberus away ? The truth as mentioned above.  The reason “you could have brick the player”, were a made up reason to keep people at Bay.  Once again, my apologies, but we kept on saying that we had limits.

4/ I promised people that I would release that tuning, when the time is ripe, which is now.  I didn’t meant to release it to have someone looked back into the past limitations and what we had to go with to “calm“ people down back then, and then pointed toward us.  With all due respects, I release it because I promised it, and *I would always share what I could, when I could, for example, Hardware modifications, and how to/where to buy which parts, which components to improve one player*.  Not only the Walkman, but also other players.

5/ another fact is that, hardware modified players would Hugely benefits from the modified firmwares.  It is what it is, and people have been comparing them side by side.  Just like modifying a car, with a turbo, and a tune.

Now, it is over.  We could just let the past rest and move on ?  I do not understand why we had to go through this again.  It brought sad memories, and reminded me of a member @morgenstern09 with bumps into us.  I wondered what happened to him.

Me on another hand, personally happy for people to see what you could have done with the player, the firmware.  Enjoy it folks!  I still don’t know what happened to the PS3 hacker back then VS Sony in the court, whatever his name was.  People will benefits, but the people who is responsible is the one who pioneering the hammer that cracked the egg , beware the hammer


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 28, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> 1/ First and most important, no one know how to crack the firmware on Walkman, _and UPG back then, everyone kept it behind the door just as you are keeping how you are cracking the UPG, for the sake of Sony not peeking and patching it up._



I don't see how this is relevant with the fact that there were claims that stock players cannot benefit from high tier tunings, and now they suddenly can.



Whitigir said:


> 2/ tuning has it limitations, as you already see, and again, everyone knew that there are more to be done within the UPG, but No one could have cracked it. This, was explicitly mentioned over and over even before many different tunings came out from me. For example, @Morbideath mentioned that “here are a few firmwares tweaked by Chinese pioneers, *but there are a big black box* that no one know how to work around with”. Different changes, effected how the player sounds. *Back then, *our limitations stopped at, the higher the tuning, *the only beta testers with hardware modified could have benefits. *We could only stated what were the facts back then



Still don't see how the stock players can now benefit from high tier tunings. The hardware is the same as back then. I don't think that the WM1A/Z+ mod suddenly improves the stock players' hardware.



Whitigir said:


> 3/ Why did we keep Cerberus away ? The truth as mentioned above. The reason “you could have brick the player”, were a made up reason to keep people away. Once again, my apologies, but we kept on saying that we had limits.



I don't personally agree with making up reasons on why should someone not share something. You could have just kept it at "stock players do not benefit from high tier tunings". Only my 2 cents on that.



Whitigir said:


> 4/ I promised people that I would release that tuning, when the time is ripe, which is now. I didn’t meant to release it to have someone looked back into the past limitations and what we had to go with to “calm“ people down back then, and then pointed toward us. With all due respects, I release it because I promised it, and *I would always share what I could, when I could, for example, Hardware modifications, and how to/where to buy which parts, which components to improve one player*. Not only the Walkman, but also other players.



Releasing something when the time is ripe *VS* stock players cannot benefit from higher tier tunings is not the same thing.


Whitigir said:


> 5/ another fact is that, hardware modified players would Hugely benefits from the modified firmwares. It is what it is, and people have been comparing them side by side. Just like modifying a car, with a turbo, and a tune.



I can understand that, but now it seems this is not really that applicable anymore, right?



Whitigir said:


> Now, it is over. We could just let the past rest and move on ? I do not understand why we had to go through this again.



I don't really like people getting away with telling something today, and tomorrow they change their minds completely. I just went through the posts and I felt like highlighting those claims, in comparison to the recent claims that were made. As I mentioned, there were many more false claims made in regards to tunings, the upgrade process, etc., and things like this really annoy me.

I would advise stopping claiming stuff so surely unless you can really back up those claims with facts.

I really don't understand what's the problem with bringing that up. Do you mean to say that it's ok to claim things when you cannot back them up with facts?

As I said, I only felt the need to highlight that, and I hope this kind of behavior stops. I think everyone appreciates what you've done, but let's not make up stuff.

If anyone truly disagrees with this, then I have no idea what's wrong with that person, or what's their thought process.

Cheers.



Whitigir said:


> I still don’t know what happened to the PS3 hacker back then VS Sony in the court, whatever his name was. People will benefits, but the people who is responsible is the one who pioneering the hammer that cracked the egg , beware the hammer



What does this have to do with the topic of this discussion? Should I feel threatened or what? I just don't get why you would just throw that at the end of your argument.

I don't know, this whole thing just leaves a bad taste in my mouth, honestly.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 28, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> I don't see how this is relevant with the fact that there were claims that stock players cannot benefit from high tier tunings, and now they suddenly can.



Stock players did benefit from the tuning, the higher tuning did not benefit them Per Ser the Beta testers and feed backs.  We could only claim what were the facts back then, and everything can change as time goes by, the world is not just Black and White.....Rome was a Supreme country back then, and now they can not claim it anymore



MrWalkman said:


> Still don't see how the stock players can now benefit from high tier tunings. The hardware is the same as back then. I don't think that the WM1A/Z+ mod suddenly improves the stock players' hardware.



From beta testers, @ttt123 for example, did tell me that he did not like Cerberus tuning with his hardware modified player, and with all due respects, it was only released a couple days ago.  Sound performances and preferences are a personal things, and is subjective.  He may not be the only one, and there may be some other tuning that he would enjoy more.  Also, practicality of the new UI May also play a bigger role



MrWalkman said:


> I don't personally agree with making up reasons on why should someone not share something. You could have just kept it at "stock players do not benefit from high tier tunings". Only my 2 cents on that.



The same reason as why you don’t want to share how to crack up the UPG.  What if people keep pushing you and pursue that idea constantly ?  Beside, no region codes within that tuning, people may not all benefit anyways.  We kept it tweaking and tuning with what sounded best with what players we had on hands



MrWalkman said:


> Releasing something when the time is ripe VS stock players cannot benefit from higher tier tunings is not the same thing.


It isn’t the same thing, but it is relevant.  Because back then, UPG was not cracked, people could not tune and tweak from the inside, which many have suspected that the S-Master chips and or the SOC access.  So the limitations of XML ended at stock players and uncrackable UPG



MrWalkman said:


> I can understand that, but now it seems this is not really that applicable anymore, right?



It is still applicable as Hardware Modified players still is different and benefits more than Stock players.  There is no way OFC cables can be superior than Silver cables (scientifically, silver is superior conductor), the same thing as Pentium II CPU can not out perform Pentium VII.....and people had been comparing them sides by sides.  Now then, some may like and some may not like it....but the facts is the facts, Better hardware will always be better.



MrWalkman said:


> I don't really like people getting away with telling something today, and tomorrow they change their minds completely. I just went through the posts and I felt like highlighting those claims, in comparison to the recent claims that were made. As I mentioned, there were many more false claims made in regards to tunings, the upgrade process, etc., and things like this really annoys me.



it annoys you, just because you are able to hack into it better.  *It also annoyed me and seriously Sadden me* when I had to “make up claims” to keep people at bay, to later on bring it out to lights, which I am explaining now when the time is ripe.  I am an upstanding person, and I have been in the forums for ways too long.....again, this reminds me of @morgenstein09, and I wonder what happened to him, I hope he is all well



MrWalkman said:


> Do you mean to say that it's ok to claim things when you cannot back them up with facts?Do you mean to say that it's ok to claim things when you cannot back them up with facts?I would advise stopping claiming stuff so surely unless you can really back up those claims with facts.
> 
> I really don't understand what's the problem with bringing that up. Do you mean to say that it's ok to claim things when you cannot back them up with facts?
> 
> ...


You don’t have to advise me to stop those claims.  One of the reason why I went away for a while was to stay away from all of this mess, when people kept on asking for something I couldn’t give (I was not the first one to find out the package extractions method either, I was only invited in to help the tuning).  Then again, mature people can understand what I had gone through, and what I am saying now

No, I am never Ok with claiming things without back up.  Again, people reported back that stock players did not do well with higher tier tuning, and that was what it was.....S-Master or SOC tuning and tweaking couldn’t be done back then, and I couldn’t state out the reason why, because no one really know how they behave within the UPG.  *Now, I am not sure how the external tuning would synergize or play out with UPG tweaking internally*...some may like it and some may not and that is ok

Fact! Hardware modified players, still benefit better from Firmware modifications.  Some like it better, and some still don’t.....personal preferences is god in this hobby, not you or me

Now, I am ok with “made up claims” that hurts no one, to keep people at Bay for the time being, and then explain later.  Whenever I got pushed to doing that, it seriously Sadden me, why don’t people become more understanding for us who is trying to bring them the benefits without hurting us ?  So yes, this brings back “sad memories” for me, personally.
It would be the same thing as if people would attack you because you won’t be sharing “how to crack and hack UPG”, while you are the one that would be held accountable in court, if Sony bring the Hammer upon all of this


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 28, 2020)

@MrWalkman I think he was just afraid of Sony knocking on his door for releasing tons of custom firmwares before.
  I do have a modified hardware so I could hear and appreciate changes in the tuning but I’m not sure about folks who has the stock units who might or might not hear the big differences but this is not a bad thing to look at since there are tons of tuning to choose from to fit someone’s need


----------



## Morbideath (Jul 28, 2020)

@MrWalkman has gifted us great FW with improved functionalities, @Whitigir has gifted us (though not everyone appreciates) improved sound tunings. I myself got tons of music collection to enjoy with the new FW Cerberus+. Let's not waste time on debating such matters, not to say suspecting their motives.
A huge thank you to MrWalkman and Whitigir, you are both talented people who should not be held back by these lesser dramas.


----------



## MrWalkman

Whitigir said:


> The same reason as why you don’t want to share how to crack up the UPG. What if people keep pushing you and pursue that idea constantly ?



I already said "I cannot do that", and I think it's really simple to do. I would never just make up reasons. What if someone will actually found out that I lied? It would not be cool.



Whitigir said:


> You don’t have to advise me to stop those claims. One of the reason why I went away for a while was to stay away from all of this mess, when people kept on asking for something I couldn’t give (I was not the first one to find out the package extractions method either, I was only invited in to help the tuning). Then again, mature people can understand what I had gone through, and what I am saying now



I already stated my opinion on this, you can just say no and no. You don't have to make up things.



Whitigir said:


> it annoys you, just because you are able to hack into it better



Nope, it simply annoys me because it implies stating false claims. It's that simple.



gearofwar said:


> @MrWalkman I think he was just afraid of Sony knocking on his door for releasing tons of custom firmwares before.
> I do have a modified hardware so I could hear and appreciate changes in the tuning but I’m not sure about folks who has the stock units who might or might not hear the big differences



I will never agree with simply lying to someone, just because you think they don't know better. If some people asked something that I couldn't share, I simply said I cannot share info about that. I don't get what's so hard to do.



Whitigir said:


> I am an upstanding person, and I have been in the forums for ways too long.....again, this reminds me of @morgenstein09, and I wonder what happened to him, I hope he is all well



While reading the threads, I actually noticed some back and forth between him and some of you, and I really couldn't understand why all that was necessary, especially when facts where brought up, like the update process and the fact that the DMP-Z1 firmware cannot be partially applied, which is all described on the Rockbox wiki (*link here*). It probably reminds you of him because he also seemed to try bring up that some stuff you were saying was not true, and it's incredible to see how some of you were still arguing in your favor, when the facts were presented.

Facts matter!

I really don't feel good arguing over things like this. If you feel like doing that in the future as well, then I'm really sorry, and I don't think it's something ok to do. Someday, those false claims may come back to bite you.


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 28, 2020)

@Whitigir could you please revise the firmware based on the new installer ? thanks
I guess your decision to keep the firmware in the private annoyed some of the people here. Personally, I’m cool if you go all out releasing Cerberus to folks who might need it


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 28, 2020)

The only false claim I would admit to is “Cerberus” could possibly “brick” the player.  Just because I did stated that I could not share it, and people kept on asking.  Also that it did not have region codes for many regions.  There is no other “false claims”.  No, I do not like doing it, and that was why I was away for a while.

stating “stock players“ do not benefit further from higher tuning was based on collected feedbacks.  If you thought that was a false claim, then so be it.  If you think that hardware modified player are not superior than stock player then so be it, this is   Just as much as cables

DMP-Z1 and UPG did not install, it was not in our understanding back then when firmware mod first released.  Later on, that it was understood better, many people stopped doing that.  Why am I reminded of @morgenstein09 ? Because he did not understand why we wouldn’t share on how to modify firmware with him, personally.  However, I did point him Toward into looking for Chinese forum where all of this originated from.  I also pointed him toward Redbox tool to see if he could help on cracking the UPG as he stated to me personally that He is very knowledgeable about these stuff.  The claim that no one could have proven, except if he could crack that UPG....but now he is gone.

Understand this , I am not the first one to hack Sony firmware, neither is @Morbideath .  I came into the scence just because @Morbideath invited me and showed me how those Chinese did, and hope I could help tuning.  My limitations stopped at whatever @Morbideath could share


----------



## Maxx134 (Jul 28, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


> Hiya, mates!
> I am wondering if somebody has already compared a stock 1A "converted" to 1Z with a switch and the 1Z FW
> with a stock 1Z in a sort of blind listening test?
> 
> ...


Yes I did over weekend and will post results.



Redcarmoose said:


> The thing is the 1A with these mods, has a new and exciting sound


Yes I agree 💯 that is the case when comparison to 1z with upgrade.




Redcarmoose said:


> but the 1A is just so fun.


Yes this software upgrade sound results in more this type impression, I agree 💯.



Redcarmoose said:


> The 1Z may still have a better front to back soundstage


Yes you are 💯 percent correct this is exactly what is the case, and I am fairly certain these differences are because of the different caps of the two players.



Redcarmoose said:


> But the crazy part is on paper the stock 1Z should win. It has a more complete sound, it has more physicality to the imaging elements? The 1Z should by all accounts be better here? Yet in the end the 1A even seems to have better transient response?


Yes this is correct 💯 percent.
Although the 1z can be technically better and slight more space front to back, the 1a seems to have more contrast and liveliness.
It makes the 1a to me more addicting, yet less totally accurate in presentation, because all of the 1z soundstage and fluid effortlessness is not fully realized.
But it doesn't matter when it comes to music enjoyment.



gearofwar said:


> Not as good my desktop system which is overkill but it is pretty nice


It is not with 1a stock, but it is with 1a with Mrwalkman firmware upgrade.



hamhamhamsta said:


> Of course, I don't think it could be compared to higher end desktop system,


It is with both a firmware and hardware upgrade.
My 1z is not fully hardware upgraded yet but can easily beat out many desktop with both the firmware upgrade and my existing kmod ( which is mainly just a wire upgrade).



Vitaly2017 said:


> Rocking 1z stock today still on 1a+


I need to try this!



Mindstorms said:


> I dont understand why in a premium 3000US dollar device we dont count with sony suport adding DSEE HX AI to our firmwares as courtesy? since we all have been loyal customers and some you guys even buying IEMs and top tier desktop amps i think sony fails there dont you guys agree?


I don't understand either.
Mrwalkman was able to get it activated, so why didn't Sony have it integrated?
That's not nice.



Whitigir said:


> . I have got words that *people need a Rese*t (if they have installed 1A/Z +).


Actually I was under that impression from a mixing of many tunnig mods, not the latest firmware.
Only one person I heard had that issue and was mixing tunnings.


----------



## Maxx134

Whitigir said:


> @morgenstein09, and I wonder what happened to him, I hope he is all well


I'm guessing he got a gag order..




Duncan said:


> This is the stuff of legend - the walls that stopped various tunings working have come tumbling down!
> 
> An over-priced UK beer is on its way to you now


Can someone point out which version is best, or more capable in features?



Duncan said:


> Wow, that dislodged any earwax that may've been in my ears...
> 
> Erich Kunzel's version of the 1812 overture, I decided to go for it - high gain, 105 on the volume...  yowzers! the FH7 stood their ground admirably (The best I ever heard that was with the Philips M1 over ears - maximum volume, the earcups moved...)
> 
> I'm sure youtube kills the dynamics, but - the part in question:



You have to be careful with that track.
The transients of the bomb blast can hurt your hearing without you noticing it because of how sharp & quick they are..




firemess said:


> Anyone tried the Cerberus+ on WM1a?


I have a similar question.
Has anyone applied an old tunning to the new firmware?
For instance, is  Cerberus similar to the old dmp-z1 tunnig mods?




Whitigir said:


> 5/ another fact is that, hardware modified players would Hugely benefits from the modified firmwares


I believe the main difference of the two players lie only in those caps changed.
So if people like the liveliness of the 1a, then changing caps will change that nature.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 28, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> The only false claim I would admit to is “Cerberus” could possibly “brick” the player.  Just because I did stated that I could not share it, and people kept on asking.  Also that it did not have region codes for many regions.  There is no other “false claims”.  No, I do not like doing it, and that was why I was away for a while.
> 
> stating “stock players“ do not benefit further from higher tuning was based on collected feedbacks.  If you thought that was a false claim, then so be it.  If you think that hardware modified player are not superior than stock player then so be it, this is   Just as much as cables
> 
> ...



I'm sorry, but I will just never agree to stating stuff as facts when you don't actually know for sure that this is how it works, or stating stuff just so people will leave you alone.



Whitigir said:


> It would be the same thing as if people would attack you because you won’t be sharing “how to crack and hack UPG”, while you are the one that would be held accountable in court, if Sony bring the Hammer upon all of this



They could attack me how much they would like, if I said no, then no it is, sorry for everyone who would get upset because of this.

I also got told two times that there were thoughts of some kind of monetization related to tunings. I don't think that people could tell me the same "lie" two times already by the way, as I also noticed morgenstein mentioning that, while browsing the posts.



Whitigir said:


> I still don’t know what happened to the PS3 hacker back then VS Sony in the court, whatever his name was. People will benefits, but the people who is responsible is the one who pioneering the hammer that cracked the egg , beware the hammer



Also, again, what is this? It feels like a little passive-aggressiveness really, combined with some indirect threatening.

I don't see this kind of behavior as originating from good intentions, and I wish to have nothing to do with people like that honestly.

I also wish to stop having this argument, as I already stated my opinion. If you think what you sometimes do it's something right to do, then good luck.

Edit: This really makes me wish I had a separate thread just for the WM1 mods, but I wouldn't like splitting this community we have here.


----------



## Maxx134 (Jul 28, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> I do have a modified hardware so I could hear and appreciate changes in the tuning but I’m not sure about folks who has the stock units who might or might not hear the big differences


I am of opinion that everything can be noticed on the stock players. The only difference is the caps.
They're just presenting the 1a stightly more lively, and the 1z slightly more relaxed/liquid/holographic.
But everything else comes thru both.
My reasoning is from my latest testing with both 1a & 1z over the weekend. So my impressions are still fresh in memory.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 28, 2020)

Honestly, I didn’t even know anything about PS3 hacker. @Redcarmoose brought it to my attentions and since then Firmware sharing were limited.  I didn’t look at it as any threats either, I appreciated what he brought into my attentions

So... I don’t threaten anyone .  Please, understand that.  I simply pass on the warning from a member to you @MrWalkman


----------



## MrWalkman

Whitigir said:


> Honestly, I didn’t even know anything about PS3 hacker. @Redcarmoose brought it to my attentions and since then Firmware sharing were limited.
> 
> I don’t threaten anyone .  I simply pass on the warning from a member to you @MrWalkman



There was no context to do that, this is what I meant. You just threw it there, as some plus in your argument.

Not cool, and it really doesn't help the modding community!

This is my last post in this argument, really.


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 28, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> I am of opinion that everything can be noticed on the stock players. The only difference is the caps.
> They're just presenting the 1a more lively, and the 1z more liquid/holographic.
> But everything else comes thru both.
> My reasoning is from my latest testing with both 1a & 1z over the weekend. So my impressions are still fresh in memory.


As I have realized this, wonder why there are folks who can’t hear anything with stock unit, what do you say? everybody hearing is different


----------



## aceedburn

Maxx134 said:


> I am of opinion that everything can be noticed on the stock players. The only difference is the caps.
> They're just presenting the 1a stightly more lively, and the 1z slightly more relaxed/liquid/holographic.
> But everything else comes thru both.
> My reasoning is from my latest testing with both 1a & 1z over the weekend. So my impressions are still fresh in memory.


Indeed. I have always thought that the difference between the 1A and 1Z is less than 5%. And it doesn’t warrant the double price tag at all.


----------



## Whitigir

MrWalkman said:


> There was no context to do that, this is what I meant. You just threw it there, as some plus in your argument.
> 
> Not cool, and it really doesn't help the modding community!
> 
> This is my last post in this argument, really.


It isn’t cool, but see ? One The reason why people kept the hacking away was exactly this also.  You did bring it up and I just explaining it away.  No argument.


----------



## gearofwar

@Whitigir Personally , I think both of you are great talented people in this group. Nothing will come out good if you two don’t stop fighting. Hows about shaking hands?


----------



## audionewbi (Jul 28, 2020)

I don't know what is going on here, it feels like when my parent used to fight and I didn't know which side to take.😁

Anyways, I'm happy and thankful that @MrWalkman manage to implement the DSEE HX AI, you just saved me buying a new DAP.
Now I'm looking back at dmp-z1 considering how good my stock wm1a sounds.
Thank you and I can't wait to see if DSD resampling can be something on wm1a.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 28, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> @Whitigir Personally , I think both of you are great talented people in this group. Nothing will come out good if you two don’t stop fighting. Hows about shaking hands?



Though I don't like arguing, and I already mentioned I will not continue the argument further, there is a saying:

The wolf changes his fur, but not his habits, so I'm kind of skeptic.

_"Lupum pilum mutare, non mores."_


----------



## Maxx134

Whitigir said:


> The same reason as why you don’t want to share how to crack up the UPG. What if people keep pushing you and pursue that idea constantly ?


I believe no one would attack someone for not sharing.

Most of community is beninfitting from the results. 

There may be some kind of a miscommunications.

We all benefit and are greatfull for all the mod tunnings of everyone in the past. They are all great works.

It should be obvious that certain info cannot be publicly divulged.
Better to keep those secrets in PMs.

This starting to get touchy, so
Let's please move on.


----------



## Lookout57

Duncan said:


> Wow, that dislodged any earwax that may've been in my ears...
> 
> Erich Kunzel's version of the 1812 overture, I decided to go for it - high gain, 105 on the volume...  yowzers! the FH7 stood their ground admirably (The best I ever heard that was with the Philips M1 over ears - maximum volume, the earcups moved...)
> 
> I'm sure youtube kills the dynamics, but - the part in question:



Have you heard the SACD version? I picked it up on Amazon a couple of months ago. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005AVNH/


----------



## Lookout57

MrWalkman said:


> Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The true original Budweiser, not the American crap.


----------



## gearofwar

Lookout57 said:


> The true original Budweiser, not the American crap.


I keep seeing the vommiting image when thinking about the Budweiser crap in US that they also mix with more water to sell for cheap


----------



## Whitigir

gearofwar said:


> I keep seeing the vommiting image when thinking about the Budweiser crap in US that they also mix with more water to sell for cheap


LOL!! I gotta agree, and at one time I tried a whole pack of it...needless to say I tried to swallow down 3 bottles...the rest went into my trees to nurture it


----------



## Duncan

Lookout57 said:


> Have you heard the SACD version? I picked it up on Amazon a couple of months ago. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005AVNH/


I got the hi res version from HDTrack many years ago (24/88.2) - one of my go to albums, can’t say I’ve tried the DSD / SACD version though - good to know, thanks


----------



## gearofwar

Whitigir said:


> LOL!! I gotta agree, and at one time I tried a whole pack of it...needless to say I tried to swallow down 3 bottles...the rest went into my trees to nurture it


Would you consider revising the Cerberus on the new installer? I’m really enjoying it


----------



## gerelmx1986

What so you think what will be presented at IFA thos year, tho it won't be the expo we usually know, more.like a webcast


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> What so you think what will be presented at IFA thos year, tho it won't be the expo we usually know, more.like a webcast


Reading more about it, it will last only three days.  From September 3rd to 5th


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Maxx134 said:


> Yes I did over weekend and will post results.


Thank you, mate - would be very nice to see those and your impressions as I, for instance, have no stock 1Z to compare.


----------



## Maxx134 (Jul 31, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


> Thank you, mate - would be very nice to see those and your impressions as I, for instance, have no stock 1Z to compare.


Ok, for this test, I used some of the best full sized cans(Focal Utopia,Denon 9200, Senn HD800), on the balanced out, and yes the Sony can do it without amplification:



So I compared the 1a and the 1Z, and upgraded them both to MrWalkman's (Mr. Sony?) amazing firmware, the " *WM1A/Z+, * but before the "1a to 1z" name change.



So here are my random initial thoughts that I notated as I was testing...

With the 1a upgraded to  *WM1A/Z+* , and then also loaded the "1a to 1z"(chameleon) tuning, the Tonality of both players was surprisingly very, very similar(!).
Almost sounded exactly same.

1a was a bit less fluid and with less depth, but also a bit more *intense* in the clarity(!)..

Going back to 1z, the slight more organic and fluild, and also  slight sense of ease in presentation was noted, compared to the 1a.

1a instead gave a touch more sense of _energy and excitement_, at the expense of slight *less* liquidity and dimensionally...

The energy from the 1a was amazingly *very* addicting... Actually _*extremely*_ addicting.

It makes you want to grab it more, over the more realistic , refined, and effortless sounding 1z!

But if I had to choose , yes it actually is hard choice now, as they both perform excellent, but differently...
In the end I am still keeping my 1z...


Edit**
It should be noted that the 1a needed the extra tuning of "chameleon"(1a to 1z) in order to elevate the player to the 1z level of refinement.

Without it on only "WM1A*/Z+"* , it sounded more coarse and raw and unrefined..
Edit**
My comparison was interpreted incorrectly, as it not course but in comparison to the sliky 1z tunning.
Apologies for the chaos of questions.

So I was incorrect in the assumptions, but both 1a firmwares were in comparison to the 1z with the wm1a/z+ firmware...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 28, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> Ok, for this test, I used some of the best full sized cans, on the balanced out, and yes the Sony can do it without amplification:
> 
> 
> So I compared the 1a and the 1Z, and upgraded them both to MrWalkman's (Mr. Sony?) amazing firmware, the " *WM1A/Z+, * but before the "1a to 1z" name change.
> ...







I know, the more I use the 1A with that combo the more I discover stuff. There are still albums which sound very fresh and diffident than I remember them being? I’m just getting started. :0


----------



## Maxx134 (Jul 28, 2020)

I am of the firm believe/opinion that this 1a & 1z difference lies "_mostly_" in the caps.


----------



## Maxx134

To me, it correlates to standard caps having more upfront energy, while better caps have more depth and liquidity, as sound is more of consideration,  instead of only performance.

Computer grade caps are known for their more bright forward nature and performance, so I am assuming a similar situation exist here, but at an excellent level of Sony choice design.


----------



## purk

Maxx134 said:


> I am of the firm believe/opinion that this 1a & 1z difference lies in the caps.


How about the F resistors and wiring materials on the headphones socket?  Same can be said with copper chassis used as grounding.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Maxx134 said:


> I am of the firm believe/opinion that this 1a & 1z difference lies in the caps.



Yes, hopefully some absolute lunatic will put the 1A capacitors in their 1Z with this firmware and report back here.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jul 28, 2020)

I feel that 1a and 1z are two different animals, its great to see the comparison but I find 1a to be the more natural sound while 1z to be the coloured one...

I also find 1z to hide some information behind that thick warmish like a melasse effect on top to the music. When you listen on 1a this thickness fades away and you suddently hear a whole new level of textures and details on the notes that you simply pretend hearing on 1z!

Yes 1z has a nice bass but its a slower and more wider bass vs 1a. To me 1a is all about being closer to natural sound and 1z about fun noble audiophile 😁

Yes 1a can be more energetic and slightly siblante at times but this treble openness is what makes the extra details to come out...


I think its a question of preference and what we like to hear... 1 thing for sure 1z is the only dap on the market to offer this this melasse sound flavor!


----------



## Maxx134 (Jul 28, 2020)

purk said:


> How about the F resistors and wiring materials on the headphones socket?  Same can be said with copper chassis used as grounding.


Yes that's a good point.
I would say those parts affect a %3-5 difference in resolve, but the character of how the resolve is performed  itself is different, and that type of difference actually describe & correlates to caps difference.



Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, hopefully some absolute lunatic will put the 1A capacitors in their 1Z with this firmware and report back here.


Lol 😂
I doubt that!


----------



## Maxx134 (Jul 29, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> find 1z to hide some information behind that thick warmish


I too have noticed a similar effect by 1Z  having a bit laid back presentation 

Is your observations on stock 1z also?
Doesn't the romi clear things up?

I plan to make my 1z a kaisie upgraded unit to compare in near future.


----------



## purk

Maxx134 said:


> Is this observations on stock 1z also?
> Doesn't the romi clear things up?
> 
> I plan to make my 1z a kaisie upgraded unit to compare in near future.


Please do and I think you will love these Sony players even more.  I modded both the 1A and 1Z with socket and battery wires upgrade and do really enjoy them.   I don’t have the gut to do the capacitors mod however.  I do enjoy the 1Z more than the 1A....just really dig a more analog and liquid tonality.  My favorite Sony DAP is @Whitigir’s modded 1AEM.


----------



## Redcarmoose

purk said:


> Please do and I think you will love these Sony players even more.  I modded both the 1A and 1Z with socket and battery wires upgrade and do really enjoy them.   I don’t have the gut to do the capacitors mod however.  I do enjoy the 1Z more than the 1A....just really dig a more analog and liquid tonality.  My favorite Sony DAP is @Whitigir’s modded 1AEM.



Remember it’s 100% better than the 1A.


----------



## purk

Redcarmoose said:


> Remember it’s 100% better than the 1A.


Which one again?  I have too many DAPs!  Joking aside, I love these Sony DAPs!


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jul 29, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> I too have noticed a similar effect by 1Z  having a bit laid back presentation
> 
> Is your observations on stock 1z also?
> Doesn't the romi clear things up?
> ...




Yes that was stock 1a vs 1z stock...

Romi is as natural as 1a but with 1z sound... Romi becomes very natural sounding.  That thick melasse is cleared and its pretty clean as sound then.
Romi is like a sound between 1z and 1a interesting enough to be positioned as a third sound character not same at all. I won't call romi sounding like 1a but neither as 1z hehe.

Romi is on its own level.


----------



## newworld666

Maxx134 said:


> Edit**
> It should be noted that the 1a needed the extra tuning of "chameleon"(1a to 1z) in order to elevate the player to the 1z level of refinement.
> 
> Without it on only "WM1A*/Z+"* , it sounded more coarse and raw and unrefined..


 
I didn't try the chamaleon, but for 2 months, all what I tried as "tuning", had strictly no earable effect on WM1A for europeen version.. The only effective mod is MrWalkman Z+ firmware, and it's a significant step, for sure.


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> I didn't try the chamaleon, but for 2 months, all what I tried as "tuning", had strictly no earable effect on WM1A for europeen version.. The only effective mod is MrWalkman Z+ firmware, and it's a significant step, for sure.



To clarify, CHAMELEON is a separate modded firmware.

WM1A/Z+ has a different sound that we know, while CHAMELEON has the stock 1A/1Z sound, and it's meant to make it possible to try the 1Z stock sound on the 1A, or even the stock 1A sound on the 1Z.


----------



## newworld666

MrWalkman said:


> To clarify, CHAMELEON is a separate modded firmware.
> 
> WM1A/Z+ has a different sound that we know, while CHAMELEON has the stock 1A/1Z sound, and it's meant to make it possible to try the 1Z stock sound on the 1A, or even the stock 1A sound on the 1Z.



He was clearly telling that the WM1A with the Z+ firmware could get "extra tuning" with the chameleon .. and with only the Z+  it sounded more coarse and raw and unrefined..

As with my europeen firmware I never got any improvement with all modded firmware these last months, I am not sure I have a way to make the sound of my WM1A  less coarse and raw and ore refined while keeping ypur Z+ firmware


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> He was clearly telling that the WM1A with the Z+ firmware could get "extra tuning" with the chameleon .. and with only the Z+ it sounded more coarse and raw and unrefined..



No idea what that was, but installing CHAMELEON after WM1A/Z+ will just replace the WM1A/Z+ mod, it will not be added on top or anything.


----------



## aceedburn

newworld666 said:


> He was clearly telling that the WM1A with the Z+ firmware could get "extra tuning" with the chameleon .. and with only the Z+  it sounded more coarse and raw and unrefined..
> 
> As with my europeen firmware I never got any improvement with all modded firmware these last months, I am not sure I have a way to make the sound of my WM1A  less coarse and raw and ore refined while keeping ypur Z+ firmware


Chameleon will overwrite WM1A/z+ and vice versa. There will never be tunings overlaying with another. One overwrites the other. That’s how it was meant to be.


----------



## Ghostsounds (Jul 29, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> With the 1a upgraded to *WM1A/Z+* , and then also loaded the "1a to 1z"(chameleon) tuning, the Tonality of both players was surprisingly very, very similar(!).


Hi, on your 1a did you switch to 1z or stayed on 1a using the switcher for this element of your test? Thanks. 
BTW really interesting and thanks for sharing!


----------



## newworld666 (Jul 29, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Chameleon will overwrite WM1A/z+ and vice versa. There will never be tunings overlaying with another. One overwrites the other. That’s how it was meant to be.



It's what I understood from yesterday, I was just surprised with his edit
Edit**
It should be noted that the *1a needed the extra tuning of "chameleon"*(1a to 1z) in order to elevate the player to the 1z level of refinement.
Without it on *only "WM1A/Z+"* , it sounded more coarse and raw and unrefined..

So, as I tried a lot of firmware tuning before MrWalkman's one .. none of them changed anything I could ear on my European WM1A ..
So maybe for other countries, it's worth to try ..
So I imagine for European WM1A => no choice than keep Z+ in 1Z selection


----------



## Nayparm (Jul 29, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> Yes that's a good point.
> I would say those parts affect a %3-5 difference in resolve, but the character of how the resolve is performed  itself is different, and that type of difference actually describe & correlates to caps difference.
> 
> 
> ...



Lol, I already tried 4 x Panasonic Oscons on the balanced out of a 1Z and the FT on a 1A while I was testing different cap combos, I couldn't tell any difference, i'm sure there is but not that I could hear unlike when testing with some of the other larger caps.


----------



## RYCeT

I'm confused now. Currently my 1A is on WM1A/Z+

I did it by installing WM1A/Z+. Change it to 1Z. Install WM1A/Z+ again. Is this wrong? 

Do I need to install WM1A chameleon, change it to 1Z and install WM1A/Z+ after that?


----------



## captblaze

RYCeT said:


> I'm confused now. Currently my 1A is on WM1A/Z+
> 
> I did it by installing WM1A/Z+. Change it to 1Z. Install WM1A/Z+ again. Is this wrong?
> 
> Do I need to install WM1A chameleon, change it to 1Z and install WM1A/Z+ after that?




Chameleon and WM1A/Z+ are different. Chameleon is stock sound that you can switch between A/Z where as WM1A/Z+ is a tuned version


----------



## RYCeT

captblaze said:


> Chameleon and WM1A/Z+ are different. Chameleon is stock sound that you can switch between A/Z where as WM1A/Z+ is a tuned version



I understand that. However, some seems to indicate in order to switch 1A to 1Z, we need to use the chameleon instead of the WM1A/Z+. Is this correct?


----------



## captblaze

RYCeT said:


> I understand that. However, some seems to indicate in order to switch 1A to 1Z, we need to use the chameleon instead of the WM1A/Z+. Is this correct?


they are separate and independent... you want stock sound.. Chameleon, you want some tweaks then WM1A/Z+ is your choice


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 29, 2020)

RYCeT said:


> I understand that. However, some seems to indicate in order to switch 1A to 1Z, we need to use the chameleon instead of the WM1A/Z+. Is this correct?



No, it's not correct. CHAMELEON is a totally separate firmware mod.

Please read the main post for indications, link in my signature (WM1 Mods).

Installing CHAMELEON over WM1A/Z+ will just completely replace WM1A/Z+, exactly like installing official 3.01 over official 3.02 for example.


Edit: added a clarification text in the main post.


MrWalkman said:


> *2. CHAMELEON*
> *Stock sound, with the possibility to switch the model between 1A and 1Z.*
> 
> _*CHAMELEON is a totally separate and independent firmware mod. Installing CHAMELEON after you
> installed WM1A/Z+, will just replace WM1A/Z+. They do not work together or anything like that.*_


----------



## WAmadeusM

*REVIEW: WM1 'Brothers - hardware comparison review using @MrWalkman mods.....curiouser and curiouser....*

Hello WM1'istas....

this is a late to the party....but better late than never...review of the W1A & WM1Zs - hardware - featuring @MrWalkman Chamelon & WM1ZA mods. 
Salutations also to @Whitigir for all the reviews of Sony Signature HWs - both pristine and hot-rodded.

The real comparison here is between the hardware - as Chamelon allows direct FW comparison playing out on respective WM1 HWs.  Both burned in over 300hrs.

*Baseline equipment:* 
headphones: MDR Z1R with Sony Kimber.  [also ACS T1 3BA iems] HD 600s [1997 vintage] 
Test music: strange for a classical nerd like me ...

Peter Gabriel Solsbury Hill; [mult panning effects, multi instruments, vocal. This really tests how @MrWalkman  WM1AZ+ impacts/improves or otherwise the sound field Vs WM stocks)

Carly Simon - Why? [bass placement, depth, impact and vocal layering combined in one space]

A Winged Victory for the Sullen  - We Played Some Open Chords  [strings, piano placement, timbre and decay]

All music on the internal memory.
All 44.1 16bit Redbook direct - no DPS.  I have lots of HR/DSD but I want to see how the players sing with the industry baseline HiRes - ie anything above destructive compression (Mp3 /AAC etc).

I work in audio production - and though north of 40 - sound is my passion and business - and I'm lucky enough to have protected my critical hearing  (so far) [....all of those HW reviews demanding ever-increasing headphone output ie A&Ks seems one of the most ironically self-destructive wish lists imaginable to me....anyways.....)  

So - I have a WM1A. And I'm in the very lucky position to be able to own a WM1Z - but I'm in the cooling-off online purchase period on the WM1Z.   

And in this period - as if by magic - @MrWalkman has created the possibility of directly comparing the WM1 'brothers'

*Results: *
*W1A performing as W1Z - *You can tell how the low bass freq has been lifted in this Z stock - lifts also in the 2kz range too. This definitely adds body to the W1A stock sound. But it does not give the low/mid freq presence of the W1Z in stock. So this is the hardware impact. Internal K cables, caps, and even the copper body. Ironically, as my investigations have led me...the W1Z stock FM may not actually suit these (1000s in cost) base hardware differences. 

*W1Z as W1A - * Now this is where I think the real, quantifiable, benefits have the greatest impact. 

Reviews of WM1Z with Z1R Sony Kimber (which is Sony's Sig promo position) have said they don't work well together ..."warmth" + "warmth". WM1s Z1Rs    And after this testing - I have to agree.  You are losing "sparkle" detail (especially in opera - where voices off stage or recessed in placement, can almost disappear in a pea-soup warm veil- eg in HiRes 96 khz 24bit version of classic Decca 1959 recording of Benjamin Britten's opera, Peter Grimes.  An absolute stereo era gold standard for recording production).  

There is something going on with the 5khz 'presence' range here, and the top end too, which is being reinforced by the equipment itself. I've heard this described as the 1Zs 'euphonic' tuning, or 'analogue' sound.  When you make an LP you have to compress the lowest bass, and highest top end to allow the machine to be able to cut the vinyl groove - this info is 'put back' to more/less degrees in amplification. Avoiding the Digital /Vinyl rabbit hole, all I will say is the W1Zs tuning overdoes the 'warmth' levels when adding to the existing hardware benefits of its low-end / presence freq response etc....which you can now clearly tell are there when comparing the WM1s. 

Thinking about it - I think what might have happened was the Sony Sig team could tell there was a benefit of better HW in WM1Z - but possibly it was not upfront enough to justify the cost difference. So the stock FW was tweaked up to 11 - to better demonstrate the hardware. But IMHO the WM1Z runs best on W1A stock - where the HW adds the missing X to provide a 'holographic' listening experience with the S-Master DAC. The 1A FM stock adds separation & air (often said to be missing in the W1Z), and the W1Z hardware brings the presence and 'thump'.  

*WM1ZA+ on WM1Z & W1A*
there are instant attractions to a 'details' head like me (esp on WM1Z) - the upper frequencies are lifted - but the magical 'presence' factor  [in 2kz & 5khz] on the WM1Z is diminished a little. And it has some issues with a song like Peter Gabriel's Solsury Hill - with the panning sfx and the quick shifts in timbre can play a bit of imaging havoc. But the option to have it is absolutely fantastic. 

*Conclusion *
I started out with the question is there any way to justify moving from WM1A to 1Z - in this utterly, often morally (money) ridiculous pursuit of audio nirvana?  

In conclusion, I think if @MrWalkman had not just worked some magic - the answer would be, for me, no. Because the loss of details in exchange for the 'euphonic' tuning did not work, especially with Z1Rs. Of course, the 1Rs have their critics. But what I've found over the years is that my ears fatigue with spiked upper trebles  - which sound great for 10 minutes, and then you found you've taken them off and gone to do something else after half an hour - because your ears are just plain tired. 

( Yes I'm aware of the 1Rs 10k "spike", but they were designed to match with WM1s internals, and there is the DNA solution.  Which does of course create other usability problems down the road....)

So Sony's house sound, 'warmer' but with detail suits my ears best. 

But it's only using W1A stock and WM1Z that works for me. Where the HW meets the FW halfway. 

*Seeing is.....*
My only real issue now is that, as with other Sony cell/mobile screens (Samsung and others), the displays on the WM1s uses Pulse Width Modulation to dim brightness - and that is a headache-inducing horror show - unless you use at 100% (turns off PWM ...well nearly) and dampen dazzle with on-screen UV/Blue Light protector.  Lots of phones/ laptops don't use PWM. 

Why, oh why, do Sony continue to - especially in such high-end equipment - when it's a known problem for a significant minority.  https://www.notebookcheck.net/Why-Pulse-Width-Modulation-PWM-is-such-a-headache.270240.0.html

So as a historical figure once asked....but not regarding the W1A/WM1Zs - "what is to be done?" 

@WAmadeusM


----------



## RYCeT

MrWalkman said:


> No, it's not correct. CHAMELEON is a totally separate firmware mod.
> 
> Please read the main post for indications, link in my signature (WM1 Mods).
> 
> ...





captblaze said:


> they are separate and independent... you want stock sound.. Chameleon, you want some tweaks then WM1A/Z+ is your choice



Oic. Thanks.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Talking of 1z warmth even the Chinese cookie confirmed it!


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> Talking of 1z warmth even the Chinese cookie confirmed it!



Even the cookie knows best. I am looking at the WM1Z or the LPGT. Both have good positives and some negatives. Right now the biggest negative is how the LPGT handles music organization. It does not use ID3 tags for song title as it uses the file name instead. That would be annoying.


----------



## Whitigir




----------



## MrWalkman

Whitigir said:


>



The announcement itself is already exciting! Prepare your wallets, boys!


----------



## Whitigir

MrWalkman said:


> The announcement itself is already exciting! Prepare your wallets, boys!


And you better prepare your beers...I don’t know what is coming though.  The 40th anniversary was a let down


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 29, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> And you better prepare your beers...I don’t know what is coming though.  The 40th anniversary was a let down



Wait, it's most probably about WH1000XM4.(?) I hope it will be something Walkman related, but I'm not really sure now that I remembered about the headphones.


----------



## Whitigir

MrWalkman said:


> Wait, it's most probably about WH1000XM4.(?) I hope it will be something Walkman related, but I'm not really sure now that I remembered about the headphones.


I think so too though


----------



## mwhals

MrWalkman said:


> Wait, it's most probably about WH1000XM4.(?) I hope it will be something Walkman related, but I'm not really sure now that I remembered about the headphones.



True, because the WH1000XM4 is coming this year as it is already been talked about on the website with confirmations. I hope is is a signature walkman series update. It would be perfect as I won't be buying before then anyway.


----------



## mwhals

Nope. It is the PlayStation 5 as it is slated for an August 6, 2020 event from a google search.


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> Even the cookie knows best. I am looking at the WM1Z or the LPGT. Both have good positives and some negatives. Right now the biggest negative is how the LPGT handles music organization. It does not use ID3 tags for song title as it uses the file name instead. That would be annoying.



If your interested I got a mint condition 1z for sale its very virgin!




MrWalkman said:


> The announcement itself is already exciting! Prepare your wallets, boys!



Naaa dont worrie its just a fw update 😅🤣🤣😁


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> If your interested I got a mint condition 1z for sale its very virgin!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Still saving.


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> Still saving.




I make good price!
I have a new nickname according to @proedros I am now Tiger the santa Claus 🤣🤣🤣😅😄


----------



## Steen Pihl

WAmadeusM said:


> *REVIEW: WM1 'Brothers - hardware comparison review using @MrWalkman mods.....curiouser and curiouser....*
> 
> Hello WM1'istas....
> 
> ...


This! After all this Chameleon-talk and now this very good description, I switched my 1Z to be a 1A. Wow, the great sound from my 1A days are back and then some! Thanks to Mr.Walkman and WAmadeusM. And offcause Mr.Tiger Ears 🐯 for telling about this first!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


>


Had a quick look at the  walkman blog and apparently is the 1000XM4


----------



## Lookout57

Vitaly2017 said:


> I make good price!
> I have a new nickname according to @proedros I am now Tiger the santa Claus 🤣🤣🤣😅😄


Tiger Claus


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Don’t get too excited. If there is something new like a brand new Walkman they would have to go through FCC.

https://fccid.io/AK8


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> Tiger Claus



Santa Claws


----------



## RobertP (Jul 29, 2020)

Just try CerBerus fw from @Whitigir. To properly install is a bit tricky. In the end, I love how it sounds on modded 1A. Vocals and Instruments is so realistic and organic. Next level treble textures and lower level details when compared to Solis. Gigantic depth and width. Bass is very large and packed with tons of energy and Sub-bass is better than anything else I try so far. If lower-mid is a bit fuller, This might be the best tune fw so far. Well at least for me LOL!


----------



## MrWalkman

RobertP said:


> Just try CerBerus fw from @Whitigir. To properly install is a bit tricky. In the end, I love how it sounds on modded 1A. Vocals and Instruments is so realistic and organic. Next level treble textures and lower level details when compared to Solis. Gigantic depth and width. Bass is very large and packed with tons of energy and Sub-bass is better than anything else I try so far. If lower-mid is a bit fuller, This might be the best tune fw so far. Well at list for me LOL!



It's just the Cerberus tuning, or it's also with the WM1A/Z+ modded firmware as base?


----------



## proedros

you know we are one big jolly family , when even mr @nc8000 chimes in on the fun


----------



## RobertP

MrWalkman said:


> It's just the Cerberus tuning, or it's also with the WM1A/Z+ modded firmware as base?


Just Cerberus tune file with official 1A v3.02 fw.


----------



## MrWalkman

RobertP said:


> Just Cerberus tune file with official 1A v3.02 fw.



Nice, glad you enjoy it.


----------



## proedros

cerberus should be good for modded 1a/z , for us poor stock-only wm1a , the 1az+ will be more than enough


----------



## RobertP (Jul 29, 2020)

proedros said:


> cerberus should be good for modded 1a/z , for us poor stock-only wm1a , the 1az+ will be more than enough


That's true. Whatever you like best that's what count.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I had them all and I chosen stock 1a and 1a/1z+ fw 🤷‍♂️


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jul 29, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Just try CerBerus fw from @Whitigir. To properly install is a bit tricky. In the end, I love how it sounds on modded 1A. Vocals and Instruments is so realistic and organic. Next level treble textures and lower level details when compared to Solis. Gigantic depth and width. Bass is very large and packed with tons of energy and Sub-bass is better than anything else I try so far. If lower-mid is a bit fuller, This might be the best tune fw so far. Well at list for me LOL!


Robert,

I tried Whitigir Cerberus FW, and GearofWar also created a somewhat flawed Cerberus FW. I think I like GearofWar Cerberus version better. The main difference is if Whitigir version is pretty much definition of exciting neutral, while GoW version has even deeper with slightly less wide soundstage, creating illusion of even better bass, and I think its more 3Ds, Its pretty damn realistic; I love it much more than the original Cerberus+ version. It's a somewhat more realistic, colored, more soulful Cerberus+ version. I'm using Z tuning btw. Ask Gearof War to send you the files.


----------



## MrWalkman

hamhamhamsta said:


> Robert,
> 
> I tried Whitigir Cerberus FW, and GearofWar also created a somewhat flawed Cerberus FW. I think I like GearofWar Cerberus version better. The main difference is if Whitigir version is pretty much definition of neutral, while GoW version has even deeper with slightly less wide soundstage, creating even better bass, and I think more 3Ds, Its damn realistic; I love it much more than the original Cerberus+ version. It's a somewhat more realistic, colored, more soulful Cerberus+ version. I'm using Z tuning btw. Ask Gearof War to send you the files.



Oh, you mention Cerberus+, but RobertP mentioned he likes Cerberus on the official stock 3.02, so the WM1A/Z+ UPG should be removed before RobertP will give it a try. Just a quick heads-up.


----------



## RobertP

hamhamhamsta said:


> Robert,
> 
> I tried Whitigir Cerberus FW, and GearofWar also created a somewhat flawed Cerberus FW. I think I like GearofWar Cerberus version better. The main difference is if Whitigir version is pretty much definition of exciting neutral, while GoW version has even deeper with slightly less wide soundstage, creating illusion of even better bass, and I think its more 3Ds, Its pretty damn realistic; I love it much more than the original Cerberus+ version. It's a somewhat more realistic, colored, more soulful Cerberus+ version. I'm using Z tuning btw. Ask Gearof War to send you the files.


I like the sound of that "GoW version has even deeper with slightly less wide soundstage, creating illusion of even better bass, and I think its more 3Ds"


----------



## Nayparm

RobertP said:


> I like the sound of that "GoW version has even deeper with slightly less wide soundstage, creating illusion of even better bass, and I think its more 3Ds"



What makes it somewhat flawed if you prefer it, just curious.


----------



## RobertP

Nayparm said:


> What makes it somewhat flawed if you prefer it, just curious.


Like I said above, "If lower-mid is a bit fuller, This might be the best tune fw so far." That is where the magic happen.


----------



## mmwwmm

WAmadeusM said:


> *REVIEW: WM1 'Brothers - hardware comparison review using @MrWalkman mods.....curiouser and curiouser....*
> 
> Hello WM1'istas....
> 
> ...



What region do you use with your 1Z “chameloned” to 1A?
Just curious about it.
thanks!


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 29, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Like I said above, "If lower-mid is a bit fuller, This might be the best tune fw so far." That is where the magic happen.


You can make it happen, I think @Whitigir doesn't mind if you can make it even better or more specifically for new firmware

I think Cerberus+ works fine on J region despite being made for U. I personally think U made it brighter and thinner but different taste applied here


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 29, 2020)

gearofwar said:


> You can make it happen, I think @Whitigir doesn't mind if you can make it even better or more specifically for new firmware
> 
> I think Cerberus+ works fine on J region despite being made for U. I personally think U made it brighter and thinner but different taste applied here


By all means, enjoy it guys!!! I always support DIY as you all have already known


----------



## purk (Jul 29, 2020)

This is great but at the same time confusing to me.  We all have different headphones and listen to different genre of music.   The shape of our ears are also different and not counting our bias.  I say just enjoyable whichever FW that works best for you and suit your preference.  Just my $0.02.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Don’t get too excited. If there is something new like a brand new Walkman they would have to go through FCC.
> 
> https://fccid.io/AK8



Good point when the 40th Anniversary showed up, it was listed there first. It was just a model number and basics, if I remember right?


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> Good point when the 40th Anniversary showed up, it was listed there first. It was just a model number and basics, if I remember right?


It’s definitely the WH1000XM4. I honestly don’t now why they need to refresh this every year. And there isn’t anything significantly different about each release either.


----------



## Redcarmoose

aceedburn said:


> It’s definitely the WH1000XM4. I honestly don’t now why they need to refresh this every year. And there isn’t anything significantly different about each release either.



Tried a pair but don’t own them. I used to read the later models were better than the first edition, though.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sony still made a great product even if its not impressing the spoiled and overly professional audiophiles lol

It is a dap that had its place and zx2 was due. Sony decided to snap 2 rabbit's with 1 rock. Zx2 and zx-300 😛🙃

Maybe new 1a/1z flag man is next as I dont see what se can be next!

We got dmp, new android daps... new 1000mx4.
Well in a year and half there should be definitely rumors for a new flagship dap


----------



## gearofwar

aceedburn said:


> It’s definitely the WH1000XM4. I honestly don’t now why they need to refresh this every year. And there isn’t anything significantly different about each release either.


Best consumer product for them, perhaps. They need to refresh to keep the cash coming in just like the iPhone or other popular consumer products


----------



## gearofwar (Jul 29, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Sony still made a great product even if its not impressing the spoiled and overly professional audiophiles lol
> 
> It is a dap that had its place and zx2 was due. Sony decided to snap 2 rabbit's with 1 rock. Zx2 and zx-300 😛🙃
> 
> ...


I would invest in a new hp , new music rather than a new dap. Sony wm1 series has stood the test of time and now even stronger. I don't see the need for any other daps unless someone needs to stream badly, in this case, you stream it via your phone

The only thing I wish from them is the new firmware, new support for wm1 series.


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> I would invest in a new hp , new music rather than a new dap. Sony wm1 series has stood the test of time and now even stronger. I don't see the need for any other daps unless someone needs to stream badly, in this case, you stream it via your phone
> 
> The only thing I wish from them is the new firmware, new support for wm1 series.





Haha we talk again about this the day new dap comes out!
Trust me I even can predict what they will do and it will be bloody good!


----------



## Redcarmoose

gearofwar said:


> I would invest in a new hp , new music rather than a new dap. Sony wm1 series has stood the test of time and now even stronger. I don't see the need for any other daps unless someone needs to stream badly, in this case, you stream it via your phone
> 
> The only thing I wish from them is the new firmware, new support for wm1 series.



Sony nabs the thread new firmware; comes out with 1A/1ZMK2 puts the workings in new case = profits.


----------



## gearofwar

Redcarmoose said:


> Sony nabs the thread new firmware; comes out with 1A/1ZMK2 puts the workings in new case = profits.


And those would cost even more than what we have paid currently and not many people are going to spend that much except audiophile like us, even some of us are not willing to spend that much on a dap. The main market products for them are still those being priced much lower that's why something like zx300 exists


----------



## Gamerlingual

My plan is to keep both the 1A and 1Z at least for the next 5 years or more. I’m amazed how good they are. I don’t use them for streaming, so I’ll be good


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 30, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> My plan is to keep both the 1A and 1Z at least for the next 5 years or more. I’m amazed how good they are. I don’t use them for streaming, so I’ll be good



Just buy headphones.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Just buy endless headphones.


If I made a wishlist? MDR-Z1R, Focal Stellia, Nobel Encore, and WH-1000XM4. Still wishes. But doubt I’ll get them all


----------



## Blueoris

@MrWalkman 

I see that some people are still confused between firmwares, tunings and features - not our fault -  and I was wondering if my understanding (and interpretations)  below are correct.

Both WM1A/Z+ and CHAMELEON firmware’s offer:
- Stock tuning 
- Model switching (from "Settings" > "Device Settings")
- DSEE HX AI (as in DMP-Z1)
- hardware accelerated rendition of the UI (faster menus)

In addition, the WM1A/Z+ firmware changes how the stock tuning is processed by the walkman, improving its battery life and (subjectively) sound.


----------



## MrWalkman

Blueoris said:


> @MrWalkman
> 
> I see that some people are still confused between firmwares, tunings and features - not our fault -  and I was wondering if my understanding (and interpretations)  below are correct.
> 
> ...



Both WM1A/Z+ and CHAMELEON firmware’s offer:
- Stock external tuning
- Model switching (from "Settings" > "Device Settings")
- DSEE HX AI (as in DMP-Z1)
- hardware accelerated rendition of the UI (faster menus)

WM1A/Z+ has different base sound, and improved battery life, while CHAMELEON has the stock base sound.

I already clarified this even more in the main post.


----------



## mwhals

I still say 8/6 is the PS5.


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> Just buy headphones.


The last 3 years I have bought and sold more headphones than I have done exercise. Lol. Everyone wishes to find gear that will suite their tastes while also playing well with other devices in their ecosystem. So if I buy a headphone I want it to sound good from my phone, dap as well as any amp/dac I may have. So that’s my approach. I think I have found this complete system already with all that I own.  So I’m a happy music listener and don’t intend to spend any more money for a long time.


----------



## nc8000

MrWalkman said:


> Both WM1A/Z+ and CHAMELEON firmware’s offer:
> - Stock external tuning
> - Model switching (from "Settings" > "Device Settings")
> - DSEE HX AI (as in DMP-Z1)
> ...



I don’t notice any improved battery life on my 1Z with WM1A/Z+. I still get about 20 hours play time and 7 days stand by exactly like I did on any of the stock fw. I also don’t notice any difference in gui speed.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> If I made a wishlist? MDR-Z1R, Focal Stellia, Nobel Encore, and WH-1000XM4. Still wishes. But doubt I’ll get them all



The Noble Encore with the 1A and this new 1A to 1Z plus 1A/Z+ are amazing, can’t stop listening to it?


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> I don’t notice any improved battery life on my 1Z with WM1A/Z+. I still get about 20 hours play time and 7 days stand by exactly like I did on any of the stock fw. I also don’t notice any difference in gui speed.


But did you notice a difference in the sound?


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> But did you notice a difference in the sound?



Yes and the certificate shows that the fw is installed


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> Yes and the certificate shows that the fw is installed


The new version doesn’t change anything in the certificate. I think you installed the previous version.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> The new version doesn’t change anything in the certificate. I think you installed the previous version.



Yes I have V2 installed and not V3 but the battery saving and faster gui is supposed to have been in all 3 versions


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> Yes I have V2 installed and not V3 but the battery saving and faster gui is supposed to have been in all 3 versions


Yeah. Well I too don’t see any difference in the GUI speed. It was already fluid with stock. Battery life maybe slightly better. Not a night and day difference here. But the main focus is on the sound and also DSEE HX AI. It adds a touch of clarity to older recordings below 44.1khz.


----------



## Whitigir

DSEEHX AI actually works for CD quality as well


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> DSEEHX AI actually works for CD quality as well



what does it improve ? i mean if the recording is well produced/mastered , how would it improve it ?


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 30, 2020)

proedros said:


> what does it improve ? i mean if the recording is well produced/mastered , how would it improve it ?



It's mostly about restoring high/low frequencies that were lost during the conversion from the master to the lower quality version of a CD.

It also aims to restore the feeling of soundstage. It all depends on the song. It doesn't do the exact same thing to all songs.

_"What Sony has done is they ran simulation models of what is lost during the conversion from their studio master DSD/DXD files and the end result consumer PCM / AAC format that we usually listen to. Then they came out with this DSEE HX algorithm that can restore the audio back to near studio master quality. It can deliver a sound closest to what you experience when you attend a concert in real life.

DSEE HX AI Effect has two parts:
One is the soundstage part which adds a natural sounding soundstage height feel to your songs that has recorded soundstage information to begin with. It doesn't seem to add any additional soundstage to songs that are electronically synthesized(eurodance music).

The other part is the transient attack and smoothing part. Vocals sound smoother and Transient sound e.g. Cymbals, sounds more immediate and drums sound more impactful."_

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ee-hx-ai-dsee-ultimate-dsee-extreme-do.14832/


----------



## aceedburn

Whitigir said:


> DSEEHX AI actually works for CD quality as well


Indeed. CD rips get a touch of that hi res treatment too.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 30, 2020)

proedros said:


> what does it improve ? i mean if the recording is well produced/mastered , how would it improve it ?


This is my observations:

On 16bit 44.1KHz, DSEE HX AI still applies a reduction of vocal graininess to the sound although this is more subtle with good recordings. There's also a slight change to the tonality: subtle sharper/brighter and slightly more attack in transients(both bass notes and treble notes)

And on top of the above, there also a change in soundstage, with more noticable soundstage height. This soundstage height applies to high resolution files as well and the height effect doesn't feel artificial/wonky at all.

Whether you like DSEE HX AI vs direct source is a matter of listening preferences.


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 30, 2020)

proedros said:


> what does it improve ? i mean if the recording is well produced/mastered , how would it improve it ?


It depends on what the definitions of high resolutions or (High-Res) is, but you can also see this from Sony marketing and the picture as well.  It states MP3/CD to higher resolutions.  Some people think high-res is 24/48 and higher (bit/sample rates).  Some people think DSD as a format is high-res, and some would think that High-res is reproducing Ultra Sonic and Sub harmonic contents....it is very confusing for sure

However, from what I understood, High resolutions is the ability to reproduce the dynamic range upto 120+ Db without distortions or clipping for human hearing 20-20Khz.  That is what CD quality is, but the understanding of people about digital music processing stopped here.  So for the common folks, the answer is simple....anything CD quality is enough, and *possibly may not* have any observable differences VS other formats or higher rates

This is also where the market is “*Milking*” the consumers out of their pocket.  Each piece of equipments have different reproduction of the same file/recording....and there are 2 main reasons:

A/ Firmware and Algorithms and DSP techniques being used
B/ Hardware and components parameters, analog and acoustic tuning

Some equipments will reproduce what people would call it “better” than others, just because they prefer it.  But everything is a compromises, the A can cover the B, and or the B can cover the A, or both can go together and compliment one another.

Take Chord for example, Chord and Rob made a very huge Bomb shell statement that their Algorithms and DSP techniques are superior to all others, and that is why even DSD and SACD should be upscaled by resampling and reprocess with MScaler 

then you ask me this question ? My answer is that, if you can not tell the differences, then it doesn’t matter ....because it can be neither right nor wrong in whichever way or however you are looking at it.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 30, 2020)

Most of the Summit-Fi desktop DACs all have some form of DSP/FPGA that alters the music signal, and most of them are not bypassable. That's the secret sauce on why some dac sound so amazing even though they are using same dac chip.

I believe with DSEE HX AI, Sony is well ahead of the other audio companies due to the fact that Sony Walkman engineers has access to the huge library of master recordings of their Sony Music division and that allows for Sony AI algorithms to learn and improve beyond what other audio companies are capable of interms of DSP audio.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Also unless you are working in a recording studio, it is very hard for anyone to know if your music played on a dac sounds exactly like what has been recorded at the studio.

But most of us should have attended live concerts of some music band in our lifetime. You would have an impression of how the live sound would be like

That's why I would always find live recordings of music as reference files to test out an equipment or to compare effects/settings.

So try to compare a live recorded concert music with direct source and with DSEE HX AI.

Please do note that good sounding live recordings are difficult to produce(microphone positioning), so do find live music that have been well regarded by other audiophiles.

Close your eyes and ask yourself, which sound setting sounds closer to attending a live concert?


----------



## Whitigir

Live recording for digital mastering brings me the technology that has Faded out recently and yet was extremely good, the DAT


----------



## WAmadeusM

Whitigir said:


> Live recording for digital mastering brings me the technology that has Faded out recently and yet was extremely good, the DAT



Oh...the professional DAT Walkman....those were the days of excellent out of studio recording....and pulling apart tape spaghetti when it misbehaved...I remember an engineer having to hold the DAT head - by hand with a tweezer - to realign a misaligned DAT head recording for me....it was like someone trying to defuse a bomb


----------



## NickleCo

Maxx134 said:


> I don't understand either.
> Mrwalkman was able to get it activated, so why didn't Sony have it integrated?
> That's not nice.


I think the reason here is that sony had to perfect it before comfortably releasing it. As to why they didn't release it to us wm1 users could be that (1) they're making a new wm1 successor or (2) They could be brewing more stuff to include when they release a new fw update. Just my take on as to why.


----------



## Whitigir

DatDudeNic said:


> I think the reason here is that sony had to perfect it before comfortably releasing it. As to why they didn't release it to us wm1 users could be that (1) they're making a new wm1 successor or (2) They could be brewing more stuff to include when they release a new fw update. Just my take on as to why.


I would take #2 as DMP and 1A/Z has the same SOC


----------



## MrWalkman

DatDudeNic said:


> I think the reason here is that sony had to perfect it before comfortably releasing it. As to why they didn't release it to us wm1 users could be that (1) they're making a new wm1 successor or (2) They could be brewing more stuff to include when they release a new fw update. Just my take on as to why.



Maybe also because the WM1 Series was advertised with having 5 options for DSEE HX. In order to add the AI option, they would actually have to replace all the 5 options with just the DSEE HX AI one, in the way it's already implemented in the Z1 and A55 for example. Maybe some people are happy with those 5 options, and it wouldn't be ok to just remove them.

USB DAC and Bluetooth Receivers were simple additions, they didn't replace something.


----------



## NickleCo

Whitigir said:


> I would take #2 as DMP and 1A/Z has the same SOC


Woah, I did not know that! Thanks for the heads up! 


MrWalkman said:


> Maybe also because the WM1 Series was advertised with having 5 options for DSEE HX. In order to add the AI option, they would actually have to replace all the 5 options with just the DSEE HX AI one, in the way it's already implemented in the Z1 and A55 for example. Maybe some people are happy with those 5 options, and it wouldn't be ok to just remove them.
> 
> USB DAC and Bluetooth Receivers were simple additions, they didn't replace something.


Ah, that explains it all. It is certainly way more convenient to use one that does it automatically (i myself am one) but there is some merit to be had with being able to choose one of the 5 especially if one likes to 'surgically dissect' music. Thanks for the useful information, fine sir!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 30, 2020)

Sony can add AI as the sixth preset and not remove the five existing presets?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 30, 2020)

DatDudeNic said:


> I think the reason here is that sony had to perfect it before comfortably releasing it. As to why they didn't release it to us wm1 users could be that (1) they're making a new wm1 successor or (2) They could be brewing more stuff to include when they release a new fw update. Just my take on as to why.







I think there is something with 1A/Z+ that’s an enhancement. It’s like audio MSG. Combined with the 1A being switched over to 1Z is an amazing experience, but I’m still wondering about it? I don’t use my IER-Z1R enough as those are really my audio microscope to figure out if there are artifacts. This to me is also way more confusing than first thought, meaning I’m always wondering if I’m simply hearing the recording better. But to generalize there is a style of boost. Maybe Sony knew about it but took the conservative path? I’m not really questioning anything, cuz I’m having the time of my life. It does make you wonder about who could have been running around the sound design office, who then became stifled by upper management saying “You know we can’t let this cat out of the bag.............it’s way too good”!


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 30, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Sony can add AI as the sixth option and not remove the five presets?



I was thinking of that, but it wasn't designed as a chooseable option, and I don't see them becoming that flexible on adding stuff in this way to new firmware updates.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Given how zen Sony is, they probably remove than to add complexity to something.

There is also an issue with battery consumption with DSEE HX AI. It does use more Processing power to do Edge AI and upsampling to 32bit 192Khz.


----------



## normie610

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Given how zen Sony is, they probably remove than to add complexity to something.
> 
> There is also an issue with battery consumption with DSEE HX AI. It does use more Processing power to do Edge AI and upsampling to 32bit 192Khz.



So with DSEE HX AI enabled, the low res files will be upsampled to 32 bit 192 khz?


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Given how zen Sony is, they probably remove than to add complexity to something.
> 
> There is also an issue with battery consumption with DSEE HX AI. It does use more Processing power to do Edge AI and upsampling to 32bit 192Khz.


Did you see a batteries that is 3x more juice than stock one yet ? Ask @Nayparm LOL

what battery issues ?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

normie610 said:


> So with DSEE HX AI enabled, the low res files will be upsampled to 32 bit 192 khz?



All playable PCM formats will be upsampled.


----------



## matevana

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> This is my observations:
> 
> On 16bit 44.1KHz, DSEE HX AI still applies a reduction of vocal graininess to the sound although this is more subtle with good recordings. There's also a slight change to the tonality: subtle sharper/brighter and slightly more attack in transients(both bass notes and treble notes)
> 
> ...



I generally agree with this assessment. I would also add that DSEE HX AI seems to add a form of artificial clarity by means of a treble glare in the top end, when compared to source direct. I liked it on first listen, but after a while it became fatiguing.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Whitigir said:


> Did you see a batteries that is 3x more juice than stock one yet ? Ask @Nayparm LOL
> 
> what battery issues ?



I have an Anker 26800mAH USB-C powerbank attached to my 1500mAH ZX507.
Maybe I need to upgrade to anker powerhouse 400Wh soon..


----------



## Vitaly2017

matevana said:


> I generally agree with this assessment. I would also add that DSEE HX AI seems to add a form of artificial clarity by means of a treble glare in the top end, when compared to source direct. I liked it on first listen, but after a while it became fatiguing.





Same problem here to. It gets fatiguing to.
But on my 1a its really good compared to 1z.
Some reasons I can handle it on my 1a but not on 1z


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 30, 2020)

matevana said:


> I generally agree with this assessment. I would also add that DSEE HX AI seems to add a form of artificial clarity by means of a treble glare in the top end, when compared to source direct. I liked it on first listen, but after a while it became fatiguing.



The treble glare can probably be tuned out with a custom firmware revision from mrwalkman.

I find that using Low gain will help abit with reducing the treble glare.

Also if you are using iem, changing of tip type can affect the sound signature quite abit.

Also you can add Vinyl Processor effect to reduce treble glare. Surface noise or standard seem to do the job. Do experiment with the different presets.


----------



## NickleCo

Before I completely get sideswiped by everything that's happening on this thread lately. I would like to express my gratitude towards @MrWalkman for integrating the DSEE HX AI and making me realize how good the sound effects are. Now I won't claim that there is a difference to most of my music but lately, I've been having trouble with my memory being low (less than a gig on both lol) so I've been converting most of my files down to the lowest possible format (mp3). Though I don't really notice any significant reduction in quality there is however an increase when I enable the AI (made those files sound a bit more dynamic). A quick background about me, I have never used any eq or sound effects I've only been using direct. There have been some that have urged me to try it and all its gloriousness but I never really stuck to it as I could never find the sweet spot but when I loaded up the 1az+ v3 first thing I did was turned off direct mode and then proceeded to turn on the AI, listened for a while but then I stopped since I had to charge the device. Later that day (forgot I left it charging lol) decided to have a quick listen and after a while I was confused as to why it sounded really good (like reaaally good) hopped on to head-fi and wanted to share how well it sounded at this point I had completely forgotten that I had the sound effects turned on decided to read up on the new replies and remembered that I had the AI turned on and not only that everything else was too (except for the normalizer). Decided to put the message on hold and further explore what each of the effects did. Few days went by and stuck with these settings;
Tone Control:-5, 0, 0 
DSEE HS AI
Type B LOW (Type A LOW sometimes when the treble needed a bit of brightness)
Turntable Resonance (except for classical recordings as I found Surface noise did a better job at retaining a more accurate image)

For the first time in my 3 years of owning the device, I have never heard it sound as transparent, dynamic, and resolving as this. Thank you a bunch man!


----------



## MrWalkman

DatDudeNic said:


> Before I completely get sideswiped by everything that's happening on this thread lately. I would like to express my gratitude towards @MrWalkman for integrating the DSEE HX AI and making me realize how good the sound effects are. Now I won't claim that there is a difference to most of my music but lately, I've been having trouble with my memory being low (less than a gig on both lol) so I've been converting most of my files down to the lowest possible format (mp3). Though I don't really notice any significant reduction in quality there is however an increase when I enable the AI (made those files sound a bit more dynamic). A quick background about me, I have never used any eq or sound effects I've only been using direct. There have been some that have urged me to try it and all its gloriousness but I never really stuck to it as I could never find the sweet spot but when I loaded up the 1az+ v3 first thing I did was turned off direct mode and then proceeded to turn on the AI, listened for a while but then I stopped since I had to charge the device. Later that day (forgot I left it charging lol) decided to have a quick listen and after a while I was confused as to why it sounded really good (like reaaally good) hopped on to head-fi and wanted to share how well it sounded at this point I had completely forgotten that I had the sound effects turned on decided to read up on the new replies and remembered that I had the AI turned on and not only that everything else was too (except for the normalizer). Decided to put the message on hold and further explore what each of the effects did. Few days went by and stuck with these settings;
> Tone Control:-5, 0, 0
> DSEE HS AI
> Type B LOW (Type A LOW sometimes when the treble needed a bit of brightness)
> ...



Thanks for the feedback!

I would recommend converting your files to 320kbps AAC instead of MP3. AAC offers better quality than MP3 at the same bitrate, even though AAC also uses lossy compression.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 30, 2020)

DSEE HX AI will likely make you revisit your entire music collection to hear new sonic details and soundstaging in your most familiar music.


----------



## aceedburn

DatDudeNic said:


> Before I completely get sideswiped by everything that's happening on this thread lately. I would like to express my gratitude towards @MrWalkman for integrating the DSEE HX AI and making me realize how good the sound effects are. Now I won't claim that there is a difference to most of my music but lately, I've been having trouble with my memory being low (less than a gig on both lol) so I've been converting most of my files down to the lowest possible format (mp3). Though I don't really notice any significant reduction in quality there is however an increase when I enable the AI (made those files sound a bit more dynamic). A quick background about me, I have never used any eq or sound effects I've only been using direct. There have been some that have urged me to try it and all its gloriousness but I never really stuck to it as I could never find the sweet spot but when I loaded up the 1az+ v3 first thing I did was turned off direct mode and then proceeded to turn on the AI, listened for a while but then I stopped since I had to charge the device. Later that day (forgot I left it charging lol) decided to have a quick listen and after a while I was confused as to why it sounded really good (like reaaally good) hopped on to head-fi and wanted to share how well it sounded at this point I had completely forgotten that I had the sound effects turned on decided to read up on the new replies and remembered that I had the AI turned on and not only that everything else was too (except for the normalizer). Decided to put the message on hold and further explore what each of the effects did. Few days went by and stuck with these settings;
> Tone Control:-5, 0, 0
> DSEE HS AI
> Type B LOW (Type A LOW sometimes when the treble needed a bit of brightness)
> ...


Nice recommendations there mate. I too was always with direct mode on until DSEE HX AI was made possible by @MrWalkman. So now it’s only DSEE HX AI on and everything else switched off. Everything sounds so darn good like this. I don’t have many lossy files. Maybe around 800-1000 max but they sound really good now. Eapedially some old 70’s and 80’s hits and some good old skeeter Davis recordings every now and then. It’s an awesome time for Walkman owners.


----------



## MrWalkman (Jul 30, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> There is also an issue with battery consumption with DSEE HX AI. It does use more Processing power to do Edge AI and upsampling to 32bit 192Khz.





normie610 said:


> So with DSEE HX AI enabled, the low res files will be upsampled to 32 bit 192 khz?



I can confirm that audio is upsampled to 32 bit and 176.4/192kHz, depending on the original format (44.1/48kHz).

Playing a FLAC 48kHz:





Enabling DSEE HX while playing the same file:




Edit: audio is not upsampled while using any other effect.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 30, 2020)

> Around 2013, we began to see outcomes from AI-driven speech recognition, and started technological developments with the confidence that AI could be used for music as well. Our pioneering application of AI in music allowed us to win three consecutive global competitions for audio source separation. The AI we used for the audio source separation contained neural networks that understand sound, and was designed specifically for music. We designed the AI to simultaneously learn musical progressions, the characteristics of various instruments, and more. Data diversity is extremely important for enhancing the performance of this AI, and Sony has a major advantage toward that end: Sony Group comprises Sony Music Entertainment and other companies that have a vast amount of diverse audio recordings



https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/sony_ai/audio.html


Sony has the big data to transform your music

Just like AI processing on smartphone cameras, the future of high quality sound recording and reproduction is going to be AI driven.

Maybe Sony should introduce a new label to supersede Hi-Res Audio.

Hi-Res AI Audio.


----------



## Whitigir

Well...it has always been my questions.....how exactly does AI play the role in upscaling LOL?
Neutron can do a heck lot more....I guess the algorithms count everywhere but where does AI play the role ?


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/sony_ai/audio.html
> 
> 
> Sony has the big data to transform your music
> ...


So when you think about it...we are probably living in a Super Duper Realistic AI driven Virtual Reality  MATRIX!!!! Each one of us could have been in COMA this whole time


----------



## Morbideath

MrWalkman said:


> I can confirm that audio is upsampled to 32 bit and 176.4/192kHz, depending on the original format (44.1/48kHz).
> 
> Playing a FLAC 48kHz:
> 
> ...


Thx, I've been wondering about this since day one


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 30, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Well...it has always been my questions.....how exactly does AI play the role in upscaling LOL?
> Neutron can do a heck lot more....I guess the algorithms count everywhere but where does AI play the role ?



I think this video demonstrates what AI can do.



I think in the case of sound, Sony DSEE HX AI can guess and restore the lost resolution, dynamics, missing timbre and reverberation from a recording.

With more improvements to processing power and algorithms, the next flagship walkman might be able to upsample to 32bit 384KHz like the SA-Z1.


----------



## Morbideath (Jul 30, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Well...it has always been my questions.....how exactly does AI play the role in upscaling LOL?
> Neutron can do a heck lot more....I guess the algorithms count everywhere but *where does AI play the role* ?


I read in Sony's interview once, sorry can't source it anymore. The AI tries to recognize the content of your music with the records databases it learned, for example, at the intro when drums are pounding, it uses percussion mode to process, and when female vocal comes in, it switch to female vocal mode. Basically it dynamically apply to different DSEE algorithms within one song, without your interference and trying to be smart.
i found the interview somewhere on headfi, but can’t source it right now.  it’s in Japanese from a Japanese engineer


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 30, 2020)

Morbideath said:


> I read in Sony's interview once, sorry can't source it anymore. The AI tries to recognize the content of your music with the records databases it learned, for example, at the intro when drums are pounding, it uses percussion mode to process, and when female vocal comes in, it switch to female vocal mode. Basically it dynamically switch to different DSEE algorithms within one song, without your interference and trying to be smart.
> i found the interview somewhere on headfi, but can’t source it right now



It's here:
https://www.sony.jp/feature/products/dseehx/


I think the translation isnt perfect.

Sony is able to apply the 5 modes all at once. It is able to separate out the percussion Instruments to apply the percussion effect and separating out the vocals to add the vocal effect.
Hence they talk about scenes.



> Yamamoto: Yes, that's right. Also, regarding that mode, it is not as simple as the conventional five operation modes, but optimal upscaling is performed every time for various scenes. It may be overstated to say that "there are infinite modes", but in the vocal scene it is not as simple as vocal mode.


----------



## matevana

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> The treble glare can probably be tuned out with a custom firmware revision from mrwalkman.





Sonywalkmanuser said:


> The treble glare can probably be tuned out with a custom firmware revision from mrwalkman.



I'm going to play around with some of the regions to see what affect that might have (those that are non-veiled vs.veiled on top) with DSEE AI


----------



## Vitaly2017

Is the dsee hx Ai on zx507 the same performance and sound quality as the one in dmp-z1?

By memory it seems that the dmp-z1 dsee hx ai in our 1a and 1z sounds better then on zx507.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 30, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Is the dsee hx Ai on zx507 the same performance and sound quality as the one in dmp-z1?
> 
> By memory it seems that the dmp-z1 dsee hx ai in our 1a and 1z sounds better then on zx507.



I think the zx507 you heard is on the firmware 1.x
Sony was trying to make the zx507 almost like the ZX300 with a warmish laid back analog-like sound signature. Maybe back then they were just convincing zx300 users to switch over.

Somewhere in mid 2020, Sony suddenly added ZX507 to their signature website, which likely means they have a refocus/rebranding on this Walkman.

I feel that with the new firmware 2.01.00, ZX507 seems to have taken on an almost new sound signature that is more focus on resolution and dynamics.

Its time for tiger ears to revisit ZX507 on the new firmware.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I think the zx507 you heard is on the firmware 1.x
> Sony was trying to make the zx507 almost like the ZX300 with a warmish laid back analog-like sound signature. Maybe back then they were just convincing zx300 users to switch over.
> 
> Somewhere in mid 2020, Sony suddenly added ZX507 to their signature website, which likely means they have a refocus/rebranding on this Walkman.
> ...




Thats so unfortunate cause I sold my zx507...
I had it on fw 1.x maybe third fw release.  Definitely not the fw 2.x

I liked the zx507 except it lacked on that sound stage a lot. It was very good with vocals and amazing bass! I even find bass to be deeper and more rumbly then 1a or 1z.

Sounds like I may like a lot the new fw.
But I had a huge downside with zx507 its the small screen 🙁
I have no such issues with 1a....


----------



## Lookout57

I've worked for a company that did machine learning / AI. So my question is that for this to work then need to do real time what is called feature extraction to sample the audio then compare it to their existing models and then apply any change. This has typically been CPU and memory intensive. 

So how can they do this in a DAP with limited cores and RAM. I would be interested to know the details on the Mediatek SOC they use.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Lookout57 said:


> I've worked for a company that did machine learning / AI. So my question is that for this to work then need to do real time what is called feature extraction to sample the audio then compare it to their existing models and then apply any change. This has typically been CPU and memory intensive.
> 
> So how can they do this in a DAP with limited cores and RAM. I would be interested to know the details on the Mediatek SOC they use.




Sony is a software master!
Why do you think 1a/1z are still so good!
They can even tune it to sound like chord dave lmao


----------



## Whitigir (Jul 30, 2020)

Well, the thing is that each filtering techniques, noise shaping and algorithms have a special Favor upon a specific frequencies.  This can be observed upon desktop system with high quality chains and using HQplayer.

So this is probably the case ? The AI guess upon the dominant frequencies across the processing for a given amount of time ? Because upscaling do need filters and noise shaping techniques.  So, it just is a matter of which options will be best ?

I tried on the HQplayer desktop system And it is a PITA to switch to which options for which to best perform the tracks or album or genres that I am listening to


Lookout57 said:


> I've worked for a company that did machine learning / AI. So my question is that for this to work then need to do real time what is called feature extraction to sample the audio then compare it to their existing models and then apply any change. This has typically been CPU and memory intensive.
> 
> So how can they do this in a DAP with limited cores and RAM. I would be interested to know the details on the Mediatek SOC they use.


----------



## musicinmymind

Got an used WM1Z here in Dubai, they are awesome with Z1r. Feels like having desktop sound quality in my pocket.

I have two question.

1. All my playlist are organized in Folders, each folder is playlist for me. After I copy them using Music Center, each Album name becomes a folders and I am kind of lost. Wanted my folder names to same as after coping.
2. Wanted to try WM1A/Z+ firmware, if I do not like sound can I roll back to factory setting?

Please suggest.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Lookout57 said:


> I've worked for a company that did machine learning / AI. So my question is that for this to work then need to do real time what is called feature extraction to sample the audio then compare it to their existing models and then apply any change. This has typically been CPU and memory intensive.
> 
> So how can they do this in a DAP with limited cores and RAM. I would be interested to know the details on the Mediatek SOC they use.



Hence they have designated different levels of DSEE HX for different devices depending on available processing power and battery capacity.


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Hence they have designated different levels of DSEE HX for different devices depending on available processing power and battery capacity.


Then to think that DMP doesn’t even have DSEE Ultimate is like a cold can of sewer water splashed in the face


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Just three years ago you have this video about Sony:


I feel that Sony in 2020 is a much more technologically advanced company than most of us would imagine it to be. 

They have alot more successful products than ever with their xm3 headphones and TWS and as well as their PS4 and upcoming PS5.

Their ccd sensor imx500 is also gaining AI
https://www.cinema5d.com/sony-imx500-worlds-ai-image-sensor-announced/

It going to be exciting times in 2021 as a Sony fan.

I guess what we have to do now is save up money and wait for Sony to release the next flagship walkman.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Anyway Sony should really consider hiring @MrWalkman

Just imagine what kind of official firmwares we will be getting for our walkman's!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

AI processing is crazily complicated:

https://towardsdatascience.com/audi...ng-convolutional-neural-networks-210532383785


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 30, 2020)

Looks like it ain't so nice to work inside Sony.
I have worked in a japanese company before. They are OCD about everything especially about not being late for work.



> A: At Sony, designers and engineers in every field – ID, UI, UX, and CD – are constantly working together to give shape to ideas*. The discussions aren’t always smooth, of course; at times, things can get animated and intense*. But that’s the dynamic that’s made a lot of new breakthroughs happen. Sony designers and engineers have the opportunity to make each other better, which is a big part of the reason Sony’s so good at creating better products and value



https://ifworlddesignguide.com/design-articles/sony-interview-with-yutaka-hasegawa

Another site on Sony AI development
https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/sony_ai/technology/


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Hi All!

NW-WM1A (with Chameleon/switched to 1Z) - just bought a sony rmt-nws20 and tried to connect this remote
but failed. The player has this Remote menu section and seems to be trying to connect but then reads "Couldn't connect". ??
Wondering if someone had such experience?


----------



## MrWalkman

Mystic Traveller said:


> Hi All!
> 
> NW-WM1A (with Chameleon/switched to 1Z) - just bought a sony rmt-nws20 and tried to connect this remote
> but failed. The player has this Remote menu section and seems to be trying to connect but then reads "Couldn't connect". ??
> Wondering if someone had such experience?



Try it on the stock firmware as well. I didn't change anything related to Bluetooth, so there couldn't be any reason why it would not work.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Jul 30, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> so there couldn't be any reason why it would not work.


YES!!  Just had to reset the remote 
(and without the manual I wouldn't have found the reason - 
so as always RTFM but then why should I reset the brand new device?) 
and then they both found each other.. Forever.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I think I found a layman way to explain how DSEE HX AI works:

Basically Sony has created an AI system that can identify and break up music into individual elements in a continuous batch by batch processing:

General music content
Female vocals
Male vocals
Percussions
Strings

Apply the suitable upsampling effects for each elements along with the soundstage enchancements.

Recombine all of upsampled elements back as one to be played back continuously.

This video shows the AI processing:


https://thenextweb.com/artificial-i...to-isolate-the-sound-of-specific-instruments/


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I think I found a layman way to explain how DSEE HX AI works:
> 
> Basically Sony has created an AI system that can identify and break up music into individual elements in a continuous batch by batch processing:
> 
> ...



That would be very heavily computational stuff for any system right ?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 30, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> That would be very heavily computational stuff for any system right ?



There’s where machine learning comes in
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_learning

AI can be trained to identify things better by feeding it with more and more data


Using the big music data from their record label, Sony has trained AI neutral network engine to be very fast and efficient in identifying the elements.

I am speculating that Sony Software Engineers have to adjust the accuracy of how much of the music content gets broken down into individual elements to be upsampled basing on the available processor power.

Meaning on Low processing power system, with same music content the AI would have missed out identifying a male vocal and it won’t be upsampled “correctly” and instead it goes through the general music content upsample effect.

While a system with higher processing power(DSEE ultimate), the same music content, the AI will have enough computational resources to correctly identify the male vocal and perform the male vocal upsample effect as intended.


----------



## NickleCo

MrWalkman said:


> Enabling DSEE HX while playing the same file:


Interesting stuff!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Guys after a very long decision and tests. I came to a very brave and hard decision! It does make me say with hard feeling but I decided to officially sale the wm1z I had and keep the wm1a!

I know I know it is very difficult to understand but that is what I came to as a result after long run and tests.

I let my self decide by a decision in this way. I was using bothe daps for 2.5 weeks maybe a bit more.  And I couldnt decide by just a/b which I keep. So I made this bet!

The dap that my hands and ears will grab the most and the one that I will have more listen time is the one I  keeping!

And sadly wm1a won so ai am letting go my beloved wm1z please the one who takes it take very good care of it! It need a kind father or mother!


My link for the wm1z is in my signature if you are interested 🥰
  🐯


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Worth a view:


----------



## purk (Jul 30, 2020)

The 1A is a lot lighter and easier to carry around than the 1Z - a true portable player.  I am glad that I was able to buy the @Whitigir mod 1A.  It’s my go to player now for on the go listening.  My personal mod 1Z is much heavier in comparison so it is house-bound most of the time.


----------



## Vitaly2017

purk said:


> The 1A is a lot lighter and easier to carry around than the 1Z - a true portable player.  I am glad that I was able to buy the @Whitigir mod 1A.  It’s my go to player now for on the go listening.  My personal mod 1Z is much heavier in comparison so it is house-bound most of the time.




It is not the weight that made my decision but the sound characteristics


----------



## Morbideath (Jul 30, 2020)

@gearofwar I changed to J yesterday and switched back to U. For me U is smoother with more fluidity. Subbass is deeper (pretty like dc type A low). Maybe J has a tad more mid-bass slams so u find U to be "thinner". But that's on my Romi BG 1Z with LXse custom, synergy with Cerberus+ could play a role too


----------



## gearofwar

Morbideath said:


> @gearofwar I changed to J yesterday and switched back to U. For me U is smoother with more fluidity. Subbass is deeper (pretty like dc type A low). Maybe J has a tad more mid-bass slams so u find U to be "thinner". But that's on my Romi BG 1Z with LXse custom, synergy with Cerberus+ could play a role too


I think the J region always gives me that emotive vocal whereas the U feels kind of lifeless on that part


----------



## purk

Vitaly2017 said:


> It is not the weight that made my decision but the sound characteristics


Oh, same here.  The 1AEM from @Whitigir sounds utterly amazing....hence another reason why mod 1Z is house-bound.


----------



## Morbideath

gearofwar said:


> I think the J region always gives me that emotive vocal whereas the U feels kind of lifeless on that part


Ok, I'm an instrumental guy so never pay any attention to either emotion or vocal


----------



## RobertP

Cerberus fw very does push the hardware limit. Sounds sooo good on microSD but not so much on internal storage.


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> Cerberus fw very does push the hardware limit. Sounds sooo good on microSD but not so much on internal storage.


Music sounds different on sd card compared to internal storage? I’m using a sandisk extreme pro card and don’t hear any difference between music on the card and internal storage. In fact i should think the music on internal storage should sound better if anything. But i don’t hear any difference.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Jul 31, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Cerberus fw very does push the hardware limit. Sounds sooo good on microSD but not so much on internal storage.


That doesn’t make sense, I thought internal storage provide the best sound?

SD card does sound a little different, worse than internal storage per my experience.


----------



## RobertP (Jul 31, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Music sounds different on sd card compared to internal storage? I’m using a sandisk extreme pro card and don’t hear any difference between music on the card and internal storage. In fact i should think the music on internal storage should sound better if anything. But i don’t hear any difference.


I bought extreme pro too but it was fake. As far as sound quality go, the fake memory sounds even worse than internal storage. Will try to get the real one soon.


RobertP said:


> Samsung Pro Endurance micro sd card is very good. It add thickness to the sound overall. Bass is very punchy. Vocals is so clear, natural, anology, and good weight. It adds depth, air, darker background, very nice separation and soundstage is very large.


|
|
|


hamhamhamsta said:


> That doesn’t make sense, I thought internal storage provide the best sound?
> 
> SD card does sound a little different, worse than internal storage per my experience.


For normal memory yes, you might not hear much different. Audio grade memory card is way to go. But then again if you gear highly resolved enough


----------



## Liono (Jul 31, 2020)

New products to be announced on 6th August, seems bizzare to do that before IFA. Probably not a walkman.






Perhaps just the new WH-1000XM4

https://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.com/2020/07/sony-japan-finally-teases-wh-1000xm4.html?m=1


----------



## aceedburn

RobertP said:


> I bought extreme pro too but it was fake. As far as sound quality go, the fake memory sounds even worse than internal storage. Will try to get the real one soon.
> 
> |
> |
> ...


ah, a fake card, now that makes sense. Mine is authentic purchased directly from sandisk malaysia. but i still think that internal memory should be theoretically better as it's wired onto the mainboard and doesn't require additional processing.


----------



## RobertP (Jul 31, 2020)

I heard that in Sony Japan headquarter is showing off their smart electric cars recently but then they keep saying that it's only a concept car. It looks ready for production thou.

Oh, hear you go. I found it


----------



## WAmadeusM

Questions....

a question for @Whitigir ....  with surgical knowledge of the WM1s.... to what lengths did the SonSig team go to in terms of the quality of "internals"?

Especially with a view towards high-end rivals like A&K's copper-cats - and future Sony HW updates.

The S-Master is still far more efficient (battery life) ... but in terms of future new 'signature' models - apart from just milking the market....could they really go much further with something like the WM1Z?   

With really distinguishable results?  -  given that hearing deteriorates inevitably with age - usually in direct inverse relation to the ability to buy them - and with @MrWalkman exploits allowing us all to  'boldly go' on board the WM1s....

@WAmadeusM


----------



## Duncan

I was concerned that my 1Tb Extreme Pro card might be fake for the price I paid, have to say I'm super happy with it, sustained write speed of about 70Mb/s (not in the player obviously)

I can't say I have sensitive enough hearing to detect the difference between player and card, but I might have to copy some sample tracks on to both just to see (well, hear)!


----------



## audionewbi

The Sony AI is really letting me enjoy my free 6 months Apple music.

That bass line....
Thank you @MrWalkman


----------



## Whitigir

all I can say is that Sony engineering is the real stuff.  The WM1A is priced ways too cheap for the build and performances quality.  I have said this many times before.  The 1Z May seem expensive, but it is also cheap for the price, especially that Copper and Goldplated chassis 

How will Sony go about with the next future Walkmans ? I do not know.  All I know is that Covid is wrecking HAVOC across the world, and many new products being released just can’t get enough sales or attentions, for example the Xperia MKii.

The only right move at this moment is to release Play Station 5 and new games, because people isolate in the house, they want to keep busy, and who doesn’t love video games lol!!!

Anyways, i think it is easy to guess what Sony May do for the next Walkman.  *Just look at SA Z1*


----------



## blazinblazin (Jul 31, 2020)

Liono said:


> New products to be announced on 6th August, seems bizzare to do that before IFA. Probably not a walkman.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I do hope they release more than WH-1000XM4 though...

New WM1A/Z firmware also not that bad.


----------



## normie610

Vitaly2017 said:


> Guys after a very long decision and tests. I came to a very brave and hard decision! It does make me say with hard feeling but I decided to officially sale the wm1z I had and keep the wm1a!
> 
> I know I know it is very difficult to understand but that is what I came to as a result after long run and tests.
> 
> ...



What happened to the Romi 1Z?


----------



## mwhals

Liono said:


> New products to be announced on 6th August, seems bizzare to do that before IFA. Probably not a walkman.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Also Playstation 5


----------



## Vitaly2017

normie610 said:


> What happened to the Romi 1Z?




Hmm why what happened to Romi?

I know hes doing well and has been well treated.
I think hes very happy.
😄😃


----------



## WAmadeusM

Whitigir said:


> all I can say is that Sony engineering is the real stuff.  The WM1A is priced ways too cheap for the build and performances quality.  I have said this many times before.  The 1Z May seem expensive, but it is also cheap for the price, especially that Copper and Goldplated chassis
> 
> How will Sony go about with the next future Walkmans ? I do not know.  All I know is that Covid is wrecking HAVOC across the world, and many new products being released just can’t get enough sales or attentions, for example the Xperia MKii.
> 
> ...



thanks for the insight @Whitigir ...I'm intrigued by the SA Z1 analogy - how would that translate into a DAP? IYO


----------



## Whitigir

mwhals said:


> I am a walkman. I am a man and I walk, but I don't sound as good as a Sony.


LOL


WAmadeusM said:


> thanks for the insight @Whitigir ...I'm intrigued by the SA Z1 analogy - how would that translate into a DAP? IYO


possibly newer and improved S-Master, more power output with GAN FETs, possibly more fancy versions with upgraded internal components ? more powerful SOC ? Revamped power supplies ...etc...


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> all I can say is that Sony engineering is the real stuff.  The WM1A is priced ways too cheap for the build and performances quality.  I have said this many times before.  The 1Z May seem expensive, but it is also cheap for the price, especially that Copper and Goldplated chassis
> 
> How will Sony go about with the next future Walkmans ? I do not know.  All I know is that Covid is wrecking HAVOC across the world, and many new products being released just can’t get enough sales or attentions, for example the Xperia MKii.
> 
> ...



"Just look at SA Z1" (looks insane) dough i wonder about power output? 50w per channel maybe 80?

I can hear a difference now that you guys say between SD and Internal memory i hear sound its capped in the higher frecuencies is that correct on SD?


----------



## mwhals (Jul 31, 2020)

I think the answer is yes, but does the WM1Z use the artistsort and albumsort tags?

I am trying to decide between the WM1Z and newer LPGT.


----------



## Mindstorms

why not a 1A? have you demoed? auditioned?


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> I think the answer is yes, but does the WM1Z use the artistsort and albumsort tags?
> 
> I am trying to decide between the WM1Z and newer LPGT.




In 1a/1z the search is done by this groups

Album
Artist 
Genres 
Composer
Playlists 
By Years 
Recent imports
You can search by folders

There is an option to play threw folders or stop after the album been played threw once.

No search features


----------



## mwhals (Jul 31, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> In 1a/1z the search is done by this groups
> 
> Album
> Artist
> ...



But when you select artist, are they always in alphabetical order by first name or do they use the artistsort tag instead where I have it last name, first name? Same with the album list under the artist. Are they alphabetical or do they use the artistsort tag for the order of listing.


----------



## mwhals

Mindstorms said:


> why not a 1A? have you demoed? auditioned?



There is no place near me that has any of these daps.


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> But when you select artist, are they always in alphabetical order by first name or do they use the artistsort tag instead where I have it last name, first name? Same with the album list under the artist. Are they alphabetical or do they use the artistsort tag for the order of listing.




Ummm there is no way to select how to sort the artists or albums then. If I am correct its only alphabetical. But is that a problem?


----------



## Mindstorms

mwhals said:


> There is no place near me that has any of these daps.


and any particular reason you will go with 1Z? why not buyung the TA amp?


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> Ummm there is no way to select how to sort the artists or albums then. If I am correct its only alphabetical. But is that a problem?



I am spending a lot of time populating artistsort and albumsort so artist appear as I want them and albums appear in release order rather than alphabetical.


----------



## mwhals

Mindstorms said:


> and any particular reason you will go with 1Z? why not buyung the TA amp?



I want an all in one device. Not an amp to add to something else.


----------



## Dtuck90

mwhals said:


> But when you select artist, are they always in alphabetical order by first name or do they use the artistsort tag instead where I have it last name, first name? Same with the album list under the artist. Are they alphabetical or do they use the artistsort tag for the order of listing.




It doesn’t give any indication but it doesn’t use the albumsort tag and similar tags. I found out accidentally when I first had my player and some things were showing in a strange order


----------



## mwhals

Dtuck90 said:


> It doesn’t give any indication but it doesn’t use the albumsort tag and similar tags. I found out accidentally when I first had my player and some things were showing in a strange order



Bummer. I thought that might have been one of the advantages over the LPGT, but I guess not.


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> I am spending a lot of time populating artistsort and albumsort so artist appear as I want them and albums appear in release order rather than alphabetical.




You have the option release by year. In there you see all albums sorted by sub folders for each year. It goes from recent to oldest. 
But it sorts them by folders and you only see the album art once you open the sub folder.

Same years are grouped together


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> You have the option release by year. In there you see all albums sorted by sub folders for each year. It goes from recent to oldest.
> But it sorts them by folders and you only see the album art once you open the sub folder.
> 
> Same years are grouped together



But does years drill down to artist or does it just list all of your albums?


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Jul 31, 2020)

mwhals said:


> But does years drill down to artist or does it just list all of your albums?



It shows albums in that section not by artists

You know there is probably a way how to by pass this!

In mp3tag you can put years in the beginning of each album and artist names that way it will sort it the way you want it!


----------



## nc8000

mwhals said:


> Bummer. I thought that might have been one of the advantages over the LPGT, but I guess not.



You can chose to sort/group by Album artist or Song/Track artist


----------



## Lookout57

Dtuck90 said:


> It doesn’t give any indication but it doesn’t use the albumsort tag and similar tags. I found out accidentally when I first had my player and some things were showing in a strange order


You are incorrect, the album sort tag is used.

In the player under Settings -> Playback Settings -> Artist List Display  I have Album Artist.

Then when I view an artist all of the albums are listed ordered by Sort Album tag. The albums are listed alphabetically based on the tag or if there is no tag. In my case I start the Sort Album with a number to force the order


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> You are incorrect, the album sort tag is used.
> 
> In the player under Settings -> Playback Settings -> Artist List Display  I have Album Artist.
> 
> Then when I view an artist all of the albums are listed ordered by Sort Album tag. The albums are listed alphabetically based on the tag or if there is no tag. In my case I start the Sort Album with a number to force the order



Yes but they are sorted and displayed by the Album tag not by the SortAlbum tag that Sony does not recognise. Likewise they sort and display based on AlbumArtist or SongArtist tags and not SortArtist tag


----------



## mwhals

Lookout57 said:


> You are incorrect, the album sort tag is used.
> 
> In the player under Settings -> Playback Settings -> Artist List Display  I have Album Artist.
> 
> Then when I view an artist all of the albums are listed ordered by Sort Album tag. The albums are listed alphabetically based on the tag or if there is no tag. In my case I start the Sort Album with a number to force the order





nc8000 said:


> Yes but they are sorted and displayed by the Album tag not by the SortAlbum tag that Sony does not recognise. Likewise they sort and display based on AlbumArtist or SongArtist tags and not SortArtist tag



Sounds like a picture is the only way to show that artistsort and albumsort does work.


----------



## Lookout57 (Jul 31, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Yes but they are sorted and displayed by the Album tag not by the SortAlbum tag that Sony does not recognise. Likewise they sort and display based on AlbumArtist or SongArtist tags and not SortArtist tag


No they are not sorted that way under Artist view.

For the Eagles I have the albums On the Border and Hotel California. So for each here is screen captures of each:








When I look at the Eagles under Artist view, On the Border is shown before Hotel California. If it wasn't using that or before I added the numbers to Sort Album, Hotel California would be listed before On the Border.

How do we do a screen capture again on the Sony? I'll take one to show you it in action.


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> No they are not sorted that way under Artist view.
> 
> For the Eagles I have the albums On the Border and Hotel California. So for each here is screen captures of each:
> 
> ...



Interesting. Does this also apply if you go Genre then Artist (I’ve never used the Artist grouping) ?

I’ve before tried to do this exactly to get the albums listed in order of release rather than alphabetically but never succeeded

And does it display the Album tag and not the SortAlbum tag ?


----------



## Lookout57

nc8000 said:


> Interesting. Does this also apply if you go Genre then Artist (I’ve never used the Artist grouping) ?
> 
> I’ve before tried to do this exactly to get the albums listed in order of release rather than alphabetically but never succeeded
> 
> And does it display the Album tag and not the SortAlbum tag ?


I came up with this system to get albums listed by order of release. I Previously used the year in the Sort Album but that adds complexity for classic rock artists who would release more than one album a year. So I started using the number prefix which I also use in folder name. 

My scheme is:

1xx - Albums by release. 101 first album, 102 second, etc. If I only have 1 album by that artist I use the order it was released instead of 1.
2xx - Live Albums by release.
3xx - Compilation AKA Greatest Hits albums by release
4xx - Soundtrack albums by release (rarely used) 

This way when I look at an artist I'll see all the normal albums, then their live albums and finally greatest hits. I did this as I like to listed to an artists starting with their earliest album to the last.

Yes it works when looking at Artists in a Genre. It always just displays the Album tag which is great.


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> I came up with this system to get albums listed by order of release. I Previously used the year in the Sort Album but that adds complexity for classic rock artists who would release more than one album a year. So I started using the number prefix which I also use in folder name.
> 
> My scheme is:
> 
> ...



This is exactly what I want as well and never got to work. 

Is the tag called “Sort Album” and not “SortAlbum” ?


----------



## mwhals (Jul 31, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> I came up with this system to get albums listed by order of release. I Previously used the year in the Sort Album but that adds complexity for classic rock artists who would release more than one album a year. So I started using the number prefix which I also use in folder name.
> 
> My scheme is:
> 
> ...



I am using the same system, except:

4xx is Christmas
5xx is Soundtracks

I count the Christmas album releases separate from normal album releases. So I treat album numbering as follows.:

1. Album 1 - 101
2. Album 2 - 102
3. Christmas album 1 - 401
4. Album 3 - 103
5. Christmas album 2 - 402


----------



## mwhals

nc8000 said:


> This is exactly what I want as well and never got to work.
> 
> Is the tag called “Sort Album” and not “SortAlbum” ?



AlbumSort is what I am using.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> This is exactly what I want as well and never got to work.
> 
> Is the tag called “Sort Album” and not “SortAlbum” ?


I think it is AlbumSort


----------



## Lookout57 (Jul 31, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> This is exactly what I want as well and never got to work.
> 
> Is the tag called “Sort Album” and not “SortAlbum” ?


What I did is a screen capture of what is seen in Kid3.

The official tag name is "AlbumSortOrder". I verified this in Metadatics where it is showing that name for that field when I show all tags.


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> What I did is a screen capture of what is seen in Kid3.
> 
> The official tag name is "AlbumSortOrder". I verified this in Metadatics where it is showing that name for that field when I show all tags.



I used SortAlbum when I tried which probably explains why it didn’t work. I’ll try with AlbumSortOrder


----------



## Vitaly2017

Really looks complicated. 
Is it possible to do those options with mp3 tag?


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Really looks complicated.
> Is it possible to do those options with mp3 tag?



Yes it’s just another tag name


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> Really looks complicated.
> Is it possible to do those options with mp3 tag?



Yes, I am doing all of mine in MP3tag. I bulk copy the album name to AlbumSortOrder, then I manually add the three digit sorting number in front of the album name.


----------



## Lookout57 (Jul 31, 2020)

All of the tags listed here are the official ID3 version 2.3 tag names and are recognized by the WM1 and should be recognized by any other DAP. I will say the ALBUMSORTORDER is not recognized by the sound system in my car.

Just take sure that any tag editor you use uses these as the actual tags they are writing


----------



## mwhals

Thanks. I was using artistsort and albumsort from MP3Tag I think. I will have to look at it again, because I would think MP3Tag would be using ID3 tags, so I could be wrong.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Lookout57 said:


> No they are not sorted that way under Artist view.
> 
> For the Eagles I have the albums On the Border and Hotel California. So for each here is screen captures of each:
> 
> ...


Omg, my head spins 😅😂🤣🤣


----------



## mwhals

mwhals said:


> Thanks. I was using artistsort and albumsort from MP3Tag I think. I will have to look at it again, because I would think MP3Tag would be using ID3 tags, so I could be wrong.



MP3tag uses ArtistSort and AlbumSort, but I think they get mapped to other names such as ArtistSortOrder and AlbumSortOrder.


----------



## Dtuck90

Lookout57 said:


> You are incorrect, the album sort tag is used.
> 
> In the player under Settings -> Playback Settings -> Artist List Display  I have Album Artist.
> 
> Then when I view an artist all of the albums are listed ordered by Sort Album tag. The albums are listed alphabetically based on the tag or if there is no tag. In my case I start the Sort Album with a number to force the order



I’ve just reread my post and it was a typo, it does use those tags! I’m pretty sure when I first had my player I had some artists such as The Beatles filed under B and others filed under T


----------



## Vitaly2017

Dtuck90 said:


> I’ve just reread my post and it was a typo, it does use those tags! I’m pretty sure when I first had my player I had some artists such as The Beatles filed under B and others filed under T




I have that issue . So it means I need to fix the tags somewhere?


----------



## Pillsburydough

Hi Guys

I'm extremely late to the party here, so my apologies for this post! But purpose of post is that I'm looking for a little advice and assistance from this excellent community. (Flattery gets you everywhere    - but I do mean it!)

I sold my 1A a little while after getting the 1Z. Looks like that may have been a mistake given the improvements now on offer? Anyway, I love the stock 1Z and feel it's definitely step up from stock 1A, and regardless, I am where I am. I've had the 1Z for around 8 weeks now and I'm still only on the hour count of 260 (I don't get as much time with it as I'd like! - and still burning in?). 

Anyway, my questions, to those that have the 1Z:  What custom firmware are you guys using? Is anyone still using stock firmware? Are the new custom firmwares completely safe, and can I go back to stock firmware without any hassle? And can someone point me in the right direction of where to to find the firmware and some brief layman's terms of how to install as what I have skim read, it all appears a little confusing to me with switcher, region etc. Oh, and just to note, in case this makes a difference, my 1Z was purchased within the EU so had the volume cap - although I took that straight off by changing the region to J. 

Thanks in advance!


----------



## Lookout57

Dtuck90 said:


> I’ve just reread my post and it was a typo, it does use those tags! I’m pretty sure when I first had my player I had some artists such as The Beatles filed under B and others filed under T


For Sort Artist, if the artist name starts with "The", I drop it like iTunes does. So for "The Beatles" Sort Artist, the Sort Artist is "Beatles". For people I use last name, first name like "Hendrix, Jimi". That way Hendrix is under H and not J.


----------



## Lookout57

Pillsburydough said:


> Hi Guys
> 
> I'm extremely late to the party here, so my apologies for this post! But purpose of post is that I'm looking for a little advice and assistance from this excellent community. (Flattery gets you everywhere    - but I do mean it!)
> 
> ...


The firmwares are completely safe to use.

I have both the 1A and 1Z and have only used the custom firmware on the 1A. I've been busy comparing how the 1A stock and a 1A switched to a 1Z compare to a real 1Z. Next up is to compare the + version on the 1A and 1Z. But so far the 1Z stock is better to me is than a 1A switched to 1Z.


----------



## Lookout57

Vitaly2017 said:


> I have that issue . So it means I need to fix the tags somewhere?


Only you you want to have it work this way.

It's a PitA to clean up, but to me worth it in the end.


----------



## mwhals (Jul 31, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> Only you you want to have it work this way.
> 
> It's a PitA to clean up, but to me worth it in the end.



Scanning better album pictures, adding sort tags has taken all most a month and I am just 25% through albumsort, but after the next 75% I am done. I also did some organizing of the physical CDs in archive boxes too.

Getting ready to bulk delete a bunch of tags I don’t need like one that shows CD lossless as source and another stating dbPowerAmp was the program. That is true for 100% of my files, so I don’t need them.


----------



## Lookout57

mwhals said:


> Scanning better album pictures, adding sort tags has taken all most a month and I am just 25% through albumsort, but after the next 75% I am done. I also did some organizing of the physical CDs in archive boxes too.
> 
> Getting ready to bulk delete a bunch of tags I don’t need like one that shows CD lossless as source and another stating dbPowerAmp was the program. That is true for 100% of my files, so I don’t need them.


That is why when you see the screen capture I did I deleted all the tags that aren't used or seen. Every byte saved helps.


----------



## mwhals

Lookout57 said:


> That is why when you see the screen capture I did I deleted all the tags that aren't used or seen. Every byte saved helps.



Truth. MP3TAG is now saving all my files after I bulk deleted tags I never use. I will setup DbPowerAmp to only add the tags I am keeping for future burns.


----------



## proedros

i don't know/understand what you are talking about

i just make huge folders by genre ( ambient , prog house , p-funk etc) if a genre is too big i may split it in 2 (funk A-K , funk L-Z) and just drop the albums in alphabetical order

marvin gaye - album title
sly stone - album title
parliament - album title

etc

so when i am in the mood for say marvin gaye , i go to the genre folder , find where Marvin gaye albums are and just play whichever i want


----------



## Vitaly2017

My stuff are sorted by artists or albums.

I did fix all the tagings and album art via mp3tag...
But those albums art that still dont work I do them via the folder where the album tracks are located...

Its pretty easy and I dont really about the year release or genre type


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Pillsburydough said:


> And can someone point me in the right direction of where to to find the firmware


Deferring you to Mr. Walkman's link:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2738#post-15747959


----------



## mwhals

All of my unnecessary tags have been removed from all music files. I left the replay gain tags. Any reason to keep them? Everything is going nicely for use with the WM1Z or LPGT.


----------



## RobertP (Jul 31, 2020)

Pillsburydough said:


> Hi Guys
> 
> I'm extremely late to the party here, so my apologies for this post! But purpose of post is that I'm looking for a little advice and assistance from this excellent community. (Flattery gets you everywhere    - but I do mean it!)
> 
> ...


Well it's all depends. 1Z still have more amount of bass and thicker sound in lower-mid. 1Z is more about warmth, intimate and emotion type of sound. Some people will like it and some don't. Also it's all depends on your gears.

1A is more about fun, exciting, and realistic type of sound IMHO.


----------



## RobertP

Mindstorms said:


> "Just look at SA Z1" (looks insane) dough i wonder about power output? 50w per channel maybe 80?
> 
> I can hear a difference now that you guys say between SD and Internal memory i hear sound its capped in the higher frecuencies is that correct on SD?


What SD card you try?


----------



## Mindstorms

cheap sandisk 128GB


----------



## RobertP

Mindstorms said:


> cheap sandisk 128GB


If you can, SLC or at least MLC is preferable.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Someone did a test on power consumption of microsd cards:

http://gaidi.ca/weblog/low-power-showdown-usd-card-sleep-and-write-current-draw


----------



## Mindstorms

RobertP said:


> If you can, SLC or at least MLC is preferable.


how do i know if its slc or MLC, thanks for the info you detected it affect sound


----------



## mwhals (Jul 31, 2020)

Mindstorms said:


> how do i know if its slc or MLC, thanks for the info you detected it affect sound



SLC cards carry an industrial grade label. They are way more expensive than consumer cards that are MLC. The vast majority of the cards will be MLC instead of SLC.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 31, 2020)

https://thememoryguy.com/memory-sightings-at-isscc/#more-2213



> NAND Flash
> There were three NAND flash papers, one each from Toshiba, Samsung, and Western Digital Corp. (WDC).
> 
> Toshiba 96-layer 1Tb QLC NANDToshiba described a 96-layer QLC 1.33 terabit chip.  Like the chip that Toshiba presented last year, this one uses CUA, which Toshiba calls “Circuit Under Array” although Micron, who originated the technology, says that CUA stands for “CMOS Under Array.”  Toshiba improved the margins between the cells by extending the gate threshold ranges below zero, a move that forced them to re-think the sense amplifiers.  They also implemented a newer, faster, lower-error way to program the cells.  The developers made a number of speed-related enhancements, including the option of allowing pages to be configured as SLC, TLC, or QLC.  Toshiba compared this chip to a similar chip later presented by its partner Western Digital, pointing out that this one had a higher density despite its lower layer count (96 vs. 128 layers) largely due to its use of QLC rather than the TLC approach used by the chip that WDC presented.  *The WDC chip was designed for speed.*
> ...




Seems like Western Digital/Sandisk is ahead of Samsung when it comes to Nand memory design.

This guy's website is worth exploring if you are into memory tech.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Jul 31, 2020)

mwhals said:


> SLC cards carry an industrial grade label. They are way more expensive than consumer cards that are MLC. The vast majority of the cards will be MLC instead of SLC.


SLC is limited to 32gb cards.
This is the highest capacity I have found. 3D SLC:
https://www.mouser.sg/ProductDetail/Greenliant/GLS93MP032G1-I-BZ801?qs=mAH9sUMRCts5UemHZi5qEw==

As times passes, it will be harder to source MLC microsd as the whole nand industry is shifted to 3D TLC/QLC production. And also as technology improves(lithography wise), QLC based microsd card could offer lower current draw vs MLC and SLC.


----------



## RobertP

I will try Sandisk Ultra this weekend to see if I can hear anything different.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Sorry I am wrong, there exist a 64gb SLC microsd:

https://www.mouser.sg/ProductDetail/Greenliant/GLS93MP064G1-I-BZ801?qs=/ha2pyFadughMYldfvwvPwLTayufDS4Zpa%2B3iehakg6scuU%2B2YYetiLa0K2S62gX

Datasheet looks very impressive:
https://www.mouser.sg/datasheet/2/176/S71486_Factsheet-1826939.pdf


----------



## mwhals

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Sorry I am wrong, there exist a 64gb SLC microsd:
> 
> https://www.mouser.sg/ProductDetail/Greenliant/GLS93MP064G1-I-BZ801?qs=/ha2pyFadughMYldfvwvPwLTayufDS4Zpa%2B3iehakg6scuU%2B2YYetiLa0K2S62gX
> 
> ...



Look at the price for one 64 GB card! As I said SLC is expensive.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Well if you already have an extremely modded WM1 Walkman, the SLC microsd card could be the last piece of the puzzle to ultimate end game sound quality?


----------



## jmtocali

I'm so happy with my Wm1a, using WM1AZ+. Currently as DAC to a roon bridge in an Android TV Box running Coreelec in Docker. Just now streaming the John Adams' orchestral works recording made by Simon Rattle in Birmingham in Qobuz . It's my Headphone station next to my bed!
Many thanks @MrWalkman


----------



## RYCeT

To those who use the WM1A with the dock to TA-ZH1ES, how's your battery life? I need to charge mine every other day. I was only using it for 2-3 hours per day.


----------



## Azanulimbar

Is there any way to see my WM1A's current region?


----------



## 534409 (Aug 1, 2020)

tolisgtr said:


> Is there any way to see my WM1A's current region?


Use scsitool-nwz-vX.exe https://www.dropbox.com/s/zxfbibs689ma3yq/scsitool-nwz-v25.exe?dl=0
Command is “scsitool-nwz-v25.exe H: dest_tool get”. Change H: to your Walkman drive in your PC.


----------



## Azanulimbar

Dramba said:


> Use scsitool-nwz-vX.exe https://www.dropbox.com/s/zxfbibs689ma3yq/scsitool-nwz-v25.exe?dl=0
> Command is “scsitool-nwz-vX.exe H: dest_tool get”. Change H: to your Walkman drive in your PC.


Thank you sir!


----------



## 534409

New link: https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool
Tool version is now 26.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 1, 2020)

Guys, this may sound absurd to some here, I don't know what I have been missing out all these years but just only today I have discovered a new sub-genre of music, its called Symphonic Metal. Just want to share this amazing genre of music that is both relaxing and entertaining to listen at the same time.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphonic_metal#:~:text=Symphonic metal is a subgenre,orchestra, or just keyboard orchestration.

*Recommended DSP for this genre*:
Vinyl Processor: Arm Resonance
DC Phase Linearizer: Type A Low
DSEE HX AI ON(if available)

These DSP will accentuate the bass notes to be more hard hitting, Cymbals to sound more crispy and with more airy soundstage.

Also I would think a dynamic/hybrid driver iem, dynamic driver headphone or planar magnetic headphone will sound awesome on this genre. I think the Sony MDR-1AM2 sound signature is perfectly suited to this genre. 

Music example:


----------



## gerelmx1986

FLAC uses vorbis comments NOT ID3, mp4 aac uses iTunes tags
Mp3/DSD use ID3
APE ape tags


----------



## gerelmx1986

My albums are sorted by composer and all the albums for that composer go there. I have various composers too.

My rags are
Artist - in this one a soloist go there, multiple persons get separated by comma or the name of the ensemble. For the orchestral works I put the name of the orchestra & the conductor.
Album -the name of the album as it is shown in the booklet.
Title- the name of the work , for multiple movements inside same title I use long line or dot ec. String quartet ... : movement A - movement B
Genre - I use the periods f.e Baroqur, romanticism, medieval etc.
Release year the year of release of the album.
Track - usually automated for flac just the current track, for DSD, current track/track total
Disc number- dsme.meyhod as track number for flac just current disc/volume in the series. For DSD current disc/vol  / total discs
Fot discs that are Pachlbel often works vol  1 SACD 1... Pachelbel organ works vol. 1 SACD 5, disc would be for SACD 1 1/5, sacd 2 2/5 and so on.. then on pachelbel organ works col. 2 which has two SACD is goes 1/2 and 2/2.
Album Art- baseline jpg scan or from cover from download ar a resolution of 950x950
Composer- the composer,  when various in an album, then I use various composers and in title zwischen klammern the composer name e.g Firrworks music, Ouverture (Georg Friderich Habdel) or [Dietrich Buxtehude] Suite BuxWV 243...
FLAC ONLY 
DISCTOTAL
TRACKTOTAL


----------



## Maxx134 (Aug 1, 2020)

Nayparm said:


> Lol, I already tried 4 x Panasonic Oscons on the balanced out of a 1Z and the FT on a 1A while I was testing different cap combos


Ok, so If you think that those caps are not making the difference, then I would love to hear what is your take on this?
MrWalkman's firmware makes it clear that the difference is no longer the firmware.
To me, Hardware is the only explanation.
Anyways, you have installed the best hardware upgrade units, and with the Audionote, so would be great if you could give some impressions.



RobertP said:


> Just try CerBerus fw from
> @Whitigir. To properly install is a bit tricky. In the end, I love how it sounds on modded 1A. Vocals and Instruments is so realistic and organic. Next level treble textures and lower level details when compared to Solis. Gigantic depth and width. Bass is very large and packed with tons of energy and Sub-bass is better than anything else I try so far. If lower-mid is a bit fuller, This might be the best tune fw so far. Well at least for me LOL!


One positive impression ..


hamhamhamsta said:


> I tried Whitigir Cerberus FW, and GearofWar also created a somewhat flawed Cerberus FW


Two positive impressions...


hamhamhamsta said:


> . I'm using Z tuning btw


Ok so we have a few posters who managed to get an improvement, but whitiger tried on original method , then robertP tried on stock, then hamhamhamsta tried on 1z tunnings, and I believe GearofWar tried on some different install procedure, which Mrwalkman proved the file does not load, so something else must be going on, and everyone on this tunnig is all over the place with different base firmware.
Apologies for being so forward or rude by pointing this out.
The primary problem is that has been difficult to load by all, and we don't know what base it should be on.

So I would hope that @whitiger can resolve this by just creating a tunnig to work on the latest firmwares.




MrWalkman said:


> Both WM1A/Z+ and CHAMELEON firmware’s offer:
> - Stock external tuning
> - Model switching (from "Settings" > "Device Settings")
> - DSEE HX AI (as in DMP-Z1)
> ...


Thanks for clearing this up!




RobertP said:


> Well it's all depends. 1Z still have more amount of bass and thicker sound in lower-mid. 1Z is more about warmth, intimate and emotion type of sound. Some people will like it and some don't. Also it's all depends on your gears.
> 
> 1A is more about fun, exciting, and realistic type of sound IMHO.


Sorry I have to disagree here, about the 1z.
It is definitely NOT more intimate, but instead more immersive.
Maybe that's a description you would agree?

Yes, I can agree that you can be swayed by the more exciting sound of the 1a with the MrWalkman's WM1A/z + firmware), BUT ..
Don't be fooled.
The 1z is the more accurate and realistic player.

It has more depth, more holography, more liquidity and ease of presentation.
It is a different presentation although with similar signature when the 1a has the chameleon 1z firmware.

So to me, the 1a actually is the more intimate, because it has a more forward and lively presentation.
Actually I think neither one is "intimate".


----------



## Whitigir

@Maxx134 , I understand your desire  . However, I am only an enthusiast, and that means I live within my pockets means LOL! Sorry, I can not help any longer


----------



## Mindstorms

mwhals said:


> SLC cards carry an industrial grade label. They are way more expensive than consumer cards that are MLC. The vast majority of the cards will be MLC instead of SLC.


Ista 128GB micro SD sony XC70mb/s its that ok or crap?


----------



## aceedburn

Mindstorms said:


> Ista 128GB micro SD sony XC70mb/s its that ok or crap?


If it’s an original class 10 and above then you’re good to go.


----------



## Nayparm (Aug 3, 2020)

> Nayparm said:
> Lol, I already tried 4 x Panasonic Oscons on the balanced out of a 1Z and the FT on a 1A while I was testing different cap combos



Just to expand on that as it was a bit brief, both 1A and 1Z use FT caps on SE and Balanced outputs in stock form. The Oscons are not used in either on the output stage in stock form. I tried Oscons on the output as a test for 15 mins and didn't notice any degradation nor improvement. The FT caps tested on 1A test where in the power supply section i.e. make it the same as a 1Z, again nothing notable to me but that doesn't mean their isn't, the next person may spot something. Upgraded caps are much bigger in size and changes are much easier to detect.

I haven't tried FineSound resistors in a 1A and I haven't tried a 1A board in 1Z copper chassis or vice versa which would be a cool test after mrwalkmans switcher


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


>







Black and Gold !


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Black and Gold !



They are sleeping together.


----------



## SBranson

Can the WM1A/Z+ be done on a mac?  I downloaded it and it's an .exe  I'd prefer not to get an emulator and I guess I could use my kid's PC but just checking.
Thanks


----------



## mwhals

Mindstorms said:


> Ista 128GB micro SD sony XC70mb/s its that ok or crap?



I think it is class 10 and would be a good card.


----------



## Mindstorms

Thank you guys!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> They are sleeping together.



hahaha
are you saying there is an affair going on in there?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> hahaha
> are you saying there is an affair going on in there?



They are spooning.


----------



## Queen6

I use Kodak branded SD cards, as no one copy's them and if rated for 4K video and continuous industrial use they are more than good enough for music. They also hold up and speed test (90+ MB/s) as good as any other class 10 card I have from the likes of SanDisk etc.

Q-6


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> They are spooning.


wich one will be the male?


----------



## Redcarmoose

1Z of course. But once you go black you never go back.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> 1Z of course. But once you go black you never go back.


And then they have USB Sex lol


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> 1Z of course. But once you go black you never go back.




once the babies grow up Il buy one hopefully they have many twins to come!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

well guys at least the microsd cards are not like DAT tapes of the past:


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> once the babies grow up Il buy one hopefully they have many twins to come!



Would it be a Sony ZX507?


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Aug 1, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> well guys at least the microsd cards are not like DAT tapes of the past:





hehe dont rimnd us those days!   I remember having a pen and rewinding those tapes lo lo








@mwhals   hehe we already have those ! we want new babies , wm1a/z mark2!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> once the babies grow up Il buy one hopefully they have many twins to come!






 But this affair was the result of drinking? So I hope they know what they are doing and don’t regret children?


----------



## Mindstorms

Vitaly2017 said:


> once the babies grow up Il buy one hopefully they have many twins to come!


like A50 A40 and A30 Baby in diferent colors!?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Redcarmoose said:


> But this affair was the result of drinking? So I hope they know what they are doing and don’t regret children?


My gosh, the result is drunkard babies😄


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mindstorms said:


> like A50 A40 and A30 Baby in diferent colors!?


Or checkered black/Gold


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Queen6 said:


> I use Kodak branded SD cards, as no one copy's them and if rated for 4K video and continuous industrial use they are more than good enough for music. They also hold up and speed test (90+ MB/s) as good as any other class 10 card I have from the likes of SanDisk etc.
> 
> Q-6



Kodak is a rebranded EMTEC, which parent company is BASF. 

http://www.emtec-international.com/en/company-profile


----------



## Redcarmoose

hamhamhamsta said:


> My gosh, the result is drunkard babies😄






Baby Walkmans or Walkmans for babies?


----------



## mmwwmm

@MrWalkman Just one question regarding going back to stock firmware after using WM1AZ+ (1.3 version) or Chamelon. I understand that when using these firmwares is not needed to use the “back to stock” utility/firmware as needed in previous versions and it’s just needed to install the desired stock firmware version, am I right?
thanks!


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> Baby Walkmans or Walkmans for babies?


How did you even find out about this LoL!!!!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> How did you even find out about this LoL!!!!



My knowledge is useless, yours is not.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Redcarmoose said:


> Baby Walkmans or Walkmans for babies?


So cute 😂


----------



## Queen6

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Kodak is a rebranded EMTEC, which parent company is BASF.
> 
> http://www.emtec-international.com/en/company-profile



Kodak clearly dont manufacture directly, the cards are good, nor flake out in time. I have one in my UMPC it's been no issue as an expansion drive, which sees a lot more R/W than any DAP ever will. Kodak does seem to have regional variations across it's websites. I got mine direct from a Kodak dealer, when I enquired about legitimacy he told me straight that if I can illustrate the card is a fake or does not meet the specification's he'll refund, for the life of the card. I think the 512 cards are more aimed at industrial use as that was emphasised on the packaging. TBH I was a little dubious initially and tested the SDcard's numerous times with CrystalDiskMark with the results all being consistent, as they remain to be.

Previously I had SanDisk Pro/Extreme as far as I can hear there's no difference, equally I never did an explicit A/B comparison. Just seemed a safer bet at the time, as far less likely to be copied and misrepresented than the usual suspects 

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Baby Walkmans or Walkmans for babies?




I wont be surprised he had it laying somewhere deep in he sony gear collection haha


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> I wont be surprised he had it laying somewhere deep in he sony gear collection haha








Actually my model is way way less advanced?


----------



## Lookout57

SBranson said:


> Can the WM1A/Z+ be done on a mac?  I downloaded it and it's an .exe  I'd prefer not to get an emulator and I guess I could use my kid's PC but just checking.
> Thanks


No, I've been working with MrWalkman to create macOS version but have run into a technical difficult that I haven't been able to solve yet. I will keep trying.

However even if I can get it working it only works with macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier as Sony hasn't updated their install for Catalina.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Redcarmoose said:


> Actually my model is way way less advanced?


That looks like vtech toys, not Sony 😂. I know because I used to buy lots of toys for my son 🤣


----------



## Lookout57

mmwwmm said:


> @MrWalkman Just one question regarding going back to stock firmware after using WM1AZ+ (1.3 version) or Chamelon. I understand that when using these firmwares is not needed to use the “back to stock” utility/firmware as needed in previous versions and it’s just needed to install the desired stock firmware version, am I right?
> thanks!


Correct, if you are using the latest versions of his firmware you can just overwrite it using the Sony official version of your choice. However, make sure if you switched the model you switch back to the original before installing.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Good guide on sdcards
https://www.reneelab.com/what-is-sd-card.html


----------



## SBranson

Lookout57 said:


> No, I've been working with MrWalkman to create macOS version but have run into a technical difficult that I haven't been able to solve yet. I will keep trying.
> 
> However even if I can get it working it only works with macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier as Sony hasn't updated their install for Catalina.



Thanks.  My iMac is from 2011 and I stopped updating the OS at Yosemite so I would be fine.  Ha.

I’ll use my kid’s windows laptop.


----------



## Dtuck90

Redcarmoose said:


> Baby Walkmans or Walkmans for babies?



I had one of those when I was a kid in the mid to late 90s


----------



## Pillsburydough (Aug 1, 2020)

Dtuck90 said:


> I had one of those when I was a kid in the mid to late 90s


I used to have this 'Walkman' as a kid as my parents said the Sony Walkman was too expensive. My beginning game - The Saisho Piece of S*** 50


----------



## Duncan

Pillsburydough said:


> I used to have this 'Walkman' as a kid as my parents said the Sony Walkman was too expensive. My beginning game - The Saisho Piece of S*** 50


I’ll raise you that, my first was a Sanyo where the tape / music would slow down as the batteries ran down!

so grateful for what we have these days, still stoked with 1Z+ and the FiiO FH7, beauty is in the ear of the beholder, and my ears are still smitten


----------



## AlexCBSN

Redcarmoose said:


> Baby Walkmans or Walkmans for babies?


i had that walkman! so funny to see it here, i dont remember which headphone it had but i remember they had a funny color too


----------



## mmwwmm

Lookout57 said:


> Correct, if you are using the latest versions of his firmware you can just overwrite it using the Sony official version of your choice. However, make sure if you switched the model you switch back to the original before installing.



Thanks!!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 1, 2020)

@Whitigir and those interested in AI

I think this video perfectly explains how Machine Learning with classification, training data set and etc etc can reduce computational processing requirements:


----------



## Hinomotocho

Vitaly2017 said:


> Black and Gold !


Gold and black gold!


----------



## NickleCo

Morbideath said:


> @gearofwar I changed to J yesterday and switched back to U. For me U is smoother with more fluidity. Subbass is deeper (pretty like dc type A low). Maybe J has a tad more mid-bass slams so u find U to be "thinner". But that's on my Romi BG 1Z with LXse custom, synergy with Cerberus+ could play a role too


Give the E2 a try


----------



## Dtuck90

The new 24/96 remaster of Paul McCartneys Flaming Pie sounds absolutely perfect on WM1A+


----------



## NickleCo

Whitigir said:


> all I can say is that Sony engineering is the real stuff.  The WM1A is priced ways too cheap for the build and performances quality.  I have said this many times before.  The 1Z May seem expensive, but it is also cheap for the price, especially that Copper and Goldplated chassis
> 
> How will Sony go about with the next future Walkmans ? I do not know.  All I know is that Covid is wrecking HAVOC across the world, and many new products being released just can’t get enough sales or attentions, for example the Xperia MKii.
> 
> ...


Sony is one of those companies that doesnt really care about expenses. They are much more interested in inventing/innovating something (regardless if it will perform good/bad in the market).


----------



## NickleCo

Quick question. Does the DSEE HX AI upscale music @ 32bit on both se and bal?


----------



## Mystic Traveller

BTW, who knows "the internals" of A/Z - 
wondering where is the magical FPGA chip here on back or front?  Just curious..
No markings! 👀 Alien technology probably.. 😜


----------



## NeoDiNardo (Aug 2, 2020)

I am wondering now that I have my LPGT, which is very energetic, smooth, and neutral, would it be worth it to also acquire a WM1Z to have tonal differences to choose from? Sort of like that new A&K with the two DAC sound signatures in one. Or I could just hold off until there is a WM1Z successor. Don’t get me wrong, I love owning the LPGT, it’s a keeper. I was just thinking it would be cool to have different sound signatures.


----------



## Layman1 (Aug 2, 2020)

NeoDiNardo said:


> I am wondering now that I have my LPGT, which is very energetic, smooth, and neutral, would it be worth it to also acquire a WM1Z to have tonal differences to choose from? Sort of like that new A&K with the two DAC sound signatures in one. Or I could just hold off until there is a WM1Z successor. Don’t get me wrong, I love owning the LPGT, it’s a keeper. I was just thinking it would be cool to have different sound signatures.



As a general reply (for anyone in a similar situation), it would depend to some extent on what you are looking for and how open you were to modding the FW (or even hardware) of the WM1Z.
Even a stock WM1Z should have a rather different signature that could be worth using with different IEMs (synergy is an important factor).

Regarding the possibility of a WM1Z successor, of course we don't know when that might be, nor what form it might take.
As a cautionary note, you could say the ZX300 had a successor in the new ZX500, but for me, I was disinterested as soon as I heard it was Android-based and with a significant decrease in battery life.

Sometimes the grass isn't greener on the other side 
Just my view of course; others may find the ZX500 to be exactly what they're looking for


----------



## NeoDiNardo

It will be interesting to see if the next flagship Walkman uses Android or Walkman OS.


----------



## Whitigir

NeoDiNardo said:


> It will be interesting to see if the next flagship Walkman uses Android or Walkman OS.


Should be walkmanOS as they have invested a lot into it.  There should not be any reason to go with Android if it is a player that is dedicated to music only.


----------



## minzink

Whitigir said:


> Should be walkmanOS as they have invested a lot into it.  There should not be any reason to go with Android if it is a player that is dedicated to music only.


I am very convinced that it will be an Android system to enable high res streaming. I think, days for single WalkmanOS will be counted. Even I prefer this very intuitive and simple OS to Android.... But I don't expect a successor in 2020. Earliest in end 21 or even later... If the flag ship series will be continued at all....


----------



## Jamiroquai

Question, has anybody successfully got their player out of a boot loop? Is my unit borked or is there a way out of this, and how?

Thank you


----------



## aceedburn

Jamiroquai said:


> Question, has anybody successfully got their player out of a boot loop? Is my unit borked or is there a way out of this, and how?
> 
> Thank you


Ahh. @MrWalkman should be able to help you with that. He has had his fair share of that.


----------



## matevana

Has anyone had a problem with iPhone pairing since a recent iOS update?  I lost the bluetooth connection to my walkman and have tried repairing, forgetting the device, resetting network, etc. The walkman can no longer discover my iPhone, which was never a problem in the past.


----------



## blazinblazin (Aug 2, 2020)

DatDudeNic said:


> Give the E2 a try


I have been rocking E2 for very long time. 
I find the sound most suited for my setup.
The energy, the very Live or Live Concert tonality, makes me want to dance.
If you enjoy bass, controlled drums, cymbals this is good.


----------



## Jamiroquai

aceedburn said:


> Ahh. @MrWalkman should be able to help you with that. He has had his fair share of that.


Thanks for the quick response. I'll send him a pm and hopefully I can get out of this.


----------



## aceedburn

matevana said:


> Has anyone had a problem with iPhone pairing since a recent iOS update?  I lost the bluetooth connection to my walkman and have tried repairing, forgetting the device, resetting network, etc. The walkman can no longer discover my iPhone, which was never a problem in the past.


No issues for me. Bluetooth works rock solid with my iPhone 11 Pro Max. You’re referring to the Bluetooth receiver pairing right?


----------



## matevana

aceedburn said:


> No issues for me. Bluetooth works rock solid with my iPhone 11 Pro Max. You’re referring to the Bluetooth receiver pairing right?



Yes, correct. My phone recently updated to iOS 13.6 and that seems to be when the issue started. I checked the iPhone threads and couldn't find any wide spread issues w/bluetooth connectivity.


----------



## Lookout57

minzink said:


> I am very convinced that it will be an Android system to enable high res streaming. I think, days for single WalkmanOS will be counted. Even I prefer this very intuitive and simple OS to Android.... But I don't expect a successor in 2020. Earliest in end 21 or even later... If the flag ship series will be continued at all....


I doubt they will use Android for high end players like the WM1x or it's successors and will stick with their custom Linux OS. Android is a general purpose OS that can do many things. As such it contains a lot of bloat that isn't needed for serious music listening and effects battery life.

The one thing that drew me to the WM1x was it not using Android or having streaming capabilities. There is a market for this and steaming capable players like the ZX-500.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 2, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> I doubt they will use Android for high end players like the WM1x or it's successors and will stick with their custom Linux OS. Android is a general purpose OS that can do many things. As such it contains a lot of bloat that isn't needed for serious music listening and effects battery life.
> 
> The one thing that drew me to the WM1x was it not using Android or having streaming capabilities. There is a market for this and steaming capable players like the ZX-500.


I am not big into streaming, I also have capable devices such as Dx220Max ...etc...even my desktop PC isn’t streaming anything. 

Streaming services is a thing, it own player has it own quality is another matter....etc...

I found that it is best be using nonOS, offline storage, good Memory SD, and stock player app for the best performances

That is how I am using my DMP.  Sometimes I can stream Bluetooth into it, and uses DSEEHX but still ... those were never a decisive points.  Instead, the decisive points for me was the actual WalkmanOS and non Android with Zero WiFi ...though I don’t know why NFC is a thing LOL


----------



## Maxx134

Pillsburydough said:


> Ahh. @MrWalkman should be able to help you with that. He has had his fair share of that.


Thats news to me.
In fact, that's the first time I ever heard of anyone having a "boot loop".
Normal installations even the moded firmwares are solid, so would have to do something irregular to get a boot loop, like play with a boot program.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lookout57 said:


> I doubt they will use Android for high end players like the WM1x or it's successors and will stick with their custom Linux OS. Android is a general purpose OS that can do many things. As such it contains a lot of bloat that isn't needed for serious music listening and effects battery life.
> 
> The one thing that drew me to the WM1x was it not using Android or having streaming capabilities. There is a market for this and steaming capable players like the ZX-500.


Not to mention android has the infamous SRC which must be circumvented.

I personally don't need streaming as I have a carefully-curated library  is with mor than 57600 tracks


----------



## aceedburn

matevana said:


> Yes, correct. My phone recently updated to iOS 13.6 and that seems to be when the issue started. I checked the iPhone threads and couldn't find any wide spread issues w/bluetooth connectivity.


I’m on ios13.6 as well. Do you try removing the pairing in both your Walkman and iPhone and tried to repair again?


----------



## aceedburn

Maxx134 said:


> Thats news to me.
> In fact, that's the first time I ever heard of anyone having a "boot loop".
> Normal installations even the moded firmwares are solid, so would have to do something irregular to get a boot loop, like play with a boot program.


Yep. The path to releasing the greatly modded firmwares we are all enjoying now has not had it’s light shine so bright all the time. Let’s just say he can now unbrick the Walkman comfortably and with no worries.


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Not to mention android has the infamous SRC which must be circumvented.
> 
> I personally don't need streaming as I have a carefully-curated library  is with mor than 57600 tracks


Hell, I don’t usually use search function, but I found that having 1Tb of music collections and the needs to specifically go for some tracks is a little worrisome...

I am almost sure that the successor of Signature series will have more power output.  This was a problem that plague the S-Master for so many years and through many generations of modern Walkman.  It is now solved with either Active Ground control from TA ZH1ES or using GAN FET such as SAZ1

I think signature series may no longer have copper and gold plated chassis ? I could be wrong, but judging by the technologies within DMP Z1.  There are better ways to get the Sony house sound without the expensive, exotic, Fancy Full OFC Goldplated chassis.  One example is to utilize the Inner frame constructions as you can see on many Walkman including 1A/Z

I am almost sure that it would still have walkmanOS.


----------



## nc8000

Maxx134 said:


> Thats news to me.
> In fact, that's the first time I ever heard of anyone having a "boot loop".
> Normal installations even the moded firmwares are solid, so would have to do something irregular to get a boot loop, like play with a boot program.



It has been mentioned a couple of times over the years in this thread


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> Hell, I don’t usually use search function, but I found that having 1Tb of music collections and the needs to specifically go for some tracks is a little worrisome...
> 
> I am almost sure that the successor of Signature series will have more power output.  This was a problem that plague the S-Master for so many years and through many generations of modern Walkman.  It is now solved with either Active Ground control from TA ZH1ES or using GAN FET such as SAZ1
> 
> ...


I usually don't search, I play album after album


----------



## matevana

aceedburn said:


> I’m on ios13.6 as well. Do you try removing the pairing in both your Walkman and iPhone and tried to repair again?



Yes, but "forget the device" didn't help either. I just did a "reset all settings" on the iPhone and that worked. It's odd but that never happened with any of the previous iOS updates. I have an iPhone 8 which is approaching end of life so that may be part of it.


----------



## nc8000

matevana said:


> Yes, but "forget the device" didn't help either. I just did a "reset all settings" on the iPhone and that worked. It's odd but that never happened with any of the previous iOS updates. I have an iPhone 8 which is approaching end of life so that may be part of it.



My iPhone8 did not experience such a problem after the iOS 13.6 upgrade


----------



## Donmonte

aceedburn said:


> Yep. The path to releasing the greatly modded firmwares we are all enjoying now has not had it’s light shine so bright all the time. Let’s just say he can now unbrick the Walkman comfortably and with no worries.


Agreed, happened with mine and @MrWalkman sorted it out.


----------



## Maxx134 (Aug 2, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> This was a problem that plague the S-Master for so many years and through many generations of modern Walkman. It is now solved with either Active Ground control from TA ZH1ES or using GAN FET such as SAZ1


This is good news, because I have heard almost every dac topology out there. All the top stuff. 4 type Ladder dacs, many AKM & LeSabre dac types(they're much much better now) and custom chip like Chord types (Dave,Hugo,mojo)....
They all have their type of signature AND pacing, and timbre.

Before I heard the Sony, the Ladder (in general) dacs had the lead on realism and solidity of timbre and also pacing, but the Sony brings a characteristic that has alluded most of the other type dacs, and that is of musically and organic sound.

I feel the Sony Smaster chip avoids many of the pitfalls of the other dacs, and sounds closer to actuall source file.

I believe they need to stay with this topology Wich they also describe as straight from the digital domain to Audio output.


----------



## WAmadeusM

nc8000 said:


> It has been mentioned a couple of times over the years in this thread


Sadly it might be a future of The Unberable Lightness Of Being...


----------



## Amber Rain

SBranson said:


> Can the WM1A/Z+ be done on a mac?  I downloaded it and it's an .exe  I'd prefer not to get an emulator and I guess I could use my kid's PC but just checking.
> Thanks



Yes, it's a real PITA though. 

I had to install windows using a programme called Parallels on a separate user account. Then followed the instructions, but right click the file and open with Parallels. Took a while to get that far, but if you have access to a Windows machine I'd definitely go for that. 

Can't get the region (dest tool) to work though (using Windows on a Mac).


----------



## mwhals (Aug 2, 2020)

My library tagging for sorting and structure is complete. For the LPGT, the file name is best as %track%. %title%, but is that format also best for the WM1Z? I don't want to change my files yet if it is not the best naming convention for the WM1Z too. It is between the following two:

1. %track%. %title%
      example: 02. Blown Away.FLAC

2. %track%. %artist% - %title%
      example: 02. Carrie Underwood - Blown Away.FLAC

All my files are named as in example 2 right now. My directory structure is letter to artist to album such as:

U \ Underwood, Carrie \ Blown Away \ xxxxx.FLAC


----------



## Hinomotocho

mwhals said:


> My library tagging for sorting and structure is complete. For the LPGT, the file name is best as %track%. %title%, but is that format also best for the WM1Z? I don't want to change my files yet if it is not the best naming convention for the WM1Z too. It is between the following two:
> 
> 1. %track%. %title%
> example: 02. Blown Away.FLAC
> ...


I choose the first option as I want to see as much of the song title displayed, for example some tracks have a remix suffix/info that may not fully show due to the artist name info. As I use file view I don't have issues with finding tracks.


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Amber Rain

gerelmx1986 said:


>




That's similar to what I do; folders for alphabet range, then sub folders for artists, if required further sub folders where relevant for (studio) albums, live, singles, compilations etc.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Amber Rain said:


> That's similar to what I do; folders for alphabet range, then sub folders for artists, if required further sub folders where relevant for (studio) albums, live, singles, compilations etc.


I have very few live recordings, like  6 albums


----------



## Lookout57

mwhals said:


> My library tagging for sorting and structure is complete. For the LPGT, the file name is best as %track%. %title%, but is that format also best for the WM1Z? I don't want to change my files yet if it is not the best naming convention for the WM1Z too. It is between the following two:
> 
> 1. %track%. %title%
> example: 02. Blown Away.FLAC
> ...


I use format 1 except I use a dash (-) instead of a period (.)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lookout57 said:


> I use format 1 except I use a dash (-) instead of a period (.)


Me too


----------



## Amber Rain

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have very few live recordings, like  6 albums



I only use the "Live" folder if I have quite a few for that particular artist, otherwise I might stick it in a" Compilations" folder.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 2, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> This is good news, because I have heard almost every dac topology out there. All the top stuff. 4 type Ladder dacs, many AKM & LeSabre dac types(they're much much better now) and custom chip like Chord types (Dave,Hugo,mojo)....
> They all have their type of signature AND pacing, and timbre.
> 
> Before I heard the Sony, the Ladder (in general) dacs had the lead on realism and solidity of timbre and also pacing, but the Sony brings a characteristic that has alluded most of the other type dacs, and that is of musically and organic sound.
> ...



This is a repost by me from another thread:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/1-week-review-of-sony-nw-zx507-nw-zx500-series.921418/

Regarding Sony's No / Unknown "DAC", it is incorrect to say that Sony has no DAC as all digital audio players must have a DAC inside in order to convert binary data into analog sound.

How Sony does the conversion is different from other daps that rely on semiconductor dac chips from Analog Devices, Asahi Kasei Microdevices, ESS, Texas Instruments or Cirrus Logic to do the "dirty work".

Sony does all in one digital signal processing, digital to analog conversion, digital volume control and class D amplification completely within their S-Master HX chip. This technology is Sony proprietary(only on sony devices).

It has the advantage of high quality sound as all the processing and conversion is done in a single chip which reduces electrical interferences and jitter.

It also has the advantage of lower power consumption and lower heat output as compared to other digital audio player that rely on discrete dacs and external amplifications chips.

The disadvantage is the power output of the amplification limited to 250mW(200mW for ZX507) on balanced due to the limitations of semiconductor technology.


----------



## mwhals

Hinomotocho said:


> I choose the first option as I want to see as much of the song title displayed, for example some tracks have a remix suffix/info that may not fully show due to the artist name info. As I use file view I don't have issues with finding tracks.





gerelmx1986 said:


>





Lookout57 said:


> I use format 1 except I use a dash (-) instead of a period (.)





gerelmx1986 said:


> Me too



Thanks. That is what I was thinking. Since the tag data has all the information, it does not need artist in the file name. Also, all the tracks are under the artist folder then an album folder, so it is obvious who the artist is that has that track. It also will make it simpler on my Questyle daps since they scroll the file name playing.


----------



## mwhals

gerelmx1986 said:


>



What are the numbers to the right of the A-C, D-F and G-I groupings? Are they the number of next level folders?


----------



## Lookout57

mwhals said:


> What are the numbers to the right of the A-C, D-F and G-I groupings? Are they the number of next level folders?


Number of sub folders


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 3, 2020)

To my ears:

S-Master HX is able to deliver the same level of timbre and tonality as a good R2R and also able to sound as fast as Delta-Sigma DACs in transient delivery but without the subtle pink noise distortion that plague some DS designs.

Some DACs like chord and most Sabre have transient delivery that is way too sharp. While others (AKM, Wolfsen, Burrbrown) can sound too laid back. Sony manages to strike
a balance on transient delivery and smoothness. And you can adjust it by choosing between direct source and DSEE HX.

It also sits perfectly at the threshold between treble glare and not enough treble detail. Vocals on the S-Master HX is perfectly imaged and has its own unique position in the soundstage(especially on balanced).

I would use one word to describe the Sony S-Master HX and its a Chameleon. Throw whatever genre or subgenre of music at it, it just synchronise with the music perfectly, you don’t feel as if the Walkman is over-doing or under-delivering the sound. This is something very rare to find.


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> To my ears:
> 
> S-Master HX is able to deliver the same level of timbre and tonality as a good R2R and also able to sound as fast as Delta-Sigma DACs in transient delivery but without the subtle pink noise distortion that plague some DS designs.
> 
> ...


Oh, I totally agreed with your statements regarding different Delta Sigma VS S-Master.


----------



## mwhals (Aug 2, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> Number of sub folders



On the WM1Z screen and probably the same on the LPGT screen, what is a good number of folders per level? They get cumbersome on my Questyle dap small screens if I have too many in one level.

I plan to group some of my letters. Crazy to have 33 in C and only 1 in Q, etc.


----------



## Lookout57

mwhals said:


> On the WM1Z screen and probably the same on the LPGT screen, what is a good number of folders per level? They get cumbersome on my Questyle dap small screens if I have too many in one level.
> 
> I plan to group some of my letters. Crazy to have 33 in C and only 1 in Q, etc.


I have 26 at the /MUSIC root, one for each letter of the alphabet. 

On the Sony screen you can see 7 items at a time in all views. And with MrWalkmans enhanced firmware scrolling is super fast. Even before his firmware I had no issues.


----------



## Ravenous (Aug 2, 2020)

Question regarding uninstalling WM1AZ+ 3.01. Can I simply use the "WM1 Back to Stock (3.02).exe" to uninstall the WM1AZ+ 3.01 mod? 

EDIT: Nevermind, just found the info regarding the 3.01 stating that we just need to install stock firmware over the modded firmware. Sorry about that lol.


----------



## Lookout57

Ravenous said:


> Question regarding uninstalling WM1AZ+ 3.01. Can I simply use the "WM1 Back to Stock (3.02).exe" to uninstall the WM1AZ+ 3.01 mod?


If you installed using version 1.3 of that firmware and haven't change device type, you can just install official Sony 3.01 over it. If you changed device type you need to reset it back to the real device type before installing the official Sony firmware.


----------



## Quadfather

Interested in hearing if you prefer NW-WM1A or NW-WM1Z with MDR-Z1R headphones from balanced output.


----------



## Lookout57

Quadfather said:


> Interested in hearing if you prefer NW-WM1A or NW-WM1Z with MDR-Z1R headphones from balanced output.


If you were asking me, I only use the MDR-Z1R with the TA-ZH1ES. I only use IEMs (Campfire) with the NW-WM1A and NW-WM1Z.


----------



## Quadfather

Lookout57 said:


> If you were asking me, I only use the MDR-Z1R with the TA-ZH1ES. I only use IEMs (Campfire) with the NW-WM1A and NW-WM1Z.



I do love my Shure SRH1540 headphones from my NW-WM1A, but I suspect they're easier to drive than the Sony headphones.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Quadfather said:


> I do love my Shure SRH1540 headphones from my NW-WM1A, but I suspect they're easier to drive than the Sony headphones.


The 1A is real good with the Z7M2 and the MDR-Z1R. Doesn’t feel underpowered to me


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 3, 2020)

I think this video makes it easier to understand the effects of jitter on sound reproduction. The first waveform sound has too much jitter while the second waveform sound has lesser jitter:



What I feel is the Sony walkman has one of the lowest jitter, matching or even exceeding some of TOTL DACs that have femto clocks.


----------



## RobertP (Aug 3, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I think this video makes it easier to understand the effects of jitter on sound reproduction. The first waveform sound has too much jitter while the second waveform sound has lesser jitter:
> 
> 
> 
> What I feel is the Sony walkman has one of the lowest jitter, matching or even exceeding some of TOTL DACs that have femto clocks.



Yeah, the least altered and purest signals are very important.
My walkman sounds much better now which listening in the car with better internal shielded.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Vocals on the S-Master HX is perfectly imaged and has its own unique position in the soundstage(especially on balanced).


A very nice summary!! Agree to the last point!


----------



## proedros

have been on 1a+ for 10 days now (maybe more - i forget when i did the switch) , after 4500 hours i still feel like my wm1a is a TOTL new dap

brilliant SONY dap.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> the Sony S-Master HX and its a Chameleon.


It's interesting why on a DMP-Z1 they didn't use S-Master? Maybe 'cos of the output power limitations?


----------



## WAmadeusM

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> This is a repost by me from another thread:
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/1-week-review-of-sony-nw-zx507-nw-zx500-series.921418/
> 
> Regarding Sony's No / Unknown "DAC", it is incorrect to say that Sony has no DAC as all digital audio players must have a DAC inside in order to convert binary data into analog sound.
> ...





Sonywalkmanuser said:


> This is a repost by me from another thread:
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/1-week-review-of-sony-nw-zx507-nw-zx500-series.921418/
> 
> Regarding Sony's No / Unknown "DAC", it is incorrect to say that Sony has no DAC as all digital audio players must have a DAC inside in order to convert binary data into analog sound.
> ...



good stuff....but disadvantage's advantage....

hearing - like life-  is a one-shot deal.....obsession with output 'loudness' is the ultimate a zero-sum game


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I think this video makes it easier to understand the effects of jitter on sound reproduction. The first waveform sound has too much jitter while the second waveform sound has lesser jitter:
> 
> 
> 
> What I feel is the Sony walkman has one of the lowest jitter, matching or even exceeding some of *TOTL DACs that have femto clocks*.



Jitters don’t only come from clocks.  Crystals clock oscillations work by generating the Piezoelectric pulses.....It is also coming from capacitors, and other components that generate Piezoelectric pulses, they includes Ceramic capacitors for the worse, Tantalum capacitors, and resistors.

However, it is easier to sell FEMTO clocks and FPGA or R2R....newest Delta-Sigma Chips....etc...LOL

There are a lot of marketing BS (Bull Stuff) from others companies


----------



## gerelmx1986

Upgrade that I don't know how I missed it.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 3, 2020)

mwhals said:


> What are the numbers to the right of the A-C, D-F and G-I groupings? Are they the number of next level folders?


Subfolders within that folder, and yeah no issues with scrolling here in Johann sebastian Bach I have like 250 subfolders, same for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart


----------



## gerelmx1986

Quadfather said:


> Interested in hearing if you prefer NW-WM1A or NW-WM1Z with MDR-Z1R headphones from balanced output.


I like them a lot


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 3, 2020)

This photo below is the circuit board of the WM1 walkman. If you look at pink section where there are two silver blocks, these are the two word clocks(44.1KHz clocking & 48Khz clocking) that provides precise accurate timing to the S-Master HX.


Just look at how directly short is the electrical signal path from the word clock to the S-master-HX chip(also in the pink section). This is probably one of the most elegant and efficient audio circuity layout that exists in the DAP/Audiophile world. With lesser components near the word clocks and dac chip, it also means less electrical noise generated which in turn reduces jitter.

And with that short signal path, excellent shielding, grounding isolation, vibration reduction, clean and stable battery power with the use of super capacitor(EDLC), what you get is the lowest jitter electrical design possible by Sony Engineers.

I believe with that the low jitter design(which results in highly accurate analog waveform output) along with ultra low distortion balanced output is why the higher tier(that has balanced output) Sony S-master-HX based Walkmans is able to provide such impeccable 3D-like Stereo Imaging and vocals that has amazing presence and focus in the sound stage.


How clock oscillator works:


Just for comparison the difference in design elegance between Fiio, Cayin and Sony:

M15


N8


WM1


----------



## WAmadeusM

Quadfather said:


> Interested in hearing if you prefer NW-WM1A or NW-WM1Z with MDR-Z1R headphones from balanced output.



my two penneth worth about @MrWalkman stock mode switching and the big impact especially on W1MZ....but not as you'd expect....

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15769389


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> the S-master-HX chip(grey color).


The pic has just dissapeared but thank you for showing this - couldn't imagine that namely this chip is the S-Master.
Kinda much smaller relatively to others. 
Aha here is it is again.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Mystic Traveller said:


> The pic has just dissapeared but thank you for showing this - couldn't imagine that namely this chip is the S-Master.
> Kinda much smaller relatively to others.
> Aha here is it is again.



I changed the photo to a more zoom out shot so as to give a better perspective of how small things are as compared to the older more zoomed in photo.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Sonywalkmanuser  sounds like a sales pitcher for sony haha,


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> how small things are as compared


Nicely done! From its looks you never know it's a S-Master chip - only some markings - codes - on this chip no 
Logo.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 3, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> This photo below is the circuit board of the WM1 walkman. If you look at pink section where there are two silver blocks, these are the two word clocks(44.1KHz clocking & 48Khz clocking) that provides precise accurate timing to the S-Master HX.
> 
> 
> Just look at how directly short is the electrical signal path from the word clock to the S-master-HX chip(also in the pink section). This is probably one of the most elegant and efficient audio circuity layout that exists in the DAP/Audiophile world. With lesser components near the word clocks and dac chip, it also means less electrical noise generated which in turn reduces jitter.
> ...



You can also see Sony lay out in DMP Z1 here for the clock, in perfectly symmetrical lay out and so close to the AK4497EQ.  Sony is always With excellent engineering, the more you look at it 
You can even see the ground points independently for each chip, and even the Bluetooth chip has it own ground.  This is what Sony engineers mentioned , the multi ground paths that were carefully lay out and observed for the best performances


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 3, 2020)

For those interested in how S-Master works, I have attached the PDF manual from Sony which explains the technical side.

This is for the older S-Master Pro chip, the newer S-Master HX is a portable evolution of the older chip with much higher internal oversampling and native DSD support.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 3, 2020)

mmwwmm said:


> @MrWalkman Just one question regarding going back to stock firmware after using WM1AZ+ (1.3 version) or Chamelon. I understand that when using these firmwares is not needed to use the “back to stock” utility/firmware as needed in previous versions and it’s just needed to install the desired stock firmware version, am I right?
> thanks!



Yep, as mentioned in the updated main post, if you're using the latest version, you just need to make sure you switched back to the original model before flashing any version of the stock firmware.



Maxx134 said:


> Thats news to me.
> In fact, that's the first time I ever heard of anyone having a "boot loop".
> Normal installations even the moded firmwares are solid, so would have to do something irregular to get a boot loop, like play with a boot program.





nc8000 said:


> It has been mentioned a couple of times over the years in this thread



Yes, it can rarely happen, due to corruption of the database that's being generated by the player.



aceedburn said:


> Yep. The path to releasing the greatly modded firmwares we are all enjoying now has not had it’s light shine so bright all the time. Let’s just say he can now unbrick the Walkman comfortably and with no worries.



The modded firmware cannot cause bricking. Of course, because I encountered all the bricking myself, and made sure that the released versions won't cause bricking.



Maxx134 said:


> Ok, so If you think that those caps are not making the difference, then I would love to hear what is your take on this?
> MrWalkman's firmware makes it clear that the difference is no longer the firmware.



I think the firmware makes it clear that the bigger difference is brought by the firmware, while the difference brought by different caps/wires/resistors is not that big.



mmwwmm said:


> @MrWalkman Just one question regarding going back to stock firmware after using WM1AZ+ (1.3 version) or Chamelon. I understand that when using these firmwares is not needed to use the “back to stock” utility/firmware as needed in previous versions and it’s just needed to install the desired stock firmware version, am I right?
> thanks!



Exactly, as mentioned in the updated main post, you can just flash any version of the stock firmware after installing the last version of the mod. I actually deleted the "WM1 Back to Stock" thing, and replaced it with a lot smaller "Restore Certificate images" update, for people who also used previous versions and want to restore the default images.



Whitigir said:


> @Maxx134 , I understand your desire  . However, I am only an enthusiast, and that means I live within my pockets means LOL! Sorry, I can not help any longer



You don't need to own the device in order to use the UPG of the last version of the WM1A/Z+ firmware, at least. Some people asked this before, but you didn't answer. It's pretty sad and it also shows a lack of care in my opinion. People installing "Cerberus+" would have to also take into account the modified Certificate images, compared to the last version of WM1A/Z+ which doesn't modify the images anymore. It's really not hard to update an archive and post a new link, and I think it's kind of your duty if you decided to share something.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 3, 2020)

I have no obligation to share to anyone.  No one paid me for anything, *and asking for someone to work on something they do not own anymore is “ways out of line”.*

Also, I wouldn’t know how to tune a device without owning it, period.

Yeah, maybe there are geniuses out there who can tune a player firmware without owning it.  That isn’t me




MrWalkman said:


> Yep, as mentioned in the updated main post, if you're using the latest version, you just need to make sure you switched back to the original model before flashing any version of the stock firmware.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 3, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I have no obligation to share to anyone.  No one paid me for anything, and asking for someone to work on something they do not own anymore is “ways out of line”.



But it's just about replacing a file in an archive, right?  Do you even consider that as "working"?

It doesn't seem different than sharing something buggy and not wanting to fix it afterwards, even though you were the one who chose to share the buggy thing.

Not the best attitude for a modding enthusiast, just my opinion.



Whitigir said:


> Also, I wouldn’t know how to tune a device without owning it, period.
> 
> Yeah, maybe there are geniuses out there who can tune a player firmware without owning it. That isn’t me



Didn't mention any kind of tuning, just replacing a file in an archive. Thanks.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 3, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> But it's just about replacing a file in an archive, right?  Do you even consider that as "working"?


I already showed everyone what they wanted to know.  What @gearofwar asked was for me to tune/synergies the Cerberus logic with your internally tuned Mod firmware

*Which is impossible without owning the player.*


----------



## MrWalkman

Whitigir said:


> I already showed everyone what they wanted to know.  What @gearofwar asked was for me to tune/synergies the Cerberus logic with your internally tuned Mod firmware
> 
> *Which is impossible without owning the player*



I didn't mention what @gearofwar was asking you. I only mentioned replacing the older UPG in the Cerberus+ you shared, with the latest version, which doesn't modify the Certificates images anymore. Other people asked you this, some time ago. No tuning involved there.


----------



## Whitigir

MrWalkman said:


> I didn't mention what @gearofwar was asking you. I only mentioned replacing the older UPG in the Cerberus+ you shared, with the latest version, which doesn't modify the Certificates images anymore. Other people asked you this, some time ago. No tuning involved there.


MAX asked about all that, and I answered that

Regardless, asking someone to *work on something they do not own is out of line .  I am sorry but I don’t know how to spell it out any more clear than this *


----------



## MrWalkman

Whitigir said:


> MAX asked about all that, and I answered that
> 
> Regardless, asking someone to *work on something they do not own is out of line *



I will reiterate what I said. It's just replacing a file in an archive and posting a new link, nothing more.

You already did that when you used the older WM1A/Z+ UPG in the "Cerberus+" which you posted, so, as per your definition, you already worked on something which you do not own.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> I will reiterate what I said. It's just replacing a file in an archive and posting a new link, nothing more.
> 
> You already did that when you used the older WM1A/Z+ UPG in the "Cerberus+" which you posted, so, as per your definition, you already worked on something which you do not own.


I like the nonchalant rhetoric. I will try out the firmware you updated in two days. Work has been busy the last couple of days. (Amen to that)


----------



## Whitigir

MrWalkman said:


> I will reiterate what I said. It's just replacing a file in an archive and posting a new link, nothing more.
> 
> You already did that when you used the older WM1A/Z+ UPG in the "Cerberus+" which you posted, so, as per your definition, you already worked on something which you do not own.


It is still doesn’t matter....asking for someone to work on something *they do not own is out of line**. *Why is that so hard ?

I do what I want, and I have no obligations to anyone.

this is pointless debate


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 3, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> It is still doesn’t matter....asking for someone to work on something *they do not own is out of line**. *Why is that so hard ?
> 
> I do what I want, and I have no obligations to anyone.



If you can't even replace a file in an archive, which you already did actually, before posting the link to "Cerberus+", then that's not really a good attitude for a modding enthusiast, as I already mentioned.

I understand not doing tunings, but not even replacing a simple file?

Sure, it's your business, but it's sad that you don't want to do just this simple thing.

Edit: @gearofwar actually asked about that, 2 times, and not Maxx.



gearofwar said:


> @Whitigir could you please revise the firmware based on the new installer ? thanks





gearofwar said:


> Would you consider revising the Cerberus on the new installer? I’m really enjoying it




To others reading the thread, and want to try "Cerberus+", you can find an installer which will restore the Certificate images *here*.

Cheers.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Sonywalkmanuser  sounds like a sales pitcher for sony haha,



To clarify, I am not professionally associated to Sony in any way, shape or form. Just an OCD music listener, OCD fanboy and OCD tech enthusiast.

All things I have mention cannot be proven in a Double Blind Test and should be treated as opinions garnered from my flawed human sensory input.


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> To clarify, I am not professionally associated to Sony in any way, shape or form. Just an OCD music listener, OCD fanboy and OCD tech enthusiast.
> 
> All things I have mention cannot be proven in a Double Blind Test and should be treated as opinions garnered from my flawed human sensory input.


Hey! Welcome to the tech and hardware club!! It gets worse from there


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> the newer S-Master HX is a portable evolution of the older chip


BTW, do you happen to know as a clearly knowledgeable enthusiast  when the S-Master HX was introduced?
I tried to look for a complete list of a Sony DAPs utilizing this chip but failed. 
It's a bit of off-topic but would be nice to know for sure which ones have S-Master HX onboard.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> I like the nonchalant rhetoric. I will try out the firmware you updated in two days. Work has been busy the last couple of days. (Amen to that)



You haven't tried the 1a/1z+ fw yet 😱😳😱🙀




Sonywalkmanuser said:


> To clarify, I am not professionally associated to Sony in any way, shape or form. Just an OCD music listener, OCD fanboy and OCD tech enthusiast.
> 
> All things I have mention cannot be proven in a Double Blind Test and should be treated as opinions garnered from my flawed human sensory input.




We should call you Mr.Walkman Ears now on haha😉🙃🙂


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 3, 2020)

You can refer to the history section of the Japanese wikipedia Sony Walkman page for release years and other info:
https://ja.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ウォークマン
Google translate required


----------



## Whitigir

The only thing that have made me crazy about is the SNR on S-Master and Sony devices :/...they never published it...well some hinted at with DMP Z1 as 128db, but that is about all I can find @Sonywalkmanuser it seems you can read Japanese as well ? Any insights?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Just bought this. Comes with a Kimber Kable and the warranty expires in December. My 1A and 1Z will be rocking these cans. What a neat Sony collection


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

The first two Walkman to feature S-Master HX was in 2014

F886
ZX1


----------



## Ghostsounds

Gamerlingual said:


> Just bought this. Comes with a Kimber Kable and the warranty expires in December. My 1A and 1Z will be rocking these cans. What a neat Sony collection


That’s what I’m rocking and di love them. Not really a cables person but the kimber kable has made a big difference with these cans.


----------



## aceedburn

Ghostsounds said:


> That’s what I’m rocking and di love them. Not really a cables person but the kimber kable has made a big difference with these cans.


Indeed. Kimber kable does wonders for my Z5 as well. I can’t listen to my Z5 with any other cable now.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 3, 2020)

I don’t know if anyone would love to see DMP Z1 measurements , but here it is.

Jitters are supremely low even with just the clocks that is the same as Walkman WM1A/Z

You don’t have to use Femto clocks to get this, and it isn’t all that it turned out to be either 

https://www.stereophile.com/content/sony-dmp-z1-digital-music-player-measurements#search


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 3, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> The only thing that have made me crazy about is the SNR on S-Master and Sony devices :/...they never published it...well some hinted at with DMP Z1 as 128db, but that is about all I can find @Sonywalkmanuser it seems you can read Japanese as well ? Any insights?



The only source of measurements is from this third party site for the WM1Z
http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-sony-nw-wm1z-24-bit

And the other being this ASR measurement of the A105
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ny-nw-a105-digital-audio-player-review.12950/

There's no official Sony information on SNR.

I can only speculate that

Sony doesn't wish owners/buyers to compare their Walkman based on a single measurement which they think will lose out to other sabre dacs/dap which like to state the hypothetical 135db.

Sony conservatively/purposely limits the SNR performance to protect hearing and equipment. Because after all, virtually all recorded and properly mastered music content do not require or have that kind of dynamic range to be with. Like how Nissan speed limits their high performance GTR sports cars in the name of safety.

Sony being Sony like most Japanese companies have their own undiscovered / unexplained / idiosyncrasy and stubborness that sometimes defies logic but is done in the interest of betterment or R&D

Examples:
Sony Betamax vs VHS
Sony ATRAC vs Mpeg Layer 3
Sony Memory Stick vs Secure Digital
Sony LDAC vs SBC


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Seems like the current high end microphone only has around 70dB of SNR:


Summary
From 2005 to 2015 the SNRs of state-of-the-art microphones in mass-market consumer electronics devices improved from below 60 dB up to about 65 dB. With the requirements set by new high-performance speech recognition systems and other capturing use cases, even 65 dB is no longer enough. Current high-end microphones are approaching 70 dB SNR.

https://www.arrow.com/en/research-a...h-performance-ultra-high-snr-mems-microphones


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 3, 2020)

Orignally posted in the zx507 thread but I have updated some parts so reposting here again for reference. You can also use these points to evaluate custom firmwares.

This is my main evaluation points that I came out with when it comes to auditioning of gears like DAP and Headphones. You may use any songs which are familiar to you, Hope this would serve as a guide for those who are trying to evaluate many gears at one time and trying to find out if the equipment is right for you.

Bass:
How Fast?
How Punchy?
How Weighty?
How Deep?
Any Decay? Is it too fast or too slow or just right?
Does it feel one noted?
How is the texture of the drum beats? Does it allow you to hear the difference between big and small drums
Does it showcase the skill and strength of the drummer?
How does it integrate into the midrange? Does it cause coloration of the vocals?

Equalization:
How well does it handle Equalization? Try pushing the Bass, Mids and Treble up one by one and see if the equipment distorts

Vocals:
Are Female Vocals sibilant?
Are the Male Vocal throaty/Manly enough?
Are there any unusual graininess in the vocals?
How are the vocals presented in the sound stage?

Treble:
Is overly bright or too dark or just right?
Can you feel any airness?

Timbre:
Violins and Strings, does it sound silky smooth or just a blurry mess?
Piano: Does it have overtones, decays and the striking sound of hammer(in some recordings)
Guitar: Does it have Twanginess
Distortion Guitar: Is it fast enough to deliver all the nuances of the distortion?
Shaker instruments: does the sound of the beads shaking sound well defined and moving around?

Coloration:
Is it warm or neutral or cold/sterile?
Are there any parts of the frequency spectrum which stands out too much or too little? (Try playing frequency sweep)

Soundstage:
Is it 3D like? Does it present layers? How is the vocal positioned in relation to the other elements?
How much Depth?
How much Width, Is it too wide or too narrow or just right?
How much height? (this is pretty hard to identify with most ordinary gears, live recorded music is recommended)
Stereo Panning: Is the left and right channel Independent from each other?

Dynamics, Micro-detail, Timing/Speed:
Does the loud transient feel right? Is it too slow, too fast or just right?
Does Cymbals Clashes sound right? Is it overly sharp or too recessed or just right?
How is the hand-clapping sound from the audience, does it sound real? Is it blurry or well defined(texture wise)
Can you hear the "air intake/exhale" from the singer?
Does it portray the emotions(vocal chord straining)  from the singer well?

Volume Control/Loudness Handling:
Does it provide enough detail when you play at very low volume levels? Any noticable hissing?
Does it distort/congest when you try to play at extreme high volume levels? (e.g. overshouty)

And the final question would be:

Do you find the equipment to provide you with an extremely satisfying sound quality experience that you don’t wish to stop listening at all? That’s when you know this equipment is a keeper or not. Trust your own ears and instincts as everyone listens to different music genres and also have a certain sound signature preferences. One man’s meat is another man’s poison applies here.

Hope this will help you guys to find the proper gear.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Aug 3, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Sony S-master-HX based Walkmans is able to provide such impeccable 3D-like Stereo Imaging and vocals that has amazing presence and focus in the sound stage.


I recently bought a Sony MDR-1Am2 NIB for less than a $100, 
not a TOTL of course but I think a bargain for that money. 

Bought simply  'cos I wanted to try balanced at my 1A (never tried it before at all at my previous DAPs)
but didn't want to spent much as I am not a lot into headphones those days.

Yep, I was really surprised to find out how really 3D-sh the sound was at the 1A (Z switched, 1A>>>1Z FW)!
I caught myself thinking that I was kinda listening to a multi-track master tape with all instruments and vocal
played separately. 
It even appeared dimly that some instruments were out of synchronisation, falling slighty behind. 
So I checked settings 👀😜 - right - Direct was on as I am always listening in a Direct mode.

No wonder that someone could say (and said) that this is not direct, Sony's been using some king of DSP effects
here. Fooling with it. 

Yeah, I must say that 1A is a really new experience to me, a Super one, unexpectedly) after many DAC (ladder and DS) DAPs
I  have owned for the past 3 years.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Aug 3, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> For those interested in how S-Master works, I have attached the PDF manual from Sony which explains the technical side.


I am reading it now - VERY interesting - thanks for sharing! 👍


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Another measurement of the WM1Z

14min mark:


----------



## Lookout57

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Orignally posted in the zx507 thread but I have updated some parts so reposting here again for reference. You can also use these points to evaluate custom firmwares.
> 
> This is my main evaluation points that I came out with when it comes to auditioning of gears like DAP and Headphones. You may use any songs which are familiar to you, Hope this would serve as a guide for those who are trying to evaluate many gears at one time and trying to find out if the equipment is right for you.
> 
> ...


Nice check list. 

The only thing I disagree with is Equalization. I feel that you shouldn't need to use Equalization to fix or hide product deficiencies. If you don't like the sound then look elsewhere.


----------



## AlexCBSN (Aug 3, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


> I recently bought a Sony MDR-1Am2 NIB for less than a $100,
> not a TOTL of course but I think a bargain for that money.


You cant go wrong with that pair, and if you got them for less than 100 usd, it’s a true bargain, they are so easy to drive, have a perfect balance with a bit of weight in the bass area, really good pair of headphones



Lookout57 said:


> The only thing I disagree with is Equalization. I feel that you shouldn't need to use Equalization to fix or hide product deficiencies. If you don't like the sound then look elsewhere.


Not everyone can afford only campfire and totl iems, and maybe some want to experiment with their sound


----------



## Nayparm

Lookout57 said:


> Nice check list.
> 
> The only thing I disagree with is Equalization. I feel that you shouldn't need to use Equalization to fix or hide product deficiencies. If you don't like the sound then look elsewhere.



What if its our ears or tastes that need EQ.
I have EQ'd since I was a teen. Without EQ everything sounds like garbage to me.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

AlexCBSN said:


> You cant go wrong with that pair


Thank you, mate,  only listened to them for a few hours, burning them in, but already love their signature.
Plus, very lightweight and comfy.
A great pair for the price with the 1A.


----------



## Whitigir

Nayparm said:


> What if its our ears or tastes that need EQ.
> I have EQ'd since I was a teen. Without EQ everything sounds like garbage to me.


Well, when we come to that, everything is EQ-ED, even Vynil, then tapes, and so is remastering of older records, then even DSP techniques


----------



## Lookout57

AlexCBSN said:


> Not everyone cant afford only campfire iems


What does that have to do with my comment?

There are many products in different price ranges that produce excellent sound that don't need equalization. One needs to set expectations. If you want a TOTL experience but don't have the funds then you determine what you want most.


Nayparm said:


> What if its our ears or tastes that need EQ.
> I have EQ'd since I was a teen. Without EQ everything sounds like garbage to me.


I sounds like you never heard what good sound sounds like. Or maybe you have gaps in your hearing that requires the equalization. Have you ever had you hearing checked?


----------



## Nayparm

Lookout57 said:


> What does that have to do with my comment?
> 
> There are many products in different price ranges that produce excellent sound that don't need equalization. One needs to set expectations. If you want a TOTL experience but don't have the funds then you determine what you want most.
> 
> I sounds like you never heard what good sound sounds like. Or maybe you have gaps in your hearing that requires the equalization. Have you ever had you hearing checked?



WHAAAAT!  😂


----------



## Amber Rain

Has anyone used the wm1A/Z as a line out to an Amp? How is it? Or best to go with USB out?

Would a 4.4 to dual 3.5mm Male RCA connectors be safe to use? (presumably it splits the L and R wires to the corresponding RCA terminators).


----------



## Nayparm (Aug 3, 2020)

If I do have gaps in my hearing then both ears have identical gaps.


----------



## terminaut

Four of a Kind

Been watching all the fun with the new WM1A firmwares and was feeling left out so just went and bought one to supplement my 1Z, which made me realize that I have somewhat of a set!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 3, 2020)

There's a good reason why EQ is necessary for some.

https://www.quora.com/What-frecuency-range-of-sounds-can-humans-hear/answer/Jørgen-Dal-1?ch=10&share=762d498b&srid=iFrt

We all will eventually suffer from hearing loss thus EQ will help improve sound without the need to replace audio gears. Also there are people who's occupation exposes them to accelerated hearing loss and will require EQ to be able to hear higher frequencies better.

Also the implementation of equalizer DSP varies across DAP and Smartphones. Some have poor floating point precision/bit depth which results in distortion when you push the adjustments too much. That's why I have including the EQ part as a method to evaluate the EQ performance of the DAPs.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 3, 2020)

Small update:


*WM1A/Z++

This is the same as WM1A/Z+, but it has a little increased volume output, with no sound distortion
or anything like that. The volume output increase works for both low and high gain.*

My experience is that the WM1A can now drive my Beyerdynamic DT1770 Pro (250 Ohm) better on the SE
output, low gain (the headphones don't support balanced input unless modded). Also, my Sony XBA-Z5 IEMs
sound better on the balanced output. Of course, your experience might be different.

*Also, the installation packages are now a lot smaller (~278 MB old size vs. ~111 MB new size).*

Will also shrink the 3.00 and 3.01 versions to the smaller installation packages size, probably tomorrow.


As always, you can just install the new packages (or the new WM1A/Z++) without needing to install any version
in particular in advance. To return to stock, just make sure you switched the model to the original one, and then
you can flash any official stock firmware.


The download link can be found in the main post - *LINK*


Cheers!


----------



## Nayparm (Aug 3, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Small update:
> 
> 
> *WM1A/Z++
> ...



Fantastic, I'll try this on my latest work in progress mod, caps have had about 30hours and i'm quite in tune with its sound now so should notice any change and I have a few big cans to try 👍


----------



## Fsilva

MrWalkman said:


> Small update:
> 
> 
> *WM1A/Z++
> ...


The Wizard of WM keeps delivering!!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> There's a good reason why EQ is necessary for some.
> 
> https://www.quora.com/What-frecuency-range-of-sounds-can-humans-hear/answer/Jørgen-Dal-1?ch=10&share=762d498b&srid=iFrt
> 
> ...


Ignorant or possible dumb question, so even if we listen to music at low volumes for hours, it can still hurt our hearing?


----------



## matevana

Amber Rain said:


> Has anyone used the wm1A/Z as a line out to an Amp? How is it? Or best to go with USB out?
> 
> Would a 4.4 to dual 3.5mm Male RCA connectors be safe to use? (presumably it splits the L and R wires to the corresponding RCA terminators).



It works great.  I use a cable that has a 4.4mm plug on one end and two XLR on the other, which go right into the balanced inputs on my amp. There are similar cables with Penticon to L/R RCA. It's best to use the balanced output on your DAP with low gain, and player volume near 120.in most cases, but it's worth experimenting. If you have the wireless remote, you essentially have a source/dac/preamp all-in-one with basic remote functionality.  I find it equal to or better than many separate components.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Gamerlingual said:


> Ignorant or possible dumb question, so even if we listen to music at low volumes for hours, it can still hurt our hearing?


Etymotic has a chart on that:
https://www.etymotic.com/technology/ihp


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Etymotic has a chart on that:
> https://www.etymotic.com/technology/ihp


I get the tinny ringing maybe once a month? But I’m thinking listening to music on High again at 45 on average isn’t really loud. Am I missing something?


----------



## NeoDiNardo

Gamerlingual said:


> I get the tinny ringing maybe once a month? But I’m thinking listening to music on High again at 45 on average isn’t really loud. Am I missing something?



I can’t hear you, say that again?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

NeoDiNardo said:


> I can’t hear you, say that again?


Say what? Hahaha 😂


----------



## mwhals

WM1Z is still not out of the running against the LPGT, but I wonder if the WM1A is the better model instead of the WM1Z since my IEMS are all toward the warmer side already. I wonder if the Phantom and Legend X will be too warm on the WM1Z. I won't have the money in my fun fund until November, so I have time to make a decision. I do have the money now for a WM1A if that is the better option and I pick it over the LPGT.


----------



## ttt123

Amber Rain said:


> Has anyone used the wm1A/Z as a line out to an Amp? How is it? Or best to go with USB out?
> 
> Would a 4.4 to dual 3.5mm Male RCA connectors be safe to use? (presumably it splits the L and R wires to the corresponding RCA terminators).


A caution that this will (likely) short the GRD together.  RCA input, by design, has the GRD common in Amps, which effectively shorts the two (-) signal of the balanced output of the WM1x together, which is not recommended.  Will still work, but it goes against the recommendation to not short the 2 channels of a balanced amp.


----------



## aceedburn

ttt123 said:


> A caution that this will (likely) short the GRD together.  RCA input, by design, has the GRD common in Amps, which effectively shorts the two (-) signal of the balanced output of the WM1x together, which is not recommended.  Will still work, but it goes against the recommendation to not short the 2 channels of a balanced amp.


Yes indeed. The recommended line out is only 3.5mm to stereo RCA. And this sounds very good. USB Audio also sounds very good from the 1A.


----------



## NeoDiNardo (Aug 4, 2020)

I’ve read in a review that the LPGT sounds like a more refined WM1A.


----------



## Vitaly2017

NeoDiNardo said:


> I’ve hear the LPGT described as a more refined WM1A.




Depends I would not find so.
They are different 1a is more analogue and natural. Lpgt is very smooth in sound.  Its more noble sound with a timbre of silkier tone.

I didn't find 1a to be inferior to lpgt. Just different sounding.  But technically they are equal


----------



## auronthas (Sep 17, 2020)

.


----------



## auronthas (Sep 17, 2020)

.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> For those interested in how S-Master works


 I am wondering if the S-Master has an FPGA chip as part of it, part of the whole technology or not?


----------



## Amber Rain

Thanks for the replies. 

I already use the USB out, but wondered what it would be like/ if there would be much difference of I used the WM1A DAC by using the Line Out. 

I have no balanced inputs on my DAC/Amp, hence the question, but given the replies it's not worth risking it. 

I can use SE though.


----------



## aceedburn

Amber Rain said:


> Thanks for the replies.
> 
> I already use the USB out, but wondered what it would be like/ if there would be much difference of I used the WM1A DAC by using the Line Out.
> 
> ...


The main difference between using line out and USB out is that line out utilises the Walkman DAC while USB Audio utilises the Walkman as a source only.


----------



## MaDCraZy

How to update firmware my WM1A to *WM1A/Z++* version from *Cerberus+* DMP-Z1 (base on *WM1A/Z+ 3.02*) ?

Do I need to switch model from DMP Z1 to WM1A before flash *WM1A/Z++ version *?


----------



## Hinomotocho

Amber Rain said:


> Thanks for the replies.
> 
> I already use the USB out, but wondered what it would be like/ if there would be much difference of I used the WM1A DAC by using the Line Out.
> 
> ...


I recently saw an official Sony guide for one of their devices, can't remember which one, but it said not to use the balanced out to feed an amp as it probably would cause damage.


----------



## Amber Rain

Hinomotocho said:


> I recently saw an official Sony guide for one of their devices, can't remember which one, but it said not to use the balanced out to feed an amp as it probably would cause damage.



Thanks (and to everyone else), that's what I thought, which was why I was asking 😃. 

I'll give the SE line out a go sometime. 

I've now managed to get region J and the model switcher on my WM1a (thanks @MrWalkman and others), so I want to play around a bit!


----------



## Hinomotocho (Aug 4, 2020)

Amber Rain said:


> Thanks (and to everyone else), that's what I thought, which was why I was asking 😃.
> 
> I'll give the SE line out a go sometime.
> 
> I've now managed to get region J and the model switcher on my WM1a (thanks @MrWalkman and others), so I want to play around a bit!


You couldn't be blamed for thinking it might work. I think I also read on the same page that Sony consider the 3.5mm to be equivalent to a line-out with minimal signal noise etc. I'll see if I can find it. I was also wondering about getting an amp to keep the WM1A sound instead of the sound of another dac chip to drive overheads with more power.

**it was in the online manual I read about the risk of damage under 12.

https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449016.html


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Aug 4, 2020)

Amber Rain said:


> I have no balanced inputs on my DAC/Amp, hence the question, but given the replies it's not worth risking it.
> 
> I can use SE though.


Yes, use the SE - I've been using it all the time and do like it..

I once consulted one good tech re use of the balanced output with an amplifier via RCAs and he strongly advised not to do that.

Only if I had a fully balanced amp or 2 mono amp blocks.
Or 2 active separate speakers each having its own input and amp.
Wasn't the case.


----------



## MrWalkman

MaDCraZy said:


> How to update firmware my WM1A to *WM1A/Z++* version from *Cerberus+* DMP-Z1 (base on *WM1A/Z+ 3.02*) ?
> 
> Do I need to switch model from DMP Z1 to WM1A before flash *WM1A/Z++ version *?



Yes, the mods work only on 1A or 1Z, like official firmware, so you will have to switch the model if you tried "Cerberus+".


----------



## Amber Rain (Aug 4, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> You couldn't be blamed for thinking it might work. I think I also read on the same page that Sony consider the 3.5mm to be equivalent to a line-out with minimal signal noise etc. I'll see if I can find it. I was also wondering about getting an amp to keep the WM1A sound instead of the sound of another dac chip to drive overheads with more power.
> 
> **it was in the online manual I read about the risk of damage under 12.
> 
> https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449016.html





Mystic Traveller said:


> Yes, use the SE - I've been using it all the time and do like it..
> 
> I once consulted one good tech re use of the balanced output with an amplifier via RCAs and he strongly advised not to do that.
> 
> ...




Thanks again. 

I'm very happy with my Amp and think it sounds fantastic, but it's always fun to try different combinations.


----------



## WAmadeusM

Whitigir said:


> You can also see Sony lay out in DMP Z1 here for the clock, in perfectly symmetrical lay out and so close to the AK4497EQ.  Sony is always With excellent engineering, the more you look at it
> You can even see the ground points independently for each chip, and even the Bluetooth chip has it own ground.  This is what Sony engineers mentioned , the multi ground paths that were carefully lay out and observed for the best performances



Hi @Whitigir and the rest of WM1'istas....this may be hidden in other  3000 pages....but curious about views on this very tech measure heavy review of the WM1Z.  

I come at it with a hearing 'professional' perspective....this is techy......but as there has been pictures of pretty Sony boards....I thought why not.....especially as it's very critical about some of the consequences of that pretty board engineer - especially hiss for very sensitive IEMs.  TBF in another review the A&K high ends also do this....

http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-sony-nw-wm1z-24-bit


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 4, 2020)

WAmadeusM said:


> Hi @Whitigir and the rest of WM1'istas....this may be hidden in other  3000 pages....but curious about views on this very tech measure heavy review of the WM1Z.
> 
> I come at it with a hearing 'professional' perspective....this is techy......but as there has been pictures of pretty Sony boards....I thought why not.....especially as it's very critical about some of the consequences of that pretty board engineer - especially hiss for very sensitive IEMs.  TBF in another review the A&K high ends also do this....
> 
> http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-sony-nw-wm1z-24-bit


I think the guy just wanted to express that High Resolution means the ability to be able to get the measurements upto 120dB of Dynamic range on paper.

However, he failed to see that many recording for analog and or vinyl are only 70-75dB dynamic range, and together of the cap limit of microphones being at 70-75dB Max.  Then came the CD and digital technologies that claimed to be able to reproduce up to 95dB.

So, practically speaking, every measurements of or claims of anything higher than 95dB is just to be another marketing BS.  How will it sound and perform is another matter .  Hence, practically speaking, the WM1Z is more than capable to be High-Res


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 4, 2020)

I think the hiss is an intrinsic issue that affects all  class D amp design. Sony has done steps to minimize the hiss. I think it boils down to how sensitive the iem is and also how sensitive is the ears of the listener to hiss. I can't hear hiss with my ZX507 and IER-M9.



> People enjoyed the sound of the first few models, but some audiophiles detected a faint “hiss.” So we created the S-Master® HX digital amplifier (still used in Sony’s current line of Walkman high-res players). This improved digital amp provides low noise, high-quality sound and high-output power with a balanced output.
> 
> And that took care of the “hiss”?
> 
> ...



https://www.crutchfield.com/S-GaUlJHOP5FQ/learn/interview-tomo-sato-sony-walkman.html


----------



## Whitigir

It is not only about sensitivity, also the problems are usually isolated with multiple drives ear buds with crossover circuits.  I would say it is more of the IeMS problem and shouldn’t be coming from Walkman.  The only thing S-Master and Class D s at disadvantage is the way the class D is working, switching transistors mean more noises, and hence it would be best to use GAN FET, which I suspect will be coming with next gen Walkman


----------



## Lawphin (Aug 4, 2020)

Hello,
I recently purchased the 1A. When I inspect the "full song details" (or something like that) on the device some songs -not all- show "Bit rate: Unknown". Nearly all songs are in Apple Lossless since I use iTunes for archive and tagging purposes. Edit: The bit rate shows fine on my PC in programs like foobar and obv. iTunes.

I couldn't find anything on this matter through Google or the search-bar. Does anybody know what is up with that?

Cheers


----------



## kova4a

Whitigir said:


> I think the guy just wanted to express that High Resolution means the ability to be able to get the measurements upto 120dB of Dynamic range on paper.
> 
> However, he failed to see that many recording for analog and or vinyl are only 70-75dB dynamic range, and together of the cap limit of microphones being at 70-75dB Max.  Then came the CD and digital technologies that claimed to be able to reproduce up to 95dB.
> 
> So, practically speaking, every measurements of or claims of anything higher than 95dB is just to be another marketing BS.  How will it sound and perform is another matter .  Hence, practically speaking, the WM1Z is more than capable to be High-Res


Well, what he means is that the wm1z can only play hi-res formats but not actually reproduce them, so in reality it's pointless to waste space with hi-res files. The entire 24-bit hi-res audio vs CD quality is not a topic we should spam this thread with, but the fact that sony's dynamic range can only cover CD quality makes all those hi-res stickers sony likes to use just a marketing ploy. Technically that's like playing a 4k movie on a 1080p screen - you can play it but you'll still be seeing only 1080p resolution.


----------



## Lookout57

WAmadeusM said:


> Hi @Whitigir and the rest of WM1'istas....this may be hidden in other  3000 pages....but curious about views on this very tech measure heavy review of the WM1Z.
> 
> I come at it with a hearing 'professional' perspective....this is techy......but as there has been pictures of pretty Sony boards....I thought why not.....especially as it's very critical about some of the consequences of that pretty board engineer - especially hiss for very sensitive IEMs.  TBF in another review the A&K high ends also do this....
> 
> http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-sony-nw-wm1z-24-bit


This sounds like it was written by an A&K fanboy to try to show that it's superior. 

If you research there are numerous people who own both and say the Sony sounds better.

As we all know measurement versus actual sound reproduction are two totally different things. A good source on this is Jason Stoddard and Mike Moffat of Schitt Audio. There was multiple posts in this https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...f-the-worlds-most-improbable-start-up.701900/ where they talked about how when designing products they would strive to build something that measured great and end up determining that it sounded like crap. Once they backed down from perfect measurements the sound improved.

So take this post with a truckload of salt.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 4, 2020)

WAmadeusM said:


> Hi @Whitigir and the rest of WM1'istas....this may be hidden in other  3000 pages....but curious about views on this very tech measure heavy review of the WM1Z.
> 
> I come at it with a hearing 'professional' perspective....this is techy......but as there has been pictures of pretty Sony boards....I thought why not.....especially as it's very critical about some of the consequences of that pretty board engineer - especially hiss for very sensitive IEMs.  TBF in another review the A&K high ends also do this....
> 
> http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-sony-nw-wm1z-24-bit



Nathan Wright

Interesting, the reviewer has been a Head-Fi member forever like me. He has a YouTube channel and also writes reviews. He actually has a Sony DAP or two, last time I checked. You can see his photography in the “Post Your Photography” thread; that’s where I know him from.

https://www.head-fi.org/members/shigzeo.41964/


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 4, 2020)

kova4a said:


> Well, what he means is that the wm1z can only play hi-res formats but not actually reproduce them, so in reality it's pointless to waste space with hi-res files. The entire 24-bit hi-res audio vs CD quality is not a topic we should spam this thread with, but the fact that sony's dynamic range can only cover CD quality makes all those hi-res stickers sony likes to use just a marketing ploy. Technically that's like playing a 4k movie on a 1080p screen - you can play it but you'll still be seeing only 1080p resolution.


High resolutions have always been Moot points.  All devices have to pass lowpass and high pass filter to warranty the safe hearing ranges of 20-20Khz.  This is to secure the safety of many beings...pets, human....etc.

Despite the claims of high resolution, there can be no recording to be able to achieve higher than 95dB dynamic range....due to Microphone technologies limitations

High Resolutions at it core technologies only mean that without the filters....technically the device, a player, a DAC chip or a headphones diaphragms is capable of the reproduction or the vibrations and frequencies well beyond 20-20Khz without destructively destroying itself.  This is it

However, when you are going into producing the product, it have to be in the safe range of 20-20Khz period

The techniques of oversampling and sigma delta have allowed to squeeze better frequencies reproductions, and that is DSD64 and or higher.  Those are noises of random order being injected into the algorithms to reconstruct those frequencies, but they too will pass over filters in the algorithms to trim away out of the safe range frequencies.... and if the DSP and algorithms are not enough, the high and low pass filter in physical form of an IC or resistors and caps array are going to take care of that job in order to keep everything safe

With those understandings, a person, can experiments with their own system by removing those filters and utilize a software that allow DSD with ultra frequencies to pass by and play back on a system that is not capable of high res....it is fun to see magic smoke and or burned out tweeters....and it does happen 

So then, is High Resolutions really a Moot ? Or it really isn’t ? Depends on your perspective.  *But being capable is all that anything needs to be in order to get the sticker and the qualifications, and Sony WM1Z or other Sony devices (With the sticker) are totally capable *


----------



## bflat

Mystic Traveller said:


> I am wondering if the S-Master has an FPGA chip as part of it, part of the whole technology or not?



No it does not. Sony has the scale and investment dollars to go with ASIC DACs instead of FPGA. ASICs are superior in every performance aspect of chip design. The only advantage FPGA has is potential reprogramming of the DAC code. However, that would also open up the risk of proprietary DAC code getting out to the public domain. That is why Chord has never offered a code update for their FPGA.

I'm sure Sony used FPGA chips during prototyping stage, but once the DAC code was production ready, they went ASIC.


----------



## kova4a

Whitigir said:


> High resolutions have always been Moot points.  All devices have to pass lowpass and high pass filter to warranty the safe hearing ranges of 20-20Khz.  This is to secure the safety of many beings...pets, human....etc.
> 
> Despite the claims of high resolution, there can be no recording to be able to achieve higher than 95dB dynamic range....due to Microphone technologies limitations
> 
> ...


See, that's what I was trying to avoid - discussions about hi-res. And honestly, if you bring up microphone limitations regarding the dynamic range that can be captured, the same goes for the frequency response regardless of any filters as most professional recording mics attenuate the sound above 16khz, so, outside of software generated sounds, music doesn't exceed 20khz, which makes the entire hi-res discussion a moot point for anyone but sound engineers who get more information to work with.


----------



## Whitigir

kova4a said:


> See, that's what I was trying to avoid - discussions about hi-res. And honestly, if you bring up microphone limitations regarding the dynamic range that can be captured, the same goes for the frequency response regardless of any filters as most professional recording mics attenuate the sound above 16khz, so, outside of software generated sounds, music doesn't exceed 20khz, which makes the entire hi-res discussion a moot point for anyone but sound engineers who get more information to work with.


On this front, I agreed, but nevertheless, wm1Z is perfectly capable, and so it has the sticker


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 4, 2020)

bflat said:


> No it does not. Sony has the scale and investment dollars to go with ASIC DACs instead of FPGA. ASICs are superior in every performance aspect of chip design. The only advantage FPGA has is potential reprogramming of the DAC code. However, that would also open up the risk of proprietary DAC code getting out to the public domain. That is why Chord has never offered a code update for their FPGA.
> 
> I'm sure Sony used FPGA chips during prototyping stage, but once the DAC code was production ready, they went ASIC.


Is that the SOC that I mentioned about ? The DMP Z1 uses the same one


----------



## bflat

Whitigir said:


> Is that the SOC that I mentioned about ? The DMP Z1 uses the same one



SOC or "system on a chip" generally refers to the combo of CPU, I/O controller, GPU and other components necessary to run the OS and apps. SOC are ASIC due to the need for minimizing chip size and power consumption. I am assuming the original question was in regards to the S Master chip which for sure is ASIC.


----------



## Redcarmoose

kova4a said:


> Well, what he means is that the wm1z can only play hi-res formats but not actually reproduce them, so in reality it's pointless to waste space with hi-res files. The entire 24-bit hi-res audio vs CD quality is not a topic we should spam this thread with, but the fact that sony's dynamic range can only cover CD quality makes all those hi-res stickers sony likes to use just a marketing ploy. Technically that's like playing a 4k movie on a 1080p screen - you can play it but you'll still be seeing only 1080p resolution.





kova4a said:


> See, that's what I was trying to avoid - discussions about hi-res. And honestly, if you bring up microphone limitations regarding the dynamic range that can be captured, the same goes for the frequency response regardless of any filters as most professional recording mics attenuate the sound above 16khz, so, outside of software generated sounds, music doesn't exceed 20khz, which makes the entire hi-res discussion a moot point for anyone but sound engineers who get more information to work with.



To the contrary. Your posts are exactly not avoiding the hi-res discussion. They are instigating it, in some wild form of backwards forwardness.


----------



## kova4a

Whitigir said:


> On this front, I agreed, but nevertheless, wm1Z is perfectly capable, and so it has the sticker


Nah, I disagree. Hi-res playback suggests that a source can reproduce at least the industry standard for 24-bit which is in the 120-125db range, not only to have an extended frequency response. You can have a computer generated sound in a musci album, game or a movie that exceeds the limitations of live recordings and we may evolve to be able to listen to 120+db without hearing damage and wm1z won't be able to take advantage of that. So with that said the sony is capable of playing hi-res files but is not capable of reproducing hi-res audio regardless of whether the information is available in the file or whether we can hear the difference.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## kova4a

Redcarmoose said:


> To the contrary. Your posts are exactly not avoiding the hi-res discussion. They are instigating it, in some wild form of backwards forwardness.





Redcarmoose said:


>


You got me. To be honest, I think the entire hi-res discussion is pointless given how bad music albums keep being mastered and compressed, but it's something that Sony has been pushing to the consumers as the first DAP I ever saw with the sticker was the NW-A10. Now manufacturers even pack extra hi-res sticker in the boxes which is even more ridiculous. Personally, I got a bunch of those "It'a Sony" stickers that I grew up with - now, that's a sticker I would put on a Walkman.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 4, 2020)

kova4a said:


> You got me. To be honest, I think the entire hi-res discussion is pointless given how bad music albums keep being mastered and compressed, but it's something that Sony has been pushing to the consumers as the first DAP I ever saw with the sticker was the NW-A10. Now manufacturers even pack extra hi-res sticker in the boxes which is even more ridiculous. Personally, I got a bunch of those "It'a Sony" stickers that I grew up with - now, that's a sticker I would put on a Walkman.



I actually like how new music sounds. I’m fine with 16/44.1 and think I truly hear a difference over 320kbps? All of us are at this point in time and at this very place.........on this exact thread due to steps we took based on ideas and values regarding our understanding of increases in sound quality due to actions in one direction or another. One set of values were held as an idea to navigate the jungle of audiophile pitfalls and truisms. Thus our view of a subjective (audio) reality based on sound perceptions was all we could grasp. Placebo or truth we thought what we heard was real, we read and took up mentors and theories. We put dollars on the table and moved forward in one direction because we thought it was correct. Why shouldn’t we defend our values? I’m simply showing you that you refer to not pushing an agenda for the frivolousness of 24bit, when in fact it’s what you came here for. Somehow people get emotional about this or that cause. A single cause can be more motivating than most people think. Thus coming on a forum about a hi-res player and belittling what the basic design root concepts the Sony invented cosmogony is based on.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

DSEE HX, DC phase Linearizer and Vinyl Processor
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new-sony-nw-zx500.914486/post-15687685


----------



## kova4a

Redcarmoose said:


> I actually like how new music sounds. I’m fine with 16/44.1 and think I truly hear a difference over 320kbps? All of us are at this point in time and at this very place.........on this exact thread due to steps we took based on ideas and values regarding our understanding of increases in sound quality due to actions in one direction or another. One set of values were held as an idea to navigate the jungle of audiophile pitfalls and truisms. Thus our view of a subjective (audio) reality based on sound perceptions was all we could grasp. Placebo or truth we thought what we heard was real, we read and took up mentors and theories. We put dollars on the table and moved forward in one direction because we thought it was correct. Why shouldn’t we defend our values? I’m simply showing you that you refer to not pushing an agenda for the frivolousness of 24bit, when in fact it’s what you came here for. Somehow people get emotional about this or that cause. A single cause can be more motivating than most people think. Thus coming on a forum about a hi-res player and belittling what the basic design root concepts the Sony invented cosmogony is based on.


Nah, I came here coz I was interested to read about that new custom firmware for the 1z/1a and then saw the comments about shigzeo's opinion, which came out pretty defensive as if people read his other measurement reviews, they would see that he liked the zx300 and a lot of other stuff from random manufacturers, so he's not a blind fanboy or just hating on sony for no reason. An yeah, there is difference between mp3 and CD quality because it's within the audible range. As far as badly mastered music goes - I can't stand the compression. It was great when I was a kid and music sounded louder but nowadays I care about details and treble extension and often times vinyl rips are my only option to properly enjoy certain albums.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 4, 2020)

kova4a said:


> Nah, I disagree. Hi-res playback suggests that a source can reproduce at least the industry standard for 24-bit which is in the 120-125db range, not only to have an extended frequency response. You can have a computer generated sound in a musci album, game or a movie that exceeds the limitations of live recordings and we may evolve to be able to listen to 120+db without hearing damage and wm1z won't be able to take advantage of that. So with that said the sony is capable of playing hi-res files but is not capable of reproducing hi-res audio regardless of whether the information is available in the file or whether we can hear the difference.



Even for movies industry, hearing damage from watching movies with too loud content is real. The Cinemas even have to reduce the output levels so as not to affect the other neighbor movie screening or even to avoid legal repercussions in some countries.

https://www.pro-tools-expert.com/home-page/2017/6/21/loudness-and-dynamics-in-cinema-sound



> It's All Too Loud!
> It's not just commercials and trailers that are played back much lower than '7'*. Because the audience started to complain more and more about the main movie being too loud, cinemas have responded and reduced the level of the main movie too and there are good reasons for the complaints.*
> 
> The Flemish Association for Tinnitus and Hyperacusis measured sound levels in several cinemas in Belgium. They measured peak levels up to 118 dBA! How is that possible? Well: one channel is calibrated for 85 dBC at -21 LUFS and therefore peaks at approximately 105 dBSPL. But there are 4 channels (surrounds are measured as one), which means 6 dB more. With full-scale clipping distortion, you gain another 3 dB per channel, and of course close to a speaker the level can be higher than in the middle of the room. 118 dBA seems insane, but in theory, it is possible. And the future is interesting. *With Dolby Atmos, every single channel is calibrated to 85 dBC. The Atmos peak demand is 115 dBC per loudspeaker. A system can have 64 speakers, or in other words, the theoretical maximum SPL can be 133 dBC...*
> ...


----------



## Redcarmoose

kova4a said:


> Nah, I came here coz I was interested to read about that new custom firmware for the 1z/1a and then saw the comments about shigzeo's opinion, which came out pretty defensive as if people read his other measurement reviews, they would see that he liked the zx300 and a lot of other stuff from random manufacturers, so he's not a blind fanboy or just hating on sony for no reason. An yeah, there is difference between mp3 and CD quality because it's within the audible range. As far as badly mastered music goes - I can't stand the compression. It was great when I was a kid and music sounded louder but nowadays I care about details and treble extension and often times vinyl rips are my only option to properly enjoy certain albums.



Yes, he had a Japanese language ZX300. Interestingly the local ZX300 players in Japan were set-up as “domestic” and stayed in Japanese with no other language option. Hopefully the region tool can change that now for people who want other languages in Japan with local ZX300 players. Talking with the gal at the Tokyo Sony flagship store, she nicely informed me that since I was used to the 1Z and 1A UI, I could use a Japanese language one? Lol.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Aug 4, 2020)

bflat said:


> No it does not. Sony has the scale and investment dollars to go with ASIC DACs instead of FPGA.


Oh, that's really interesting  - thanks!!  - as myself and actually many others kept thinking otherwise.
Where can I read about those ASIC DACs, never heard of them before - just some schematics and principles
for a humanitarian. 
I've had my 1A for a couple of weeks only but must admit that before with my previous DAPs I've never heard that different FW versions can cause such audible difference in sound delivery,
like new FW from our colleague can greatly reduce a difference sound wise between 1A and 1Z.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

There is a good reason for high resolution audio and that is during the digital recording and mastering process, there is more headroom for the mastering engineer to do the correct mixing of different microphones or sounds and avoid clipping


----------



## Redcarmoose

kova4a said:


> Nah, I came here coz I was interested to read about that new custom firmware for the 1z/1a and then saw the comments about shigzeo's opinion, which came out pretty defensive as if people read his other measurement reviews, they would see that he liked the zx300 and a lot of other stuff from random manufacturers, so he's not a blind fanboy or just hating on sony for no reason. An yeah, there is difference between mp3 and CD quality because it's within the audible range. As far as badly mastered music goes - I can't stand the compression. It was great when I was a kid and music sounded louder but nowadays I care about details and treble extension and often times vinyl rips are my only option to properly enjoy certain albums.



The new Firmware IS something. I haven’t used my 1Z for a week. The 1A in J region is amazing along with the switcher to 1Z and 1A/Z+.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

On why S-Master HX is not used for DMP-Z1:
*The reason for not choosing S-Master is...*
The DMP-Z1 launched this time is different from previous players. It did not use Sony’s proud S-Master digital amplifier. Instead, it was replaced with Asahi Kasei’s AK4497EQ DAC decoder chip. For the ear amplifier, TPA6120A2 was used. Audio chip. Another acoustic engineer, Hiroro Sato, explained the reason for not choosing S-Master: "The team hopes to make a player with a higher output power. The balanced output power of the DMP-Z1 can reach 1,500mW. If S-Master is used It’s difficult to reach this level. But I want to emphasize that Sony has not stopped developing the S-Master. This is still the key sound technology of the Walkman, but it is not suitable for use on the DMP-Z1 this time.” In addition, the in-camera collocation H-shaped aluminum metal chassis, gold-plated volume knob and other components, Sato Hiroro said that he had used different metal materials to make many prototypes and found the best combination. When tuning the sound, he will not deliberately tune for a certain Sony headset. He also considers that different users have different timbre requirements. Other brands of headsets, such as AKG, Sennheiser, etc., will also be used.

https://www.spill.hk/audiovisual/Sony-Electrical-Engineer-Tomoaki-Sato-Hiroaki-Sato-interview/


----------



## gerelmx1986

Listening to a now impossible-to-get 5-CD set from 1992


----------



## Maxx134

gerelmx1986 said:


> I like them a lot


Sweet setup.
From my experience, it is the largest soundstage sounding closed headphones.



Sonywalkmanuser said:


> All things I have mention cannot be proven in a Double Blind Test


Haha, pretty much *everything & anything audio* tested this way cannot be 100% proven! Haha figure that out.




AlexCBSN said:


> You cant go wrong with that pair, and if you got them for less than 100 usd, it’s a true bargain, they are so easy to drive, have a perfect balance with a bit of weight in the bass area, really good pair of headphones
> 
> 
> Not everyone can afford only campfire and totl iems, and maybe some want to experiment with their sound


These are my fav portables as well.




Nayparm said:


> What if its our ears or tastes that need EQ.
> I have EQ'd since I was a teen. Without EQ everything sounds like garbage to me.


I noticed a "juicy" effect to the sound in past with EQ.
Also the best EQ I tried, was the digital EQ option  inside "Roon"  player.




Amber Rain said:


> Has anyone used the wm1A/Z as a line out to an Amp? How is it?


Me too, I using the single ended output for line out to single ended amp.
Have to have volume set at full, so the new MrWalkman's update will be a big help.



MrWalkman said:


> Small update:


What! That's small?!!
This is HUGE!


----------



## bflat

Mystic Traveller said:


> Oh, that's really interesting  - thanks!!  - as myself and actually many others kept thinking otherwise.
> Where can I read about those ASIC DACs, never heard of them before - just some schematics and principles
> for a humanitarian.
> I've had my 1A for a couple of weeks only but must admit that before with my previous DAPs I've never heard that different FW versions can cause such audible difference in sound delivery,
> like new FW from our colleague can greatly reduce a difference sound wise between 1A and 1Z.



Here is a very high level comparison - https://numato.com/blog/differences-between-fpga-and-asics/

ASIC chips (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) are just as the name implies - manufactured for a specific application. FPGA chips are general purpose devices where one can burn in code to make it do specific applications. Because FPGA chips need to be general purpose, they are physically larger, consume more power, and cannot run as efficiently as ASIC. However, even with ASIC there is a further refinement. All ESS, AKM, BB, TI DAC chips are ASIC, but each of their ASIC DACs support multiple audio applications and uses so there are added features and power consumption that doesn't always benefit DAP applications. Sony has taken the ASIC benefits and taken it to an even more specific use - only for 2 channel audio output for low power (Class D). Add in Sony specific DSP features and you got a DAC chip that only works for Sony.

Basically Sony is the only audio device maker who also has their own proprietary ASIC that is purely built for their specific devices and nobody else. I am only commenting on the physical DAC chip and not the whole device. Clearly the FPGA chips have allowed Chord to come out with high end DACs to a niche market and they have one of the best audio engineers in the world who develops the DAC code for their FPGA chips so his algorithms are optimized for their application. However, that same FPGA chip is used by hundreds of other companies for thousands of other applications so it's safe to assume there are at least a few features/pins of the FPGA chip that Chord doesn't use.


----------



## D3adRock

Does anyone know if there is any way that you could modify (or if a mod already exists) that makes it so that it doesnt have to load the library every single time you turn it on. Like a manual library scan like almost every other DAP in existence. It's so frustrating.


----------



## Queen6

kova4a said:


> You got me. To be honest, I think the *entire hi-res discussion is pointless given how bad music albums keep being mastered and compressed*, but it's something that Sony has been pushing to the consumers as the first DAP I ever saw with the sticker was the NW-A10. Now manufacturers even pack extra hi-res sticker in the boxes which is even more ridiculous. Personally, I got a bunch of those "It'a Sony" stickers that I grew up with - now, that's a sticker I would put on a Walkman.



As highlighted, as long as the industry serves the "Airpods crowd" what the player can delver is academic as for true high quality playback of music, it has to be right all the way through; from the recording to the head gear and everything in the middle. Best solution is to get your music from where you know it's good, and pick your hardware to your taste.  Having a High Res sticker isn't by default going to equate to a more enjoyable sound signature, just a greater range that may or may not be well implemented.

High Res is mostly what it is, a marketing term, presenting bigger numbers for the uninformed...

Q-6


----------



## Lookout57

D3adRock said:


> Does anyone know if there is any way that you could modify (or if a mod already exists) that makes it so that it doesnt have to load the library every single time you turn it on. Like a manual library scan like almost every other DAP in existence. It's so frustrating.


As long as you haven't made major changes to the files on the player 3.02 or any of the modified versions will rebuild quickly.


----------



## D3adRock

Lookout57 said:


> As long as you haven't made major changes to the files on the player 3.02 or any of the modified versions will rebuild quickly.


It still takes like 30 or 45 seconds, which is on top of the turning on sequence which is also annoying.  In any case theres no good reason that it should have to go through that every single time it's turned one.


----------



## Lookout57

Unlike Android based players, the standby on the Sony is a week or more. 

So unless you aren't using it for a week or more there is no need to turn it off.


----------



## proedros

i leave mine  on all the time , since 8 hours is usually the most idle time between listening sessions so i see no point turning it on/off all the time


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 4, 2020)

bflat said:


> Here is a very high level comparison - https://numato.com/blog/differences-between-fpga-and-asics/
> 
> ASIC chips (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) are just as the name implies - manufactured for a specific application. FPGA chips are general purpose devices where one can burn in code to make it do specific applications. Because FPGA chips need to be general purpose, they are physically larger, consume more power, and cannot run as efficiently as ASIC. However, even with ASIC there is a further refinement. All ESS, AKM, BB, TI DAC chips are ASIC, but each of their ASIC DACs support multiple audio applications and uses so there are added features and power consumption that doesn't always benefit DAP applications. Sony has taken the ASIC benefits and taken it to an even more specific use - only for 2 channel audio output for low power (Class D). Add in Sony specific DSP features and you got a DAC chip that only works for Sony.
> 
> Basically Sony is the only audio device maker who also has their own proprietary ASIC that is purely built for their specific devices and nobody else. I am only commenting on the physical DAC chip and not the whole device. Clearly the FPGA chips have allowed Chord to come out with high end DACs to a niche market and they have one of the best audio engineers in the world who develops the DAC code for their FPGA chips so his algorithms are optimized for their application. However, that same FPGA chip is used by hundreds of other companies for thousands of other applications so it's safe to assume there are at least a few features/pins of the FPGA chip that Chord doesn't use.


Excellently said! I love the ASIC on the Sony devices.  There are distinctive differences from Chord FPGA DAVE vs DMP And the lowers noises could be observe, together with more effortless and virtually zero grains in high spectrums !!! This very same system is inside Walkman Wm1A and Z as well
Definitely is loving Sony for how well their devices are engineered

Many people question This though...why did Sony not marketing this ? Or word salads it up


----------



## D3adRock

Lookout57 said:


> Unlike Android based players, the standby on the Sony is a week or more.
> 
> So unless you aren't using it for a week or more there is no need to turn it off.


Thats just it. Sometimes I don't use it for over a week. Even when It's just a couple of days I prefer for the battery to be as close to fully charged as possible so that if I have to run I can listen without worrying if the battery is going to die while im out. Besides the less charge/discharge cycles it goes through, the better it is for the overall battery life expectancy. It doesnt seem like it's something so ridiculous since my 15 year old ipod video 5.5 could go for over a month without charging on standby, had a sleep mode that it awakened from easily, and never needed to reload it's library every time it was turned on. I can't understand why the sony developers made it the way it was.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 4, 2020)

D3adRock said:


> never needed to reload it's library every time it was turned on. I can't understand why the sony developers made it the way it was.



I guess it's just one of the idiosyncrasy of Sony.

Although they have removed the database scanning on startup with the ZX507 Walkman, now it only does scanning after you disconnect usb file transfer.


----------



## mwhals

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I guess it's just one of the idiosyncrasy of Sony.
> 
> Although they have removed the database scanning on startup with the ZX507 Walkman, now it only does scanning after you disconnect usb file transfer.



Maybe a firmware update will do the same to the WM1A/Z.


----------



## bflat (Aug 4, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I guess it's just one of the idiosyncrasy of Sony.
> 
> Although they have removed the database scanning on startup with the ZX507 Walkman, now it only does scanning after you disconnect usb file transfer.



Just to be accurate - It was 3.01 firmware rebuilt the database every time you turned the DAP on. They fixed it on 3.02 so that the rebuild only looks for changes since last scan and does an incremental index if new files are detected. Unfortunately, it's not a very fast process and if you don't have a lot of files, 3.01 and 3.02 may have the same amount of lag. In my case, I have over 14K files and 3.01 took so long, I just left it on. But with 3.02, it's maybe 30 sec or so which I can live with. Definitely could be faster, but 3.02 only does incremental index of new files since last scan.

Also to your point, it shouldn't need to rescan when going in/out of DAC mode. But for data transfer mode, it makes sense because it avoids a full reboot for your new tracks to show up.


----------



## Lookout57

D3adRock said:


> Thats just it. Sometimes I don't use it for over a week. Even when It's just a couple of days I prefer for the battery to be as close to fully charged as possible so that if I have to run I can listen without worrying if the battery is going to die while im out. Besides the less charge/discharge cycles it goes through, the better it is for the overall battery life expectancy. It doesnt seem like it's something so ridiculous since my 15 year old ipod video 5.5 could go for over a month without charging on standby, had a sleep mode that it awakened from easily, and never needed to reload it's library every time it was turned on. I can't understand why the sony developers made it the way it was.


Even if you are down to 1 bar after a week you still have 4-5 hours of playback.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 4, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Excellently said! I love the ASIC on the Sony devices.  There are distinctive differences from Chord FPGA DAVE vs DMP And the lowers noises could be observe, together with more effortless and virtually zero grains in high spectrums !!! This very same system is inside Walkman Wm1A and Z as well
> Definitely is loving Sony for how well their devices are engineered
> 
> Many people question This though...why did Sony not marketing this ? Or word salads it up





I feel that what chord has mentioned in the video above makes sense. However their implementation of the chord Hugo 2 hardware isn't masterful as compared to the lower priced Sony WM1A.

This post describes what's wrong with hugo 2
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/chord-electronics-hugo-2-the-official-thread.831345/post-13567959

When it comes to sound quality, it's not just solely about algorithms or hardware. It's the sum of all parts. Right down to designing a rigid internal frame to manage the micro-vibrations that affects the stability of the word clock oscillator.


----------



## Mindstorms

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Orignally posted in the zx507 thread but I have updated some parts so reposting here again for reference. You can also use these points to evaluate custom firmwares.
> 
> This is my main evaluation points that I came out with when it comes to auditioning of gears like DAP and Headphones. You may use any songs which are familiar to you, Hope this would serve as a guide for those who are trying to evaluate many gears at one time and trying to find out if the equipment is right for you.
> 
> ...


can you send me a private msg thank you


----------



## Mindstorms

Whitigir said:


> I have integrated "Cerberus" toward @MrWalkman 1A/Z + Brilliantly made FirmWare.  Just as Promised to people who have requested previously.  It is named Cerberus + as the + is to honor @MrWalkman creation 1A/Z +
> 
> This is the combinations of Works from @Morgenstern09  @Morbideath , myself and thanks to @MrWalkman  brilliant works.  We have yet again to witness another level of performances improvements by firmware *, We are Stronger Together !! *_Until Giant Sony request it down _
> 
> ...





Tanjiro said:


> Thanks a lot MrWalkman.  1A+ 3.00 is my favourite now.


its my favorite since 1983 the year i was born


----------



## gearofwar

Mindstorms said:


> its my favorite since 1983 the year i was born


I wish library loading was faster as well as the UI


----------



## Mindstorms

gearofwar said:


> I wish library loading was faster as well as the UI


its the price you pay for the cleanest audio haha


----------



## Lookout57

gearofwar said:


> I wish library loading was faster as well as the UI


MrWalkmans firmwares make the UI faster.


----------



## nanaholic

Ryokan said:


> Science is governed by the latest theory that looks to explain an event the most satisfactorily, until it's either mis-proven  or a new theory comes up with a better explanation.



Which in other words - work in progress. People treat that as a dirty word due to casual usage in everyday life, but it's not a bad thing in science.

Just like the word "theory" means different things when used in the daily sense compared to its scientific meaning.


----------



## gearofwar

Lookout57 said:


> MrWalkmans firmwares make the UI faster.


so just the UI?


----------



## Lookout57

gearofwar said:


> so just the UI?


Yes, he enabled hardware acceleration.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 4, 2020)

We live in an imperfect world. Transducer technology from microphones to headphones still cannot record and playback music perfectly as it sounded originally if you were there at the point of recording.

I feel what’s most important in any audio equipment is the enjoyment factor over the absolute technical measurements.

Take for example enabling DSEE HX AI destroys the purist notion of Bit Perfect sound aka as intended by the Musician. However I find myself more engaged to the music with this DSP enabled as it alters how impactful certain musical notes sounds.

End of the day we are selecting equipment so as to enjoy good sounding music with our ears and not creating a technical chart to list which equipment has the highest SNR and lowest THD.

Who can objectively hear that 0.01% difference in total harmonic distortion between the two DAP?


----------



## jaibautista

There had been so many times I contemplated selling my NW-WM1A to fund the purchase of another DAP (the closest being the Cayin N6ii). But at the very last minute I somehow abandon such plans because of its combination of its clean yet dynamic sound, fast UI, and exceptional battery life. To think that I sold my Chord Hugo 1 and Sony PCM-D100 to give way to it, the WM1A has surpassed all my expectations and has always proven its performance and reliability, moreso after installing Mr Walkman's latest WM1A/Z++ firmware.


----------



## rbf1138

I’m wondering if anyone here has heard or owned both the WM1A and the ZX300? There’s obviously a significant price difference between these models, especially when it comes to a used ZX300 but I’m wondering if you can tell me what the primary differences between them are? Is the 3.5 jack on the WM1A good, as opposed to the apparent necessity to use the balanced out of the ZX300? Any significant differences in UI or usability? Thanks!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 5, 2020)

rbf1138 said:


> I’m wondering if anyone here has heard or owned both the WM1A and the ZX300? There’s obviously a significant price difference between these models, especially when it comes to a used ZX300 but I’m wondering if you can tell me what the primary differences between them are? Is the 3.5 jack on the WM1A good, as opposed to the apparent necessity to use the balanced out of the ZX300? Any significant differences in UI or usability? Thanks!



I almost purchased a ZX300 when they first came out. I, at the time.......already had possession of the 1A and 1Z. To me the ZX300 is way warmer than the 1A. Also the UI is the same but the screen is smaller, I think? It does not have the same output power as the 1A, if I remember right.

The thing is this new firmware makes the 1A so spectacular, and while I have not investigated the potential for extra firmware being able to bring the ZX300 up to a new and different level; it’s seems it would be quite the stretch (just guessing) for the ZX300 to compete in any way with what the 1A is doing using MrWalkman switcher and 1A/Z+?

Cheers!


----------



## jaibautista

rbf1138 said:


> I’m wondering if anyone here has heard or owned both the WM1A and the ZX300? There’s obviously a significant price difference between these models, especially when it comes to a used ZX300 but I’m wondering if you can tell me what the primary differences between them are? Is the 3.5 jack on the WM1A good, as opposed to the apparent necessity to use the balanced out of the ZX300? Any significant differences in UI or usability? Thanks!



Having tried both the ZX300 and WM1A side-by-side, I can say that the sound quality difference between the two is quite huge. If I didn't have the WM1A, the ZX300 would've performed admirably but it sounded lifeless, boxed-in, and lacking dynamic range and resolution vis-a-vis the WM1A, regardless of the HP jack used (i.e., SE or balanced). My analogy would be comparing a transistor radio to a stereo component system. I was even surprised with the difference; prior to A/B-ing the two, I thought the ZX300 wouldn't be ceding too much to the WM1A.


----------



## Redcarmoose

jaibautista said:


> Having tried both the ZX300 and WM1A side-by-side, I can say that the sound quality difference between the two is quite huge. If I didn't have the WM1A, the ZX300 would've performed admirably but it sounded lifeless, boxed-in, and lacking dynamic range and resolution vis-a-vis the WM1A, regardless of the HP jack used (i.e., SE or balanced). My analogy would be comparing a transistor radio to a stereo component system. I was even surprised with the difference; prior to A/B-ing the two, I thought the ZX300 wouldn't be ceding too much to the WM1A.



This!


----------



## Mindstorms

jaibautista said:


> Having tried both the ZX300 and WM1A side-by-side, I can say that the sound quality difference between the two is quite huge. If I didn't have the WM1A, the ZX300 would've performed admirably but it sounded lifeless, boxed-in, and lacking dynamic range and resolution vis-a-vis the WM1A, regardless of the HP jack used (i.e., SE or balanced). My analogy would be comparing a transistor radio to a stereo component system. I was even surprised with the difference; prior to A/B-ing the two, I thought the ZX300 wouldn't be ceding too much to the WM1A.


I have zx100 not as good as zx300 but i can confirm all of this diferences! dough its very portable!


----------



## mwhals

I really wish Sony would release a MK2 version of the 1A/1Z as I won't be able to buy anything, excluding the WM1A, until November or December. The LPGT has many strengths, but so do the Sony offerings.

*Does anyone use Legend X or Phantom with the WM1Z? Is it too warm of a combination?* I always hear the WM1Z is warm, but so are those two IEMs. This is what makes the LPGT appealing as I can leave it neutral or make it warmer with the fabulous PEQ. By the time I buy later in the year, there may be new firmwares for both WM1Z and LPGT that tilt it one way or the other.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 4, 2020)

jaibautista said:


> Having tried both the ZX300 and WM1A side-by-side, I can say that the sound quality difference between the two is quite huge. If I didn't have the WM1A, the ZX300 would've performed admirably but it sounded lifeless, boxed-in, and lacking dynamic range and resolution vis-a-vis the WM1A, regardless of the HP jack used (i.e., SE or balanced). My analogy would be comparing a transistor radio to a stereo component system. I was even surprised with the difference; prior to A/B-ing the two, I thought the ZX300 wouldn't be ceding too much to the WM1A.



ZX300 shares the same S-Master HX chip as WM1A. I would think that the significant contributing factor for the sound differences is due to firmware tuning.

Custom firmware for ZX300 should narrow the differences.


----------



## jaibautista

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> ZX300 shares the same S-Master HX chip as WM1A. I would think that the significant contributing factor for the sound differences is due to firmware tuning.
> 
> Custom firmware for ZX300 should narrow the differences.



That, plus perhaps the design of the electronics/materials used surrounding the s-master chip. That's why with fw modifications, the gap between the 1A and 1Z has been narrowed significantly because more or less they're using the same innards (with the exception of the capacitors/cables). For the gap between the ZX300 and 1A/1Z to be narrowed to the same extent, i doubt fw modifications can do the trick.


----------



## nc8000

D3adRock said:


> It still takes like 30 or 45 seconds, which is on top of the turning on sequence which is also annoying.  In any case theres no good reason that it should have to go through that every single time it's turned one.



Just don't turn the player off. Problem solved. I have not turned mine off in 3 1/2 years


----------



## Hinomotocho

rbf1138 said:


> I’m wondering if anyone here has heard or owned both the WM1A and the ZX300? There’s obviously a significant price difference between these models, especially when it comes to a used ZX300 but I’m wondering if you can tell me what the primary differences between them are? Is the 3.5 jack on the WM1A good, as opposed to the apparent necessity to use the balanced out of the ZX300? Any significant differences in UI or usability? Thanks!


I upgraded from the ZX300 a few months ago. The ZX300 is a fine dap and does a very good job but after having a taste of a different sound with my amp/dac I had grown a bit bored of the sound, I felt it was a bit too warm. I like Sony daps for several reasons so the WM1A was my only choice moving up. Particularly with the WM1A/1Z there are noticeable differences with firmwares and regions so there may be different experiences but mainly I noticed a better soundstage with higher level of clarity. Frequently when comparing the two I see people estimate 10% improvement over the ZX300 - possibly accurate, but what I find is that with time that 10% becomes your focus and enjoyment so it now is like 75% improvement how I see it. 
For peace of mind if you compare the threads for the 2 devices this one is very active and there is a lot of value in the posts from other users experiences and input.
Physically the WM1A is a bit bigger and has a bit more weight but I actually feel it adds to the feel of quality and it sits very well in my hand. The display is just that much bigger that it is more enjoyable to use and also gives the bonus info of the track specs. 
I highly recommend using the balanced to get the benefits of the higher powered output, I can't comment on the 3.5mm.
With the recent development of custom firmwares and tuning mods it has now opened up the capabilities of tweaking the sound to how you like it, but regardless the WM1A's hardware still gives it a noticeable step up from the ZX300.


----------



## 534409

jaibautista said:


> There had been so many times I contemplated selling my NW-WM1A to fund the purchase of another DAP (the closest being the Cayin N6ii). But at the very last minute I somehow abandon such plans because of its combination of its clean yet dynamic sound, fast UI, and exceptional battery life. To think that I sold my Chord Hugo 1 and Sony PCM-D100 to give way to it, the WM1A has surpassed all my expectations and has always proven its performance and reliability, moreso after installing Mr Walkman's latest WM1A/Z++ firmware.


After many used DAPs (iBasso, Cayin, Fiio) I found WM1A. And this is the end of searching. No more Android DAPs with poor battery and weak output.WM1A stays to the end.


----------



## Earbones

Hi, few quick questions... No doubt they have been answered somewhere in this thread, but 2833 pages, so...

Thinking about using the WM1A 50/50 as both a standalone unit and as a USB DAC...

1. Where did things land with the MW1A being able to unfold and properly play MQA files when used as a USB DAC? Yea or nay?

2. When used as a USB DAC will it play Amazon High-Rez, QBUDZ or similar files in their proper format? How about when whatever streaming service is in offline mode?

3. Using the 3.5mm output, what’s about the most the unit can comfortably push? I have the Neumann NDH20 (150 Ohm, single cable, can’t go balanced), and my ZX500 isn’t doing the job.

Thanks!


----------



## Gamerlingual (Aug 5, 2020)

Welp, it’s here and with the 1Z ready to be enjoyed. Hope this works out even better than I hoped for


----------



## Layman1

mwhals said:


> I really wish Sony would release a MK2 version of the 1A/1Z as I won't be able to buy anything, excluding the WM1A, until November or December. The LPGT has many strengths, but so do the Sony offerings.
> 
> *Does anyone use Legend X or Phantom with the WM1Z? Is it too warm of a combination?* I always hear the WM1Z is warm, but so are those two IEMs. This is what makes the LPGT appealing as I can leave it neutral or make it warmer with the fabulous PEQ. By the time I buy later in the year, there may be new firmwares for both WM1Z and LPGT that tilt it one way or the other.



Hi there,

I know we've talked about this before, but I was actually listening to Phantom and Nemesis last night on my WM1Z.
I'm using one of the older custom tuning FW's, Orion. Can't remember which version, 5 or 7 would be my guess?
I think it makes the WM1Z sound a bit more warm, full and organic from the 3.02 tuning.
Note that, if I recall correctly, the 3.02 tuning made the WM1Z sound more neutral/reference in comparison to the warmer, more organic/analogue earlier Sony FW (3.00?).
Not 100% sure about this, but in any case, I listened to those IEMs yesterday. You will be, to some extent, doubling down on the warmth and richness, but they're great IEMs on a great DAP, and still sounded.. great 

Personally, I think they sounded a bit better on the stock LPGT vs the stock WM1Z; more resolution, clarity, detail, soundstage. 
But then, this will depend on one's personal taste, especially in the area of 'neutral-reference' vs 'warm-organic-analogue' and where your preferences lie on that spectrum


----------



## auronthas

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> On why S-Master HX is not used for DMP-Z1:


Will they release new S-Master chip on 6th August ?


----------



## nanaholic

auronthas said:


> Will they release new S-Master chip on 6th August ?



Unlikely. 
Currently all signs pointing to them announcing the WH-1000XM4 on August 6th.


----------



## aceedburn

nanaholic said:


> Unlikely.
> Currently all signs pointing to them announcing the WH-1000XM4 on August 6th.


Indeed. The Malaysian Sony factory is brimming with the XM4s. Ready to be shipped to the rest of the world.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Welp, it’s here and with the 1Z ready to be enjoyed. Hope this works out even better than I hoped for



Your the only person I’ve ever seen with 2 identical Kimber cables.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 5, 2020)

The reason why I believe that firmware tuning can have significant changes to the sound.

Back in late november 2019 when Sony first released the ZX507, it's firmware version 1.01 had a sound signature that is almost similar to ZX300. Apart from improved bass, improvements in vocal clarity and new DSP, you can tell that the ZX507 came from the same family as they share the same warmth and same laid back, analog like sound signature with a very small intimate soundstage.

I believe the reason for this tuning is they intend for the ZX300 users to upgrade to the ZX507:
https://www.sony.jp/feature/owner/sound/wfm1910_lp/index2.html

Over the next few months, Sony released a few firmware to solve some issues and made some minor changes to the sound and etc, with the firmware being around version 1.2.x

Fast forward to mid 2020, Sony seems to have change the status/tier of the ZX507, without any announcement, they added the ZX507 into their Signature series website. The whole ZX series was never included in the Signature series in the past. So somehow ZX507 is part of their flagship line now.

https://www.sony.jp/high-resolution/flagship/?s_pid=jp_/walkman/_bnr_flagshop


And with that around June/July 2020, Sony released the version 2.x firmware for the ZX507 which added Hi-Res Streaming mode which upsamples all android audio to 32bit 192Khz.

The most dramatic change was with the sound signature on the new/current 2.01.00 firmware.

It now feels more dynamic in it's presentation, more emphasis on sharper transients, a shift in bass response, previous mid-bass hump was replaced by a more even but deeper and firmer sounding bass. Mids has much more microdetails. Treble got more airy and Soundstaging has become dramatically widen and with that more noticable layering. There's a new level of holographic-ness to the overall sound.

I speculate that given the world economy being so badly hit by pandemic in 2020, Sony could have decided to reposition the more affordable ZX507 as it's new hi-res streaming flagship walkman and try to appeal to the new crowd of streaming music listeners with renewed urgency and to do that they made significant improvements to the sound quality on the ZX507 via firmware update.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Does anyone think that listening to the MDR-Z1R with 1A/1Z in a quiet environment can make a big difference, despite the closed back nature?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 5, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Does anyone think that listening to the MDR-Z1R with 1A/1Z in a quiet environment can make a big difference, despite the closed back nature?



Yes, and if you want to further increase your auditory senses, try listening in a very dark room and close your eyes. It will make it easier to focus on the music as your brain doesn't need to process vision and can work on just processing music.

There's actually an event that does this kind of sensory reduction:

http://www.pitchblackplayback.com/about


> *Pitchblack Playback* is a series of listening sessions inviting the music-loving public to hear upcoming album releases and classic LPs like never before in cinemas and other intimate spaces.
> 
> But that’s not all. To ensure that there’s no distractions and that you're totally immersed in the music, our events are staged in the dark.* It’s just you and the music.
> 
> ...


----------



## Damz87

Earbones said:


> 1. Where did things land with the MW1A being able to unfold and properly play MQA files when used as a USB DAC? Yea or nay?



Unfortunately nay. It can’t play native MQA through USB DAC. It will convert to pcm 44.1/16-bit


----------



## Ghostsounds

Gamerlingual said:


> Does anyone think that listening to the MDR-Z1R with 1A/1Z in a quiet environment can make a big difference, despite the closed back nature?


 I always listen in a quiet environment. Never bothered to listen to my Sony + MDR on the go or outside. I listen to my phone on the go when looking for new music for my Walkman. Defo hear much more and enjoy more when quiet or dark or both.


----------



## gobb

I am now using IER-Z1R with NW-ZX507 and would like to make a step-up towards NWWM1A or NWWM1Z having a home player, portability doesnt matter. I am more into dance, electronic music, I like it bassy. Anyone with recommenedations pls which one to choose? Thanks.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Your the only person I’ve ever seen with 2 identical Kimber cables.


Really? Like others may own multiple headphones but only use one Kimber Kable?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> Does anyone think that listening to the MDR-Z1R with 1A/1Z in a quiet environment can make a big difference, despite the closed back nature?


Genau das! They are not so 100% closed


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> Genau das! They are not so 100% closed


They cut out more noise than I expected. Which is a huge plus


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 5, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> They cut out more noise than I expected. Which is a huge plus


 with me, I can hear TV when it on, or my man without having to yell at me


----------



## Lawphin

Lawphin said:


> Hello,
> I recently purchased the 1A. When I inspect the "full song details" (or something like that) on the device some songs -not all- show "Bit rate: Unknown". Nearly all songs are in Apple Lossless since I use iTunes for archive and tagging purposes. Edit: The bit rate shows fine on my PC in programs like foobar and obv. iTunes.
> 
> I couldn't find anything on this matter through Google or the search-bar. Does anybody know what is up with that?
> ...



Anyone?

Since this thread has a lot of traction, posts get buried. Sorry for posting again.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lawphin said:


> Anyone?
> 
> Since this thread has a lot of traction, posts get buried. Sorry for posting again.


Your problem sounds a bit familiar to me. I had a flac file which had corrupt metadata and showed bitrate unknown but I resaved the tags and got fixed. Could be that some of your songs have corrupted tag section or maybe iTunes codes such info differently than flac ?


----------



## Gamerlingual (Aug 5, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> with me, I can hear TV when it on, or my man without having to yell at me


It’s about as closed as the Z7M2 for me. Bottom line is that it sounds way different at home now that all the sounds are cut out. Now I’m seeing why these sounds good. Still, the Z7M2 might just be my favorite of all my over ear cans, barely. But best overall goes to the IER-Z1R. Need to listen to the MDR-Z1R more before I make such conclusions. Trying it all on the TA, 1Z, and 1A. But man, looking at the mirror these cans look ridiculously big. But they shine so good on the Sony DAPs


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Really? Like others may own multiple headphones but only use one Kimber Kable?


Yeah. I too never remove my cables from my iems or headphones once they’re on. I simply buy another cable if I need to. The less times you remove and re insert the better for the gear in the long run.


----------



## Lawphin

gerelmx1986 said:


> Your problem sounds a bit familiar to me. I had a flac file which had corrupt metadata and showed bitrate unknown but I resaved the tags and got fixed. Could be that some of your songs have corrupted tag section or maybe iTunes codes such info differently than flac ?



Thank you for your reply! Could you recommend a program for this?


----------



## Lookout57

Lawphin said:


> Thank you for your reply! Could you recommend a program for this?


Kid3, it's free and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lawphin said:


> Thank you for your reply! Could you recommend a program for this?


For corruption check I use AudioTester (works with mp3 and flac, don't know with Alac, it does not with DSD) for conversions from f.e ape to flac or dsf to flac I use dbpoweramp they have an apple codec suite (AAC and alac, aiff)


----------



## Lookout57

gerelmx1986 said:


> For corruption check I use AudioTester (works with mp3 and flac, don't know with Alac, it does not with DSD) for conversions from f.e ape to flac or dsf to flac I use dbpoweramp they have an apple codec suite (AAC and alac, aiff)


Kid3 will highlight bad tags.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Zhe poblanos m of alac is the container. MP4 A/V container, so it can contain movie Als auch audio data. Das heißt, that it doesnt have error checking mechanisms like flac each frame has a CRC and file end another CRC hash. Ich bin der.meinung, dass glac has better and is easier to spot file corruption. Db power shows two types of flac stream corruption
Audio stream corruption - Bad news if you don't have backup
Metadata stream corruption, fixeable


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Anyone have a good estimate on the playback time impact on enabling DSEE HX AI on the WM1?

For the ZX507 it’s about a drop of 20%.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 5, 2020)

Complete development history of S-Master describe here:

Walkman  
Released in 2009
X Series NW-X1000 (Master)
A series NW-A840 (Master)
Released in 2010
A series NW-A850 (Master)
Released in 2011
Z series NW-Z1000 (MX)
A series NW-A860 (MX)
2012 release
F series NW-F800 (MX)
2013 release
ZX Series NW-ZX1 (HX)
F series NW-F880 (HX)
M series NW-M500 (MX, improved version)
2014 release
A series NW-A10 (HX)
2015 release
ZX Series NW-ZX2 (HX)
A series NW-A20 (HX)
ZX Series NW-ZX100 (HX)
Released in 2016
WM1 Series NW-WM1Z / NW-WM1A (HX・2nd Generation)
A series NW-A30 (HX, 2nd generation)
Released in 2017
ZX series NW-ZX300 (HX, 2nd generation)
A series NW-A40 (HX, 2nd generation)
Released in 2018
ZX Series NW-ZX300G (HX・2nd Generation)
A series NW-A50 (HX, 2nd generation)
Released in 2019
ZX series NW-ZX500 (HX, 2nd generation)
A series NW-A100 (HX, 2nd generation)


> S-Master Edit
> Performance: 24bit/96KHz
> 
> It is roughly divided into an S-Master process that generates audio pulses with high time-axis accuracy and an audio pulse driver that amplifies audio pulse power. With the S-Master, the amplifier can be downsized, and by incorporating multiple S-Masters, multi-channel support is also possible. It has the following features.
> ...



https://ja.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Master


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## blazinblazin

Went to WM1A/Z++ back to WM1A/Z+.

For my setup WM1A/Z++ cymbals sounds a bit off.


----------



## MrWalkman

blazinblazin said:


> Went to WM1A/Z++ back to WM1A/Z+.
> 
> For my setup WM1A/Z++ cymbals sounds a bit off.



That's weird, as the only change is the volume which is increased a bit. Something like instead of 85 volume, you hear 90 for example. No other change was done. But well, people hear what they hear I guess.


----------



## Hinomotocho

gerelmx1986 said:


> Zhe poblanos m of alac is the container. MP4 A/V container, so it can contain movie Als auch audio data. Das heißt, that it doesnt have error checking mechanisms like flac each frame has a CRC and file end another CRC hash. Ich bin der.meinung, dass glac has better and is easier to spot file corruption. Db power shows two types of flac stream corruption
> Audio stream corruption - Bad news if you don't have backup
> Metadata stream corruption, fixeable


@gerelmx1986 I know your eyesight gives you issues with typing - your post has some auto corrected German and Spanish. I just thought I'd explain for people confused with your multi language reply


----------



## blazinblazin

MrWalkman said:


> That's weird, as the only change is the volume which is increased a bit. Something like instead of 85 volume, you hear 90 for example. No other change was done. But well, people hear what they hear I guess.


Not sure if it is due to E2 region tuning I am using.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Hinomotocho said:


> @gerelmx1986 I know your eyesight gives you issues with typing - your post has some auto corrected German and Spanish. I just thought I'd explain for people confused with your multi language reply


The german words actually because I am starting to forget english.


----------



## rbf1138 (Aug 5, 2020)

How does the 1a perform as a usb dac/amp? Wondering if it could be my full portable/home solution. I don’t currently have a home setup, fwiw.


----------



## captblaze

If anyone is bored and you don't need USB DAC function or Bluetooth transmitter function I suggest a roll back to firmware v 1.20 with J region enabled. you may be rather surprised with the result


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 5, 2020)

Just for those interested in the S-Master HX inside the WM1, ZX300, ZX507:

The S-Master HX chip actually has 6 channels output.


4 channels is used for the balance output, and 2 is used for the single ended.

It was mentioned in this video:


Thanks to @nanaholic for translating the video


nanaholic said:


> The people in the video from left to right:
> Sato Hiroaki - Walkman lead sound engineer
> Matsuzaki-san - Walkman electrical design and sound engineer
> Pierre Nakano - Drummer of band "Rin Toshite Shigure"
> ...



if you read through the translation, it shows the amount of design attention for sound quality that the Sony Engineers have, even down to the positioning of the USB port.


----------



## AlexCBSN

I don’t know how to rotate the picture, but this is one of the most engaging setups I’ve ever tried, pb one and wm1a++ firmware, damn... that bass... so smooth and refined, truly something else


----------



## WAmadeusM (Aug 6, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Just for those interested in the S-Master HX inside the WM1, ZX300, ZX507:
> 
> The S-Master HX chip actually has 6 channels output.
> 
> ...




really great stuff......if only they did not use Pulse Width Modulation to control brightness on the WM1Z screen - 
or used a version with a higher refresh rate that would avoid causing terrible migraines/eye strain....for such a quality audio creation it is utterly incomprehensible to me - that the sole interface would not be made as people proof as possible....https://www.notebookcheck.net/Why-Pulse-Width-Modulation-PWM-is-such-a-headache.270240.0.html especially with 'empathy' part of the Sony philosophy. I've tried to contact the SonSig engineers to see if there is any way to modify the PWM screen refresh rate.... no luck so far.... even @MrWalkman has had a look....if anyone else has any ideas....I'm all eyes @WAmadeusM


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

https://myreadingroom.online/en/play/technology/hardwaremag/RmgQMk3N/360-audio-and-the-sony-sound



> What would you say is the ultimate audio experience for you?
> 
> *Sato: I commute by train, so I’m listening everyday by in-ear with Walkman. But my living room has an Atmos set-up that I use to enjoy movies on the weekend.*
> 
> ...


----------



## miguel.yarce

gerelmx1986 said:


> Zhe poblanos m of alac is the container. MP4 A/V container, so it can contain movie Als auch audio data. Das heißt, that it doesnt have error checking mechanisms like flac each frame has a CRC and file end another CRC hash. Ich bin der.meinung, dass glac has better and is easier to spot file corruption. Db power shows two types of flac stream corruption
> Audio stream corruption - Bad news if you don't have backup
> Metadata stream corruption, fixeable


Why are you mixing english, deutsch and spanish Gera??


----------



## miguel.yarce

AlexCBSN said:


> I don’t know how to rotate the picture, but this is one of the most engaging setups I’ve ever tried, pb one and wm1a++ firmware, damn... that bass... so smooth and refined, truly something else



I had the wm1a + RAH combo and was amazing using silver and blue filter combination. These pb one most sound even better!


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> https://myreadingroom.online/en/play/technology/hardwaremag/RmgQMk3N/360-audio-and-the-sony-sound


That means everyone started to write down their wishlist!!!! Especially since when Sony silently following this thread lol


----------



## proedros (Aug 5, 2020)

been re-reading this great *interview of* *Tomoaki "Tomo" Sato, project leader for the Sony Walkman*

man what these guys do now would be called sorcery/wizardry 300-400 years back

we are so damn lucky

*https://www.crutchfield.com/S-ZD9FUNhVVWm/learn/interview-tomo-sato-sony-walkman.html*


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Another wizard in my books:


----------



## AlexCBSN

miguel.yarce said:


> I had the wm1a + RAH combo and was amazing using silver and blue filter combination. These pb one most sound even better!


Haven’t finished burn in, though, they are on a phase where the treble is getting a bit murky, will give em a couple of more hours, i went through the same with the atens and zenith’s, My rah’s are a bit more burnt in but i can tell the Pb one are bit more airy and with better decay than the rah’s, waiting for halcyon and edp... they are stuck in customs... you know how it is here... mexpost


----------



## miguel.yarce

AlexCBSN said:


> Haven’t finished burn in, though, they are on a phase where the treble is getting a bit murky, will give em a couple of more hours, i went through the same with the atens and zenith’s, My rah’s are a bit more burnt in but i can tell the Pb one are bit more airy and with better decay than the rah’s, waiting for halcyon and edp... they are stuck in customs... you know how it is here... mexpost



Thanks Alex! You own a lot of iems from IMR, Bob should send you the iems using DHL... which 4.4 adapter are you using for them?? Or do you have a 4.4 cable?


----------



## Amber Rain

I've just connected my WM1A to a computer and on disconnecting a folder called MUSICCLIP has been added to my SD Card and internal memory (they have no songs in them). I deleted these, but they were still there after disconnecting again. 

Does anyone know what these are for? Or how I can get rid of them?

TIA


----------



## MrWalkman

Amber Rain said:


> I've just connected my WM1A to a computer and on disconnecting a folder called MUSICCLIP has been added to my SD Card and internal memory (they have no songs in them). I deleted these, but they were still there after disconnecting again.
> 
> Does anyone know what these are for? Or how I can get rid of them?
> 
> TIA



The MUSICCLIP folder appears when using the J region. Only changing the region will make them not appear anymore (after you'll delete them).


----------



## Blueoris

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Complete development history of S-Master describe here:
> 
> Walkman
> Released in 2009
> ...



This is an opinion, but I think Sony should focus on improving S-Master power output while keeping current battery performance and Walkman form factor. 1 to 2 watts at 32 Ohms would be great.


----------



## MrWalkman

Interesting thing, the SA-Z1 audio driver works with the WM1A. However, I still couldn't manage to lower the latency (the audio delay).


----------



## Amber Rain

MrWalkman said:


> The MUSICCLIP folder appears when using the J region. Only changing the region will make them not appear anymore (after you'll delete them).



Thanks, I just changed over to J region. What's the purpose of the MUSICCLIP folders?


----------



## Lookout57

Amber Rain said:


> Thanks, I just changed over to J region. What's the purpose of the MUSICCLIP folders?


It's to allow the playback of the sound in music videos. AFAIK no one have been able to get it to work.


----------



## mwhals

Blueoris said:


> This is an opinion, but I think Sony should focus on improving S-Master power output while keeping current battery performance and Walkman form factor. 1 to 2 watts at 32 Ohms would be great.



More output power will mean less battery life between charges. It is a trade off. Of course, a larger battery and more power could give the same amount of time.


----------



## Amber Rain

Lookout57 said:


> It's to allow the playback of the sound in music videos. AFAIK no one have been able to get it to work.



Thanks, so the only thing it does for me is interrupt my folder structure 😱


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 5, 2020)

Amber Rain said:


> I've just connected my WM1A to a computer and on disconnecting a folder called MUSICCLIP has been added to my SD Card and internal memory (they have no songs in them). I deleted these, but they were still there after disconnecting again.
> 
> Does anyone know what these are for? Or how I can get rid of them?
> 
> TIA



It comes in region J and you can put various video files in there and the player can play an embedded 2 channel soundtrack and it works fine for supported formats


----------



## Amber Rain

nc8000 said:


> It comes in region J and you can put various video files in there and the player can play an embedded 2 channel soundtrack and it works fine for supported formats




Thanks, not sure what I'd put in there to be honest.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Blueoris said:


> This is an opinion, but I think Sony should focus on improving S-Master power output while keeping current battery performance and Walkman form factor. 1 to 2 watts at 32 Ohms would be great.



If you have taken a few minutes reading what @proedros have shared you would have your question answered! 

It clearly said wm1a/z are on the maximum possible power output of what the s-master hx can provide it is the reasong why the dmp-z1 have the akm dac and not s-master hx...

So I dont think its a possibility for now unless sony can really create new design and parts that can enhance this problem.

But I find its not the volume amount we need but the amping amount to be increased that is what will improve sound quality a lot. Volume is just brightness we want widen sound amplitude its very good for headphones for example.  Iems will also benefit from this


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 5, 2020)

I think Sony is definitely going to improve on the S-Master HX's power output. Gallium nitride is much more efficient at power delivery vs Silicon:



Sony has always been the company that comes out with their own unique approach to making products. So the probability of having a technological leap forward is higher than we would imagine.  You have to believe in the innovativeness of these craftsman.

Who makes the sharpest blade in the world?


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I think Sony is definitely going to improve on the S-Master HX's power output. Gallium nitride is much more efficient at power delivery vs Silicon:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yepe, the SA-Z1 and GAN FETs .  I wouldn’t be surprised if Sony even fabricated and produced them either


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 5, 2020)

Small update:

The *CHAMELEON* and *WM1A/Z+* mods were also done for the *1.20* firmware version.

If going from 3.02/3.01/3.00 to 1.20, you will have to "Reset All Settings" (this will *not* reset hours played) and you will also have to "Rebuild Database" (from Settings > Device Settings). This is not because of the mods, but because of differences between the 3.0x versions and the 1.20 version.

Also, all versions of the mods (1.20, 3.00, 3.01, and 3.02) also have a Mac installer available now, courtesy of @Lookout57 (thanks!).

The download link is available in the main post.

*MAIN POST*


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> Small update:
> 
> The *CHAMELEON* and *WM1A/Z+* mods were also done for the *1.20* firmware version.
> 
> ...




Firmware 1.2? Is that the first ever fw with which the dap was sold with?


----------



## MrWalkman

Vitaly2017 said:


> Firmware 1.2? Is that the first ever fw with which the dap was sold with?



The player was sold with 1.00. The 1.20 version is the first official update.


----------



## Mindstorms

anyone knows if they sound any good? 1.20 sounded very different from todays firmware i remember it sounded shouty! not smoth! Bass was interesting but not deep


----------



## jmtocali (Aug 5, 2020)

rbf1138 said:


> How does the 1a perform as a usb dac/amp? Wondering if it could be my full portable/home solution. I don’t currently have a home setup, fwiw.


I'm using now as USB Dac connected to a roon bridge. With WM1AZ+ sounds gorgeous. Currently streaming Qobuz


----------



## MrWalkman

jmtocali said:


> I'm using now as USB Dac connected to a roon bridge. With WM1AZ+ sounds gorgeous. Currently streaming Qobuz



Yep, I think 1A sounds awesome as USB DAC, even before we had WM1A/Z+.

It's just not suitable for movies, because of the audio delay, sadly. But well, the player is made for listening to music


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Firmware 1.2? Is that the first ever fw with which the dap was sold with?



They came with 1.00 but you could not download it anywhere. 1.20 was the first download.


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> Small update:
> 
> The *CHAMELEON* and *WM1A/Z+* mods were also done for the *1.20* firmware version.
> 
> ...



Thank-you....both!


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> They came with 1.00 but you could not download it anywhere. 1.20 was the first download.



*1.00 (stock)*


----------



## FanaticSkull

Quick question: I'm planning to buy the 1A to use with CA Andro. Anyone have experiencing with playing the Andro with 4.4 adapter? Does it improve the sound, volume or anything at all?


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> *1.00 (stock)*



That's something I've never seen.


----------



## Redcarmoose

FanaticSkull said:


> Quick question: I'm planning to buy the 1A to use with CA Andro. Anyone have experiencing with playing the Andro with 4.4 adapter? Does it improve the sound, volume or anything at all?




It's a different amplifier inside the player, and yes I like it more, though I don't have the Andromeda IEM.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> *1.00 (stock)*


That’s a first that I’ve seen. Interesting


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Aug 6, 2020)

FanaticSkull said:


> Quick question: I'm planning to buy the 1A to use with CA Andro. Anyone have experiencing with playing the Andro with 4.4 adapter? Does it improve the sound, volume or anything at all?


I do have the Andro with 4.4mm. It’s pretty good. Andro has very good high treble but suffer from lack of Subbass and plasticky timber. The new FWs from Mr Walkman etc plug in the Andro weaknesses. It’s a good sonically with 1Z and to that extension, also 1A.  I’m not sure what kind of music you listen to, but a suggestion, maybe it would even be better to get a good copper 4.4 mm cable.

Edit: Andro is very sensitive iem, so won’t have any problem with volume at all. At night I can even hear with Andro at 1 volume low gain. Most probably you’ll not go over 25-30/120 volume


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> That's something I've never seen.





Gamerlingual said:


> That’s a first that I’ve seen. Interesting



I’ve also got these pre 1.20 that somebody posted several months ago. Never tried any of them though


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 6, 2020)

Looks like Gallium Nitride isn't just about increasing power output, it can also reduce distortion/jitter in class D amp design:
https://www.psemi.com/pdf/sell_sheet-psg/ClassD-Audio-Case-Study.pdf


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Looks like Gallium Nitride isn't just about increasing power output, it can also reduce distortion/jitter in class D amp design:
> https://www.psemi.com/pdf/sell_sheet-psg/ClassD-Audio-Case-Study.pdf


Those are the special kind for audio one, and the class D amp with that tech is available but is probably 20k or so.  Hence when you look at SA Z1, it is cheap


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Whitigir said:


> Those are the special kind for audio one, and the class D amp with that tech is available but is probably 20k or so.  Hence when you look at SA Z1, it is cheap



Looks like gan-fet switches much faster than mosfet



https://www.sony.jp/audio/products/SA-Z1/feature_3.html


----------



## RobertP (Aug 19, 2020)

If anyone want to try Cerberus with stock v3.02 base >> *Here*. I have them in Universal, Japan, and Euope version ( *Updated 8/19/20 12:00am *)
Recommend to run official update first before reinstall Cerberus again. (If you can factory reset too, that's even better. but be aware, the total play time will be reset also.) This method does work for me.

If you see extra batch windows open, don't be alarm. Just run update like normal.

Cheers!



MrWalkman said:


> *1.00 (stock)*


Thanks for that


----------



## auronthas (Aug 6, 2020)

FanaticSkull said:


> Quick question: I'm planning to buy the 1A to use with CA Andro. Anyone have experiencing with playing the Andro with 4.4 adapter? Does it improve the sound, volume or anything at all?


3.5mm (single ended)  to 4.4mm (balanced) adapter is a NO (short circuit) , change the stocked cable with 4.4mm MMCX balanced cable.



hamhamhamsta said:


> maybe it would even be better to get a good copper 4.4 mm cable.
> 
> Edit: Andro is very sensitive iem, so won’t have any problem with volume at all. At night I can even hear with Andro at 1 volume low gain. Most probably you’ll not go over 25-30/120 volume


I have Sony kimber kable MUC-M12SB1 4.4mm balanced OFC cable paired with Andros, good and wider soundstage, listen at low gain volume 30, if classical genres, i may turn up to 40.


----------



## Sp12er3

Posting it here for the Sony lover, it’s probably gonna be about the WH1000xm4 And their 360• Audio thing, but who knows, maybe there’s another Signature series member for 2020.
The only ones missing are Open back full-size and bigger speakers (and their proper amp companion)
Or maybe a WM1 series successor? Now with android and also with no battery demerit? who knows.


----------



## blazinblazin

Maybe they will announce the 360 Audio update for All their Flagship DAP.


----------



## Gamerlingual

XM4. From the bit of Japanese I can read, I would bet on that.


----------



## captblaze

nc8000 said:


> I’ve also got these pre 1.20 that somebody posted several months ago. Never tried any of them though



v 0.94 has a thick bass replay, but the UI is laggy and a bit rough around the edges. never tried the 0.92 variants


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 6, 2020)

RobertP said:


> If anyone want to try Cerberus with stock v3.02 base, it uploaded on the same PM link.
> If you see extra batch windows open, don't be alarm. Just run update like normal.
> 
> Cheers!



Man, is this a joke? As I suspected when I read "extra batch window", you tried automating the XML swap thing, which was already proven that it's not working. At least let people know that you're using that method, so they won't waste their time. I'm also wondering what differences do you hear when the XML file that is loaded is the official stock one?

Jesus...

Here is the "proof" that the XML is loaded only at the beginning and then it's not loaded again. It's funny that you would stick to your beliefs when there is actual and clear proof that the "XML swapping" doesn't do anything actually. It's just... mind-boggling! What the hell, man?

How you think things work is not better than actual and clear proof, man. Wake up!



MrWalkman said:


> Exactly what I was thinking. The SWUpdate.xml file is loaded only at startup, and it's never loaded again afterwards.
> 
> What is the Software Update tool doing in the image?
> 
> ...



As mentioned in the quote, you can test that yourself, I linked the process monitor in there. *Also,* *if you launch the Software Update tool, and then you just delete the SWUpdate.xml file and you click Next and it still works, that means, again, that the XML file is only loaded at startup!*



RobertP said:


> Just try CerBerus fw from @Whitigir. To properly install is a bit tricky. In the end, I love how it sounds on modded 1A. *Vocals and Instruments is so realistic and organic. Next level treble textures and lower level details when compared to Solis. Gigantic depth and width. Bass is very large and packed with tons of energy and Sub-bass is better than anything else I try so far.* If lower-mid is a bit fuller, This might be the best tune fw so far. Well at least for me LOL!



You want to tell me that this opinion is based on "installing" Cerberus using the XML swap method? I really hope this is a joke.

Will reiterate:

1. The XML file is only loaded at startup, you can clearly see how the Software Update tool works in the quote above.
2. I actually wonder what differences you are hearing. Should I continue reading any of your opinion in the future regarding how firmware/tunings sound like, if you claim you hear differences when doing the XML swapping? What the hell...


Edit: If you think I was harsh, the thing is that I already told him about this, but he just chose to ignore it for some reason. Unfortunately, I have little patience with this kind of stuff - not listening to reason and clear proof, and continuing to believe what you want to believe. *Beliefs ≠ Facts*


----------



## Layman1

Quick question, have just installed WM1A/Z++ on my WM1Z.
It was on Sony FW 3.02, but I just remembered that I'd installed one of the Orion versions on it previously.
I know these are not identical types of FW, so will the new WM1A/Z++ remove/overwrite the Orion one, or should I reset back to pure Sony 3.02 FW and re-install WM1A/Z++?

Looked in the FAQ, but didn't see an answer related to tuning mods (as opposed to Sony FW's).
Thank you


----------



## MrWalkman

Layman1 said:


> Quick question, have just installed WM1A/Z++ on my WM1Z.
> It was on Sony FW 3.02, but I just remembered that I'd installed one of the Orion versions on it previously.
> I know these are not identical types of FW, so will the new WM1A/Z++ remove/overwrite the Orion one, or should I reset back to pure Sony 3.02 FW and re-install WM1A/Z++?
> 
> ...



Orion is a tuning mod, and my firmware mods are using the stock tuning. So installing any of the firmware mods will also apply the stock tuning, exactly like installing an official firmware.


----------



## Layman1

MrWalkman said:


> Orion is a tuning mod, and my firmware mods are using the stock tuning. So installing any of the firmware mods will also apply the stock tuning, exactly like installing an official firmware.



Many thanks! Got another question for you I'm afraid, if you have the time, over on the ZX300 thread


----------



## Gamerlingual

Layman1 said:


> Many thanks! Got another question for you I'm afraid, if you have the time, over on the ZX300 thread


Send him a beer at least


----------



## MrWalkman

Gamerlingual said:


> Send him a beer at least



Thanks, but that is completely optional


----------



## Layman1

Gamerlingual said:


> Send him a beer at least


I was actually planning to, don't worry. Wondering if I can do the same for @Lookout57 
Can't tell you how much I appreciate the Mac versions


----------



## Redcarmoose

The early Walkman.


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> The early Walkman.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

This video gives insight into how DSEE AI is able identify music content:


----------



## blazinblazin

SONY YouTube Live is only for release of 1000XM4 with Speak to chat and Multi Device connectivity, improve comfort.


----------



## auronthas

DSEE Extreme , brain assistant headphone


----------



## Nayparm

Redcarmoose said:


> The early Walkman.



Thats awsome, well as long as you don't have kids


MrWalkman said:


>




That's awesome 😁 ...well as long as you don't have kids, or cats 😂😼


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser




----------



## 534409 (Aug 6, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:
The early Walkman.

Rather wood saw


----------



## mwhals

blazinblazin said:


> SONY YouTube Live is only for release of 1000XM4 with Speak to chat and Multi Device connectivity, improve comfort.



Sony's 1:00 pm. event today is for PS5, but mostly PS4 games.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 6, 2020)

3min 55sec, they can train AI to remove JPEG compression artifacts from photos files.

So it is likely that Sony can also train it's DSEE AI to remove mp3/AAC compression artifacts from music files?

Welcome to the Matrix guys. That's why I really think Sony is well ahead of other audiophile companies, when it comes to the entire music reproduction system, especially on the software side.


----------



## RobertP

Yeap,  DSEE AI is really good. Even works well on some FLAC too. It's noticeable better than DSEE HX. Wonder why this feature got lock away from us?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sp12er3 said:


> Posting it here for the Sony lover, it’s probably gonna be about the WH1000xm4 And their 360• Audio thing, but who knows, maybe there’s another Signature series member for 2020.
> The only ones missing are Open back full-size and bigger speakers (and their proper amp companion)
> Or maybe a WM1 series successor? Now with android and also with no battery demerit? who knows.





Nice we got a new mx4 model!
And it has dsee hx extreme !


----------



## gerelmx1986

Although not an awesome announcement, is still one month for IFA


----------



## Nayparm

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> 3min 55sec, they can train AI to remove JPEG compression artifacts from photos files.
> 
> So it is likely that Sony can also train it's DSEE AI to remove mp3/AAC compression artifacts from music files?
> 
> Welcome to the Matrix guys. That's why I really think Sony is well ahead of other audiophile companies, when it comes to the entire music reproduction system, especially on the software side.




Mmm maybe not, Cowon has had the similar MP Enhance in their daps for as long as I can remember to 'Restore and enhances the harmonics lost through compression'

They also give you a GUI on the DAP to the DSP instead of messing around with xml files.


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> Nice we got a new mx4 model!
> And it has dsee hx extreme !



I am disappointed with it, so I will just keep using my MX2s. I did not upgrade to the MX3 and thought I would wait for the MX4. None of the new features apply to me. They sound identical to the MX3 from reviews, so not enough change to justify buying them if I did not buy the XM3. Besides, still saving for a dap.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Redcarmoose said:


> The early Walkman.


Did this have Vinyl Processor?


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> I am disappointed with it, so I will just keep using my MX2s. I did not upgrade to the MX3 and thought I would wait for the MX4. None of the new features apply to me. They sound identical to the MX3 from reviews, so not enough change to justify buying them if I did not buy the XM3. Besides, still saving for a dap.




Why not. It has new dsee hx extream. 

Much Better improved pads.

Maybe a better noise cancelling effectiveness with improved sound quality as I understood.

What I found funny is it has BRAIN assistance lmao 

Oh I think they said its a lighter headset too


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Why not. It has new dsee hx extream.
> 
> Much Better improved pads.
> 
> ...



It's 1 gram lighter than XM3 and should in all aspects be better than the previous models, but also 20-30% more expensive than XM3


----------



## mwhals (Aug 6, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Why not. It has new dsee hx extream.
> 
> Much Better improved pads.
> 
> ...



I only use mine on airplanes and I don't fly often anymore. I may end up getting them, but then I would have $350 more to have to save for my next dap. It will be after my next dap before I get them unless I want to use the over $400 in gift cards I can get from my Shop Kicks app along with selling my XM2 phones.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 6, 2020)

Nayparm said:


> Mmm maybe not, Cowon has had the similar MP Enhance in their daps for as long as I can remember to 'Restore and enhances the harmonics lost through compression'
> 
> They also give you a GUI on the DAP to the DSP instead of messing around with xml files.



The difference is in the use of AI, Cowon is based on fixed function dsp algorithms while Sony is AI trained using hi-res master files from their music label which means the upsampling/EQ algorithms is constantly changing according to the music instruments/content.


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> It's 1 gram lighter than XM3 and should in all aspects be better than the previous models, but also 20-30% more expensive than XM3




Haaa this is 100% marketing!  Yes the headphone is lighter! Yes by 1gr 👻 




mwhals said:


> I only use mine on airplanes and I don't fly often anymore.



You have so many great iems I dont see any advantage or need for the headphones for your case. 
Your iem collection simply blows out of the ocean the mx4 😂🤣


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haaa this is 100% marketing!  Yes the headphone is lighter! Yes by 1gr 👻
> 
> 
> 
> ...



True, but the headphone is wireless, which is great for use on airplanes versus my IEMs. It just makes me appreciate my IEMs even more.


----------



## bflat

mwhals said:


> I am disappointed with it, so I will just keep using my MX2s. I did not upgrade to the MX3 and thought I would wait for the MX4. None of the new features apply to me. They sound identical to the MX3 from reviews, so not enough change to justify buying them if I did not buy the XM3. Besides, still saving for a dap.



Keep your MX2 and treasure it. I had it and absolutely regretted upgrading to the MX3. The MX3 had bloated, muddy upper bass and lower mids. I actually returned my first one because I thought it was broken, only to hear the exact same thing on the 2nd unit. I even wrote my one and only negative review on Amazon. MX2 was much better balanced and closer to audiophile tuned versus mass consumer. If MX4 sounds like MX3 with better noise cancellation, I absolutely would not buy it.


----------



## Hinomotocho

I have asked already on the MDR-Z1R thread, apologies followers, but I also felt it was appropriate to ask here as it is also relevant to the WM1A.
Through a fortunate twist of fate I ended up with an opportunity to own the MDR-Z1R for a very low price which has made me reassess my simple iem/WM1A set up.
They sound fine together but I feel they should be given a chance to shine with a more powerful output and in the future I would like to get a headphone amp. Before I go all leather chair, top shelf whisky sipping with a serious desktop amp to start off I would like to see if I can achieve benefits with a portable option - 4.4mm would be a bonus, although I will consider other options. 
I like my WM1A and prefer to keep the sound so ideally I want to use the 3.5mm as a line out. I've never done it this way before always using the dac/amp together, can anyone please suggest a low priced portable amp that will provide the Z1R an opportunity to stretch it's wings a bit?
Fiio K5 PRO? Fiio Q5/s? Xudoo options? iFi options?


----------



## Lookout57

If you use the MDR-Z1R in balanced mode on the WM1A you shouldn't need an amp.


----------



## bflat

Lookout57 said:


> If you use the MDR-Z1R in balanced mode on the WM1A you shouldn't need an amp.



I've never owned the MDR-Z1R. However I've heard the complete opposite from 2 very reliable sources that I spoke to personally at a meetup:

Professional reviewer - Z1R pairs great with WM1 DAP, and not so much with others. Sony must have tuned for their specific DAPs.

Sony Authorized Dealer - Loved the Z1R, but told me flat out not to pair with a Sony DAP, but rather go AK because Z1R needs more power. This dealer does not sell AK so he bought his own at full retail.

I can only assume power does change sound characteristics of Z1R and that some will prefer lower versus higher.

As the the OP's question, I would look into a used Woo Audio WA11 if budget allows for the following reasons:

WA11 will absolutely not leave you wanting more power. It has about 10x the power output of the WM1a.
You can try both digital out and balanced out to connect your WM1a to the WA11.
Pentaconn balanced output.
Quality and workmanship on par with Sony.
You want to use balanced output since that is what WM1 series is optimized for and also the only way to output native DSD.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hinomotocho said:


> I have asked already on the MDR-Z1R thread, apologies followers, but I also felt it was appropriate to ask here as it is also relevant to the WM1A.
> Through a fortunate twist of fate I ended up with an opportunity to own the MDR-Z1R for a very low price which has made me reassess my simple iem/WM1A set up.
> They sound fine together but I feel they should be given a chance to shine with a more powerful output and in the future I would like to get a headphone amp. Before I go all leather chair, top shelf whisky sipping with a serious desktop amp to start off I would like to see if I can achieve benefits with a portable option - 4.4mm would be a bonus, although I will consider other options.
> I like my WM1A and prefer to keep the sound so ideally I want to use the 3.5mm as a line out. I've never done it this way before always using the dac/amp together, can anyone please suggest a low priced portable amp that will provide the Z1R an opportunity to stretch it's wings a bit?
> Fiio K5 PRO? Fiio Q5/s? Xudoo options? iFi options?


I never use an amp with the MDR-Z1R with the 1A. I play it at a volume around 55 on high gain out of 120.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I got mdrz7m2 and i am at high gain 80/120 and I find it lacks on amping power. Volume wise is fine but not very powerful as sound.  The z7m2 and z1r 100% need an amp with 1a or 1z...


----------



## Hinomotocho

Lookout57 said:


> If you use the MDR-Z1R in balanced mode on the WM1A you shouldn't need an amp.


I do use balanced and as I have just got them I am enjoying the sound from my WM1A but there are opinions that headphones like the MDR-Z1R can benefit from a higher output (voltage, ampage, impedance?) than Sony daps can provide. Maybe I've misunderstood?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> I got mdrz7m2 and i am at high gain 80/120 and I find it lacks on amping power. Volume wise is fine but not very powerful as sound.  The z7m2 and z1r 100% need an amp with 1a or 1z...


Wow. I use my Z7M2 without an amp and play it on High Gain with the volume 50 out of 120. No need at all. And the results are priceless, easy to listen to.


----------



## Hinomotocho

I think there is a misunderstanding between adequate volume and being driven well.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Wow. I use my Z7M2 without an amp and play it on High Gain with the volume 50 out of 120. No need at all. And the results are priceless, easy to listen to.




I can 100% confirm I am not death lol. I swapped to iems and set volume down to 50/120 high gain....
What I tried to say is I find z7m2 to quiet or fint as sound on lower volumes. When rising to 80 everything is elevated and there is much more life and musicality.  Things get very active and fun. Low volume dont drive them to the full potential that they can do


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

You may think it is being driven well by the WM1A/Z if you haven't heard the headphones being driven by a significantly more powerful headphone amp before.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hinomotocho said:


> I think there is a misunderstanding between adequate volume and being driven well.


Nope. Whether I use it with the DAPs or the TH-ZH1ES, I'm happy with the MDR-Z1R and Z7M2 and how much each devices outputs.


----------



## proedros

mwhals said:


> I only use mine on airplanes and I don't fly often anymore. I may end up getting them, but then I would have $350 more to have to save for my next dap. It will be after my next dap before I get them unless I want to use the over $400 in gift cards I can get from my Shop Kicks app along with selling my XM2 phones.



you should have bought @Vitaly2017 's brand new WM1A for just 675$ (PP fees and shipping included) - whoever got it, got himself a BARGAIN.

just my 2 cents.


----------



## Vitaly2017

To bring my volume down on 1a + z7m2 I enable the dynamic volume normalizer in that case it seems to elevate all the lower and quiet parts of the music up and it sounds even and more louder. With that option I can set the volume by 5 clicks lower


----------



## Hinomotocho

Gamerlingual said:


> Nope. Whether I use it with the DAPs or the TH-ZH1ES, I'm happy with the MDR-Z1R and Z7M2 and how much each devices outputs.


I too enjoy the MDR-Z1R from my WM1A, but from the feedback of many TH-ZH1ES owners it is spoken very highly of and takes them to another level - I was just hoping to achieve any step toward that.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hinomotocho said:


> I too enjoy the MDR-Z1R from my WM1A, but from the feedback of many TH-ZH1ES owners it is spoken very highly of and takes them to another level - I was just hoping to achieve any step toward that.




There is no doubt TH will do a better work! And it has same s-master dac! So its a no brainer for me.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hinomotocho said:


> I too enjoy the MDR-Z1R from my WM1A, but from the feedback of many TH-ZH1ES owners it is spoken very highly of and takes them to another level - I was just hoping to achieve any step toward that.


Try the iFi Hip DAC if you're set on doing that, then.


----------



## gearofwar (Aug 6, 2020)

Just my bedtime setup for Z1R with 1A on balance and i enjoy this more than plugging it into a desktop amp.


----------



## Mindstorms

MrWalkman said:


> Thanks, but that is completely optional


I like mr.walkman a lot...


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> Thanks, but that is completely optional




Send him a big Vodka then haha party for a long time 😛😛😛


----------



## mwhals

proedros said:


> you should have bought @Vitaly2017 's brand new WM1A for just 675$ (PP fees and shipping included) - whoever got it, got himself a BARGAIN.
> 
> just my 2 cents.



Truly a bargain, but I might be leaning toward the LPGT.


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> Truly a bargain, but I might be leaning toward the LPGT.




I heard both I liked 1a more


----------



## Gamerlingual

mwhals said:


> Truly a bargain, but I might be leaning toward the LPGT.


What does LGPT stand for?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> What does LGPT stand for?



Lotoo paw gold touch a different brand flagship dap


----------



## jaibautista (Aug 6, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> I have asked already on the MDR-Z1R thread, apologies followers, but I also felt it was appropriate to ask here as it is also relevant to the WM1A.
> Through a fortunate twist of fate I ended up with an opportunity to own the MDR-Z1R for a very low price which has made me reassess my simple iem/WM1A set up.
> They sound fine together but I feel they should be given a chance to shine with a more powerful output and in the future I would like to get a headphone amp. Before I go all leather chair, top shelf whisky sipping with a serious desktop amp to start off I would like to see if I can achieve benefits with a portable option - 4.4mm would be a bonus, although I will consider other options.
> I like my WM1A and prefer to keep the sound so ideally I want to use the 3.5mm as a line out. I've never done it this way before always using the dac/amp together, can anyone please suggest a low priced portable amp that will provide the Z1R an opportunity to stretch it's wings a bit?
> Fiio K5 PRO? Fiio Q5/s? Xudoo options? iFi options?



As a WM1A + Z7M2 user who feels that the WM1A has enough power to drive the Z7M2 to ear-piercing levels but not enough to make the Z7M2 to sing, I would suggest that you get a separate amp (portable or desktop) to maximize the performance of the Z1R; you can still retain the WM1A as your source/pre-amp (by using either the 4.4mm/3.5mm HP outs as your "line-out"). I was able to try a WM1Z + Z1R combo many years back (i think it was just a few months after both were first released) and I really wasn't fond of what I heard.

With a proper amp, you can make the earcups of the Z1R "rattle" a bit and actually feel the bass coursing through your head (rather than just hearing it). It's a sensation like no other.

To my ears the best use case of the WM1A/Z are IEMs and very easy-to-drive headphones (e.g., MDR-1AM2).


----------



## Gamerlingual

After what I've read, guess I'm one of the few that even while using the TA, I don't use high volumes or rattling music to enjoy. That was a bit of an eye opener. 🤔😳


----------



## Hinomotocho

jaibautista said:


> As a WM1A + Z7M2 user who feels that the WM1A has enough power to drive the Z7M2 to ear-piercing levels but not enough to make the Z7M2 to sing, I would suggest that you get a separate amp (portable or desktop) to maximize the performance of the Z1R; you can still retain the WM1A as your source/pre-amp (by using either the 4.4mm/3.5mm HP outs as your "line-out"). I was able to try a WM1Z + Z1R combo many years back (i think it was just a few months after both were first released) and I really wasn't fond of what I heard.
> 
> With a proper amp, you can make the earcups of the Z1R "rattle" a bit and actually feel the bass coursing through your head (rather than just hearing it). It's a sensation like no other.
> 
> To my ears the best use case of the WM1A/Z are IEMs and very easy-to-drive headphones (e.g., MDR-1AM2).


Thank you, I appreciate your reply.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Gamerlingual said:


> After what I've read, guess I'm one of the few that even while using the TA, I don't use high volumes or rattling music to enjoy. That was a bit of an eye opener. 🤔😳


Again it is not necessarily about volume. Driven well even at low volumes produces good results. 
The Sony XBA-Z5 iems with lower powered sources have a loose bass and just don't sound right, going balanced or a higher powered output really has a noticeable impact on their sound regardless of volume.


----------



## aceedburn

I posted a few days ago


Hinomotocho said:


> Again it is not necessarily about volume. Driven well even at low volumes produces good results.
> The Sony XBA-Z5 iems with lower powered sources have a loose bass and just don't sound right, going balanced or a higher powered output really has a noticeable impact on their sound regardless of volume.


Indeed, the Z5 shines using it balanced. Single ended doesn’t cut it for the Z5. And hooking it up to the FiiO K5 Pro with the 1A is an ultimate end game setup for me. It just sings so beautifully together.


----------



## Hinomotocho (Aug 7, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> I posted a few days ago
> 
> Indeed, the Z5 shines using it balanced. Single ended doesn’t cut it for the Z5. And hooking it up to the FiiO K5 Pro with the 1A is an ultimate end game setup for me. It just sings so beautifully together.


I remember from the picture of your set up you posted - you use 3.5mm to RCA?
If I decide on a desktop this is on my list, Fiio pricing is very reasonable in my country.


----------



## aceedburn

Hinomotocho said:


> I remember from the picture of your set up you posted - you use 3.5mm to RCA?
> If I decide on a desktop this is on my list, Fiio pricing is very reasonable in my country.


Yes. I use 3.5mm to rca. And the sound of the 1A matches so well with the K5 Pro. For the price it’s really a clean sounding amp that doesn’t color the sound in any way with a superb DAC and power brick that’s designed for Low noise. I listened to a thx aaa amp and still prefer the sound of the FiiO.


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> To bring my volume down on 1a + z7m2 I enable the dynamic volume normalizer in that case it seems to elevate all the lower and quiet parts of the music up and it sounds even and more louder. With that option I can set the volume by 5 clicks lower



But then you totally kill the dynamic range of an album


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> After what I've read, guess I'm one of the few that even while using the TA, I don't use high volumes or rattling music to enjoy. That was a bit of an eye opener. 🤔😳



Some years ago there were some who stated they never use the WM1 players at higher volume than 10 at most and prefer it at less


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> But then you totally kill the dynamic range of an album


I kept the connection on direct source ever since you and @Redcarmoose advised me all the positive reasons to do so. Thanks.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Aug 7, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> But then you totally kill the dynamic range of an album




I know this is why I am having driving power issue with my z7m2 headphones.
So either get an amp in between or will have to sell those too  sssss 😄


@Gamerlingual  I actually kept pushing that very strongly as well. It is the best sound configuration


----------



## aceedburn

Vitaly2017 said:


> I know this is why I am having driving power issue with my z7m2 headphones.
> So either get an amp in between or will have to sell those too  sssss 😄
> 
> 
> @Gamerlingual  I actually kept pushing that very strongly as well. It is the best sound configuration


Direct sound was also the best option for me until dsee HX AI was made possible by bro @MrWalkman. Never bothered about any of the other DSPs in the 1A except only dsee HX AI now. It’s that good really.


----------



## auronthas




----------



## auronthas

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> So it is likely that Sony can also train it's DSEE AI to remove mp3/AAC compression artifacts from music files?
> 
> Welcome to the Matrix guys. That's why I really think Sony is well ahead of other audiophile companies, when it comes to the entire music reproduction system, especially on the software side.



When I arrive at traffic or road junction, will DSEE AI stop playing music? Human can pay attention to traffic.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 7, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I kept the connection on direct source ever since you and @Redcarmoose advised me all the positive reasons to do so. Thanks.



The thing is no-one should completely not concern themselves with the freedom of using EQ. Direct is great but in rare moments IEMs or headphones may need a sprinkle of EQ. I personally only use EQ on one IEM on a yearly basis.

But!?

The Noble Encore IEM is in use 90% of the time, which works out that I use EQ almost all the time, even though I don’t use it on anything else and believe it can have a risk of adding artifacts. I simply add three notches with the bass tone wheel with the 1A and 1Z but of course not with the TA as there is no EQ option available. So laughably the main Sony desktop besides the DMP-Z1 has zero EQ options.

It’s like being almost to the top of the mountain and you need just a slight help to arrive on top. That’s how it should be used.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> The thing is no-one should completely not concern themselves with the freedom of using EQ. Direct is great but in rare moments IEMs or headphones may need a sprinkle of EQ. I personally only use EQ on one IEM on a yearly basis.
> 
> But!?
> 
> The Noble Encore IEM is in use 90% of the time, which works out that I use EQ almost all the time, even though I don’t use it on anything else and believe it can have a risk of adding artifacts. I simply add three notches with the bass tone wheel with the 1A and 1Z but of course not with the TA as there is no EQ option available. So laughably the main Sony desktop besides the DMP-Z1 has zero EQ options.




Because you should not touch that Eq ! LoL sony made sure you dont haha


----------



## 534409

Hinomotocho said:


> Did this have Vinyl Processor?


Enhanced one. Called DSSAW HX


----------



## Redcarmoose

Tiger Rules: 
1) Don’t get mad
2) Eat your prey 



Vitaly2017 said:


> Because you should not touch that Eq ! LoL sony made sure you dont haha


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Tiger Rules:
> 1) Don’t get mad
> 2) Eat your prey





Or you can always throw in some twinkies and I wont eat you haha





@Lookout57


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> Or you can always throw in some twinkies and I wont eat you haha
> 
> 
> 
> ...


My gosh, even twinkies has tiger hiding in the background. First time I see that

And it’s called tiger tail twinkies Lol


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 7, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Direct sound was also the best option for me until dsee HX AI was made possible by bro @MrWalkman. Never bothered about any of the other DSPs in the 1A except only dsee HX AI now. It’s that good really.



I really think that DSEE HX AI is by far the best sounding DSP I have heard. It has the ablity to make music sound more lively and engaging to listen to. The Soundstage enchantment feels natural with any music type(studio, live concert) and that is something other systems cannot accomplish. It is a remarkable piece of work by Sony.

Over the past 30 plus years, I have tried and listen to many upsampling and sound enhancement systems from:

BBE sound enhancement
BBE MP
Creative Labs X-FI  24bit Crystalizer
Dolby Headphones
Dolby Atmos Mobile
Hibiki2 IOS upsampling
Izotope upsampling
Korg Iaudiogate Upsampling
Razer Surround
Sony DSEE HX gen 1(24bit 96KHz)
SOX upsampling
SRS trusurround
Q Sound CD Audio

All of the above exhibited noticable issues ranging from:
Artificial sounding soundstage(strange echoing)
Overpowering bass
Over-processed treble resulting in excessive treble glare
Collapsed Soundstage
Over-smoothening of sound resulting in loss of micro detail


----------



## Maxx134 (Aug 7, 2020)

WAmadeusM said:


> Hi @Whitigir and the rest of WM1'istas....this may be hidden in other  3000 pages....but curious about views on this very tech measure heavy review of the WM1Z.
> 
> I come at it with a hearing 'professional' perspective....this is techy......but as there has been pictures of pretty Sony boards....I thought why not.....especially as it's very critical about some of the consequences of that pretty board engineer - especially hiss for very sensitive IEMs.  TBF in another review the A&K high ends also do this....
> 
> http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-sony-nw-wm1z-24-bit


This is what happens when you have a capable reviewer embarrass themself by judging from specific limited measurements, and not enough experience.
So now he says one of the best Dap out (S-O-N-Y-!) is not up to par.
This is obvious bias.
There is so, so, so much more to a dap than this, that member @Sonywalkmanuser  is currently posting about and enlightening us.
Showing time and time again,  that sony engineers are just simply ahead of the others.




kova4a said:


> You can have a computer generated sound in a musci album, game or a movie that exceeds the limitations of live recordings and we may evolve to be able to listen to 120+db without hearing damage and wm1z won't be able to take advantage of that


None of this will happen, so your talking about "what if"...
NO ONE is going to evolve to hear 120+DB. Your going to go deaf.
Reality.
NO ONE, is going to waste time making computer sound, that no one will be able to hear (except dogs). Reality.




kova4a said:


> So with that said the sony is capable of playing hi-res files but is not capable of reproducing hi-res audio regardless of whether the information is available in the file or whether we can hear the difference.


That is speculation on the reviewers part, basing it on one aspect.
For example Chord doesn't focus on this aspect. They focus and talk about their "Taps".
So to me, this is what I would call "nitpicking" on one specific scenario of measument to come up with an assumption.



kova4a said:


> then saw the comments about shigzeo's opinion,


Opinion is what it is, ONLY his opinion.


kova4a said:


> so he's not a blind fanboy or just hating on sony for no reason.


Oh yes he is.
It's rediculously obvious when there is no "reasonable" explanation, as mentioned earlier, we don't actually use more dynamic range...




Gamerlingual said:


> Does anyone think that listening to the MDR-Z1R with 1A/1Z in a quiet environment can make a big difference, despite the closed back nature?


Yes because although it is a "closed back", that cup is actually not dense, or solid.
It's like a paper so why that big headphones is so deceivingly lightweight, and yes sounds from outside leak right thru it.



Gamerlingual said:


> Still, the Z7M2 might just be my favorite of all my over ear cans, barely. But best overall goes to the IER-Z1R. Need to listen to the MDR-Z1R more before I make such conclusions.


Extended listening straight out of the Sony will reveal the Z1r more technically better and resolving, although a different and larger signature.




WAmadeusM said:


> really great stuff......if only they did not use Pulse Width Modulation to control brightness on the WM1Z screen -
> or used a version with a higher refresh rate that would avoid causing terrible migraines/eye strain....for


I have been reading you posting about this issue, but never what's wrong until now.
I was assuming it interfered with sound because those previous posts somehow alluded to something wrong.
Now I understand that it is only because of looking at screen you can get a headache??!!
This is a non issue to majority of users. It's a smaller screen than a phone as well.

So then just dim the screen or turn off.
Nobody is going to stare at the screen for the duration of a song to get a headache.
I would make sure there is enough ambient light in room to offset any of the screen light to bother, if you're sensitive.




bflat said:


> I've never owned the MDR-Z1R. However I've heard the complete opposite from 2 very reliable sources that I spoke to personally at a meetup


Totally disagree...
To me, a very reliable source  would mean they own the headphone, and the Sony 1a Dap, and also a good amp.

More power doesn't automatically mean better.
You may get fatigue with the power or the specific (extra) amp sound.
The headphone will sound different for sure.
You may, or may regret it.
You will not gain any more quality than you put in.



bflat said:


> Sony Authorized Dealer - Loved the Z1R, but told me flat out not to pair with a Sony DAP, but rather go AK because Z1R needs more power. This dealer does not sell AK so he bought his own at full retail


This is what happens when you listen to others, instead of listening yourself, or people that own the item.
This is all misunderstanding. If you listened to that "fool", then you would be miserable listening on an AK dap, or not knowing better.
You can't go by gossip & generalizations.




Gamerlingual said:


> I never use an amp with the MDR-Z1R with the 1A. I play it at a volume around 55 on high gain out of 120


I agree it still good and delicacy this way.
The Z1r is a different animal than the rest like 1a & 1am2. It is very very efficient.



Vitaly2017 said:


> I got mdrz7m2 and i am at high gain 80/120 and I find it lacks on amping power. Volume wise is fine but not very powerful as sound.  The z7m2 and z1r 100% need an amp with 1a or 1z...



That's depending if you want the full capability of bass impact & control.
Most headphones beninfit, but the Z1r does play very well straight out of the Sony.
My problem is that this headphones has much bass capability, so on an amp the Z1r takes on a monsterous bass character along with a bit more intensity.



Hinomotocho said:


> I do use balanced and as I have just got them I am enjoying the sound from my WM1A but there are opinions that headphones like the MDR-Z1R can benefit from a higher output (voltage, ampage, impedance?) than Sony daps can provide. Maybe I've misunderstood?


It will change the sound character.
If you like it as is, then it's just a choice.




Hinomotocho said:


> I think there is a misunderstanding between adequate volume and being driven well.


Agreed, but the resolution is the same. Only the lower spectrum changes with more power.



Sonywalkmanuser said:


> You may think it is being driven well by the WM1A/Z if you haven't heard the headphones being driven by a significantly more powerful headphone amp before.


The Z1r is more efficient and sensitive than the other models, so it really works well on balanced.
Yes I agree that is become more monsterous/powerful with amp.
Not perfect for every genre though.


----------



## WAmadeusM

Maxx134 said:


> This is what happens when you have a capable reviewer embarrass themself by judging from specific limited measurements, and not enough experience.
> So now he says the best Dap out (S-O-N-Y-!) is not up to par.
> This is obvious bias.
> There is so, so, so much more to a dap than this, that member @Sonywalkmanuser  is currently posting about and enlightening us.
> ...



that's certainly a survey of the field..... regarding PWM (pulse width modulation) - dimming light is the last thing you can do - as that just makes the slow refresh (on/off) cycle wreak havoc on eyes even more. It's a very wide-ranging problem for a lot of people - many phone reviews have the reason for returns as screen induced migraines. It's a growing problem ( https://www.notebookcheck.net/Why-Pulse-Width-Modulation-PWM-is-such-a-headache.270240.0.html  )  It's not PWM per-se but they way it's implemented (slow refresh)....unfortunately Sony have screen form with (audio aimed phones) like the Z3.  (So do Apple, Samsung) I'm in the last moments of 'cooling off' purchase period for the WM1Z....they only way I can use it is to have it on 100% with two matted screen protectors on the screen.  That has hidden the flickering.  I've only hit on this solution in the last 24 hours. 

The sound is brilliantly engineered (but see my review - best served by @MrWalkman  W1 switcher mod in effect WM1Z as WM1A stock). That's why I'm reluctant to let go. 4.4balanced + build etc. 

Superb. Attention to audio detail - A+. But the screen ....ahh.h...it's not that you stare at it....but how do you use a product if you have 1TB of FLACs on it and you can scroll them because your eyes are being roasted... 

It's the mismatch (in the empathic user design) of sound and screen interface that I find so perplexing...


----------



## gerelmx1986

I sold my A55, as it didn't get much use and the screen was driving me nuts (too small).

Dony get me wrong it sounds good, but hell my wm1A always takes place #1


----------



## Lookout57 (Aug 7, 2020)

WAmadeusM said:


> that's certainly a survey of the field..... regarding PWM (pulse width modulation) - dimming light is the last thing you can do - as that just makes the slow refresh (on/off) cycle wreak havoc on eyes even more. It's a very wide-ranging problem for a lot of people - many phone reviews have the reason for returns as screen induced migraines. It's a growing problem ( https://www.notebookcheck.net/Why-Pulse-Width-Modulation-PWM-is-such-a-headache.270240.0.html  )  It's not PWM per-se but they way it's implemented (slow refresh)....unfortunately Sony have screen form with (audio aimed phones) like the Z3.  (So do Apple, Samsung) I'm in the last moments of 'cooling off' purchase period for the WM1Z....they only way I can use it is to have it on 100% with two matted screen protectors on the screen.  That has hidden the flickering.  I've only hit on this solution in the last 24 hours.
> 
> The sound is brilliantly engineered (but see my review - best served by @MrWalkman  W1 switcher mod in effect WM1Z as WM1A stock). That's why I'm reluctant to let go. 4.4balanced + build etc.
> 
> ...


Enough with the rants on the screen. You are the only person who is complaining about it. No one else here cares. If Sony is ignoring you then it's never going to change,

I have no issues with it. I do find the default brightness is too bright and turn it down to 1 which also saves on batter life.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 7, 2020)

Sony engineer on DSEE Extreme:



> Toyo:Yes, on top of that, the "WH-1000XM4" is equipped with "DSEE Extreme" as a new sound quality enhancement function. Yamamoto explains this.
> 
> Yamamoto:The "DSEE Extreme" is a further evolution of Sony's original "DSEE HX," a high-quality sound function that has been installed sequentially from Walkmans, wireless speakers, AV amplifiers, etc., released since 2013. "DSEE HX" was a technology to upscale a CD sound source or a compressed sound source to a high-resolution sound source equivalent to high resolution, but "DSEE Extreme" further enhances the high-frequency complement performance to provide high-quality sound closer to high resolution. It will be realized.
> 
> ...



https://www.sony.jp/feature/products/200807/?s_tc=aff_999_0_10_170686&utm_medium=aff&utm_source=001


----------



## WAmadeusM

Lookout57 said:


> Enough with the rants on the screen. You are the only person who is complaining about it. No one else here cares. If Sony is ignoring you then it's never going to change,
> 
> I have no issues with it. I do find the default brightness is too bright and turn it down to 1 which also saves on batter life.



" No one else here cares" - it's the kind of response that gives forums like this a good name... I found everyone on this tread to be helpful and polite - I think I have been. Helpful and polite -  until this response. 

I didn't know you could try and appoint yourself Sherrif of Free Thought here.... good luck with that. 

" No one else here cares"


----------



## Mindstorms

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I really think that DSEE HX AI is by far the best sounding DSP I have heard. It has the ablity to make music sound more lively and engaging to listen to. The Soundstage enchantment feels natural with any music type(studio, live concert) and that is something other systems cannot accomplish. It is a remarkable piece of work by Sony.
> 
> Over the past 30 plus years, I have tried and listen to many upsampling and sound enhancement systems from:
> 
> ...


sensaura?


----------



## nc8000

WAmadeusM said:


> that's certainly a survey of the field..... regarding PWM (pulse width modulation) - dimming light is the last thing you can do - as that just makes the slow refresh (on/off) cycle wreak havoc on eyes even more. It's a very wide-ranging problem for a lot of people - many phone reviews have the reason for returns as screen induced migraines. It's a growing problem ( https://www.notebookcheck.net/Why-Pulse-Width-Modulation-PWM-is-such-a-headache.270240.0.html  )  It's not PWM per-se but they way it's implemented (slow refresh)....unfortunately Sony have screen form with (audio aimed phones) like the Z3.  (So do Apple, Samsung) I'm in the last moments of 'cooling off' purchase period for the WM1Z....they only way I can use it is to have it on 100% with two matted screen protectors on the screen.  That has hidden the flickering.  I've only hit on this solution in the last 24 hours.
> 
> The sound is brilliantly engineered (but see my review - best served by @MrWalkman  W1 switcher mod in effect WM1Z as WM1A stock). That's why I'm reluctant to let go. 4.4balanced + build etc.
> 
> ...



Exactly what is this problem ?
I see nothing strange when looking at the screen (which I do very little anyway).


----------



## discotexx (Aug 7, 2020)

The WM1A is available for 897EUR directly from Amazon.es (has it ever been cheaper?). I feel really tempted to buy one.

Currently I‘m using an A&K SR15 and I really enjoy using it. Yes, battery life is not so good and the UI could be faster, but I like its sound signature and I had plans to get me a SP1000M this summer. But I read sooo many reviews here about WM1Z/A and that people actually fell in love with the warm sound signature of their Sony DAP. I thought I maybe should give it a try.
BUT: I see a major problem (particular for me)! I‘m currently on a TIDAL plan and I like the high-res option there on my favourite music. I don‘t own any digital music at the moment (besides a considerable amount of DRM protected music from iTunes music Store which don‘t listen to anymore since I moved to Spotify and TIDAL). The WM1 is not capable of streaming natively, only in DAC mode with external source, right? That’s a pity, but for me it turned out that I hear the same music over and over again, so I basically could start buying (high-res) music downloads. I don‘t have any balanced cables for my IEMs yet, so this won‘t be a showstopper (replacing 2.5mm cables with 4.4mm ones). Would you recommend me to get a WM1A at this pricepoint?


----------



## minzink

discotexx said:


> The WM1A is available for 897EUR directly from Amazon.es (has it ever been cheaper?). I feel really tempted to buy one.
> 
> Currently I‘m using an A&K SR15 and I really enjoy using it. Yes, battery life is not so good and the UI could be faster, but I like its sound signature and I had plans to get me a SP1000M this summer. But I read sooo many reviews here about WM1Z/A and that people actually fell in love with the warm sound signature of their Sony DAP. I thought I maybe should give it a try.
> BUT: I see a major problem (particular for me)! I‘m currently on a TIDAL plan and I like the high-res option there on my favourite music. I don‘t own any digital music at the moment (besides a considerable amount of DRM protected music from iTunes music Store which don‘t listen to anymore since I moved to Spotify and TIDAL). The WM1 is not capable of streaming natively, only in DAC mode with external source, right? That’s a pity, but for me it turned out that I hear the same music over and over again, so I basically could start buying (high-res) music downloads. I don‘t have any balanced cables for my IEMs yet, so this won‘t be a showstopper (replacing 2.5mm cables with 4.4mm ones). Would you recommend me to get a WM1A at this pricepoint?


897 Euro is a very good price. The WM1A is in my opinion dedicated to local stored files (not necessarily high res file). If you prefer streaming, maybe the wm1a is not the perfect choice only for DAC and Bluetooth receiver function... I don't know... But if you are intending to purchase digital files and to playback these on the wm1a, you will surely not regret. And even if you don't like it, there is a big second hand market and 897 Euro is a reasonable price even for a mint pre-owned device. But that's the worst case option....


----------



## rbf1138

Has anyone tried a 400 or 512gb capacity card in the 1a?


----------



## Vitaly2017

rbf1138 said:


> Has anyone tried a 400 or 512gb capacity card in the 1a?




All works fine


----------



## nc8000

rbf1138 said:


> Has anyone tried a 400 or 512gb capacity card in the 1a?



All up to 1TB work well as long as they are legit


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 7, 2020)

Many points in his video. Especially  the part on content availability of Hi-res music. Also Hi-res audio places more emphasis on the accuracy of the crystal word clock oscillator of your dac. With desktop class DACs, there are many issues that can affect sound quality including the USB controllers.

Why is this video relevant to this Sony walkman thread you might ask. It is because the solution to all the problems above is already addressed by the Walkman in your hand.

Walkman already has highly accurate clock oscillators

Every components and systems inside the Walkman is designed and selected for sound quality in mind and the entire chain is Sony controlled as compared to the jungle of computer audio(Apple, Microsoft, Intel, AMD etc)

And on top of that, you get a highly functional DSEE HX AI that upsamples your MP3 and CD audio content to sounding near Hi-Resolution. So in this sense, you are already getting better sound out of your existing music.

This Walkman you are holding is a technological wonder. It plays music as intended, no worries about jitter, usb cables or ac power hum.

Sorry for sounding like a Sony Salesman.


----------



## Maxx134 (Aug 7, 2020)

WAmadeusM said:


> that's certainly a survey of the field..... regarding PWM (pulse width modulation) - dimming light is the last thing you can do - as that just makes the slow refresh (on/off) cycle wreak havoc on eyes even more. It's a very wide-ranging problem for a lot of people - many phone reviews have the reason for returns as screen induced migraines. It's a growing problem


I think you are putting the small screen Sony in the same category as those other devices with bigger screens.
I haven't heard anyone actually complain about these Sony 1a.



Lookout57 said:


> Enough with the rants on the screen. You are the only person who is complaining about it. No one else here cares. If Sony is ignoring you then it's never going to change,
> 
> I have no issues with it. I do find the default brightness is too bright and turn it down to 1 which also saves on batter life.


I think I have noticed some type of effect on low setting of 1, but that's just not bright enough for me. I think I'm 2 or 3.




nc8000 said:


> Exactly what is this problem ?
> I see nothing strange when looking at the screen (which I do very little anyway).


I believe very, very, very few people would notice anything on this tiny screen, unless they knew what to look for.

I think I would suggest those that's are sensitive, to try using polarized glasses and see if that helps.
Although I personally find no issue at all, we should be mindful that such a condition exists for some.


----------



## Maxx134

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> This Walkman you are holding is a technological wonder. It plays music as intended, no worries about jitter, usb cables or ac power hum


I believe this aspect is what sets the Sony 1a/z apart from the rest, to give a more solid image and more realism in the sound.


----------



## nc8000

Maxx134 said:


> I think you are putting the small screen Sony in the same category as those other devices with bigger screens.
> I haven't heard anyone actually complain about these Sony 1a.
> 
> 
> ...



yes but what is the problem he is experiencing, I still don't understand it ?


----------



## MrWalkman

nc8000 said:


> yes but what is the problem he is experiencing, I still don't understand it ?



It is a real problem - not for everyone, it's true, but it exists.


_Before we talk about PWM, we need to explain the basics about signal types. There are two basic kinds of signal types — Analog and Digital. Analog signal types have degrees of intensity, between 0% (off) and 100% (maximum), allowing for a range of accuracy when determining something like screen brightness or fan speed. Digital signal types, on the other hand, have no degrees of intensity; they simply have an off or on state. This means something like brightness control is impossible on its own, because in digital terms, the backlight is either on or off.

Digital signal controllers, however, are cheaper, smaller, more power efficient, and simpler to implement than analog controls. In order to take advantage of the benefits of digital signal controllers while retaining (and even surpassing) analog functionality, PWM is used.

PWM is a very rapid frequency of on/off states of the digital signal to achieve a result similar to what could be achieved on a plain Analog signal. If you wanted 70% screen brightness for example, you would simply need to keep the digital signal on for 70% of the time and off for 30% of the time your screen was turned on. This is done rapidly, with the frequency measured in Hertz (Hz), or number of times per second. The faster the frequency, the less noticeable the off states become, until the resulting effect is indistinguishable from what an analog signal would produce. _


The idea is that some people can perceive the off and on turning of the display. Imagine watching a quickly flashing light. Depending on the person, it may cause headaches, or even seizures for persons with epilepsy for example. It's not the case with PWM, as the frequency is higher, but sometimes it's not high enough, and people can perceive that "flashing".


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

nc8000 said:


> yes but what is the problem he is experiencing, I still don't understand it ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> It is a real problem - not for everyone, it's true, but it exists.
> 
> 
> _Before we talk about PWM, we need to explain the basics about signal types. There are two basic kinds of signal types — Analog and Digital. Analog signal types have degrees of intensity, between 0% (off) and 100% (maximum), allowing for a range of accuracy when determining something like screen brightness or fan speed. Digital signal types, on the other hand, have no degrees of intensity; they simply have an off or on state. This means something like brightness control is impossible on its own, because in digital terms, the backlight is either on or off.
> ...





Interesting facts I honestly was kinda suspecting something but never got to the point as it never also bothered...

I simply told my self aa it just because its an older device the screen acts differently


----------



## nc8000

I see, thank you both. I didn’t doubt it was real, I just didn’t know/understand what the problem is. So if I understand it, the effect will be more noticable the lower the light is on the display ?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


>





Aaa in photography we call thos the banding effect now I gotsha!


----------



## MrWalkman

Vitaly2017 said:


> Interesting facts I honestly was kinda suspecting something but never got to the point as it never also bothered...
> 
> I simply told my self aa it just because its an older device the screen acts differently





nc8000 said:


> I see, thank you both. I didn’t doubt it was real, I just didn’t know/understand what the problem is. So if I understand it, the effect will be more noticable the lower the light is on the display ?



Yes, exactly, the lower the brightness, the lower the frequency, so it becomes more noticeable.


----------



## nc8000

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, exactly, the lower the brightness, the lower the frequency, so it becomes more noticeable.



So I’m just lucky to not be affected as I have the screen brightnes on 1 and the screen is rock stable with absolutely no flickering


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 7, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> So I’m just lucky to not be affected as I have the screen brightnes on 1 and the screen is rock stable with absolutely no flickering



You won't really see the flickering, it's more like you just "perceive" it, and just looking at the screen can give you a headache.

It's similar to 60 FPS vs 120 FPS in games. We cannot really see 120 FPS, but if you're playing a game at 120 FPS and then you try again at 60 FPS, you'll notice that 120 FPS is different, and better. In this case, it's a matter of perceiving rather than seeing.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 7, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Aaa in photography we call thos the banding effect now I gotsha!



I think what is even more challenging for some of us folks here is that we have developed ultra sensitivity to bad sounding audio products.

The moment when we pickup a gear to test... we kinda already know what is right or wrong with the sound.

Is there a name for this condition?

Is it called Golden ears?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I think what is even more challenging for some of us folks here is that we have developed ultra sensitivity to bad sounding audio products.
> 
> The moment when we pickup a gear to test... we kinda already know what is right or wrong with the sound.
> 
> ...




Its called tiger ears haha


----------



## Maxx134

It does look like a big problem for those devices, but it doesn't show anything like that on my Sony... I'm good.


----------



## bflat

MrWalkman said:


> You won't really see the flickering, it's more like you just "perceive" it, and just looking at the screen can give you a headache.
> 
> It's similar to 60 FPS vs 120 FPS in games. We cannot really see 120 FPS, but if you're playing a game at 120 FPS and then you try again at 60 FPS, you'll notice that 120 FPS is different, and better. In this case, it's a matter of perceiving rather than seeing.



This is analogous to the debate of Hi Res audio. Before we had screen technology we have today, most experts said that the human eye could not see beyond 30 fps and 300 dpi. Your average smartphone now has at least 400 dpi and 60 fps, with quite a few even higher. Yet like you said you may not notice scaling up but after you spend some time on the higher end, you feel something is off when you go back. Having said that, I'm sure there are quite a few folks who claim that don't see any difference with these higher resolutions and frame rates and it's only the "hardcore gamers" that care.

Hmmm, I wonder what you call an audiophile who also happens to be a hardcore gamer?


----------



## MrWalkman

bflat said:


> This is analogous to the debate of Hi Res audio. Before we had screen technology we have today, most experts said that the human eye could not see beyond 30 fps and 300 dpi. Your average smartphone now has at least 400 dpi and 60 fps, with quite a few even higher. Yet like you said you may not notice scaling up but after you spend some time on the higher end, you feel something is off when you go back. Having said that, I'm sure there are quite a few folks who claim that don't see any difference with these higher resolutions and frame rates and it's only the "hardcore gamers" that care.
> 
> Hmmm, I wonder what you call an audiophile who also happens to be a hardcore gamer?



I guess it's not straight up "seeing" the higher FPS or the higher DPI, but more like noticing its absence when going back to lower FPS or lower DPI, or something like that.

So it could be the same for Hi Res audio - we might notice that something it's missing when going back to non Hi Res stuff.

I'm not an expert or anything, of course, this is only my opinion.


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Its called tiger ears haha


You need tiger eyes too


----------



## kova4a (Aug 7, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> This is what happens when you have a capable reviewer embarrass themself by judging from specific limited measurements, and not enough experience.
> So now he says one of the best Dap out (S-O-N-Y-!) is not up to par.
> This is obvious bias.
> There is so, so, so much more to a dap than this, that member @Sonywalkmanuser  is currently posting about and enlightening us.
> ...


lol You surely have a lot of spare time. Of course everything I said was sarcastic, the entire 24-bit fad is completely ridiculous but sony keep making it a big deal. That's the ridiculous thing - that they keep pishing the hi-res stickers on all their gear while there is entry-level priced gear that measures a lot better and handles hi-res audio better.
And shigzeo is not a fanboy, he also bashed the newer ak daps and a lot of random gear and if you read his blog he liked the zx300. If anything he's a cowon fanboy but can anyone blame him. as they really push the limit of measuring and sound great to boot.
There is no "reasonable" explanatuon - it's all just plain old measurements that you can't refute.
The fact is that sony's DAPs are far from being even close to measuring well. Sony has that specific sweet sound that a lot of people like (myself included) but there are a lot of cheaper chi-fi DAPs that easily hang with sony nowadays


----------



## Vitaly2017

To those that still think 1a/1z is good enough to power the z7m2 and z1r headphones...

Here is why you the Th dac/amp or sony dmp
It has an unmatched power in amp section, it is what will bring the quality widness of the amp to bring your headphones into proper 100% functional beast!



*Headphone amplifier*
*OUTPUT POWER*Balanced: 1,200 mW + 1,200 mW (32 ohms 1 kHz 1%) Unbalanced: 300 mW + 300 mW (32 ohms 1 kHz 1%)*IMPEDANCE*12-600 ohms*FREQUENCY RESPONSE*4Hz-80 kHz (-3 dB)
*PLAYING FREQUENCY RANGE*4 Hz-200 kHz*GAIN SWITCH*Yes (High/Low)


----------



## rbf1138

How does the Lotoo Paw 6000 stack up against the 1a? I’m trying to choose between them and the usb-c, quick snappy UI and size are really appealing to me but the Sony also seems quite nice.

Also, can anyone tell me how my experience will be with the wm1a if I use a large (512gb) as card with flac files and I add an album or two every week? Will I be sitting for long periods of time with database rebuilding every single time I turn it on? Will browsing be really slow? I’m kind of concerned about the Sonys ability to handle my use.


----------



## Vitaly2017

rbf1138 said:


> How does the Lotoo Paw 6000 stack up against the 1a? I’m trying to choose between them and the usb-c, quick snappy UI and size are really appealing to me but the Sony also seems quite nice.
> 
> Also, can anyone tell me how my experience will be with the wm1a if I use a large (512gb) as card with flac files and I add an album or two every week? Will I be sitting for long periods of time with database rebuilding every single time I turn it on? Will browsing be really slow? I’m kind of concerned about the Sonys ability to handle my use.




Friend you are over exaggerating with concerns toward wm1a!

No ui slowlyness!  Fast snapy navigation.  Any micro sd card works! Even the 1Tb versions! 

You can add as much music you want!

The database rebuild is slow at first and depends on how full is the card... example a fully loaded to the roof 512 gb will take first time 1min. 
After is done in 15 seconds and you dont even need to shut down the 1a! You can leave it on 24/7 frankly.

But I do shutdown my 1a and never got slow and long data base building


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Friend you are over exaggerating with concerns toward wm1a!
> 
> No ui slowlyness!  Fast snapy navigation.  Any micro sd card works! Even the 1Tb versions!
> 
> ...


I second this. I never turn off my 1A and 1Z and both are running pristine.


----------



## Maxx134 (Aug 7, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Is it called Golden ears?





Vitaly2017 said:


> Its called tiger ears haha


Maybe Picky ears lol


Whitigir said:


> You need tiger eyes too


Oh no, better with glasses so you not see any issues ha.



kova4a said:


> Sony has that specific sweet sound that a lot of people like (myself included) but there are a lot of cheaper chi-fi DAPs that easily hang with sony nowadays


Haha I like your post defending the obvious bias, but "chifi" ?!!
Wow that's a new low blow(!) to Sony! Haha

I owned some nice chifi (xduoo), and they're admittedly nice, good gear, BUT they all have obvious signature in their  sound.

The truth is that once you hear the Sony, you can compare it side by side with any other dap, and THEN realize just how artificiall the others sound!
Side by side comparison you can actually hear the competition's "solid-state" sound!
Not to mention the skewed elements or exaggerations.
It gets *even worse* for them with the newest WM1A/z++ firmwares.
This is why I say opposing views are just that.

There comes a point when you start to look at your gear without the bias from effort and money spent.
If my Sony sucked,** actually, if my unit was sub-par to another, I would move on, just like I did with other daps bought & borrowed before I settled on the Sony.
I haven't heard anything I liked more yet, and pretty sure if I did,  it would have to be at least 2X more expensive.

I don't think there are any few other players out there with Sony combination of realism, holography, and organic sound.


----------



## Redcarmoose

kova4a said:


> lol You surely have a lot of spare time. Of course everything I said was sarcastic, the entire 24-bit fad is completely ridiculous but sony keep making it a big deal. That's the ridiculous thing - that they keep pishing the hi-res stickers on all their gear while there is entry-level priced gear that measures a lot better and handles hi-res audio better.
> And shigzeo is not a fanboy, he also bashed the newer ak daps and a lot of random gear and if you read his blog he liked the zx300. If anything he's a cowon fanboy but can anyone blame him. as they really push the limit of measuring and sound great to boot.
> There is no "reasonable" explanatuon - it's all just plain old measurements that you can't refute.
> The fact is that sony's DAPs are far from being even close to measuring well. Sony has that specific sweet sound that a lot of people like (myself included) but there are a lot of cheaper chi-fi DAPs that easily hang with sony nowadays


----------



## gearofwar

What truly defines chi-fi ? is iBasso considered one of them, since they are a Chinese company?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

*iBasso Audio* is a manufacturer of audio equipment based in China .

https://ja.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBasso_Audio


----------



## aceedburn

gearofwar said:


> What truly defines chi-fi ? is iBasso considered one of them, since they are a Chinese company?


Actually the term is used very loosely and if you ask me it’s used way out of proportion. To state the facts, 90% of all audiophile or hi fi are either made in China or uses parts made in China abundantly. So what defines Chi-fi? A smaller more obscure brand? What makes Beats by Apple not Chi-fi then? It’s all made in China.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Actually the term is used very loosely and if you ask me it’s used way out of proportion. To state the facts, 90% of all audiophile or hi fi are either made in China or uses parts made in China abundantly. So what defines Chi-fi? A smaller more obscure brand? What makes Beats by Apple not Chi-fi then? It’s all made in China.



Things are changing post pandemic, many international companies including Apple is moving manufacturing out of China as we speak:


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 8, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Actually the term is used very loosely and if you ask me it’s used way out of proportion. To state the facts, 90% of all audiophile or hi fi are either made in China or uses parts made in China abundantly. So what defines Chi-fi? A smaller more obscure brand? What makes Beats by Apple not Chi-fi then? It’s all made in China.



It's not used loosely. Chi-fi specifically refers to audio products design and made by a *Chinese audio brand*. So brands like Fiio, iBasso, Hiby or Shanling are prime example of Chi-fi.
Non-Chinese foreign companies employing assembling capacity in China are not Chi-fi. Beats by Apple is not Chi-fi because Apple is an American company and the product designs are done in California, with only assembly being done in China (and some parts in the device is definitely NOT Chinese but from other countries). Same with Sony Walkman where the design is by a Japanese company (Sony) with assembly done in Malaysia. Or AK which is South Korean owned company with manufacturing (in parts) in South Korea.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I feel this article correctly defines what is considered Chifi:

https://www.samma3a.com/tech/en/chi-fi-what-it-is/

Immediately we can see how the term _Chi-Fi_ could be totally misused and misinterpreted because loads of companies, some really large ones, produce their products in China. Apple, for example, manufacture their products in China, and *let’s not forget the likes of FiiO and iBasso, both of which actually are full-on Chinese companies*. FiiO in particular, at least for the last 2 or 3 years, have been producing some great products that perform well and are usually considerably more affordable than competing products which are produced elsewhere.* So technically, FiiO and iBasso (among others) would totally fit under the large umbrella of Chi-Fi.*


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 8, 2020)

Manufacturing and assembly is only part of the equation to building a product. Design and research is the other part and arguably the more important part. Considering an amp for example, if you have a soldering iron and the parts with the instructions, you can put together an amp with absolutely no knowledge of how electronics work - the end product will probably not be pretty, but it will work easily, you can even go lower and use a electronic prototype board with no soldering what so ever and by simply following instructions of how to put the parts together and twist some wires together, you can build an amp. However if you haven't put in the time to study electrical theories and electronics, you will not be able to actually design an amp. This is why the worker on an assembly line is considered a low skill job whereas the person who designed the circuit is considered the high skill job.

Thus the reason why you don't define a product by the country where it is manufactured and assembled, but rather the country and company of which it was researched and designed in and by.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

Sony is a great example of a company that can make quality products at ^affordable prices with manufacturing done in a *democratic and #free country of Malaysia.

^ Sony makes a lot of variety of Walkman models and also many product lines of very affordable iems and headphones.
* Citizens have Voting rights
# as in freedom of speech, free press and freedom of information


----------



## blazinblazin

So AAW, JOMO will be considered Sing-fi ? 
Or is there SEA-fi for brands from South East Asia?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

This is where your Sony audio gears are made, including walkmans and headphones:
https://audiofi.net/2018/12/sonys-malaysian-odyssey/


----------



## aceedburn

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> This is where your Sony audio gears are made, including walkmans and headphones:
> https://audiofi.net/2018/12/sonys-malaysian-odyssey/


Are you a Malaysian? I am by the way.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> This is where your Sony audio gears are made


A nice article, so our WM-1's were born at the "northern factory in Penang"?


----------



## Mystic Traveller

aceedburn said:


> Are you a Malaysian? I am by the way.


As our colleague @Sonywalkmanuser stated on the previous page:
_Personally after watching the next video below, even though I am Chinese by race,_


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 8, 2020)

blazinblazin said:


> So AAW, JOMO will be considered Sing-fi ?
> Or is there SEA-fi for brands from South East Asia?


I would say that since there are Chi-Fi, then there are U-Fi (United states origin, beats), and JAP-Fi (Japan origin, Sony), SOK-Fi (South Korea origin, AK), French-Fi (French origin, Focal)  It is just a fair game.

That is just to say that I am not Chinese, but I don’t like racist slur, and I enjoy all Good stuff.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Are you a Malaysian? I am by the way.



I am from Singapore. Born and raised in Singapore.



Whitigir said:


> I would say that since there are Chi-Fi, then there are U-Fi (United states origin, beats), and JAP-Fi (Japan origin, Sony), SOK-Fi (South Korea origin, AK), French-Fi (French origin, Focal)  It is just a fair game.
> 
> That is just to say that I am not Chinese, but I don’t like racist slur, and I enjoy all Good stuff.



This is usually what happens when you try to enjoy all good stuff:


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I am from Singapore


Had a stopover there in 2008, used this chance to visit the city for a few hours  - great place and Changi is one of my fav airports.


----------



## MrWalkman

Whitigir said:


> I would say that since there are Chi-Fi, then there are U-Fi (United states origin, beats), and JAP-Fi (Japan origin, Sony), SOK-Fi (South Korea origin, AK), French-Fi (French origin, Focal)  It is just a fair game.
> 
> That is just to say that I am not Chinese, but I don’t like racist slur, and I enjoy all Good stuff.



Never thought of "Chi-fi" as a racial slur myself. I would say it's more related to the fact that the device comes from China. So it's more like a "country-slur"?

People shouldn't get offended by this, come on.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 8, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Never thought of "Chi-fi" as a racial slur myself. I would say it's more related to the fact that the device comes from China. So it's more like a "country-slur"?
> 
> People shouldn't get offended by this, come on.



It means Chinese Hi Fidelity.....a compliment.


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> It means Chinese Hi Fidelity.....a complement.


Then we should compliment others as well, Jap-Fi, means Japanese Hi Fidelity


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

The practical reason for labeling audio equipment by Country of origin is because there's a certain kind of DNA/sound signature that is embeded inside the equipment:

American made equipment is usually tuned towards a more powerful sound with more emphasis placed on bass and high frequency. This is probably to due larger spaces in american homes. The listener is far away from the speakers thus there needs to have more emphasis on the bass and treble which loses loudness with distance.

Japanese equipment tend to be more optimized for smaller homes, with a warm-like sound Signature to avoid excessive bass reflections and close distance treble glare. The MDR-Z1R was designed to mimic the experience of listening to music from a high end sound system in a japanese wooden style room.


----------



## nc8000

Redcarmoose said:


> It means Chinese Hi Fidelity.....a compliment.



As I recall originally chi-fi meant cheap rip off stuff of dubious quality mass produced in China, so a slur


----------



## ubs28 (Aug 8, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Never thought of "Chi-fi" as a racial slur myself. I would say it's more related to the fact that the device comes from China. So it's more like a "country-slur"?
> 
> People shouldn't get offended by this, come on.



The “Chi” label is not racist and it actually has a positive meaning. People who are into ”Chi” product realize that the big brands manufacture their good in China with insane profit margins. So customers are willing to buy good quality Chinese products without the insane profit margins the big brands charge.

However “Chi” products like Hifiman does not make any sense at all. They have even greater profit margins than western brands.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

ubs28 said:


> The “Chi” label is not racist and it actually has a positive meaning. People who are into ”Chi” product realize that the big brands manufacture their good in China with insane profit margins. So customers are willing to buy good quality Chinese products without the insane profit margins the big brands charge.
> 
> However “Chi” products like Hifiman does not make any sense at all. They have even greater profit margins than western brands.



Yes, there are good chifi brands out there but there's alot of dirty bait and switch in the chifi iem market where they send golden review samples to youtubers and audio review sites which then gets high praises, but when it comes to the actual iem the consumer receives, the drivers used inside could have been swapped out with an inferior lower cost driver.

This won't happen if you buy from a reputable  American, Japanese or European iem brands.


----------



## ubs28 (Aug 8, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Yes, there are good chifi brands out there but there's alot of dirty bait and switch in the chifi iem market where they send golden review samples to youtubers and audio review sites which then gets high praises, but when it comes to the actual iem the consumer receives, the drivers used inside could have been swapped out with an inferior lower cost driver.
> 
> This won't happen if you buy from a reputable  American, Japanese or European iem brands.



That is absolutely true. That is why I am in particular refering to good quality products from China rather than dealing with low quality garbage and cheating.

I’m in particular interested buying from the same chinese manufacturers that the big brand use, but then for way less money. I have nice project in the works for this (it is not related to audio though).

The only downside is that warranty will be quite annoying if something breaks, but with the money I save I am fine with it.


----------



## Redcarmoose

nc8000 said:


> As I recall originally chi-fi meant cheap rip off stuff of dubious quality mass produced in China, so a slur



No, obviously you don't own and cherish any? Again attitude is everything. The term is in every Chi-Fi review (almost) even when the marks are high?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

What I meant is this:

If I need a new wireless router for my home. I have two choice of models which cost roughly the same and perform the same.

A. Designed in Taiwan, Made in Taiwan
B. Designed in China, Made in China

I would pick the A because I don't wish to support oppressive genocidal authoritarian regimes in year 2020.

And I am Chinese, so I can't be racist to my own race can I?


----------



## aceedburn

These were going for a steal during the 8.8 sale yesterday here in Malaysia. Picked up a pair for less than USD60 brand new. Will post impressions when they arrive probably in a few days.


----------



## 534409

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> What I meant is this:
> 
> If I need a new wireless router for my home. I have two choice of models which cost roughly the same and perform the same.
> 
> ...


There is a verb polish and a noun Polish. So I'm polishing my English by writing here. Also can a man from Turkey eating i.e. chickens?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Whitigir said:


> Then we should compliment others as well, Jap-Fi, means Japanese Hi Fidelity



You do know how ridiculous you sound? 

So all these American named companies or names of companies with the word America in their name are racist for using the word America? 

Just like the word Chi- is used to delineate that the products have a Chinese area of origination? Really? 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMC_Theatres

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amkor_Technology

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amoco

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoa

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT&T

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AOL


----------



## 534409

Redcarmoose said:


> You do know how ridiculous you sound?


Thank God chi-potle pepper comes from Mexico


----------



## gearofwar (Aug 8, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Actually the term is used very loosely and if you ask me it’s used way out of proportion. To state the facts, 90% of all audiophile or hi fi are either made in China or uses parts made in China abundantly. So what defines Chi-fi? A smaller more obscure brand? What makes Beats by Apple not Chi-fi then? It’s all made in China.


Western companies that manufacture in china should not be counted. I think chi-fi term points to the chinese companies that make cheap , low budget audio gears usually for many people but they forget about iBasso, Fiio, Cayin, Lotoo


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 8, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> You do know how ridiculous you sound?
> 
> So all these American named companies or names of companies with the word America in their name are racist for using the word America?
> 
> ...


I have no problem with anyone who name their company the way they want.  I do have problem with people, starting out branding, making up words, and use in racial slur “Chī-Fi”....is there any one who named their company that ? From whom did that term “Chi-Fi” originated from ? and why would anyone support it ? That is beyond me

Why Chi-Fi and not Jap-Fi and French-Fi too ? While you are at it.  I am only asking a fair question.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

There's also budget but good sounding japanese IEMs alternatives:

Sony MH-755
Final Audio E3000

I have personally tried the E3000 and I think they are punching sound quality beyond their asking price. They have great synergy with my ZX507 walkman's sound signature.


----------



## ubs28 (Aug 8, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I have no problem with anyone who name their company the way they want.  I do have problem with people, starting out branding, making up words, and use in racial slur “Chī-Fi”....is there any one who named their company that ? From whom did that term “Chi-Fi” originated from ? and why would anyone support it ? That is beyond me
> 
> Why Chi-Fi and not Jap-Fi and French-Fi too ? While you are at it.  I am only asking a fair question.



I will give you an example. For the sports I do, some high-end pro equipement can cost more than a car while most of the big brands produce them in China. So I can buy the same products in China for only 1/10th of the price of the big brands.

What are you going to do with “French” or “Japan” products? You might as well stick to the big brands since you pay the same money and get superior quality (since the best in the world use official equipment from the big brands).

There is absolutely nothing racist about the “Chi” label. It is a positive association in the market place for getting high-end products at a very afforable price for most people.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Whitigir said:


> I have no problem with anyone who name their company the way they want.  I do have problem with people, starting out branding, making up words, and use in racial slur “Chī-Fi”....is there any one who named their company that ? From whom did that term “Chi-Fi” originated from ? and why would anyone support it ? That is beyond me
> 
> Why Chi-Fi and not Jap-Fi and French-Fi too ? While you are at it.  I am only asking a fair question.


Change to J-Fi. I live in Japan, and it would be a HUUUUUUUUUUGE mistake to call it the way you suggested. Just not a good idea.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 8, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> and use in racial slur “Chī-Fi”



It was already explained it's not meant to be a racial slur. It can become that if you want to make it that way, sure.

It's related to the country of origin of the product, to the market, and not to Chinese people or "race".


----------



## Whitigir

MrWalkman said:


> It's related to the country of origin of the product, to the market, and not to Chinese people or "race".


Then call French-Fi and Jap-Fi ? Why not ?


Gamerlingual said:


> Change to J-Fi. I live in Japan, and it would be a HUUUUUUUUUUGE mistake to call it the way you suggested. Just not a good idea.


This I know, and I respect Japanese and their cultures.  It is just that I want people to know no one is happy when being explicitly mentioned In any Racial manner, period.

I would defend Sony as much if someone started out calling it J-Fi or Jap-Fi


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 8, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> explicitly mentioned In any Racial manner



Is it so hard to understand it's not related to any "race", but to the market? Why you insist making this about the "race"?

It's like some people are really trying to make anything offensive these days, by altering the meaning.


----------



## gearofwar (Aug 8, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Then call French-Fi and Jap-Fi ? Why not ?
> 
> This I know, and I respect Japanese and their cultures.  It is just that I want people to know no one is happy when being explicitly mentioned In any Racial manner, period.
> 
> I would defend Sony as much if someone started out calling it J-Fi or Jap-Fi


you have a point there, the Chi-term is definitely a slur regarding chinese audio product with cheap quality associated but not all of them chinese companies are like that. In fact, china receive the most negative prejudice about their products on Earth for being cheap and low quality while Japan is receiving the opposite. I guess there are a lot of human biases around. But it is hard not to use this word to categorize the majority of iems sold by china from aliexpress


----------



## aceedburn

Whoa whoa guys. Let’s not start something here. Chi fi or whatever fi is meant for your enjoyment and relaxation. Don’t let this little issue ruin our camaraderie here. Chill guys and enjoy the music. God bless everyone in the world, from wherever you’re from.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 8, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I have no problem with anyone who name their company the way they want.  I do have problem with people, starting out branding, making up words, and use in racial slur “Chī-Fi”....is there any one who named their company that ? From whom did that term “Chi-Fi” originated from ? and why would anyone support it ? That is beyond me
> 
> Why Chi-Fi and not Jap-Fi and French-Fi too ? While you are at it.  I am only asking a fair question.



In my next review (which actually comes from China) I’ll probably not use the word as I read now that you and others see it as derogatory.

I’m still not going to go back and revamp the 2 or 3 other reviews which contain the term. I actually had no idea it was looked at that way?

Also I’m actually right now at a point of confusion as how would the burst of influx of Chinese IEMs (starting around 2018) and DAPs be categorized?

Eastern made? Oh that’s racist then too, in this style of thinking. You have to realize that it was a quick slang which was an easy way to generalize the origins of products. There may be no other way to say it? Is “Chinese Made” in simple use of the term racist too? There is no way to go with this? Also I live in Asia and have an Asian wife, so it pretty much makes me the farthest thing from anti-Asian?


----------



## MrWalkman

gearofwar said:


> I guess there are a lot of human biases around



I'm not saying they don't have good quality products, but the thing that they also have low quality products didn't just originate from nothing, right?


----------



## aceedburn

MrWalkman said:


> I'm not saying they don't have good quality products, but the thing that they also have low quality products didn't just originate from nothing, right?


Yeah but Low quality products can be had from anywhere in the world. I’ve had crap products made right here in Malaysia or even from the us. It’s just that because the population and the number of businesses in China far surpass that of any other country and therefore lots of products that are sub par come out to the market and ruin it for the rest of them.


----------



## MrWalkman

aceedburn said:


> Yeah but Low quality products can be had from anywhere in the world. I’ve had crap products made right here in Malaysia or even from the us. It’s just that because the population and the number of businesses in China far surpass that of any other country and therefore lots of products that are sub par come out to the market and ruin it for the rest of them.



A lot of things were coming from China at some point, you could look at everything and see "Made in China", and also notice how cheap it was, when it was the case. I guess this is why Chinese products got that reputation.

I noticed this the most in 2000s.


----------



## gearofwar

MrWalkman said:


> I'm not saying they don't have good quality products, but the thing that they also have low quality products didn't just originate from nothing, right?


I guess you can use it to group those but I feel like it does carry some negative quality regarding its origin. In fact, I bought few KZ iems for curiosity of their designs and I was actually impressed for the sound quality by paying a small fraction of the flagship price


----------



## Gamerlingual

Back to Firmware discussion on our particular DAPs? Any updates @MrWalkman


----------



## Redcarmoose

ubs28 said:


> I will give you an example. For the sports I do, some high-end pro equipement can cost more than a car while most of the big brands produce them in China. So I can buy the same products in China for only 1/10th of the price of the big brands.
> 
> What are you going to do with “French” or “Japan” products? You might as well stick to the big brands since you pay the same money and get superior quality (since the best in the world use official equipment from the big brands).
> 
> There is absolutely nothing racist about the “Chi” label. It is a positive association in the market place for getting high-end products at a very afforable price for most people.



This is quite the learning experience. It turns out that whatever the word means to the user, it’s important not to use a word which effects the listener. Especially in a social context when you don’t want to be derogatory in the first place. Basically it does not matter what the word means to you, your getting a different point across which is not your goal in the beginning. 

I will stop using the term.


----------



## MrWalkman

Gamerlingual said:


> Back to Firmware discussion on our particular DAPs? Any updates @MrWalkman



No, not yet.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

Just to reshare this:

My five year old ZX2 Walkman still holds charge really well. It still maintains a 24day idle standby time. This should indicate the component quality of the Japanese designed Walkman.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 8, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Is it so hard to understand it's not related to any "race", but to the market? Why you insist making this about the "race"?
> 
> *It's like some people are really trying to make anything offensive these days, by altering the meaning.*


Edited: not worth it
[/QUOTE]


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 8, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Tell me, why don’t you also use the word “Jap-Fi” or “French-Fi” ?



First, I never used "Chi-fi" or any other similar term.
Second, it's funny that you assumed that "Chi-fi" is referring to the Chinese people, which is not. The term is referring to the market of origin. The market of origin is not the same thing as the Chinese people.

Sure, now some people will stop saying "Chi-fi", just because some people like yourself are making everything about race and stuff like that. I personally don't care by the way, as I didn't use this term anyway, but still, the fact that some people have take something and interpret it in different ways, and getting offended.

Also, "China" is not a race, "Asian" is a race - though I really don't care about this, there should be a clear distinction between the two, which it seems you are not able to make.


Edit: you have a very funny way of thinking, from interpreting "Chi-fi" as being racist, to asking me to do stuff for the DMP-Z1 while you can't even replace a file in an archive, justifying that as "I don't own the device", when I don't own the DMP-Z1 myself, but I was willing to help though.

I don't need to deal with this type of thinking to be honest, so welcome to my ignore list.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 8, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> First, I never used "Chi-fi" or any other similar term.
> Second, it's funny that you assumed that "Chi-fi" is referring to the Chinese people, which is not. The term is referring to the market of origin. The market of origin is not the same thing as the Chinese people.
> 
> Sure, now some people will stop saying "Chi-fi", just because some people like yourself are making everything about race and stuff like that.
> ...


Edited: not worth it


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

Guys I think we have to put things in context.

So far the Chinese people never took offence to anyone calling their Chinese made hifi products by the short form name of Chi-fi. If they were offended, I am pretty sure you would have heard about it in the news. Case in point: Winnie the Pooh.

but for the Japanese people, the word JAP has historical racial/ethnic slurs:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jap


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 8, 2020)

Like wise, edited


----------



## Redcarmoose

The correctness of the word is irrelevant. It’s the impression that people get when they hear it. So if they feel it’s derogatory then it’s not a good word to use. So people just simply say Chinese Made. 

I had no idea people saw the word that way?


----------



## ttt123

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I would pick the A because I don't wish to support oppressive genocidal authoritarian regimes in year 2020.
> 
> And I am Chinese, so I can't be racist to my own race can I?


People can, and are definitely racist to their own race.  Happens all the time.


----------



## normie610

MrWalkman said:


> No, not yet.



Any chance that in the future we can change the destination region from the walkman’s menu? (Similar to changing the model type from the reset menu)


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 8, 2020)

I had to see what stuff are you coming up with now.



Whitigir said:


> (because you don’t need the device)



You also don't need the device to replace a file in an archive, a job far easier than modding a firmware. Really selfless of you, isn't it?



Whitigir said:


> However, it seems that guarding your own findings for beers are better than just selflessly sharing to benefit the community



Yeah, try and make all this about the donations now. This smells like envy to me. Everyone is free to donate or not, this is why it's called a donation. At least I'm not considering selling modded firmware, like that idea of selling tuning mods which you and your friend had. *If sharing these firmwares after working sleepless nights on them is not selfless sharing, than you have a whole wrong definition of what "selfless sharing" means.*

Modding a firmware involves numerous brickings of the device while testing stuff. This is a second reason why I won't do anything for DMP-Z1 for example, if I don't own the device. I could risk bricking a $8000 device, and there is probably no simple way of getting it to work again - I wouldn't know that, as I don't own that device. *So please, don't compare this to replacing a file in an archive, come on. Man, it's replacing a file in an archive, are you serious?*

Also, I'm still not sure how ok it would be in the eyes of Sony to have anyone freely able to look into the workings of their firmwares, and eventually start talking about how some stuff works.



Whitigir said:


> But seeing your attitudes, baiting and trolling behaviors



Again, you have a funny way of thinking, *if you think calling out false claims is "baiting" or "trolling".*



Whitigir said:


> I hope I will not be seeing people who I ignored to change screen name and start out fresh.



Yeah, you're only friends with people who are blindly trusting what you're claiming, and who are serving your interests. Got it.




Whitigir said:


> Edited: not worth it



Right. Ignore effective from now.


----------



## MrWalkman

normie610 said:


> Any chance that in the future we can change the destination region from the walkman’s menu? (Similar to changing the model type from the reset menu)



I have a pretty good idea how the menus are made, but I was not able to modify them yet. Once I'll be able to do that, we can also change destinations from the menu, yes, exactly like how we're changing the model at the moment.


----------



## ze3e13

MrWalkman said:


> I had to see what stuff are you coming up with now.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The truth I can see is everyone can edit that XML code stuff, but only one able to modding a UPG firmware.  hehe


----------



## lumdicks (Aug 8, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> What I meant is this:
> 
> If I need a new wireless router for my home. I have two choice of models which cost roughly the same and perform the same.
> 
> ...


Absolutely! You speak my voice as well.
I am Hongkongers.


----------



## Damz87

Wait till you experience some high end Aussie-Fi Koala speakers


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

although this is Sony marketing video, I believe this video is shot in the actual production factory for the MDR-Z1R:


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

video tour of Sony Malaysian factory:


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Promotional video for XM4:


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

This sound source separation AI technology is next level stuff, it is able to isolate each person’s voice:


----------



## Morbideath (Aug 8, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> What I meant is this:
> 
> If I need a new wireless router for my home. I have two choice of models which cost roughly the same and perform the same.
> 
> ...





lumdicks said:


> Absolutely! You speak my voice as well.
> I am Hongkongers.



A famous ancient poem to all our Chinese folks here:
兩岸猿聲啼不住，輕舟已過萬重山。
This is my farewell to this threads. With all the chifi debates and political claims it becomes utterly boring for me


----------



## gerelmx1986

I always found cheap sony headphones to sound good compared to chi-fi offerings


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> I always found cheap sony headphones to sound good compared to chi-fi offerings




Its because of the extra bass 😁😄🙂🙂


----------



## 534409

gerelmx1986 said:


> I always found cheap sony headphones to sound good compared to chi-fi offerings


Vielleicht es ist diese weltbekannte Deutsche Qualität


----------



## minzink (Aug 8, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Guys I think we have to put things in context.
> 
> So far the Chinese people never took offence to anyone calling their Chinese made hifi products by the short form name of Chi-fi. If they were offended, I am pretty sure you would have heard about it in the news. Case in point: Winnie the Pooh.
> 
> ...


There is ONE human race! Several people for sure, but only one human race! But that's out of topic.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

Speaking of great earphones at affordable prices

@Redcarmoose

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sennheiser-mx500-lightweight-in-ear-headphones-blue.8620/reviews

I fondly remember how good these were back in my Mindisc player days in the YR2000s. I had a sharp 1bit digital amp MD player that really sounded great with the mx500.

The Sharp 1bit digital amp has a horrendous hiss if you compared to what Sony S-Master HX sounds now. But it has a really good bass, digital amps always has something special with bass.

Guess I should source for one of these mx500(or something alternative) along with  a pair Koss Sporta Pros for nostalgia memories.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Looks like XM4 no longer supports Qualcomm APTX HD bluetooth codec.

https://www.sony.com.sg/electronics/headband-headphones/wh-1000xm4/specifications

*SUPPORTED AUDIO FORMAT(S)*SBC, AAC, LDAC


----------



## Redcarmoose

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Speaking of great earphones at affordable prices
> 
> @Redcarmoose
> 
> ...



There may still be a MX500 around but there is also a lot of fake ones?  

Though I can almost guarantee you they will not sound like you remember them to sound.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 8, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Looks like XM4 no longer supports Qualcomm APTX HD bluetooth codec.
> 
> https://www.sony.com.sg/electronics/headband-headphones/wh-1000xm4/specifications
> 
> *SUPPORTED AUDIO FORMAT(S)*SBC, AAC, LDAC



Yep, because they switched to a Mediatek bluetooth chip. Qualcomm only lets aptX/aptX HD work with their own bluetooth chips.


----------



## normie610

MrWalkman said:


> I have a pretty good idea how the menus are made, but I was not able to modify them yet. Once I'll be able to do that, we can also change destinations from the menu, yes, exactly like how we're changing the model at the moment.



look forward to it! I’ll definitely send you more beer when that happens!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

This video is worth watching if you are interested in how modern DACs and ADCs works. Also FPGA vs ASIC. it's very well presented:


----------



## Hinomotocho (Aug 8, 2020)

The rascism topic is a very sensitive one and as simple as it seems is also quite complex and like religion and politics possibly ends up opening a large can of worms that may only end poorly.
It is not that I don't care but may I suggest to avoid any dramas we can keep on topic and get back to arguing about whether cables and file formats make a difference, and if the 1A with the new firmwares are better than the 1Z.
** at the time of this post my reaction score was 666 🤘


----------



## Lookout57

Since some people are offended by the label C**-fi, what do we want to call these products of questionable quality and/or origin? 

How about we call it Cheat-fi for cheaters stealing designs and selling knockoffs that can mislead the uninformed?

Or even Cheap-fi for inferior products sold on eBay and other online sites. Not that all sold products sold there are inferior, one has to be careful and set expectations on what they are getting. 

I bought a silver IEM cable on one of those sites based on a recommendation on Head-Fi. I didn't expect much based on where it was coming from and the price. I bought it as an experiment to compare against the Campfire Silver cable which was 4 times the price. The cable came with no instructions or obvious markings on what was the left and right IEM connectors. I had to contact the seller to figure it out (they ended up changing the description on the site to say which was which). Then after a couple of months one of the wires going into the 4.4mm connector broke at the solder joint due to poor construction. So maybe we use the name Dispo-fi, since it might not last long. You can buy n number of these cables over the life time of the IEM or of just spend the money up front for better quality. Buyers choice.

Either way, by labeling these products with a name that is not offensive does provide a service so that buyers are aware of what they are purchasing.

Please only reply if you agree and/or have ideas on what to call these products.

If no one replies, then I guess no one really cares about informing people of questionable products and we'll drop this topic.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 8, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> How about we call it Cheat-fi for cheaters stealing designs and selling knockoffs that can mislead the uninformed?



This sounds perfectly fine, and I agree that we shouldn't ignore this kind of trend, "stealing designs and selling knockoffs". It's real and it really sucks.

I bought cheap stuff that was really good, so not 100% sure about "Cheap-fi"


----------



## proedros

please stop with this chi-fi madness , it's boring and not really 1a/z-related

peace


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I think we all can agree on this:

Support Reputable Companies that make high quality audio products that has good customer support and warranty. 

If you agree Sony is a reputable company please like my video and click on the subscribe button and hit the bell icon.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

Seems like DSEE HX AI works differently for devices, it shows as 24bit for xm4, 24bit for Xperia 1 ii while its 32bit for A100.


----------



## terminaut

Hinomotocho said:


> ...get back to arguing about whether cables and file formats make a difference, and if the 1A with the new firmwares are better than the 1Z.
> ** at the time of this post my reaction score was 666 🤘



IMHO...


Cables (and tips) make a difference but only to the extent that the IEM it's matched with are of high enough "performance" to surface the difference
Lossless file formats represent the same data so any sound difference would be due to the specific player's "interpretation" of that data 
1A with new firmware is close to the 1Z and is just as enjoyable, but objectively little can be said about it being better in use (aside from maybe 1A is lighter for transport)


----------



## Mystic Traveller

A quick Q re charging WM1: a 2A charger - is it OK to use, not too high current (amperage)?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

Lossless files can be categorized into three types:

No data compression (PCM WAVE or FLAC lvl 0 )
Lightly compressed
Highly compressed (flac lvl 8)

I do think that highly compressed(non-lossy) can sound subtly *worse due to more processing work and memory I/O required to unpack the compressed data. This processing and l/O will generate more electrical noise and cause more power drain on the audio player, which ultimately has some impact on sound quality.

*Again it will all depends on how golden/trained your ears are and how good your equipment and how quiet your environment is, for you to be able to notice the above effect.


----------



## MrWalkman

Mystic Traveller said:


> A quick Q re charging WM1: a 2A charger - is it OK to use, not too high current (amperage)?



Is it the device that draws current from the charger, and not the charger "pushing" current into the device.

So having a 2A charger for a 1A device is actually good. However, having a 1A charger for a 2A device can actually damage the charger, as the device is trying to draw 2A, but the charger can only provide 1A.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Aug 8, 2020)

proedros said:


> please stop with this chi-fi madness , it's boring and not really 1a/z-related
> 
> peace




Mmyeaaa

I think flac vs wav debat was way more fun


----------



## Hinomotocho

Vitaly2017 said:


> Mmyeaaa
> 
> I think flac vs wav debat was way more fun 😆😁
> 
> @MrWalkman


Indeed - no reported deaths or lynchings yet from audiophile disputes.


----------



## terminaut

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Lossless files can be categorized into three types:
> 
> No data compression (PCM WAVE or FLAC lvl 0 )
> Lightly compressed
> ...



Memory I/O (ie. likely from high-speed memory for buffering) is less likely to be noisy than continual streaming of data from storage. If that's agreed, then a file 10 times bigger will have 10 times the noise. All of this is pure conjecture without knowing the architecture of the DAP, though.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Aug 8, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> So having a 2A charger for a 1A device is actually good.


Good!  Thanks, mate!
Actually I was listening to my 1A with one bar battery level, 99 volume, high gain, using
3.5mm port as a line out, time went fast,
when battery was drained it showed this warning message and then switched off.

I thought that the "low bat" warnings would appear more in advance to have time to put it on charge.
Then I connected it to a 1A charger, the red lamp lighted up and went off - probably this current wasn't enough,
I don't know.
After that I switched it to 2A and it went charging well.


----------



## gearofwar

What are people's favorite firmware version these days? I think we need to make a poll


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

Going to use a water hose analogy:

I think the reason why PCM wave might sound better is because playing back constant streaming data with very low constant processor usage has more consistent and deterministic power draw & system jitter. Think of a water hose that provides consistent water flow pressure, noise generated by from the water flowing out is consistent and not as noticable to the ears

While if you playback something with variability in  processor power usage with segment by segment data decoding inside the CPU small L1 &L2 cache, it causes random spikes in power draw & system jitter. Think of it as water hose that has inconsistent/jumpy water flow pressure, thus the noise generated from the water flowing out is spiking/more splashy and noticable to the ears.


----------



## gearofwar

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Going to use a water hose analogy:
> 
> I think the reason why PCM wave might sound better is because playing back constant streaming data with very low constant processor usage has more consistent and deterministic power draw & system jitter. Think of a water hose that provides consistent water flow pressure, noise generated by from the water flowing out is consistent and not as noticable to the ears
> 
> While if you playback something with variability in  processor power usage with segment by segment data decoding inside the CPU small L1 &L2 cache, it causes random spikes in power draw & system jitter. Think of it as water hose that has inconsistent/jumpy water flow pressure, thus the noise generated from the water flowing out is spiking/more splashy and noticable to the ears.


Not many music recordings out there being sold as PCM format and converting something else to PCM is not a viable option

Does anyone know the lowest current price possible for *SanDisk 1TB Extreme microSDXC?*


----------



## terminaut

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Going to use a water hose analogy:
> 
> I think the reason why PCM wave might sound better is because playing back constant streaming data with very low constant processor usage has more consistent and deterministic power draw & system jitter. Think of a water hose that provides consistent water flow pressure, noise generated by from the water flowing out is consistent and not as noticable to the ears
> 
> While if you playback something with variability in  processor power usage with segment by segment data decoding inside the CPU small L1 &L2 cache, it causes random spikes in power draw & system jitter. Think of it as water hose that has inconsistent/jumpy water flow pressure, thus the noise generated from the water flowing out is spiking/more splashy and noticable to the ears.



That's all noise due to the implementation of the hardware though, not because of the file format itself.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

terminaut said:


> That's all noise due to the implementation of the hardware though, not because of the file format itself.



Ultimately the file format has to be decoded and played on a system. Maybe with the current portable hardware technology/software design we have, isn't capable of playing back compressed files without degradation. A powerful x86 desktop processor system might be able to play compressed files without degradation to sound quality. It's all speculation on my part.


----------



## terminaut

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Ultimately the file format has to be played on a system. Maybe with the current portable hardware technology/software design we have, isn't capable of playing back compressed files without degradation. A powerful x86 desktop processor system might be able to play compressed files without degradation to sound quality. It's all speculation on my part.



I was just trying to help get the thread back on track.... and all I really know is that the WM1s sound damn good!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 8, 2020)

Although to be objective, Good is relative, just like speed is relative.

To F1 driver, driving at 161km/h(100mph) might be considered to be slow for him.
To a regular driver, driving at 161km/h(100mph) is insanely fast.

Like my niece, she considers apple airpods pro as good sounding
However to me, airpods pro sounds barely acceptable.

Beauty is in the eyes of the holder. And in this case,  Quality is in the ears of the tiger!

Also what you think is good now might be poor in the future. For example smartphones, what is considered as super fast in 2015 is now unacceptably slow in 2020.


----------



## Lookout57

gearofwar said:


> Not many music recordings out there being sold as PCM format and converting something else to PCM is not a viable option
> 
> Does anyone know the lowest current price possible for *SanDisk 1TB Extreme microSDXC?*


$233.99 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P9W5HJV/


----------



## Gamerlingual

I’ve only used up 22GB of music in both my players. Guess I’m one of the few who doesn’t see the need to upgrade (yet).


----------



## gearofwar (Aug 10, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> $233.99 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P9W5HJV/


That is not the lowest, the lowest I have seen is $184 , I'm curious for the even lower price if anyone has seen one before, doesn't need to be now

P/S: You definitely missed my point, anyone can use Google and you also missed B&H


----------



## gearofwar (Aug 8, 2020)

deleted


----------



## lilahde

Hi everyone!

I've just registered to thank MrWalkman for his fantastic Firmware!  Have never enjoyed wm1a like this before.  More power to you!  Have some fun for the Beers I've sent!  Cheers!


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 9, 2020)

lilahde said:


> Hi everyone!
> 
> I've just registered to thank MrWalkman for his fantastic Firmware!  Have never enjoyed wm1a like this before.  More power to you!  Have some fun for the Beers I've sent!  Cheers!



Really appreciate it, and I'm glad you're enjoying it!

Are you using WM1A/Z+ or the increased volume version (WM1A/Z++)?



ze3e13 said:


> The truth I can see is everyone can edit that XML code stuff, but only one able to modding a UPG firmware.  hehe



Yeah, but people had to figure that out themselves. It's not like those who knew about it started _"selflessly sharing to benefit the community"_, except for the resulted product_. _I think it's called "hypocrisy" on the quote author's part (not your quote, ze3e13).


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Aug 9, 2020)

lilahde said:


> MrWalkman for his fantastic Firmware! Have never enjoyed wm1a like this before.


Same here..  Have been enjoying an 1Z switch and Z+FW.

It was some kind of luck for me to buy my 1A with 3 years "delay" ,
somehow the audophile god had made me catch it just a week before @MrWalkman released his
"digital copy" of 1Z. 
'cos for me 1A despite its great 3D sound had 1 draweback which I don't like in DAPs sound
signatures - kinda recessed mids = vocals.
Was going to even try 1Z due to that. Now I don't see this need. At least at this point. 

SONY is a great Co. and they have their full rights to do whatever they want
with their FW but this artificial & I think purposefully made
difference in sound signatures between 1A and 1Z only due to different FW settings..
Well, kinda unfair shall I say.
I do understand they wanted to justify the 2X + price of 1Z.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mystic Traveller said:


> Same here..  Have been enjoying an 1Z switch and Z+FW.
> 
> It was some kind of luck for me to buy my 1A with 3 years "delay" ,
> somehow the audophile god had made me catch it just a week before @MrWalkman released his
> ...



I purchased a 1A as I thought I would walk around with it, and leave the 1Z at home. Now I use the 1A more?


----------



## MrWalkman

Mystic Traveller said:


> Same here..  Have been enjoying an 1Z switch and Z+FW.
> 
> It was some kind of luck for my to buy my 1A with 3 years "delay" ,
> somehow the audophile god had made me catch it just a week before @MrWalkman released his
> ...



I myself got my 1A at the beginning of February of this year, so kind of a bit later as well   I don't see any wrong in that by the way, as the devices are still being made. My own player was made somewhere in September 2019.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Redcarmoose said:


> Now I use the 1A more?


Sure!!


----------



## Mystic Traveller

MrWalkman said:


> I myself got my 1A at the beginning of February of this year, so kind of a bit later as well  I don't see any wrong in that by the way, as the devices are still being made. My own player was made somewhere in September 2019.



Mine was sold new in the end of 2018 I believe. I recently bought it in a mint like new
condition with only 70 hrs "on the clock". 
Just in time for your magical transformation. 
Again as I mentioned above,
SONY is a great Co. and they have their full rights to do whatever they want
with their FW but this artificial & I think purposefully made
difference in sound signatures between 1A and 1Z only due to different FW settings..
Well, kinda unfair shall I say.
I do understand they wanted to justify the 2X + price of 1Z.
Nevermind, now it's over.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Mystic Traveller said:


> Mine was sold new in the end of 2018 I believe. I recently bought it in a mint like new
> condition with only 70 hrs "on the clock".
> Just in time for your magical transformation.
> Again as I mentioned above,
> ...



I’ll probably go back to the 1Z more in the future? I’m like a kid in a candy store? It’s just all way too great......thanks to MrWalkman.

But I know for a fact that many will not move from this thread over to the 1A/1Z MK2 thread when new stuff appears. I may not ever need anything more? Sony and MrWalkman made stuff way too good!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> I’ll probably go back to the 1Z more in the future? I’m like a kid in a candy store? It’s just all way too great......thanks to MrWalkman.
> 
> But I know for a fact that many will not move from this thread over to the 1A/1Z MK2 thread when new stuff appears. I may not ever need anything more? Sony and MrWalkman made stuff way too good!


Dude, to shell out another $3,000 for another high end Sony DAP, I'm good with the 1Z and 1A. They feel like the music treasures I never had as a child. Super spoiled with everything I have in my signature. But I can say for a fact I earned it all through hard work and I still have money save for emergency. But I will say that I truly did WORK HARD for it all, but the results of my fruits of labor are these joyous toys. I feel fortunate to be in such a position. Then again, I took the cheaper route and mostly bought used. But all the equipment I bought I made sure had a warranty. And so far everything is working pristine. Really hope I can continue to share in this hobby with others. I'm thankful to the man upstairs (my way) for what I have, but most importantly, my wife, parents, and puppy to still be a part of my life. To everyone, keep appreciating what you have, even if you can't buy that next item on your shopping radar. It makes sense to just love what we were fortunate enough to get.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 9, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> Since some people are offended by the label C**-fi, what do we want to call these products of questionable quality and/or origin?
> 
> How about we call it Cheat-fi for cheaters stealing designs and selling knockoffs that can mislead the uninformed?
> 
> ...


I usually refer to these as counterfeit and knockoff.  I have had a fair share of bad quality cables, wires, even counterfeit capacitors from those revered brands and kinds, especially Blackgate .... etc... even damaged my expensive build on other desktops stuff....pulling my hairs out to find and chase the problems which often lead back to a couple transistors being counterfeits.  So, trust me, I know and am totally against knockoff/counterfeit.  Most of these companies that does cheap knockoff without quality will eventually disappeared, and counterfeit is ....well.... keeps on thriving.  The only real ways to know for sure is to dip your toes in and then find out later.  Not only users are fooled by counterfeit but also dealers and manufacturers as well .

The ideas to charge and expose the counterfeits and knockoff is a good one, but we can never expose them enough as they can always rebrands and changes to adapt, they will continue to exist and is a force to wreck with.  In facts, giants like AliExpress and Amazon would pay for anyone who can keep these stuff under controls...lol.  But as I said, the only way to know is to pay in and play the game

One of the many reasons why I don’t try to use Blackgate for the Walkman EM Hard Modifications is due to them being counterfeit and is flooding the market.  Why torture one self when there are many different ways, components, to tune and improve the players Hardware mod, right ?


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Aug 9, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> I’ll probably go back to the 1Z more in the future? I’m like a kid in a candy store? It’s just all way too great......thanks to MrWalkman.


Same here.  I'll probably give a chance to a 1Z at some point if I encounter a good second hand
one like I had with my 1A a couple weeks ago.
But I need to listen to it first not in a Sony store but better have it
for at least few hours of test, better a few days.


Redcarmoose said:


> Sony and MrWalkman made stuff way too good!


They have defo made up a great team.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


> Same here.  I'll probably give a chance to a 1Z at some point if I encounter a good second hand
> one like I had with my 1A a couple weeks ago.
> But I need to listen to it first not in a Sony store but better have it
> for at least few hours of test, better a few days.
> ...



This whole experience has been way different than any audio experience I’ve had prior. And I was listening to headphones for 30 years before lurking here in 2006. My first audiophile headphone set-up was in 1982. But here there seems to be a mental acclimation process, where it does take days if not a month or two to find the reality of what the players do. The cool part for you was being able to notice the blossoming of tone after leaving the 70hr mark.

The reason this experience is so wild, is I never made a purchase of audio equipment that changed so much for the better. Though keep in mind I purchased the 1Z before 2.0 came out. So it was getting used to the player, burn-in then 2.0 came out. But even before the custom firmwares arrived 3.02 from Sony was way way different than what the players came with. So it’s been this gradual story in sound being told, and each improvement was more unbelievable than the last, to the point of surreal.

Cheers!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2020)

The mid 1970s was very much the beginning of everything headphone wise. TDSotM had just came out, basically nothing on earth ever sounded like it. It was a whole new level from Sgt. Peppers Loner Hearts Club Band. There was Koss headphones in 1975 as well as Sennheiser open back headphones. The Sennheiser headphones were  $90 which is about $400 in today’s money. The album The Planets by Isao Tomita came out in 1976 and it was even more amazing than TDSotM at the time on headphones.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Redcarmoose said:


> This whole experience has been way different than any audio experience I’ve had prior.


You have made such a great way in music and gear
mine is way less impressive  but I must admit that Sony and WM-1 is a whole new experience indeed.

For the past 3-4 years of being into the DAP madness
I've owned:
HiFiMAN HM-801 Full Symmcat Mod 7.2 + ReClock MM w/Timu Battery Mod * Sony NWZ-ZX1 *
Colorfly C4 PRO Symmcat Mod * CEntrance HiFi-M8 +
* Lotoo PAW Gold * Cowon PLENUE S * Questyle QP1R * HM-801 (SYMMcard 4.4) * OPUS#2 * Cayin N6 * iBasso DX200/150 * A&K KANN *  Lotoo PAW 5000 MKII * HM-603 MM4/MM6 *Colorfly C10 * L & P L5 PRO * CEntrance DAC Portable

and many of them were good DAPs but I never believed that for DAC DAPs you can seriously affect
the sonic signatures with FW updates/its mods.

So here I see for the first time that it's really so as long as it concerns S-Master.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Redcarmoose said:


> The Planets by Isao Tomita


Thanks for this heads-up, mate, I will listen to this album, never heard it.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


> You have made such a great way in music and gear
> mine is way less impressive  but I must admit that Sony and WM-1 is a whole new experience indeed.
> 
> For the past 3-4 years of being into the DAP madness
> ...





Mystic Traveller said:


> Thanks for this heads-up, mate, I will listen to this album, never heard it.










I’m actually not sure how well Tomita carries over to 2020. I guess it was a novelty in 1976?


I never had an expensive DAP till the Sony DAPs. But also if you read back in the threads even 2013 was the dark ages as far as DAPs go.

In many ways people had trouble with one thing or another. Before purchasing in 2018 I actually had a list of DAP faults which was the criteria to overcome. So it wasn’t attributes I was concerned with but lack of detributes.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Aug 9, 2020)

I am not deep into headphones today, preferring a line-out to an amp/speakers.
For 1A I have only Sony MDR-1Am2 which is very good for my ears consdering their price.

Are there any other good ones, a nice pair for WM-1, which it can easily drive,
reasonably priced, *fully balanced from the box (no mods to get them balanced) 
and circumaural*  not IEMs.
If not a Sony make, then 2.5mm balanced from the box will do, I can use 2.5-4.4 adaptor.
What am I missing here?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


> I am not deep into headphones today, preferring a line-out to an amp/speakers.
> For 1A I have only Sony MDR-1Am2 which is very good for my ears consdering their price.
> 
> Are there any other good ones, a nice pair for WM-1, which it can easily drive,
> ...



Probably others are going to offer advice. And while the 1A does power the full-size I own, it’s not optimal so I don’t totally recommend full-size.

Though you need to list a price as “reasonably priced” is a confusing term here. 

You’ll get an answer.


----------



## aceedburn

Mystic Traveller said:


> I am not deep into headphones today, preferring a line-out to an amp/speakers.
> For 1A I have only Sony MDR-1Am2 which is very good for my ears consdering their price.
> 
> Are there any other good ones, a nice pair for WM-1, which it can easily drive,
> ...


I have the 1more triple driver headphones. IMO it’s one of the most underrated but one of the best headphones ever made. Period. I don’t care what some reviewers who know nothing about music say about it. I don’t care about graphs or measurements. I will never ever buy a headphone based on graphs and measurements. Ever. I trust my ears and in my opinion my ears are the best headphone reviewer in the world.
The 1more just sound so musical, beautiful, natural and they’re solidly built. I got them for around USD160. The 1A drives them superbly and they amp up fantastically too. I would highly recommend them.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Mystic Traveller said:


> I am not deep into headphones today, preferring a line-out to an amp/speakers.
> For 1A I have only Sony MDR-1Am2 which is very good for my ears consdering their price.
> 
> Are there any other good ones, a nice pair for WM-1, which it can easily drive,
> ...


They drive my MDR-Z7M2 no problem. They shine and sound great. Very relaxed nature, honestly.


----------



## mmwwmm

WAmadeusM said:


> *REVIEW: WM1 'Brothers - hardware comparison review using @MrWalkman mods.....curiouser and curiouser....*
> 
> Hello WM1'istas....
> 
> ...



Awesome post. 
My impressions owning 1A & 1Z are the very same. 
1Z running as 1A 3.01 U region in stock form (with awesome Chamelon 3.01 FW) is the best for me too (most coherent, transparent, natural, neutral...)
Thanks!!


----------



## gearofwar

Mystic Traveller said:


> Same here..  Have been enjoying an 1Z switch and Z+FW.
> 
> It was some kind of luck for me to buy my 1A with 3 years "delay" ,
> somehow the audophile god had made me catch it just a week before @MrWalkman released his
> ...


1A has very straight foward signature originally and the mid is not recessed, it’s even more forward than 1z . If you feel so , try flashing 3.00 ỏr 3.01 firmware, the 3.02 has V shaped signature with increased staging


----------



## lilahde

MrWalkman said:


> Really appreciate it, and I'm glad you're enjoying it!
> 
> Are you using WM1A/Z+ or the increased volume version (WM1A/Z++)?
> 
> ...


----------



## blazinblazin (Aug 9, 2020)

SONY has always been a popular electronics brand when I was younger but somehow they somehow lost their way. 
Their brand has become overshadowed by Samsung, LG etc. They have been releasing small music players but they never really took off.
Till the last 5years. Suddenly they released some products that is able to rival the territory of high end electronics like AK and Bose.

IMO SONY really gave a push in 4.4mm format, greater output power in DAP and development of Noise Cancelling technology. If not those technology will probably stays the same in the next 10 years without advancement.

Release of DMP-Z1 also opened another window to "Transportable Audio" 
Who knew that there are people who have needs for bigger more powerful portable audio device.

Playstation department are also doing quite well listening to their consumer feedbacks.


----------



## minzink

Mystic Traveller said:


> I am not deep into headphones today, preferring a line-out to an amp/speakers.
> For 1A I have only Sony MDR-1Am2 which is very good for my ears consdering their price.
> 
> Are there any other good ones, a nice pair for WM-1, which it can easily drive,
> ...


Same for me! I love my WM1A combined with the MDR-1AM2. Very good synergy! For me it's a perfect match and the best mobil combination so far, I have owned. I also considered to buy used MDR-Z7M2 but currently in Germany there are not many opportunities. I am not willing to spend 1000 euro for a new pair. And I am still not convinced that with my bad hearing I can really hear big differences to the MDR-1AM2 and that I am able to use the MDR-Z7M2 adequately....


----------



## Lookout57

Redcarmoose said:


> The mid 1970s was very much the beginning of everything headphone wise. TDSotM had just came out, basically nothing on earth ever sounded like it. It was a whole new level from Sgt. Peppers Loner Hearts Club Band. There was Koss headphones in 1975 as well as Sennheiser open back headphones. The Sennheiser headphones were  $90 which is about $400 in today’s money. The album The Planets by Isao Tomita came out in 1976 and it was even more amazing than TDSotM at the time on headphones.



My first headphones were the Koss Pro 4A.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Weird. So now both the Z7M2 and the MDR-Z1R both sound relaxed after playing them on my DAPs. I still feel the subtle differences in how I described them before but now it just feels more calm and I’m not trying hard to analyze them. The clamp force and neck stiffness seems to be gone and both headphones let me enjoy my DAPs as they have don’t require a lot to power up. Well done


----------



## Earbones (Aug 9, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> Unfortunately nay. It can’t play native MQA through USB DAC. It will convert to pcm 44.1/16-bit


Sony really needs to stop saying they are MQA compatible.

Sure, maybe _technically_ they are, but it‘s like a television claiming to be 4K compatible, as long as the 4K content is coming from a disc, not a streaming service. Sure, a few odd people buy 4K Ultra-HD Blu-Ray discs, usually on impulse in the checkout lane at a store. But the vast majority of people get their 4K from where it is the most readily available... Via streaming services. Just like a few odd people might purchase MQA files from websites, but the vast majority of people get their MQA via Tidal.

It’s a similar deal with the NW-ZX507... Unlike the WM1A, it has Android and supports apps, including Tidal... but it converts the MQA into 44.1/16.

So Sony doesn’t play MQA either via streaming or streaming via USB DAC... Again, the way the vast majority of people actually access MQA.

Sony, just drop it. You don’t do MQA. Not _really_. Not so that it counts. So just come clean already, or make the necessary changes to support the disingenuous claims that you do.

So onto QBUDZ and Amazon HD... When streaming those apps via the USB DAC feature, are the file also down-converted? just like how the ZX507 down-converts them when streaming? If so, then maybe Sony needs to be clear that when it comes to streaming anything, their players are simply not high-res. I’d be ecstatic to be wrong on this last point, anybody know?

Don’t get me wrong, I love the Sony house sound, and I think good sound vs bad sound in a player makes far more of a difference than a standard track vs high-res track... But it’s frustrating not to be able to eek that last bit of performance out of a piece of hardware. Especially when the manufacturer implies that’s it’s possible. Especially when it would pretty easy for them to make it possible.


----------



## Lookout57

FYI, the WMP-NWM10 MicroUSB to Walkman port will allow the player to work as a USB DAC. 

However the price in the US for it is now ridiculous on Amazon and eBay. I bought two back in 2018 and paid $13.28 and $15 on Amazon. The same seller is now selling it for $136.07


----------



## captblaze

Lookout57 said:


> FYI, the WMP-NWM10 MicroUSB to Walkman port will allow the player to work as a USB DAC.
> 
> However the price in the US for it is now ridiculous on Amazon and eBay. I bought two back in 2018 and paid $13.28 and $15 on Amazon. The same seller is now selling it for $136.07



now I have to look in my audio junk box for those little hunks of gold. I have at least 2


----------



## nc8000

captblaze said:


> now I have to look in my audio junk box for those little hunks of gold. I have at least 2



So do I


----------



## hamhamhamsta

captblaze said:


> now I have to look in my audio junk box for those little hunks of gold. I have at least 2


Congratulations, you’re rich dude, I tell you. A couple more of those little gold nuggets, you could perhaps pool enough for a 1Z haha 😂


----------



## captblaze

hamhamhamsta said:


> Congratulations, you’re rich dude, I tell you. A couple more of those little gold nuggets, you could perhaps pool enough for a 1Z haha 😂



perhaps not 1Z money, but a 10x return on investment (if sold) is not bad


----------



## Motagaly (Aug 9, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> FYI, the WMP-NWM10 MicroUSB to Walkman port will allow the player to work as a USB DAC.
> 
> However the price in the US for it is now ridiculous on Amazon and eBay. I bought two back in 2018 and paid $13.28 and $15 on Amazon. The same seller is now selling it for $136.07


I just asked a friend of mine in Japan to buy this and ship it to me in Europe https://www.amazon.co.jp/オーディオファン-ウォークマンポート-22ピン-コネクタキット-WM-PORT/dp/B07SJ6GDFL with this connector and a few searches on the internet, I “think“ I can do any connection I want


----------



## Gamerlingual (Aug 9, 2020)

Motagaly said:


> I just asked a friend of mine in Japan to buy this and ship it to me in Europe https://www.amazon.co.jp/オーディオファン-ウォークマンポート-22ピン-コネクタキット-WM-PORT/dp/B07SJ6GDFL with this connector and a few searches on the internet, I “think“ I can do any connection I want


How does this out as a USB DAC? What is the output? Can't believe it's $3.50


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> How does this out as a USB DAC? What is the output? Can't believe it's $3.50



It’s only 1/2 complete? Still what ever is pulled out of that adapter will be digital as the connection does not contain analog.

Translation as follows.........

Connector kit that can be used when you make your own cable for WALKMAN
This is useful when you want to make a cable that is difficult to obtain from WALKMAN such as stereo mini/RCA.
●Applications Creating an original cable for WALKMAN (use of this connector requires soldering work)
●Product weight: approx. 2g ●Product content WM-PORT connector kit x 1
● Warranty period 1 month from the delivery date


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s only 1/2 complete? Still what ever is pulled out of that adapter will be digital as the connection does not contain analog.
> 
> Translation as follows.........
> 
> ...


So it's pretty useless in my case, isn't it?


----------



## MrWalkman

It's used to play your library, the songs from your player, to another DAC, via USB.

There is FiiO K5 Pro, for example, and using this adapter, you could connect your Walkman to this DAC/AMP, and play your music through it.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> So it's pretty useless in my case, isn't it?







This one must have a use, and it’s always less? Never tried it.

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-Micro...6c97ffbbb656&_mwBanner=1&_rdt=1&ul_noapp=true


----------



## Redcarmoose

Cheaper? 

https://www.ebay.com/c/23011376391


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> It's used to play your library, the songs from your player, to another DAC, via USB.
> 
> There is FiiO K5 Pro, for example, and using this adapter, you could connect your Walkman to this DAC/AMP, and play your music through it.



People should keep in mind the adapter seems to be hit and miss as far as allowing digital out to a DAC with every application. It will not work with my Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus, but does work with the  TA.


----------



## terminaut

Make cables not war... A little Sunday afternoon project - recabled my EX1000s to balanced and they sound frikkin' fantastic.


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> People should keep in mind the adapter seems to be hit and miss as far as allowing digital out to a DAC with every application. It will not work with my Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus, but does work with the  TA.



Yep, I tried it with a FiiO BTR5 and it worked, but it doesn't output any sound to a DragonFly Red or DragonFly Cobalt.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Cheaper?
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/c/23011376391


Ah, something like this is good. I think it's 3,000 yen on Amazon. Thanks for the heads up!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Ah, something like this is good. I think it's 3,000 yen on Amazon. Thanks for the heads up!








https://eu.eetgroup.com/i/184977911-Sony-Connection-Cable-For-WM

Also take note, if you ever need another side connect, like the included TA connection; they are super pricey.

Though the NWH-10 serves as a work around if you ever wanted to have a 1Z in the cradle and a 1A on the TA side connection but broke the included side connection.

You simply hook up a NWH-10 to any small phone mini USB adapter and it lets you run a Walkman to the side of the TA just like the included cable.

 But keep in mind the side connection has a bit-rate ceiling where the rear USB does not.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> https://eu.eetgroup.com/i/184977911-Sony-Connection-Cable-For-WM
> 
> Also take note, if you ever need another side connect, like the included TA connection; they are super pricey.
> 
> ...


What's ironic is ever since I got the cradle, I don't use the side connection anymore. I have the cable put away. It is more useful to use the USB to cradle with the Carbon Cable I'm assuming?


----------



## flyer1 (Aug 9, 2020)

terminaut said:


> Make cables not war... A little Sunday afternoon project - recabled my EX1000s to balanced and they sound frikkin' fantastic.



Using my EX1000's with the Sony Kimber through mmcx adapters. They truly shine in balanced mode out of my 1Z


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> What's ironic is ever since I got the cradle, I don't use the side connection anymore. I have the cable put away. It is more useful to use the USB to cradle with the Carbon Cable I'm assuming?



Well for a couple big DSD files the side connects actually have a limit, where the rear USB is fine. So it’s strange that the side implementation to the TA is flawed. Also the Cradle has the charging and reclocking and filter. But you can have both Walkmans and a computer hooked to the TA all at once. Also your Walkman in the Cradle will show up in the computer as a file location for dropping files to it, all while being hooked to the TA.

If due to desktop area you choose not to implement the Cradle the rear connect USB is considered 2nd best as you don’t have the DSD ceiling but you don’t have reclocking and USB filtering. But yes, it’s ergonomic to have that NWH-10 with the AQCarbon laying flat next to the TA. No charging though.

Some don’t like the rickety-ness of the Cradle and use the NWH-10 bypassing the charging and filtering/reclocking.


----------



## terminaut (Aug 9, 2020)

flyer1 said:


> Using my EX1000's with the Sony Kimber through mmcx adapters. They truly shine in balanced mode out of my 1Z



My EX1000s were sitting in a drawer for a long time but I was inspired by some of the threads here on Head-Fi and resurrected them... and am sure glad I did! They sound great with my 1A (firmware-modded to 1Z) as well as the 1Z with my preferred region of Japan.

I did order some MMCX adapters as well and am looking forward to those to further experiment with my cable stash.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Well for a couple big DSD files the side connects actually have a limit, where the rear USB is fine. So it’s strange that the side implementation to the TA is flawed. Also the Cradle has the charging and reclocking and filter. But you can have both Walkmans and a computer hooked to the TA all at once. Also your Walkman in the Cradle will show up in the computer as a file location for dropping files to it, all while being hooked to the TA.
> 
> If due to desktop area you choose not to implement the Cradle the rear connect USB is considered 2nd best as you don’t have the DSD ceiling but you don’t have reclocking and USB filtering. But yes, it’s ergonomic to have the that NWH-10 with the AQCarbon laying flat next to the TA. No charging though.
> 
> Some don’t like the rickety-ness of the Cradle and use the NWH-10 bypassing the charging and filtering/reclocking.


I got used to the rickety-ness. I really thought it was awkward at first, but then just kept playing with it by checking how the connection works and maintaining its stability. But no matter how bouncy it was, it worked without a hitch! It's quite the unique device in a good way!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> I got used to the rickety-ness. I really thought it was awkward at first, but then just kept playing with it by checking how the connection works and maintaining its stability. But no matter how bouncy it was, it worked without a hitch! It's quite the unique device in a good way!



The spring I guess is the Sony way to protect the multi-pin from being forced into wearing out by lots of side pressures? I was scared too at first but now use the charge light to confirm a join and don’t worry.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s only 1/2 complete? Still what ever is pulled out of that adapter will be digital as the connection does not contain analog.
> 
> Translation as follows.........
> 
> ...


I have the WM-port - 3.5mm adapter from the old Walkman days, does it have any relevance for the recent models? I don't think so.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> I have the WM-port - 3.5mm adapter from the old Walkman days, does it have any relevance for the recent models? I don't think so.



From what I’ve read on this thread is that those offered a line out. Technically the Walkmans don’t have analog line out anymore but folks are fine using the 3.5mm to RCA. So technically your using two volume controls? 





These only work on the earlier Walkmans.


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> From what I’ve read on this thread is that those offered a line out. Technically the Walkmans don’t have analog line out anymore but folks are fine using the 3.5mm to RCA. So technically your using two volume controls?
> 
> 
> 
> These only work on the earlier Walkmans.



In firmware you can switch between Balanced, Single Ended and Line Out though. I ordered a cable, I'm curious if it would work or not. I think maybe not, as the analog may simply not exist anymore, physically. But then why it's present in the firmware as an output method?

Will see.


----------



## Ravenous

terminaut said:


> Make cables not war... A little Sunday afternoon project - recabled my EX1000s to balanced and they sound frikkin' fantastic.



Hey! Quick question, do you prefer the EX1000 or the IER-Z1R with your WM1A?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> In firmware you can switch between Balanced, Single Ended and Line Out though. I ordered a cable, I'm curious if it would work or not. I think maybe not, as the analog may simply not exist anymore, physically. But then why it's present in the firmware as an output method?
> 
> Will see.



Yes, maybe there is a hidden line out? Haha.

It would be one of those old-school adapters like above that you would plug a 3.5mm into?


----------



## terminaut

Ravenous said:


> Hey! Quick question, do you prefer the EX1000 or the IER-Z1R with your WM1A?



Haha that's a bit of a loaded question but for a majority of the music I listen to I'd say I'm leaning towards the 1A. I don't have a strong preference but do find that certain tracks are just more enjoyable with the 1A combo.


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, maybe there is a hidden line out? Haha.
> 
> It would be one of those old-school adapters like above that you would plug a 3.5mm into?



It's WM Port to 3.5 male, that you can plug into a line in.

I was thinking there might be a chance they just dropped software support for it or something, and manually enabling line out could work.


----------



## Ravenous

terminaut said:


> Haha that's a bit of a loaded question but for a majority of the music I listen to I'd say I'm leaning towards the 1A. I don't have a strong preference but do find that certain tracks are just more enjoyable with the 1A combo.



Do you mean the WM1A with the EX1000 or the WM1A with the IER-Z1R?


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> It's WM Port to 3.5 male, that you can plug into a line in.
> 
> I was thinking there might be a chance they just dropped software support for it or something, and manually enabling line out could work.



It’s been argued for pages in this thread as the old way was you never wanted to double amp (two volume controls) so going out the top was that. Then we had some report saying it’s “OK” to do since the quality and “quietness” of the amp?


----------



## terminaut (Aug 9, 2020)

Ravenous said:


> Do you mean the WM1A with the EX1000 or the WM1A with the IER-Z1R?



EX1000  

(not for any single technical reason other than I find the sound enjoyable)


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 9, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> It's WM Port to 3.5 male, that you can plug into a line in.
> 
> I was thinking there might be a chance they just dropped software support for it or something, and manually enabling line out could work.




https://www.head-fi.org/threads/huge-problem.939572/post-15792074


The ultimate single dongle would be the Apple LDAC. Thus we would have LDAC from Apple phones and IPads. Simple LDAC of Apple Lossless to the 1Z/1A would be heaven. But as explained (above) the chip makers see it as a conflict with Bluetooth chips.


----------



## Hinomotocho (Aug 10, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> It's WM Port to 3.5 male, that you can plug into a line in.
> 
> I was thinking there might be a chance they just dropped software support for it or something, and manually enabling line out could work.


Odd if it's a straightforward software add on they decided to drop as lack of line out is listed as a con in reviews. In the future I could benefit from a line out, I don't know how many others would use though.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-12993213

From nanaholic's post it seems there may be more to it than software?


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Redcarmoose said:


> Then we had some report saying it’s “OK” to do since the quality and “quietness” of the amp?


On my 1A I am using the 3.5mm out as a line-out a lot and I like how it sounds.
Anyway, now it's the only possible solution to connect 1A to a standard amp/receiver.


----------



## SebaE2012

MrWalkman said:


> I myself got my 1A at the beginning of February of this year, so kind of a bit later as well   I don't see any wrong in that by the way, as the devices are still being made. My own player was made somewhere in September 2019.



Same here. I got my 1A just a couple of months ago. I'm enjoying it a lot. I happen to think it's a terrific piece of kit, very relevant in 2020. Actually, my experience so far with high price (or perhaps mid price but still expensive) DAPS has been buying at a point when they've been out for quite a while, and thus I've gotten great prices and great products. Moreover, I think 1A, being a non-Android player, gets older better than Android-based players. It doesn't suffer from running on older versions of the OS that get laggy with app updates. My ZX2 has become laggy even if haven't installed any apps (other than Spotify for casual streaming - no Tidal where I live) nor have I installed updates for Google bloatware. So 1A may still have quite some life left in it. Even more so now with all the mods and possibilities that have arisen in this vibrant community (thanks @Morgenstern09 and @MrWalkman!). Still, I'm looking forward to seeing what Sony comes up with next.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 10, 2020)

blazinblazin said:


> SONY has always been a popular electronics brand when I was younger but somehow they somehow lost their way.
> Their brand has become overshadowed by Samsung, LG etc. They have been releasing small music players but they never really took off.
> Till the last 5years. Suddenly they released some products that is able to rival the territory of high end electronics like AK and Bose.
> 
> ...



Speaking of noise cancellation, Sony just released a new firmware for their new XM4:


For those unanware, just recently, there's one shameless company from a certain c*i-fi country which I shall not mention, decided to create a clone of Sony's 1989(31 years ago) MDR-R10 flagship headphones. And they have the audacity to name their product with the same R10 moniker. And yes they are charging what I consider as exorbitantly expensive price for it. I would suggest to get the real McCoy, the modern Sony MDR-Z1R flagship instead of this R10 ripoff.

Like they say Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I guess this goes to shows that Sony is well ahead of other audio or tech companies when it comes to innovation and design.


----------



## MrWalkman

SebaE2012 said:


> Same here. I got my 1A just a couple of months ago. I'm enjoying it a lot. I happen to think it's a terrific piece of kit, very relevant in 2020. Actually, my experience so far with high price (or perhaps mid price but still expensive) DAPS has been buying at a point when they've been out for quite a while, and thus I've gotten great prices and great products. Moreover, I think 1A, being a non-Android player, gets older better than Android-based players. It doesn't suffer from running on older versions of the OS that get laggy with app updates. My ZX2 has become laggy even if haven't installed any apps (other than Spotify for casual streaming - no Tidal where I live) nor have I installed updates for Google bloatware. So 1A may still have quite some life left in it. Even more so now with all the mods and possibilities that have arisen in this vibrant community (thanks @Morgenstern09 and @MrWalkman!). Still, I'm looking forward to seeing what Sony comes up with next.



Also just got myself two used A45 and A55 players. The A45 player should run the WM1 firmware just fine, as well as ZX300.

Having the A45 would help me test the WM1 firmware on hand. For example, ZX300 runs the WM1 firmware (sound is working), but the touchscreen is not working. As I don't have the ZX300 on hand, I have to rely on other people to test possible fixes, and when I'm excited about something it's harder than usual to wait  A45 should have the same issue with the touchscreen, and if I'll have the device on hand, I'll be able to quickly test possible fixes. These fixes will also work for the ZX300.


----------



## Redcarmoose

SebaE2012 said:


> Same here. I got my 1A just a couple of months ago. I'm enjoying it a lot. I happen to think it's a terrific piece of kit, very relevant in 2020. Actually, my experience so far with high price (or perhaps mid price but still expensive) DAPS has been buying at a point when they've been out for quite a while, and thus I've gotten great prices and great products. Moreover, I think 1A, being a non-Android player, gets older better than Android-based players. It doesn't suffer from running on older versions of the OS that get laggy with app updates. My ZX2 has become laggy even if haven't installed any apps (other than Spotify for casual streaming - no Tidal where I live) nor have I installed updates for Google bloatware. So 1A may still have quite some life left in it. Even more so now with all the mods and possibilities that have arisen in this vibrant community (thanks @Morgenstern09 and @MrWalkman!). Still, I'm looking forward to seeing what Sony comes up with next.



Totally true about getting longevity by not needing Android updates. Not in fact having player dependent upon past or future updates for functionality is a breath of fresh air. Also strangely the players became able for a faster UI experience with later firmware.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 10, 2020)

Android devices especially older versions has a tendency to suffer from slowdowns over time, more so if you install many apps. One of the reasons is because of file fragmentation. Manual clearing of cache can help.

https://www.tuxera.com/blog/why-is-my-android-phone-slowing-down/

https://www.usenix.org/system/files/conference/hotstorage16/hotstorage16_ji.pdf

On the ZX2, you can clear cache by going to:
Settings > Storage > Cached Data (press) > OK

This should resolve the slowdown of the ZX2 in most cases.

A factory reset for ZX2 once in a while should solve all slowdown problems.

Even for modern android smartphones and modern Sony Android Walkman A105 and ZX507, I would recommend downloading Google files from the App store to perform the removing of junk files once in a while. It will restore your android device responsiveness to near factory reset levels.


----------



## AlexCBSN

MrWalkman said:


> Also just got myself two used A45 and A55 players. The A45 player should run the WM1 firmware just fine, as well as ZX300.
> 
> Having the A45 would help me test the WM1 firmware on hand. For example, ZX300 runs the WM1 firmware (sound is working), but the touchscreen is not working. As I don't have the ZX300 on hand, I have to rely on other people to test possible fixes, and when I'm excited about something it's harder than usual to wait  A45 should have the same issue with the touchscreen, and if I'll have the device on hand, I'll be able to quickly test possible fixes. These fixes will also work for the ZX300.



Oh man, if you mod the a45 firmware I would not sell mine, since the modded firmwares, it has stayed in the drawer for the longest. the sound is really good in that little pup, always wondered if there was a way to mod it. how you like it? Kind regards Monsieur Walkman, hehehe or Señor Walkman


----------



## MrWalkman

AlexCBSN said:


> Oh man, if you mod the a45 firmware I would not sell mine, since the modded firmwares, it has stayed in the drawer for the longest. the sound is really good in that little pup, always wondered if there was a way to mod it. how you like it? Kind regards Monsieur Walkman, hehehe or Señor Walkman



It will arrive tomorrow. There should definitely be an improvement, I'm curious as well


----------



## Queen6

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Android devices especially older versions has a tendency to suffer from slowdowns over time, more so if you install many apps. One of the reasons is because of file fragmentation. Manual clearing of cache can help.
> 
> https://www.tuxera.com/blog/why-is-my-android-phone-slowing-down/
> 
> ...



Android devices can and do slow down, equally if the OEM does their homework it shouldn't be an issue. I've two Android phones one has been up for close to 1K hours the other over 5K hours without any slowdown. Both have automated cleaning and maintenance, only time I restart is if there's a system update. 

Q-6


----------



## Dtuck90

MrWalkman said:


> It will arrive tomorrow. There should definitely be an improvement, I'm curious as well



I’d love to be able to mod my A45. I use that when I’m travelling sometimes instead of my WM1A


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 10, 2020)

Dtuck90 said:


> I’d love to be able to mod my A45. I use that when I’m travelling sometimes instead of my WM1A



Yep, and especially being able to run the newer version of the WM1's firmware, which runs better than the laggier firmware of the A45. Both players use the same SoC (CPU).

No FM radio though.


----------



## SebaE2012

Redcarmoose said:


> Totally true about getting longevity by not needing Android updates. Not in fact having player dependent upon past or future updates for functionality is a breath of fresh air. Also strangely the players became able for a faster UI experience with later firmware.



Totally. I don't know what's the experience of those people in the thread who have owned either player for 3+ years, but I'd bet they are as snappy as they were when brand new.


----------



## SebaE2012

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Android devices especially older versions has a tendency to suffer from slowdowns over time, more so if you install many apps. One of the reasons is because of file fragmentation. Manual clearing of cache can help.
> 
> https://www.tuxera.com/blog/why-is-my-android-phone-slowing-down/
> 
> ...



Thanks a lot for the tip. Not keen on factory reset as it needs to put the music back in the player, which takes a while. But clearing cache and Google files may be a good idea. Gonna give it a shot!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

It is actually a good idea to restart devices once in a while. Especially with things like routers:

https://news.yahoo.com/often-rebooting-router-155334259.html

But even things like audio DACs can have DSP glitch issues that require restarts:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hap...ntroducing-modi-multibit.815368/post-12933242


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Cheers! 
A quick Q - 3.5mm out - inner black plastic circle - is it normal that it has just a little
looseness, plays a tad?
This one:


----------



## Whitigir

Mystic Traveller said:


> Cheers!
> A quick Q - 3.5mm out - inner black plastic circle - is it normal that it has just a little
> looseness, plays a tad?
> This one:


Both ports are able to be wiggling around if your force it to.  The mechanism is hook and lock in mechanism.  It was implemented for reliability purposes.


----------



## Dtuck90

MrWalkman said:


> Yep, and especially being able to run the newer version of the WM1's firmware, which runs better than the laggier firmware of the A45. Both players use the same SoC (CPU).
> 
> No FM radio though.



That’s fine with me. Looking forward to this.


----------



## Motagaly (Aug 10, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> So it's pretty useless in my case, isn't it?





Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, maybe there is a hidden line out? Haha.
> 
> It would be one of those old-school adapters like above that you would plug a 3.5mm into?



I don’t think it would be useless, check out this page https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyWMPort and the hacks at the end of the page with links, according to what I searched on the internet, any cable/adaptor can be made if you know the pin diagrams and have access to a DIY 22 pin plug, the one I posted from Japan looks like it.

In all cases, I should have this in a month (my friend ordered five as they are very cheap) and my initial target is to make a digital audio out adaptor, and my ultimate hack would be making a Swiss Army knife board that plugs into Sony WM1A with dip switches to jouce “out and in“ every possible connection on one board.

I have the micro USB and it doesn’t work as anything other than charge and PC connection as a drive, paying for the digital audio out at 60$ was ok for me to do, but I opted instead for this wild experiment.

BTW, I am following hea-fi for so many years, registered 2 years ago when I made a bunch of cables myself which came nice, but then become too lazy to post 😆

For some reason I decided to become active, I learned a lot from all of you here.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 10, 2020)

Line out used to be possible with Zx2.  On the WM1A/Z, the engineers eliminated it as it could act like an antenna that absorb noises toward the S-Master.  So even if you were to use the Line out WM plug, you won’t be able to get line out.  But it could be that the engineers said so because it was not enabled ?  There is a dongle for that to use on ZX2, which I don’t remember the name, and it is also WM port dongle 

I know that WM1A used the same SOC as DMP and also have dsd remastering features, but it can not be enabled as S-Master is MultiBit where as DSD is 1 bit


----------



## Motagaly

Whitigir said:


> Line out used to be possible with Zx2.  On the WM1A/Z, the engineers eliminated it as it could act like an antenna that absorb noises toward the S-Master.  So even if you were to use the Line out WM plug, you won’t be able to get line out.  But it could be that the engineers said so because it was not enabled ?  There is a dongle for that to use on ZX2, which I don’t remember the name, and it is also WM port dongle
> 
> I know that WM1A used the same SOC as DMP and also have dsd remastering features, but it can not be enabled as S-Master is MultiBit where as DSD is 1 bit



best way to know -at least for me- is to try, as long as I am going to play with ins and out with no USB voltage or power, the chances of breaking my beloved WM1A should stay low.

i will post my findings once I receive the plugs and try these methods. Not soon though


----------



## bflat

Motagaly said:


> best way to know -at least for me- is to try, as long as I am going to play with ins and out with no USB voltage or power, the chances of breaking my beloved WM1A should stay low.
> 
> i will post my findings once I receive the plugs and try these methods. Not soon though



You won't break your WM1a because there are no physical connections inside of the WM1a to the line out pins of the WM Port. There is also no audio in support either although the WM Port has a spec for it.


----------



## MrWalkman

Motagaly said:


> best way to know -at least for me- is to try, as long as I am going to play with ins and out with no USB voltage or power, the chances of breaking my beloved WM1A should stay low.
> 
> i will post my findings once I receive the plugs and try these methods. Not soon though



I should get mine next week, I'm curious as well.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Whitigir said:


> as S-Master is MultiBit


? How can it be? I thought that C-PLM being the main thing in the S-Master
generates a 1-bit pulse stream.
I am not a tech guy just curious.


----------



## Motagaly

bflat said:


> You won't break your WM1a because there are no physical connections inside of the WM1a to the line out pins of the WM Port. There is also no audio in support either although the WM Port has a spec for it.



I didn’t know that, I wanted these plugs to do originally a digital line out cable, something like the FiiO L27, any way, when I have the plugs will see if there is no line out option by experimenting.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

DMP-Z1 + SA-Z1

https://www.sony.jp/audio/special/sa-z1/

Sell your kidneys:


----------



## Mystic Traveller

I bought my 1A from the first owner and the player is like new.
It had had only 70 hrs "on the clock" in 1.5 years and a thought crossed my mind
if a battery could have deteriorated from mostly lying on a shelf.
But no, it now has 107 hrs and the battery seems working fine.


----------



## Whitigir

bflat said:


> You won't break your WM1a because there are no physical connections inside of the WM1a to the line out pins of the WM Port. There is also no audio in support either although the WM Port has a spec for it.


Doesn’t hurt to try 


Mystic Traveller said:


> ? How can it be? I thought that C-PLM being the main thing in the S-Master
> generates a 1-bit pulse stream.
> I am not a tech guy just curious.


the key word is to “generates”...what happens before that ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

SebaE2012 said:


> Totally. I don't know what's the experience of those people in the thread who have owned either player for 3+ years, but I'd bet they are as snappy as they were when brand new.


No! The point I’m making is that the players are unarguably faster than when they came out. That’s the best part. They were faster with Sony 3.02 but now even faster with MrWalkman’s adds. IMO




Mystic Traveller said:


> Cheers!
> A quick Q - 3.5mm out - inner black plastic circle - is it normal that it has just a little
> looseness, plays a tad?
> This one:



Each Walkman 1Z/1A has it’s very own level of play. There is a spectrum of different amounts of movement. My 1A has zero movement but the 1Z has slight movement with both ports. So movement is normal, but with some owners players there is absolutely none.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Aug 10, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> what happens before that ?


Before that there was the "Big Bang" a while ago. 
AFAIK PCM or DSD singals are coming in.

Anyway, for me MulitBit while speaking about DA conversion always means something like a PCM1704 and as far as I see S-Master is a totally different creation. 
That's why I asked.


----------



## Whitigir

Here is the basic of class D amplifications 
https://www.researchgate.net/profil.../download/Class+D+Audio+Amplifier+Basics+.pdf


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Class D amps can only get better with GANFet

This heatsink-less class D amp claims to be able to push 200W into 8ohms:


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Class D amps can only get better with GANFet
> 
> This heatsink-less class D amp claims to be able to push 200W into 8ohms:



And it isn’t cheap lol


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 10, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> And it isn’t cheap lol



DMP-Z1 ain't cheap too.

That's what you have to pay for bleeding edge technologies.

I am kinda surprised with the ZX507's single ended amplifer though. According to Sony, it's only 50mW @16ohm on single ended. It seems to be able drive my HD800 300ohm at max volume without audible distortion. I tried using my iphone as decibel meter and placed it on right next to the HD800 driver. Playing frequency sweep with a tone generator software. I got 90db average loudness with peak at 98db.

Wonder how Sony manages to keep the ZX507's amp distortion free? Is it because of the EDLC/Super capacitor or something? I really don't know or maybe it's just because Sony is more conservative on power ratings?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Mystic Traveller said:


> Cheers!
> A quick Q - 3.5mm out - inner black plastic circle - is it normal that it has just a little
> looseness, plays a tad?
> This one:




I had 6 sony daps on hands and all the brand new units have very tight wiggle free connectors!. With time it gets loosen and me to I tough it was a default but it seems normal as it never affected my sound quality or made any interruption in sound. I'd say dont worrie about it and just dont practice the bongie style on your cable lmao




Mystic Traveller said:


> I bought my 1A from the first owner and the player is like new.
> It had had only 70 hrs "on the clock" in 1.5 years and a thought crossed my mind
> if a battery could have deteriorated from mostly lying on a shelf.
> But no, it now has 107 hrs and the battery seems working fine.



Sony batteries are unkillable ! Just enable the battery care feature and late your 1a live a free life ! With mind free care. Seriously we have folks with 17500 hours on their units and it was still rolling hard core!






Sonywalkmanuser said:


> DMP-Z1 ain't cheap too.
> 
> That's what you have to pay for bleeding edge technologies.
> 
> ...





Except it isnt enough to give them justice sorry mate... Hd800 out of zx-507 lol Maybe just for the fun but not for seriousness ;p


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 10, 2020)

Edit: Let's maybe not


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> I had 6 sony daps on hands and all the brand new units have very tight wiggle free connectors!. With time it gets loosen and me to I tough it was a default but it seems normal as it never affected my sound quality or made any interruption in sound. I'd say dont worrie about it and just dont practice the bongie style on your cable lmao
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Oh? So no movement with the plugs at all ever out of the box? Didn’t know that, or was informed otherwise.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Oh? So no movement with the plugs at all ever out of the box? Didn’t know that, or was informed otherwise.




Out of the box its tight!   But with time and use and ware and tear. It does losen. As I understood it is a normal thing it should not break. Some daps had more wiggle then others ...


----------



## Ravenous

MrWalkman said:


> *- WM1A/Z++*
> *Same as WM1A/Z+ from above, but also with a little increased volume output, with no distortion.
> 
> 
> ...


Quick question! Does ++ increase power output? For instance, does it increase the power output of either of the 3.5mm unbalanced or the 4.4mm balanced? Thanks for the release!


----------



## MrWalkman

Ravenous said:


> Quick question! Does ++ increase power output? For instance, does it increase the power output of either of the 3.5mm unbalanced or the 4.4mm balanced? Thanks for the release!



It increases the volume output in comparison with the normal firmware.

Something like instead of 85, it's 90. Instead of 120, it's like 125 for example.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Out of the box its tight!   But with time and use and ware and tear. It does losen. As I understood it is a normal thing it should not break. Some daps had more wiggle then others ...



A while back I was going to have a Walkman mod company put in a new 3.5mm socket, then I discovered it was simply a short in a cheap cable. The place told me that the sockets were of a basically random amount of play. But you answer makes sense as why would they sell new Walkmans with jiggling sockets? Glad it doesn’t affect sound quality.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Vitaly2017 said:


> Sony batteries are unkillable ! Just enable the battery care feature and late your 1a live a free life !


Yep, mate!  Indeed, It's a Sony and now I have a luxury of not caring much about the battery.
It's a good feeling after battery/charger bugs on a Questyle 1R and very short bat. life on Multibit  DAPs.


----------



## mmwwmm

@MrWalkman just a question about Chamelon Fw. I know that to going back to stock Fw I just need to be sure to switch the player to the original model (A or Z) and then just install the stock Fw of choice but, what would happen if I install the Stock Fw with the player unswitched to the original model? 
It will brick the player? Just curious about that.
Thanks!


----------



## aceedburn

mmwwmm said:


> @MrWalkman just a question about Chamelon Fw. I know that to going back to stock Fw I just need to be sure to switch the player to the original model (A or Z) and then just install the stock Fw of choice but, what would happen if I install the Stock Fw with the player unswitched to the original model?
> It will brick the player? Just curious about that.
> Thanks!


No it won’t brick the player at all. You’ll just be loading the external tuning for that model. So if you have a 1A and changed using model switcher to 1Z, the firmwares will load external tuning for 1Z.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 11, 2020)

mmwwmm said:


> @MrWalkman just a question about Chamelon Fw. I know that to going back to stock Fw I just need to be sure to switch the player to the original model (A or Z) and then just install the stock Fw of choice but, what would happen if I install the Stock Fw with the player unswitched to the original model?
> It will brick the player? Just curious about that.
> Thanks!



It won't brick the player, but it might make it unrecognizeable by the destination tool for example - you can still install any stock or modded firmware.

Fixing it could be done by reinstalling the firmware again (CHAMELEON or WM1A/Z+) and just switching the model.

In cases where you forgot to switch back the model, installed stock, then installed one of the firmware mods again and used the switch option, the switch option will actually "fix" the unrecognizeable device issue with the destination tool, reverting the model to the original one for your device.

But all this seemingly "complicated" stuff can be avoided just by remembering to switch back the model, as part of the instructions.

There is no risk of bricking the player at all by using any of the two firmwares. Bricking is something serious and I would have mentioned it. The unrecognizeable device issue is really nothing serious, and fixable really easy. I just hoped people could follow some simple instructions and we won't have to come to that issue.


Edit: Maybe I'll just make a small update for people who forget to switch the model back and get their device not recognized by the destination tool, like the Certificates images restoring update.


----------



## 524419

MrWalkman said:


> It won't brick the player, but it might make it unrecognizeable by the destination tool for example - you can still install any stock or modded firmware.
> 
> Fixing it could be done by reinstalling the firmware again (CHAMELEON or WM1A/Z+) and just switching the model.
> 
> ...


How do I use the tool you gave me to switch regions? I am having a hell of a time figuring it out 
Help please, I just finished my 1A mod and need to tune the sound.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 11, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> How do I use the tool you gave me to switch regions? I am having a hell of a time figuring it out
> Help please, I just finished my 1A mod and need to tune the sound.



Just follow the instructions in the post from my signature, please.

There is no need for any additional tool, the model switching is done from inside the Settings, and destination change is done with the classic destination tool from Rockbox.


The tool you're mentioning (Region Changer) was only meant to let you install tunings made for a region on a player from another region. It's really "useful" only for testing Cerberus on EU/JP devices, but people like RobertP, for example, are "advertising" installing Cerberus using invalid/not working ways anyway, like the XML swapping which is just not working like he (and maybe others) thinks it does.

As the region changer is really of no actual use otherwise and it can confuse people rather than helping them, I removed it from the post and from the Google Drive folder. If you really have a use of it, PM me with the details.


----------



## proedros

those of you who love , brilliant, scorching , kick-ass old-school funk - this is the greatest funk band you have never heard of

personally speaking, these guys are top-5 funk stuff in my mind (and i have heard LOTS of funk)

You can check them out on *Deezer *, here

*https://www.deezer.com/us/artist/2460*

if you like* Bootsy Collins , Parliament Funkadelic , Graham Central Station* - do yourself a favor and buy this fantastic *'5-albums-in-1-package*' bundle , this is a* Rhino *reissue so you know the sound is great

*https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/4559644?ev=rb

https://www.amazon.com/Slave-Original-Album/dp/B005POVG8G






*


----------



## vilhelm44

proedros said:


> those of you who love , brilliant, scorching , kick-ass old-school funk - this is the greatest funk band you have never heard of
> 
> personally speaking, these guys are top-5 funk stuff in my mind (and i have heard LOTS of funk)
> 
> ...



Cheers for the tip, sounds good! I will check them out.


----------



## proedros

vilhelm44 said:


> Cheers for the tip, sounds good! I will check them out.



if you like old school funk / the giants i mention in the previous post, then Slave is a must-listen

every song on these albums slays , and the best thing about them : they have *zero corny ballads* (which has always been the Achilles' heel of funk albums in general)


----------



## pumin

May 1Z / 1A / ZX-507 owner confirm if your dap can play and fully unfold local MQA file ?

some demo MQA files can be download from
http://www.2l.no/hires/

TIA


----------



## MrWalkman

pumin said:


> May 1Z / 1A / ZX-507 owner confirm if your dap can play and fully unfold local MQA file ?
> 
> some demo MQA files can be download from
> http://www.2l.no/hires/
> ...



Yes. For example, I downloaded the second file from your link (Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor, BWV 903: Fantasia - Christian Grøvlen).


----------



## mwhals

Mystic Traveller said:


> Yep, mate!  Indeed, It's a Sony and now I have a luxury of not caring much about the battery.
> It's a good feeling after battery/charger bugs on a Questyle 1R and very short bat. life on Multibit  DAPs.



How does the WM1A sound compared to the QP1R? I have no other reference than the Questyle daps.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 11, 2020)

Back to upscaling music.  Using my desktop build and HQplayer Desktop.  I can say that a proper Digital filter with great Tap Length is very heavy processing and it does sound great.  My PC is built for this purposes (Performances and passive coolant with Music fidelity built in mind) but the heat it generates is a killer

Filter being used is : Sinc-M (1 Million Tap Length)
Upscaling upward to 192Khz (IIS limitations atm But build with PinkFaun OCXO clock)
Off load processing with CuDa
Dithering: None

What I will be interested in to see, is to try DSEEHX at full scale on desktop and compare to HQplayer, and observe if it really is as good as Sony claimed it to be.
At the moment, I still don’t understand how AI can help processing and upscaling music without too much power (resources and consumption) If done correctly


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 11, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Back to upscaling music.  Using my desktop build and HQplayer Desktop.  I can say that a proper Digital filter with great Tap Length is very heavy processing and it does sound great.  My PC is built for this purposes (Performances and passive coolant with Music fidelity built in mind) but the heat it generates is a killer
> 
> Filter being used is : Sinc-M (1 Million Tap Length)
> Upscaling upward to 192Khz (IIS limitations atm But build with PinkFaun OCXO clock)
> ...



I know nothing except armchair AI study. I have seen photographs AI enhanced where it somehow knows what needs to be added to generate a sharper photograph. And while these photographs look natural they can look slightly like drawings in places, like computer animation almost in the most obvious areas, like reflections in the eyes.

My idea is that it may not end up as much in real-time but AI will work on a piece of music and save it as a file that can be played back in real-time? That way the process can be slower?

This is an AI drawing from scratch so this woman does not exist.


----------



## MrWalkman

The A45 is here, and it's so small, haha


----------



## AlexCBSN

MrWalkman said:


> The A45 is here, and it's so small, haha


So... it begins...


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> I know nothing except armchair AI study. I have seen photographs AI enhanced where it somehow knows what needs to be added to generate a sharper photograph. And while these photographs look natural they can look slightly like drawings in places, like computer animation almost in the most obvious areas, like reflections in the eyes.
> 
> My idea is that it may not end up as much in real-time but AI will work on a piece of music and save it as a file that can be played back in real-time? That way the process can be slower?



Real time and or offline processing is another matter of this issues.  Music is processed in real time and times domains, where as Pictures are not.  The only pictures processing in real time would be if compared to Video footages with real time processing and limited buffer about the same as music processing.  I haven’t seen anything like that yet.
Now, off line processing is what you mentioned, the ability to process forever until done and then stored it.  This is why using a good program with good algorithms and applying delta sigma techniques to process into DSD is preferably the best ways to listen to PCM music
Because after all, PCM with Sigma Delta techniques will come out DSD stream before filters and become musics.


----------



## Valsi203

Hi, I am considering buying Sony WM1z. Son Video item sells currently for 2649€.
https://www.son-video.com/article/baladeurs-audiophiles/sony/nw-wm1z
Have I still to wait for a lower price ?!
... and has someone experience with pairing Noble Audio Katana? ( Gun Metal Blue Limited Edition)
Thanks for yours answers.
Ladislav.


----------



## Whitigir

Valsi203 said:


> Hi, I am considering buying Sony WM1z. Son Video item sells currently for 2649€.
> https://www.son-video.com/article/baladeurs-audiophiles/sony/nw-wm1z
> Have I still to wait for a lower price ?!
> ... and has someone experience with pairing Noble Audio Katana? ( Gun Metal Blue Limited Edition)
> ...


That converted to $3,200 which I think is MSRP.  I have seen new and even mint 1Z for cheaper and even much cheaper


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 11, 2020)

AlexCBSN said:


> So... it begins...








Yep.

It actually has the same S-Master HX chip, as well as the same 512MB of RAM, and the same SoC (CPU).


----------



## ze3e13

MrWalkman said:


> The A45 is here, and it's so small, haha



Wow hope it can give you some new inspiration!


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> Yep.
> 
> It actually has the same S-Master HX chip, as well as the same 512MB of RAM, and the same SoC (CPU).




you need to lay your hands on zx-507 to ! ;p


----------



## MrWalkman

ze3e13 said:


> Wow hope it can give you some new inspiration!



It should definitely help in seeking a fix for making the touchscreen work on ZX300 with the WM1 firmware 



Vitaly2017 said:


> you need to lay your hands on zx-507 to ! ;p



It's a bit expensive, so it won't be too soon.


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> Yep.
> 
> It actually has the same S-Master HX chip, as well as the same 512MB of RAM, and the same SoC (CPU).



After it’s altered who knows, maybe better than DMP-Z1?


----------



## vilhelm44

proedros said:


> if you like old school funk / the giants i mention in the previous post, then Slave is a must-listen
> 
> every song on these albums slays , and the best thing about them : they have *zero corny ballads* (which has always been the Achilles' heel of funk albums in general)



Been listening to some tracks on Youtube and they are great! Funny I've never heard of them but remember Steve Arrington having hits in the 80s.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

MrWalkman said:


> It actually has the same S-Master HX chip,


Looking forward to seeing what you can do with an A45 - a"mini digital copy of 1Z"?


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> After it’s altered who knows, maybe better than DMP-Z1?



Good joke 😅



Mystic Traveller said:


> Looking forward to seeing what you can do with an A45 - a"mini digital copy of 1Z"?



I'm curious how it can sound too


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> After it’s altered who knows, maybe better than DMP-Z1?


Dude, if any machine can surpass the DMP-Z1, wouldn't that be a bunch of money saved for someone who wants to experience that technology?


----------



## MrWalkman

Gamerlingual said:


> Dude, if any machine can surpass the DMP-Z1, wouldn't that be a bunch of money saved for someone who wants to experience that technology?



It has a totally different hardware though, so not really possible.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> It has a totally different hardware though, so not really possible.


Is it hard to say which one truly has better hardware, marketing BS aside?


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> It has a totally different hardware though, so not really possible.



Just like the 1A has different hardware than the 1Z? Huh? What?


----------



## Whitigir

Gamerlingual said:


> Dude, if any machine can surpass the DMP-Z1, wouldn't that be a bunch of money saved for someone who wants to experience that technology?


Definitely!!
If Hardware limitations isn’t existed.
It is like saying that I could have a flying pig as a pet if reality doesn’t apply
However, I have seen these Similar instances in many other hobbies, including Car modifications.  They call it replicas, an MR2 from Toyota can be converted to Ferrari, and that automatically makes it a (Ferrari in the believers mind)


----------



## AlexCBSN

MrWalkman said:


> Yep.
> 
> It actually has the same S-Master HX chip, as well as the same 512MB of RAM, and the same SoC (CPU).


I know there might be a couple of limitations, but still, always wondered how would it be to have a modded firmware for this platform, anything you share with us will be truly appreciated, it would be funny for people to jump into the nw series cause of a new firmware, price wise is waaaaaay more affordable than a wm1, i dont expect it to have the same wiring, nor the elegant chasis with all the details that make the wm1 such a high end player, but! imagine the possibilites:


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 11, 2020)

DSEE HX for PC does exist:

https://musiccenter.sony.net/en/instruction/inst013.php

It could be AI enchanced:

http://sonymusiccenter.blogspot.com/2018/10/sony-music-centre-gets-ai-strengthened.html?m=1

Sony Music Centre Software gets the THIRD VERSION OF DSEE HX which incorporates AI - you can see it in the AVLib folder with Metallic Database Library and Music Mining Library. Of course, we still don't know if this version might be an older or intermediate version...of course it's not the 2nd version with 5 presets, and the first version only supported up to 24/192.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 11, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> DSEE HX for PC does exist:
> 
> https://musiccenter.sony.net/en/instruction/inst013.php


Does that fully utilize the DSEEHX progressive power Vs the scaled down on Walkman ? 

Probably not ? Since the manual stated


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> DSEE HX for PC does exist:
> 
> https://musiccenter.sony.net/en/instruction/inst013.php
> 
> ...


So meaning the DSEE HX in theory can or cannot match the DMP-Z1?


----------



## rbf1138

Does anyone have video showing the UI speed improvements with mrwalkmans firmware? Really curious to see it in action.


----------



## ze3e13

MrWalkman said:


> It should definitely help in seeking a fix for making the touchscreen work on ZX300 with the WM1 firmware
> 
> 
> 
> It's a bit expensive, so it won't be too soon.


Can't wait new firmware for zx300  
May you succeed!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 11, 2020)

rbf1138 said:


> Does anyone have video showing the UI speed improvements with mrwalkmans firmware? Really curious to see it in action.



It’s been a jump since 1.00 that’s for sure. If MrWalkmans is faster (like it seems) also 3.02 regular is fast too, faster than 1.00.


----------



## rbf1138

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s been a jump since 1.20 that’s for sure. If MrWalkmans is faster (like it seems) also 3.02 regular is fast too, faster than 1.20.



I'm probably buying one of the used wm1a currently for sale here, so just curious to know how much better it’ll be than all of the YouTube video reviews which show the kind of laggy performance. FYI, I got an ibasso dx160 yesterday and I think it sounds really good but Android is killing me...just hoping the 1A doesn’t make me regret getting rid of the ibasso.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 11, 2020)

HQPlayer does a blanket upsampling on the entire waveform, while Sony DSEE HX AI does sound source separation, which analyzes and splits up music into different elements and apply different upsampling method for each element before remixing back into one waveform again.

With this kind of sound splitting technique, I believe that is why Sony is able to add Soundstage height effect that is not possible with conventional upsampling algorithms like HQPlayer.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> HQPlayer does a blanket upsampling on the entire waveform, while Sony DSEE HX AI does sound source separation, which analyzes and splits up music into different elements and apply different upsampling method for each element before remixing back into one waveform again.
> 
> With this kind of sound splitting technique, I believe that is why Sony is able to add Soundstage height effect that is not possible with conventional upsampling algorithms like HQPlayer.


Does it mean it could sound better directly off the PC using Sony Music Center?


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 11, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Just like the 1A has different hardware than the 1Z? Huh? What?



Well, it's a different story with the Z1 



rbf1138 said:


> I'm probably buying one of the used wm1a currently for sale here, so just curious to know how much better it’ll be than all of the YouTube video reviews which show the kind of laggy performance. FYI, I got an ibasso dx160 yesterday and I think it sounds really good but Android is killing me...just hoping the 1A doesn’t make me regret getting rid of the ibasso.



It's not laggy anymore on latest versions of the firmware. Those videos are probably with pre 3.0x versions.

I have no idea if 2.0x is still as fast as 3.0x, but 1.xx versions were surely laggy.

I had a FiiO M11 Pro, Android, and the OS was a real let down. It was a good reason why I decided to try WM1A and not ZX507 - and I'm really glad with the choice!


----------



## proedros

vilhelm44 said:


> Been listening to some tracks on Youtube and they are great! Funny I've never heard of them but remember Steve Arrington having hits in the 80s.



Hi Bill , glad you liked them - yeah these cats went kinda unnoticed which is a shame , as i have been VERY impressed by their body of work between 1977-83 (7 or 8 albums)

btw , i also managed to download the steve arrington discography and it's very enjoyable (although not as pure funk as Slave were)

Btw , if you want a more 'boogie'/disco sound that has Slave connections , check out this band as well - *Aurra (4 albums in the 80s)*

all these can be found on platforms like Deezer or just search via amazon/discogs for their albums in physical form

Let me copy/paste a post i just did in Steve Hoffman forums , about Slave and 2 other hugely fantastic old-school funk bands/artists ....

======================================================================================================================

So covid made me quit smoking (weed and tobacco) , quitting smoking made me start running , running made me start listening to old-school funk again and these 3 artists are the ones whose (fantastic) discography i have been playing nonstop those last few days/weeks

*Slave (more about these cats down the post)
Bootsy Collins / Bootsy's Rubber Band
Graham Central Station*

Slave especially have become top-3 favorite funk artists - fantastic body of work, these cats have like 7-8 albums between 1977-83 which really SLAY - and zero corny ballads , which has always been the Achilles' heel of funk music/albums

ps: It's also very convenient , that there are those amazing *'Original Albums Series'* 5-albums-in-1' bundle for all 3 artists i mention , which cover 85-90% of their peak body of work (all 5 albums in each bundle is great)

All 3 bundles are *Rhino Reissues* , so you know that the sound is gonna be real good.....


https://www.discogs.com/de/sell/release/4559644?ev=rb









https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/2112154?ev=rb








https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/5155467?ev=rb


----------



## nc8000

rbf1138 said:


> Does anyone have video showing the UI speed improvements with mrwalkmans firmware? Really curious to see it in action.



I don’t notice any real difference on my 1Z


----------



## rbf1138

nc8000 said:


> I don’t notice any real difference on my 1Z



Interesting. Everyone acts like it’s totally smooth now as a result of firmware.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 11, 2020)

rbf1138 said:


> Interesting. Everyone acts like it’s totally smooth now as a result of firmware.



Not really, I didn't get that feeling from no one's feedback. It's just a small improvement - me and nc8000 are talking about the new firmware mods, not about the official firmware.

3.0x official firmware versions are already smooth, and not laggy like in Youtube videos.


----------



## nc8000

rbf1138 said:


> Interesting. Everyone acts like it’s totally smooth now as a result of firmware.



To me the stock fw has been pretty smooth since at least 3.0 and the MrWalkmann fw does not really make any noticable difference on gui smoothness to me. The sound on the other hand ...


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Aug 11, 2020)

mwhals said:


> How does the WM1A sound compared to the QP1R?


I had a QP1R more than a year ago (maybe 2) and that's interesting that out of all my previous
DAPs namely Questyle came in mind when I was thinking which one could be compared
to a WM1A.
From memory it has a kind of similar sound signature and back in the day QP1R did impress me soundwise.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Would love  to try DSEE AI on music center for PC, unfortunately the program is crap, it crashed with my huge library


----------



## Queen6 (Aug 11, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Would love  to try DSEE AI on music center for PC, unfortunately the program is crap, it crashed with my huge library



Yeah it's poorly implemented, spent the last couple of days chasing my tail why I couldn't fully reload 512 MicroSD cards, only common denominator was Sony's PC app, as it's the only thing across the computers that has any issue with the cards. Only thing that Sony's app is useful for is the 12 tone analysis for Sense Me on the DAP, the rest is pretty poor IMO, slow, unstable, creates havoc with certain SD cards.

It's like the the team that designed the DAP & SW are from a different planet to the team that designed the PC software. PC app is plain bad, manually updating an albums track list is a joke as it takes an age to effect any change, without any shadow of doubt the worst aspect of the Walkman experience...

Q-6


----------



## SebaE2012

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> It is actually a good idea to restart devices once in a while. Especially with things like routers:
> 
> https://news.yahoo.com/often-rebooting-router-155334259.html
> 
> ...


I didn't know this. Thanks for the links!


----------



## Hinomotocho (Aug 11, 2020)

rbf1138 said:


> I'm probably buying one of the used wm1a currently for sale here, so just curious to know how much better it’ll be than all of the YouTube video reviews which show the kind of laggy performance. FYI, I got an ibasso dx160 yesterday and I think it sounds really good but Android is killing me...just hoping the 1A doesn’t make me regret getting rid of the ibasso.


I was looking for reviews on YouTube before buying mine a couple of months back and there weren't many, and the ones in English were from 3-4 years ago. The latest firmware is lag free apart from occasionally a VERY slight delay with album art when selecting an album/folder - this could be to do with album art specs though.
There are custom firmwares that apparently are are even smoother than stock.
The WM1A may not appeal to everyone's needs but there are a lot of happy owners here on this nearing 3000 page thread that would list the UI as one of its selling points.


----------



## Dtuck90

I’m looking forward to the A45 mod. It will show us just how important the firmware is to the sound


----------



## MrWalkman

Dtuck90 said:


> I’m looking forward to the A45 mod. It will show us just how important the firmware is to the sound



Yep, it sounds really awesome, but these are just words. I'm trying to make the touchscreen work, hopefully I'll manage to do it. Otherwise, the WM1 firmware boots up, and I can start playing music only by pressing the hardware buttons.

Same thing happens for the ZX300.


----------



## vilhelm44

proedros said:


> Hi Bill , glad you liked them - yeah these cats went kinda unnoticed which is a shame , as i have been VERY impressed by their body of work between 1977-83 (7 or 8 albums)
> 
> btw , i also managed to download the steve arrington discography and it's very enjoyable (although not as pure funk as Slave were)
> 
> ...



Cheers Sotos! It's always great to hear about good music, I've 'discovered' many an artist years after they were popular...my taste takes time to catch up . Will also check out the rest, well done funk always goes a long way! You can always bet on good mastering on CD by Rhino. All the Original Album Series I've haerd sound great. Re Slave, it's amazing how a band that good can slip under the radar.


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> Yep, it sounds really awesome, but these are just words. I'm trying to make the touchscreen work, hopefully I'll manage to do it. Otherwise, the WM1 firmware boots up, and I can start playing music only by pressing the hardware buttons.
> 
> Same thing happens for the ZX300.




Now if you can find  a way how to change regions on zx507 or sony android daps ! That will be EPIC!


----------



## Redcarmoose

rbf1138 said:


> I'm probably buying one of the used wm1a currently for sale here, so just curious to know how much better it’ll be than all of the YouTube video reviews which show the kind of laggy performance. FYI, I got an ibasso dx160 yesterday and I think it sounds really good but Android is killing me...just hoping the 1A doesn’t make me regret getting rid of the ibasso.



There may have been video from early firmware use? Ever since 3.02 the UI is instant. It has never really been an issue, but I don't think it could be even faster? The UI is the greatest. The only thing is at times you would want a search function (where you could just enter a name) for bands, or songs? Still I simply use the choice of internal memory or card. If for what ever reason I still can't find something I may go to albums or artists where I will find it.

Enjoy! Don't worry about a thing.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 11, 2020)

This just a small discovery on the ZX507 with firmware 2.01:

Android has a safe mode which disables all 3rd party apps. You can enable safe mode by holding down volume down button during restarting.

Walkman music app still works in this mode.

What I discovered is that the sound signature in safe mode is totally different vs normal mode.

Normal mode sounds more 3D-like and more distant Soundstage. There's a certain softness to the transients

In safe mode, it's more brighter sounding and more 2D in it's soundstage.

This is even if you run direct source mode.

What I think is there is more signal processing going on behind the scenes in the ZX507 than what we would imagine it to be doing. Meaning direct source mode isn't as "direct" as you think.


----------



## MrWalkman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> This just a small discovery on the ZX507 with firmware 2.01:
> 
> Android has a safe mode which disables all 3rd party apps. You can enable safe mode by holding down volume down button during restarting.
> 
> ...



I actually run into something similar with the Walkman OS. However, there is no button combination that could trigger a safe mode on these devices.

I guess Direct Mode is like normal DSP that Sony applies, but without any other extra effects.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 11, 2020)

Which makes me wonder:

How much of a sound quality difference between WM1Z, WM1A, ZX507 and ZX300 is because of hardware differences.

How much of it is due to software sound processing or sound tuning.

Guess we don't know unless we managed to get down to the real direct source mode.


----------



## MrWalkman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Which makes me wonder:
> 
> How much of a sound quality difference between WM1Z, WM1A, ZX507 and ZX300 is because of hardware differences.
> 
> ...



I'm also curious what people think, as I don't own a ZX300. If only I could get the touchscreen to work. Still work in progress, but I really like how the small A45 sounds like with the WM1 firmware. There is the same spaciousness in sound, and really present bass, like you wouldn't think you could get from such a small device.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

MrWalkman said:


> I'm also curious what people think, as I don't own a ZX300. If only I could get the touchscreen to work. Still work in progress, but I really like how the small A45 sounds like with the WM1 firmware. There is the same spaciousness in sound, and really present bass, like you wouldn't think you could get from such a small device.



From what you mention and my own experience with ZX507 fw1.x vs fw2.x, I would think that the magical Sony sound signature comes a lot from sound tuning/software signal processing.

The Sony Secret Sound algorithms inside its firmware.


----------



## miguel.yarce

rbf1138 said:


> I'm probably buying one of the used wm1a currently for sale here, so just curious to know how much better it’ll be than all of the YouTube video reviews which show the kind of laggy performance. FYI, I got an ibasso dx160 yesterday and I think it sounds really good but Android is killing me...just hoping the 1A doesn’t make me regret getting rid of the ibasso.



If you only care about sound go for the 1A. I have never experienced lag or something like that, its very easy to use and intuitive. I have the ibasso dx200 with amp8 and its very near to the natural and organic sound of the wm1a but with a little bit more power in the amp section, but I dont like the Android performance IMO its slow and the apps sometimes crashes, now I'm using a Fiio M11Pro and this one is better on that point, is fast and the THX amp is very good to move big headphones like z7 but the sound is different you can listen a lot of details and space but it doesnt have that timbre very special of the 1A. 

Regards!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 11, 2020)

Jump to 6 min 25sec they talk about AI


----------



## AlexCBSN

MrWalkman said:


> I'm also curious what people think, as I don't own a ZX300. If only I could get the touchscreen to work. Still work in progress, but I really like how the small A45 sounds like with the WM1 firmware. There is the same spaciousness in sound, and really present bass, like you wouldn't think you could get from such a small device.


Please remove the tweety and set the nw45 please


----------



## MrWalkman

AlexCBSN said:


> Please remove the tweety and set the nw45 please



Haha, just got sidetracked listening for about 20 minutes to some songs on this small little fella.

Hope other people won't mind us talking about another Walkman device, hehe


----------



## AlexCBSN

MrWalkman said:


> Haha, just got sidetracked listening for about 20 minutes to some songs on this small little fella.
> 
> Hope other people won't mind us talking about another Walkman device, hehe


At the end, i bet something good will come out of your research, funny how the NW a45 software feels a bit "faster" than the wm1a, as well, the EQ has this thing where it's capped to 4 or 5 modding bands only and the "Clear Audio+'' feature sounds like an overdriven DSP, all that is sort of a "cost/ benefit" mod for the Os for the price of the youger sibling, but the hardware is the same, between the lines there must be something new to be found or to be exploited for the WM1 platform benefit. and if not, well... i mean, there's a ton of other posts in this thread that can be consider way more SPAM, a couple more won't hurt


----------



## rbf1138

rbf1138 said:


> Does anyone have video showing the UI speed improvements with mrwalkmans firmware? Really curious to see it in action.



Would still appreciate a walkthrough video of the current firmware speed, especially scrolling/browsing by folder with a lot of artists, then drilling down into albums, tracks, etc.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I felt that Clearaudio+ only works great with lower cost budget iems/headphones. Those costing $25 to $60 usd type.

With better headphones/iems the effect becomes too overwhelming or sounds over-processed.

Anyway it seems Sony doesn’t even include clearaudio function on its higher end models. It’s only for the lower end A models.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

So much engineering:
https://weekly.ascii.jp/elem/000/004/014/4014046/


----------



## aceedburn

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I felt that Clearaudio+ only works great with lower cost budget iems/headphones. Those costing $25 to $60 usd type.
> 
> With better headphones/iems the effect becomes too overwhelming or sounds over-processed.
> 
> Anyway it seems Sony doesn’t even include clearaudio function on its higher end models. It’s only for the lower end A models.


You’re right. I heard it on the A45 last time and didn’t like it at all. Very plastic and fake sounding. Not at all a nice DSP to use.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

aceedburn said:


> You’re right. I heard it on the A45 last time and didn’t like it at all. Very plastic and fake sounding. Not at all a nice DSP to use.



On the other hand, DSEE HX AI is a very nice DSP to use on the ZX507, in my opinion, it seems to add resolution, dynamics and soundstage height to the sound without being plastic or fake sounding. It's like an audiophile version of ClearAudio that is done right and works with high end headphones/IEMs.

It's great that WM1 users can get to experience this DSEE HX AI DSP with custom firmware as well.


----------



## Facta

DSEE HX AI firmware update available for Sony A45 and A55 too?!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 12, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> So much engineering:
> https://weekly.ascii.jp/elem/000/004/014/4014046/



And it’s about time for Sony to get back to miniaturization. They had a claim to fame with small TVs and portable tape players, now the SA-Z1! I have never heard it but imagine it sounds big, even though small.


----------



## aceedburn

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> On the other hand, DSEE HX AI is a very nice DSP to use on the ZX507, in my opinion, it seems to add resolution, dynamics and soundstage height to the sound without being plastic or fake sounding. It's like an audiophile version of ClearAudio that is done right and works with high end headphones/IEMs.
> 
> It's great that WM1 users can get to experience this DSEE HX AI DSP with custom firmware as well.


Yes  DSEE hx Ai is a god send. Thanks to @MrWalkman , all older recordings or lo res sound pristine. The difference can be heard and works like magic.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Looks like Sony has much more advanced audio technology with PS5. Maybe some of the technology came from Walkman division or AV division. One thing is for sure, Sony is a tech giant.









https://venturebeat.com/2020/03/18/playstation-5-mark-cerny-explains-tempest-engine-for-3d-audio/


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 12, 2020)

Just think Schiit Audio put out something like 20 or 30 products since the Sony Signature Series came out! Lol

I have their first product the Asgard One headphone amp. I’m not knocking them just making a point. Off the top of my head it seems Sony has put out about 6 products (within the price range) and very few of them compete with the 2016 Signature Series......if at all?


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Aug 12, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> just got sidetracked listening for about 20 minutes to some songs on this small little fella.


Just a thought  - without touchscreen operational is it possible to use A45
on some basic level only with buttons - just like selecting folders/ songs,
start playing with side buttons?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Schiit does make good products. I have the Yggdrasil dac also. It sounds very pristine and enveloping to listen, much better than my Audio-Gd Master 7 dac even after performing DSP firmware upgrade. 

But for what its worth, I do think my ZX507 is better than my computer audiophile system with Yggdrasil dac in the sense that the Walkman can upsample AAC files to near high res with DSEE AI. And I don’t have to deal with ac power supply noise coming from my neighbourhood.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 12, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


> Just a thought  - without touchscreen operational is it possible to use A45
> on some basic level only with buttons - just like selecting folders/ songs,
> start playing with side buttons?



Yes, this is how I played music until now.



Redcarmoose said:


> Just think Schiit Audio



Can't help but read this as "S*it Audio" 🤣


----------



## Layman1

MrWalkman said:


> Can't help but read this as "S*it Audio" 🤣



This is actually their intention from the start. I read an interview with the founder, and I think they were just trying to come up with the worst name on purpose


----------



## Redcarmoose

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Schiit does make good products. I have the Yggdrasil dac also. It sounds very pristine and enveloping to listen, much better than my Audio-Gd Master 7 dac even after performing DSP firmware upgrade.
> 
> But for what its worth, I do think my ZX507 is better than my computer audiophile system with Yggdrasil dac in the sense that the Walkman can upsample AAC files to near high res with DSEE AI. And I don’t have to deal with ac power supply noise coming from my neighbourhood.



The Schiit phenomenon is amazing in a way. The Asgard I feel was and still is a great value for what it is. But it is difficult to judge two very different systems and methodologies side by side. 

And it’s super interesting the point that your making. These were actually my exact thoughts before pulling the trigger on a Sony DAP. 

In so many basic conceptual ways the DAPs do have things working in their favor. No house AC noise. No worry about quality of interconnects as they are all in one. Though of course desktops can have more power. Still if you concern yourself with IEMs or easy to drive headphones, then the DAPs can be a rewarding departure from desktop listening. The power supply noise from house power is huge and can actually create diminished life-spans for AC audio components. Also with most desktop situations your always using more  complexity to look for albums or songs. Where here it’s like having the most easy to use remote in your hands, for ADD people.  

But if the quality of tone wasn’t there it would be such a lackluster affair? Yet it’s the critical natural tone and separation of imaging which makes someone not even think about a desktop experience. The other plus is not dealing with USB noise, and which can I read be transferred actually from house wiring? But not dealing with computer updates and funny reminders or bell sounds, like the computer is trying to run your schedule. Getting away from the computer is freedom, especially if you’ve had them bog down and create digital skipping or drop outs. Here with the Sony DAPs there is a closeness with the music. IMO


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

The amount of things to have headache over

Audiophile power cable
Audiophile USB PCI-E card with OCXO clock
Optical USB cable
Power Conditioner
Audiophile Fuses
Glass Toslink cable
Audiophile XLR Interconnect Cables
USB Isolation and Reclocker 
Audiophile Software Music Player 
Vibration isolation
Balanced R2R DAC
Balanced Preamp/Headamp
GPU and SSD noise
ASIO buffer settings 

Skip all of the above. Just buy yourself a Balanced 4.4mm capable Sony Walkman.


----------



## 524419 (Aug 12, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> The amount of things to have headache over
> 
> Audiophile power cable
> Audiophile USB PCI-E card with OCXO clock
> ...


I say have it all 
And do it all DIY

Nothing replaces having a Walkman, a suped up one at that, but nothing really replaces having a killer speaker setup either. One for you, and One to share with others.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 12, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> The amount of things to have headache over
> 
> Audiophile power cable
> Audiophile USB PCI-E card with OCXO clock
> ...



..................and that list is supposed to be a list of good things to concern with.

An........improvement list; the products you learn about and fiddle with to make stuff better, laughingly!!


Ironic isn’t it?

The 1Z/1A freedom is almost worth a genuine tear or two.


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> The Schiit phenomenon is amazing in a way. The Asgard I feel was and still is a great value for what it is. But it is difficult to judge two very different systems and methodologies side by side.
> 
> And it’s super interesting the point that your making. These were actually my exact thoughts before pulling the trigger on a Sony DAP.
> 
> ...


I had the Magni 3 and used it for a while. It was a nice sounding little amp with not much color added. But after I heard K5 Pro, I never went back to the Magni.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> The amount of things to have headache over
> 
> Audiophile power cable
> Audiophile USB PCI-E card with OCXO clock
> ...





Redcarmoose said:


> ..................and that list is supposed to be a list of good things to concern with.
> 
> An........improvement list; the products you learn about and fiddle with to make stuff better, laughingly!!
> 
> ...





This is the big answer from sony. DMP-Z1!  You buy that and you forget about any desktop setup or walkmans.

Dmp-z1 the best purest system that exists! Yes a little expensive but its the best cleanest way to experience music!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 12, 2020)

Not sure why, but I have grown to enjoy the sound of S-master HX even over the TAZH1-ES class A sound. I find the way which class D does bass is much more enjoyable as it has more immediacy and impact. Class D has speed in transients that is quite unmatched especially on gen 2 S-master.


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> This is the big answer from sony. DMP-Z1!  You buy that and you forget about any desktop setup or walkmans.
> 
> Dmp-z1 the best purest system that exists! Yes a little expensive but its the best cleanest way to experience music!


I have it and I still need my desktop


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Not sure why, but I have grown to enjoy the sound of S-master HX even over the TAZH1-ES class A sound. I find the way which class D does bass is much more enjoyable as it has more immediacy and impact. Class D has speed in transients that is quite unmatched especially on gen 2 S-master.


TA ZH1ES is S-Master and still a Class D.  The exception is that it has active controlled Negative paths, which helps eliminate the hisses and noises from S-Master when  output higher power


----------



## Gamerlingual

@Vitaly2017 A little expensive? Probably too expensive. If my tax return is good next year, I may get a used DMP-Z1. Below 600,000 yen. Even cheaper is better


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 12, 2020)

What I find is the Hybrid TAZH1-ES has a sound signature closer to typical Class A sound as compared to what I am hearing from pure class D amps. Its very pristine sounding with very clear tonality, I think it suits HD800 very well. Classical music should really do well on the TAZH1-ES. It's like a ballet dancer, ever so graceful and controlled.

It's a different kind of sound on the S-Master HX on ZX507, it's like acrobat, ready to deliver jumps and spins. Grunty Bass notes on the tap, cymbals clashes that have tizzy and splashes.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> What I find is the Hybrid TAZH1-ES has a sound signature closer to typical Class A sound as compared to what I am hearing from pure class D amps. Its very pristine sounding with very clear tonality, I think it suits HD800 very well. Classical music should really do well on the TAZH1-ES. It's like a ballet dancer, ever so graceful.
> 
> It's a different kind of sound on the S-Master HX on ZX507, it's like acrobat, ready to deliver jumps and spins. Grunty Bass notes on the tap, cymbals clashes that have tizzy and splashes.


How is the TA vs in the DMP-Z1 in your eyes?


----------



## MrWalkman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> What I find is the Hybrid TAZH1-ES has a sound signature closer to typical Class A sound as compared to what I am hearing from pure class D amps. Its very pristine sounding with very clear tonality, I think it suits HD800 very well. Classical music should really do well on the TAZH1-ES. It's like a ballet dancer, ever so graceful and controlled.
> 
> It's a different kind of sound on the S-Master HX on ZX507, it's like acrobat, ready to deliver jumps and spins. Grunty Bass notes on the tap, cymbals clashes that have tizzy and splashes.



You could connect the ZX from SE to RCA, and enjoy it's sound signature like that maybe?

I think it could make sense that an amplifier should not further colour the sound.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 12, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> You could connect the ZX from SE to RCA, and enjoy it's sound signature like that maybe?
> 
> I think it could make sense that an amplifier should not further colour the sound.



I have tried the ZX507 connected to my Prius JBL car sound system via 3.5mm to 3.5mm analog in. It sounds great, images like a champ. Somehow DSEE HX AI stereo imaging capabilities extends to work on car stereo. My non-audiophile passengers thought that I have modified my car stereo but I told them I am just running a stock sound system only difference is the Sony Walkman as source. They commented that the singer of the live recording felt so real like as though they were actually at concert listening to her.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Gamerlingual said:


> How is the TA vs in the DMP-Z1 in your eyes?



In my eyes, DMP-Z1 looked alot bigger in size.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> In my eyes, DMP-Z1 looked alot bigger in size.


Let me rephrase that, how would you compare the DSEE on both models? I meant the sound quality on both


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Both the DC Phase Linearizer and DSEE HX effect on the TA felt kinda weak. It wasn't as good as the DSEE HX AI on the DMP-Z1 and ZX507. 

Sony really needs to update all their older devices with the DSEE HX AI code if that's possible.


----------



## fire2368

I've got some MQA files that are flac. Roon can see that they're MQA but in the WM1Z they show up as ordinary flac. Why is this?


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 12, 2020)

fire2368 said:


> I've got some MQA files that are flac. Roon can see that they're MQA but in the WM1Z they show up as ordinary flac. Why is this?



I'm not 100% how it works, but maybe Roon analyzes the file while the 1Z tries to read some tags to determine if it's MQA or not.

I encountered this as well, and I'm gonna try checking on the file if it has some tags or not.

I have the same file twice (from two sources somehow), and one of them is being recognized as MQA by the 1A, while the other one is not recognized.


On another note, A55 arrived as well, and it's just a little bigger than the A45. It's funny that A55L models don't have FM Radio, but the hardware is there. You just need to change the region off CEW2, to J for example, and FM Radio will show up.


----------



## gsiu33

Hinomotocho said:


> I too enjoy the MDR-Z1R from my WM1A, but from the feedback of many TH-ZH1ES owners it is spoken very highly of and takes them to another level - I was just hoping to achieve any step toward that.


I have try MDR-Z1R with WM1Z, TH-ZH1ES and DMP-Z1. TH-ZH1ES has more power to drive MDR-Z1R to another level, better sound stage, more impact bass. While DMP-Z1 provides even better sound stage and much dark bakground.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> I have it and I still need my desktop



Hmm wonder what is it that your missing? Tidal? 🙃😄




Gamerlingual said:


> @Vitaly2017 A little expensive? Probably too expensive. If my tax return is good next year, I may get a used DMP-Z1. Below 600,000 yen. Even cheaper is better



Cant wait to see this to happen.  Do it Do it ! 😁




Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Both the DC Phase Linearizer and DSEE HX effect on the TA felt kinda weak. It wasn't as good as the DSEE HX AI on the DMP-Z1 and ZX507.
> 
> Sony really needs to update all their older devices with the DSEE HX AI code if that's possible.



We will never know but if sony not releasing it for older devices maybe it has some reasons to it.




gsiu33 said:


> I have try MDR-Z1R with WM1Z, TH-ZH1ES and DMP-Z1. TH-ZH1ES has more power to drive MDR-Z1R to another level, better sound stage, more impact bass. While DMP-Z1 provides even better sound stage and much dark bakground.



That's cool not many folks here that owns so many sony gear...

How would you describe the dmp-z1 overall?  In comparison to Th, 1a, 1z, zx507? 

Is dmp-z1 a strong contender to eliminate desktop rig?


----------



## Queen6

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> The amount of things to have headache over
> 
> Audiophile power cable
> Audiophile USB PCI-E card with OCXO clock
> ...



Way easier path to a better solution 

Q-6


----------



## aceedburn

I promised a short impression on the HD400S. So here goes. It arrived today. Off the bat the sound was a little closed in but just after about 2 hours of burn in the sound changed. I honestly can’t believe the sound I’m getting for a sub USD60 headphone. The unmistakable Sennheiser silky smooth treble with good definition. Mids that are airy and vocals sound very alive. Not too forward but very much in the mix. Bass is very deep and impactful. A superb all rounder. Nothing comes out as overly done. Probably one of the best audio purchases I’ve ever made. And it’s below USD60. Unbelievable and it’s not even fully broken in yet. Will be enjoying more of it the better part of tonite.


----------



## Gamerlingual (Aug 12, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hmm wonder what is it that your missing? Tidal? 🙃😄
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have the money to get it, but would prefer to wait for the tax return next year. But whether it is still worth it or not is another matter. I mean, it would be around the same area where the TA is. So whether it's worth it more than the TA which I still use with my 1Z and cradle is up for debate. That, in itself, is a sweet setup.


----------



## mwhals

Gamerlingual said:


> I have the money to get it, but would prefer to wait for the tax return next year. But whether it is still worth it or not is another matter. I mean, it would be around the same area where the TA is. So whether it's worth it more than the TA which I still use with my 1Z and cradle is up for debate. That, in itself, is a sweet setup.



My tax returns are small as I refuse to give the government interest free loans. The TA seems like a great buy compared to the DMP Z1 to me, but they do have different uses with one being battery operated and the other AC powered.


----------



## Gamerlingual

mwhals said:


> My tax returns are small as I refuse to give the government interest free loans. The TA seems like a great buy compared to the DMP Z1 to me, but they do have different uses with one being battery operated and the other AC powered.


Being a freelancer has its positives in Japan, so I'm probably lucky. But who knows? Do I need it? No. I mean, the 1Z was pretty much IS a nice machine. When I sampled it, I still couldn't detect any huge improvement over the TA if at all? But the setup itself is nice. It uses the 1Z menu with a few extras, so the all in one makes it at least unique


----------



## tq959

MrWalkman said:


> Well, it's a different story with the Z1
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Dear Sir
Is there any chance to add eq preset funtion on wm1z firmware?
Or "all to DSD" function on wm1z?
Thanx in advanced.


----------



## MrWalkman

tq959 said:


> Dear Sir
> Is there any chance to add eq preset funtion on wm1z firmware?
> Or "all to DSD" function on wm1z?
> Thanx in advanced.



Nope, I can't modify the app in such way yet, especially without having access to the app's source code.


----------



## gsiu33

Vitaly2017 said:


> That's cool not many folks here that owns so many sony gear...
> 
> How would you describe the dmp-z1 overall? In comparison to Th, 1a, 1z, zx507?
> 
> Is dmp-z1 a strong contender to eliminate desktop rig?


I cannot comment 1A nor zx507 as I never try them.

IMO, DMP-Z1 >> TH > WM1Z. When running DMP-Z1 in battery mode, the SQ is so good, together with the wide sound stage and silent dead background, it is very easy to spend hours with it.

We can always find desktop combo that performance close to or exceed DMP-Z1, but DMP-Z1 provide me an integrated and transportable solution so that I can enjoy music in the home office, reading room, etc.

btw, i am still using WM1Z, TH, DMP-Z1 almost everyday and they serve difference purpose.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 12, 2020)

gsiu33 said:


> I cannot comment 1A nor zx507 as I never try them.
> 
> IMO, DMP-Z1 >> TH > WM1Z. When running DMP-Z1 in battery mode, the SQ is so good, together with the wide sound stage and silent dead background, it is very easy to spend hours with it.
> 
> ...


I agreed with your findings, and there are desktop systems that can outperform DMP Z1, but it is neither cheap nor easy to get there


----------



## Ameerzs

Does anyone who own 1Z compare the stock 1z sound vs WM1A/Z+ mod on 1a ? 

I installed it quite awhile ago on wm1a, definitely sound better to my ears compared to stock firmware


----------



## nc8000

MrWalkman said:


> I'm not 100% how it works, but maybe Roon analyzes the file while the 1Z tries to read some tags to determine if it's MQA or not.
> 
> I encountered this as well, and I'm gonna try checking on the file if it has some tags or not.
> 
> ...



The WM relies on tags to recognize mqa. At one point I cleaned up tags and suddenly my mqa files were no longer recognized as mqa but just as flac. There are 2 tags required (can’t remember the tag names) one to indicate that it is mqa and one to indicate sample rate


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Just wondering anyone tracked the battery impact of enabling DSEE HX AI on the WM1?


----------



## terminaut

Ameerzs said:


> Does anyone who own 1Z compare the stock 1z sound vs WM1A/Z+ mod on 1a ?
> 
> I installed it quite awhile ago on wm1a, definitely sound better to my ears compared to stock firmware



I've been going through different combinations and currently have my 1Z with stock 3.02J vs 1A with Chameleon (to 1Z) and am finding that I prefer the Chameleon 1Z. Going to try the 1A/Z+ mod next... if I can get away from listening lol.


----------



## MrWalkman

nc8000 said:


> The WM relies on tags to recognize mqa. At one point I cleaned up tags and suddenly my mqa files were no longer recognized as mqa but just as flac. There are 2 tags required (can’t remember the tag names) one to indicate that it is mqa and one to indicate sample rate



Ok, then that clears it up. Those tags could be added via MP3Tag for example, but you would need to know what they should contain.


----------



## Ameerzs

terminaut said:


> I've been going through different combinations and currently have my 1Z with stock 3.02J vs 1A with Chameleon (to 1Z) and am finding that I prefer the Chameleon 1Z. Going to try the 1A/Z+ mod next... if I can get away from listening lol.


what headphone/iem u test with? i done it all on ier z1r, might be different result


----------



## terminaut

Ameerzs said:


> what headphone/iem u test with? i done it all on ier z1r, might be different result



I have the same preference with both my MDR-EX1000 (with a silver-gold cable) and the IER-Z1R (modified with a less-dense filter so as to achieve a closer tuning to the EX1000).


----------



## Ameerzs

terminaut said:


> I have the same preference with both my MDR-EX1000 (with a silver-gold cable) and the IER-Z1R (modified with a less-dense filter so as to achieve a closer tuning to the EX1000).


nice then waiting your impression then on chameleon vs wm1a/z+


----------



## nc8000

MrWalkman said:


> Ok, then that clears it up. Those tags could be added via MP3Tag for example, but you would need to know what they should contain.



It is these 2 that have to be present. If they are deleted the WM will just recognize the files as ordinary flac


----------



## MrWalkman

nc8000 said:


> It is these 2 that have to be present. If they are deleted the WM will just recognize the files as ordinary flac



Did you try delete just the ENCODER one? Or modify it and leave just "MQAEncode v1.1" for example?


----------



## nc8000

MrWalkman said:


> Did you try delete just the ENCODER one? Or modify it and leave just "MQAEncode v1.1" for example?



No I did not experiment further


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 12, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> No I did not experiment further



I just did.

It seems that it needs to have at least the "ENCODER" tag, containing at least "MQAEncode" (no version necessary, I noticed the usual version is "v1.1"), and the "ORIGINALSAMPLERATE".

Without the "ORIGINALSAMPLERATE", it will somehow show just "MQA" and the normal FLAC file's sample rate, like "MQA 44.1 kHz" instead of "MQA 384 kHz" in the case of the file I tested.

So:

```
ENCODER: MQAEncode
ORIGINALSAMPLERATE: value (example: 192000 for 192 kHz)
```


Edit: I tried testing something. I took a normal FLAC (88.2 kHz) and added "ENCODER: MQAEncode" and "ORIGINALSAMPLERATE: 384000", and tried playing it. It plays it, and it shows "MQA 384 kHz", lol. I also checked in the firmware, and it shows that the hardware is switched to the 384 kHz sample rate, lol again.

Edit2: All MQA files or files with the ENCODER tag are kind of upscaled to 384 kHz or 352 kHz. The hardware switches to playing at these sample rates. Of course, for actual MQA files, the additional required processing is applied.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

MrWalkman said:


> A55 arrived as well, and it's just a little bigger than the A45.


Does it also have S-Master HX and the same SoC, right?


----------



## MrWalkman

Mystic Traveller said:


> Does it also have S-Master HX and the same SoC, right?



Yes, the S-Master HX is info that you can find on the Sony player's info page.


----------



## YCHANGE

DSEE HX comes off as a very subtle change from direct sound to off.  Switched back and forth a few times.  Thought there might be a bigger difference like cowon or rockbox clip zip (dsp).  Having said that, WM1A/Z+ mod sounds great so far on 3.5mm refurb WM1A.


----------



## WAmadeusM

Ameerzs said:


> what headphone/iem u test with? i done it all on ier z1r, might be different result



I reviewed 1Z v 1A with @MrWalkman mods. Using the   in my sig.


----------



## yagislav

Hey guys, I just got a WMC-NWH10 USB cable for my WM1Z and I have the cable hooked up to a USB that goes into my DAC. How do I get my WM1Z to output via the USB?
Just played a track but not getting any sound.

Thnks


----------



## MrWalkman

yagislav said:


> Hey guys, I just got a WMC-NWH10 USB cable for my WM1Z and I have the cable hooked up to a USB that goes into my DAC. How do I get my WM1Z to output via the USB?
> Just played a track but not getting any sound.
> 
> Thnks



First hook the DAC cable into the adapter, and then plug the adapter in the player.

The player should then show "USB AUDIO" in the upper left corner. If you see "USB AUDIO" but no sound gets to the DAC, then there could be an incompatibility issue between your DAC and the adapter.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Ameerzs said:


> what headphone/iem u test with? i done it all on ier z1r, might be different result


Read any information in this thread from @Redcarmoose instead. His information is insightful but explains how the changes take effect. Hope this helps.


----------



## yagislav (Aug 12, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> First hook the DAC cable into the adapter, and then plug the adapter in the player.
> 
> The player should then show "USB AUDIO" in the upper left corner. If you see "USB AUDIO" but no sound gets to the DAC, then there could be an incompatibility issue between your DAC and the adapter.



Hi I tried this but after I plug the adapter into the player i dont see the USB AUDIO in the corner =\

I am on FW WM1Z+ if that makes any difference. Havent tried it with stock firmware.

Edit: Just reverted to stock fw but that didn't fix it either. Still no USB Audio showing up.


----------



## MrWalkman

yagislav said:


> I am on FW WM1Z+ if that makes any difference. Havent tried it with stock firmware.



This doesn't matter, everything works as in the official firmware.

I could only recommend you to try with another DAC as well. This happened to me before - if there are any incompatibility issues, the player will act like you didn't connect anything.


----------



## Lookout57

terminaut said:


> I've been going through different combinations and currently have my 1Z with stock 3.02J vs 1A with Chameleon (to 1Z) and am finding that I prefer the Chameleon 1Z. Going to try the 1A/Z+ mod next... if I can get away from listening lol.


I tried 1A/Z+ with my 1A and didn't care for it using Solaris 2020 and DHC Clone Silver Balanced. It was too bright and harsh. When I switched to 1Z it sounded much better. I need to spend some time and compare to my stock 1Z. Both are using Region J.


----------



## yagislav

MrWalkman said:


> This doesn't matter, everything works as in the official firmware.
> 
> I could only recommend you to try with another DAC as well. This happened to me before - if there are any incompatibility issues, the player will act like you didn't connect anything.



Thanks for your help. I've tried with the only two DACs I own and both dont seem to be working. No USB AUDIO shows up. Damn.


----------



## MrWalkman

yagislav said:


> Thanks for your help. I've tried with the only two DACs I own and both dont seem to be working. No USB AUDIO shows up. Damn.



Remember to first plug the DAC cable in the adapter and only after that plug the adapter in the player.

I had some issues with Dragonfly Cobalt I think, no USB AUDIO was showing up. Now it does, but there's still no sound.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Use the stock USB cable that comes with the Walkman, problem solved.


----------



## yagislav

MrWalkman said:


> Remember to first plug the DAC cable in the adapter and only after that plug the adapter in the player.
> 
> I had some issues with Dragonfly Cobalt I think, no USB AUDIO was showing up. Now it does, but there's still no sound.



Yea I tried to plug the DAC cable to the adapter and then plugged into the player - no go for both DAC's I own.



Gamerlingual said:


> Use the stock USB cable that comes with the Walkman, problem solved.


The stock USB that comes with the walkman is not for outputting audio into a DAC. It is for plugging into a PC for file transfer etc.


----------



## Lookout57

yagislav said:


> Yea I tried to plug the DAC cable to the adapter and then plugged into the player - no go for both DAC's I own.
> 
> 
> The stock USB that comes with the walkman is not for outputting audio into a DAC. It is for plugging into a PC for file transfer etc.


The stock cable is also for using the DAP as a DAC/AMP on a computer.


----------



## Facta (Aug 12, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> ...
> On another note, A55 arrived as well, and it's just a little bigger than the A45. It's funny that A55L models don't have FM Radio, but the hardware is there. You just need to change the region off CEW2, to J for example, and FM Radio will show up.



Hi there. Thanks for the revelation. Need more help. Your A55L was purchased in Europe, by any chance? Walkman blog showed up the following email from Sony that says _"A55*L* version is launching in Europe as it doesn't have FM funtion due to DAB regulations."_ Does this mean all other regions sell only standard A55 (non-L) version and therefore all other region A55 purchases will sport FM feature?

I am planning to order one tomorrow from Amazon USA and pretty much for FM radio purpose (and DSEE HX AI and Clear Audio+). Would you recommend this version? B&H seem to be selling both versions: The new MFR #NWA55/L (New Release) and the old MFR #NWA55/B (More Units Arriving) and the B&H specs for both versions feature "FM: Yes".

All other specs, hopefully, same on both versions, I assume? FM, DSEE HX AI and Clear Audio+ are a must for me.

Thank you.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 12, 2020)

YCHANGE said:


> DSEE HX comes off as a very subtle change from direct sound to off.  Switched back and forth a few times.  Thought there might be a bigger difference like cowon or rockbox clip zip (dsp).  Having said that, WM1A/Z+ mod sounds great so far on 3.5mm refurb WM1A.



Hope this helps to explain how DSEE HX AI is different from your typical fixed mathematical function DSP algorithms.

If you have watch from 6min 25sec onwards:


What Sony is trying to achieve with DSEE HX AI is to provide a method to optimally restore what was lost during conversion from High Resolution Masters to MP3/AAC and CD Audio content

How they have done this is by using the giant music collection from Sony’s Music recording label, the original DXD or DSD Masters as training material for the AI’s Machine Learning. It’s a very computing intensive process, it will require Supercomputing resources to train such big and complex data.

Just for one song, Sony has to provide MP3 and AAC at various bit rates and also PCM wave version so that the AI can learn to spot the differences as compared to the original Highest resolution DXD source.

The end result is Sony’s AI upsampling is going to produce upsampling results that is more faithful to the original DXD source than fixed function DSP/FPGA/CPU/GPU algorithms that is used by other upsampling systems.


----------



## MrWalkman

Facta said:


> Hi there. Thanks for the revelation. Need more help. Your A55L was purchased in Europe, by any chance? Walkman blog showed up the following email from Sony that says _"A55*L* version is launching in Europe as it doesn't have FM funtion due to DAB regulations."_ Does this mean all other regions sell only standard A55 (non-L) version and therefore all other region A55 purchases will sport FM feature?
> 
> I am planning to order one tomorrow from Amazon USA and pretty much for FM radio purpose (and DSEE HX AI and Clear Audio+). Would you recommend this version? B&H seem to be selling both versions: The new MFR #NWA55/L (New Release) and the old MFR #NWA55/B (More Units Arriving) and the B&H specs for both versions feature "FM: Yes".
> 
> ...



A55L is exactly like the A55, it only has the radio function disabled. I bought mine from Europe, yes.

Just let me know after you bought it, and I'll send you a thing that will enable the radio function.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Aug 12, 2020)

YCHANGE said:


> DSEE HX comes off as a very subtle change from direct sound to off.


Tried this as well, its effect also depends on the music material you are listening to - 
from unconceivable to gently noticeable.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 12, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


> Tried this as well, its effect also depends on the music material you are listening to -
> from unconceivable to gently noticeable.



What I notice is if the song is poorly recorded or badly mastered, DSEE HX AI seems to be able to improve the overall dynamics and clarity to the song.

However if the song is already recorded in high resolution or superbly mastered, DSEE HX AI seems to only add a slight touch to the soundstage.

It has high variability in its effect as compared to blanket effect by other dsp algorithms.


----------



## YCHANGE

Mystic Traveller said:


> Tried this as well, its effect also depends on the music material you are listening to -
> from unconceivable to gently noticeable.



I've tried it on a few more mp3's and if I were to A/B I wouldn't be able to tell a difference.  It reminds me of filters like sharp roll off used on other daps.  Barely noticable.  Rockbox's Haas surround sound is quite noticable and can be tuned on the fly.


----------



## Facta

MrWalkman said:


> A55L is exactly like the A55, it only has the radio function disabled. I bought mine from Europe, yes.
> 
> Just let me know after you bought it, and I'll send you a thing that will enable the radio function.



Thanks a ton. Will do.


----------



## aceedburn (Aug 13, 2020)

yagislav said:


> Yea I tried to plug the DAC cable to the adapter and then plugged into the player - no go for both DAC's I own.
> 
> 
> The stock USB that comes with the walkman is not for outputting audio into a DAC. It is for plugging into a PC for file transfer etc.


What cable are you using from the nwh10 to your DAC? From your picture it looks like a usb-a to 3.5mm?
I too use the nwh10 with qed usb-a to usb-b and it works perfectly.


----------



## fire2368

nc8000 said:


> It is these 2 that have to be present. If they are deleted the WM will just recognize the files as ordinary flac



Just to add to this, MQA has a program that can sweep your files and add this tag in for you so the files will be detected as MQA.


----------



## aceedburn

fire2368 said:


> Just to add to this, MQA has a program that can sweep your files and add this tag in for you so the files will be detected as MQA.


So basically just by adding those lines any non MQA file will be read as MQA and upsampled?


----------



## fire2368

aceedburn said:


> So basically just by adding those lines any non MQA file will be read as MQA and upsampled?



No the program detects which are MQA files without tagging and just tags them for you. Saves you going in there yourself. 

Weird thing is that some songs from 1 album get detected as non-MQA, so I have a few albums that have 2/12 songs as non-MQA


----------



## Ameerzs (Aug 15, 2020)

terminaut said:


> I've been going through different combinations and currently have my 1Z with stock 3.02J vs 1A with Chameleon (to 1Z) and am finding that I prefer the Chameleon 1Z. Going to try the 1A/Z+ mod next... if I can get away from listening lol.


i done test the chameleon on 1a, 1a/1z+ had the detail more emphasize with better/controlled bass. But both is definite improvement over the stock 1a, thanks a lot for the mods @MrWalkman . I can keep the 1a for years to come


----------



## yagislav

aceedburn said:


> What cable are you using from the nwh10 to your DAC? From your picture it looks like a usb-a to 3.5mm?
> I too use the nwh10 with qed usb-a to usb-b and it works perfectly.


It is a Curious Cable USB A-B.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Addicted to Audio in Australia is doing the WM1A for AU$1299 - someone here can recommend a shipping agent


----------



## aceedburn

yagislav said:


> It is a Curious Cable USB A-B.


Hmm. Then I don’t see why it shouldn’t work. Works well with my setup. Unless your dac input is faulty? Did you try hooking up anything else to it? Or a different cable perhaps?


----------



## yagislav

aceedburn said:


> Hmm. Then I don’t see why it shouldn’t work. Works well with my setup. Unless your dac input is faulty? Did you try hooking up anything else to it? Or a different cable perhaps?


Yes, im very confused also. Other sources work with my DAC usb input no problem, same cable as well. DAC and cable cannot be faulty. Maybe its just a compatibility issue between the Sony Player and my particular DAC's? Unfortunate that I paid quite a lot for this Sony adapter cable but doesn't work with my DACs.

Which DAC are you using?


----------



## vilhelm44

Has anyone compared the  wm1a/z+ on 1Z to  wm1a/z+ 1Z to 1A? I'm currently have  wm1a/z+ on my 1Z with J region which is lovely but still hear some sibilance on vocals, so was think of switching 1Z to 1A to see how that sounds.


----------



## Stealer

So I was away for a while... not following this thread and found myself missing alot..
The last update I did for the fw mod.. is DMP-Z1 1.02 with the region J on my 1A
when i reached pg 274x... the other day... there were more changes and i started trying MrWalkman's  WM1 Mods.. the WM1A/Z++..
I had switched to 1Z following the instruction to reload the fw again..

And somewhere in the pages tthe talk of DSEE HX AI appeared..
Now, after rushing thro all the pages in this thread... I found I dont have this DSEE HX AI enabled...
I can only see DSEE HX... 
So how  i can i enable this to DSEE HX AI? Sorry if this was mentioned .
I am on version 3.02... i am still on pg 284x..

rgds


----------



## aceedburn

yagislav said:


> Yes, im very confused also. Other sources work with my DAC usb input no problem, same cable as well. DAC and cable cannot be faulty. Maybe its just a compatibility issue between the Sony Player and my particular DAC's? Unfortunate that I paid quite a lot for this Sony adapter cable but doesn't work with my DACs.
> 
> Which DAC are you using?


Yes possible  I’m using FiiO K5 Pro.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 13, 2020)

Stealer said:


> So I was away for a while... not following this thread and found myself missing alot..
> The last update I did for the fw mod.. is DMP-Z1 1.02 with the region J on my 1A
> when i reached pg 274x... the other day... there were more changes and i started trying MrWalkman's  WM1 Mods.. the WM1A/Z++..
> I had switched to 1Z following the instruction to reload the fw again..
> ...



Please install the latest version from the post in my signature.

DSEE HX AI replaces the Standard option in the DSEE HX settings, so you will find it there.


----------



## bflat

yagislav said:


> Yes, im very confused also. Other sources work with my DAC usb input no problem, same cable as well. DAC and cable cannot be faulty. Maybe its just a compatibility issue between the Sony Player and my particular DAC's? Unfortunate that I paid quite a lot for this Sony adapter cable but doesn't work with my DACs.
> 
> Which DAC are you using?



If your DAC USB input requires power, then it will not work with your WM1z and OTG cable. You would need the BCR-NWH10 dock which comes with an external power supply for USB or something similar that can provide 5V power. A lot of desktop DACs use the 5V from USB input to power the digital to digital conversion circuitry. Only optical, coax, or AES requires no external power.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 13, 2020)

The computing power of Sony’s AI technology:

https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/technology/stories/NNL_ABCI/

*Kageyama: *At the 1st ABCI Grand Challenge (July 2018), we were delighted to achieve a record of 10 minutes, but right after that, a Chinese IT company published a paper that reported their achievement of 6.6 minutes, which got us down. Then, we achieved the world’s fastest speed of 3.7 minutes, but after that another company achieved 2.2 minutes, and then 1.8 minutes, but then we also got down to 2.0 minutes in January 2019.
Honestly, since Sony’s scale of investment in AI is completely unlike that of a major IT company, I think that it is great that we are now able to keep pace with them.

*4,352 GPUs, 2.5 microsecond latency*
——Could you provide an overview of ABCI?

*Ogawa:* *In order to accelerate the introduction of cutting-edge AI technology into R&D and industry and so forth, deep learning algorithms, various types and enormous amount of real world big data, and the high-performance computing power to combine these two especially to perform machine learning processing are critical.* ABCI is a large-scale cloud computing system that brings all three of these elements together to provide a platform for promoting open innovation. AIST started development of the system in 2016 and officially launched the operation in August 2018.
ABCI is located at AIST’s Kashiwa research center, which is near the Tsukuba Express railway’s Kashiwanoha-campus Station. *It is a computing system that consists of 1,088 servers*, *each with 2 CPUs and 4 GPUs for a total of 4,352 GPUs. As Mikami-san touched on earlier when he talked about latency, ABCI not only has many servers equipped with GPUs, but all the servers and all the GPUs are configured in a way to achieve communication within a latency of 2.5 microseconds or less.*

Article about use of AI for audio processing:
https://towardsdatascience.com/the-promise-of-ai-in-audio-processing-a7e4996eb2ca


----------



## proedros

imagine someone buying a wm1a/z now and saying 'well i guess i need to read all pages of the wm1a/z' thread....

curious how/where he would start with reading so many pages

go from page 1 ? start from last page and go backwards ? pick a random middle point ?


----------



## mwhals

proedros said:


> imagine someone buying a wm1a/z now and saying 'well i guess i need to read all pages of the wm1a/z' thread....
> 
> curious how/where he would start with reading so many pages
> 
> go from page 1 ? start from last page and go backwards ? pick a random middle point ?



I would just search for any questions I had, but of course, I have been following this thread for a long time.


----------



## Stealer

MrWalkman said:


> Please install the latest version from the post in my signature.
> 
> DSEE HX AI replaces the Standard option in the DSEE HX settings, so you will find it there.


Sorry, am I missing something... 
I dont see link to any fw on DSEE HX AI, the above statement is in the 1.2 LINK and there are only 3 fw mod ....


----------



## Earbones (Aug 13, 2020)

One last question regarding Sony‘s explanation as to why streaming hi-res and unpacking MQA via their own DACs isn‘t possible due to Android’s developer restrictions...

How exactly was LG able to accomplish that feat with their V line Android phones, the V20, 30, and 40? LG’s own software combined with a quad Sabre DAC setup... They unpacked and played MQA from Tidal, played hi-res Amazon, QBUDZ, etc. etc.

Figure like what... Five thousand V series phones sold for every one Sony streaming DAP? More? Obviously the risk of corrupting Android or otherwise hurting Google’s rep would be far more likely on the scale LG was operating on, and yet Google gave zero F’s... But they mind if Sony does the same thing on a few of their specialty niche-market “hi-res” streaming DAPs? Devices that aren’t even phones, meaning the Android phone OS isn’t front and center in terms of reputation for reliability etc?


----------



## Hinomotocho

proedros said:


> imagine someone buying a wm1a/z now and saying 'well i guess i need to read all pages of the wm1a/z' thread....
> 
> curious how/where he would start with reading so many pages
> 
> go from page 1 ? start from last page and go backwards ? pick a random middle point ?





mwhals said:


> I would just search for any questions I had, but of course, I have been following this thread for a long time.


I joined around April and tried everything: working backwards, starting at page 500, 1000, trying the search function - I have no idea how many pages I've actually read with those methods.
The problem with the search is it sometimes doesn't bring specific results and you end up with 20 pages of results to sift through, then have that feeling of dread asking that question that may have been asked 100 times. Although, as opinions frequently change and new information comes out it can be good to ask.


----------



## Whitigir

Earbones said:


> One last question regarding Sony‘s explanation as to why streaming hi-res and unpacking MQA via their own DACs isn‘t possible due to Android’s developer restrictions...
> 
> How exactly was LG able to accomplish that feat with their V line Android phones, the V20, 30, and 40? LG’s own software combined with a quad Sabre DAC setup... They unpacked and played MQA from Tidal, played hi-res Amazon, QBUDZ, etc. etc.
> 
> Figure like what... Five thousand V series phones sold for every one Sony streaming DAP? More? Obviously the risk of corrupting Android or otherwise hurting Google’s rep would be far more likely on the scale LG was operating on, and yet Google gave zero F’s... But they mind if Sony does the same thing on a few of their specialty niche-market “hi-res” streaming DAPs? Devices that aren’t even phones, meaning the Android phone OS isn’t front and center in terms of reputation for reliability etc?


I would take that the DSP from Walkman DAP is happening within the SOC from Sony and it wasn’t meant to do that MQA you asked ? LG and V phones are using capable Sigma Delta Chips, which is already having the hardware built in capability.  The one Sony with Sigma Delta would be DMP Z


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 13, 2020)

Stealer said:


> Sorry, am I missing something...
> I dont see link to any fw on DSEE HX AI, the above statement is in the 1.2 LINK and there are only 3 fw mod ....



You just need to install any of the latest modded firmware from my main post, link in the signature, and then go to the sound effects, and you will see "DSEE HX AI" instead of Standard. There is no separate update or anything like that, DSEE HX AI is part of all mods from my main post.

The "1.1", "1.2", and "1.3" from the "update log" section, contains only info on what was done/added on that update. These versions are not separate firmwares. "1.3" contains all the updates from "1.1" and "1.2".


----------



## Stealer (Aug 13, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> You just need to install any of the latest modded firmware from my main post, link in the signature, and then go to the sound effects, and you will see "DSEE HX AI" instead of Standard. There is no separate update or anything like that, DSEE HX AI is part of all mods from my main post.
> 
> The "1.1", "1.2", and "1.3" from the "update log" section, contains only info on what was done/added on that update. These versions are not separate firmwares. "1.3" contains all the updates from "1.1" and "1.2".


Hi, I actually updated with the latest fw from drive... dated Aug 04.....
I am using WM1AZ++ 3.02...
Should redo the fw update again?


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 13, 2020)

Stealer said:


> Hi, I actually updated with the latest fw from drive... dated Aug 04.....
> I am using WM1AZ++ 3.02...
> Should redo the fw update again?



It can't be.

If the firmware install succeeded, then it will be completely installed. It cannot install only partially.

Are you telling me you can't see this? - which is impossible, by the way, if the install was done and you see "WM1A/Z++" in the Unit information menu.


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> imagine someone buying a wm1a/z now and saying 'well i guess i need to read all pages of the wm1a/z' thread....
> 
> curious how/where he would start with reading so many pages
> 
> go from page 1 ? start from last page and go backwards ? pick a random middle point ?




I think he simply better start reading the first page that @MrWalkman released the new 1a/1z+ fw 
No need to read the rest  🙃😁🤣😂


----------



## Stealer

Okay... so that where u enable the DSEE HX AI... 
oops, sorry I was on the Female vocal and kept looking at the top where the DSEE HX and expecting to display DSEE HX AI..
my thousand apologies....
Again thankyou ...


----------



## MrWalkman

Stealer said:


> Okay... so that where u enable the DSEE HX AI...
> oops, sorry I was on the Female vocal and kept looking at the top where the DSEE HX and expecting to display DSEE HX AI..
> my thousand apologies....
> Again thankyou ...



This is why I mentioned it replaces the "Standard" option


----------



## Vitaly2017

Stealer said:


> Okay... so that where u enable the DSEE HX AI...
> oops, sorry I was on the Female vocal and kept looking at the top where the DSEE HX and expecting to display DSEE HX AI..
> my thousand apologies....
> Again thankyou ...




Lmao female vocals 🙃someone is very  focused on female vocals apparently 😁🙂


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> Lmao female vocals 🙃someone is very focused on female vocals apparently 😁🙂



I focus on them if my wife is talking to me. Of course I also focus on them if it is Alison Krauss or Heart.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Guys I am in heaven:

Its so wonderful how much of a difference in enjoyment when listening to my CD resolution 1990s music collection being played back on the ZX507. The DSEE HX AI has the ability make them sound like modern high resolution recordings with better dynamics, clarity and natural spaciousness. Like I mentioned before it's a Zen-like experience, with music details enveloping all around you with the balanced IER-M9 on final audio E-type tips.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Guys I am in heaven:
> 
> Its so wonderful how much of a difference in enjoyment when listening to my CD resolution 1990s music collection being played back on the ZX507. The DSEE HX AI has the ability make them sound like modern high resolution recordings with better dynamics, clarity and natural spaciousness. Like I mentioned before it's a Zen-like experience, with music details enveloping all around you with the balanced IER-M9 on final audio E-type tips.




Aaaw ) you are lucky zx507 has it native hehe.

I loved zx507 sub bass damn its good! I find even better then wm1z! But not the sound stage though.


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> Aaaw ) you are lucky zx507 has it native hehe.
> 
> I loved zx507 sub bass damn its good! I find even better then wm1z! But not the sound stage though.



The ZX507 is that good? Wow!


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> The ZX507 is that good? Wow!




It is . It has many new features,  new sony gold caps, new soldering that has some % of gold and a fun signature sound. 
Apparently they made new fw and it has improved on Soundstage now but I havent heard it... as I sold it before they released it.

From when I had it and my a/b vs wn1z it was not that far behind honestly. 
I still found android sucks and it made rare hickups but like small artifacts in the sound occured but rare enough that you wont notice to it. I did as I listen 5 hours a day...

Still 1a and 1z os is the most stable one. Android no matter gonna inject its poison in 1 way or another rrrreeerrree


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 13, 2020)

Soundstage on the ZX507 has improved with FW 2.00.10

Previous 1.2 firmware has the same soundstage as stock ZX300. Warm and intimate sound with the vocals very forward and with the soundstage size of a small room. Bass feels more closer and stronger in mid bass which makes it fun to listen to with bass heavy genres.

With the new 2.00.10, Sony seems to have tuned the ZX507 soundstage to be like a small concert hall. Vocals sounds more spaced out with a sense of airness/spacing to instruments. Bass has less mid bass and more distant sounding sub-bass. It’s no longer as warm as before, it has more treble details than before, with more emphasis on high tone and strong transient notes(splashy cymbals and deep bass impact)


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> It is . It has many new features,  new sony gold caps, new soldering that has some % of gold and a fun signature sound.
> Apparently they made new fw and it has improved on Soundstage now but I havent heard it... as I sold it before they released it.
> 
> From when I had it and my a/b vs wn1z it was not that far behind honestly.
> ...



This is why the Sony WM1A/Z, LPGT AND LP6k are the DAPs with my interest. I do not want Android.


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> This is why the Sony WM1A/Z, LPGT AND LP6k are the DAPs with my interest. I do not want Android.




Hehe now you got lp6k on ypur radar hehe woopy!

Have you also considered the master questyle?


----------



## Quang23693

Hi @MrWalkman,
I realy love your mod, it's very suitable for my taste and i also love fw2.0. Could you bring this mod on fw 2.0? Very appreciate. Thanks


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 14, 2020)

Quang23693 said:


> Hi @MrWalkman,
> I realy love your mod, it's very suitable for my taste and i also love fw2.0. Could you bring this mod on fw 2.0? Very appreciate. Thanks



Yep. Will take care tomorrow most probably - I still haven't slept, and it's 5:31 am here, so it's actually today, haha.

I just realized that while the WM1 firmware doesn't currently work on the A45 due to the different touchscreen, the ZX300 firmware should work just fine. Testing it now quickly 

Edit: Yes, the ZX300 firmware works with the A45 touchscreen. More testing required now, but it's exciting to have the high gain setting on the A45, and stuff like the VU Meter or other visualizations, lol




 

 



Ha, look at that, Direct Source, 10-band EQ, plus all the other ZX300 stuff, it's crazy!


----------



## Quang23693

MrWalkman said:


> Yep. Will take care tomorrow most probably - I still haven't slept, and it's 5:31 am here, so it's actually today, haha.
> 
> I just realized that while the WM1 firmware doesn't currently work on the A45 due to the different touchscreen, the ZX300 firmware should work just fine. Testing it now quickly
> 
> Edit: Yes, the ZX300 firmware works with the A45 touchscreen. More testing required now, but it's exciting to have the high gain setting on the A45, and stuff like the VU Meter or other visualizations, lol


Well, hope you complete it soon. I am looking forward to hearing from you. Many thanks


----------



## fire2368

Hinomotocho said:


> Addicted to Audio in Australia is doing the WM1A for AU$1299 - someone here can recommend a shipping agent



I can help if you need someone to ship. I'm in Australia.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 14, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Dude, to shell out another $3,000 for another high end Sony DAP, I'm good with the 1Z and 1A. They feel like the music treasures I never had as a child. Super spoiled with everything I have in my signature. But I can say for a fact I earned it all through hard work and I still have money save for emergency. But I will say that I truly did WORK HARD for it all, but the results of my fruits of labor are these joyous toys. I feel fortunate to be in such a position. Then again, I took the cheaper route and mostly bought used. But all the equipment I bought I made sure had a warranty. And so far everything is working pristine. Really hope I can continue to share in this hobby with others. I'm thankful to the man upstairs (my way) for what I have, but most importantly, my wife, parents, and puppy to still be a part of my life. To everyone, keep appreciating what you have, even if you can't buy that next item on your shopping radar. It makes sense to just love what we were fortunate enough to get.



Well, that’s just the thing. When does a piece of equipment do it’s job and decidedly remain in place. My Grandparents had a fridge in their garage that had been running from 1955 till 2000. Why, because it did it’s job. And actually refrigerators are funny things as they are one of few pieces of purchased appliances which never stop running. But because the fridge did it’s intended function then it was allowed to stay in continuous use. Also my Grandparents were thrifty having lived through The Great Depression. The question is if the players leave you wanting more? Audiophile purchasing is based on both factual research and fickle emotions. In my history I’ve never experienced the sound of the 1Z/1A........as they simply sound better than any gear I’ve ever owned.

Now maybe the Walkman 1Z/1A Mark 2 will also be an improvement as that’s typically what we have come to expect? And who knows maybe MrWalkman’s firmware opened what sound possibilities were what was planned for our purchasing future by Sony?

What we have seen is that technology does not come at a gradual pace. Technological improvements come in bursts of progress with fall out refinement. It may be a clue as to the missing 1A/1Z MK2 models?

They can’t make better yet?


----------



## AlexCBSN

MrWalkman said:


> Yep. Will take care tomorrow most probably - I still haven't slept, and it's 5:31 am here, so it's actually today, haha.
> 
> I just realized that while the WM1 firmware doesn't currently work on the A45 due to the different touchscreen, the ZX300 firmware should work just fine. Testing it now quickly
> 
> ...


This is a very very long shot, by any chance were you able to get “receiver mode” into it? I’ve been wondering if the a45 might be able since I don’t think they added anything but the software option available when they Implemented it in the a55, man... as I said, it would be amazing to see the a45 becoming the best entry dap in full beast mode


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 14, 2020)

AlexCBSN said:


> This is a very very long shot, by any chance were you able to get “receiver mode” into it? I’ve been wondering if the a45 might be able since I don’t think they added anything but the software option available when they Implemented it in the a55, man... as I said, it would be amazing to see the a45 becoming the best entry dap in full beast mode



Yes, it works just fine 





Will release it in a few hours, I need to rest, haha

Guess I will change the name shown via Bluetooth to A45.

And it also has the DSEE HX AI, like the WM1 and ZX300 mods


----------



## AlexCBSN

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, it works just fine
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Dude, take as long as you need, I promise that as soon as I get some cash. I won’t get you a beer, I will get you a whisky bottle. Seriously man, impressive!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Well, that’s just the thing. When does a piece of equipment do it’s job and decidedly remain in place. My Grandparents had a fridge in their garage that had been running from 1955 till 2000. Why, because it did it’s job. And actually refrigerators are funny things as they are one of few pieces of purchased appliances which never stop running. But because the fridge did it’s intended function then it was allowed to stay in continuous use. Also my Grandparents were thrifty having lived through The Great Depression. The question is if the players leave you wanting more? Audiophile purchasing is based on both factual research and fickle emotions. In my history I’ve never experienced the sound of the 1Z/1A........as they simply sound better than any gear I’ve ever owned.
> 
> Now maybe the Walkman 1Z/1A Mark 2 will also be an improvement as that’s typically what we have come to expect? And who knows maybe MrWalkman’s firmware opened what sound possibilities were what was planned for our purchasing future by Sony?
> 
> ...


Good point. My DAPs work as intended. The DMP-Z1 is probably not going to last that long. Then again, when all the items in my home reach no where near the price of the DMP-Z1 including the TA, makes a person wonder how they can value their surroundings including kitchen items and the dining table.

I’m just glad that the WM1Z could be had for over 50% less than the $3,000 price tag. For that, I’m thankful and lucky. Whew


----------



## 534409 (Aug 14, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> It is . It has many new features,  new sony gold caps, new soldering that has some % of gold and a fun signature sound.
> Apparently they made new fw and it has improved on Soundstage now but I havent heard it... as I sold it before they released it.
> 
> From when I had it and my a/b vs wn1z it was not that far behind honestly.
> ...



It also has a weak output volume in european versions and mediocre battery in comparision to WM1 series. No need to excitement for me, I've had my history with Android based DAPs.


----------



## nc8000

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, it works just fine
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It’s beginning to look like I should not have sold my A45 ....


----------



## fjf

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, it works just fine
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Would it work on the A55 too?.  I think it has the same 3.1" screen than the A45 and has twice the power output...


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Aug 14, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Will release it in a few hours


Wow, unbelievable, mate!! Kudos! Wonders never cease. 
A new life to A45 and A55. 👍

BTW, guys, now as it comes to 45/55 in light of new @MrWalkman "technology leap" 
which one is better to buy second-hand as long as price more or less the same - 45 or 55?

Which one would be a tad better hardware, "insides" wise?
I may now consider one to score for "on the run" use, thanks to our friend! ✌


----------



## nc8000

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, it works just fine
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Would you be able to expand the database partition size ?
Atm the A45 maxes out at about 38.000 tracks as opposed to the 1A/1Z that maxes out at about 80.000 tracks


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mystic Traveller said:


> Wow, unbelievable, mate!! Kudos! Wonders never ceaze.
> A new life to A45 and A55. 👍
> 
> BTW, guys, now as it comes to 45/55 in light of new @MrWalkman "technology leap"
> ...


I had the A55 which sony claims to have gold solder points. It sounds good despite the size, but i found it too small including. Hardware buttons, I sold it last week to Lativia


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 14, 2020)

In regards to the earlier discussion about sorting by artist and album. I have now added the ALBUMSORTORDER tag to all my ABBA albums to get them sorted in release order, deleted the files from my 1Z and copied them over again (with a disconnect from my pc between deleting and copying) and it makes absolutely no difference. The albums are still sorted alphabetically by the ALBUM tag and not by the ALBUMSORTORDER tag that contains <year> <album name> fx. 1973.1 Ring Ring, 1974.1 Waterloo and so on. So the conclussion must be that the Sony OS does NOT support the sortorder tags






Edit: The correct tag name to use is ALBUMSORT and not ALBUMSORTORDER. When using ALBUMSORT the albums are now sorted according to release year but still displayed from the ALBUM tag


----------



## mwhals

nc8000 said:


> In regards to the earlier discussion about sorting by artist and album. I have now added the ALBUMSORTORDER tag to all my ABBA albums to get them sorted in release order, deleted the files from my 1Z and copied them over again (with a disconnect from my pc between deleting and copying) and it makes absolutely no difference. The albums are still sorted alphabetically by the ALBUM tag and not by the ALBUMSORTORDER tag that contains <year> <album name> fx. 1973.1 Ring Ring, 1974.1 Waterloo and so on. So the conclussion must be that the Sony OS does NOT support the sortorder tags
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: The correct tag name to use is ALBUMSORT and not ALBUMSORTORDER. When using ALBUMSORT the albums are now sorted according to release year but still displayed from the ALBUM tag



That's the correct order. Glad you got it sorted out. Also glad I am not the only one with all of ABBA's albums.


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hehe now you got lp6k on ypur radar hehe woopy!
> 
> Have you also considered the master questyle?



No, I am not considering the QP Master. It still has the same UI as my QP1R and QP2R. I love the sound of them, but really want a different UI.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Well, that’s just the thing. When does a piece of equipment do it’s job and decidedly remain in place. My Grandparents had a fridge in their garage that had been running from 1955 till 2000. Why, because it did it’s job. And actually refrigerators are funny things as they are one of few pieces of purchased appliances which never stop running. But because the fridge did it’s intended function then it was allowed to stay in continuous use. Also my Grandparents were thrifty having lived through The Great Depression. The question is if the players leave you wanting more? Audiophile purchasing is based on both factual research and fickle emotions. In my history I’ve never experienced the sound of the 1Z/1A........as they simply sound better than any gear I’ve ever owned.
> 
> Now maybe the Walkman 1Z/1A Mark 2 will also be an improvement as that’s typically what we have come to expect? And who knows maybe MrWalkman’s firmware opened what sound possibilities were what was planned for our purchasing future by Sony?
> 
> ...




They will make it better...
The parts and technology is here.
Look sony released dmp-z1 this is their answer for the next big thing as an upgrade to wm1z/1a....

If you look whats inside dmp z1 and zx507 it is whats going to be next inside 1a and 1z mark 2.

But maybe sony is wheeling to invent 1 more innovation and introduce it inside the new m2 wm1 players.

In any time it will happen, for now we have dmp-z1 and zx507 as new innovation and wm1 daps are still good to go now


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> They will make it better...
> The parts and technology is here.
> Look sony released dmp-z1 this is their answer for the next big thing as an upgrade to wm1z/1a....
> 
> ...


Meaning the ZX507 exceeded the WM1Z?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Though I wonder if the DSEE HX AI on the ZX507 is different from the one from DMP-Z1 in the form of a more powerful version since the ZX507/A105 has a quad core 1.8ghz Arm A53 processor.

I have compared A105 against ZX507 single-ended.

They do share the same sound signature.

The difference I notice is that the A105 starts to have amplifer distortion if you push volume over 100. The ZX507 single ended remains distortion free to the max volume.


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Aug 14, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Meaning the ZX507 exceeded the WM1Z?





I didn't say that 🙃🙂
I can tell zx507 is very good in sound quality not inferior. 1z wins with purity and cleaness in sound path.

Zx507 has better sub bass due to new caps and new solder with gold

Best combo match to have for home dmp-z1 + on the go zx507  😁😆


----------



## aceedburn

Vitaly2017 said:


> I didn't say that 🙃🙂
> I can tell zx507 is very good in sound quality not inferior. 1z wins with purity and cleaness in sound path.
> 
> Zx507 has better sub bass due to new caps and new solder with gold
> ...


Most reports I’ve read said that with the new 2.0 firmware sub bass is reduced significantly and the sound is very much brighter now on the zx507.


----------



## Valsi203

I'm considering pairing WM1A or WM1Z(or Lotoo Paw 6000) with Noble Audio Katana (
it will come next week ). 
Do you have a recommendation, experiences with this combination?
Dilemma, which player to buy?
Thanks for yours answers.
Ladislav.


----------



## Earbones (Aug 14, 2020)

Dramba said:


> It also has a weak output volume in european versions and mediocre battery in comparision to WM1 series. No need to excitement for me, I've had my history with Android based DAPs.


Set up correctly, the ZX-500/507 has better battery life than WM1 series. But I agree with the problematic output volume in EU versions.

And unless your Android-based DAP experience is with another Sony, then it’s not really comparable. Rock-solid OS and instant access to the Google App store are beautiful things. I love my A&K for the sound quality and power, but the semi-licensed, stripped-down, installing-apps-from-quasi-legal-loader-sites “Android experience” offered by A&K, Fiio, iBasso, and others is a far cry from what Sony brings to the table.

That said, as I’ve stated a few times before in this thread, the Sony Android experience may be polished, but it comes at the expense of hi-res streaming... Which does essentially hamstring their streaming players from sounding as good as they can with apps.


----------



## captblaze

Earbones said:


> Set up correctly, the ZX-500/507 has better battery life than WM1 series. But I agree with the problematic output volume in EU versions.
> 
> And unless your Android-based DAP experience is with another Sony, then it’s not really comparable. Rock-solid OS and instant access to the Google App store are beautiful things. I love my A&K for the sound quality and power, but the semi-licensed, stripped-down, installing-apps-from-quasi-legal-loader-sites “Android experience” offered by A&K, Fiio, iBasso, and others is a far cry from what Sony brings to the table.
> 
> That said, as I’ve stated a few times before in this thread, the Sony Android experience may be polished, but it comes at the expense of hi-res streaming... Which does essentially hamstring their streaming players from sounding as good as they can with apps.




OOB does Android SRC come in to play?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> I didn't say that 🙃🙂
> I can tell zx507 is very good in sound quality not inferior. 1z wins with purity and cleaness in sound path.
> 
> Zx507 has better sub bass due to new caps and new solder with gold
> ...


Hence the question mark at the end. Asking


----------



## 534409

Earbones said:


> Set up correctly, the ZX-500/507 has better battery life than WM1 series. But I agree with the problematic output volume in EU versions.
> 
> And unless your Android-based DAP experience is with another Sony, then it’s not really comparable. Rock-solid OS and instant access to the Google App store are beautiful things. I love my A&K for the sound quality and power, but the semi-licensed, stripped-down, installing-apps-from-quasi-legal-loader-sites “Android experience” offered by A&K, Fiio, iBasso, and others is a far cry from what Sony brings to the table.
> 
> That said, as I’ve stated a few times before in this thread, the Sony Android experience may be polished, but it comes at the expense of hi-res streaming... Which does essentially hamstring their streaming players from sounding as good as they can with apps.



Nope. Not this way. I owned iBasso 220 and while hearing music on mid-gain battery level drops momentarily. And iBasso's Android version was tragically slow.
Besides i don't use streaming, hence there is no need to have an android player at all.


----------



## Vitaly2017

aceedburn said:


> Most reports I’ve read said that with the new 2.0 firmware sub bass is reduced significantly and the sound is very much brighter now on the zx507.





From what people are saying sounds like sony is making the zx507 tuning to be Audiophile oriented and if thats the case it could hit wm1z quality very closely. 

Youd be surprised how good the little zx507 sounds 🙃😉

Yes the output is less powerful and its android....


----------



## Donmonte (Aug 14, 2020)

I don’t think I could entertain a dap that has lesser output power than the 1A for my use with full sized headphones. I’m constantly in the 80s range volume wise if not higher.
I’m hopeful with the next gen Sony daps more power will be possible looking at how the iFi hip-dac nearly doubled the battery capacity and output power compared the iFi nano black label released just a couple of years earlier while still retaining a compact form.


----------



## jaibautista

Until now I can't help but be amazed at how clean the sound of the WM1A's HP jacks. I hooked my WM1A to my RNHP via a mini-to-mini cable and I cannot hear any artifacts or decrease in dynamic range, which usually happen when you double amp (I heard this when I used the same cable to connect my Steinberg UR22 Mk2 in the background to the RNHP as opposed to using a fully-balanced connection). Although I also have a 4.4.mm-to-dual-XLR3 interconnect, the RNHP's highest gain is with the 3.5mm-in, hence the use of the mini-to-mini cable.


----------



## aceedburn (Aug 14, 2020)

jaibautista said:


> Until now I can't help but be amazed at how clean the sound of the WM1A's HP jacks. I hooked my WM1A to my RNHP via a mini-to-mini cable and I cannot hear any artifacts or decrease in dynamic range, which usually happen when you double amp (I heard this when I used the same cable to connect my Steinberg UR22 Mk2 in the background to the RNHP as opposed to using a fully-balanced connection). Although I also have a 4.4.mm-to-dual-XLR3 interconnect, the RNHP's highest gain is with the 3.5mm-in, hence the use of the mini-to-mini cable.


Indeed I concur. That’s why the Sony wm1a series didn’t need a dedicated line out as the sound from the SE is so clean. I too enjoy desktop listening via SE port to my desktop speakers and the sound is absolutely amazing. I use it with rca into my K5 Pro amp.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 14, 2020)

fjf said:


> Would it work on the A55 too?.  I think it has the same 3.1" screen than the A45 and has twice the power output...



Yes, but there is a small difference, and it has no sound. Not sure I can make it work, but will see. However, don't hold your breath.



Mystic Traveller said:


> BTW, guys, now as it comes to 45/55 in light of new @MrWalkman "technology leap"
> which one is better to buy second-hand as long as price more or less the same - 45 or 55?



It doesn't work on the A55 at the moment, so the A45 would be the choice. I got mine, used, for about $100.



nc8000 said:


> Would you be able to expand the database partition size ?
> Atm the A45 maxes out at about 38.000 tracks as opposed to the 1A/1Z that maxes out at about 80.000 tracks



Probably yes, but the process is not really easy, and it's risky - let's say I didn't try it, and knowing what would have to be done, it can be risky, yes. I'll have to look more into it, but don't hold your breath waiting for it


----------



## Maxx134 (Aug 14, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> These were going for a steal during the 8.8 sale yesterday here in Malaysia. Picked up a pair for less than USD60 brand new. Will post impressions when they arrive probably in a few days.


Very Interesting!, but I doubt it better than the Sony 1am2.






Whitigir said:


> Why Chi-Fi and not Jap-Fi and French-Fi too ? While you are at it. I am only asking a fair question


Cause it doesn't ryme with "HiFi"...




ubs28 said:


> There is absolutely nothing racist about the “Chi” label. It is a positive association in the market place for getting high-end products at a very afforable price for most people.


I agree fully. Nothing racist.
Just that I noticed that it is not as held in a high regard, as other high end stuff. No matter if it's actually better.
For instance, my "Little Dot MK8se" is simply a better tube amp than all midfi amps, and because it was so cheap ( under $1k, not $3k like others), I was able to spend on modifying/upgrading and learning from it.
A Modified/upgraded LDMK6 or MK8se it is at a top elite amp level, without the price tag.
I can say that after using & being exposed to most all the others.
So bottom line is, chifi is actually good, and almost always less money.
Only thing is the competition, which to me, gives the bias.



minzink said:


> Same for me! I love my WM1A combined with the MDR-1AM2. Very good synergy!


I currently using that Sony Portable (1am2) for on the go with the Sony player. Probably one of best & comfortable portables out.




aceedburn said:


> I too enjoy desktop listening via SE port to my desktop speakers and the sound is absolutely amazing


Me too. Very pure clean sound for using as a line out.
Using single ended output I and it is like a line out at max volume level.


----------



## Maxx134 (Aug 14, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Many points in his video. Especially  the part on content availability of Hi-res music. Also Hi-res audio places more emphasis on the accuracy of the crystal word clock oscillator of your dac. With desktop class DACs, there are many issues that can affect sound quality including the USB controllers.
> 
> Why is this video relevant to this Sony walkman thread you might ask. It is because the solution to all the problems above is already addressed by the Walkman in your hand.
> 
> ...



This ..


> Many points in his video. Especially the part on content availability of Hi-res music. Also Hi-res audio places _*more emphasis on the accuracy *of the crystal word clock oscillator of your dac_. With desktop class DACs, there are many issues that can affect sound quality including the USB controllers.


Agree 100%
This accuracy of timing and jitter is what separates the good dacs from the best.
That's why Chord focus on "Taps" and "Ladder dacs" have accuracy edge.




> This Walkman you are holding is a technological wonder. It plays music as intended, no worries about jitter, usb cables or ac power hum.....


Huge advantage here as to why the Sony daps are better!

This is why I disagree with past posts about the last 24bit of dynamic range.
Dynamic range is a fools gold.
There was a discussion about this when stereofile complained this same issue with the yggy, that it didn't go to 24bit depth like the Chord.
That is all paper-spec fools gold.
Schit explained that no dac will do that and that their 18bit is actually more than what the others claim, by how they measured.

This explains why some notice
CD quality so good. It's nothing to do with dynamic range, when you already have enough..

It's all about the timing..


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 14, 2020)

No effective 24bit ADC exist
No 24bit high resolution music files sold have actual 24bit of dynamic range


----------



## Earbones (Aug 14, 2020)

Dramba said:


> Nope. Not this way. I owned iBasso 220 and while hearing music on mid-gain battery level drops momentarily. And iBasso's Android version was tragically slow.
> Besides i don't use streaming, hence there is no need to have an android player at all.


If you don’t need streaming, then the world is your oyster as far as DAPs go, ha ha. 

Personally, I‘m dependent on streaming at this point... I literally don’t have a library anymore. Obviously, my situation is already the norm among casual listeners- and not terribly unusual even among audiophiles at this point. 

Eventually, I think streaming entirely (and foregoing a large, expensive collection of purchased virtual music) will be the norm among most audiophiles. We’ll see...


----------



## Steen Pihl

Maxx134 said:


> This ..
> 
> Agree 100%
> This accuracy of timing and jitter is what separates the good dacs from the best.
> ...


I totally disagree with you regarding your 24bit claim. My ears don’t lie! I’ve been entertaining with recorded music since mid seventies & spent 100 of 1000 dollars or more in trying to improve sound. I finally found the sound in 24bit. You get the best commercialy avaible version in 24bit. But there will be versions were the differences are minimal. Or that the provider simply cheat and sell a CD version as a 24bit.


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 14, 2020)

Earbones said:


> If you don’t need streaming, then the world is your oyster as far as DAPs go, ha ha.
> 
> Personally, I‘m dependent on streaming at this point... I literally don’t have a library anymore. Obviously, my situation is already the norm among casual listeners- and not terribly unusual even among audiophiles at this point.
> 
> Eventually, I think streaming entirely (and foregoing a large, expensive collection of purchased virtual music) will be the norm among most audiophiles. We’ll see...



I'm certainly never going to rely on any streaming service and risk whole labels Or artist catalogs Vanish overnight due to some dispute. I'm sticking to my 3.000 albums and still growing library.

Also with my own library I'm in cotrol of the metadata rather than the often abyssmal tagging done by labels and streaming services


----------



## gerelmx1986

I rhink what matters most is the sampling rate aka kHz/MHz than the bit depth


----------



## Earbones (Aug 14, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> I'm certainly never going to rely on any streaming service and risk whole labels Or artist catalogs Vanish overnight due to some dispute. I'm sticking to my 3.000 albums and still growing library.
> 
> Also with my own library I'm in cotrol of the metadata rather than the often abyssmal tagging done by labels and streaming services


Sure, I get it, and your point of view makes sense.

I’m just saying in terms of how the music industry has been trending for years now, we are unlikely to see a return to an “album sales first“ (either physical or digital) mindset... Streaming hits is where the money has shifted, and where things are likely to stay. So with this in mind, I think we are looking at a slow transition to streaming only, even for audiophiles.

Happily, I think that stable audiophile platforms for streaming hi-res content will develop organically- they have to, otherwise it’s money left on the table for everyone, device manufacturers and music distributors alike (in the case of Sony, they are both), and I don’t see that happening.

Your point about catalogs vanishing is well taken, and unfortunately, I think that will just be a factor of the future listener landscape. I’d love to say they will figure it out, but I have my doubts... Especially if one considers the video market, which has almost entirely transitioned to streaming, even among AV aficionados. We still see movies just disappearing. It’s a shame.


----------



## Hinomotocho

After finally getting to a point where I have settled in with the WM1A J 3.02 and then the recent addition of the MDR-Z1R w/Sony Kimber cable I am about ready to give those firmwares a go. For people with the same set up what are your recommendations or favourite firmwares for this set up?


----------



## nc8000

Earbones said:


> Sure, I get it, and your point of view makes sense.
> 
> I’m just saying in terms of how the music industry has been trending for years now, we are unlikely to see a return to an “album sales first“ (either physical or digital) mindset... Streaming hits is where the money has shifted, and where things are likely to stay. So with this in mind, I think we are looking at a slow transition to streaming only, even for audiophiles.
> 
> ...



Yes I don’t doubt that is the way the workd is going and I do use Tidal as a supplement to my own library though mostly to try out new music or on the go on my iPhone and if I like it I then buy it and add to my library


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hinomotocho said:


> After finally getting to a point where I have settled in with the WM1A J 3.02 and then the recent addition of the MDR-Z1R w/Sony Kimber cable I am about ready to give those firmwares a go. For people with the same set up what are your recommendations or favourite firmwares for this set up?




With stock you got J or U and now everyone is using @MrWalkman wm1a/z+ fw you can also alter regions!

My favorite region atm is U because of slightly enhanced resolution and more sub bass.
I find J best for vocals.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

jaibautista said:


> I hooked my WM1A to my RNHP via a mini-to-mini cable and I cannot hear any artifacts or decrease in dynamic range,


Do second that  - have been using the 1A SE quite a lot with it being connected to an Onkyo receiver - very good! 👍


----------



## Hinomotocho

Vitaly2017 said:


> With stock you got J or U and now everyone is using @MrWalkman wm1a/z+ fw you can also alter regions!
> 
> My favorite region atm is U because of slightly enhanced resolution and more sub bass.
> I find J best for vocals.


Sub bass sounds good.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hinomotocho said:


> Sub bass sounds good.




I think 1a will pair nicely with mdr-z1r cause 1a is natural neutral and z1r is warm bassy. It will be a very good pairing


----------



## gearofwar

Vitaly2017 said:


> I think 1a will pair nicely with mdr-z1r cause 1a is natural neutral and z1r is warm bassy. It will be a very good pairing


I don’t think Z1R is an overly warm and bassy headphone, its treble is very clear, extended and even piercing. Z1R is rather something that combines both technicalities and musicality to create this unique experience. On the stock cable, the treble might not be for everyone, and some even hate it in some reviews; for this reason, I think 1Z is a better match. I have owned few cables and I think Kimber is not capable of revealing Z1R’s potential but rather something that fixes the stock cable instead


----------



## Lookout57

nc8000 said:


> In regards to the earlier discussion about sorting by artist and album. I have now added the ALBUMSORTORDER tag to all my ABBA albums to get them sorted in release order, deleted the files from my 1Z and copied them over again (with a disconnect from my pc between deleting and copying) and it makes absolutely no difference. The albums are still sorted alphabetically by the ALBUM tag and not by the ALBUMSORTORDER tag that contains <year> <album name> fx. 1973.1 Ring Ring, 1974.1 Waterloo and so on. So the conclussion must be that the Sony OS does NOT support the sortorder tags
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: The correct tag name to use is ALBUMSORT and not ALBUMSORTORDER. When using ALBUMSORT the albums are now sorted according to release year but still displayed from the ALBUM tag


That is odd as all my albums are tagged with ALBUMSORTORDER.






When I view Aerosmith "Toys in the Attic [Hi-Res]" is the third album shown (I also have the previous two albums and they start with "101 - Aerosmith [Hi-Res]" and "102 - Get Your Wings [Hi-Res]"


----------



## Hinomotocho

gearofwar said:


> I don’t think Z1R is an overly warm and bassy headphone, its treble is very clear, extended and even piercing. Z1R is rather something that combines both technicalities and musicality to create this unique experience. On the stock cable, the treble might not be for everyone, and some even hate it in some reviews; for this reason, I think 1Z is a better match. I have owned few cables and I think Kimber is not capable of revealing Z1R’s potential but rather something that fixes the stock cable instead


Would switching my 1A to 1Z (firmware) be a good one to try then?


----------



## MrWalkman

Hinomotocho said:


> Would switching my 1A to 1Z (firmware) be a good one to try then?



By the way, switching the model is not mandatory. WM1A/Z+ already brings improvements to the 1A sound, without needing to switch the model.

Of course, feel free to experiment, I just wanted to clear that out.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 14, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> I currently using that Sony Portable (1am2) for on the go with the Sony player. Probably one of best & comfortable portables out.



The 1AM2 requires quite a bit of burn-in to sound great. Fresh out of box I found them to be too stiff in bass. But over hundreds of hours of music playback, they gotten very musical in the bass, showing soft bass notes all the way to heavy bass slams.

Also they can be very revealing when it comes to treble glare with sabre based DACs.

I do think the 1AM2 pair up very nicely with the ZX507 fw2.01 sound signature with balanced connection.

The 1AM2 is one of the headphones that is designed for tonal balance when it comes to presenting bass, mids, highs. Also they do scale up nicely with amplification power.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> The 1AM2 requires quite a bit of burn-in to sound great. Fresh out of box I found them to be too stiff in bass. But over hundreds of hours of music playback, they gotten very musical in the bass, showing soft bass notes all the way to heavy bass slams.
> 
> Also they can be very revealing when it comes to treble glare with sabre based DACs.
> 
> ...




I experienced the same story with my new z7m2.  First 150 hours where real Mehhh. At 250 hours now, really improved quiet a bit. So much I decided to give a trie to kimber kable as I keep hearing it brings magic and improving even further more!

I like the comfort and isolation of my z7m2 I can ware them hours and hours


----------



## Hinomotocho

MrWalkman said:


> By the way, switching the model is not mandatory. WM1A/Z+ already brings improvements to the 1A sound, without needing to switch the model.
> 
> Of course, feel free to experiment, I just wanted to clear that out.


Thank you - as I am slow to try the firmwares there have been some changes from the initial release. I have kept up with downloading the updated firmwares as you have announced them but lost track of what the actual changes are.


----------



## MrWalkman

Hinomotocho said:


> Thank you - as I am slow to try the firmwares there have been some changes from the initial release. I have kept up with downloading the updated firmwares as you have announced them but lost track of what the actual changes are.



All the features are mentioned in the main post. I always update it when releasing a new update.


----------



## fireBal

WM1A/Z+ is possible work on zx300？


----------



## MrWalkman

fireBal said:


> WM1A/Z+ is possible work on zx300？



No, but ZX300 has ZX300/A+.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-zx300.854693/page-762#post-15764786


----------



## Motagaly

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Guys, this may sound absurd to some here, I don't know what I have been missing out all these years but just only today I have discovered a new sub-genre of music, its called Symphonic Metal. Just want to share this amazing genre of music that is both relaxing and entertaining to listen at the same time.



Old response but couldn’t help myself, if you discovered this 2 weeks ago, then here are three songs that can get you more into that sub genre which is basically why I listen to music in the first place:

Haggard - Per Aspera Ad Astra
Therion - The rise of Sodom and Gomorrah
Therion - La Maritza

All Nightwish, Epica, and Xandria Albums are highly recommended as well.


----------



## Motagaly

Might be on old question covered already, but I couldn’t find it.

*Do you have any issues with the Wm1A remote control while LDAC streaming is active?*

Background story: I use the ES100 exclusively with Wm1A over LDAC, the equalizer of ES100 over LDAC is providing an excellent setup -to my ears- for certain lists I have, and as it is very small and I terminated a bunch of short cables for all the IEMs I have. Reaching to the flimsy buttons on the ES100 for pause, play, forward, backward is a nightmare, also while it is connected to the car AUX.

So I got the small Japanese remote and it works perfectly with WM1A, except when the ES100 is connected over LDAC as well! Basically, every split of a second the sound will cut continuously till I shut the remote off!

I ordered the new Qudelix 5K which should arrive next week, to understand if it is an issue with the ES100, or the LDAC in general.

Yet wanted to know if any of you had a similar experience or an advice.

Thanks so much


----------



## Maxx134 (Aug 14, 2020)

Steen Pihl said:


> I totally disagree with you regarding your 24bit claim. My ears don’t lie! I’ve been entertaining with recorded music since mid seventies & spent 100 of 1000 dollars or more in trying to improve sound. I finally found the sound in 24bit. You get the best commercialy avaible version in 24bit. But there will be versions were the differences are minimal. Or that the provider simply cheat and sell a CD version as a 24bit.


I can agree here.
For example,  much of my  music is 24bit flac.

But your forgetting those  the 24bit can be so many different formats (like DSD),  so processed differently, with different bitrates...

I believe the biggest difference is that 24 bit recordings are mostly newer recorded events, which are using newer equipment.

If the specific sonic improvements detected are not  related to "loudness" (dynamic range), then it has something more to do than just the 24bit depth aspect.
Maybe more the source, format, better recording studio gear, mastering methods, or sampling bitrates.



gerelmx1986 said:


> I think what matters most is the sampling rate aka kHz/MHz than the bit depth


Agreed


----------



## Hinomotocho

MrWalkman said:


> All the features are mentioned in the main post. I always update it when releasing a new update.


I'll take this opportunity to say that I appreciate your contribution to this thread in offering these firmwares, and also your patience in kindly directing people to the right post/info.


----------



## Hinomotocho (Aug 14, 2020)

Between the ZX300, ZX507, WM1A, WM1Z (maybe even the A45/55) is it possible to graph the differences that their hardware has on the sound?
For example, take sub bass, if you put the same firmware or tuning that maxed out sub bass on each device how different would the hardware impact the sound?
I'm not a graphs person by the way, I was just thinking that would be a visual way to display how hardware impacts the sound and by how much.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Hinomotocho said:


> Between the ZX300, ZX507, WM1A, WM1Z (maybe even the A45/55) is it possible to graph the differences that their hardware has on the sound?
> For example, take sub bass, if you put the same firmware or tuning that maxed out sub bass on each device how different would the hardware impact the sound?
> I'm not a graphs person by the way, I was just thinking that would be a visual way to display how hardware impacts the sound.



It seems to be impossible task. Who owns so many walkmans?


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 15, 2020)

For anyone interested, the A40Series firmware mod was released.



Spoiler



*Edit: If you want to post this on other forums, it would be nice to provide a link to this post, and not
a direct Google Drive link or anything like that. Thanks!*

Hello people,

There is a new (unofficial) firmware for the NW-A40Series. Please welcome...

*NW-A40Series Reloaded **and** Reloaded+*

This firmware mod is based on the firmware of the NW-ZX300, and it brings the following features:
_- new, improved sound_
_- high gain setting
- Bluetooth Receiver function
- 10 band equalizer
- DSEE HX AI (from DMP-Z1) and other 4 selectable DSEE HX modes
- DC Phase Linearizer with 6 selectable modes
- Vinyl Processor with 4 selectable modes
- Visualizers: Spectrum Analyzer/Analog VU Meter/Digital Peak Meter_
_- hardware accelerated rendition of the UI_

There are some removed features in exchange:
_- FM Radio
- Noise cancelling
- Language study_

The *Reloaded+* version brings a different sound than the normal version, and a slightly
improved battery life.

*How to install the modified firmware*
1. Connect the player to the computer using the USB cable, and enable
the Mass Storage mode.

2. Open the "Model Switcher" tool, and choose the second option.
The device will do an update, which should take around 1 minute.



3. After the device restarts, do a full factory reset.
(Settings > Device Settings > Reset/Format > Restore to Factory Configuration)

4. After the Reset is complete and the device restarted, install one of
the two firmware versions - "A40Series Reloaded" or "A40Series Reloaded+".

While in this "switched" state, you can freely switch between these two firmware versions.



*How to get back to the stock firmware*
1. Connect the player to the computer using the USB cable, and enable
the Mass Storage mode.

2. Open the "Model Switcher" tool, and choose the second option.
The device will do an update, which should take around 1 minute.



3. After the device restarts, do a full factory reset.
(Settings > Device Settings > Reset/Format > Restore to Factory Configuration).

4. After the reset is complete and the device restarted, install any version of the official Sony firmware.



*Notes*

*Notes regarding the installation/model switching*
*- If (usually) Microsoft Defender detects the Model Switcher as having a virus, it does not*
*have a virus. Feel free **to check the file with a more competent antivirus, or just don't try the mod I guess.

- You will not be able to just install the mod without switching the mod first. Please*
*follow all the steps!*

*- Do not try to install an official firmware version without switching the model back first!*

- A full factory reset will erase the "Hours played" counter (if you care about it),
and it will also erase anything in the internal memory. If you use a MicroSD card,
don't worry about it, as nothing from the MicroSD card gets deleted.

- Using the switcher itself will also reset the "Hours played" counter, but it will
not erase anything from the internal memory of from the MicroSD card.

- If you switched the destination of your player to *J*, doing a factory reset will make
it unable to change the language. To change the language, switch the destination
to another one, change the language as desired, and then you can change the
destination back to *J*. If you never heard of destinations, you have nothing to worry
about. (Rockbox destination tool)

- If you will still get any "Database issue" errors after doing the full factory reset,
just do another full factory reset. Once the error is gone, it will stay gone until you
will use the "A40Series Reloaded Switcher" tool again. The error is usually gone
after the first full factory reset.


*Notes regarding the use of the mod*
- Having "Direct Source" mode on while playing DSD files, will result in no sound
being played back.


*Screenshots*
   
   
  


*LINK* (to the main post for the mod)


I hope you'll enjoy this. Feel free to give it a try and leave your feedback. 



*LINK* (to the main post for the mod)


----------



## ttt123

Hinomotocho said:


> Between the ZX300, ZX507, WM1A, WM1Z (maybe even the A45/55) is it possible to graph the differences that their hardware has on the sound?
> For example, take sub bass, if you put the same firmware or tuning that maxed out sub bass on each device how different would the hardware impact the sound?
> I'm not a graphs person by the way, I was just thinking that would be a visual way to display how hardware impacts the sound and by how much.


How could the hardware sound be separated out?  Don't see any way to do that, and it is even more impossible to try to compare against different models, with different hardware, AND different firmware/software, etc., etc. And what is the relevance to anything to do that, even if it were possible to do?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

One important tip:

Always use your walkman to format your microsd card first before placing music inside.

Meaning if you have placed music inside an existing sdcard that was formatted by windows or preformatted out of box. You have to transfer the music from the sdcard out to a PC/MAC. Do the re-format on the walkman before transferring back.

From my own experience, there's a sound quality difference when you use a sdcard that is formatted by the Walkman itself.


----------



## Hinomotocho

ttt123 said:


> How could the hardware sound be separated out?  Don't see any way to do that, and it is even more impossible to try to compare against different models, with different hardware, AND different firmware/software, etc., etc. And what is the relevance to anything to do that, even if it were possible to do?


Frequently I see comments along the lines of the WM1A being very neutral, it seems regardless of firmwares/tunings etc. I enjoy sub bass and was wondering if hardware limitations meant that it can't register as deep as perhaps the WM1Z or other models like the ZX507?
I originally meant a single tuning that emphasized the deepest sub bass compared on any of those devices to see how which could go deeper than another. People make graphs for equipment so I just wondered if it was possible - I don't understand these things and was trying to get my head around tunings vs hardware so please disregard my post.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 15, 2020)

I do find that the ZX507 is able to deliver deeper sub-bass over the ZX300. This is tested with intentional EQ bass adjustment and use of DC phase Linearizer type A Low on my most *bass intensive music. At the lowest sub-bass region, the ZX507 feels more defined with more boom and slam while the ZX300 sub-bass felt weaker, like a one noted thump.

So far I do think that Sony has been spot on when it comes to describing the technical merits of their designs on their product page:

Newly developed FT CAP
Custom-made for Sony and tuned by Sony engineers, the newly developed FT CAP (high polymer capacitor) strengthens the power supply to the amp block for a balanced output. This *helps the NW-ZX500 deliver expansive vocals and instrumentation, plus powerful bass notes.*

https://www.sony.com.sg/electronics/walkman/nw-zx500-series#sound


*Bass intensive music:


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> That is odd as all my albums are tagged with ALBUMSORTORDER.
> 
> 
> 
> When I view Aerosmith "Toys in the Attic [Hi-Res]" is the third album shown (I also have the previous two albums and they start with "101 - Aerosmith [Hi-Res]" and "102 - Get Your Wings [Hi-Res]"



I don't know what is going on but ALBUMSORTORDER did nothing on my 1Z while ALBUMSORT Works


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I don't know what is going on but ALBUMSORTORDER did nothing on my 1Z while ALBUMSORT Works


As I HAVE SAID different formats, different tags.
Flac maybe uses ALBUMSORT
DSD/MP3 maybe ALBUMSORTORDER
MP4-AAC/ALAC I am not sure what iToons uses
APE has it's own ape tag format


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> As I HAVE SAID different formats, different tags.
> Flac maybe uses ALBUMSORT
> DSD/MP3 maybe ALBUMSORTORDER
> MP4-AAC/ALAC I am not sure what iToons uses
> APE has it's own ape tag format


That's why DISCNUMBER AND DISCTOTAL are separate tag fields in flac BUT NOT IN DSD/MP3 which in DISCNUMBER tag mus go <current disc>/<total discs>


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 15, 2020)

Valsi203 said:


> I'm considering pairing WM1A or WM1Z(or Lotoo Paw 6000) with Noble Audio Katana (
> it will come next week ).
> Do you have a recommendation, experiences with this combination?
> Dilemma, which player to buy?
> ...



I tried the Nobel Audio Katana Universal while in the demo process against the Noble Audio Encore Universal from a 1Z. Not sure of the 1Z firmware, but it was before Sony 2.0 came out.

But strangely I was all set on buying (the Encore IEM) even before hearing them. That kind of happens where I already know to buy an IEM before demoing it due to a good review. I had read Pinky Powers review of the Encore. The Katana actually made me want the Encore more as it kind of shows the Encore personality by it’s contrast. But many want of course what the Katana does itself!

Both are pure BA IEMs. Katana 9, Encore 10. Both came out at roughly the same time with the Katana slightly earlier. Both co-flagships before the Khan last year and Sultan this year. The Katana is more flat, where the Encore is W graph-out. Both are a continuation of the Noble K-10. The 1Z was nice with the Katana. I could not hear any hiss, but both are considered very sensitive. I after getting great fit really like the Encore. More treble spike along with a treble dip going down towards the mids. The bass is said to be enhanced in the Katana though I didn’t seem to notice it. Katana very straight laced, which people who like it are after. The Encore has a treble spike that is still not that strong even combined with the treble enhancements of the 1Z.

Probably the best is both the 1Z and 1A have the ability to warm up the overall BA coldness. Now I use the 1A more with MrWalkman and J region added the 1A/1Z+ and the Encore with a 4.4mm HanSound Audio ZENTOO cable. I was able to get fit with LL tips.

But I don’t think anyone would loose matching the Katana with either player.

Do try the MrWalkman firmwares!!


----------



## gazzington

Lol I’m Sony crazy. I own a wm1a and wm1z but bought a zx300 on the cheap yesterday.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

gazzington said:


> Lol I’m Sony crazy. I own a wm1a and wm1z but bought a zx300 on the cheap yesterday.



Don't forget the ZX507.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Don't forget the ZX507.


Not good, android bloat and multi-hidden background processes (as with any OS for computing like mac or win) introduces noises and these processes must compete with the music software.  Also the cpu transistors will introduce.electrical noise due the mos-fet switching  process


----------



## gazzington

gerelmx1986 said:


> Not good, android bloat and multi-hidden background processes (as with any OS for computing like mac or win) introduces noises and these processes must compete with the music software.  Also the cpu transistors will introduce.electrical noise due the mos-fet switching  process


I agree, I went for the zx300 before they disappear. Thought it would be a lighter solution out and about


----------



## Quang23693

Valsi203 said:


> I'm considering pairing WM1A or WM1Z(or Lotoo Paw 6000) with Noble Audio Katana (
> it will come next week ).
> Do you have a recommendation, experiences with this combination?
> Dilemma, which player to buy?
> ...


I'm using katana + labkable pandora with Wm1a Kmod ultimate. It pairs perfectly together. I think that don't have any issue if you want to try wm1 seri. Hope you'll find the dap for your katana.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

MrWalkman said:


> For anyone interested, the A40Series firmware mod was released.


Wowzers! Speechless almost!   👍👍👍 Relayed this to colleagues at player.ru, would
be interesting to see their feedback.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> The 1AM2 requires quite a bit of burn-in to sound great.


Will need to give them more burn-in time then, thanks for this heads-up. I think
I will keep them (for less than $100 NIB I doubt I can find something else on par sound wise fully balanced in stock).


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 15, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Not good, android bloat and multi-hidden background processes (as with any OS for computing like mac or win) introduces noises and these processes must compete with the music software.  Also the cpu transistors will introduce.electrical noise due the mos-fet switching  process



You can't hear any electrical noise coming from the CPU at all. Sony has it nailed down with it's circuitry design. They have the whole CPU section isolated away from the D/A side with a big copper shielding area. The Walkman app on the ZX507 runs its own dedicated I2S audio path to the D/A which is seperated from the android audio path.
ZX507 PCB:


ZX300 PCB:


You can remove most of the background processes in android with my optimization guide.

You have to hear the ZX507 on fw 2.01.00. There is a Japanese magazine reviewer who thinks it is close to the WM1Z in terms of sound quality.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Mystic Traveller said:


> Will need to give them more burn-in time then, thanks for this heads-up. I think
> I will keep them (for less than $100 NIB I doubt I can find something else on par sound wise fully balanced in stock).




Every headphone had it's own character. Some excel in certain genre of music. The 1AM2 seems to do well with modern bass heavy music. It's a fun headphone for general usage. I really think you got them for a steal. 

The Sony 1AM2 has its good points and it's weakness. Although it's unfair to compare them to higher end headphones, but I do think the higher end headphones like the Z7M2 and Z1R images better with a bigger soundstage.


----------



## matevana

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I do find that the ZX507 is able to deliver deeper sub-bass over the ZX300. This is tested with intentional EQ bass adjustment and use of DC phase Linearizer type A Low on my most *bass intensive music. At the lowest sub-bass region, the ZX507 feels more defined with more boom and slam while the ZX300 sub-bass felt weaker, like a one noted thump.




Have you tried Mr Walkman's ZX300(A)+ firmware on your ZX300? I'm curious because I find bass/sub-bass to be much improved now. You may find that the ZX300 takes on many of the 507's sonic qualities after you upgrade, plus other improvements like access to DSEE HX AI, etc.


----------



## fjf (Aug 15, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> You can't hear any electrical noise coming from the CPU at all. Sony has it nailed down with it's circuitry design. They have the whole CPU section isolated away from the D/A side with a big copper shielding area. The Walkman app on the ZX507 runs its own dedicated I2S audio path to the D/A which is seperated from the android audio path.
> ZX507 PCB:
> 
> ZX300 PCB:
> ...



In Europe until there is a way to remove the volume cap, all android DAPs are a waste of money.  And importing them puts them in 1A price.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 15, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> You can't hear any electrical noise coming from the CPU at all. Sony has it nailed down with it's circuitry design. They have the whole CPU section isolated away from the D/A side with a big copper shielding area. The Walkman app on the ZX507 runs its own dedicated I2S audio path to the D/A which is seperated from the android audio path.
> ZX507 PCB:
> 
> ZX300 PCB:
> ...


You can look up the Zx2, Sony did the same thing to it.  This is as you mentioned, to isolate the CPU noises, but that is only for noises that are radiating outward and could be absorbed/attracted into the others close proximity components (in the EMI/FRI forms).  The noises that are from within the CPU that causes “voltage errors”, where the whole system is sharing one power sources....would result into “errors corrections” and that effect the sound performances.  This is also one of the reasons why previously the engineers did not touch anything that could have effected sound performances in the firmwares, but the sound performances slightly altered.  Later on, the enthusiasts and the engineers found out that the power distributions got altered, the power supply, the batteries, the errors corrections as a whole, brought the changes in the audio performances.  They are neither bad, nor good, or they could be bad or good....but there are definitely differences as soon as the power distributions are changed.  (it was kinda funny back then, people would swear that the engineers sworn that no altered tuning were done that could effect sound, then the skeptical made fun of the enthusiasts “audiofools! You don’t know what you are hearing” while the enthusiasts could always swear that they hear the differences.)

Those are the reason why DMP Z1 is designed the way it is, Main DAC battery with Super capacitor for the CPU.  So that the DAC are never shared it power supply to any other systems, and just in case when power starvations at peaks happened, especially for the CPU, the Super capacitor and it power rail would lend the aids.  This is to warrant the best performances of the CPU and digital processing with the least errors corrections happening.  Then there are 4 other super capacitors within the DMP Z1 for other parts (Yes there are 5 Super capacitors inside DMP Z1)


----------



## 524419

MrWalkman said:


> By the way, switching the model is not mandatory. WM1A/Z+ already brings improvements to the 1A sound, without needing to switch the model.
> 
> Of course, feel free to experiment, I just wanted to clear that out.


That is what I am using at the moment. Very very well done  
No need to switch models on my KaeSei 1A.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 15, 2020)

When it comes to power supply, Sony engineers have designed the walkman with a complex power supply regulation system to ensure that power fluctuations will not be an issue:


----------



## minzink

fjf said:


> In Europe until there is a way to remove the volume cap, all android DAPs are a waste of money.  And importing them puts them in 1A price.


Fully agree! I tried the ZX507... But the EU volume limitation just sucks....


----------



## mwhals

nc8000 said:


> I don't know what is going on but ALBUMSORTORDER did nothing on my 1Z while ALBUMSORT Works



It depends on how it is mapped. MP3TAG uses albumsort, but the files work in iTunes that uses Album Sort Order.


----------



## Lookout57

gerelmx1986 said:


> That's why DISCNUMBER AND DISCTOTAL are separate tag fields in flac BUT NOT IN DSD/MP3 which in DISCNUMBER tag mus go <current disc>/<total discs>


Not true.

Here is a DSD track that everything works on the WM1A to Z.






I use Kid3 and Metadatics (macOS only) for tag editing.


----------



## nc8000

mwhals said:


> It depends on how it is mapped. MP3TAG uses albumsort, but the files work in iTunes that uses Album Sort Order.





mwhals said:


> It depends on how it is mapped. MP3TAG uses albumsort, but the files work in iTunes that uses Album Sort Order.



I use mp3tag and it is all flac files and none of these tags are in the tag mapping so I write them specifically


----------



## Motagaly

nc8000 said:


> I use mp3tag and it is all flac files and none of these tags are in the tag mapping so I write them specifically



If you are using MacOS, I found that Yate is superior to anything else I have ever tried, I used many including mp3tag, but after getting the overwhelming experience of dealing with Yate I found it indispensable.

With it, I managed and cleaned my library of 2TB over a year, there are automated defined "customisable" scripting as well

https://2manyrobots.com/yate/


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Interview with Sony Engineers on DMP-Z1
https://e-earphone.blog/?p=1294529


----------



## nc8000

Motagaly said:


> If you are using MacOS, I found that Yate is superior to anything else I have ever tried, I used many including mp3tag, but after getting the overwhelming experience of dealing with Yate I found it indispensable.
> 
> With it, I managed and cleaned my library of 2TB over a year, there are automated defined "customisable" scripting as well
> 
> https://2manyrobots.com/yate/



I’m Windows exclusively


----------



## gsiu33

Redcarmoose said:


> Well for a couple big DSD files the side connects actually have a limit, where the rear USB is fine. So it’s strange that the side implementation to the TA is flawed. Also the Cradle has the charging and reclocking and filter. But you can have both Walkmans and a computer hooked to the TA all at once. Also your Walkman in the Cradle will show up in the computer as a file location for dropping files to it, all while being hooked to the TA.
> 
> If due to desktop area you choose not to implement the Cradle the rear connect USB is considered 2nd best as you don’t have the DSD ceiling but you don’t have reclocking and USB filtering. But yes, it’s ergonomic to have that NWH-10 with the AQCarbon laying flat next to the TA. No charging though.
> 
> Some don’t like the rickety-ness of the Cradle and use the NWH-10 bypassing the charging and filtering/reclocking.


Indeed, the audio specification of the side connect is pretty good unless you have higher format of audio files:
PCM 32,384
Native DSD 11.2 MHz
DSD DoP 5.6 MHz

What I don’t like is that the connection seems not too tight as compare to the back USB-B. 😊


----------



## SBranson

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> One important tip:
> 
> Always use your walkman to format your microsd card first before placing music inside.
> 
> ...



This post makes me wish I didn’t read these posts... ha ha, the thought of reformatting and reloading my 400gb card...argh...  but it’s in my head now so I’ll probably do it.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

SBranson said:


> This post makes me wish I didn’t read these posts... ha ha, the thought of reformatting and reloading my 400gb card...argh...  but it’s in my head now so I’ll probably do it.


 
Just to be legally protected against lawsuits, I would like to clarify that the instructions to format via Walkman came directly from Sony:

Use a microSD card that has been formatted on the Walkman. Sony does not guarantee the operation of other microSD cards.

https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449014.html

Ps: just joking on the part of lawsuits.


----------



## SBranson (Aug 15, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Just to be legally protected against lawsuits, I would like to clarify that the instructions to format via Walkman came directly from Sony:
> 
> Use a microSD card that has been formatted on the Walkman. Sony does not guarantee the operation of other microSD cards.
> 
> ...



So do you think it’s player specific?  I have a WM1A now but have a WM1Z on the way...  will I have to reformat it again with the WM1Z to get optimum sound results...


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

SBranson said:


> So do you think it’s player specific?  I have a WM1A now but have a WM1Z on the way...  will I have to reformat it again with the WM1Z to get optimum sound results...



Guess you have no choice 😅:

Sony does not guarantee all operations for microSD cards that are used on multiple devices.

https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449014.html


----------



## SBranson

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Guess you have no choice 😅:
> 
> Sony does not guarantee all operations for microSD cards that are used on multiple devices.
> 
> https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449014.html



Maybe it will help with the “artefacts” on my card. When I try to delete albums, there are some “ghost” albums that I can’t actually find but have to skip in the deleting process


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 15, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Guess you have no choice 😅:
> 
> Sony does not guarantee all operations for microSD cards that are used on multiple devices.
> 
> https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwwm1/v1/en/contents/TP0001449014.html



_"Use a microSD card that has been formatted on the Walkman. Sony does not guarantee *the* operation of other microSD cards."_

I'm pretty sure they are talking about the file system of the card. Formatting the card in the Walkman would ensure that it uses a file system that the Walkman can work with. Otherwise, the card may not be read by the Walkman.

A Walkman can't have a different "exFat" system that the Windows' "exFat" file system, for example. These file systems just are, they don't have variations that would make it sound better or perform better or stuff like that.

It's like those devices that only support a "FAT32" formatted card, for example.


----------



## gerelmx1986

SBranson said:


> This post makes me wish I didn’t read these posts... ha ha, the thought of reformatting and reloading my 400gb card...argh...  but it’s in my head now so I’ll probably do it.


Not so fast, you can place music in a Folder called MUSIC

Problem solved


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 15, 2020)

I experimented with 3 methods to format the sdcard:

A: Windows 10 default formating

B: https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/

C: Walkman format

Both my ZX507 and ZX2 android Walkmans were able to read the sdcard formatted by the three methods. The difference is Walkman formatted sdcard seems to have a tiny little bit lower noise floor. You must be in a dead quiet listening environment to notice this.


----------



## MrWalkman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> The difference is Walkman formatted sdcard seems to have a tiny little bit lower noise floor. You must be in a dead quiet listening environment to notice this.



I'm skeptical to be honest, as file systems are standard, they can't be different from one device to another.

But to each their own, of course, not my business


----------



## SBranson

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> . The difference is Walkman formatted sdcard seems to have a tiny little bit lower noise floor. You must be in a dead quiet listening environment to notice this.



It’s worth a try then as the noise floor is the only “problem” I’m having paired with a Campfire Audio Solaris 2020.  It’s only noticeable between tracks but quieter would be better


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 15, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> I'm skeptical to be honest, as file systems are standard, they can't be different from one device to another.
> 
> But to each their own, of course, not my business



I am also quite perplexed by this as I thought that file systems should be standard and working as is, but apparently this is not the case, as highlighted by the SD Card Association:

Page 4 of PDF:

It is *strongly recommended* to use the SD Memory Card Formatter to format SD/SDHC/SDXC Cards rather than using formatting tools provided with individual operating systems. In general, formatting tools provided with operating systems can format various storage media including SD/SDHC/SDXC Cards, but* it may not be optimized for SD/SDHC/SDXC Cards and it may result in lower performance.*

https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/SD_CardFormatterUserManualEN.pdf


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am getting a bit tired of @Sonywalkmanuser  posts, he is starting to sound like he must change his nick to SonyWalkmanSalesPitcher or SonyWalkmanMarketingDepartment


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am getting a bit tired of @Sonywalkmanuser  posts, he is starting to sound like he must change his nick to SonyWalkmanSalesPitcher or SonyWalkmanMarketingDepartment


He is just enthusiastic about Sony technologies.  I enjoyed many of his links and posts.  Beside that, he is keeping the thread active.  May be not all people are looking to know the technologies behind Sony designs, but for whoever is interested, they are a good finds


----------



## Motagaly

Whitigir said:


> He is just enthusiastic about Sony technologies.  I enjoyed many of his links and posts.  Beside that, he is keeping the thread active.  May be not all people are looking to know the technologies behind Sony designs, but for whoever is interested, they are a good finds



I agree with you, actually I appreciate my WM1A more after checking some of his posts, some posts might not be fully convincing to me (like the SD card formatting), but that is the point of having a thread and a forum, rather than an emailing system.

I pick what I like and move on


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am getting a bit tired of @Sonywalkmanuser  posts, he is starting to sound like he must change his nick to SonyWalkmanSalesPitcher or SonyWalkmanMarketingDepartment


We love you dude, but I think you step on a minefield; take it easy


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am getting a bit tired of @Sonywalkmanuser  posts, he is starting to sound like he must change his nick to SonyWalkmanSalesPitcher or SonyWalkmanMarketingDepartment




😅😁😆 
Hes a good dude I find hes posts very informative and educational. 
Maybe he loves it so much he do sound like he is pushing sony a lot 🙃😝


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 15, 2020)

I regularly change cards between players and don’t remember how the cards were formatted (except that they are exFAT) But audiophiles are paranoid too, as over the years many audio-folk-tales turned out to be true. Maybe I’ll use segregation with new cards in the future?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> I regularly change cards between players and don’t remember how the cards were formatted (except that they are exFAT) But audiophiles are paranoid too, as over the years many audio-folk-tales turned out to be true. Maybe I’ll use segregation with new cards in the future?




Get sandisk extreame pro cards! And format it inside your wm1 dap not pc!

Closest sound quality to the internal memory performance of wm1


----------



## iChip

Для получения чистого звука заряжайте батареи правильными электронами, используя чистые медные проводники. xD


----------



## Mystic Traveller

iChip said:


> Для получения чистого звука заряжайте батареи правильными электронами, используя чистые медные проводники. xD


Translating: 
For pure sound, charge the batteries with the correct electrons using pure copper conductors.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 15, 2020)

Spoiler:  read this only if you are a Sony fanboy



Reason why I support Sony so much:

To be honest, the only thing I wish is for Sony to gain more users. Sure they do have their nonsense and flaws in their products, fact is Sony Walkman do not measure as well in equipment tests as compared to other DAPs. But they do sound so mesmerising to listen to. I came to the conclusion that measurements don’t really tell the full picture of the equipments sound quality after trying out Chord, FiiO, IBasso, Audio-gd, A&K, JDS, Centrance, Audio-byte, Schiit over the years.

Why I am so enthusiastic about Sony Walkmans is because they offer an all in one excellent sound quality for an affordable price(if compared to the myriad of jewellery dap or summit-fi DACs). I only wish more people won’t waste their money into chasing after the latest flavour of the month and just stick to what works great aka Sony Walkmans, especially with custom firmware being developed by fellow head-fiers.

If more users buy Sony products, it will only benefit us consumers since Sony will have more R&D funds to research into more technologies to the benefit of the consumers like for example 360 audio.

Just look at Apple, they have so many fans and userbase and stock/reserve money, but ask yourself, have they been innovating like Sony have been doing?

Sony has all of sorts bleeding edge tech products ranging from robotic dogs, high end DSLR cameras, video broadcasting production systems. It’s really hard to catch up to the latest developments.

Also Sony has been a law biding, ethical company that don’t exploit factory workers, don’t copy other company design wholesale and also open-sourced a lot of their software, i.e. Linux source code and AI development.

Sony is really at the forefront of improving audio and I think they do deserve more loyal fan support from us.


----------



## Mindstorms

Hinomotocho said:


> After finally getting to a point where I have settled in with the WM1A J 3.02 and then the recent addition of the MDR-Z1R w/Sony Kimber cable I am about ready to give those firmwares a go. For people with the same set up what are your recommendations or favourite firmwares for this set up?


stock 3.00 MX3


----------



## Motagaly

*Big thanks to Mr walkman.*

I just tried Mr Walkman Mods 3.02 “Link in his signature”, and *to my ears, there is a difference*, and fortunately, a difference that I liked so much!

First of all, I have difficulty describing sounds, so my description might not fully represent what I hear, on top of that, I have a short memory for sounds. If I want to compare two tracks, the switching time between track A and track B must be around 10 seconds, after that, I am kind of lost.

Having said that, going back and forth to compare DSSE HX vs DSSE HX AI in the moded firmware is not an option for me (due to the time needed to install the firmware). Instead, I tried to compare DSEE HX and String, then later compare DSEE HX AI and String in the moded firmware.

Here are my impressions, and this is to* “my ears and brain” *on WM1A, 4.4 mm Balanced Silver copper cable extension, Very short 2.5 balanced Sony cable, Shure SE846.

*General:*

*DSEE HX AI:* this is the reason Why I will keep the moded firmware all the time on my WM1A, I can notice a difference clearly, and with my limited poor description of audio, I would say that this DSEE HX AI added to compressed tracks* -again to my ears and brain- *Depth, Detail, Imaging, and Openness.
*Chameleon:*

Device switching: Comparing H1A-F1A (Hardware 1A-Firmware 1A) to H1A-F1Z was hard for the same timing reason; yet some of the differences were noticeable even the time between listening was like 5 minutes. 
H1A-F1Z while it looks like warmth, the treble is not lost at all, I wonder how the H1Z F1Z sounds like then?!
H1A-F1A (The sound that I am used to) less warmth than 1Z but crispier, or maybe the crispness is a false perception due to less warmth.
*WM1A/Z+*

Without switching to 1Z, the sound is close to Chameleon H1A-F1Z
*WM1A/Z++*

My Shure SE846 doesn't need that; therefore, I didn’t try it.
*My conclusion:*

DSEE HX AI is on all the time, again, this is why I will keep the moded firmware
I had difficulty picking Chameleon H1A-F1Z vs 1A+, and after several going back and forth between these, I decided to stay with Chameleon H1A-F1Z
Full settings: Chameleon H1A-F1Z, EQ custom, DSEE HX AI, DC Type A Low, Dynamic normaliser off, Vinyl off
As it looks like all of his firmware are entirely reversible, I encourage those who didn’t try it yet to give it a try.

*Last but not least, big thanks to Mr Walkman for his efforts, and above all handling some of my stupid questions on the side.

Keep the mods coming please *


----------



## Amber Rain

Vitaly2017 said:


> 😅😁😆
> Hes a good dude I find hes posts very informative and educational.
> Maybe he loves it so much he do sound like he is pushing sony a lot 🙃😝



I find his posts informative, even if I only understand a small % of the tech stuff!!!


----------



## SBranson

Vitaly2017 said:


> Get sandisk extreame pro cards! And format it inside your wm1 dap not pc!
> 
> Closest sound quality to the internal memory performance of wm1



Really?  I’ve been using the Sandisk Ultra which are 1/2 the price..  
But... this


Redcarmoose said:


> ...audiophiles are paranoid too, as over the years many audio-folk-tales turned out to be true.


----------



## Vitaly2017

iChip said:


> Для получения чистого звука заряжайте батареи правильными электронами, используя чистые медные проводники. xD



Агромное сросибо будим сею минутно типер всигда соряжать свой плэер очень позитивной енергиаь! Буду делать ритуал и вызывать вышые сили светавой енергие для получения самых чистых и блогославлёных ретких електродаф  😁😁😁🙂🙂🙂




SBranson said:


> Really?  I’ve been using the Sandisk Ultra which are 1/2 the price..
> But... this




I have a 400 ultra and extreme pro. There is a difference... tge ultra has a softer less tight and less aggressive sound.

The extreme is more faster in decay, more punchy and tighter bass.
Very close to internal memory quality but still a few % behind


----------



## SBranson

Vitaly2017 said:


> I have a 400 ultra and extreme pro. There is a difference... tge ultra has a softer less tight and less aggressive sound.
> 
> The extreme is more faster in decay, more punchy and tighter bass.
> Very close to internal memory quality but still a few % behind



Hmm...  guess it’s worth trying out.  Just when I though I was through spending for a little while...  silly me...


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 15, 2020)

Spoiler: Possible DSEE HX AI Effects



Vocals and instruments feel more expansive with natural sounding reverberations and timbre
Drum beats have more impact and slam
Strings feels more airy and more further away
Cymbals has more decay and hits harder
Guitar feels more airy with more twangy
Piano has better tonality with more decay
Music becomes more present and engaging to listen to, no more boring sounding compressed music.


----------



## Vitaly2017

SBranson said:


> Hmm...  guess it’s worth trying out.  Just when I though I was through spending for a little while...  silly me...




You can always sneak for a deal!  I bought my 512gig Sandisk extreme pro for 144 $ Canadian!


----------



## SBranson

Vitaly2017 said:


> You can always sneak for a deal!  I bought my 512gig Sandisk extreme pro for 144 $ Canadian!


Yeah,  I’ll just keep it in my cart until a sale happens.  $172 is a bit much.


----------



## mwhals

I bought a 512 GB Samsung Evo Sd Micro card recently.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Spoiler:  read this only if you are a Sony fanboy
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Have you tested the TA or DMP-Z1? How do they compare to the 1A and 1Z?


----------



## 534409

Mystic Traveller said:


> Translating:
> For pure sound, charge the batteries with the correct electrons using pure copper conductors.


Also check if your power plant is nuclear or traditional fuel type. Atomic electrons sounds much better


----------



## Jotaro

Hello, anybody knows a place to send for battery replacement in Europe?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Spoiler:  read this only if you are a Sony fanboy
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I do support sony too, they seem to do real R&D, prototyping... unlike others grabbing.off the shelf components or.tryimg.to cash in by releasing a 'limited edition ' IEM


----------



## gerelmx1986

Just as information, tho I  clueless why it happened.

After selling my A55L walkman last week, I go to the post office to drop it off. They asked me if.it was a cellphone because they cannot ship cell phones due to the battery. I told them it is a sony walkman Mp3 player. Some how they let me ship it to Lativia... wiyh headphones or IEM have had no issues,  also when selling my walkmans and fiio players when I lived in mexico the battery was mo issue or deciding factor for letting or not shipping


----------



## Amber Rain

gerelmx1986 said:


> Just as information, tho I  clueless why it happened.
> 
> After selling my A55L walkman last week, I go to the post office to drop it off. They asked me if.it was a cellphone because they cannot ship cell phones due to the battery. I told them it is a sony walkman Mp3 player. Some how they let me ship it to Lativia... wiyh headphones or IEM have had no issues,  also when selling my walkmans and fiio players when I lived in mexico the battery was mo issue or deciding factor for letting or not shipping




In the UK I've been asked whether my packages contain batteries for years...


----------



## Nayparm

Jotaro said:


> Hello, anybody knows a place to send for battery replacement in Europe?



I have/fit stock or upgraded batteries in the UK


----------



## Dtuck90

gerelmx1986 said:


> Just as information, tho I  clueless why it happened.
> 
> After selling my A55L walkman last week, I go to the post office to drop it off. They asked me if.it was a cellphone because they cannot ship cell phones due to the battery. I told them it is a sony walkman Mp3 player. Some how they let me ship it to Lativia... wiyh headphones or IEM have had no issues,  also when selling my walkmans and fiio players when I lived in mexico the battery was mo issue or deciding factor for letting or not shipping



I think it’s only an issue if battery is removable


----------



## Duncan

Nayparm said:


> I have/fit stock or upgraded batteries in the UK


Good to know! If it isn’t too much of a secret, how much extra capacity does the upgraded battery provide?


----------



## nc8000

Duncan said:


> Good to know! If it isn’t too much of a secret, how much extra capacity does the upgraded battery provide?



https://www.npaudio.uk/modifications/sony-wm1a-z-extreme-performance-mod


----------



## Motagaly

nc8000 said:


> https://www.npaudio.uk/modifications/sony-wm1a-z-extreme-performance-mod


 I am interested in a battery only, any link for that?


----------



## Jotaro

Nayparm said:


> I have/fit stock or upgraded batteries in the UK


Oh great. I am close in the Netherlands.


----------



## nc8000

Motagaly said:


> I am interested in a battery only, any link for that?



Not that I can see so better contact him directly about that


----------



## Steen Pihl

Vitaly2017 said:


> With stock you got J or U and now everyone is using @MrWalkman wm1a/z+ fw you can also alter regions!
> 
> My favorite region atm is U because of slightly enhanced resolution and more sub bass.
> I find J best for vocals.


This! So absolutely! I do trust those "Tiger-Ears" + my own off cause. But I've tried all firmware up til now, and somehow they might improve in some departments, they seem to take that from other areas in doing so. I really trust Sony that they "been there-done that" and now we have all the official software's to chose from! I tried all the region codes and U does it for me. If Sony just could implement that midrange magic from J to the U, that would be something truly fantastic! Anyway enjoying this tread since page 10 and it should be mandatory if owning a wm1A or Z. Had them both, but my OCD wanted the best, so 1Z it is! Thank you for being a part of this!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 16, 2020)

Spoiler: DSEE HX AI affected by processing power?



This is something interesting with I discovered with the ZX507

I notice there is a sound difference between

DSEE HX with Battery Saver ON
DSEE HX with Battery Saver OFF

Android Battery Saver ON seems to lose abit of crispiness and isn't as spacious sounding.

Battery Saver ON seems to lock the processor down to 1200MHz mostly

With Battery Saver OFF, the processor tend to stay at 1800MHz.

I would believe that DSEE HX AI requires more processing power to sound better.

Though this is something you can't experiment with on the DMP-Z1 or custom FWs as there is no processor speed controls.


----------



## WAmadeusM

to all W1'istas....who is in a position to compare Wm1z with Fiio M15 (placing to one side it's hot rodded amp) and AK 2.O in musical terms..... Especially taking on board stock switching and WM+ multiverses of @MrWalkman ?


----------



## Donmonte (Aug 16, 2020)

How does everyone have their players set up with DSEE HX AI for those of you who had Direct mode on always previously  ?

1- Direct mode OFF, with DSEE HX AI ON and everything else OFF.
2- Direct mode ON, then OFF when not listening to Hi-Res files with DSEE HX AI ON and everything else OFF.

I can’t shake the feeling even before having installed the mods that having everything off is still not the same as direct mode ON. But I could be wrong...


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

There is a difference in sound between:

Direct Source ON 

Direct Source Off, all other DSP off


----------



## MrWalkman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> There is a difference in sound between:
> 
> Direct Source ON
> 
> Direct Source Off, all other DSP off



Yes, something is 100% happening. Switching Direct Source off I immediately hear some little hiss when music is off.

Otherwise, when music is playing, I don't really notice it, and I don't focus on trying to 😅


----------



## Jotaro

A couple days with my mwa1, using mostly amdromedas on balanced, am I crazy or the high gain makes the sound better?


----------



## Whitigir

Jotaro said:


> A couple days with my mwa1, using mostly amdromedas on balanced, am I crazy or the high gain makes the sound better?


No, you are not, the high gain on all Sony I have came across are almost always sounding better than low gain.  That includes DMP Z1


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I would think that high gain allows for better dynamics and treble extension.

But I think it really depends on how tired your brain/ears are. Because high gain sometimes can be quite taxing on your mind as music transients keep alerting you. Low gain would help to soften things down. 

So use the gain switch appropriate to your mental state of mind.


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I would think that high gain allows for better dynamics and treble extension.
> 
> But I think it really depends on how tired your brain/ears are. Because high gain sometimes can be quite taxing on your mind as music transients keep alerting you. Low gain would help to soften things down.
> 
> So use the gain switch appropriate to your mental state of mind.


Realistically speaking, it only matters when you can hear the differences (and I don’t think it is just ears and brains alone).  But it is always good to have confirmations.  In my newest device, the Ibasso MAX player, the best performances is actually Low gain, Mid gain is less and High is the worse


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 16, 2020)

I think the high gain on the ibasso is spec to run 600ohms headphones. Mid gain for 300ohms and low gain for iem and easy to drive Headphones.

Using high gain on IEMs will introduce hiss for ibasso and other daps.

Because of the overall low power output of the Walkman, the high gain isn't as high as ibasso. So you can actually use high gain for IEMs. No issues with noise here.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 16, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I think the high gain on the ibasso is spec to run 600ohms headphones. Mid gain for 300ohms and low gain for iem and easy to drive Headphones.
> 
> Using high gain on IEMs will introduce hiss for ibasso and other daps.
> 
> Because of the overall low power output of the Walkman, the high gain isn't as high as ibasso. So you can actually use high gain for IEMs. No issues with noise here.


Nope, actually the Dx220 is the smaller brother of MAX and it sounded better than Max in high gain, and we all thought high gain would sound better on max but it isn’t . Neither have hisses.  The technically problems here is how the gains are being implemented.  They usually goes through a controller with raised up rails.  But then again, I would always recommend to go with what sounded best to your ears.  Remember, we all hear it differently.
The above is just an example of the differences between players and “gain functions”.  Then again, to my ears, all Sony I have came through have better performances out of “high gain” including WM1A/Z and DMP Z1


----------



## Jotaro

Ibasso dx160 is worse in high that low. But acceptable on the other hand on my fiio m11 is like open the Niagara falls!!


----------



## Whitigir

Jotaro said:


> Ibasso dx160 is worse in high that low. But acceptable on the other hand on my fiio m11 is like open the Niagara falls!!


Thank you for another example!! And so, the conclusion is that if anyone can’t tell the differences between gains, then why bother ?  However, asking for some feedbacks and inputs are the reasons we participate in the forum


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

My last ibasso devices were DX90 and DX100.

High gain introduced quite abit of hiss, also I notice some strange distortion with high gain. It sounded like the amps were overamping the signal or something. I used low gain for both daps as well.


----------



## Jotaro

I am not very technical in my listening but my philosophy is what I do as photographer:
-You have body's and lenses: bodys can be super sharp or have a signature, and lenses the same.
 So y try to have at least of pair o each and have many combinations. From super new lenses to old mechanical primes.

- same with daps at least one warm and one bright or clinical, and different opposite iems and one close to monitor. In my case : andros bright, im7 monitor, and final b2 for warm.

The rest is play with all combinations and mods so fatige never comes. And the wma1 is a great source to avoid fatigue.


----------



## Maxx134 (Aug 16, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> https://www.npaudio.uk/modifications/sony-wm1a-z-extreme-performance-mod


I have been planning and studying and observing the hardware mods in the other thread, and also the kmods and the romi mods and the members mods and all that stuff.
I myself have a Kmod.

Hands down I see that link you posted to be the best of all the "_hardware" mods_ currently.

This is my own personal opinion from my observations and also my own experience in modding.

So if I were to get my Sony hardware either repaired or moded, I would go here first.

If the other places shown better workmanship then it would be more of a choice, but I haven't seen cleaner, neater, or better work than this anywhere yet.
The pics alone show this.


----------



## Jotaro

Maxx134 said:


> I have been planning and studying and observing the hardware mods in the other thread, and also the kmods and the romi mods and the members mods and all that stuff.
> I myself have a Kmod.
> 
> Hands down I see that link you posted to be the best of all the mods currently.
> ...


Thinking exactly the same!!


----------



## MrWalkman

Maxx134 said:


> I have been planning and studying and observing the hardware mods in the other thread, and also the kmods and the romi mods and the members mods and all that stuff.
> I myself have a Kmod.
> 
> Hands down I see that link you posted to be the best of all the mods currently.
> ...



I was thinking exactly the same. I can't afford it right now, but the price is definitely better than other mods I've seen, and I also liked the quality of execution, as seen from shared photos.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I wonder why Sony didn’t use audio note caps for their DMP-Z1.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 16, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I wonder why Sony didn’t use audio note caps for their DMP-Z1.


Brand is just a brand...the tuning and it goals are everything.  FineGold Nichicon and Kimber Cables were used to achieve a specific signatures from Sony goals.  Therefore they used it.  Other things that may be upgraded are just there for servicing, for example the removable cables styles and their OFC materials.  There are never true endgame or truly the best of the best universally...it is music and itself is an art....a genres may fit you but not suitable for everyone.  This is a reason why modifications existed, because when done right, it is specifically aimed at other goals, such as improvements toward specific targets and less universal as the mass products ...etc


----------



## Hinomotocho (Aug 16, 2020)

Jotaro said:


> A couple days with my mwa1, using mostly amdromedas on balanced, am I crazy or the high gain makes the sound better?


When I had a ZX300 there were opinions on that thread that high gain sounded better so I figured my XBA-Z5 would benefit, but I never actually compared to low gain. When I got my WM1A I went with default low gain but after a while felt it was lacking something so tried high gain and it 'sounded' better to me - something volume matching didn't seem to match.


----------



## Motagaly (Aug 16, 2020)

Deleted


----------



## Nayparm

Duncan said:


> Good to know! If it isn’t too much of a secret, how much extra capacity does the upgraded battery provide?



No secret 😉
Stock battery is 1860mah
Upgraded battery is 4100mah


----------



## Motagaly (Aug 16, 2020)

I just noticed something strange while playing with WM1A, placing it on the PC at certain points introduce sine hiss while wm1A is paused.

Moving it a bit can shift that noise from left to right headphone, and at certain places the sine noise can change in frequency.

It is hard to notice if music is playing, but as I noticed this today, I will tend to place it away from any intereference with other electronics.

Do I have a bad shielding or something, has anyone noticed this before?


----------



## Maxx134 (Aug 16, 2020)

Motagaly said:


> Do I have a bad shielding or something, has anyone noticed this before?


Sounds to me like a headphone cable acting as antenna, and a noisy PC..


----------



## Amber Rain

Maxx134 said:


> I have been planning and studying and observing the hardware mods in the other thread, and also the kmods and the romi mods and the members mods and all that stuff.
> I myself have a Kmod.
> 
> Hands down I see that link you posted to be the best of all the "_hardware" mods_ currently.
> ...



Wow, that's more than i paid for my (second hand - but mint condition) WM1A!!

Hope it is worth it


----------



## Nayparm

Amber Rain said:


> Wow, that's more than i paid for my (second hand - but mint condition) WM1A!!
> 
> Hope it is worth it



You probably best not look at the price of those other mods then 😂


----------



## Amber Rain

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I have four Android devices that supports LDAC codec:
> Sony ZX507 walkman
> Sony ZX2 Walkman
> Sony Xperia 1 smartphone
> ...



Hi 

Do any of the Sony wireless IEMs have LDAC capability? I can't seem to find any IEMs (of any brand) that do... Currently using a Fiio BTR5 (Bluetooth receiver that has 3.5/2.5 jacks), but would like the option to go truly wireless on occasion. Bought a cheap paid (£25) of wireless IEMs, but they are painfully bad!!!


----------



## MrWalkman

Amber Rain said:


> Hi
> 
> Do any of the Sony wireless IEMs have LDAC capability? I can't seem to find any IEMs (of any brand) that do... Currently using a Fiio BTR5 (Bluetooth receiver that has 3.5/2.5 jacks), but would like the option to go truly wireless on occasion. Bought a cheap paid (£25) of wireless IEMs, but they are painfully bad!!!



Maybe not LDAC, but some Shure SE215 and with the Shure BT2 cable can provide aptX HD, which the Walkman has.

The Shure BT2 cable has MMCX connectors, so you could use with with other IEMs as well.


----------



## Whitigir

Nayparm said:


> You probably best not look at the price of those other mods then 😂


In his case, I recommend DIY


----------



## Tanjiro

Donmonte said:


> How does everyone have their players set up with DSEE HX AI for those of you who had Direct mode on always previously  ?
> 
> 1- Direct mode OFF, with DSEE HX AI ON and everything else OFF.
> 2- Direct mode ON, then OFF when not listening to Hi-Res files with DSEE HX AI ON and everything else OFF.
> ...


#2 for me


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Amber Rain said:


> Hi
> 
> Do any of the Sony wireless IEMs have LDAC capability? I can't seem to find any IEMs (of any brand) that do... Currently using a Fiio BTR5 (Bluetooth receiver that has 3.5/2.5 jacks), but would like the option to go truly wireless on occasion. Bought a cheap paid (£25) of wireless IEMs, but they are painfully bad!!!



True Wireless IEMs are still work in progress interms of real audiophile level sound quality.

I do own the Sony WF-1000XM3 true wireless with noise cancellation function. They run on AAC codec. The sound quality is decent, but due to battery constraints, they dont go too loud. I do think they sound good enough for outdoor public transport casual listening usage.

There's also the Sennheiser Momentum 2 True Wireless.

There's plenty of YouTube reviewers out there who does videos on TWS IEMs, If you want more opinions on which one is better.


----------



## Mindstorms (Aug 16, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, something is 100% happening. Switching Direct Source off I immediately hear some little hiss when music is off.
> 
> Otherwise, when music is playing, I don't really notice it, and I don't focus on trying to 😅


is this only on moded FW or all FW? i hear when you turn on arm resonance and tracks are over a weird wavy sound... since like forever.... i think its part of what the effect does!


----------



## MrWalkman

Mindstorms said:


> is this only on moded FW or all FW? i hear when you turn on arm resonance and tracks are over a weird wavy sound... since like forever.... i think its part of what the effect does!



It's also on the stock firmware, and the hiss is just there, you don't need to have any effect on.


----------



## proedros

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Spoiler:  read this only if you are a Sony fanboy
> 
> 
> 
> ...



your post are fine , do continue

as for  gerelmx1986  he is the only person here who i have on my ignore list , as he talks a lot and usually says nothing , so i find it funny to tell you to shut up

like i said, please do continue posting what you post


----------



## proedros

Jotaro said:


> A couple days with my mwa1, using mostly amdromedas on balanced, am I crazy or the high gain makes the sound better?



depends on the iems , if you like Hi-Gain great

i am always on Low Gain , as i find Hi-Gain to boost the mid-bass section and make everything sound more artificial

but like i said , depends on the iems so use the setting you prefer


----------



## lmf22

Hey everyone! I got the WM1A a few days ago and using it with the Campfire Audio Solaris 2020 (singled-ended for now, but plan to get a balanced cable later). This is my first DAP, and I love it! The build quality is hefty and solid. Great clean, straightforward interface. Excellent sound, even with less than 50 hours on it (I plan to burn-in for a week). I like how versatile it is. For music discovery, I often use Apple Music on the iPhone, so I like that I can use Bluetooth streaming to the WM1A (DSEE HX AI should come in handy for that). I also use Qobuz (iPhone --> Camera adapter --> USB cable ---> WM1A in DAC mode).

I did have a few problems with the album art of a dozen albums. The embedding JPEG was progressive compression instead of baseline. It also was not able to read ID3v2.4 tags, so I had to convert some tags to ID3v2.3. 

I installed @MrWalkman modified firmware WM1A/Z+. I am very impressed that he was able to modify the stock firmware and made the sound even better, and with faster interface and improved battery life too! @MrWalkman, thank you so much for the work you have done to get these modified firmware out! 

Questions: 
1) Is it ok to turn the Auto Power Off feature to "Off" for extended period of time? I like the WM1A to be on instantly when I want to listen to music. Does it use a lot of battery in standby mode? 
2) When I get a balanced cable, do I have to do another 200 hours of burn-in?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 16, 2020)

New technical information on DSEE HX AI:
40 bit floating point processing with noise shaping conversion back to 32bit fix point.


> DSEE HX
> In addition to supplementing the high-
> range sounds of music files, the sampling
> frequency and bit rate are raised above
> ...



Source: SA-Z1 manual page 39

https://www.sony.com/electronics/su...0f14d5756c01ebe75ca3b9925956950/50080082M.pdf


----------



## Lookout57

lmf22 said:


> Hey everyone! I got the WM1A a few days ago and using it with the Campfire Audio Solaris 2020 (singled-ended for now, but plan to get a balanced cable later). This is my first DAP, and I love it! The build quality is hefty and solid. Great clean, straightforward interface. Excellent sound, even with less than 50 hours on it (I plan to burn-in for a week). I like how versatile it is. For music discovery, I often use Apple Music on the iPhone, so I like that I can use Bluetooth streaming to the WM1A (DSEE HX AI should come in handy for that). I also use Qobuz (iPhone --> Camera adapter --> USB cable ---> WM1A in DAC mode).
> 
> I did have a few problems with the album art of a dozen albums. The embedding JPEG was progressive compression instead of baseline. It also was not able to read ID3v2.4 tags, so I had to convert some tags to ID3v2.3.
> 
> ...


1) The WM1 doesn't use much power in sleep mode unlike Android based players. I've seen 7 + days of standby with basically no loss in battery.
2) Regrettably, yes. But definitely worth it.


----------



## Facta

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> New technical information on DSEE HX AI:
> 40 bit floating point processing with noise shaping conversion back to 32bit fix point.
> 
> 
> ...




Reminds me of the 32-bit float introduced by Sound Devices on their MixPre-II range of recorders/mixers to virtually not worry about clipping audio while capturing. DSEE HX AI must be something similar but on the other side of pro capture - trying to shape better what isn't in the file using AI fed with millions of tunes for listener's consumption.


----------



## nc8000

lmf22 said:


> Hey everyone! I got the WM1A a few days ago and using it with the Campfire Audio Solaris 2020 (singled-ended for now, but plan to get a balanced cable later). This is my first DAP, and I love it! The build quality is hefty and solid. Great clean, straightforward interface. Excellent sound, even with less than 50 hours on it (I plan to burn-in for a week). I like how versatile it is. For music discovery, I often use Apple Music on the iPhone, so I like that I can use Bluetooth streaming to the WM1A (DSEE HX AI should come in handy for that). I also use Qobuz (iPhone --> Camera adapter --> USB cable ---> WM1A in DAC mode).
> 
> I did have a few problems with the album art of a dozen albums. The embedding JPEG was progressive compression instead of baseline. It also was not able to read ID3v2.4 tags, so I had to convert some tags to ID3v2.3.
> 
> ...



I have never in 3 1/2 years turned mine off. I get about 20 hours play back and a weeks stand by on a 90% charge. 

Yes you have to burn each output in seperately


----------



## Mystic Traveller

nc8000 said:


> I get about 20 hours play back and a weeks stand by on a 90% charge.


I have my 1A play for 11 something hours with BT always on for a remote and high gain 100 volume
at SE to use it as a line-out.


----------



## Amber Rain

MrWalkman said:


> Maybe not LDAC, but some Shure SE215 and with the Shure BT2 cable can provide aptX HD, which the Walkman has.
> 
> The Shure BT2 cable has MMCX connectors, so you could use with with other IEMs as well.



Thanks for the reply, I'm trying to do completely without the cable, but it seems not possible at this point in time. I'll stick with the BTR5 until something better comes up (it sounds really good especially with the WM1A using LDAC).


----------



## Amber Rain

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> True Wireless IEMs are still work in progress interms of real audiophile level sound quality.
> 
> I do own the Sony WF-1000XM3 true wireless with noise cancellation function. They run on AAC codec. The sound quality is decent, but due to battery constraints, they dont go too loud. I do think they sound good enough for outdoor public transport casual listening usage.
> 
> ...




Thanks for the reply.  I'll wait until technology advances / catches up!


----------



## 524419

Whitigir said:


> Realistically speaking, it only matters when you can hear the differences (and I don’t think it is just ears and brains alone).  But it is always good to have confirmations.  In my newest device, the Ibasso MAX player, the best performances is actually Low gain, Mid gain is less and High is the worse


I get headaches on High gain, and I also hear increased noise/graininess. 
Low gain to my ears sounds substantially better  🤔🤔🤔


----------



## 524419

Maxx134 said:


> I have been planning and studying and observing the hardware mods in the other thread, and also the kmods and the romi mods and the members mods and all that stuff.
> I myself have a Kmod.
> 
> Hands down I see that link you posted to be the best of all the "_hardware" mods_ currently.
> ...


At that price @Nayparm 's mods are a complete steal. 
Very very extremely highly recommended.


----------



## 524419

Also would like to thank @MrWalkman , after much back n forth I have settled on the Chameleon 3.02. It is just a perfect match with my IEMs and the KaeSei 1A.
This community is quite something.... People going out of their way and working extremely hard to share quality mods (Hardware/Firmware), never seen anything quite like it.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 17, 2020)

This is my take on the DC Phase Linearizer:

Difference between Type A and Type B:

Type A makes bass sounded more upfront with the focus placed on the initial bass impact. Bass notes has a more 'thud' like sound.

I would recommend using Type A for Balanced Armature IEMs and for those who like impactful sounding bass notes. Some Dynamic driver headphones with more laid back bass response like the HD800 also works great with Type A.

Type B makes bass sound more background with the focus placed on bass decay. Bass notes has a more 'dunn' like sound.

I would recommend using Type B for most dynamic drivers as it helps to tame the bass impacts from overwhelming the entire sound spectrum. If you like to hear your singer's voice more in focus, use Type B.

As for Low, Standard and High:

Low places bass emphasis towards stronger sub-bass notes.

Standard places bass emphasis to stronger mid-bass notes.

High shifts bass notes further to stronger upper bass notes.

My recommendation:
Use low if you don't want any bass coloration into the mids/vocals. Or if you like more sub-bass in your music.

Standard allows abit of bass coloration into the lower mids. This mode is recommended for best compatibility with most music type.

High if you want more bass coloration into the vocals making the vocals more manly/husky.

And also you can switch off DC Phase Linearizer completely if you don't want any additional bass boost.


----------



## Ameerzs

Diet Kokaine said:


> Also would like to thank @MrWalkman , after much back n forth I have settled on the Chameleon 3.02. It is just a perfect match with my IEMs and the KaeSei 1A.
> This community is quite something.... People going out of their way and working extremely hard to share quality mods (Hardware/Firmware), never seen anything quite like it.


Yup i settle down with C3.02 after testing every possible mod with ier z1r.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 17, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> I get headaches on High gain, and I also hear increased noise/graininess.
> Low gain to my ears sounds substantially better  🤔🤔🤔


That is just the nature of high gain, a raised up voltage rails and additional resistivity within the circuits.  However, I would trade a little noises/graininess for much better dynamic and extensions, improved soundstage all day long.  But then again, it is all depend upon the gears you are hooking it up to.  With this much pickiness, even DMP-Z1 is not immune from it when high gain is turned on.  _I would also take that once someone can be this picky, there are many other players even at low gain, still have a hell lot of noise/graininess/harshness, period.  Some players have collapsed soundstage, distortions, harshness, in high gain_.  It happens that in all Sony devices, the high gain is correctly implemented, and there are more to benefit than to compromises (depends on the gears).

in the end, go with what sounded the best to your ears.  If one can not tell the differences, then one should not bother at all with gain functions, period.

be warned, once you can hear the noises from the power supplies, and the errors corrections....then I can only be sorry for your wallets, because it can only get worse from here


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 17, 2020)

My take on Vinyl Processor:

Standard: adds effects of Arm Resonance, Turntable and Surface Noise.

Arm Resonance: bass notes is slower but stronger, cymbals is more splashy.

Turntable: vocal is placed slightly more forward, smoothens the sound abit.

Surface Noise: applies a very soft random dither like noise, reduces treble edginess.


----------



## gerelmx1986

To me IER-M7 seem  to benefit from High gain


----------



## Queen6 (Aug 17, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> To me IER-M7 seem  to benefit from High gain



Should do as most mufti BA IEM's tend to respond better to additional current, CF Andromeda is the same.

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

Hey guys I just made a phenomenal discovery! 

Its regarding album and artist sorting in the wm1 dap.

When you have a ( The ) in front of the artist name it doesnt read it ! It sorts the artist order by the name and not taking THE into consideration! 

Here are some pictures I did the test with Beatles album...
So meaning You can some suffix in front the name and it still order them alphabetically 😁


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hey guys I just made a phenomenal discovery!
> 
> Its regarding album and artist sorting in the wm1 dap.
> 
> ...



Or user the ALBUMSORT tag


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> Or user the ALBUMSORT tag




It didnt work for me I tried a lot of tags sorts and nada...

I also had an issue with another album and I loaded the album with sony music center and was able to see the album sort as in there, so I changed the name to the album and my issue was solved!


----------



## minzink

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> This is my take on the DC Phase Linearizer:
> 
> Difference between Type A and Type B:
> 
> ...


Thank you for this extensive description and also for that for the vinyl processor. This is very helpful. Sony provided some tools but really lacks a proper documentation for it. ...find it out by yourself.... Your description helps to better tune my cameleon wm1a to 1z for several music genres I am listening  very appreciated!!!


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> It didnt work for me I tried a lot of tags sorts and nada...
> 
> I also had an issue with another album and I loaded the album with sony music center and was able to see the album sort as in there, so I changed the name to the album and my issue was solved!



For me ALBUMSORT works fine but ALBUMSORTORDER that works for another member does not work for me


----------



## mwhals

nc8000 said:


> For me ALBUMSORT works fine but ALBUMSORTORDER that works for another member does not work for me



It depends on how the tag editor maps the tags. AlbumSort in MP3Tag works with ALAC files for iTunes even though iTunes uses another album sort tag, so MP3Tag is mapping to iTunes and other formats.


----------



## Mindstorms

MrWalkman said:


> It's also on the stock firmware, and the hiss is just there, you don't need to have any effect on.


thats couse im describing a diferent sound not hiss if you turn on your  arm resonance and wait to the song ends you can see what sound im talking about


----------



## Lookout57

nc8000 said:


> For me ALBUMSORT works fine but ALBUMSORTORDER that works for another member does not work for me


Must be a Windows thing


----------



## nc8000

mwhals said:


> It depends on how the tag editor maps the tags. AlbumSort in MP3Tag works with ALAC files for iTunes even though iTunes uses another album sort tag, so MP3Tag is mapping to iTunes and other formats.





Lookout57 said:


> Must be a Windows thing



I use mp3tag on Win10 with flac files


----------



## Lookout57

nc8000 said:


> I use mp3tag on Win10 with flac files


Try Kid3. It is available for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android.

I use it mainly and Metadatics (macOS only) for AIFF, FLAC and DSF files. And never had an issue with Album Sort.


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> Try Kid3. It is available for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android.
> 
> I use it mainly and Metadatics (macOS only) for AIFF, FLAC and DSF files. And never had an issue with Album Sort.



No need as it works fine with ALBUMSORT tag and mp3 tag


----------



## mwhals

nc8000 said:


> I use mp3tag on Win10 with flac files



I use the exact same OS, program and file types as you.


----------



## nc8000

mwhals said:


> I use the exact same OS, program and file types as you.



And ALBUMSORTORDER tag works for you ?

Have you done any tag mapping in mp3tag (I haven’t) ?


----------



## mwhals

nc8000 said:


> And ALBUMSORTORDER tag works for you ?
> 
> Have you done any tag mapping in mp3tag (I haven’t) ?



AlbumSortOrder works in iTunes, which is the only thing I have currently that uses the tags.


----------



## nc8000

mwhals said:


> AlbumSortOrder works in iTunes, which is the only thing I have currently that uses the tags.



So you don't have a 1A or 1Z which is where I wanted it for


----------



## mwhals

nc8000 said:


> So you don't have a 1A or 1Z which is where I wanted it for



No. My signature has the only daps I have now, which is why I am saving up for a new dap.


----------



## Hinomotocho (Aug 17, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hey guys I just made a phenomenal discovery!
> 
> Its regarding album and artist sorting in the wm1 dap.
> 
> ...


I use folder view and it does acknowledge the 'The'.
I prefer it as the 'The' seems an important part of the name. It is also interesting as there are bands like Beastie Boys and Pixies that are always spoken of with 'the' before their name but it doesn't actually exist in their tag.


----------



## Facta

mwhals said:


> No. My signature has the only daps I have now, which is why I am saving up for a new dap.



Curious, which new DAPs are on your mind right now?


----------



## Lookout57

Hinomotocho said:


> I use folder view and it does acknowledge the 'The'.
> I prefer it as the 'The' seems an important part of the name. It is also interesting as there are bands like Beastie Boys and Pixies that are always spoken of with 'the' before their name but it doesn't actually exist in their tag.


I don't know if you ever used iTunes, but it automatically removes "The" from ARTISTSORTORDER and ALBUMARTISTSORTORDER which I think is the proper method for sorting based on the core artist name. So "The Beatles" would be "Beatles" for ARTISTSORTORDER and ALBUMARTISTSORTORDER. Or you could always make it "Beatles, The" if you chose.

For first name last name artists like "David Bowie" I'll set ALBUMARTISTSORTORDER and ARTISTSORTORDER to "Bowie, David" so he's under "B" and not "D"


----------



## mwhals

Facta said:


> Curious, which new DAPs are on your mind right now?



In order of what I think is the best fit given my IEMs:

1. Lotoo Paw Gold Touch
2a. Lotoo Paw 6000
2b. WM1A
3. WM1Z

I only put the LP6k as 2a over the WM1A due to USB-C.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Well I have my walkman in German, The Kassiopea Quintet is listed on T, switch to english and the same artist is listed on K.

MediaGo PC software makes the same for Spanish El/La or in German with Der/Die/Das


----------



## Hinomotocho

Lookout57 said:


> I don't know if you ever used iTunes, but it automatically removes "The" from ARTISTSORTORDER and ALBUMARTISTSORTORDER which I think is the proper method for sorting based on the core artist name. So "The Beatles" would be "Beatles" for ARTISTSORTORDER and ALBUMARTISTSORTORDER. Or you could always make it "Beatles, The" if you chose.
> 
> For first name last name artists like "David Bowie" I'll set ALBUMARTISTSORTORDER and ARTISTSORTORDER to "Bowie, David" so he's under "B" and not "D"


I've never used iTunes but from memory in the past I've had other software use that same method (perhaps also the old days of using Sony daps when I did use artist view). In most other daily situations my mind would automatically take the surname to be the preceding main alphabetical sort method, but when it comes to a musician I kind of see it differently. Although it may be their actual name and they may purely be a solo artist in many situations it is a made up name and often involves a band or group of musicians so it doesn't feel right treating as regular name. Also this helps a simple mind in a hurry easily find the artist.


----------



## Queen6

mwhals said:


> In order of what I think is the best fit given my IEMs:
> 
> 1. Lotoo Paw Gold Touch
> 2a. Lotoo Paw 6000
> ...



Biased I maybe; personally I'd opt for a WM1A with stock/mod firmware and a Lotoo PAW 5000 MKII. Rational being the flexibility of Sony's semi openness to the modding community and the 5K MKII will still offer the very best of PEQ. LPGT & LTP 6K you'll be firmly locked in including the language...

I'd also like USB-C, equally Sony's port is not unreliable and I'd far rather trade off loading speed versus flexibility of SQ.

Q-6


----------



## Lookout57 (Aug 17, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> I've never used iTunes but from memory in the past I've had other software use that same method (perhaps also the old days of using Sony daps when I did use artist view). In most other daily situations my mind would automatically take the surname to be the preceding main alphabetical sort method, but when it comes to a musician I kind of see it differently. Although it may be their actual name and they may purely be a solo artist in many situations it is a made up name and often involves a band or group of musicians so it doesn't feel right treating as regular name. Also this helps a simple mind in a hurry easily find the artist.


For made up names like "Jethro Tull" I keep ALBUMARTISTSORTORDER and ARTISTSORTORDER as "Jethro Tull". 

I only do the swap when I know it's a real person like "David Bowie", "John Lennon", etc.


----------



## Jotaro

gerelmx1986 said:


> To me IER-M7 seem  to benefit from High gain


Exactly the same for me!!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

For those interested in how Sony Vinyl Processor works:

https://translate.googleusercontent...1810_2&usg=ALkJrhiAxGY3S35e50hbacVhiOIErF3pOg


----------



## mwhals

Queen6 said:


> Biased I maybe; personally I'd opt for a WM1A with stock/mod firmware and a Lotoo PAW 5000 MKII. Rational being the flexibility of Sony's semi openness to the modding community and the 5K MKII will still offer the very best of PEQ. LPGT & LTP 6K you'll be firmly locked in including the language...
> 
> I'd also like USB-C, equally Sony's port is not unreliable and I'd far rather trade off loading speed versus flexibility of SQ.
> 
> Q-6



The LPGT and LP6k sound better than the LP5K, plus I want a touch screen. The Lotoo’s PEQ can change the sound greatly too.


----------



## Queen6

mwhals said:


> The LPGT and LP6k sound better than the LP5K, plus I want a touch screen. The Lotoo’s PEQ can change the sound greatly too.


True, like I said you'll be locked into a specific sound signature, with the WM1 series you'll have a lot more options from official firmware & regions, custom external tuning via XML and now custom firmware.  Ultimately pick up what's best for you LPGT is high on my own list, equally no rush as the Sony is in my hands  

Touch screen I dont care so much as long as the sound signature is what I want, even considering a QLS QA361. Bare bones as it gets, however the internals design is elegant and to the point...

Q-6


----------



## mwhals

Queen6 said:


> True, like I said you'll be locked into a specific sound signature, with the WM1 series you'll have a lot more options from official firmware & regions, custom external tuning via XML and now custom firmware.  Ultimately pick up what's best for you LPGT is high on my own list, equally no rush as the Sony is in my hands
> 
> Touch screen I dont care so much as long as the sound signature is what I want, even considering a QLS QA361. Bare bones as it gets, however the internals design is elegant and to the point...
> 
> Q-6



The sound is why I love my Questyles, but the UI is archaic.


----------



## Queen6 (Aug 17, 2020)

A glitch or something coming our way soon?




Absence of the Windows download intrigues...

Cancel that, is what it is, a glitch, W10 DL at 3.02 remains...

Q-6


----------



## Hinomotocho

oops


----------



## Queen6

Epic 




Only thing to do with the WM1 is push the volume  Lizzy never sounded better...

Q-6


----------



## Motagaly

Motagaly said:


> Might be on old question covered already, but I couldn’t find it.
> 
> *Do you have any issues with the Wm1A remote control while LDAC streaming is active?*
> 
> ...



An update here if anyone was wondering or came to the same issue. While the Qudelix 5K on LDAC is superior to my ears and brain over ES100, it is behaving the same as the ES100 interference with the Sony remote, so this is something of "WM1A on LDAC while remote is on", at least this is how I think; however., I discovered the following by chance:

As I gave the Quedlix 5K more time trying to understand that interference, like making a triangle (remote, me and Qudelix, and WM1A) as trying to guess which scenario is causing the cutting to be less, moving two components closer and trying different locations, etc.
After a while, suddenly the interference stopped, and the remote is working, and the sound was normal, repeated it several times and no matter the placement is, the issue is fixed like after 90 seconds.

So I tried the same with ES100, and the same thing happened, I found that I was giving up on the sound cutting early and quickly and shutting the remote off! Either the WM1A or the remote is adjusting the band frequency after "may be" detecting the interference and correcting it on its own. Therefore, my solution in the car will be, handling the cutting and have the patience for 2 minutes, and after that, everything should be working fine.

Just wanted to share that, in case anyone had the same issue, although it is a strange combination of Bluetooth receiver with buttons control and having a remote at the same time.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hey guys, ran through some STRANGE issues with trying to burn an audio CD we received along when I bought an English textbook for my job. I tried to rip the files to CD and transfer them to by my iPod but no luck. Only way to use them is on the 1A and my wife would like to borrow the 1A to play audio files. My question is, would this be a good backup Walkman? She wanted to use Bluetooth but I don't want her using the Walkman outside of the house.

https://www.sony.jp/walkman/products/NW-S310_series/

I don't see anything on Rockbox that would allow me to change the settings to English. Basically play the audio through Bluetooth to a speaker. No other device can catch the files. The files transfer no problem through Sony Music Center. Thanks in advance


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Hey guys, ran through some STRANGE issues with trying to burn an audio CD we received along when I bought an English textbook for my job. I tried to rip the files to CD and transfer them to by my iPod but no luck. Only way to use them is on the 1A and my wife would like to borrow the 1A to play audio files. My question is, would this be a good backup Walkman? She wanted to use Bluetooth but I don't want her using the Walkman outside of the house.
> 
> https://www.sony.jp/walkman/products/NW-S310_series/
> 
> I don't see anything on Rockbox that would allow me to change the settings to English. Basically play the audio through Bluetooth to a speaker. No other device can catch the files. The files transfer no problem through Sony Music Center. Thanks in advance




If you only want to use the Bluetooth feature dont think you need wm1a for that you can even use your cell phone...

But maybe if you riped the cd using the sony music center and thats why it only plays on sony daps...

Try another program to see


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Hey guys, ran through some STRANGE issues with trying to burn an audio CD we received along when I bought an English textbook for my job. I tried to rip the files to CD and transfer them to by my iPod but no luck. Only way to use them is on the 1A and my wife would like to borrow the 1A to play audio files. My question is, would this be a good backup Walkman? She wanted to use Bluetooth but I don't want her using the Walkman outside of the house.
> 
> https://www.sony.jp/walkman/products/NW-S310_series/
> 
> I don't see anything on Rockbox that would allow me to change the settings to English. Basically play the audio through Bluetooth to a speaker. No other device can catch the files. The files transfer no problem through Sony Music Center. Thanks in advance



Try ripping with eac


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> Try ripping with eac


1 more vote for EAC!!! Love it !!!


----------



## Jotaro

Wow, I can see the signature walkman thread is trending.


----------



## matevana

Queen6 said:


> Epic
> 
> Lizzy never sounded better...
> 
> Q-6



Except with Gary Moore.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 18, 2020)

Pretty surprised today:

After doing even more extensive tweaks on my ZX507 walkman, I managed to achieve 6hours idle standby for 1% drop in battery. If assuming android forced shutdown happens at 5% remaining, This ZX507 walkman should be able to idle standby for roughly 570hours or 23.75days idle.

When ZX507 was first released in 2019, on firmware 1.01, it's 1% drop for every one hour on standby.


----------



## Maxx134 (Aug 19, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> *Edit: If you want to post this on other forums, it would be nice to provide a link to this post, and not
> a direct Google Drive link. Thanks!*
> 
> Before we start, the things below are actual firmware mods, and not just tunings.
> ...


So I decided to update to the latest and greatest of the versions..

Both The "*WM1A/Z++" *and the "_*CHAMELEON"..*_

For my 1z..
This time around I also switched models from 1z to 1a as well, but only on the ++ version firmware.

Dam I think I should have switched models on Chameleon..
Ugh..

Oh well, so for the 1z, I have a piano and drum track that I use as one of my test tracks, because the piano are easiest to tell if something off, as it contains such complexity.

So end result is that I found the Chameleon to have the piano more centered and less alive or textured, while the "++" version had a touch closer and wider piano (less centered) with more vibrant notes and bit more noticeable end of room decay.
Also both were holographic, but the "++" version seemed more effortless in its presentation.

For close sounding IEMs, I might probably gravitate towards the seemingly more safe/balanced sounding Chameleon, but at expense of other attributes.

For headphones, I definitely feel the WM1A/Z++ is the way to go.
More lively, detailed, a bit wider/immersed  and exciting...


I did notice the hardware acceleration as well when plugging and unplugging from laptop and watching the screen.

Might have to try Chameleon switched to 1a in future, but I like this wm1a/z++ simply too much to go stock sounds..


Edit**
For my testing on both versions, I reinstalled the firmware, but now I see that the option of "not" reinstalling the firmware is actually a preference as well...
So now I have to try that as it is stated to be better (!).


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 18, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> So I decided to update to the latest and greatest of the versions..
> 
> Both The "*WM1A/Z++" *and the "_*CHAMELEON"..*_
> 
> ...



I found out that for my Z7M2, using WM1A/Z++ on WM1A this way sounds the best yet:

1. Switch WM1A to WM1Z
2. Reinstall WM1A/Z++ firmware
3. Switch back to WM1A but do not install the firmware again

The WM1Z sound is a bit too warm for my taste when paired with the Z7M2, but having it in the way I described above is really good.

Edit: With low gain


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Pretty surprised today:
> 
> After doing even more extensive tweaks on my ZX507 walkman, I managed to achieve 6hours idle standby for 1% drop in battery. If assuming android forced shutdown happens at 5% remaining, This ZX507 walkman should be able to idle standby for roughly 570hours or 23.75days idle.
> 
> When ZX507 was first released in 2019, on firmware 1.01, it's 1% drop for every one hour on standby.


Cool, i see android to be pointless on a DAP, too much hintergrund processes going on


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

A Headfi iem reviewer's thoughts on Sony Walkman vs other daps. 

Wonder does he know of the custom firmware of @MrWalkman which allows DSEE HX AI on his WM1A Walkman which will further improve his perspective. 

Let's hope he sees my quote of his post here. 



aminus said:


> *Aminus Rants: The Source Question*
> Something that I’ve been thinking about for a long while is source reviews. Sources in audio are, in my opinion, tantamount to the listening experience. Sure, they may not contribute as much to sound quality as, say, a good transducer will, but I am of the opinion that a bad source will make everything downstream bad. I would rather not listen to anything than listen to say, Focal’s Utopia (a headphone I absolutely love, by the way) out of a bad amp. Though portable audio’s transducers are less extreme in finickiness than certain fullsized headphones are, that’s not to say that this isn’t equally relevant. There are some sources that I’ve disliked enough to just want to not hear my favorite IEMs off of them. Hell, there are some _cables _I know of that can do that.
> 
> But before I begin writing about sources and including my opinions on them in my repertoire of reviews, I feel like it’s important to note a couple of things. After all, I hold my upstream components to the same standards that I do my downstream components.
> ...


----------



## kenjamin0523

Have anyone got this one? Pls give me some feedback.


----------



## nc8000

kenjamin0523 said:


> Have anyone got this one? Pls give me some feedback.



Is that an adaptor to give ground to the 4.4 out ?


----------



## kenjamin0523

nc8000 said:


> Is that an adaptor to give ground to the 4.4 out ?


Yes, it is. It costs around 220$ for 1960s version(they mod the 1960 cable inside).


----------



## bflat

kenjamin0523 said:


> Yes, it is. It costs around 220$ for 1960s version(they mod the 1960 cable inside).



Hmmmm. I don't see the value with this since you would need a custom 4.4mm cable that includes ground in the wiring. Such cable could simply have a 3.5mm plug to connect ground. Even if PW Audio has plans to offer a grounded headphone cable (ground to shield), they could just add a 3.5mm plug for ground so that it would work with any DAP instead of Sony specific.


----------



## kenjamin0523

bflat said:


> Hmmmm. I don't see the value with this since you would need a custom 4.4mm cable that includes ground in the wiring. Such cable could simply have a 3.5mm plug to connect ground. Even if PW Audio has plans to offer a grounded headphone cable (ground to shield), they could just add a 3.5mm plug for ground so that it would work with any DAP instead of Sony specific.


Huh, It’s not that simple. Basically, adding ground pin to your DAP can give the darker and cleaner background, and the sound also improves. If you have a chance to auditon venom cable, you should know what I mean.


----------



## bflat (Aug 18, 2020)

kenjamin0523 said:


> Huh, It’s not that simple. Basically, adding ground pin to your DAP can give the darker and cleaner background, and the sound also improves. If you have a chance to auditon venom cable, you should know what I mean.



I don't dispute what ground can do, I am simply stating that the cable which utilizes said ground can just connect directly to the 3.5mm port making this adapter completely unnecessary. As you point out Venom already offered such a cable and it does come with a separate 3.5mm plug for ground

Here is a pic from the Venom review on Headphone List:


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 18, 2020)

For those interested, the mathematics complexity behind digital signal processing and low pass filtering of waveforms. It also interactively shows how waveform have amplitude, frequency spectrum and time domains(17min 40sec mark)


----------



## proedros

MrWalkman said:


> I found out that for my Z7M2, using WM1A/Z++ on WM1A this way sounds the best yet:
> 
> 1. Switch WM1A to WM1Z
> 2. Reinstall WM1A/Z++ firmware
> ...



we use the exact same setup , nice


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> we use the exact same setup , nice




Me to I got the Z7M2 with my wm1a I like but its a little on the natural neutral side a bit too much


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## RobertP (Aug 19, 2020)

Discovered critical problem when deploying Cerberus. The issue is now fixed. Sorry, it's my bad!



RobertP said:


> If anyone want to try Cerberus with stock v3.02 base >> *Here*. I have them in Universal, Japan, and Euope version so check the unit certificate sticker and choose the right version for your Walkman. ( *Updated 8/19/20 12:00am *)
> Recommend to run official update first before reinstall Cerberus again. (If you can factory reset too, that's even better. but be aware, the total play time will be reset also.) This method does work for me.
> 
> If you see extra batch windows open, don't be alarm. Just run update like normal.
> ...


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 19, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Discovered critical problem when deploying Cerberus. The issue is now fixed. Sorry, it's my bad!



Buddy, what is your problem? Why do you keep sharing the XML swapping method when it doesn't actually work?

More importantly, what sound differrence are you hearing when the Cerberus XML is not actually used? Incredible.

There is absolutely no logic in what you're doing, but you're still doing it for some reason. Maybe you think I'm lying or something - man, I beg you, please check this for yourself, I shared a link to the Microsoft website for the tool. It's really sad seeing someone living in such a lie, and just continuing believing that lie without fact checking it.

Ignoring the facts so you could live in your own fantasy - this is not right, man!

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/post-15786181

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon


----------



## gerelmx1986

I was looking into astell and kern DAPs, their marketing is outdated and.looks BS.

A&K
32-bit file --> CPU --> 32-bit delivery --> DAC --> MQS

OTHER DAPS
32-bit file --> CPU --> 24-bit downsample --> DAC --> No MQS

Same was when DACs were 24-bit lol
AK
24-bit file --> CPU --> 24-bit delivery --> DAC --> MQS

OTHER PLAYER
24-bit file --> CPU --> 16-bit downsample --> DAC --> No MQS


----------



## tq959

gerelmx1986 said:


> I was looking into astell and kern DAPs, their marketing is outdated and.looks BS.
> 
> A&K
> 32-bit file --> CPU --> 32-bit delivery --> DAC --> MQS
> ...


sony smaster hx is also 32bit processs


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

tq959 said:


> sony smaster hx is also 32bit processs



The S-Master power amplifier generates a 1-bit pulse stream to switch pairs of MOS FET power output transistors on and off


----------



## mwhals

I have completed some more evaluation. I think this is my order now.

1. WM1A
2. LP6K
3. LPGT
4. WM1Z

WM1A floats to the top, because it has sort by genre, which the Lotoos do not have. I also used my album and artist sort tags, which the Lotoos apparently do not. The battery is also insane, comparatively.

WM1Z is at the bottom, because I think and have heard that it is too warm for Phantom and Legend X. Synergy is important. I think the WM1A will have synergy with more IEMs than the WM1Z. I also do not want to spend that much on a dap that might be replaced in the next year. The WM1A is a reasonable price comparatively.

Any additional insights from those owning any of these daps?


----------



## Lookout57

I have the 1A and 1Z (both are set as Region J) and I find that the 1A (switched to 1Z using MrWalkmans Chameleon firmware) is warmer with more bass than the 1Z stock. This is using Solaris 2020 with DHC Clone Silver balanced cable. 

Before you take this as gospel I want to let you know of an observation I recently made. I found that on the 1A that the volume changed the sound signature and if it's turned up too much it can get bright. So I've been experimenting the past couple of nights and found that I get the best overall sound if I turn the volume down 5-10 clicks on the Sony volume scale. With the reduced volume I get a full detailed sound on the 1A. But if I use the same volume level on the 1Z, it's brighter. So tonight I need to compare the 1Z at a lover volume than the 1A to see if the warmness is still true. I'll keep you posted on my findings.


----------



## aceedburn

Lookout57 said:


> I have the 1A and 1Z (both are set as Region J) and I find that the 1A (switched to 1Z using MrWalkmans Chameleon firmware) is warmer with more bass than the 1Z stock. This is using Solaris 2020 with DHC Clone Silver balanced cable.
> 
> Before you take this as gospel I want to let you know of an observation I recently made. I found that on the 1A that the volume changed the sound signature and if it's turned up too much it can get bright. So I've been experimenting the past couple of nights and found that I get the best overall sound if I turn the volume down 5-10 clicks on the Sony volume scale. With the reduced volume I get a full detailed sound on the 1A. But if I use the same volume level on the 1Z, it's brighter. So tonight I need to compare the 1Z at a lover volume than the 1A to see if the warmness is still true. I'll keep you posted on my findings.


I have the same experience. Although I don’t have a 1Z with me now, i remember how it sounds. I’m also on J region with chameleon on 1A switched to 1Z and also on Japanese destination.


----------



## Gamerlingual (Aug 19, 2020)

mwhals said:


> I have completed some more evaluation. I think this is my order now.
> 
> 1. WM1A
> 2. LP6K
> ...


If a better DAP comes along, my 1Z isn’t going anywhere nor will its successor be purchased. This is my treasure and will appreciate it as such. Don’t let a so called replacement hold you back from it. Heck, buy it used like I did. Been a gem so far


----------



## Maxx134 (Aug 19, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> So I decided to update to the latest and greatest of the versions..
> 
> Both The "*WM1A/Z++" *and the "_*CHAMELEON"..*_
> 
> ...


Edit**
For my testing on both versions, I reinstalled the firmware, but now I see that the option of "not" reinstalling the firmware is actually a preference as well...
So now I have to try that as it is stated in these next quotes to be better (!).



MrWalkman said:


> I found out that for my Z7M2, using WM1A/Z++ on WM1A this way sounds the best yet:
> 
> 1. Switch WM1A to WM1Z
> 2. Reinstall WM1A/Z++ firmware
> ...


I will try this next!



proedros said:


> we use the exact same setup , nice


I have to try this as well...


Vitaly2017 said:


> Me to...


So this is a slight confirmation that these options are a preferred better choice for me to try!


----------



## vilhelm44

mwhals said:


> I have completed some more evaluation. I think this is my order now.
> 
> 1. WM1A
> 2. LP6K
> ...



I've had all the above and for synergy you can't go wrong with LPGT, as it lets the IEM sig shine through. I've also had the WM1Z and Legend x and thought it was a great combo, not overly bassy at all. Though from what I hear about the Phantom, that may be too much.

I'm currently using my WM1Z switched to 1A with the Chameleon fw and that sounds lovely. Thought I'd try it out and was surprised at how good it sounded.


----------



## aceedburn

vilhelm44 said:


> I've had all the above and for synergy you can't go wrong with LPGT, as it lets the IEM sig shine through. I've also had the WM1Z and Legend x and thought it was a great combo, not overly bassy at all. Though from what I hear about the Phantom, that may be too much.
> 
> I'm currently using my WM1Z switched to 1A with the Chameleon fw and that sounds lovely. Thought I'd try it out and was surprised at how good it sounded.


Hmm. It’s interesting to note that some of those who own 1A are switching the model to 1Z and some of those who own 1Z are switching their model to 1A and say it sounds better than the 1Z stock sound. How ironic! Just goes to show how software can work wonders.


----------



## vilhelm44

aceedburn said:


> Hmm. It’s interesting to note that some of those who own 1A are switching the model to 1Z and some of those who own 1Z are switching their model to 1A and say it sounds better than the 1Z stock sound. How ironic! Just goes to show how software can work wonders.



Funny eh? You would never have guessed that switching the 1Z to 1A would have knocked your socks off. Maybe it's a combo of the internals and fw, who knows.


----------



## Maxx134 (Aug 19, 2020)

Need to write down all the different configurations that can be tested...


----------



## Maxx134

MrWalkman said:


> More importantly, what sound differrence are you hearing when the Cerberus XML is not actually used? Incredible


He is hearing the difference of the WM1A/Z++ firmware..    
Sorry I couldn't help making a joke.


----------



## Maxx134

aceedburn said:


> Hmm. It’s interesting to note that some of those who own 1A are switching the model to 1Z and some of those who own 1Z are switching their model to 1A and say it sounds better than the 1Z stock sound. How ironic! Just goes to show how software can work wonders.


Actually it may make sense that both units are trying to converge to a "middle point"...


----------



## Queen6 (Aug 19, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> Need to write down all the different configurations that can be tested...


For WM1A
1A stock - 1A+1A
1A switched to 1Z with custom firmware reloaded - 1Z+1Z
1A switched to 1Z without custom firmware reloaded - 1Z+1A
1A switched to 1Z with custom firmware reloaded, then switched back to 1A without custom firmware reloaded - 1A+1Z

The differences between the the internal (FW) and external (XML) tuning should be clearly discernible.

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

MrWalkman said:


> *Edit: If you want to post this on other forums, it would be nice to provide a link to this post, and not
> a direct Google Drive link. Thanks!*
> 
> Before we start, the things below are actual firmware mods, and not just tunings.
> ...



Only issue I have with these mod's, nothing sounds better including Chameleon  Top job, allows one to tune the WM1A/Z to the individual taste without any drawback.

Never sounded better




Everything else for that matter, now you can choose for yourself the sound signature that matches your taste and your head gear. Credit where credit is due 

Q-6


----------



## Lookout57

Lookout57 said:


> I have the 1A and 1Z (both are set as Region J) and I find that the 1A (switched to 1Z using MrWalkmans Chameleon firmware) is warmer with more bass than the 1Z stock. This is using Solaris 2020 with DHC Clone Silver balanced cable.
> 
> Before you take this as gospel I want to let you know of an observation I recently made. I found that on the 1A that the volume changed the sound signature and if it's turned up too much it can get bright. So I've been experimenting the past couple of nights and found that I get the best overall sound if I turn the volume down 5-10 clicks on the Sony volume scale. With the reduced volume I get a full detailed sound on the 1A. But if I use the same volume level on the 1Z, it's brighter. So tonight I need to compare the 1Z at a lover volume than the 1A to see if the warmness is still true. I'll keep you posted on my findings.


So I got a chance to test some more and found my results are dependent on the IEM I use. 

With the Solaris 2020 / DHC Clone Silver it has less bass than the Solaris SE / DHC Clone Silver on the stock 1Z Region J. But on the 1AZ Region J, the amount of bass is similar between the two IEMS, but different. 

The stock 1Z has better bass details and a larger soundstage with more overall details with the Solaris SE. The Solaris 2020 has slight more heft to the bass on the 1AZ. Which matches my original impressions of the SE versus the 2020. So the Solaris SE is a better match for the 1Z and the 2020 for the 1AZ with the Clone Silver balanced cable.

I ended up using the same volume on both DAPs. But I will say I still am using a lower volume than I used to on both players. I used to turn it up to get more bass but it would cause some harshness in the highs. But by using a lower volume and letting my ears adjust to the volume I can now hear the bass and all the other details without any harshness,


----------



## mwhals

mwhals said:


> I have completed some more evaluation. I think this is my order now.
> 
> 1. WM1A
> 2. LP6K
> ...



I added the Astell & Kern SE200 too.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

aceedburn said:


> How ironic! Just goes to show how software can work wonders.


Well said!!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 19, 2020)

I think the future of sound quality is going to come mostly from software signal processing.

Yes there will be hardware advancements interms of power output and improvements to materials used, maybe pushing to 100KHz frequency handling with use of GAN-fets. But ultimately much of Sony's magical sound quality is going to come from advancements in software.

Just do a comparsion between how your WM1 Walkman sounded with it's inital 1.0 firmware with direct source ON against @MrWalkman custom firmware with DSEE HX AI turned ON. This will already tell you how much software affects sound quality since the hardware never changed at all.


----------



## Amber Rain

Hi

Does anyone know if the Tin Hifi P1 plays nice(ly) with the WM1A?

Presumably it would be better off using the balanced output, but would it also need the High gain activated?

Just thinking of trying a different sounding IEM than I have (Shure se846) without spending too much money (will probably also pair it with my BTR5).


----------



## Blueoris

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I think the future of sound quality is going to come mostly from software signal processing.
> 
> Yes there will be hardware advancements interms of power output and improvements to materials used, maybe pushing to 100KHz frequency handling with use of GAN-fets. But ultimately much of Sony's magical sound quality is going to come from advancements in software.
> 
> Just do a comparsion between how your WM1 Walkman sounded with it's inital 1.0 firmware with direct source ON against @MrWalkman custom firmware with DSEE HX AI turned ON. This will already tell you how much software affects sound quality since the hardware never changed at all.


Agree. DSP and AI for audio, image and video are actually key elements for smartphone manufacturing companies. 

I have come to like the DSEE HX AI feature and I find myself using my Walkman as a Bluetooth receiver for the Spotify app in my iPhone more often than before, and would be great if Sony keeps training the underlying model in-house and releasing it with new firmware.

I hope @MrWalkman will hang around for a while and keen using his skills to port new versions of DSEE HX AI released in new walkmans into the NW1 models.


----------



## AlexCBSN

Amber Rain said:


> Hi
> 
> Does anyone know if the Tin Hifi P1 plays nice(ly) with the WM1A?
> 
> ...


High gain and ... tbh, still it lacks punch, that little fella is quite demanding, i drive it at around 50/60 percent volume on the hiby r6 on balanced


----------



## Amber Rain

AlexCBSN said:


> High gain and ... tbh, still it lacks punch, that little fella is quite demanding, i drive it at around 50/60 percent volume on the hiby r6 on balanced



Oh wow! So probably not worth it then?

Thanks.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Lookout57 said:


> I have the 1A and 1Z (both are set as Region J) and I find that the 1A (switched to 1Z using MrWalkmans Chameleon firmware) is warmer with more bass than the 1Z stock. This is using Solaris 2020 with DHC Clone Silver balanced cable.
> 
> Before you take this as gospel I want to let you know of an observation I recently made. I found that on the 1A that the volume changed the sound signature and if it's turned up too much it can get bright. So I've been experimenting the past couple of nights and found that I get the best overall sound if I turn the volume down 5-10 clicks on the Sony volume scale. With the reduced volume I get a full detailed sound on the 1A. But if I use the same volume level on the 1Z, it's brighter. So tonight I need to compare the 1Z at a lover volume than the 1A to see if the warmness is still true. I'll keep you posted on my findings.



The 1Z does have that treble spike. It’s a double edged sword in that it can improve some IEMs, then with others it’s slightly bright? IMO. 

The 1A used to have a brightness to the lower treble which made it sound thin, though now it with MrWalkman’s magic it’s just right! 

Using “J” region on both with 1A/1Z+. Probably going to do more testing with the 1A/1Z++ with the 1Z. May try different regions. Funny too, now that I’m so used to the 1A, I like it even better than the Sony TA desktop? So strange?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 20, 2020)

https://www.sony.co.id/en/electronics/support/downloads/Y0015296




You have to wonder if this could a project for MrWalmman?

MrWalkman’s 1.04


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.sony.co.id/en/electronics/support/downloads/Y0015296
> 
> 
> You have to wonder if this could a project for MrWalmman?
> ...



Unfortunately, that is only an installer for the firmware, not the actual firmware. I couldn't manage to get hands on it. Also, it may not be packed in the same way.

Let's wait and see if Sony will release new firmware updates for the Walkman players. Sony usually does this at the end of August.


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> Unfortunately, that is only an installer for the firmware, not the actual firmware. I couldn't manage to get hands on it. Also, it may not be packed in the same way.
> 
> Let's wait and see if Sony will release new firmware updates for the Walkman players. Sony usually does this at the end of August.




Good to know. 


Truly I’m spoiled. Just thinking the 1A is better than the TA, is a bizarre change of events by itself. I’m so grateful!! 

Thank-you!


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> Truly I’m spoiled. Just thinking the 1A is better than the TA, is a bizarre change of events by itself. I’m so grateful!!



I never heard the TA, but it's truly a spoil for me as well just listening to music on the 1A now.

Two days ago I was testing a PC Bluetooth transmitter. It has SBC, aptX, and aptX Low Latency (this is useful for audio in games). Somehow, the player didn't connect using the aptX codec. Instead, it was using the SBC one. Still, I started listening to some songs on Youtube, and I spent almost 2 hours just going from a song to the next one. Just amazing!

Especially for SBC, I had DSEE HX AI on, and I also set DC Phase Linearizer to type B low, as it seems more suitable for dynamic drivers.


----------



## 524419

Redcarmoose said:


> Good to know.
> 
> 
> Truly I’m spoiled. Just thinking the 1A is better than the TA, is a bizarre change of events by itself. I’m so grateful!!
> ...


Just wait till you get the 1A modded


----------



## AlexCBSN

Amber Rain said:


> Oh wow! So probably not worth it then?
> 
> Thanks.


Imo, if you have another amp to drive em, yeah, it’s a good pair for the price, though if you are going for planar drivers and want something to spoil yourself, the tri i3 are quite something; impressive soundstage, mids and a nice rumble. Obravo Cupid’s are another great option but there’s a couple of caveats.


----------



## gsiu33

Vitaly2017 said:


> I think 1a will pair nicely with mdr-z1r cause 1a is natural neutral and z1r is warm bassy. It will be a very good pairing


WM1Z (fw 3.02 + J) is also good pair with MDR-Z1R, I don’t think it is too warm. It sounds even better with more powerful AMP such as TA or DMP-Z1.


----------



## Vitaly2017

gsiu33 said:


> WM1Z (fw 3.02 + J) is also good pair with MDR-Z1R, I don’t think it is too warm. It sounds even better with more powerful AMP such as TA or DMP-Z1.




I like the u region on 3.02 very nice sub bass and cleaner extended treble. J is nice airy vocals. For me J is all about vocals and u for a more sharper treble and nicer sub bass. Also on J the bass is to wide and massive on U its corrected less fatiguing to me ears as it get way to wide for me. I use tia fourte noir


----------



## SBranson

Hmm...  all this reading about the 1a with new firmware is better than the 1z..  and my 1z is supposed to arrive today..  I’m trying to stay excited 😜


----------



## Lookout57

SBranson said:


> Hmm...  all this reading about the 1a with new firmware is better than the 1z..  and my 1z is supposed to arrive today..  I’m trying to stay excited 😜


I have both and the 1A switched to 1Z is close to a stock 1Z but the 1Z is still superior to me with better details and a wider soundstage,


----------



## Whitigir

SBranson said:


> Hmm...  all this reading about the 1a with new firmware is better than the 1z..  and my 1z is supposed to arrive today..  I’m trying to stay excited 😜





Lookout57 said:


> I have both and the 1A switched to 1Z is close to a stock 1Z but the 1Z is still superior to me with better details and a wider soundstage,


Well, materials will always be the reality of the differences.  See ? Iron is different than steel!! Silver and copper and so on.

You can always polish steel to look like gold, but does it have the probability of Gold ?  
So, 1Z is still superior...whether you can hear it or not is entirely up to you


----------



## Redcarmoose

Lookout57 said:


> I have both and the 1A switched to 1Z is close to a stock 1Z but the 1Z is still superior to me with better details and a wider soundstage,



I may have to go back to the 1Z again. I gave it a test listen and it was calling me home?


----------



## gsiu33

Vitaly2017 said:


> I like the u region on 3.02 very nice sub bass and cleaner extended treble. J is nice airy vocals. For me J is all about vocals and u for a more sharper treble and nicer sub bass. Also on J the bass is to wide and massive on U its corrected less fatiguing to me ears as it get way to wide for me. I use tia fourte noir


Seems I need to try region U with 1Z. Thanks


----------



## Redcarmoose

SBranson said:


> Hmm...  all this reading about the 1a with new firmware is better than the 1z..  and my 1z is supposed to arrive today..  I’m trying to stay excited 😜



You’ll love it. If it’s new it will take a while before it gets burned in. Normally it’s recommended 200 hours 4.4mm and 200 hours 3.5mm, with IEMs playing. Also it seems there is a mental acclimating process too. It seems to all start coming together after the 100 plus hour with some listening in-between. 

Cheers!


----------



## SBranson (Aug 20, 2020)

Thanks all.. I guess I never really stopped being excited but maybe I should try the firmware update on my 1a before I sell it.
It’s a little unnerving how close the performance is by most descriptions.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I think the Firmware mods are causing so much Buzz that also @Ascariss  is adding further BUZZ!! in his walkman blog, worring is perhaps. What if sony blocks completely the possibility of modding the FW and even worse, of uncapping EU walkman. Meaning that, us, europe folks haing to incurr in more costs dues to import


----------



## aceedburn

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think the Firmware mods are causing so much Buzz that also @Ascariss  is adding further BUZZ!! in his walkman blog, worring is perhaps. What if sony blocks completely the possibility of modding the FW and even worse, of uncapping EU walkman. Meaning that, us, europe folks haing to incurr in more costs dues to import


If they ever block it (which is don’t think will ever happen in a million years) then the best approach  is don’t update to the new firmware. Simple.


----------



## Amber Rain

AlexCBSN said:


> Imo, if you have another amp to drive em, yeah, it’s a good pair for the price, though if you are going for planar drivers and want something to spoil yourself, the tri i3 are quite something; impressive soundstage, mids and a nice rumble. Obravo Cupid’s are another great option but there’s a couple of caveats.



Thanks, would the Tri i3 be better than the Shouer Tape?


----------



## AlexCBSN

Amber Rain said:


> Thanks, would the Tri i3 be better than the Shouer Tape?


No idea bro, i haven’t tested the shouer


----------



## RobertP (Aug 20, 2020)

At current stage, I'm extremely happy with 1A sound. Both HW mods and tune comes along nicely after try everything at available out there. The improvement is huge already just only this past month alone.

Haven't use my 1Z for awhile since I give my 1A full attention lately. I almost forgot what this walkman is all about. Why does it exist. How does it stack against my 1A now.
After warm up 1Z for 30min and have a listening, the difference is immediate. I think both of my 1A and 1Z have about the same refine treble and micro details now, but 1Z still have the advantage in resolution, weight and feel. More vocals and instruments resolution and weight in lower-mid region on 1Z. Upper-mid on both DAP are almost on par to each other. Bass is larger and heavier still with 1Z. Overall, 1Z is like a honey. It's soft taste, thick, mass, shape and color. While 1A is more like a syrup. It's very tasty, fluid and less colored. They both are good but in different way.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 20, 2020)

RobertP said:


> At current stage, I'm extremely happy with 1A sound. Both HW mods and tune comes along nicely after try everything at available out there. The improvement is huge already just only this past month alone.
> 
> Haven't use my 1Z for awhile since I give my 1A full attention lately. I almost forgot what this walkman is all about. Why does it exist. How does it stack against my 1A now.
> After warm up 1Z for 30min and have a listening, the difference is immediate. I think both of my 1A and 1Z have about the same refine treble and micro details now, but 1Z still have the advantage in resolution, weight and feel. More vocals and instruments resolution and weight in lower-mid region on 1Z. Upper-mid on both DAP are almost on par to each other. Bass is larger and heavier still with 1Z. Overall, 1Z is like a honey. It's soft taste, thick, mass, shape and color. While 1A is more like a syrup. It's very tasty, liquidy and less colored. They both are good but in different way.


Excellently stated out !!! Syrup and honey is what I would call them both for sure


----------



## Motagaly

aceedburn said:


> If they ever block it (which is don’t think will ever happen in a million years) then the best approach  is don’t update to the new firmware. Simple.



Or @MrWalkman can port the new features of this possible Firmware into his moded firmware and we all enjoy the dark side 😂

For those enjoying his modded work, I encourage you to support him, as to keep the orchestra playing.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 20, 2020)

Choice of Materials has always influenced how audio sounded.

Especially in the closed back headphones and iem housing.

Sony use of magnesium in some of their iem housing does make a difference to how their iems sounded. Its very resistant to resonance, which makes the iem able to image very well even at louder volumes.

Also guys, I would highly recommend to try out/own a pair of wooden housing headphones if you haven’t. They have a very unique timbre and sound signature that really excels with certain genre of music. Denon, Audio-Technica, EMU, ZMF all make wooden headphones. It’s one of the checklist items to try if you are a budding audiophile.


----------



## WAmadeusM

Redcarmoose said:


> I may have to go back to the 1Z again. I gave it a test listen and it was calling me home?


Try wm1z as W1A via @MrWalkman.  IMO ultimate combination of SW and HW.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Well, materials will always be the reality of the differences.  See ? Iron is different than steel!! Silver and copper and so on.
> 
> You can always polish steel to look like gold, but does it have the probability of Gold ?
> So, 1Z is still superior...whether you can hear it or not is entirely up to you




I think dmp-z1 is now the new king 😛 but lets wait till it arrives and di a 500 hours burn in first 😊🙃🙃🙃


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Excellently stated out !!! Syrup and honey is what I would call them both for sure




Haha chose your medicine do you need syrup or honey today ? Both are sweet but one is more sweet 😜


----------



## mmwwmm

WAmadeusM said:


> Try wm1z as W1A via @MrWalkman.  IMO ultimate combination of SW and HW.


I’ll add try 1Z as 1A with Chameleon 3.01 and U region. Best sound I’ve got from my 1Z.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

SBranson said:


> but maybe I should try the firmware update on my 1a before I sell it.


Of course, give it a try - it's worth it! Maybe you'd have second thoughts about selling it.


----------



## terminaut

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha chose your medicine do you need syrup or honey today ? Both are sweet but one is more sweet 😜



Only one is iconic, for sure...


----------



## SBranson

Mystic Traveller said:


> Of course, give it a try - it's worth it! Maybe you'd have second thoughts about selling it.



yeah, I have thought of it but truthfully it makes me nervous.  I feel like I might mistakenly brick the thing.  As an older guy who has had too many years using a Mac I’m not terribly comfortable with the process.


----------



## MrWalkman

SBranson said:


> yeah, I have thought of it but truthfully it makes me nervous.  I feel like I might mistakenly brick the thing.  As an older guy who has had too many years using a Mac I’m not terribly comfortable with the process.



There is nothing you can do that could brick the player by flashing that firmware. Otherwise I would have mentioned it


----------



## SBranson

MrWalkman said:


> There is nothing you can do that could brick the player by flashing that firmware. Otherwise I would have mentioned it



If someone can find a way it would be me.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 20, 2020)

SBranson said:


> If someone can find a way it would be me.



Nope, I know what I am talking about.

This is basically saying that you would find a way to brick your player by flashing the official Sony firmware, as the modded firmware installation is not different than the official one. Would you never install official Sony firmware updates? Or better said, would Sony not let us know that there is a risk of bricking the device by updating the firmware?


----------



## Lookout57

SBranson said:


> yeah, I have thought of it but truthfully it makes me nervous.  I feel like I might mistakenly brick the thing.  As an older guy who has had too many years using a Mac I’m not terribly comfortable with the process.


As long you are using macOS Mojave or older release it's just like the install of any other Sony update.


----------



## Motagaly

Lookout57 said:


> As long you are using macOS Mojave or older release it's just like the install of any other Sony update.



So it doesn’t work on El Capitan? Is this is why I had to install it via VM Windows?


----------



## SBranson (Aug 20, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Nope, I know what I am talking about.
> 
> This is basically saying that you would find a way to brick your player by flashing the official Sony firmware, as the modded firmware installation is not different than the official one. Would you never install official Sony firmware updates?



My comments are in no way meant to disparage your work just my ineptitude in things computer related.  i just have memories from 20 years ago of the “blue screen of death” and not knowing how to fix it.  I imagine things like getting 1/2 way through and the power cuts out or some other misfortune.


----------



## MrWalkman

SBranson said:


> My comments are in no way meant to disparage your work just my ineptitude in things computer related.  i just have memories from 20 years ago of the “blue screen of death” and not knowing how to fix it.  I imagine things like getting 1/2 way through and the power cuts out or some other misfortune.



I am just stating my point, that there is no danger


----------



## Lookout57

Motagaly said:


> So it doesn’t work on El Capitan? Is this is why I had to install it via VM Windows?


El Capitan is older than Mojave so it will work.


----------



## SBranson (Aug 20, 2020)

Got my WM1Z  and I’m listening. 
It’s one of those odd seemingly incremental differences that is also a huge difference. Definitely stronger in the bass but mostly just more real sounding. Vocals seem slightly less forward but I think it’s that they are more organic and “rounder” so they have more depth. Some of my vocal test tracks are spookily real sounding.
There’s more definition in every way... more musical information.. The price difference wouldn’t seem to make the upgrade from the 1A worth it but as said somewhere, that 10% difference is all the difference in the world. 
Soundstage is definitely more open with greater depth. That forwardness of the Campfire Audio sound that I’ve felt I had to adjust to is basically not really what it was. That is quite a change from the 1A.
The WM1Z shocked me when I first picked it up being twice the weight of the the 1A.


----------



## Aioros

Hello guys !!!

I have been following the thread and I am delighted with the chameleon mod my wm1a is MX and I had passed it to the J region is there any sustainable change after installing chameleon?

Thanks I'm new to the forum ..

HD800s + WM1A is my set


----------



## SBranson

BTW...  how do you find out what region it’s set to.


----------



## 534409

Look here: https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool


----------



## SBranson

Dramba said:


> Look here: https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyNWDestTool



Thanks...  a little above my pay grade.  I was told mine is set for J..


----------



## 534409 (Aug 21, 2020)

J region for vocal and crispy hight tones, U region for more bassy tone.
Here everything is explained in detail:


----------



## Vitaly2017

SBranson said:


> Thanks...  a little above my pay grade.  I was told mine is set for J..




Also dont forget in my signature you have a link to all fw and region tools as well if interested.


----------



## SBranson

Vitaly2017 said:


> Also dont forget in my signature you have a link to all fw and region tools as well if interested.



thanks!!


----------



## NickL33

WM1A with WM1Z+ 3.02 + Piano Forte IX the mix is such a jaw dropping moment when it comes to slow acoustic track.

Cheers @MrWalkman !


----------



## Mystic Traveller

SBranson said:


> The price difference wouldn’t seem to make the upgrade from the 1A worth it but as said somewhere, that 10% difference is all the difference in the world.


Congrats! BTW, What FW version is your 1A on?


----------



## SBranson

Mystic Traveller said:


> Congrats! BTW, What FW version is your 1A on?



Both are 3.02


----------



## Motagaly

Lookout57 said:


> El Capitan is older than Mojave so it will work.


 I am sorry, I meant Catalina, I don't understand how I wrote that, middle of the night writing.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

SBranson said:


> Both are 3.02


And on 3.02 you hear that 1Z Vocals seem slightly less forward, more towards the backstage 
than those on 1A?


----------



## Tumyum

Hi all. My 1z doesn't recognize 512gb or 1tb card. It works fine with 256gb. Tested all three cards with my other daps without any issue. Still using 1.20 fw. Do I need to update to new fw in order to use the 1tb card? Any suggestion or advice of how to fix this? Thanks.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Tumyum said:


> Hi all. My 1z doesn't recognize 512gb or 1tb card. It works fine with 256gb. Tested all three cards with my other daps without any issue. Still using 1.20 fw. Do I need to update to new fw in order to use the 1tb card? Any suggestion or advice of how to fix this? Thanks.


A) did you place the music files in a folder called Music?
B) format the cards on the WM1Z


----------



## newworld666

Tumyum said:


> Hi all. My 1z doesn't recognize 512gb or 1tb card. It works fine with 256gb. Tested all three cards with my other daps without any issue. Still using 1.20 fw. Do I need to update to new fw in order to use the 1tb card? Any suggestion or advice of how to fix this? Thanks.


 
I don't know exactly with wm1z but wm1a recognize all micro sd 1Tb, 521Gb, 256gb, 128gb in UHS-I or UHS-II.. assuming all music files are in a "Music" sub-directory tree... (with v3+ firmwares).


----------



## 534409 (Aug 21, 2020)

Motagaly said:


> I am sorry, I meant Catalina, I don't understand how I wrote that, middle of the night writing.


Funny, last time, when I used a Mac, it was 2006, in a graphic studio (G5, Leopard) 
Later on studio chief replaced all the macs by PCs. 'No more fruits here' he said.


----------



## SBranson

Mystic Traveller said:


> And on 3.02 you hear that 1Z Vocals seem slightly less forward, more towards the backstage
> than those on 1A?



Yes... but it’s more that they are fleshed out.  The position isn’t as changed so much as the perception of the space around the voice, if that makes sense.  But yes, in most cases there’s a sense of the voices being slightly back or less in your face which is something I’ve felt with Campfire Audio iems.


----------



## mrrayray

SBranson said:


> Got my WM1Z  and I’m listening.
> It’s one of those odd seemingly incremental differences that is also a huge difference. Definitely stronger in the bass but mostly just more real sounding. Vocals seem slightly less forward but I think it’s that they are more organic and “rounder” so they have more depth. Some of my vocal test tracks are spookily real sounding.
> There’s more definition in every way... more musical information.. The price difference wouldn’t seem to make the upgrade from the 1A worth it but as said somewhere, that 10% difference is all the difference in the world.
> Soundstage is definitely more open with greater depth. That forwardness of the Campfire Audio sound that I’ve felt I had to adjust to is basically not really what it was. That is quite a change from the 1A.
> The WM1Z shocked me when I first picked it up being twice the weight of the the 1A.


Totally agree
Finally someone to pull the 1Z up from the pool of 1A hype!!
Enjoy your new beast


----------



## ross1974

Help needed here. 
my wm-1A is behaving very awkwardly.
Shows balanced sign on with no headphones inserted. Shows charging when the charging cable is not attached.
The buttons all perform different operations than what they should and no music is playing.
Tried reseting (holding power for 8 secords but at no avail)
Any help would be appreciated


----------



## aceedburn

ross1974 said:


> Help needed here.
> my wm-1A is behaving very awkwardly.
> Shows balanced sign on with no headphones inserted. Shows charging when the charging cable is not attached.
> The buttons all perform different operations than what they should and no music is playing.
> ...


Try loading the 3.02 stock firmware and see if it helps. You can’t access the factory reset?


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 21, 2020)

ross1974 said:


> Help needed here.
> my wm-1A is behaving very awkwardly.
> Shows balanced sign on with no headphones inserted. Shows charging when the charging cable is not attached.
> The buttons all perform different operations than what they should and no music is playing.
> ...





aceedburn said:


> Try loading the 3.02 stock firmware and see if it helps. You can’t access the factory reset?



I would recommend doing a full factory reset instead. Reinstalling a firmware does really nothing.

All parts of the firmware that are being installed are always read-only, so reinstalling a firmware will just replace those parts with those exact parts again.


----------



## ross1974

I have the 3.02 on.
I have done a factory settings reset - no result.
If i do a full factory reset i will then lose my music and have to re-transfer it so i am trying to avoid it.
Thats why i am asking if anyone has had a similar experience.


----------



## MrWalkman

ross1974 said:


> I have the 3.02 on.
> I have done a factory settings reset - no result.
> If i do a full factory reset i will then lose my music and have to re-transfer it so i am trying to avoid it.
> Thats why i am asking if anyone has had a similar experience.



If you do a full factory reset you will only lose the music in the internal storage, just saying.


----------



## Lookout57

Motagaly said:


> I am sorry, I meant Catalina, I don't understand how I wrote that, middle of the night writing.


Catalina won't work as Sony never updated their installer for what Apple told developers were told back in 2017. Technically it's not supported on Mojave but works.

You can use a Mojave or Windows 10 VM on Catalina to install firmware.


----------



## Maxx134 (Aug 21, 2020)

Aioros said:


> Hello guys !!!
> 
> I have been following the thread and I am delighted with the chameleon mod my wm1a is MX and I had passed it to the J region is there any sustainable change after installing chameleon?
> 
> ...


You should try the WM1A/Z++ firmware to give a boost in volume for your hd800..



Tumyum said:


> Hi all. My 1z doesn't recognize 512gb or 1tb card. It works fine with 256gb. Tested all three cards with my other daps without any issue. Still using 1.20 fw. Do I need to update to new fw in order to use the 1tb card? Any suggestion or advice of how to fix this? Thanks.


Can't believe you're on such an old firmware.
You losing out on all the benefits of upgrading.
Especially the modded firmwares.



ross1974 said:


> Tried reseting (holding power for 8 secords but at no avail)


Holding power does nothing but turn it off..


ross1974 said:


> I have done a factory settings reset - no result.


That also does nothing but reset your settings...
You need to do what Mr.Walkman said.. and do a factory reset.
Just load your internal music onto a computer or memory card before doing it..


----------



## MrWalkman

Maxx134 said:


> That also does nothing but reset your settings...
> You need to do what Mr.Walkman said.. and do a factory restore.
> Just load your internal music onto a computer or memory card..



Well, unless it's some kind of hardware issue.

While experimenting with various things, something happened. When I was turning the display off while playing music, instead of the music continuing playing, the last ~500ms of music was just looping over and over.

A full factory reset helped solving that.


----------



## Maxx134

MrWalkman said:


> Well, unless it's some kind of hardware issue


Yes I agree..
 At first I was thinking maybe the balanced socket could have an issue, but then he said he was having an issue with other functions, which would mean the processor is being affected.
So most likely software..


----------



## ross1974

Have done a full factory reset
Still nothing!


----------



## MrWalkman

ross1974 said:


> Have done a full factory reset
> Still nothing!



Then it has to be a hardware issue. Maybe someone can tell you otherwise, but unfortunately I think there is a small chance for that.


----------



## Tumyum

@Maxx134, 1.20 is warm and this is what I need. I've been to 3.0 and it starts to sound more like my other dap (sp2k and lpgt). If I got only 1 dap, I would definitely choose 1z and stay with the new software.

First of all, thank you to all replies of my help. Bought 1z when it first came out and always used 256gb. Rarely change anything until now. I remembered back then I used Sony MediaGo and transfer my music to the dap. This service is no longer available and not sure I must go thru this type of software to transfer music files. Here is what I did. I took the 1tb card out of my sp2k and just plug into the 1z. The 1z did not recognize the card but everything is fine with the sp2k. It was on FAT32 I believed. Anything I need to do before plug the 1tb inside the dap? Please advise. Thank you.


----------



## Lookout57

Tumyum said:


> @Maxx134, 1.20 is warm and this is what I need. I've been to 3.0 and it starts to sound more like my other dap (sp2k and lpgt). If I got only 1 dap, I would definitely choose 1z and stay with the new software.
> 
> First of all, thank you to all replies of my help. Bought 1z when it first came out and always used 256gb. Rarely change anything until now. I remembered back then I used Sony MediaGo and transfer my music to the dap. This service is no longer available and not sure I must go thru this type of software to transfer music files. Here is what I did. I took the 1tb card out of my sp2k and just plug into the 1z. The 1z did not recognize the card but everything is fine with the sp2k. It was on FAT32 I believed. Anything I need to do before plug the 1tb inside the dap? Please advise. Thank you.


1TB card needs to be exFAT. Make sure you format it in the player before copying music.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 21, 2020)

Tumyum said:


> @Maxx134, 1.20 is warm and this is what I need. I've been to 3.0 and it starts to sound more like my other dap (sp2k and lpgt). If I got only 1 dap, I would definitely choose 1z and stay with the new software.
> 
> First of all, thank you to all replies of my help. Bought 1z when it first came out and always used 256gb. Rarely change anything until now. I remembered back then I used Sony MediaGo and transfer my music to the dap. This service is no longer available and not sure I must go thru this type of software to transfer music files. Here is what I did. I took the 1tb card out of my sp2k and just plug into the 1z. The 1z did not recognize the card but everything is fine with the sp2k. It was on FAT32 I believed. Anything I need to do before plug the 1tb inside the dap? Please advise. Thank you.



My 512GB card is using the exFAT format for my WM1A. I recommend formatting in that format instead.

Especially big cards like this will come preformatted in exFAT.


----------



## Whitigir

Lookout57 said:


> 1TB card needs to be exFAT. Make sure you format it in the player before copying music.


The 1Tb Extreme Pro I bought, I simply put it inside the PC, drag and drop into music folder, and Voila, it works in both WM1A/Z and DMP Z1.  I never done anything crazy to it


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Whitigir said:


> The 1Tb Extreme Pro I bought, I simply put it inside the PC, drag and drop into music folder, and Voila, it works in both WM1A/Z and DMP Z1.  I never done anything crazy to it



What kind of crazy thing you can do to a microsd card?


----------



## Lookout57

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> What kind of crazy thing you can do to a microsd card?


But it in a microwave, eat it, shove it up you nose or any other orifice.

On a serious note, the proper thing is always format the card in the device instead of using a computer's native disk format tool or third-party tools.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

A few pages back we were discussing different media cards.

I was told that "AuntSony" has a special music one for sale.
Has someone tried this truly "gem"   - 64Gb for almost 400 bucks - 
makes musical wonders for that price? 
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Class10-Adaptive-MicroSDXC-Card-SR-64HXA/dp/B00TXWKC7W


----------



## Motagaly

ross1974 said:


> Have done a full factory reset
> Still nothing!



My advice may look stupid but it doesn’t hurt to try, plug the charger cable in (without charging it) and see if the problem is still there, if you see any changes, then clean the wm-port along with 3.5 and 4.4 mm.

Do you have any screen protection attached?


----------



## 524419 (Aug 21, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> *Edit: If you want to post this on other forums, it would be nice to provide a link to this post, and not
> a direct Google Drive link. Thanks!*
> 
> Before we start, the things below are actual firmware mods, and not just tunings.
> ...


Just tried the ++ tuning with model switcher.( From 1A to 1Z)  Amazing work
This has the transparency into the music I was desperately looking for.
Balanced tuning with stage depth, separation, and just the right amount of Bass that does not overshadow the rest of the spectrum.
Very psychedelic experience on my gear.


----------



## Motagaly

Lookout57 said:


> Catalina won't work as Sony never updated their installer for what Apple told developers were told back in 2017. Technically it's not supported on Mojave but works.
> 
> You can use a Mojave or Windows 10 VM on Catalina to install firmware.



Thanks, I did it through Windows 10 over VM, worked fine and I am enjoying the WM1A+


----------



## RobertP (Aug 21, 2020)

Tumyum said:


> @Maxx134, 1.20 is warm and this is what I need. I've been to 3.0 and it starts to sound more like my other dap (sp2k and lpgt). If I got only 1 dap, I would definitely choose 1z and stay with the new software.
> 
> First of all, thank you to all replies of my help. Bought 1z when it first came out and always used 256gb. Rarely change anything until now. I remembered back then I used Sony MediaGo and transfer my music to the dap. This service is no longer available and not sure I must go thru this type of software to transfer music files. Here is what I did. I took the 1tb card out of my sp2k and just plug into the 1z. The 1z did not recognize the card but everything is fine with the sp2k. It was on FAT32 I believed. Anything I need to do before plug the 1tb inside the dap? Please advise. Thank you.


FW 1.20 and 2.0 was my favorite too. But since FW 3.x have more features I like so I decided to stay with it. Because I like that sound so much, it inspired me to create Vinyl tune on FW 3.02 for both 1A and 1Z. You can get it from >> Here if you want to give the current FW a chance.

I believe even 512GB cards came out about a year after v1.20 FW so I can see why 1TB cards may have incompatibility issue.


----------



## Mindstorms

actually for me 3.00 its one of the best they all know that! dough 3.02 its very polite and makes the DAP shine in a very different way...


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 22, 2020)

Coming soon, hopefully, for when there is not enough battery power left (the icons might be different at release:


Instead of showing nothing when trying to turn on the playerInstead of showing nothing when charging the player






The player will still turn on automatically once there is enough power.


----------



## NickL33

MrWalkman said:


> Coming soon, for when there is not enough battery power left (the icons might be different at release:
> 
> 
> Instead of showing nothing when trying to turn on the playerInstead of showing nothing when charging the player​​
> ...


 
Are you able to mod the FW to show battery  to show in %?


----------



## MrWalkman

NickL33 said:


> Are you able to mod the FW to show battery  to show in %?



It's not about modding the FW, it's about modifying the player app, which is not that easier to do.


----------



## 534409 (Aug 23, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


> A few pages back we were discussing different media cards.
> 
> I was told that "AuntSony" has a special music one for sale.
> Has someone tried this truly "gem"   - 64Gb for almost 400 bucks -
> ...


These cards have specially trained electrons in Japan to oscillate in more musical manner than on other average cards. Ichi-Ni-San-Shi...


----------



## gerelmx1986

The WM1 players  are beginning to lag behind other brands. For example fiio and shamling feature upsample and or support for files at a bitrate of  768kHz, othersfeaturr an all to DSD function and most are upping their power output game...

On the other hand, I think WM1 are so stable in their FW now, while others have half-backed functionality e.g. lack of gapless in shamling players, buggy os in fiio and A&K


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Does 768KHz files ever existed?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Does 768KHz files ever existed?


Probably as rare as DSD 22.4MHz (512)


----------



## MrWalkman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Does 768KHz files ever existed?



Exactly, did someone had certain files they wanted to play and they couldn't do that on the WM1 players?


----------



## slumberman

gerelmx1986 said:


> The WM1 players  are beginning to lag behind other brands. For example fiio and shamling feature upsample and or support for files at a bitrate of  768kHz, othersfeaturr an all to DSD function and most are upping their power output game...
> 
> On the other hand, I think WM1 are so stable in their FW now, while others have half-backed functionality e.g. lack of gapless in shamling players, buggy os in fiio and A&K




Try to get the same battery time and stability from anything but the WM series...  It's still unbeatable in my opinion.
I just received my modded WM1A from @Nayparm , with Nichicon caps, higher capacity battery and custom firmware and I have to say I don't see myself wanting to upgrade or change to any other brand...unless Sony comes out with a WM series successor in the future, of course.


----------



## gerelmx1986

slumberman said:


> Try to get the same battery time and stability from anything but the WM series...  It's still unbeatable in my opinion.
> I just received my modded WM1A from @Nayparm , with Nichicon caps, higher capacity battery and custom firmware and I have to say I don't see myself wanting to upgrade or change to any other brand...unless Sony comes out with a WM series successor in the future, of course.


Yes getting 18 hours with DSee,  many others between 9 and 15h maximum


----------



## newworld666 (Aug 22, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Exactly, did someone had certain files they wanted to play and they couldn't do that on the WM1 players?


Yes quite a lot ..iso, wmv, Mp4, ....


----------



## 524419 (Aug 22, 2020)

slumberman said:


> Try to get the same battery time and stability from anything but the WM series...  It's still unbeatable in my opinion.
> I just received my modded WM1A from @Nayparm , with Nichicon caps, higher capacity battery and custom firmware and I have to say I don't see myself wanting to upgrade or change to any other brand...unless Sony comes out with a WM series successor in the future, of course.


The KaeSei 1A with the ++ Model 1Z switch firmware is the best truly portable DAP I have heard as of yet, DMP-Z1 does not count.
It's now squarely a step above my modified RME-ADI 2 DAC, and I do not say that lightly. 

I don't think another DAP will be out on the market for a long long long long time that can compete with this thing. But who knows, Sony might have something crazy up it's sleeve.


and @Nayparm really knows what he is doing, his mods look picture perfect. Very high quality.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 22, 2020)

Squeezing so much power output using class A or A/B in a portable music player will mean massive heat output, and if you add all to DSD on top(processing intensive, more heat). Good luck to your pocket(if you place dap inside) and also this means the battery will have reduced service life.

Sure, the S-Master HX based walkman do not have sufficient power output to drive some of the most high end headphones out there. The key is you can always find efficient IEMs and headphones that work well with the walkmans that can rival the resulting sound quality of the most high end headphones out there.

I don't think all to DSD is as good as the intelligent sound processing you will get from Sony's DSEE HX AI, especially for low bit rate content.

Analogy Example:

Crappy low resolution image of apple > upsample to 8K resolution > still low resolution looking apple blown up to 8k pixels.

Crappy low resolution image of apple > AI upsample to 8k resolution > AI intelligent recreation of what it thinks apple should actually like in 8K resolution


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> Yes quite a lot ..iso, wmv, Mp4, ....



Well, wmv and mp4 are video formats. 

.iso is not really an audio format per-se, but an image of a physical format, so I wouldn't necessarily count it as an audio format.

DAP stands for Digital Audio Player


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Squeezing so much power output using class A or A/B in a portable music player will mean massive heat output, and if you add all to DSD on top(processing intensive, more heat). Good luck to your pocket(if you place dap inside) and also this means the battery will have reduced service life.
> 
> Sure, the S-Master HX based walkman do not have sufficient power output to drive some of the most high end headphones out there. The key is you can always find efficient IEMs and headphones that work well with the walkmans that can rival the resulting sound quality of the most high end headphones out there.
> 
> ...


.excellent sales pitch bro, grab your CV and apply for a job at sony marketing division


----------



## nc8000

newworld666 said:


> Yes quite a lot ..iso, wmv, Mp4, ....



In J region they can play the sound track from mp4 files


----------



## fjf

Cue files would be nice!


----------



## slumberman

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes getting 18 hours with DSee,  many others between 9 and 15h maximum


try 40 hours!!!!! this new battery is incredible.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

NickL33 said:


> Are you able to mod the FW to show battery to show in %?


BTW, they could have done it, like an option with a checkbox, for example,
don't think it's too difficult for Sony.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Aug 22, 2020)

fjf said:


> Cue files would be nice!


Yes, for me in my current use scenario, it's the main, probably the only drawback of their OS in such an expensive DAP. The rest is quite nice.
Still don't undertsand why it wasn't done from the beginning.
Don't suggest using different FLAC splitters 
don't want to waste time on what that could have been done by the DAP itself.


----------



## XP_98

Mystic Traveller said:


> Yes, for me in my current use scenario, it's the main, probably the only drawback of their OS in such an expensive DAP. The rest is quite nice.
> Still don't undertsand why it wasn't done from the beginning.
> Don't suggest using different FLAC splitters
> don't want to waste time on what that could have been done by the DAP itself.


A parametric EQ (or at least, 20 bands vs only 10) would have been nice too, always missed it..


----------



## nc8000

Mystic Traveller said:


> Yes, for me in my current use scenario, it's the main, probably the only drawback of their OS in such an expensive DAP. The rest is quite nice.
> Still don't undertsand why it wasn't done from the beginning.
> Don't suggest using different FLAC splitters
> don't want to waste time on what that could have been done by the DAP itself.



I’ve personally never understood the appeal of whole album files with cue files. I used it with wav files on the Colorfly C4 as that was the only way to get gapless playback but it was a pain


----------



## Maxx134

ross1974 said:


> Have done a full factory reset
> Still nothing!


I am starting to think your player may have water damage and/or battery damage...

You should send your unit in for repair.




Tumyum said:


> The 1z did not recognize the card but everything is fine with the sp2k. It was on FAT32 I believed. Anything I need to do before plug the 1tb inside the dap? Please advise. Thank you.


Yes don't forget to transfer your music before you reformat the card within the player...



gerelmx1986 said:


> For example fiio and shamling feature upsample and or support for files at a bitrate of 768kHz, othersfeaturr an all to DSD function and most are upping their power output game...


Would be Interesting to know if any of that extra  sampling rate tech helps that topology of dac.

I doubt it would help against a Sony or a Chord because the dac topology is just better.

When will the majority of manufacturers finally give up on "Delta-Sigma"??





Diet Kokaine said:


> and @Nayparm really knows what he is doing, his mods look picture perfect. Very high quality


Agree.. Haven't seen anything like that level of quality placement in an upgrade.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I’ve personally never understood the appeal of whole album files with cue files. I used it with wav files on the Colorfly C4 as that was the only way to get gapless playback but it was a pain


I always split my flac, or rip/buy as separate tracks (for SACD I use the command -t)


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Mystic Traveller

nc8000 said:


> I’ve personally never understood the appeal of whole album files with cue files.


Yep, I also prefer separate files of course but they aren't always available in rips.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

https://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.com/2020/08/volume-cap-remove-from-EU-walkman.html


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> https://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.com/2020/08/volume-cap-remove-from-EU-walkman.html


As mentioned above, I don’t think any android Walkman could have this applied


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

This article explains how clock jitter affects sound quality.



> The most common cause for jitters in digital audio systems depends on the methods used to create the sampling clock. The methods for creating a sampling clock for ADC/DAC can largely be classified into two kinds.
> *The first method is to use regularly oscillating devices such as Crystal Oscillator, an Atomic Clock, etc. along with an additional electronic circuit. This method creates a clock that is very precise* (depending on the effort and money invested) and overall has a very low level of jitter.
> *The second method uses PLL (Phase-Locked Loop*) which uses low level reference frequency to create a higher frequency. For example, a 48kHz clock uses PLL to get a clock that is 512 times faster at 24.5760 mHz*. PLL’s performance has highly improved and there is a great deal of technology to reduce jitter, but the level of jitter is still high compared to using a crystal oscillator*. *Cell phone communication and general digital radio often uses PLL*.



http://audio-probe.com/en/documentation/clock-jitter-and-audio-quality/?ckattempt=1


----------



## MrWalkman

Whitigir said:


> As mentioned above, I don’t think any android Walkman could have this applied



No one said that, but thanks for your contribution to the thread.


----------



## Queen6

MrWalkman said:


> No one said that, but thanks for your contribution to the thread.



If it can be done, it will be done in time. Many other Android devices have been successfully modified, as ever never underestimate determination, preservation and solid Dev community...

Q-6


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> This article explains how clock jitter affects sound quality.
> 
> 
> 
> http://audio-probe.com/en/documentation/clock-jitter-and-audio-quality/?ckattempt=1


Yepe! But then when it gets that far, you would realize that other components also vibrates which generates piezoelectric, which is a foundation of any crystal clocks that you can find in the digital music domains.

Now, do you see why Sony is using PML surface mounted capacitors, and Fine Sound resistors (because they don’t vibrate as much as typical tantalum or worse MLCC) ?  But hey....if firmware can fix it (by errors corrections...PLL is one of the techniques of DSP), then more power to firmware and to people who are satisfied.  I am quiet Jealous at people who can easily be satisfied.

I gotta warn you though, you are traveling down the rabbit hole that I did, and it can only get worse.  May want to control it a little more before too late LOL


----------



## MrWalkman

Queen6 said:


> If it can be done, it will be done in time. Many other Android devices have been successfully modified, as ever never underestimate determination, preservation and solid Dev community...
> 
> Q-6



Yep.

I was considering buying a Walkman A105, but it was a bit too much for my budget. It would be interesting to see if I can get at least the region changing working.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 22, 2020)

Japanese twitter mentioned @MrWalkman custom firmware with 83 likes:
https://twitter.com/Tickbook/status/1296094188207919105



> I tried it on 1Z. It's a slight difference, but the low range has a higher resolution and the sound field spreads naturally at the boundaries.
> And DSEE HX AI is excellent! It is a natural extension of "Direct" without any unnatural coloring. ( ｀ー´)ノ


----------



## MrWalkman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Japanese twitter mentioned @MrWalkman custom firmware with 83 likes:
> https://twitter.com/Tickbook/status/1296094188207919105



Nice, thanks for lettings us know  The few 2 people who gave their opinion seem to like it.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Mystic Traveller said:


> A few pages back we were discussing different media cards.
> 
> I was told that "AuntSony" has a special music one for sale.
> Has someone tried this truly "gem"   - 64Gb for almost 400 bucks -
> ...




I am not sure what is it good for with only 64 gigs of memory, seriously unworthy memory size.







Whitigir said:


> Yepe! But then when it gets that far, you would realize that other components also vibrates which generates piezoelectric, which is a foundation of any crystal clocks that you can find in the digital music domains.
> 
> Now, do you see why Sony is using PML surface mounted capacitors, and Fine Sound resistors (because they don’t vibrate as much as typical tantalum or worse MLCC) ?  But hey....if firmware can fix it (by errors corrections...PLL is one of the techniques of DSP), then more power to firmware and to people who are satisfied.  I am quiet Jealous at people who can easily be satisfied.
> 
> I gotta warn you though, you are traveling down the rabbit hole that I did, and it can only get worse.  May want to control it a little more before too late LOL





My rabbit hole pierced at some point and I saw a dmp down the tunnel, I thought it was a sign and I got my self the Dmp-Z1 ;p


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am not sure what is it good for with only 64 gigs of memory, seriously unworthy memory size.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Congratulations!! It is such a marvelous feast of engineering for digital audio


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Looks like the DSEE Extreme on the WH-1000XM4 is a processing power reduction version of DSEE HX AI with reduced depth.

DSEE HX AI ability to present depth probably requires more processing power. As per what I have notice on my ZX507, which if I enable battery saver drops the Quad CPU from dynamic 1800MHz down to fixed 1200MHz, which causes DSEE HX AI to sound worse with reduced sound stage and reduced cripsiness/airiness.

https://www.phileweb.com/sp/news/d-av/202008/07/50903.html

Optimized upscaling processing by utilizing AI to analyze music in real time. *It is said that the sound of space, the sound of percussion instruments, vocals, etc. can be reproduced more naturally than ever*. Deep learning of AI is based on a wealth of high-resolution sound sources owned by its affiliate Sony Music, and was developed while *receiving sound quality evaluation by a mastering/mixing engineer*. In addition, DSEE and equalizer can be used together except when playing a high-resolution audio source with a LDAC connection/when connecting a cable.

In addition, there is "DSEE Ultimate" installed in smartphone "Xperia 1 II" as the company's upscaling technology that also uses AI technology, but DSEE Extreme expands only the frequency band, while DSEE Ultimate is bit *Differentiated* as a higher-level technology that also *increases the depth.*


----------



## 524419

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am not sure what is it good for with only 64 gigs of memory, seriously unworthy memory size.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


DMP is insane. That is the height of everything audio, at least as far as anything that I have heard so far. 
Enjoy. There is no real upgrade from that one


----------



## terminaut

Diet Kokaine said:


> DMP is insane. That is the height of everything audio, at least as far as anything that I have heard so far.
> Enjoy. There is no real upgrade from that one



I haven't heard this new one, but the previous Orpheus was outstanding.... (edit: yeah it's not portable though)

https://en-us.sennheiser.com/sennheiser-he-1


----------



## 524419

terminaut said:


> I haven't heard this new one, but the previous Orpheus was outstanding.... (edit: yeah it's not portable though)
> 
> https://en-us.sennheiser.com/sennheiser-he-1


Jesus Christ hahaha
60 grand, yeah that qualifies.


----------



## nc8000

terminaut said:


> I haven't heard this new one, but the previous Orpheus was outstanding.... (edit: yeah it's not portable though)
> 
> https://en-us.sennheiser.com/sennheiser-he-1



I heard it and a similarily priced SR-009 fronted setup at Canjam in London 3-4 years ago and both were indeed fantastic


----------



## terminaut

Diet Kokaine said:


> Jesus Christ hahaha
> 60 grand, yeah that qualifies.



LOL yeah I think that's a little closer to the height of everything audio, as far as I'm aware. Technically just headphones, so you could feed a DMP-Z1 into it and you're good to go.


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> I heard it and a similarily priced SR-009 fronted setup at Canjam in London 3-4 years ago and both were indeed fantastic


Sr-009 with a KG T2 is legendary quality, except maybe Omega....but it is safe to say that Senn did learn from Stax in making estat systems


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 22, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> Jesus Christ hahaha
> 60 grand, yeah that qualifies.



Don't worry I am very sure that 30years later when the Sennheiser design patents expires, there will be a certain C**fi company that will blatantly copy the same design with faux leather and sell you for cheaper and claim they done 7 to 8 years of "R&D". @Whitigir  Am I right?


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 22, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Don't worry I am very sure that 30years later when the Sennheiser design patents expires, there will be a certain C**fi company that will blatantly copy the same design with faux leather and sell you for cheaper and claim they done 7 to 8 years of "R&D". @Whitigir  Am I right?


Ah well...that R10 which is being copied isnt exactly cheaper than the authentic R10 anyways LOL!!!!
Also, their shangrila is supposed to be competition of the Orpheous!!! However, I don’t know why R10.  But, I have dropped the idea to find out why, or care


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Whitigir said:


> Ah well...that R10 which is being copied is t exactly cheaper than the authentic R10 anyways LOL!!!!



If you factor in 30years of currency inflation then it is cheaper.  😂


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> If you factor in 30years of currency inflation then it is cheaper.  😂


That is another perfect way of saying “you are nothing, we are only 30 years behind”


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

You can tell how much pride they have in their designs when these crazy Sony engineers label their own works as Masterpieces:


----------



## Queen6

terminaut said:


> I haven't heard this new one, but the previous Orpheus was outstanding.... (edit: yeah it's not portable though)
> 
> https://en-us.sennheiser.com/sennheiser-he-1


How big is the battery 

Q-6


----------



## normie610

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> You can tell how much pride they have in their designs when these crazy Sony engineers label their own works as Masterpieces:



I’ve only heard Z1R and M9, and yes I do agree that they are indeed masterpieces!


----------



## Whitigir

normie610 said:


> I’ve only heard Z1R and M9, and yes I do agree that they are indeed masterpieces!


But they don’t cost $3-4K neither ...How come


----------



## Queen6 (Aug 22, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Don't worry I am very sure that 30years later when the Sennheiser design patents expires, there will be a certain C**fi company that will blatantly copy the same design with faux leather and sell you for cheaper and claim they done 7 to 8 years of "R&D". @Whitigir  Am I right?



Is given many companies will blatantly copy Sennheiser, irrespective of geographical location. If companies based in CN wanted to copy they would have done so by now, as they can...

Stick with the technicalities your good at that, leave the politics at home. All companies purchase competing consumer products and reverse engineer them be it East or West plain and simple...

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Whitigir said:


> But they don’t cost $3-4K neither ...How come



Leverage & fair pricing...

Q-6


----------



## Vitaly2017

hey 1z/1a lovers!

Tigers ears is back and has 1 more wm1z for sale haha
I am like a dealer on the black market hihi selling gold for less 😛😛😜

Info in my signature link 😁🙂


----------



## normie610

Whitigir said:


> But they don’t cost $3-4K neither ...How come



They will....in 20 years time when they’ve become rare and antiquated


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 22, 2020)

normie610 said:


> I’ve only heard Z1R and M9, and yes I do agree that they are indeed masterpieces!



I have the MDR-1AM2 and the IER-M9. Both are masterpieces indeed.

You can tell they both share quite alot of similarities in terms of overall sound signatures.

The sound signature of these two seems to be tuned to work extremely well with S-master HX based walkmans. I have listen to both of them on my ZX2 and ZX507 walkman, I can tell you without a doubt that they have impeccable synergy. You can listen to both the iem and headphones for long hours without feeling any kind of listening fatigue.

In my opinion, the Sony acoustic engineer has really good ears, he is able to make these two sound great with any music genres, and he is quite young, so I do think he still has a lot of future designs that we can look forward to.


----------



## lmf22

I have the WM1A and notice a very small lag (about half a second or less) between pressing the power button and the screen turning on. 
It has been bugging me so I thought I should see if you guys' WM1A have the same behavior. 
(There's no lag between pressing the standby button and the screen turning off.) This happens with or without music playing.


----------



## Vitaly2017

lmf22 said:


> I have the WM1A and notice a very small lag (about half a second or less) between pressing the power button and the screen turning on.
> It has been bugging me so I thought I should see if you guys' WM1A have the same behavior.
> (There's no lag between pressing the standby button and the screen turning off.) This happens with or without music playing.




Yea mine does it to. Why is it bugging you?
For 2.5 years now I am using my 1z and 1a and only now I noticed it cause you mentioned this lol
Even now it doesn't bug me...


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 22, 2020)

lmf22 said:


> I have the WM1A and notice a very small lag (about half a second or less) between pressing the power button and the screen turning on.
> It has been bugging me so I thought I should see if you guys' WM1A have the same behavior.
> (There's no lag between pressing the standby button and the screen turning off.) This happens with or without music playing.



It happens to me as well.

One thing I can tell you for sure is that the player goes from a dual-core mode to a single-core mode when turning the screen off. Of course, when turning the screen on, it switches again to the dual-core mode.

Maybe this is why there is a small delay until the screen turns on. You could want to use the player right away after the screen comes up, and until it finishes switching to dual-core mode you'll have an UI that's a bit laggy or something, so instead there is this little delay.

This should be a good reason why the battery will last longer while the screen is off, combined with the actual display not using power, of course.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Sony’s first Class D mosfet based amplifier back in 1977. Sony TA-N88. 

https://translate.googleusercontent...8.html&usg=ALkJrhhqFn1MrkNlr8e-xVLyIHqMiOQdlw


----------



## SBranson (Aug 23, 2020)

After a couple days of bliss with the WM1Z had a quick check in with the WM1A. I can understand why it might suit others’ preferences. Using the opening of Dire Straits’ “Your Latest Trick” is a good test for me for everything except bass. It's very live sounding and layered with lots of different timbres.... the “ting” and shimmer of the cymbal, the placement of the guitar, the timbre of the trumpet and Saxophone.
The cymbal is more emphasized and forward with the 1A but the trumpet definitely has less of the “braapp” edge. I kinda like the cymbal more on the 1A as it's more forward and a bit more distinct but the trumpet is less full sounding and seems more of a sketch than a full rendering. Saxophone too suffers in this way, but only in comparison as they both sound pretty good on the 1A. The guitar ends up mostly just having a slight tonal difference. I guess it’s the less malleable instruments that highlight the differences as an electric guitar can be almost infinitely voiced but a trumpet really needs certain timbral and tonal qualities to seem real.  This is where the 1Z, for me, shows it's worth.

On other music I'm also hearing things that weren't fully distinct or identified and I catch myself thinking "oh, that's what that sound is".   There was a period there (and maybe still) where some of the newer classical crossover artists were including ambient "incidental" sounds like opening the cover to the keys of a piano, or walking up to the piano, or the creaking of the chair/stool etc..  Some of these weren't always as fully discernible until now.

As someone who has played many instruments most of my life and listens to a lot of baroque music and acoustic music, I think the timbral accuracy of the WM1Z really suits me. Were I more into rock or electronic music where this "accuracy" is not really that important as the instruments' tone are the product of the amplification or effects, or are computer generated, it would come down to a kind of EQ difference or tonal difference and I could see the WM1A being heard as "cleaner".

What an amazing player... both are really but, boy, the WM1Z just takes it up a notch in my estimation.


----------



## RobertP

SBranson said:


> After a couple days of bliss with the WM1Z had a quick check in with the WM1A. I can understand why it might suit others’ preferences. Using the opening of Dire Straits’ “Your Latest Trick” is a good test for me for everything except bass. It's very live sounding and layered with lots of different timbres.... the “ting” and shimmer of the cymbal, the placement of the guitar, the timbre of the trumpet and Saxophone.
> The cymbal is more emphasized and forward with the 1A but the trumpet definitely has less of the “braapp” edge. I kinda like the cymbal more on the 1A as it's more forward and a bit more distinct but the trumpet is less full sounding and seems more of a sketch than a full rendering. Saxophone too suffers in this way, but only in comparison as they both sound pretty good on the 1A. The guitar ends up mostly just having a slight tonal difference. I guess it’s the less malleable instruments that highlight the differences as an electric guitar can be almost infinitely voiced but a trumpet really needs certain timbral and tonal qualities to seem real.  This is where the 1Z, for me, shows it's worth.
> 
> As someone who has played many instruments most of my life and listens to a lot of baroque music and acoustic music, I think the timbral accuracy of the WM1Z really suits me.
> ...


Now try some audiophile grade memory cards, You can get more amazing sound out of it.


----------



## SBranson

RobertP said:


> Now try some audiophile grade memory cards, You can get more amazing sound out of it.



Not sure what constitutes an audiophile memory card but I have a Sandisk Extreme 512gb en route from Amazon (but with a carrier that is late, again) so all my music is on board at the moment.


----------



## RobertP (Aug 23, 2020)

SBranson said:


> Not sure what constitutes an audiophile memory card but I have a Sandisk Extreme 512gb en route from Amazon (but with a carrier that is late, again) so all my music is on board at the moment.


Hopefully it's not counterfeit cards. Make sure you check them when it come. Good thing is if any problem, you can return it.


----------



## 534409 (Aug 23, 2020)

Mother of God, 340 bucks for a 64 GB of memory https://www.ebay.com/p/1441358632
Remains me a story of a man, who bought used Audi A6 quattro from Germany, and invested twice as much in maintenace/repairs later


----------



## SBranson (Aug 23, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Hopefully it's not counterfeit cards. Make sure you check them when it come. Good thing is if any problem, you can return it.



Good point..  I'll check it out for sure..  The one I bought was shipped and sold by Amazon so I figured it should be a real one... but I'll double check


----------



## SBranson

Dramba said:


> Mother of God, 340 bucks for a 64 BG of memory https://www.ebay.com/p/1441358632
> Remainds me a story of a man, who bought used Audi A6 quattro from Germany, and invested twice as much in maintenace/repairs



That's $450 in $Canadian.. that's insane!


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have heard XBA-A3, IER-M7 and IER-Z1R .

IER-Z1R soundwise is like the XBA-A3 with better treble (on the A3 it was a bit hot and splashy), bigger soundstage and better bass textures, mids win on the A3.

IER-Z1R  2x DD 1x BA
XBA-A3 1x DD 2x BA


----------



## gerelmx1986

lmf22 said:


> I have the WM1A and notice a very small lag (about half a second or less) between pressing the power button and the screen turning on.
> It has been bugging me so I thought I should see if you guys' WM1A have the same behavior.
> (There's no lag between pressing the standby button and the screen turning off.) This happens with or without music playing.


It has been like so ever since,  lag when pressing.play pause or the power buttons, in general there's a lag on the HW buttons


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> You can tell how much pride they have in their designs when these crazy Sony engineers label their own works as Masterpieces:


Why not MDR-Z1R?


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 23, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Why not MDR-Z1R?



Kuwahara-san's not the lead sound engineer for the MDR-Z1R.

https://www.sony.jp/headphone/special/park/products_m1/tech6.html
https://e-earphone.blog/?p=1250715

The sound engineer for the MDR-Z1R is Shiomi Shunsuke whom did the original MDR-1A, MDR-M1ST and MDR-Z1000.


----------



## 524419

SBranson said:


> After a couple days of bliss with the WM1Z had a quick check in with the WM1A. I can understand why it might suit others’ preferences. Using the opening of Dire Straits’ “Your Latest Trick” is a good test for me for everything except bass. It's very live sounding and layered with lots of different timbres.... the “ting” and shimmer of the cymbal, the placement of the guitar, the timbre of the trumpet and Saxophone.
> The cymbal is more emphasized and forward with the 1A but the trumpet definitely has less of the “braapp” edge. I kinda like the cymbal more on the 1A as it's more forward and a bit more distinct but the trumpet is less full sounding and seems more of a sketch than a full rendering. Saxophone too suffers in this way, but only in comparison as they both sound pretty good on the 1A. The guitar ends up mostly just having a slight tonal difference. I guess it’s the less malleable instruments that highlight the differences as an electric guitar can be almost infinitely voiced but a trumpet really needs certain timbral and tonal qualities to seem real.  This is where the 1Z, for me, shows it's worth.
> 
> On other music I'm also hearing things that weren't fully distinct or identified and I catch myself thinking "oh, that's what that sound is".   There was a period there (and maybe still) where some of the newer classical crossover artists were including ambient "incidental" sounds like opening the cover to the keys of a piano, or walking up to the piano, or the creaking of the chair/stool etc..  Some of these weren't always as fully discernible until now.
> ...


The Timbre accuracy of the Sony DAPs is unmatched as far as I am concerned. 
Other DAPs sound exaggerated and Hi-Fi in comparison, that turn music into Treble, Mids, Bass, and Soundstage.....and somehow forget about the musicality as a whole. 
Not that Sony is not HiFi, it is, but these DAPs have a certain coherency, that is extremely addictive. 

Congratulations on your new player, I'll probably pick up a 1Z at some point myself, and give it the whole modding treatment as well.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Diet Kokaine said:


> The Timbre accuracy of the Sony DAPs is unmatched as far as I am concerned.
> Other DAPs sound exaggerated and Hi-Fi in comparison, that turn music into Treble, Mids, Bass, and Soundstage.....and somehow forget about the musicality as a whole.
> Not that Sony is not HiFi, it is, but these DAPs have a certain coherency, that is extremely addictive.
> 
> Congratulations on your new player, I'll probably pick up a 1Z at some point myself, and give it the whole modding treatment as well.


I believe Hi-Fi is one step down of Audiophile-Grade


----------



## Whitigir

SBranson said:


> After a couple days of bliss with the WM1Z had a quick check in with the WM1A. I can understand why it might suit others’ preferences. Using the opening of Dire Straits’ “Your Latest Trick” is a good test for me for everything except bass. It's very live sounding and layered with lots of different timbres.... the “ting” and shimmer of the cymbal, the placement of the guitar, the timbre of the trumpet and Saxophone.
> The cymbal is more emphasized and forward with the 1A but the trumpet definitely has less of the “braapp” edge. I kinda like the cymbal more on the 1A as it's more forward and a bit more distinct but the trumpet is less full sounding and seems more of a sketch than a full rendering. Saxophone too suffers in this way, but only in comparison as they both sound pretty good on the 1A. The guitar ends up mostly just having a slight tonal difference. I guess it’s the less malleable instruments that highlight the differences as an electric guitar can be almost infinitely voiced but a trumpet really needs certain timbral and tonal qualities to seem real.  This is where the 1Z, for me, shows it's worth.
> 
> On other music I'm also hearing things that weren't fully distinct or identified and I catch myself thinking "oh, that's what that sound is".   There was a period there (and maybe still) where some of the newer classical crossover artists were including ambient "incidental" sounds like opening the cover to the keys of a piano, or walking up to the piano, or the creaking of the chair/stool etc..  Some of these weren't always as fully discernible until now.
> ...


Yes sir! You have it spotted on.  Timbre balances, timbres accuracy and then pitch accuracy, they are all what a good and high quality player should be able to provide.  Sound signatures will always be a thing, but those accuracies are what differentiate between medium tier vs high end vs summit high end .  Thank you for a new voice! Sometimes older voices (like mine) are like a broken records, we keep repeating, and then it got filtered out .  Human brains has an amazing ability to filter out unwanted things


----------



## 524419

Luther Vandross
"She's a Super Lady" sounds amazing on the wm1az+, so impressed with the model switcher 1Z version of this firmware.
The cymbals are not as bright, but instruments have their proper shape and depth like @SBranson is describing with his 1Z. 1A paints a flatter picture in comparison, where everything is upfront and wide, the 1Z version has depth and Holographic space. Yeah Sony really kneecapped the 1A on the software side   Those internal Bare copper wires also do not do the 1A any Justice.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Some gave said (on the zx500 thread) that sony class D amp implementation(S-master) sound like a good expensive R2R DAC


----------



## Whitigir

gerelmx1986 said:


> Some gave said (on the zx500 thread) that sony class D amp implementation(S-master) sound like a good expensive R2R DAC


R2R or Delta Sigma ....it is there to confuse people.  There are only Over Sampling or Non Over Sampling in Digital music processing.
Some people Are even confused as much to the point that whenever they think R2R, they think it is NOS (Non Over Sampling)....but it isn’t.  It is just that by designing a discrete R2R system, the designers can implement different ways to utilize NOS techniques.  However, to really take advantage of NOS techniques, the technologies are not existed yet....example that a resistor would need high accuracy or 0.0004% tolerances, which isn’t existed in the modern age.  Therefore, even when they utilizing the NOS, they still have to do a lot of “Error corrections”.

For example, an “l” and an “I”....in reality, it is an “L” and an “i“ ...so, when the system is at the cross road to determine which one should be guessed as what, they would always do what they were programmed in the algorithms, so it could swing to be either an “L” or an “i“.  Together with many other techniques, we have sound.

for all that said, R2R is different.  Yet, different doesn’t mean better....but it would confuse people for sure.  Because in the end, there are many R2R in design still is using Over Sampling....which is (Sigma Delta)  .... confused yet ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Whitigir said:


> R2R or Delta Sigma ....it is there to confuse people.  There are only Over Sampling or Non Over Sampling in Digital music processing.
> Some people Are even confused as much to the point that whenever they think R2R, they think it is NOS (Non Over Sampling)....but it isn’t.  It is just that by designing a discrete R2R system, the designers can implement different ways to utilize NOS techniques.  However, to really take advantage of NOS techniques, the technologies are not existed yet....example that a resistor would need high accuracy or 0.0004% tolerances, which isn’t existed in the modern age.  Therefore, even when they utilizing the NOS, they still have to do a lot of “Error corrections”.
> 
> For example, an “l” and an “I”....in reality, it is an “L” and an “i“ ...so, when the system is at the cross road to determine which one should be guessed as what, they would always do what they were programmed in the algorithms, so it could swing to be either an “L” or an “i“.  Together with many other techniques, we have sound.
> ...


Well, I thought of an R2R as a big circuit board with too many resistors as to reconstruct either a 16 or 24bit digital signal to analogue using only a resistor ladder


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 23, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Well, I thought of an R2R as a big circuit board with too many resistors as to reconstruct either a 16 or 24bit digital signal to analogue using only a resistor ladder


It is, but that is only a sale point ... “to skin the cat a different way”....lol.  The rest of it, I already explained above.

remember, digital music is Sample rated (44.1 or 192Khz...etc...), so whenever you speak digital music, always do remember the “Sampling”.  So, they are either NOS or OS


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Nayparm  you perform the full Wm1 mod or you are open for just battery swap? One thing that worries me like when I tried to sell my zx100 
to  russia and they sent it back because in Russia couriers like DHL, FEDEX cannot deliver to private persons if the sender is also a private customer and well upon return to mexico I got taxed lol. Now I am closer to you (Germany) stillgetting taxed from UK->DE worries me


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 24, 2020)

Both Delta Sigma and R2R has its own advantages and disadvantages. Just like Dynamic(voice coil) driver vs Balanced Armature.

Delta Sigma requires use of bit reduction, noise shaping, oversampling and additonal filtering to produce sound. This means there is alot more digital manipulation of the original music signal(for PCM audio). There is alot more unwanted noise artifacts generated that requires noise shaping and digital filtering to remove. Sometimes this noise shaping can be too strong which can make music sound flat and uninvolving. The implementation of the noise shaper and the filtering is going to determine how the dac performs.

R2R DACs don't require noise shaping and oversampling to produce sound. R2R DACs produce sound through the use of ladder resistors which has to be very accurately matched. Some of the best R2R rely on multiple banks of resistor ladders to minimize the output errors.

If implemented right, the sound from a good R2R DACs can sound very natural and coherent as there is much less digital signal manipulations going on.


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Nayparm  you perform the full Wm1 mod or you are open for just battery swap? One thing that worries me like when I tried to sell my zx100
> to  russia and they sent it back because in Russia couriers like DHL, FEDEX cannot deliver to private persons if the sender is also a private customer and well upon return to mexico I got taxed lol. Now I am closer to you (Germany) stillgetting taxed from UK->DE worries me



There is no taxing between UK and DE as they are both EU (yes I know UK has left EU bu the transition periode runs until end 2020). From 1/1/21 nobody knows yet. In Denmark sending outside EU I would have to prove that I owned the device and have sent it out in order to avoid being taxed when it comes back to Denmark (I would still be taxed on the value of the work performed unless it is warranty work but not the original value of the item)


----------



## Maxx134 (Aug 23, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> I was considering buying a Walkman A105, but it was a bit too much for my budget. It would be interesting to see if I can get at least the region changing working


Maybe you can post in thread for anyone willing to sacrifice their unit(!) as there are owners with multiple units..




Whitigir said:


> However, I don’t know why R10. But, I have dropped the idea to find out why, or care


I found out why when I heard it.
There were two variants in bass level, and the one I heard was most definitely the best closed headphone (in Tonality/timbre, delicacy) that I ever heard. Extremely natural sound.
Large sounding as well, but not as bassy as today's headphones.

The closest thing  to it, was to me, the Denon9200, but only in timbre/Tonality, as the Denon produce a different image which is closer and more forward with more bass.
Just the mid-range tonality was similar. The Denons9200  slightly aggressive nature is not neutral like the R10, which produced a very natural sonic image.



Queen6 said:


> Is given many companies will blatantly copy Sennheiser, irrespective of geographical location. If companies based in CN wanted to copy they would have done so by now, as they can


Hehe, but Sennheiser actually COPIED off of Sony with the HD800, when you compare it to the Sony Qualia010.!!.
I did, and once you get the head placement correct, the Sony Qualia010 beats the HD800 rather easily in speed(!) And focus, with similar soundstage size.



SBranson said:


> As someone who has played many instruments most of my life and listens to a lot of baroque music and acoustic music, I think the timbral accuracy of the WM1Z really suits me. Were I more into rock or electronic music where this "accuracy" is not really that important as the instruments' tone are the product of the amplification or effects, or are computer generated, it would come down to a kind of EQ difference or tonal difference and I could see the WM1A being heard as "cleaner".
> 
> What an amazing player... both are really but, boy, the WM1Z just takes it up a notch in my estimation.


I think that's where some hardware upgrades can boost the WM1A into WM1Z territory, for those that staying with the 1a for whatever reasons (weight, price, etc).



Diet Kokaine said:


> The Timbre accuracy of the Sony DAPs is unmatched as far as I am concerned.
> Other DAPs sound exaggerated and Hi-Fi in comparison, that turn music into Treble, Mids, Bass, and Soundstage.....and somehow forget about the musicality as a whole.
> Not that Sony is not HiFi, it is, but these DAPs have a certain coherency, that is extremely addictive


Yes this is exactly, that's why I sold off my other daps & dacs once I owned the Sony.



Whitigir said:


> for all that said, R2R is different. Yet, different doesn’t mean better....but it would confuse people for sure. Because in the end, there are many R2R in design still is using Over Sampling....which is (Sigma Delta)  .... confused yet ?


Yes, although there are ladder dacs that have some oversampling after the fact, (which I do not agree would mean any delta sigma process to you), the base dac is still a ladder dac regardless, so it  always produce a better sonic image.

The yggy uses a chip ladder, and older ladder dacs also use an old chip, but the new ladder dacs which use actuall resistors (from my experience) are actually even better.

The delta sigma does some stupid processing that makes it vulnerable to many things, which turns up in it's sound.

That's why I always hear the detailing, timbre, timing, size, shape, sonic image & perception of the soundstage, all slightly skewed, with Delta-Sigma designs.

R2R dacs always have a rock solid imaging to me.
Enough that I can make these generalizations. 



Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Delta Sigma requires use of bit reduction, noise shaping, oversampling and additonal filtering to produce sound. This means there is alot more digital manipulation of the orginal music signal(for PCM audio). There is alot more unwanted noise artifacts generated that requires noise shaping and digital filtering to remove. Sometimes this noise shaping can be too strong which can make music sound flat and uninvolving. The implementation of the noise shaper and the filtering is going to determine how the dac performs


Yes and I believe you also mentioned the fact that it uses more analog stages in the process, which adds to even more vulnerabilities..
Then they will boast some artificially made, but impressive 24bit depth spec so naive reviewers can boast how great the fake/skewed dynamic range is...




Sonywalkmanuser said:


> R2R DACs don't require noise shaping and oversampling to produce sound. R2R DACs produce sound through the use of ladder resistors which has to be very accurately matched. Some of the best R2R rely on multiple banks of resistor ladders to minimize the output errors.
> 
> If implemented right, the sound from a good R2R DACs can sound very natural and coherent as there is much less digital signal manipulations going on


I agree, this is why R2R can "capture" and interpret the data more accurately.

To me all R2R had a very solid type image, but I found them to still be very different in their signatures, so I'm thinking their analog sections 
are make them different.
Kind of like how yggy 2 is better than yggy1 because of the analog output section.

This is where I feel Sony to have the edge and  sound better, or more analog/organic.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

In my opinion, for PCM based music, Sony's DSEE HX Artificial Intelligence upsampling to 32bit 192KHz has already surpassed any sound quality advantage held by R2R DACs, Direct Stream Digital and Custom FPGA DACs.

Artificial Intelligence does it's machine trained digital signal correction/remastering of the music signal before it is sent to the S-master HX dac. I dont think any other audiophile companies have this yet.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> In my opinion, for PCM based music, Sony's DSEE HX Artificial Intelligence upsampling to 32bit 192KHz has already surpassed any sound quality advantage held by R2R DACs, Direct Stream Digital and Custom FPGA DACs.
> 
> Artificial Intelligence does it's machine trained digital signal correction/remastering of the music signal before it is sent to the S-master HX dac. I dont think any other audiophile companies have this yet.


Uou are only blabbering out ain't you? I find DSD to be superior than PCM, sure if sony DSEE for PCM audio did 768 upsampling.like chord M scaler iy would be even better


----------



## Maxx134

gerelmx1986 said:


> I find DSD to be superior than PCM


I like Flac & DSD best, but I wondering if most DSD is actually sourced from another format before, so advantage varies.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Maxx134 said:


> I like Flac & DSD best, but I wondering if most DSD is actually sourced from another format before, so advantage varies.


I know what you mean, yes I have some dsd that are PCM 96k and other fewer 44 1/16, most are native DSD chains or analogue-to-DSD remasters 

In short

Analog transfer to DSD = native DSD chain > dsf and at some point high rate PCM (>=96kHz) >>> dsd  and at some point CD quality PCM


----------



## Vitaly2017

Maxx134 said:


> I like Flac & DSD best, but I wondering if most DSD is actually sourced from another format before, so advantage varies.





gerelmx1986 said:


> I know what you mean, yes I have some dsd that are PCM 96k and other fewer 44 1/16, most are native DSD chains or analogue-to-DSD remasters
> 
> In short
> 
> Analog transfer to DSD = native DSD chain > dsf and at some point high rate PCM (>=96kHz) >>> dsd  and at some point CD quality PCM





From my experience native dsd are the best sounding, it has all the dynamics the warmth and resolution! 
If its native and not processed with up or down samplings it will always sound amazing.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 23, 2020)

Well...here is the repeating broken records

Native DSD recording are very rare, because it is too hard to edit out the errors and mishaps.  So, it can be done, but super duper rare as it needs a very good team and equipment to make it happens.  It is the best for sure

Majority of DSD even from studios (digital recording) and on SACD or DVD....are all offline processed from PCM sources.  Majority of the recordings were done in PCM and typically high rate 24/32 and 384Khz or so

Personal preferences, I prefer WAV over FLAC

About SACD as it comes off from a studio, regardless of if it was not native recording, all the SACD has the acoustic team to edit, process, apply the algorithms that they would like people to hear, and then release it.

The thing about PCM is that it is live processed by a “general modulations” as you can see, all DAC IC nowadays offer 6-7 different Digital filters which alternate the sound quality a little bit. Simply put, Filter A is better for orchestra and classical where as Filter B is for Electric Dance or Pop....you would have to keep on selecting.....
This could be avoided if you just buy DSD from the studio to begin with.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Well...here is the repeating broken records
> 
> Native DSD recording are very rare, because it is too hard to edit out the errors and mishaps.  So, it can be done, but super duper rare as it needs a very good team and equipment to make it happens.  It is the best for sure
> 
> ...




Did you just said wav is better then flac's  😆😆😆😆😆😆🤪😜😜


----------



## aceedburn

A popular song by Whitesnake comes to mind right now. Anyone wanna sing along? Here I go again.....


----------



## Vitaly2017

The good old times for those who remember what this album was about, the saga of the fw traveling threw space time and beyond!


----------



## SBranson

Diet Kokaine said:


> 1A paints a flatter picture in comparison, where everything is upfront and wide, the 1Z version has depth and Holographic space.




I find this too and not just in terms of instruments in relation to each other but within the individual instrument’s sound itself.  That’s how notes seem “rounder”, more 3D.


----------



## lumdicks (Aug 23, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Both Delta Sigma and R2R has its own advantages and disadvantages. Just like Dynamic(voice coil) driver vs Balanced Armature.
> 
> Delta Sigma requires use of bit reduction, noise shaping, oversampling and additonal filtering to produce sound. This means there is alot more digital manipulation of the orginal music signal(for PCM audio). There is alot more unwanted noise artifacts generated that requires noise shaping and digital filtering to remove. Sometimes this noise shaping can be too strong which can make music sound flat and uninvolving. The implementation of the noise shaper and the filtering is going to determine how the dac performs.
> 
> ...


Exactly. It is what I experience with my new Luxury & Precision P6 now. I am a pride owner of 1Z and 1A but the smoothness, natural and analogue sound of P6 is un-matching.


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have heard XBA-A3, IER-M7 and IER-Z1R .
> 
> IER-Z1R soundwise is like the XBA-A3 with better treble (on the A3 it was a bit hot and splashy), bigger soundstage and better bass textures, mids win on the A3.
> 
> ...


thsi is usefull since i cant ATM afford the fisrst one!


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 23, 2020)

lumdicks said:


> Exactly. It is what I experience with my new Luxury & Precision P6 now. I am a pride owner of 1Z and 1A but the smoothness, natural and analogue sound of P6 is un-matching.


Sound quality and preferences aside.  If you think  NOS and R2R does not have a lot of DSP then you would be very mistaken.  In fact, Oversampling allows for less error corrections and DSP to be applied
Nevertheless, NOS and OS are just different.  It does not always mean that R2R don’t use or have OverSampling, in fact they do a lot.  Sometimes even less accurate than Delta Sigma Chips, as mentioned, there is Zero Resistors with 0.00004% precision tolerances that existed.  The question I have been asking P6 team “is their player OS or NOS based ?” Haven’t had any straight answers yet....like I just said “another way to skin the cat” lol


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 23, 2020)

Another subject on NOS vs OS.  Yet, the confusions keep going.

*NOS*: Redbook or Nyquist sampling rates that is 2X of human hearing ranges, then human can no longer tell the differences.  That is why 20-20Khz is cap out at 44.1Khz with some gives and takes.  However, there are plethora of other areas where the technologies are being limited at the moment.  Resistors precision’s first example, Processor chips that generate noises and introduce errors, which trigger errors corrections....etc...Dynamic ranges are being compressed VS OS
*OS*: Achieve higher Dynamic range, less Errors as it utilizes Back and compared to forth (Delta compared to Sigma).  Just like reading a book, you read it back and forth a couple some times.  The more you read, the more accurately the story is realized.  However, it caused quantization noises, and in order to eliminate these noises, they had to use digital filters.  Because of this, the noise floor is even much lower than NOS with higher dynamic range
.
However, NOS folks would counter it as “OverSampling and digital filters creates artifacts...and also is the cause of inaccuracies, which is totally true.  Then dynamic range of Microphones isn’t any better than 75dB anyways...so that also render OS useless, which is also true.

Then OS folks would counter it this way, digital music greatest advantages are higher dynamic range and lower noise floor, which is true! The synthetic music have much higher dynamic range than your typical organic instruments with a microphones and an ADC stages can capture, which is also true!

So, at the end of the day, each one has it pros and cons.  Neither one is perfect, but the only differences at the moment is the “electrical component Precision tolerances”.  It is really what putting R2R and NOS design at the disadvantages.  But what I am trying to get here is that* “Regardless of R2R or S/D, there are only 2 ways the digital music get processed, NOS or OS”*.  There can also be Hybrid but there are not many out there.  Both designs can easily run NOS or OS, period


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Sound quality and preferences aside.  If you think  NOS and R2R does not have a lot of DSP then you would be very mistaken.  In fact, Oversampling allows for less error corrections and DSP to be applied
> Nevertheless, NOS and OS are just different.  It does not always mean that R2R don’t use or have OverSampling, in fact they do a lot.  Sometimes even less accurate than Delta Sigma Chips, as mentioned, there is Zero Resistors with 0.00004% precision tolerances that existed.  The question I have been asking P6 team “is their player OS or NOS based ?” Haven’t had any straight answers yet....like I just said “another way to skin the cat” lol




Dont you dare skin the tiger  ( thats a hand slap lmao )


----------



## Maxx134

Another oddity when I was in a time of trying out different dacs, was that in general, the yggy's main strength was it's image/placement/realism, but it also was most clinical, while both the "Chord Dave" and the "Holo Spring dac" brought same level realism, while not as accurate imaging (Holo wider & Dave taller). Yet I still found both those others to be (with different music selections) consistently  more musical overall, and so they turned out to be more enjoyable over the yggy, even though initial impressions were otherwise.

Then I found the Sony (organic-ness plus realism&accuracy ) sound which ended up being my choice over all... Even if I had a Dac with greater resolve, because at this high level it is mainly a matter of preference in the sound itself.


----------



## Maxx134 (Aug 23, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Nevertheless, NOS and OS are just different. It does not always mean that R2R don’t use or have OverSampling, in fact they do a lot. Sometimes even less accurate than Delta Sigma Chips, as mentioned, there is Zero Resistors with 0.00004% precision tolerances that existed.


This just not the point.
It doesn't matter how low tolerance the resistors are.
It will still capture and convert the data better than any Delta-Sigma chip.
Most of the new DS chips have a very prominent unique sound.
AKM with "velvet sound".
LeSabre now with euphoric treble sound (not as before).

They both have artificially boosted detailing as well, so the resolve game is more even level playing field.

Most differences now is accuracy of presentation to be more real.

Debating on the numbers can be a delay or  stumbling block for observing the dacs as they are.



Whitigir said:


> subject on NOS vs OS. Yet, the confusions keep going


Yes I believe there is a confusion of mixing problems with formats and sampling with the actual type of DAC .
There not the same regardless of how much OS is implemented.

Type of DAC either:
Delta-Sigma
R2R ladder resistor
R2R ladder chip

Different topology type, Programmable chip dac: (Chord & Sony)

I think you have valid concerns, yet which are not same topic.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 23, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> Another oddity when I was in a time of trying out different dacs, was that in general, the yggy's main strength was it's image/placement/realism, but it also was most clinical, while both the "Chord Dave" and the "Holo Spring dac" brought same level realism, while not as accurate imaging (Holo wider & Dave taller). Yet I still found both those others to be (with different music selections) consistently  more musical overall, and so they turned out to be more enjoyable over the yggy, even though initial impressions were otherwise.
> 
> Then I found the Sony (organic-ness plus realism&accuracy ) sound which ended up being my choice over all... Even if I had a Dac with greater resolve, because at this high level it is mainly a matter of preference in the sound itself.


DAC technologies were brought up because Someone posted it.

Anyways, DAC chips alone can not make any sound, literally.  You need to implement it in a circuit, and we all know that implementations play a huge role.  On top of that, there are acoustic tuning for analog line and amplifications

But before we got to that, we can taok about digital music domains.  It is timing based frequencies and sampling based, so “Timing is everything”.  We then have so many “marketing gimmicks” that advertising about “Femto clocks”....etc.  We got misleaded in thinking that a great clocks system is everything!!!  Well....

A great clock systems are indeed great, but there are more to it, such as Phase Noises, PPM, Drift Based on Temperature Coefficient....etc....Then even when it is so accurate coming off the Clock itself, the signals and the other pulses needs to travel......we then came back to square one “Piezoelectric” !!!! That is how the clock work.  An electrical signals pass through something and that makes it vibrates, this vibrations is your clocking pulses....what else can vibrate ? Everything else do.....Capacitors, Resistors, and even the PCB and traces...etc

Does other manufacturers talk about them ? Or advertising ? Nope !!!!

Only Sony do ! Glass epoxy finishes for PCB...Fine sound resistors ... FT Caps...etc...

There, you get it,  *you can talk about the engine all you want , but if you put it in a shopping cart, it ain’t going 250MPH *


----------



## Maxx134

Agree, the only bad part, is all the money spent to find out what you like to settle for...


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Maxx134 said:


> The Denons9200 slightly aggressive nature is not neutral like the R10


R10 - what the model of headphones is this? I might of missed that. 

I haven't yet stopped thinking of which closed cap overear ones can I choose for Sony, balanced.
And Denon 9200 is on my list.


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 23, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


> R10 - what the model of headphones is this? I might of missed that.
> 
> I haven't yet stopped thinking of which closed cap overear ones can I choose for Sony, balanced.
> And Denon 9200 is on my list.



R10 was Sony’s flagship closed headphone about 15-20 years ago competing with Audio Technica L3000 and later Stax 4070 for which was the best closed in the world. HiFiMan seems to have started producing an R10 that might or might not be a copy/inspiration of the Sony


----------



## Vitaly2017

Maxx134 said:


> Agree, the only bad part, is all the money spent to find out what you like to settle for...




Not so , if you spend wisely and resell you do lose some but not all of it.

Plus the experience of the journey,  me too I got a long run went threw and I to find sony makes the best sounding sources period, nothing comes close.
Sony has cleanest and best isolation against interference it is another factor @Whitigir didnt mentioned that highly affects sound quality pleasures!

What sony offers is ultimate experience under the same roof.


----------



## Whitigir

The One I love in the thing I Love!!!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 23, 2020)

It is more than just the architecture of the DAC:

Analog output circuity and amplification 
Word Clock Jitter Reduction
Electrical Circuit Pathing and Grounding Design
Thermal Control Management
Power Supply Design and Regulation
Electrical Interference and Vibration control  Management 
Material Science
High Precision and Effective Digital Processing Algorithms
Choice of power efficient processor hardware in relation to the operating system and processing requirements 
Bluetooth and Wifi Radio transmission power and noise management
Nand Storage size and external storage interface
Software User Interface design and hardware buttons
Form factor and weight
And many more that I don't know as I am not audio engineer. 

And the last most important thing, how much does all of the above adds to the final pricing of the product.

I think when you look at all of the above, you are getting amazing value out of your S-Master HX walkman. It has all of the above mentioned implemented with careful design and consideration, all in a form factor that you can hold in the palm of your hands and bring anywhere with you.

Now is that amazing or what?

Note: I don't work for Sony and I am not working in the audio industry.


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> It is more than just the architecture of the DAC:
> 
> Analog output circuity and amplification
> Word Clock Jitter Reduction
> ...


S-Master is good, and uniquely Sony, period.

But really, when you put all of those together....it is the DMP Z1  not S-Master


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> S-Master is good, and uniquely Sony, period.
> 
> But really, when you put all of those together....it is the DMP Z1  not S-Master




And sony used akm only because of the needed extra power output as s-master simply couldnt provide it under any circumstances.


----------



## Lookout57

Maxx134 said:


> The yggy uses a chip ladder, and older ladder dacs also use an old chip, but the new ladder dacs which use actuall resistors (from my experience) are actually even better.


The Yggdrasil uses Analog Devices AD5791 DAC chips which are not Sigma Delta DAC chips. From the Analog Devices website:



> The *AD5791* is a high precision, 20-bit DAC, designed to meet the requirements of precision control applications.


----------



## Lookout57

Whitigir said:


> Majority of DSD even from studios and on SACD or DVD....are all offline processed from PCM sources.  Majority of the recordings were done in PCM and typically high rate 24/32 and 384Khz or so


This is not 100% true.

There are a lot SACD's that are based on analog masters. These are mainly albums recorded and released before digital recording took over in the mid-80's.

Sony made a big deal about taking some of these old analog recordings and converting them to SACD. For example Miles Davis Kind of Blue.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 23, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> This is not 100% true.
> 
> There are a lot SACD's that are based on analog masters. These are mainly albums recorded and released before digital recording took over in the mid-80's.
> 
> Sony made a big deal about taking some of these old analog recordings and converting them to SACD. For example Miles Davis Kind of Blue.


yes, that too ! (edited)


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Worth a read if you are interested in SD vs R2R:
https://samplerateconverter.com/educational/r2r-ladder-dac-vs-sigma-delta


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Worth a read if you are interested in SD vs R2R:
> https://samplerateconverter.com/educational/r2r-ladder-dac-vs-sigma-delta


I would also recommend books similar to this


----------



## 524419

SBranson said:


> I find this too and not just in terms of instruments in relation to each other but within the individual instrument’s sound itself.  That’s how notes seem “rounder”, more 3D.


DMP-Z1 is the best I have heard at that. The space between instruments is completely holographic. The sound is 3D Shaped, so much so that I had a hard time believing what I was hearing.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Diet Kokaine said:


> DMP-Z1 is the best I have heard at that. The space between instruments is completely holographic. The sound is 3D Shaped, so much so that I had a hard time believing what I was hearing.




Some good reading about dmp-z1 and how it was made with explanations about parts and the idea behind the scenes 

https://e-earphone.blog/?p=1294529


----------



## SBranson

Diet Kokaine said:


> DMP-Z1 is the best I have heard at that. The space between instruments is completely holographic. The sound is 3D Shaped, so much so that I had a hard time believing what I was hearing.



Yowza... over $12k Canadian...  too bad that lottery ticket I bought didn’t work out.  

But really, that would be awesome to hear.


----------



## lmf22

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yea mine does it to. Why is it bugging you?
> For 2.5 years now I am using my 1z and 1a and only now I noticed it cause you mentioned this lol
> Even now it doesn't bug me...


Thanks for confirming. I actually don't know why it's bugging me. Lags like this have always bugged me. For example, when I connect my work laptop to my home desktop monitor, the max refresh rate is 50Hz instead of 60Hz, and that the lag between the mouse pointer and the mouse movement bugs me too. LOL. But I've learned to live with it. I'm sure I will get used to the lag on the WM1A soon. 



MrWalkman said:


> It happens to me as well.
> 
> One thing I can tell you for sure is that the player goes from a dual-core mode to a single-core mode when turning the screen off. Of course, when turning the screen on, it switches again to the dual-core mode.
> 
> ...



Thank you for the technical explanation! I had no idea it switches to different modes.



gerelmx1986 said:


> It has been like so ever since,  lag when pressing.play pause or the power buttons, in general there's a lag on the HW buttons


Thanks for confirming. Good to know this is normal. At first, I thought maybe it was a hardware problem.


----------



## Vitaly2017

lmf22 said:


> Thanks for confirming. I actually don't know why it's bugging me. Lags like this have always bugged me. For example, when I connect my work laptop to my home desktop monitor, the max refresh rate is 50Hz instead of 60Hz, and that the lag between the mouse pointer and the mouse movement bugs me too. LOL. But I've learned to live with it. I'm sure I will get used to the lag on the WM1A soon.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Quiet frankly with all respect but its not a downside at all to 1a/1z its simply the way it operates and doesnt affect sound quality by no means. So I think its really net peaking here lol
Just relax take a breath press the power button and count to two LOL  and wow the screen is on and was so fast that you didn't have time to count to two LMAO


----------



## Vitaly2017

SBranson said:


> Yowza... over $12k Canadian...  too bad that lottery ticket I bought didn’t work out.
> 
> But really, that would be awesome to hear.




Got mine for 8k cad 🤫🤫🤫😜


----------



## SBranson

Vitaly2017 said:


> Got mine for 8k cad 🤫🤫🤫😜



What a bargain!
But seriously, I’d do it if I could afford it.


----------



## lumdicks

Whitigir said:


> Sound quality and preferences aside.  If you think  NOS and R2R does not have a lot of DSP then you would be very mistaken.  In fact, Oversampling allows for less error corrections and DSP to be applied
> Nevertheless, NOS and OS are just different.  It does not always mean that R2R don’t use or have OverSampling, in fact they do a lot.  Sometimes even less accurate than Delta Sigma Chips, as mentioned, there is Zero Resistors with 0.00004% precision tolerances that existed.  The question I have been asking P6 team “is their player OS or NOS based ?” Haven’t had any straight answers yet....like I just said “another way to skin the cat” lol


Have you got a chance to audition P6?


----------



## Damz87

SBranson said:


> What a bargain!
> But seriously, I’d do it if I could afford it.



There were a few sales on DMP last year. I paid $8k AUD ($7.5k CAD) for a brand new one in September 19. There was a spanish retailer selling them for a similar price earlier this year. Keep an eye out for sales, I'm sure they will drop again eventually


----------



## Hinomotocho (Aug 24, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> I would also recommend books similar to this


On the topic of books I am reading David Byrne of Talking Heads' book 'How Music Works'. I'm up to chapter 3 where he talks about recording - it is really interesting to hear how much colouring and manipulation goes on, from the effect of different mics and equipment through to the adjustment of pitch and compression etc in order for the recording to sound good. Then on our side listening to that recording we have factors of headphones, cables, daps, software and all the other factors that have an affect on what we hear.
Interesting.


----------



## mwhals

Of the IEMs in my signature, I think the only one that might be too warm for the WM1Z is my Phantom. Is there a region that is less warm that would work well with Phantom. If it works well with Phantom, I think it would with all my IEMs as none of them are really bright.


----------



## NickleCo (Aug 24, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


>


oh boy were in the Sennheiser veil all over again with this picture. Lol, I meant no harm in this but I just thought it's a funny picture that brings back countless heated arguments.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Hinomotocho said:


> On the topic of books I am reading David Byrne of Talking Heads' book 'How Music Works'. I'm up to chapter 3 where he talks about recording - it is really interesting to hear how much colouring and manipulation goes on, from the effect of different mics and equipment through to the adjustment of pitch and compression etc in order for the recording to sound good. Then on our side listening to that recording we have factors of headphones, cables, daps, software and all the other factors that have an affect on what we hear.
> Fascinating!



This company does music recorded from microphone direct to DSD(no mastering):

https://bluecoastrecords.com/formats/dsd


----------



## Queen6 (Aug 24, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> Hehe, but Sennheiser actually COPIED off of Sony with the HD800, when you compare it to the Sony Qualia010.!!.
> I did, and once you get the head placement correct, the Sony Qualia010 beats the HD800 rather easily in speed(!) And focus, with similar soundstage size.



LOL exactly, very few walk their own path, very likely even Sony also looks at the competition 

Q-6


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Mystic Traveller said:


> A few pages back we were discussing different media cards.
> 
> I was told that "AuntSony" has a special music one for sale.
> Has someone tried this truly "gem"   - 64Gb for almost 400 bucks -
> ...



I believe lithography processes has improved quite abit. Maybe you can consider this newer 256GB industrial grade 3D SLC from Sandisk:

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/SanDisk/SDSDQAF4-256G-I?qs=B6kkDfuK7/DDKKtVodQk0w==


----------



## Queen6 (Aug 24, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> The good old times for those who remember what this album was about, the saga of the fw traveling threw space time and beyond!



Masterclass in ambient  upping the stakes  





Q-6


----------



## SBranson

Anybody have information on what this adapter does for improving sound quality?  I'm kind of curious if it would lower the noise floor for my Solaris 2020.


----------



## SBranson

Every album is such a beautiful revelation with my WM1Z.. it’s been decades since I’ve listened to this album and never have I heard the subtle tones of the guitar like this..  Amazing


----------



## gerelmx1986

SBranson said:


> Anybody have information on what this adapter does for improving sound quality?  I'm kind of curious if it would lower the noise floor for my Solaris 2020.


I don't.know, but sony wm1 players shutdown the 3.5mm circuit when they detect a 4.4 plug inside.

Solaris sucks, get an IER-Z1R


----------



## SBranson

gerelmx1986 said:


> I don't.know, but sony wm1 players shutdown the 3.5mm circuit when they detect a 4.4 plug inside.
> 
> Solaris sucks, get an IER-Z1R



I haven’t heard the IER-Z1R ( nowhere to try one here)but I’ve heard lots of other iems and to me the Solaris doesn’t suck..  
I believe the adapter is just a ground but I’d be curious if it has an appreciable effect.


----------



## nc8000

SBranson said:


> Anybody have information on what this adapter does for improving sound quality?  I'm kind of curious if it would lower the noise floor for my Solaris 2020.



It takes the signal from the 4.4 plus the ground from the 3.5 to create a grounded 4.4 output. I have no idea if that does any good or has any down sides since Sony did not ground the 4.4


----------



## gerelmx1986

SBranson said:


> I haven’t heard the IER-Z1R ( nowhere to try one here)but I’ve heard lots of other iems and to me the Solaris doesn’t suck..
> I believe the adapter is just a ground but I’d be curious if it has an appreciable effect.


Perhaps, other thing you can try perhaps,  an ifi IEMatch


----------



## masahito24@chart

I just got the 1960s version recently. I mainly use it with the Mass Kobo 428 since it allows the gnd pole.


----------



## SBranson

gerelmx1986 said:


> Perhaps, other thing you can try perhaps,  an ifi IEMatch


It’s very subtle, not enough to justify an iematch.. plus I don’t believe it comes in 4.4. 
The PW adapter looks to be of great quality, just wondered if grounding had any positive effects sonically.


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 24, 2020)

masahito24@chart said:


> I just got the 1960s version recently. I mainly use it with the Mass Kobo 428 since it allows the gnd pole.



What sound differences if any do you detect since no balanced headphone uses the ground connection so I don’t understand what benefit it could do. As I understand it Sony did not connect the ground because they felt it could act as an antenna to catch rf noise


----------



## masahito24@chart

nc8000 said:


> What sounddifferences if any do you detect ?


Differences are subtle, but there is no audible hiss with the Odin or Andromeda MW10. I haven't had it long enough, but another factor is the 1Z is Romi Blackgate modded.


----------



## Gamerlingual

No one can really point to a guide explaining how to measure headphone performance on what we need to look for, right? Mids, highs, how to pick up on little details, etc?


----------



## lumdicks (Aug 24, 2020)

SBranson said:


> It’s very subtle, not enough to justify an iematch.. plus I don’t believe it comes in 4.4.
> The PW adapter looks to be of great quality, just wondered if grounding had any positive effects sonically.


I guess it must be used with cable with shielding for more prominent benefit, just like the one shown below.


----------



## lumdicks

What an amazing album on my Romi BG modded 1A, with FiR M5.


----------



## ttt123

SBranson said:


> Anybody have information on what this adapter does for improving sound quality?  I'm kind of curious if it would lower the noise floor for my Solaris 2020.


I understood that the main purpose was for cables that had shielding built into the cable/wire, where the shield was connected to the Pentaconn plug 5th Ground ring.  The 3.5mm plug picked up the Ground from the DAP, and connected the Ground to the 4.4mm G(round) ring, and allowed the cable shielding to be grounded, which would reduce RF pickup by the IEM cable.
The facts are, though:
- Most cables do not have a shield, so there is nothing connected to the Pentaconn plug, so the PW adapter would serve no purpose.  99% of IEM balanced cables only have 4 wires, and no shield, and use only the L+, L-, R+, R-.  There is nothing connected to the Pentaconn plug's 5th Ground ring.
- The WM1x DAP 4.4mm female internal connector has no internal connection for the 5th Ground contact, so there is no ground connected to it.  
The PW adapter providing a Ground would be pointless, if neither the DAP or the Cable is using the 4.4mm Ground.  I can't see any function for this setup, so the ONLY useful function would be if the IEM cable has a shield, and it is connected to the Pentaconn 5th Ground ring..


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 24, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> Another oddity when I was in a time of trying out different dacs, was that in general, the yggy's main strength was it's image/placement/realism, but it also was most clinical, while both the "Chord Dave" and the "Holo Spring dac" brought same level realism, while not as accurate imaging (Holo wider & Dave taller). Yet I still found both those others to be (with different music selections) consistently  more musical overall, and so they turned out to be more enjoyable over the yggy, even though initial impressions were otherwise.
> 
> Then I found the Sony (organic-ness plus realism&accuracy ) sound which ended up being my choice over all... Even if I had a Dac with greater resolve, because at this high level it is mainly a matter of preference in the sound itself.



It goes to show that excellent Sigma Delta designs can also rival the sound quality you get from R2R DACs. 

Sony S-Master HX's noise shaping system is able to achieve organic sound and still have the instantaneous transients that you get with oversampling DACs.

And all you have to do to have amazing sound quality on the Walkman:
Flash to custom firmware with DSEE HX AI.
Pick a good microsd and format it with the Walkman.

And also don't count out the android based ZX507, it has the same Sony FTCAP2 capacitors found on the DMP-Z1. It's 1.8Ghz Quad Core A53 should also be better at processing DSEE HX AI over the dual core walkmans.

I have been experimenting with all sorts of methodology to tweak the ZX507 android system to improve performance and sound quality, I believe right now I have managed find a solution to reduce the extra android resource hogs(which many have pointed out as issue) down to the minimum. 

It involves factory resetting the device, strictly disabling all apps and system apps including google playstore, disabling battery optimization for the entire system. Stripping the zx507 software down to just playing offline music files. 

When all the mentioned steps is done, I felt that the sound when compared to stock zx507, has become much more pristine sounding. DSEE HX AI also seems to protray even stronger and faster sounding transients.


----------



## ttt123

Gamerlingual said:


> No one can really point to a guide explaining how to measure headphone performance on what we need to look for, right? Mids, highs, how to pick up on little details, etc?


Not sure if this helps, but here is one reviewer's description/breakdown of fundamental audio characteristics.  I think it goes into the more complex aspects of music, rather than just performance in the 3 tones area.
https://crinacle.com/2019/02/04/what-is-technical-ability-according-to-me-myself-and-i/

And some notes on/about music :
https://crinacle.com/2020/05/09/the-tracks-of-an-audio-critic-a-personal-musical-journey/


----------



## 524419

Damn....didn't know I could switch my 1A model to DMP-Z1. 
KRAAAAZY. 
what is the best firmware to use with this option?? @MrWalkman


----------



## MrWalkman

Diet Kokaine said:


> Damn....didn't know I could switch my 1A model to DMP-Z1.



It's not actually the DMP-Z1 model, or sound, it's just a model name change, that could allow, in theory, for "better" or "cleaner" applying of DMP-Z1-based tuning mods. So we can call it more like a visual change, that could have an effect on the external tuning part of the sound.

I am quite happy with the "stock" state of the WM1A/Z++ mod, so I personally recommend that. I truly didn't feel the need to try any kind of tuning mods, it's just amazing, at least for me.


----------



## audionewbi

Dramba said:


> J region for vocal and crispy hight tones, U region for more bassy tone.
> Here everything is explained in detail:


Hi, where is the source for this finding? Or are they your finding? This looks very interesting, regardless.


----------



## nc8000

audionewbi said:


> Hi, where is the source for this finding? Or are they your finding? This looks very interesting, regardless.



https://www.dropbox.com/s/g3x3cto8pu8emc5/Mindstorm's thoughts on fw and regions.xlsx?dl=0

It is part of an Excell file that Mindstorm has compiled based on his listening


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 24, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> No one can really point to a guide explaining how to measure headphone performance on what we need to look for, right? Mids, highs, how to pick up on little details, etc?



I don't think that a guide is really required for this. You should listen yourself to various headphones and see what you like, and notice those differences. It's that simple. Each one of us has a different way of listening to music, of hearing it.

Also, picking up on little details is something you have to figure out yourself, as it's related to how you're processing what you're hearing. I would say it's like learning to ride a bike. You shouldn't actually focus on the handlebar, but instead you should just look straight ahead and you'll just get it while practicing.

I had an experience of around 2-3 years in a choir, and I had to be able to sing my own stuff, while other voice groups in the choir were singing something slightly different. I got to a point where I could do that easily. So I would say that this experience certainly helped develop my ears for listening in general. You just have to listen to it all somehow, and then try and check out what you actually hear.

It's hard to describe this, not so different from trying to explain someone how to ride a bike. When the person trying to learn how to ride a bike actually learns how to do it, then that person understands too. It all happens at a subconscious level.


----------



## SebaE2012

MrWalkman said:


> Exactly, did someone had certain files they wanted to play and they couldn't do that on the WM1 players?



It seems to me that certain higher resolution file formats are commercially unavailable or limited to some niche genres or labels. That, leaving aside the issue of weather these files provide any improvements in SQ. I've been trying to get some different formats, just for the sake of experimenting a bit (DSD, 176/24, etc), and for rock music (and most of its subgenres) files seem to max out at 192/24 and DSD 64.


----------



## Redcarmoose

SebaE2012 said:


> It seems to me that certain higher resolution file formats are commercially unavailable or limited to some niche genres or labels. That, leaving aside the issue of weather these files provide any improvements in SQ. I've been trying to get some different formats, just for the sake of experimenting a bit (DSD, 176/24, etc), and for rock music (and most of its subgenres) files seem to max out at 192/24 and DSD 64.



I totally notice 24/96 being better than 16/44.1 now? Especially with good recordings like this one.


----------



## 534409 (Aug 24, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Solaris sucks, get an IER-Z1R



Solaris sucks? Nein, nein, nein. Z1R ist einfach zu teuer.


----------



## blazinblazin (Aug 24, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> https://www.dropbox.com/s/g3x3cto8pu8emc5/Mindstorm's thoughts on fw and regions.xlsx?dl=0
> 
> It is part of an Excell file that Mindstorm has compiled based on his listening


I think it's quite useful at least for me.
Just a guide so that you can best match your IEM to the best region sound.
My IEM is easy to drive so having too much power screws the sound up a little, so I picked MX3 so that is won't be extremely overlap with my IEM tuning on certain part of the sound.
And yes I am enjoying my music with it.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 24, 2020)

I have fewer files in 24/192  and 352.8 most common I have are 88.2  and 96 as for DSD the same thing,  most 2.8224Mhz . one album in 5.6448M and.one album in 11.24M. I do feel the  DSD remaster.of.the DGG sound better than their early CD masters (same music's as they are analogue tapes)


----------



## NeoDiNardo (Aug 24, 2020)

So where I’m currently at is I still own the Focal Stellia and I will be buying a flagship level Noble Audio CIEM soon. Those will be my two portable headphones. I will be getting a flagship open-back or two later on. I did try out the Lotto Paw Gold Touch with the Stellia, it was great, but I did return it as I wanted to sample a couple more products before I settle down. If I don’t I’ll always wonder.

Although my two portable headphone choices should be very easy to drive, I still worry about having enough headphone output power. I read that the LPGT is a bit more powerful than normal and I would listen to it at 60% on Bluetooth from my iPhone with my Stellias. My question is will the WM1Z also have the power to drive my two portable headphone choices well and what about the Hugo 2/2Go? Does it also have the needed power or does it simply outclass dedicated music players altogether in both power and or sound?

I have three goals in the end, a portable music player (WM1Z?), a transportable iPhone/iPad/MacBook Pro USB DAC headphone amplifier (Hugo 2/2go?), and a reference desktop DAC / headphone amp to use with a flagship open-back headphone or two (many, many options here). And does anyone here prefer the Chord Hugo 2/2Go, the A&K SP2000, or the Sony WM1Z to the LPGT?


----------



## Redcarmoose

NeoDiNardo said:


> So where I’m currently at is I still own the Focal Stellia and I will be buying a flagship level Noble Audio CIEM soon. Those will be my two portable headphones. I will be getting a flagship open-back or two later on. I did try out the Lotto Paw Gold Touch with the Stellia, it was great, but I did return it as I wanted to sample a couple more products before I settle down. If I don’t I’ll always wonder.
> 
> The one thing I worry about is output power. I read that the LPGT is a bit more powerful than normal and I would listen to it at 60% on Bluetooth from my iPhone with my Stellias. My question is will the WM1Z also have the power to drive my two portable headphone choices well and what about the Hugo 2/2Go? Does it also have the needed power or does it simply outclass dedicated music players altogether in both power and or sound?
> 
> I have three goals in the end, a portable music player (WM1Z?), a transportable iPhone/iPad/MacBook Pro USB DAC headphone amplifier (Hugo 2/2go?), and a reference desktop DAC / headphone amp to use with a flagship open-back headphone or two (many, many options here). And does anyone here prefer the Chord Hugo 2/2Go or the Sony WM1Z to the LPGT?




Congratulations!
I love the Noble Audio Encore Universal with the 1A with 1A/1Z+ in J region switched over to 1Z.


----------



## SBranson

ttt123 said:


> I understood that the main purpose was for cables that had shielding built into the cable/wire, where the shield was connected to the Pentaconn plug 5th Ground ring.  The 3.5mm plug picked up the Ground from the DAP, and connected the Ground to the 4.4mm G(round) ring, and allowed the cable shielding to be grounded, which would reduce RF pickup by the IEM cable.
> The facts are, though:
> - Most cables do not have a shield, so there is nothing connected to the Pentaconn plug, so the PW adapter would serve no purpose.  99% of IEM balanced cables only have 4 wires, and no shield, and use only the L+, L-, R+, R-.  There is nothing connected to the Pentaconn plug's 5th Ground ring.
> - The WM1x DAP 4.4mm female internal connector has no internal connection for the 5th Ground contact, so there is no ground connected to it.
> The PW adapter providing a Ground would be pointless, if neither the DAP or the Cable is using the 4.4mm Ground.  I can't see any function for this setup, so the ONLY useful function would be if the IEM cable has a shield, and it is connected to the Pentaconn 5th Ground ring..



Perfect! Thanks for the thorough explanation.


----------



## SebaE2012

Redcarmoose said:


> I totally notice 24/96 being better than 16/44.1 now? Especially with good recordings like this one.



I gotta give this album a try. Definitely an epic female voice. 
Agreed. Not sure whether it's a mastering issue, placebo effect or actual difference made by higher resolution, but most (if not all) of my 96/24 albums sound to me noticeably better than its 44/16 counterparts (I own many albums is both versions... Trying to upgrade my collection, whenever it seems worthy, to hi res).


----------



## MrLocoLuciano (Aug 24, 2020)

SebaE2012 said:


> Not sure whether it's a mastering issue, placebo effect or actual difference made by higher resolution, but most (if not all) of my 96/24 albums sound to me noticeably better than its 44/16 counterparts (I own many albums is both versions... Trying to upgrade my collection, whenever it seems worthy, to hi res).


Try to downsample few 96-24 tracks in 44-16 then make a proper ABX test with foobar plug-in for instance. Like that you'll be sure that you have the same mastering. And if you pass the ABX you'll definitely be fixed that you ear 24-96 is better and that it's not a brain issue.

Or just do blind listening with 24-96 and converted 44-16, and pick up the one you prefer. You might be surprised by the result. 
Nice link that points out a lot of things.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...bable-start-up.701900/page-3798#post-15486474


----------



## gerelmx1986

Has anyone tried high-end earbuds (No IEM but earphines) like VE Monk or fiio EM5? I know and I dony dare to use my IER-M7  while walking due to situational awareness


----------



## unclepaulie

MrWalkman said:


> *1. WM1A/Z+
> Different sound than the stock firmware.*
> 
> Features:
> ...



Just joined this forum and wanted to say thank you for this software! I was debating long and hard between WM1A and Z, stuck with 1A and your software, sounds great and saved a lot of $. 
Will be buying you a beer as well!


----------



## Vitaly2017

NeoDiNardo said:


> So where I’m currently at is I still own the Focal Stellia and I will be buying a flagship level Noble Audio CIEM soon. Those will be my two portable headphones. I will be getting a flagship open-back or two later on. I did try out the Lotto Paw Gold Touch with the Stellia, it was great, but I did return it as I wanted to sample a couple more products before I settle down. If I don’t I’ll always wonder.
> 
> Although my two portable headphone choices should be very easy to drive, I still worry about having enough headphone output power. I read that the LPGT is a bit more powerful than normal and I would listen to it at 60% on Bluetooth from my iPhone with my Stellias. My question is will the WM1Z also have the power to drive my two portable headphone choices well and what about the Hugo 2/2Go? Does it also have the needed power or does it simply outclass dedicated music players altogether in both power and or sound?
> 
> I have three goals in the end, a portable music player (WM1Z?), a transportable iPhone/iPad/MacBook Pro USB DAC headphone amplifier (Hugo 2/2go?), and a reference desktop DAC / headphone amp to use with a flagship open-back headphone or two (many, many options here). And does anyone here prefer the Chord Hugo 2/2Go, the A&K SP2000, or the Sony WM1Z to the LPGT?




I would say your stellia will have 0 problems to be driven from wm1z in balance for best results,  1z would fit the best in my opinion as it has a very nice analog warm sound signature. 

1z will offer best Bluetooth connectivity in a very seamless way. Best would be to use Android to get the benefits of Ldac. IPhone sounds good to but has a limited Bluetooth rate to 256 kbps Ldac is 996 kbps almost full range of bandwidth that you get from tidal!

I still think 1z is a more appealing sound signature over Lpgt.

Hugo2 is close to 1z sound but has bad isolation and catches a lot of RF noise.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hugo2 is close to 1z sound but has bad isolation and catches a lot of RF noise.


I completely desagree with that from what I eard. 
To me, WM1Z is warm and lush, while Hugo 2 is technical, clinical and cold.
Can't see 2 more opposite gears.


----------



## Redcarmoose

SebaE2012 said:


> I gotta give this album a try. Definitely an epic female voice.
> Agreed. Not sure whether it's a mastering issue, placebo effect or actual difference made by higher resolution, but most (if not all) of my 96/24 albums sound to me noticeably better than its 44/16 counterparts (I own many albums is both versions... Trying to upgrade my collection, whenever it seems worthy, to hi res).



Yes, there seems to be just slightly more air in places. And this idea of added air has been going on for about two years, so if it’s real or not..........I would rather not know the truth of the matter. Believing it is better (while being maybe scientifically delusional) is still a prefect path for me to travel on. Normally EPs are not my thing but this one is just about 30 minutes long but great consistent quality, and recording art. I would guess anyone who is even remotely familiar with Epica would love it. Albums can be too long at times, here it’s a complete statement.




unclepaulie said:


> Just joined this forum and wanted to say thank you for this software! I was debating long and hard between WM1A and Z, stuck with 1A and your software, sounds great and saved a lot of $.
> Will be buying you a beer as well!


Welcome! And.... enjoy! We would like to hear about your journey as it unfolds!


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrLocoLuciano said:


> I completely desagree with that from what I eard.
> To me, WM1Z is warm and lush, while Hugo 2 is technical, clinical and cold.
> Can't see 2 more opposite gears.




Hmm when I listen to 1z and hugo2 with ier-z1r maybe a year a go.

To me 1z was warm lush yes. But I didn't find Hugo 2 to be clinical or cold.... to me ibasso dx200 is exactly that! I hate that signature. 

Hugo 2 was bassy neutral nearing 1a sound signature more then 1z.
But it was still neutral naturalish some what. Though not to a point like you say cold and analytical. It is very transparent I do agree on that


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 24, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Has anyone tried high-end earbuds (No IEM but earphines) like VE Monk or fiio EM5? I know and I dony dare to use my IER-M7  while walking due to situational awareness



I’m not so sure you will like them? I went through a phase and purchased a couple well regarded high end earbuds as well as a couple classic known ones, but that phase has passed. They really do have a quality different from IEMs, headphones or speakers; they are their own thing. Still they are missing bass. The situational awareness is better with them though. I really did enjoy my phase loving them. You may like them better than anything, some do. There have been stories of folks selling all their headphones and IEMs just to use earbuds. My reviews are super super positive as that was what I was into at the time. None the less it was a great detour on the journey?


Here are a couple historic and elated reviews I’ve done on some I liked a couple of years ago. 



https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kube-2.22577/reviews#item-review-19001



https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/edifier-k180.22349/reviews#item-review-18480





https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/se...eadphones-blue.8620/reviews#item-review-19234





https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/cubu-earbud.22334/reviews#item-review-18417





https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/musicmaker-ting.21430/reviews#item-review-17859


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hmm when I listen to 1z and hugo2 with ier-z1r maybe a year a go.
> 
> To me 1z was warm lush yes. But I didn't find Hugo 2 to be clinical or cold.... to me ibasso dx200 is exactly that! I hate that signature.
> 
> ...


I get what you say.
DX200 is in the same category than Hugo 2 for me, that is what I call cold restitution. But I agree that Hugo 2 sounds more natural, and bass texture is incredible.


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrLocoLuciano said:


> I get what you say.
> DX200 is in the same category than Hugo 2 for me, that is what I call cold restitution. But I agree that Hugo 2 sounds more natural, and bass texture is incredible.




Yep ibasso dx200 gout amer lol
Hugo 2 is more delicate tasty, un bon croissant avec un ptit esspresso 😁😄


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yep ibasso dx200 gout amer lol
> Hugo 2 is more delicate tasty, un bon croissant avec un ptit esspresso 😁😄


I prefer a chocolatine avec un verre de jus d'ananas frais


----------



## nc8000

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Try to downsample few 96-24 tracks in 44-16 then make a proper ABX test with foobar plug-in for instance. Like that you'll be sure that you have the same mastering. And if you pass the ABX you'll definitely be fixed that you ear 24-96 is better and that it's not a brain issue.
> 
> Or just do blind listening with 24-96 and converted 44-16, and pick up the one you prefer. You might be surprised by the result.
> Nice link that points out a lot of things.
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...bable-start-up.701900/page-3798#post-15486474



Just a piece of advise. When up or down sampling stick to multiples of the same base clock so down sampling a 96 file do it to 48 and not 44 whereas down sampling a 88 file should be to 44.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

nc8000 said:


> Just a piece of advise. When up or down sampling stick to multiples of the same base clock so down sampling a 96 file do it to 48 and not 44 whereas down sampling a 88 file should be to 44.


----------



## NeoDiNardo (Aug 24, 2020)

Funny thing just happened, I decided to keep the LPGT anyway. I called the store and reclaimed my property lol. I’m always second guessing. But in this case I’ll keep the LPGT and perhaps pick up a Sony Walkman later on for sound signature choices. I didn’t give the LPGT a full demo yet and I do very much like what I am hearing so far, the LPGT has a great feature set, it’s just the grass is always greener thing. And the Sony WM1Z gold is sooo pretty. I did figure one thing out though, I’m done lusting after Chord products. They just never seem to be what I am ultimately after no matter how much DAC magic Chord has.


----------



## MrWalkman

unclepaulie said:


> Just joined this forum and wanted to say thank you for this software! I was debating long and hard between WM1A and Z, stuck with 1A and your software, sounds great and saved a lot of $.
> Will be buying you a beer as well!



Really appreciate the beer, man 







I'm glad you like the sound, I think it sounds awesome!

Keep an eye out on the forum from time to time. Small updates may come out, like one that will make the player show a battery low icon when you try turning it on when there is not enough power left, for example.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 24, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m not so sure you will like them? I went through a phase and purchased a couple well regarded high end earbuds as well as a couple classic known ones, but that phase has passed. They really do have a quality different from IEMs, headphones or speakers; they are their own thing. Still they are missing bass. The situational awareness is better with them though. I really did enjoy my phase loving them. You may like them better than anything, some do. There have been stories of folks selling all their headphones and IEMs just to use earbuds. My reviews are super super positive as that was what I was into at the time. None the less it was a great detour on the journey?
> 
> 
> Here are a couple historic and elated reviews I’ve done on some I liked a couple of years ago.
> ...


Yes, I am aware the possibility of lacking bass and well, the main problem I have is the fit, they fall and fall, must tape thwm to my ears lol.  No matter which size they just don't fit my earlobe


----------



## Whitigir

NeoDiNardo said:


> They just never seem to be what I am ultimately after no matter how much DAC magic Chord has.


Same here! Chord and AK just never ticked in my mind , despite that I kept giving them “test spin”.  I still remember the last time I Demo the most expensive of Chord, the DAVE....that was when I ended up with DMP lol!!


----------



## terminaut

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes, I am aware the possibility of lacking bass and well, the main problem I have is the fit, they fall and fall, must tape thwm to my ears lol.  No matter which size they just don't fit my earlobe



I don't remember the model number anymore, but these Sony buds sound really great (given the form factor) and are light/comfortable. I'm sure they're likely dirt cheap nowadays so might be worth checking out.


----------



## gerelmx1986

terminaut said:


> I don't remember the model number anymore, but these Sony buds sound really great (given the form factor) and are light/comfortable. I'm sure they're likely dirt cheap nowadays so might be worth checking out.


I've learnt to fit air-tight IEMs like IER-M7  but never to fit an earbud haha


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 24, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Yes, I am aware the possibility of lacking bass and well, the main problem I have is the fit, they fall and fall, must tape thwm to my ears lol.  No matter which size they just don't fit my earlobe



I went and found the original MX500  Sennheiser that has had the form factor copied by so many including Edifier as well as VE Monk. The best part is that they are cheap in general. Most are $15-$20 with the expensive ones being $200. After exploring I did learn a lot. Actually there is a quality which is special to them, so you can understand people’s preference to them over anything? Many fit different but my biggest revelation was every foam made created a very different sound. So if you find a product (maybe the new FiiO) which offers a giant selection of foam covers, you can actually adjust the sound, maybe more than IEM tips do?

The new FiiO is a lot like the Kube which I reviewed back in 2017. They can made a bigger driver to try and increase the bass.





The Edifier P180 are actually fairly well rounded performers at $15. Earbud life is staggeringly low cost!


----------



## Nayparm

MrWalkman said:


> Really appreciate the beer, man
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That would be freaking awesome 👍, sometimes I think sh#t why is this thing not turning on after the hardware mod 😂
As you'll know even with the power lead in you have to wait like 10-20 mins before it comes on 🙈 from a too low battery.


----------



## MrWalkman

Nayparm said:


> That would be freaking awesome 👍, sometimes I think sh#t why is this thing not turning on after the hardware mod 😂
> As you'll know even with the power lead in you have to wait like 10-20 mins before it comes on 🙈 from a too low battery.



Yep, with the coming change, when connecting the USB cable to a battery empty player, another image will show up, signifying that the battery is empty and that it's charging, and once there will be enough power, the player will turn on like usually.


----------



## Nayparm

MrWalkman said:


> Yep, with the coming change, when connecting the USB cable to a battery empty player, another image will show up, signifying that the battery is empty and that it's charging, and once there will be enough power, the player will turn on like usually.



Perfect 👍 love it! that will definitely be massively helpful for me.


----------



## terminaut (Aug 24, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I've learnt to fit air-tight IEMs like IER-M7  but never to fit an earbud haha



These particular buds are really easy to fit as they contour to the ear very nicely (at least for me)... and in fact I'm still listening to them since the photo lol.

Bad news though... They seem to be some sort of collector's item nowadays:

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-ED1...B0015AM38Q/ref=psdc_172541_t4_B0015AFWCU?th=1

I think the silver might be the "original" incarnation and other colors are recent (possibly cheaper-manufactured) derivatives.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 24, 2020)

When I listen to my extremely tweaked ZX507 walkman this is what I noticed:

Deep sub-bass notes that has strong punch and can have very sustained decay

Surreal, Emotive Vocals that maintains imaging coherency even with all sorts of other louder instruments in the mix.

Every music element: main singer, backup singer, drummer, guitarist, audience has its own individual positioning in the soundstage

Really fast attacking but well controlled transients that is done in a way which don’t sound eardrum piercing

Piano that has rich high tone and decay

Guitar that has crispy twang, well defined timbre reverberations

Saxophone that has more noticeable tiny reverberations

Extremely lush sounding Violins that has airiness and wooden timbre.

Background audience’s whistling, clapping, cheering sound really well defined and not blurred/soften

Equipment used and settings:
IER-M9 with stock balanced cable and Final Audio E-type Tips
Non-modified Sony ZX507 walkman
Adata premiere pro MLC 128GB microsd formatted by Walkman
fresh factory reset android with strictly all google and every other non-system apps disabled
Android Battery optimisation disabled system wide
Wifi, Bluetooth, NFC switched Off
Battery saver Off
High-res streaming Off
High Gain On
DSEE HX On
DC Linearizer Type A Low
100% charged and connected to anker USB-PD powerbank
Listening done in a dark and quiet 36dba average listening environment


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> When I listen to my extremely tweaked ZX507 walkman this is what I noticed:
> 
> Deep sub-bass notes that has strong punch and can have very sustained decay
> 
> ...


This is WM1A thread FYI


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 24, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> This is WM1A thread FYI



Just sharing what the S-master HX based walkman is capable of presenting with the right setup/tweaks. Other members have also share their impressions of DMP-Z1 and TA-ZH1ES in this thread FYI.

If you find my post annoying please kindly add me to ignore list.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> When I listen to my extremely tweaked ZX507 walkman this is what I noticed:
> 
> Deep sub-bass notes that has strong punch and can have very sustained decay
> 
> ...




I suspect new sony flagship wm1 daps will have a new release maybe in 1 year or 1.5

As there is enough new technology and technics with new materials to be used for new better quality sounds.

Honest thoughts on ZX507,  I think its an amazing sound and if sony implements ZX507 into a wm1z performance dap it will no doubt be 1 hell of a 1a/1z successor! 

The new sony caps and the new solder plays a huge roll and the result os that bass you are hearing,  even wm1z cannot reproduce this!

So lets wait patiently for a new successor! 
Though I am telling you right away it is DMP-Z1!  The new flagship,  they will replace 1a/1z as well as they just replaced the best and the lower model.
Next one should be 1a/1z!
I bet they will share similarity with dmp-z1 and also pure sony Os no android!


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> I suspect new sony flagship wm1 daps will have a new release maybe in 1 year or 1.5
> 
> As there is enough new technology and technics with new materials to be used for new better quality sounds.
> 
> ...



So the ZX507 is a warm dap like the WM1Z? If it is, I need to remove it from any consideration too.


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> So the ZX507 is a warm dap like the WM1Z? If it is, I need to remove it from any consideration too.




Apparently it got fixed with new fw and now is more balanced and pess bass and more sound stage those are words of @Sonywalkmanuser.

But when I tried it,  it was same category like 1z, warm bassy it had amazing vocals !


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 24, 2020)

ZX507/A105 Walkman can also act as a better streaming music digital transport source(Spotify/Tidal/Amazon music) to the WM1(or even to DMP-Z1) walkman via LDAC or USB digital out.  

Only Sony Android Walkmans and Xperia  smartphones can output glitch-free stable bluetooth LDAC at 990Kbps for streaming music. Other smartphones with LDAC have connection/interference issues and have to drop to 660kbps LDAC. When you stream with apple iPhone via Bluetooth to your WM1 Walkman, it is via the lower sound quality SBC codec.

@joshfc2001 actually uses the ZX507 as source for his TA-ZH1ES
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/1-week-review-of-sony-nw-zx507-nw-zx500-series.921418/post-15740350


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> ZX507/A105 Walkman can also act as a better streaming music digital transport source(Spotify/Tidal/Amazon music) to the WM1(or even to DMP-Z1) walkman via LDAC or USB digital out.
> 
> Only Sony Android Walkmans and Xperia  smartphones can output glitch-free stable bluetooth LDAC at 990Kbps for streaming music. Other smartphones with LDAC have connection/interference issues and have to drop to 660kbps LDAC. When you stream with apple iPhone via Bluetooth to your WM1 Walkman, it is via the lower sound quality SBC codec.
> 
> ...


I wanna wait but also want a DMP-Z1  haha


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 24, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I suspect new sony flagship wm1 daps will have a new release maybe in 1 year or 1.5
> 
> As there is enough new technology and technics with new materials to be used for new better quality sounds.
> 
> ...



My summary observations after doing so much experimentation on my ZX507:

Google apps/services running does have significant impact on audio performance, once all these resource hogs are disabled, it allows the ZX507 to perform so much better.

Sony really should stick to Walkman OS for the next flagship. No android!

Firmware can alter the sound signature of a device significantly.

Sony has many hidden sound processing layers. Direct Source is not as direct to hardware as we thought it should be. 

DSEE HX AI is awesome and will only get better in the future with better processor performance and better machine learning training. 

Sony FTCAP2 does provide strong bass with clear and pristine vocals. No Mosfet mist.

There's so much more going on inside the walkman than we would imagine it as a simple aluminum/gold brick that makes sound.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> My summary observations after doing so much experimentation on my ZX507:
> 
> Google apps/services running does have significant impact on audio performance, once all these resource hogs are disabled, it allows the ZX507 to perform so much better.
> 
> ...


Or if they want to have crappy android OS on the next flagship, at least they should offer a variant with Walkman OS


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> Or if they want to have crappy android OS on the next flagship, at least they should offer a variant with Walkman OS




Sony wont create crap so it will be sony os only.
You got zx507 for that already


----------



## firemess

The only problem we have (for some it is not a problem) on Sony OS is the lack of embedded streaming app.
Except that, Sony OS is much better at any level for listening music as it it straight to the point  and light software. I always been annoyed when using an android DAP like Fiio as I was asked to connect my google account ... a lot of app/settings that are useless for music usage ...
Problem is that streaming apps would probably never be adapted to Walkman OS I suppose, and personally it is a problem as I also rely on a Qobuz HiRes subscription to complete my music library.


----------



## asquare3376

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I have the MDR-1AM2 and the IER-M9. Both are masterpieces indeed.
> 
> You can tell they both share quite alot of similarities in terms of overall sound signatures.
> 
> ...


Interesting! What are your thoughts on the M9 vs Z5?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

asquare3376 said:


> Interesting! What are your thoughts on the M9 vs Z5?



Z5 is a bass monster. M9 can't match the deep low end rumble you get from Z5 LCP driver. But with the ZX507, the M9 bass is as good as any respectable dynamic driver iem.

The balance armature drivers on the M9 is much improved over the Z5. Z5 balanced armatures still has slight plasticity to it's treble. The M9 BA sounds more metallic like, which makes cymbals sound very crispy.

Soundstage wise, M9 is much more wider and taller, I think M9 doesn't sound in your head at all. Z5 sounds too closed in with some width but no height, you need aftermarket cables to improve it's sound.

Imaging on the M9 is so much better than the Z5. There's no comparsion at all. M9 imaging is the showcase of the iem. 

I would recommend getting the M9 over the Z5 especially if you own a Sony balanced walkman. You don't need to get aftermarket cables.


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> Apparently it got fixed with new fw and now is more balanced and pess bass and more sound stage those are words of @Sonywalkmanuser.
> 
> But when I tried it,  it was same category like 1z, warm bassy it had amazing vocals !



Bass is fine, but a lot of warmth in the mids is too much with my Phantom. I really think only a totally neutral dap will work with my all of my IEMs. I know Tia Trio and Legend X pair awesome with WM1Z. I also think my A12t, Lola and Angie would pair well. Phantom is the only one that really needs a neutral source.


----------



## SebaE2012

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Try to downsample few 96-24 tracks in 44-16 then make a proper ABX test with foobar plug-in for instance. Like that you'll be sure that you have the same mastering. And if you pass the ABX you'll definitely be fixed that you ear 24-96 is better and that it's not a brain issue.
> 
> Or just do blind listening with 24-96 and converted 44-16, and pick up the one you prefer. You might be surprised by the result.
> Nice link that points out a lot of things.
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...bable-start-up.701900/page-3798#post-15486474



Thanks for the suggestion and for the link... Will look into it. I definitely want to do a few tests as the ones you suggest. It's both illuminating and entertaining.


----------



## SebaE2012

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, there seems to be just slightly more air in places. And this idea of added air has been going on for about two years, so if it’s real or not..........I would rather not know the truth of the matter. Believing it is better (while being maybe scientifically delusional) is still a prefect path for me to travel on. Normally EPs are not my thing but this one is just about 30 minutes long but great consistent quality, and recording art. I would guess anyone who is even remotely familiar with Epica would love it. Albums can be too long at times, here it’s a complete statement.
> 
> 
> You're completely right. I mean, ultimately this is about enjoyment and it may come from different sources. Whether it comes from real, scientifically-proven facts regarding sound or from perceptions in our brains, it may well make no difference. Enjoy the music.


----------



## terminaut

Any WM1x owners here had experience with the SPEAR Labs Triton-1? I love my IER-Z1Rs but the Tritons are sexy as well as boast some great tech.

https://spear-labs.com/pages/the-tech


----------



## blazinblazin

Acoustune IEMs have synergy with SONY, give them a listen when you have the chance.


----------



## blazinblazin (Aug 25, 2020)

terminaut said:


> Any WM1x owners here had experience with the SPEAR Labs Triton-1? I love my IER-Z1Rs but the Tritons are sexy as well as boast some great tech.
> 
> https://spear-labs.com/pages/the-tech


I have not tried this.
They are using PentaconnEar connectors like Acoustune. 
Also Titanium reduce any unwanted reverb in the chamber which make the sound very clean. I have yet to try a silver shell IEM.
Overall the materials used looks nice from the detail page.


----------



## gerelmx1986

asquare3376 said:


> Interesting! What are your thoughts on the M9 vs Z5?


Or IER-Z1R  haha, perhaps the most logical upgrade path from XBA-Z5


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Z5 is a bass monster. M9 can't match the deep low end rumble you get from Z5 LCP driver. But with the ZX507, the M9 bass is as good as any respectable dynamic driver iem.
> 
> The balance armature drivers on the M9 is much improved over the Z5. Z5 balanced armatures still has slight plasticity to it's treble. The M9 BA sounds more metallic like, which makes cymbals sound very crispy.
> 
> ...


I found XBA-Z5  to.lack on treble, it wanted to give the details need for Hi-res but it struggled.. 

Same could I say like you for IER-Z1R and even IER-M7. 

the M7 and M9 have a hell of a bass , deceiving DD-Like bass, o ly con is its fast decay. 

But bass on IER-Z1R  wow very textured and controlled and digs deeper than Z5 bass.

In imaging, treble and mid detail from IER-Z1R,  as well soundstage wow just outperforms Z5.

Can I say also MMCX is way sturdier on all IER than XBA-Z5


----------



## aceedburn

gerelmx1986 said:


> I found XBA-Z5  to.lack on treble, it wanted to give the details need for Hi-res but it struggled..
> 
> Same could I say like you for IER-Z1R and even IER-M7.
> 
> ...


While I respect all your opinions, I think the Z5 is the best IEM Sony has come out with thus far. I’ve tried all the above mentioned ones and more. Believe me. I still think Z5 takes the cake. Z1R is a bit clinical and sibilant at times. Z5 is a perfect all rounder and gives me the details I look for. The sheer musicality and live sound feeling you don’t get anywhere else. Especially with the 4.4mm balanced kimber kable paired with the 1A.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 25, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I found XBA-Z5  to.lack on treble, it wanted to give the details need for Hi-res but it struggled..
> 
> Same could I say like you for IER-Z1R and even IER-M7.
> 
> ...



I have to totally agree with you. At present time I have the XBA-N3, Z5 as well as the IER-Z1R. After getting the IER-Z1R the first thing it reminded me of WAS the Z5. Yet after weeks of ownership and going finally back to the Z5, it is actually found that the Z5 has even more bass than the IER-Z1R. There is less midbass on the IER-Z1R.

But what always happens here is it’s a process of adapting. So when people that just own the Z5 talk about how great it is, I have to agree with their opinion as they have been loving the Z5 for years, thus their brain is adapted to it, and all it does, for better or worse.

Going back to the Z5 I found it just slightly missing in the upper midrange and treble department. Still amazingly the Z5 holds such naturalness and over-all coherency!

You would hardly guess the Z5 is a hybrid as to how they seamlessly blend everything. My least favorite IEM now is the N3 as I find it to have even more bass than the Z5. So people that love the IER-Z1R are finding it very authoritative in the bass.............it’s very detailed across the board. Disputed for it’s overall neutrality and politeness, I still hold the IER-Z1R as my technicality example of an IEM doing it all effortlessly.

I’m curious about the M7/M9 as I have no issue at all with BA bass and find BA flaws to still be totally entertaining as BA bass is faster along with finding some all BA IEMs to hold a nice cohesive display; as it’s all BA technology blending together.

The way to love the XBA-Z5 is use it alone for two weeks and allow the brain to start to get used to the over-all picture is displays. Seeing used ones sell for $200 shows it’s still a value if you can get around the MMCX fragility and wild USB stick-in-your-ear shape.


----------



## nc8000

While I really liked the sound on the Z5 I find the Z1R to be superior. Also the Z5 had the worst and most uncomfortable fit of any universal iem I have ever tried.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 25, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> While I really liked the sound on the Z5 I find the Z1R to be superior. Also the Z5 had the worst and most uncomfortable fit of any universal iem I have ever tried.



But the thing is I respect everyone’s opinion as I realize that if I owned the XBA-Z5 and loved it for years, I may have issues in a shop hearing the IER-Z1R. So much of this hobby is adapting to sound and letting the brain slowly accept a sound signature as correct. What I mean is all the benefits of the IER-Z1R could (when new) actually come off as wrong. Actually if I listen to bright all BA IEMs for a week even the IER-Z1R comes off sounding dark? Interestingly you have members in this very thread who ditched the IER-Z1R for the M9. They simply wanted that sound, even if BA reverberations and timbre is less natural. In many ways the trio of XBA-Z5, XBA-N3 and IER-Z1R are actually slow in response due to their DD drivers. The N3 is by far the slowest followed by the Z5 then the IER-Z1R. It’s only when you can mentally adjust to the delay in bass change-ups does it all start to sound correct again.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> While I really liked the sound on the Z5 I find the Z1R to be superior. Also the Z5 had the worst and most uncomfortable fit of any universal iem I have ever tried.


Mine started to break on the left MMCX earpiece after just two disconnects. 1) to use balanced with an adapter made by @Whitigir  before this, had used it SE. 2) after getting a proper 4.4mm sony cable.

If it wasn't for this, I would have kept them. I think many times of getting another pair with sony kimber


----------



## MrWalkman

Fiio M6's volume changing screen. Does it remind you of something?


----------



## gerelmx1986

MrWalkman said:


> Fiio M6's volume changing screen. Does it remind you of something?


Sony wanna be


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 25, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Sony wanna be



Things like this are just perpetuating stereotypes, like the "Chinese companies copying stuff from other devices" one.

At the same time, FiiO are making good devices. I used BTR3 and M11 Pro, and I currently have the BTR5.


----------



## gerelmx1986

MrWalkman said:


> Things like this are just perpetuating stereotypes, like the "Chinese companies copying stuff from other devices" one.
> 
> At the same time, FiiO are making good devices. I used BTR3 and M11 Pro, and I currently have the BTR5.


I had one fiio DAP in the past, the original x3, that little thing had Power . In the IEM dept have tried one, disappointed, returned after a week of purchase, the infamous FA7


----------



## auronthas (Sep 17, 2020)

.


----------



## aceedburn

So, @MrWalkman , suddenly I feel the need to install a new MODDED firmware. Any idea when it will be released? There’s nothing like installing and enjoying a MODDED firmware. It just satisfies the soul and mind like melted chocolate.


----------



## MrWalkman

aceedburn said:


> So, @MrWalkman , suddenly I feel the need to install a new MODDED firmware. Any idea when it will be released? There’s nothing like installing and enjoying a MODDED firmware. It just satisfies the soul and mind like melted chocolate.



Always trying to look into bringing more interesting stuff to our devices. As soon as something new and exciting will be available, I won't keep you waiting for too long


----------



## aceedburn

MrWalkman said:


> Always trying to look into bringing more interesting stuff to our devices. As soon as something new and exciting will be available, I won't keep you waiting for too long


Well noted. Looking forward to your new super ultra MODDED firmware to be released.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> Well noted. Looking forward to your new super ultra MODDED firmware to be released.


Hoping for one down the road for the TA and DMP-Z1. The 1A has been awesome so far


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 25, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Hoping for one down the road for the TA and DMP-Z1. The 1A has been awesome so far



Without owning the device, there's little to no chance.

While experimenting with the firmware on WM1A, I bricked the player many times. I can't risk bricking someone else's device, and then also try unbricking it remotely, meh.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> Without owning the device, there's little to no chance.
> 
> While experimenting with the firmware on WM1A, I bricked the player many times. I can't risk bricking someone else's device, and then also try unbricking it remotely, meh.


One can still hope


----------



## Queen6

auronthas said:


> I do support Sony products like you.  I am against modify proprietary software without permission though, it is unethical act.



Fair enough, equally stop with the asinine threats. If Sony had any issue with the small minority of what can be best described as it's staunchest followers, Sony would have acted already, frankly several years ago. Nobody is looking to usurp or abuse Sony's IP rather more simply get the very best from what Sony provides.

Personally I'm of the opinion that Sony leaves the system open to see exactly what will develop, as who better than the educated/experienced users to show the way forward. Then Sony can apply it's own unique magic that we all love. As ever in life there's sheep and theirs wolves...

Q-6


----------



## 534409 (Aug 25, 2020)

Sony Z5? Use home only, in attic without children around.
Here are cons from HF reviewers:
- Demands power
- Fit might be awkward for some
- Fiddly MMCX connectors
*- Below average isolation
- MMCX connectors that kinda sucks, Not really suitable for outdoor use, have to buy a $100 separate cord for upgraded sonics. *


----------



## snapandslide

Dramba said:


> Sony Z5? Use home only, in attic without children around.
> Here are cons from HF reviewers:
> - Demands power
> - Fit might be awkward for some
> ...



I'd also add - turn all the lights off as well 

As a Z5 owner, the 1A is calling me - sometime later in the year I'll try and buy one. This has been a great thread to follow in the background, amazing how these players have held up over time.


----------



## 534409 (Aug 25, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Things like this are just perpetuating stereotypes, like the "Chinese companies copying stuff from other devices" one.
> 
> At the same time, FiiO are making good devices. I used BTR3 and M11 Pro, and I currently have the BTR5.


Then we have Samsung Note and Xiaomi Note, also iOS and EMUI or MIUI. There is no patent protection in China, but they are well protected by Chinese Commies Party.


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> I do support Sony products like you.  I am against modify proprietary software without permission though, it is unethical act.



Well it’s not like Sony are suffering or being ripped of or deprived of sales, if anything this might increase sales of the players marginally. After all the only people who benefit from these modded fw and tunings are people who have already paid Sony and own the players and nobody are selling the fw. But yes you are right that strictly speaking it is illeagal and against Sony’s terms.


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Well it’s not like Sony are suffering or being ripped of or deprived of sales, if anything this might increase sales of the players marginally. After all the only people who benefit from these modded fw and tunings are people who have already paid Sony and own the players and nobody are selling the fw. But yes you are right that strictly speaking it is illeagal and against Sony’s terms.


You see a lot more people coming here and saying they want to buy the 1A, suddenly, because of this firmware. So it looks like a win for them for sure.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Aug 25, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> After all the only people who benefit from these modded fw and tunings are people who have already paid Sony and own the players and nobody are selling the fw.


 Thinking now about acquiring a 1Z too.


----------



## Whitigir

Here is an interesting question as I know the “Z” and ”1” is special in Japanese references toward, so which one is superior in the way it is named ? Is it the Z1 or is it the 1Z ?


----------



## SebaE2012

gerelmx1986 said:


> Or if they want to have crappy android OS on the next flagship, at least they should offer a variant with Walkman OS


Perhaps alternative booting? Like iBasso...


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Here is an interesting question as I know the “Z” and ”1” is special in Japanese references toward, so which one is superior in the way it is named ? Is it the Z1 or is it the 1Z ?




Z1 !


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 25, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Z1 !



The namings are different though.

There are two parts, NW and DMP, and then WM1A/WM1Z (not just 1A or 1Z) and Z1. Also, WM1 is from WM1 Series, similar to A30 Series, A40 Series, A50 Series...

So I would say it's not a thing of Z first and then 1 or vice versa, as the 1 in 1Z is from "WM1 Series" - something like NW-WM1-A and NW-WM1-Z.

I'm not sure what NW stands for, but DMP stands for Digital Media Player.


----------



## Icekuma

MrWalkman said:


> *Edit: If you want to post this on other forums, it would be nice to provide a link to this post, and not
> a direct Google Drive link. Thanks!*
> 
> Before we start, the things below are actual firmware mods, and not just tunings.
> ...


@MrWalkman Any chance for the mac installer to be updated? it gives same error and manually launching "softwareUpdateTool" does not do the trick this time. FWIW, Sony new 3.0.2 update tool for Mac has been updated and can be launched from Catalina. (I am on Catalina IMac 27 late 2015 model). 

Thank you.


----------



## MrWalkman

Icekuma said:


> @MrWalkman Any chance for the mac installer to be updated? it gives same error and manually launching "softwareUpdateTool" does not do the trick this time. FWIW, Sony new 3.0.2 update tool for Mac has been updated and can be launched from Catalina. (I am on Catalina IMac 27 late 2015 model).
> 
> Thank you.



@Lookout57 is currently taking a look at the one for ZX300, maybe he can also give this one a look.

Regarding Catalina compatibility, is there an official source specifying that there is a new installer available? Sony's update page does not mention anything new.


----------



## Chiyo

When I create a playlist through the device or through the Music Center App, the selected songs doesn't get sorted alphabetically. Is there any way to do that?


----------



## nc8000

Chiyo said:


> When I create a playlist through the device or through the Music Center App, the selected songs doesn't get sorted alphabetically. Is there any way to do that?



I have never used playlists but I would assume that they appear in the order they were added to the list


----------



## gerelmx1986

Chiyo said:


> When I create a playlist through the device or through the Music Center App, the selected songs doesn't get sorted alphabetically. Is there any way to do that?


I dis create playlists on sony Mediago and songs are played on the order I specified on the playlist.  I no longer use playlists as these walkmans have composer listing


----------



## NeoDiNardo (Aug 25, 2020)

So for portable storage capacity, how much is enough for everyone? 256GB UHS II vs 512GB UHS I vs 1TB UHS I are my choices.

Edit: And yes, I’m still eyeing a WM1A, a WM1Z, a next gen WM1Z, or a ZX507, I’m just not willing to give up the Lotoo Paw Gold Touch. It just struck me, why not both?


----------



## gerelmx1986

NeoDiNardo said:


> So for portable storage capacity, how much is enough for everyone? 256GB UHS II vs 512GB UHS I vs 1TB UHS I are my choices.


I have all my music in it's original format and resolution, spreaded across three mSD cards
1TB, 512GB and 400GB


----------



## Gamerlingual

I haven’t used my full 256GB. Maybe 40GB and I’m ok with that


----------



## Lookout57

Icekuma said:


> @MrWalkman Any chance for the mac installer to be updated? it gives same error and manually launching "softwareUpdateTool" does not do the trick this time. FWIW, Sony new 3.0.2 update tool for Mac has been updated and can be launched from Catalina. (I am on Catalina IMac 27 late 2015 model).
> 
> Thank you.


I am working on fixing the issue with the Installer Collapsed issue.

As for Catalina support, I've described why it doesn't work many times previously.

To recap, the Sony installer will not run on Catalina due to Sony not updating their USB driver. Apple warned them about this starting back at WWDC 2017 and confirmed at WWDC 2019.

Your only choice it to run Mojave or earlier versions of macOS natively or in a VM. You can also run Windows 10 in a VM. 

*Note:* Microsoft allows anyone to download the Windows 10 Installer ISO and install it without a key. For the first 30 days all features work. After that 95% of the features still work and you will get occasionally nag screens to buy a key that you can ignore.


----------



## Lookout57

NeoDiNardo said:


> So for portable storage capacity, how much is enough for everyone? 256GB UHS II vs 512GB UHS I vs 1TB UHS I are my choices.
> 
> Edit: And yes, I’m still eyeing a WM1A, a WM1Z, a next gen WM1Z, or a ZX507, I’m just not willing to give up the Lotoo Paw Gold Touch. It just struck me, why not both?


I have 1TB cards in all of my WM1 and only have 37GB free. This is for 11,517 tracks that are a mix of mainly FLAC (16/44.1 - 24/192) and some DSF.


----------



## Amber Rain

NeoDiNardo said:


> So for portable storage capacity, how much is enough for everyone? 256GB UHS II vs 512GB UHS I vs 1TB UHS I are my choices.



512GB SD, not maxed out yet (had to upgrade from 400GB).


----------



## Duncan

UHS II is absolutely not worth paying the premium for in this player


----------



## gerelmx1986

1TB has 296GB free
512 has 20GB free
400 has 77GB free

This for ca. 60,033 tracks all lossless ranging from 16/44.1 - 24/352.8 and mostly DSF 64fs


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 25, 2020)

Boy, these xelastec AZLA Earfit tips make the IER-Z1R  wild, the added more treble and huge soundstage



Oh and that was not using @MrWalkman magic of DSEE HX AI, forgot to turn it on... wow if the stage was big no AI DSEE now is gargantuan


----------



## Queen6 (Aug 25, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Well it’s not like Sony are suffering or being ripped of or deprived of sales, if anything this might increase sales of the players marginally. After all the only people who benefit from these modded fw and tunings are people who have already paid Sony and own the players and nobody are selling the fw. But yes you are right that strictly speaking it is illeagal and against Sony’s terms.



If the "crying" does trigger someone down the line, what can be assured is that *auronthas *will be the single most unpopular member of the Sony community across all forums. I tend to agree, as the trend of overly locked down, locked in DAP's is very much a turn off for many.

One of the reasons I opted for the ZX & WM1 series players was the ability to switch region and tweak the sound signature to my own taste, deliberately disregarding the ZX500 due to that very inability. Had the Dap's been locked to my local region I wouldn't own, nor likely to import. Some OEM's take it to ridiculous levels up to and including language, that is locked, therefore I wont remotely entertain them...

The custom firmware brings a new lease of life to the WM1 series and can only help to boost sales, especially with the utter inflexibility of some others. Sony's more open attitude is refreshing in this day & age and should be thoroughly commended by the community  

Q-6


----------



## Icekuma

Lookout57 said:


> I am working on fixing the issue with the Installer Collapsed issue.
> 
> As for Catalina support, I've described why it doesn't work many times previously.
> 
> ...


Thanks @Lookout57   i am sure you are aware that latest sony firmware installer works in Catalina. I tried launching and stop short of actually plugging my wm1a. Perhaps that’s something you can use. Thank you again


----------



## Lookout57

Icekuma said:


> Thanks @Lookout57   i am sure you are aware that latest sony firmware installer works in Catalina. I tried launching and stop short of actually plugging my wm1a. Perhaps that’s something you can use. Thank you again


It doesn't do anything once you plug the device in as the Sony kext doesn't load. 

If you do a strings on the "WmFwHelperTool" binary you will see "/System/Library/Extensions" is hard coded. As of Catalina, Apple does not allow any third party kernel extensions to install to or load from "/System/Library/Extensions". So "SONYWalkmanType00.kext" will never load and the installer hangs.

I never tried to copy "SONYWalkmanType00.kext" to "/Library/Extensions" and manually loading it from the command line. That might work. But even if it does, it's probably too difficult for most users to do since it's all Terminal commands. 

When I get a chance I'll try that. If it works I'll work on getting an installer package to install and load it and then delete after installing the new firmware.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 25, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> It doesn't do anything once you plug the device in as the Sony kext doesn't load.
> 
> If you do a strings on the "WmFwHelperTool" binary you will see "/System/Library/Extensions" is hard coded. As of Catalina, Apple does not allow any third party kernel extensions to install to or load from "/System/Library/Extensions". So "SONYWalkmanType00.kext" will never load and the installer hangs.
> 
> ...



I had a Macbook for work, and I was trying to enable some kind of direct mode for Roon. This was useful for getting Roon to directly access the DAC, bypassing the MacOS CoreAudio sound API.

Doing this involved replacing the CoreAudio KEXT with a previous version of that file. I know for sure it was a painful process, but for MacOS users it could be useful as you should do it once and then you should be able to freely use any firmware installer from there on.

This link contains the tutorial for replacing the KEXT file, and the tutorial should be also usable for placing other KEXT files in there. If it's not too complicated, maybe you could try this method and do a tutorial for it, if it works, @Lookout57.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hqeai0fs8m5o5ey/AudirvanaCatalinaDirectMode.zip?dl=0

Edit: I succeeded in doing the KEXT thing by the way, and all worked as intended.


----------



## nc8000

NeoDiNardo said:


> So for portable storage capacity, how much is enough for everyone? 256GB UHS II vs 512GB UHS I vs 1TB UHS I are my choices.
> 
> Edit: And yes, I’m still eyeing a WM1A, a WM1Z, a next gen WM1Z, or a ZX507, I’m just not willing to give up the Lotoo Paw Gold Touch. It just struck me, why not both?



I have a 1TB and have down sampled all my hires music to 16/44 or 16/48 and that fits with 90GB to spare. If I were to have all my music at full resolution I would need 2TB


----------



## Lookout57

MrWalkman said:


> I had a Macbook for work, and I was trying to enable some kind of direct mode for Roon. This was useful for getting Roon to directly access the DAC, bypassing the MacOS CoreAudio sound API.
> 
> Doing this involved replacing the CoreAudio KEXT with a previous version of that file. I know for sure it was a painful process, but for MacOS users it could be useful as you should do it once and then you should be able to freely use any firmware installer from there on.
> 
> ...


Sony kext will manually load from "/Library/Extensions".

However the installer fails with a different error.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Aug 25, 2020)

Did someone have a chance to compare Sony MDR-1AM2 and MDR-Z7M2,
especially on 1A?
I am wondering if Z7M2 have significantly wider sound stage?
I know I need to try a Z7M2 at a headphones' store myself but can't in the near future.


----------



## miguel.yarce

Mystic Traveller said:


> Did someone have a chance to compare Sony MDR-1AM2 and MDR-Z7M2,
> especially on 1A?
> I am wondering if Z7M2 have significantly wider sound stage?
> I know I need to try myself but can't in the near future.



I had both and the 1am2 is a better match with the wm1a, the z7m2 needs more amplification, instead you can search the z7 original.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

miguel.yarce said:


> I had both and the 1am2 is a better match with the wm1a, the z7m2 needs more amplification, instead you can search the z7 original.


Z7 original have higher sensitivity than Z7M2 I noticed that. And do they have sound stage noticeably wider
than 1am2? Is it worth upgrading from 1am2 to Z7 in other words?


----------



## miguel.yarce

Mystic Traveller said:


> Z7 original have higher sensitivity than Z7M2 I noticed that. And do they have sound stage noticeably wider
> than 1am2? Is it worth upgrading from 1am2 to Z7 in other words?



Yes IMHO the soundstage is wider, it have more bass, I felt the 1am2 a little bit more balanced.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

miguel.yarce said:


> the 1am2 a little bit more balanced


I've got them from new not a long ago, a nice pair with my 1A - got maybe 20 hrs of listening
on them so they are still burning in IMO. I have a feeling that a sound stage have been getting wider
throughout those hours - maybe due to burning in in progress, or 'cos my brain is getting adjusted to the new source, or both.. It was always a tricky question.


----------



## miguel.yarce

Mystic Traveller said:


> I've got them from new not a long ago, a nice pair with my 1A - got maybe 20 hrs of listening
> on them so they are still burning in IMO. I have a feeling that a sound stage have been getting wider
> throughout those hours - maybe due to burning in in progress, or 'cos my brain is getting adjusted to the new source, or both.. It was always a tricky question.



Yes same with me, in fact I sold them very quickly, at the moment I have the original Z7 but I dont have the wm1a sold it too  now I am using them with a fiio m11pro and ibasso dx200 amp8, so I didnt use the wm1a with the z7 original only with the z7m2.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Hardware and firmware modded WM1A is driving very well the Odin so far despite their 3 Ohms impedance. 
Bass texture is insane. Impressed.


----------



## Whitigir

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Hardware and firmware modded WM1A is driving very well the Odin so far despite their 3 Ohms impedance.
> Bass texture is insane. Impressed.


Oh Woaow !!! Congratulations on a killer combo.


----------



## Curtisvill

I am sure this question has already been answered in one of the 2912 prior pages but I struggled to find the answer.

I have a new to me wm1z on the way.  I would like to connect it to the usb type b input on my DAC.  I think that the best way to do this would be to purchase the Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10 for NW-ZX2/ZX1/A10/F880.  That would then allow me to use the digital out on the cradle and connect with a USB type A to B cable, I could just use a printer cable for that matter.  If you have any other suggestions I am open.  Thanks.  

John


----------



## Amber Rain

Curtisvill said:


> I am sure this question has already been answered in one of the 2912 prior pages but I struggled to find the answer.
> 
> I have a new to me wm1z on the way.  I would like to connect it to the usb type b input on my DAC.  I think that the best way to do this would be to purchase the Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10 for NW-ZX2/ZX1/A10/F880.  That would then allow me to use the digital out on the cradle and connect with a USB type A to B cable, I could just use a printer cable for that matter.  If you have any other suggestions I am open.  Thanks.
> 
> John




That's the expensive option, the cheaper option is to purchase the  Sony WMC-NWH10 USB cable and then attach a USB cable to this and to your DAC.


----------



## Curtisvill

Amber Rain said:


> That's the expensive option, the cheaper option is to purchase the Sony WMC-NWH10 USB cable and then attach a USB cable to this and to your DAC.



Thank you!!!


----------



## lmf22

NeoDiNardo said:


> So for portable storage capacity, how much is enough for everyone? 256GB UHS II vs 512GB UHS I vs 1TB UHS I are my choices.



I have a 512GB Samsung Evo Select card that fits most of my music collection (AIFF and MP3; 44kHz/16bit to 192kHz/24bit).


----------



## asquare3376

gerelmx1986 said:


> Or IER-Z1R  haha, perhaps the most logical upgrade path from XBA-Z5


Owned and sold the IER-Z1R. May buy it asain later this year


----------



## Icekuma

MrWalkman said:


> I had a Macbook for work, and I was trying to enable some kind of direct mode for Roon. This was useful for getting Roon to directly access the DAC, bypassing the MacOS CoreAudio sound API.
> 
> Doing this involved replacing the CoreAudio KEXT with a previous version of that file. I know for sure it was a painful process, but for MacOS users it could be useful as you should do it once and then you should be able to freely use any firmware installer from there on.
> 
> ...


I am going to try this later. Thank you


----------



## asquare3376

nc8000 said:


> While I really liked the sound on the Z5 I find the Z1R to be superior. Also the Z5 had the worst and most uncomfortable fit of any universal iem I have ever tried.


For me it's the other way around. Z5 fits perfect, won't slip out or cause ear ache... Z1R is intolerable after 30-45 mins


----------



## Lookout57

Icekuma said:


> I am going to try this later. Thank you


No need to, it still doesn't work on Catalina.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 25, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


> I've got them from new not a long ago, a nice pair with my 1A - got maybe 20 hrs of listening
> on them so they are still burning in IMO. I have a feeling that a sound stage have been getting wider
> throughout those hours - maybe due to burning in in progress, or 'cos my brain is getting adjusted to the new source, or both.. It was always a tricky question.



Normally you don’t have to do much burn in with headphones or iems. But in the case of the Sony Liquid Crystal Polymer Drivers, it is a very stiff material and will need time to loosen up. After about 200hours of usage, you should notice the 1AM2 sounding more dynamic, especially in the bass response and also the vocals being more transparent and not veiled as before.

I find that with DSEE HX AI, the 1AM2 has great soundstage. Nothing to complain at all.

One recommendation I will make is to use DC Phase Linearizer Type B Low for 1AM2, it keeps the bass transients from overtaking the whole sound spectrum.


----------



## aceedburn

asquare3376 said:


> For me it's the other way around. Z5 fits perfect, won't slip out or cause ear ache... Z1R is intolerable after 30-45 mins


Exactly my experience too as i have stated before. Z5 fits me perfectly and sounds much better than Z1R to my ears. I re-iterate, music is meant for enjoyment and not for analysing. Z1R is very clinical sounding and harsh overall. Never as smooth as Z5.


----------



## littlexx26

aceedburn said:


> Exactly my experience too as i have stated before. Z5 fits me perfectly and sounds much better than Z1R to my ears. I re-iterate, music is meant for enjoyment and not for analysing. Z1R is very clinical sounding and harsh overall. Never as smooth as Z5.


what cable you use with z1r?


----------



## aceedburn

littlexx26 said:


> what cable you use with z1r?


I tried it with the same kimber kable I use for the Z5.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> Exactly my experience too as i have stated before. Z5 fits me perfectly and sounds much better than Z1R to my ears. I re-iterate, music is meant for enjoyment and not for analysing. Z1R is very clinical sounding and harsh overall. Never as smooth as Z5.



I don’t find the Z1R in any way clinical nor harsh but yes the Z5 was warmer


----------



## blazinblazin (Aug 26, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Boy, these xelastec AZLA Earfit tips make the IER-Z1R  wild, the added more treble and huge soundstage
> 
> 
> Oh and that was not using @MrWalkman magic of DSEE HX AI, forgot to turn it on... wow if the stage was big no AI DSEE now is gargantuan


Think it is cause of the wide bore design of Azla if you are using default Sony tips previously.
Acoustune AET07 will gives you slightly more treble than Azla.


----------



## aceedburn

nc8000 said:


> I don’t find the Z1R in any way clinical nor harsh but yes the Z5 was warmer


I am treble sensitive and will pick up the slightest sibilance if there is any present. So that’s why I always prefer warmer yet highly resolving headphones. None of the Sennheisers fit my bill except the HD400S. And I’ve tried dozens of high end iems and so far the Z5 is best for me. Always hated thin and anemic sounding headphones too.


----------



## Blueoris

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Hardware and firmware modded WM1A is driving very well the Odin so far despite their 3 Ohms impedance.
> Bass texture is insane. Impressed.



At 3 ohms and 108dB sensitivity, that's the closest thing to insert the S-Master chip directly in one ears LOL   S-Master at its fullest!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 26, 2020)

Blueoris said:


> At 3 ohms and 108dB sensitivity, that's the closest thing to insert the S-Master chip directly in one ears LOL   S-Master at its fullest!


It’s only a matter of time before audiophiles implant chips into our brains then we can hear 32bit 768Khz audio or even better. Goodbye to Tiger ears!

https://thenextweb.com/neural/2020/...t-the-neuralink-demo-heres-why-thats-awesome/


----------



## Damz87

Posted this on the EE thread but forgot to post it here. Agreed with @MrLocoLuciano the Odin is great with the WM1 despite the 3 ohm impedance 

Great combo. The Odin has an analytical midrange tone but the warmth of the 1Z helps a lot.


----------



## proedros

Odin seems like the bomb (sigh)


----------



## 534409

Mesa don't like 2-pin connectors


----------



## musicinmymind

aceedburn said:


> I tried it with the same kimber kable I use for the Z5.



Is there any way we can tame the harshness?

It would be perfect for me if lower mids are bit more forward, vocal on some track are thin.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 26, 2020)

Around 2016 Sony also developed an in-house made single BA IEM called the XBA-100. And while they are entry at $60 to $100, they show great innovation on Sony's end in creating a single full range driver. The only downside is they are sold brass and due to oxidation don't age well.



Spoiler: Photos


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 26, 2020)

I didn't like the sound of the earlier Sony headphones and IEMs.

Particularly the MDR-Z7 and XBA-300.

XBA300 has Artificial sounding treble.

Z7 has bad imbalances in frequency and too dark sounding in a bad way. 

I think it was only after 2016 when Sony began to dramatically improve on their IEMs and headphones.


----------



## aceedburn

musicinmymind said:


> Is there any way we can tame the harshness?
> 
> It would be perfect for me if lower mids are bit more forward, vocal on some track are thin.


That’s the problem with the z1r. And that’s why I don’t like it and prefer Z5.


----------



## denis1976

You are talking about ierz1r?


----------



## Whitigir

musicinmymind said:


> Is there any way we can tame the harshness?
> 
> It would be perfect for me if lower mids are bit more forward, vocal on some track are thin.


The acoustic foams modifications would be your answer


----------



## aceedburn

denis1976 said:


> You are talking about ierz1r?


Yep


----------



## denis1976

The ierz1r with sp2000cu has 0 harshness, with M15 just a litle bit, but no way disturbing, so is a question of source sinergy


----------



## musicinmymind

denis1976 said:


> The ierz1r with sp2000cu has 0 harshness, with M15 just a litle bit, but no way disturbing, so is a question of source sinergy



I am using WM1Z, got it only to use with Z1R. but I feel both have V shaped tonality and harsh on some tracks.

happy with holographic sound, but just that harshness bothering me.


----------



## musicinmymind

Whitigir said:


> The acoustic foams modifications would be your answer



Worried about change in bass tone, I like the rumble.

Any suggestion on cable or tips rolling to add bit more warmth?


----------



## denis1976 (Aug 26, 2020)

musicinmymind said:


> I am using WM1Z, got it only to use with Z1R. but I feel both have V shaped tonality and harsh on some tracks.
> 
> happy with holographic sound, but just that harshness bothering me.


Yes the 1Z is V shaped, when I had mine I change the region to Japan and the sound became less V shape, never heard the ierz1r with 1Z when I bought them I already had sold the 1Z


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 26, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I didn't like the sound of the earlier Sony headphones and IEMs.
> 
> Particularly the MDR-Z7 and XBA-300.
> 
> ...



The MDR-Z7 happens to be one of the greatest headphones I’ve ever come across. But it’s actually difficult to get right. It needs the Kimber cable and the right amp. Though even then there is a slight resonance almost in the same place as the MDR-Z1R. Though the Kimber seems to clean it up it’s maybe just slightly still there. But later you actually start to forget about it. I agree it’s an artifact and it’s surprisingly a very polarizing headphone. Even now, 1/2 love it and 1/2 hate it. Supposedly people even mod the Z7 to try and reduce that resonance area. It’s seems like something that would bug me, but after used to it, I don’t notice it. I’m sure it’s still there, and maybe an issue for some. But I actually am inline with the entire signature, and the build quality. Call me a Sony fan, but I can simply take the MDR-Z7 out of the box and just hold it in my hands, and it makes me happy? Lol


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Redcarmoose said:


> I can simply take the MDR-Z7 out of the box and just hold it in my hands, and it makes me happy?


 that's good, isn't it?
I am thinking about buying used Z7.
Do you think that an 1A balanced can pump, swing them well enough for a good listening?
I saw different opinions. Of course, having a powerful amp is always a Plus.


----------



## Lookout57 (Aug 26, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> I am treble sensitive and will pick up the slightest sibilance if there is any present. So that’s why I always prefer warmer yet highly resolving headphones. None of the Sennheisers fit my bill except the HD400S. And I’ve tried dozens of high end iems and so far the Z5 is best for me. Always hated thin and anemic sounding headphones too.


I'm also treble sensitive. I did note that the MDR-Z1R is harsh with the stock cable and is why I purchased the AXIOS Cu. I will be going for a pure silver cable soon as I found that a good silver cable is not harsh and can resolve anything thrown at it,


----------



## normie610

musicinmymind said:


> I am using WM1Z, got it only to use with Z1R. but I feel both have V shaped tonality and harsh on some tracks.
> 
> happy with holographic sound, but just that harshness bothering me.



Exactly. 2 options: you can use 1Z’s EQ or you need to pair a high-powered source with Z1R to tame the harshness. I went for option 2 and pair it with Cayin N6ii E02.


----------



## aceedburn

Lookout57 said:


> I'm also treble sensitive. I did note that the MDR-Z1R is harsh with the stock cable and is why I purchased the AXIOS Cu. I will be going for a pure silver cable soon as I found that a good silver cable is not harsh and can resolve anything thrown at it,


Yes indeed. I have a pure silver cable that I use for my 1more triple drivers that are as resolving as hell yet smooth as silk. The original cable it came with had some slight sibilance.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 26, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


> that's good, isn't it?
> I am thinking about buying used Z7.
> Do you think that an 1A balanced can pump, swing them well enough for a good listening?
> I saw different opinions. Of course, having a powerful amp is always a Plus.



I don’t have a clear answer for that question. As your going to actually find a number of folks in this very thread using the MDR-Z7MK2 with the 1A and loving it. Another person has found the Kimber to add to the 1A and MDR-Z7MK2 experience; and they have no issues.

The original Z7 is both liked and disliked. It may depend on what sound you like? Meaning the TA desktop and Kimber seem to “cure” most issues that I would have from singularly using the 1A/Z7 combo? But that’s just me. There is response that’s possible where the Z7 climbs out of the lower midrange fog with more damping factor. More power simply cleans them up. Also the Kimber does everything as an improvement that you would want. The Kimber actually smooths out the treble, expands the treble and midrange soundstage and detail. The Kimber helps add to the lower midrange fog cleanup too? So when they sound the best is magically when they are sounding more like detailed midrange headphones; when in fact their personality is nothing of the sort? They are almost a consumer-tune V shape response which doesn’t come off audiophile for some.

So it just depends what your expectations are. They are both detailed and authoritative by nature, but have always been famously controversial? And......it’s easy to actually see why. Still if your willing to take a chance, they are an aging flagship that can be found relatively cheap. And......there are always amazing stories about them finding a home. People who have purchased lots of current and past expensive flagships will get the Z7 and say it’s the greatest headphone they have ever heard. Much like the MDR-Z1R yet more simple and robust......they are less refined offering a fun and V shaped response that seems to showcase the electronic and metal genres I mostly listen to. They surprisingly are a choice for classical music too, though I’m not sure if I ever read them being the choice for vocal music? 

Super well made and really comfortable too.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 26, 2020)

At that time, I actually much preferred the sound of the MDR-1A over the MDR-Z7. The 1A has a more balanced sound although it still has a slightly dark sound signature. 

I felt that both the MDR-Z7M2 and the MDR-1AM2 are so much better tuned than their gen 1 counterparts as in they are more clearer and cleaner sounding when I listened to them in the Sony showroom. 

I felt that Z7M2 ultimately requires a dedicated amp to sound it's best while the 1AM2 full potential can be easily extracted from my S-master HX ZX507. The difference between 1AM2 and Z7M2:

Z7M2 has a big wall of sound that envelopes your ears. 1AM2 requires more careful positioning to sound better.

1AM2 bass response is punchier while Z7M2 has deeper sub-bass.


----------



## gerelmx1986

blazinblazin said:


> Think it is cause of the wide bore design of Azla if you are using default Sony tips previously.
> Acoustune AET07 will gives you slightly more treble than Azla.


I do like them, nice isolation, like comply but without that preamture wear


----------



## Whitigir

musicinmymind said:


> Worried about change in bass tone, I like the rumble.
> 
> Any suggestion on cable or tips rolling to add bit more warmth?


It wouldn’t change that, but you can use Xelastec tips


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 26, 2020)

I wonder if I should consolidate all my information on Walkman technical information, tweaks, dsp settings and etc into a new thread so as to better allow new and old Walkman users to easily access instead of having to browse through all the various threads.

what do you guys think?


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I wonder if I should consolidate all my information on Walkman technical information, tweaks, dsp settings and etc into a new thread so as to better allow new and old Walkman users to easily access instead of having to browse through all the various threads.
> 
> what do you guys think?


You can create a thread about Sony technological advantages just fine.  These techs are in many platforms and not only Walkman alone


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I wonder if I should consolidate all my information on Walkman technical information, tweaks, dsp settings and etc into a new thread so as to better allow new and old Walkman users to easily access instead of having to browse through all the various threads.
> 
> what do you guys think?


That sounds good, like my thread of walkman tips and tticks


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

gerelmx1986 said:


> That sounds good, like my thread of walkman tips and tticks


Where is that?


----------



## Lookout57

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I wonder if I should consolidate all my information on Walkman technical information, tweaks, dsp settings and etc into a new thread so as to better allow new and old Walkman users to easily access instead of having to browse through all the various threads.
> 
> what do you guys think?


Good idea.


----------



## Curtisvill

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Where is that?



https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-tips-and-tricks.759006/


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I wonder if I should consolidate all my information on Walkman technical information


IMO would be quite useful!


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Redcarmoose said:


> People who have purchased lots of current and past expensive flagships will get the Z7 and say it’s the greatest headphone they have ever heard.


Thank you for those detailed comments - much appreciated, mate! 

Having read that  I will defo give them a try, need just to find a nice pair at a fair price - 
saw a few local offers for circa $400,
dunno if it's a good one, somehow feel a bit high.
Will be also checking Yahoo JP, used to buy there quite a lot of electronics.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I felt that Z7M2 ultimately requires a dedicated amp to sound it's best


I read that as well that's why would prefer to try a Z7 first - trying to squeeze
the best from my 1A solo balanced first.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Was busy ripping some SACD


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Looks like the LCP driver on the XM4 = XM3.

https://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.com/2020/08/sony-wh-1000xm4-teardown-by-52audio.html


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Looks like the LCP driver on the XM4 = XM3.
> 
> https://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.com/2020/08/sony-wh-1000xm4-teardown-by-52audio.html


Doesn't mention anything about the drivers, but discusses all other internal components. Any word where I can find driver info?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Gamerlingual said:


> Doesn't mention anything about the drivers, but discusses all other internal components. Any word where I can find driver info?


Visually identical lcp drivers


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Visually identical lcp drivers


That explains why the audio quality hasn't changed much, if at all.


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 26, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Visually identical lcp drivers


Time for some internal wires upgrades


----------



## Motagaly (Aug 26, 2020)

*Guys, I need some advice on the following situation:*

I just finished terminating a dual silver (real silver not silver plated) and copper Balanced SE846 cable (the photo), upon trying it I immediately noticed the following:

Better sound and bit higher volume than usual.
Significant hiss compared to a sony balanced cable I was using (MMCX cable)
While the first point might be placebo, I am sure about the second, went back and forth between the Sony cable and my DIY cable, and the noise floor is higher even if the player is paused, after 10 seconds, the noise stops, I can replicate that by pressing the power button to bring the screen on, and then bring it off and after 10 seconds, the hiss is gone.

During playing with volume above 30 I can’t notice the noise floor anyway.

Upon checking with a multimeter, seems like my DIY cable is better in terms of resistance at 0.1 Ohm compared to the Sony at 0.2 Ohm, so my questions are:

Is it normal -for such sensitive IEM- on a WM1A to suffer from hiss that much by just 0.1 ohm difference?
Does this mean I have a better cable now?
The reason I posted this here is the fact that this noise floor/hiss, is only on WM1A, it is not noticeable on other sources I have (ES100 and Qudelix 5K)

I appreciate your thoughts.


----------



## Whitigir

Are you sure that you have a clean and secured solder joins ?


----------



## Motagaly

Whitigir said:


> Are you sure that you have a clean and secured solder joins ?


Yes I am sure of clean soldering, and miniature heat shrinks to isolate terminals at each MMCX and TRRS connection, no reverse polarity or anything like that as well. I used the multimeter additionally to check for short terminals, and everything is good. additionally, it is only present on WM1A


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 27, 2020)

Could it be that your TRRS plug is acting as antenna and sucking all the RF/EMI grounding noise into the cables/iem.


----------



## musicinmymind

Anyone used this Amp with wm1z? Tube can help tame Z1R harshness.

Xtenik Oriolus Ba300s 4.4mm Balanced Headphone amp


----------



## newworld666

musicinmymind said:


> Anyone used this Amp with wm1z? Tube can help tame Z1R harshness.
> 
> Xtenik Oriolus Ba300s 4.4mm Balanced Headphone amp


 
I have one at home, that I tried to use with the WM1A => no noticeable improvement, and not powerfull enough to give some more margin to move some difficult Headphones... no degradation in the sound though.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> It’s only a matter of time before audiophiles implant chips into our brains then we can hear 32bit 768Khz audio or even better. Goodbye to Tiger ears!
> 
> https://thenextweb.com/neural/2020/...t-the-neuralink-demo-heres-why-thats-awesome/





LoL what  

Tiger ears are staying forever!  😁

There is no chip or what so ever that can replace that . The only thing the chip could do is to enhance the feeling of the inner perception of sound. But it wont be physical anymore, it will be simple information and reception then no fun. Music is about physical sound waves with the body physically capturing the sound threw the waves vibrations.  So if you replace that with a chip it aint means it will be better!  All the oraganicity and analogish sound feelings are gone! All you hear is plain bits of decoded information straight from the chip into the brain.

Actually ears are connected via huge neurological nerves systems into our brains. So if you can create a replacement to that then it might work but hey 🤣 thats extremely out of our capabilities.  Maybe in 150 years from now?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

@Vitaly2017 

Sony just released a new firmware 2.02 for ZX507.



Spoiler: My first impressions of the fw2.02 for ZX507



Ok here’s my initial impression on the new firmware:

Hi-res Streaming On with DSEE HX felt much improved. Sony seems to have improved on its 3D sound field. I am hearing more varied positional cues than before, feels even more 360degrees now.
Transient felt slightly sharper. More importantly the vocals images much better, not as distant and soft sounding as before. I think I shall stick to this hi-res streaming mode, as the 3D effect now feels well tuned.

Sony also seems to have tuned the DC Phase Linearizer. There is stronger bass effect for both types.

Loudness from volume increase seems to be adjusted. Now bass seems to get louder as you push up the volume, less of treble. At least that’s what I am hearing out of my IER-M9 balanced with final audio E-Type tips.

UI Interface felt very slightly faster, compared to factory reset 2.01.00. You still can enable gpu acceleration to improve this further.



You should consider revisiting ZX507 again with this new firmware. You will be really surprised with the sound improvements that Sony has made to this “android crap”.


----------



## slumberman

Much earlier than 150 years...

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/elon-musks-neuralink-update-how-to-watch-start-time-working-device-demo/


----------



## Whitigir

I will let the tiger have the chip first @Vitaly2017 ....I ain’t implanting anything in me.  Whenever that chips are mandated, I would design and sell tin-foil hats


slumberman said:


> Much earlier than 150 years...
> 
> https://www.cnet.com/how-to/elon-musks-neuralink-update-how-to-watch-start-time-working-device-demo/


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> @Vitaly2017
> 
> Sony just released a new firmware 2.02 for ZX507.
> 
> ...




It is very tempting but what relevance does it bring if I am on the verge to get my dmp-z1 in a few weeks 😁😁😁😁

I was thinking about it maybe to compliment my dmp with the zx507 for on the go situation but those are so rare that not much happening lo

I am glad sony at least doing the right direction for the might zx507.


----------



## Vitaly2017

slumberman said:


> Much earlier than 150 years...
> 
> https://www.cnet.com/how-to/elon-musks-neuralink-update-how-to-watch-start-time-working-device-demo/




Haha whattt!  Well no way I am not trading real tiger ears for fake digital ones lo lo and its elon musk he smokes weed not so trusty after all hahah 😛 joking 😉


@Whitigir  I dont want it either lol come on


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Hoping for one down the road for the TA and DMP-Z1. The 1A has been awesome so far



Are you sayin you got the dmp-z1 to ? 🤩😍




MrWalkman said:


> Without owning the device, there's little to no chance.
> 
> While experimenting with the firmware on WM1A, I bricked the player many times. I can't risk bricking someone else's device, and then also try unbricking it remotely, meh.




Whaatt holy what how many you bricked danng that so sad 😿


----------



## Whitigir

Beers and more beers  then we are talking


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Are you sayin you got the dmp-z1 to ? 🤩😍
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If it's below 350,000 yen, sure. Brand new? Nope. Far from it. TA and 1A/1Z give me plenty of joy as it is.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 27, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Whaatt holy what how many you bricked danng that so sad 😿



I only bricked mine, so other people's device won't be bricked. It's ok, no worries.



Whitigir said:


> Beers and more beers  then we are talking



I think this is really inappropriate of you. Nobody had to donate any "beers" to make me buy a NW-A45 and bring all that stuff on that little device, for example.

You seem to think that it's really that easy changing things, and risk free, if you're willing to post something like this. I would make sure I know what I'm talking about before I speak. I'm not sure you'd like bricking the DMP-Z1, when I don't even know if there is any way of unbricking it.

You also talk about stuff like this, but you are not replacing a simple file in an archive - just incredible of you.


For everyone else - no, you do not have to donate me anything in order to get new updates or things like that, if you ever thought so...


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Vitaly2017 said:


> It is very tempting but what relevance does it bring if I am on the verge to get my dmp-z1 in a few weeks 😁😁😁😁
> 
> I was thinking about it maybe to compliment my dmp with the zx507 for on the go situation but those are so rare that not much happening lo
> 
> I am glad sony at least doing the right direction for the might zx507.



You can use the ZX507 as high quality music discovery source device for your DMP-Z1. There's a whole world of new music content on YouTube, Tidal, Spotify and Amazon Music.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> I only bricked mine, so other people's device won't be bricked. It's ok, no worries.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I donated by choice, not by request. Thank you as always, Mr. Walkman.


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


> I only bricked mine, so other people's device won't be bricked. It's ok, no worries.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I tought @Whitigir ment it in joke way, like we here in america joke about a job better done when you have drink more beer and the job is better done then. Its in a joke way dont think he ment give me more donations so I can do more.

Might be a misunderstanding here, well thats how I understood it sont know...


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 27, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I donated by choice, not by request. Thank you as always, Mr. Walkman.



That's how everyone should do it.

Please don't feel obliged to donate so you can get any future updates or anything. As long as there will be something new and interesting, I'm gonna release it.



Vitaly2017 said:


> I tought @Whitigir ment it in joke way, like we here in america joke about a job better done when you have drink more beer and the job is better done then. Its in a joke way dont think he ment give me more donations so I can do more.
> 
> Might be a misunderstanding here, well thats how I understood it sont know...



He tried making it about the "beers" before, so I don't really think that it's a joke - I quoted his words, which he edited soon after posting them. What he meant is something like people should donate more before I could start doing something for other devices.

I'm really sorry for people who still didn't see what kind of person we're dealing with here.



Whitigir said:


> However, it seems that guarding your own findings for beers are better than just selflessly sharing to benefit the community





Whitigir said:


> Beers and more beers  then we are talking





MrWalkman said:


> I think this is really inappropriate of you. Nobody had to donate any "beers" to make me buy a NW-A45 and bring all that stuff on that little device, for example.
> 
> You seem to think that it's really that easy changing things, and risk free, if you're willing to post something like this. I would make sure I know what I'm talking about before I speak. I'm not sure you'd like bricking the DMP-Z1, when I don't even know if there is any way of unbricking it.
> 
> You also talk about stuff like this, but you are not replacing a simple file in an archive - just incredible of you.




He's also trying to pass it as a joke now. How shameless is that?


Whitigir said:


> It was a joke of course, beers make everything work.  After all, it is the piss of god


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> I tought @Whitigir ment it in joke way, like we here in america joke about a job better done when you have drink more beer and the job is better done then. Its in a joke way dont think he ment give me more donations so I can do more.
> 
> Might be a misunderstanding here, well thats how I understood it sont know...


It was a joke of course, beers make everything work.  After all, it is the piss of god


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> It was a joke of course, beers make everything work.  After all, it is the piss of god




Yarshh lol sorry but me I dont drink alcohol just occasionally and now that you called it god piss I have no desire ever lol to drink it.



@MrWalkman  I am sorry to hear that, this is all going to far hope we dont start a new fight here with this zzzz.

I respect both of you guy, so I dont want to be in between 2 party here so I let it to you two to settle down please peacefully


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> That's how everyone should do it.
> 
> Please don't feel obliged to donate so you can get any future updates or anything. As long as there will be something new and interesting, I'm gonna release it.


Got it. Regardless, we are lucky and appreciate it. Cheers


----------



## MrWalkman

Vitaly2017 said:


> @MrWalkman I am sorry to hear that, this is all going to far hope we dont start a new fight here with this zzzz.
> 
> I respect both of you guy, so I dont want to be in between 2 party here so I let it to you two to settle down please peacefully



It's ok Vitaly, let's eventually give him a pat on the back.

Good job, Whitigir. Keep up the "good work".


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yarshh lol sorry but me I dont drink alcohol just occasionally and now that you called it god piss I have no desire ever lol to drink it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Dude, while I appreciate that you are a driver for a living and don’t ever drink....but DUDE! You don’t know what you are missing!!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> Dude, while I appreciate that you are a driver for a living and don’t ever drink....but DUDE! You don’t know what you are missing!!




I don't smoke dont drink no interest in that sorry. I actually dont even understand the pleasure of hard strong alcohol drinks. Those taste so strong and burns my tongue and throat lo.
Like WHERE THE pleasure in this? It tastes so awful lmao and expensive!


----------



## AlexCBSN

Vitaly2017 said:


> I don't smoke dont drink no interest in that sorry. I actually dont even understand the pleasure of hard strong alcohol drinks. Those taste so strong and burns my tongue and throat lo.
> Like WHERE THE pleasure in this? It tastes so awful lmao and expensive!


Like with everything, with time your palate kind of creates a resistance and it starts to develope, myself I’m a mezcal and whisky drinker, I’ve had my alcoholic era, nowadays my wife and I are collectors of off the road mezcals, each one of em are luxurious and complex and to get them you have to get into the country side of Mexico, they are not expensive (since we go into the palenques and actually talk to the producers) the sad thing is when they get the attention of profiting companies and they are bought, what you buy for 300 pesos a liter with the family, you end up paying 200 usd for a fancy bottle and government permission, the trips are worth it and the flavors are like music, complex and joyful. In my job line I relate everything to music, having a proper taste of something can be compared to listening to music and get lost in its passages and complexity


----------



## nc8000

AlexCBSN said:


> Like with everything, with time your palate kind of creates a resistance and it starts to develope, myself I’m a mezcal and whisky drinker, I’ve had my alcoholic era, nowadays my wife and I are collectors of off the road mezcals, each one of em are luxurious and complex and to get them you have to get into the country side of Mexico, they are not expensive (since we go into the palenques and actually talk to the producers) the sad thing is when they get the attention of profiting companies and they are bought, what you buy for 300 pesos a liter with the family, you end up paying 200 usd for a fancy bottle and government permission, the trips are worth it and the flavors are like music, complex and joyful. In my job line I relate everything to music, having a proper taste of something can be compared to listening to music and get lost in its passages and complexity



I went to a mezcal tasting in Denmark some years ago with about 10 different ones, some more commercial and based on farm cacti while others were non commercial small batch mad from wild cacti. An amazing variety and here you can talk about terroir line you do with wine were the place it is grown translates into the taste.


----------



## lumdicks

Vitaly2017 said:


> I don't smoke dont drink no interest in that sorry. I actually dont even understand the pleasure of hard strong alcohol drinks. Those taste so strong and burns my tongue and throat lo.
> Like WHERE THE pleasure in this? It tastes so awful lmao and expensive!


Same here, to me Coke is much much better.


----------



## aceedburn

lumdicks said:


> Same here, to me Coke is much much better.


I on the other hand love getting intoxicated by the sounds of the walkman. That perpetual high you get when listening to it, man that’s the real deal!!


----------



## Motagaly

Gamerlingual said:


> I donated by choice, not by request. Thank you as always, Mr. Walkman.



Same here, I donated by choice motivated by appreciation, the downloads were open to everyone for free! from start till now


----------



## Motagaly

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Could it be that your TRRS plug is acting as antenna and sucking all the RF/EMI grounding noise into the cables/iem.



I guess so, maybe it is acting like an antenna, any links for minimizing antenna effects while making a cable? @Whitigir I had an impression reading things here and there that you are good with such things, a link to page or forum thread will be highly appreciated.


----------



## gerelmx1986

lumdicks said:


> Same here, to me Coke is much much better.


----------



## svsabado

Sold my WM1A earlier in the year. Kinda missing that sound.


----------



## Whitigir

Motagaly said:


> I guess so, maybe it is acting like an antenna, any links for minimizing antenna effects while making a cable? @Whitigir I had an impression reading things here and there that you are good with such things, a link to page or forum thread will be highly appreciated.


Unfortunately, I don’t work on those cables you have, so my researches are not about them.  There could be a couple things you can try out.  
If you think it is acting as an antenna, then have it lay next to a cellphone while observing to see if the hisses increased.  Then you can go from there


----------



## Vitaly2017

AlexCBSN said:


> Like with everything, with time your palate kind of creates a resistance and it starts to develope, myself I’m a mezcal and whisky drinker, I’ve had my alcoholic era, nowadays my wife and I are collectors of off the road mezcals, each one of em are luxurious and complex and to get them you have to get into the country side of Mexico, they are not expensive (since we go into the palenques and actually talk to the producers) the sad thing is when they get the attention of profiting companies and they are bought, what you buy for 300 pesos a liter with the family, you end up paying 200 usd for a fancy bottle and government permission, the trips are worth it and the flavors are like music, complex and joyful. In my job line I relate everything to music, having a proper taste of something can be compared to listening to music and get lost in its passages and complexity




Thats awesome I am not saying I am against alcohol I do drink but never alone haha, you will never see me in front of the tv with a pack of beer or with a box of 24 budwiser cause its friday! LoL

I drink socially and I have a friend who loves talking about wines as hes hobbie is to try good picks of wines that he discovered.  I am no expert in this so dont remember the names.
He gave me a few to try and yea they are like music! 
With so many flavors weights and tastes I actually liked it! But not all wines and liquor are to my alley, majority is too strong or dry to taste...

I am a soft Tiger haha a delicate cat with very sensitive senses 😁🙃🙂


----------



## aceedburn

svsabado said:


> Sold my WM1A earlier in the year. Kinda missing that sound.


Everyone i know who sold their wm1a regretted the decision not long after.


----------



## Donmonte

I actually never knew about firmware 3.02 until sometime in April when i joined this thread. I was on 2.00 until the longest time and was never quite satisfied with the sound.
With 3.02 and the subsequent firmwares by @MrWalkman, i can't imagine parting ways with WM1A anytime soon.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 27, 2020)

For anyone who cares, I posted in the A30 thread asking for potential people who own the device to help me test a potential mod, similar to the A40 one.

Modding A30 without owning the device is actually possible in this case due to the very similar hardware that A40 (that I actually own) and A30 both have. This means I can test things on the A40, and then just make the firmware installable on the A30.

This was done without anyone having to donate anything, as this is not how this modding thing works for me.

Again, DMP-Z1 is a lot more different and it makes no sense risking to brick it without even having no idea if I can unbrick it. Also, TA-ZH1ES is even more different than the Z1 itself, and than the other Walkman players.

So, as I always said, it would be really nice to inform yourself about a subject before sharing your opinion about it. Otherwise, you just risk making a fool of yourself.

Thank you for your attention. 



MrWalkman said:


> Hello, is anyone willing to test a future mod for the A30 Series player? The mod aims to be similar to the A40 Series mod (there is a link for it in my signature).
> 
> I don't actually own the device, but A30 Series is very similar to A40 Series, and I would only need a confirmation that everything works fine (especially the touchscreen and that there is sound being played back).
> 
> If yes, PM me please.


----------



## slumberman

@Nayparm modded WM1A, @MrWalkman ++ firmware, IER-Z1R with PW Audio 1960s cable  

Sounds amazing, Bluetooth has incredible range and the battery lasts about 40 hours non stop. 

tempted to sell my WM1Z now... or should I send that one to @Nayparm too???


----------



## Whitigir

slumberman said:


> @Nayparm modded WM1A, @MrWalkman ++ firmware, IER-Z1R with PW Audio 1960s cable
> 
> Sounds amazing, Bluetooth has incredible range and the battery lasts about 40 hours non stop.
> 
> tempted to sell my WM1Z now... or should I send that one to @Nayparm too???


My vote is to send it in . Hardware and firmware both modified are exquisite devices, not easy to come by


----------



## slumberman

Whitigir said:


> My vote is to send it in . Hardware and firmware both modified are exquisite devices, not easy to come by


I hear you but I could also sell the WM1Z and be happy with the modded WM1A!


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 27, 2020)

slumberman said:


> I hear you but I could also sell the WM1Z and be happy with the modded WM1A!


Or sell a modded 1A and get a modded 1Z  lol!!!
anyways, a modded 1A is more valuable than 1Z.  Unless you are in for exquisite chassis.  The 1Z used to be pretty unique in the internal ID coding, but mod firmware unleashed it 

It isn’t like the exquisite chassis doesn’t contribute to the performances, it does, but you would have to trade off for the weight that you can hardly carry around


----------



## nc8000

slumberman said:


> @Nayparm modded WM1A, @MrWalkman ++ firmware, IER-Z1R with PW Audio 1960s cable
> 
> Sounds amazing, Bluetooth has incredible range and the battery lasts about 40 hours non stop.
> 
> tempted to sell my WM1Z now... or should I send that one to @Nayparm too???



I’ll be sending my 1Z to him for the full mod when I get to UK next week.


----------



## Whitigir

nc8000 said:


> I’ll be sending my 1Z to him for the full mod when I get to UK next week.


Totally recommended, best of the best Walkman until whatever/whenever


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Wonder if Sony will release any firmware updates to the WM1 series, it’s already nearing end of Aug


----------



## slumberman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Wonder if Sony will release any firmware updates to the WM1 series, it’s already nearing end of Aug


I’m sorry if I missed it but was there anything worth upgrading for in the other series latest firmware upgrades, that could come to the WM1?
Curious!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

slumberman said:


> I’m sorry if I missed it but was there anything worth upgrading for in the other series latest firmware upgrades, that could come to the WM1?
> Curious!



DSEE HX AI?


----------



## slumberman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> DSEE HX AI?


Just like  in @MrWalkman ‘s firmware I suppose, but maybe in a more official way


----------



## MrWalkman

slumberman said:


> I’m sorry if I missed it but was there anything worth upgrading for in the other series latest firmware upgrades, that could come to the WM1?
> Curious!





Sonywalkmanuser said:


> DSEE HX AI?





slumberman said:


> Just like  in @MrWalkman ‘s firmware I suppose, but maybe in a more official way



DSEE HX AI is available since around 2018 if I'm not mistaken. If they wanted to do it for the WM1 devices, they could've done that in the 2019 update.

They also released a firmware update somewhere in October once.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 27, 2020)

slumberman said:


> Just like  in @MrWalkman ‘s firmware I suppose, but maybe in a more official way


Mr Walkman's is based off DMP-Z1 AI firmware.

DSEE HX AI is quite special as in it gets better/smarter over time with material training and human assistance. 

The ZX507's DSEE HX AI seems to sound even more enveloping on the latest firmware release.


----------



## slumberman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Mr Walkman's is based off DMP-Z1 AI firmware.
> 
> DSEE HX AI is quite special as in it gets better/smarter over time with material training and human assistance.
> 
> The ZX507's DSEE HX AI seems to sound even more enveloping on the latest firmware release.



very interesting!

would be great to see what they (if they) release it for the WM1 series!


----------



## Mindstorms

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Wonder if Sony will release any firmware updates to the WM1 series, it’s already nearing end of Aug


i guess no


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Mr Walkman's is based off DMP-Z1 firmware.
> 
> DSEE HX AI is quite special as in it gets better/smarter over time with material training and human assistance.
> 
> The ZX507's DSEE HX AI seems to gotten even more enveloping on the latest firmware release.


 The DMP-Z1 has a very different build elsewhere, especially power management and power distributions, let alone the digital conversions and amp stage.  But I leave it to your imagination


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 27, 2020)

DSEE HX is a software based effect, and the DMP-Z1 player app, that takes care of the DSEE HX effect (as well as of the all other effects) is the same as the app on the other Walkman players, like WM1/A30/A40/A50. So if we're talking about the effect itself, it is exactly as the one on the DMP-Z1.

There was someone on another forum implying that it's all just a name change, from "Standard" to "DSEE HX AI", but I think we already tried it ourselves and heard the difference.


----------



## Motagaly (Aug 27, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> Unfortunately, I don’t work on those cables you have, so my researches are not about them.  There could be a couple things you can try out.
> If you think it is acting as an antenna, then have it lay next to a cellphone while observing to see if the hisses increased.  Then you can go from there



Tried putting the cable with WM1A connected around, under, over, and many other similar places near 5Ghz router, 2.4Ghz routers, Zigbee routers (which is 2.4Ghz), LED lamps, power converters, Wireless RF devices in the Mhz range, Bluetooth, and nothing, the noise floor is consistent.

I am not an expert, should I conclude that it is not an antenna issue? Then what it can be? I will understand if no other answers can be provided, I will just live with it.


----------



## tieuly1

slumberman said:


> @Nayparm modded WM1A, @MrWalkman ++ firmware, IER-Z1R with PW Audio 1960s cable
> 
> Sounds amazing, Bluetooth has incredible range and the battery lasts about 40 hours non stop.
> 
> tempted to sell my WM1Z now... or should I send that one to @Nayparm too???


Hi there,
Does the ier-z1r sound better with 1960s cable compared to stock cable?
I am about to upgrade z1r but not sure where to go 
I


----------



## slumberman (Aug 27, 2020)

tieuly1 said:


> Hi there,
> Does the ier-z1r sound better with 1960s cable compared to stock cable?
> I am about to upgrade z1r but not sure where to go
> I


I wouldn’t say better, but I like it more this way and also like the way the cable feels.
its just different.
@Vitaly2017 had extensive experience with that cable and the WM so he will chime in!


----------



## Vitaly2017

tieuly1 said:


> Hi there,
> Does the ier-z1r sound better with 1960s cable compared to stock cable?
> I am about to upgrade z1r but not sure where to go
> I




Go kimber kable don't look at nothing else


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Go kimber kable don't look at nothing else


1960 ? why Not ? Lol


----------



## Nayparm (Aug 27, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> My vote is to send it in . Hardware and firmware both modified are exquisite devices, not easy to come by



Tough one, aswell as the copper you also have the fine sound resistors and the larger 256gb storage. It could be the first Z1 to have the cut circuit mod with large Kaisei caps for the ultimate WM1. I'm over the moon with the prototype with large FineGolds so Kaisei should be jaw dropping. I'll be doing a WM1A for myself with all Kaisie -cut board power cap and large balanced out caps


----------



## slumberman

Nayparm said:


> Tough one, aswell as the copper you also have the fine sound resistors and the larger 256gb storage. It could be the first Z1 to have the cut circuit mod with large Kaisei caps for the ultimate WM1. I'm over the moon with the prototype with large FineGolds so Kaisei should be jaw dropping. I'll be doing a WM1A for myself with all Kaisie.


Damn you @Nayparm!!!!


----------



## tieuly1

Vitaly2017 said:


> Go kimber kable don't look at nothing else


I thought Kimber is not a good partner with ier-z1r.


----------



## Nayparm

slumberman said:


> Damn you @Nayparm!!!!



Sorry man 😂


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Aug 27, 2020)

Whitigir said:


> 1960 ? why Not ? Lol




Dont ask lol long story to tell with no end 🤣😅
Tiger learned it the hard and expensive way.

You guys asked my opinion that what I suggested go kimber kable from sony!


@tieuly1 and who said that?


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


>




Ummm where is the kimber kable?  And 1z?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Ummm where is the kimber kable?  And 1z?



? We're experiencing an intimate quiet moment alone together?


----------



## 524419

Nayparm said:


> Sorry man 😂


I just remade my foil cables, covered them in Cotton sleeves. Once I get your metal plate, I am installing the new high capacity battery, Shielding everything  wi_th _copper foil tape, and sealing the player up for good  Too much fiddling....
Of course pictures will be all online


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> ? We're experiencing an intimate quiet moment alone together?




Here is my recent purchase love time in execution as we speak hehe


----------



## iron2k

Vitaly2017 said:


> Here is my recent purchase love time in execution as we speak hehe


are those Z7 ??


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Here is my recent purchase love time in execution as we speak hehe


Z7M2?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 27, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Here is my recent purchase love time in execution as we speak hehe


 The cable always works for everyone!

I mean we live in a world of high subjectivity along with a huge group who don’t believe in cables. Then there are the almost “not-much-noticeable” add-ons, that get done for the sake of it. So.....it’s nice to read a positive group consensus once in a while.


----------



## 524419

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m not sure I’ve read people saying the Kimber never changed things for the better? The cable always works for everyone!
> 
> I mean we live in a world of high subjectivity along with a huge group who don’t believe in cables. Then there are the almost “not-much-noticeable” add-ons, that almost get done for the sake of it. So.....it’s nice to read a positive group consensus once in a while.


I personally think a copper cable is an absolute must with the IER-Z1R. The silver plated cable does not bring out that IEM's best.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Diet Kokaine said:


> I personally think a copper cable is an absolute must with the IER-Z1R. The silver plated cable does not bring out that IEM's best.



And in ways they go against the common theme, of copper adding warmth, yet the MDR-Z1R is considered warm so it seems like it would be too much, in the end, but it’s not. 

Though the Sony treble boost which we find on a number of IEMs and headphones starts to be missed after your used to it, I think. My Kimber      was free with the MDR, and.....I’m not sure I would have purchased it. Yet after hearing the changes, I thought that Sony must be including total trash as cables along with the MDR-Z1R? Truly a flagship headphone with such a bad included cable? So strange? And you try to understand what they are thinking?


----------



## Hinomotocho (Aug 27, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Ummm where is the kimber kable?  And 1z?


It's the Redcarmoose Z1R bluetooth mod


----------



## Blueoris

Whitigir said:


> The DMP-Z1 has a very different build elsewhere, especially power management and power distributions, let alone the digital conversions and amp stage.  But I leave it to your imagination



@Whitigir This is what I really have in my imagination


----------



## Whitigir

Blueoris said:


> @Whitigir This is what I really have in my imagination


I feel so sorry for my wallet just looking at the picture LMAO


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> And in ways they go against the common theme, of copper adding warmth, yet the MDR-Z1R is considered warm so it seems like it would be too much, in the end, but it’s not.
> 
> Though the Sony treble boost which we find on a number of IEMs and headphones starts to be missed after your used to it, I think. My Kimber      was free with the MDR, and.....I’m not sure I would have purchased it. Yet after hearing the changes, I thought that Sony must be including total trash as cables along with the MDR-Z1R? Truly a flagship headphone with such a bad included cable? So strange? And you try to understand what they are thinking?


Gotta agree on this. I am proof where I didn’t like it with the stock cable and it hurt my ears. The Kimber Kable made all the difference when listening with my 1A and 1Z. Now it’s really easy to listen to and feels like an orchestra is performing right in front of me, just with using the DAPs


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> And in ways they go against the common theme, of copper adding warmth, yet the MDR-Z1R is considered warm so it seems like it would be too much, in the end, but it’s not.
> 
> Though the Sony treble boost which we find on a number of IEMs and headphones starts to be missed after your used to it, I think. My Kimber      was free with the MDR, and.....I’m not sure I would have purchased it. Yet after hearing the changes, I thought that Sony must be including total trash as cables along with the MDR-Z1R? Truly a flagship headphone with such a bad included cable? So strange? And you try to understand what they are thinking?




Same goes for z7m2.  At first I used them with stock cable for 300 hours eventually I found they sound unclear , not sharp imaging, missing nuances and resolution,  soundstage wasn't impressive either.

Now I got the authentic Japan kimber kable and wow I have sit on to my but very tight and hard. Yep I felt backwards and luckily I had a chair so I landed right on it!

What kimber kable does is, improve resolution drastically vs stock cable. The sense of space and dimensions is vaste and very deep n can go far into the deep distance like far...

I can now feel more tonal nuances with as many variations that are present.  

Imaging is so good that its almost like a flagship level, very easy to perceive even the all little faint details in the far background. The resistance of the cable has improved so much that everything has a sound boost like more flow more dynamics and amplitude in music. I no longer need to use the dynamic normalisee.
I actually turned off all enhancements since I got the cable.
As everything now sounds exactly as it should perfectly balanced with correct tonality. 

You can tell sony tuned them with kimber kable in mind.

I am very impressed honestly by the Z7M2 + kimber kable with wm1a.

Stelar combo very solide setup , comfort, isolation, very beyond average quality and high resolution experience ! 

4hz to 100khz!  Perfect for Mr. TIGER ears


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> And in ways they go against the common theme, of copper adding warmth, yet the MDR-Z1R is considered warm so it seems like it would be too much, in the end, but it’s not.
> 
> Though the Sony treble boost which we find on a number of IEMs and headphones starts to be missed after your used to it, I think. My Kimber      was free with the MDR, and.....I’m not sure I would have purchased it. Yet after hearing the changes, I thought that Sony must be including total trash as cables along with the MDR-Z1R? Truly a flagship headphone with such a bad included cable? So strange? And you try to understand what they are thinking?





Gamerlingual said:


> Gotta agree on this. I am proof where I didn’t like it with the stock cable and it hurt my ears. The Kimber Kable made all the difference when listening with my 1A and 1Z. Now it’s really easy to listen to and feels like an orchestra is performing right in front of me, just with using the DAPs





You two are pushing my temptations for a pair of mdr-z1r !  
So contagious this hobby haha 
What a bliss it can be?
Mdr-z1r with kimber kable on a dmp-z1  🤤🤤🤤🥰😇


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> You two are pushing my temptations for a pair of mdr-z1r !
> So contagious this hobby haha
> What a bliss it can be?
> Mdr-z1r with kimber kable on a dmp-z1  🤤🤤🤤🥰😇


That would be a hella bass pumping and jumping services


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> That would be a hella bass pumping and jumping services




Sony is the bass master they know how to give you excellent service  😁


----------



## Hinomotocho

Vitaly2017 said:


> Here is my recent purchase love time in execution as we speak hehe


The Z7 and Z7M2 are good looking headphones.


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Sony is the bass master they know how to give you excellent service  😁


Well...if you love bass that much LOL!


----------



## mwhals

Is the Zx507 or WM1A warmer? Which is a better fit for the Empire Ears Phantom?


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> Is the Zx507 or WM1A warmer? Which is a better fit for the Empire Ears Phantom?




Zx507 is warmer, more fun. 
1a is more balanced and natural neutral. 

Its hard to say maybe you will like both lol


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Vitaly2017 said:


> Zx507 is warmer, more fun.
> 1a is more balanced and natural neutral.
> 
> Its hard to say maybe you will like both lol



Sony seems to be evolving the sound on the ZX507, now it's like a theater system kind of sound! 

Been listening to the ZX507 with the MDR-1AM2 on balanced.

Hi-res Streaming On, DSEE HX, Type B low.

I am really impressed with the way that the bass is presented in this new firmware. Now it feels closer and it sounds more like a wall of deep rumbling home theater subwoofer kind of bass.

The soundstage is all around you. It's very enveloping, its like as if you are sitting inside a cinema with Dolby Atmos surround system kind of feeling.


----------



## nc8000

tieuly1 said:


> Hi there,
> Does the ier-z1r sound better with 1960s cable compared to stock cable?
> I am about to upgrade z1r but not sure where to go
> I



What don’t you like about the stock cable, in my opinion it is one of the best stock cables on the market ?

Also be aware that most after market cables are hell to remove again due to the design of the female socket on the IER.


----------



## Vitaly2017

nc8000 said:


> What don’t you like about the stock cable, in my opinion it is one of the best stock cables on the market ?
> 
> Also be aware that most after market cables are hell to remove again due to the design of the female socket on the IER.




This is why I highly recommend sony kimber kable. 
Can't go wrong at all only win win win


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> What don’t you like about the stock cable, in my opinion it is one of the best stock cables on the market ?
> 
> Also be aware that most after market cables are hell to remove again due to the design of the female socket on the IER.


The stock cable in this case is better than the Kimber. I won’t deny that


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> The stock cable in this case is better than the Kimber. I won’t deny that




I found stock cable on ier-z1r siblant vs kimber kable


----------



## 534409 (Aug 28, 2020)

Vitaly, can you add some Orions to your Mega folder? Especially from 6A to 10A. Спасибо.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Dramba said:


> Vitaly, can you add some Orions to your Mega folder? Especially from 6A to 10A. Спасибо.



Are you referring to @RobertP  fw?


----------



## 534409 (Aug 28, 2020)

Da. These ones, I think they exists in some hidden places on Player.ru


----------



## Nayparm

Whitigir said:


> I feel so sorry for my wallet just looking at the picture LMAO



Also looks like the wifes packed his suitcase after selling her favourite lamp table in order to buy the last peice of the jigsaw, an audiophile fuse 😂


----------



## nc8000 (Aug 28, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> This is why I highly recommend sony kimber kable.
> Can't go wrong at all only win win win



On the IER I found the Sony Kimber worse than the stock cable and it was hell to remove. On the Z5 however it was better than stock.


----------



## 534409

Maybe some expensive cables can add something to the sound, in my case Oriveti Afinity adds maybe 10% more resolution and it costs 200$. And it's advertised as 'premium upgrade cable' bla bla.


----------



## Damz87

I’ve tried a PW 1960s 4-wire (copper), EA Horus Octa (Gold plated silver) and an EA Leo II (palladium plated silver) on my IER-Z1R. None of them had a better synergy than the Kimber cable (or even the stock cable) in my opinion. Sony did a great job matching the right cable to the Z1R


----------



## auronthas

Whitigir said:


> Here is an interesting question as I know the “Z” and ”1” is special in Japanese references toward, so which one is superior in the way it is named ? Is it the Z1 or is it the 1Z ?


I think 1Z means everything from alphanumeric perspective, IMO.


----------



## auronthas (Aug 28, 2020)

double post


----------



## proedros

Whitigir said:


> Beers and more beers  then we are talking



is this some kind of dig to walkman dude ? if not , excuse my comment , but if it is it seems kinda petty

also , remind me again why you have the 'donate to me' link ? maybe , i can put one up , i could really use the 3.5K needed to buy an Odin

again , be good and don't diss other people


----------



## Whitigir (Aug 28, 2020)

proedros said:


> is this some kind of dig to walkman dude ? if not , excuse my comment , but if it is it seems kinda petty
> 
> also , remind me again why you have the 'donate to me' link ? maybe , i can put one up , i could really use the 3.5K needed to buy an Odin
> 
> again , be good and don't diss other people


All the free DIY articles put up by me was never free (on my side) , and that is the badge of honor to myself.  Do you want to hold my beers ?
Also, Please use your money for Odin as the thing you desire, never donate when you are in needed of it yourself


----------



## MrWalkman

Whitigir said:


> All the free DIY articles put up by me was never free, and that is the badge of honor to myself.  Do you want to hold my beers ?



"Beers"...

There were moments in my life when something really helped me, and I felt so grateful that I wish I could have bought a beer to the person that created it. Not everyone had set up the means for others to do that (like a donation page/link), but I was able to do it sometimes. Of course, at some point maybe I didn't have enough money for myself so I didn't donate anything. It happens. Also, a donation is a donation. In the end it is left at the will of the other person to donate or not.

I don't see how posting/creating something for free gives you the right to act like you do.

You shouldn't expect a donation to happen and get potentially upset if it doesn't, or get upset at others because people donated more to them or something..... Come on, I can't believe that there has to be a discussion about this, it's just incredible! Is this all about the money for you? I'm just trying to see the rationale in your behavior.




Whitigir said:


> Beers and more beers  then we are talking



Here you try to imply that people would have to donate more to me before I would start doing stuff for other devices (lol), but you are the one who can't just replace a file in an archive, which is something that would take no more than 5 minutes at most, including downloading the latest UPG, the archiving process, and then uploading the new archive to Google Drive and posting a link.

Would people have to donate to you for that to happen? Maybe you said that because that's how it works for you. People usually talk from their own point of view.

Man, again, don't do something and release it for free, while having the expectation that people will donate. You can get disappointed if you have this expectation. Also, that's not the point of donations!


----------



## Gamerlingual (Aug 28, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> "Beers"...
> 
> There were moments in my life when something really helped me, and I felt so grateful that I wish I could have bought a beer to the person that created it. Not everyone had set up the means for others to do that (like a donation page/link), but I was able to do it sometimes. Of course, at some point maybe I didn't have enough money for myself so I didn't donate anything. It happens. Also, a donation is a donation. In the end it is left at the will of the other person to donate or not.
> 
> ...


I felt that when you released the firmwares, he was attempting to one up everything. I think it’s best to accept that everyone has a different skill they can bring to the table to help the community and not try to steal the thunder from another person. The point is not to try to outdo another person, just be happy that we are lucky to have others like you help us. That’s why I said I questioned his timing of his stuff that he decided to be released “in public” at the time. The 1A mods have been great, so thanks to those who contributed, including yourself, MrWalkman


----------



## auronthas (Aug 28, 2020)

Thanks to Sony for the opportunity.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 28, 2020)

auronthas said:


> Thanks for Sony who creates the opportunity.



I would say that nobody thought otherwise, and we are all grateful to Sony for these devices.

What we may not be grateful for, is for people who are coming here with childish stuff, like threatening people that you reported all this to Sony, and adding "hahahaha" at the end (lol). You also said that you are a Sony employee. It's hard to believe that a Sony employee acts like this in a public forum.



auronthas said:


> What you guys have done have been reported. Ciao. Hahahaha




This is why people may have a problem with you, and not because you supposedly are a Sony employee. We all love Sony, why would we have a problem with someone just because he/she works for Sony?

But well, it's not something unusual to find reasons that fit us best instead of actually seeing the true thing, in general, in this world.


----------



## Gamerlingual (Aug 28, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> I would say that nobody thought otherwise, and we are all grateful to Sony for these devices.
> 
> What we may not be grateful for, is for people who are coming here with childish stuff, like threatening people that you reported all this to Sony, and adding "hahahaha" at the end (lol). You also said that you are a Sony employee. It's hard to believe that a Sony employee acts like this in a public forum.
> 
> ...


Never mind. Just figured out why I can’t read your quoted messages


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 28, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Never mind. Just figured out why I can’t read your quoted messages



Ha!

Well, he's basically acting like he doesn't know why people may have issues with him.

This is the first and the last time he got my attention though, not worth my time.


----------



## Gamerlingual (Aug 28, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Edited.


Copy that.  Thanks


----------



## 534409 (Aug 28, 2020)

IMHO if I were an Sony employee/engineer I would take advantage/use ideas from here or other community forums. Just to make firmware better sounding and more robust. I.e. turning on hardware acceleration in player GUI.


----------



## musicinmymind

Any other


Damz87 said:


> I’ve tried a PW 1960s 4-wire (copper), EA Horus Octa (Gold plated silver) and an EA Leo II (palladium plated silver) on my IER-Z1R. None of them had a better synergy than the Kimber cable (or even the stock cable) in my opinion. Sony did a great job matching the right cable to the Z1R



Which site you recommended to get Kimber cable from, I am located in Dubai and not available locally.


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> Zx507 is warmer, more fun.
> 1a is more balanced and natural neutral.
> 
> Its hard to say maybe you will like both lol



Would you say ZX507 is between WM1A and WM1Z or is it also warmer than the WM1Z?


----------



## Damz87

musicinmymind said:


> Any other
> 
> 
> Which site you recommended to get Kimber cable from, I am located in Dubai and not available locally.



I got mine from Amazon Australia, but you can buy from Accessory Jack. I believe they post to UAE 

https://www.accessoryjack.com/colle...4-4mm-balanced-standard-plug-1-2m-cable-clear


----------



## musicinmymind

Damz87 said:


> I got mine from Amazon Australia, but you can buy from Accessory Jack. I believe they post to UAE
> 
> https://www.accessoryjack.com/colle...4-4mm-balanced-standard-plug-1-2m-cable-clear



Thx will


Damz87 said:


> I got mine from Amazon Australia, but you can buy from Accessory Jack. I believe they post to UAE
> 
> https://www.accessoryjack.com/colle...4-4mm-balanced-standard-plug-1-2m-cable-clear



Thx, yes ship here


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 28, 2020)

musicinmymind said:


> Any other
> 
> 
> Which site you recommended to get Kimber cable from, I am located in Dubai and not available locally.


Got mine from amazon EDIT for the MDR-Z1R


----------



## gerelmx1986

Damz87 said:


> I got mine from Amazon Australia, but you can buy from Accessory Jack. I believe they post to UAE
> 
> https://www.accessoryjack.com/colle...4-4mm-balanced-standard-plug-1-2m-cable-clear


I have a question about that cable, as I want to get one for replacement (when the stock fails). The cable looks thick. Does it fit the IER-Z1R + Kk in the carrying case of the IER-Z1R? And the connectors spin around or stay tight?


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> Would you say ZX507 is between WM1A and WM1Z or is it also warmer than the WM1Z?




Yes we can say that so as zx507 is not as thick with the sound its more normal somewhat. ZX507 is a very good dap and sound really awesome but its android....


----------



## Damz87

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have a question about that cable, as I want to get one for replacement (when the stock fails). The cable looks thick. Does it fit the IER-Z1R + Kk in the carrying case of the IER-Z1R? And the connectors spin around or stay tight?



Fits well in the case. Mine doesn’t spin, nice and tight


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yes we can say that so as zx507 is not as thick with the sound its more normal somewhat. ZX507 is a very good dap and sound really awesome but its android....


There are players that can run both AndroidOS and custom OS , like Dx220Max


----------



## Vitaly2017

Whitigir said:


> There are players that can run both AndroidOS and custom OS , like Dx220Max




I know but fiio also can do it but I dont like them.


----------



## Whitigir

Vitaly2017 said:


> I know but fiio also can do it but I dont like them.


Then you will need a 1A and a 500


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 28, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yes we can say that so as zx507 is not as thick with the sound its more normal somewhat. ZX507 is a very good dap and sound really awesome but its android....



I have posted the most extensive tweak to allow ZX507 to perform it's best for strictly offline sdcard playback:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new-sony-nw-zx500.914486/post-15823504

Combine this tweak with the new 2.02 firmware improvements to sound processing and tuning, the ZX507 now has a highly refined organic sound quality that very much exceeds it's mid-tier status. I say this Walkman is worth a try for Sony fans who want a preview into what kind of technology and sound quality improvements Sony has done since designing the WM1 if you have cash to spare.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 28, 2020)

Some times I wonder me how much fun could I have if i had kept my classic walkman players (Before hi-res). To compare with WM1A

NW-E507 had 1GB, was only music capable (at that time MP3/WMA/WAV) DAC unknown

NWZ-A818 was an 8GB PMP with a cirrus DAC, aside from the E507 it added AAC support 

NWZ-X1060 32GB sony PMP, the first to introduce S-MASTER to walkman,  same music formats as A818. Supposedly x1000 was the walkman 30th anniversary model


----------



## gsiu33

MrWalkman said:


> Exactly, did someone had certain files they wanted to play and they couldn't do that on the WM1 players?


Anyone differentiate 768 or even 384 to 192 in WM1A/WM1Z?


----------



## MrWalkman

gsiu33 said:


> Anyone differentiate 768 or even 384 to 192 in WM1A/WM1Z?



It's probably just that thing, that you must have that capability on your device, or have the latest available technology, etc. I also had this fever for a while, when I was younger. It passed, and I'm really happy with the WM1A.

I'm only considering modding it a little bit, at least with the increased battery capacity. I intend of keeping the single-ended output though, but we shall see what the future holds.


----------



## Lookout57

MrWalkman said:


> It's probably just that thing, that you must have that capability on your device, or have the latest available technology, etc. I also had this fever for a while, when I was younger. It passed, and I'm really happy with the WM1A.
> 
> I'm only considering modding it a little bit, at least with the increased battery capacity. I intend of keeping the single-ended output though, but we shall see what the future holds.


You should try balanced out. It does improve the sound with more power and I think also cleaner.


----------



## MrWalkman

Lookout57 said:


> You should try balanced out. It does improve the sound with more power and I think also cleaner.



I am using the balanced out most of the times. I was just thinking of Nayparm's hardware mod, and that at first glance I wouldn't wanna let go of the single ended output. Who knows when I'll need it


----------



## Lookout57

MrWalkman said:


> I am using the balanced out most of the times. I was just thinking of Nayparm's hardware mod, and that at first glance I wouldn't wanna let go of the single ended output. Who knows when I'll need it


I wasn't sure, but I agree I don't want to lose the SE output.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gsiu33 said:


> Anyone differentiate 768 or even 384 to 192 in WM1A/WM1Z?


I can between DSD and 24-bit


----------



## slumberman

Lookout57 said:


> I wasn't sure, but I agree I don't want to lose the SE output.


I had the same doubt but I’m loving the extended Bluetooth range to connect to my Uniti Atom and I never used the SE out to be honest...


----------



## gerelmx1986

MrWalkman said:


> I am using the balanced out most of the times. I was just thinking of Nayparm's hardware mod, and that at first glance I wouldn't wanna let go of the single ended output. Who knows when I'll need it


I also also want to mod mine by @Nayparm buy I dony want to loose SE as I use it from time to time as a LO. Also losing the Relays worries.me as I see them as a form of circuit protection.

I'd probably do the battery mod, the hardware modification if he has an option not to lose these two aspects mentioned before


----------



## MrWalkman

gerelmx1986 said:


> I also also want to mod mine by @Nayparm buy I dony want to loose SE as I use it from time to time as a LO. Also losing the Relays worries.me as I see them as a form of circuit protection.
> 
> I'd probably do the battery mod, the hardware modification if he has an option not to lose these two aspects mentioned before



I'm sure he can keep the relays, and also the single ended output. I was gonna ask him about that when I had the possibility to have this mod done.


----------



## gerelmx1986

MrWalkman said:


> I'm sure he can keep the relays, and also the single ended output. I was gonna ask him about that when I had the possibility to have this mod done.


The battery mod looks best, 40h straight for FLAC (dont remember if he mentioned 16 or 24bit test)


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 28, 2020)

Next week is the IFA Berlin 2020 (3rd to 5th September) probably the shortest show ever. I am in a mixed status between hyped and not, knowing corona time was a hard hitting event, even for a company like sony.  I've seen no leaks of a new walkman device, so not expecting  anything this year, but at the same time perhaps a surprise?


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I also also want to mod mine by @Nayparm buy I dony want to loose SE as I use it from time to time as a LO. Also losing the Relays worries.me as I see them as a form of circuit protection.
> 
> I'd probably do the battery mod, the hardware modification if he has an option not to lose these two aspects mentioned before



I've not one single time used the SE in the 3 1/2 years I've had the 1Z so it will go


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I don’t understand the need to do the battery mod. Portable power banks can be used to charge the Walkman. Even a small 5000mah will be sufficiently enough to fully charge the Walkman.


----------



## Nayparm

MrWalkman said:


> I am using the balanced out most of the times. I was just thinking of Nayparm's hardware mod, and that at first glance I wouldn't wanna let go of the single ended output. Who knows when I'll need it



That's only one option I have on the site, I've not had chance to post other variations as yet.
Now that I can gain extra space after relay removal and board cutting I can keep 3.5 SE and even upgrade its caps, cable, and wire it too straight from the coils. Bluetooth and even NFC can be retained if I design some new copper backs for this feature 👍


----------



## MrWalkman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I don’t understand the need to do the battery mod. Portable power banks can be used to charge the Walkman. Even a small 5000mah will be sufficiently enough to fully charge the Walkman.



Why carry an extra package when you can just have it all in one? Also, the Walkman is charging pretty slowly from my own experience.

I think the battery mod is just awesome.


----------



## Nayparm

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I don’t understand the need to do the battery mod. Portable power banks can be used to charge the Walkman. Even a small 5000mah will be sufficiently enough to fully charge the Walkman.



If your going to carry another box around it may as well be amp


----------



## Nayparm (Aug 28, 2020)

Sounds like I need to design some new copper backs for bluetooth and NFC support after reading the last few pages 😂
and focus on keeping, upgrading 3.5mm


----------



## MrWalkman

Nayparm said:


> Sounds like I need to design some new copper backs for bluetooth and NFC support after reading the last few pages 😂
> and focus on keeping, upgrading 3.5mm



I guess a two part copper back could be something, mimicking the stock plastic and metal pieces. Oh, and for Bluetooth, a cutout, right?


----------



## slumberman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I don’t understand the need to do the battery mod. Portable power banks can be used to charge the Walkman. Even a small 5000mah will be sufficiently enough to fully charge the Walkman.


If you are ok with carrying the cable and power bank then sure. I like knowing I have never have to worry about my Walkman running out of power! This new battery is easily twice the running time of the old one.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 28, 2020)

I am quite the gadget geek myself. I carry all sorts of electronics with me on the go. Everything is power hungry.

Two mobile phones, true wireless xm3, Sony Walkman.

I even have a Garmin GLO bluetooth gps to get positional accuracy down to 1.5 to 10metres range instead of your regular smartphone internal gps which can be typically inaccurate at 15metres to 20metres or more.


----------



## Vitaly2017

I dont understand how can you all have not enough power juice???

My 1a last me 2 days!!! Playing flac dsd.... and have plenty of time charge the dap so easy


----------



## slumberman

Vitaly2017 said:


> I dont understand how can you all have not enough power juice???
> 
> My 1a last me 2 days!!! Playing flac dsd.... and have plenty of time charge the dap so easy


I don’t think it’s about not having enough, but more about enjoying having extra


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Aug 28, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I dont understand how can you all have not enough power juice???
> 
> My 1a last me 2 days!!! Playing flac dsd.... and have plenty of time charge the dap so easy


Peace of mind, knowing you can never run out of battery makes you feel...powerful! Ahahaha

And it’s not overcompensating for something either! Lol 😂


----------



## nc8000

Vitaly2017 said:


> I dont understand how can you all have not enough power juice???
> 
> My 1a last me 2 days!!! Playing flac dsd.... and have plenty of time charge the dap so easy



I travel a lot and the fewer bits I have to travel with the better. This upgraded battery will last me 2-3 weeks between charges


----------



## Vitaly2017

slumberman said:


> I don’t think it’s about not having enough, but more about enjoying having extra





hamhamhamsta said:


> Peace of mind, knowing you can never run out of battery makes you feel...powerful! Ahahaha
> 
> And it’s not overcompensating for something either! Lol 😂




So you want to be like ha ha I will never run out of battery 😁 god mode on for unlimited power 🔋


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> So you want to be like ha ha I will never run out of battery 😁 god mode on for unlimited power 🔋


You don’t know what you miss till you have almost unlimited battery Powahh!


----------



## Hinomotocho

Damz87 said:


> Fits well in the case. Mine doesn’t spin, nice and tight


Women dream of a man on one knee opening a little box with something shiny, I dream of this


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Time to mod iron man's arc reactor inside my walkman.


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I travel a lot and the fewer bits I have to travel with the better. This upgraded battery will last me 2-3 weeks between charges


My zx100 battery lasted me a week between charges for ca. 8hrs daily


----------



## Hinomotocho

gerelmx1986 said:


> My zx100 battery lasted me a week between charges for ca. 8hrs daily


My Walkmans up until the ZX100 all lasted the maximum quoted battery time for the 2-3 years I had them. It wasn't until the ZX300 that I experienced shorter standby and play time.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Aug 28, 2020)




----------



## Gamerlingual

So there is no battery mod to extend the 1A battery?


----------



## mwhals

Gamerlingual said:


> So there is no battery mod to extend the 1A battery?




Replacing the battery with one of more capacity is the battery mod.


----------



## Gamerlingual

mwhals said:


> Replacing the battery with one of more capacity is the battery mod.


Ah I was referred to sites for that. But how reliable that is, I'm not sure.


----------



## Quang23693

As my experience , the replacement battery with more capacity help your player to improve bass reponse. If anyone want to increase quality of bass, you consider this replacement.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Quang23693 said:


> As my experience , the replacement battery with more capacity help your player to improve bass reponse. If anyone want to increase quality of bass, you consider this replacement.



That's really a good reason to upgrade. Beefier battery means the supplied voltage will sustain much longer before dropping.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 29, 2020)

Guys, I really think that the next flagship from Sony will be exceptionally class leading, this is coming from what I am hearing from the new firmware on the ZX507 Hi-res streaming mode + DSEE HX AI. 

It will be extremely likely that this new zx507 sound processing technology will be incorporated into the next flagship walkman

For those who don't own the ZX507, think of it as Sony's audiophile take on Dolby Atmos Cinema technology that works for stereo audio files.

Sony is able to expand stereo music into a 7.1.4 surround like sound experience for your headphones. 

The future is going to be exciting for us Sony fans. Say goodbye to copycat "HiFi" companies because you may be able to copy Sony's volume control interface design but you will never be able to copy this level of sophisticated audio processing technology.


----------



## Jotaro

my body is ready!!


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Jotaro said:


> my body is ready!!


My pocket’s not! 😂


----------



## spanky310

Jotaro said:


> my body is ready!!



I want the hand strap!!! 

Do you by any chance have the part # of that strap?

Thx!!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Guys, I really think that the next flagship from Sony will be exceptionally class leading, this is coming from what I am hearing from the new firmware on the ZX507 Hi-res streaming mode + DSEE HX AI.
> 
> It will be extremely likely that this new zx507 sound processing technology will be incorporated into the next flagship walkman
> 
> ...




And you listening on m9 or the 1AM2?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 29, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> And you listening on m9 or the 1AM2?



I have tried on both. Split my listening time into half with each gear.


when you enable Hi-res Streaming On with DSEE HX. That’s when DSEE HX seems to make some music elements envelop behind your ears. It’s like as if there is a spherical sound field that Sony has programmed in. This surround effect seems be variable depending on source material. It’s as if there’s some kind of system at work that determines which element goes to the front and which element goes to the back of the sound field.

I think these is only the beginning of a new audio system, future firmware should bring about more sonic improvements to this surround mode.

I didn’t expect Sony to have silently added this mode to ZX507 without even mentioning anything about it.


----------



## mwhals

hamhamhamsta said:


> My pocket’s not! 😂



I see you have a WM1Z and Empire Ears Phantom. I hear they don’t have good synergy, but am always interested in other opinions.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I have tried on both. Split my listening time into half with each gear.
> 
> 
> when you enable Hi-res Streaming On with DSEE HX. That’s when DSEE HX seems to make some music elements envelop behind your ears. It’s like as if there is a spherical sound field that Sony has programmed in. This surround effect seems be variable depending on source material. It’s as if there’s some kind of system at work that determines which element goes to the front and which element goes to the back of the sound field.
> ...




You make me wanting to buy zx507 once again LoL keep on hyping 🙃🙂

I am thinking and looking at it in my amazon basket 😁😊


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 29, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> You make me wanting to buy zx507 once again LoL keep on hyping 🙃🙂
> 
> I am thinking and looking at it in my amazon basket 😁😊



Although I have been hyping the ZX507, I am telling it as what I am hearing and not getting paid or having special free gift benefits from it. Maybe all I get is likes from head-fi members that’s all.

Even though you cannot use CFW for the ZX507, with this firmware there are so many modes that you can mess around with to suit your listening preferences. You can totally switch off Sony sound processing by entering safe mode, switch off hi-res streaming mode and enabling direct source mode or you can experience the full Sony sound processing magic by using Hi-res streaming mode with DSEE HX.

I think with this new ZX507 firmware sound processing, you can turn your regular lossy mp3 into a 3D high resolution like musical experience. Is this worth the price of entry? You decide.

I do think at this point, the ZX507 firmware development has reach its golden age or sorts. The sound quality you get out of it is leaps and bounds ahead of it’s 2019 initial release, now you are getting a realistic expansive 3D soundstage that didn’t even exist back then.

Even if you own the DMP-Z1 or WM1, the ZX507 can still serve as bluetooth ldac true 990kbps source or Usb digital out source for web streaming music content. So it’s a complimentary device of sorts if you look at it.


----------



## mwhals

So WM1A is still better sounding than the ZX507 or did it get passed with the last firmware update?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Not sure if Damz87 is using mrwalkman’s firmware or stock firmware for his WM1Z but here’s what he said when he compared his WM1Z against the ZX507 on the latest firmware


Damz87 said:


> I sold my IER-M9 a few weeks ago, however I spent yesterday listening to the new firmware with a 64 Audio U12t, which arguably goes one step even further than the M9 in the imaging department.
> 
> It sounds sublime with the ZX507.
> 
> I must say, the last few firmware updates have really elevated the ZX507. I used to feel that the ZX507 was a great sounding dap but felt the staging capabilities were a big compromise compared to the WM1Z. But, the improvements from the latest firmwares have brought me to the point that my WM1Z is redundant. The 1Z probably still has a slight edge overall, but the gap between the two is now very small imo.


----------



## Damz87 (Aug 29, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Not sure if Damz87 is using mrwalkman’s firmware or stock firmware for his WM1Z but here’s what he said when he compared his WM1Z against the ZX507 on the latest firmware



Yes, I am using @MrWalkman ‘s firmware on the WM1Z


----------



## Vitaly2017

Damz87 said:


> Yes, I am using @MrWalkman ‘s firmware on the WM1Z




Did you compare the m9 with kimber kable  vs the u12t+ premium silver ? 
To my ears both are different enough in sound signature to be able to own both hehe


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> Did you compare the m9 with kimber kable  vs the u12t+ premium silver ?
> To my ears both are different enough in sound signature to be able to own both hehe



Yeah, they’re two different signatures. The M9 is more neutral in comparison to the U12t that has a bigger sub bass and upper treble boost, so the mids sit slightly further back compared to the M9. They’re both very good IEM’s, but I preferred the extra resolution and general tuning of the U12t. Also I had the M9 for about 18 months and wanted to try some other IEM’s, that’s why I sold it. 

When I compared them, I used the U12t with an EA Leo II (I didn’t have the premium silver cable at the time)


----------



## SBranson

I’m sure this has been discussed to death but is there a way to determine if an album art image will display or not before I load it up and discover it didn’t work?
I know from past conversations that there’s something about “interlaced” images but I don’t really understand that.
I also heard that jpegs from Amazon work and that the image should have the same name as the folder but I just had an couple albums that I’ve tried twice and the art still won’t show.
Any easy tips I’m missing here or some way I can look at the properties of an image before I try it?
Thanks


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 29, 2020)

SBranson said:


> I’m sure this has been discussed to death but is there a way to determine if an album art image will display or not before I load it up and discover it didn’t work?
> I know from past conversations that there’s something about “interlaced” images but I don’t really understand that.
> I also heard that jpegs from Amazon work and that the image should have the same name as the folder but I just had an couple albums that I’ve tried twice and the art still won’t show.
> Any easy tips I’m missing here or some way I can look at the properties of an image before I try it?
> Thanks



JPEGs can be baseline or progressive. The difference is that a partial downloaded baseline JPEG will be shown as a cut image, while the progressive one will be shown whole, but a bit blurry, depending on how much of the image was downloaded. The Walkman OS will only display baseline JPEG files.

You can check if a JPEG is baseline or progressive, here: https://www.imgonline.com.ua/eng/progressive-or-baseline-jpeg.php

If you open a JPEG in Paint, and then you'll save it (use the Save As option), then the resulted JPEG will be guaranteed baseline.


Regarding PNG, this type of image can be interlaced or not. Downloading an interlaced PNG works exactly like a progressive JPEG (blurry image, depending on how much it of it was downloaded), while the non interlaced PNG works like the baseline JPEG image.

I didn't manage to find a similar website to check if a PNG is interlaced or not, but the Walkman OS will only work with the non interlaced PNGs.


----------



## SBranson

MrWalkman said:


> JPEGs can be baseline or progressive. The difference is that a partial downloaded baseline JPEG will be shown as a cut image, while the progressive one will be shown whole, but a bit blurry, depending on how much of the image was downloaded. The Walkman OS will only display baseline JPEG files.
> 
> You can check if a JPEG is baseline or progressive, here: https://www.imgonline.com.ua/eng/progressive-or-baseline-jpeg.php
> 
> ...



Wow...  thanks so much for the explanation and the link.  Does that explain why some thumbnails in posts only show a partial image when you try to expand them?

I was under the impression that png’s didn’t work at all.  Glad to have that cleared up.
I’ll look into a Mac version of the “paint” trick you mentioned.


----------



## MrWalkman

SBranson said:


> Wow...  thanks so much for the explanation and the link.  Does that explain why some thumbnails in posts only show a partial image when you try to expand them?
> 
> I was under the impression that png’s didn’t work at all.  Glad to have that cleared up.
> I’ll look into a Mac version of the “paint” trick you mentioned.



Check out this post. The user installed GIMP, and when exporting a JPEG you will have an option to choose between progressive or baseline.



jwbrent said:


> Gimp for macOS has different menus, but I was able to finally figure it out and the new artwork now shows up, great! With the export command, there is an advanced settings dialog that allows unchecking progressive.
> 
> @MrWalkman - thank you for your help!


----------



## SBranson

MrWalkman said:


> Check out this post. The user installed GIMP, and when exporting a JPEG you will have an option to choose between progressive or baseline.




That's perfect thanks!  I use GIMP for altering images for album art but never noticed the progressive/baseline setting.


----------



## SBranson

Found the way to uncheck the progressive box..  Thanks very much.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Aug 29, 2020)

mwhals said:


> I see you have a WM1Z and Empire Ears Phantom. I hear they don’t have good synergy, but am always interested in other opinions.


What I have is modded 1Z and Romi 1Z with BG caps. For me, most of my iems are warm such as EE phantom, SE5U, CA Andromeda and JVC FX850 just to name few. I hate cold sounding, clinical iems so that’s to that. And I listen to vocals, acoustic, jazz. My mod 1Z is a cross between regular 1A and 1Z. So maybe the comparison is not fair.

But what I want to say is this. I think using the right firmware is very important. My absolute fav firmware is Cerberus mix with1A/1Z+ with Gear of War flawed upgrade version. It has the best clarity, resolution, etc etc compared to other firmwares. It clears up Phantom thick, syrupy, haze and replace with naturalness. How should I say this ~ it sounds like a very natural EE Zeus with amazing timbre, smacking bass etc.  is it a good match? Definitely, it’s no longer warm, syrupy thick iem but become a natural timbre, clear, cutting iem but not clinical, like a perfect Zeus.I use CN region, since has best clarity, resolution of all region. In its place, the thickness of Phantom is cut down a huge portion by the choice of firmware, region, use of cables and mod. It’s kinda like doing EQ, I’m not sure if you notice, but when EQing, it’s better to cut down/ reduce frequencies, rather than add more. It’s kinda the same principle.

Phantom can be a very good match with 1Z, since technically it already have strong basic foundations of good timbre, bass. So you just need to reduce haze, thickness, increase clarity and resolution by choice of firmware, cable, and region. My goal is to get the most natural sounding music, where it’s like you are there in the venue, listening to live music. It can work, Romi modded 1Z is definitely the best modded 1Z I have heard in terms of naturalness. Best bass, extremely immersive, like hey I’m there listening to the singer live. My mods 1Z sounds it’s very wide. Compared to Romi 1Z, everything the same, same firmware, same iem, cable, same songs; Romi sounds very deep, theres very high ceiling and deep bottom, bass hits hard but sounds natural. Soundstage not as wide but everything else is just a couple step higher,  very musical and dynamics with emotive vocals. I’m really curious how Romi sounds compared to NayParm modded Kaisei cap version, since Kaisei is basically caps that replace BG caps. It would be amazing to compare the 2 dap together


----------



## SBranson

hamhamhamsta said:


> What I have is modded 1Z and Romi 1Z with BG caps. For me, most of my iems are warm such as EE phantom, SE5U, CA Phantom and JVC FX850 just to name few. I hate cold sounding, clinical iems so that’s to that. And I listen to vocals, acoustic, jazz. My mod 1Z is a cross between regular 1A and 1Z. So maybe the comparison is not fair.
> 
> But what I want to say is this. I think using the right firmware is very important. My absolute fav firmware is Cerberus mix with1A/1Z+ with Gear of War flawed upgrade version. It has the best clarity, resolution, etc etc compared to other firmwares. It clears up Phantom thick, syrupy, haze and replace with naturalness. How should I say this ~ it sounds like a very natural EE Zeus with amazing timbre, smacking bass etc.  is it a good match? Definitely, it’s no longer warm, syrupy thick iem but become a natural timbre, clear, cutting iem but not clinical, like a perfect Zeus.I use CN region, since has best clarity, resolution of all region. In its place, the thickness of Phantom is cut down a huge portion by the choice of firmware, region, use of cables and mod. It’s kinda like doing EQ, I’m not sure if you notice, but when EQing, it’s better to cut down/ reduce frequencies, rather than add more. It’s kinda the same principle.
> 
> Phantom can be a very good match with 1Z, since technically it already have the basic foundations of good timbre, bass. So you just need to reduce haze, thickness, increase clarity and resolution by choice of firmware, cable, and region. My goal is to get the most natural sounding music, where it’s like you are there in the venue, listening to live music. It can work, Romi modded 1Z is definitely the best modded 1Z I have heard in terms of naturalness. Best bass.



There's a whole education in this post..!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Damz87 said:


> Yeah, they’re two different signatures. The M9 is more neutral in comparison to the U12t that has a bigger sub bass and upper treble boost, so the mids sit slightly further back compared to the M9. They’re both very good IEM’s, but I preferred the extra resolution and general tuning of the U12t. Also I had the M9 for about 18 months and wanted to try some other IEM’s, that’s why I sold it.
> 
> When I compared them, I used the U12t with an EA Leo II (I didn’t have the premium silver cable at the time)



I do feel it is necessary to keep one neutral sounding audio gear in your inventory, as it allows you to know the coloration of a new dap/amp/dac


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Aug 29, 2020)

SBranson said:


> There's a whole education in this post..!


I’m also not paid member or receive any benefits or anything, but if anyone is interested in getting their 1A/1Z to higher level performance, consider doing NayParm mod. I myself is considering doing this, but money is a little tight now. Price wise it’s very reasonable, Kaisei cap is official replacement for BG caps( I will say this, I have 1Z Romi mod with BG caps; it’s the best there is in terms of making the sounds natural), with all the work, extended Bluetooth performance, extended battery performance, immaculate work, shielding, replacement internal cables etc) it is very reasonable price. I don’t know how it sounds yet, I absolutely adore my Romi, but Romi has its drawback, BG caps uses so much battery that it’s life is probably 8-12 hours max. Also, there Bluetooth is disabled, SD slot not working and it’s more expensive than NayParm mod. I no longer can live without Bluetooth, need it very badly. If you consider doing the mod, go for it. I’m assuming NayParm mod performance should be close to Romi mod. It’s very reasonable price, if not downright a steal


----------



## Damz87

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I do feel it is necessary to keep one neutral sounding audio gear in your inventory, as it allows you to know the coloration of a new dap/amp/dac



Definitely  using a 64 Audio U18s for that which is super transparent for sources/daps etc


----------



## feverfive

All the album art issues are confusing me.  **Disclaimer:  I am a simple Mac user, however, LMAO**

I use XLD app to transcode everything to ALAC, and I simply embed album art images into the resultant .m4a files.  That way I always have album art/cover no matter what player or OS I'm using, :knocksonwood: at least up to this point I've had zero issues.  Never have any issues with art displaying on my ZX-507 anyway.  No dealing with a cover.jpg file in album folders; all the art is embedded.  Maybe not relevant to the non-Android Sony OS?  I'm just intrigued by all the user issues.


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 30, 2020)

feverfive said:


> All the album art issues are confusing me.  **Disclaimer:  I am a simple Mac user, however, LMAO**
> 
> I use XLD app to transcode everything to ALAC, and I simply embed album art images into the resultant .m4a files.  That way I always have album art/cover no matter what player or OS I'm using, :knocksonwood: at least up to this point I've had zero issues.  Never have any issues with art displaying on my ZX-507 anyway.  No dealing with a cover.jpg file in album folders; all the art is embedded.  Maybe not relevant to the non-Android Sony OS?  I'm just intrigued by all the user issues.



The "issues" are pretty simple, as already explained - only baseline JPEG images, or non interlaced PNG images as covers. Otherwise, the image will not be shown.

This is valid for the Walkman OS, at least (non-Android).


----------



## feverfive

LOL, I'm sorry, I don't even know what "baseline" and "progressive" jpg's are, so I probably shouldn't have even commented.  I've simply never run across any such issue with images, and I doubt I have some special album art source that others don't use.  Look, I already admitted I'm a simple Mac user!


----------



## MrWalkman (Aug 30, 2020)

feverfive said:


> LOL, I'm sorry, I don't even know what "baseline" and "progressive" jpg's are, so I probably shouldn't have even commented.  I've simply never run across any such issue with images, and I doubt I have some special album art source that others don't use.  Look, I already admitted I'm a simple Mac user!




No worries! I just posted an explanation in the previous page. Here it is:



MrWalkman said:


> JPEGs can be baseline or progressive. The difference is that a partial downloaded baseline JPEG will be shown as a cut image, while the progressive one will be shown whole, but a bit blurry, depending on how much of the image was downloaded. The Walkman OS will only display baseline JPEG files.
> 
> You can check if a JPEG is baseline or progressive, here: https://www.imgonline.com.ua/eng/progressive-or-baseline-jpeg.php
> 
> ...




Regarding saving an JPEG image as baseline JPEG on MacOS, it could be done with GIMP, as described by an user on the ZX300 thread:


jwbrent said:


> Gimp for macOS has different menus, but I was able to finally figure it out and the new artwork now shows up, great! With the export command, there is an advanced settings dialog that allows unchecking progressive.
> 
> @MrWalkman - thank you for your help!




I am not sure how many players have this kind of "issue", that they require only baseline JPEG or non interlaced PNG images, so I'm thinking that this is why you probably didn't encounter this issue.


----------



## nc8000

MrWalkman said:


> No worries! I just posted an explanation in the previous page. Here it is:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Android can display progressive, at least it could on ZX2, it is just SonyOS that has this issue


----------



## Jotaro

spanky310 said:


> I want the hand strap!!!
> 
> Do you by any chance have the part # of that strap?
> 
> Thx!!


Nope, but is the one that comes with the original zx300 case.


----------



## gerelmx1986

SBranson said:


> Wow...  thanks so much for the explanation and the link.  Does that explain why some thumbnails in posts only show a partial image when you try to expand them?
> 
> I was under the impression that png’s didn’t work at all.  Glad to have that cleared up.
> I’ll look into a Mac version of the “paint” trick you mentioned.


If you have Asobe Photoshop. Click save as... if prompted that exists click OK. In the next dialog where you select image quality.  Below are three options for saving jpeg, Baseline, Baseline optimized and Progressivs


----------



## Vitaly2017

hamhamhamsta said:


> I’m also not paid member or receive any benefits or anything, but if anyone is interested in getting their 1A/1Z to higher level performance, consider doing NayParm mod. I myself is considering doing this, but money is a little tight now. Price wise it’s very reasonable, Kaisei cap is official replacement for BG caps( I will say this, I have 1Z Romi mod with BG caps; it’s the best there is in terms of making the sounds natural), with all the work, extended Bluetooth performance, extended battery performance, immaculate work, shielding, replacement internal cables etc) it is very reasonable price. I don’t know how it sounds yet, I absolutely adore my Romi, but Romi has its drawback, BG caps uses so much battery that it’s life is probably 8-12 hours max. Also, there Bluetooth is disabled, SD slot not working and it’s more expensive than NayParm mod. I no longer can live without Bluetooth, need it very badly. If you consider doing the mod, go for it. I’m assuming NayParm mod performance should be close to Romi mod. It’s very reasonable price, if not downright a steal



I am happy to see you are enjoying the amazing 1z Romi, glad it works out very good for you 🙂

When I had them all 3 at my disposal ( 1z stock, Romi 1z and 1a stock ) i had huge trouble deciding which I keep as I do not gather collection of gear only keep the one that passes my ears approval. 

So I decided to keep the one I was grabbing the most and listened the most often. Yes I had the 3 best daps always at my finger tips range 😁 was a very spoiled Tiger! 
But believe or not wm1a has won the battle of the titans! 

Folks might be very surprised by this results but the real reason behind this is that 1a sounded the most accurate and naturaly closer to life like sound.
Romi 1z is between 1a and 1z but I have a very specific personal reason why I didnt approve it over 1a so I dont want to ruin your pleasure and fun with it by disclosing the details. 

Yes yes 1a is the most natural slightly neutralish sound with an amazing musicality that dont compromise sound details...
To me 1a is the right sounding sound tuning 1z is to warm and thick, no matter what fm or region you roll it threw.

I know not an easy statement to accept but I went over it even at high loss in $ and go for what I believe to be a better sound.




Damz87 said:


> Definitely  using a 64 Audio U18s for that which is super transparent for sources/daps etc




You have so much gear! You making some fellas a little jealous  😁😛


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am happy to see you are enjoying the amazing 1z Romi, glad it works out very good for you 🙂
> 
> When I had them all 3 at my disposal ( 1z stock, Romi 1z and 1a stock ) i had huge trouble deciding which I keep as I do not gather collection of gear only keep the one that passes my ears approval.
> 
> ...


I thought the DMP-Z1 was the best one for you


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Aug 30, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I thought the DMP-Z1 was the best one for you




I dont have it on hands so nothing I can say about dmp-z1 in regard to sound.
No experience with it other than 15min audition at canjam...




For the curious ones my current setup is wm1a,  tia fourte noir with premium silver cable, mdr-z7m2 with kimber kable. 

I plan to add ier-m9 with kimber kable and thinking highly of the zx507 😁

My dmp-z1 plans has shifted due to some issues I encountered with the seller so the dmp-z1 purchase has drowned in the ocean


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> I dont have it on hands so nothing I can say about dmp-z1 in regard to sound.
> No experience with it other than 15min audition at canjam...
> 
> 
> ...


Wait what?? The sale didn’t go through?? Dude, that sucks. I wish you the best for that regardless.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Wait what?? The sale didn’t go through?? Dude, that sucks. I wish you the best for that regardless.




Thanks,
Man crap happens I am still kinda shocked at the saler but maybe this is for the best who knows what lemon I could of gotten.

Here is what happened I ordered dmp-z1 and kimber kable for my z7m2. 
Well the cable was damaged 1 of the core strand got clipped by the plastic Y splitter and it have scraped of the teflon of the copper strand. So the metal was fully exposed! This is 100% wrong and defective out of the box.

I reached the seller and he said oh I see what kind of person you are and I am canceling the sale for dmp-z1, send me the cable back for refund and we are done!


Thats hilarious honestly to me this means he knows he selling damaged stuff at a reduced price and rather have me running him down with ebay and paypal protection he canceled the whole thing.

As I am saying it probably happened for the best.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Thanks,
> Man crap happens I am still kinda shocked at the saler but maybe this is for the best who knows what lemon I could of gotten.
> 
> Here is what happened I ordered dmp-z1 and kimber kable for my z7m2.
> ...


Will you try again in the future?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

@Vitaly2017 

Just wondering which sound signature do you prefer:

1. direct signal from source, no equalizer, no processing at all. Complete Sound purity.

2.  Light touch of dsp to have some more bass, a little more depth enhancement to the soundstage. 

3. Full on DSP processing with stronger bass and 3D sound stage effect out of your music.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Will you try again in the future?



I would love to but dmp is 11 000 canadian $ not a given at all not ready for that much of expenses . I could try financing it but still its darn expensive and probably will cost me more then my new sony 5.1 home theater speakers with a new sony tv!




Sonywalkmanuser said:


> @Vitaly2017
> 
> Just wondering which sound signature do you prefer:
> 
> ...




Hehe a secret that mr.Tiger ears keep low profile 😁😁😁

The thing is even after I play with dsp, dsee hx after some period of time I always come back to direct source.  It has the purest unaltered sound.
Usually if the gear is all set right (cables, music files, headphones or iems) there is no need for dsp enhancements tweaks.

I saw that I play with dsp when the iem or headphones are low quality or it has stock cable instead of a quality one. Or low resolution recordings

Most of the time I am 100% using the direct source.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> I would love to but dmp is 11 000 canadian $ not a given at all not ready for that much of expenses . I could try financing it but still its darn expensive and probably will cost me more then my new sony 5.1 home theater speakers with a new sony tv!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


So even what you sold isn’t enough?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> So even what you sold isn’t enough?




Need to add 4500 $ lol


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Need to add 4500 $ lol


I could have bought the used one for 551,000 yen in cash. Savings would be low, but with the Pandemic, the 1Z, TA, and 1A all satisfy plenty. So it would probably have been a really bad financial move. 🤷‍♂️


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> I could have bought the used one for 551,000 yen in cash. Savings would be low, but with the Pandemic, the 1Z, TA, and 1A all satisfy plenty. So it would probably have been a really bad financial move. 🤷‍♂️




Il stay low and content my self with my current setup and will add zx507 with m9+kimber 
I already have very amazing setup . Nothing to complain about other then I am spoiled 🤠😎


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Il stay low and content my self with my current setup and will add zx507 with m9+kimber
> I already have very amazing setup . Nothing to complain about other then I am spoiled 🤠😎


You sure? Seems like you weren’t satisfied and when for the juggernaut piece


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> You sure? Seems like you weren’t satisfied and when for the juggernaut piece




Haha
I gota calm my self down a bit. My tiger Tail gets exponentially over excited and hyping the dmp-z1 😆🤣😂


----------



## normie610

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha
> I gota calm my self down a bit. My tiger Tail gets exponentially over excited and hyping the dmp-z1 😆🤣😂



Yeah and I remember you said you prefer the sound of 1Z compared to DMP-Z1


----------



## slumberman

Selling a WM1Z mega bundle! Saving up for DMP...

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-eu-sony-wm1z-mega-bundle.941169/


----------



## Vitaly2017

normie610 said:


> Yeah and I remember you said you prefer the sound of 1Z compared to DMP-Z1




Hehe I gotta watch what I am saying I got fans who are following me very closely to the smallest details 😅😅😆


----------



## normie610

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hehe I gotta watch what I am saying I got fans who are following me very closely to the smallest details 😅😅😆



It just happens that I have a great memory


----------



## WAmadeusM

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am happy to see you are enjoying the amazing 1z Romi, glad it works out very good for you 🙂
> 
> When I had them all 3 at my disposal ( 1z stock, Romi 1z and 1a stock ) i had huge trouble deciding which I keep as I do not gather collection of gear only keep the one that passes my ears approval.
> 
> ...


Very interesting. From my review and experience with W1z as W1A - that sorts the belt and braces of the 1z SW tuning over egging the HW. It provides a holographic sound with air. Harpsichord is a great sound litmus IMO. 

But if anyone has followed my trials and tribulations I am not going to be able to keep the 1Z as the screen dimming using PWM at a low refresh rate is causing eye strain headaches for me. It an absolute sound technology heartbreaker....


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> Thanks,
> Man crap happens I am still kinda shocked at the saler but maybe this is for the best who knows what lemon I could of gotten.
> 
> Here is what happened I ordered dmp-z1 and kimber kable for my z7m2.
> ...


The kimber cable I got mine from amazon Germany... IMO Amazon's better than ebay


----------



## Quang23693

hamhamhamsta said:


> What I have is modded 1Z and Romi 1Z with BG caps. For me, most of my iems are warm such as EE phantom, SE5U, CA Andromeda and JVC FX850 just to name few. I hate cold sounding, clinical iems so that’s to that. And I listen to vocals, acoustic, jazz. My mod 1Z is a cross between regular 1A and 1Z. So maybe the comparison is not fair.
> 
> But what I want to say is this. I think using the right firmware is very important. My absolute fav firmware is Cerberus mix with1A/1Z+ with Gear of War flawed upgrade version. It has the best clarity, resolution, etc etc compared to other firmwares. It clears up Phantom thick, syrupy, haze and replace with naturalness. How should I say this ~ it sounds like a very natural EE Zeus with amazing timbre, smacking bass etc.  is it a good match? Definitely, it’s no longer warm, syrupy thick iem but become a natural timbre, clear, cutting iem but not clinical, like a perfect Zeus.I use CN region, since has best clarity, resolution of all region. In its place, the thickness of Phantom is cut down a huge portion by the choice of firmware, region, use of cables and mod. It’s kinda like doing EQ, I’m not sure if you notice, but when EQing, it’s better to cut down/ reduce frequencies, rather than add more. It’s kinda the same principle.
> 
> Phantom can be a very good match with 1Z, since technically it already have strong basic foundations of good timbre, bass. So you just need to reduce haze, thickness, increase clarity and resolution by choice of firmware, cable, and region. My goal is to get the most natural sounding music, where it’s like you are there in the venue, listening to live music. It can work, Romi modded 1Z is definitely the best modded 1Z I have heard in terms of naturalness. Best bass, extremely immersive, like hey I’m there listening to the singer live. My mods 1Z sounds it’s very wide. Compared to Romi 1Z, everything the same, same firmware, same iem, cable, same songs; Romi sounds very deep, theres very high ceiling and deep bottom, bass hits hard but sounds natural. Soundstage not as wide but everything else is just a couple step higher,  very musical and dynamics with emotive vocals. I’m really curious how Romi sounds compared to NayParm modded Kaisei cap version, since Kaisei is basically caps that replace BG caps. It would be amazing to compare the 2 dap together


Well , i totally agree with you. I'm using 1A Kmod ultimate + cerberus. It's more neutral, high resolution and very wide. I also have same impression with 1Z Romi. After burning it become a monter with bass and treb extend but it's still natural. I have tested it with cerberus but maybe dmp-original fw from mr whitigr is best choice with my taste.


----------



## Quang23693

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am happy to see you are enjoying the amazing 1z Romi, glad it works out very good for you 🙂
> 
> When I had them all 3 at my disposal ( 1z stock, Romi 1z and 1a stock ) i had huge trouble deciding which I keep as I do not gather collection of gear only keep the one that passes my ears approval.
> 
> ...


Well, Maybe you have a same taste with me. I feel 1Z has more details, better treble, better separate,... but with me 1A is still more natural, more balance and musical. 1Z has more a bit of highmid with my taste. Both of them is ToTL dap but i still prefer 1A. Very happy because you have same impression. Enjoy.


----------



## proedros

Vitaly2017 said:


> For the curious ones my current setup is wm1a,  tia fourte noir with premium silver cable, mdr-z7m2 with kimber kable.
> 
> I plan to add ier-m9 with kimber kable and thinking highly of the zx507 😁



buy EE Odin


----------



## Vitaly2017

proedros said:


> buy EE Odin



I am a sony fan boy 😁😄 need to stay with my sony friends  🙃🙂


----------



## ttt123

Vitaly2017 said:


> Haha
> I gota calm my self down a bit. My tiger Tail gets exponentially over excited and hyping the dmp-z1 😆🤣😂


Just picturing a dmp-z1 tied to the tiger tail......


----------



## Kad998

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am a sony fan boy 😁😄 need to stay with my sony friends  🙃🙂



Lol absolutely agree.... but those Odins are starting to play game with my head 😩 ... Would it be cheating with the Z1Rs or would I be getting them a partner? 🤔


----------



## Vitaly2017

Kad998 said:


> Lol absolutely agree.... but those Odins are starting to play game with my head 😩 ... Would it be cheating with the Z1Rs or would I be getting them a partner? 🤔




Get kimber kable and see how that plays out how can odin win over z1r 🙃😝 you tell me?

Marketing is drilling you a new hole for spendings 🤑


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Kad998 said:


> Lol absolutely agree.... but those Odins are starting to play game with my head 😩 ... Would it be cheating with the Z1Rs or would I be getting them a partner? 🤔


Follow your heart... forget your wallet hahaha 😂


----------



## Mystic Traveller

BTW, please remind me what the "official" name  for WM1 ports' rubber protective caps
on Ebay, etc.?


----------



## Lookout57

Mystic Traveller said:


> BTW, please remind me what the "official" name  for WM1 ports' rubber protective caps
> on Ebay, etc.?


Dust Caps, https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Magic-NW-WM1A-NW-WM1Z-ZX300A/dp/B07ZJ1PGJV/


----------



## ttt123

Mystic Traveller said:


> BTW, please remind me what the "official" name  for WM1 ports' rubber protective caps
> on Ebay, etc.?


I just ordered a set, so have the info handy:

*Black Magic Mini Dust Plug for Sony NW-WM1A WM1A NW-WM1Z WM1Z ZX300 ZX300A 3.5MM 4.4MM Jack (Black)*
Brand: IYEWONG

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Magic-...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JHYXVJ79MFDBWNB9NX12


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am a sony fan boy 😁😄 need to stay with my sony friends  🙃🙂



Time to become the Tiger Clan Master of Sony fan boy club by owning every Sony audiophile walkman:

WM1A
WM1Z
ZX1
ZX2
ZX300
ZX507


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Lookout57, ttt123 - thanks, guys! 
Ordered, will give'em a try.


----------



## Whitigir

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Time to become the Tiger Clan Master of Sony fan boy club by owning every Sony audiophile walkman:
> 
> WM1A
> WM1Z
> ...


DMP Z1 is actually the largest Walkman to date !


----------



## Hinomotocho (Aug 30, 2020)

@Mystic Traveller I assume you have a screen protector already, I got a free set of dust caps with a glass screen protector from AliExpress which works out cheaper than the cap only Amazon price.

My BIG purchase from a Sony shop in Japan was a set of dust caps for my ZX300. Surrounded by thousands of dollars worth of their high end gear and I spent a couple of bucks.


----------



## MrWalkman

Not sure if Sony created the DMP-Z1 as a Walkman.

For example, the boot logo shows only the Sony logo, compared to other devices like A30/A40/A50/WM1 which are showing the Walkman logo.

Also, all the other devices are using the NW (Network Walkman) nomenclature, while this one is using the DMP (Digital Media Player) one.



DMP-Z1 boot logoA30/A40/A50/WM1 boot logo


----------



## terminaut

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Time to become the Tiger Clan Master of Sony fan boy club by owning every Sony audiophile walkman:
> 
> WM1A
> WM1Z
> ...



This little guy says "hey don't forget about me!". This unit started my Walkman DAP journey, and still works great.


----------



## Hinomotocho

terminaut said:


> This little guy says "hey don't forget about me!". This unit started my Walkman DAP journey, and still works great.


I had the NW-HD20 with a little hard disk in it. 
I disliked the Sonic stage software


----------



## terminaut

Hinomotocho said:


> I had the NW-HD20 with a little hard disk in it.
> I disliked the Sonic stage software



Haha yeah the software does stink. It's Sony's early take on iTunes (which I also dislike).


----------



## Hinomotocho (Aug 30, 2020)

terminaut said:


> Haha yeah the software does stink. It's Sony's early take on iTunes (which I also dislike).


I was thrilled when they finally had drag and drop.
How does it sound comparing to later daps? I came from a high end minidisc player and even ripping with the highest atrac settings was disappointed. I later got an A808 with bundled EX85 earphones that sat deeper and sealed in your ears instead of the usual earbuds and my listening pleasure began - SUB BASS!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I tried to compare two microsd cards

Adata Premier Pro 128GB
Lexar 633x 512GB

Both formatted internally by ZX507 android os.

The Lexar is very noticeably flatter sounding, it sounded quite hazy with little to no bass.

The Adata has a sweeter sounding midrange and also there is better bass feeling.

I am not sure why the same file sounded differently, but I guess there’s much more going on inside these microsd cards that affects the Walkman playback.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 30, 2020)

I think I have devised a good method to evaluate the sound quality of your microsd card. All you have to do is:

Store a particularly well recorded high resolution track in your walkman's internal storage. Remove any microsd card from your walkman temporarily. Listen to that track. This will represent the reference sound quality that your Walkman is capable of.(internal storage with no power draw or interferences from microsd card).

Now place that same track on to the microsd card. Listen to the same track being played on the microsd card. Compare and see if you can notice any degradation to the sound quality. How close does the microsd track sound to the Walkman internal storage will represent the sound quality performance of the microsd card.


----------



## terminaut

Hinomotocho said:


> I was thrilled when they finally had drag and drop.
> How does it sound comparing to later daps? I came from a high end minidisc player and even ripping with the highest atrac settings was disappointed. I later got an A808 with bundled EX85 earphones that sat deeper and sealed in your ears instead of the usual earbuds and my listening pleasure began - SUB BASS!



My music is all @ 320kbps on there and it sounds better than one would expect but a little bright tonally with just average instrument separation aside from cymbals which seem to really stand out (all without using any of the built in effects).


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Aug 30, 2020)

This is my suspicion, but I think Romi mod 1A/1Z  should do very well with bright iem like IER-Z1R. This combination should sound spectacular.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 31, 2020)

@Vitaly2017

Have you decided on the ZX507 revisit?

I have been spending alot of time doing sound comparsion between:

No signal processing (safe mode, direct source mode on)

Very light signal processing (hi-res streaming off,  direct source on)

Light signal processing (hi-res stream off, direct source off, DSP off)

Medium signal processing (hi-res stream off, DSEE HX AI on)

Heavy signal processing (hi-res stream On, Direct source off, dsp off)

Heaviest signal processing (hi-res streaming on, DSEE HX AI on)

I have done this comparsions using both my IER-M9 and 1AM2 all on balanced. Using a variety of music from DSD, Flac to AAC files.

In the end, I felt that the Heaviest Signal Processing won me over.

It is consistently more enjoyable across a variety of music. No signal processing places the importance on the recording quality of the source material to sound great. Heaviest signal processing is more forgiving and will sound great even with poorly mastered tracks.

Heaviest Signal Processing can flash out tiny details that you will otherwise miss in complex music passages as it presents the music in a 3D-like fashion which allows you to notice the background details that you will likely to miss in other processing modes.


----------



## XP_98

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> @Vitaly2017
> 
> Have you decided on the ZX507 revisit?
> 
> ...


Maybe I missed something, but how does "hi res streaming on" affect the processing ? Didn't you do your testing from a file on internal memory or SD card, without any streaming ?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

XP_98 said:


> Maybe I missed something, but how does "hi res streaming on" affect the processing ? Didn't you do your testing from a file on internal memory or SD card, without any streaming ?



In the latest firmware 2.02.01 of the ZX507 just released on August 2020, Sony has quietly done some changes to the way the firmware sounded.

When you use Hi-res streaming mode ON, it adds a very 3D-like audio processing effect to the sound, this effect is system wide(streaming or offline playback). The effect is very noticable and more enchanced with DSEE HX AI On.

When you use Hi-res streaming Off, it switches back to a more normal stereo processing effect. Also System wide effect.

I have done my test mostly with sdcard playback but I have also tested with internal memory. Internal memory files has slightly better 3D effect but not by alot. This 3D effect also works for YouTube videos.


----------



## XP_98

Ok, now I understand, thanks for explaining (again) 
I will get my zx507 this Friday, so I can play with the settings myself...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Perhaps @Sonywalkmanuser  or @MrWalkman @nanaholic  this is one of the things that has intrigued me for years since owning my first sony MP3 walkman back in 2005.

Why are they called Network walkman (NW)? At first didn't make much sense to me as they didn't connect to internet or Bluetooth. Nowadays with the advent of android ones makes some sense


----------



## nanaholic (Aug 31, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Perhaps @Sonywalkmanuser  or @MrWalkman @nanaholic  this is one of the things that has intrigued me for years since owning my first sony MP3 walkman back in 2005.
> 
> Why are they called Network walkman (NW)? At first didn't make much sense to me as they didn't connect to internet or Bluetooth. Nowadays with the advent of android ones makes some sense



Because when you transfer music from a computer to a flash memory based player with its own OS and not just a dumb storage device, it is in the most computer technical sense a network (it's a LAN - a local area network, and a LAN don't have to be wireless nor going to the internet to count) as you are connecting multiple "computing devices" together via a cable. This is why when the first flash memory based Walkman which uses a computer program to load/manage music into it, it is thus in a network/network capable and thus named as Network Walkman.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 31, 2020)

XP_98 said:


> Ok, now I understand, thanks for explaining (again)
> I will get my zx507 this Friday, so I can play with the settings myself...



As usual, zx507 required 200hours per jack for burn-in. So do take this into consideration when evaluating the settings.

You should consider applying the tweaks in my signature. There's a ton of useful information in the ZX507 thread as well.

I don't want to sound like I am exaggerating things, but I do believe that the sound with Hi-res streaming On with DSEE HX AI On is a completely new kind of musical experience on headphones. It is really worth checking out. There's alot more musicial elements floating about in the 3D soundstage than what I have heard previously on the older firmware. Although this effect is highly dependent on source material, some songs exhibits really amazing surround but others don't show much.

If you listen to Nobuo Uematsu's Final Fantasy music, you will no doubt be amazed by what this new Sony sound processing can do. Recommended track to experience the effect:
The Sight of Spira - Final Fantasy X Original Sound Track


----------



## Gamerlingual (Aug 31, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> As usual, zx507 required 200hours per jack for burn-in. So do take this into consideration when evaluating the settings.
> 
> You should consider applying the tweaks in my signature. There's a ton of useful information in the ZX507 thread as well.
> 
> ...


I recommend this wonderful one as well:  Final Fantasy Orchestral Album Battle Medley 1 through 14


----------



## Blueoris

@MrWalkman Would creating a mod to only add DSEE HX AI on top of each nw-wm1 stock firmware's be appealing to you? 

That will be a 100% original Sony sound that doesn't - and maybe never would otherwise exist for the wm1 series.

In my humble opinion that would be de-facto firmware.


----------



## Lookout57

Blueoris said:


> @MrWalkman Would creating a mod to only add DSEE HX AI on top of each nw-wm1 stock firmware's be appealing to you?
> 
> That will be a 100% original Sony sound that doesn't - and maybe never would otherwise exist for the wm1 series.
> 
> In my humble opinion that would be de-facto firmware.


That's what CHAMELEON does.  



> 2. CHAMELEON
> Stock sound, with the possibility to switch the model between 1A and 1Z.
> 
> Features:
> ...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 31, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I would love to but dmp is 11 000 canadian $ not a given at all not ready for that much of expenses . I could try financing it but still its darn expensive and probably will cost me more then my new sony 5.1 home theater speakers with a new sony tv!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



So true direct is the way. Though I do use about 3 clicks on the bass tone wheel, with one IEM.


----------



## Donmonte

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> As usual, zx507 required 200hours per jack for burn-in. So do take this into consideration when evaluating the settings.
> 
> You should consider applying the tweaks in my signature. There's a ton of useful information in the ZX507 thread as well.
> 
> ...


The way you are describing it, it sounds exactly like the 1Z+ Mod from @MrWalkman on the 1A at least. The holographic sound is definitely what separates the + from the non + variant.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> @Vitaly2017
> 
> Have you decided on the ZX507 revisit?
> 
> ...






I decided to buy one , but I got a problem. I am worried sony does alter the sound like it does for the wm1 players and I want the american version with U code, as if I buy one in canada or Japan import it will be either J or CA and I want U. I dont know if sony still practices this regions sound tunings but I am more then sure they are. So I am in search on how to get the american version right now.


I been reading all your posts on the zx507 thread and it sounds very interesting, I love the new finds you made and I am super interested in the features like setting the dap into safe mode and only use the sony music app as I dont stream anymore and redo the test see if I will experience any artifacts in sound as I did encounter in the first days of the dap with older firmware's!

The zx507 is more and more a very appealing little beauty I have to admit ! I know for a fact I loved the sound of the zx507 only the sound stage was my problem, and now you guys claim its fixed maybe it will be my new baby dap hah  
I wish I could work out my dmp-z1 deal but life is life and if this the way it all turned out then be it that way, I will follow the wise rule of the wise old ones. What ever happens its for the best!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Aug 31, 2020)




----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


>


Did they arrive?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Did they arrive?


Those, no next week. Lol.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Aug 31, 2020)

There is some physical difference between the Japanese ZX507 units and the rest of the world. Japanese units don't have a backplate with the UL/CE certification silk printed on it.

You can force flash other region firmware by placing the firmware update file in the root directory of the internal storage. The only rule is you cannot downgrade firmware versions. Not sure if there is any sound difference in regions as I never done any region rolling myself.

The only thing you must avoid is the EU version which currently has no way to remove the EU volume cap.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> There is some physical difference between the Japanese ZX507 units and the rest of the world. Japanese units don't have a backplate with the UL/CE certification silk printed on it.
> 
> You can force flash other region firmware by placing the firmware update file in the root directory of the internal storage. The only rule is you cannot downgrade firmware versions. Not sure if there is any sound difference in regions as I never done any region rolling myself.
> 
> The only thing you must avoid is the EU version which currently has no way to remove the EU volume cap.




Are you saying I can region roll the zx-507?  can you tell me how. if thats the case I could buy it of amazon canada and try to roll it to U


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

There seem to be a number coding for region. I guess you have to ask in the ZX507 thread on which is the U region:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new-sony-nw-zx500.914486/post-15828952


----------



## NickleCo

So out of curiousity I decided to buy a cheap portable amplifier (jazz r7.0) did not expect too much of it considering it only cost me $30. But when I tried it (I only had the oriolus finschi with spinfits and btg audio starlight and the wf1000xm3 with me) well... For the first time in years I unconsciously said wow at how much the finschi improved. It wasn't boxy anymore, no more warm tinge in the upper mids (it was bordering bright) overall it changed from warm to neutral bright (some sibilance on not well recorded aka pop songs could be heard). Decided to load up one of my favorite albums, Live at Eddie's Attic by The Civil Wars. My eyes widened took a deep breath and said wow! It sounded like speakers (I am not a new kid in the realms of iems and amps as Ive tried a couple of pricey portable amps but was never impressed, maybe due to prior  to my current line up ive only had all ba iems) decided to load the next song and there i sat in my chair bobbing my head in complete awe as i experienced this otherworldly experience I was literally transported to the pub that these guys were performing! Heart racing breathing fastened as I impatiently wait for the next word to be uttered by the 2 singers. I took a breather for a minute or two as I was getting really hyped (in all my years in this hobby this is the first time this has happened, even demoing the likes of the utopia) gathered a bit of my thoughts and this is what i can describe the feeling as; Ill skip the usual talk about being transported to the place and instead focus on the vocal performance, it had a metal overtone (a good thing with this song since it was a live performance), it was smooth, energetic, very much open, and the most astonishing part, it was as if i could smell a faint bit of metal (similar to how the metal mesh on a microphone would smell). It was absolutely aural bliss.

Sadly it wasnt like this for every song afterwards as it would get too bright on some.

I am not selling you guys anything but instead, I would just like to share this experience of mine considering it did this much for an entry level iem I am very much excited to try this with my other iem and my hp.

Wm1a > loaded with > 1z1a/z+ > J region


----------



## Jotaro (Aug 31, 2020)

IRiver S10 Vs. Wm1a (1a++, J)?


----------



## JerryHead (Aug 31, 2020)

..


----------



## Amber Rain

JerryHead said:


> Hi all, I'm back, as I just reordered the 1A.  I had ordered the 1A earlier in the year, and ended up returning it within its return period because I had also bought the TA and felt that they were redundant.  Well, I always missed the 1A, and as I needed  second amp/dac for my bedroom, I ordered the iBasso DX220 Max (approxim same power as the TA) but canceled this order when I got cold feet about spending $1900 on a DAP that I had never heard.  Also, I realized that the sound I had gotten from the 1A was not completely what I'd expected mostly because of the iems I had been using which were the Shure SE846.  There's either an issue with the power output or the impedance with the 846/1A match, and I decided that there are many other much betters choices of iems to use with the 1A.  I've since bought two other pairs of iems, both of which are known to be better with the 1A.  This time around I'd like to mod my firmware to make it sound as much like the 1Z as possible.  Can someone send me step-by-step instructions?  I only have a Mac but am considering how I might be able to get my hands on a PC to make the change..



What was wrong with the pairing of the 1A and the se846? Did you use the balanced port?


----------



## JerryHead (Aug 31, 2020)

..


----------



## gerelmx1986

I spoke with Johnny of accessory Jack. He will source me a MMCX assist thingy (final audio's magic plastic thing that removes MMCX cables in a snap). Aside asked why no DMP-Z1 anymore. He told me they pulled it out of their listing as it is damn expensive... and lastly XBA-Z5  he cannot source as it is discontinued.


----------



## SBranson

How is the nwwm1 case vs the Dignis case?  I have the Dignis but I like the idea of a hard cover for the screen over the glass screen protector I’m using now.
Does the “clip” for the flip cover wear out?  Is the flip cover awkward while browsing?  The WM1Z is so heavy I hate the thought of accidentally dropping it face down without a cover.  Not likely but the first time could be the last.


----------



## slumberman

SBranson said:


> How is the nwwm1 case vs the Dignis case?  I have the Dignis but I like the idea of a hard cover for the screen over the glass screen protector I’m using now.
> Does the “clip” for the flip cover wear out?  Is the flip cover awkward while browsing?  The WM1Z is so heavy I hate the thought of accidentally dropping it face down without a cover.  Not likely but the first time could be the last.



The Sony case is a bummer, in my opinion. 
first of all it takes up SO much space when you open it, and second you have to Keep it open to charge the WM. Lastly, it doesn’t cover the sides, buttons or top connectors are at all.

pass!!!


----------



## SBranson (Aug 31, 2020)

slumberman said:


> The Sony case is a bummer, in my opinion.
> first of all it takes up SO much space when you open it, and second you have to Keep it open to charge the WM. Lastly, it doesn’t cover the sides, buttons or top connectors are at all.
> 
> pass!!!



Thanks!  Will do...
The charging thing sure seems like an oversight. That alone is the killer


----------



## Damz87 (Aug 31, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I spoke with Johnny of accessory Jack. He will source me a MMCX assist thingy (final audio's magic plastic thing that removes MMCX cables in a snap). Aside asked why no DMP-Z1 anymore. He told me they pulled it out of their listing as it is damn expensive... and lastly XBA-Z5  he cannot source as it is discontinued.


You can buy the Final  tool here for $10

https://www.mtmtaudio.com/collectio...o-mmcx-assist-for-in-ear-monitor-iem-earphone

However these might not work with the current Sony IEM’s recessed sockets.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Very informative video. Worth a watch


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 1, 2020)

Short demo with no talking. 




DJs have always had to try and manually separate elements for remixes though now due to AI they are finally able to remove and isolate various parts like drums and vocals on the fly.


This must mean the new generation of DAPs with complex AI will allow us to isolate and listen to fragments of songs. Like the vocals.......... simply listen to the entire vocal track. Want to learn the bass, isolate and concentrate on how the bass track was played. Want to bring the drums up in the mix, simply push the drum volume up.

Sadly this also showcases the reality of the digital file being believed and trusted. The bass player leaves a band. There is nothing stopping that person from making a digital counterfeit copy with a different mix and labeling it on line as a producer mix original.

As AI progresses Deep Fakes in the audio industry will threaten our concept of digital files representing reality.


----------



## SBranson

Another question for all you smart people.  A friend of mine has a Lotoo Paw S1 and I wanted to try it, among other external dac/amps just for the sake of "reviewing" or trying out new gear but someone in this post https://www.head-fi.org/threads/campfire-solaris.891180/post-15766314 tried hooking it up to the WM1Z but to no avail.  It seemed like they were communicating but there was no sound and, to quote:
"Just tried the S1 with WM1Z and I couldn’t get it to output any sound. The WM1Z is transporting to the S1 and the s1 is recognising the signal (says it’s playing 44.1/16bit) but there’s no audio. Then when I try to change song on the WM1Z, the walkman freezes and I have to unplug the adaptor to get it to unfreeze, and then it shows an error message “cannot play audio”

I wondered if anyone would know why and if it's a simple remedy or is there something inherent such that it's not going to work..  I was thinking of getting one of those WMC-NWH10 USB Conversion Cables but don't want to bother if it's not going to work..

Thanks again.


----------



## Damz87

SBranson said:


> Another question for all you smart people.  A friend of mine has a Lotoo Paw S1 and I wanted to try it, among other external dac/amps just for the sake of "reviewing" or trying out new gear but someone in this post https://www.head-fi.org/threads/campfire-solaris.891180/post-15766314 tried hooking it up to the WM1Z but to no avail.  It seemed like they were communicating but there was no sound and, to quote:
> "Just tried the S1 with WM1Z and I couldn’t get it to output any sound. The WM1Z is transporting to the S1 and the s1 is recognising the signal (says it’s playing 44.1/16bit) but there’s no audio. Then when I try to change song on the WM1Z, the walkman freezes and I have to unplug the adaptor to get it to unfreeze, and then it shows an error message “cannot play audio”
> 
> I wondered if anyone would know why and if it's a simple remedy or is there something inherent such that it's not going to work..  I was thinking of getting one of those WMC-NWH10 USB Conversion Cables but don't want to bother if it's not going to work..
> ...



That was my post  I was using the WMC-NWH10 and it wasn’t working. Still can’t get it to work unfortunately


----------



## Redcarmoose

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/sbranson.345753/

I did the same thing with the FiiO Alpen 2 E-17K. I could get the E-17K to recognize the Walkman and it played the 24bit songs but only in a staggering and start and stopping way? Not all digital stuff works together. I could not get the 1Z to act as a digital transport to the DACMagic 2 either.


----------



## SBranson

Damz87 said:


> That was my post  I was using the WMC-NWH10 and it wasn’t working. Still can’t get it to work unfortunately



I remember.., it just occurred to me though to open up the question to some of the other Sony people.  Hopefully I wasn’t taken as being disparaging as that wasn’t my intention.


----------



## bflat

SBranson said:


> Another question for all you smart people.  A friend of mine has a Lotoo Paw S1 and I wanted to try it, among other external dac/amps just for the sake of "reviewing" or trying out new gear but someone in this post https://www.head-fi.org/threads/campfire-solaris.891180/post-15766314 tried hooking it up to the WM1Z but to no avail.  It seemed like they were communicating but there was no sound and, to quote:
> "Just tried the S1 with WM1Z and I couldn’t get it to output any sound. The WM1Z is transporting to the S1 and the s1 is recognising the signal (says it’s playing 44.1/16bit) but there’s no audio. Then when I try to change song on the WM1Z, the walkman freezes and I have to unplug the adaptor to get it to unfreeze, and then it shows an error message “cannot play audio”
> 
> I wondered if anyone would know why and if it's a simple remedy or is there something inherent such that it's not going to work..  I was thinking of getting one of those WMC-NWH10 USB Conversion Cables but don't want to bother if it's not going to work..
> ...



It does not work because DAP side WM Port cannot provide power for S1. Only way would be to get a OTG hub and plug in an external battery or power source.


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 1, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/sbranson.345753/
> 
> I did the same thing with the FiiO Alpen 2 E-17K. I could get the E-17K to recognize the Walkman and it played the 24bit songs but only in a staggering and start and stopping way? Not all digital stuff works together. I could not get the 1Z to act as a digital transport to the DACMagic 2 either.



If they would make the Walkman itself handle this (with an OTG-like cable) instead of that adapter, I'm sure it could work better.

Basically, the adapter is like a middle-man. The Walkman communicates with the adapter, and then the adapter has the OTG function, not the Walkman itself.



bflat said:


> It does not work because DAP side WM Port cannot provide power for S1. Only way would be to get a OTG hub and plug in an external battery or power source.



Interesting, thanks.


----------



## Damz87

SBranson said:


> I remember.., it just occurred to me though to open up the question to some of the other Sony people.  Hopefully I wasn’t taken as being disparaging as that wasn’t my intention.



Oh nah lol definitely didn’t take it that way  would be great if someone here knows how to get it to work


----------



## Damz87

MrWalkman said:


> If they would make the Walkman itself handle this (with an OTG-like cable) instead of that adapter, I'm sure it could work better.
> 
> Basically, the adapter is like a middle-man. The Walkman communicates with the adapter, and then the adapter has the OTG function, not the Walkman itself.



Okay I’ll try it without the adaptor and report back  @SBranson


----------



## MrWalkman

Damz87 said:


> Okay I’ll try it without the adaptor and report back  @SBranson



I'm not sure the Walkman OS has OTG support. Even if it has, then the player app most likely doesn't know how to handle OTG.

Regarding an USB hub, one like this may work.






Because the hub has it's own power supply, it won't draw current from the device you plug it in.


----------



## aceedburn

I


Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/sbranson.345753/
> 
> I did the same thing with the FiiO Alpen 2 E-17K. I could get the E-17K to recognize the Walkman and it played the 24bit songs but only in a staggering and start and stopping way? Not all digital stuff works together. I could not get the 1Z to act as a digital transport to the DACMagic 2 either.


Maybe it’s because the internal DAC is so damn good and Sony disabled the use of all other external DACs. LOL.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 1, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> This must mean the new generation of DAPs with complex AI will allow us to isolate and listen to fragments of songs. Like the vocals.......... simply listen to the entire vocal track. Want to learn the bass, isolate and concentrate on how the bass track was played. Want to bring the drums up in the mix, simply push the drum volume up.



I am guessing Sony is already applying this AI isolation technology to the ZX507 audio processing in the latest firmware's hi-res streaming mode.

What I notice is:

There's much more defined spacing between vocals, drums, guitar, backup singer and audience. They seem to be isolated and spreaded out and about in wide 3D soundstage.

Sometimes you hear audience clapping coming from the far rear right side of your head.

You can sometimes hear acoustical echos/reverberations coming from the drums or pianos that let you sense the size of the recording environment.

With the isolation of the instruments, vocals, audience in their own positioning, it is very easy for your brain to pick out what you want to focus on.

Even though there is so much isolation going on, the music still feels harmoniously in sync as a whole with no strange sounding digital processing artifacts or phase errors of sorts.

This effect is more noticable in well recorded music or live concert recordings.


----------



## SBranson

MrWalkman said:


> I'm not sure the Walkman OS has OTG support. Even if it has, then the player app most likely doesn't know how to handle OTG.
> 
> Regarding an USB hub, one like this may work.
> 
> ...



This is getting to be a long chain of cables and devices between the WM1z and the S1..  I'm guessing it's not worth the effort at this point.  



aceedburn said:


> Maybe it’s because the internal DAC is so damn good and Sony disabled the use of all other external DACs. LOL.



No real argument from me..  I'm still consistently amazed at how good the WM1Z sounds.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Damz87 said:


> Oh nah lol definitely didn’t take it that way  would be great if someone here knows how to get it to work




The dongle needs multiple inserts into the walkman and it works then. It is not so straight it want you disconnect and reconnect a few times lol

For me the dongle works but I never use it


----------



## MrWalkman

SBranson said:


> This is getting to be a long chain of cables and devices between the WM1z and the S1.. I'm guessing it's not worth the effort at this point.



I think using the single ended output as line out and plugging the other end in an amp would be a better idea, especially if you're after the 1Z sound, and you're not looking to only play your library through another device.


----------



## Damz87

Vitaly2017 said:


> The dongle needs multiple inserts into the walkman and it works then. It is not so straight it want you disconnect and reconnect a few times lol
> 
> For me the dongle works but I never use it



Is that with an S1 too? I did try that, as I’ve had that issue in the past with other stuff. But with the S1, it didn’t work at all after many attempts


----------



## bflat

Per WM Port spec:

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyWMPort

The only voltage out is unregulated battery voltage which is not 5V.


----------



## MrWalkman

bflat said:


> Per WM Port spec:
> 
> https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SonyWMPort
> 
> The only voltage out is unregulated battery voltage which is not 5V.



Yes, but in the case of the adapter, it's not a simple WM-Port to USB adapter. The adapter actually has circuitry, and acts like a middle-man.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 1, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I am guessing Sony is already applying this AI isolation technology to the ZX507 audio processing in the latest firmware's hi-res streaming mode.
> 
> What I notice is:
> 
> ...





Vitaly2017 said:


> The dongle needs multiple inserts into the walkman and it works then. It is not so straight it want you disconnect and reconnect a few times lol
> 
> For me the dongle works but I never use it



Before MrWalkmans firmware this never worked but now it does. Placebo in full effect but this may be the best the 1A has ever sounded. The 1Z is the transport with confirmation on the 1A of PCM 44.1 kHz if your playing 44.1 but it shows PCM 48 kHz if that is the the file on the 1Z. No controls work to the 1A from the 1Z or vice versa.

Turned on the 1A in DAC mode then after plugging in cable turned 1Z on and pushed play.

I did this with "J" region and 1A/1z+ on the 1A switched to 1Z model and "J" region on the 1Z with 1Z model and MrWalkmans 1A/1Z+. Will report back with more grounded subjective listening tests.

I will not report firmware versions at this point due to instructions. As always try this at your own risk.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Redcarmoose said:


> Before MrWalkmans firmware this never worked but now it does. Placebo in full effect but this may be the best the 1A has ever sounded. The 1Z is the transport with confirmation on the 1A of pure PCM 44.1 kHz if your playing 44.1 but it shows pure PCM 48 kHz if that is the the file on the 1Z. No controls work to the 1A from the 1Z or vice versa.
> 
> Turned on the 1A in DAC mode then after plugging in cable turned 1Z on and pushed play.
> 
> ...



So we progressed from Dual DAC architecture to Dual DAP architecture!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 1, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> So we progressed from Dual DAC architecture to Dual DAP architecture!



.......................................well the only sure improvement is greater library access. Still as a possible exercise in futility............it's allowing the 1A to not do file transportation. The thing is it used to not work. I'm actually not sure I tried it with Sony 3.02? But I tried it when the DAC firmware was released and posted my set-up and failure here in this thread.

It will only work if you have the 1A already in DAC mode. Meaning you can unplug the cable but the 1A will not recognize the signal unless you unplug then turn on the DAC mode and replug in the cable from the 1Z.

Also for what it's worth I could not get the 1A to be a transport to the 1Z.

vvvvvvvvvvAlso, though don't know if needed?vvvvvvvvv


----------



## bflat

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, but in the case of the adapter, it's not a simple WM-Port to USB adapter. The adapter actually has circuitry, and acts like a middle-man.



But @Damz87 tried it with the S1 and could not get it to work. Most likely due to not having the right power requirement.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 1, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Maybe it’s because the internal DAC is so damn good and Sony disabled the use of all other external DACs. LOL.



Yes, there is no real reason to try to run the Walkmans as file transports to the Alpen 2 E-17K.............though there is a select cause  to fully find out what the best sound potential is? That would be if you believe the Walkmans have a “less noise” USB signal (which I believe). There is also a set of  FiiO drivers for Windows which allow even select DSD files to be played on it. I actually believe I can hear improvement using 24bit files with it. I purchased the E-17 as a DAC for my IPod except it’s actually difficult to find mini-USB to Lighting cables, so I gave up. Penon has them but I’m not spending $30 to get the E-17K to work in one application.

Though I have to say the Alpen 2 E-17K is way better than the on-board DACs on laptops.


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 1, 2020)

Following the baseline vs progressive discussion, I realized that the website for checking if a JPEG is baseline or progressive also provides the ability to convert a JPEG to baseline.

This could be useful especially for MacOS users for example, that do not want to install GIMP just for this.

https://www.imgonline.com.ua/eng/convert.php


----------



## newworld666 (Sep 1, 2020)

I am still very impressed by the sound quality issued from the WM1A with MrWalkman cooked Firmware 3.02
I found the best sound for my taste when I use it :
-> as WM1Z (As I didn't get any noticeable improvement by switching between WM1A <->WM1Z mode)
-> with DSEE-AI and Type B LOW activated
-> setting low gain for balanced output
-> and (optionally) an Oriolus BA300s for an extra power to compensate a bit the low gain setting for DSD with -3DB setting (the Xduoo XD05Plus amp is much bigger/heavier and doesn't improve anything unless I use a Heddphone which is really power hungry with 87Db sensitivity at 42 Ohms).

I use for my comparison an Ultrasone Ed15 veritas which is a kind of TOTL closed headphone for travel (but need some EQ to correct some bumb in low frequency and a hole around 4 Khz)
I Compare this setting to a Fiio M11, a SMSL M500 + Monolyth THX887, and the WM1A, even with a limited 10 bands graphic equalizer, gives some impressive rich sound (all DACs are settle with same the GEQ via Neutron)..

I doubt that a Lotoo S1 with 120mw could give such type results even if we could connect it to a WM1A through the WMport. I have a Cobalt USB Dac which is really far to reach the WM1A result when connected to my Iphone Xsmax or Notebook (both equalized with Neutron IOS or Windows).

I am waiting for a Centrance M8 V2 with hoping an improvement when connected to the Fiio M11 (because I need the 2 SD cards readers which are lacking with Sony) and reach the WM1A sound results.
Since the MrWalkman cooked firmware is out, I doubt that a portable system can reach these ultra-low frequencies compatible such clear impacts while keeping a good stage with nice hassles upper frequencies).
Actually, I have even no real mind to give a try to an ibasso DX220Max or the Hiby R8 as I feel it's a 2000€ ticket with no guarantee It will improve or even reach the WM1A + MrWalkman cooked firmware + Oriolus BA300s amp results.


----------



## auronthas

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> If you listen to Nobuo Uematsu's Final Fantasy music, you will no doubt be amazed by what this new Sony sound processing can do. Recommended track to experience the effect:
> The Sight of Spira - Final Fantasy X Original Sound Track


FF fans here and love "Beethoven of Gaming music" music composition.  

I would recommend high definition music from bandcamp ... Distant World's FF collection and compilation albums 

https://store.ffdistantworlds.com/album/distant-worlds-ii-more-music-from-final-fantasy


----------



## auronthas

Listen to HE4XX from head-amp A90,1Z to D90 via USB DAC mode.


Sometimes I find my lovely 1A with stocked 3.02 J region sound perfectly to suit my mood. "Love is a Wild Thing" . Have a pleasant listening day !


----------



## auronthas (Sep 1, 2020)

Damz87 said:


> That was my post  I was using the WMC-NWH10 and it wasn’t working. Still can’t get it to work unfortunately


Could be Sony WMC-NWH10 cable is not USB OTG, try to extend USB OTG adaptor i.e. USB A male to USB C then to S1, hope it will work .

I have S1, 1Z, and WMC-NWH10 cable lol

edit: Joke aside, 1Z and 1A sound way above S1.

I only use S1 on my cellphone S10plus, initially I have problem, further exploring, i need to enable USB audio output under "Developer Option" to make S10 plus output signal to S1.


----------



## lalala6

Hi everyone, new WM1A owner here. Been using it for a few weeks and enjoying the sound with my Andromeda.

A quick question though. My 1A produces a "crackling" sound heard through my earphones WHILE I'm plugging the earphones into the 3.5mm jack. After plugging it in fully it is silent except for the background hiss. Is the "crackling" sound supposed to happen? Just want to be sure that there is nothing wrong with my 1A.

Appreciate any replies!


----------



## slumberman

lalala6 said:


> Hi everyone, new WM1A owner here. Been using it for a few weeks and enjoying the sound with my Andromeda.
> 
> A quick question though. My 1A produces a "crackling" sound heard through my earphones WHILE I'm plugging the earphones into the 3.5mm jack. After plugging it in fully it is silent except for the background hiss. Is the "crackling" sound supposed to happen? Just want to be sure that there is nothing wrong with my 1A.
> 
> Appreciate any replies!



I think a little noise while plugging in is normal, but I’ll let others chime in!


----------



## Ryokan

lalala6 said:


> Hi everyone, new WM1A owner here. Been using it for a few weeks and enjoying the sound with my Andromeda.
> 
> A quick question though. My 1A produces a "crackling" sound heard through my earphones WHILE I'm plugging the earphones into the 3.5mm jack. After plugging it in fully it is silent except for the background hiss. Is the "crackling" sound supposed to happen? Just want to be sure that there is nothing wrong with my 1A.
> 
> Appreciate any replies!



Yes it's normal.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Vitaly2017  why you don't just order the sony kimber (assuming.it is the IEM MMCX version and not the 2x3.5mm version for MDR-Z1R) from accessory Jack?  Yheyre so reliable. I've been buying from them since 2015 never had a single issue only than my card refusing to pass (fortunately paypal exists). He used to have the DMP-Z1 for just USD $7900 (6600€ approx)


----------



## nc8000

And my 1Z is in the post to @Nayparm for the full mod treatment


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> And my 1Z is in the post to @Nayparm for the full mod treatment


I assume with no music files stored?


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I assume with no music files stored?


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Vitaly2017  why you don't just order the sony kimber (assuming.it is the IEM MMCX version and not the 2x3.5mm version for MDR-Z1R) from accessory Jack?  Yheyre so reliable. I've been buying from them since 2015 never had a single issue only than my card refusing to pass (fortunately paypal exists). He used to have the DMP-Z1 for just USD $7900 (6600€ approx)



I can have locally a dmp for 1k less but the other deal was really good and it was the reason why I jumped on to it. Now for such a big price hike in my case I am hesitant. Need to wait and see what happens. Guess will apply the breaks for now


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


>


I mean, because my husband told.me if I ship my WM1A  to the abroad, sending it with music  files is considered Author/Artist rights injury... so I am not sure as I want also to send mine


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I mean, because my husband told.me if I ship my WM1A  to the abroad, sending it with music  files is considered Author/Artist rights injury... so I am not sure as I want also to send mine



Well mine is being sent within UK as I’m in UK the next 3 weeks


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Well mine is being sent within UK as I’m in UK the next 3 weeks


Waiting for your impressions . If.positive I'll do full mod as well, if not so positive then I'll do only super battery mod


----------



## MrWalkman

gerelmx1986 said:


> I mean, because my husband told.me if I ship my WM1A  to the abroad, sending it with music  files is considered Author/Artist rights injury... so I am not sure as I want also to send mine



I would say you're thinking a bit too much.

In order to get in any trouble, it would mean that someone would have to take your player out of the package, start it up, and check for what songs you have inside, and maybe whether certain songs are blocked in that country or something...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Vitaly2017 said:


> I can have locally a dmp for 1k less but the other deal was really good and it was the reason why I jumped on to it. Now for such a big price hike in my case I am hesitant. Need to wait and see what happens. Guess will apply the breaks for now


Just finished ordering a 4.4mm sony kimber for the IER-Z1R (backup cable for when stock breaks) as well a final audio MMCX-ASSIST alligator tool


----------



## Maxx134 (Sep 1, 2020)

musicinmymind said:


> I am using WM1Z, got it only to use with Z1R. but I feel both have V shaped tonality and harsh on some tracks.
> 
> happy with holographic sound, but just that harshness bothering me.


Try a different region tunning!



musicinmymind said:


> Any suggestion on cable or tips rolling to add bit more warmth?


Should focus on region tunnings instead of cable changes



Sonywalkmanuser said:


> The ZX507's DSEE HX AI seems to sound even more enveloping on the latest firmware release


I don't think the zx507 is a replacement for wm1a unless you like steaming and sacrifice battery life, regardless how good it gets. Same level as 1a maybe.



Gamerlingual said:


> The Kimber Kable made all the difference when listening with my 1A and 1Z


So it adjusted treble area? I rather have the region tunnings do that, than a wire.
I have heard many fancy expensive wires do similar effect of altering the top end. To me a good cable shouldn't add/alter, only reveal more clarity.



Vitaly2017 said:


> What kimber kable does is, improve resolution drastically vs stock cable. The sense of space and dimensions is vaste and very deep n can go far into the deep distance like far...


So it gives added sense of staging but also alters trebles area(?)... 
That's to me a bit of a compromise. Admittedly most cables doing this.



Vitaly2017 said:


> I reached the seller and he said oh I see what kind of person you are and I am canceling the sale for dmp-z1, send me the cable back for refund and we are done


Really sounds like the seller been burned before and a big misunderstanding, or he felt you were going to complain further on condition of the dmp-z1 if he not disclose condition fully.



hamhamhamsta said:


> But what I want to say is this. I think using the right firmware is very important. My absolute fav firmware is Cerberus mix with1A/1Z+ with Gear of War flawed upgrade version


This has been repeatedly and utterly proven to *NOT WORK* to add nauseum times. You are essentially  listening to MrWalkman's firmware without any tunnings ( with flawwed process).



WAmadeusM said:


> But if anyone has followed my trials and tribulations I am not going to be able to keep the 1Z as the screen dimming using PWM at a low refresh rate is causing eye strain headaches for me. It an absolute sound technology heartbreaker


Easy fix.
Use on high brightness, and install dark window tint over screen. Otherwise get the 507 Android model.



Quang23693 said:


> Well , i totally agree with you. I'm using 1A Kmod ultimate + cerberus. It's more neutral, high resolution and very wide. I also have same impression with 1Z Romi. After burning it become a monter with bass and treb extend but it's still natural. I have tested it with cerberus but maybe dmp-original fw from mr whitigr is best choice with my taste.


Another possible placobo install because of the method used for it.
Most probably a disabling of stock Tunning.



MrWalkman said:


> I think using the single ended output as line out and plugging the other end in an amp would be a better idea, especially if you're after the 1Z sound, and you're not looking to only play your library through another device.


I find the single ended outputs perfect for line out to my amps, so I use it as a desktop dac as well. No need for any other dac at all as it surpasses *most* desktop dacs already with firmware upgrade.



gerelmx1986 said:


> I mean, because my husband told.me if I ship my WM1A  to the abroad, sending it with music  files is considered Author/Artist rights injury... so I am not sure as I want also to send mine


I don't know why people worry about any music files. It's a non issue as every player I received used had music on it, and most of it wasn't really that good anyways lol. But  It's nice always interesting to hear what others like.  You just  delete them on your end if you have a conscience about it.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Maxx134 said:


> Try a different region tunning!
> 
> 
> Should focus on region tunnings instead of cable changes
> ...


Whatever the method used, as long as it does the job done. I’m not picky about how the music plays. Plus it’s interesting experimenting with so much audio equipment. That’s the fun.


----------



## Jotaro

Damz87 said:


> You can buy the Final  tool here for $10
> 
> https://www.mtmtaudio.com/collectio...o-mmcx-assist-for-in-ear-monitor-iem-earphone
> 
> However these might not work with the current Sony IEM’s recessed sockets.


is this a good shop?


----------



## NickL33

Gamerlingual said:


> I recommend this wonderful one as well:  Final Fantasy Orchestral Album Battle Medley 1 through 14




I absolutely love this album


Jotaro said:


> is this a good shop?



Yes


----------



## Jotaro

lalala6 said:


> Hi everyone, new WM1A owner here. Been using it for a few weeks and enjoying the sound with my Andromeda.
> 
> A quick question though. My 1A produces a "crackling" sound heard through my earphones WHILE I'm plugging the earphones into the 3.5mm jack. After plugging it in fully it is silent except for the background hiss. Is the "crackling" sound supposed to happen? Just want to be sure that there is nothing wrong with my 1A.
> 
> Appreciate any replies!


have the same situation mostly changing song with different  music formats manually, try best via balance and high gain.


----------



## Damz87

Jotaro said:


> is this a good shop?



Yeah very good. I buy most of my tips from them


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

gerelmx1986 said:


> Waiting for your impressions . If.positive I'll do full mod as well, if not so positive then I'll do only super battery mod


Well don't wait, it's a thrill


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 1, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> Should focus on region tuning's instead of cable change



Region tuning is initially the better option as you can opt for the profile that best suits, be be it V, U, L shaped or mid focussed. Given region changes are free, easy and 100% reversible. Sure tips & cables can change the sound signature, equally you'll likely be paying for the unknown in many a case...

Sony's own Kimber Kable does definitely alter sound signature, as to whether for the better or worse as ever will depend on the rest of the hardware in the chain. In the case of WM1A/Z the interplay of region, stock and now custom firmware will likely make for a far more significant differnce to the sound signature.

TL-DR Play with the software first, then reach for your wallet 

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

In this case I use Direct source, no DSEE HX AI


----------



## hamhamhamsta

gerelmx1986 said:


> In this case I use Direct source, no DSEE HX AI


I saw your battery < 25%. Maybe time to reconsider battery pack upgrade 😀🥳Just joking 😁


----------



## gerelmx1986

hamhamhamsta said:


> I saw your battery < 25%. Maybe time to reconsider battery pack upgrade 😀🥳Just joking 😁


I am actually considering.it


----------



## FPVguy

Hate to ask this.. but broke down and picked up a WM-1a.    loving it.. 

BUT.. getting about 3-4 hours of battery life playing .FLAC's at proabbly 75-80% volume, screen off in 1 minute..
This seems short?

   Bo


----------



## MrWalkman

FPVguy said:


> Hate to ask this.. but broke down and picked up a WM-1a.    loving it..
> 
> BUT.. getting about 3-4 hours of battery life playing .FLAC's at proabbly 75-80% volume, screen off in 1 minute..
> This seems short?
> ...



Is it a new WM1A? I would decrease the screen off duration even more, and would also try emptying the battery (until you can't turn on the player anymore), and then charging it to max capacity without using the player.

From what other users shared around here, it should help recalibrate the battery.


----------



## nc8000

FPVguy said:


> Hate to ask this.. but broke down and picked up a WM-1a.    loving it..
> 
> BUT.. getting about 3-4 hours of battery life playing .FLAC's at proabbly 75-80% volume, screen off in 1 minute..
> This seems short?
> ...



i still get about 20 hours play time with source direct and a weeks standby on a 90% charge after 3 1/2 years and have never turned it off.


----------



## FPVguy

OK I have used it to auto-off where it went black while listening. however will run it to auto-off and then plug in and let it do a full charge in one sitting.  I think I have already, but have expereinced "calibration issues" on other devices before, so worth a try.

Thinking if not successful, I spend enough with Amazon to ask them to swap it.    but rather have it work as it is.



MrWalkman said:


> Is it a new WM1A? I would decrease the screen off duration even more, and would also try emptying the battery (until you can't turn on the player anymore), and then charging it to max capacity without using the player.


----------



## Donmonte

FPVguy said:


> Hate to ask this.. but broke down and picked up a WM-1a.    loving it..
> 
> BUT.. getting about 3-4 hours of battery life playing .FLAC's at proabbly 75-80% volume, screen off in 1 minute..
> This seems short?
> ...


Decrease you screen brightness to 1 from the default settings, this should help a lot with consumption.


----------



## Hinomotocho (Sep 1, 2020)

FPVguy said:


> OK I have used it to auto-off where it went black while listening. however will run it to auto-off and then plug in and let it do a full charge in one sitting.  I think I have already, but have expereinced "calibration issues" on other devices before, so worth a try.
> 
> Thinking if not successful, I spend enough with Amazon to ask them to swap it.    but rather have it work as it is.


To recalibrate the battery make sure you let it run down, then keep turning on until it won't turn on, then do an uninterrupted full charge.
Good luck
* disable battery saver before doing this process


----------



## Lookout57

Hinomotocho said:


> To recalibrate the battery make sure you let it run down, then keep turning on until it won't turn on, then do an uninterrupted full charge.
> Good luck


Make sure for this charge that Battery Saver is off. Then once it's fully charged discount and turn Battery Saver On.


----------



## Hinomotocho

.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Lookout57 said:


> Make sure for this charge that Battery Saver is off. Then once it's fully charged discount and turn Battery Saver On.


An important detail I left out


----------



## FPVguy

Hey Lookout 57,   are you refering to the "Battery Care"   Settings  / Device settings / Battery care ?



Lookout57 said:


> Make sure for this charge that Battery Saver is off. Then once it's fully charged discount and turn Battery Saver On.


----------



## Lookout57

FPVguy said:


> Hey Lookout 57,   are you refering to the "Battery Care"   Settings  / Device settings / Battery care ?


Yes


----------



## lmf22

lalala6 said:


> Hi everyone, new WM1A owner here. Been using it for a few weeks and enjoying the sound with my Andromeda.
> 
> A quick question though. My 1A produces a "crackling" sound heard through my earphones WHILE I'm plugging the earphones into the 3.5mm jack. After plugging it in fully it is silent except for the background hiss. Is the "crackling" sound supposed to happen? Just want to be sure that there is nothing wrong with my 1A.
> 
> Appreciate any replies!



Congratulations on the WM1A! Yes, that crackling sound is normal.


----------



## Queen6

FPVguy said:


> Hate to ask this.. but broke down and picked up a WM-1a.    loving it..
> 
> BUT.. getting about 3-4 hours of battery life playing .FLAC's at proabbly 75-80% volume, screen off in 1 minute..
> This seems short?
> ...



Give it time, the battery runtime will increase after a few cycles just how it is. My own WM1A I dont know how long it runs as it significantly longer than I would listen to...

Q-6


----------



## Hinomotocho (Sep 2, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> Give it time, the battery runtime will increase after a few cycles just how it is. My own WM1A I dont know how long it runs as it significantly longer than I would listen to...
> 
> Q-6


It could also be that when you first get a new dap you are using a lot of screen time playing with the settings and trying out all your music.
I'm a chronic track/album changer and I think my regular track surfing screen time causes my battery to go down significantly compared to straight listening time.


----------



## MrWalkman

Was just listening to a song on the Z7M2, via DragonFly Cobalt, and I thought of plugging the 1A in the USB DAC mode and check out how it sounds like this. I didn't really do a serious comparison between them until now.

I can say 100% sure that yes, it definitely sounds better.

To my surprise, I read opinions of someone saying that the mods are "breaking" the sound, and I even got "scolded" that I modded the firmware just because, as they think, as mentioned, that there is really something wrong with the sound. Well, not everyone has to like it, of course, but I hope that the opinion was true at least.

I am personally just more and more amazed about this sound, about how this player can sound.

Happy listening!


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> Was just listening to a song on the Z7M2, via DragonFly Cobalt, and I thought of plugging the 1A in the USB DAC mode and check out how it sounds like this. I didn't really do a serious comparison between them until now.
> 
> I can say 100% sure that yes, it definitely sounds better.
> 
> ...



Perhaps you’ve mentioned “mod at your own risk”?


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 1, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Perhaps you’ve mentioned “mod at your own risk”?



No, the opinion was solely based on the thought that the new sound is not good. Because the sound is supposedly not good at all, the conclusion was that I maybe modded the firmware not to bring an improvement, but just to say that I modded a firmware.

Well, this was not the point of the post anyway. I was just in a happy place listening to music, and I felt the need to express that here, as the 1A really contributed to that


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 1, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> I don't think the zx507 is a replacement for wm1a unless you like steaming and sacrifice battery life, regardless how good it gets. Same level as 1a maybe.



I have never implied that ZX507 is a replacement for WM1A. Even though all these Walkman is based off S-Master HX chip. Each Walkman has its own unique sound signature based on Sony engineer's choice of materials, design, costing factor and sound tuning technology at the time of release.

What I am trying to inform is that Sony has not been stagnant since the release of their flagship series WM1A/Z.

Sony has done alot more R&D and have definitely improved on their audio processing technology since the release of the WM1A.

The ZX507 in my opinion has the Sony developed technology to make any music source sound great including regular CD audio and lossy mp3. The recent firmware release also manages to add a even more 3D soundstage(non artificial sounding).

For Sony fans, If you can afford the cost of entry, do have a go at the ZX507 on firmware 2.02.01 with the optimization tweaks applied. You will be surprised at the kind of sound quality you can get just from just playing your lossy mp3/AAC tracks.

In my experience, lossy files has the tendency to lose the engagement factor when you listen to them for long periods, but with Sony sound processing, it feels just the same as listening to Hi-Resolution music, music just feels more dynamic and present.

Again I quote Damz87 for second time:



Damz87 said:


> Prior to the ZX507 I was using a WM1Z. I still use the WM1Z but less and less over the past few months.
> 
> Also using a Leonidas II on my U12t. I bought mine from a dealer based in Hong Kong. But yes, Minidisc are great


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> No, the opinion was solely based on the thought that the new sound is not good. Because the sound is supposedly not good at all, the conclusion was that I maybe modded the firmware not to bring an improvement, but just to say that I modded a firmware.
> 
> Well, this was not the point of the post anyway. I was just in a happy place listening to music, and I felt the need to express that here, as the 1A really contributed to that


Oh I mean decide for themselves to mod it or not. They shouldn’t scold you since they made the choice. That’s all


----------



## Damz87

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I have never implied that ZX507 is a replacement for WM1A. Even though all these Walkman is based off S-Master HX chip. Each Walkman has its own unique sound signature based on Sony engineer's choice of materials, design, costing factor and sound tuning technology at the time of release.
> 
> What I am trying to inform is that Sony has not been stagnant since the release of their flagship series WM1A/Z.
> 
> ...



Sorry, just to be clear - my reason for using the ZX507 over the WM1Z is primarily for streaming accessibility. Prior to owning the ZX507, I had to use my WM1Z in DAC mode the majority of the time, and stream from my desktop pc or using another device as a transport to the 1Z.

When I first got the ZX507, I thought the sound quality was very decent, but not at the level of WM1Z. So I continued using my 1Z in DAC mode for most of my portable listening. However as time as passed and the sound tweaks have been applied to the ZX507 through firmware updates, the gap between the two walkmans has closed (not completely) and now I am happy to use the ZX507 almost exclusively for portable listening.

The area where the gap has closed the most is the staging and sound separation. The ZX507 used to sound significantly narrower in the stage. Quite 2D in comparison to 1Z. I still find the ZX507 to sound a little less natural in the treble but it’s not as bothersome as it used to be.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 1, 2020)

@Damz87

I discovered the main culprits behind the un-natural treble on the ZX507 is due to Android system interferences as the result of un-necessary apps running in the background and android system aggressive battery optimization to restrict power usage which ultimately affects sound quality of the walkman app.

If you have done the tweaks I posted and with Sony releasing more optimized firmwares, this treble issue have been reduced quite significantly as you would have noticed.


----------



## auronthas (Sep 17, 2020)

.


----------



## mwhals

Realized all my cover art was progressive jpegs. Spent time this evening batch converting them to standard jpegs in case I decide on the WM1A or WM1Z.


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 2, 2020)

mwhals said:


> Realized all my cover art was progressive jpegs. Spent time this evening batch converting them to standard jpegs in case I decide on the WM1A or WM1Z.



There will be an update which will make progressive JPEGs and interlaced PNGs show up on our Walkmans (basically all covers will work now).

The update will also be applied to stock firmware versions, and not only to the mods, for anyone who doesn't want to run modded firmware versions.

Sorry I didn't mentioned it earlier. I am working on the update right now.


----------



## auronthas (Sep 17, 2020)

.


----------



## MrWalkman

MrWalkman said:


> There will be an update which will make progressive JPEGs and interlaced PNGs show up on our Walkmans (basically all covers will work now).
> 
> The update will also be applied to stock firmware versions, and not only to the mods, for anyone who doesn't want to run modded firmware versions.
> 
> Sorry I didn't mentioned it earlier. I am working on the update right now.



For the next update I will attempt some tweaks to the UI, I have a little idea how I could manage that.

It would be interesting to have something like battery percentage, or UI parts from the DMP-Z1's nice looking interface.

I'll have to do some experiments, and then we'll see.

Maybe I'll manage to do something interesting before this thread will hit 3000 pages


----------



## FPVguy

MrWalkman said:


> For the next update I will attempt some tweaks to the UI, I have a little idea how I could manage that.



Sounds facinating,   personaly would love to be able to side swipe between album art / VU meters


----------



## slumberman

MrWalkman said:


> There will be an update which will make progressive JPEGs and interlaced PNGs show up on our Walkmans (basically all covers will work now).
> 
> The update will also be applied to stock firmware versions, and not only to the mods, for anyone who doesn't want to run modded firmware versions.
> 
> Sorry I didn't mentioned it earlier. I am working on the update right now.



This is GREAT news!!!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

lmf22 said:


> Congratulations on the WM1A! Yes, that crackling sound is normal.


It happens even in the 4.4 balanced side


----------



## gerelmx1986

MrWalkman said:


> There will be an update which will make progressive JPEGs and interlaced PNGs show up on our Walkmans (basically all covers will work now).
> 
> The update will also be applied to stock firmware versions, and not only to the mods, for anyone who doesn't want to run modded firmware versions.
> 
> Sorry I didn't mentioned it earlier. I am working on the update right now.


Wow, great job, you re of these frew engineers that sony really needs to have


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 2, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wow, great job, you re of these frew engineers that sony really needs to have



Well, I appreciate it, but it's not really like that  






SONY
The one and only


----------



## auronthas (Sep 17, 2020)

.


----------



## ze3e13

MrWalkman said:


> For the next update I will attempt some tweaks to the UI, I have a little idea how I could manage that.
> 
> It would be interesting to have something like battery percentage, or UI parts from the DMP-Z1's nice looking interface.
> 
> ...



Don't forget ZX300 please


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 2, 2020)

ze3e13 said:


> Don't forget ZX300 please



Will also update the ZX300 mod, and there will also be a ++ version, with the increased volume output, plus the stock versions having the cover images fix.

And I think I can apply this fix to the stock firmware versions of the DMP-Z1 and A55 as well.


----------



## ze3e13

MrWalkman said:


> Will also update the ZX300 mod, and there will also be a ++ version, with the increased volume output, plus the stock versions having the cover images fix.


Wow ！！！ I am really looking forward 🤩


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sweet things from life, music and coca cola


----------



## newworld666

Is it worth to try to change region of the WM1A when using MrWalkman 3.02++ firmware?
Should it change anything in volume or shape? or does this cooked firmware override all region parameters anyway?

I need to use the Sony's WM1A remote, so I am limited with region which can handle this specific remote.


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> Is it worth to try to change region of the WM1A when using MrWalkman 3.02++ firmware?
> Should it change anything in volume or shape? or does this cooked firmware override all region parameters anyway?
> 
> I need to use the Sony's WM1A remote, so I am limited with region which can handle this specific remote.



Destination change should still have an effect on the sound.


----------



## newworld666

Thank's for your answer. 
Which region are you using on your own WM1A?

Does someone have any idea which region still keeps the optional remote control available?


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> Thank's for your answer.
> Which region are you using on your own WM1A?
> 
> Does someone have any idea which region still keeps the optional remote control available?



I'm using the J region.

From what I've read around and what I noticed, at least region J and E will show the remote.


----------



## Ryokan

auronthas said:


> Lovely song and combo,  ER2XR still shy to shine despite deep insertion , burn-in mode.



I've always wanted to try some Etymotic's, but I shudder when I see the tips. Fair play to people who use them tho, they've got a big fan base.


----------



## newworld666

Ok .. then I already use J region (because of the remote), I am really pleased with it now, so no need to change to E.

So, I am just waiting for the Jpg progressive mode in next ++ firmware .. and again, I think you should drink some more beers  .......... .as this jpg format is really missing in the WM1A and is like a pain quite often.


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 2, 2020)

newworld666 said:


> Ok .. then I already use J region (because of the remote), I am really pleased with it now, so no need to change to E.
> 
> So, I am just waiting for the Jpg progressive mode in next ++ firmware .. and again, I think you should drink some more beers  .......... .as this jpg format is really missing in the WM1A and is like a pain quite often.



I have quite some albums with progressive JPEGs, and it's really cool actually seeing the images show up. 

I'm kind of finishing, one or two more hours only.

The rumble is just so satisfactory, like purring.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Ryokan said:


> I've always wanted to try some Etymotic's, but I shudder when I see the tips. Fair play to people who use them tho, they've got a big fan base.


Me too, but yeah, those tips look intimidating to our ear-holes


----------



## gerelmx1986

I understand that when you sell a battery-piwered device with some use and battery seems no longer to hold a charge, its resale value will be less even if the device is in pristine condition.

If I do a new battery replacement (sony or @Nayparm  super-batt) would this increase the resale value?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Anyone looking for  software for Mac Music file playback that’s Bit-perfect and works with MrWalkmans 1A/1Z+ for playing in DAC mode with the Walkmans. Perfect and very customizable!!

90 days free money back guaranteed test period. 

$4.99 literally under 5 bucks for a great audio player for the Mac. 
 Change the colors of the interface any color you want. 
https://colibri-lossless.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_rSUkpfK6wIV2ARyCh2FmQ7_EAAYASAAEgLuuvD_BwE


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> Anyone looking for  software for Mac Music file playback that’s Bit-perfect and works with MrWalkmans 1A/1Z+ for playing in DAC mode with the Walkmans. Perfect and very customizable!!
> 
> 90 days free money back guaranteed test period.
> 
> ...


Used to use this on my Mac before. It screwed up my entire NAS music library for some reason and I had to redo my entire collection from another backup I had, thankfully. Deleted it and never looked back since. Maybe it works great for the Sony Walkmans but it screws up your NAS music collection. Almost all files have a double ghost file after loading them through colibri. I wouldn’t  recommend it for anyone listening through a network drive.


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 2, 2020)

Currently modifying stock firmwares to include the album cover fix - it was also a good occasion to check out the stock sound, as I just listened to WM1A/Z++ until then.

Compared to WM1A/Z++, it sounds lifeless. This is the first word that comes to my mind. Also, the rumble of the bass is gone, and the soundstage is boring.

I totally forgot how the stock firmware sounds like    It was quite nice before having this new sound as an alternative,  though.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 2, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Used to use this on my Mac before. It screwed up my entire NAS music library for some reason and I had to redo my entire collection from another backup I had, thankfully. Deleted it and never looked back since. Maybe it works great for the Sony Walkmans but it screws up your NAS music collection. Almost all files have a double ghost file after loading them through colibri. I wouldn’t  recommend it for anyone listening through a network drive.




Good to know!!



I don’t network music. I normally put files on the Walkman cards. I actually never use a computer for playback but just started to.

It’s true that even though it sounds great and has all kinds of features, you absolutely don’t want a program making doubles of your files!

So what do you use now?


----------



## Ryokan

gerelmx1986 said:


> I understand that when you sell a battery-piwered device with some use and battery seems no longer to hold a charge, its resale value will be less even if the device is in pristine condition.
> 
> If I do a new battery replacement (sony or @Nayparm  super-batt) would this increase the resale value?



If it's got a new approved battery it would make it at least worth the same as one that's in good condition. Having an upgraded battery should make it be worth a little more, imo.


----------



## nc8000

Ryokan said:


> I've always wanted to try some Etymotic's, but I shudder when I see the tips. Fair play to people who use them tho, they've got a big fan base.



Etymotics with tripple flange tips are near brain implants, but you can use many other tips as well. The ER4P was my first propper in ear about 20 years ago and I still love them but haven’t had a pair for many years


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 2, 2020)

What versions of official firmware for WM1 exist?

I know 1.10, 1.20, 2.00, 3.00, 3.01, and 3.02.

Is there a 2.01?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 2, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Currently modifying stock firmwares to include the album cover fix - it was also a good occasion to check out the stock sound, as I just listened to WM1A/Z++ until then.
> 
> Compared to WM1A/Z++, it sounds lifeless. This is the first word that comes to my mind. Also, the rumble of the bass is gone, and the soundstage is boring.
> 
> I totally forgot how the stock firmware sounds like    It was quite nice before having this new sound as an alternative,  though.



Stock sound is different now. And that’s the thing, it’s all about the contrast in sound. If we listen to a different and really better rendition to our players sound signatures at first it’s exciting and new. Though the way human perception is the novelty wears off. Then when you go back to the old sound you realize how lack-luster it is. We now live in a new audio reality thanks to YOU!!!!!

But to me the excitement has not worn off. I just have to figure a way to get excited about the 1Z again as the 1A is still the bomb!


----------



## Ryokan

nc8000 said:


> Etymotics with tripple flange tips are near brain implants, but you can use many other tips as well. The ER4P was my first propper in ear about 20 years ago and I still love them but haven’t had a pair for many years



I've read you can use other tips but they're better with deep insertion (?). My ears are easily irritated so I tend to stick with more traditional type earphones. Been tempted more than a few times though.


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> But to me the excitement has not worn off. I just have to figure a way to get excited about the 1Z again as the 1A is still the bomb!



It's still magic for me as well, it didn't wear of even a bit.


----------



## normie610

MrWalkman said:


> It's still magic for me as well, it didn't wear of even a bit.



Same here. 3 years have gone and 1Z still excites me. Especially now with the ++ FW


----------



## Amber Rain

Redcarmoose said:


> Good to know!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I've used it to play DSD files on my Mac.


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> Good to know!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nothing actually. I don’t use my Mac to play music on my network anymore. I only use my iPhone and iPad.


----------



## ttt123

MrWalkman said:


> What versions of official firmware for WM1 exist?
> 
> I know 1.10, 1.20, 2.00, 3.00, 3.01, and 3.02.
> 
> Is there a 2.01?


No 2.01.  There is a 1.01, and some earlier FW below 1.00


----------



## MrWalkman

ttt123 said:


> No 2.01.  There is a 1.01, and some earlier FW below 1.00



Yep, there is a 1.01. Will do the stock versions later, I need to rest. Currently testing the modded firmware versions.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 2, 2020)

Amber Rain said:


> I've used it to play DSD files on my Mac.



Yes, it seems able to do DSD rather nice? It’s funny as you would think there would be greater DSD and FLAC support for the Mac. I mean yes any VLC player or Movie software will work, but I have yet to come across many Mac software players that do as well as Foobar2000 for the PC. Interestingly enough Foobar does make a Foobar2000 for the Mac, but it’s nothing like the PC version as far as control. There is Amarra  too, of course. There are a couple more too, I still need to try, but I may not as Colibri seems to work well?

https://www.sonicstudio.com/amarra/products.php


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 2, 2020)

The update is here.






Changes:

*- the player will now load progressive JPEG and interlaced PNG album covers*
All album covers should now show up fine. No more conversions of progressive JPEGs to
baseline JPEGs, or of interlaced PNGs to non interlaced PNGs.
_Thanks to @Vrilly for the tip!_

*- no more just waiting for the player to turn on with nothing on the screen, when the battery is empty*
When trying to turn on the player while the battery is empty, we'll now see a battery empty
image instead of nothing. Also, when charging the player while the battery is empty, we'll now
see a charging battery image instead of nothing. Once there will be enough battery, the player
will start up automatically, like before.
*This change is not reversible by installing the stock firmware!*



 




Link to firmware in the main post: *CLICK*


I will also modify normal stock firmwares to have the ability to show all images like the mods, and they will be released later today or tomorrow.


----------



## lalala6 (Sep 2, 2020)

slumberman said:


> I think a little noise while plugging in is normal, but I’ll let others chime in!





Ryokan said:


> Yes it's normal.





lmf22 said:


> Congratulations on the WM1A! Yes, that crackling sound is normal.



Thanks, appreciate the replies! Glad to know that this is normal for the 1A.

My previous DAPs didn't make any noise while plugging in, so I'm curious why the 1A does this. Does it harm the earphones in any way? (I know it's irrational but I get nervous every time I plug in my IEMs into my 1A, fearing that it could damage the drivers)


----------



## slumberman

MrWalkman said:


> The update is here.
> 
> Changes:
> 
> ...



!!!!!!!


----------



## Ryokan (Sep 2, 2020)

lalala6 said:


> Thanks, appreciate the replies! Glad to know that this is normal for the 1A.
> 
> My previous DAPs didn't make any noise while plugging in, so I'm curious why the 1A does this. Does it harm the earphones in any way? (I know it's irrational but I get nervous every time I plug in my IEMs into my 1A, fearing that it could damage the drivers)



Ideally I guess you should switch off when plugging in, I've not had a problem but folk who work with electronics maybe able to advise you better.

Maybe this thread will help?
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/plugging-and-unplugging-headphones-with-the-music-playing.655292/


----------



## Layman1

MrWalkman said:


> The update is here.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Terrific stuff, again 
Hoping that a Mac version will be made for this exciting new update, particularly the forthcoming one that include the cover images mod too! 
Many thanks to @MrWalkman (and anyone who might later produce a Mac version lol)


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 2, 2020)

Layman1 said:


> Terrific stuff, again
> Hoping that a Mac version will be made for this exciting new update, particularly the forthcoming one that include the cover images mod too!
> Many thanks to @MrWalkman (and anyone who might later produce a Mac version lol)



This one includes the cover images as well.

I wanted to say that I will also modify stock firmwares to have the ability to show all images - stock 3.02 firmware (no CHAMELEON or WM1A/Z+) that can show all images. 

I edited my post so it should be more clear now.


----------



## aceedburn

MrWalkman said:


> The update is here.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yet again, you have proven that you're the most innovative and unselfish person in this walkman community. May god bless your family and you till the end of time. Cheers mate! Thanks a lot for these new innovations of yours!


----------



## gerelmx1986

lalala6 said:


> Thanks, appreciate the replies! Glad to know that this is normal for the 1A.
> 
> My previous DAPs didn't make any noise while plugging in, so I'm curious why the 1A does this. Does it harm the earphones in any way? (I know it's irrational but I get nervous every time I plug in my IEMs into my 1A, fearing that it could damage the drivers)


There is a relay, you hear it when turning on, you should wait for these relays to click again... they switch off the circuit. Ideally if you pause the player at some point the relays will click, that's when you can plug in your earphones


----------



## nanaholic (Sep 2, 2020)

lalala6 said:


> Thanks, appreciate the replies! Glad to know that this is normal for the 1A.
> 
> My previous DAPs didn't make any noise while plugging in, so I'm curious why the 1A does this. Does it harm the earphones in any way? (I know it's irrational but I get nervous every time I plug in my IEMs into my 1A, fearing that it could damage the drivers)



The WM1 series Walkman uses a physical magnetic switch to cut off power to the headphones when the headphones are inserted or when the music format changes which requires a reset/re-routing of the amp circuitry (such as when a 44.1khz file is followed up by a 96khz file which requires switching the femo oscillator from the 44.1khz one to the 48khz one) as a protection mechanism, the loud clicking sound is when that switch engages/disengages.  This is a unique design to the WM1 Walkman, as most DAPs just uses an electronic switch that are noiseless, simpler to implement, and smaller in size, but instead introduces EMI interference to the sound circuitry. The Sony engineers decided to use a magnetic switch which won't introduce EMI into the chain, but are physically bigger and takes up more space, and also making that sound.

If you hear the click, that means the magnetic switch is doing its job in protecting your headphone and ears. Only worry when you STOP hearing that click!


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> The update is here.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is this something that can be reversed in the future with a new update?


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

MrWalkman said:


> The update is here.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


such a great work. Should think of a beer one day


----------



## MrWalkman

Gamerlingual said:


> Is this something that can be reversed in the future with a new update?



Yes, it could be done, like with a separate smaller installer.

I personally don't see why someone would want to reverse the change, as the image will only show up when the battery is empty.


----------



## AlexCBSN

Dude! Just woke up to this, can’t believe it, it felt like Christmas hahahahaha, thanks @MrWalkman ! You did it again my friend!  Damn man! Will check it out right awa, though first coffee


----------



## MrWalkman

AlexCBSN said:


> Dude! Just woke up to this, can’t believe it, it felt like Christmas hahahahaha, thanks @MrWalkman ! You did it again my friend!  Damn man! Will check it out right awa, though first coffee



It's gonna be done for the A40 mod as well, and maybe for the A40 stock firmware too (though I don't see who would wanna use the stock firmware anymore   )


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, it could be done, like with a separate smaller installer.
> 
> I personally don't see why someone would want to reverse the change, as the image will only show up when the battery is empty.


Just a personal preference. I'll continue to use your past FM's til your next update makes it a separate installer. Thank you for being a blessing to the community.


----------



## AlexCBSN

MrWalkman said:


> It's gonna be done for the A40 mod as well, and maybe for the A40 stock firmware too (though I don't see who would wanna use the stock firmware anymore   )


My friend, thank you so much for the contributions, I’ll be looking forward to it, I’m eager to check the zx300++

Again, thank you very much for your amazing contributions

Currently listening to Motorpsycho on the zx300 while the coffee machine warms up and downloading the firmwares, happy trails bro!


----------



## MrWalkman

Gamerlingual said:


> Just a personal preference. I'll continue to use your past FM's til your next update makes it a separate installer. Thank you for being a blessing to the community.



There will not be a separate installer for the latest firmware. Too much work to do.

There will be just a small installer which can revert the change done to the battery thing.


----------



## newworld666

MrWalkman said:


> The update is here.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Perfect !!! I don't know how many hours I have spent to convert progressive jpegs for the WM1A !!!
I still had a few albums to convert pictures... they are looking fine now in the album list without conversion.

But !!!!!! ..... where is your beer link? ...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 2, 2020)

Cheers!


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> Perfect !!! I don't know how many hours I have spent to convert progressive jpegs for the WM1A !!!
> I still had a few albums to convert pictures... they are looking fine now in the album list without conversion.



I didn't even start converting covers, too much work to do 



newworld666 said:


> But !!!!!! ..... where is your beer link? ...



Well, signatures are not visible on smartphone browsers


----------



## newworld666

MrWalkman said:


> I didn't even start converting covers, too much work to do



I am doing this every time it needs it => I will save a lot of time



MrWalkman said:


> Well, signatures are not visible on smartphone browsers



Oups !!! It was my mistake, I have modified my parameters a few days ago !!!

So, good job, have some nice beers !!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## gsiu33

MrWalkman said:


> The namings are different though.
> 
> There are two parts, NW and DMP, and then WM1A/WM1Z (not just 1A or 1Z) and Z1. Also, WM1 is from WM1 Series, similar to A30 Series, A40 Series, A50 Series...
> 
> ...


When Sony introduces NW series walkwan, they named it as Network Walkman. There is ‘Network Walkman’ product category under the download section, though Sony no longer using this.


----------



## mwhals

newworld666 said:


> Perfect !!! I don't know how many hours I have spent to convert progressive jpegs for the WM1A !!!
> I still had a few albums to convert pictures... they are looking fine now in the album list without conversion.
> 
> But !!!!!! ..... where is your beer link? ...



I converted 761 images in 10154 files in about 40 minutes total. 13 minutes to strip images from all the files. 13 minutes to overwrite folder.jpg with a new file made from my higher resolution cover.png. Another 13 minutes to embed the new folder.jpg into the 10154 flac files. I used dbpoweramp batch converter. It pays to have a higher resolution image PNG that is more than you would ever want for an image. For me it is a 2500 x 2500 file and I make my jpegs 1000 x 1000.


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> So, good job, have some nice beers !!!!



Really appreciate it, man!






Will take a nap now, and then alcohol 😁


----------



## newworld666

mwhals said:


> I converted 761 images in 10154 files in about 40 minutes total. 13 minutes to strip images from all the files. 13 minutes to overwrite folder.jpg with a new file made from my higher resolution cover.png. Another 13 minutes to embed the new folder.jpg into the 10154 flac files. I used dbpoweramp batch converter. It pays to have a higher resolution image PNG that is more than you would ever want for an image. For me it is a 2500 x 2500 file and I make my jpegs 1000 x 1000.


 
Basically these last 2 years, after a first initial batch 2 years ago, I am converting album by album the pictures, so I should control every time with a new album what kind of jpg I will use, than convert, only when necessary I convert and then update the different DAPs SD cards and at last update my central Upnp NAS...
More than annoying to do this every time I need it.


----------



## mwhals

newworld666 said:


> Basically these last 2 years, after a first initial batch 2 years ago, I am converting album by album the pictures, so I should control every time with a new album what kind of jpg I will use, than convert, only when necessary I convert and then update the different DAPs SD cards and at last update my central Upnp NAS...
> More than annoying to do this every time I need it.



I did that recently by scanning all my art and making the PNG and JPG files then embedding the JPG. At the time, I did not know my software was saving JPGs as progressive. I spent a month doing that. But it paid off in that I can quickly change resolutions by making a new set of JPGs.


----------



## aceedburn

MrWalkman said:


> Well, signatures are not visible on smartphone browsers


You can view the signature if you switch your phone to horizontal position. Doesn’t show in portrait mode.


----------



## Nayparm

nanaholic said:


> The WM1 series Walkman uses a physical magnetic switch to cut off power to the headphones when the headphones are inserted or when the music format changes which requires a reset/re-routing of the amp circuitry (such as when a 44.1khz file is followed up by a 96khz file which requires switching the femo oscillator from the 44.1khz one to the 48khz one) as a protection mechanism, the loud clicking sound is when that switch engages/disengages.  This is a unique design to the WM1 Walkman, as most DAPs just uses an electronic switch that are noiseless, simpler to implement, and smaller in size, but instead introduces EMI interference to the sound circuitry. The Sony engineers decided to use a magnetic switch which won't introduce EMI into the chain, but are physically bigger and takes up more space, and also making that sound.
> 
> If you hear the click, that means the magnetic switch is doing its job in protecting your headphone and ears. Only worry when you STOP hearing that click!



Without the relays there is nice soft fade in or out of sound. Also the relays are only on balanced out.


----------



## lumdicks

MrWalkman said:


> The update is here.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What an achievement! Thanks for the great work again!


----------



## Dim666

@ MrWalkman : 

I would like to know if you are able to make new changes in a future firmware? 

1) I'd like to know if you could display the time at the top of the screen. 
2) Another thing, is it possible that the Sony supports the .cue file? 
3) Finally, the random mode can be improved. We break the mode if we select a song for example. Cowon for example has a top random mode. Thank you for your answer


----------



## Hinomotocho

MrWalkman said:


> The update is here.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well done - this might be a bigger achievement than you think. 
It is a convenience for 1A/1Z owners that have put off fixing their album art, but following the threads of the various Sony daps I've owned over the years I have read posts where the album art issue has been the deciding factor in them choosing another dap - Sony should buy you a beer.

Since you can work magic, something I find annoying is after a restart it doesn't allow you to back out of the last played track into the album, it goes back to the main screen. Would this be something that could be changed or is it to do with some memory limitation?


----------



## Mystic Traveller

MrWalkman said:


> The update is here.


Super, Bud!! 👍Kudos! ✌


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Hinomotocho said:


> Sony should buy you a beer.


A few truckloads I'd say..


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Hinomotocho said:


> Since you can work magic, something I find annoying is after a restart it doesn't allow you to back out of the last played track into the album, it goes back to the main screen. Would this be something that could be changed or is it to do with some memory limitation?


Don't switch it off. It's useless on WM1...


----------



## MrWalkman

Dim666 said:


> @ MrWalkman :
> 
> I would like to know if you are able to make new changes in a future firmware?
> 
> ...





Hinomotocho said:


> Since you can work magic, something I find annoying is after a restart it doesn't allow you to back out of the last played track into the album, it goes back to the main screen. Would this be something that could be changed or is it to do with some memory limitation?



I was reading that it supports cue files, hmm.

Anyways, I experimented a bit with trying to change UI stuff, and it seems that it didn't work. So no UI changes for now, unfortunately... I can change images though, and I will make the Walkman logo on power off orange as well.

Also, we can't really change functions of the app right now. I would have tried doing a lot more if we could.


----------



## Hinomotocho

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Don't switch it off. It's useless on WM1...


I have it set to 24 hours auto off as sometimes I don't have time to listen to it for a couple of days - standby seems to still deplete the battery so I let it power off.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Hinomotocho said:


> I have it set to 24 hours auto off as sometimes I don't have time to listen to it for a couple of days - standby seems to still deplete the battery so I let it power off.


It depletes when it’s off as well. Doesn’t matter. Sony has stated this in their instructions


----------



## auronthas (Sep 17, 2020)

.


----------



## gerelmx1986

auronthas said:


> It's either you like it or dislike. There is no in between.
> 
> 
> Wider soundstage lol
> ...


You still use WMA (windows media)? MP3 okay accept it, but WMA? seems to be going.extinct these days, havent come across a DAP that support WMA these days


----------



## newworld666 (Sep 3, 2020)

I can't find again the link for European customers to mod the WM1A .. I am not sure I want to change anything other than the battery size if possible.

Actually, because of MrWalkman custom firmware  I activate some parameters like DSEE-HX-AI & Type-B-Low phase which are now "on" 100% of the time => I can never use my WM1A more than 9 to 10 hours.
I don't think the sound does need some improvement with the headphone or earbuds I use, but battery life is a real issue now.. It would be nice to reach 12 to 15 hours continuous playing time again. 
Has somebody suck link in memory? I think it was in England.
Thanks in advance


----------



## aceedburn

newworld666 said:


> I can't find again the link for European customers to mod the WM1A .. I am not sure I want to change anything other than the battery size if possible.
> 
> Actually, because of MrWalkman custom firmware  I activate some parameters like DSEE-HX-AI & Type-B-Low phase which are now "on" 100% of the time => I can never use my WM1A more than 9 to 10 hours.
> I don't think the sound does need some improvement with the headphone or earbuds I use, but battery life is a real issue now.. It would be nice to reach 12 to 15 hours continuous playing time again.
> ...


@Nayparm who’s based in the UK does the bigger battery change  You can contact him directly.


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> I can't find again the link for European customers to mod the WM1A .. I am not sure I want to change anything other than the battery size if possible.
> 
> Actually, because of MrWalkman custom firmware  I activate some parameters like DSEE-HX-AI & Type-B-Low phase which are now "on" 100% of the time => I can never use my WM1A more than 9 to 10 hours.
> I don't think the sound does need some improvement with the headphone or earbuds I use, but battery life is a real issue now.. It would be nice to reach 12 to 15 hours continuous playing time again.
> ...



https://www.npaudio.uk/modifications


----------



## newworld666

MrWalkman said:


> https://www.npaudio.uk/modifications


 
Thank you.. it was that link I was looking for.


----------



## auronthas (Sep 3, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> You still use WMA (windows media)? MP3 okay accept it, but WMA? seems to be going.extinct these days, havent come across a DAP that support WMA these days


Those tracks were ripped in the late 90s, I lost those CDs, nevertheless Spotify helps me to rediscover some of the albums but not all. 1A/1Z/SE100 able to play WMA files.


----------



## lalala6

gerelmx1986 said:


> There is a relay, you hear it when turning on, you should wait for these relays to click again... they switch off the circuit. Ideally if you pause the player at some point the relays will click, that's when you can plug in your earphones



Wow, that works for me! I just plug in my IEMs before turning the screen on, this way there's no noise at all while plugging in. And when I'm done listening, I just turn off the screen and wait a few seconds before plugging it out. Now I don't have to worry about the crackling sound, thanks a lot!


----------



## auronthas (Sep 17, 2020)

.


----------



## newworld666

It seems NPaudio contact procedure is not working (indicated "false" after sending a request).
Any idea how to contact them ?


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> It seems NPaudio contact procedure is not working (indicated "false" after sending a request).
> Any idea how to contact them ?



I guess sending a PM to @Nayparm should do it.


----------



## newworld666

I just did it. I didn't know that he was the contact.
Thank you


----------



## nc8000

auronthas said:


> It's either you like it or dislike. There is no in between.
> 
> 
> Wider soundstage lol
> ...



Yes I use the Auralic Aries Mini with my TA


----------



## musicinmymind

auronthas said:


> Listen to HE4XX from head-amp A90,1Z to D90 via USB DAC mode.
> 
> 
> Sometimes I find my lovely 1A with stocked 3.02 J region sound perfectly to suit my mood. "Love is a Wild Thing" . Have a pleasant listening day !




How can change the region to J (Japan), I am afraid language display will also change to Japanese and would be difficult to switch over to English.


----------



## gerelmx1986

musicinmymind said:


> How can change the region to J (Japan), I am afraid language display will also change to Japanese and would be difficult to switch over to English.


Zhe language will stay the one you had before region code change unless you do a full fledged factory reset while on J region


----------



## SebaE2012

Jotaro said:


> IRiver S10 Vs. Wm1a (1a++, J)?


Astell & Kern predecessor vs WM1A!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Jotaro said:


> IRiver S10 Vs. Wm1a (1a++, J)?


World's first mini player (iriver)?


----------



## aceedburn

newworld666 said:


> I just did it. I didn't know that he was the contact.
> Thank you


Either you have me on ignore or you missed my reply to you just after your initial message.


----------



## newworld666

aceedburn said:


> Either you have me on ignore or you missed my reply to you just after your initial message.


 
Oups ... I missed it .. sorry ..
Thank You..


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 3, 2020)

Ok, the stock firmwares also received the album cover fix.

They can be found here: *CLICK*

From the last update log of the mods:
_"All album covers should now show up fine. No more conversions of progressive JPEGs to baseline JPEGs, or of interlaced PNGs to non interlaced PNGs."_

I was thinking that I should make a thread for these mods, so they can be all in all place, instead of just as a random post in this whole thread.


----------



## Jotaro

gerelmx1986 said:


> World's first mini player (iriver)?


With oled screen.


----------



## matevana

Does anyone have an impression of the CEW or CEW2 region?  I don't see them documented anywhere.


----------



## 534409 (Sep 3, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Anyone looking for  software for Mac Music file playback that’s Bit-perfect and works with MrWalkmans 1A/1Z+ for playing in DAC mode with the Walkmans. Perfect and very customizable!!
> 90 days free money back guaranteed test period.


But there is Foobar Audio mac version for free. This is my basic player for years (on PC).


----------



## Vitaly2017

Dramba said:


> But there is Foobar Audio mac version for free. This is my basic player for years.




Or sony music center application too


----------



## 534409

Who forbids the rich from spending money


----------



## Redcarmoose

Dramba said:


> But there is Foobar Audio mac version for free. This is my basic player for years.



There is, I mentioned that. That was my prior software. But it’s incomplete, and introduced as incomplete.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 3, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Or sony music center application too



Apple 

https://musiccenter.sony.net/en/faqs/faq002.php


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Music Center? Are you joking? Are you serious?
> 
> 1) garbage
> 1) PC only




I mean on pc wen not listening on walkman.  

Why is it that bad?
I hear no difference from foobar to music center .
But hey I listen to 1a not pc lol


----------



## Ghostsounds

want to add


MrWalkman said:


> Ok, the stock firmwares also received the album cover fix.
> 
> They can be found here: *CLICK*
> 
> ...


Thank you again for all your superb work!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 3, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I mean on pc wen not listening on walkman.
> 
> Why is it that bad?
> I hear no difference from foobar to music center .
> But hey I listen to 1a not pc lol



We are taking about Apple software.

The Sony Music Ctr software as far as software goes has been abandoned by Sony. If you were attempting to use it to load your Walkmans it took hours. It does that other Sony file process of arranging songs, not needed and time consuming. The one thing that it did do is find artwork when you ripped CDs, that was cool. But it’s not supported and slow as heck. It has it’s own ideas of what it wants to do with your time. The only other cool thing it did was find and automatically update the Firmware on the Walkmans. I remember out of the blue, it was like “Sony has now introduced 2.0 for your Walkman, would you like to update your player?

Haha that was a cool feature. But actually I don’t use a PC that much, or like it for playing music?

Edit:





I guess they did update it? Never mind.


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> We are taking about Apple software.
> 
> The Sony Music Ctr software as far as software goes has been abandoned by Sony. If you were attempting to use it to load your Walkmans it took hours. It does that other Sony file process of arranging songs, not needed and time consuming. The one thing that it did do is find artwork when you ripped CDs, that was cool. But it’s not supported and slow as heck. It has it’s own ideas of what it wants to do with your time. The only other cool thing it did was find and automatically update the Firmware on the Walkmans. I remember out of the blue, it was like “Sony has now introduced 2.0 for your Walkman, would you like to update your player?
> 
> Haha that was a cool feature. But actually I don’t use a PC that much, or like it for playing music?



Well, it's not really that abandoned.





Maybe it's just a little bad, at least for those who had bad experiences.

https://musiccenter.sony.net/en/


----------



## Ghostsounds

Redcarmoose said:


> We are taking about Apple software.
> 
> The Sony Music Ctr software as far as software goes has been abandoned by Sony. If you were attempting to use it to load your Walkmans it took hours. It does that other Sony file process of arranging songs, not needed and time consuming. The one thing that it did do is find artwork when you ripped CDs, that was cool. But it’s not supported and slow as heck. It has it’s own ideas of what it wants to do with your time. The only other cool thing it did was find and automatically update the Firmware on the Walkmans. I remember out of the blue, it was like “Sony has now introduced 2.0 for your Walkman, would you like to update your player?
> 
> Haha that was a cool feature. But actually I don’t use a PC that much, or like it for playing music?


I’ve been using it ever since I got a wm Walkman. Maybe not because it’s the best, but I’m used to it’s interface. I edit my albums and add/change album art easily enough, though don’t tell it to look online or you’ll be watching it’s cogs whirl slowly into action...


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> Well, it's not really that abandoned.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yes, just edited my post. But.... in defense it was abandoned.


----------



## Ghostsounds

Ghostsounds said:


> I’ve been using it ever since I got a wm Walkman. Maybe not because it’s the best, but I’m used to it’s interface. I edit my albums and add/change album art easily enough, though don’t tell it to look online or you’ll be watching it’s cogs whirl slowly into action...


My bad - talking about the wrong one! I use Mediago.....


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> We are taking about Apple software.
> 
> The Sony Music Ctr software as far as software goes has been abandoned by Sony. If you were attempting to use it to load your Walkmans it took hours. It does that other Sony file process of arranging songs, not needed and time consuming. The one thing that it did do is find artwork when you ripped CDs, that was cool. But it’s not supported and slow as heck. It has it’s own ideas of what it wants to do with your time. The only other cool thing it did was find and automatically update the Firmware on the Walkmans. I remember out of the blue, it was like “Sony has now introduced 2.0 for your Walkman, would you like to update your player?
> 
> ...




Oh man I have a different experience with the music center application on my windows 10 and find it works very good except screwing up the albums and splitting them into 3 different albums lmao cause it got confused.

I find its a good way to listen to music and fix your album arts! It does work for album arts 100%
And its fast for me no slowing down processes


----------



## Redcarmoose

Ghostsounds said:


> I’ve been using it ever since I got a wm Walkman. Maybe not because it’s the best, but I’m used to it’s interface. I edit my albums and add/change album art easily enough, though don’t tell it to look online or you’ll be watching it’s cogs whirl slowly into action...



No, I’m glad people like it. Back when I used it, it didn’t work so great. And......I was not alone in my attitude. I hope it is better now!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 3, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Oh man I have a different experience with the music center application on my windows 10 and find it works very good except screwing up the albums and splitting them into 3 different albums lmao cause it got confused.
> 
> I find its a good way to listen to music and fix your album arts! It does work for album arts 100%
> And its fast for me no slowing down processes



Cheers! Glad you like it.
That album split thing drove me nuts, I may need therapy?


----------



## Ghostsounds

Did try music centre but couldn’t get used to it. It felt more like it was controlling me and not me controlling it.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 3, 2020)

Ghostsounds said:


> Did try music centre but couldn’t get used to it. It felt more like it was controlling me and not me controlling it.



That’s what I’m saying. I’m happy I’m not using it.


----------



## 534409

Regarding Apple software - IMHO only two big vendors are writing good applications for Macs - Adobe and Quark. rest ist more or less problematic.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Cheers! Glad you like it.




I advise being super careful with the feature that auto updates your songs details!
I fixed all my songs manually via mp3 tag but if you select music center for auto retrieve songs details and albums art all that... it will often most likely get it wrong and will screw up the whole tagging and naming.... and to fix this can be a huge pain in the arse.

I do it manually all of it.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Dramba said:


> Regarding Apple software - IMHO only two big vendors are writing good applications for Macs - Adobe and Quark. rest ist more or less problematic.


https://colibri-lossless.com/flac/?amp&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIy7CRxaDN6wIVDn8rCh0NLwMZEAAYASAAEgK67vD_BwE

So true.
We had a member saying the Colibri Lossless double copied his songs on his media server. I don’t use one so we will see. But yes, not much good software for Mac.

Cheers.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> I advise being super careful with the feature that auto updates your songs details!
> I fixed all my songs manually via mp3 tag but if you select music center for auto retrieve songs details and albums art all that... it will often most likely get it wrong and will screw up the whole tagging and naming.... and to fix this can be a huge pain in the arse.
> 
> I do it manually all of it.



I’m glad it works for you.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Always backup your songs before doing any “auto updating” functions.


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> I advise being super careful with the feature that auto updates your songs details!
> I fixed all my songs manually via mp3 tag but if you select music center for auto retrieve songs details and albums art all that... it will often most likely get it wrong and will screw up the whole tagging and naming.... and to fix this can be a huge pain in the arse.
> 
> I do it manually all of it.



Mine was done manually only. All 10,154 songs are tagged with the same tags for consistency and all have 1000 x 1000 baseline Jpegs for album art. Very consistent and will stay that way thanks to doing it manually with MP3Tag.


----------



## Vitaly2017

mwhals said:


> Mine was done manually only. All 10,154 songs are tagged with the same tags for consistency and all have 1000 x 1000 baseline Jpegs for album art. Very consistent and will stay that way thanks to doing it manually with MP3Tag.




Yes indeed that is a huge work and time consuming process but once done your in a huge winning position no more in need of anything just enjoy the music!


----------



## mwhals

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yes indeed that is a huge work and time consuming process but once done your in a huge winning position no more in need of anything just enjoy the music!



No joke on the time. It took a little over a month this summer, but I am set and should not need to do anything else. My CD Ripper, dbpoweramp, is set to write the same tags I have in the rest of the songs and therefore new rips are exactly the same in consistency.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I do manual update when I get new album, then set files to read-only to avoid being screwed up.

Mysic center sucks, every time I try to load my 1.36TB (60.000+ tracks) it crashes


----------



## MrWalkman

For anyone interested, the A40 Reloaded mod was also done for the A30.

It's available here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new-sony-nw-a30-series.815843/post-15841972


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am testing music center V 2.3.0 Much better, faster, smoother no longer hangs when closing it. Now importing my 60K  track library let's see


----------



## AugustineNg

Been trying to add SensMe info to songs that have existed on my SD card already, almost 6xx GB.
Is there any way to directly scan the entire library on my SD card instead of analyzing the library before importing to the SD card?
It is really laggy and problematic using Music Center even on a powerful PC with 3700X and 2070 super.......


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 3, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am testing music center V 2.3.0 Much better, faster, smoother no longer hangs when closing it. Now importing my 60K  track library let's see


It crashed at 12.787 tracks
Edit restarted it... lets see. But what a piece of junk, older Media Go can load my 70k library in a single program start without any crash


----------



## Lookout57

Dramba said:


> Regarding Apple software - IMHO only two big vendors are writing good applications for Macs - Adobe and Quark. rest ist more or less problematic.


Adobe writes great security vulnerabilities into their apps. I gave up on them years ago.


----------



## bana

gerelmx1986 said:


> It crashed at 12.787 tracks
> Edit restarted it... lets see. But what a piece of junk, older Media Go can load my 70k library in a single program start without any crash



That's why I still use Media Go.


----------



## Vitaly2017

AugustineNg said:


> Been trying to add SensMe info to songs that have existed on my SD card already, almost 6xx GB.
> Is there any way to directly scan the entire library on my SD card instead of analyzing the library before importing to the SD card?
> It is really laggy and problematic using Music Center even on a powerful PC with 3700X and 2070 super.......




I am not 100% sure but I think there is an option to import the music from walkman to music center without physically importing. So you do import but just readable data and it takes a minute only. Then you can do the 12tone analyzer thing...


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 3, 2020)

Sony's Music Center is painfully slow and I have a feeling it calls home a lot. I tend to keep it offline and only use it for the 12 tone analysis.  Music Center can import directly from the DAP, however I've never tried it. Latest version is more stable, equally it should be a far better, not take eons to simply update track metadata if edited manually. Overall Music Center worst part of the current Walkman experience...

At least when the previous versions crashed the music was left safe & intact and it does do a fair job with the 12 tone analysis, although I'd far rather Sony put more effort into it as I seen no reason why it has to be so slow for basic tagging. Playback on the PC is also ok as it offers some of Sony's proprietary algorithms DSEE HX etc. although seemingly behind the curve as well.

It's like the team's that design, create the DAP's and write the SW are from an entirely different planet to the team that deals with the desktop SW package with little if any ability to communicate...

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

30K tracks is too muxh for the crap to even load (crashed again, restarted OC and nothing has happened


----------



## AugustineNg

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am not 100% sure but I think there is an option to import the music from walkman to music center without physically importing. So you do import but just readable data and it takes a minute only. Then you can do the 12tone analyzer thing...


I don't understand how SensMe works unfortunately. Is it a tag or an information gathered by a file instead of song individually? I have tried to analyze local song file and after that I could see 12 tone was analyzed but I did not see any kind of ID3 tag be edited or added.
And I don't want Music Center mess up my library...
I just want SensMe to work properly and it had wasted my time for so long and so many times of trying different ways.


----------



## gerelmx1986

AugustineNg said:


> I don't understand how SensMe works unfortunately. Is it a tag or an information gathered by a file instead of song individually? I have tried to analyze local song file and after that I could see 12 tone was analyzed but I did not see any kind of ID3 tag be edited or added.
> And I don't want Music Center mess up my library...
> I just want SensMe to work properly and it had wasted my time for so long and so many times of trying different ways.


Also before getting rid again of music center did the sensme on one song, no flac tag indicating the tone analysis


----------



## Vitaly2017

AugustineNg said:


> I don't understand how SensMe works unfortunately. Is it a tag or an information gathered by a file instead of song individually? I have tried to analyze local song file and after that I could see 12 tone was analyzed but I did not see any kind of ID3 tag be edited or added.
> And I don't want Music Center mess up my library...
> I just want SensMe to work properly and it had wasted my time for so long and so many times of trying different ways.





gerelmx1986 said:


> Also before getting rid again of music center did the sensme on one song, no flac tag indicating the tone analysis





Senseme is a sony feature that can be accessed from the front menue on the dap, its where you see your albums folders and artists search icons...
There you should see the senseme icon and that all it does is it get scanned by sony software and predefines the songs category or style and then it simply puts it in different categories named like emotional fun adrenaline sports bla bla bla
But nothing special honestly I never use it I dont see the use of this feature.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Haha 🤣🤣
I am sorry but whaaattt sony owns me some royalties fees for using my name.
Haha the new cpu line called Tiger Lake

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/202...els-tiger-lake-laptop-cpu-launch-event/?amp=1


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 3, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Senseme is a sony feature that can be accessed from the front menue on the dap, its where you see your albums folders and artists search icons...
> There you should see the senseme icon and that all it does is it get scanned by sony software and predefines the songs category or style and then it simply puts it in different categories named like emotional fun adrenaline sports bla bla bla
> But nothing special honestly I never use it I dont see the use of this feature.



I use it myself from time to time, it's like random play, but with a specific theme. So if wanting a mix of energetic, relaxed, powerful music etc. on the fly SenseMe works pretty well and throws up some decent combinations. I guess like DSEE HX AI Sony will advance the feature, with Sony being uniquely positioned thx to it's plethora of music data.

Overall SenseMe is a fun & useful feature that helps to differentiate Sony's DAP's. Very handy if you want an impromptu party on the go and have some half decent BT portable speakers  

Q-6


----------



## Redcarmoose

Music Center seems like it was made by Yamaha.................as everything Yamaha makes being unnecessarily complicated.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Music Center seems like it was made by Yamaha.................as everything Yamaha makes being unnecessarily complicated.


Hmm... I’ve found the GUI to be easy to navigate. I like the extra features it offers and it’s helped me in uploading my 1A/1Z music. It does vary on how it jells with the personalities. Hey, Mac is good for many. I’ve seen it.


----------



## Blueoris

I am still use Media Go for sync files with the Walkman, and can't complain.


----------



## fire2368

So back to the MQA conversation, I've got files that are detected as MQA, MQA 44.1, MQA 88.2 and MQA 96. 

I'm assuming after unfold:

MQA = 24/44.1
MQA 44.1 = 24/88.2
MQA 88.2 = 176.2
MQA 96 = 192

Can anyone shed any light?


----------



## MrWalkman

fire2368 said:


> So back to the MQA conversation, I've got files that are detected as MQA, MQA 44.1, MQA 88.2 and MQA 96.
> 
> I'm assuming after unfold:
> 
> ...



All MQA files will be as 24/44.1, and then they will be unfolded to 88.2 and up, depending on the MQA file. There are some MQA files that are only 44.1, yes.


----------



## fire2368

Just to add, MQA and MQA 44.1 is not labelled as Hi-Res (gold font)


----------



## newworld666 (Sep 4, 2020)

fire2368 said:


> Just to add, MQA and MQA 44.1 is not labelled as Hi-Res (gold font)



Basically, It's a compressed lossy format .. so not really hires !!


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> Basically, It's a compressed lossy format .. so not really hires !!



Well, higher than CD quality though, and streamable.

Just making sure we're all on the same line with the info


----------



## fire2368

The MQA only files have disappeared, I think the WM1Z wasn't detecting the bit rate so it just display as MQA. It's now all MQA 44.1 or MQA 48.


----------



## MrWalkman

fire2368 said:


> The MQA only files have disappeared, I think the WM1Z wasn't detecting the bit rate so it just display as MQA. It's now all MQA 44.1 or MQA 48.



For MQA files only the sample rate should be shown, and not the bit rate.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Neural Link


----------



## captblaze

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Neural Link




call me a bit old fashioned, but no effen way


----------



## minzink

Blueoris said:


> I am still use Media Go for sync files with the Walkman, and can't complain.


Me too. Never had any major issues with media go.


----------



## MrWalkman

captblaze said:


> call me a bit old fashioned, but no effen way



I think it could be amazing. Imagine how fast things would go if you could directly interface with a computer, for example. No more "wait, let me type that, let me move the arrow to press that button", etc.

I'm not saying that current interfacing (mouse/keyboard) is a struggle, just saying that it could be better. Some people can think faster than the time it takes to press keys/buttons, etc.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 4, 2020)

captblaze said:


> call me a bit old fashioned, but no effen way



This technology should enable completely deaf persons to hear sounds. So in a way it does have its essential applications.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> This technology should enable completely deaf persons to hear sounds. So in a way it does have its essential applications.




And we where joking about neurological tiger ears powers and it has happened aaaaaa


----------



## Steen Pihl (Sep 4, 2020)

fire2368 said:


> So back to the MQA conversation, I've got files that are detected as MQA, MQA 44.1, MQA 88.2 and MQA 96.
> 
> I'm assuming after unfold:
> 
> ...


MQA is not more than 18 bit and if you have an album in both 24 bit & MQA, you will be able to hear the difference! In my hearing, there’s a total lack of body in sound. I thought it was a very good idea, but it‘s just a save in space and sound quality. When you have a Walkman this good, why settle with sound?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Steen Pihl said:


> MQA is not more than 18 bit and if you have an album in both 24 bit & MQA, you will be able to hear the difference! In my hearing, there’s a total lack of body in sound. I thought it was a very good idea, but it‘s just a save in space and sound quality. When you have a Walkman this good, why settle with sound?




Id go for wavs and worse case scenario flacs. No go for compressed audio


----------



## gerelmx1986

MQA is like MP3, instead of chopping out the frequency spectrum (Khz) it chops yhe in-depth (truncation) , and I have read it cuts everything above 40KHz for hi-res


----------



## MrWalkman

I think we can agree that not everyone likes MQA, but saying that it's like MP3, it's not really what MQA actually is.

I'm gonna ignore the thread for a while just so I won't see stuff like this if you're gonna discuss MQA


----------



## newworld666 (Sep 4, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Well, higher than CD quality though, and streamable.
> 
> Just making sure we're all on the same line with the info



I am not sure, I don't use MQA (I am using Qobuz with hires lossless flacs) ... But, I was thinking Hires should be a lossless format with more than 24 bits and 96Khz ...
I think DAT and DVD Audio had 48kz 16 bits (so better than CD too) are not classified as Hires by Sony.
But maybe I can be totally wrong with those classification..  .


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Neural Link



I dont want Elon t ch on my brain, American fast paced tech puts me off, google with their own issues. German or japanese tech gives me more confidence.

It gives me the impression he wants to be super rich, we sont need more of these folks here, would be great if he died


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 4, 2020)

newworld666 said:


> I am not sure, I don't use MQA (I am using Qobuz with hires lossless flacs) ... But, I was thinking Hires should be a lossless format with more than 24 bits ...
> I think DAT and DVD Audio had 48kz 16 bits (so better than CD too) are not classified as Hires by Sony.
> But maybe I can be totally wrong with those classification..  .



Well, I didn't say that MQA is necessarily Hi-Res. I only said that the quality is higher than that of a CD (or than 48kHz/16bits).

Also, I said it before, I don't really get the sentiment of a bit of hate against MQA. Nobody is forcing anybody to buy MQA, or MQA enabled devices. Also, MQA makes it possible to stream audio that is higher than CD quality.

Then there is the issue of storage, for some people. Not everyone can store only 24bit/96kHz and above or something like that. Based on the anti-MQA claims, we should also really hate MP3, AAC, but they can sound really good, especially now with DSEE HX AI for example. Though I get the whole audiophile thing (I myself try to have good sounding music, of course), it should be more about the mastering process and about the music rather than the technical specs of the file. You could have a 32bit/384kHz file, but if the mastering is bad, then it will sound bad.

The Sony Walkman players will show the Hi-Res sign for songs that have at least 24bits/44.1kHz.

Don't take all this personal (to everyone), I'm just stating my opinion.  Also, don't take formats personal (@gerelmx1986 and MQA)!


----------



## gerelmx1986

MrWalkman said:


> Well, I didn't say that MQA is necessarily Hi-Res. I only said that the quality is higher than that of a CD (or than 48kHz/16bits).
> 
> Also, I said it before, I don't really get the sentiment of a bit of hate against MQA. Nobody is forcing anybody to buy MQA, or MQA enabled devices. Also, MQA makes it possible to stream audio that is higher than CD quality.
> 
> ...


I agree on the space thing, though, hard drives of 5TB are really affordable nowadays (my self 1.36T of music, mostly 16/44.1 - 92% and Hi-res including DSD - 8%). Idont hate MP3 or AAC, IMO well done VBR Lame MP3 sounds good as AAC 256 . I still use mp3 or aac but rarely (usually sourced using db power amp from.own files)


----------



## MrWalkman

gerelmx1986 said:


> I agree on the space thing, though, hard drives of 5TB are really affordable nowadays (my self 1.36T of music, mostly 16/44.1 - 92% and Hi-res including DSD - 8%). Idont hate MP3 or AAC, IMO well done VBR Lame MP3 sounds good as AAC 256 . I still use mp3 or aac but rarely (usually sourced using db power amp from.own files)



Yup, they are affordable, but for example me, I keep all my music on my Walkman. I don't listen to music on PC, except Youtube or Tidal.


----------



## gerelmx1986

MrWalkman said:


> Yup, they are affordable, but for example me, I keep all my music on my Walkman. I don't listen to music on PC, except Youtube or Tidal.


Not a good idea, if walkman stolen or corruption of memories, I'd better have three hard drives of the same size. All mirrored 3x lol, so three fold less chances of data loss of these precious music files.

I am planning that it might be good to own a dirt cheap BWZ-B183 Walkman (4GB 128X36 OLED, only plays.mp3 and WMA ) for on the move, so if stolen they get mp3 and not flac/hi-res LOL


----------



## gerelmx1986

I wish wm1 walkmans had metallic backs. I want really to engrave something like this lol.. "if stolen, Walkman will torture you with Classical music"


----------



## auronthas

Vitaly2017 said:


> I advise being super careful with the feature that auto updates your songs details!
> I fixed all my songs manually via mp3 tag but if you select music center for auto retrieve songs details and albums art all that... it will often most likely get it wrong and will screw up the whole tagging and naming.... and to fix this can be a huge pain in the arse.
> 
> I do it manually all of it.


Yes, that's good advise, I did experience one of my album when click auto updates, it modified my genres tags, and i have to manually add back my usual tags. 

Also I experience Music Centre Window 10  is slow response when I was editing album/track information, album art, even the album/track are stored inside my PC.  Then only transferred the files to 1A/1Z using file manager.

Btw, has anyone try Sony's Hi-Res Audio Player for Mac?


----------



## newworld666 (Sep 4, 2020)

I was wrong, I just had a look on my WM1A, and Sony is showing some of my MQA test files I have on a SD *as HR (only 96Mhz)* and in gold colour. But MQA files with 24 bits 44.1Khz are state as non HR in display in white MQA 44.1Mhz
I was thinking initially that only* lossless *with more than 24bits/96Khz files would show the HR symbol.
It seems only 96khz and over are considered as HR files.


----------



## gerelmx1986

newworld666 said:


> I was wrong, I just had a look on my WM1A, and Sony is showing some of my MQA test files I have on a SD *as HR (only 96Mhz)* and in gold colour. But MQA 44.1Khz are stated as non HR in display in white MQA 44.1Mhz
> I was thinking initially that only* lossless *with more than 24bits/96Khz files would show the HR symbol.


That what sony originally stated , HR Symbol is displayed for content with quantization greater than 16/48.

In my experience all 24-bit flac show HR aymbol even for 24/44.1 and 24/48


----------



## newworld666

gerelmx1986 said:


> That what sony originally stated , HR Symbol is displayed for content with quantization greater than 16/48.
> 
> In my experience all 24-bit flac show HR aymbol even for 24/44.1 and 24/48



I just had a look with a MQA file 24bits 44.1Khz, it is not shown as HR on the WM1A
I try to find some 24/48 .. not sure what is shown


----------



## Layman1

Hi, just wondering if it would be possible for anyone to produce a Mac version of the latest WM1A/Z++ FW, the one with the cover art fix?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 4, 2020)

Checkd sony Asia website, no new stuff other than them XM4 headphones in the audio division this year

Edit. Also sony japan website nothing new, no WM2Z no IER-Z1R M2.
 I was expecting that due to corona


----------



## MrWalkman

Can anyone who installed one of the mods PM on a WM1Z pm me please? Thanks.


----------



## newworld666

gerelmx1986 said:


> Checkd sony Asia website, no new stuff other than them XM4 headphones in the audio division this year
> 
> Edit. Also sony japan website nothing new, no WM2Z no IER-Z1R M2.
> I was expecting that due to corona



I am a little bit afraid, Sony won't upgrade the WM1 series in the future, as the market is asking for Wireless (DLNA) connectivity which should be only available with Android.
Just a personal thought .. nothing more


----------



## proedros

@MrWalkman  , great job on the covers man

hope you can....hold your beers


----------



## MrWalkman

proedros said:


> @MrWalkman  , great job on the covers man
> 
> hope you can....hold your beers



I'm not thinking too much about it, others are doing that already for me 😅


----------



## 534409 (Sep 4, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> Adobe writes great security vulnerabilities into their apps. I gave up on them years ago.


I am graphician and layouter, so I cannot. Last updates to Adobe CC closed many vulnerabilities. Shame to Canadians - Corel Draw software is much worse, more buggy.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 4, 2020)

Using @MrWalkman  WM1A/Z+ with DSEE hx AI, IER-Z1R  give better overall presentation than MDR-Z1R  for this album


----------



## MrWalkman

gerelmx1986 said:


> Using @MrWalkman  WM1A/Z+ with DSEE hx AI, IER-Z1R  give better overall presentation than MDR-Z1R  for this album



Nice to hear! (pun intended)

Myself I'm using the more-volume option, WM1A/Z++, with the Z7M2. It's just such an experience every time I listen!

I'm listening right now to some songs, and I was basically lost for a moment. I had to look around me and realize where I am, lol - I hope it's just because of the music


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I think it is unlikely Sony will be releasing any walkman products this year. We likely have to wait for 2021.

I guess for most WM1 users with @MrWalkman DSEE HX AI, 2020 is already a good year.


----------



## SebaE2012

MrWalkman said:


> Ok, the stock firmwares also received the album cover fix.
> 
> They can be found here: *CLICK*
> 
> ...



Your work is simply awesome, @MrWalkman!!! Really impressive, it just keeps making these beasts better and better, even going into the little details and fixing inconveniences. Thanks a lot!!!


----------



## SebaE2012

Ghostsounds said:


> I’ve been using it ever since I got a wm Walkman. Maybe not because it’s the best, but I’m used to it’s interface. I edit my albums and add/change album art easily enough, though don’t tell it to look online or you’ll be watching it’s cogs whirl slowly into action...


Yeah, I don't find it that bad, either. I'd say perhaps slightly above average? It's nice that it picks up album art pics, and apparently it uses Gracenote (same service Exact Audio Copy uses, among other options). The bad thing about music center is that many times it doesn't find the exact version of any given album (and I mean many times) and you're left with the option of tagging a portion of the album, with the negative consequence of the separation of the tagged and untagged songs in different albums (not different folders, thankfully).


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I think it is unlikely Sony will be releasing any walkman products this year. We likely have to wait for 2021.
> 
> I guess for most WM1 users with @MrWalkman DSEE HX AI, 2020 is already a good year.


What was your first digital music files walkman you had?


----------



## SebaE2012

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I think it is unlikely Sony will be releasing any walkman products this year. We likely have to wait for 2021.
> 
> I guess for most WM1 users with @MrWalkman DSEE HX AI, 2020 is already a good year.


Yeah, I agree. Not sure if it's a bad thing, considering that Covid has made this a pretty bad year in many regards... Perhaps it's not the best time to launch new flagship niche products. Plus, it gives the WM1A a nice 5 year lifespan. That's a lot of time of great use and support for our money.


----------



## SebaE2012

Vitaly2017 said:


> Oh man I have a different experience with the music center application on my windows 10 and find it works very good except screwing up the albums and splitting them into 3 different albums lmao cause it got confused.
> 
> I find its a good way to listen to music and fix your album arts! It does work for album arts 100%
> And its fast for me no slowing down processes


Yeah, that's exactly what I meant. Sorry for posting before finishing getting up-to-date with the thread.


----------



## Lookout57

macOS users rejoice.

Sony silently updated the installer for the WM1A and ZX300 to support macOS 10.15. On the download page it now states:



> *Operating Systems*
> The latest version of the firmware update is compatible with most commonly used versions of Mac OS:
> IMPORTANT: Not supported by operating systems other than specified below.
> 
> macOS 10.13 - 10.15



I just verified in the code that they are now loading the USB driver from the correct location for Catalina.


----------



## MrWalkman

By the way, past year firmware updates were released all the way up to December.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@MrWalkman  one thing that has crossed my mind while looking at my pictures of my NWZ-A17 walkman (no longer have it). I remember this little bugger could do the SensMe channels analysis on the DAP itself. While you have discovered the DSEE HX AI  binaries in the firmware files. Didn't you spot also a binary to implement scanning on the WM1 the songs and do the Sensme on the player?


----------



## MrWalkman

gerelmx1986 said:


> @MrWalkman  one thing that has crossed my mind while looking at my pictures of my NWZ-A17 walkman (no longer have it). I remember this little bugger could do the SensMe channels analysis on the DAP itself. While you have discovered the DSEE HX AI  binaries in the firmware files. Didn't you spot also a binary to implement scanning on the WM1 the songs and do the Sensme on the player?



Not really, the app is not made to have that function at all.


----------



## SebaE2012

Queen6 said:


> I use it myself from time to time, it's like random play, but with a specific theme. So if wanting a mix of energetic, relaxed, powerful music etc. on the fly SenseMe works pretty well and throws up some decent combinations. I guess like DSEE HX AI Sony will advance the feature, with Sony being uniquely positioned thx to it's plethora of music data.
> 
> Overall SenseMe is a fun & useful feature that helps to differentiate Sony's DAP's. Very handy if you want an impromptu party on the go and have some half decent BT portable speakers
> 
> Q-6


I like the feature. Used to use it much more with the ZX2, which allows to perform the 12-tone analysis in the DAP itself, which is more practical. I'd like to use it with 1A, but I've already loaded with a substantial chunk of music that hasn't been analyzed with Music Center and I don't really feel like importing the library again. So if anyone knows a bit more about whether Music Center can perform the analysis on music already in the Walkman or in an SD card, I'd appreciate some tips. Thanks!


----------



## Vitaly2017

SebaE2012 said:


> I like the feature. Used to use it much more with the ZX2, which allows to perform the 12-tone analysis in the DAP itself, which is more practical. I'd like to use it with 1A, but I've already loaded with a substantial chunk of music that hasn't been analyzed with Music Center and I don't really feel like importing the library again. So if anyone knows a bit more about whether Music Center can perform the analysis on music already in the Walkman or in an SD card, I'd appreciate some tips. Thanks!




I mentioned it earlier you can import music from wm1 to music center without physically moving anything just a read option.  Then all modifications applied will be on the wm1 it self.
Including 12tone analysis


----------



## SebaE2012

gerelmx1986 said:


> That what sony originally stated , HR Symbol is displayed for content with quantization greater than 16/48.
> 
> In my experience all 24-bit flac show HR aymbol even for 24/44.1 and 24/48


Yeah, that's my experience too.


----------



## SebaE2012

Vitaly2017 said:


> I mentioned it earlier you can import music from wm1 to music center without physically moving anything just a read option.  Then all modifications applied will be on the wm1 it self.
> Including 12tone analysis



Yeah, @Vitaly2017 ,thanks... It was actually your previous post that called my attention to this possibility. I haven't figured out how to get it to work that way yet, but I'm glad to learn that Music Center is able to do it. Will try a bit more and see what happens. Thanks!


----------



## Vitaly2017

SebaE2012 said:


> Yeah, @Vitaly2017 ,thanks... It was actually your previous post that called my attention to this possibility. I haven't figured out how to get it to work that way yet, but I'm glad to learn that Music Center is able to do it. Will try a bit more and see what happens. Thanks!




Just plug the wm1 and import music and then it should give you 2 option...


----------



## newworld666

SebaE2012 said:


> Yeah, that's my experience too.


I just tested it again this morining .. no HR sign with a MAQ file 24bits/44.1Hz but active with 24/96Khz


----------



## gearofwar

Does anyone know if the artworks can be displayed properly for PCM files? Mine does not display them normally as FLAC


----------



## Vitaly2017

gearofwar said:


> Does anyone know if the artworks can be displayed properly for PCM files? Mine does not display them normally as FLAC




All can be fixed via music center, I had situation when what ever I tried was not doing it, the music center fixed it all


----------



## aceedburn

Vitaly2017 said:


> All can be fixed via music center, I had situation when what ever I tried was not doing it, the music center fixed it all


No, pcm and wav files will not display artwork on Sony Walkman. All other formats can.


----------



## normie610

aceedburn said:


> No, pcm and wav files will not display artwork on Sony Walkman. All other formats can.



It can. You need to have the image in the folder and name it exactly like the folder’s name.


----------



## nc8000

aceedburn said:


> No, pcm and wav files will not display artwork on Sony Walkman. All other formats can.



It can but the image must be an external file and not embedded


----------



## aceedburn

That’s great news then. But it sure can’t be done via music center.


----------



## Amber Rain

Lookout57 said:


> macOS users rejoice.
> 
> Sony silently updated the installer for the WM1A and ZX300 to support macOS 10.15. On the download page it now states:
> 
> ...



Wow! This is good news - what took them so long


----------



## mwhals

Someone in another thread said the WM1Z is neutral. That is not what I read in this thread, which I trust more. If it was neutral, I would not have been told it is a poor pairing with the EE Phantom.


----------



## matevana

normie610 said:


> It can. You need to have the image in the folder and name it exactly like the folder’s name.



Haha! That's awesome. I just tried that and it worked. I save to PCM all the time and gave up on album artwork. Thanks for the tip!


----------



## Jotaro

@MrWalkman does your firmware already have the album show improved?


----------



## Hinomotocho

mwhals said:


> Someone in another thread said the WM1Z is neutral. That is not what I read in this thread, which I trust more. If it was neutral, I would not have been told it is a poor pairing with the EE Phantom.


I find the word neutral used too much in reviews of audio gear. Most of the dac/amps or daps I've owned have had the word 'neutral' used in reviews and they have significantly different signatures.


----------



## Piotr Michalak

mwhals said:


> Someone in another thread said the WM1Z is neutral. That is not what I read in this thread, which I trust more. If it was neutral, I would not have been told it is a poor pairing with the EE Phantom.


It became neutral on the newest firmware. Evolved more and more towards neutral from dark warm and fuzzy with each firmware update. Differences were pretty obvious.


----------



## mwhals

Piotr Michalak said:


> It became neutral on the newest firmware. Evolved more and more towards neutral from dark warm and fuzzy with each firmware update. Differences were pretty obvious.



Then I wonder why everyone says it is a poor match with Phantom.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 4, 2020)

mwhals said:


> Then I wonder why everyone says it is a poor match with Phantom.


I find it a good match with Phantom, but then again I have modded 1Z. Play around with the FW and region. Cable help too

If the iem is pretty good, you could add/deduct certain aspects of the sound and shape it closer to what you like. There are limits of course, you can’t really change iem inherent characteristics but you could shape the outline, making it slightly sharper, or adding a little more weight and so on.


----------



## FPVguy

Wondering if there is there a definitieve thread on file formatting / exif etc for WM-1a WM-1z ?????

Never really had a problem, dropped a bunch of files to it, by simply opening up in folder after conecting the USB to my MacBook Pro .. open "music" then drop acording to music / artist name / album name / music-file.flac worked painlessly..

BUT wanted to buy the BladeRunner 2049 this morning, found it on Presto Music (and this could be the issue) bought it and downloaded.. no problem, then dropped in as always.. BUT the album did not show up.. gone.

Round two, created the folder structure on the laptop, then dropped the folder/files into Sony Content transfer.. success. now the files show up as new import, but NOT under artist where they are located.. and the album cover is not being read..?

Sooooooo... seems some formatting or editing of exif may happen using Sony Content transfer?
Seems I need to go in and add artist name to exif maybe in order to get this to land right?

Sorry for asking this - but I have been scrolling pages and searching.. and proably are missing it.

   Bo


----------



## mwhals

hamhamhamsta said:


> I find it a good match with Phantom, but then again I have modded 1Z. Play around with the FW and region. Cable help too



But stock WM1Z is what I hear is a bad match. Not interested in modding.


----------



## Lookout57

FPVguy said:


> Wondering if there is there a definitieve thread on file formatting / exif etc for WM-1a WM-1z ?????
> 
> Never really had a problem, dropped a bunch of files to it, by simply opening up in folder after conecting the USB to my MacBook Pro .. open "music" then drop acording to music / artist name / album name / music-file.flac worked painlessly..
> 
> ...


It sounds like it doesn't have the proper ID3 tags or artwork. Use Kid3 to check the tags.


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 5, 2020)

Small update:

The battery charging image feature implemented in the 1.4 version of the mods
seems to cause an issue when it is applied to *some* WM1Z. The issue is that the
internal storage will be seen as having only 128GB capacity instead of 256GB.

Because of that, I modified the installer for the mods, so if the player is a WM1Z,
the battery charging image feature will not be applied when installing one of the mods.

Also, if you already installed one of the 1.4 mods, you can revert the change using
a separate installer.

The installer allows you to install or revert this feature, so it can also be used by
stock 3.02 WM1A firmware users that want to have this feature.

You can try installing the feature on your WM1Z, and if you still see 256GB, feel free
to keep it installed.

I placed the installer in the GDrive folder, available on the link from the main post.


*LINK TO THE MAIN POST FOR THE MODS*


Edit: I already uploaded the new installer for the mods in the GDrive folder, that will not
install the battery charging image feature on a WM1Z.


----------



## aceedburn

MrWalkman said:


> Small update:
> 
> The battery charging image feature implemented in the 1.4 version of the mods
> seems to cause an issue when it is applied to a WM1Z. The issue is that the
> ...


Ah. So for 1A users who installed the previous version don’t have to do anything right?


----------



## MrWalkman

aceedburn said:


> Ah. So for 1A users who installed the previous version don’t have to do anything right?



Yeah, the only "issue" is that for WM1Z owners, they would see 128GB as internal storage instead of 256GB, if they would have the feature applied.


----------



## aceedburn

MrWalkman said:


> Yeah, the only "issue" is that for WM1Z owners, they would see 128GB as internal storage instead of 256GB, if they would have the feature applied.


No issue for 1A users who switched models to 1Z either?


----------



## MrWalkman

aceedburn said:


> No issue for 1A users who switched models to 1Z either?



Nope, as WM1A will have 128GB of internal storage no matter if it's switched to 1Z or not.


----------



## 534409

Amber Rain said:


> Wow! This is good news - what took them so long


License fees - as allways Apple wanted more, Sony gave less


----------



## Amber Rain

Dramba said:


> License fees - as allways Apple wanted more, Sony gave less



As if Apple doesn't make enough money!!!


----------



## paul_uk_81

I have an AK SP1KM currently but keep getting tempted away with a WM1A/Z. If anyone else has made the change, what prompted you and what did you gain/lose?

I’ve also started using Roon and Eq’ing for my headphones and IEMs with its DSP has also made a big difference. EQ on the SP1K seems very subtle, how do people find it on the Sony?


----------



## normie610

MrWalkman said:


> Yeah, the only "issue" is that for WM1Z owners, they would see 128GB as internal storage instead of 256GB, if they would have the feature applied.



I installed the 1.4 previously but the internal storage shown is 256GB, does this mean I have no issues?


----------



## normie610

paul_uk_81 said:


> I have an AK SP1KM currently but keep getting tempted away with a WM1A/Z. If anyone else has made the change, what prompted you and what did you gain/lose?
> 
> I’ve also started using Roon and Eq’ing for my headphones and IEMs with its DSP has also made a big difference. EQ on the SP1K seems very subtle, how do people find it on the Sony?



The EQ is very responsive, you can clearly hear the change in sound.


----------



## MrWalkman

normie610 said:


> I installed the 1.4 previously but the internal storage shown is 256GB, does this mean I have no issues?



Yes, that is the only issue that somebody reported. I honestly don't know how it could happen, but if anyone owning a WM1Z wants to have the battery charging image feature, they can now use the separate installer to apply it, as the mod will not install it automatically.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

MrWalkman said:


> as WM1A will have 128GB of internal storage no matter if it's switched to 1Z or not.



Blimey, mate! I thought after switching to 1Z
1A would have twice that, 256 of physicaL memory.  So no wonders.. ;(


----------



## MrWalkman

Mystic Traveller said:


> Blimey, mate! I thought after switching to 1Z
> 1A would have twice that, 256 of physicaL memory.  So no wonders.. ;(



Well, while doing all kinds of experiments, I thought at some point that the WM1A might also have 256GB actually, but nope, it doesn't


----------



## Mystic Traveller

MrWalkman said:


> all kinds of experiments


BTW, I am still sitting on your first version - Z switch and Z FW - 'cos I am still in love
wtih sound  so no further experiments  - leave them untill some point later on -
conservative approach. " leave well alone"..


----------



## MrWalkman

Mystic Traveller said:


> BTW, I am still sitting on your first version - Z switch and Z FW - 'cos I am still in love
> wtih sound  so no further experiments  - leave them untill some point later on -
> conservative approach. " leave well alone"..



Well, just installing the updated version shouldn't change anything. I did some changing myself, and I was always able to come back to the sound I knew.

I settled on the 1A model, with the 1A sound tuning actually, on WM1A/Z++.

Z7M2 is already warm, as well as the XBA-Z5.


----------



## Blueoris

I read a couple of days ago a post from you @MrWalkman saying that you found the sound of the Walkman stock firmware "boring" after been listening to one of your mods for a while. I presume you were referring to your NW-WM1A.

In any case, I agree with you, as I had the same experience after uninstalling your WM1AZ+ 3.02 (1.3) mod and installing the stock 3.02. I *never* thought that one day I would find the stock Walkman sound "subjectively" lifeless, boring. That shows how good your mods are.

But also, it makes me reflect on the fact that I haven't read a statement like that here from an owner coming back to a NW Walkman after spending sometime listening to another DAP. Not even from DPM-1Z owners! Instead, I find comments like one is better than the other driving X or Y headphone, or some @Whitigir educative posts explaining how one has better design and internals than the other, and the occasional superlative post from a proud owner stating that one "totally destroys" the other, which I don't take too seriously etc. And all this makes me wonder how an objective person will find the stock sound of a more expensive product like DPM-1Z after using a Walkman with @MrWalkman (and perhaps with one of @Nayparm) mods for a while.

Anyway, I think anyone looking forward getting a TOLT DAP should check if it has mods from @MrWalkman available before doing it


----------



## MrWalkman

Blueoris said:


> I read a couple of days ago a post from you @MrWalkman saying that you found the sound of the Walkman stock firmware "boring" after been listening to one of your mods for a while. I presume you were referring to your NW-WM1A.



Yep, I was talking about my WM1A.

Before having the opportunity to listen to the WM1A/Z+ or ++ sound, the stock sound was really ok, even without any kind of tuning mods available back then. Right now, the stock sound is indeed boring/lifeless, at least to me, and I'm not trying to blow this out of proportions or anything.

I usually don't talk about how good it sounds, as I understand it can be seen as me bragging about the mods or something. Instead, I like letting people try it and see (or hear) for themselves.

I really recommend anyone having a WM1A/WM1Z to give a try to this new sound. I would say that you don't know what you're missing. It's just an amazing experience, and I really don't see myself looking for anything else.


----------



## RYCeT

MrWalkman said:


> Yep, I was talking about my WM1A.
> 
> Before having the opportunity to listen to the WM1A/Z+ or ++ sound, the stock sound was really ok, even without any kind of tuning mods available back then. Right now, the stock sound is indeed boring/lifeless, at least to me, and I'm not trying to blow this out of proportions or anything.
> 
> ...



MrWalkman, I have installed the WM1A/Z+, changed to 1Z and installed WM1A/Z+. I want the new update so I don't need to worry about my jpg files not showing. Since my wm1a is now on wm1z. Do I need to make it stock first and do all the process over again? or Can I just install the new WM1A/Z+ firmware only? Thanks


----------



## MrWalkman

RYCeT said:


> MrWalkman, I have installed the WM1A/Z+, changed to 1Z and installed WM1A/Z+. I want the new update so I don't need to worry about my jpg files not showing. Since my wm1a is now on wm1z. Do I need to make it stock first and do all the process over again? or Can I just install the new WM1A/Z+ firmware only? Thanks



Nope, you don't need to install the stock firmware before installing the updated version.

Just go ahead and install the new version. The model will keep being "1Z", and the sound should not change.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I dont see sn





Mystic Traveller said:


> Blimey, mate! I thought after switching to 1Z
> 1A would have twice that, 256 of physicaL memory.  So no wonders.. ;(


You can achieve that if you convert your flac and DSD to MP3


----------



## Gamerlingual

Blueoris said:


> I read a couple of days ago a post from you @MrWalkman saying that you found the sound of the Walkman stock firmware "boring" after been listening to one of your mods for a while. I presume you were referring to your NW-WM1A.
> 
> In any case, I agree with you, as I had the same experience after uninstalling your WM1AZ+ 3.02 (1.3) mod and installing the stock 3.02. I *never* thought that one day I would find the stock Walkman sound "subjectively" lifeless, boring. That shows how good your mods are.
> 
> ...


What made you feel that way about the DMP-Z1? I’ve listened to it, and was tempted to get it. But I realized, I would use it like my TA, which is to say everyday, but at my desk. So if I already listen to my 1Z and 1A in bed or while relaxing, I wondered if there was any real point in getting it. Have you tried it?


----------



## ttt123 (Sep 5, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, that is the only issue that somebody reported. I honestly don't know how it could happen, but if anyone owning a WM1Z wants to have the battery charging image feature, they can now use the separate installer to apply it, as the mod will not install it automatically.


@ MrWalkman:
After installing 1.4 for the cover image fix on my WM1Z, it looks normal showing 256GB in the unit information.  I  ran your new Revert fix, just to be safe, and got the following instructions to restore to factory settings.
Does it really need a "restore to factory settings", which would reset the play time, or are the instructions just for the A30Series DAP, as that is what it refers to?  Either way, I would not do the restore yet, as I do not see any problems with the internal memory amount.  Just thought I would clarify with you....


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 5, 2020)

ttt123 said:


> @ MrWalkman:
> After installing 1.4 for the cover image fix on my WM1Z, it looks normal showing 256GB in the unit information.  I  ran your new Revert fix, just to be safe, and got the following instructions to restore to factory settings.
> Does it really need a "restore to factory settings", which would reset the play time, or are the instructions just for the A30Series DAP, as that is what it refers to?  Either way, I would not do the restore yet, as I do not see any problems with the internal memory amount.  Just thought I would clarify with you....



Oh, well, I'm a little idiot 

I totally missed that text.  I used some code from another tool. Ignore the factory reset thing. You don't need to do a factory reset after applying this feature.

Regarding the feature itself and the WM1Z, as long as you see the correct amount of internal storage, feel free to use it. That is the only "issue" that someone had on their 1Z.

Edit: I just modified the text, and reuploaded the tool.


----------



## fire2368

paul_uk_81 said:


> I have an AK SP1KM currently but keep getting tempted away with a WM1A/Z. If anyone else has made the change, what prompted you and what did you gain/lose?
> 
> I’ve also started using Roon and Eq’ing for my headphones and IEMs with its DSP has also made a big difference. EQ on the SP1K seems very subtle, how do people find it on the Sony?


I made this change. The 1z has a more coloured sound imo. It's got a heavier note weight, nicer bass body and very clear sparkly treble. The sp1k is a lot flatter. I found the music more engaging through the 1z. Also battery life is amazing.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am doing Sensme with the trich @Vitaly2017  said. Import songs from micro SD card without transferring to pc
 I am first testing on my smaller 400GB card with 12.111 tracks on it. Is so slow even for short songs take a while


----------



## Blueoris

Gamerlingual said:


> What made you feel that way about the DMP-Z1? I’ve listened to it, and was tempted to get it. But I realized, I would use it like my TA, which is to say everyday, but at my desk. So if I already listen to my 1Z and 1A in bed or while relaxing, I wondered if there was any real point in getting it. Have you tried it?



I haven't tried the DMP but if I would been thinking on getting a TOTL DAP (like DMP-Z1, Dave etc), I think I would be a bit concern that one day I may find it less appealing.

Your point about  DMP vs TA from a use case perspective is valid. I haven't hear the TA, but I think the pragmatic / practical side of me would choose the TA flexibility over DMP if I have to, even if they were retailing at the same price.


----------



## Gamerlingual (Sep 5, 2020)

I did this comparison, recently. I wasn’t blown away. That’s not to say that the DMP-Z1 isn’t good, but I’ve been so spoiled with the gear I already have, it’s hard to jump into that for the price. The DMP-Z1 I think is good. I would like to get it say, for 350,000 yen used. I really don’t feel it’s worth it’s asking price, and that’s after listening to it at the Sony Store in Ginza for 2 hours. I do think it's a wonderful collectible and I want to buy it, but I also need to be responsible.🤷🏻‍♂️


----------



## Lookout57

Dramba said:


> License fees - as allways Apple wanted more, Sony gave less


No, it has nothing to do with license fees. 

Apple warned all developers 2 years ago that there was a change coming to where drivers can be loaded from and that some API's were going to be removed. 

Last year at their WWDC, Apple notified developers that the driver load location change was going to be enforced in macOS Catalina. So it took Sony almost a year to make the change. This change could have been done in 5 minutes by a junior developer.

This year at Apple's WWDC, they told developers that all drivers for Big Sur need to use the new APIs as the old ones will no longer be available. So how long will it take Sony to support Big Sur? My guess maybe in a year.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Just sharing with you 2 of the info from the modifying thread. Thought it could be useful for some. 

I had the opportunity yesterday to compare my 1A modded by Nayparm with a 1A stock.
Both in alternative firmware ++ switched to 1Z.

Well there is no real match.
The 1A modded goes further.
- darker background, so you can hear more inflections and breath
- wider and deeper stage, with easier location of the instruments
- better-held basses
- more precise image, higher definition and resolution
- lusher sound

Is it worth it ? It's up to everyone to judge but I really appreciate what I hear on my WM1A.
Great job @Nayparm 


Also, with a friend we were able few weeks ago to compare Nayparm modded WM1A with ++ switched to 1Z to a Nayparm modded WM1Z in stock 3.02. So same exact hardware mod.
We both preferred the 1A. It sounded clearly better.
Great job @MrWalkman


----------



## Queen6

Just need a 3.5 Pro balanced to 4.4 Pentaconn and see what the WM1A & DEVA can do together...




Q-6


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 5, 2020)

mwhals said:


> Someone in another thread said the WM1Z is neutral. That is not what I read in this thread, which I trust more. If it was neutral, I would not have been told it is a poor pairing with the EE Phantom.



The Walkman 1Z has never been referred to as neutral ever, except by people that don't know. Even Sony introduced the 1Z as not neutral................with the 1A Sony introduced closer to neutral. But in the days before 2.0 the 1Z was more syrupy and slow. It was darker, then 3.01 came out making it brighter and faster, then 3.02 came out and continued with the cleaner sound. But the 1Z has a robust bass boost and tweaked up treble. It's an artistic take on a V signature. The interesting thing was before MrWalkmans steroids arrived the 1A was weak and thin. The 1Z was the authoritative choice for many. And while 1A/1Z+ and 1A/1Z++ do improve both players in the same direction, the 1A woke up. Though now it is still a question of taste which is better, some IEMs or headphones like the treble boost of the 1Z. Though if your not used to the treble boost the 1Z can come off bright, despite the bass boost, being the extreme on both ends. Any of us that are infatuated now with the 1A are probably mesmerized by a character of the 1A mids, along with a faster and charismatic bass dept. There is an ongoing surprise in the 1A sub-bass that was never ever there before. These details with the 1A seem to marginalize the love affair that folks had with the 1Z before. So on paper the 1A is maybe still behind the 1Z, the soundstage may still be thicker front to back on the 1Z? But it's the extended expansion right to left and imaging that makes the 1A so much fun. Also there is a special clarity that's new and never heard before; at least for me? So it may be that the treble boost in the 1Z is real detail but the 1A now gets detail from another direction, maybe more authentic? The 1Z is still very amazing and can still be the better DAP for some headphones. Still after listening to the 1A for 3 weeks straight the 1Z brightness sounds................almost un-needed? IMO 

Just because something like the 1Z is not neutral does not mean it can't go with V or U shaped IEM signatures. The IER-Z1R is U or V shaped and goes great with the 1Z. There is a level though where both the bass or treble can extend up being the character of DAP and IEM before it crosses the line. IMO

That's the whole synergy thing mixing warm and cold characters to arrive somewhere less drastic, but it does not always have to be because we are dealing with Audiophile levels of reproduction that have many many variations in tone and potentials to change.


----------



## AugustineNg

MrWalkman said:


> Yeah, the only "issue" is that for WM1Z owners, they would see 128GB as internal storage instead of 256GB, if they would have the feature applied.


Much appreciate your work! The DSEE HX AI is really impressive!
Am I right to reinstall the 'WM1AZ++ 3.02 (1.4).exe' freshly downloaded by now and it will not modify the charging icon, which if there was the charing icon and was reinstalled with the new firmware, the charging icon will be gone?
Or do I need to use the exe in the zip in the folder 'WM1 Battery Charging Feature'?


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 5, 2020)

AugustineNg said:


> Much appreciate your work! The DSEE HX AI is really impressive!
> Am I right to reinstall the 'WM1AZ++ 3.02 (1.4).exe' freshly downloaded by now and it will not modify the charging icon, which if there was the charing icon and was reinstalled with the new firmware, the charging icon will be gone?
> Or do I need to use the exe in the zip in the folder 'WM1 Battery Charging Feature'?



Oh, it's not about the small battery icon.

You know when your smartphone is turned off and you plug in the charger? A battery charging image will show up.

When the battery is empty on a Walkman, and you will try turning it on, nothing will show up on the screen. With the battery charging image feature installed, the Walkman will show a battery empty image, instead of not showing anything.





Also, if you plug in the charger when the battery is empty, an image of a charging battery will show up.





Once the battery will be charged enough, the Walkman will start up automatically - but until then, you will see this battery charging image instead of not seeing anything.

The feature will be automatically installed on a WM1A if you install one of the 1.4 mods. For a WM1Z, you can install it using the separate smaller installer, the "WM1 Battery Charging Feature".


----------



## Lookout57

MrWalkman said:


> Oh, it's not about the small battery icon.
> 
> You know when your smartphone is turned off and you plug in the charger? A battery charging image will show up.
> 
> ...


Typical how long does it take before the unit has enough power to turn on?

I'm concerned about screen burn-in from displaying a static image.


----------



## MrWalkman

Lookout57 said:


> Typical how long does it take before the unit has enough power to turn on?
> 
> I'm concerned about screen burn-in from displaying a static image.



The screen is not on all the time. The images are only shown for a couple of seconds, and then the screen turns off.

In case of charging, you can just press the power button once, the image will show up, and then the screen goes off again after several seconds.

Depending on how empty the battery is, it can take around 10 minutes I would say.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Redcarmoose said:


> The Walkman 1Z has never been referred to as neutral ever, except by people that don't know. Even Sony introduced the 1Z as not neutral................with the 1A Sony introduced closer to neutral. But in the days before 2.0 the 1Z was more syrupy and slow. It was darker, then 3.01 came out making it brighter and faster, then 3.02 came out and continued with the cleaner sound. But the 1Z has a robust bass boost and tweaked up treble. It's an artistic take on a V signature. The interesting thing was before MrWalkmans steroids arrived the 1A was weak and thin. The 1Z was the authoritative choice for many. And while 1A/1Z+ and 1A/1Z++ do improve both players in the same direction, the 1A woke up. Though now it is still a question of taste which is better, some IEMs or headphones like the treble boost of the 1Z. Though if your not used to the treble boost the 1Z can come off bright, despite the bass boost, being the extreme on both ends. Any of us that are infatuated now with the 1A are probably mesmerized by a character of the 1A mids, along with a faster and charismatic bass dept. There is an ongoing surprise in the 1A sub-bass that was never ever there before. These details with the 1A seem to marginalize the love affair that folks had with the 1Z before. So on paper the 1A is maybe still behind the 1Z, the soundstage may still be thicker front to back on the 1Z? But it's the extended expansion right to left and imaging that makes the 1A so much fun. Also there is a special clarity that's new and never heard before; at least for me? So it may be that the treble boost in the 1Z is real detail but the 1A now gets detail from another direction, maybe more authentic? The 1Z is still very amazing and can still be the better DAP for some headphones. Still after listening to the 1A for 3 weeks straight the brightness the 1Z sounds................almost un-needed? IMO
> 
> Just because something like the 1Z is not neutral does not mean it can't go with V or U shaped IEM signatures. The IER-Z1R is U or V shaped and goes great with the 1Z. There is a level though where both the bass or treble can extend up being the character of DAP and IEM before it crosses the line. IMO
> 
> That's the whole synergy thing mixing warm and cold characters to arrive somewhere less drastic, but it does not always have to be because we are dealing with Audiophile levels of reproduction that have many many variations in tone and potentials to change.


Great understanding of sound characteristics 👍


----------



## Maxx134

auronthas said:


> Likewise, I was looking for streaming DAP, I just got my first AK SE100 , first ESS Sabre DAC, it's a different sound signature, sound slightly brighter and fun but not fatigue compare to 1Z/1A.


Honestly I would have assumed your description would be opposite, as a LeSabre dac will display alot of trebles, and the latest quad dac versions Actually take on a more euphoric and exaggerated trebles, which are a departure from their trebles  issues from the past, while the Sony DAPs that you place both 1a&1z as having any fatigue is really unheard of.  Your observations are unique and not the norm. I would look at other aspects of your setup to see what could be the issue. 



MrWalkman said:


> Well, signatures are not visible on smartphone browsers


I can see them in landscape mode on my Android phone.




MrWalkman said:


> Yeah, the only "issue" is that for WM1Z owners, they would see 128GB as internal storage instead of 256GB, if they would have the feature applied.


!


MrWalkman said:


> Yes, that is the only issue that somebody reported. I honestly don't know how it could happen, but if anyone owning a WM1Z wants to have the battery charging image feature, they can now use the separate installer to apply it, as the mod will not install it automatically.


I will try it on my 1z as well.


----------



## SebaE2012

Gamerlingual said:


> I did this comparison, recently. I wasn’t blown away. That’s not to say that the DMP-Z1 isn’t good, but I’ve been so spoiled with the gear I already have, it’s hard to jump into that for the price. The DMP-Z1 I think is good. I would like to get it say, for 350,000 yen used. I really don’t feel it’s worth it’s asking price, and that’s after listening to it at the Sony Store in Ginza for 2 hours. I do think it's a wonderful collectible and I want to buy it, but I also need to be responsible.🤷🏻‍♂️


Well, being responsible, that's actually something hard to achieve in this hobby, I'm getting to learn.  
Perhaps it's just one more advantage love for music, at this sort of level, brings to the table: it gives us an opportunity to develop our personal traits and skills to resist almost continuous temptation.


----------



## Blueoris (Sep 5, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I did this comparison, recently. I wasn’t blown away. That’s not to say that the DMP-Z1 isn’t good, but I’ve been so spoiled with the gear I already have, it’s hard to jump into that for the price. The DMP-Z1 I think is good. I would like to get it say, for 350,000 yen used. I really don’t feel it’s worth it’s asking price, and that’s after listening to it at the Sony Store in Ginza for 2 hours. I do think it's a wonderful collectible and I want to buy it, but I also need to be responsible.🤷🏻‍♂️



I hear you @Gamerlingual.

In the case of the DMP,  I personally can't justify throwing that cash into something that when used, would be enjoyed by one person only..


----------



## Gamerlingual

Blueoris said:


> I hear you @Gamerlingual.
> 
> In the case of the DMP,  I personally can't justify throwing that cash into something that when used, would be enjoyed by one person only..


I see when you saw all the tech talk from certain people and others saying it destroys other DAPs. Not really? It certainly has more power to juice up the headphones that have high impedance. I won’t deny that as they get loud. I raised the volume up but took my headphones off without listening so I can maintain my hearing. You can hear the music through the headphones.

There are some kind owners out there. Nanaholic comes to mind about how the stuff functions without putting down the players. I appreciate it for what it is and it’s a cool piece of niche tech.

But I’m really happy with my TA and DAPs. Time will tell. For now, keep loving my 1A and 1Z.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

There are smartphone apps like sonar works that has sound profiles that flattens your headphone frequency response to near ruler flat.

But by doing that you are removing the sound coloration/signature that makes your headphone sound unique in the first place. 

True neutral sound will likely make your headphone and music sound boring and life-less to listen to.

Sony Walkman does have coloration of the sound but it is done in a way which sounds great across a multitude of music genres and headphones.

There’s many ways to tune the final sound of your equipment, through rolling firmware, changing DSP settings, changing of ear pads/iem tips or cable upgrades. 

What matters most is finding a sound that suits your own listening preferences. What might sound like a bassy mess to you might be what a EDM DJ is liking a lot.


----------



## cosplayerkyo

I've been spending quite some time listening and comparing all 3.  

The WM1A has always sounded more on the cooler side to me.  Mine now has the modded firmware, and man did it up the soundstage and overall impact.  The IER Z1R + modded WM1A is a perfect pairing.  It really is hard to go back to the stock firmware now.

The TAZ gives it that wonderful warmth and to my ears, it sounds like there's quite a bigger soundstage and the bass hits a bit deeper compared to the WM1A.  This is on the IERs and the MDRs.  When i want to kick back and just relax to some trance, the MDR plus TAZ hits the spot.

The DMP has a more cooler sound and is an interesting device.  It's stupid expensive.  And back when I tried testing it a few times at stores, i thought it did sound better but for the price....  hmmm.  This year, with my job now transitioning to working from home, I'm in front of my computer all day and night.  Hated it.  If I wanted to listen to my audio in a different room, it became quite a hassle bring the Taz plus the dock plus the WM1A.  So this got me looking at a few other options and realizing how much the price adds up when you factor in the price of a dac, amp, cables, player, etc etc.  That's when the DMP made absolute sense.  An entire audio system that I can just move around the house with ease.

I mainly listen to the DMP with the Meze Empyreans.  The Empyreans are a bit TOO warm with the TAZ and the WM1A sounds flat to me for some reason.  On the DMP, the Empyreans sound incredibly clear and soundstage and all that other jazz. The IERs sound fantastic on it too, with this weird almost 3d imaging thing going on (I leave the dac filtering on short delay sharp).  Not sure why but I don't really care for listening to the DMP with the MDR headphones.  The treble comes off a bit too strong for my liking.

I think each device has their wonderful synergy.  WM1A+IER Z1R.  Taz+MDR Z1R.  And DMP with Empyreans/IERs.


----------



## Maxx134

MrWalkman said:


> Spoiler: More about this question  If you were on 1Z, and then you switch on 1A and you don't install the firmware again, the sound will mainly be the one of 1A, but it will still have slight characteristics of the 1Z sound.
> 
> Same goes if you are on 1A, then you switch to 1Z, but then you don't install the firmware again. The sound will mainly be the one of 1Z, but it will still have slight characteristics of the 1A sound.


I noticed that whenit is a mix of both, there is more liveliness somehow. Still trying combinations.



cosplayerkyo said:


> The TAZ gives it that wonderful warmth and to my ears, it sounds like there's quite a bigger soundstage and the bass hits a bit deeper compared to the WM1A. This is on the IERs and the MDRs. When i want to kick back and just relax to some trance, the MDR plus TAZ hits the spot


Looks like your a candidate for the mod option @Nayparm .
Then the difference will close the gap.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 6, 2020)

cosplayerkyo said:


> I've been spending quite some time listening and comparing all 3.
> 
> The WM1A has always sounded more on the cooler side to me.  Mine now has the modded firmware, and man did it up the soundstage and overall impact.  The IER Z1R + modded WM1A is a perfect pairing.  It really is hard to go back to the stock firmware now.
> 
> ...



Since your using the MrWalkman firmwares; have you switched the 1A model over to the 1Z model along with 1A/1Z+? I found that to be a super big deal. I leave the 1Z in 1Z mode with 1A/1Z+..........with both players switched over from U region to “J” region. Also is your TA updated to 1.03? In my mind 1.03 made the TA just slightly brighter, yet still of course laid back. Also there should be some damping factor that’s going to contribute to the TA and DMP-Z1 pulling away with headphones like the MDR-Z1R? The power creates better imaging and slightly cleaner bass, but that’s also a little dependent on your normal volume listening levels.

Interestingly enough the TA also smooths out after 200 hours. Funny though there never has been too much talk about TA firmware or burn-in...... I may be crazy after all?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Finally learnt what MDR stands for.

MDR- This stands for “Micro Dynamic Receiver,” 

https://medium.com/@Xander51/a-quic...headphone-and-audio-technologies-9169b5ccbcf8


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 6, 2020)

I did the trick @Vitaly2017  said importing the music to music center without copy to computer  hard drive . Then did the sense me scan which too the whole night for 12.111 tracks stored in the 400GB card


Checked with MediaGo (there is no tag in the files added) and MediaGo show the mood, and BPM for the songs that are FLAC, for DSD shows nothing as if SensMe doesn't work with DSD


----------



## nc8000

Making do while my 1Z is with @Nayparm


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

nc8000 said:


> Making do while my 1Z is with @Nayparm



That looks oddly complicated.


----------



## Ryokan

nc8000 said:


> Making do while my 1Z is with @Nayparm




Looking forward to reading about the differences it makes. It would be a long weeks wait or two for me


----------



## Gamerlingual

Ryokan said:


> Looking forward to reading about the differences it makes. It would be a long weeks wait or two for me


Looks like an adapter placed on that. Can’t make out what it is


----------



## Ryokan

Gamerlingual said:


> Looks like an adapter placed on that. Can’t make out what it is



I was referring to the work on nc8000's 1Z, have you read about the improvements? Just looking at the pics on-line makes me drool, maybe it could be toured around before nc8000 gets it back?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Ryokan said:


> I was referring to the work on nc8000's 1Z, have you read about the improvements? Just looking at the pics on-line makes me drool, maybe it could be toured around before nc8000 gets it back?


Haven’t been following his situation, no.


----------



## Ryokan

Gamerlingual said:


> Haven’t been following his situation, no.



Nayparm at NP Audio is going to mod it, amongst lots of other goodies is a 4100mah battery!


----------



## MrWalkman

Gamerlingual said:


> Haven’t been following his situation, no.



@nc8000's WM1Z is receiving the NP Audio hardware mod.

Here is where you can find some screenshots or modded hardware by @Nayparm (NP Audio):

- https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15834327
- https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15823693
- https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15825653
- https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15806942
- https://www.npaudio.uk/modifications/sony-wm1a-z-extreme-performance-mod


----------



## Gamerlingual

Ah. That might cost about 80,000 yen if I include shipping. Wow.  Good luck. I would be nervous to mod my 1Z


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Ah. That might cost about 80,000 yen if I include shipping. Wow.  Good luck. I would be nervous to mod my 1Z



It gets slightly less complicated as I’m in UK atm so it’s just domestic shipping


----------



## nc8000 (Sep 6, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Looks like an adapter placed on that. Can’t make out what it is



It is these 2, a 4.4 female to 3.5 male and a 3.5 female to lightning

https://www.linsoul.com/products/ddhifi-tc35b?variant=34679905157275

https://www.linsoul.com/products/dd-dj44b-dj44c


----------



## gerelmx1986

gerelmx1986 said:


> I did the trick @Vitaly2017  said importing the music to music center without copy to computer  hard drive . Then did the sense me scan which too the whole night for 12.111 tracks stored in the 400GB card
> 
> 
> Checked with MediaGo (there is no tag in the files added) and MediaGo show the mood, and BPM for the songs that are FLAC, for DSD shows nothing as if SensMe doesn't work with DSD


Now doing sensme on the 512GB


----------



## gsiu33

MrWalkman said:


> Why carry an extra package when you can just have it all in one? Also, the Walkman is charging pretty slowly from my own experience.
> 
> I think the battery mod is just awesome.


It takes around 4 hours to do a full charge 1Z (indeed only 90% as I enabled the battery care). usually do an overnight charge when it drops to the last box, once per week typically. So I don’t have issue on the current battery capacity the charging time.


----------



## WAmadeusM

fire2368 said:


> I made this change. The 1z has a more coloured sound imo. It's got a heavier note weight, nicer bass body and very clear sparkly treble. The sp1k is a lot flatter. I found the music more engaging through the 1z. Also battery life is amazing.


Try 1z as 1a using @MrWalkman Chameleon. That refines the signature and dems the diff in Hardware. The stock 1z fw adds braces to the belt of the 1Z HW. Prob to justify cost. That's what i found when I did a 1A & 1Z side be side hardware review. The 1z is better tuned as a 1a.  I found the ++ fw mods exciting and intriguing. But I found they introduce sound artifacts at 2khz and in some other places. But they are great to have. Bravo Mr Walkman.


----------



## WAmadeusM

Now if only they had not used migraine inducing PWM on the screens (worse on Z than A) like the iPhone X - which had so many returns that crapple dumped the cheapskate dimming tech for the iP11...but thats another story.


----------



## WAmadeusM

Actually - id like to mention that as someone who invested in the Sony Signaure line - Z1r & Taz and And what ive found most dissapointing is the complete lack of empathy or problem solving response from Team Walkman Sony. I see that A&K reps respond to user issues on headfi. But absolutely nothing from the WM team or Sony in Tokyo. I work in the media. I work in speech and music. You would think they would like to fix an issue if they could. They apparently dip into this thread on the forum. But no. We all praise the WMs to higheavaven on this thread. Sonically they are musically brilliant. And sorry I won't accept 'it dont affect me so who cares' dont spoll the love in. Im with @hawiibadboy Badguygoodaudio...if u are selling a premium product there is duty of care- And the interface- the screen is crucial. And the PWM issue is well known. It's the lack of helpful curiosity I find perplexing. @MrWalkman has been more helpful. Go figure. Well they do. Counting the cash...


----------



## MrWalkman

Well, they could easily increase the PWM frequency for sure.

I'm don't really know why manufacturers are not just releasing devices with higher PWM frequency for the backlight...


----------



## Gamerlingual

WAmadeusM said:


> Actually - id like to mention that as someone who invested in the Sony Signaure line - Z1r & Taz and And what ive found most dissapointing is the complete lack of empathy or problem solving response from Team Walkman Sony. I see that A&K reps respond to user issues on headfi. But absolutely nothing from the WM team or Sony in Tokyo. I work in the media. I work in speech and music. You would think they would like to fix an issue if they could. They apparently dip into this thread on the forum. But no. We all praise the WMs to higheavaven on this thread. Sonically they are musically brilliant. And sorry I won't accept 'it dont affect me so who cares' dont spoll the love in. Im with @hawiibadboy Badguygoodaudio...if u are selling a premium product there is duty of care- And the interface- the screen is crucial. And the PWM issue is well known. It's the lack of helpful curiosity I find perplexing. @MrWalkman has been more helpful. Go figure. Well they do. Counting the cash...


I go to their Technical Support for help if I'm having problems. They get the job done there and that's ok for me. I haven't seen anyone here with major problems on their players that I've noted.


----------



## nc8000

WAmadeusM said:


> Actually - id like to mention that as someone who invested in the Sony Signaure line - Z1r & Taz and And what ive found most dissapointing is the complete lack of empathy or problem solving response from Team Walkman Sony. I see that A&K reps respond to user issues on headfi. But absolutely nothing from the WM team or Sony in Tokyo. I work in the media. I work in speech and music. You would think they would like to fix an issue if they could. They apparently dip into this thread on the forum. But no. We all praise the WMs to higheavaven on this thread. Sonically they are musically brilliant. And sorry I won't accept 'it dont affect me so who cares' dont spoll the love in. Im with @hawiibadboy Badguygoodaudio...if u are selling a premium product there is duty of care- And the interface- the screen is crucial. And the PWM issue is well known. It's the lack of helpful curiosity I find perplexing. @MrWalkman has been more helpful. Go figure. Well they do. Counting the cash...



Have you any documentation as to how large a percentage of people are affected by this issue ?
I would imagine Sony are using this technology because it is economically advantagous and that it is a tiny tiny minority of people who are affected. Also it is a music player not a video player so who spends large amounts of time staring at the screen.


----------



## MrWalkman

nc8000 said:


> I would imagine Sony are using this technology because it is economically advantagous and that it is a tiny tiny minority of people who are affected.



The technology is ok. With an enough higher frequency, the headache thing goes away.


----------



## nc8000

MrWalkman said:


> Well, they could easily increase the PWM frequency for sure.
> 
> I'm don't really know why manufacturers are not just releasing devices with higher PWM frequency for the backlight...



Is the frequency bound in HW or could it be change via a FW update ?


----------



## MrWalkman

nc8000 said:


> Is the frequency bound in HW or could it be change via a FW update ?



It could be changed software-wise. It's something driver-related.

For other devices, like some Samsung Galaxy ones, people were able to increase the PWM frequency aftermarket.


----------



## nc8000

MrWalkman said:


> It could be changed software-wise. It's something driver-related.



Would a higher frequency consume more battery ?


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Would a higher frequency consume more battery ?


This seems like a 1 time case. I've never seen anyone else complain about the screen headache other than Amadeus  🤷‍♂️


----------



## MrWalkman

nc8000 said:


> Would a higher frequency consume more battery ?



I didn't find any mention of that, I honestly have no idea.


----------



## newworld666 (Sep 6, 2020)

Basically, I am wondering who really cares for a pure audio device 90% of the time with screen off ? I would never imagine someone would get a headache with such device.

WM1A screen interface is already by far more comfortable to use than any my android devices M9/M11, H6Pro...
Most important is the WM1A Sound is way better (particularly with MrWalkman cooked firmware), WM1A buttons also are really operational (even as Bluetooth receiver with IOS) better than M11/H6Pro.

What I am just really missing is a Wifi/dlna renderer feature to be perfect with IOS. LDAC is just acceptable with Android Phones !!
I am not sure Sony well sell a new version of the WM1 series in the future..... though, I am looking for NPaudio to mod my WM1A and try to stop using the Oriolus BA300S for some of my closed headphones.


----------



## AugustineNg

gerelmx1986 said:


> Now doing sensme on the 512GB


How to do it? Thanks a lot! 
It is so hard to use this software.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Quick question, my players haven’t hit 200 hours yet. Is the best way to get them to 200 quickly is to keep them plugged in continuously until they hit 200 hours with battery care on and having certain IEMs or overhead cans connected as well so there’s a “combined burn-in”?


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 6, 2020)

AugustineNg said:


> How to do it? Thanks a lot!
> It is so hard to use this software.


Click on the menu (three horizontal lines)
File 》Import Folder. After some time it will ask for confirming that the music is stored on another hard drive that is not the computer's main hard drive. It gives you three options.
Import & copy
Import without copy
Cancel

Edit
You must also tell under preferences to do the 12 Tone analysis 

Again click the menu 》Tools 》Settings
Acquire song information. On the right side check "Automatically recover the following elements when they are not available (existing infor will not be overwirtten)
After you check that then uncheck (unless you want Musoc center to mess your tags)
Song information (title, year, genre)
Cover art
And check 12 TONE ANALYSIS


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Quick question, my players haven’t hit 200 hours yet. Is the best way to get them to 200 quickly is to keep them plugged in continuously until they hit 200 hours with battery care on and having certain IEMs or overhead cans connected as well so there’s a “combined burn-in”?



Burn in requires sound to be played through headphones. You have to burn in single ended (if you use it) and balanced seperately. I just left the player connected to power playing 24/7 and then listened each evening


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> Burn in requires sound to be played through headphones. You have to burn in single ended (if you use it) and balanced seperately. I just left the player connected to power playing 24/7 and then listened each evening


Essentially BUUURN, BABY BUUURN!!!


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> Quick question, my players haven’t hit 200 hours yet. Is the best way to get them to 200 quickly is to keep them plugged in continuously until they hit 200 hours with battery care on and having certain IEMs or overhead cans connected as well so there’s a “combined burn-in”?



Just play and enjoy your music, forget about the 200 hours. The players do mature, equally it's not a "day and night differnce" nor does the process cease at 200 hours, biggest change is in the first 50 hours or so the rest is gradual.

Q-6


----------



## auronthas (Sep 17, 2020)

.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 7, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> Just play and enjoy your music, forget about the 200 hours. The players do mature, equally it's not a "day and night differnce" nor does the process cease at 200 hours, biggest change is in the first 50 hours or so the rest is gradual.
> 
> Q-6



Yes I noticed the changes the most from zero to fifty hours. Then from the 50 mark to 200 was less of change but noticeable none the less. After 200 they change but it’s minimal.

There has never been a post of someone getting headache from the screen (before). So if you go by the 44,371 posts of it being a non-issue then on a bell-curve it makes it pretty much a non-issue? Though that doesn’t mean it’s not an issue for a select few, just not enough of a big deal to really matter in the long run. On a bell-curve most are happy with the screen character with a few unhappy and a few in-love so to speak.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 7, 2020)

It's ultimately an audio player. The screen usage is probably like 1%-2% of the time. Is that short period of looking at the screen going to cause headache? I am not sure.

I think for the ZX507, it doesn't use any screen dimming tech because it doesn't get as dimmed even if you set the brightness to 0%. I am not sensitive to flickers so I can't really notice any pwm effects. I have tried using phone video camera to record and see if the ZX507 screen flickers, it doesn't seem to at all. Same with the ZX2 Walkman, no noticable pwm flicker on video recording.


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 7, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I have tried using phone video camera to record and see if the ZX507 screen flickers



You would need to use a slow motion camera, as it has a higher FPS recording capability, and a full white screen for better results.



Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I am not sensitive to flickers so I can't really notice any pwm effects.



You won't really notice it, but rather perceive it.

It's like looking at strobe lights, but without actually seeing the strobe light effect.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Tried slow motion 960fps video recording on my Xperia 1. Still no visible flickers on my ZX507 screen at 0% brightness.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I experienced the biggest and drastic changes from 0 to 100h after that  it was subtler.

I dont use the screen that often, probably just to change album or to look at son title or info. I dont knew w what amadeus does, probably he has the screen on all the time and looks at it too much?


----------



## nanaholic (Sep 7, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Well, they could easily increase the PWM frequency for sure.
> 
> I'm don't really know why manufacturers are not just releasing devices with higher PWM frequency for the backlight...



Because EMI emission from an LCD panel and battery consumption is ALSO a real thing. To eliminate flickering in LCD the accepted PWM frequencies is at 3kHz to fully eliminate flickering that can be perceived by humans. Anything that pulses/cycles at such a higher frequency generates noise that are harder to block out - that's an even less desirable effect for a DAP. Also a higher frequency/refresh rate sucks more battery for a device that isn't designed to be stared at unlike a phone. The only reason modders or reviewers notices screen flickering is because during the review process they spend hours playing/starring at the screen, so essentially it's a self-selection bias that can easily be binned in the "even less than 1%" user bracket that don't need fixing because the undesirable side effects of fixing it for that minority is going to cause more inconveniences for the majority.

Finally, these premium devices sell a lot less units than smartphones, so they subscribe to the "more profit per unit, but less unit sold" model of business to stay afloat because the market size is several factors smaller. Using smartphone production/pricing criteria to judge them is simply wrong to begin with.



Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Tried slow motion 960fps video recording on my Xperia 1. Still no visible flickers on my ZX507 screen at 0% brightness.



If that's the case then it's going to be somewhere between 1kHz and 2.6kHz, it's not going to be something you can record unless you have specialise equipment.
If that's the case then the issue is definitely WAY overblown for a DAP.


----------



## Redcarmoose

So flickering is good.


----------



## nanaholic

Redcarmoose said:


> So flickering is good.



Real life engineering is about balancing compromises.


----------



## MrWalkman

nanaholic said:


> Real life engineering is about balancing compromises.



Thanks for clearing it out.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Sep 7, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> There has never been a post of someone getting headache from the screen (before).


I never paid attention to that side of the screen, it's just OK,
was simply wondering what this discussion was all about?
Some Sony 50" TV or 4K display maybe? 
Was paying attention to its contents
instead and still like them - level meter, etc.


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 7, 2020)

Does anyone remember? 





Good times.

Did you know that there were custom audio drivers for Sony Ericsson devices meant to improve the audio quality? Even custom camera drivers.



Spoiler



One of the last iterations of the web browser's default page:


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 7, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Does anyone remember?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Did someone mentions drivers?


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> Did someone mentions drivers?


Ooh I had those xplod speakers and Sony xplod  av system in one of my earlier cars. They were really good. Especially the full touch screen infotainment system. Used it for at least 8 years till I sold the car with it.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 7, 2020)

nanaholic said:


> Real life engineering is about balancing compromises.



Sony S-Master HX must then be a very balanced design/compromise (pun intended).

I remember hearing a S-master based walkman for the very first time, the NWZ-X1050 back in 2010, I was very impressed by the Walkman tonal balance. No treble harshness, good bass and it has a lot of speed in its transient delivery. However it has a lot of hiss with iems.

Fast forward to 2020 today. Almost 10years later, with the ZX507 next to me. This Walkman is still based off the same kind of Class D amplification but the technology has been improved leaps and bounds. Now I get 3D holographic Sound with even better transient delivery without any hiss. It really is amazing how much Sony manages to improve the Walkman in a span of 10years.


----------



## gerelmx1986

aceedburn said:


> Ooh I had those xplod speakers and Sony xplod  av system in one of my earlier cars. They were really good. Especially the full touch screen infotainment system. Used it for at least 8 years till I sold the car with it.


In mexico my father had sony explode speakers and a head-unit that had an ipod/walkman tray.  It got stolen in plain daylight though


----------



## normie610

MrWalkman said:


> Does anyone remember?
> 
> 
> 
> Good times.



OMG! I remember I bought the cassette walkman with mega bass! It was then replaced by a discman


----------



## MrWalkman

normie610 said:


> OMG! I remember I bought the cassette walkman with mega bass! It was then replaced by a discman



Yep, Sony Ericsson Walkman phones also had this feature


----------



## Vrilly

MrWalkman said:


> Does anyone remember?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Now you mention it, i remember pimping my W880i with dubious russian firmware patches :^)
Back then it was cool to pimp your phone and install weird flash-based replacement menus


----------



## normie610

MrWalkman said:


> Yep, Sony Ericsson Walkman phones also had this feature


 
Ooops....you were referring to a much later period


----------



## lazner

MrWalkman, I would like to ask about your excellent WM1A/Z+ mod. What did you do to improve the sound so much (if it's not a secret)? It sounds very good, compared to stock.


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 7, 2020)

Vrilly said:


> Now you mention it, i remember pimping my W880i with dubious russian firmware patches :^)
> Back then it was cool to pimp your phone and install weird flash-based replacement menus



Oh, yes, I also remember that some newer Sony Ericsson phones had flash support, and some themes were replacing the menus with a .swf flash menu instead of the classic one.

The .swf part had to be added in the firmware on your phone, hence the need for the modding part, yes 

On some of them, you could set .swf files as wallpapers. I remember there was a .swf wallpaper from Sony, that was changing according to the time of the day. It was also different on some days of the year. For example, on the New Year's night, you could see fireworks on the screen.

Edit: it was called "Everchanging"




 





normie610 said:


> Ooops....you were referring to a much later period



Yep, the exact same image I attached was from the equalizer menu. You could change the equalizer as you wanted, but you also had the Megabass option.



lazner said:


> MrWalkman, I would like to ask about your excellent WM1A/Z+ mod. What did you do to improve the sound so much (if it's not a secret)? It sounds very good, compared to stock.



While I get the curiosity, it's a bit enough that we have this, and I don't feel ok sharing info about how some internal stuff works. It's Sony's stuff after all.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Sep 7, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Does anyone remember?


Sure do. Moreover I now have this device from the past, the 1st portable CD player.
It wasn't even branded as Discman back then.


----------



## nc8000

Work in progress. Turns out my unit has been opened and the board removed before I got it (Amazon Warehouse deal 3 1/2 years ago) and the smc socket for the screen connection was dodgy and the cable had been glued in place so @Nayparm has had to source a new socket.


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> Did someone mentions drivers?


I had 1 xplod stereo in my car then i boought a TOL pioneer that was way better! but value was really good on those explod


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 7, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Work in progress. Turns out my unit has been opened and the board removed before I got it (Amazon Warehouse deal 3 1/2 years ago) and the smc socket for the screen connection was dodgy and the cable had been glued in place so @Nayparm has had to source a new socket.



Congratulations. You must be excited!
Does that mod just affect 4.4mm or both 4.4mm and 3.5mm outputs?


----------



## Lookout57

Mystic Traveller said:


> Sure do. Moreover I now have this device from the past, the 1st portable CD player.
> It wasn't even branded as Discman back then.


I had that and it was a godsend for me when I got it as I was traveling extensively across the US for business and was on an airplane 3-4 times a week. I also had the extended battery for it so it would last a cross country flight.


----------



## nc8000 (Sep 7, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Congratulations. You must be excited!
> Does that mod just affect 4.4mm or both 4.4mm and 3.5mm outputs?



4.4 gets replaced with a new plug and new/better wires. 3.5 is lost and replaced by a small external usb areal with greatly extended range


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lookout57 said:


> I had that and it was a godsend for me when I got it as I was traveling extensively across the US for business and was on an airplane 3-4 times a week. I also had the extended battery for it so it would last a cross country flight.


I had a JVC disc man in the mid 90s, that thing ate batteries like cookie monster ears the cookies


----------



## gerelmx1986

Just finished scanning the 512GB card (19987 tracks) for Sensme... I cannot imagine the 1TB with 10.000 songs more


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> Congratulations. You must be excited!
> Does that mod just affect 4.4mm or both 4.4mm and 3.5mm outputs?


I exchanged some PMs with @Nayparm  he has several options. Including preserving both 3.5 and 4.4 (upgraded with better cables) as I asked him if I can preserve 3.5 output as I use it from time to time


----------



## newworld666

gerelmx1986 said:


> I exchanged some PMs with @Nayparm  he has several options. Including preserving both 3.5 and 4.4 (upgraded with better cables) as I asked him if I can preserve 3.5 output as I use it from time to time


 
Same question here .... I need to keep the 3.5mm output too.. as I have no issue with BT too.
But it seems he is "overbooked" to take new orders     .... I am not in a hurry and waiting, he gets some more time.


----------



## Amber Rain

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, it seems able to do DSD rather nice? It’s funny as you would think there would be greater DSD and FLAC support for the Mac. I mean yes any VLC player or Movie software will work, but I have yet to come across many Mac software players that do as well as Foobar2000 for the PC. Interestingly enough Foobar does make a Foobar2000 for the Mac, but it’s nothing like the PC version as far as control. There is Amarra  too, of course. There are a couple more too, I still need to try, but I may not as Colibri seems to work well?
> 
> https://www.sonicstudio.com/amarra/products.php



I've just downloaded and used the Sony Hi-Res Audio Player on my Mac to play DSD files! Worked fine, need a USB DAC linked up to the Mac to make it work. I used my WM1A, which is kinda pointless as I have all my SACDs on the WM1A. I'll try it with my proper amp another time, but at least it's another option for Mac owners.

Couldn't figure out how to import all my SACDs, had o play an album at a time (there is a facility to create a playlist).


----------



## nc8000

Amber Rain said:


> I've just downloaded and used the Sony Hi-Res Audio Player on my Mac to play DSD files! Worked fine, need a USB DAC linked up to the Mac to make it work. I used my WM1A, which is kinda pointless as I have all my SACDs on the WM1A. I'll try it with my proper amp another time, but at least it's another option for Mac owners.
> 
> Couldn't figure out how to import all my SACDs, had o play an album at a time (there is a facility to create a playlist).



You’ll need special hardware to rip dvd’s, a Mac or PC can’t do that


----------



## Amber Rain (Sep 7, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> You’ll need special hardware to rip dvd’s, a Mac or PC can’t do that



Yes, sorry, should have fully explained... play my dsd/dsf files on a Mac (ripped / downloaded from wherever).


----------



## Lookout57

nc8000 said:


> You’ll need special hardware to rip dvd’s, a Mac or PC can’t do that


I rip my SACDs using my OPPO BDP-103 Blu-Ray player. There are numerous Blu-Ray DVD players that can play SACDs that you can use. Check out https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/forum/10-software/ for more options.


----------



## Lookout57

Amber Rain said:


> Yes, sorry, should have fully explained... play my dsd/dsf files on a Mac (ripped / downloaded from wherever).


I use https://audirvana.com to play all my media (AIFF, FLAC and DSF) on my Mac mini.


----------



## nc8000

Lookout57 said:


> I rip my SACDs using my OPPO BDP-103 Blu-Ray player. There are numerous Blu-Ray DVD players that can play SACDs that you can use. Check out https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/forum/10-software/ for more options.



yes special hardware and not the Mac or PC


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> yes special hardware and not the Mac or PC


I use pioneer BDP-170


----------



## MrWalkman

A tip for someone who decides to give a try to the new sound of the WM1A/WM1Z mods - expect a different sound, and give it a chance by listening to more than just one song.

For example, the soundstage, while wide and tall, it's more at the level of your head, and not so much in front of you - at least this is my experience. I personally think this is one of the things which makes the sound more realistic.

Anyway, long story short, be open-minded. Open-mindness is always good, it's something which can enable you to discover new things that you may like


----------



## WAmadeusM

nanaholic said:


> Because EMI emission from an LCD panel and battery consumption is ALSO a real thing. To eliminate flickering in LCD the accepted PWM frequencies is at 3kHz to fully eliminate flickering that can be perceived by humans. Anything that pulses/cycles at such a higher frequency generates noise that are harder to block out - that's an even less desirable effect for a DAP. Also a higher frequency/refresh rate sucks more battery for a device that isn't designed to be stared at unlike a phone. The only reason modders or reviewers notices screen flickering is because during the review process they spend hours playing/starring at the screen, so essentially it's a self-selection bias that can easily be binned in the "even less than 1%" user bracket that don't need fixing because the undesirable side effects of fixing it for that minority is going to cause more inconveniences for the majority.
> 
> Finally, these premium devices sell a lot less units than smartphones, so they subscribe to the "more profit per unit, but less unit sold" model of business to stay afloat because the market size is several factors smaller. Using smartphone production/pricing criteria to judge them is simply wrong to begin with.
> 
> ...



was going to let this one go....but the claim you need "specialised equipment" is simply factually wrong.

And anyone that uses the phrases about someone else's concerns as 'self selecting bias' or should be 'binned' should just be just root and branched.....

so for anyone that is interested - this is a very good short description of the issue - by a woman - so an utter novelty for this thread.....showing the PWM effect on recent phones without any magic equipment, and a bit of the engineering behind it....and how some companies are responding by including options (optional DC dimming).  

You don't need to stare a the screen for hours.  The effect is pretty much instantaneous. 



you can see plain old daytime realtime flicker  at 2.50 Great Description of Screen PWM flicker and solutions

and yes this is a 'minority' issue - but given the lengths that were gone to - to engineer the WM1s in the first place - and the fact they are are still being made - surely there would be an interest withing the Sony Walkman team - to investigate what is - as @MrWalkman   says - is a software option issue.

An interest, especially, to improve such a flagship  'synonymous' product...like a gold plated Walkman. [A&Ks direct rep response to issue for flagship issues on headfi has been illuminating] 

Anyways....it's at least diverting to break up the palindrome of thought that "its' great" .... "no....I can say it's great better than you"....now hang on a minute....


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Did some microsd card subjective sound quality review in the zx507 thread, do check it out if you have yet to.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new-sony-nw-zx500.914486/page-320#post-15850503


----------



## nanaholic (Sep 8, 2020)

WAmadeusM said:


> was going to let this one go....but the claim you need "specialised equipment" is simply factually wrong.



It isn't.

Check out the FULL answer before jumping the gun.



> > Sonywalkmanuser said:
> > Tried slow motion 960fps video recording on my Xperia 1. Still no visible flickers on my ZX507 screen at 0% brightness.
> 
> 
> ...



Sonywalkmanuser said he couldn't capture ZX507 flickering using 960FPS on his Sony smartphone. So in order to capture flickering on the ZX507, he'll need specialise equipment because it is obviously flickering at a rate that is above 960FPS, in which case not many consumer equipment is able to do so unless you have an expensive high speed camera setup - which is specialise equipment.

I'll leave the rest of your post because you obviously didn't read nor digest any of it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Did some microsd card subjective sound quality review in the zx507 thread, do check it out if you have yet to.
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new-sony-nw-zx500.914486/page-320#post-15850503


I heard a difference between sandisk and samsung, I like both, but prefer sandisk


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Just received IBasso DX220 MAX, I'll take some time to compare it to my Sony WM1A (1Z WM1A/Z++) NP Audio Mod.
So far I like what I'm earing !


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 8, 2020)

Well...........just went over to 1A/1Z++ as I want to make sure I’m not missing anything using 1A/1Z+ exclusively? The 1.4 edition was also something I haven’t tried. Played around with the AI enhancement on the few MP3s I have..........tried AI on some 24bit files I use. The reduction of top and bottom soundstage is interesting none the less. And yes, 1A/1Z++ has a detailed clarity, which may come from the concentrated imaging?

Probably what’s fascinating is how the soundstage on the two firmwares is so absolutely different. Much personal success with either might depend on both IEMs/headphones and personal goals.

Also maybe it’s just me, but 1A/1Z++ seemed to have slightly less bass than 1A/1Z+?  I’m using a U region 1Z stock switched to “J” region.

The model switcher was a cool feature though the 1A model switch from the units stock model was again another reduction in bass.

So after doing the return to stock return program I then put back the original first edition of MrWalkmans 1A/Z+ 3.02. Normally I will put regular Sony 3.02 first on the return but this time I didn’t, and it sounds great as always.

It’s good to be home again. Though I have to say there is no right or wrong with this stuff. Thank you MrWalkman for all the choices!




Something like the vocals here and soundstage found here are an example I’m back with the right firmware.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 8, 2020)

Left ZX507 at 0% brightness level (P screen)
centre iphone 8 plus at 50% brightness level(timer counter)
right ZX2 at 30% brightness level.(video playing)

When audio cuts, Xperia 1 is recording at 960fps. You can see the timer slowdown. No pwm flickers detected, just some cmos sensor  noise.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14rAFMawev5lkUo6S17cxemG5rWhe907W/view?usp=drivesdk


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> Well...........just went over to 1A/1Z++ as I want to make sure I’m not missing anything using 1A/1Z+ exclusively? The 1.4 edition was also something I haven’t tried. Played around with the AI enhancement on the few MP3s I have..........tried AI on some 24bit files I use. The reduction of top and bottom soundstage is interesting none the less. And yes, 1A/1Z++ has a detailed clarity, which may come from the concentrated imaging?
> 
> Probably what’s fascinating is how the soundstage on the two firmwares is so absolutely different. Much personal success with either might depend on both IEMs/headphones and personal goals.
> 
> ...



Nice!

With the 1.3 and 1.4 versions you don't need to use the "back to stock" stuff by the way


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> Nice!
> 
> With the 1.3 and 1.4 versions you don't need to use the "back to stock" stuff by the way



You mean you can put 1.3 and 1.4 on top of anything, but earlier you need stock? Or you don’t have to go back to stock before putting on an older version, if you used 1.3 or 1.4? To tell you the truth my 1Z has never sounded better so I wonder going from the “Return to Stock MrWalkman Firmware” then going straight to 1A/1Z+........made a difference? Wild?


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> Well...........just went over to 1A/1Z++ as I want to make sure I’m not missing anything using 1A/1Z+ exclusively? The 1.4 edition was also something I haven’t tried. Played around with the AI enhancement on the few MP3s I have..........tried AI on some 24bit files I use. The reduction of top and bottom soundstage is interesting none the less. And yes, 1A/1Z++ has a detailed clarity, which may come from the concentrated imaging?
> 
> Probably what’s fascinating is how the soundstage on the two firmwares is so absolutely different. Much personal success with either might depend on both IEMs/headphones and personal goals.
> 
> ...


But as far as I know the only difference between the + and ++ versions are the increased volume. Nothing else was tuned differently or adjusted. Isn’t that right @MrWalkman ? So maybe you’re hearing less bass as a result of higher volume output?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 8, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> But as far as I know the only difference between the + and ++ versions are the increased volume. Nothing else was tuned differently or adjusted. Isn’t that right @MrWalkman ? So maybe you’re hearing less bass as a result of higher volume output?


I’m using a 1Z, but no......way way different in soundstage.


----------



## MrWalkman

Redcarmoose said:


> You mean you can put 1.3 and 1.4 on top of anything, but earlier you need stock? Or you don’t have to go back to stock before putting on an older version, if you used 1.3 or 1.4? To tell you the truth my 1Z has never sounded better so I wonder going from the “Return to Stock MrWalkman Firmware” then going straight to 1A/1Z+........made a difference? Wild?



Back to stock was only made to also restore the certificate images. The 1.3 and 1.4 versions are no longer modifying the certificate images, so installing stock will just do, if you wish to go back to stock.



aceedburn said:


> But as far as I know the only difference between the + and ++ versions are the increased volume. Nothing else was tuned differently or adjusted. Isn’t that right @MrWalkman ? So maybe you’re hearing less bass as a result of higher volume output?



The intention was only the increased volume, but maybe there are some trade-offs, like the less bass thing - which I really like it, it sounds great with the Z7M2 and the XBA-Z5.

Will experiment with some other combinations these days, but no promises about anything.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 8, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Back to stock was only made to also restore the certificate images. The 1.3 and 1.4 versions are no longer modifying the certificate images, so installing stock will just do, if you wish to go back to stock.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Wow. They sound like very different firmwares to me. The imaging is totally different? I’m so confused, but in a good way? I totally can see why someone would want a little bass clarity with the MK2 Z7 and XBA-Z5, though.

By the way as this is the third or fourth time I’ve gone back and and tried the 1A/1Z++. It has always been with the same results characters......so it’s no accident?


----------



## Amber Rain

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Just received IBasso DX220 MAX, I'll take some time to compare it to my Sony WM1A (1Z WM1A/Z++) NP Audio Mod.
> So far I like what I'm earing !



Wow, that must be pretty big, do you take it out with you?


----------



## 534409 (Sep 8, 2020)

From my observations Mr Walkman's + and ++ versions are good for in-house hearing. Solis 3.02 is best for walking - I just returned from 5 km walk


----------



## WAmadeusM

nanaholic said:


> It isn't.
> 
> Check out the FULL answer before jumping the gun.
> 
> ...



binned


----------



## MrWalkman

Dramba said:


> From my observations Mr Walkman's + and ++ versions are good for in-house hearing. Solis 3.02 is best for walking - I just returned from 5 km walk



Nice. Interestingly enough, the sound differences brought by tuning mods are smaller than those brought by the modded firmwares, but the Solis sound seemed forced to me.


----------



## aceedburn

MrWalkman said:


> Back to stock was only made to also restore the certificate images. The 1.3 and 1.4 versions are no longer modifying the certificate images, so installing stock will just do, if you wish to go back to stock.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


But if it’s only the volume difference there shouldn’t be any soundstage difference if we volume match? So this means ++ is a different tuning? Otherwise with volume matching there shouldn’t be a difference at all.


----------



## 534409

It's not a claim, it's simple observation. Maybe it depends of movement and position in ears.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Amber Rain said:


> Wow, that must be pretty big, do you take it out with you?


no


----------



## MrWalkman

aceedburn said:


> But if it’s only the volume difference there shouldn’t be any soundstage difference if we volume match? So this means ++ is a different tuning? Otherwise with volume matching there shouldn’t be a difference at all.



The volume was the only intention, but I also noticed the less present bass, for example. Feel free to give it a listen yourself and see what you hear, of course.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 8, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> But if it’s only the volume difference there shouldn’t be any soundstage difference if we volume match? So this means ++ is a different tuning? Otherwise with volume matching there shouldn’t be a difference at all.



If there is no reason for changes then maybe it’s just a suggested thing in audio.........where people think they hear stuff that’s different because of expectation bias. It wouldn’t be first first or last time for such tomfoolery.

Cheers!

Edit:
And what happens is once it’s suggested others can actually go along with the suggestion. They hear what’s been suggested to be true. Interesting though that MrWalkman noticed a change in bass? So maybe there is something going on?


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Amber Rain

MrLocoLuciano said:


> no



Makes sense, the WM1A is at the limit of what I would call portable (it just about fits in my shirt top pocket).


----------



## Facta

I have an abnormal question. I was told by a friend that Android OS turns on 'Location' for Bluetooth to function. And therefore, I am assuming there is a GPS chip inside such Android phones/DAPs for location identification. Is this true with non-Android DAPs too, say, Sony 1A/1Z/A55 etc that offer Bluetooth? Is there a GPS chip inside Sony Walkmans, and therefore a way to track/trace the location of the user of such DAPs when they turn Bluetooth on, if the IEMI number of the associated device is already in the hands of those who wish to trace/track the location of the owner of the device?


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 8, 2020)

.


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## bflat

Facta said:


> I have an abnormal question. I was told by a friend that Android OS turns on 'Location' for Bluetooth to function. And therefore, I am assuming there is a GPS chip inside such Android phones/DAPs for location identification. Is this true with non-Android DAPs too, say, Sony 1A/1Z/A55 etc that offer Bluetooth? Is there a GPS chip inside Sony Walkmans, and therefore a way to track/trace the location of the user of such DAPs when they turn Bluetooth on, if the IEMI number of the associated device is already in the hands of those who wish to trace/track the location of the owner of the device?



I don't know if that's true regarding bluetooth, but no, you don't need GPS for location service. Wifi can also provide accurate location via SSID scanning/mapping. Most tablets don't have GPS, yet support location services via wifi method. In fact, even if you have GPS, you want to enable wifi for better/quicker accuracy.


----------



## nc8000

bflat said:


> I don't know if that's true regarding bluetooth, but no, you don't need GPS for location service. Wifi can also provide accurate location via SSID scanning/mapping. Most tablets don't have GPS, yet support location services via wifi method. In fact, even if you have GPS, you want to enable wifi for better/quicker accuracy.



I'm pretty sure the Sony OS players have neither GPS nor WIFI build in but do have BT and NFC


----------



## Facta (Sep 8, 2020)

bflat said:


> I don't know if that's true regarding bluetooth, but no, you don't need GPS for location service. Wifi can also provide accurate location via SSID scanning/mapping. Most tablets don't have GPS, yet support location services via wifi method. In fact, even if you have GPS, you want to enable wifi for better/quicker accuracy.



And therefore, location of a Sony Walkman is less likely be traced for lack of WiFi feature (and possible absence of GPS chip)? I surely would like a DAP that can remain off-radar all the time for personal reasons. But I need to make sure Sony 1A/1Z can and will remain unconnected and unattached to the location co-ordinates at all times or any other high-end DAP that can exhibit such behavior. Would appreciate any further info you guys here could provide.


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 8, 2020)

Leaving any technical info about GPS/etc. aside, why would they want to trace your DAP?

I can also imagine the DAP consuming much more battery if it would be connected to GPS every time BT would be active...


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 8, 2020)

I don't think Sony cares about where you are, where you are going, what's your habit etc etc. It cost money to put those features inside 1A/1Z and run the servers. I don't think Sony expect you to carry 1Z wherever you go, do you? It's not practical, and that thing weighs a ton

Besides, there's a much more effective tool used to track/snoop where you are, since you carried it everyday with you. Yes, look at your own cellphone


----------



## Facta (Sep 8, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Leaving any technical info about GPS/etc. aside, why would they want to trace your DAP?
> 
> I can also imagine the DAP consuming much more battery if it would be connected to GPS all the time...



I needn't tell you how increasingly invasive the world around is becoming. Not just the authorities. When one wishes to remain untraceable, one needs to purchase only those devices that can't be tracked. Especially those in media and journalism and even those normal folks who might turn whistleblowers for the good of all. Surely good audiophile devices aren't only for those who lead normal lives?  One can discard a dozen phones a year while on the run but one needs to be super rich to discard a high-end DAP every 6 months. Hence the search for a private DAP but of at least 1A/1Z league.


----------



## Facta (Sep 8, 2020)

hamhamhamsta said:


> I don't think Sony cares about where you are, where you are going, what's your habit etc etc. It cost money to put those features inside 1A/1Z and run the servers. I don't think Sony expect you to carry 1Z wherever you go, do you? It's not practical, and that thing weighs a ton
> 
> Besides, there's a much more effective tool used to track/snoop where you are, since you carried it everyday with you. Yes, look at your own cellphone



No, I am not worried about Sony collecting location information themselves. I am only worried about third party players who could access the features in any brand/make DAP that comes with hardware/software features that can be exploited for location tracking.


----------



## miguel.yarce

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m using a 1Z, but no......way way different in soundstage.



Hi!! 

With way different in soundstage you mean wider or colser than before? Do your prefer + or ++? 

Regards!!


----------



## MrWalkman

In order to be tracked via GPS only, from the GPS side (with no internet access), this would mean that there should be a service that is just keeping the GPS active and fixed on your location for some reason. Even on Android devices, the GPS will communicate with the satellites to get your location after being asked so by an app/service.

The relation between Bluetooth and GPS/location is normally the usage of Bluetooth to scan for nearby devices, which can help locating you. Wi-fi can be used in the same way, to scan for Wi-fi networks around you, even when the Wi-fi is off.

Also, talking about the Bluetooth scanning for devices around, for location purposes - if you have Bluetooth active, some person's smartphone could scan for BT devices around it, and in this way it could get the DAP's BT mac for example.

I really wouldn't worry about someone tracking your non-Android DAP, which doesn't have any other functional feature except playing music basically. Up to you, of course...


----------



## Hinomotocho

Facta said:


> No, I am not worried about Sony collecting location information themselves. I am only worried about third party players who could access the features in any brand/make DAP that comes with hardware/software features that can be exploited for location tracking.


Unlike a phone or other device that uses an OS that requires a login or account or email details etc there would be no way of telling who the dap belongs to (other than purchase details, but many are purchased secondhand), it would just be a blip on a radar. 
From talk and pictures of the internals from mods being performed there has never been talk of GPS chip in there. Definitely a safe purchase


----------



## 524419 (Sep 8, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> In order to be tracked via GPS only, from the GPS side (with no internet access), this would mean that there should be a service that is just keeping the GPS active and fixed on your location for some reason. Even on Android devices, the GPS will communicate with the satellites to get your location after being asked so by an app/service.
> 
> The relation between Bluetooth and GPS/location is normally the usage of Bluetooth to scan for nearby devices, which can help locating you. Wi-fi can be used in the same way, to scan for Wi-fi networks around you, even when the Wi-fi is off.
> 
> ...


Look up the "Internet of all things"
Light bulbs, refrigerators, fans, toasters, ovens, dishwashers. yes even dishwashers are now spying on you, and have hidden surveillance functions.
So I would not dismiss an Android (Mother of all surveillance companies GOOGLE) device doing this so easily.


----------



## Hinomotocho

A earphone can also be used as a microphone, think about that.


----------



## Mindstorms

Guys do you notice much diference on your DSEE AI? you hear any benefits from it?


----------



## Blueoris

Redcarmoose said:


> If there is no reason for changes then maybe it’s just a suggested thing in audio.........where people think they hear stuff that’s different because of expectation bias. It wouldn’t be first first or last time for such tomfoolery.
> 
> Cheers!
> 
> ...



I am just bringing this here as a comment, and *pure speculation,*  but some people think that there are things going on at micro-electronic levels when bits are written and later read into / from the internal circuitry of a memory chip an that they impact the performance of digital operations - i.e. digital players. There is a Japanese programmer called Oryaaaaa that has done a lot of low level stuff  (I mean, assembler level) on this. I have been following the guy for years now and I know he has developed programs to rewrite bits in RAM and SSD as some CPU electric stabilisation routines (What is that anyway), and he subjectively claims they improve the performance of digital audio.

I have no evidence on this but sometimes  I "*think" *the application of the same firmware in my Walkman produces different results, so when that happens I said to myself hey, if light can behave simultaneously as a particle or a wave (LOL) then I should not rule out that there may be a lot of things going on inside my Walkman when I applied the firmware, and that they may have some incidence in results I perceive...


----------



## Redcarmoose

Blueoris said:


> I am just bringing this here as a comment, and *pure speculation,*  but some people think that there are things going on at micro-electronic levels when bits are written and later read into / from the internal circuitry of a memory chip an that they impact the performance of digital operations - i.e. digital players. There is a Japanese programmer called Oryaaaaa that has done a lot of low level stuff  (I mean, assembler level) on this. I have been following the guy for years now and I know he has developed programs to rewrite bits in RAM and SSD as some CPU electric stabilisation routines (What is that anyway), and he subjectively claims they improve the performance of digital audio.
> 
> I have no evidence on this but sometimes  I "*think" *the application of the same firmware in my Walkman produces different results, so when that happens I said to myself hey, if light can behave simultaneously as a particle or a wave (LOL) then I should not rule out that there may be a lot of things going on inside my Walkman when I applied the firmware, and that they may have some incidence in results I perceive...



Well it is both psychological and detailed. I mean there is this whole suggested effect. The expectation bias is real in so many ways. 

But also if you think about it (I’m no programmer) but every firmware IS different. How different volume levels (like MrWalkman believes) could in-fact change the bass. I’m still under the impression soundstage is different. But it’s all along the lines of so many variables that it’s difficult. Yet simple too, as we just go with what seems to work in the end. 

Cheers!


----------



## Redcarmoose

miguel.yarce said:


> Hi!!
> 
> With way different in soundstage you mean wider or colser than before? Do your prefer + or ++?
> 
> Regards!!



Using the 1Z with the Noble Encore with 4.4mm ZENTOO cable with low gain and U region changed to “J” region and left in 1Z model the 1A/1Z+ has a noticeable warmth and soundstage expansion. 1A/1Z++ has much more compressed and rearranged soundstage along with slightly brighter and thinner treble. But take note the Encore normally has a a W signature with a treble boost and treble dip along with linear mids but lower midrange dip which draws attention to neutral mids.


----------



## Blueoris

Guys, I am considering buying a pair of IEMS. I don't have experience with IEMS apart of earpods   so any advice in terms of good pairing would be appreciated. I'd like to get something below $3000 mark and I hope to get as close as I can to a "Stax like" sound signature.

Am I dreaming or is that possible?


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Blueoris said:


> Guys, I am considering buying a pair of IEMS. I don't have experience with IEMS apart of earpods   so any advice in terms of good pairing would be appreciated. I'd like to get something below $3000 mark and I hope to get as close as I can to a "Stax like" sound signature.
> 
> Am I dreaming or is that possible?


How does stax sounds like?


----------



## bflat

Facta said:


> No, I am not worried about Sony collecting location information themselves. I am only worried about third party players who could access the features in any brand/make DAP that comes with hardware/software features that can be exploited for location tracking.



At least in the US, any device where location services are enabled is allowed to have that information shared/sold to 3rd parties as long as the device owners' information is anonymized. Of course if one of those 3rd parties were to analyze a specific owner's location data and see that he/she spends a great deal of time at a specific location, they can make an educated guess as to the identity matched against the public record of who owns that property. It's a valid concern, but as others have said Sony OS based DAPs have neither GPS or WIFI so tracking is impossible since there is no way to communicate any data collection back to Sony's data servers. The Android based Sony DAPs are another story...


----------



## Blueoris

hamhamhamsta said:


> How does stax sounds like?



Some words that come to my mind are:
Effortlessness
Clean
Fast
Dynamic
Resolving

I think a Etymotic ER4XR *could *do that, but I am also seeking some of the attributes of TOTL iems like separation, imaging, stage, layering, timbre.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 9, 2020)

Blueoris said:


> Some words that come to my mind are:
> Effortlessness
> Clean
> Fast
> ...


What comes to mind:
IER-Z1R - V shaped, can be bright
Anole VX - May not be as dynamic though, I’m not very sure
KSE 1200/1500 - problem probably dynamic and timber

Others probably can chime in and have better recommendations; but I think IER Z1R is probably closest to ticking all your boxes


----------



## Blueoris

hamhamhamsta said:


> What comes to mind:
> IER-Z1R - V shaped, can be bright
> Anole VX - May not be as dynamic though, I’m not very sure
> KSE 1200/1500 - problem probably dynamic and timber
> ...



Is the IER-Z1R a good match for nw-wm1z Walkman, apart of the potential bright tuning you mentioned? I though the walkmans were underpowered and not able to get a good grip on the IER-Z1R drivers,.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 9, 2020)

Blueoris said:


> I am just bringing this here as a comment, and *pure speculation,*  but some people think that there are things going on at micro-electronic levels when bits are written and later read into / from the internal circuitry of a memory chip an that they impact the performance of digital operations - i.e. digital players. There is a Japanese programmer called Oryaaaaa that has done a lot of low level stuff  (I mean, assembler level) on this. I have been following the guy for years now and I know he has developed programs to rewrite bits in RAM and SSD as some CPU electric stabilisation routines (What is that anyway), and he subjectively claims they improve the performance of digital audio.
> 
> I have no evidence on this but sometimes  I "*think" *the application of the same firmware in my Walkman produces different results, so when that happens I said to myself hey, if light can behave simultaneously as a particle or a wave (LOL) then I should not rule out that there may be a lot of things going on inside my Walkman when I applied the firmware, and that they may have some incidence in results I perceive...



From my experimentation with microsd cards, it seems that there is quite a big effect on the walkman sound quality.

Using my ZX507 internal nand storage as baseline sound reference:

Lexar 633x 512GB seems to make music sound hazy(bad imaging with grainy treble) and bass feels less dynamic as if life is sucked out of the music. 

Sandisk Extreme Pro 256GB seems to improve Dynamics by quite a big margin. Bass notes feels deeper, more immediate and has sustained rumble. It's like HDR effect on your smartphone camera, now there is a bigger variance between the softest sound and the loudest sound in the music. You can hear that the singer is straining his/her voice to emphasize a certain part of the song as his/her voice goes really much louder than before. Dynamic Transients feel instantaneous, It can go from completely silent to extremely loud.
Suddenly my ZX507 has developed very powerful sound just by switching microsd card!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I don't exactly know why microsd cards can affect the sound of the walkman by that much.

I would speculate that it is that the SanDisk card is more power efficient and has less electrical Interferences. 

Less power used by microsd means more power available to the walkman to draw upon for amplification. 

The smallest capacity sandisk extreme pro 64GB can be purchased for USD$22. So I recommended for any Sony walkman users with enough spare cash to try it out for themselves. Do remember to format the microsd card with the walkman OS first before placing any music inside.


----------



## aceedburn

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I don't exactly know why microsd cards can affect the sound of the walkman by that much.
> 
> I would speculate that it is that the SanDisk card is more power efficient and has less electrical Interferences.
> 
> ...


I’m using the Sandisk Extreme Pro 512GB for my 1A. I can attest that indeed music sounds smoother. Perhaps because of the A2 rating the high definition bigger file sizes get read better. That’s my only explanation for it.


----------



## NickL33

Blueoris said:


> Some words that come to my mind are:
> Effortlessness
> Clean
> Fast
> ...



Final A8000 - no question ask by far one of the fastest and transparent DD that match a Planar Headphone.


----------



## AlexCBSN

Mindstorms said:


> Guys do you notice much diference on your DSEE AI? you hear any benefits from it?


Way more refined mid highs and highs, a bit mods clarity and mp3 does sound way better, less dirty and bit more defined, though even in 16/ 44.1 I can tell the difference right away


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 9, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I don't exactly know why microsd cards can affect the sound of the walkman 1Z by that much.
> 
> I would speculate that it is that the SanDisk card is more power efficient and has less electrical Interferences.
> 
> ...







*Sony High Resolution Audio Output USB Conversion Cable 5cm WMC-NWH10*

Also strangely enough it may be that any Walkman can be a file server to the 1A. Meaning if someone had a 1Z they can put the 1A in DAC mode and play the files in the 1A. It gives even a different sound than a card, more airy. Lol. I could not get the 1Z to act like a DAC for the 1A though?

The other Walkman acts like a card reader. Lol


Though after my last set of posts I may have lost all credibility with this post?

Edit: 
I was able to get both the 1A and 1Z to act as sources. The NWH-10 is actually directional so it does not work unless being at the Walkman being used as the source. With that in mind both players can be rotated as DAC or source.


----------



## Blueoris

NickL33 said:


> Final A8000 - no question ask by far one of the fastest and transparent DD that match a Planar Headphone.


Been reading about this one lately. It it resonated more on my was the sound speed propagation that apparently translates into dynamic range, spaciousness and clarity.  I wonder if it is like a Abyss Diana Phi, but in a IEM form factor    Definitely in my list.


----------



## NickL33

Blueoris said:


> Been reading about this one lately. It it resonated more on my was the sound speed propagation that apparently translates into dynamic range, spaciousness and clarity.  I wonder if it is like a Abyss Diana Phi, but in a IEM form factor    Definitely in my list.



I would say much more close to a Focal Utopia but with more Bass?


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> *Sony High Resolution Audio Output USB Conversion Cable 5cm WMC-NWH10*
> 
> Also strangely enough it may be that any Walkman can be a file server to the 1A. Meaning if someone had a 1Z they can put the 1A in DAC mode and play the files in the 1A. It gives even a different sound than a card, more airy. Lol. I could not get the 1Z to act like a DAC for the 1A though?
> 
> ...


I have this NWH-10 cable. It only acts as a usb audio output from 1A/Z or any Walkman to an external dac/amp with a usb input. It sounds great paired with my FiiO K5 Pro. It won’t work from Walkman to Walkman unfortunately as it was not designed to work that way.


----------



## ttt123 (Sep 9, 2020)

Facta said:


> And therefore, location of a Sony Walkman is less likely be traced for lack of WiFi feature (and possible absence of GPS chip)? I surely would like a DAP that can remain off-radar all the time for personal reasons. But I need to make sure Sony 1A/1Z can and will remain unconnected and unattached to the location co-ordinates at all times or any other high-end DAP that can exhibit such behavior. Would appreciate any further info you guys here could provide.


Location can use GPS, Wifi., Cellular - A-GPS ( https://www.diffen.com/difference/A-GPS_vs_GPS ),
GPS and A-GPS or the more common usages.
Also, the level of exposure depends on whether the "black" apps running on your device are:
a) using the location for the radio transmitters you are actually connecting to for WiFi/Cell, or
b) whether it is more devious, and complex, and using the actual scanning of those signals, without needing to be connected to them.  (more complex and less likely)

- GPS is the most accurate, followed by A-GPS which has relatively static cell towers and databases with their location.  WiFi is pretty random, as they are added and moved, and thus not easy to have a reliable database.
- Bluetooth would only see which BT users are close to you.  This by itself does not provide location information.   Again, if the "black" app was able to then search for other BT users close to you, and search for their connection to Cell towers, etc., then there is a way to "locate" you.  This is very unlikely, but not impossible.

So for the Sony DAP, what needs to be considered:
- does not have GPS, so this cannot be used for location
- WiFi -  not on the WM1x , and not so easy to use for tracking, even when present on a device.
- Cell connection or scanning - not on the device
- BT - extremely low risk
- Apps - you cannot install any.  And you should not be installing any, even if they are available from an App store, or could be sideloaded.
- Streaming - Not on the WM1x DAPs.  This is a risk, as it connects to the network/outside world.  For your concerns, this should absolutely not be used, even if available.

Bottom line, the music only devices like the WM1x that use a proprietory OS (not IOS, Android, etc.) are the safest devices you will find for your concerns.

For extra security, run them in a "sandbox", totally isolated from the network/world.  (same holds for IOS/Android devices)
1. use airplane mode if available.    (This is assuming that airplane mode does actually turn off all radios, and does not enable them under some circumstances.)
   - Manually make sure all radios are turned off.  WiFi, Bluetooth, Cellular, NFC
   - Edit: do not use BT earphones.  Only use wired earphones

2.  more paranoid, put your device in a faraday cage/pouch.  This is one provider: https://faradaybag.com/
  Get a big one, and  insert your hand into the pouch to change tracks, volume.  Leave it in the bag as much as possible.
  Or maybe you are willing to take the risk and use it outside of the pouch while you are adjusting the track/volume

3.  even more paranoid, get somebody to physically disable all radios inside the device, so that all it can do is play locally stored music.

BTW, one real world usage of faraday pouches is to use one for your Car keyless dongle.   It is very easy to steal a car from the driveway by amplifying the signal of these keyless fobs that are sitting inside a house, by the front door, and start your car and drive away.  This is being reported from many places.  The Amplifiers are available online, and quite cheap.


----------



## Redcarmoose

aceedburn said:


> I have this NWH-10 cable. It only acts as a usb audio output from 1A/Z or any Walkman to an external dac/amp with a usb input. It sounds great paired with my FiiO K5 Pro. It won’t work from Walkman to Walkman unfortunately as it was not designed to work that way.



Nope it does work. I would be happy to show a cell phone video where you can see the 1A recognition of the 1Z and it going into DAC mode. 

It may only work with another Walkman? But I would be happy to prove it.


----------



## 524419 (Sep 9, 2020)

The only entity that could theoretically track a wm1a/z device through a Bluetooth function would be a government agency conducting dragnet surveillance.
Say your player was individually identified as having been paired with your phone, or had already been identified through a PC connection. theoretically it would be possible to locate it if it was visible to other devices in public, or was intercepted by Bluetooth interception devices.

An excerpt from an article I found


David Starobinski, a BU College of Engineering professor of electrical and computer engineering, and a team of researchers have discovered a vulnerability in several high-profile Bluetooth devices—including the popular workout-tracking Fitbit watch—that could allow third parties to obtain sensitive information from the devices, such as your whereabouts and activities.

“We were looking into different IoT protocols in general and trying to find privacy issues with those products,” says Johannes Becker, a BU graduate researcher on the team. “Basically everybody is carrying around a Bluetooth device nowadays in some way, shape, or form, and that makes it very relevant.”

Starobinski says that the very same features that allow a device to “authenticate,” or correctly identify, its user—e.g., saved paired device information or a fingerprint passcode—can be co-opted by a third party to track the person instead.

“We were looking at different ways we could try to authenticate people,” says Starobinski. “One of the ideas was that you carry all these devices and they have specific behavior features, [so] maybe we can use them. And it’s interesting because there’s kind of a trade-off. On the one hand, you can authenticate because you have these unique signatures of your devices. But on the other hand, you also have the issue that the same feature can be used by a third party to track you. So, it’s a double-edged sword.”

The researchers say that the information leak stems from the way different Bluetooth devices communicate with one another to establish a connection.

Before a pair of Bluetooth devices can begin transmitting information, they must first establish which device will play a central role in the connection and which device will play a peripheral role. For example, if you were trying to connect a pair of Bluetooth headphones to your iPhone, the iPhone would play the role of the central device and the headphones would be the peripheral one, says Becker. Once the pair’s hierarchy is established, the central device begins scanning for signals sent by the peripheral device that indicate it’s available for connection. These signals contain a unique address—similar to the IP address of a computer—and a payload containing data about the connection.


Most devices produce randomized addresses that automatically reconfigure periodically, instead of maintaining one permanent address, in an attempt to improve privacy. It’s designed to throw nefarious observers off the scent of a given device’s location, but Starobinski’s team says that they discovered an oversight in this process that allows a device to be tracked even as its address changes.

“To an onlooker [the payload data] could just be a number, no big deal,” says Becker. “But we said, ‘Let’s take this random data…and let’s pretend it’s a unique identifier [of the device].’ And then what we found is that this [identifier] doesn’t change in sync with the address.” 





https://www.bu.edu/articles/2019/fitbit-bluetooth-vulnerability/


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> Nope it does work. I would be happy to show a cell phone video where you can see the 1A recognition of the 1Z and it going into DAC mode.
> 
> It may only work with another Walkman? But I would be happy to prove it.


I see. Well if it does work I stand corrected then. Never knew it did. But what’s the point in that anyway?


----------



## KurobaHeiji

NickL33 said:


> Final A8000 - no question ask by far one of the fastest and transparent DD that match a Planar Headphone.


I just ordered a D8000 pro yesterday.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Well there's nothing in my walkman that is worth tracking unless the hacker is interesting in my crappy lossy AAC music collection, he is free to take.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 9, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> I’m using the Sandisk Extreme Pro 512GB for my 1A. I can attest that indeed music sounds smoother. Perhaps because of the A2 rating the high definition bigger file sizes get read better. That’s my only explanation for it.



The lexar 633X which I mentioned with bad sound quality is also A2 rated. Anyway to make use of A2 increased IOPs, the source device also needs to be compatible with the new Native Command Queueing system which I don't think the 2016 WM1A has support for.

I would think that Sandisk has better nand designs with more cleverly designed read/write microcontroller units. The extreme pro series is designed for professional photographers in mind where photos stored on the microsd is very important and cannot be lost, so this sandisk card has much better power and heat management, better error correction, wear leveling and quality nand as compared to the rest of their series. I would think the extreme pro are going to be as good as industrial grade microsd cards in engineering quality less the wider temperature operations.


----------



## Blueoris

KurobaHeiji said:


> I just ordered a D8000 pro yesterday.


What amplifier will you use with them?


----------



## KurobaHeiji

Blueoris said:


> What amplifier will you use with them?


I will use my TA to drive it first to see how it is. If this combination is not working out, then I will try to find and buy a new amp for it.  Any advice?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 9, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> I see. Well if it does work I stand corrected then. Never knew it did. But what’s the point in that anyway?



I also discovered it’s directional so the NWH-10 cable must be plugged into what’s the source. The regular Walkman cable needs to be connected to the 1A or whatever Walkman is acting as the DAC. For awhile I didn’t realize that it’s the direction of the cable that allows it to work. The NWH-10 must always be at the source, as with two Walkman plugs they can get plugged in in both directions.

I made a video let me know if you want to see it, PM me your Email and I will send it over. I may still post it as a YouTube video in the future. When the DAC function first came out there was a photo of someone doing it but everyone thought it was a joke. I tried at that time but luck had it that I didn’t have the direction of the cable worked out.

The results.

As we are discovering every style of card has a different sound. Some MicroSD cards sound better than others. Also we discovered that files played inside the Walkmans have a slightly different sound. It’s small but it’s there. This is why different members are finding brands of cards that may sound better. This typically sounds like audiophile nonsense, yet Sony also has released expensive audiophile microSD cards. The brand of card makes a difference. Some say different brands have different noise? Using the 1A or a 1Z as a source allows the other player to be retrieving the digital file played-back from a different digital transport.  So maybe in another way it’s like using a different brand of card. The other advantage is you can use both the entire internal memory of the other player, the internal memory of the Walkman your using as well as 2 microSD cards. This configuration gives me access to around 10,000 songs. It also sounds slightly different. There is just a smidge less bass, but the soundstage is noticeably more airy and open. It’s thinner. Why? I can’t tell you but obviously the file is having to travel a ways past a number of connections. Also the player your listening to is free from transport duties.

I have full hi-res capability. So it opens many more questions. Everyone has always wanted to stream to the Walkman. Obviously if your using your computer to stream you can. But there may be other avenues where Sony Android Walkmans can stream to the 1A or 1Z? I’m thinking though that this may only work due to the old-school Walkman cable connectivity. The new Android Walkmans are mini-USB. But what about older Android Walkmans? I’m not really interested in streaming or that would be of value. It’s still fascinating how many Walkmans can connect to a Walkman and be a source?


----------



## newworld666

Diet Kokaine said:


> ......
> 
> https://www.bu.edu/articles/2019/fitbit-bluetooth-vulnerability/


 
Who cares ? they can collect all what they want on my 1Tb music in the WM1A SD .... I have no idea how many weeks he will need to do it.. but t isounds fun to hear somebody is spending time to do it.


----------



## 524419

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Well there's nothing in my walkman that is worth tracking unless the hacker is interesting in my crappy lossy AAC music collection, he is free to take.


It's not the music files they are hacking, It's location/patterns of movement  they are tracking.
Algorithms that look at your meta data, can build profiles on you that know more about you than you know about yourself.
The US government carries out Drone attacks in foreign countries based on nothing but meta data.    Let that sink in for a bit....
Psychological profiles are built to the point that they can reliably predict every response you will make to any given situation.
1984 has nothing on the what governments have cooking around the world today.
And the Covid tracking programs have taken this surveillance to a whole different level....The worst is yet to come.


----------



## Redcarmoose

https://www.google.co.id/amp/s/www....UX2_Yd4w2Nvq2xSwaj7-rwtO4BXyNMho3eJLPjsIMn8II


Facebook keeps a list of everything you do all the time if on Facebook or not. Lol 


Diet Kokaine said:


> It's not the music files they are hacking, It's location/patterns of movement  they are tracking.
> Algorithms that look at your meta data, can build profiles on you that know more about you than you know about yourself.
> The US government carries out Drone attacks in foreign countries based on nothing but meta data.    Let that sink in for a bit....
> Psychological profiles are built to the point that they can reliably predict every response you will make to any given situation.
> ...


----------



## SebaE2012

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Sony S-Master HX must then be a very balanced design/compromise (pun intended).
> 
> I remember hearing a S-master based walkman for the very first time, the NWZ-X1050 back in 2010, I was very impressed by the Walkman tonal balance. No treble harshness, good bass and it has a lot of speed in its transient delivery. However it has a lot of hiss with iems.
> 
> Fast forward to 2020 today. Almost 10years later, with the ZX507 next to me. This Walkman is still based off the same kind of Class D amplification but the technology has been improved leaps and bounds. Now I get 3D holographic Sound with even better transient delivery without any hiss. It really is amazing how much Sony manages to improve the Walkman in a span of 10years.



Yeah, I had the Z1060 and was also very impressed with it, even if it tried to be a kind of late response to iPod Touch, trying to offer gaming and other uses as selling points. My wife had an iPod Touch and the time and most people were either trying to convince me to get one of those too or to use a smart phone as an all-purpose device, including music. I wasn't into this hobby at that time. I was just a curious music lover. Did my homemade, rough-and-ready comparisons with the iPod and with some early phones. And I was definitely impressed by SQ of the Z1060 in that companion... I was coming for an A816 (which to my untrained ears at the time, sounded pretty good and was VERY convenient). These Walkman have definitely come a long way, but they have always been great devices.


----------



## SebaE2012

gerelmx1986 said:


> In mexico my father had sony explode speakers and a head-unit that had an ipod/walkman tray.  It got stolen in plain daylight though


I don't remember about those trays. Must have been good to have. A pity that it got stolen.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

The Sony Xplod car stereo system is also designed by the head audio engineer of the WM1 series. He came from Kenwood audio division before he joined Sony. 

https://www.crutchfield.com/S-84KvqTmUQ7Z/learn/interview-tomo-sato-sony-walkman.html


----------



## aceedburn

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> The Sony Xplod car stereo system is also designed by the head audio engineer of the WM1 series. He came from Kenwood audio division before he joined Sony.
> 
> https://www.crutchfield.com/S-84KvqTmUQ7Z/learn/interview-tomo-sato-sony-walkman.html


Yeah. I remember it sounded very good. But since then I have mellowed down in car audio and settled for a less intense system.


----------



## Maxx134 (Sep 9, 2020)

WAmadeusM said:


> Now if only they had not used migraine inducing PWM on the screens (worse on Z than A) like the iPhone X - which had so many returns that crapple dumped the cheapskate dimming tech for the iP11...but thats another story.


You DON'T have to use screen at lowest setting.
The lowest brightness setting is not even practical to use in normal ambient light.
In fact my lower model A45 does not allow such a low brightness setting. It's screen is much brighter. No way higher normal brightness would be low freq  enough to induce any headache.




Redcarmoose said:


> There has never been a post of someone getting headache from the screen (before). So if you go by the 44,371 posts of it being a non-issue then on a bell-curve it makes it pretty much a non-issue? Though that doesn’t mean it’s not an issue for a select few, just not enough of a big deal to really matter in the long run. On a bell-curve most are happy with the screen character with a few unhappy and a few in-love so to speak.


Yes primarily because no one would stare into low brightness...




WAmadeusM said:


> You don't need to stare a the screen for hours. The effect is pretty much instantaneous.
> 
> 
> you can see plain old daytime realtime flicker at 2.50 Great Description of Screen PWM flicker and solutions


Hahahaha this is trickery!
Your Basically looking at an effect of _*the interaction*_ of what a camera reproduces when pointing into another screen... I can also take any pic, at any  screen and get all kinds of effects..
This is not same as actually looking into the screen.
Goes to show you how smart that girl is, haha.



MrLocoLuciano said:


> Just received IBasso DX220 MAX, I'll take some time to compare it to my Sony WM1A (1Z WM1A/Z++) NP Audio Mod.


I can see the future....
Ibasso.. won't last.



Redcarmoose said:


> I’m using a 1Z, but no......way way different in soundstage.


Ugh, now I have to compare variables with that firmware as well..
There's like 4 variables with each firmware..




Facta said:


> But I need to make sure Sony 1A/1Z can and will remain unconnected and unattached to the location co-ordinates at all times


Haha sounds like someone on the run..


Facta said:


> One can discard a dozen phones a year while on the run


You gotta step back and look at your life, when you need to do so much, and basically stay off the grid...
Maybe what your doing is not worth the stress.




Blueoris said:


> I am just bringing this here as a comment, and *pure speculation,* but some people think that there are things going on at micro-electronic levels when bits are written and later read into / from the internal circuitry of a memory chip an that they impact the performance of digital operations - i.e. digital players


This is where allot of people get mixed up, so this is how I see it:
The data which is stored, is not lossy. It is checked and recorded in whatever medium.
BUT...
What people don't realize, the that when playing, _*in real time*_, it is a different scenario.
The circuits everywhere will impose their signature.
Even the memory cards have circuits...

Looking at it this way, I will use an analogy...

Look at a music sheet with music written on it...
It is stored on paper and unchanging..

Then, a player (musician) start to read it and plays.

Different players with interpret this data with thier own timing and style, regardless how exact they try to play the musical score.

This is what is happening in all digital world.
Only in a "non-live or non-streaming" senario would we be assured in getting the accurate checked data (in general)...


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Same thing I felt about static audio measurements. It's a steady state capture of audio signal at that specific point. It does not capture the real time flow of waveform. It's like judging a ballerina dance performance based on a photoshoot instead of a full video.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Maxx134 said:


> You DON'T have to use screen at lowest setting.
> The lowest brightness setting is not even practical to use in normal ambient light.
> In fact my lower model A45 does not allow such a low brightness setting. It's screen is much brighter. No way higher normal brightness would be low freq  enough to induce any headache.
> 
> ...



Yes, the variables would be 1A/1Z+ on 1A

1A/1Z+ on 1Z
1A/1Z++ on 1A
1A/1Z++ on 1Z


----------



## aceedburn

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, the variables would be 1A/1Z+ on 1A
> 
> 1A/1Z+ on 1Z
> 1A/1Z++ on 1A
> 1A/1Z++ on 1Z


Don’t forget chameleon. That had a nice original tone to it too. The most mellow and uncoloured sounding of the bunch. Pleasant and smooth.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 9, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Don’t forget chameleon. That had a nice original tone to it too. The most mellow and uncoloured sounding of the bunch. Pleasant and smooth.


That’s right, forgot about that. And the regional changes.


----------



## Duncan

Checking in for the first time in a while... unsure where I was, however having just updated to WM1A/Z+ v1.4 I can say that things are getting better all the time


----------



## Gamerlingual

A&E is finally doing a player with the Pentaconn connector. Took a bit for them. Meanwhile, I’m stay ONLY with my 1A and 1Z. Simple and wonderful DAPs


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 9, 2020)

When Sony released their premium sound 64GB microsd card back in 2015 for USD$160, many on the internet ridiculed Sony even electrical engineers who dismissed the whole thing claiming if you designed your product correctly then it shouldn't be influenced by the electrical noise.


Lucky for us in 2020, the sandisk extreme pro 64GB can be purchased for the ultra low price of just USD$22. It will allow for anyone to easily test out if microsd card can influence the sound of their walkman or any dap in 2020.

I think we should always keep an open mind on things and not ready to dismiss something as impossible without actually experiencing it for yourself or doing more research into the topic. Especially when we live in the post edward snowden world where subversive things are going on behind our backs.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 9, 2020)

.


----------



## Duncan

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> When Sony released their premium sound 64GB microsd card back in 2015 for USD$160, many on the internet ridiculed Sony even electrical engineers who dismissed the whole thing claiming if you designed your product correctly then it shouldn't be influenced by the electrical noise.
> 
> 
> Lucky for us in 2020, the sandisk extreme pro 64GB can be purchased for the ultra low price of just USD$22. It will allow for anyone to easily test out if microsd card can influence the sound of their walkman or any dap in 2020.
> ...



Not ridiculing this post, trying to work it out - the extreme pro is equivalent of the Sony card? If so guess I lucked out with my 1tb card


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

According to @Whitigir , yes the Sandisk is very close to the Sony.


Whitigir said:


> What we as human know about the universe is merely a speck of dust.
> I also have Sony 64 card and the extreme pro is very close to the Sony performances, but is offered in 1Tb capacity Instead.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> A&E is finally doing a player with the Pentaconn connector. Took a bit for them. Meanwhile, I’m stay ONLY with my 1A and 1Z. Simple and wonderful DAPs


This?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Astell and kern has outed the KANN ALPHA with 4.4 pentaconn 😱


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> Astell and kern has outed the KANN ALPHA with 4.4 pentaconn 😱


https://majorhifi.com/astell-kern-announce-kann-alpha/


That IS amazing.


----------



## WAmadeusM

Maxx134 said:


> You DON'T have to use screen at lowest setting.
> The lowest brightness setting is not even practical to use in normal ambient light.
> In fact my lower model A45 does not allow such a low brightness setting. It's screen is much brighter. No way higher normal brightness would be low freq  enough to induce any headache.
> 
> ...



it's almost like dealing with flat-earthers.....BTW are you deliberately being derogatory to women - calling them girls? Or is just a poor socialisation (no contact) defensive kind of thing?  

   "Goes to show you how smart that girl is, haha."

Anyways, what can one say....phone companies are introducing DC dimming as an option -  because they don't like getting equipment returned. 

And the roll out of smart phone / personal screen tech  - as well as deliberately designed mood modifying / addiction looping Apps - is pretty much an open experiment on the world population of users. 

Even if you don't get migraines etc, PWM screen flickering still seems to have, as yet not fully determined impacts, on physiology and cognition..  

Youtube is filled with videos of people showing variations of PWM - on camera - and then having to return tech.  

Apple iP X had a relatively sophisticated version that effectively cut out PWM flickering when brightness went over 60%.  

It was a classic poker tech tell - because they were probably concerned that the cheaper way of dimming - which they'd never used before - could 'impact the user experience' - which they are all about, apparently. They definitely want their users hooked. But not made ill enough not to be able to use their gear. 

But it was return city. 

QED: Apple "binned" PWM for the iP11. All about the dollar.  

May the road always rise to meet you - you need all the help that you can get


----------



## Lookout57

Blueoris said:


> Guys, I am considering buying a pair of IEMS. I don't have experience with IEMS apart of earpods   so any advice in terms of good pairing would be appreciated. I'd like to get something below $3000 mark and I hope to get as close as I can to a "Stax like" sound signature.
> 
> Am I dreaming or is that possible?


Campfire Ara


----------



## gerelmx1986

Blueoris said:


> Guys, I am considering buying a pair of IEMS. I don't have experience with IEMS apart of earpods   so any advice in terms of good pairing would be appreciated. I'd like to get something below $3000 mark and I hope to get as close as I can to a "Stax like" sound signature.
> 
> Am I dreaming or is that possible?


Sont IER-Z1R


----------



## 534409

Maybe something from 64 Audio? https://audio46.com/collections/in-ear-headphones?sort_by=price-descending


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 9, 2020)

3.5 Pro balanced to 4.4 Pentaconn cable arrived (8 core 50/50 copper/silver braid)  Best to set the WM1A to high gain, overall sounds great, the Deva's own balanced BT dongle is more than decent enough for when you dont care to be tethered. Hifiman's Deva certainly presents a far superior audio experience than the usual over ear BT suspects, being an interesting if not compelling alternative.

Deva respond's well to Sony's DSP, encouraging one to experiment with them all, equally Deva is not a terribly efficient set, and with the DSP mostly all on battery life with these Planar Magnetic drivers will take a fair hit. For the most part I dont really plan to use the Deva with the WM1A wired, however it's nice to have the ability and there is an improvement over the Deva's own Bluemini Amp/DAC, which is very seductive in it's own right...

Have to say although my Fiio M11 Pro has substantially more power output, the WM1A simply sounds much better thx to it's lifelike musicality. The Sony DAP simply wins out versus the more powerful yet rather clinical M11 Pro. I've no doubts that a dedicated desktop Amp/DAC would bring out the very best with Deva for those that have.

Q-6


----------



## Lookout57

Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.google.co.id/amp/s/www....UX2_Yd4w2Nvq2xSwaj7-rwtO4BXyNMho3eJLPjsIMn8II
> 
> 
> Facebook keeps a list of everything you do all the time if on Facebook or not. Lol


That's why I don't have a Failbook account.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Had anyone experience with the Koss porta pros? How they sound, I've just heard yheyre pretty good for the $30-40 you can get them.  A head-first wants to sell me a pair of modded porta pros but 200€ hm


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> Had anyone experience with the Koss porta pros? How they sound, I've just heard yheyre pretty good for the $30-40 you can get them.  A head-first wants to sell me a pair of modded porta pros but 200€ hm



They have always been known to punch well beyond their price level


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> They have always been known to punch well beyond their price level


I am tempted to get one as I saw them at amazon for €40


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Hey All!

Just ordered a NW-WM1A and want to get it case for it to protect the body but the ones I’ve seen are crazy expensive! Can someone(s) recommend one or a few case for me that reasonably priced!

Also, wanted to get some feedback in regards to putting modded firmware before or after burn-in?? I wonder if it would make a difference in how the hardware adopts if you do right away or after 150-300 hrs of listening later?

Any Thoughts???


----------



## iron2k (Sep 9, 2020)

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Hey All!
> 
> Just ordered a NW-WM1A and want to get it case for it to protect the body but the ones I’ve seen are crazy expensive! Can someone(s) recommend one or a few case for me that reasonably priced!
> 
> ...


I have this case
https://www.amazon.com/Benks-Flexible-Protective-NW-WM1A-NW-WM1Z/dp/B07LD7WLQ1

another option:
https://www.amazon.com/Bestfitshop-Silicone-Protective-Compatible-Walkman/dp/B075P15NYG


----------



## MrWalkman

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Hey All!
> 
> Just ordered a NW-WM1A and want to get it case for it to protect the body but the ones I’ve seen are crazy expensive! Can someone(s) recommend one or a few case for me that reasonably priced!
> 
> ...



The hardware will not burn-in differently if you use a stock or a modded firmware.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I have it caseless since day one and mo dents, ni scratches


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

iron2k said:


> I have this case
> https://www.amazon.com/Benks-Flexible-Protective-NW-WM1A-NW-WM1Z/dp/B07LD7WLQ1
> 
> another option:
> https://www.amazon.com/Bestfitshop-Silicone-Protective-Compatible-Walkman/dp/B075P15NYG



Thanks! 



gerelmx1986 said:


> I have it caseless since day one and mo dents, ni scratches



I wish I could do that but I’m too clumsy! Haha


----------



## mrrayray (Sep 9, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Astell and kern has outed the KANN ALPHA with 4.4 pentaconn 😱


I will still stick with Sony. A&K's marketing strategy is simply just aiming for money and they release far too many players than they need to imo.
Meanwhile, 1A and 1Z are still constantly being upgraded with firmwares and mods. Such enormous potential!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Sonywalkmanuser DSEE hx AI doesnt remove microphone crackle in this live recording 😏


----------



## Lookout57

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Hey All!
> 
> Just ordered a NW-WM1A and want to get it case for it to protect the body but the ones I’ve seen are crazy expensive! Can someone(s) recommend one or a few case for me that reasonably priced!
> 
> ...


I have this case, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RK34WQ9/ which the ultimate protection. The Benks case is nice but provides minimal protection.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Lookout57 said:


> I have this case, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RK34WQ9/ which the ultimate protection. The Benks case is nice but provides minimal protection.



Awesome! I ordered these for my NW-a45 but didn’t know they had this one for the NW-WM1A! Love shock absorbent cases!

Thanks!


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 9, 2020)

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Awesome! I ordered these for my NW-a45 but didn’t know they had this one for the NW-WM1A! Love shock absorbent cases!
> 
> Thanks!


For me protection outweighs beauty; quick & dirty



Hard case is similar to a Pelican Case, offering both shock and water resistance.  Silicon case is dense and ribbed internally to absorb shock in the event of being dropped, without adding excessive bulk to the player, can be difficult to remove in colder conditions as is fairly stiff. Both perform as advertised 

Q-6


----------



## minzink

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Hey All!
> 
> Just ordered a NW-WM1A and want to get it case for it to protect the body but the ones I’ve seen are crazy expensive! Can someone(s) recommend one or a few case for me that reasonably priced!
> 
> ...


Hi, I bought a Miter Case (https://www.amazon.de/NW-WM1A-Leder...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=)

But I disliked that the screen and the corner are not protected... therefore I decided to go for the original Sony case via ebay for 87 EUR plus import tax of 24 EUR ... not cheap but I like it more than the miter before....


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Queen6 said:


> For me protection outweighs beauty; quick & dirty
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Bro, nice Protective rig 👌🏻 Where did you get the fat bear case???




minzink said:


> Hi, I bought a Miter Case (https://www.amazon.de/NW-WM1A-Leder...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=)
> 
> But I disliked that the screen and the corner are not protected... therefore I decided to go for the original Sony case via ebay for 87 EUR plus import tax of 24 EUR ... not cheap but I like it more than the miter before....



Get the Fat bear it looks dope and it's $14 + taxes in the US see if you can find it in Amazon.de!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Nice music for night relax


----------



## Mindstorms

AlexCBSN said:


> Way more refined mid highs and highs, a bit mods clarity and mp3 does sound way better, less dirty and bit more defined, though even in 16/ 44.1 I can tell the difference right away


I agree except i can hear sounds chaging placement as well but yes clarity suffers a bit you prefer it over standard?


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 9, 2020)

AlexCBSN said:


> Way more refined mid highs and highs, a bit mods clarity and mp3 does sound way better, less dirty and bit more defined, though even in 16/ 44.1 I can tell the difference right away





Mindstorms said:


> I agree except i can hear sounds chaging placement as well but yes clarity suffers a bit you prefer it over standard?



And imagine that a (famous) tuning mod creator (deck24, the person who shared some details about tuning modding, information which was then used to bring the first tuning mods here) was saying that the "DSEE HX AI" setting is actually just a name change of the "Standard" option.

I am sometimes wondering what are tuning mod creators hearing? This is by no means an attack or something, but I just can't help wondering.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Got a pair of koss porta pros from amazon for only 40€


----------



## Blueoris

gerelmx1986 said:


> Had anyone experience with the Koss porta pros? How they sound, I've just heard yheyre pretty good for the $30-40 you can get them.  A head-first wants to sell me a pair of modded porta pros but 200€ hm


I really like the Koss Porta Pro - I haven't moded it. To me, they have a Audeze LCD-2 signature in a mini package. After my Sony MDR-51, they are the comfiest on-ear headphone in my collection. With the 1Z, sound get a bit heavy at the bottom end for some, but a bit of eq will fix that. Top end has just the right amount of sparkling. Price is a bit high to me though.


----------



## Queen6

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Bro, nice Protective rig 👌🏻 Where did you get the fat bear case???



From the manufacturer, however via Taobao so not sure how you could source directly. I imagine the Fatbear hard cases are available on the likes of Amazon or Ebay  

Q-6


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> Got a pair of koss porta pros from amazon for only 40€



You’ll like them. They really do sound great for the money spent. Maybe one of the historic deals out there. I’ve only had a pair since 2018. They are very middle of road. Meaning, coming to them after using more expensive IEMs, the Porta Pros have just enough detail and nothing offensive about their sound signature. Obviously at $60 dollars, they are not quite the same as more expensive headphones but do nothing really wrong for what they are.


----------



## Facta

Maxx134 said:


> Haha sounds like someone on the run..
> 
> You gotta step back and look at your life, when you need to do so much, and basically stay off the grid...
> Maybe what your doing is not worth the stress.




Not everyone who might be on the run is a criminal. Some could be whistleblowers. Some could be investigative journalists. Some human rights activists. Some crusaders against oppressive regimes. Some ordinary students fighting powerful lobbyists. Risking their lives for the truth that goes on to make the world a safer place. If some of us haven’t died yet because of some contaminated water, it is because a whistleblower or two already died exposing the truth and the people behind it. If I were you, I wouldn’t laugh at someone inquiring about the ability of a DAP like 1A/1Z to stay off-grid and I wouldn’t assume a Lenny Bruce to be an OJ Simpson by default. False notions spread faster than truth. And that’s the real enemy.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 9, 2020)

https://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.com/2020/08/custom-sony-walkman-firmware-by.html?m=1


Spoiler: text 



MrWalkman, a user from Head-fi, has created 3 custom firmwares for the NW-A40, NW-ZX300 and NW-WM1/A. The new firmwares bring improved sound and features. I would highly recommend anyone with these Walkmans to check out the firmware, especially on the NW-A40.

Here is an overview of the changes in firmware:

*NW-A40*

There are 2 versions, Reloaded and Reloaded+. The Reloaded+ version brings "a different sound than the normal version, and a slightly improved battery life".  Both add the following:


New, improved sound
High gain setting
Bluetooth Receiver function
10 band equalizer
DSEE HX AI (from DMP-Z1) and other 4 selectable DSEE HX modes
DC Phase Linearizer with 6 selectable modes
Vinyl Processor with 4 selectable modes
Visualizers: Spectrum Analyzer/Analog VU Meter/Digital Peak Meter
Hardware accelerated rendition of the UI
The following features have been removed:


FM Radio
Noise cancellation
Language study
VPT Surround
ClearAudio+
If you use any of the above features regularly, then do not install the firmware as these will disappear. Of course you can always revert back to the original stock firmware as well, so if you want to just test out the firmware that is also possible.

The instructions and download links can be found in *MrWalkman's post* on Head-fi.

*NW-ZX300*

The custom ZX300 firmware brings the following improvements: 


Improvements to the sound 
DSEE HX AI (present on DMP-Z1)
Improved battery life
Hardware accelerated rendition of the UI (faster menus)
To find the firmware, check out *MrWalkman's post* on Head-fi. The firmware is not permanent, and you can switch back to the old original firmware if you wish.

*NW-WM1/A*

Finally for those lucky to own the WM-Series, a custom firmware also exists by MrWalkman. The changes include the following:


Switching the model (from "Settings" > "Device Settings")
DSEE HX AI (present on DMP-Z1)
Hardware accelerated rendition of the UI
The link to firmware is in *MrWalkman's post* on Head-fi.

For any questions about the firmware or troubleshooting, I would post them in their respective threads on Head-Fi. Thanks again to MrWalkman for providing the custom firmwares. Please consider donating to MrWalkman using Paypal to help him develop more custom firmwares in the future.

NW-A40 thread

NW-ZX300 thread

NW-WM1/A thread


----------



## Blueoris

Amigos, is it possible to connect the NW-WM1x to a Chord Hugo 2 with a digital cable to use the walkman as a transport the the Hugo 2 as a dac / amp?


----------



## 534409

gerelmx1986 said:


> Got a pair of koss porta pros from amazon for only 40€


I had these headphones several years ago. They are good for home use, not for commuting. And they tear out your hair by the way. As my wife said - if you gonna cut your hair, go to the barber instead


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Queen6 said:


> From the manufacturer, however via Taobao so not sure how you could source directly. I imagine the Fatbear hard cases are available on the likes of Amazon or Ebay
> 
> Q-6



Thanks, I ordered the case on Amazon but the hard case is hard to find. I’m well aware of Taobao but I hate to use the agents to ship overseas! I will try AliExpress if they have it there. Thanks.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Dramba said:


> I had these headphones several years ago. They are good for home use, not for commuting. And they tear out your hair by the way. As my wife said - if you gonna cut your hair, go to the barber instead



This is actual media photo from Koss, looks like they are very serious about the cutting hair part.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> This is actual media photo from Koss, looks like they are very serious about the cutting hair part.


As seen in The Empire Strikes Back


----------



## newworld666

Blueoris said:


> Amigos, is it possible to connect the NW-WM1x to a Chord Hugo 2 with a digital cable to use the walkman as a transport the the Hugo 2 as a dac / amp?




No.... no spdif or even line out with WM1 serie. 
There are just the 3.5mm or 4.4mm can be used (set them in low gain) for analog amp..


----------



## blazinblazin

My setup currently~


----------



## Gamerlingual (Sep 10, 2020)

Question, on your current FM, it’s also meant to be used on the 1Z?


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 10, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Question, on your current FM, it’s also meant to be used on the 1Z?



Yep, it can be used for both 1A and 1Z.


----------



## Queen6

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Thanks, I ordered the case on Amazon but the hard case is hard to find. I’m well aware of Taobao but I hate to use the agents to ship overseas! I will try AliExpress if they have it there. Thanks.



Better solution as it's not worth the cost and hasstle to deal with an agent for such a small item. Think the hard case is medium as FatBear produce differing sizes. I can always measure mine if needs be.

Q-6


----------



## Gamerlingual

Good to know. Thanks, Mr. Walkman. At this rate, I may recommend these DAPs to friends. They are far ahead of their time. If they have the budget that is.


----------



## MrWalkman

Gamerlingual said:


> Good to know. Thanks, Mr. Walkman. At this rate, I may recommend these DAPs to friends. They are far ahead of their time. If they have the budget that is.



Yep, not the easiest purchase money-wise, but it's worth it (WM1A).


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Question, on your current FM, it’s also meant to be used on the 1Z?



It Improves both.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> It Improves both.


Dang. So lots more to play with really. When I finish completing my teaching certification training, I’ll really have to dive deep into these mods


----------



## mmwwmm

Blueoris said:


> Amigos, is it possible to connect the NW-WM1x to a Chord Hugo 2 with a digital cable to use the walkman as a transport the the Hugo 2 as a dac / amp?


Absolutely. I use my 1Z as transport for my Hugo 2 with the Sony WMC-NWH10 digital cable and with stellar results. This way you can get the very clean digital output stream your WM1A/Z is capable of. You can use the BCR-NWH10 charging/digital output device too but at a higher cost.
In fact the 1Z is one of the very best digital transport I’ve ever tried. 
Remember to engage the DoP output option in the 1A/1Z to enjoy DSD with the Hugo 2. Otherwise the stream will be downconverted to PCM prior to output.


----------



## Gamerlingual

mmwwmm said:


> Absolutely. I use my 1Z as transport for my Hugo 2 with the Sony WMC-NWH10 digital cable and with stellar results. This way you can get the very clean digital output stream your WM1A/Z is capable of. You can use the BCR-NWH10 charging/digital output device too but at a higher cost.
> In fact the 1Z is one of the very best digital transport I’ve ever tried.
> Remember to engage the DoP output option in the 1A/1Z to enjoy DSD with the Hugo 2. Otherwise the stream will be downconverted to PCM prior to output.


So 1Z on the cradle to the Hugo? Is that the setup?


----------



## Queen6

Right now seems unlikely for a new release of the flagship series DAP's in the near future, especially with the recent focus on the ZX500 and rebranding to Signature Series. For those looking for a pure high quality music player that is feature rich WM1A/Z remains to be an excellent choice and the added flexibility of CFW only serves to add more to that appeal for many.

With my WM1A I can play music how* I want it*, not just a preconceived notion by someone else. TBH far more should vote with their wallets as companies are ever more pressing for control and to capitalise on their user base. Should Sony completely shut the door it would be a great shame and only result in less interest, with far fewer likely to recommend yet another locked down closed system...

Q-6


----------



## Blueoris

mmwwmm said:


> Absolutely. I use my 1Z as transport for my Hugo 2 with the Sony WMC-NWH10 digital cable and with stellar results. This way you can get the very clean digital output stream your WM1A/Z is capable of. You can use the BCR-NWH10 charging/digital output device too but at a higher cost.
> In fact the 1Z is one of the very best digital transport I’ve ever tried.
> Remember to engage the DoP output option in the 1A/1Z to enjoy DSD with the Hugo 2. Otherwise the stream will be downconverted to PCM prior to output.



Is that right? That's great news and thank you for confirming it. And in that setup, are you able to turn "direct mode" off in the walkman, engage DSEE HX (or any other feature) and perceive the effects through the Hugo?


----------



## newworld666 (Sep 10, 2020)

mmwwmm said:


> This way you can get the very clean digital output stream your WM1A/Z is capable of. You can use the BCR-NWH10 charging/digital output device too but at a higher cost.



At least, with the Wm1A ... nothing is coming out of my  BCR-NWH10 ... maybe with 1Z only.?
I tried many cables(OTG or not) to many external DACs (M500, R6Pro, M11, Xduuo XD05+, ..) I have nothing coming out from this digital out plug... but it working fine as input mode and WM1A acting as a DAC with Iphone, Notebook, R6Pro, etc.).
It would be nice if I could even just get a simple "line sound" as output from this dock to connect my WM1A to an external TA-N55ES amp without having to connect a cable in and out in the 3.5mm plug every time I want to use the WM1A on this dock


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 10, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> This is actual media photo from Koss, looks like they are very serious about the cutting hair part.





Hinomotocho said:


> As seen in The Empire Strikes Back



I was in an airport in Japan waiting for a plane. So I thought I would try these new Koss Porta Pro® Classic On Ears. As I'm listening these two young Japanese woman near kept looking over and smiling? I'm thinking "Wow" these must be stylish or have some attraction to them or something? I really wasn't sure, but the Japanese girls kept looking over and smiling, actually both at the same time?! 

Finally my Wife walks over and sits down next to me. She tugs on my shirt to take off the headphones. She says..........."Honey those headphones are so loud that everyone around you can hear exactly what you're listening to."


----------



## MrWalkman

Blueoris said:


> Is that right? That's great news and thank you for confirming it. And in that setup, are you able to turn "direct mode" off in the walkman, engage DSEE HX (or any other feature) and perceive the effects through the Hugo?



When using the cradle or that USB adapter for USB audio out, effects are not working.

I think the player acts only as a sound data source, not too different than an USB stick for example.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> When using the cradle or that USB adapter for USB audio out, effects are not working.
> 
> I think the player acts only as a sound data source, not too different than an USB stick for example.


Is the 1Z/1A connected to the TA via the Walkman cable a better connection than the Cradle with the 1A/1Z in your opinion?


----------



## normie610

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> When Sony released their premium sound 64GB microsd card back in 2015 for USD$160, many on the internet ridiculed Sony even electrical engineers who dismissed the whole thing claiming if you designed your product correctly then it shouldn't be influenced by the electrical noise.
> 
> 
> Lucky for us in 2020, the sandisk extreme pro 64GB can be purchased for the ultra low price of just USD$22. It will allow for anyone to easily test out if microsd card can influence the sound of their walkman or any dap in 2020.
> ...




Call me crazy, but I just bought a 512gb extreme pro for use in my upcoming R8, I copied all my songs from my 1Z’s micro sd to this new card, then I put the extreme pro in my 1Z and play some songs. Omg, it sounds waayyy better than my original card (a 400gb sandisk ultra). I switched back and forth between the two cards, and with the ultra it sounds like there’s a veil and muffled, notes are not nearly as defined as the extreme pro. Separation and imaging is also a lot better with extreme pro. The difference is just too obvious I can’t ignore it. I’m ordering a second one now.


----------



## MrWalkman

Gamerlingual said:


> Is the 1Z/1A connected to the TA via the Walkman cable a better connection than the Cradle with the 1A/1Z in your opinion?



I think both connections work the same.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> I think both connections work the same.


Copy that. Thanks.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Wild getting used to the 1Z, with MrWalkmans 1A/1Z+ “J” region on model 1Z. While less fast than the 1A, and clunky.............it’s amazingly real. Really hard to say which player is better in the end.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Wild getting used to the 1Z, with MrWalkmans 1A/1Z+ “J” region on model 1Z. While less fast than the 1A, and clunky.............it’s amazingly real. Really hard to say which player is better in the end.


Was today your first time switching over to the 1Z with the FM?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 10, 2020)

normie610 said:


> Call me crazy, but I just bought a 512gb extreme pro for use in my upcoming R8, I copied all my songs from my 1Z’s micro sd to this new card, then I put the extreme pro in my 1Z and play some songs. Omg, it sounds waayyy better than my original card (a 400gb sandisk ultra). I switched back and forth between the two cards, and with the ultra it sounds like there’s a veil and muffled, notes are not nearly as defined as the extreme pro. Separation and imaging is also a lot better with extreme pro. The difference is just too obvious I can’t ignore it. I’m ordering a second one now.



Congratulations on eliminating a significant sound quality bottleneck in your walkman.

In my opinion, the changes are so significant that it feels like having a new model of digital audio player all together, especially if you compare to a really bad sounding card like the lexar 633x.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 10, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Was today your first time switching over to the 1Z with the FM?



What can happen in audio is you get curious by a new sound. The 1A was a great example, maybe the classic example of a new sound. But the 1Z was not that interesting and I put MrWalkmans in both players early on. It’s probably the same but I took out the 1Z firmware 1A/1Z+, put in ++ then switched back to 1A/1Z+ again, and it sounds slightly better now? Probably just me? But so it would be nice to enjoy the 1Z for a change. Plus aside from one being better, each has it’s own charms which are a value in their own right. Especially with MrWalkmans firmware in both it’s pretty fantastic! Cheers!


----------



## mmwwmm

Blueoris said:


> Is that right? That's great news and thank you for confirming it. And in that setup, are you able to turn "direct mode" off in the walkman, engage DSEE HX (or any other feature) and perceive the effects through the Hugo?


No. The WM1x act just like a “bit perfect” digital transport. I mean no further processing is added to the original digital stream (disabling effects, disabling volume control, etc etc)


----------



## NickleCo

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Visually identical lcp drivers


Interesting these drivers seem to look like the one om my mdr 1a.


----------



## ttt123

normie610 said:


> Call me crazy, but I just bought a 512gb extreme pro for use in my upcoming R8, I copied all my songs from my 1Z’s micro sd to this new card, then I put the extreme pro in my 1Z and play some songs. Omg, it sounds waayyy better than my original card (a 400gb sandisk ultra). I switched back and forth between the two cards, and with the ultra it sounds like there’s a veil and muffled, notes are not nearly as defined as the extreme pro. Separation and imaging is also a lot better with extreme pro. The difference is just too obvious I can’t ignore it. I’m ordering a second one now.


I had the same experience when I switched to the Extreme Pro

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15690492


----------



## Mindstorms

MrWalkman said:


> And imagine that a (famous) tuning mod creator (deck24, the person who shared some details about tuning modding, information which was then used to bring the first tuning mods here) was saying that the "DSEE HX AI" setting is actually just a name change of the "Standard" option.
> 
> I am sometimes wondering what are tuning mod creators hearing? This is by no means an attack or something, but I just can't help wondering.


its is clear that its different from standart overall it better boost subbass... I really like it! dough i didnt know if someone was hearing the same will be awesome to have both standard and AI... it does not sound like a name change only thats for sure


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> Got a pair of koss porta pros from amazon for only 40€


I have them can you make a mini review of them on your 1A and if you like them? i heared them in disney some years ago and i was amazed at how they sounded i think i bought them for 27 uss if you make that mini review i may help you!!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mindstorms said:


> I have them can you make a mini review of them on your 1A and if you like them? i heared them in disney some years ago and i was amazed at how they sounded i think i bought them for 27 uss if you make that mini review i may help you!!!


When they come, yeah, first turn-in treatment


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 10, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> Better solution as it's not worth the cost and hasstle to deal with an agent for such a small item. Think the hard case is medium as FatBear produce differing sizes. I can always measure mine if needs be.
> 
> Q-6



That would be great but no rush! I’m actually working at home so it’s not like I need a hard case for travel but it certainly nice for dust and dirt and extra protection around the house for accident dros if you can measure it when you get a chance that would be great!

@MrWalkman I’m actually getting my NW-WM1A today. I would like to install one of your modded FW the one I’d like to try is the one that switches it to 1z but I’m still a little confused which is which between the Chameleon and the ++ version even after reading through them. I read somewhere you like the 1z one the best So which one should I install or which one do you prefer??? (Side note: Read through some of your replies from annoying FW questions. I’m Looking forward to your scolding reply  haha)


----------



## MrWalkman

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> @MrWalkman I’m actually getting my NW-WM1A today. I would like to install one of your modded FW the one I’d like to try is the one that switches it to 1z but I’m still a little confused which is which between the Chameleon and the ++ version even after reading through them. I read somewhere you like the 1z one the best So which one should I install or which one do you prefer??? (Side note: Read through some of your replies from annoying FW questions. I’m Looking forward to your scolding reply  haha)



Congrats for your WM1A!

There is a main post for the WM1 player mods, here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2738#post-15747959

CHAMELEON is just the normal stock/official sound, with the ability to switch the models between 1A and 1Z. WM1A/Z+ and ++ both have a different sound. Feel free to read the main post for more details.

Right now I am using WM1A/Z++ on my WM1A. I did not switch the model, so the model is 1A.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 10, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Congrats for your WM1A!
> 
> There is a main post for the WM1 player mods, here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2738#post-15747959
> 
> ...



Thanks, Got a really good deal on eBay for a new one!

I’ll probably do the same. It’s a bit overwhelming to just read them and probably better to try them out first then decide. To make it easier I’m gonna install the ++ with the 1A model.

When I purchased the 1A I had NO IDEA how entertaining this thread is. (The nw-45a thread is tamed & ‘normal’ compared this one.) In this thread, There’s jokes, useful info, conspiracy theories, debates. I feel right at home! I’m afraid of even missing a day because there’s pages of ‘action’ you miss. Haha

Just to put my 2 cents on one debate. I read people that have Walkman series with WiFi/Android don’t really like them because somehow it gets in the way of the performance??? I can’t speak about this first hand experience though.

I think that XMOS desktop dac with PC/Macs do a better job when it comes to streaming music outputs. It's just my opinion though.

I do like having a player that ONLY plays music files though. A lot of apps and stuff you can tell they are processing the sound with exception to some really well made ones like Hiby or jetaudio but again that’s subjective. But to me, NOTHING beats HQPlayer Pro 4 on desktop! I have heard that with Roon and HQPlayer Pro 4, It’s amazing but haven’t  tried it myself.


----------



## Lookout57

Over the past couple of nights I compared the following configurations of my WM1A:

WM1A Region J Switched to 1Z using  CHAMELEON 3.02 (1.3) AKA WM1AZ
WM1A Region J Switched to 1Z using WM1AZ+ 3.02 (1.4) AKA WM1AZ+
WM1A Region J using WM1AZ+ 3.02 (1.4) AKA WM1A+

The gold standard that they were compared to was my WM1Z Region J AKA WM1Z. For all of these comparisons I used my Solaris 2020, DHC Clone Silver balanced (resolution beast) and ADV custom tips.

WM1AZ is very close to the WM1Z. But the WM1Z had deeper bass and a larger soundstage.
WM1AZ+ had a larger soundstage but the low end was very weak, anemic compare to WM1AZ or WM1Z
WM1A+ switching back to 1A and reloading the firmware brought the bass back that was missing in the WM1AZ+. The soundstage is much bigger and 3D than the WM1A and the WM1Z. However it's missing some of the upper bass. I would say that the details are there but it's missing some heft or depth that I know should be there. This was evident on grand piano recordings, some acoustic guitar recordings and some male singers like Jon Anderson of Yes.
So what is my preferred sound? That's hard. I love the soundstage and 3D nature of the WM1A+ but miss the warmth or upper bass depth that the WM1AZ has. I would say the WM1AZ is the more accurate or realistic sounding configuration.

I'm going to have to spend more time with the WM1A+ configuration and maybe cable roll to see if my DHC Clone Fusion can bring back the missing warmth. If that doesn't fix it I'll probably end back on WM1AZ.


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> When they come, yeah, first turn-in treatment


what is turn in treatment? for COVID? or audio?


----------



## iron2k

Mindstorms said:


> what is turn in treatment? for COVID? or audio?


I think it was a typo, should be Burn-in


----------



## Vitaly2017

Need some help of folks who bought tourist or international version of 1a or 1z, I need to know what was the region that the 1a or 1z was set to please.

From the rockbox list we can see its the region E but is it really a tourist version ?


----------



## Mindstorms

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Thanks, Got a really good deal on eBay for a new one!
> 
> I’ll probably do the same. It’s a bit overwhelming to just read them and probably better to try them out first then decide. To make it easier I’m gonna install the ++ with the 1A model.
> 
> ...


you are in for a threat i will wellcome you!


----------



## Mindstorms

Lookout57 said:


> Over the past couple of nights I compared the following configurations of my WM1A:
> 
> WM1A Region J Switched to 1Z using  CHAMELEON 3.02 (1.3) AKA WM1AZ
> WM1A Region J Switched to 1Z using WM1AZ+ 3.02 (1.4) AKA WM1AZ+
> ...


have you tried MX3 and also have you tried MX3 + 3.00 1.4 with DSEE AI and heavy EQ for me its the best


----------



## Mindstorms

iron2k said:


> I think it was a typo, should be Burn-in


Lol I maked a movie in my head about decontam those portas with alcohol etc lol!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Mindstorms said:


> Lol I maked a movie in my head about decontam those portas with alcohol etc lol!


LOL, yeah I meant Burn in


----------



## Lookout57

Mindstorms said:


> have you tried MX3 and also have you tried MX3 + 3.00 1.4 with DSEE AI and heavy EQ for me its the best


I need BT remote so J or E only for me. Also this was all with Hi-Res content so no DSEE AI and EQ is a four letter word to me.


----------



## iron2k

Mindstorms said:


> have you tried MX3 and also have you tried MX3 + 3.00 1.4 with DSEE AI and heavy EQ for me its the best


Can you share your EQ ???


----------



## ttt123

Vitaly2017 said:


> Need some help of folks who bought tourist or international version of 1a or 1z, I need to know what was the region that the 1a or 1z was set to please.
> 
> From the rockbox list we can see its the region E but is it really a tourist version ?


I can confirm that the HK version, which should be the Asia area, comes set to Destination Code E

Destination code / Area /Volume/ Language/ FM range /NW-WM1 /NW-A20 /NW-A35 
E / *Asia / Australia / NZ / Tourist* /uncapped multilingual (default English) 87,5 - 108 MHz "High Gain Output" and "Remote Control" (RMT-NWS20 necessary) settings


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Mindstorms said:


> you are in for a threat i will wellcome you!



@Mindstorms Thanks for your kind welcoming!!!

I wanted to take the time and Thank the entire thread for all the kind Welcoming messages and Feedback on and off the thread (my PMs are flooded with Welcome messages and other useful stuff to maximize my WM1A listening experience.) I am EXTREMELY grateful to ALL of you!!!


----------



## Mystic Traveller

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Thank the entire thread for all the kind Welcoming messages and Feedback on and off the thread


Welcome, mate! 👍You are lucky having arrived in the right place and right on time!


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 10, 2020)

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> @Mindstorms Thanks for your kind welcoming!!!
> 
> I wanted to take the time and Thank the entire thread for all the kind Welcoming messages and Feedback on and off the thread (my PMs are flooded with Welcome messages and other useful stuff to maximize my WM1A listening experience.) I am EXTREMELY grateful to ALL of you!!!


Welcome to the community dude. As long as you have 1A/1Z you are welcome here.

Others daps can bugger off, Hahahaha 😸 Just joking, don’t kill me 😂


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Queen6

Lookout57 said:


> Over the past couple of nights I compared the following configurations of my WM1A:
> 
> WM1A Region J Switched to 1Z using  CHAMELEON 3.02 (1.3) AKA WM1AZ
> WM1A Region J Switched to 1Z using WM1AZ+ 3.02 (1.4) AKA WM1AZ+
> ...



Have you tried loading the WM1A with WM1AZ+ then switching to WM1Z, however do not reload the firmware? This results in the internal firmware tuning being 1Z and the external XML tuning being 1A.

Or loading the WM1A with WM1AZ+ then switching to WM1Z, reload the firmware then switch back to WM1A, however do not reload the firmware? This results in the internal firmware tuning being 1A and the external XML tuning being 1Z.

As if things weren't confusing enough, let alone adding in Chameleon & WM1AZ++ to the mix with their varying internal FW & external XML tuning LOL

For me full 1Z tuning the bass attack is slower, less aggressive than 1A, although warmer, overall feels a touch quieter, which adds up to less punch in the sound signature. I'm kind of the mind that the 1A with WM1AZ+ switched to 1Z without reloading the FW hits the mark as the bass remains to be fast & tight, yet fuller.

Q-6


----------



## Lookout57

Queen6 said:


> Have you tried loading the WM1A with WM1AZ+ then switching to WM1Z, however do not reload the firmware? This results in the internal firmware tuning being 1Z and the external XML tuning being 1A.
> 
> Or loading the WM1A with WM1AZ+ then switching to WM1Z, reload the firmware then switch back to WM1A, however do not reload the firmware? This results in the internal firmware tuning being 1A and the external XML tuning being 1Z.
> 
> ...


When I started listening to WM1AZ+ after a hour I couldn't take it and switched it to WM1A+ without reloading. It was better but still not my cup of tea and did the firmware reinstall the next morning which helped.

Right now it's configured as WM1A+, I'll try switching it to 1Z tonight and see if that does anything.


----------



## mmwwmm

ttt123 said:


> I had the same experience when I switched to the Extreme Pro
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15690492


Have you tried to compare the Extreme Pro vs internal storage?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Need some help of folks who bought tourist or international version of 1a or 1z, I need to know what was the region that the 1a or 1z was set to please.
> 
> From the rockbox list we can see its the region E but is it really a tourist version ?


Both my Japan Tourist Editions are U.


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 10, 2020)

iron2k said:


> Can you share your EQ ???


Of course I use very odd tuning since im not running balanced i boost sub bass a LOT and tame highs for my unexpensive balanced armatures run decent and avoid frecuencies that damage my hearing since I use high volume but low gain... I like engaging sound with very low midbass since it allows the amplifier to hit that bass harder maybe 1Z wont need this but 1A needs a heavy sub bass boost for my taste then the reversed peak at 8k keeps my hearing safe while 3.00 takes care of the awesome staging! and Mx3 unleashes full potencial of my SE but again its aquestion of IEM and output I have heard balanced and it sounds very diferent than SE so there you may want to go 3.02 J have a nice day! PD if yu have expensive iems it may sound bad... will


----------



## Gamerlingual

Mindstorms said:


> you are in for a threat i will wellcome you!


In for a treat or a threat?


----------



## Mindstorms

Mystic Traveller said:


> Welcome, mate! 👍You are lucky having arrived in the right place and right on time!


Mystic Travelker keeps amazing me when ke speaks im affraid to turn around and discover hes behind my back dressed as a future chrono-traveler saying here take this future walkman your iems are invisible and they wher implanted by me at your birth back in 83 so enjoy.. if you see some holografic *** also implanted and no you dont need to charge it so relax...


----------



## Mindstorms

Gamerlingual said:


> In for a treat or a threat?


Haha this names really reflect the user traits lol! good one!


----------



## Hinomotocho

With the talk of better quality SD cards and of course internal storage being the best, would it ever be possible for an internal storage mod? Or is that level of OS access/formatting etc not possible @MrWalkman? 
Could the microSD slot be perhaps replaced with a hard wired add on storage?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 10, 2020)

Mindstorms said:


> Of course I use very odd tuning since im not running balanced i boost sub bass a LOT and tame highs for my unexpensive balanced armatures run decent and avoid frecuencies that damage my hearing since I use high volume but low gain... I like engaging sound with very low midbass since it allows the amplifier to hit that bass harder maybe 1Z wont need this but 1A needs a heavy sub bass boost for my taste then the reversed peak at 8k keeps my hearing safe while 3.00 takes care of the awesome staging! and Mx3 unleashes full potencial of my SE but again its aquestion of IEM and output I have heard balanced and it sounds very diferent than SE so there you may want to go 3.02 J have a nice day! PD if yu have expensive iems it may sound bad... will



Omg....my eyes.


----------



## Queen6

Lookout57 said:


> When I started listening to WM1AZ+ after a hour I couldn't take it and switched it to WM1A+ without reloading. It was better but still not my cup of tea and did the firmware reinstall the next morning which helped.
> 
> Right now it's configured as WM1A+, I'll try switching it to 1Z tonight and see if that does anything.



It's more of a subtle differnce mixing and matching internal & external tuning. Gone back to stock Sony 3.02 and will have another go soon enough. WM1A+ I didn't feel any loss in the bass, just different staging. Want be a little more methodical this time and select a few more tracks.  DAP was on WM1AZ+ for a good while with no complaints  

Q-6


----------



## MrWalkman

Hinomotocho said:


> With the talk of better quality SD cards and of course internal storage being the best, would it ever be possible for an internal storage mod? Or is that level of OS access/formatting etc not possible @MrWalkman?
> Could the microSD slot be perhaps replaced with a hard wired add on storage?



This would imply changing the EMMC, which also stores the firmware itself. Theoretically it could be possible, but you would require reballing, and it doesn't look like something easy to do at all.

Leaving this aside, I'm not sure how/if the OS would/could handle the new EMMC, etc.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 10, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> With the talk of better quality SD cards and of course internal storage being the best, would it ever be possible for an internal storage mod? Or is that level of OS access/formatting etc not possible @MrWalkman?
> Could the microSD slot be perhaps replaced with a hard wired add on storage?



In my own microsd testing, internal storage is not the best sounding, Sandisk high endurance and Sandisk extreme pro both sounded better than my ZX507 internal storage.

Although internal storage still serves as a good baseline reference. Meaning If you find your current microsd card to sound worse than walkman’s internal storage by a lot, that means it is really time to consider changing to better microsd cards.

internal storage not being the best sounding is pointed out by @Whitigir as well.



Whitigir said:


> @Sonywalkmanuser  In my opinion, the Internal memory of Walkman and other players doesn’t have that superior audio quality that theoretically can be explained.  At least, I try and listen to it, and I only follow my ears and what I can hear.  Needless to say that it isn’t perfect.....but every time I tried.  If using a good memory SD card, I can perceive better soundstage and imagines, bass performances.  Yes, I know that it is directly soldered on ....etc... but still, I don’t know why it doesn’t exhibit any superiority over a good microSD
> 
> The two cards that I love a lot is the Sony Audiophile 64Gb card and the next one is the Sandisk Extreme Pro.  I paid a lot for the Pro 1Tb as I think it is worth it with all the storage.
> Next project is to try the 256gb you linked above and see if I like it as much as the Sony one.  I don’t really think the 64Gb is worth the price though (too little to be worthy)
> ...


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

MrWalkman said:


> This would imply changing the EMMC, which also stores the firmware itself. Theoretically it could be possible, but you would require reballing, and it doesn't look like something easy to do at all.
> 
> Leaving this aside, I'm not sure how/if the OS would/could handle the new EMMC, etc.



All these reballing is not necessary. Just try to source for a 1TB Sandisk extreme pro.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> In my own microsd testing, internal storage is not the best sounding, Sandisk high endurance and Sandisk extreme pro both sounded better than my ZX507 internal storage.
> 
> Although internal storage still serves as a good baseline reference. Meaning If you find your current microsd card sounds worse than walkman’s internal storage by a lot, that means it is really time to consider changing to better microsd cards.
> 
> internal storage not being the best sounding is pointed out by @Whitigir as well.



It would be interesting to read your thoughts on a 1A being the source to a 1Z or 1Z as digital source to 1A? The sound is different maybe better maybe not, but different.


----------



## normie610

Can you stack them up? Is it by using a special cable?


----------



## MrWalkman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> All these reballing is not necessary. Just try to source for a 1TB Sandisk extreme pro.



I was talking about potentially replacing the internal storage.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

MrWalkman said:


> I was talking about potentially replacing the internal storage.



I mean it is going to be a Herculean effort to really consider doing reballing memory chips.

1TB microsd is a safer more logical alternative solution for folks here. Except for @Nayparm


----------



## Hinomotocho

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> In my own microsd testing, internal storage is not the best sounding, Sandisk high endurance and Sandisk extreme pro both sounded better than my ZX507 internal storage.
> 
> Although internal storage still serves as a good baseline reference. Meaning If you find your current microsd card sounds worse than walkman’s internal storage by a lot, that means it is really time to consider changing to better microsd cards.
> 
> internal storage not being the best sounding is pointed out by @Whitigir as well.


It would be an expensive mod anyway. 
My SanDisk 400gb (extreme) is nearing capacity, it is good to know improvements can be achieved with the higher grade cards.


----------



## Nayparm (Sep 10, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> This would imply changing the EMMC, which also stores the firmware itself. Theoretically it could be possible, but you would require reballing, and it doesn't look like something easy to do at all.
> 
> Leaving this aside, I'm not sure how/if the OS would/could handle the new EMMC, etc.



It's crosses my mind everytime I work on a 1A and see the empty EMMC BGA space especially now with your firmware and access to the kernel partition as the hardware difference seems to be an additional emmc and 14 caps smt caps/resistors

1A



1Z


The caps/resistors are in this area


And here:


----------



## Facta (Sep 10, 2020)

Some of you too might have heard this yourselves, and I can't divulge my own sources, but Sony had plans to launch an updated/sequel model for 1A/1Z in Q3, 2020 but it isn't happening this year. The long delays the pandemic caused have pushed many other product launches by Sony too to 2021. I am not at liberty to share more on the topic.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 10, 2020)

normie610 said:


> Can you stack them up? Is it by using a special cable?






https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE


The adapter always goes to the source DAP. You have the DAC DAP in DAC mode then plug in the regular Sony cable plugged into the above adapter. It’s directional, the reverse does not work, cable must be in this direction.




Saw a picture of it one time and thought it was a joke. Could not get it to work until by chance I had the cable going the right way. Only tried it with MrWalkmans firmware, I assume it will work with normal Sony 3.02?

Sounds slightly different, but without a 1TB card I still have 10K songs between the two DAPs with maybe 2% MP3.


----------



## Nayparm

I think they abandoned it after me and @MrWalkman made the old one better than the new one 😜


----------



## Nayparm

Facta said:


> Some of you too might have heard this yourselves, and I can't divulge my own sources, but Sony had plans to launch an updated/sequel model for 1A/1Z in Q3, 2020 but it isn't happening this year. The long delays the pandemic caused have pushed many other product launches by Sony too to 2021. I am not at liberty to share more on the topic.



Seriously though, thats pretty cool to know they are releasing upgraded models 😁👍


----------



## NickL33

Facta said:


> Some of you too might have heard this yourselves, and I can't divulge my own sources, but Sony had plans to launch an updated/sequel model for 1A/1Z in Q3, 2020 but it isn't happening this year. The long delays the pandemic caused have pushed many other product launches by Sony too to 2021. I am not at liberty to share more on the topic.



I was expecting something from IFA this year but I guess Sony really decide to delay announcement till later date like how they push the WH1000.🤔


----------



## proedros

back in 2017, i paid 750 euros for my wm1a and have heard more than 4500 hours (and still loving it)

the music/money ratio is like *6 hours of music per for 1 euro (and it's gonna keep on going up)*

i can not think of something else that can bring me so much joy for so long (6 hours) for so little money (1 euro)


----------



## Facta

proedros said:


> back in 2017, i paid 750 euros for my wm1a and have heard more than 4500 hours (and still loving it)
> 
> the music/money ratio is like *6 hours of music per for 1 euro (and it's gonna keep on going up)*
> 
> i can not think of something else that can bring me so much joy for so long (6 hours) for so little money (1 euro)



If I had found and owned such a pleasing device for myself and enjoyed its presence in my life for that long, I wouldn't hesitate to print its name in 'Name of Spouse' column in all random applications and 'Sony Walkman' under 'Religion'.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 10, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> It would be an expensive mod anyway.
> My SanDisk 400gb (extreme) is nearing capacity, it is good to know improvements can be achieved with the higher grade cards.



Higher capacity Sandisk Extreme Pro 512GB and 1TB is harder to source.

The Sandisk has extremely strong dynamics. It gives full bodied deep extended sub-bass. It makes vocals sound very expressive and emotive. Transient delivery is extremely powerful, it’s like attending a rock & roll concert, very hard hitting but at the same time it is very smooth in its delivery. Imaging is impeccable, every tiny detail is there for you to discover. Treble is clear and pristine(no audible distortion, haze or muddy sound).

This is my impressions using balanced IER-M9 with ZX507, High Gain, DSEE HX, Hi-res streaming On, type A std


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Both my Japan Tourist Editions are U.



So when you first bought the 1a and 1z tourist they where all on U when you first got them ? Or where they on J or E?


----------



## Hinomotocho

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Higher capacity Sandisk Extreme Pro 512GB and 1TB is harder to source.
> 
> The Sandisk has extremely strong dynamics. It gives full bodied deep extended sub-bass. It makes vocals sound very expressive and emotive. Transient delivery is extremely powerful, it’s like attending a rock & roll concert, very hard hitting but at the same time it is very smooth in its delivery. Imaging is impeccable, every tiny detail is there for you to discover. Treble is clear and pristine(no audible distortion, haze or muddy sound).
> 
> This is my impressions using balanced IER-M9 with ZX507, High Gain, DSEE HX, Hi-res streaming On, type A std


I checked Amazon last night and 400gb was the highest, searching elsewhere didn't get me results either. I'm not in a hurry, but I hope they will become available and there is no supply issues.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Hinomotocho said:


> I checked Amazon last night and 400gb was the highest, searching elsewhere didn't get me results either. I'm not in a hurry, but I hope they will become available and there is no supply issues.


Supply issue is likely a concern as the Sandisk is made in China and there’s trouble brewing as we speak.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> So when you first bought the 1a and 1z tourist they where all on U when you first got them ? Or where they on J or E?



Sony makes Domestic Products. Those only are sold in Japan. The “J” units would be the domestic sold Walkmans. You can tell if they are domestic as they are the only units with certification screens next to the settings screen. Thus the “J” region adds those certificates on any region. 

They even sold a domestic ZX300 that was only in Japanese language. I did not purchase in Japan so mine are called Japanese Tourist Editions which are always U region.


----------



## normie610

Hinomotocho said:


> I checked Amazon last night and 400gb was the highest, searching elsewhere didn't get me results either. I'm not in a hurry, but I hope they will become available and there is no supply issues.



yes amazon only has up to 400gb. I bought mine from a local retailer, luckily the guy has two 512gb in stock.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Supply issue is likely a concern as the Sandisk is made in China and there’s trouble brewing as we speak.


I only saw headlines, I hope this doesn't cause significant wider disruptions for our audio world. 

The Sandisk test on the 507 should mean similar results in a 1A/1Z?


----------



## Hinomotocho

normie610 said:


> yes amazon only has up to 400gb. I bought mine from a local retailer, luckily the guy has two 512gb in stock.


In my country I would be paying double locally so Amazon is my usual go to


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Sony makes Domestic Products. Those only are sold in Japan. The “J” units would be the domestic sold Walkmans. You can tell if they are domestic as they are the only units with certification screens next to the settings screen. Thus the “J” region adds those certificates on any region.
> 
> They even sold a domestic ZX300 that was only in Japanese language. I did not purchase in Japan so mine are called Japanese Tourist Editions which are always U region.




Aaa I am lost and confused,  the ebay seller told me hes zx507 was a international model but i had a J region on the box so if I follow your experience means the J international is a U region tuning 😮🤔???

And one seller on Amazon states clearly international model but the other one states japan but says its international too lol

How to get this right now?


----------



## Redcarmoose

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/page-2966#post-15852785





No actually there are more variables because MrWalkman made firmware mods based off other older firmwares.



“If going from 3.02/3.01/3.00 to 1.20, you will have to "Reset All Settings" (this will notreset hours played) and you

will also have to "Rebuild Database" (from Settings > Device Settings). This is not because of the mods, but

because of differences between the 3.0x versions and the 1.20 version”





So within those you also have + or ++ if I have understood correctly, I myself only use 3.02 mods, but other older original firmwares add more variables......as well as Chameleon.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 10, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Aaa I am lost and confused,  the ebay seller told me hes zx507 was a international model but i had a J region on the box so if I follow your experience means the J international is a U region tuning 😮🤔???
> 
> And one seller on Amazon states clearly international model but the other one states japan but says its international too lol
> 
> How to get this right now?



Right and if you look at the Rockbox web site, they delineate the Domestic models. But we learned that the Bluetooth certificate is a requirement in Japan so all Japanese units have that. Not sure about what you ordered as it’s not a 1A/1Z. But if you go to settings and see a certificate it’s Japan Domestic. If it does not have the certificate it is a Japan Export Edition. Sellers may say Japan, just because it says Japan Export. But........the Japan Export Editions are U. I know because the old firmware would not work till I learned to only use U.

Also do you remember the side stickers. Well for the 1A/1Z the side stickers would also prove what they were. With US models having no sticker. Maybe your model will have proof with a side sticker. Ask to see it? 

Cheers!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Right and if you look at the Rockbox web site, they don’t delineate the Domestic models. But we learned that the Bluetooth certificate is a requirement in Japan so all Japanese units have that. Not sure about what you ordered as it’s not a 1A/1Z. But if you go to settings and see a certificate it’s Japan Domestic. If it does not have the certificate it is a Japan Export Edition. Sellers may say Japan, just because it says Japan Export. But........the Japan Export Editions are U. I know because the old firmware would not work till I learned to only use U.
> 
> Cheers!




Yeaa I saw that chart and the tourist version is E but how was it for the zx507 who knows....

And you say its U for Japan export.
What I can say is that yes I saw the certificate and also my keyboard was only Japanese so I guess it was a real Japan domestic then I guess.

The zx507 sounded pretty good tough


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 10, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yeaa I saw that chart and the tourist version is E but how was it for the zx507 who knows....
> 
> And you say its U for Japan export.
> What I can say is that yes I saw the certificate and also my keyboard was only Japanese so I guess it was a real Japan domestic then I guess.
> ...



Remember these? They show too, if the ZX507 has em?


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Sep 10, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Remember these? They show too, if the ZX507 has em?




Cant confirm that one never paid attention to the logos on my zx507 back then and dont think they have the same id neither.

Guess need to go and try it as it is with the international version.




Pst:
I am experimenting with region rolling again and I am back to stock 3.0.2 fw and region E and it seems to offer a whole new experience in sound presentation.
The reason why I try it is because I needed to know how tourist version sounds and I realized that I was listening to my 1z all the time in E which is the tourist version region lol.
Tough I dodnt like it on 1z as it was to bright on treble. 
Funny part is on 1a I find it has better bass bloom and less treble then U region. 

It might be a wrong way to define which region is better for zx507 lol but it pushed me towards the international model as I thought it would be more balanced and better suited for all genres of music.
@Redcarmoose


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 10, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Cant confirm that one never paid attention to the logos on my zx507 back then and dont think they have the same id neither.
> 
> Guess need to go and try it as it is with the international version.



Really with the ability to change regional status it makes it almost a non-issue, I’m thinking? Rockbox makes a tool, yes?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Really with the ability to change regional status it makes it almost a non-issue, I’m thinking? Rockbox makes a tool, yes?




From what I know zx507 has no ability to swap the regions like on wm1 daps unless I am wrong?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 10, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> From what I know zx507 has no ability to swap the regions like on wm1 daps unless I am wrong?



Oh, well it must have been suggested to Rockbox by now?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> Oh, well it must have been suggested to Rockbox by now?




Didnt see it maybe @Sonywalkmanuser can chime in 🙂


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Cant confirm that one never paid attention to the logos on my zx507 back then and dont think they have the same id neither.
> 
> Guess need to go and try it as it is with the international version.
> 
> ...



I’ve never really experimented with regions. Went to “J” from U and liked the difference?


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> I’ve never really experimented with regions. Went to “J” from U and liked the difference?




I would say E on stock 3.0 2 fw on 1a has a very unique bass response its not like J or U it has a different approach and is kinda deep but same time has a nice rumble hitting into the mid bass , very fun and big bass. Also treble got less sharp feels quiet smoother then U. U is sharp and trebly elevated with a deeper sub bass, u is also cleaner.
J is too hazy and bloaty in comparison, J seems like a good region but after so much testing I quit from J to U and now thrilling on E region lol. I was on E for 2 years on my 1z and was always complaining of too high peaky treble zing but on 1a its a different story see


----------



## Donmonte

Vitaly2017 said:


> So when you first bought the 1a and 1z tourist they where all on U when you first got them ? Or where they on J or E?


Mine is also a Japan Tourist Edition, and it was on E. Changed it later to J, not that there was anything wrong with E. But at the time all the tunings were made with J in mind, thus I made the switch.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> I would say E on stock 3.0 2 fw on 1a has a very unique bass response its not like J or U it has a different approach and is kinda deep but same time has a nice rumble hitting into the mid bass , very fun and big bass. Also treble got less sharp feels quiet smoother then U. U is sharp and trebly elevated with a deeper sub bass, u is also cleaner.
> J is too hazy and bloaty in comparison, J seems like a good region but after so much testing I quit from J to U and now thrilling on E region lol. I was on E for 2 years on my 1z and was always complaining of too high peaky treble zing but on 1a its a different story see


Tiger switches too many players and and IEMs. Hope you finally get the long term players and IEMs/cans to always keep you happy


----------



## Mindstorms

Redcarmoose said:


> I’ve never really experimented with regions. Went to “J” from U and liked the difference?


I suggested you too its very insteresting it changes a lot of the character if you do be shure to vistit Mx3, i saw you envy my 1A Graphical calculator with matrix dont lie!


----------



## Hinomotocho (Sep 10, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> I would say E on stock 3.0 2 fw on 1a has a very unique bass response its not like J or U it has a different approach and is kinda deep but same time has a nice rumble hitting into the mid bass , very fun and big bass. Also treble got less sharp feels quiet smoother then U. U is sharp and trebly elevated with a deeper sub bass, u is also cleaner.
> J is too hazy and bloaty in comparison, J seems like a good region but after so much testing I quit from J to U and now thrilling on E region lol. I was on E for 2 years on my 1z and was always complaining of too high peaky treble zing but on 1a its a different story see


I bought mine from a reataler in Australia so I assume mine was E region 3.02 (I'll check the details when I get home) - to me it sounded more like you are describing U to be with quite a lot of treble and the bass quite weak, or pushed back into the distance. I switched to J and found it more appealing to my ears, probably coming from a ZX300.
As my music is so varied for genres and recordings etc I find it quite daunting trying to find a region and firmware that best caters to my tastes as what sounds good on one track or album might not sound so good on another.
It is great to have the option and variety to customise though.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Gamerlingual said:


> Tiger switches too many players and and IEMs. Hope you finally get the long term players and IEMs/cans to always keep you happy


Tiger can't keep his paws off Sony toys Lol


----------



## Mindstorms

Hinomotocho said:


> I bought mine from a reataler in Australia so I assume mine was E region 3.02 (I'll check the details when I get home) - to me it sounded more like you are describing U to be with quite a lot of treble and the bass quite weak, or pushed back into the distance. I switched to J and found it more appealing to my ears, probably coming from a ZX300.
> As my music is so varied for genres and recordings etc I find it quite daunting trying to find a region and firmware that best caters to my tastes as what sounds good on one track or album might not sound so good on another.
> It is great to have the option and variety to customise though.


I feel regions change the compresion of sound i dont know how exactly like they much recess or boost areas... tame things and alter sound perception in many ways


----------



## Gamerlingual

hamhamhamsta said:


> Tiger can't keep his paws off Sony toys Lol


Look at my inventory. I’m even more guilty. DMP-Z1 is still on my radar, but for less than 360,000 yen


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Tiger switches too many players and and IEMs. Hope you finally get the long term players and IEMs/cans to always keep you happy




Hehe I am sticking with my ultra magnificent Tia Fourte Noir those are world class iems paired with wm1a it has a very natural experience but sometimes I want that big umff and big glorious sound this why I am feeling sometimes 1z or zx507 could be a nice touch for this but I wont buy 1z as I preferred 1a so zx507 make more sense kinda...

Again my Dmp-z1 just dont seem to happen I have tried twice and I think its a sign from above telling me wait wait Tiger dont hurry the star trails! You cannot out run your tail haha calm down the roars. 

I feel a new dap from sony should be imminent there is too many new daps being released. I am hoping for 1!


----------



## Vitaly2017

The ultimate setup! Of the Mighty Tiger Ears


----------



## masahito24@chart

Just arrived from Japan, I thought @Vitaly2017 might enjoy it as much as I am. it bumps up the volume about 5db and really gives some depth.


----------



## NickleCo

As someone who have been in the audio scene for about 5 years. This is the first time ive heard so many different bass textures in a single set up! Been on a roll trying out different combinations with fw mods. From ba like bass to visceral to silky smooth to eye vibrating textures. Who would have known a single source could produce that much of a difference and only in SE at that! Sorry for being yet again very late to the party lol and thank you so much @MrWalkman  for fixing the cover art issue that has plagued our devices for years! While trying to roll i did find a rather pleasing sounding combo with 1.4+3.00+MX3 would be intersting to know what others are running on theirs as well!


----------



## Vitaly2017

masahito24@chart said:


> Just arrived from Japan, I thought @Vitaly2017 might enjoy it as much as I am. it bumps up the volume about 5db and really gives some depth.





Woooo that is some interesting Tiger tools you got there!  🤩😛
What is that amp you got a link 🙃🙂


----------



## masahito24@chart

Here's a link to their website: Sound Tiger

This is where you can purchase and get it shipped from japan using Buyee a third party forwarder: https://booth.pm/ja/items/1781316
They also have a DIY kit if you want to solder one together. Lots of different tunings to choose from, I went with the Classic edition.


----------



## Mindstorms

It will be awesome to do a survey combo competitions wher we all listen to same FW+Region and give scores or places as a podium!


----------



## Hinomotocho

masahito24@chart said:


> Just arrived from Japan, I thought @Vitaly2017 might enjoy it as much as I am. it bumps up the volume about 5db and really gives some depth.


Is that like the Oriolus BA300s?


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 10, 2020)

I have give it a go to 3.02++ U very expansive but in SE it sounds weird you guys could try it in se and confirm?
I hear its more engaging than 3.00 very FULL sounding wish we have a 3.00 ++ to compete with this. BASS is very deep! and clean


----------



## masahito24@chart

Hinomotocho said:


> Is that like the Oriolus BA300s?


Similar in concept, though its solid state instead of tubes.


----------



## NickleCo

Nayparm said:


> I think they abandoned it after me and @MrWalkman made the old one better than the new one 😜


Sorry if this has been answered by older replies but I am curious as to what the hardware mod does


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Gamerlingual said:


> Tiger switches too many players and and IEMs. Hope you finally get the long term players and IEMs/cans to always keep you happy



I think thats what he likes, to have unique listening experiences that derived from combination of different gears.

I have been pestering/hyping him to revisit the ZX507 once more because I felt that he will enjoy the new Sony developed sound improvements in the latest firmware.

It’s like trying out a newly improved dish as a food lover, you always be out there seeking for new taste.

In our case, we seek out new listening experiences so as gain more insights and enjoyment out of this hobby.


----------



## Hinomotocho

masahito24@chart said:


> Similar in concept, though its solid state instead of tubes.


I saw your link after I posted, thanks


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I think thats what he likes, to have unique listening experiences that derived from combination of different gears.
> 
> I have been pestering/hyping him to revisit the ZX507 once more because I felt that he will enjoy the new Sony developed sound improvements in the latest firmware.
> 
> ...




Yes and then you have a happy Tiger 🐯🐅


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Yes and then you have a happy Tiger 🐯🐅


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Vitaly2017 said:


> Hehe I am sticking with my ultra magnificent Tia Fourte Noir those are world class iems paired with wm1a it has a very natural experience but sometimes I want that big umff and big glorious sound this why I am feeling sometimes 1z or zx507 could be a nice touch for this but I wont buy 1z as I preferred 1a so zx507 make more sense kinda...
> 
> Again my Dmp-z1 just dont seem to happen I have tried twice and I think its a sign from above telling me wait wait Tiger dont hurry the star trails! You cannot out run your tail haha calm down the roars.
> 
> I feel a new dap from sony should be imminent there is too many new daps being released. I am hoping for 1!


You make me curious for Tia Fourte Noir. What’s its general sound characteristics?

This doesn’t bode well for my wallet 😂


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Redcarmoose said:


>


Looks like a trap hahaha 😂

Raising Tiger 🐯 ain’t cheap Lol


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


>



Aa little to big for a home kitty  hihehe




hamhamhamsta said:


> You make me curious for Tia Fourte Noir. What’s its general sound characteristics?
> 
> This doesn’t bode well for my wallet 😂



Spare ya wallet haha Romi 1z havent chew a good chunk of it yet 😛😜

The noir is a collection item there is only 500 units world wide and only way to get one is to buy used those are at around 2800$




hamhamhamsta said:


> Looks like a trap hahaha 😂
> 
> Raising Tiger 🐯 ain’t cheap Lol



Haha calculate 300 kg of meat a day now that can get as pricey as fueling my truck lmao if not more!


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 11, 2020)

Vitaly2017 said:


> Aa little to big for a home kitty  hihehe
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I say sell your truck and keep the Tiger 😸

You’ll be more famous than Tiger King on Netflix 😂


----------



## Hinomotocho

I just noticed my WM1A has Korean characters on the side where the model number etc is. What does this mean? It is sourced from Korea?
I had purchased through Minidisc in Australia.


----------



## nanaholic

Hinomotocho said:


> I just noticed my WM1A has Korean characters on the side where the model number etc is. What does this mean? It is sourced from Korea?
> I had purchased through Minidisc in Australia.



International WM1A has safety regulation approval icons engraved on the side to comply with local electronic product laws.


----------



## Hinomotocho (Sep 11, 2020)

nanaholic said:


> International WM1A has safety regulation approval icons engraved on the side to comply with local electronic product laws.


I realise it was a stupid question, I just wasn't expecting it to have been sourced from Korea.
I took a screen shot when I had switched to J region and it was definitely E originally. If it's from Korea it is still a U base model?
Would that make it a Korean tourist version if it was E and not K?


----------



## nanaholic

Hinomotocho said:


> I realise it was a stupid question, I just wasn't expecting it to have been sourced from Korea.
> I took a screen shot when I had switched to J region and it was definitely E originally. If it's from Korea it is still a U base model?
> Would that make it a Korean tourist version if it was E and not K?



It's not sourced from Korea, all Walkmans are made in Malaysia. 
Again those are electronic certification certification engravings to comply with local laws of different countries, companies usually just print all of the certification stuff on the device so they don't have to create one specific SKU just for a different country, that's why you end up with all sorts of different approval logos and languages on the same device. 

As far as I know there's only two versions of the WM1A - Japan and International. The Japan version have no engravings because Japanese laws makes it easier to have the certification displayed in software instead of physically on the device, while it's not the same for other countries because the safety regulation laws are different.


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 11, 2020)

Not been through all the regions; FWIW

_CN_ - Tuned for the Chinese market, heavy on resolution, bass seems to be tamed, although more a factor of the elevated treble which tends to dominate the sound
_CA_ - Mid bass spills over, big fun & bouncy wears off in time
_J_ - Relatively neutral, little veiled in the treble, equally allows for prolonged listening without fatigue
_E_ - V shaped, with emphasis on the treble, can be piercing with some highly resolving IEM's, fine on ZX300, not so much on the more resolving WM1A
U - V shaped with emphasis on the lower mid bass making for a fuller sound  (no BT remote feature) 
_MX3_ - U shaped very musical and enjoyable (no BT remote feature)
_TW_ - Trades of resolution for bass, with narrower staging

Worth noting these changes can be rather nuanced, depending on your IEM & HP, choice of genres and hearing; I would have once said go for J, however after some thought I do believe that it's better to match the region to your overall taste in music as that's what Sony is trying to do, giving it's DAP's a more personalised flavour in the marketplace. Staging and timbre also differs with region, those with better ears and or formal musical training can likely comment more on the latter 

Q-6


----------



## aceedburn

Queen6 said:


> Not been through all the regions; FWIW
> 
> _CN_ - Tuned for the Chinese market, heavy on resolution, bass seems to be tamed, although more a factor of the elevated treble which tends to dominate the sound
> _CA_ - Mid bass spills over, big fun & bouncy wears off in time
> ...


Nice comparison charts. However for those who use the remote, the options are much less. The only region codes that support that remote are J, E, CA and CEV. And among these, J is my personal favorite as it’s the best of all variations combined. Balanced yet warm and musical on the 1A.


----------



## newworld666

aceedburn said:


> Nice comparison charts. However for those who use the remote, the options are much less. The only region codes that support that remote are J, E, CA and CEV. And among these, J is my personal favorite as it’s the best of all variations combined. Balanced yet warm and musical on the 1A.


 
Same here, J after all is really impressive with Remote Control enable and Z++ firmware ( found Iworth to freely offer some beers to enjoy this combo )
WM1A is already significantly ahead all my DAPs or DAC (H6Pro, Fiio M11, FiioM9, SMSL M500, Denon AV4200, ..) though it's the most expansive item in this list.for a Player


----------



## Hinomotocho

nanaholic said:


> It's not sourced from Korea, all Walkmans are made in Malaysia.
> Again those are electronic certification certification engravings to comply with local laws of different countries, companies usually just print all of the certification stuff on the device so they don't have to create one specific SKU just for a different country, that's why you end up with all sorts of different approval logos and languages on the same device.
> 
> As far as I know there's only two versions of the WM1A - Japan and International. The Japan version have no engravings because Japanese laws makes it easier to have the certification displayed in software instead of physically on the device, while it's not the same for other countries because the safety regulation laws are different.


Thanks - when I said sourced I meant from the Korean market (Sony Korea?) as it says made in Malaysia next to the Korean characters.
The fact there is a lot of Korean on there including what looks to be the manufacturing date info had me wondering.
Regarding tuning mods and firmwares I just wanted to know what I had.


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 11, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Nice comparison charts. However for those who use the remote, the options are much less. The only region codes that support that remote are J, E, CA and CEV. And among these, J is my personal favorite as it’s the best of all variations combined. Balanced yet warm and musical on the 1A.



CN, KR & TW also has the remote feature. I have the Sony remote myself (RMT-NWS20) it's useful on occasion, although for a DAP not a priority in the feature set for myself. For the regions that offer the BT remote feature *J* is the better option IMO.

TLDR:
Regions with Sony RMT-NWS20 Remote Control support (that I'm aware of)
CA, CEV, CN, E, J, KR & TW

Q-6


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Queen6 said:


> Not been through all the regions; FWIW
> 
> _CN_ - Tuned for the Chinese market, heavy on resolution, bass seems to be tamed, although more a factor of the elevated treble which tends to dominate the sound
> _CA_ - Mid bass spills over, big fun & bouncy wears off in time
> ...



And If you were to add in the interaction of microsd card or internal storage, there is going to be more variation in the final sound profile that each of us is experiencing.


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 11, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> And If you were to add in the interaction of microsd card or internal storage, there is going to be more variation in the final sound profile that each of us is experiencing.



True, however what's in or on your ears will be far more the defining factor and flipping between regions versus swapping out MicroSD cards is significantly easier, not to mention free  Fair example a region with an emphasis on a V shaped sound signature will be further exaggerated by IEM's or HP with a V shaped signature, as would a more neutral region such as _*J*_ tend to tame the V of the head gear.

I do have varying MicroSD cards (Kodak, Samsung & Sandisk), next time I remove the case from the WM1A I'll see what if any difference exists.

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

Facta said:


> Some of you too might have heard this yourselves, and I can't divulge my own sources, but Sony had plans to launch an updated/sequel model for 1A/1Z in Q3, 2020 but it isn't happening this year. The long delays the pandemic caused have pushed many other product launches by Sony too to 2021. I am not at liberty to share more on the topic.


Time to start saving €€€, this time I will buy the best of the best, e.g yhe highest model as I am now living in Germany.

Hopefully it is not android too much background processing and noise makers (wifi antenna, GPS, high GHz cpu etc).

They can do it without internal storage, nowadays I store my music in 3 microSD cards that I became internal storage agnostic


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 11, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> True, however what's in or on your ears will be far more the defining factor and flipping between regions versus swapping out MicroSD cards is significantly easier, not to mention free  Fair example a region with an emphasis on a V shaped sound signature will be further exaggerated by IEM's or HP with a V shaped signature, as would a more neutral region such as _*J*_ tend to tame the V of the head gear.
> 
> I do have varying MicroSD cards (Kodak, Samsung & Sandisk), next time I remove the case from the WM1A I'll see what if any difference exists.
> 
> Q-6



I gotten myself Toshiba Exceria M303 32GB. claims 98MB read and 65MB write which is pretty fast for mid tier card.

I was wondering if the Japanese inventors of NAND flash is able to make good microsd cards for audio? Let’s find out how it compares with Sandisk and the rest when I get home.


----------



## gerelmx1986

And the culprit for many delays in awesome product/recording launches, dying econony. China and the virus.

We shall not support china for releasing the virus into the world. We shall not buy from china (hibys, fiios, shanling's, lottoos)


----------



## gerelmx1986

Maybe the new successor will be released at CES 2021? Who knows


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> And the culprit for many delays in awesome product/recording launches, dying econony. China and the virus.
> 
> We shall not support china for releasing the virus into the world. We shall not buy from china (hibys, fiios, shanling's, lottoos)


I bought the FiiO M6. I don’t blame the citizens. They have no control over what happens.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Toshiba Exceria M303 32GB
This card sounds very warm, bassy and smooth sounding
Bass feels very deep with more noticable decay than other cards.
Vocals feels more on the throaty side
Dynamics is very good, better than internal storage but not matching sandisk extreme pro
Treble felt darker, not airy but still has very good details
Transient feels less aggressive, cymbals clashes are less sharp but still has good imaging.
Soundstage feels slightly more closed in
I think this card is suitable for those who want to opt for bassy, warm and relaxing sound signature. It made my IER-M9 sound alot like a pair of SE846 iem.

I would rate this card as A for it's very warm and relaxing sound.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 11, 2020)

So these are the three cards I can recommend :

Sandisk extreme pro: if you like high dynamics, aggressive sounding transient, super strong full bodied sub-bass, super high resolution and high clarity treble with expansive soundstaging. This card is exceptionally good with revealing micro details and micro transients.

Sandisk High Endurance: if you seek a very polished sound with balanced transient, great bass, great clarity and really great soundstaging. A good all-rounder that is less aggressive sounding with excellent imaging.

Toshiba Exceria M303: if you seek a more warmer sound, really great bass, with more focus on midrange that is much less aggressive on transients and more towards smoothness. Treble is on the darker side. Imaging is still great. Soundstage just abit closer. Great for those who don't like treble glare.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

My subjective rating:
Sandisk Extreme Pro 256GB: A+
Sandisk High Endurance 64GB: A
Toshiba Exceria M303 32GB: A
ZX507 Internal Storage with microsd inserted: B+
Adata Premier Pro 128GB: B
Samsung Evo 32GB: C
Lexar 633X 512GB: D


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> My subjective rating:
> Sandisk Extreme Pro 256GB: A+
> Sandisk High Endurance 64GB: A
> Toshiba Exceria M303 32GB: A
> ...


What about this card?


----------



## blazinblazin

I am just using the cheap SanDisk Ultra


----------



## 534409

gerelmx1986 said:


> Maybe the new successor will be released at CES 2021? Who knows


Yet antoher Android based DAP I guess. Maybe ZX-700 or 900 model.


----------



## ttt123

gerelmx1986 said:


> And the culprit for many delays in awesome product/recording launches, dying econony. China and the virus.
> 
> We shall not support china for releasing the virus into the world. We shall not buy from china (hibys, fiios, shanling's, lottoos)


Please do not follow Trump in spreading misinformation and lies, and looking for victims to blame.  If nothing else, keep it out of this forum.


----------



## Queen6

gerelmx1986 said:


> And the culprit for many delays in awesome product/recording launches, dying econony. China and the virus.
> 
> We shall not support china for releasing the virus into the world. We shall not buy from china (hibys, fiios, shanling's, lottoos)



Same as many dont care for or support the views of the biased, ignorant and bigot's who likely have no real life experience of the country in question. I fervently hope that you will cease to purchase all products produced in China and see how far you get, equally you will be very surprised at the great lengths many high-end western based brands go to deliberately hide the component and or modular origin of their products to boost their margins. If your country has health and economic issues look to your own governments and lack of action as they were all well warned.

We're here to discuss Sony's DAP's and any other associated hardware/software, not lay blame for the global pandemic that we should all be working towards eradicating not splintering into self righteous groups who merely point the finger.

FWIW; I'm not Asian and have a family history of over 1300 years in the west, I do have extensive experience of Asia and have little tolerance for bigot's - 1st and only to be *ignored*...

To all in general apologies for the rant. 

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## NickL33

gerelmx1986 said:


> Maybe the new successor will be released at CES 2021? Who knows



Most likely IFA


----------



## ExpatinJapan

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> My subjective rating:
> Sandisk Extreme Pro 256GB: A+
> Sandisk High Endurance 64GB: A
> Toshiba Exceria M303 32GB: A
> ...


Is the A+ for the Sandisk Extreme Pro 256GB only (because you only have that one?). Or have you tested also 64GB and 128GB etc?

* i am about to shop for some micro sd cards

thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

Wow mega wow, I wasn't expecting this lush musical sound quality at 40€. Reminiacent of my XBA-Z5  sound sig, stage may not be as big as MDR-Z1R or IER-Z1R/M7 but nice sound, was expecting a letdown, no bass, no highs or worse boomy bass. I am pretty amazed what these deliver


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

ExpatinJapan said:


> Is the A+ for the Sandisk Extreme Pro 256GB only (because you only have that one?). Or have you tested also 64GB and 128GB etc?
> 
> * i am about to shop for some micro sd cards
> 
> thanks



Yes I have the 256GB extreme pro. 64GB to 1TB are all based on the same specifications. Just avoid the 32GB model as it is slower speced.


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> Wow mega wow, I wasn't expecting this lush musical sound quality at 40€. Reminiacent of my XBA-Z5  sound sig, stage may not be as big as MDR-Z1R or IER-Z1R/M7 but nice sound, was expecting a letdown, no bass, no highs or worse boomy bass. I am pretty amazed what these deliver


Please don’t be ignorant. People are right about spreading lies, so don’t do that. 

Anyone else try the FM mr Walkman mod on the 1Z? How is it?


----------



## gsiu33

Vitaly2017 said:


> I am not 100% sure but I think there is an option to import the music from walkman to music center without physically importing. So you do import but just readable data and it takes a minute only. Then you can do the 12tone analyzer thing...


Neve using Media Go to import music to WM1Z/DMP-Z1. I just copy. For micro sd card, I am using USB 3.0 card adapter, much faster and reliable.


----------



## ExpatinJapan

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Yes I have the 256GB extreme pro. 64GB to 1TB are all based on the same specifications. Just avoid the 32GB model as it is slower speced.


thanks. I will give it a try then.


----------



## MrWalkman

gsiu33 said:


> Neve using Media Go to import music to WM1Z/DMP-Z1. I just copy. For micro sd card, I am using USB 3.0 card adapter, much faster and reliable.



I was thinking the same, I would rather use my USB 3.0 SD card adapter instead of doing this through the player.


----------



## Vitaly2017

gsiu33 said:


> Neve using Media Go to import music to WM1Z/DMP-Z1. I just copy. For micro sd card, I am using USB 3.0 card adapter, much faster and reliable.





MrWalkman said:


> I was thinking the same, I would rather use my USB 3.0 SD card adapter instead of doing this through the player.




I do that when I need to transfer a huge amount of data, so I format the micro sdcard in dap then use it via the adapter.

But some computers I think might not work that way and may ask you to reformat the sdcard again...


----------



## MrWalkman

Vitaly2017 said:


> I do that when I need to transfer a huge amount of data, so I format the micro sdcard in dap then use it via the adapter.
> 
> But some computers I think might not work that way and may ask you to reformat the sdcard again...



I know what you're saying, Windows might say to rescan the card or something, to fix some errors, but you have the option to not do that.


----------



## gsiu33

Vitaly2017 said:


> I do that when I need to transfer a huge amount of data, so I format the micro sdcard in dap then use it via the adapter.
> 
> But some computers I think might not work that way and may ask you to reformat the sdcard again...


I am using Windows 10, never have any issue. Extreme pro sd card with USB 3.0 is fast and reliable. If I recalled it correctly, just take less than 90 minutes to copy a whole 256GB card,


----------



## Gamerlingual

gsiu33 said:


> I am using Windows 10, never have any issue. Extreme pro sd card with USB 3.0 is fast and reliable. If I recalled it correctly, just take less than 90 minutes to copy a whole 256GB card,


My Windows PC probably took about 50 minutes


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> My subjective rating:
> Sandisk Extreme Pro 256GB: A+
> Sandisk High Endurance 64GB: A
> Toshiba Exceria M303 32GB: A
> ...



The sandisk Ultra is also a good sdcard and has similar characteristics of the toshiba card you talked, it makes bass more airy flufy and makes the decay longer. Less aggressive and more gentle on the ears. But I still prefer my sandisk extreme pro as I like the amazing bass it offers.




MrWalkman said:


> I know what you're saying, Windows might say to rescan the card or something, to fix some errors, but you have the option to not do that.





gsiu33 said:


> I am using Windows 10, never have any issue. Extreme pro sd card with USB 3.0 is fast and reliable. If I recalled it correctly, just take less than 90 minutes to copy a whole 256GB card,





I have a surface pro windows 10 tablet and it doesnt let me any choices then format my sdcard after I insert it.

I know my laptop at home when I use an sdcard adapter dont forces me to format my sdcard.

I see no issues with working on your dap directly via the music center software,  but of course it is wiser and I do it my self if I need to transfer the whole 512 gig sdcard duh lol. So it takes 3 hours instead of 12


----------



## gerelmx1986

Trying to figure out what this switch makes


----------



## Vitaly2017

gerelmx1986 said:


> Trying to figure out what this switch makes




Looks like its the force retainer for the pivot


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 11, 2020)

I had a brief listen to the WH-1000XM4.
The earpads and headband pads feels more firmer and more protruding
Noise cancellation is ~10% better than XM3.
Sound wise, I feel they have slightly better vocal imaging than XM3. About 5% better. If you switch on DSEE Extreme, it sounds better than XM3 by another ~5%. So it is about 10% better overall.


----------



## gerelmx1986

If Sony releases a new WM successor, i won't sell my 1A this time


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I had a brief listen to the WH-1000XM4.
> The earpads and headband pads feels more firmer and more protruding
> Noise cancellation is ~10% better than XM3.
> Sound wise, I feel they have slightly better vocal imaging than XM3. About 5% better. If you switch on DSEE Extreme, it sounds better than XM3 by another ~5%. So it is about 10% better overall.


I’ve tried them at the Sony Ginza store. Not worth it if you have the XM3. The successor is worth it if you have the XM2. No matter what happens to my DAPs or cans, I won’t sell them if something better comes along. It’s best to appreciate what you have


----------



## Jotaro

Joining to the cult let's see...


----------



## Vitaly2017

Jotaro said:


> Joining to the cult let's see...




The Tiger Club 😁😛


----------



## aceedburn

Why do you do this to me @MrWalkman ? Now I won’t be able to put my Walkman down for sure tonight.  It’s out of this world. The missing piece of the jigsaw. Wow!


----------



## normie610

Jotaro said:


> Joining to the cult let's see...



wow I didn’t know that @Vitaly2017 is the new face of sandisk!


----------



## normie610

aceedburn said:


> Why do you do this to me @MrWalkman ? Now I won’t be able to put my Walkman down for sure tonight.  It’s out of this world. The missing piece of the jigsaw. Wow!



what happened?


----------



## MrWalkman

aceedburn said:


> Why do you do this to me @MrWalkman ? Now I won’t be able to put my Walkman down for sure tonight.  It’s out of this world. The missing piece of the jigsaw. Wow!





normie610 said:


> what happened?



Just little experiments.

This will be tested in the following days, and an update should come.


----------



## normie610

MrWalkman said:


> Just little experiments.
> 
> This will be tested in the following days, and an update should come.



omg! Can’t wait!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 11, 2020)

Now re-evaluating Sandisk High Endurance 64GB

It is very neutral sounding.
Transients are in the middle, neither aggressive or laid back.
Very tight and controlled Bass
Vocals feels melodically not standing out or behind
Very holographic and smooth mid-range.
Treble is very pleasant sounding
Imaging is decent, not the most defined.
soundstaging feels natural, not so 3D.

If sandisk extreme pro = 24bit 192KHz PCM (bright, aggressive sounding)
If toshiba exceria = 5.6MHz DSD (warm, smooth sounding)
Sandisk high endurance = 16bit 44.1KHz PCM (neutral, natural sounding)


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Jotaro said:


> Joining to the cult let's see...



Did someone say cult how do I join 😛


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Remember to format your newly purchased microsd via the walkman OS first. This is very important step for optimum sound quality.


----------



## Lookout57

Queen6 said:


> Have you tried loading the WM1A with WM1AZ+ then switching to WM1Z, however do not reload the firmware? This results in the internal firmware tuning being 1Z and the external XML tuning being 1A.
> 
> Or loading the WM1A with WM1AZ+ then switching to WM1Z, reload the firmware then switch back to WM1A, however do not reload the firmware? This results in the internal firmware tuning being 1A and the external XML tuning being 1Z.
> 
> ...


OK, last night I decided to start fresh. Switched model back to WM1A and reinstalled Sony official 3.02. I then installed WM1AZ+, switched to 1Z without reloading WM1AZ+ and started listening. 

The missing upper bass / depth / fullness is back ! It now sounds more natural on piano, acoustic guitars and Jon Anderson doesn't sound like he was neutered 

I'll have to see if reloading WM1AZ+ changes anything.

I will say that with MrWalkman's firmware I am now listening at lower volumes. Bass and details are now clean and detailed at lower volumes. This is true for any configuration I use, WM1AZ, WM1AZ+ or WM1A+.


----------



## MrWalkman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Now re-evaluating Sandisk High Endurance 64GB
> 
> It is very neutral sounding.
> Transients are in the middle, neither aggressive or laid back.
> ...


----------



## Vitaly2017

MrWalkman said:


>




You got the wrong sdcard this is the extreme pro hehe


----------



## Queen6

aceedburn said:


> Why do you do this to me @MrWalkman ? Now I won’t be able to put my Walkman down for sure tonight.  It’s out of this world. The missing piece of the jigsaw. Wow!



And so the journey continues  

Q-6


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> You got the wrong sdcard this is the extreme pro hehe


I’m pretty sure it still has high endurance


----------



## Jotaro

is any difference between  the internal memory and the extreme pro on SQ?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

I tried the toshiba exceria m303 on my ZX2 walkman instead of ZX507.

And I still find the same warm smooth sound signature embeded in the music. Seems to me that microsd card greatly influences the sound of the walkman.


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 11, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> OK, last night I decided to start fresh. Switched model back to WM1A and reinstalled Sony official 3.02. I then installed WM1AZ+, switched to 1Z without reloading WM1AZ+ and started listening.
> 
> The missing upper bass / depth / fullness is back ! It now sounds more natural on piano, acoustic guitars and Jon Anderson doesn't sound like he was neutered
> 
> ...



Yeah I'm the same TBH, hence why rolled back to stock Sony 3.02 although technically unnecessary as Chameleon is the stock sound. Thinking of going around again starting with Chameleon on 1A, switch to 1Z, listen, reload Chameleon, switch to 1A again without running the FW. Rinse and repeat with WM1AZ+

WM1A+ & WM1AZ+ volume can be reduced which is good as there seems to be more drive. Should be more apparent on the Hifiman's DEVA as they scale very well with any increase of output and reveal it. Over all I'm coming down on the side of WM1A+ as I really enjoy the fast and tight bass, however like all it does take the mind some time to adjust so is only fair to give the other flavours a fair shot 

Really one of the better SW mods I've seen as not only is it well executed it's also professionally presented without exposing any IP to those who would use and abuse for their own selfish motives, Top Job 

Q-6


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Jotaro said:


> is any difference between  the internal memory and the extreme pro on SQ?



Quite alot of difference.

I listened to 4 walkman internal storage today:
ZX300 store demo internal storage
ZX507 store demo internal storage
My own ZX2 internal storage
My own ZX507 internal storage

All have a hint of sandpaper like distortion in the louder treble transients. The Sandisk Extreme Pro has very pristine sounding treble transients.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Quite alot of difference.
> 
> I listened to 4 walkman internal storage today:
> ZX300 store demo internal storage
> ...


Have you tried listening to the 1A or 1Z? I’m also curious with the ZX507 like @Vitaly2017 if it’s like a mini DMP-Z1


----------



## Vitaly2017

Time to go back to listen music 😇


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 11, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Quite alot of difference.
> 
> I listened to 4 walkman internal storage today:
> ZX300 store demo internal storage
> ...



I gotta try this SD card rolling as have a few options to play around with; 128 Sandisk Ultra, 256 Samsung Evo, and 512 Kodak industrial, likely more 

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

Queen6 said:


> I gotta try this SD card rollingm as have a few options to play around with; 128 Sandisk Ultra, 256 Samsung Evo, and 512 Kodak industrial, likely more
> 
> Q-6


I have 
Sandisk ultra 400GB
Sandisk extreme 1TB
Samsung evo (red color) 512GB

I am planning.to sell the 400 and 512 and get two sandisk more. 1TB and a 512


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Gamerlingual said:


> Have you tried listening to the 1A or 1Z? I’m also curious with the ZX507 like @Vitaly2017 if it’s like a mini DMP-Z1



I went to a regular Sony store, not the flagship store, they only have up to ZX507 on display. 

I retried my ZX507 on the MDR-Z7M2 balanced. I had to crank to 110/120 high gain to find my ideal loudness. Store environment was very quiet. I find that ZX507 doesn't have enough amp power for Z7M2.


----------



## gerelmx1986

From evo cards have been seeing various colors including
Red
Green,
Black
Yellow
Blue

Is there any difference? I know there is evo and evo+


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I went to a regular Sony store, not the flagship store, they only have up to ZX507 on display.
> 
> I retried my ZX507 on the MDR-Z7M2 balanced. I had to crank to 110/120 high gain to find my ideal loudness. Store environment was very quiet. I find that ZX507 doesn't have enough amp power for Z7M2.




The kimber kable helps quiet a bit improving the loudness as it has less resistance and feels like sound can travel more freely


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Queen6 said:


> I gotta try this SD card rolling as have a few options to play around with; 128 Sandisk Ultra, 256 Samsung Evo, and 512 Kodak industrial, likely more
> 
> Q-6



Well be prepared to get surprised with the results. Word of warning, It may affect your perception of "bits are bits, digital can't go wrong".

Remember to format your microsd card via Walkman OS if you haven't done so.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I went to a regular Sony store, not the flagship store, they only have up to ZX507 on display.
> 
> I retried my ZX507 on the MDR-Z7M2 balanced. I had to crank to 110/120 high gain to find my ideal loudness. Store environment was very quiet. I find that ZX507 doesn't have enough amp power for Z7M2.


Ouch. If that’s the same level as the 1A and 1Z, in my case, probably just stick to those DAPs and if I can eventually get DMP-Z1 for under 360,000 yen


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Well be prepared to get surprised with the results. Word of warning, It may affect your perception of "bits are bits, digital can't go wrong".
> 
> Remember to format your microsd card via Walkman OS if you haven't done so.


I think sandisk at extreme and extreme pro are the best


----------



## Vitaly2017

Gamerlingual said:


> Ouch. If that’s the same level as the 1A and 1Z, in my case, probably just stick to those DAPs and if I can eventually get DMP-Z1 for under 360,000 yen




Can be as happy using iems , tia noir or the M9 even Ier-z1r can be driven easily via ZX507 tough of course it is not desktop performance


----------



## Gamerlingual

Vitaly2017 said:


> Can be as happy using iems , tia noir or the M9 even Ier-z1r can be driven easily via ZX507 tough of course it is not desktop performance


Yea the 1A and 1Z has power my MDR-Z1R just right. Thanks for the feedback


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 11, 2020)

I feel sorry for hear I said about the virus (china virus and boycotting ), I know it is terrible in many parts of the world including my home country mexico. Some of my university classmates died already and one family member is in coma under artificial support


----------



## MrWalkman

gerelmx1986 said:


> china virus



You calling it like this reminds me of Trump. Let's not discuss these things here, please.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 11, 2020)

I would really love to hear @Vitaly2017's opinions on ZX507 with fw 2.02 with Hi-Res streaming on + DSEE HX AI(with sandisk extreme pro) against WM1A/Z with DSEE HX AI (with sandisk extreme pro)

Really wonder if Sony's new 3D sound processing on its Hi-res Streaming mode is tiger ears approved.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I would really love to hear @Vitaly2017's opinions on ZX507 with fw 2.02 with Hi-Res streaming on + DSEE HX AI(with sandisk extreme pro) against WM1A/Z with DSEE HX AI (with sandisk extreme pro)
> 
> Really wonder if Sony's new 3D sound processing on its Hi-Streaming mode is tiger ears approved.




On its way!

Will compare extreme pro vs ultra and vs 1a


----------



## Queen6

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I went to a regular Sony store, not the flagship store, they only have up to ZX507 on display.
> 
> I retried my ZX507 on the MDR-Z7M2 balanced. I had to crank to 110/120 high gain to find my ideal loudness. Store environment was very quiet. I find that ZX507 doesn't have enough amp power for Z7M2.



Need more drive with the Z7M2 to get the best, I'm pretty much at the limit with the Hifiman Deva on WM1A at 90-100 High Gain. The included balanced BT dongle (LDAC) is indeed very good, however over the balanced 4.4 the WM1A can perform to a higher level.

I did originally did plan to purchase Sony's MDR-1AM2, however when I tried them I wasn't remotely impressed, nor were they a new out the box set being clearly well handled with the accompanying ZX300 having over 1700 hours on the clock. As was in the need for a set of over ears I took the chance on Deva and I'm impressed at what you get both in quality of sound and flexibility. Certainly destroys the usual BT over ear suspects for SQ.

Q-6


----------



## Lookout57 (Sep 11, 2020)

Has anyone found a source for the Sandisk Extreme Pro 1 TB microSD card in the US other than Sandisk?

I've found a lot of sources for the Sandisk Extreme 1 TB microSD card and have them already.

The only difference I see for the Pro vs. the Extreme is the Pro has a slightly higher write speed. Read speed is the same.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Queen6 said:


> Need more drive with the Z7M2 to get the best, I'm pretty much at the limit with the Hifiman Deva on WM1A at 90-100 High Gain. The included balanced BT dongle (LDAC) is indeed very good, however over the balanced 4.4 the WM1A can perform to a higher level.
> 
> I did originally did plan to purchase Sony's MDR-1AM2, however when I tried them I wasn't remotely impressed, nor were they a new out the box set being clearly well handled with the accompanying ZX300 having over 1700 hours on the clock. As was in the need for a set of over ears I took the chance on Deva and I'm impressed at what you get both in quality of sound and flexibility. Certainly destroys the usual BT over ear suspects for SQ.
> 
> Q-6


I got teh kimber for MDR-Z1R  and I not d some improvement in bass texture and depth, smoothed a peak in the high trebles between 5 and 7Khz? But loudness I am on the same levels as usual 72-80/120 low gain


----------



## gerelmx1986

Lookout57 said:


> Has anyone found a source for the Sandisk Extreme Pro 1 TB microSD card in the US other than Sandisk?
> 
> I've found a lot of sources for the Sandisk Extreme 1 TB microSD card and have them already.
> 
> The only difference I see for the Pro vs. the Extreme is the Pro has a slightly higher write speed. Read speed is the same.


Amazon?here german amazon has both extreme (269€)and extreme pro (398€)


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Guys, I know this is getting close to being strange and funny, talking about synergy between microsd and headphones

I think Toshiba Exceria M303 + 1AM2 has really good synergy. The toshiba microsd has very smooth DSD like transients and a warmer sound signature, it really helps to tame down the more aggressive treble transients of the 1AM2.


----------



## Lookout57

gerelmx1986 said:


> Amazon?here german amazon has both extreme (269€)and extreme pro (398€)


Amazon US only sells the Extreme.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 11, 2020)

After re-evaluating the microsd cards on my ZX2 walkman(initially the cards were evaluated on my zx507), and with more listening, I have to revise my rating.

Subjective rating:
Sandisk Extreme Pro 256GB: S
Toshiba Exceria M303 32GB: A+
Sandisk High Endurance 64GB: A
ZX507 Internal Storage with microsd inserted: B+
Adata Premier Pro 128GB: B
Samsung Evo 32GB: C
Lexar 633X 512GB: D


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 11, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> Amazon US only sells the Extreme.


Dude, Unless you are really concerned about extra minutes for slower writing time, I don't think it's much of a concern in terms of sound quality since they read at the same speed? That's quite a hike in cost in the EU market between the extreme vs extreme pro! To me, it isn't worth it unless you are working professionally and need to get content asap out to your employer at a high level. In the modern era where everything is great, I wouldn't complain about an extra 10 mins of writing time when growing up I had dial-up internet that's my perspective anyway. It's sort of a first world problem for people that have short attention spans, IMHO. That's my 2 cents.



Lookout57 said:


> The only difference I see for the Pro vs. the Extreme is the Pro has a slightly higher write speed. Read speed is the same.





Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Guys, I know this is getting close to being strange and funny, talking about synergy between microsd and headphones
> 
> I think Toshiba Exceria M303 + 1AM2 has really good synergy. The toshiba microsd has very smooth DSD like transients and a warmer sound signature, it really helps to tame down the more aggressive treble transients of the 1AM2.



Let's go down that rabbit hole... why not???



Spoiler: Pink Floyd + Alice & Wonderland








Good tip on the Toshiba Exceria M303 as I am more of a DSD guy!!!


----------



## Lookout57

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Dude, Unless you are really concerned about extra minutes for slower writing time, I don't think it's much of a concern in terms of sound quality since they read at the same speed? That's quite a hike in cost in the EU market between the extreme vs extreme pro! To me, it isn't worth it unless you are working professionally and need to get content asap out to your employer at a high level. In the modern era where everything is great, I wouldn't complain about an extra 10 mins of writing time when growing up I had dial-up internet that's my perspective anyway. It's sort of a first world problem for people that have short attention spans, IMHO. That's my 2 cents.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



My question was for those in the US who might be looking for one to provide some help, not looking to buy one as I already have more than enough 1TB cards.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 11, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> My question was for those in the US who might be looking for one to provide some help, not looking to buy one as I already have more than enough 1TB cards.



Fair enough, I'm sure AliExpress has it since they have an sandisk store or you can pay an arm and leg to get it shipped to US internationally but it will take a crapload of time meaning you would have written and filled 10 extreme sd cards waiting for the extreme pro to arrive but I'm sure in the end it's all worth it!


----------



## Lookout57

The Sandisk Extreme Pro 1 TB microSD card is on the Sandisk website in the US for $399.99. Unless someone can provide empirical data that it's much better than the Extreme which is currently at Amazon US for $259.99 that's the better solution.


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Sonywalkmanuser  try a sandisk  extreme card (non-pro) and do a test


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 11, 2020)

Ranking change reasons:

Sandisk Extreme Pro gets *S* rating for its engaging dynamic sound. It *S*ucks you into the music and say goodbye to reality. DSEE HX has really good synergy with this card.

Toshiba Exceria M303 gets A+ rank because it has ultra silky smooth DSD like transients that is very well suited to listening for long periods. Highly recommended even if you already have the extreme pro.

Sandisk High Endurance gets A because it has a very natural and neutral sound tuning and sounded better than internal storage which has distortion in treble transients.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 11, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Sonywalkmanuser try a sandisk extreme card (non-pro) and do a test



You have to do a benchmark test on how well it reads on the WM1A/Z not on a PC/Mac to get the correct empirical data.

Also, how well it reads is also determined by the of files themselves. If there are quantization errors that would also cause noise/distortion and the quality of the sound in playback. Or if there artifacts in try recordings themselves like mic bleeds, etc 

The only thing that might ”count” is the overall timbre of the sound is constant and whether or not the sd card performs natively in a player. Sony too makes micro sd cards for that matter....???


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 11, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> The Sandisk Extreme Pro 1 TB microSD card is on the Sandisk website in the US for $399.99. Unless someone can provide empirical data that it's much better than the Extreme which is currently at Amazon US for $259.99 that's the better solution.



My thoughts are that digital has been proven to not be entirely black & white across varying hardware as the implementation can and does vastly differ. That said I dont anticipate ground-breaking differences between SDcards. The other major aspect is the card reader in the device as they can and do vary, ultimately that one can decern a difference.

Q-6


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Queen6 said:


> My thoughts are that digital has been proven to not be entirely black & white across varying hardware as the implementation can and does vastly differ. That said I dont anticipate ground-breaking differences between SDcards. The other major aspect is the card reader in the device as they can and do vary, ultimately that one can decern a difference.
> 
> Q-6



exactly, my sentiments as well!


----------



## gerelmx1986

Back on the topic of @WAmadeusM  of the pwm flicker.  Wm1 walkmans use LCD panels which have this led backlight  and thus the pwm controller to dim and brighten these LEDs.  

Do OLED displays exhibit same effect? I know OLED dont need backlight as each (sub)pixel is a dimmable/controllable element as it emits light it self


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 11, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Back on the topic of @WAmadeusM of the pwm flicker. Wm1 walkmans use LCD panels which have this led backlight and thus the pwm controller to dim and brighten these LEDs.



PWM is controlled by firmware and semiconductor chips in the IC circuit. It’s Equivalent to People calibrating their TV sets. The flicker most likely has to do with lack of power or a configuration issue.


----------



## gerelmx1986

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> PWM is controlled by firmware and semiconductor chips in the IC circuit. It’s Equivalent to People calibrate their TV sets.


Well that was not my question, read again. Just wondering about OLED panels


----------



## Queen6

Both my Kodak 512 cards meet and exceed specifications, which easily surpasses what HiRes music would need, let alone the limitations of the WM1A/Z interface, equally I dont discount advancement's in technology.


Maybe we'll see, as ever a closed mind can easily translate to an uniformed mind 

FWIW the 2nd 512 card is installed in my UMPC and gets a worked out way more being configured as a NTFS Logical data drive, with R/W at a far more demanding level. 


Q-6


----------



## MrWalkman

gerelmx1986 said:


> Well that was not my question, read again. Just wondering about OLED panels



They can have PWM as well. There is a mod for Galaxy S7 which increases the PWM frequency.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

gerelmx1986 said:


> Well that was not my question, read again. Just wondering about OLED panels



OLED is more energy efficient and blacks look more natural.

The flicker could be caused by a plethora of reasons including pixel count lose.

Not sure why you ask about OLED display we aren’t here for Bravia Tv or are we???


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

MrWalkman said:


> They can have PWM as well. There is a mod for Galaxy S7 which increases the PWM frequency.



thanks, you said it better!


----------



## gerelmx1986

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> OLED is more energy efficient and blacks look more natural.
> 
> The flicker could be caused by a plethora of reasons including pixel count lose.
> 
> Not sure why you ask about OLED display we aren’t here for Bravia Tv or are we???


Because sony NWZ-X1060 walkman was OLED based


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Guys, I know this sounds really extremely controversial for some of us here.

My opinon is this, Microsd card does have *significant influences *to the sound signature of your walkman, it is equivalent to firmware change.  

Both my ZX507 and ZX2 walkman has taken on the sound properties of the microsd card used.

When I use the Sandisk Extreme Pro on my two walkman, they all exhibit very strong dynamic sound on any music.

When I use the Toshiba Exceria M303 on my two walkman, they all exhibit very smooth DSD like sound on any music.

I am not sure how this microsd interaction affects WM1 users with their custom firmware and region sound tuning. Both my ZX507 and ZX2 are on official Sony Android firmwares, so there's lesser variations to consider for me.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Guys, I know this sounds really extremely controversial for some of us here.
> 
> My opinon is this, Microsd card does have *significant influences *to the sound signature of your walkman, it is equivalent to firmware change.
> 
> ...


maximum capacity of Toshiba? Is there more than 256Gb?


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Guys, I know this sounds really extremely controversial for some of us here.
> 
> My opinon is this, Microsd card does have *significant influences *to the sound signature of your walkman, it is equivalent to firmware change.
> 
> ...



It’s not controversial at all! Some components are more Compatible! It’s the same with music file formats Wav will play better than flac in different software/firmware/hardware in some gear even though the quality is the same.

Go with what you like. Sounds is subjective.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Guys, I know this sounds really extremely controversial for some of us here.
> 
> My opinon is this, Microsd card does have *significant influences *to the sound signature of your walkman, it is equivalent to firmware change.
> 
> ...


I do find it a bit controversial yes, but interesting to read.
Enhancing methodology would be a good thing to do. Having 2 exact same player with 2 different SD would be a good improvement because swapping from one to another takes too long to be sure that brain doesn't trick you somewhere in the process.

Anyway, don't you want to create a dedicated thread? cause I find it's a little off topic here.


----------



## MrWalkman

MrLocoLuciano said:


> I do find it a bit controversial yes, but interesting to read.
> Enhancing methodology would be a good thing to do. Having 2 exact same player with 2 different SD would be a good improvement because swapping from one to another takes too long to be sure that brain doesn't fool somewhere in the process.
> 
> Anyway, don't you want to create a dedicated thread? cause I find it's a little off topic here.



That would not be a bad idea, as the potential changes that cards could bring are concerning all players, and not just Sony ones.


----------



## RobertP (Sep 11, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> After re-evaluating the microsd cards on my ZX2 walkman(initially the cards were evaluated on my zx507), and with more listening, I have to revise my rating.
> 
> Subjective rating:
> Sandisk Extreme Pro 256GB: S
> ...


I have 128GB Extreme Pro. It has more dynamic, balance, a bit more immersive and very energetic when compare to internal storage. SAMSUNG Pro Endurance card in the other hand has fuller thicker warm sound, excellent amount of bass and treble a bit less aggressive than the Sandisk.


----------



## newworld666 (Sep 11, 2020)

MrLocoLuciano said:


> I do find it a bit controversial yes, but interesting to read.
> Enhancing methodology would be a good thing to do. Having 2 exact same player with 2 different SD would be a good improvement because swapping from one to another takes too long to be sure that brain doesn't trick you somewhere in the process.
> 
> Anyway, don't you want to create a dedicated thread? cause I find it's a little off topic here.



Even better with no impact of the electronic of using 2 different DAP ... and so easy to do .. one dap with two different SD cards and almost direct A/B comparison.
I did it with the Fiio M11 .. => impossible to catch any difference.. just now with IER-Z1R and Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas..
But, I am not lucky enough to catch any difference too between internal memory and sd card on my WM1A ....




Should be even better with a DMP-Z1 which has 2 SD and internal memory .. Unfortunately I don't own a DMP-Z1


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 11, 2020)

Has anyone looked at the owners’ manual to see which sds they suggest to use I know so Sony makes them too.

also If possible maybe the firmware code has clues as to which card reading is configured to or what make it is. That would be a good way to cross reference but I’m not sure this is entirely possible???!

Also has anyone compared their Favorite externally sd cards with the internal storage sound quality?? That may be a better indication?!


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 11, 2020)

Easy test to see if microsd card affect sounds on 1A/1Z. Try listening to same songs on your DAP with and without sd card. Meaning, take out you card and listen to your fav songs. And vice versa.

Imagine my surprise, I have been listening without SD card on 1Z Romi almost everyday using internal storage only for almost a month. Out of curiosity, I pop in my 400 GB Sandisk Ultra this morning. There’s even greater dynamics, clarity in both micro and macro sounds, more realism and feelings. Wow, the difference is quite immense. I don’t pretend I know the science behind this, but I only trust my ears, and my ears is telling me sdcards do affect sound positively. It’s like a little step higher, nonetheless, still a little progress forward


----------



## Vitaly2017

i find it a little ironic as back then when @Whitigir discovered that sdcard do have a sound differences and I also confirmed it but folks thought we where just fools and it was an insanity lol

Today we have this subject fully going and majority seems to agree lol

You should trust my Tiger Ears they aren't lying!


----------



## Mindstorms

so was my card fine or not? sony micro sd 70mb/s should i notice the difference? 128gb...


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 11, 2020)

I came here for my new WM1A but stayed for the Drama! This thread is like Oprah for Audiophiles! It’s got everything. It’s like therapy!










Vitaly2017 said:


> You should trust my Tiger Ears they aren't lying!



Now I want the “Ear of The Tiger” Rocky never had and I never knew I wanted!


----------



## Vitaly2017 (Sep 11, 2020)

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> I came here for my new WM1A but stayed for the Drama! This thread is like Oprah for Audiophiles! It’s got everything. It’s like therapy!
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Anyone could theoretically but not everyone can accept the possibility to do it.

You need certain compassion, soul expansion be mind open. Let your inner voice guide you threw. 

I can feel music on a beyond level of what we just listen.  I let the vibrations of the waves caress me and transfer the emotions they want to transmit. 
Music is not just noise or technical sounds. Its life, emotions, feelings and experiences. 

People often listen but their minds are locked on something else.
I honestly been threw a lot of audio gear and daps had a  few desktop gear as well. 
I will say this, you can learn and become good at this but as everything you need time and once you find your sweet spot ( the gear you love ) you will start seeing beyond the horizon of your imagination,  this is how I am and how I earned my Title 😁 mr mighty  Tiger Ears hehe

My gear is
64 audio Tia Fourte Noir 
Silver premium cable 64 audio
Wm1a 

This gear is world class specifically the iems, what they can do is sacred you feel and enjoy the physical emotions to their deepest and fullest.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Vitaly2017 said:


> You need certain compassion, soul expansion be mind open. Let your inner voice guide you threw.



 "Do. Or do not. There is no try." ~ Yoda


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Redcarmoose said:


> Remember these? They show too, if the ZX507 has em?


And one more, on my 1A.


----------



## gerelmx1986

The koss portas sound very good for the price, I know it was unfair to compare kossies in SE vs MDR-Z1R  in 4.4. The kossies  can sound a bit congested on complex passages like when you've got a cold and have stuffy nose or clogged ears on Airplane take off, but not that extreme, it is almost imperceptible. Also the koss lack some treble sparkle the Z1R have, but it is also not bothering, kind like XBA-Z5  smooth, lushy relaxed sound



Mystic Traveller said:


> And one more, on my 1A.


@Vitaly2017 @Whitigir  look closely at the image it says DIGITAL MUSIC  PLAYER , aka DMP as in DMP-Z1 lol


----------



## matevana

RobertP said:


> I have 128GB Extreme Pro. It has more dynamic, balance, a bit more immersive and very energetic when compare to internal storage. SAMSUNG Pro Endurance card in the other hand has fuller thicker warm sound, excellent amount of bass and treble a bit less aggressive than the Sandisk.



I can recommend the Samsung EVO Select (also marketed as Samsung EVO Pro). It too has a full, warm sound with proper bass/treble and I prefer it to the Walkman's internal storage.The only Sandisk card I own is a plain Ultra, and I much prefer the Samsung.


----------



## mikaell

@MrWalkman 
Your work is absolutely awesome and kudos for your knowledge and time put in, it made me enjoy me 1A even more! 

Since you must now have access to the OS, would it actually be possible to add functionality? This might be a purely theoretical discussion at this point but was wondering whether this could evolve into an iOS jailbreak type scenario - where we could compensate for Sony's omissions.

I also care for the user experience, not only SQ and I miss basic music player options, like adding songs to queue or play next.

There's also the sync delay when using the player as a usb DAC (not there via bluetooth) which makes it unusable for youtube, movies, concerts.

What are your thoughts on this?


----------



## MrWalkman

mikaell said:


> @MrWalkman
> Your work is absolutely awesome and kudos for your knowledge and time put in, it made me enjoy me 1A even more!
> 
> Since you must now have access to the OS, would it actually be possible to add functionality? This might be a purely theoretical discussion at this point but was wondering whether this could evolve into an iOS jailbreak type scenario - where we could compensate for Sony's omissions.
> ...



Thanks!

There is a single Linux executable as the player app, as the OS is Linux based, so you can't just add extra functions to it unfortunately.

Also, the delay is related to internal drivers, and again, they cannot just be modified like that, without access to source code. Hopefully Sony will do something about it in a future update.


----------



## mikaell

MrWalkman said:


> Thanks!
> There is a single Linux executable as the player app, as the OS is Linux based, so you can't just add extra functions to it unfortunately.
> Also, the delay is related to internal drivers, and again, they cannot just be modified like that, without access to source code. Hopefully Sony will do something about it in a future update.



Can you run linux software on it? To... in theory replace the default player app?


----------



## iron2k

Redcarmoose said:


> Remember these? They show too, if the ZX507 has em?


is missing this one


----------



## MrWalkman

mikaell said:


> Can you run linux software on it? To... in theory replace the default player app?



I guess so, but it must be compiled to run on ARMv7, plus having the right calls for the sound drivers and all that. It's a more complicated story and I'm not really willing to dig into that at the moment to be honest


----------



## mikaell

MrWalkman said:


> I guess so, but it must be compiled to run on ARMv7, plus having the right calls for the sound drivers and all that. It's a more complicated story and I'm not really willing to dig into that at the moment to be honest



I see... Thanks for your insights, it's quite a ride


----------



## SebaE2012

Facta said:


> Some of you too might have heard this yourselves, and I can't divulge my own sources, but Sony had plans to launch an updated/sequel model for 1A/1Z in Q3, 2020 but it isn't happening this year. The long delays the pandemic caused have pushed many other product launches by Sony too to 2021. I am not at liberty to share more on the topic.


Any hunches as to when will the replacements be released? Considering Walkman have been shown at IFA quite a few times and the general effects of the pandemia, I guess Sony might push it back for a whole year. Sounds like too long a wait, but Sony hasn't seemed to be in a hurry when it comes to releasing new mid or hi end DAPS.


----------



## SebaE2012

gerelmx1986 said:


> Maybe the new successor will be released at CES 2021? Who knows


Yeah, that'd be an option. I certainly hope it doesn't take another year. Not that I'm planning on changing yet, but it's always nice to start drooling in anticipation... Then I give the new flagship time on the market and wait for a good deal.


----------



## Hinomotocho

Maybe we'll see a WM2A/2Z with same design but larger capacity battery, new caps/wiring and switchable firmwares etc - all looking suspiciously like the various improvements available through this thread


----------



## Halimj7

Bismillah 

Anyone try using the Wm1a as a balanced source (4.4mm to dual xlr) for an external amp like the the ta-a1es? If so what were your results? Thanks


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 12, 2020)

We are so lucky. No other brand of DAP has all that we have. It’s like a grass roots culture. It’s the best thing ever. Simply a DAP but you have people building them better with extra parts. You have some genius code writer doing crazy stuff no one would guess, simply asking for donations as pay. It’s unreal and very wild if you ask me!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 12, 2020)

Halimj7 said:


> Bismillah
> 
> Anyone try using the Wm1a as a balanced source (4.4mm to dual xlr) for an external amp like the the ta-a1es? If so what were your results? Thanks



You want to stay at 3.5mm to go to the TA with dual RCA. Still your better off going digital in to the TA and using the TA DSD upsampling. Use the Cradle along with the DAPs, add the AQCarbon USB and connect your computer to the Cradle to access the reclocking and USB filter in the Cradle.

Plus the TA only has RCA in not balanced in? Also everything gets the upsampling, all analog in. An analog turntable feed gets upsampled going RCA in.


----------



## NickleCo

Does anyone have a picture of how the 3.5mm jack on the wm1a mine seems to exhibit wobbling...


----------



## newworld666 (Sep 12, 2020)

Halimj7 said:


> Bismillah
> 
> Anyone try using the Wm1a as a balanced source (4.4mm to dual xlr) for an external amp like the the ta-a1es? If so what were your results? Thanks



I did with a THX887 amp with a 4.4mm to 2xXLR to an heddphone in balanced mode... it's working really fine !!!
I am trying now with 3.5mm to a TA-N55ES and HE HiFiMan Speaker to XLR4 Adapter to Heddphone ... it seems to be working (I need to do some measurements and more tests) but, at least it is not as totally noiseless as the THX887 option.
In any case, I really prefer to keep the W1A DAC with Z++ firmware as it is.... which is just "impressive", so these last days, I use a Orialus BA300S connected in low mode to the WM1A with a 4.4mm cable as external amp and a Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas for travelling by trains... (just giving me some few DB to keep the low mode and totally noiseless and powerful )

In the end .. the WM1A is so good with a IER-Z1R or Z7M2, that I spend much much more time to listen to my music than trying new options or measuring those options!!!
I just hope one day, Sony will do something to give some PEQ instead of the actual limited GEQ in a modernized version of the WM1A (USB-C and DLNA are required too) .


----------



## MrWalkman

newworld666 said:


> In the end .. the WM1A is so good with a IER-Z1R or Z7M2, that I spend much much more time to listen to my music than trying new options or measuring those options!!!



Indeed, it just sounds awesome with the Z7M2. I am finding myself listening for song after song, also in DAC mode just from the simple Youtube sometimes.


----------



## Queen6

DatDudeNic said:


> Does anyone have a picture of how the 3.5mm jack on the wm1a mine seems to exhibit wobbling...



Both output jacks do have some play as they are not directly attached to the main board.


As per above, the ports are independent of the main board and locked in place from the top. As long as the movement is not excessive or increases I wouldn't worry about it.

Q-6


----------



## NickleCo

Queen6 said:


> Both output jacks do have some play as they are not directly attached to the main board.
> 
> 
> As per above, the ports are independent of the main board and locked in place from the top. As long as the movement is not excessive or increases I wouldn't worry about it.
> ...


Thank you very much! My unit does have a bit of give, say about 0.5 cm left to right via a 3 cm long plug. So it's got nothing wrong with the solders?


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Sep 12, 2020)

DatDudeNic said:


> about 0.5 cm left to right via a 3 cm long plug



0.5 cm at which point, which level? Top of plug?
It should be fine, no worries. I've asked the same question. 

Don't give it extra try all the time tho, extra force excercising this play,
otherwise it may end up really breaking the output. 
No need to rock 'em by hand intentionally .

If someone takes say 10 cm plug and start rocking it
he'd get a greater play  - a lever.


----------



## NickleCo

Mystic Traveller said:


> 0.5 cm at which point, which level? Top of plug?
> It should be fine, no worries. I've asked the same question.
> 
> Don't give it extra try all the time tho, extra force excercising this play,
> ...


I see thats reassuring thanks mate and cheers!


----------



## Halimj7

newworld666 said:


> I did with a THX887 amp with a 4.4mm to 2xXLR to an heddphone in balanced mode... it's working really fine !!!
> I am trying now with 3.5mm to a TA-N55ES and HE HiFiMan Speaker to XLR4 Adapter to Heddphone ... it seems to be working (I need to do some measurements and more tests) but, at least it is not as totally noiseless as the THX887 option.
> In any case, I really prefer to keep the W1A DAC with Z++ firmware as it is.... which is just "impressive", so these last days, I use a Orialus BA300S connected in low mode to the WM1A with a 4.4mm cable as external amp and a Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas for travelling by trains... (just giving me some few DB to keep the low mode and totally noiseless and powerful )
> 
> ...


Wow. Great to hear. Did you notice any improvements in SQ while using the THX887 as an external amp? Thanks


----------



## Duncan

I must say that I think, having lost my job alongside the plans to move in with my girlfriend going up in smoke due to the perils of COVID - that the new found enhancements on the WM1 family (and the FiiO FH7 - to me they're truly fantastic!) have definitely kept me sane - there was a time that I abandoned the WM1 in favour of the Dragonfly Red and then Cobalt - it's now one of the few things keeping me sane!

Thank you to all the modders, past - present, and - future, for all of the endeavours to make this great DAP even better!


----------



## Redcarmoose

DatDudeNic said:


> Does anyone have a picture of how the 3.5mm jack on the wm1a mine seems to exhibit wobbling...



I never paid attention till I started getting a slight cut-out of frequency. I truly thought it was the plug. Much later on it was discovered to be a faulty IEM cable. So that’s reassuring. Went and discovered the sockets can be ordered and replaced, in-fact many of the 1A/1Z mod people will replace the socket due to having to attach new wire to it. Though my consultant told me all the Sony DAPs can have that play and it does not affect the sound quality? Though my 1A has zero play on the 4.4mm and 3.5mm, the 1Z I have does have a bunch of play. I don’t ever remember how they were when new but one member here insisted that they come with zero play when new. My consultant said they came with various levels of play when new? Which really it seems funny that they would have movement when new?


----------



## Quang23693

Vitaly2017 said:


> Cant confirm that one never paid attention to the logos on my zx507 back then and dont think they have the same id neither.
> 
> Guess need to go and try it as it is with the international version.
> 
> ...


Hi there, 
I'm using 1A with tourist version on E region but i have to install J version with all of modded fw. I don't undertand this problem.


----------



## nc8000

Quang23693 said:


> Hi there,
> I'm using 1A with tourist version on E region but i have to install J version with all of modded fw. I don't undertand this problem.



You don’t have to change to J you can use any region you like, it’s just that the modders and many others prefer J and the mods have been developed/tuned using J


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Sep 12, 2020)

DatDudeNic said:


> I see thats reassuring thanks mate and cheers!


Yep, mate! it's fine unless having any issues with sound! Mine 3.5 exhibits some play too. 


Queen6 said:


> the ports are independent of the main board and locked in place from the top.


I think it's even better user and foolproof wise. Protects the mainboard from possible damage
if ports with jacks in get a hard hit for example.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 12, 2020)

I am also with @Sonywalkmanuser  on the topic of micro SD card sound perf.

But there are so many variables that affect SQ, therefore not all reviews on an audio forum are the same.
Some stuff that can affect sound perception


IEM sensitivity and impedance
Driver tech used as well driver count
Recording equipment used
The sound editing and engineering
The quality of a re-naster e.g CD  vs dsd
Cable used on headphone/IEM
Micro SD card
File format used e.g. mp3 vs flac
DAC used on the player
Implementation of the audio circuit on a DAP
OS used on a DAP
The house sound e.g. sont vs A&K vs fiio vs etc
The CD/DVD rom to rip cd to the computer as well the software. E.g. a Philups vs a NEC drive,  ripping at 8x vs at full 24x or 52x, using secure and accurip vs not, ripping with Windows media player, media go, itunes vs with EAC, XLD or db dbpoweramp
The CD manufacture process, yup I had a defect cd and a few that my Philips internal rom drive couldn't read and my external asus did with no issue
If the computer cpu is quiet or busy during CD rip.
How good the DAP is shielded against RF EMI Noise


----------



## Queen6

DatDudeNic said:


> Thank you very much! My unit does have a bit of give, say about 0.5 cm left to right via a 3 cm long plug. So it's got nothing wrong with the solders?



No should be fine as the solder points are not under any stress, hence the design.

Q-6


----------



## Quang23693

Vitaly2017 said:


> I would say E on stock 3.0 2 fw on 1a has a very unique bass response its not like J or U it has a different approach and is kinda deep but same time has a nice rumble hitting into the mid bass , very fun and big bass. Also treble got less sharp feels quiet smoother then U. U is sharp and trebly elevated with a deeper sub bass, u is also cleaner.
> J is too hazy and bloaty in comparison, J seems like a good region but after so much testing I quit from J to U and now thrilling on E region lol. I was on E for 2 years on my 1z and was always complaining of too high peaky treble zing but on 1a its a different story see


Well i have some experience with region on my 1A. E region has unique subbass, the treb is also unique with a bit of sparkle, the sound is very clean, transparent but J region has wider soundstage, more 3D and resolution. The J region has also better midbass and low-mid than E region.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Despite nowadays getting less CD physical media (SACD is another story) I still get from time to time CDs and I rip as follows

Close all useless background and programs not used. E.g. Skype, vpn, internet explorer.
Check windows 10 is not performing their usual crappy unannounced updates/check mo other resource intensive tasks and close these or edit to end, e.g antivirus , norton utilities 
Put computer on stable surface as it has no internal drive (I use an LG slim external 24x cd/DVD)
Start dbpoweramp
Insert cd and rip it.
If dbpoweramp gave accurip errors, delete files, close tray with CD inside, select lower speed e.h half of 24x, so 12x or 8x, if again error, again repeat with lower speed. I have this to automatic detection and I've had CD that rip at 2x and take 25 minutes to finish.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 12, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I am also with @Sonywalkmanuser  on the topic of micro SD card sound perf.
> 
> But there are so many variables that affect SQ, therefore not all reviews on an audio forum are the same.
> Some stuff that can affect sound perception
> ...



And to me this thread stays fairly mainstream as far as audiophile qwerks go. I’ve seen super expensive special positive vibration bases. Audiophiles that set their amps to settle for a day before use. Special small pieces of paper being placed on equipment. EMF paper covering equipment. Special green CD pens. Honestly simply thinking the flash cards sound different is fairly level headed logic, when you think about it.

Resonate rocks, vibration bowls, wood sound gathers.


----------



## Duncan

As an aside to my previous post - a couple of us have been given early access to a mod extension - all will be revealed soon, all I can say is that it pushes the 1A up another notch towards its bigger brother... It really is within touching distance now!

Increases soundstage, really holographic, and makes the whole listening experience that much more "there"...  Makes me even more stoked to be an owner of one of the WM1 family!

It also works the other way around, adding to the authenticity of turning a 1Z into a 1A should you wish...

Get ready to be enthralled!


----------



## Quang23693

nc8000 said:


> You don’t have to change to J you can use any region you like, it’s just that the modders and many others prefer J and the mods have been developed/tuned using J


No, this isn't my situation. If you have tried the modded fw including ( J version, U version and E version) . Generally everyone will install Universal version but i have to J version with all of region. Thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

Like @Sonywalkmanuser  you can call us crazies,  he thinks sd card affect SQ. I think ripping speed and software also affect final flac file sound. I do rip at 24x buy as soon I see accurip unsafe error I throw the flac to trash. And retry at 8x until n error, so as long error pop up I lower the speed, I have set it as low as 1x just to ensure.all accurip perfect bit-perfect flac. 

But nowadays I chech digital download (esp. Hi-res content top priority) available first before purchasing physical medium.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 12, 2020)

Duncan said:


> I must say that I think, having lost my job alongside the plans to move in with my girlfriend going up in smoke due to the perils of COVID - that the new found enhancements on the WM1 family (and the FiiO FH7 - to me they're truly fantastic!) have definitely kept me sane - there was a time that I abandoned the WM1 in favour of the Dragonfly Red and then Cobalt - it's now one of the few things keeping me sane!
> 
> Thank you to all the modders, past - present, and - future, for all of the endeavours to make this great DAP even better!


Seeing.it with another eyes, mindset . The real  CULPRIT is not China nor USA. It the stupid politicians doing the stupid lockdown rules, I was at a nail studio to get my nails trimmed (dont start the gay homo discussion please it's cause my extreme visual impairment, tried it and ended injuring myself) the vietnamese ladybtold me in her country there are not many cases because people go out with face masks... that could have been implemented, face covering at all times instead of locking and killing the economy. I am finally receive training to get a job in germany (with face mask mandatory) mainly applying to jobs, as I dony know how to write a Bewerbungsschreiben (for US/UK people  I think cover letter?)


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 12, 2020)

If you think about it, any form of digital transmission of data can go wrong. Like your internet connection, there can be delays, time outs and etc. Yes there are error correction systems but they only work to a certain point before they become unreliable and start to exhibit glitches. It can be non-detectable tiny glitches to intermittent glitches. That's why your VOIP sounds ok when you first use it and somewhere in time, you start encounter clicks pops and what nots.

We really don't know and can't see what kind of interactions goes on inside the NAND flash chips and how the microsd card's microprocessor retrieves and sends data to the walkman. One thing for sure, inside microsd card is a very complicated integrated circuit, like a mega maze for the electrons to flow through. Can this transmission and storage of electrons encounter problems and require error correction system? And how much error correction before things start to go wrong. 

I think we should accept there's still alot of things we don't have full knowledge or complete understanding of. And not just dismiss something because you have a fixed conception of how digital Input and output should work.


----------



## Jotaro

On wm1a. I Didn't feel any difference between internal memory and extreme pro card, probably the difference is between cards, what really notice is increased on speed. Mostly on my android based player.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Duncan said:


> It really is within *touching distance* now!
> Get ready to be enthralled!


 Super!


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Jotaro said:


> On wm1a. I Didn't feel any difference between internal memory and extreme pro card, probably the difference is between cards, what really notice is increased on speed. Mostly on my android based player.



I find that in order to notice the differences in dynamics, you have to compare the two using higher volume levels.


----------



## aceedburn

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> I find that in order to notice the differences in dynamics, you have to compare the two using higher volume levels.


Meaning there’s no discernible differences at lower volumes?


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

aceedburn said:


> Meaning there’s no discernible differences at lower volumes?



For my ZX507, it starts to show its dynamics  from 70 onwards. I compare microsd cards at 75/120 high gain.


----------



## aceedburn

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> For my ZX507, it starts to show its dynamics  from 70 onwards. I compare microsd cards at 75/120 high gain.


I see. So for those who listen at lower volumes, the SD card will not really play a big part then.


----------



## Redcarmoose

aceedburn said:


> I see. So for those who listen at lower volumes, the SD card will not really play a big part then.



And......different individual normal listening volume levels are a grand variable anyway across the board. Certain artifacts can be both at lower and higher volume levels. The character of DAPs, IEMs and full size headphones are determined by the different volume levels. We don’t normally want to concentrate on it but these differences are always there and attribute to confusion in subjective listening tests.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 12, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> I see. So for those who listen at lower volumes, the SD card will not really play a big part then.



The digital volume control seems have specific spots where more music details start to show up. If you go below that threshold, the full waveform is being soften down, so there’s no sharp transients showing up.

for Low gain, it’s about 90/120 when you start to notice full music details, much sharper transients. But that’s for zx507. Not sure what’s the value for WM1.


----------



## Duncan

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> The digital volume control seems have specific spots where more music details start to show up. If you go below that threshold, the full waveform is being soften down, so there’s no sharp transients showing up.
> 
> for Low gain, it’s about 90/120 when you start to notice full music details, much sharper transients. But that’s for zx507. Not sure what’s the value for WM1.


I agree with this sentiment, I have no technical basis for this, but certainly for me on high gain 75 seems to be where I can truly get into the groove.

obviously YMMV


----------



## gerelmx1986

I am wondering woyh what @Facta  Said, sony is really ready to pull out its next generation S-Master


----------



## nc8000

Quang23693 said:


> No, this isn't my situation. If you have tried the modded fw including ( J version, U version and E version) . Generally everyone will install Universal version but i have to J version with all of region. Thanks



Ah you are referring to the hardware region. 

There are 3 different hardware regions corresponding to the label on the side of the unit. Many of the early mods (tunings) required a specific installation matching that region and the other installations would fail. 

I was referring to the software region that the rockbox tool can change


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Ah you are referring to the hardware region.
> 
> There are 3 different hardware regions corresponding to the label on the side of the unit. Many of the early mods (tunings) required a specific installation matching that region and the other installations would fail.
> 
> I was referring to the software region that the rockbox tool can change


How is your modding coming along? All for the better? No problems?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> How is your modding coming along? All for the better? No problems?



Still being modded. Should have it back some time next week


----------



## xjaynine (Sep 12, 2020)

Hi everyone,

Part PSA and request for some detective work about the Sony Kimber Kable MUC-M12SB1. Also hope this is the right place to post, as I am guessing there are some WM1 series users who have this cable that may find this useful.

Background: ordered a cheap cable as a spare from eBay from a listing like the one below:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-4mm-Bala...232792?hash=item3b115ac8d8:g:X4wAAOSwkKBbJkwe

Can any MUC-M12SB1 owners compare their cables with my comparison shots below? The "Green genuine cable" is one I imported from a Japanese electronics retailer (boxed and new).

Many thanks!


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 12, 2020)

xjaynine said:


> Also hope this is the right place to post, as I am guessing there are some WM1 series users who have this cable that may find this useful.



WM1 owners are using all sorts of cables, like any other DAP owners, though. I don't mean to spoil the fun, but it's a bit off-topic.

There is a special section for cables: Cables, Power, Tweaks, Speakers, Accessories


----------



## Vitaly2017

xjaynine said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> Part PSA and request for some detective work about the Sony Kimber Kable MUC-M12SB1. Also hope this is the right place to post, as I am guessing there are some WM1 series users who have this cable that may find this useful.
> 
> ...




It is a thing to be very careful as there is many counterfeits and if not paying attention we can get the wrong item. 

I also see the price suggests that it cannot be normal for so low cost.
That cable is 275 usd normally


----------



## Queen6

Vitaly2017 said:


> It is a thing to be very careful as there is many counterfeits and if not paying attention we can get the wrong item.
> 
> I also see the price suggests that it cannot be normal for so low cost.
> That cable is 275 usd normally



My MUC-M12SB1 is original and I paid way less, just need to take the time to source, also identical to the Japanese import pictures as posted.

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

xjaynine said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> Part PSA and request for some detective work about the Sony Kimber Kable MUC-M12SB1. Also hope this is the right place to post, as I am guessing there are some WM1 series users who have this cable that may find this useful.
> 
> ...



My MUC-M12SB1 cable is identical to the one from the Japanese retailer, however I bought mine from an OEM specialist at a fraction of the cost. No clip & elbows, just the cable in a Sony coded cardboard box.

Q-6


----------



## aakashk

Hi Everyone! Hope you are keeping safe. 

Just out of curiosity, I tried to connect my WM1A with iFi HIP DAC using the USB Digital Out cable (*This one* - https://www.xduoo.net/product/sony-wmport-to-usb-a-audio-cable/) 
Now, once connected, on the DAP screen it shows USB Audio however there's no audio coming from Hip DAC. 
I am not sure if it's supposed to behave this way or am I missing something. 
I know that this cable can be used to Connect WM1A to external DAC, I am just trying to test this.

Sorry if this is a naive question but it will be a great help if someone can guide me here. 
I plan to invest into some desktop DAC/AMPs like the Zen DAC or Fiio K5 Pro etc. to use with headphones where I can use my WM1A as source.

Thanks a lot!


----------



## Vitaly2017

Time for some soul traveling music


----------



## Redcarmoose

Vitaly2017 said:


> Time for some soul traveling music



I’m listening to this.


----------



## Vitaly2017

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m listening to this.




LoL virus 😛 just the right music to listen during the pandemic  😆


----------



## Nayparm (Sep 12, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> Still being modded. Should have it back some time next week



Just finished 😁👍 

EXPm2 for WM1Z


----------



## aceedburn

aakashk said:


> Hi Everyone! Hope you are keeping safe.
> 
> Just out of curiosity, I tried to connect my WM1A with iFi HIP DAC using the USB Digital Out cable (*This one* - https://www.xduoo.net/product/sony-wmport-to-usb-a-audio-cable/)
> Now, once connected, on the DAP screen it shows USB Audio however there's no audio coming from Hip DAC.
> ...


Hey. You would need a SONY NWH10 cable for usb out to work from the WM1A/Z. I use a K5 pro and it works beautifully. I don’t know if it will work with the hipdac as I haven’t tried that out. But in theory it should work. All you need is the nwh10 cable and a usb a to usb b cable. For the hipdac you would probably use the nwh10 with your original Walkman cable for it work.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Nayparm said:


> Just finished 😁👍
> 
> EXPm2 for WM1Z


Holy Guacamole! What a beauty and what a lucky guy. Excited to hear your testimony on its sounds. 

There’s no mod that I don’t like! 😃😂


----------



## aakashk

aceedburn said:


> Hey. You would need a SONY NWH10 cable for usb out to work from the WM1A/Z. I use a K5 pro and it works beautifully. I don’t know if it will work with the hipdac as I haven’t tried that out. But in theory it should work. All you need is the nwh10 cable and a usb a to usb b cable. For the hipdac you would probably use the nwh10 with your original Walkman cable for it work.


Hi. Yeah I wasn't able to source NWH10 in India and got hold of this xduoo cable meanwhile. It's supposed to do the same job, since xduoo makes dacamps that you can use with sony Walkman models using this cable. Have written to xduoo also but will try to get NWH10 and see how that goes. I am only trying to troubleshoot this since the DAP is recognizing the hip DAC and shows USB Audio when connected. Maybe some missing link somewhere, or it could be that it only work with external DACs with wall power supply.. But many thanks indeed for your response


----------



## gerelmx1986

MrWalkman said:


> WM1 owners are using all sorts of cables, like any other DAP owners, though. I don't mean to spoil the fun, but it's a bit off-topic.
> 
> There is a special section for cables: Cables, Power, Tweaks, Speakers, Accessories


So far the lettering and logo match yours on the kimber for MDR-Z1R bought from amazon


----------



## SebaE2012

MrWalkman said:


> Indeed, it just sounds awesome with the Z7M2. I am finding myself listening for song after song, also in DAC mode just from the simple Youtube sometimes.


Completely agree with this. I think it has great synergy with Z7M2... Soundstage is just spectacular. The only drawback is that I find the Z7M2 phsycally tiring for long sessions... Perhaps it's because I often listen while I work in my notebook. It might be that the whole body position is not the best. But that sometimes leads me to use WM1A with IEMs... XBA-N3 for casual and I've yet to try it with my SE846 (left them in a different city and I haven't returned to it yet, due to the pandemia).


----------



## MrWalkman

SebaE2012 said:


> Completely agree with this. I think it has great synergy with Z7M2... Soundstage is just spectacular. The only drawback is that I find the Z7M2 phsycally tiring for long sessions... Perhaps it's because I often listen while I work in my notebook. It might be that the whole body position is not the best. But that sometimes leads me to use WM1A with IEMs... XBA-N3 for casual and I've yet to try it with my SE846 (left them in a different city and I haven't returned to it yet, due to the pandemia).



The soundstage will be even more awesome after the next update for the 1A


----------



## gerelmx1986

MrWalkman said:


> The soundstage will be even more awesome after the next update for the 1A


How much until release?


----------



## MrWalkman

gerelmx1986 said:


> How much until release?



One-two days maybe.


----------



## Redcarmoose

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-mdr-z7-as-new-mint-condition-with-extra-new-pads.938922/

Not my pair.


----------



## Lookout57

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> For my ZX507, it starts to show its dynamics  from 70 onwards. I compare microsd cards at 75/120 high gain.


On my WM1A Solaris 2020 DHC Clone Silver Balanced to hear all details, big soundstage and deep bass my volume is 35-50 depending on the recording. I used to listen at 40-60 but realized that the high volume was killing the details and making things too bright. 

Try this, start your volume much lower than you are using now. Listen for 30 minutes or more to acclimate your ears. Then slowly raise the volume until you get the big soundstage that you are used to hear. But don't go too far. It takes a bit to get used to but you'll be amazed on how much cleaner things sound, the bass, details and soundstage  is there.


----------



## Liono

aakashk said:


> Hi Everyone! Hope you are keeping safe.
> 
> Just out of curiosity, I tried to connect my WM1A with iFi HIP DAC using the USB Digital Out cable (*This one* - https://www.xduoo.net/product/sony-wmport-to-usb-a-audio-cable/)
> Now, once connected, on the DAP screen it shows USB Audio however there's no audio coming from Hip DAC.
> ...



Interested to hear your comparison of the HIP DAC and the WM1A when you do get the WMC-NWH10 cable.


----------



## nc8000

Nayparm said:


> Just finished 😁👍
> 
> EXPm2 for WM1Z



Way, way cool. Looking forward to hearing the result


----------



## Ghostsounds

hamhamhamsta said:


> Holy Guacamole! What a beauty and what a lucky guy. Excited to hear your testimony on its sounds.
> 
> There’s no mod that I don’t like! 😃😂


It’s a thing of great beauty!


----------



## SebaE2012

MrWalkman said:


> The soundstage will be even more awesome after the next update for the 1A



I don't doubt it. Not for a minute. 
Really looking forward to it!!!


----------



## SebaE2012

I came across a few duplicated albums in my music folder... A more recent flac rip and and older aac or mp3 version... Was about to delete the low res files, but then started using them to make comparisons using DSEE... Lower resolution files seem to benefit the more from the algorithm, as expected. One particular album that I found in aac 128 (a leftover from the 4 GB A816, I guess) is making me appreciate DSEE way more. I mean, it's not like I'd prefer to listen to these old low res files in lieu of their Redbook or higher resolution counterparts, by any means, but the aac128 really opens up with the sound processing. The sound becomes airier and the trebles get smoother. It improves from something that can barely be listened to with decent gear to music that can be enjoyed. Will keep on experimenting with these unexpected old files.


----------



## Hinomotocho

xjaynine said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> Part PSA and request for some detective work about the Sony Kimber Kable MUC-M12SB1. Also hope this is the right place to post, as I am guessing there are some WM1 series users who have this cable that may find this useful.
> 
> ...


I appreciate you sharing this here as I feel it is an important part of the WM1A/1Z kit for some and I have considered getting a Kimber cable for my iems and saw these lower priced options. They are pretty darn good looking fakes compared to what your usual knock offs looked like years back.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 12, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> For the hipdac you would probably use the nwh10 with your original Walkman cable for it work.



@aakashk 
I ordered the NWH10 3 weeks ago and it ain’t cheap and it takes ages to get from JP!  It’s expected to arrive tomorrow. It should work on the hip dac (I plan to use it with my a45 but see really no advantage of using the hip Dac on the WM1a since it’s superior to the hip Dac sound IMHO!)

I wasn’t sure if it would work at first but I found this posted (Screenshots below) somewhere that it works beautifully with a45 so there’s no doubt it should work on the WM1a.

The hip dac is an excellent portable Dac/headphone for 150 bucks! It’s even got a 4.4 balance! My intention is to use it with my a45 when I am traveling. The WM1a/iems rigs is simply too risky to lug around the city/subway for me!

I took screenshots of the users set up and his description. He did say that you have to shave off some of the NWH10 connector input in order to fit it into the hip dac’s USB! I probably will try to avoid this with an female-to-male adaptor so not to risk damaging the NWH10

Hope this helps...



Spoiler: Screenshots of the a45/hip dac rig


----------



## Vitaly2017

SebaE2012 said:


> I came across a few duplicated albums in my music folder... A more recent flac rip and and older aac or mp3 version... Was about to delete the low res files, but then started using them to make comparisons using DSEE... Lower resolution files seem to benefit the more from the algorithm, as expected. One particular album that I found in aac 128 (a leftover from the 4 GB A816, I guess) is making me appreciate DSEE way more. I mean, it's not like I'd prefer to listen to these old low res files in lieu of their Redbook or higher resolution counterparts, by any means, but the aac128 really opens up with the sound processing. The sound becomes airier and the trebles get smoother. It improves from something that can barely be listened to with decent gear to music that can be enjoyed. Will keep on experimenting with these unexpected old files.




I found the same findings as you and it why I enjoyed Spotify for so so many years! I was using Ldac dac feature and dsee hx was helpful with 320 mp3 resolution 

To be honest the sound was so good and enjoyable that no other android daps could stand a chance haha


----------



## Whitigir

Redcarmoose said:


> We are so lucky. No other brand of DAP has all that we have. It’s like a grass roots culture. It’s the best thing ever. Simply a DAP but you have people building them better with extra parts. You have some genius code writer doing crazy stuff no one would guess, simply asking for donations as pay. It’s unreal and very wild if you ask me!


Ibasso also have a huge community that do similar with modified firmware and hardware as well.  The differences is that Ibasso has a much faster and better customer service responds lol


----------



## SebaE2012

Vitaly2017 said:


> I found the same findings as you and it why I enjoyed Spotify for so so many years! I was using Ldac dac feature and dsee hx was helpful with 320 mp3 resolution
> 
> To be honest the sound was so good and enjoyable that no other android daps could stand a chance haha



Was that with the ZX507? So streaming does benefit from DSEE too... That's good to know...


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

SebaE2012 said:


> Was that with the ZX507? So streaming does benefit from DSEE too... That's good to know...



ZX507 now has 3D soundstage processing and when you apply DSEE HX AI with it, it is another listening experience all together. It's like audiophile grade cinema surround sound.


----------



## Nayparm

Nayparm said:


> Just finished 😁👍
> 
> EXPm2 for WM1Z



EXPm2 start to finish pics in mod thread:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15859823


----------



## Vitaly2017

SebaE2012 said:


> Was that with the ZX507? So streaming does benefit from DSEE too... That's good to know...




The enhancements works globally so yes even when in Bluetooth dac mode


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> We are so lucky. No other brand of DAP has all that we have. It’s like a grass roots culture. It’s the best thing ever. Simply a DAP but you have people building them better with extra parts. You have some genius code writer doing crazy stuff no one would guess, simply asking for donations as pay. It’s unreal and very wild if you ask me!


The fact that so much potential has come out 4 years later means that they are still modern and/or far ahead of their time. The community in this thread has shown appreciation and working together on how to produce better sound without letting jealousy get in the way. Thanks to those that help make this place better.


----------



## aceedburn (Sep 13, 2020)

aakashk said:


> Hi. Yeah I wasn't able to source NWH10 in India and got hold of this xduoo cable meanwhile. It's supposed to do the same job, since xduoo makes dacamps that you can use with sony Walkman models using this cable. Have written to xduoo also but will try to get NWH10 and see how that goes. I am only trying to troubleshoot this since the DAP is recognizing the hip DAC and shows USB Audio when connected. Maybe some missing link somewhere, or it could be that it only work with external DACs with wall power supply.. But many thanks indeed for your response


Actually the xduoo cable wont work because it’s not a OTG cable And doesn’t draw power from the device. NWH10 is an OTG for Sony Walkmans so it will definitely work. But i can’t fathom why you would want to use the hip DAC with the WM1A as the 1A has a way better DAC section. IMO HIP DAC is designed for lower range daps and smartphones.


----------



## aakashk

aceedburn said:


> Actually the xduoo cable wont work because it’s not a OTG cable And doesn’t draw power from the device. NWH10 is an OTG for Sony Walkmans so it will definitely work. But i can’t fathom why you would want to use the hip DAC with the WM1A as the 1A has a way better DAC section. IMO HIP DAC is designed for lower range daps and smartphones.


I really don't want to use the Hip DAC with WM1A, was only testing the connection with whatever is available to me at the moment  
I will be getting myself a desktop amp like the K5 Pro or similar to use with Headphones, that's when I would want to use my WM1A as source at times. For my other IEMs, WM1A is enough and works wonderful. I am looking for NWH10 now, not very easy to get here but I'm on it.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aakashk said:


> I really don't want to use the Hip DAC with WM1A, was only testing the connection with whatever is available to me at the moment
> I will be getting myself a desktop amp like the K5 Pro or similar to use with Headphones, that's when I would want to use my WM1A as source at times. For my other IEMs, WM1A is enough and works wonderful. I am looking for NWH10 now, not very easy to get here but I'm on it.


I’ve used the hip DAC with the 1A since I own both and it’s great. Not normally, but that’s what audio gear is more. It’s all about experimenting.


----------



## aceedburn

aakashk said:


> I really don't want to use the Hip DAC with WM1A, was only testing the connection with whatever is available to me at the moment
> I will be getting myself a desktop amp like the K5 Pro or similar to use with Headphones, that's when I would want to use my WM1A as source at times. For my other IEMs, WM1A is enough and works wonderful. I am looking for NWH10 now, not very easy to get here but I'm on it.


Get the K5 pro. I guarantee you won’t regret it. It’s a great match with the 1A. And the pre out is equally good. For the price it’s actually quite unbelievable.


----------



## Hinomotocho

xjaynine said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> Part PSA and request for some detective work about the Sony Kimber Kable MUC-M12SB1. Also hope this is the right place to post, as I am guessing there are some WM1 series users who have this cable that may find this useful.
> 
> ...


I just checked the cheap ones I had seen on ebay and Aliexpress and they have the fake signs - lucky I am watching my spending because I have been close to buying.


----------



## aakashk

Gamerlingual said:


> I’ve used the hip DAC with the 1A since I own both and it’s great. Not normally, but that’s what audio gear is more. It’s all about experimenting.


Hey! Yeah, I totally agree, experimenting leads to learning new stuff. How did you connect the Hip DAC to WM1A, NWH10 cable? I am just trying to figure out what's the missing link in my connection (possibly that xduoo cable)


----------



## aakashk

aceedburn said:


> Get the K5 pro. I guarantee you won’t regret it. It’s a great match with the 1A. And the pre out is equally good. For the price it’s actually quite unbelievable.


Awesome! Thanks a lot for the feedback. Will surely evaluate K5 Pro


----------



## xjaynine

Hinomotocho said:


> I appreciate you sharing this here as I feel it is an important part of the WM1A/1Z kit for some and I have considered getting a Kimber cable for my iems and saw these lower priced options. They are pretty darn good looking fakes compared to what your usual knock offs looked like years back.



I'll post one more time about this here. Agreed. The Sony Kimber was the first 4.4mm cable released when the WM1 series launched I got one to simply try the balanced connection out at the time.

I believe the scam hinges on the buyer not owning a Sony Kimber before so they don't have a point of reference to compare.


----------



## Ghostsounds

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> For my ZX507, it starts to show its dynamics  from 70 onwards. I compare microsd cards at 75/120 high gain.


Just out of interest, those of you who have the mdr-Z1r + 1a or 1z, what volume do you listen on low and high gain? I listen 70-80 on low gain and 48-56 on high. I worry about my ears, so wondering if I can go higher if I ever want to try a better sad card.
Thanks 🙂


----------



## gerelmx1986

Ghostsounds said:


> Just out of interest, those of you who have the mdr-Z1r + 1a or 1z, what volume do you listen on low and high gain? I listen 70-80 on low gain and 48-56 on high. I worry about my ears, so wondering if I can go higher if I ever want to try a better sad card.
> Thanks 🙂


Same as you (1A + MDR-Z1R  w/sony kimber cable)


----------



## Gamerlingual

Ghostsounds said:


> Just out of interest, those of you who have the mdr-Z1r + 1a or 1z, what volume do you listen on low and high gain? I listen 70-80 on low gain and 48-56 on high. I worry about my ears, so wondering if I can go higher if I ever want to try a better sad card.
> Thanks 🙂


I listen between 50 to 55 on High again with the MDR-Z1R.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

For very short periods(under 1hour or 30mins), you can go louder, just to hear if there is any unwanted sound artifacts that is harder to detect in the equipment you are testing/comparing.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Gamerlingual said:


> The fact that so much potential has come out 4 years later means that they are still modern and/or far ahead of their time.


Definitely they are still both on a roll sound wise.
It's interesting that during a few years in production nobody has managed to go round
this artificial difference in SS imposed by manufacturer as I see it now purposefully.
Not untill it came to our colleague. 
I was lucky to score 1A right on, just a week before the Z switch and respective FW appeared.
Otherwise I may have already sold it.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> For very short periods(under 1hour or 30mins), you can go louder, just to hear if there is any unwanted sound artifacts that is harder to detect in the equipment you are testing/comparing.


See, that’s the one thing that REALLY confuses me. People say they want to hear the music at higher volumes (which makes sense on higher impedance headphones) so they can retrieve ALL the details they can when it comes to their music. Isn’t the big disadvantage being that your hearing will get damaged more quickly? I listen to my music on my DAPs at 40 on High Gain with the IER-Z1R, 35 on the 1AM2, and between 50 to 58 using either the Z7M2 and MDR-Z1R. I’m able to identify the clarity and separation of instruments no problem and can detect their placement with the cool 3D effect that comes with the equipment. Am I listening to music incorrectly? Do I really need to listen to it loudly, as my hearing is just fine right now.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

It is really hard to give advise on what is the absolute correct listening levels as music is dynamic. Some genre of music have short bursts of loud passages while others have consistently louder passages. So adjust accordingly to the genre of music, level of detail you want and how long you wish to listen before fatigue sets in.


----------



## Ghostsounds

Gamerlingual said:


> See, that’s the one thing that REALLY confuses me. People say they want to hear the music at higher volumes (which makes sense on higher impedance headphones) so they can retrieve ALL the details they can when it comes to their music. Isn’t the big disadvantage being that your hearing will get damaged more quickly? I listen to my music on my DAPs at 40 on High Gain with the IER-Z1R, 35 on the 1AM2, and between 50 to 58 using either the Z7M2 and MDR-Z1R. I’m able to identify the clarity and separation of instruments no problem and can detect their placement with the cool 3D effect that comes with the equipment. Am I listening to music incorrectly? Do I really need to listen to it loudly, as my hearing is just fine right now.


I’m the same. I don’t think I’m missing anything but at the same time wondering if I am? It sounds great at the volume I’m listening at....


----------



## Gamerlingual

I’m still under the impression that louder volumes are dangerous. I love my DAPs, no doubt and I can certainly hear the differences when I use different sets of cans. So at least I know my ears aren’t defective


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Sep 13, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Do I really need to listen to it loudly, as my hearing is just fine right now.


I wouldn't if I cared about my hearing.. It could be harmful. And if it "is just fine right now"


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Gamerlingual said:


> that louder volumes are dangerous.


Proved medically.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

DSPs like DSEE HX also affect loudness so you might want to adjust lower if you use this DSP.

For ZX507, when you enable hi-res streaming mode, the 3D processing places sound objects further away, so now music feels softer. So you have to adjust up.


----------



## gerelmx1986

SebaE2012 said:


> I came across a few duplicated albums in my music folder... A more recent flac rip and and older aac or mp3 version... Was about to delete the low res files, but then started using them to make comparisons using DSEE... Lower resolution files seem to benefit the more from the algorithm, as expected. One particular album that I found in aac 128 (a leftover from the 4 GB A816, I guess) is making me appreciate DSEE way more. I mean, it's not like I'd prefer to listen to these old low res files in lieu of their Redbook or higher resolution counterparts, by any means, but the aac128 really opens up with the sound processing. The sound becomes airier and the trebles get smoother. It improves from something that can barely be listened to with decent gear to music that can be enjoyed. Will keep on experimenting with these unexpected old files.


I have a similar story. From 2004 to 2011 all my music was mp3 192 kbps, yeah I was too stupid to up convert some 96kbps mp3 to 192 as I thought it brought back quality. All those years I had Sony walkman mp3 player namely NW-E507, NWZ-A818 and NWZ-X1060. Last two had DSEE, dont remember for the E507. 

As I had always DSEE on (it came on by default on early walkman mp3s) and yeah, at that times with no AU being 1st gen DSEE was very good . I never realized I was listening to bad quality sound... 
End 2011 I graduated from the University and I got from my father an iPod 160GB as gift.. that when I realized the bad state of my files... as ipod did not gave sonys magic tricks to mask the mp3 defects. Jqnuqry 2012 to August 2012 transitioned to AAC 255 VBR sounded ok, but had a dancing channel effect, right channel would go left and back.  and visceversa for L channel . Septemver 2012 I began my lossless transition, complete at 95% by mid August 2013 . Last AAC permanent ditched on 2018


----------



## Gamerlingual (Sep 13, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> It is really hard to give advise on what is the absolute correct listening levels as music is dynamic. Some genre of music have short bursts of loud passages while others have consistently louder passages. So adjust accordingly to the genre of music, level of detail you want and how long you wish to listen before fatigue sets in.





Ghostsounds said:


> I’m the same. I don’t think I’m missing anything but at the same time wondering if I am? It sounds great at the volume I’m listening at....





Mystic Traveller said:


> I wouldn't if I cared about my hearing.. It could be harmful. And if it "is just fine right now"


And this is honestly WHY I was questioning the DMP-Z1, Focal Utopia and Stellia, and the Abyss Diana-Phi. Yea the cans offer different sounds, no doubt that they offer their unique sound signature. But for price of $3,000 or more? I see why people say diminishing returns. I hear all the details of those top end headphones on my 1Z and using other amps and for me, it doesn’t sound like a better jump from what I consider the IER-Z1R to be perfection for my ears.

Also, taking care of my hearing is important for when I play piano as I like to do improv.

But finally, to be fair on pricing, I got the TA for 158,000 yen and the 1Z for 170,000 yen and those both hit the below $2K USD mark. Granted both were used but came with warranty. Plus the Focal Clear I got for 98,000 yen and they sound WAY better than the Utopia. So I feel I got some good value despite knowing what I paid is ridiculous for the average person. The DMP-Z1 seems more like a collector’s item. Not necessary, but I would like to have it on the cheap. The 1Z is also high in price, but love the sound it offers. I guess this is why music is so diverse. Go figure?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 13, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> And this is honesty WHY I was questioning the DMP-Z1, Focal Utopia and Stellia, and the Abyss Diana-Phi. Yea the cans offer different sounds, no doubt that they offer their unique sound signature. But for price of $3,000 or more? I see why people say diminishing returns. I hear all the details of those top end headphones on my 1Z and using other amps and for me, it doesn’t sound like a better jump from what I consider the IER-Z1R to be perfection for my ears.
> 
> Also, taking care of my hearing is important for when I play piano as I like to do improv.
> 
> But finally, to be fair on pricing, I got the TA for 158,000 yen and the 1Z for 170,000 yen and those both hit the below $2K USD mark. Granted both were used but came with warranty. Plus the Focal Clear I got for 98,000 yen and they sound WAY better than the Utopia. So I feel I got some good value despite knowing what I paid is ridiculous for the average person. The DMP-Z1 seems more like a collector’s item. Not necessary, but I would like to have it on the cheap. The 1Z is also high in price, but love the sound it offers. I guess this is why music is so diverse. Go figure?



Take care of your hearing as you only get one set of ears. Once you ruin your ears there is no second chance at getting new ones.

I was in rock-bands playing loud guitar with speakers right next to my head. Loud small rehearsal studios that were  20 feet by 20 feet.  I most likely had hearing damage starting in 1982. I can still remember hearing loss from concerts lasting a day later. Scary stuff, just stay at low volumes if you enjoy it.


----------



## Blueoris

And remember, hearing damage is irreversible. If it is not too severe, it *could *be treated with hearing aids or implants. It sucks.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Take care of your hearing as you only get one set of ears. Once you ruin your ears there is no second chance at getting new ones.
> 
> I was in rock-bands playing loud guitar with speakers right next to my head. Loud small rehearsal studios that were  20 feet by 20 feet.  I most likely had hearing damage starting in 1982. I can still remember hearing loss from concerts lasting a day later. Scary stuff, just stay at low volumes if you enjoy it.


Roger that. One of these days I’ll still be going back to demo the DMP-Z1 one more time. Any specific settings to use to compare it to the 1Z besides Direct Source?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Roger that. One of these days I’ll still be going back to demo the DMP-Z1 one more time. Any specific settings to use to compare it to the 1Z besides Direct Source?



The single benefit on the DMP-Z1 that the TA does not have is advanced upsampling. Same as many like the DSD remastering on the TA that the 1A and 1Z don’t have. Also it’s slightly louder for hard to drive headphones, which you don’t have but may have at a future date. 

But really I know nothing about the DMP-Z1 other than the advancement with Sony putting in better upsampling technology? I’m not the one to ask.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> The single benefit on the DMP-Z1 that the TA does not have is advanced upsampling. Same as many like the DSD remastering on the TA that the 1A and 1Z don’t have. Also it’s slightly louder for hard to drive headphones, which you don’t have but may have at a future date.
> 
> But really I know nothing about the DMP-Z1 other than the advancement with Sony putting in better upsampling technology? I’m not the one to ask.


The DSD, can it work with ALAC and FLAC files? Or just MP3?


----------



## Ghostsounds

Thanks - I too will stay on safer listening levels.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Blueoris said:


> And remember, hearing damage is irreversible. If it is not too severe, it *could *be treated with hearing aids or implants. It sucks.


Just like retinal damage, what I have to live with since 2019 it sucks too


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 13, 2020)

DSD upsampling works with everything. Normally people leave both the DSD Remastering Engine and TA DSEE HX on all the time? I do? But only use slight EQ with the DAPs. That’s actually normal and I don’t know why many do that? You would think people against the processes would stay away on the DAPs and the desk-tops? But DSD Remastering is loved by most everyone. Every once in a while you will hear of someone listening to DSD files and saying that the DSD Remastering Engine added a flaw, but that’s rare. I know nothing of the DMP-Z1 and what people’s favorites are?

The thing about loud music is it’s a culture. Meaning in my lifetime there was a promoted loud music culture. No one ever thought they could hurt their ears. Cars had giant stereos that made everything shake with sub woofers so low that the waves would not even mature till ten feet away from the car. Concerts had no earplugs, and bars had bands so loud at times it was crazy. There were M-80 fireworks and Calcium Carbide canons that were loud as anything. So it was exposure from every possible direction. Life at play was just insanely loud? Loud cars, loud motorcycles, loud guns.......it was endless!


----------



## Blueoris

gerelmx1986 said:


> Just like retinal damage, what I have to live with since 2019 it sucks too


Sorry to hear that man


----------



## SebaE2012

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have a similar story. From 2004 to 2011 all my music was mp3 192 kbps, yeah I was too stupid to up convert some 96kbps mp3 to 192 as I thought it brought back quality. All those years I had Sony walkman mp3 player namely NW-E507, NWZ-A818 and NWZ-X1060. Last two had DSEE, dont remember for the E507.
> 
> As I had always DSEE on (it came on by default on early walkman mp3s) and yeah, at that times with no AU being 1st gen DSEE was very good . I never realized I was listening to bad quality sound...
> End 2011 I graduated from the University and I got from my father an iPod 160GB as gift.. that when I realized the bad state of my files... as ipod did not gave sonys magic tricks to mask the mp3 defects. Jqnuqry 2012 to August 2012 transitioned to AAC 255 VBR sounded ok, but had a dancing channel effect, right channel would go left and back.  and visceversa for L channel . Septemver 2012 I began my lossless transition, complete at 95% by mid August 2013 . Last AAC permanent ditched on 2018


Yeah, similar evolution here. Which, I must say, is an interesting (if not cheap) process of discovery. In actually enjoyed being able to spot the differences in quality between audio files, those first few cheap, come-in-the-bundle IEM (Sony's were, if I remember correctly, way better than it's Apple counterparts). I also transitioned from lower bitrates to 320 kbps... And then, after my Z1060 received flac playing capabilities with Android I've Cream Sandwich update, I timidly began to rip to flac. It wasn't that convenient at the time, since the player had 32 GB of internal memory and no possibility of expansion. Same as you, I remember usingthose early DSEE almost always on in those players. Not sure if I was aware of any actual improvements at the time. I just liked how it all sounded and didn't bothered with comparisons or any further explorations. I wasn't aware that there was a whole world of audiophiles out there.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Instead of investing in the high ticket DMP-Z1, you should try firmware rolling, region rolling or do some lower costing microsd card rolling.

All these can affect how your walkman sounds.
If you like your music to take on a more DSD-like sound signature then I recommend to try out the toshiba exceria m303 microsd card. In my subjective listening, I find it has a very silky smooth transient delivery. Really great sound for long listening sessions.


----------



## aceedburn

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Instead of investing in the high ticket DMP-Z1, you should try firmware rolling, region rolling or do some lower costing microsd card rolling.
> 
> All these can affect how your walkman sounds.
> If you like your music to take on a more DSD-like sound signature then I recommend to try out the toshiba exceria m303 microsd card. In my subjective listening, I find it has a very silky smooth transient delivery. Really great sound for long listening sessions.


I’m already getting a silky smooth sound with @MrWalkman ’s new update which will be released very soon. It’s out of this world.


----------



## gerelmx1986

aceedburn said:


> I’m already getting a silky smooth sound with @MrWalkman ’s new update which will be released very soon. It’s out of this world.


Is your walkman stock hardware or modded?


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> Is your walkman stock hardware or modded?


Should be using the Firmware


----------



## gerelmx1986

Dsee HX AI, Sounds too bassy with Sedna AZLA Xelastecs, turned it off so source direct and wow how natural sound.


----------



## aceedburn

gerelmx1986 said:


> Is your walkman stock hardware or modded?


100% stock. The only modification I would ever do would probably be for a bigger battery capacity. But I’m still getting at least 16-18 hours at the moment so no real hurry for that.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

aceedburn said:


> I’m already getting a silky smooth sound with @MrWalkman ’s new update which will be released very soon. It’s out of this world.



Along with DSP, EQ and etc: Microsd rolling is just another set of levers and switches that you can tinker with to nail down to that specific sound signature that you want out of your Walkman.


----------



## aceedburn

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Along with DSP, EQ and etc: Microsd rolling is just another set of levers and switches that you can tinker with to nail down to that specific sound signature that you want out of your Walkman.


Although there may be minute differences between micro SD cards, I am positive that there will never ever be such significant SQ difference as opposed to using the custom firmwares available here made possible by @MrWalkman


----------



## Lookout57 (Sep 13, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Take care of your hearing as you only get one set of ears. Once you ruin your ears there is no second chance at getting new ones.
> 
> I was in rock-bands playing loud guitar with speakers right next to my head. Loud small rehearsal studios that were  20 feet by 20 feet.  I most likely had hearing damage starting in 1982. I can still remember hearing loss from concerts lasting a day later. Scary stuff, just stay at low volumes if you enjoy it.


I saw David Gilmour in 1984 in support of the About Face album and was in the 11th row right in front of the left speakers. Amazing concert but my ears rang for 2 days. Luckily no permanent hearing damage.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 13, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Although there may be minute differences between micro SD cards, I am positive that there will never ever be such significant SQ difference as opposed to using the custom firmwares available here made possible by @MrWalkman



In my opinion, as you improve your Walkman’s sound quality through use of firmware, hardware modding, the microsd card selection might end up becoming that last piece of bottleneck to the ultimate sound quality possible out of the Walkman.

I think @Whitigir would be better experienced to share his opinions on this as he has done both modding and microsd card rolling.


----------



## gerelmx1986

My dad forced me to go to a rock concert, despitebhe know that I dont like any modern genres at all.
I didn't care who they were. I think rolling stones or pink floyd. We were seated next to some speakers. My ears rang for 3 days.


----------



## Lookout57

Gamerlingual said:


> See, that’s the one thing that REALLY confuses me. People say they want to hear the music at higher volumes (which makes sense on higher impedance headphones) so they can retrieve ALL the details they can when it comes to their music. Isn’t the big disadvantage being that your hearing will get damaged more quickly? I listen to my music on my DAPs at 40 on High Gain with the IER-Z1R, 35 on the 1AM2, and between 50 to 58 using either the Z7M2 and MDR-Z1R. I’m able to identify the clarity and separation of instruments no problem and can detect their placement with the cool 3D effect that comes with the equipment. Am I listening to music incorrectly? Do I really need to listen to it loudly, as my hearing is just fine right now.


While testing all these new firmwares, new cables and having multiple DAPs (1A and 1Z) I discovered that I didn't need to listen as loud as I used to and found that lower volumes are more enjoyable. 

Now I can pickup more details, hear the low bass that was hidden by louder highs and not complaining about harshness. I think we've been engrained by loud music based on going to concerts and clubs.


----------



## MrWalkman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> In my opinion, as you improve your Walkman’s sound quality through use of firmware, hardware modding, the microsd card selection might end up becoming that last piece of bottleneck to the ultimate sound quality possible out of the Walkman.



For those who already have a 512GB or 1TB card, it may not come so easy to spend money to buy another card, especially if it's more expensive.

Yeah, you could sell the old one, but you may not get the same price, plus the whole ordeal with putting the card up to sale on a website, etc. For example, I can't really afford spending money on a new card right now, and I'll start selling some gear that I don't use anymore.

It's awesome that we have these firmware mods. SWUpdate.xml tuning mods were something, but they couldn't bring this kind of difference/improvement to the sound. It's basically like a different DAP.

Having this firmware available, the microSD card is the least of my concerns, and I promise I'm not being biased by the fact that I released the modded firmware. I just continue to be as amazed as some other people around here by how it sounds. I guess you would have to hear it yourself to understand better.

Thanks for sharing your experience, though.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> For those who already have a 512GB or 1TB card, it may not come so easy to spend money to buy another card, especially if it's more expensive.
> 
> Yeah, you could sell the old one, but you may not get the same price, plus the whole ordeal with putting the card up to sale on a website, etc. For example, I can't really afford spending money on a new card right now, and I'll start selling some gear that I don't use anymore.
> 
> ...


I’ve only used 17GB on both my DAPs. Go figure


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 13, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I’ve only used 17GB on both my DAPs. Go figure



Well, I have a 512GB card and it's almost full 

What I'm trying to say above is that the difference brought by the modded firmware is so substantial that it's maybe a bit harder to believe that a different microSD card could bring such a further significant improved sound. Of course, I'm not discouraging anyone from trying, I'm just stating how I see this thing here in the thread.


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> I’ve only used 17GB on both my DAPs. Go figure



So much hardware, so few tunes  Less than 50GB left on the 512, 1TB on the horizon once the internal fills up...

Q-6


----------



## aceedburn

In a nutshell I can say that microSD card gives a 5% or less difference to the music. But firmwares can bring a 50-60% improvement in SQ. So a micro SD card difference is not as significant and involves spending a fair bit of money. Firmwares on the other hand are completely free and can be uninstalled if one so desires.


----------



## nc8000

I have nearly filled my 1TB and that is with everything hires downsampled to 16/44 or 16/48. To fit all my hires I need a 2TB card


----------



## normie610

MrWalkman said:


> Well, I have a 512GB card and it's almost full
> 
> What I'm trying to say above is that the difference brought by the modded firmware is so substantial that it's maybe a bit harder to believe that a different microSD card could bring such a further significant improved sound. Of course, I'm not discouraging anyone from trying, I'm just stating how I see this thing here in the thread.



in my very recent experience, it does bring a significant improvement. To my ears it’s just as significant as the FW mods   

But you’re right that not everyone will be willing to spend another $150-200 just for a new micro sd card. The FW mod is of course the best way to improve the sound without having to spend more.


----------



## gerelmx1986

MrWalkman said:


> Well, I have a 512GB card and it's almost full
> 
> What I'm trying to say above is that the difference brought by the modded firmware is so substantial that it's maybe a bit harder to believe that a different microSD card could bring such a further significant improved sound. Of course, I'm not discouraging anyone from trying, I'm just stating how I see this thing here in the thread.


I need another 1TB card  512GB has only 20GB free and 400 has 77 free


----------



## MrWalkman

normie610 said:


> in my very recent experience, it does bring a significant improvement. To my ears it’s just as significant as the FW mods



When returning to the stock firmware recently, my experience was that the stock sound is lifeless and boring. This is why I said that the difference is substantial to me.

I have a hard time believing that a microSD can transform the sound in the same way as the modded firmware did, at least for me


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Maybe there’s a new headfi member here who just bought a new Walkman and looking into getting a new microsd card? Everyone is on different circumstances and economic situation. 

For those on 512GB or lower, there might come a point in time where their music collection is growing beyond the capacity of their microsd card and they are deciding to upgrade. Then they could base their choice of cards either based on pricing or based on other head-fier’s subjective sound quality opinions on the microsd. 

We live in high technology world, the older microsd card could also be repurposed for other usage or given away to a family member or friend.

I don’t deny firmware is more significant upgrade than microsd cards. In my opinion Microsd selection just represents another pathway to improving the Walkman as well. It does not subtract from the fact that @MrWalkman’s custom firmware is really great for improving your WM1 Walkman’s sound quality.


----------



## normie610

MrWalkman said:


> When returning to the stock firmware recently, my experience was that the stock sound is lifeless and boring. This is why I said that the difference is substantial to me.
> 
> I have a hard time believing that a microSD can transform the sound in the same way as the modded firmware did, at least for me



Yep that’s why no ears are alike


----------



## Gamerlingual (Sep 13, 2020)

1421 songs with about another 200 to add and I’m good with my music. And this is with 30% of it being remixes of video game soundtracks into Jazz, classical, Trance, rock, etc


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> 1421 songs with about another 200 to add and I’m good with my music. And this is with 30% of it being remixes of video game soundtracks into Jazz, classical, Trance, rock, etc



I'm at about 45.000 tracks and 3.000 albums


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> I'm at about 45.000 tracks and 3.000 albums


Just like you, I use a music streaming service, Spotify to pick out and buy new songs. I just don’t buy as many frequently because the price of Hi-Res music is high. So I save up slowly when I’m ready to buy those FLAC files, etc.


----------



## Lookout57 (Sep 13, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I’ve only used 17GB on both my DAPs. Go figure


My 1TB card only has 35GB free. Plus I've used 30 GB on the internal.

This is CD rips as FLAC, hi-res up to 24/192 and DSD.  A total of 11,538 tracks.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Lookout57 said:


> I saw David Gilmour in 1984 in support of the About Face album and was in the 11th row right in front of the left speakers. Amazing concert but my ears rang for 2 days. Luckily no permanent hearing damage.



And that’s just the thing, you don’t realize how loud it was till you walk out of the concert. Or wake up the next day and realize how loud it was. People ask, well why don’t they play the music at safe levels? Because, no one would go!


----------



## NickL33

MrWalkman said:


> When returning to the stock firmware recently, my experience was that the stock sound is lifeless and boring. This is why I said that the difference is substantial to me.
> 
> I have a hard time believing that a microSD can transform the sound in the same way as the modded firmware did, at least for me





When isit coming?


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Just like you, I use a music streaming service, Spotify to pick out and buy new songs. I just don’t buy as many frequently because the price of Hi-Res music is high. So I save up slowly when I’m ready to buy those FLAC files, etc.



I mostly buy second hand cd's and rip them


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> I mostly buy second hand cd's and rip them


Ah and covert to FLAC or ALAC? I have like 50 CDs for now


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Ah and covert to FLAC or ALAC? I have like 50 CDs for now



Flac. I have about 2.500 cd's


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I'm at about 45.000 tracks and 3.000 albums


60.098 tracks; 3428 album.
28938 tracks on the 1TB with 290GB free
20000 on the 512GB with 19.6GB free
12400+  on the 400GB with 77GB free


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Flac. I have about 2.500 cd's


Wow. I have a book bookshelf, but instead of CDs, I have a different collection of sorts which I’m still organizing: Transformers. If I get that many CDs, then I will definitely get a shelf dedicated to them. Even then, I’m happy with the music I have in my DAPs


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 13, 2020)

The 400GB card will be moat likely to be sold.
The 512 evo plus will be kept as a buffer card
I will get another 1TB extreme and copy the music of noth the 400 and the 512.i mean by buffer card, as a spare to have for future music for when my two 1TB begin to fill up


----------



## MrWalkman

NickL33 said:


> When isit coming?



Should be out tomorrow or on Tuesday.


----------



## nc8000

MrWalkman said:


> Should be out tomorrow or on Tuesday.



in time for the return of my 1Z from modding


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 13, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> in time for the return of my 1Z from modding



The new sound is basically for the WM1A.

WM1Z always has the extra soundstage, for example, and now the WM1A will have it as well.

The update aims to bridge the gap between WM1A and WM1Z, in regards to these differences. Of course, there is still the slightly better hardware of the WM1Z that is left.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Wow. I have a book bookshelf, but instead of CDs, I have a different collection of sorts which I’m still organizing: Transformers. If I get that many CDs, then I will definitely get a shelf dedicated to them. Even then, I’m happy with the music I have in my DAPs



I very rarely listen to the cd's but rather the rips (and hi res files) on the 1Z or Auralic streamer in the home rig


----------



## Queen6

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Maybe there’s a new headfi member here who just bought a new Walkman and looking into getting a new microsd card? Everyone is on different circumstances and economic situation.
> 
> For those on 512GB or lower, there might come a point in time where their music collection is growing beyond the capacity of their microsd card and they are deciding to upgrade. Then they could base their choice of cards either based on pricing or based on other head-fier’s subjective sound quality opinions on the microsd.
> 
> ...



I tend to agree, equally SDcards evolve slowly and a subject worth delving into once or twice a year, and for those new to the DAP market. Naturally there will always be the 1% who absolutely require that very last 1% of the puzzle. One of the downsides of the ZX500 is the inherent inflexibility due to the Android OS, with the WM1A/Z and now ZX300 (to some extents) being at the opposite end of the spectrum.

For owners and the interested WM1A/Z & ZX300 custom firmware results in far greater results that evolve in real-time within the community, as do physical mod's, hence the greater interest and lesser concern for the SDcard. I do believe that what you've documented is valid and should also be shared across the accessories forums as other DAP's may very well benefit from the same findings.

Another factor is the point of "where are you coming from" Starting out from a bad SDcard to a top tier one will result in a far bigger improvement in perceived SQ in comparison to starting out with a competent SDcard in the first place. Same applies to physical mod's simply replacing the WM1A's internal wiring with the likes of Kimber Kable will not revolutionise the SQ, a full mod by the Dark Master Naplam will. Custom FW is no different as it too can scale up incrementally or ramp up dramatically depending on the starting point, however is far more accessible. I will say that those on currently on stock WM1A are in for a big surprise, even some on the current CFW will pause for thought with the near future...

All aspect's in the chain can make a differnce from the original mastering to what in this case you wear in or on/over your ears, just a factor of by how much both in terms of SQ and $$$$$....

Q-6


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 13, 2020)

@Queen6

I feel that the microsd affecting sound quality is highly controversial topic and I don't think the other forum areas are as acceptive of this claim/theory/psychoacoustics trickery. I prefer to limit my experiences to Sony threads for now as you guys have been more tolerant/receptive about this.

What I feel is there are many ways to skin a cat/tiger. You can improve sound with cable upgrades, hardware mods or firmware rolling. Everyone has different priorities and $$$. Maybe they can't afford that hardware mod but they have some spare cash to try out a cheaper $22 Sandisk Extreme Pro 64GB or etc.

Maybe the ZX507 doesn't have custom firmwares, but in my opinion, Sony offical firmwares for the ZX507 this year has shown remarkable improvements to sound quality as well. In this thread there are many people here with multiple Sony headphones/IEMs, TAZH1ES, DMP-Z1 and etc. I would think they should look at the ZX507 not as a replacement to their WM1 but as another one of useful audio gear in their collection(if economic circumstances allow).

I have hyping/pestering @Vitaly2017 to try the ZX507 again which he finally caved. By trying out the ZX507, he will be able to gain much valuable insights into the expected sound technology improvements coming to the next Sony Flagship Walkman. As he has tiger ears, he will be able to share with Sony users here what he hears as well as a new toy for him to claw at while waiting for the next flagship.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> @Queen6
> 
> I feel that the microsd affecting sound quality is highly controversial topic and I don't think the other forum areas are as acceptive of this claim/theory/psychoacoustics trickery. I prefer to limit my experiences to Sony threads for now as you guys have been more tolerant/receptive about this.
> 
> ...


Just try. It’s all we can do. Which card do you recommend best? I’ll probably buy a 128GB size maxed out


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Gamerlingual said:


> Just try. It’s all we can do. Which card do you recommend best? I’ll probably buy a 128GB size maxed out



So far Sandisk Extreme Pro is the most promising card in my experience. Don't get the 32GB as it is speced slower. Go for 64GB or above. Do be aware there are many fakes out there, especially for sandisk. So source from reputable stores/online sellers.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> So far Sandisk Extreme Pro is the most promising card in my experience. Don't get the 32GB as it is speced slower. Go for 64GB or above. Do be aware there are many fakes out there, especially for sandisk. So source from reputable stores/online sellers.


I’ll be getting mine from Amazon, no other seller and like I said, 128GB


----------



## Queen6

normie610 said:


> in my very recent experience, it does bring a significant improvement. To my ears it’s just as significant as the FW mods
> 
> But you’re right that not everyone will be willing to spend another $150-200 just for a new micro sd card. The FW mod is of course the best way to improve the sound without having to spend more.



A guaranteed 1TB Sandisk Extreme Pro micro SDcard would be in the region of $360 for me. The 512 Kodak industrial Micro SDcards I have are a quarter of the price and sound exactly the same as any other 256 Samsung or 256 Sandisk cards. One of the Kodak 512 cards is utilised as a logical drive in my W10 UMPC and performs as per spec and it see a lot more R/W than any DAP ever would. For $360 I'd want to be fairly certain of an increase in SQ.

Q-6


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 13, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> A guaranteed 1TB Sandisk Extreme Pro micro SDcard would be in the region of $360 for me. The 512 Kodak industrial Micro SDcards I have are a quarter of the price and sound exactly the same as any other 256 Samsung or 256 Sandisk cards. One of the Kodak 512 cards is utilised as a logical drive in my W10 UMPC and performs as per spec and it see a lot more R/W than any DAP ever would. For $360 I'd want to be fairly certain of an increase in SQ.
> 
> Q-6



If disposable income allows, I suggest trying out the USD$22 Sandisk extreme pro 64GB as a sampler. It will offer the same sound quality as the 1TB card. Which after you can repurpose the microsd for other usages(e.g. backup storage)


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 13, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> @Queen6
> 
> I feel that the microsd affecting sound quality is highly controversial topic and I don't think the other forum areas are as acceptive of this claim/theory/psychoacoustics trickery. I prefer to limit my experiences to Sony threads for now as you guys have been more tolerant/receptive about this.
> 
> ...



Next has to be 1TB as they are so expensive in my region may as well just go with the Sandisk Extreme Pro. Sorry I dismissed the ZX500 due to Android OS and TBH at the time the SQ didn't impress, just surpassing ZX300. WM1A did impress even with stock FW & region. Should Sony launch WM1A/Z-2 with Android I'll scoop up a 1Z and be done with it or a another 1A and mod the HW, as the new model is unlikely to be league's better 

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> If disposable income allows, I suggest trying out the USD$22 Sandisk extreme pro 64GB as a sampler. It will offer the same sound quality as the 1TB card. Which after you can repurpose the microsd for other usages(e.g. backup storage)



No need If the 1TB doesn't work out I'll simply return it, equally the options are limited as are the savings. Already got loads of smaller capacity Micro SDcard's, I just give em away as better that than the landfil 

Q-6


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 13, 2020)

For those who are willing to experiment with or planning to upgrade to the sandisk extreme pro,

I am recommending to perform another two step when you receive your new card to further improve sound quality:

1) Format the card with this tool:
https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/

2) Format the card once more with your walkman OS

Now you can start to transfer music files into card.

In my subjective experience by formating with the tool helps to improve the microsd card's background noise floor.


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> Just try. It’s all we can do. Which card do you recommend best? I’ll probably buy a 128GB size maxed out



The "*Gold Standard*" is the internal storage being far faster and having the quieter noise path. With your collection save the cash and just use the internal partition. Any perceived improvement in SQ of the Micro SDcard over the internal storage is purely subjective and very likely a personal preference not an absolute.

Q-6


----------



## Gamerlingual

Queen6 said:


> The "*Gold Standard*" is the internal storage being far faster and having the quieter noise path. With your collection save the cash and just use the internal partition. Any perceived improvement in SQ of the Micro SDcard over the internal storage is purely subjective and very likely a personal preference not an absolute.
> 
> Q-6


Meaning if I’ve only used up 14GB on both the 1Z and 1A, why bother?


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Sonywalkmanuser  is biased a lot, he doesnt realize there's very small performance difference between sandisk extreme (cheaper) vs extreme pro (expensive). Ueah extreme, as he describes the pro, is also aggressive with transients and bassy (thus DSEE AI adds even more  bass)


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> Meaning if I’ve only used up 14GB on both the 1Z and 1A, why bother?



Exactly, the internal storage is by far the best option, Sony after all. The Micro SDcard is very much a second, yet a necessity for those with larger libraries. As ever dont get caught up on the hype train. 

Q-6


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 13, 2020)

How aggressive the transients are, will ultimately be determined by your choice of IEM/Headphones and it's associated cabling. Gain settings also affects transients to a certain degree.

The aggressive transients that I speak of is in relation to the other microsd cards in my possession: lexar 633x, samsung evo, sandisk high endurance, toshiba exceria m303, ZX507 internal storage and ZX2 internal storage.

I have never heard the sandisk extreme or the sandisk ultra before, therefore I am unable to make judgement on the sound of these two.

DSP settings like DSEE HX does get influenced by the microsd card transient characteristics. I would be in the opinon that as long as you keep a sane volume level for your audio gear, the aggressive transients are actually going to be more enjoyable for most people as music becomes more lively.


----------



## WAmadeusM

Redcarmoose said:


> You want to stay at 3.5mm to go to the TA with dual RCA. Still your better off going digital in to the TA and using the TA DSD upsampling. Use the Cradle along with the DAPs, add the AQCarbon USB and connect your computer to the Cradle to access the reclocking and USB filter in the Cradle.
> 
> Plus the TA only has RCA in not balanced in? Also everything gets the upsampling, all analog in. An analog turntable feed gets upsampled going RCA in.



Hi. Reading your TAZ settings. do you notice grounding - or lack of it - mains hum with reasonably sensitive IEMs using your TAZ and WM1A?Hi. It falls away to near nothing if you touch the chassis.  That means you become a human ground. Disconcerting.  I've read on TAZ HFi forum it has a floating ground. 2 pin ac design even if it has a 3 prong earhed plug connector. The manual mentions using grounded / earth interconnects on the pre out which will then piggy back any other amplifier earthing. But if you are not connecting but simply using as a HP amp its strange such high engineering was left like this. It almosts needs a grounding wire like an record player. ... Given it weighs more than a small car by Sony Sig design - you would think this would not have been like this...


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 13, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> How aggressive the transients are, will ultimately be determined by your choice of IEM/Headphones and it's associated cabling. Gain settings also affects transients to a certain degree.
> 
> The aggressive transients that I speak of is in relation to the other microsd cards in my possession: lexar 633x, samsung evo, sandisk high endurance, toshiba exceria m303, ZX507 internal storage and ZX2 internal storage.
> 
> ...



Maybe it's time to step up and hear the difference WM1A or WM1Z will reveal. Just pure music no nonsense, pick the region and FW of your choice and your done. No FAQ's, No endless apps to kill, No security concerns, just music presented exactly as it should be with Sony's own unique flavour...

Is what it is, ZX500 remains to be just a touch above ZX300, yet falls short of WM1A/Z by a wide margin, requiring extensive guides to improve SQ...

Q-6


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

@Queen6
Thanks for your recommendations. I don’t think I will be joining the WM1 users as I am saving up for the next Sony flagship in 2021.

which I think should be priced around the WM1Z current price?


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 13, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> @Queen6
> Thanks for your recommendations. I don’t think I will be joining the WM1 users as I am saving up for the next Sony flagship in 2021.
> 
> which I think should be priced around the WM1Z current price?



Very likely and hopefully not another Android circus. High quality Music should be all about music, nothing else. As for WM1 your only depriving yourself of something that's very special and may never be reproduced...

Q-6


----------



## Hinomotocho (Sep 13, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Take care of your hearing as you only get one set of ears. Once you ruin your ears there is no second chance at getting new ones.
> 
> I was in rock-bands playing loud guitar with speakers right next to my head. Loud small rehearsal studios that were  20 feet by 20 feet.  I most likely had hearing damage starting in 1982. I can still remember hearing loss from concerts lasting a day later. Scary stuff, just stay at low volumes if you enjoy it.


That was why the 2 Japanese girls in the airport were smiling at you - they recognised you as being the guitarist from the early 80s rock band, they must have one of your bootleg tapes and were big fans.

Has your opinion changed over time on the WM1A vs the 1Z with the firmwares?


----------



## gerelmx1986

*i will be saving too  *


----------



## Hinomotocho

Is there any affect on performance of a microsd card as it nears full capacity?


----------



## terminaut

Queen6 said:


> As for WM1 your only depriving yourself of something that's very special and may never be reproduced...
> 
> Q-6



This. The WM1 family is the epitome of portable audiophile equipment for me. The WM1Z in particular will be very difficult to top as an overall package IMHO.


----------



## Lookout57

Hinomotocho said:


> That was why the 2 Japanese girls in the airport were smiling at you - they recognised you as being the guitarist from the early 80s rock band, they must have one of your bootleg tapes and we're big fans.
> 
> Has your opinion changed over time on the WM1A vs the 1Z with the firmwares?


Stay tuned. MrWalkman has some new magic coming soon. With this new magic it's brought my 1A much closer to the 1Z. The 1Z is still the ultimate but the 1A is now damn close.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

MrWalkman said:


> I have a hard time believing that a microSD can transform the sound in the same way as the modded firmware did, at least for me



I share this sentiment but maybe those with super sensitive earphones/headphones can hear a slight difference that makes all the difference in their listening experience? IMHO when you get to this level of DAC when all specs are premium and the company’s DNA sound along with firmware are the bigger difference maker! I am pretty sure these DACs are Delta Sigma? They  require a crapload of noise shaping and dithering filters and modulators. How well the hardware can reproduce the firmwares filters and modulators is what’s important. Hardware component (materials) will also affect the sound reproduced. That’s an entirely different Talk Show though 

I can however say that ripped 24 gold CDs with a good CD burner do sound warmer with no semblance in the tremble depending on the DAC of course. This can be good and bad it all depends on preference. So I’d say it’s all about what materials are being used to reproduce the sound is more of a difference maker than how it’s read unless it’s a crappy card reader or crappy off brand micro sd card.

Would imagine that blu-spec rips may have more depth but this is like ODC stuff we are getting into which takes away from the real reason is to enjoy listening to music vs an addiction


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 13, 2020)

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Would imagine that blu-spec rips may have more depth but this is like ODC stuff we are getting into which takes away from the real reason is to enjoy listening to music vs an addiction



Indeed, for the last hour I'm listening to some old MP3s, and they just sound awesome. Of course, I have DSEE HX AI on. I didn't try turning it off to see how it sounds like. I'm just enjoying the music.


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 13, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Indeed, for the last hour I'm listening to some old MP3s, and they just sound awesome. Of course, I have DSEE HX AI on. I didn't try turning it off to see how it sounds like. I'm *just* *enjoying the music*.



Case Closed...as that's what it's really *all about *

Q-6


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

MrWalkman said:


> Indeed, for the last hour I'm listening to some old MP3s, and they just sound awesome. Of course, I have DSEE HX AI on. I didn't try turning it off to see how it sounds like. I'm just enjoying the music.



That will improve as well over time with AI, WiFi/5G and something like AWS cloud services or what Google does with TPU, cameras, the cloud and AI in their Pixel Smartphones but it’s not quite there yet to replace hardware! They are getting real close with metadata that’s missing though that race has already started for who can put out the best AI machine learning algorithms in all things media. Different companies have different approach.

Quantum Computing is next level but that’s like 25-100 years away! Haha 

In the here and now Flac is really impressive how it can copy patterns and chunk the data (DNA) into sets of binary digital bits to reduce file sizes with no lost in quality. MQA is also a good idea for this as well.


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 13, 2020)

terminaut said:


> This. The WM1 family is the epitome of portable audiophile equipment for me. The WM1Z in particular will be very difficult to top as an overall package IMHO.



If the new WM1A/Z-2 is Android based, first thing I'll do is pick up another new 1A or 1Z and *cut the cord*... I have no issue if Sony wants to provide a streaming DAP, however I personally dont want or need the complication. I dont want the endless guides of how to make Android run better, let alone yet another Google based device that's sole priority is to acquire personalised data.

Q-6


----------



## Hinomotocho (Sep 14, 2020)

I imagine a scenario at the Sony Walkman division where in a meeting the big boss is yelling at the sound tuning/firmware development team "how can this MrWalkman's firmwares sound better than our own team's @#&% you're all fired!"

If the current firmwares were all we ever had available I could go on with a satisfaction that there are options and that the level of sound has been improved upon from when I bought it 3 months ago. It is exciting to know there is another in the works.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Queen6 said:


> Google based device that's sole priority is to acquire personalised data.



Google is the Real life version of “The Cradle” in Westworld! There is a part of me that really wants to meet my digital copy of myself. Probably hate the guy and we’d fight to the bitter end for the “real” me. 

(“The Cradle contains the most important intellectual properly (IP) of Westworld and its associated parks, as it stores complete copies of the programming and memories for every host, as well as the programming for the park environments.”)


----------



## hamhamhamsta

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Google is the Real life version of “The Cradle” in Westworld! There is a part of me that really wants to meet my digital copy of myself. Probably hate the guy and we’d fight to the bitter end for the “real” me.
> 
> (“The Cradle contains the most important intellectual properly (IP) of Westworld and its associated parks, as it stores complete copies of the programming and memories for every host, as well as the programming for the park environments.”)


What the heck. I didn't know there is a bigger, better, funnier version of me out there; I thought I'm special Lol!


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

hamhamhamsta said:


> What the heck. I didn't know there is a bigger, better, funnier version of me out there; I thought I'm special Lol!



Check your browser history


----------



## MrWalkman

https://myactivity.google.com/activitycontrols/webandapp


----------



## normie610

Queen6 said:


> A guaranteed 1TB Sandisk Extreme Pro micro SDcard would be in the region of $360 for me. The 512 Kodak industrial Micro SDcards I have are a quarter of the price and sound exactly the same as any other 256 Samsung or 256 Sandisk cards. One of the Kodak 512 cards is utilised as a logical drive in my W10 UMPC and performs as per spec and it see a lot more R/W than any DAP ever would. For $360 I'd want to be fairly certain of an increase in SQ.
> 
> Q-6



As I said, people hear things differently and that’s fine. And it’s good that you don’t need to spend extra. Btw, I hear the difference not only with my 1Z but also my Cayin N6ii.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 13, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> That was why the 2 Japanese girls in the airport were smiling at you - they recognised you as being the guitarist from the early 80s rock band, they must have one of your bootleg tapes and we're big fans.
> 
> Has your opinion changed over time on the WM1A vs the 1Z with the firmwares?



Actually yes, as I guessed there’s a place now in the ranking where the 1Z is maybe back on top. I’m not sure......maybe they are equal now? I knew the uniqueness of the 1A (while amazing) could maybe wear off in time and give a way to the always strong list of abilities the 1Z has at it’s core. And that’s what you would want; two DAPs both with 1A/1Z+ or ++ simply being good in their own unique character. IMO


----------



## Kad998 (Sep 13, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> If the new WM1A/Z-2 is Android based, first thing I'll do is pick up another new 1A or 1Z and *cut the cord*... I have no issue if Sony wants to provide a streaming DAP, however I personally dont want or need the complication. I dont want the endless guides of how to make Android run better, let alone yet another Google based device that's sole priority is to acquire personalised data.
> 
> Q-6



Totally agree! I made a very conscious decision, after a few well thought out purchases of Android-based Daps, to leave that realm for the WM1 world. I hope they keep the purity; it’s truly a special thing that I could sail off into the sunset with. I think the android implementation would sadly be the Achilles heel of our hero.


----------



## Blueoris (Sep 13, 2020)

Kad998 said:


> Totally agree! I made a very conscious decision, after a few well thought out purchases of Android-based Daps, to leave that realm for the WM1 world. I hope they keep the purity; it’s truly a special thing that I could sail off into the sunset with. I think the android implementation would sadly be the Achilles heel of our hero.


For me it depends on how they do it. I won't mind to have an Android mode added to the next WM1 in a similar way iBasso does it, where you need to restart the player to swap between a "pure mode" and an "Android mode", so the active mode "won't know" about the existence of another mode - and Sony could go further and disable any Wi-FI associated hardware while booting in the non-Android mode.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

Hinomotocho said:


> Is there any affect on performance of a microsd card as it nears full capacity?



For your computer ssd, it is important not to fill up your SSD to the brim as ssd controller needs some free space to do proper wear leveling. If you only have limited free space, it makes it much harder for the ssd controller to manage write wear levels on the nand chips and might reduce the overall write cycle life expectancy of your drive more quicker.

https://www.ontrack.com/en-us/blog/wear-leveling

As for microsd cards we use to store music, I think it is safe to fill them up to the maximum as our usage is write once, read many aka WORM. There is no need for the microsd controller to do much wear leveling.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> That will improve as well over time with AI, WiFi/5G and something like AWS cloud services or what Google does with TPU, cameras, the cloud and AI in their Pixel Smartphones but it’s not quite there yet to replace hardware! They are getting real close with metadata that’s missing though that race has already started for who can put out the best AI machine learning algorithms in all things media. Different companies have different approach.
> 
> Quantum Computing is next level but that’s like 25-100 years away! Haha
> 
> In the here and now Flac is really impressive how it can copy patterns and chunk the data (DNA) into sets of binary digital bits to reduce file sizes with no lost in quality. MQA is also a good idea for this as well.



So far only Sony amongst the other audiophile companies is using AI to improve audio in a working product. The future is software algorithms and semiconductor process/performance. With faster processing, AI can do even more than just upsampling, it can even recreate your regular stereo music into AI re-mastered 7.1 surround music.  But the key to this is always big data, AI needs lots and lots of training material to learn to do it's job better and that's why Sony has advantage, they have their large collection of master music files to do such training.


----------



## ttt123

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> For your computer ssd, it is important not to fill up your SSD to the brim as ssd controller needs some free space to do proper wear leveling. If you only have limited free space, it makes it much harder for the ssd controller to manage write wear levels on the nand chips and might reduce the overall write cycle life expectancy of your drive more quicker.
> 
> https://www.ontrack.com/en-us/blog/wear-leveling
> 
> As for microsd cards we use to store music, I think it is safe to fill them up to the maximum as our usage is write once, read many aka WORM. There is no need for the microsd controller to do much wear leveling.


I think it good practice to always leave some space on any storage medium, including SD cards.  We see too many problems where the OS cannot get some temp space to work with, so it is a good extra caution, and practice, to always leave some unused space for the system to use.


----------



## MrWalkman

Sure, but our players are only reading from the card. They're never writing anything.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 14, 2020)

My micron mx300 ssd has an option in it's utility tool to force the drive to reduce it's storage capacity by 20% which is used as over-provisioning space for the drive to work on its wear leveling.


----------



## MrWalkman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> My micron mx300 ssd has an option in it's utility tool to force the drive to reduce it's storage capacity by 20% which is used as over-provisioning space for the drive to work on its wear leveling.



That is another discussion, not for this thread.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser

MrWalkman said:


> That is another discussion, not for this thread.


Just sharing general useful information on the workings of computer storage. guess I should keep my mouth shut from now on.


----------



## MrWalkman

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> Just sharing general useful information on the workings of computer storage. guess I should keep my mouth shut from now on.



This is still a thread for WM1A/WM1Z though, I don't think I am wrong on that.

When I receive a notification for a new post in the WM1A/WM1Z thread, I usually expect the post to be related to the thread's title.


----------



## Sonywalkmanuser (Sep 14, 2020)

The WM1Z still have internal nand storage, which it also has to do wear leveling and etc. Thus we talked about not storing files to the brim for computer systems also applies to walkman or your music storage computer.

If you wish to set a fix rule that we can only talk strictly about WM1A/Z. Do make sure you do this off topic flagging for anyone here who briefly goes off topic. This is my last post in this thread. Goodbye all.


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 14, 2020)

It's your choice if you wish to be over-dramatic and have a "last post in this thread". Nobody said you shouldn't post anything here.

Goodbye, if that's your wish.

Either way, the EMMC on our players (WM1A/WM1Z) is partitioned, it's not all of it just 128GB or 256GB that can be filled with music. There are some partitions which are almost empty, so this is not something to worry about.


----------



## newworld666

Till now, I was thinking the* WM1A + Z7M2 was probably the most "coherent" combo* I was using these last years for travelling or being free to move at home and listen music... Even if I really enjoy the static way to listen music with Heddphone with some dynamic amp in between or the bit less convenient Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas with an OriolusAmp .

But this summer, I often had some real "hot and sweaty" issue with all these over the ear's headphone after one or two hours. So, I gave finally a chance to the Sony IER-Z1R, as usually, I feel really uncomfortable and even painful all the tips in the ear I could try for decades.
I didn't expect anything from the Sony IER-Z1R, and I was ready to return it to amazon within a week => but, Sony is giving a vast number of different tips with this IEM.
I could find one size and type (Silicone ML). and only one size and type that can fit perfectly in my ears with being hermetic and giving an impressive sound result with the WM1A (with some EQ). With the WM1A, It's rather amazing to reach same sound quality from low frequencies to high frequencies as I get with "Full very good Headphones of the market"
.
I don't know what MrWalkman will arrange with his next "cooked" firmware for the WM1A or if Nayparm will really enhanced my WM1A (if he find a time in the near future for it  ), but as it is with the Z++ firmware,* the WM1A + Z7M2 or Z1R are worth the money*. I am really not a Sony's fan, I would basically choose anything than Sony !!, but for Hires ? I have spent too much money in other made to not reach this quality.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> The WM1Z still have internal nand storage, which it also has to do wear leveling and etc. Thus we talked about not storing files to the brim for computer systems also applies to walkman or your music storage computer.
> 
> If you wish to set a fix rule that we can only talk strictly about WM1A/Z. Do make sure you do this off topic flagging for anyone here who briefly goes off topic. This is my last post in this thread. Goodbye all.


No one said for you to leave. It wasn’t necessary for you to be sensitive to his comments. Best wishes and if you come back, welcome back.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 14, 2020)

At times 1A/1Z+ just adds such a closeness with the music. Like the firmware/hardware combo is completely introducing the recording goal with relaying the detail, thus achieving the tone and character. But not just only that, but soundstage has placement by being completely correct and perfectly arranged?

The opening song on this 2011 LP  “A Shot In The Dark” comes out a great example. Using J on the 1Z the complete mix is almost something magic. The bass sits in the pocket yet allows a rhythm to bounce with both cymbals and hi-hats making their way out in the mix at such precision. The accents on the down beat.........amazing!

The perfect placement of her voice inside the mix. Nothing is off and it’s even more detailed than I’ve ever heard it. My favorite is the melodic guitar sound which comes off breathtaking yet in the mix. This song has all kinds of processes and synth work. There is a actually a synth syncopation under it all which is purposely left on the down low, yet the musicians know and are going along with it. Normally the feeling of the syncopated synth is known but not exactly heard through-out, yet now it is? Strangely enough it’s always been there.....buried until now? In 16/44.1



https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Within_Temptation


----------



## 534409

I wonder who will be the first to open 3000 posts frontier...


----------



## Ghostsounds

Dramba said:


> I wonder who will be the first to open 3000 posts frontier...


Could try spamming multiple posts🙃


----------



## XP_98

MrWalkman said:


> Should be out tomorrow or on Tuesday.


Obviously it will be thuesday now...
Hope it will apply to both WM1A *and* WM1Z 
Anyway thanks for the fine work !


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Open sesame 😸


----------



## aceedburn

XP_98 said:


> Obviously it will be thuesday now...
> Hope it will apply to both WM1A *and* WM1Z
> Anyway thanks for the fine work !


The new updated mod is only for the WM1A. It makes it sound amazingly closer than ever before to the 1Z. I’ve been using it for 3 days now. It’s mind blowing. Really. But there might be some Easter eggs for both 1A and 1Z users from what I know. Keep your fingers crossed!


----------



## Queen6

Kad998 said:


> Totally agree! I made a very conscious decision, after a few well thought out purchases of Android-based Daps, to leave that realm for the WM1 world. I hope they keep the purity; it’s truly a special thing that I could sail off into the sunset with. I think the android implementation would sadly be the Achilles heel of our hero.



Frankly there's far too much of the like's of Apple, Farcebook, Google, Microsoft etc. acquiring personal data for their own purposes without explicit permission, absolutely non should be implicitly trusted whatsoever. Android is simply not a good OS for a high end DAP as one is literally required to kill numerous process's just to remotely get close to the likes of WM1A/Z, even then. Google's Android is little more than a monetising tool that preys on the user.

I chose Sony DAP's first and foremost for the SQ and their unique flavour. Should Sony decide to get fully in bed with Google I will remain on older hardware and look to the likes of the QLS QA361 and other smaller brands that focus on SQ first and not what adds up to a crippled smartphone with all the SQ drawbacks and security concerns of Android...

This is exactly why I dismissed the ZX500 line as it maybe possible to improve the SQ by shutting down numerous app's/services, equally it will never have the flexibility or the magic that WM1A/Z presents to the listener. Similar to the ZX300 line good DAP's however not TOTL. I have listened to the ZX500 and as stated it failed to impress, being just marginally better than my ZX300...

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

For  the new Walkman successor, muar save in secret, as if my husband sees my purpose of saving up he will kill me. Haha, the package cannot go unnoticed tho, unless I open the walkman and throw the packaging in the communal trash bins lol


----------



## MrLocoLuciano (Sep 14, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> The new updated mod is only for the WM1A. It makes it sound amazingly closer than ever before to the 1Z. I’ve been using it for 3 days now. It’s mind blowing. Really. But there might be some Easter eggs for both 1A and 1Z users from what I know. Keep your fingers crossed!


Has it been tested only on stock 1A ? How does it behave hardware modded ones lile on NP Audio WM1A ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Sonywalkmanuser  is not that you are prohibited posting here,  but you repeat the same info over and over again, example your micro SD card snake oil, you could say it once, but you keep going and going like a scratched record


----------



## Gamerlingual

Whatever happens, looking forward to the next FW


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 14, 2020)

Dramba said:


> I wonder who will be the first to open 3000 posts frontier...



Would be very fitting if it's the next evolution of WM1A/Z firmware 

OK let's try again at 4K LOL 

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 14, 2020)

Me too, hopefully this new FW brings a super mega huge soundstage as cathedral or huge hall

By the way.... 3000 pages


----------



## Redcarmoose

gerelmx1986 said:


> For  the new Walkman successor, muar save in secret, as if my husband sees my purpose of saving up he will kill me. Haha, the package cannot go unnoticed tho, unless I open the walkman and throw the packaging in the communal trash bins lol


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Facta  Only walkman WM1 Successor or also MDR-Z1R Mak 2 (I doubt but not impossible)


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 14, 2020)

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Has it been tested only on stock 1A ? How does it behave hardware modded ones lile on NP Audio WM1A ?



On stock 1A with multi BA & DD IEM's then Planar over ear HP I literally stopped thinking of anything but the music, often repeating tracks as this _Dark Magic_ not only put one into the music it reveals so much more. The stock Sony 3.02 sound signature is undoubtedly beautifully executed, yet in comparison to the next CFW release Sony 3.02 comes across as primitive and simplistic...

This is it, it really is, coming to you all soon  What a champion MrWalkman If on stock Sony 3.02 this will blow your mind, I recommend that all who are into the CFW do exactly that; roll back to stock Sony 3.02 for a day or two, then load the new magic, you will be blown away by the differnce.

I generally keep on the lowdown, but this indeed is something very special...

Q-6


----------



## Gamerlingual

Queen6 said:


> On stock 1A with multi BA & DD IEM's then Planar over ear HP I literally stopped thinking of anything but the music, often repeating tracks as this _Dark Magic_ not only put one into the music it reveals so much more. The stock Sony 3.02 sound signature is undoubtedly beautifully executed, yet in comparison to the next CFW release Sony 3.02 comes across as primitive and simplistic...
> 
> This is it, it really is, coming to you all soon  What a champion MrWalkman If on stock Sony 3.02 this will blow your mind, I recommend that all who are into the CFW do exactly that; roll back to stock Sony 3.02 for a day or two, then load the new magic, you will be blown away
> 
> ...


Any recommendation of which of my current inventory I should listen to? Focal, Sony? How may I compare it to the stock 1Z? Wondering how I can finally identify the differences of my DAPs.


----------



## aceedburn

MrLocoLuciano said:


> Has it been tested only on stock 1A ? How does it behave hardware modded ones lile on NP Audio WM1A ?


I don’t know how it would sound on hardware modded Walkmans. I only use 1A totally stock and running chameleon 3.02 firmware.


----------



## aceedburn

And I got the 3k page!


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> Any recommendation of which of my current inventory I should listen to? Focal, Sony? How may I compare it to the stock 1Z? Wondering how I can finally identify the differences of my DAPs.



All, start with the 1A and new CFW on release. As you have both 1A & 1Z you can compare directly 

Q-6


----------



## aceedburn

Queen6 said:


> On stock 1A with multi BA & DD IEM's then Planar over ear HP I literally stopped thinking of anything but the music, often repeating tracks as this _Dark Magic_ not only put one into the music it reveals so much more. The stock Sony 3.02 sound signature is undoubtedly beautifully executed, yet in comparison to the next CFW release Sony 3.02 comes across as primitive and simplistic...
> 
> This is it, it really is, coming to you all soon  What a champion MrWalkman If on stock Sony 3.02 this will blow your mind, I recommend that all who are into the CFW do exactly that; roll back to stock Sony 3.02 for a day or two, then load the new magic, you will be blown away
> 
> ...


Interesting. But we would lose all the other goodies like custom logos, dsee HX AI, battery saving, jpeg cover art etc.


----------



## 534409 (Sep 14, 2020)




----------



## Queen6

aceedburn said:


> And I got the 3k page!



Not here baby 



That said we're all on the 3K page  

Q-6


----------



## aceedburn

Queen6 said:


> Not here baby
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hahaha. Yeah it appeared differently after I reloaded.


----------



## MrLocoLuciano

aceedburn said:


> Hahaha. Yeah it appeared differently after I reloaded.


sorry I couldn't help being the chosen one


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 14, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Interesting. But we would lose all the other goodies like custom logos, dsee HX AI, battery saving, jpeg cover art etc.



Either I'm writing it wrong or your reading it wrong LOL, either ways CFW it the way to go with WM1A/Z with all the goodies 

Rolling back to stock 3.02 will reveal just how the CFW has evolved, just how far it has come. My 1A just happened to be on 3.02 then the *bomb *dropped, what a differnce and all for the better 

Q-6


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 14, 2020)

MrLocoLuciano said:


> sorry I couldn't help being the chosen one



For we are not worthy LOL, what a great place to be on the Web with a great team 

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Nayparm said:


> Just finished 😁👍
> 
> EXPm2 for WM1Z



Top workmanship, professionally executed. I can really appreciate the focus and attention to detail, meticulous as it should be. I've instructed technicians in the same skills, as for music choice absolutely approved  An album and then some...

Q-6


----------



## Gamerlingual

Queen6 said:


> Top workmanship, professionally executed. I can really appreciate the focus and attention to detail, meticulous as it should be. I've instructed technicians in the same skills, as for music choice absolutely approved  An album and then some...
> 
> Q-6


This is your 1Z persoanlly modded?


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> This is your 1Z persoanlly modded?



Nope just an example of Nayparm's excellent work....

I did plan to pick up a used 1A to mod, however COVID and all...

Q-6


----------



## 534409 (Sep 14, 2020)

Really nice work. And after Brexit add some fees and taxes to the price.
PS. Can someone explain CFW term? California Fried Wings?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Queen6 said:


> Nope just an example of Nayparm's excellent work....
> 
> I did plan to pick up a used 1A to mod, however COVID and all...
> 
> Q-6


I'm all the way out in Japan, so modding might be impossible for me to do.


----------



## Layman1

Dramba said:


> Really nice work. And after Brexit add some fees and taxes to the price.
> PS. Can someone explain CFW term? California Fried Wings?



Custom FirmWare. Although I feel hungry now


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 14, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> I'm all the way out in Japan, so modding might be impossible for me to do.



You can either learn yourself or the closest reputable is Hong Kong. Another option is to have a plan and instruction from a good mod, then have your local phone repair guy have a look as that's also an option for some.

Overall you need to know what you want or the results may not be to your satisfaction, as at this level everything makes a differnce to the DAP's sound signature.

Q-6


----------



## Gamerlingual

Queen6 said:


> You can either learn yourself or the closest reputable is Hong Kong...
> 
> Q-6


I'm not gonna mess with my expensive DAPs, myself. I don't trust myself especially for their prices


----------



## 534409

Layman1 said:


> Custom FirmWare. Although I feel hungry now


As I suspected. Ha, there is California Chicken Wings company! I didn't know.


----------



## gerelmx1986

If I  have  wm1A/z+ currently installed,  must I revert to stock and put the stock 3.02 sony official FW back? Before the new FW update


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> I'm not gonna mess with my expensive DAPs, myself. I don't trust myself especially for their prices



True, you dont. Start with a $5 radio, removing and adding components. Soldering is just a skill that many can master. The real challenge is in the choice of components & cabling. There has never been a better time to learn such skills thx to the internet, all that's required is patience and a little perseverance. 

Q-6


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 14, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> If I  have  wm1A/z+ currently installed,  must I revert to stock and put the stock 3.02 sony official FW back? Before the new FW update



Nope.

I'm pretty sure he was telling you to install the stock firmware before the releasing of the improved sound for the 1A, so you can remember how the stock sound was and then see how the custom firmware evolved that sound or something.


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 14, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Nope.
> 
> I'm pretty sure he was telling you to install the stock firmware before the releasing of the improved sound for the 1A, so you can remember how the stock sound was and then see how the custom firmware evolved that sound or something.



Exactly as this will exemplify just how far the CFW has grown from the origin as the difference is now indeed significant...

Q-6


----------



## KurobaHeiji

Want to try this and see how this improve the sound.


----------



## gerelmx1986

KurobaHeiji said:


> Want to try this and see how this improve the sound.


I think, that won't work as when both plugs are connected, balanced takes priority. The 3.5 SE is shut down. No sound comes fom 3.5


----------



## KurobaHeiji

gerelmx1986 said:


> I think, that won't work as when both plugs are connected, balanced takes priority. The 3.5 SE is shut down. No sound comes fom 3.5


Yep, the 3.5 just act like the grounding.


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> This is your 1Z persoanlly modded?



It’s mine


----------



## Nayparm

KurobaHeiji said:


> Want to try this and see how this improve the sound.



I don't have any cables with outer shielding to test but didn't Sony decide not to connect ground due to added noise. There is provision on the board that they chose not to connect, nothing complicated. I bet that adapter costs a small fortune 🤔😂


----------



## KurobaHeiji

Nayparm said:


> I don't have any cables with outer shielding to test but didn't Sony decide not to connect ground due to added noise. There is provision on the board that they chose not to connect, nothing complicated. I bet that adapter costs a small fortune 🤔😂


The adapter will be listed 13,200 Japanese Yen. Which around 125 USD.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Nayparm said:


> Sony decide not to connect ground due to added noise.



I wouldn’t do this mod chances are you would get DC offset issues or worse a power surge would permanently damage your headphones or your ears!


----------



## gsiu33

Facta said:


> I needn't tell you how increasingly invasive the world around is becoming. Not just the authorities. When one wishes to remain untraceable, one needs to purchase only those devices that can't be tracked. Especially those in media and journalism and even those normal folks who might turn whistleblowers for the good of all. Surely good audiophile devices aren't only for those who lead normal lives?  One can discard a dozen phones a year while on the run but one needs to be super rich to discard a high-end DAP every 6 months. Hence the search for a private DAP but of at least 1A/1Z league.


even they can trace the DAP, how do they know who own it.


----------



## Nayparm

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> I wouldn’t do this mod chances are you would get DC offset issues or worse a power surge would permanently damage your headphones or your ears!



With a shielded cable all this would do would extend chasis ground from the WM1 around the 4 headphone signal cables up to the headphone but not connect to anything at the headphone end. It's just chasis ground around your shielded headphone cable.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 14, 2020)

Nayparm said:


> With a shielded cable all this would do would extend chasis ground from the WM1 around the 4 headphone signal cables up to the headphone but not connect to anything at the headphone end. It's just chasis ground around your shielded headphone cable.



It’s not a question of whether or not it can be done. The circuit IC is configured in a certain way. It’s not a breadboard where you conduct experiments on and “see what happens). Also there is a chance of bricking the DAC. There’s a plethora of things that can go wrong but I guess if it’s your R & D money and player at stake, go for it!

An even more fundamental question is what do you gain from putting these outputs in?? Do you even know??


----------



## Dtuck90

Does the next mod have an impact on battery life?


----------



## MrWalkman

Dtuck90 said:


> Does the next mod have an impact on battery life?



It shouldn't, but it remains to be seen.


----------



## Nayparm (Sep 14, 2020)

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> It’s not a question of whether or not it can be done. The circuit IC is configured in a certain way. It’s not a breadboard where you conduct experiments on and “see what happens). Also there is a chance of bricking the DAC. There’s a plethora of things that can go wrong but I guess if it’s your R & D money and player at stake, go for it!
> 
> and more of a fundamental question what you gain from putting these outputs in?? Do even know??



Lol 😂 I didn't propose doing it but your commenting on the least risky mod ever of adding ground to the pentaconn but miss the the mod to right of a removed relay, dremmel cut circuit board and large power cap.



And I beg to differ, I take it you haven't got to the WM1A/Z Mods thread started by @Whitigir its been nothing but a breadboard of experiments.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/post-15859823


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Nayparm said:


> And I beg to differ, I take it you haven't got to the WM1A/Z Mods thread started by @Whitigir its been nothing but a breadboard of experiments.



Then maybe you should present your mod suggestions there for feedback for such experimentation.


----------



## MrWalkman

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Then maybe you should present your mod suggestions there for feedback for such experimentation.



He already mentioned them, and everyone is free to experiment for themselves based on those ideas


----------



## Jotaro

🤔


----------



## Queen6

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> The WM1Z still have internal nand storage, which it also has to do wear leveling and etc. Thus we talked about not storing files to the brim for computer systems also applies to walkman or your music storage computer.
> 
> If you wish to set a fix rule that we can only talk strictly about WM1A/Z. Do make sure you do this off topic flagging for anyone here who briefly goes off topic. This is my last post in this thread. Goodbye all.






Calm down and chillout, time to dial it down a touch. We get that SDcard's can make a difference. Don't be a loss to the community, we're all guilty of the same at times, just as IRL your best friends will set you straight. Personally I fully encourage diversity within the thread as that's why we're passing 3K pages, I've been party to PM's on WM1A/Z that surpass some other DAP threads by a wide margin LOL.

Your very welcome and you should post here, the rest is down to you...

Q-6


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

MrWalkman said:


> He already mentioned them, and everyone is free to experiment for themselves based on those ideas



Fair enough. Lol.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Queen6 said:


> we're all guilty of the same at times



I, for one, am NEVER wrong so I have no idea what you are talking about it   

(Btw: ”Oh, the Horror!” Love the pic.)

This thread is great. I was on a 13 hrs hiatus and had to go back and read last nights drama to catch up. The competition to get first or your commmet on the 3,000 page was so immature and yet I'm jealous that I wasn't on it! Haha 

It’s important not to take things to heart but definitely have a go. I think the thread self-regulates itself well. Some of the argument/comebacks are really, really entertaining. Sometimes it's individuals and other times its ”teams ”; its great. Apparently the SD card drama is never going to go away. It’s here to stay and  I love it!


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 14, 2020)

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> I, for one, am NEVER wrong so I have no idea what you are talking about it



Not you dude, person in question knows what to do 

Edit: LOL dumb as post I got you Bro   

Q-6


----------



## Duncan

aceedburn said:


> The new updated mod is only for the WM1A. It makes it sound amazingly closer than ever before to the 1Z. I’ve been using it for 3 days now. It’s mind blowing. Really. But there might be some Easter eggs for both 1A and 1Z users from what I know. Keep your fingers crossed!


Even though @MrWalkman liked this post and as curator / creator will be far more insightful than me, I’m not sure I fully agree... a 1Z on Chameleon could well be set to be a stock sounding 1A could it not?


----------



## Queen6

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> I, for one, am NEVER wrong so I have no idea what you are talking about it
> 
> (Btw: ”Oh, the Horror!” Love the pic.)
> 
> ...



Way better than any TV channel   

Q-6


----------



## MrWalkman

Duncan said:


> a 1Z on Chameleon could well be set to be a stock sounding 1A could it not?



Yes, but I'm not sure if basically downgrading the 1Z sound to the 1A less-soundstage sound, just to make it sound as much as a 1A as possible, is a good idea.

This is why this update is only for 1A. The 1Z already has this nicer sound.


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 14, 2020)

Well just in case

Will move you, more so in the very near future all thx to CFW...1A to 1Z 99% and rapidly closing   

Q-6


----------



## Duncan

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, but I'm not sure if basically downgrading the 1Z sound to the 1A less-soundstage sound, just to make it sound as much as a 1A as possible, is a good idea.
> 
> This is why this update is only for 1A. The 1Z already has this nicer sound.


That is true lol

I will rephrase myself, your new upcoming mega update allows you to have the best of both worlds


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 14, 2020)

Duncan said:


> That is true lol
> 
> I will rephrase myself, your new upcoming mega update allows you to have the best of both worlds



And then some, I find myself totally inside the music, there are moments that are simply jaw dropping....

Q-6


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Queen6 said:


> Well just in case
> 
> Will move you, more so in the very near future all thx to CFW...1A to 1Z 99% and rapidly closing
> 
> Q-6


I have mod 1Z and Romi 1Z mod and I feel jelly haha 😂
Seems like an excellent upgrade; congrats to 1A owners. Unless I’m too early to say that.

if only someone would upgrade 1Z fw too
( twiddle thumbs)


----------



## MrWalkman

hamhamhamsta said:


> I have mod 1Z and Romi 1Z mod and I feel jelly haha 😂
> Seems like an excellent upgrade; congrats to 1A owners. Unless I’m too early to say that.
> 
> if only someone would upgrade 1Z fw too
> ( twiddle thumbs)



1Z owners basically already have the upgrade


----------



## Lookout57

This new update from MrWalkman brings the 1A very very close to a stock 1Z. I can vouch for that as I was a beta tester and compared it on my 1A to my 1Z.

If you want to improve the 1Z try WM1AZ+ firmware. I haven't tried that yet as I'm happy with my 1Z and very happy now that my 1A sounds close to the 1Z without all the weight.

Some day I'll try WM1AZ+ on my 1Z to see if I like the changes or if I prefer the stock sound.


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 14, 2020)

44.1KHz/24 Bit




Memento Mori - the accuracy, the detail, the staging, the power, the performance WM1A has never sounded better, thx to CFW...

I can literally discern the breath of the vocalist, the slide of the pick on the stings, the attack and decay. As the track takes off, it simply explodes yet all remains to be coherent and beautifully controlled. This is WM1A on CFW, it's visceral, powerful, emotive & personal. It will move you...

Q-6


----------



## firemess

Lookout57 said:


> This new update from MrWalkman brings the 1A very very close to a stock 1Z. I can vouch for that as I was a beta tester and compared it on my 1A to my 1Z.
> 
> If you want to improve the 1Z try WM1AZ+ firmware. I haven't tried that yet as I'm happy with my 1Z and very happy now that my 1A sounds close to the 1Z without all the weight.
> 
> Some day I'll try WM1AZ+ on my 1Z to see if I like the changes or if I prefer the stock sound.


Maybe I missed something : is there a new firmware available ? Is it official one or from Mr Walkman? Sorry for the stupid question but I am a little bit lost


----------



## nc8000

firemess said:


> Maybe I missed something : is there a new firmware available ? Is it official one or from Mr Walkman? Sorry for the stupid question but I am a little bit lost



Soon to be from MrW


----------



## firemess

Hmm that sounds great !


----------



## Ryokan (Sep 15, 2020)

.


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 14, 2020)

Nah more like



You will be blown away...

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Never sounded so good



Layering & presence of the bass is exceptional, nothing overlaps. Tremendous Doom Metal vibe, all thx to CFW courtesy of MrWalkman.

Q-6


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Sep 14, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> This new update from MrWalkman brings the 1A very very close to a stock 1Z.


Very interesting, looking forward to it. 

And I thought that Z+ and Z Switch had already made 1A a sort of a "digital copy" of 1Z
so it's impossible to get closer to a stock 1Z as the rest of the SS difference is due to hardware (wiring, caps).


----------



## MrWalkman

Mystic Traveller said:


> Very interesting, looking forward to it.
> 
> And I thought that Z+ and Z Switch had already made 1A a sort of a "digital copy" of 1Z
> so it's impossible to get closer to a stock 1Z as the rest of the SS difference is due to hardware (wiring, caps).



I was thinking the same, but I didn't fully believe that the increased soundstage, for example, is just the product of slightly different capacitors, resistors, and wires.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> I was thinking the same, but I didn't fully believe that the increased soundstage, for example, is just the product of slightly different capacitors, resistors, and wires.


How long more is the wait?


----------



## MrWalkman

Gamerlingual said:


> How long more is the wait?



A virtue patience is, little padawan.





Yoda sleep also must.


----------



## feverfive

All the @MrWalkman stans waiting for updates be like:


----------



## MrWalkman

feverfive said:


> All the @MrWalkman stans waiting for updates be like:



Ha, I literally laughed at this GIF 🤣


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> Ha, I literally laughed at this GIF 🤣


Doesn't hurt to ask. Sleep tight.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 14, 2020)

Welcome to 1A/1Z cult, where everything is land of smiles and sunshine! 😂


----------



## Facta

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Facta  Only walkman WM1 Successor or also MDR-Z1R Mak 2 (I doubt but not impossible)



The only piece of info I received and from the source I consider reliable enough for me to share with you is about the 1A and/or 1Z successor in early 2021. Can't speculate on anything else, sorry.


----------



## SebaE2012

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> @Queen6
> Thanks for your recommendations. I don’t think I will be joining the WM1 users as I am saving up for the next Sony flagship in 2021.
> 
> which I think should be priced around the WM1Z current price?


I just hope the repeat the scheme where they cover a more reasonable price range (whatever that means) with a successor to the 1A and don't just go for one over-the-top DAP, a la 1Z, which is a dream but a very expensive one.


----------



## SebaE2012

Blueoris said:


> For me it depends on how they do it. I won't mind to have an Android mode added to the next WM1 in a similar way iBasso does it, where you need to restart the player to swap between a "pure mode" and an "Android mode", so the active mode "won't know" about the existence of another mode - and Sony could go further and disable any Wi-FI associated hardware while booting in the non-Android mode.


Yeah, I agree that might be an acceptable compromise. I would buy it too. But there's something about the proprietary OS that makes it a very unique experience (and a snappier one, too). At the expense, of course M, of not having streaming options that don't depend upon another device.


----------



## Mindstorms

MrWalkman said:


> A virtue patience is, little padawan.
> 
> 
> 
> Yoda sleep also must.


Afraid are you? The force is strong in Mr. Walkman but also he was tempted by teh dark side and he never gave in haha


----------



## 534409

Mr Walkman...


----------



## Gamerlingual

Welp, for the time being, testing to see how “portable and easy to listen” the 1Z is with the MDR-Z1R. Corny? Most likely. Getting a few weird looks with them big cans in my ears. Duh


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Welp, for the time being, testing to see how “portable and easy to listen” the 1Z is with the MDR-Z1R. Corny? Most likely. Getting a few weird looks with them big cans in my ears. Duh


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


>


Yup, it looks like I got her hair! Hah!


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Hinomotocho

Redcarmoose said:


>


Is that a WM1Z or the gold C3PO edition of the WM1A? Does it pair well with the Princess Leia headphones? 

Jokes aside, have you got it out ready to compare with the WM1A when that new firmware is released?
I'll be interested to hear what your impressions are compared to the previous firmwares. 
I've never tried a WM1Z and because of cost and weight I have no desire to own one, but with the firmwares raising the level of the WM1A and people likening it to some of the sound qualities of a 1Z is a good thing for us WM1A owners.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 15, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> Is that a WM1Z or the gold C3PO edition of the WM1A? Does it pair well with the Princess Leia headphones?
> 
> Jokes aside, have you got it out ready to compare with the WM1A when that new firmware is released?
> I'll be interested to hear what your impressions are compared to the previous firmwares.
> I've never tried a WM1Z and because of cost and weight I have no desire to own one, but with the firmwares raising the level of the WM1A and people likening it to some of the sound qualities of a 1Z is a good thing for us WM1A owners.



The new firmware will be something to be excited about! Cheers!

I’m back using the 1Z with 1A/1Z+ in “J” region.............on model 1Z. The 1A has never been better in our history! Great time to have these DAPs!


----------



## nc8000 (Sep 15, 2020)

Back from @Nayparm. Listening now and WOW. Everything has been tightened up, great transients, amazing bass slam and definition, lovely vocals. Would have loved to be able to do a propper A/B comparison with the before unit as my audio memory is not that great, especially with a 2 week gap, but that was obviously not possible. And it should get even better with burn in when the new big caps settle, atm. they only have about 20 hours on them.


----------



## Hinomotocho

nc8000 said:


> Back from @Nayparm. Listening now and WOW. Everything has been tightened up, great transients, amazing bass slam and definition, lovely vocals. Would have loved to be able to do a propper A/B comparison with the before unit as my audio memory is not that great, especially with a 2 week gap, but that was obviously not possible


Is there a burn in factor for these mods? Even more improvements to come?


----------



## Jotaro

nc8000 said:


> Back from @Nayparm. Listening now and WOW. Everything has been tightened up, great transients, amazing bass slam and definition, lovely vocals. Would have loved to be able to do a propper A/B comparison with the before unit as my audio memory is not that great, especially with a 2 week gap, but that was obviously not possible


How is the new weight?


----------



## nc8000

Hinomotocho said:


> Is there a burn in factor for these mods? Even more improvements to come?



Yes there is burn in. Atm. they are at 20 hours but should improve with more burn in


----------



## nc8000

Jotaro said:


> How is the new weight?



Probably a bit heavier but it was already so heavy that I don’t really notice it and at any rate I only use it stationary


----------



## SebaE2012

Redcarmoose said:


> At times 1A/1Z+ just adds such a closeness with the music. Like the firmware/hardware combo is completely introducing the recording goal with relaying the detail, thus achieving the tone and character. But not just only that, but soundstage has placement by being completely correct and perfectly arranged?
> 
> The opening song on this 2011 LP  “A Shot In The Dark” comes out a great example. Using J on the 1Z the complete mix is almost something magic. The bass sits in the pocket yet allows a rhythm to bounce with both cymbals and hi-hats making their way out in the mix at such precision. The accents on the down beat.........amazing!
> 
> ...



Great album, by the way. A very nice collection of songs in the style, very catchy. I definitely have to give it a try on the WM1A... I have it on CD, so it's also a good opportunity to experiment with DSEE in its different variants (both in the standard version and in the AI version brought to the table by @MrWalkman's firmwares).


----------



## SebaE2012

gerelmx1986 said:


> For  the new Walkman successor, muar save in secret, as if my husband sees my purpose of saving up he will kill me. Haha, the package cannot go unnoticed tho, unless I open the walkman and throw the packaging in the communal trash bins lol


Well, that's what you should do.


----------



## Redcarmoose

SebaE2012 said:


> Great album, by the way. A very nice collection of songs in the style, very catchy. I definitely have to give it a try on the WM1A... I have it on CD, so it's also a good opportunity to experiment with DSEE in its different variants (both in the standard version and in the AI version brought to the table by @MrWalkman's firmwares).


These are my favorite bands now:
After Forever, Blind Guardian, Nightwish, Edguy, Avantasia, Kamelot, Rhapsody of Fire, Alestorm, Stratovarius, Primal Fear, Theatre Of Tragedy, Hammerfall, Demons & Wizards, Firewind, Epica, Falconer, Diabulus in Musica, Edenbridge, Therion, Visions Of Atlantis, Xandria, Eluveitie, Within Temptation and...................Tristania. 

But yes, that album will get arrows shot at it for being too commercial, but it was my introduction to them, so? Her voice is amazing to me. Glad you like it! To me the recording is flawless? IMO


----------



## gsiu33

Diet Kokaine said:


> It's not the music files they are hacking, It's location/patterns of movement  they are tracking.
> Algorithms that look at your meta data, can build profiles on you that know more about you than you know about yourself.
> The US government carries out Drone attacks in foreign countries based on nothing but meta data.    Let that sink in for a bit....
> Psychological profiles are built to the point that they can reliably predict every response you will make to any given situation.
> ...


In this case you probably not to use smart phone as the apps take more profile about you.


----------



## Lookout57

Redcarmoose said:


> These are my favorite bands now:
> After Forever, Blind Guardian, Nightwish, Edguy, Avantasia, Kamelot, Rhapsody of Fire, Alestorm, Stratovarius, Primal Fear, Theatre Of Tragedy, Hammerfall, Demons & Wizards, Firewind, Epica, Falconer, Diabulus in Musica, Edenbridge, Therion, Visions Of Atlantis, Xandria, Eluveitie, Within Temptation and...................Tristania.
> 
> But yes, that album will get arrows shot at it for being too commercial, but it was my introduction to them, so? Her voice is amazing to me. Glad you like it! To me the recording is flawless? IMO


I've never heard of any of these bands.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 15, 2020)

Lookout57 said:


> I've never heard of any of these bands.



It’s pretty much European, but still some bands are very commercial. Much of this I knew about but avoided for 20 years, so it’s nice to finally learn about it. Some great female front singers, also a lot of symphonic elements almost like OSTs? Though, I’m not sure what to recommend?

Cheers!


----------



## Jotaro

Redcarmoose said:


> It’s pretty much European, but still some bands are very commercial. Much of this I knew about but avoided for 20 years, so it’s nice to finally learn about it. Some great female front singers, also a lot of symphonic elements almost like OSTs? Though, I’m not sure what to recommend?
> 
> Cheers!



Thought those were Pokémons  until I saw whiting temptation..


----------



## Jotaro

SebaE2012 said:


> Well, that's what you should do.


In my case with my wife I have to sacrifice something of same value...


----------



## gerelmx1986

Waiting  for mrW FW


----------



## gsiu33

Redcarmoose said:


> https://majorhifi.com/astell-kern-announce-kann-alpha/
> 
> 
> That IS amazing.


Yes, but 15 hours of playback for red book FLAC is still far behind 1Z as half of my collection are hi-res FLAC and DSD.


----------



## 534409

Exactly. Also as I remember all A&K player are overheating fast. Not as fast as iBasso 220, but pretty fast.


----------



## Jotaro

Me now Waiting for Señor Walkman....Quite excited!!


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## gsiu33

Dramba said:


> Exactly. Also as I remember all A&K player are overheating fast. Not as fast as iBasso 220, but pretty fast.


Yes, I had AK240 before using WM1Z. It has 3250 mAh battery, the play time is less than 5 hours (around 40% hi-res/DSD). It is very hot when playing DSD music.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Jotaro said:


> In my case with my wife I have to sacrifice something of same value...


Marriage?


----------



## 534409

gerelmx1986 said:


>


Wunschliste?


----------



## gerelmx1986

Dramba said:


> Wunschliste?


Savings have started


----------



## Jotaro (Sep 15, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Marriage?


Haha A child!! I don't have more pets..


----------



## NickL33 (Sep 15, 2020)




----------



## Gamerlingual

Jotaro said:


> Haha A child!! I don't have more pets..


Hah. I got my corgi 5 months ago. I wouldn’t sacrifice her. Too beautiful and cuddly to get a 1Z M2!


----------



## Jotaro

Gamerlingual said:


> Hah. I got my corgi 5 months ago. I wouldn’t sacrifice her. Too beautiful and cuddly to get a 1Z M2!


Just kidding, I just sell other equipment and good to go...she just get mad if I have so many of the same.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Jotaro said:


> Just kidding, I just sell other equipment and good to go...she just get mad if I have so many of the same.


Sometimes I think my 1A and 1Z are redundant. Meh. I think they both sound awesome, so I’m happy with both.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> Hah. I got my corgi 5 months ago. I wouldn’t sacrifice her. Too beautiful and cuddly to get a 1Z M2!



My pet rats.


----------



## Mystic Traveller




----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> My pet rats.


What are the names of those rodents?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gamerlingual said:


> What are the names of those rodents?



Pretty sure these posts will be removed, as a big derailment. 

Brown one is Coco. White one is Nana. Nana is mine, Coco my Wife’s little rat.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Pretty sure these posts will be removed, as a big derailment.
> 
> Brown one is Coco. White one is Nana. Nana is mine, Coco my Wife’s little rat.


Do like I do, listen to your 1A while using the Z7 while walking them. It’s helped my add the hours I need to hit 200. Any way to multitask to hit that 200 mark before I do the FW swap again. I use the Z7M2 and they do a pretty good job of isolating noise.

That is another comment I can make: while listening to the 1A with the Z7M2 and the MDR-Z1R, the Z7M2 does a better job of isolating noise. So I would recommend those as excellent closed backs to take on the go with the 1A. The MDR-1AM2 can also do a great job and are easy to take, but the Z7M2 was more portable than expected


----------



## minzink

Dramba said:


> Wunschliste?


I am not sure, if I would be in for a WM1A successor..  if so, then only for an uncapped device. But I am afraid that EU volume limitation will ruin it.....Before purchasing the WM1A I tested the ZX507. But I was not impressed so much and the capped volume was too low even with my not very powerhungry headphones.... I am quite happy with my 1A. This, together with my MDR 1 AM is my personal endgame


----------



## gsiu33

newworld666 said:


> No.... no spdif or even line out with WM1 serie.
> There are just the 3.5mm or 4.4mm can be used (set them in low gain) for analog amp..


You need two cables. Sony WMC-NWH10 connect to NW1A/Z, then a USB A to micro usb to connect to Hugo 2.


----------



## newworld666

gsiu33 said:


> You need two cables. Sony WMC-NWH10 connect to NW1A/Z, then a USB A to micro usb to connect to Hugo 2.



Thank you .. I use the BCR-NWH10 dock station which should be as good as the WMC-NWH10 because power supply to the NW1A is provided with the dock .. 
two days ago, I could finally get something out of the WM1A with the Hiby H6Pro as DAC,
But same conf do not feed the Fiio M11, Xduoo XD-05+, SMSL M500. I imagine probably something concerning the cables I tried from the dock to the dac.


----------



## MrWalkman

Sorry to keep you waiting guys, it's still work in progress. It's on its way for sure, though.


----------



## 534409

No problemo, we'll wait until you polish more


----------



## ttt123

Mystic Traveller said:


>


The portable battery pack is the black box on the bottom.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Having an ODC moment and wanting to know what brand MELF resistors the WM1A uses and what larger Fine Sound Resistors brand are used in the WM1Z??

Thanks!


----------



## ze3e13

MrWalkman said:


> Sorry to keep you waiting guys, it's still work in progress. It's on its way for sure, though.


Is it still possible let ZX300 install WM1 firmware?


----------



## MrWalkman

ze3e13 said:


> Is it still possible let ZX300 install WM1 firmware?



Well, as I said, the touchscreen does not work, so nope.

As soon as there would be an update, I will let you guys know.


----------



## nc8000 (Sep 15, 2020)




----------



## Hinomotocho (Sep 15, 2020)

minzink said:


> I am not sure, if I would be in for a WM1A successor..  if so, then only for an uncapped device. But I am afraid that EU volume limitation will ruin it.....Before purchasing the WM1A I tested the ZX507. But I was not impressed so much and the capped volume was too low even with my not very powerhungry headphones.... I am quite happy with my 1A. This, together with my MDR 1 AM is my personal endgame


That volume cap is an odd concept.
You can deafen yourself plenty of other ways but for personal listening devices they chose to 'cap' them. Was there an abnormally high amount of people with tinnitus in Europe that sparked this? Do they 'cap' the amount of sugar in foods that can cause diabetes, or level of alcohol in beverages that may cause liver damage, or put a speed limiter on cars or 'cap' the autobahn and other ways that people can poentially do damage to themselves?
I appreciate that sometimes things are done for our own good but when that can interfere with your listening experience and can't use certain headphones it seems a bit intrusive.


----------



## AlexCBSN

Redcarmoose said:


> My pet rats.






the real owners of all my income. Priorities are: dog food, dog toys, dog baths... then we can talk about any extra expenses...


----------



## AlexCBSN

MrWalkman said:


> Well, as I said, the touchscreen does not work, so nope.
> 
> As soon as there would be an update, I will let you guys know.


I know you are busy with the new wm1a fw, but wanted to ask. Will any of that love will be available for the other 3 platforms? (Zx300, nw45, nw30) sorry if the question is absurd by it self


----------



## Lookout57

AlexCBSN said:


> I know you are busy with the new wm1a fw, but wanted to ask. Will any of that love will be available for the other 3 platforms? (Zx300, nw45, nw30) sorry if the question is absurd by it self


I'm pretty sure he said the new magic will only be for the WM1A.


----------



## RONJA MESCO (Sep 16, 2020)

quick question...has anyone had the WM1a/Z + tuning and switched back to the original sound? For some reason I'm really beginning to wonder if the tuning was better than the original sound. I may hafta find out this weekend or wait for this new tuning I hear that Mr. Dub (W) is coming out with, no?


----------



## aceedburn

RONJA MESCO said:


> quick question...has anyone had the WM1a/Z + tuning and switched back to the original sound? Btw... so I hear that there is another update coming???


Yes I have switched back and forth from original stock 3.02 to WM1A/z and chameleon and I like chameleon best. And chameleon works best with the new update that’s coming out real soon as it’s the closest to the stock 1Z sound you can get. I’ve been using it for the past 4-5 days and it’s amazingly surreal. The soundstage, the deep bass and the overall nuances. Takes the 1A to a whole new level. Not subtle. Very much significant and absolutely blissful. Wait for it!


----------



## minzink

RONJA MESCO said:


> quick question...has anyone had the WM1a/Z + tuning and switched back to the original sound? For some reason I'm really beginning to wonder if the tuning was better than the original sound. I may hafta find out this weekend or wait for this new tuning I hear that Mr. Dub (W) is coming out with, no?


me too. I thought, my WM1A was running on WM1AZ+...but then I detected that it was on chameleon running as 1Z.... I experimented half a day and finaly I switched back to 1Z on chameleon.  indeed  very deep bass and a holistic soundstage.  I am quite happy with that... 

will new FW be a further improvement???


----------



## RONJA MESCO (Sep 16, 2020)

aceedburn said:


> Yes I have switched back and forth from original stock 3.02 to WM1A/z and chameleon and I like chameleon best. And chameleon works best with the new update that’s coming out real soon as it’s the closest to the stock 1Z sound you can get. I’ve been using it for the past 4-5 days and it’s amazingly surreal. The soundstage, the deep bass and the overall nuances. Takes the 1A to a whole new level. Not subtle. Very much significant and absolutely blissful. Wait for it!


Thanks for this you guys...so lemme find Chameleon right now! I initially liked the 1A/Z+ tuning but after awhile it was just 'meh' and needed to punch things up.


----------



## aceedburn

minzink said:


> me too. I thought, my WM1A was running on WM1AZ+...but then I detected that it was on chameleon running as 1Z.... I experimented half a day and finaly I switched back to 1Z on chameleon.  indeed  very deep bass and a holistic soundstage.  I am quite happy with that...
> 
> will new FW be a further improvement???


The new update further elevates the sound. Yes indeed. It’s unbelievable. But you have to be on chameleon and switched to 1Z to get the full effect of what I’m experiencing. It’s a another level. Oh and I have only dsee hx AI and phase lineariser type B low switched on. It’s magic with this combination I described above. After the new update of course.


----------



## 524419

gsiu33 said:


> In this case you probably not to use smart phone as the apps take more profile about you.


I use a dumb phone. 
Light phone 2..
I am also trying to stay off the internet as much as possible nowadays...
The news is crazy, and constant negativity that you have absolutely no control over is best avoided. 
Almost everything in the news nowadays is a total scam, nothing is what it seems, and a smart phone is your personal window into this complete madness. 
Quite a few people I know are getting off the smart phone bandwagon.


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> The new update further elevates the sound. Yes indeed. It’s unbelievable. But you have to be on chameleon and switched to 1Z to get the full effect of what I’m experiencing. It’s a another level. Oh and I have only dsee hx AI and phase lineariser type B low switched on. It’s magic with this combination I described above. After the new update of course.


Might it require extra work to have it work?


----------



## RONJA MESCO (Sep 16, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> I use a dumb phone.
> Light phone 2..
> I am also trying to stay off the internet as much as possible nowadays...
> The news is crazy, and constant negativity that you have absolutely no control over is best avoided.
> ...


Bruh...im with you on this. This is why I use daps..early on in my journey, I kept getting interrupted by updates, emails, texts etc. And I noticed on my commuter bus that everyone was doing the same crap like lemmings...thats when I made the break to separate my music from my phone for the better. I enjoy music listening on my commutes, at work and at coffeeshops alot more now.

Also just downloaded Chameleon...all I can say is wow. Its way better than 1A/1Z+..man, Im gonna hook Mr. Dub with more beer at the end of the week. This is night and day difference from the other mods.


----------



## Redcarmoose

So big on MrWalkman 1A/1Z+.


----------



## 524419

RONJA MESCO said:


> Bruh...im with you on this. This is why I use daps..early on in my journey, I kept getting interrupted by updates, emails, texts etc. And I noticed on my commuter bus that everyone was doing the same crap like lemmings...thats when I made the break to separate my music from my phone for the better. I enjoy music listening on my commutes, at work and at coffeeshops alot more now.


This is also one of the reasons why I love the 1A. It's a simple player, and you can just get lost in the music, no beeps/bops, internet connections, interruptions...and with the extended battery, it is the only player to take with you out into nature. 
40 hours on a single charge, perfect for camping.


----------



## minzink

aceedburn said:


> The new update further elevates the sound. Yes indeed. It’s unbelievable. But you have to be on chameleon and switched to 1Z to get the full effect of what I’m experiencing. It’s a another level. Oh and I have only dsee hx AI and phase lineariser type B low switched on. It’s magic with this combination I described above. After the new update of course.


ok, thanks. You really make me curious about it.  
hopefully MrWalkman will release the update soon.  ))


----------



## Duncan

aceedburn said:


> The new update further elevates the sound. Yes indeed. It’s unbelievable. But you have to be on chameleon and switched to 1Z to get the full effect of what I’m experiencing. It’s a another level. Oh and I have only dsee hx AI and phase lineariser type B low switched on. It’s magic with this combination I described above. After the new update of course.


Indeed - as well as the spatial cues being on an absolutely different level, the first thing I noticed after switching to the new version was that the tonal balance shifted too - not really sure how to describe it other than it "tightening up"...

It is undoubtedly a sideline bonus, yet another thing for me is that with the improved soundstage, detail retrieval seems to have increased.


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Might it require extra work to have it work?


Extra work? Don’t quite get what you mean mate?


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 16, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> I use a dumb phone.
> Light phone 2..
> I am also trying to stay off the internet as much as possible nowadays...
> The news is crazy, and constant negativity that you have absolutely no control over is best avoided.
> ...





RONJA MESCO said:


> Bruh...im with you on this. This is why I use daps..early on in my journey, I kept getting interrupted by updates, emails, texts etc. And I noticed on my commuter bus that everyone was doing the same crap like lemmings...thats when I made the break to separate my music from my phone for the better. I enjoy music listening on my commutes, at work and at coffeeshops alot more now.
> 
> Also just downloaded Chameleon...all I can say is wow. Its way better than 1A/1Z+..man, Im gonna hook Mr. Dub with more beer at the end of the week. This is night and day difference from the other mods.



Very much agree it's simply gone way too far and mostly driven by corporate greed. I do have an Android based DAP, equally it rarely gets used, the very last thing I want is yet another device with an OS designed first and foremost for the harvesting of personal information. WM1A/Z only presents one thing to the listener high quality music reproduction. Should Sony drop that simple premise, I will drop Sony...

A high end DAP should explicitly be about music, not data acquisition and that's what Google is all and only about... 

Q-6


----------



## Gamerlingual

aceedburn said:


> Extra work? Don’t quite get what you mean mate?


Like you install the FW, then Chameleon for it to fully work besides whatever the next steps are after Chameloen?


----------



## Queen6

aceedburn said:


> The new update further elevates the sound. Yes indeed. It’s unbelievable. But you have to be on chameleon and switched to 1Z to get the full effect of what I’m experiencing. It’s a another level. Oh and I have only dsee hx AI and phase lineariser type B low switched on. It’s magic with this combination I described above. After the new update of course.





Duncan said:


> Indeed - as well as the spatial cues being on an absolutely different level, the first thing I noticed after switching to the new version was that the tonal balance shifted too - not really sure how to describe it other than it "tightening up"...
> 
> It is undoubtedly a sideline bonus, yet another thing for me is that with the improved soundstage, detail retrieval seems to have increased.



Very impressive indeed for those who are fans of Chameleon, safe to say the new update is going to ever more popular, as the signature can and does take your breath away...

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> Like you install the FW, then Chameleon for it to fully work besides whatever the next steps are after Chameloen?



That will be clarified on the final release 

Q-6


----------



## Duncan (Sep 16, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Like you install the FW, then Chameleon for it to fully work besides whatever the next steps are after Chameloen?


 @Queen6  beat me to the punch, yes - for those of us that have tested this there has been an extra (easy) step, this will I’m absolutely sure, be integrated in the next release from @MrWalkman

even if I’m wrong / it cannot be done (which I doubt!), it’s super easy, even for us on a testing level.


----------



## aceedburn

Gamerlingual said:


> Like you install the FW, then Chameleon for it to fully work besides whatever the next steps are after Chameloen?


The new installer will have the new sounds built in to it. So all you have to do is just install that new version of chameleon when it’s released and you will have the latest and greatest. Nothing else to do.


----------



## RobertP (Sep 16, 2020)

I have beta firmware to try for 1A. Read the instruction carefully before try! >> Here
Any error or problem installing it let me know since it's still in beta.

Also for OrionV2 stage7 for 1Z. Read the instruction before install >> Here


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 16, 2020)

RobertP said:


> I have beta firmware to try for 1A. Read the instruction carefully before try! >> Here
> Any error or problem installing it let me know since it's still in beta.



Thanks, Robert.

I think it would be a good idea if we could start differentiating between SWUpdate.xml tuning mods and actual firmware mods, now that we have firmware mods available.

Also, you're again using the SWUpdate.xml "swapping" thing, which was proven that it doesn't work as you think, at all.

It's mind boggling that you're just ignoring facts (that you can check yourself) and you just continue using some method that is not working...



MrWalkman said:


> Exactly what I was thinking. The SWUpdate.xml file is loaded only at startup, and it's never loaded again afterwards.
> 
> What is the Software Update tool doing in the image?
> 
> ...




*Edit: I welcome anyone to download the Process Monitor software from Microsoft (LINK) and see for themselves that the SWUpdate.xml file is only read once, and it's not read again.

So the file is read once, then the XML is swapped by the .bat file, and then nothing else happens, no additional readings of that file. Only the content of the first XML file is used.*


----------



## RobertP

MrWalkman said:


> Thanks, Robert.
> 
> I think it would be a good idea to differentiate between SWUpdate.xml tuning mods and actual firmware mods, now that we have firmware mods available.
> 
> ...


Swap the xml file does work. I have been using this method to build and experiment on firmware for couple months now. I wouldn't keep doing it if it doesn't work.


----------



## nc8000

After return from @Nayparm my modded 1Z has now played 20 hours and only dropped one segment on the battery indicator


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 16, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Swap the xml file does work. I have been using this method to build and experiment on firmware for couple months now. I wouldn't keep doing it if it doesn't work.



How could it work when it doesn't?

It's ok if you don't want to believe me, absolutely no problem. You can just download the Process Monitor software from Microsoft, which clearly shows that the XML file is only read when you start the Software Update tool, and only then.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon

There is a difference between "I think it works" and "Here is the proof that it works" (which doesn't exist).

The Process Monitor thing is something anyone can use to check this fact. I invite everyone to use it and prove me wrong.


----------



## nc8000

RONJA MESCO said:


> Bruh...im with you on this. This is why I use daps..early on in my journey, I kept getting interrupted by updates, emails, texts etc. And I noticed on my commuter bus that everyone was doing the same crap like lemmings...thats when I made the break to separate my music from my phone for the better. I enjoy music listening on my commutes, at work and at coffeeshops alot more now.
> 
> Also just downloaded Chameleon...all I can say is wow. Its way better than 1A/1Z+..man, Im gonna hook Mr. Dub with more beer at the end of the week. This is night and day difference from the other mods.


----------



## Jotaro

Is happening....


----------



## 534409

And the price is? I don't like Sony's combos, especially in photography - they release full frame cameras and sell it with very dark lenses.
https://www.gsmarena.com/sony_launches_a7c_a_compact_1800_fullframe_camera-news-45286.php


----------



## Gamerlingual

MDR-Z1R and 1A are one of my preferred combos. Go figure


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 16, 2020)

@RobertP, regarding the instructions which are saying that you should restore to factory configuration if you used any of my firmware mods, I'm not sure on what you're basing your info on.

Installing the firmware mods is no different than installing a stock firmware. The SWUpdate.xml file is the same as in the stock firmware, and all the changes are coming from inside the firmware.

The partitions in which the firmware is stored are always read-only, so restoring to factory configuration does nothing special if you used any of these firmware mods. Installing the stock firmware will completely replace the modded firmware, and nothing is left behind or anything like that.

There are people around here who returned to the stock firmware, and they did not have any kind of issue, so maybe the issue you had previously was caused by your experimenting with countless tuning mods.

Thanks, and if any of the information provided in this post is unclear to you, feel free to let me know.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> @RobertP, regarding the instructions which are saying that you should restore to factory configuration if you used any of my firmware mods, I'm not sure on what you're basing your info on.
> 
> Installing the firmware mods is no different than installing a stock firmware. The SWUpdate.xml file is the same as in the stock firmware, and all the changes are coming from inside the firmware.
> 
> ...


I went back to stock without problems. True story.


----------



## MrWalkman

To further clarify, restoring to factory configuration will delete the contents of the internal storage partition and then recreate it, and it will also wipe the place where things like Settings and probably info about the tuning is stored.

The modified firmware is not changing the tuning that SWUpdate.xml tuning mods are changing, hence the conclusion that the issue RobertP had could most probably be from experimenting with tuning mods.


----------



## NickL33

Dramba said:


> And the price is? I don't like Sony's combos, especially in photography - they release full frame cameras and sell it with very dark lenses.
> https://www.gsmarena.com/sony_launches_a7c_a_compact_1800_fullframe_camera-news-45286.php



It is good form factor, I prob will just get it body only to adept my Leica lens... 🤔


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> I went back to stock without problems. True story.



Countless times with no issues, revert to 1A then load Stock 3.02. I'll reset device settings from time to time, equally that's due to changing regions and recommended by the Rockbox team, no BT remote versus having the feature etc.

Q-6


----------



## Redcarmoose

Using the Walkman 1Z with 1A/1Z+ in “J” region on 1Z model with high gain using the IER-Z1R. 

I actually don’t use the IER-Z1R IEMs everyday yet they are actually the most technical and honest IEM I own. I’m totally floored how great this sounds. Especially after using BA bass all week?


----------



## gearofwar

RobertP said:


> I have beta firmware to try for 1A. Read the instruction carefully before try! >> Here
> Any error or problem installing it let me know since it's still in beta.
> 
> Also for OrionV2 stage7 for 1Z. Read the instruction before install >> Here


Hi Robert, is this running on the stock installer?


----------



## RobertP

gearofwar said:


> Hi Robert, is this running on the stock installer?


Yes. With additional bat file to assist.


----------



## SebaE2012

Redcarmoose said:


> These are my favorite bands now:
> After Forever, Blind Guardian, Nightwish, Edguy, Avantasia, Kamelot, Rhapsody of Fire, Alestorm, Stratovarius, Primal Fear, Theatre Of Tragedy, Hammerfall, Demons & Wizards, Firewind, Epica, Falconer, Diabulus in Musica, Edenbridge, Therion, Visions Of Atlantis, Xandria, Eluveitie, Within Temptation and...................Tristania.
> 
> But yes, that album will get arrows shot at it for being too commercial, but it was my introduction to them, so? Her voice is amazing to me. Glad you like it! To me the recording is flawless? IMO


I see we are treating our WM1s to a similarly healthy diet of metal in its different flavors.  
I find the WM1A stock sound, even paired with IEMs, very good for high pitched vocals... It sounds very clear and airy. I've yet to try it with @MrWalkman's firmwares.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 16, 2020)

SebaE2012 said:


> I see we are treating our WM1s to a similarly healthy diet of metal in its different flavors.
> I find the WM1A stock sound, even paired with IEMs, very good for high pitched vocals... It sounds very clear and airy. I've yet to try it with @MrWalkman's firmwares.



Yes, and a person like me did explore opera (in younger years) only to find it not interesting? Yet such surprise to have it reintroduced with soprano hot metal-chicks!? And....well recorded, and...........even though not original, still good?


----------



## Lookout57

aceedburn said:


> Yes I have switched back and forth from original stock 3.02 to WM1A/z and chameleon and I like chameleon best. And chameleon works best with the new update that’s coming out real soon as it’s the closest to the stock 1Z sound you can get. I’ve been using it for the past 4-5 days and it’s amazingly surreal. The soundstage, the deep bass and the overall nuances. Takes the 1A to a whole new level. Not subtle. Very much significant and absolutely blissful. Wait for it!


I've found WM1AZ+ 3.02 and the new update on my WM1A (configured as a 1A) Region J sounds the closest to my stock WM1Z 3.02 Region J.


----------



## MrWalkman

Lookout57 said:


> I've found WM1AZ+ 3.02 and the new update on my WM1A (configured as a 1A) Region J sounds the closest to my stock WM1Z 3.02 Region J.



Working on it as we speak.


----------



## Lookout57

Lookout57 said:


> I've found WM1AZ+ 3.02 and the new update on my WM1A (configured as a 1A) Region J sounds the closest to my stock WM1Z 3.02 Region J.


FYI, This is with Direct Mode On both units listening to Hi-Res FLAC and DSD and even some CD rips.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 16, 2020)

Reading through the latest firmware drama (& loving it), here’s what I think someone needs to put a survey up and we all vote for our favorite or rank based election. Don’t get me wrong the drama is awesome and entertaining but we need a metric to judge and crown a winner. There shouldn’t be moral victories anymore. Haha

Also, I have proposal for another competition: will the thread make it to 4,000 pages before October? Who among us will be the first. We need a fun odds maker for that one. Let’s make this more entertaining and create more interest put our opinions on the line. Haha

What happens in the WM1A/Z thread stays in the WM1A/Z!


----------



## MrWalkman

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Reading through the latest firmware drama (& loving it), here’s what I think someone needs to put a survey up and we all vote for our favorite or rank based election. Don’t get me wrong the drama is awesome and entertaining but we need a metric to judge and crown a winner. There shouldn’t be moral victories anymore. Haha



The method of swapping the XML is really not working.

The thinking behind it is that the Software Update Tool will read the XML when you start it, then you swap the initial XML file with the one you actually want to have it applied to your player, and then you will proceed with the next step in the tool, and supposedly the update tool will read the (new) XML (again) and apply it instead of the initial one.

However, the process monitor clearly shows that the Software Update Tool reads the XML only when it starts up, and never again. It's hard to understand why someone would like to continue believing that it works the way they think it does, instead of fact-checking it themselves.

That's all. I didn't intend this as drama, and I personally don't think it's funny . I just think that if we can fact-check something, we should do it, instead of just believing what we want to believe.

Cheers.


----------



## Gamerlingual

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Reading through the latest firmware drama (& loving it), here’s what I think someone needs to put a survey up and we all vote for our favorite or rank based election. Don’t get me wrong the drama is awesome and entertaining but we need a metric to judge and crown a winner. There shouldn’t be moral victories anymore. Haha
> 
> Also, I have proposal for another competition: will the thread make it to 4,000 pages before October? Who among us will be the first. We need a fun odds maker for that one. Let’s make this more entertaining and create more interest put our opinions on the line. Haha
> 
> What happens in the WM1A/Z thread stays in the WM1A/Z!


Why should it be phrased as drama? It didn’t come off that way to me. It’s best just to keep it cool instead of making it something bigger that something that it’s actually not. Anyhow, waiting patiently for the next FW. Cheers to MrWalkman


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 16, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> I didn't intend this as drama



I don’t know about that.



MrWalkman said:


> don't think it's funny



In the end, it’s just a music player, we are not solving how to combat Climate Change or effective COVID-19 vaccines. In the end it’s just a hobby. You have to laugh how absurd you are taking this. If it don’t work then let others’ say so instead of being combative is all I’m saying...


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 16, 2020)

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> In the end, it’s just a music player, we are not solving how to combat Climate Change or effective COVID-19 vaccines. In the end it’s just a hobby. You have to laugh how absurd you are taking this. If it don’t work then let others’ say so instead of being combative is all I’m saying...



Why do you think I'm being combative? I'm sure nobody would have thought of checking if the update tool reads the XML file again after replacing it.

It's simple fact-checking. XML swapping doesn't work. He still chooses to believe that it works when the facts are laid out before him.

Should we just start assuming our own ideas as facts and live by this thinking? Lol...

What does a hobby have to do with claiming that something works, when it really doesn't?


----------



## Redcarmoose

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> I don’t know about that.
> 
> 
> 
> In the end, it’s just a music player, we are not solving how to combat Climate Change or effective COVID-19 vaccines. In the end it’s just a hobby. You have to laugh how absurd you are taking this. If it don’t work then let others’ say so instead of being combative is all I’m saying...




Just a music player-just a music player-just a music player-just a music.........


----------



## 534409

Eh, my cat doesn't care  She's sleeping


----------



## Jotaro




----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 16, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Just a music player-just a music player-just a music player-just a music.........



Apologies for my blasphemous comment. I was just angry and didn’t know what I was saying. 😔

That cat looks scary. Don’t wanna upset it! Haha


----------



## kiling92

While we're waiting for the new firmware i'm still playing with other wm1 regions.
after tried in these two days between region J and MX3 i made my choice.
MX3 fit better to my ears,both are amazing regions but mx3 IMHO result more defined,with more resolution and better holographic soundstage,unfortunately miss the OONF bass that region J owns.
i tried also region like CN,U,E...but despite they've (IMHO) super resolution,but they're too anemic,and the image result flat for my ears.
It would be great edited,modify the various region code and unite their strengths ,creating a definitive region mix,the cn resolution,the MX3 soundtsage,the J bass cadence,and the U detail rendering


----------



## Duncan

kiling92 said:


> While we're waiting for the new firmware i'm still playing with other wm1 regions.
> after tried in these two days between region J and MX3 i made my choice.
> MX3 fit better to my ears,both are amazing regions but mx3 IMHO result more defined,with more resolution and better holographic soundstage,unfortunately miss the OONF bass that region J owns.
> i tried also region like CN,U,E...but despite they've (IMHO) super resolution,but they're too anemic,and the image result flat for my ears.
> It would be great edited,modify the various region code and unite their strengths ,creating a definitive region mix,the cn resolution,the MX3 soundtsage,the J bass cadence,and the U detail rendering


I can say that the new (test) version increased resolution for me whilst on J region, you might just find your new perfection


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 16, 2020)

The factory setting songs!



why???? 😭


----------



## Lookout57

Because they can?


----------



## kiling92

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> The factory setting songs!
> 
> why???? 😭


This is heart breaking


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

kiling92 said:


> This is heart breaking



It gets worse, I actually played one of them now I have PTSD from it. Nightmares, sweats, you name it. Ha ha


----------



## 534409 (Sep 16, 2020)

Every company does it, Astell&Kern also. They are especially neutral, just to not offend anyone.


----------



## Queen6

Dunno, deleted all eons ago 

Q-6


----------



## Queen6

Dramba said:


> Every company does it, Astell&Kern also. They are especially neutral, jut to not offend anyone.



What, made me go...




Q-6


----------



## MrWalkman

There is actually a separate partition where these songs are stored. This is why they're always back after a factory reset, even if you deleted them before. 



kiling92 said:


> While we're waiting for the new firmware i'm still playing with other wm1 regions.



Almost done.


----------



## 534409 (Sep 16, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> What, made me go...
> Q-6


Just as Neil Young makes me crazy. Every time, when I hear this old crying man, I wanna start to howl.


----------



## kiling92

MrWalkman said:


> There is actually a separate partition where these songs are stored. This is why they're always back after a factory reset, even if you deleted them before.
> 
> 
> 
> Almost done.


I never knew what the hype was until I started waiting for your firmware 😂😂


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Dramba said:


> Just as Neil Young makes me crazy. Every time, when I hear this old crying man, I wanna start to howl.



Can't be as bad as the stock artists like ”Paddy Fahey” or ”Snowflake” 

Mmmm, I wonder if every region has different sucker/less sucker songs but in different languages and music genres??! 

(Yes, this is crap I think about. Haha)


----------



## Lookout57

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Can't be as bad as the stock artists like ”Paddy Fahey” or ”Snowflake”
> 
> Mmmm, I wonder if every region has different sucker/less sucker songs but in different languages and music genres??!
> 
> (Yes, this is crap I think about. Haha)


Nope, everyone is forced to endure the same samples.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

MrWalkman said:


> Almost done.



Any chance this firmware update will bring back the ”Language Study” Feature it’s kinda of a deal breaker for me! I MUST HAVE IT 😛


----------



## hamhamhamsta

After a while, they grow on you. Also using new FW, they should theoretically sound better 😛


----------



## SebaE2012

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, and a person like me did explore opera (in younger years) only to find it not interesting? Yet such surprise to have it reintroduced with soprano hot metal-chicks!? And....well recorded, and...........even though not original, still good?


I like female vocals in general and in hard rock and heavy metal specially. I agree, not specially original, but flawlessly executed. Gonna try it now with my Z7M2 and the WM1A.


----------



## kiling92

While waiting...


----------



## AlexCBSN

kiling92 said:


> While we're waiting for the new firmware i'm still playing with other wm1 regions.
> after tried in these two days between region J and MX3 i made my choice.
> MX3 fit better to my ears,both are amazing regions but mx3 IMHO result more defined,with more resolution and better holographic soundstage,unfortunately miss the OONF bass that region J owns.
> i tried also region like CN,U,E...but despite they've (IMHO) super resolution,but they're too anemic,and the image result flat for my ears.
> It would be great edited,modify the various region code and unite their strengths ,creating a definitive region mix,the cn resolution,the MX3 soundtsage,the J bass cadence,and the U detail rendering


Will change to mx3 when I get home, by the way today is Mexican Independence Day! First one to be “from home” 
Felt so weird...


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 27, 2020)

It's sad it has to be this way, but the mods not available anymore. If you got hold of them, enjoy them! 

Music is , forever.


----------



## Nayparm

MrWalkman said:


> Sorry for the wait guys
> 
> Hard work has been done, and it's now here.
> 
> ...



Awesome work mate 👍


----------



## MrWalkman

Nayparm said:


> Awesome work mate 👍



Thanks, but give it a listen first, and see if you like it


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Hey All! 

*Fun Fact: *Paddy Fahey was a legend in Irish music and died at 102. Sadly, it doesn’t state anywhere that he was on all regions of the Holy Grail of all music players! 

*Paddy Fahey* (or *Fahy*, 22 August 1916 – 31 May 2019) was an Irish composer and fiddler who was considered one of the finest living composers of tunes that are in the style of traditional Irish music.

He died in May 2019 at the age of 102

RIP Paddy Fahey almost made me feel bad when I deleted your song  

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paddy_Fahey


----------



## matevana (Sep 16, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> There is actually a separate partition where these songs are stored. This is why they're always back after a factory reset, even if you deleted them before.



The SD Formatting tool seems to recognize the internal memory when a Walkman is connected like a hard drive. I was tempted to try a full format on my ZX-300, and then either copy back the Sony directory structure or let the player do a quick format afterwards. According to a friend in the recording industry, he believes that random burst speed along with read (not write) speed can make an audible difference on playback.


----------



## nc8000

matevana said:


> The SD Formatting tool seems to recognize the internal memory when a Walkman is connected like a hard drive. I was tempted to try a full format on my ZX-300, and then either copy back the Sony directory structure or let the player do a quick format afterwards. According to a friend in the recording industry, he believes that random burst speed along with read (not write) speed can make an audible difference on playback.



I think I’ve read that formatting the internal memory will terminally brick the player


----------



## MrWalkman

matevana said:


> The SD Formatting tool seems to recognize the internal memory when a Walkman is connected like a hard drive. I was tempted to try a full format on my ZX-300, and then either copy back the Sony directory structure or let the player do a quick format afterwards. According to a friend in the recording industry, he believes that random burst speed along with read (not write) speed can make an audible difference on playback.





nc8000 said:


> I think I’ve read that formatting the internal memory will terminally brick the player



I can try this one of these days, and let you know if something goes wrong when formatting it.


----------



## Azanulimbar

Currently testing -actually enjoying- your new firmware MrWalkman, thank you for your contribution! Are your mods created with the J destination in mind?


----------



## Wietjunk

@MrWalkman

Thanks for the work and all the testers...


----------



## MrWalkman

tolisgtr said:


> Currently testing -actually enjoying- your new firmware MrWalkman, thank you for your contribution! Are your mods created with the J destination in mind?



They are actually region independent. Imagine a new stock firmware. On a stock firmware, you would use any region you would like, so feel free to experiment 



Wietjunk said:


> @MrWalkman
> 
> Thanks for the work and all the testers...



Thank you as well!

I hope you'll like it.


----------



## matevana

MrWalkman said:


> I can try this one of these days, and let you know if something goes wrong when formatting it.



No worries, more of a curiosity question. They seem to share the same basic file format, just perhaps a difference between a high level vs a low level formatting.


----------



## Ghostsounds (Sep 16, 2020)

Thanks Mr Walkman for your hard work again! Looking forward to trying this out when I get my 1a back) 🙏👍


----------



## ExpatinJapan (Sep 16, 2020)

He seems to have gone from this thread...but thanks to @Sonywalkmanuser  for the recommendation.
I bought three Sandisk Extreme Pro off his recommendation and am pleased.

i went from a decent (but small GB) Samsung micro sd card to Sandisk Ultra 128GB and something was missing.

Test earphones were some totl IEMs i loved and loaned out for 5 months and recently got back - after the sd card (Samsung to Sandisk ultra swap) - something was missing dynamics wise and seemed forced.
The Sandisk Extreme Pro seems to have brought me back to the previous enjoyment.

i might try the other two also for something more forgiving/warmer.

*why Micro SD cards and not internal memory?
-I like to add music using a crad reader
- i like to full reset after each firmware update on each dap

anyway thanks.




Also congrats to @MrWalkman for the new firmware. Its enough to make me think of picking up a used WM1A for an experiment / experience


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 16, 2020)

Please post the positive and not so positive reviews of this latest FW. It's always fun to hear new discoveries, new dimensions to your music and sound. Let us hear what you think about how 1Z sounds. Whether you like it or not and why. I'm seriously jelly, since rediscovering is the enjoyable & fun part of this journey.


----------



## Azanulimbar

Listening with my FIBAE 7, the most apparent change seems to be much better extension from 8k onwards. This iem is quite easy-going when it comes to treble, but now it opened up a lil bit, something which is to my liking.


----------



## MrWalkman

ExpatinJapan said:


> Also congrats to @MrWalkman for thr new firmware.



Thanks!



ExpatinJapan said:


> Its enought to make me think of picking up a used WM1A for an experiment / experience



Well, let's first see if people like it or not, of course. My personal opinion about the purchase of my WM1A is that it was money well spent, especially with these options sound-related, even though it was not an easy purchase.

10/10 would do it again


----------



## proedros (Sep 16, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Sorry for the wait guys
> 
> Hard work has been done, and it's now here.
> 
> ...



still on your 1.1 FW (i know....) , looks like it's time to catch up with the times and try this one (seeing how much positive feedback it gets)

still , great job and kudos for always trying to raise the bar even higher


----------



## MrWalkman

proedros said:


> still on your 1.1 FW (i know....) , looks like it's time to catch up with the times and try this one (seeing how much positive feedback it gets)
> 
> still , great job and kudos for always rying to raie the bear even higher



Thanks.

You have to try it, especially with those high quality vinyl rips!



proedros said:


> kudos for always rying to *raie the bear* even higher







🧸


----------



## Mindstorms

AlexCBSN said:


> Will change to mx3 when I get home, by the way today is Mexican Independence Day! First one to be “from home”
> Felt so weird...


been saying it for years lol


----------



## proedros

MrWalkman said:


> Thanks.
> 
> *You have to try it, especially with those high quality vinyl rips!*
> 
> ...



i will , i think it's time to move ahead

did you hear/like those prog house mixes ? want more ?


----------



## Lookout57

proedros said:


> still on your 1.1 FW (i know....) , looks like it's time to catch up with the times and try this one (seeing how much positive feedback it gets)
> 
> still , great job and kudos for always trying to raise the bar even higher


The changes in this over 1.1 are significant. I was one of the tester and found that what is now WM1AZ+ on my WM1A configured as a 1A was 95% of what my 1Z on stock 3.02 sounded like.


----------



## Mindstorms

Lookout57 said:


> The changes in this over 1.1 are significant. I was one of the tester and found that what is now WM1AZ+ on my WM1A configured as a 1A was 95% of what my 1Z on stock 3.02 sounded like.


wich one are you using? does it bring 1A closer to 1Z?


----------



## MrWalkman

proedros said:


> did you hear/like those prog house mixes ? want more ?



I did more experimenting than listening, but I like this genre, and from what I've managed to listen, they are awesome!

Will be more on the watch for them


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 16, 2020)

I can say confidently this new 2.00 sounds really good! specially when swiching! GREAT WORK it does not sound like previous releases! But rumbless deep and not shy staging feels very complete and Elevated BUT NOT overdoned! nor unrealistic Way to go! redcarose please try this one! It solved a common problem on 1A that it was you get staging you dont get bass you get bass you get capped staging, you get both volume feels capped lol this one has the three key package also previous 1Z transforming attempts sounded to me like a cheap EQ trick this one does NOT sound like that... all I can say its 9.9/10 so mr walkman keeps amazing us! I can confirm what Lookout is saying here


----------



## Lookout57

Mindstorms said:


> wich one are you using? does it bring 1A closer to 1Z?


I was using WM1AZ+ on my WM1A Region J configured as a 1A. Here is what I told MrWalkman when I was switching back and forth between the 1A and my 1Z:

"Where the 1Z still beats it in that the sound is fuller and warmer. The 1A now has comparable deep bass and soundstage. It's just not as full or warmer and a touch brighter. "


----------



## captblaze

Chameleon in 1Z mode through a set of Moondrop S8 and @MrWalkman has (pun intended) put me Close To The Edge.

Awesome work once again


----------



## Nayparm

Listening now and really like what I hear, great low end 👍, using chameleon in 1z mode on a 1a.

Totally unscientific test by me as i'm using 3.5mm out on a 90% complete Kaisei mod 😂


----------



## Hinomotocho (Sep 16, 2020)

@MrWalkman Are you tuning the sound by adjusting values eg 1-100? Are the sound changes to the firmwares measurable? Is it possible to create like a spider graph or even a simple percentage value to show the differences, or your perception of the differences between the stock (J) and your various firmwares for bass, treble, soundstage etc? Or like a graphic equaliser?
Obviously everyone's experience will differ with many variables but I was interested to see a visual representation of the firmwares if is was possible?

Thanks for your efforts


----------



## MrWalkman

Hinomotocho said:


> @MrWalkman Are you tuning the sound by adjusting values eg 1-100? Are the sound changes to the firmwares measurable? Is it possible to create like a spider graph or even a simple percentage value to show the differences, or your perception of the differences between the stock (J) and your various firmwares for bass, treble, soundstage etc? Or like a graphic equaliser?
> Obviously everyone's experience will differ with many variables but I was interested to see a visual representation of the firmwares if is was possible?
> 
> Thanks for your efforts



While I get the curiosity, I can't get into these details unfortunately.

The changes should be measurable, though I can't tell for sure, of course. The changes are not that subtle as with trying tuning mods, and I'm being impartial.


----------



## Hinomotocho

MrWalkman said:


> While I get the curiosity, I can't get into these details unfortunately.
> 
> The changes should be measurable, though I can't tell for sure, of course. The changes are not that subtle as with trying tuning mods, and I'm being impartial.


I don't have a mind to understand those details, I'll leave the inner workings of it all to you, I'm genuinely only hoping to see some kind of visual comparison. There are so many different things to listen out for with firmwares with different recordings of tracks or albums that it sometimes gets overwhelming to compare every aspect, that's were mind mind would appreciate something visual.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Nayparm said:


> Listening now and really like what I hear, great low end 👍, using chameleon in 1z mode on a 1a.
> 
> Totally unscientific test by me as i'm using 3.5mm out on a 90% complete Kaisei mod 😂


NayParm, get a good 4.4mm cable dude. At least, listen to your own work in all its gloriousness, for goodness sake 😂


----------



## terminaut

Just listened to some test tracks and wow, tonally the 1A with Chameleon FW is very hard to distinguish from the 1Z at this point. If I'm being super picky in A/B-ing, the organic warmth that I love about the 1Z is now there in the 1A... except it feels like there might be a very slight difference in decay - as if the 1Z is presenting at a higher bit-depth. It could be cognitive bias though as I'm not blinding myself to test. 

Regardless, amazing work in advancing the 1A's "high fidelity", @MrWalkman.


----------



## Duncan

terminaut said:


> Just listened to some test tracks and wow, tonally the 1A with Chameleon FW is very hard to distinguish from the 1Z at this point. If I'm being super picky in A/B-ing, the organic warmth that I love about the 1Z is now there in the 1A... except it feels like there might be a very slight difference in decay - as if the 1Z is presenting at a higher bit-depth. It could be cognitive bias though as I'm not blinding myself to test.
> 
> Regardless, amazing work in advancing the 1A's "high fidelity", @MrWalkman.


This is great to see, and tonality was the first thing I noticed...

how do you feel about the soundstage on the 1A now? I can really say that in my opinion this latest work of magic has brought my FiiO FH7 to life, really showing me what they’re capable of!


----------



## jackecus

Hi, MrWalkman. Thank you for this awesome update! I can feel the increase in soundstage even from the se output, and the vocals are so lovely! Loving it! Btw, are you planning to release this mod with older version OS (like 1.20)? Just asking... Because as 3.02 sounds so great, older versions should sound even more impressive! (person view). No matter you plan to do so or not, I want to show my great appreciation on the hard work you have done. Thank you!


----------



## terminaut

Duncan said:


> This is great to see, and tonality was the first thing I noticed...
> 
> how do you feel about the soundstage on the 1A now? I can really say that in my opinion this latest work of magic has brought my FiiO FH7 to life, really showing me what they’re capable of!



I'm listening primarily on my IER-Z1R and the soundstage is very wide / exceptional, especially listening to tracks like the DSD of Dire Straits' Ride Across The River.


----------



## mrrayray

well....I almost feel sad about having a 1z myself.....


----------



## mrrayray

Makes me wonder if the 1z has the same upgrading potential


----------



## Gamerlingual

mrrayray said:


> well....I almost feel sad about having a 1z myself.....


I’m not. I’m glad I have both even tho I bought them used. We are lucky to have them and should appreciate them. I’m sure you do, tho


----------



## KurobaHeiji

mrrayray said:


> Makes me wonder if the 1z has the same upgrading potential


You can do the hardware mods if you want some improvement.


----------



## mrrayray

Gamerlingual said:


> I’m not. I’m glad I have both even tho I bought them used. We are lucky to have them and should appreciate them. I’m sure you do, tho


cuz you have BOTH!!!!!
we all know that excitement of having a new toy


----------



## Redcarmoose

mrrayray said:


> well....I almost feel sad about having a 1z myself.....



You may come back to it?


----------



## mrrayray

Redcarmoose said:


> You may come back to it?


Of course I'll stick to it!! It has always been amazing
Just jealous of how 1A can catch up with the 1z so closely


----------



## terminaut

Gamerlingual said:


> I’m not. I’m glad I have both even tho I bought them used. We are lucky to have them and should appreciate them. I’m sure you do, tho



Yeah I'm also glad to have both, with the 1Z serving stationary duties and the 1A setup to throw in an every-day-carry bag as it's lighter and also would be less painful in case of loss or damage while I'm out and about.


----------



## aceedburn

MrWalkman said:


> Sorry for the wait guys
> 
> Hard work has been done, and it's now here.
> 
> ...


let the games begin! well done yet again to bro @MrWalkman


----------



## lumdicks (Sep 17, 2020)

Thanks again @MrWalkman for another great piece of work! With Chameleon 2.0 on my Romi Blackgate modded 1A (switched to 1Z) and FAudio Project Y (with 1960s 2-wires), there is vast improvement on sub-bass and soundstage, and the high is so smooth that I can say the difference with stock 1Z is amazingly small!

With WM1A/Z++, my stock 1Z still sounds a bit more open and effortless, with a bit deeper bass and slightly darker background. In short I enjoy both and glad that I am having them at the same time.

I understand that firmware mod does have the limitations (same to hardware Mod) but congratulate again @MrWalkman that you have successfully achieved a similar level of sound improvement with the 2.0 firmware, of which all users of 1A can be benefited.

The great work deserves a big round of beers!


----------



## newworld666 (Sep 17, 2020)

I want to confirm that the way, I am trying to compare Stock 3.02 firmware to 3.02 Z++ 2.0 and I wonder if it is the right way :
As I was with 3.02 Z++ 1.4 in Z mode for a few weeks now I followed this procedure :
A) => switching to full 3.02 stock mode
     1) I went to Switch Device Model to be back WM1A mode
     2) I uploaded the BackToStock 3.02 (WM1A 2.0).exe to my WM1A
... and nothing else.. no factory reset ... I just expect, I was again in full stock firmware at this stage and I could enjoy some Jazz music from Ibrahim Malouf with no mods.
B) Then switching to the brand new WM1Z++ 2.0
    1) I uploaded a first time to my WM1A the new WM1AZ++ 3.02 (WM1A 2.0).exe
    2) I went to switch Device Model to be in WM1Z mode
    3) I uploaded once more the WM1AZ++ 3.02 (WM1A 2.0).exe to my WM1A in Z mode
.... and I could get a totally different sound .... with a larger stage and still deep low frequencies... but by far less intimate.

As the sound is so different, I think I should get with my miniDSP ears non pro measurements some rather different frequency response and THD curves between stock 3.02 and Z++(2.0).
At this stage, I am not sure I prefer the v2.0 version vs V1.4.

Before, I start any measurements, I just wonder if after my first steps, I was in real Stock 3.02 firmware or some mods were still applied as I didn't do any factory reset ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

@MrWalkman  can you make a FW mod that wipes the demo songs partition, so that we can recover some free space


----------



## Pablovi

Hello everyone, does anyone know if you can connect the WM1A to the Sony UDA-1 DAC and get DSD playback? is the DAC on the UDA-1 noticeably better than the internal DAC of the DAP?

Thanks!


----------



## Layman1 (Sep 17, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, and a person like me did explore opera (in younger years) only to find it not interesting? Yet such surprise to have it reintroduced with soprano hot metal-chicks!? And....well recorded, and...........even though not original, still good?



I heard a German band called Aurora (not to be confused with Norwegian pop/weird artist Aurora lol) who had a soprano singer and metal.
She wasn't that great of a singer honestly, but I did enjoy their song 'Sleepwalking' a lot 

Anyway, was wondering if you guys can recommend some good soprano-metal type bands? The more melodic the better 

And by way of inclusion and diversity, I should add that I quite enjoyed some of those tracks that came free with the WM1Z 
EDIT: and I really like Neil Young too, with or without Crazy Horse


----------



## nc8000 (Sep 17, 2020)

After 40 hours playing local 16/44 flac with source direct plus about 5 hours of BT receiver the low battery indicator is now flashing so I reckon that just playing flac until auto shut down would have given about 50 hours total play time on a charge


----------



## Foerster12

Great work, @MrWalkman, but can you do something similar for 1z to get it closer to z1?


----------



## SoundSquare

amazing work on the Chameleon 2.0, sounds divine on my WM1A, a huge thank you ! 

sorry if i was asked before and discussed, but would it be possible to fix the "10 000 tracks limit" for the total number of tracks displayed on the playback screen ?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 17, 2020)

Layman1 said:


> I heard a German band called Aurora (not to be confused with Norwegian pop/weird artist Aurora lol) who had a soprano singer and metal.
> She wasn't that great of a singer honestly, but I did enjoy their song 'Sleepwalking' a lot
> 
> Anyway, was wondering if you guys can recommend some good soprano-metal type bands? The more melodic the better
> ...





As an example maybe Floor Jansen before she joined Nightwish in 2015. She hit high notes she was never to hit again with this first “After Forever” album. Also...


2016: Dirge for the Archons (Napalm Records)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabolus_in_Musica



Also Mezzo-soprano with




Their album “The Silent Force” is great too!


----------



## 534409

@Redcarmoose 
Is your moose from here?


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 17, 2020)

jackecus said:


> Hi, MrWalkman. Thank you for this awesome update! I can feel the increase in soundstage even from the se output, and the vocals are so lovely! Loving it! Btw, are you planning to release this mod with older version OS (like 1.20)? Just asking... Because as 3.02 sounds so great, older versions should sound even more impressive! (person view). No matter you plan to do so or not, I want to show my great appreciation on the hard work you have done. Thank you!



I plan on doing this for some previous firmware versions as well - sometimes in the following days.



mrrayray said:


> Makes me wonder if the 1z has the same upgrading potential



The 1Z already has this wide soundstage and improved bass response.



lumdicks said:


> Thanks again @MrWalkman for another great piece of work! With Chameleon 2.0 on my Romi Blackgate modded 1A (switched to 1Z) and FAudio Project Y (with 1960s 2-wires), there is vast improvement on sub-bass and soundstage, and the high is so smooth that I can say the difference with stock 1Z is amazingly small!
> 
> With WM1A/Z++, my stock 1Z still sounds a bit more open and effortless, with a bit deeper bass and slightly darker background. In short I enjoy both and glad that I am having them at the same time.
> 
> ...



Thanks man, cheers!









newworld666 said:


> I want to confirm that the way, I am trying to compare Stock 3.02 firmware to 3.02 Z++ 2.0 and I wonder if it is the right way :
> As I was with 3.02 Z++ 1.4 in Z mode for a few weeks now I followed this procedure :
> A) => switching to full 3.02 stock mode
> 1) I went to Switch Device Model to be back WM1A mode
> ...



"BackToStock 3.02 (WM1A 2.0)" should *only* be used when you want to revert to the stock firmware, *after* you tried one of the WM1A 2.0 mods.

- To return to the stock firmware after trying version 1.4 mods - just install the stock firmware.
- To return to the stock firmware after trying WM1A 2.0 mods - install the BackToStock package.

And yes, after switching the model, you should install the firmware again. You can also try WM1A/Z+ (not ++), or CHAMELEON, while the player is switched to WM1Z. You may like these more. WM1A/Z+ and ++ are further enhancing the soundstage, and with the base sound already having an expanded soundstage, it can feel less intimate.



gerelmx1986 said:


> @MrWalkman  can you make a FW mod that wipes the demo songs partition, so that we can recover some free space



Not really, that would involve the repartition of the rest of the EMMC, and it's not something risk-free.



Foerster12 said:


> Great work, @MrWalkman, but can you do something similar for 1z to get it closer to z1?



If that will come in the future, it will be done for both 1A and 1Z.



SoundSquare said:


> amazing work on the Chameleon 2.0, sounds divine on my WM1A, a huge thank you !
> 
> sorry if i was asked before and discussed, but would it be possible to fix the "10 000 tracks limit" for the total number of tracks displayed on the playback screen ?



I don't think that's possible without having access to the source code of the app and then recompiling it, and we don't have access to the source code, only Sony has.

Also, people don't usually have more than 10000 songs in one folder. For example, I have them grouped in folders like Artists > Albums > Tracks, and some even on folders like Genre > Artists > etc.



I remember @WAmadeusM doing a big post comparison for a previous version of the mods. I'm curious about a similar comparison now


----------



## newworld666

MrWalkman said:


> And yes, after switching the model, you should install the firmware again.* You can also try WM1A/Z+ (not ++), or CHAMELEON,* while the player is switched to WM1Z. You may like these more. WM1A/Z+ and ++ are further enhancing the soundstage, and with *the base sound already having an expanded soundstage, it can feel less intimate.*


 
As I enjoyed really a lot the Z++ in 1.4 version, I didn't try the Z+ and Chameleon with the new 2.0. And Yessssss at least the Chameleon version is more than the Z++ accurate to my expectations of the WM1A. 
I will spend a while with the Chameleon 2.0 and tomorrow give a try to the Z+.. and decide after it which will be my final choice.

Great job again.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> I plan on doing this for some previous firmware versions as well - sometimes in the following days.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I didn’t read the first comparison. I won’t read the second.

I’ll install your firmware tomorrow. Thank you for helping us


----------



## gearofwar

For me, the 1.4 was a better match for my setup along custom tuned version of cerberus, this made the overall sound wider as stated but at the same times, it's thinner and less impact, less emotive for my taste. I encourage people to try out many different combinations especially if you have a modified hardware, you will never know.
p/s: I admire Mr.walkman's contribution to this scene, you are truly a sunshine


----------



## sergio13971

MrWalkman said:


> Sorry for the wait guys
> 
> Hard work has been done, and it's now here.
> 
> ...



Thanks for your efforts and great work, cheers !


----------



## MrWalkman

sergio13971 said:


> Thanks for your efforts and great work, cheers !



Thanks, man! Hopefully there will be more stuff to come for our little companions 

Cheers!


----------



## sergio13971

MrWalkman said:


> Thanks, man! Hopefully there will be more stuff to come for our little companions
> 
> Cheers!


Exciting times for sony wm1x owners. Thanks!


----------



## robbi22

MrWalkman said:


> Thanks, man! Hopefully there will be more stuff to come for our little companions
> 
> Cheers!


MrWalkman any chance to do same tuning with Sony NW zx507? 
Thanks!


----------



## Lookout57

robbi22 said:


> MrWalkman any chance to do same tuning with Sony NW zx507?
> Thanks!


It's not possible since the ZX507 runs Android.


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 17, 2020)

robbi22 said:


> MrWalkman any chance to do same tuning with Sony NW zx507?
> Thanks!



ZX507 works different, and I don't even have it. It's pretty expensive, unfortunately.

@Sonywalkmanuser was telling us how it sounds all 3D and stuff already, after the last firmware update. I would recommend reaching out to him for some tips.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

gearofwar said:


> For me, the 1.4 was a better match for my setup along custom tuned version of cerberus



I found this to be true as well!



gearofwar said:


> p/s: I admire Mr.walkman's contribution to this scene, you are truly a sunshine.
> 
> 
> newworld666 said:
> ...





Redcarmoose said:


> As an example maybe Floor Jansen before she joined Nightwish in 2015. She hit high notes she was never to hit again with this first “After Forever” album. Also...
> 
> 
> 2016: Dirge for the Archons (Napalm Records)
> ...




I’m sure they are great artists but there are no Paddy Fahey! The man was a legend and one of only 4 artists to be force fed on every stock firmware of the WM1A/Z!

As far as music if I can’t experience Paddy’s fiddle playing or more cowbell, it’s no good to me and so far no firmware mod has been named in honor of Paddy.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Installed them all and liked the ++ version


----------



## 534409 (Sep 17, 2020)

I agree, Chroma Key sounds amazing on ++


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

matevana said:


> According to a friend in the recording industry, he believes that random burst speed along with read (not write) speed can make an audible difference on playback



That's because oversampling (in theory) eliminates quantization errors noise/distortion. Clocks play a bigger role but the SD cards do to a smaller extent! My guess is that if they were accelerated than they would read faster and reduce some noise in the signal.

My guess is that the internal storage will always perform better than an external one simply because it’s Integrated into the Circuit.

The reason that oversampling sounds better and smoother again in theory is because NO DAC topology is bit perfect so you lose some resolution when the signal goes into analog and into your ears per se.

Theoretically, R2R when tuned correctly are supposed to be “bit perfect” and cost thousands of dollars and up. Personally think that firmware is better solution (and a cheaper one!) However, they require noise shaping filters and  Modulators  and the files can be quite large and use up a ton of storage space! 

Ideally, the upgraded version of the WM1A/Z should have at least 500-2Tb internal storage to be a “game charger” 

Only mod hardware to me that makes sense is to install more internal storage instead of increasing caps ufs for VREF.


----------



## WAmadeusM

MrWalkman said:


> I plan on doing this for some previous firmware versions as well - sometimes in the following days.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





MrWalkman said:


> I plan on doing this for some previous firmware versions as well - sometimes in the following days.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



congrats @MrWalkman   Will be back to you with an update comparision.  For clarity and hanging on to industrial secrets - Previous Chameleon - when 1A was switched to 1Z - that was a straight tuning implementation of what the 1Z runs as stock? Is Cham 2.0 1Z stock with extra ingredients - or a better rendering of what was inside the 1Z firmware?  @WAmadeusM  Bravo again.


----------



## MrWalkman

WAmadeusM said:


> congrats @MrWalkman   Will be back to you with an update comparision.  For clarity and hanging on to industrial secrets - Previous Chameleon - when 1A was switched to 1Z - that was a straight tuning implementation of what the 1Z runs as stock? Is Cham 2.0 1Z stock with extra ingredients - or a better rendering of what was inside the 1Z firmware?  @WAmadeusM  Bravo again.



WM1A 2.0 is the second option - a better, or more complete implementation of what 1Z sounds like. This is why CHAMELEON 2.0 on 1A switched to 1Z sounds very similar to the actual 1Z.


----------



## Amber Rain

MrWalkman said:


> WM1A 2.0 is the second option - a better, or more complete implementation of what 1Z sounds like. This is why CHAMELEON 2.0 on 1A switched to 1Z sounds very similar to the actual 1Z.



Does it also come with the artwork fix etc?


----------



## cammoni

I have been following the discussions here and intrigued by the Sony NW-WM1Z reviews. The price is not within my reach, but, there are few refurbished NW-WM1Z units available in eBay around 2k price range. Anyone had any experience with buying refurbished units? How easy to get the unit serviced if we run into any issues? is it safe to buy refurbished because of the price advantage?


----------



## MrWalkman

Amber Rain said:


> Does it also come with the artwork fix etc?



Yes.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Sep 17, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> *WM1A 2.0* *firmware mods*


Thank you, mate!! For all your time and efforts!
Started listening to Chameleon 2 - sounds great! 
Trying to perceive what's different in SS as compared to WM1A to 1Z (3.02) which is also
a super FW IMO.
BTW, who compared already Chameleon 2 vs. WM1A to 1Z (3.02)  - in your opinion
in which FW vocals, voices:
1. pushed forward more;
2. more similar to a stock NW-WM1Z sound?


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 17, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


> WM1A to 1Z (3.02)



This is just the normal CHAMELEON (version 1.4) by the way. Some people may be confused when they'll see the name "WM1A to 1Z". I was confused for a second myself, then I remembered it was called like that before.


----------



## mmwwmm

WAmadeusM said:


> congrats @MrWalkman   Will be back to you with an update comparision.  For clarity and hanging on to industrial secrets - Previous Chameleon - when 1A was switched to 1Z - that was a straight tuning implementation of what the 1Z runs as stock? Is Cham 2.0 1Z stock with extra ingredients - or a better rendering of what was inside the 1Z firmware?  @WAmadeusM  Bravo again.


I thought too that Chameleon were just the stock fw for both 1A and 1Z with the added option to swap between 1A and 1Z models and to enjoy the unadultered stock sound from the 1A in the 1Z and vice versa. So if now there is a “closer to the original 1Z sound” then may I assume that Chameleon 2.0 includes the original 1Z stock firmware (with the added swap option”) were 1.4 wasn’t exactly the original stock fw? Or both Chameleon 1.4 and 2.0 are not exactly stock fw (and sound) with extra optiions but just very skillfully elaborated stock sound “emulations”?

thanks!


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 17, 2020)

mmwwmm said:


> I thought too that Chameleon were just the stock fw for both 1A and 1Z with the added option to swap between 1A and 1Z models and to enjoy the unadultered stock sound from the 1A in the 1Z and vice versa. So if now there is a “closer to the original 1Z sound” then may I assume that Chameleon 2.0 includes the original 1Z stock firmware (with the added swap option”) were 1.4 wasn’t exactly the original stock fw? Or both Chameleon 1.4 and 2.0 are not exactly stock fw (and sound) with extra optiions but just very skillfully elaborated stock sound “emulations”?
> 
> thanks!



CHAMELEON 2.0 provides a more complete switch to 1Z.

WM1A and WM1Z still have a different base sound, regardless of the switching that was done before. We've read from the comparisons that the 1Z still has wider soundstage, and better bass response. Now the 1A can also have that 1Z base sound, minus the little difference brought by the hardware (capacitors/resistors/wires).

The 1Z base sound will be present even when the model is not switched to 1Z. So the WM1A with the model as 1A will sound more like a WM1Z with the model switched to 1A, when CHAMELEON 2.0 is installed. It may sound complicated, but just read the text twice 


Edit: Having said all this, CHAMELEON 2.0 could have just been an update to the 1.4 version, bringing a more accurate sound when switching the model to 1Z. Or maybe I should make separate versions of the mods, for both 1A and 1Z. However, some people liked what they heard when they switched their WM1Z to 1A for example, so I thought of just leaving the previous version as is.


----------



## J Kelley

MrWalkman said:


> CHAMELEON 2.0 provides a more complete switch to 1Z.
> 
> WM1A and WM1Z still have a different base sound, regardless of the switching that was done before. We've read from the comparisons that the 1Z still has wider soundstage, and better bass response. Now the 1A can also have that 1Z base sound, minus the little difference brought by the hardware (capacitors/resistors/wires).
> 
> ...


I think I need a chart...


----------



## MrWalkman

J Kelley said:


> I think I need a chart...



I think it's pretty simple.

CHAMELEON 2.0 brings a sound much closer to the actual 1Z sound than CHAMELEON 1.4.


----------



## mmwwmm

MrWalkman said:


> CHAMELEON 2.0 provides a more complete switch to 1Z.
> 
> WM1A and WM1Z still have a different base sound, regardless of the switching that was done before. We've read from the comparisons that the 1Z still has wider soundstage, and better bass response. Now the 1A can also have that 1Z base sound, minus the little difference brought by the hardware (capacitors/resistors/wires).
> 
> ...





Just a last question. So if I use Chameleon 2.0 in a WM1A without switching to 1Z I’ll get 1Z switched to 1A sound instead original 1A sound, but if I use Chameleon 1.4 in a WM1A without switching to 1Z, would I get exactly the same original 1A sound as with the stock fw?
Thanks again!


----------



## MrWalkman

mmwwmm said:


> So if I use Chameleon 2.0 in a WM1A without switching to 1Z I’ll get 1Z switched to 1A sound instead original 1A sound, but if I use Chameleon 1.4 in a WM1A without switching to 1Z, would I get exactly the same original 1A sound as with the stock fw?



Exactly!


----------



## Mystic Traveller

MrWalkman said:


> This is just the normal CHAMELEON (version 1.4) by the way. Some people may be confused when they'll see the name "WM1A to 1Z". I


All right!  Then:
who compared already Chameleon  vs. Chameleon 2 - in your opinion
in which FW *vocals, voices:*
1. pushed forward more, more pronounced;
2. more similar to a stock NW-WM1Z sound?


----------



## MrWalkman

I hope this makes things a bit more clear.


----------



## Facta

MrWalkman said:


> I hope this makes things a bit more clear.



Mr.Walkman is a wishing well.


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> Installed them all and liked the ++ version


Interesting did your porta pros arrive?


----------



## Mindstorms

MrWalkman said:


> WM1A 2.0 is the second option - a better, or more complete implementation of what 1Z sounds like. This is why CHAMELEON 2.0 on 1A switched to 1Z sounds very similar to the actual 1Z.


DO you know if this is true for SE since here they most run balanced i was wondering!


----------



## MrWalkman

Mindstorms said:


> DO you know if this is true for SE since here they most run balanced i was wondering!



Any change works for both outputs, like always.


----------



## Dtuck90

Is it me or is there more power output on 2.0? On WM1A+ It seemed louder when I was listening last night


----------



## RobertP (Sep 18, 2020)

Big problem guys! I just did some A/B test on my 1A with another stock 1A this afternoon and I feel responsible to say that all my firmwares I wrote right after Orion first version sound no good at all on another stock 1A unit. Even thou they sound really good when install on my 1A. It so weird. I must fixed it out what cause it. Otherwise there is no point of sharing them. So sadly, I'm taking down all tunes that came out since July until now which include OrionV2 for 1A, Cerberus, and even the latest OrionN1. Other tunes that still on my link still fine.

Will keep update If I find out what happen.


----------



## proedros

MrWalkman said:


> I hope this makes things a bit more clear.



this is on chameleon FW ?


----------



## MrWalkman

proedros said:


> this is on chameleon FW ?



Yes.


----------



## Redcarmoose

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-ier-z1r.886120/post-15870244
Mini review-re-review up!


----------



## gerelmx1986

@MrWalkman  if I install chameleon and then apply the switch via Device settings 》Reset/Format/Model switch 》switch it will switch to 1Z right? Then I can apply the + or the ++ fw on top?


----------



## MrWalkman

gerelmx1986 said:


> @MrWalkman  if I install chameleon and then apply the switch via Device settings 》Reset/Format/Model switch 》switch it will switch to 1Z right? Then I can apply the + or the ++ fw on top?



Yes, you can just install any other of the two mods, + or ++.

The model will stay as 1Z.


----------



## gerelmx1986

MrWalkman said:


> Yes, you can just install any other of the two mods, + or ++.
> 
> The model will stay as 1Z.


Will give them a shot with model switched as 1Z, must I install stock sony 3.02 after switching?


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 18, 2020)

No, and always switch the model back before installing the stock firmware.

In case of WM1A 2.0, as mentioned in my post, install "BackToStock" first, and then you can install any stock firmware versions.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

MrWalkman said:


> This is just the normal CHAMELEON (version 1.4) by the way. Some people may be confused when they'll see the name "WM1A to 1Z"


Just wanted to confirm - if I had this "WM1A to 1Z" FW installed and the DAP was already switched
to 1Z then I can just install Chameleon 2 "on the top" of that once 
and no further actions, right?


----------



## Duncan

Mystic Traveller said:


> Just wanted to confirm - if I had this "WM1A to 1Z" FW installed and the DAP was already switched
> to 1Z then I can just install Chameleon 2 "on the top" of that once
> and no further actions, right?


Correct


----------



## Kiats

MrWalkman said:


> *Edit: If you want to post this on other forums, it would be nice to provide a link to this post, and not
> a direct Google Drive link. Thanks!*
> 
> Before we start, the things below are actual firmware mods, and not just tunings.
> ...



Not sure if anyone could assist but does this work if I am using a MacBook instead of a Windows laptop? Thanks!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Kiats said:


> Not sure if anyone could assist but does this work if I am using a MacBook instead of a Windows laptop? Thanks!


It's meant for Windows from my understanding.


----------



## gsiu33

Lookout57 said:


> Has anyone found a source for the Sandisk Extreme Pro 1 TB microSD card in the US other than Sandisk?
> 
> I've found a lot of sources for the Sandisk Extreme 1 TB microSD card and have them already.
> 
> The only difference I see for the Pro vs. the Extreme is the Pro has a slightly higher write speed. Read speed is the same.


Sequential Read Performance, Extreme up to 100MB/sec, Extreme Pro up to 170MB/sec

I have both in 256GB, I can’t hear the difference.


----------



## Kiats

Gamerlingual said:


> It's meant for Windows from my understanding.


Thanks


----------



## gerelmx1986

I went back to stock and found installed then chameleon, switched to 1Z and... WOOOOW that soundstage and clarity


----------



## matevana

gsiu33 said:


> Sequential Read Performance, Extreme up to 100MB/sec, Extreme Pro up to 170MB/sec
> 
> I have both in 256GB, I can’t hear the difference.




Isn't the read speed of the Extreme actually 160MB/sec? (128GB through 1 TB models). If that's correct, the difference between the two is likely inaudible, unless there are other factors like the quality of the contacts, etc.


----------



## MrWalkman

gerelmx1986 said:


> I went back to stock and found installed then chameleon, switched to 1Z and... WOOOOW that soundstage and clarity



Nice!

After switching the model, you should also reinstall the firmware, if you didn't do it.


----------



## gerelmx1986

MrWalkman said:


> Nice!
> 
> After switching the model, you should also reinstall the firmware, if you didn't do it.


Ah so the stock sony 3.02?


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 18, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Ah so the stock sony 3.02?



Nope.

If you have CHAMELEON or WM1A/Z+ or WM1Z/Z++ installed, and then you switch the model, you should install CHAMELEON or WM1A/Z+ or WM1A/Z++ again after that.


Remember, don't install stock before switching back the model, and only if you want to return to the stock sound. In the case of WM1A 2.0 mods, you will actually need to install "BackToStock" from the Google Drive folder instead of the stock firmware. Only after installing "BackToStock", you can then install a stock firmware.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Ok reinstalled chameleon sounds the same as when I first installed it and switched


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 18, 2020)

Stunning on WM1A 2.0 Chameleon, food for the soul 


Superb retrieval and imaging on WM1A with a sense of real musicality all thx to Chameleon

On the off chance; 1968 - Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland

Q-6


----------



## proedros

Queen6 said:


> Stunning on WM1A 2.0 Chameleon, food for the soul
> 
> Superb retrieval and imaging on WM1A with a sense of real musicality all thx to Chameleon
> 
> ...



the 'naked women' may be the iconic cover , but this one shows perfectly the psychedelic fire within Jimi then


----------



## Queen6

proedros said:


> the 'naked women' may be the iconic cover , but this one shows perfectly the psychedelic fire within Jimi then



Very true and with less potential to be taken down, an album and then some 

Q-6


----------



## VancityDreaming

Installing chameleon on my wm1a, brought out the mids/vocals more through my ier-z1r. Anyone else experience the same thing?


----------



## Mystic Traveller

VancityDreaming said:


> Installing chameleon on my wm1a, brought out the mids/vocals more through my ier-z1r.


Chameleon 2? 
brought out the mids/vocals more - compared to which FW version?


----------



## Queen6

Switching Gears

You can really feel the emotion in tracks like "A reason to Fight" easily discerning the individual picks of the strings. The WM1A on WM1A 2.0 - Chameleon is now at the top of it's game presenting both resolution & warmth. Bass has a real feel & texture to it, yet the highs remain to be crystal clear. I'm also finding with the CFW that I tend to listen at a reduced volume level as everything is so much more is present.

TLDR - WM1A 2.0 more meat on the bone, with no sacrifices...

Q-6


----------



## Hinomotocho (Sep 18, 2020)

Just some quick initial feedback for MrWalkman: I installed Chameleon 2.0 after being on the original Chameleon for about a month - instantly the soundstage and clarity really impressed me. It seems to be a bit brighter but when listening to some 80s albums that sometimes have me reducing the volume a tad to prevent any harshness it actually sounded fine. At first I thought the bass had been lost a bit but it is sounding mighty fine.
Since getting the MDR-Z1R I have mostly used these for listening to music but it gave my iems a real boost, must be a synergy thing. Thank you


----------



## Mystic Traveller

Queen6 said:


> The WM1A on WM1A 2.0 - Chameleon is now at the top


In the Direct sound mode ON?  Without DSEE HX AI, etc.?


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 18, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> Switching Gears
> 
> You can really feel the emotion in tracks like "A reason to Fight" easily discerning the individual picks of the strings. The WM1A on WM1A 2.0 - Chameleon is now at the top of it's game presenting both resolution & warmth. Bass has a real feel & texture to it, yet the highs remain to be crystal clear. I'm also finding with the CFW that I tend to listen at a reduced volume level as everything is so much more is present.
> 
> ...



I agree, the WM1A sounds really nice with this mod! Of course, I didn't hear the WM1Z before, so I had no idea about this nice sound.



Mystic Traveller said:


> In the Direct sound mode ON?  Without DSEE HX AI, etc.?



The extended soundstage and improved bass response will be there regardless of the Direct Source being on or off. I'm personally using DSEE HX AI though.

I also think the difference in the sound can be heard pretty easily.


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 18, 2020)

Hinomotocho said:


> Just some quick initial feedback for MrWalkman: I installed Chameleon 2.0 after being on the original Chameleon for about a month - instantly the soundstage really impressed me. It seems to be a bit brighter but when listening to some 80s albums that sometimes have me reducing the volume a tad to prevent any harshness it actually sounded fine. At first I thought the bass had been lost a bit but it is sounding mighty fine.
> Since getting the MDR-Z1R I have mostly used these for listening to music but it gave my iems a real boost, must be a synergy thing. Thank you



Chameleon 2.0 to me tends to resolve to a higher level, increasing clarity. Is like the higher the HW scales the more WM1A 2.0 will deliver. WM1A is now IMO literally presenting more to the listener without any excess or harshness.

All Direct as is the easiest for all to compare to. If I opt for DSP I generally comment on the details.

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 18, 2020)

Well, and while I don't want to leave people waiting for too long, I also don't want WM1Z users to be sad. 

Something else is in the works right now, though it will be for both 1A and 1Z. It aims at bringing some sound characteristics of the DMP-Z1.

Yes, some people are testing it. However, it will take some time until it will be available, so don't ask for when it will come yet. 

1A users should enjoy the WM1A 2.0 mods in the meanwhile. They really brought something special for our little player.

Soon™


----------



## VancityDreaming

Mystic Traveller said:


> Chameleon 2?
> brought out the mids/vocals more - compared to which FW version?


Yes. Chameleon 2.0. When compared to Orion. I forgot which version of orion I was using.


----------



## Azanulimbar

MrWalkman, I need your valuable input on this.

I installed CHAMELEON 2.0, switched device model to WM1Z and installed CHAMELEON 2.0 again, according to your instructions. 
Afterwards, I felt like trying the WM1A/Z++ 2.0 firmware so, according to your instructions once more, I simply installed the WM1A/Z++ 2.0 FW.

Now my WM1A's model is WM1Z (exactly where I had left it before installing WM1A/Z++ 2.0).

Should I change the model back to WM1A or not? Does it make any difference? And if I do so, should I re-install WM1A/Z++ 2.0 afterwards, just like instructed for the CHAMELEON 2.0?


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 18, 2020)

tolisgtr said:


> MrWalkman, I need your valuable input on this.
> 
> I installed CHAMELEON 2.0, switched device model to WM1Z and installed CHAMELEON 2.0 again, according to your instructions.
> Afterwards, I felt like trying the WM1A/Z++ 2.0 firmware so, according to your instructions once more, I simply installed the WM1A/Z++ 2.0 FW.
> ...



It should be at 1Z as that was the last Switch. The purpose of re-installing the firmware is to align both internal (FW) and external (XML) tuning of the player. If you want the 1A sound, Switch then re-install the firmware, if not your good on 1Z. 

Those who have any doubt of the status of the DAP with CFW; verify the current firmware via the Unit Information in settings, then rerun the same firmware. at worst this will do nothing, at best will align the internal & external tuning to either 1A or 1Z.

Q-6


----------



## MrWalkman

tolisgtr said:


> Should I change the model back to WM1A or not? Does it make any difference?



Only if you feel like trying the 1A sound on the 1Z base sound basically, like a 1Z switched to 1A.



tolisgtr said:


> And if I do so, should I re-install WM1A/Z++ 2.0 afterwards, just like instructed for the CHAMELEON 2.0?



The firmware should be reinstalled after switching the model. So if you choose to switch the model back to 1A, then yes, you should reinstall the firmware.


----------



## Azanulimbar

Got it, thank you both! Gotta experiment a bit more and ultimately choose what meets my preferences the most.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

MrWalkman said:


> he extended soundstage and improved bass response will be there


Yep, they are here. Even engaged my REL T5 to feel more bass from beneath.


----------



## Queen6

tolisgtr said:


> Got it, thank you both! Gotta experiment a bit more and ultimately choose what meets my preferences the most.



You can also mix and match internal & external tuning, for instance 1Z internal with 1A external or vice versa, as there will be a subtle difference. I would recommend to write down what steps you take. That said one only needs to check the Unit Information and re-install the same firmware to align the DAP's internal & external tuning and go at it again 

In general for the "best" results one should re-install the firmware after Switching model, equally we're all different and what pleases the listener is what's important.

Q-6


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

MrWalkman said:


> Soon™



Is ”Soon” now a trademark?


----------



## MrWalkman

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Is ”Soon” now a trademark?



It is inspired from here: https://wowwiki.fandom.com/wiki/Soon


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 18, 2020)

Humour is a thing of beauty 





Q-6


----------



## Mystic Traveller




----------



## HeyManslowdown97

MrWalkman said:


> It is inspired from here: https://wowwiki.fandom.com/wiki/Soon



I'm still confused. Haha there’s also:

NotSoon™
Very Soon™

“Very Soon” sounds Trumpian. Sadly the words he uses have been ruined for me because I hear him saying them in my mind when I use them. Lol.


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 18, 2020)

Big difference one delivers one fails, one is straight up the other...

As ever patience is a virtue 

Q-6


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 18, 2020)

Queen6 said:


> As ever patience is a virtue



It’s like the great philosopher Axl Rose once said:
“All we need is just a little patience (Patience)
Mm, yeah”


----------



## gsiu33

matevana said:


> Isn't the read speed of the Extreme actually 160MB/sec? (128GB through 1 TB models). If that's correct, the difference between the two is likely inaudible, unless there are other factors like the quality of the contacts, etc.


You are correct. I just found that only the read speed of 32GB Extreme is 100MB/sec, the others (64GB to 1TB) are 160MB/sec. As i said, I have both in DMP-Z1, I can’t tell the difference.


----------



## Queen6

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> It’s like the great philosopher Axl Rose once said:
> “All we need is just a little patience (Patience)
> Mm, yeah”



"*It's so easy*" 

Q-6


----------



## Icekuma

MrWalkman said:


> There is actually a separate partition where these songs are stored. This is why they're always back after a factory reset, even if you deleted them before.
> 
> 
> 
> Almost done.


And here I am deooling and patiently waiting for Mac installer. 😭😭😭👍


----------



## Kiats

Icekuma said:


> And here I am deooling and patiently waiting for Mac installer. 😭😭😭👍



Indeed... unless there is a workaround..


----------



## NickL33

Kiats said:


> Indeed... unless there is a workaround..



You can try Parallels Desktop? It should work


----------



## Kiats

NickL33 said:


> You can try Parallels Desktop? It should work



Thanks. Will look into that. 🙏


----------



## fjf

gsiu33 said:


> You are correct. I just found that only the read speed of 32GB Extreme is 100MB/sec, the others (64GB to 1TB) are 160MB/sec. As i said, I have both in DMP-Z1, I can’t tell the difference.


Wav files require 1.4MB/sec.  Flac files around 0.6-0.7MB/sec.  That's why you cannot tell the difference.


----------



## Nayparm

hamhamhamsta said:


> NayParm, get a good 4.4mm cable dude. At least, listen to your own work in all its gloriousness, for goodness sake 😂



😂, I have plenty of 4.4mm cables, I just didn't have any caps on balanced at this stage, I was testing the 3.5mm. The firmware was released midst soldering so I tried it out as soon as poss 😁


----------



## jmtocali

Loving this on Chameleon 2.0 (as WM1Z)


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> Sorry for the wait guys
> 
> Hard work has been done, and it's now here.
> 
> ...


Do you have a list of instructions to install everything in the proper order which the end result will be the WM1Z/Z++?


----------



## MrWalkman

Gamerlingual said:


> Do you have a list of instructions to install everything in the proper order which the end result will be the WM1Z/Z++?



Install WM1A/Z++, switch the model to 1Z, then install it again.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> Install WM1A/Z++, switch the model to 1Z, then install it again.


No chameleon 2.0 needed?

Edit: 3 separate firmwares. Got it.


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 19, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> No chameleon 2.0 needed?



All the WM1A 2.0 mods have the 1Z base sound included.

The WM1A 2.0 mods are CHAMELEON, WM1A/Z+, and WM1A/Z++ and they are only made for the WM1A.

So if you want to install WM1A/Z++, you don't need to install CHAMELEON first. They are separate mods, with the same 1Z base sound. I have no clue where you got the idea that you would need to install CHAMELEON first.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> All the WM1A 2.0 mods have the 1Z base sound included.
> 
> The WM1A 2.0 mods are CHAMELEON, WM1A/Z+, and WM1A/Z++ and they are only made for the WM1A.
> 
> So if you want to install WM1A/Z++, you don't need to install CHAMELEON first. They are separate mods, with the same 1Z base sound. I have no clue where you got the idea that you would need to install CHAMELEON first.


Hence why I corrected myself from up top. What's important for me to say, thank you for the step by step. Will see how much the volume is boosted vs the stock 1Z I have. I hope that's a good thing to compare.


----------



## MrWalkman

Gamerlingual said:


> Hence why I corrected myself from up top. What's important for me to say, thank you for the step by step. Will see how much the volume is boosted vs the stock 1Z I have. I hope that's a good thing to compare.



I didn't see the correction in time 

Please note that with WM1A/Z++, the sound will also be different when compared to the stock 1Z.


----------



## Gamerlingual (Sep 19, 2020)

I noticed a big difference between the 2. I used the MDR-1AM2 and at volume 50 on both, I found the volume to be quieter on 1A. The guitar strings are not so buzzy and gentler while the stock unmodded 1Z makes them sound more aggressive and you can really feel the edginess in them, almost like they want to pierce your ears. Whether that's a good thing or not I'm not sure yet. But NOW I can finally say I hear a difference between the two players. Is it a wow difference? I need to dive deeper, but glad to know it does output something different on the WM1A/Z++.

Edit: I listened to Boyz II Men's Water Runs Driy and this song, both on ALAC:


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 19, 2020)

Mystic Traveller said:


>


Mistic Traveler can you share part of the near future with us?




How mystic traveler looks in my mind...




How i picture all Mr. Walkman T shirts and Pajamas....
Chameleon 3.00 MX3 (default for my walkman) its the best so far in terms of sound performance VIA SE the others sounded a little like Virtual expansion sound.. but the ones that mimic 1Z (2.0 Variants) are really good I encourage everyone to try them


----------



## mrrayray

Curious if anyone with the 1z did try to install the new 2.0 mod out of curiosity (and/or envy)?


----------



## aceedburn

DMP-Z1......on a 1A? and a 1Z? Who knew!


----------



## Gamerlingual

Anyone else experience that the volume is slightly quieter with the WM1A/Z++? It’s happening to my MDR-Z1R as well


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> Anyone else experience that the volume is slightly quieter with the WM1A/Z++? It’s happening to my MDR-Z1R as well


A bit, yes, but the Beeping tones are too loud, and I got some distortion on songs I know well


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> A bit, yes, but the Beeping tones are too loud, and I got some distortion on songs I know well


Weird. The WM1A/Z++ smoothes our everything and provided an evenness in the purity of sound coming all over. It’s super soft and gentle regardless of the music playing. Interesting.


----------



## MrWalkman

mrrayray said:


> Curious if anyone with the 1z did try to install the new 2.0 mod out of curiosity (and/or envy)?



It cannot be installed on 1Z, but feel free to try.



gerelmx1986 said:


> A bit, yes, but the Beeping tones are too loud, and I got some distortion on songs I know well





Gamerlingual said:


> Weird. The WM1A/Z++ smoothes our everything and provided an evenness in the purity of sound coming all over. It’s super soft and gentle regardless of the music playing. Interesting.



I didn't encounter any distortion myself.


----------



## Gamerlingual

MrWalkman said:


> It cannot be installed on 1Z, but feel free to try.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No distortion for me. But am I correct that the volume sounds a little quieter and gentler, just smoothes out the highs, mids, and lows to make it more cohesive and easier to listen to the ears than the stock 1Z?


----------



## Jotaro

Gamerlingual said:


> No distortion for me. But am I correct that the volume sounds a little quieter and gentler, just smoothes out the highs, mids, and lows to make it more cohesive and easier to listen to the ears than the stock 1Z?


same signature, volume appear lower cuz of larger soundstage.


----------



## Gamerlingual

At least I’m happy that I can truly hear a difference. That in itself is enough


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Sep 19, 2020)

I know that in every setup headphones+ cables matter SS wise - 
anyway, do you feel you have enough
treble on 1A in Chameleon 2, switch to Z, direct sound mode?


----------



## VancityDreaming

Gamerlingual said:


> At least I’m happy that I can truly hear a difference. That in itself is enough


I feel like the male vocals sound a lot better on Chameleon when compared to stock 1A.


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## Nayparm (Sep 19, 2020)

Hey Music Sanctuary, now that you are copying and taking/earning from the head-fi 'Modifying WM1Z/A' thread can you start contributing ?


----------



## MrWalkman

Nayparm said:


> Hey Music Sanctuary, now that you are copying and taking from the head-fi 'Modifying WM1Z/A' thread can you start contributing ?



I hate this kind of stuff! Really not nice of them.

Things like this made me put "Firmware mod by MrWalkman" in the Unit information menu.


----------



## AlexCBSN (Sep 19, 2020)

Nayparm said:


> Hey Music Sanctuary, now that you are copying and taking/earning from the head-fi 'Modifying WM1Z/A' thread can you start contributing ?


Whoever sends their dap to em has to check all over the internet first (its not like waking up one day and saying “i will send my dap to this dealer music sanctuary and let em modify it and that was my own idea” like Rick and Morty inception’s episode ), so if we tag MUSIC SANCTUARY enough times, we can rest assured that customers will read this posts and know that @Nayparm (You) does a way better job and was the first one to implement it. I’m dreaming of the day that i ship to you my wm1a and zx300... i hope soon brother, i hope soon...
Music sanctuary musicsanctuary music sanctuary mod music sanctuary wm1a (see! Google will catch up ) fkoff music sanctuary  *smiley face


----------



## Tybot

Can someone please tell me where I might purchase a good 4.4 to 4.4 interconnect to use with a WA8?


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 19, 2020)

Nayparm said:


> Hey Music Sanctuary, now that you are copying and taking/earning from the head-fi 'Modifying WM1Z/A' thread can you start contributing ?



These guy's are a joke and should be avoided. Some of the images of their workmanship are absolutely appalling, beyond shoddy. I've seen day one trainees do a better job with a soldering iron...




Q-6


----------



## AlexCBSN

Tybot said:


> Can someone please tell me where I might purchase a good 4.4 to 4.4 interconnect to use with a WA8?


i think penon has a couple, mmm oriolus has one as well cause of their 4.4 amp


----------



## Tybot

AlexCBSN said:


> i think penon has a couple, mmm oriolus has one as well cause of their 4.4 amp


 Thanks. Checked and it’s a W107 but they are sold out.


----------



## audionewbi

Tybot said:


> Can someone please tell me where I might purchase a good 4.4 to 4.4 interconnect to use with a WA8?


With WA8, you need to make sure your interconnect is grounded correctly, else it might end up damaging the WA8. Read woo audio for your interconnect wiring and make sure whomever you are getting to make your cable, they are wiring it based on their recommendation.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Nayparm said:


> Hey Music Sanctuary, now that you are copying and taking/earning from the head-fi 'Modifying WM1Z/A' thread can you start contributing ?


If i were you, i would sue them for copyright infringement


----------



## Overkill Red

gerelmx1986 said:


> If i were you, i would sue them for copyright infringement



Ignoring the matter of who did what first...
This is kind of ridiculous lol. Does anyone really own the copyright on a modification to an existing player?


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> If i were you, i would sue them for copyright infringement


There’s nothing logical about that. Bad idea. Else no one can have the CFW in the first place.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Sep 20, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> Bad idea.


Exactly.  AuntSony may not be happy about it if become aware.
it's a very tricky and gray area, btw.

._.. Initially, it would depend on whether the original product is protected by an unexpired patent. If the original product is patented (and unexpired), you may nevertheless sell your "modified" version of the product AS LONG AS YOUR your "modified" product does not "infringe" the original product's patent. ...._


----------



## XP_98

Tybot said:


> Can someone please tell me where I might purchase a good 4.4 *to 4.4 *interconnect to use with a WA8?


I am surprised, because WA8 seems to have only 3.5 line in / line out or headphones out...
Did you mean WA11 ? In this case, you can send me an email, as I plan to sell my 4.4 + 3.5 ground to 4.4 made by PWAudio). If you want a brand new one, I can recommand PWAudio


----------



## Nayparm

gerelmx1986 said:


> If i were you, i would sue them for copyright infringement



Our thread is about sharing so we can all learn from each other but just taking and profiting by Music-Sanctuary with *ZERO* contribution/sharing is not cool !


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 20, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> There’s nothing logical about that. Bad idea. Else no one can have the CFW in the first place.



There’s a documentary on the history of Video Games on Netflix called “High Score,” and in it they tell the story about the time Pac-Man ruled the Arcades but when the Arcade owners started losing money as the gamers got better and put in less coins to play more Hours a group of young MIT students came up with the modular to modified circuit kits with written code to be sold and installed Inside the Pac-Man Arcade that made the game harder and more challenging so the Arcade owners could make more money. Needless to say they got sued by Atari. I’m just glad Sony does not do the same here. I don’t think modified firmware “counts” since coding isn’t considered  intellectual property but again this whole discussion is rather silly. Can we just move on from it. Whether or not one is taking credit for the mods is irrelevant, they are all attempting to make money off it regardless who came up with the original R&D. That’s essentially what they are fighting about-profit revenue in the marketshare of an already existing design because of their technical skills.


----------



## Nayparm

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> There’s a documentary on the history of Video Games on Netflix called “High Score,” and in it they tell the story about the time Pac-Man ruled the Arcades but when the Arcade owners started losing money as the gamers got better and put in less coins to play more Hours a group of young MIT students came up with the modular to modified circuit kits with written code to be sold and installed Inside the Pac-Man Arcade that made the game harder and more challenging so the Arcade owners could make more money. Needless to say they got sued by Atari. I’m just glad Sony does not do the same here. I don’t think modified firmware “counts” since coding isn’t considered  intellectual property but again this whole discussion is rather silly. Can we just move on from it. Whether or not one is taking credit for the mods is irrelevant, they are all attempting to make money off it regardless who came up with the original R&D. That’s essentially what they are fighting about-profit revenue in the marketshare of an already existing design because of their technical skills.



The main point is we want sharing and contributions from modders if they are selling ideas gained on here.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 20, 2020)

Nayparm said:


> The main point is we want sharing and contributions from modders if they are selling ideas gained on here.



You made this point 2 pages ago. Can we just move on.


----------



## nc8000

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> You made this point 2 pages ago. Can we just move on.



Well it was in reply to being accused og wanting to sue MS


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> Well it was in reply to being accused og wanting to sue MS


What’s the status of your battery? 60 hours?


----------



## Nayparm

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> You made this point 2 pages ago. Can we just move on.



I had, you posted the pacman thing 🙈😂


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Nayparm said:


> I had, you posted the pacman thing 🙈😂



i didn’t quote your post, bro. That’s just a fact!


----------



## nc8000 (Sep 20, 2020)

Gamerlingual said:


> What’s the status of your battery? 60 hours?



About 50 hours on a 90% charge. So in practical terms I expect to get about 40 hours plus about 2 weeks stand by so I only have to charge once every 2-3 weeks


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> About 50 hours on a 90% charge


dang. I would love my battery to last that long. Too bad I can’t find a spot in Japan to do that. :-/


----------



## gerelmx1986

It would be good if sony implemented an Auto-mute featurette on the next wm1 MK2, esp coming from BT receiver mode or from SE to bal. Haha happened I was demoing an album with presto music sample, switched back to my music and my ears blasted with 107/120 fortunately low gain and MDR-Z1R  and not IEM


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

gerelmx1986 said:


> It would be good if sony implemented an Auto-mute featurette on the next wm1 MK2, esp coming from BT receiver mode or from SE to bal. Haha happened I was demoing an album with presto music sample, switched back to my music and my ears blasted with 107/120 fortunately low gain and MDR-Z1R  and not IEM



No doubt but I think it would be very hard to do. There’s also cross feedback between frequencies (it’s the same with WiFi if they were to implemented it on the WM1a/z predecessor) so if you have sensitive iems they will pick up the Floor noise!

I turn all the NFC, Bluetooth and filters off and in my view it sounds better.

I wish I could turn off the High gain but my earphones require more current which also contributes to noise but it’s not that bad!


----------



## gsiu33

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Sonywalkmanuser  is biased a lot, he doesnt realize there's very small performance difference between sandisk extreme (cheaper) vs extreme pro (expensive). Ueah extreme, as he describes the pro, is also aggressive with transients and bassy (thus DSEE AI adds even more  bass)


FYI. Nowadays, price difference between Extreme and Extreme Pro is small, around $10 for 512GB or 256GB.


----------



## gerelmx1986

gsiu33 said:


> FYI. Nowadays, price difference between Extreme and Extreme Pro is small, around $10 for 512GB or 256GB.


Well I was considering 1TB


----------



## gsiu33

gerelmx1986 said:


> Well I was considering 1TB


I only use Extreme Pro 256GB as it can store around 200+ Album (1/3 red book FLAC, 1/3 hi-res FLAC, 1/3 DSD) which is more than enough for 2 months listening.
Never consider to put all album in the player as it won’t happen in terms of today storage capacity.


----------



## gsiu33

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> For those who are willing to experiment with or planning to upgrade to the sandisk extreme pro,
> 
> I am recommending to perform another two step when you receive your new card to further improve sound quality:
> 
> ...


is quick format with the sd formatter good enough?


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> Well I was considering 1TB


WHy wont you answer PM?


----------



## matevana (Sep 20, 2020)

gsiu33 said:


> is quick format with the sd formatter good enough?



I could not discern an audible difference and I used the full-format. I tried it more from an efficiency stand point. It has the ability to mark and bypass any bad sectors while formatting.

That being said I CAN notice a difference between my Samsung EVO select card and another first gen micro sd card. The Samsung card sounds at least as good as the player's internal memory. The first gen card did not.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I luj chameleon a lot


----------



## MrWalkman

Depending on the color of the player, some icons can also have different colors. I managed to find out how to change that, it should be a nice little customization option. There will be a little tool to change that.

WM1A can only be black and have the white color from the factory, as well as the WM1Z, but the option works for them too.


----------



## Nayparm

MrWalkman said:


> Depending on the color of the player, some icons can also have different colors. I managed to find out how to change that, it should be a nice little customization option. There will be a little tool to change that.
> 
> WM1A can only be black and have the white color from the factory, as well as the WM1Z, but the option works for them too.



Wicked, love it 😁


----------



## NickleCo

Man... @MrWalkman I really don't know what to say to ya. This is a masterpiece. Can't really see anything topping this. It's already been 7-8 hours since I installed your newest fw mods been listening nonstop (started around 8 pm and it's already 3 am right now, I'm at the point where my body is twitching randomly lmao), and frankly I'm still speechless. Not only did you smoothen out the peaks in the treble region but you also made the bass reach this deep (i don't like 3.02 because its bassy but this made me think otherwise)! There is also a SIGNIFICANT amount of detail being unraveled, the kinds I have not been able to hear ever since I sold my Zeus (atm my daily drivers are the CFA atlas on SE with PS silver). There's also the nasty amounts of realism you've injected this mod, (bear with me here) I can differentiate the acoustic chambers of the strings used it's weird I know but its the best I can describe it (there's an apparent difference in the pace of each the string instruments used). There's also the unreal soundstage and imaging, it's a proper 3d experience with pinpoint accuracy (something you cant freely say with the CFA atlas, almost a sin to call it that really lol!). I'm still speechless at this point. Can't sleep because of this fw mod curse thisss lmaoo! But really though, I sincerely thank you for all that you've done for the community! A true breakthrough! It is seriously unbelievable...

Combo: 3.02 Chameleon 2.0 on E (WM1Z switched 1A)
Iem: Campfire Atlas + PSound Silver (SE) 

accidentally posted this at a wrong thread due to my excitedness lol!


----------



## Mystic Traveller

DatDudeNic said:


> This is a masterpiece.


Great great first person impressions shared!


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 20, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Depending on the color of the player, some icons can also have different colors. I managed to find out how to change that, it should be a nice little customization option. There will be a little tool to change that.
> 
> WM1A can only be black and have the white color from the factory, as well as the WM1Z, but the option works for them too.


Not something you “need” to have but very cool aesthetics to have and use customizable colors for our players!
👌🏻


----------



## Mindstorms

MrWalkman said:


> Depending on the color of the player, some icons can also have different colors. I managed to find out how to change that, it should be a nice little customization option. There will be a little tool to change that.
> 
> WM1A can only be black and have the white color from the factory, as well as the WM1Z, but the option works for them too.


If you can change the EQ colour it will be awesome!!!


----------



## Maxx134 (Sep 20, 2020)

Sonywalkmanuser said:


> After re-evaluating the microsd cards on my ZX2 walkman(initially the cards were evaluated on my zx507), and with more listening, I have to revise my rating.
> 
> Subjective rating:
> Sandisk Extreme Pro 256GB: S
> ...


While this list is greatly appreciated, one thing not considered, is that testing on that different DAP, (running Android) would certainly have a different susceptibility to the memory card.
We don't know how the unit's internal sheilding, PSU on that board, and interface is.

Yet, I do think that the driver preformamce inside each card is obviously different.

You have determined that..
Yet wether these differences would be similarly noticeable on the 1a, that is the question.



HeyManslowdown97 said:


> The flicker most likely has to do with lack of power or a configuration issue


This is an interesting comment. I am thinking weather the increase in battery and also the power cap upgrade, could offset the issue noticed by "one" user.



Redcarmoose said:


>





 heeeiill NO!



Facta said:


> The only piece of info I received and from the source I consider reliable enough for me to share with you is about the 1A and/or 1Z successor in early 2021. Can't speculate on anything else, sorry.


Well, let's hope they do not go full Android...
The closer it is to the 1a interface, the better for "_future upgrades_" here...




Redcarmoose said:


> I actually don’t use the IER-Z1R IEMs everyday yet they are actually the most technical and honest IEM I own


Those may have just been de-throned:






HeyManslowdown97 said:


> ....In the end, it’s just a music player......
> 
> ......In the end it’s just a hobby....
> 
> ....If it don’t work then let others’ say so instead of being combative is all I’m saying...


NO... It's not just a music player.
It's an end game choice, at this stage.

NO....it's not just a hobby, it's more of a journey, and also of much money... thousands spent in the search and conquest of music bliss..

The Last NO, is because you have not been in thread early enough to see the whole picture. The issue of reiterating the same install problem for the third time(4th?), which in a nutshell is not actually installing.

TBH, I find suspect when a new mod is pushed at  peculiarly the same time a big upgrade is mentioned going to be dropped by Mrwalkman.

It should have been mentioned to be an xml tunning that also  require you to go back to the "now"  inferior stock firmware just to put it on.
Why not instead,  use latest mod  firmware?

It would be great if any future XML tunnings would be with the latest moded firmware, instead of regressing away from all the major progress made.

Tunnings are appreciated and  nice to have, but not at the expense of loosing the current moded firmware upgrades.
Currently, we already have about 4 options in each firmware.



Gamerlingual said:


> .... am I correct that the volume sounds a little quieter and gentler, just smoothes out the highs, mids, and lows to make it more cohesive and easier to listen to the ears than the stock 1Z?


This is similar to what I have observed in general, of the differences "in the past" of the 1a & 1z.
The 1z sound is a perception of increased soundstage, which also makes it less forward and more realistic in presentation.
The question is if your IEM can produce the soundstage, as many have "in the head" syndrome with center image (to a certain degree).



Nayparm said:


> Our thread is about sharing so we can all learn from each other but just taking and profiting by Music-Sanctuary with *ZERO* contribution/sharing is not cool !


Yes, they said in past they used other things in their mod, but they not disclose it.
I have their mod.
It is not a copyright.
I will go over everything done.
Lucky for them I have been totally busy whole summer and delayed my mod plans.
I did compare mine to stock, and do like the 3% sound difference, but I am convinced it was a minimal mod of stock wire upgrade.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Maxx134 said:


> While this list is greatly appreciated, one thing not considered, is that testing on that different DAP, (running Android) would certainly have a different susceptibility to the memory card.
> We don't know how the unit's internal sheilding, PSU on that board, and interface is.
> 
> Yet, I do think that the driver preformamce inside each card is obviously different.
> ...



That's a very high recommendation for UM Mest; convince me to get it, hahaha  

But seriously, what's so good about the UM Mest? I mean to place it above IER-Z1R sounds incredible


----------



## Maxx134

hamhamhamsta said:


> That's a very high recommendation for UM Mest; convince me to get it, hahaha
> 
> But seriously, what's so good about the UM Mest? I mean to place it above IER-Z1R sounds incredible


Although the reviewer aludes to tuning of the drivers working well together, and the "bone conduction" adding to the mids, I am starting to think the actual unique improvement  may lie in the  electrostatic type driver it is using...

Still, from what I have read, the Sony is like the reference point for IEMs.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 21, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> This is an interesting comment. I am thinking weather the increase in battery and also the power cap upgrade, could offset the issue noticed by "one" user.



it can but so can the cap decoupling on with the DACs power supply or just a minor firmware configuration. But the increase in caps in the powerful filtration will not lead to a better “resolution And layering.” Lol.

Let’s breakdown the Mod flowery language on “Music Sanctuary”

A 6 core vs 12 core braided wiring there’s no increase in “resolution and layering”

As you may already know from iem replaceable cables, they oxidize over time and lose their connection and the signal is weakened so they need to be replaced. 12 core may increase some resonance at first but like the 6 they will diminish over time. All things equal Quality wise 12 wires is better than 6 and will last longer. So if you had your player for a while this may be a good upgrade! The only “advantage” is configuring the wires to the output 4.4 jack improved ground.  



Adding caps in the Power Filtration only takes on the sound of the signature caps. It’s arbitrary to say it “sounds better or not.” There’s no improvement to biasing nor the ppm errors. Moreover, these caps leak 10% so you can get dc offset issues as they diminish over time and you will need to replace them or remove them!



Lastly, the improved battery replacement. The DC input is the same on both the stock and replacement. There are no improvements to sound only battery life is improved.

That’s what you are paying for.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 21, 2020)

Maxx134 said:


> Although the reviewer aludes to tuning of the drivers working well together, and the "bone conduction" adding to the mids, I am starting to think the actual unique improvement  may lie in the  electrostatic type driver it is using...
> 
> Still, from what I have read, the Sony is like the reference point for IEMs.


I only own four modern Sony IEMs, the XBA-Z5, the N3, XBA-100 and the IER-Z1R. After owning the IER-Z1R a while I’ve come to realize how both correct and crazy it is. It has to be the size it is to fit the components. It has to be heavy to counteract vibrational artifacts. It’s both extreme and correct in many ways. Yet strangely it’s not boring as it would seem by first hearing it. Really it’s a window into getting involved with the music, yet it doesn’t do everything right. The mids will sit in a funny place. Some people talk about male vocals being back but I hear all vocals being ever so slightly displaced? Yet I don’t care. I don’t care because the rest is so good it overpowers the artifact. Actually I don’t even care if there is something better. It’s like having a 50 foot pool in your yard, and the guy next door builds a 70 foot pool.


----------



## 6PANDEMONIUM6

Kervsky said:


> Things I've tested that works:
> Sony Walkman stock cable (and the cheapo replacement cable) + WM1a + PC/laptop = works as a DAC for the PC/laptop
> Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10 (on PC mode) + WM1a = works as a DAC from the PC/laptop
> SONY Walkman Micro USB Plug Adapter WMP-NWM10 + WM1a + microusb to usb type c interconnect + phone = works as a DAC
> ...


This post was a lifesaver. Lmao. 
I've been trying to figure out how to use the wm1a with my phone. I didn't even know that adapter existed.


----------



## Maxx134

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Lastly, the improved battery replacement. The DC input is the same on both the stock and replacement. There are no improvements to sound only battery life is improved.
> 
> That’s what you are paying for


Yep, but I wouldn't trust the battery upgrades from others. Only @Nayparm. 
Too much can go wrong...


----------



## RONJA MESCO

Diet Kokaine said:


> This is also one of the reasons why I love the 1A. It's a simple player, and you can just get lost in the music, no beeps/bops, internet connections, interruptions...and with the extended battery, it is the only player to take with you out into nature.
> 40 hours on a single charge, perfect for camping.


amen


----------



## RONJA MESCO

Queen6 said:


> Very much agree it's simply gone way too far and mostly driven by corporate greed. I do have an Android based DAP, equally it rarely gets used, the very last thing I want is yet another device with an OS designed first and foremost for the harvesting of personal information. WM1A/Z only presents one thing to the listener high quality music reproduction. Should Sony drop that simple premise, I will drop Sony...
> 
> A high end DAP should explicitly be about music, not data acquisition and that's what Google is all and only about...
> 
> Q-6


yessir...this is why I dont mess with Sony android players...


----------



## Gforce8

Hello audiophiles and all the Sony users!

With all the new flagships and mid-fi DAPs, given a chance would you guys still get a dated device, in this case, WM1A or a WM1Z? I came across that these said sony devices could be modded with custom firmware by @MrWalkman or modded physically by @Nayparm, to achieve phenomenal performance, sonically. 

Sorry if I got misinformed while doing my research. Doing my best to keep my options open, as well as my mind. Appreciate it if you guys could contribute your opinions on this.


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 21, 2020)

Gforce8 said:


> Hello audiophiles and all the Sony users!
> 
> With all the new flagships and mid-fi DAPs, given a chance would you guys still get a dated device, in this case, WM1A or a WM1Z? I came across that these said sony devices could be modded with custom firmware by @MrWalkman or modded physically by @Nayparm, to achieve phenomenal performance, sonically.
> 
> Sorry if I got misinformed while doing my research. Doing my best to keep my options open, as well as my mind. Appreciate it if you guys could contribute your opinions on this.


Get a used 1A on the sale forum. You get lower price and already burned in. Used the custom software. If you want more performance later on, get it modded. That’s the most cost effective way I think

Or talk to Nayparm; see if you can negotiate something with him directly.


----------



## gerelmx1986 (Sep 21, 2020)

For some maybe the walkman WM1 are dated, to others maybe not

Fot me my wm1A is a legend for sont DAP ‐ they were released during sonys 70 anniversary.

I've seen people keep way dated devices e.g. Astell and kern AK 100/100 II/120/120II which dont support DSD and only up to 192KHz


----------



## Amber Rain

Gforce8 said:


> Hello audiophiles and all the Sony users!
> 
> With all the new flagships and mid-fi DAPs, given a chance would you guys still get a dated device, in this case, WM1A or a WM1Z? I came across that these said sony devices could be modded with custom firmware by @MrWalkman or modded physically by @Nayparm, to achieve phenomenal performance, sonically.
> 
> Sorry if I got misinformed while doing my research. Doing my best to keep my options open, as well as my mind. Appreciate it if you guys could contribute your opinions on this.



I bought my NW-WM1A about a year ago, haven't regretted it (even without the mods) as it ticks nearly all of the boxes I needed...I told myself at the time I needed to keep it for several years before moving on / replacing and I see no reason to do so at the moment.

Yes, it is a little on the large size for portability purposes (but it just about fits in my top pocket!), sounds great, good touch screen and physical buttons, balanced and SE options, good battery life - doesn't become unbearably hot uniike some other DAPs, easy to load new music, LDAC Bluetooth, has USB out (can play DSD files this way) etc...


----------



## Redcarmoose

The age of the audio device is irrelevant. As long as the audiophile is transported into the music then the device still has value. Sound quality is simply all that matters in the end.


----------



## gerelmx1986

Redcarmoose said:


> The age of the audio device is irrelevant. As long as the audiophile is transported into the music then the device still has value. Sound quality is simply all that matters in the end.


Exactly, today , many regard DAP as a cellphone that in 2 years must be replaced by a new one, I find this silly on a DAP that has no streaming capabilities


----------



## Ghostsounds

Redcarmoose said:


> The age of the audio device is irrelevant. As long as the audiophile is transported into the music then the device still has value. Sound quality is simply all that matters in the end.


Amen to that.


----------



## proedros

almost 5000 hours with WM1A , talk about money well spent


----------



## gerelmx1986

As long as it works well and nothing goes dead, all is fine. 

The culprit are these audio companies that make smart DAP. Fiio, catin, hiby, A&K, Shangling etc. Thet need to release something every year to "keep up competitive" , some still using android 7 lol or half-baked features, buggy.

I feel they dont release just to keep up... also to make the end-user think the DAP he bought 2 years ago is ultra old e.h. using monikers like "pro"


----------



## aceedburn

gerelmx1986 said:


> As long as it works well and nothing goes dead, all is fine.
> 
> The culprit are these audio companies that make smart DAP. Fiio, catin, hiby, A&K, Shangling etc. Thet need to release something every year to "keep up competitive" , some still using android 7 lol or half-baked features, buggy.
> 
> I feel they dont release just to keep up... also to make the end-user think the DAP he bought 2 years ago is ultra old e.h. using monikers like "pro"


Yeah. In my opinion, FiiO makes crappy Daps.iems and amps are top notch. But Daps always with buggy firmware that never gets fixed. I’d never buy a FiiO dap. Ever.


----------



## Gforce8

proedros said:


> almost 5000 hours with WM1A , talk about money well spent


How do you even keep track of that? 😳


----------



## Gforce8

Appreciate the inputs. I need to emphasize again that I'm here on neutral ground. Neither to attack nor defend any perspective on audio gears. 

By saying that the device is dated, it's an objective point of view when it comes to technology. Hope you guys understand what I'm trying to get here. 

I'm taking in all the opinions given, and will decide on whatever suits my current situation.


----------



## proedros

Gforce8 said:


> How do you even keep track of that? 😳



settings > unit information >audio played (and i add some hours cause i also use the dac option which does not count in the audio hours total number)


----------



## Gforce8

What I'm trying to understand here is given another chance, clean slate, will you guys, for *example*, grab a sp2000 or get a used wm1a or wm1z with cfw/hardware mods.


----------



## Gforce8

proedros said:


> settings > unit information >audio played (and i add some hours cause i also use the dac option which does not count in the audio hours total number)


I see. Glad all of you are still enjoying the wm1a/z  as much.


----------



## MrWalkman

I would gladly grab a new WM1A. They may be released in 2016, but they are still manufactured to this day, and the OS runs great!

And especially with the available modded fw, they can sound amazing.

Best spent money for me.


----------



## aceedburn (Sep 21, 2020)

Gforce8 said:


> What I'm trying to understand here is given another chance, clean slate, will you guys, for *example*, grab a sp2000 or get a used wm1a or wm1z with cfw/hardware mods.


I would buy another 1A in a heartbeat if I knew my current 1A is nearing its end of life. But it’s still going strong and I doubt I’ll have to worry about picking up a new one in the next 5 years or longer.
I would never ever buy another brand of DAP as long as my 1A is running fine.  I have tried many others including AK, FiiO and opus and they pale in comparison.


----------



## Gforce8

MrWalkman said:


> I would gladly grab a new WM1A. They may be released in 2016, but they are still manufactured to this day, and the OS runs great!
> 
> And especially with the available modded fw, they can sound amazing.
> 
> Best spent money for me.


What's wrong with a used wm1a? Unless they made some minor tweaks/changes to the newer batch.


----------



## aceedburn

Gforce8 said:


> What's wrong with a used wm1a? Unless they made some minor tweaks/changes to the newer batch.


No difference whatsoever with either used or new 1A. The only thing to worry about is the condition of the unit and whether the previous owner made any unauthorised modifications to it. Otherwise it’s identical in performance.


----------



## MrWalkman

Gforce8 said:


> What's wrong with a used wm1a? Unless they made some minor tweaks/changes to the newer batch.



I just usually like to have a new device of my own, and not buy a used one.


----------



## Ghostsounds

I would get the 1a again. Only decision is what the replacement Sony might be releasing, if at all.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Both my 1A and 1Z are used. So I bought luxury for half price and no regrets. Modded or not, I move both players and will always appreciate them


----------



## Gforce8

Gamerlingual said:


> Both my 1A and 1Z are used. So I bought luxury for half price and no regrets. Modded or not, I move both players and will always appreciate them


Nice! How I wish I can get both of them as well. Did u apply any form of cfw/mods to them?


----------



## Jotaro

Gforce8 said:


> Hello audiophiles and all the Sony users!
> 
> With all the new flagships and mid-fi DAPs, given a chance would you guys still get a dated device, in this case, WM1A or a WM1Z? I came across that these said sony devices could be modded with custom firmware by @MrWalkman or modded physically by @Nayparm, to achieve phenomenal performance, sonically.
> 
> Sorry if I got misinformed while doing my research. Doing my best to keep my options open, as well as my mind. Appreciate it if you guys could contribute your opinions on this.


I bought second hand this year and sold all my recent daps, m11pro, dx160 nwa105,NWA 507. So now I just use nwm1a and sr25, I love my astellnkern as portable but wm1a is far ahead.


----------



## Queen6

Gforce8 said:


> What I'm trying to understand here is given another chance, clean slate, will you guys, for *example*, grab a sp2000 or get a used wm1a or wm1z with cfw/hardware mods.



I'd opt for WM1A or WM1Z simple as that.

Q-6


----------



## nc8000

Gforce8 said:


> How do you even keep track of that? 😳



by looking at the counter in settings


----------



## nc8000 (Sep 21, 2020)

Gforce8 said:


> Appreciate the inputs. I need to emphasize again that I'm here on neutral ground. Neither to attack nor defend any perspective on audio gears.
> 
> By saying that the device is dated, it's an objective point of view when it comes to technology. Hope you guys understand what I'm trying to get here.
> 
> I'm taking in all the opinions given, and will decide on whatever suits my current situation.



I’ve had my 1Z for 3 1/2 years and after this months hw upgrade from @Nayparm I fully expect to keep it for at least another 10 years unless it breaks and can’t be reasonably repaired


----------



## Gforce8

Jotaro said:


> I bought second hand this year and sold all my recent daps, m11pro, dx160 nwa105,NWA 507. So now I just use nwm1a and sr25, I love my astellnkern as portable but wm1a is far ahead.


thanks for sharing! 👍🏼 guess it's time to look for some underutilized WM1A/Z


----------



## newworld666 (Sep 21, 2020)

I am using at office for a few days the WM1A + with MrWalkman Z++ 2.0 connected to a spare Speaker Amp TA-N55ES  ... and results are just impressive with an Heddphone, a Z7M2 or Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas.
But a bit monstrous on my office desk   


So Even if I never had a chance to use it, I would love to go to a DMP-Z1, but almost impossible to get it Europe now  ....
Actually, I am thinking, to go to an intermediate way with a Sony TA-ZH1ES => but not sure the DAC of the TA-ZH1ES connected to the WM1A and the only 2x1.2W available will be as impressive as Z++ 2.0 + TA-N55ES..
I feel pity I can't get an analog output of the Sony's dock station with WM1A  .. as I only get an output for an external DAC and nothing else.


----------



## Gamerlingual

newworld666 said:


> I am using at office for a few days the WM1A + with MrWalkman Z++ 2.0 connected to a spare Speaker Amp TA-N55ES  ... and results are just impressive with an Heddphone, a Z7M2 or Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas.
> But a bit monstrous on my office desk
> 
> 
> ...


TA-ZH1ES easily matches the DMP-Z1 in sound if you have the Walkman cradle


----------



## jaibautista

Tried the 2.0 FW (coming from 1.4 FW), i didn't exactly like the huge soundstage and vocals being pushed back. I've never been a huge fan of huge soundstages; on the contrary, I very much prefer a narrow soundstage that combines depth and vocal intimacy (during my formative head-fi years, I mainly used either the Westone UM3x or the Sennheiser HD600).

So I did the next best thing: I reverted to the WM1A/Z++ 3.02 (FW1.4), which to my ears still is the best interpretation of the 1A sound


----------



## newworld666

Gamerlingual said:


> TA-ZH1ES easily matches the DMP-Z1 in sound if you have the Walkman cradle


 
I am not really sure that the a bit "old" TA-ZH1ES does include all what is included in the rather new and advanced DMP-Z1...


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Maxx134 said:


> Yep, but I wouldn't trust the battery upgrades from others. Only @Nayparm.
> Too much can go wrong...



Yes a lot of things can go wrong. I know it seems simple. Battery technology or battery powered devices can explode. Haha


----------



## NickleCo

After hearing the combo Chameleon 2.0 with E region on 3.02 I noticed that on some live recordings to sound too intense, no not due to the treble getting hot but rather the singer getting too in your face as if you were inside the mic they were using. Does anyone have or recommend a good region to use with the chameleon? TiA!


----------



## 6PANDEMONIUM6 (Sep 21, 2020)

Gforce8 said:


> Hello audiophiles and all the Sony users!
> 
> With all the new flagships and mid-fi DAPs, given a chance would you guys still get a dated device, in this case, WM1A or a WM1Z? I came across that these said sony devices could be modded with custom firmware by @MrWalkman or modded physically by @Nayparm, to achieve phenomenal performance, sonically.
> 
> Sorry if I got misinformed while doing my research. Doing my best to keep my options open, as well as my mind. Appreciate it if you guys could contribute your opinions on this.


I just purchased mine last week so. . . . yeah.

The great thing about non-android music players is that they don't age. Sony will update them whenever they need to be updated but other than that it's not like they can become "obsolete."

I still see people using external amps with modded ipods from like 20 years ago.

4.4mm balanced and I can use it as an external dac with my laptop and phone when I'm on the go. (When I'm home I just use my desktop gear.)

However, if you have extremely hard to drive headphones then there are other daps that you should consider. They don't sound better, but they do have more power.


----------



## 6PANDEMONIUM6

I think that alot of these south korean and chinese daps that use android have gotten us into the mindset that daps can become "old" and need to be replaced. However, that is a problem with android, not the hardware. Which is why non-android daps are not plagued by these problems.


----------



## Redcarmoose

newworld666 said:


> I am not really sure that the a bit "old" TA-ZH1ES does include all what is included in the rather new and advanced DMP-Z1...



He has a couple DMP-Z1 units in Tokyo at retailers near-by, as well as the TA/Cradle/AQCarbonUSB/1Z combo at his house. So he has methodically taken his array of headphones and IER-Z1R to the stores after arranging demo time prior. This has been going on for awhile.

He has done the diligence to make such a statement based on his personal subjective research and effort. Obviously the DMP-Z1 is better but by how much? His results were a wash using full-size for comparison. Though the IER-Z1R helped him discern more. All this was done as he really was/is on the fence about getting a DMP-Z1.


----------



## Gforce8

@6PANDEMONIUM6 

That's great information. Appreciate your input. Maybe I should get my hands on one to fully understand what are you guys talking about. And it must be a blessing in disguise. I currently own a EE Spartan. Fairly easy to drive CIEM.


----------



## Lookout57

DatDudeNic said:


> After hearing the combo Chameleon 2.0 with E region on 3.02 I noticed that on some live recordings to sound too intense, no not due to the treble getting hot but rather the singer getting too in your face as if you were inside the mic they were using. Does anyone have or recommend a good region to use with the chameleon? TiA!


Try Region J


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> He has a couple DMP-Z1 units in Tokyo at retailers near-by, as well as the TA/Cradle/AQCarbonUSB/1Z combo at his house. So he has methodically taken his array of headphones and IER-Z1R to the stores after arranging demo time prior. This has been going on for awhile.
> 
> He has done the diligence to make such a statement based on his personal subjective research and effort. Obviously the DMP-Z1 is better but by how much? His results were a wash using full-size for comparison. Though the IER-Z1R helped him discern more. All this was done as he really was/is on the fence about getting a DMP-Z1.


Oh yea. I definitely took my time and it wasn’t easy. But I put in at least 10+ hours of listening time if not more. Definitely lucky to be able to have these resources available


----------



## 6PANDEMONIUM6

Redcarmoose said:


> He has a couple DMP-Z1 units in Tokyo at retailers near-by, as well as the TA/Cradle/AQCarbonUSB/1Z combo at his house. So he has methodically taken his array of headphones and IER-Z1R to the stores after arranging demo time prior. This has been going on for awhile.
> 
> He has done the diligence to make such a statement based on his personal subjective research and effort. Obviously the DMP-Z1 is better but by how much? His results were a wash using full-size for comparison. Though the IER-Z1R helped him discern more. All this was done as he really was/is on the fence about getting a DMP-Z1.


I don't understand how the cradle could make it sound better. Though I do agree that the walkmanxtazh1es is a great combo.


----------



## newworld666

Redcarmoose said:


> He has done the diligence to make such a statement based on his personal subjective research and effort.* Obviously the DMP-Z1 is better but by how much? *His results were a wash using full-size for comparison. Though the IER-Z1R helped him discern more. All this was done as he really was/is on the fence about getting a DMP-Z1.


 
Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to quantify globally a sound quality.. and it's even difficult to say a difference is "better", as often we feel "because it's more expensive," the differences must be in a better way....  
Actually, these last months (since I use a Heddphone and recently a IER-Z1R), I noticed that with rather powerful amps like my THX887 or TA-N55ES, the lower and ultra-low sections have got a way clearer with more powerful impacts with any headphones. Which can, unfortunately, never be compensated with some Parametric EQ, as the clear powerful ultra-bass impacts seems to be more concerned with instant peak voltage than a level of DB.

For middle and higher frequencies, I can ear differences (even after EQ) but I won't say one combo is far better than the other one and gives far more details or not (and it can even be a reversed feeling with different music).

With MrWalkman Z+/++ firmwares, I get an impressive result too with a single WM1A and Z7M2/IER-Z1R... but when, I go through a speaker amp after the WM1A unbalanced output, the Z7M2 is climbing to another level in bass and sub-bass too.

I don't know if the 2x1.5W balanced mode of the DMP-Z1 will be able to really fully move the Heddphone from low to high frequencies, but I wonder, if the *Sony TA-ZH1ES is maybe just under the target connected to the WM1A as MrWalkman firmware won't have any effects*.


----------



## newworld666

Gamerlingual said:


> Oh yea. I definitely took my time and it wasn’t easy. But I put in at least 10+ hours of listening time if not more. Definitely lucky to be able to have these resources available


 
So .. for you, not significant advantage with the DMP-Z1 over the TA-ZH1ES + WM1A + BCR-NWH10, even if the power section is different between the two.
As I understand the situation MrWalkman Z+/++ firmware should not be concerned through the DAC output of the WM1A... 
It's a rather good news as it's a way cheaper ...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 21, 2020)

newworld666 said:


> Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to quantify globally a sound quality.. and it's even difficult to say a difference is "better", as often we feel "because it's more expensive," the differences must be in a better way....
> Actually, these last months (since I use a Heddphone and recently a IER-Z1R), I noticed that with rather powerful amps like my THX887 or TA-N55ES, the lower and ultra-low sections have got a way clearer with more powerful impacts with any headphones. Which can, unfortunately, never be compensated with some Parametric EQ, as the clear powerful ultra-bass impacts seems to be more concerned with instant peak voltage than a level of DB.
> 
> For middle and higher frequencies, I can ear differences (even after EQ) but I won't say one combo is far better than the other one and gives far more details or not (and it can even be a reversed feeling with different music).
> ...



In my humble opinion and with the volume levels I use.............the Walkmans are simply not powerful for full-size. This of course is subjective, but the 1Z/1A just get the job done. We are not talking about loudness here but in reference to damping factor. Keep in mind the TA is really not considered a power desktop either. The TA can’t drive my AKG k701 headphones at all. But........the complete Signature Series is designed to go together as the ecosystem it truly is.

The TA damping will surpass any new (and spectacular none-the-less) improvements by MrWalkmans firmware.....at least with the MDR-Z1R and MDR-Z7, MDR-Z7MK2. Other headphones I don’t know.

Bringing the quality to another level though is the Cradle and AQCarbon USB add. As we are getting USB filtering and reclocking to the (already cleaner than PC/Mac) USB signal. So in essence this is what the DMP-Z1 is. Yet for harder to drive headphones the DMP-Z1 offers more.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 21, 2020)

newworld666 said:


> So .. for you, not significant advantage with the DMP-Z1 over the TA-ZH1ES + WM1A + BCR-NWH10, even if the power section is different between the two.
> As I understand the situation MrWalkman Z+/++ firmware should not be concerned through the DAC output of the WM1A...
> It's a rather good news as it's a way cheaper ...



What we have done is found ways to try and dial in the MDR-Z1R, MDR-Z7 and Z7MK2. This process is designed around using the Kimber cable as well as the TA to “clean-up” the lower midrange “fog” that can occur with those full-size headphones. It could be considered an artifact but what ends is a perception of more bass. There is maybe a dB of more bass. But the low end is cleaner. The increase happens in imaging and separation along with bigger soundstage; all at exactly  the same volumes that you would have with the 1Z/1A.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 21, 2020)

I know nothing about the DMP-Z1. I have not looked into it? I am only referencing what I know. I have no opinion on the DMP-Z1 except to tell a story of someone here who researched it. Their subjective findings are their own.


----------



## MrWalkman

Interesting piece of article: https://timeline.com/amp/p/1d1cf935acd8


----------



## matevana

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> Yes a lot of things can go wrong. I know it seems simple. Battery technology or battery powered devices can explode. Haha





DatDudeNic said:


> After hearing the combo Chameleon 2.0 with E region on 3.02 I noticed that on some live recordings to sound too intense, no not due to the treble getting hot but rather the singer getting too in your face as if you were inside the mic they were using. Does anyone have or recommend a good region to use with the chameleon? TiA!



Give "CA" region a try.  It is my 2nd favorite region next to E.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 21, 2020)

6PANDEMONIUM6 said:


> I don't understand how the cradle could make it sound better. Though I do agree that the walkmanxtazh1es is a great combo.



It’s truly a very subtle and slight difference. It’s along the same premise as folks here extrapolating about flash cards, and various digital inputs.

It’s probably scientifically questionable, yet here at Head-Fi you also have people promoting various PC playback software. Folks get ideas and attempt to find small changes in their systems.

The Cradle offers reclocking and Sony’s own idea of USB filtering. What’s found is the TA has small advantages due to DSD upsampling the Walkmans don’t do, as well as a different DSEE HX. After experimenting it turns out SPDIF RCA coaxial to the TA gets last place coming from a CD transport. Side Walkman inputs are OK but the adapter for USB gets higher bit rate. The Cradle gets top form due to the signal filtering reclocking and equal bit-rate (as the adapter). Using the AQCarbon cable completes the equation. Along the same lines it’s very noticeable in contrast to simply plugging in a PC or Mac into the TA. Same as a PC or Mac sounds inferior using the 1A/1Z in DAC mode in comparison to playing songs internally or off a card. It’s the reduction of noise.


----------



## 6PANDEMONIUM6 (Sep 21, 2020)

Where do people who have the cradle plugged into the usb port on the back of their tazh1es connect their PC Audio? I'd like to try the cradle with my wm1a but. . . . Xbox on the optical, Blu-Ray player/cd transport on the coaxial, PC on the USB port-


----------



## 6PANDEMONIUM6

I have an optical switcher and use other consoles with the optical input too.


----------



## Redcarmoose

6PANDEMONIUM6 said:


> Where do people who have the cradle plugged into the usb port on the back of their tazh1es connect their PC Audio? I'd like to try the cradle with my wm1a but. . . . Xbox on the optical, Blu-Ray player on the coaxial, PC on the USB port-



The Cradle has a small switch on the back. Supposedly the PC or Mac USB signal gets the reclocking and USB filtering. One direction is source Walkman, the other direction is computer. The computer hooks to the Cradle with mini USB. Gets hooked to the back of the TA.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 21, 2020)

6PANDEMONIUM6 said:


> I have an optical switcher and use other consoles with the optical input too.



Optical.......crazy as it sounds, is actually another preferred method (no USB noise)  to the TA. Yet keep in mind no big DSD files get passed that way. But optical on 44.1-16 sound identical going to the TA (in my humble tests) when I play them off a smart TV going TOSLINK into the TA.

Optical no USB noise. The benefits of the Walkmans with the Cradle is low USB noise but DSD playback.

Cheers!


----------



## 6PANDEMONIUM6

Redcarmoose said:


> Optical crazy as it sounds is actually a preferred method to the TA. Yet keep in mind no big DSD files get passed that way. But optical on 44.1-16 sound identical going to the TA (in my humble tests) when I play them off a smart TV going TOSLINK into the TA.
> 
> Optical no USB noise. The benefits of the Walkmans with the Cradle is low USB noise but DSD playback.
> 
> Cheers!


Yeah, I've always been a big believer in the benefits of an optical connection. Unfortunately, as you said, no DSD over optical.


----------



## Redcarmoose

6PANDEMONIUM6 said:


> Yeah, I've always been a big believer in the benefits of an optical connection. Unfortunately, as you said, no DSD over optical.



I probably only have 5 DSD albums, I just have 24 bit and FLAC 16/44.1.


----------



## 524419 (Sep 21, 2020)

To my ears a Solid Flat copper foil USB cable sounds better than an Optical connection, and no problems playing DSD files either.
USB cable noise is the from the materials used, specifically the wires. The usual cheap Brass contact points also affect the sound, timbre to be exact.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Diet Kokaine said:


> To my ears a Solid Flat copper foil USB cable sounds better than an Optical connection, and no problems playing DSD files either.
> USB cable noise is the from the materials used, specifically the wires. The usual cheap Brass contact points also affect the sound, timbre to be exact.



I’ve always been amazed when you talk about the worthlessness of shielding; the stuff is promoted with fancy-pants USB cables.


----------



## 6PANDEMONIUM6

I just realized that this thread has more posts than the IER-Z1R, MDR-Z1R, TAZH1ES, and DMP-Z1 threads combined.


----------



## Lookout57

6PANDEMONIUM6 said:


> Where do people who have the cradle plugged into the usb port on the back of their tazh1es connect their PC Audio? I'd like to try the cradle with my wm1a but. . . . Xbox on the optical, Blu-Ray player/cd transport on the coaxial, PC on the USB port-


I have the cradle connected to the PC USB and my computer connected to the Walkman Micro USB using a right angle adapter to have the cable run backwards instead of straight out.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Strangely the Cradle also accepts signals while connected to mini usb. Meaning your suppose to use the connection to send files from the computer to the Walkman (songs). But you can also play music from the computer and the Walkmans will play it from the 4.4mm or 3.5mm while sitting charging in the dock. So it’s reversed.


----------



## gerelmx1986

In the  quick Siesta (nap) I had, what a dream I had.

I dreamed I had the sony WM1 sucessor, it had the shape of the DMP-Z1,  roughly the size of the kann alpha/cube.  With analog volume knob, DSD rrmastering 4 micro SD slots. The name was WM-Z1R and in the dream I read sony website it would have been the last walkman with walkmanOS .

However one thing weird in my dream, in its belly, wo under it, it had a screwed door for 6 9V batteries, yeah it tan on replaceable batteries.

It let me wonder,  why are DAPs mo longer made with replaceable battery in mind. E.g slide a door , swap the battery for new one. Be it.
AA
AAA
D
C
9V
or gum stick lithium ion
Or sonys own camera battery pack Info-lithium


----------



## newworld666 (Sep 21, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> Strangely the Cradle also accepts signals while connected to mini usb. Meaning your suppose to use the connection to send files from the computer to the Walkman (songs). But you can also play music from the computer and the Walkmans will play it from the 4.4mm or 3.5mm while sitting charging in the dock. So it’s reversed.



It's much better than the limited Fiio dedicated Dock, which can't charge the DAP while using it with external DAC .. same with Hiby R6pro .. and iBasso 220max too... and probably many other Chinese made Daps (Android issue ? I don't know about Sony's android ZX507).
It's amazing that using an external Dac is incompatible wither power supply !!

The only issue with the Sony's cradle is that you have to chose manually on the cradle the way you want to use the WM1A (Output or Input USB)


----------



## Mindstorms

gerelmx1986 said:


> Exactly, today , many regard DAP as a cellphone that in 2 years must be replaced by a new one, I find this silly on a DAP that has no streaming capabilities


can you please tell me about your porta pros?


----------



## 524419 (Sep 21, 2020)

Redcarmoose said:


> I’ve always been amazed when you talk about the worthlessness of shielding; the stuff is promoted with fancy-pants USB cables.


Air is the best shield 
Cotton sounds the best to my ears, more to do  with insulation (preventing shorts), not with the shielding aspect of it all.

As I hear it...all the extra extra super duper Holy Grail shielding adds noise, so it is in fact the opposite of whats advertised. Also the shielding makes the cable sound boxed in/cramped sound stage. weird but true.

ADD: They can't really charge your extra premium dollars for "AIR"


----------



## Mindstorms

newworld666 said:


> I am using at office for a few days the WM1A + with MrWalkman Z++ 2.0 connected to a spare Speaker Amp TA-N55ES  ... and results are just impressive with an Heddphone, a Z7M2 or Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas.
> But a bit monstrous on my office desk
> 
> 
> ...


be carefull leaving 1A plugged thats how i deteriorated mine!


----------



## mmwwmm

Redcarmoose said:


> The Cradle offers reclocking and Sony’s own idea of USB filtering.



I have heard a few times about this reclocking function in the cradle over this thread and this is just not true. The only "special" function the cradle provides is extra power filtering. The cradle is designed to charging the walkman and outputting digital stream at the same time so special power filtering function is to assure a clean DC power from any cheap SMPS to feed the walkman through the cradle while it´s playing. The PCB inside the cradle with the FT caps is just for extra smoothing and filtering the DC power input from the SMPS. No reclocking function inside.


----------



## Mindstorms

Gforce8 said:


> @6PANDEMONIUM6
> 
> That's great information. Appreciate your input. Maybe I should get my hands on one to fully understand what are you guys talking about. And it must be a blessing in disguise. I currently own a EE Spartan. Fairly easy to drive CIEM.


your name its an Nvidia Series 8 Card reference?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 21, 2020)

mmwwmm said:


> I have heard a few times about this reclocking function in the cradle over this thread and this is just not true. The only "special" function the cradle provides is extra power filtering. The cradle is designed to charging the walkman and outputting digital stream at the same time so special power filtering function is to assure a clean DC power from any cheap SMPS to feed the walkman through the cradle while it´s playing. The PCB inside the cradle with the FT caps is just for extra smoothing and filtering the DC power input from the SMPS. No reclocking function inside.



I’m simply going by my mentor https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/

He had the system at one point before upgrading to the DMP-Z1. Showed us pictures of the Cradle as well as upgraded his Cradle internal parts. I’m not sure someone could modify their Cradle without knowing what it does? If your insinuation is he is simply making this stuff up? Do you have a TA and Cradle? Have you heard the difference or simply doing research. Show us where it says it’s only power filtration and I may start to agree, still the sound is different? No USB filtration either?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 21, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> Air is the best shield
> Cotton sounds the best to my ears, more to do  with insulation (preventing shorts), not with the shielding aspect of it all.
> 
> As I hear it...all the extra extra super duper Holy Grail shielding adds noise, so it is in fact the opposite of whats advertised. Also the shielding makes the cable sound boxed in/cramped sound stage. weird but true.
> ...



Have you found any sound changes from American, African, Egyptian or Indian cotton? Maybe more robust from the American, slightly drier sound from Egypt?


----------



## 524419

Redcarmoose said:


> Have you found any sound changes from American, African, Egyptian or Indian cotton? Maybe more robust from the American, slightly drier sound from Egypt?


Hahahaha  
People say Silk is better, but I am not neurotic enough to try that...as of yet. 
Maybe someday.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 21, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> Hahahaha
> People say Silk is better, but I am not neurotic enough to try that...as of yet.
> Maybe someday.



I have two pure gold foil power cords wrapped in EMF paper, so I’ll believe  anything.


----------



## 6PANDEMONIUM6

Sometimes I can't tell if you guys are joking or being serious. Never have I ever heard someone say that usb shielding adds noise or makes the sound boxed in.


----------



## 524419

6PANDEMONIUM6 said:


> Sometimes I can't tell if you guys are joking or being serious. Never have I ever heard someone say that usb shielding adds noise or makes the sound boxed in.


I have personally made DIY USB cables of almost every material/configuration out there. So I am not joking when I say that excessive Shielding adds noise to the cable. The best results I had were with cables the used minimal shielding, i.e. cotton.
Air is the best Dielectric, so If you are not stacking cables on top of each other, cotton is by far the best material.
Foil > Solid > Litz > stranded.
To my Ears  Copper > Silver > Silver/Gold alloy


----------



## Hinomotocho

Gforce8 said:


> thanks for sharing! 👍🏼 guess it's time to look for some underutilized WM1A/Z


The sheer number of pages and posts on this thread, especially in the past few months should be overwhelming evidence that the 1A/1Z aren't just great older models waiting for an updated replacement, they are still very much up there with the more recent offerings and with the recent custom firmwares it has raised the sound output and value even more.
Also the build quality is outstanding as it is extremely rare to encounter any kind of issues and there are people on here with thousands of hours of playtime and their batteries still get great performance.


----------



## Hinomotocho (Sep 21, 2020)

@Gforce8 I only bought mine about 4 months ago and had the same thoughts.
I wondered if I should wait for a new model but then thought that, it might not come out for up to a year, USB C would be convenient but an extra cable doesn't really rock my boat, there is a chance they may cater to a wider market and add streaming which I don't want at all, the battery is already generous so any extra isn't a selling point for me, they may do what they did with the iems and only do a super high end model (with dynamic/BA IER-Z1R) and not offer a lower/mid priced hybrid (only BA), sound quality will probably be improved but I doubt it will be something that instantly knocks your socks off, it would be a subtle improvement that would only be really appreciated after months of listening (like the 507?), and with custom firmwares milking these older models that improvement may be diminished anyway like the 1A/1Z difference now.
Just something to think about 

* this is just written with the perspective of talking yourself out of waiting for a new model but they could be reasons for you to wait, but one factor is that a release date and specs are uncertain


----------



## tomwoo

Could anyone enlighten me why there are two WM1A on Amazon? One sells for $999 and the other sells for $1,198. It seems the $999 one is sold by third-party sellers while the $1,198 one is sold by Amazon itself. But why would anyone pay extra 200 bucks just to make Jeff Bezos even more richer? Thanks.
$999: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LRQZQHW
$1,198: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1WFAI5


----------



## RYCeT

tomwoo said:


> Could anyone enlighten me why there are two WM1A on Amazon? One sells for $999 and the other sells for $1,198. It seems the $999 one is sold by third-party sellers while the $1,198 one is sold by Amazon itself. But why would anyone pay extra 200 bucks just to make Jeff Bezos even more richer? Thanks.
> $999: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LRQZQHW
> $1,198: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1WFAI5



Beside the 3rd party vs Amazon, the other issue is International Warranty vs US Warranty.


----------



## tomwoo

RYCeT said:


> Beside the 3rd party vs Amazon, the other issue is International Warranty - US Warranty.


There is no mention of warranty in both offerings. Some buyers claimed there were no differences between them...


----------



## RYCeT

tomwoo said:


> There is no mention of warranty in both offerings. Some buyers claimed there were no differences between them...



Amazon is an authorized US sony dealer, 3rd party sellers are most likely not.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Here is another for $999.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01LRQZQHW/ref=sspa_mw_detail_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A30ZHEXCE0JSN6


----------



## 6PANDEMONIUM6

Diet Kokaine said:


> I have personally made DIY USB cables of almost every material/configuration out there. So I am not joking when I say that excessive Shielding adds noise to the cable. The best results I had were with cables the used minimal shielding, i.e. cotton.
> Air is the best Dielectric, so If you are not stacking cables on top of each other, cotton is by far the best material.
> Foil > Solid > Litz > stranded.
> To my Ears  Copper > Silver > Silver/Gold alloy


How much would you charge for one of these better DIY cables? I would like to hear one myself.


----------



## tomwoo

Redcarmoose said:


> Here is another for $999.
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01LRQZQHW/ref=sspa_mw_detail_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A30ZHEXCE0JSN6


That's from the same product page I found, just a different seller. I wonder if this is B stock because the product name is 'SONY Digital Audio Player Walkman NW-WM1A *B* (Black)'


----------



## tomwoo

RYCeT said:


> Amazon is an authorized US sony dealer, 3rd party sellers are most likely not.


Possibly. But it's hard to believe Amazon would fulfill a Sony product without warranty...


----------



## Redcarmoose

Can’t you just ask them if it’s B stock. 


tomwoo said:


> That's from the same product page I found, just a different seller. I wonder if this is B stock because the product name is 'SONY Digital Audio Player Walkman NW-WM1A *B* (Black)'


----------



## tomwoo

Redcarmoose said:


> Can’t you just ask them if it’s B stock.


I did and haven't received a reply yet. I figured maybe someone here has already ordered that one.


----------



## lmf22

Does anyone know a good hard case or pouch that can store the WM1A and a Campfire Audio Solaris 2020? Maybe something from Pelican with a foam insert? This is just for carrying the WM1A and IEM from one location to another and not have to use two cases.


----------



## 524419

6PANDEMONIUM6 said:


> How much would you charge for one of these better DIY cables? I would like to hear one myself.


I can build you Copper foil cable for about 60 bucks including shipping. 
would have to order a Pure copper USB connector, some power and Ground wire,  but have all the rest of the supplies needed.


----------



## 6PANDEMONIUM6

lmf22 said:


> Does anyone know a good hard case or pouch that can store the WM1A and a Campfire Audio Solaris 2020? Maybe something from Pelican with a foam insert? This is just for carrying the WM1A and IEM from one location to another and not have to use two cases.


I have a very nice Miter case- Here is the amazon link. 
https://www.amazon.com/Carrying-Ear...ter+dap+case&qid=1600733308&sr=8-1&th=1&psc=1


----------



## Gforce8

Mindstorms said:


> your name its an Nvidia Series 8 Card reference?


Good catch. It's my first gfx card I used when I built my first pc. 8800gtx.


----------



## SebaE2012

Gforce8 said:


> Appreciate the inputs. I need to emphasize again that I'm here on neutral ground. Neither to attack nor defend any perspective on audio gears.
> 
> By saying that the device is dated, it's an objective point of view when it comes to technology. Hope you guys understand what I'm trying to get here.
> 
> I'm taking in all the opinions given, and will decide on whatever suits my current situation.



HI... I was in a similar situation a few months ago. An opportunity to purchase a brand new WM1A at an excellent price arose. I had some doubts coming from the same place as yours: was this a "dated" DAP? Should I just wait for a new player from Sony or get one of the New alternatives in the market? I was coming from an excellent experience with the ZX2 and I put quite some value in a smooth, hassle-free experience so that counted in favor of getting another Sony dap. I looked into FiiO and iBasso (admittedly, they were harder to come by living where I live). I was also hesitant to give up the possibility of streaming straight from the player, even if most of my listening is with local files. In the end, due to my prior experience with Sony and the great deal I got, I pulled the trigger. I'm very satisfied. I don't think it's a dated DAP if you are going to listen to your own collection. Quite the contrary, it seems to be a player with a lot of life in it still. No increase of lag due to app updates, etc. The SQ is amazing. Many people think that balanced is the only way to go, but I must say that I'm very happy with SE as well. I alternate between both kinds of outputs, depending on the phones I'm going to use, and I find SE very satisfying.
If you're into DSP, the player has quite a few features to play around with. 
Even on stock firmware, 3.02, the DAP sounds awesome. Great detail and soundstage. Not a powerhouse by any means zas others have pointed out, but for IEMs, it's a great player. And I know many folks here don't think the WM1A is able to drive the Z7M2 properly, but I enjoy listening to them through it. 
I'm very happy with purchase so I'd say it's still a great option.


----------



## Mindstorms

Gforce8 said:


> Good catch. It's my first gfx card I used when I built my first pc. 8800gtx.


Iet that card pass in vavor of a 8800GT huge mistake... but awesome card anyways offtopic sorry (can be safely removed)


----------



## Gamerlingual (Sep 22, 2020)

SebaE2012 said:


> HI... I was in a similar situation a few months ago. An opportunity to purchase a brand new WM1A at an excellent price arose. I had some doubts coming from the same place as yours: was this a "dated" DAP? Should I just wait for a new player from Sony or get one of the New alternatives in the market? I was coming from an excellent experience with the ZX2 and I put quite some value in a smooth, hassle-free experience so that counted in favor of getting another Sony dap. I looked into FiiO and iBasso (admittedly, they were harder to come by living where I live). I was also hesitant to give up the possibility of streaming straight from the player, even if most of my listening is with local files. In the end, due to my prior experience with Sony and the great deal I got, I pulled the trigger. I'm very satisfied. I don't think it's a dated DAP if you are going to listen to your own collection. Quite the contrary, it seems to be a player with a lot of life in it still. No increase of lag due to app updates, etc. The SQ is amazing. Many people think that balanced is the only way to go, but I must say that I'm very happy with SE as well. I alternate between both kinds of outputs, depending on the phones I'm going to use, and I find SE very satisfying.
> If you're into DSP, the player has quite a few features to play around with.
> Even on stock firmware, 3.02, the DAP sounds awesome. Great detail and soundstage. Not a powerhouse by any means zas others have pointed out, but for IEMs, it's a great player. And I know many folks here don't think the WM1A is able to drive the Z7M2 properly, but I enjoy listening to them through it.
> I'm very happy with purchase so I'd say it's still a great option.


I can listen to my MDR-Z1R, Focal Clear, and Z7M2 no problem. The DAPs also power the Focal Stellia without a problem. So there are plenty of cans that pair with these and can enjoy for hours


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 22, 2020)

*DUNU Studio SA6*
_*Walkman 1A*_
*HanSound Zen



*


----------



## NickleCo

chameleon 2.0 on J bass is to die for! Silky smooth doesn't bleed to the other regions and most importantly vocals isn't as forward anymore!


----------



## 534409

Little archeology: I'm digging into older CFWs, made by _'you know who'_ few months ago. ZTAZ1 only 1A


----------



## mmwwmm

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m simply going by my mentor https://www.head-fi.org/members/whitigir.378966/
> 
> He had the system at one point before upgrading to the DMP-Z1. Showed us pictures of the Cradle as well as upgraded his Cradle internal parts. U I’m not sure someone could modify their Cradle without knowing what it does? If your insinuation is he is simply making this stuff up? Do you have a TA and Cradle? Have you heard the difference or simply doing research. Show us where it says it’s only power filtration and I may start to agree, still the sound is different? No USB filtration either?


I own the cradle and the sony digital output cable. In fact I think both sounds the same if the cradle are not connected to a power adapter and I slightly prefer the sound of the digital cable over the cradle when I use the latter with the power adapter.. I have take a look inside the cradle and definitivetely there is no ”reclocking” circuit inside. Just a filtering stage. Please, go to Sony Japanese site and read by yourself that they advertised the cradle as only having a power filtering circuit with the FT caps as its main special feature and never said anything about reclocking. 
if you google about reclocking in this unit You’ll only find your “mentor” talks about it. 
Anyway upgrading components (i.e. swapping one cap for another higher specs one) doesn’t always means knowleadge about the circuits upgraded...😉


----------



## MrWalkman

Dramba said:


> Little archeology: I'm digging into older CFWs, made by _'you know who'_ few months ago. ZTAZ1 only 1A



As I mentioned in a previous post, we should make a distinction between custom firmware mods and custom tuning mods. 

It seems that ZTAZ1 is a tuning mod.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 22, 2020)

mmwwmm said:


> I own the cradle and the sony digital output cable. In fact I think both sounds the same if the cradle are not connected to a power adapter and I slightly prefer the sound of the digital cable over the cradle when I use the latter with the power adapter.. I have take a look inside the cradle and definitivetely there is no ”reclocking” circuit inside. Just a filtering stage. Please, go to Sony Japanese site and read by yourself that they advertised the cradle as only having a power filtering circuit with the FT caps as its main special feature and never said anything about reclocking.
> if you google about reclocking in this unit You’ll only find your “mentor” talks about it.
> Anyway upgrading components (i.e. swapping one cap for another higher specs one) doesn’t always means knowleadge about the circuits upgraded...😉



If so then I will stand corrected.

Cheers.

This stuff is complicated, and fun. Let’s keep the fun part going!


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 22, 2020)

Someone was thinking what would happen if you format the internal storage on your PC. The answer is: *not* bricking  I tried formatting the internal storage to exFAT, from Windows.

If I'm formatting the internal storage to FAT32 from Windows, all was fine.

However, I think it's recommended that we format it from the Settings.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 22, 2020)

I’m simply interested in the truth. The last thing I would want is for folks to make wrong purchases. The AQCarbon and Cradle or USB adapter are a benefit over the TA side connection as it’s a provable fact they can handle higher bit-rate. It’s not the time or place here to go over beliefs in USB cables so everyone’s on their own on that. Even if there is truth that the Cradle does not reclock, there is value in what the Cradle offers. Many of us use the Cradle. I have not done blind tests with the Cradle against the USB adapter.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 22, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> Someone was thinking what would happen if you format the internal storage on your PC. The answer is: *not* bricking



You still can’t break it?


----------



## matevana

MrWalkman said:


> Someone was thinking what would happen if you format the internal storage on your PC. The answer is: *not* bricking



That was me!  You are a brave soul, lol. Was that with the SD Card Formatter or a Windows format?


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 22, 2020)

matevana said:


> That was me!  You are a brave soul, lol. Was that with the SD Card Formatter or a Windows format?



I actually tried formatting the internal storage to another file system, exFAT, and I got the error above in the player. I then tried formatting it to the same file system, FAT32, and all was fine.

However, if formatting the internal storage using the SD Card Formatter tool, then I got the same error as when formatting to exFAT, even if the file system that the tool used was FAT32.

I guess it's best to just format it from the Settings.


----------



## 534409

MrWalkman said:


> As I mentioned in a previous post, we should make a distinction between custom firmware mods and custom tuning mods.
> It seems that ZTAZ1 is a tuning mod.



Yet it plays better while walking than WM1AZ+. Walked another 5 km today with it.


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 22, 2020)

Dramba said:


> Yet it plays better while walking than WM1AZ+. Walked another 5 km today with it.



I didn't say tuning mods are not good  Just that we should make a distinction between them.

Regarding walking/running/biking while playing music, I found out that just turning the volume up does it, at least for me.


----------



## 534409 (Sep 22, 2020)

Not for me, I'm even lowering volume while walking. 
PS. Last year I had a bike accident and broke wrist in right hand. Until surgeons will remove titanium bolts from my hand, I cannot be biking. So I'm frequent walker, around 20 km per week


----------



## hamhamhamsta (Sep 22, 2020)

Dramba said:


> Not for me, I'm even lowering volume while walking.
> PS. Last year I had a bike accident and broke wrist in right hand. Until surgeons will remove titanium bolts from my hand, I cannot be biking. So I'm frequent walker, around 20 km per week


I’m a fellow walker too, used to walk 30-40 km weekly. It’s harder than it looks, and take so much of your time. But helps clear my head while walking, listening to 1Z and I don’t snore anymore haha😀 And the funny thing is after walking a while, it was my shoulder and back that hurts, not my legs


----------



## Queen6

hamhamhamsta said:


> I’m a fellow walker too, used to walk 30-40 km weekly. It’s harder than it looks, and take so much of your time. But helps clear my head while walking, listening to 1Z and I don’t snore anymore haha😀 And the funny thing is after waking a while, it was my shoulder and back that hurts, not my legs



Lot to be said about taking a walk, especially with conversation or alone with good music...

Q-6


----------



## matevana

MrWalkman said:


> I actually tried formatting the internal storage to another file system, exFAT, and I got the error above in the player. I then tried formatting it to the same file system, FAT32, and all was fine.
> 
> However, if formatting the internal storage using the SD Card Formatter tool, then I got the same error as when formatting to exFAT, even if the file system that the tool used was FAT32.
> 
> I guess it's best to just format it from the Settings.



Thanks for your efforts. It was worthy of a test.


----------



## tomwoo

tomwoo said:


> I did and haven't received a reply yet. I figured maybe someone here has already ordered that one.


For those who are interested in getting WM1A for a little less than MSRP (16.7% to be exact): the $1K one on Amazon is international version w/o US warranty. Although the seller is willing to provide one-year warranty, please take it as a grain of salt.


----------



## Lookout57

tomwoo said:


> For those who are interested in getting WM1A for a little less than MSRP (16.7% to be exact): the $1K one on Amazon is international version w/o US warranty. Although the seller is willing to provide one-year warranty, please take it as a grain of salt.


I paid that price last year at B&H Photo during their Black Friday sale with full warranty.


----------



## lmf22

6PANDEMONIUM6 said:


> I have a very nice Miter case- Here is the amazon link.
> https://www.amazon.com/Carrying-Earphone-Handmade-Standing-Earphones/dp/B086WZWNXM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=miter+dap+case&qid=1600733308&sr=8-1&th=1&psc=1



Thank you! That's perfect! Looks very nice. Just ordered the blue version.


----------



## cammoni

I am new here, I need bit of help here with my 1Z that got delivered today, I get audio out out of 3.5 mm only for mp3 songs. I have 16 bit and 24 bit FLAC, WAW and AIFF songs, which are not playing thru 3.5mm. I don't have the cable yet to test the 4.4 balanced so I am depending on 3.5 for now.

I should get audio out of 3.5mm except DSD per my knowledge. Is there any setting I missed? I have updated to the latest firmware 3.2 FYI...

Thank you


----------



## tomwoo

Lookout57 said:


> I paid that price last year at B&H Photo during their Black Friday sale with full warranty.


Good to know. AFAIK it's lowest you can get for a brand new WM1A.


----------



## MrWalkman

cammoni said:


> I am new here, I need bit of help here with my 1Z that got delivered today, I get audio out out of 3.5 mm only for mp3 songs. I have 16 bit and 24 bit FLAC, WAW and AIFF songs, which are not playing thru 3.5mm. I don't have the cable yet to test the 4.4 balanced so I am depending on 3.5 for now.
> 
> I should get audio out of 3.5mm except DSD per my knowledge. Is there any setting I missed? I have updated to the latest firmware 3.2 FYI...
> 
> Thank you



Both 1Z and 1A can play all types of files on both outputs. I don't understand how you say that FLAC/WAV/etc. are not playing through the 3.5mm output. Did you even try?

Regarding DSD, it will be played in native mode via the balanced output, but it can still be played through the 3.5mm output as well.


----------



## cammoni

MrWalkman said:


> Both 1Z and 1A can play all types of files on both outputs. I don't understand how you say that FLAC/WAV/etc. are not playing through the 3.5mm output. Did you even try?
> 
> Regarding DSD, it will be played in native mode via the balanced output, but it can still be played through the 3.5mm output as well.



Yes, I tried to play all the mentioned formats including the songs I purchased from hdtrack.  So I copied one mp3 song just to try, and that played well.
Even the four songs that came with the unit didn’t play.
I must have gotten  a defective unit

thank you for your reply.


----------



## MrWalkman

cammoni said:


> Yes, I tried to play all the mentioned formats including the songs I purchased from hdtrack.  So I copied one mp3 song just to try, and that played well.
> Even the four songs that came with the unit didn’t play.
> I must have gotten  a defective unit
> 
> thank you for your reply.



Something is definitely wrong, I never heard of this kind of situation before.


----------



## RYCeT

cammoni said:


> Yes, I tried to play all the mentioned formats including the songs I purchased from hdtrack.  So I copied one mp3 song just to try, and that played well.
> Even the four songs that came with the unit didn’t play.
> I must have gotten  a defective unit
> 
> thank you for your reply.



That is bizarre.


----------



## RYCeT

tomwoo said:


> For those who are interested in getting WM1A for a little less than MSRP (16.7% to be exact): the $1K one on Amazon is international version w/o US warranty. Although the seller is willing to provide one-year warranty, please take it as a grain of salt.



Told you so . If you want that, you should just go to ebay for $899- https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-SEALED...004908?hash=item1a1ce64dac:g:GN4AAOSwPh5ZHw0P


----------



## SoLame

cammoni said:


> Yes, I tried to play all the mentioned formats including the songs I purchased from hdtrack.  So I copied one mp3 song just to try, and that played well.
> Even the four songs that came with the unit didn’t play.
> I must have gotten  a defective unit
> 
> thank you for your reply.



Just like MrWalkman said, I don't think we need to change any settings to play hi-res music through (get sound out of) the 3.5mm socket. You should be able to play and hear all songs regardless of the file formats when the unit is playing - of course, as long as the formats are supported by the player (check the manual). 

Since you can't hear music from the 3.5mm jack, something must be wrong. It may be the problem with the player's 3.5mm socket, or the problem with the plug and/or cable of your earphones/headphones.  (I know this is silly, but make sure the player is not muted - volume is turned up a bit.)


----------



## MrWalkman

SoLame said:


> Since you can't hear music from the 3.5mm jack, something must be wrong. It may be the problem with the player's 3.5mm socket, or the problem with the plug and/or cable of your earphones/headphones.  (I know this is silly, but make sure the player is not muted - volume is turned up a bit.)



That would be an easy fix, but he said "I get audio out of 3.5 mm only for mp3 songs". I can't really imagine how could this happen.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 22, 2020)

cammoni said:


> Yes, I tried to play all the mentioned formats including the songs I purchased from hdtrack. So I copied one mp3 song just to try, and that played well.
> Even the four songs that came with the unit didn’t play.
> I must have gotten a defective unit
> 
> thank you for your reply.



Try resetting it to factory settings or reinstall stock firmware 3.02

Good Luck 🤞🏻


----------



## Hinomotocho

cammoni said:


> Yes, I tried to play all the mentioned formats including the songs I purchased from hdtrack.  So I copied one mp3 song just to try, and that played well.
> Even the four songs that came with the unit didn’t play.
> I must have gotten  a defective unit
> 
> thank you for your reply.


In the folder view does it show the full track information? Last night I had some multitrack files and I didn't realise one of them was ogg. format then I realised apart from the track name it didn't show any other info. I know your files are supported formats but I was just wondering if they were maybe corrupted or some other issue. 
All the best


----------



## aceedburn

cammoni said:


> Yes, I tried to play all the mentioned formats including the songs I purchased from hdtrack.  So I copied one mp3 song just to try, and that played well.
> Even the four songs that came with the unit didn’t play.
> I must have gotten  a defective unit
> 
> thank you for your reply.


If you can play mp3 you should be able to play all the other formats you mentioned as well. Di you put all the music files into the MUSIC folder? Otherwise they won’’t be recognised.


----------



## SoLame

MrWalkman said:


> That would be an easy fix, but he said "I get audio out of 3.5 mm only for mp3 songs". I can't really imagine how could this happen.


Oops! It has to be software-related then.



aceedburn said:


> If you can play mp3 you should be able to play all the other formats you mentioned as well. Di you put all the music files into the MUSIC folder? Otherwise they won’’t be recognised.


I thought about that too, but he said the 4 preloaded tracks don't even play.


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 23, 2020)

cammoni said:


> I am new here, I need bit of help here with my 1Z that got delivered today, I get audio out out of 3.5 mm only for mp3 songs. I have 16 bit and 24 bit FLAC, WAW and AIFF songs, which are not playing thru 3.5mm. I don't have the cable yet to test the 4.4 balanced so I am depending on 3.5 for now.
> 
> I should get audio out of 3.5mm except DSD per my knowledge. Is there any setting I missed? I have updated to the latest firmware 3.2 FYI...
> 
> Thank you



Player should play the files via the 3.5 SE, Go to settings, Device and do a factory reset, as costs nothing to try. If it's hardware related it may be due to a sticky relay as WM1A/Z has a two. The relay not switching could be the issue as the players do switch the relays between 4.4 balanced and 3.5 SE also varying bit depths/resolution of tracks.

If you have a friend with 4.4 balanced or a local audio shop you could try to see if the balanced works and it should also click as the jack is fully inserted. If the player still wont play high res files, The relay may not be switching as intended. My own WM1A has a fairly pronounced click on both insertion of the 4.4 balanced and say going from an MP3 to a FLAC at 96/24.

Some click softer than others, equally they all switch relays as a part of the design & function. This is to protect the user & hardware from any feedback, loud popping, clicking etc. I'm unsure dependant on the mode if one of more of the relays remain engaged or simply open & close rapidly.

n.b. from memory on 4.4

Q-6


----------



## gerelmx1986

Corrupted files.  I had a similar situation of flac not.playing only yo realize the player threw an error on screen and skipped to next song. I replaced the defective flacs from a backup hard drive


----------



## gsiu33

On WM1A/Z+ with J region. Per the last full re-charged (with battery care enabled) on my WM1Z, I listened to 13 albums, 8 of them are DSD64, 1 is 24,192 FLAC, the total listening time is around 12 hours, the battery Indicator still not flashing. Very impressive.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Gamerlingual

Hi, everyone. So this popped up in my Windows Security Scan. Apparently, there is a Trojan embedded in the folder. It might be a false positive. But here is the picture and followed my Google link to the explanation. This is more to be aware, but I'm still playing with the CFW:





The Google Search states this in the Trojan info. I think we are fine. But better to share with the community just in case:

https://www.google.com/search?sourc...hUKEwjIqcrA6f7rAhVTBogKHWBWBUIQ4dUDCAY&uact=5


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> Hi, everyone. So this popped up in my Windows Security Scan. Apparently, there is a Trojan embedded in the folder. It might be a false positive. But here is the picture and followed my Google link to the explanation. This is more to be aware, but I'm still playing with the CFW:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Many of the different fw and tunings give these false positives


----------



## MrWalkman

This only happens in Windows Defender. Just use a more competent antivirus and the detection will be gone.


----------



## Gamerlingual

I'm fine with what I'm using and I'm still using the CFW. Just figured it would be fine to put it out there.


----------



## MrWalkman

Gamerlingual said:


> I'm fine with what I'm using and I'm still using the CFW. Just figured it would be fine to put it out there.



I'm also using Windows Defender, but the fact that it just "detects" something that it isn't, it's not a sign of the best antivirus.


----------



## gerelmx1986

I like the chameleon 2 that I havent tried the + nor the ++


----------



## Gforce8 (Sep 23, 2020)

> Not only that, the WM1Z is easily the most holographic DAP I've ever had the pleasure of owning, and in a way tells you what your IEMs could sound like as opposed to what the manufacturer intended for them. That was one of the main reasons I sold mine and swapped to the LPGT, as the presentation was simply too different from the reality and reviewing something using the WM1Z ends up being useful only to people who own the WM1Z


Came across this while doing some light reading. Any views on this? This sounds like the DAP is a double edged sword. 🤔 of cos, not denying the fact that it's a great DAP!

Source

_P.S. I'm still a greenhorn_

Edit: added source


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 23, 2020)

Gforce8 said:


> Came across this while doing some light reading. Any views on this? This sounds like the DAP is a double edged sword. 🤔 of cos, not denying the fact that it's a great DAP!
> 
> _P.S. I'm still a greenhorn_



Sources are always good to include. Otherwise such a statement is only useful to the original people who read it. Typically any reviewer is going to listen on 4 to 6 sources before making a judgment anyway.


----------



## Gforce8

Redcarmoose said:


> Sources are always good to include.


No offense, but does knowing the author or origin of the source affect the opinion on the statement?


----------



## aceedburn

Gforce8 said:


> No offense, but does knowing the author or origin of the source affect the opinion on the statement?


Depends on whether the source is known to be full of crap.  And I can say that some audio sites and also reviewers that fit in that category of real bull.


----------



## Gforce8

Redcarmoose said:


> Sources are always good to include. Otherwise such a statement is only useful to the original people who read it. Typically any reviewer is going to listen on 4 to 6 sources before making a judgment anyway.


Already added the source, cheers~


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 23, 2020)

Gforce8 said:


> No offense, but does knowing the author or origin of the source affect the opinion on the statement?



Just helps to understand where the person writing it is truly coming from. What happens is everything goes together to form an end sound. It’s normally never one thing having character. We try to find a avenue to understanding on what an IEM is about. All products seem to have a character. So it’s actually easy. You simply describe the combinations. The fun is in the surprises, then at the end of using an array of equipment you can generalize. Though typically broad generalizations can be trouble. Today I went from the 1Z to the $139.00 FiiO E17K, for completeness.......and yes, it was different, but in a great way.

Edit:

Well. Everyone has their own ideas. Though having a single source that you trust can maybe make things simple. Still not everyone’s going to have what you have. In the end it doesn’t matter anyway.

This is all subjective and people hear different ways. Anything someone says should be followed up with a demo.

The best thing a review can do is help find something that you may overlook, by describing an IEM in a way that makes you want to take a long listen.


----------



## Gforce8

aceedburn said:


> Depends on whether the spruce is known to be full of crap which I personally know some audio sites and also reviewers that fit in that category of crap.


This is what I'm trying to avoid. *If* the source is full of crap, rather than throwing dirt at the author, I would prefer you guys to provide personal opinions on the statement base on your experience on the said DAP. ✌🏼️


----------



## ttt123

Gforce8 said:


> No offense, but does knowing the author or origin of the source affect the opinion on the statement?


Of course!  It's like knowing that Trump gave an opinion, versus anybody else. 

As far as the opinion of the reviewer, I would say that it he gave a qualified recommendation, in that he enjoyed it, but it did not suit what he wanted for reviewing equipment.
So if you enjoy the way the WM1Z makes music, then it is a great choice, and a great DAP.  If you don't enjoy it, then it is not the DAP for you.

I know, I know, I just said nothing.  But it is also the truth.  We enjoy what we like, not what reviewers. or others, like.  We use the various reviews and opinions as guidance, but in the end, we decide based on how it works in OUR system, and OUR preferences, and whether we enjoy it or not.


----------



## MrWalkman

I don't own the 1Z, but I'm fairly certain that a WM1A with CHAMELEON 2.0, switched to 1Z, sounds the closest possible to the actual 1Z, minus the hardware differences.

The soundstage is indeed wide. It's wider than the WM1A, and also wider than the FiiO M11 PRO. The FiiO DAP is the only other player I owned.

My opinion is that these players have their own way of presenting the music. I say this because the WM1Z doesn't have that soundstage just because of the different components. So it's obvious that Sony tuned these players differently.

For example, I like soundstage. I don't want the sound to be as technically accurate as possible, I just want to hear something I like, so WM1Z would be a nice player to own. Luckily, WM1A can come very close to that, and I don't feel like I need to buy the WM1Z. I was considering it at some point, some months ago, but not anymore.

In the end it should be about experimentation and finding out what you like. Reviews can help you get an idea about a certain product, but in the end it's your experimentation with it that will lead you to a conclusion.


By the way, I get that we like these players so much, and we may feel aggressive when someone may seem like trying to say something bad about them. Don't hesitate to ask questions if you have any.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 23, 2020)

Gforce8 said:


> This is what I'm trying to avoid. *If* the source is full of crap, rather than throwing dirt at the author, I would prefer you guys to provide personal opinions on the statement base on your experience on the said DAP. ✌🏼️



The best reviews have you kind of know they are telling the truth. They will go around some of the bad points but in a way that doesn't have to be critical to get the reality across. So..........they may have keyed into some aspects that you can relate to. Then you know it's true because they are taking about concepts that you already understand. They will describe some stuff that makes you curious. Reviews should simply generate curiosity. Then on the demo you find if there is anything they missed or find out there are descriptions which may not coincide with your understanding of the IEM. Reviews can be misleading, especially if they are simply to generate advertising or ARE advertising. But I know of a reviewer which loves this $200 IEM and has talked about it often. I may have a different idea about the same IEM. At that point I realize that they simply value a different sound signature than I. They are sincere but have different taste.

A demo will tell you what was correct for you about the review. But hopefully the reviewer made you emotional to the point of getting into the demo seat. That's their job; to get people to try stuff by correctly conveying concepts and ideas.

Cheers!


----------



## Queen6

MrWalkman said:


> I'm also using Windows Defender, but the fact that it just "detects" something that it isn't, it's not a sign of the best antivirus.



Standalone AV scanners such as Emsisoft Emergency Repair Kit and Kaspersky KVRT don't detect. Both are standalone on demand tools with no impact to the system. making them an ideal backup to MS Defender.

Q-6


----------



## 534409 (Sep 23, 2020)

EEK still detect, showing_ Model Switcher v3.0.exe_ as Malware  Which is stupid, because there is no malware in these files. I mean EEK false recognises some programs as viruses.


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 23, 2020)

Well, feel free to do what you want to do with that.

They are just some files, packed together with WinRAR - a self-extracting archive.

Maybe for those AV programs it's suspicious that there is a small .exe file with a .bat script inside, I have no idea.

For anyone, feel free to bring it up in the future if you wish, but I won't try to explain it anymore. Maybe once there is a separate thread for all these firmware mods, there will also be a frequently asked questions section, where I'll mention it.


----------



## Queen6

Dramba said:


> EEK still detect, shows Model Switcher v3.0.exe as Malware



Also detects Rockbox V25, it's related to how the original files are manipulated, this is why I recommend both. You can also link MS Sysinternals Process Explorer to the Virus Total database for real-time evaluation, where hash's and or files are reviewed by over 70 AV engines.

Q-6


----------



## 534409

MrWalkman said:


> Well, feel free to do what you want to do with that.
> They are just some files, packed together with WinRAR - a self-extracting archive.
> Maybe for those AV programs it's suspicious that there is a small .exe file with a .bat script inside, I have no idea.
> For anyone, feel free to bring it up in the future if you wish, but I won't try to explain it anymore. Maybe once there is a separate thread for all these firmware mods, there will also be a frequently asked questions section, where I'll mention it.


I'm not afraid of false virus communiques - some AV programs false recognising even custom ROMs for Androd phones.


----------



## MrWalkman

Dramba said:


> I'm not afraid of false virus communiques - some AV programs false recognising even custom ROMs for Androd phones.



Well, I didn't know this.

I'm just "afraid" that someone will think I'm trying to spread viruses in the people's computers.


----------



## Redcarmoose

MrWalkman said:


> Well, I didn't know this.
> 
> I'm just "afraid" that someone will think I'm trying to spread viruses in the people's computers.



Your spreading life-changing perfection. Cheers!


----------



## 534409

MrWalkman said:


> Well, I didn't know this.
> 
> I'm just "afraid" that someone will think I'm trying to spread viruses in the people's computers.


There were some reports on xda-developers forum a few years ago: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2618678


----------



## aceedburn

MrWalkman said:


> Well, I didn't know this.
> 
> I'm just "afraid" that someone will think I'm trying to spread viruses in the people's computers.


Indeed you’re definitely spreading something here. Its a poison. It’s musical bliss and enjoyment. Way better than any virus or malware false positives out there.


----------



## terminaut

MrWalkman said:


> Well, I didn't know this.
> 
> I'm just "afraid" that someone will think I'm trying to spread viruses in the people's computers.



Just a somewhat random guess, but code signing might help to avoid being flagged by anti-virus software if that's important.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/seccrypto/signtool?redirectedfrom=MSDN


----------



## MrWalkman

terminaut said:


> Just a somewhat random guess, but code signing might help to avoid being flagged by anti-virus software if that's important.
> 
> https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/seccrypto/signtool?redirectedfrom=MSDN



Nice, I will give it a try for any future tools.


----------



## LoveMusicEveryday

MrWalkman said:


> Nice, I will give it a try for any future tools.


One way to overcome this issue is to temporarily disable Windows Defender, perform the installation of the .exe file, then enable Windows Defender back on. It's simple and it worked for me.


----------



## Mindstorms

MrWalkman said:


> Well, I didn't know this.
> 
> I'm just "afraid" that someone will think I'm trying to spread viruses in the people's computers.


I can confirm windows deffender is in fact a virus released by microsoft wich will false detect all kinds of files even good ones as viruses and more over if you let it will delete usefull file sfrom your computer and will not let you recover them so beware of windows so called deffender its in fact a very dangerous program...


----------



## nc8000

Mindstorms said:


> I can confirm windows deffender is in fact a virus released by microsoft wich will false detect all kinds of files even good ones as viruses and more over if you let it will delete usefull file sfrom your computer and will not let you recover them so beware of windows so called deffender its in fact a very dangerous program...



I’ve been using defender for many years on all computers in my family and the only issues I’ve ever had (that I’m aware of) are with some of these custom fw and fw tunings being detected as false positives


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> I’ve been using defender for many years on all computers in my family and the only issues I’ve ever had (that I’m aware of) are with some of these custom fw and fw tunings being detected as false positives


Agree, me too, havent had any issue with Win defenser


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 23, 2020)

nc8000 said:


> I’ve been using defender for many years on all computers in my family and the only issues I’ve ever had (that I’m aware of) are with some of these custom fw and fw tunings being detected as false positives


then you dont use your computer as much as me! nor handle a large amount of sensible programing files... and it makes me very happy that you have never encounter such issues but thats not my case!


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 23, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> Agree, me too, havent had any issue with Win defenser


again it happens when you use sensible files that dont count with enough certificates or had ben modified it just detecthem as false positives it has happened me with windows skins, some freeware, games and office programs. several times and over several windows includin 8, 8.1 and 10... and im not the only uiser on the plannet having this issues if you use your computer only to see Jpeg files listen to music and brose the web you may never have problems but thats not correct for most users that expand the use of a computer to other levels.


----------



## terminaut

Mindstorms said:


> again it happens when you use sensible files that dont count with enough certificates or had ben modified it just detecthem as false positives it has happened me with windows skins, some freeware, games and office programs. several times and over several windows includin 8, 8.1 and 10... and im not the only uiser on the plannet having this issues if you use your computer only to see Jpeg files listen to music and brose the web you may never have problems but thats not correct for most users that expand the use of a computer to other levels.



Your experience is probably unique as Gartner seems to point to Microsoft as providing the best protection...

https://www.gartner.com/


----------



## Steen Pihl

cammoni said:


> I am new here, I need bit of help here with my 1Z that got delivered today, I get audio out out of 3.5 mm only for mp3 songs. I have 16 bit and 24 bit FLAC, WAW and AIFF songs, which are not playing thru 3.5mm. I don't have the cable yet to test the 4.4 balanced so I am depending on 3.5 for now.
> 
> I should get audio out of 3.5mm except DSD per my knowledge. Is there any setting I missed? I have updated to the latest firmware 3.2 FYI...
> 
> Thank you


Are you sure that all your files are in the MUSIC folder?


----------



## nc8000

Mindstorms said:


> then you dont use your computer as much as me! nor handle a large amount of sensible programing files... and it makes me very happy that you have never encounter such issues but thats not my case!



I'm a software developer of CRM database systems for large companies in Denmark and my computer runs 24/7 all year and I actively use it 10-12 hours daily


----------



## nc8000

Steen Pihl said:


> Are you sure that all your files are in the MUSIC folder?



He can see and play the files but only mp3 files produce sound from the 3.5 output


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> He can see and play the files but only mp3 files produce sound from the 3.5 output


Coreupted files perhaps  have had this issue and saw actually the player skipping 5 files all 24/96 flac.

I did check the album files for corruption and yeah, dbPoweramo said it all FLAC STREAM ERROR files ie corrupt CRC32 Mismatch.

Chckd the hard drive, also corrupted,  checked my 2nd HDD all fine there, so copied entire album to walkman and problematic HDD


----------



## gerelmx1986




----------



## MrWalkman

gerelmx1986 said:


> Coreupted files perhaps  have had this issue and saw actually the player skipping 5 files all 24/96 flac.
> 
> I did check the album files for corruption and yeah, dbPoweramo said it all FLAC STREAM ERROR files ie corrupt CRC32 Mismatch.
> 
> Chckd the hard drive, also corrupted,  checked my 2nd HDD all fine there, so copied entire album to walkman and problematic HDD



I think he would have said that he receives an error if this was the case. Otherwise, he just said that there is no sound being output.


----------



## gerelmx1986

MrWalkman said:


> I think he would have said that he receives an error if this was the case. Otherwise, he just said that there is no sound being output.


Yes I actually got error and skipped to next files. It said something like format not supported or cannot.play.

PS with chameleon v 2 I am hearing at 57/120 vs wm1A/z+ v 1.0 at 65/120 IER-Z1R with xelastec tips


----------



## Queen6

nc8000 said:


> I'm a software developer of CRM database systems for large companies in Denmark and my computer runs 24/7 all year and I actively use it 10-12 hours daily



Exactly, some have more use than others, equally one should never assume that others don't push hardware and systems to higher levels. On an engineering project my systems are heavily utilised by multiple applications. What trips up MS defender and some others is modified files for several reasons, and of course legitimate malware which the vast majority of professional users avoid by default... 

Q-6


----------



## Lookout57

terminaut said:


> Your experience is probably unique as Gartner seems to point to Microsoft as providing the best protection...
> 
> https://www.gartner.com/


That's last year's MQ and is a rating for commercially available add-on products. 

I work in cybersecurity and what you need to know is that Gartner is ranking products based on features and capabilities that are important to enterprises. So it's more than how does it do protecting against viruses and malware. The much better judge of a solution like endpoint protection is how does it protect when measured against things like the MITRE ATT&CK framework. Microsoft Defender ATP which is only available to enterprises (and what was used for this ranking), is different and contains a lot more capabilities than Windows 10 Defender. I think in our internal testing Defender ATP came in second or third and the other two vendors in our top three are in Gartner's lower left and lower right quadrants. Also, one of the vendors in the top right quadrant was ranked at the bottom when we tested it. So I wouldn't take everything Gartner says as canon.

When it comes to personal computing protection there are much better solutions than Windows Defender. I couldn't tell you as I don't do Windows . I'm a macOS and Linux guy.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Redcarmoose said:


> Your spreading life-changing perfection. Cheers!


I second this. It's why I said I still use the CFW. It's been a wonderful change. So hope we all love the change MrWalkman has done for this.


----------



## terminaut

Lookout57 said:


> That's last year's MQ and is a rating for commercially available add-on products.
> 
> I work in cybersecurity and what you need to know is that Gartner is ranking products based on features and capabilities that are important to enterprises. So it's more than how does it do protecting against viruses and malware. The much better judge of a solution like endpoint protection is how does it protect when measured against things like the MITRE ATT&CK framework. Microsoft Defender ATP which is only available to enterprises (and what was used for this ranking), is different and contains a lot more capabilities than Windows 10 Defender. I think in our internal testing Defender ATP came in second or third and the other two vendors in our top three are in Gartner's lower left and lower right quadrants. Also, one of the vendors in the top right quadrant was ranked at the bottom when we tested it. So I wouldn't take everything Gartner says as canon.
> 
> When it comes to personal computing protection there are much better solutions than Windows Defender. I couldn't tell you as I don't do Windows . I'm a macOS and Linux guy.



We're drifting a ways off topic but absent other published results by reputable independent research firms Gartner is a good base to build on. My point wasn't specific to any version of Defender, but rather that Microsoft knows what they are doing in this space (and if one is being thwarted by Defender there's usually a good reason why).

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/why-microsoft-spends-over-1-billion-on-cybersecurity-each-year/

I'd be very curious to see independent results point to better-performing security solution for Windows.


----------



## Mindstorms

nc8000 said:


> I'm a software developer of CRM database systems for large companies in Denmark and my computer runs 24/7 all year and I actively use it 10-12 hours daily


wow I sincerally congratulate you! and also how lucky you are! and that CRM files must be a joy to work with! creamy!


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 23, 2020)

terminaut said:


> Your experience is probably unique as Gartner seems to point to Microsoft as providing the best protection...
> 
> https://www.gartner.com/


Yes at the expense of many false positives! but microsoft sent the only one in this train! and yes its also a good antivirus it just skiped a ransonware i downloaded last year and almost destriy one of my 8TB drives good I had backups! KAV use d to be the best out there also i would not guide for those charts since many users may have win 8 not updated wich its less secure than 10 for shure so yes and NO


----------



## Mindstorms

terminaut said:


> We're drifting a ways off topic but absent other published results by reputable independent research firms Gartner is a good base to build on. My point wasn't specific to any version of Defender, but rather that Microsoft knows what they are doing in this space (and if one is being thwarted by Defender there's usually a good reason why).
> 
> https://www.techrepublic.com/article/why-microsoft-spends-over-1-billion-on-cybersecurity-each-year/
> 
> I'd be very curious to see independent results point to better-performing security solution for Windows.


Its not off topic if some users get to show us how gorgeus theyr lives are so no no off*topic please this is indeed very interesting!


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 23, 2020)

This thread feels like a little community on its own here. It's nice, you're all nice people 

Just a little more off-topic... Let's hope we don't upset our moderator daddies with it


----------



## Hinomotocho

I don't mind a bit of off topic stuff as long as it is positive, I just hope we don't hit a post limit like the Walkman song limit


----------



## Fsilva

I just hope WindBlows Dirtfender doesn´t block this thread....
I´m just glad to be a Mac Os user since 2012 and the fact that i don´t need to use any AV...
Also i used to work for Microsoft...Office 365 exchange online...
Anyway back on topic, really digging @MrWalkman new take on the Chameleon, and looking forward for his DMP cooked fw!!!


----------



## Mindstorms (Sep 23, 2020)

Fsilva said:


> I just hope WindBlows Dirtfender doesn´t block this thread....
> I´m just glad to be a Mac Os user since 2012 and the fact that i don´t need to use any AV...
> Also i used to work for Microsoft...Office 365 exchange online...
> Anyway back on topic, really digging @MrWalkman new take on the Chameleon, and looking forward for his DMP cooked fw!!!


how dare you call windows defender that way! Get back evil get back! this is heresy madness! there must be something wrong with your PC...


''Also i used to work for Microsoft...Office 365 exchange online''...  (thrilling experience vs mac haha)


----------



## Lookout57

Mindstorms said:


> how dare you call windows defender that way! Get back evil get back! this is heresy madness! there must be something wrong with your PC...
> 
> ''Also i used to work for Microsoft...Office 365 exchange online''...  (thrilling experience vs mac haha)


There is no problem, he states he's a Mac user.


----------



## hamhamhamsta

Lookout57 said:


> There is no problem, he states he's a Mac user.


Error. Error, system can’t compute. Lol 😂


----------



## Gforce8

Redcarmoose said:


> The best reviews have you kind of know they are telling the truth. They will go around some of the bad points but in a way that doesn't have to be critical to get the reality across. So..........they may have keyed into some aspects that you can relate to. Then you know it's true because they are taking about concepts that you already understand. They will describe some stuff that makes you curious. Reviews should simply generate curiosity. Then on the demo you find if there is anything they missed or find out there are descriptions which may not coincide with your understanding of the IEM. Reviews can be misleading, especially if they are simply to generate advertising or ARE advertising. But I know of a reviewer which loves this $200 IEM and has talked about it often. I may have a different idea about the same IEM. At that point I realize that they simply value a different sound signature than I. They are sincere but have different taste.
> 
> A demo will tell you what was correct for you about the review. But hopefully the reviewer made you emotional to the point of getting into the demo seat. That's their job; to get people to try stuff by correctly conveying concepts and ideas.
> 
> Cheers!


This somehow describe how I feel at time. Also, I'm genuinely curious about WM1A/Z right now. So tempted to buy either of them, I sort of have this feeling that I will be very satisfied with their perfomance. Of course, I have to plan my finances properly as well. The Z is so much more expensive then the A. I will have to demo them thoroughly before deciding. I'm not really a technical audiophile when it comes to auditioning a piece of audio gear. I'm more towards "wow, the bass is good", "omg, the vocals are amazing", "I can definitely feel him pluck the string here" kind of guy here. Mostly go by how I feel about the songs rather than describing it with jargons used around here.



MrWalkman said:


> *I don't own the 1Z, but I'm fairly certain that a WM1A with CHAMELEON 2.0, switched to 1Z, sounds the closest possible to the actual 1Z, minus the hardware differences.
> 
> The soundstage is indeed wide. It's wider than the WM1A, and also wider than the FiiO M11 PRO. The FiiO DAP is the only other player I owned.*
> 
> ...


This got me thinking, will the Z go even further then what the A could achieve given the same situation. Should one spend that extra thousands just so that one won't regret not getting the Z initially.


----------



## Gamerlingual

Gforce8 said:


> This somehow describe how I feel at time. Also, I'm genuinely curious about WM1A/Z right now. So tempted to buy either of them, I sort of have this feeling that I will be very satisfied with their perfomance. Of course, I have to plan my finances properly as well. The Z is so much more expensive then the A. I will have to demo them thoroughly before deciding. I'm not really a technical audiophile when it comes to auditioning a piece of audio gear. I'm more towards "wow, the bass is good", "omg, the vocals are amazing", "I can definitely feel him pluck the string here" kind of guy here. Mostly go by how I feel about the songs rather than describing it with jargons used around here.
> 
> 
> This got me thinking, will the Z go even further then what the A could achieve given the same situation. Should one spend that extra thousands just so that one won't regret not getting the Z initially.


Japan has quite a few used ones going if that suits your needs.


----------



## 534409




----------



## Gforce8

Gamerlingual said:


> Japan has quite a few used ones going if that suits your needs.


How do I get my hands on them? On eBay? Or?


----------



## NickleCo

Redcarmoose said:


> Just helps to understand where the person writing it is truly coming from. What happens is everything goes together to form an end sound. It’s normally never one thing having character. We try to find a avenue to understanding on what an IEM is about. All products seem to have a character. So it’s actually easy. You simply describe the combinations. The fun is in the surprises, then at the end of using an array of equipment you can generalize. Though typically broad generalizations can be trouble. Today I went from the 1Z to the $139.00 FiiO E17K, for completeness.......and yes, it was different, but in a great way.
> 
> Edit:
> 
> ...


I very much agree! Its very convenient when a reviewer mentions the rig he used while testing as to give the reader a point of reference. Most reviewers often forget to mention this fact and 9/10, i as a reader, wouldnt bother to read any of his/her succeeding reviews (im sure im not the only one with this kind of a pov). More readers = more word of mouth = more recognition. Cheers everyone!


----------



## miguel.yarce

MrWalkman said:


> I don't own the 1Z, but I'm fairly certain that a WM1A with CHAMELEON 2.0, switched to 1Z, sounds the closest possible to the actual 1Z, minus the hardware differences.
> 
> The soundstage is indeed wide. It's wider than the WM1A, and also wider than the FiiO M11 PRO. The FiiO DAP is the only other player I owned.
> 
> ...



Nice work here MrWalkman! 

I had the wm1a a few months ago and changed it for a fiio m11pro, ibasso dx200 amp8 and a hiby r6pro. First off all I was looking for more amplification and something to try the android on DAPs. The big issue was that I didnt find the organic and rich sound from sony, I felt the soundstage on the M11Pro very wide and a lot of air and space between layers, also black floor, I liked that a lot but IMO the sound was a little bit cold. Only the ibasso dx200 amp8 was very near to that kind of sound I was looking for and with more amplification than wm1a, but the battery life and lag issues forced me to sell it very fast.

I had the chance to buy again the wm1a (with less than 200h) and believe me your Chamaleon 2.0 is wonderful!! The soundstage is at the same level or even better than m11pro, the bass is better IMO too. The only thing I miss is that black floor that the THX amp provides. 

I am experienced a little less battery life than before with this wm1a, I suppose that it is because of the better amplification that the software is demanding now with the new FW. 

Again Nice Work!! 

Regards. 
MTY

Many thanks!


----------



## Gforce8

miguel.yarce said:


> Nice work here MrWalkman!
> 
> I had the wm1a a few months ago and changed it for a fiio m11pro, ibasso dx200 amp8 and a hiby r6pro. First off all I was looking for more amplification and something to try the android on DAPs. The big issue was that I didnt find the organic and rich sound from sony, I felt the soundstage on the M11Pro very wide and a lot of air and space between layers, also black floor, I liked that a lot but IMO the sound was a little bit cold. Only the ibasso dx200 amp8 was very near to that kind of sound I was looking for and with more amplification than wm1a, but the battery life and lag issues forced me to sell it very fast.
> 
> ...


Thanks for sharing. When you intend to get back to wm1a, did you ever considering to get the Z instead? What made you settle for wm1a instead of wm1z? I'm also looking to get my hands on either the A or the Z.


----------



## Steen Pihl

nc8000 said:


> https://www.dropbox.com/s/g3x3cto8pu8emc5/Mindstorm's thoughts on fw and regions.xlsx?dl=0
> 
> It is part of an Excell file that Mindstorm has compiled based on his listening


This gives a very good view of the different region differences. I have to agree on these observations and I have settled on U. Seems to have that wonderful bass from the J region. + without the veiled hights too! Thank you Mindstorms (and nc8000 for finding it)


----------



## miguel.yarce

Gforce8 said:


> Thanks for sharing. When you intend to get back to wm1a, did you ever considering to get the Z instead? What made you settle for wm1a instead of wm1z? I'm also looking to get my hands on either the A or the Z.



I have never consider to buy the wm1z, Its not easy to bring it to México, the official store neither sell it here, thats why that possibility never cross my mind I think. But in your case if the budget is not an issue I can suggest to go for the z.


----------



## gsiu33

fjf said:


> Wav files require 1.4MB/sec.  Flac files around 0.6-0.7MB/sec.  That's why you cannot tell the difference.


Even SanDisk Ultra microsd provides 100MB/sec, then there shall be no difference at all. 😊


----------



## Mindstorms

Lookout57 said:


> There is no problem, he states he's a Mac user.


i was being sarcastic I agree 100% with him! and im also a mac user!


----------



## Lookout57

Mindstorms said:


> i was being sarcastic I agree 100% with him! and im also a mac user!


So am I since 1993.


----------



## Queen6

Both since forever and then some 

Q-6


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 24, 2020)

miguel.yarce said:


> I had the chance to buy again the wm1a (with less than 200h) and believe me your Chamaleon 2.0 is wonderful!! The soundstage is at the same level or even better than m11pro, the bass is better IMO too. The only thing I miss is that black floor that the THX amp provides.



My conspiracy theory is it's all about the tuning of the firmware and the hardware is more important of what can support those frequency responses that make it all good baby bab-e!

HiBy R8 looks interesting but what I love the most about all Sony Walkmans I’ve had and tried (include the lower models) is the sound. It just has a pleasant sound that you can listen for hours! It’s also so musical!

You can pick up a Thx portable external amp If you like that has the black background but this can also be achieved by a really good high end earphone/headphone with a great fit on your ears! My view in the THX is it’s great If you listen to electronic music but I think it’s better suited for film and tv production which is also cool to have a thx portable dac/amp to do when watching something. The F11 Pro is really great value and checks all those boxes IMHO!


----------



## jwbrent

Hi guys,

My first post on this thread. I own a ZX300 and learned about the improved firmware from @MrWalkman. In reading some of the posts here, Chameleon 2.0 came up. I’m a noob to all this, so what is this? Thank you.


----------



## Queen6

jwbrent said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> My first post on this thread. I own a ZX300 and learned about the improved firmware from @MrWalkman. In reading some of the posts here, Chameleon 2.0 came up. I’m a noob to all this, so what is this? Thank you.



*CHAMELEON 2.0* for WM1A has the stock firmware sound, now closer to the WM1Z sound signature, with the ability to switch the model from WM1A to WM1Z

Q-6


----------



## jwbrent

Queen6 said:


> *CHAMELEON 2.0* for WM1A has the stock firmware sound, now closer to the WM1Z sound signature, with the ability to switch the model from WM1A to WM1Z
> 
> Q-6



ok, thank you. I was wondering whether this was needed for the ZX300. This is a wonderful thing @MrWalkman has done for us all and I’m excited about upgrading my ZX300 which already has a very pleasant sound to begin with.


----------



## jwbrent

By the way, are you guys expecting to see Sony upgrade the WM1a with a new model any time soon? Seems the 1a and 1z have been on the market for, what, 5 years ...


----------



## Ryokan

jwbrent said:


> By the way, are you guys expecting to see Sony upgrade the WM1a with a new model any time soon? Seems the 1a and 1z have been on the market for, what, 5 years ...



I think someone said an upgrade was planned for this year but it's been put off 'til 2021. But don't quote me on that.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Ryokan said:


> But don't quote me on that.



I just did. You’re Fake News 😛


----------



## Ryokan

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> I just did. You’re Fake News 😛



Just repeating what I read a few pages back


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Ryokan said:


> Just repeating what I read a few pages back



This rumor could spark a Thread War of 10+ pages 😉 😂


----------



## Ryokan

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> This rumor could spark a Thread War of 10+ pages 😉 😂



And we're only just recovering from (micro) SD 'gate'


----------



## MrWalkman

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> This rumor could spark a Thread War of 10+ pages 😉 😂



The rumor was already said, and it didn't... I get it you like drama, as you said, but let's not


----------



## AlexCBSN

jwbrent said:


> ok, thank you. I was wondering whether this was needed for the ZX300. This is a wonderful thing @MrWalkman has done for us all and I’m excited about upgrading my ZX300 which already has a very pleasant sound to begin with.


dont sell that zx300, good things are coming that way as well


----------



## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 24, 2020)

MrWalkman said:


> The rumor was already said, and it didn't... I get it you like drama, as you said, but let's not



Oh heck yea, have you heard the News lately it's makes you wanna 😭 This thread is like the old National Enquirer stuff in ’The Bat Boy’ Epoch pre Presidential cover ups. I am definitely emotionally vested interest in the suspense and try to play my part.



Ryokan said:


> And we're only just recovering from (micro) SD 'gate'



...and I enjoyed every minute of that one. It was like the zombie argument it died, then came back, was considered settled then there was system formatting discovery which sparked newer interests. I love it when one guy is on a roll and just when you think he’s gonna land the TKO some other dude comes with a right hook. It's amazing.


----------



## Ryokan

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> ...and I enjoyed every minute of that one. It was like the zombie argument it died, then came back, was considered settled then there was system formatting discovery which sparked newer interests. I love it when one guy is on a roll and just when you think he’s gonna land the TKO some other dude comes with a right hook. It's amazing.



No comment


----------



## jwbrent

AlexCBSN said:


> dont sell that zx300, good things are coming that way as well



Yes, I read about them ... 😁


----------



## Amber Rain

Mindstorms said:


> i was being sarcastic I agree 100% with him! and im also a mac user!



So, what are you Mac users using to install the CFW?


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Ryokan said:


> No comment



You are wiser than me. Touché 😁🤫


----------



## Lookout57

Amber Rain said:


> So, what are you Mac users using to install the CFW?


Windows 10 on VMware Fusion or the lone Windows laptop I own.


----------



## AlexCBSN

Amber Rain said:


> So, what are you Mac users using to install the CFW?


Windows 10 partition installed via mac boot camp


----------



## jwbrent

Does Microsoft still charge for its OS? I’ll do the boot camp thing if not.


----------



## Amber Rain

Lookout57 said:


> Windows 10 on VMware Fusion or the lone Windows laptop I own.





AlexCBSN said:


> Windows 10 partition installed via mac boot camp



Thanks, I tried Parallels today (would also have been useful for my business), but could not get it to install properly (could not find/locate my HDD). Trying to get help from it's 'Support'  team!!


----------



## Queen6

jwbrent said:


> Does Microsoft still charge for its OS? I’ll do the boot camp thing if not.



Yes, but you can pickup an OEM license for around $15 

Q-6


----------



## Fsilva

Dramba said:


>


----------



## Queen6

Reality of all OS


Q-6


----------



## Lookout57

jwbrent said:


> Does Microsoft still charge for its OS? I’ll do the boot camp thing if not.


They do still charge, however you can download and install a trial version of Windows 10 that you can install without a license key. For 30 days you get access to all features. After 30 days a few features are disabled and you get a nag message to buy a key but it is still usable.

An alternative to VMware Fusion and Parallels is VirtualBox which is free.


----------



## gsiu33

MrWalkman said:


> Install WM1A/Z++, switch the model to 1Z, then install it again.


I am using WM1Z running fw 3.02 + region J. For me to enjoy WM1A/Z+ in 1Z mode, i just need to install the WM1A/Z+. No need to switch and re-install again, am I correct?


----------



## MrWalkman

gsiu33 said:


> I am using WM1Z running fw 3.02 + region J. For me to enjoy WM1A/Z+ in 1Z mode, i just need to install the WM1A/Z+. No need to switch and re-install again, am I correct?



Exactly, the model is already 1Z for a 1Z.


----------



## 534409 (Sep 25, 2020)

Even Macworld says yes: https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/mac-software/mac-viruses-list-3668354/
Due too my work I was mac user since OS 9 to Snow Leopard. After then owner of company, where I've worked, changed all the macs to PCs, and QuarkXpress to Adobe InDesign. He said: he has enough to buy whole computer if he wanted only to change processor for faster one (i.e. new G5). Never touched a Mac later


----------



## gerelmx1986

HeyManslowdown97 said:


> I just did. You’re Fake News 😛


Are the rumors by @Facta  Fake News? So no new WM1 MK 2?


----------



## gerelmx1986

I see that these sony DAPs are being quickly outperformed by newer DAPs

Almost all newer players feature minimum. DSD512and pcm 768kHz and between 700 and 1000mW of power with over-ear modes.

I've been dreaming of a mini DMP-Z1 lol with three gains L M and H as well different current levels for different ohm range e.g 0-16 ohm, 16-100 ohm 100-300 ohm 300-600 ohm and >600 ohm HP impedance haha


----------



## nc8000

gerelmx1986 said:


> I see that these sony DAPs are being quickly outperformed by newer DAPs
> 
> Almost all newer players feature minimum. DSD512and pcm 768kHz and between 700 and 1000mW of power with over-ear modes.
> 
> I've been dreaming of a mini DMP-Z1 lol with three gains L M and H as well different current levels for different ohm range e.g 0-16 ohm, 16-100 ohm 100-300 ohm 300-600 ohm and >600 ohm HP impedance haha



They may be outspeced but are they being bettered on sound and usabillity ?


----------



## gerelmx1986

nc8000 said:


> They may be outspeced but are they being bettered on sound and usabillity ?


I was thinking the same thing, they look wow on number and specs wise PoV buy they do really sound *that good*? What I would love to see is separated battery a la DTR-1 DMP-Z1  Ibasso max


----------



## aceedburn

gerelmx1986 said:


> I see that these sony DAPs are being quickly outperformed by newer DAPs
> 
> Almost all newer players feature minimum. DSD512and pcm 768kHz and between 700 and 1000mW of power with over-ear modes.
> 
> I've been dreaming of a mini DMP-Z1 lol with three gains L M and H as well different current levels for different ohm range e.g 0-16 ohm, 16-100 ohm 100-300 ohm 300-600 ohm and >600 ohm HP impedance haha


They may be packing older tech and specs but they sound way better than all of the newest high end daps. I’ve tried most of them. Sound is the most important factor to me. WM1A/Z beats everything out there hands down. Especially with the custom firmwares.


----------



## Gamerlingual

What do you guys think would be a good pair of IEMs to get that don’t fall out easy that feature the 4.4mm Pentaconn connector? Seems like the only options I see are from Sony, Sennheiser, FiiO and Audio Technica. Purpose to listen on the train and anytime on the go when using the 1A or 1Z


----------



## gerelmx1986

Gamerlingual said:


> What do you guys think would be a good pair of IEMs to get that don’t fall out easy that feature the 4.4mm Pentaconn connector? Seems like the only options I see are from Sony, Sennheiser, FiiO and Audio Technica. Purpose to listen on the train and anytime on the go when using the 1A or 1Z


I have my M7 currently with xelastecs, they do isolate.  But havent tested on a train setting. Tried the M7 on the German bullet train and they do isolate very well using the sony hybrids


----------



## RobertP

Orion beta version for WM1A >> Here

Just update stock 3.02 firmware first and then install Orion sound tune firmware. Restart your walkman and that's it.
You can use back to stock tool also if prefer over the official update firmware. If any problem installing it let me know.


----------



## domiji (Sep 25, 2020)

Hello WM1A/Z Fans out there,

i will receive my WM1A tomorrow and i will install a custom firmware for WM1Z sound  

Which firmware is recommend? Can i just install the WM1A/Z+ Firmware from MrWalkman and switch to 1Z Sound?


Do i understand correctly that the Chameleon Firmware is just the Stock Firmware with option to switch between the Models? But WM1A/Z+ Firmware is the improved Firmware also with the option to switch?

Thanks for you help


----------



## Gamerlingual

gerelmx1986 said:


> I have my M7 currently with xelastecs, they do isolate.  But havent tested on a train setting. Tried the M7 on the German bullet train and they do isolate very well using the sony hybrids


I’m thinking the type that you don’t wrap behind your ear. Just plug them in my ears and I press play on my 1Z and 1A


----------



## Hinomotocho

You could look into the XBA-N3 if they are still available. I have them but I prefer something with the over ear cable design because it provides a more stable fit.


----------



## Mystic Traveller (Sep 25, 2020)

domiji said:


> that the Chameleon Firmware is just the Stock Firmware with option to switch between the Models?


Yep, and some other useful features - you need to read MrWalkman FAQ first.
I'd suggest trying Chameleon 2 with 1Z switch,
BUT after a bit of listening to your 1A "as it comes" to feel the difference -
give it a try "out of the box", realize how it sounds, feel its SS,
especially if you haven't owned it before,
then go with updates.

Way of the Samurai* *


----------



## Layman1

Amber Rain said:


> So, what are you Mac users using to install the CFW?



Not wanting to faff around with buying/installing Parallels or Bootcamp or whatever, I took the hardcore lazy step of sending my WM1A to @Nayparm to be hardware modded.
Whilst he was doing that, I cheekily asked if he wouldn't mind upgrading to the latest MrWalkman FW too while he was at it   

Just received the HW/FW modded WM1A back now, featuring his 'ought to be trademarked' hardcore Audionote Kasei mod, along with our very own MrWalkman's latest WM1A/Z++. 
The player is set to WM1A; i.e. I haven't switched it, as I was feeling I wanted something a bit less warm and organic, to offer an alternative to the WM1Z (which by the way is running whichever version of WM1A/Z++ was made available as a Mac .dmg version).

Am listening to it with the Solaris 2020 (on 3.5mm output, as I haven't found a balanced cable that gives me the right synergy yet) and comparing it with the WM1Z now 

Bear in mind that the newly HW-modded WM1A has had almost no burn-in so far, and I feel that there's a good scientific basis for burning in capacitors.
Still, after back and forth with the same song a bunch of times, the differences between the two units seems more about sound signature that overall quality.

I feel there's more organic warmth in the WM1Z. 
Mids may be slightly more forward on the WM1A, and there seems to be a bit more clarity and definition.

I guess it's a testament to the quality of these mods that I can't really tell the difference 
But it's early days yet; I'll do a thorough burn-in for a week or so, then report back.

@MrWalkman apologies if this has already been answered (I did a quick check but couldn't see it in FAQ's):
So I'm running your latest WM1A/Z++ 2.0
It's set to 'WM1A' currently; if I want to use the built in model switching function to change it to WM1Z temporarily (to test against my real WM1Z), and then change back to the WM1A, is it as straightforward as just selecting the appropriate option each time?
Or will I need to do anything extra, or are any other settings affected by this?
Thank you (for any answer you may provide, plus again for the terrific FW mods!)


----------



## nc8000

Gamerlingual said:


> I’m thinking the type that you don’t wrap behind your ear. Just plug them in my ears and I press play on my 1Z and 1A



I have for many years run the cable to any iem where at all possible over ear and down the neck rather than under chin and much prefer this arrangement. I have always hated pre formed ear hooks or wire and the stock Z1R cable is the first where I’ve been OK with hooks


----------



## domiji

Mystic Traveller said:


> Yep, and some other useful features - you need to read MrWalkman FAQ first.
> I'd suggest trying Chameleon 2 with 1Z switch,
> BUT after a bit of listening to your 1A "as it comes" to feel the difference -
> give it a try "out of the box", realize how it sounds, feel its SS,
> ...



Thanks a lot for your help. I wasn't sure if i understood it correctly 

Just to be clear   

WM1A/Z+ is improved sound with 1A and 1Z switcher

Chameleon is stock sound with 1A and 1Z switcher


----------



## Gamerlingual

nc8000 said:


> I have for many years run the cable to any iem where at all possible over ear and down the neck rather than under chin and much prefer this arrangement. I have always hated pre formed ear hooks or wire and the stock Z1R cable is the first where I’ve been OK with hooks


Yea, which is why the M9 and M7 are off my list. One option is the Sony XBA-N3BP. Sunday, I'm going to E-Earphone to sample more IEMs with my 1A and 1Z. But I'm trying to figure out which IEM's have the 4.4mm balanced connector


----------



## MrWalkman

Only CHAMELEON has the stock sound for 1A or for 1Z.

WM1A/Z+ and ++ have a different sound, so they are not suitable for comparison against stock players.


----------



## aceedburn

Layman1 said:


> Not wanting to faff around with buying/installing Parallels or Bootcamp or whatever, I took the hardcore lazy step of sending my WM1A to @Nayparm to be hardware modded.
> Whilst he was doing that, I cheekily asked if he wouldn't mind upgrading to the latest MrWalkman FW too while he was at it
> 
> Just received the HW/FW modded WM1A back now, featuring his 'ought to be trademarked' hardcore Audionote Kasei mod, along with our very own MrWalkman's latest WM1A/Z++.
> ...


To answer your question, Yes. It’s as easy as just switching the model back and forth on thr player itself. You don’t have to do anything else though. But bear in mind the external tuning of your player will always be 1A whatever mode you switch to. If you want the external tuning to be 1Z you need to run the same custom firmware of your choice again after switching the model but like I said it’s not necessary unless you want a slightly different sound.


----------



## Layman1

aceedburn said:


> To answer your question, Yes. It’s as easy as just switching the model back and forth on thr player itself. You don’t have to do anything else though. But bear in mind the external tuning of your player will always be 1A whatever mode you switch to. If you want the external tuning to be 1Z you need to run the same custom firmware of your choice again after switching the model but like I said it’s not necessary unless you want a slightly different sound.



Thanks very much! I was just thinking that I could temporarily switch it to WM1Z mode in order to more accurately compare the modded WM1A against my WM1Z 

I've been trying out the DSEE HX AI setting.
It changed a 128kbps MP3 file of a Chinese pop music track (that I can't find in FLAC) to sound significantly smoother, richer and more enjoyable.
I noticed on some 16 bit FLAC files that it seems to bring quiet background sounds into a more prominent and noticeable position.
Listening to Van Morrison's 'The Healing Game (Alternative Version, from Still On Top CD 2), for the first time I really noticed a piano playing near the end from 3m 28s onwards, when the tin whistle (not sure what instrument that is actually, but this is my best guess) is playing.

I noticed similar small background details afresh on other songs too. Really enjoyable.
The Luddite part of me still feels vaguely uncomfortable using DSEE HX AI, just in case I'm somehow now hearing the track differently than it's supposed to be or whatever   

NB: am listening with the modded WM1A, so some of this difference might also be to do with the DAP itself, but I A/B tested with the HSEE HX AI setting switched on and off, and there's a definite difference in presentation between the two


----------



## MrWalkman

Layman1 said:


> NB: am listening with the modded WM1A, so some of this difference might also be to do with the DAP itself, but I A/B tested with the HSEE HX AI setting switched on and off, and there's a definite difference in presentation between the two



I would recommend giving a try to WM1A 2.0 mods. They will change the base sound for your 1A to the one of the 1Z - wider soundstage, better bass response, at least.

There's a link in my signature


----------



## frost15

I'm sorry if this has been asked before but, what happens if I install Chameleon in my 1Z? Will the 'Model Switch' allow me to have a 1A sound? Not that I want that but I'm curious about it...


----------



## MrWalkman

frost15 said:


> I'm sorry if this has been asked before but, what happens if I install Chameleon in my 1Z? Will the 'Model Switch' allow me to have a 1A sound? Not that I want that but I'm curious about it...



Yes, but the base sound of 1Z will still be there, aka the wider soundstage, etc.

Only the external tuning changes.


----------



## Gamerlingual

This is the list I've compiled so far. Any of these good with the 1A or 1Z?

Audio Technica ATH-CK2000Ti and ATH-CM2000Ti
Sennheiser IE800S
Sony XBA-N3BP
DUNU DK2001 and DK3001Pro
AZLA AZL-AZLA-ORTA
Otocharaku Flat4-Sakura


----------



## miguel.yarce

domiji said:


> Hello WM1A/Z Fans out there,
> 
> i will receive my WM1A tomorrow and i will install a custom firmware for WM1Z sound
> 
> ...



Hi! May be with a brand new unit will be better let the stock FW till you can feel the difference from new to + 200h burn-in as sony recommend, and then when you "know" the original sound from the WM1A make the change to chamaleon 2.0 just to recognize the improvements.


----------



## Damz87

Gamerlingual said:


> This is the list I've compiled so far. Any of these good with the 1A or 1Z?
> 
> Audio Technica ATH-CK2000Ti and ATH-CM2000Ti
> Sennheiser IE800S
> ...



I would recommend not limiting yourself to only IEM’s that come with a 4.4mm stock cable.

Any IEM with a detachable cable can be used. All you have to do is look for an aftermarket cable with a 4.4mm termination that uses the same connector as your chosen IEM (mmcx, 2-pin etc).

Aftermarket cables can be found cheaply and easily on places like AliExpress or the Japanese audio stores you have access to (most likely you can audition them there as well which is a great benefit) and in most cases, these cables will provide the same, if not better ergonomics and sound quality than the stock cables you get with most IEM’s.


----------



## Mystic Traveller

domiji said:


> Just to be clear


@MrWalkman already responded above but first check  his WM1A 2.0  link in his signature
to FAQ, instructions and FW.


----------



## Amber Rain

Layman1 said:


> Not wanting to faff around with buying/installing Parallels or Bootcamp or whatever, I took the hardcore lazy step of sending my WM1A to @Nayparm to be hardware modded.
> Whilst he was doing that, I cheekily asked if he wouldn't mind upgrading to the latest MrWalkman FW too while he was at it
> 
> Just received the HW/FW modded WM1A back now, featuring his 'ought to be trademarked' hardcore Audionote Kasei mod, along with our very own MrWalkman's latest WM1A/Z++.
> ...



Ha! Yes, that's option, but an expensive one


----------



## miguel.yarce

Gamerlingual said:


> This is the list I've compiled so far. Any of these good with the 1A or 1Z?
> 
> Audio Technica ATH-CK2000Ti and ATH-CM2000Ti
> Sennheiser IE800S
> ...



Now I'm using two models, IMR RAH and Fiio FH3. I would recommend the FH3 for the money is a nice option, and makes a nice combo with the wm1a.


----------



## Layman1

MrWalkman said:


> I would recommend giving a try to WM1A 2.0 mods. They will change the base sound for your 1A to the one of the 1Z - wider soundstage, better bass response, at least.
> 
> There's a link in my signature



Ah, that's actually what I'm using already on the WM1A; the WM1A/Z++ 2.0 
It's sounding mighty fine by the way too


----------



## MrWalkman

Layman1 said:


> Ah, that's actually what I'm using already on the WM1A; the WM1A/Z++ 2.0
> It's sounding mighty fine by the way too



It should sound very very close to a WM1Z using WM1A/Z++ 1.4 basically - or, if your 1A is now hardware modded, maybe it sounds better


----------



## Pablovi (Sep 25, 2020)

Can someone recommend an Over Ear headphone for this DAP? WM1A.
Below $500 USD that can drive them without external amplification. I already own the Sony WH-1000xm2, but wanted something that sounded better wired.

Thanks


----------



## miguel.yarce

Pablovi said:


> Can someone recommend an On Ear headphone for this DAP? WM1A.
> Below $500 USD that can drive them without external amplification. I already own the Sony WH-1000xm2, but wanted something that sounded better wired.
> 
> Thanks



Sony MDR-1AM2 will be a nice combo with the WM1A, also includes the 4.4 cable, but they are over ear.


----------



## Pablovi

miguel.yarce said:


> Sony MDR-1AM2 will be a nice combo with the WM1A, also includes the 4.4 cable, but they are over ear.


Thanks! That’s what I meant over ear.  Not my language. Will they sound better than the 1000Xm2?


----------



## Gamerlingual

Pablovi said:


> Thanks! That’s what I meant over ear.  Not my language. Will they sound better than the 1000Xm2?


Oh yea. A lot better. And I own both.


----------



## minzink

miguel.yarce said:


> Sony MDR-1AM2 will be a nice combo with the WM1A, also includes the 4.4 cable, but they are over ear.


my recommendation too! 

the MDR-1AM is very balanced and has a surprising sub bass for 40 mm drivers. this is my current configuration on the WM1A  with Chameleon 2.0 switched to 1Z. Best combo I ever had...


----------



## miguel.yarce

Pablovi said:


> Thanks! That’s what I meant over ear.  Not my language. Will they sound better than the 1000Xm2?



Yes will sound better than the m2 IMO more balanced.


----------



## Foosdan

I've been running the 2.0 firmware. Can someone describe the sound difference with 3.02? For reference, I am mainly using Focal Clears with my WM1A.


----------



## Amber Rain

Pablovi said:


> Can someone recommend an Over Ear headphone for this DAP? WM1A.
> Below $500 USD that can drive them without external amplification. I already own the Sony WH-1000xm2, but wanted something that sounded better wired.
> 
> Thanks


I use the Shure SHR1540 with an aftermarket 4.4mm balanced cable on high gain and am very happy with the results.


----------



## frost15

Amber Rain said:


> I use the Shure SHR1540 with an aftermarket 4.4mm balanced cable on high gain and am very happy with the results.


Same. Best headphones in that price range by far.


----------



## Queen6

Gamerlingual said:


> This is the list I've compiled so far. Any of these good with the 1A or 1Z?
> 
> Audio Technica ATH-CK2000Ti and ATH-CM2000Ti
> Sennheiser IE800S
> ...



For Dunu opt for the DK3001 Pro, as they work really well with WM1A and very likely WMIZ. XBA-N3 is more bass focused an V tuned, I opted to fit Sony's own Kimber Kabel which tamed the V, DK3001Pro is the more comfortable and has greater utility thx the it's excellent changeable plug (all good IEM's./HP should have this system IMO).

Personally I'm considering the new Dunu Studio SA6 as I'm very impressed with the DK3001 Pro and so far all reviews are very favourable for SA6.

Q-6


----------



## gsiu33

Gamerlingual said:


> TA-ZH1ES easily matches the DMP-Z1 in sound if you have the Walkman cradle


TA-ZH1


newworld666 said:


> I am not really sure that the a bit "old" TA-ZH1ES does include all what is included in the rather new and advanced DMP-Z1...


TA-ZH1ES only close to DMP-Z1 only if DMP-Z1 is running in a/c power mode. There is no way to match if DMP-Z1 is in battery mode


----------



## Gamerlingual

gsiu33 said:


> TA-ZH1
> 
> TA-ZH1ES only close to DMP-Z1 only if DMP-Z1 is running in a/c power mode. There is no way to match if DMP-Z1 is in battery mode


I agree to disagree.


----------



## 524419

Music Sanctuary mods look like someone used a soldering iron with 2 left feet. 
Avoid that travesty of a company please, especially after this catastrophe.


----------



## MrWalkman (Sep 25, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> Music Sanctuary mods look like someone used a soldering iron with 2 left feet.
> Avoid that travesty of a company please, especially after this catastrophe.



It seems they have an account, @Music Sanctuary, but instead of answering themselves to the accusations, they're resorting to complaining to the moderators. Are the accusations really that out of place?

Isn't it a big coincidence that after Nayparm started doing KAISEI cap mods and upgrading the battery capacity, Music Sanctuary also silently started providing these things? It's natural to think they are reading this forum and got inspired. Just come here and explain it if you didn't actually got inspired at all from this forum. Simple as that. And moderators could try helping to sort this out instead of simply sanctioning others.


----------



## Queen6 (Sep 25, 2020)

Diet Kokaine said:


> Music Sanctuary mods look like someone used a soldering iron with 2 left feet.
> Avoid that travesty of a company please, especially after this catastrophe.





MrWalkman said:


> It seems they have an account, @Music Sanctuary, but instead of answering themselves to the accusations, they're resorting to complaining to the moderators. *Are the accusations really that out of place?*
> 
> Isn't it a big coincidence that after Nayparm started doing KAISEI cap mods and upgrading the battery capacity, Music Sanctuary also silently started providing these things? It's natural to think they are reading this forum and got inspired. Just come here and explain it if you didn't actually got inspired at all from this forum. Simple as that. And moderators could try helping to sort this out instead of simply sanctioning others.



Seemingly not, as ever a picture speaks a thousand words...





I've seen day one trainees do a better job with terminations and a soldering iron, let alone cable retention...

Q-6


----------



## rcoleman1

Queen6 said:


> Seemingly not, as ever a picture speaks a thousand words...
> 
> 
> I've seen day one trainees do a better job with terminations and a soldering iron, let alone cable retention...
> ...


Wow. And to think how much these mods cost...scary. Glad I never used MS.


----------



## aceedburn

rcoleman1 said:


> Wow. And to think how much these mods cost...scary. Glad I never used MS.


What crappy workmanship and they charge a bomb as well. They should be investigated thoroughly and banned from this community. Music sanctuary, shame on you for cheating your customers and this community. Hope you sleep better at night.  And you chased away one of the best members of this community here in brother @Nayparm


----------



## Queen6

rcoleman1 said:


> Wow. And to think how much these mods cost...scary. Glad I never used MS.



Is what it is, nor my comments in the picture, there's more if you care to search. Casting out the good guys for questioning and exposing the bad, only serves to reduce the credibility of the site. Without the commitment and interest of the open modding community, no doubt views would tumble...

Q-6


----------



## minzink

Pablovi said:


> Can someone recommend an Over Ear headphone for this DAP? WM1A.
> Below $500 USD that can drive them without external amplification. I already own the Sony WH-1000xm2, but wanted something that sounded better wired.
> 
> Thanks


For the 3.5 mm headphone port I can also recommend the Teufel Real Z (https://teufel.de/real-z-104828000). One of my favorite headphones. Teufel is a German speaker and headphone manufacturer.  The Real Z is very balanced with slight expended bass. Only one (slight) disadvantage is that it has only half-closed cans. Therefore noise shielding in both directions  (in and out) is not optimal. The headphones are good for listening at home but not optimal for public transportation.  But the sound is overwhelming.


----------



## SebaE2012

Gamerlingual said:


> This is the list I've compiled so far. Any of these good with the 1A or 1Z?
> 
> Audio Technica ATH-CK2000Ti and ATH-CM2000Ti
> Sennheiser IE800S
> ...



I own the XBA-N3BP and use them regularly with 1A, SE (don't have a balanced cable for them). I find them excellent (very good build quality, comfortable fit - several sets of tips, both foam and rubber, included-, and very clear sound) and I think they have a great synergy with 1A. The soundstage this match offers is very good for IEM of this price range. I'm not a bass head by any means, but I find the XBA-N3 do deliver a clear and controlled bass, which isn't invasive at all. Mids are quite decent and treble aren't piercing or otherwise fatiguing at all. Sorry for the likely imprecise description, I'm far from an expert, but I can say that I enjoy the match between the XBA-N3 and the WM1A quite a lot. To the point where I sometimes, just out of convenience, I grab the XBA-N3 over the Z7M2. I'm not saying they are better in any way, just that they are very convenient and provide a great sound, which sometimes lead me to avoid the hassle of setting up the full cans. Good luck with your search!!


----------



## gerelmx1986

@Sonyvores  can you  confirm rumors of a WM1Z/A MK II?


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

The mood right now.


----------



## 534409 (Sep 25, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Sonyvores  can you  confirm rumors of a WM1Z/A MK II?


No one can right now. You can send this question in Japanese to Sony HQ 
WM1Z / A MK IIの噂を確認できますか？
WM 1 Z/ A MK II no uwasa o kakunin dekimasu ka?


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Dramba said:


> No one can right now. You can send this question in Japanese to Sony HQ
> WM1Z / A MK II



I'm sure the janitor who works there knows all of Sony’s secrets. 😉


----------



## Mindstorms

Mystic Traveller said:


> @MrWalkman already responded above but first check  his WM1A 2.0  link in his signature
> to FAQ, instructions and FW.


out of a time loop to help allways very kind of you!


----------



## joe

Hey Everyone,

It seems that things have gone a bit awry and off-topic from the intended in this thread, and we’re taking some time to review what’s going on here at Head-Fi HQ. It’s going to take us some time to review everything — both posts of members and moderator actions — in at least a couple of threads. Admittedly, we’re playing a bit of catch-up here, so may take some time to do this.A couple of things to mention:

Per the Rules and Terms of Use, we do not allow non-Sponsor Members of the Trade to post what could reasonably be considered advertising or promotion of their goods and services. As Nayparm is a Member of the Trade, we’ll look over his post history and review any moderator actions taken.


We’ve noticed from the thread that there seems to be comments and rumor that Music Sanctuary is somehow involved in any moderation decision, and that is not the case. The only thing Music Sanctuary contacted us about was to tell us they were unable to post, their profile’s posts being held in the moderator queue. We’re not sure how that happened, but we fixed that and they are able to post now.
Again, we’re reviewing everything here on this issue, and we’re asking for some calm here to allow us to read over everything. Let’s bring this thread back to discussing the Sony NW-WM1Z/A while we look into everything.

Thanks, everyone.

Best Regards,
Joe
Co-Administrator, Head-Fi.org


----------



## MrWalkman

joe said:


> Hey Everyone,
> 
> It seems that things have gone a bit awry and off-topic from the intended in this thread, and we’re taking some time to review what’s going on here at Head-Fi HQ. It’s going to take us some time to review everything — both posts of members and moderator actions — in at least a couple of threads. Admittedly, we’re playing a bit of catch-up here, so may take some time to do this.A couple of things to mention:
> 
> ...



I'll be limiting myself to only posting possible future updates, probably in a new thread - just for the people here. Good luck.


----------



## feverfive

I appreciate the upthread recommendations to help Mac users find a solution so the custom firmwares can be used.  I used to use Parallels with a Windows 7 key years ago.  I uninstalled Parallels (got tired of their yearly extortion, LOL) and must've also deleted the Windows 7 VM.

Given Apple's move to their own ARM-based silicone in the coming new year, I'm likely looking at buying a cheap Windows laptop. I have zero clue in which ways Windows will be an option for Mac users on Mac hardware going forward.  I'm sure something will be worked out, but the uncertainty sure has me glad that I do not need Windows except for hobbyist endeavors such as this.


----------



## LoveMusicEveryday

feverfive said:


> I appreciate the upthread recommendations to help Mac users find a solution so the custom firmwares can be used.  I used to use Parallels with a Windows 7 key years ago.  I uninstalled Parallels (got tired of their yearly extortion, LOL) and must've also deleted the Windows 7 VM.
> 
> Given Apple's move to their own ARM-based silicone in the coming new year, I'm likely looking at buying a cheap Windows laptop. I have zero clue in which ways Windows will be an option for Mac users on Mac hardware going forward.  I'm sure something will be worked out, but the uncertainty sure has me glad that I do not need Windows except for hobbyist endeavors such as this.


I am also using Mac and my solution is to buy the Windows 10 license and then install Windows 10 on Mac via Apple's Boot Camp process. Once installed, you can boot either to Windows 10 or to Mac OS as needed. It's simple and headache free. Good luck.


----------



## Amber Rain

feverfive said:


> I appreciate the upthread recommendations to help Mac users find a solution so the custom firmwares can be used.  I used to use Parallels with a Windows 7 key years ago.  I uninstalled Parallels (got tired of their yearly extortion, LOL) and must've also deleted the Windows 7 VM.
> 
> Given Apple's move to their own ARM-based silicone in the coming new year, I'm likely looking at buying a cheap Windows laptop. I have zero clue in which ways Windows will be an option for Mac users on Mac hardware going forward.  I'm sure something will be worked out, but the uncertainty sure has me glad that I do not need Windows except for hobbyist endeavors such as this.



I just managed to install Parallels on my Mac (created a separate user profile), couldn't get it to work, so created a ticked with Support and they fixed it for me (I had a hissy fit and asked for a refund!!). Have managed to install Chameleon 2.0 on my 1A now  just having a first listen.

I also considered a cheap windows laptop (as it would be useful for work purposes when WFH), but this will suffice (at least for now) as well as making  the most of the custom FW.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

joe said:


> Per the Rules and Terms of Use, we do not allow non-Sponsor Members of the Trade to post what could reasonably be considered advertising or promotion of their goods and services. As Nayparm is a Member of the Trade, we’ll look over his post history and review any moderator actions taken.



This seems fair-minded.


----------



## Vitaly2017

The heat is up guys! Tight up your pants there is a big tsunami wave on its way...
Every one meet-up at the bunkers!


----------



## miguel.yarce

Vitaly2017 said:


> The heat is up guys! Tight up your pants there is a big tsunami wave on its way...
> Every one meet-up at the bunkers!



See you there!


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

Vitaly2017 said:


> there is a big tsunami wave on its way...


 ???????


----------



## joe

Guys -- We're looking into things. We're not going to debate moderation here. Let us look at what we need to.


----------



## RobertP (Sep 26, 2020)

RobertP said:


> Orion beta version for WM1A >> Here
> 
> Just update stock 3.02 firmware first and then install Orion sound tune firmware. Restart your walkman and that's it.
> You can use back to stock tool also if prefer over the official update firmware. If any problem installing it let me know.



09/25/20
The current beta firmware seem to do fine with Extreme Pro card. Sound might be a bit too lean when play from internal storage.

09/26/20
Update v01 is now optimized for internal memory use also.


----------



## joe

Guys - let’s stick to players please.


----------



## HeyManslowdown97

When playing the DSD files on WM1A/Z what is the difference between playing them natively or with the ”Slow” and ”Sharp” filters? Is that “DoP”??


----------



## Blueoris

newworld666 said:


> I am using at office for a few days the WM1A + with MrWalkman Z++ 2.0 connected to a spare Speaker Amp TA-N55ES  ... and results are just impressive with an Heddphone, a Z7M2 or Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas.
> But a bit monstrous on my office desk
> 
> 
> ...



Great setup.
I am quite interested in the Heddphone and how it compares to the other TOTL headphones. Any comments on that?


----------



## Music Sanctuary

Hello everyone,

This is not what we had in mind when we were imagining our first post here, but given the heated exchanges that have taken place recently, seems like we have a lot to say to clear the air, so we'll get right into it...


We'll start first off by addressing the most recent discussion revolving around our Head-Fi account. While we are not very active on the forum, we have friends here in the local scene who alerted us to some discussion taking place on a recent change to our website last weekend. Upon hearing this, we decided to push back our formal announcement of the change, as we wanted to come on here and provide our side of the story before doing any promotion on our end. Our Head-Fi account was something we created last September in the wake of some organisational changes, and we have not had to use it up to this point in time.

What happened then was we logged in to this account to find that it had no MOT tag, and was unable to do almost anything on the forum site - we could not post anywhere, edit our own profile or even PM any users including moderators or admins for help. With this restricting how we could reach out to people, we had no choice but to email Head-Fi through their feedback email and the website's contact form – which got us no reply from the team, only got us the MOT tag on Wednesday and didn't resolve the other restrictions on the account. We took pains to ensure that our requests for help did not specify any particular users or particular posts, and only focused on getting the restrictions lifted.








At this point we wish to make it clear that we have zero interest in reporting other users on this platform – we honestly think it is a shame that community members are opting to leave over this misunderstanding. But even if we did, restrictions on our account would have made it impossible to do so. As of a few hours ago (we're half a day ahead of everyone in the US, to avoid any confusion), this was the state of functionality of our account:



There are no report buttons anywhere on any posts, we could not post to any thread (not just this one), we were unable to edit our own account and we could not PM anyone, including moderators and site admins. This situation was only resolved after a long email requesting for help from Ethan from Canjam, as we were running out of ideas as to who we could contact from the HF team to actually make progress on the situation while we watched people here jump to conclusions that our incredibly nefarious plans were finally coming to fruition – the truth is a lot more boring, to be honest. It is at this point that Joe caught wind of what was happening here, and replied to us over email to state that our restrictions were lifted, and that's where we are now with us posting this.





We also think it is unfortunate that some people have jumped to conclusions that we have reported others when it is obviously not in our interest to do so – as we have seen from the resulting backlash, such actions impact the intangible quality of reputation, which we have zero intention to ruin for ourselves (running a business is already challenging as it is). We accept that our forced silence may have played into this perception, and can do nothing but share our side of this story from here onward to set the record straight.


We'd next like to address the original topic of player modifications, as this was the original point of conflict in this situation and something which we would have liked to address at an earlier point in time, account issues notwithstanding.

Capacitor modifications are something that we have been internally experimenting with since last year, and us testing the Audio Note Kaisei capacitors along with other audio capacitors such as Elna Silmic IIs has been an ongoing process since last year as well. Below are some of our internal discussions with timestamps and identifying information removed:







Obviously, not being first to market does outwardly imply that the work may not be original, and we understand that this perception is a consequence of taking additional time to be able to roll out the changes to our service – this modification service is only a small part of what we offer, and our time and attention had been drawn away by other pressing business challenges (COVID and otherwise) in the interim year between these above discussions.

Additionally, we also do not believe that being first to do anything or post anything is something that grants said person an unchallenged exclusive right to change or modify their players, and we think this free spirit of experimentation is something that should remain intact as it benefits all who are here thanks to their passion for audio. This applies equally to us as it does to others, and to this end we have chosen not to stake any sort of claim for ourselves as others have experimented with modifications that end up being similar to what we have been doing internally. We believe that there is space on the market for multiple modification offerings as everyone has a different philosophy as to how they tackle this, and we carry nothing but respect for fellow enthusiasts who have done work to push the quality of these players, whether they have posted here before or otherwise.


As a final point, we would like to address some concerns about quality that other users have brought up (fairly, we may add). We will not shy away from these criticisms – to this point, the original engineer who performed all of these modifications is no longer with us (he was the previous owner of the company and did not adhere to the work quality and business ethics we now aspire towards), and we have altered our modification process, internal layout and quality standards to ensure that even the parts of our modifications that usually sit away from the user's view are something that we are proud to send out to customers. We feel that quality of work is something that we should never be fully satisfied with, and are always looking to improve the work that we do, modifications or otherwise. More importantly, we will continue to stand by any users who have modified their players with us as we want to ensure all who have entrusted us continue to be supported through any issues they may face with their players.





If you've made it this far, thanks for taking the time to read everything – we're honestly just relieved to be finally able to share our side of the story, and are more than happy to address questions if people have any.


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## hshock76

Music Sanctuary said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> This is not what we had in mind when we were imagining our first post here, but given the heated exchanges that have taken place recently, seems like we have a lot to say to clear the air, so we'll get right into it...
> 
> ...




Hope I can be back in Sg sometime soon to try out your player. Never had any doubts on the quality of your team’s work and service. Keep it up!


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## 524419 (Sep 26, 2020)

Music Sanctuary said:


>


I am sorry, but if you are telling me this^^^^^^^ is the mod that you guys came up with "without" looking at @Nayparm 's work    I have a bridge to sell you on the moon.
I get that you have to defend your company, but please at least try to be honest about what just happened here.
Thank you.
Good luck with your modification business 

ADD: This is Nayparm's work for comparison. And they happened to independently recreate his extended battery mod to the exact same specification too.
Obviously these mods are not proprietary, as they have been published on an open forum, but to have the originator of the mods banned from posting on the same forum that these mods have been copied from is almost without precedent.


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## 534409

Beautiful work. I I were in GB... For security reasons I don't use PayPal, since they changed rules and added 2500$ fee.
https://tamebay.com/2020/04/2500-paypal-fine-for-breaking-paypal-acceptable-use-policy.html


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## newworld666

Blueoris said:


> Great setup.
> I am quite interested in the Heddphone and how it compares to the other TOTL headphones. Any comments on that?


 
As I am not concerned with the weight and the band of the Heddphone issue (for some), as I can use it for hours without any difficulties or any type of pain, I would say it is an impressive Headphone for my use and the final type of sound I was dreaming of for at least two decades.

The only real issue, is that it needs an external amp which can provide instant high voltage to enjoy amazing powerful bass and sub-bass impacts. Even my TOTL closed Ultrasone ed15 Veritas can't offer/compete with so "clear" and distinguishable bass section of the heddphone. The Z7M2 too is really very good but like the Ultrasone, bass section is clearly behind what the heddphone is able to do.
So till, now I could only be totally happy with a THX 887 or TA-N55ES amp behind the heddphone => I own a few portable amps with 1W or 2W, but none, till now, could drive fully the heddphone like real amps. So, unfortunately I am like glued near my amps and I can't be really free to be where I want in my home.

Actually some in the ibasso DX220max or Hiby R8 threads have already tested the heddphone with those, and they are considering that they can't give all what the Heddphone needs to reach the best results. 
I am hoping that the future Centrance M8V2 will allow me to get some freedom in my home... without being sure.
With the WM1A/Z+ and some good power  amp, the heddphone is something amazing for me... I don't look for any other headphones anymore. Just a portable amp is missing. So centrance M8v2 or a ifi to come (with usb-c)


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## gerelmx1986

Does a cotton swabs fit the 4.4 socket, to give it a clean


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## Overkill Red

Diet Kokaine said:


> Obviously these mods are not proprietary, as they have been published on an open forum, but to have the originator of the mods banned from posting on the same forum that these mods have been copied from is almost without precedent.



I feel like @Nayparm would have enjoyed his time here more without the MOT label hanging over his head, with all the rules involved. He was happily sharing his progress as an enthusiast, but unfortunately happened to break some rules he was (I'm sure) unaware of. Whether the severity of the actions taken against him were too harsh, I don't know, but it appears there were some mistakes made unintentionally.

Hopefully he manages to continue his work and continue to share with the community if he so wishes to, either here or elsewhere idk.


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## HeyManslowdown97

gerelmx1986 said:


> Does a cotton swabs fit the 4.4 socket, to give it a clean



I don't think so. Are there cotton swab brands that are exclusively sponsored by Sony for the WM1A/Z and other models they make?


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## Music Sanctuary

Diet Kokaine said:


> I am sorry, but if you are telling me this^^^^^^^ is the mod that you guys came up with "without" looking at @Nayparm 's work    I have a bridge to sell you on the moon.
> I get that you have to defend your company, but please at least try to be honest about what just happened here.
> Thank you.
> Good luck with your modification business
> ...



Hi there,

We completely understand where the skepticism comes from, want to share some thoughts on this:

Packaging is a challenge for anyone attempting this sort of modification. All of this boils down to the specification of capacitors that were originally used by Sony, which need to be at least matched if not increased in specifications (voltage and capacitance) to avoid any damage occurring to the player or to devices connected to the output. These values are printed directly on the stock capacitors – which was our starting point when it came to experimenting with them, not anyone else's post on a forum.




Issue with this is that most audio grade electrolytic capacitors are packaged in sizes where matching specifications result in capacitors that are too large to stack vertically. It comes as little surprise to us if others have packaged the capacitors in a similar fashion – there is not a lot of space once all the physical components are reattached, unless the backplate is completely discarded to provide more vertical space (which would be a requirement for certain models of high end capacitors such as Nichicon KZ and Elna Silmic II even if stacked sideways), which isn't a compromise we think should be applied to players that are meant to be portable. This is compounded by our desire to maximise the core count of the PW Audio 1960s that we use for internal wiring (a component which contributes massively to the performance), which has significant space requirements.
Coming to the battery, again this is a case of matching components to the original part, which outputs 3.7 volts of power to the circuit and has a 1860mAh capacity. Any cell of that voltage is perfectly fine to be used here, whether smaller or larger, and again this is something we figured out from the specifications printed onto the stock batteries – and not on a forum. We tested with a smaller capacity battery to ensure functionality before looking out for a larger capacity battery to fit into the player.





Finally, we believe that not posting on the forums or being active here does not discredit the time and money we have put into our experimentation with different capacitors and batteries – and we believe that this is a sentiment shared by other parties that provide modification services and are not active Head-Fi users (Romi Audio and Musashi Sound Tech do great work as well despite not having a direct presence here).




Of course, there will always be people we cannot win over no matter what we say, which is also a reality we have accepted about doing business in an industry driven by passion. For what it is worth, the team here has full conviction in everything we have shared here, and we do not wish to drag out any unpleasantries that may have been associated with this issue.


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## RobertP

Hardware mods porn


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## gerelmx1986

RobertP said:


> Hardware mods porn


@Nayparm  HW mod porn was of better quality


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## MrWalkman (Sep 26, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Nayparm  HW mod porn was of better quality



Haters gonna hate, and everyone's gonna be what they are 

I guess we should stop talking about this, unless we want more of our posts deleted.


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## gerelmx1986

After reading about the dethonray DTR-1 with separate power circuit (dual battery). Hope next version of WM1 series offers this as well. I know ibasso max and DMP-Z1  feature separate power circuitry and batteries but ain't as portable as a DAP


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## HeyManslowdown97 (Sep 26, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> I know ibasso max and DMP-Z1 feature separate power circuitry and batteries but ain't as portable as a DAP



It is possible if the parts are made in-house by Sony with custom parts sized to fit in a portable DAC house.

******************************************************

A mod that hasn’t been tried on the WM1A/Z is to change the clocks or their  frequencies for better ones but that would have to correspond with firmware but is possible.


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## RobertP (Sep 26, 2020)

gerelmx1986 said:


> @Nayparm  HW mod porn was of better quality


Yes, I like @Nayparm a bit better for my future mods. As a DIYer, See many pages of hardware mods make me wanting to do it since I know how to do some soldering works.


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## Halimj7

Bismillah 

Has anyone tried the WM1A with WA11? Is there a improvement in SQ? Thanks.


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## Kad998

Man! I was gone for work for two weeks with limited connectivity. Just got back on and it seems like our team is breaking up and our hangout has been destroyed. @MrWalkman - We all support you and I’ll be another that follows you and the crew out of here! Just gotta know our destination and I’ll be there! The show must go on!


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## Redcarmoose

We will miss everyone.


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## Ghostsounds

And a huge thank you to Mr Walkman for his revolutionary mods that have transformed our listening. You have been so generous with your time and work. Also a thank you to all that have contributed here and provided me with much knowledge, help and fun. I feel real sad.....


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## audionewbi

Can anyone share me the latest WM1A FW mod done by MrWalkman?


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## gerelmx1986

Which connector is fragile WM-Port or usb c ? I know that one can just go to saturn or media markt  or others here in germany and for a few euros one gets a new usb c cable vs having to hunt for a new sony WM-port and paying perhaps 30+ euro for it.

I am concerned as this cable is my only WM-port I have . I had another but it failed after 4 years, started disconnecting from the pc with the slightest wiggle. I tried prying the usb A connector to tighten it up as I thought that was loose, it isn't help at all.


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## kova4a

gerelmx1986 said:


> Which connector is fragile WM-Port or usb c ? I know that one can just go to saturn or media markt  or others here in germany and for a few euros one gets a new usb c cable vs having to hunt for a new sony WM-port and paying perhaps 30+ euro for it.
> 
> I am concerned as this cable is my only WM-port I have . I had another but it failed after 4 years, started disconnecting from the pc with the slightest wiggle. I tried prying the usb A connector to tighten it up as I thought that was loose, it isn't help at all.


You can find them cheap from third-party manufacturers, I got a bunch from a local store for like 5 euros each. They all work fine and transfer files as fast as the original. I'm sure that if you google wm cable or search on Amazon, you'll find a bunch of options available in Germany


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## gerelmx1986

kova4a said:


> You can find them cheap from third-party manufacturers, I got a bunch from a local store for like 5 euros each. They all work fine and transfer files as fast as the original. I'm sure that if you google wm cable or search on Amazon, you'll find a bunch of options available in Germany


Thanks, I asked this because if these walkmans will be the last with WM-port (as seen since DMP-Z1) as I have no intentions to sell my wm1A, it will be a keeper and I will ship it to @Nayparm for full  mod


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## kova4a

gerelmx1986 said:


> Thanks, I asked this because if these walkmans will be the last with WM-port (as seen since DMP-Z1) as I have no intentions to sell my wm1A, it will be a keeper and I will ship it to @Nayparm for full  mod


Go for it. Sony is still manufacturing wm1a/1z and a55, so the wn-port cables won't just disappear from the market. If you're worried, just buy 3-4 cables for backup. You'll spend less than 20 euros and you'll be set for the lifespan of the DAP.


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## Mystic Traveller

audionewbi said:


> Can anyone share me the latest WM1A FW mod


Yes, you can take it here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jbjigGXQcnV0rP5vdSsfwbLcpWScT2cB?usp=sharing


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## kova4a

Ryokan said:


> Good to know these are still in production, must be a sign they're selling well and are highly regarded. And I guess the modder's and programmer's here have helped renew interest in discovering what these players are capable of.


Of course, Sony hasn't released new flagships and they still advertise them at any audio convection they attend. Both 1a and 1z and super popular and if you visit an audio show, chance is they will be a whole bunch of visitors carrying a "black brick" or a "gold brick" as they tend to be referred to.


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## gerelmx1986

I will limit my self to only lurk around and not posting unless necessary


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## joe

Guys -- I've had to remove some posts here just now because as I've stated before, we're not going to debate moderation here. 

We ARE still looking into things. It does take us time, and we are investigating a number of things, and there's still a lot to look at.

Let's get the thread back to discussing the NW-WM1Z, please.


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## joe

Guys — I’d love to keep the thread open, but if it’s going to keep going off-topic, I’m going to have to lock it until we’re completed our investigation. I know there’s a lot of passion in this thread, and we all want to continue discussing all aspects of this player.


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## Steen Pihl

I have to mention Mindstorms chart of observations on the different variations of sounds in regions! Its actually a very precise description to help you finding the right sound base!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/g3x3cto8pu8emc5/Mindstorm's thoughts on fw and regions.xlsx?dl=0
also to get back to track of this tread! 👍🆙🕹


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## nc8000 (Sep 27, 2020)

Steen Pihl said:


> I have to mention Mindstorms chart of observations on the different variations of sounds in regions! Its actually a very precise description to help you finding the right sound base!
> https://www.dropbox.com/s/g3x3cto8pu8emc5/Mindstorm's thoughts on fw and regions.xlsx?dl=0
> also to get back to track of this tread! 👍🆙🕹



I’m sorry but that link is no longer valid as I’m no longer sharing anything on this site or contributing anything that might add value to the site. So people will have to contact @Mindstorms if they want to read it as it is indeed a very usefull document


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## WAmadeusM

what in the world has been going on here for the last couple of days?  This was, without doubt, one of the most helpful and imaginative forums (give or take a few hard hearted)...and now it seems it's abandon ship....


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## jude (Sep 27, 2020)

Since this thread has now shifted entirely to discussing moderator decisions and actions (all of which I have to catch up on), I'm going to close it for now.


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